Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Xian Shun arrived the next day waiting outside the CEO's office near the reception area. She was tapping on her laptop's keyboard with nervousness gripping her fingertips.

Ah come on! I don't want to ruin my makeup by sweating!

"I won't show any weakness in front of Chen Zixin," her nostrils flared in defiance.

Thinking of the last exchange of aggression between them last year, her face reddened with embarrassment. "This time, I won't give him any chance to complain and point fingers. I know he only agreed to this meeting because he wouldn't want to offend Dad."

She narrowed her eyes. "But I will prove to him that I am more than just my Dad's political influence."

Even though she said that, the drumming of her heart was a different matter altogether.

She checked time in her watch and exactly fifteen minutes were remaining for the meeting to start. The secretary offered her tea and snacks to which she declined. She was then led into a board room where she was asked to keep her presentation and materials ready on the projector till Zixin arrived.

Another five minutes passed as she arranged all the stuff. Xian Shun then heard the tapping of footsteps. The door opened and she recognized Assistant Ling easily enough who she had already met last year. But she didn't know who the woman beside him was.

"Hello, Miss. Xian," Assistant Ling greeted her with a smile. "Long time."

"Hello, Mr. Ling," she smiled back. "Indeed it is."

"She is Miss. Cai Guiying. We have hired her as another set of helping hands for Sir Zixin," he said, introducing Guiying.

"Oh."

She remembered she had received the meeting invite last week from an email address that had her name in it.

Guiying bowed. "Nice to meet you, Miss. Xian."

"Same here."

Assistant Ling said, "Sir will be here in some time. Please wait here. Till then, Miss. Cai and I will get some stuff done. Please ring a call on the reception's desk if you need any help."

"Sure."

The door closed behind her, and she sat back on her chair. She clutched the pendant on her neck and took a deep breath.

A few more minutes later, she heard some voices from outside and thinking that Zixin finally arrived, she stood on her feet, ready to greet him.

I will prove you wrong today, Chen Zixin!

But she was met with disappointment and surprise together as a bunch of men and women, clearly senior and presumably important people, walked in the boardroom.

The others were equally puzzled for a moment but thought that she might be a staff member. They took their seats talking to each other.

Xian Shun blinked in confusion and her heart sped faster.

Who are all these people? Are they supposed to be part of the conference too? But this wasn't mentioned in the meeting invite, she frowned.

Ugh what is this anxiety I am getting…

A minute later, Assistant Ling and Guiying stepped in once again and were surprised to see the crowd assemble.

"Mr. Lang. Mrs. Huang and everybody…" he blinked.

"Good to see you Assistant Ling," Mr. Lang smiled. "We are just waiting for Chen Zixin for the meeting to start."

"Sorry? I don't understand. Which meeting?"

"Of course with the important strategy meeting we were supposed to have. You already forgot?" He chuckled.

Guiying was bewildered. She anxiously eyed Assistant Ling.

But wasn't this meeting supposed to be next week?

Assistant Ling calmly said, "I think there is some misunderstanding. There is no meeting of the board of directors scheduled with Sir today. It's next week."

Mrs. Huang shook her head. "That's impossible. We clearly said that this meeting is important and so the conference was set for today. We all got the emails."

Xian Shun widened her eyes. "But Mr. Chen is having a meeting with me right now for my investment proposal."

The look on everybody's faces grew even more befuddled. "Impossible once again."

Just then Zixin stepped in and he immediately noticed the confusion and strain in the atmosphere. "What is happening?"

Mr. Lang pursed his lips. "What is this, Chen Zixin? Aren't we supposed to have our strategy meeting today?"

"No. I came here for my meeting with Miss. Xian."

"That's ridiculous! Then why were we called in the first place?"

"But we didn't," he furrowed his brows.

Mrs. Huang opened her mail inbox and showed it on her tab. "Look here. You can clearly see the meeting invite with the agenda all sent out to all of us, right? It's sent by your assistant, Cai Guiying."

Guiying felt her heart stop.

She took a quick look and her expression paled seeing that it was indeed her email address. The meeting email was sent out to all board of directors.

"No…" she slightly gasped for air as she tried to comprehend this blunder before her.

"That's not possible. I-I sent the meeting invite to Miss. Xian only. I didn't send any such mail."

"Are you implying that we are lying?" Mr. Lang glared at her. "Do you think we have so much spare time in our hands to come for a meeting that doesn't even exist? Rather than denying the error, you better admit that you overbooked Chen Zixin's calendar. How could you cause two meetings to be in conflict on the same day and the same time?"

"Exactly," A third member, Mr. Tang spoke bitterly too, "And I cannot believe that despite our specifying that this meeting is very important, you went ahead and booked time with Miss. Xian? Her investment proposal planning can be heard anytime. Is that more important than this?"

Xian Shun's gaze darkened. "With due respect, my proposal is super important to me too."

He frowned. "Ah. I remember now. You are that politician's daughter. Is that how it is? Chen Zixin chose you over us because he was afraid of your father's wrath over ignoring you?"

Her fury blazed ten times worse. "Stop bringing my father into everything!"

She glared at Zixin, tears rimming her eyes. "Mr. Chen Zixin. I know it would seem like I am the beggar here because I need Chen Corps' investment, but don't go so far in humiliating me!"

Cai Guiying hurriedly said, "That's not it, Miss. Xian. There is seriously some misunderstanding here-"

"Which happened because of you, right?" She trembled. "Is that why I was called here? So that I could be publicly insulted as somebody useless? Because clearly, everything and every time, it's only about my father! I was chasing after this meeting for so long so this is how you chose to get rid of me once and for all."