“Uncle, I’m not trying to get myself killed—I just didn’t know about your relationship with Yan… Auntie.” Zhan Jincheng was filled with regret, his face a mix of love and resentment. “I was wrong. No one but you deserves Auntie.”
Before returning to the country, he had been dreaming of a beautiful future with Yan Qing, only to have his uncle snatch her away.
Was there anyone more tragic than him?
Zhan Yan Chen leaned against the desk, crossing his legs. “Zhan Jincheng, do you want to go to the sky or the sea this time?”
Zhan Jincheng felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, cold sweat dripping down. “Going to the sky” meant being kicked off a drop tower or a helicopter by his uncle. “Going to the sea” meant being sent a hundred meters deep into the ocean.
He had acrophobia and thalassophobia. Both punishments were tortures worse than death for him.
Zhan Jincheng fell to his knees with a thud, resigned to his fate. “Uncle, just kill me instead!”
Zhan Yan Chen adjusted his cuffs, his voice low. “Get up!”
Zhan Jincheng didn’t dare to rise. Zhan Jiu handed him a contract. “Young Master, sign this and you can avoid punishment.”
Since when was his uncle so lenient?
Trembling with fear, Zhan Jincheng took the contract and stood up, opening it to read carefully. Seeing that every clause was related to Yan Qing, he read even more attentively.
One minute later—
“Uncle, in all my life, I’ve never seen such an unfair contract!” Zhan Jincheng protested with his words, but his body was honest as he nodded and said, “I’ll sign it right away.”
Zhan Jiu thought to himself: He still has some spirit, but his courage is a bit lacking.
After signing the unfair contract, Zhan Jincheng couldn’t suppress his curiosity. “Uncle, when did you meet Auntie?”
Zhan Yan Chen glanced at the photo on the desk, which showed a little boy and a little girl holding hands and walking along the beach.
Zhan Yan Chen said softly, “A long time ago.”
“Uncle, your nephew is a bit slow. Could you… elaborate?”
“Back when you were still wetting the bed.”
Zhan Jincheng: “…”
So the person his uncle had been scheming for since childhood was Yan Qing. Zhan Jincheng’s hopes were completely dashed.
After Zhan Jincheng left, Zhan Jiu said, “Young Master, Su Ming has fainted and been hospitalized. Su Sheng is returning to take over the Su family business.”
A chilling coldness spread across Zhan Yan Chen’s handsome face. “Keep up the pressure.”
“Yes.”
Seven o’clock in the evening.
Zhan Yan Chen claimed he had a class reunion tonight, so Yan Qing invited her best friends to Yipin Yan for lunch.
As the three of them ate, Rong Yan shared the latest news. “Chen Shan insists that he betrayed Yuerong for money on his own.”
Yan Qing had expected this. “Without solid evidence, Su Qianqian can just spend some money to clear herself.”
Zhan Yunduan slammed the table angrily. “I’ll go beat her up!”
“Zhan Duanduan, young ladies should be more ladylike.” Yan Qing patted her head soothingly.
Zhan Yunduan slammed the table again, eager to share the latest gossip. “Yan Yan, Qing Qing, to save the company, Su Sheng has decided to arrange a marriage alliance with the Fu family, marrying Su Qianqian off to the eldest son of the Fu family.”
Yan Qing was surprised. “In less than a day, your uncle made the Su family lose fifty billion in assets. Does the Fu family really have the guts to openly oppose your uncle?”
“The eldest Fu son likes Su Qianqian, and Fu Chen dotes on his son, so he’ll naturally do everything he can to let him marry Su Qianqian.” Zhan Yunduan propped her head on her hands, frustrated. “Just thinking about Su Qianqian still having a chance to strut around in front of us in the future makes me sick.”
Rong Yan set down her water glass. “Duanduan, Qingqing, the Fu family will soon follow in the Su family’s footsteps.”
Zhan Yunduan’s eyes lit up. Fu Chen had caused the death of Fu Zhanyu’s mother and immediately married his mistress afterward. Fu Zhanyu had stayed in the Fu Group, biding his time all these years, just to avenge his mother.
“Crown Prince…” Yan Qing suddenly paused, looking in surprise at a group of people not far away.
