Chapter 97: Sheng Ge, Isn't This Inappropriate?

Despite her anger, Yao Yao still left the seat of honor to the matriarch of the Shen family out of respect for Shen Yan.

The matriarch took her rightful place at the head of the table, while Shen Yan served her food.

Yao Yao lowered her head and ate quietly, well aware that the following conversation was a matter internal to the Shen family, so she did not involve herself.

The matriarch maintained her usual lofty demeanor. From Shen Yan’s attitude toward her, she knew she held the dominant position.

“So, when will you return to Shen Corporation?” she asked.

“For now, I don’t plan to go back. I think my life is quite good as it is,” Shen Yan replied with a cool, indifferent tone.

Yao Yao felt a surge of relief; she thought Shen Yan might surrender quickly, but he still had some backbone.

“For now? How long is ‘for now’?”

The matriarch, a bully who thrived on her authority, saw Shen Yan’s mild attitude and thought there was room for negotiation. “Shen Corporation is in chaos now; how long do you think you can keep waiting?”

“Shen Yan, Shen Corporation is the fruit of generations of hard work! Your reckless behavior is a joke, isn’t it?!” The matriarch grew increasingly agitated, blaming everything on Shen Yan to force him to return.

Yao Yao, with her strong self-control, restrained herself from slamming her bowl over the old woman’s head.

But Shen Yan could no longer hold back.

With a loud bang, he slammed his chopsticks and bowl on the table, causing the matriarch to tremble violently.

Her confident expression turned to one of panic and confusion.

“A joke? Who’s joking here?” Shen Yan’s tone grew colder by degrees. “You’re the one who stirred up all this trouble without a word, making Shen Corporation a mess, right?”

“You secretly conspired with the shareholders to say I’m incompetent and that Shen Cheng should replace me, isn’t that you?”

“All these major upheavals in Shen Corporation, didn’t they happen because of you? So why am I the one being blamed in the end?”

His voice was flat, devoid of emotion, as if recounting a matter unrelated to himself.

“From beginning to end, I’ve been a pawn you controlled. Now that this game is lost, I’m the scapegoat?”

After speaking, Shen Yan cast a cold glance at the matriarch, causing her to shrink back in fear.

Yao Yao felt an unprecedented sense of relief wash over her.

At that moment, Shen Yan offered her some food. Their eyes met, exchanging silent understanding.

The matriarch, noticing their subtle interaction, deeply felt her outsider status.

She regretted lowering herself to come here.

Shen Yan had been badly influenced; her presence only humiliated herself.

The matriarch stood up. “Shen Yan, as a member of the Shen family, you understand better than I how this matter should be handled.”

“Make the right decision promptly.”

Leaving these words behind, she straightened her back and walked away, unaware of how embarrassed she looked.

The atmosphere finally relaxed. Yao Yao ate heartily.

After the meal, she sat on the sofa to watch some TV while Shen Yan washed the dishes.

When the time came, she went upstairs to shower and get ready for bed.

Coming out of the bathroom, Yao Yao saw Shen Yan in the room and was not surprised.

This man often launched surprise attacks…

She naturally ignored him and continued her bedtime skincare routine.

“Do you think I should return to Shen Corporation?” Shen Yan suddenly looked directly at her.

He had originally intended to use this opportunity to sever ties with Shen Corporation completely.

Many only saw him as the CEO of Shen Corporation, unaware of everything else.

But in truth, there was more beneath the surface.

“This is your business. Why ask me?” Yao Yao paused mid-application.

Finishing her routine, she pulled back the covers and lay down, only to feel Shen Yan lean over her, his hands bracing on either side of her.

Their close proximity made her heart race uncontrollably.

His eyes, clear as water, met hers. “If I don’t go back, wouldn’t that make all your fuss for nothing?”

“What fuss?” she challenged.

He lifted her chin, “Still playing coy?”

Yao Yao continued the pretense, “What pretense? I…”

Before she could finish, Shen Yan kissed her.

Her mind went blank.

What was he doing?

He…

Just as she realized and tried to resist, Shen Yan withdrew.

Yao Yao was baffled.

“Shen Yan, don’t flatter yourself. What I did has nothing to do with you.”

She was simply annoyed with Shen Cheng.

Shen Cheng had retaliated against Yao Yao’s slap by framing Ye Qian and exposing her identity.

People prey on the weak; if Yao Yao did nothing, Shen Cheng would only grow bolder.

So she fought back.

She hadn’t expected Shen Cheng to be so fragile.

He couldn’t even withstand such a small counterattack.

“Then why did you intervene? Why involve yourself in my affairs?” Shen Yan remained in place, his gaze burning into Yao Yao’s, who sensed his hopeful expectation.

“It has nothing to do with you,” she repeated.

She couldn’t reveal her identity, so she stayed vague.

Yet Shen Yan felt he understood everything.

This woman’s actions were definitely because of him.

Though annoyed she used the Ye family’s influence, he chose not to hold it against her, seeing her good intentions.

He lay beside her, fingers playing with her hair, trying to sound casual.

“Have you ever thought about breaking away from the Ye family?”

Hearing this, Yao Yao turned her head in confusion.

Break away from the Ye family?

Was he crazy?

From her expression, Shen Yan felt he had his answer.

Forget it. Not the right time.

“If you’re fine, go have fun. I’m going to rest,” Yao Yao said, turning her back to him.

Shen Yan sat for a moment, then left the room.

Yao Yao pondered his words briefly before drifting into a deep sleep.

Shen Yan was ruthless—if he said no return, then no return.

In just three days, Shen Corporation lost another billion.

Yao Yao, watching the drama unfold, was far from happy.

Thinking of the matriarch’s expression, she couldn’t help but smile.

Meanwhile, Shen Cheng was miserable.

Every day he had to endure the matriarch’s lectures, being told how inferior he was to Shen Yan.

He had heard such words since childhood, which drove him to handle the family’s unsavory business, while Shen Yan enjoyed a glamorous life.

Fed up, Shen Cheng wished he could sew the matriarch’s mouth shut, but in the end, he could only vent his frustrations at the boxing gym.

One day, at the gym, Shen Cheng ran into Feng Yuqi.

With Shen Yan otherwise engaged and Yu Wanqing busy, Shen Cheng decided to come to the gym.

Seeing Feng Yuqi, a smile crept onto Shen Cheng’s lips.

Good, he finally had someone to vent to.

“Brother, shall we have a match?” Shen Cheng draped an arm over Feng Yuqi’s shoulder.

“Sheng… Sheng Ge, isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”