Chapter 411: We Were Blind!

Hearing what his son said, Zhou Wuneng and Li Xiuying almost couldn’t catch their breath.

Weideli Kindergarten—it was a place they couldn’t even get close to the threshold of. They couldn’t even go near the area within fifty meters of the kindergarten.

Normally, Li Xiuying would definitely scold Zhou Xingxing, but today, with Shen Fei and Han Xinyan present, Li Xiuying didn’t say a word, and she dared not.

“Dad, Mom, I want to go to Weideli Kindergarten! I want to go there! Or I’ll drop out!” Zhou Xingxing shouted again after waiting for a long time without a response.

At this point, Zhou Wuneng couldn’t take it anymore and directly pulled Zhou Xingxing. “You little brat, is that a place we can afford to go to? Not to mention going there, we can’t even get close!”

“I don’t care, I want to go! I want to go to school with Yueyue! If you don’t let me go, I won’t go to Dafenche Kindergarten either!” Zhou Xingxing, spoiled by his family, cried out in frustration.

“Mom, let me go to Weideli Kindergarten! Why can Shen Jiayue go, but I can’t?” Zhou Xingxing shouted loudly.

His loud voice drew the attention of many passersby.

Weideli Kindergarten—how could a family like theirs even enter? This child’s family must be dreaming!

Feeling the gazes of others, Zhou Wuneng and Li Xiuying were extremely embarrassed.

This was truly humiliating!

“Shut up! Stop crying!” Li Xiuying, who usually pampered Zhou Xingxing, pretended to be angry and slapped his bottom. This made Zhou Xingxing stop crying and stop insisting on going to Weideli Kindergarten.

“Mr. Shen, Mrs. Han, I’m sorry, the child is just being innocent! Please forgive us!” Zhou Wuneng blushed with shame, and after a brief pause, he spoke out loud.

His back and posture, which had been slouched since seeing Shen Fei and Han Xinyan, remained hunched.

“No worries! If the child wants to go, and Mr. Zhou is so capable, then let the child go!” Shen Fei teased.

Shen Fei knew very well what kind of people this couple was. They were arrogant with a bit of money, looked down on those they thought were beneath them, and even used their wealth to bully others. Shen Fei had no intention of befriending them.

“Mr. Shen, you’re joking! How could a place like Weideli Kindergarten be for people like us? Mr. Shen, you’re impressive enough to get the child in, but not us! We might never be able to enter in our lifetime…” Zhou Wuneng said, fawning.

Li Xiuying hurriedly added, “Yes, Mr. Shen, please stop joking with us! In the past, we were blind and ungrateful, but now that you are so magnanimous, please don’t hold it against us!”

Li Xiuying’s attitude was respectful, completely different from her usual arrogant self. It was more about fear than respect, fearing Shen Fei’s retaliation.

Zhou Wuneng’s company had cooperated with Chengyou Technology and Zhongtai Trading, and it was because of this that their family could live such a good life.

However, not long ago, they learned that the CEOs of Chengyou Technology and Zhongtai Trading were both well-acquainted with Shen Fei.

This made them incredibly fearful, afraid that Shen Fei would settle scores later, remembering how they had insulted his daughter and Han Xinyan. Li Xiuying, in particular, was terrified.

If Shen Fei really held a grudge, it would be bad enough for their cooperation to end, but Zhou Wuneng’s position and job might also be at risk!

Now that they had encountered Shen Fei’s family, they had to lower their attitudes and try to please him, no matter how unwilling they were.

However, their concerns were not unfounded.

In reality, Shen Fei had no idea about their connections. If he knew, he would definitely have severed the ties between his companies and Zhou Wuneng’s.

Shen Fei couldn’t stand people who bullied the weak with their power.

However, he wasn’t someone who sought vengeance over trivial matters. He wouldn’t go out of his way to investigate people’s backgrounds. If he did know about their connections, he would make sure their lives were thrown into chaos.

Now, with the couple so humble and respectful, Shen Fei couldn’t help but feel disdain.

“Ah Yan, Yueyue, let’s go play!” he said, then completely ignored them and walked away.

When they saw the family disappear, Zhou Wuneng and Li Xiuying let out a sigh of relief. The fear and anxiety in their eyes were gone.

“Yingzi, do you think that Mr. Shen doesn’t know about the cooperation between us, Chengyou Technology, and Zhongtai Trading?” Zhou Wuneng sighed.

