The Tycoon's Mysterious Darling Wife
Chapter 422 - 424. The Purpose of Qin Yan

Chapter 422: 424. The Purpose of Qin Yan

Young Master Fu began teething when he was five months old, and it was Shen Qinglan who first noticed it.

During this time, little Anan’s mood didn’t seem very good. He would often furrow his brow and sometimes cry while playing by himself. Shen Qinglan couldn’t figure out why. She asked Chu Yunrong, but even Chu Yunrong couldn’t pinpoint the cause.

Until one day.

That morning, as usual, Shen Qinglan was feeding her son when Fu Hengyi went to prepare breakfast for his wife. He had just returned home the day before, after being busy for over a month, finally completing the task assigned by his superiors. Fu Hengyi could now finally spend a few days at home with his wife.

"Ouch." Just as Fu Hengyi reached the doorway of the room, he heard Shen Qinglan’s exclamation and quickened his pace. "What happened?"

Shen Qinglan didn’t answer but instead looked at the little one in her arms, frowning.

"What’s wrong?" Fu Hengyi asked again.

"Anan seems to be teething." Her tone was uncertain, but Anan had indeed bitten her just now.

Upon hearing this, Fu Hengyi picked up his son. Anan, whose nursing was interrupted, was a bit unhappy. Fu Hengyi gently pried open his son’s mouth and, sure enough, saw teeth emerging on the lower jaw: small, white teeth that were hard to spot without careful inspection.

"He’s teething indeed," Fu Hengyi said.

Shen Qinglan rubbed her chest, "No wonder I felt like these past few days he hasn’t been focusing while nursing, always wanting to put things in his mouth."

"Did he bite you just now?"

"Mm, it’s okay, it didn’t hurt much. Give him to me, he’s not full yet."

Fu Hengyi looked at his son and suddenly said, "Qinglan, Anan is already five months old; we can start him on solid foods. I’ll make him some steamed egg custard today."

"Will he eat it?"

"Let’s try and see." Fu Hengyi handed his son back to Shen Qinglan and went to the kitchen. As Shen Qinglan observed Fu Hengyi’s brisk steps, she couldn’t help but feel he seemed very happy. Was it just because Anan was teething?

That wasn’t the case. Fu Hengyi was thinking that his son could finally start on solid foods, which meant weaning could follow. Once Anan was weaned, he would have his wife all to himself again.

With that thought, Fu Hengyi felt indescribably relaxed.

Since they were going to feed Anan solid foods, Shen Qinglan didn’t continue nursing him and instead held her son and told him stories in their room.

Half an hour later, Shen Qinglan carried her son out to find Fu Hengyi cooling down the egg custard.

"I’ll feed him." Fu Hengyi took over, holding his son as Anan, sitting in his father’s arms, curiously looked at the bowl in front of him and reached out to grab it. Fu Hengyi quickly moved the bowl away and scooped up a bit of egg custard with a small spoon, bringing it to Anan’s mouth.

Initially, Anan had no intention of eating and just stared at the spoon without moving. Seeing this, Shen Qinglan took another spoon and demonstratively ate a mouthful of the custard in front of Anan.

Finally, Anan opened his mouth, and Fu Hengyi quickly fed him the egg custard. Anan moved his mouth around, apparently curious about the new taste. After Anan swallowed, Fu Hengyi continued feeding him more.

Anan seemed to like this new kind of food and ended up eating half the bowl. When he seemed to want more, Shen Qinglan took the bowl away, "This is his first time trying it, so he should eat less to prevent indigestion."

Fu Hengyi didn’t continue feeding and, seeing his son still longingly eyeing the remaining custard, took him out for a walk. "You eat first, I’ll take him for a stroll."

Ever since that day, Fu Hengyi has taken a particular interest in preparing solid foods for his son. Shen Qinglan originally intended to take it slow and give Anan a gradual transition, but each time, Fu Hengyi would feed Anan until he was quite full, and Anan wasn’t keen on nursing after that.

"Fu Hengyi, you’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?" Shen Qinglan was somewhat stifled, not blind to what Fu Hengyi was thinking.

