Chapter 3095: Status Not Guaranteed

Ye Chen was never a person who protected his own shortcomings. His father-in-law's series of flashy operations this time really ruined his character, and he had no intention of repenting. Naturally, Ye Chen couldn't secretly pull him back again.

So, let his father-in-law toss about this matter. He had decided to let go and not care.

Instead, Zhou Liangyun spoke good words for Xiao Changkun at this time, saying: "Young Master Ye, actually Xiao's doing this can be understood to some extent. When he 'broke' that vase, it was actually my calculation. I had people beat him to make it look realistic. It's reasonable for him to hate me."

Ye Chen nodded and sighed: "Hating is naturally no problem, and revenge is naturally no problem. It's just that this method is really not on the table. However, even so, I still think there is no big problem with him wanting to get back face from you, Uncle Zhou. But the problem lies in his not understanding what it means to stop while ahead."

"Before Zhang Ermao exposed this matter, he wasn't really at a loss. Although he sold a good item, the item itself was also sold to him by someone else. And he managed to take away a net profit of 200,000 from you, Uncle Zhou. The bad thing is that human greed is insatiable. He knew that the bronze Buddha was sold for a high price, so he wanted to get the bronze Buddha back. If it weren't for this step of his being truly excessive, I wouldn't have let Zhang Ermao expose this matter."

Having said that, Ye Chen sighed: "In the final analysis, he can't afford to lose. Selling and leaving, accepting the bet and admitting defeat is still too difficult for him."

Zhou Liangyun smiled: "Missing twenty million in a moment of thought, most people can't accept it. It's understandable that Mr. Xiao wants to get the item back."

As he spoke, Zhou Liangyun added: "As for the follow-up impact, in fact, as long as I don't speak and don't take this matter to the police, the outside world can't define him. As long as someone pulls him in the Calligraphy and Painting Association, he should still have a place to stay, but the colleague relationship might be tense in the future."

Ye Chen smiled: "Let him go. I'm not planning to intervene in this matter anymore."

"Hmm." Zhou Liangyun nodded and said: "For Mr. Xiao, his style of conduct and logic of doing things are still lacking in maturity and rigor. Maybe he hasn't started a business in his life, nor has he experienced any storms. His comprehensive ability is still lacking compared to most peers."

Ye Chen very much agreed with Zhou Liangyun's evaluation of Xiao Changkun. His father-in-law had lived a cowardly life, but he really hadn't experienced any waves. He had been mixing and waiting for death in the Xiao family since graduating from college, and his life had only fallen into a trough after the old man left a few years ago.

The key was that he had been suppressed by Ma Lan, the old lady, and his own eldest brother at home for so many years. The decline in the level of material life didn't have much impact on him. Anyway, he was lying flat in the golden nest and silver nest, and he was still lying flat in the mud nest and dog nest.

But he wanted to be the Chairman of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, not for any great ambition or aspiration. The only goal was to accumulate some capital for bragging, so that he could have some face when going out, that's all.

So judging from his father-in-law's current comprehensive social ability, he might not even be as good as a young man with three or five years of social work experience.

And he hadn't had any enterprising spirit for so many years. He had always been lying flat wherever he fell. The only enterprising spirit in his life was recently, for the sake of being able to become the Chairman of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, he had been calculating every day. However, the matter of being Chairman was estimated to be yellow. If he could be the Chairman of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, the Calligraphy and Painting Association would probably have to resign except for him.

However, Ye Chen didn't care to manage it now. His original intention for paying attention to this matter was to worry that his father-in-law and Zhang Ermao would use violent means against Zhou Liangyun, and Zhou Liangyun had no roots in Jin Ling. If he really solved the problem through violent means, he would not be their opponent at all.

Now the crisis had been completely lifted. Zhang Ermao would no longer help his father-in-law target Zhou Liangyun, and his father-in-law had lost the support of violent means. And the farce they had just made helped Zhou Liangyun quickly stand firm in the Jin Ling antique street, and Zhou Liangyun's development in Jin Ling would definitely be smoother in the future.

