Chapter 71 Zhou Song's Commentary: "Poor Vision"

Zhou Group headquarters, top floor office.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows was the bustling city skyline. Zhou Song sat behind a large desk, looking down at a document.

He has a calm and stern temperament. Unlike Zhou Ai's extroverted and aggressive handsomeness, his handsomeness is more restrained and more intimidating.

The assistant stood quietly by, waiting for him to sign before stepping forward and reporting in a low voice, "Boss Zhou, the latest public opinion monitoring on the young master's side shows that the situation is somewhat... unusual."

Zhou Song didn't even look up, his fingertips tapping on the documents. "What trouble has he gotten himself into again? Did he destroy some brand's business this time, or did he get into a conflict with some clueless person again?"

"Neither." The assistant's tone was subtle and subtle. "It's about the young master's... personal relationship issues. Public opinion online generally believes that the young master is in love."

Zhou Song paused while signing, and the tip of his pen spread a small dot of ink on the paper.

He finally raised his head, looking at his assistant with deep eyes, and said calmly: "The target is that doctor, Chu Yi?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhou. It's Chu Yi, the flight doctor from the program 'Heart to the Mountains'."

The assistant nodded and added, "Based on what we know so far, the online rumors... are probably not groundless. The young master's interactions on social media are quite... proactive."

The assistant carefully chose his words and did not dare to say "high-profile display of affection" directly.

Zhou Song put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and tapped lightly on the smooth table with his fingertips, making a regular, light sound.

"Chu Yi... Cheng Yanqing's beloved younger brother?"

"Yes, Mr. Zhou. Doctor Chu is indeed from the Cheng family." The assistant confirmed.

Zhou Song suddenly chuckled and shook his head. "This Doctor Chu has the education and looks, and seems to be quite capable... but his eyes are really not very good. How could he possibly be interested in this devil of ours?"

He was indeed surprised. From what he knew about Zhou Ai, he knew that this kid had been reckless since he was a child, with picky eyes that were almost harsh. There were very few people who could catch his eye, let alone someone who would make him approach him so recklessly and without regard for his status and the consequences.

According to the information Zhou Song had, Chu Yi was a calm, self-disciplined person with strong professional ability. He was a typical ambitious person. Logically, he should be the one who could not stand Zhou Ai's willful and high-profile nature.

But the reality is just the opposite.

Zhou Song recalled the phone call from Zhou Ai when he was recording a program in Guizhou. The tone of the call was stubborn and even a bit reckless. The caller insisted that he come forward to ensure that Chu Yi could participate in the rescue.

He felt something was wrong at the time. When had Zhou Ai ever cared so much about someone?

Now it seems that it was not a spur-of-the-moment impulse at all, but a premeditated plan, or perhaps... a deep love?

"Does Cheng Yanqing know?" Zhou Song asked.

"Mr. Cheng...should have received the news. Such a big commotion cannot be concealed." The assistant replied.

Zhou Song imagined the possibility of a crack in Cheng Yanqing's eternally unchanging icy face, and the curve of his mouth deepened. His partner and competitor protected his younger brother like the apple of his eye.

"Interesting." Zhou Song snorted softly, "It seems that our kid has hit a wall this time... Or rather, has he found someone who can control him?"

He waved his hand, signaling the assistant to leave. The assistant bowed and left, gently closing the door.

Zhou Song did not object to Zhou Ai's love affair, and even welcomed it.

Zhou Ai is spoiled, so it may not be a bad thing to have someone who can calm him down and make him restrain himself a little.

But he didn't expect that this person would be Chu Yi, Cheng Yanqing's younger brother, a person who seemed incompatible with Zhou Ai's world.

On the other side, Zhou Ai, who was sticking to Chu Yi and watching him work hard, sneezed inexplicably.

"Who is talking about me?" He rubbed his nose and muttered.

Chu Yi raised his head from the document, glanced at him, and said calmly: "You've done too many bad things, and you feel guilty?"

Zhou Ai immediately moved closer, put her arms around his waist, buried her face in the crook of his neck and nuzzled it, her voice muffled: "No! I've been so good lately!"

