Chapter 111: Entrusting Full Authority to Shen Yan?

The situation was clear now. If Yan Cheng Gu refused to return and inherit the family business, Master Gu would use every connection at his disposal to leave him with nowhere to turn. Therefore, Yan Cheng Gu had no choice at this moment.

After the phone call ended, Yan Cheng Gu’s mood grew unbearably heavy.

That evening, he cooked dinner for Yao Yao Ye, though Shen Yan came along as well. With Yan Cheng Gu present, no matter how busy Shen Yan was, he had to set aside his tasks and make time to watch over him.

Yan Cheng Gu’s cooking skills were mediocre at best; the dishes were barely edible, nothing more.

Seeing the food on the table, Shen Yan’s sense of superiority deepened.

“Did you prepare this?” Shen Yan mocked.

Yan Cheng Gu nodded, shooting Shen Yan a glance before turning his gaze to Yao Yao. “Yao Yao, sit down and eat. I have something to tell you.”

Yao Yao obediently took her seat. From Yan Cheng Gu’s grave expression, she sensed that something serious had happened.

Yan Cheng Gu tried to serve her some food, but just as his chopsticks touched her bowl, Shen Yan snatched the food away.

His childish antics left both of them speechless.

Yan Cheng Gu didn’t bother arguing. “I’m going back to Beijing.”

At this, Yao Yao was momentarily stunned, but she quickly understood. The Gu family’s maneuvering was all for this moment.

Over the years, Yan Cheng Gu had been too conventional in his studies and actions. Though he spoke of breaking free from the Gu family, he had not done so thoroughly.

“Alright,” Yao Yao replied crisply, without a trace of reluctance. Yan Cheng Gu’s heart tightened; he had expected her to be more attached.

Shen Yan, eating beside them, was ostensibly focused on his meal but in truth observed their every move, naturally catching Yan Cheng Gu’s fleeting look of sadness.

“Yao Yao, make sure to take good care of yourself,” Yan Cheng Gu said with parting words that struck an unpleasant note in Shen Yan’s ears.

Was this arranging his woman right in front of him?

He wasn’t dead yet—couldn’t Yan Cheng Gu be a bit more considerate?

“Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of her. She will be very happy,” Shen Yan cut in coldly.

Yao Yao shot him a warning glance and then nodded to Yan Cheng Gu. “Go back with peace of mind. Everything here is fine. We’ll have other chances to meet.”

“Okay,” Yan Cheng Gu nodded, but his expression remained sorrowful.

Not knowing how to comfort him, Yao Yao picked up a piece of meat to place in his bowl, only for Shen Yan to snatch it away again.

Yan Cheng Gu: ...

Yan Cheng Gu left hurriedly after dinner.

Yao Yao immediately told Wanqing Yu about it, but Wanqing was too entangled in work and romance to pay any attention to Yan Cheng Gu’s affairs.

Returning to the Gu family, Yan Cheng Gu naturally had to put the entertainment industry matters aside.

No matter how much his fans raged, they could obtain no information from Yan Cheng Gu.

Wanqing Yu’s collaborative project with the Y branch concluded perfectly.

With Yao Yao’s oversight, Wanqing Yu’s results satisfied everyone involved.

This project also elevated the Yu family’s standing a bit more.

Wanqing Yu immediately invited Yao Yao to dinner, bringing along Feng Yuqi as well.

“Yao Yao, I owe you thanks for this project. Without you, I doubt I could have completed it so smoothly,” Wanqing Yu said, holding her glass with both hands and bowing solemnly before drinking it down.

Yao Yao knew she was serious. She raised her glass to clink with Wanqing Yu’s and smiled faintly, “I accept your gratitude.”

Meanwhile, Shen Cheng lay in the hospital recovering from injuries inflicted by Yao Yao.

During this time, he never ceased muttering about expanding his influence, all the while harboring resentment toward Yao Yao and Shen Yan.

More than anything, he felt the Shen family was biased. After being humiliated by Yao Yao, the family elders did nothing!

It was utterly disgusting.

In a foul mood, Shen Cheng’s subordinates suffered the consequences.

Every day in his hospital room, he smashed things and lost his temper, frightening everyone who entered.

The Shen family matriarch was reluctant to visit Shen Cheng but went out of obligation.

She frowned, looking at him with disdain and spoke with bitter disappointment, “You’re a man, yet you allowed a woman to teach you a lesson. It’s disgraceful!”

She had been shocked to hear that Yao Yao had beaten Shen Cheng, never expecting her to have such ability.

This Yao Yao... was too capable, turning the Shen family upside down.

“Yeah, I’m disgraceful. So you all ignore me and let others trample the Shen family’s reputation underfoot,” Shen Cheng said bitterly.

Resigned to ruin, he spat out, “After Yao Yao and Shen Yan beat me up and used me to pull Shen Yan down, you do nothing but come here acting high and mighty? I’m the disgrace.”

“Shen Yan?” The matriarch, aware that with Shen Yan’s leadership the family was improving, dared not throw dirt on him lightly. “I’ve checked. Shen Yan never laid a hand on you. When will you stop spreading these lies?”

“If he allowed it, how would Yao Yao dare?” Shen Cheng retorted indignantly.

The matriarch’s face darkened further, exhaling heavily.

“Domestic affairs are none of your concern. Once you recover and can move around, you should return abroad.”

Previously, the matriarch had been greedy, wanting everything.

But now she couldn’t handle it all and had to choose sides.

It was clear she had chosen Shen Yan.

Hearing he would be sent away again, Shen Cheng’s eyes flickered as he countered, “I got beaten up and used to bring Shen Yan down, struggling here with no reward, and now you want to wash your hands of it?”

The matriarch’s eyes gleamed; she hadn’t expected Shen Cheng to be like a stubborn dog’s plaster—once stuck, impossible to shake off.

Though stubborn, Shen Yan was straightforward in his actions.

After all this turmoil, the matriarch was increasingly convinced that Shen Cheng paled in comparison to Shen Yan.

“And what do you want to do?” she asked reluctantly.

Shen Cheng was now the family’s blemish. As long as he was sent abroad, the matriarch was willing to compromise.

“I won’t go abroad,” Shen Cheng extinguished her last hope outright.

“I want to develop domestically. You must help me, and you can’t let Shen Yan secretly sabotage me.”

That was Shen Cheng’s condition.

Though her support had smoothed his domestic development somewhat, it was far from enough.

To establish himself firmly at home, Shen Cheng needed the matriarch’s influence.

“No. You won’t succeed here,” she said sternly.

“From now on, all domestic affairs will be handled solely by Shen Yan. You can return abroad with peace of mind.”

“Hand everything over to Shen Yan?” Shen Cheng asked, disbelief and bitterness rising.