FLBCP: Chapter 2

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The staff member removed the chairs from the meeting table to make room for Zhao Yao’s wheelchair. The height of the table was a bit distant from the wheelchair. It didn’t interfere with vision but it looked inferior.

Zhao Yao looked meaningfully at Zhao Qizhen before telling Yao Bai, “Let’s go.”

Yao Bai pushed the wheelchair to the empty spot. He didn’t push it too far forward and stopped at the table.

He whispered, “Brother, do you want to change the chair?”

“This is fine.” Zhao Yao was too lazy to move.

Zhao Qizhen saw this and raised his voice slightly. “Third Brother, your leg hasn’t healed yet. How can you run all the way here? If you don’t look after your leg well, you might get some side-effects…” He had a bit of mockery in his eyes.

Most of the people in the meeting room knew that Zhao Qizhen and Zhao Yao had a bad relationship and they were watching the excitement between the two people.

“Are you finished?” Zhao Yao looked at Zhao Qizhen. “I haven’t seen you in a few days. You haven’t developed any other skills but you’ve become a lot noisier.”

“You!” Zhao Qizhen’s anger soared when he heard this. He wanted to confront Zhao Yao but his sleeves were pulled by the people around him.

He thought of the special occasion today and suppressed his anger. Forget it, why compete with a disabled man?

Zhao Qizhen sneered. He hadn’t expected that Zhao Yao would dare go against him after the car accident. However, once today was over, let’s see if Zhao Yao still had the ability to show off.

Zhao Yao glanced at Zhao Qizhen but didn’t bother paying attention to him. Zhao Qizhen was always like this. He thought he was a bit clever but he was actually hopelessly stupid.

“Okay.” Zhao Zhikai came out from where he was sitting in front to control the room at the right time. He told the staff member. “You worked hard. Can I trouble you to get a soft cushion for the third young master.”

Then he looked at Zhao Yao with a bit of pacification in his eyes.

Zhao Yao raised his eyes with interest when he saw this. The slightly younger Zhao Zhikai always looked like a kind old man.

The staff member brought the cushion and Zhao Zhikai continued, “Since Xiao Yao is here, the meeting will continue.”

The electronic projection screen showed the various indicators of the QIchen Project and the calm and orderly explanation was amplified to all places in the meeting room through the microphone. This meeting wasn’t confidential but it was very important. Yao Bai originally wanted to leave this place but Zhao Yao had him stay on the grounds of him being an assistant. The people who could stay at such an occasion were either the big bosses or big bosses’ secretaries. His heart couldn’t help pounding as he stood with these people.

Brother Yao showed no problems. Why was he the one feeling panicked on this occasion?

Yao Bai stood up straight and raised his courage.

Zhao Yao didn’t open his eyes. He listened to the speaker’s voice as he gradually recalled the original circumstances of the Qichen Project in his previous life.

The Zhao family had a vast industry and its subsidiaries operated multiple projects at the same time. The Qichen Project was just one of them. The significance lay not in its position in the Zhao family’s industry but in the timing of its appearance. The person in power in the Zhao family was seriously ill and unable to manage the various industries of the Zhao family. The people who temporarily coordinated the Zhao family’s industries were Zhao Yao’s second uncle, Zhao Zhikai and his older brother, Zhao Changshuo. Still, this was just temporary. Only one person could inherit the sovereignty of the Zhao family.

Qichen was the project that appeared at this stage. The project decided by Chairman Zhao was unanimously recognized by those inside and outside the Zhao family as the assessment of the successor. Whoever had the ability to take over the project had the greatest possibility of being the successor to the Zhao family.

In the eyes of the outside world, the person in charge of the Qichen Project could only be Zhao Changshuo who was currently in charge temporarily. However, there were actually many people who didn’t want Zhao Changshuo to develop too fast and wanted to suppress him. This was why there was this so-called meeting to determine the person in charge.

It was the assessment project appointed by the chairman so the candidates could only be selected from among the sons of Chairman Zhao. Apart from the eldest son Zhao Changshuo, the ones remaining were Zhao Yao and Zhao Qizhen. Zhao Qizhen thought he had a greater chance after Zhao Yao had the car accident but in fact, he didn’t have a tough backer and couldn’t make any waves at all. Therefore, the only person competing with Zhao Changshuo was actually Zhao Yao.

In his previous life, Zhao Yao defeated Zhao Changshuo by one vote at this meeting and took over the Qichen Project. Still, his last life was his last life. In his last life, Zhao Yao ran around due to this incident. His left leg couldn’t rest and he suffered pain every time there was a rainy day.

Zhao Yao moved his gaze to the silent and serious man in a suit in the distance. He had to say that his older brother Zhao Changshuo had been like this since he was young. Zhao Changshuo was too meticulous and strict but compared to the flamboyant Zhao Qizhen, his oldest brother had a sincere desire to work for the Zhao family and his abilities were no worse than Zhao Yao’s.

If it wasn’t for him taking the lead, perhaps the Zhao family would’ve become something else in Zhao Changshuo’s hands.

Zhao Yao frowned slightly. What was the meaning of his rebirth and returning to this node in time? Fight for power again?

He thought of the life that might be repeated in the future and suddenly couldn’t take any interest in it.

Now Zhao Yao didn’t want to waste time on this project at all. The Zhao family’s business was glamorous on the surface but in fact, it had long been rotten. The position of successor sounded good but it wasn’t that great.

The contents of the meeting became boring. At this time, the phone on his body vibrated and Zhao Yao’s attention immediately fell on the phone.

