Chapter 24 (Combined with Twenty-Four)
Twenty-four:
Mu Feng: ...
Mu Feng felt that his question was unnecessary.
"Don't you know why I didn't give it to Qin Cheng? You didn't give it to him either, did you? When you were born, I gave you 1%. You could have followed my example, but you didn't. Didn't you think of that? How could you, Mu Zheng, not have thought of that? It can only be that you didn't want to give it, that you were unwilling."
"Now you're asking me why? Aren't you just asking the obvious?"
“It’s different,” Mu Zheng said. “Before, there was only Xiao Cheng, so it didn’t matter if we didn’t give him any. But now there are two children in the family. If you give him to Xiao Xi but not Xiao Cheng, how can Qin Luan not have any doubts?”
"Then let Qin Luan tell you who Qin Cheng's biological father is, and whether he is alive or dead?"
“If he dies, I’ll immediately give him the same shares as Xiaoxi.”
“But if he were alive, giving him to Qin Cheng now would be like planting a time bomb for the Mu family in the future. I would not only refuse to give him the company, but I would also never hand it over to him later.”
"Mu Zheng, the Mu family has grown from your great-grandfather's generation to its current status not to benefit others. You like Qin Luan, and you're using a marriage alliance as a pretext to marry her. I don't agree with that, but you're an adult now. I can see that you like her even if you don't say it, so I only objected without stopping you. But that's all I can do. Before Qin Luan tells you who Qin Cheng's biological father is, Qin Cheng cannot own any shares in the company, and he will not be able to inherit the company in the future!"
Mu Zheng looked at his father, wanting to argue, but couldn't say a word.
It wasn't just his father who minded.
He himself was also bothered by it.
Qin Luan loved him so much that she was willing to have a child out of wedlock. She named the child "Qin Cheng," meaning "presenting her feelings." She presented her love to him with unwavering devotion and without regret.
How could Mu Zheng not mind?
Qin Luan didn't want to marry him on her own initiative. It was her brother, Qin Yuan, who wanted them to get married because she was getting older, because her parents had been introducing her to potential partners, and because he had recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Qin family. Their marriage was one of the conditions proposed by Qin Yuan, who called it a "marriage alliance."
They had no love, only marriage. Therefore, once Qin Cheng's father appeared, Mu Zheng had no doubt that Qin Luan would divorce him, take Qin Cheng, and reunite with the other party.
Therefore, he was unable to love Qin Cheng wholeheartedly like a real father would love his son.
He couldn't even love Qin Cheng the way he loved Ye Qingxi.
Ye Qingxi is his father's grandson, his brother's son, and his family, so he can love him with peace of mind.
All he needs to do is love him.
But Qin Cheng is not.
Mu Zheng likes Qin Luan, so he extends that affection to Qin Cheng and wants to love him.
However, because he loved Qin Luan, he hated Qin Cheng's father, hated Qin Luan's love for him, and even hated the name Qin Luan gave Qin Cheng.
So he always called him "Xiao Cheng" and didn't want to call him by his real name.
It wasn't because they were close, but because he didn't want to be reminded again and again that Qin Cheng's existence was the manifestation of her feelings and love.
He couldn't wholeheartedly and steadily love Qin Cheng.
He was also afraid that Qin Cheng's biological father was a scoundrel, and that once Qin Cheng's interests became intertwined with those of the Mu family, the latter would try every means to exploit his son by taking advantage of his status as the biological father.
How could he not be scum?
How could someone who isn't a scumbag let Qin Luan get pregnant and have a child before they were even married?
How could that be? Knowing that she still loves him after all these years, why does he never show up and never get together with her?
Mu Zheng thought, he'd better be dead.
Death is good for everyone.
A knock sounded at the door. Mu Shaowu pushed the door open and looked at his father and brother. "Are you done talking? Dinner's ready."
Mu Feng stood up and looked at the silent Mu Zheng. "Let's eat."
Mu Zheng ate his meal very quietly.
Ye Qingxi glanced at him a few times while picking up food, and keenly noticed that he seemed to be in a bad mood.
Strange, he didn't seem to be in a bad mood when he came, so why did he feel bad after talking to his grandfather?
Did the father and son have a fight?
