Chapter 64 [64]

Holding a grudge

Shen Hao first met Jin Hui when he was twenty-five years old.

At that time, Shen Lixin, the founder of Longhua, passed away. He was given a grand funeral, and countless people came to pay their respects.

As the eldest grandson of the Shen family, Shen Hao knelt before the crystal coffin in the mourning hall, bowing his head as he listened to the insincere cries that echoed one after another.

The woman kneeling beside him was named Pan Shiyun, the first wife of Shen Hao's father, Shen Xing.

Shen Xing was a womanizer who died in a nightclub in the third year of his marriage to Pan Shiyun. Shen Hao was the product of his philandering.

Pan Shiyun had a miscarriage and could no longer have children. When Shen Hao was fifteen, he was taken back to the Shen family by Shen Lixin and placed in her care.

Pan Shiyun outwardly plays the role of a good mother, but privately she particularly dislikes Shen Hao.

Not only did they beat and scold him, but they also fed him leftovers, which caused Shen Hao to become thin and sickly at an age when he should have been growing.

However, the 25-year-old Shen Hao is different from the 15-year-old Shen Hao; he will no longer swallow his anger.

After the mourners dispersed in the evening, Pan Shiyun asked him to pour her a glass of water. However, because the temperature was not to her liking, she cursed at Shen Hao in front of all the uncles and elders of the Shen family, hurling profanities at him.

The uncles and elders were already used to it, and no one spoke up for them.

Shen Hao wasn't angry. He took the water glass and poured it over Pan Shiyun's head, laughing unrestrainedly.

Immediately afterward, applause came from the doorway. Shen Hao turned his head and saw that it was Jin Hui.

Many people came to pay their respects, but he was particularly impressed by Jin Hui, who was dressed in a black cheongsam and had a graceful demeanor.

The quiet worship, without the wailing and howling of others, is quite unique.

Shen Hao pushed Pan Shiyun to the ground and walked towards Jin Hui.

"Did you forget something?" he asked politely.

Jin Hui shook her head, her voice gentle: "I came to find you."

Shen Hao's eyebrows twitched slightly as Jin Hui continued, "Come with me."

Jin Hui's car was a top-of-the-line luxury car under Longhua Group, which was parked outside the funeral hall.

Shen Hao and she sat in the back seat, and Jin Hui took out a handwritten letter from her bag and handed it to him.

From Shen Hao's biological mother.

Shen Hao and his mother used to live in a coastal village.

They work at sunrise and rest at sunset, living a very peaceful life.

Even though life was hard, Shen Hao was happy. However, all of this was shattered by the arrival of Shen Lixin.

His mother resolutely sent him to Shen Lixin's side, no matter how much he begged.

Feeling disheartened, he got into Shen Lixin's car, and since then, he never saw the woman named "Tang Yulan" again.

“Last summer, my friends and I were on a yacht at sea when we were accidentally swept ashore by a wave. It was your mother who saved me.”

"I went to thank her a while ago, but she was already dying. I later found her a burial plot with good feng shui."

"This letter is from her. Your mother has been kind to me. If you ever need my help in the future, please don't hesitate to ask."

On Sunday afternoon, Jin Hui arranged to meet someone, and Shen Hao went to Huajiantang.

For the crow's feet around his eyes, he opted for injectable wrinkle removal treatments, and also had hyaluronic acid fillers to make his facial features more three-dimensional. He also had Thermage to make his skin firmer, and finally, he received a back treatment as a gift.

At this moment, Shen Hao was lying on the beauty bed with his back facing up.

The beautician, wearing a mask, was giving him an essential oil massage. He closed his eyes and recalled everything that had happened since he met Jin Hui.

Jin Hui is wealthy, and her assets are comparable to those of the Shen family.

After he got involved with her, the Shen family members no longer dared to boss him around.

He took the opportunity to become the president of Longhua, and when he encountered a financial crisis, it was Jin Hui who helped him resolve it.

However, Jin Hui disliked his inaction and wanted him to live with goals and enthusiasm, which is why she proposed the betting agreement and once again regarded Lu Mingxiao as a thorn in her side.

His enthusiasm for cosmetic medicine was also influenced by Jin Hui.

Ten years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Jin Hui looks just as she did back then.

