Chapter 150 So-called Father and Daughter 1 She's his own daughter, he doesn't...
How many ways can a son-in-law kill his mother-in-law?
There should be no standard answer to this kind of question, but for Shen Qinghuai, there is only one answer: to use someone else to do the dirty work.
Only in this way can one avoid getting one's hands dirty; only in this way can one stand unscathed in the open, attracting fire and weathering the storm.
As a seasoned veteran in the business world, Shen Qinghuai's ability to act is unparalleled.
He made full use of all his connections, and in just a few days, all of his businesses had changed hands.
That's right, he sold his company and the shares he held in various listed companies. Even the shops he opened to help Xiaoman's friends had their property deeds changed hands.
The speed and scale of the action caused quite a stir in the entire business district, and even radio stations in other cities were discussing the matter.
As more people got involved, all sorts of speculations arose and rumors flew everywhere, but he remained unmoved.
No one understood what was wrong with him. Out of consideration for their decades-long friendship, his friends spontaneously organized themselves to merge and reorganize their assets, cleanly and efficiently acquiring his shares and other assets.
For several days, he kept drafting agreements, signing them, and saying goodbye to his former self.
In the end, all he owned were three houses, three cars, and a huge sum of money in the bank.
After the banquet ended, only Shen Qinghuai and Lao Jiang remained in the large banquet hall.
Old Jiang sighed silently and asked, "Aren't you leaving? Don't you have a press conference to attend?"
Shen Qinghuai held the wine glass in his hand, looking at the wine-red grape juice, his expression calm, like an ancient well without ripples.
The overhead light refracted dazzling light into the cup, and he squinted, trying to calculate the odds of victory from the dappled light and shadow.
No matter how you calculate it, it's all still unknown.
Finally, I tilted my head back, and the originally sweet juice tasted bitter.
He put down his wine glass, stood up calmly, and said, "I'm leaving."
At the press conference, he announced something unbelievable: in order to get a divorce, he chose to leave with nothing. His enormous fortune would be given entirely to his second wife, Liang Yuting, and their four children.
After days of speculation about major economic news, the event finally came to an end in an extremely dramatic and absurd manner.
Poor management? That doesn't exist. Violations of laws and regulations? That's impossible.
The only thing Shen Qinghuai regretted in his life was abandoning his eldest daughter; otherwise, there was nothing to criticize. He didn't even, like other business owners, take mistresses after becoming wealthy. Nor did he transfer his assets overseas to ensure the family's continued prosperity.
Both of his women were legally married and their marriages were aboveboard; all his companies and shops were legally operated and he paid taxes on time and in full.
He can withstand scrutiny and is willing to accept supervision and investigation from economic departments.
In order to further focus the attention on the Liang family, Shen Qinghuai even announced the specific amount of each asset, which eventually amounted to an astonishing nine-figure cash deposit, and announced that it would be handed over to Liang Yuting. However, because Liang Yuting was involved in a lawsuit, he said to the camera that the huge sum of money was temporarily being held by Liang Yuting's mother.
What would happen if a huge fortune fell into the hands of an elderly woman with a child?
The result is self-evident.
Soon, news of the kidnapping of Grandma Liang and her eldest granddaughter Yao Yao in Singapore spread like wildfire.
The kidnappers demanded a huge ransom of 30 million yuan more than the amount announced by Shen Qinghuai.
The Liang family was in complete chaos. They kept calling Shen Qinghuai demanding the ransom, but Shen Qinghuai said he had no money and was trying to borrow some from someone, asking for some time.
When Qiu Xiaoman returned to Beidu, major media outlets were reporting on this shocking kidnapping case involving a huge ransom.
On the taxi ride back from the airport, the commentator on the radio was analyzing the case with great expertise. Even the driver found it unbelievable and exclaimed, "Tsk tsk tsk, so high-profile, no wonder thieves are after him. This Shen Qinghuai, so clever all his life, made a foolish mistake this time."
Qiu Xiaoman sat in the back row without saying a word. She was still wearing sunglasses, a mask, and a baseball cap, looking like a celebrity traveling in secret.
Even after she got off the bus, the driver was still curious about her identity. But she nimbly entered a small alley and disappeared alone, mysteriously and discreetly, into the bustling city center.
The driver shrugged helplessly. Sure enough, it was some celebrity, running so fast. Maybe he's an action star.
*
When Qiu Xiaoman returned to the ninth-floor apartment, the strange old man had not yet come back.
Although the master and apprentice got off the plane together, they didn't take a taxi back together. Shen Qinghuai, on the other hand, seemed to have nothing to do with the major news outside. At this moment, he was holding a piece of wood and imitating his son-in-law in making wood carvings.
Qiu Xiaoman closed the door, took three steps in two, walked to the French window, looked at the middle-aged man with a focused expression, and asked with concern, "President Chen, are you alright?"
Shen Qinghuai stopped what he was doing and smiled slightly: "If I had something to do, would I still be sitting here?"
"When I heard the radio two days ago, I thought you didn't have enough money." Qiu Xiaoman hadn't figured out what had happened yet. She thought he was really forced into a corner by the Liang family, so she asked for confirmation, "I was thinking that I could sell all the properties under my name to help you out. I didn't expect to hear the latest development in the taxi just now. You left with nothing?"
"I'm broke, are you still willing to talk to me?" Shen Qinghuai put down his carving knife and wood carving, his eyes full of longing.
He already had an answer in mind, and he eagerly awaited his daughter's response to meet his expectations.
Qiu Xiaoman was too lazy to play these mind games with him and asked in return, "When did I ever ignore you because you didn't have money?"
Shen Qinghuai smiled awkwardly: "It's my fault. I have money but I didn't give it to you."
