Zhu Tong didn’t tell Zhu Shoushan in advance about returning to A City for his health check-up. He didn’t even think about giving him a call.
Zhu Shoushan has been negligent in taking care of him since childhood. Previously, when he received a call from his father, Zhu Tong could remain calm because he knew that the call wouldn’t last long and would soon be disconnected. But ever since his father mentioned “new friends” on the phone last time, he has become somewhat resistant to Zhu Shoushan’s calls.
Because this call was certainly no longer a simple “greeting.”
‘Since you’ve already decided not to care about me, why can’t you just stick to your decision to the end?’
Zhu Tong thought, a little annoyed.
On the phone, Zhu Shoushan’s voice was very gentle, “Tongtong, I heard that you have returned to A City? Where are you now? Why didn’t you say hello to Dad when you came back?”
Zhu Tong calmly replied, “I’m at the hospital, I plan to tell you after the examination is over.”
“At the hospital?” There was a pause on the phone, and then he asked, “When will the examination end?”
“…”
He didn’t even ask about the examination result.
Well, with every check-up, his health only got worse. He probably already thought there won’t be anything new to hear.
Zhu Tong was a little indifferent and didn’t tell him about his health.
He said lightly, “I don’t know yet, there are still many examinations that have not been done.”
“Really?” Zhu Shoushan was silent for a while, as if thinking about something, “Then tell me after you finish. I will ask someone to pick you up.”
Zhu Tong frowned slightly and said, “No need, I’ll go back after the check-up…”
“Why are you in such a hurry?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
‘You’re the one in a hurry, right?’
Zhu Tong was too lazy to go around in circles with him, and directly asked, “Is there something wrong?”
Zhu Shoushan paused for a while, and didn’t beat around the bush any more, “You finally came back. Three days later, there will be a birthday dinner at the Illusory Sky Entertainment Palace. Will you come with me?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
Birthday dinner? What is he going to do?
Zhu Shoushan added, “The person hosting the banquet is a close friend of your mother’s from before. She just returned from abroad this year. She called to say she wants to see both of you and your sister. Xiao Xin has classes at school and can’t make it. If you’re willing, I can take you to meet her.”
“…”
Since Xiao Xin had classes, she couldn’t leave. But since he already went to a health check-up, it meant that he already took a leave for school anyway.
Although his absence from school was the norm.
He didn’t think it was “favoring one over the other”. He just thought that his father’s attitude was quite odd today.
Zhu Shoushan is a person who values his reputation highly and has a strong sense of self-respect. In front of others, he has always maintained an elegant and responsible image, both in his work and towards his family.
He remarried in order to better take care of his two children. Although he and his second wife cannot be described as deeply in love, they neither mistreat each other nor engage in betrayal.
He has a successful career and good luck. Every time he encounters any risk in business, he could always turn things around in his favor.
But what outsiders don’t know is that every time he turns a bad situation into a good one, there’s actually someone helping him behind the scenes.
Zhu Tong didn’t care about these things before, but that didn’t mean he didn’t know.
His maternal grandfather, always secretly, helped the Zhu family’s business numerous times.
But his grandfather has a reserved personality. He never talks about what he does. Even though his father knows it’s his grandfather who helps him, he never mentions it to anyone because he’s afraid of being gossiped about behind his back, being called as a man “who eats soft rice1A derogatory term referring to a man who relies on his wife for a living.”.
He keeps the connection between him and his grandfather tightly concealed. He deceives himself, pretending that as long as others don’t know, all his success is solely the result of his own efforts. This is his self-deceiving pride.
He would neither let anyone know about his relationship with his grandfather, nor would he have almost no contact with his mother’s former friends.
But his parents were secretly married back then, and very few people knew about it. Since he can remember, he has never seen his “mother’s friend”.
Since Zhu Shoushan was so reluctant to interact with his mother’s friends, why did he take the initiative to take him to a birthday party?
Is that person really his mom’s friend?
