Chapter 28 A Loving Family
The Lian family mansion is located on the banks of the Qinghe River, a winding tributary of the Qingwu River.
Compared to the imitation garden style of Tianjin No. 1, this area features genuine garden architecture, standing quietly and beautifully in the city. It is the youngest garden, but it is at least seventy or eighty years old.
The owner of one of the gardens doesn't live here often, so he generously opens it to the public.
The old man of the Lian family spent half his life in the military and married a woman who truly came from a scholarly family. What's interesting is that the old man was a scholar-general, and his style of doing things had a kind of old-fashioned, scholarly air about him.
As for the old lady, it is said that she first met the old man in a mountain village.
The old man, whose daughter was being tearfully begged by the scholar to save her, was also thinking of leading his men to wipe out this bandit stronghold. Taking advantage of the situation, he led his men in a blitzkrieg attack on the poorly defended mountain stronghold after careful planning.
As soon as she rushed into the hall, she saw the young lady from a prominent family standing on a stool, drinking and chatting happily with the newly appointed leader of the bandit gang who had lost his husband, and declaring that they would expand and strengthen the bandit gang's business.
As for the counterfeit, in the end it was incorporated. The old man was spotted by the old woman at first glance, and that's how Lianfu's generation came to be.
The father had an older brother and an older sister, and the father had adopted a pair of children, all descendants of his comrades who had died in battle.
Because the old man was a bit particular, he would hold a special family banquet on the fifteenth of every month, and no family member dared not to attend if they could make it back.
Among Lian's father's generation, apart from the adopted children who followed in their father's footsteps, the rest of them all went into business. However, Lian Yi's uncle went to Hong Kong, and her aunt mainly ran her business overseas.
At first glance, the father's side seems to be the most prominent among the three families, but upon closer examination, it's actually difficult to determine who is superior.
My eldest uncle's family now has two sons and one daughter, my eldest aunt's family has one son and one daughter, and my youngest aunt and uncle each have an only child.
Regardless of whether they are truly a loving family in private, the monthly family dinners, pieced together from various sources, can still create the illusion of a harmonious and joyful family with many children and grandchildren.
But Lian Yi has never had much patience for such occasions; everyone sits at the same table, but their words always carry two different meanings.
Especially the older generation of middle-aged people, whether it's to win the attention of the old folks or simply to show off, they particularly like to secretly compare the children of different families at the dinner table.
If Lian Yi weren't involved, she would just treat this as a bit of fun.
But there are always people who don't appreciate kindness. Lian Yi, of course, disregarded the so-called respect for elders and ruined the atmosphere of several family banquets. After that, she was too lazy to come again, and strangely enough, no one pointed it out.
After all, even the old man who valued rules didn't react to her sneering and mocking her elders and peers at the dinner table.
Who would dare to utter a single word?
The helicopter landed on the helipad next to the garden, and the old housekeeper, who had been notified and was waiting there, came to greet it.
Several well-trained servants stood behind him. As someone stepped forward to help him up, Lian Yi had already jumped down gently and landed steadily.
"Miss, the family banquet is still being prepared. There are still twenty-six minutes before the banquet begins. Even the old gentleman and Madam Qiu are having tea in Qingxin Pavilion. He wants you to come over." The butler was quite old, with gray hair, wearing a dark blue long gown, and his demeanor was very much in the style of the old days.
"Okay, I understand, Uncle Li."
Lian Yi nodded calmly, and after passing through the arched doorway, suddenly asked, "Have all the young masters and ladies arrived?"
"They've all arrived. Miss Suhe and Miss Suning are feeding the fish in Hongchi, and the young masters..." Uncle Li paused, then changed his words without changing his expression, "Zhongming, Zhongyu, and Zhongyue are in the study appreciating the calligraphy that the old master has written recently."
“It’s always the same thing: appreciating calligraphy. How come there’s nothing new?” Lian Yi’s lips curled slightly. She walked through the corridor for a few minutes before finally seeing the outline of Qingxin Pavilion.
She walked to the door of Qingxin Pavilion, knocked on the door as a notification, and then pushed the door open and went in.
The group of people following behind silently stopped and followed, leaving two people to wait outside the door, while the rest went with Uncle Li to check if there were any oversights in the upcoming family banquet.
