Meng Xuanyu was highly efficient. Having sent gifts to many girls before, his underlings were well-versed in the routine. While Zhou Qingyu was trying on clothes, they had already delivered the handbags Yan Xi had requested.
"System! Scan them now!"
[Host, I’ve already scanned them—they’re all high-quality fakes!]
The system’s identification skills were top-notch, but unfortunately, it couldn’t generate a formal report. These bags still needed to be sent to a professional inspection agency.
Yan Xi turned to Meng Xuanyu with a sweet smile. "Young Master Meng is so generous!" The wool was truly easy to shear!
Meng Xuanyu smirked smugly, reaching out with his sleazy hand. "Now that you’ve got the bags, come on, let me take you out on the yacht—"
Smack!
Zhou Qingyu, holding a belt she’d picked up casually, lashed it across the back of Meng Xuanyu’s hand without hesitation.
Meng Xuanyu, a pampered young master with delicate skin, instantly recoiled in pain, his hand turning bright red.
"Zhou Qingyu! What the hell are you doing?!"
Zhou Qingyu had already changed back into her own clothes. She wrapped an arm around Yan Xi’s shoulders and raised an eyebrow at Meng Xuanyu. "I’m done trying on clothes. You and your people can get lost now."
"I—I—"
Seeing his prey slip away, Meng Xuanyu was furious. Even if the bags he’d given Yan Xi were fakes, they still cost him thousands!
"Young Master Meng~" Yan Xi giggled shyly, her voice sugary sweet. "There’s always next time~"
That smile sent shivers down Meng Xuanyu’s spine.
With Zhou Qingyu around today, he couldn’t make a move on Yan Xi. Next time, he’d have to pick a moment when Zhou Qingyu wasn’t present. When it came to romance, he was far more skilled than Zhou Yanci. How hard could it be to steal a woman from Zhou Yanci’s grasp?
Once he had Yan Xi under his control, he’d flaunt her right in front of Zhou Yanci. The look on Zhou Yanci’s face would be absolutely priceless! The mere thought made Meng Xuanyu giddy with excitement.
But for now, he had to play it cool. No need to rush.
He handed Yan Xi a business card. "Don’t forget to call me!"
"Of course~" Yan Xi agreed cheerfully.
The moment Meng Xuanyu left, she tossed the card straight into the trash.
Zhou Qingyu inspected the bags he’d brought. "These are all fakes? I can’t even tell!"
"Of course. If they were poorly made, Meng Xuanyu wouldn’t dare sell them."
Truthfully, Zhou Qingyu had finished trying on her outfit long ago. She’d deliberately lingered in the dressing room to stall, giving Meng Xuanyu time to deliver the bags.
Even though Yan Xi had already sent Lin Zhi to buy M-brand’s new collection last night, it was late, and the stores were about to close. M-brand was notorious for mixing genuine and counterfeit items, so there was no guarantee they’d find high-quality fakes.
But with Meng Xuanyu, the odds were high that what he provided were fakes.
"Lin Zhi is still at the inspection agency," Yan Xi said. "I’ll keep these bags for now and send them over later."
Zhou Qingyu nodded. That was the best plan.
As Yan Xi carried the M-brand bags out of the dressing room, she ran straight into Qu Yan.
Qu Yan’s eyes widened at the sight of the bags in Yan Xi’s hands.
She knew Zhou Qingyu was M-brand’s ambassador, but why did Yan Xi have so many of their latest bags? Did Zhou Qingyu give them to her?
Those were all new releases—worth hundreds of thousands! Qu Yan’s face twisted with envy.
"Sweetheart~"
Qu Yan forced a smile and sidled up to Zhou Qingyu.
Zhou Qingyu had a photoshoot in the afternoon, with fans and media present, so she needed to look her best.
Seeing Qu Yan, Zhou Qingyu greeted her naturally. "Auntie? I thought you were busy with your project. What brings you here?"
