Yang Xi’s guess was spot-on—Shu Guobing was indeed planning to stir trouble for Shrimp King in the next couple of days.
Originally, Shu Guobing wasn’t in a rush to act, but Shu Lu’s constant crying at home, claiming Wen Ying had wronged her, pushed him to the edge.
“Dad, if the police go to my school to investigate, I’d rather die!”
Xiao Cai had to admit, he admired Shu Lu’s audacity. Most teenage girls wouldn’t have her nerve. Even with the police sniffing around, Shu Lu stuck to her story, not even telling her parents the truth. She was something else.
Mr. Zhao was initially displeased, but hearing how thick-skinned Shu Lu was, he figured she was worth another chance.
After Yue Shanni was expelled, she mulled over her bad luck and pinned it on a few people. But Yue Shanni was a bully who picked on the weak. She didn’t dare confront Yang Xi or bother Wen Ying again, so she targeted Shu Lu, ambushing her multiple times.
Shu Guobing was livid when he heard this. How dare she? He sent Xiao Cai to escort Shu Lu to and from school. When Yue Shanni saw Shu Lu had an adult with her, she could only grit her teeth in frustration.
Xiao Cai was resourceful. He had someone warn Yue Shanni’s mother, and Yue Shanni stopped harassing Shu Lu.
But Shu Guobing’s anger hadn’t subsided.
He’d explained it wasn’t Shu Lu’s doing, yet the Wen family refused to believe him.
Wen Dongrong was a joke, siccing the police on them relentlessly. Shu Guobing’s frustration grew, and he became even less willing to back down in business.
He might not dote on his daughter excessively, but he hated being slighted. If Wen Dongrong was bullying Shu Lu with his influence, Shu Guobing wouldn’t let Wen Ying off.
Selling braised crayfish at six yuan per jin wasn’t just to mess with Shrimp King—it was to disrupt the entire crayfish market, aiming to crush both Wen Ying and Deng Shangwei, the crayfish wholesaler.
At such a low price, if other vendors followed suit, they’d lose profits—the more they sold, the more they’d lose.
If they didn’t lower prices, their crayfish wouldn’t sell, spoiling in storage, and their procurement would dwindle.
Either way, it would hit Deng Shangwei’s wholesale business hard.
As for Shrimp King, a makeshift stall daring to compete with Shu’s? Once the crayfish market was thrown into chaos, what would Shrimp King rely on to make money?
Such a scheme was beyond Shu Guobing’s cunning—it was all Xiao Cai’s “friendly” suggestion.
Back when Xiao Cai worked for Cai Youlun’s brick factory, he’d seen it all. Without some ruthlessness, how could you profit? In small places, business wasn’t about fairness—whoever had the biggest fists, the most grit, or the best connections made the big bucks.
Those who weren’t tough enough could only scrape by on leftovers, if the big players were feeling generous.
Shu Guobing agreed wholeheartedly, finding Xiao Cai a kindred spirit. Whatever Xiao Cai suggested, Shu Guobing followed.
As for Yang Xi, whom Wen Ying hired to manage the shop, Shu Guobing didn’t take her seriously.
When Xiao Cai recognised Yang Xi and warned Shu Guobing, he flew into a rage, “Lu Lu was right! It’s that rotten Wen Ying setting the stage, hiring someone to frame Lu Lu. So young, but her heart’s as vicious as her father’s!”
Whether Wen Ying was vicious, Xiao Cai didn’t know.
But he knew she wasn’t simple.
Shu Lu had indeed orchestrated the incident, but the delinquents’ last-minute betrayal was unexpected. For that to happen, Wen Ying must have sharp wits.
And why Yue Shanni “confessed” at the police station, Xiao Cai couldn’t figure out.
A critical piece of the puzzle was missing, and Xiao Cai couldn’t piece it together.
“Brother Shu, we should still be cautious.”
“I know what I’m doing!”
Shu Guobing brushed off Xiao Cai’s advice.
With colder weather, Deng Shangwei’s crayfish wholesale business wasn’t as strong as in summer. He was down to just his Qingshiqiao shop. Shu Guobing felt that with a bit more pressure, Deng Shangwei wouldn’t even hold onto that, slinking out of the Qingshiqiao seafood market in defeat.
Xiao Cai didn’t press further.
If Shu Guobing fell, Cai Youlun would hand the Qingshiqiao shop and seafood stall to Xiao Cai. His caution wasn’t sincere.
Xiao Cai’s instincts were right. Viewing the situation as a puzzle, Yue Shanni’s actions were illogical, likely influenced by an external force.
That force was now back in Beijing. In his early thirties, Zhong Yong, known as Xiao Zhong, was handpicked by Xie Yuping and highly capable.
Sending Zhong Yong to deal with Yue Shanni was overkill.
But Zhong Yong didn’t mind. He was eager to use such tasks to get closer to Xie Qian.
Pleasing someone the boss cared about was more effective than pleasing the boss directly. After sending Yue Shanni to the police station, Zhong Yong didn’t leave immediately. He waited until the mediation concluded, ensuring it favoured Wen Ying, before slipping away.
From start to finish, Zhong Yong never appeared before Wen Ying.
Though he helped her, he didn’t want her to owe him a favour. Xie Qian knew of his role, and that was enough to make a good impression.
