Why did Shen Yue choose to permanently retire, and why did she take away Shan Jian Yaqing, the most unstable factor, when she left?
This was the question Li Qianfan cared about most.
However, as it concerned the Shen family's top-tier secrets, not only was Li Qianfan an outsider, but even Shen Zui only had a partial understanding.
Shen Zui only knew that.
After Li Qianfan's departure—
She planned to sell this old mansion, along with the shares held by the four women in the Shen family enterprise, at a low price to other members of the Shen family.
Then, she would take Uncle Kui, Su Nanyin's absolute confidant, and others, and head north to Si Jiu!
Su Nanyin intended to rebuild the Su family, which had once prospered in Su Nan, in Si Jiu or elsewhere, after decades apart.
The three Shen sisters.
Could choose to continue using the surname Shen, or adopt the surname Su.
Not only Su Nanyin but also other members of the Shen family could do the same.
In short.
From this moment on, the Lingnan Shen family would become a historical footnote.
The Shen family, at its peak strength, suddenly collapsed and dispersed.
Could this be considered a decline after reaching its zenith?
Perhaps.
But unlike other affluent families that crumble into ruins after disintegration.
The Shen family still existed.
It had merely transformed from a behemoth into multiple smaller families that could adopt their mother's surname.
"The dissolution of the Lingnan Shen family is akin to a whale fall in the ocean, creating greater opportunities for many smaller entities," Shen Zui said softly. "Of course, no one should assume that because our Lingnan Shen family is no longer here, they can bully us as wantonly as some petty hoodlum named Li. If that happens, the seniors of the Gao family in the Northwest, the Chu family of Maya, and the Qin family of Xiangjiang will help us slap their faces, break their legs, and even send them to the palace."
Li Qianfan—
Really wanted to splash the leftover food in his bowl onto Shen Zui's face.
"My mother didn't go to Piaomiao Township, besides her not being accustomed to the environment there, the most crucial reason was that she couldn't let go of us three sisters." Shen Zui picked up a napkin and wiped her mouth. "You could perhaps understand it as my mother and father having fulfilled their karmic ties."
"Mm. Indeed, in this world, there are no banquets that don't end." Li Qianfan said casually and lit a cigarette.
Only then did he understand what price "Uncle Old Shen" had paid for Du Junlin to become the "internally designated" next Grand Manager of Anren.
A powerful family that had operated in Lingnan for many years and had become a de facto emperor would inevitably arouse the suspicion of all parties.
When "Uncle Old Shen" suddenly crippled his own martial arts—
While everyone outwardly lamented, they must have secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
At this point, if "Uncle Old Shen" proposed that Du Junlin become the next Grand Manager of Anren, who would have the audacity to refuse?!
This was also why Li Wuji encountered no resistance when he invited Su Nanyin to come out of retirement to serve as the Deputy Grand Manager of Anren.
Where there is sacrifice, there must be reward!!
"My mother has already discussed the future of us three sisters with my father." Shen Zui said, "Yao Yao was saved by Granny Du's granddaughter and must inherit the Du family's legacy, and will continue to use the surname Du. The most useless and ordinary Chong Chong will still use the surname Shen and be named Yun. This can be considered inheriting my father's surname and legacy."
"Mm." Li Qianfan nodded again and asked, "And you? Will you change your surname to Su from now on and inherit Guanyin's surname and legacy?"
Yes.
After Li Qianfan left, Shen Zui would adopt a new identity while handling the family property here.
Surname Su, given name Zui.
Su Zui!
Su Zui, Shen Yun, Du Junlin.
These were the surnames of Guanyin's three children.
"In my mother's vision, many years from now," said Su Zui, who had already changed her surname, "my children will be direct descendants of the Su family in Su Nan. Chong Chong's children will still use the surname Shen. But Yao Yao's children." She picked up her teacup and began to drink.
She didn't say what surname Du Junlin's descendants would have, but Li Qianfan could guess it even with his feet.
For the next half hour, the two drank water in silence, neither speaking.
*Click.*
When the hour and minute hands of the mechanical clock on the wall pointed to ten o'clock in the morning, Li Qianfan stood up.
It was time for him to leave.
Su Zui asked, "Do you want me to see you off?"
"No need, I'll just take a taxi to the airport." Li Qianfan refused.
Su Zui added, "Although the Shen family's old mansion is gone, when you visit the Su family in the future, you will still be the second master."
Su Nanyin had made it very clear that Li Qianfan was the second master of this old mansion.
Li Qianfan was stunned for a moment and asked, "Aren't you the heir to the Su family?"
Su Zui answered his question with a non-sequitur: "I will never remarry."
Oh.
