Chapter 94
◎ On the other side, Xie Weiran returned home, shaking his head. When he opened the door, the light suddenly turned on and Huang Ziyu folded his arms...◎
Meanwhile, Xie Weiran returned home, shaking his head. As soon as he opened the door, the light suddenly flicked on. Huang Ziyu sat on the sofa, his hands folded. He turned around, staring at his son with a stern look on his face. "Where did you go tonight? Tell me the truth."
Xie Weiran smiled flatteringly and placed his hand on his mother's shoulder. He blinked his eyes and said innocently, "Aren't you urging your son to find a girlfriend? I'll go find you a future daughter-in-law right now!"
By the end of his speech, Xie Weiran's smile almost fell to the ground.
Huang Ziyu was stunned when he saw his son's mother, but then he quickly understood that his son was on to something. He wasn't just casually saying, "Yeah, he's looking for someone." Okay, there's a girl he likes...
She said excitedly with a smile on her face, "Who is it? Tell Mommy quickly!"
While she was happy that her son had a girlfriend, she also felt worried. Which girl was good enough? Was she worthy of her son?
Xie Weiran nodded his chin and said, "Mom, are you going to scare your future daughter-in-law away like this? If I tell you, with your behavior like this, you might go to her workplace tomorrow to sneak a peek at her."
Huang Ziyu rolled his eyes at his son and said, "It's all your fault! You're always single! Qian Zizai is almost successful, and he's getting married and becoming a father, double happiness. Look at how dead you were before. I even introduced some girls to you, but you refused them."
Xie Weiran nodded repeatedly, trying to calm his mother down, saying, "Yes, yes, it's my fault. I won't tell you about my girlfriend's situation for now. It's too early. We just started dating officially today. You just need to know that she was introduced to me by Sister Guangmei. Are you still worried?"
Upon hearing this, Huang Ziyu immediately felt relieved. Feng Guangmei looked warm and generous, but she was very cautious in her dealings with others. I had previously wanted her to introduce a few girls from her unit to my son, but she knew that my son didn't want a girlfriend at all.
If she introduced him, as the older sister in the unit, wouldn't it be a waste of effort for her to do a favor for the younger female colleagues in vain, wasting their manpower and resources, so Feng Guangmei politely rejected her.
She immediately understood: her son was close to Zhong Weisheng, but not to Feng Guangmei. Even if they were close, this was not a decent move and could not be done, as it would make Feng Guangmei's life difficult at work.
From then on, she gave up that thought and waited for her son to come to his senses. She would go to Feng Guangmei's house at any time and ask her to introduce her to the girls around her.
Huang Ziyu knew that she couldn't get any results from her son, so she told Xie Weiran to take a shower and she went back to her room to sleep.
After returning from the dance, Gu Wang returned to the private room of the Peace Hotel alone, took out the key, opened the door, but did not reach out to turn on the light.
He slammed the door shut and threw the key on the cabinet. Gu Wangxi sat down on the sofa with one hand, looking exhausted as if he had just run a marathon.
With the help of the light from the window, he looked at the dark wilderness on the other side of the river. He reached into his pocket, took out a lighter and cigarette, lit it and held it between his fingers. Gu Wangxi did not inhale, but looked down at the scarlet flames. Circles of smoke rose and the cigarette butt gradually turned into ashes.
Gu Wangxi didn't know what he was doing. He finished the only two cigarettes he had left, then he gathered some energy and called his secretary.
The secretary who was sleeping soundly was woken up late at night, and she didn't feel the joy at all that the company had given her a mobile phone.
She turned on the bedside lamp, took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in her heart, and said, "Mr. Gu, what can I do for you?"
Gu Wangxi said slowly, "Tomorrow, put aside everything else and go find out about the automotive industry, especially German companies. Are there any new executives emerging in the Shanghai circle?"
The secretary was confused, but still said okay.
Gu Wangxi said in a deep voice: "Your bonus will be doubled this month."
The secretary's sleepiness fled from her mind in a panic. She raised her voice and said, "Okay, Mr. Gu! I'll do it early tomorrow morning. Don't worry!"
If the boss gave her enough money, everything would be easy to talk about. If the boss called her at night, her monthly bonus would be doubled. She would rather not sleep tonight and wait for the boss to call her again.
