What to Do When Mistaken for the CEO’s Brother? 56-57

Chapter 56

The steam from the bath made him dizzy. He was half-asleep when Murong Yan carried him out of the tub.

He vaguely remembered soaking in the tub for a long time, grateful for the automatic heating function.

Murong Yan rinsed off the remaining soap suds in the shower, then carried him to the bedroom.

He lay in bed, feeling exhausted, waiting for Murong Yan to dry his hair.

“All done,” Murong Yan said, turning off the hairdryer after ensuring his hair was completely dry. He sat down on the bed. Murong Cheng snuggled against him.

“Tired?” Murong Yan kissed the top of his head.

Murong Cheng nodded. “Yes, and a little hungry.”

He hadn’t eaten much at the hot pot restaurant, distracted by his thoughts.

Murong Yan gently pinched his cheek. “What do you want to eat?”

Murong Cheng, unable to decide, said, “Anything.”

Murong Yan: “I’ll see what we have.”

He stood up and left the room.

Murong Cheng lay in bed for a while, then reached for his phone on the nightstand.

He hadn’t livestreamed in days and had promised his followers photos from the tech conference.

He selected a few photos, carefully avoiding any that showed Murong Yan, added a caption, and posted them.

Although he had secured a trial run of the smart home system from the research center, he hadn’t signed a contract yet, so he didn’t mention it. He had received the director’s business card and would be contacting their office soon. If everything went smoothly, he would be showcasing the system on his livestream within the next two months.

After posting the photos, he checked the trending topics. Surely such an important conference would be trending. He found Murong Yan’s name among the top ten.

#Former Guangyu CEO Murong Yan Attends 20th Technology Exchange Conference in A City

Murong Yan truly was a prominent figure. Even a simple news item without any photos or details generated significant buzz.

The comments were mostly questions about his return to Guangyu and requests for photos.

He scrolled through the other trending topics and found another one related to the conference, in the top three.

#UZ Research Center Announces Collaboration with Over 10 Domestic Companies

UZ Research Center? He clicked on the link and recognized the long string of German words. It was the research center that had won the WSTA award and agreed to send him a sample of their smart home system. The initials were indeed UZ.

[The research director of UZ Research Center, Sebastian, recently attended the 20th Technology Exchange Conference in A City, fresh off winning the prestigious WSTA award. During the conference, he announced an exciting new initiative. UZ Research Center, whose motto is “A Future Without Limits,” expressed its desire to collaborate with domestic companies and has already signed letters of intent with over 10 leading companies in various industries, aiming to implement and commercialize its technology as soon as possible.]

A long list of companies followed, including Guangyu and several other leading traditional companies embracing technological advancements.

So they had been targeting the Chinese market all along. No wonder the director had been so eager to collaborate with him.

With this cutting-edge technology, and Guangyu’s existing resources, their new product development seemed promising.

Despite his dismissal, he still felt a sense of pride for Guangyu, his former company. But this also meant Murong Yan’s return might be delayed. He had been hoping Guangyu’s performance would decline without him, prompting Chairman Murong to reconsider.

“What are you looking at so intently?”

Lost in thought, he hadn’t noticed Murong Yan returning to the bedroom.

He showed him his phone. “Look, today’s trending topics.”

Murong Yan glanced at the screen, his expression unsurprised.

Murong Cheng’s eyes widened. “You knew about this too?”

Knowing about the UZ Research Center’s award and their plans for the Chinese market beforehand wasn’t that surprising, considering he had even known about their winning the award before it was announced.

Murong Yan gave a noncommittal “Hmm.”

“Did they contact you?” Murong Cheng asked, gripping his arm. “Did you try to collaborate with them, to get back into Guangyu?”

“Yes, and no,” Murong Yan replied to both questions.

So they had contacted him but hadn’t reached an agreement. Murong Cheng’s shoulders slumped.

Seeing his disappointment, Murong Yan couldn’t help but smile. His emotions were always so transparent, so endearing. If he had rabbit ears, they would be drooping sadly.

“What are you smiling about?” Murong Cheng asked, looking up, sensing his amusement.

Murong Yan smiled, denying it. “Nothing.”

He squatted down and placed Murong Cheng’s slippers beside the bed. “Didn’t you say you were hungry? I made something for you.”

“Oh,” Murong Cheng mumbled, still lost in thought, not moving.

Murong Yan leaned over and was about to lift him into his arms when Murong Cheng stopped him.

