The Tycoon Inheritance

Haidan Group started from a simple corner convenience store and evolved into a listed company with supermarkets in high-traffic areas, convenience stores, and a few restaurants. There is a factory for food processing but it is on the verge of closing down. The stores are at a level of stagnation.

The Haidan name was once popular in the early 2000s. The family-owned convenience store was lucky to be in the center of a huge development and was given a chance to choose a good location after completion. The family's luck continued and survived through the changes in the economy. They were initially a corner store from the 80s but grew larger through each generation.

The family luck held them steady through the years.

For the company, that luck ran out five years ago.

"It's a broken company, brother Kai."

Xiao Wei put aside the investigation report and gave his honest opinion to his friend. The two companies acquired by this random young master are in a state of collapse. The construction company seems more salvageable in his eyes because he prefers to stay away from the internal drama that leaks from private affairs. Haidan Group is the typical 'The company is mine!' drama plot.

He likes quiet.

"I like these types of companies. It's like playing 'makeover'. Get rid of the unsightly things and replace them with things you're particular with. The fun is their reaction. If things go as I see it, my image will take a blow and I will get an R-rated offer. Isn't that fun?

It will be hilarious." The look of genuine anticipation was on Chen Kai's face paired with a silly smile.

Xiao Wei:...

If any accomplished businessman hears this reason for taking over a company they will rethink their impression of the guy. No one would think this is a young billionaire with a high talent for business. Is this a quirk for young business moguls?

"How long is your makeover going to take?" He had no choice but to accept his friend's way of doing things.

"A few months for the internal side of things. Taking over a new company will raise some hidden secrets or foul people. This is a family company, I'm sure you know what to expect."

Xiao Wei silently agreed with Chen Kai's words and took the new folder that was offered to him. There was no title on what the folder contains only 'Haidan Group' on the cover. Opening it, immediately saw detailed points to focus on and also the action plan for each problem they may face during the takeover.

On the last page was a project that has been circulating in other countries but is still premature in their country.

"This last one..."

"The competitors have stepped in the door about this but haven't perfected it. What they lack is confidence in cyber security. With the many restrictions and need for overseas help, they are stuck. We should create our network and Shenghuo will be at the center of it. I've already drafted the programming structure and searched for compatible vendors.

This will slightly change the simple living of people."

His background wasn't from the side of Science and Technology but Xiao Wei understood Chen Kai's confidence and optimism in this project. Simply reading the objectives he wanted to hit, gave him a wide view of what he wanted to achieve. He traveled to Country J and Country K and experienced effortless shopping at numerous stores.

They have cashless stores domestically but some tweaks are needed for perfection.

"It will take a lot of energy but we can do it. Brother Wei, this is my goal - creating a private network. What I develop, the riches from each sector I put my hand in should come back to myself and my people. There should be no outsiders reaching into my pot. To most, this is a dream but I know I can do it. What do you think, Brother Wei?

Are you in for the long ride or stopping halfway?"

Chen Kai fixed Xiao Wei with a firm look. The confidence he coated his words with seemed to emanate from his body. This can never be mistaken for arrogance.

His eyes flickered between the detailed plan in his hands and the young man offering him a secure future. The only way to grasp that future is to trust him and work hard for that goal. He scoffed and inwardly called himself 'slow' when he realized his answer was in line with his initial thoughts of Chen Kai.

Xiao Wei offered his hand to his friend and boss. "No stopping."

The wild laughter of this eccentric young master filled the cab of the SUV. "As expected of someone I call brother." Chen Kai shook his hand firmly then retreated to the confines of the comfortable backrest.

Shaking his head in amusement, he packed away the folders and devices as they swung into the underground carpark of the Haidan Group. Two black Mercedes followed them closely, transporting the relevant staff he planned to bring into the company.

"Did you check the candidate list I sent you? Five assistants should suffice for now."

Chen Kai glanced at the man's confident look when he spoke. The urge to poke at that prideful bubble was there. "Xiao Wei. Why are they all men?"

"They all have great recommendations and they match our requirements."

Chen Kai: .... This scheming dog. There were no specific requirements. "Oh."

"Yes."