But she knew this was impossible. Although her boss grew up abroad, he was even more restrained and introverted than a native Chinese. It would be enough to make him crazy just once.
Sure enough, after hanging up the phone, the secretary slept until dawn, and the boss didn't call again.
The next day, because he was worried about what his boss had told him to do, the secretary arrived at the office early, looked through his address book, and called his connections.
Before knocking on the door and entering the boss's office, the secretary looked at the notebook again.
"...Yes, a senior executive has been parachuted into the Shanghai office of the German XX Group. Her name is Bei Bitang..."
Gu Wangxi pointed at the door and interrupted in a deep voice, "Get out."
He seemed afraid that if the secretary continued talking, she would say something he didn't want to hear.
The secretary's report came to a halt, and she mentally rolled her eyes. What's wrong with the boss lately? His moods are so unstable, sometimes dazed and irritable.
He is so fickle. His sister's wedding is approaching, and things are very complicated during that period. Haven't you heard that the boss has a sister who is getting married soon?
Thinking of the generous bonus that was about to come, the secretary felt a little better. She planned to meet up with a friend after get off work to go shopping, have a small cake, and look for new bags.
The secretary nodded and smiled, "Okay, Mr. Gu, I'll be out first. Call me if you need anything."
As soon as Huang Ziyu got off work, he found an opportunity to talk to Feng Guangmei, who was playing table tennis outside with her daughter.
When Feng Guangmei saw Huang Ziyu coming prepared, she knew that Bei Bitang and Xie Weiran were getting married.
She picked up some things to say and said them all, for example, Bei Bitang's family were all from Shanghai, they all graduated from Jiaotong University, and they worked in the automotive industry...
Huang Ziyu's face was smiling more and more, making people feel that she was about to go and see which wedding banquet was the best.
Feng Guangmei's heart skipped a beat. She felt a little resentful towards Xie Weiran. What kind of thing had he done? If he didn't mention anything, he should at least give his mother some hints, such as mentioning Qian Zizai and Kong Baoer. His situation with Bei Bitang was exactly the same as this couple's.
If he didn't mention it at the beginning, he would be as happy and disappointed later. Huang Ziyu would definitely not be dissatisfied with his own son, so wouldn't his anger be directed at Bei Bitang?
For the sake of her good friend, before Huang Ziyu went home smiling, Feng Guangmei hinted to Huang Ziyu, "Auntie Huang, go back and tell Wei Ran to hurry up. Maybe he can have a wedding with Qian Zizai. You said before that Xie Wei Ran was the one who lagged behind the three the most. If you hurry him up, if he gets married at the same time as Qian Zizai, everything will be caught up."
Xie Ziyu was stunned, and the smile on her face froze instantly. She looked at Feng Guangmei deeply, said nothing, and went home with a lot of thoughts in her mind.
Feng Guangmei turned around, smiled at her precious daughter, and said, "An'an, Mommy's going to call your Aunt Bei first and will be back soon. Daddy will stay here with you for a while, okay?"
The little girl waved her racket and said cheerfully, "Go, Mom, remember to say hello to Aunt Bei for me."
Feng Guangmei called Bei Bitang, who was still in the office. Feng Guangmei teased her for a few minutes, then feigned anger and said, "Why didn't you tell me you were dating Xie Weiran?"
Bei Bitang said shyly, "I just think he's a nice guy, clean and refreshing. I wanted to tell you that it's not a good idea to call you at night or in the morning. Once I get busy, I'll forget."
The little joy she felt from being in love vanished without a trace the moment she received a work call or entered the office building. All she could think about were contracts, reports, applications, bidding, and negotiations...
Feng Guangmei smiled and said, "I'm just kidding. You're busy, so I won't talk to you anymore. Let's talk about it at the big dinner this weekend. I'll call Bao'er for you and tell her that you're not single anymore, so don't even think about introducing those playboys to you."
Bei Bitang laughed uncontrollably, nodded, and said, "Okay, tell An An that her Aunt Bei misses her."
Before hanging up, Feng Guangmei couldn't help but whisper, "Bitang..."
Bei Bitang couldn't help but ask, "What's wrong?"
Feng Guangmei shook her head and said, "Nothing."
Bei Bitang noticed Feng Guangmei's hesitation instantly. She said with a smile, "Feng Guangmei, just tell me what you want to say, or you'll have to turn back halfway."