The two followed her gaze and saw Zhan Yanchen walking downstairs with several futures tycoons. All dressed in casual suits, they were strikingly handsome, like a top-tier male modeling team.
Rong Yan frowned, while Zhan Yunduan was nearly scared out of her wits. Yan Qing looked at Zhan Yanchen among the crowd—extraordinary, wise, and steady—and her heart began to race again.
As Zhan Yanchen reached the lobby, he inadvertently spotted Yan Qing. He paused for a moment, froze for two seconds, then a gentle smile spread across his coolly handsome face. He quickly walked over. “Qingqing.”
Yan Qing smiled at him, stood up, and looked at the row of suited men behind him. She couldn’t help but feel that the aura they exuded didn’t seem like students but more like business elites.
“Is your gathering over?”
“Yes.” Zhan Yanchen wrapped his arm around Yan Qing’s waist and introduced her to the group. “My wife, Yan Qing.”
The futures tycoons approached together.
Gu Si, one of the tycoons, extended his hand to Yan Qing with a smile. “Hello, sister-in-law. I’m Gu Si. I’ve often heard Yanchen talk about his little girl. Finally meeting you today, sister-in-law, you’re even more beautiful and knowledgeable than Yanchen described. You two are a perfect match.”
Zhan Yanchen’s little girl?
Was that her?
“Hello.” As Yan Qing extended her right hand halfway, Zhan Yanchen took hold of it. Seeming to sense her confusion, he said, “Only I can hold my little girl’s hand.”
Gu Si immediately withdrew his hand.
Yan Qing held Zhan Yanchen’s hand, looking at the composed and smiling Gu Si with a frown. “Gu Si, you look familiar. Have I seen you somewhere before?”
Gu Si blinked. “Sister-in-law, I just have a common face.”
Lu Jie, the second tycoon, nodded. “Hello, sister-in-law. I’m Lu Jie, Yanchen’s junior. If I’d known you were also at Yipin Yan, I would have come out earlier to meet you.”
“Hello, junior…”
After the tycoons finished their greetings, they left.
Zhan Yunduan, perceptive as ever, stood up. “Sister Qing, my mom called me home for dinner.”
“I’m heading back to the law firm to work overtime.” Rong Yan left with Zhan Yunduan.
Yan Qing smiled helplessly, pulled Zhan Yanchen to sit down, and asked the waiter to bring an extra set of utensils.
“Little brother, what was the theme of your class reunion this time?”
Zhan Yanchen replied seriously, “The project is finished, so we’re splitting the money.”
“The management project for the tech company?”
Zhan Yanchen nodded, feeding Yan Qing as she ate.
“My husband is amazing!” Yan Qing cupped his face, leaning in with a money-loving gleam in her eyes. “How much did you split?”
Zhan Yanchen affectionately tapped her nose. “Guess.”
Yan Qing pondered. “Twenty thousand?”
“Sweetheart, you’re underestimating me.”
“Proud little brother.” Yan Qing guessed three times but couldn’t get it right. “How much is it, really?”
Zhan Yanchen didn’t say, instead chuckling softly. “Not much, just enough to buy my wife an opening gift.”
Yan Qing’s joy was palpable. She wanted to tell him not to spend his hard-earned money, but remembering this was his heartfelt gesture for her, she didn’t refuse.
“What gift are you giving me tomorrow, big brother?”
“A secret.”
Yan Qing glared at him, her heart itching with curiosity. Zhan Yanchen smiled, leaned in, and soothed her with a kiss.
The next day.
The first Yuerong mall store officially opened.
After the opening ceremony concluded at eleven in the morning, Yan Qing and Zhan Yunduan saw off their relatives and friends before returning to the store.
It wasn’t until noon that Yan Qing finally had a moment of free time. Just as she took out her phone to contact Zhan Yan Chen, two customers entered the store.
They were Su Qianqian and the woman who had picked up Fu Zhan Yu at the airport that day, Xu Ting.
It was unclear what she had experienced over the past two days, but despite wearing exquisite makeup and several layers of powder, Su Qianqian couldn’t hide her haggard appearance.
“Oh, Miss Su is still alive?” Zhan Yunduan stepped out from behind the counter, looking at Su Qianqian mockingly. “Instead of trying to save your family’s company, you’ve come to our store to humiliate yourself?”