“Let’s not talk about the past.” Qiu Xiaoman was still quite curious about the current situation. She sat across from him at the coffee table and asked, “Did you really have no choice but to sell the company and shares because of the divorce? How could the Liang family have driven you to this point?”
Shen Qinghuai smiled but did not answer.
Qiu Xiaoman assumed he was short of money and therefore couldn't speak with confidence, so she sighed and asked, "What are you planning to do next? Are you going to raise money to ransom him?"
Shen Qinghuai was somewhat surprised: "You want me to redeem her? I thought you hated Yao Yao."
Qiu Xiaoman said frankly, "It's my business to hate her, but she's your daughter. From a father's perspective, it's only right that you raise money to redeem her."
Shen Qinghuai smiled as he picked up the wood carving and said seriously, "Xiaoman, you're still too kind. Is it possible that they suspect I'm hiding some assets and that the kidnapping was just a show to force me to raise another 30 million for the Liang family?"
That's certainly possible. After all, the ransom demanded by the kidnappers is outrageous. If the kidnappers were really arranged by the Liang family, then the Liang family is too despicable. They would stop at nothing to squeeze every last penny out of Shen Qinghuai.
However, it is also possible that the kidnappers were not arranged by the Liang family; they were simply after money and couldn't resist taking a share of the money when they saw that the Liang family suddenly had a large sum of money.
After a moment of contemplation, Qiu Xiaoman asked, "So what do you plan to do? Just wait it out? Leave it to fate? Aren't you afraid of being criticized?"
"What am I afraid of? I left with nothing, I have no money." Shen Qinghuai comforted him with a smile, "Of course, I will call my friends to borrow money, after all, Yaoyao is my daughter, I have to save her."
Would your friend lend it to you?
"A shortfall of 30 million is something that even if someone lends money, they can't make up the difference. Besides, I've already sold my company and shares. Who would dare lend me money? Aren't they afraid I'll run away with the money? There's not much human touch in the business world. Don't think too highly of the world."
"Then what about your daughter?"
"There's nothing I can do. She's going to her grandmother's place, and I agreed. Her grandmother wants all my savings, and I gave it to her. What else can I do? I'll try to borrow some money from others, and leave the rest to fate."
Where are the other three children?
“At my place, their aunt is helping to take care of them.”
"That's not right. According to the news reports, didn't you give custody of all four of your children to Liang Yuting?"
Shen Qinghuai remained silent; this was his way of using euphemisms.
In reality, Liang Yuting is still in a mental hospital. He and Liang Yuting have not yet gone through divorce proceedings. He also does not intend to give Liang Yuting custody of the other three children. He is just going along with the flow. Since the Liang family wants money, he will say that the money is for Liang Yuting and the children. He will leave with nothing. The amount will be tempting and sound like it is given together with child support, which creates the illusion that Liang Yuting has been given custody of all four children.
As a result, the Liang family, having received the money, naturally attracted attention and became targets for thieves.
However, this also implicated Yao Yao, making her a target for thieves.
Shen Qinghuai was not surprised at all, but he was not in a hurry. He picked up the wood carving and calmly began to carve.
His silence greatly displeased Qiu Xiaoman. Although she disliked Yao Yao, she didn't want to see Shen Qinghuai so indifferent, after all, she was his daughter.
So she got up, took the wood carving and chisel from his hand, and asked, "Speak up! What about your daughter? What if the kidnappers kill her? Have you thought about how people will criticize you then?"
Shen Qinghuai smiled. It seemed that his eldest daughter was starting to care about him. He decided to reveal some information to her. He reminded her, "When Yaoyao and her grandmother were kidnapped, I had not yet transferred the huge amount of assets under my name to the Liang family. I just created a media frenzy to let everyone know that the Liang family was about to receive a huge sum of money in the divorce settlement."
What?
Qiu Xiaoman stared at him blankly, her mind racing, before realizing what he was scheming. In other words, the kidnapping was a part of his plan that he had foreseen long ago.
She was puzzled. Why? Did he want Yao Yao and her grandmother to die?
The Liang family went further and further, and Shen Qinghuai resented Yao Yao's grandmother, even wanting to see her die a violent death. This is all only natural.
But what about Yao Yao? No matter how immature Yao Yao is, she is still his biological daughter. He couldn't possibly want Yao Yao to die, could he?
Could it be that the kidnappers...
Actually, he could actually speak up? In other words, he could find connections, use his influence, pay a certain ransom, and only get Yao Yao back, then leave the rest to his own devices?
If that's the case, then he's incredibly shrewd and calculating.
He portrayed himself as a victim—a pitiful wretch forced to leave with nothing. Even so, he still managed to borrow money to redeem his daughter. What a commendable and moving father!
Once Qiu Xiaoman understood this, she suddenly felt that this man was a bit scary.
She couldn't help but ask curiously, "Aren't you afraid that if things get out of control, something might happen to Yao Yao?"
“It won’t get out of control.” Shen Qinghuai knew she had guessed, but he had no choice. He had to deal with the biggest threat around him before he could free up his hands to deal with the alliance of losers. He said self-deprecatingly, “Aren’t you a little disappointed? Shen Qinghuai is indeed a cold-hearted person, actually using his own child as a pawn.”
Qiu Xiaoman looked at him silently for a long time before finally speaking: "Would you use me as a pawn?"
Shen Qinghuai smiled bitterly, avoiding the question: "Xiaoman, you know what? You just told me you wanted to sell your properties to help me, and I was really happy. Thank you, Xiaoman. If you're willing, you can take this opportunity to sell a few properties as a show, so that Yaoyao is redeemed with your money. After she comes back to me, she won't have the nerve to target you anymore. Of course, I won't actually use your money, but since things have come to this, doing this will maximize the benefits of this kidnapping incident. Think about it."
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