Fu Hengyi looked innocent. "I asked Mom, and she said there’s no problem with him eating solid foods now."

Was that what she was talking about? Shen Qinglan wasn’t about to let Fu Hengyi play dumb with her. "It’s too early for Anan to wean now. Next time you feed him, give him less."

"Isn’t it good to wean earlier? That way you can relax too," Fu Hengyi considered thoughtfully for his wife.

Shen Qinglan scoffed, "Don’t think I don’t know what little tricks you’re playing. Fu Hengyi, you’re really the first man to get jealous of his own son."

Caught out by his wife, Fu Hengyi didn’t feel embarrassed in the slightest. "He’s a boy; it’s good for boys to become independent earlier."

Shen Qinglan laughed derisively, unconcerned with continuing the pointless conversation. "Anan won’t be eating solid food today. And don’t let me catch you sneakily feeding him or you’ll be sleeping in the study tonight."

Fu Hengyi touched his nose and glanced at his son who was still happily playing on the bed, his eyes filled with regret.

**

Today, Chu Yunrong had arranged to go to a concert with a friend. After the concert, the two had agreed to have a meal together. Just as they arrived at the restaurant entrance, they ran into someone.

Chu Yunrong looked at the woman in front of her and for a moment only felt a sense of familiarity, unable to recognize who it was.

"Mrs. Shen, hello, we’ve met before. I am Qin Yan," Qin Yan smiled faintly, noticing that Chu Yunrong still didn’t remember and so she reminded her, "We’ve met twice before at the mall, you were with Miss Shen."

With that information, Chu Yunrong finally remembered, not that she could be blamed for not recognizing Qin Yan—it was just that the current Qin Yan looked drastically different from before. When they first met, Qin Yan was an elegant and charming lady, but now, despite still having precise makeup, the heavy application failed to conceal the weariness in her expression, combined with her drastic weight loss, she looked like a walking human skeleton.

"It turns out to be you, what a coincidence to meet you here."

Seeing that she recognized her, Qin Yan seemed very pleased, "Yes, it seems Mrs. Shen and I are really fated. It’s rare for me to come to Beijing and yet I run into you. Since we’ve met today, I was wondering if I could invite Mrs. Shen to join me for a meal. Would you do me the honor?"

Qin Yan spoke very politely, while Chu Yunrong smiled apologetically, "I’m terribly sorry, but I am out with friends today, and it might not be very convenient."

"It’s okay, we can just meet another day, how about tomorrow? What do you think?"

Chu Yunrong’s gaze flickered slightly; her previous words were clearly a rejection. Most people would have politely dropped the subject, yet this person seemed determined to press the matter.

"Alright, can we still meet here tomorrow at noon?"

Qin Yan immediately broke into a smile, "Of course, tomorrow at half-past eleven, upstairs at the Half-summer Western Restaurant. I’ll be waiting for Mrs. Shen."

After saying goodbye to Qin Yan, Chu Yunrong and her friends finished their meal and she headed home, her mind dwelling on the encounter with Qin Yan the whole way back. The woman really seemed odd. She had gotten that same strange impression during her previous encounters with Shen Qinglan, and today it felt even stronger, but deep down, a voice compelled her to accept Qin Yan’s invitation.

Upon arriving home, Chu Yunrong saw Anan sprawled on the ground babbling to himself and immediately forgot all about Qin Yan. Shen Qinglan was playing chess with Old Sir Shen and occasionally glanced over at her son.

Anan was holding a little leather ball, a gift from Haohao to his little brother the day before. Anan was very fond of it and had been amusing himself with it for much of the day without growing tired of it.

Chu Yunrong forgot to mention her encounter with Qin Yan to Shen Qinglan and simply chatted with her about household trifles. After dinner, Shen Qinglan took Anan and left.

It wasn’t until right before bedtime that Chu Yunrong remembered the incident. Glancing at the clock, it was already ten o’clock in the evening. Worrying that Shen Qinglan may have already gone to sleep, Chu Yunrong decided not to call her. After all, it was just a meal with Qin Yan in a public place—there was nothing to worry about.

