Chapter 91

In a daze, Fan Shengmei heard someone knocking on her room door.

"Sister Fan, Sister Fan, are you there?"

She was very familiar with that voice; it was the voice of Qiu Yingying, who was always full of energy and vitality every day. Seeing Qiu Yingying jumping around no matter how tired she was every day, she had even sighed that youth passes easily and time is hard to keep; after all, she had once been that silly, full of hope for the future.

The groggy Fan Shengmei struggled to open her eyes and opened her mouth to respond to Qiu Yingying, but found her throat burning with pain and couldn't make a sound at all.

Qiu Yingying outside was still calling, and Fan Shengmei struggled to get up, but her body was weak and sore, and she couldn't even get up for a moment.

Fortunately, after calling a few times, Qiu Yingying saw no response, thought Fan Shengmei hadn't woken up yet, and opened the door and walked in.

"Sister Fan, it's time. If I hadn't seen the key at the door, I would have..." Qiu Yingying, who was close by, saw Fan Shengmei, who was listless, with dry and purple cracked lips, and haggard, hurriedly stepped forward to shake her: "Sister Fan? Sister Fan? Are you okay?... Sister Fan? Say something?"

Fan Shengmei rolled her eyes and said with a hoarse voice with difficulty: "Little Earthworm, stop shaking me for a moment, help me get some water."

"Ah? Oh, okay, wait a moment, Sister Fan." Qiu Yingying ran out and brought back a glass of water.

Supporting Fan Shengmei to lean against the head of the bed and feeding her some water, Qiu Yingying touched Fan Shengmei's forehead: "Oh? So hot? Sister Fan, shall I accompany you to the hospital?"

Go to the hospital? Register, check, IV drip, prescribe medicine, and have to ask for leave and lose wages. Where would the money come from?

"It's nothing serious, no need to trouble you, just drink some medicine and rest for a day and it will be fine."

"But Sister Fan, you are now..."

Fan Shengmei interrupted weakly: "Go, help me find some medicine, thank you, Little Earthworm."

"Alright..." After covering Fan Shengmei with the quilt, Qiu Yingying went out to find medicine again, and after feeding Fan Shengmei, she very thoughtfully ran to the entrance of the residential area to buy porridge, eggs, and pickles.

After being busy all morning, it was almost time for work. She didn't have time to eat breakfast. Qiu Yingying finished washing her face and brushing her teeth at lightning speed. As for makeup? Ever since she started working under Wang Yan, she hadn't bothered with it, and she was always bare-faced all day.

A knock on the door sounded punctually outside: "Xiao Qiu, let's go."

"Hey, Brother Wang, right away." Qiu Yingying hurriedly responded, quickly wiped her face, ran back to the room to carry her small bag, ran to Fan Shengmei's room, looked at the situation, and said: "Sister Fan, I'm going to work. I bought you breakfast, it's on the table, remember to eat. Oh, also, if anything happens, call me anytime. Going now, Sister Fan, rest well, bye-bye."

Responding weakly, watching Qiu Yingying leave at lightning speed, Fan Shengmei picked up her phone and called her leader to ask for a day off.

After hanging up the phone, Fan Shengmei wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, lay on the bed, looking at the ceiling with dull eyes, tears sliding silently from the corners of her eyes.

She felt so damn wronged. After mixing for so many years, when she was sick, she didn't even dare to go to the hospital, and only dared to ask for a day off, just holding on at home like this.

If it weren't for the care and attention of this little girl Qiu Yingying who shared the rent, would she have died silently in this narrow and cramped room in this huge Shanghai? Would she only be discovered after her corpse emitted a foul stench?

The more she thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt, and Fan Shengmei's tears flowed endlessly...

On the wide, flat road, a black A8 cut in and turned right, succeeding in cutting in line. The driver of the car behind, whose brain wasn't clear in the morning and who hadn't followed the car in time, almost rear-ending, was furious and honked frantically.

Wang Yan acted as if he didn't hear it, turned up the music slightly, and continued to look for opportunities to move forward.

After holding it in for a long time, Qiu Yingying still couldn't hold it in and said to Wang Yan, who was focused on finding opportunities: "Brother Wang, Sister Fan is sick."

"Worried?"

"A little bit."

"About this matter, I think you should discuss it with Guan Juer or Andi. What I can do is give you a day off so you can take care of her."

To be honest, if Fan Shengmei didn't keep forcing her set of mate selection standards and love game theory on others, and didn't corrupt the two girls who had just entered society, she would be considered passable.

After all, she was indeed quite caring toward Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer. Helping when there was trouble, giving ideas—as a roommate relationship where they were complete strangers, it was enough.

"Oh, alright then... But forget about the leave, let's wait until Sister Fan can't hold on anymore and contacts me."

…………

Tongzhou, Old Bao's big villa.

