At Licheng Airport, Qin Chuan's mood had a subtle commonality with Bo He's.

If Bo He had known that helping Ouyang would lead to meeting someone she didn't want to see, she wouldn't have come to the film set, even if it made Ouyang angry.

Similarly, if Qin Chuan had known his vacation mood would be utterly ruined by that one phone call, he wouldn't have answered it.

The time goes back to last night.

Boss Qin, engrossed in his game, successfully angered a beautiful female streamer into leaving. His behavior, however, piqued some people's desire for a challenge. Some even made bets on being able to exchange three sentences with Boss Qin, coming one after another, tireless in their efforts.

Qin Chuan was endlessly annoyed and was just about to get up and go home when a call came in.

The name on the caller ID made him frown slightly.

Shen Rui appeared out of nowhere and shooed away the flock of women around him.

“What are you doing? Not even answering your dad's call?”

Qin Chuan glanced at him and pressed the answer button anyway.

He didn't get up to avoid Shen Rui, which indicated that he was allowing Shen Rui to listen in—a sign of trust in his brother. Shen Rui was happy about this and shamelessly stayed put.

“I heard there was an earthquake on the island two days ago, and you guys happened to be there for a team-building event. Is everyone okay?” The helmsman of the Qin Group used this pleasantry as an opening.

Coming from an ordinary person, there would be nothing wrong with such words, but between a father and son, it was a bit strange.

Information travels so fast these days. News of an earthquake from two hours ago would be everywhere two hours later, let alone two days.

Besides, was this the tone of a father concerned for his son?

Shen Rui couldn't hear what Qin Shiyu said, but from Qin Chuan's expression, he could guess a few things.

“We're fine.” Qin Chuan replied with the same indifference.

Qin Shiyu laughed. “Still unhappy about the breakup? I told you long ago, that little starlet isn't right for you.”

Qin Chuan said coldly, “I'll be the judge of whether she's suitable or not. I don't need you to worry about it. I would be even more grateful if you hadn't sent me that video of her drinking with clients.”

Qin Shiyu's voice also grew cold. “What kind of attitude is that? I couldn't bear to see you being kept in the dark by that kind of woman. As a parent, don't I have the right to care about my children? If you really didn't care, would you have broken up with her? In the end, it was her own problem, and you couldn't tolerate it either!”

Qin Chuan: “Dad, I'm afraid you've got it wrong. The fundamental reason for our breakup wasn't that video. And even though we've broken up, I won't follow the path you've laid out for me.”

Qin Shiyu: “Don't forget, the vast majority of Shengming Company's shares are in my hands. If you want to be completely independent, come talk to me about equality after you've built something from scratch. In a couple of days, there's a new project in Licheng. Go and inspect it. I've had someone send the details to your email. That's all, good night.”

He gave Qin Chuan almost no room to rebut, saying everything in one breath before hanging up, seemingly certain that Qin Chuan would not refuse to go.

“What's wrong?” Shen Rui leaned in. “Did it go badly again?”

Based on his understanding of the Qin family's situation, he subconsciously used the word "again."

In Shen Rui's impression, the relationship between the Qin father and son was terrible, almost to the point where they wouldn't contact each other unless absolutely necessary.

Among the friends he knew, there were plenty whose parents were busy and had poor emotional communication with their children, but none were this bad.

“I'm telling you, you have to bear with it. Don't really have a falling out with Old Qin. Otherwise, all your years of hard work, all your blood and sweat, will end up benefiting his illegitimate son! No matter what, you're the eldest son. He can't possibly leave you with nothing.”

Qin Chuan shook his head. “You still don't understand him. Me, the illegitimate son, all of that is secondary. In his eyes, there's only himself.”

Shen Rui opened his mouth but couldn't find any words to refute him.

He didn't know much about the Qin family's internal affairs; most of what he knew was hearsay from his parents.

