The Cinnabar Mole of a Beijing Circle Tycoon

Night falls through the floor-to-ceiling windows of Yu Garden, gently blending the starlight and moonlight outside into the living room.

The warm yellow main light was adjusted to a soft brightness, and the floor lamp in the corner cast a warm glow on the cashmere carpet, making the entire living room feel cozy and tranquil.

Shen Qingyao nestled in Meng Jiangyu's arms, the two of them sinking into the large leather sofa, wrapped in a soft, milky-white blanket.

On the table were Shen Qingyao's favorite fruits, pastries that Meng Jiangyu brought back from the port city, and honey pomelo tea.

Meng Jiangyu's arm naturally encircled her waist, while his other hand rested casually on the sofa armrest, his fingertips occasionally gently stroking the top of her head, a gesture that was both languid and indulgent.

On the giant screen TV in the living room, the drama "The Story of Minglan" was playing. The screen was at the end of the fourth episode, the very spot where the two of them had watched it together last time.

Shen Qingyao tapped the play button, her eyes brimming with undisguised joy.

The plot then shifts to Qi Heng giving Sheng Minglan a wolf-hair brush and water chestnuts.

Shen Qingyao said softly, "I feel so sorry for Minglan."

Shen Qingyao has watched this drama dozens of times. She knows everything from the lines and plot to the micro-expressions of each character by heart. But every time she rewatches it, she still finds it very interesting. Classic dramas always have a new flavor no matter how many times you watch them.

Meng Jiangyu had been dragged to watch a few episodes by her last time. At first, he was just keeping her company, but later he gradually got into it. Seeing her so engrossed, he couldn't help but smile gently and leaned down to plant a light kiss on the top of her head.

As the plot unfolds, familiar scenes unfold on the screen, depicting the trivialities and everyday life of the Sheng family with delicate and moving detail.

Shen Qingyao leaned against Meng Jiangyu's chest, her eyes fixed on the screen. Occasionally, she would sip some warm tea, and when she saw familiar scenes, she would whisper a few words to Meng Jiangyu, like a little chatterbox.

Meng Jiangyu listened quietly the whole time, occasionally responding with a deep, magnetic voice, enveloped in the gentleness of the night, which sounded exceptionally pleasant to her ears.

He wasn't interested in watching TV at first, but looking at the smiling face of the person next to him and listening to her soft, sweet nagging, he found the everyday family dramas in the show quite interesting.

When the plot reached the point where Madam Wu came to visit the Sheng family, Mo Lan secretly went to the front hall to see the male guest. Ru Lan and Ming Lan saw her, so Ru Lan pulled Ming Lan along and followed Mo Lan to the front hall.

Ru Lan and Mo Lan were arguing when their voices were overheard by the guests outside. Mo Lan then framed Ru Lan and Ming Lan, pushing them out and causing the Sheng family to lose face in front of the guests.

Sheng Hong reprimanded Ru Lan and Ming Lan without distinguishing right from wrong, and punished them by making them kneel in the ancestral hall, but let Mo Lan go.

Shen Qingyao's fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the cup, her cheeks flushed slightly with anger, and even her brows furrowed.

"I'm so angry! Sheng Hong is going too far!" Shen Qingyao couldn't help but pat Meng Jiangyu's chest, her tone full of indignation.

"As a father, you should naturally treat your children fairly, but you are showing such favoritism towards Mo Lan."

"There has to be a limit to favoring a concubine over the wife. Wang Ruofu is, after all, his lawfully wedded wife. How can he be so biased towards his concubine's children? If he were just a little fairer, the Sheng family wouldn't be in such chaos, and wouldn't a harmonious family be better?"

As she spoke, she looked at the smooth-talking Mo Lan on the screen, and became even more furious: "This Mo Lan, she's too good at manipulating men! A few sweet words and a few tears, and she's got Sheng Hong completely under her thumb. She's got the word 'hypocritical' ingrained in her very bones!"