He also wanted his face to stay like when he was twenty-five, the moment he first met her.

Perhaps it was from that moment that he fell deeply in love with her.

Jin Hui has never been married, but she is never short of men in her life.

Every time he saw them, Shen Hao was jealous and crazy. He tried every possible way to drive them away, even if he would be scolded and slapped, he still enjoyed it.

Later, when Jin Hui was tired, Shen Hao cleaned himself up and brought him to her, serving her with all his might.

Jin Hui was enjoying herself. She hadn't seen anyone else for three months. He was her only one. Thinking this, Shen Hao felt only comfort and satisfaction.

After his back treatment was finished, Shen Hao turned over.

He took the phone handed to him by the beautician and sent a message to Jin Hui.

It is now seven o'clock in the evening and Jin Hui has not replied. I guess the discussion is not over yet.

Then he didn't have to rush off, and the beautician gave him a shoulder and neck massage.

Mr. Shen is a frequent visitor to Huajiantang, so the beautician naturally dares not neglect him.

Adjust the air conditioning in the private room to the most comfortable temperature and gently massage his shoulders.

"Knock knock knock"

There was a gentle knock on the door of the private room.

Shen Hao has never liked being disturbed at this time, and his brows furrowed slightly.

He didn't say anything. The door knocked three more times before he finally spoke in a low voice, "Come in."

The door was pushed open to the inside, revealing Wan Yu.

He winked at the beautician, who wisely left.

Just as the massage reached a comfortable spot, it abruptly stopped. Shen Hao said angrily, "Didn't I tell you not to bring work-related matters to Huajiantang? You've been with me for so long, how come you still don't understand the rules?"

Wan Yu stepped forward and took over the beautician's job.

Shen Hao thought the skin lines on Wan Yu's palm were too rough, so he immediately moved Wan Yu's hand away.

Wan Yu stood beside the beauty bed and reported earnestly: "What I'm about to say concerns President Jin."

Shen Hao sat up abruptly from the massage bed, looking anxious: "What's wrong, President Jin? Are you injured or something is wrong?"

Wan Yu confessed, "Half an hour ago, President Jin and a handsome foreigner named Joe arrived at the presidential suite of the Cassia Hotel. Room number is 2003."

Shen Hao couldn't possibly be unaware of what this meant.

Jin Hui never went to a hotel with him; they always stayed at the Platinum Club, where he was only allowed to use his hands and mouth.

Shen Hao was furious. He didn't even have time to change his clothes. Wearing a bathrobe and slippers with the Huajiantang logo on them, he rushed out the door.

Without bothering to let Wan Yu drive, he sat in the driver's seat himself, stepped on the accelerator, and drove quickly towards the Kashia Hotel.

——

At the same time, at the Starlight Pavilion, Lu Mingxiao received a message from Wan Yu.

Meanwhile, he and Luo Qingyue were on the chaise lounge in the dressing room, continuing their revelry for the day.

Lu Mingxiao had been holding back for far too long; apart from giving her time to eat, he hadn't stopped all day.

He fed her the food, which was quite a hassle for her, but it also showed his excellent service attitude.

During this time, Luo Qingyue also discovered that Lu Mingxiao was a bit vengeful.

He flirted with her first, served the appetizers, then suddenly stopped. Luo Qingyue couldn't stand it and begged him to continue.

Lu Mingxiao whispered in her ear, "If you have a toy, why are you asking me for anything?" Then, he handed the toy to her.

Luo Qingyue smiled slightly, reached for her phone on the bedside table, and found a fitness blogger video she had watched before.

She tapped the screen right in front of Lu Mingxiao, and the next instant, the phone was thrown onto the sofa opposite him, where it met with severe punishment.

I went to every possible place in the house, and the cloakroom was the last one.

Luo Qingyue wore an eye mask and a pink battle robe that Lu Mingxiao had bought for her, her hands were gently bound by lace ribbons.

After all, he was waiting to see the melon, so Lu Mingxiao carried his cell phone with him wherever he went.

From the moment Yin Xingwei set off to meet Jin Hui, to when Joe and Jin Hui went to Kashia, he promptly reported to Luo Qingyue.

