Translate by Hua
The milk factory incident was successfully resolved, and everyone was happy. Only Xia Shu’an faced a new problem: There is too much milk at home.
When Director Li’s people came to deliver milk, Shen Boyan happened to be at home. He stood on the balcony on the second floor, looking at the boxes of milk being moved inside, and raised his eyebrows. “My family is planning to open a little milk factory.”
Xia Shu’an looked back. He didn’t know why, but he always thought Shen Boyan’s “little milk factory” sounded weird.
He put one hand on the railing and said, “We can give it to the children in the welfare home.”
After hearing this, the ridicule on Shen Boyan’s face faded a little. “Which one?”
“The director of the ‘Wangyou’ Welfare Home and my mother have been friends for many years. We used to go there often during New Years and holidays.”
The Xia family’s reputation in the business world isn’t only due to father Xia’s generous character but also to mother Xia’s charity and kindness. She used to hold fund-raising activities to help orphans and the elderly in various places. The Xia family also provides year-round funding for welfare homes. Xia Shu’an regularly visits them before graduating from high school. In college, he also organized several activities with his classmates.
Shen Boyan was silent for a moment and said, “Then I will go with you this weekend.”
However, before the weekend arrived, a big event suddenly hit the media.
Gu, a well-established local company in Rongchuan, announced that they have developed a new type of targeted anti-cancer drug that can treat cancer by binding to various cancer cells and altering the proteins inside the cancer cells to cause their death.
Gu publicly stated that they are about to apply for a patent for this drug with the determination to officially launch it in three years. At present, most anti-cancer drugs in China are generic, and there are few self-developed drugs. Therefore, as this statement was announced, it triggered an intense online discussion.
The ensuing impact is obvious. Gu’s stock price soared overnight, its market value increased by tens of billions, and it became a “new” and “transformative” enterprise.
As a competitor, Wenhui was directly affected. Wenhui’s stock price fluctuated, and many partners who were in a wait-and-see state turned to the established company like Gu for cooperation.
Due to various factors, Shen Boyan didn’t have time to rest on weekends. All Wenhui’s managerial-level and above executives also have to work overtime.
Early on Saturday morning, Shen Boyan watched the driver carry boxes of milk into the car. His slightly rough fingers touched Xia Shu’an’s face, and he instructed in a deep voice, “I’ll have the driver take you over. I also prepared gifts. You take care of yourself, and don’t play too late.”
Shen Boyan had some misconceptions about Xia Shu’an. Even if he went to plough the field, he’d always see him as a rich young master who loved to have fun. What a joke. Xia Shu’an opened his mouth to say that he wasn’t playing around, but in the end, he said nothing.
Xia Shu’an is very familiar with the “Wangyou” Welfare Home. He has been here since he was very young and has played with children of about the same age as him. Later, some friends left, and he grew up to become the “big brother” in the eyes of these new children.
Xia Shu’an greeted the director in advance. Knowing that he was coming, those who had left the orphanage but were still in the local area also came back to help.
As soon as he entered the door, a young man in his twenties ran over: “Brother Shu’an, long time no see!”
“It’s been a long time.” Xia Shu’an remembered him and what he knew about his recent situation. As they walked, he said, “You’re not going to college anymore?”
“I don’t want to study anymore. I’m not good at studying. Although I don’t earn much now, I can support myself. Moreover, I want to work early, earn more money, and open my own store in the future.”
The boy grinned innocently, revealing two pointed little tiger teeth.
Xia Shu’an’s eyes were calm. “As long as you have your own plan.”
“Hey, compared to me, do you know that Yiyi is married?”
“What? Isn’t she only twenty-one years old?”
“Yes, she worked part-time in a coffee shop next to the university and met a graduate student. After a year of dating, they decided to get married.”
“…”
“Don’t worry about her. She has been very determined since she was a child and will not let herself suffer. According to her, the other party’s parents also suspected that their son had deceived a random little girl, and they were very kind to her.”
“……All right.”
