The Guide to Rising to Power: The Ultimate Schemes of a Green Tea Beauty

That day, Shen Yao was about to cross the road.

A figure in a food delivery uniform was bending down to lock an electric scooter. The man had dark skin, a slightly hunched back, and his profile showed the rough marks of wind and sun.

Shen Yao suddenly stopped in her tracks.

Liu Xingyang, a distant uncle from the same village, was honest and poor. A few years ago, I heard that he went out to work with other villagers and I haven't heard from him since.

She had actually seen him once—a fleeting glimpse at another street corner, before she turned and blended into the crowd. At that moment, she felt that some people and things no longer needed to be acknowledged.

But at this moment, she stood still.

Fang Yunci's eyes and his words, which sounded like an ultimatum, flashed through my mind: "You can come find me anytime."

To Shen Yao, these words presented two possible paths: either she would walk them herself, or she would be dragged there by someone else.

With surprise and uncertainty, she walked over to the man who was checking orders on his phone.

Liu Xingyang locked his car and looked up when he vaguely saw a well-dressed, elegant, and beautiful girl walking towards him.

He didn't pay attention at first, but as the girl got closer and her face became clearer in the afterglow of the setting sun, Liu Xingyang's eyes widened suddenly, his mouth opened slightly, and his face was filled with disbelief!

"Yao, Yao Yao?! Is that you, Yao Yao?"

Liu Xingyang's voice trembled with excitement as he looked Shen Yao up and down, almost unable to recognize her.

Is the graceful and beautiful girl in front of me, who looks like a movie star, really the same Shen Yao who ran away from the village two years ago and still looked a bit rustic?

Shen Yao stopped when she heard the call, her face showing surprise and joy: "Uncle Liu? It really is you! I thought it looked like you just now, what are you doing here?"

"Oh my, it really is Yao Yao!" Liu Xingyang rubbed his hands excitedly, a simple smile spreading across his dark face.

"You've changed so much, I almost didn't recognize you! You look so beautiful! I... I'm delivering food here, just working. And you? What are you doing here? And... and dressed like that..."

He couldn't find the right words to describe Shen Yao's exquisite and appropriate attire.

Shen Yao smiled slightly and replied naturally:

"Uncle Liu, I've come here to study. I'm an exchange student at Yenching University. I just finished my internship at the TV station next door today."

"Yan... Yenching University?!" Liu Xingyang gasped, his eyes widening even further, his face filled with pride, excitement, and satisfaction.

"That's a top-tier university, Yao Yao! You've really made us proud! You've brought so much honor to your parents. Coming from our remote mountain village, to get into such a good university is truly a blessing from our ancestors!"

He was so excited that he was incoherent, and his eyes were full of admiration and pride as he looked at Shen Yao, as if he had also contributed to her success.

After exchanging a few pleasantries about their recent situations, Liu Xingyang seemed to suddenly remember something important. His smile faded slightly, and he leaned closer to Shen Yao, speaking with a hint of concern and worry:

"Yaoyao, there's something I need to tell you. Don't blame me for being nosy."

Shen Yao remained calm and said, "Uncle Liu, how could I possibly blame you?"

Liu Xingyang sighed, "Sigh, it's your dad. I ran into him when I went back to the village for the New Year. He's been asking around about you everywhere! He's telling everyone you ran away, that you're heartless, and that he'll teach you a lesson once he finds you!"

"Yaoyao, it's good that you've become successful. But listen to your uncle's advice, if you can avoid going back, then don't. Your father... sigh..."

A look of gratitude appeared on Shen Yao's face, and she quickly said:

"Uncle Liu, thank you for telling me all this. Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I'm doing fine in Beijing now and I'll take good care of myself."

She took out her phone and said sincerely, "Uncle Liu, let's add each other on WeChat? That way we can look out for each other in Beijing. If you need anything, you can contact me anytime."

Liu Xingyang was flattered and hurriedly took out his old phone with a slightly cracked screen and awkwardly added Shen Yao as a friend.

After saying this, Shen Yao seemed to suddenly think of something, and her face showed hesitation and struggle, with a complex emotion in her eyes that a child naturally feels for their parents and cannot let go of them.

She bit her lower lip, lowered her voice further, and looked at Liu Xingyang with a hint of pleading:

"Uncle Liu, he's still my dad. He must be worried about me since I haven't heard from him for so long. Can I use your phone to call him and tell him I'm fine so he doesn't have to worry?"

She lowered her eyelashes at the opportune moment.

Looking at Shen Yao's "soft-hearted" and "sentimental" appearance, Liu Xingyang felt even more sorry for the child because she was so sensible.

Without much hesitation, he immediately pulled out his old phone with a slightly cracked screen and handed it over.

"Sigh, go ahead and call. You should let him know you're safe. Your dad's temper... sigh, talk to him nicely, don't start an argument."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Liu." Shen Yao took the old cell phone that still carried Liu Xingyang's warmth.

She took a deep breath and found Shen Daqiang's number in her contacts.

Finally, the phone was answered, and a rough, impatient male voice with a heavy accent rang out, accompanied by a noisy background.

"Feed? Who is that?!"

With a trembling and timid voice, Shen Yao softly called out, "...Dad, it's me."

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone, as if the other person hadn't reacted yet.

But just a second later, like a powder keg being ignited, Shen Daqiang's violent and foul-mouthed roar exploded in Shen Yao's ears, making her eardrums buzz.

"Shen Yao? You dare call me?! You even dare call your own father?! Where the hell have you been?!"

That's who we're going to hit.

She had run away in such a rush that she hadn't been unaware that he might call the police. But then she laughed: how could he bear to part with her? He was still counting on her, his "beautiful daughter," to make a fortune.

Thinking this way, the last bit of unease dissipated.

Shen Daqiang spoke at breakneck speed, like a machine gun firing off a barrage of words: "Let me tell you, I went to Shanghai University to look for you! They said you fucking ran off to Yenching University? Huh?"

A look of grievance and fear crossed Shen Yao's face, and her voice trembled with tears as she tried to explain, "Dad, I..."

"Shut up!" Shen Daqiang interrupted her roughly, his foul language pouring out like dirty water.

"Yanjing University?! With your grades, how the hell did you get in?! Tell me! Did you sleep with some random guy to get your spot?! You shameless little slut!!"

Holding her phone, Shen Yao was prepared, but hearing those words coming from the so-called "father's" mouth still caused her stomach to spasm reflexively.

She maintained her fragile, tearful expression, choking back sobs as she spoke into the microphone, "Dad... how could you say that to me..."

"What did I say to you? Did I say something wrong?" Shen Daqiang didn't listen to any of her explanations at all, his voice filled with a crazy threat.

"You just wait, I'll be coming to Yanjing to find you in a couple of days!"

Just then, a faint shout came from the other end of the receiver, mixed with the crisp sound of dice hitting the cup, and a few excited shouts of "Open! Open!"

Gambling? Shen Daqiang, you're so thoughtful.

Don't worry. This time, your daughter will personally see you off properly.

As Shen Yao listened to the silent phone, she silently asked herself:

[Dad, can I borrow your hand to help your daughter reach a higher and more stable stepping stone?]

No answer is needed.

Anyway, you don't have the right to say no.