"Well, I prefer female assistants. It will be nice to see something pretty during the day." The sly smirk on Chen Kai's lips was hidden by his hands. It took him a good amount of willpower not to laugh when Xiao Wei's head suddenly swung in his direction. He firmly believed that his friend gave himself whiplash.

"Brother Kai please don't bring additional drama to our work days. The male assistants are our shields..."

"Drama? Shields? Mr. Xiao, what are you saying?" Chen Kai held an indignant look and pinned Xiao Wei with an inquiring gaze. Xiao Wei's machinations silently amused him.

"Tch~ You have a wife. I don't. If my mother finds out that I have female colleagues, she will catch the next flight out with a matchmaker in tow. In your case, I'll be saving you from my sister-in-law's wrath. A win-win situation for both of us."

"Brother!!! How hard is your defense against marriage? It's admirable."

Xiao Wei sighed with a defeated look on his face. The driver and bodyguard were waiting outside the SUV to open the doors. "Don't patronize me. Come along, let's go see what these people have in store for you," he said with a dull tone.

Knocking on the glass, the door opened and Chen Kai stepped out with an energetic smile on his face. "You're like my personal ongoing TV drama. I wonder what you will show next," he said with a laugh.

On the other side of the SUV, Xiao Wei rolled his eyes at the comment. Fixing his tie and tucking a loose strand of hair behind his ears, he spoke with a tone of superiority.

"Maybe I will show you my best acting skills. What do you want? Shocked and naive assistant or cold and contemptuous assistant."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

President..... Former Company President Xu Sheng stood by the floor-to-ceiling window and solemnly gazed at the bustling metropolis around the company.

Twenty-six years.

He gave this company twenty-six years of time, energy, and focus, missing valuable moments in life and also learning a few lessons. This family-owned business can suck the lifeblood out of the inheritors. Taking over this company wasn't his choice. His family had the mentality of the first son being responsible for the welfare of his kin.

He didn't have that mindset. It's a family-owned business, why don't the family help run it? Why wait for monthly dividends when you did nothing to earn them? Why not visit where your bread and butter is coming from?

Xu Sheng grew resentful of this over the years but kept silent. When he held his first child - a boy, he decided to shield his child from this shackled life and let him explore on his own. This led to a disagreement between him and his wife, she agreed with his family's style of this and loved the easy life.

The second son was born. Xu Sheng kept his firm belief in his words. The third child was born - a girl. He treated her the same but she developed her mother's mindset. She wants to take over the family business. Xu Sheng had no quarrels about this.

She chose her path to study and entered as an intern to learn.

A tired sigh sounded in the room.

Presently, his dear daughter is at the center of a faction that wants to take over the company rudely. He was aware of their actions but was too tired to care. He wanted out.

"Early 50s?! It's a good age to retire. Let them fight for this. I've done my best."

The phone rang. It was answered on the third ring, he spoke steadily to the caller and then returned to his solemn posture near the window. The conference room that can hold twenty people and is designed for comfortable long meetings seemed to be washed with a heavy gloom.

This was the atmosphere Chen Kai and Xiao Wei met when they arrived.

"Boss Xu."

The old man smiled at the fleeting title. It showed a hint of respect and also a telling of who he used to be. Xu Sheng turned to face the new President of Haidan Group. He didn't say a word. His eyes showed his scrutiny of the tall young man who should be an intern at a company. His companion was of the same look but both were ahead of some of their peers.

"You're younger than I expected. To win over those shareholders plus giving Haidan some financial breathing room shows your capability. What can I do for you, President Chen?" Xu Sheng was genuinely impressed with Chen Kai. When the offer was sent to him along with benefits for a smooth retirement, he saw his way out.

Chen Kai offered the old man a middle seat at the conference table and sat in the one closest to him. He looked at this man who could be his father. The tired lines on his face were clear and the signs of defeat were in his eyes. This was a man who fought a lot of corporate battles and had a lot of knives aimed at his back. A sign of refuge came and he took it.

It may look like a cowardly way out of a failing business but in Chen Kai's eyes, this was self-preservation.

"There's one more decision you need to make."

Xiao Wei retrieved a black folder from his briefcase and presented it to Xu Sheng.