The afternoon's business summit was packed with elites. Zhou Song and Cheng Yanqing, leaders in their respective fields, were naturally the focus of the meeting.

However, today, the gazes cast upon them, in addition to the awe and inquiry of the past, were also mixed with a lot of indescribable weirdness and whispers.

People in the circle are well-informed, and the matter between Zhou Ai and Chu Yi is no longer a secret after fermenting for a whole morning.

Some people think that this is just a common hype tactic used by the entertainment industry to build momentum for new programs.

Some people also smelled something unusual and secretly wondered whether this meant that the Cheng and Zhou families were interested in a marriage alliance and that the wind direction was about to change.

These eyes wandered between Zhou Song and Cheng Yanqing, with a sense of testing and watching the show.

Zhou Song remained calm, as if oblivious to those gazes. He swept his gaze across the room, quickly locking onto Cheng Yanqing, who stood by the window, his expression calm but unable to conceal the subdued atmosphere.

Zhou Song raised the corners of his lips slightly, holding the champagne, and walked over calmly.

"Mr. Cheng, long time no see." Zhou Song took the initiative to speak, his tone calm and with just the right amount of business etiquette, but upon closer inspection, there was a subtle familiarity that was different from the usual.

After all, from a certain perspective, he is half "brother-in-law of my younger brother", and the relationship must be maintained.

Cheng Yanqing turned around, his expression truly grim. He'd known about this for a long time, even before it spread online—last night, he'd personally called Chu Yi to inquire about the situation, but it was Zhou Ai who answered the phone!

When the boy said "I'm taking a shower obediently" in a lazy voice that also contained a hint of sovereignty, Cheng Yanqing almost crushed his phone.

A breath was stuck in my chest, unable to go up or down, and it still hasn't been resolved until now.

"Mr. Zhou." Cheng Yanqing maintained basic politeness, but his voice was a little colder than usual. "Can I have a moment?"

He didn't want to talk about family matters in public, and he didn't want to become the topic of conversation after dinner.

Zhou Song readily followed suit and made a "please" gesture.

The two walked one after the other to the relatively quiet terrace outside the conference hall.

"Mr. Zhou, I'm sure you've heard about my brother's situation." Cheng Yanqing said straight to the point, his tone restrained. "I wonder what you think?"

"What do you think?" Zhou Song took a sip of the champagne in his hand and looked at the city landscape in the distance, as if he was thinking about this question seriously.

After a moment, he turned back, looked at Cheng Yanqing, and said slowly: "Poor vision."

Cheng Yanqing's usually calm face instantly flushed red at a visible speed. His brows furrowed, and his tone was already filled with obvious anger: "Who are you saying has poor taste?"

Zhou Song looked at his eagerness to protect his child and his instantly broken defense. A smile flashed in his eyes, and then he added slowly: "I said that Doctor Chu has poor vision."

He paused, his tone tinged with genuine regret and teasing, "Why did you choose that troublemaker in my family? Mr. Cheng, don't you agree?"

Cheng Yanqing: "..."

His breath was stuck in his throat. He couldn't decide whether to have an attack or not.

Zhou Song's words were clearly meant to belittle his younger brother, but upon closer inspection, it seemed as if he was indirectly acknowledging that Zhou Ai was "climbing above his station" in his pursuit of Chu Yi, which made it impossible for him, as his brother, to blame him.

Seeing Cheng Yanqing's frustrated and inarguable expression, Zhou Song shook his wine glass in a good mood and continued to add fuel to the fire:

"I wonder if Mr. Cheng has any different opinions?"

The air on the terrace was stagnant for a moment.

Cheng Yanqing's chest rose and fell slightly, clearly trying to suppress his emotions. Even facing the Zhou family's masterful leader, for Chu Yi's sake, he had to speak his mind clearly today.

"Mr. Zhou," Cheng Yanqing took a deep breath and looked at Zhou Song sharply. "I don't know how your Zhou family views this matter. Perhaps to you, this is just an insignificant romantic game between the younger generation. But as Chu Yi's brother, I must make my position clear - I am actually very worried about the relationship between the two of them."