As Ye Qingxi was pondering, she heard Mu Shaowu say, "Brother, I have something to tell you. Xiaoxi said he wants to go to elementary school. Could you arrange for him to stay with Xiaocheng at noon?"
"Okay," Mu Zheng replied.
Ye Qingxi quickly said, "Thank you, Uncle."
"You're welcome," Mu Zheng said gently.
After finishing his meal, Mu Zheng didn't linger and got up to leave.
Mu Shaowu saw him to the door and asked, "What's wrong? Did you have a fight with Dad?"
"No."
"Then you're not happy."
"It's because of something else," Mu Zheng said. "By the way, Li Wanqin came to see me today. Do you remember her? She's Xiaoxi's mother."
Mu Shaowu nodded.
When Mu Zheng investigated Ye Qingxi's mother, he also sent him a copy of the findings.
"She wants Xiaoxi back?"
"Yes, I refused. I gave her a million, and she probably won't show up again."
"So that's why you're unhappy?" Mu Shaowu asked him.
"How could that be?"
"Is that because of... your sister-in-law?"
Mu Zheng didn't expect him to guess it, and didn't have time to refute him.
"It really is! What happened between you and your sister-in-law?"
"No," Mu Zheng said. "It's nothing serious, you don't need to worry about it."
"If you need any help from me, just let me know," Mu Shaowu said.
Mu Zheng smiled and said, "Do I need your help? Just take good care of yourself and Xiao Xi."
"Don't worry, I will definitely take very good care of us."
"Okay, I'm leaving then."
After Mu Zheng finished speaking, he walked towards his car.
Mu Shaowu watched him get into the car, then turned and went back to his room.
As soon as he entered, Mu Feng called him into the study.
"What's wrong?" Mu Shaowu asked, puzzled.
"It's nothing," Mu Feng said. "At the family banquet in a few days, I will announce in public that I will give Xiao Xi 1% of my shares. I'm just letting you know in advance."
Mu Shaowu: !!!
Mu Shaowu was surprised, "Give it to Xiaoxi? Then why not give it to Xiaocheng?"
Mu Feng: ...
Mu Shaowu immediately understood why his brother had acted that way.
“You’re putting my older brother in a difficult position,” he said.
Mu Feng said in a calm tone, "The day he chose to marry Qin Luan, he should have known that Qin Cheng's identity destined him to be only the eldest son of the Mu family, not the president of Mu Corporation."
"But……"
"No buts." Mu Feng interrupted him. "I called you here just to let you know, not to teach me what to do."
"If you do this, how will Xiao Cheng get along with Xiao Xi when he grows up? He's still young and doesn't understand yet, so he might not know what this means. But as he grows up, he'll realize that he and Xiao Xi are not on equal footing with you. How can he possibly get along with Xiao Xi then?"
"Back then, I was Xiaoxi's father, and my older brother was his father. How could we be the same as we are now?"
“Dad, I know you like Xiaoxi, you care about him, and you want everyone to know that you care about him. The family banquet already shows that, there’s no need to show it through shares.”
Mu Feng chuckled. "So you mean, Xiao Xi is going to give up his rights because of Qin Cheng?"
“That’s not what I meant,” Mu Shaowu said gently. “What I meant was that I could give him that 1%. Xiao Xi is my son, so it’s normal for me to give him 1% of the shares. That way, Qin Cheng won’t feel that you’re being biased when he grows up, and he won’t have any rift with Xiao Xi because of it.”
Mu Feng looked at him without any change in expression.
He said, "Do you think you don't have to pay?"
"Of course you should give it to me. What you give to me and what I give to me are not contradictory."
"Mu Shaowu, you need to know one thing: I brought Xiao Xi back not so that he could suffer. What belongs to him will remain his, and it won't be canceled because of what others think or whether they will feel upset or jealous."
"This 1% is just the beginning. There will be other things and other rights later. Even if Qin Cheng doesn't understand now, he will find out when he grows up that he and Xiao Xi are different, at least to me, they are completely different."
"Do you think things will calmly resolve themselves if you give it to Xiaoxi and I don't? If he thinks I'm being biased because I gave it to Xiaoxi but not to him, then why do you think he won't feel that his father doesn't love him enough because you gave it to Xiaoxi but not to him?"
