Chapter 147

An Family.

An Chenglan stood anxiously outside An Yinuo's room,

hair disheveled, beard unkempt,

pleading desperately:

"Yinuo, please listen to your father?"

"The Leng Group is finished now! No one expected the Song Family—no, Song Mo's influence to be this immense; even Leng Family's First Granduncle has been ousted overnight."

"It was my fault before—I wouldn't let you help the Song Family through their crisis, but I didn't know Song Mo had such power back then. Perhaps he caught the elder's eye…"

"This isn't my fault—it's something no one could have foreseen. Look at Lin Haisheng of the Lin Family, such a shrewd and calculating man—he was just like me."

"Didn't you used to chase Song Mo? I didn't understand you back then, but now I'm fully behind you! Chase him however you want—women chasing men are only separated by a layer of gauze. Be bold; with my support, how could you possibly fail?"

"Boys are easy to appease. Spend tens of millions on fireworks during holidays, and don't be stingy otherwise—spend generously on him. Which boy couldn't you win over?"

"So listen to your father: first go to the Song Family and apologize on my behalf, then when compensating them, climb up the ladder—strive to become their daughter-in-law?"

An Chenglan believed his plan was flawless.

There was no doubt—it was a necessary remedy.

After learning of the Song Family's immense power, to continue opposing them would be utterly foolish.

An Chenglan was not that foolish.

He was a shrewd businessman.

Thus, he quickly realized this seemed like a crisis—but might also be an opportunity.

Using compensation to the Song Family as an excuse, he would strongly support them, giving An Yinuo the chance to please Song Mo's parents and increase her time with Song Mo.

After all, she had always liked Song Mo, hadn't she?

If An Family could form a marital alliance with the Song Family, An Family's commercial foundation combined with Song Family's political power would be a perfect match!

And he, An Chenglan, could use this chance to elevate An Family to a new height!

Moreover, An Chenglan harbored a hidden thought.

He would never tell even An Yinuo this thought—he would keep it buried forever.

That was:

【How could such a small family as the Song Family possess such vast political power? If I ally with them, and during cooperation fully demonstrate my own ability】

【Show that An Family is more capable than Song Family】

【Could Song Family's political power gradually shift to An Family over time?】

An Chenglan was truly a business titan.

He was constantly calculating!

An Chenglan's eyes burned as he pounded on An Yinuo's door, urging:

"Yinuo, just do this one thing for your father."

"This is a win-win situation!"

Inside the room.

An Yinuo hugged her pillow, weeping silently.

Her beautiful black hair was wildly disheveled—clearly from burying her face in the pillow and crying hard; her delicate feet, clad in thin white silk stockings, curled tightly, their translucent, plump toes seeming to sense her sorrow, shrinking in grievance.

An Yinuo was heartbroken.

She understood An Chenglan—he still cared only about profit, wanting her to return to the Song Family to apologize and reconcile.

But…

How could she possibly have the face to do it?

An Yinuo didn't understand: in An Chenglan's heart, was profit more important than his daughter's happiness?

Why, when she had wanted to help Song Mo before, had her father—knowing she liked him—still chosen to stand against the Song Family?

Why, now that Song Family's political power proved stronger, was he demanding she grovel to them?

What did that make her, An Yinuo? A tool?

Was her affection worth nothing?

From childhood to now, the image of her loving father, carefully built by An Chenglan, collapsed instantly in An Yinuo's heart.

An Yinuo lay sobbing on the large pillow.

Her petite frame, messy long black hair—anyone seeing her now would instinctively feel pity.

She really looked like she was about to shatter~

Outside, the knocking grew more frantic.

An Chenglan had lost patience.

He exclaimed in disbelief:

"Yinuo, what time is this?!"

"Are you still throwing a tantrum at your father?"

"I know you might feel wronged, but how can an adult avoid hardship? Do you think it was easy for your father to get where I am today?"

"Can't you show some understanding for your father?"

"And you like Song Mo too!"

"Can't you just stop being stubborn?!!"

An Chenglan's torrent of words exploded like firecrackers beside An Yinuo's ears.

An Yinuo felt dazed, her mind on the verge of collapse.

Somehow, her emotions suddenly detonated at a certain threshold.

An Yinuo rushed down and opened the door,

facing An Chenglan, who stood outside in stunned shock,

and screamed with a hoarse voice:

"Do you think I'm throwing a tantrum? Do you think your daughter has no shame?!"

"It was your An Family that kicked us while we were down when the Leng Group crushed the Song Family—don't tell me you didn't pressure the Song Family! By clearing the path for the Leng Family, aren't you just an accomplice?"

"Dare you say you didn't take benefits from Leng Wanqiu?"

"I'm your daughter—I deserve this!"

"All these years I've eaten your food, worn your clothes, used your things—but weren't you built on my maternal grandfather's fortune? Do I deserve to have no shame?!"

"I deserve to be a traitor! To be a fence-sitter who immediately crawled back to the Song Family the moment they grew strong, begging for their forgiveness!"

"I deserve to never hold my head up again in front of Song Mo!"

"Chase him? Chase him? Chase him?! What do I even have to chase with? Wuhhhhh…"

An Yinuo collapsed helplessly to the floor, weeping uncontrollably.

An Chenglan stood frozen in place.

His gaze was blank, as if seeing his daughter for the first time.

"This… is my daughter?"

An Chenglan's impression of An Yinuo was rigid.

His impression of her was simply "well-behaved."

Since childhood, she had always obeyed, never spent money recklessly even though the family was rich.

Whatever she ate, drank, wore, or slept in—whatever the family provided, she never bought anything herself.

She always listened to whatever he said.

When had his daughter become rebellious?

"I just asked you to apologize… You clearly like Song Mo. Now I'm not stopping you—I'm even supporting you. Go chase him."

An Chenglan hesitated before finally uttering those words with reluctance.

But to An Yinuo's ears, they turned her face pale, her head dizzy, and suddenly brought to mind Song Mo's mocking expression when he had looked at her before.

She remembered the inner thoughts she had overheard from Song Mo.

【This ungrateful traitor, this pathetic lickspittle woman—get as far away from me as you can!】

Finally, she could no longer bear the blow.

Her vision went black, and she fainted.

"Yinuo! Yinuo!"

The last thing she heard before slipping into unconsciousness was An Chenglan's frantic cries…

(End of Chapter)