“With his attitude, if he knew, we would be finished!” Li Xiuying said loudly.

“You’re right! Looks like I have to be extra careful from now on. If he finds out, he won’t let us off! I’ve worked so hard to get to my position and salary; I can’t let him ruin it!” Zhou Wuneng frowned.

“Exactly!” Li Xiuying agreed.

Then, with a hint of jealousy, she said, “But Old Zhou, how did this Shen Fei get so lucky? He was just a gambling fool, and now he’s a rich tycoon, and he knows the CEOs of Chengyou Technology and Zhongtai Trading! It’s just not fair! People like him should have stayed trash!”

She touched her face, still sore from the slap Shen Fei had given her earlier.

Meanwhile, Zhou Xingxing, who had stopped crying for a moment, suddenly started again.

“Dad, I really want to go to Weideli Kindergarten! Please let me go!”

“Go, go, go! You little brat, do you think you can go just because you want to? If we could go, I would’ve let you go already!” Zhou Wuneng was getting frustrated.

“Old Zhou, how can you talk to the child like that?” Li Xiuying scolded, pushing him.

“Fine, fine, I won’t! Let’s see how you explain it to him!” Zhou Wuneng muttered as he walked away first.

Even though they had just entered the park, they no longer felt like continuing. They feared encountering Shen Fei’s family again, which would only make things more awkward.

Li Xiuying rolled her eyes at Zhou Wuneng and then looked at Zhou Xingxing, trying to sound sweet.

“Sweetie, Weideli Kindergarten isn’t a good school at all! Be good, we’re not going! Come, Mommy will take you to eat your favorite KFC!”

Her resentment toward Shen Fei’s family grew, but she knew that they couldn’t stay any longer in the park. So, she quickly followed Zhou Wuneng and left.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 412: Visiting Often Recently?

Shen Fei had no idea about Zhou Wuneng and Li Xiuying’s grumbling behind their backs regarding his family of three. If he did, even though he usually avoided unnecessary trouble, he wouldn’t let them off.

No matter how much malice others harbored toward him, he didn’t care. But if it concerned his wife and daughter, he would never tolerate it.

At the amusement park, the small episode earlier didn’t dampen their spirits at all. Shen Fei, Han Xinyan, and Shen Jiayue were having a great time enjoying all the attractions.

Many people recognized Shen Fei and asked for photos with him. Shen Fei didn’t refuse, displaying none of the arrogance that wealthy people often show.

The fact that a big boss who could sit and talk business with Qian Dasheng, the chairman of Qian Kun Group, was now standing here, kindly agreeing to photos, surprised and impressed many.

After all, Shen Fei’s popularity in Shenzhen was something everyone was well aware of.

“Daddy, why do all these people want to take photos with you?” Shen Jiayue asked, puzzled by the attention.

“Because Daddy is famous now! He’s a big star here in Shenzhen!” Han Xinyan explained with a smile.

“A big star? But Daddy isn’t even wearing red!” the little girl responded, clearly misunderstanding the term.

Han Xinyan found herself at a loss for words, struggling to explain in simpler terms. After a lot of fumbling, the little girl finally tilted her head and asked, “So, Mommy, are the people on TV also big stars?”

“Yes, you could say that,” Han Xinyan nodded.

“Then why haven’t I seen Daddy on TV before?” the girl questioned again.

“Hmm? Does Jiayue want Daddy to be on TV too?” Shen Fei asked with a soft smile.

“I want all the kids in the world to know how amazing my Daddy is! I want the kids at Windmill Kindergarten to know that Jiayue isn’t an orphan! If Daddy’s on TV, I can brag to the other kids!” she said, thinking hard.

Her words nearly broke Shen Fei’s heart. Clearly, those days at Windmill Kindergarten had hurt the little girl deeply—and it was all his fault.

His voice softened. “If that’s what Jiayue wants, then Daddy promises he’ll be on TV for you!”

“Yay! Daddy, you have to tell me when it happens!” the little girl exclaimed, puffing her cheeks adorably.

Watching this, Han Xinyan felt a mix of heartache and joy.

Just as the family of three was laughing together, a sudden exclamation interrupted the moment.

“Xinyan!”

Hearing the voice, Han Xinyan turned around.

A couple with a child was walking toward them with exaggerated smiles. Upon closer inspection, the smiles seemed fake and insincere.

Shen Fei’s expression froze when he saw them, his brows furrowing. Clearly, he should have checked the calendar before going out today—he kept running into people he didn’t want to see.