With a dry, itchy throat and a foggy head, Luo Qingyue heard Lu Mingxiao say in her hazy state, "Wan Yu sent a message saying that Shen Hao is already on his way to Kashia."

Luo Qingyue gave a soft "hmm" and murmured, "When we get to Kashia, how will Shen Hao get into the room...? If he kicks the door down, won't that alert the security guards..."

"Yin Xingwei has already considered this."

Lu Mingxiao replied, "He instructed Joe to use a playing card or something else to wed the outermost door of the suite into the gap of the door frame, so that it was only slightly ajar and could not be locked, while the bedroom door inside could be opened by turning the handle."

After the last little umbrella finished its service, Lu Mingxiao tore off the blindfold and lace ribbon, and hugged Luo Qingyue in his arms.

Resting her head on Lu Mingxiao's shoulder, the gentle masculine scent brought her a sense of security. Wrapping her in the blanket, Luo Qingyue closed her eyes and whispered, "I forgot to ask, how did Wan Yu suddenly become your person?"

Lu Mingxiao gently stroked Luo Qingyue's hair: "It wasn't sudden, he's always been like this."

"ah?"

Luo Qingyue was surprised, "So, Wan Yu is an undercover agent you placed next to Shen Hao."

Lu Mingxiao placed a pillow on his lap so that Luo Qingyue could lie down again.

"Aunt Fang, do you still remember?" he asked.

Aunt Fang is a resident of Xinglan Island.

When Luo Qingyue visited last time, Aunt Fang talked to her for a long time; she was a very approachable old lady.

She answered affirmatively: "What relationship do Wan Yu and Aunt Fang have?"

Lu Mingxiao: "Aunt Fang is Wan Yu's aunt. Wan Yu lost both his parents when he was young, and Aunt Fang and her husband raised him."

Luo Qingyue understood: "Wan Yu is also from Xinglan Island. You have done Xinglan Island a favor before, so he will definitely help you with this."

Lu Mingxiao massaged Luo Qingyue's aching back: "At first, Aunt Fang just wanted me to introduce Wan Yu to a job. At that time, I had already decided to leave Longhua and had not yet submitted my resignation. I was afraid that Shen Hao might do something in the future, so I used my last connections in Longhua to scheme to make Wan Yu Shen Hao's bodyguard."

Luo Qingyue: "Bodyguards...that requires a lot of fighting skills."

Lu Mingxiao: "Yes, Wan Yu was a national Sanda champion."

Luo Qingyue: "Was it because Shen Hao's previous assistant was incompetent that Wan Yu was promoted?"

Lu Mingxiao: "Shen Hao has to pay two fees for an assistant and a bodyguard. Wan Yu can do all these by himself. The main reason is that Shen Hao is stingy."

"As expected of President Lu."

Luo Qingyue raised her hand, pinched his cheek, and praised, "You've set up this scheme so early, it's truly brilliant."

"Just be prepared."

Lu Mingxiao said, "We only contacted each other because Shen Hao made moves against Mingyue. Yin Xingwei mentioned that Shen Hao and Jin Hui had a betting agreement with Mingyue. The next day, Wan Yu also told me. He is a man of few words but serious in his work. Shen Hao has not replaced him in three years, which proves that he is quite satisfied."

Luo Qingyue asked curiously, "Did Shen Hao start targeting you from the very first day you went to Longhua?"

"Speaking of which, I met him on the terrace last night, and Shen Hao's opening line was actually a flashback."

Lu Mingxiao replied, recounting to Luo Qingyue every word Shen Hao had said.

"How dare he try to be friends with my Ah Xiao?"

Luo Qingyue couldn't help but finish her rant, then teased, "But what exactly did you do to Shen Hao? He still vividly remembers your first meeting."

"Let me think about it."

Lu Mingxiao's memory was a little hazy. "Shen Hao entered Longhua before me. Back then, he used an alias, and no one knew about his relationship with the Shen family. When I first started interning, his workstation was next to mine. I think he cut his hand while cutting documents with a knife, and I handed him a Band-Aid."

"Although it's a small thing, I feel warm inside when a colleague takes care of me like that."

Luo Qingyue was thirsty, so Lu Mingxiao went to the kitchen to get a glass of warm water. After she finished drinking it, she changed the subject, "Shen Hao used an alias to enter Longhua. Is he like me, someone his grandfather sent there for training?"

