Although Shen Yanzhi usually visited the villa to see Old Master Shen several times a month, Shen Yuanzhong knew that tonight’s Shen family dinner gathering was entirely his own doing.
If he hadn’t been whispering in Old Master Shen’s ear day after day these past few days, even bringing his grandson to stay at the old residence for a few nights, how could the old master have possibly agreed to call Shen Yanzhi?
Believing Old Master Shen was on his side, Shen Yuanzhong looked at Shen Yanzhi with undisguised smugness in his eyes.
At the dinner table, Shen Yuanzhong and Huang Yuwan couldn’t resist bringing up Huang Sheng’s matter. However, they had barely started when Old Master Shen cut them off.
His voice was stern: “Whatever it is, discuss it after the meal.”
Shen Yuanzhong: “…”
Huang Yuwan: “…”
The two had no choice but to grudgingly swallow their words and remain silent.
Having barely endured until the meal was over, Shen Yuanzhong could hold back no longer. He looked at Shen Yanzhi, who sat calmly sipping his tea, “Nephew, Dad must have told you everything in the study just now, right? Hurry up and release Huang Sheng, and we’ll let this matter drop—we won’t hold it against you.”
“Third Uncle didn’t seem to be drinking just now, did he?” Shen Yanzhi suddenly lifted his eyes and said this.
Shen Yuanzhong froze, completely failing to grasp Shen Yanzhi’s meaning.
It was his six-year-old grandson beside him who burst out laughing: “Grandpa! Uncle means you’re talking nonsense even though you haven’t been drinking!”
His mother, seeing her father-in-law’s face suddenly darken, hastily covered the little imp’s mouth and carried him out to the courtyard to play.
Shen Yuanzhong’s face was black—he truly hadn’t expected that to be Shen Yanzhi’s meaning.
He looked toward Old Master Shen seated at the head of the table and said, “Dad, look at Shen Yanzhi! Where’s even half a bit of respect for his elders!”
Chi Yu, silently watching the drama unfold from within the phone, thought to herself: Take a look at yourself first—do you have even a shred of dignity fitting for an elder?
To earn others’ respect, you must first learn to respect them—a principle even a three-year-old understands.
On one side was an incompetent, unambitious biological son, already a grandfather yet still leeching off his father; on the other, a capable, competent biological grandson who had multiplied the Shen family’s assets several times over in just four short years. Weighing the two, as long as Old Master Shen’s cerebellum hadn’t suffered a stroke, he knew perfectly well whom to support.
“I won’t interfere in the affairs between you two. You wanted Yanzhi to come back before; now I’ve called him back for you. Whatever matters you have, discuss them among yourselves.” Old Master Shen stood up as he spoke.
If not for wanting Shen Yanzhi to come back to the villa for a meal, he couldn’t be bothered with this unfilial son.
Seeing him rise, the butler standing nearby immediately stepped forward to assist.
Clearly, Old Master Shen intended to withdraw from this family battlefield.
Seeing this, Shen Yuanzhong was dumbfounded.
Huang Yuwan beside him also hadn’t expected this development. After recovering her senses, she quickly grew frantic.
Huang Sheng was her brother’s only son!
If Huang Sheng really ended up in prison, her brother and sister-in-law would surely devour her alive!
“Yanzhi, please, I beg you. Huang Sheng is my only nephew. He knows he was wrong now; he’ll never do it again. Please, spare him this once.” Huang Yuwan pleaded with Shen Yanzhi, humbling herself completely.
Shen Yanzhi calmly drank his tea: “The decision-making power for this matter lies in Third Uncle’s hands.”
Shen Yuanzhong’s expression changed: “That’s absolutely impossible!”
If he really gave in to Shen Yanzhi’s wish and signed that contract, he would lose all say in the Shen Group forever.
Not just him—even his sons and grandsons would never get close to any core positions within Shen Group!
Hearing their exchange, Huang Yuwan’s expression shifted repeatedly. Clearly, she also understood the implication of Shen Yanzhi’s words. When it came to the future of her own immediate family, Huang Yuwan didn’t dare utter another word.
Shen Hongguo’s family sat silently on the sofa, watching the spectacle without getting involved.
Although Shen Hongguo and Shen Yuanzhong usually formed a united front, even Shen Hongguo didn’t want to wade into these muddy waters this time.
Shen Yanzhi wasn’t the least bit surprised by Shen Yuanzhong’s refusal to sign the contract. In fact, he didn’t particularly care—after all, he still held the greatest power within Shen Group; the ultimate authority and execution rights still lay with him.
Shen Yanzhi stood up, patting his sleeves: “As you wish, Third Uncle. I still have other matters to attend to, so I’ll take my leave first.”
Left behind, the couple’s faces were ashen.
The conversation from the living room was soon relayed word for word to Old Master Shen’s ears.
Swaying gently in his rocking chair, Old Master Shen sighed: “I’ve already stood on the side of the eldest and third sons once before, blocking Yanzhi. This time, it was entirely the third son’s nephew from his wife’s side who brought this upon himself. The third son, caught in the middle, isn’t exactly innocent either.”
If not for Shen Yuanzhong’s instigation, stirring up that nephew’s greed, how could the subsequent embezzlement have occurred?
The person Old Master Shen sent to investigate this matter discreetly had long since uncovered everything clearly. Initially, it was Shen Yuanzhong himself who wanted to skim profits and take kickbacks, which was why he arranged for Huang Sheng to be placed in that position.
As a result, Huang Sheng’s appetite turned out to be even bigger than Shen Yuanzhong’s. Within just nine months of taking office, before the project had even broken ground, he had already pocketed twelve million himself.
With someone like that, once the project actually started construction, wouldn’t he hollow it out completely?
The more embezzled, the more corrupt and shoddy the project would become. If something went wrong, ultimately it would be Shen Group that took the blame.
“Even if the third son eventually signs that contract, there’s no need to specifically notify me.” Old Master Shen said: “I can’t keep breaking Yanzhi’s heart. Yanzhi has grown up now. Shen Group in his hands is its best home.”
Butler: “Understood.”
No one else was aware of the conversation between Old Master Shen and his butler.
Chi Yu, staying in Shen Yanzhi’s pocket, was still replaying the conversation from the villa after Shen Yanzhi got into the car.
If I hadn’t been human before, actually being a phone staying by Shen Yanzhi’s side wouldn’t be so bad.
Shen Yanzhi didn’t like playing with his phone, so she had plenty of time to rest and sleep—no overtime, definitely no 24/7 usage (this specifically refers to certain people who play with their phones from the moment they wake up until they go to sleep at midnight).
When Shen Yanzhi rested, she could even amuse herself.
Following Shen Yanzhi around, she could occasionally enjoy some juicy drama. Most importantly, Shen Yanzhi appeared emotionally stable, yet he never failed to deliver a retort, saying whatever needed to be said on the spot, never swallowing his grievances.
With an owner like this, even the drama she witnessed was the satisfying kind, not the stifling sort that could give you breast cancer from frustration.
Shen Yanzhi had absolutely no idea that there would come a day when he’d be praised by his very own phone for not being fond of using it. Today’s pocket was rather shallow, so after settling into the car, Shen Yanzhi casually took out his phone and placed it in the holder, then slowly drove off.
The moment he took her out, Chi Yu inside the phone was already stunned.
She had been secretly teaching herself programming every night recently while Shen Yanzhi slept, and inevitably the phone itself had undergone some changes—for example, gaining certain functions it didn’t have before.
So, what was that tiny, well-hidden glimmer of light in the car?
Chi Yu was puzzled.
It definitely hadn’t been there when Shen Yanzhi drove here earlier.