Chapter 37
Translator: Aafkee
Proofreader: Superclubs2
Xia Hao arrived at Zhong Ming Funding’s office in the car they had arranged for him. He was welcomed by Fang Jiaming and his secretary, whose faces were filled with fervour smiles, the moment he alighted from the car. Fang Jiaming stretches his hand out towards Xia Hao enthusiastically for a handshake, “Director Zhong, welcome, welcome.”
Seeing that Zhong Ming’s boss himself came out to welcome him, Xia Hao can not help but feel slightly surprised.
A hint of complacency flashes across Xia Hao’s eyes while his expression remains respectful as he smiles, “Uncle Fang, you are being too courteous, there is no need for you to come out yourself.”
Fang Jiaming pats Xia Hao’s back intimately, “Hey, there is no need to be so formal with your uncle. I’ll ask General Manager Zhang from my company to bring you around the office later. You can come over to my office after you’ve seen around, I’ll make you some tea.”
Xia Hao sneers internally as he watches Fang Jiaming’s enthusiastic attitude.
Regardless of whether that enthusiasm is sincere or if it’s because of his father, Fang Jiaming has made the effort to curry favour with him on the surface, unlike Xia Hao who is already looking down on others just because he has a little money, not knowing who he should be currying favour with.
Fang Jiaming returns to his chairman's office with his secretary after leaving Xia Hao with General Manager Zhang.
Fang Jiaming sits on the couch and tells his secretary, “Take out the tea leaves from my drawer and prepare some tea.”
“I understand, which type of tea do you want to drink?”
“Just choose a random one with leftovers.” Fang Jiaming lets out a cold laugh, “He’s only an immature brat, does he really think I, Fang Jiaming, will serve him? Look at how pleased he is with himself! He even called me his uncle, how shameless!”
The secretary answers him and turns around to take the tea leaves.
Xia Hao idles his time away with General Manager Zhang and a few other staff members that came along with them as he looks around the office and listens to General Manager Zhang introducing this and that to him.
His father forced him to come today but Xia Hao is completely unwilling and thinks that this is absolutely unnecessary. In his eyes, a funding company is merely there to manage money. He does not play around with stocks and bonds, nor does he understand what the company does so what use is there for him to come over and waste time?
After visiting a few departments, General Manager Zhang asks, “Director Xia, shall we stop by the investment research department?”
Xia Hao answers, seemingly not putting much thought into it on the surface, but he is already impatient. The work in the investment research department is dry and boring, he does not understand what is worth seeing over there.
Just as General Manager Zhang is about to give the department head a call about Director Xia’s visit, another call comes first. The call is from Chairman Fang’s secretary.
General Manager Zhang quickly excuses himself and picks up the call, “Hello, Secretary Chen… Director Xia and I are in the business department… Oh… Oh… Okay, I understand, we will head over right away.”
General Manager Zhang smiles apologetically towards Xia Hao after he puts down the phone, “Director Xia, you must be tired after walking around for so long, why don’t we skip the research department? Secretary Chen said that CEO Xiao suddenly came over so Chairman Fang asked me to bring you over to enjoy a cup of tea.”
Xia Hao creases his brows, what is Xiao Zhan here for?
Remaining calm and collected on the outside, Xia Hao smiles as he responds, “Ah, is Xiao Zhan here? Great timing, I’ve yet to express my thanks to him for giving me an enormous birthday present last time. I guess I’ll leave the touring of the rest of the company for last.”
And with that, Xia Hao follows the group of staff that is here to receive him to the chairman’s office.
When Xia Hao arrives, Xiao Zhan is sitting at the mahogany wooden tea table, enjoying his tea. In comparison to his usual strict-looking three-piece suit, Xiao Zhan is wearing a relatively casual outfit today. He is only wearing a white shirt accompanied by a plain black suit, even the first two buttons at the collar are not buttoned up.