Mentioning the project made Qu Yan’s heart ache.
The promised 50 million had vanished into thin air, and she’d even lost a million in deposit fees!
She couldn’t understand why Zhou Qingyu had backed out. With Zhou Qingyu’s vast personal assets, how could she possibly be short on funds?
"The project hit a snag!" Qu Yan sighed dramatically. "We were counting on your investment, but then you suddenly pulled out. We weren’t prepared at all!"
Zhou Qingyu shrugged. "Sorry, I’m a bit strapped for cash lately."
If she had enough money, she’d buy out M-brand herself—without relying on Zhou Corporation! Then she’d become the largest shareholder of Meng Holdings and strut right in front of Zhou Yanci!
Qu Yan was fuming.
Zhou’s Father might not have been the most attentive dad, but he never skimped on material comforts for his children. For Zhou Qingyu’s coming-of-age gift, he’d given her shares in Zhou Corporation. Over the years, the dividends alone had earned her at least a billion.
So how could Zhou Qingyu possibly be broke?
But Zhou Qingyu spoke so convincingly, as if she genuinely had money troubles.
Soon, Yan Xi returned.
She greeted Qu Yan politely before handing Zhou Qingyu a black velvet box.
"What’s this?"
Zhou Qingyu opened it—and nearly dropped it in shock. Inside was a dazzling yellow diamond, a full five carats.
She snapped the box shut immediately.
Yan Xi narrowed her eyes. "Who promised me they wouldn’t buy it, only to secretly bid anyway?"
Zhou Qingyu raised her hands in defense. "I swear! After I promised you last night, I didn’t place another bid!"
Yan Xi arched a brow. "Then how did this diamond end up here?"
"The original buyer backed out, so it went to a second auction. I got it for eight million! I even have the receipt—look!" Zhou Qingyu pulled up the transaction record on her phone, clearly showing the eight-million payment.
Yan Xi wasn’t trying to stop Zhou Qingyu from spending her own money. She just wanted her to feel the pinch so she wouldn’t fall for Qu Yan’s schemes.
Qu Yan, who had been silent until now, finally spoke.
Her heart was bleeding.
So Zhou Qingyu was the one who had outbid her last night!
Zhou Qingyu was the reason she’d lost a million in deposit fees!
And worst of all—Zhou Qingyu had ended up paying only eight million for the diamond!
Qu Yan’s fingers trembled as she clutched her sleeves. "Sweetheart, I heard the bidding for that yellow diamond at last night’s auction started at seven million and went up to thirty. That was you?"
"I didn’t plan to bid that high, but some shameless idiot kept driving up the price!"
Zhou Qingyu was still fuming. Yellow diamonds weren’t even among the most prestigious colored diamonds—she usually wouldn’t glance at them. She’d only bid on a whim, never expecting someone to challenge her.
Zhou Qingyu’s philosophy was simple: whether she liked something or not, she would not lose.
"They pushed it to thirty million, then chickened out! What kind of loser does that?"
"Probably a shill bidder," Yan Xi said. Otherwise, why would someone bid so aggressively only to back out?
"So they were trying to scam me into overpaying?" Zhou Qingyu scoffed. "How despicable! Yan Xi, thank goodness you stopped me in time. I almost got swindled!"
Yan Xi nodded firmly. She’d only wanted to save Zhou Qingyu from wasting money, never realizing how shady auction houses could be.
Qu Yan listened, her face turning green with rage.
She was no shill bidder!
And what was Yan Xi’s problem? Why did she have to stop Zhou Qingyu? If she hadn’t interfered, Qu Yan wouldn’t have had to spend extra money!
Qu Yan felt like her lungs were about to explode from anger.
To make matters worse, Zhou Qingyu and Yan Xi were still discussing what kind of jewelry to design with the yellow diamond. Every word they spoke felt like a knife stabbing into Qu Yan’s heart.
