[V Announcement]

Chen Simiao and Lin Sufen exchanged glances. Frowning, Lin Sufen said, "Didn't your mother tell you not to get involved in this? I think you should just leave it alone. Let the adults handle their own affairs."

Cheng Yu shook his head. "I can stay out of C&C Jewelry's affairs, but I can't stand by while outsiders join forces to bully my family. Grandpa, Grandma, don't worry about this. I know what I'm doing."

As he spoke, Cheng Yu's expression darkened involuntarily. His face was cold and calm, carrying an imposing authority without anger.

The elderly couple looked at each other in stunned silence. At that moment, their grandson seemed strangely unfamiliar.

[V Announcement]

Though Cheng Yu acted willfully and without restraint, he had always liked to make thorough preparations when it came to serious matters—especially when working with an old fox like Pei Zhennan.

It was true that Cheng Yu despised ingrates like Zhao Jinchui. But he was equally wary of Pei Zhennan, an archrival he had fought to the death with until families were ruined. He wanted to use the tiger to devour the wolf and earn the Pei Family a favor in the process, but he did not want to invite a wolf into the house. So even as he sought benefits from the tiger, Cheng Yu's nature remained unchanged, and he instinctively wanted to dig a pit for Pei Zhennan to fall into.

Fortunately, Cheng Yu came to his senses in time and restrained the impulse.

Pei Yan clearly had no idea Cheng Yu had gone through such a mental struggle. He was simply delighted that he could be of help. As he followed Cheng Yu home to retrieve the documents, he grinned foolishly, his invisible fluffy tail wagging behind him as he eagerly sought praise. "Wasn't I amazing?"

Cheng Yu nodded perfunctorily, his mind still occupied with the upcoming negotiation. He did not notice in the slightest what Pei Yan was so excited about. Pei Yan did not mind, either. He had long grown accustomed to Cheng Yu's cold, detached attitude. Back when Cheng Yu had been so annoyed with him that he would not even spare him a glance, Pei Yan had still endured the loneliness and stubbornly stuck by his side. Now that Cheng Yu treated him so much better, Pei Yan was as delighted every day as a freshly opened bottle of soda—nothing but fizzing and bubbling. His fluffy tail wagged like a propeller, as if he wanted to take off straight into the sky.

Sitting in the front passenger seat, Cheng Shao watched his childhood friend grinning foolishly in the back through the rearview mirror, then looked at Cheng Yu, who had remained silent the entire way. He could not help shaking his head.

They returned to the Cheng Family home without another word.

Cheng Yu went upstairs and turned his bedroom upside down for a long while, but he could not find the proposal he had stayed up all night writing or the evidence of Feng Guangxu's crimes.

Looking at the mess all over the room, Pei Yan could not help asking, "What are you looking for? Do you want me to help?"

"No." Cheng Yu shook his head and went downstairs to ask the housekeeper, "After I left, who went into my room?"

"After you left, Miss went to work. Sir came back at around eight in the morning, changed clothes upstairs, and then left again." The housekeeper smiled. "What's wrong? Did you lose something? Why not call Miss and ask whether she put it away?"

"Forget it." Cheng Yu got a headache just thinking about talking to Chen Lingyun. He would rather not ask. "It wasn't anything important. If I can't find it, then so be it."

As he spoke, Cheng Yu motioned for Pei Yan to leave.

The housekeeper followed after them and asked, "Will you be back for dinner tonight?"

Before Cheng Yu could answer, Pei Yan rushed to say, "Ah Yu is staying at my house tonight, so you don't need to prepare dinner for him."

His tone and expression were so smug that Cheng Shao could no longer bear it and rolled his eyes.

"And what about me?" Cheng Shao shook his head. He had seen people value romance over friendship, but never to this extent. What kind of person was this?

Over at the Pei Family home, Pei Zhennan and Zhou Xiyuan had long known that the Cheng brothers were coming. They had specifically instructed the kitchen to prepare Cheng Shao and Cheng Yu's favorite dishes. As they waited for their guests to arrive, Zhou Xiyuan asked in puzzlement, "What could Cheng Yu, a mere child, possibly want with you?"

"Hard to say." Pei Zhennan pondered for a moment, then shook his head. "That boy has never been someone who can be judged by common sense. Still, no matter what he wants me to do, considering that he saved our Yan Yan, we need not refuse as long as it is not too excessive."

Zhou Xiyuan frowned. "That's true. If you dare refuse, you probably won't get past Yan Yan first."

As she spoke, Zhou Xiyuan let out an extremely displeased snort. It was unclear whether she was annoyed at her own son for being so hopeless or resentful that Cheng Yu did not care enough about Pei Yan. "What kind of situation is this? Logically speaking, Pei Mining is C&C Jewelry's largest supplier. The Pei Family's holdings are also greater than the Cheng Family's—"

"Enough." Before Zhou Xiyuan could finish, Pei Zhennan cut off his wife's complaints with an amused smile. "Our families have known each other for generations. Yan Yan and the Cheng brothers are not deeply calculating people, either. Children get along simply. If they get along, they get along; if they do not, they do not. It is not that complicated. Would you rather your son be surrounded by flatterers who only care about his family background?"

"Of course not." Zhou Xiyuan raised her brows in rebuttal. "But I don't think that Cheng Yu kid is all that great, either. Never mind his grades. With that temper and personality, the slightest displeasure has him stirring up a storm that shakes the whole city, insisting that everyone in the world cater to him. I just feel sorry for our son."

"I think he enjoys it." Pei Zhennan snorted, lifted his teacup for a sip, and spoke meaningfully.

As the couple talked, Pei Yan and the Cheng brothers arrived. Zhou Xiyuan had complained endlessly in front of her husband, but when she faced Cheng Yu, her smile was brighter than anyone's. After all, he was her son's savior. Zhou Xiyuan considered herself a noble lady of a prominent family, and the Pei and Cheng Families had known each other for generations, so she would never fall short in courtesy. She invited the brothers to have fruit and tea, warmly inquired about the old man's illness, and showed great concern. Cheng Yu had always been a man of few words and had little patience for such cordial pleasantries, so he let his older brother Cheng Shao handle the conversation.

It was not until after dinner that he finally said, "Uncle Pei, I have something important to discuss with you. Can we speak in your study?"

The air suddenly fell still. Pei Zhennan looked at Cheng Yu's solemn expression and smiled. "Of course."

The two went upstairs to the study one after the other. Pei Zhennan smiled and asked, "What important matter requires us to discuss it in the study?"

"Zhao Jinchui has a plot of land in Yanjiao. You know about it, right?" Cheng Yu did not bother being mysterious and went straight to the point. "I suggest you acquire that land."