The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 251. Second Uncle’s Request

Chapter 251: 251. Second Uncle’s Request

In the darkness, a light laughter sounded, followed by the living room lights coming on.

"Xiaoqi, your senses are still so sharp." Allen sat on the sofa, legs crossed, exuding an air of leisure.

Shen Qinglan’s face was cold as she looked at Allen, "What are you doing here?"

"I don’t want to do anything, just wanted to see how you are," said Allen, his eyes sweeping over Shen Qinglan’s form, "Clearly King that waste couldn’t get the better of you, which makes sense. If King had hurt you, I would have doubted if you were still the Xiaoqi I personally trained."

Shen Qinglan gazed at the man before her, unable to fathom his intentions, pursed her lips, and stood there without speaking.

"Xiaoqi, I have no ill intentions towards you. I just purely came to see you, have you considered my proposal last time?" Allen asked with a light laugh.

Shen Qinglan’s eyes darkened slightly as she spoke indifferently, "I reject all of your proposals."

Hearing this, Allen was not annoyed and merely nodded, "Hmm, true to Xiaoqi’s spirit. Aren’t you afraid I’ll tell Fu Hengyi about your identity?"

Shen Qinglan sat down opposite Allen, her expression indifferent, "Go ahead."

A shadow of gloom flashed through Allen’s eyes, lasting only a moment before it returned to normal. If she had been so easy to compromise, then she wouldn’t be Shen Qinglan, "It seems you’re prepared for total abandonment."

"Allen, I have never been threatened," the hint of a killing intent surfaced in Shen Qinglan’s eyes, but she suppressed it forcefully. Allen would not have appeared here without some sort of preparation.

"In that case, we’ll see what happens." Allen stood up, ready to leave, walked halfway, then stopped and looked at Shen Qinglan, "Xiaoqi, please pass a message to those guys for me, tell them that the debt will eventually have to be repaid, they should prepare for it. Also, seeing that you’re unharmed, I’m very pleased."

Shen Qinglan ignored his last comment, her face solemn, waiting for Allen to leave before she promptly departed Jiangxin Garden. Allen had been here, who knows what he might have done inside in the time she was absent.

What Shen Qinglan didn’t see was that after Allen walked out, he looked back deeply at the tightly closed door.

As soon as Allen reached downstairs, his legs gave out. He leaned against the wall with a painful expression as Peter hurried over to help him into the car, "You really are something, you’re already in this state and still traveled all this way just to see if somebody is safe and sound. Allen, calling you a madman is an understatement." This wasn’t madness; it was the foolishness of a lovesick fool.

Allen’s face was impassive, his forehead covered in sweat, and the veins on his neck were bulging as he forcefully banged his legs. Seeing this, Peter quickly grabbed his hands, "Are you crazy? Your legs are already weak as it is; if you break them, I won’t be able to put them back together."

Grinding his teeth tightly, Allen was on the brink of losing his reason to the intense pain that assaulted his nerves, managing to squeeze out two words through his clenched teeth—"The shot."

"No, Allen, the painkiller is becoming less and less effective for you now, you can only rely on your own willpower to get through this," Peter said helplessly. He would administer the painkiller to Allen if it had any effect, but now Allen’s body had developed a strong resistance to it, making it completely ineffective.

Allen bit his jaw tightly and to prevent him from biting his tongue, Peter stuffed a piece of cloth in his mouth. Allen groaned low like a beast as he waited for the pain to pass, with Peter firmly holding his hands to prevent him from hurting himself.

After an unknown duration, Allen finally quieted down, and Peter let go of him, exhaling softly. He went around to the driver’s seat, and the car left Jiangxin Garden. He really couldn’t understand Allen’s behavior—such a domineering man who doesn’t easily give in, yet repeatedly made concessions for the woman called Shen Qinglan.

**

"Mr. Han, you can’t go in." Early in the morning, a commotion was heard at the entrance to the Han Group President’s office.

Han Zhengshan pushed the secretary’s hand away, "Let me through, I need to see Han Yi, tell him to come out."

"Mr. Han is in a meeting, could you please wait for him in the lounge?" The secretary blocked the door, firmly not allowing him in.

Han Zhengshan was seething with rage, "If he’s not here, I’ll wait for him in his office."

