{I watched her take care of other men with my own eyes. 2}

Just by appearances alone, they made an exceptionally striking couple, and when seated together, they were truly a sight to behold. If they ended up together one day… well, it wouldn’t be impossible.

Those in the business world weren’t fools; they had long noticed Mr. Li’s deliberate silence, and it didn’t take much for their thoughts to drift in a certain direction, their glances lingering on the young, attractive pair. Old Zhao was known to be astute and wasn’t likely to abandon the idea of passing down the family business entirely, leaving the company solely in the hands of an outsider.

In light of that, the relationship between the two seemed intriguing. Could it be that Mr. Zhao had handpicked a daughter-in-law for himself? Perhaps he was just waiting for his son to listen to his new “daughter-in-law” and start taking work seriously. Realizing this, everyone politely vacated the sofa for the younger people, silently marveling at Mr. Zhao’s clever strategy.

Zhao Tian, getting on in years, couldn’t afford to fully step back from the company yet. He’d been working late, recalling how, not too long ago, Qian Xu had expressed her intention to attend an evening event. Zhao Tian appreciated her ambition and strong work ethic, qualities that made her stand out in his eyes—especially compared to his own son, a world of difference.

Not that his son lacked character, but as a father, he hoped his son would surpass him in his achievements within the family business, carrying on with pride. However, Zhao Buhui’s post-graduation ventures seemed, to him, like nothing more than wasting time. Talking about “new industries” disconnected from the real economy didn’t sit well with Zhao Tian at all.

So, it surprised him to receive a call from an old friend late that night. His friend’s tone was full of playful mockery: “Well, well! I thought you’d finally given up on the idea of passing down your company to your son.”

“Get to the point!” Zhao Tian replied.

“Old Zhao, you’re craftier than a mother hen. I thought you’d given up on training your son, but it seems your methods are just… different.”

“What are you talking about?” Zhao Tian asked, genuinely confused.

His friend replied with a sly tone, “I mean, we all thought you were just making an unconventional hire when you appointed that young woman as an executive.”

Zhao Tian was puzzled. “Well, I wasn’t just hiring anyone. I hired Qian Xu for her talent. What else would I see in her?”

“Oh, please!” His friend’s voice was urgent, as if he wouldn’t let it go until Zhao Tian admitted something. “Everyone in the city knows what you’re really up to! Turns out you’re just looking for a daughter-in-law to keep your son tethered to the family business. You’re a sly one, old friend.”

Fuming, Zhao Tian retorted, “That’s nonsense! Who said I want Qian Xu for Buhui? This is slander against my character and a blow to that girl’s reputation!”

“Oh, cut the act already,” his friend replied, unimpressed by Zhao Tian’s attempt to play innocent. “Your son went and drank for that girl tonight! My son said no one was even pushing her to drink—she was just sampling a little. Then your son stormed in, downed half a bottle, and scared everyone out of their wits!”

“Are you serious?”

In Zhao Tian’s memory, he’d put considerable effort into grooming his son right after he returned from studying abroad. He had taken him to countless networking events, trying to foster connections, but he’d never seen that ungrateful kid drink on his behalf… or show any filial piety, for that matter.

Aging as he was, Zhao Tian’s voice had not softened, and tonight he was especially loud: “Old Gao, who else was there? I’m calling to find out!”

“What’s the point in asking anyone else?” His old friend pressed him to think for himself. “Shouldn’t you, of all people, already know best?”