Chapter 118: The Heart Is Insatiable, Like a Snake Swallowing an Elephant

“Shaochen, what you just said is not right. We are your elders. Even if we were in the wrong, what gives you the right to shout at us as a junior?”

A plump middle-aged woman pointed at Xu Shaochen and scolded him with justified arrogance.

“Exactly. Besides, now that you have money, does it even matter if we don’t repay the small amount we owe your family? It’s not like you need it.”

“Yeah, and it’s not like your mother has died, has she? How can you blame us?”

Others chimed in to support her, glaring at Xu Shaochen with anger. They never thought he would dare to talk to them like this.

“Your shamelessness never ceases to amaze me. Speak plainly: what do you want?”

Xu Shaochen looked coldly at the crowd, his eyes filled with undisguised contempt and ridicule.

These people put even Mei Liangxin to shame with their brazenness.

“Cough, cough… Shaochen, you’re still young and might not understand how to run a company. Since we’re all relatives, we were thinking we could help you out. You can focus on your studies, and we’ll manage the company. Just give us some shares, and that’ll be enough.”

Xu Yong coughed twice, cleared his throat, then looked righteously at Xu Shaochen, as if he were doing him a favor.

“Yes, Shaochen. Your studies should be your top priority right now. Don’t let them suffer. Plus, now that you’re so well-off, isn’t it only fair to help us relatives out a bit?”

“Exactly. We manage the company for you, and you give us some shares. It’s not too much to ask, is it? If you don’t even agree to this, people back home will talk bad about you.”

The others all urged him, looking at Xu Shaochen as though it was only natural that he owed them.

“Have you all lost your minds, or are you deliberately insulting my intelligence? Who gave you the face to say such things? Get out now!”

Xu Shaochen sneered in disbelief. The idiom ‘The heart is insatiable, like a snake swallowing an elephant’ could perfectly describe these people, who dared to think they could take shares from his company.

And judging by their attitudes, it seemed they wanted to take over the entire company.

He truly did not understand where these people got the nerve to say such things. Were they delusional?

“You all are way out of line. The company was founded by Shaochen on his own. It has nothing to do with any of you.”

Liu Rushuang, unable to stand it any longer, stepped forward to speak up for Xu Shaochen.

This reminded her too much of how her own relatives tried to seize her parents’ compensation after they passed away.

“Slap!”

As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Yong slapped her hard across the face and roared, “You harlot! This is family business, and you’re just an employee. Do you think you have the right to speak? Don’t think I won’t fire you!”

“I…” Feeling the stinging pain on her face, Liu Rushuang felt incredibly wronged.

“Shaochen, look at the kind of people you’ve hired! This woman has no sense of propriety and needs to be fired immediately!” Xu Yong arrogantly barked orders at Xu Shaochen.

Xu Shaochen’s gaze turned icy cold as he looked at Xu Yong like he was staring at a dead man. He spoke calmly, “The hand he used to hit her—cripple it for me.”

They had pushed his limits time and again, and now they even dared to lay hands on Liu Rushuang in front of him. Did they really think Xu Shaochen was a pushover?

“Yes, Boss.”

Long Yi and Long Er immediately grabbed Xu Yong and slammed him onto the desk, pinning his right hand in place.

“What are you doing? What are you going to do? Xu Shaochen, you beast! Now that you have money, you don’t even recognize your own family? I’m your third uncle! Let me go! Let me go now!”

Xu Yong struggled desperately, his face filled with fear as he looked at Xu Shaochen and screamed his lungs out.

Xu Shaochen just stared at him coldly without saying a word.

Everyone eventually has to pay the price for their actions.

“No! I was wrong, Shaochen, I was wrong! Please spare me! Spare your third uncle! I won’t dare do it again! I don’t need the shares, just give me a bit of money and I’ll leave.”

Xu Yong had gone from cursing him out to begging for mercy, clearly scared out of his wits.

“Bang!”

Long Yi picked up a crystal ashtray and smashed it hard on Xu Yong’s right hand.

“Aaaah!”

With a crisp sound, Xu Yong let out a blood-curdling scream. His right hand was now mangled, with white finger bones exposed.

“Ah!”

The others were horrified by the bloody scene before them. They screamed in shock, their faces turning pale as their bodies began to tremble.

Xu Shaochen stepped forward, grabbed Xu Yong by the hair, and pulled his head close. In a deep voice, he said, “You want money? You want shares? Can you hold them with a crippled hand?”

In Xu Yong’s eyes, hatred and fear blended together as he looked at Xu Shaochen. But he didn’t dare say a word.

“Does anyone else want money? Want shares?”

Xu Shaochen coldly surveyed the room, asking everyone.

Everyone kept their heads down, too afraid to speak. They finally realized that Xu Shaochen was no longer the child they could bully and humiliate at will.

“Get out of here! And also, the money you borrowed from my family? You have three days to pay it all back. If not, don’t blame me for doing something that will ruin our ‘family relationship.'”

Xu Shaochen didn’t care about the money, but he couldn’t swallow his anger. He would rather donate the money to impoverished mountain villages than let these ingrates have it.

Hearing his words, the crowd couldn’t help but mutter under their breath. Ruin family relationships? What relationship was left anyway?

“Get out!”

With a cold shout from Xu Shaochen, the group, who had been so aggressive moments ago, scurried out of the office in a pitiful state.

“Are you okay?”

Xu Shaochen looked at the bright red handprint on Liu Rushuang’s face with concern and asked.

“I’m fine. It’ll be okay if I apply something.”

Liu Rushuang forced a smile and shook her head.

………

“That heartless brat! How dare he be so harsh! He should just let his mother die in her sick bed!”

After leaving Xu Shaochen’s office, Xu Yong clutched his bleeding right hand and cursed through gritted teeth.

“Exactly. All we wanted were some shares and a bit of money. Is that too much to ask? I think he’s just a heartless ingrate now that he’s rich.”

“I hope a car hits him when he steps outside. Then the company will be ours.”

Their remarks grew increasingly venomous, showing none of the affection of relatives; they sounded more like enemies.

“We should find a reporter and expose him. Make sure he gets on the news. Let’s see what he does then.”

Xu Ling’s eyes gleamed coldly as she spoke up.

“Yes, that’s a good idea. We’ll ruin his reputation and see how he can face anyone after that.”

“Call a reporter right now. Let’s expose that little brat for being rich and ungrateful.”

The others eagerly agreed, since it would be all too easy to ruin someone’s reputation in this information age.

Once Xu Shaochen’s reputation was ruined, his company’s reputation would also suffer. Let’s see how he continues doing business after that.

If he wouldn’t give them any money, then they’d make sure he couldn’t earn a penny either.