Chapter 356: Are You Planning to Collaborate?

Hearing Shen Fei’s words, Hu Feier felt like she was going insane.

What exactly was Shen Fei doing?

Calling her in the middle of the night to disturb her sleep, only to casually say, “You can go back to sleep”?

Was this the same person her younger brother, Hu Yuantai, blindly idolized? The one her brother claimed to be calm, composed, and somewhat mysterious?

“Tsk!”

Hearing the busy tone from the receiver, Hu Feier took a deep breath. At the same time, her previously foggy brain suddenly became much clearer.

Sitting up from the bed, she walked over to her dressing table. With a helpless glance at her dark eye circles, she gave Shen Fei a callback.

“President Shen, you’ve already disturbed me! Since that’s the case, why don’t you just get to the point and tell me what’s going on?”

Once the call connected, Hu Feier got straight to the point.

Hearing her response, Shen Fei didn’t hesitate either.

“It’s like this—earlier today, representatives from the Shenzhen Research Institute approached me. They want to collaborate with Xinyue Technology on a chip development project.”

“What? Shenzhen Research Institute? Chip development?” Hu Feier was instantly wide awake.

Her brows quickly furrowed deeply into a tight crease.

Sensing her lack of enthusiasm, Shen Fei asked curiously,

“President Hu, what are your thoughts? It’s fine; just tell me directly.”

“Alright, since you asked, I’ll be honest, President Shen.”

Sitting straighter, Hu Feier gazed out the window and spoke calmly.

“I’ve heard of this chip project before. There are many researchers involved, particularly the Shenzhen Research Institute, but it’s strange—almost no one has faith in this project. In the eyes of many experts, it’s nothing but a pipe dream. The current technological level in our country is far too low. If we aim too high and try to leap forward in one step, the results are often disappointing. I’m not just fearmongering; history has shown this outcome time and time again.”

Seeing that Shen Fei didn’t interrupt her, Hu Feier continued,

“As for the Shenzhen Research Institute, I know a little about them. From what I’ve heard, they’ve approached many companies for collaboration in the past, but those companies eventually pulled out. I thought they would learn from those experiences and lower their ambitions, but it seems now they’ve set their sights on you…”

“I understand your concerns,” Shen Fei replied calmly. “But after reading through their project proposal, I think its feasibility is actually quite high.”

If the Shenzhen Institute had presented any other project, Shen Fei wouldn’t have even considered working with them.

But the project they brought forward was “Misu”—a chip that represented a turning point in Chinese technology. How could he not be tempted?

“President Shen, that’s just my opinion. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide. Are you planning to collaborate with the Shenzhen Institute?”

Hu Feier’s heart tightened.

Although she spoke as though the decision was Shen Fei’s to make, she personally had no confidence in the project. If Shen Fei ultimately decided to go ahead, she wouldn’t have much choice.

“Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly,” Shen Fei replied. “Tomorrow, I’ll fly to Beijing personally. When you pick me up, I’ll let you take a look at the project proposal for the chip development. After reviewing it thoroughly, you can discuss the collaboration with the Shenzhen Research Institute.”

Hearing this, Hu Feier frowned even deeper.

Regarding Shen Fei’s decision, she held a 99% negative attitude.

It wasn’t without reason—she simply found the Shenzhen Institute’s goals to be unrealistic.

After all, the country’s current level of technology was far from capable of providing the kind of environment required to achieve such breakthroughs.

Moreover, Shen Fei’s collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Beijing already required billions in annual investment. If they partnered with the Shenzhen Institute as well, would that mean funds would be diverted toward chip development?

She wasn’t certain, but her priority was protecting the current company and the photolithography project.

Even so, hearing Shen Fei’s firm tone, Hu Feier abandoned the idea of trying to persuade him further.

“Fine. If that’s the case, how about I fly to Shenzhen? After reading the proposal, I can go directly to the Shenzhen Institute to discuss collaboration.”