And then, as the final blow, Zhou Qingyu added, "Auntie, I’m sorry, but I have an important project coming up, and all my money is tied up in it. I can’t lend you anything right now!"
Qu Yan’s vision darkened, and she nearly collapsed onto the sofa beside her.
Her fingers happened to brush against a tablet on the couch, and a document popped up on the screen. With just a glance, Qu Yan caught phrases like "Meng Xuanyu lost 100 million in gambling" and "M brand using counterfeit materials."
Yan Xi quickly snatched the tablet away.
Qu Yan probed, "What’s so secretive?"
Yan Xi replied politely, "Just work-related matters. Are you staying at the Zhou residence much longer? Because Qingyu really doesn’t have any money to spare~"
Another knife to the heart.
"Who said I came here to borrow money? I’m here to see my niece!" Qu Yan lifted her chin defiantly. "And what’s with Aunt Zhang? I’ve been here so long, and she hasn’t even served me tea!"
She pressed the service bell, and Aunt Zhang came to the dressing room to pour her tea.
Qu Yan knew she couldn’t do anything to Zhou Qingyu, but she could still assert her superiority over a mere servant.
After taking a sip of Biluochun tea, Qu Yan spat it out. "What kind of tea is this? It’s so bitter!"
Aunt Zhang remained indifferent. "Miss Qu, that’s just how this tea tastes."
"You—!"
Qu Yan gritted her teeth. She knew Aunt Zhang disliked her, but she still put on airs. "Aunt Zhang, I’m a guest of the Zhou family. Is this how you treat guests?"
Aunt Zhang pursed her lips. She had already served the tea—high-quality Biluochun, no less—what more did Qu Yan want?
"Miss Qu, the master isn’t home. Who are you putting on this act for?"
Qu Yan sneered. "I’m not here for my brother-in-law. I came to see my niece!"
Aunt Zhang scoffed inwardly. As if anyone would believe that excuse—she wasn’t stupid!
Zhou Qingyu noticed the commotion and glanced over.
She knew Qu Yan had no interest in her father, and it annoyed her how the servants always treated Qu Yan like some kind of threat.
"Aunt Zhang, don’t say things like that next time."
Since the young mistress had spoken, Aunt Zhang had no choice but to keep quiet.
Why couldn’t the young mistress understand? Aunt Zhang was only looking out for her! If Qu Yan ever became her stepmother and had another child, Zhou Qingyu would be miserable!
But alas, Aunt Zhang was just a servant, while Qu Yan was family.
Seeing Aunt Zhang silenced, Qu Yan finally felt satisfied.
Knowing she wouldn’t get any money from Zhou Qingyu today, she picked up her purse. "Sweetie, I have things to do. I’ll be going now."
Before leaving, she shot Aunt Zhang a disdainful look and said to Zhou Qingyu, "You should really discipline the servants in this house. If they’re no good, just replace them! Don’t let yourself be mistreated, sweetie!"
With that, Qu Yan left the Zhou residence.
Zhou Qingyu sighed helplessly. Family couldn’t be replaced, but she had considered changing the servants. Still, aside from their dislike of Qu Yan, the staff treated her well and did their jobs efficiently.
She turned to Aunt Zhang. "Aunt Zhang, my aunt is family. She has no interest in my father, so please don’t speak about her like that in the future. It puts me in a difficult position."
Aunt Zhang lowered her head in resignation. "Understood, young mistress."
Yan Xi, munching on fruit Aunt Zhang had sliced, chimed in, "Aunt Zhang, I think you’re overthinking it. It’s pretty obvious Auntie has no interest in Zhou’s Father. She’s not going to become Qingyu’s stepmother."
Zhou Qingyu felt relieved. See? Yan Xi got it.
Aunt Zhang, however, was exasperated. These young girls were so naive! If Qu Yan wasn’t interested in the master, why did she keep coming around?
Then Yan Xi added, "If I were Qu Yan and wanted to marry into the Zhou family, why would I go for Zhou’s Father? Between an old man and a young one, I’d pick the younger guy any day!"