Whether you remarry or not has absolutely nothing to do with me, Li Qianfan thought.
Su Zui changed the subject: "But I am."
Huh?
You are? Li Qianfan was stunned for a moment and blurted out, "Whose child?"
Before Su Zui could answer, Li Qianfan realized: "Oh, it's Lin Yifeng's child."
The marital relationship between Su Zui and Lin Yifeng had long since broken down.
But it wasn't strange for them to have a brief encounter filled with emotion when reminiscing about their past love, leading to an accidental pregnancy.
Su Zui pursed her lips and asked a question that Li Qianfan found unacceptable: "Can you be my child's father?"
What?
You want me to be a stepfather? Ha! Are you joking? Li Qianfan let out a mocking laugh—
Su Zui cut him off: "The biological father of the child is an absolute scumbag. If the child finds out, it will have no benefit to his (her) future growth."
"You make a good point," Li Qianfan agreed. "The biological father of your son or daughter is indeed a scum deserving of damnation. It truly offers no benefit to the child's future growth. However, I refuse to be a stepfather!"
Lin Yifeng's extensive drug trafficking through Shen family channels was enough to qualify him as scum!
(Lin Yifeng, who had already ascended to immortality, wailed: "Mai Bi, who is the one being a stepfather here?")
Su Zui frowned: "What stepfather? Your words are truly unpleasant. I just want to find a passable father for the child, a godfather."
"Be a godfather to your child?" Li Qianfan pondered, then said with difficulty, "I'll consider it. After all, we detest each other."
Su Zui interrupted him: "For your sake, Guanyin, you are the child's father. And I will pretend to love you in front of the child. It's because you were heartless and abandoned me that he became a pitiable single-parent child."
Nonsense! Li Qianfan frowned—
Su Zui stood up and voluntarily linked her arm through his: "Alright. Child's father, you should go now."
Li Qianfan was utterly bewildered—
The plane had already soared into the clouds, and he was still agonizing over the matter of being a stepfather.
He did call Su Nanyin, hoping to clarify things.
However, Su Nanyin seemed very busy at the moment and rejected his call.
After the plane took off smoothly, Li Qianfan opened his phone.
(First, activate airplane mode, then connect to the in-flight Wi-Fi to use phone software normally. However, passengers are not allowed to browse the internet freely during takeoff and landing to avoid safety hazards.)
"Brother, you there?" Li Qianfan messaged Ruhua.
Several minutes passed, and Ruhua didn't reply.
Li Qianfan knew Ruhua was busy with important matters and didn't mind.
Just as he was about to message Sister Su, Ruhua replied: "Here."
Li Qianfan immediately pressed: "What are you doing?"
"Picking up girls," Li Qianfan thought, and Ruhua replied, "Picking up girls."
"You kid, besides picking up girls, is there anything else you do all day?" Li Qianfan scoffed and typed: "Send a nice picture."
*Ding.*
A picture of beautiful legs in black stockings, wearing high-heeled ankle boots, was sent over.
"I could look at these legs for a year and not get tired of them," Li Qianfan commented habitually and then got down to business. "I've encountered a problem. The undercover sister, without any shame, asked me to be a stepfather to her unborn child. Sigh."
"Isn't being a stepfather a good thing?"
"Good my ass," Li Qianfan replied casually. "Being a stepfather to the owner of those legs would be more like it."
Ruhua replied: "A friend's wife is not to be trifled with."
Li Qianfan's interest was piqued: "What, are you getting married?"
Ruhua replied: "A wanderer must eventually have a home."
"Congratulations, you've finally become human." After a perfunctory congratulation, Li Qianfan steered the conversation back to business.
He roughly explained Su Zui's situation.
Finally, he said: "If I were her, I would have aborted the child! After all, the child's biological father is a scumbag and doesn't deserve offspring. Yet the undercover sister insists on giving birth and wants me to be the stepfather. Don't you think she's got a pig's head?"
"You know nothing!" Ruhua replied. "It's normal for the undercover sister, after finding an unworthy partner, not to want to remarry. But surely she can't be without direct relatives besides her parents, right? How lonely would she be when her hair turns white?"
"Although the child's biological father is a scumbag, after the child is born, as long as they are given a healthy living environment and proper guidance, the child might still become successful. After all, at birth, human nature is inherently good. The kind of person a child becomes depends on how they are educated."
Ruhua's words were quite right. Li Qianfan was slowly moved—
One in the afternoon.
A flight from a city in Lingnan landed smoothly at the international airport of Tiandong Province.
One fifteen.
In a flowing pavilion at the foot of a mountain, Jiao Yin received a call from her subordinate: "Madam, Li Qianfan has returned to Tiandong."