Chapter 76: "I Want to Take Her Home"
Xu Shaoting stayed on set for a few more days, focusing on spending time with Wen Jia.
During this period, Yuan Qihua and Xie Yun called him eight hundred times a day, either asking when he would return to the company or urging him to come back quickly.
But each time, Xu Shaoting brushed them off with, "The film project hasn't been inspected yet." Completely at their wits' end, Yuan and Xie went to Lin Youzhe to ask him to persuade Xu Shaoting.
Unfortunately, they chose the wrong person. Lin Youzhe loyally stated, "Chairman Xu hasn't really rested since taking the board position; he deserves a good break."
Left with no other option, Yuan Qihua and Xie Yun had to file a complaint with Xu Bozheng.
Upon hearing that his rebellious son still hadn't returned to his post, Xu Bozheng flew into a rage and immediately issued an administrative order, delivering a final ultimatum.
Although the filming location was in Linzhou, it was in a remote suburb, far from Yunxi.
That afternoon, Xu Shaoting was about to leave the hotel and head back to the company, but he couldn't bear to part with Wen Jia, so he made a special detour to the film set to see her one last time.
When he arrived, Wen Jia was sitting at the dining table in the RV, sipping the snacks that Yu Kaiqing had prepared for her.
When Yu Kaiqing saw him step in, she grabbed her coat and ran away, slamming the car door shut behind her.
Inside the car, he pulled her onto his lap, tilted his head, and gently kissed her cheek. "I'll be back at the company later."
Wen Jia pushed the plate away, losing all interest in eating. Her lips drooped in a wronged manner: "I don't want you to leave."
He couldn't bear to look at her like that, so he pulled her into his arms and deliberately asked, "Why don't you want me to leave?"
"I don't want to sleep alone, because I'll have nightmares."
Xu Shaoting couldn't help but chuckle, "Xu Bozheng is urging me very hard."
What should I do if I miss you?
He pondered for a long time before answering her seriously, "I'll pick you up after work and take you home, then I'll bring you back tomorrow?"
“No, leaving the set without permission will make me look like a diva,” Wen Jia said, becoming increasingly frustrated. “Besides, I have to go to filming very early these days…”
Seeing her aggrieved look, Xu Shaoting chuckled and couldn't help but kiss her. After kissing her enough, he said, "Then I'll go back to the hotel and sleep with you after I'm done with my work?"
"Really?" Wen Jia's lips finally stopped turning down. She looked up in his arms, her eyes shining. "Is it okay?"
But this joy didn't last long. "But you have to go to the company tomorrow morning, so you'll have to rush back very early. You'll be very tired. Maybe I should just let it go... I'll bear with it."
His smile was enigmatic. "Endure what aspect?"
"..."
It wasn't until he asked that she realized she seemed to have said something wrong again. Ever since she broke the mold of calling someone "Chairman's Wife" and "Madam" last time, she had become increasingly unrestrained in her speech, and his responses had become more and more natural.
"Just bear with it... I miss you."
“No need to hold back, I’ll come and keep you company as soon as I’m done with work.” Xu Shaoting said firmly.
"I'm afraid you'll get tired."
She was torn between worrying about him traveling between two places and not wanting to let him go. She was so conflicted that her expression turned sour.
"No, if I say it's okay, then it's okay."
The two were being intimate inside, unaware that a white Audi was slowly approaching from outside.
He Lingyi got out of the car with a flourish, locked the door, and walked straight to the RV.
Upon seeing her, Yu Kaiqing jumped up from the lounge chair. "Auntie, Auntie, Auntie! Don't go in yet!"
He Lingyi glanced at her, puzzled. "What's wrong? Isn't she inside?"
"Yes, yes, that's it..."
He Lingyi had little patience for seeing her daughter; without a word, she opened the RV door, "Jia—"
She swallowed another word, stunned by what she saw.
She didn't know how to describe it.
It's hard to say whether Xu Shaoting was keeping his daughter under control, or whether his daughter was actively trying to get close to him.
But that's not the point. The point is, the two of them were kissing so passionately that they couldn't bear to part.
Even though I knew it was just a normal thing between a man and a woman in love, the scene was still too shocking...
Wen Jia cleared her throat and got down from Xu Shaoting's arms. "Mom...why did you come here?"
"Besides coming to see you, what else can I do here? I can't just come to film a movie."
"How sudden..."
He Lingyi was speechless, “…It’s my fault, it’s my fault.”
This left Wen Jia speechless: "That's not what I meant..."
