Chapter 51 There was another banquet in the circle before the New Year...
There was another banquet in the circle before the New Year, which was Chang Wensheng's younger brother's college entrance celebration. The Liu family has been cooperating with the Chang family on many projects recently, and Liu Duanhe has a good personal relationship with Chang Wensheng, so naturally they wouldn't refuse him.
The next day, he woke up feeling only slightly unwell. After taking his medicine, he went about his styling routine as usual. He knew the advantages of his appearance and certainly didn't mind making the most of his radiance.
At the banquet, Liu Duanhe met an unexpected person. He knew that Feng Xingyun was impatient with interpersonal relationships and might have advised him against it before, but now that he was willing to indulge him, he would not mention it again.
So I didn't mention the question to Feng Xingyun yesterday, but I didn't expect Feng Xingyun to come this time, which was a surprise for him.
The tall, strong man sat by a flowerpot in the corner, his long legs curled up impatiently. From Liu Duan's angle, he could see the man's face, which was feigning sleep. His handsome, deep-set eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and he didn't look very happy.
After dealing with the crowds that gathered around him, he had no intention of overshadowing the Chang family. The others also wisely refrained from lingering, but it took Liu Duanhe quite a while to finally escape the elegant and bustling banquet.
He turned his head again and saw that Feng Xingyun was no longer by the potted plant. Looking up, he saw the figure walking into the garden.
Putting down his champagne, Liu Duanhe suddenly didn't want to talk about money, power, or profit projects with these people he socialized with day after day.
He also went to the garden, but there was no way to follow Feng Xingyun's footsteps. He wandered around as he pleased. His silver-gray suit was tailored to fit his body curves, and its high price made it glow with a soft, moonlight-like luster in the night.
However, even amidst such beautiful scenery, some people will approach without any regard for others' feelings.
His parents, Liu Rumeng and Wu Xiuli, also came, but now almost everyone knows that they have fallen out.
Therefore, even invitations are now sent out separately.
Liu Rumeng was impeccably dressed in a classic black suit, while Wu Xiuli wore a long red dress and looked somewhat listless, walking lazily behind her, though her back was ramrod straight and her chin and eyes were held higher than usual.
He seemed unable to laugh anymore; his gaze was obscure, tinged with gloom, and he spoke in an ambiguous tone.
"Xiao He, I heard that your boyfriend is going to see you at the company every day now, making a big fuss about it. A lot of people are saying that if you two are so high-profile now, it will be ugly if you break up in the future."
He had previously thought of bringing them together, hoping they would never separate. Two men together are inherently at a disadvantage in terms of public opinion, and he even fueled the flames.
But the final result did not meet his expectations. The most important factor was the old man's attitude. He seemed completely unconcerned about Liu Duanhe's sexual orientation and the issue of who would inherit the company if it were handed over to Liu Duanhe. In fact, the resources under his name were already clearly tilting towards Liu Duanhe. At this point, almost everyone could see the old man's final choice.
Now Liu Rumeng really couldn't sit still anymore, and even began to regret making their affair almost public knowledge. Who knew if it was because his actions were too hasty that the old man found out? He clearly knew that the old man valued relationships, yet he acted so hastily and carelessly, which made the old man more inclined to favor Liu Duanhe in his disappointment.
Liu Duanhe watched his performance with a cold eye, and could tell that Liu Rumeng was really anxious.
He looked noticeably less energetic than before. Even with his careful grooming, he still exuded a sense of dejection. When things don't go well, a person's confidence is undermined, and naturally, their energy and spirit will become low.
However, Liu Duanhe stared straight at him and said, "Xiao He has changed now. I remember when you were little you told your mother that you wanted to find someone you truly liked. But now it's not bad to find the Feng family's son. Their family is developing very rapidly now, and their future is limitless."
Although Liu Rumeng's personal strength and abilities are not particularly outstanding, he is still the original successor personally trained by Liu Yiren, so he does not lack basic discernment.
The Feng family is clearly riding the wave of the times and the nation, and taking off is almost inevitable.
Thinking of this, Liu Rumeng felt a pang of regret. Clearly, Liu Duanhe had also taken the path of arranged marriage, but he cleverly used the guise of love to conceal it from the old man. He reaped the real benefits while using the banner of love, making him appear exceptionally different, at least unlike Liu Duanhe.
Upon realizing Liu Rumeng's implication, Liu Duanhe's heart tightened at first, but then he calmly thought, no, they are different.
He gave a mocking, cold laugh, his red lips uttering words that were chillingly ruthless: "People can only see what they want to see. No matter what others say, they only see their own reflection."
So even men can get married if they have a good family background. Of course, the best choice is still a union between men and women with a mainstream sexual orientation.
Liu Duanhe once again deeply realized Liu Rumeng's cold-hearted cruelty, and a chill rose in his heart. Even though he knew that she had no feelings for his child, it was still hard to bear that his hope had been shattered.
He was slightly angry, and unusually, he lost the composure that usually shrouded him.