When there’s smoke billowing, there must be a fire causing it.
Zhu Tong lowered his gaze and said, “I won’t go. I still have to undergo a check-up. If there’s nothing else, I’ll hang up.”
Zhu Shoushan couldn’t stop his action. The call was hung up.
Zhu Tong breathed a sigh of relief, but his phone rang again.
He hesitated, and pressed the answer again.
“Hello, Auntie?”
“Tongtong? I heard you went back to City A? Have you done the check-up? How is your health?”
“…”
Zhu Tong patiently answered her questions.
His auntie was happy for him for a while, then said, “Since you’re fine and you’ve returned to A City, in a couple of days, it’s also Aunt Lian’s birthday. You should come with me.”
Zhu Tong was stunned. “Aunt Lian?”
“Yeah, but you might not know her.” His auntie smiled and said, “She is a friend of mine and your mother’s, also our mentor from our university days. Your mother and I received a lot of help from her during our university years. After your mother passed away, I haven’t seen her for many years… What do you say? Will you accompany your auntie to see her?”
Zhu Tong: “…”
He didn’t expect that it was really his mother’s friend.
“Tongtong?”
After a long silence, he suddenly heard his name called over the phone.
His auntie said, “If you don’t want to go, then Auntie…”
“It’s okay, Auntie.” Zhu Tong said, “I’ll go.”
“Really? That’s great.”
“…”
After finishing the call with his auntie, Zhu Tong sighed heavily.
About his mother, Zhu Tong actually didn’t remember much.
When he and his sister were very young, their mother passed away. There wasn’t much of an emotional bond, but occasionally, when they saw other children being doted on by their mothers, they would feel a bit envious.
As for what kind of person his mother was, he knew a few things through his auntie and grandfather.
Going to see his mother’s friend?
His mother had passed away more than ten years ago. As children, they should attend if invited, shouldn’t they?
If it’s just a simple invitation, he’ll have no problem. But considering his father’s unusual demeanor about this matter, he felt like this birthday banquet is more like a Hongmen banquet2a trap.
He also deliberately left Xiao Xin aside and only let him go. What is his purpose?
Zhu Tong felt troubled. His previously agitated mood, influenced by the doctor’s words, was gradually sinking to the lowest point. However, before hitting rock bottom, his phone screen flickered, the call ended, and the chat interface popped up.
He saw his doctor’s nonsensical voice message.
The matter of the banquet was thrown away by Zhu Tong in an instant. He subconsciously wanted to long press to withdraw the voice message, but the time had expired and there was no option to withdraw.
Below that, was another voice message – Shao Ming’s reply.
Zhu Tong: …
He turned the volume down to the minimum and opened the voice message carefully.
“If you don’t mind, Young Master, I’m willing to fall in love with you.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
The tone was airy, with a hint of a smile within.
Zhu Tong’s hand trembled slightly as he was being laughed at. He stared blankly, wondering how Shao Ming understood what Dr. Johnson was saying.
It should be that… the built-in text-to-speech function in WeChat couldn’t recognize it properly, right?
No, that’s not the point.
What did Shao Ming say again in his voice message??
Zhu Tong clicked and listened again. After listening, he was stunned.
Shao Ming really said: “I’m willing to fall in love with you.”
“I’m willing to fall in love with you.”
Zhu Tong felt as if this sentence kept echoing in his mind.
He put the phone to his ear. Even when the voice stopped, he didn’t put it down.
“Young Master, what’s the matter? Why is your face so red?”
Zhu Tong slowly raised his head: “Huh?”
“…”
As soon as Uncle Liu came over with the results of the ECG examination, he saw that the young master who was supposed to be lying on the examination bed was holding the mobile phone to his ear in a daze.
Now he looked up and looked at him. The youth’s eyes were rather dull and unfocused.
Uncle Liu was startled for a moment and worried. “Are you okay? Young Master? Do you have a fever?”
