Chapter 53

The situation was very awkward for a moment. Old Master Song was the first to act. He picked up his cane next to him and swung it at Song Lecheng.

"Drinking yourself into a stupor in broad daylight, look at yourself! Get farther away, don't let your brother's child breathe in your alcoholic stench!"

Before Song Lecheng could complain, he was beaten severely. He had been pretending at first, but now he really felt like crying. He rolled and crawled back several meters under the onslaught of the cane, crying out, "Grandpa, you didn't even ask why I ended up like this. If it wasn't for my third brother nearly driving me to death, how could I be so miserable!"

Fine, he was being beaten, but he still didn't forget to take a bite at her.

Zhong Ruanxing gave a cold laugh, reaching out to stop Old Master Song from chasing after and beating Song Lecheng. "Grandpa, calm down, don't hurt your health over him."

Song Lecheng thought these words sounded very familiar.

Weren't these the same words she used to placate Old Master Song the last time Song Jingwu angered him at the family banquet? This despicable, shameless wretch actually used the exact same words to block him!

Just being consoled like this, Old Master Song really did sit back down. Zhong Ruanxing looked at Song Lecheng with cold eyes, "Go on, tell me how I forced you?"

Song Lecheng stuck out his neck and gnashed his teeth, "Huaguang Media was built up by me alone! I've devoted all my time and energy into it over the years. Even if the company was registered under the Song name originally, it was still an enterprise I struggled to create. What right do you have to just take it back as you please?!" When Song Lecheng thought about all the obstacles and losses he had suffered the past few days, more than his previous twenty-odd years combined, he was suddenly overcome with grief. With a sob, snot and tears streaming, "Grandpa! My third sister is keeping all the meat for herself and won't even let me drink the soup! Huaguang Media is my life's work, and she just took it back without even notifying me! Grandpa, she's your own granddaughter, but am I not? If you don't stand up for your grandson, I really won't have a way forward!"

Things had already reached this point, he no longer cared about face. Going head to head against Song Jingwu was clearly not in his best interest. His only chance was to continue this act to appeal to Old Master Song, the only person in the Song family who could still keep Song Jingwu in check.

This tantrum from Song Lecheng was also an eye-opener for Zhong Ruanxing.

Who could have imagined the arrogant, overbearing second master outside would have this sort of character at home!

Unfortunately, given her current identity, she could not whip out her phone to capture this lowly, pathetic display. If she posted his undignified tantrum online, let's see if people would still dare sing praises of Young Master Song!

What young master, he was nothing more than a local thug.

Old Master Song was also furious at his tantruming display, clearly not buying into this act of appealing to sympathy. "If you have something to say, stand up and say it properly! Rolling around on the floor looking like a hoodlum, have you no sense of propriety? Get up this instant!"

Song Lecheng froze, then reluctantly stood up. He had deliberately gotten drunk and caused a scene just now, and was in quite an emotional upheaval at the moment. When he stood up, he was genuinely a little weak, staggering slightly, looking truly pathetic. Song Jiawei stepped forward to support him, half concerned and half chiding, "Even if someone forced you, you shouldn't let yourself sink into such a state. Aren't you just giving others an opportunity to laugh at you?" Then she looked reproachfully at Old Master Song, "Grandpa, Lecheng is your grandson, you watched him grow up. He cares greatly about face. When has he ever been in such a sorry state? He must have really been driven to desperation."

As this was an issue between the younger generation, the three Song elders present, whatever thoughts they privately harbored, knew better than to speak up at this moment. They could only let the cousins thrash it out among themselves.

Perhaps because Song Lecheng looked truly miserable, the gazes of the Song family towards Zhong Ruanxing had shifted.

The logic of 'when one's lips are gone, the teeth will freeze' made sense to all. If Song Jingwu could act so ruthlessly against Song Lecheng, who could guarantee they wouldn't be next?

It was true he was the successor personally chosen by Old Master Song, but Old Master Song didn't say the rest of them would be mistreated during his leadership. Song Jingwu, you haven't even taken over yet but you want to kill them all off already?

Even a slow-witted person like Song Shuling could sense the strange, hostile atmosphere directed at her older brother in the room. It made her feel somewhat panicked.

Zhong Ruanxing was calm inside, though her gaze held deeper mockery.

The next moment, her wrist was suddenly grabbed. Zhong Ruanxing turned to look, and saw Song Shuling somehow squeezing next to her. Her fingers grasping Zhong Ruanxing's wrist were a bit cold, but very firm.

She usually didn't have much say in the Song family affairs, seen by all as just a daughter living off the family. But at this moment, despite her nervousness, she resolutely stood by her brother's side, trying together with him to confront everyone's dissatisfaction.

Zhong Ruanxing was truly touched by this sister's gesture. She placed her hand over the back of Song Shuling's comfortingly.

Old Madam Song was also getting anxious, secretly poking Old Master Song several times. Old Master Song kept his stern expression for a long while before finally speaking up in his deep voice, "My third child, explain clearly what is going on here."

"Yes, Grandpa." Zhong Ruanxing smiled at the still putting on an act Song Lecheng. Her smile was icy cold, smiling until goosebumps broke out over Song Lecheng.

She then calmly took out several account books from the gift bag holding presents, explaining in a steady tone, "It is true I withdrew Huaguang Media, but it was definitely not as my second brother claimed, deliberately trying to cut off his livelihood. Grandpa, Huaguang Media has been founded for five years now, but aside from the first year, it has been operating at a loss for the subsequent four years. Over the years, Huaguang has only been able to continue normal operations because of capital injections from the group, with annual injections over 100 million yuan."

She opened the company account books that Tong Ling had hurriedly prepared overnight. The data tables were clear at a glance.

Over 100 million!!!

The Song family members who had previously sympathized with him instantly whipped their heads towards Song Lecheng in unison.

Damn, it was just a vanity entertainment company. Forget not turning a profit, it was actually embezzling so much from the group annually! Those running proper projects didn't even get subsidies this high!

Who gave Song Lecheng such great privileges? How did he obtain these subsidies? Everyone looked towards Song Jingwu again, refusing to believe his father didn't help him accomplish this!

Song Lecheng's face turned a little pale. He hadn't expected Song Jingwu to be so well prepared. His heart thumped wildly, but he kept up a strong front, "It's been a depressed period for the entertainment industry these past few years. Of course an entertainment company will find it hard to profit. Losses don't mean I didn't work hard! Do you think I don't want to make money?"

Zhong Ruanxing ignored him and opened another account book, "Aside from the annual subsidies, during its operations Huaguang Media reached mutual benefit agreements with other entertainment companies using the group's name, but the compensations demanded by these entertainment companies were ultimately paid by the group."

"The most obvious example was last year when Huaguang Media reached an agreement with major cinema chains. The chains promised Huaguang Media they would boycott the screening of the film 'Secret Hutong', and Huaguang Media paid them compensation in the form of transferring 3% shareholding of the group's department store holdings to the cinema investors. Why did Huaguang Media want to boycott 'Secret Hutong'? I looked into it and found out it was because the director of 'Secret Hutong' had offended my second brother, and my second brother ordered that he be taught a lesson."

Bang!

Old Master Song slammed his cane furiously at Song Lecheng, enraged beyond measure.