Chapter 52 I want everything that belongs to me,...
Zhou Ci took a long time to recover from his illness this time. After the fever subsided, he started coughing again, and the cough was very severe. Western medicine did not work, so he switched to Chinese medicine. He took Chinese medicine for more than twenty days, and the smell of medicine filled the house for more than twenty days before his cough was cured.
According to his physical condition, a cold and fever is just something that can be cured in two or three days by taking medicine and injections. But he insisted on torturing himself, so it's no wonder that the disease went away so slowly.
Zhou Ci didn't even wait until he was completely recovered. After he was discharged from the hospital with a fever, he immediately returned to the Zhou residence to see Old Master Zhou.
Old Mrs. Zhou is going to celebrate her birthday. Although it is not an integer, the younger generations are filial and insist on making it lively for her.
The first, second, third and fourth wives of the Zhou family all came, and the two married daughters also came back with their husbands and children to celebrate the old lady's birthday.
Zhou Ting arranged for the fifth brother, who was neither the eldest nor the youngest, and had no special abilities. He was a marginal figure among his brothers, so he was indispensable for the dividends, but if he wanted to participate in the management of the company, that was just a dream.
It was in these few years that Zhou Ci became more successful and won the favor of Old Man Zhou, which earned him some face in front of his brothers. But everyone outside knew that he and Zhou Ci were not on good terms, and the two were like enemies when they met. Who in the Zhou family didn't know this?
When Zhou Ting'an was young, he was a mess. For a woman who was not presentable outside, he angered his wife to death, whom Old Master Zhou had taken great pains to marry for him from the Yan family in G City. He also ignored the son born to him by the daughter of the Yan family. Later, he even married the woman he had raised outside, which made Old Master Zhou lose face and completely cut off the path of the Yan family in G City that could help him rise to the top.
But Zhou Ting'an and his brothers were very happy. Everyone knew what marrying a daughter of the Yan family meant. Old Master Zhou was finally doing his best for his son. It was only his own fault that he was not ambitious enough and was blinded by the wild flowers outside. He even brought them into the house and made a fool of himself by outsiders. In the end, he was kicked out of the team of heirs by Old Master Zhou.
Mr. Zhou has no concept of establishing the eldest son as the heir. He will not hand over the empire he built with great efforts to a mediocre and incompetent person. He advocates the model of raising insects. You can compete in an open and aboveboard manner, and the company will be handed over to whoever is the most capable.
Zhou Ci saw this clearly, but unfortunately Zhou Ting'an had a narrow vision and could not see the deep meaning of Mr. Zhou. He thought he could still fight for it. Faced with Zhou Ci being valued by Mr. Zhou, his first reaction was not happiness, but a strong sense of crisis. He was afraid that Zhou Ci would snatch the things he had from Mr. Zhou, and he guarded against Zhou Ci as if he were guarding against outsiders.
He and Zhou Ci disliked each other, but he was extremely protective of his youngest son, taking him wherever he went, praising his talent to everyone and helping him to establish a strong presence in front of others. Those who didn't know would think he only had this one son, while those who knew would only give him superficial approval and secretly smirk.
Zhou Ci would avoid going to any occasion where Zhou Ting'an was present if possible. Zhou Ting'an didn't like to see him, and he also found Zhou Ting'an an eyesore. However, when it was Old Lady Zhou's birthday, Old Man Zhou personally called to invite people, and Zhou Ci had to be there.
Zhou Ting'an doesn't like his son Zhou Ci, but Zhou Ci's uncles and aunts like him very much. Zhou Ci has been good at studying since he was a child. Even skipping several grades did not affect his admission to top universities like B University. They also know that Zhou Ci has a company outside and the company is developing very well. Many investors are lining up to give him money.
Zhou Ci's uncles weren't stupid. They were all very enthusiastic about a capable nephew who had a say in the old man's affairs and wouldn't compete with them for the company, with no conflict of interest. They wanted to win him over if they could. Zhou Ci's words were more effective than Zhou Ting'an's in getting things done in the Zhou family.
Zhou Ci was also happy to send the signal that he wasn't fighting for the family fortune. There was nothing wrong with watching the fire from the other side of the river and reaping the benefits. He really didn't think highly of the Zhou family. He was still so young, and his future achievements were entirely possible to surpass the Song family. But he didn't want to give up even a single benefit to Zhou Ting'an, so it was better for him to keep the Zhou family firmly in his hands.
He was just waiting to see what would happen to Zhou Ting'an if he relied on him for living expenses. He wondered if his current wife, who was as gentle as a flower of eloquence, would still be so affectionate by then.
As soon as Zhou Ci arrived at the Zhou residence, before he even greeted the elders, he was called to Grandpa Zhou's study by Grandpa Zhou's special assistant.
Mr. Zhou's study has not changed much after so many years.
As we age, we often harbor a nostalgic yearning, lacking the vigor of youth and embracing the stability of the mundane world. A table, a chair, an old book—all old objects, placed in their old places, rarely moved. Those accustomed to them can easily pick them up and continue reading from where they left off.
