377: Chapter 376 Zhao Weiguo is furious!

Meanwhile, at the Zhao Family of the Capital, the morning light was faint.

Zhao Weiguo had just finished breakfast when the doctor responsible for his daily check-up arrived.

"Dr. Wang, you're here. Have you eaten? If not, come and have a bite first," Zhao Weiguo said, looking at Dr. Wang with a smile.

"Thank you, Elder Zhao. I've already eaten this morning. You look to be in decent spirits; did you sleep well last night? How was your breakfast today?" While exchanging pleasantries, Dr. Wang took his stethoscope and blood pressure monitor out of his medical kit and placed them on the table.

"Sigh, breakfast was alright, I suppose. I'm getting on in years, so I'm full after just a couple of bites." Zhao Weiguo rubbed his temples, sighed, and shook his head helplessly before continuing, "These past few days, I haven't been able to sleep soundly at night. I keep waking up in the middle of the night, feeling like someone is calling my name in my ear. But when I open my eyes, there's nothing there."

"I see. Let me take a look then," Dr. Wang said, connecting the blood pressure monitor. He monitored Zhao Weiguo's blood pressure while listening to his heart rate with the stethoscope.

After about a minute, Dr. Wang frowned and said, "Elder Zhao, your blood pressure is a bit high. It might be related to your poor rest at night recently. How about this: I'll prescribe some sedatives to help you sleep, which should improve things."

"Mm, thank you for your hard work, Dr. Wang. You're so busy every day, yet you still have to run over here," Zhao Weiguo said politely.

"It's my duty. My job is to take care of old leaders like you, Elder Zhao." Dr. Wang replied while packing up his equipment, continuing, "When I come back this afternoon, I'll bring the medicine with me. Just eat your lunch as usual."

"Alright then, I'll leave this old body of mine in your hands, Dr. Wang."

"Haha, alright. Rest well, Elder Zhao, I'll be heading back now."

Zhao Weiguo smiled and stood up, calling out to the guard stationed at the door, "Xiao Liu, see Dr. Wang out for me!"

After Dr. Wang's figure disappeared from the courtyard, Zhao Weiguo sat back down in his chair, picked up the remote control at his side, turned on the television, and began watching the morning news.

After seeing the doctor off, the guard, Xiao Liu, walked in carrying the newly arrived newspapers. Following Zhao Weiguo's habit, he sorted and arranged the newspapers before saying, "Old Master, the newspapers have arrived. I've placed them on your desk."

"Mm," Zhao Weiguo nodded. Then, as if remembering something, he immediately added, "Xiao Liu, bring the Southwest Evening News over. I want to take a look at it first."

"Very well." The guard, Xiao Liu, flipped through them, found the Southwest Evening News, walked over to Zhao Weiguo, and handed it to him, "Here you go, Old Master."

Zhao Weiguo took it. Before he could even open it, the guard, Xiao Liu, asked with some curiosity, "Old Master, you usually read the Reference News first. Why are you reading the Southwest Evening News today?"

"Sigh," Zhao Weiguo sighed again, "It's all because of that brat Lintai. I haven't been sleeping well lately, and I keep feeling like something is about to happen. I want to see if there's any news from the Southwest so I can set my mind at ease."

The guard, Xiao Liu, had been by Zhao Weiguo's side for many years and naturally knew what the Old Master was most concerned about right now, so he comforted him with concern, "Old Master, you can rest assured. The Si Family head has always been a man of his word, and Young Master Lintai is so outstanding. There shouldn't be any problems with the engagement to the Si Family."

"Ahem, who knows. Let's hope so," Zhao Weiguo said as he picked up his reading glasses from the table, put them on, unfolded the newspaper, and held it at a distance to read.

"Then please go ahead and read, Old Master. I'll go brew you a cup of tea," the guard, Xiao Liu, said before leaving with a teacup.

However, the moment the newspaper was unfolded, the wrinkles on Zhao Weiguo's face suddenly tightened, and his expression grew increasingly ugly. The hand holding the newspaper was trembling slightly!

The front-page headline of the Southwest Evening News read: "Changes in the Engagement Between the Si and Zhao Families! Mysterious Tycoon Steals the Love!" The jarring headline struck Zhao Weiguo's heart like a heavy hammer.

Immediately following that, photos of Si Yao holding hands with a young man as they exited a private jet belonging to the Si Family caught his eye. From the airport to the lobby of the Southwest International Hotel, every single photo was captured clearly.

In the news report, not only were the sweet interactions between Si Yao and the strange young man all captured, but the man's identity information was completely dug up!

Zhao Weiguo didn't have time to look closely. He only knew that the man was named Qin Yi, a nobody with no power, no influence, and no background, yet he was extremely wealthy and very capable! The report even included information about the company Qin Yi founded, in which the data of 1 billion in paid-in registered capital was highlighted in red. This one point alone was enough to show just how outstanding this Qin Yi was!

However, at the end of the article, the Southwest Evening News dropped an even bigger bombshell, making the engagement between the Si and Zhao Families completely confusing!

The first bombshell was: The Southwest International Group planned to invest 400 million huaxia currency into Yiqin Capital through project investment and profit sharing!

The second bombshell was the disclosure of Yiqin Capital's shareholder structure.

Among them, Si Hongjun's daughter, who was none other than Si Yao, the female lead of the engagement between the Si and Zhao Families, actually held a 10% stake in Yiqin Capital!

