Chapter Fifty: The Lady's Grand Transformation

Tan Xue dragged Chu Dong by the ear into the finance office. The financial staff, stunned by the scene before them, fell silent as soon as she made a gesture.
"Stop right there," Tan Xue called out to the slowest-moving finance manager. "With the director absent, you're in charge. Bring out all the company’s accounts for him to review."
It was the first time the finance manager had seen the young lady so fierce. Usually, she was all smiles and manners, but today it was as if she’d transformed. Still, he was no coward; he calmly gathered the ledgers and stacked them on the desk before Tan Xue. He didn’t dare ask why she wanted this man, so firmly in her grasp, to see the accounts. Knowing the dangers of speaking too much, he simply left after arranging the books.

Tan Xue’s phone rang just then. Upon answering, she heard Li Youlan’s excited voice. "Where are you? I’m already in your office!"
"I’m in the finance office on the tenth floor. Wait for me," she replied, releasing Chu Dong’s ear and settling onto the sofa. Chu Dong followed her.
"You!" Tan Xue slapped the coffee table, startling Chu Dong, who quickly covered his ears and scurried away, gazing at her with innocent eyes.
"Ahem... Here are all the accounts. Look for yourself, but you’re not allowed to take anything." Tan Xue nearly burst out laughing at Chu Dong’s expression, but restrained herself to maintain authority.
"Hey, who are you talking to? Watch your manners—you’re supposed to be a lady," Li Youlan lectured Tan Xue, unaware of the situation on her end.
"What’s all this about being a lady? I’ve had enough. Starting today, I’m going to be myself, let others go mad if they wish." Tan Xue had been gentle and obedient as a child, everyone adored her. Whenever Chu Dong made her cry, he’d get a severe scolding—her tears were a formidable weapon.
But years spent studying abroad had changed her. Without the protection of adults, the gentler she was, the more she was bullied. To avoid harassment from foreign ruffians, she transformed, becoming bold and unyielding.
Upon returning home, she tried to reclaim her former persona, coached by Li Youlan to be the perfect girl. Yet, this time, Chu Dong’s torment didn’t earn him punishment; the adults saw it as natural. This frustrated Tan Xue greatly. Now, at last, she couldn’t hold back—her little universe exploded, and she felt much better for it.
"What are you looking at?" Tan Xue noticed Chu Dong sneaking glances at her and shouted.
Chu Dong closed the ledger, lowered his head, and sat still.
"I didn’t say you couldn’t look at the accounts. Hurry up, I don’t have all day," Tan Xue snorted, searching for something to drink.
"Water."
Chu Dong somehow found a paper cup, filled it, and handed it to her with both hands.

Tan Xue accepted the cup, shot him a glare, took a sip, set it down, and pointed at the mountain of ledgers on the table.
Before she could speak, Chu Dong darted over like a mouse and sat down.
"You wait in my office. I’ll come find you at lunchtime," Tan Xue said after ending her call, turning back to Chu Dong as he leafed through the accounts.
"Good grief, has she taken some medicine? Xue’er’s changed so much I hardly recognize her," Chu Dong pondered. The obedient girl he once knew was now like a different person—not spoiled, but wild. He unconsciously touched his burning ear. "Looks like I’d better be careful."
Chu Dong’s visit today, officially to discuss Silver Dragon’s marketing strategy, was really an excuse to get close to Tan Xue and see how she’d changed after so many years. He hadn’t expected to stumble upon Silver Dragon’s soft spot, but apparently, it was a real issue.
Forced into the finance department by Tan Xue, he still hadn’t figured out where the problem lay.
The development projects kept growing, prices rising, yet profits dwindled. If Chu Dong simply examined the accounts as instructed, who knew how long it would take to find the cause? No one has the energy to go through the ledgers like a computer and instantly grasp everything. So he just flipped through the pages absentmindedly, going through the motions.
Tan Xue, unaware of his thoughts, left him be since he seemed obedient, and went to the manager’s desk to chat online with Li Youlan, whose screen name was Worry-Free Orchid.

Worry-Free Orchid: Did that jerk run off after you scared him?
Spring Snow: He seems a bit intimidated—he’s very quiet now, oo
Worry-Free Orchid: Keep it up! Looks like our previous tactics were misguided.
Spring Snow: I think so, too. He looks so miserable now—ha! Revenge at last ^_^
Worry-Free Orchid: When are we eating? I’m starving…
Spring Snow: All you think about is food. Three papaya soups a day and you still complain about being hungry…
Worry-Free Orchid: Can’t help it. I must not have eaten papaya in my past life, that’s why I’m compelled to make up for it this time! @#￥%...
Spring Snow: Give it up. Your belly’s growing and there’s no effect, ^_^
Worry-Free Orchid: Hey… you’re so mean! Easy for you to talk when you’re not suffering, hmph!

The two girls bantered back and forth, but it was torture for Chu Dong. Before him lay a mountain of numbers, the entire Silver Dragon Group’s accounts—millions down to a handful of yuan. His excuse for coming was so grand, but now he realized he’d brought this suffering on himself. Finding nothing interesting, he entertained himself, passing the time idly flipping through the accounts.

Just as boredom reached its peak, he really did spot something unusual.
This year, one property clearly opened for sale in April, yet at the end of March, a large sum of sales revenue suddenly appeared, accounting for sixty percent of the total value of that property.
The remainder was sold in a very short time. The price was twenty percent below the official opening price.

This meant that before the property was launched, a huge batch had already been sold internally at discounted rates. Less than thirty percent remained for public sale at the sales office. Who were these buyers? Who orchestrated all this?

Excitement stirred—Chu Dong understood that most developers hold back properties for gradual sale, rarely offering everything at once. Yet Silver Dragon had done the opposite, nearly selling out before the launch. The impact on profits was substantial.

"Found it. This is one of the problems," Chu Dong exclaimed, as if discovering an oasis in the desert. After being suppressed by the girl’s sudden transformation, he finally found a reason to speak.

"Quiet! Wait your turn," Tan Xue barked, her violent streak in full view. Chu Dong, rebuffed, forgot what he meant to say and resumed flipping through the ledgers in boredom.

It wasn’t until Tan Xue closed MSN and called him over that he looked up, struggling to keep his eyes open, and asked, "Do they feed you here?"

PS: Brothers, Fox’s book is soon to be renamed. The new title is "Peerless Business Beauty." This is a necessary change—I apologize for the inconvenience. Ah, I really don’t want to do this, but please don’t forget to keep supporting me. Hehe!