Chen Xinxin said, "I've already told you once, I have no relation to the Chen family. If you keep trying to claim kinship with them, don't blame me for scolding you."
Chen Yaohui shamelessly said, "You're a member of the Chen family even if you're swearing. You can get your DNA tested if you don't believe me."
Chen Xinxin said, "I just don't understand. If you didn't want me to go, why did you drag me to Shanghai? And once we got to Shanghai, why did you stop me from going? And if you already didn't want me to go, why did you have to come looking for me? Isn't that crazy?"
Chen Yaohui gave an awkward smile, unsure how to respond. Just then, the wealthy woman was knocked unconscious again. She had no choice but to pretend to be unconscious, otherwise her husband wouldn't dare stop. Seeing his wife unconscious, the man breathed a sigh of relief and stepped forward to fawn over Chen Yaohui, saying, "Young Master Hui, my wife is young and naive. Please forgive her this time."
Using this as an excuse, Chen Yaohui refused to explain the complicated reasons to Chen Xinxin, saying, "Get out of my way."
Just as the man was about to leave, Chen Yaohui saw Chen Xinxin's pale face and hurriedly said, "Come back, come back."
The man was terrified, his face turning green. "Young Master Yao, please spare us! My wife is going to die if you keep hitting her." Actually, he had also lost a lot of blood, and his face was pale at this moment.
Chen Yaohui said irritably, "Whether she lives or dies is none of my business. I'm just asking you why you offended the Chen family."
The man was so frightened that he immediately knelt on the ground: "Young Master Yao, I didn't! I wouldn't dare offend the Chen family even if you gave me ten lives!"
Chen Yaohui said, "Are you saying I wronged you?"
Seeing the bodyguard about to step forward, the man hurriedly said, "No, no, I'll investigate immediately." Then he stepped forward and slapped his wife's face, saying, "Wake up, wake up! Young Master Yao is asking you why you offended the Chen family!"
The noblewoman opened her eyes: "Ah, it seems it's because my dog rubbed against someone's fur." This noblewoman dared not lie. She had never seen Chen Yaohui, but she had heard of him. Now that she knew he was the one she had offended, she was already seven-tenths of her soul scattered.
The man acted decisively. He looked up and saw the pet dog squatting beside him. He picked it up, and the dog, thinking its owner was teasing it, stuck out its tongue and panted. Suddenly, the man slammed the dog down on a rock, and blood splattered everywhere. Chen Xinxin couldn't call for help in time and could only watch helplessly as the innocent dog kicked its legs a few times and died.
The lady let out a scream and fainted again; it was unclear if this time it was for real. After all, the dog had been with her for several years; it was impossible for her to have no feelings for it. It would be a lie to say she wasn't heartbroken at its death.
"Young Master Yao, are you satisfied now?" The man tossed the dead dog aside.
Chen Yaohui didn't care about the dog's life or death; what mattered was whether Chen Xinxin was satisfied. Turning around, he saw Chen Xinxin's expression had worsened, and Chen Yaohui roared, "Beat her! Beat her until my Xinxin is satisfied!"
The bodyguards rushed forward and pinned the man with the broken finger to the ground. If they were to actually hit him, he would be dead in no time. Chen Xinxin couldn't bear to watch any longer and could only say, "Enough, Chen Yaohui. If you want me to go to the Chen family, I can have Chen Kezong call my mother and apologize to her."
Chen Yaohui's lips twitched. Ask the old man to call Chen Shuxian and say 'sorry'? Was he dreaming? The old man had already gone to great lengths to let them into the Chen family home; to expect him to apologize was utter nonsense.
After saying that, Chen Xinxin left the braised pork stall under Zhao Qiang's guidance. If she stayed there, Chen Yaohui would continue to torment the rich woman and her husband, which Chen Xinxin would definitely not be able to stand by and watch. Out of sight, out of mind, she would let them do whatever they wanted.
Chen Yaohui had no time to care about the couple and immediately called his father: "Dad, I think this mission is impossible to complete, even if you come in person."
Chen Guangmin was furious: "Didn't I make it clear to you when you came out? One thing is speed, and the other is ensuring the mission is completed. Your grandfather is waiting, all the guests are waiting, and now you're telling me the mission can't be completed? How am I supposed to explain this?"
Chen Yaohui said, "Tell my grandfather the truth, they demand that he personally call and say 'I'm sorry,' otherwise there's no point in talking."