Qingxin Pavilion is not large; all three floors are decorated as tea rooms. A railing is built on the side facing the pond, and sparse bamboo leaves gently separate the pavilion from the pond.
The woman brewing the tea glanced at Lian Yi as she entered, then silently took out a teacup and placed it on the table.
Two elderly people were sitting on the right side of the tea table.
The old man sat upright, his body thin, and from the side, a centipede-like scar ran from his brow bone to his jaw, which looked somewhat frightening on his wrinkled and slightly spotted face.
The old lady beside him had her hair tied up with an ebony hairpin. She looked somewhat wealthy, but her face was serene, exuding an aura that had endured the test of time.
Upon seeing the tea master's movements, the two guessed who had arrived. The old man, however, remained unmoved, as solemn as a mountain.
The old lady turned her head with a beaming smile, and Lian Yi smiled and walked towards her. Before she could even call her "Grandma," the old lady stood up abruptly, muttering things like "my precious darling" and "my little girl is not eating well and has lost weight," and led her by the hand to the tea table.
"...Grandma, you haven't lost weight at all." Lian Yi smiled sweetly. "My dad hasn't gone bankrupt, so how could I go hungry?"
The old lady snorted, but not at her outspokenness. "These days, don't all you young girls love to diet? You can't eat or drink anything more than what's right in front of you. Grandma can't watch you eat every day."
"You've lost weight." She took Lian Yi's hand, gently squeezed her wrist, and frowned, "You said you weren't hungry."
Lian Yi smiled without saying a word, only tilting her head and winking at the old lady in a charming manner.
The old lady was most susceptible to this. She patted the back of her hand with a big smile and reached out to pull over several plates of pastries from the table. "The feast won't start for a while. These are your favorite sweet cakes. They were just made for you when you came. They're at their best right now. Have some to tide you over."
After saying that, she playfully slapped the old man to the side, making him sway as he sat upright.
"You've been talking about Nannan all day, who are you trying to impress with this pretense!"
The old man was used to his wife's sarcastic remarks. When he turned his face away, his expression was calm, and he looked serious.
"They're here."
Lian Yi glanced at the old man and said with a grin, "No, he's still on his way."
The old man frowned slightly, "You can't even speak properly!"
"grandmother--"
Lian Yi's eyes curved slightly, and she immediately started acting like a rogue, "Look, I finally came back, and Grandpa scolded me. Does he still remember the grudge from last time? Maybe I should leave first, so that Grandpa won't be able to eat if he sees me later."
The old lady exuded the air of a well-bred lady from a prestigious family, provided she didn't speak or make any facial expressions.
She could tell that Lian Yi was speaking deliberately, but she couldn't help but smile indulgently and dotingly, patting Lian Yi's hand and whispering, "You can't talk to Grandpa like that."
Then, with a swift turn of her face, a display of true artistry, her willow-leaf eyebrows arched, and the old lady's voice was incredibly crisp.
"Old Lian, don't put on airs in front of the child. When Nannan isn't here, you nag her just as much as I do, but when she comes, you scold her the moment you open your mouth. It's better for a little girl to be innocent and carefree than to be so lifeless, isn't it?"
Although the old man looked old, his features were still well-proportioned. He had a slightly unnatural expression, but quickly regained his composure.
"I heard from your father that you want to..."
Noticing his wife's gaze fixed on him, he changed his words very naturally, "—Start a business."
“This is a good thing. Now that you’re an adult, you should get to know these kinds of jobs more. But you should do them properly. Small-scale dabbling won’t help you develop your skills. Your father wants you to not take too big a step.”
The old man slightly raised his drooping eyelids, his once clear eyes now somewhat cloudy. "As long as you've thought it through, he, as a father, shouldn't be stingy."
"The Lian family's daughter only makes small trinkets? Who does she want to make a fool of herself for!"
He always spoke slowly and deliberately, rarely revealing such sharpness in his words.
Upon hearing this, Lian Yi understood why the two elderly people had specifically called her over before the meal.
She sighed inwardly, then looked up and nodded with eyes full of agreement, saying, "That's right, Grandpa and Grandma, you're so insightful! This time I'm sure I'll pull off something big! Something earth-shattering!"
