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Chapter 16
Chapter 16
Chapter 16
"Yang Cui is Xu Xiuhe's stepmother. She came to see me a few days ago, still wanting me to harm Zhengzheng," Shen Yin said.
"What? Does Xu Xiuhe know about this?" Shen Lv was a bit angry. Who does Yang Cui think she is? Does she think she can bully the Shen family? Although the Shen family was not as powerful as the Xu's Enterprise in the past, they have gained some recognition in Rong City. Moreover, the Xu's Enterprise is not only strong because of its long history, but also because of the dowry that Sun Wenting, Xu Guimin's father and Xu Xiuhe's mother, brought when they got married.
Shen's mother was also furious. She knew Sun Wenting, who was a gentle and kind woman. Who knew that she had left nearly 20 years ago?
"Shen Lv, investigate this matter further. Find out why Yang Cui knows about Zhou Man, and if necessary, inform Xu Xiuhe," Shen's father said sternly.
"Shen Yin, there's something else you need to know," Shen's father continued.
Shen Yin became interested. Is there something she doesn't know?
Shen's father noticed Shen Yin's expression and said, "Zhou Man got married too, a year after you got married. She married Guo Wei, the president of Peicheng Group, who is even older than me."
Hmm, this completely left Shen Yin speechless. It was even more outrageous than in Dasheng, where her stepmother forced her to marry a 37-year-old man. In Dasheng, it's not uncommon for older men to have younger wives. Many men in their 50s have 18-year-old mistresses, but can it be compared? Dasheng men have multiple wives and concubines.
Suddenly, Shen Yin realized something, "So you mean Yang Cui was deceiving me?"
The other three remained silent. They had almost finished eating.
Considering that Zhengzheng still had to continue filming in the afternoon, Shen Lv decided to take him and Shen Yin to the set.
Although Shen Tianzheng and Fang Yue were upset by Yang Cui and Zhou Man, they couldn't resist the genuine happiness in their hearts because, finally, their Yin Yin was willing to see them and had returned to normal.
After Shen Yin and Zhengzheng arrived at the set, the Shen family of three had to leave. They had met, and now they could rest assured.
Before leaving, Fang Yue reminded, "Yinyin, take care of Zhengzheng, don't tire yourself out. Come home when you're done with your busy schedule, alright?"
At that moment, Shen Yin felt the love of a mother. "Alright, Mom, don't worry. Zhengzheng's scenes will probably be finished by tomorrow night. He won't be too tired."
"Then let's go," Shen Lv said as he started the car.
On the way, Fang Yue still felt a bit unsatisfied and suggested coming again tomorrow. But Shen Lv immediately rejected, "No, no, there's always another day."
Fang Yue glanced at Shen Lv, unwilling to give up. "Fine, then be more careful and investigate Yang Cui."
Zhengzheng successfully finished filming two scenes in the afternoon, and Wang Ming was very satisfied with him. Wang Ming, who was usually very serious as a director, was now coaxing a 2-year-old child.
Just as they finished work, Wang Ming's phone in his pocket rang. He opened it and saw "Chang Zhiyuan" displayed on the screen.
Chang Zhiyuan was an investor and had collaborated with Wang Ming several times. They were also considered friends.
"Wang director, finished work?" Chang Zhiyuan asked.
Wang Ming smiled and said, "Well, there's nothing that doesn't bring you to my doorstep. So, what's the matter with the phone call reaching me?"
"Haha, Director Wang, you truly live up to your reputation. I wanted to ask how my godson Zhengzheng is doing?"
Wang Ming found it hard to believe. "You're only asking about Zhengzheng? What about the others?"
Chang Zhiyuan felt guilty. "Who? How did you figure it out?"
"When I mentioned Shu Yi's performance, you acted unnatural and even helped find actors. You were never that kind before, occasionally dropping by the set. I'm not stupid, I could definitely tell. Your true intentions were revealed when we were casting for the female lead. You mentioned Shu Yi, but there are other actresses like Zhang Dai and Mei Shasha who are equally talented. Fortunately, Shu Yi's acting skills are pretty good."
Chang Zhiyuan stopped trying to justify himself. "Now that you know, I won't hide it anymore. I'm pursuing her, but I haven't succeeded yet. Can you help me out?"
Wang Ming couldn't help but laugh heartily. He never imagined that Chang Zhiyuan hadn't won over the person he was pursuing, especially when she worked for their own company. "Oh, Chang, I can't help but mock you for this. Hahaha!"
Although it was meant as a joke, Chang Zhiyuan couldn't accept it. "Who says I can't win her over? I'll go to the set tomorrow."
"Alright, alright. Just make sure you don't disrupt my filming schedule."