“No, I can do it myself,” he said, getting out of bed and putting on his slippers.

He followed the aroma to the dining room.

Instead of the pungent smell of hot pot, a delicate, savory fragrance filled the air. Two bowls of shrimp and loofah noodles were waiting on the table, the green loofah, yellow egg, and pink shrimp a visually appealing combination.

“Shrimp and loofah noodles!” he exclaimed, sitting down as Murong Yan pulled out a chair for him.

“Try it,” Murong Yan said, sitting across from him.

The udon noodles were chewy and flavorful, the loofah soft and sweet, the shrimp fresh and tender.

Murong Cheng nodded enthusiastically. “Delicious! You’re such a good cook, Yan-ge.”

His worries forgotten, he happily ate most of his noodles, then remembered the earlier conversation.

“Yan-ge, are you really not going back to Guangyu? What are your plans?”

Murong Yan finished his noodles, wiped his mouth with a napkin, and then asked, “Are you free tomorrow?”

Murong Cheng blinked. “Yes, why?”

Murong Yan: “Come with me to the company.”

Murong Cheng: “Guangyu?”

Murong Yan shook his head. “Lingyu Group. Their quarterly shareholders’ meeting is tomorrow afternoon.”

Murong Cheng was surprised. “Did Chairman Murong invite you?”

Murong Yan took a sip of water. “No.”

Murong Cheng: “Then how are you going?”

Was he planning to crash the meeting?

Murong Yan’s expression was unreadable. “I’ve been away long enough. It’s time to go back.”

Chapter 57

Murong Cheng spent the entire morning worrying that he and Murong Yan would be thrown out of Lingyu Group’s headquarters, perhaps even arrested for trespassing.

Lingyu’s building was located about a kilometer from Guangyu.

After lunch, Duan Shao arrived at One Mansion. Murong Cheng and Murong Yan went downstairs and saw Yu Qi waiting in the familiar black Rolls-Royce.

So Murong Yan had taken not only him and Duan Shao but also his driver with him when he left Guangyu. But for them, loyalty to Murong Yan was perhaps more valuable than loyalty to the company.

“Does Lingyu Group have security at the entrance?” Murong Cheng asked Duan Shao, fidgeting nervously in the back seat.

Duan Shao glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Of course.”

Murong Cheng: “Then how are we getting in?”

Although Murong Yan was Chairman Murong’s son, he had been dismissed from Guangyu. Would his father really allow him to enter Lingyu’s headquarters, especially with his disapproved-of boyfriend?

Duan Shao gave him a reassuring look. “Through the front door, of course.”

As the car entered Lingyu’s compound and stopped at the main entrance, Murong Cheng finally understood their confidence.

Sebastian, the director of the UZ Research Center, was waiting for them. As soon as Yu Qi parked, he rushed over and opened Murong Yan’s door.

He knew Murong Yan had been in contact with the research center, but he hadn’t realized they were this close.

So Murong Yan was attending the shareholders’ meeting as a representative of UZ Research Center?

A plausible theory, but as they stepped out of the car, he realized he was only half right.

Seeing Sebastian slightly behind Murong Yan, a respectful half-step, a thought flashed through his mind.

Was Murong Yan the founder of UZ Research Center?

As they walked towards the building, he discreetly searched for information on his phone.

Before winning the WSTA award, UZ Research Center had been an unknown entity, its funding and founder a mystery. The only available information was its founding date: three years ago, which coincided with Guangyu’s rise to prominence and Murong Yan’s ambitious promise to double the company’s stock price. So he had a backup plan all along.

A cunning strategist, indeed. His seemingly despondent stay in H City after his dismissal must have been a calculated move, waiting for the right moment to reveal his trump card.

This realization eased his anxiety about the shareholders’ meeting. No wonder Murong Yan had told him not to worry. He had everything under control. With UZ Research Center’s award-winning technology and its partnerships with leading Chinese companies, he had a significant advantage in the AI market. The technology wasn’t something that could be easily replicated, and even if Lingyu and Huaqian managed to develop something similar, they would be too late. The tech industry moved fast. Lingyu had no choice but to collaborate with UZ Research Center if they wanted to stay competitive.

Murong Cheng understood this, and so did Chairman Murong.

The receptionist downstairs had immediately informed the chairman’s office upon seeing Murong Yan. The elevator ascended to the 20th floor, where the meeting was being held. As the doors opened, Murong Cheng saw Murong Zhenguo standing there, his face grim.

