Chapter 13

In the afternoon, Zhou Jingyu was invited for tea by his second uncle, Zhou Jiarong.

“Jingyu, you have been with your grandfather since you were three. At that time, besides your dad, who had already moved out and started his own family, your third uncle and I were still living with your grandfather. You grew up right under our noses,” Zhou Jiarong said, personally brewing a pot of tea and handing a cup to Zhou Jingyu with a kind, elder-like demeanor.

Zhou Jingyu accepted the tea, gently blowing away the steam. “Second Uncle, you and Third Uncle have always been good to me since I was little. I remember it well and would never forget.”

Zhou Jiarong laughed heartily at his words. “What’s there to remember? You were so young back then. You were the only child in the family. Second Uncle truly cared for you.”

“You are the eldest grandson of the Zhou family. Your grandfather was determined to cultivate you. He said when you were young that he wanted to pass the family on to you. However, you are still young and inexperienced. Don’t blame us for being hands-on at the company. We support you wholeheartedly, just to help you avoid detours.”

Zhou Jingyu sipped his tea, a faint smile playing on his lips, and responded, “Of course not. Second Uncle and Third Uncle have good intentions.”

Zhou Jiarong nodded, satisfied.

In reality, Zhou Jiarong and Zhou Jiajin had never taken Zhou Jingyu seriously when he was young. It wasn’t until he turned eighteen and started showing his talent, and Zhou Donghai insisted on placing him in the company immediately after high school graduation, that they realized Zhou Jingyu was a significant obstacle.

“The land in the West Ring…” After some pleasantries, Zhou Jiarong gradually moved to the main topic.

Zhou Jiajin wanted to seize his land, and naturally, Zhou Jiarong would not yield. The final decision on ownership would be made by a board vote, and as Zhou Jingyu was the chairman, his vote counted double, giving him a significant advantage.

Zhou Jiarong believed it was necessary to make early moves to gain favor.

Zhou Jingyu, understanding the underlying intention, said, “The land in the West Ring originally belonged to the Second Uncle. It’s only right that Second Uncle uses it as he sees fit. Third Uncle shouldn’t expect to take it from Second Uncle without any effort. How could that be fair?”

“Don’t worry, Second Uncle, this time I will definitely choose you.”

Zhou Jiarong was pleased with Zhou Jingyu’s words. He stood up, patted Zhou Jingyu’s shoulder, and sighed, “Jingyu, you’ve grown up during these ten years away from home!”

He added, “Since you’ve grown up, there are some matters that you should handle yourself now.”

Zhou Jingyu smiled at his words. “Thank you, Second Uncle.”

“Thank you for what? We’re family,” Zhou Jiarong replied.

As Zhou Jingyu made his way back to his office, he remembered his earlier conversation with Zhou Jiarong. He took out his phone and saw two unread messages.

Opening them:

[Candy: Senior Brother, how does a child grow up in a well-off family with loving parents? Is it truly carefree and free of worries?]

[Candy: I really envy that.]

Zhou Jingyu frowned upon reading these messages.

What’s wrong with her?

He replied:

[Y: ?]

At this moment, Wen Tang was on her way to a fashion magazine cover shoot, her good mood thoroughly spoiled by Liu Meifen.

She couldn’t understand why other people’s parents could deeply love their children and willingly give everything for them, while her own parents only seemed to drain her.

Wen Tang still vividly remembered her life before she turned eight. After Liu Meifen and Wen Haifeng divorced, they abandoned her in her hometown, neglecting her completely. From the age of three to eight, her memories were devoid of her parents, only her grandmother who took care of her.

Though her grandmother loved her, as an elderly woman, she couldn’t always care for her. Without her parents to back her up, Wen Tang was often bullied by other children.

It wasn’t until she was eight that she happened to star in a TV drama and became a famous child star.

Then Liu Meifen, who had ignored her, came back into her life, taking over all her work and personal matters, followed by Wen Haifeng who appeared soon after.

A long while passed before Gong Yue replied with a simple question mark.

It was his style.

Seeing this, Wen Tang felt a surge of frustration and sadness but found the question mark cooling her down quickly. She decided it was better not to talk about it.

Even if she did, others might not want to hear it.

As an actress, how could she casually discuss family matters with others? Isn’t it shameful?

Especially for someone like her, it would not only be embarrassing but also provide ammunition for criticism.

Glancing at her phone, Wen Tang was about to put it away when she received two more messages.

[Y: My mother passed away early, and my father remarried. I was raised by my grandfather. Sorry, I can’t answer your question because I haven’t experienced what it’s like to grow up in a normal family.]

[Y: But my grandfather gave me enough care and love, and from a young age, I felt I was no worse than anyone else.]

This was perhaps the longest message Gong Yue had sent during their conversations.

Wen Tang was taken aback by these messages.

So, Gong Yue’s background is similar to her?

He wasn’t a talkative person, and she had never asked him about his background before. So, did he say these things to comfort her?

Though it felt a bit tragic, she was indeed comforted.

[Candy: So, Senior Brother, you were raised by your grandfather. I was with my grandmother!]

[Candy: Patting Senior Brother’s head.]

Sitting in his leather chair, Zhou Jingyu smiled slightly upon reading the message.

The afternoon sun streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden light over Zhou Jingyu, making him appear as though bathed in a divine glow. His already handsome features were further accentuated by this setting, giving him an almost ethereal quality.

