Chapter 47 "He dares not to come, let's try it!"...

Zong Jingzhou was still in Penang discussing something the day before.

Originally, he hadn't planned to come to China. After a phone call with Sochi, he felt somewhat relieved. Finally, an anonymous email from his secretary finally made up his mind to come to China.

The moment he landed and got into the car, Zong Jingzhou's brows were furrowed as he listened to his wife's complaints on the phone.

He told his wife, "I'm here for serious business. Your priority now is to get the Zhou mother and daughter back." "When I was young, I knew you didn't like that girl, but the son is yours after all. Put yourself in my shoes. Back then, you and I were in China for over ten years. What would you have thought if someone danced before you?"

Yu Weishi said to her husband, "You think of me the same way. I'm just bored and want to bring Shuxing to see someone."

Zong Jingzhou felt relieved after hearing his wife's tone, saying, "As long as it hasn't reached this point, there's hope." "I'm glad you're not crazy. I want to tell you, your son is already crazy, and he won't change." "I didn't mean to scare you, Wei Shi." Zong Chi and I spoke on the phone, and he was determined. If you don't satisfy him, even if you marry someone, you'll still be a widow."

Yu Weishi snorted coldly at this. She knew all too well her husband's ability to incite rebellion. This was a shared traitor between them. She, too, was disheartened. Men are, after all, mere spinach. She told her husband not to scare her. "You didn't actually make someone a widow when you married someone you didn't like," she said. "And times have changed. You're thinking about continuing your family line. What does that have to do with me? The child won't have my last name." "Stop using these reproductive tropes to fool people." "Are you two convinced that I'm using someone else's child to vent my anger, to vent my personal grievances, right?"

Yes, I don't like her. But she wasn't a doctor like your ex-wife from the beginning!

Zong Jingzhou couldn't help but close his eyes when he heard the sensitive word. After all, the fig leaf had been torn off. He weakly called out to the person on the other end of the line, "Xiao Shi, why are you doing this?"

Yu Weishi cried, "How could you be right when you were shouting about killing and putting my son under house arrest? You kept saying that my son should put aside his romantic interests and focus on family and career, which was like the emperor's decree. Now it's my turn to worry about his little household chores, I am just being biased and venting my anger, right? Were their quarrels and disagreements over the years fake? Was it me who instigated them? Xiaochi was so angry that he returned to China and transited through Hong Kong, and almost died. Was it fake? Zong Jingzhou, I bet that if my son died that time, I would have gone with him, and it wouldn't have affected you from finding another son and raising another one."

Zong Jingzhou was furious and couldn't help but scold her, "Shut up! You're really getting more and more irrelevant. Let's not talk about the Hong Kong incident anymore. Zong Chi is alive and well!"

Yu Weishi sneered in agreement. "Yes, you're both right after all." "I'm unreasonable for not liking someone." "Even this time, he's here to do this acquisition. Zong Jingzhou, if you'd just let me know, I wouldn't be so embarrassed. I've shared your bed for so many years, how could I not know your methods?" "This acquisition, from beginning to end, was just a ploy you set for Xiaochi, right? A stepping stone. Zong Jingzhou was old then, after all, and you accepted your age. You were afraid of leaving your family line without descendants. So, your son is much more sentimental and principled than you. At least he's truly been faithful."

Zong Jingzhou was speechless for a moment.

Before Yu Weishi hung up, he let out a final outburst. "I won't care about him anymore. Don't worry, I'm not that stupid. The Zhou family's daughter is no match for the man your son has chosen. Do you know why?" "That girl, once you meet her, you'll understand. She's got more backbone than a man." "I don't like her because she always makes my son suffer. I don't want Xiaochi to end up getting skinned alive over her. But this time, I understand. He's more than willing to get skinned alive. He ate at the same table with me, and I didn't see any warmth in his eyes. Zong Jingzhou, my son didn't get into trouble in Hong Kong. He lost me when I went back to Singapore with you that year."

*

Zong Jingzhou was so angry that he just wanted to ask his secretary for a heart pill.

The secretary knew that Mr. Zong was talking to his wife, and tried to suggest whether he should go and pick up Mrs. Zong.

Zong Jingzhou shook his head. "Let her be." Now that things had come to this, she'd figure it out eventually. Children were debts, and the creditor always eluded them, so why bother taking them all together? Zong Jingzhou's biggest regret over the years was letting his brothers and sisters instigate him to bring his wife and children back to the family.

Little do we know that everyone has their own destiny. Once an arrow is shot, it cannot be turned back; if it turns back, it will only pierce its own eyes.

