Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Wen Zhi: "He's insane—just spouting nonsense."

She couldn’t fathom how someone as upright as Shen Yizhi could be called a "boyfriend."

Just thinking about it felt wrong!

Yun Songzhang let out an "oh," then asked, "So, there’s no boyfriend then?"

Wen Zhi: "???" Are we done here?!

Just as she was about to change the subject, Yun Songzhang’s phone suddenly rang. After answering, his face went serious.

Wen Zhi asked, "What’s wrong?"

Yun Songzhang's brow furrowed tightly: "The products supplied to our biggest client were tampered with by Lu Xun. The client is demanding a refund, along with a hefty penalty for breach of contract and product losses. This might really threaten the company's survival. At this point, those shareholders are probably relieved they sold their shares."

Wen Zhi cursed inwardly: That bastard Lu Xun. Can't even stay out of trouble from jail.

Seeing her displeasure, Yun Songzhang quickly added, "Don’t worry. I heard the CEO of the client company and his wife are vacationing in China. I’ll take some people to meet with them tomorrow."

Wen Zhi: "I’ll go with you tomorrow."

Yun Songzhang nodded.

That night, several shareholders of Wen Corporation, hearing about the major mishap, were quick to say they wouldn’t reclaim their shares.

Wen Zhi couldn't be bothered with them. Early the next morning, she and Yun Songzhang went to meet the CEO and his wife.

On the plane, Yun Songzhang explained: "The CEO of GYW is French, but his wife is Chinese-American. He accompanies her on trips back home every year, staying for about a month before returning. This time, you focus on connecting with his wife, and I’ll handle the CEO."

Wen Zhi nodded and began memorizing the profile Secretary Xia had prepared about the GYW CEO’s wife.

However, upon arrival, she was surprised to recognize that the GYW CEO and his wife were the foreign couple they’d helped on Peach Blossom Island. The wife was equally surprised, repeatedly remarking on the amazing coincidence and even cooking a meal for them.

During dinner, it was clear the couple was deeply in love. Yun Songzhang didn’t bring up work but instead asked them about their happy marriage.

The couple shared insights in detail, and Yun Songzhang listened with a smile throughout. Only at the end did he mention the Wen Corporation issue, which the GYW CEO waved it off, solving our problem just like that.

As they parted, Wen Zhi got in the car ahead of him while Yun Songzhang politely bid farewell to the couple. The three chatted and laughed, occasionally glancing her way. Wen Zhi watched curiously, wondering what they were discussing.

On the way back, both were relaxed. Yun Songzhang dropped Wen Zhi off at the Wen family estate. As she thanked him and prepared to leave, he suddenly asked, "Do you want to know what Mrs. Luo asked me at the door before we left?"

Wen Zhi paused, hand on the car door, waiting curiously.

Yun Songzhang smiled: "Mrs. Luo asked if we were a couple..."

His eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses softened, making Wen Zhi's skin prickle.

Was he teasing her?

"No!" She slammed the door without a second thought and marched away in her heels.

The car window rolled down, and Yun Songzhang shouted after her, "Remember to attend the shareholders’ meeting tomorrow." Those vultures, hearing the crisis was resolved, were already demanding their shares back.

Wen Zhi threw up an "OK" sign and kept walking.

After returning home, Sen Sen was playing with toy cars in the living room, while Mu Mu sat on the sofa zoning out at the TV. She walked over and mussed his hair, asking, "Mu Mu, are you missing Mommy?"

Mu Mu nodded, then shook his head, keeping his eyes fixed on the TV without saying a word.

Wen Zhi silently observed him for a while but didn’t press for an explanation. He ate little at dinner and went to bed soon after.

The late autumn air was chilly, but the master bedroom was warm as spring with the air conditioning on. The chaise lounge creaked slightly as Wen Zhi lay on it, watching TV while munching on spicy sticks. A knock at the door made her jump. She hurriedly hid the snacks, sprayed some perfume in the room, and then got up to answer the door.

Standing at the door was Mu Mu, holding a little yellow duck. The warm hallway light lengthened his small shadow. He hung his head pitifully as he called out softly, "Mommy..."

Wen Zhi glanced behind him and asked, "Is Sen Sen asleep?"