As he spoke, he touched his forehead.
Zhu Tong suddenly returned to his senses and hurriedly said, “I’m okay.”
“…”
Zhu Tong said, “Uncle Liu, I’m fine.”
He quickly lowered his head and unlocked his phone.
‘Blushing, my ass!!’
‘Shao Ming must’ve misunderstood because of what that doctor had said!!’
He hastily typed an explanation.
<Zhu>: I just want you to hear what the doctor said, nothing else! That sentence was from the doctor himself!
He got a reply almost immediately.
<Shao>: I know.
Zhu Tong: …
He was slightly relieved.
The phone vibrated twice.
<Shao>: Is the check-up finished yet? How’s your body?
How did he know he was doing a health check-up?
Zhu Tong looked up and had an epiphany: ‘Oh, because the doctor was talking beside me.’
Subconsciously, his lips curved up as he continued to reply.
<Zhu>: Thanks to you, my health is much better.
<Shao>: Thanks to me?
<Zhu>: Yes, thank you for taking care of me.
Although he couldn’t say anything about the system, he still had to thank Shao Ming.
This time Shao Ming did not reply quickly.
Maybe he went back to the milk tea shop now? Is the store busy?
Since Qiu Shaoping was jailed again, the milk tea shop has started to operate normally.
Afraid of delaying his work, Zhu Tong was about to end the chat when he suddenly thought of something. But he felt a little nervous, so it’s quite a while until he replies due to his hesitation.
<Zhu>: By the way, something happened to my family suddenly. So I might be back in a few days later than scheduled.
<Shao>: How many days later?
Since it was a text reply, Zhu Tong didn’t know if Shao Ming’s emphasis in his reply was on the word “later” or on the words “many”.
<Zhu>: Mn, I’m going to attend an elder’s birthday banquet. I won’t be able to come back until three days at the earliest.
About a few seconds later, a new reply popped up.
<Shao>: Okay, I see.
Zhu Tong: …
Such a plain reply.
Zhu Tong was a little lost. He replied: [Can you tell me the secret you said before?]
<Shao>: No.
<Zhu>: …
<Shao>: That’s a secret that can only be told in person.
Zhu Tong: …
Keeping someone in suspense is unethical!
“Tong, put away your phone and lie down.”
Dr. Johnson’s words sometimes have a refreshing effect as well.
Under the doctor’s knowing gaze, Zhu Tong awkwardly handed the phone to Uncle Liu and lay down in the instrument.
Shao Ming was indeed in the milk tea shop at that moment. He scrolled through the chat history between the two for a while before leisurely turning off his phone, getting up, and heading towards the exit.
In the midst of his busy work, Luo Suo stole a moment to hastily stuff a date into his mouth, causing a small bulge on one side of his cheek. He turned his head and saw Shao Ming about to leave, so he casually shouted, “Ming-ge, where are you going?”
“Go to the school to find Laoban3their homeroom teacher, are you coming?”
Luo Suo: “…”
After finally taking a vacation, he wanted to go back to school to find Laoban?
Luo Suo showed no interest.
Shao Ming went back to school and went straight to the office where Shi Wenshu was.
It’s quiet in the school on weekends, and there’s hardly anyone in the office.
Shi Wenshu didn’t leave the school even on weekends. He sat behind his desk preparing lessons. When he heard a knock on the door, he looked up and, about to say “come in,” he quickly changed his words, “Why are you here?”
This person actually has a day when he takes the initiative to walk into the office.
Shao Ming was straightforward. “I’ll sign up.”
“Sign up for what?”
Shao Ming said, “Isn’t there a math competition in A City in a few days time? Have we secured our spots from the city?”
“The spots were secured long ago,” Shi Wenshu said. “Didn’t you know? The people from the Municipal Education Bureau approached you about it before. Weren’t you unwilling to go?”
Shao Ming continued, “Then is it too late for me to regret it now?”
Shi Wenshu: “…”
