Qingcheng International

"Just a small matter?"

Zhuang Xin gave a faint, unreadable smile.

If they had not been relatives, he would have sent Cheng Huai to the police station for tea long ago.

However...

Zhuang Xin smiled slightly. "It's not impossible for me to stop pursuing this matter."

He seemed to be relenting, but he was merely laying the groundwork for what came next.

"Oh? You really won't pursue it anymore?" Xu Pei's eyes lit up as she smiled. "Just as expected of my good nephew."

"I'm not finished." Zhuang Xin glanced at Cheng Huai and continued, "I can let this matter go, but from now on, I will never allow Cheng Huai to enter any of my businesses again."

He said this to prevent his mother from softening up in the future and letting someone persuade her into arranging a position for Cheng Huai.

"Why?" Xu Pei froze.

"I don't trust this person. He dared to steal today—who knows whether he'll misappropriate company funds in the future?"

"But Xu Chi..." Zhuang Xin glanced at his cousin. "I just contracted a stretch of sea and am planning to build a resort. Come find me in the city tomorrow. I'll arrange some work for you."

"Really? Cousin, that's great!"

Xu Chi had not expected such a surprise. Zhuang Xin clearly intended to help him get ahead.

"Zhuang Xin... how can you be so biased?" Xu Pei panicked. Anyone with eyes could see that the Zhuang family father and son had made it big. Someone who could casually buy a ten-million White Jade Chess set and leave tens of millions in a bank card could not possibly have achieved little.

If they casually lent these relatives a hand, they could all soar to greatness.

But Zhuang Xin was cutting off their path.

He would rather help Xu Chi than help her son. Why?

"I'm biased? If Xu Chi hadn't told me, I'm afraid I'd still be in the dark about this. Who knows whether you would have gossiped behind our backs until my parents softened up and let it pass? I'll never forget what your family did back then for the rest of my life." Zhuang Xin's smile grew colder and colder.

Even the way he looked at Xu Pei was filled with disgust.

"You... Xu Chi, so you were the one who tattled? I was wondering why this brat came back so quickly! I treated you so well when you were little—I even bought you clothes."

"Bought me clothes?" Xu Chi was furious as well. "You did buy me clothes, but it was one set of cheap street-stall junk, and you bring it up every year! It's been seven years—seven whole years! Because of that, you came to my house every time to take petty advantage of us. My parents never said anything out of politeness, but I won't give you any face."

"Fine! You little brats have really turned against us. You have no respect for your elders!"

"Enough. Stop wasting your breath on him." Zhuang Xin stood and walked over to his grandfather and grandmother. "Grandma, I came in a hurry this time and didn't bring any gifts. I'll make it up to you next time."

Unlike the way he treated Xu Pei, Zhuang Xin regarded his grandfather and grandmother as some of the closest people to him in his heart.

If his grandfather and grandmother had not defied all opposition back then, Zhuang Xin might have run out of money for treatment long ago and been left with lifelong health problems.

"It's enough that you came back. We're already this old; we don't lack anything, gifts included." His grandmother kindly stroked Zhuang Xin's head. The two elders had said nothing earlier because they wanted Zhuang Xin to handle the matter himself.

This Xu Pei had become more and more excessive in her actions.

Even Cheng Huai had turned into this kind of person.

Cheng Huai had been quite obedient as a child, but he had gradually become mean and spiteful later on.

"Hehe, just because you don't lack anything doesn't mean I can skip buying gifts. Next time, I'll definitely prepare some unexpected surprises for you. But I still have things to do and need to head back. If you need anything at home, or if you don't have enough money, just tell me." After speaking, Zhuang Xin stood and patted Xu Chi on the shoulder. "Remember to report to me tomorrow. You know where my home is, right?"

"Of course!" Xu Chi nodded.

After saying goodbye to his parents, Zhuang Xin left on his own without even looking at Xu Pei, Cheng Yuan, or Cheng Huai.

The three of them were so angry their teeth itched, but they had no face to stay any longer. After saying goodbye to the two elders, they left directly.

Once outside, Xu Pei could not accept it and shouted, "No, we can't just let this go. Now that they have money, they want to kick us aside. Didn't our Cheng Huai just spend a little of their money? That little over a million is not even enough to scratch an itch for them."

"What can we do... It's not our money. Are we supposed to just rob them?" Cheng Yuan sighed.

Cheng Huai, however, thought of an idea. "I've got it. I heard rich people care most about their reputations. One of the delinquent girls I knew before has an older brother with quite a bit of influence in Juncheng. Then we can slander them in the county and the city and extort a sum of money. At the very least, at least one million!"

"One million? How could that be enough? I say we ask them for two million!" Xu Pei's eyes widened as she clenched her fists. Two million—if they got their hands on it and spent carefully, it would be enough for them for the rest of their lives.

"Fine! We'll do as Mom says." Cheng Huai licked his lips, took out his phone, and contacted that delinquent girl from before.

Zhuang Xin drove away from the county and sent Qiu Qi a message.

"How's the shop matter going?"

Qiu Qi was busy in the warehouse when she heard her phone ring. When she saw that it was from Zhuang Xin, she immediately stopped what she was doing and replied in a blushing voice message, "It's all settled, and we even got a discount. Thank you, Zhuang Xin."

A voice message?

Listening to the sweet voice coming from his phone, Zhuang Xin wore a nostalgic expression.

Compared with middle school, this girl's voice had become even more captivating.

"It's good that you signed the contract. Something came up at noon, so I didn't go in with you. You don't blame me, do you?"

"How could I? If it weren't for you, forget about getting a shop—we probably wouldn't even have met the manager. Oh, right, I said I'd treat you to dinner. When... when are you free?" It was Qiu Qi's first time taking the initiative to invite a boy to dinner, and her voice message was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Zhuang Xin could not help but find it amusing. "Tomorrow night. I've been running around all day today, so I'm a little tired."

"Mm, all right. Tomorrow evening, then. Once I choose a place, I'll send you a message."

"Okay!"

After closing the messaging app, Zhuang Xin quickly drove back to Juncheng.

He picked a place at random and ate something, but then he suddenly remembered that, ever since waking up, he had not gone to see his fiancée.

Apparently, this Nie Han'er was not only a famous business prodigy in Juncheng, but had also been rated the foremost of Juncheng's three great beauties by the Juncheng Evening News.

After casually sending Qu Hongyun a text and asking for Nie Han'er's company address, Zhuang Xin arrived at Qingcheng International. It was said that Nie Han'er had started with cosmetics before expanding into every industry related to women's brands.

Qingcheng International no longer merely sold cosmetics; it had become a massive conglomerate.

It included clothing, jewelry, bags, and a whole range of other products, and it was especially famous in Juncheng.

After parking and getting out, Zhuang Xin looked up at the towering building before him and the huge stone at the entrance engraved with "Qingcheng International," and could not help sighing. His fiancée's place was truly impressive.