Volume One, Chapter 5: Huo Yanchuan, Are You a Mad Dog?

A knock sounded at the door. Tang Ruan glanced outside and nodded to Xiao Lian.

“Aunt Zhang, I’m a bit busy right now…”

“Oh, alright, you go ahead.”

After hanging up, Tang Ruan rose and headed toward Conference Room A. When she arrived, everyone else was already present.

“President Tang.”

Tang Ruan nodded, silenced her phone, and placed it face down on the table. “Let’s begin.”

Tang Group had been thoroughly investigated by Tang Corporation, and the terms they offered were more sincere than with any previous partner. Yet, for some reason, TG remained adamant and unyielding.

“President Tang, do you think the TG boss holds a grudge against us?” Luo Yu, responsible for TG negotiations, timidly raised his hand.

He couldn’t think of any other explanation.

Luo Yu was Tang Corporation’s star salesperson; since joining, every deal he handled was successfully closed—except this one. TG was the first exception.

Tang Ruan shook her head. She didn’t know either.

“Have you met the TG boss?”

Luo Yu shook his head vigorously.

He wanted to meet the TG boss, but the other party never gave the chance.

TG had risen to prominence in Country Y six years ago, developing rapidly and now leading the industry.

Logically, such a successful business should have photos or introductions online, but no matter how hard they searched, no pictures of the TG boss could be found.

It was as if the person didn’t exist!

“Luo Yu, you and I will go to Country Y this Saturday.”

“President Tang, you’re going to TG in person?”

Tang Ruan didn’t deny it.

Luo Yu, recalling the many fruitless attempts to negotiate with TG, couldn’t help but complain, “President Tang, I honestly think TG doesn’t want to cooperate with us at all.”

If they were sincere, they would have agreed long ago.

He believed TG had no intention of partnering with Tang Corporation.

The signals TG sent were probably just to toy with them.

“Well, we’ll know if they want to cooperate once we get there.”

“Meeting’s adjourned.”

Just as Tang Ruan was about to stand, the door was kicked open with a loud bang, startling everyone.

“Tang Ruan!”

All eyes turned to Ho Yanchuan, whose face was twisted with raging fury.

His glare seemed to want to tear Tang Ruan apart.

Everyone instinctively took a step back.

When titans clash, the small fry suffer.

They were mere employees—no side was worth offending.

“Everyone, please leave.”

Tang Ruan commanded, and the others quickly heaved a sigh of relief and hurried out.

“President Tang… your left hand…” Luo Yu glanced worriedly at Tang Ruan’s left arm.

Her sun-protective jacket had shifted slightly, revealing a white cast beneath.

President Tang was Ho Yanchuan’s fiancée, yet despite her injury, he showed no concern and instead stormed over in a fury.

With such ferocity, Luo Yu wouldn’t be surprised if he actually hit her.

Tang Ruan smiled gently. “It’s nothing. You go ahead.”

Before the door had fully closed, Ho Yanchuan sneered, “Didn’t expect you to be such a hypocrite, Tang Ruan. Pretending to be madly in love with me, that you need me, yet spreading your affections all over the company.”

“Don’t act like you didn’t know about Xiaorou. What are you trying to do now?”

“For him?”

Tang Ruan’s expression turned cold. “Ho Yanchuan, are you a mad dog?”

Snapping at everything in sight.

“You actually called me a mad dog?!” Ho Yanchuan roared.

Tang Ruan remained expressionless.

He punched a cushion in frustration.

Taking a deep breath, he said, “What if I told Grandpa and my parents about you keeping your little white-faced lover at the company? Who do you think they’d side with—me or you?”

“He’s not a kept man; he’s a Tang Corporation employee,” Tang Ruan corrected. “An excellent one.”

“Hah!” Ho Yanchuan laughed scornfully. “Tang Ruan, do you think I’m a fool?”

Did he look easy to deceive?

The way that man cared for Tang Ruan—and how she treated him—was far beyond a simple superior-subordinate relationship.

An excellent employee? More like someone who’s very good at currying favor with you!

“Tang Ruan, I take back what I said before.”

“Our seven-year agreement still stands, but the terms need to change.”

“I can agree to marry you, but after marriage, you can’t interfere in my private life.”

Tang Ruan crossed her arms, smiling warmly. “If I don’t interfere with your private life, will you do the same for me?”

“What do you want to do?”

She threw the question back at him. “Whatever you want to do, I want to do too.”

Ho Yanchuan’s face suddenly changed. “Tang Ruan, I never thought you’d be like this!”

“Grandpa and my parents really misjudged you!”

He had felt guilty for only being able to give Tang Ruan a marriage certificate, not his affection. But hearing her words, all that guilt vanished instantly.

Tang Ruan’s grace and composure over the years were all an act!

Maybe she was already cheating, involved with another man.

“Tang Ruan, I’m telling you—” Ho Yanchuan was about to say more when his phone rang.

He glanced at it but didn’t answer, his expression softening somewhat.

“Tang Ruan, I told you I’ll marry you. Don’t make a fuss.”

A fuss?

Tang Ruan couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

Ho Yanchuan wanted to explode but remembered what the old man said before he came: if he couldn’t soothe Tang Ruan, he’d lose his position as the future head of the Ho family.

After years of effort and patience to secure that position, there was no way he would give it up!

Swallowing his resentment, he softened his tone. “Don’t worry. After we marry, I’ll send Xiaorou out of South City. He won’t bother you.”

“So don’t hurt him anymore during this time.”

“I have other things to do. I’m leaving.”

At the door, he turned back and warned, “I’ll pick you up at the old family estate on Saturday.”

Outside the conference room, only Luo Yu remained in the hallway.

Seeing Tang Ruan come out, his eyes lit up with excitement he could barely contain.

“What’s wrong?” Tang Ruan asked, puzzled.

“President Tang, you… you just called me an excellent employee…”

No one disliked being acknowledged, especially Luo Yu.

His hard work was finally noticed by the leadership!

“Yes,” Tang Ruan nodded. “You truly are an outstanding employee of Tang Corporation.”

Luo Yu’s achievements were dazzling across the entire company.

“Thank you for your recognition, President Tang. I’ll work twice as hard from now on,” Luo Yu said, clenching his fists with excitement, his speech slightly stammering.

“Good. Keep it up.”

Encouraged, Luo Yu was eager to rush back to his desk and work harder than ever.

He decided he would devote himself entirely to Tang Corporation and President Tang—come what may!

He would be a loyal, tireless worker for life.

Just as Tang Ruan returned to her office, Lin Jie pushed the door open.

“Ruan Ruan, I heard that Ho the idiot just showed up?”

She had just signed a contract and intended to greet Tang Ruan before leaving, but overheard other employees talking about Ho Yanchuan’s earlier outburst in the meeting room.

From the elevator to Tang Ruan’s office, Lin Jie had mentally cursed Ho Yanchuan and his entire ancestry.

From now on, in her mind, Ho Yanchuan didn’t deserve a name—only the code name: Ho the Idiot.

“Did he get physical with you?” Lin Jie asked anxiously.

Tang Ruan shook her head. “No.”

This was Tang Corporation, after all. No matter how arrogant Ho Yanchuan was, he wouldn’t dare lay a hand on her here.

Unless he wanted to completely offend the Tang family.