The Sweetest Marriage Ch.368

Chapter 368 – Heaven’s Cruel Joke

A significant event took place recently in Shanghai. This event might have been unknown to the general public, but it stirred up an enormous wave within the business community of Shanghai.

The event stemmed from one of the longstanding prestigious families of Shanghai, the Wei family.

The Wei Corporation, which had always been a leading figure in the business community of Shanghai, suddenly announced a change in chairmanship, with Wei Zhenxiong taking over.

Behind the apparent change in leadership, what kind of conspiracy had actually taken place?

Onlookers speculated wildly, envisioning a gripping drama. However, regardless of the drama they imagined, the fact remained undisputed: the Wei family was now under the leadership of Wei Zhenxiong.

Just as various forces in Shanghai were contemplating how to connect with Wei Zhenxiong, multiple banks in Shanghai abruptly announced the termination of their cooperation with the Wei Corp. Moreover, they urged the Wei Corp to repay all outstanding loans.

The suddenness of these events caught the onlookers off guard. By the time they reacted, Wei Corp stocks plummeted, further aggravated by the revelation that several of the Wei Corp’s pivotal industries had long ceased to belong to them. This was an earth-shattering revelation, leaving Shanghai’s business community stunned. The Wei Corp, which had been running smoothly just last month, had overnight fallen into such a dire situation.

Now, without a substantial injection of funds into the Wei Corp, the only path ahead for them was declaring bankruptcy.

The business circles of Shanghai, and even the entire nation, couldn’t fathom how the centuries-old Wei Corp had suddenly met this fate.

Amidst sympathetic reports, speculations ran rampant. Everyone wondered which powerful entity the Wei family had offended, leading to such a devastating blow.

Truly, there had been no warning signs at all.

People outside were shocked by the speed of the Wei Corp’s downfall. What about Wei Zhenxiong, who was right at the center of this whirlpool?

Upon reviewing the financial statements, Wei Zhenxiong was so infuriated that he was hospitalized. After some intensive care, he eventually regained consciousness.

As he regained consciousness, the bank’s demand for repayment was delivered to Wei Zhenxiong by the Wei Corp’s general manager.

Looking at the repayment notice, Wei Zhenxiong was on the verge of fainting due to rage.

In just a matter of days, the contrast between heaven and hell had become glaringly apparent.

Wei Zhenxiong thought he had everything from the Wei family and was basking in his own glory when a bolt from the blue struck mercilessly. In an instant, he fell from heaven to hell, and Wei Zhenxiong was utterly bewildered.

Faced with the massive debt owed by the Wei family, Wei Zhenxiong truly contemplated ending it all.

But in the face of death, Wei Zhenxiong was terribly afraid. Everything had happened so suddenly, leaving him somewhat unprepared.

When Wei Zhenxiong finally reacted, the first thought that crossed his mind was of his father, Old Master Wei.

“He is my father; he will surely save me!”

Thinking so, Wei Zhenxiong mustered all his strength and returned to the Wei residence from his sickbed. However, he didn’t find his father; instead, Housekeeper Zhang intercepted him outside the study.

“The old master says he’s too old; he can’t handle any of this,” Housekeeper Zhang said, showing no sympathy in his eyes. Today’s consequences were entirely Wei Zhenxiong’s fault.

Wei Zhenxiong wasn’t deserving of anyone’s pity.

However, this was the only path Wei Zhenxiong could think of. He pushed past Housekeeper Zhang, forcefully knocking on the study door, crying out in pain, “Dad, only you can save me now. No, Dad, only you can save the Wei Corp now. Dad, how can you be so heartless to abandon the Wei Corp when they’re in trouble?”

Wei Zhenxiong’s cries were hoarse, his face contorted in agony.

Why did it come to this? Wasn’t it all his? Why, in the end, did he not only get nothing but also end up buried in debt?

No matter how Wei Zhenxiong wailed outside the study door, there was no sound from within, giving the impression that there was no one inside.

Old Master Wei sat quietly in the study. Every word Wei Zhenxiong said reached his ears, yet he didn’t want to see Wei Zhenxiong again, despite him being his son.

He was old and sometimes negligent. Why did the Wei Corp collapse so suddenly this time? External forces were a key, but there were also internal reasons within the Wei Corp.

When Wei Zhenxiong collaborated with the Chen family, it turned out that the Chen family used Wei Zhenxiong to hollow out the Wei family completely.

How could Wei Zhenxiong be so naive? The Chen family was a hungry wolf. Being targeted by them, did he truly believe they were only after that port?

If it weren’t for Wei Zhenxiong inviting the wolf into his house, would the Wei family have fallen so quickly?

Fortunately, there were capable individuals in the Wei family. When the Chen family started their move, they quietly transferred the Wei Corp’s assets.

If not for those few individuals, Wei Zhenxiong couldn’t even fathom the depth of the Wei Corp’s current downfall.

This time, Wei Zhenxiong must be given a harsh lesson. He needs to realize his own worth and stop coveting what isn’t rightfully his.

Of course, one can only hope that Wei Zhenxiong seizes this opportunity to turn over a new leaf.

