Chapter 45: Grandfather's Legacy

As a business prodigy who single-handedly built the Leng Corporation, President Leng was thoroughly adept at suppressing the faction from the Cheng family. A brief five-minute speech left the shareholders on the scene immensely satisfied.

After all, a helmsman needed to be someone capable of bringing profits to the enterprise and making money for the shareholders.

To have Leng Lie step forward—these people were entirely pleased!

As for the management of the Cheng family, they temporarily dared not express any stance. After all, Leng Lie possessed vast wealth and a powerful influence, commanding a formidable pool of talented subordinates. If these veteran executives tried to pull rank or rely on their seniority, he could simply dismiss them and replace them with his own people!

On the other side, Wei Dongming stared with wide eyes, nearly fainting from sheer fury. He had originally thought that even if Wei Zhu became the majority shareholder of the Cheng family, she was merely a little girl who knew nothing about running a corporation, entirely at his mercy. He could slowly swindle the shares out of her hands or resort to other means!

Never had he imagined that Wei Zhu would have made her choice long ago, striking a deal with Leng Lie in advance.

After today, Leng Lie’s money would be transferred to Wei Zhu's account. Moving forward, her relationship with Cheng's seven hotels and one resort would be nothing more than that of a landlord!

With management no longer involving her, even if Wei Dongming harbored any schemes, they could no longer touch Wei Zhu!

What a brilliant strategy of borrowing a knife to kill!

With everything settled, Wei Dongming was released by the law enforcement officers and slumped dejectedly into a guest seat in the conference room. At this moment, the throne of the chairman was forever beyond his reach.

As a newly appointed official taking office, Leng Lie was naturally extremely busy, but Wei Zhu had no intention of lingering here any longer. She walked up to Wei Dongming, her pale lips parting slightly as she uttered ruthless words: "Dad, I remember that the house you currently live in is also part of my grandfather's property. I certainly don't want a kept mistress and a homewrecker living in a home filled with memories of me and my mother. So, I'm terribly sorry, but please move out today! Of course, I will have all the furniture you newly purchased thrown... straight out!"

"You unfilial wretch, you money-drainer, damn it all!" Finally able to move, Wei Dongming burst into a tirade of fierce curses and struck Wei Zhu across the face with a heavy slap!

Wei Zhu took the blow unflinchingly, bearing it with stoic silence!

The surrounding reporters, witnessing this scene, immediately raised their cameras and snapped rapid photos!

The enraged slap from an adult man directly left a purplish-red mark on Wei Zhu’s porcelain-white face.

Even the corner of Wei Zhu's mouth began to bleed!

Yet, Wei Zhu wore no expression whatsoever as she coldly gazed at Wei Dongming.

"Dad, over all these years, have you ever truly fulfilled the responsibilities of a father? You tricked my mother into marrying you simply for the Cheng family assets. The moment my mother passed away, you brought He Xiaohe right into our home, along with two daughters older than me. Do you have any idea what I was thinking back then?"

"Relying on your status as my grandfather's son-in-law, you took another woman as your wife, effectively driving my grandfather to his grave out of sheer fury. You condoned He Xiaohe's abuse of me, depriving me of food and clothing. I, the true and rightful heir to the Cheng family group, actually had to go out and work odd jobs, washing dishes just to earn enough for living expenses. Is this the kind of life an heir should lead?"

"He Xiaohe beat and scolded me in secret; Wei Qing could kick me down the stairs at will, and even relied on her status as a Xuan practitioner to beat me to the brink of death. Is this what a father is supposed to do?"

"And you... after I awakened my Xuan core, fearing that I would threaten your position and wealth, you actually wanted to have me kidnapped and auctioned off in the underground black market! I am your flesh and blood, yet you were so ruthless. You are simply utterly demented!"

Wei Zhu spoke these words with absolute calmness, but the calmer she remained, the more intensely everyone could sense the agony she had endured over the past decade or more. Her trembling shoulders and slightly damp eye corners revealed the profound grievances surging within her heart.

