The Queen and Her Canary

At fifty-one, widowed and holding a commanding 55% stake in the Gu Group, Shen Qinglan's status as the surviving spouse is both a crown and a shackle. At the funeral, she is already the black-clad queen surveying the crowd, coolly facing the covetous eyes within and beyond the family.

She swiftly takes over as chairwoman and CEO with an iron hand, demonstrating business acumen that leaves everyone else in the dust as she forces the turbulent group back on course. Her daughter, Gu Shiyu, is promoted to general manager. Together, mother and daughter seem to have gained an initial grip on the situation.

Yet the Gu family members, who regard their shares as their lifeline, live in constant dread, fearing that if she remarries, control of the empire will pass to someone else.