A man's competitive spirit isn't just for show. There are plenty of women who want to be with him, but this is the first time someone has rejected him. It's already embarrassing enough, and now he's been mocked by Wang Ming. It leaves a bitter taste in his mouth.
Chang Zhiyuan had to find someone to vent about this incident, so he got in his car and headed to Xue Jingrui's house.
Xu Xiuhe, Xue Jingrui, and Chang Zhiyuan have been friends since childhood. Any one of them is considered influential in Rong City. Xue Jingrui comes from an extraordinary background and lives in a residential compound.
Chang Zhiyuan easily entered the compound and parked his car near Xue Jingrui's house. He took out his phone and called Xue Jingrui.
"Come downstairs. I'm waiting for you at your doorstep."
Without giving Xue Jingrui a chance to respond, Chang Zhiyuan hung up the phone.
Xue Jingrui was used to Chang Zhiyuan's domineering attitude. He changed his clothes and went downstairs.
Leaning against the car, Chang Zhiyuan watched Xue Jingrui approach and glanced at his watch. "Jingrui, you actually took five minutes. Slower than last time."
Xue Jingrui ignored his comment and asked, "So, what do you want?"
"Let's go to Qingfeng Mingyue."
Xue Jingrui got into the car, and they sped away from the residential compound.
Qingfeng Mingyue is an entertainment club owned by Xu Xiuhe. It is located on Rongguang Avenue, the most prosperous street in Rong City. It covers an area equivalent to three football fields and offers a wide range of amenities.
The first and second floors are restaurants, the third floor is a venue for evening events, and from the fourth floor upwards, there are private rooms, karaoke, and a hotel on the tenth floor and above.
"Did you inform Xiuhe?" Xue Jingrui asked.
"Not yet. He's probably still at work. You can call him," Chang Zhiyuan replied.
Xue Jingrui picked up his phone and dialed Xu Xiuhe's number.
"Hey, are you off work? Chang Zhiyuan set up a meeting at the usual place."
"Okay, I'll head over after work."
A golden sports car drove along the road, attracting many onlookers who even stopped to watch.
Chang Zhiyuan was used to this kind of attention. They say wealth should be low-key, but he almost wore a sign saying "I'm rich" on his face.
"I heard Qi Yan came back yesterday," Xue Jingrui said.
"We're in for some drama. Qi Yan probably still has feelings for Xu Xiuhe. Guess what her reaction would be when she finds out Xu Xiuhe is married and even has a child."
Xue Jingrui remained silent. He also wondered what Qi Yan's reaction would be, and this time, would she finally notice him?
The car reached Rongguang Avenue, not far from Xu Xiuhe's company. It was not only bustling but also a paradise for the wealthy, with luxury cars and designer brands everywhere.
The car turned onto an underground parking lot on Qingfeng Mingyue Street. Xue Jingrui and Chang Zhiyuan took the elevator to the 10th floor.
Inside the VIP room, there were genuine leather sofas and a table filled with various fruits and nuts. The liquor shelf was stocked with famous brands.
Chang Zhiyuan reclined on the leather sofa and took out a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, just about to light one.
Xue Jingrui reminded him, "Put it out quickly. Xu Xiuhe will be here soon, and he'll scold you again."
Upon hearing this, Chang Zhiyuan extinguished the cigarette. Xue Jingrui handed him a golden ashtray in front of him, and Chang Zhiyuan threw the whole cigarette into it.
Initially, the three of them used to smoke, with Xue Jingrui being the only non-smoker. Xu Xiuhe used to smoke as a habit, and Chang Zhiyuan had the strongest addiction.
Since Xu Xiuhe got married and Shen Yin became pregnant, Chang Zhiyuan had reduced his smoking. Later, when Zhengzheng was born, he quit smoking altogether, fearing the smell would bother the child. Because both Xue Jingrui and Xu Xiuhe didn't smoke anymore, often citing the reason of having a child in the house and not wanting the smell of smoke, they didn't let Chang Zhiyuan smoke. Gradually, Chang Zhiyuan lost his craving for cigarettes and now only smoked occasionally.
Not smoking, Chang Zhiyuan was restless. He picked up an orange from the table, peeled it, and handed half of it to Xue Jingrui.
Coincidentally, at that moment, Xu Xiuhe walked in and teasingly said, "What's this? You're peeling it for him, but not for me."
Chang Zhiyuan burst into laughter. "Here, here, here. I treat everyone equally." After saying that, he handed his half of the orange to Xu Xiuhe and picked up a strawberry nearby.
"Who set up this meeting?" Xu Xiuhe asked after sitting down, eating the orange.