Wen Jia hadn't given the matter of meeting the parents much thought. Although Xu Shaoting had already brought it up with his fiancée, they had only recently reconciled, and bringing up meeting the parents right away seemed a bit like skipping a step.
Moreover, she originally thought that the first stop of meeting the parents would be Xu Bozheng's suggestion of "coming to our home for dinner during the Chinese New Year," but it was clear that He Lingyi's sudden visit had taken that first stop.
Wen Jia looked left and right for a while, then suddenly felt uncomfortable standing there.
It seems like the person who should leave is myself...
Just as she was about to slip away, the man hooked his arm around her and pulled her back into his embrace.
He Lingyi watched helplessly.
It was an action that was beyond question, yet strangely, it didn't evoke any aversion in her, the mother.
"Aunt."
Xu Shaoting nodded slightly, his voice calm and composed, exuding a natural air of nobility.
The way he addressed her, though it was a term of respect for an elder, made He Lingyi feel extremely uncomfortable. She sat down opposite the two men and then took a good look at Xu Shaoting.
He Lingyi herself was a great beauty. When she was young, the men who pursued her could line up from her doorstep to the entrance of the county cinema. Naturally, she had high standards. However, unfortunately, she always felt that the image of the man in front of her was even higher than her own standards.
It's not the kind of youthful good looks that's most common in the entertainment industry today, but a refined and substantial kind of handsomeness.
She cleared her throat, looking rather uncomfortable, "Chairman Xu."
"Auntie, just call me Shao Ting. The elders in my family all call me Shao Ting."
Although the word "home" implies a closer relationship, it inexplicably made He Lingyi feel more pressured.
Her heart skipped a beat. She had a feeling that this man before her was no ordinary person. Compared to him, the men she had met all seemed to lack this aura and… a sense of danger. Yes, danger. A danger that could easily stir up trouble.
Even though she is his mother, I still want to ask Wen Jia how she managed to be unafraid of him?
"Shao Ting".
Xu Shaoting smiled faintly and nodded slightly. "I'm sorry to meet you for the first time under these circumstances. I should have visited you much earlier, but as you know, Wen Jia and I just got back together after breaking up, so I wanted to give her enough time to adjust."
“No,” He Lingyi quickly smiled, “I haven’t been rude.”
She glanced at her daughter, then turned to him, "Have you been staying here with Jiajia lately?"
"Yes, from New Year's Day until now."
"Isn't the company busy?"
"Spending time with her is important."
His tone was deep and slow, deliberate yet not frivolous.
“Auntie, since you’re here today, I might as well say something,” Xu Shaoting paused, his smiling gaze lingering on her.
"I want to bring Wenjia home for Chinese New Year this year."
The sheer volume of information left He Lingyi frozen in her seat for several seconds. The implications behind those words were immense: bringing someone home for the New Year, in a family like his, was practically tantamount to officially confirming the relationship, or even something longer in the future.
"Isn't this...too fast?"
She has never spent a New Year without her daughter by her side.
“No.” His voice was calm and even. “I want to make up for the time I missed with Wen Jia as soon as possible. My father is also looking forward to seeing her and has personally invited her before.”
A hint of surprise appeared on He Lingyi's well-maintained face. "Your father... knows about it too?"
"Yes. He also likes the smell of reeds very much."
He omitted Xu Bozheng's initial doubts and the subsequent approval process, only giving a result that no mother could find fault with.
He Lingyi took a deep breath, her gaze shifting between her daughter and Xu Shaoting. Her daughter nestled beside him, a little shy, but her eyes revealed an undisguised dependence and reassurance. She knew her daughter; she would never act this way unless there was extreme trust and closeness between them.
“Since your father has said so,” He Lingyi said, a polite smile returning to her face, “then… Jiajia, what do you think?”
She symbolically handed over the final decision-making power to her daughter.
The pressure instantly fell on Wen Jia. She lowered her eyelashes, avoiding He Lingyi's gaze, "I...I'll listen to him."
"Does your father know about her situation? I'm talking about her family." He Lingyi was completely worried.
She worried that the absence of Wenjia's father would lead to gossip, and she also knew that before her daughter became a star, the two of them were just an ordinary family living an ordinary life.
It's not that I feel inferior, but the labels of being from a single-parent family or an ordinary family are bound to be used against me in a circle that values social standing.
“Auntie, my father knows that, in a way, it was he who facilitated my reconciliation with Wen Jia.”
These words startled He Lingyi slightly.
