Chapter 5: Taking the Reins, The First Strike

And so, the ugly truth of these executives, gossiping behind the female CEO's back, was laid bare. "This is outrageous! Our Miss Tang is the only legitimate daughter of the Tang family! Are they out of their minds?!" Lin Su, the CEO's secretary, sitting in the passenger seat, exclaimed, his cheeks flushed with anger. "Oh, what's with all this talk of legitimate and illegitimate? The Qing Dynasty is long gone. I don't even care, so why are you getting so worked up?" Tang Qiao'er narrowed her bright eyes, her slender fingers reaching over to pinch Lin Su's cheek. The 'puppy's' face turned as red as a peach. "Qiao Qiao, you're the future CEO of KS. Can you try to act a little more like someone in charge and not be so hands-on with Ah Su?" Tang Yue frowned slightly. "What's wrong with it? Is it only okay for male bosses to flirt with female secretaries, but not for me, a female CEO, to touch my male secretary's face?" Tang Qiao'er clicked her tongue. "He's totally winning by letting me touch him!" Tang Yue shook his head, a doting and gentle smile gracing his handsome features. ... The executives crowded around the Tang siblings as they entered the hotel. Vice President Gao kept leading them towards the VIP elevator, but to everyone's surprise, Tang Qiao'er casually remarked, "I'd like to see the restaurant first." Well, then! No pleasantries upon arrival, just straight to inspection! Vice President Gao, trembling with apprehension, led Ms. Tang and her entourage to the buffet restaurant. Tang Yue remained a silent, yet powerfully present, "invisible man," allowing his sister to take the lead. It wasn't yet lunchtime, so the restaurant was empty of guests, but the staff were already setting out dishes. Tang Qiao'er's sharp gaze swept over the food, then suddenly paused at the seafood section. She rolled up her sleeves and reached her delicate arm into the glass tank, accurately picking out a dead shrimp from among hundreds. "Explain." "Th-this one isn't dead, is it...?" Vice President Gao stammered, muttering under his breath. "Not dead? Then perhaps Vice President Gao would like to eat it?" Tang Qiao'er's alluring red lips curved into a smile. "Ms. Tang, you see, there are so many shrimp. It's normal for one to suffocate..." "It's normal for a shrimp to die, but is it normal for a guest to eat it and get food poisoning?" Tang Qiao'er's smile vanished instantly. "Also, there are exactly three hundred and fifty-six shrimp in this glass tank. I took a quick look, and there are five dead ones, and no less than thirty that are half-dead. I don't know what guests paying three hundred yuan per person would think eating this kind of food, but my thought is that I will permanently blacklist this hotel and never set foot in it again! All seafood ingredients must be processed immediately, and a new supplier found. If I see even one dead shrimp at tomorrow's lunch, I'll bring it back for you to taste." Vice President Gao's legs turned to jelly, and the other executives were utterly astonished. Only Tang Yue and Lin Su knew that their young lady had a photographic memory and could read ten lines at a glance. As a child, she had even used her keen eye to help the police solve a major criminal case. A few dead shrimp? That was child's play. Arriving at the guest room area, Tang Qiao'er immediately took a pristine white handkerchief from Lin Su and lightly wiped it along the wall trim and picture frames. "Cleaning is inadequate. There's dust. Redo it." The executives groaned inwardly. "You must be secretly cursing me, thinking I'm making a fuss over nothing, being overly picky, right?" Tang Qiao'er's expression was calm, but her tone was exceptionally serious. "But even a century-old hotel can be brought down by overlooked details. These two issues alone are enough for a star rating committee to strip us of our stars!" She gave Lin Su a look, and Lin Su understood, sternly ordering, "Open this guest room door." The head of housekeeping nervously fumbled with the key. In the past, when leaders visited, they would prepare two show rooms for inspection, just for show. But this Ms. Tang was cunning; she completely deviated from the usual routine! Tang Qiao'er walked into the guest room, first checking the bathroom, then entering the main room and sitting on the bed. Instantly, her delicate, flower-like face was covered in frost. But she said nothing, simply ended the inspection and went with her