Chapter 114: Shen Baoqiu

When Shen Zhuyun opened her eyes, it was already the next morning. She found herself lying in her own bed at home, and a sweet smile couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips. Indeed, as long as he was around, danger did not exist.

However, she looked around but did not find him anywhere.

After freshening up, she went to the main hall and finally spotted him. He was discussing something with her father.

"Ah, Zhuyun, you're up! Perfect, come and help us decide: should we hold Grandma's birthday banquet at home, or at a star-rated hotel outside?" Shen Chengde asked as soon as he saw her.

"I don't want to worry about such things. You and Dad can decide," she replied, feeling a bit annoyed that he hadn't even greeted her.

Chen Yuyi smiled and said, "Actually, it makes no difference where it's held. Grandma said she doesn't like things to be too lively, so we can skip the other guests and just invite some of the Shen family relatives for a few tables."

"How can that be? The Shen family is a prestigious clan; how can the old lady's eightieth birthday be so casual? My suggestion is to make it a grand affair—book dozens of tables at a star-rated hotel and invite all our friends and relatives to celebrate," said Shen Chengde. Being a man who cared deeply about appearances, he believed that the more bustling the event, the more face it brought.

"You two talk it over; I'm off to work," Shen Zhuyun said, feeling very irritated now. Since he hadn't spoken a single word to her, she didn't intend to drive him to work either.

She walked a few steps before noticing that Chen Yuyi made no move to leave, so she turned back. "Are you planning on skipping work?"

Chen Yuyi chuckled and said to her, "Your company's problems have already been solved, so what would I be doing there? Besides, don't you see your father dragging me into this discussion about Grandma's birthday? And even if I went, I wouldn't have anything to do."

Shen Zhuyun bit her lip. "Then don't ever think about stepping foot in my company again!"

With that, she turned and stomped away in a huff.

Shen Chengde was stunned and looked at Chen Yuyi in confusion. "Have you two had a falling out?"

Chen Yuyi rubbed his nose. "Of course not. She's probably just used to being the CEO; she thinks that once an employee, always an employee."

Shen Chengde laughed. "After Grandma's birthday banquet, I suggest you two go on a trip somewhere to properly strengthen your bond as husband and wife."

Chen Yuyi smiled faintly. There were still many things to deal with, and besides, they weren't a real married couple, so what would be the point of such a trip? He just smiled in response and said nothing.

In the end, the birthday banquet followed the old lady's wishes: only close relatives were invited to a small gathering at home. The old lady hadn't really cared for the banquet in the first place; had it not been for the fact that Chen Yuyi had yet to make a formal appearance before the extended family, she likely would have just had a simple meal with her immediate family.

Shen Chengde had no choice but to comply, so no grand preparations were made. A few days later, the day of the old lady's birthday finally arrived.

Despite the extra effort put into the cooking, the Shen residence looked no different than usual from the outside. The relatives arrived one by one, but they were all of the younger generation. In their eyes, the Shen family was no longer the power it once was. Seeing that the house lacked even a festive atmosphere, the entrance looking quite desolate, they couldn't help but shake their heads secretly, finally understanding why their parents had sent them instead of coming themselves.

However, since it was the old lady's birthday, they didn't dare express their disappointment. Even though they were just the younger generation, Xu Ruizhi greeted them warmly. Since it was still early, she had them gather in the main hall. Since the incident involving the "Zhenren," her personality seemed to have changed significantly; she was no longer aggressive and had begun to act like a true lady of the house.

Shen Chengde, however, was filled with anger. It was the old lady's eightieth birthday, and he hadn't seen a single person of his own generation. He was furious; it was clear these relatives looked down on the Shen family. He nearly left in a fit of rage on the spot.

Yet, the younger relatives didn't care about his expression at all; it seemed as if they viewed Shen Chengde as a joke.

"Come, let me introduce you all. This is Zhuyun's husband!" Xu Ruizhi said, affectionately pulling Chen Yuyi over to the young relatives.