The children in the welfare home will also grow up, and as they grow up, they will become independent individuals who will eventually embark on their own path. Xia Shu’an only wishes them sunshine and happiness and actively seeks their respective futures.
“Big brother!”
When they entered the room carrying a large bag of things, the children who had been waiting for a long time gathered around them.
A little girl with round eyes looked at Xia Shu’an eagerly. “Brother, what did you bring today?”
“There will be delicious food and drinks today, as well as gifts.”
He stood up and reached out to organize discipline: “Everyone, line up. There’s a brother named Shen who has bought gifts for you. Every child who lines up nicely will get one.”
Shen Boyan’s gift follows the popular concept of the “blind box”. Each gift package is opaque and packed in a beautiful bag. Only after opening it can you tell what is inside.
Perhaps because of this, every child is looking forward to it and eager to find out. The children who got the gifts exclaimed one after another, “Mine is chocolate, and there are dolls!”
“Mine’s a robot and Milky Candy!”
“I got a big puzzle!”
“…..”
Xia Shu’an looked at these happy children and couldn’t help but say, “You should share with each other so that you can have more toys and snacks.”
“I know!” the children responded obediently.
While the children were playing with their toys excitedly, Xia Shu’an followed the director to the next room. The director is a woman nearing her 50s with a very kind face. Perhaps because of her kind nature, Xia Shu’an always felt that there was a holy light around her.
“Your mother just came here a few days ago and brought us food. She seems to be in a good mood.”
The director was aware of the Xia family’s affairs, and naturally, she couldn’t help much but could only occasionally invite Mother Xia over during that period of time to distract her. Knowing that things had passed safely, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Xia Shu’an heard her meaning and said, “My dad isn’t as busy as before, and he has more time to accompany mom. The two elders live happily every day, which can be considered as retiring early.”
“That’s good. With fewer worries, your body will naturally be healthy. I think you look good too.”
“Is that so?”
Xia Shu’an resisted the urge to pinch his own face. He now takes various nutritional supplements every day and has to have his pulse checked by a doctor every once in a while, which is more frequent than before. Moreover, he still has that… all that nourishing stuff, so his face has become rounder and his complexion healthier.
The two of them talked for a while longer when suddenly there was a clamor outside. Xia Shu’an turned his head and unexpectedly saw an old friend: “Wenzhi, why are you here?”
Chu Wenzhi stepped forward with a smile: “I heard that you were coming over. It’s the weekend anyway, so I came over to see the children.”
Chu Wenzhi was invited by Xia Shu’an before and would come over occasionally. Xia Shu’an smiled and said, “Just in time. You can help me.”
They talked some more about the current situation of the welfare home, learned what they wanted to add, and finally played games with the children before leaving.
After the two left, they didn’t go back immediately. Instead, they went for a walk in a nearby park. In late December, the streets were filled with a New Year atmosphere. Small lights were wrapped around the trees on both sides of the streets. At night, the LED bulbs emitted colorful lights. The color tones and halo rendering immerse the entire city in a dream world.
Chu Wenzhi walked with his head lowered. “How have you been lately?”
“It’s all good.” Xia Shu’an turned his head and said with a smile, “Look, I’ve gained weight.”
“Yes.” Chu Wenzhi stared at the coat on his body and said, “I’ve never seen the clothes you’re wearing now.”
Xia Shu’an’s eyes flashed with confusion for a moment. “Ah, really?”
His current clothes are all taken care of by Shen Boyan. Shen Boyan has a lot of socializing events and clothes, and he’s accustomed to making duplicate sets. As a result, Xia Shu’an’s wardrobe gradually became full, and his old clothes were squeezed out.
He hadn’t cared about dressing before, and since his clothes were all of good quality and there was little need to replace them, he used to wear clothes that looked familiar.
Xia Shu’an didn’t pay attention to this matter and said casually, “Perhaps because it’s new year soon, so I bought a few more sets.”
“…..”
The two people walked slowly along the gravel path, occasionally asking and answering questions. Although harmonious, there’s something unusual. Chu Wenzhi stopped and said, “Is something wrong? You’re absent-minded.”