The next day, when Chu Yunrong arrived at the restaurant, Qin Yan was already there, sitting by the window looking out onto the street, seemingly lost in thought. Sensing someone approaching, Qin Yan returned to the present, "Mrs. Shen, you’ve arrived. Please, have a seat."

Chu Yunrong sat down opposite her, "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

"Not at all, Mrs. Shen, you are right on time. It’s just that I arrived early since I have nothing to do in Beijing and left the house a bit early," said Qin Yan with a smile, handing the menu to Chu Yunrong, "I chose this restaurant at random, so I’m not sure about the taste. I hope you won’t mind if it’s not good."

Chu Yunrong gave a slight smile, "I’ve been to this restaurant before with friends, and the food was quite good." She took the menu and ordered something she felt like eating.

"I’ll have the same as this lady," Qin Yan told the waiter.

Once the waiter had left, Chu Yunrong looked at Qin Yan, "Is Miss Qin visiting Beijing for leisure?" She vaguely remembered that the woman seated across from her was a Miss Qin.

"No, I am currently staying in Beijing." Qin Yan’s tone was calm, but her eyes carried a hint of sorrow, "I don’t mind if it makes you laugh, but I’ve divorced my husband and now I’m alone."

Hearing this, Chu Yunrong’s expression faltered slightly, "I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to touch on a painful subject."

Qin Yan gave a bitter smile and shook her head, "It’s been a while since the divorce, and I’ve almost gotten over it. I think it was a case of getting what I deserved; I can’t blame anyone else." Despite her words, her expression was filled with sadness.

"What about your child?"

Qin Yan paused, "I don’t have children. My only child was taken by human traffickers when they were little, and after so many years, I have never found them."

Chu Yunrong was stunned upon hearing this; her experience was so similar to her own. Her daughter had also been abducted by a human trafficker when she was young. Though her daughter was later found, the missing eleven years were irreplaceable no matter what.

"You’ve also had a rough life," Chu Yunrong commented with a sigh.

Qin Yan gently wiped away her tears, "I’ve made you laugh."

Chu Yunrong handed her a napkin, "I understand how you feel, after all, I’ve been through the same thing. Have you been looking for your child all this time?" Perhaps because of their shared experience, Chu Yunrong became much more casual in her speech.

Qin Yan shook her head, "Not us, just me. Not long after my child was lost, my first husband divorced me, quickly married another woman, and my own efforts to find the child were very limited. After three years of searching with no success, I met my second husband, who also lost his child. We met by chance and supported and encouraged each other, naturally coming together. But these past few years, he suddenly changed completely, becoming violent towards me."

Chu Yunrong felt a sourness in her nose from her story; as a mother, she could understand Qin Yan’s feelings. Comparatively speaking, she was much luckier than Qin Yan—Shen Qian had never blamed her and even stayed by her side through her illness, unwavering in his support.

"What happened next? Didn’t you think about resisting?" asked Chu Yunrong.

Qin Yan’s voice was hoarse with emotion, "I was grateful for his help and chose not to resist for a long time. I endured this life for three years, but then I returned to Nancheng with my second husband and unexpectedly encountered my first husband. He had divorced his wife due to marital problems. When he learned of my situation, he urged me to divorce. My second husband thought I was cheating, locked me up, and beat me severely. If it hadn’t been for my former husband, I probably would have been beaten to death."

Qin Yan wiped her tears, and Chu Yunrong, listening with a heavy heart, eyes welling up, said, "You’ve really suffered."

Qin Yan shook her head, "I’ve gotten used to it. It was that severe beating that finally drained me of my feelings for my second husband, so I divorced him. I had intended to live out my life alone, but my former husband cared for me and explained that he divorced me back then because he couldn’t accept the loss of our child; seeing me only reminded him of that painful event. He had no choice but to divorce me. I understand his feelings; after all these years, I’ve never emerged from the shadow of losing my child."