“There’s no rush. The most important thing right now is to understand the proposal first. I have time on my hands anyway, so there’s no harm in taking it slow,” Shen Fei replied with a faint smile.

“Alright. Let me know when you book your flight, and I’ll pick you up,” Hu Feier said.

Shen Fei agreed and hung up the phone. After booking his flight, he went straight to sleep.

As for why he was flying to Beijing, Shen Fei had his own considerations.

—

The Next Day

After briefly explaining his trip to Beijing to Han Xinyan, Shen Fei packed lightly, carrying only the project proposal. He then flew directly to the capital. By the time he arrived, it was already lunchtime.

“President Shen, should we head to the company first, or grab lunch?”

Driving a black Audi, Hu Feier glanced at him with a hint of doubt.

“Let’s eat first. Z.G.C Restaurant will do. We can discuss things there; no need to go to the office,” Shen Fei said cheerfully.

“Z.G.C? Don’t you need a membership for that place?” Hu Feier asked, visibly surprised.

“I have a membership card; it’s no problem,” Shen Fei replied calmly.

Noticing her astonished expression, Shen Fei didn’t bother to explain further. It wasn’t necessary.

As for choosing Z.G.C, it was simply because aside from his company, it was one of the few familiar places suitable for such a discussion.

“Alright,” Hu Feier replied, suppressing her curiosity as she turned the car toward Z.G.C.

To her surprise, Shen Fei actually had a membership card—likely the one her younger brother Hu Yuantai had handed over. This realization struck her again when Shen Fei produced the card upon arrival.

Guided to a window seat by a server, they ordered a few dishes.

Without any pleasantries, Shen Fei immediately handed the project proposal to Hu Feier.

“Set aside your preconceptions and take a good look. My notes are written alongside it.”

Although puzzled, Hu Feier took the document and began reading carefully.

However, within moments, she was completely shocked.

While she wasn’t deeply involved in the chip field, her knowledge of the semiconductor industry gave her enough context to evaluate the document.

The original proposal itself lacked any real investment value.

What truly caught her attention, though, were the various annotations Shen Fei had added throughout the document.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 357: Just Wait to Collect the Money!

While Hu Feier was still in a state of shock, intently reading through the project proposal, the delicate dishes in the restaurant were served one by one.

“Let’s eat first. It won’t taste good if it gets cold.”

Shen Fei’s stomach had been growling, as he had rushed out early in the morning without breakfast.

“President Shen, forgive my boldness, but are all these annotations in the proposal truly your work?”

Hearing Shen Fei speak, Hu Feier reluctantly put the proposal aside. Looking at Shen Fei again, her impression of him had completely changed.

Beyond her shock, she now had a fresh understanding of the content, especially with the notes Shen Fei had made.

Although her field had primarily focused on semiconductors in recent years, and chips are technically a part of semiconductors, the fundamentals of science and technology fields are interconnected.

Therefore, even if the proposal contained complex terminology or obscure expressions, Hu Feier, who had reviewed countless technical proposals, could still grasp its feasibility after a quick read.

What truly shocked her, however, were the annotations.

The notes Shen Fei had added made the entire proposal transparent and clear. Even though she wasn’t deeply familiar with chip development, she knew that researchers would be ecstatic after seeing this revised proposal. For businesses, it would also save considerable time and effort.

From her initial skepticism to her current shock, Hu Feier had already accepted the “7nm chip” project much more readily. Yet a significant doubt arose in her heart.

After all, from the background information she had gathered on Shen Fei, there was no mention of him having any prior connection to this field.

“Of course, it’s my work! Who else would it be?” Shen Fei shrugged. “But to be honest, I got so focused on reviewing and annotating the proposal that I completely lost track of time. If I’d paid attention to the clock, I wouldn’t have disturbed your sleep last night. Hahaha!”

While Shen Fei explained, Hu Feier’s mind was elsewhere.

