Chapter 2, Welcome Banquet.

Tang Lingtao? That's great, you are the one I was looking for!

"You are really Xiao Yi, aren't you?" Fang Man said with great surprise, "You've changed so much, all grown up now. Do you still remember me?"

As soon as she entered the house, her phone suddenly rang, startling Mei Shi. It seemed the call was from an unfamiliar number, likely a wrong number, as she had no friends who would call her at midnight. Hesitating, she answered the call, and the other party's environment was very noisy. "Is this Mei Yi's sister?" the voice was quite rude.

Let's go, " Mei Shi said with a smile as she pulled him out the door

Zhao Shuyuan pursed her lips, feeling somewhat melancholic. Mei Shi quickly said: "Mom, you must be worried that Xiao Yi won't be able to find these dishes abroad, which is why you ordered such a large spread, right? But it's really not necessary; what Xiao Yi most wants to eat are definitely various authentic stir-fries and snacks. I would be more than happy to accompany him to eat those."

The other party simply hung up the phone

Fang Man smiled and confidently stated the purpose of this trip: "I really want to take a closer look at Xiao Yi. He is truly handsome. If my son can be like his older brother Xiao Yi in the future, I will be completely satisfied."

"... don't blame me for not considering our more than twenty years of friendship!" Zhao Shuyuan said with a cold laugh, her voice sharp and penetrating. Mei Shi was chewing on an apple; Fang Xiaohua still had some ability, managing to make her mother say such harsh words.

"If there's nothing else, just go out," Zhao Shuyuan said coldly. In front of her son, who had just returned, she did not wish to be too harsh with the other party.

Mei Shi carefully carried the fruit plate upstairs, fully understanding why her father had transformed into an extremely patriarchal person. It was likely due to severe oppression, resulting in a strong emotional backlash. Everyone knows that Mei Guohua made his fortune by luck, but maintaining this family business relied entirely on his astute wife

Mei Shi held the phone in silence for a moment, originally wanting to suggest whether to call Dad along, but finally refrained from saying it due to her mother's weary voice. "Well... okay, Mom, this time you must not leave again." She did not expect herself to utter such a childish remark, probably because she truly did not want Xiao Yi to be sad again.

Your brother has embarrassed us, how should I put it? The other party's rogue tone emerged.

Indeed. Mei Shi has a bad feeling, "What happened?"

Aunt Bi turned around to look at Mei Yi, who was still standing in the yard, and said softly: "The lady received a phone call and hurried out. " Aunt Bi paused for a moment; she was the main informant for Mei Shi and continued to speak candidly: "The call was made to the house, and when I answered, it was a young woman. The lady's expression was quite poor when she left..."

Your brother has no money and still comes here to play, asking him to pay but he ended up ruining our venue, what do you think we should do about this matter

Mei Shi took a sip of juice, preparing to say a few more words to dissipate the eerie atmosphere. The moment the private room door was pushed open, Mei Shi was pleasantly surprised, thinking it was her father coming in, and quickly turned around with a smile. Her son was coming home today, dining at Tian Sheng, and for Mei Guohua, finding him was as easy as pie. At the door stood a stylishly dressed woman, in her thirties, whose beauty, though striking, carried a certain tragic air of being "overripe" compared to Mei Guohua's other mistresses. Mei Shi bit her lip tightly, almost letting out the word "father" just now.

Mei Shi and Zhao Shuyuan both fell into an awkward silence. Upon seeing such a large spread of dishes, Mei Shi could easily imagine that her mother had not specifically ordered the dishes that Mei Yi liked, but had merely instructed the familiar manager to prepare a lavish set meal. Mei Yi was right; this was a restaurant designated by Guoyuan Group for entertaining clients, with bills settled quarterly, and her mother's extravagant meal had backfired.

Mei Shi furrowed her brows and nodded slightly to indicate to Aunt Bi that there was no need to continue. She and Mei Yi had long been accustomed to their father Mei Guohua's flirtations. Just a moment ago, she had been chatting animatedly with Mei Yi about how much their mother missed him, knowing that she was so happy about his return that she couldn't sleep, eagerly waiting for him at home. ... Now ...? ... Mei Yi would be disappointed again, wouldn't he? He must have noticed that their mother's car was not there; Mei Yi had always been more sensitive than she was since childhood. Just a moment ago, she had been chatting animatedly with Mei Yi about how much their mother missed him, knowing that she was so happy about his return that she couldn't sleep, eagerly waiting for him at home. ... Now ...? ... Mei Yi would be disappointed again, wouldn't he? He must have noticed that their mother's car was not there; Mei Yi had always been more sensitive than she was since childhood.

