Chapter 83: Business Confidential

"Liang Chengwei!"

Shi Xu thought for a moment, then nodded, "To the outside world, he is currently the sure‑fire heir of the Liang Family."

Su Xi said nothing; they also thought Liang Chengwei would inherit the Liang Family.

"After Liang Lijiang left the Liang clan, he privately held a banquet to celebrate his becoming heir."

Su Xi discovered it by accident while investigating Liang Liying.

"What does that old man want him to marry Chu Han Ya for? The Chu Family isn't that easy to get rid of!"

Chu Han Ya's reputation is indeed poor, but marrying abroad works! Foreign families care more about profit, and domestic gossip rarely reaches overseas. Change her name and face, then spin a romantic tale of a native prince and a foreign maiden; foreign netizens might highly praise it. It not only benefits that family's image, it also draws fans from both countries into the clan's circle.

Marrying Chu Han Ya to a foreign conglomerate is far more valuable than marrying her to someone domestic.

"She has a mental illness, recently diagnosed."

Once she was sent out, the Chu Family lost control. Because of Chu Han Ya's obsession with him and her hatred of the Chu Family, the Chu Family dares not let her marry a genuine partner; that would be a feud, not an alliance.

Because Chu Han Ya's standing in the Chu Family declined, they approached the matter from the outcome, making the investigation faster and more precise. According to the private complaints of the Chu Family's servants, Chu Han Ya's temperament grew increasingly volatile. The Chu Family can't control her and doesn't want to waste this pawn; with the Liang Family now involved, the Chu Family naturally seeks to maximize profit.

"Does that old guy know?"

"How could they possibly be willing to let Liang Chengwei marry her? The Chu Family swindled the Liang Family's money and fled. According to the latest information, the Chu Family is crafting a 'love‑seed' persona for their clan head, having prepared a daughter who, after being torn apart by the Chu Family, remains deeply attached to her first love and grew up in a single‑parent household, yet is a top scholar. Chu Han Ya and her mother happen to be the antagonists."

"Once the timing is right, they can discard Chu Han Ya, appease netizens' anger, and publicly reclaim the first love and his daughter."

Zhu Xueheng listened, feeling very displeased!

"Someone like him, always focused on a single person as a 'love‑seed', gets labeled a playboy, a womanizer! The old guy in the Chu Family has ten mistresses a day, yet still creates a 'love‑seed' persona!"

"You'd just let the Chu Family get away with this?"

Su Xi thought, there's no way they'd just let the Chu Family slip by; the appropriate 'actor' hasn't arrived yet…

Su Xi ignored the out‑of‑line Zhu Xueheng and said to themselves, "This information should be passed to Liang Chengwei, so he can, through the Chu Han Ya matter, discover that he was being used by the old master."

"He's a useless petty person."

"Such a petty person is oddly effective against that old guy."

Sometimes, the most destructive force is a brainless person with power. Liang Chengwei's celebration banquet is over; how could his arrogant, conceited self accept the fact that he's actually a target?

How could Lord Liang possibly hand over the Liang lineage meant for his beloved successor to the fool Liang Chengwei, letting him ruin it?

"Your family, be careful not to incur Liang Chengwei's wrath."

If the Liang Family lacks someone as capable as Liang Lijiang, that old guy might push the idea of merging the Zhu Clan into the Liang clan, bringing Liang Lijiang back as the heir.

As long as Liang Lijiang "dies young," and Liang Yan is rendered useless, if Zhu Xueheng isn't a Liang Family member, he's not clever enough; eventually everything will return to the old guy's hands.

"Impossible, right? Our family's wives are already from the Zhu Clan."

"As long as there's no suitable replacement for Liang Lijiang, the old guy will make Liang Chengwei believe that your wife will certainly return to the Liang clan."

"Fine! Neither of you are good people; I guess your thought processes can align."

Su Xi:???

Shi Xu said softly, "So when you told me about our family's old man's affairs, you were also using this idea?"

Shi Xu was a righteous messenger last night, sacrificing kin for the greater good, overthrowing his own father from the family head position!

The Shi Family's power returned to his grandfather's hands. Meanwhile, the most vocal heir became inconspicuous. He was scolded for being love‑obsessed, his wife labeled a femme fatale. Several of his uncles who work at the company started trembling, rushing home overnight to curry favor before the grandfather. A few other uncles are flying back from abroad today for a "Kowloon Succession Struggle!"

Even he, the legitimate grandson, can't enter the inheritance battlefield, let alone the previously unnoticed illegitimate son Shi Yu.

"Since last night I've been mocked and derided in every way, called an unfilial son and a fool!"

Shi Xu felt naive; he treated Su Xi as a partner, and Su Xi treated him like a monkey?

"No exaggeration, it's a fact; my cooperation with you is sincere, you can't beat Shi Yu."

Just like Chu Han Ya, repeatedly scheming against him, as if she must fulfill Su Yu's inner desire for a 'nude photo'.

It was only after discovering that Shi Xu acted.

"He's truly insane; he can't possibly be the heir. My father‑in‑law fell out with the Shi Family, whose standing declined—what benefit could he gain?"

"You not becoming the heir is the greatest advantage."

The Shi Family's clan rule forbids illegitimate children from becoming heirs; both the clan head and heir must be legitimate offspring. Consequently, the Shi Family's matriarchs have been numerous and all short‑lived.

Shi Xu's mother is the longest‑lived among these generations.

The Ming Family marries their daughter to Shi Xu because they value his stable heir position and outstanding ability.

"His mother died long ago. He could never be a legitimate child."

He's already that old; even if claimed to be legitimate, no one would believe it!

"Your father has no legitimate son capable of inheriting the family business; whether through adoption, a 'cat‑in‑the‑bag' swap, or pretending a mistaken birth, he can rightfully ascend. Your mother was the clan head's wife, but your father married more than just your mother. He leveraged your father's authority, seized control of the Shi Family's rear, so the identity issue is hardly a problem."

Shi Xu tapped the table before him. He recalled that when the Shi Family took Shi Yu to re‑issue his ID, Shi Yu's birthday was reported by him, matching exactly his sister's birthday. That sister, also a legitimate daughter, once quarreled upon hearing Shi Yu's birthday, feeling their mother had been insulted.

That sister's maternal family is a rival of the Ming Family!

"Your intel is quite thorough; you know the Chu, Liang, and Shi families well."

Zhu Xueheng nodded, "Where did you get it?"

Su Xi, under their expectant gazes, spat out four words, "Business Confidential!"

He couldn't tell them that his family has a humanoid intel device. Want any info, just gossip with her and you can extract it.

"Damn! You aren't going to charge me, are you?"

Su Xi thought, "If you hadn't said it, I'd have forgotten."

"What, you want the info for free?"

"Given our relationship…"

Su Xi interrupted Zhu Xueheng's words, "Talking about feelings costs money!"

Shi Xu laughed out loud upon hearing that.

…

Liang Yan looked at the listless Su Yu, "Xiao Yu, little sister, why do I feel you're not happy?"

【I might have to be punished to eat vegetables again, I can't cheer up!】

Su Yu blurted out an excuse, "Your mom taught you so well, how could your dad not agree?"

"Dad isn't disagreeing with this!"

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(End of chapter)