Zhou Song did not interrupt, but nodded slightly, indicating that he should continue. His deep eyes showed no emotion.

"I don't know what Mr. Cheng is worried about mainly?" Zhou Song asked in a steady tone.

Cheng Yanqing pursed his lips and laid out his most realistic concerns: "Boss Zhou, let's be frank. With a family like yours, the Cheng family's status is probably far from enough in the eyes of many people."

He paused, a barely perceptible bitterness creeping into his voice. "So, I'm not optimistic. I don't want... your Second Young Master to play a trick on my child on a whim, then wave goodbye and walk away, leaving Chu Yi to face the aftermath alone."

Cheng Yanqing looked at Zhou Song, his eyes full of protection. "Our Chu Yi has been well-behaved and calm since childhood. He has taken every step steadily in his studies and work, and has never done anything out of the ordinary. This time... I know him. If he wasn't really concerned, he would never let the situation develop to this point, let alone..."

The last words hit the mark perfectly.

Zhou Song listened quietly, his face still expressionless. He gently swirled the champagne in his glass and asked, "Mr. Cheng, have you forgotten that Chu Yi is already an adult? He has the ability to think and judge independently. And..."

He raised his eyes and looked at Cheng Yanqing accurately, "Why do you think that my Zhou Ai's feelings are not serious?"

Cheng Yanqing was startled by the question, then blurted out, "Let's take a step back. Even if Zhou Ai is serious now, will your Zhou family agree? Will you truly accept Chu Yi?"

This is his deepest concern. The class gap and secular perspective cannot be overcome by momentary passion alone.

Zhou Song heard this and suddenly chuckled, "Why don't you agree?"

He put down his wine glass, his demeanor calm. "The entertainment industry is such a mixed bag, and he wants to go, so we all agree. Our Zhou family motto is that as long as the child behaves uprightly and doesn't commit crimes or do anything that harms others, we, as a family, will support him in whatever he wants to do."

Cheng Yanqing was choked by Zhou Song's words for the second time. He opened his mouth, but didn't know how to refute for a moment.

The Zhou family's open-mindedness was somewhat beyond his expectations.

Zhou Song looked at his stunned expression and continued, his tone calm but with a strong persuasiveness: "Mr. Cheng, perhaps you have some misunderstandings about my Zhou Ai. He may seem willful and reckless, but he is always serious about the things he cares about."

"When I was little, I loved music. I was so single-minded that no one could pull me back. I worked hard on my own to get to where I am today. I believe Mr. Cheng has heard of my persistence and ability."

He paused, his gaze became somewhat profound, as if he remembered Zhou Ai's stubborn appearance when he was a child, and his tone softened a little.

"He's also completely devoted to Chu Yi right now. I rarely see him so devoted to someone, so...desperate. As a family, we're only happy to see him find someone he wants to cherish, and we naturally support him."

Zhou Song turned his gaze back to Cheng Yanqing, and said frankly, "So, Mr. Cheng, there's no need to worry about our Zhou family's attitude. The crux of the matter may not lie in family background, but in these two young people themselves. As their elder brothers, it might be better for us to watch from the side and lend a hand when necessary, rather than setting up obstacles. What do you think?"

Cheng Yanqing fell silent.

Zhou Song's words were well-reasoned and his attitude was clear, which almost eliminated all his concerns.

All the arguments he had prepared seemed pale and powerless in the face of the Zhou family's indulgent attitude of "as long as he is happy and does not break the law."

Looking at Zhou Song's all-seeing eyes, he suddenly realized that perhaps... he really underestimated Zhou Ai's seriousness and the Zhou family's attitude towards this relationship.

At that time, Zhou Ai was lying on the sofa in Chu Yi's house, happily reading the passionate interpretations of his and Chu Yi's "official announcement" on Weibo by fans in the CP super topic, with the corners of his mouth almost grinning to the back of his ears.

At this moment, a message popped up on the top of the phone, and the sender was Zhou Song.