The couple was Yang Yue and Zhao Yuanzheng. Yang Yue was Han Xinyan’s cousin, the daughter of Han Jian’s sister, while Zhao Yuanzheng was her husband.

In the past, Han Xinyan’s parents had frequently mentioned Zhao Yuanzheng to compare him to Shen Fei, highlighting their disdain for Shen Fei.

Not just Han Jian and Zhang Xiulian, but even the extended Han family used to take shots at Shen Fei whenever possible.

To them, Shen Fei was a complete failure, while Zhao Yuanzheng—a seemingly successful figure—radiated superiority and looked down on Shen Fei.

Shen Fei remembered clearly that years ago, after his business had initially failed, he attended a relative’s baby celebration. He had given Zhao Yuanzheng a pack of cigarettes worth ten yuan, but Zhao responded with a sneer and pulled out a pricier pack without even acknowledging Shen Fei.

His attitude back then made Shen Fei feel like he was being treated like garbage.

From that moment on, Shen Fei stopped attending Han family events altogether—except for Han Lixin, whose support for Shen Fei had been genuine.

Shen Fei didn’t care about being ignored by Han Xinyan’s relatives, but Zhao Yuanzheng’s contemptuous behavior had left a mark.

Yet, Shen Fei never sought to provoke or retaliate against Zhao Yuanzheng. There was no need. The two of them were no longer on the same level.

Still, he hadn’t expected to bump into them today.

“Xinyan, Shen Fei? It really is you two! I almost thought I was seeing things. And this little one must be Jiayue? She’s growing so beautifully!” Yang Yue exclaimed, walking over affectionately and reaching out to pat Jiayue’s head.

Sensing something was off, Jiayue quickly hid behind Shen Fei, staring warily at Yang Yue.

Seeing this, Yang Yue awkwardly withdrew her hand and nudged her child forward. “Come on, Zhuangzhuang, say hello to your aunt and uncle!”

The child, about three or four years older than Jiayue, obediently greeted them, “Hello, Auntie and Uncle!”

Then, turning to his parents, he asked, “Mom and Dad, why haven’t I seen Auntie and Uncle before?”

The question made Zhao Yuanzheng and Yang Yue’s smiles falter. They laughed it off awkwardly, saying, “Silly boy, your mom and dad have just been too busy to bring you here to see Jiayue before! Now, take Jiayue to go play!”

“No!” Jiayue refused, hiding even further behind Shen Fei.

The atmosphere turned tense again until Yang Yue broke the silence.

“Xinyan, Shen Fei, it’s really hard to meet you these days. We’ve been visiting Uncle Han’s place so often recently but haven’t run into you two.”

“Oh? Visiting often?” Shen Fei asked with a hint of amusement.

Before they’d succeeded, this couple hadn’t even bothered with the Han family. Now, their frequent visits seemed suspicious.

Hearing Shen Fei’s tone, Yang Yue and Zhao Yuanzheng’s smiles stiffened again.

Yang Yue worked as a bank manager, while Zhao Yuanzheng was a top salesperson at a car dealership. Both were socially adept and usually smooth operators. Recently, for a certain matter, they’d repeatedly visited the Han family, hoping to meet Shen Fei and Han Xinyan.

But the family’s secrecy was tight. Despite bringing expensive gifts and making several visits, they’d always come up empty-handed.

They had only just learned that not even Han Jian and Zhang Xiulian saw much of Shen Fei and Han Xinyan these days…

Note:

The phrase “wearing red” in the translation comes from the Chinese term “大红人” (dà hóng rén), which is an idiom that figuratively means “a popular or influential person” or someone who is highly favored. In literal translation, it might seem to refer to someone wearing red clothes, but in this context, it’s purely metaphorical.

In Chinese culture, red is often associated with luck, success, and attention, so someone who is referred to as a “big red person” is someone who is very popular, successful, or widely recognized, like a “celebrity” or “big shot.”

In the text, Shen Jiayue, the little girl, misunderstands this idiom literally and thinks her father should be physically wearing red clothes to be called a “big red person.” This highlights her innocence and lack of understanding of idiomatic expressions.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 413: We Are Family!

Their boldness had clearly been honed over time.

Hearing the teasing tone in Shen Fei’s voice, and knowing that this was a rare opportunity to encounter him, neither of them dared to maintain their previous arrogant attitude.

