Chapter 37

"Because of that mess in your family, the group's stock price is about to hit the limit-down and trading could be suspended. He's your biological son. You can't handle him?"

"We're all family. You can't write two different Weng characters with one stroke. Do we really have to take this all the way to court?"

"I really don't understand what you're thinking. Your biological son is so outstanding, yet instead of helping him, you pushed him toward the Pei family. Now he's stirring up trouble with the Pei family and making our lives miserable. How does that benefit you?"

"I don't want to interfere in your family affairs, but this cannot continue. You are the chairman of Weng Group. You need to consider the interests of the entire group and all its shareholders. If you can't do that, we can only convene a shareholders' meeting and a board meeting to hold you, the chairman, and Weng Zhen accountable."

The shareholders' accusations jammed all the fury in Weng Yingjie's stomach right in his throat, leaving him unable to force out a single word. He looked at Weng Sui, who had been crying nonstop over the lawsuit, then at Weng Zhen, whose phone had been blown up by reporters until he was frazzled. Even Zhou Shujing, who rarely appeared in public, had been mocked and sneered at by the wealthy ladies she played cards with.

"We can't go on like this!" Zhou Shujing slammed down her phone and covered her face as she sobbed. "That little bastard just doesn't want us to live in peace!"

"...Those two bastards, Weng Zhen and Weng Yingjie, really got off easy. They were too cautious. We couldn't find direct evidence that they bribed reporters to harass you at the exam site. Otherwise, the summons would have gone to those three father and sons."

At the same time, in the presidential suite of Pei Hotel, Pei Xingze carried two glasses of champagne to the sofa. He handed one to Weng Shao and said with a smile, "Still, it worked out. I made another huge profit shorting Weng Group. Half the credit belongs to you. We'll split the money from this short sale equally. I already had your share transferred into your account."

Weng Shao lounged against the sofa, lazily swirling his champagne. "I don't accept rewards I haven't earned."

"Don't sell yourself short." Pei Xingze bent down and lightly clinked glasses with Weng Shao. "Without you, Weng Group wouldn't have become so notorious or suffered such heavy losses. I wouldn't have been able to vent my anger and make money at the same time either. You earned this."

"I said I would become the sharpest gun in your hand." Weng Shao smiled faintly and looked up at Pei Xingze. His expression was warm and tender, his eyes gentle, every inch of him radiating carefully manufactured meekness and softness. "When you moved against the Weng family, weren't you standing up for me as well? Without you, I alone couldn't have done anything to Weng Yingjie's family."

"The fact that you found me and persuaded me proves that I'm part of your own ability." As Pei Xingze spoke, he suddenly turned and sat beside Weng Shao, casually draping an arm over the back of the sofa. At first glance, it looked as though he had Weng Shao in his arms.

"Can you stop being so formal with me?" Pei Xingze coaxed softly. "I told you, I won't treat you unfairly."

Chapter 37

Pei Xingze had said he would not treat Weng Shao unfairly, and he had truly kept his word.

The first time he shorted Weng Group, he earned more than ninety million and gave Weng Shao a one-million bonus. The second time, he made one hundred and thirty million. He said he would split it with Weng Shao, and he really had sixty-five million transferred into Weng Shao's account.

Weng Shao mockingly thought that if only Pei Xingze's actions could be measured by the theory that "where a man's love is, his money is." Then he could deceive himself without reservation and believe that Pei Xingze's love for him was worth sixty-six million and two apartments.

He had always been a vulgar person. He liked feelings that could be precisely measured in numbers and material things.

But Pei Xingze was not. He gave him money only because he believed Weng Shao was worth that much.

That "worth" included encouragement for a subordinate, the wooing of a partner in crime, and perhaps some pampering for a lover. Their relationship was mixed with too many interests. Even when weighed and calculated on a scale, Weng Shao himself could not figure out how much had been left for love.

The day after receiving the enormous "spoils," Weng Shao did one more thing—he returned the five thousand yuan donated to him by the Pei Group Charitable Education Foundation, so as not to take up a valuable aid slot. He also donated one hundred thousand yuan to his alma mater, City No. 1 High School, in his own name—the first-edition royalties from Top Scholar Notes.

When Weng Shao had published Top Scholar Notes, it had been entirely to gain fame. Now that he was no longer short of money, he naturally had to maximize its benefits.

One hundred thousand yuan was not much to him. But by donating those royalties, he could establish himself as someone born poor yet not forgetting his roots, show everyone his true nature of "cultivating oneself in hardship and aiding the world in prosperity," give more impoverished students who could not afford school a chance to attend college and change their destinies, and subtly remind all the spectators that the vile rumors spread by Weng Yingjie's family had nearly destroyed such a positive, kind, and hardworking student.

Weng Shao had not even deliberately publicized any of this. It was only when Editor Wang at the publishing house was reprinting Top Scholar Notes that she casually mentioned it to a reporter.