Bei Bitang knew Feng Guangmei's personality too well. With outsiders, she could keep her mouth shut even with a punctuation mark, but with her own people, she couldn't bear it for three minutes.
Feng Guangmei sighed slightly and said, "Xie Weiran's mother knows about you, but Xie Weiran never mentioned anything to her. I don't think having a child is a big deal, but others certainly don't think so. Put yourself in their shoes. If your own child has to become a stepfather or stepmother in the future, we would feel the same way."
Bei Bitang frowned slightly and said seriously, "Guangmei, Xie Weiran and I can handle our issues on our own. You don't have to worry about me. I know you're worried, but don't worry. If Xie Weiran and I break up, it won't affect me for long. I'll find a hotel, take a vacation, do some shopping, and everything will go away."
Feng Guangmei hinted to Huang Ziyu on behalf of Xie Weiran, and Xie Weiran said that he and Bei Bitang met through Feng Guangmei. Huang Ziyu must be blaming her in his heart, asking what kind of person she would introduce to her son?
After hearing what Bei Bitang said, Feng Guangmei thought about it and realized that it made sense. Her good sister was rich, beautiful, had a career, and even had children. It was no big deal, so she hung up the phone with peace of mind.
Bei Bitang turned her chair and looked through the floor-to-ceiling window at the plants in the backyard with a calm gaze.
Maybe Xie Weiran was so happy that he forgot everything, so he didn't tell his mother about it. He buried a big bomb and asked his good friend to step on it for him.
If she were abroad and dating a foreigner, she would not consider the opinions of his family, and might not even consider getting married.
But this is in China, and it would be more troublesome to just date without getting married. Miao Xiuxiu and the others will also meet Xie Weiran's family in the future, perhaps for negotiations?
Bei Bitang shook her head gently, thinking that it was useless to think too much, so she should go home early from get off work.
She stood up, picked up her suit jacket and bag from the wooden shelf, and walked out.
The cell phone in her bag kept buzzing. Bei Bitang took it out and saw that it was Xie Weiran calling her.
Bei Bitang answered the phone. Two new lovers, one asked if she had finished work and wanted to have dinner together, while the other declined the dinner invitation and asked if his car had returned...
Bei Bitang walked down the elevator with a faint smile on her pretty face. It was not until they reached the parking lot that Xie Weiran reluctantly said goodbye to her.
From beginning to end, Bei Bitang never told Xie Weiran about Feng Guangmei's concerns, and Xie Weiran seemed unaware of it at all. He was just a young boy who plunged into a relationship.
Hannah walked towards Bei Bitang's office in her high heels. The office door was open and Bei Bitang was working with her head down.
Hannah tilted her head, knocked on the door, and said, "Bey, there's a private call for you..."
Without even looking up, Bei Bitang said simply, "No."
It must be Xu Zeli calling again, like a dog-skin plaster. Although she gave Xu Zeli her number, she didn't have time to deal with him for the time being, so she had to put her account with Xu Zeli aside for the time being.
Hannah shook her head and said, "It wasn't that Xu who called, it was a man with a nice voice..."
Bei Bitang paused on the keyboard, and before Hannah could finish her words, she looked up and asked, "Did he say his name?"
Hannah nodded and said, "I told you to call them Gu, Wang, and Xi."
Bei Bitang was stunned for a moment, then came to her senses and said, "Then come in."
Hannah said, "OK."
Bei Bitang turned her head to look around, and then cleared her throat lightly before the call was transferred through.
She clutched the receiver tightly and said in a hoarse voice, "Hello."
Gu Wangxi's smiling voice reached his ears, "Miss Bei, I didn't know you were back home. If I hadn't heard by chance, you would have gone back to Germany. Why did you come back without even saying hello to me?"
He spoke like old friends who hadn't seen each other for many years.
Bei Bitang tightened her grip and whispered, "I won't be leaving anytime soon."
As soon as the words came out, they were both silent for a while. After a moment, Gu Wangxi said, "I saw you at the Grandview Cinema last night and almost didn't recognize you. There was a young man next to you. Is he your colleague? He was in high spirits and we even made plans to go to the movies together after get off work."
Bei Bitang couldn't understand what Gu Wangxi said. She hesitated for a second and said truthfully, "He's not my colleague, he's my boyfriend."
