Chapter 54 The Gloomy Little Poor Girl of the 70s
After the storm, the world will be even more expansive.
Shen Ci didn't rush to put all the burden on Shen Huai's shoulders. She knew that educating a child was like stewing chicken soup; it required slow and gentle simmering. True maturity takes time and experience, so she gave the child time to grow up.
In the first few years, she focused more on guiding and accompanying the family. Under her spending and Shen Huai's brilliant management, the family's wealth snowballed, growing bigger and bigger, with more and more money than they could ever spend.
She even bought a Bell helicopter, becoming the only person in Shanghai to own a helicopter.
This allows for faster travel between the city and nearby private horse farms or resort estates, making it much quicker for the whole family to go wherever they want.
Su Wanqing lived up to everyone's expectations. She was admitted to Shanghai University of Economics and Management with excellent grades, and she would always return to this real home during every holiday.
Shen Ci did not confine her to the ivory tower, but instead provided her with a large sum of money and an independently operated fashion brand subsidiary, entrusting her with full authority to practice, just as she had treated Shen Huai, without any bias.
Su Wanqing quickly demonstrated her amazing business acumen and aesthetic sense. The brand she was in charge of accurately captured the young market, and soon, this sub-brand stood out and became a dark horse with rapid growth under the group, winning market recognition.
She knew it! As the female lead, Su Wanqing wouldn't be any worse than Shen Huai.
Shen Huai sits at the group headquarters, strategizing and planning, becoming increasingly composed and aloof. Su Wanqing, on the other hand, is expanding into niche markets with keen insight and astonishing execution.
One was the emperor who ruled the court, and the other was the great general who expanded the territory; they worked together very well.
The two gradually became Shen Ci's right-hand men. Although they were in charge of different areas, they became more and more in sync. The two fledglings finally grew up.
As for Shen Ci herself, she gradually stepped back from the forefront, making extravagance and enjoyment her main tasks in life. She was there to spend money! With her two children, her footprints began to spread all over the world.
They learned to scuba dive in the Tiffany Blue waters of the Maldives, touched baby sharks, learned to fly small planes on New Zealand's South Island, and sped down ski slopes in St. Moritz, Switzerland.
Experience the artistic baptism in the Medici Church in Florence, Italy; witness the magnificence of life from an off-road vehicle on the Serengeti plains of Africa; and gaze at the green aurora borealis in the night sky of Tromsø, Norway.
All three of them shared the same opinion: it's great to be rich.
The family of three had all come from hardship; they weren't born into wealth and luxury. Because they had experienced hardship, they understood even more the joys of life and appreciated the conveniences that money brings.
These experiences, paved with money, enriched their souls and broadened their horizons. The last gloom between Shen Huai's brows was completely covered by composure and confidence, and he was completely transformed.
Su Wanqing has also completely shed her past image, becoming poised and elegant, with an inner radiance, as if they were born to be this way.
The world has many facets: poverty, wealth, ugliness, and beauty. They have all seen them. Only by seeing all facets of the world can one view it calmly and fairly.
In the peaceful and serene years, the darkness in Shen Huai's heart and the pain brought by those bad experiences have gradually melted away in these ten years of warm, affluent, affirming, and secure times.
Money really does nourish people. Looking at her two children who are growing up to be better and better, Shen Ci sighed in her heart, "You really can't do without money."
Shen Huai now firmly believes that his mother's love is unbreakable, and he has completely recognized his own value and ability. He no longer belittles himself or feels inferior.
Time flies, and ten years have passed in the blink of an eye.
By this time, Shen Huai had grown up and become the undisputed and highly respected leader of the group. Su Wanqing, on the other hand, had also grown into a key figure in the group's core decision-making team, capable of standing on her own and highly sought after.
Just as Shen Ci had hoped, they became each other's right-hand men.
As the group grew larger, it attracted more covetous eyes. Blackstone Capital, a powerful overseas capital firm with a deep background and a ruthless style, saw the Shen Group as a piece of fat meat, believing that they had not been established for many years and had no strong foundation.
The other party not only launched a price war in the international market, but also poached core technical personnel with high salaries, and even extended its reach into the group's internal affairs, attempting to undermine it from the ground up.
One evening, Shen Huai drove to his mother's quiet manor on the outskirts of the city. Shen Ci was now semi-retired, spending her days eating, drinking, and having fun at home, enjoying tea and reading, living a very comfortable life, and not having to worry about the children.
Shen Huai remained calm as he poured his mother a cup of warm Pu'er tea. He paused for a moment before speaking, his voice lower than usual.
"Mom, people from Blackstone Capital have contacted Wanqing privately."
Here it comes! The plot is finally here! After all these years, this moment has finally arrived! She'd been living such a comfortable life, she'd almost forgotten about this!
However, on the surface, Shen Ci slowly sipped his tea, his expression showing no ripples.
"What conditions were offered?"
“Very tempting.” Shen Huai’s gaze drifted to the deepening twilight outside the window.
"We agreed to offer her an exorbitant salary, exceeding her current level, and the position of CEO of the other group's Greater China region, on the condition that she cooperates with them to complete the takeover of us within her area of responsibility."
Shen Ci put down his teacup, his tone remaining calm.
What do you think?
Shen Huai turned his gaze back, his eyes filled with complex emotions.
“I know about this. In fact, she reported it to me immediately after the other party made their first attempt to contact her.”
Now, genuine surprise was revealed in Shen Ci's eyes. Su Wanqing did not betray Shen Huai this time. Was this the biggest hurdle about to be overcome?
“I had a deep talk with her and made it clear to her that this was a decision concerning her personal future, and that I would respect her choice no matter what she ultimately decided.”
If she chooses him, I won't be lenient either.
He paused.
“But deep down, I don’t believe she would agree, I don’t believe she would betray you, betray our family.”
He was afraid that his mother would be sad because he and his sister had become rivals.
Shen Huai's gaze became distant.
"Mom, I still remember the old house in Huaicheng, those three bowls of yellow wine, those vows. I remember them, and I think she must remember them too."
What I'm betting on now isn't human nature, but the understanding I've built up over ten years, and the trust I have in the word "family."
So, she and I made a plan.
Shen Ci understood. "So, the current plan is to proceed as intended and lure the enemy into a trap?"
“Yes.” Shen Huai nodded.
"Wait for the other side to reveal their final trump card, and also wait for those restless people within our ranks to be fully exposed."
This was a necessary cleaning, and also a verification.
Mom, I believe Wanqing won't let us down.
Shen Ci reached out and gently placed her hand on her son's already broad and strong hand, her tone gentle yet firm.
"Okay, Mom will wait with you."
Her child, the son she raised with such care, is still so brave and capable of trusting others; she will always be there for him.
Life has been going smoothly all these years, and there's nothing wrong with enjoying life. This is a good opportunity to see if the children have lost their original aspirations.
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