My Perfect Female CEO

Chapter 831: Deep Mother-Son Affection

When Mengyao left, Song Meimei did nothing to stop her; similarly, when Ye Fan left, she did not try to make him stay.Firstly, it was indeed late, and everyone needed rest; moreover, there would be many opportunities to meet in the coming days, so it wasn’t worth worrying about this brief time.

Song Meimei had deep, unrequited love for Ye Fan, but she also knew that it was impossible to have her wishes fulfilled. So, she could only cling to Ye Fan with a playful and shameless attitude to make her presence felt.

"Ye Fan, until we meet again! I’ll call you to have breakfast together tomorrow morning. For now, goodnight, I hope you have a good dream, especially dreaming of me," Song Meimei cheerfully called out as she watched Ye Fan’s departing figure.

"Miss Song, please go on." Du Xueqi gestured for her to leave, using polite words but with no trace of politeness in her tone.

"I don’t need you to point it out, I’ll leave on my own." Song Meimei haughtily raised her chin and walked off with a quick pace.

"Smart choice." Du Xueqi couldn’t help but find it amusing.

After sending off Song Meimei, it wasn’t long before Qiu Wen returned to the hotel, naturally stirring Ye Fan, Mengyao, and the others.

Qiu Wen recounted the changes that had occurred with Zhang Furen and the Zhang Family, causing a moment of silence among the group.

"In my opinion, we intended to help Zhang Furen out of goodwill, mostly due to Fire Phoenix’s connection, wanting to assist her blood-related brother. Unexpectedly, this brother harbored evil intentions, and our good intentions backfired. If it weren’t for our interference, Zhang Furen might not have met a tragic end," Qiu Wen remarked wistfully.

She stayed behind, fearing Zhang Furen’s malicious tendencies might harm innocents, ready to stop his foolish actions at the crucial moment and to strike decisively if needed. Unexpectedly, Zhang Furen was killed by Zhang Jiren, which was just as well—saving her from the trouble of handling it herself. But if they hadn’t interfered, Zhang Furen might have continued his miserable life without inviting a fatal disaster.

Ye Fan didn’t quite agree with Qiu Wen and said plainly, "Zhang Furen deserved his fate. We didn’t investigate properly before designating him as the heir to the Zhang Family enterprise. If he weren’t so bad, everything would’ve been fine. The blame lies with Zhang Furen’s malice. In truth, having such an ending is beneficial; Zhang Wushan’s death also avenged Fire Phoenix and her mother. This man abandoned his wife and daughter, and even before dying, he wanted to destroy his own son. Ultimately, dying at the hands of his son is poetic justice."

Mengyao took over the conversation, saying, "If Zhang Furen held power, Ma Huifang, that poor woman, would’ve faced a dire outcome. What we didn’t expect was Zhang Jiren’s cunning nature; it’s truly surprising."

"If we hadn’t intervened, Zhang Furen would’ve undoubtedly lived a life worse than death; dying was clean and a complete release. Otherwise, sooner or later, he’d fall at Zhang Jiren’s hands. Considering Zhang Jiren’s methods, he wouldn’t have spared Zhang Furen; an inevitable death was unavoidable." Du Xueqi earnestly stated, "Our slight intervention merely expedited Zhang Wushan and Zhang Furen’s demise while saving Ma Huifang, the pitiful woman, and let us witness Zhang Jiren’s ruthless revenge for his mother."

Qiu Wen accepted everyone’s viewpoint and sighed, "What should we do next? Should we ignore the Zhang Family enterprise? Should we refrain from punishing Zhang Jiren?"

Faced with Qiu Wen’s series of questions, Mengyao and Du Xueqi looked towards Ye Fan, who might be the only one capable of deciding how to deal with this matter, to have an account when meeting Fire Phoenix later.

"Zhang Jiren dared to do this, aware of the consequences of offending the Chu Group, yet he proceeded anyway, clearly prepared to risk it all. So, we’ll leave it be, letting Zhang Jiren and his mother take over the Zhang Family enterprise." Ye Fan decided.

"That’s the best solution for now." Mengyao nodded.

...

Inside the Zhang Residence, Zhang Jiren revealed the truth about killing Zhang Furen and Zhang Wushan to Ma Huifang in detail.

"Killing your brother and father? Are you insane? How can your intentions be so malicious? Are you still my son? No, you’re not my son." Ma Huifang shook violently, her face filled with terror, as she gazed at Zhang Jiren with an unprecedentedly unfamiliar look.

"Mom, don’t look at me like that, I’m scared." Zhang Jiren’s tears fell suddenly; his mother’s gaze and disappointed emotions pushed him deeply into despair, making him feel like his heart was shattered.

"You’re scared? You still know how to fear?" Ma Huifang’s dead eyes stared at Zhang Jiren and shouted, "How could you be so ruthless? When did you become like this? My son doesn’t have a devil’s heart; you’re not my son."

"Mom, don’t say that, please don’t say I’m not your son." Zhang Jiren cried bitterly; Ma Huifang’s words cut at him, leaving him heartbroken and feeling like a knife was twisting in his heart.

With a loud "slap!" Ma Huifang directly slapped Zhang Jiren on the face, and the sound was loud with a strong force.

Zhang Jiren staggered and was knocked to the ground. He quickly kneeled, holding onto Ma Huifang’s legs, sobbing with snot and tears, "Mom, you can’t disown me, you can’t."

Ma Huifang’s body trembled, her eyes full of tears, she shouted sharply, "I don’t have a son as heartless as you."

"Mom, I know I’ve done wrong, I will bear the consequence, but I don’t regret it. I hate Zhang Wushan. Nowadays, grandpa can’t move freely; all this is caused by Zhang Wushan. To force you to marry him, he broke grandpa’s leg and used the high medical expenses as a condition for you to marry into the Zhang Residence. I knew all of this; you were ashamed to see grandpa, secretly visiting him, burdening yourself with all the blame, enduring the servants’ bullying in the Zhang Residence, suffering from Zhang Wushan’s beatings. I know all you’ve endured alone, wanting to punish yourself through guilt. How could I not be aware?" Zhang Jiren cried, wiping away his tears as he pleaded, "Zhang Furen, that beast, has repeatedly disrespected you; I’m aware. Although I bear the Zhang surname, I have half Ma Family blood running through me. How could I do nothing while watching you suffer alone?"

"So you knew, you knew everything all along." Ma Huifang looked down at her son, and with a cry of "Ah," she suddenly began to sob despairingly. The secrets buried in her heart for over a decade, her son knew more clearly than anyone, from her father inexplicably beaten and hospitalized, forced into marrying the Zhang Family, to Zhang Furen’s disrespect—all these secrets were like thorns rooted in her heart, spreading into every corner of her body.

She harbored hatred, but could not bring herself to hate.

She could only punish herself through suffering.

She accepted the continued troubles caused by the Zhang Residence servants, letting them repeatedly encroach further.

Zhang Wushan’s beatings were her way of not daring to resist, also a form of self-punishment.

She contemplated death, yet, on one hand, there was her son, and on the other, her immobile father. How could she bring herself to die?