Chapter 27

After replying to Wei Lai’s message, Zhou Sujin received a call from his grandfather.

After celebrating his brother-in-law’s birthday, Grandfather returned to London yesterday. Subconsciously checking his watch, it was now three-fifty in the morning in London, indicating Grandfather had just disembarked the plane.

“Your mother just called me.”

Grandfather got straight to the point, “She beat around the bush, unwilling to tell the truth. I can’t figure out what’s going on, but I think you should know.”

“She’s been upset for two days, saying you’re fooling around, which isn’t unreasonable.”

Zhou Sujin listened quietly to Grandfather’s reprimand, without arguing.

Having weathered the storms of the overseas business world for many years, Grandfather’s way of doing things was not as cautious and tactful as his mother’s.

In his eighties, he was still vigorous and decisive.

He and his elder brother, from childhood to adulthood, revered only Grandfather.

If he guessed correctly, his mother probably begged Grandfather to intervene and urge him to marry Wei Lai.

Regarding important matters like marriage, his mother was sure he wouldn’t joke around, so he would ‘break up’ with Wei Lai.

Grandfather was one of the few elders who completely respected the children. He hoped that he and his elder brother would marry early, but he never said much, fearing he wouldn’t live to see that day, so he sent the gifts in advance.

Grandfather never interfered in the marriages of the younger generation, but if certain behaviors crossed his bottom line and principles, that was another matter.

Their personalities, rather than being inherited from their mother, were more like Grandfather’s.

Grandfather’s voice came from the phone again: “I won’t urge you to get married, but Sujin, you’re not allowed to make your mother angry again. Before the New Year, handle what you think you should handle.”

Zhou Sujin finally spoke, “I will handle it. Grandfather, please rest well.”

After hanging up, he closed the files on the conference table.

In the spacious conference room, only he and Zhou Jiaye remained.

Zhou Jiaye had a cigarette in his mouth but didn’t light it. “Mom went to see Grandfather?”

“Yeah.”

“Mom definitely didn’t expect Grandfather to confront you directly.”

Everything had deviated from expectations.

Zhou Sujin picked up the documents and left, returning to his office and closing the door to dial Wei Lai’s number.

“Mr. Zhou, what’s up?” Wei Lai answered his call.

Like Grandfather, he didn’t like beating around the bush.

“Things have reached my grandfather’s ears. Our relationship ends prematurely.”

Wei Lai was stunned for a few seconds, “Okay.”

As he said, ending it prematurely might not be a bad thing. Without the pressure, she could relax. Not only would she stop comparing, but she also wouldn’t have to worry about how to play the role of his girlfriend.

Many times she couldn’t grasp that balance, occasionally acting like his girlfriend and making him feel he was taking advantage.

But being too polite, she worried she would mess things up.

Now, she could withdraw in time.

After a few seconds of calm, she said, “Are you being pressured by your family?”

“Not exactly pressured.” Zhou Sujin continued discussing the contract, “But the relationship between us ends. However, the promises I made to provide you with connections and resources still stand.”

Wei Lai declined directly, “No need, thank you, Mr. Zhou. Premature termination is a force majeure, no compensation is needed. Many times during our cooperation, projects were busy for half a year and ended up with nothing. It was pleasant working with you, and you helped me a lot, successfully settling in the complex and winning the facade of Jiang’an Yuncheng.”

He didn’t respond, and there was a moment of silence on the phone.

“Mr. Zhou, you don’t need to come for my birthday.”

Zhou Sujin opened the calendar on his phone and glanced at what day her birthday fell on, “I’ll come that day.”

He should come over to break up with her in person. Regarding the incident where Yuan Hengrui assaulted someone, he had asked He Wancheng to handle it, and she still owed him a meal. If he didn’t invite her soon, he might not get the chance to invite her again.

“Then I’ll respectfully accept. It’s truly fortunate to have dinner with Mr. Zhou on my birthday.”

Zhou Sujin noticed her tone seemed different from before.

—

The next day, Wei Lai received a message from Zhou Sujin.

【Lu Yu is on a business trip in Jiangcheng and will be there for a few days.】

She had planned to wait for him to come to Jiangcheng to celebrate her birthday before returning the car to him.

【Okay, let Lu Yu contact me anytime.】

In the afternoon, Lu Yu called her, introduced himself, and asked if she was free in the evening.

“Let’s have dinner together, along with He Wancheng.”

He added, “Just the three of us.”

After agreeing on the restaurant for dinner, Wei Lai drove the car to the location after work.

The last time she saw He Wancheng was the night she and Zhou Sujin publicly announced their ‘relationship’. Thinking carefully, He Wancheng could be considered the ‘matchmaker’ between her and Zhou Sujin.

She never dared to imagine that one day she could have a private gathering with the richest man in Sucheng.

Lu Yu had booked the restaurant for the dinner, and they casually chose a table in the lobby.

When Wei Lai arrived last, she apologized with a smile, “I’m late again this time. I must drink three cups as punishment tonight.”

He Wancheng smiled, “You’re not late. Lu Yu and I were discussing matters next door this afternoon and walked over in five minutes.”

