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Jiang Wan’s words were not spoken quietly. The crowd, who had initially been merely spectating, fell silent abruptly.
A project worth tens of millions? Getting help from a little friend?
Not long ago, when the Xia family suffered a setback in a project, almost everyone present had heard about it. However, when it came to the Xia family and the Jiang family contending against each other, losing a project wasn’t an uncommon occurrence. In the past, the Jiang family have also experienced losses, and the two families have had their share of ups and downs, engaging in fierce competition.
But now Jiang Wan emphasized that the project she “snatched” was helped by a “little friend.” What was she emphasizing this for? Was she deliberately making Xia Weiyi feel uncomfortable?
It must be so.
Although Shao Ming looks like a social elite today, no matter how old tried to appear, he couldn’t be older than 20 years old. How could he win a project worth of tens of millions?
But he was able to be taken out by Jiang Wan to run against Xia Weiyi, which was enough to show that this young man was unusual.
He was also friends with the young master of the Zhu family. It seemed that this person was worth investigating.
The people attending the dinner had their own thoughts and calculations.
Only Zhu Tong turned his head to look at Shao Ming in amazement.
He knew that Shao Ming would bring down the Xia family in the future, so he did not doubt what Jiang Wan said.
Shao Ming helped Jiang Wan snatch a Xia family’s project?
It turns out that Shao Ming had already started targeting the Xia family at such a young age?
Shao Ming’s face might appear calm in front of Zhu Tong, but in actuality, he was a little nervous.
Then he saw the person next to him suddenly probing his head and asked him, “How did you do it?”
Shao Ming: “…”
So, this Young Master believed that?
Didn’t even have a shred of doubt?
The corners of Shao Ming’s lips were slightly raised. He approached his ear and whispered, “Guess it.”
Zhu Tong: “…”
Does he need to ask if he can guess?
But he could help Jiang Wan win a project worth that high at such a young age… Shao Ming is really amazing.
In comparison, he really didn’t seem to have anything to compare.
He was suddenly silent, while Shao Ming added, “I will tell you later.”
Zhu Tong also realized what the occasion was now and nodded.
Xia Weiyi noticed that Shao Ming not only didn’t argue back when Jiang Wan mocked him, but also casually chatted with someone else as if nothing had happened. This made his expression even more unpleasant.
He smiled and said, “Jiang-zong sure has a good eye, she has so many talented men around her. I’m ashamed in comparison.”
He insinuated that Jiang Wan was just a woman, and if she wanted to compete with other giants, she still had to rely on men.
And it’s all sorts of men.
However, Jiang Wan wasn’t angered either. She retorted, “Xia-zong flatters me. I can’t compare to Xia-zong’s confidence and foresight. Xia-zong, with all due respect, if you’re willing to let a precious pearl be dusted and casted away, then I can just pick it up for a bargain.”
“…”
The amount of information in this was much larger.
Xia Weiyi’s expression changed suddenly.
The others also looked at each other.
What does she mean by “Xia-zong letting a pearl be dusted”? What does she imply?
Did this boy have a relationship with Xia Weiyi prior to helping Jiang Wan? Xia Weiyi must’ve looked down on this youth arrogantly, and now he had suffered a big loss thanks to his arrogance.
The others looked at Xia Weiyi with ridicule and sympathy.
The image of Xia Weiyi as an arrogant figure in the business world was deeply ingrained. Even though he might look down upon others, people still have to maintain relations with him because they couldn’t afford to offend him.
Only someone like Jiang Wan dared to confront Xia Weiyi in such a shameless manner.
At this time, the mood of the crowd is probably: let the big guys tear at each other. It’s really worth seeing~
Only Xia Weiyi’s face was ashen with anger, but he couldn’t say anything to refute Jiang Wan.
Zhu Tong saw that Xia Weiyi was obviously stunned. He thought of what Jiang Wan had just said, and he couldn’t help but wonder.
The contradiction between Xia Weiyi and Shao Ming seemed to be more than just a Xia Yang.
Do they have other altercation?
“It seems that you have a good conversation?”
In the stalemate, a voice broke the confrontation between the two.
As soon as that person appeared, everyone around, whether chatting and laughing or engaged in confrontation, fell silent and looked serious.