Seeing her unreliable behavior, the old man instinctively wanted to offer some advice and admonishment, but in the end, under the old woman's gaze, he silently picked up his teacup and took a sip.
Lian Yi didn't know why the two old people had always favored her so much since she was a child.
Don't be fooled by the fact that the old man likes to scold Lian Yi whenever he has nothing else to do.
But from a young age, whether it was Lian Yi scooping up the koi carp from the pond and trespassing into the study with the old lady's cat and stamping his calligraphy with the cat's muddy paws, Lian Yi always cherished him.
He never showed the slightest sign of anger, and Lian Yi didn't dare to cause any trouble for the old lady.
Her ability to stir things up was so impressive that even Lian Yi felt somewhat inferior.
What old lady would bump into her granddaughter in the yard in the middle of the night? One is carrying expensive medicinal herbs and a whole chicken that has been plucked and slaughtered, while the other stares blankly for a while, then claps her hands and decides to dig a hole on the spot and make beggar's chicken.
The security guards on patrol at night almost thought someone had set a fire.
The family members who were finally woken up could only watch helplessly as the old man and the young child munched on chicken, oblivious to everyone else.
I must say, it really smells delicious.
Lian Yi opened her mouth and took the pea flour cake that the old lady fed her. With the old man's attitude as a guarantee, even if she handed over a blank piece of paper, her father would have no choice but to accept it.
But she was aiming for extravagance and lavish spending from the very beginning, so this project was bound to lose money.
Looking at the two elderly people expressing their concern in different ways, Lian Yi lowered her eyes, feeling somewhat guilty.
Or... how about we lose less?
At most, she can only not make money. If she makes a little money, she's afraid the old lady will announce to the whole city: "My granddaughter is the future richest woman in Yunhai."
Just as the banquet was about to begin, Uncle Li knocked on the door to remind them.
Lianyi was finally able to escape from her grandmother's terrifying feeding. Before she knew it, a bunch of side dishes and two bowls of soup were laid out on the table, as if Lianyi would starve to death if she ate any slower.
"Well, Grandpa and Grandma, you two should get ready to take your seats. I'll go over by myself." Lian Yi stood up and rubbed her stomach. Luckily, the clothes she was wearing today were relatively loose.
With her fist pressed to her lips, she let out a barely perceptible hiccup, and Lian Yi's eyes crinkled into a smile. "I'm not going to be that jealous follower anymore."
The two elders are undoubtedly the pillars of the Lian family; otherwise, the monthly family banquets wouldn't be so lively every month.
These have almost all become fixed monthly performance moments for each company.
Lian Yi was always the first one to sit down at every family banquet.
Then, leaning back in his chair, he casually glanced at his cousins, trying to appear mature and adult, while also obediently helping his parents into the dining room.
The people who can help the two elderly people are usually those who have recently made outstanding achievements.
Lian Yi thought about her recent deeds and then slowly walked out the door.
The tea master had already quietly left when all the teacups had been pushed to the corner of the table.
The two elderly people watched Lian Yi's carefree figure, seemingly unconcerned about anything, and their expressions became somewhat calm. Since they had not yet gotten up, no one dared to urge them and they waited a distance outside the door.
As Lian Yi's figure disappeared into the lush green corridor, Uncle Li closed the carved door with his eyes lowered.
"...De Cheng and his wife are truly muddle-headed." The old man closed his eyes slightly, only showing a hint of fatigue when he was with his wife.
The old woman still looked angry when she recalled it, "No matter how nicely they spoke, I, an old woman, can see through their schemes."
When did our family traditions instill this kind of thinking in him?
“Back then, even in those circumstances, my father still sent me to school. Even though the family fortunes declined, he treated all his children equally. But he, who was educated and successful in business, is still so ignorant and stupid!”
The old man sighed, "Lianyi is a spoiled and unruly child. They're probably worried about the future of their vast family business..."
"Lian Shanhe!" The old lady's eyebrows shot up. "If you had said that to me fifty years ago, I would have chopped you in half with one stroke."
"..." The old man paused for a moment, "Alright, let's think more about the child and not let her suffer this injustice."
"Oh!"