Seeing Wei Lai, Lu Yu understood why Zhou Sujin brought her home; she truly looked like a fairy.

Although Wei Lai and Lu Yu were meeting for the first time, they were familiar with each other’s names. She handed him the car keys, “Just park downstairs.”

He Wancheng looked at the keys to the Cullinan car, then turned to Lu Yu, “I remember you bought a car specifically for use in Jiangcheng.”

Lu Yu replied, “It got scratched and hasn’t been repaired yet.”

Then he looked at Wei Lai, “I might need a few more days.”

“No problem, feel free to use it. I rarely drive anyway; I might not even use it once a week.”

He Wancheng was completely without airs when he was with these younger generations. He poured half a cup of wine for each of them, “Drink less.”

He first gave a glass to Wei Lai, then to Lu Yu “You’ve been coming to Jiangcheng more often than me lately.”

Lu Yu sighed. There were no outsiders present at the table, so he spoke without reservation, “It’s quiet in Jiangcheng. When I go home, my mother pressures me to get married. She even says she’s going through menopause and asks me to be understanding and not to provoke her. Uncle He, do you think this is reasonable?”

He Wancheng laughed, “Parents always worry.”

Lu Yu picked up the wine glass, downing half of it in one gulp, “You’re an exception.”

He Wancheng put down his glass, picked up the public chopsticks, and picked dishes for both of them.

“Thank you, Uncle He.”

“Thank you, Uncle He.”

He spoke about himself, “I don’t urge my son to get married because my own marriage failed. I’m not qualified to urge him, nor do I want to. What’s the point of urging him? Just like me, even if he gets married, he’ll end up divorcing.”

Lu Yu joked, “Uncle He, why don’t you just adopt me, and I’ll go to Sucheng.”

He Wancheng laughed heartily, “You still think you’re a child? I’ll adopt you.”

They clinked their glasses and laughed.

Wei Lai listened quietly as they chatted. She realized that He Wancheng was divorced.

“What about you, Xiaowei? Does your family pressure you to get married?” He Wancheng didn’t just focus on chatting with Lu Yu; he also included Wei Lai in the conversation.

“My parents never pressure me. They go along with whatever I want. I didn’t understand the reason before, but just now when you mentioned it, I realized why.”

He Wancheng suddenly realized that Wei Lai’s parents were also divorced. He raised his glass to toast Wei Lai, “Parents are parents, and you are you. Just because your parents’ marriage failed doesn’t mean you can’t succeed. Treat Sujin well, and we’ll wait for your wedding.”

Wei Lai smiled, “Thank you, Director He.”

“It’s not a formal occasion, stop calling me Director He. It feels too formal. I should be older than your parents; just call me Uncle.”

After that, they talked about her father’s law firm and her mother’s supermarket.

He Wancheng said he was an amateur in law, but he had a lot to say about operating a supermarket.

“Your mother is quite remarkable; she hasn’t blindly expanded in recent years.” He joked about himself, “I couldn’t do it; I’m too greedy.”

Wei Lai replied, “That’s not greed, it’s called never being satisfied.”

He Wancheng was once again amused by their conversation, “In the future, I’ll have to visit you young people more often when I come to Jiangcheng.”

This small gathering was very enjoyable, and they left the restaurant close to ten o’clock.

He Wancheng’s driver arrived, and he patted Lu Yu on the shoulder, speaking with deep meaning, “Although Jiangcheng is quiet, some nagging should be listened to and then forgotten when you return. It’s no big deal.”

Then he turned to say goodbye to Wei Lai, “You have my contact information. When you need it, call me. When the time comes, I’ll host, and arrange for my old classmates to meet you and your mother, and our businesses can learn from each other to go further.”

Wei Lai expressed her gratitude, “Thank you, Uncle He.”

They had previously discussed the expansion of chain supermarkets, and He Wancheng mentioned that the largest community chain supermarket in Sucheng was owned by one of his old classmates. There were no plans to expand to other cities, and Wei Lai’s supermarket, Wei Lai, was also welcome to join hands. They mainly focused on deepening their roots in Jiangcheng, and there were no conflicts of interest between the two supermarkets. They could learn from each other’s management experiences.

Seeing He Wancheng off, Wei Lai and Lu Yu walked to where the Cullinan was parked. Her laptop was in the car, so she went to retrieve it.

Lu Yu unlocked the car and asked, “Are there any other valuable items?”

“I don’t have any valuable items in the car; Zhou Sujin does.”

“In that case, you should take them with you.” The car would be kept at the 4S dealership for a while.

Inside the safe were Zhou Sujin’s two watches. She entered the code and retrieved them.

When Lu Yu drove the car away, he mentioned again that he might need it for a longer period and asked her to be understanding.

However, this “longer period” wasn’t actually very long.

Ten days later, Lu Yu sent her a message: [I’ll return the car to you in a couple of days.]

She told Lu Yu not to rush, but during this time, Lu Yu sent several messages expressing apologies, making her feel embarrassed instead.

Unknowingly, it was already November.

Every year on her birthday, she would celebrate multiple times.

Two days before her birthday, she would usually have dinner at her grandmother’s house.

