Chapter 184: Chapter 180: It’s Over, You’ve Picked Up Jiang Cheng
 

In the normal order of business inheritance, the enterprise should be inherited by the wife after the husband’s death.

However, Miaodan Workshop was different.

Previously, in order to enter into a marriage alliance with Nation Duke Mansion, Shen Mi had changed the first in line to inherit Miaodan Workshop to Shen Menghan.

Thus, after Shen Mi was arrested and sentenced to death, Shen Menghan became the actual helmsman of Miaodan Workshop.

But being at the helm of Miaodan Workshop wasn’t necessarily a good thing.

Under the double pressures of the “fruit tree digging up graves” incident and the astronomical fines from the court, Miaodan Workshop was now like a thatched hut on the verge of collapse; a single kick could bring it all down!

“Who is now in charge of Miaodan Workshop?”

A middle-aged man clad in brocade, with a large head and fat ears, barged into Shen Residence.

The servants and apprentices at Shen Residence were all in panic, with no mind to attend to guests.

“Hey? Ignoring me, are you? Mr. Li, call someone over.”

The middle-aged man spoke to the bodyguard beside him.

Mr. Li, with his voice grounded in his dantian and using his Core Formation cultivation level, emitted a voice with a compelling presence: “Please have the person in charge of Miaodan Workshop come over to talk!”

A few breaths later, Shen Menghan hurried to the reception room.

“Hello, I’m Shen Menghan, the current owner of Miaodan Workshop. May I ask how to address you?”

“You don’t know who I am? Just ask around on the next street, who doesn’t recognize me?”

Shen Menghan showed an embarrassed expression: “So, how may I address you?”

“Hmph, don’t know what’s good for you, huh? Mr. Li, let this green girl have a lesson in respect!”

Mr. Li: “Standing before you is the founder of Wuheng Real Estate, the future husband of Pingning Princess, a Foundation Establishment Cultivator who reached Foundation Establishment at thirty-seven, Zhu Huanyang.”

Rolling out such a long string of titles.

He doesn’t think he looks cool, does he?

Shen Menghan felt so awkward that she almost dug a fortress beneath her feet on the spot.

Putting on airs is a job that seems brainless but actually requires a lot of skill.

If done poorly, like how Zhu Huanyang is doing, it’s a test of the beholder’s character.

Done well, like Jiang Cheng, it’s refreshing and astonishing, earning applause and admiration.

“Mr. Zhu, please take a seat. I’ll have someone serve you tea right away,” Shen Menghan tried her best to be hospitable.

“No need. I’m here to withdraw my stake today, take the Spirit Stones, and leave.”

Zhu Huanyang pulled out a contract and slapped it down on the table beside Shen Menghan.

He bluntly said, “Little Miss Shen, I won’t lie to you, Miaodan Workshop is 99% finished. You should settle up while there is still money in the account, return my capital, and then we can go our separate ways, no more involvement.”

According to Miaodan Workshop’s share offering contract, outside funding into Miaodan Workshop was entitled to share in the dividends. If the workshop ran into trouble, it was required to return the invested capital first.

Shen Menghan tried to persuade: “Mr. Zhu, as you see, our Miaodan Workshop is going through tough times, but if only…”

“If only what? You think we don’t know how much the court has fined you? 1.2 billion! Even if you sold the whole of Miaodan Workshop, it’s questionable if that would be enough, and you say ‘if only.’ No ‘if only.’ Return my capital now! Pay back the money!”

Shen Menghan trembled with anger; when Miaodan Workshop was doing well, these people had come fawning to her father wanting to invest. Now that times were hard for Miaodan Workshop, they were all showing their true predatory nature.

“Mr. Zhu, there is something I must make clear to you. If you withdraw your stake today, then you’ll never have the chance to invest in Miaodan Workshop again,” she said.

Zhu Huanyang replied with disdain, “Think of ‘again’ in the future? Stop dreaming; worry about how you’ll cover the fine first. Maybe you can discuss it with the brother in Jiaofang Division all night long.”

After dealing with Zhu Huanyang and a group of shareholders demanding their stakes back, Shen Menghan was completely overwhelmed.

But for her, the nightmare was far from over.

“Miss Shen, we went to deliver goods to Lingbao Pavilion today and intended to collect last year’s final payment, but it seems Lingbao Pavilion doesn’t plan to pay.”

“Miss, over at Number Three Alchemist Shop, a dozen Pill Masters have resigned together. What do you think we should do?”

“Owner, our shop on Huayang Avenue is being maliciously undercut; should we continue to sell?”

“Hanhan?”

“Mom?”

“Hanhan, my dear daughter, if your mother hadn’t helped your father fight for Miaodan Workshop, perhaps our family wouldn’t have encountered such a big problem. It’s all my fault; your father is gone now, and I don’t want to live anymore.”

“Mom, please calm down for a moment! Aunt Wang, you must keep an eye on her!”

“Owner, this is the list of Certified Pills accumulated by Miaodan Workshop over many years. Should we sell all the pill recipes or keep some?”

Shen Menghan, rubbing her temples which were starting to ache, said, “Sell them all.”

“Alright.”

