PCMWF Chapter 113

Shen Minyan had worked with Shen Tailun on projects. Shen Tailun could be considered his benefactor, having helped him in many ways, both openly and behind the scenes. But this business of becoming an adopted son was simply absurd. Shen Minyan’s inner defenses were solid, and he did not agree. He later visited Shen Tailun’s wife, a middle-aged woman named Xu Qiao. Xu Qiao was nearly fifty, and time had left few marks on her. The woman smiled as soon as she saw him. When her beautiful eyes narrowed, the corners finally revealed a trace of time’s erosion.

“Min Yan, come in, come in! Have you eaten? I’ll have the cook make you something.”

Xu Qiao pulled the young man’s arm and led him to the living room, ignoring his unfamiliar demeanor.

“I heard from Old Shen that you like chicken. Why didn’t you say you were coming? I’ll have the cook stew some chicken soup for you to take home. Oh my, your dark circles are so heavy! Let me tell you, young people shouldn’t neglect their health just because they feel strong now. You’ll regret it when you’re older.”

Shen Minyan’s whole body went stiff. He remembered that he hated people who chattered in his ear. But now, hearing Xu Qiao’s voice, he felt a warm current enveloping him. He didn’t mind it.

“Auntie… please don’t go to any trouble.”

But Xu Qiao smiled and said it was no trouble at all. She got up and instructed the cook to buy fresh free-range chicken to make soup for him. Xu Qiao believed in fate. Otherwise, why would they have chosen that small company out of all the construction firms in Beicheng? There were so many talented young men in the city, yet only Shen Minyan had caught their eye. The chicken soup was made, but Shen Minyan didn’t drink it. He was convinced this couple had ulterior motives. But they were already the richest family in Beicheng. What could they possibly want from a poor young man like him?

“We’re getting old. We’ve long wanted to step back from the front lines. As you can see, I can’t give up the business I’ve spent my whole life building. We don’t have children. When we were younger, we thought about adopting a few to raise…”

The sentence trailed off. Shen Minyan didn’t know why Shen Tailun and his wife had never successfully adopted. Perhaps it was like his own experience: after a trial period, if they didn’t like the child, they would return them.

Xu Qiao picked up the conversation, smiling gently. “Minyan, Old Shen and I just think you’re a good person. When we get old, we’ll have someone to care for us and carry our coffins.”

Shen Minyan looked up. “Auntie, you’re still young.”

He remembered the first time he met Xu Qiao. It was at a business banquet. Although he had achieved some small success by then, he was still at the bottom of such a high-profile guest list. He had simply happened to encounter Xu Qiao, who was having heart trouble, and helped her make a phone call. It was hardly any favor at all. He hadn’t even known who she was at the time.

Xu Qiao liked him precisely because he appeared cold on the outside but was kind-hearted on the inside. And since Shen Minyan also had the surname Shen, wasn’t that fate arranged by the heavens? The words of refusal stuck in his throat. Shen Minyan despicably realized that if he agreed, he would certainly gain many benefits. But he also knew he wasn’t worthy of this couple’s kindness. He had no prestigious education, no elegant manners, no background that matched their status.

Shen Minyan couldn’t remember how he left the Shen residence. He was just an ordinary person, even less than ordinary, carrying the weight of hardship and shame. If he agreed, what would others think of him? They would laugh at his poverty, say he was clinging to the Shen family’s coattails, reaching for wealth and power that didn’t belong to him.

The Shen family’s gates were grand and golden, a place he could never enter. Everything inside was too exquisite to touch. Shen Minyan yearned to change his fate. He knew that becoming Shen Tailun’s adopted son would be a smooth shortcut. For some time afterward, he deliberately avoided contact with Shen Tailun and steered clear of any projects related to the Shen Group.

He worked even harder than before. Perhaps one day, he could carve out his own path. Perhaps then, he could stand tall and accept the kindness of Shen Tailun and his wife with dignity. He was so distant that the couple understood his meaning. For a long time, Shen Minyan didn’t see them again. The Shen family’s vast estate needed a strong heir, and Shen Minyan knew they wouldn’t give up looking for one.

But fate was unpredictable. Half a month later, Shen Minyan received a call from Shen Tailun. Xu Qiao was critically ill. She wanted to see him. By the time Shen Minyan arrived at the hospital, his hands were numb. Fear and panic had taken over. The closer he got to the ward, the heavier his steps became. He knew he couldn’t face Xu Qiao. In his life, she was the only woman who had ever shown him warmth. She remembered the foods he liked and reminded him to take care of his health.

Xu Qiao, lying in the hospital bed, seemed to have aged overnight. She wore an oxygen mask, her eyes pleading and eager. Shen Minyan had grown up without parents. He couldn’t understand why someone would want to adopt him after meeting him only once.

“Minyan…” Xu Qiao’s voice was weak, but filled with endless hope.

She knew she was holding him hostage with gratitude, but she truly didn’t want her husband to lose his passion for life after she was gone.

“Child, after I die, could you… keep vigil for me?”

Shen Minyan stood frozen, his lips trembling. The meaning of keeping vigil was clear. But if he refused, Xu Qiao would surely leave with regret. He didn’t want Xu Qiao to have any regrets in this world.

“I’m not asking you to be my adopted son. Only to keep vigil for me,” the ailing woman said, tears welling in her eyes and rolling slowly down her cheeks.

Shen Minyan agreed. He agreed to keep vigil for her after her death. And he agreed to be the adopted son of both her and Shen Tailun. Later, Xu Qiao’s surgery was successful. It wasn’t yet time for Shen Minyan to keep vigil. The woman regained her former vitality and hosted what was then the largest banquet in Beicheng, announcing to all that Shen Minyan was henceforth her son.

After that, Shen Minyan didn’t immediately take over the Shen Group. Instead, he insisted on building his own career. Only after he had earned the respect of all the elders in the Shen Group did he begin to learn company management from Shen Tailun. The inspirational story of an underdog rising to become a billionaire was compelling in any era. The flood of news reports, combined with Shen Tailun’s influence, made Shen Minyan a household name twenty years ago.

Tang Dou turned off his phone screen and looked at the surveillance monitor. On the screen, Shen Minyan sat by the bed, his gaze tender as he watched his youngest son, sleeping soundly like a fluffy white ball of dough. The man’s fierce aura had dissipated entirely. He was thoroughly enjoying this moment of peace. So Chairman Shen had such a legendary background. No wonder the internet was more interested in him than in the new guests.

I’m including the author’s note because I like how good they are with words(✿◠‿◠)
(Author’s note: I feel like dying writing this. I haven’t dared to take a single day off during the New Year. (Eyes glazed over, limbs weak, hair a mess) (Already a wreck) (Sitting at my desk cursing under my breath) (Struggling) (Grabbing the keyboard to write chapter outlines) (Typing furiously, wishing I were an octopus).)

Just vibes, late nights, and coffee keeping this translation project alive. If you want to help fuel the next chapter, Ko-Fi and PayPal are linked below.