The old man looked at the two and then read the contents. His relaxed posture sank deeper and deeper as he read on. After a few minutes, he pinched the bridge of his nose and heaved a tired sigh.

None of the two spoke.

This decision is for a father to make. He knew his daughter wanted to build her faction to stabilize the company when she inherited it. Some of the people on her side were old workers with over 10 years of experience. Xu Sheng knew these people. They were the type to seek benefits for themselves rather than to help their home ground.

He gave her subtle and straightforward advice but she ignored his words.

His daughter was leaning on outsiders' words than her father's.

Wasn't that a wake-up call? Isn't it better to let someone with strong capabilities take over the company than someone who's a pawn?

"Do as you see fit. She's an employee to you and nothing more. My name is no longer attached since I signed the handover."

"She's still young. She can learn."

Xu Sheng smiled at the young man's words. "Four years older than you and have been baptized by reality. XiaoMai is old enough to decide things for herself and see through fallacies."

Chen Kai understood these seemingly cold but caring words. He understood this man's thoughts and perspective. He sired three children on Star B5014 and guided them as best as he could. The personalities and thoughts of your children are their own. You can only show them the right path and let them choose it or not.

This was Xu Sheng's parenting style. His two sons accepted his teachings but his daughter was led astray. There was nothing he could do.

The former president offered the young man his hand and blessed him with a few encouraging words. Chen Kai didn't continue the talk about the daughter, it would be in bad taste. The best he can do is bring back this company to its former glory so the old man can settle in good overseas with a healthy bank account.

"I'll take your word, Boss Xu. I wish you a relaxing retirement with your sons."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The meeting hall was slowly being occupied by the workers of Haidan. From the executive team to the entry-level employees. The memo sent to their emails the previous afternoon simply stated that a company-wide meeting would be held the next day.

This came from the secretary of the company president.

It has been a while since they had such a large-scale meeting so this brought up many gossips. The higher-ups knew the reason for this meeting and were gnashing their teeth in anger at Xu Sheng's silent move.

The lower-level employees were the ones uneasy. A little rumor began then it caught fire.

The company was sold!!

This rumor began to ferment all down to the entry-level staff who began to think about their future. It's common to think that a new boss will do some cleanup work. The newcomers are the first to be picked off.

Everyone in the meeting hall began to talk amongst themselves. Some looked around and found that two to three people were missing.

"How come she isn't here?"

"Oh? You didn't know. She's on her mental health vacation, the fourth one for the year. The new fresh meat is missing too - sick leave."

"How convenient~"

"Maybe she knew that Daddy was going to sell the company and have no face to come to work."

"That makes sense also. Everyone heard from her mouth about her inheritance. The only thing she didn't do was write a banner and put it at the front entrance."

"Hahaha! It won't be strange if she does that."

"But, is it true? President Xu sold Haidan?"

"I guess?!?!?! The faces of the executives don't look good."

"Does it ever? After so many failed contracts and marketing schemes would you be smiling every day?"

".... Maybe a new boss can be a good thing. Everyone can feel the underlying tension in the company. ....Something is brewing."

"Newcomer, you're very perceptive. I think you're in the wrong field."

"I'm just sensitive to people around me plus a senior approached me about jumping ship."

"What!! Who was it? What do they mean?"

"Isn't it obvious? Look at the dude's face. The seniors are ready to abandon this ship if the rumor is true."

"Wow! Giving up years of work? Not giving fresh blood a chance?"

"This is why the company is stagnant."

Private conversations like these were rampant in the meeting hall. After ten minutes, agitation formed. They wanted to know what was going on with the company and no one was there to tell them. Louder and Louder the protests sounded until the sound of the double doors cut through their chatter.

The first person to come into their sight was a young man not yet 25 carrying the air of a monarch suppressing everyone within his range of sight. There was no smile on his face, his dark eyes were sharp as he looked at the crowd. On his right was a young man presumably the same age walking two steps behind him. It can be said a subject will show the image of his king.

This was the image the young man with the shoulder-length hair portrayed.

Cold and Indifferent.

What caught their attention even more was the position their President Xu held as the group walked in together.

He was walking behind the two young men.

Is it true?

There's no more President Xu!!