“Really?” Xia Shu’an asked doubtfully, “Am I absent-minded?”
After a while, he nodded again and said, “Maybe.”
“Is it because of Gu’s new drug announcement? Gu and Wenhui are fighting so fiercely; will it have an impact on Wenhui?”
“It will; after all, they’re in the same industry.”
However, compared to Gu’s announcement, what Xia Shu’an is more concerned about is that this drug was clearly independently developed by Wenhui in his previous life. He remembered clearly that it was their fourth year together. After several years of clinical trials, this drug known as the “cancer killer” was officially put into production, making Wenhui the top pharmaceutical company in the country. Shen Boyan’s net worth skyrocketed, and it was also the first time that Shen Boyan broke a hundred billion club that year.
It would be fine if Gu just developed another anti-cancer drug, but he’s afraid it’s not just that.
There was no way to explain these words to Chu Wenzhi in detail. Xia Shu’an could only smile lightly and said, “I have to go to my parents this afternoon, so I won’t accompany you.”
“Ok.”
As a result, when he arrived at his parents’ house, he was dragged into talking about Gu’s new medicine by his dad.
Father Xia: “After all, Gu’s is an old local enterprise, and the government was originally bending toward them. If Xiao Shen wants to squeeze Gu out of Rongchuan’s market, he cannot give them any hope. The sudden announcement of this news is equivalent to giving Gu a huge bargaining chip. As long as this bargaining chip does not see results, the government will definitely not give up on the Gu family. With the government as the middleman, it will definitely put a lot of pressure on Wenhui.”
Father Xia is indeed an experienced entrepreneur, and he analyzes the relationship between these enterprises very clearly.
“It’s fine as long as you know!” Mother Xia glared at him, pulled her son over, and said, “It’s rare for An An to come back, and you still talk to him about it. Don’t you know that he’s also under a lot of pressure?”
After she finished speaking, she pulled Xia Shu’an over and whispered, “An An, Xiao Shen must be having a hard time when Wenhui encounters something like this. I know this because your dad used to have no sleep when something happened in the company. It’s really unfortunate. You have to be more considerate and caring.”
Xia Shu’an was amused by his mother and said seriously, “Don’t worry, Mom, I will be a gentle and considerate little beauty.”
“What are you talking about!” She gave him the same look of disgust she gave father Xia.
Xia Shu’an drank soup leisurely at home and lived like a little prince for half a day. When he was leaving in the afternoon, his mother said, “An An, take this soup with you and deliver it to Xiao Shen.”
Mother Xia handed over a thermos cup, which contained the ginseng chicken soup that she had stewed in the afternoon.
“Okay, Mom, Dad, I’m leaving now.”
“Ah.” Xia Shu’an was scolded when he first arrived home. When he was about to leave, his mom finally couldn’t help but say, “Come here again next week. Mom will prepare delicious food for you.”
Xia Shu’an had already walked out of the villa. He stood in the sunlight and smiled back: “Okay!”
…….
…….
When Xia Shu’an arrived at the company, Shen Boyan happened to be in the office. He pushed the door open, and the man behind the desk looked up. After seeing him, his face slightly changed, and he walked up to him.
“You brought soup.”
“Yeah.” Xia Shu’an closed the door, walked to the sofa aside, and took the thermos cup out of the bag.
“Is this… what you stewed?”
“…” Xia Shu’an squinted his eyes, turned around, and smiled. “Yes, you should try it quickly.”
Then he saw a hint of wariness in Shen Boyan’s expression, staring at the cup in his hand, as if there was a 50% chance that it was a time bomb.
The chicken soup that was taken out was bright in color and pure in aroma, but even so, it could not be taken lightly. Shen Boyan took a spoon and stirred the stewed meat in the bowl.
Well, the taste is very normal, so normal that it tastes good.
Xia Shu’an looked at him with a smile and asked, “Does it taste good?”
Shen Boyan looked calm and composed and replied, “It tastes good.”
