Lord, give up! Madam has too many vests

Chapter 342 Qin's Return

When talking about her older sister, Bai Xiaoyu's face was full of sorrow. She put down her chopsticks, and her eyelashes trembled slightly.

She bent down and stirred the cordyceps flower chicken soup in the bowl. A few bright red goji berries floated on the golden surface of the soup, swaying gently with her movements.

“My family was too poor. My dad wanted a son, so my eldest sister was sold at birth.”

Bai Xiaoyu looked up, her eyes like obsidian soaked in water under the lamplight. "So many years, and there's been no news of her."

The laughter and conversation in the private room came to an abrupt halt.

Yan Xue paused, her glass of red wine raised to her lips. Through the crystal-clear glass, she saw tiny teardrops clinging to Bai Xiaoyu's lowered eyelashes.

Yan Xue's fingers unconsciously caressed the wine glass, the cool touch bringing her back to her senses.

She stared at Bai Xiaoyu's pitiful face—her pink lips trembled slightly, and the tip of her nose was faintly red; anyone who saw her would feel pity for her.

Yan Xue sneered inwardly, but a gentle smile bloomed on her face: "Xiaoyu, if your sister knew how well you're doing, she would be so happy for you."

She reached out and shook Bai Xiaoyu's hand, but to her surprise, Shen Yunzhong had already considerately handed her a wet wipe.

Bai Xiaoyu's face was full of gratitude.

"Why did you suddenly ask this, Sister Yanxue?" Bai Xiaoyu timidly raised her eyes, her gaze as pure as that of an innocent child.

Yan Xue's red lips curved into a perfect smile: "I was just thinking that if you could find relatives, you'd have someone to take care of you during your pregnancy."

As she spoke, she observed Bai Xiaoyu's every subtle expression, but could not find any trace of lying.

She gritted her teeth inwardly. The "Bai Xiaoyu" who had kicked her knee in the bathroom had a fierce look in her eyes, as if they were poisoned. She was completely different from the innocent little rabbit in front of her.

"Come on, today is a special day!" Shen Yunzhong suddenly stood up, raising his glass. "Let's drink to each other! To celebrate the marriage of our two families."

Liu Jinnian downed the wine in his glass in one gulp, but found it tasteless.

He used to despise his father's methods the most, but he never imagined that one day he would be just like his father...

As the banquet drew to a close, in a corner of the corridor, Yan's father pulled Yan Xue to a pillar, which shielded her from most of the noise.

"Xiaoxue, are you sure the information is reliable?" He lowered his voice, his fingers unconsciously loosening his tie. "Qin Shi is really not dead? Liu Jinnian can really be exonerated?"

Yan Xue glanced at Shen Yunzhong and Liu Jinnian, who were talking not far away.

"Dad, don't worry." Yan Xue nodded. "The Speaker is old. He knows I'm his daughter and Jin Nian is his son-in-law. How could he let anything happen to his son-in-law?"

Yan Xue carefully recalled the scene in her dream. She remembered that in a few years, the only heir to the Speaker would be Si Chu, but what if he had a son-in-law?

No matter how powerful the richest man's wife is, she can't compare to the speaker's wife... Yan Xue's ambition swelled infinitely at this moment.

Late at night, in Si Chu's apartment, outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, the city lights twinkled like stars. Si Chu stood by the window, the blue light from his phone screen reflecting on his angular face.

"Are you sure our transaction records have been completely erased?" His voice was soft, yet carried an undeniable force.

A soft chuckle came from the other end of the phone, languid yet tinged with a hint of danger: "Don't worry, our hackers are top-notch."

Si Chu turned around, his gaze falling on the city map on the wall. His finger traced an area circled in red—the location of Qinqi's new industrial park.

"As for Qin Shi..." He paused, his Adam's apple bobbing slightly, "...we can spare his life, but we must keep him under control."

“Of course.” The woman’s voice was seductive. “As long as you cooperate, the position of the next speaker…”

After the call ended, Si Chu took off his glasses and rubbed his temples. The desk lamp cast a warm yellow glow, reflecting the ambition in his eyes.

Three days later, at the International Convention and Exhibition Center, Yan Lan stood in the center of the stage, wearing a white stand-up collar suit. Although her pregnant belly was obvious, she still exuded a calm aura in every move.

"Thank you to all the media friends for coming." Her voice resonated throughout the venue through the sound system. "Today, Qinqi will be showcasing its 'Future' series of new energy vehicles."

In the VIP seats below the stage, Cheng Fei nervously rubbed his hands together, wrinkling the cuffs of his brand-new suit.

Madam Qin sat demurely, her pearl necklace accentuating her elegance, only her slightly trembling eyelashes betraying her inner excitement.

After the incident at Qin Shi, people's hearts were shaken. Yan Lan's appearance at this car launch event was like a shot in the arm, calming everyone down amidst the chaos.

In the Speaker's office, Uncle Tao was watching the live broadcast on a large screen.

The purple clay teapot in his hand hovered in mid-air, the tea still steaming slightly.

"This girl really didn't disappoint me." Uncle Tao nodded with satisfaction. He had seen Yan Lan heartbroken after losing her lover. She had finally come out of it and stood up again.

During this time, he didn't go to the small clinic, because he knew that after what happened that day, it would be difficult for the two of them to return to a normal patient-doctor relationship. Even so, he still subconsciously kept an eye on Yan Lan's every move, and even secretly arranged for several of his bodyguards to protect her.

Uncle Tao didn't know why he did it. Until today, when he saw Yan Lan in front of the media cameras, he was somewhat dazed, as if he saw a woman standing in front of him with such high spirits more than 20 years ago.

Uncle Tao couldn't help but smile wryly. Yan Xue was clearly his daughter, but why did he feel that Yan Lan looked more like her...?

Just as Yan Lan was about to press the start button—

"boom!"

The venue doors were suddenly pushed open, revealing a tall, slender figure standing against the light.

The whole place fell silent for a moment.

Qin Shi!

He was wearing a perfectly tailored black suit, and his face was much thinner than before he disappeared, with a sharper jawline.

Sunlight streamed in from behind him, casting a golden glow on his silhouette.

The remote control in Yan Lan's hand fell to the ground with a "clatter". Her eyes instantly welled up with tears, and she subconsciously took a step forward.

At this moment, Qin Shi walked steadily onto the stage, his leather shoes making a dull thud on the carpet. As he took the microphone, a cold glint flashed from the platinum button on his cuff.

"Hereby, I announce an important decision—" His gaze swept across the entire room, finally settling on Yan Lan's shocked face, "Qinqi will merge with Diqi."

Of course!

Reporters frantically pressed the shutter, the flashes creating a blinding white blur.

Yan Lan stood rooted to the spot, feeling as if the blood in her body had frozen. Qin Shi had never discussed this decision with her!

On the live stream screen, Si Chu's lips curled into a meaningful smile, his glasses reflecting a cold light.

The book has been temporarily blocked due to its sensitive content. The previous revisions weren't enough, and I'm figuring out how to revise it further.