Gu Wangxi remained silent. For some reason, Bei Bitang's heart began beating faster.
"Oh, so that's how it is. I misunderstood. It seems that you really don't plan to go back to Germany." Gu Wangxi said in a deep voice.
Bei Bitang laughed slightly and said honestly, "It's not his fault."
Gu Wangxi felt better. Bei Bitang had never thought about him. If she stayed in the country because of a man, he would be jealous to death.
Gu Wangxi took a deep breath to free himself from the suffocation. He asked softly, "Do you have time? Let's have dinner together."
In order to prevent Bei Bitang from thinking too much, he quickly added, "Bring him with you. You can introduce me as your friend."
Bei Bitang felt a wave of discomfort well up in her heart. She shook her head and said firmly, "No need to eat together. I'm not free for a while."
It is true that I am very busy, but I still have to eat three meals a day. I cannot skip meals, and eating with others does not waste time.
Gu Wangxi pulled the corners of his stiff mouth and said, "Oh, forget it, I'm hanging up."
Bei Bitang hurriedly said, "Wait."
Gu Wangxi whispered, "Want to have dinner with me again?"
Bei Bitang said embarrassedly: "No, I mean, if you need any help, you can come to me."
Gu Wangxi was stunned for a moment, then laughed and said, "Why? Miss Bei wants to return the favor? No, should I call you President Bei now?"
Bei Bitang lowered her head and tapped the edge of the table, saying, "You can think of it this way."
She had thought about not bringing Anna back to China in this life. Her daughter was hers alone, and belonged to her alone. Gu Wangxi would not know about it, and it would not have any impact on him.
But now Gu Wangxi is in Shanghai, and Anna is also in Shanghai. If one day, the two of them meet in the vast crowd.
Books always describe blood relationships as something magical. It's better to be safe than sorry. If the two of them recognize each other, it will definitely have an impact on Gu Wangxi's family, and his wife and children will be harmed.
She had no way to compensate them. In terms of property, the couple, their children, and their interests were all shared. By letting Gu Wangxi benefit, a portion would always pass on to them. She also believed that Gu Wangxi was a very responsible person.
Gu Wangxi frowned, thought for a moment, and said, "Since you want to help me, then I'll really speak up."
Bei Bitang didn't like owing others anything. She always wanted to pay back whatever others gave her. So, let her have her wish. From now on, she would completely put him aside.
Well, parting ways is the best outcome for them.
Bei Bitang straightened her back slightly, a gesture she took before preparing to attack. She said seriously, "Go ahead, I'll definitely help you."
Gu Wangxi chuckled and said jokingly, "You're not afraid of my asking for too much."
Bei Bitang didn't say anything. She didn't like getting into work mode while others were still laughing.
Over the phone, Gu Wangxi subtly experienced what it felt like to be a subordinate. He cleared his throat and said seriously, "Boss Bei, if we're talking about who has the best brand right now, it's your company. I've run into a bit of trouble. The leader who previously managed our real estate business had a heart attack and is in the hospital. A deputy has arrived, and he's scornful of us capitalist businessmen. He's worried that we're going to change the world and bring about a better future. I don't have the ability to do that, and even if I did, I wouldn't want to. I'm in Cao's camp, but my heart is with Han."
After a pause, Gu Wangxi continued, "No matter what I said, he just didn't believe me. I couldn't get any formalities done. I was very distressed. He's a good person and sits in an upright position. I'm too embarrassed to vent my anger on him."
Compared with cars, computers, chemicals, finance, etc., houses do not require much technical content. The Chinese nation has a history of building houses for thousands of years, and they also know how to build houses without introducing foreign investors. A large number of state-owned institutions are ready to go and make a big move.
Gu Wangxi also planned to wait until Pudong development made a lot of money before entering other fields, such as electronic technology.
Bei Bitang thought for a moment and said, "Dave, my immediate boss, his wife, Annie, is looking for a beautiful place to build a golf club."
Anne is a professional golf player. After retiring, she not only became a coach, but also a shareholder of a large golf club.
After coming to Shanghai with Dave, she was unfamiliar with the place, had no close friends, and no career. She had had enough of this life and wanted to start a career.
Dave was against this. He had finally gotten Anne back into the family, so how could he let her go out again so easily?