Before her subordinate could leave, Shen Menghan suddenly remembered something.

“Wait! Let me see the booklet.”

Shen Menghan took the booklet recording Miaodan Workshop’s Certified Pills, which listed the intellectual property of Miaodan Workshop accumulated over hundreds of years in the field of Elixirs.

Now, in their desperation, they had to sell these fruits of wisdom to other Alchemist Shops. This was undeniably the most humiliating thing for any Pill Master.

Shen Menghan picked up a pen and carefully searched the booklet for all the Elixirs related to “Beauty,” “Body Shaping,” and “Beauty Preserving.”

Resigned, Shen Menghan handed back the booklet and said, “Apart from the ones circled, the rest can be sold.”

It was just after dawn, Jiang Cheng hadn’t even gotten up for his morning exercises when he received a communication talisman from Shen Menghan.

“Hello? Shen?”

“Jiang Cheng, the time you mentioned, is it now?”

“If you think so, then it is.”

“I want to talk to you face to face.”

“Okay, I’ll wait for you on the first floor of the second cafeteria at school.”

Shen Menghan didn’t understand why Jiang Cheng wanted to meet in the cafeteria.

But she knew that she had no choice but to go.

Yue Linger sat beside Jiang Cheng, yawning.

She had received a communication talisman from Jiang Cheng early in the morning, her mind was still groggy, but her body had already started following Jiang Cheng’s instructions.

“Jiang Cheng, who are we waiting for?”

“Shen.”

“Who!?”

The issue with the Shen family had caused a huge commotion, and Lotus University naturally heard about it. Many well-informed students such as Yue Linger knew the ins and outs and the final outcome early on.

“Is she okay now?”

Jiang Cheng shook his head and said, “She probably didn’t sleep at all last night.”

Yue Linger sighed, with such a big issue at home, it would be strange if Shen Menghan could sleep.

The two didn’t wait for more than ten minutes before Shen Menghan hurried into the cafeteria.

Shen Menghan looked visibly haggard, she hadn’t even put on makeup.

As soon as she saw Jiang Cheng, she asked, “Jiang Cheng, when you told me to keep some Pill Masters and Elixirs, I did. What now?”

Jiang Cheng spoke bluntly, “I’m very interested in pill refining and am willing to invest in your Miaodan Workshop. You provide the personnel and the technology, and Yue Linger and I will provide the cash flow.”

Yue Linger was full of confusion: What? I’m investing in Miaodan Workshop? Why didn’t I know?

Shen Menghan looked at Yue Linger in surprise. It was no shock to her that Jiang Cheng had money, but she never expected Yue Linger to be wealthy as well.

Although Yue Linger didn’t know what Jiang Cheng was up to, she still nodded immediately, “Right, I’m in.”

Jiang Cheng continued to elaborate, “Of course, Yue Linger’s and my investment is predicated on your Miaodan Workshop paying off the court fines and settling all legal disputes. But most importantly, we need to see your sincerity. What would you like for breakfast? It’s on me.”

Shen Menghan couldn’t understand and said, “You asked me to come to the cafeteria just for breakfast?”

“Of course. The breakfast at the second cafeteria is currently the tastiest. I particularly recommend their millet porridge, would you like some?”

Shen Menghan looked at Jiang Cheng’s back at the cafeteria window and said to Yue Linger, “Has he always been like this?”

Yue Linger helplessly said, “Always. He’s someone who works hard but doesn’t forget to enjoy life.”

After pondering for a moment, Shen Menghan asked, “Yue Linger, what does Jiang Cheng mean by ‘sincerity’?”

“This…” Yue Linger hesitated. She didn’t want to say it, but Shen Menghan’s predicament made her feel a bit of sympathy.

“The rough meaning of ‘sincerity’ is some kind of unequal relationship between a man and a woman, you understand. It’s like, well, there are some secrets between you that you can’t tell anyone else. As long as Jiang Cheng spills them, you’re done for.”

Shen Menghan’s eyes widened as she looked at Yue Linger, “Yue Linger, do you mean you also have that kind of leverage in Jiang Cheng’s hands?”

Yue Linger sighed and resignedly nodded.

At first, she couldn’t judge people well and spoke arrogantly; now she could only obey Jiang Cheng like a well-behaved daughter whenever he called.

Although Jiang Cheng treated her quite well, that was a side point.

Shen Menghan’s face began to flush with an unusual rosiness because of Yue Linger’s words.

She had never imagined that Yue Linger had already given her innocence to Jiang Cheng so early!

Now Jiang Cheng was asking her for “sincerity.” What should she do?

To give?

Or not to give?

Photos?

Or videos?

Shen Menghan hesitated for a long time before biting her silver teeth.

She was no longer the same as before, her family was not only dealing with legal issues but also facing substantial fines.

Apart from her clean integrity, indeed, she had nothing impressive to offer anymore.

Moreover, she didn’t dislike Jiang Cheng, who knew what might happen in the future…

Right?

Yue Linger, sitting opposite, saw Shen Menghan’s constantly changing expressions.

She inwardly exclaimed in dismay: Oh no! You’ve got a thing for Jiang Cheng!