Her cheeks puffed out slightly with anger, her eyes filled with fury, like a cat that had been provoked. Even her tone of voice carried a hint of coquettishness as she said, "Do you like Lin Qinshuang and her child that much?"

Meng Jiangyu looked down at her indignant expression, his eyes almost overflowing with tenderness. He couldn't help but chuckle softly, the vibrations of his chest transmitted through their pressed skin, making them exceptionally clear.

He raised his hand and pinched her flushed cheek, his fingertips gently caressing it, his voice full of laughter and doting: "Baby, you're so cute."

His teasing made Shen Qingyao even angrier. She raised her hand and slapped his hand away, pouting, "You're still laughing! Am I wrong? Sheng Hong has gone too far!"

"Yes, you're right." Meng Jiangyu followed her words, the smile in his eyes not fading, but he slowly composed himself, raised his hand to tidy the stray hairs on her forehead, and said softly, "However, I think the reason why Sheng Hong favors his concubine over his wife is not because he likes Lin Qinshuang so much, but simply to seize control of the Sheng family's power, for that little bit of power."

Upon hearing this, Shen Qingyao was instantly stunned. She turned her head and looked up at him, her eyes full of confusion, her brows furrowing even more tightly: "Not because he likes her? Then why is he so indulgent towards Lin Qinshuang? I've always felt that he's bewitched by Lin Qinshuang, and that's why he favors her child because he loves her so much."

She had watched the show dozens of times, always viewing Sheng Hong's actions from the perspective of love, affection, and bias. She had never imagined there could be such an interpretation, and for a moment she was filled with doubt, even her anger subsided a bit.

Seeing the curiosity in her eyes, Meng Jiangyu lowered his head, took a sip of tea, and slowly spoke, his voice deep and clear, carrying a hint of calm: "Think about it, before Sheng Hong rose to prominence, who held the power in the Sheng family?"

"Naturally, it's in Grandmother's hands," Shen Qingyao explained. "Grandmother is the only daughter of the Marquis of Yongyi's family. She comes from a noble family and her kindness is as heavy as a mountain. She is definitely the pillar of the Sheng family."

"Yes, what happened after Sheng Hong passed the imperial examination?" Meng Jiangyu continued to ask.

"Naturally, it's still my grandmother," Shen Qingyao thought to herself.

When will things change?

"After getting married," Shen Qingyao replied.

"Wang Ruofu is the eldest daughter of the Wang family, a noble and powerful family, and she is also the legally wedded first wife. In the past, the two of them were of one mind, and they discussed and agreed on all matters, big and small. There was no place for Sheng Hong to speak. In the Sheng family, he seemed to be the head of the family, but in reality, he was restrained at every turn and had no status at all."

His words were clear and logical, and every sentence hit the nail on the head. Shen Qingyao listened intently and nodded gently, signaling him to continue.

"The appearance of Lin Qinshuang just broke this pattern," Meng Jiangyu continued. "Lin Qinshuang was brought into the family by my grandmother. Originally, the plan was to teach her to read and write, and then marry her off."

"Unexpectedly, Sheng Hong had an affair with her in secret and had no choice but to take her as a concubine. Just think, how will Wang Ruofu feel after this? Sheng Hong did such a thing to someone in Grandmother's courtyard, so naturally there will be a rift between her and Grandmother."

"Now that Lin Qinshuang has entered the inner circle and has gained Sheng Hong's favor, her anger will only grow. She will definitely hold her grandmother accountable and feel that her grandmother has made things difficult for her."

Meng Jiangyu's voice was unhurried, "Once the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law have a falling out, they can no longer be of one mind. When conflicts arise in the family, it is natural that Sheng Hong, the 'head of the family,' will be needed to uphold justice. His move may seem like favoring his concubine over his wife, but in reality, he is reaping the benefits without lifting a finger."

Shen Qingyao opened her mouth, her heart filled with shock. She had never imagined there were so many intricacies behind this.