Chapter 61 Cute Aggression
When Yu Xiaohan led He Xinchao in, they happened to see employees picking up broken glass from the floor. Old-fashioned thinking dictated that in any business, especially at a happy occasion, the most feared thing was broken things.
I'm afraid it might imply something unlucky.
After Zong Chi treated him like that, Yu Xiaohan didn't say anything. Xinchao was supported by Second Grandma's hand, and he could feel the warmth in Second Grandma's palm. He looked up at Second Grandma and asked her what was wrong.
Yu Xiaohan shook her head. Aunt Tang, however, saw what Xixi's mother was thinking and quickly comforted her, "I hope you're safe."
He Dongli had asked Ah Sheng to bring He Xinchao over. They all had to go out and leave the child alone at home, so she had Ah Sheng bring him over as if they were having dinner here. When He Dongli said this to Zong Chi, he let go of her hand and nodded with satisfaction, "Yes, that's what a hostess should be like."
Yu Xiaohan asked Xinchao to go and play by himself, so he went into the Chinese restaurant's kitchen alone to see if he could help.
After Aunt Tang came over to remind Xiao Chi, Zong Chi swung off to the kitchen like a shopkeeper, picked up a piece of shredded white radish from the chopping board, and ate it. While chewing, he walked over to Ms. Yu and shook her with his finger, "Are you satisfied with the room?"
"It's just a one or two night stay, so I can't say whether I'm satisfied or not."
Zong Chi shouted, "No! You should be satisfied even if it's just one or two nights. Tell me if you're not satisfied."
Yu Xiaohan told him to mind his own business and stay out of her sight. While she was helping the young chef wash a plate of chili peppers, Zong Chi chatted with the chef for tonight's Chinese meal. He explained that his mother-in-law couldn't handle spicy food, just like him. Once, when they had gone to hot pot together, his fiancée's bowl was overflowing with chili rings. His mother-in-law complained that it was impossible for her to not have a stomachache from eating so much spicy food. "Guess what she said?"
Mr. Zong came in so politely that everyone in the kitchen thought he came to express their condolences, so they naturally responded positively and urged Mr. Zong to speak.
Zong Chi glanced at the hardworking yet unaccustomed Yu Xiaohan and teased her with a good memory, "She said, 'The way you eat chili peppers, the vendor next door would have bought a building!'"
Everyone burst into laughter. Yu Xiaohan even scolded him harshly in front of everyone, calling him Zong Sang.
Zong Chi finished laughing, then adopted the attitude of the host, "Talk is talk, laugh is laugh. Don't forget that you are still working. I pretended not to notice any mistakes before the banquet, but if there are any problems after my guests come, I will be held responsible."
He still had to go change his clothes. Before leaving, he said to Ms. Yu in a serious tone, "It's just a set of cups. I'll give it to them directly after the banquet. I won't leave it at home to get in the way. Don't worry, there won't be any trouble, okay."
Yu Xiaohan looked up at him but said nothing.
Zong Chi left silently. As he walked out the short kitchen corner, people started to look at him and greet him with "Hello, Mr. Zong." Yu Xiaohan realized that this person was the first to act naughty, but also the first to navigate the world with ease.
*
Only after He Dongli and Zong Chi returned to his room did she learn about her mother's taboo.
"Then what did you tell her?"
"I said we don't want any of the glasses anymore. They're not ours anymore, so that's all right, isn't it?"
He Dongli sighed and nodded reluctantly. It was not a bad idea.
Zong Chi fell back into his own bed, and He Dongli looked around at the place he had grown up in. When his parents moved to Singapore, he had often lived alone in a suburban villa, and during school weeks he had even ate and slept in a hotel.
He Dongli could never understand how his parents could be so at ease, and how his mother could bear to let him go.
Zong Chi put his hands behind his head and said, "Because my father's career is more important, my mother always thinks that I have been playing around this year."
He didn't play. His studies at that time were even more demanding than those in the system.
He Dongli laughed at him for not enduring any hardship.
Zong Chi concurred contemptuously: "Yes, I just love suffering. Your suffering."
