Chapter 158

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Main Character:

Shen Yao

Because they had to prepare for the engagement banquet, the two of them ate a rather light breakfast.

After eating, the two of them didn't go out either, but went to prepare some matters for the engagement banquet.

It's not that they were doing the preparations themselves — after all, that many people weren't hired for nothing — but things like invitation arrangements and banquet details needed the two of them to sign off.

Shen Yao: ……

Only today did she truly realize, being a financial consortium scion isn't easy.

Looking at all kinds of intertwined interest relationships, Shen Yao and Gu Jingrun discussed a portion first, then for the uncertain parts they still had to ask Gu Mengyan to deliberate.

All invited guests would come to the old house; at that time the Gu family members would also be very complete.

At this kind of time, including the attending guests aspect, it was definitely a case of avoiding mistakes if at all possible.

Otherwise causing a scene in public would be giving the master's house no face, and if it got into some gossip tabloid, good grief, they'd instantly become the laughingstock of all Yingzhong.

"These media outlets, every day they just stare at the family's trivial matters.

Fabricating lies out of thin air, truly, truly—" Zhou Min Hui wanted to scold a few sentences, but for a long while couldn't speak them.

Seeing this, Shen Yao hurriedly persuaded, "Mother, why bother fussing too much with them? They're all things that can't stand seeing others do well."

Lowering her head to glance at the content whose entire layout was Gu Jingzhi's photos, Shen Yao thought to herself it matched this person's playboy, playing-among-the-world style.

Key point: a few days ago Zhou Min Hui had just introduced a financial consortium daughter from a traditional background with strict family upbringing to Gu Jingzhi, and the two were currently in contact.

Now that this newspaper came out, the daughter probably had no hope left. Pitiful the hearts of parents under heaven, effort gone to waste.

"How come it feels like the Host is gloating?" The system popped out to mock Shen Yao.

"How so? I'm just sighing with emotion a couple of sentences. Him not living up to expectations — is that my fault for snickering? There's absolutely no such logic."

The mechanical voice continued, "The Host gets along harmoniously with the future mother-in-law; looks like matters after marrying into the Gu family won't stump the Host either."

Shen Yao smiled, answering unhurriedly, "Words can't be put that way; this time that time, who knows what the scene will be after marrying in.

Besides, the reason we get along harmoniously now is because the two older sons found daughters-in-law who made her very dissatisfied.

Wait until her most beloved youngest son under her knees fulfills her wish and marries a financial consortium daughter through the door — then where does this daughter-in-law of ordinary origin with a bit of money count as a person of any standing?"

Even after her identity changes from fiancée to true daughter-in-law, she goes out to work every day yet isn't making money for Gu Group and still gets criticized.

People at different moments have different mindsets. Zhou Min Hui being like this right now is human nature.

Shen Yao has always been very clear-headed in this aspect; she won't change her own mindset and survival principles just because Zhou Min Hui's attitude is good or bad.

In other words, her desired goal has always been clear; before achieving this goal, all people or things blocking her forward road will be crossed over one by one by her.

"Alright, not talking about these for now; the engagement banquet is imminent, the home turf can't have any mishaps."

System: ……

The system watched the Host finish speaking and then continue burying her head in work with great vigor; in its heart it simply admired her to no end.

Truly strong, no matter which aspect you look from. The Host shouldn't have signed a contract with it; she should have gotten an invincible grind-king system instead.

Early September, the engagement banquet the Gu family had long prepared was held at the old house.

That day, those attending the engagement banquet were all of H Country's famous nobles and high officials, financial consortium aristocrats. There were also some foreign groups with business dealings; the scale was by no means ordinary.

Having long received their own daughter's concern (warning), the Shen husband and wife, who dared not mess around casually, were quiet as quails throughout the entire banquet.

They didn't even bring the other four children; they belonged to the category of family knowing family matters, not the material that could support a grand occasion, so they simply didn't come to lose face.

Shen Yao hadn't expected that after several years apart, her own parents would behave this obediently; she suddenly felt she could appropriately give them a taste of something sweet.

Feelings are maintained by mutual giving; between the two sides there's no affection, only interests, so using money to settle things is the most reasonable approach.

"Those two are Shen, Third Young Mistress's parents?" They don't look like it at all.

Jiang Peiyi gritted her teeth, propping up her eight-month pregnant belly standing in the corner resting.

Even if the Gu family disliked it, but Gu Jingxing insisted; now she had some small fame in Yingzhong's financial consortium circles.

It's just this fame had good and bad; even later when Jiang Peiyi tried to repair it, it was basically to no avail.

But fortunately there were still the child and Gu Jingxing; Jiang Peiyi took a deep breath, trying her best to steady her body.

Today's engagement banquet, she originally shouldn't have attended, but Jiang Peiyi couldn't help herself; she wanted to see just how luxurious such an engagement banquet would be.