The old lady stroked the white jade bracelet on her wrist, her face somber and devoid of any smile. "Lianyi is spoiled and ignorant, but she is not a bad person. The other children are well raised and are all outstanding."
"In front of you and me, I may have put on a good show of being a filial son and virtuous grandson, but what am I really thinking? How much of it is genuine? Can't you see through me with your eight hundred eyes?"
"If they had raised her properly, she wouldn't be any less capable than anyone else. Have they only realized in recent years that they need to be careful about who can carry on the family business?!"
Seeing his wife so angry, the old man quickly raised his hand to gently pat her back to calm her down, remaining silent.
Both are her flesh and blood. Now that things have come to this, the two elderly people can only do so much to take care of Lianyi and make some plans and preparations for her future.
-
The dining hall where today's family banquet is being held is not far from Qingxin Pavilion, and its decoration is elegant and has a strong classical charm.
The dining table and chairs, which can seat more than ten people, are all old items, but since the two elders have not yet taken their seats, everyone is waiting in the side hall.
When Lian Yi arrived, the harmonious atmosphere filled with loud conversations and soft laughter suddenly froze.
The adults sat at the tea table chatting. When Lian Yi arrived, she glanced at them but didn't even bother to greet them. No one objected to this disrespectful behavior towards her elders.
Compared to a few years ago, when Lian Yi was still young, she pulled out a Hong Kong newspaper and asked her uncle why he didn't bring the pretty lady in the photo over for dinner.
Her silence is already a form of respect.
At that moment, the eldest uncle's face turned ashen and he was about to reprimand him, but Lian Yi had already persuaded him with an innocent smile: "Uncle, you should stay away from those shady people. It's bad for the reputation of our Lian family."
That sounds familiar.
It sounded just like the condescending, patriarchal things he said to Lian Yi at the family dinner last month.
There were many similar incidents, and no one could do anything about Lian Yi. Could they just ignore it and argue with a little girl? They could only force a smile and suppress their resentment.
"Lian Yi, Su Ning and Su He are in the next hall. Go over there. The banquet will start soon, so don't wander off." Lian's mother looked at her and smiled.
Lian Yi nodded and walked toward the beaded curtain separating the two side halls.
When she lifted the beaded curtain, the atmosphere behind her, which had been silent for a while, became lively again, replaced by a sudden silence in another side hall.
Until Lian Yi casually found a chair and sat down.
A young man who looked to be in his twenties, dressed in a traditional Chinese style, greeted her with a smile, "Lianyi, it's been a while since I've seen you. I heard you're starting a business? Why don't you take your second brother with you to make a fortune?"
"Oh? I'm planning to invest 200 million in this project to play around with it. Second Brother, if you're interested, how much are you planning to invest?" Lian Yi glanced at him and said casually.
Two hundred million.
Lian Zhongyu's smile froze slightly. His father had more than one son; it was hard to say how many illegitimate children he might have. Unlike Lian Yi, who only had one child, he could give away such a large sum of money so easily.
A man dressed in a casual suit, with an ordinary but composed appearance, spoke up, "Lian Yi is going to start her own business this time, Second Brother, you shouldn't get involved."
Although he spoke up to help, Lian Zhongyu felt no gratitude in his heart, but he didn't show it on his face. "Fourth brother, aren't you helping your second uncle with his work? Why don't you give me a hint about what our little Lianyi is planning to do so that your brother can get a taste of the soup?"
Lian Zhongyue, who ranked fourth, smiled but didn't say anything. Looking at his composed young face, he even had the demeanor of someone in a superior position.
The conversation shifted, and the two chatted about some recent business events. The man sitting in the upper seat looked to be in his thirties and only occasionally offered a comment or two.
Lian Zhongyu and Lian Zhongyue each offered a few words of praise, one of them being the eldest son of the eldest uncle, Lian Zhongming, who had already been involved in the family's core business.
Sitting opposite Lian Yi was a gentle-looking woman, the daughter of her eldest uncle, named Lian Suning. Beside her, a stylishly dressed girl was the daughter of her eldest aunt, named Lian Suhe.
The third generation of the Lian family were gathered in this side hall.
Lian Suning had already smiled at Lian Yi when she came in, but the smile on her gentle face seemed a little forced.
Lian Yi had a good impression of her older sister.
