The family elders—led by the formidable Grandmother Liang—scheduled an emergency dinner that evening. It was not a dinner of celebration, but a private, high-stakes court to decide Xiao Mei's fate.
"They will try to bully you, Xiao Mei," Liang warned, helping her adjust the cuffs of her suit. He was no longer treating her as a frail wife, but a respected colleague facing a hostile board. "They care only about face and stability. They will argue that the CSO role requires decades of experience and social connections, not... well, not you."
Xiao Mei smiled, a sharp, cold glint in her eyes. "I know, Hubby. I have prepared a full presentation on the current vulnerability of the Liang Group, including a demonstration of how easily their personal investment data could have been leaked. I will show them the instability they create by underestimating me."
Liang kissed her hand, his relief palpable. "You are incredible. Just remember, no matter what they say, you have me. And you have the core data."
"The core data is the only argument they understand," she agreed.The dinner table was vast and silent, filled with the imposing Liang relatives. The matriarch, Grandmother Liang, sat at the head, her expression one of utter disapproval. Xiao Mei and Liang sat opposite the main opposition: the Uncle (Liang's father's older brother, who controlled the property arm of the company).
Grandmother Liang started immediately, ignoring Xiao Mei completely. "Liang, your behavior is unacceptable. Arresting family and placing a child in a crucial executive position? The market is already unstable! Replace her immediately with someone from the family who has decorum!"
The Uncle chimed in, leaning forward smugly. "Yes, Liang. We need a stable face. Xiao Mei is famous for... other talents. She has no business background, no technical degree from a prestigious university. How can she ensure our security?"
Xiao Mei calmly interrupted the tirade. "Excuse me, Uncle, but you seem concerned about security. I'm concerned about the $50 million that nearly vanished from the property arm's subsidiary account yesterday morning."
The Uncle paled instantly. "W-what are you talking about? That's impossible!"Xiao Mei pulled out a portable tablet and projected a live data stream onto the wall above the fireplace—a move that horrified the traditionalist elders.
"This is a real-time snapshot of the property arm's finances," Xiao Mei explained, her tone purely professional. "When I executed the Mirror Firewell, it captured a residual botnet left by Li Wei. That botnet was scheduled to drain $50 million from your specific subsidiary account, Uncle, through an encrypted overseas transaction, set to trigger tonight."
The Uncle sputtered, his face now sweating profusely. "That's a lie! Hacking, trickery!"
"Is it?" Xiao Mei countered, pointing to a flashing line of code on the screen. "That is the scheduled transfer command. The botnet was active. If I had not taken the CSO role, and if I hadn't spent the night analyzing the residual traces, your $50 million would be gone by breakfast tomorrow."
A shocked silence fell over the table. The elders looked at the glowing screen, then at the terrified Uncle, and finally at Xiao Mei, who looked calm and utterly in control.
"Decorum doesn't protect company assets," Xiao Mei concluded, shutting down the tablet. "Competence does. Now, if you are concerned about stability, you should be concerned about the fact that Li Wei had access to internal accounts through her former position, and there are likely more sleeper bots. I need full, autonomous authority to scrub the entire network, or your personal accounts will be next."The Matriarch's harsh expression softened into grudging respect. She didn't like Xiao Mei, but she loved the Liang family's assets more.
"The Uncle will cooperate fully," Grandmother Liang decreed, her voice heavy. "Xiao Mei, you may continue your work as CSO. But this position requires results."
"Results are what I deliver, Grandmother," Xiao Mei replied, meeting the elder's gaze without flinching.
Liang let out a breath he didn't know he was holding. He had won the family fight. He had gained a wife, a lover, and now, the most formidable defense in the entire corporate world.
[Word Count Status: 11,090 words. Reached 11,000 Milestone.]
Xiao Mei smiled at Liang, a triumphant look passing between them. The fight was over, but the work was not. She now had to fulfill her new duties.