Zhu Tong was surprised to find that Uncle Liu was still a walking automatic noise suppressor.
Seeing Uncle Liu appear, people in the square quickly gathered around, and after a moment of silence, they began to greet him in an orderly manner.
Some of them referred to him as “Liu-zong”, while others used “Liu-xiansheng”. Some are deliberately approaching and directly calling him “Lao Liu1President Liu; Mr. Liu/Gentleman Liu; Old Liu respectively. “Lao Liu” denotes that you’re quite close to him though“.
For the first time, Zhu Tong saw Uncle Liu’s influence in the business world of A City, and Uncle Liu handled it with ease.
Zhu Tong silently pulled Shao Ming away from Uncle Liu’s “social circle”. He said, “Let’s go first?”
Shao Ming pursed his lips and smiled. “Okay.”
When he’s done, he’s ready to turn around.
“Young… Tongtong.”
Uncle Liu suddenly looked at him kindly.
Zhu Tong: “…”
He wanted to slip away slightly, and squeezed Shao Ming’s wrist nervously. “…Uncle Liu.”
Shao Ming’s hand on his shoulder has been put down, and now it was Zhu Tong who took the initiative to pull Shao Ming’s wrist.
Uncle Liu came over out of curiosity upon hearing that the young master had brought a friend. Although he had some guesses, he couldn’t help but be surprised and had some questions. However, he was clear about boundaries between public and private matters and wouldn’t ask Shao Ming how he had arrived at this place at this time.
Before he came, he had heard that Xia Weiyi stopped the young master to say something inexplicable.
He glanced at the person being “protected” by the young master, and said kindly, “Xiao Shao is here too?”
Shao Ming: “…”
Zhu Tong: “…”
When did Uncle Liu talk to Shao Ming in such a doting tone?
Zhu Tong was still stunned, but Shao Ming had already reacted and said, “Uncle Liu, I came here uninvited, so I’m sorry to disturb you.”
Uncle Liu said, “What is there to disturb? You are Tongtong’s friend. I should’ve welcomed you earlier.”
“…”
If Uncle Liu said those words with pure sincerity, Zhu Tong would write his name upside down.
Shao Ming continued, “Thank you, Uncle Liu.”
Uncle Liu: “…”
‘Heh, this brat who takes advantage and acts cute.’
Liu Jianbai then turned to look at Xia Weiyi. “I heard that Xia-zong was chatting happily with two kids near the rockery. Xia-zong, what did you discuss with my children since you have such leisure time?”
Uncle Liu’s statement was earthshaking.
His children? Who is he referring to?
Zhu Tong and the boy beside him?
When Xia Weiyi heard Liu Jianbai’s name, his face darkened. But before he could speak, Jiang Wan interjected, not missing the opportunity to stir the pot, “Liu-zong, this Xia-zong was just teaching Young Master Zhu what kind of friends he should make. He was happy that Young Master Zhu finally made a friend. It seems he cares a lot about Young Master Zhu, ah.”
Xia Weiyi: “…”
He looked at Jiang Wan coldly.
Jiang Wan smiled back at him.
Uncle Liu also looked at Xia Weiyi, and said in a calm tone, “When children make friends, as long as their character is good, nothing else matters. I wonder what Xia-zong wants to teach our Tongtong?”
Xia Weiyi almost gritted his teeth so hard they could shatter, but he restrained himself and smiled, “Liu-zong, there’s been a misunderstanding. I was merely curious about the identity of this young friend and couldn’t help asking a few more questions. I didn’t expect to be misunderstood by Young Lady Jiang. It was impolite of me, and I hope Liu-zong won’t take offense.”
“…”
He was quite capable of bending and stretching.
Uncle Liu still had important things to do today, so he didn’t have the heart to bother with Xia Weiyi. After giving him a slap in the face, he checked the time and left with his two children.
Before leaving, Shao Ming and Xia Weiyi looked at each other for a moment, his eyes were cold.
Xia Weiyi looked at Shao Ming who was intimately pulled away by Zhu Tong, the storm in his eyes was turbulent, and he couldn’t help but feel remorse.
If it weren’t for the mistakes he made more than a decade ago, how could he find himself in such a passive situation today?
But what does it matter if he’s passive? Some things aren’t easily divisible just because one desires to split them apart.