So Ye Chen asked him: "What are Uncle Zhou's next plans?"

Zhou Liangyun replied: "I didn't want to be so high-profile. I just wanted to open a shop in the antique street and do it slowly. Now that I suddenly have quite a bit of popularity, many people come to me for appraisals every day. It can be considered a double-edged sword. I plan to slow down the rhythm. In the future, I will open the door later and close the door earlier every day, and receive fewer customers. I estimate that in another month, the popularity will go down."

As he spoke, Zhou Liangyun added: "After the popularity slowly goes down, I will do business in a Buddhist way. Anyway, I don't plan to make money, let alone make the business big. Jin Ling is a city with a slow pace of life. If people can slow down, it's still very comfortable. I plan to retire here slowly."

Ye Chen nodded and said: "The Rothschild family is relatively controllable, but I don't know if the Poqing Association is still paying attention to the Four-Square Treasure Tower and your news. If the Poqing Association can be eradicated in the future, you will be completely free."

Zhou Liangyun smiled: "I believe that with Young Master Ye's ability, this day will come soon."

After speaking, Zhou Liangyun remembered something and said hurriedly: "By the way, Young Master Ye, you should haven't had dinner yet, right? Do you want to eat something together? There is a small restaurant nearby that makes very good local food, which can be delivered directly to the shop. If you don't mind, shall we eat something in the shop together?"

Ye Chen smiled: "Alright, my wife has been busy with the company's affairs these days and works overtime every night, so I'll just have a meal with you."

As he spoke, he suddenly remembered someone, so he said to Zhou Liangyun: "By the way, Uncle Zhou, there is an old acquaintance of yours in Jin Ling. You order a few more dishes, and I'll call him over!"

At the same time, Xiao Changkun left the antique street in a dejected manner, hailed a taxi, and said to the driver: "Go to Tianxiang Mansion."

The reason Xiao Changkun wanted to go to Tianxiang Mansion was mainly to invite Chairman Pei to have a meal there and talk while eating.

So, he first called Hong Wu, and as soon as he opened his mouth, he said obsequiously: "Master Wu, it's me, Xiao Changkun."

Hong Wu asked with a cold and indifferent voice: "What's the matter with Mr. Xiao?"

Xiao Changkun said hurriedly: "It's like this, Master Wu. I want you to help me reserve a small private room. I plan to invite our Chairman to have a meal there tonight."

Hong Wu declined: "I'm sorry, Mr. Xiao. Tianxiang Mansion has distinguished guests tonight and is not open to the public. How about we talk about it another day?"

Xiao Changkun didn't expect that Hong Wu, who had always been particularly straightforward, would be so impolite now. The psychological gap was huge, and he could only say unhappily: "Alright, Master Wu. Since it's inconvenient, let's talk about it another day. Thank you."

Hong Wu gave a hum and said: "I'm busy, so I'll hang up if there's nothing else."

After speaking, without waiting for Xiao Changkun to speak, Hong Wu hung up the phone directly.

This wasn't because Hong Wu was a weather vane. He respected Ye Chen in his heart and naturally respected Xiao Changkun from the bottom of his heart. But this time Ye Chen said that he wanted his father-in-law to know the price of doing wrong, so naturally, he didn't dare to continue being polite and responsive to Xiao Changkun. The attitude must be cold, so that Xiao Changkun could clearly feel the gap.

At this time, Xiao Changkun felt extremely depressed and couldn't help sighing: "Never expected that this matter would turn out like this, even Master Hong Wu doesn't treat me well. If I had known this, I might as well have honestly taken the 200,000, and had a good vacation in Dubai! Not only would I have 200,000 in hand, but the association wouldn't know about these rotten things, and Master Hong Wu wouldn't have an opinion on me..."