The secretary blocked his path, "Mr. Han, the president is not in, and no one is allowed inside the office."

Han Zhengshan’s eyes widened with anger, "I’m his father, how come I can’t enter his office? Move aside."

The secretary wore a troubled expression. Indeed, Han Zhengshan was Han Yi’s father, but this was the Han Group, and it was Han Yi’s president office, full of confidential documents. If any were lost or leaked, who would bear the responsibility?

The secretary, still smiling, stood firm in front of Han Zhengshan, "Old Sir, please wait for Mr. Han in the reception room. His meeting will be over soon."

"What if I insist on going in?"

The secretary continued to smile, "Mr. Han, please don’t make it difficult for us. We’re just poor employees."

Han Zhengshan was about to lash out at the secretary, who was as slippery as an eel when Han Yi’s taunting voice came from behind, "Yo, what’s got you throwing your weight around so early in the morning, Father?"

Han Zhengshan turned around and saw Han Yi looking at him with a half-smile. His anger surged instantly, and he pointed at Han Yi, "Han Yi, you unfilial son, you even scheme against your own father."

Behind Han Yi followed a crowd of the company’s executives who looked at each other and then collectively lowered their heads, pretending to be invisible. The boss’s family affairs weren’t for them to meddle in, and the boss’s spectacle wasn’t for them to observe.

Han Yi’s face remained unchanged as he waved his hand, "You all go back to work. Implement the plans we discussed today as soon as possible."

The executives, feeling like they had been pardoned, nodded and started to leave.

"Don’t go just yet." Han Zhengshan stopped them, "Han Yi, you dare to do it, but you’re afraid of people knowing? I want them to judge, to see what kind of character their president of the Han Group really is."

To his surprise, upon hearing this, the executives hurried away even faster, and in the blink of an eye, there was nobody left, not even the secretary, who returned to her office. Only Han Yi and Han Zhengshan were left at the entrance of the office.

Han Yi raised an eyebrow, "Didn’t you want to go in?"

Han Zhengshan huffed coldly and pushed open the door to enter the office. Looking at the luxurious decor, a hint of longing flashed in his eyes, and his resentment towards his late father, who was so stubborn, deepened—if it weren’t for that obstinate old man, he would be the one sitting in this position today.

Han Yi made himself comfortable in the boss’s chair, legs crossed, "So, what do you want to talk about?"

Han Zhengshan faced him with a frosty expression, "Was it you who arranged for the acquisition of my shares?"

"Yes." Han Yi admitted readily.

Han Zhengshan’s face turned ashen, "Han Yi, I’m your father, how could you scheme against me!"

"No, no, no." Han Yi shook a finger, "Dear father, I must correct you on one point—it was you who schemed against me first. What I did can only be considered self-defense."

"To think you’d plot against your own biological father for a woman, you’re remarkable, Han Yi!"

Han Yi smiled, "When you could anger my mom to death for a woman, why shouldn’t I, your son, fully embody your genes?"

"You... you..." Han Zhengshan pointed at Han Yi, unable to articulate another word, as he was at a loss for words on this matter. The death of Han Yi’s mother had truly been beyond his expectations.

"And you sold the shares yourself; I didn’t force you," Han Yi added.

At this remark, Han Zhengshan’s anger flared up again. "If it weren’t for your tricks, why would I have sold the shares?"

Han Yi’s face turned cold. "I told you not to touch Yu Xiaoxuan, but you ordered Xia Fei to throw money at her. I really want to know how much money you think you have to throw around. It seems not that much after all."

Han Zhengshan’s face was ashen. "Fine, fine, fine, you really are a good son of mine, ruthless enough."

"That still doesn’t compare to you," Han Yi said with a smile.

"Enough with the nonsense; give me back my shares."

Han Yi looked at him in surprise. "What did you just say? I didn’t hear you clearly."

Han Zhengshan repeated, "Give me back my shares."

Han Yi laughed. "Ha-ha, Father, are you here to amuse me? To ask for something you sold to be returned to you." His smile faded, and he looked thoughtfully at Han Zhengshan. "However, it’s not impossible for you to get them back."

"What conditions?"

"Throw out that woman at home, and I can give you those 3% of the shares."