Mei Guohua of Huawei is quite slick, and his greatest asset lies in his adeptness at maneuvering and weaving a network of relationships. Zhao Shuyuan has tolerated him for so many years, likely due to this innate talent for finding loopholes and exploiting opportunities. Mei Shi has heard her mother sarcastically remark more than once: "In today's business world, it truly requires someone as shameless as your father." Observing her father skillfully navigating among various individuals, whether through flattery, solemn promises, or a grave demeanor, she genuinely feels her mother's words hold much truth; this is a task that ordinary people cannot handle.

Mei Shi felt a pang of bitterness in her heart, as her parents always seemed to have matters more important than their siblings. The feeling of being overlooked was truly unpleasant. Because she understood this deeply, she felt even more heartache for Mei Yi. "Xiao Yi, would you like to take a break?" She called to her younger brother as she walked to the door. The faintly sarcastic smile on Mei Yi's face, meant to mask his disappointment, only added to Mei Shi's worries. "I need to go to the bathroom first," she said with a cheerful smile, quickly avoiding Mei Yi's gaze to call their mother.

Fang Man smiled and sat down, seemingly not having heard. Mei Shi and Mei Yi looked at her, revealing a subtle admiration; this tactic of feigning ignorance was indeed very domineering. Due to her lack of resistance, Zhao Shuyuan did not continue. Mei Shi secretly sighed, thinking that her mother probably hadn't encountered such shamelessness in recent years, so she was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. However, it was certain that... Looking at Fang Xiaohua, who had already moved close to Mei Yi, enthusiastically patting his arm, her good days had indeed come to an end. Mei Shi secretly sighed, thinking that her mother probably hadn't encountered such shamelessness in recent years, so she was momentarily at a loss for how to respond. However, it was certain that... Looking at Fang Xiaohua, who had already moved close to Mei Yi, enthusiastically patting his arm, her good days had indeed come to an end.

"Compensate for the loss?" The other party snorted, "Of course, compensation is necessary."

"A Yuan. Isn't she just a child? She has her own life, and my money and company will all be passed on to Xiao Yi." Mei Guohua said dismissively

"Who is your elder sister?" Indeed, Zhao Shuyuan's voice became sharp, as she criticized her subordinates more frequently; her voice carried a significant deterrent effect.

Me Guohua indeed fell silent, and after a while, he let out a dry laugh, "Isn't it just a child? I will talk to Manman about it right away"

I have finished eating. I will leave first. Mei Yi stood up with a hint of annoyance

This title made Mei Shi and Mei Yi shudder slightly, not out of discomfort, but because every time an ignorant woman referred to their mother in such a way, it was certain that misfortune would follow.

"Compensate, just convert it to cash. How much do you need? I will deliver it to you now." Mei Shi was infuriated by his tone; was it not just about compensation, yet he acted so arrogantly.

Mei Shi deliberately held the phone high and ran excitedly in front of Mei Yi, saying, "Mom called! She is waiting for us at the restaurant and told us to hurry over."

"I don't remember." Mei Yi ate with a blank expression

Zhao Shuyuan instead fell silent, calmly gazing at the plate in front of him

"No need, I am going to meet a few old friends." Mei Yi walked away without looking back, not even saying goodbye.

Manman? Let her take the money she has made from you over the past few years and go back to her hometown to be her Fang Xiaohua. If I see her still in this city, the consequences... you know what they will be

Zhao Shuyuan paused for a moment, smiled bitterly, and said, "Well, come on. Mother is waiting for you."

Mei Shi felt a sense of comfort; the handsome young boy had indeed grown up and was no longer tempted by the strange aunt. Due to Mei Guohua's severe preference for sons over daughters, almost everyone who knew him was aware of this, which meant that Mei Yi had faced far more attacks from the strange aunt throughout her life than he had. Observing his calm demeanor, Mei Shi experienced a sense of fulfillment and enlightenment.

Mei Shi let out a sigh; Master Mei Yi was her creditor. It was only 2:30, and calling at this hour would surely earn her a scolding from Chen Chen. She dialed Dai Chen Chen's mobile phone, but no one answered for a long time. Mei Shi dialed again and finally heard a lazy yet pleasant male voice, "Mei Shi? Chen Chen is still sleeping."

Mei Shi returned home and felt quite tired, so she took a shower and went to bed early. Perhaps she went to sleep too early, as she woke up around 2 o'clock. She got up and went downstairs to grab some fruit, planning to eat while browsing the internet. As she passed by the staircase on the second floor, she heard the sound of something breaking in her parents' room. Mei Shi took a bite of her apple, feeling quite indifferent. Her mother and father had a very bad habit of throwing things when they argued, which is why the Mei family rarely displayed valuable antiques.