"I remarried my first husband, thinking we would stay together until the end, but it turned out I was mistaken. Not long after our marriage, I discovered he too had a tendency for domestic violence, hitting me whenever he was drunk. I bore it for a long time but eventually couldn’t take it anymore and divorced him. Now, you probably think I’m very pitiable, right?"

Chu Yunrong’s eyes held sympathy, and Qin Yan cracked a smile, "Actually, you’re not wrong, I am quite pitiable, but it’s all of my own making. If I had taken better care of my child and not let her be taken away, my family would still be happy, and perhaps she’d be married with children by now, like your daughter."

"Let’s not dwell on these sad matters anymore. It’s a good thing that you’ve left those men behind; no one can bully you from now on," Chu Yunrong said, holding Qin Yan’s hand caringly.

Her gaze shifted and suddenly stopped at Qin Yan’s neck, pausing for a moment, leaving Qin Yan somewhat perplexed by the attention.

Chu Yunrong pointed to the spot on her neck, "Your neck..."

Qin Yan appeared slightly uncomfortable, pulling on her clothing, "These are left over from my ex-husband, I’m embarrassed for you to see."

Chu Yunrong was shocked; if she hadn’t seen it wrong, those were whip marks. What kind of man was her ex-husband, using a whip to beat someone?

"Do you have many scars like that on your body?"

Qin Yan tried to twist her mouth into a smile, but couldn’t manage it, "They’re almost healed. Let’s not talk about this anymore, I’m truly sorry. I just wanted to have tea and chat with you, since I don’t really have any friends in Beijing and don’t know who to talk to about some things. Talking with you today makes me feel a bit better."

"What about that friend of yours in Beijing?" Chu Yunrong asked, remembering that Qin Yan had once mentioned having a good friend there.

Qin Yan chuckled, "Actually, our relationship wasn’t that close. We were friends when I was living happily, but now that I’m in this state, why would she want to see me? Actually, when I invited you yesterday, I was prepared for you to reject me. I didn’t expect you to actually come. I’m really thankful to you for being willing to listen to all this."

Chu Yunrong at this point couldn’t remember to be on guard against Qin Yan, she was just a pitiful and tragic woman whose life, apart from material comforts, seemed to never have experienced the taste of happiness.

"Don’t talk like that, the fact that we’ve met again and again must be a kind of fate. If you don’t have anyone to talk to in the future, and your heart is troubled, come and find me. I think I’m a pretty good listener," Chu Yunrong offered.

Qin Yan’s eyes brightened, then she looked at Chu Yunrong with tentative concern, "Wouldn’t you find me bothersome?"

Chu Yunrong waved her hand dismissively, "Of course not. I’m retired now, and I don’t have much to do at home every day. Having you accompany me for meals and shopping even gives me a companion."

"Then that’s wonderful. I was too presumptuous yesterday; I didn’t dare to ask for your number. Let’s exchange contact information," Qin Yan suggested.

Chu Yunrong had no objections, and they exchanged contact information. The two conversed while eating, somehow managing to get along pleasantly.

"Xiao Yan, what do you plan to do in the future?" After a heart-to-heart conversation, Chu Yunrong had completely let down her guard with Qin Yan, looking for all the world like an old friend of many years.

At these words, Qin Yan laid down her knife and fork and smiled bitterly, "Just live on like this. I’ve grown indifferent to love. As for my poor child, I’ve searched for her for so long with no news—I don’t even know if she’s living well. Although I can’t find her now, I won’t give up, I’ll continue to look for her, until I find her or until the day I die."

"What does your child look like? Do you have a photo? I can help," Chu Yunrong said.

Qin Yan shook her head, "No, when I got divorced, all of her photos were with her father. Then, when he remarried, his new wife destroyed all the photos. Besides, so many years have passed, the child must have grown up, maybe if she stood in front of me, I wouldn’t even recognize her."

That statement touched a chord in Chu Yunrong. She remembered the scene when she first saw Shen Qinglan, unable to recognize the girl as her own daughter.

"Don’t be so pessimistic, maybe she’s been adopted by a kind family and is living a good life now," Chu Yunrong consoled her.