"Hmm, I know, you pay attention, report to me anytime if there's a situation."

Noticing Bao Yifan, who had hung up the phone, frowning, Old Bao, who was drinking porridge at the table, asked: "What happened?"

"Nothing major, just some wind on the internet, saying there's a problem with our Bao family's products. Our quality control has always been very strict. I estimate it might be someone who has lost their mind and wants to blackmail us. I've already sent people to deal with it."

"Don't take it lightly, I feel something is wrong." After pondering for a moment, Old Bao gave a warning. This was his experience from decades in business; wind rises from the end of duckweed, waves form from subtle ripples. There's no such thing as wind without a hole; any slight disturbance could be malicious targeting from competitors.

Turning the page, Old Bao asked: "By the way, didn't you want to cooperate with Shengxuan? How is the talk going? Any progress?"

Speaking of this, Bao Yifan smiled: "No major progress, still in contact."

"I've heard people say that you seem to have thoughts about that CFO of Shengxuan. Yifan, don't blame Mom for not notifying you, playing around is fine, but if you really want to let her enter the house, I don't agree." Bao Yifan's mother said as a matter of course. And it was a fact; with their family's financial resources, who couldn't her son get if he wanted to? And her son looked good and wasn't old; how many had she seen already?

Bao Yifan didn't take it to heart: "Mom, it's all baseless, why are you saying these things?"

"I'm warning you first, I don't want things to get too ugly." Rolling her eyes at Bao Yifan, Mother Bao said: "I just don't understand, what's wrong with the daughter of your Uncle Li's family? You both grew up together, not only is she beautiful, but she's also well-read and sensible. Our two families are also family friends, a marriage between families, why don't you let me and your dad worry less, you child."

"It's still early, Mom, what are you in such a hurry for." Seeing she was about to continue, Bao Yifan hurriedly said: "Dad, I'm going to the company, I need to understand this matter specifically and see if we have any problems ourselves. Going now, Mom." After speaking, Bao Yifan put down his bowl and ran.

"Hey, Old Bao." Mother Bao said unhappily: "Look at this child, he runs after saying two words. You too, am I the only one worrying about the child's lifelong event? Isn't he your son? You don't want to hold a grandson, but I do."

Old Bao nodded and dealt with it: "Yes, yes, you are right, I'll talk to him later."

Mother Bao didn't want to bother with him, put down her bowl and chopsticks heavily, and left.

Old Bao didn't even lift his eyelids…………

In the Qu family's big villa, Qu Lianjie detailed the situation of the new big client he had met: "Dad, this is a really big business this time, you have to support me." While speaking, he didn't forget to glance at Qu Xiaoxiao, who was gnashing her teeth over there.

Qu Yongquan pondered: "Lianjie, the most important thing in doing business is caution. Don't listen to what your friends say, you have to check it yourself. Have you figured out the background of this client?"

"Oh, Dad, don't worry, I asked friends in Hong Kong that day, absolutely no problem, strong strength, and quite a few industries abroad. As he spoke, he took out his phone, flipped through it twice, and handed it over: "Take a look, Dad. It's all crystal clear on it."

Qu Yongquan looked through it for a moment and said happily: "Good, good, Lianjie. Don't have any worries, go ahead and do it, I absolutely support you." He naturally didn't believe it all, but it looked quite credible for now, and he would check it again later. However, he didn't stint on praising Qu Lianjie's efforts.

Qu Lianjie noticed Qu Xiaoxiao quietly taking her phone over there and hurriedly got up and took it: "Little sister, you don't need to worry. Your brother's experience is still much more than yours, I can handle it."

Noticing Qu Yongquan's expression was wrong, Qu Xiaoxiao returned to her chair and sat down: "Tch, what's so great about that?"

Qu Yongquan glared at Qu Xiaoxiao with a dark face: "What does this look like? Can't find a client yourself, and want to snatch your brother's client? Is that appropriate?"

Having slept together for more than twenty years, they naturally knew the score. Seeing him get angry, Qu Xiaoxiao's mother hurriedly smoothed things over: "Hey, Old Qu, why get angry with Xiaoxiao? If Lianjie succeeds this time, our Qu family will go up another level. Come, Lianjie, try this side dish. I've been learning it for quite a long time."

Qu Lianjie smiled all over his face: "Thank you, Auntie, I'll do it myself."

What a scene of a kind mother and filial son.

Qu Xiaoxiao wasn't someone who couldn't see the situation; she ate her meal properly and didn't say a word.

After the meal, Qu Xiaoxiao and her mother left the villa and found a quiet place to discuss countermeasures.

"Mom, if Qu Lianjie succeeds, there really won't be anything for me."

"You too, why are you so unpromising? Sigh..."