Especially Yang Yue, Han Xin Yan’s cousin.

She had been visiting Han’s family often, hoping to have Han Jian and Zhang Xiulian help set things up, and of course, she hadn’t been stingy with the gifts.

After several visits, she had learned that even Han Jian and Zhang Xiulian found it difficult to meet Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan. Yang Yue was furious, but for the sake of her relationship with Han Jian, she had to swallow her anger.

Now, by chance, she had encountered Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan, so no matter what, she had to be cordial with them. She couldn’t afford to be embarrassed or lose face now.

“Shen Fei, you must be mistaken! My husband and I used to visit you guys all the time!” Yang Yue said with a smirk.

“Really?” Shen Fei responded with a faint smile, coldly snorting and not saying anything further.

“We’re busy with work now, so we don’t visit as often,” Han Xin Yan replied, lowering her eyes.

Seeing Yang Yue behave so meekly, Han Xin Yan was slightly surprised. However, as the saying goes, one shouldn’t strike a smiling face. Even though she disliked the woman, she still nodded politely.

Had Yang Yue behaved this way a few months ago, Han Xin Yan would have been shocked and surprised.

But now, knowing human nature, she only found the behavior utterly hypocritical.

And Yang Yue wasn’t the only one showing such a drastic change. Those friends and classmates who had previously mocked and looked down on her had all turned friendly and enthusiastic after hearing about her and Shen Fei’s business success. Han Xin Yan had ignored them all.

Now, Yang Yue’s ingratiation only disgusted her.

After all, Yang Yue’s previous attitude was so clear that Han Xin Yan knew this shift in behavior was purely because they had money now.

If they were still the same as before, this couple would have turned around and left the moment they saw them. They certainly wouldn’t be as low-key and humble as they were now.

“Yes, yes, your company is huge, so it’s understandable you’re busy! I see that you haven’t taken Yue Yue out to play in a long time!” Yang Yue continued, trying to keep up the conversation.

Han Xin Yan’s expression remained indifferent.

But Yang Yue, seemingly oblivious to the tension, continued, “Ah, it’s a pity. I had planned to go to Li Xin’s wedding, and I had told your cousin that I would be there. Unfortunately, I was sent on a business trip, and your cousin couldn’t come because of his work at the 4S store. He’s a top salesman, a sales manager, so he couldn’t get away! If I had been there, we could’ve had a heart-to-heart conversation!”

“It’s fine. Whether you came or not, it didn’t happen. You would’ve just seen a joke,” Han Xin Yan replied flatly.

“Come on, you’re being too distant! We’re family, aren’t we? You’re my good sister, so our relationship should be much closer! I heard from Auntie about what happened that day, and if I had been there, I would’ve definitely stood by you!” Yang Yue said with feigned enthusiasm.

Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan both felt speechless.

If Yang Yue had behaved differently before, Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan might have believed her words. But they knew better and were aware of her true nature. They understood that if she had been there that day, she certainly wouldn’t have stood by them; instead, she would have probably criticized them harshly for making a scene.

In any case, Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan ignored her completely.

After a long silence, Zhao Yuan Zheng, who had not spoken up until now, stepped in to break the tension.

“Xin Yan, Shen Fei, it’s almost lunchtime. Let’s not stand here. How about we find a place to eat and talk?”

Zhao Yuan Zheng moved to put his arm around Shen Fei’s shoulder, but Shen Fei stepped away, avoiding him.

“Manager Zhao, there’s no need. I’ve already made a reservation for a place to eat. You guys go have fun.” Shen Fei replied, indifferent.

Zhao Yuan Zheng’s arm froze in midair, embarrassed.

He quickly pretended to stretch and awkwardly smiled, “Shen Fei, come on, we’re family! Why are you treating me like an outsider?”

Family?

Shen Fei almost laughed out loud.

They weren’t even close. Why was he doing this now?

Seeing that the focus had shifted to Shen Fei, Han Xin Yan furrowed her brows.

“Alright, enough with the small talk! I’m sure you have something to ask us. Just say it. We’ve been playing all morning and are already tired. If there’s nothing important, we’ll leave.”

Yang Yue was slightly annoyed by Han Xin Yan’s bluntness but, because she had something to ask, she forced a smile and said, “No, nothing important.”

“Then we’ll leave,” Han Xin Yan said straightforwardly.

She then led Shen Fei and Shen Jiayue away.

Seeing them leave, Zhao Yuan Zheng was furious.