"almost."

Lu Mingxiao replied, "However, Shen Hao's identity as Shen Lixin's grandson was only revealed at Shen Lixin's funeral. In other words, after he was taken home as an illegitimate child, he was not well received by the Shen family for several years."

Even though he was not well-liked, he could still be the CEO. Luo Qingyue guessed that it was because of Jin Hui.

"Your relationship was good at first, but then it broke down for some reason."

"Because of Lao Zong."

Lu Mingxiao covered Luo Qingyue with a fleece blanket. "He often praises me but criticizes Shen Hao. Shen Hao feels unbalanced, but in fact, Shen Hao's work is full of flaws. Old Zong is just being realistic."

"Ultimately, he lacks ability but has a strong sense of jealousy."

Luo Qingyue concluded, "Someone like him is probably always up to no good behind people's backs."

Lu Mingxiao got up, opened the drawer at the bottom of the wardrobe, and found a new pair of pants to put on.

"Before becoming president, with Lao Zong around, Shen Hao didn't have the guts. But after he got power, he stopped pretending. He wasn't just doing things behind the scenes; he was doing them openly." For example, he marginalized him and Cheng Wang. Another example, as Cheng Wang mentioned, was that he sent a woman to his office, dressed provocatively.

Lu Mingxiao sat back on the chaise lounge, and Luo Qingyue wrapped her arms around his waist: "I really wish I had a portal to Kashia, so I could watch Shen Hao's resentful and disappointed face and gloat and applaud him from the side."

"It takes time to win favor."

Lu Mingxiao looked at the new message Wan Yu sent, "Not so fast yet, Shen Hao has only just entered the room."

——

Shen Hao arrived at the Caxia Hotel and headed straight for 2003.

He kicked the door open, and a soft moaning sound came from the inner bedroom.

That sound only comes from extreme pleasure, a sound Shen Hao was all too familiar with.

Shen Hao frowned and followed the sound. He slowly pressed the doorknob and gently pushed open the bedroom door.

The bed was in the center, surrounded by gently swaying curtains, through which a man and a woman could be vaguely seen.

Without the door panel to block the sound, the intermittent sounds were clearly audible and grew increasingly loud.

Shen Hao slowly walked forward, standing in the gap of the gauze curtain and looking inside.

The blond, blue-eyed young man named Joe was lying on top of Jin Hui, whose face was flushed with pleasure and enjoyment.

From front to back, from foot to head of the bed. This was a scene Shen Hao had never seen before.

He knew he shouldn't disturb him at that moment, but his clenched fist and uncontrollable impulse made him rush in and punch Joe hard in the face.

The noise was so loud that Joe wailed and covered the right side of his face.

Jin Hui opened her eyes, looked at Shen Hao, and after a brief moment of shock, questioned him sharply.

"Who sent you? Get out of here."

Joe didn't stop; he continued to try his best to please Jin Hui.

Shen Hao punched Joe on the left side of his face again: "He should go!"

Joe was strong and healthy, and also a boxer.

He didn't recognize Shen Hao, but Yin Xingwei had told him that someone would be coming.

If someone is bullied, he should retaliate immediately without any hesitation.

Joe's veins bulged as he locked Shen Hao's neck, restrained his arms, and pressed Shen Hao against his chest.

Jin Hui stared at Shen Hao, showing no intention of stopping him. That brat was too much of a nuisance; it would be good to teach him a lesson and curb his arrogance.

In terms of strength, Shinho is no match for Joe.

Having reached the point of no return, Shen Hao could no longer struggle, and Jin Hui asked Joe to stop in fluent English.

Joe responded, glanced at Shen Hao, swore, and pushed him off the bed onto the carpet.

Joe continued, and Jin Hui, with her eyes closed, spoke to Shen Hao.

How did you know I was here?

“Kahia has my eyes and ears everywhere.”

Shen Hao lay on the carpet and immediately pulled out a makeup mirror from his pocket to examine his face. "President Jin dares to make an appointment with someone, is he afraid of being caught by me?"

"I'm not your private property. It's not your business to tell me who I date."

Jin Hui earnestly lectured him, "Please know your place and don't try to cause trouble in front of me."

