84: traitor

Chang Qing doesn't do forced pairings or hype; he's handsome and has good works, so his popularity is growing. His cold temperament mixed with a bit of social anxiety creates an unexpectedly cute contrast. Not to mention Young Girls, even the "Master" from his previous hit drama captivated a crowd of older women the moment he appeared.

Xu Jingge gnashed his teeth in hatred while pouring resources into him.

The "love rivals" popping up like bamboo shoots after rain certainly made him uncomfortable, but letting his Chang Qing go out to eat and drink just for resources was absolutely impossible.

After being jabbed by Shen Lian, Xu Jingge quieted down.

Chu Yilan turned back and seemed to smile slightly.

At the cocktail party, the sound of a violin was soothing and elegant, and everyone kept their voices at a gentle level.

Shen Lian took a sip of plain water. Seeing a waiter carrying small cakes on a tray, he couldn't help but take a piece.

Then, someone hugged his calf. Looking down, it was Jinhuan.

The Young Girl was back and had spotted Shen Lian in the crowd at a single glance.

"Want some cake?" Shen Lian asked.

The Young Girl smiled and nodded.

She inherited Su Yaning's beauty and was as pretty as a doll.

Jinhuan held Shen Lian's hand and ate the cake delicately. Whenever she saw something she wanted to eat, she would point it out to Shen Lian.

Shen Lian peeled an orange for her, and Jinhuan ate it all up.

Chu Yilan was talking to people, but he could see them whenever he turned his head.

Feng Yueshan and Ning Sixian arrived later. No matter how neat Feng Yueshan's clothes were, his eyes were bloodshot, suggesting he had pulled another all-nighter.

Jinhuan got sleepy after eating her fill. Su Yaning personally carried her daughter away, feeling extremely grateful: "Thank you, Mr. Shen."

Shen Lian waved his hand: "It's nothing."

His looks were too striking, and with Chu Yilan constantly protecting him, the sharpness in his brows and eyes became apparent. Yet, he had a pair of affectionate eyes; the allure created by that clash was almost tangible. Shen Lian didn't take the initiative to talk, but sitting there without saying a word, people didn't dare to approach him easily—not just because of his own sense of aloofness, but also because of the cold and silent Chu Yilan a few steps away.

The magnetic fields of these two felt connected.

"Shen Lian, I'm telling you, it wouldn't be a problem if you said you were a precious young master from some prestigious family," Feng Yueshan sighed softly.

Ning Sixian didn't even lift his eyelids: "Right now, ordinary young masters can't compare to how precious he is."

"Where's Zhou Yuanlin? When's he coming?"

Ning Sixian: "Probably another hour."

At this point, Shen Lian stepped forward: "You guys are smart, knowing to avoid that speech or whatever."

"Annoying," Feng Yueshan laughed. Then his gaze fixed on something, and his expression turned sour: "That son of a bitch still has the face to show up."

Hearing this, Shen Lian turned his head and saw someone standing at the entrance. It was a new face, looking about the same age as them, with decent and fair features, looking somewhat well-behaved and restrained.

Ning Sixian let out a cold sneer.

Now Shen Lian was a bit surprised.

Ning Sixian had a temperament that preferred to maintain a peaceful facade; he wasn't as dismissive as Chu Yilan, nor as lively and active as Feng Yueshan. At most gatherings, he would sit quietly to the side and occasionally chime in with a few words. Whether it was livening up the atmosphere or delivering a sharp comeback, he was top-tier.

It was rare to see him show such blatant disgust for someone.

That young man happened to see them; his expression changed drastically, and he left quite awkwardly and uncomfortably.

Shen Lian was curious: "Who's that?"

"Wei Maopeng. The raw materials factory on the outskirts of the city belongs to his family."

Shen Lian: "A grudge?"

"More than that," Feng Yueshan said coldly. "If the older generation hadn't stopped us and we hadn't been forced to compromise for the sake of interests, I would have broken his legs!"

Feng Yueshan didn't speak in riddles with Shen Lian. He said directly that Wei Maopeng used to be part of their circle—not just superficial politeness, but a playmate that Feng Yueshan and Zhou Yuanlin had kept by their side since they were twelve or thirteen. Not a lackey, but someone they viewed as a younger brother.