Mu Mu nodded.

Wen Zhi gave an "Oh" and pulled him inside.

Mu Mu was surprised to find several plates of pastries in his mother’s room, still warm.

Wen Zhi set the pastries in front of him and said with a smile, "Eat up. If a child has something on their mind, they should say it. Skipping meals will stunt your growth."

Mu Mu took a plate of chestnut cakes and ate silently in front of her. After finishing the whole plate, he finally asked, "Uncle Xiao Wen said his dad was just taken by the cops for re-education, and he’ll come back once he’s learned his lesson. Will… will Father come back too after being educated?"

He really didn’t want his father to return.

So that’s what he was worried about.

Wen Zhi replied, "Thirty years is a long time. By the time he gets out, Mu Mu will be all grown up—strong enough to knock him out with one punch."

Mu Mu fretted, "But… but Uncle Xiao Wen said if he behaves well, he might get out early."

Wen Zhi reassured him, "Don’t worry. Aunt Yu Yao said she’s gonna train as a prison guard to keep an eye on him."

Still uneasy, Mu Mu thought for a moment and said, "Mommy, I want to be a cop."

Before Wen Zhi could respond, Mu Mu quickly added, "It’s not about Father. I want to be strong, catch all the bad guys, and protect Mommy." His eyes sparkled. "Also, cops are so cool—especially when they hold guns!"

Wen Zhi patted his head. "Well then, congrats on finding your dream, Mu Mu."

Once Mu Mu sorted out his thoughts, his little frown finally relaxed. Then he cheerfully asked, "Mommy, is jail really that bad? Should we donate some tasty food and fun things so he never wants to come out?"

Wen Zhi was both amused and exasperated. Just how much of a failure was Lu Xun for his own son to want to rebuild prison just to keep him locked up?

"Sure, Mommy will call someone tomorrow to arrange it." She’d make sure Lu Xun got a daily dose of her favorite spicy peppers.

The thought of Lu Xun facing his most hated food every day made her downright giddy.

After hearing this, Mu Mu happily finished another plate of pastries and then scampered back to bed.

The next day, after dropping the two kiddos off at school, Wen Zhi made her way to the company for the shareholders’ meeting.

All eight former shareholders showed up. Wen Zhi took the head seat, with Yun Songzhang seated to her left and the others filling in the remaining chairs. Secretary Xia and her assistants passed out tea to each shareholder, making sure to prepare a special rose tea for Wen Zhi.

Wen Zhi thanked her, which thrilled Secretary Xia.

After Secretary Xia left, the eight shareholders began airing their grievances—mainly wanting their shares back. They had sold them either because Lu Xun deceived them or because he threatened them. Now that the company was safe and Lu Xun was in prison, getting their shares back made sense.

Who would pass up the chance to hold onto Wen Corporation, a cash cow?

After their lengthy speeches, they noticed Wen Zhi and Yun Songzhang remained eerily silent, prompting them all to turn their gazes toward the pair.

"Mr. Yun, why don't you share your thoughts?"

Yun Songzhang: What could he say? These old-timers were first to bail when things got tough, yet now they were first in line for perks.

He turned to Wen Zhi: "Xiao Zhi, what do you think?"

Everyone waited for her to speak. Wen Zhi took a sip of her flower tea, then another. Just as the shareholders were about to interject impatiently, she finally spoke leisurely: "Well, I think... since you all sold your shares, shouldn't you return the money you received if you want the shares back?" Back then, Lu Xun had deliberately inflated the price to facilitate the acquisition.

The room broke into murmurs, with most shareholders unwilling.

"The money for the shares was all paid by Lu Xun. He's doing time now—how should we account for it?"

"If the share transfer agreement counts as fraud, it should be voided, and the shares returned to us. Call it our compensation."

"Exactly, that's the best solution. Besides, even if we returned the money, who would we give it to?"

The nerve of these guys! They wanted their shares back but wouldn't part with the cash.

Wen Zhi cleared her throat twice to quiet everyone, then said with all eight shareholders watching: "I assume you're all aware of Mu Mu's relationship with Lu Xun. Logically, his assets should belong to me and Mu Mu as inheritors. The money from the share purchase should be returned to us." Lu Xun's courtroom outburst had already spread widely—there was no need to hide this connection.

