Chapter 153: Provocation

While Jiang Qiuqiu was enjoying the warmth of domestic bliss, elsewhere—

Halfway across the Federation Main Star, Qian Duoduo arrived at one of his private residences.

The moment he walked through the door, a young man who looked strikingly like him ran out with a smile on his face. "Dad! You’re here!"

"You haven’t been here in so long."

Qian Duoduo grunted in acknowledgment. In front of Qian Song, his demeanor was more imposing and stern.

The residence was highly private, and Qian Duoduo and Qian Song sat together in the living room.

"Dad, what took you so long to visit this time?"

"Company business."

"What could be so important? Too important to come see your son?" Qian Song’s tone toward Qian Duoduo was surprisingly familiar, suggesting they met fairly often. "I never got to grow up by your side, never even got to be close to you. If you don’t come see Mom and me, the two of us..."

"...it’s like we don’t even exist." A heavy, theatrical sigh escaped Qian Song. "No one around here even knows I have a father."

Playing the sympathy card had no effect on Qian Duoduo. He just grunted and said coolly, "You and I look too much alike. If you were to just show up at the company, it would very likely have a negative impact."

"The stock price would fall."

The expression on Qian Song’s face hardened.

But something even more crushing was to come. Qian Duoduo leaned back on the sofa, every inch the lord. "The reason I’ve been busy is that Xingxing has been delivering results."

"You manage a branch remotely, too. The streamer you were developing before has decent abilities, I suppose, but Xingxing recently discovered a much more talented one."

After he said this, Qian Duoduo paused, a rare expression of praise on his face. "I have a hunch that this streamer will become the new economic pillar of the food channel."

"...So, Dad, you came all the way here just to tell me this?"

"In *this* house, the home I share with my mother and you, you’re going to talk about Qian Xingxing?"

"It’s a company matter." Qian Duoduo frowned. "Is that any way to speak to me? What did your mother teach you?"

"I came to tell you that going forward, you can look for your economic pillar in other categories. I’ll approve some featured slots for you. From now on, the featured slots for the food channel will go to Xingxing."

"So you came all this way to say that just because you’re afraid I’ll make a scene?" Qian Song stood up, his face dark.

"I’m just trying to keep things fair between you two."

"Fair?! You call making me step aside for him fair? What kind of streamer could be better than Wang Henli? I don’t believe it!"

"Then you can go find out for yourself. That’s all I have to say. No need to call your mother back. I have to get back to the company; I have a dinner meeting today."

With that, Qian Duoduo got up and left.

He came and went so quickly the tea was still hot.

’What the hell was all of that?’ Qian Song viciously snatched the teacup from his father’s seat and smashed it on the floor.

’Is this the difference between a legitimate son and an illegitimate one?’

’Damn old man! If you were going to treat us so differently, you shouldn’t have had me in the first place! To bring me into this world just to have me step aside completely for Qian Xingxing? In your dreams!’

His face twisted into a ferocious scowl. Qian Duoduo wanted him to take a step back, but he would do the exact opposite!

’He had built his empire on the food channel bit by bit. Hand it over? Impossible.’

’He was 44 years old. It was time for a true confrontation with that ’young master.’’

’A loving marriage? A harmonious family?’

’Soon, that young master would learn just how filthy all of it really was.’

’He would tear away half of the livestreaming group for himself, no matter the cost.’

...

"Wang Henli, get to my residence. Immediately."

"Something’s come up."