Chapter 135: Why Don't You Be the CEO Instead?

Li Sancai stared in panic at her ankle being crushed under the man’s foot, her face turning deathly pale as a wave of pain washed over her entire body.

"Mr. Gu, please, let go! I beg you!"

Li Sancai bent at the waist, reaching out with both hands in an attempt to grab Gu Beichen's trousers, only to be kicked away into the corner by the man.

"Sancai!"

Li Gang gasped, a chill running down her spine. Watching Li Sancai shivering and curled up in the corner, she felt a surge of anxiety. After all, Li Sancai was her own sister; seeing her being treated with such brutality, Li Gang could not bear it.

"Mr. Gu, what are you doing? Sancai’s foot is injured, she just wanted you to..."

Before Li Gang could finish her sentence, she clamped her mouth shut, her eyes widening as she took a cautious step backward.

Gu Beichen turned around, glancing at Li Gang with a gaze devoid of ripples. His look was indifferent yet piercing, sharp as a blade. Seeing the man about to approach her, all of Li Gang’s previous infatuation and romantic fantasies vanished, replaced by sheer terror.

"Wanted me to do what?"

Gu Beichen’s voice was hoarse and laced with a warning. He had long since run out of patience for these two chattering, disgraceful women. They had upset his Ranran, so he had no reason to show mercy. Besides, the way these two women looked at him held ulterior motives; as adults, they both understood what that meant.

Gu Beichen could not allow Ranran to have any romantic rivals. Aside from Mu Ran, no other woman was worthy of liking him! Stepping on Li Sancai’s ankle had already been an act of mercy.

Li Gang felt a chill in her heart and couldn't help but lower her gaze. She realized now that Gu Beichen was only ever gentle toward Mu Ran; to everyone else, he was iron-willed, cold, and ruthless.

"President Mu, I need to discuss some company matters with you."

Li Gang stood before the desk, her legs trembling. She glanced occasionally at Li Sancai, who was sobbing softly in the corner. "Stop crying. If you want to cry, go outside."

Scolded by her sister’s fierce and stern tone, Li Sancai looked up in a daze, her lips trembling, her eyes full of grievance and helplessness. "Sister..."

"President Mu, I heard you intend to terminate Sancai’s contract. I hope you will reconsider and give her a chance." Li Gang shot a cold look at her disappointing sister before turning her gaze to Mu Ran. "Sancai has good potential, please think about it."

Mu Ran smiled, her sharp fox-like eyes landing on the woman’s painted face, wondering how these two sisters could be so confident.

"What potential does she have? In your opinion? Li Gang, if you’re so wealthy, why don’t you open your own company and promote her yourself?"

Mu Ran had no intention of keeping Li Sancai. The woman lacked character, had no team spirit, and was prone to infighting and forming cliques. Most importantly, Li Sancai had no room for growth. Mu Ran saw her as a liability who would only incite unnecessary competition.

Mu Ran knew from An Lan that every artist signed to the company had been personally approved by her. The only exception was Li Sancai. Mu Ran understood the unique strengths of every other artist in the company. Even though her memories didn't include them, she possessed a clear and distinct understanding of their individual traits, advantages, and even their best paths for development.

Even more bizarrely, whenever she looked at certain artists, visions of their future success over the next few years would flash through her mind—each one destined to be a shining star. Could she be delusional? Or were those visions real, and she possessed the ability to foresee the future?

Confused, she suddenly recalled the face of someone who she felt certain could help her answer everything: Lin Chong.

"President Mu, are you even listening to me!"

Li Gang’s tone rose, though she dared not be too loud, fearing she might attract Gu Beichen’s attention. Li Gang was now terrified of that ruthless man. No matter how handsome he was, what good did it do? He was not a man she could handle.

"President Mu?"

Li Gang sat down on the chair in front of Mu Ran and waved a hand in front of her. "I am a shareholder of the company; I certainly have a say here. I propose that Li Sancai be kept and given focused training!"

Mu Ran’s unfocused gaze gradually cleared. She narrowed her eyes, staring at Li Gang’s confident and arrogant face. Her voice was chillingly soft: "Focused training?"

Li Gang felt a bit unsettled, but her sister had wanted to be an actress since she was young. Li Gang had originally intended to start a film and television company, but she lacked the capital. It was by chance that she encountered Zhou Muyang selling shares, allowing her to use her position on the SY board to secure resources for her sister.