Shen Hao had obvious bruises on his face, but his tone was indifferent.

"I said, any man who gets close to you is my enemy, without exception."

"Your current enemies are Lu Mingxiao and Mingyue."

Jin Hui emphasized, then scoffed, "After all that trouble, you couldn't even shake Mingyue's footing. Is it because I've spoiled you too much that you've become so arrogant, daring to come and yell at me like that?"

Jin Hui patted Joe's arm, signaling him to stop, and then said a few words in English that Shen Hao couldn't understand.

Joe promised Yin Xingwei that he would obey Jin Hui and follow her orders. He placed a gentle kiss on Jin Hui's forehead, then got out of bed and carried her on his shoulder.

Jin Hui looked at Shen Hao, adopting an unassailable stance that said, "I refuse to believe I can't handle you."

"Since you're not leaving, I'll have Joe take you away."

...

The following Monday, Lu Mingxiao returned to Mingyue after ending his work-from-home period.

Luo Qingyue went to his office to have lunch with him at noon, and Cheng Wang was there too.

Lu Mingxiao opened WeChat and played the voice message sent by Yin Xingwei for them.

"Shen Hao showed up uninvited and hit Joe, which really pissed Jin Hui off. She told Joe to leave him in the hallway."

"Shen Hao was furious, and since he couldn't get in, he rented a room next door and started smashing the wall like crazy. Joe and Jin Hui were busy with their work, so they had no time to bother him. A whole night was enough for him to break down the defenses."

Luo Qingyue was very satisfied with the result, feeling a sense of satisfaction as if she had finally gotten her revenge.

Unbeknownst to them, at the same time, Jin Hui left the Caxia Hotel and went to Longhua Shenhao's office.

Shen Hao had a meeting in the morning, and when Wan Yu came to Kashiya to pick him up, both his hands were covered in blood.

Wan Yu first took Shen Hao to the hospital to clean up the bloodstains. Jin Hui saw him in the office; both of his hands were wrapped in bandages.

After parting ways with Joe, Jin Hui sat in the car thinking about that brat Shen Hao and felt inexplicably irritated.

When passing by Shen Hao's favorite private restaurant, she thought about it and asked the driver to stop. She sent her assistant to buy Shen Hao's favorite dishes, packed them up and delivered them to him personally, as an apology.

Once in the office, Shen Hao sat down at his desk and started working on documents.

He didn't even look at her, so Jin Hui had no choice but to walk to his side and gently touch the wound on his hand.

"There's a limit to throwing a tantrum. I've already come over and apologized to you, what more do you want?"

Those who are favored are always fearless.

First, dig his heart into pieces, then pretend nothing happened and apply healing ointment.

Shen Hao ignored Jin Hui, and Jin Hui stopped talking.

Take out the lunch, place it in front of Shen Hao, and use chopsticks to feed him the food.

His composure was nothing when facing Jin Hui.

Shen Hao sniffed and looked at Jin Hui with a pitiful expression: "Please tell me, President Jin, what do I lack compared to that blond guy? Why can he go to Kashia while I only deserve to go to Platinum?"

A moment of disorientation flashed through Jin Hui's mind.

She stopped what she was doing, put down her dishes and walked towards the sofa.

He opened the bag, took out a cigarette from the pack, lit it with a lighter, and took a puff.

Jin Hui stood by the French windows, exhaling a ring of smoke. Her charm remained undiminished, making Shen Hao unable to look away.

He got up and went over to Jin Hui from behind, wrapping his arms around her and resting his chin on her shoulder, pleading in a low voice, "Answer me."

Jin Hui smoked her cigarette without saying a word.

She couldn't help but recall Tang Yulan's words of advice to her.

I hope she can take good care of Shen Hao, introduce him to a good match, and watch him settle down, start a family, and live a happy and fulfilling life.

But this brat just loves to stick to her.

The first time she went to Platinum, she noticed he was in a bad mood and just wanted to sing with him to help him relax and have some fun.

Unexpectedly, after a few rounds of drinks, the brat became increasingly bold, touching and kissing her, and she did not resist; instead, she enjoyed it and was willing.

However, a strong sense of immorality made her hold onto her last line of defense.

