After being taken to the police station by Huo Yu and Xia Wan last time, Huo Lin seemed to have fallen under a spell, and everything began to fall apart.
Firstly, Qiu Qi had quarreled with him more than once over this matter.
Qiu Qi was pampered by the Qiu family since childhood. When he caused trouble, naturally, the Qiu family didn’t look favorably upon the Huo family. They even used the investment project to criticize Huo Peixue.
Due to his son’s mistakes, Huo Peixue had to bend over backward to maintain cooperation between the Huo and Qiu families and to ensure the success of his own marriage.
However, these pressures ultimately fell on Huo Lin’s shoulders.
Furthermore, his business efforts were also severely affected. Several investors and partners, who had previously shown interest, suddenly withdrew their support.
Although to people in their circle, Huo Lin’s matter wasn’t a big deal at all.
After all, there were many things in the circle that were more outrageous and excessive than this, and everyone just ignored them and laughed them off.
But that was without being exposed.
Huo Lin’s actions were captured clearly in photos and videos, including those of the police escorting him into a police car, and these images had spread widely.
Afterwards, the police issued an official statement unequivocally stating that “Huo Lin was at fault.” This announcement was accompanied by a mountain of irrefutable evidence, effectively closing the case.
The impact on Huo was swift and severe. The stock prices plummeted, with major shareholders hastily selling off their shares and shareholders expressing their anger.
Even the Qiu family, who had a marriage arrangement with the Huo family, and several other partners closely associated with the Huo family, were indirectly affected. As partners, their primary concern was profit, and with their interests now at risk, they naturally distanced themselves from the Huo family.
In addition to the stock market turmoil, the real estate project that Huo Lin had been working on also faced unexpected complications. He had never been enthusiastic about the project’s location, considering it less than ideal despite its high cost.
However, no one had shown interest in developing the area after several attempts, as there seemed to be no economic incentive.
Coincidentally, just before the land was about to be put up for sale again, Huo Lin received insider information that the government planned to relocate a development center to the same area where the land was located. This could potentially turn the area into a future economic hub. However, this information had not yet been made public.
Due to the time difference, Huo Lin swiftly acquired the land without hesitation, viewing it as an unexpected windfall. This allowed him to confidently take credit in front of Huo Peixue. But recent events had shown that this windfall was far from secure. A few days ago, an investment company suddenly emerged, claiming to hold nearly half of the land, throwing his ownership into question.
Huo Lin discovered that the land he thought he had acquired was actually a combination of an orchard and a farm. When the government or real estate developers took over land, they discussed compensation with the landowners, and the village committee handled most of the details. However, some records were missing or incomplete, and only the orchard portion had followed the proper procedures. Legally, the Huo family didn’t have a strong claim to the land.
Additionally, some of the orchard data had ended up with an investment company, which now wanted to use legal means to assert their rights.
This situation put the Huo family at risk of losing over one billion yuan due to the complex legal issues involved. Huo Lin couldn’t even bring himself to discuss it with Huo Peixue. The pressure was mounting because Huo’s stock prices had been dropping significantly, and Huo Peixue suspected a hostile takeover was in progress.
“Could it be Huo Yu?” Huo Peixue paced back and forth in the room, his mind racing with questions.
Huo Lin had been preoccupied with his own business lately, lost in thought, and remained silent for a moment.
“Answer me! You useless idiot,” Huo Peixue snapped impatiently, “Why are you so damn quiet? Don’t you usually have something to say a lot?”
Huo Lin had no choice but to tell the truth: “Dad, you’re overthinking this. We can’t even come up with that much money ourselves, so how could Huo Yu possibly have it?”
Huo Peixue’s anxiety seemed to ease a bit upon hearing this. He let out a slow sigh and asked, “How’s your project progressing?”
Huo Lin blinked guiltily and replied, “We’re discussing a new partner.”
Huo Peixue paused for a moment before saying, “You can take a break, but don’t mess up this situation any further.”
Huo Lin’s heart was still racing, but he nodded firmly. “I understand, Dad.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
….
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“I don’t believe you,” Shen Yan teased. It was unusual for him to see Huo Yu so preoccupied when discussing business.
Leaning in closer, he continued jokingly, “Is it because of my little sister-in-law?”
Huo Yu’s lips quirked slightly at the mention of Xia Wan’s name, but he didn’t say much.
“I know,” Shen Yan replied. “That’s why men should focus on building their careers before starting a family, or they might get lost in the world of tenderness, tsk tsk tsk…”
Huo Yu then posed a hypothetical question, “If Su Tang wanted to marry you right now, would you still say the same?”
This question left Shen Yan momentarily speechless however he quickly replied.
“Then I have to agree with him,” Shen Yan said, lost in thought. “Let me do the math. These properties in my hands, including Shenzhou and the Langqiao Gallery, are actually enough for the two of us to live comfortably.”
