Chapter 592 - 510: Acceptance
Chapter 592: Chapter 510: Acceptance
In the afternoon, Tang Qingshan and Xiao Man went out together. The father-daughter pair went to meet the head of the Sun Family to sign the shareholding documents.
Tang Qingshan and Grandpa Tang had already discussed the Sun Family’s offer of shares to Xiao Man and found it acceptable. After all, Xiao Man was currently a key expert in the Sun Family’s pharmaceutical operations and was even responsible for training in the traditional Chinese medicine department while interning at De Ren Hospital. It was essentially an investment for her expertise, not a handout. And 10%... that didn’t seem like too much.
When Xiao Man heard what Dad Tang said, her heart fluttered. ’I know exactly how massive the Sun Family’s pharmaceutical business became in my past life. Ten percent of the shares... that’s a tremendous amount! I’m not even greedy. With just 5% or even 1%, I’d be sitting on a fortune of tens of millions in the near future.’
But could she actually say that out loud?
The Sun Family was delighted that Xiao Man accepted the shares. Since Tang Qingshan was still in Beijing, they hosted a banquet at the International Hotel that evening. The Tang and Gu families were the guests of honor, and a number of other prominent figures also attended. As a student, Xiao Man wasn’t expected to network; she could leave after a quick word once she finished eating. Sun Yiming offered to drive her back to school, but Gu Qifan had already arranged for a car to be waiting at the hotel entrance for her. Sun Yiming could only give up and wave goodbye.
Xiao Man suddenly realized one member of the Sun Family was missing that night: their second daughter, Sun Meirong.
Whenever their families gathered for a meal, Sun Meirong always loved to stick close to Granny Gu. She also never forgot to toast the men, both young and old. She could hold her liquor and had excellent drinking etiquette, so the men were always happy to drink with her. It was always a lively affair filled with laughter and conversation. No wonder it felt like something was missing with her absent today.
A while ago, Sun Meirong had been in a car accident and suffered minor injuries. She had stayed at De Ren Hospital for a few days before going home to recover, so she should have been better by now.
Sun Yiming smiled. "My little sister went to the South a few days ago on a sketching trip. A friend invited her, saying there’s a newly developed scenic area deep in the mountains that’s as beautiful as a fairyland. I don’t know the exact location myself. She probably called Mom and Dad, but I’m not clear on the details yet."
Xiao Man just said, "Oh," but her mind was already turning. ’Beautiful as a fairyland... could it be Jiuzhaigou? In my past life, I wasn’t much of a traveler and only visited a few places within the country. But of all the places worthy of being called a fairyland, Jiuzhaigou would be my first choice. Is it already famous at this point in time, though?’
The thought of Jiuzhaigou stirred Xiao Man’s heart. The mountains there were covered in lush, overlapping forests, the air was pure, and the spring water was crystal clear. It truly was a dreamlike, ethereal beauty. ’There must be some Spiritual Energy hidden there.’
Gu Shaojun had once said that in remote, primordial forests, there were places where Spiritual Energy gathered, becoming pure and dense. Cultivating in a place like that was exceptionally satisfying... Xiao Man thought, ’When I have a break, I should travel around. I could try my luck in the deep mountains and old forests. If I manage to find one of those nexuses of Spiritual Energy, it would be a huge boon.’
’The Treasure Pearl Space is full of Spiritual Energy, but I can’t rely on it alone. If I get into the habit of just coasting on what I have, I’ll deplete my resources before I even know it. By then, it’ll be too late for regrets.’
Tang Qingshan had to return to Liaozhou on the morning of the fourth, so after finishing his business on the afternoon of the third, he made a special detour by the Medical College to pick up Xiao Man for dinner.
As the car approached the Tang Mansion, they saw a stylish woman standing outside the intricate, antique-style wrought-iron gates. Xiao Man recognized her from her back alone. ’Who else could it be but Wu Xiaowen?’
