It wasn't until Sunday afternoon that Zhao Yunzhou finally received a message from Xia Liuyue.
She hadn't been in Haishi all weekend, having gone to Jiangshi to attend her cousin's wedding. She'd even gotten carried away having fun—several of the groomsmen, all younger than her, had asked for her WeChat.
Although she didn't add them, the day after the wedding, she still went with them to a nearby resort villa to eat, drink, and enjoy the sight of handsome men, relaxing her mood.
When Zhao Yunzhou learned this news, he was so sour he practically reeked of thick vinegar.
Yan Hechuan, standing beside him, could roughly guess that she was off having a carefree, wonderful time.
He sighed and said:
"See, Zhao Yunzhou, your enemy isn't me; it's all those men out there."
Zhao Yunzhou suddenly felt there was some truth to his words.
How could there be so many other men besides that scumbag Du Jiashu coveting his sister? It's so infuriating!
Yan Hechuan slightly furrowed his brows and said in a low voice:
"The paternity test report has been delivered. You should make a trip back to the Zhao family."
"Although you don't care about the Zhao family's money, with the Zhao family's power and influence, Yueyue's divorce from Du Jiashu will proceed much more smoothly."
Zhao Yunzhou nodded, but then looked at him with some hesitation.
He posed a soul-searching question.
"Clearly we are also rivals in love. Why are you helping me?"
Yan Hechuan pressed his lips together and said, "I'm not helping you; I'm helping myself."
He worried that being blind, even if he were with Yueyue, he probably wouldn't be able to take good care of her in the long run.
Although he also didn't want a third person in their relationship, from every angle, Zhao Yunzhou was the most suitable candidate.
He was younger, so there would be no need to worry about those younger men outside.
Once recognized by the Zhao family, with the combined power and influence of the Zhao and Yan families, they could make the entire Haishi shut their mouths.
Then Yueyue could do whatever she liked, and everyone else would have to fawn over her.
Of course, the most important point was that he felt in Yueyue's heart, the one she preferred should be him. Zhao Yunzhou was just an add-on.
So, he could reluctantly let him be the junior one.
Yan Hechuan had the bearing and methods of the primary partner.
Zhao Yunzhou's eyes flickered, and he finally let out an "Mmm."
...
At the hospital.
The Zhao family members never expected that last time, the one accompanying the illegitimate son Zhao Yunzhou was the young madam of the Du family. This time, the person's background was even more impressive.
It was actually the head of the Yan family—Yan Hechuan.
Wasn't it said that Yan Hechuan was a cold and aloof person, who disliked socializing and had no close personal friends in their circles?
How did Zhao Yunzhou manage to latch onto Yan Hechuan?
The Zhao family's eldest and second daughters exchanged glances.
Meanwhile, Zhao Xiangguo, lying on the hospital bed, looked at his long-lost youngest son with growing satisfaction.
He was shrewd, knew how to bide his time, and had managed to climb from nothing to his current position.
"Yunzhou," he began, wanting to warmly reminisce.
But he was quickly interrupted by Zhao Yunzhou:
"Alright, old man, hurry up and call the lawyer over. Not a single cent that should be mine can be missing."
The Zhao family's eldest daughter, standing nearby, said discontentedly, "How dare you speak to our father like that, you little brat? You're just an illegitimate son."
Before she could finish scolding, Zhao Xiangguo rebuked her.
"Shut up! If it weren't for what you did all those years ago, would your younger brother have suffered outside all these years?"
The Zhao family's second daughter muttered under her breath, "What younger brother? He's just an illegitimate son."
Zhao Xiangguo glared at them with a stern expression.
"Silence! I don't want to hear the words 'illegitimate son' again."
"If you hadn't deliberately driven Lianxin away back then, I had planned to properly get a marriage certificate and hold a wedding with her."
"Yunzhou is my child. He has the same inheritance rights as all of you."
Zhao Yunzhou had long passed the age where he needed paternal love and family affection. He waved his hand impatiently and said:
"Enough, I don't care if you call me an illegitimate son or not."
"Old man, let's talk practicalities. How much of the estate are you planning to give me?"
As soon as he said this, everyone else shifted their gaze to Old Master Zhao.
Previously, Old Master Zhao hadn't wanted to make a will, mainly because he felt that once the inheritance was divided, these daughters and sons-in-law, each with their own agendas, might likely drain the company.
Siphoning all the company's money into their own pockets.
Ultimately leaving the Zhao Corporation an empty shell.
But now, Zhao Xiangguo had made up his mind. Looking at the seemingly carefree Zhao Yunzhou before him.
He said:
"In a few days, I will hold another recognition banquet to introduce your identity to friends in Haishi's social circles."
"Yunzhou, you are my child and the heir to the Zhao Group."
The eldest daughter grew anxious and hurriedly said, "Dad? What do you mean? What about us?"
The second daughter chimed in, "Exactly! This is favoritism towards sons. Why does he, this illegit... this son, get everything just because he's been recognized?"
Zhao Xiangguo rubbed his temples.
He began listing the details.
"Eldest, you've taken no less than fifty million from me over the years. Second, it goes without saying—to support your startups, I've sponsored several tens of millions. Consider all that as your allowance."
"Eldest's husband joined the company's project department and caused so many messes, resulting in losses to the company amounting to no less than a hundred million."
"Second's husband tried to copy others with financial financing, got scammed, and I had to take out my own money to fill that hole."
"Not to mention your children—their overseas studies and all living expenses were covered by me..."
Zhao Xiangguo couldn't help but sigh and said:
"If you all were truly talents at managing the company, in the twenty years before Yunzhou appeared, wouldn't I have handed over power to you? If I gave it to you, the company would probably go bankrupt in less than six months."
"Eldest, second, you each have five percent of the company's shares. That was the dowry I gave you initially. You can keep that."
"And for your children, my five grandchildren, I'll give each of them three percent of the shares."
"That adds up to twenty-five percent. Besides the cumulative thirty-five percent held by other shareholders, the remaining forty percent of the shares I will give to Yunzhou, ensuring absolute control of the company."
In Old Master Zhao's view, this was a relatively fair distribution.
However, to the ears of the eldest daughter, second daughter, their husbands, and those grandchildren, it was extreme favoritism.
The eldest daughter said discontentedly:
"Dad, why do we only get twenty-five percent combined, while this little brat gets forty percent all by himself?"
Old Master Zhao glanced at her helplessly and said coldly:
"Didn't I ask you back then if you were willing to take a live-in husband? You said your husband was a promising young talent and refused to marry into our family. Fine, then you gave up this family business yourself."
Then he looked at the second daughter and said:
"And you, I said the same thing to you. You said, why should I stay at home when elder sister gets to marry out? That's not fair; you wanted to pursue love."
"People can't have their cake and eat it too."