During the interview, she praised Weng Shao as a loyal and affectionate child. "I've known Weng Shao's homeroom teacher for years. Teacher Chen has taught and educated students for more than thirty years and nurtured countless outstanding talents for the country. When she recommended Weng Shao and Top Scholar Notes to me, she also said Weng Shao was an exceptionally outstanding student. It was just a pity that his family circumstances were poor and nearly held him back."

The reporter immediately understood. Naturally, he knew exactly what Editor Wang meant by poor family circumstances.

To be honest, once the Weng family's private affairs were exposed, even reporters like them, who had seen all sorts of things, were astonished. It was not as though they had never seen families at odds or parents playing favorites. But wealthy families like the Weng family, who clearly did not lack money yet could go to such extremes over trivial matters, willing to ruin someone's future and even take matters to court, were something they had truly never encountered before.

But the more shocking the secrets of a wealthy family were, the more they stirred readers' curiosity. Newspaper sales would improve as well. Even for their performance bonuses, reporters had to speak up for justice.

Thus, after the publishing house announced the reprint of Top Scholar Notes, an article titled National College Entrance Examination Top Scorer Donates One Hundred Thousand Yuan in Royalties to Alma Mater, Hardship Creates Genius appeared out of nowhere.

In the article, the reporter devoted considerable space to describing how popular Top Scholar Notes had been since its release—the book had sold more than two hundred thousand sets in less than three months.

One hundred and fifty thousand of those sets had been bought by Pei Xingze and the friendly support of President Pei's gang of good-for-nothings. The remaining fifty thousand sets had all been sold through major bookstores across the country.

With considerable pride, the reporter wrote, "As of mid-August, this set of study guides written by Weng Shao has sold out completely. Yet many students and parents have continued calling the publishing house, asking for more copies of Top Scholar Notes to be printed. This scarcity is partly due to Weng Shao's 'celebrity effect,' as many people his age have already come to regard him as an idol. On the other hand, City No. 1 High School in Qingyuan City's National College Entrance Examination results this year have also fully verified the effectiveness of these study guides..."

"...This reporter learned that Weng Shao donated the full one hundred thousand yuan in royalties from the first edition of Top Scholar Notes to his alma mater, City No. 1 High School in Qingyuan City. Had Editor Wang not inadvertently revealed this during her interview, we would never have known that a young man who had been penniless before the National College Entrance Examination and worried about tuition would choose to donate such a huge sum to his alma mater, hoping only that more students from impoverished families could study without worries."

"The young man's heart is pure and clear, shining as brightly as gold. Yet this student, outstanding in both character and academics, had suffered terribly from rumors only a few months ago and nearly lost his reputation entirely."

"We cannot help but reflect on what, exactly, caused this genius youth's suffering..."

"Bullshit—"

Weng Yingjie crumpled the newspaper in his hand and viciously threw it into the trash. "Those reporters who thrive on chaos only know how to spread lies and alarmist nonsense in the papers. Pei Xingze must have paid them to write this stuff and slander the Weng family!"

As he spoke, Weng Yingjie could not help glaring at Weng Sui. "If you hadn't been so careless and let them catch you by the tail, those reporters wouldn't have dared—"

"Enough!" Zhou Shujing cut him off. "It's already happened. What's the use of blaming him now? The urgent matter is finding a way to make that little bastard withdraw the lawsuit!"

"You make it sound so easy." Weng Yingjie glared angrily at his wife and snapped, "That little bastard is obviously in cahoots with Pei Xingze and wants to see us make fools of ourselves. Why would he possibly withdraw the lawsuit?"

Zhou Shujing sneered. "If he doesn't want to withdraw it, then we'll force him until he has no choice."

Lakeside Garden Sales Office

Ever since Weng Shao had become famous overnight, Lakeside Garden's fortunes had risen with the tide, and sales had become exceptionally brisk.

Even after work hours, many clients still came to the sales office to view properties. The sales department was overwhelmed, and overtime had become routine.

As the initiator of the Online Property Tour and a property consultant due to resign at the end of the month, Weng Shao's work was no longer limited to frontline sales.

The sales office manager had recognized Weng Shao's talent and ability in market development and overall planning. He had also seen that Weng Shao was unwilling to remain merely a property consultant. After some consideration, he decided to assign Weng Shao the task of creating client profiles. His original intention was to train Weng Shao's abilities. After all, Weng Shao had applied to study finance. Learning how to build client profiles would benefit his future studies and career.

"As for commissions, don't worry. As long as the client came because of you, no matter when they sign the contract and make payment, I'll make sure the commission is credited to you."

The sales office manager's meaning was clear. Buying a house was a major life decision, and most clients would never close a deal immediately after viewing one property. At the very least, they would compare several options.

It was common for a house sale to take three to five months from the initial viewing to closing, but Weng Shao could not keep working at Lakeside Garden for another three to five months. So the sales office manager solemnly assured Weng Shao that as long as he was there, Weng Shao's commission would not be a problem.