At this moment, Liu Rumeng actually laughed, "You really are the person most like me. Dad is right. Look, even our harshness when we're angry is exactly the same."
Finding this subtle similarity almost drove him mad, his eyes lighting up, because it seemed to comfort him about his impending defeat, allowing him to console himself that he had been defeated by his own successor, or at least the child he had personally trained. In this respect, he was successful; a qualified teacher should feel proud and gratified that his disciple has surpassed him.
Liu Duanhe was startled by his sudden madness, and frowned as he stared at his face, which was so excited that he could hardly control his expression.
This was someone he once felt was as insurmountable as a mountain; no matter what awards he received, all he got was suppression and belittlement.
His ugly and incompetent performance had completely overshadowed Liu Duanhe's original impression of him. He didn't shift his feet or retreat even slightly, just staring at him quietly, as if trying to see into his bones and delve into his heart to explore the essence of Liu Rumeng's weak spirit.
Liu Rumeng was taken aback by his unmoved gaze, and her expression froze slightly.
But Feng Xingyun, who had been hiding in the shadows and waiting for Liu Duanhe to witness this farce, could not stand it any longer. He stepped out from the dark corner behind Liu Duanhe.
He said angrily, "Liu Duan is an independent person, not a doll, a work of art, or a cat or dog that you can manipulate at will. He is not like anyone else, much less like you."
Hearing such offensive words, Liu Rumeng showed no anger whatsoever. He came to his senses, selectively ignoring Liu Duanhe's cold, scrutinizing gaze, his eyes remaining extremely calm. He even smiled slightly, "You're Xiaohe's friend, right? We hope to handle our family's affairs ourselves."
He seemed completely unsurprised by Feng Xingyun's appearance, as if he had known he was there all along.
Feng Xingyun's heart sank, and he walked towards Liu Duanhe first.
Liu Rumeng didn't care about his indifference. In Feng Xingyun's eyes, his gaze was hypocritical and opportunistic, like a scalpel scanning and dissecting your value, then weighing it, making the person being scrutinized feel terrified.
Liu Rumeng smiled knowingly, "Does this little classmate like you, Xiao He?"
For some unknown reason, even though Liu Rumeng clearly remembered Feng Xingyun's appearance, she pretended not to recognize him. She acted as if Feng Xingyun hadn't heard her previous words and repeated them to herself.
“I remember he’s from the Feng family. Although he’s not as good as our family, he’s on a good upward trajectory and has high potential. Maybe we should consider him.” He said to Liu Duanhe as if no one else was around, blatantly trying to sow discord.
Liu Duanhe hadn't paid much attention to Liu Rumeng's words, but when he laid them out in front of Feng Xingyun, he suddenly felt somewhat embarrassed.
The subtle concern made him extremely uncomfortable.
Despite Liu Rumeng's praise of his compatibility with Liu Duanhe, Feng Xingyun felt no joy at the realization of his dream. Instead, he looked worriedly at Liu Duanhe's stiff back and numb, expressionless profile.
Liu Duanhe noticed Feng Xingyun's gaze, and a slight twitch of his lips. The embarrassment made him want to ignore what his father was saying, turn around and leave without any manners or respect.
Even though Feng Xingyun was wearing a suit, he didn't wear it properly. He had already torn off his tie and stuffed it into his pocket, leaving his collar wide open. He looked arrogant and indifferent, but under his suit, he reached out and slowly grasped Liu Duan's tightly clenched fingers.
Liu Duanhe's fair and slender hands clenched slightly, then relaxed again. Feng Xingyun took the opportunity to interlock his fingers with Liu Duanhe's. Liu Duanhe did not refuse, but instead pursed his lips and lowered his eyes. His thick and long eyelashes drooped down, making him look more fragile and beautiful.
Feng Xingyun's heart clenched as his eyelashes trembled, a suffocating heartache gripping him.
"Uncle, you've calculated it so clearly. Find a calculator to convert it into a table. Xiaohe and I won't bother you any longer. You can talk to Auntie slowly. We'll be going now."
He pulled Liu Duanhe away without hesitation.
Liu Duanhe watched helplessly as the provocation on his father's face disappeared, replaced by gloom and hidden anger.
Feng Xingyun took Liu Duanhe's hand again. This was a rare physical contact, but he was not as happy as he had imagined. Instead, he was filled with worry.
He stared at Liu Duanhe's profile. He knew Liu Duanhe probably didn't want anyone to see him in such a disheveled state, but he couldn't bear to leave.
When a person is vulnerable, that is when their heart is most easily penetrated. He is despicable and unwilling to leave, and he simply turns around and grips Liu Duan's cool and delicate hand even tighter.
Then he looked up and said coldly, "He's a real bastard. How can there be such a person in the world?"
Liu Duanhe was amused for a moment by his non-aggressive rebuke. He wondered if Feng Xingyun was simply incapable of cursing or was being considerate of his feelings, which was why he hadn't used the most vicious language to curse him.
But no matter which one it was, it made him feel both amused and happy.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com