The former master was at his wit's end when he saw Zhao Youlin refusing to budge, not unless he used force on her. So, he gave a pleading look at his eldest son who had been keeping quiet.

Zhao Shunrong naturally understood the hint from the former master's gaze. Unfortunately, at that time, he was very much offended for being called old. So, he sensibly chose to… turn a blind eye to him.

Not only did his eldest son not respond to him, but he had pointedly turned away even though he flung repeated hints at him. Apparently, his son did not intend to help him.

The former master was in a fit of rage. He cursed them to himself, 'The old one was just as heartless as the young one. My granddaughter and son are equally unfilial!'

The former master was angry but only for a moment. In the end, he heaved a sigh, raised his head and looked at Zhao Youlin. He said in a serious tone, "Youlin, I'm old. I don't have many years left. I've spent most of my life putting my heart and soul into the Zhao Group. You also know the family situation well. Apart from your father and mother, the rest are… It's not like you don't know them. Our family is already like this, much less the other companies that have been coveting the Zhao Group and can't wait to swallow it."

Zhao Youlin froze and for a moment, she did not know what to say.

The former master's eyes sparkled when he saw Zhao Youlin's resolve quaver. He put on a very miserable look and continued, "Now, I have to rely on your parents to support the Zhao Group, and with much difficulty too at that. Although I can still help them out, I'm already old. The moment I pass on, I won't be there to back your father up. By then, those people who have been coveting the Zhao Group, be it the insiders or outsiders, will certainly swarm up to them. No matter how capable your father is, how can he possibly handle all of them at once? Moreover, how could you just sit there and watch all my effort go down the drain overnight, falling into the hands of others and getting completely destroyed?"

Zhao Youlin was lost for words. Despite knowing the former master was deliberately aiming at her soft spots, she could not find it in herself to refute him. She knew that he was manipulating her, and yet, she knew that was the truth as well.

The former master had three sons. Apart from Zhao Shunrong, Zhao Shuncheng was proud, arrogant and stubborn. He was still unaware that he was being used by his own wife. Meanwhile, Zhao Shunchang was a coward and obeyed whatever his fierce wife had to say, much less their children who were no more than losers.

If the Zhao Group were to fall into the hands of those scums, it would be destroyed sooner or later.

Zhao Youlin fell silent for quite a long while. In the end, she softened under the former master's expectant gaze.

"I can join the company, but on one condition."

"What is your condition?" The former master heaved a sigh of relief when Zhao Youlin agreed to him. He was overjoyed and said, "I'll fulfill your condition as long as it's from you."

"I want the absolute right to fire people."

"The absolute right to fire people?" The former master raised his eyebrow. He found that this was something new to him.

"To put it simply, I want the right to sack anyone in the company whenever I want, including the top management."

"In other words, do you mean that you want the right to sack anyone if he or she offends you?"

Zhao Youlin smiled and said with a stern look, "That's right. If you fulfill my request, I'll join the Zhao Group. I won't be so calculative about the position or job scope that you're about to assign to me."

The former master's eyes sparkled. As he was about to give his consent for the case, Zhao Shunrong, who had been silently sitting at a corner, was the first to speak out.

"Nonsense! The company has its own policy. How can you solely decide whether the staff stays or goes based on your personal preference?! How petty and childish!" It was a company-related matter and so, Zhao Shunrong spoke up seriously, which was a rare sight.

However, Zhao Youlin was not intimidated by him. Right after he shouted at her, she spreaded out her hands at the former master helplessly and said, "Grandpa, look, it's not that I'm not willing to join the company. Father thinks that I'm being petty. So, I guess that's all for this matter. Let's just forget about it."

It took the former master great pains to finally drag Zhao Youlin into the pit, how could he possibly let his granddaughter get away just like that?

He immediately shouted, "Don't! Don't listen to your father. He's spewing nonsense. Even though the company is under his control, I'm still the ultimate decision maker in the company. Whatever I say will be the final decision, and there's no need to seek his opinion. Girl, I'll agree to your condition. I'll give you the right. Whoever you find displeasing in your sight, you can ask him to leave whenever you want. So, this should be fine… right?"

"Father!" Before Zhao Youlin responded to him, Zhao Shunrong had shouted at the former master with a look of disapproval, "The company has its own policy, having such reckless power will only stir up fear among the staff, and it's not beneficial to the company…"

Before Zhao Shunrong finished speaking, he was interrupted by the former master, "I'm the one who set the company's policy. My words equate to the company's policy."

"But, Father…" Even though Zhao Shunrong knew that the former master meant what he said, he still strived to change his mind.

Unfortunately, all this amounted to nothing. The former master narrowed his eyes. He gave off a rare imposing aura of a superior and easily suppressed Zhao Shunrong.

"This is the right that I've promised Youlin. Even though it seems a little exaggerated, I believe Youlin is sensible and has her own thoughts. She won't simply misuse the right and put the company at stake. Rong, you should have more confidence in your daughter and trust her more."

Right after the former master spoke, Zhao Shunrong froze. Meanwhile, Zhao Youlin had been watching the event unfolding calmly on the couch. She seemed to have seen this ending, yet she did not bother about the father-son pair's quarrel. She remained completely silent.

In the end, the fact that Zhao Youlin joined the Zhao Group was concluded. Luckily, Zhao Youlin's newly opened outlet was considered a decently-sized business, and she had recruited two major staff — the bakers. If she recruited a few more helpers, she should not have any further problems with it.

While Zhao Youlin was slowly getting her life on the right track, Mu Tingfeng's peaceful life was turned into a mess.

Ever since Mu Tingfeng bumped into Zhao Youlin while accompanying Su Qing for her maternity checkup, and after listening to the shocking remarks that came from Su Qing, he seemed to look troubled.

This had directly reflected in his work performance as he occasionally looked dazed and his mind wandered.

Mu Tingfeng's secretary, Xia Zhetao had been noticing all these with his own eyes. Even though Xia Zhetao was very curious about it, he dared not breathe a word of it.

Sobs, Xia Zhetao's bonus had been deducted not long ago just because he had tipped off the president's cousin. If Xia Zhetao were to ask him again, he might not even get his basic salary for the month and would have to starve.

It was hard to be a good secretary. But, it was harder to be a tight-lipped secretary especially when he knew all the gossip about his superior.