Zhou Ci has been going in and out of this study for many years and is already very familiar with it. He knows exactly what is in every corner.
Even Mr. Zhou’s deepest thoughts might not be fully understood by his uncles and aunts, but Zhou Ci could guess them almost exactly.
That's why he can feel at ease in front of Old Man Zhou. He can speak to Old Man Zhou easily in a tone that his uncles and aunts would never dare to think of, but he won't be scolded by Old Man Zhou. Whenever he says something rude, it can make the old man laugh.
How could Mr. Zhou, who had experienced many storms, not see through Zhou Ci's little tricks? But Zhou Ci's temper was just to his liking, and Mr. Zhou was willing to be manipulated.
In the words of Mr. Zhou, if you want to be at the helm of the Zhou Group, how can you not be capable and ruthless? The only thing is that this ruthlessness should be pointed outwards, not at your own family members. Although family members can fight with each other, they should unite when it is time to face the outside world.
Zhou Ting'an is not on the list of Mr. Zhou's family members. It was his own fault. The old man is not so capable and cannot take care of everything.
Sacrificing a useless son to gain a perfect grandson, Mr. Zhou felt that he had not lost out. No matter what, they were still father and son. No matter how big the hatred was, at most they would suffer a little financial loss, but Zhou Ting'an would not even go hungry.
In the study, Mr. Zhou, wearing reading glasses, was looking at the annual report on his computer. Seeing Zhou Ci come in, he feigned anger and said, "My door will stain your shoes, right? Do you have to call me personally before you're willing to come back to see me and your grandmother?"
Zhou Ci pulled out the chair opposite Grandpa Zhou and sat down. He was not frightened by Grandpa Zhou's tone at all. "Grandpa, you know I don't mean that."
"Because of your dad?" Old Man Zhou adjusted his reading glasses. "I've told you many times, just pretend your dad doesn't exist. You're already this old, and he can't do anything to you anymore."
"I remember everything Grandpa said. As long as he doesn't get in my way, that's all that matters." Zhou Ci glanced at the report in Grandpa Zhou's hand. "Grandpa, are you looking at the company's financial report?"
Mr. Zhou pulled a document from the table and threw it to him: "Come and take a look."
Zhou Ci didn't hesitate. He read it as Mr. Zhou asked him to. Although he hadn't joined Zhou Corporation, he understood everything he needed to know. He quickly skimmed through the form and identified the problems. He closed the document and said to Mr. Zhou, "Uncle's appetite is growing."
Mr. Zhou stopped looking at his computer and leaned back in his chair. He looked at Zhou Ci and asked, "What do you think about this?"
"When water is too clear, there are no fish. Uncle feels that he cannot compete with the two uncles, so he wants to get more benefits for himself as soon as possible. It's understandable and not a big deal."
Mr. Zhou looked him over, not missing a single expression on his face. "Do you really think so?"
Zhou Ci looked back fearlessly and said frankly, "Of course not. These will all be mine from now on. Uncle has taken them all back to his home. What do I have left? I don't need them, and I'm willing to share them, but they can't hold on to them."
Old Master Zhou was quite pleased with Zhou Ci's reaction. He liked this energy in Zhou Ci: his arrogance and pride, his willingness to ask for what he wanted without asking directly. He knew there was no free lunch, that everything had its fair share of leverage, and he was willing to put in the effort to fight and seize it fairly. He was unyielding even to his family at home, and even more ruthless outside. This was how his grandson, Zhou Shixing's grandson, and the future heir of the Zhou family should be.
"Has your grandfather still contacted you?" Old Master Zhou suddenly asked.
"Yes! My grandma often calls me and asks me to go to G City during my vacation. My uncle just returned from his term in the United States. When he was on a business trip to B City, he even made a special appointment to meet me and brought me a gift."
Mr. Zhou hummed, then pulled out another document from the table and handed it to Zhou Ci, "Then take a look at this one too."
"What is this?" Zhou Ci asked, having already opened the file. His eyes fixed as soon as he read the beginning, then he restrained his expression and continued reading carefully.
Old Master Zhou glanced at Zhou Ci and said, "Someone from the Yan family has been promoted. That's your uncle."
Zhou Ci closed the file and looked back at Old Man Zhou: "Isn't this a good thing?"
"You're lucky." Old Master Zhou said leisurely, "Find an opportunity to have your uncle come over to visit us. We're all relatives by marriage, and it's been years since we last interacted."
"Grandpa also said that we haven't been in touch for many years. It seems quite deliberate to suddenly renew the relationship. I don't think it's necessary." Facing Grandpa Zhou's unfriendly gaze, Zhou Ci remained calm. "Besides, Grandpa's current in-laws are the Li family, not the Yan family."
His words were quite ironic. Old Master Zhou was so angry that he blew his beard and glared: "Nonsense, when did the Li family become my in-laws? I never acknowledged it."
