Chapter 023: Preparing to Return to China
There were a lot of entertainment facilities within the Meng Family’s house. After having dinner, the adults who wanted to play mahjong, went to play mahjong. Those who wanted to chat, chatted. The youngsters could also go to the entertainment room to sing karaoke or play game.
Seeing that Qi Yu hadn’t left yet, Aunt Fang hurriedly pushed Meng Wenjing into his arms and smiled. “Qi Yu, auntie’s going to go play a few rounds of mahjong. I’ll have to ask you to play with Wenjing for a while.”
Before Qi Yu could react, Aunt Fang had already left.
Qi Yu wanted to find Meng Wenhui, but after looking around, he didn’t know where that sly kid had gone.
The little girl in his arms blinked and called out “Qi Gege”, her face slowly turning red. Qi Yu suddenly felt a headache coming on. Helpless, he lowered his head and asked Meng Wenjing what she wanted to play. Meng Wenjing said, “Sparklers.”
The nanny who was tidying up the table kindly told him that there were some on terrace at the top floor.
Qi Yu brought Meng Wenjing up and as expected, he saw a box of sparklers at the corner of the glass room. Qi Yu lit up a few for her and the little girl danced around ecstatically.
“Do you like it?” Qi Yu asked.
“I like it!” Meng Wenjing yelled. He had no idea what prompted her to do so but she suddenly ran over, wanting to be carried, repeating once again, “Qi Gege, Wenjing will be your bride when I grow up!”
Qi Yu put away his smile and looked at her. “Do you know what a bride is?”
Meng Wenjing was startled by the sudden seriousness in his tone. She shook his head, seemingly a bit aggrieved.
Qi Yu knelt down and asked, “Then why do you want to be my bride?”
Meng Wenjing lowered her head and whispered: “Mom said that I become Qi Gege’s bride, I’ll have more beautiful clothes and jewelry than I can ever wear…”
Qi Yu frowned. Just as he suspected. After all, how would a five-year-old girl know what to being married meant? Aunt Fang’s brainwashing skills were really frightening.
He looked into the little girl’s eyes and said patiently, “Your mother tricked you.”
Meng Wenjing looked up in disbelief. “Tricked me?”
Qi Yu gave an “en”. “Even if you don’t marry me, you will still have more beautiful clothes and jewelry than you could ever wear. Besides, with you growing up so cute, in the future, there will be someone who will like you all buy all these things for you.”
Meng Wenjing asked, “Qi Gege doesn’t like me?”
Qi Yu thought for a while and said, “Each man can only choose one person he likes to be his wife. Gege already has someone else he likes. If you say again that you want to be a wife, that person will be very angry.”
“Very angry?” Meng Wenjing looked at him seemingly unable to understand.
At this moment, his phone suddenly rang. Qi Yu said, “Look, the person gege likes is calling!”
The little girl became nervous. Qi Yu made a “hush” gesture to her and she covered her mouth cooperatively.
The call connected, and Complex Number asked, “Have you eaten?”
“En…” Qi Yu, while listening to the call with his mobile phone sandwiched between his head and shoulder, lighted another sparkler for Meng Wenjing and stuffed it into her hand.
“What are you doing”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Qi Yu saw Meng Wenjing walking a little farther away, sparkler in hand. He joked with Complex Number, “Setting off fireworks with my ‘fiancé’.”
“…Mljcmé!?” Jbwqifz Rewyfg’r nblmf revvfcis gbrf jc bmajnf tlutfg.
Hl Te: “Qtja’r kgbcu?”
Jbwqifz Rewyfg’r nblmf ibkfgfv yjmx vbkc. “Rbatlcu… P vlvc’a fzqfma sbe ab tjnf j oljcmé.”
Hl Te ifa bea j mtemxif. “Ccv rtf’r bcis olnf.”
Jbwqifz Rewyfg’r nblmf revvfcis gbrf jujlc. “Vtf’r bcis olnf!?”
Hl Te kjr qehhifv. “Qts jgf sbe oierafgfv?”
