Chapter Eighteen

Shen Residence

Shen Huaiqing supported her mother, patiently sharing her thoughts. No matter what, she was determined to persuade them to hand over the shares willingly, so she could make full use of them.

In a soft, gentle voice, she said, “Mom, you see, this funding shortfall isn’t a trivial sum. It’s not easy to fill a gap of over a hundred million. Just think of it as Fu Chen buying Shen family’s shares with this money. He and I are one family now; you won’t be left out in the end.”

Her mother snorted disdainfully, shaking off Shen Huaiqing’s hand and replied with a biting tone, “I suppose Fu Chen offered you more attractive terms, didn’t he? Ten percent of the shares is worth far more than this!”

Shen Huaiqing glanced at her father, who sat silently at his desk, as if deaf to their conversation. In truth, the shrewd old man was simply biding his time, his bloodshot eyes darting as he calculated his own interests.

“Mom, you’re being unreasonable. Right now, no one but the major conglomerates in the city could cover this deficit. To put it plainly, Fu Chen is your only option.”

At that, her mother’s arrogance visibly deflated. Her parched lips pressed together.

Sensing her opening, Shen Huaiqing pressed on, “Yesterday, the company’s stock already hit the limit down. If this goes on, we’ll have to start selling off our projects. The bank won’t show us any mercy. Mom, we can’t let a small loss ruin everything. Even if Fu Chen gets ten percent, there’s little he can do with it for now.”

Her mother hesitated, her once-plump fingers now thin and dry from the past few days. More white hairs had appeared at her temples. She couldn’t make this decision herself and glanced, almost imperceptibly, toward her husband.

“Cough, cough…” Her father struggled to his feet with his cane, the coughing making him look even more frail and stooped.

Shen Huaiqing started forward, but her father’s look stopped her. He insisted on walking over by himself, trembling with age.

“What a performance,” Shen Huaiqing thought. “Not long ago, he was healthy enough to climb mountains. Now he’s acting as if he’s on his last legs.”

“Actually, Huaiqing is right,” her father rasped, “but can’t you negotiate for a bit less—eight percent, perhaps?” Now that she faced him head-on, she could see the darkness under his eyes, his sunken skin, his face aged beyond his years, and even his voice sounded raw and torn.

If she didn’t know these two so well, she might have been moved. Fortunately, she saw through their act—this was nothing but a calculated show of weakness.

Shen Huaiqing gently took his hand, her slender brows furrowing in feigned helplessness. “Dad, I’ve done all I can. Fu Chen actually wants more shares—ten percent is already a concession for my sake. In the future, I’ll work on our relationship and try to win back those shares for us.”

Her father considered this, then nodded heavily and sighed. “The contract will be sent to his company soon. Let’s hope he releases the funds quickly.”

She watched the Shen couple go upstairs, then hurried out to catch a cab to the magazine office.

Inside MK Magazine.

Shen Huaiqing strode straight into Yu Yunxi’s office without knocking.

Yu Yunxi was engrossed in her work. At the sound of the door slamming, she looked up to see Shen Huaiqing, flushed and out of breath, struggling to speak.

Yu Yunxi quickly poured her a glass of water and moved a chair over. “President Shen, what’s the rush?”

Shen Huaiqing drained the water in one gulp, took a moment to recover, then asked, “Has today’s entertainment section gone to print?”

“Not yet. The only newsworthy item for the entertainment section is what’s going on with your family. I was just about to call you to discuss it.” Yu Yunxi adjusted her black-rimmed glasses—the first time Shen Huaiqing had ever seen her wear them.

“I’ve already thought of a headline,” Shen Huaiqing announced, her breath returned and her words now smooth. There was a sly glint in her fox-like eyes, her red lips curving upwards. “Call it ‘The Heiress of the Shen Family Pleads Repeatedly, Finally Persuades Her Husband to Lend a Helping Hand.’ Run it as soon as possible, and make the article as dramatic as possible—really lay it on thick.”

As Shen Huaiqing animatedly described her vision, Yu Yunxi froze in place, wondering if this was how all the wealthy families played their games.

Cautious, Yu Yunxi hesitated, “President Shen, this might cause quite a public stir. Are you sure? Don’t act on impulse.”

Shen Huaiqing’s cryptic smile sent a chill down Yu Yunxi’s spine.

“The more attention, the better. The bigger the scandal, the better.”

Suddenly, she seemed to remember something. “Hold the article until next month before publishing.”

This time, she wanted to see how Fu Chen would handle the storm. Let him be drowned by the spit of the city’s gossips.

After giving her instructions, Shen Huaiqing left the magazine office in high spirits.

“Excellent, just excellent! You really have a knack for this.”

“Absolutely! So handsome!”

As she reached the street corner, Shen Huaiqing heard a commotion ahead. The girls were whispering to each other with flushed faces, giggling now and then.

Shen Huaiqing was tall to begin with, and in high heels, she stood out among the crowd. Stretching her neck slightly, she spotted a man at the center.

Mu Jinghuai’s hair was a deep chestnut brown, cut short. The collar of his white shirt was slightly open, the sleeves rolled up to mid-arm, revealing smooth skin. His eyes were deep and spirited, nose high and straight, lips rosy—a masterpiece as if sculpted by the hands of God.

And now, as he posed for the magazine cover, his dazzling smile revealed a row of gleaming white teeth, with two prominent canine teeth catching special attention.

He was the very image of the high school heartthrobs from comic books.

Shen Huaiqing’s heart sank. She lowered her head, preparing to slip away quickly.

“President Shen! Aren’t you going to greet your own model?” came a bright, youthful voice from behind, making her stop in her tracks.

Mu Jinghuai stood there, backlit by the sun, his features blurred for a moment. It was as if she was transported back in time, to that narrow alleyway, wanting to speak but the words stuck in her throat.

“I’m just passing by, not here to inspect the work,” she replied.

Mu Jinghuai pushed through the crowd to stand before her, eyes shining with a bit of emotion. He took a deep breath, then smiled gently and asked in a low voice, “It’s been a long time, President Shen. How have you been?”

A breeze swept by, sending Shen Huaiqing’s long, silky hair dancing. The once-bustling street seemed to fall silent, with only Mu Jinghuai’s words echoing in her mind.

“Thank you for asking. I’m doing well,” Shen Huaiqing replied, forcing herself to look away, feigning indifference.

Mu Jinghuai’s gaze grew more intense, almost burning. “President Shen, I haven’t been well. I’ve been searching for someone—someone who looks a lot like you.”

Her heart raced as she swallowed hard, trying to steady herself. Just as she was about to speak, Mu Jinghuai pressed his slender, defined fingers against her lips. The warmth of his touch sent a jolt through her.

“Shen Huaiqing!” Suddenly, a deep, powerful voice rang out from across the street, as if distance meant nothing, reaching every ear with crystal clarity.