523: Sever ties

"Brother-in-law suddenly called me over, I wonder what it's about?"

At 2:00 PM, outside the chairman's office of Shenli Group, Wu Xingbang, who had a guilty conscience, hesitated for a moment before knocking on Zhang Fengmao's office door.

Knock, knock—

After only two knocks from Wu Xingbang, Zhang Fengmao's cold, emotionless voice came from inside:

"Come in."

For some reason, hearing Zhang Fengmao's lack of emotion made Wu Xingbang feel uneasy, but he steeled himself and opened the door, putting on a slightly fawning smile:

"Brother-in-law, you were looking for me?"

Zhang Fengmao looked up and eyed Wu Xingbang coldly. "How many times have I told you? Don't call me brother-in-law at the company."

"Yes!" Wu Xingbang's heart shrank as he bowed and scraped with a placating smile. "I understand, President Zhang."

Zhang Fengmao didn't beat around the bush. Once Wu Xingbang approached the desk, he opened a drawer and placed the Patek Philippe 6104G-001 he had worn last night on the table.

"Explain this. What's going on with this watch?"

"Ah?"

Seeing that Zhang Fengmao really called him over for the watch, Wu Xingbang panicked, so startled that he forgot to manage his expression.

Seeing Wu Xingbang's mouth agape, Zhang Fengmao was certain that Wu Xingbang was the one who had swapped the watch.

Even though he had expected it, confirming the result still chilled Zhang Fengmao's heart.

It's truly hard to guard against a thief within the family!

Zhang Fengmao had already taken extra care of both his and Wu Lianfang's families.

Even for a middle-aged man like Wu Xingbang, who had neither education nor ability, he had arranged a do-nothing job at Shenli Group and paid him a monthly salary.

During holidays, he never skimped on gifts or red envelopes for them, and he even paid for their children's college tuition.

Even so, Wu Xingbang was still unsatisfied, going so far as to meticulously find a high-quality counterfeit to swap out when asked to help buy a watch!

"Brother-in-law, is something wrong with the watch?"

Having snapped out of it, Wu Xingbang was still hoping to make a last-ditch struggle.

But Zhang Fengmao didn't give him a chance to argue, slamming the appraisal report down in front of him:

"I had someone take the watch to the city for appraisal this morning. The report clearly states it's a fake. Decide whether you want to confess now, or if I should call the police and let them handle it according to the law."

Hearing that he was caught and that Zhang Fengmao was threatening to call the police, Wu Xingbang fell to his knees with a thud, begging for mercy through tears.

"Brother-in-law—no, President Zhang, I was wrong! I only did it because I had no choice, please don't call the police!"

Seeing Wu Xingbang kneeling and begging, and hearing his wailing, Zhang Fengmao became even more irritated and shouted coldly:

"Wu Xingbang, I've treated you relatives well, basically providing for your food and housing. Is this how you repay me?!"

"Brother-in-law, I didn't want to!" Wu Xingbang wailed. "But I owe a lot of money outside. If I didn't do this, I really wouldn't know where to find the money to pay them back!"

"Get up, stop shouting!"

Wu Xingbang shivered in fear and immediately shut his mouth. He stood up obediently and stood before Zhang Fengmao with his head bowed, like an elementary student called into the homeroom teacher's office.

"Speak. What happened?"

"It's like this... A friend introduced me to online gambling, and I opened an account. At first, I was lucky and won over a hundred thousand."

"I wanted to stop, but my friend insisted I was on a lucky streak and told me to keep playing."

"One thing led to another, and not only did I lose back the hundred thousand I won, but I also ended up borrowing over two million."

"You know my mother is eighty this year, and Xiao Lin is in her crucial senior year of high school. I didn't dare let them know I lost so much money."

"Just then, you asked me to help buy a watch, and I succumbed to greed for a moment. I used a fake to swap it..."

After finishing, Wu Xingbang guiltily looked up, only to meet Zhang Fengmao's gaze, which made him immediately lower his head again.

Looking at this worthless relative, Zhang Fengmao really wanted to kick him off the building.

There's truly no cure for stupidity.

Setting aside the news, even the banners on the streets say 'online gambling is a scam,' yet he still fell for it.

Taking two deep breaths to suppress the anger in his heart, Zhang Fengmao continued his interrogation:

"You said you lost over two million, but that watch is worth 5.3 million. Where's the rest of the money? Don't tell me you lost that too?"

"No!" Wu Xingbang waved his hands repeatedly. "Of the money you gave me, besides paying off the debt, I spent a little... and there's still over 2.5 million left."

"Only 2.5 million left." Zhang Fengmao sneered. "You certainly know how to enjoy yourself."

That one sentence made cold sweat pour down Wu Xingbang's forehead again.

Zhang Fengmao didn't want Wu Xingbang to continue being an eyesore and gave him an ultimatum:

"I won't call the police for this, but you must return the remaining 2.5 million. As for the 2.8 million you spent, consider it the price for severing our ties as relatives. Never show your face before me again."

"Ah!"

Hearing that Zhang Fengmao wanted to sever their relationship, Wu Xingbang panicked instantly.

He had grown accustomed to the life of getting paid for doing nothing at Shenli Group.

If Zhang Fengmao kicked him out of Shenli Group, how would he survive in the future?!

But before Wu Xingbang could wail for mercy, Zhang Fengmao waved him off, cutting him short:

"Before I change my mind and decide to call the police, you'd better return the money and go to the HR department to submit your resignation."

Not wanting to lose his stable income at Shenli Group, Wu Xingbang wanted to beg further.

But meeting Zhang Fengmao's icy gaze, Wu Xingbang didn't dare to persist and could only leave the office dejectedly.

He knew very well that in Yang County, being able to walk away unscathed after swindling Zhang Fengmao out of millions was already a sign of his great magnanimity, letting him off for the sake of their kinship.

After Wu Xingbang left the office, Zhang Fengmao leaned back in his chair and rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily.

"It seems I need to find an opportunity to give those relatives a warning. It's one thing to be talentless, but now they're actually trying their little tricks on me!"

Then, Zhang Fengmao thought of the Godson he had just taken in a few days ago, Ye Su, and sighed helplessly:

"Of all the younger generation in the family, not a single one can compare to ASu..."

Having interacted with him three times, Zhang Fengmao felt he understood Ye Su a bit.

He knew that Ye Su's willingness to acknowledge him as a godfather was certainly due to his status and position.

But Ye Su wasn't some slick, worldly veteran who prioritized profit above all else.

Besides interests, he also valued sentiment.

As long as you treated him sincerely, he would reciprocate in kind.

After a few days of getting to know Ye Su's character, Zhang Fengmao changed his attitude, no longer interacting with Ye Su with a businessman's philistine perspective, and decided to truly treat him as a younger member of the family.

"I hope he can return my kindness with even greater sincerity..."

After Zhang Xuantong was born, Zhang Fengmao had originally planned to have a third child, but unfortunately, it never happened.