Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
"Let's go to the study and talk," Shu Junxing said, not waiting for Xin Yi's response before turning and walking toward the study. Xin Yi had no choice but to follow behind.
Shu Junxing's study could truly be called a study. The entire room contained only three large bookshelves, a desk, and three chairs. On the desk sat a computer, and there were no ostentatious decorations at all. Even the bookshelves and furniture were made of plain wood—simple yet sturdy. It gave off the impression of not being a study belonging to a successful entrepreneur but rather resembling that of a dedicated, impoverished university professor.
As Xin Yi surveyed the arrangement of the study, he nodded to himself. It was likely due to Shu Junxing's unpretentious and pragmatic style that Junxing Group had developed into a massive conglomerate in just over twenty years.
After both sat down on either side of the desk, Shu Junxing immediately asked, "Do you like our Xiaorui?"
Xin Yi was taken aback by the question. He never expected Shu Junxing to ask something like that; wasn't he supposed to be inquiring about Zhongjiang Xu Lao? How did it suddenly turn into a son-in-law meeting the parents situation? However, Xin Yi genuinely didn't know how to respond. Emotionally speaking, there was no doubt he liked Shu Rui, but could he really say that to Shu Junxing? What would happen with Lijie and Shen Shanshan? Lijie had already given herself to him, and their engagement had been facilitated by both families. Although neither of them had agreed at the time, facts were facts, and that couldn't be changed. Moreover, Xin Yi had promised her he would marry her. As for Shen Shanshan, although their relationship hadn't been explicitly defined yet, given her attitude, it seemed her long-standing crush wouldn't be easy to let go of—especially after Josen's incident, which had made Shen Shanshan even more dependent on him.
These issues aside, the crux of the matter was that not only were both girls emotionally tied to Xin Yi, but he also couldn't let go of his feelings for them. And then there was Shu Rui; his feelings for her were no less than those for the other two girls.
But could he express any of this to Shu Junxing? Of course not. Xin Yi felt that Shu Junxing wasn't the type to be magnanimous enough to allow his daughter to share a husband with other women. Not only would Shu Junxing likely disapprove, but even the involved girls would probably reject such an absurd notion if they found out. Thus, Xin Yi had been unable to make a decision on this matter—not because he didn't want to, but because he didn't know how to decide without hurting any of the girls involved. He had been trying to let things unfold naturally, but now with Shu Junxing's question, it seemed he was being forced into making a decision.
"Um... I am very good friends with Shu Rui," Xin Yi could only say something that felt quite nonsensical even to him. This answer was completely vague; what did being 'very good friends' even mean? Friendship could imply anything from mere acquaintanceship to something deeper—how good was 'very good'?
Shu Junxing certainly wouldn't be fooled by Xin Yi's ambiguous words. He stared intently into Xin Yi's eyes and said something that made Xin Yi feel even more embarrassed: "I know you like Xiaorui... but at the same time, you also like Commander of the Liaodong Military Region Shen Dahai's daughter Shen Shanshan. And as far as I know, there's another girl whose identity I don't know who is also very close to you. Am I right?"
"I... I'm just very good friends with them all, Uncle. I don't want to deceive you; at least that's how it is right now. I think it's best if everything unfolds naturally," Xin Yi felt his face heat up slightly. He couldn't believe Shu Junxing had investigated him; he didn't even know how much Shu Junxing knew about him. Just discussing this matter made him feel awkward—did he really think of him as some kind of playboy?
"Youths enjoying themselves isn't necessarily a serious issue as long as they can bear their responsibilities," Shu Junxing said seriously. "I just want to know how much chance Xiaorui has? Or among these three girls, who do you like more?"
Upon hearing this from Shu Junxing, Xin Yi nearly broke down. Was there really a father who asked such questions on behalf of his daughter? The way it came out sounded like they were negotiating a contract at a negotiation table! It felt as if Xin Yi were the bidding party while Shu Junxing was one of several bidders probing for information from him. This feeling made Xin Yi uncomfortable—was this how Shu Junxing conducted all his affairs? Did he approach his wife in such a manner when pursuing her too? Did he sit down at a negotiation table and straightforwardly ask: "With so many boys pursuing you, what are my chances?" Wasn't that utterly ridiculous? What girl would fall for a man who treated love like business? Not to mention that Aunt Lu still possessed her charm.
"President Shu, I think it's more appropriate for me to address you as such," Xin Yi said bluntly in an attempt to stiffen the conversation atmosphere which might make it easier for both sides to reveal their true intentions. He met Shu Junxing's piercing gaze and slowly continued: "You might think it's ridiculous for me to date three girls at once; I don't want to hypocritically explain that they are just ordinary friends or anything like that. But I want you to know that I have no ulterior motives in doing so. If we are talking about responsibilities here, then right now I only need to take responsibility for one girl—the one whose identity you mentioned earlier—because I promised her I would marry her. If your invitation today is regarding this matter, then I've made my position clear; I'm not sure if you're satisfied with my answer."