Zhao Shuyuan let out a sigh of relief, his smile still somewhat stiff, he murmured in acknowledgment and nodded his head

Upon seeing her, Zhao Shuyuan frowned coldly, even letting out a distinct "tch" sound.

Zhao Shuyuan felt a sense of guilt upon receiving her daughter's call. Over the years, she had focused on her career and neglected them. As a mother, she already felt distressed, and now, due to her husband's disgraceful behavior, she was overwhelmed, causing disappointment to her son who had not returned home for a long time. This made her feel even more guilty and wronged. "Shishi, you and Xiaoyi should come to Tiansheng. Mom will treat you to a grand meal as an apology"

Zhao Shuyuan's private room was luxurious and spacious, with the three of them sitting on one side of a round table. The table was filled with expensive dishes, and towering food sculptures were placed on the plates. The slowly rotating inner table obscured the view with variously shaped food sculptures and decorative flowers, making it particularly distant when even Mei Shi could not find the words to speak. Zhao Shuyuan also realized his mistake and, feeling somewhat apologetic, patted the chair beside him and smiled, saying: "Xiao Yi, come over and sit next to Mom"

Mei Yi chuckled coldly as he picked up some food, his tone very casual: "This place is quite close to the hotel we usually book for the company, right? I suppose we always entertain important clients at this restaurant? I really am fortunate, it seems this table is the most high-end one." When he said "fortunate," he deliberately added a strange tone, conveying an indescribable sarcasm.

"Going home? I will give you a ride." Mei Shi also found Fang Xiaohua quite uninteresting, no longer worth watching.

"Just say it when we meet." Mei Shi smirked, and such a normal response left the other party at a loss for words. "Whatever compensation is necessary, but you absolutely must not hit my brother, do you hear me?"

Mei Yi lazily tapped the ground with her toes, wearing an expression of indifference

Mei Shi couldn't help but shake her head, it was over, she seemed to see her mother's combat index breaking through the limit. Her tolerance for her father's absurd behavior had always had one bottom line: no illegitimate children. Fang Man must have put in a lot of effort to gain Mei Guohua's approval, so she couldn't contain her excitement and came to show off. This woman could only ever be Fang Xiaohua, because she couldn't figure out who was the arm and who was the thigh between Mei Guohua and Zhao Shuyuan

Fang Man ignored Zhao Shuyuan's disdain and warmly called out, "Elder sister"

Meiguohua, I will say this to you one last time! I have tolerated you for so many years, all for the sake of these two children. If you cross the final line, I will immediately divorce you. You know better than I do what Guoyuan is like; I have no need to support you so hard. I have taken my shares and sold them while they still have some value, so just wait to drink the northwest wind! Zhao Shuyuan spoke very slowly; indeed, curses should not be delivered in an overly agitated tone, but rather in a calm and cold manner to be effective. I have taken my shares and sold them while they still have some value, so just wait to drink the northwest wind! Zhao Shuyuan spoke very slowly; indeed, curses should not be delivered in an overly agitated tone, but rather in a calm and cold manner to be effective.

Mei Yi smiled faintly and did not move, "I still prefer to sit here and eat comfortably"

This time it was Mei Shi who sneered coldly, as she had expected the other party to show a bit more backbone, saying: Compensation? We do not want money!

Mei Shi also knows her; this woman can be considered a "stepmother" with whom her father has had a relatively "long-standing" relationship. When they first met, she was called Fang Xiaohua, and now she is known as Fang Man. After her parents became wealthy, countless women eagerly vied to become the "stepmother" of her and Mei Yi. When Mei Yi was a child, he was once tricked into calling a woman "stepmother" in exchange for a bag of foreign candies, which he regarded as a lifelong humiliation. Every time Mei Shi thinks of this incident, a four-panel comic appears in her mind: a strangely smiling aunt touches the handsome young Mei Yi's head, laughing and saying, "Call me 'stepmother' and you will get candy." The handsome young boy, in his innocence, called out, and the final panel is left with dark, ghostly energy and a row of meaningful ellipses.

Mei Shi parked the car in the yard and awkwardly dragged her brother's suitcase down. Mei Yi, who had been chatting and laughing just moments ago, became very silent upon entering the yard. Aunt Biao, the housekeeper, came out enthusiastically to help Mei Yi with the luggage. Mei Shi pulled her inside the house and asked anxiously, "Where is my mother?"