Qin Yan bowed her head, her eyes unreadable, her voice low, "I hope for that every day, it’s my failure as a mother for not taking good care of her."

Chu Yunrong patted her hand, "Take it easy, maybe one day you’ll meet your child, just like what happened to me. My daughter was also lost, away from me for a whole eleven years, but now she’s back and living well."

Qin Yan smiled, "I know Miss Shen, but she seems to have misunderstandings about me and has never liked me much. So, I have a favor to ask. When you go back, please don’t mention me to her. I’m afraid she won’t let us meet, and then I really won’t have anyone I know in Beijing."

Chu Yunrong paused, then instinctively said, "That won’t happen. Don’t judge Qinglan by her cool exterior; she’s actually a kind-hearted child. If there’s a misunderstanding between you two, I can help clear it up."

"Let’s not. It’s a misunderstanding that can’t be cleared up. I don’t want to be a burden to a younger generation. Yun Rong, I’m already very happy that you could come out to have a meal with me today. I just hope you won’t mention this to Miss Shen; I don’t want to create discord between mother and daughter."

"You don’t have to be so formal. It’s a small matter. If you ever feel upset, just give me a call."

"Yeah, thank you," Qin Yan murmured softly in thanks. "By the way, I remember you used to have an adopted daughter, what happened to her?" Qin Yan asked, seemingly casually.

Chu Yunrong was startled. She hadn’t thought of Li Xitong for so long that had Qin Yan not mentioned it, she would have forgotten that she’d once adopted a daughter named Xitong.

"Did I ask something I shouldn’t have?" Qin Yan tested tentatively, "Sorry, I’m not too concerned about the outside world, but I vaguely remember you had a daughter who was a pianist, so I just asked. If you don’t want to talk about it, just pretend I never mentioned it."

Chu Yunrong’s smile faded, "Actually, there’s nothing I can’t talk about. I really have an adopted daughter named Xitong who plays the piano very well, but I didn’t teach her properly, and she went down the wrong path. She’s already left the Shen Family, and I’m not clear where she is now."

Chu Yunrong didn’t mention the issue of Li Xitong being caught for drug use, although she felt that Li Xitong was disappointing, she still subconsciously tried to save her face.

"It’s such a pity, I once saw your daughter from a distance at a performance abroad. She was very beautiful, gentle, and dignified; I didn’t expect such an ending," Qin Yan said with apparent regret.

Bringing up Li Xitong, Chu Yunrong’s mood immediately became low, and Qin Yan, who was good at reading people’s faces, quickly made her excuses to leave.

The two parted ways, and Chu Yunrong returned home still somewhat out of spirits. Seeing her like this, Shen Junyu was a bit puzzled, "Mom, didn’t you go out to dine with a friend? Why such a face? Did the meal not make you happy?"

Chu Yunrong waved her hand, "It’s nothing, just saw someone on the way back who wasn’t following traffic rules. It was a bit frustrating. What’s with young people nowadays? They drive as if they’re rushing to be reincarnated. If something happens, it’s too late for regrets."

Hearing this, Shen Junyu slightly raised his eyebrows, "Mom, why get angry over a stranger? What if you hurt yourself?

"Alright, alright, I was just meddling too much. I’m fine now, go do what you need to do. By the way, before I left this morning, I soaked some bird’s nest for Qinglan. Ask Sister-in-law Song to stew it later and send it over to her. I’ve noticed that she hasn’t been looking well lately."

"Okay, I’ll send it to her in a bit. Mom, you don’t look well either, do you want to have some too?"

"No need for me, I’m going to go upstairs to rest for a bit," Chu Yunrong said.

Back in her room, Chu Yunrong pulled a box from underneath the bed. Everything inside belonged to Li Xitong. After she was driven out of the Shen Family, most of it was thrown away, but these were things Chu Yunrong found left behind while cleaning the room. She thought about it and decided not to throw them away, so she put them in the box and slid it under the bed. Had Qin Yan not mentioned Li Xitong today, she might have forgotten about it altogether.