“President Shen, as far as I know, before acquiring this semiconductor company and collaborating with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, you had no prior experience in this field. Given that, how did you understand all the complex terms in this proposal? And how did you write such insightful annotations?”

Hearing this, Shen Fei paused briefly before smiling.

“President Hu, this is a question I could answer—or I couldn’t. But since we’re partners, I’ll tell you directly. Before entering the semiconductor industry, I had no public involvement in this field. But that doesn’t mean I wasn’t studying it privately. I’ve had high hopes for the semiconductor industry for a long time. Even before the Scar Healing Ointment was developed, I had already done extensive research into this area. So when I saw this proposal, I naturally had my own thoughts. Combined with the basic knowledge I had learned, I analyzed it as an outsider.”

“There’s a saying—‘The onlooker sees more clearly than the participant.’ However, these annotations are just my personal analysis, and I don’t know if they’re entirely correct. That’s also why I came to Beijing this time. If I’m right, you can head to the Shenzhen Research Institute immediately. If not, we’ll save ourselves the embarrassment. Either way, you’ll have a chance to review the proposal and decide whether collaboration is worthwhile. After all, you’ve been in the semiconductor industry much longer than I have.”

“In terms of professional knowledge, I believe you’re far more skilled than I am.”

The moment Shen Fei said “you’re better than me,” a hint of awkwardness flashed across Hu Feier’s face.

The truth was, the annotations in the proposal were far superior to anything she could have done. If it had been left to her, she would’ve simply assessed the feasibility at a glance—either approving or rejecting it. She would never have gone to such lengths.

For a moment, Hu Feier felt like Shen Fei was the real professional in the semiconductor field, while she was just an unremarkable novice.

Thinking back to her brother Hu Yuantai’s glowing praise for Shen Fei, she finally understood.

Suddenly, her confidence in their collaboration with the Chinese Academy of Sciences grew significantly.

However, instead of showing her astonishment, Hu Feier calmed herself and replied,

“To be honest, President Shen, without your annotations, I would’ve deemed this project completely unworthy of investment. But now, it’s different. The feasibility has increased, and it’s worth a try.”

After a brief pause, she continued,

“But here’s what I think: let’s not rush to the institute for collaboration just yet. Instead, we should bring this proposal back to the company and have our senior engineers review and analyze it. If they also find it promising, we can then approach the research institute. After all, decisions like these involve investments that could reach hundreds of billions annually. We need to be cautious.”

“President Shen, that’s my suggestion. What do you think?”

To her surprise, Shen Fei agreed readily.

“Hmm, you’re absolutely right! But I do have one request…”

“Please, go ahead, President Shen,” Hu Feier replied.

“My request is this: after you bring the proposal back, no matter who asks about the annotations, you must not mention my involvement,” Shen Fei said firmly.

Hearing this, Hu Feier was stunned, not understanding his reasoning.

“It’s simple. If you tell people that I wrote those notes, few would believe it. Worse, they might even mock me for it. So why not skip all of that entirely?”

Shen Fei smiled and added,

“Besides, our only goal in this project is to get the ‘Misu’ chip developed as soon as possible. If that happens, not only will Chinese technology take a massive leap forward, but we’ll also reap enormous profits. In the future, our company can simply wait to collect the money.”

After finishing his explanation, Shen Fei calmly picked up his fork and knife to resume cutting his steak.

Watching this scene, Hu Feier was once again astonished.

Every movement of Shen Fei’s was refined and elegant, like someone who had been immersed in elite education for years.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 358: After All, I’m This Handsome!

This behavior exceeded Hu Feier’s understanding of Shen Fei.

From the information she knew, Shen Fei grew up in an orphanage and endured an extremely difficult childhood.

Fortunately, Shen Fei didn’t stray from the right path and instead faced life head-on. In middle school, he met a few kind teachers who gave him immense warmth. Later, through his hard work, he not only achieved excellent academic results and demonstrated outstanding character, but also scored impressively in the college entrance exams, earning a place in the prestigious economics department of Shenzhen University.