Huo Yu, ignored the double standard guy. He lowered his gaze and poured himself a glass of wine. He usually drove himself and hadn’t had a drink in a while.
“How is Xia Wan’s father doing?” Shen Yan inquired, bringing up the topic of Xia Wan.
“He’s doing quite well,” Huo Yu replied. “Xia Wan is taking good care of him.”
Shen Yan chuckled, remarking, “You begin your day talking about Xia Wan and even end it talking about Xia Wan.”
“Weren’t you the one who mentioned him?” Huo Yu looked at Shen Yan.
Shen Yan smirked, saying, “Yes, I miss my little sister-in-law. It’s unrelated to you.”
Without an immediate response, Huo Yu toyed with his wine glass for a moment before suddenly asking, “Tell me about the young master of the Xue family.”
“Why the sudden interest?” Shen Yan inquired. “Or are you trying to use this to get closer to the Xue family?”
Shen Yan had been searching for that child, and Huo Yu was well aware of it.
Given the losses he had suffered from Su Tang, Shen Yan had always been cautious about it.
Huo Yu remained silent, keeping his gaze fixed on Shen Yan.
“The Xue family is keeping this matter well-hidden,” Shen Yan admitted, relenting slightly. “Over the years, they’ve never given up. They invest significant time and effort each year, meeting various people in different places, but Xue Wenke has never been among those children.”
Shen Yan continued, “This situation has taken a toll on Wen Yunzhi’s mental health. She’s Su Tang’s aunt, so I have some insights into it.” Back then, he didn’t know that Su Tang’s aunt was Wen Yunzhi, but he managed to piece together a lot of information from their conversation.
Shen Yan added, “Su Tang’s aunt has had a tough time. She struggled with poor appetite, sleep problems, and even had to take antidepressants for a while. She also sees a psychiatrist regularly.”
He continued, “The Xue family’s network is formidable, and I’ve been trying to locate him for years without success. How do you plan to find him quickly?”
Huo Yu considered it. Perhaps he was overly suspicious last night. It seemed highly unlikely that Xia Wan was Xue Wenke. It made more sense that Wen Yunzhi felt sympathy for Xia Wan’s situation.
After all, Xia Wan is so cute, who would not like him?
These thoughts eased his worries and brought some relief. He realized that even though he was determined to find this child, he didn’t want Xia Wan to be that child.
If Xia Wan were indeed Xue Wenke, it would mean leaving behind his simple and carefree life, facing challenges, suffering, and uncertainty.
He doesn’t want Xia Wan to go through this.
Huo Yu never imagined he’d put someone’s well-being ahead of his own interests, but these new emotions troubled him, causing a slight frown and a hand to rub his forehead.
Huo Yu frowned slightly, raised his hand and rubbed his forehead.
“I’m finished,” Shen Yan said.
Huo Yu chuckled, “Just a few sips?”
“It’s okay if you don’t drink too much,” Shen Yan replied, “We still have some business matters to discuss.”
“Go ahead,” Huo Yu said, giving him a glance.
“Our New Year’s film ‘Zhemu’ this year has Sun Baijiang as the lead actor. Is that okay with you?” Shen Yan inquired.
“It doesn’t matter,” Huo Yu casually swirled the red wine in his glass.
“It’s good if you’re fine with it,” Shen Yan said, “He’s Director Li’s top choice, but I was concerned about your feelings on this matter, so I didn’t confirm it earlier.”
Huo Yu set his wine glass aside and smirked, “I don’t care who it is, as long as it makes money for me, whether it’s Sun Baijiang or Sun Heijiang.”
Shen Yan clicked his tongue and responded, “Couldn’t you be a bit more polite about it?”
Just as they talked about it, Sun Baijiang and Wen Hengzhi appeared from downstairs before Huo Yu could respond.
They noticed each other, and instead of heading upstairs, they came towards them.
“Such a coincidence,” Sun Baijiang said, stopping beside Shen Yan but keeping his eyes on Huo Yu.
“Auntie,” Shen Yan greeted quickly upon seeing Wen Hengzhi.
Wen Hengzhi, who was aware that Shen Yan had been spending time with Su Tang, gave a slight nod.
“Take a seat,” Shen Yan suggested. “I have two more bottles of wine.”
Huo Yu glanced at his watch and politely nodded to Wen Hengzhi. “I should head back.”
Huo Yu stood and made his way to the nearby elevator. Sun Baijiang’s mood darkened as he watched Huo Yu depart.
“This was an unexpected encounter,” Sun Baijiang admitted with a wry smile.
Shen Yan chimed in, “Huo Yu wasn’t a fan of wine. He was actually planning to leave before you both arrived.”
After a brief silence, Sun Baijiang and Wen Hengzhi took their seats.