Chu Yunrong opened the box; inside were some of Li Xitong’s past competition certificates and trophies. On top was a photo album. There were only a few photos left, just four or five, all of which were of her and Li Xitong together.

Without exception, the two appeared close in every photo, like a real mother and daughter, and the dependent, admiring look Li Xitong gave her was genuine.

Chu Yunrong looked at the certificates and trophies in the box and sighed silently. Since Li Xitong came into this home, whether it was because of hypnosis or because she was emotionally invested, Chu Yunrong raised her as her own daughter. She put much more effort into Li Xitong than she ever did into Shen Qinglan. Li Xitong was once her proudest daughter.

But it was this very girl she raised as her own daughter who ended up feeling that her biological daughter had taken everything that should have been hers. She hated the entire Shen Family, and she hated her as a mother.

Sometimes, Chu Yunrong also wondered, was her education of Li Xitong wrong from the beginning, making her take the wrong path?

With a sigh, Chu Yunrong got up and called down to Shen Junyu, "Jun Yu, come up for a moment."

Shen Junyu came upstairs, and the smile in his eyes faded as he saw the box, "Mom, why are you still keeping these things?"

"I forgot about them under the bed earlier. You take them and throw them away," Chu Yunrong said.

"Throw everything away?" Shen Junyu asked.

"Yes, everything, take it away."

Shen Junyu picked up the suitcase, ready to go, when Chu Yunrong called out to him again, "Wait, Junyu."

Shen Junyu paused mid-step and heard Chu Yunrong’s soft voice from behind him, "Junyu, have you visited her?"

The "her" referred to Li Xitong.

"No," Shen Junyu answered, turning around to look directly at Chu Yunrong, "Mom, do you want to visit her?"

Chu Yunrong shook her head, "No, I just thought of it and asked casually."

Shen Junyu gazed steadily at his mother, and seeing she truly had no other matters to discuss, walked out with the suitcase.

**

On the other side, after parting ways with Chu Yunrong, Qin Yan rushed back to her residence at top speed. As soon as she entered, she knelt down on one knee, "Quick, bring me the medicine." Her roar was hoarse as she clutched her arm, teeth clenched, her expression one of pain.

The man hurried over and injected a reagent into Qin Yan’s body. Soon, Qin Yan quieted down, and only when her strength returned did she stand back up and sit down on the sofa.

"Madam, are you alright?" the man asked with concern.

Qin Yan closed her eyes and shook her head, "I’m fine. Has the new medication come out?"

"Not yet, they are experimenting on human subjects to ensure there are no problems. It will be sent over as soon as it’s confirmed safe. This drug is an improved version of the previous one, with lower side effects and a longer duration. I believe it will improve your condition," he replied.

"What about the addiction?" Qin Yan asked coldly.

The man looked down, "The addictive potential is greater, but I’ve already had the doctors researching it. I’m confident that one day they will find a cure or at least a relief agent that doesn’t cause addiction."

"What about the thing I asked for, any news?" she inquired.

"No news yet. Dingzi has been in contact, but even he doesn’t know where Allen hid it. All we know is he came to Beijing twice to see Qinglan. Could the item be in Qinglan’s possession? After all, she has used it to threaten you before." Most importantly, based on how much Allen cares for Qinglan, he would have certainly given it to her if she wanted it.

Qin Yan let out a cold snort, "A bunch of useless fools, it’s been so long, and the item hasn’t been found, the antidote hasn’t been developed, what use do I have for you all! Allen would never hand it over to Qinglan." Precisely because Allen cares for Qinglan, he would be all the more concerned about her safety. Handing the item over to Qinglan would effectively use her as bait, thus putting her in danger, something Allen would never do.

As for last time, she was the fool for not understanding the key point and naively presenting herself, which gave Allen the opportunity. Thinking of the virus torturing her body, making her oscillate between life and death, Qin Yan bitterly resented that she should have never saved that ungrateful wretch Allen.

"The item must still be with Allen. Send a message to Dingzi, no matter the cost, he must bring Carl’s ashes to meet me within a month, or be prepared to pay with his life."