The Shen family had already announced the marriage, so the relatives were aware of it. Some of their elders had come to see Chen Yuyi earlier, and upon seeing him, they were extremely disappointed, concluding that the Shen family had no future left. This was the main reason they had sent the younger generation to the banquet.

There was another reason: most of the elder relatives of the Shen family had been invited by the family's "second branch"—the descendants of the younger brother of Shen Zhuyun's grandfather.

Shen Zhuyun's grandfather was the head of the first branch and had inherited the entire family estate. The second branch had been cast out by the great-grandfather for past mistakes and had received no inheritance. They had been building their own fortune elsewhere and had only recently returned to Jiangcheng. Although they had done quite well for themselves, they had always harbored resentment over their exclusion. Upon returning, they were superficially polite, but in reality, they were there to witness the Shen family's decline and perhaps even reclaim their status.

"So, this is my brother-in-law?" A suave-looking youth in a white suit, looking rather flashy, stared at Chen Yuyi with a mocking smile. This was Shen Baoqiu, the eldest grandson of the second branch.

In the past, Xu Ruizhi would have been hostile, but today she smiled and said, "Baoqiu, didn't your father come?" She knew her son-in-law was a hidden gem; she had seen with her own eyes how the wealthy worshipped him. With such a son-in-law, she felt her own status elevated, so there was no need to bicker with the younger generation.

"My father's trading business is too big; he doesn't have time to come. Aunt, don't take it the wrong way, but look at my uncle—doing nothing all day. It’s a waste. He should come work in trade with my father," Shen Baoqiu said, his words dripping with arrogance.

Xu Ruizhi just smiled and said nothing. Shen Chengde was red with rage and was about to retort when Xu Ruizhi stopped him.

"Don't mind the talk of the younger generation. Let's go; leave this to Yuyi." She greeted the young ones and pulled the fuming Shen Chengde away.

Shen Baoqiu looked at his uncle with disdain. Once they were gone, he flashed his expensive watch and boasted to his peers, "Forget my father; just look at me. I can make tens of thousands on a single deal, and earning a million a month is a piece of cake."

The relatives' children looked at him with envy.

"Brother Baoqiu, why not take me along for trade someday? Our family's business is doing poorly, and we're looking for a change," a young cousin said, obsequiously handing him a cigarette.

"That's right, making money is the only thing that matters. Brother Baoqiu, I'll have my husband talk to you soon," a young female cousin added.

"We don't know anything about trade, but can we tag along with you, Brother Bao?" other relatives asked, crowding around.

"No problem. As long as you have the drive, making money is easy. We're all family, after all. I'll help where I can; that's my father's wish as well. We returned to Jiangcheng specifically to lead everyone toward prosperity," Shen Baoqiu said with a smug smile, his gaze drifting toward Chen Yuyi.

He shook his head inwardly. *A woman as outstanding as cousin Zhuyun married such a useless guy, and he's so rude—I'm her cousin, and he hasn't even said a word to me.*

At this point, he was the center of attention, while Chen Yuyi was treated as if he were transparent, with the younger cousins not even bothering to greet him. Chen Yuyi, however, was happy for the peace.

Suddenly, Shen Baoqiu walked up to him. "Tell me, brother-in-law, what kind of work are you doing now?"

The younger relatives, having heard their elders talk about him, watched Chen Yuyi with sneers.

"I work at Zhuyun's company," Chen Yuyi said with a slight smile. Since they were relatives of the Shen family, he was willing to handle them with patience.

"Haha..." a young female cousin couldn't help but laugh. She shook her head and said, "It's really trendy to be a 'kept man' these days. A friend of mine had a boyfriend who was one, but she dumped him. It's not a long-term plan, brother-in-law. You should be careful, or you'll get dumped by my cousin too!"

"A man who relies on a woman—what kind of man is that?" another added, showing no restraint.

Shen Baoqiu watched Chen Yuyi with a mocking smile. He had originally planned to introduce his cousin to some wealthy young heirs to gain some advantages, but that plan had obviously fallen through, so he was determined to embarrass him.

"Alright, being a kept man is a skill in itself, let's not dwell on that. For Grandma's eightieth birthday, tell me, brother-in-law, have you prepared any gifts?"