Chapter 29 Emotional
Pei Song was sitting on a bench in the hospital corridor. His mother had just been transferred from the emergency room to the general ward.
He held the phone and hesitated for a long time before knocking on the door of the ward.
"Mom..." Pei Song sat down beside the bed and saw his mother leaning against the head of the bed, her face still pale.
"Just ask whatever you want to ask." said the mother softly.
"Why is Dad doing this?" Pei Song couldn't help but say, "It's obviously my uncle's fault, why is he taking the blame for him? Just because of a few words from grandma, he agreed to everything?"
The mother was silent for a while: "Your father has had this character since he was a child. As the eldest son, he is used to taking on everything for the family."
"But this is so unfair!" Pei Song said excitedly, "This won't help my uncle at all, it will only make him more and more irresponsible! Moreover, this is so unfair to you..."
"Songsong, some things cannot be judged simply by right or wrong." Mother sighed, "Although your father seems indecisive, he has been protecting this family in his own way over the years."
Pei Song lowered his head and thought about the changes in his father over the years.
From being full of vigor and vitality to having a head full of white hair, from being full of pride to being filled with sorrow, the father may have unspeakable pain in his heart.
A deep feeling of powerlessness came over him, and he still did not agree with his father's approach.
Walking out of the ward, Pei Song felt depressed and unknowingly came to the balcony in the corridor.
Shi Yanchen stood behind him at some point and handed him a cup of warm coffee.
"Tell me about it?" Shi Yanchen leaned on the railing.
"I'm confused." Pei Song held the coffee cup. "I used to think things were simple, right is right, wrong is wrong. Now seeing my father compromise for family matters, I suddenly don't know how to face it."
Shi Yanchen was silent for a while, looking into the distance: "Everyone has their own cause and effect to face. Your parents' generation has their own rules of survival. You can disagree with them, but don't deny them easily."
"Seeing them like this, I feel really sad..." Pei Song's voice was a little choked.
"The most important thing now is to seize your own opportunity." Shi Yanchen turned and looked at him, "Prove to them that you can take a different path."
…
At three o'clock on Wednesday afternoon, Pei Song came to SNK again.
When Pei Song pushed open the door of the interview room, he was caught off guard by a familiar face and stopped in his tracks.
Those gentle eyes and that elegant smile gave him the illusion that time had gone back.
Zhou Feng looked up from the documents and seemed stunned for a moment, but soon recovered: "Long time no see, Pei Song."
Pei Song nodded reluctantly and walked to his seat and sat down almost mechanically.
The embarrassing scene of his confession being rejected during his senior year kept flashing through his mind, and he subconsciously clenched the resume in his hand.
After so many years, that youthful past could still make him so flustered.
Throughout the interview, Pei Song forced himself to maintain a professional expression.
But every time I looked into Zhou Feng's eyes, the awkward feeling came over me like the rising tide.
He found that his tone of voice had become stiff, and even his best experience in catering management was not as good as before.
"I read your experience in Germany. You did very well." Zhou Feng flipped through his resume and said, "The experience of operating a Michelin restaurant is indeed valuable."
Pei Song looked down at his resume, trying to regain some composure: "Thank you."
"I heard about your family situation." Zhou Feng suddenly said after talking about his work experience, "It's a pity. But with your ability, you can definitely start over."
Pei Song felt his expression stiffen: "Thank you for your concern, I would rather focus on my work."
Zhou Feng seemed to want to say something, but seeing Pei Song's distant attitude, he finally just nodded: "Okay, then let's continue to talk about the work plan."
Pei Song was even less in good shape during the second round of interview with the German vice president. He clearly felt that his performance was far worse than the first round.
Even when the other party asked him in German about his experiences in Germany, he was unable to speak as fluently as usual.
His mind was always thinking about the scene of living with Zhou Feng day and night in the future, which made it almost impossible for him to concentrate.
Walking out of the interview room, he let out a long sigh and ran into Liu Yan head-on.
"Hey, isn't this our internet celebrity chef?" Liu Yan said with sarcasm on his face, "Why, are you going the relationship route now?"
Pei Song frowned: "What do you mean?"
"Don't pretend," Liu Yan took a step closer and lowered his voice, "Mr. Zhou is a well-known figure in our school. I know everything about what happened back then." He smiled meaningfully, "Why, are you planning to do the same thing again this time?"
"Liu Yan." Pei Song interrupted him, "If you are here to show off your relationship with Mr. Zhou, there is no need to do so. Right now, I only care about the work itself."
"Oh, that sounds very high-sounding." Liu Yan sneered, "Just like the last time I ran into you on the street, pretending to be so noble. But it's true, given your family's current situation, you really need a decent job to keep up appearances."
He looked at Pei Song and said, "I heard that your restaurant is doing well in Germany? It's a pity that you have to run back home in disgrace when something happens at home."
Pei Song ignored his sarcasm and walked straight towards the elevator.
But Liu Yan's words still made him feel irritated. The last encounter on the street was unpleasant enough, and he didn't expect that they might have to meet every day in the future.
After walking out of the SNK building, he immediately called Shi Yanchen.
"Leon, I don't want to go to SNK anymore."
There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few seconds: "What happened?"
"I just feel that... it's not quite right. The environment there may not be what I imagined."
"Not suitable?" Shi Yanchen's voice suddenly turned cold. "How long have you been preparing for this opportunity? Are you going to give it up just because of a little personal emotion?"
Pei Song was stunned: "Why are you..."
"I've known you for so long, don't I know you?" Shi Yanchen said sternly, "If it was just because of your lack of ability, you wouldn't be so hesitant. You must have encountered someone or something that affected your emotions and influenced your judgment."
"You can't solve any problems by acting on your emotions. You know exactly what kind of platform SNK is. You also know exactly what this opportunity means to you. Are you going to give up your future just because of some people or things that make you uncomfortable? I didn't expect you to be so immature."
These words were like a wake-up call.
Yes, what are you afraid of?
Are those past events, those unpleasant memories, worth giving up the opportunities in front of you?
"I'm sorry." Pei Song said softly, "I'm too naive."
"Think carefully about what you really want." Shi Yanchen's tone softened a little, "Don't let unnecessary emotions affect your judgment. Only strength is the foundation for survival, and everything else should be put aside."