He continued, his voice steady and strong: "What he values is character and sincerity. These are far more important than family background. I assure you, no one will dare to look down on her, including anyone in the Xu family."
“Since you’ve said that,” she took a deep breath, “then as your mother, I have no choice but to believe you.”
"Thank you, Auntie."
He Lingyi smiled, and the atmosphere finally relaxed a bit. She glanced at the time: "Alright, you should all go back to your own business. I just stopped by to see Jiajia, and I have an appointment to keep later."
Wen Jia was somewhat surprised: "Are you leaving so soon?"
"I feel relieved just looking at you." He Lingyi stood up and gave Xu Shaoting a meaningful look. "Shaoting, will you see me off?"
Xu Shaoting understood and said softly to Wen Jia, "I'll see Auntie out and be right back."
The two got out of the RV one after the other.
When she reached He Lingyi's white Audi, she stopped and turned to face Xu Shaoting, her smile fading slightly: "Shaoting, I'll get straight to the point."
"Please speak."
"Jiajia's father passed away a long time ago. Did she tell you this on her own initiative?"
"Yes." Xu Shaoting nodded.
“He wasn’t a good father, so I took Wenjia and left him. That’s what I feel most guilty about—not being able to give her a complete family.” He Lingyi shook her head slightly. “Because of this, I was initially very against her dating. She’s never told you about this.”
"No, there isn't."
"Although she has a strong personality and loves to compete, she has been very sensitive in matters of the heart since childhood. Perhaps she lacks something, and she is very afraid of being abandoned. If you cannot guarantee to stay by her side, I would rather she be sad for a while now than suffer for the rest of her life."
Xu Shaoting smiled slightly. "Auntie, I understand your concerns. But my feelings for Wen Jia weren't just a passing fancy. As for the guilt you mentioned, I don't think it's necessary. When I met her, she was already an individual with a richer and more complete inner world than many others. This precisely proves how well you raised her." He paused for a moment. "So, trust me."
He Lingyi listened quietly, her gaze lingering on Xu Shaoting's face for a long time before finally nodding.
“I believe you are sincere. But there is one more thing. Jiajia still has a career to maintain. If she really marries into your family in the future... will she still be able to continue acting?”
“Auntie, I don’t think there’s a conflict between Wen Jia’s career and our relationship.”
“But reality is often not so idealistic.” He Lingyi sighed softly. “Even if you don’t care, what about your father? What about the rest of your family?”
Xu Shaoting turned his gaze back, his tone firm: "I will not let her give up her beloved career for me or for the Xu family. On the contrary, I will support her to the best of my ability. As for the opinions within the family—"
He smiled faintly, with an undeniable air of authority: "In the Xu family, I'm the one who calls the shots."
He Lingyi was taken aback by this certainty. She had to admit that Xu Shaoting possessed a reassuring quality.
“But the entertainment industry has irregular schedules, often spending months on set. If you get married in the future…” He Lingyi stopped mid-sentence, realizing she had gone too far ahead.
Hsu Shao-ting responded naturally: "We can plan these things slowly. The important thing is that I will not use marriage to bind her. If she wants to go to a higher place, I will be the wind that lifts her up, not the string that ties her down."
He looked at He Lingyi and said firmly, "I will make her happy."
-
An hour later, Xu Shaoting arrived at the Yunxi Building. The employees sitting at their window workstations had already started keeping watch and spotted the black Maybach driving into the underground parking garage.
In an instant, those leisurely enjoying afternoon tea, those slacking off in the restroom, those chatting idly in the tea room, and those wandering in the corridor all fell silent and returned to their places.
My incredibly prestigious boss is finally back from dating!!
Yuan Qihua and Xie Yun, who had endured immense pressure for over a month, practically rushed to the elevator entrance to greet him, their eagerness bordering on a fluttering whisk.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the elevator doors slowly opened.
Xu Shaoting stepped out, his tall and slender figure wrapped in a well-tailored shirt and suit pants, with a jacket draped over his arm.
Unlike his usual stern demeanor, today he seemed to have a smile playing on his lips as he walked straight toward the board's office.
A barely suppressed murmur filled the workstations:
"Winter has already been over for two months, why does Chairman Xu still look so cheerful..."
"Oh dear, that's how men are when they're in love, and Chairman Xu is no exception." The girl who spoke was one of those who witnessed that scene in the conference room.
"What do you think Chairman Xu would be like when he's in love? I've been with the company for so many years, and you want me to imagine it now? I can't."
"Chairman Xu is very good at kissing," the girl said in a low, mysterious voice.
Suddenly, a loud spray of water came from somewhere.