Xiao Changkun, who was full of regret, sat alone in the back seat of the taxi, and tears of grievance were about to fall.

Seeing the driver secretly looking at himself through the rearview mirror in the car, he hurriedly turned his face away, and then took out his phone to call Chairman Pei.

As soon as the call connected, Chairman Pei asked him: "Changkun, how is the matter going? Have you handled Zhang Ermao?"

Chairman Pei was still waiting for Xiao Changkun to find Master Hong Wu to put pressure on Zhang Ermao, so that Zhang Ermao would take the initiative to refute the rumor.

But Xiao Changkun knew in his heart that refuting the rumor was completely hopeless, so he could only say awkwardly: "Chairman Pei, there is a situation on Zhang Ermao's side. This guy is now determined to go against me. It's useless for Master Hong Wu to find him, and Master Hong Wu also told me about the difficulties. Zhang Ermao is his advisor, and he is a bit caught in the middle, so it's not very convenient to intervene."

Chairman Pei smacked his lips and said: "Oh, this is a bit difficult to handle! If you can't refute the rumor, you can't block the mouths of those people in the association!"

Xiao Changkun said hurriedly: "Chairman Pei, although there is no way to let Zhang Ermao refute the rumor now, what I can guarantee is that this matter will definitely not continue to ferment. Everything Zhang Ermao said about fraud is pure nonsense. It is impossible for the police to intervene. If the police don't intervene, no one can define this matter. And I also told Zhou Liangyun that this matter is a misunderstanding, and Zhou Liangyun also clearly stated to me that he would not pursue it."

Chairman Pei muttered: "This... this is neither up nor down, and the matter can't land!"

Xiao Changkun said hurriedly: "The matter can't land, but it won't develop into a big one. After a few days of wind, the heat will probably go down."

Chairman Pei said: "Changkun, you think the heat will go down, but those people in the association may not let you go so easily. The key is that you are now the second-in-command, blocking the way of many people. It's like everyone is queuing up to go to the toilet in front of a toilet. Everyone wants to squeeze away the person in front of them, and everyone is queuing behind you. If they don't squeeze you away, they definitely won't give up."

Chairman Pei was also under great pressure now.

He actually didn't intend to let Xiao Changkun succeed his position anymore, because once that happened, all the pressure would be concentrated on him. If he continued to let Xiao Changkun take the position after the scandal broke out, those people would definitely come to him to make trouble, and even say to the outside world that he was shielding Xiao Changkun.

But he also didn't dare to offend Xiao Changkun too much. After all, he didn't know what attitude Master Hong Wu had toward Xiao Changkun now. If he offended Xiao Changkun, and Xiao Changkun held a grudge against him, then his own road wouldn't be easy to walk.

Therefore, Chairman Pei's greatest wish now was for Xiao Changkun to take the initiative to give up competing for the Chairman position, and it would be best if he voluntarily gave up the position of Executive Vice Chairman.

In that case, the several Vice Chairmen would all go up one level, and he could appease their emotions, and by the way, it wouldn't be so public anger to keep Xiao Changkun in the association.

Xiao Changkun hadn't realized the meaning of Chairman Pei's words yet, so he said: "Chairman Pei, those people are just grasshoppers after autumn. They can't make trouble for a few days. After you are promoted and I become Chairman, I will naturally have a way to clean them up and make them honest."

Chairman Pei said hurriedly: "Changkun, you still don't understand now. It's not about whether you are allowed to be Chairman, but whether you can continue to stay in the association! The request made by those people is to remove you from the association, otherwise, they will keep making trouble, and they might even go to the city to reflect the situation. If the city also feels that this matter damages the reputation of the association and asks you to withdraw from the association, then I can't protect you!"

Xiao Changkun panicked instantly, his tone was extremely anxious and even carried a crying tone as he begged: "Chairman! I beg you to pull me up! I have already lost everything now. No matter what, you can't watch my status in the association be lost!"