In my memory, she was always gentle and soft-spoken. Although we weren't that far apart in age, she always took care of her younger siblings as the older sister when we were little.
However, Lian Yi and she were not exactly close.
When Lian Suning bullied Lian Zhongyue to tears when they were little, she always tried to teach her not to bully others. In the end, she herself was moved to tears and speechless by Lian Zhongyue's tyrannical attitude.
After a few times, Lianyi kept her distance from her older sister. As for coaxing her, she couldn't possibly do it.
The other party was very persistent, firmly believing that the younger sister was just being immature, and that it was better to avoid trouble altogether.
She glanced at the clock; there were only two minutes left before she had to leave her seat.
Lian Yi lowered her eyes in boredom, continuing to isolate the others.
"Lianyi, I heard that your uncle is planning to arrange for you to get engaged to Gu Yiyu from the Gu family?"
But some people just don't know what's going on. A fragrant breeze wafted over, accompanied by a slightly raised voice. Lian Suhe sat down next to Lian Yi, leaned forward, and brought her gossipy face closer.
"Lian Suhe, I know your family sells perfume, but could you please use less?" Lian Yi rubbed her itchy nose and glared at her.
Lian Suhe glared at her with displeasure, but still took a step back and muttered, "You have no taste. This perfume is very popular in Europe and America."
"Popularity means nine out of ten people use it. What's going on? Aren't you the one who values uniqueness the most?" Lian Yi scoffed. "If you don't want a perfume that's specially customized and privately blended, can't you afford to hire a perfumer?"
Lian Suhe's exquisitely made-up face showed a slight pause, followed by an expression that seemed to be on the verge of madness.
I'm so angry! I get so angry every time, and the worst part is that I can never get my way back, which makes me even angrier.
"Hey, what's wrong with Lian Suning?" Seeing that she was behaving herself, Lian Yi slightly raised her chin and nodded at the woman opposite her who was occasionally lost in thought.
"I don't know!" Lian Suhe snorted coldly.
"Lian Suhe, I feel I need to give you a few pointers." Lian Yi narrowed her eyes and said coaxingly, "Do you know why your aunt still won't let you take over your family's core businesses?"
"……Why."
Lian Suhe's first reaction was to warily ignore Lian Yi. She had never been able to get along with Lian Yi since she was a child, and had only suffered in silence. But when she heard what Lian Yi said, she couldn't help but prick up her ears and move closer.
Lian Yi felt like sneezing from the strong perfume on her body and frowned, saying, "Keep your distance from me for now. Just how much perfume did you wear?"
"Not much!" Lian Suhe muttered, shifting her position and urging, "Hurry up and tell me, I'll reluctantly listen to what useful things you can say."
Lian Yi chuckled softly, glancing at her with a half-smile at her unsuspectingly serious expression, and said, "I don't know either."
"..."
Lian Suhe wanted to clench her fists, but she had just gotten her nails done and couldn't bear to, so she could only control the pressure and pinch the cushion beneath her.
She tried not to bow down to Lian Yi, but she really wanted to know what Lian Yi was going to say.
“I really don’t know. You know perfectly well that my mom and I are usually abroad, and my older sister is in Hong Kong. If you don’t know something, how could I possibly be more informed than you?”
Lian Suhe looked reluctant, glanced at the time, and saw Lian Yi smiling faintly with her eyes downcast, seemingly unconcerned.
She could only grit her teeth and whisper, "But I guess my uncle is planning to arrange her marriage. After all, she's about the right age. Alright! Tell me quickly!"
Uncle Li's voice could be faintly heard as he entered the adjacent side hall to announce the start of the banquet and take his seat. Then, he lifted the beaded curtain and spoke to the younger generation there.
Lian Yi stood up, showing no regard for seniority, and strode toward the dining room.
But before leaving, he smiled at Lian Suhe. As Lian Suhe's expression changed from surprise and anger to calmness, he slowly opened his mouth, meeting Lian Suhe's expectant gaze.
"Because I can get the things I want to know from you just by talking casually, if I were the aunt, I wouldn't let you take the lead either."
"Lian Yi!" she cried out in a low voice, trying her best to control her frantic rage.
The servant lifted the beaded curtain and waited meekly for the group to leave.
