The familiar school bell rang at a university, followed by a bustling crowd of students in school uniforms pouring out of the gate. Each face radiated youthful energy. Wen Cheng climbed off her little beetle, her usual smile vanishing without a trace.
Although he had disappeared for a long time, just to be on the safe side, Wen Cheng still wore a mask. The cold autumn wind made Wen Cheng shiver and he pulled his dark gray coat tighter around himself. He had mistakenly taken Wen Qi's coat this morning, and the oversized size made him look like he was at a fashion week.
Many students, both boys and girls, were focused on him. Wen Cheng adjusted his mask and quickly walked into the campus.
It was dinner time, and most of the senior high school students had come out to eat. He walked to Yan Luan's classroom with a try-it-out mentality. The classroom was empty at the moment, except for a slender figure sitting by the window. Wearing a school uniform, he looked more childish than before. When he wrote, you could see his shoulder blades trembling slightly, and his eyes seemed to be burning with fire.
Wen Cheng suddenly remembered herself many years ago, when she was also wearing a school uniform and working hard.
Wen Cheng stood at the door for at least five minutes, until Yan Luan, looking tired, raised his head and their eyes met.
Yan Luan was stunned for a moment, then took off her headphones in surprise and walked towards him.
"Brother Cheng! It's so cold, why are you here? Have you eaten?" Yan Luan walked over quickly, and Wen Cheng suddenly noticed that he seemed to have grown taller again, and now he could finally hold his head up.
Wen Cheng glanced at him unhappily, "When have I ever starved myself? It's you who's doing this. Everyone else goes to eat after class, why don't you go?"
Yan Luan seemed even more timid than Wen Cheng in her school uniform. "I don't care. I'll just go back for dinner after evening self-study. The nanny usually cooks me noodles or wontons around that time."
"How can you, a senior in high school, only eat this kind of food?" Wen Cheng glared at him unhappily and dragged him to the best restaurant near the school for a meal.
Yan Luan was being pulled along by Wen Cheng, her eyes always filled with a smile.
During the meal, Wen Cheng kept piling food onto his plate, and even packed up the leftovers for him. After the meal, at eight o'clock, Wen Cheng asked her teacher for two hours off and took Yan Luan for a walk to clear his head.
"Brother Cheng, is something on your mind today? You don't seem very happy." Yan Luan has learned to read people's expressions in the past two years.
Wen Cheng forced a smile, feeling utterly weak all over.
"Xiao Yan, how would you feel if Niannian was bullied and you couldn't help her?" Wen Cheng looked down and picked up a small stone from under her feet. Before she knew it, the stone fell into a crack in the ground and disappeared.
“Wasn’t that the case before? If it weren’t for you, Brother Cheng, and President Wen, Niannian would probably still be living in the depths of Li Li’s misery. Although the matter is over, I still regret it when I think about it now.” Yan Luan is not the kind of person who is very willing to express himself, but he can always open up a bit in front of Wen Cheng.
"Xiaoyan, that wasn't your fault,"
“I know, but that’s how people are. They always think, if I could have been more useful back then, would I have been able to better protect the people I care about? That’s why I chose to study, to see a wider world, and more importantly, to be able to protect the people who are important to me at any time,” Yan Luan said earnestly, his eyes under the streetlights revealing a maturity that his peers could not see.
What if the other person is stronger than you? So strong that they slowly and painfully tear open the wound, so as not to splatter blood on your face.
"Brother Cheng, I hope that in the future, I can protect you well too." Yan Luan said these words cautiously, his eyes flickering.
Wen Cheng's first reaction was that she saw her own reflection in Yan Luan's eyes, as if he had said those words to Wen Qi.
Yan Luan finally dissected an invisible sense of anxiety and discovered why she was anxious.
Perhaps he was tired of being a couch potato for months. Because he had someone he cared about, he suddenly wanted to become independent and be able to protect him as if he were protecting him. At the same time, like Yan Luan, he hoped that this idea could be recognized.
"Xiaoyan, thank you. I look forward to that day."
Just like he wanted to one day be able to properly protect Brother Qi,
Wen Cheng didn't get home until nine o'clock. As soon as the car was turned off and he drove through the small garden, Wen Qi stood at the door, looking tired but still happy to welcome him home.
