Chapter 74 After all, some people are too sensible.
The suite after the sexual encounter was unusually enchanting; even the air felt warm and sticky.
Wen Jia didn't know how long she had been manipulated, and she didn't have the strength to open her eyelids. She only vaguely remembered that the last scene before she closed her eyes was that he carried her to the bathroom, and then she fell asleep in his steady embrace.
She was awakened at three in the morning, tears welling in her eyes.
This time, Xu Shaoting was right beside her, sleeping with her. However, he was a light sleeper, and he noticed even her slightest movements immediately, opening his eyes before she could move.
"What's wrong?" His voice was full of satiated weariness.
After noticing the tears welling up in her eyes, he became even more alert. "Why are you crying?"
Wen Jia didn't answer him immediately. Instead, she blinked slowly and absentmindedly for a long time, her voice still choked with sobs, "I dreamt of you again. You disappeared the moment I touched you."
Xu Shaoting's heart was clenched. "I'm right here."
She felt like a stranger.
It's as if I've become accustomed to dreaming of him, crying, opening my eyes, and finding him not by my side—this set routine.
One day, she suddenly opened her eyes and saw herself in his arms.
My first reaction was disbelief.
Am I dreaming within a dream?
“It’s not a dream,” he lowered his head and gently kissed the tip of her nose. “It’s real. I’m right here beside you, and I won’t leave.”
"Promise me you'll still be here when I wake up." She was so sleepy she was delirious, but she still tried her best to keep her eyes open to look at her, murmuring almost in her sleep.
"I promise you, I'll be here whenever you wake up."
Wen Jia nodded in relief. "I'm already traumatized... I dream about you every day, I cry every day, and when I wake up to find the bedside empty, I want to cry even more."
Because of her words, Xu Shaoting was heartbroken and couldn't sleep for the rest of the night.
After he coaxed her to sleep, he got out of bed and strolled to the balcony.
He didn't light a cigarette, but stood quietly in the night, gazing at the tranquil lake across the way, lost in thought.
The phone screen suddenly lit up in the darkness.
Xu Shaoting scrolled through the message and saw it was from Xu Bozheng.
It was rare for him to be awake in the early hours of the morning.
He didn't reply, but instead made a phone call.
"dad."
Did we make it?
The seemingly random question left the two men on either end of the phone with a tacit understanding.
"We made it." Xu Shaoting smiled silently with relief. "You're right, maybe we still made it."
Are you blaming me?
Xu Shaoting slightly raised his eyes, pondered for a long time, and gave the most pertinent answer:
"For a moment."
For some reason, a long-lost smile appeared on Xu Bozheng's face. "Shao Ting, your blaming me actually puts my mind at ease."
Xu Shaoting was stunned by these words; he had never heard Xu Bozheng say anything that sounded like a concession.
"This is so unlike you."
Xu Bozheng smiled with relief, "These past few days, I've kept thinking, if only I hadn't forced you to take that step—"
“It’s all in the past,” Xu Shaoting interrupted him.
Xu Bozheng sighed softly on the other end of the phone: "Do you know why I suddenly changed my mind?"
"Why?"
“I suddenly remembered what your grandfather told me. He said my biggest mistake in life was being too self-righteous and always thinking I could arrange the best path for everyone.” Xu Bozheng’s voice was a little hoarse. “He said that once the four of you are adults, you won’t need my interference. I should let you live your lives the way you want, especially you. I didn’t understand at the time.”
“You are the eldest son, and I can’t help but interfere with you. Looking back now, the other three are indeed much happier than you.”
When Xu Songyun is mentioned, Xu Shaoting's throat inevitably chokes up.
He always remembered the importance of being cautious from beginning to end.
It was the calligraphy he gave him, Xu Songjun's most important entrustment to him.
He remembered it well and practiced it well. In the nearly ten years of his life, until the end, every step he took was prudent and dignified.
“He has always been very good at judging people. He knew you would push yourself a lot, so he gave you ‘caution from beginning to end’ in the hope that you would walk steadily, but he didn’t forget ‘going far’ in the hope that you could go further and walk more freely. It was I who later added many extra shackles to the word ‘far’ on my own.”
These almost candid words left Xu Shaoting speechless for a moment. Father and son had been estranged for many years, and such a heart-to-heart talk was rare.
“It’s not all shackles. Some things, once you take them on, become a part of yourself. I just,” he paused slightly, as if examining his own heart, “only just realized that she should be included in this responsibility. Not a burden, but a place to belong.”
Silence fell again on both ends of the phone, but this time the silence was not tense; instead, it had the subtle sound of ice melting.
After a long while, Xu Shaoting called out to him, "Why aren't you resting yet so late?"
To be fair, it had been several years since the father and son had had such a caring conversation, and Xu Shaoting asked the question with slight awkwardness.
Xu Bozheng: "..."
He seemed a little embarrassed to say, "I've been nagging about this by your mother until now."
"Is Helen not asleep either?"
