Chapter 15

The guests on-site buzzed with discussion. Even passersby stopped to watch. Shen Chengan knew things were going badly and immediately said, "Whatever misunderstandings you have about me, we can go inside and talk it over slowly. Can you stop this thing first? You're slandering my reputation—"

"Slandering?" Cheng Lang sneered again before Shen Chengan could finish. "You'd better make that clear. I haven't slandered you. Taking advantage of the fact that Shen Huaiyu's parents had died and his younger brother was severely injured and left in a vegetative state, you struck while the iron was hot. You spent less than three million to transfer a prime double-school-district apartment in the city center into your own name, then sold it for 7.8 million less than a month later. Did you do that or not? Under the pretense of handling Shen Huaiyu's parents' funeral, you asked Shen Huaiyu for one million, bit by bit. Did you do that or not?"

Cheng Lang shook the ledger and price list in his hand. "...These are the market prices I found out about. To make sure there was nothing wrong with what I said, I even made a trip to the Price Bureau. I also have a recording of my call with the cemetery sales consultant. Every word I've said can be submitted as evidence in court. I just wonder whether Chairman Shen has the nerve to sue me!"

Only then did Shen Chengan realize how difficult Cheng Lang was to deal with. His face turned livid.

After hearing Cheng Lang's words, the people around them whispered among themselves. One of those who had previously spoken up for Shen Huaiyu stepped forward and could not help asking, "Old Shen, is what this young man said true?"

"Of course not." Shen Chengan immediately explained, "Don't listen to his nonsense. I did buy Huaiyu's family home for less than three million, but that was only because his family needed money. I wanted to help them tide things over—"

"And then you tidied the house right into your own name before selling it for 7.8 million?" Cheng Lang cut in.

"What do you know?" Shen Chengan snapped. "I already said that I took over the apartment only because the Huaiyu brothers urgently needed money. The place wasn't easy to sell on short notice. At the time, I only had 2.8 million on hand, so I thought I'd transfer that 2.8 million to him first. Once I raised the rest, I would make up the difference."

"Old Yu can testify to this. Recently, I let word get out that I intended to sell several of the famous paintings I had collected, all to raise money for this child."

Old Yu, whom Shen Chengan had mentioned, immediately nodded, confirming that Shen Chengan had indeed tried to sell paintings through him.

Shen Chengan sighed deeply and said with immense grievance, "But I never expected that while I was still raising money, someone would approach me and offer a high price for the apartment. When I heard that they were willing to pay 1.8 million above market value, I agreed without a moment's hesitation. I had planned to tell Huaiyu the good news after the transfer was completed and I received the money. Yet I never expected this child to bring over the riffraff he'd befriended to cause trouble! And even accuse me of wanting to pocket his money. What a joke. Am I, Shen Chengan, that kind of person?"

That explanation did sound reasonable. It seemed this really had been a misunderstanding. Just as the questioner's expression began to ease, Cheng Lang clapped his hands and remarked, "Chairman Shen truly has such lofty integrity. Don't worry. If that's really what you intended, then after we receive this money, we'll return the transfer fee you paid when buying the apartment. We won't let you suffer a loss."

After hearing Cheng Lang's words, everyone felt that something was off. Shen Chengan frowned but ignored him, instead looking sternly at Shen Huaiyu. "Shouldn't you also explain why President Lu of the Xuanyuan Group was willing to buy that apartment at such a high price? I heard the two of you know each other. Not only do you know each other, you met in a place like White Jade Capital."

Before Shen Huaiyu could speak, Shen Chengan's expression abruptly changed as he rebuked him, "Your parents' bodies aren't even cold yet, and you've already done something so disgraceful to the family. Aren't you ashamed?"

The guests and passersby gathered around to watch immediately looked over. Only then did they notice Shen Huaiyu's overly refined and beautiful face. Combined with Shen Chengan's earlier words, the atmosphere around them instantly became ambiguous.

Shen Huaiyu's face went deathly pale.

Cheng Lang stepped in front of Shen Huaiyu. "So Chairman Shen knows that Shen Huaiyu worked at White Jade Capital. Then you should also know why he went there to work, right? Out of the 2.8 million from the house sale, one million went toward his parents' funeral, another four to five hundred thousand went toward the emergency treatment costs for the four members of the Shen family, and the little that remained all went toward treating his younger brother. His brother is seriously injured and lying in the hospital. The medical bills alone cost over two hundred thousand a month. If he doesn't find a way to make money, is he supposed to wait to die?"

"Speaking of disgracing the family..." Cheng Lang abruptly changed the subject. "Shen Huaiyu certainly isn't as noble as Chairman Shen. Since Chairman Shen is willing to return the profit from the house sale to us, could you please continue displaying that generosity and return the profit from the funeral expenses as well?"

Everyone looked at the price list and itemized statement in Cheng Lang's hands, then at the LED screen across the plaza that was still playing on a loop, and immediately came to their senses.

Chapter 15

The private art gallery where Shen Chengan held his painting and calligraphy exhibition was located in the city's commercial center. There were already plenty of people out shopping on Saturday morning. Cheng Lang had also set up an LED screen that repeatedly played Shen Chengan's money-grubbing PowerPoint presentation. Passersby were drawn in by the spectacle, and more and more onlookers came over to watch. Some even held up their phones to record videos.

Surrounded by passersby, Shen Chengan listened to the noisy chatter and curses around him, regretting it so deeply his guts nearly turned green. Had he known Shen Huaiyu would know someone this troublesome, he never would have reached out his hand in the first place. Even if he regretted it now, it was already a little too late.

"Take down that screen first." Shen Chengan tried to smooth things over. "Let's go inside and talk it out. Don't worry, I'll transfer every last cent from the house sale to you."

Cheng Lang shook the price list in his hand. Shen Chengan added, "I'll also transfer the full one million from the funeral expenses to Huaiyu, untouched. I said from the beginning that I would cover my elder brother and sister-in-law's funeral costs. This child refused and insisted on not letting me spend any money. He insisted on paying for his parents' funeral himself, no matter how I tried to persuade him... Look at how this turned out. In the end, I'm the bad guy no matter what I do."