Xie Yuping sent Zhong Yong to Rongcheng not just to deliver documents to Xie Qian but to check on how Xie Qian and his mother were faring.
Xie Yuping worried Xie Qian might be hiding struggles.
Was Zou Weijun adjusting to her job at the publishing group?
How was Zou Weijun’s condition?
These were Xie Yuping’s concerns.
Zhong Yong stayed in Rongcheng and met Zou Weijun’s therapist.
The therapist refused to disclose patient details, but Zhong Yong used some tricks to obtain Zou Weijun’s medical records.
Zou Weijun’s sudden cooperation with treatment had a reason.
With the records in hand, Zhong Yong hurried back to Beijing.
Xie Yuping reviewed the records, taking several deep breaths in his chair. He reached for the phone multiple times but held back.
He wanted to call and curse Xie Jinghu!
That scoundrel didn’t just drive Zou Weijun into depression—he’d affected Xie Qian too. Xie Yuping closed the records and solemnly instructed Zhong Yong, “Don’t speak of this. Pretend you never saw these records.”
Even without Xie Yuping’s warning, Zhong Yong knew to keep quiet.
He never imagined someone as radiant as Xie Qian would need a therapist. The family upheaval had impacted Xie Qian far more than he let on.
Xie Yuping felt awful but couldn’t lash out at Xie Jinghu.
Knowing Xie Jinghu’s heart had turned, Xie Yuping wouldn’t share this, lest Xie Jinghu exploit it—perhaps claiming Xie Qian’s emotional instability to reclaim the 2% stake in Jinhu Group.
No chance!
Had Xie Yuping known Xie Qian was this affected, he’d have forced Xie Jinghu to transfer more than 2%.
Thinking of Xie Qian needing a therapist, Xie Yuping grew anxious and asked Zhong Yong, “Do you think Xie Qian is happy in Rongcheng?”
Zhong Yong thought carefully, answering cautiously, “Probably alright.”
Truthfully, Xie Qian wasn’t just happy in Rongcheng—he was thriving.
Free from direct conflict with Xie Jinghu, he excelled at school, was popular with girls, and made friends.
Zhong Yong hadn’t expected Xie Qian to start a business with friends or meddle in their affairs.
Besides Zou Weijun’s records, Zhong Yong had Xie Qian’s renovation sketches for Shrimp King, “Young Master Xie drew these.”
Xie Qian not only invested but designed the shop, showing real commitment.
Xie Yuping’s mood eased slightly.
It sounded like Xie Qian’s life in Rongcheng was fulfilling. That was good.
He’d been too tense earlier.
Seeing a therapist didn’t mean much. Maybe Xie Qian was just confused or had things he couldn’t tell Zou Weijun, so he confided in a therapist.
As Xie Qian said, seeing a therapist was common abroad—not just for mental illness. People under stress often sought therapists to talk.
Zhong Yong was indeed capable, uncovering all of Xie Qian’s friends in Rongcheng, including their backgrounds.
Wen Ying, Qin Jiao, Li Mengjiao, Wang Shuang, Geng Xiao, Tang Yifeng—Xie Yuping quickly scanned their family details, singling out Wen Ying and Li Mengjiao.
Wen Ying’s background was too ordinary. How did Xie Qian find common ground with her?
As for Li Mengjiao, her experiences caught Xie Yuping’s eye. A girl who joined a talent show—hard to imagine as Xie Qian’s friend.
Xie Yuping smiled faintly, “Looks like Xie Qian’s life in Rongcheng is quite vibrant. This girl’s not bad—there’s something special about her.”
Xie Yuping skipped Li Mengjiao, focusing on Wen Ying.
Li Mengjiao’s strengths were evident in her profile, but Wen Ying’s weren’t.
Anyone would see Wen Ying as an average high school girl from an average family.
Yet Xie Qian befriended her. Xie Yuping believed Wen Ying had hidden qualities.
Zhong Yong showed admiration.
The boss was the boss—his insight was razor-sharp.
Zhong Yong gathered these profiles to highlight Wen Ying’s for Xie Yuping.
This girl was far from simple. Her crisis-handling showed real intelligence.
In the business Xie Qian invested in, she was the largest shareholder.
Xie Qian transferred to Rongcheng and ended up in her class.
Xie Qian’s friendships in Rongcheng all stemmed from her introductions.
A girl who should’ve been on the group’s fringes had become its core. She must have unique strengths—or, some might say, cunning and ambition.
Zhong Yong wasn’t sure how Xie Yuping would view her. He just did his job. Xie Yuping cared deeply for Xie Qian, and now that Xie Qian had a friend who could be judged at either extreme, Xie Yuping should know.
Zhong Yong didn’t offer his own opinion but ensured Xie Yuping had the basis to judge. That’s why he stayed in Rongcheng, meticulously preparing these profiles.
Zhong Yong mentioned only two things: how Xie Qian met Wen Ying and how Wen Ying handled the delinquent extortion.
Xie Yuping reviewed Wen Ying’s profile again.
Still nothing stood out.
They met at the Jiang family’s tutoring sessions and later became classmates… Wait, with Xie Qian’s grades, when did he need tutoring?
“You mean the Jiang family arranged it?”