As a result she indeed saw it — the luxurious extravagant scene blatantly telling her, she would never possess it!

"Peiyi? Peiyi!"

Jiang Peiyi panicked and raised her head, meeting Gu Jingxing's frowning, impatient expression.

Her breath couldn't help but catch; Jiang Peiyi's lip color turned pale, and she unconsciously said ingratiatingly, "Jingxing, what's wrong?"

Gu Jingxing exhaled and shook his head, "Nothing, just saw your thoughts weren't right.

The doctor instructed: your body is on the weak side; if you don't recuperate well, the child in your belly could be born prematurely at any time.

Just now those two are indeed Third Young Mistress's parents, but they have nothing to do with us."

Perhaps because he grew up under elders' high expectations, Gu Jingxing's life was filled with repression and suffocation.

Meeting Jiang Peiyi and entangling with her until now was a thing Gu Jingxing did that was not at all cost-effective and very out of line.

But Gu Jingxing still persisted; talking about love or not is too hypocritical — he just wanted to use the same methods to retaliate against the suffering he received at home.

The various entanglements between Jiang Peiyi, Second Uncle Gu Mengqing, and Green Forest Real Estate — Gu Jingxing knew, but he didn't pay too much attention.

Anyway, Green Forest Real Estate had already been thrown by him to Little Uncle Gu Mengbai; whatever happened next had absolutely nothing to do with him.

Jiang Peiyi looked at Gu Jingxing, subconsciously touching her own bulging belly. Before she could say anything more, Gu Jingxing turned around, left her, and went to greet guests at the banquet.

The banquet crowd wore luxury, noble and composed, setting off Jiang Peiyi with nowhere to hide her shame.

Her lip corners were bitten until they bled, yet she remained unaware; Jiang Peiyi once again recalled the words Shen Yao had once spoken to her.

Value? Value!

A person should have their own value; otherwise, they can only be discarded at will.

Be it the Jiang family or the Gu family, even Gu Jingxing who insisted on marrying her into the household could give her attitude at will and enjoy her ingratiation.

She had lived thirty years — truly a failure.

"General Manager Shen, congratulations on the engagement; I also look forward to continuing cooperation with General Manager Shen."

"Director Wei is too courteous; being able to earn a couple words of praise from you gives me even more confidence."

"Hahahaha, General Manager Shen is humble; nowadays who doesn't know, who hasn't heard — General Manager Shen's company's new product has taken all of Yingzhong by storm."

"It's all thanks to everyone giving me face; it can't compare to the products Director Wei's company launched — our company specially prepared a few units, and the effect is outstanding."

"..."

The words of mutual flattery were simple and direct, yet quite pleasing to hear.

Shen Yao held her wine cup and walked from one end to the other, still finding time to greet Father Shen and Mother Shen.

Shen Jiabao and Fan Meijuan, though panicked inside, still did their utmost to maintain their composure.

At this key moment, they couldn't drag their daughter down; even if only for the sake of that money.

People who put interests first have this benefit — no need to say too many words; once the money is in place, everything is easily resolved.

By the time this engagement banquet ended, Shen Yao's whole being would collapse onto the bed.

Tired, truly tired.

Whether mentally or physically, as expected, a financial consortium's door is not easy to enter.

Gu Jingrun thoughtfully massaged Shen Yao's shoulders, his pressure neither too light nor too heavy.

Compared to professional masseurs, Gu Jingrun's technique naturally fell short in many respects.

But now it was merely a little intimate diversion between the two; Shen Yao enjoyed the other's attentiveness.

"Today's engagement banquet secured at least one-third of the cooperation deals for Gu Group."

Aside from the engagement ceremony at the start, Gu Jingrun stayed by Gu Mengyan's side the whole time.

As the protagonist of today's engagement banquet, Gu Jingrun received the most attention in the whole venue.

Even Gu Mengyan was doing his utmost to soothe him — whether for years of neglect or for the coming Gu Group internal war, it was unclear.

The younger generation gradually grows up, and will once again repeat the path the older generation walked back then.

Before, with Gu Mengyan suppressing things, and Gu Jingxing and Gu Jingzhi being quite capable, Gu Mengqing's branch only dared make small trouble.

Later Gu Jingxing and Gu Jingzhi made blunders one after another; Gu Jingzhe and Gu Mingyue rose later but surpassed them; Gu Bingcheng, the Gu family's Old Master, took the opportunity to call the youngest son Gu Mengbai back to the country.

Now Gu Group's internal three-party forces are at sword's points, extremely dangerous.

"Is that bad for Gu Group? Why does it look a bit strange."

Shen Yao turned her body slightly, revealing her still-unremoved-makeup beautiful face.

