Chapter 601 - 41: The Cannon Fodder Daughter and Her Cannon Fodder Dad (Part 41)

Standing amidst the crowd, Zhang Shuci looked at her with indifference.

To admit in front of so many people that he secretly took something from his family to give to an apprentice with no social status?

Or to admit that he is in a relationship with Shen Yaoyao, an orphan, behind everyone’s back?

Such matters only need a brief consideration, and the pros and cons immediately become clear.

He cannot afford to lose face like this.

Nor can the Zhang Family afford to lose face.

Especially in front of Lin Gao, he must carry himself with even more dignity.

So, faced with Shen Yaoyao’s cries, Zhang Shuci merely frowned, and when everyone cast suspicious glances at him, he shook his head indifferently.

"Previously, I sympathized with her predicament, so I took care of her a bit. I didn’t expect her to misunderstand."

Hearing this, the director’s wife became furious.

"That ill-mannered girl still dreams of getting close to our Shuci! How did your parents raise you?!"

Usually, the director’s wife would eagerly play the role of a gentle and gracious leader’s wife.

But at this moment, it was a matter of her lifeblood, concerning Zhang Shuci’s future reputation, and how could she remain calm now.

Seeing Shen Yaoyao’s face, her anger flared even more.

She’s trying to harm Shuci!

The director’s mother-in-law was even more direct, going up to Shen Yaoyao and slapping her face left and right, swelling it instantly.

"Have you no shame?! You dare to cozy up to anyone! Do you have any shame left? A girl like you will never be wanted by the Zhang Family, yet you want to tarnish Shuci’s name?

Call the police! Hurry, call the police!"

Looking at the family’s attitude, Shen Yaoyao was completely in despair.

She never expected that Zhang Shuci, who was usually gentle and generous, would become this cold and cowardly in the face of a real situation.

And his family, being so aggressive and domineering, had not the slightest semblance of a leader’s kin.

Shen Yaoyao realized she had boarded a rogue ship; she was utterly ruined.

In an instant, hatred toward Zhang Shuci and Jiang Lai made her bite her lip so hard it bled.

With reddened eyes, she glared at Zhang Shuci, still shouting.

"Zhang Shuci, you are worse than an animal! I gave you everything! And this is how you treat me! Zhang Shuci, I won’t let you off even as a ghost!"

Zhang Shuci received the latest kind of education, so he didn’t believe in ghosts and deities. Hearing Shen Yaoyao say this, he not only felt nothing but even wanted to laugh.

This woman’s intentions were impure from the outset.

She knew he was the director’s son from the start and schemed to get close, pretending to be pure, pretending to be weak.

He saw it all.

How could a woman like her ever be worthy of him?

To say he liked her, there was some fondness, but that fondness was easily shattered.

Just like now, Shen Yaoyao was worthless in his eyes.

Watching the scene unfold, Jiang Lai saw Shen Yaoyao biting aimlessly and helplessly, and helplessly shouted from the side.

"You said the things were given by him, since there’s no evidence of them given, then you should at least provide evidence of your relationship with him, right?"

Watching the commotion without caring how big it gets.

Shen Yaoyao now had no more songs to sing, but Jiang Lai wouldn’t let Zhang Shuci off so easily.

And with this reminder, Shen Yaoyao, whose mind was blank, quickly came to her senses, struggling and shrieking.

"Zhang Shuci, you have a scar on your thigh! A burn scar from hot water! You have a mole on your chest! You said yourself that it symbolizes ambition, and you said once you become the director you would boot the old leaders from the factory!

And you also said your Zhang Family rules like heaven! That everything here is under the Zhang Family’s control! You said without your Zhang steel mill, everyone here would be starving!

...

This is what you personally said! If people don’t believe it, have him strip and prove it! You’re guilty of being a bully! If I suffer, don’t think you’ll have it easy!"

The farce played out; Shen Yaoyao now wanted to extricate herself by proving these things were indeed given by Zhang Shuci, not stolen by her.

So she had to prove her relationship with Zhang Shuci.

The ambiguity and closeness between them were known to half the people in the steel mill’s restaurant.

But now, surely no one would speak on her behalf.

In desperation, Shen Yaoyao recounted thoroughly everything Zhang Shuci had said.

The scene was ugly, as ugly as Director Zhang’s face.

It was a family banquet, and he had invited several respected elders from the factory, some of whom had originally worked with Grandpa Lin Gao and had bad attitudes toward him after Grandpa Lin Gao’s death.

He had been seeking ways to smooth relations with them, seeing success almost at hand, but now, thanks to Shen Yaoyao’s troubling disclosure, anyone could see her unclear relationship with his son and these words likely came from his son’s mouth.

When Shen Yaoyao wanted to say more, she was already gagged by nearby people.

Jiang Lai continued shouting.

"I don’t think what she said sounds false, if it’s really a family matter then there’s no need to call the police, right.

After all, if the things weren’t stolen by your son, if they weren’t stolen by your daughter-in-law, what’s the difference?

Uncles and aunts, don’t you agree?"

The attendees were the old leaders, already displeased with what they heard before, now were even more candid in supporting Jiang Lai’s words.

"So it’s a family matter, must it be blown up so much, we outsiders shouldn’t crowd in, everyone, let’s leave."

"We’re old and should neither watch nor listen more; lest Mr. Zhang get upset and directly boot us old bones from the steel mill."

"We are the advanced figures, once met the chairman, does he want to kick us out? Hah! Let him try then!"

The elders spoke with considerable confidence.

Which indeed was true, the steel mill was a tightly united and isolated group, core figures aside from the director, included these old leaders.

They had been part of the factory since its establishment, watching it grow step by step; their reputation and position surpassed that of any foreign director.

And among these leaders, there were seven or eight standing here.

The director’s head was throbbing, not caring anymore about any fabulous gold earrings and bracelets.

He only thought about how to appease these elders.

In burning anger, he turned, swung fiercely at Zhang Shuci’s face.

This slap carried weight, a sense of moral righteousness akin to punishing one’s kin, sending Zhang Shuci’s frail frame flipping onto the ground.

"No sense of responsibility at all! How dare I let you learn in the factory!

Don’t be afraid, little girl, Zhang Hanzheng values responsibility above all in life! If this boy truly did it, the Zhang Family won’t mistreat you!

I, Zhang Hanzheng, will never wrong anyone!"