Seeing that Xia Hao has arrived, Fang Jiaming smiles as he says, “You’re here, Director Xia. Come, have a seat. Ah-Zhan gave me a call just now saying that he wants to come over for some tea. Thinking that you are probably getting bored after touring around for so long, I asked them to make some tea for you as well.”
Since Xiao Zhan is here, Fang Jiaming is not stingy with his good tea leaves. He has already asked his secretary to get rid of the cheap ones that were initially prepared for Xia Hao and changed it to some premium tea leaves instead.
Xiao Zhan nods at Xia Hao as a form of greeting, not sparing him another word. After taking a sip of tea, Xiao Zhan speaks to his uncle, “This is pretty nice. Uncle, what tea is this?”
“It’s Fu Yuan branded tea leaves*200,000 per roll.” Fang Jiaming loves talking about his tea collection with others. He continues in high spirit, “The taste is worth the price, isn’t it?”
“Yeah, are you in contact with any sellers?”
“Haha, it’s probably more expensive if you buy it now, I’m guessing it’ll be at least 250,000 now.”
“Then I’ll have to trouble Uncle to help me find some.”
“Sure, that’s not a problem at all. How many do you want?”
“Two rolls, then.”
Xia Hao sits at the side, showing absolutely no respect to his elders as he puts his hand at the back of another seat, picking up a cup in passing and drinking a mouthful of tea.
Fang Jiaming glances over at Xia Hao as he speaks, letting out a cold laugh internally.
Indeed, all his weaknesses are displayed once there is a comparison.
Let’s not even compare Xia Hao with Xiao Zhan. Even Fang Shaojun, that troublesome son of his who never fails to give him a headache every time, does not seem so bad after all when comparing him to Xia Hao.
Xia Hao puts down the cup and smiles at Fang Jiaming, “Uncle Fang, this tea is indeed good. Since Xiao Zhan wants to buy some, I won’t hold back either. I’ll trouble you to help me buy… eight rolls.”
Xiao Zhan’s finger caresses the edge of the teacup unhurriedly, a hint of an indistinct smile appearing in the corners of his mouth.
Fang Jiaming is someone with years of experience in terms of interacting with different people. He has seen many rich young masters like Xia Hao who likes to show off. He smiles lightly as he responds, “Director Xia sure is generous, do you like to drink tea usually?”
“It's so-so for me, but I can always give them to others as gifts.”
Xia Hao really does not like seeing Xiao Zhan’s face. There is a saying that nephews resemble their uncles, so no wonder Xia Hao feels impatient the longer he looks at Fang Jiaming and only wishes to go back home as soon as possible. He sits in the office for a while before saying that he has something on in the afternoon before excusing himself.
Fang Jiaming says a few words urging him to stay without actually meaning it before asking someone to send him away. He then sits down on the couch after he left, “What an immature brat, he even dares to show off right in front of me. It’s time he considers his own capabilities instead of relying on his father every time.”
Fang Jiaming pauses before he asks suddenly, “Hey, why did you come so suddenly? Aren’t you accompanying your mum since she travelled here yesterday?”
Xiao Zhan’s mother, Fang Yuehuai, has an academic discussion forum for universities and colleges at City S this afternoon. She wants to take this opportunity to spend some time with her son and her younger brother’s family since she’s here anyway and she just arrived last night on the plane.
“My mum is at the discussion forum now, I came over here from home. I heard from Xiao-Qing that Xia Hao would be here for a tour today so I decided to come to have a look.”
Fang Jiaming is so surprised to hear such an intimate nickname coming from Xiao Zhan’s mouth that his expression turned funny for a second. It took him a good while to realise who Xiao Zhan was referring to, “Oh, you’re referring to that Xiao-Lu from the research department! Look at you calling him so intimately, did you guys really end up together?”
Xiao Zhang, “Yeah.”
Fang Jiaming laughs, “Not bad, I thought you were only saying it for fun. How’s he as a person? He must not be bad or you won’t even get into a relationship with him, right?”