Qu Xiaoxiao pouted and pretended to be wronged: "I don't want to either, Mom~~ Doing business is really not easy, I've already worked very hard, okay."

Rolling her eyes at Qu Xiaoxiao, her mother said: "I don't know you? What was the reason your dad scolded you last time? And you've worked very hard? Not showing up for several days in a row, fooling around outside, and even lying to me?"

"Oh my, Mom~~" Qu Xiaoxiao drew out her voice and said dejectedly: "It's already like this now, what use do you say I have? We have to find a way. But where can I find such a wealthy client?"

"It's good that you know you're in a hurry. Alright, go to work, no matter what, you have to make some achievements."

"But…………"

"Go, Mom is here, Mom will think of a way."

"Alright, then I'm going." Qu Xiaoxiao trusted her mother one hundred percent. "Mom is here" was absolutely the most reassuring thing for her. After all, from childhood to adulthood, her mother always did what she said and never let her down.

Watching her daughter walk away, Qu Xiaoxiao's mother brainstormed frantically, calculating silently.

If Qu Lianjie became the head of the family, once something happened to Qu Yongquan, then the two of them definitely wouldn't have a good time. Not to mention being driven out of the house, it would be almost the same. After all, she herself didn't think much of Qu Lianjie.

She didn't even dare to think about that situation. Planning ahead, preparing early, to be fully prepared, Qu Xiaoxiao's mother considered for a long time, took out her phone, and made a call: "Let's pick a place to meet..."

…………

Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer didn't work overtime today, and the two accompanied each other in Wang Yan's car back to Joy of Living.

They packed some light meals at the restaurant at the entrance and returned to 2202.

"Sister Fan, we're back. Are you okay?" Opening the door, Qiu Yingying shouted.

Fan Shengmei wasn't doing very well today. She slept groggily until the afternoon, and then her mother called again asking for money. Her rotten brother caused trouble, her sister-in-law ran away fast, and as a result, people came to her parents' house to block them.

Her mother didn't care how she was, and actually asked her to move out and get the rent deposit back to live in the company dormitory? Fan Shengmei really couldn't say anything, and didn't know what to say.

But there was no other way, no matter what, they were her own parents. With the two old people and the child, how could they handle it?

But she didn't have that much money for the moment. She could only say she would go borrow it tomorrow to muddle through first. At this moment, she was lying on the bed crying, lamenting her tragic fate.

Hearing the voice outside, Fan Shengmei responded hoarsely: "I'm fine." Then she wiped her tears, opened the door, and walked out.

"Sister Fan, why are you crying?" Guan Juer stepped forward and asked.

Qiu Yingying put the things she bought on the table: "Shall we go to the hospital and take a look, Sister Fan?"

Fan Shengmei said listlessly: "Nothing major, just sleep again today and it will be fine, thank you both." She was truly grateful; she didn't expect the two of them to care about her so much. After all, Guan Juer didn't go on a date with her boyfriend even though she didn't work overtime, and came back specifically to see her. And Qiu Yingying, needless to say, must have given up overtime and came back specifically. She had heard Qiu Yingying talk about the benefits of Wang Yan's company, which was 1.5 times the real money according to the law.

"Then... alright." After looking at each other with Guan Juer, Qiu Yingying said: "Sister Fan, we packed some meals for you, knowing you have no appetite, they are all light, shall we eat a little together?"

Feeling this heartwarming care, Fan Shengmei burst into tears, stepped forward and hugged the two: "Xiao Guan, Xiao Qiu, thank you both, thank you both."

"Oh my, Sister Fan, it's nothing. You are too polite, this is what we should do, alright, alright, don't cry." Guan Juer comforted Fan Shengmei.

Qiu Yingying also patted Fan Shengmei's back: "That's right, Sister Fan, let's eat, after eating, you rest well for the night, tomorrow you will be that charming big beauty again."

Fan Shengmei laughed: "Charming? If possible, I'd rather be a man. Alright, alright, you two have worked all afternoon and must be hungry, eat quickly."

It could be seen that Fan Shengmei was in a bad mood and her spirit wasn't very good. So when eating, Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer tried their best to talk about some light topics, letting Fan Shengmei change her mood so she could eat more.

Fan Shengmei should have laughed, but her eyes were full of tears.

Looking at Fan Shengmei, who was eating with her head down without saying a word, the two looked at each other. Guan Juer shook her head, and Qiu Yingying returned an understanding look.

The dining table was quiet for a while, with only the sound of chewing and the clinking of bowls and chopsticks.

After eating, the two accompanied Fan Shengmei to talk for a while until Fan Shengmei fell into a deep sleep.

Carefully closing the door, Qiu Yingying and Guan Juer whispered in the room.

"Guan Guan, Sister Fan seems to have something on her mind."

"She just has something on her mind."

"Then we..."