“If people are prone to comparison, they will always make comparisons. Rather than making him feel that his father doesn’t love him as much as other fathers, it’s better to make him feel that his grandfather doesn’t love him enough.”
Mu Shaowu paused for a moment, then remained silent.
"But... if they go to the same primary school and stay together at noon, will they still be able to attend the same school?" Mu Shaowu asked worriedly.
"They don't have to stay." Mu Feng didn't care. He had already made up his mind. "After the family banquet, I will take Xiao Xi to meet my friends. They also have grandchildren who are the same age as Xiao Xi."
"If Qin Cheng is willing to be a good older brother and get along well with Xiao Xi, that would be the best."
“If he’s unwilling,” Mu Feng said in a calm tone, “then Xiao Xi doesn’t necessarily need an older brother like him.”
In the end, Mu Shaoting and Mu Shaoyan will have children, and Ye Qingxi will have new brothers and sisters.
We don't need Qin Cheng as a brother.
"As for your brother..." Mu Feng looked at his second son, "he will understand."
Mu Shaowu: ...
"Alright, go back now. I'll give you a copy of the share transfer agreement tomorrow, and you can sign it then."
Mu Shaowu nodded, but he always felt that if things continued like this, it would pose a hidden danger to both his brothers and his brother's marriage.
If only his sister-in-law would tell his brother Qin Cheng who his father is.
But his sister-in-law wouldn't say anything, his brother wouldn't ask, and they wouldn't let them investigate. The matter was just left unresolved, as if who Qin Cheng's father was didn't matter at all.
How could it not be important?
Especially for families like theirs.
Especially since his sister-in-law had always deeply loved him, and Qin Cheng naturally loved his mother.
No wonder his father dared not let Qin Chenghe Group get involved in anything.
If, after all that fuss, it turns out that Qin Cheng is related to someone he hates by blood and even holds company shares, given his father's explosive temper, he'd probably die of anger on the spot.
Mu Shaowu left Mu Feng's study and returned to his own room with some worry.
Ye Qingxi had been waiting for him in his room for a while, and when she saw him return with a bad expression, she was immediately puzzled.
Strange, why does everyone turn out like this after talking to his grandfather?
Could it be!
Ye Qingxi suddenly remembered the plot of the original book. Could it be that his grandfather was still sick, so both his uncle and his father were worried about his father?
He immediately asked with concern, "Dad, what's wrong? Is something the matter?"
Mu Shaowu: !!!
Mu Shaowu was shocked. He could even see that? Impressive! His son!
"No," Mu Shaowu smiled. "Why do you ask?"
“You don’t look well.” Ye Qingxi looked up. “My uncle was smiling when he was talking to me and my other uncle, but he stopped smiling when we came out of Grandpa’s study.”
Mu Shaowu: ...That's right, with his father's decision, how could his brother possibly laugh?
"Really?" Mu Shaowu touched his face innocently. "No, I don't think so. Maybe it's because your grandfather's study is a bit cold, so I'm a little chilly. It's okay, don't worry."
Ye Qingxi was not at all at ease.
That's the downside of being a child; many things are kept from you, and you're not told the truth.
But it doesn't matter, Ye Qingxi thought. Since they won't tell him, he'll observe it himself.
So, on the second day, Ye Qingxi made a point of observing Mu Feng several times.
Mu Feng felt his subtle gaze and was somewhat puzzled.
As Ye Qingxi secretly observed him once again, he turned around and asked, "Is there something you want to tell me?"
Ye Qingxi was caught red-handed and quickly shook her head.
But after shaking it halfway, he nodded again.
"What?" Mu Feng beckoned him over.
Ye Qingxi sat down next to him, leaned closer, and looked at his fairly healthy complexion. Her voice was soft as she asked, "Grandpa, have you been feeling unwell lately?"
Mu Feng was surprised by his question and asked in confusion, "Why do you ask that?"
"I had a dream a few days ago that you were sick, Grandpa." Ye Qingxi looked at him. "Grandpa, were you sick?"
Mu Feng's heart softened instantly.
What you think about during the day, you dream about at night. The fact that Ye Qingxi could have such a dream can only mean that he is afraid of getting sick and that he is afraid of leaving his side like his grandfather did.
He looked at the child in front of him and said with heartache, "No."
