Miss Shen ran away after finishing her meal, which angered her short-lived uncle to the point of res

After Shen Feiwan's analysis, Chen Youen felt as if he had been enlightened.

"That bitch Lin Xiaoyan!" she gritted her teeth. "I never expected him to be so cunning and shrewd at such a young age! He got all the benefits. I really shouldn't have married him at all!"

Shen Mo's gaze was deep. "But Wanwan, this is just your guess at the moment."

“Dad,” Shen Feiwan frowned, “Do you still think Lin Xiaoyan is the same innocent student you had back then?”

Shen Mo shook his head. "I knew he wasn't a naive child the first time I saw him."

He took off his glasses and wiped the lenses. "His upbringing didn't allow it either. He's ambitious, he always has been. Since I've known him, there's never been anything he wanted to do but couldn't accomplish."

He sighed, "Wanwan, Xiaoyan has never been a simple person."

“Yes,” Shen Feiwan chuckled after hearing this, “You told me this many years ago, but I didn’t listen at the time.”

Shen Mo sighed softly, "I'll talk to him when he arrives."

Shen Feiwan looked at him, "What does Dad want to talk to him about?"

“The Zou family.” Shen Mo frowned. “If the Zou family was originally part of his plan…”

He paused, his voice deepening, "There's no need to jeopardize your marriage."

Shen Feiwan was silent for a moment, "But I don't think he'll admit it. However, it's not a bad idea to give it a try."

Chen Youen chimed in, "Yeah, what if it works out? Although I also think this can't be resolved without pain."

-

Lin Xiaoyan arrived very quickly.

As soon as he entered, he saw the mess on the living room floor. Items that should have been on the coffee table, such as cushions, tissue boxes, and TV remotes, were scattered all over the place.

Lin Xiaoyan's gaze quickly swept across every corner, his brows furrowing almost imperceptibly—Shen Feiwan was not there.

Shen Mo sat alone in the center of the sofa.

Upon seeing Lin Xiaoyan, Shen Mo looked up and asked, "Xiaoyan, you're here?"

He couldn't ignore Shen Mo when he spoke to him.

Lin Xiaoyan withdrew her searching gaze and walked up to Shen Mo. "Teacher, where is Wanwan? I called my mom, but she didn't answer."

Shen Mo avoided mentioning Shen Feiwan, only saying, "Sit down and talk."

Lin Xiaoyan sat down as instructed, her back ramrod straight.

Shen Mo stared at him, his gaze deep and complex. "Xiao Yan, don't treat me like your teacher today. Just think of me as your Uncle Shen. Can you tell your uncle something from the bottom of your heart?"

"Old—" Lin Xiaoyan stopped mid-sentence, then chuckled, "I've gotten used to calling you that for so many years, it's hard to change it overnight. But I'll get used to it as soon as possible, and from now on I'll call you Dad along with Wanwan."

Before Lin Xiaoyan could finish speaking, Shen Mo raised his hand to signal him to stop, "This matter is not urgent."

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoyan's smile froze for a moment. "Did my mother say something just now?"

“Hmm,” Shen Mo said with a somber expression, “Xiao Yan, you are my prized student. Today, let’s have a frank talk between us.”

“Mrs. Lin was very rude just now. She even hit Wanwan. I have never laid a hand on Wanwan since she was a child. She also said some very harsh things, but my Wanwan never hit back or talked back.”

They actually resorted to violence?!

Hearing this, Lin Xiaoyan became visibly anxious, his gaze sweeping urgently towards the second floor. "Teacher, is Wanwan alright? I want to see her."

Shen Mo waved his hand, "Don't rush to see Wanwan. Xiao Yan, there are some things I need to confirm with you."

"Okay," Lin Xiaoyan replied, but his gaze kept glancing towards the stairs, looking absent-minded.

The next second, he heard Shen Mo ask, "Are you discussing marriage with the daughter of the Zou family?"

Lin Xiaoyan frowned. "That was something from before, and it hasn't been finalized yet."

He looked directly into Shen Mo's eyes and said, "Teacher, you have to believe me."

Shen Mo frowned. "Why? Is it because the Zou family is bad?"

Lin Xiaoyan was silent for a few seconds, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down. "The Zou family is good, but the Zou family's daughter is not the one I like. The one I've always liked is Wanwan."

"Really?" Shen Mo suddenly leaned forward. "Is the Zou family really any good? Are they truly without any problems?"

Lin Xiaoyan's eyes flickered slightly. After a pause, he asked, "Which aspect are you referring to, teacher?"

“In official circles.” Shen Mo’s voice suddenly lowered. “Your father used to have a close relationship with that person. The development of Lin’s Heavy Industry was inseparable from their protection.”

He stared intently at Lin Xiaoyan's slightly tense jawline and continued, "But now that he's stepped down, as the new head of Lin's Heavy Industries, who are you backing?"

“It can’t be the Zou family,” Shen Mo chuckled. “Otherwise, you wouldn’t have given up on the marriage alliance.” He suddenly stood up, looking down at them. “Besides, the Zou family probably has its own problems. Did you already…”

Shen Mo stopped abruptly, staring intently at Lin Xiaoyan.

Lin Xiaoyan and Shen Mo stared at each other, their gazes clashing in the air as if sparks were flying.

Then, Lin Xiaoyan broke the silence first, a half-smile curving his lips, "Teacher, please speak your mind."

Shen Mo's gaze was piercing. "Even if the Shen family hadn't met with misfortune, wouldn't you, or rather, the person behind you, be unable to tolerate the Zou family?"

Lin Xiaoyan's pupils suddenly contracted, and there seemed to be a turbulent storm surging in his eyes, but in the end, it all returned to a bottomless darkness.

He chuckled softly, his tone very humble, "Teacher, you flatter me. I'm just a businessman; how could I possibly get involved in matters of officialdom, let alone have the power to tolerate or oppose them?"

"Lin's Heavy Industries really can't do without a backer. After my father handed the group over to me, I have been carefully protecting it."

"As for the marriage alliance with the Zou family, that's not true. I'll handle things with my mother, and I will definitely give Wanwan an explanation for this matter."

-

In Shen Feiwan's room on the second floor, she put down her phone.

Her phone screen was currently showing a live feed of the living room on the first floor.

The camera was installed by Chen Youen before Lin Xiaoyan arrived. It can clearly show Lin Xiaoyan's face and also clearly hear his voice.

Upon seeing this from the 'live broadcast,' Shen Feiwan chuckled.

"Look, Lin Xiaoyan has brought the topic back to itself again. He seems to have answered my dad's question, but he only said useless nonsense, which means he didn't reveal any useful information."

Chen Youen slammed her fist on the mattress, gritting her teeth, "This man is too cunning! I really want to beat him up!"

Shen Feiwan narrowed her eyes, seemingly considering the matter seriously. "We'll find another opportunity to beat him up later. He's coming up soon, so you should go to the guest room to avoid him."