He knew that if he missed this chance, it might be a long time before he could see them again. They didn’t even have Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan’s contact details.

“Are you crazy? If we don’t speak now, when will we have another chance? You’ve wasted so much money and time at your uncle’s place, and got nothing! Now that we’ve finally run into them, you’re doing nothing? You’re just wasting an opportunity!” Zhao Yuan Zheng hurriedly said.

“Why don’t you say something?” Yang Yue retorted with irritation.

“Are you kidding? You’re Han Xin Yan’s real cousin! You’re family! Even if she doesn’t want to help, she can’t just refuse you as family! If you speak up, I’ll be the general manager for sure!” Zhao Yuan Zheng said in a low voice.

Yang Yue hesitated slightly at his words.

Although she was usually good at smoothing things over, she also knew how bad her and Zhao Yuan Zheng’s past attitudes toward Shen Fei and Han Xin Yan had been. So asking them for help wasn’t so simple.

But if they missed this chance, who knew when the next opportunity would come.

“Think about it. If I become the general manager, you’ll be the general manager’s wife! You’ll be proud and powerful! Go ask them now! Or we’ll have no more chances!” Zhao Yuan Zheng urged.

Hearing the words “general manager’s wife,” Yang Yue’s resolve wavered, and her hesitation disappeared.

“I’m going now!” She gathered her courage and hurried to catch up.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 414: You Handle It!

“Wait, Xiao Yan, Shen Fei!”

Yang Yue shouted.

This stopped Shen Fei and his family in their tracks.

“Is there something else?”

Seeing Yang Yue blocking their way, Han Xinyan frowned slightly.

Yang Yue’s husband, Zhao Yuanzheng, quickly arrived with their child, standing next to Yang Yue.

“Uh… Xiao Yan, I want to ask for a favor…”

Yang Yue hesitated, gritting her teeth.

“Go ahead.”

Han Xinyan seemed to have expected this and wasn’t surprised.

After a glance at Zhao Yuanzheng, Yang Yue took a deep breath before continuing.

“Xiao Yan, Shen Fei, you should know about our family’s situation, right? Your cousin works at a Mercedes 4S store, and he’s a manager there!”

“Mm, so are you here to show off?” Han Xinyan coldly replied, showing no interest in what Yang Yue was saying.

“That’s not it…”

Yang Yue felt a little embarrassed by Han Xinyan’s response, but after a quick look at Zhao Yuanzheng, she braced herself and continued.

“It’s like this, Xiao Yan. The general manager of the store where your cousin works has been transferred, and now there’s an open position. From what your cousin knows, the company has decided to select someone internally, not hire from outside!”

“So, what you’re saying is, you want us to help your husband get the general manager position?”

Hearing the implication in her tone, Han Xinyan smiled, raising an eyebrow with an indifferent look.

“But we don’t even know anyone at that 4S store. Even if we wanted to help, we’d be powerless, right? And moreover…”

Before Han Xinyan could finish, Yang Yue interrupted her.

“Xiao Yan, it’s not like that! You can help!”

“Because the owner of that 4S store is Duan Guoxiang, the son of Duan Guo’an! Your cousin has been working there since the beginning, climbing the ranks from sales to the sales manager position. Clearly, your cousin has some ability! But despite all that, it seems like someone in the company has been suppressing him, and a promotion he should have gotten long ago hasn’t come through. Now, there’s finally an opportunity, and your cousin wants to grab it…”

Yang Yue didn’t finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

“So, you want me to use my connections to ask Duan Guoxiang to make your husband the general manager?”

Hearing this, Zhao Yuanzheng couldn’t hold back anymore and stepped forward.

“Shen Fei, you’re practically brothers with Manager Duan! If you ask him personally, I believe he’ll give you face! Besides, I managed to get the manager position, so I have the ability. If I become the general manager, I won’t disappoint anyone!”

Shen Fei couldn’t help but laugh coldly.

This guy really thinks highly of himself!

After the way he had treated him so rudely at the banquet, how could Shen Fei help him?

“CEO Shen, all we’re asking is that you help a bit, and we’ll remember your kindness!”

Yang Yue almost begged.

After revealing their request, the couple eagerly looked at Shen Fei.

Han Xinyan, who was standing nearby, frowned deeper.

She hoped Shen Fei would outright reject them.

Although she wouldn’t take revenge for their past insults, she also wouldn’t agree to all their requests just because of their sudden change in attitude.

