After the negotiation, the father and son pair of the Shen family offered to invite Tao Mu to have a casual meal in the name of hospitality.
Tao Mu directly rejected it.
With the experience of the previous life, Tao Mu had no good feelings about Shanghai. If it wasn’t for getting justice for the Song family this time, Tao Mu wouldn’t even want to set foot in Shanghai.
“I’m a bit tight on time, Grandpa Song is still waiting for me in the capital.” Tao Mu nodded at the Shen father and son pair, and asked Yao Shengan: “Let’s get the recipe book now.”
So as to avoid any unexpected circumstances cropping up, Tao Mu asked Yao Shengan to hand in the recipe book that day of the negotiation. He would then return to the capital with the recipe book overnight. As for Yao Shengan, he could just be there and kowtow on the day of the Song family’s ancestor worship. As for other times, the old man probably didn’t want to see this ungrateful enemy who was responsible for the ruin of the Song family.
It was New Year’s and Tao Mu didn’t want Mr. Song’s emotions to fluctuate too much. When people get older, too much anger would hurt their bodies.
Yao Shengan was half sullen and half conflicted, but he dared not speak. He had no choice but to agree with Tao Mu to go back to the Yao family’s house with him.
The several other shareholders of Sheng’an Group saw this, and they inevitably thought to themselves——as expected of a young man, young people were prone to impulsiveness, actually even daring to break into the tiger’s den alone. Wasn’t he afraid that the Yao family might use violence on him in anger?
Of course Tao Mu was not afraid. He grew up in an orphanage, and later worked in Night. When he was in high school, he naturally wandered through the major alleys of Beijing. He even learned to fight with brother Da Hui. If there really was a fight, the pampered Yao family might not be able to beat him at all.
In order to show goodwill to Tao Mu, the father and son pair of the Shen family decided to accompany Tao Mu to the Yao family’s house.
“You and Xiao Yu are also friends. Xiao Yu has been spoiled by us. He only knows how to think about things from his own point of view, and he doesn’t know how to think in other perspectives. It is inevitable that he is sometimes too naive and confused. But he really values ​​you as a friend. So we will also treat you as our younger generation.”
Father Shen smiled kindly, and when he looked at Tao Mu, he looked like a loving elder.
Elder brother Shen still had the same expressionless face, and he said expressionlessly: “Xiao Yu is also at the Yao family’s house. We will pick him up when we pass by.”
He once again invited Tao Mu: “I wonder if Mr. Tao has time to come to the house for a light meal. Last time I said that I want my sister and Xiao Yu to apologize to you face to face, but we have never had a chance.”
Tao Mu refused again: “I have booked a flight for the evening. After getting the recipe book from the Yao family’s house, I will be going directly to the airport with Lawyer Zhou.”
The ruthless Lawyer Zhou nodded and smiled at the Shen family father and son pair: “CEO Tao will transfer 10% of the shares of Sheng’an Group to other victims, and the remaining 10% will be used to establish the Song Huai Fund to be handled by me in their place. If Chairman Shen and Mr. Shen have any needs, you can contact me directly in the future.”
As Lawyer Zhou spoke, he handed over his business card with both hands.
After the unremitting efforts of Lawyer Zhou during this period, he had successfully become the legal counsel of FlyNews and the private lawyer hired by Tao Mu himself. The follow-up development was also as he expected——based on the various lawsuits that Tao Mu had experienced in the recent period, he finally reached the road of life winner who could eat endlessly for three years straight without taking another case.
After Lawyer Zhou’s words, the Shen family’s father and son pair’s kind intentions were subtly hinted to just be a desire to win over Tao Mu, the new major shareholder. Instantly, they were a little speechless.
Yao Shengan squinted at the Shen family’s father and son pair coldly, and snickered unceremoniously.
The two families have completely placed their hostility out in the open due to the sudden change of the Sheng’an Group. It was just that due to their manners and self-restraint, you would not see them swearing at each other in public.