As Lian Yi walked out of the side hall, footsteps slowly approached from behind; it was her eldest brother, Lian Zhongming.
"It seems the Huo family's recent strategic deployment is to focus on Yunhai. I heard that young CEO Huo returned to Yunhai some time ago, so it seems this news is true." Lian Zhongming said in a deep voice, "Were you aware of his return?"
Lian Yi glanced back, while Lian Zhongming kept his eyes forward, only glancing over her for a moment before looking back calmly ahead.
Behind him were Lian Zhongyue and Lian Zhongyu, who were watching over him with brotherly affection and respect.
Following not too far behind was Lian Su Ning, whose eyes were slightly lowered. Lian Su He, who was walking beside her, looked indignant. When she met Lian Yi's gaze, she snorted and turned her face away.
"Do I have to know he's coming back?" Lian Yi looked away, a slight twitch at the corner of her mouth.
Upon hearing this, Lian Zhongming paused slightly. So, she had no value whatsoever. He then strode past Lian Yi and entered the dining room first.
-
Although the Lian family doesn't have any old-fashioned rules, even Uncle Li's habit of calling him "Young Master" has been changed by the two elders.
However, those underlying rules of conduct still cannot be abandoned at the dinner table.
If the two elders hadn't spoken, no one else would have said a word.
Normally it wouldn't be like this. The eldest uncle, who considers himself the third head of the Lian family, would sometimes bring up a topic and chat with his younger siblings to let his parents see that the atmosphere among them was harmonious.
But since Lian Yi was also present tonight, they lost interest in talking.
All she could do was watch as the old lady kept feeding Lianyi this and that, practically blatantly displaying the words "favoritism" on a sign right in front of her.
After finishing the meal in silence, everyone had their own thoughts and would occasionally glance at Lian Yi. She maintained a very good facade, smiling and chatting, without a single flaw.
Only Lian Yi remained completely unaffected. When the old lady fed her, she would eat a couple of bites to be polite, otherwise she wouldn't touch her chopsticks.
It wasn't that I was giving them a hard time.
Even the biggest stomach can't withstand the old lady's feeding frequency.
As the two elders put down their chopsticks and stood up, everyone else immediately followed suit, wiping their mouths gracefully and rinsing their mouths with flower tea before the whole family moved on to the next location.
At this point, everyone shares their recent experiences and shows concern for each other.
Then, after praising the younger generation of children, the person being praised humbly criticizes their own child a couple of times, and everyone smiles happily, thus concluding the family dinner perfectly.
"...It's good that you have ambition, but you should also be careful not to take too big a step at once." The old man seemed to close his eyes and said calmly, "The times are changing too fast. When you are in the midst of it, you must be more alert and discerning. You must not be impulsive or lose your morals."
“You understand these principles far better than this old man, so I won’t go into detail.”
“Not at all, your insight into things is much sharper than ours. Without your guidance,” Uncle Lian Xuhan said with a serious expression, “I really wouldn’t be so sure.”
The old man glanced at Lian Decheng noncommittally, then paused, “Doing things and being a person are all the same principle. Outsiders praise your generation as outstanding individuals. Whether you can live up to such praise is something you should carefully consider.”
"Children and grandchildren have their own blessings; we two old bones can't manage too much, nor do we want to."
"But when it comes to the point where intervention is absolutely necessary."
The old man glanced at the smiling old lady, then tapped the table beside him lightly, the two soft taps seeming to resonate in everyone's hearts.
"Don't judge me, I'm an old man, and I still act like a feudal patriarch."
Even Lian Decheng, who had been navigating the business world for decades, was somewhat hesitant to meet the old man's gaze.
Composing himself, he forced a smile and said in a deep voice, "We remember what Father said and dare not forget it."
“Yes, Dad!” Auntie smiled to ease the tension. “If you and Mom were willing to take care of us, we would be overjoyed. Why don’t we let Mom give Second Brother a beating right now, like when he was little?”
The old lady, Jiang Wanqing, lifted her eyelids and chuckled, "Back then, he was very mischievous and naughty, nothing like now. He's not like that anymore."
Lian Decheng quickly took the opportunity to save face, saying, "Mom, please give me some face in front of the children."
