Shen Yu's hands, hanging at his sides, suddenly clenched tight.
He and Shen Ye were born of the same mother. His elder brother had been clever and quick-witted since childhood—the model student in the eyes of teachers, the pride of their parents. As for him, he was despised everywhere. No matter how he performed, he could never earn a single word of praise.
To Shen Yu, Shen Ye was never a brother—he was an enemy!
As long as Shen Ye lived, he would never have a good day.
He endured and endured, finally waiting for the good news of Shen Ye's accidental death. But then, the man left behind a bastard in this world, not only resembling him in appearance but even surpassing him in skill and talent!
How could he, who had always lived in Shen Ye's shadow, tolerate that?
The old man cast a cold glance at his hand, clenched into a fist from rage, and picked up the verdict on the table, tossing it at him.
"Take a look at the fine son you've raised—what kind of stupid thing has he done?"
Shen Tingfeng's malicious intent was backed by solid evidence. The police were putting pressure on the Shen family. Old Master Shen's declaration this time that he wouldn't intervene was partly because he couldn't gauge the power behind Tang Beiqiu.
No matter how formidable the Shen family was, at best they dominated the business world. Money and power were two different things.
Rescuing Shen Tingfeng would likely be tricky. The only option was to keep this matter as low-key as possible, preventing negative news from spreading everywhere.
The old man snorted. "With a fool like that, he's already disgraced the Shen family name, and you still dare to beg me to fish him out!?"
Shen Yu, who had barely spoken a few words since entering the room but had been thoroughly berated by his father, lowered his head, not daring to utter another word in Shen Tingfeng's defense.
"If you can't hold this position steady, I'll find someone capable to take it. As for you, stay home and discipline your son properly!"
Hearing this, Shen Yu broke out in a cold sweat and quickly bent over to explain, "Dad, I was blinded this time. I didn't expect such a huge mistake. I promise, I swear this will never happen again!"
The old man was deliberately stirring his ambition, wanting to see what grand feat he could accomplish when pushed to the edge.
He leaned back casually in his office chair and waved his hand. "Get out. From now on, stop scheming against others and focus on the company. As for Tingfeng, if you can't discipline him, let the police handle it. Don't bother me again!"
Shen Yu slunk out of the study, his face ashen. Fang Yingxue, who had been waiting outside, hurried over to press him. "Well? Did Dad say when he'd talk to the police and get them to release Tingfeng?"
Having just been scolded into silence inside, Shen Yu had no mind to discuss Shen Tingfeng's matter. Recalling the old man's furious tirade, he coldly shook off the nagging Fang Yingxue.
"Can you stop your endless blabbering?"
Fang Yingxue froze for a moment. "You... why are you so angry?" She snapped out of it and started quarreling with him like a shrew. "Shen Yu, are you even a man? Your own son is locked up, you can't get him out, and you're taking it out on me!?"
Though Shen Yu couldn't measure up to his elder brother Shen Ye in anything, he doted on and indulged his wife—something Shen Ye, whose marriage had always been rocky, could never match!
And it was precisely this indulgence that made Fang Yingxue, a woman with a petty, commoner's air, even more brazen.
Annoyed by her, Shen Yu hurried out of Lanting Pavilion, not wanting to stay a second longer, afraid the old man might run into them and find another excuse to scold him.
Seeing him leave, Fang Yingxue ran after him. "Shen Yu, say something! What did Dad say?"
The woman's incessant chatter wore on him. Shen Yu stopped and glared at her impatiently. "If you hadn't spoiled him rotten since he was little, he wouldn't be in this mess now!"
"..."
"Dad's dead set on locking him up this time. No matter how I begged, it was useless. Push any harder, and we'll both be in trouble!"
Fang Yingxue stared wide-eyed in disbelief. "How could that be? Dad always doted on Tingfeng the most. Even when he messed up, it was just a slap on the wrist. He never let anyone throw him in jail before!"
Before Shen Xiaoxing was brought into the Shen family, the old man's favorite had been Shen Tingfeng. From childhood, no matter what mistakes he made or trouble he caused, the old man would turn a blind eye.
Even back when he caused Shen Xiaoxing's plane crash, leaving him blind and lame, with doctors nearly issuing a critical condition notice, the old man hadn't done anything to Shen Tingfeng.
"Tingfeng has never suffered. In a place like that, he can't eat or sleep well—how can he bear it? Second Master, think of a way to get our son out."
"Stop your shouting! Once this storm blows over, I'll figure out a way to get him out!" Shen Yu was anxious too, but for now, securing his position as vice president of the Shen Group was more urgent than saving his son!
With that, he strode away, leaving Fang Yingxue alone, thinking of what Shen Tingfeng was enduring, crying in heartache.
Suddenly, she lost her footing and accidentally fell to the ground.
A slender, fair hand reached out. Fang Yingxue looked up abruptly and saw Lin Zhao in a light-colored cotton cheongsam, a matching shawl draped over her shoulders.
"What's wrong, sister? How did you trip while walking?" she said with a smile, reaching to help Fang Yingxue up. "Be careful."
Remembering who was to blame for her son's plight, Fang Yingxue's shame turned to rage. She raised her hand and viciously scratched Lin Zhao's outstretched hand.
Her meticulously made-up face twisted in fury. "Lin Zhao, spare me your hypocrisy! Your son got my Tingfeng thrown in jail—are you satisfied now?"
Lin Zhao glanced at the tiny beads of blood on the back of her hand, her eyes cool. "Xiaoxing is not my biological son."
"But you raised him!" Fang Yingxue shrieked. "You're so desperate to bring me down—how could you not have encouraged him to harm my son!?"
"Speaking of that, I almost forgot. You keep insisting it's a setup, so I have to ask—is Tingfeng really innocent?"
"..."
"I heard he sent people to assassinate Xiaoxing. So many died at the scene—how could the police not investigate?"
Lin Zhao's expression was indifferent. "From childhood, their petty squabbles were one thing, but you, as his mother, know Tingfeng's nature best. Born into the same Shen family, he's set his heart on killing Xiaoxing!"
Even if Shen Xiaoxing wasn't her biological son, he was still recorded in the family register, someone who had knelt and called her mother in earnest.
Moreover, she and Shen Xiaoxing were tied together like two grasshoppers on a single string. All her chips and hopes were pinned on that man—he was her chance to turn things around.
By all logic and emotion, she couldn't tolerate the second branch's repeated harm to him!
Fang Yingxue guiltily turned her face away. Realizing that her own son was the one suffering in prison, she hardened her heart. "Then he deserves it! Why couldn't he just stay in his place as the Shen family's eldest son? Why did he have to compete with his second uncle and with Tingfeng?"
Lin Zhao disdained wasting words on someone like her.
She had achieved her goal; there was no need to linger and draw attention.
Her maid noticed the injury on her hand. "Madam, your hand is bleeding. Should we go back and have it bandaged?"
Lin Zhao's expression was cold. She stared at the back of her hand in silence for a moment, then deliberately dug her nails deep into the scratches, worsening the wound.
The maid gasped, not understanding her intent.
Lin Zhao's voice was flat. "If anyone asks, tell the truth. Understand?"
The maid immediately caught on and nodded. "Understood."