Zhou Ci wasn't a child anymore, so he wasn't so easily fooled. "By recognizing the daughter's legal status, isn't that just acknowledging the marriage? What's the difference? Grandpa, are you trying to cover up your mistake?"
If it wasn't Zhou Ci, anyone else who dared to speak to Old Man Zhou like this would be scolded immediately. He was really giving him face.
But facing Zhou Ci, the most academically gifted, promising, and most favored grandson in the entire Zhou family, who was stubborn and unyielding, Old Man Zhou was truly helpless. "Zhou Ting'an has already obtained a marriage certificate with her. What else can I, as a father, do? I can't take him to get a divorce. The most I can do is give you whatever I want to give him in the future."
"Grandpa, I'm very greedy. I want everything that belongs to me, and I won't let go of anything that doesn't belong to me."
Mr. Zhou spread his hands and said cheerfully, "Sure! They're all here waiting for you to take them. As long as you're capable enough, you can take them all."
Zhou Ci then smiled and said, "Grandpa, I will always remember what you said."
"What are you going to do about your uncle's promotion? Do you want me to prepare a gift for you?"
"No need. My uncle doesn't like this kind of superficiality. I'll call him later. The documents haven't been officially finalized yet, so it's better to keep a low profile."
Mr. Zhou was indifferent: "As long as you know what's going on, that's all."
His words marked the end of the topic. Grandpa Zhou took out a Go board from under the table and beckoned to Zhou Ci: "Come and play a game with Grandpa. Let's see if you have made any progress recently."
Zhou Ci moved his chair and got closer to Old Man Zhou: "I don't have time to think about these things now. I'm very busy with study and work. I don't even have enough time to sleep." After he said that, he couldn't help coughing a few times.
Mr. Zhou glanced at him and asked, "Have you caught a cold?"
"I rushed to see you right after I was discharged from the hospital. How could I not come to your birthday party?"
Mr. Zhou raised his eyebrows and said, "You're still living in the upper house?"
"His fever was a bit high, but he has been discharged from the hospital. He just still has a cough, but it's not a big deal." Old Master Zhou was concerned, so Zhou Ci explained a few more words.
Mr. Zhou spoke with rare earnestness: "Young people should pay more attention to their health and learn to balance work and rest. Don't drain your foundation at a young age, or you won't be able to replenish it when you get older."
"Got it! I'll pay attention next time." Zhou Ci didn't like discussing his health problems with others, even if the person was his biological grandfather. He didn't like it and wasn't used to it. He always kept a safe distance from others. Except for Song Yu, he was not used to other people's excessive concern.
"You are quite talented, kid. Even though you haven't played for such a long time, your chess skills are still as good as before." Old Master Zhou made a mistake and was taken advantage of by Zhou Ci. He lost the initiative early on. The reason why he didn't lose the chess piece was just because he was struggling.
"Didn't Grandpa teach me that? Playing chess is all about thinking carefully. You have to think ten steps ahead before you make a single move. I've always remembered that, and I remember it well."
"Teaching the apprentice will make the master starve to death!" Old Master Zhou finally stopped resisting. He threw away the chess piece and admitted defeat.
Mr. Zhou’s current chess skills are no match for Zhou Ci. The two of them can’t fight for more than a few rounds before Mr. Zhou is defeated.
The grandson always won, and Grandpa Zhou was bored. He stopped playing after playing a round with Zhou Ci, took the tea can and started to make tea. The grandfather and grandson stopped talking, and the study was filled with the aroma of tea.
"Grandpa!" Zhou Ci suddenly spoke, putting down the teacup in his hand.
Mr. Zhou took a sip of tea and narrowed his eyes slightly in satisfaction: "What's wrong?"
"Have you found a suitable spokesperson for the Middle East?"
"I heard there are a few people in talks, but they haven't decided on the final pick yet. What's up? Do you have any ideas?"
"I have a candidate who is quite suitable."
"Then go talk to your eldest cousin. Your eldest cousin is in charge of this matter."
"Grandpa's words are enough."
Mr. Zhou opened his eyes: "What do you mean, kid?"
"Didn't Grandpa agree?"
Mr. Zhou opened his eyes wide: "When did I say I agreed?"
"You didn't reject me outright, but instead asked me to talk to my eldest cousin. Isn't that consent? If you didn't agree, you would have rejected me right here."
Old Master Zhou paused, "I'm letting you brothers discuss this among yourselves. More communication and exchange will help strengthen your relationship. It's just a matter of appointing a spokesperson. Would your cousin embarrass you over such a small matter?"
Zhou Ci stopped talking and just smiled at Master Zhou.
At this time, Mr. Zhou also came to his senses. What was the difference between what he said and his agreement?
Before dinner, Zhou Ci chatted with his eldest cousin Zhou Ling for a while, and invested some money in the entertainment company run by his cousin. He successfully squeezed Han Jin into the team of Middle East image spokespersons, and also filmed a TV series tailored for him in the desert. Han Jin would not be able to come back for a year or two. Zhou Ci wanted to keep him so busy that he would not even have time to see Song Yu.
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