Sang Ning paused for a moment.
He spoke in a light tone, "It's just a banquet hosted by the He Family to thank their business partners and long-time friends. Almost everyone you know will be there."
Sang Ning looked up at him, noticing the subtle tension in his lips despite his calm expression.
After a brief thought, she nodded. "Alright."
A faint flicker passed through his eyes, and the tight line of his lips relaxed into a slight curve. "Then it's settled."
The car stopped as usual at the intersection near Nan Corporation. Sang Ning quickly pulled open the door and stepped out.
"I'll go ahead."
He Siyu remained in the car, watching her retreating figure until she disappeared from sight. Only then did he take out his phone and unlock it.
The screen displayed a conversation with "Second Brother."
A message from the other side read:
[The annual banquet is next Saturday. Dad will be back too. You’re attending this year, right? Don’t make him angry again.]
In a good mood, He Siyu typed back: [I’ll go.]
The reply was instant: [?]
[You agreed so easily—are you messing with me?]
He Siyu raised an eyebrow. [Why would I?]
He Jinxing sighed in relief, thinking his younger brother had finally matured. [Then it’s settled.]
He Siyu put away his phone and drove straight to the company.
Arriving at Huiyao Group, he took the private elevator to the top floor, right on time at ten o'clock.
"President He." Assistant Yan had been waiting and approached him immediately. "President Lin is here, waiting for you in the meeting room."
A cold glint flashed in He Siyu’s eyes as he strode forward.
He pushed open the door to the meeting room and saw the entire Lin Family present.
"Siyu." Lin Yunfei stood up, his tone polite.
Lin Shuyan also rose to her feet, her face pale, her gaze filled with fear as she looked at He Siyu.
He Siyu walked in and took a seat in the main chair. "What brings you here, President Lin?"
Lin Yunfei’s expression stiffened. Taking a deep breath, he said, "I won’t beat around the bush. I came today specifically to bring Shuyan to apologize to you."
He Siyu smirked, his eyes laced with mockery. "What does she have to apologize to me for?"
Lin Yunfei’s face darkened. You know she has nothing to apologize to you for—so why are you interfering?!
But the Lin Family had been suffocating under relentless pressure. Originally, the Pei Family’s retaliation might not have been so devastating, but with the He Family backing them, the Lin Family faced certain ruin if this continued.
After days of struggle, Lin Yunfei could hold out no longer and had no choice but to plead with He Siyu.
"It’s Shuyan’s fault, and mine for failing to discipline her properly. Today, I’m here to give you an answer: from now on, she will be sent abroad and forbidden from returning without permission. She will never appear before you again, and she will be completely cut off from the Lin Family’s affairs. As for the Pei Family’s losses, we will compensate them in full without hesitation."
Lin Yunfei fixed He Siyu with a heavy gaze. "Can we let this matter end here?"
"Dad!" Lin Shuyan’s face turned deathly pale.
Being exiled abroad—wasn’t that the same as banishment?!
"Shut up!" Lin Yunfei glared at her, furious at his useless daughter.
Lin Shuyan clenched her teeth and fell silent.
Lin Yunfei turned back to He Siyu, his eyes pleading.
The He Family was not someone the Lin Family could afford to provoke. Offending the Pei Family might have been manageable, but the He Family…
Though He Siyu was rebellious—often infuriating his father to the point of claiming he wished he’d never had such an unfilial son—the Lin and He Families were old friends. Lin Yunfei knew very well that Commander He doted on his youngest son. If He Siyu truly insisted on breaking ties with the Lin Family, the He Family would never let them off.
He Siyu lifted his cold gaze. "Just sending her abroad?"
Lin Yunfei inhaled sharply. "Then what do you want? Name your terms."
He Siyu’s icy stare settled on Lin Shuyan. "First, a public apology. The Lin Family will hold a press conference where Lin Shuyan personally details the scheme she orchestrated, reads a written confession, and formally apologizes to the victims she implicated."
Lin Shuyan’s face drained of color. A press conference? A public confession and apology?!
Would she have any dignity left after this?!