The crowd chuckled lightly at the opportune moment.
Lian Yi felt like yawning just looking at her. Feeling a bit bored, she looked away and saw Lian Suning staring blankly with a hint of melancholy in her eyes. She paused for a moment, then looked away again, uninterested.
Meeting Lian Suhe's indignant gaze, his mood immediately improved.
So he winked at the other person and curled the corner of his mouth, which, as expected, earned him a look of astonishment and then an increasingly annoyed expression.
The eldest aunt noticed her daughter's unsteady behavior and frowned slightly, but quickly regained her smile and said, "Lianyi, I heard you're starting a business recently?"
Lian Zhongyu's brow twitched upon hearing this.
"yes--"
Lian Yi smiled and said, "What, Aunt, are you interested in investing?"
"Haha." Auntie said with a loving expression, "Great! If I don't invest in my own family's business, why would I invest in someone else's? The whole family is here, so let's all show our support!"
Lian Zhongming and the others looked up, their expressions varied. Lian Suhe had heard about the two hundred million, and hearing her mother's enthusiastic words, she immediately felt a little embarrassed and wanted to remind her.
"Cough..." Lian Decheng wanted to speak.
His aunt gave him a reproachful look. "What's wrong?"
“Auntie, my dad is planning to give me 200 million yuan to start a business this time, and I can’t refuse your enthusiasm.” Lian Yi removed the stepping stone, her eyes curving slightly. “How much are you planning to support? Don’t give too much, after all, I still want to be independent.”
"..."
Two hundred million?!
Lian Jingrou's first reaction was that her second brother had gone mad. She tried her best to keep her expression from showing any abnormality. She was a shrewd person. She glanced at her mother and complained, "You people spoil your child so much that it makes me, as the aunt, lose face."
Two hundred million is a lot, but it's not exactly a huge sum either.
But if these two hundred million yuan were used as Lian Yi's startup capital, it would sound like throwing money down the drain.
“If she has this idea, of course her parents should support her.” Lian Decheng said calmly, with an air of authority. “If they don’t experience it for themselves, they might still think that money is easy to earn.”
"If she can do it, I, as her father, will naturally be proud."
"Even if we fail, it's worth it to learn a lesson from this experience."
The uncle nodded and chuckled, "You really have guts."
Lian Jingrou's smile remained somewhat forced. She glanced at her composed son, Lian Zhongyue, and suddenly asked, "By the way, Second Brother, has Zhongyue made any mistakes while he's been learning from you?"
“If he does something wrong, just scold him. He listens to you, his second uncle, the most.”
Lian Decheng glanced at Lian Zhongyue, who usually showed obvious appreciation, but these days his attitude had gradually become more peaceful.
Under Lian Jingrou's gaze, he smiled and said, "Zhongyue is neither arrogant nor impatient, and he is capable in handling affairs. You don't need to worry. In a while, I plan to let him try out the Qingshui Bay project as an assistant."
"Thank you for your trust, Uncle. I will do my best." Lian Zhongyue spoke in a deep voice before his mother could look at him, his expression neither humble nor arrogant.
Jiang Wanqing frowned slightly, then relaxed and said, "You've already arranged things for Zhongyue, your nephew. Lianyi is your daughter. Now that she's an adult, shouldn't you let her get involved in the family business?"
Everyone was taken aback when the old lady suddenly spoke up, and for a moment they were stunned and didn't know what to say.
Lian Decheng paused, "Mom..."
"grandmother--"
Lian Yi spoke in a lazy tone, calmly meeting their gazes as they turned to look at her, "Don't I still have two hundred million? I'll spend it all first, no rush."
He still had that unreliable, trustworthy demeanor, and several people subconsciously breathed a sigh of relief.
Only the two elders frowned slightly. Lian Yi raised an eyebrow and glanced to the side, only to see that Lian Suning was no longer wallowing in self-pity, but was looking at her with a hint of disapproval.
What's going on now?
"You..." Jiang Wanqing was utterly helpless, lamenting that she hadn't been able to raise and teach this child from a young age.
Lian Zhongyue smiled and said, "I believe that Lian Yi's entrepreneurial venture will bring us surprises. After all, she has been influenced by her second uncle and aunt. Sixth sister, I wish you success."
