Chapter 23: Making Trouble

“Three years without returning? Lu Beiyan, are you crazy!”

That was where he grew up, his home. How could he possibly not return for three years!

“I’m already being merciful by not forbidding him from returning to the country for three years!” Lu Beiyan pressed his temples.

Shi Ran: “But what if he wants to see his parents?”

Lu Beiyan sighed, “If his parents want to see him, they can naturally go see him. I’ve only set a condition, it’s already an exceptional act of grace. They can also refuse. Why are you meddling in this?”

Zhou Zhu, standing behind him, nodded repeatedly. It was indeed the most lenient decision the CEO had ever made. And in the past, the CEO’s decisions were like water that had been spilled; it was impossible to retrieve them, extremely difficult to change.

The phrase “exceptional act of grace” was spot on.

Hearing this, Shi Ran stopped talking.

It was better than the family business collapsing.

This matter finally came to a close.

The next day, the two returned to China, and Shi Ran resumed her life between school and the villa.

On her way to the cafeteria, Shi Ran suddenly stopped. Ahead, Shi Keyue and Lin Yue were chatting and laughing.

Tang Yiting noticed her unusual behavior and sighed, “I didn’t expect so many things to happen to you in just one month, Ranran.”

The circle of socialites was so small; the Shi family’s affairs had already spread. Shi Yuan bringing back his illegitimate son and daughter, and bringing other women home, was no longer a secret.

Shi Ran felt the sunlight was a little harsh, “Shi Keyue is also at A University?”

“Yes, she’s the president of our animation club and also studies painting. She just hasn’t been at school much lately because she represented the club in an art competition.”

Shi Ran sneered, “What a coincidence.”

She walked over, and Shi Keyue looked over, their eyes meeting.

Lin Yue saw her coming and quickly introduced them, “Ranran, you’re here. This is our club’s vice president, she has the same surname as you, Shi Keyue.”

In the still somewhat cold weather, Shi Keyue wore a slit cheongsam, her figure graceful.

“Senior Brother, no need for introductions. Ranran is my sister.”

At these words, Lin Yue and another boy were both shocked. The boy reacted quickly, “No wonder Shi Ran and her sister are both as beautiful as angels! They’re sisters!”

Since Shi Keyue returned, the two had run into each other in the club from time to time.

Shi Keyue shamelessly claimed to be sisters with her, while Shi Ran didn’t even want to pretend.

A month passed, and even the most oblivious members of the club could see the conflict between the two.

While Shi Keyue was a smiling tiger on the surface, she secretly hated Shi Ran. In the club, she used to be everyone’s darling, but now that Shi Ran was here, more attention was on her.

Even Lin Yue, who was known as the campus couple with her, seemed to like that “bitch.”

And every day, Lu Beiyan picked her up and dropped her off.

Why?!

“So infuriating!” Shi Keyue grumbled as she entered the house.

Ruan Qing, wearing a gold-threaded green cheongsam, came out and saw her appearance. “Oh my, my best friend is now the Shi family’s eldest daughter. Who dares to make my daughter angry?”

“It’s still that Shi Ran! Mom, do you know? I’m the school beauty, the campus goddess. I used to be the center of attention at school. Everyone’s eyes were on me.”

“But ever since Shi Ran came, everyone thinks she’s prettier than me. Plus, she’s with that powerful Lu Beiyan. Every time she appears, I’m instantly overshadowed, everyone looks at her!”

“And she’s all over the school forum. She’s practically the school’s most popular figure now! Even Lin Yue seems to like her!”

Before, she and Lin Yue were known as the campus god and goddess couple. At that time, she hadn’t seen a man as stunning and unique as Lu Beiyan. She knew Lin Yue’s family was also wealthy, and Lin Yue wasn’t bad-looking either.

So she had subtly hinted at Lin Yue before, but he never took her seriously, treating her as an ordinary classmate.

Why could Shi Ran, after less than a semester, easily get everything she wanted?

Ruan Qing fanned her with a fan, “Oh, my dear, calm down. It’s just a man, a young man. School beauty and such are just empty titles. Don’t be angry, ah.”

“Mom! It’s not just that. She’s only been here for less than two months, and she’s already stolen my spotlight. And Dad also loves her, he calls her every day, and even if she’s not nice to him, he still shamelessly tries to please her.”

Ruan Qing’s face fell. She looked around, seeing no servants, and said sharply, “Shi Keyue! Think before you speak! This is where you are, talking about others is fine, but you dare to talk about your father?”

Shi Keyue: “Am I wrong? Since he brought us back, look at my brother, what did he arrange for him at the company? A clerk? Mom, who would make their son start at the bottom as a clerk?”

“Your dad is training him, starting from the bottom.”

“Bullshit! I think he wants to leave all the family assets to that bitch! A wild child with no mother!”

This sentence hit Ruan Qing hard. She had always thought that since Shi Yuan brought them back and sold Shi Ran, he must value them and didn’t have much affection for that daughter.

But during this time, she wasn’t blind. As Yueyue said, Shi Yuan brought them back, but only provided basic living arrangements.

Shi Xu was treated like a dog at the company, ordered around by others.

And Shi Yuan even called his deceased ex-wife’s name in his dreams, and he truly loved Shi Ran. Selling Shi Ran before must have been a last resort.

Regarding the family assets, it’s possible he really might give them to that woman’s daughter.

What about not loving that woman, and that he and her were childhood sweethearts?

Perhaps even Shi Yuan himself didn’t know who he loved more, that woman or her.

Damn Duan Zhengchun!

Falling in love with one after another!

She couldn’t bear to suffer outside for twenty years, only to get nothing in the end.

“You’re right, we can’t let Shi Ran get a single cent of the family assets.”

Shi Keyue was overjoyed to see her mother finally on her side. As long as her mother and she were united against Shi Ran, she would eventually regain everything that belonged to her.

She had seen her mother’s methods when she was a child.

“Since she’s in our way, let’s make her like her lowly mother. Let’s ruin her and see if Lu Beiyan still wants her, let’s see if this pampered little white flower can take it.”