In an instant, the entire corner of the workstations fell silent. A dozen or so people silently pursed their lips and rolled their eyes, looking at the girl who had made the accusation.
"...?"
What did I hear?
"How do you know? You kissed him."
"Am I crazy or are you crazy? Trying to steal a big star's boyfriend?" The girl paused, organizing her thoughts. "I just happened to bump into him by sheer chance... how he couldn't control himself."
"ah--?"
"Unable to control one's emotions?"
How can this be so weird...
"Tell me about it quickly."
The girl slyly waved her phone, and soon a flurry of new messages flooded into a large group chat with hundreds of people.
"1111111"
"Tell me more!"
"We were having an online meeting a couple of days ago, and I guess he forgot to close it. Just then, his girlfriend came back and caught him kissing her passionately. It was quite a sight."
"Is this something I can say?"
"Jesus can't imagine it..."
"If I remember correctly, our company has Wen Jia as a fan. Are you alright? I was worried you might have a heart attack."
"Am I only concerned with whether she's pretty?"
"@Front Desk Xiaoyuan: She's absolutely gorgeous! The first time she came, she was completely covered up, but just by looking at her aura, I knew she wasn't an ordinary person, but I didn't dare to recognize her at the time."
...
As the employees smashed the keyboards, they glanced up at Xu Shaoting.
He walked calmly and briskly toward the board's office, ordering Xie Yun, "Come in."
After speaking, he seemed to hesitate for a moment, then stopped and said to Yuan Qihua, "You come in too."
The sound of a door closing separated the inside from the outside.
Inside the office, Xu Shaoting handed his coat to Lin Youzhe, rolled up his shirt sleeves, and leaned on the table, his gaze shifting between Yuan and Xie.
Yuan and Xie stood upright, trembling with fear as they waited for him to speak.
With the New Year fast approaching, the company was at its busiest. The two of them were busy planning their year-end reports and project progress, and they assumed that he would ask about these important business matters. They had even prepared seven or eight drafts in their minds.
But all I got in return was a sentence:
"How many people witnessed that incident last time?"
Xie Yun stammered out only two words, "...quite a lot."
"It's spread?"
Xie Yun smiled, her fine lines showing. "You know them."
"Didn't I tell you to talk to them?"
“We did talk, but my influence is no match for yours… Besides, they can talk, and the more you try to suppress something, the faster it spreads…” Xie Yun said with a troubled expression. “Should I intervene again?”
“Tell me your reasons for needing intervention.” Xu Shaoting was now calm and composed. He walked to the French windows, leaving only his back to the other three people.
What is Xie Yun supposed to say about this?
First of all, Xu Shaoting has never had a woman by his side since he took office as a director, and even his secretary is a man.
Secondly, Xu Shaoting has been in charge of the company for so many years, and the employees have changed batch after batch. Some of his subordinates have even remarried. Apart from his engagement a few years ago, he has nothing to do with scandals.
Last but not least, that emotional outburst was really unlike him…
Xie Yun carefully considered her words: "Your usual image is rather... serious and unsmiling."
"You mean dating is affecting my image?"
Xie Yun panicked and quickly denied it, "No, no, Chairman Xu, it's only natural for people to fall in love. But it might affect the image of the chairman's wife, right? After all, she's a female celebrity."
Xu Shaoting smiled slightly, "They've even called her the chairman's wife."
"That's what everyone calls them now." He glanced at him sheepishly, "...even the cleaning staff call them that."
Xie Yun dared not commit the crime of deceiving the emperor, so he had no choice but to tell the truth. He originally thought that Xu Shaoting would say something serious like "the company prioritizes work".
Unexpectedly, he simply nodded slowly, "Let them go."
Then, unhurriedly, she added, "If I remember correctly, you two are both married."
The topics jumped around so fast that it was hard to keep up with his train of thought.
For a moment, Yuan and Xie were thinking about many things.
Why bring up their marriage all of a sudden? Are they going to be used as a scapegoat? Or does he think married people are unsuitable for their current positions?
In all honesty, despite being married, Yuan Qihua has worked diligently as the company's vice chairman for so many years. He has dedicated his love to his work and his receding hairline to the company. We cannot question his work ability just because he is married!
"Yes...we've been married for three or four years," Xie Yun said first.
He could hear the thing in his chest pounding wildly, like he was carrying a frog in heat.
Just as the two were imagining themselves being laid off or reassigned to a branch office, they heard Xu Shaoting say:
"What kind of marriage proposal do you think girls like?"
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