Xiao Family.
Xiao Wenyao was sitting in the living room and was almost worried to death. Since Xiao Jiannan was taken away by the police, he had thought of countless ways to redeem his son, but nothing worked. He even almost got arrested himself for trying to bribe law enforcement officers.
"Woo woo woo, Sir, what should we do? You must find a way to save little Nan. Woo woo woo..."
Jian Hongmei sat on the sofa next to him, raising her hand to wipe the tears on her face and crying inconsolably.
Xiao Wenyao was already extremely worried, and listening to Jian Hongmei's cries was driving him insane. He shouted angrily, "Stop with the crying already! I'm trying to figure this out, what good does your crying do! So annoying!"
Jian Hongmei's whole body shuddered at his yelling. Her tears flowed even more.
She said aggrievedly, "I'm just worried about my son! He has never suffered this kind of grievance since he was little. He's still young and can't go to jail. Woo woo woo..."
Xiao Jianren sat next to Jian Hongmei and gently put her arm around her shoulders to comfort her in a low voice. "Mom, please stop crying."
"You shut up!" Xiao Wenyao was getting more and more angry. "He's still young? He's already an adult. How come he never thinks about the consequences before doing things!"
"It's all because you spoiled him. What kind of mother doesn't even know how to discipline her children?"
"Look what you’ve taught our children to become, each one more disappointing than the next!" Xiao Wenyao scolded Jian Hongmei while pointing at her nose.
Xiao Jianren, who was innocently affected, felt extremely wronged.
Jian Hongmei was also very aggrieved. Her anger also rose. "Xiao Wenyao, you bastard! What do you mean it's all my fault for spoiling them? What do you mean I don't know how to discipline the children?"
"Are the children mine alone? Is it solely my responsibility to educate the children?"
"I work all day at home caring for and teaching the children while you are rarely home! Can you fulfill your responsibilities as a father?"
"I'm rarely home? I'm only out for work to entertain clients! If I’m home every day, who will feed you, clothe you, pay for the mansion you live in and the servants you have waiting on you every day? You live a carefree life, spend your days playing cards, visiting beauty salons, and shopping. Have I ever asked you to do any work around the house? Have I ever tired you out?"
"I'm ungrateful?"
Jian Hongmei was so angry that she got up, walked in front of Xiao Wenyao, and scolded him without regard for anything: "Fine! You’ve done so well Xiao Wenyao! How dare you say you work hard to earn money? Since you took over management, the company's profits have been declining year by year. Now they can barely stay afloat relying on the garment and home textile business."
"You said you worked hard to make money, but I think you've just been eating away at the profits that your younger brother, Xiao Yongze, worked hard to accumulate!"
Xiao Yongze!
Hearing that name instantly made Xiao Wenyao's face icy cold. He fiercely slapped Jian Hongmei across the face. Jian Hongmei lost her balance and fell to the ground, her forehead hitting against the sharp corner of the coffee table.
"Mom! Mom! Are you okay!"
Xiao Jianren was frightened by the scene. In all her years, her parents had always been very loving. Even when they fought, they’d make up by the time they got into bed. She had never seen anything like this before. She immediately ran over to help Jian Hongmei, whose face was covered in blood, up from the floor.
Jian Hongmei was also stunned by the slap. Holding her badly swollen cheek, she stared in disbelief at the man who had once promised to cherish her for a lifetime.
However, Xiao Wenyao completely ignored Jian Hongmei’s gaze. His tone was still fierce.
"Don't ever mention that name again! If I hear anyone mention him again, don't blame me for being merciless!"
After saying that, he also ignored the bloody woman sitting on the ground and strode upstairs with large steps.
Although Xiao Jianren was very angry at her father's behavior, she was also very afraid to confront him. She just hugged Jian Hongmei and whispered comforting words.
Only after hearing the upstairs bedroom door close did she let out a breath. She yelled at Zhang Ma who had been hiding in the shadows without making a peep from start to finish, "What are you still doing standing there? Hurry up and bring the first aid kit!"
"Oh, oh, okay, I’ll get it right away!”
Zhang Ma was startled into action and hurried to find the first aid kit.
Sitting on the ground, Jian Hongmei finally regained her senses upon hearing her daughter yell.
Looking up at Xiao Jianren’s caring face, she could no longer hold back her tears and cried in her daughter's arms.
"Woo woo woo... why is my life so bitter... I worked hard to raise you all, only to suffer such grievances... I can't go on..."
Upstairs Study.
After so many years, hearing Xiao Yongze’s name again made Xiao Wenyao furious with hatred.
Although the Xiao family had gradually declined now, some of the friends Xiao Yongze had made in the past still cooperated with the Xiaos for old times’ sake. To keep operations running smoothly, Xiao Wenyao bluntly accepted their partnerships.
So Jian Hongmei was right that they were still eating the profits Xiao Yongze had created.
Xiao Wenyao sat at the desk, taking a hard drag from his cigarette. His eyes were filled with endless icy coldness.
Xiao Yongze was Xiao Wenyao’s half-brother, the original, rightful Xiao family heir, while Xiao Wenyao was an illegitimate son born from an affair by Xiao’s father.
The two were less than a year apart in age but worlds apart in status.
Xiao Wenyao was unwilling to be just a nameless, shamed bastard son. They were both children of the Xiaos, yet Xiao Yongze enjoyed the highest level of treatment, being doted on and brought along to major events by his father.
Meanwhile, Xiao Wenyao was like a sewer rat, unseen by the light of day. If he ever dared show his face, everyone would cry out to have him beaten.
Xiao’s father loved Xiao Yongze, his legitimate son, more. But to prevent Xiao Wenyao and his mother from causing trouble, he gave them a generous allowance every month. So Xiao Wenyao also lived quite comfortably.
But that made Xiao Wenyao even more eager to gain the same respect Xiao Yongze commanded.
It wasn’t until his mother passed away from illness that Xiao Wenyao started working hard to disguise himself to please his father and Xiao Yongze. Xiao Yongze gradually accepted having a bastard half-brother, and Xiao Wenyao eventually entered the Xiao home as an adopted son.
Later, when Xiao’s father handed control of the company to Xiao Yongze, Xiao Yongze proved very capable at expanding Xiao Enterprises to make it the leader of the four great families.
Xiao Wenyao was unwilling to always rank below others. In order to have a chance at seizing the company, he had long colluded with shady characters in the dark.
Then one day, while Xiao’s father and mother were on a road trip, they got into a car accident and both perished.
During that time, Xiao Yongze’s condition was very poor. He didn’t even have time to care for his newborn daughter less than a month old and set company affairs aside.
So Xiao Wenyao took that chance to bribe many internal company personnel and family bodyguards and servants, as well as the month nurse, to kidnap that swaddled infant.