"Yes, Madam," the man responded. After a few seconds, he hesitated to speak, "Madam, there’s something I don’t understand. If we are bound to be incompatible with the Shen family, why go to such lengths to approach that woman from the Shen family? If you want her to know the truth about the past, why not just tell her directly?"

Qin Yan looked at the man coldly, "I call you stupid and you truly are stupid." What’s the fun in a cat-and-mouse game if the mouse is eaten right away? Qinglan and Allen had delivered such a grand gift to her hands—if she didn’t reciprocate this gesture, how would she live up to their thoughtful gift?

"Get out," Qin Yan said coldly.

The man, failing to get an answer and not daring to ask further, turned and left.

Qin Yan sat quietly for a while before picking up her phone to call Chu Yunrong. "Yun Rong, it’s me. Here’s the thing, I just got two tickets for the concert the day after tomorrow. I don’t want to go alone, so I was wondering if you’re free to join me, right... it’s at six-thirty in the evening... Great, then it’s settled. I’ll see you there."

After hanging up the phone, Qin Yan casually tossed her cell aside, a chilly smile playing at the corner of her mouth. One had to admit, the Shen Family really did protect Chu Yunrong too well. At her age, she was still so naive—to think a few casual words from Qin Yan and she believed her. But it was better for Qin Yan this way, saving her some effort.

Indeed, Chu Yunrong never mentioned to Shen Qinglan that she had met Qin Yan, not even to Shen Qian.

Whether it was Allen, Shen Qinglan, or Fu Hengyi, they were all looking for Qin Yan. Yet, she had the skill to sneak into Beijing right under their watchful eyes, and even brazenly spent time with Chu Yunrong. One could say that Qin Yan’s abilities were quite extraordinary.

Lately, Shen Qinglan only knew that her mother often went out to shop or socialize with friends but had no idea who this person really was. After asking twice, Chu Yunrong only mentioned an old colleague from the orchestra, so Shen Qinglan did not pursue the matter further.

What Shen Qinglan was focused on these past few days, was another matter.

Ever since Shen Qinglan accompanied Shen Junze to a dinner hosted by Lu Jincai, Lu had started making subtle moves. First, he registered a shell company overseas, then diverted some of the Shen Family’s profitable projects to this company, and later began sabotaging Shen Enterprise’s business deals by directing partners to that new company.

All these actions were likely in preparation for transferring assets out of the Shen Family, presumably because he was worried Shen Qinglan might sign the proxy agreement for the shareholding rights, and his long efforts would benefit someone else.

"Lu Jincai has started making his move, what’s your plan going forward?" asked Shen Qinglan to Shen Junze.

Shen Junze was silent before speaking, "Sister, I’ve gone to the shareholders who were close to Dad these past few days, told them about the fake proxy agreement Lu Jincai forged, and asked for their support to drive him out of the company. But nobody believed me."

Shen Qinglan’s eyes flickered slightly, "You’ve already approached those shareholders?"

"Yes, they, along with dad, founded this company. Over the years, they’ve also invested a lot of effort into it. I thought they would at least give me a hand, but not a single person believed me. Sister, does that mean I’m a complete failure?"

"It’s not that they don’t believe you; to them, what matters most are their interests. Whoever can bring them more benefits will have their support. As for the truth, does it really matter?" Shen Qinglan said indifferently, not surprised at the outcome.

"They put their heart into this company too. Can they really stand by and watch it be destroyed?" It was hard for Shen Junze to understand; if it were him, he wouldn’t be able to do such a thing.

Shen Qinglan glanced at him. After all, he still lacked experience. "What if Lu Jincai has already promised them benefits in private? One is a visible gain they can see now, the other is a pie in the sky, with debatable chances of materializing. Between the two, which would you choose?"

Shen Junze was taken aback, "Sis, does that mean even if I present the real documents, they still won’t believe me?"

Instead of answering directly, Shen Qinglan simply remarked, "You can’t wake a person who is pretending to sleep."

Shen Junze immediately understood. Perhaps this was why Shen Qinglan, who could have stepped forward with the genuine document to expose Lu Jincai’s conspiracy, chose not to do so.