Aunt Zhang was stunned. Zhou Qingyu froze.
This was an angle they’d never considered. Aunt Zhang blurted out, "That’s impossible! Miss Qu and Young Master Zhou are of different generations!"
"Are they?" Yan Xi pondered. "But they’re not blood-related. And while Zhou’s Father is twenty years older than Qu Yan, Zhou Yanci is only seven years younger than her. These days, age gaps like that are nothing. Plenty of people are into older women."
Hearing this, Aunt Zhang and Zhou Qingyu finally realized the truth.
To Aunt Zhang, she’d watched Zhou Yanci grow up. When Qu Yan was in college, Zhou Yanci was still in elementary school—she’d always assumed the gap was insurmountable. And for Zhou Qingyu, since she and Zhou Yanci had both called Qu Yan "Auntie" as kids, she’d never even considered the possibility.
But in reality, the real age gap existed between Qu Yan and Zhou’s Father. The seven-year difference between Qu Yan and Zhou Yanci? As they grew older, it would matter less and less…
Zhou Qingyu shuddered at the thought. Aunt Zhang, recalling past interactions between Zhou Yanci and Qu Yan, frowned deeply.
Seeing their reactions, Yan Xi laughed. "Relax, I was just joking! Don’t take it seriously."
But once planted, the seed of doubt only needed time to grow.
That afternoon, Zhou Qingyu left for a film shoot, while Yan Xi took the bag Meng Xuanyu had given her to a professional quality inspection agency.
By 5 p.m., the results were in.
As expected, the pink diamond bracelet, the bag from Meng Xuanyu, and some of the M-brand items Lin Zhi had purchased from the boutique were all counterfeit.
Even though she’d already suspected as much, Lin Zhi couldn’t help but exclaim, "Meng Xuanyu has some nerve!"
"He’s dug himself into quite a few holes," Yan Xi remarked. "But Zhou Yanci always cleaned up after him before things could go public."
"True. Poor Zhou Yanci—always suffering for others."
Yan Xi didn’t respond, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
Zhou Yanci had his share of hardships when it came to family, but with Meng Xuanyu? That was a different story.
He could have refused Meng Yingrong’s requests, but he never did.
Yan Xi suspected this might be Zhou Yanci’s hidden darkness—that he was doing it on purpose. If he truly cared about the Meng family, he would have urged Meng Yingrong to discipline Meng Xuanyu, would have been frustrated by his mistakes, would have tried to steer him back on the right path.
But Zhou Yanci did none of that. He just mechanically cleaned up the messes.
Yan Xi recalled an old saying: "Heaven will destroy those it wishes to punish by first driving them mad." It fit Meng Xuanyu perfectly. What was he good for now besides chasing women?
Did Meng Yingrong really think she could rely on him to fight for the Meng family’s fortune?
Meng Xuanyu was already ruined.
But Yan Xi never thought there was anything wrong with this—no one was a saint, after all.
So she didn’t share her suspicions with Lin Zhi. Instead, she handed her the test report and said, "It’s time. Let Wu Liao expose everything!"
At that time, the Meng family’s brand was at its peak.
Their autumn collection had been pulled from shelves—an internal decision—but to customers, it simply appeared as if the new products were sold out. Meng Yingrong then directed PR to manipulate public perception, creating the illusion that the Meng brand’s new collection was selling phenomenally well, with items flying off shelves in stores nationwide.
For a while, customers flocked to Meng stores. Though the new collection wasn’t actually selling, the classic items flew off the shelves.
Meng Xuanyu and Meng Yingrong were inspecting a store when they saw the crowded counters. Meng Xuanyu clicked his tongue in admiration. "Mom, you’re a genius!"
Meng Yingrong smirked. "It’s nothing. The sales growth isn’t obvious yet, but once we weed out the counterfeit products from all major stores and restock, the numbers will look even better!"