"That year, it was my mother's 70th birthday. Her career had taken a significant turn for the better, so I called her for almost a week, insisting on going back to celebrate her birthday. We had originally booked a time at our old house in the US, but after my parents and I arrived, they suddenly changed their plans. There were only three hours left until the end of her birthday celebration. They went to another city to celebrate, a city with complex terrain. My mother hesitated. At 10 pm that day, she was still apologizing to her mother-in-law, who then said that if she couldn't come, she shouldn't come at all. My mother was worried about me going so late, so she went with my father first. But they encountered a mudslide on the way, and neither of them came back..."
Wen Cheng gradually quickened her pace and finally ran into Wen Qi's arms. Wen Qi caught her steadily.
"Wen Qi..." Wen Cheng rarely called Wen Qi's name.
"Yes, I'm here."
"I'm resigning from the company,"
Wen Qi's eyes were full of understanding. "Yes, once you've decided, just do it. I'll always be there for you."
"Don't underestimate me, I'm very strong." Wen Cheng looked up and complained slightly.
Wen Qi gently kissed Wen Cheng's forehead. "I never thought you were weak. You proved it with your abilities when you were in the information department. One company can't keep you. You have enough ability to create and develop new areas of the game industry."
Wen Cheng gripped Wen Qi's clothes tightly.
After a long pause, he finally raised his head and said, "I'm doing this not just because I want to, Brother Qi. From now on, as long as I'm around, I absolutely cannot allow anyone to bully you. The same goes for the Li family's matter. You can't abandon me alone. We'll do it together!"
“Okay,” Wen Qi’s voice was a little hoarse, but full of warmth.
Author's Note:
Good night~
Chapter 153 Revealed
Wen Cheng has decided to resign, but he won't leave so quickly. After all, with the bigger picture in mind, his every move could affect this power struggle.
That night, Wen Cheng was still wondering why the Li family, such a big family, would make such a small fuss about the old woman being arrested.
"The Li family has been suppressed by the old woman for so many years, it's impossible for them to still be on the same page. But there will definitely be some big commotion later, it just depends on which member of the Li family will step forward first."
Wen Qi's words came true the very next day.
Every year, numerous international business gatherings are held, and almost all domestic listed companies arrange to attend these important occasions for cooperation and exchange. In previous years, Wen Yongwang would attend when he had time, but this year, with Wen Qi temporarily in charge, these gatherings that offer no practical knowledge or technical skills were naturally rejected by him.
That very night after the gathering, news of Wen Qi personally sending his grandmother to the police station spread like wildfire across the world.
In recent years, Wen Qi's name has become well-known abroad. Many people who know Wen Qi may not know the Li family. However, many old families have stood up to speak out against the injustice and criticized Wen Qi for being inhuman and using such methods to deal with his grandmother.
Domestically, the winds have split into two directions.
The first one, huh? Wen Qi is actually the grandson of the Li family?
Is it the Li family, famous for their gold business, who at their peak dominated half of the country's gold industry?
Sometimes, it's really true that comparing yourself to others can be incredibly frustrating!
The second type is those small and medium-sized families who follow the trend abroad and criticize Wen Qi, saying that he is unfilial. These people only need a pretext to act recklessly. They seize the opportunity to exploit the Wen family and bleed them dry. For a time, the stock of the game subsidiary company under Wen Qi's control experienced an unprecedented low.
Regardless of what outsiders think, the people in the company certainly believe in Wen Qi's character, and they witnessed what happened that day. However, with the stock market downturn, everyone was both indignant and visibly depressed.
Wen Cheng sat there feeling uncomfortable all morning. When it was lunchtime, she rushed to Wen Qi's office, thinking that Wen Qi would be busy dealing with today's accident. But instead, she saw Wen Qi sitting lazily in a chair making tea, the aroma of which wafted to the door.
"Brother Qi, about the stock market,"
"The entire company will be on holiday starting this afternoon."
Wen Cheng was stunned for a long time, "...Huh?"
This isn't how a decision-maker should react.
"Brother Qi, I think the company can't function without people right now! We can't play like this! Dad will scold us to death!" Wen Cheng brought up her father.
Wen Qi chuckled and beckoned to Wen Cheng, who quickly went over and gave him a loving kiss. "We can't give up in this situation. How can we let a little slacker keep reminding you of this? I've studied some management before, so I can help."