The plural tone was a little rushed, “Why didn’t you tell me you have such heavy tastes? You’re not even letting off a five year old?”
Qi Yu said gloomily, “It’s not me who wants it. The adults were joking and the little girl was brainwashed into saying that she wanted to marry me. As a matter of fact, I was just in the middle of correcting her three views.”
Complex Number snorted and said, “Then you have to correct it properly.”
Qi Yu: “En, I tricked her by saying that I already have someone I like. If the person I like were to find out that she wanted to be my wife, the consequences would be very serious. Then, just now you called, so I said it was the person I liked looking for me. She looked so nervous and then she walked away.”
Complex Number: “……!!!”
Qi Yu: “Hehe, kids are really easy to trick.”
Complex Number: “………………”
The other party coughed lightly and said, “By the way, I forgot to tell you. When I met your dad last time, I also talked to him about Mei Wei’s business issues. I suggested that he let you intern at Mei Wei’s branch office this summer vacation. While you’re at it, you can also help him check out the situation.”
Qi Yu was surprised. “My dad didn’t tell me.”
Complex Number: “Didn’t I say it was a suggestion? Maybe your dad hasn’t made a decision yet, but considering his attitude at the time, he should be considering it.”
Qi Yu gave an “Oh”.
Returning to the country… Does that mean he’d be able to see Complex Number?
Complex Number: “Okay, I’ll stop butting into your time with the little girl. Let’s talk later.”
After playing with Meng Wenjing for more than an hour, Qi Yu finally managed to free himself after Aunt Fang finished playing a couple rounds of mahjong.
On their way home that night, his dad mentioned the very matter Complex Number had just told him about over the phone.
“This summer, I want you to go to Mei Wei’s Haicheng branch for a two-month stint as temporary management. What do you think?”
“Temporary management?”
“That’s right,” Qi Yuancheng smiled, “Xiao Fu mentioned this matter to me. He said that you’re very concerned about Mei Wei’s business issues. I thought, since this was the case, I might as well have you go and take a look. First off, it will help temper you and secondly, I also think it’s necessary to show what the board of directors think about the issues you raised before. No matter whether you can find out any problems or not, you will be going there on my behalf and that will serve as a warning to those who are up to their little tricks. “
Qi Yu was a little worried. “I’m just one person. Will they listen to me?”
Qi Yuancheng: “Later, I’ll have Chief Qin arrange someone to help you.”
Qi Yu: “Who’s Chief Qin?”
Qi Yuancheng: “The general manager of Mei Wei’s Haicheng branch is called Qin Hanyao. He is forty-two years old this year. He has been with Mei Wei for eight years. He was promoted from the human resources department. Later, you can just call him Uncle Qin. I’ve already given him a heads up. Later on, I’ll arrange for you to have a role as interim president. You’ll enjoy the same right as the CEO and you’ll be free to visit whichever department you want.”
Qi Yu nodded. “OK.”
“That’s right,” Qi Yuancheng thought of something and said with a smile, “If you go back this time, you can also ask Xiao Fu again if he’d be willing to come to the United States to come accompany you while you study.”
Qi Yu was momentarily dazed. “Uh, dad, do you think I should invite him?”
Qi Yuancheng nodded: “I told you before that in the future, you will need to assign people of talent around you. In ancient times, Liu Bei made three calls at the thatched cottage, and Cao Cao eagerly sought after men of worth and ability. If you run into a truly outstanding scholar, he will naturally be one that wouldn't be bought for even a thousand in gold. He clearly knows that the salary I pay him would definitely be more than what you can give and yet, he insists that you talk to him. I think he just wants to see your sincerity.”
Qi Yu: “Oh…”
But Complex Number had already said that it was just something he said to coax his dad. Was there still any need to talk about this?
When he got home that night, Qi Yu sent a message to Complex Number: “How do you have Zhuge’s gift for predictions? My dad just told me about returning to China.”
F1S: “Perfect timing. Don’t you want to see me? When you come back to China during you vacation, I’ll let you see me.”
