Chapter 49 – Hidden Fangs

Lin Ganzhi looked at Yan Shengping’s long fingertips. As Yan Shengping was about to speak, he also began to sort through the story about Yan Shengping he had read in the book.

Zhong Jingyi had been abroad for a long time. When he returned, he was always polite and respectful in his interactions with Yan Shengping. That was until his first movie came out. Yan Shengping’s cold and mocking attitude trampled on Zhong Jingyi’s self-esteem. However, the little white lotus still didn’t hold a grudge against Yan Shengping, merely subconsciously avoiding this harsh older brother.

Later, as Zhong’s Chips went public and gained a larger market and more resources, Zhong Wenwei, the head of the Zhong family, became a bit restless. He had Zhong Jingyi become a vice president at Zhong Corporation. Although Zhong Jingyi had no interest in business, he still followed Zhong Wenwei’s wishes.

Afterward, wanting to get along with Yan Shengping, Zhong Jingyi finished some of his work and negotiated a deal for the company. He planned to present it to Yan Shengping as a surprise on his birthday. However, Yan Shengping didn’t show him any kindness at all and even thought Zhong Jingyi was trying to usurp his position in the company. In the end, he went so far as to stab Zhong Jingyi.

When Zhong Wenwei found out about this, he was furious. He accused Yan Shengping of being an Ungrateful Person who didn’t know how to repay kindness and forced him to resign from his position at the company, sending him to his current small villa in the suburbs to await his death.

Revisiting this story, there were actually quite a few questionable points. As Lin Ganzhi frowned, Yan Shengping had already begun to slowly recount the course of events.

“That was probably the last straw that broke the camel’s back. My leaving Zhong’s Chips was what they had wanted all along. They could have used any incident to build up to it. For example, around this time last year, Zhong Jingyi’s new movie was released. He invited the whole family to the premiere,” Yan Shengping recalled.

Lin Ganzhi couldn’t help but raise his hand to answer. “And you didn’t go?”

A faint look of displeasure crossed Yan Shengping’s eyes, as if to ask if he was that kind of person.

“I went, and I watched the whole thing. Afterward, he asked me what I thought of it.” A strange expression appeared on Yan Shengping’s face. “I have seen some famous movies.”

Lin Ganzhi was silent for a moment. “And you said it was average?”

Qin Feichen was also silent. If it were Brother Yan, it wasn’t impossible for him to say such a blunt truth. After all, when he was his teacher, he had once said: “The most successful thing in your life is being born into the Qin family, and the fact that your parents didn’t have a third child.”

That had spurred him to study hard, and he had put in a lot of effort to get into high school.

Yan Shengping tapped the table, his expression displeased. “How could I say something so irresponsible so simply?”

Lin Ganzhi breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Shengping then continued, “I specifically wrote a ten-thousand-word review and personal evaluation and sent it to Zhong Jingyi that night. His acting was indeed average. I put it very tactfully. But, for the following week, Zhong Jingyi didn’t come home. When he did, he was cold and distant towards me. Before we went to the movie, he was the one who said I could give him any feedback I wanted. I even consulted with famous directors and Film Emperors in the industry.”

As a perfectionist, Yan Shengping was hard on himself and even harder on others. Towards his younger brother, he had already been very merciful. But in the end, Zhong Jingyi turned against him for this reason.

Hearing this, Lin Ganzhi fell silent, a mix of emotions churning within him. Indeed, as a younger brother, having his older brother give such a serious critique felt like having a bucket of cold water poured over him. But, in that fake social circle, such words were harsh but at least sincere. If he had an older brother who could guide him in this way, a look of longing unconsciously appeared in Lin Ganzhi’s eyes.

Yan Shengping didn’t look at their expressions and continued, “At first, I thought that was why Zhong Jingyi’s attitude towards me had become cold. It wasn’t until the New Year that Zhong Wenwei told me Zhong Jingyi also needed to be trained and wanted me to give him a vice president position and fifteen percent of the company’s shares.”

“Fifteen percent?” Qin Feichen frowned at this number. It was by no means a small amount.

“Yes, as repayment for the Zhong family raising me all these years,” Yan Shengping said calmly.

Lin Ganzhi blinked, a sour feeling rising in his heart. It seemed that Yan Shengping had always treated the Zhong family with a pure heart, only to be met with this.

“So what happened after that? Why did it end up like that?” Lin Ganzhi asked.

Yan Shengping’s chest heaved. He said, “Zhong Jingyi had no experience in business and was unwilling to learn from the company’s veterans. He was basically filming or participating in shows five days a week, and for the remaining two days, he would spend two hours at the company. A tall tree attracts the wind, and many companies wanted to cause trouble for us. News of Zhong Jingyi’s appointment as vice president quickly leaked out. I warned him many times, but Zhong Jingyi never took it seriously. Until a distributor approached him and they negotiated a project worth several hundred million. He never told the family about this until his birthday, when he came to my study.

“He said he had finally achieved something and showed me the contract he had already stamped and signed. It included the rights to the company’s latest chip technology. I was furious at the time and was about to rush off to clean up this mess. He didn’t understand and kept blocking my way, and then…”

“Damn it!” Qin Feichen slammed his fist on the table, his eyes filled with uncontrollable anger.

“Is Zhong Jingyi an idiot? This is going too far! What about your dad— I mean, Zhong Wenwei? Did he not say anything? Did he not even listen to your explanation?”

Lin Ganzhi was equally furious.

The calmest person here was surprisingly the victim, Yan Shengping. He had already overcome this pain with his own willpower. “So, as I said, a tall tree attracts the wind. Zhong Wenwei had wanted Zhong’s Chips from my hands for a long time. My explanations were just brushed aside. It wasn’t until the doctor came out and said that the scar from Zhong Jingyi’s injury could be faded with surgery but would leave a mark that he started yelling at me, saying I had ruined Zhong Jingyi’s dream and that he never wanted to see me again. By the time I left the hospital, a crowd of reporters was already waiting outside.”

“Damn it!” Qin Feichen couldn’t help but curse again, his face visibly hostile. In his heart, Yan Shengping was his mentor. If it weren’t for him, he would probably be like any other rich second generation, living a life of debauchery with a brain full of alcohol.

“Brother Yan, don’t say anything. I’ll take care of this for you!” Qin Feichen said righteously. With the Qin family’s intervention, it would be no problem for the Zhong family to lose half their lifeblood.

Lin Ganzhi immediately perked up. Yan Shengping had a powerful backer now. Did this mean there was a chance for a turnaround?

Yan Shengping crossed his arms, his eyes deep. He calmly refused, “No need. I appreciate your kindness, but I’m not that weak.”

Yan Shengping’s tone was not forced but filled with absolute certainty.

At this moment, Lin Ganzhi saw a determination in Yan Shengping’s eyes that he had never seen before. Was this him… revealing his true self in front of him?

In other words, was this… him finally trusting him completely?