Pei Xiyue knelt on the ground, crying, pressing his forehead against his grandfather’s bony hand, his voice hoarse as he said, “I’m sorry; I lied to you. Second Uncle and the others took over the company, and I only kept the real estate. It’s not enough now.”
Pei Mingjiang broke down, his voice hoarse as he shouted, “How could you—”
His last few words faded away; he could no longer speak, but Pei Xiyue understood what he meant.
How could he have given away the company?
But what else could he do?
Pei Xiyue himself was a poor student, having graduated from high school without attending university. What did he know about being a boss? Who would recognize him?
Pei Mingjiang had already distributed shares to them back then.
Pei Xiyue cried continuously but remained silent.
He didn’t dare to speak up about how the Pei family members took over the company, turning their backs on him. He wanted them to bear the medical expenses, but everyone claimed the company was in trouble and refused to pay. Even after everything, Pei Xiyue had sold off everything he could, including items gifted by his mother.
There was nothing left to sell.
Pei Mingjiang understood why no one except his grandson came to see him. He knew he couldn’t fight any longer and gradually fell into despair, closing his eyes in resignation.
In the end, he had lost. After secretly competing for a lifetime, he had thought he had won, but now he was utterly defeated, realizing he was no match for the other party. The moment he acted, the Pei family fell apart.
His son was dead.
The gap between the grandchildren had only widened!
Pei Mingjiang ultimately passed away, willingly removing the oxygen mask to lessen the burden on his grandson.
After his death, Pei Xiyue arranged the funeral.
It wasn’t grand, but several of his uncles still attended, each symbolically giving a little money to Pei Xiyue before leaving.
Pei Mingjiang’s previously beloved grandson, Pei Cheng, didn’t show up. He could not do so, having failed to get into university and unable to compete for the family assets. He hadn’t received much.
Proud and sensitive, he was unwilling to lower his standards, and the money he had soon ran out. Under pressure from his grandmother to work, he refused and ran away, never returning.
Pei Qi was still in prison, and she didn’t care about the situation at all… Her biological father had taken the money and run, leaving no one to care for her, and no one to bother whether she was there or not.
After the funeral, Pei Xiyue followed his mother to live in another province.
He Yue came from a decent family and had been pampered since childhood. After her husband passed away, she didn’t stay single; instead, she married another relatively well-off middle-aged man arranged by her parents.
The man had a daughter who was five years older than Pei Xiyue and was already starting to take over her father’s business.
He Yue moved in with Pei Xiyue, but their presence had little practical impact on him.
At that moment, Pei Xiyue felt what Fu Qingli must have experienced during her time with the Pei family.
Living under someone else’s roof was truly uncomfortable.
He was still repeating a year, and He Yue’s husband wasn’t going to help him find a particularly good school abroad; the cost would be too high. After all, he was just a child without any blood ties, and it wouldn’t be worth it.
So, if he wanted to attend a good school, he had to study on his own.
He Yue didn’t want to lose face, so she forced him to repeat at a nearby high school.
Pei Xiyue could only obey.
The atmosphere in the repeat class was very intense; self-study often extended until nine at night. Pei Xiyue was tall and grew hungry quickly. After school, he wanted a bowl of noodles, but whenever he encountered his stepsister returning from work, a slight frown from her could ruin his appetite.
It felt as if eating even a bite more was taking advantage of someone else.
After all, He Yue didn’t have a job or any income, yet he had to rely on others for his sustenance!
This feeling was unbearable, and he felt it every single day.
During the New Year and other holidays, the man’s relatives and friends would come over, and he had to be present. That was the most terrifying time; everyone would criticize him, saying things like, “This kid looks good; let’s hope he’s not a white-eyed wolf in the future.”
“Who knows? Good-looking people often have dark hearts. Why raise him at all? He’s already grown up!”
“Old Zheng is foolish; he’s raising someone else’s son. If this boy competes with his daughter for the family assets, just wait and see him cry.”
“Tut, tut, it’s really…”
They didn’t hold back from discussing him. A fallen Pei family elicited no fear from them, allowing them to speak without restraint.
Pei Xiyue could only passively listen. Gradually, the once proud boy became silent, the sparkle in his eyes faded, and he didn’t seem so handsome anymore. The girls who used to admire him were gone.
He was walking the same path Fu Qingli had walked for nearly ten years, and in such a short time, he was already on the brink of collapse.
No wonder Fu Qingli felt no nostalgia for the Pei family.
Sometimes, the mental torment was even more terrifying than the physical suffering, especially since the Pei family hadn’t truly provided her with any financial assistance; all she received was what she deserved.
Pei Xiyue understood but felt even worse because he had once treated Fu Qingli this way. Now, he was on the receiving end of such treatment, and facing the sarcasm from those people, he found he had no strength to refute them.
Whenever he wanted to argue back, the words he once said to Fu Qingli echoed in his mind.
He Yue, with an unchanged expression, walked upstairs and saw her son standing on the stairs with a slightly bent back. She furrowed her brow and asked, “What’s wrong again?”
Pei Xiyue hurriedly shook his head, silently lowering it once more.
Having just learned of her husband’s infidelity, He Yue was feeling distressed. Seeing her son like this was a stark contrast to the vibrant boy she remembered, making her even more displeased. “All you do is hang your head! Can’t you be a little more promising? If I had known earlier, I wouldn’t have taken you with me!”
Pei Xiyue listened to her harsh words, pressed his lips together, and continued to remain silent.
What could he say?
He felt his mother was right; he truly was the unpromising one. Otherwise, at twenty years old, why would he still be relying on others?
After He Yue finished her complaints, her son remained quiet, and it felt like she had punched a pillow, frustratingly continuing her way upstairs while muttering, “I regret it; I’d have been better off letting Fu Qingli be my daughter-in-law. At least everyone would envy me now…”
Pei Xiyue suddenly sneered, “Even so, she wouldn’t have respected a mother-in-law with a mouth like yours. Wake up! Fu Qingli could treat us so ruthlessly because you contributed to it!”
He Yue’s face turned pale, and she glared at her son in anger, exclaiming, “Shut up!”
Pei Xiyue scoffed and quickly went upstairs to his room. A little while later, he came back out with a backpack.
He Yue shouted anxiously, “Where are you going?!”
Pei Xiyue replied expressionlessly, “I’m not staying here. I’m an adult now; I should take care of myself.”
He shook off He Yue’s hand and strode out. The community was large, and he walked for a long time before reaching the outside. A bus came by, and without a second thought, he got on and found a seat.
He wanted to leave this place first and think about where to go next.
The world was vast; there had to be a place for him.
Suddenly, he heard a familiar voice: “This isn’t just my achievement; thank you, everyone.”
Pei Xiyue looked up sharply to see a television on the bus broadcasting a news segment praising a new patent developed by Fu Qingli’s team.
The camera showed the twenty-year-old girl, vibrant and beautiful, appearing nothing like the girl from three years ago at the Pei family.
The host’s voice was filled with envy, boldly stating that she had achieved so much at such a young age, receiving countless awards, and was undoubtedly a national treasure-level talent for the future…
Pei Xiyue looked down at himself, covering his face, too ashamed to lift his head again.
Fortunately, she hadn’t mentioned what had happened in the Pei family to anyone else; otherwise, the Pei family would truly be scorned by everyone, and everyone would blame them for nearly extinguishing such a talented individual who had contributed so much to the country!
Sam Williams On TYMIMA Chapter 152