The Cannon Fodder NPC Went Too Far [Quick Transmigration] - Chapter 7
Chapter 7
“Shen Zheng, this is for you.”
Xia Yu pulled out a bouquet of pure white baby’s breath from her arms and handed it to Shen Zheng.
She had always been a good girl who knew how to repay kindness. Having received such a great favor from Shen Zheng this time, she ought to offer something in return.
Next time she displayed her great power, she would conquer the Shen family and give it to Shen Zheng to repay her debt of gratitude. Little Xia Yu in her mind clenched her fist, silently encouraging herself.
“Is this… a flower?” Shen Zheng was uncharacteristically stunned, her red lips slightly parted as she stared blankly at the bouquet of white baby’s breath in front of her.
“Shen Zheng, thank you for teaching me these past few days.” The girl held the bouquet and smiled sweetly at her, like the first ray of dawn piercing through the clouds at the break of spring, bright and splendid.
Her eyes curved into two little crescents with the smile, her long lashes fluttered gently. She stood poised and her smile was radiant as a flower.
Shen Zheng fluttered her eyelashes, momentarily stunned again. The instant she saw the girl, an engine ignited in her mind, like countless fireworks crackling and blooming, a tingling, numb sensation. What a strange feeling.
Shen Zheng’s fingertips tightened slightly. She uncharacteristically tilted her head in confusion. Was the feeling of helping others really this good?
Seeing Shen Zheng standing still and ignoring her, Xia Yu pouted slightly, looking down at the baby’s breath in her hands. As the CEO of a large company, Shen Zheng must have seen everything; her gift was indeed a bit humble.
Her fingers unconsciously tightened around the bouquet. She lightly tapped her heel on the floor, explaining clearly: “I saw them selling these downstairs at the company, and on a whim, I bought a bouquet. It might be a bit simple. I’ll give you something better next time.”
But this was the first gift she had ever given anyone; it was a heartfelt gesture. Shen Zheng absolutely had to accept it.
Having said that, Xia Yu raised her head high, wrinkled her nose slightly, and lifted the bouquet a bit higher, practically shoving it right in front of Shen Zheng. Her eyes were bright and clear, like a little phoenix with a raised tail. Her whole being seemed to be saying, I gave this to you, how can you not like it? Take it.
Just before Xia Yu anxiously tried to stuff the bouquet into Shen Zheng’s arms, Shen Zheng leaned down slightly, closed her eyes, and gently inhaled the scent of the baby’s breath in Xia Yu’s hands. Then, she looked up at her, a smile slowly spreading across her lips.
Her eyes were like they held the gentle moonlight, and their flowing light reflected only Xia Yu’s face.
“I like it very much. Thank you, CEO Xia.”
Xia Yu was rarely shy, pursing her lips into a smile, feeling a dizzy intoxication, much like the first time she secretly drank fruit wine at a banquet after her coming-of-age ceremony. She felt as though she might shatter in Shen Zheng’s sparkling eyes.
For a moment, she didn’t know whether the feeling was due to the flower or the person in front of her.
The next morning, Shen Zheng sat formally at her office desk, holding a pen and nonchalantly reviewing documents, as usual.
What was significantly different was the presence of a flower vase on her desk, holding a bouquet of pure white baby’s breath, their stalks spreading out freely. It was strikingly out of place with the minimalist and cold style of her office.
Qin Assistant walked in with a large stack of documents and immediately saw the bouquet.
Relying on her excellent professional conduct, she walked straight past it, picked up the files, and proceeded to explain them one by one.
Shen Zheng slightly raised her eyes, nodding vaguely. Her distinctly jointed hand hovered over the baby’s breath, her fingertips weaving among the white flowers, occasionally gently pinching a small bloom and idly twirling it.
She appeared absent-minded, but was intentionally playing with it. Normally, CEO Shen didn’t have a habit of fidgeting while working. If she kept handling the flowers, they would wilt.
Seriously, why is she showing off to me? I’m not Xia Yu. What good is this peacock display to me? Go show the young lady.
I get it, I get it. I know the flowers are from your sweetheart.
Qin Assistant mentally clicked her tongue, feeling a mix of wanting to roll her eyes and wanting to laugh. Seeing Shen Zheng’s antics, if she didn’t acknowledge the flowers, she feared Shen Zheng might fiddle with them all day.
Qin Assistant sighed internally, then, with impeccable attention to detail, feigned surprise at the baby’s breath on Shen Zheng’s desk, asking with slight confusion: “CEO Shen, what is this?”
“Xia Yu gave it to me. She specifically chose it,” Shen Zheng nonchalantly replied, retracting her hand when Qin Assistant finally noticed. However, the high curve of her lips and the sparkling light in her eyes instantly broke through the self-imposed severity and coldness she typically wore while working.
Qin Assistant secretly glanced at Shen Zheng repeatedly, her curiosity overwhelming. Seeing that Shen Zheng didn’t elaborate, she stubbornly asked: “Did CEO Shen give a return gift?”
“A return gift? Why should I give a return gift? This is payment for my hard work teaching her these past few days,” Shen Zheng retorted without hesitation, feeling completely justified.
Besides, why would she need a return gift? It would make the relationship seem distant, like the superficial exchanges of high society families. If the child wanted something, she just needed to tell her, and Shen Zheng would naturally get it for her.