brother to the general manager's office. "After inspecting, what are your thoughts?" Tang Yue asked with a smile. "Hmph, a den of filth, a complete mess!" Tang Qiao'er sank onto the sofa, resting her elbow on the armrest and sighing, her hand on her forehead. "Is Old Wan testing me or playing with me? This hotel is a total disaster! Is this really our Tang family's property?" "Qiao Qiao, this hotel was founded by Grandpa. Our Tang Corporation expanded little by little through the hotel industry in its early days, and with diligent management, it became the KS Group it is today. This hotel isn't a mess; it carries the sentiment of three generations of the Tang family. But because the Tang family now has so many industries, and the hotel industry hasn't been doing well these past two years, and your brothers all have their own work... so it's been neglected." Tang Yue sighed, feeling both regretful and helpless. "Little sister, you'll have to work hard." It was then that Tang Qiao'er noticed the all-black piano in the corner. Her breath hitched. "I had that piano placed there. I remember you used to play the piano when you were in a bad mood, or go for a good run at the stables." Tang Yue blinked his clear, warm eyes. "I imagine you'll be very busy these next two months. Horseback riding isn't realistic, so if you're tired, just play a few songs. I remember you played the piano very well..." "Thank you, Big Brother. But I haven't played the piano in a long time." Tang Qiao'er's throat felt tight. The wound in her heart, which had finally healed, quietly reopened, and the blood flowing from her cold heart was still scalding hot. "What's wrong?" Tang Yue was startled. "When I was a Doctors Without Borders volunteer, I accidentally injured my hand while rescuing casualties in a war zone. The ligament in my little finger was torn. Although it wasn't severed, it's as good as useless. I can't play wide-span notes, so... I just stopped playing." Tang Qiao'er tried to state the matter in the calmest possible tone. Tang Yue's heart ached fiercely. He quickly took his sister's fair, delicate hand. "Was it... because of Shen Jingjue that you were injured?" "Yes, and no." Tang Qiao'er's heart still ached unbearably at the mention of that name, but she forced a bright smile. "I was injured for world peace. Isn't that something to be proud of?" Five years ago, she unexpectedly reunited with the man she had longed for, Shen Jingjue, on the border battlefield in Country K. She was a battlefield doctor, and he was a soldier in the peacekeeping forces. He fought for peace, and she, in trying to bring him, severely wounded, back to a safe zone, nearly crippled one of her hands. Once, she considered it an honor. Now, every time she saw that numb, useless little finger, all that remained was heartbreaking pain. But it was all in the past. Even if Tang Qiao'er had loved the wrong person, she would never regret it with tears. Lin Su knocked and hurried in. "Miss Tang, as you instructed, I found out that our hotel's bedding and some furniture suppliers are from Aili Home Furnishings. Vice President Gao was in charge of contacting them!" "Heh, so it's Aili." Tang Qiao'er crossed her long, beautiful legs, her clear eyes narrowing dangerously. "Tell the finance department to sort out the hotel's accounts for the past two years, and immediately contact a new bedding supplier to completely replace Aili!" "Such a big move?" Tang Yue raised an eyebrow. "Aili Home Furnishings is an industry founded by Shen Jingjue's 'little white moonlight' brother." "Oh, a personal vendetta," Tang Yue and Lin Su said in unison. "It's not! It's because Aili uses inferior materials and sells cheap bedding to our KS World, so I must punish them severely!" Tang Qiao'er snorted forcefully. The thought of that hard, broken mattress infuriated her. Uncomfortable stays greatly affected customers' impressions of the hotel, no wonder there were so many negative reviews online! "Oh, and one more thing..." Lin Su quickly added, "Ms. Tang asked me to keep an eye on the Shen family these past few days. I just received news that Old Mr. Shen had a stroke and was hospitalized. He's staying at one of our Tang Corporation's hospitals!" "Grandpa is hospitalized?!" Tang Qiao'er shot up from her seat, her heart burning with anxiety. Just then, Tang Yue's phone rang. He lowered his long eyelashes to look at the screen, then a faint smile touched his lips. "Qiao Qiao, it's your ex-husband."