Chapter 40

Weng Sui, who had been tormented by the summons for days, was even more smug. He did not know about the confrontation between Weng Shao and Zhou Shujing. He only believed that his mother had entered the fray herself and easily turned the tables. "So what if Weng Shao is eloquent? We struck first. Can a hundred mouths not outtalk his one? He even wanted me to kneel and apologize to him. What wishful thinking!"

"Besides, what did I do wrong? I only wanted to teach him a lesson, give him a small punishment as a warning. He's the one who's narrow-minded. He clearly did something wrong but refuses to admit it, and he even went running off to collude with our family's enemies. Was I wrong to call him ungrateful and disloyal?"

Weng Sui was indignant. Weng Shao had conspired with Pei Xingze, causing Weng Group's stock price to plunge and inflicting enormous losses. His father and eldest brother had been held accountable by shareholders and directors, and he had seen it all. He had always said Weng Shao was an ungrateful wretch, a jinx. If not for Weng Shao, how could their family have been so unlucky?

Now that someone had finally seen through Weng Shao's true colors, Weng Sui found it deeply satisfying.

Unfortunately, the good times did not last. On the third day of the media's one-sided attacks against Weng Shao, Weng Shao personally uploaded a surveillance video from the Lakeside Garden Sales Office.

The truth was laid bare for all to see.

Netizens supporting Weng Shao sprang up like mushrooms after rain, quickly gathering across major social media platforms. They spread the relevant video all over the internet, determined to let everyone see Zhou Shujing's malicious attempt to use moral coercion to confuse the public.

"If a mother truly loved her son, how could she throw her own flesh and blood into the countryside for eighteen years without a care? I refuse to believe she knew nothing when the Weng family bribed reporters to spread rumors about Weng Shao. Since she did not stop her two sons from framing Weng Shao back then, how does she have the nerve to beg Weng Shao to spare Weng Sui now?"

"If she could really treat her children fairly, why didn't she force Weng Sui to kneel and apologize to Weng Shao?"

"She even had reporters secretly film her when she knelt before Weng Shao! No wonder so many media outlets and experts were one-sidedly attacking Weng Shao before. They must have all been paid!"

"I'm starting to wonder whether Weng Shao is really her biological son. Can a mother truly be this heartless?"

"I suggest Weng Shao get a paternity test!"

As Zhou Shujing watched the increasingly wild comments online, her heart pounded in terror. Clutching her chest, she looked at Weng Yingjie with panic written all over her face. "What do we do? That little bastard isn't really going to demand a paternity test, is he?"

"How would I know?" Weng Yingjie stared grimly at the computer screen. After pondering for a long while, he asked in a muffled voice, "How did he find out?"

Zhou Shujing said nothing. The husband and wife exchanged a worried glance. No matter how Weng Shao had found out, they had to stop things from developing in an even worse direction.

Pei Group's centennial celebration banquet was scheduled for the last day of August.

That day, Pei Grand Hotel, where the celebration was being held, was packed to the doors. A dazzling array of luxury cars clogged the entire road in front of the hotel. Among those invited to the celebration were prominent figures from all walks of life, people from political and business circles, Chairman Pei Jingyao's relatives and old family friends, business partners, shareholders and senior executives of the group, and representatives from branch offices and subsidiaries across the country. Many celebrities and entertainers had also been invited as performers.

By evening, countless reporters were waiting outside the hotel to take photos and videos.

When Weng Shao and his colleagues from the Lakeside Garden Sales Office appeared at the hotel entrance as representatives of Pei Real Estate Qingyuan City Branch, every reporter present went wild. Carrying cameras and equipment, they swarmed Weng Shao like a tide. The spectacle was even more explosive than a top celebrity walking the red carpet.

"Weng Shao, we heard that you were invited to Pei Group's centennial celebration as Pei Real Estate's top sales champion nationwide. It is said that your commission share from Lakeside Garden has already exceeded fifteen million. What does it feel like to earn tens of millions a month at eighteen?"

Before Weng Shao could answer, someone behind him said angrily, "So what if he earns tens of millions a month? He's still just Pei Xingze's dog!"

In an instant, the crowd erupted. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Weng Group Chairman Weng Yingjie approaching gracefully from the end of the red carpet with his wife Zhou Shujing and their two sons.

Noticing Weng Shao's gaze, Weng Sui, who had spoken just now, gave a mocking smile. "Why are you looking at me like that? Was I wrong? You gave up being the Weng family's second young master to become Pei Xingze's dog. You grovel and wag your tail for a measly ten million. Isn't that just naturally lowly?"

The crowd sucked in a breath, and countless burning gazes involuntarily fell on Weng Shao.

Faced with Weng Sui's furious abuse, Weng Shao merely smiled and said calmly, "By being President Pei's dog, I earned tens of millions and two houses in just three months. That shows President Pei knows how to recognize talent and is generous with his money. In comparison, Chairman Weng's biological elder brother, who saved his life more than twenty years ago, and his biological father, who raised Chairman Weng with great hardship, are still living in the countryside..."

Weng Shao paused deliberately, then said unhurriedly, "That just goes to show that being President Pei's dog is more worthwhile than being Chairman Weng's father!"

