chapter 25 Theo Ye

"Mr. Li, do you still remember the Master Liu I had introduced to you before?" Liam Cao turned his head and asked Luca Li. "Yes, I remember. He did me a small favour. He was pretty skilled." Luca Li remembered Thomas Liu and nodded. "Yes, but he died." Liam Cao's face darkened, and Luca Li was stunned and exclaimed, "He's dead? Who killed him?" "Alfie Wang!" Liam Cao briefly told Luca Li about how he had instructed Thomas Liu to deal with Alfie Wang and said, "It was this young traditional Chinese doctor, Noah Jiang, who helped Alfie Wang counter Thomas Liu's plot!" Luca Li widened his eyes, cursed, "No wonder that kid used such treacherous tactics. I underestimated him. But I won't let this grudge go easily. And that woman Cindy, just because she secured the development project for the New Century City in Lindong Area doesn't mean I'll let her off. I won't let her develop it smoothly." Liam Cao smirked and said to Luca Li, "Mr. Li, rest assured, to deal with these people, we have to use unconventional means." "Oh, you have a plan?" Luca Li's eyes narrowed, and Liam Cao nodded with a sinister smile, saying, "I'll introduce you to another capable person, Collin Huang from the Yuntian Sect!" At four in the afternoon, Noah Jiang locked the doors of the Jiang Clinic and leisurely rode his electric scooter to the old residence of Theo Ye. He hadn't visited him in days, and the old man's health should have improved by then. Twenty minutes later, Noah Jiang arrived at a mansion's entrance, parked his scooter, and rang the doorbell. A woman in her fifties opened the door. Her name was Gracie Chen, the old man's caretaker. "It's young master! Please come in. The old man has been talking about you ever since he came back from the hospital." Gracie Chen warmly greeted Noah Jiang. "Hello, Aunt Chen. I came to check on grandfather." Noah Jiang smiled politely. "The old man is resting in the pavilion in the backyard. I'll take you there." As Gracie Chen nodded and prepared to lead Noah Jiang to the garden, a Mercedes-Benz slowly approached and parked in front of the mansion. Noah Jiang turned to see that it was Cindy who had also arrived. "You're back, young miss. The old man will be delighted to see both you and young master together." Gracie Chen was happy to see Cindy. "You're here too," Noah Jiang said with a smile. Cindy looked at Noah Jiang with a blank expression and headed straight into the garden. Seeing Cindy's indifferent attitude towards Noah Jiang, Gracie Chen sighed. Noah Jiang just laughed; he had long been used to women's coldness and followed her into the garden. In the pavilion of the backyard, Theo Ye, dressed in a white Tang suit, lay on a rocking chair with his eyes closed. However, Oliver Ye and Freddie Ye, the father and son duo, were also there, addressing the old man: "Dad, now that Freddie is back from his military service, can't he be assigned to the company and take over the CEO position? I know Cindy is capable, but in the future, the Ye Group can't be handed over to a woman. Maybe Freddie might do even better than Cindy." Theo Ye slightly opened his eyes, looked at Oliver Ye, and the very respectful Freddie Ye. He coughed lightly and said, "Oliver, I know what you're thinking. You believe that since Cindy is a woman, she can't inherit the chairman position of the company, right?" "Yes, Dad. Throughout history, it's always been the sons who inherit the family business. We don't have many males in the Ye Family. Third Brother's youngest son is still a child, so Freddie is the best candidate right now. I hope you'll consider it." Oliver Ye nodded and recommended to the old man with a smile. "Grandpa, although I didn't graduate from a prestigious business school like Cindy, I believe that as long as I study hard, I can definitely manage the company well," Freddie Ye said confidently, standing to one side with a smile on his face. "Yeah, Dad, didn't the company just win the bid for the New Century City development project in the Lindong Area? We can let Freddie try handling it. Even if he doesn't do well, we can guide him and help him grow faster," Oliver Ye said, seizing the opportunity as he saw the elder hesitate. Theo Ye raised an eyebrow and said, "I'm not against Freddie joining the company, but the New Century City project in the Lindong Area was hard-won by Cindy. It seems inappropriate to have him take the project over." Noah Jiang, who was walking over, heard Oliver Ye and his son wanting to hand over the Lindong Area New Century City development project to Freddie Ye, and couldn't help but glance at Cindy Ye, whose pretty face was already clouded. He knew what she had sacrificed for this project. Now that Freddie wanted to gain from others' efforts, it wasn't just about Cindy being angry; even Noah Jiang disagreed. "Grandpa, I'm here," Noah Jiang stepped forward and called out to Theo Ye first. "Noah, you finally came, and Cindy, you're willing to come back too. Come over and sit down," the elder was very happy to see Noah Jiang and Cindy Ye coming back together. Oliver Ye and his son Freddie, seeing Cindy Ye with a cold face walking towards them, felt a sense of foreboding, realizing she had heard their conversation. "Uncle, are you so eager to drive me out of my position?" Cindy Ye asked, her eyes cold as she looked at Oliver Ye and Freddie Ye. "Cindy, if I were to take over your position and you handed