Zhao Xinglan cleared her throat and finally spoke, "Shao Ting, your father has told me everything, so don't be angry with him."
"No, like I said, I only blamed him for a split second."
"Actually, he tacitly approved of your relationship with her a long time ago."
Xu Shaoting paused for a moment before replying, "I know."
Xu Bozheng's voice rang out again, "Is she with you?"
It seemed like he wanted to greet her.
Xu Shaoting turned around, looked at the figure on the bed rising and falling evenly, and a smile unconsciously appeared on his face. "She's already asleep. She's very tired."
Xu Bozheng: "..."
Zhao Xinglan: "..."
The thought of being scolded by his wife until midnight while his son was enjoying the company of his girlfriend filled Xu Bozheng with rage, and any lingering warmth he had felt vanished instantly.
Despite having so much more to say, I hung up the phone without hesitation.
-
When I awoke from the sound of rushes, the sun was high in the sky.
Before she could even open her eyes, her hands instinctively reached out to her sides.
Instead of falling short, it landed in a generous and warm palm.
Xu Shaoting grasped her slender fingers and gently kissed them: "Awake?"
He just propped his head up and looked at her, seemingly for a very long time.
She shielded her eyes from the glaring sunlight with her other hand, rubbed her eyelids, and when her thoughts came back to her, she sat up with a start.
Oh no, we have to do the reading today! If she sleeps in until the sun is shining brightly, they'll definitely say she's acting like a diva!!!
"Why didn't you wake me?! I still have to read the script today!" She was still grumpy when she woke up and threw off the covers to get out of bed.
But the man grabbed her waist and pulled her back, saying, "Thanks to you, I have the morning off."
After figuring out what good fortune she had received, she gave a light scolding, "What did you tell Yu Jianshan?"
Xu Shaoting's lips lingered on her collarbone, speaking slowly and deliberately: "I told you you were exhausted and couldn't get up. Director Yu is a sensible person; he understood immediately and told us to get some rest."
"...!"
Wen Jia covered her ears and shrank back into the warm blankets. "...I hate you."
"Hate me? Why?" Xu Shaoting deliberately pulled back the blanket, looking at her leisurely. "Am I wrong? Who was it that wouldn't leave me alone last night?"
"..."
Wen Jia had no way to refute it. When she was infatuated, she really didn't have any rationality. She would blurt out all sorts of shameful terms, and then he would ruthlessly ravage her.
"Filming hasn't even started yet, how am I supposed to face people on set afterwards..."
Xu Shaoting kneaded her plump buttocks, his tone casual: "Believe me now?"
"..."
"I was just kidding. I meant we just made up, and you need time to adjust."
Wen Jia then mumbled something, finally poked her head out from under the covers, snuggled into his arms, and settled into the most comfortable position.
"Is the company not busy lately?"
Xu Shaoting looked at her feigned ignorance with a half-smile, "You know perfectly well that the company doesn't need my attention lately, right?"
"Can you stay here with me the whole time?"
Do you want me to stay with you?
"Of course I want to."
"Then I'll stay with you forever."
Wen Jia chuckled slyly, "Uncle, are you planning to keep your duties suspended indefinitely?"
He teased her, "Maybe."
I don't believe it.
"Then why don't you plead with him for me?"
"...How could I dare..."
"He has accepted you, and he has accepted us."
"I know," she lowered her head, looking aggrieved, "but I'm still very afraid of him..."
She has a knack for making fate play tricks on her.
The moment she finished speaking, Xu Shaoting's phone rang, and she saw the contact name first.
Those three menacing words!
She gasped and, wearing a silk slip dress, tried to run off the bed.
Before she could even take a step, her body was once again encircled by a strong arm, and she fell into a reassuring and comforting embrace.
With her back pressed against his chest, she was held firmly in his arms.
"Should we say hello to him?"
Wen Jia was about to cry and started to whine, "...No, I don't want to."
"So you're not going to answer?"
"..."
"You answer first."
Xu Shaoting smiled knowingly and, right under her nose, swiped to answer the call.
"Shao Ting".
Xu Bozheng took his phone off the other end and deliberately glanced at the time.
It was almost noon, so they shouldn't have ruined their plans.
"Hmm," Xu Shaoting replied lazily.
"I've rested enough, time to go back to the company." He wanted to say this when he called in the early hours of the morning, but he was too angry to say it at the time.
Wen Jia laughed triumphantly in his arms, whispering, "See, I didn't even have to plead for you."
After saying that, I immediately set off, thinking to myself, "I'm leaving now."
She carefully lifted the blanket, and quietly knelt up, afraid that she would make a sound that Xu Bozheng would hear.
But Xu Bozheng was no ordinary man; even this faint sound could not escape his ears.
He cleared his throat. "Is she with you now?"
Xu Shaoting held the phone in one hand and pulled the person back into his arms with the other, saying, "She's with me; she wants to say hello to you."
Wen Jia began to struggle softly, "...I didn't say that!"
