As Liang Zixin walked toward Liang Chen's office, the air in the executive corridor of Horizon Tech, which was usually a hum of controlled efficiency, was filled with an unspoken tension. This wasn't a chance meeting; it was a planned fight. He saw Liang Chen looking at complicated network diagrams, which showed how much stress the cyberattacks were putting on him. Without any warning, Zixin stepped in. His face was a carefully crafted mask of professional concern that barely hid the malice behind it. This was the place he had chosen to fight, and he planned to make the line clear.
"Liang Chen," Zixin said in a smooth, almost sweet voice, "I've been watching the recent... problems with the network. It's a big job, isn't it? Running such a big business, especially when it's being attacked, while also dealing with, let's say, family expectations." His words were like poisoned darts, each one a hidden threat aimed at Liang Chen's current weaknesses and his grandfather's health as president. He hinted that the board was getting more impatient and that there were whispers of dissent. He also subtly connected the company's unstable state to Liang Chen's ability to lead. "One might wonder," he said, his voice low and scary, "if the burden is becoming too great for one person to bear, especially with so much at stake."
Liang Chen slowly raised his head, and his eyes met Zixin's with a cold intensity. His first calmness turned into a strong determination. He got the unspoken challenge and the obvious attempt to take advantage of his problems right now. Liang Chen replied in a low, steady voice, "My burdens, Zixin, are exactly what make me who I am." I don't run away from responsibility like some people do, and I don't leave important things unresolved. His sharp reply dismissed Zixin's veiled suggestion with a quiet authority that made it clear that they were rivals and not cousins.
This fight was a big step up in the quiet war for the presidency of Horizon Tech. It broke down the appearance of family harmony and made the cousins' long-standing hatred of each other clear. Liang Zixin's direct challenge, even though it was still full of business jargon, was a declaration of war. Liang Chen now knew that the threats he faced were not only from outside and in the system, but also from inside himself and were very personal. This added a new level of stress to his already complicated fight for control.