Han Zhengshan’s face stiffened. "Xia Fei is my wife, the mistress of the Han Family."

Han Yi shrugged. "In that case, there’s nothing I can do. In this world, one cannot gain anything without giving something in return." His expression paused, then turned colder. "The mistresses of the Han Family that I recognize are only my mother and my wife, what is Xia Fei but a nobody?"

"Han Yi, do you have to be so extreme?" Han Zhengshan’s face darkened.

Han Yi snickered. "I’m not as extreme as Father."

Back when Grandfather just passed away and he was taking over the company, Han Zhengshan, along with the shareholders and executives, forced him out of the company. Their tactics were much crueller than his own.

Han Zhengshan stared steadily at Han Yi, seeing that Han Yi had no intention of changing his mind. He turned and left. This son was completely raised in vain, worse than raising a dog. At least a dog would wag its tail when its owner returned. As for Han Yi, he was an ungrateful wolf, never tamed.

At this moment, for the first time, Han Zhengshan harbored the thought that if Han Yi were dead, everything would be different.

Seeing Han Zhengshan leave, Han Yi’s face gradually lost its expression, becoming impassive. He opened the drawer and took out an envelope filled with a stack of intimate photos of Xia Fei and another man. Han Yi flipped through them, the arcs of his lips cold.

After Han Zhengshan returned home, he lashed out in anger. Xia Fei asked what was wrong, but Han Zhengshan refused to say. He hadn’t told her about the shares, and he certainly wouldn’t speak of it now.

**

Yu Xiaoxuan looked helplessly at Xia Fei, who appeared before her once again.

"Mrs. Han, what can I do for you?"

Xia Fei eyed Yu Xiaoxuan coldly. "I didn’t expect Miss Yu to be so ambitious."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaoxuan immediately understood what Xia Fei meant and laughed lightly. "I just don’t like deceiving Han Yi; whether it’s husband and wife or lovers, one should be honest with each other, don’t you think, Mrs. Han?"

Xia Fei clenched her teeth. What crap! Because of this, Han Yi cut off her and Han Zhengshan’s living expenses, claiming that since they had the money to splurge on Yu Xiaoxuan, they must have plenty, so his little living expense was superfluous and thus he would cut it off.

"Do you think that just because you have Han Yi, you can rest easy? It’s not up to you to decide whether you can marry into the Han Family."

Yu Xiaoxuan smiled indifferently, glanced behind Xia Fei, and said, "No problem. If I can’t marry into the Han Family, then let Han Yi marry into my Yu Family."

"Heh, keep dreaming!" Xia Fei scoffed.

"Whether I’m dreaming, I can ask the person himself." Yu Xiaoxuan called out to the person behind Xia Fei. "Han Yi, what do you think about my proposal?"

Xia Fei was startled. She turned around reflexively and saw Han Yi leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, unsure how long he had been there.

Hearing Yu Xiaoxuan’s question, Han Yi smiled slightly and nodded. "I think the proposal is quite good. My wife is truly clever indeed."

Yu Xiaoxuan glared at him; I haven’t agreed to marry you yet, who’s your wife!

Han Yi’s smile widened. You might not agree now, but you will eventually, it’s just a matter of time!

The shameless jerk, Yu Xiaoxuan rolled her eyes and bothered no more with Xia Fei, turning to leave.

Seeing Han Yi’s gaze, Xia Fei felt a chill run down her spine and forced a smile. "Han Yi, why are you here?"

Han Yi’s smile was tinged with irony. "That’s exactly what I’d like to ask you."

"I was just shopping nearby and remembered Miss Yu was here, so I came to take a look," Xia Fei said unnaturally.

"It better be." Han Yi said curtly, "Do not try to test my limits. I’m not a patient man; I can tolerate once, but if there’s a next time, you’ll have to fend for yourself." With that, Han Yi cast a meaningful glance at Xia Fei and left to meet Yu Xiaoxuan for lunch. He didn’t have the time to squabble with Xia Fei here.

Xia Fei’s face turned ugly, but she was helpless against Han Yi. Whoever controlled the finances held the power, and this was especially evident in the Han Family.

"I must say, your stepmother is really bothersome." Yu Xiaoxuan couldn’t help but speak out upon seeing Han Yi, having been sought out twice by her already.