“Well, this is what my mother stewed, but if you like it, I can stew it for you next time…”
“No need.” Shen Boyan flatly refused and said “affectionately”: “It’s too tedious. You’re not in good health, so stop doing it.”
The corners of Xia Shu’an’s lips raised: “Oh.”
After confirming the “safety” of the soup, Shen Boyan drank it quietly.
There was no obvious fatigue on his face, but because he hadn’t slept well for a few days, his face was slightly pale, his eye sockets were slightly swollen, and even stubble had grown out. Looking at the thin beard, Xia Shu’an couldn’t help but reach out and touch it.
Shen BoYan put down the spoon, turned his head, and leaned his upper body towards him. “Is it good to touch?”
“Not good.”
Xia Shu’an smelled a faint scent of cigarettes. He hadn’t smelled cigarette smoke on Shen Boyan for a long time. He probably worked too much overtime and couldn’t help but smoke a few cigarettes to refresh himself.
The smell of tobacco made Xia Shu’an’s brain feel a little dizzy, and he couldn’t help but hide away. Shen Boyan stretched out a hand and pinched his chin.
“What are you hiding from?”
“Don’t like the smell?”
“I hate it.”
He came too close, and Xia Shu’an couldn’t help but lean back, yet Shen Boyan kept bullying him. The sofa was too small, leaving no place for Xia Shu’an to hide. He was trapped in the corner of the sofa, and his whole body was wrapped in the man’s breath.
“You…” Xia Shu’an felt uncomfortable all over and couldn’t help but push Shen Boyan. Shen Boyan restrained him with one hand and moved his body closer and closer, almost to the point of lying on top of him. Xia Shu’an stepped on the sofa with the soles of his feet and his toes curled up.
His brain started to feel hot, and his thinking was foggy. He said confusedly, “Wait a minute; you are still drinking soup.”
Shen Boyan’s pupils were as deep as ink, staring at his face closely. “Just for a moment.”
“Just a moment.”
Xia Shu’an’s brain, which was mixed into a paste, believed Shen Boyan’s words.
…….
When they separated, Xia Shu’an’s head felt dizzy. He let go of the hand hanging on Shen Boyan’s neck, shook it involuntarily, and said, “Very sour.”
It’s obviously not just a moment. Abominable!
Shen Boyan realized that he had lied, sat back very reflectively, with a slight smile on his lips, and slowly drank the cold soup.
Xia Shu’an sat cross-legged on the sofa and was in a daze for a while. Finally, he decided to forgive Shen Boyan and sat back down.
“Does Gu’s new drug have a big impact on you?”
“Big, but not very big. He did exceed my expectations, but…” The man turned his head and smiled at him.
“At this level, it won’t cause me much trouble.”
“That’s good.”
Xia Shu’an completely trusts Shen Boyan in business. After all, if even Shen Boyan couldn’t deal with it, he would be even more powerless.
“Okay.” After a while, Shen Boyan finished the soup and put the bowls and chopsticks back into the bag.
“Let Auntie make something delicious tonight; there is no need to prepare mine.”
“Oh.” Xia Shu’an responded. He (SBY) hadn’t been able to go home for dinner in the past few days, so he (XSA) had no intention of preparing his dinner in the first place.
Xia Shu’an stood up and said, “Then I’m leaving.”
“Um.”
As soon as Shen Boyan opened the door, Sheng Songbai was walking in with several department directors. Seeing Xia Shu’an, Sheng Songbai was slightly startled and quickly smiled: “Xiao Xia, you’re here.”
He lowered his eyes and said, “Delivering soup? Just in time, President Shen has been working hard recently.”
“Well, I’m done here. I’ll go back first.”
“Ok.”
Sheng Songbai stepped aside and let Xia Shu’an pass by first. Soon, those people disappeared from sight as the office door closed.
Xia Shu’an walked out slowly.
The last time he saw Sheng Songbai, the other party showed his true emotions towards him, but now he had returned to that fake face. Xia Shu’an vaguely felt that the cancer drug matter was related to him, but the suspicion was too grave for him to tell anyone about it.