"Hahaha..." After hearing Xin Yi's words, Shu Junxing suddenly burst into laughter. Once he finished laughing, he changed the subject and said, "Xin Yi, don't misunderstand. This old man of mine has unintentionally wandered off-topic. Those matters are your young people's business; I have no interest in meddling. By the way, Xiaorui told me about your trip to Zhongjiang last time. How did you manage to fool that old bastard Xu Kuan? As far as I know, he's not an easy person to deal with; even the Zhongjiang government has to listen to him."
Xin Yi would not believe Shu Junxing's excuse about unintentionally going off-topic; he clearly asked those questions on purpose. However, since he said that, Xin Yi decided not to dwell on it any further and let the earlier tension between them pass lightly. Of course, both of them understood this perfectly well, but a wise person knows not to linger on matters that shouldn't be pursued.
Naturally, Xin Yi couldn't share everything about the Zhongjiang trip with Shu Junxing without reservation. He skillfully omitted certain details, such as Huang Dafa's death, the truth about Beng Hu Lian, and the treasures seized from Xu Lao... However, it seemed that Shu Junxing didn't show much interest in these matters either. The two of them enjoyed a pleasant atmosphere in the study, chatting happily.
It wasn't until Shu Rui knocked on the door and called for them to go out for dinner that both of their faces bore knowing smiles, as if they were old friends who had just met. Seeing this scene made Shu Rui feel relieved; she initially thought her father would make things difficult for Xin Yi because she knew Shu Junxing had investigated him and had discussed other girls with her. However, due to her confidence and insistence, Shu Junxing hadn't stopped her from associating with Xin Yi. Now it seemed that there was no unpleasantness between them, which led her to believe that Shu Junxing had accepted Xin Yi, putting her mind at ease.
After Shu Rui turned to leave, the older and younger men also stood up and walked toward the door. Just as they reached the entrance, Shu Junxing suddenly stopped and turned to Xin Yi, saying softly, "You should still call me Uncle; I don't like being addressed as President Shu."
Xin Yi was taken aback again; Shu Junxing's words were indeed cryptic. What did he mean by that? Did he want to maintain a friendly relationship in front of Shu Rui? Or did he genuinely hope for Xin Yi to call him Uncle? Xin Yi couldn't quite figure it out but decided not to dwell on it; he wasn't the type to be overly cautious.
The dishes served were simple home-cooked meals, and the liquor was ordinary white wine. If one didn't know that the head of this household was the business tycoon Shu Junxing from Binhai, they might think this was just an ordinary working-class family of three. Yet precisely because of this familiarity, Xin Yi felt quite comfortable during the meal. Aunt Lu and Shu Rui kept serving him food, and even Shu Junxing acted like a caring father by offering him several servings. As a result, Xin Yi hardly touched his own chopsticks throughout the meal; even so, his stomach felt as full as a plump cricket.
At the dining table, Aunt Lu casually asked some questions. Knowing Shu Junxing's influence, Xin Yi figured he probably already had most of the information available for public disclosure investigated thoroughly. Therefore, aside from revealing his family's secret identity, he answered truthfully about everything else—even regarding Three Tiger Hall. Of course, there was no point in trying to hide it; given what he learned from Huang Mang about Shu Junxing's close relationship with Hong Tianhu, there was nothing left to conceal.
Fortunately, Aunt Lu didn't seem bothered by such matters at all. Especially when she heard Xin Yi mention disbanding Three Tiger Hall and forming Three Tiger Group afterward, she continuously praised him for his capability and determination. She remarked that if a gang wanted to develop, it should move toward legitimate business ventures. Hearing such words from someone as refined as her made Xin Yi wonder if Junxing Group was also restructured from a gang.
The meal was filled with joy and laughter; Shu Rui wore a radiant smile throughout. After finishing dinner, Aunt Lu and Shu Rui went into the kitchen to clean up while Shu Junxing and Xin Yi sat in the living room drinking tea and chatting casually. At that moment, Xin Yi's phone rang—it was Shen Shanshan calling. Since Shu Junxing already knew about Shen Shanshan's situation, Xin Yi didn't hesitate and answered directly: "Shanshan, what's up?"
"Why haven't you come to see me for three days?" Shen Shanshan's tone sounded somewhat aggrieved.
"I'm sorry Shanshan; I've been a bit busy these past few days. Can I come see you tomorrow?" Xin Yi replied.
"Alright, you said it. Come early tomorrow," Shen Shanshan said happily, her tone carrying a hint of a successful scheme. "I'm being discharged from the hospital tomorrow, so come pick me up. By the way... my dad wants to meet you too."
Uh... why do I have to meet the parents again? Why is everything happening at once?
Comment 0 Comment Count