Seeing Shen Qianhui standing there dumbfounded, as if she had not heard what was said, Shen Bijun pulled her back a couple of steps before stepping forward to face Madame Lin.
She spoke calmly, "Your shoes aren't wiped clean."
Madame Lin sneered, "What? You want to beg for mercy, too? Let me tell you, it's impossible!"
The next moment—
"Splash!"
Shen Bijun lifted the fish tank nearby and threw its contents at her.
Madame Lin only felt a chill on her head, a slimy object rolling down her cheek. She reached out, grabbed a goldfish, and let out a scream as she jumped up. Her feet slipped on the water plants, and with a "plop," she knelt directly in front of Shen Qianhui.
Shen Bijun put the fish tank down, her peach blossom eyes lifting in a taunt, "Tsk, there's no need for such a big gesture."
Madame Lin: !!
A towering rage surged in Madame Lin as she shrieked shrilly, "Shen Bijun! I hope you meet a terrible end!"
Old Madame Shen was also startled, rushing to help Madame Lin and roaring at Shen Bijun, "You are a curse! Just because you don't want to live doesn't mean you should drag down the Shens!"
Shen Bijun looked at her.
That dark, forbidding gaze startled Old Madame Shen, and remembering her granddaughter's relentless character, Old Madame Shen quickly yelled for help, "Someone, come!"
The household nannies and security guards rushed in.
Old Madame Shen pointed at them, "Kick these mother and daughter out! Don't ever let them step foot here again! Also, Shen Qianhui, you are fired! You are not allowed in the company anymore!"
It wasn't until that moment that Shen Qianhui finally found her voice, "Mom? I just negotiated a huge deal for the company, and we're about to sign the contract..."
The naive her still hoped to salvage some semblance of mother-daughter affection with these words.
Old Madame Shen, however, scoffed, "Yes, you have secured a deal with Z Group, guaranteeing the Shens' livelihood for the next decades. Your brother can handle the contract signing. So, why should we keep you? Get out!"
The astonishment in Shen Qianhui's eyes slowly faded, replaced by a hint of bitterness.
She felt as though she was plunged into a world of ice and snow, unable to feel a trace of warmth.
Her body began to tremble.
But at that moment, a warm, strong hand grasped her shoulder.
Shen Qianhui slowly turned around to see Jing Zhen, whose presence was unknown to her until then. He stood tall and straight, his features sharp, his large frame seeming to lend strength at this moment.
He stepped forward, his broad shoulders shielding his wife and daughter behind him. His eyes, just like Shen Bijun's, lacked their usual playfulness as he spoke in a deep and powerful voice:
"Old Madame Shen, considering the favor of you raising Qianhui, I can forgive past grievances. From today onwards, our family of five will have nothing to do with the Shens! I hope you never regret your ruthlessness today!"
Leaving these words behind, he supported Shen Qianhui's shoulder and strode towards the exit.
Old Madame Shen sneered, "Do people not know? They'd think our son-in-law was something special. An eighteenth-tier actor... oh, wrong, he can't even be an actor anymore, right? With his pretty-boy face, what regret could he possibly bring me?"
A mocking light flashed in Shen Bijun's eyes as she followed her parents out of the house.
As they reached the parking lot, Jing Zhen sought praise, "Wife, how did I do just now? Did I manage to convey a sense of 'do not bully the poor just because they are old'?"
The dispirited Shen Qianhui responded perfunctorily, "Hmm, very good."
"Then wife, you have to work hard, start your own company and surpass the Shens!"
Shen Qianhui paused, "Start my own company?"
Jing Zhen said righteously, "Yes, you need to make a good income! Then you can finance a drama for me, so I'll never have to look at others' faces again! When I become a household-name superstar, let's see how that old green tea regrets her past decisions!"
"..."
Shen Qianhui looked at him steadily. She, who was passionate about business, had been kicked out of Shen's company and was full of confusion. But now, she seemed to vaguely find a sense of purpose in life.
She quickly snapped to realization, frowning, "Let's not talk about where the start-up capital would come from, just consider that we've now offended the Chus…"
The Chus wield significant power in Sea City, who would dare to cooperate with them after they've spoken out?
Shen Bijun seeing the situation, spoke, "This is a misunderstanding, I just need to go to the Chus to explain, and that'll clear things up."
Shen Qianhui nodded, "You're right, the Chus are reasonable people, so I'll go apologize on your behalf…"
She didn't want her daughter to feel small before others, she could swallow her pride, but she would not let her daughter suffer the same.
Shen Bijun, "No need, I'll go myself."
Shen Qianhui wanted to say more, but Jing Zhen suddenly turned pale and clutched his abdomen, "Wife, my stomach feels really bad, let's go home first."
"Ah? Can you make it home? Otherwise, we'll just stay here…"
"No, I find the Shens' place dirty!"
"…"
Shen Qianhui hurriedly helped Jing Zhen into the car and floored the gas pedal, leaving only Shen Bijun standing there, the corners of her mouth twitching.
At that moment, her phone rang.
After picking up, the same frivolous male voice from the other end came through, "Boss, did the Shens kick you out? They really can't see true worth. If it wasn't for our mom managing the Shens' business, how could they have developed to this point? Mom really suffered a lot!"
Shen Bijun, "It's my mom."
"Well, your mom is my mom, it's all the same. But since it's like this, we can cancel the partnership between Z Group and the Shens, right?"
"Yeah."
"Also, someone made a high bid for Dr. Z's bioculture dish patent, do you want to meet the buyer?"
"No time."
"You're retired now, what could you be busy with?"
"Busy looking for my child's father."
Shen Bijun hung up and headed straight for Chu Corporation.
Chu Corporation stood at the heart of Sea City, its imposing skyscraper piercing the sky, like a deity overlooking all living beings.
Shen Bijun entered and politely asked the receptionist, "Hello, I'd like to see Chu Yanshen."
Receptionist, "May I ask who you are? Do you have an appointment?"
"No, but could you please make a call and tell him I am Shen Bijun?"
Shen Bijun was certain, her daughter was with him, and Chu Yanshen would definitely agree to see her.
But upon hearing her name, the receptionist revealed a disdainful look, "You are Shen Bijun? Madame Lin had already instructed that you are not to bother Mr. Chu! Please leave immediately, or we will be forced to be unwelcoming!"
With a wave of her hand, the security guards charged over.
Shen Bijun frowned, considering whether or not to force her way through.
However, the receptionist sneered, "Do you think Mr. Chu is someone who can be seen by just anyone?"
Meanwhile, on the top floor of the building.
Lu Cheng, stroking his chin, exclaimed, "Brother Shen, Dr. Z is truly elusive, his phone even has the highest level of encryption. We can't find him at all, otherwise you wouldn't need to personally…"
Chu Yanshen's fingers, defined by their sharp knuckles, were rapidly typing on the computer keyboard.
The light from the computer screen illuminated his face, emphasizing his determined gaze, as if he had everything under control.
"Click!"
With the final stroke of the enter key, Lu Cheng leaned into the screen, "Brother Shen is awesome! Even this firewall can be broken! True computer expert, let me see where Dr. Z's mobile phone is located, will you?"
The next moment, his expression turned to surprise, "Isn't this right outside our company's entrance?"