The Tragic Heroine Fell in Love with Me - Chapter 50

Ge Weizhong hesitated as he looked at Xiao San. “Just like how I’ve liked you since the first day of university, I wanted to get to know you, to confess my feelings, but I kept waiting and waiting. Even after we became friends, I still waited…”

“Eh?” Xiao San stared at Ge Weizhong in shock.

She didn’t know whether to be more surprised that Ge Weizhong had had a crush on her for so long…

“I considered many possibilities, but I never imagined the possibility that you could never fall in love with me.”

Ge Weizhong smiled self-deprecatingly, picked up his glass, and took a big gulp. That sip didn’t seem like lemon water but rather a mouthful of bitter wine.

“Senior Weizhong, you’re truly a wonderful person, but some things just can’t be forced.” Xiao San could sense that Ge Weizhong had completely given up, so she eagerly handed him a “good person card.”

This was the first time she had ever given someone a “good person card,” and it was to a senior she had always respected.

“Mm.” Ge Weizhong smiled with relief. “Seeing how deeply in love you two are, I feel at ease. Even though I can’t become your boyfriend, let alone your husband, at least I can see you happy. I think that’s enough.”

“Ah, thank you.” Before Xiao San could process her confusion, Ge Weizhong suddenly stood up. He staggered slightly into the hallway, and as Xiao San noticed people around them looking over, she felt even more awkward.

But Ge Weizhong seemed completely at ease or perhaps he was just naturally socially fearless. “Goodbye, Xiao San. Actually, after I go abroad, I might never come back. I wish you both happiness.”

Xiao San hummed in acknowledgment and watched as Ge Weizhong left, passing by Zheng Qi on his way out.

“Ah Qi, is Senior Weizhong okay?” He seemed quite hurt.

“Is that so?” Zheng Qi smiled and sat down next to Xiao San, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. “At least he should have completely given up now.”

At this, Xiao San couldn’t help but give Zheng Qi a thumbs-up. “Your move was absolutely brilliant. If you told people, they might not believe it, but Senior Weizhong completely bought it. What does that say? It says your acting skills are one hundred percent amazing.”

Zheng Qi hummed in agreement and suddenly leaned close to Xiao San. Their intimate posture made it look like they were about to kiss, but in reality, Zheng Qi had just moved in abruptly, leaving only a few centimeters between their lips.

Xiao San felt her heart skip a beat.

Zheng Qi stayed close like that. “Authenticity is the best disguise.”

After a moment, Zheng Qi straightened up and tilted her chin toward the outside. It turned out Ge Weizhong was watching them from not far away.

Xiao San placed one hand over her chest and waved with the other. “Goodbye.”

She mouthed the words, trying to mask the rapid heartbeat she had just experienced.

What was wrong with her? Why had she suddenly become so nervous? And what did Zheng Qi mean by that statement?

What did “authenticity is the best disguise” mean?

She really didn’t understand.

After sitting down, Zheng Qi didn’t rush to leave. “I talked with him for so long just now and didn’t get to eat a single bite. I’m so hungry.”

Xiao San quickly started serving dishes for Zheng Qi. “You’ve worked hard, you’ve worked hard. Thanks to you, I was able to clear things up with Senior. Otherwise, it would have been so awkward.”

Zheng Qi naturally accepted Xiao San’s service, which prevented Xiao San from seeing Ge Weizhong’s reluctant and lingering demeanor.

Since he was already out of the picture, it was better to leave cleanly, why cling and drag things out?

Just as Xiao San had resolved one major problem, another was just beginning.

When Shen Lin learned that Huang Xi’s family business had been hit, he was so furious that he raged during the board meeting.

“Our Shen family has cooperated with the Huang family for so many years. How could you disregard even a shred of that friendship and so casually take over the Huang family’s enterprises?”

Shen Lin threw the documents onto the elongated conference table, glaring at the uncles and cousins on either side. These were the pillars who had built the Shen family’s empire, he couldn’t touch them, leaving him to vent his helpless anger here.

“Shen Lin, this is the Shen Corporation’s board meeting, not your living room where you can cause a scene as you please,” Shen Yumao said coldly.

As Shen Yumao’s voice faded, more voices chimed in from the board.

“Shen Lin, in business, we talk business. There are no eternal friends, only eternal interests. It’s not us who caused the Huang family’s capital chain to break, nor did we create their crisis. Now that the Huang family can’t hold onto so many lucrative assets, we’re just buying a symbolic portion back, we’re already being more than generous.”

“Exactly, the Huang family is selling off their stocks. Us buying a bit is actually helping them. We can’t just stand by and watch them go bankrupt, can we?”

Shen Lin sneered, “You all speak so righteously, but didn’t you have a hand in the Huang family’s troubles? Weren’t you partly responsible?”

Under Shen Lin’s gaze, everyone averted their eyes.

Would they admit it?

Of course, they wouldn’t.

“You are, after all, the chairman of Shen Corporation. You should focus more on our own affairs. What does it matter about the Huang family or any other family? They’re outsiders, after all,” one shareholder remarked.