He asked her to change into a dress for him. He Dongli said that the makeup artist arranged by Secretary Huang had not arrived yet, and she didn't know which one to wear.
"The black one. I like it."
He Dongli looked at him, "Why?"
"I like it, so why ask so many questions?"
"You didn't even tell me that tonight's dinner is your promotion banquet."
Zong Chi jumped up from the bed, sat cross-legged, and urged her to change into her dress right here.
"Hey, I'm talking to you!"
"I'm listening."
"I'm asking you about your promotion!" He Dongli scolded.
"It's an internal appointment, what's so new about that? When you get promoted to deputy director one day, I'll give you a grand ceremony."
He Dongli blamed him for going off topic. "A promotion is a promotion. My mom knows about it, and I'm still lagging behind her. Why?"
Zong Chi smiled but said nothing.
The honest man continued to lecture, "We can't avoid celebrating what needs to be celebrated. Who says it's not fresh? I'm fresh. Just like when you won the silver medal, it wasn't a loss. You were clearly second in the youth competition that year. Please remember that!"
Zong Chi felt that she had not changed at all and was still like a child. Most academics are a bit stubborn, but their stubbornness is innocent and cute.
However, he has a cuteness aggression disorder. The cuter she is, the more he wants to destroy her.
So, as a gift for her promotion, he asked her to change into a dress for the evening in front of him.
It was already dusk, and inside the room, with the curtains tightly drawn, Zong Chi gazed at a beautiful, curvaceous body. He lay on the bed, one leg propped up, the other half hanging over the edge, looking like a playboy. He said in a frivolous tone, "He Dongli, how can I not keep a close eye on you when you're like this?"
*
It was seven o'clock in the evening, and the Zong family's banquet started on time.
On behalf of his father, Mr. Zong Jingzhou, Zong Chi delivered a brief opening speech, consisting of simple words that bridged the past and the future, bidding farewell to the past and welcoming the new. Finally, he introduced his fiancée to the team, shareholders, and partners. One line of his speech was a joking remark in English: "If you happen to know her or have met her, it's not surprising at all, because I've known her for sixteen years. Yes, she was my lover a long time ago, but due to my incompetence, we separated." Rather than calling her my girlfriend or fiancée, I consider it more serious to call her my lost and found self, my other half.
I don't think I've ever formally confessed my feelings to her. Today, with your testimony, I'll tell her once:
I love you, cici.
-
Everyone was watching a girl in a black evening gown dancing gracefully as she was led by Zong Chi's hand gently and quietly up a few steps.
The old ministers who were familiar with him would all remember Zong Jingzhou teasing his son about having a white moonlight. Tonight, the white moonlight was wearing a calm black long dress, looking like a cold moon in the night.
On behalf of Zongchi, she thanked everyone for attending and sincerely wished them a memorable evening. Her voice was melodious. The two scarves echoed the color of Zongchi's formal scarf.
-
Secretary Huang accompanied Ms. Yu and praised her, "Dr. He is so good at controlling the situation."
Yu Xiaohan turned her head away, blinking a few times to hold back her useless tears. When she turned back, she spoke in a relaxed tone, "She said that even with all the exams she's taken, she wouldn't let herself lose. If she lost, she would be crushed to death by those books that would be piled higher than her."
Secretary Huang nodded, took a sip of champagne, and continued, "Today I finally understand why Mr. Zong chose me to be his secretary. It was because on the day of the interview, I happened to say something that reminded him of Dr. He."
Yu Xiaohan was curious, "What did you say?"
"I said my girlfriend's father passed away and her mother was sick."
Girlfriend. Yu Xiaohan's mouth quickly snapped shut, having been showered with affectionate greetings all evening. Mr. Zong's mother-in-law, a seemingly impeccable character, manipulated Yu Xiaohan, knowing she'd seen it all. She remembered what Xixi had said to her: "Don't always think about introducing people to potential partners. Men can still like men. Don't be surprised."
This, this, this, I saw it for real tonight.
When He Dongli came over, Yu Xiaohan had already talked to Secretary Huang, "Then your girlfriend is in Hong Kong, so you two have been separated for years."