He concealed his contempt very well, and even Lian Zhongyu, who was standing next to him, glanced at him with slight surprise.
Everyone in the Lian family knows that Lian Decheng has been subtly trying to groom Lian Zhongyue over the years, and he actually did so later.
I'm afraid only that little tyrant, who spends all his time eating, drinking, having fun, walking the dog, and playing with the cat, is kept in the dark.
But the current situation is a bit hard to understand. If someone is willing to spend 200 million yuan to help Lian Yi start her business, as long as she is not hopelessly stupid, with the Lian family name behind her, there are plenty of people who will give her advice.
It couldn't be easier to submit a passable but unremarkable answer sheet.
Two hundred million is enough to demonstrate Lian Decheng's high regard and favor towards him.
But what about his cultivation of Lian Zhongyue over the years? He even let him take charge of the extremely important Qingshui Bay project. It doesn't seem like he intends to give up on him.
Lian Yi's eyes curved into crescents, and her smile was genuine.
"I see. Well, thank you for your congratulations."
Seeing that she showed no sign of anger, some of the people silently watching her felt sorry for her, while others breathed a sigh of relief.
Only Uncle Li, who was waiting quietly to the side, was filled with joy. Miss had finally grown up. How long had it been since he had seen such a harmonious family dinner?
…
…
Li Ming felt restless in the coffee shop.
He is the CEO of a music company, a title that certainly sounds impressive. He did have a period of glory in the past, but for Li Ming now, the past is truly the past.
With the rapid development of the internet and the changes it brings to the times, the impact on him personally and even his company is that those who cannot keep up with the changes face the shadow of death.
Li Ming was once very ambitious, leading his company to carve out its own place in a market dominated by established giants.
However, his confidence, which grew infinitely with his success, and his disregard for the impact of the internet on people, led him to stick to his past style and his strategy of relying on radio and physical albums.
This resulted in missing the initial opportunity to seize the network.
Today, as industry insiders mock, the Gugu Music Company can only pitifully coo a couple of times and peck at some chicken feed.
The artists under his management can still rely on their past fan base to barely make money by performing at galas and commercial events, but the financial reports will tell Li Ming how cruel reality is.
Nowadays, everyone can listen to music directly on their phones and computers, so who would want to buy your physical album?
With songs costing only two or three yuan, and so many singers debuting every day, everyone loves this one and that one. Who remembers you, a singer who was popular a couple of years ago but hasn't kept up with the times and is now desperately trying to make a living off this?
Indeed, they can seek investment; it's not too late to cultivate artists and expand the market.
But the business world is like a battlefield. When you are at the height of your success, there will naturally be plenty of people waving their money to ask for shares or cooperation. But now you are just one of those dying sunsets in a sunrise industry.
How much more do you want from us? This is really a difficult situation—
Li Ming only knew the name of the investor and the name of his company. He had checked and there was nothing wrong with the company. But the problem was that the company had only been established yesterday.
The investor who took the initiative to contact him is only eighteen years old this year!
Li Ming couldn't help but run to the bathroom to wash his face. Looking at his unkempt beard in the mirror, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
What truly made him decide to meet this unreliable investor was that, while he was making inquiries, a friend subtly hinted that the company had some connection with the young master of the Chen family.
They didn't say much more, I don't know if the other party was unaware or dared not say more.
But this has become Li Ming's last glimmer of hope.
Even if it's just some rich kid throwing money around as a hobby, as long as they're willing to pay and give him some time...
He will definitely, definitely be able to reclaim the glory that belongs to the Gugu Machine.
But now there is still a problem.
Just half an hour ago, when Li Ming cautiously called to inquire about the investor's whereabouts, that cool but very young voice said—
"The school bus is almost here. I should be at the coffee shop in about forty minutes."
"Mr. Li, I remember we agreed to meet at nine o'clock."
A seemingly ordinary sentence, but due to the other party's cold and imposing voice, made Li Ming subconsciously lower his head slightly and lower his voice, "Sorry, sorry, I just wanted to confirm the time again."
After the other party hung up the phone, Li Ming looked at the electronic clock on the wall, which showed that it was only 8:10.
Suddenly it dawned on me.
A school bus?!
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