Xiao Zhan smiles, the meaning behind it is self-evident.
“Then, do you want to bring him over and have dinner with us tonight?”
“No need, he’ll definitely not come.” Xiao Zhan pours himself more tea leisurely, the smile in his voice obvious, “He is really thin-skinned.”
“Aw, what is there to be embarrassed about, that young lad.”
“Besides, he probably needs to work overtime today.”
Fang Jiaming lets out a “hmph” and laughs, “No matter how I hear it, it sounded like you’re grumbling about me being too harsh on my employees.”
Fang Jiaming understands his nephew well. He can tell by listening in between Xiao Zhan’s lines and his occasional subtle expressions that his nephew, who has been acting cold emotionally for so long, really does like this little researcher.
Fang Jiaming, “Have you finally decided to get married?”
Xiao Zhan seems indifferent, “I’m not rushed, it all depends on what he wants.”
“Then do you still want him to continue working here after you guys form your own family? Or do you want him to put his career aside for a while and give birth first?” Fang Jiaming asks, “He’s a steadfast and hardworking young man, he’ll definitely have good prospects if he continues to work hard, it’ll be a waste if you make him stay at home and take care of your house. But this career is indeed quite busy, and tiring.”
Xiao Zhan, “It’s his decision.”
Xiao Zhan prepares to go home after having a few more cups of tea. He goes down to the car park under the office building and just as he gets into his car, his phone rings. It is a call from Lu Chuiqing.
Lu Chuiqing is currently hiding in an empty toilet in the office while giving Xiao Zhan a call sneakily. Half a minute ago, he was still working on his report at his desk. His eyes were getting a bit tired after staring at the monitor for too long so he looked out of the window.
Lu Chuiqing’s desk is situated right next to the window with a wide view facing the company’s entrance and the main street. Just as he looked out the window, Lu Chuiqing saw a familiar back wearing a black suit at his company’s car park.
Despite that distance, Lu Chuiqing could recognise Xiao Zhan with just a glance. Lu Chuiqing then quickly left his desk and hurried into the toilet to give Xiao Zhan a call in secret.
After Xiao Zhan picks up the call, Lu Chuiqing asks hurriedly, “You came to the office just now?”
“Yeah, what’s wrong?”
“Didn’t Xia Hao come over for a tour today?” Lu Chuiqing asks, “Did you run into him?”
Lu Chuiqing only happened to mention to Xiao Zhan that Xia Hao would be visiting their company on Friday a few days ago. Xiao Zhan only answered simply then, with no other indication that he would be visiting today.
Xiao Zhan, “Did he go to your department?”
“Huh? He didn’t, the work in our department is pretty strict, I don’t think there’s anything worth looking at here…”
“I’m only here today because I know he’ll be coming today, it’s fine as long as he doesn't go to your department.”
“Hm? Why?”
“Nothing, I’ve merely learnt from my past experience.” Xiao Zhan did not give Lu Chuiqing any chance to think carefully about what he is referring to by past experience as he continues immediately, “I’ll be having dinner with my mum and uncle tonight, do you need to work overtime today? Do you want to come along?”
“Your mum?! And Chairman Fang?!” Lu Chuiqing chokes on his words for a second, “Erm… D-Don’t you think it’s still a bit too early to meet your family…?”
Xiao Zhan has already expected Lu Chuiqing’s response to be this way. He laughs, “It’s fine if you don’t want to.”
Lu Chuiqing hesitates for a while, ruffles through his hair and says, slightly embarrassed, “Hm… How about you help me prepare a gift for your mother and help me apologise for not being able to make it today? Once the time is right… I’ll go and visit your family again seriously.”
Xiao Zhan smiles, unhurried, as he lifts his head and glances at a certain window of the big office building, “I’ll be looking forward to that day.”
Este capítulo fue directo a mi corazón. Muchas gracias por tan hermosa traducción.🥰
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