When the assistant entered the room, they were struck by the sight.

In the three months of working together, it was the first time the assistant had seen Zhou Jingyu smile so warmly, genuinely and without any pretense.

The assistant had always known Zhou Jingyu to be an extraordinary individual, but Zhou Jingyu’s demeanor was usually formal and distant, and rarely did he display any warmth.

Indeed, the assistant did not find Zhou Jingyu easy to approach.

Although he seemed approachable, the executive assistant, having reached this position at a young age, possessed a sharp intuition.

Zhou Jingyu was not as gentle as he appeared.

He was dangerous.

The assistant came to deliver documents and had already called Zhou Jingyu internally.

Upon seeing Zhou Jingyu, the assistant found his smile slightly diminished and heard him say, “Just leave it.”

After delivering the documents, the assistant quietly exited.

Zhou Jingyu realized that she, like him, had never felt parental love growing up.

He replied to the person who dared to pat his head.

After some thought, he responded:

[Y: Yes.]

[Y: Actually, you don’t need parents. Growing up with a grandfather is enough.]

This wasn’t a lie or a bid for sympathy. Zhou Jingyu truly believed this. Zhou Donghai had given him ample attention and care, and his education was strictly managed, leaving him little time to dwell on other matters.

As for his father, he would visit sporadically, sometimes once a week, sometimes once a month, making any emotional connection minimal. Seeing him was like encountering a distant relative.

Zhou Jingyu’s response deeply resonated with Wen Tang.

What are parents? She didn’t need them! If the world had only her grandmother, and if her grandmother were still alive, how happy she would be now!

[Candy: Senior Brother, you’re right!]

[Candy: I don’t need parents at all. My grandmother has loved me the most since I was little. I only need to think about my grandmother!]

There’s no need to feel sad or distressed over those people.

It’s not worth it.

Wen Tang shook off her gloomy mood and chatted casually with Zhou Jingyu until she arrived at the photography studio for the magazine cover shoot.

After work, Zhou Jingyu went to the nursing home.

Having talked about his grandfather earlier, Zhou Jingyu decided to visit the nursing home.

When Zhou Jingyu arrived, Zhou Donghai was awake.

Once a towering figure who shielded Zhou Jingyu from the storms of life, now he had become a frail old man, lying in bed and struggling to move.

Seeing Zhou Jingyu, Zhou Donghai managed a weak smile.

“Jingyu, you’re here.”

He had always cherished this grandson the most, and this grandson had visited him the most frequently and consistently since he fell ill.

Zhou Jingyu responded with a soft “Hmm,” walking to Zhou Donghai’s bedside and gently asking, “How are you feeling today?”

Zhou Donghai nodded, smiling. “Not bad.”

Noting that Zhou Donghai tried to sit up, Zhou Jingyu stepped forward to help him.

Nowadays, Zhou Donghai spent his days in the hospital with little to look forward to, except for one thing he paid extra attention to.

Zhou Donghai asked with concern, “How are you in contact with Qingqing?”

Zhou Jingyu had come several times, and Zhou Donghai was always asleep. Finally catching him awake, he first asked about his most pressing concern.

Zhou Jingyu hesitated for a moment. “…Qingqing?”

That’s her name?

After chatting for so long, he had forgotten to ask her name.

Zhou Donghai, seeing that Zhou Jingyu didn’t even know her name, assumed he was just pretending. He glared and said, “What, after all this time, you still don’t even know her name?”

His eyes were filled with suspicion.

Zhou Jingyu realized what Zhou Donghai was thinking and chuckled wryly. “I just didn’t ask before. Now I know.”

“Are you really in contact with her? Not lying to me?” Zhou Donghai asked skeptically.

Zhou Jingyu sighed. “When have I ever lied to you?”

Only then did Zhou Donghai slightly ease his worries, giving Zhou Jingyu a sideways glance. “Lying to me won’t help. Qingqing is Wen Chunsheng’s granddaughter. Do you know Wen Chunsheng?”

Zhou Jingyu tilted his head, recalling vaguely. He remembered the family was involved in trade and export.

However, he seemed to recall only one son helping to manage the company.

If she had parents, why did she live with her grandmother?

But then again, rich families often had their secrets. It wouldn’t be surprising if something unusual happened.

Zhou Donghai snorted. “I’ll call him right now and ask about his granddaughter!”

Zhou Jingyu shook his head and laughed.

If he didn’t believe it, so be it. If Zhou Donghai wanted to ask, let him.

After returning to his apartment, Zhou Jingyu thought for a moment and took out his phone.

He sent a WeChat message:

[Y: Is your name Wen Qing?]

After sending the message, there was no reply for a long time.

After a moment’s hesitation, he added:

[Y: It’s a lovely name.]

Still no reply.

Zhou Jingyu set his phone down and went to take a shower.

When he came out and checked his phone again, there was still no response.

Instead, he received a call from Zhou Donghai.

On the call, Zhou Donghai’s voice was full of energy, sounding quite vigorous. He said angrily, “Zhou Jingyu, I called Wen Chunsheng. He said you never added his granddaughter on WeChat and directly rejected her! You’re giving her no face at all! You keep saying you’re in touch, but tell me, who are you really in contact with?”

**

Author’s Note:

Zhou Jingyu: I don’t even know who I’m in contact with. :）