Seeing this, Zhao Weiguo was completely enraged. It wasn't the news itself that angered him, but the information revealed behind the news.

Qin Yi, a 22-year-old punk with no power, no influence, and no background—where did his capital accumulation come from? What young talent, what rising business star? It was all bullshit!

In Zhao Weiguo's view, this was nothing more than a shield the Si Family had brought out because they didn't want to fulfill the engagement! That 1 billion in paid-in registered capital—wasn't that money from your Southwest Si Family?! Wasn't the goal just to build momentum for this Qin Yi and use him to shut my Zhao Family up!

As Zhao Weiguo thought this, the hand holding the newspaper tightened involuntarily, the bulging veins on the back of his hand revealing his attempt to suppress his fury.

Just then, the guard, Xiao Liu, walked in carrying hot tea: "Old Master, the tea is ready. It's your favorite Biluochun."

Just as he placed the teacup on the tea table beside Zhao Weiguo, Zhao Weiguo suddenly flicked his hand, knocking the teacup directly to the floor. With a 'crash,' porcelain shards scattered everywhere.

The guard, Xiao Liu, looked stunned and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Old Master, what… what is wrong?"

"Si Zhengxiong! You've gone too far!" Zhao Weiguo's eyes widened in anger as he pointed at the guard and ordered, "Call Si Zhengxiong! Hurry!"

The guard, Xiao Liu, didn't dare to delay. He had been with Zhao Weiguo for many years and had never seen the Old Master this angry before!

Before long, the guard, Xiao Liu, held up the phone and handed it to Zhao Weiguo: "Old Master, the call is connected."

Zhao Weiguo snatched it away and angrily said without any courtesy, "Si Zhengxiong! Well done! If you didn't want to fulfill the engagement with my Zhao Family, you could have just said so. There's no need to engage in such underhanded business behind my back! Your Si Family may have no shame, but my Zhao Family still does!"

Si Zhengxiong could feel Zhao Weiguo's anger through the phone, but after all, they had a long-standing relationship, and he didn't want to go too far.

Therefore, Si Zhengxiong took a deep breath and responded, pretending to be ignorant: "Old Zhao, what's wrong? Why are you so angry so early in the morning?"

"Stop fucking playing dumb with me! The news in the Southwest Evening News has already been published! And you're still pretending not to know about it here?! Without your Si Family's tacit approval, the Southwest Evening News wouldn't have the guts to publish photos of your precious granddaughter with a wild man?!" Zhao Weiguo berated him mercilessly.

Once his granddaughter was brought up, Si Zhengxiong stopped indulging him. His expression darkened, and he said sternly, "Old Zhao, speak your mind if you must, but if you dare to slander my granddaughter, it won't matter if it's you—even that person at Donghe Villa wouldn't be allowed to!"

After delivering the threat, Si Zhengxiong let out a sigh of relief inwardly. After a pause, he continued, "What do you mean, 'wild man'? Although our two families, the Si and the Zhao, have an engagement, who my granddaughter likes and who she wants to be with is her own freedom! If my granddaughter doesn't like Lintai, what can I do about it! That just goes to show that your Lintai is incompetent and can't compare to Qin Yi!"

"Heh! Fine! Si Zhengxiong! You ungrateful thing! If it weren't for my Zhao Family back then, could your Si Family have grown step by step and developed into the position you hold today?!"

"Old Zhao, I admit that the Si Family's success today has your Zhao Family's contributions! But one thing is one thing, and another is another! My granddaughter's marriage is not a commodity for the Si and Zhao Families to trade! Even if the engagement between the Si and Zhao Families is voided, my Si Family can still provide sufficient capital support for Lintai! Don't confuse these two matters! My Si Family has never thought of using nepotism to tie the future of the two families together!"

"Heh! Si Zhengxiong, oh Si Zhengxiong, you've said everything both ways! I think you've forgotten the look on your face when you came to congratulate me on my birthday back then, haven't you? You're so self-righteous now, isn't it just because you see my Zhao Family has lost power in the Capital? If my Zhao Family were currently at the height of its power, would you still be saying this?!"

"Elder Zhao!" Si Zhengxiong suddenly raised his voice, "The engagement is not a transaction! I have already said what needs to be said. How you think about it is your problem! I'll say it again: whether the engagement between the two families succeeds or not depends entirely on my granddaughter! Who my granddaughter likes and who she wants to be with is her freedom, and my Si Family will support her fully! Lintai can perfectly well compete fairly with Qin Yi! Besides, other than having some ability, where does Qin Yi compare to Lintai in terms of family background and connections? Instead of wasting time arguing with me here, wouldn't it be better to properly advise Lintai?"

After saying this, Si Zhengxiong sighed, his tone softening a little, and continued, "Old Zhao, we are both getting on in years. As the old saying goes, children and grandchildren have their own fortunes. Can't we both just calm down and enjoy our twilight years?"

Si Zhengxiong waited for a moment, hearing only heavy breathing from Zhao Weiguo's side with no response, so he thought he should end the call quickly.

Therefore, he paused and added, "Alright, Old Zhao, you're in a fit of rage right now, there's no point in saying more. When you've thought it through, I'll call you again!" After speaking, Si Zhengxiong hung up the phone.

Zhao Weiguo staggered backward, feeling as if everything before his eyes had begun to spin.