Half a year had passed without seeing much of his father, and on his first day off in a long time, his father suddenly remembered to ask how much money he had spent.
It must have been Zhan Bei Jue’s doing.
Zhou Jin Xiu cast a questioning glance at Zhan Bei Jue.
He happened to be looking over as well.
One looked embarrassed, the other leisurely and composed. The disparity in their presence was clear.
Seeing that he didn't answer and his eyes darted around, his father, angered, stood up and prepared to kick him.
“You think I’m dead, don’t you? My words don’t count anymore, do they?”
“I asked you once, then again, and you still won’t answer. What do you want? Do you want to rebel?”
His mother quickly stood up and grabbed his father, patting his chest to calm him down while scolding Zhou Jin Xiu.
“Didn’t you say you were out investing every day? You weren’t idle, so what can’t you talk about?”
“Quickly tell your father how much you spent and how much is left. Tell him the truth, do you really want to anger him to death?”
It had come to this point; he had no choice but to speak.
Zhou Jin Xiu could only lower his head and say softly,
“I haven’t even recouped my investment yet.”
“What did you say? Speak up!”
Zhou Jin Bei quickly translated for her brother, “He said he hasn’t recouped his investment yet.”
“You invested in what, and haven’t recouped it? How much did you invest?”
In recent years, short videos had developed rapidly.
Many commoners, including university students, found ways to create personas, shoot videos, gain recognition, and attract fans online to sell products.
As a second-generation rich kid, Zhou Jin Xiu certainly wouldn’t become an influencer himself. He partnered with a friend to register a studio.
They signed a few young and attractive girls, hired people to film them, and promoted them as influencers.
However, registering a studio cost money, hiring photographers cost money, finding screenwriters cost money, and signing artists cost money.
After investing for two to three months, they had only just begun to show some progress. Not only had they not recouped their investment, but on a small scale, he was embarrassed to tell his father, fearing his disapproval.
“You told me to do whatever I wanted and not interfere. Why are you suddenly interfering now?”
Hearing this, his father knew he hadn’t done anything good and was enraged again, about to stand up.
“You good-for-nothing! Did you spend all your money on feasting and women?”
“Buying luxury cars for others? Who do you think you are, a remarkable second-generation rich kid?”
“Your father is almost bankrupt! The company has billions of yuan in debt from the bank.”
“At this age, I’m still working myself to death for this family. Do you think our money comes so easily? You’re uneducated, just living off others!”
“If I don’t scold you, you won’t realize anything yourself! Zhou Jin Xiu, look at you, are you like a man?”
“Look at your second brother. He’s only three years older than you, and his achievements are something you can’t surpass in the rest of your life! Don’t you feel any shame?”
Zhou Jin Xiu detested being compared to Zhan Bei Jue more than anything in his life.
He was inferior in height, looks, academic performance, family background, and work ability.
Except for his romantic luck, he was inferior in everything else.
It was so annoying, being compared to him all the time!
His father continued to scold, seeing his lack of reaction.
“What? You disagree? You think you’re doing great? Am I wrong about you?”
Zhou Jin Xiu endured the humiliation, “No. You are always right.”
“Then how much money do you have left now?”
“You’ve scolded me enough, can we stop talking about money?”
Zhou Jin Bei chimed in, “He’s definitely spent it all. A Bull Demon costs millions, and he goes out to play every day, eating and drinking extravagantly. A mere thirty million, he’s probably blown it all.”
Zhou Jin Xiu glared at her, “Zhou Jin Bei, shut up! Do you think you spend less than me?”
“Of course, I spend less than you. Dad never gave me thirty million, let alone bought me a sports car.”
Zhou Jin Xiu was almost angered to death by her.
“You ungrateful wretch! I spent a million yuan on you just a few days ago, and now you’re disowning me? Do you think you’re so economical?”
“What? When did you spend a million yuan on me?”
“Zhou Jin Xiu, don’t try to distract me and get me to share the burden! Mom is here as my witness, when did I spend a million yuan on you?”
The siblings started arguing.
Seeing that his good deed was not repaid, Zhou Jin Xiu exposed Zhou Jin Bei.
“Don’t you remember what you did the night we returned to China? To keep someone quiet, I spent a million yuan to settle it for you! Zhou Jin Bei, don’t burn your bridges.”
So, it was about that.
Such a small matter, and it cost a million yuan to settle?
Zhou Jin Bei was immediately scared into silence.
His father turned to look at her, a look of astonishment on his face.
“What did you do that required your brother to help settle it, and cost a million yuan?”
“I…”
“You’re still hiding things from me? Not telling me anything? Putting on a brave face every day? Telling me the family is doing well?”
Father Zhou was furious, and glared at his wife.
“Fine, the three of you are colluding, conspiring together, and finding ways to anger me!”
“When you’ve angered me to death and broken up this family, then you’ll be satisfied!”
The Zhou family descended into chaos.
Seeing that all four of them were on edge and would be in a bad mood for the next few days, Zhan Bei Jue felt a little better.
Without saying goodbye, he stood up and left the Zhou residence.
In this world, no one could snatch the person I, Zhan Bei Jue, claim.
Even if I don’t want something, others are not allowed to touch it.
Dare to touch? Brother, I won’t let you off either.
At the hospital, Jiang Nan Fang emerged from the operating room and was pushed into a ward. She woke up about ten minutes later.
She saw that no one was by her side.
Zhou Jin Xiu had gone somewhere.
As a nurse happened to come in, she asked the nurse where he was.
The nurse said, “Your boyfriend said he had an urgent matter and left first. He’ll be back later.”
“It’s nothing serious. Surgeries nowadays are minimally invasive. You’ll be fine after lying down for two days to rest. If you need anything, just call me.”
Jiang Nan Fang disliked lying in the hospital.
Her mother had left her alone in such a cold ward.
When she was giving birth years ago, she had almost gotten into trouble in a similar ward.
She really hated hospital rooms.
As the nurse said, surgeries nowadays were minimally invasive and not a big deal.
It would be better to rest at home.
After the nurse left, she lay down and rested for a while, feeling her energy restored.
Without informing anyone, she changed her clothes and quietly left the hospital.
Back home, the weather was hot, so she didn’t turn on the air conditioning.
Exhausted, she just collapsed onto the sofa and, in a daze, quickly fell asleep again.
Not knowing how long she slept, the doorbell rang.
Thinking it was Zhou Jin Xiu who had come, she went to open the door.
To her surprise, when she opened the door, it was Zhan Bei Jue.
Jiang Nan Fang immediately perked up, ran a hand through her messy hair, and asked warily,
“Why are you here? Are you looking for me?”
Zhan Bei Jue’s expression was as emotionless as ever.
“That’s right. I said you could leave Nan City once the product was officially launched. Now that the work is done, I’ve come to talk to you.”
She hadn’t expected him to be so true to his word.
Finally, she had waited for this day.
Jiang Nan Fang felt a surge of joy and opened the door wider to let him in.
“Let’s talk. When are you going to bring the child to me?”