"In the future, don’t pay her any attention. If she dares to trouble you again, then let loose your feisty nature."

Yu Xiaoxuan sidelong glance, said ominously, "Who are you calling feisty?"

"I was talking about a female employee in our company," Han Yi blatantly fibbed, "When I left, I saw her arguing with her husband, yanking ears and scratching faces."

Yu Xiaoxuan felt satisfied and followed Han Yi out for lunch. Once again, their actions were captured by paparazzi. The speculations from the last time had not yet cooled down, and new proof had surfaced. This time, in addition to the photos of them having a meal, there was a picture of Han Yi and Yu Xiaoxuan going home together, suggesting cohabitation.

As the news broke, Yu Xiaoxuan rose in the search rankings. In the makeup room, Linda was reading the newspaper’s entertainment section and then looking at Yu Xiaoxuan in the mirror, commented as if jokingly, "Guess you don’t have to worry about not having attention now."

Yu Xiaoxuan thought she’d get scolded for being in the news again, but unexpectedly, Linda was quite amiable this time.

"Sister Linda, aren’t we going to clarify this?" asked the assistant quietly.

"It’s the truth; what is there to clarify? Xiaoxuan, post on Weibo later and directly acknowledge the relationship," Linda instructed.

Yu Xiaoxuan looked up at her, "Sister Linda?"

"Previously, the secrecy was to prevent people from saying you climbed the ranks through Mr. Han, but now there’s obviously no need to hide. If possible, let Mr. Han cooperate with you later."

Yu Xiaoxuan knew Linda had her best interests at heart, and she didn’t oppose Linda’s arrangement, "Okay, I got it."

She was about to send a WeChat message to Han Yi when she casually opened Weibo and saw Han Yi’s new post—"Hello everyone, I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend @Yu Xiaoxuan." The attached picture showed Yu Xiaoxuan lying asleep on a tatami mat.

Yu Xiaoxuan’s mouth twitched. Was this what they called a meeting of minds?

Linda also saw the post and her mouth curved up slightly. This Han Yi really wasn’t too bad for Xiao Xuan. At least for now, he was treating her with meticulous care.

Subsequently, Yu Xiaoxuan retweeted Han Yi’s post without saying anything, just three heart emojis.

Weibo exploded in an instant. While Han Yi wasn’t a celebrity, as the president of Han Group, he was young, rich, and handsome, naturally having a lot of fans. Seeing this post, the comments surged past a thousand in a flash. Although a small portion of people were criticizing Yu Xiaoxuan as not being good enough for Han Yi, most were blessings, but there were a few curious about how long this girlfriend’s status would last this time.

Yu Xiaoxuan found those comments both annoying and funny. That evening, she went home and specially made a dish for Han Yi. When Han Yi got home and saw Yu Xiaoxuan in the kitchen, he was surprised.

"What’s the tasty treat?"

Yu Xiaoxuan served the dish, all three plates of it. Han Yi’s mouth twitched seeing the three identical plates, "That’s it?"

Yu Xiaoxuan smiled, took a bite of rice, "Isn’t stir-fried pork with bamboo shoots enough? What more do you want to eat?"

Han Yi felt there was a murderous vibe behind Yu Xiaoxuan’s smile. He chuckled, picked up a chopstick full of stir-fried pork with bamboo shoots, "How could it not be enough? This is my favorite dish."

Yu Xiaoxuan approved of Han Yi’s discernment, loading up his bowl with a generous helping of the dish, and said tenderly, "If you like it, eat more."

Han Yi smiled tenderly, his eyes brimming with affection, "My wife is so virtuous, I’m moved."

**

"Pfft..." Fang Tong, who was abroad, burst out laughing when she saw the post, and Li Bomming across from her looked at her speechlessly and handed her a tissue.

Fang Tong took it, wiped her mouth, "Sorry, sorry, I got a bit too excited."

Li Bomming smiled helplessly, "How can you eat and still be like a child?"

Fang Tong felt a bit embarrassed, her surprise was too great, but considering the recent rumors, she understood it was Han Yi’s way of protecting Xiao Xuan.

"Your flight is in the afternoon?" Fang Tong put down her phone and asked Li Bomming.