When he called Zong Chi again, he didn't even wait for him to speak before asking him to come to Shanghai to discuss something important. "Zong Chi, this is the last bet between us. You win this. From now on, our Zong family will split up."

Zong Chi was silent on the other end of the phone, waiting for an opportunity. Zong Jingzhou said again: Don't worry, your mother will be back before Christmas Eve.

*

It was almost ten o'clock in the evening when Zong Chi arrived alone at the Peninsula Hotel where the old man was staying.

Zong Jingzhou knew that Zong Chi always stayed at this hotel when he came to Shanghai, because he had spent the night there celebrating his girlfriend's first birthday. Another time, when Zong Chi had an argument with Xu's son over his girlfriend and immediately came to blows, and when Zong Jingzhou heard about the injury, the first thing he asked Zong Chi was, "Did you win?"

You didn't win, and even my face was thrown into the Huangpu River and can't be retrieved!

Tonight, Zong Chi sat down, reeking of alcohol. Without a word, he grabbed the old man's tea and took two sips. Then, he spat out the dregs and said, "Tell me, what happened? You came here so late at night. It must be something serious and life-threatening."

Zong Jingzhou exhaled through his nose, peeled off the hot towel covering his face, and sat up straight. He remembered his wife's scolding on the phone, "You've accepted your age."

Yes, he's acknowledging his age. He now relies on personal review before making any decision. The anonymous email Zong Jingzhou's secretary passed to Xiao Zong was indeed a major event: a sex scandal. The anonymous extortion was directed at a senior executive in charge of the trust finance division at their group's headquarters in China, who was suspected of sexually assaulting and threatening a senior executive in the workplace.

The authenticity of the video remains to be determined. The implicated financial officer is a veteran who has served Zong Jingzhou throughout his career. This scandal could be major or minor. If it can be handled, everything will be fine. If it can't be handled, the stock price will fluctuate in a few hours.

Zong Chi put aside the chatter in the video and asked the old man first, "Are you an adult?"

Zong Jingzhou scolded Xiao Zong, what are you thinking, employee, employee, why are you hiring underage employees?

Zong Chi yelled back at the old man, "Oh, you still remember you're an employee? The rules you established back then are still in the employee code of conduct. Sex scandals are a veto." "So, what the hell are you hesitating about? Do you want to protect him?" "Zong Jingzhou, don't blame me for not reminding you. Past public relations scandals are full of examples of listed companies being scuttled by these cold PR practices."

Zong Jingzhou hasn't called his old ministers to confront him yet, which means he's already thought of a solution. He won't be the bad guy, Zong Chi will be. What do you want to do?

Zong Chi spoke briefly and to the point. He checked his financial statements and verification sheets, and set up an inspection team before the public opinion storm. If the allegations were confirmed, he would be suspended and thoroughly investigated, and the matter would be made public.

Zong Jingzhou remained silent. He knew that Zong Chi would rather cut off his arm than let the festering sore fester. It was his nature to prevent future troubles.

The father and son sat in silence for a moment. Zong Jingzhou waved his hand and let Zong Chi handle the matter, with the only thing he had to do: don't bring it up in front of him again. He couldn't stand hearing anyone begging for mercy.

After all, she had been with him for decades. Her wealth, wife, and children were all built and managed under Zong Jingzhou's guidance.

Zong Chi is extremely cold and indifferent. His wealth, wife and children are not enough to restrain this old man. What else do you want from him, huh?

Zong Jingzhou smiled quietly. His secretary reminded him that he hadn't taken his medicine yet. While taking his medicine, he glanced at his son and asked, "You bet the other party isn't here to settle things?"

"I won't bet with him," Zong Chi said calmly, "but I bet you're not that senile. You just need my killing stick."

At this point, Zong Jingzhou finally got straight to the point. "If you offend people too many times, you won't bow your head anymore, right? This is not a good thing. Your mother..."

Zong Chi took the list of patrol team members that Lao Zong's secretary had drafted and reviewed it. He crossed out one person and added one he liked. Then he threw it back to the secretary and urged him to do it immediately.

The secretary didn't even nod to ask for permission in front of Mr. Zong, but he knew that the boss was handing over all authority to Xiao Zong.

It wasn't until the secretary left and closed the door that Zong Chi said casually, "Now that I'm here, tell me what my mother thinks of Zhou's daughter."

"If I love you, I won't let you suffer. My wife and family can be a worry-free support."

"Hmph." The person holding the charge in question smiled with the disdain of someone glancing down at a penny.

Zong Jingzhou, however, said in a neutral tone, "To be honest, this is a curse that no mother can escape. If you don't believe it, the child you and Dr. He have in the future, she won't let her child suffer even a little bit."

