Chapter 1040: The Slap in the Face Came Too Suddenly

The slap in the face came too fast and too suddenly; it was so sudden that Madam Chen hadn't even been smug for a few days before she became the laughingstock of L Country!

After Chen Ran was invited to dine at the Sheng Family and it was exposed to the domestic upper class, she had barely stopped bragging everywhere, boasting that her good news with the Sheng Family was near, that the Sheng Family was fawning over the Chen Family, and so on and so forth.

Now, almost every person of status in all of L Country knew that the Sheng Family wanted to marry into her family and were preparing to watch the Qi Family make a fool of themselves, but she hadn't even been smug for a few days before the falling-into-the-water incident occurred!

It was originally meant to slap the Qi Family in the face, but she didn't anticipate receiving a heavy slap on her own face instead.

Now, there are rumors everywhere in the country saying that the Sheng Family never took the Chen Family seriously at all, and that Chen Ran falling into the water wasn't an accident, but something the Sheng Family did on purpose to vent for the Qi Family...

The higher one was held up initially, the more miserably one falls now!

"Bang!"

She smashed a teacup.

"Clatter—"

Still feeling unsatisfied, she swept everything on the vanity onto the floor.

"The Sheng Family goes too far! Sheng Hanyu, Shi Youxuan, you just wait and see, I will definitely not let you off!" She gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with a fierce glint.

A Country.

A family of three was holding a small family meeting in the Study, and the core content of the meeting was the question of whether Shi Ran should stay in A Country to continue her schooling.

Three people, three different ideas.

Shi Youxuan wanted her daughter to return to the country; she had changed her usual "Zen-like parenting style," no longer believing that the child's thoughts were the most important, and stated her position very firmly—Shi Ran must return to the country and go to school in Jiangzhou.

The reason was also sufficient: her grandparents were getting old and needed their "little personal cotton-padded jacket" to stay by their side more than ever.

When Shi Ran first went to A Country for school, the excuse used was to take care of her great-grandparents for her mother and aunt.

Now that her great-grandparents were no longer around, it was time to go back!

Besides, Qi Heng had also returned to the country, so what was the point of Shi Ran staying?

Shi Ran didn't want to leave because the education style here suited her temperament better.

Her great-grandparents had left behind many works and books, and the more she read, the more fascinated she became; she wanted to become a person like her great-grandparents, and this was her ideal.

Now that transportation was so convenient, she could go back to see her grandparents once a month; the long distance was not a reason.

Shi Youxuan was so anxious she was hopping mad, her attitude becoming even firmer: she must go back, and if she didn't, she would be dragged back.

Sheng Hanyu had not expressed an opinion until now, but he then stated: "Right, your mother is right. You must go back with us. Gold will shine wherever it is; my daughter's academic research won't be affected no matter where she is."

As for the books and such, they could all be shipped back.

"No! Have you considered my feelings by doing this? This is too disrespectful to me; I don't agree!" Shi Ran had been very opinionated since she was young, and her parents had always respected her opinions, so she was used to making her own decisions. Now, being treated so forcefully out of the blue, she wanted to resist, regardless of whether they were right or not.

The three of them couldn't reach a consensus, so the couple prepared to play hardball—forcibly taking their daughter back to the country!

Little girl, did she really think she could turn the world upside down?

In Shi Youxuan's words: "Shi Ran, I am going to teach you a vivid lesson today, to let you see what it means when a small arm cannot twist a thick thigh!"

Shi Ran was furious: "What you are doing is illegal! We are all independent individuals; even if you are my parents, you have no right to force me to do things I don't like."

Shi Youxuan could feel her temples throbbing violently, her heart rate accelerating; she was almost having an arrhythmia.

She had always upheld the principle of equality when raising her child, fully respecting the child's own decisions.

Especially with Shi Ran, who was so sensible that she had basically never had to worry about her since she started school; if it weren't for this incident, she would have felt her parenting was very successful.

She would have to change in the future!

One could fully respect a child's thoughts on minor matters, but when it came to matters of principle—the parents still had to be the ones to decide!

Chen Ran was currently recuperating in the hospital, but she would be discharged in less than two days.

If he was indeed Zhu Qingrui, staying in the same country as her daughter was too dangerous.

There is no such thing as a thousand days of being a thief, but there is no such thing as a thousand days of guarding against a thief either.

Shi Youxuan now felt that her husband was right; she used to complain that her husband was too strict and overbearing with the children.

Now she saw that being a little overbearing had many benefits.

Before they formed a systematic and mature ability to judge the dangers of society, one should help the children make decisions!

Some mistakes can be corrected, but some mistakes only need to be made once to last a lifetime.

Say it and do it; not a single minute could be delayed!

Shi Youxuan prepared to play hardball and take her daughter back to the country.

But before she could take action, a guest arrived at the house.

Zhang Ma came over and knocked on the door: "Knock, knock, knock."

"Sir, Madam, there is a guest outside who claims to be the Finance Minister of L Country, Madam Chen. Will you see her?"

Shi Youxuan:...

The couple looked at each other.

Then they looked at their daughter together; the three of them didn't need to speak, just a look was enough to reach a consensus instantly—truce, and unite against the enemy!

Madam Chen was not here with good intentions; Shi Youxuan could smell the gunpowder before even seeing her.

Living room.

Madam Chen had been sitting on the sofa for ten minutes, her expression growing increasingly impatient.

Her well-maintained nails, painted with scarlet nail polish, tapped on the coffee table, the frequency getting faster and faster!

She asked Zhang Ma: "Your mistress has such airs, why hasn't she come over yet?"

Zhang Ma said: "Please wait a moment, Madam. Our mistress learned that a distinguished guest had arrived and, not wanting to be impolite, is upstairs dressing and grooming. She will be here in a moment."

"Hmph!"

Madam Chen already held a dismissive attitude toward the Shi Youxuan she had yet to meet.

She thought to herself: People outside say she is very formidable, but in reality, she is nothing more than this; she doesn't even dare to show her face, so how much courage and ability could she really have?

Shi Youxuan was late to appear, so she took it for granted that Shi Youxuan was feeling guilty!

She felt guilty about causing her son to fall into the water, so she dared not see her.

Upstairs.

Sheng Hanyu held his shoulders and watched his wife "put on makeup," his tone quite helpless: "How old are you, is it really fun to do this? You've even become addicted to playing the pig to eat the tiger."

His wife was dressed like a nouveau riche... no, not like one, she just was!

She wore a fiery red Chanel suit and exaggerated jewelry; she wished she could wear all her jewelry at once, but because there was too much, it looked messy and lacked any aesthetic appeal.

That wasn't even the worst part; the makeup on her face was even more exaggerated.

Heavily made up, she looked just like a female ghost.

Shi Ran had the same posture as her father—arms crossed, expression helpless.

"Mom, dressing up so deliberately is actually bad; it's easy for people to see through."

Shi Youxuan chuckled: "Do you want to make a bet with me? I bet my scheme will definitely succeed."

Shi Ran had a bad premonition; every time her mother showed a smile like that, it meant someone was about to be unlucky.

She decisively refused: "No bet, children shouldn't gamble, that's what you said."

"Tch, I've said many things; you don't listen to the others, but you specifically pick the ones that are favorable to you."

Another fifteen minutes later.

Just as Mrs. Chen's patience was completely exhausted and she was preparing to stand up and leave, Shi Youxuan came down from upstairs with a graceful gait.

"Mrs. Chen, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting."

Mrs. Chen turned her head and was startled.