Pei Yansi frowned as he hung up the phone, tossing the device onto the table. He picked up his water glass, took a sip to calm himself down.
The Chen Family claimed they wanted to discuss engagement details, but it definitely wasn’t about such trivialities. They must have somehow learned that Pei Yansi had brought Shen Heyu back home, and they were looking to exploit this to pressure him.
Zhao Jin had witnessed the breakfast between Pei Yansi and Shen Heyu, noting the unpleasant look on Pei Yansi’s face. He was hesitant about whether or not to voice his thoughts.
"President Pei," he began, the frustration evident in his voice. "Didn’t you agree last night that you’d share your feelings with the madam? That you’d assure her of your love, letting her know that her importance to you is unparalleled?"
"Why then did you upset her again today during your conversation? Why bring up Lu Yi out of the blue? Isn’t that just asking for trouble?"
Zhao Jin’s words carried an air of helplessness. He was nearly ready to print out a manual on sweet-talking a woman and hand it over to President Pei as cheat notes.
"There are three days left before she will leave me. I will find an opportunity to clear things up with her, but right now, I have to go to the Chen Family. You must stay by her side and ensure that she doesn’t suffer any harm whatsoever."
Hearing this, Zhao Jin immediately sensed that something was off.
He furrowed his brow, "Did the Chen Family catch wind of something from another source? But you just brought the madam home last night; how could they have learned of it so quickly? Could they have someone secretly watching you?"
"I wouldn’t rule out that possibility."
No matter how the Chen Family had found out about Pei Yansi bringing someone home, he was determined not to let them get their way, not to let them so much as harm a hair on Shen Heyu’s head.
"President Pei," Zhao Jin declared with resolve, "you go to that dangerous banquet. I will protect the madam and ensure she doesn’t suffer the slightest injury."
With Chen Wenzhou by Shen Heyu’s side, Pei Yansi felt somewhat reassured. He picked up his phone and suit jacket before heading out the door.
Forty minutes later, Pei Yansi arrived at the front gate of the Chen Family villa.
Chen Wenzhou personally came out to greet him, "President Pei, good morning. You look well; did something happy happen last night?"
Pei Yansi let out a derisive snort, the other man’s implication was far too transparent—why beat around the bush when he could just cut to the chase?
"Indeed, something joyous did happen, but then your phone call this morning soured my mood."
Chen Wenzhou, despite the barely disguised disrespect in Pei Yansi’s comment, managed a humiliated smile.
"President Pei, what are you talking about? You do have such a sense of humor. I invited you here today to add to your joy, not to dampen your spirits. Come on in, Grandpa Chen and Mengmeng are waiting for you in the study."
Pei Yansi stood in the sunlight, his entire demeanor as unyielding as eternal ice.
He walked into the villa with a stony face, step by step, making his way to the study.
Compared to Lu Yi’s deceptive kindness, Grandpa Chen and Chen Lingmeng didn’t even bother to pretend; their displeasure was plainly visible on their faces.
As Pei Yansi stepped into the study, Grandpa Chen gripped his cane and slammed it furiously against the floor.
"Pei Yansi, you’ve really become bolder," Grandpa Chen said, trembling with anger as he looked at Yansi, "Your engagement party with Mengmeng is just around the corner, and here you are, still entangled with your ex-wife. Even bringing that woman to stay the night at your house, what is the meaning of this? If word of this gets out, what will become of our Mengmeng? How will our Chen Family ever lift its head again in society?"
Grandpa Chen was like a lit firecracker at the sight of Pei Yansi, full of explosive anger and attack.
Hearing him so pointedly bring up the issue, Pei Yansi actually smiled and took a seat on a solo sofa.
Chen Lingmeng, unable to contain her agitation, wheeled herself over to Pei Yansi’s side and spoke to him with a good-natured tone, "Brother Yan Si, doesn’t your conscience hurt treating me this way?"
"After all, I’ve ’died’ twice for you. The last car accident left me disabled, never to stand up again, and this time I almost jumped off a building for you. You know all too well how I feel about you!"
"Yet you actually brought Shen Heyu back to your home. Haven’t you thought about my feelings at all? Are you trying to drive me to death before calling it quits?"
Chen Lingmeng, getting worked up, raised her hand and fiercely pounded her chest.
"Mengmeng, don’t get so agitated. Pei Yansi is here now; let’s listen to his explanation first. This time it must have been Shen Heyu’s seductive tricks that bewitched Pei Yansi and made him bring her home," Chen Wenzhou said as he anxiously tried to restrain her, watching Chen Lingmeng’s hammering fists strike her frail body.
"She did not seduce me; I forced her to come home with me. This matter has nothing to do with her," Pei Yansi defended Shen Heyu. He would never just watch as others smeared his beloved woman.
"What did you say?!" Grandpa Chen exploded, shaking with fury upon hearing Pei Yansi’s declaration, as if a cat had been stepped on its tail.
Even Chen Lingmeng seemed as if she had been struck by lightning, her complexion ashen. She stared at Pei Yansi with wide, hollow eyes, unable to convince herself to believe what she had just heard.
"You say you forced Shen Heyu to come home with you. Brother Yan Si, do you still have feelings for that woman? Don’t you know about her relationship with Lu Yi? They are so intimate every day; who knows if they haven’t been rolling in the sheets together!"
"Shut your mouth!" Pei Yansi said, furiously knitting his brows and a vein throbbing on his forehead as he listened to Chen Lingmeng’s slanderous tirade.
"Pei Yansi, what kind of attitude is this? How dare you speak to my granddaughter like that!"
"You’d better spend your time reflecting on yourself rather than accusing me. Your precious granddaughter is defaming someone with accusations of an improper relationship, and just for that, I can contact our company’s legal department and have her sued for defamation," Pei Yansi responded with unwavering resolution.
When it came to matters involving Shen Heyu, Pei Yansi would never back down nor compromise. He wouldn’t spare anyone who had hurt Shen Heyu, not even himself.
Lu Yi, frustrated, took a deep breath and sat back down on the sofa. "We didn’t invite you here today to discuss these matters. There is only one clear purpose for calling you here—kick that woman out of your house immediately, and announce to the public that you have severed all ties with her."
"Impossible," Pei Yansi rejected decisively without a moment’s hesitation.
He had gone to great lengths just to have Shen Heyu under his watch, and they only had three days. He couldn’t possibly waste a single moment.
"Pei Yansi, you’d better think carefully before you speak. Do you have any idea what the consequences of your refusal are?"