"I'm not lucky enough to have a child with her. You brought me here with just one word, and I left her at Chen Xiangyang's place."

"Well, you still have a sense of priorities. It proves that you've figured something out after all these years of being a widow, right?"

"Don't worry, it's not your fault at all. I just figured it out. What I want, I want it to belong to me originally, and no one can take it away. I said I wouldn't start my own business, but your mother's prejudice against family background will be completely lost on me. I mean what I say. The reason I didn't make it clear to my mother was that I understood that she was frightened and said a few harsh words at the time. I thought she loved her son very much. But she insisted on stabbing me in the heart again, and you know me. If she can't kill me, I will just pull it out and stab it back. I'm talking about the time in Hong Kong, don't play dumb."

Zong Jingzhou actually didn't know much, but from Zong Chi's certain tone, he knew that his wife must have taken her anger out on the other woman.

Moreover, Zong Jingzhou was certain that it was not Xiao He who complained, and if he really did, he would not have waited until today. As a man, Zong Jingzhou understood too well the compensatory psychology of this grievance. It was not uncommon for love to be possessive, but once it reached the point of being indebted, it was time to open up.

That night, Zong Chi had to stay at Shanghai headquarters awaiting the outcome of this impromptu inspection. The PR team also worked overnight to prepare the official seal for public notice. He returned to his hotel room and tried to video call He Dongli twice, but the call didn't go through. He assumed she'd been angry and abandoned her. The evening's call schedule she'd shown him indicated an outpatient consultation on Monday, so he didn't call again, only thinking about meeting her at noon the next day.

When I called Chen Xiangyang and asked him about it, he gave a vague answer: "I wasn't in a good mood anyway. I didn't stay for dinner, so someone sent me home safely."

Zong Chi was suspicious, "Are you talking nonsense? And your girlfriend?"

Chen Xiangyang was puzzled and asked back, "You didn't do anything, so why are you always worried about her finding out? Wouldn't it be better if she knew something and became concerned or even jealous?"

Zong Chi had probably been too kind to him recently, so he started to think of calling him his brother. "I'm afraid of mine, and you should be careful to be afraid of yours. Mr. Chen, if you show your evil ways in front of her again, be careful. I don't want you to poop out the things I give you to eat, but you must eat what I poop out!"

Chen Xiangyang came out from Chuhe Hanjie and asked Zong Chi's father if there was anything he could help with.

Zong Chi was in a bad mood and was still harping on the previous topic, "Do you eat dog shit?" After saying that, he hung up with a click.

He barely slept that night, rushing to complete the internal group announcement process during prime PR time. Meanwhile, he hedged his public relations risk by alleging that the executive's financial statements and expense reports were suspected of falsification and embezzlement. The Jiayin Group's relevant inspection team has commissioned the police to conduct an economic investigation.

*

He Dongli finished his ward rounds early in the morning and saw the relevant news.

Only then did she know why someone was so anxious last night. However, she never responded to his call.

This morning she had a consultation with a friendly hospital, and this afternoon she had to appear in a science video produced by the hospital. Old Lu agreed to lend Dongli their new Lexus. I'd assumed this perpetually i-personalized model in their department would habitually refuse, but she agreed eagerly, even with a sly, "I'm going to say yes soon, so you can't go back on your word!" attitude.

Old Lu said "Hey" to show his curiosity, and half-seriously threatened her, "Be careful, or my wife will come after you if something breaks down."

He Dongli agreed, "Don't worry, if it breaks down, it's mine, and I'll buy you a new one as compensation."

Corey and the others who were busy going up to the stage all laughed. "Wow, such a big mouth. You won the lottery last night."

As He Dongli took Lao Lu's car keys and headed to the parking garage, she received another call from the unfamiliar number from last night. This time, she was particularly sober. He Dongli sneered. After a night of dormancy or awakening, and without the interference of alcohol, she felt that she could handle people outside her field of influence. In fact, more of the psychological preparation was because Zong Chi was such a jerk. After all, she thought that she had been exposed to this jerk for so many years, and he was definitely more difficult to deal with than his own mother.

He got in the car and closed the door. The moment the call was connected, He Dongli realized for the first time that the car was indeed a mobile bedroom for urban workers.

It blocked out dust and noise, and kept out wind and rain. It also allowed her to think on the move. Why hadn't she thought of buying a car before?

As she started the engine, she asked the person on the other side, "Excuse me, Mrs. Zong."

The other party said something, and He Dongli said that she was not free this morning and it was not convenient. "But if you insist that we need to meet again, you can come to my place. I will be free between 11:30 and 1:30. You can come over. I just happen to have something to bring back for you."

