HBWMA -Chapter 288 Welcome Home, Princess Your Highness

South Bay Government Hall.

The meeting room doors were suddenly pushed open with a loud bang. Officials at various levels walked out in groups, chatting in low voices as they moved.

“Young Master A-Ling.”

Someone called out without hesitation. The crowd slowed down and, almost instinctively, turned their attention toward the most eye-catching figure among them.

The young man stood tall in a sharply tailored suit, exuding aristocratic elegance. Just a casual glance from him created a stark contrast with everyone around him, as if they belonged to entirely different worlds.

Mo Ran hurried forward in small steps. “Young Master, your meeting hasn’t ended yet. The Speaker has instructed that you are to handle the written records for this session.”

Shen Guiling lowered his gaze to his phone, then turned and walked back into the meeting room. When the doors closed again, subtle changes appeared in everyone’s expressions.

Shen Qian was about to be promoted to the National Assembly. Before taking office, he had specially convened the Shen faction in South Bay to plan the region’s future development.

Logically, Shen Guiling should not have been allowed to attend such a meeting. But Shen Qian had arranged a title for him—“Publicity Secretary.” Not only could he participate in all important meetings, he was also responsible for personally recording high-level decisions. What this trust represented needed no further explanation.

“Second Young Master is no longer what he used to be. It seems the future direction of South Bay is about to change.”

“More than that. I heard the old master of the Shen family is particularly fond of him and has personally raised him by his side.”

“That explains it. Young Master A-Ling is gentle with people, yet has his own unique insights in everything he does. He’s truly a rare talent.”

The crowd murmured in quiet discussion, their words filled with praise for Shen Guiling.

“He may be impressive, but he’s still just an illegitimate son—something unpresentable!”

A man patted his belly and spat a mouthful of thick phlegm, then strode arrogantly into the elevator.

The others fell silent, exchanging glances before pretending not to hear anything.

That man was a relative by marriage of the Yao family, and because of that connection he had secured a senior position in the South Bay police system. When Yao Ge was still around, everyone had given him some respect and avoided offending him.

After Yao Yongwei entered the elevator, the people from the police system followed him in.

“Director Yao, this can’t go on. It seems Mr. Shen is placing more and more trust in that illegitimate son. At this rate, even when the eldest young master returns, there might be no place left for him.”

Within a family, there are strategists; within strategists, factions; and within factions, further internal conflicts. Yao Yongwei, as a collateral branch of the Yao family, was a firm supporter of Yao Ge. Only if Shen Nian came to power could the Yao family achieve the rise of one member lifting the whole clan.

Because of this, Yao Yongwei did not hide his contempt for Shen Guiling. He repeatedly insulted him in public, even putting on airs of seniority in front of the rightful heir, deliberately refusing to cooperate with promotional work and causing Shen Guiling to be left waiting multiple times, disrupting operations with an extremely perfunctory and hostile attitude.

“You’re right.”

Yao Yongwei’s eyes flickered. He immediately called Yao Ge and exaggerated the situation in South Bay.

After hearing that Shen Guiling had already begun to exercise governing power, Yao Ge was so furious she smashed everything in her house.

Ever since the Bai Zheng incident, she had been under a kind of semi-house arrest. No matter where she went or who she met, people followed her. Even the household maids were all Shen family’s eyes and ears.

As soon as she started smashing things, the housemaid called the main residence of the Shen Estate. When she finished, Doctor Meng arrived uninvited with a group of people.

“What are you trying to do?! Don’t touch me! Don’t touch me!”

Yao Ge screamed hysterically, like a madwoman.

Doctor Meng instructed them to administer a sedative and recorded her condition before returning to the Shen Estate.

“Gone mad?”

Shen Zhuang was tending the flowers in the garden hall. His hand paused slightly upon hearing Doctor Meng’s conclusion. After a moment, he set down the scissors and took the report from Doctor Meng.

“This is Madam’s physical examination report over the past few years. Her emotional fluctuations are extremely high—far beyond the normal range of an ordinary person.”

Shen Zhuang flipped through the report. The data showed that Yao Ge’s symptoms began six years ago, and in the past three years especially, she had repeatedly hovered on the edge of collapse.

