Nonetheless, since Sheng Xiao had announced his status, that meant he would formally go about his business in Jianchuan.

  Given that he become the most talented entrepreneur in the country within a single leap, every tabloid and media was certainly competing for an exclusive.

  TV channels were even trying to make an appointment with Sheng Xiao, so that he would record an interview for a financial segment with hem.

  Moreover, his net worth naturally skyrocketed, and everyone was really curious about what happened to him over the last six months.

  “Chief, we just received news that the Sheng family are offering their congratulations to Zhongteng in public.” Xu Che said, showing Sheng Xiao the video of Sheng Kai’s exclusive interview.

  Sheng Xiao’s expression did not change even after he had watched the video, although the corner of his lips curled upwards in a faint smile.

  “It seems that the Sheng family has their eyes on Zhongteng now.”


  “I don’t get it…” Xu Che said.

  “Doesn’t matter. By the way, didn’t I tell you to decline all the magazine interviews from before? Evaluate them for me now.”


  “Weren’t you going to refuse them all?”


  Sheng Xiao nodded lightly, and then picked the topmost magazine. “Contact this editorial that I’m accepting the interview.”


  “There’s also the appointment from a TV channel…”


  “Arrange for that too.”


  “I’ll reach out to them right away.”


  After all, Sheng Xiao needed was to react with some ambiguous declaration, and the Sheng Family would be left bamboozled.

  In the past, he had always fought fire with fire whenever he was at odds with Old Sheng, holding his ground until the old man yields. Now, however, following half a year of calming down, Sheng Xiao simply had no intention of open confrontation and clashing against the old man in the open.

  There would never be only one solution available for some matters.

  If the Sheng family still acted as if Sheng Xiao still had the same temper half a year ago, they would be wrong about him.

  ***

  Over the next few days, Huang Yao continued to be vague and ambiguous in their statements towards Zhongteng. Everyone else hence thought that things had calmed down between the Sheng family and Sheng Xiao, and the theories kept coming.

  In the past, Sheng Xiao would have retaliated or resort to some radical move. This time, however, Zhongteng did not react at all, which left the Sheng family unsure about what Sheng Xiao had in mind.

  They had been ever so fervent and thrilled when they were tramping over Eighth Brother and kicking him into the mud. But now? With Zhongteng having made a fortune, their ilk was once again in a hurry to use him, the most excited amongst them being Sixth Brother.

  He could not help wishing that Sheng Xiao would never return to the Sheng’s House for the rest of his life when he life, and yet he was also the most excited now.

  Was the mere thought of it not ironic?

  And then there was Gu Ziling—even Third Brother himself had underestimated his own sister-in-law. He had merely assumed that she was proud and aloof, but now it was only too obvious how greedy she was.

  “Third Brother, you had been snuggling up to Eighth Brother over the last six months, weren’t you?” Sixth Brother asked Third Brother right in his face. “How disloyal, going behind the family’s back.”


  Furious, Third Brother promptly flung away the chopsticks he was holding. “You’re not letting me eat in peace too?”


  “Fine, I’ll stop, I’ll stop. Okay?”


  “Obsessed—that’s the only fitting word to describe this family, whether if it’s me or Eighth Brother.” With that, Third Brother got to his feet and returned to his room.

  He was jobless now, but he was not keen on going out either—he knows Old Sheng’s schemes, that he was betting on him going off to meet Sheng Xiao.

  So he wouldn’t go!

  Meanwhile, because it was uncertain whether Sheng Xiao had ultimately made peace with Huang Yao, many visitors were coming to the Sheng’s house. All of them were trying to give Old Sheng face, and trying to get some tidbit while sugaring up relations with the Sheng family.

  The visitors’ looks when they were trying to curry favors allowed Third Brother to watch many a good comedy.

  Still, the most ironic element was not how power-hungry the visitors were. Instead, it was the old man accepting their flattery as if it was only natural, shamelessly accepting their fawning.

  How many of those people held Sheng Xiao in contempt when he was down and out?

  Now, all they do were trying to get their piece of the take. Third Brother hence found the Sheng family more and more bizarre, as all of them accepted it as if that was all common sense…


  He would be disgusted to death if he was Eighth Brother!

  ***

  Sheng Xiao was not actually disgusted because he was about to retaliate anyway.

  He would go on exclusive interviews and make TV appearances.

  When Mama Sheng heard from Sheng Xiao what the Sheng family was doing, she knew that they had fallen to a new low.

  “No way. The Sheng family is really that shameless?”


  “Don’t get too agitated, mother. Things would clear up soon anyway.”


  “I’ve really never come across such outrageous people.” Mama Sheng shook her head, feeling as if her hair was about to stand in horror. “You should hurry up and make things clear that your father-in-law helped you this time. It is the Shen family who helped even if you did use family connections, and you have nothing to do with the Sheng family at all.”


  Mu Qiqi turned to Sheng Xiao at Mama Sheng’s words too. “And here I was wondering why you would agree to an exclusive interview… so this is it.”


  “You don’t want me getting an exclusive?”


  “Of course not. I’m going to buy a hundred copies of the paper and the magazine so that I could see your handsome face every day.”


  Sheng Xiao frowned despite Mu Qiqi’s sweet words. “You’re being too obvious. Just tell me what you have in mind…”


  Taken aback, Mu Qiqi smiled and asked, “Was it that obvious?”


  Sheng Xiao gave her a sideways look that said ‘you-are-not-getting-away-with-this’.

  Yielding, Mu Qiqi said, “Another lab had sent a distress call, asking the professor to help with their case. He plans to bring me over to learn something, but because it’s in the mountains… I might have to stay there for two days.”


  Sheng Xiao withdrew his gaze.

  After they had been together for too long, and they had never been apart so extensively.

  Moreover, Mu Qiqi was going to a remote place like the mountains.

  Given that she would also be involved with a murder, she might not be aware even if the murderer was right beside her. How could he not be worried if she went alone?”


  “So… no?”


  “Not quite. You have to bring Xu Che with you.”


  That was Sheng Xiao’s biggest compromise.

  Nonetheless, this time it was Mu Qiqi’s turn to be silent.

  Seeing that the two kids were about to argue, Mama Sheng quickly turned to her husband. “I’m finished. Come on, let’s have a stroll.”


  “But I just started eating…” Papa Sheng said innocently

  Still, he understood after Mama Sheng winked at him, and so went out her wife—they could simply have breakfast somewhere else.

  As the dining room suddenly became quiet and seeing that Sheng Xiao was not very pleased, Mu Qiqi said, “You don’t have to be so worried. The police would be everywhere around me.”


  “I won’t if you’re twenty-five, and I would give you every bit of respect you deserve. But you are just nineteen.”