CHAPTER 45 — The Visit That Shook the Shi Family
The wind outside the Shi Family Villa carried a chill, sharp enough to sting the skin. The sky was darkening, clouds pressing low as though warning the world that something irreversible was about to happen.
Inside, the atmosphere was even colder.
Shi Zhenhua paced the length of the living room, face pale, hands trembling at his sides. He had not sat down since he received the alert from the legal department. Not after seeing the name on the shareholder update. Not after seeing the percentage beside it.
Shi Yunxi — 30%.
Thirty percent.
Thirty.
Enough to overturn the entire board.
Enough to destroy him.
His wife, Madam Shi, sat rigid on the couch, fingers digging into her knees. Her expression was twisted, somewhere between disbelief and resentment.
"This… this must be fake," she hissed. "That useless girl? How could she possibly afford—"
"She can," Roulan cut in sharply.
The youngest daughter stood by the doorway, arms folded, nails digging into her sleeves. Her face was stiff, but her eyes were filled with a suffocating, bitter panic.
"She can afford it. Because someone powerful is backing her."
Shi Zhenhua whipped around.
"Who? Who in the world would support her after everything we—"
He cut himself off.
Because the doorbell rang.
Ding—dong.
It wasn't loud.
But every head snapped toward the entrance.
A thin sheen of sweat broke across Shi Zhenhua's forehead.
"Who… who is visiting at this hour?"
Nobody answered.
The maid hesitated, then shuffled forward and opened the door—
—and froze.
Because standing there, in a crisp black coat, sleek boots, and a calm expression carved from ice—
was Shi Yunxi.
Her posture was relaxed.
Her gaze was cool.
Her presence was suffocating.
"Good evening," she said softly, stepping past the frozen maid and into the living room as though she owned the place.
Which, legally speaking now—
she almost did.
Shi Zhenhua stumbled backward, nearly tripping on the carpet.
"Y-Yunxi? You—why—why are you here?"
Yunxi smiled faintly.
"Why?"
She tilted her head.
"I own thirty percent of the Shi Corporation. Shouldn't I visit my… investment?"
Madam Shi turned cold.
"You—!"
Her voice cracked. "Where did you get that kind of money? Who helped you?!"
Yunxi's eyes sharpened.
"That," she said, "isn't something you're qualified to ask."
Roulan stepped forward, eyes burning with hatred.
"You came here to show off, right? To threaten us? To act like you're above us now? You think you're powerful just because some big-shot is backing you—?!"
Yunxi laughed.
A soft, unhurried laugh that sliced deeper than any insult.
"Roulan," she said quietly.
"Do you really think I needed someone's help to buy what was mine to begin with?"
Roulan froze.
Madam Shi gasped.
Shi Zhenhua swayed on his feet.
Yunxi continued, voice steady, each word landing like a blade:
"You stole my inheritance.
You stole my dowry.
You stole my future."
Her gaze locked on her father.
"To protect Roulan… you destroyed me."
Shi Zhenhua's lips trembled. "Yunxi, that—That was all a misunderstanding—"
She cut him off.
"I'm not here to argue about the past."
Her voice hardened.
"I'm here to declare terms."
Roulan stiffened. "T-Terms?"
Yunxi nodded.
"First—any further attempt to attack me, directly or indirectly, and I will expose what you did five years ago."
Shi Zhenhua's heart nearly stopped.
Madam Shi grabbed the edge of the sofa to stay upright.
Roulan's nails dug into her palms—she knew exactly which incident Yunxi meant. The one they could never allow to come to light.
"Second—" Yunxi raised a brow, "—Roulan will publicly apologize for the rumors."
Roulan's voice cracked.
"I will never—!"
Yunxi didn't even look at her.
"Third—" her tone dropped to ice, "—touch my children again, and I will ruin you all."
Complete silence.
Even the ticking of the wall clock felt deafening.
Madam Shi blinked. "Ch-Children? What children?"
Yunxi smiled slowly.
"You really think you deserve to know?"
Shi Zhenhua's legs nearly gave out.
Roulan's breath hitched sharply.
Her face drained to ash.
She had found hints.
She had overheard crumbs.
But hearing Yunxi say it directly—
that was different.
"If you dare," Yunxi whispered, "to ever speak their names… you will lose everything."
The weight of that promise sent shivers down the room.
Finally, Yunxi turned, stepping back toward the door.
But before she reached it, she paused.
"No need to see me out," she said lightly.
Her voice was icy calm.
"We'll be meeting again at the board meeting… Father."
Then she left.
The moment the door closed—
Shi Zhenhua collapsed onto the sofa.
Madam Shi burst into trembling rage.
Roulan sank to the floor, nails drawing blood from her palms.
And somewhere deep in the villa…
the old walls finally began to crack.