He took out an old model mobile phone. The current technology wasn’t as easy to use as the future and the apps on the mobile phone showed an immature design. The vibration just now came from a fixed push notification of an app. 

How was a phone turned in the present? Password recognition or fingerprint recognition? 

In the meeting room, there was only the steady and orderly voice of the speaker. Everyone had their own thoughts. Then when they looked at Zhao Yao, they found that the injured young master of the Zhao family had his head lowered slightly as he touched something in his hand. It seemed like he was playing with his phone?

Zhao Yao opened his mobile phone in a slightly unfamiliar manner. He opened the app and all types of news headlines suddenly popped up. He made an accidental touch and ended up in the entertainment section. The entertainment report of a certain star popped up.

The speaker on the stage finished the content and retired to his position to the side.

Zhao Zhikai lowered his head and finally got to the main topic. “Then we will now elect…”

“According to people familiar with the matter, the young film emperor Pei Mingzhan has recently…”

At the same time, abrupt noise from the entertainment news interrupted Zhao Zhikai’s words. The people who were secretly looking at Zhao Yao now stared directly at him. They saw that he was operating his mobile phone calmly but his eyebrows were slightly wrinkled. It seemed that he was troubled by something.

Zhao Yao hadn’t used the mobile phone app for too long and accidentally pressed play on the video.

He noticed the silence around him and locked the phone screen. “Sorry, you can continue.”

“!!!” Yao Bai was sweating from where he stood behind Zhao Yao. Why did he feel like Brother Yao wasn’t in the right state?

Zhao Qizhen was originally happy with Zhao Yao. Now he saw Zhao Yao playing with a phone, even playing it loudly in front of so many directors and he couldn’t help snorting. “Third Brother, shouldn’t you always put your phone on mute when coming for a meeting?”

The other people in the room whispered to each other.

On the other side, the silent oldest brother of the Zhao family, Zhao Changshuo finally spoke. “Be quiet.”

Zhao Qizhen rolled his eyes and reluctantly stopped.

Zhao Changshuo looked at Zhao Yao with some doubt in his eyes. His third brother had always been a measured person. How could he make such a small mistake at the meeting? In addition, this meeting was very important to Zhao Yao yet it seemed that Zhao Yao wasn’t very concerned.

The current phones weren’t simplified like the future. It played when Zhao Yao accidentally touched it.

Zhao Yao turned off his phone and put it aside. He planned to wait until after the meeting to go back and study the current level of smart devices.

The momentary interruption plunged the people around him into short whispers. Then the meeting continued.

Zhao Zhikai glanced at Zhao Yao with surprise but he continued speaking. “Then do you have anyone to recommend to be in charge of this project?”

The matter that had been foreshadowed for so long finally arrived. Everyone present knew that this project was actually for the Zhao family to practice their skills. The person in charge could only be selected from the Zhao family. Those present exchanged looks and expressed their opinions one after another.

“Qichen is a really good project. If it can be successfully implemented then the benefits will only get higher and higher.”

“The innovative entry point might be more important.”

“The department that originally took over this project was very mature and the overall operation won’t be a big problem.”

“If this is the case, the person in charge…”

Zhao Zhikai looked around. “I don’t know what everyone’s opinion is. If you have different opinions then we should decide it with a vote.”

“Then why don’t we give this project to the eldest young master. He has more contact with young teams and has a lot of project experience.” Someone spoke up. “The Qichen Project is more suitable for a young team and the eldest young master can easily communicate with them if he takes over.”

“President Zhao.” A middle-aged person came out. “Since the Qichen Project is a young team and the overall operation is quite mature, why don’t we give this opportunity to young people to try their hands? The eldest young master has other projects under his hands as well.”

He turned his gaze to Zhao Qizhen on the other side. “The fourth young master has been in contact with the company’s business during this period of time and has had good project experience before. A young person’s ideas are bold and innovative. We should let the fourth young master try it.”

Zhao Qizhen watched the middle-aged man with his head raised proudly. Then he shifted his gaze to Zhao Zhikai in the first seat. 

“The eldest young master has other projects and the fourth young master is too young.” Someone disagreed. “If you really want to give it to a young person to try out then it is better to give it to the third young master.”

Zhao Yao?

Zhao Qizhen showed an impatient expression as he gave the opposite leader of the young group a look. The latter accepted his gaze and opened his mouth. “The third young master has just been discharged from hospital and isn’t suitable.”

Zhao Yao’s car accident and hospitalization wasn’t a small matter and there were rumors spread. All the people present had discerning eyes. They looked at Zhao Yao and saw him sitting calmly in his wheelchair, his eyes indifferent like he was completely unconcerned.

The topic suddenly gathered on Zhao Yao’s body as those present wanted to see what Zhao Yao was thinking.

Zhao Yao moved the position of the cushion. This temporary wheelchair was really uncomfortable. The people around him were saying meaningless words and Zhao Yao knew very well in his heart that this meeting could be delayed indefinitely.

Discussing it was meaningless. Voting was the final result.

He had no interest in this farce. “I’m not interested in the Qichen Project. You can do as you wish.”

Everyone was shocked the moment this statement came out. Even Zhao Zhikai couldn’t believe it and he confirmed it again, “Xiao Yao, didn’t you come from the hospital because you are interested in this Qichen Project?”

“Second Uncle, you made a mistake.” Zhao Yao looked up at Zhao Zhikai. “I’m not here to run for the position but to vote.”