Moreover, they had never been kind to them before.

This made her feel disgusted.

So, Han Xinyan’s attitude toward this matter was clear.

“Shen Fei… brother-in-law, please help me, we are family. If you help me, I will have your back in the future!” Zhao Yuanzheng even addressed Shen Fei as “brother-in-law.”

“Two knives in the ribs?” Shen Fei thought to himself.

“I’ll think about it,” Shen Fei said with a playful smile, neither agreeing nor refusing.

Before the family could say anything else, he took Han Xinyan and Shen Jiayue and walked away.

Watching them leave, Zhao Yuanzheng was frustrated.

Shen Fei and Han Xinyan had shown no enthusiasm towards them.

If they missed this opportunity, who knew when they would meet again?

Afterward, they had no contact information for Shen Fei and Han Xinyan.

“Are you crazy? If we don’t seize the chance now, we may never have another!” Zhao Yuanzheng quickly said.

“You think I don’t know that?” Yang Yue replied irritably.

“We were just doing what we thought was best,” Zhao Yuanzheng muttered regretfully.

“Why did we offend Shen Fei back then? If we had known he would rise this far, we wouldn’t have done that!”

Yang Yue shared the same feelings, but it was too late.

No matter what they said now, it was too late.

…

After walking for a while, Han Xinyan spoke solemnly.

“Husband, do you really want to help Zhao Yuanzheng?”

“What do you think, should we help them?” Shen Fei asked, turning it around.

“Of course not…” Han Xinyan immediately replied.

Shen Fei quickly laughed and said, “Of course not! We may not actively seek revenge, but that doesn’t mean we’ll help them!”

“Then why didn’t you just reject them outright?” Han Xinyan was confused.

“Don’t you think it’s better not to let them keep pestering us?”

After saying that, Shen Fei took out his phone.

“Wait, I’ll ask Guo Xiang about the situation.”

“But we’re not planning to help them, so why are you calling Duan Zong?” Han Xinyan asked, puzzled.

“Just to find out what’s really going on. Duan Guoxiang has his own way of managing things! If, as Zhao Yuanzheng said, people are suppressing him at the company, that would be strange!” Shen Fei said seriously.

“Is it really necessary?” Han Xinyan asked in disbelief.

“It’s just a quick question. We’ll understand more,” Shen Fei said, smiling calmly, then dialed Duan Guoxiang’s number.

After hearing the purpose of the call, Duan Guoxiang was stunned.

“Fei Ge, what’s your relationship with Zhao Yuanzheng?”

“No need to worry about that, just give me an objective evaluation,” Shen Fei replied.

“Alright! To be honest, his ability is good, but his character is terrible! He has no professional ethics whatsoever! He relies on his little bit of ability to form cliques, and even tried to contact our 4S store’s rival to jump ship, but they didn’t want him as vice president, so they rejected him! After he came back, he started forming cliques again just to get promoted to general manager…”

Duan Guoxiang paused for a moment and continued, “Fei Ge, a person like this, I can’t keep him around any longer! Who knows when he might cause trouble for the company! So, I’m planning to fire him after this period is over.”

“Mm, you handle it,” Shen Fei said with a smile, without saying anything more.

—————- END —————-

Chapter 415: The Disturbance in the Hotel!

“Honey, if Gu Xiang really fires Zhao Yuanzheng, won’t they blame us for all of this? The timing is just too coincidental!”

After hearing what Duan Guxiang had said on the phone, Han Xinyan immediately frowned.

And this concern wasn’t without reason.

From what Duan Guxiang had said, and from what she knew about Yang Yue’s family, if Zhao Yuanzheng were fired, they would also likely face some undeserved trouble.

“Who cares? If he really tries to pin all of this on us, what difference does it make? He can’t even get close to us!” Shen Fei shrugged, showing he wasn’t concerned.

“It’s easy to say, but we didn’t do anything wrong. We’re innocent…” Han Xinyan hesitated.

“So, you think we should ask Gu Xiang not to fire Zhao Yuanzheng? Or should we let him know about this person’s bad character but still promote him to general manager? Either way, it would be unfair to the Duan family’s company!” Shen Fei said loudly.

Han Xinyan fell silent.

It was an impossible situation!

Before she could speak, Shen Fei continued,

“I know you don’t want us to be blamed for something we didn’t do. But, even if we just met him this time and didn’t help him, he’ll probably hold a grudge against us. Look at where we are now—your relatives have already been holding grudges against us. Even if we get one more accusation, what difference does it make? They don’t interact with us anymore! Well, at least not with me!”