After her parents divorced, her grandparents never forgot her birthday each year. They would invite her uncle’s family, making it lively and festive.

On the day before her birthday, she would go to her grandparents’ house. Her grandmother would make hand-pulled noodles for her, while her grandfather would cook a few dishes she liked, accompanying her for a simple yet warm family dinner.

On her birthday, either her father or her mother would accompany her, and after she started dating, Zhang Yanxin would celebrate with her.

This year was no exception.

On the 7th, she had dinner at her grandparents’ house and spent some time with them.

After dinner, her grandmother brought her some fruit. “How is your mother doing lately?”

Wei Lai replied, “She’s doing fine.”

“Tell your mother not to overwork herself; as long as she has enough money, it’s enough.”

Wei Lai nodded. Every time she came to her grandmother’s house, her grandmother would always ask about her mother.

Her grandmother looked her over again. “Don’t tire yourself out either; you look thinner than last time.”

“I’m not tired.”

After leaving her grandparents’ house, she walked back to her own apartment.

Along the way, she passed by the headquarters of Jiangcheng University, the place she visited most often when she was a child. Then she passed by their former home; that house had been sold long ago. She also passed by her father’s law firm; it was a three-story office building, and her father’s office was on the top floor. The light in the window was still on, but she didn’t go up.

It was almost ten o’clock by the time she reached her apartment. Wei Lai took a hot bath.

While blow-drying her hair, she received a message from Zhou Sujin: [I’ve arrived in Jiangcheng. Are you available to meet tonight?]

[Sure.]

[Come downstairs in forty minutes.]

Zhou Sujin instructed Uncle Yan, “Go to her apartment.”

The car had just exited the airport expressway and turned left towards the city center.

[Is the skylight installed?] he asked Lu Yu.

[It’s installed. It took some trouble to arrange it with the money from one of your watches. I’ll send it to you tomorrow.]

[Send it now. No need to send it to me; just drive directly to Wei Lai’s apartment.] He sent Wei Lai’s apartment address to Lu Yu.

About half an hour later, a black Bentley and a dark green Cullinan arrived one after the other at the entrance of the apartment building. Wei Lai was already waiting downstairs.

She hadn’t bothered with any special makeup or dressing up; she was wearing the same suit shirt she wore to work.

Lu Yu just greeted Wei Lai from a distance and then left in the Bentley.

Zhou Sujin looked at her. “Didn’t I tell you to come downstairs in forty minutes?”

“You came all the way here to celebrate my birthday; I can’t keep you waiting.” As she spoke, Wei Lai had already walked up to him, keeping an appropriate distance. “Mr. Zhou, let me treat you to supper.”

“I don’t feel like supper.” He handed her the keys to the Cullinan. “Go take a look at your birthday present.”

Since he had already bought her a gift, Wei Lai didn’t refuse and graciously accepted it. “Thank you.”

Out of habit, she went to open the trunk, but Zhou Sujin said, “It’s not in the trunk. Didn’t you say you liked the skylight? I had it installed for you.”

Wei Lai was momentarily at a loss for words, her heart skipping a beat.

Only now did she realize that Lu Yu’s talk of borrowing the car was just a pretext to drive it away and install the skylight for her.

He continued, “Originally, I was going to have Uncle Yan take it directly there, but Lu Yu insisted on giving you a surprise, so I didn’t explain our relationship to him.”

Wei Lai’s awkwardness was relieved. She knew Zhou Sujin wouldn’t be the type to plan a birthday surprise for her secretly, so it was Lu Yu’s idea.

But no matter what, she was already very satisfied that he was willing to install the skylight as a birthday gift for her.

Zhou Sujin gestured to her. “Go to the car and see how it looks.”

He wasn’t interested in the fake starry sky and stayed outside the car, making an overseas work call.

Wei Lai closed the car door, and in the enclosed space, the black sky unfolded before her, with stars twinkling and a shooting star streaking across just for her.

This was her birthday gift.

And also compensation for their ‘breakup’.

After finishing his phone call, Zhou Sujin hadn’t left yet.

He tapped on the car window. “I’m leaving now. You can enjoy it slowly.”

Upon hearing his words about enjoying it slowly, Wei Lai suddenly understood. She quickly got out of the car. “I don’t need the car. Have someone drive it back later.”

Her gaze was resolute. “I don’t need any compensation. Thank you, Mr. Zhou, for the gesture.”

“It’s not compensation.”

There were some things Zhou Sujin had originally planned to discuss with her over dinner tomorrow. He gestured for her to get into the car, and he also sat in the back seat of the Cullinan.

The skylight was still open, and the shooting stars continued to fall.

After closing the car door, Zhou Sujin placed his suit jacket on the front armrest. He turned his head to look at her, and the soft, luminous starlight from the ceiling fell into her eyes, making them unbelievably beautiful.

He got straight to the point. “You once said you didn’t want to terminate the contract early.”

Words were one thing, but reality was another.

“After we break up, my mother will still continue to introduce me to blind date partners. If you don’t want it to end, I also don’t have the time to deal with blind dates.”

After a pause, he looked at her and asked, “Have you ever considered marrying me?”