C9 Chu Fann Was Going to the Banquet!

"Guo Chao, you need to pick me up and take me to school!" Chen Mengyu barked into the phone.

"What's the matter?" Guo Chao yelled back.

"Just get over here fast if I'm asking you to," Chen Mengyu snapped before abruptly ending the call.

A mere ten minutes later, a BMW pulled up in front of Chen Mengyu's residence.

No sooner had she settled into the car than Chen Mengyu launched into a tirade of expletives.

"I can't believe Mingzhu Group chose my sister to head the project. Grandma had already promised me the project manager position, and then my sister goes and steals it right from under me! I'm livid." Fuming, Chen Mengyu slipped her feet out of her high heels, propped them on the dashboard, reclined her seat, and lay there seething.

"To tell you the truth, Mingzhu Group has been acting odd lately. They've even scrapped their partnership with our Guo family. It's like they're holding a grudge, causing us to lose millions. My dad's been stressing about it for days," Guo Chao vented, echoing Chen Mengyu's frustration.

"Really? That's so bizarre!"

In Jing'an District, countless businesses depend on Mingzhu Group for their livelihood. Securing a single project with them could sustain a company for years, which is why everyone is falling over themselves to get in Mingzhu Group's good graces.

As Jing'an District's flagship enterprise, Mingzhu Group has secured a multitude of projects externally, making them the lifeline for smaller companies seeking growth.

With the Guo family's partnership with Mingzhu Group now severed, they're facing tougher times than the Chen family, who still landed the contract, albeit with a different project leader.

"Once I'm back in charge of the project, I'll reach out to Mingzhu Group's executives and see if I can throw the Guo family a lifeline," Chen Mengyu declared.

The pair then drove off to the school. Upon arrival, Chen Mengyu didn't waste a moment and called Chen Mengyao to meet them.

Unaware of the unfolding drama, Chen Mengyao felt a surge of anxiety as she descended from her dorm and saw her sister and Guo Chao waiting. The sight of Chen Mengyu approaching with a menacing air sent a wave of fear through her.

"How on earth did you manage to wrestle this project away from me? All these years, and I never realized you had it in you. You've really stepped up your game!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Chen Mengyao quickly denied, shaking her head.

"No idea? Still playing innocent with me? As of now, you're the lead on the Chen family's collaboration with Mingzhu Group. Are you claiming you're unaware of that?" Chen Mengyu challenged her. She had quite the knack for theatrics. Was it possible she didn't know something so significant?

"I truly didn't know. After leaving, I ran into Mr. Chu Fann. He dropped me off at school, and then you called. I haven't had the chance to catch up on such matters," Chen Mengyao explained, her voice tinged with urgency.

"You and he are perfect for each other. Why not just marry him? I'm at a loss for words to describe you two!" Chen Mengyu scoffed, unable to hide her disdain.

"I'm giving you one more chance to come clean with me."

"I honestly don't know a thing. You should be asking Grandma about this!"

Chen Mengyao's frantic explanations were cut short as Chen Mengyu slapped her across the face, leaving her dazed.

"You've become utterly shameless. Since Chu Fann entered our lives, you've shown your true colors. You pity him, and now you've even started lying to me. Are you planning to leave the Chen family next?" Chen Mengyu hissed, twisting her ear with a chilling sneer.

"Ouch, that hurts!"

Chen Mengyao's cry of pain drew the attention of more and more onlooking students, her face flushing with embarrassment.

"Come and see for yourselves, everyone! This is my sister, who stole my job and is involved with my fiancé. Feel free to get acquainted with her," Chen Mengyu announced loudly, drawing a crowd that blocked the path and began to jeer at Chen Mengyao, hurling insults that left her mortified.

The spectators were indifferent to the gravity of the situation, reveling in the drama. Many were fellow students, some even classmates of Chen Mengyao, who thought they knew her.

"She's always seemed so gentle and reserved. Who would've thought she could be so malicious?"

Many boys were smitten with her, yet she harbored feelings for her brother-in-law.

"You've got it all wrong!"

Chen Mengyao sobbed, only to be knocked to the ground by a swift kick from Chen Mengyu.

Mengyu then crouched down, whispering threateningly into Mengyao's ear.

"Listen closely, dear sister. You have three days and two options.

Find a way to put me in charge—I don't care how—or work in my stead, handing over all profits to me. Plus, you'll do as I say. Disobey, and I'll make you regret it, just like today."

With that, Chen Mengyu gave her sister's cheek a patronizing pat and strutted off with Guo Chao.

Confused and hurt, Mengyao curled up, her head buried in her knees, tears streaming down her face.

She was trapped. In the Chen household, her sister was the golden child, always ingratiating herself with their grandmother and parents, while Mengyao remained the quiet one.

So, she had no choice but to follow her sister's demands.

But when Mengyao went to see her grandmother, she was dumbfounded. The Mingzhu Group had specifically requested her as the person in charge, relegating her to the role of a mere figurehead in the family's scheme to amass wealth.

Business was foreign to Mengyao, a student of the arts, never exposed to the family's commercial dealings.

Yet, following Old Madam's orders, she engaged with the Mingzhu Group, finding the negotiations unexpectedly straightforward. The group's head treated her with such care that Mengyao couldn't shake the feeling they had ulterior motives...

This development shifted her family's perception of her. They threw a lavish celebration in her honor that very evening. Bai Yulan and Chen Shouguo were in high spirits, laughing joyously. Upon the successful completion of the first project, Grandma rewarded them with a million yuan.

The family had embezzled hundreds of thousands.

Mengyao, however, hadn't pocketed a dime, while Mengyu walked away with a hefty sum.

"Just keep up the good work like this, and once we have enough money, we can start our own company," Chen Mengyu said with a burst of joy.

It was a delightful feeling. She didn't have to lift a finger, yet she could simply collect the money as if she were the boss, with her younger sister working for her. The thought filled her with immense happiness.

"Have you brought up the matter with the Guo family?" Chen Mengyu suddenly turned, fixing her with a piercing gaze.

"I've discussed it with them. They've agreed to renew their partnership with the Guo family..." Chen Mengyao said, her lips pressed tightly together.

"You seem quite adept. Did you sleep with their head honcho? Why is Mingzhu Group so favorable towards you?" Chen Mengyao's face registered shock, a flicker of envy passing through her eyes.

"I really don't know," Chen Mengyao murmured, frowning and looking down.

"You've done well. I'll fill Guo Chao in on this later."

"Later, tell Chu Fann that I'm inviting Guo Chao to dinner tomorrow, and he should come too," Chen Mengyu said, her eyes betraying a hint of intrigue.

"Why?" Mengyao asked, her face a mask of bewilderment. Could it be that her sister had finally decided to stop giving Mr. Chu Fann a hard time?

"Just do as I say and inform him. If he's not there tomorrow, you're aware of the consequences," Chen Mengyu warned, her tone stern.