conversation
So the price of "not having to get up early" was that Wen Xubai didn't get out of bed all morning.
When the noisy alarm clock rang for what seemed like the umpteenth time, Wen Xubai was finally forcibly woken from his deep sleep. Frustrated, he kicked Qi Zui, who was clinging to him and sleeping like a pig, off the bed!
"Ring ring—ring ring—ring—"
The alarm clock was abruptly turned off by a pair of large hands. Qi Zui, who had fallen and hurt his shoulder, grimaced as he carefully climbed back into bed.
Frustrated, Wen Xubai pulled the blanket over himself, turned over, and went back to sleep.
Qi Zui chuckled and, through the blanket, pecked his head twice like a woodpecker, whispering, "I'm leaving—"
Hearing that Xu Bai did not respond, Qi Zui's smile deepened.
Then it gave another deep peck before leaving.
Although he doesn't have to do homework on weekends, he still has to help out at the noodle shop.
Wen Xubai slept straight through until the afternoon. When he woke up, clutching his aching back, it was already getting dark.
Wen Xubai yawned as he heated up the lunch Qi Zui had left for him at noon, but perhaps due to exhaustion, he had little appetite and only ate a few bites before putting down his chopsticks.
Wen Xubai stretched by the window, then sat on the sofa and turned on his computer. He had almost finished dealing with the company's affairs. The last suicide attempt had been ruled a suicide, and he had ordered an audit of the company's accounts for the past ten years, which was now almost complete.
Wen Xubai lightly clicked the mouse and quickly read through the text.
Unsurprisingly, it was Wen Tingyi who was behind it.
The accounts were problematic from the very beginning, starting with the remittances from the main company.
This company was originally founded as a joint venture between the Wen Group and the Song Group, and was later given to Wen Xuyuan. Initially, Wen Tingyi must have intended to reduce Wen Xuyuan's capital by creating a trap.
These false accounts are like a time bomb. Normally, they won't cause any problems or be discovered, but once Wen Xuyuan develops disloyal intentions, the old fox Wen Tingyi can use these accounts to blackmail him and force him to comply.
Wen Xubai gave a cold laugh.
Wen Tingyi, that old fox, is even willing to drag his own son into this mess.
However, the fact that Wen Tingyi has now given the company to him means that he has a new way of controlling Wen Xuyuan.
When Wen Xubai recalled the Song family mother and son he had seen at the charity gala last time, his eyes sharpened.
Family ties.
If Wen Xuyuan were truly as cold and ruthless as he appeared, that would be fine. But after so many years of getting along, Wen Xubai had long since discovered that Wen Xuyuan was actually a cold-faced but warm-hearted person. Otherwise, he wouldn't have blamed Wen Tingyi for so many years because of Song Yuxin's death.
If there were no genuine feelings, how could there be such deep hatred?
He deliberately arranged for several people he hadn't seen for years to meet, just to remind Wen Xuyuan that he also had something on him.
And now it seems that this tactic has indeed been somewhat effective.
Wen Xubai rested his forehead on his hand, not finding it surprising.
Who would have thought that Wen Xuyuan, who seemed so cold and ruthless, actually had such a tender side...
But the most important thing now is not to dwell on the issue of kinship, but to think about how to solve the problem of this "fake account".
While deep in thought, Wen Xubai suddenly noticed that the remittance from the head office was divided into two parts.
Wen Xubai: "?"
As he looked through the details one by one, Wen Xubai's brows furrowed more and more.
This payment is remitted to the two subsidiaries every year, but the amount varies from year to year. Sometimes one subsidiary receives more and the other receives less, and sometimes one receives less and the other receives more. For example, this year, one subsidiary received less and the other received more.
The total amount is the same; if more money can be deducted from the total amount, it may be possible to balance the company's accounts.
Wen Xubai compared the company's business statements over the past few years and found that the growth rate was directly proportional to the amount of remittances.
Based on business volume.
Wen Xubai frowned even more, scrolled the mouse to the last page, and looked at the name of another branch manager.
Upon seeing this, my heart sank to the bottom.
Wen Xushi...
Just then, his phone rang. Wen Xubai picked it up and saw that it was a message from Wen Xushi.
It was a very humble statement.
"Xiaobai, when do you have time to talk?"
Wen Xubai's eyes widened. He glanced at the message for a moment, then tapped his finger and sent a brief message: "Address."
The two arranged to meet at a coffee shop.
This coffee shop was a place the two of them frequented when they first entered university. It was located near the university town, and they often read and worked together there. Later, Wen Xushi graduated, and Wen Xubai was sent abroad. Thinking back, it had been a long time since they had returned.
Stepping into the familiar wooden floor and the simple, laid-back café, smelling the familiar aroma of coffee, Wen Xubai silently looked inside.
The coffee shop wasn't big, and there weren't many customers. With its brown and coffee-colored decor, he spotted the white-clad figure sitting by the bed at a glance.
Wen Xushi had arrived long ago.
I glanced at my watch; there were still fifteen minutes until our agreed time.
Arriving half an hour early has always been Wen Xushi's habit.
Wen Xubai had asked him before, "Is it necessary to do it so early?"
The other party simply chuckled and said casually, "Xiao Bai, it's good to prepare for things in advance so that you won't panic when unexpected events happen."