Volume 2 [541] Who Threatens Whom
[541] Who is threatening whom?
Chen Guangmin's reaction was similar to his son's, or even stronger. In his eyes, his father, Chen Kezong, was an inviolable divine authority. But how could a little girl make Chen Kezong personally call and apologize?
Chen Guangmin slammed down the phone in a huff. He went into his father's room, where a girl was already sitting. Chen Guangmin recognized her. He hesitated for a moment before stepping into the room. Chen Kezong, interrupted from his conversation, looked up and said to his son with some displeasure, "What is it? Did you bring her? It's impolite to wait so long for a guest."
Chen Guangmin glanced at the girl, and Chen Kezong said, "What? Don't you recognize Ms. Xu from Jiayuan Investment? She's my honored guest."
Chen Guangmin understood the meaning behind his father's words, and he immediately nodded to Xu Xiaoya, saying, "Hello, President Xu."
Xu Xiaoya bowed slightly: "Hello, Mr. Chen."
Chen Guangmin walked to his father's side and whispered, "Things have taken a bit of an unexpected turn."
Chen Kezong frowned: "I'm only asking if you've come or not."
Chen Guangmin said, "That girl demands that you personally apologize to her and her mother. Dad, what do you think about this..."
Chen Kezong almost smashed everything in front of him, but he couldn't express his anger in front of Xu Xiaoya. Besides, he knew that Xu Xiaoya wanted to see this scene, otherwise she wouldn't have tried to leave with the crowd. Chen Kezong could accept that others left, but Jiayuan Investment had been making big acquisitions in the south recently. When Chen Kezong invited Xu Xiaoya, he considered having a good talk with her. It would be bad if the economy of the south was controlled by Jiayuan Investment.
"You go out first," Chen Kezong said to Chen Guangmin. Chen Guangmin glanced at Xu Xiaoya and walked out of the room.
Chen Kezong sighed: "President Xu, I'm sorry, I have a lot of family matters to attend to. Let's continue with our previous topic."
Xu Xiaoya didn't continue the previous topic. She said, "Grandpa, there are some things you should let go of. Young people may have more pioneering spirit than you. Isn't that what the saying 'the younger generation surpasses the older generation' means?"
Chen Kezong said, "If my children were all as talented as Mr. Xu, I would really like to let them have their own lives, but as you can see, I don't have that kind of luck."
Xu Xiaoya said, "No way, I think Li Jingjing and her brother are both quite talented. Oh, of course, they're your son-in-law's people. But your granddaughter Chen Xinxin is also good. Besides, Zhao Qiang is there to assist her. I know you're holding a grudge and don't intend to acknowledge Chen Xinxin, but have you considered the consequences of holding onto this grudge? Opportunities won't stay in front of you forever. You've already made one mistake after another. Do you think continuing down this path will be any good?"
Chen Kezong's expression darkened. Xu Xiaoya's words were too blunt; they were a direct slap in his face.
Xu Xiaoya laughed and said, "Does the old man think I'm threatening you? You're old, your thinking is outdated, you're hesitant to do things, afraid of everything, and you've completely lost the drive you had when you were young. Judging from your recent performance, don't even talk about taking another step forward. I'm sure you'll take a step back soon."
Chen Kezong's expression changed drastically. He slammed his hand on the table, about to erupt in anger. For Xu Xiaoya, a young girl, to say such things was utterly disrespectful. However, Xu Xiaoya remained fearless and continued, "Grandpa, please sit down. Getting angry won't help. I'm just telling the truth. If we take Chen Xinxin and leave the Chen family today, think about the consequences. The South will no longer be at the forefront of science and technology, no longer an economically developed region, and no longer a window for the nation to learn. What right will you have to demand further progress? Do you think the people of the country are blind? You'll be condemned by everyone. Do you think you'll still have the face to stay in your current position? I don't know if you've seen the financial report, but the per capita income level in northern cities has already caught up with that of southern cities, and technological development is progressing rapidly. You're stuck in a small Shanghai, acting like a local tyrant. Sooner or later, you'll become a sinner against the people."
Chen Kezong said angrily, "Girl, don't think I'm a toothless tiger. You're too green to fight me."