Over the issue of building a golf club, the two had wars of varying sizes at home. Others were completely unaware of this and thought that Dave and Annie were still a couple, but Bei Bitang, a friend of the two, knew everything clearly.
She told Gu Wangxi about this. From selecting the site, buying the land, to building the house, Gu Wangxi's company could take care of it all. It was an easy task for Gu Wangxi.
And Gu Wangxi would not offend Dave, because in Bei Bitang's view, their previous quarrels were just minor fights, and this time Annie was serious. If she could not have a second spring in her career, she would return to Germany, separate and divorce, so that both her career and love could have a second spring.
Dave had compromised behind Anne's back and secretly asked his secretary to find out information, intending to buy or rent a piece of land for Anne to build a golf course.
Bei Bitang was simply bringing the benefits to his lips for free, without him even having to reach out to take them, Gu Wangxi thought to himself, and thanked Bei Bitang solemnly on a face.
Bei Bitang smiled comfortably, having resolved a worry in her heart, which made her feel in a good mood.
Gu Wangxi was reluctant to hang up the phone, but there were five years between him and Bei Bitang, and she also had a boyfriend.
Gu Wangxi said with great difficulty: "Then I'm sorry to disturb your work. Goodbye, Miss Bei."
After hanging up the phone, Bei Bitang called Hannah over and said, "I remember Xu Zeli was at the negotiation meeting, right?"
Xu Zeli called many times, like an alarm clock. Bei Bitang had no choice but to tell her secretary about the past between the two and asked her to handle it accordingly.
Hannah said, "Yes."
Bei Bitang said coldly, "Go and tell them the news. I don't want to see Xu Zeli in any situation."
In fact, she could cut the Gordian knot when dealing with Xu Zeli without being so roundabout. She had plenty of ways to make Xu Zeli take the bait, and she didn't even have to show up in person.
After a phone call with Gu Wangxi, Bei Bitang's mood suddenly brightened.
Life is beautiful. It is certainly satisfying to see the miserable plight of your enemies, but you don’t have to disgust yourself by looking at your enemy’s face.
Gu Wangxi got out of the car and slammed the door shut without any regret. He turned his head to look at the brightly lit house, pursed his lips, and forced himself to smile.
Gu Qinghua and Zhang Ma had just finished their dinner and cleared the plates from the small dining table when they saw their son come back.
Gu Qinghua quickly put down his chopsticks, picked up a wet towel to wipe his hands, and walked over to her, saying with a smile, "If I had known you were coming back, Aunt Zhang and I would have saved some food for you."
Gu Wangxi smiled, waved his hand and said, "Mom, no need, I've already eaten."
In fact, he had no appetite for dinner for several days, and he didn't even have the energy to talk about business. He just wanted to go home and lie down for a few days, but he was afraid that his mother would find out, so he had to wander around outside like a wandering soul.
Gu Qinghua immediately noticed the depression in her son, which was quite similar to the one when his parents died. Gu Qinghua was frightened, but she said jokingly, "I know you are used to eating lavish food outside, and you look down on the simple porridge and vegetables that we two old people eat. My dear son, sit down, and Mom will make you a pot of tea."
As he spoke, Gu Qinghua's tone became more and more gentle, almost like coaxing a child.
Gu Wangxi wanted to say, no thanks. He just wanted to go upstairs and lie down on the bed.
Gu Qinghua didn't let him finish his words and pushed him to sit on the soft sofa.
After Gu Wangxi took the teacup and drank several sips, Gu Qinghua spoke like a worried mother, muttering: "Gu Wangxi, you are already in your thirties, right? When will you get a girlfriend? Xiaoshan is old enough to help with the cooking."
Xiaoshan is Gu Wangxi's only nephew. After Gu Xiangnan graduated, he still couldn't be tough. If others were a little tougher, he would do whatever they said.
Gu Wangxi and Gu Qinghua were worried that she would be deceived by a man with bad intentions. After all, not to mention the huge inheritance left to her by her grandparents, the shares of Gu Wangxi's company, and the things that Gu Qinghua got, just the monthly pocket money, climbing up the big tree of Gu Wangxi would make many men deliberately approach Gu Xiangnan.