The shareholders: They thought they'd seen it all, but never this shameless.

She's the one who put the Lu family in prison, and now she talked about inheritance rights?

Shareholder A: "Well, Lu Xun is just doing time—he's not dead, right?"

Shareholder B: "My grandson attends the same kindergarten as Mu Mu. I heard Mu Mu's surname is Wen?"

Shareholder C: "That doesn't seem right, does it?"

Wen Zhi coughed again: "I also think it's inappropriate. How about this: you return the money, and I'll donate it in the company's name to poor mountain regions. We'll buy books, textbooks, clothes, blankets, and such, and send them to children in remote villages. Wen Corporation has always been known for charity, and you gentlemen are all benevolent people—you wouldn't object, right?"

Yun Songzhang chimed in: "Of course they wouldn't object. When Chairman Wen was still alive, these elders often joined in charitable efforts."

Talk about pressure! If anyone opposed now, wouldn't they be labeled a villain?

The shareholders sat in sullen silence. Wen Zhi smiled. "Since no one objects, please transfer the funds to the finance department within the next two days. Once the money is received, your shares will be returned."

So, no money meant no shares?

Fine, fine, they'd pay. This Wen woman wasn't someone to cross!

The old-timers had no choice but to give back what they'd taken.

Yun Songzhang still had work to handle at the company, so Wen Zhi left alone. She instructed the driver to stop at a bustling commercial street, then went on a shopping spree. When she couldn't carry more, she had the store clerks deliver the items to the old mansion. After two hours, she finally grew tired. Carrying several jewelry bags, she looked around and spotted a dessert shop across the street with a seating area, so she headed inside.

The door chimed as she entered, the wind chimes jingling. The shopkeeper looked up and greeted, "Welcome!" The two suddenly came face to face, both freezing in recognition.

"Wen Zhi?"

"Wen Bingchun?"

Before her stood Wen Bingchun, her hair tied in a low ponytail, dressed in simple, clean clothes, wearing an apron with little cats. In her hands was a fresh-out-the-oven mango custard tart.

She seemed just as surprised to see Wen Zhi.

"Did you open this shop?" Wen Zhi scanned the interior of the patisserie.

Wen Bingchun nodded, "Yes. I've always wanted to be a pastry chef and open my own little place. Now I finally got the chance." She'd put it off back then because of her parents' expectations.

Wen Zhi remarked, "Looks nice. I just happened to pass by while shopping."

After Wen Jinyuan was imprisoned, the shares under his name were temporarily managed by Wen Bingchun. Technically, she could have just lived comfortably, yet here she was running a bakery—must be a real labor of love.

Wen Zhi had a glass of juice in the shop and bought several desserts.

Wen Bingchun smiled, "I never expected my first sale would be from you."

Wen Zhi teased, "You're missing a trick here. On opening day, you should at least have a promotion—buy two, get one free."

Wen Bingchun retorted, "Like you'd even care if I gave you a freebie."

Wen Zhi replied, "Why wouldn't I?"

Wen Bingchun sighed, "...Fine, fine. Take an extra one on the house." She handed her an additional chocolate truffle bun, and only then did Wen Zhi leave happily.

After Wen Zhi left, Wen Bingchun looked around the shop and decided to actually put up a "buy two, get one free" sign at the entrance. Passersby noticed the newly opened shop with its fresh, elegant decor and went in to try the desserts out of curiosity. To their surprise, the treats were quite good. Soon, the shop grew crowded, and she was run off her feet until she didn't shut up shop until selling out all her ingredients.

As she pulled down the rolling shutter, she thought: *Tomorrow, I must hire more staff, add a couple more tables, and stock up on more ingredients.*

Exhausted, Wen Bingchun trudged home. Zhou Li, who had just returned from playing mahjong, fussed over her and asked if she was tired. Wen Bingchun glanced behind her and asked, "Where’s Xiao Wen?"

Zhou Li froze for a second, then slapped her forehead. "Oh dear, I completely spaced. I forgot while playing mahjong."

Wen Bingchun’s expression turned cold. "How many times has this happened this month?"

Zhou Li played dumb. "Well, you fired the driver. How can I remember everything?"

