Chapter 376 Keep the Wealth Within the Family

Meng’s mother seemed completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere. She sat back down on the sofa and patted the empty seat next to her, gesturing for Xu Yue to sit.

“Yueyue, Xu’s Beauty Industry has made quite a name for itself lately. I heard the Purifying Jade Dew Cream is completely sold out!” Her tone carried undisguised admiration and eagerness. “We were talking about it the whole way here. The Xu family has truly raised a capable daughter!”

Xu Yue sat down on the adjacent single sofa, her posture composed. “You flatter me, Mrs. Meng. The company’s current success isn’t solely my doing.”

“Of course! Everyone in the Xu family is capable!” Meng’s mother beamed from ear to ear. “Our Qiao Fei marrying into the Xu family is a blessing she earned in her past life!”

At that moment, Meng Zehai put down his phone and chimed in, “Yueyue, I heard your company is hiring lately?”

Xu Yue shifted her gaze to him, her tone calm. “We are indeed hiring. There are vacancies in both the marketing and sales departments.”

“That’s wonderful!” Meng Zehai leaned forward, sporting a smile that took everything for granted. “You know, we’re all family here. Keep the wealth within the family, right?

“I’ve done my fair share of business over the years, so I have plenty of experience. If your company is short a department director or something like that, I’m more than qualified for the job.”

Xu Yue sneered inwardly. The man was truly shameless, demanding a department director position right off the bat. What gave him the right? Did he think he was more entitled than everyone else?

But Xu Yue didn’t let her thoughts show. She picked up her teacup, took a sip, and only spoke at a leisurely pace after setting it back down. “The company is indeed short-staffed, but with your qualifications, you would have to start from the bottom.

“A department director position requires at least five years of industry experience, as well as a proven track record of performance. If you’re interested, Meng, you can start in a sales position. If you do well, there will naturally be opportunities for promotion.”

The smile on Meng Zehai’s face froze for a moment. He hadn’t traveled all this way just to be a lowly sales clerk.

Wu Sinic coughed lightly beside him and nudged him with her elbow.

Meng’s mother immediately chimed in, “Yueyue, Zehai is Qiao Fei’s older brother, which makes him half a brother to you, too. It wouldn’t sound good if word got out that you made him start from the bottom!

“Besides, he used to run his own factory. Even though it wasn’t a large-scale operation, he does have management experience. Just give him a chance.”

Xu Yue set down her teacup, her gaze mild. “Mrs. Meng, the company has its rules. I can’t make exceptions based on personal relationships.

“You can ask around; when my brother first joined the company, he also started as a regular clerk in the marketing department. If Meng is willing, I can arrange for him to be onboarded anytime, but it absolutely must be from the bottom up.”

Meng Zehai’s face visibly darkened, and he slammed his cup heavily onto the table.

Yang Xun raised an eyebrow. Had it not been for Meng Qiaofei’s sake, he would have thrown the man out ages ago. How dare he throw an attitude at his wife! Who gave him the nerve?

Wu Sinic tugged at Meng Zehai’s sleeve and shot him a meaningful look.

Holding back his temper, he let out a dry laugh. “Fine, the bottom it is. I’ll take it one step at a time.”

Although Meng’s mother wasn’t entirely pleased, she didn’t harp on the issue. Instead, she chuckled and changed the subject. “By the way, Yueyue, we plan on staying in Zhonghai for a few more days this time.” She glanced at Meng Qiaofei, speaking with an air of entitlement, “We want to spend some quality time with Qiao Fei. Besides, your house is so big—it shouldn’t be a problem if we stay a few extra days, right?”

Xu Yue frowned slightly, but for Meng Qiaofei’s sake, she nodded.

“Alright, since you’re here, you’re welcome to stay a bit longer. I’ll have the nanny prepare the guest rooms. Once Meng starts his job, I’ll ask a friend to help him rent an apartment.”

She intentionally added that last sentence, afraid they might overstay their welcome. As long as Meng Zehai got a job, they would have no excuse to keep living in the villa.

That evening, the Xu family villa was much livelier than usual.

The Mengs occupied two guest rooms on the second floor. Meng Zehai and his wife took the most spacious one, while Meng’s mother and the child stayed next door.

Meng Xiaobao was full of energy, running all over the house. One moment he was climbing on the sofa, and the next he was peeking around the staircase. The nanny spent half the night chasing after him.

Meng Zehai and Wu Sinic, on the other hand, made themselves right at home. After dinner, they sat in the living room watching TV, with sliced fruit and snacks laid out on the coffee table, acting as casually as if they were staying in a hotel.

Meng Qiaofei sat at a small table near the kitchen. An account book lay open in front of her, but she hadn’t absorbed a single word.

When Yang Xun passed through the hallway, he noticed her slight frown. Her gaze was fixed out the window; she seemed lost in thought. He stopped, walked over, and sat across from her. “Are you alright, Qiao Fei?”

Meng Qiaofei snapped back to reality and forced a weak smile. “I’m fine. It’s just… their visit was so sudden, and I didn’t even have time to give you a heads-up. Is Yueyue upset?”

“No, Yueyue doesn’t mind things like this. You don’t need to be so tense.” After consoling her, Yang Xun saw her worried expression and asked softly, “Did they say something to you?”

Meng Qiaofei fell silent for a couple of seconds. Her fingers gently rubbed the corner of the account book, and she lowered her voice. “My mother called me into the room alone. She told me to take advantage of Xu Feifan’s change of heart and hurry up and have a child with him.

“She said that as long as I bear a child for the Xu family, the family’s assets will eventually be mine. When that time comes, getting Zehai into the company would just take a single word from me.”

Meng Qiaofei let out a bitter laugh. “She thinks that because I’ve been married all these years without reaping any benefits from the Xu family or helping my maiden family, I’m a useless woman.”

Looking at her exhausted expression, a complicated, indescribable emotion welled up in Yang Xun’s heart. “What about you? What do you think?”

Meng Qiaofei looked up, her almond eyes filled with a helpless yet resolute gleam. “I don’t want to be controlled by them anymore. My marriage with Xu Feifan exists in name only. I have my own job now, and I don’t need to rely on anyone. There’s no need to tie a man down with a child.

“Mother, brother—they don’t care about me at all. They just want to use me for their own gain.” At this, Meng Qiaofei’s eyes grew red.

“Then follow your heart.” Yang Xun’s voice was gentle but firm. “Don’t worry about Yueyue. She won’t put you in a tough spot.”

Meng Qiaofei nodded, as if drawing a bit of strength from his words.

They chatted for a few more moments before Yang Xun got up and left.

Watching his retreating back, Meng Qiaofei felt a swirl of mixed emotions. Back then, she had only married Xu Feifan to pay off her family’s debts. The Xu family had helped her immensely, so she felt that getting a divorce would be a disservice to the two deceased Xu family elders. Perhaps she and Xu Feifan were simply destined to muddle through life like this.

She did like Yang Xun, but given their current relationship, they could never be together.