“Before, when your relatives looked down on me or mocked me, I never reacted, but now we’re not the same as we used to be. I can forgive the past, but if they’re ungrateful and ask us for help, then don’t blame me for cutting ties with them!”

Hearing this, Han Xinyan felt a deep pang of guilt.

Over the years, Shen Fei had endured so much hardship. But if Shen Fei’s personality had changed after his business failure—leading to his struggles with alcohol and gambling, and thus being mocked and rejected—then Han Xinyan’s guilt wouldn’t be as intense.

However, that wasn’t the case.

Since Shen Fei and she started dating and got married, her relatives had looked down on him. Even when Shen Fei needed startup funds for his first venture, her relatives had kept their distance and criticized him, convinced he would fail.

From that moment on, Han Xinyan had felt even more guilty toward Shen Fei.

This guilt lasted until Shen Fei first abused her. But it was because of this guilt and love that she hesitated when it came to the option of divorcing him.

Seeing Han Xinyan so self-reproachful, Shen Fei patted her on the shoulder.

“A Yan, look, it’s not your fault! It’s your relatives who were in the wrong, but thinking about it now, maybe we should thank them for their disdain and mockery. Otherwise, I might have continued being aimless. No matter what, the past is the past. Let’s not blame ourselves for anything. Can we stop feeling guilty?”

To cheer her up, Shen Fei quickly changed the subject.

“I’ve ordered some delicious desserts for you and Yueyue at the hotel. Let’s go!”

Seeing Shen Fei act this way, Han Xinyan hid her feelings of guilt and forced a smile.

“Okay!”

But no matter what, when it came to her relatives, Han Xinyan stood by Shen Fei’s side.

—

Accompanied by Deng Xinyuan and others, Shen Fei’s family arrived at the hotel he had already reserved.

It was a three-star hotel, elegantly decorated with a high-end atmosphere. The dishes, following the principle of “if you can deceive a fool, then do it,” were overpriced and skimpy in portion.

When Han Xinyan saw the menu, she frowned slightly, but soon, the warm family time with her loved ones made her forget about it.

While they were enjoying their family time, a loud commotion broke out in the hotel lobby.

“Get out of the way! Damn! I’ve never seen such actors before! You invite me to shoot this movie, and you get this kind of actor to collaborate? Huh? Can you even watch this? I just want to know, can you watch this?”

The moment the voice fell, there was a loud ‘bang.’

A high-priced camera was thrown aside, and with tremendous force, it hit the ground and shattered into pieces.

“Director Bai, please look at this…”

“Damn it! I’m not the director, you all are! You think you’re so good! With this movie, if it ever gets made and welcomed by the market, I’d be surprised! What? You think because I’m easy to bully you can just keep doing it? I don’t care what rich and beautiful stars you bring in, I just want them to be able to act! All they do is stare and act all high and mighty, speaking in a cutesy tone. I’m not their sugar daddy, so why do they act all spoiled with me?!”

The man, called Director Bai, scolded harshly.

The more he spoke, the angrier he became. He took several big steps forward and stomped on the already shattered camera.

“I’d rather starve and die than shoot this garbage film!”

“Director Bai, if you don’t shoot, it’s a breach of contract! And breach of contract comes with penalties!” said a man nearby in a low voice.

“Breach of contract? If I have to pay, then I’ll pay. But let me tell you, this kind of trash movie will never be seen! Using those people as actors is an insult to the term ‘actor’! If I go against my conscience and make this movie, I’ll be ruining my reputation! Damn it, agreeing to this was the biggest mistake I ever made!” Bai Runqi said with frustration.

As the two argued, a middle-aged man walked quickly toward them.

His face was grim, and as soon as he entered, his gaze locked onto Bai Runqi.

“Bai Runqi, do you really think you’re something special? The things you said to those actresses have already reached their investors’ ears! Do you still want to make a living?” the middle-aged man scolded sternly.

“Do I want to make a living? What about it?” Bai Runqi shot back.

The man was left speechless, unable to respond immediately.

After a long pause, the middle-aged man finally calmed down a little and said,

“I’m not saying this to upset you, but do you realize that these actresses are being funded by their investors? If you look down on them, they don’t think much of you either! The reason I brought you here was to get you to direct the film properly. Why couldn’t you say things politely? Why did you have to scold them?”