Guan Juer interrupted: "Yingying, since Sister Fan doesn't want to say, let's not meddle."

"Hmm... alright. You're right, even if Sister Fan says it, the two of us can't help much except for comforting her. Sister Fan is so capable, she has always been the one comforting us, and she doesn't need us to comfort her."

"Oh my, Yingying, you seem to have improved a lot recently..."

"A little, just a little." Qiu Yingying laughed: "Hey, by the way, Guan Guan. Should we tell Sister Andi about this? She is so capable, if Sister Fan needs any help, she must have a way."

Guan Juer thought for a moment: "Hmm... let's forget it today, don't disturb Brother Wang and them, I'll tell Sister Andi on the way tomorrow."

The two laughed and joked for a while, and then each went about their own business. Guan Juer dated in addition to studying, and Qiu Yingying studied in addition to studying.

The next day, Fan Shengmei went to work while sick; there was no way, she really couldn't afford to be sick.

Guan Juer told Andi about the matter on the way, and Andi responded that she knew, and there was no follow-up.

She knew Fan Shengmei was tactful in handling things, and there was absolutely no problem with her work. Then it was nothing more than emotional problems or family problems. Andi didn't want to say much about emotional problems because she had already seen what kind of person Fan Shengmei was. As for family problems, she didn't have that obligation either.

Wang Yan's life had always been as plain as water, and his passion was only at night, and that was when Andi wasn't in a special situation.

After returning, he handled the company's backlog of affairs daily, controlled the actions against the Old Bao family and the Qu family, and that was it.

And because of his actions, Tan Zongming discovered the clues and, knowing Wang Yan hadn't lied to him, also made preparations and started to act. Inevitably, Andi also became busy.

Just like dealing with the Old Liang family, with Wei Zhijie pulling a group of people to participate, and fighting for nearly half a year. The Old Bao family was the same; it wasn't something that could be brought down in the short term. After all, the Bao family was a large group with a scale of over ten billion, and it was still in the country. In Tongzhou, it wasn't much different from being a local emperor, with roots intertwined up and down, involving all aspects, and everything had to be arranged clearly.

However, Bao Yifan didn't have the time and energy to harass Andi, so as long as the goal was achieved, that was it. As for the subsequent decline, that was the punishment. The Old Bao family also had quite a few assets abroad, so being an ordinary wealthy person was quite good. If Bao Yifan still didn't know what was good for him, then he was seeking his own death, and he would have to let him verify whether he would see Satan or King Yama when a Chinese person died abroad.

It must be said that Wang Baichuan was still that Wang Baichuan, licking thoroughly. He didn't know where he heard about Fan Shengmei's family affairs, and felt that he had another chance, thinking that if he went up to help her, he might be able to win the beauty.

He called Fan Shengmei to tell her that the person her brother hit had relatives in the hospital to help, and it was convenient to prescribe medicine, and they just wanted to blackmail them. He tried to help her think of ways and ideas to solve the problem with earnest words.

Fan Shengmei didn't like this man who had stripped her bare, not to mention that she now knew about her family's rotten affairs, and she felt she had been stripped even more? She didn't want to say much, hung up the phone with a goodbye, not even a thank you.

Fan Shengmei, who turned back, had no way; she couldn't watch her parents and nephew being tossed around by others, so she could only use money to talk.

She didn't have money to talk, and she had borrowed from everyone around her. The two little girls around her had no savings, and they were barely making it themselves, so in the end, she could only find Andi. And Andi had been busy with the Old Bao family's affairs recently, working overtime every day, and she hadn't found a chance to speak, so it was left unsettled.

Fan Shengmei, on one hand, kept crying helplessly at the phone calls from home urging for money eight times a day, and on the other hand, continued to hang out and drink with Qu Lianjie, naturally doing that and that with him.

At the same time, Wang Baichuan was unwilling. His Little Mei Mei had something, so it was his business. It's just that after that day, Fan Shengmei didn't answer his calls, and he gave up after calling twice; he couldn't continue to leave a bad impression.

After thinking about it, Wang Baichuan flipped to the business card Qu Xiaoxiao had stuffed into his hand, and called it without a word. As for Wang Yan and Andi, he had thought of them, but what could he do without contact information?

Qu Xiaoxiao was annoyed, working all day, thinking about where to climb to a big client. She didn't have the time to find Dr. Zhao, whom she had fallen in love with at first sight, let alone the matter of the gold-digging woman she looked down upon, and they had already fallen out, so it had even less to do with her. After listening to Wang Baichuan's narration, she just took it as fun. After hanging up the phone, she backhanded and blocked him; whoever it was, it didn't matter.

On the other side, Wang Baichuan had been played, and besides cursing Qu Xiaoxiao, there was nothing he could do. He could only pay attention to Fan Shengmei's family affairs at all times, waiting for an opportunity to lick again.