However, Yao Shengan probably wouldn’t ever forget how the Shen family father and son pair took advantage during the Yao family’s most difficult time and when they most needed help. As the saying went, what goes around comes around. He had destroyed the Song family because of his coveting the Song family’s recipe book. Now he had also tasted the feeling of being betrayed and helpless.
However, Yao Shengan was not Mr. Song, and the Shen family was not Yao Shengan. Both of them knew that the battle between the two families had just begun. Yao Shengan won’t let the Shen family throw a knife behind his back. He was like a poisonous snake laying in wait, hiding in a dark corner waiting for an opportunity.
The Shen family also knew clearly about Yao Shengan’s nature. Therefore, they would not let Yao Sheng’an and the Yao family continue to stay in the Sheng’an Group to enjoy their wealth. The so-called unsuccessfully hitting the snake will result in harmful consequences, the Shen family had done something wrong, so naturally they dared not imagine that they could still repair their relationship with the Yao family. Since the relationship could not be repaired, suppressing the Yao family directly and preventing the Yao family from turning over forever was naturally the safest way to protect the Shen family.
But these had nothing to do with Tao Mu. He didn’t bother to care about how the Shen family and the Yao family would fight in the future. Either way, it was just a dogfight between his enemies.
The three groups of people got in the car with different thoughts, and they were silent all the way. It was noon when they arrived at the Yao family mansion.
Yao Shengan had always been grateful that Tao Mu had published an article on the waste oil incident to speak for him, so he wanted to invite Tao Mu to lunch.
Tao Mu knew that Yao Shengan’s invitation came from the heart——this old bastard’s gratitude was probably only worth a meal. But he did not dare to trust the IQ and methods of the others in the Yao family. Especially Yao Wenxiao, who might maybe even hint to the chef to poison the food.
Tao Mu didn’t want to use his own life to test the Yao family’s intelligence. After entering the Yao family’s mansion, he didn’t even drink any water. He waited for Yao Shengan to bring over the recipe book so that he could then turn around and leave.
The Yao family did not expect that after this negotiation, the Yao family would lose 20% of their shares. And that Yao Shengan, the head of the Yao family, had to rush to the capital during the Chinese New Year to kowtow and apologize in front of the Song family grave despite his advanced age.
They immediately glared at Tao Mu, wanting nothing more than to swarm over him to eat his flesh and drink his blood.
“CEO Tao right? Aren’t you too much? Our Yao family had no grievances with you in the past, but because of some old things that happened to the Song family, you actually took 20% shares of the Sheng’an Group. Not only this, what gives you the right to request my father to go kowtow and apologize at the Song family’s grave? My father is already at such an advanced age, and he is considered a prominent figure in Shanghai. How can you just humiliate him like this? Don’t you have any conscience?”
“Mom, don’t talk nonsense with him. Just call over people to beat him out. Our Yao family doesn’t welcome this kind of people.” Yao Wenxiao interrupted his mother directly and rushed forward, grabbing Tao Mu by the collar and wanting to throw him out.
In the next second, everyone only heard a pained screech, and they only saw their vision blur in front of them. Yao Wenxiao, who originally looked so aggressive, was kicked three meters away, and the exquisite tea utensils and small ornaments placed on the coffee table all fell to the floor and shattered to pieces.
Tao Mu retracted his foot, patted his clothes carelessly, and sat down again: “Speak if you want, but don’t think of resorting to violence. If you really want a fight, I’m not afraid even if your whole family team up together.”
The security personnel who had been guarding the outside of the mansion came in at this time. Yao Wenxiao climbed up from the ground, half of his face red and swollen where it hit the floor. There was a clear footprint on his chest, and he looked particularly sorry looking: “Grab him and throw him out.”
Several security personnel all instantly looked at Tao Mu. The father and son pair of the Shen family had the heart to persuade them to make peace. But before they could even speak, Shen Yu spoke first: “Wen Xiao, don’t be like this. No matter what, Mu Mu is the guest that Grandpa Yao brought back, if you just drive him out like this, will Grandpa Yao be unhappy?”
Shen Yu judged others with his own experience. If he dared to drive away the guests invited by father Shen and Shen Chen in the Shen family mansion, even if he was loved by his family, his father and brother would not easily indulge him.