Wei Zhu was not putting on an act. In truth, she would have preferred to maintain a more composed demeanor, but none of these events were false—they were all deeply real. They even carried the bitter sorrow from her previous life after Wei Dongming successfully persecuted her. Speaking the truth required no embellishment whatsoever to deliver a deeply shocking impact.

"If I had a choice, I truly would not wish for you to be my father. But you are. Yet I have no desire to push things to absolute ruin. Wei Dongming, from this moment on, we sever our father-daughter relationship. You take your wide sunny road, and I will cross my single-plank bridge. I hope we never cross paths again." Having finished with utter calm, Wei Zhu covered her face and turned away. The surrounding law enforcement officers shielded her, preventing the reporters from interviewing her, while the pack of journalists swarmed straight toward Wei Dongming.

"Mr. Wei? Is everything Miss Wei Zhu said true? Did you marry the Cheng family heiress purely for money?"

"Mr. Wei? Is it true that you subsequently took a mistress and have two daughters older than Miss Wei Zhu?"

"Miss Wei Zhu suffered such abuse at home, yet you did nothing to stop it? Were you aware of this all along?"

"Mr. Wei..."

"Mr. Wei..."

"Scram! Get lost, all of you! What is wrong with a father disciplining his own daughter? She has completely lost her mind, actually daring to sell her shares! Those belong to me, they all belong to me!"

Wei Dongming had been driven mad with rage. Had he retained a shred of sanity, he would never have dared to speak thus. These reporters were not to be trifled with; each of them possessed sharp tongues, and they were already incensed by his act of striking Wei Zhu.

Now that Wei Dongming was actually shouting such ruthless threats, they harbored not a single doubt about Wei Zhu's accusations. Wei Dongming must have subjected Wei Zhu to domestic violence. It was unimaginable what kind of life Wei Zhu had lived before the age of sixteen, nearly being sold off to an underground black market!

Wei Zhu was such a delicate young girl, merely sixteen years old, looking as exquisite and fragile as fine white porcelain—a beauty demanding pity and protection, yet Wei Dongming had actually struck her. This was simply unforgivable!

Wei Dongming was completely surrounded by the furious reporters!

Stepping out of the main doors, Wei Zhu turned her head to look back at Wei Dongming being besieged by the press. At that moment, she knew she had succeeded. She had finally stripped Wei Dongming of everything he owned!

"Wei Zhu!" A voice suddenly called out from beside her. Wei Zhu turned her head and realized it was an acquaintance.

"Uncle Han!" Wei Zhu nodded politely. This Han Cheng was a talent personally cultivated by her grandfather. In fact, she had heard rumors that back in the day, her grandfather had held Han Cheng in extremely high regard, hoping he would become the son-in-law of the Cheng family. Who could have known what blinded Cheng Lan into falling for Wei Dongming instead.

"Seeing you like this today, Uncle Han is overjoyed!" Han Cheng’s body trembled slightly with a mixture of excitement and sorrow, the corners of his eyes growing moist. "You are strong, just like your grandfather. Half a month ago, when Wei Dongming announced you were missing, I was fully prepared to submit my resignation and leave the Cheng family on this very day if you failed to appear!"

"Uncle Han, I'm sorry. I know you stayed here all this time hoping that one day I would take over the Cheng family. Unfortunately, I sold it off; I'm not suited for this position!"

"I know. No need to apologize. Uncle Han doesn't blame you. You did well, very well!" Han Cheng said with a sigh as he produced a small box containing a key. "Your grandfather handed this to me before he passed away, instructing me to keep it in a safe deposit box at Huatian Bank. You can go and retrieve it."

"What is it?" Wei Zhu turned to him with a look of puzzlement, as this was something completely unknown to her prior to her rebirth.

"I don't know either. I was only responsible for keeping it safe. Now that I hand it over to you, my task is complete!" Han Cheng replied.

"Thank you, Uncle Han!" Wei Zhu bowed to show her gratitude to the elder.

A look of gratification crossed Han Cheng's eyes as he nodded and said, "Go on. You have other matters to attend to; go take care of them!"

"Goodbye, Uncle Han! I'll come visit you when I have the chance!" Wei Zhu said, placing the box containing the key safely inside her handbag.