She couldn't be carefree and indulge in his reckless behavior. In Jin Hui's eyes, Shen Hao was ultimately different from Joe and the others.

Deep down, Jin Hui still hoped that the day would come when she could bring him to marriage.

After finishing her cigarette, Jin Hui pulled Shen Hao to sit down on the sofa, recalling last night, and stroked his cheek.

“Joe is superior to you in both height and build. You dare to fight him? You don’t want such a delicate face anymore, do you?”

Shen Hao didn't look at Jin Hui, clearly still angry with her.

"Anyway, I'm only here to please you. Whether I have that blond guy you like or not makes no difference."

"Over the years, you've driven away at least several hundred, if not thousands, of people from my life."

Jin Hui turned Shen Hao's head to face her, "What, are you really planning to stay with this old woman like me for the rest of your life, without any status or recognition?"

Shen Hao put his arm around Jin Hui's waist, held her in his arms, and whispered soothingly.

“You’re not old at all. Didn’t someone say that our CEO Jin just turned eighteen after the New Year?”

"Stop trying to be funny with me."

Jin Hui suddenly became serious. "I'll introduce you to a few girls tomorrow. If you see one you like and that suits you, then marry her. You're not getting any younger, so don't be too picky."

"Then you are really cruel, always pushing people into the fire pit."

Shen Hao kissed her collarbone, laughing wildly and unrestrainedly, "I advise President Jin not to do this. You should know better than anyone what kind of person I am."

Well, there's some truth to that.

If matters of the heart are hard to explain, then let's talk about career.

Jin Hui lit a second cigarette: "Although Longhua's new car sales are good, they are still far behind Mingyue. My money wasn't invested for nothing. If the requirements aren't met within the agreed timeframe, I will hand over your position as president to someone else."

Shen Hao leaned down, buried his head in Jin Hui's chest, and whispered softly.

"I've already forgiven you, but you had to spoil the mood by bringing up such a mood killer."

"I hope you can use your brain where it's needed."

Jin Hui said in a tone of disappointment, "Longhua is a long-established car company. If you had even half of Lu Mingxiao's ambition, it wouldn't have developed to such a precarious state."

Shen Hao was displeased and said sullenly, "You're just like that old man Zong Ming, praising Lu Mingxiao to no end."

"Let's stick to the facts, don't deny it."

Jin Hui said calmly, "Lu Mingxiao was able to start Mingyue from scratch. In terms of personal ability, we do have to admire him. But that doesn't mean we will always be overshadowed by him."

"What insightful opinion does Mr. Jin have?" Shen Hao asked, intrigued.

Since Zong Ming was mentioned earlier, Jin Hui asked, "Didn't you say before that you were going to ask Zong Ming to come out of retirement? Is there any follow-up?"

"That old guy."

Shen Hao leaned back on the sofa, his face contorted with resentment. "All the ways I could contact him have been canceled. Even my old friends don't know where he is anymore. It's like he's vanished into thin air."

Jin Hui's sneer was undisguised, revealing her contempt for him.

Shen Hao quickly followed up with a defense, looking extremely aggrieved: "How can you blame me? It's all because Zong Ming is cunning and shrewd, and he hid himself too well. You wanted to use him to give Lu Mingxiao a good thrashing, who wouldn't want that? If there had been any further developments, I would have acted long ago, instead of letting Lu Mingxiao keep jumping around until today."

"Is that all you've got?"

Jin Hui was disgusted by Shen Hao's listless and slacking attitude. "As long as Zong Ming is still on Earth, there is no way we can't find him."

Seeing Jin Hui's certainty, she must already have a solution.

Shen Hao became interested and began to massage her shoulders and arms in a flattering manner.

"My abilities are certainly inferior to Mr. Jin's. With your help, this matter is sure to be accomplished."

Her investment in Longhua made her fate closely intertwined with Shen Hao's.

But time was of the essence, and relying solely on her personal connections would be far too inefficient.

Jin Hui pondered carefully, then came up with a plan and took out her phone from her bag.

Yesterday afternoon, she met a new friend named James who might be able to help.

[Author's Note]

Yue: I'm even envious of myself for eating so well! [laughing][laughing][laughing]

Xiao: Whose credit is that? [Evil laugh][Evil laugh][Evil laugh]