Secretary Huang nodded. "So I have to be doubly loyal to Mr. Zong. He promised me that once I find a successor he's satisfied with, I can go to Hong Kong to take charge of the relevant projects."
Yu Xiaohan felt a little sorry but also a little happy for the girls who worked so hard. "Don't forget to give us candy when you get married."
Secretary Huang smiled, feeling flattered. "Ah, of course. If possible, Auntie, you and Dr. He can come and watch the ceremony together. We'll pay for the airfare and hotel."
Yu Xiaohan put on airs with arrogance. "They won't even cover my flights and hotel bills if I go to Hong Kong or abroad. If they tell anyone, they'll be embarrassed." She glanced at Xixi and then added, "I'm just kidding. They don't have to worry about me wherever I go."
He Dongli was impressed by her mother's social skills. When the mother and daughter were talking to each other, she praised her mother, "How can you talk to someone about marriage so quickly? I really admire you."
"I thought Xiaochi's mother was something special. She specifically found a secretary for her son who likes girls. But guess what, Xiaochi chose her not out of consideration for his mother's face at all. It's really satisfying."
He Dongli wanted to put her hand on her forehead. She felt that her mother would be in a state of constant battle for her mother-in-law and daughter-in-law for the rest of her life.
The next second, Yu Xiaohan happily clinked glasses with Xixi and told her daughter in a dignified manner, "Well, I'll forgive Xiaochi for now. Let me tell you in advance, I asked about his horoscope. I originally thought of giving him a gold ring, but Zong Sang quietly gave me a big bribe. If I don't return the favor, let alone talk about him, his mother might think I've benefited from his son.
"Xi, I'm planning to buy a trust insurance policy for your child. I've been consulting with lawyers and brokers these days. I've also found a goldsmith," Yu Xiaohan said, showing Xixi the rough sketch she'd shown the master on her phone. "This gold bar looks great, doesn't it? It has Fu, Lu, and Shou on the front, and your birth dates on the back."
He Dongli was stunned. So this was the reason his mother wanted Zong Chi's horoscope. "Don't you want to read his horoscope?"
"Will it be useful if I approve it? Will you listen to me, ah!"
He Dongli coquettishly said to her mother, "Mom."
"That's enough. You're almost thirty and still crying. People will laugh at you."
"Didn't you say that crying is the most effective way to show affection?"
"I told you to use it in the fight between mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, to act wronged and pitiful. You're a PhD student, but you've wasted your time."
"A PhD doesn't teach you about family drama."
"What's the saying? It's better to have no books than to believe everything in them."
He Dongli looked at the custom draft on his mother's phone and felt deeply moved. "Alright, this gold bar is already very expensive. He might not even want it if you give it to him. Forget about the trust. It's more important for you to keep the money for yourself."
"I have. Originally, these were meant to be left to you, but you were so stubborn and insistent. Don't worry about it this time. I have to get these out before you get married. First, it depends on the woman's attitude, and second, it can be considered as your dowry. Xixi, don't blame me for being materialistic. No matter what, I have to cover you. So, I will only leave this insurance to your child. I don't care if his surname is He or Zong. As long as he is your flesh and blood, I won't feel at a loss."
Zong Chi sent someone to invite Miss He, saying that there was a colleague of hers and asked her to come over for a chat.
Both mother and daughter had red eyes. Yu Xiaohan said that she was not allowed to cry at such a happy occasion and hurriedly urged her daughter to go, "The social event at Xiaochi is more important, you go."
-
He Dongli walked to Zongchi with slightly wet eyes, and only then did he see clearly that the colleague he was talking about was Tan Zhengjin.
She cheered herself up and quickly called him, "Senior Brother Tan."
Tan Zhengjin leaned over and shook hands with Dongli. "When we were setting up the stage, I told you we would meet again, right?"
He Dongli remained calm and composed on the operating table. Even in such an environment, it was clear she was performing exceptionally well. Standing beside Zong Chi, she couldn't help but use his power to complain to Senior Brother Tan, "Why didn't you just tell me the truth back then? At least now that I know who your adopted brother is, I'm not so afraid of you anymore."
