Chapter Forty-Nine: Stubborn Denial and Evasion of Responsibility

A stifled laugh escaped from someone in the crowd, and the way they looked at Su Zheng even carried a hint of pity. They had never seen anyone quite so foolish—at a time like this, still daring to ask for a reward. Was he out of his mind?

“You—asking me for a reward? Do you even know what day it is today?” Old Lady Chen glared at Su Zheng in disgust. If not for the presence of the notaries and several of the Chen elders, she wouldn’t have bothered to speak to him at all. She wanted to remind Su Zheng: today was the day you were to be driven out of the Chen family!

“Today is neither a holiday nor a festival, but it is the day I completed the task you set for me back then. It’s also the day that Muxue’s company turned a profit. As the head of the family, isn’t it appropriate for me to come to you about a reward?” Su Zheng’s voice was cold and clear as he raised it.

Beside him, Chen Muxue kept her head lowered, making no move to stop him. But Chen Jinguo, on the other hand, wished desperately to clamp a hand over Su Zheng’s mouth, to make him say less. Yet just as he moved, he was tugged back by Lü Hongmei. Things had come to this—let the fool make a scene, she thought. It wouldn’t change the outcome. Lü Hongmei had fully resigned herself to fate.

When Su Zheng finished speaking, every member of the Chen family was momentarily stunned. They could understand every word he said, yet together, they made no sense. In their eyes, what Su Zheng claimed—recovering the construction funds from Hongxin, turning Haoyuan Trading around—was the stuff of dreams, not reality.

“Outrageous! If you keep spouting nonsense, get out! No need for you to sit in here and listen any longer!” Old Lady Chen’s face was thunderous, utterly unconvinced by Su Zheng.

“Whether I’m telling the truth or not, there’s a notary present. It’s a simple matter to check—why the hurry?” Su Zheng retorted. “Besides, weren’t these the tasks you set for Muxue and me? Now you won’t even verify the outcome before driving us out? Is this what you call fairness, justice, and clear rewards and punishments?”

His words were steeped in contempt and coldness; his tone was implacable.

“Nonsense! What I say stands. It’s not your place to argue!” For once, Old Lady Chen found herself oppressed by Su Zheng’s momentum, her aged face flushed with resentment. Though she longed to unleash her anger, his words left her with no choice but to suppress herself and turn to the notaries.

“My apologies for this family’s disgrace. Would you kindly check Haoyuan Trading’s recent accounts for me—in detail, if you would.”

The two notaries nodded and began searching for the records on their computer.

“How stubborn can you be?” Chen Wenli sneered. “The money owed by Hongxin for the project has been outstanding for nearly two years, all thanks to Chen Muxue’s mismanagement. President Shen made it clear that the project funds wouldn’t even cover his losses, yet you claim you’ve recovered them? Ridiculous!”

At her words, both Chen Xiong and Old Lady Chen’s faces darkened. The five million forcibly taken by Shen Qingqiang still rankled. It was this incident that had made Old Lady Chen determined to expel Chen Jianguo’s family. The debt had been laid squarely at Chen Muxue’s door.

Those present were all waiting to see the notaries confirm Chen Wenli’s accusations, eager to witness the disgrace of Su Zheng and his family.

“Grandmother, just driving this fool out isn’t enough,” Chen Peng, who had remained silent until now, said viciously, his fists clenched. “He’s caused our family so much loss—he deserves a good beating too!”

The grudge had festered in him ever since he’d been beaten by the Li family’s bodyguards—an ordeal he blamed on Su Zheng, who must have lied to win Young Master Li’s trust and thus brought the beating upon Chen Peng. He’d never even had a chance to explain himself—the bodyguards had been ruthless. Forced to apologize to Su Zheng, he had only wanted to escape, not to argue over right and wrong.

But things were different now. He had ample ways to deal with Su Zheng, and he wasn’t about to let him off so easily.

At his words, Old Lady Chen actually nodded her assent, tacitly approving Chen Peng’s suggestion: once Su Zheng was expelled, Chen Peng would have his chance to take revenge.

At this, Chen Muxue raised her head, her face heavy with grievance and worry as she pleaded, “Grandmother, whatever else, Su Zheng is still your grandson-in-law. How could you agree to let them hurt him? Forget it, let’s not check the accounts at all—would that be all right?”

Her words sparked a burst of laughter, especially from Chen Peng, whose sneer was full of malice. “What’s the matter? Afraid? Guilty? Hah! There’s no way you’ll get out of this without checking the accounts. If it turns out he’s been lying, there must be punishment—then your whole family gets kicked out. That’s only fair, isn’t it?”

He laughed wildly, barely able to wait for the spectacle of Su Zheng being beaten half to death.

Just then, one of the notaries stood up with a strange expression, shaking his head slightly.

“Have you found the result?” Old Lady Chen was the first to ask.

The rest of the Chens wore looks of anticipation, certain that the accounts would show nothing, just as Chen Wenli predicted.

“Old Lady Chen, after our investigation, there is indeed no surplus in Haoyuan Trading’s accounts,” the notary replied solemnly.

With that, the room erupted into raucous laughter and mockery. When they looked at Su Zheng and Chen Muxue, their faces were full of schadenfreude.

“Well? Didn’t I say so? Grandmother, this man is a fraud—nothing he says is true! Someone, seize him!” Chen Peng shouted with excitement and malice, calling for the servants to act.

“Wait! Please, let me finish!” the notary called out in frustration. As the room gradually quieted, he continued, “Although Haoyuan Trading’s accounts show no surplus, there’s a reason for it. The account has seen significant—and indeed, abnormal—fund flows recently, which is why the bank is currently examining it. That’s why there’s no available balance!”

A hush fell over the room, as if everyone’s throats had been seized at once. Bank investigation? Abnormal funds?

Could it be that Chen Muxue’s family was trying to siphon off the family’s assets?

“Chen Muxue! So this is what you’ve done! Embezzling company funds—do you know this is a jailable offense?” Old Lady Chen reprimanded harshly, her gaze filled with disappointment and disgust.

“Grandmother, when you first handed Haoyuan Trading to me, didn’t you know what state it was in? Funds? You think there was actually any money left? It was all debt!” Chen Muxue retorted, her eyes glittering with unshed tears, yet her voice was steady and cold as she met her grandmother’s gaze for the first time.