“Why are you still talking for him?” Yao Wenxiao looked at Shen Yu incredulously: “He stole 20% of our family’s shares and requested my grandfather to kowtow and apologize to the Song family. Look at how he is bullying our Yao family, in our Yao family’s home, acting so arrogantly and even hitting me like this. Shouldn’t I send him out? Why should I keep him as a guest at the Yao family?”
“Xiao Yu, don’t be confused by that face of his, he is not a good person at all. He has a vicious heart!”
Shen Yu disagreed. Although he was pure and simple, he had also heard about Yao Shengan’s ingratitude to his teacher under the intentional disclosure of the Shen family. In Shen Yu’s view, Grandpa Yao did wrong on this matter so it was only natural that half of the Yao family’s wealth should be distributed to the Song family. What was more, what Tao Mu and the Song family wanted was not half of the Yao family’s property, but only 20% of the shares of Sheng’an Group.
“Why are you getting so excited about something that Grandpa Yao already agreed to? Do you think that Grandpa Yao framing the Song family in order to get the recipe book back then was right?” Shen Yu also looked at Yao Wenxiao with an incredulous expression. He never knew that his childhood friend was such an unkind person.
Yao Wenxiao choked upon hearing this. Of course he didn’t dare to say that Yao Shengan’s original approach was correct. Even if he was arrogant and domineering, he still had the basic moral values and three views.
“But Tao Mu even asked my grandfather to go kowtow and apologize to the Song family’s grave on New Year’s. Is this also not wrong?” Yao Wenxiao said angrily, “My grandfather is already at such an advanced age so why must he be humiliated like this just because of what he did when he was young? Hasn’t he done many good deeds for charity in his life? Why do you all wipe out all the good things my grandfather did because of that bad thing back then? Forcing him to rush to the capital to kowtow to apologize despite his advanced age? Are you even planning for your FlyNews to record this scene and upload it to the Internet for everyone to see?”
As soon as these words came out, the rest of the Yao family instantly became angrier. Yao Shengan was the pillar and face of the Yao family. If the video of him going to the Song family to kowtow and apologize was indeed spread all over the Internet, what kind of face would the Yao family have to continue maintaining their foothold in Shanghai in the future?
Thinking of this, the rest of the Yao family also glared at Tao Mu, becoming more determined to never let Tao Mu succeed. Yao Wenxiao’s father stretched out his hand to pat the bruised Yao Wenxiao. He was both distressed about his son and worried about his father. He immediately said: “I must please ask Mr. Tao to leave here. Our Yao family does not welcome you.”
A group of Yao family bodyguards walked in front of Tao Mu at the signal of Yao Wenxiao’s father: “Mr. Tao, please.”
Tao Mu did not move, and reminded them politely: “Let me remind you that I came to Shanghai this time because the Sheng’an Group begged me to come to negotiate. The results of the negotiations are fairly satisfactory. But if your Yao family continues to make trouble further, I might not be so satisfied.”
Everyone in the Yao family paused.
Tao Mu sneered and said, “If I am not satisfied, it is your Yao family who will be unlucky. If you don’t believe me, you can give it a try.”
Lawyer Zhou gave a light cough and very kindly helped to translate: “My client means that if he is not satisfied, what the Yao family will pay next is not just a mere 20% of the shares. I can understand your feelings. But don’t forget that the share price of the Sheng’an Group has been continuously falling due to scandals. If you are not afraid of delays that will result in the Sheng’an Group’s losses becoming even more serious, and the Yao family arousing public outrage at the shareholders meeting, then please continue remaining foolish.”
“May I also remind you that the Yao family now only has 20% of the shares in the Sheng’an Group and is no longer the largest shareholder of the Sheng’an Group. In fact, if a shareholder meeting was held due to the shareholder’s anger with the Yao family to elect the new chairman and executive CEO of the group. By then, no one can guarantee whether your Yao family can still keep your seats on the board of directors.” And Tao Mu happened to own 10% of the Sheng’an Group’s shares.