It was hard to believe that this same person had once been on excellent terms with Huang Xi’s family, even personally delivering gifts to Huang Xi’s father during holidays.

Shen Lin felt the fickleness of the world keenly. He never imagined he lived in such a cold, indifferent society.

Although he and Huang Xi often argued, the Shen and Huang families had been friends for generations, sharing a bond since childhood. He never expected that when the Huang family faced trouble, not only would Shen Corporation fail to help, but they would also kick them while they were down.

Shen Lin couldn’t take it anymore. He stormed out of the room.

The shareholders watched his departure with disdain.

Their attention then turned to Shen Yumao. Although he wasn’t the chairman and didn’t hold the majority of Shen Corporation’s shares, as Shen Yuang’s younger brother, he was the most qualified to become chairman after Shen Yuang’s passing.

Even as Shen Yuang’s own brother, he had inheritance rights.

But no one expected that Shen Yuang had long since arranged his assets legally and made a will stating that, regardless of what happened in the future, all his shares would go to Shen Lin. If anything happened to Shen Lin, the shares would be donated to the state.

If it weren’t for Shen Yuang’s legacy, there’s no way a young upstart like Shen Lin would have ever become chairman.

Shen Yumao addressed the shareholders, saying, “He’s still just a child. I hope all the shareholders will look after him. After all, he was raised under my eldest brother’s doting care, he’s just too immature.”

The crowd murmured in agreement.

Shen Lin stormed out of the office in a rage, but his expression instantly turned cold.

He dialed a number. “Huang Xi, I’m sorry.”

The voice on the other end was heavy. Huang Xi gripped his phone tighter, his slender fingers turning pale from the pressure. In the end, he could only grit his teeth and say, “It’s not your fault. You have your own difficulties too.”

“Huang Xi, just wait a little longer. Once I secure actual control of the Shen Corporation…”

“Shen Lin, thank you. I understand.” Huang Xi quickly hung up, afraid that if he waited even a second longer, he would break down.

These past few days had been the hardest of Huang Xi’s life. The Huang family’s cash flow had suddenly dried up, and all those who had once been close to the family had vanished without a trace. In fact, those who were unreachable were the better ones, what Huang Xi found even harder to bear were those who had once fawned over the Huang family but were now kicking them while they were down.

Huang Xi had tried every method he could think of, but he hadn’t been able to raise any funds. Forget raising money even the debts the family owed were now being aggressively pursued by creditors. Meanwhile, those who had borrowed money from the Huang family remained silent as if they had never existed.

Such was the fickleness of the world.

And the reason for all this…

“Huang Xi, no matter what it takes, you must win Mi Sirui’s forgiveness,” Huang Xi’s father had said.

Huang Xi had reluctantly apologized to Xiao San before, but after that one time, he never had another chance to get close to her again.

At first, Huang Xi was secretly relieved that he didn’t have to force himself to ingratiate himself with someone he despised.

But gradually, he came to realize how easy it had been to apologize to Xiao San.

In the past, he had looked down on commoners, thinking they were nothing more than ants. Now that he had become one of those ants, he understood just how difficult it was to climb back up.

Huang Xi regretted it all.

He regretted not disguising his intentions better, and he regretted provoking someone he shouldn’t have.

What Huang Xi regretted most was that, having lost everything, he no longer had any way to rescue Lin Nuanyan.

“Is Huang Xi okay?” Qi Yan sat with Shen Lin, his expression full of concern as he looked at Shen Lin and thought of Huang Xi, who was now unreachable. Both of these brothers worried him deeply, but all he could do was worry.

“Of course, he’s not okay, but…” Shen Lin pinched the bridge of his nose, lying back on the booth’s sofa. His hair tangled with the soft cushions, and his sharp jawline gave him a fragile, almost broken beauty.

“Don’t blame yourself. The Shen family, it’s all under your uncle’s control now. Huang Xi understands.”

“But I’m sick of it, sick of being manipulated like this. Don’t they have any shame? The Huang family and the Shen Corporation had so many collaborations in the past. They used to grovel before the Huangs, and now they’re all kicking them while they’re down.”

A glass was slammed violently onto the table.

Shen Lin’s eyes were glazed with drunkenness. It was unclear whether his outburst was directed at the Shen Corporation’s board members for their betrayal of the Huang family or at the way these people treated him.

Before Shen Yuang passed away, everyone fawned over him, saying things like, “Once the young master becomes chairman, I’ll be the first to support him. With a son like this, Chairman Shen can retire early.”

But after Shen Yuang’s death, they completely forgot the promises they had made.

Shen Lin finally managed to become chairman, yet this group of people always paid lip service to him while secretly defying his orders. In contrast, Shen Yumao, though not the chairman, had clearly become the de facto leader among the board members.

This time, Shen Lin proposed supporting the Huang family. On one hand, it was because the Huang and Shen families had been allies for generations, demonstrating Shen Lin’s commitment to old ties. On the other hand, it was also a way to gauge how much Shen Yumao had been involved in undermining the Huang family.

Shen Lin was no longer the person he used to be. He had grown up the day Shen Yuang died.

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