Author's Note: VIP announcement: First, this novel will enter VIP on Wednesday, May 14. Chapters will be locked starting from Chapter 27, so readers who have already read them, please do not click the wrong chapters. Those who have not read them yet, hurry up and catch up~ Second, to build up my manuscript stock, there will be no update tomorrow. There will be a ten-thousand-word update on the day it enters VIP. Thank you all for your support. See you the day after tomorrow~

Chapter 40

Outside the magnificent hotel, the bustling guests and media reporters were stunned into silence by Weng Shao's words.

Amid the machine-gun-like barrage of shutters, Weng Sui flew into a rage. "What did you say?"

His fair cheeks swiftly flushed red. Pointing at Weng Shao, he cursed incoherently, "You have no shame! How can you say something like that? You've completely degraded yourself!"

Weng Sui probably truly did not know how to curse. He kept repeating the same few lines, without any bite at all.

In contrast, Weng Shao's counterattack was far sharper. He would not rest until his words shocked people, and every sentence struck straight at the throat. Even the media reporters who called themselves the "mouthpieces" had to concede defeat.

Weng Zhen patted Weng Sui's shoulder, signaling for him to calm down. There were reporters right beside them, after all. He did not want Weng Sui to be blinded by anger and lose his composure.

"I know you must be very pleased with yourself right now," Weng Zhen began slowly. "You're only eighteen, yet you've earned over ten million in commissions and gotten two houses for free. Do you think that makes you exceptional? I think you're stupid—completely stupid."

Weng Zhen deliberately paused here, his eyes fixed intensely on Weng Shao. He had expected Weng Shao to at least ask why he thought he was so stupid, but Weng Shao showed no reaction at all.

Seeing this, Weng Zhen could only force himself to continue. "If you truly think you're exceptional, then you should return to the Weng family and let Father cultivate you properly."

"You're following Pei Xingze now. Put nicely, you're his business partner. Put bluntly, you're just a dog he keeps by his side. He keeps you only to use you, to have you tear at us like a mad dog and make everyone in Jinghai laugh at the Weng family. You're so smart—are you really willing to be a dog people can summon and dismiss at will?"

Weng Shao smiled. "Even dogs need to pick their owners. As President Pei's dog, I get houses when I want houses and money when I want money. You make it sound so nice, but you were unwilling to give me even a few thousand for tuition. Looking at it that way, when I was with the Weng family, I lived worse than a dog."

At those words, the brows of all four Weng family members twitched. They all recalled the conflict at the Qingming family banquet. Back then, Weng Shao had wanted to acknowledge his biological parents in order to scrape together tuition for university. The whole family had thought him calculating and ungrateful. Weng Yingxiong had exploded, cursing that Weng Shao did not know gratitude and saying that raising him was worse than raising a dog. Weng Shao's answer at the time had been, "I really did live worse than a dog raised by the Weng family."

Now, Weng Shao used the same line of attack to silence Weng Zhen.

Only this time, the onlookers around them were no longer villagers from the countryside, but industry peers from Jinghai City, social elites, celebrities, and countless media reporters watching from nearby.

Watching the guests and reporters lingering at the hotel entrance, Weng Zhen fell silent. He had not expected Weng Shao to be so cunning and difficult, truly like a mad dog that would not let go once it sank its teeth into them.

Weng Zhen drew a deep breath and lectured him with a face full of annoyance. "Father only thought your personality was too cold and unruly, so he wanted to temper you a little. You're his biological son. How could he possibly ignore you? Use your brain and think carefully. Our Weng family sponsors thousands of poor students every year. How could we possibly refuse to pay for one of our own to attend university? But you, over such a trivial matter, actually joined forces with outsiders to harm your own family? Why is your desire for revenge so strong?"

"Revenge?" Weng Shao smiled with amusement. "Mr. Weng, you really are still so childishly innocent. As far as I know, your Weng Group has lost several billion in market value. Instead of reflecting and reviewing your mistakes, you simply regard all of this as an adult venting his anger and seeking revenge... You're quite amusing."

Weng Zhen could no longer endure Weng Shao's disdain and mockery. He roared in exasperation, "If this isn't revenge, then what is it?"

"Business, of course." Weng Shao's expression was gentle as he spoke with perfect composure. "Business is business. I hope President Weng can learn from this lesson and stop treating matters so childishly. Otherwise, you'll suffer even greater losses."

"Bullshit!" Weng Zhen sneered. "Who do you think you are? You're nothing but Pei Xingze's dog—"

"Enough!" Chairman Weng, who had remained silent until now, cut off Weng Zhen's reckless words. With a deep frown, he looked at Weng Shao and sternly rebuked him, "Look at what you've become. You have no respect for your elders, and you're acting like a petty man drunk on a little success. You've utterly disgraced the Weng family. You've studied for so many years—is this what your uncle, aunt, and teachers taught you? You have no upbringing at all!"

"They say that if a child is not properly taught, the father is at fault." Weng Shao showed no anger despite being cursed at so fiercely. He remained calm as he said, "It seems Chairman Weng's sins run deep."