Li Bomming nodded, "Is there anything you want me to bring back for your uncle and aunt?"

"Now that you mention it, there is. I bought a shoulder and neck massager for my mom last time; can you take it back for me?"

"No problem." Li Bomming readily agreed.

Li Bomming was on a business trip to M country, and since he was there, he took the opportunity to arrange dinner with Fang Tong. It made her very happy to encounter an old friend in a foreign land.

After breaking up with Ding Minghui, her spirits were quite low. During that time, Li Bomming often found various excuses to visit her, and she knew this was his way of showing concern. Fang Tong didn’t voice her gratitude, but she appreciated it in her heart.

However, now she couldn’t accept his kindness—at least not at the moment—which is why she chose to study abroad, partly to avoid Li Bomming. Faced with this, aside from feeling helpless, Li Bomming could only choose to respect her decision.

Fang Tong was currently living in a company-arranged apartment, sharing it with two other people also there to study. But those two happened to be out today, so when Li Bomming entered, Fang Tong was the only one home.

It was Li Bomming’s first visit to Fang Tong’s place. He casually looked around the room, which was neatly tidied, with a few delicate and small ornaments placed on the table or bookshelf, giving the whole room a warm and feminine vibe.

"Do you still have this?" Li Bomming picked up a crystal ball from the desk and asked softly.

Fang Tong glanced at it, her face showing a bit of embarrassment. The crystal ball was a gift from Li Bomming before he went abroad to study. She had just come across it while packing her luggage and had put it in her suitcase on a whim.

"Yeah, I remember you gave it to me for my seventeenth birthday," Fang Tong responded, "It represents our friendship, so of course, I have to keep it safe." The explanation felt a bit far-fetched.

Li Bomming smiled and set the crystal ball down.

"I wrote the instructions inside; you can just give it to my mom."

Li Bomming took it, placing it into his suitcase.

When he was leaving, he ran into Fang Tong’s two roommates. Li Bomming didn’t ask Fang Tong to escort him out and took a taxi from the downstairs directly. When he returned, the two roommates were still in the living room.

"Fang Tong, was that your boyfriend just now? He’s quite handsome," one roommate teased with a smile.

Fang Tong smiled, "He’s not my boyfriend; we’re just ordinary friends. He happens to be on a business trip to M country, so I asked him to bring something for my mom."

Hearing this, the inquiring roommate’s eyes lit up, "Does he have a girlfriend? What do you think about me?"

Fang Tong smiled, "It seems like he has someone he likes."

The roommate let out a disappointed sigh, "Ah, all the good men are taken by others. When will I meet my perfect match?"

Fang Tong smiled but did not continue the conversation.

On June 25th, when Fang Tong returned home from school, a roommate handed her an international parcel. Fang Tong took it, puzzled by her name on the package. She felt it was somewhat hard, opened it, and saw a bright red invitation inside.

Realizing what it was, Fang Tong’s expression subtly changed. She opened the invitation and, seeing the photo and the names on it, her complexion instantly turned pale. The roommate looked at her curiously, "What’s wrong, Fang Tong?"

Fang Tong shook her head, "I suddenly feel unwell, so I’m going to sleep. I won’t be eating tonight." With that, she went into her bedroom, closed the door, threw herself on the bed, and was still holding the wedding invitation. It boldly featured the photos of Ding Minghui and Liu Hui, with the wedding date set for June 30th, merely five days away.

Fang Tong knew who had sent the invitation, but she couldn’t be sure if Ding Minghui was aware. She buried her head in the covers, took a deep breath, and held back her tears.

**

Shen Qinglan got up early in the morning and began cleaning the house, from the bedroom to the living room and then the kitchen, cleaning every corner thoroughly. Ever since Allen had been over, Shen Qinglan had changed the locks on her doors. Not only that, but she had also checked every corner of the house to ensure Allen hadn’t tampered with anything, even going so far as to replace the sofa he had sat on.

Fu Hengyi came back and when he took out his keys to unlock the door, he found that it wouldn’t open. Shen Qinglan heard the noise outside and came to open the door, and indeed, it was Fu Hengyi, "Why has the door lock been changed?"