He coaxed her gently, his lips brushing against hers, "He's not scary, baby."
"..."
He kissed her, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of her ample bosom. He became even more engrossed in the kiss, deepening it, and the two of them completely forgot about Xu Bozheng.
Their lips met, making smacking sounds, and his roguish hand teased her, causing her to gasp softly.
Xu Bozheng: "..."
He deliberately remained silent, listening for a long time on the other end, wanting to see just how far this unfilial son could go in his presence.
But there was no sign of it stopping.
He cleared his throat again, until he could feel the scene spiraling out of control just by listening to the sounds.
Wen Jia jolted awake, opened her hazy eyes, and ran away from his kiss.
She hadn't even officially met Xu Bozheng as his girlfriend before he overheard her livestream. She completely lost face...
"It's nothing," Xu Shaoting said soothingly, gently stroking her hair. "He was even worse than me when he was young."
Xu Bozheng: "?"
Xu Shaoting put the phone on speakerphone, handed it to her, and comforted her, "Don't be afraid."
Wen Jia clung tightly to his arm, trembling, "Uncle...Hello, Uncle."
"Hello," Xu Bozheng said in a measured tone.
"Happy New Year, Uncle," she said, looking at Xu Shaoting with pleading eyes.
Xu Bozheng responded with an emotionless voice, then asked, "You're already filming again so soon?"
As Wen Jia talked to Xu Bozheng, Xu Shaoting kept kissing her, half rewarding and half encouraging her, almost praising her for "doing well" in her ear.
She visibly relaxed amidst the intense kisses: "Yes, Uncle, it's the same director's script."
Xu Bozheng hummed in agreement. "How long is the shoot expected to take?"
"It's still uncertain..."
“I understand,” Xu Bozheng said, his tone noticeably softening. “Come to my house for dinner this Chinese New Year.”
Wen Jia turned to look at Xu Shaoting and saw that his smile was getting deeper and deeper.
"Okay, Uncle, thank you."
"Okay, give the phone to Shao Ting."
Wen Jia felt as if she had been granted a pardon, and hid back in his arms, listening quietly.
Xu Bozheng immediately changed his tone, "You'd better get back to work!"
Xu Shaoting replied nonchalantly, "We'll see."
"Say it again?" Xu Bozheng took a deep breath. "Do you have anything more important than the company?"
"Spending time with my girlfriend."
"I'm letting you go find love, not letting you lose your mind! Get this straight!" Xu Bozheng snorted. "You think you can just ignore the company just because you've temporarily suspended your duties? Let me tell you, it's not that easy!"
Xu Shaoting smiled.
In fact, even if Xu Bozheng hadn't said anything, he wasn't prepared to relinquish his responsibilities. Since being suspended from his duties, although he hadn't attended various business occasions as chairman, routine online meetings, approvals, and requests continued as usual.
It wasn't that he took the initiative to participate, but rather that because he had been in the top position for so many years, the group's various operations had long been inseparable from him.
No one can replace him.
During the month he was away, Xu Bozheng regrouped and flew all over Asia, then to Europe. It was also the New Year abroad. With Xu Shaoting gone, there were countless things he had to handle personally, and he was quite patient. But patience alone wasn't enough. He had been behind the scenes for too long, and when making decisions, he definitely needed to hear all the details. His reports were three times thicker than when Xu Shaoting was around.
But he was still the one in charge, and dealing with these issues was no problem for him. What truly made him decide to recall Xu Shaoting was another, more pressing consideration—if Xu Shaoting's prolonged absence from his post created a power vacuum, it would inevitably breed rumors and shake people's morale.
Xu Shaoting toyed with Wen Jia's hair, his tone languid, "I dare not go back now."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone.
"You dare not?" Xu Bozheng suddenly raised his voice. "What do you mean?"
Xu Shaoting looked down at the person in his arms, his expression intriguing. "Last time, I was doing my job as chairman properly, and you suspended me with just one sentence. As soon as I was suspended, some people couldn't wait to distance themselves from me."
He seemed to deliberately wait for Wen Jia to pause slightly before continuing slowly:
"If you send me back now, what if you're dissatisfied again someday and temporarily suspend my position? I'll end up losing everything, and who will I complain to?"
He deliberately emphasized the phrase "losing both money and people".
Xu Bozheng almost laughed in anger on the other end of the phone: "So you're trying to negotiate with me?"
"I wouldn't dare." Xu Shaoting tightened his arms, holding the woman who was trying to escape firmly in his embrace. "I'm just afraid that I won't be able to sit securely in the chairman's position. I'd rather spend time with my girlfriend."
Suddenly, my arms felt empty—
Wen Jia sensed that she was about to be "punished" and nimbly ran away.
This time, Xu Shaoting didn't bring her back. Instead, he narrowed his eyes, watching her retreating figure as she fled to the bathroom, and said to Xu Bozheng:
"After all, some people are too sensible; the moment I'm suspended, they run away faster than anyone else."
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