After saying that, He Dongli didn't even wait for the other party to reply. She hung up the call and sent her address to the other party.

When He Dongli was rushing back after the consultation, she received another call from Zong Chi. She didn't want to hear what he said anymore and made up her mind that this time his mother would tell him the result.

So after cutting off the phone, I calmly and without any disturbance informed him, in one word: busy.

When she drove back to her residence, she actually saw a white Toyota Alpha at the door.

He Dongli carefully parked his car in the reserved space of the owner of the convenience store opposite, ran in to say hello to the owner's wife, and said that he would be back to the hospital soon.

The proprietress told Dr. Xiao He that the white car at the door seemed to have been waiting for him for a long time.

He Dongli responded very coldly, "Well, her son is seriously ill, but I am not well-educated and cannot treat her."

The proprietress choked and didn't dare to speak. She felt that Dr. Xiao He was in a bad mood. As she watched her walk back to the opposite side, the proprietress looked over and watched Dr. Xiao He walk over and knock on the car window.

A well-dressed woman got out of the car. She looked to be in her forties or fifties. She had a graceful figure and a beautiful face. Even at her age, it was clear that she had been a beauty in her youth.

The woman followed Dr. Xiao He into the room carrying an expensive handbag.

-

When the host invites guests in, they do not need to take off their shoes.

Yu Weishi stood at the bottom of the entrance steps. Seeing that she didn't move, He Dongli quietly reminded her, "There's really no need. Zong Chi also came in directly like this."

After just a few words, Yu Weishi felt her vigilance and sharpness.

After all, she had not completed her studies at that time, so she could say that her mother was uneducated. In fact, she was blatantly satirizing that Yu Weishi, like her mother, lived within the radius of her husband.

After all these years, Yu Weishi still remembers her words clearly.

To be honest, she didn't have a respectable family or decent parents, but she had a face that was incredibly pretty, and of course, maybe God took pity on her and gave her a brain as well.

When Yu Weishi first met her, they were still in their third year of high school. She was a strikingly handsome girl, dressed in a school uniform with pants and a high ponytail. Xiaochi insisted on giving her a 100-yuan Swiss franc note, but she refused to take it. Putting her hands behind her back, Xiaochi finally exchanged them for a 5-yuan and a 20-yuan note, and she reluctantly accepted the tuition fee.

During the pizza meal that day, even though Yu Weishi was watching from upstairs, he could still see clearly who Xiaochi was looking at through the crowd of people laughing and talking.

Once upon a time, Yu Weishi thought that this little boy would never learn how to get along with girls. Unexpectedly, children grow up so quickly.

The bet Koike made to stay in Japan to finish high school was that he would get 4 As and no further delays after graduation, and he had to apply to a school in the UK.

He did it and listened to the instructions, but since college, like a post-youthful rebellion, his love affairs have almost left everyone hurt, hurting both others and himself.

During the time he was locked up at home, he barely had access to food or water. One day, as if he had finally figured it out, he dove into the pool, swam until he was exhausted, and finally floated on his back. Zong Jingzhou said he looked like a fish that had been bled to death.

It was at that time that Yu Weishi began to think about looking for He Dongli. She asked her not to contact Zong Chi anymore, even if he came back to find her.

Keeping a promise comes with a reward. Besides, the lawyer said she'd returned all the money Xiao Chi had kept with her over the years. Honestly, Yu Weishi kind of laughed at her, thinking she was being silly. There was no need to do that. Whenever breaking up with a man, never use money to compete with your dignity.

She made up for it, which was much more than what she returned to Xiaochi.

At that moment, she felt a sense of determination and even disgust. She thought that if she didn't say anything to embarrass herself, this strong medicine might not have a huge effect.

Her narrow-mindedness only made her think of her not-so-glorious mother. This led her, who had been lowering her head and even bending her back, to finally stand up resolutely and look back sarcastically.

At this moment, Yu Weishi really wanted to ask her why she broke her promise since she had accepted the money.

In the end, she didn't get to ask. Instead, He Dongli greeted her leisurely and asked her what she wanted to drink, "Coffee or tea?"

"Coffee, please." After saying that, she took the initiative to decide for Yu Weishi. This didn't mean that Yu Weishi refused. She then said, "Zong Chi really likes to make his own coffee. I think you would like it too."

Yu Weishi watched her turn around to prepare, and quickly called her back, "No need. I didn't come here for Xiaochi, you don't have to mention him all the time."