If it weren’t for the fact that she couldn’t use her phone during work hours, Qin Assistant would genuinely want to photograph Shen Zheng’s oblivious face right now, to mercilessly mock her later and maybe sell the picture for a good price.
After secretly scorning the slow-witted person, Qin Assistant finally remembered the serious matter at hand and reported with a solemn expression: “CEO Shen, the Head of the Shen Family’s 70th birthday is in a few days. They sent an invitation, requesting that you attend the banquet promptly.”
“Truly, a married daughter is like spilled water. Now they are even using the word ‘attend the banquet.’ Honestly…” Shen Zheng sneered, the corner of her lips curving coldly.
“Also, CEO Shen, they specifically mentioned that Miss Xia should accompany you to the banquet. They said the Head of the Shen Family wishes to meet your stepdaughter.”
The moment the words fell, Qin Assistant watched, unsurprised, as Shen Zheng’s face completely darkened. A thin layer of ice mist clouded her narrow, sharp black eyes.
She gave a light, cold chuckle, her slender fingers rhythmically tapping the desk. Her piercing gaze was vicious and icy, sending shivers down the spine.
As if talking to herself, she quietly said: “Father is turning 70 so soon. At this age, it’s time he relinquished his position, isn’t it? He can’t keep sitting on the toilet and not passing anything.”
“And my dear brother, with the title of the Shen family’s eldest legitimate son, occupying the position of Shen family heir for decades with his foolish mind and idiotic way of doing things, it’s time to set things right and consolidate the overall situation.”
“Qin Ying, proceed as planned. Keep a close eye on things. Thank you for your trouble.”
“Yes, CEO Shen.” Qin Assistant respectfully nodded to Shen Zheng, looking up at Shen Zheng’s severe profile. A few strands of hair fluttered casually beside Shen Zheng’s cheek.
Beneath her thick eyelashes, her dark eyes were unfathomable. Her furrowed brows were like a stream of meteors in the cold night, carrying a chilling heroism. She was like a lion that had been dormant on the ground for a long time, suddenly startled awake, ready to devour anyone who dared to offend her. This was the real Shen Zheng.
To be able to develop her own power under the watchful eyes of such an intrigue-ridden, top-tier wealthy family, and to bite off a chunk of power from those old fogeys who strictly adhered to seniority, making them rage and point fingers at her while being completely unable to stop her—Shen Zheng was never an ordinary person.
It was only because she had hidden her sharp edge these past years that those old fogeys, who had been wary of her since she snatched half the authority from the Shen family’s young master, gradually let down their guard.
Seeing that they couldn’t stop Shen Zheng, they internally comforted themselves. If a capable woman in the family temporarily managed the family assets, they could accept it. After all, once she married, the family assets would return to their own hands.
It wasn’t until these assets gradually flourished under Shen Zheng’s management and the younger generation and affiliated families grew increasingly convinced of her abilities, with her prestige even surpassing the current young master of the Shen family, that they realized what was happening and finally panicked.
The Head of the Shen Family, along with influential elders of the clan, urgently convened a family meeting, subtly pressuring Shen Zheng to marry quickly. After Shen Zheng put them off many times, they even set a time limit, commanding her to complete the marriage within the specified time.
Ever since Shen Zheng took control of a portion of the family assets, she had been secretly planning a coup d’état. The plan was now largely implemented, and success was within sight. She didn’t want to completely sever ties with those old people yet. So, she decided to secretly look for a suitable candidate for a fake marriage.
It so happened that the head of the Xia family, a second-tier wealthy family, was critically ill and not expected to live long. He was willing to sign an agreement with her and willingly hand over all the Xia family’s assets, only asking her to protect his only daughter and save her life.
Although the Xia family’s assets were insignificant in Shen Zheng’s eyes, and judging from Xia Qiyuan’s tone, his daughter was quite troublesome, this was the best candidate she could find in a short amount of time.
She was in a hurry, so she settled the deal and held a wedding for the Shen family’s old fogeys to see, which served as an overt declaration to the Shen family.
The current invitation to the Shen family head’s birthday banquet was likely a pretext. Shen Zheng held many profitable assets, and those old fogeys were probably now eyeing them greedily, eager to swarm in and try to get a piece of the action.
They didn’t consider that Shen Zheng, who could stir up trouble right under their noses right after she came of age, and who had nearly ten years of experience now, wouldn’t let them mess around. They truly hadn’t learned anything.
Then again, the Shen family people were inherently ignorant and arrogant, exuding the stench of 19th-century feudal lords. They probably still believed that Shen Zheng’s willingness to manage the family assets as a woman was her absolute limit. They never expected that the woman they raised in their own family would harbor such grand ambition and dare to covet that position.
Shen Zheng casually flipped through the intelligence reports on other Shen family assets. Beneath the flowery facade lay a mess. She coldly curled her lip.
She did covet that position, but she coveted a prosperous Shen family. The current Shen family was a chaotic, riddled mess.
If she truly wanted it, would she have bothered planning for so long, waiting until now? It was time for those outdated elements, along with the garbage, to be completely swept away in this cleansing, giving the Shen family a clean future.
After years of building up her strength, it was finally time to draw her sword and execute the culprits.