Wen Bingchun pressed, "He was your golden boy before. What happened?"

"That was then..." Zhou Li pouted. "You’re my daughter. He's not even my blood."

Back then, it was because Wen Jinyuan wanted a son, and since she couldn’t have one, they took in Xiao Wen. Now that her husband was in prison and all the company shares were under her daughter’s name, of course she’d rely on her daughter. Who cared about that little ingrate?

Wen Bingchun’s eyes darkened as she ventured carefully. "If Xiao Wen’s birth mother came for him, would you give him back?"

Zhou Li, thinking her daughter was probing her loyalty, immediately nodded without hesitation. "Of course. If she shows up—or if I even know where she is—I’ll ship him off right away."

Wen Bingchun took a deep breath. "Xiao Wen’s mother contacted me. She asked if she could have him back." Xiao Wen’s mother had once been her father’s secretary—a highly educated woman. Due to complicated circumstances, she had left the country after giving birth to Xiao Wen. Wen Bingchun had learned Xiao Wen wasn’t her mother’s child when she once caught a woman secretly visiting him.

After her father’s imprisonment, that woman had come knocking again, offering to give up all rights to the family’s assets—even proposing to pay a sum—just to take Xiao Wen abroad. At first, Wen Bingchun had remained silent, and the woman, thinking she refused, had tried every angle to persuade her.

It was clear—that woman truly loved Xiao Wen.

Zhou Li hesitated for a beat, then shrugged. "Fine, let her have him. He won't see a dime from the Wen family anyway."

Wen Bingchun picked up a sniffling Xiao Wen from kindergarten. That night, as she put him to bed, she couldn’t help but ask, "Xiao Wen, do you miss your mom?"

Xiao Wen blinked twice, confused.

Wen Bingchun clarified, "I mean your birth mom."

Xiao Wen recalled Mu Mu’s promise to help him find his mom, and his eyes lit up hopefully. His current mother was so cold to him—maybe his real mother would actually care for him.

He didn't say anything. Understanding, Wen Bingchun patted his head. "Go to sleep."

Wen Xiaowen clutched his Ultraman toy and curled up under the blanket, watching longingly as his sister turned off the light, closed the door, and left.

A few days later, Mu Mu received a call from Wen Xiaowen, saying he was going abroad with his mother and wanted to play together before leaving. Mu Mu was puzzled—wasn’t Xiao Wen’s mom in the country? Why was he suddenly going abroad?

After asking Wen Bingchun, Wen Zhi finally understood the situation. Coincidentally, Liu Yiru had just finished her shoot, and Lin Jiyao had also finished filming for *Baby!*. So, they decided to gather the four kids for a meal at a restaurant, followed by a trip to the amusement park.

The group of four met at the East First Road Music Restaurant. Wen Zhi and Mu Mu arrived first. Shortly after they entered the reserved booth, Liu Yiru arrived with Sen Sen. The waiter brought free lemon water, and Liu Yiru, thirsty, downed a big sip before checking her watch. "Why isn’t Ji Yao here yet?"

Wen Zhi replied, "He’ll be here any minute. When I came in, he said he was stuck on the overpass. Let’s order first."

After ordering, the waiter ushered in Lin Jiyao and Xiao Xiao. The moment Xiao Xiao entered, her eyes scanned the room, and upon spotting Wen Zhi, she immediately rushed over. "Pretty sister, I’m here!"

Wen Zhi staggered back from her tackle-hug. Pinching Xiao Xiao’s little face, she laughed. "Xiao Xiao, you’ve grown taller!"

Xiao Xiao touched the top of her head with her small hand, grinning sweetly. *"I’ve been eating well at home!"* Then she ran to Mu Mu, stretching her hand to measure against his height. *"I’m just a tiny bit" shorter than Mu Mu now!*

*"Just a tiny bit"? Try a whole head shorter.*

Sen Sen also joined in, comparing heights with them. As they were measuring, the door opened again. Xiao Xiao cheered, "Yay, Xiao Wen is here!"

She dashed to the door to wait. When Wen Xiaowen peeked in, her eyes lit up with joy. But when she saw Yun Songzhang behind him, her smile faded, replaced by curiosity in her dark eyes.