Although Old Master Wei knew this possibility was extremely slim.

Wei Zhenxiong cried and pleaded outside for a long time. When Old Master Wei didn’t appear, his pleas turned into curses. He uttered such harsh words, ones he wouldn’t have said before.

In the end, realizing Old Master Wei truly didn’t intend to see him, Wei Zhenxiong left in a huff. Once away from the Wei family, he called various friends, but getting one call answered out of ten was extremely lucky.

Those friends who used to be close to Wei Zhenxiong were now avoiding him like the plague.

One friend, tired of Wei Zhenxiong’s harassment, reluctantly answered the phone and started cursing at him without letting him speak. The message was clear: Wei Zhenxiong, don’t drag others down with you. Understand the situation and don’t ruin others because you’re falling.

Enraged, Wei Zhenxiong threw his phone, realizing belatedly that he was now isolated and without support.

In that moment, Wei Zhenxiong felt desolate. Just a few days ago, he was at the pinnacle, and now, overnight, he had plummeted to this extent?

It was then that Wei Zhenxiong remembered Wei Chen.

Wei Chen had been a senior executive in a state-owned enterprise for many years and presumably amassed considerable wealth. It was only natural to lend him a helping hand in his time of need, after all, he was Wei Zhenxiong’s son, his own flesh and blood.

Without delay, Wei Zhenxiong purchased a ticket to the capital city and rushed there overnight. He first waited in Wei Chen’s residential area but didn’t see Wei Chen or Chen Li come out after a night’s wait. By morning, when it was time for work, Wei Zhenxiong still hadn’t seen Wei Chen.

Failing to find Wei Chen at home, Wei Zhenxiong went to Changfeng Group. He refused to believe that Wei Chen wouldn’t be at work.

Wei Chen was indeed at work, but Wei Zhenxiong couldn’t meet him as planned; instead, he was escorted out by the security guards.

Even though Wei Zhenxiong made a scene and caused a commotion at Changfeng Group, Wei Chen seemed oblivious to it all.

“Get your general manager down here! I am his father! If he doesn’t come down, I’ll let the whole world know how he treats his old father!” Wei Zhenxiong, feeling cornered, no longer cared about his dignity.

However, the passersby near the Changfeng Group were all in a hurry and paid no attention to him. The few who did pass by glanced at him as if he were a madman. At the moment, Wei Zhenxiong did indeed look like one—disheveled clothes, unkempt beard, and unruly hair, shouting and claiming to be the father of the company’s general manager.

Could someone who appeared like that really be the father of the Changfeng Group’s general manager?

Some bystanders couldn’t tolerate it anymore and called the police.

The police arrived promptly, and typically, such incidents would result in a brief detention followed by a release after some education. However, someone seemed to take issue with Wei Zhenxiong. Surprisingly, he was detained for two days and two nights.

During his time in detention, something unpleasant happened to Wei Zhenxiong, although the specifics were unknown. When he emerged from custody, he was battered and bruised, barely recognizable.

Wei Zhenxiong believed Wei Chen had orchestrated this. His hatred for his son intensified, and he decided to wait again at the Changfeng Group.

This time he was smarter, not causing a scene but instead waiting for Wei Chen after work.

At this moment, Wei Zhenxiong looked like a homeless man; there was no trace of the former glory of the Wei family. He was utterly disheveled.

As the evening sunset approached, it was time for work to end. Wei Zhenxiong’s eyes scanned the people coming and going from Changfeng Group. His bruised eyes widened, afraid of missing Wei Chen’s figure.

Wei Chen was tall and stood out in the crowd. When he emerged, Wei Zhenxiong spotted him immediately.

Wei Zhenxiong jumped up, “Achen!”

Ironically, this “Achen” was the most emotionally charged name Wei Zhenxiong had uttered for Wei Chen since his birth.

Wei Chen paused upon hearing his father’s call. He looked at Wei Zhenxiong with cold eyes, expressionless. Wei Zhenxiong’s steps faltered under Wei Chen’s gaze, feeling a bit lost.

In that moment, Wei Zhenxiong wasn’t sure what he was thinking, his gaze revealing a complexity of emotions.

Before him stood a young man, tall and elegant in a well-fitted suit, exuding an elite aura from head to toe.

Wei Chen was outstanding, a fact Wei Zhenxiong had never denied. But it was precisely because of Wei Chen’s excellence that Wei Zhenxiong harbored more resentment and jealousy toward him.

Because he believed Wei Chen wasn’t his child.

And because…

The more exceptional Wei Chen was, the more it highlighted his own failures.

Sometimes, Wei Zhenxiong couldn’t help but question why that illegitimate child could be so outstanding. Why could he enjoy everything the Wei family had brought?

The deeper Wei Zhenxiong delved into these thoughts, the deeper his hatred toward Wei Chen became. He believed Wei Chen shouldn’t have come into this world.

If it weren’t for Wei Chen growing up by the old master’s side, Wei Zhenxiong thought he might one day succumb to the urge to strangle Wei Chen with his own hands.

And now, fate had played an immense joke on him.

This exceptional Wei Chen was indeed his own flesh and blood.

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