Fooling Shi Wang had always been the easiest thing. Madam Shi had kept him in the dark about many of her secrets.
This marriage had only ever been one of convenience to her.
"Yan'er, I'm sorry you and our daughter have to bear so much for this family," Shi Wang spoke endearingly.
He wasn't a good man, but he tried to be a good husband and father.
Unfortunately, he was destined never to have a complete family — not with a wife like Su Yan.
Seeing that she had completely turned Shi Wang's attention away from the unconscious Shi Ning, Madam Shi swiftly led him out of the room.
No matter what, Shi Wang must never know the origin of the little monster.
…
Next Day…
A well-rested Shi Nian was ready to attend RainCloud Investment's meeting with Secretary Shang and Bei Chuan.
Without delay, after a brief discussion with the researchers at BaiYue, they set out for RainCloud Investments.
The meeting was scheduled for 11:00 a.m., but by 10:30am, Shi Nian and her team were already in the RainCloud lobby.
This time, Shi Nian had chosen to arrive early for two reasons:
First, to show RainCloud her enthusiasm and BaiYue's commitment to the project;
Second, to see what Shi Wang had instructed Secretary Shang to do.
The former mattered more to Shi Nian, but she couldn't afford even a moment of inattention to ruin her hard work.
She could already guess what Shi Wang and Secretary Shang were up to. Shi Wang was like a rabid dog — he would never sit still even when not provoked.
Last night's encounter with Shi Ning had reminded her that even without her interference, the Shi family would never stop coming at her with their petty traps.
Secretary Shang noticed her brief glance in his direction. Thinking of the task Shi Wang had given him, he felt the urge to quit his job entirely.
How am I going to get my hands on the vial? he thought absentmindedly.
He had already tried to access the documents Bei Chuan was working on — and failed.
Unbelievable!
It would be a stain on his professional reputation if it ever became known that he couldn't access internal data.
Although Shi Nian had never warned Bei Chuan outright about Shang Wei, Bei Chuan remained cautious, knowing full well Secretary Shang had been planted by Shi Wang.
The more Shang Wei thought about it, the more he realized he was just a pawn on both sides.
Shi Wang wanted him to spy on BaiYue's progress, while Shi Nian valued him only for his competence.
The stoic, aloof Director Shi always kept a calm face, but he swore he could see a glint in her eyes every time he completed a task.
Everyone carried their own thoughts. Even Bei Chuan was barely holding himself together since they arrived.
Though a senior at BaiYue, here at RainCloud he was just another small-time employee.
They didn't have to wait long before a representative from RainCloud arrived to lead them to the meeting room.
Shi Nian checked the time — 10:50 a.m. They had waited just twenty minutes.
The representative was familiar; he had led the delegation at their previous meeting.
He smiled politely. "Hello, Director Shi, nice to see you again. My name is Ji Yunlei, but you can call me Manager Ji."
"It's nice to see you again, Manager Ji. Thank you for your guidance today, we're truly honored," Shi Nian replied as they walked.
Manager Ji didn't dare take them lightly. He still didn't understand the internal message he had received from his higher-ups, but he didn't want to make any mistakes.
He had chosen to personally escort them today, just in case.
"We're here," he said, pushing open the meeting-room door.
Inside was a long table with at least fourteen seats. More than half were already filled by RainCloud's auditing team.
Being led personally by Manager Ji already made Bei Chuan uneasy; seeing the auditors' lineup made him even more nervous. He quickly glanced at Shi Nian — his emotional anchor. Seeing her unshaken, he steadied himself.
It was unusual to find the RainCloud team already seated; during their last meeting, they had appeared only after BaiYue's team arrived.
Manager Ji showed them their seats and left soon after.
They went over a few last-minute details — there was little left to discuss about the proposal, but Bei Chuan's nerves wouldn't let him rest, and Shi Nian let him continue for reassurance.
She checked the clock again. 11:00 a.m. sharp.
She gave Bei Chuan a look, and he straightened instantly, turning toward the podium. But seeing it empty, he blinked at her in confusion — The meeting hasn't started. Why warn me?
Just then, the door swung open. Manager Ji entered first, followed by Assistant Bo — and behind them, a man in a wheelchair.
Shi Nian's composure faltered for the first time today. Surprise and joy flickered in her eyes.
This man! I knew you would be here today.