the New Century City project in the Lindong Area to me, how do you think I should proceed?" Freddie Ye was taken aback, looked at his father Oliver Ye, and then replied, "I would discuss with the board of directors and seek collaboration with other real estate developers to use the least amount of funds to develop the New Century City project, thereby reducing our company's..." "Other real estate developers? Do you understand why I secured the New Century City project in the Lindong Area? Do you understand how the company operates?" Cindy Ye's eyes were sharp, her words even sharper as she scoffed, "With your lack of understanding, what makes you think you can compete with me for the position of president? I dare say, if the company were handed over to someone as simple-minded and physically strong as you, a fool, the Ye Group would disappear from Yulin City in less than a month!" "You—" For a moment, Freddie Ye was flustered and furious, glaring at Cindy Ye, who was sharp in her words and attitude. He didn't even have a chance to refute because, indeed, he didn't know how to run a company, unlike Cindy Ye, who graduated from Hafu Business School. "Cindy, I know you're strong in business management, securing the New Century City project in the Lindong Area, opening new horizons for our Ye Group. But you are still a woman, and the future heir of the Ye Group should still be handed over to us. I'm letting Freddie work in the company to allow him to start learning as soon as possible. Maybe in the future, he could even surpass you," Oliver Ye said, his eyes squinting, smiling at Cindy Ye. "Hmph, letting someone who resolves everything with brute force work in the company, what's he going to do? Teach the staff how to box?" Cindy Ye sneered, glancing at the father and son, knowing full well what they were thinking. "Cindy Ye, don't look down on people—" "That's right, I am looking down on you. What’s the matter with it?" Cindy Ye glared, speaking disdainfully to Freddie Ye. Now Oliver Ye was also angry, speaking coldly to Cindy Ye, "Cindy, don't go too far. Freddie is your cousin after all. Can't you show him some respect?" "Enough, stop arguing." Unable to bear it any longer, Theo Ye slammed his hand on the chair's armrest. His agitation caused him to cough twice. Noah Jiang immediately patted his back to comfort him, urging him not to get too agitated. "I'm not dead yet. What are you all arguing about? Only I can decide the future heir to the company!" Theo Ye tried to calm himself and glared at Oliver Ye and his son, scolding them vehemently. For a moment, Cindy, Oliver Ye, Freddie Ye, and the others could only bow their heads in silence. After all, the old master was still in charge. Only he could decide who would take over the company in the future. Seeing their silence, Noah Jiang, who had remained quiet till now, broke the tense atmosphere. Smiling, he addressed the elder, "Grandfather, how have you felt these past few days?" "It's alright, just a slight cough, nothing serious." Theo Ye glanced at the others, then turned to Noah Jiang and replied kindly. "Good, your complexion looks much better." Noah Jiang, observing that Theo Ye's face was more flushed than when he saw him in the hospital, nodded and said, "Let me take your pulse." Freddie Ye, who was standing to the side, was already irked from a previous confrontation with Cindy. He immediately berated Noah Jiang, "Noah Jiang, who allowed you to treat my grandfather? With your mediocre medical skills, are you trying to harm him?" Noah Jiang ignored him, opened his medical kit, took out a pulse pillow for the old man, and began taking his pulse. "Are you deaf?" Freddie Ye stormed forward, grabbing the back of Noah Jiang's clothes, and yanked him away, shouting, "Didn't you hear me tell you not to treat my grandfather? Get out!" Noah Jiang, now distanced from Freddie, looked at the arrogant young man with a dark expression, seemingly thinking that his previous lesson in the hospital wasn't enough. "That's enough, Freddie. Always resorting to violence. If I let you take over the company, would you turn it into a martial arts school?" Theo Ye scolded with a stern face, pointing at Freddie Ye. "But Grandfather, this guy—" "Enough! As for your position in the company, you can assume it once you've curbed this impulsive temperament of yours." Theo Ye cut him off coldly. “I…” Freddie, scolded by his grandfather, was both frustrated and anxious. "Dad, Freddie has no harmful intentions. Noah's medical skills are mediocre. Letting him treat you is risky." "It's my illness. I'll decide who gets to treat it. You have no say." Theo Ye replied sternly, his face darkening as he scolded Oliver Ye and Freddie. Seeing his descendants bullying Noah Jiang, the old man couldn't stand it. He waved his hand and said, "All of you, go back. Do you not have work?" Seeing the old man's stubbornness, Oliver Ye couldn't understand why he favoured Noah Jiang so much. Seeing that the matter he had discussed with Freddie was ruined, Oliver Ye angrily glared at Noah Jiang and Cindy before telling the old man they were leaving and turned to go. "Come, Noah. Sit and take my pulse. Don't mind them. As long as I'm here, they won't bully you," Theo Ye said, pulling Noah Jiang close and smiling. "Thank you, Grandfather." Noah Jiang felt warmth in his heart. At present, in this world, only Grandfather Theo genuinely cared for him.