He said, "Don't worry, Grandpa won't get sick. Grandpa won't get sick until you grow up."
"real?"
Mu Feng laughed. "Do I look sick?"
That certainly doesn't seem like it.
Ye Qingxi breathed a sigh of relief.
It's good that you're not sick.
He was relieved to see that she wasn't sick.
But if his grandfather wasn't sick, why did his father and uncle both look unwell after leaving his study?
Ye Qingxi became puzzled again.
Sigh, adult matters are so hard to fathom!
Ye Qingxi tried to guess for two days but couldn't figure it out.
However, to his surprise, the elephant slide he had been longing for finally arrived.
Mu Shaowu stood in the courtyard directing people to install the slide in the location he had already planned. Ye Qingxi watched quietly, her eyes following the slide as it moved.
After the slide was installed, Mu Shaowu went up and tried it himself. He slid down twice and confirmed that the slide was stable and that there were no bumps on the surface before inviting Ye Qingxi to play.
"Try it and see if you like it."
Mu Shaowu patted the slide next to him and looked at him.
Ye Qingxi looked at him, then at the slide next to him.
The gray elephant, with its eyes curved and head bowed, obediently let its trunk droop to the ground. The baby elephant beside it looked at it, happily tilting its head back and swinging its trunk like a playful child.
Golden light fell upon them, draping them in a gentle veil, as if a dream had come true.
Ye Qingxi slowly approached and touched the elephant's trunk.
The elephant in his dream slowly opened its eyes, as if it had been waiting for a long time, and slowly walked towards him.
Ye Qingxi stepped up the stairs, one by one.
The wind blew through his hair, making him feel relaxed and at ease.
He stood at the top of the slide, looking at the scenery in front of him and the sky not far away.
He sat down at the top of the slide, pushed himself up with both hands, and slid down.
The elephant's trunk was long and curved, and Ye Qingxi went down the slide.
In his dream, an elephant picked him up, tossed him over its head, and made him slide down its trunk from its head to the ground, then picked him up again and made him slide down once more.
Sunlight fell on him and on the slide, and Ye Qingxi, enveloped in the sunlight, passed right through the sunlight on the slide.
Like time itself.
Those old times were cut up, shattered, and left far behind.
Only new moments remain, warmly accompanying him.
As Ye Qingxi approached the ground, she saw the person waiting for her at the top of the slide.
It is Mu Shaowu.
He stopped at the top of the slide, and Mu Shaowu picked him up and asked, "Was it fun?"
Just as he had dreamed.
Ye Qingxi nodded, "It's fun."
Mu Shaowu laughed, "Then let's play one more time."
Ye Qingxi smiled too.
“Hmm,” he said.
"Then I'll play with you," Mu Shaowu said, picking him up and walking up the slide.
They slid down the slide together.
Mu Shaowu laughed loudly, and Ye Qingxi seemed to be infected by his laughter and started laughing as well.
He saw a butterfly fly past him.
It's like a beautiful dream from my childhood.
Like a once-splendid wish.
At this moment, it bursts forth from the soil and grows wildly and uncontrollably.
His world was filled with sunshine.
When Mu Feng returned, he heard laughter and cheerful chatter in the backyard.
He walked over and saw Mu Shaowu, Ye Qingxi, Mu Shaoting, and Mu Shaoyan playing on the playground equipment in the backyard.
At this moment, Mu Shaowu and Mu Shaoyan were barefoot, surrounding Ye Qingxi on the trampoline. Ye Qingxi was small and weak, and before she could even jump, she fell onto the trampoline with a "thud" because of the landing of Mu Shaowu and Mu Shaoyan beside her.
He hurriedly tried to stand up, but Mu Shaoyan mischievously gave Mu Shaowu a wink, and the two of them jumped up and landed again, successfully shaking Ye Qingxi, who was about to stand up, back onto the trampoline.
Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?
Mu Shaoyan laughed heartily, and Mu Shaowu also smiled.
"Xiao Xi, get up and play!" Mu Shaoyan teased him.
Ye Qingxi: ...Aren't you bored?!
Ye Qingxi was speechless.
Mu Shaoting saw this scene from afar, immediately stopped the swing, and ran over.
She took off her shoes, stepped onto the trampoline, and scolded, "Mu Shaoyan, what's wrong with you? How old are you? Is it fun to play like this?"