Wei Maopeng was the youngest son of the Wei Family, with three older brothers above him. The family's values weren't very good, so he had been bullied quite a bit, both openly and secretly, since he was a child. But since they had become friends, Feng Yueshan naturally looked out for him. So, everyone, including Chu Yilan, had been quite loyal to Wei Maopeng.

The cowering nature Shen Lian saw in Wei Maopeng wasn't an act; it was his true self.

Yet, for such a person, just because that old fogey of the Wei Family gave him a little sweetness and said a few nice words, his ears became as soft as if they were soaked in vinegar—he was incredibly weak-willed.

At that time, the Zhou Family and the Wei Family were in fierce competition in business, and Zhou Yuanlin was the only son of the Zhou Family.

Underhanded tactics in the business world weren't uncommon, but Wei Maopeng having someone tamper with Zhou Yuanlin's brakes was simply inhuman.

This was trampling on the face of Feng Yueshan, who had vouched for him, and driving this friendship to its death.

As it happened, Zhou Yuanlin was feeling playful that night, and the one driving his car was Ning Sixian.

Just as they got on the elevated highway, the speed surged and the brakes failed. When Ning Sixian called, Feng Yueshan thought he was joking. Then Wei Maopeng's face turned pale, and he accidentally smashed his wine glass.

Chu Yilan detained him on the spot.

The car lost two doors from scraping and only stopped after hitting mountain rocks. Ning Sixian wasn't seriously injured, but who wouldn't be terrified after encountering such a thing?

Zhou Yuanlin's face was extremely ugly at the time, and he investigated to the very end.

Wei Maopeng was an idiot who left loose ends; the fact that he had let someone in to check Zhou Yuanlin's car was eventually dug up.

Wei Maopeng explained afterward that his grandfather had only said to give the Zhou Family a lesson, and he thought it wouldn't be serious.

Feng Yueshan and Zhou Yuanlin immediately took off their jackets and beat the guy half to death.

Wei Maopeng probably hadn't been valued at home, so that old man's sentence, "You will become the pillar of the family in the future," left him dazed. At the time, he even stubbornly claimed it was "for the sake of family interests." Indeed, in the upper-class circles, many people turn their backs on each other in an instant, but Feng Yueshan just couldn't get over it. Your brothers treat you with sincerity, and you play mind games with your brothers?

Wei Maopeng was kicked out. At the time, he still didn't think he was wrong and turned back to cling tightly to the Wei Family. However, his task wasn't performed well, and he was scolded by Old Man Wei as being worthless. Only then did he realize he had been used.

When he wanted to come back, before he could even speak, he was pinned down by Feng Yueshan and given another thrashing.

Feng Yueshan said: "Unless it's an important occasion, I'll beat you every time I see you!"

So now, Wei Maopeng's popularity could be described as dismal.

After hearing this, Shen Lian's palms were itching. "Brother Feng, you really have a good temper for not beating him to death."

Feng Yueshan: "It'll happen sooner or later. But then again, he's not valued in the Wei Family, so why did he come today?"

Ning Sixian: "You just spend your days fooling around. Wei Eldest spends all his time in debauchery, Wei Second just went in for economic crimes, and Wei Third is hard to make anything of. Picking and choosing, he's the only one left who's somewhat usable."

Feng Yueshan patted Ning Sixian's shoulder. "If the Wei Family is picking him, then their luck is truly running out. How about we join forces and finish them off?"

Ning Sixian didn't object: "Whenever there's a chance, just call me."

Hiss, Shen Lian wished he had a company too, so he could join them.

"One more thing, don't mind it," Feng Yueshan looked at Shen Lian.

Shen Lian was surprised: "What should I mind?"

"Wei Maopeng once had a bit of a thing for Yilan."

Shen Lian's face instantly fell.

Feng Yueshan was delighted at the sight. "Haha! Yilan had this exact same expression when he noticed it back then. Later, when Zhou Yuanlin went to a temple to burn incense and get rid of bad luck, Yilan even asked him to help donate some incense money for him."