As soon as Xiao Gao opened the door and saw who it was, he instinctively looked towards Shen Yan, who was still on a video call with his little brother.
“Teacher Shen.”
Shen Yan had also heard the knock and looked over. Xiao Gao paused for a moment, then asked the man at the door, “Teacher Cen, why are you here?”
Cen Zheping had been having bad luck with everything lately. Because of the trending topics, he was on the verge of not being able to continue in the entertainment industry. The persona he had painstakingly built for years was destroyed overnight. On top of that, many gossip accounts dug up his past scandals, none of which he could clarify. Netizens were now calling him ‘Fake Brother,’ saying his persona was all put on.
His reputation had plummeted, and on top of that, his family’s company had also suffered a heavy blow. His father had been calling every day for the past few days to curse him out, saying he had to pick a fight with anyone but the two young masters of the Shen family. Shen Minyan was famous for being protective of his own. His son had been wronged. Outwardly, he said nothing, but behind the scenes, he had already taken action.
The fact that Shen Corporation had canceled its cooperation with the Cen family was essentially a public declaration that the Cen family had offended the Shen family and that there would be no possibility of cooperation in the future. There was an unspoken rule of alignment in Beicheng high society. They couldn’t reach the Shen family’s level, but following in the footsteps of a giant was never wrong.
“Is Teacher Shen here? I have something I want to discuss with him.”
Shen Yan glanced over for a moment. The man at the door had slumped shoulders, no makeup or hairstyling done, and obvious dark circles and stubble under his eyes.
“Youyou, Big Brother has something to do. I’ll bring you a little rabbit cake later, okay?” Shen Yan said to the little guy on the phone, his eyes curving.
Su Youli nodded understandingly and waved his hand, saying, “See you later, Big Brother.”
The call ended. The makeup artist behind Shen Yan sensed the tense atmosphere and offered to step outside for a while. Shen Yan waved his hand, telling him to continue. Cen Zheping stood at the door. Shen Yan’s attitude made him extremely uncomfortable. He opened his mouth but couldn’t say a word. Shen Yan didn’t ask why he was there. After removing his makeup, he picked up his coat and put it on, heading for the door.
“Teacher Shen, wait!” Cen Zheping called out to him.
“Something?” Shen Yan looked at him sideways.
Cen Zheping hesitated for a long time, then said, “I came to apologize to you on behalf of Kai Kai. He really didn’t mean to steal your little brother’s toy. He’s been spoiled at home. It’s also my fault for being too busy and neglecting his upbringing…”
Shen Yan raised his hand to stop him. He was annoyed just hearing his voice. “Do you have anything else to say? If not, I’m leaving. My family is waiting for me to come home for dinner.”
Seeing that Shen Yan wasn’t buying it, Cen Zheping stiffened his neck and threw away all pretense. “Teacher Shen, I came here sincerely to apologize. What we did before was wrong. I’m begging you, please ask your father to go easy on my family?”
As he spoke, he reached out to grab Shen Yan’s hand. Shen Yan leaned away to avoid his touch and let out a scornful laugh. “It’s been almost ten days since this happened, and you’re just now thinking of apologizing?”
If he really intended to apologize, he should have done it the first time Cen Yuankai tried to snatch Youyou’s little rabbit. Shen Yan knew that under the cameras, everyone’s words and actions would be captured, and even the smallest thing would be magnified. That was why he hadn’t lashed out on camera. Besides, that kid Cen Yuankai had probably been tormented quite badly and would probably be scarred by cocklebur seeds for life.
The Cen family had been driven nearly to bankruptcy by his father in just a few days. Shen Yan felt completely relieved and satisfied right now. The cake shop was about to close. He needed to go pick up the custom-ordered little rabbit cake and wasn’t going to waste any more time here.
“Teacher Shen, Young Master Shen, I’m begging you, isn’t that enough? I’ll kneel down and beg you if I have to… Kai Kai and I have already agreed not to participate in the subsequent filming…”
Shen Yan didn’t even look at him. He was busy getting a cake for his little brother.
Xiao Gao was a bit worried. “Teacher Shen, should I call a car to send Cen Zheping back?”
He was really afraid that paparazzi might take a picture, and then they’d make up some fake news tomorrow. Once outside the door, Shen Yan’s car was already waiting. He looked through the car window towards the corridor. Cen Zheping was slumped dejectedly against the wall.
“Do you think he’s sincerely apologizing? More likely, the public opinion is affecting his drama, and he had no choice but to come to me.”
Xiao Gao checked his phone and, sure enough, the official page for the drama Cen Zheping had invested in and starred in had indeed released an announcement of a delayed broadcast. Besides, it wasn’t Shen Yan’s business if the Cen family company went bankrupt. Coming to him was useless. Everyone knew that Chairman Shen was famously ruthless.
The Cen family had tried everything for days but couldn’t get a meeting with Shen Minyan. That was why they had Cen Zheping come to the film set to beg Shen Yan for mercy. Little did they know that Shen Yan was just as cold-blooded and heartless as his father. Little Su Youli waited and waited and waited. Finally, before dark, he waited for Big Brother – and the little rabbit cake he brought.
The butler had even specifically brought a small stool for him to sit on in the courtyard while he waited. When Shen Yan returned with the cake bag, this was the scene he saw: the setting sun gradually falling, and near the gate and railings, a sweet, adorable little child, with a white-furred, pink-nosed puppy crouching at his feet.
The little guy sat obediently on his small stool, playing with a toy car. Occasionally, he would stop to pull at the puppy’s wagging tail. Shen Yan slowed his pace, watching Su Youli’s innocent, carefree smile. The agitation he had felt recently due to the public opinion gradually calmed down. At that moment, Shen Yan suddenly had no other ambitions. He only hoped that Su Youli would always be happy, growing up carefree under the protection of his family.
“Big Brother—”
The adorable, pink-faced little guy came running towards him, followed by an equally excited little dog. Shen Yan lifted him high in the air and gave him a big kiss on his soft, chubby cheek. Su Youli pushed his face away and asked expectantly, “Big Brother, the little rabbit cake.”
“I bought it,” Shen Yan tapped the little guy’s nose with his fingertip and said, “But you can only eat the little rabbit cake after dinner.”
Su Youli saluted him like he had seen in cartoons: “Yes, sir!”
After dinner, Shen Minyan and Shen Yan went to the study to talk.
Shen Yan told Shen Minyan about Cen Zheping coming to see him. Shen Minyan just gave a faint “Mm.”
“Cen Zheping isn’t going to let this go. He’ll definitely come again. We can’t let him see Youyou.” Shen Yan was a bit worried. He was quite busy these days, and his father even more so. Shen Lin could be considered half a guardian, but he was also unreliable. Shen Minyan’s grip on the documents in his hand tightened. He asked again in detail how Cen Yuankai had bullied Youyou.
When he heard that the little guy had been pushed by Cen Yuankai and nearly fell, Chairman Shen’s eyes flashed with ferocity. He felt he had been too merciful to the Cen family. If his soft, adorable, milky little son had actually been pushed to the ground and fallen, the consequences would have been unimaginable. Shen Minyan was already hesitating about whether there was any point in continuing to film this show.
By the time the father and son finished their conversation, it was already 11:30 PM. Shen Minyan stood up and prepared to go with Shen Yan to the second floor to see the little guy. Just then, the phone on his desk suddenly rang. Shen Minyan picked it up and looked at the caller ID. His pupils contracted.
Shen Yan turned his head: “Dad?”
Shen Minyan looked away from the phone, cleared his throat lightly, and said to him, “You go out first. I need to take this call.”
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