He Dongli's smile seemed to have cooled down for a moment. Since the guests didn't need to be entertained, she took out a bottle of ice water from the refrigerator and took a sip. "Is that so, Madam Zong? But what am I supposed to talk to you about without Xiaochi?"

Even at this moment, Yu Weishi still said the same thing: this girl, more than anything, was audacious. Standing in the hallway, Yu Weishi surveyed the cramped apartment, unable to imagine how the two of them could possibly move. But he was willing, a willingness that couldn't be dissuaded by even ten oxen. Her heart was cold and numb, yet she had seen the affairs of the father and son in Shanghai this morning. Yu Weishi had called Lao Zong, and her husband wanted her to come over, so they could go back together. Don't bother with unnecessary matters.

Yu Weishi was obsessed with the money she'd received back then. If Zong Chi knew, everything would be turned upside down... This was the first reason. The second, and the one she was thinking about, was that she wanted to remind the person in front of her, "To be honest, I've found a marriage partner for Xiao Chi. Since she's here..." Yu Weishi hesitated, unwilling to lower her composure, unwilling to say anything condescending to her. She knew Shu Xing's unyielding personality. If she came over and Zong Chi found out, he'd really turn the tables and make their families renounce each other forever. Yu Weishi simply wanted to persuade He Dongli: if Shu Xing did come, ignore her and don't let Zong Chi know.

However, she stumbled there, and the person drinking ice water opposite heard two clear words, walked straight to the stairs, peeled off the door stop, went up all the way and then walked back, carrying two bags in his hands, a luggage bag and an Hermès shopping bag.

He Dongli placed it directly at Yu Weishi's feet and said, "Please pass it to Zong Chi for me."

Yu Weishi looked at her doubtfully, and He Dongli added nonchalantly, "There are his clothes in there, and they haven't dried yet. I have no obligation to hang them out for him, so you can take them back and give them to yourself or his partner."

"Just tell him for me that he doesn't need to come again. He's actually quite annoying. I know you've been wanting to ask me why I took the money and didn't keep my promise since you walked in. Indeed, Mrs. Zong, I don't plan to return the money to you. Actually, as long as I don't have any thoughts of marrying him, it shouldn't be considered a breach of contract."

Yu Weishi looked at He Dongli in disbelief, almost unable to believe his ears, "What did you say?"

"I said, I never thought about marrying Zongchi."

-

A figure flashed in from behind the sliding door. Almost at the same time as the words came out, it was Yu Xiaohan. She threw her bag onto the shoe-changing stool, kicked off her high heels, found her slippers and put them on, and then contradicted her daughter, "You are so unreasonable! If you don't want to get married, why are you delaying me? If you say you don't want to get married again, is it you who said it, or did Zong Chi say it to you? Whoever said that I want to slap him in the face? Where is Zong Chi? Call him over! His mother happens to be here, so I want to ask him in person who doesn't want to get married."

He Dongli never expected her mother to come at this time. She was about to go over and say something to her, but Yu Xiaohan refused to listen. In front of outsiders, she acted as if her mother's teaching had nothing to do with others. "I told you to call. If you don't, I'll call. Don't let him think I can't contact him just because he changed his number. Don't even mention that he's the head of some group now. Just look at all the food I cooked for him over the years. If he dares not to come, just try it!"

-----------------------

The author has something to say: Off topic:

This is the first time I've written about a reunion setting. From the beginning till now, I've emphasized more than once in my copywriting and writing that I want to tell the story through an insert line.

Before I started writing, I talked with friends who were purely readers. The age range was quite large. Some preferred the chronological storyline, while others only wanted to see the reunion part. Some didn't want to see how they met or how they broke up...

However, when I officially started writing, I decided to use a flashback storyline and carefully weave in all the details of the past storyline. A friend advised me not to do this, saying that readers dislike this kind of storyline the most.

What I emphasized several times in my remarks was a disguised way of clearing mines, because the perspective of this book follows my heart. If I were a reader, I would want to see the complete development of both lines.

Therefore, this flashback was a challenge for this attempt at a reconciliation. So far, I don't regret this decision; it actually flowed smoothly, because for me, it was like writing two separate stories at once. I'll leave a note in my head: I'll continue to use this narrative method and unfold the story in this way when writing reconciliation stories. For readers who aren't used to or don't like this development, this is another warning to you: run! The author can't and won't change it. And don't assume that if one story worked, this one will definitely work. I always say that humans are mobile creatures. In a sense, long-lasting love is a physiological attachment and a kind of magnetic resonance. It's like this for them in the story, and it's like this for us outside of it.

I wish you 99% physiological attachment! I wish you 99% people who are on the same wavelength! [Rabbit head with erect ears]