They say that after storms comes the rainbow.

However, just as everyone expected Shen Fei to walk a steady path toward a happy life, he fell into despair after a failed startup venture. Not only did he lose motivation, but he also picked up bad habits.

Many lamented his decline and assumed he would give up entirely, but Shen Fei surprised everyone again.

In less than half a year, not only did Shen Fei pull himself back together, but he also elevated his life to an extraordinary height that others could hardly reach.

He founded a company, developed the miraculous Scar Healing Ointment, and established his own brand. He acquired a failing gaming company, invested in a barbecue chain, strategically shorted Tesla stock, and now, acquired a semiconductor company.

The liquid funds in his accounts had exceeded 30 billion yuan.

Hu Feier had thoroughly investigated everything publicly available about him—and even uncovered details others couldn’t. Combined with what her brother Hu Yuantai had told her, Shen Fei’s life story sounded utterly unbelievable.

Moreover, she was not one to display emotions easily. Yet, when she first read Shen Fei’s background, she had gasped aloud in shock.

After all, going from being penniless and frivolous to becoming a billionaire with businesses across multiple industries was beyond comprehension.

Though shocked, Hu Feier tried to rationalize it to herself—there must be some powerful figure advising Shen Fei behind the scenes.

Otherwise, how could he achieve so much in just a few months?

Still, one thing puzzled her. Shen Fei exuded a natural air of refinement and nobility that couldn’t be faked. Such poise could only be developed through elite education over decades. Even Hu Feier herself, who had spent decades in such environments, couldn’t match Shen Fei’s graceful demeanor.

Yet the information she had on Shen Fei’s background bore no connection to this “noble aura.”

What Hu Feier didn’t realize was that her curiosity about Shen Fei had already exceeded the bounds of a typical superior-subordinate relationship.

Looking at his handsome face across the table, Hu Feier fell into endless speculation.

Unaware of her thoughts, Shen Fei was momentarily stunned. He looked up to see Hu Feier staring at him seriously.

Swallowing a bite of vegetables, he teased,

“President Hu, you shouldn’t get distracted while eating!”

Hu Feier snapped out of it and awkwardly smiled. After a moment of hesitation, she asked the question weighing on her mind.

“President Shen, I’m curious. How did you achieve such massive success in just a few months, starting from the bottom?”

“Who knows? Maybe I’m just lucky! I suffered for over twenty years, and the heavens felt sorry for me, so they decided to turn things around for me,” Shen Fei shrugged jokingly.

What else could he say? Should he tell her he was a reborn man who had returned from twenty years in the future? If he did, she’d think he was crazy!

“President Shen, don’t you think that explanation is a bit far-fetched? Maybe your early entrepreneurial success could be attributed to luck, but this aura of refinement you carry—can that also be luck?” Hu Feier frowned, clearly not buying his answer.

Hearing her mention his “refined aura,” Shen Fei burst into laughter as if she had told a great joke.

“President Hu, you’re hilarious! I’m just an ordinary guy—how could I have any noble aura? If anything, I probably just learned it from others. Maybe I’m just naturally talented and pick things up quickly!”

Hu Feier rolled her eyes, clearly unconvinced. She wasn’t gullible like her younger brother—there was no way she’d believe that explanation.

Noticing her disbelief, Shen Fei continued playfully,

“Well then, if you don’t believe me, how do you think I should explain it?”

The atmosphere between them began to lighten, and Hu Feier relaxed a bit. Smiling softly, she said,

“I don’t know. President Shen, have you ever read those reincarnation novels? The kind where someone comes back to life and suddenly becomes extraordinary—like you!”

“???”

Shen Fei’s face showed confusion, but internally, his heart raced nervously.

“So, according to you, I’ve been reborn and am living a second life?” he asked with a teasing smile.

“…”

After blurting out her theory, Hu Feier realized how absurd it sounded. She quickly shook her head with an embarrassed laugh.