The one-billion-yuan deficit was a huge hole, but Meng Yingrong could still cover it.
Suddenly, an assistant rushed in, stumbling over his words. "Madam, Young Master Meng—something’s happened!"
The assistant handed over a tablet, where a blogger’s explosive post was displayed: Meng Xuanyu, the young master of the Meng family, had gambled away money in Macau and used the Meng brand’s new collection as collateral. Later, he replaced the genuine products with counterfeits for sale!
The exposure included photos of Meng Xuanyu gambling in Macau and quality inspection reports—everything from handbags and clothing to jewelry turned out to be fakes!
The internet exploded. Netizens were in an uproar:
[Didn’t the news say Meng’s products were selling like hotcakes?]
[But they’re all fakes! So everyone bought counterfeits?]
[This is terrifying—a billion yuan worth of fakes! My heart aches for everyone’s wallets.]
[Some people save up for years just to buy a luxury bag. How could the Meng family do this?!]
[The young master loses money gambling, so he scams ordinary people?]
[I’m furious. Never buying from Meng again!]
Meng Yingrong and Meng Xuanyu were stunned. They immediately ordered the news to be taken down.
But the assistant shook his head. "We’ve already asked Weibo to remove the post, but it’s trending everywhere. The story’s spreading across all platforms… We can’t suppress it anymore."
Meng Yingrong clutched her head in frustration. "Do we know who leaked this?"
The exposure blogger had only revealed common items from the new collection—bags, clothes, jewelry—but not the pink diamond bracelet, so Meng Yingrong couldn’t trace the source.
The assistant shook his head. "Whoever shopped for these items disguised themselves. Neither their videos nor our surveillance footage can identify them."
Clearly, this was a well-planned attack—with no room for negotiation.
The backlash spread like wildfire. Even customers shopping in Meng stores saw the news.
One moment, they were happily browsing; the next, they were demanding refunds.
Who in their right mind would pay luxury prices for fakes?
In no time, Meng stores were packed—but only with people returning items.
Meng Yingrong knew the situation was beyond control. Meng Huaigu had likely already heard, and she needed a solution fast.
Her first thought was Zhou Yanci.
He was the only one who could fix this.
Zhou Yanci had also seen the news.
Or rather, he’d known this would happen—he just hadn’t known when Yan Xi would strike.
Assistant Sun reported, "President Zhou, we’ve confirmed it was the young miss’s doing."
"Are the traces cleaned up?"
"Thoroughly. The Mengs won’t find anything."
The entertainment industry was a master of controlling narratives. Wu Liao, originally an elite from Zhou Corporation’s PR department, handled celebrity scandals daily. Planting a scoop without leaving traces was child's play for him.
Zhou Yanci exhaled.
He knew Meng Yingrong would eventually discover Yan Xi’s involvement, but every extra day bought was a victory.
"Why did Yan Xi suddenly investigate Meng Xuanyu?"
If she hadn’t dug into it, his counterfeit scheme might never have come to light.
Assistant Sun hesitated before placing a file in front of Zhou Yanci.
"Yan Xi had Lin Zhi look into Madam Meng and Young Master Meng’s relationship. This is their DNA test report. The private investigator probably stumbled upon the counterfeit scheme while collecting Meng Xuanyu’s DNA."
Zhou Yanci froze.
If the report had confirmed Meng Yingrong and Meng Xuanyu as siblings, Assistant Sun wouldn’t have handed it over.
His throat tightened as he opened the file. The pages felt unnaturally heavy in his hands.
He skimmed to the last line—and let out a bitter laugh.
Of course.
Assistant Sun, who’d already read it, asked quietly, "President Zhou… are you alright?"
Zhou Yanci closed the file, his smile icy.
"I’m fine. Perfectly fine."
A knock interrupted them. The Second Secretary hurried in. "President Zhou, Madam Meng is here."
The Meng scandal had forced her to seek his help.