Gu Jingrun spoke truthfully, "Good and not good; just a bit difficult to handle."

Difficult to handle?

Shen Yao tilted her head, only to hear Gu Jingrun continue, "People's hearts are floating."

Shen Yao stood up, using the leverage of Gu Jingrun's arm to lean into his embrace, "Then Father's meaning is to give up Eldest Brother and Second Brother?"

The two huddled very close; from afar it looked like they were intimately whispering sweet nothings.

Actually, the two sticking together was merely for more convenient speaking.

"Uncertain, but the attitude shown is very much like it."

Gu Jingrun lowered his head slightly; the distance between the two's lip corners was negligible, "Some things aren't that easy to do; I'm more inclined to think Father is testing."

It's not that he lacks confidence in himself; Gu Jingrun felt that the novel trope of a single-morning turnaround to become the decision-maker was still impossible to happen to him.

Besides, Father and Mother have poured much heart and blood into Eldest Brother and Second Brother.

"Yao Yao, do you know the Li family?"

"The Li family of Wuyou Food?"

Gu Jingrun gave an "mm" and nodded, "The head of Wuyou Group once had two wives.

The first was his university classmate; their feelings were extremely deep; after marriage they had two sons.

But within five years, the first wife and both sons died together in a car accident.

The next year, the head of Wuyou Group married the Jin family's daughter.

Although it was merely a political marriage alliance, their union still brought many mutual benefits to both sides.

To this day, Madam Jin still sits securely in the position of Wuyou Group Chairman's Wife.

Barring accident, the next head of Wuyou Group will be chosen from among Madam Jin's children."

Shen Yao blinked, "You mean — even if someone is really married in, they still won't sleep soundly without worry."

Gu Jingrun smiled, "Rumor has it the one who acted back then was the Li family's Old Madam, but it's only rumor.

The Gu family isn't that ruthless; otherwise there wouldn't be so many illegitimate children."

Shen Yao gave Gu Jingrun an annoyed glare, "With a precedent like that, it's hard to avoid copycats."

Whether the Gu family people are ruthless depends entirely on how great the relevant interest entanglements are.

Gu Group presents a unified external front, but internally there are also degrees of closeness and distance.

This was predictable from early on, unless someone is willing to give up this big plate that is Gu Group.

But put another way, even if truly willing to give it up, it still depends on whether others would believe it.

What if someone plays a feint — advancing by retreating; it's not like financial consortiums haven't used this move before.

The two lay on the bed muttering for a long while; the final conclusion was still just to take it one step at a time.

Even knowing it's a frame-up, they have to jump in, after all giving up inheritance rights is too severe a matter, none of them have that idea.

……

Sunlight glaring, Shen Yao turned over on the bed, and in the end still endured and climbed up.

Time since the engagement banquet has passed one month, Shen Yao also returned to the apartment to temporarily reside.

Rustle—

The turned-on water flow wetted both hands, and also made Shen Yao's not-so-sober thoughts become normal.

Wash clean, change clothes eat food

Shen Yao used the remote to turn on the TV, while drinking milk listening to the news.

It spoke of next year's upcoming election issue, and also mentioned medical reform, property prices and other H Country long-left problems.

Shen Yao just listened to one sentence, until this news broadcast finished, she stood up and went out.

Company's latest released product effect extremely good, Shen Yao on engagement banquet day personally brought goods, further promoted product's external spread.

Being laughed at, that naturally exists, after all any time not lack people with eyes above top.

But real solid benefits (money) also entered Shen Yao's pocket.

Shen Yao generously expressed she doesn't mind this bit of thing, being privately nagged a couple sentences only, problem not big.

"Trouble is someone using this opportunity, using some inglorious means to amass wealth while ruining Perfect Company's reputation.

General Manager Shen, recently company received not few located in other cities consumers' complaints.

Temporarily no better solution method, company production capacity can't keep up, is causing this type of event frequently main reason."

People all have love beauty heart, encounter one model effect extremely good product all will be moved.

Company already according to Shen Yao's requirement tried as much as possible to increase production capacity problem.

Just some things still not easy to handle, and the further from capital Yingzhong, in control strength also will slightly appear relaxed.

Unless they can locally find suitable partners together make money.

But this obviously somewhat difficult, because too dazzling enterprise predestined will be suppressed.

Perfect Company in Shen Yao and Gu Jingrun engagement, formally with Gu Group bound after, indeed eased many once thorny problems.

But same, Gu Group's dragon head position always coveted by others.

Temporarily can't move Gu Group this pangran giant, could it be still can't find other people's trouble?

Shen Yao's company, belongs to exactly crashed into gun muzzle target.

Want to change this situation also very simple, open mouth ask Gu Group once is enough.

But can't, Shen Yao with great difficulty erected the wooden shelf, even if husband's home also cannot from her hands seize the company.