Lin Yunfei also hesitated—once this conference took place, the Lin Family’s reputation would be irreparably damaged.
But at this point, he had no right to refuse. "Fine."
Lin Shuyan stood rigidly, her eyes reddening, but He Siyu had already looked away.
"Once the conference is over, send her abroad immediately. I never want to see her again."
Lin Shuyan’s nails dug into her palms, her entire body trembling. Was she to be cast out like a disgraced exile?
In a shaky voice, she protested, "Siyu, our families have been friends for years. Are you really going to treat me like this?"
He Siyu’s voice was indifferent. "If not for the Lin Family’s sake, exile would be the least of your worries."
Lin Shuyan felt as if she had been plunged into an icy abyss.
---
At two in the afternoon, Xu Yan suddenly knocked on the door. "Young Master Nan."
Sang Ning was reviewing data on her computer and didn’t look up. "What is it?"
"The Lin Family has held a press conference to formally clarify and apologize."
Sang Ning froze for a second before taking the phone he handed her.
The screen showed a live broadcast—Lin Shuyan, looking haggard, stood before the cameras, her eyes swollen as she recounted the details of her scheme and offered a remorseful apology.
"I sincerely apologize to Miss Nan and Second Young Master Pei. I acted out of petty spite, setting up this scheme and nearly ruining their reputations and careers. I deeply regret my actions and will accept the consequences of my ignorance and arrogance."
The barrage of comments was merciless:
[What a vicious plot! She almost destroyed their lives!]
[Rich kids think they’re above the law. Serves her right for kicking an iron plate!]
[Get lost already!]
Sang Ning watched the broadcast with detached indifference.
Lin Shuyan wasn’t remorseful—she was just afraid.
Xu Yan said, "This matter is finally behind us. Nan Corporation’s stock has been rising these past few days, and several previously canceled contracts have been reinitiated by their respective companies."
Sang Ning handed the phone back. "Have Manager Lin and Manager Zhao handle the renegotiations properly. Don’t neglect them."
"Understood." Xu Yan hesitated before adding, "Was it Young President Pei who orchestrated Lin Shuyan’s public apology?"
"No."
"Then…"
Sang Ning looked up. "Is there anything else?"
Xu Yan immediately withdrew the question. "No, I’ll get back to work."
"Mm."
---
Chen Residence.
Chen Zhihan stared stiffly at the footage of Lin Shuyan’s public apology, a cold sweat breaking out on her back.
If Lin Shuyan had been dealt with so harshly… what about her?
She shook her head. No—if they had evidence against her, they would have acted by now. Why would they wait?
"Lin Shuyan was truly reckless, causing such a mess and nearly dragging the Lin Family down with her," Chen Guoan remarked with a sigh.
"Yes, what a misfortune for the Lin Family to raise such a daughter," Mrs. Chen agreed.
"Zhihan, what’s wrong? You look terrible," Mrs. Chen suddenly asked.
Chen Zhihan felt a cold sweat break out down her back and immediately shook her head. "No, I'm just feeling a little unwell."
Her phone suddenly rang. "I need to take this call."
Mrs. Chen frowned.
Chen Zhihan stepped outside the villa before answering. "What is it? Did you find anything?"
The private investigator on the other end replied, "I've uncovered two things."
"What things?!"
Chen Zhihan had hired the investigator to secretly look into the Nan family’s affairs, hoping to dig up some leverage. Otherwise, she couldn’t rest easy.
"I checked the hospital records from when the Nan family had their child. According to the records, they didn’t give birth to twin daughters—only one daughter."
Chen Zhihan’s face paled in shock. "Nan Siya and Nan Sangning aren’t twins?!"
After Nan Sangning was found and brought back, the Nan family had publicly claimed that Nan Sangning and Nan Siya were twins, and that one had gone missing years ago.
"If the eldest Miss Nan was truly found, then the other one must be fake."
Chen Zhihan’s eyes lit up with realization before she gritted her teeth. "So the Nan family planted a fake to deceive the Chen family?! What’s the other thing you found?"
"The eldest Miss Nan seems to be in a relationship with Third Young Master He."