The driver honked. Wu Xiaowen turned, her chin lifted high with an expression of cold arrogance. The car’s side windows were adorned with delicate, filigreed lace curtains, so she couldn’t see who was in the back seat. As the iron gates began to open slowly, the driver, worried that another honk would be too disruptive, stuck his head out and politely asked her to step aside. Wu Xiaowen shot him a vicious glare before haughtily striding to the side.
Tang Qingshan lowered the car window and asked the guard in a stern tone, "What’s going on at the gate? Weren’t there specific instructions about this?"
The guard snapped to attention and replied, "Tang Qingyun brought her. He told her to wait at the gate and said he’d be right out!"
Tang Qingshan: "..."
’What in the world is Tang Qingyun doing? Has he forgotten the situation when he was so thoroughly cuckolded?’
The father and daughter got out of the car in the courtyard. Wu Xiaowen spotted Manman and screamed, "Tang Manman! You unfilial, black-hearted brat! Stop right there!"
She rushed toward the gate as she yelled, but the large iron gate, moving at a steady pace, swung shut the instant before she could get through.
Overcome with a mixture of hatred and fury, Wu Xiaowen lost her mind. She kicked and shoved the gate, screaming endless profanities. The guards shouted at her to stop, but she paid them no mind. If it were anyone else, the guards would have already restrained her, but they were all aware of this crazed woman’s special status and were somewhat hesitant to act.
Tang Qingshan’s face darkened. He grabbed Manman, who looked like she was about to run toward the gate. Just as he was about to speak, he saw Grandma Tang storm out of the house, her face livid with rage. Ai Wenli followed behind her, her hands trembling as she cradled her pregnant belly, whether out of anger or anxiety.
Seeing his mother and his pregnant sister-in-law so distressed, Tang Qingshan finally erupted. He ordered the guards, "That woman is intentionally attacking the Tang Mansion! Arrest her and take her to the garrison headquarters!"
Grandma Tang added, "Throw her in solitary! We’ll deal with her once she confesses!"
"Yes!"
The guards’ expressions turned grim as they moved to open the gate and arrest her.
Just then, Tang Qingyun rushed out of the house, shouting, "Wait! Guards, hold on! That’s... Oh, for goodness’ sake! She—she’s Tang Haocheng’s mother!"
Tang Qingshan’s face went pale with rage. His usual gentle and composed demeanor vanished as he glared ferociously at Tang Qingyun. "I don’t believe I’ve ever laid a hand on you, but if you don’t give me a damn good explanation, today will be the first time!"
The words had barely left his mouth when, with a sharp SMACK, Grandma Tang slapped Tang Qingyun across the face.
Tang Qingyun: "..."
’Why is my family getting so violent? Manman gets into fights with her birth mother, my older brother—who always said violence was the worst option—is now threatening to beat me, and Mom is the most shocking of all! She used to only punish us with a bamboo ruler on our palms, backsides, or calves. Now she’s slapping me right in the face! In front of all these people! And my own niece is standing right there watching...’
Before Tang Qingyun could even express how wronged he felt, Grandma Tang began to curse him venomously.
"So that’s why you were in such a panicked rush to go upstairs! You lied and told me a ’friend’ was waiting? Is that heartless, rotten-gutted woman really your friend? Is someone like her even worthy of being my grandson’s mother? Are you trying to kill me with anger? She poisoned my granddaughter, and now she has the gall to show up at our home screaming slander! I won’t forgive her! If you dare to side with her, you can get locked up right alongside her! And don’t you ever come near me again. I have no such son!"
The more Grandma Tang yelled, the angrier she became, chasing after Tang Qingyun to land a few more slaps. Afraid his elderly mother might fall, Tang Qingyun reached out to support her, all while bobbing and weaving his head to dodge the hits. "Hey—ouch! Mom! Will you please just listen to my explanation first?"
"Then let’s hear it," Tang Qingshan said, his gaze cold as he watched Tang Qingyun. He noted that Wu Xiaowen had finally gone quiet at the gate.