Before the secretary could finish, Meng Yingrong barged past security into the office.
"Why are you stopping me? He’s my son! How dare you block me?!"
Zhou Yanci glanced up and dismissed the others with a look.
"Leave us."
Once alone, Meng Yingrong noticed an electric wheelchair in the office.
"Are you sick?" she asked.
Zhou Yanci didn’t even lift his eyes. "I’m recovering."
She brushed it off—if he was at work, it couldn’t be serious.
"You’ve seen the Meng scandal, haven’t you? Who would dare target us like this?! You have shares in Weibo—order them to take the news down! If this drags on, it’ll tank Meng stocks!"
Zhou Yanci said nothing, his cold stare unnerving her.
"Yanci, did you hear me? This is escalating—we need to act now—"
"Who is Meng Xuanyu’s real father?" he cut in.
Meng Yingrong’s face drained of color.
"Y-Your grandfather’s child, of course! What are you implying?"
Zhou Yanci tossed the DNA report at her. She flipped through it—and nearly collapsed.
"You investigated us?!"
"Would I have known about your relationship otherwise? Or that I have an older brother?"
Meng Yingrong seemed somewhat guilty as she closed the paternity report.
"Even if Xuanyu is your elder brother, so what? That makes your bond even closer. Shouldn’t you help him even more?"
"I’m not that magnanimous. I can’t help with this."
Meng Yingrong grew agitated. "Zhou Yanci! What’s gotten into you lately? It’s not that you can’t help—you just won’t!"
"That’s right. I won’t." Zhou Yanci met her gaze. "I used to think you and Meng Xuanyu were siblings, bound by deep affection. But now? Turns out he’s your child too. So you do know how to be a mother—you just couldn’t be bothered to be one for me."
"Am I nothing more than a tool in your eyes? A means to maintain your ties to Zhou Corporation and extract resources from Zhou’s Father?"
"Of course not!" Meng Yingrong hurried closer. "You’re my flesh and blood too, born from me after ten months of pregnancy. How could I ever think of you that way?"
Zhou Yanci leaned on his cane and deliberately took a step back.
"Then how could you favor him so blatantly?"
Meng Yingrong admitted it—she did favor Meng Xuanyu. Partly because he was the child of her first love, a child she’d eagerly awaited. And partly because Zhou Yanci had never needed her. He was brilliant, capable, and Zhou Hongsheng’s eldest son. Even without her, he’d thrive.
But Meng Xuanyu was different. Fatherless, with Meng Xuanhao eyeing his position in the Meng family, she had to secure his future.
Yet even if she showed favoritism, Zhou Yanci was still her child. How could she not care?
"Yanci, you’re overthinking this!"
"Enough," Zhou Yanci said wearily. "I’ve done more than enough for the Meng family over the years. The person Meng Xuanyu is today? That’s your doing. I can’t fix him."
"Assistant Sun, see her out."
Meng Yingrong tried to explain, but Assistant Sun and the security team flooded in. This time, under Zhou Yanci’s orders, they wouldn’t let her back into the office.
Outside the corporate tower, she felt dazed. She’d never imagined Zhou Yanci would refuse her so decisively—his tone had bordered on severing ties entirely.
She sighed deeply. Was she truly so unfair?
Or was Zhou Yanci just being oversensitive?
Assistant Sun, watching her conflicted expression, finally snapped. "Madam, President Zhou was hospitalized last week."
Meng Yingrong recalled the electric wheelchair in the office. "I know. It wasn’t serious, was it?"
"It’s cancer."
Her head jerked up, eyes wide as she stared at Assistant Sun.
His gaze was firm yet numb. He wasn’t lying.
Cancer…
Her chest ached, a sour, suffocating pain. Tears welled instantly, her voice trembling. "H-He didn’t tell me…"
Assistant Sun scoffed. "Did he not tell you, or did you not care? Even Second Secretary visited him in the hospital. Where were you?"