“President Shen, don’t take it seriously! I was just joking. But I must say—you’ve piqued my curiosity!”

“Hmm? Well, President Hu, you should set aside your curiosity. After all, I’m married and love my wife and kids very much,” Shen Fei said with mock seriousness.

Hu Feier froze for a moment before hurriedly waving her hands in denial.

“President Shen, don’t misunderstand! I didn’t mean it that way—I have absolutely no other thoughts about you…”

Before she could finish explaining, Shen Fei smirked and added,

“It’s fine, I understand. After all, I’m this handsome! But now that you’ve clarified, I feel much better.”

Seeing his serious expression, Hu Feier felt a mix of frustration and helplessness. She was left speechless, as if a lump were stuck in her throat.

After finishing their meal, they discussed the project proposal and the progress of photolithography machines at the Shenzhen research institute.

As they exited the restaurant, Hu Feier asked,

“President Shen, are we heading back to the company next? It would be a good chance to review the company’s current operations and financials.”

“There’s no need. With you managing the company, I’m completely at ease. Just take me to the airport,” Shen Fei replied.

Hu Feier was caught off guard.

“So you came to Shenzhen for just a few hours, just to discuss this project proposal?”

“Of course. If you bring this proposal back and the engineers have any objections, call me. If not, prepare to head to Shenzhen. This project is important, and you must oversee it personally. Also, keep this proposal confidential—only the senior engineers can see it. We don’t want unnecessary trouble,” Shen Fei instructed seriously.

“Understood!”

—

In a residential neighborhood in Shenzhen.

Under a large tree, a group of elderly people sat chatting.

Nearby, a slightly plump woman hurriedly shielded her face with her hand.

“Tsk, I was wondering who was covering their face—it’s one of the Han family! What’s this? Have you fallen so far that you can only afford three eggs? Isn’t your son-in-law doing great now? Didn’t he just spend six billion here and seventy billion there? So why are you still living like this?”

—————- END —————-

Chapter 359: She Can’t Do It!

The person hiding her face was Zhang Xiulian.

Hearing the loud, mocking voices, Zhang Xiulian lowered her head even further.

In the past, if someone had dared to mock her so openly, she would have never let them get away with it and would have argued until the bitter end.

But now, she no longer had the confidence. Even though she heard their taunts, she dared not speak up.

While Zhang Xiulian was trying to hold back, those who had been mocked by her before didn’t plan on letting her off so easily.

“Don’t leave, Zhang Xiulian! Come sit and gossip with us. Weren’t you quite impressive before?”

“Tsk, how come your billionaire daughter and son-in-law have never come back to see you? And what’s with buying only three eggs? Who’s that even for?”

“Look at you now, all downtrodden. Don’t tell anyone you’re the mother of the Scar Removal Cream CEO. People will laugh!”

“…”

Their mocking words surrounded Zhang Xiulian like knives.

At first, she wanted to endure it, but eventually, she couldn’t take it anymore.

Despite her lack of confidence, she still placed her hands on her hips and retorted:

“What nonsense are you spouting? My daughter and son-in-law treat us very well! They gave us a lot of money, but we don’t want to spend it! So what if we bought just three eggs? Eggs are expensive now, so we’re saving money! If they encounter hard times, we can still help them! You women don’t understand, so don’t talk nonsense!”

But the moment Zhang Xiulian finished speaking, the crowd burst into laughter.

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, Zhang Xiulian, when did you start lying? If you two had even a bit of money, wouldn’t you be bragging about it to the whole world?”

“How do you say this with a straight face? I heard you caused such a stir at Xinyue Group that the police were involved!”

“Zhang Xiulian, it’s not your daughter and son-in-law’s fault. Look at how poorly you and Old Han treated them before they made it big!”

“Stop pretending! We all know what’s going on. Didn’t your husband just borrow money from Old Zhang yesterday?”