"Who are you, mister?"

Actually, Xiao Xiao had seen Yun Songzhang at Wen Zhi’s birthday party, but with so many people that day, the little girl hadn’t noticed him.

Lin Jiyao narrowed his eyes. *Why is Yun Songzhang here?*

Liu Yiru stood up to greet him. "Yun Songzhang, what brings you here?"

Yun Songzhang glanced at Wen Zhi and explained, "Xiao Wen’s sister is finalizing share transfers and couldn’t make it. I happened to be free, so I came instead."

Wen Zhi was curious. "What shares?"

Yun Songzhang replied, "She plans to transfer 5% of her shares to Xiao Wen." Wen Jinyuan’s 10% shares were still under her temporary management.

Wen Zhi chuckled. "Second Aunt’s gonna blow a gasket!" The only reason her second aunt agreed to let Xiao Wen leave was because of Wen Bingchun’s shares.

"Since everyone’s here, let’s start serving the dishes," Liu Yiru said, taking a seat and placing Sen Sen beside her.

Wen Zhi and Mu Mu sat next to her. Just as Yun Songzhang was about to take the seat beside Wen Zhi, Lin Jiyao cut in and grabbed the seat instead, as if oblivious to Yun Songzhang’s awkward gesture. He then tugged his sister over. "Didn’t you want to sit next to the pretty sister? Here, take this seat."

Xiao Xiao cheered and plopped down next to Wen Zhi affectionately.

Yun Songzhang lowered his hand and took the seat opposite Wen Zhi. He shot Lin Jiyao a glance before settling on the table.

He knew Lin Jiyao and Wen Zhi were rumored to be an item, though nothing substantial had happened between them. But today, it seemed otherwise.

Lin Jiyao had it out for him.

He motioned for Wen Xiaowen to sit, but the boy pulled his small chair over to Mu Mu instead. Everyone scrunched together to make space, and in the end, Lin Jiyao ended up sitting next to Yun Songzhang.

Both were tall with long legs, and their knees practically knocked together.

The private room door opened again as waiters paraded in with plates. Aside from a few spicy dishes, the menu catered to everyone’s tastes.

Wen Zhi said, "Sister Liu and I ordered first. Ji Yao and Songzhang, is there anything else you’d like to add?"

Lin Jiyao shook his head, declining. Yun Songzhang flipped through the menu and said, "Let’s add Spicy tea-leaf shrimp, extra heat."

As the waiter was about to leave, Lin Jiyao added, "Add another dish—shredded pork with green peppers. Make it spicy too."

Wen Zhi asked curiously, "Why is everyone craving spicy food today?"

Lin Jiyao replied expressionlessly, "It’s cold out—spicy food warms you up."

Yun Songzhang was more straightforward: "I noticed you and Mu Mu both enjoy spicy food, especially shrimp."

Lin Jiyao shot him a sidelong glance: *Smooth talker—can’t trust him.*

Liu Yiru kicked Wen Zhi under the table and smiled, "How thoughtful of you, Mr. Yun."

Wen Zhi kicked back and handed Mu Mu a bowl of steamed egg custard.

Yun Songzhang smiled in return, "Just keeping my promise. I promised Chairman Wen to take care of Xiao Zhi and Mu Mu."

Lin Jiyao interjected coolly, "Dig in!"

Xiao Xiao chimed in, "Food, food! Big bro, I want lotus root patties!"

The other children started clamoring too, and the table erupted in chatter. Yun Songzhang took a bite of the pan-seared clams in front of him and found them delicious. "Xiao Zhi, these are really good. Try some."

Wen Zhi smiled, "Oh? Let me taste."

But as the lazy Susan turned toward Lin Jiyao, he scooped the entire plate of clams into Xiao Xiao's bowl. Xiao Xiao, busy chatting with Mu Mu, didn't hesitate and started eating. "So good!" she mumbled through a full mouth.

Wen Zhi asked, "So Xiao Xiao likes clams?"

Xiao Xiao nodded, "Mhm! They're crispy and tasty."

Yun Songzhang suggested, "Let's order another plate then."

Lin Jiyao vetoed, "No need. Kids shouldn’t stuff themselves."

Hard to disagree with that logic.