Ye Qingxi nodded: That's right!
The next second, Mu Shaoting walked up to him and nudged his arm, "Why didn't you invite me?"
Ye Qingxi: ? ? ?
Then, it turned into Mu Shaoting, Mu Shaoyan, and Mu Shaowu jumping around Ye Qingxi.
Ye Qingxi, bounced up and down by the force of their three falls: ...
Which of the four of them is the child?!
How can all three of them be so childish!
Mu Feng watched quietly, a hint of tenderness in his eyes.
He didn't disturb them and stepped into the villa.
After playing on the slide for two more days, it was time for the family dinner.
Mu Shaoting enthusiastically suggested, "How about we wear our casual clothes?"
Mu Shaoyan had no objection.
Mu Shaowu refused, saying, "Forget it. You're not just Xiaoxi's aunt and uncle. Xiao Cheng is coming today, and it wouldn't be good if he saw you dressed the same as Xiaoxi."
Mu Shaoting said with some regret, "Alright."
However, when the lunch break ended and Mu Shaoting came downstairs, he saw Mu Shaowu and Ye Qingxi wearing cat-patterned short-sleeved shirts and sitting on the sofa in the living room.
Mu Shaoting: !!!
"Didn't you say you weren't going to wear it?!" Mu Shaoting asked in confusion.
Mu Shaowu said matter-of-factly, "I said I wouldn't wear family clothes, not parent-child outfits. I'm just Xiaoxi's dad, not Xiaocheng's dad. It's normal for Xiaoxi and me to wear parent-child outfits."
Mu Shaoting: ...What he said makes so much sense, she was speechless.
Seeing that she couldn't speak, Mu Shaowu deliberately asked, "Am I right?"
"You're right, my foot!" Mu Shaoting retorted angrily.
She snorted and sat down next to Ye Qingxi.
A moment later, Mu Shaoyan also came downstairs. Like Mu Shaoting, he asked in surprise, "Why are you two wearing your family clothes? Didn't you say you weren't going to wear them?"
Mu Shaowu smiled and repeated what he had said to Mu Shaoting earlier.
Mu Shaoyan: ...
Mu Shaoyan thought he was really cunning.
They say the entertainment industry is a big dyeing vat, look how it's influenced his brother!
This heart!
Mu Shaoyan glared at him and sat down next to Mu Shaoting.
Mu Shaowu, beaming with pride, picked up a grape and fed it to Ye Qingxi, saying, "Come on, baby, eat a grape."
Ye Qingxi: ...Or, you should give it to your younger siblings; I feel they need it more right now.
The group was sitting on the sofa, and before they could exchange more than a few words, the doorbell rang.
Mu Feng had scheduled dinner for six o'clock, but the rest of the Mu family didn't dare to arrive right on time, so they started arriving around four or five o'clock.
They had already found out the main purpose of the family banquet, so none of them came empty-handed. They either took gifts or red envelopes to show their respect for the banquet and to demonstrate their importance to the event.
Mu Shaowu smiled and helped Ye Qingxi accept the gift, then turned to introduce them to Ye Qingxi, "This is your third uncle and third aunt."
Ye Qingxi looked up and greeted, "Hello, Third Uncle and Third Aunt."
"Hello," the visitor said politely.
"This is your eldest aunt and uncle."
Ye Qingxi: "Hello, Aunt and Uncle."
"Shaowu, I heard you've become a father." A loud voice came from not far away.
Ye Qingxi turned around and saw an elderly man who was about the same age as Mu Feng.
"Second Uncle and Second Aunt, you've arrived," Mu Shaowu said with a smile.
He pulled Ye Qingxi over and said, "Come here, Xiaoxi, these are your second grandparents."
"Hello, Second Grandpa and Second Grandma." Ye Qingxi greeted them like a heartless greeting machine.
"Okay, okay, good girl."
Mu Kun patted Ye Qingxi's head, took the gift from his wife, and gave it to her.
Before long, Ye Qingxi's arms were piled high with gifts, and Mu Shaowu's hands were also full.
The two had no choice but to go upstairs and put the gifts down.
When they came down, Mu Zheng had also arrived.
Ye Qingxi stood on the stairs and saw him from afar, as well as Qin Cheng standing beside him.
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