"Enxi said this type of lock is more secure, and I thought it was good, so I changed it," explained Shen Qinglan, without mentioning that Allen had visited. She handed a new key to Fu Hengyi, "This is the new key."

Fu Hengyi attached the key to his key ring. Shen Qinglan noticed him looking at the sofa in the house and said, "The other day, Enxi and I were browsing the furniture market and liked this set of sofas. I bought it because I really liked it. What do you think?"

Fu Hengyi inspected it closely and even sat on it for a moment before nodding, "It’s very nice." He didn’t have any suspicions.

That evening, the couple went back to the Shen Family for dinner. Old Sir Fu was still recuperating elsewhere and hadn’t returned.

On their way back, they encountered Shen Rang’s family. Shen Rang seemed paler than before and had lost some weight. Lu Yaqin had been worried about her husband’s illness all this time and appeared quite haggard. After greeting everyone, Shen Qinglan sat next to Old Sir Shen, "Grandfather."

Old Sir Shen was very glad to see Shen Qinglan and Fu Hengyi returning and held Shen Qinglan’s hand. Chu Yunrong came out of the kitchen and saw Shen Qinglan, "Qinglan, for lunch your mother is cooking ribs. Do you want garlic ribs or braised?"

Shen Qinglan glanced at Chu Yunrong, recalling her disastrous cooking, and asked hesitantly, "Where’s Sister-in-law Song?"

Chu Yunrong immediately understood the implication and her face reddened slightly, "I’ll be helping Sister-in-law Song."

Shen Qinglan then relaxed and chose the garlic ribs; she remembered Fu Hengyi liked them.

Fu Hengyi smiled and glanced at her.

"How has Second Uncle been feeling lately?" Fu Hengyi initiated the conversation.

Shen Rang gave a muted laugh, "Same as always. I came to see Grandpa and will go back to the hospital this afternoon."

"What did the doctors say? I know a good oncologist. Let me get in touch with him for Second Uncle."

Shen Rang shook his head, "Forget it, haven’t I seen enough doctors? Bringing in more experts would yield the same conclusion—just more tests, more medicine. I know my own body. In my final days, I just want to spend time with my family."

The topic became somber, and the smile vanished from Old Sir Shen’s face. Shen Rang had been coming to the compound frequently, and Old Sir Shen could guess the purpose of Old Sir Fu’s recuperation outside; he felt grateful for his old friend’s understanding.

Watching his son grow weaker by the day weighed heavily on Old Sir Shen’s heart. Although he still blamed Shen Rang for his past actions, the looming grief of his son’s death was washing away all his discontent.

"Ah, from today on, move back home to live," Old Sir Shen sighed and said.

Shen Rang’s eyes brightened, looking at his father, "Dad."

"Thank you, Grandfather," said Shen Junze, expressing his thanks.

Shen Qinglan’s attention shifted to him, seeing that Shen Junze had been very quiet all day and hadn’t spoken much. He likely knew of his father’s condition, and there was a noticeable change in Shen Junze’s demeanor. In their first meeting, this young man was arrogant and brash, making Shen Qinglan want to teach him a lesson every minute. But now, Shen Junze exuded sadness and defeat.

Lu Yaqin seemed to have aged over ten years instantly. Hearing Old Sir Shen’s words, she looked at him gratefully and expressed her thanks. Her husband’s wish was so simple, and the elder was willing to fulfill it, so naturally, as his wife, she was thankful.

During dinner, Shen Qinglan sat beside Old Sir Shen and noticed his bowl was still full of rice, understanding he was not in a good mood. She served him a bowl of soup and placed it in front of him, "Grandfather, tonight’s soup is good. Give it a try."

Old Sir Shen smiled and didn’t refuse his granddaughter’s kindness. After dinner, Shen Qinglan gave Fu Hengyi a look, and he nodded in agreement before suggesting a game of chess with Old Sir Shen, and the two went upstairs to the study.

Because Shen Rang’s family was coming back to stay, Chu Yunrong busied herself preparing the rooms as soon as dinner was over.

Only Shen Qinglan and Shen Rang’s family remained in the living room. Shen Junyu had gone to Hai City two days ago, paying a visit to Wen Xiyao’s parents, marking the first time he met the family of his partner.