It was said that before the Liberation, the Qin family were major capitalists. The old master had several concubines and many children, many of whom went overseas, while some remained in the country. During the years of turmoil, although the Qin family was already destitute, their historical background inevitably meant they were targeted for reckoning. Qin Shiyu's father, Qin Chuan's grandfather, somehow got wind of it in advance. Fearing a tragic fate, he fled that very night. He actually managed to escape and was never heard from again, but he abandoned his wife and child. A young Qin Shiyu suffered a great deal because of this; his slight limp to this day is an ailment from that time.

After the country opened up, Qin Chuan's grandfather returned home rich and successful. It was only then that people learned he had journeyed all the way to Hong Kong, contacted the Qin clan members there, been formally recognized as kin, and, with the help of his relatives' funding, built a career and started a new family.

It was precisely because of Qin Chuan's grandfather's initial capital and connections that the later Qin Group came to be. Qin Shiyu's ability to expand the group and build it to its current scale was a testament to his undeniable business acumen.

But, perhaps due to his experiences as a youth, Qin Shiyu was a very difficult person to deal with and, in Shen Rui's eyes, also very selfish.

At the very least, he had never detected the slightest trace of a father's love for his son in the way he treated Qin Chuan.

Shen Rui finally found his voice. “Then you still have to put up with it, right? If he gets upset and leaves all the assets to the illegitimate son, what's the use of you working yourself to death?”

Qin Chuan nonchalantly opened the game and subconsciously glanced at his friends list.

Bo He was still not online.

“Who said I'm working hard for him? Managing Shengming Company allows me to accumulate experience. I'm just preparing to start my own business later. I've also made some investments myself these past few years and will be leaving Shengming Company soon.”

Shen Rui quickly threw an arm around his shoulder.

“Brother, calm down. You want to start your own business, I'm all for it, but what about the capital? No matter how bad your old man is, are you really willing to just hand over the Qin family fortune to someone else?”

Qin Chuan asked back strangely, “I can make my own money, why must I covet his fortune?”

Shen Rui was dumbfounded.

From emperors and generals down to common households, people fought tooth and nail, turning against their own kin, for power and wealth, or even just for a house. Shen Rui himself had heard of and seen several such examples.

He never would have expected to hear such an answer from Qin Chuan.

“Are you... an idiot?”

This wasn't just a few houses or a small inheritance; it was the entire Qin Group.

Qin Chuan: “Let me ask you, with my current abilities, even if I leave Shengming Company, can I still have the same material lifestyle as before?”

Shen Rui nodded. He had seen some of the assets under Qin Chuan's name. The man had indeed earned a lot of money these past few years, and he didn't squander it on debauchery. It was more than enough.

Qin Chuan: “Even if I inherit the majority of Qin Shiyu's assets in the future, will I become a better person because of it?”

Shen Rui thought for a moment. “With the entire Qin Group backing you, you could become more powerful.”

Qin Chuan: “But I would inevitably have to follow the path Qin Shiyu has laid out, without any deviation.”

Shen Rui: “That's a given.”

Qin Chuan's expression was placid. “So I've decided to give it up. Since I have the ability, why should I force myself to follow the path he set and make myself unhappy?”

Shen Rui: “Even if you want to start fresh, as long as the Qin Group exists, you'll never be able to completely escape your dad's control.”

Qin Chuan: “No matter how long his reach is, he can't interfere across different industries.”

Shen Rui was shocked. “You want to cross into another industry? Real estate is going so well. What do you want to do?”

Qin Chuan was noncommittal. “We'll see.”

Shen Rui: “What if—I'm just saying if—your dad willingly decided to leave his fortune to you?”

Although, based on his understanding of Qin Shiyu, that was indeed highly unlikely.

But Qin Chuan's unhesitating answer surprised him even more.

“Donate it.”

Shen Rui: “What?”

Qin Chuan: “All of it. Donate it.”

Shen Rui stared blankly at his old friend.

He knew that Qin Chuan was a man of his word.

After a long moment, Shen Rui swallowed and murmured, “I'm truly impressed by you.”

Qin Chuan patted his shoulder.

“He wants me to go to Licheng, so I still have to make the trip. I'm off, going back to pack.”

Shen Rui let out a sound. “Didn't you just make that grand declaration about not listening to him?”

Qin Chuan gave him a look like he was an idiot.