Six years ago was when he drove “A-Nian” away. Three years ago was when the Shen family officially acknowledged A-Ling.

Shen Zhuang’s eyes darkened slightly in thought. “In your opinion, how much is real? How much is fake?”

Doctor Meng replied, “This time it should be fake. Her evasive reaction when the sedative was administered gave her away. However… her readings are already very dangerous. If she continues to suffer repeated psychological shocks, one day… she really will go insane.”

“What intervention measures are there?” This scene was not what Shen Zhuang wanted to see.

“Untie the bell, you still need the one who tied it. Madam’s heart knot is the eldest young master.” The doctor, Dr. Meng, stopped there. He didn’t dare say anything further.

Shen Zhuang nodded and waved his hand. “Let her recuperate properly for now.”

“Yes.”

After the doctor left, Shen Zhuang walked out of the flower hall with a hoe in hand. Shen Zhi immediately followed.

“Old master.”

Shen Zhuang chopped through a wall of vines. Behind it was a patch of abandoned farmland. The old man pointed at the empty ground.

“Have someone loosen the soil. Buy some radish seeds.”

Shen Zhi froze for a moment, then quickly nodded in agreement.

“What is this place? Why does it look so… shady?”

Su Miao hugged her backpack, standing in front of the black-gold gates, peeking inside like a thief.

“Manager, there’s a kid outside who won’t leave.”

The manager glanced toward the entrance, straightened his tie, and strode out in polished black leather shoes.

“Little girl, what are you doing here?”

Because of his job, the man wore a professional 45-degree smile—friendly and approachable.

Su Miao took a step back. “My friend asked me to meet her here.”

The manager paused, then chuckled lightly. “Your friend? Did you get the wrong place? Or is this some kind of prank?”

This girl looked underage. Her friend was probably underage too—how could they possibly meet at a place like this?

Thinking of Jiang Huashan’s bad behavior, Su Miao turned to leave. But after two steps, she suddenly remembered that cup of iced Americano that was more bitter than her life. She gritted her teeth and pointed inside.

“She told me to come here. I’ll just wait inside.”

The manager’s eyelid twitched. He quickly grabbed her.

“Little girl, go home. This isn’t a place you should be.”

“Why can’t I come? Don’t look down on people! I’m telling you, I have money.”

Ignoring his obstruction, Su Miao slipped past him with a fake move and rushed through the gate.

The manager groaned in distress. The moment he saw her, he already noticed her outfit—full luxury custom wear, even her hat was a limited-edition designer collaboration worth 30,000 yuan and impossible to buy.

This was probably some rich young lady sneaking out to experience life. If she went inside and offended someone she shouldn’t, their entire business might be finished.

Inside the club, the décor was extremely luxurious, with black and red tones carrying a faintly ambiguous atmosphere.

The more Su Miao looked, the more something felt wrong. All the passing staff were men, wearing improper suits, their chest openings nearly down to their stomachs. Even more unsettling were their eyes—every glance gave her goosebumps.

Finally, Su Miao stopped walking.

She turned around. If she still didn’t realize what kind of place this was, she might as well have lived all these years for nothing.

Jiang Huashan is insane—she actually tricked her into coming here.

The manager, seeing this, felt like he’d been granted salvation and personally pressed the elevator button for her.

“Little girl, please leave quickly.”

Su Miao felt mortified. If not for her hat covering her, she would’ve completely lost face.

The elevator numbers slowly climbed.

Just as it was about to arrive, a group of handsome men in split-style outfits suddenly rushed out from the shop, forming two neat rows around the adjacent elevator, standing in a welcoming formation.

The manager’s expression changed slightly. He ignored Su Miao and rushed to the front row, standing upright.

“Ding—”

The elevator doors slowly opened.

The tall, long-legged men bowed at a perfect ninety degrees in unison.

“Welcome home, Princess.”

“…Hah.” Su Miao scoffed. “What’s wrong with you people?”

Just as she lifted her foot to leave, someone stepped out of the elevator.

Su Miao’s pupils shook violently.

She let out a scream sharper than anyone else’s.

“JIANG—HUA—SHAN!”