"Second Uncle, is there something you want to talk to me about?" Shen Qinglan took the initiative to speak. During dinner, Shen Rang had glanced at her from time to time. Although his looks were discreet, she still noticed them.

"Give it to Qinglan," Shen Rang turned and spoke to Lu Yaqin.

Lu Yaqin took out a folder from her bag and handed it to Shen Qinglan, who glanced at it and saw it was a share transfer contract.

"These are 5% of the shares in my company name, consider it a wedding gift from your Second Uncle. I won’t be able to attend your wedding, so I thought I’d give you the gift in advance," Shen Rang said warmly.

Shen Qinglan placed the folder on the coffee table, "Second Uncle, I appreciate the thought, but I’d rather not accept the gift. Keep these things for Second Aunt and Shen Junze, they need them more than I do."

Shen Rang gave a slight smile, "I’ve already prepared theirs. This is for you and Jun Yu, 5% each. It’s just a small token from your Second Uncle, don’t disdain it."

"Second Uncle, I don’t lack these things," Shen Qinglan said. Junlan Group, Charming Color, Shengxuan—she held not an insignificant number of shares in her hands, and with her paintings and tea house, her net worth was certainly no less than Shen Rang’s.

"Your Second Uncle knows you don’t lack these things. It’s just a small gift. I also have a favor to ask you. Jun Ze has been spoiled by his mother and me since he was little, and he has a bad temper. His mother’s soft nature means she can’t control him. If I pass away, I hope you can look after them for my sake. If Jun Ze does anything wrong, feel free to punish or scold him—neither your Second Aunt nor I will mind."

Shen Qinglan frowned. She didn’t like Shen Rang’s manner of placing such burdens on her, acting as if his days were numbered. Was entrusting Shen Junze to her really appropriate?

"Father." Shen Junze protested unhappily.

Shen Rang glanced at him, and Shen Junze fell silent.

Lu Yaqin had been quiet, not wanting her husband to utter such words, but she knew he was worried about them. She kept her head down, silently wiping away tears.

In fact, Shen Rang felt he had no choice. He was very aware of Shen Junze’s flaws and had always tried to correct them. However, Lu Yaqin pampered their son excessively, without principles or limits. While he was still around, he could exert some control over Shen Junze, but once he was gone, given Shen Junze’s temperament, without someone to keep him in check, it would be all too easy for him to cause a catastrophe.

Although he hadn’t seen much of his niece during his return, he understood her quite well. If Shen Qinglan was willing to take charge of Shen Junze, then even if he didn’t achieve much, he wouldn’t cause too much trouble.

Shen Rang then had Lu Yaqin present another document, "This is a will I’ve set in advance. After I die, I want you to manage the company shares. You can transfer them to him after Jun Ze gets married, or when you think he’s ready to take on the company’s responsibilities. Along with this will, there’s also a power of attorney for the shares. I hope you can do me this favor."

Shen Rang spoke sincerely, but Shen Qinglan still refused, "Second Uncle, I’m sorry, but I cannot agree to your request. To be frank, my brother’s company also has shares in my name, but I have never been involved in managing the company. I don’t enjoy managing a company. If you are uneasy, perhaps you can hire a professional manager. But as for myself, I’m truly sorry."

Shen Rang had anticipated her refusal but didn’t intend to give up, "Qinglan, I know this is a difficult request, but I really have no other choice. Jun Ze is domineering and unreasonable, and his actions are impulsive. I can’t trust him with the company. I don’t want to see my life’s work ruined by him."

"Father, am I as bad as you say?" Shen Junze interjected, dissatisfied.

Shen Rang ignored him, "Qinglan, if you don’t want to manage the company, it’s fine to hire a professional manager to do it for you. I just hope you can keep an eye on the company to prevent my efforts from going to waste."

In the end, Shen Qinglan still did not agree. When Fu Hengyi came downstairs, she left the courtyard with him.

After she recounted Second Uncle’s words to him, Fu Hengyi thought for a moment and said, "As long as you’ve thought it through. Your Second Uncle is indeed pitiable, but this task is thankless. I don’t want you to tire yourself for someone else’s sake, only to end up being accused of coveting their family wealth."

Shen Qinglan nodded. The Second Aunt appeared to have no objections now, but who can predict the human heart? Who knows what the future holds?