Wen Xushi had already seen him and waved to him with a smile.
Wen Xubai walked over calmly and sat down opposite him.
"You've noticed the problem too."
Wen Xushi was surprised that he would be so direct. His smile froze for a moment, but he quickly recovered.
Wen Xushi pushed the coffee in front of him away, his face still showing his usual gentle smile. "Hmm. Cappuccino, no sugar, no milk, the one you like."
Wen Xubai took off his mask, picked up his cup, and took a sip. It was indeed the familiar taste.
"You still remember..." He stirred the coffee in his cup and looked at the ripples on the surface of the water, his feelings suddenly becoming complicated.
Those two years at university, away from the Wen family, were among the few happy times in his and Wen Xushi's lives of the first twenty-odd years, when they could finally breathe a sigh of relief.
"Where have you been all this time? I haven't seen you at home much." Wen Xushi took a sip of his Americano and asked casually.
Wen Xubai raised an eyebrow, casually avoiding the important question, and said, "Why go back? You know that's not my home."
Upon hearing this, Wen Xushi chuckled softly, his eyes remaining bright and unchanging.
"I'm just worried about you, afraid you'll be kidnapped by someone with malicious intent..."
Before he could finish speaking, Wen Xubai interrupted him: "No matter how ambitious a person is, who can compare to the Wen family?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Xushi's smile finally froze, and a hint of unspoken heartache flickered in his eyes as he looked at him.
He looked at Wen Xubai, his voice trembling slightly, "Xiaobai, have you categorized me as one of them?"
"No." Wen Xubai shook his head frankly, lowered his eyes, and took another sip of coffee.
Wen Xushi seemed a little anxious, his body involuntarily leaning forward. "Xiaobai, you have to believe me, I'm definitely not the kind of person you think I am! I..."
"I know," Wen Xubai said calmly, forcing a bitter smile. "After all, within the Wen family, you're the only one I can trust..."
People in the coffee shop were drawn to the commotion. Wen Xushi was startled, but quickly withdrew his gaze as if nothing had happened. His fingers nervously intertwined, and he gave a wry smile, saying, "Xiaobai, we only have each other."
Yes, these two oddballs, completely out of place in the Wen family, could only find solace in each other amidst endless abuse and exploitation.
"Wen Tingyi wants us to fight." Wen Xubai's eyes were icy cold.
Wen Xushi nodded, his gaze darkening.
They were Wen Tingyi's two "knives," but now, perhaps he no longer wanted to put in the effort to nurture them, or perhaps he had made the blades too sharp and that they would one day cut their master. Now, he only wanted to keep one.
The most bloodless way is to let these two "knives" clash with each other on their own.
Given the choice between an illegitimate child with whom he shares some blood ties and an adopted son with whom he has no relation, which would Wen Tingyi choose? The answer is obvious.
From the very beginning, Wen Xubai could sense that Wen Tingyi valued Wen Xushi more, which was why he kept him by his side while sending Wen Xubai abroad.
But now, this tilted scale seems to have shifted...
Why is that?
Wen Xubai frowned.
Wen Xushi's eyes flickered, and the corners of his mouth, which were always upturned, slowly drooped at this moment. The smile that had been hanging there seemed to be about to collapse.
Wen Xushi said painfully, "Xiao Bai, I won't fight you. If... you really want it, then take it all..."
As he spoke, he pushed a document in front of Wen Xubai and considerately turned his face away.
Wen Xubai stared intently, his pupils suddenly contracting, and he instinctively roared, "Are you crazy?!"
It was a share transfer agreement, in which Wen Xushi was to transfer all of his shares and assets to Wen Xubai.
Such a desperate act, in the profit-driven Wen family, is tantamount to cutting off one's own neck.
The Wen family will not support useless people.
The gaze that had just left was drawn back, but Wen Xubai couldn't care less about anything else. He threw the file back and angrily said, "Don't even think about it!"
Wen Xushi caught the document thrown in his face, but instead of getting angry, he lifted the frame on his nose and said with a wry smile, "Don't be angry..."
Wen Xubai wanted to say something more, but suddenly noticed the crack on the corner of his glasses frame. "What happened to your glasses?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Xushi paused for a moment, seemingly not understanding what he was saying. Only when he touched the crack in his glasses did he stammer, "Oh, this... I accidentally fell a few days ago..."
Did you fall?
Wen Xubai frowned.
For some reason, he felt that Wen Xushi's gaze was a bit strange today, as if he was deliberately avoiding his eyes.
After a moment of contemplation, a possible reason came to his mind.
"Was it Qin Yalin who made the call?"
Wen Xushi paused for a moment, then looked somewhat dejected.
That's considered an implicit agreement.
But Wen Xubai still felt something was off, though he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was...
Before he could ask any more questions, Wen Xushi spoke first.
As he stirred his coffee, he casually brought it up: "You mentioned last time... that you wanted to leave the Wen family. Did you already have some plans?"
Wen Xubai was taken aback. His fingers twitched slightly as he held the coffee cup. He lowered his eyes, took a small sip of the strong coffee, and concealed the guilt in his eyes.
"No," he said calmly. "We'll talk about this later."
He has no reason to leave the Wen family now.
Wen Xushi was taken aback for a moment before laughing and saying, "Okay, we'll talk about it later."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com