***
By the end of June, Qi Yu finished the exams for the specialized classes for his major. He packed up and prepared to go home.
Before leaving school, Zhang Cheng Xuan once again invited Qi Yu out for a meal. Over dinner, he asked about his plans for the vacation.
Qi Yu bluntly said: “My dad asked me to go to a branch of Mei Wei in China.”
Zhang Cheng Xuan seemed to be very surprised. “Your dad is having you train on the ground so early?”
Qi Yu said: “Well, Mei Wei’s profits haven’t been very good for the past two years. My dad asked me to go back and have a look.”
Zhang Cheng Xuan’s expression stiffened. Movements looking quite unnatural, he used his fork to move around the lobster pasta in front of him.
Qi Yu put down his fork and knife and asked, “What’s the matter? If you have something to say, you can just say it.”
Zhang Cheng Xuan frowned. After a moment’s hesitation, he said, “Actually, I saw something was wrong with your Mei Wei’s financial report last year. However, I never thought you would get involved in your family’s company so quickly. And you never talk with me about it so I was embarrassed to bring it up…”
Qi Yu is a little amazed. Zhang Cheng Xuan was actually able to see the problem?
Zhang Cheng Xuan’s eyes were evasive. “But since you brought it up and you’re going back, I can tell you one thing. It might help you.”
Qi Yu narrowed his eyes. “What?”
Zhang Cheng Xuan looked at Qi Yu and said, “Qiu Rusong, the son of Qiu Mingyang, the person in charge of Mei Wei’s Production Department, and my third brother are college classmates.”
Qi Yu was shocked. Zhang Cheng Xuan revealing this information to him suddenly provided a reasonable explanation for all his previous actions — It turned out that Zhang Cheng Xuan wasn’t here to deal with him. Instead, he wanted to borrow his own power to deal with his third brother! ?
No wonder he didn’t mind telling him his complicated life experiences. No wonder he wasn’t afraid of revealing the skeletons in his family’s closet……
Sure enough, this person wasn’t a fool. Rather, he was a wolf filled with wild ambitions!
Although Qi Yu was a bit disgusted with this kind of in-fighting among brothers, if the problem behind Mei Wei was indeed related to Fia, then he was still truly grateful to Zhang Cheng Xuan for choosing to live off one person while secretly helping another… After all, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
Zhang Cheng Xuan raised his glass towards Qi Yu, and asked with a wry smile, “Would this be consider as me giving you favor?”
Qi Yu picked up his wine glass as well and raised his eyebrows: “Hehe, it’s too early to stay just who is giving whom a favor.”
Accompanied by the soft “ding” of their wine glasses, the two seemed to have instantly reached some kind of understanding.
After he home, Qi Yu saw Qi Yuancheng and told him the information provided by Zhang Cheng Xuan. However, Qi Yu never thought Qi Yuancheng’s reaction would be much greater than he expected.
This man who was pushing fifty seemed like he was facing off against a terrible opponent. He carefully asked Qi Yu about his friendship with Zhang Cheng Xuan, the details of their interactions. He then said, with a somber expression on his face, “Why are you only telling me now that you have such a classmates?”
Qi Yu was also getting nervous from the way his father was behaving. “What about him?”
Qi Yuancheng frowned and circled the study a few times, sighed, and said quietly, “Do you remember being kidnapped when you were a kid?”
Qi Yu was taken aback. Coincidentally, he had asked his mother about it when he returned to China last April. He said, on guard, “Was this incident related to the Zhang family?”
Qi Yuancheng nodded: “Back then, Mei Wei was in fierce competition with several companies of the same type to expand the market. Fia was one of them. In cases where competing companies are of equal strength, fighting for external investment is vital for a company’s development. On the day you were kidnapped, Mei Wei was supposed to have an important private equity fundraising meeting to be held the next day. On that day, many well-known companies would have been coming to the meeting, including the retail giant Hai He Enterprise. If Mei Wei managed to reach an agreement with Hai He, not only would our financial strength have doubled but through Hai He’s distribution channel, we could have also quickly seized the market and expanded our influence. You could say that the success of that fundraising meeting would have been crucial to Mei Wei’s development in the few years following that.”