Although Wen Qi liked the way Wen Cheng taught him with such earnestness, he hoped to apply that same approach to other situations.
“This is not called slacking off, this is called recuperation and rest. I anticipated this situation. Even if the old lady did not return to China in person, they would have tried every means to create this opportunity.”
"Why? We should keep to ourselves." Even if someone wants to cause trouble, it should be Brother Qi who does it, since the Li family has wronged him.
"Because of my existence, especially the old lady's attitude of wanting to take me home, it's enough to make those people anxious," Wen Qi patiently explained, handing a cup of tea he had just brewed to Wen Cheng, who picked it up and gulped down a few mouthfuls.
His face clearly showed his incomprehension.
"You can think of it this way: even if I don't go after the Li family, they will come after me anyway. The root of the problem is that the Li family is no longer as powerful as it used to be," Wen Qi explained simply. "Don't worry, as long as Uncle doesn't interfere too much in this matter..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Qi's phone, which was on the table, started buzzing.
Note: Uncle Wen.
The moment the bell rang, Wen Cheng suddenly remembered her childhood, which was dominated by stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork!
Author's Note:
Good night~
Chapter 154 I understand you better than anyone else
Wen Cheng stared nervously at her phone, too afraid to answer, fearing she would be scolded.
"If you're scared, go inside and rest. I'll come in and keep you company after I finish this call. I can even take you on a trip soon. Didn't you always say you wanted to go to the snow mountain?" Wen Qi's calm and carefree demeanor suggested that he didn't care about the matter at all.
Wen Cheng was determined to correct Wen Qi's attitude, "This is a matter between the two of us, Brother Qi, we can't give up, we refuse to give up!" Wen Cheng made a big X with her hands.
Wen Qi almost laughed. He rubbed Wen Cheng's earlobe before answering the phone. The little fool who had been so brave just moments before was now clinging to his neck, too afraid to utter a sound. Her soft curly fur brushed against Wen Qi's neck.
Wen Qi's breathing became somewhat heavy, but he managed to hold it in, thinking that he was in front of his elders.
I'll take it back and sort it out slowly.
"Hey, Uncle."
"Ah Qi, shouldn't you have discussed such an important matter with us? You just sent Old Madam Li straight to the police station. What if something happens to her?"
"Don't worry, Uncle, she's in excellent health. Unless she's trying to scam us,"
"..." Wen Qi's frankness made Wen Yongwang silent for a few seconds. "That won't do either. Uncle knows you will never forget that matter, but you've forgotten what I taught you: always leave some room for maneuver in your actions."
"I left her some leeway. If I hadn't left her even a little room for maneuver, the police would now be receiving her unrecoverable accounts from all these years, along with recordings of phone calls between my parents and me after their accident." Now that Wen Qi had confessed to Wen Cheng, she decided to drop the pretense.
There was a long silence on the other end of the phone. "Qi, at least wait for Dad to come back so we can discuss it together. Dad knows you can do it on your own, but you're not alone. You have the Wen family behind you."
Wen Qi hummed in agreement, and just as the atmosphere was becoming warm and cozy,
"Is Chengcheng next to you? Chengcheng, speak!" Wen Yongwang's tone suddenly changed.
Wen Cheng shuddered, her heart breaking. You're no longer the good dad who would coax me into eating candy!
"Dad, Dad," Wen Cheng greeted him, though she was scared.
"If I ever see you causing trouble outside again, and your brother has to clean up your mess!"
Wen Cheng swallowed hard.
"Why are you yelling at your son? Didn't you hear what Aqi said about how he had his own plan from the beginning?" Wen Yin's voice suddenly came through the phone. This time, she was completely on Wen Cheng's side, and Wen Cheng almost burst into tears.
"Uncle and Aunt, please come back soon. I'll handle things here. As for the lost shares, I'll personally cover the shortfall," Wen Qi said, his words, except for the last sentence, seemed insincere.
Of course, when Wen Qi offered compensation to Wen Yongwang, Wen Yongwang refused it under any circumstances and almost abandoned the Wen family to Wen Cheng, which scared Wen Cheng so much that she couldn't sleep well for several nights afterward.
When Wens was being condemned by everyone, the whole world was waiting to see them make a fool of themselves. But Wens made a nearly terrifying decision: to give all employees a few weeks off.