Xu Xiaoya retorted, "Everyone knows I'm a guest at your Chen residence today. Do you intend to go on a killing spree here, sir? Once I leave your Chen residence, it won't be so easy for you to harm us. Six top experts? Hmph, they're nothing special. After all, they're made of flesh and blood; they're far inferior to our heavily armed special forces."
Chen Kezong plopped back down on the sofa. Xu Xiaoya wasn't just bragging to scare him; he really didn't dare to make a move in the Chen residence. However, outside the Chen residence, Yang Shiqi's special forces were no pushovers. Their equipment was so advanced that even the six top experts might not be able to handle them. So, no matter how much Xu Xiaoya scolded or threatened him, he couldn't retaliate against her.
Xu Xiaoya knew the conversation could not continue, so she got up and left the room without a word. Chen Guangmin followed her in and saw his father sitting dejectedly on the sofa, looking as if he had aged several years in just a few seconds. "Dad," Chen Guangmin called out, reminding Chen Kezong not to be distracted at this moment.
Chen Kezong waved his hand: "Get out of here. I don't care what method you use, just bring them back to me."
Chen Guangmin pointed at Xu Xiaoya's back and said, "But she was rude to you." Chen Guangmin had overheard the conversation inside from outside.
Chen Kezong said, "Alright, you go deal with her."
Chen Guangmin immediately turned back. He didn't have the ability. First of all, even if he sold all the assets of the Chen family, he still couldn't compete with Jiayuan Investment in terms of funds. Because now the senior staff all knew that the Youth Health Products Company was Jiayuan Investment's money-making machine. With the Youth Health Products Company, Jiayuan Investment made more than 10 billion a day. Money was nothing.
Besides money, they could also fight with force, but Chen Guangmin dared not. First of all, he was not a soldier. Although the Chen family had risen to prominence through the military, they had few truly skilled soldiers, and were far inferior to the special forces armed with high-tech equipment. It was simply unrealistic to fight a large-scale war with sheer numbers, so Chen Guangmin could not defeat them.
Xu Xiaoya came out of Chen Kezong's room, and Yang Shiqi and others surrounded her. Xu Xiaoya smiled calmly: "Don't be nervous. He wouldn't dare to do anything to me. The Chen family is nothing special. There isn't a single person in the family who is worthy of being a rival."
Liu Yiyi said, "Actually, Chen Guangwei is quite capable, but he hasn't been put into the right environment to bring out his full potential."
Xu Xiaoya said, "He is not decisive enough and lacks courage. He is similar to Xiaowei's father. As the eldest son, it is a huge failure that he did not take control of the Chen family's power."
Yang Shiqi said to Xu Xiaoya, "Don't be so smug. The six top experts are not to be underestimated."
Xu Xiaoya said, "But they dare not show themselves at this time. Besides, your mission is to protect us. If you fail in your duty, don't blame us for attacking you as a group."
Chen Xinyu said, "Are we going to stay here? Let's go. If we keep showing off, Grandpa Chen will go crazy. At his age, if he gets carried away and loses his mind, it could be terrible if he takes us down with him."
Hu Qian scolded Chen Xinyu, saying, "Reporters really have wild imaginations; they can even come up with things like dying together."
Xu Xiaoya asked, "How much of the work was successfully completed?"
Everyone glanced at the guests around them: "Except for the political figures, we've almost all bribed them. As long as we leave, they'll leave too." Money makes the world go round. If merchants can't develop in the south, they can go to the north. If there's a promise of investment in their homeland, what's wrong with abandoning their southern businesses and starting over in the north? Everyone is driven by profit, and they can't resist Chen Kezong's authority.
Xu Xiaoya glanced at her watch: "Give them another half hour. I'll talk to everyone first."
On the other side, Chen Xinxin asked Zhao Qiang, "Where do we go next?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Let's go back to the hotel."
Chen Xinxin asked, "Won't the Chen family compromise?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Who knows? Let's just keep waiting."
Chen Xinxin said, "Why don't we just skip his apology and go directly there? I won't feel right unless we make a scene. Otherwise, it would be a waste of our trip to Shanghai."
Zhao Qiang said, "It can't be considered a wasted trip. There's something you might not know: something happened in Baiyuan last night."
Chen Xinxin was somewhat surprised: "Something happened? What happened?"
Zhao Qiang said, "Someone who broke into the industrial park to steal has been caught."
Chen Xinxin asked, "Did you lose anything?"