How can he abandon his family's success so easily?

The mild-colored hall was quiet but there were many disbelieving and cruel thoughts happening among the people.

The three were naturally oblivious to this. They took the stage and looked across the large audience each carrying various expressions in their eyes. Chen Kai stood away from the podium with Xiao Wei by his side. Boss Xu approached it and once again looked at his employees.

Some are new. Some have passed the five-year mark and some were entry-level employees when he took up the mantle of President when he was twenty-four. There may be a few upright people left but how many will keep their positive image in the eyes of benefits?

No one wants to be at the bottom rung of life so he can't blame them for their actions. He can only watch them fall into the consequences of their actions.

Gripping the sides of the podium tightly with his head held high he spoke.

"The Xu family legacy has always been in name only. It's not the president leading the company but the employees. The president is a leader who helps his people to do their best. But what happens when those he considers his backbone suddenly shatters? It shakes the leader's confidence and allows him to see what is happening."

"Is he speeding up the plot?" Xiao Wei asked quietly as they listened to Boss Xu's factual speech. By the looks of the employees, the old man was able to shake the psyche of a few and have most bringing up 'news from the past.'

"He is."

Boss Xu continued.

"If one can't find the solution to these things, you can only ask for help. To stabilize the group and to see Haidan flourish once more, I agree to its purchase by President Chen. The ownership has been handed over to him and he also holds the majority of the company's shares. It's been twenty-six years of ups and downs, and retirement is a good option for me......."

"RETIREMENT?! RETIREMENT?! WHAT ABOUT US?"

"Don't you care about your family?"

"Do you know how much we did to keep money flowing into your pockets?"

The expected reprimand came fast and steady. Boss Xu listened to their curses with an indifferent face. Those who were barking the loudest are those who have a lot to lose. If Chen Kai brings up their so-called good deeds it will shake the company's foundation. It is best to let it flow according to their mouths.

Boss Xu turned his gaze to the uneasy younger group and felt a bit sympathetic towards them, worried about their time at Haidan. Before that feeling went further, he stifled it.

The discordant voices continued and the three on the stage did nothing to stop it. The older ones were stating their achievements and contributions to Haidan and in the same breath cursing Xu Sheng's cowardice in selling his family's treasure.

"What does my decision have to do with your employment? I don't know if we are in the same room but President Chen hasn't spoken, yet you're putting water in the man's mouth." Boss Xu wasn't courteous to these people.

"Old Xu, is your brain becoming soft? What can a pup like that do for a generation-old company? You've lost your mind. We won't sit here and wait for our heads to be in the guillotine." A pot-bellied old head blustered harshly and pointed his finger aggressively at the trio on the stage.

Another old head spoke up. This time he spoke eloquently, his words were precise like a practiced speech. "Old Xu, I have to thank you for the years at Haidan. We know you have the company at heart but placing it in the hands of a child is not a wise choice. I'm afraid I have to offer my resignation."

Eight more people stood up. They held positions in the executive line and middle management. Basically the foundation of the company.

In the back, Chen Kai recognized a few faces and so did Xiao Wei, his disgusted scoff was proof of that. He sighed. "These people want to run without payment. Brother Wei, I have to trouble you."

A dark chuckle came from the man beside him. "Now I see where the fun is during a takeover." Xiao Wei watched the group leave the meeting hall and then sent a few messages to relevant people.

Chen Kai stepped forward and gave Boss Xu a reassuring pat on the shoulder. Poor old guy, can't even slip into retirement without an event.

The old man stepped back and Chen Kai smoothly replaced him.

"That helps me quite a bit," he said drily, tucking his hands in his pockets and looking down on the remaining employees. "Quick question - was the Human Resource Manager in that group?"

On his last word, simultaneously, a message from his university came in and a notification from the system.

[Congratulations host, your monetary inheritance has been sent up as a monthly deposit to your bank account. Monthly Deposit - 20 Million Yuan. Note: All funds are converted from the acquired wealth on the previous stars.

Please check your spatial warehouse. 3 Written and modified software programs by Emmerson Lee of Star E8947 have been delivered. ]

Ah, the divine shortcut from the system. Hehehe~

Now he's inwardly and outwardly happy.