Everyone in the Yao family exchanged looks. Suddenly, they all felt at a loss at what to do next. Although looking at Tao Mu with angry glares, they really didn’t dare to make any more moves.
The Shen father and son pair had been waiting for the opportunity to show goodwill to Tao Mu when he was given difficulty by the Yao family. It would be even better to wait for Tao Mu to be thrown out in embarrassment under the persecution of the Yao family, and then stand up and speak justice for Tao Mu. But in the end, because of Tao Mu’s various tough methods, the father and son pair of the Shen family had no chance to speak at all. They could only smile bitterly at each other, and once again experienced the youthful spirit of this little CEO Tao.
Father Shen sighed, stood up and said, “Brother Yao, Mr. Tao is right. It’s better for the Yao family to not act rashly lest more trouble comes.”
Yao Wenxiao’s father waved his face with a dark face, waving away the bodyguards. Though he still continued to glare at Tao Mu.
Tao Mu himself didn’t care, he had been accustomed to being treated with hostility and being condemned by everyone in his previous life. Even his own parents, brother and sister could watch him die, not to mention some irrelevant outsiders. There was no question to how resilient he was under psychological duress. Not to mention that this group of people just gathered together to look at him. Besides, even if they really threw themselves over for a fight, Tao Mu was not afraid.
Ruthless Lawyer Zhou often encountered this kind of scene when he was helping others in a lawsuit. He even experienced being blocked in an underground garage and being threatened with a knife on his neck. Even that didn’t make him give up winning the lawsuit and enjoy the huge benefits of maintaining his professional ethics. Needless to say, the glares of the Yao family were as effective at hurting them as drops of water.
The both of them sat calmly and unperturbed in the spacious, bright and luxuriously decorated living room of the Yao family’s home, waiting for Yao Sheng’an to take out the Song family’s recipe book.
Shen Yu, who had just now been standing on Tao Mu’s side and speaking for Tao Mu, walked up and asked: “Mu Mu, do you really want Grandpa Yao to go to the capital to kowtow and apologize?”
“Grandpa Yao is already so advanced in age. Even if he did something wrong before to the Song family, Grandpa Yao has already promised to give 20% of the shares of Sheng’an Group to the Song family. He also promised to return the recipe book, so can’t you let Grandpa Yao go? Do you have to humiliate an elder like this?”
Tao Mu sneered and tilted his head to look at Shen Yu. After examining him to the point where Shen Yu felt inexplicably guilty, he asked, “Which standpoint are you telling me this from?”
Shen Yu was just about to speak when he heard Tao Mu continue to say: “Yao Shengan was just an abandoned baby left by the side of the road. He was picked up by the old Mr. Song who raised him and personally taught him cooking. Emotionally, the old Mr. Song is also Yao Shengan’s adoptive father. This life-saving grace, nurturing grace, and teaching grace, in your eyes, is not worth asking Yao Shengan to kowtow in front of old Mr. Song’s grave; Reasonably, Yao Shengan ruined the Song family for the recipe book, and several lives were lost. Isn’t such a blood debt worth Yao Shengan’s kowtow in front of the Song family’s grave?”
“I’m speaking to you about kindness, reason, and life. Yet you tell me that for the sake of Yao Shengan and the Yao family’s face, I should not have him go to the capital to kowtow and apologize.” Tao Mu stared at Shen Yu with scorching eyes, and then turned to look at the Yao family, saying expressionlessly: “Where is your shame?”
“Do you think that 20% of the shares of the Sheng’an Group will be able to repay the Song family’s kindness in raising Yao Shengan, and will be able to repay the blood debt of Yao Shengan for ruining the Song family?”
“Let’s not mention how much the 20% shares of Sheng’an Group are even worth now. And also don’t mention that the recipe book originally belonged to the Song family and it was only taken by Yao Shengan for these many years.” Tao Mu stood up and looked at Yao Shengan, who had appeared next to the stairs on the second floor, and said coldly: “If I, Tao Mu, killed and caused the complete ruin of your Yao family today. Then thirty years later, I spent a few hundred million to make up for the few lives of your Yao family, so I can feel at ease. Will you, Yao Shengan, be willing to accept it?”
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