Tan Zhengjin was surprised and delighted. He had said that the girl was beautiful and sweet-talking. "You're afraid of me, but that's not something you can say. You know your Xiaochi. He'll rely on the fact that he's the one funding our horizontal project. Once he gets drunk, he'll start a struggle session. I've invested so much money in you, and you're still making things difficult for her. What do I want from you?"
Zong Chi held up his wine glass and refused to admit his mistake. "That's bullshit. You think you're right to bully the younger generation?"
Tan Zhengjin pointed at him and said, "Look, what did I say?"
The people around him all laughed. Everyone who knew him well knew how protective Young Master Zong was of his children. Lin Jiaoyu and the others even started to make a noise, "This is the only advantage our Young Master Zong has in his life. You should give him some leniency. It's a hereditary gene in their Zong family to be afraid of his wife."
Tan Zhengjin agreed. "My father always considers family stability as a performance point when promoting his employees. Those who don't love their wives don't deserve to be successful."
Zong Chi sensed something, "Did Baba send you here again?"
He Dongli raised his glass to Senior Brother Tan and interrupted Zong Chi, "I'm right to be afraid of you. I'm afraid of Senior Brother's skills and craftsmanship. After all, Senior Brother is a master."
As soon as this was said, a new rumor spread at the banquet that night: Zong Chi's fiancée looked cold and beautiful, but in fact she was a surgeon who performed operations, and she was not cold at all and was very good at acting coquettishly.
*
In the second half of the banquet, Zong Chi went to the bathroom to vomit some of the wine because he had drunk a lot of wine on an empty stomach and was drunk.
He Dongli was tripped by several female guests attending the banquet. When Aunt Tang came to bring soup to Xiaochi and asked him to eat it, she remembered something and said she still had to tell Xiaochi about it.
Zong Chi sat on the sofa in the lounge. After rinsing his mouth, he took a bowl of soup and used a spoon to separate the meat. Just as he was about to take a sip, he heard Aunt Tang say, "For some reason, your mother-in-law wanted to know your exact birth time. It's called the time of birth in the old saying. You know what that means, right?"
"I know what you're going to say, just say it all at once."
"It's probably the horoscope. Xiaochi, your mother-in-law wants to match your horoscope with Xixi's."
"Well, it's done, then what?"
"Everything is fine if it goes well, but I'm afraid it won't. I think she believes in this. What if, I mean..."
Zong Chi immediately put down the bowl of soup and sat there, squinting his eyes and looking at people. Aunt Tang's hair stood on end. Zong Chi said nothing, but Aunt Tang confessed everything, "Don't blame me. Your mother-in-law smiled and said a lot of things to me, even about you not liking to wear long johns and eat durian, saying that durian and boiled eggs both smell like chicken shit... She said you were the kind of rich young man who wanted to eat green pepper and shredded pork noodles but dared the chef not to put green pepper in it..."
"Well, what then?" Xiaochi frowned.
"Then he asked when you gave birth. I didn't realize she was asking for that, so I told her..."
Zong Chi slammed the bowl in his hand down on the table. The young master's temper flared up quickly. "The invention of the paper shredder was to prevent you, the sifters, you know! If she asks you, just tell her. Some people are as narrow-minded as a needle, while others are not. I'm talking about you. Don't look at me.
"How dare you, someone like her who even cares about breaking a cup? You!
"Pack your things and go back to Singapore tomorrow. Before you go, take this bowl of soup with you. Try it. It has more oil than water. Isn't that normal?"
Aunt Tang was confused, but she didn't forget to deny responsibility, "I didn't make this soup. You can't blame me."
As soon as he finished speaking, someone at the door saw that the door was not closed, pretended to knock, and walked in. "What's wrong? What happened?" Yu Xiaohan heard that Zong Chi had vomited, so he hurried over to check.
Sounds like an employment conflict there.
Aunt Tang was about to explain, but Zong Chi stopped her, "Nothing. Aunt Tang, please go out first."
Yu Xiaohan smelled the alcohol on Zong Chi and thought he was just being crazy. After the old nanny left, she, with her class consciousness as a working class, couldn't help but say a few words to Zong Chi, "After all, she has been working in your family for so many years. Your mother might not even show any displeasure. Why are you so angry with her? Just over a bowl of soup?"