“…”

Faced with the constant ridicule, Zhang Xiulian couldn’t take it anymore.

Unable to come up with a rebuttal, she hurried back toward home.

But the occasional bursts of laughter behind her still made her eyes red with tears.

—

“What happened again?”

Seeing Zhang Xiulian return home with red-rimmed eyes, Han Jian quickly asked with concern.

“I don’t want to live anymore! We might as well die together!”

Throwing the groceries she carried at Han Jian, Zhang Xiulian slumped onto the sofa and wiped her tears.

“What is it? Tell me!” Han Jian frowned as he set the groceries aside.

“What happened? What do you think happened? It’s because of your daughter! Those women mocked me right to my face! When have I ever been so humiliated? It’s all because of Shen Fei! Other daughters marry well, and their families thrive. But our daughter? She married poorly before, and now, even though she’s doing well, she doesn’t care if we live or die! She won’t even visit us! I don’t know why I gave birth to such an ungrateful child!”

Seizing the opportunity, Zhang Xiulian poured out her grievances.

“Stop crying! This is all your fault!”

Hearing Zhang Xiulian mention this, Han Jian also felt deeply upset.

“My fault? You think I’m the only one who treated Shen Fei and Xin Yan poorly? What about you? You were even worse! When Shen Fei toasted you, you poured the wine on him!” Zhang Xiulian snapped back.

“What’s the use of talking about this now? If you hadn’t gone to Xin Yan’s company and caused a scene, they wouldn’t be so upset! Isn’t this all on you? And don’t forget, it was your big mouth spreading rumors about Shen Fei’s past, nearly driving their company to bankruptcy!”

Han Jian impatiently waved his hand.

“Fine! Blame me! But no matter what, she still has to call me ‘Mom,’ right? What is this nonsense!” Zhang Xiulian started crying again.

Seeing her tears, Han Jian couldn’t help but feel bad.

He thought about the advice Old Zhang gave him when he borrowed money the other day.

After hesitating, he finally cleared his throat and said:

“Stop crying already! I think we should change our approach. You should call Xin Yan and tell her we won’t ask for jobs at her company anymore. Instead, we can help her out at home—cook meals, look after Yue Yue, and lighten their burden. That way, we can smooth things over.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiulian immediately stopped crying.

The tears that had just started flowing were suddenly held back.

“Old Han, how did you come up with such a good idea? This is great!”

She turned to Han Jian and urged him:

“Why are you just sitting there? As long as Xin Yan doesn’t hold a grudge against us anymore, that’s all that matters!”

Han Jian froze, then turned his head away.

“No, I’m not calling. You call her!”

“…”

Zhang Xiulian was speechless and glared at Han Jian.

“You coward! Fine, I’ll call!”

Saying that, Zhang Xiulian pulled out her phone.

But before she could dial, Han Jian stopped her.

“Are you stupid? That number might already be blocked! Even if it isn’t, as soon as she sees it’s you, she won’t answer!”

“Then what do you suggest?” Zhang Xiulian asked.

“I got a new SIM card a few days ago. Use that one. Just put it in the old phone.”

Han Jian pointed to the drawer under the coffee table.

Zhang Xiulian hesitated, then opened the drawer to find the phone inside.

Without further thought, she inserted the new card and dialed Han Xinyan’s number.

—

“Hello?”

In her office at Xinyue Group, Han Xinyan was busy working when her phone rang.

She glanced at the caller ID before answering.

The next moment, she regretted picking up.

“Xinyan, it’s Mom!”

Hearing Zhang Xiulian’s voice, Han Xinyan’s brows furrowed deeply.

Her tone immediately turned cold:

“What do you want?”

“Xinyan, why are you speaking to your mom like this? It really hurts me! I know I was wrong before. You’re successful now; can’t you forgive me?” Zhang Xiulian sobbed.

But Han Xinyan only sneered when she heard this.

“What do you want? If you’re not going to say it, I’m hanging up. I’m busy.”