He didn’t acknowledge his son but nodded curtly at Sebastian.

“Chairman Murong,” Sebastian said in slightly broken Chinese, “this is the head of our research center, CEO Murong.”

He bowed respectfully and stepped aside.

Murong Zhenguo’s face darkened further.

“Please, CEO Murong,” he said, ignoring Murong Cheng, and walked towards the conference room.

Murong Yan squeezed Murong Cheng’s hand reassuringly and followed his father.

The shareholders’ meeting, originally intended to discuss Lingyu Group’s future and potential collaborations with UZ Research Center, had taken an unexpected turn. The four German translators Murong Zhenguo had hired were now superfluous. Sebastian sat quietly in a corner, while Murong Yan occupied the seat designated for UZ Research Center, directly across from his father.

Murong Cheng followed Duan Shao and sat down, discreetly glancing at the back of the room. Murong Jing was sitting behind his father, his expression surprisingly calm, unlike his father’s shock, perhaps having already suspected his brother’s involvement with UZ.

The meeting began, the atmosphere tense.

Murong Zhenguo was clearly distracted.

His prepared remarks and strategies for negotiating with UZ Research Center were now useless. He couldn’t leverage Lingyu’s resources and market dominance to pressure the research center because the person across from him wasn’t an outsider but his own son, the former CEO of Guangyu, who knew Lingyu inside and out.

The success of the collaboration now depended not on what Lingyu could offer UZ, but on the relationship between father and son.

The meeting became a formality.

Lü Zhaowei, the vice president of Lingyu, presented the company’s current status, following the prepared script. The negotiation segment was skipped entirely. Murong Zhenguo signaled his secretary, and the meeting ended abruptly.

“CEO Murong, come to my office,” Murong Zhenguo said, and left the room.

Murong Yan nodded at Duan Shao, stood up, and extended his hand to Murong Cheng. “Come with me.”

Murong Cheng swallowed nervously and followed him.

Murong Zhenguo’s office was at the end of the corridor.

His assistant had been dismissed. The area was deserted.

They walked through a glass door, then a heavy wooden door.

Murong Zhenguo stood by the window, his back to them, a lit cigar in his hand.

Murong Yan pulled Murong Cheng behind him and then approached his father.

“What are your terms?” Murong Zhenguo asked, exhaling a cloud of smoke, his face looking older than usual. “You left Guangyu, waiting for this moment, didn’t you? I can reinstate you. I’ll call a board meeting right now.”

“UZ’s technology isn’t essential for Guangyu,” Murong Yan said calmly, not taking the bait.

Murong Zhenguo turned around sharply, his eyes flashing with anger. Even Murong Cheng, standing further away, could feel the intensity.

His hand, holding the cigar, trembled slightly. “You want to take over Lingyu?”

Murong Yan’s answer was carefully worded. “Father, I have no such intentions.”

“Then what do you want?” Murong Zhenguo angrily stubbed out his cigar, the glass ashtray shattering on the floor. “You secretly invested in a research center in Germany, without telling anyone, just to control me, to control Lingyu Group!”

Murong Yan’s jaw tightened. “Lingyu Group has been stagnating in recent years. Guangyu revitalized it. I’ve been thinking about the future of the group, the company, the Murong family. Guangyu is a high-tech automotive company, but it’s still limited by the automotive industry. I’ve always envisioned a transition towards a pure technology company.”

He continued, “Anyone can manufacture cars. The technology isn’t exclusive. But core technology, that’s the key. Traditional industries can be transformed by integrating technology, but I don’t want to be limited by that. Lingyu Group, and all of us, deserve a broader vision, a brighter future.”

Having heard Murong Yan speak at countless meetings, Murong Cheng recognized the unusual passion in his voice.

He had always known about Murong Yan’s ambition, his grand vision.

Liao Tianrui of Huaqian Technology prioritized short-term profits, which was understandable. But Murong Yan clearly had bigger aspirations. He was looking towards the future of humanity, wanting to break free from the limitations of existing industries, to push the boundaries of technology and transform society. He wanted a future without limits.

After a moment of silence, Murong Zhenguo lit another cigar.

The burning ember glowed brightly, a symbol of the new future he envisioned.

He turned to Murong Yan, his expression thoughtful.

“Tell me, what are your plans?”