"No. I don't like people who are more trouble than help."
"Who is it?" Yu Xiaohan was extremely insensitive and would not think about himself, let alone feel that he had implicated others.
Zong Chi did not answer, but asked her if she had eaten enough tonight.
Yu Xiaohan shook his head. "It's just average. What you said gave me confidence. No matter how many stars a chef has, his cooking is just so-so. If you're just after a bowl of soup, I can understand. Don't blame your aunt, she skimmed some oil for you. What's the point of drinking plain soup? Without oil or salt, you won't have the energy to eat it!"
Zong Chi couldn't help laughing. Seeing that Ms. Yu seemed to be in a good mood, he wanted to confront her: If you continue to use the incompatibility of our horoscopes to embarrass me at this time, I will really snatch your daughter away!
Yu Xiaohan smiled at the dog-tempered man and persuaded him again, "If you let Xixi see her, she will say you are arrogant again. She is just so good-tempered. Believe it or not, although this is an old man your mother is used to, after being with you for a long time, she will also speak for Xixi. I know my daughter."
Zong Chi nodded, there was indeed no need for Ms. Yu to tell him this.
"You're not busy now, are you?"
Zong Chi was nervous, but he still agreed with Ms. Yu with a fearless attitude.
*
When he found He Dongli in the banquet hall again, she was talking to Lin Jiaoyu. She was wearing a long evening gown. The front of the dress was dignified and low-key, and all the ingenuity was on the back.
It doesn't reveal too much skin, but it perfectly showcases the wearer's curves, creating a sense of both skinny and strength.
Lin Jiaoyu was talking to her about some national affairs, but He Dongli was listening with great interest. At a critical moment, he even took Lin Jiaoyu's phone and glanced at it, then agreed, "My assessment is that we should do a complete debridement without suturing, and then suturing it in the second stage. Let's leave it open for now."
Zong Chi came over, took off his suit jacket, and put it on his girlfriend. He said that they were standing there talking, and didn't see the French window was open. "Be careful not to catch a cold."
He Dongli glanced at Zong Chi and was about to ask him where he had just been.
Zong Chi asked Lin Jiaoyu first, "What are you talking about? Why are you so excited?"
"I'm talking about the driver who was bitten badly by his dad's dog. He's asking if your family wants stitches. Look at the wound."
Zong Chi opened it for him and said, "Who would be in the mood to watch you fight so hard at night?"
Lin Jiaoyu smelled a bit of jealousy and deliberately annoyed him, "Where have you been? Can you do it? If not, just tell me earlier. The brothers are waiting."
"What are you waiting for, you!"
"Waiting to see you make a fool of yourself." Lin Jiaoyu was about to challenge Zong Chi's alcohol tolerance.
Master Zong let him laugh to his heart's content, then casually and impatiently raised his right ring finger and complained to his girlfriend, "Your mother just stopped me and wanted to measure the circumference of my ring finger. I asked her what she was doing?
"She said she wanted to give me a 30th birthday present, a gold ring, so tacky, and she wanted to engrave my birth date on it. She wanted to take it to a temple to consecrate it." The last two items didn't exist at all; they were just Zongchi's subjective fantasy.
As he spoke, Master Zong held his girlfriend's hand, complaining and acting coquettishly, "I think your mother means that you have to wear it, Ah Li, right?"
He Dongli had promised him that he could beat and scold him as much as he wanted at home, but he would definitely give him some face outside. So, he pulled the young master's hand down first. Wouldn't it be tiring to hold it up like this all the time, as if the ring finger was already wearing the emperor's new ring. "It's not that bad, Sujie. You have beautiful hands, and gold would look good on you too."
Zong Chi thought for a second and nodded reluctantly, "I forgot to say thank you to her."
He Dongli held his forehead with his hand.
Lin Jiaoyu on the opposite side had a face full of itchy teeth, and finally couldn't help but curse, "Zongchi, you were bitten by a dog too, weren't you? Why are you pretending!"
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