“No, I’ll say it!”

Zhang Xiulian quickly stopped crying and said:

“Xinyan, I was wrong to cause trouble at your company before. I’ve thought it through now. Can I come to your house and help out—cook meals, take care of Yue Yue, and lighten your burden?”

Hearing this, Han Xinyan’s lips curled into a faint smile.

Did she believe Zhang Xiulian’s words?

Of course not!

If Zhang Xiulian got her way, then the peaceful life Han Xinyan had built for her family would be over.

Most importantly, after the forced marriage, the harsh words, and everything that had happened, she had completely given up on Zhang Xiulian and Han Jian.

Pretending nothing happened?

She couldn’t do it.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 360: Something Happened!

“Xiaoyan, just trust me this time! I will never treat you and Shen Fei the way I did before. I will treat both of you well!”

After waiting for a long time without hearing anything from Han Xinyan, Zhang Xiulian felt that Han Xinyan was probably considering her request, which gave her a glimmer of hope. She even continued with her promises, anxious to please her daughter.

However, the next second, Han Xinyan’s response stunned her.

“No need! We don’t need it!”

“Xiaoyan, do you still hold a grudge against me?” Zhang Xiulian felt a sharp sense of disappointment in her heart.

“What does whether we hold a grudge have to do with it? We simply don’t need you to do anything for us! Besides, this is not something I can decide alone!” Han Xinyan coldly replied.

“Is it because the living allowance isn’t enough? That’s why you’re having these thoughts? I give you and your father 10,000 each a month, is that not enough? This is the last bit of kindness I’m showing!” Han Xinyan said, then hung up immediately.

Zhang Xiulian, on the other hand, was not happy at all. Especially after hearing the beeping sound of the call being disconnected, she felt an overwhelming anger rise within her.

“This ungrateful girl! I raised her with so much effort, and this is how she treats us! She’s a white-eyed wolf! Even a dog would wag its tail when it sees us!”

“Stop yelling! From what Xiaoyan said, this isn’t something she can decide on! Doesn’t that mean Shen Fei can make the decision? Let’s just ask him directly!” Han Jian said impatiently.

If Han Xinyan had heard this conversation, she would have been utterly speechless. Because when she said those things to her mother, she was only trying to placate her, with no real intention behind it. If she had known this misunderstanding would occur, she would have never said those words.

Zhang Xiulian, however, took a deep breath and, feeling somewhat relieved, said, “Alright, so we just call Shen Fei directly?”

“If you want to go to their house and serve them…” Han Jian said.

“Well… I’m a bit scared…” Zhang Xiulian hesitated.

This was because she had always treated Shen Fei poorly before, constantly mocking or insulting him. Now, having to humble herself and beg him for help…

She was afraid she wouldn’t be able to do it.

“You do it!” Zhang Xiulian pushed the phone toward Han Jian.

“No way! I was terrible to him!” Han Jian quickly refused.

“How could you say that? Didn’t I once tell him he was wasting air and that he should hurry up and divorce Xiaoyan?” Zhang Xiulian said angrily.

Han Jian shook his head, then lit a cigarette and sat on the couch, indifferent.

Seeing his attitude, Zhang Xiulian was furious but had no other option. She took a deep breath and, with trembling hands, dialed the familiar number.

Meanwhile, at Shenzhen airport, Deng Xin had just received Shen Fei.

On the way, the phone rang.

“Hello?” Shen Fei answered.

“Shen, Shen Fei… It’s mom…” Zhang Xiulian said bitterly.

“What is it?” Shen Fei immediately recognized the voice.

“Shen Fei, I didn’t want to bother you! But after what happened last time, I quit my cleaning job! Now I have nothing to do, and I thought, since both you and Xiaoyan are so busy, I could help a little. I know I made mistakes before, and I apologize to you both. I’ve woken up! Don’t they say that acknowledging your mistakes is the best way to improve? Please, give me a chance to change. I asked Xiaoyan, and she told me to ask you, so I’m calling now!” Zhang Xiulian said.