Sun Baijiang remained silent for a moment before taking a seat alongside Wen Hengzhi.
Wen Hengzhi hadn’t anticipated encountering Shen Yan here, despite his close connection with Su Tang. Shen Yan was now the biggest investor and producer of Zhemu.
Being a professional agent, she maintained a polite tone and avoided delving into personal matters.
“Director Li reached out to me today,” Wen Hengzhi began. “He’s quite optimistic about Sun Baijiang playing the lead in Zhemu, and we’re satisfied with the script. However, I heard that there’s been a delay due to President Shen. Do you happen to know the reason?”
Shen Yan couldn’t help but inwardly panic, wondering what connection there was between Sun Baijiang and him. He believed that Huo Yu was the primary shareholder of Shenzhou, and given his delicate relationship with Sun Baijiang, he needed to clarify things.
“Why is that?” Shen Yan asked, pouring wine for Wen Hengzhi with a smile. “Sun Baijiang’s talent is evident to everyone. I’m planning to return tomorrow and sort things out with Director Li.”
“Really?” Wen Hengzhi inquired, “You’re not pushing yourself too hard?”
“Not at all,” Shen Yan replied confidently.
“Sister Wen,” Sun Baijiang chimed in, “don’t pressure him. We’ve known each other since childhood, and I know what he’s capable of.”
“Is that so?” Wen Hengzhi responded with a half-smile, her tone somewhat pointed. Shen Yan couldn’t help but lower his eyes and smile.
After a while, Shen Yan couldn’t contain his curiosity any longer. “How is Tangtang doing?” he asked.
“I suppose you know it more than me,” Wen Hengzhi remarked, “After all your brother keeps a close watch on him every day. You probably have a better idea than I do.”
It seems like he can’t even have a proper chat.
…….
Early in the morning, Aunt Zhang arrived to deliver meals. Xia Wan had some food and was then driven back to school by Xia Chengzhang.
“I missed you too,” Xia Wan said, exaggerating his enthusiasm.
“How is it? Is your uncle okay?” Fu Ling inquired.
“He had surgery,” Xia Wan replied, setting down his backpack and pouring himself a glass of water. “It’s not too serious.”
“Thank goodness,” Fu Ling sighed in relief. “You can’t imagine how worried we were.”
“Thanks,” Xia Wan responded with a eye-roll. “I know you’re the best, and I’ll treat you to dinner later.”
Xia Wan glanced around the dormitory and asked, “Are Shen Xing and Su Tang not here?”
“Tangtang went home with his aunt last night,” Fu Ling explained. “I expect he’ll be back later, but the icy-face might have already gone out for dinner.”
As they chatted, the door suddenly opened, and Su Tang entered with his head lowered.
“Surprise!” Fu Ling exclaimed and then introduced Su Tang, saying, “Look who’s back.”
Su Tang lifted his head upon hearing these words, and Fu Ling’s smile gradually faded as he fell silent.
It was clear that Su Tang had shed tears earlier; his eyes were swollen and red, resembling two ripe peaches, making him look both comical and pitiful.
Xia Wan was taken aback and, along with Fu Ling, approached him.
The two of them clenched their fists in unison and declared, “Tell me who hurt you, we’ll make sure they pay.”
Su Tang looked up at them, then suddenly opened his arms in silence and embraced Xia Wan tightly.
He held onto Xia Wan so tightly that it almost became difficult for him to breathe.
Fu Ling exclaimed in frustration, “Hey, Xia Wan and I both wanted to avenge you. But why are you only hugging him?”
“Do you understand rain and dew?” Su Tang replied, his eyes shimmering with a thin layer of tears, and he chuckled unintentionally. He then opened his arms once more, this time embracing both of them tightly.
Thank You for the new chapter (｡･ω･｡)ﾉ♡
I think so. But what I personally feel is that maybe what Huo Yu want is for Xia Wan to live a life without any tension and drama.
However, if he was the long lost Xue son, that would thrust him into the spotlight without any warning. He’d instantly become a subject of criticism and scrutiny, the masses will always wonder if he’s a fake. Huo Yu wouldn’t be able to keep him safe when someone much larger than him has more authority. Xia Wan may also be expected to become an heir, something very stressful, and Hou Yu doesn’t know that Xia Wan has experienced something like that before.
From Huo Yu’s pov, this kind and amazing person who he’s falling for, may have to deal with the stresses that Huo Yu did, and Huo Yu will be powerless to help him.
Commentator on upper floor remembered so much plot, we are not on the same level
Thank you for your translation ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
I’m still lost on su tang & the shen brothers…both of them like him??
No Su Tang was with Shen Xing eldest brother. While SX seems to have something for FL though it has not been said clearly
aww QAQ
sniff. Tangtang meet cousin Wanwan