Zhao Qiang said, "No, I've already arranged for people to guard the place, don't worry."
"Oh," Chen Xinxin was very concerned about the industrial park, but she believed Zhao Qiang's words more, so she stopped asking. On the surface, it was a trivial matter, but how intense the battle last night was was something that outsiders could not know.
Chen Kezong felt palpitations and shortness of breath. A bodyguard quickly brought him some medicine, and Chen Kezong swallowed two handfuls of pills before he calmed down. Xu Xiaoya's words had completely enraged him, but he still managed to control himself rationally; he couldn't afford to lose his temper at this moment.
"How did things go last night? Haven't you been able to get in touch yet?" Chen Kezong asked the bodyguard, lying exhausted on the sofa.
"Reporting to the commander, the phone is still unreachable, and satellite positioning has also failed. It seems that they are in grave danger."
Chen Kezong sighed: "We underestimated Zhao Qiang. Although he is not in Baiyuan, the security there has not only not been relaxed, but may have been greatly strengthened. If it weren't for Yang Shiqi's people secretly involved, our people would not have been completely out of contact for a whole night and morning."
The bodyguard hesitated: "Does the commander mean that Zhao Qiang has regained his memory? He and the people from the north had already secretly reached an agreement, so we fell into their trap?"
Chen Kezong said, "It's entirely possible. They have money and power. If things really got out of hand, I probably wouldn't be a match for them."
The bodyguard said, "Let me assassinate her."
Chen Kezong said, "If they dare to come to Shanghai, they must be prepared. If we take action, it will only give them an excuse. If Zhao Qiang also gets involved, I'm afraid even if we bring in the army, we won't be able to do anything. In the end, we will still be the ones to admit defeat and carry out our original plan and cooperate."
(Thanks to Royal Ancient God for the 100-coin reward, and thanks to Lone Goose for constantly urging me to update)
Volume 2 [542] Apology
Chen Guangwei and Chen Shuxian paced anxiously in the hotel room. Chen Guangmin complained to Chen Shuxian, "Why did you let Xinxin run away?"
Chen Shuxian said, "You said yesterday that you wouldn't let her go to the Chen family. Did you want to leave her in the hotel and suffocate her?"
Chen Guangwei said, "It's not that I don't want her to go, it's that my dad doesn't want you to go. If you have to blame someone, you can only blame Xin Xin for causing so much trouble outside and making my dad unhappy. Otherwise, how could things have come to this?"
Chen Shuxian was unhappy: "Are you trying to shift all the blame onto my daughter and me?"
Seeing that Chen Shuxian was angry, Chen Guangwei hurriedly said, "That's not what I meant. I know that Xinxin isn't entirely being unreasonable. Maybe there's some misunderstanding, or maybe my second brother's two sons are causing trouble."
Chen Shuxian said, "It's good that you know. If you continue to complain about our daughter, we'll go back to Baiyuan immediately, and you won't have to go back."
Chen Guangwei lowered his head. Now he realized that Chen Shuxian was no longer the silly girl she was more than ten years ago. Now she no longer listened to him completely. She had something more important to her than him: her daughter.
Tap tap tap, the sound of leather shoes echoed in the corridor. Chen Shuxian was very familiar with her daughter's footsteps. She said, "Xinxin is back."
The door next door creaked open, and Chen Guangwei went out. "Xin Xin, where have you been?"
Chen Xinxin glanced at Chen Guangwei but didn't say anything. She went straight into the room. Zhao Qiang said, "Uncle Chen, let's go down for dinner."
Chen Guangwei glanced at his watch and said, "Come on, hurry up and get ready to come with me to the Chen family home for my father's birthday banquet."
Zhao Qiang smiled but said nothing. Whether or not to go wasn't Chen Guangwei's decision; he didn't have that power, even when it came to his own daughter. The Chen family wasn't a place he could simply forbid people from going, nor was it a place he insisted they go to.
Chen Guangwei looked at Zhao Qiang pleadingly: "Xiao Qiang, please, I'm begging you. I'm in a difficult position too. I have a daughter on one side and a father on the other. It's really hard for me." Being caught in the middle is indeed a bad feeling.
Zhao Qiang said, "If Uncle Chen's father just makes a phone call to apologize, wouldn't everything be fine?"
Chen Guangwei said, "Isn't this putting my dad in a difficult position? He has never had the habit of apologizing to others."