“Hmph, help us? When I was penniless, why didn’t you think of helping us then? Now you’re too late,” Shen Fei said coldly.

“Well…” Zhang Xiulian was momentarily speechless.

“I think you should understand, what Xiaoyan said was just a polite refusal!” Shen Fei continued before Zhang Xiulian could speak.

“Also, our family doesn’t need you to help! Yueyue absolutely despises you! She doesn’t want to see you at all!”

“Moreover, didn’t Xiaoyan give you a living allowance? As a child, she’s already being filial to you! Legally, that’s enough! Don’t ask for more!”

Afraid Shen Fei would hang up immediately, Zhang Xiulian quickly pleaded, “Shen Fei, please be magnanimous and give me a chance to change!”

“Is there anything else? If not, goodbye!” Shen Fei said coldly.

“Yes! Of course there is!” Zhang Xiulian replied immediately.

“Say it!” Shen Fei was clearly running out of patience.

“You won’t let me come to your house, and I have no complaints about that!”

Zhang Xiulian suddenly changed her tone and said harshly, “But the living allowance you give us, isn’t it a bit too little? If Xiaoyan has a grudge against us, I can understand, but we raised her, and it wasn’t easy! And because of you, we even lost our jobs…”

Hearing Shen Fei’s firm response, Zhang Xiulian gave up all hope of reconciliation.

Instead of continuing to beg, she figured she might as well go all out.

After all, she never truly wanted to reconcile with Shen Fei and his family.

“So how much do you want?” Shen Fei asked with a playful tone.

“Xiaoyan said you give us 10,000 each a month?” Shen Fei pressed.

“Yes, 10,000…” Zhang Xiulian replied honestly.

“Isn’t 10,000 enough? How big is your appetite?” Shen Fei asked, amused.

“Say a number, then!” Zhang Xiulian said, emboldened.

“Alright! Let’s be clear about this! You and Xiaoyan are worth hundreds of millions, and you spend billions easily. To you, it’s just numbers, right?” Zhang Xiulian said confidently.

“Yes, so what?” Shen Fei replied indifferently.

“Then I want 200,000 a month!” Zhang Xiulian stated directly.

After all, in the face of hundreds of millions, 200,000 was nothing but a drop in the ocean!

Han Jian, who was sitting nearby smoking, was shocked when he heard this.

200,000?

Wow, she really dares to ask for that much!

“How about I throw in a villa for you as well? Or make you a small shareholder in the Yuexin series?” Shen Fei joked.

These conditions made Zhang Xiulian even more excited.

But she wasn’t stupid. Hearing the cold tone in Shen Fei’s voice, she replied, “Forget about those things! 200,000 will be fine! For you, this should be a small matter, right?”

“Indeed, for us now, 200,000 is a small matter! But if you were a good mother-in-law, not even 200,000 but a million would be easy for us to give. But are you one?” Shen Fei continued coldly.

“During the time I failed in my business, how many insults did Xiaoyan and Yueyue suffer from you? Even when Yueyue wanted a bowl of egg custard, you mocked her for half a day… And don’t get me started on all the insults you hurled at Xiaoyan and Yueyue!”

Shen Fei said, his tone icy.

“I suggest you understand your situation. Otherwise, don’t say 10,000, even 5,000, we won’t give you! If you keep asking for more, we’ll cut off all ties with you! I’ll give you 200,000 for Xiaoyan to sever all contact with you!”

Before Shen Fei could finish his sentence, Zhang Xiulian had already hung up, choosing the latter option: to sever ties.

On the way, Shen Fei, hearing the beeping sound, smiled mockingly.

He wasn’t surprised that Zhang Xiulian called, but he hadn’t expected her to call so late!

Deng Xin, who was driving, saw that Shen Fei had hung up and, looking serious, said, “Mr. Shen, there’s been an issue with the base construction!”