Gu Wangxi and Gu Qinghua sat down to discuss it. After much deliberation, they felt that it would be better for her to get married earlier.
When asked about Gu Xiangnan, she showed no reluctance at all. She would get married sooner or later anyway, and she also liked children and wanted to take care of them.
The person introduced to her by her mother and brother must be good, so she nodded with a shy smile.
After getting the promise, Gu Wangxi and Gu Qinghua started to act on both ends. Gu Wangxi introduced a person to Gu Qinghua, who he thought was the most suitable and satisfactory future brother-in-law.
He was born into a large family in Hong Kong. He was the youngest son. His mother was his father's first wife, but they separated and divorced early. Since he was young, he was always raised by his mother and lived in Australia, away from the disputes in Hong Kong.
She is shy and delicate by nature. She doesn't have the bad habits of other rich kids. She studied Western history and enjoys reading, gardening, and cooking. She is perfect for this.
Although it is best to find a partner with complementary personalities, if he really wants to find a cheerful and optimistic person for his sister, he will really worry that his sister will be toyed with by that person.
The other party was also willing to live in Shanghai. Gu Xiangnan dated him seriously for half a year, got officially engaged and married, and the good news came three months after the marriage. Everything went smoothly.
As for whether she loves him or not, Gu Xiangnan doesn't know and never thinks about this question. She is very satisfied with her current life and will continue to follow this path in the future, listen to her mother and brother, and move towards a happy and fulfilling life.
Gu Qinghua waved his hand in front of Gu Wangxi and said softly, "I'm asking you a question, and you're just staring blankly."
Gu Wangxi came back to his senses and said with a smile: "I just remembered the scene when my sister got married."
After saying that, Gu Wangxi crossed his hands behind his head, leaned back on the sofa, and sighed in his heart that it was good to be like his sister, without any worries.
But then again, he really likes being the head of the family and taking good care of his family and making good arrangements.
Gu Qinghua smiled and said, "Are you envious? You should find one as soon as possible. I didn't urge you before, but now you have to. No one wants an old man."
At the end of his words, Gu Qinghua's tone became serious.
Gu Wangxi lowered his head and said nothing.
Gu Qinghua nudged her son's knee and said, "Tell me what your criteria are for finding a wife. What kind of person do you want? Mom will find one for you."
Gu Wangxi raised his head and opened his mouth, wanting to say that he would not get married. However, he thought that no matter how open-minded Gu Qinghua was, he would not be able to accept this stimulation for a while, so he changed his words and said, "Pretty, fair-skinned, tall, and well-educated."
Gu Qinghua covered her mouth and laughed when she heard it. She slowed down and said, "Aren't all the women around you like this? Your sister and your mother are all like this too. They all meet your standards. Over the years, there are still those who actively pursued you, but you didn't talk to any of them."
Oh, yes, we talked about one.
Gu Qinghua suddenly woke up, took a closer look at his son's gloomy face, and asked in surprise, "Do you still remember that Miss Bei?"
Gu Wangxi shook his head gently and said in a difficult tone, "No."
The head shook as if it weighed a thousand pounds.
Why not? Gu Qinghua thought, Miss Bei met every one of the criteria his son had given.
If she had asked this question when Miss Bei failed to get into college, her son might have replied that as long as she was pretty, that was all that mattered.
Her son's standards were based on that Miss Bei. She had asked about her son's relationship with Miss Bei before, and when she learned that she had been admitted to Jiaotong University, she couldn't help but admire her a little.
Later, she thought the other party was about to graduate from college, so she asked again when her son planned to bring him to meet her. Only then did she know that the other party was studying abroad.
She secretly thought it was a pity, but there was a better future that was in her own hands. Miss Bei was a smart girl who chose to study abroad.
She never mentioned it again after that. She didn't care that her son was no longer in love. After all, he had his first relationship in his twenties, and it wasn't surprising that he had the next one in his early thirties.
Unexpectedly, my son has loved her deeply for many years.
Gu Qinghua hurriedly said: "Go find Miss Bei!"
Since you are so concerned about it, then go find it. It won’t be difficult even if it is in the South Pole or the North Pole.
Gu Wangxi covered his face with his hands, and a muffled voice came, "It's too late, she is not alone now."
Gu Qinghua sighed silently, stood up, patted his son's shoulder, sat down and put his arm around his shoulders.
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