"Fine." Mu Ran’s tone was light and lazy, but her eyes held no warmth, only endless coldness and sarcasm.

Seeing Mu Ran agree so readily, Li Gang became even more convinced that she was a soft target, and she pushed her luck further. "Also, as a shareholder, SY’s interests concern me. I hope that whenever you make a decision, you will consult me, because I don’t believe you have the capability to manage this company well."

Mu Ran curled her lips. "I don’t have the capability?"

The woman’s eyes were filled with mockery. Her slender fingers tapped the folder on the desk rhythmically. Every tap sounded as if it were striking Li Gang’s heart. Li Gang clenched her hands on her lap, silently telling herself to stay calm—this woman before her was nothing but a paper tiger, a pushover.

"President Mu, I believe I am more capable of managing the company than you are."

Mu Ran chuckled, glancing at Gu Beichen sitting on the sofa, her eyes filled with disbelief. Was she really held in such low regard? Did this Li Gang actually want to hold some position at SY?

"Why don’t you be the president then?"

Mu Ran’s words thrilled Li Gang. She slapped her thighs, her mouth curling upward, eyebrows raised, her voice filled with delight: "That’s not an impossible idea."

In the corner, Li Sancai saw how incredibly foolish her sister was, unable to distinguish between a trap and a genuine offer. Leaning against the wall, she let out a long sigh.

"Idiot."

Gu Beichen let out a cold snort. Without even lifting his eyelids, he leaned back against the sofa, crossing his legs and fiddling with his phone.

Li Gang looked toward the man at his cold mockery, then quickly averted her gaze. Was Gu Beichen calling her an "idiot"?

Li Gang took a deep breath, her face darkening. Suppressing her anger and hiding her fear, she stared intently at Mu Ran, who was still wearing a smirk. "President Mu, let’s make a bet."

"Sure." Mu Ran never turned down a challenge; she was curious what trick Li Gang was trying to pull.

"Let’s call all the company’s artists over. You choose a few, I choose a few, and we’ll have them perform their specialties. We’ll compete to see who has better packaging skills and a better eye for talent!"

"Sure." Mu Ran narrowed her fox-like eyes, agreeing instantly. She thought that was all Li Gang had to offer. All the artists in the company were potential elites, but most had just signed and hadn't been "battle-tested." This was the perfect opportunity to promote SY’s artists to the public.

Li Gang’s lips twitched. She hadn’t expected Mu Ran to agree so quickly and was caught off guard.

"President Mu, playing dirty is despicable."

Mu Ran couldn't help but laugh. Her smile was as beautiful as a flower, and her exquisite, alluring face possessed a charm that left Li Gang’s eyes dazed. Li Gang had to admit that Mu Ran’s beauty was flawless.

"Ms. Li, your mind is far too dirty."

Li Gang’s face darkened. "Better safe than sorry. All the artists currently at SY were recruited by you, and I don't know them. However, I have a studio with several artists of my own. Let’s have them compete against each other. If I win..."

Before the woman could finish, Mu Ran interrupted her bluntly, staring directly into her eyes with a smile. "If you win, SY will sign the artists from your studio, and I will arrange a position for you."

Li Gang nodded in satisfaction, her eyes gleaming with greed. She tapped her fingers on her lap, calculating how she would replace Mu Ran once she won; at the very least, she would make herself the Vice President of SY.

"Ms. Li, if I win, what do you think you can give me?"

Li Gang let out a cold snort, her disdain unconcealed. She answered Mu Ran gloomily: "If you win, I’ll give up the shares I hold."

Li Gang did not believe Mu Ran could win. Ever since she started following the entertainment industry, she had heard plenty of rumors about this disgraced, minor actress Mu Ran. No ability, no resources, always relying on men to get by in the industry. Li Gang scoffed at such people.

It was true that Mu Ran had regained popularity through a dating show, and it didn't matter if she used her romance with Gu Beichen, the president of the Chengxing Group, to gain fans and hype. But her lack of ability and empty-headedness were obvious—Mu Ran was nothing but a vase.

"Fine! Ms. Li, your name suits you—you are truly domineering! Wealthy and bold!"

Mu Ran ignored the disdain and contempt in the woman’s eyes. She picked up her phone from the desk and opened a livestreaming app. "Let’s do it via livestream, and let the public vote, how about that?"

"That’s fine, but you have a fan base, so register a new livestreaming account."

"Can do."