Qi Yu remembered that his mother had said that someone from a rival company had kidnapped him and threatened his father to terminate the fundraising meeting. He quickly understood his concern. “Was it Fia’s people who kidnapped me?”
“En, because the kidnappers escaped, we were never able to find any evidence. Up to this day, we still haven’t found the mastermind behind it. But I learned later that Fia also held an investment meeting that Sunday, and because Mei Wei cancelled the meeting, Hai He later threw their lot in with Fia — So, I have every reason to suspect that Fia was the one who had been behind the incident. Although so many years have passed, this matter is still a thorn in my heart. If there is a suitable opportunity, I will certainly have to settle accounts with Fia.” Qi Yuancheng sighed, a seldom seen murderous aura was brewing under his refined and harmless face.
Qi Yu thought for a while and said, “But dad, Zhang Cheng Xuan should be helping us by revealing this information.”
“You must guard your heart against those who try to hurt you. Back then, that Fia’s mastermind behind the scenes was able to use this kind of despicable means shows that this family is scum down to their very bones. On the surface, he is helping you, but how do you know he isn’t ‘ the oriole behind‘?” Qi Yuancheng paced the room with his hands behind his back. He muttered, “Regardless, I’ll be arranging for a bodyguard once again to follow you during your return to China…”
——————
【Little Theater】
7 fish: Ha ha, children are so easy to trick.
Fu: I think you can now graduate from this mentorship. (￣_￣|||)
————
meeting soon! and the whole fia/kidnapping deal seems to be quite the thing…
Ayy they gonna meet soon
Also ZCX is def sus
He’s so suspicious hmmm 🤔🤔
💙💙💙
thanks for the chapter!
i can’t trust that zhang guy. he’s like a sly, scheming fox who hides himself behind an innocent smile
The way I see ‘grooming’ is an experienced, mature person slowly instilling their ideas to someone younger than them (and obviously naive). MC might indeed feel bored when dealing with his ‘childish’ classmates, but that’s only from the point of view of him being used to listening to people talk about different subjects. He’s got zero experience with everything else. He is the heir to his parents’ business, and with his parents choosing to not remarry, there has been no intrigue that other families deal with. And also bc of his ‘aloof’ temperament he hasn’t had many dealings with people, thus never met others trying to befriend him for the benefits such friendship could offer. He has zero experience with relationships. Be them friendship, business or intimate.
I might have seen this in a more positive light if ML didn’t choose to hide the two met before. But it’s really hard to ignore he is hiding it.
And whoever chooses to defend him please bear in mind that you can easily defend him bc he’s a fictional character and you know he never had malicious intentions. But, consequently, grooming someone also includes getting them used to you so they can accept your future relationship 🤷🏻♀️
But more importantly in all the fun and flirting we have forgotten something important. Fu Yansheng is undercover and is actually investigating Mei Wei and it’s connection with Si Group. So I believe he chose the mentoring route not only because he likes Qi Yu but also because of investigative purposes. He needed to gain his trust. Revealing himself at first would have not made their current dynamic possible. If you remember at the beginning, they said the project would run for two years and that’s the exact time he said he would accompany Qi Yu. Rather than grooming. In a way he is deceiving him. So, he knows once his cover is up, it would actually depend on Qi Yu whether they would even have a relationship of any kind. At least that’s how I see the whole thing!
I was holding off using the term grooming by the time qi yu was starting to parrot Fu’s words. But first, i thought that Qi Yu is not a child and the term grooming is used for sexual exploits. To second that, all Fu did was mentor him in business as much as he taught him to be wise about his relationships. Hence, it’s only highlighted by the the questionable theatre’s not necessarily the main narrative.
Oh…and the actual groomer is the parents of the 5 year old who brainwashed her into clinging on Qi Yu 🧐
fr. that was so disgusting. like why can’t people let kids be.