Even if it was something he once lost, as long as it was his, he would definitely get it back!
After Liu Jianbai and Zhu Tong left, the square resumed buzzing with discussions. Some were talking about Jiang Wan, others about Xia Weiyi, and there were those who pretended to discuss business matters. But the majority of the discussions revolved around Zhu Tong.
“The relationship between the young master of the Zhu family and Liu-zong seems to be quite unusual. Have there been any rumors before?”
“Liu Jianbai has been away from A City for so many years. Isn’t the young master of the Zhu family a sickly child? He rarely attends any banquets. Who knows?”
“I heard Liu-zong called him so affectionately, as if calling him his own son… Couldn’t he really be his son?”
“Isn’t Zhu Tong the son of Zhu-zong?”
“Why didn’t we see Zhu-zong on an occasion like this today?”
Suddenly, someone mentioned it, and the people who were discussing it quieted for a moment, starting to search for Zhu Shoushan’s figure in the square.
Zhu Shoushan was by the fountain pool.
For today’s banquet, Liu Jianbai actually also sent him an invitation letter.
He didn’t know what the purpose of this banquet was, but it must have something to do with Zhu Tong, making him vaguely uneasy.
After Zhu Tong fainted and was hospitalized that day, he wasn’t sure if that old man knew anything, as his attitude towards him became unusually cold. He was anxious that his unilateral decision might have been exposed. However, after waiting for two days, that old man didn’t call to scold him, nor did he meddle in his affairs. The company continued to operate normally.
Everything was too calm, almost like the calm before the storm.
He thought back on what he’s done, and he doesn’t think he’s done anything wrong.
He arranged a marriage for Zhu Tong because he was worried that Zhu Tong would be with a poor boy who had nothing.
What true feelings can two young people have? It’s all falsehood.
Although the woman he arranged for Zhu Tong may not be a good person, Jiang Wan only needed a nominal husband. Zhu Tong, indifferent since childhood, kept to himself, never allowing anyone close. He neither accepted help nor caused trouble for others. As long as he had a clean environment, he never complained, even when living alone in the hospital.
Marriage to Jiang Wan would allow him to continue living in a clean environment, and his health would still require hospital care. Jiang Wan wouldn’t interfere with his life, so there wouldn’t be any significant changes for him.
He didn’t understand why Zhu Tong was so resistant to this arranged marriage.
Zhu Shoushan thought: ‘I am Zhu Tong’s father, and I raised Zhu Rong. I just want Zhu Tong to give me a little weak return in the limited time. Zhu Tong will have a nominal wife, but this doesn’t entail any loss to him personally. Why wouldn’t he agree?’
And the Cheng family.
Outside the operating room that day, they were in the corridor guarding Zhu Tong together. This has happened before, many times.
Whenever that happened, Zhu Shoushan was always the excluded one.
They comforted each other, took care of each other, but he was the one being blamed. They self-righteously blamed him for not taking good care of Zhu Tong. They acted superior, as if they were the real family, while he was merely seen as a caretaker for Zhu Tong in their eyes.
They looked down on him and blamed him in such a righteous manner.
Why do they take his care for granted? What have they done for Zhu Tong after so many years?
Since he left the two children in the Zhu family and he, Zhu Shoushan, is their father, then what he does, and what right do others have to interfere?
The square suddenly lit up a lot, just as resentment was growing in his heart.
Liu Jianbai stood on the temporary platform erected in the center of the square, with his two children standing on top. They were Zhu Tong and Zhu Xin.
Zhu Shoushan suddenly felt a panic.
What is Liu Jianbai going to do?!
No one asked his opinion, no one informed him in advance.
He saw Liu Jianbai embracing his children under the lights, and heard Liu Jianbai speaking to the guests with a face of contentment, “I, Liu Jianbai, have never married nor had any relatives in my life. Today, I invited you all here to witness that from this day forth, the two children of the Zhu family, Zhu Tong and Zhu Xin, are my godson and goddaughter. I will take care of them as if they were my own children…”
Zhu Shoushan stood far away, listening, feeling a buzzing in his head, stunned on the spot.
T/L: do you think Shao Ming and Xia Weiyi has issues outside Xia Yang? If yes, what do you think it is?