Zhou Ai raised his eyebrows, feeling quite surprised.

His elder brother, who was always busy with affairs of state and was very frugal with words, had not sent him a message on his own initiative for hundreds of years.

He opened the chat box and saw only a nonsensical accusation:

Zhou Song: I have really lost face for you today.

Zhou Ai became interested and quickly typed a reply:

Zhou Ai: ? Please tell us more.

He imagined the stern face his brother might have at the moment, and felt a little better.

Zhou Song on the other side of the screen looked at these five words plus a question mark, and could almost imagine Zhou Ai's lazy look of watching the fun and not minding the trouble. He suddenly felt the "frustration" that had accumulated with Cheng Yanqing just now surged up again.

He was too lazy to type out the verbal battle, so he just replied with six points:

Zhou Song: ......

Zhou Ai looked at the string of ellipsis and became more certain that his brother must have suffered a setback, and this setback was related to him.

Not only did he not feel the slightest bit of guilt, but he became even more daring and decided to make things worse for his brother.

Zhou Ai exited the chat box and took out a photo from the album that she had just taken secretly today.

In the photo, Chu Yi was wearing the soft light grey sweater that he thought suited his temperament very well. He was sitting at his desk, concentrating on organizing documents. His profile was soft, his eyelashes were drooping, and the warm light falling on him made him look particularly quiet and beautiful.

Zhou Ai carefully selected the one with the best angle and clicked send. Then he added the text:

Zhou Ai: Let me show you my kitten. Is it well behaved? [Picture]

Zhou Song frowned as soon as he saw the words "My kitten". He subconsciously thought that his unruly brother had finally started to tease small animals, and his fingers had already typed out the words "Do you have a cat?"

However, before I finished typing, the picture loaded.

On the screen, Chu Yi's calm, gentle and focused look was clearly visible.

Zhou Song: “…”

He silently deleted the words in the input box, looked at the photo, and combined with Zhou Ai's boastful tone, he instantly understood who the so-called "kitten" was referring to.

A complex emotion of speechlessness, nausea and "I can't keep my younger brother" rushed into my head.

Zhou Song: ...I don’t eat dog food, thank you.

Zhou Ai was overjoyed at his brother's reaction and continued to frantically test the edge of danger:

Zhou Ai: How is it? Brother? I have good taste, right? [Proud][Proud]

Zhou Song looked at the message, remembered Cheng Yanqing's protective look in the afternoon, and what he had said, snorted coldly, and replied truthfully.

Zhou Song: You have good taste, but Teacher Chu doesn’t.

These were almost the exact words I said to Cheng Yanqing in the afternoon.

Zhou Ai was unhappy when he saw it.

It's not okay to say that he is capable and that his Chu Yi has poor vision!

Zhou Ai: An old man who doesn’t understand romance.

When the three words "old thing" came into view, Zhou Song's hand holding the water cup shook violently, almost spilling water on his expensive suit.

He stared at the three words, the veins on his forehead twitched, and a surge of anger rushed up. He almost vomited blood because of this bastard brother.

Zhou Song: Are you itching for trouble?

After sending the message, a red exclamation mark appears: [The message has been sent, but has been rejected by the other party.]

Zhou Ai actually blocked him!

Zhou Song: “!!!”

He held the phone and took several deep breaths before he barely suppressed the urge to call Zhou Ai and beat him up.

Looking at the quiet and beautiful photo of Chu Yi in the chat history, and then looking at Zhou Ai's ridiculous remarks, he could only rub his brows helplessly.

The culprit, Zhou Ai, after successfully angering his brother and decisively blocking him to prevent harassment, contentedly threw away his phone, rubbed against Chu Yi who was working, hugged him from behind, and sighed contentedly: "My dear, you are still the best."

Chu Yi was interrupted by him and turned his head helplessly: "What's wrong?"

Zhou Ai buried her face in the crook of his neck and laughed muffledly: "Nothing, I just suddenly felt that my vision is really good."

Chu Yi: “…” Although I don’t know what he is crazy about, I’m used to it.