After that, whenever Yun Songzhang suggested a dish to Wen Zhi, Lin Jiyao would intercept it. Liu Yiru and Wen Zhi soon sensed something was off.

Liu Yiru steered the conversation away, "By the way, Ji Yao, why didn’t Chen Yuyao and Yue Yue come with you?" Normally, now that the show was over, she should have time.

Lin Jiyao shook his head, "Dunno. Said something about studying for an exam."

Liu Yiru asked, "An exam? She meant an interview, right?"

Wen Zhi added, "It is an exam. She applied for a civil service position at Jiangcheng Prison and passed the written test. Now she’s grinding for the interview. She claims it’s a sure thing—soon you’ll be visiting her at the prison."

In her words: *‘This queen handles pressure—just an interview? Easy.’*

"Wait, what?" Liu Yiru blinked, then gave a thumbs-up. "Damn, respect!"

They swapped other funny stories while Yun Songzhang quietly peeled shrimp. Lin Jiyao eyed the plate. When the last shrimp was peeled, Yun Songzhang stood to hand it directly to Wen Zhi—just as Lin Jiyao pushed the pork her way.

The four adults went still.

Wen Zhi glanced at both dishes, then at Yun Songzhang and Lin Jiyao, and figured a tactical retreat was wise. She stood up with a smile, "Excuse me, I need to use the restroom," and left the room.

As soon as she was gone, Yun Songzhang rose too. "I’ll be right back."

Seeing Lin Jiyao about to follow, Liu Yiru grabbed his arm. "What’s your deal? Why’ve you been on his case all night?"

Lin Jiyao was abruptly pulled back into his seat, scowling, "Don't you think this Yun Songzhang is too calculating? Nobody's nice for no reason—it's either shady or after something."

He tried to stand again, only to be pulled back once more by Liu Yiru. "Wen Zhi is smart enough to judge for herself. Why butt in?" She eyed him suspiciously. "Or is it that you like..."

Lin Jiyao quickly protested, "I’m just worried Wen Zhi might get deceived." He had long abandoned those feelings, but he couldn’t stand seeing sneaky people getting close to her.

Their conversation wasn’t hushed, and Mu Mu suddenly turned his head to ask, "Who’s trying to trick my mom?"

Liu Yiru: "Uh..."

Little Dumpling glanced left and right, not spotting his mom or Uncle Yun. His instincts kicked in, and he jumped off his chair to dash outside. Xiao Xiao, Sen Sen, and Wen Xiaowen saw him take off after him and followed suit, hopping off their chairs to chase after him.

"Come back! What are you all doing?" Liu Yiru fumed, slamming her chair back to give chase, while Lin Jiyao held the door open and followed behind.

The group went tearing off toward the restroom, with Liu Yiru and Lin Jiyao right behind them. Thank goodness they'd booked the place privately—otherwise, this spectacle would’ve drawn a crowd.

As they rounded the corner near the restroom sign, they finally spotted Yun Songzhang standing with his back to them.

His gentle voice carried down the hall: "Can I ask you out?"

Wen Zhi, standing across from him, looked startled. Her eyes went wide with surprise as if she’d never met someone so direct.

Lin Jiyao found himself digging his fingers into the nearby wall, his gaze locked on Wen Zhi’s face. Liu Yiru, however, just smiled, enjoying the show.

The adults weren’t in a hurry, but the kids were.

Xiao Xiao and Mu Mu came running up simultaneously, shouting, "No!"

Wen Zhi and Yun Songzhang jumped in surprise, glancing at the two children before noticing the two adults and one child behind them. Yun Songzhang stayed calm, while Wen Zhi turned bright red with embarrassment.

Mu Mu yelled, "I don’t want a dad! No one can be my dad!"

Not one to be left behind, Xiao Xiao planted her hands on her hips, stepped forward, and yelled with all her might: "Pretty sister belongs to my brother! Pretty sister is going to be my sister-in-law! No one can take her!"

For a moment, everyone was stunned into silence.

Then, Wen Zhi, Liu Yiru, and Yun Songzhang all turned to look at Lin Jiyao.

Lin Jiyao: "..."

Mortified. Flustered. Desperate for a hole to crawl into.

This little sister was dead to him!