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Chapter 121: Some of Huo Niansheng’s perspectives.
When the door of the private room was pushed open, Yu Shanding had just opened a bottle of red wine.
He looked up, and Huo Niansheng strode in, taking a seat on the opposite sofa: “Are you redecorating?”
The old boss revealed a hearty smile: “The old style hasn’t been popular these years, so might as well smash and redecorate.”
“Splurging, huh, former boss? How much revenue did you lose during the closure?”
“Nonsense, isn’t it just following what the big bosses like? Just blindly messing around.”
The Medusa nightclub was under construction on several floors, empty without any customers, and Huo Niansheng didn’t pay much attention.
This renowned playboy hadn’t been seen in various nightclubs and bars for a long time, and if it weren’t for business talks, even Yu Shanding couldn’t coax him to come out.
Yu Shanding poured wine into two tall glasses and pushed one in front of Huo Niansheng.
Huo Niansheng picked it up, without bothering with the intricate tasting, and drank it in one gulp.
Under the lights, Yu Shanding observed this esteemed figure—who, when his funding chain broke, was on the brink of bankruptcy, and he had put down his pride to flatter those even younger wealthy heirs, hoping that even a blind cat could catch a dead mouse, Huo Niansheng was one of those he flattered at that time.
He was also lucky, as it later proved he had chosen the right person. Huo Niansheng wasn’t the kind of decorative pillow. He had both capability and cunning. With the injection of funds into Yu Shanding’s company, it went from near-death to recovery. So, when Yu Shanding called out “Mr. Huo,” he did so sincerely.
The years of acquaintance were countless. Compared to back then, Huo Niansheng didn’t seem to have changed much—good genes, born with exceptional looks, and living a privileged life, always carrying himself like a young master.
However, in recent years, Yu Shanding distinctly felt a trace of accumulated distress between his brows. Ironically, while others might be distressed because of financial troubles or battlefield defeats like Yu Shanding’s past, Huo Niansheng clearly had nothing to worry about.
Inappropriately speaking, even if he indulged in vices like eating, drinking, gambling, and whoring, his money would suffice to lavish until he was eighty years old. It’s not to say that Huo Niansheng actually indulged in these vices. On the contrary, to a certain extent, he could be considered virtuous. He didn’t touch men or women, and all his setbacks were due to one person, someone he couldn’t casually mention, who was simply his Waterloo.
Yu Shanding poured him some more wine and asked, “How’s the one at home?”
Huo Niansheng leaned back with his five fingers around the rim of the glass: “His mood has been a bit better recently, anyway, he’s stopped taking medication.”
Yu Shanding asked, “Is he still holed up at home? People will develop problems if they stay cooped up too long. Occasionally, he should be taken out for a stroll.”
Huo Niansheng said, “I coax him every day, but he’s not willing.” He even sought advice from Yu Shanding, “How do you usually take your child out?”
Yu Shanding thought he was grasping at straws, but at that moment, his daughter called. The expression on his face softened instantly, and his voice became sweet as he spoke on the phone.
Yu Shanding had also lived amidst a multitude of flowers. Later, he had a girlfriend who got pregnant. Both were carefree ocean kings, initially not intending to take responsibility, but at that moment, he felt a twinge and asked if she wanted to get married.
And so they started a family and had a child.
Perhaps it was a natural inclination as people reached middle age to want to settle down. Maybe it was just a fleeting thought, or perhaps it intensified in his heart. Yu Shanding didn’t know if Huo Niansheng had ever entertained such thoughts.
To outsiders, it might seem like they were both hanging on a tree, struggling to make it work, just tormenting each other. Huo Niansheng looked at him after he hung up the phone, “Your daughter?”
Yu Shanding rubbed the back of his head, “Wow, she’s bursting with energy, like a little warrior princess, always wanting to ride horses and fight battles.”
“Being lively isn’t necessarily a bad thing. You’re not happy about it?”
“It depends on how she rides horses and fights battles. She always sits on her old man’s back.”
Huo Niansheng took his phone, swiping left and right to look at two pictures. The chubby little girl looked just like her father, laughing heartily.
He handed the phone back to Yu Shanding, “She’s quite cute. Since you’re a dad now, you should take on more responsibility.”
Yu Shanding ventured to persuade: “And you, have you ever considered settling down?”
Huo Niansheng didn’t pay attention: “If I settle down, what about him alone?”
After all the discussions, Yu Shanding sighed inwardly, even wondering if this person was under some kind of spell.
“I’ll be blunt—you know I mean no harm, I just feel that dragging on like this isn’t a solution. You’ve taken care of him for so long, you’ve done everything you can. Three years, five years, even a stone would have been heated up by now. But now, when will this end?”
“Does time pass by so quickly?” Huo Niansheng didn’t get angry. He gestured into the air, “Do you know, the first time I saw him, he was only this tall. He was only nine, not even ten yet, still wearing his elementary school uniform.”
He didn’t mention a name, but Yu Shanding suddenly realized that this was probably the first time Huo Niansheng had opened up about the past. At least he shouldn’t bring up these things to other outsiders again.
“I saw him at the Zheng family’s house. I was invited there by my aunt, but like everyone else, I was there out of curiosity. Alright, I saw the commotion, and I wasn’t particularly fond of children, thinking they were either noisy or crying, demanding this and that, annoying as hell. Then suddenly, I met one who was surprisingly obedient and listened to instructions, quite fun to be around. I still remember him following the adults closely, never leaving their side, but if you told him to stay by the wall, he’d obediently stay there, reminiscent of how Halley was as a puppy, very cute.”
“That was quite early, how many years ago was that?” Yu Shanding was secretly surprised. “And then?”
“And then? Nothing much happened. After all, he was someone else’s child, and I couldn’t stay at the Zheng family’s house all the time to watch over him. But two years later, I ran into him on the street. Guess what he was doing? He was waiting for the bus under the blazing sun. Does the Zheng family not provide him with a car? That’s when I realized, this kid won’t speak up if he’s wronged, he’ll just keep it to himself. His personality is like dough, it can be molded and flattened by others, and I don’t even know if living in such a large family is lucky or unlucky.”
“Of course, I thought so arrogantly. But in the end, I messed up before he did. Actually, that time with Huo Yingfei, if I hadn’t adamantly denied it in front of my grandfather, I might not have had to go abroad. At the time, I just felt it was meaningless, and couldn’t be bothered to explain, so I just left. Staying in China would have meant constantly calculating with a large family, rolling eyes at each other, better to live freely by myself.”
“But everything has its pros and cons. When I left, I cut off all ties with this side. When I returned to the country, I saw him at the Zheng family’s house again. By then, he was already in his teens, mature, and seeing the cold look in his eyes, he completely treated me like a villain. Not surprising, he’s with Zheng Yucheng every day, they grew up together, if he doesn’t listen to Zheng Yucheng, who else would he listen to?”
“Wait, now it’s starting to make sense to me.” Yu Shanding said, “I remember they had a thing.”
“There was something indeed. Actually, I heard they got together after I returned to the country. We both knew each other then, during the time we were discussing cooperation in Zhang City. I couldn’t understand, how could a child who was so obedient in his childhood become so rebellious? Zheng Yucheng, that young master, knows nothing about the hardships of life. He hasn’t even held power or money in his hands. What kind of responsibility can he have? What good outcome can there be with him entangled?”
“Oh, back then.” Yu Shanding remembered, “I really didn’t realize you had such complex thoughts.”
“I have a lot of thoughts. I even thought about breaking them up.” Huo Niansheng chuckled, “He really sees me as a villain, avoiding me wherever he goes. Later, I realized that with couples like them, the louder the opposition from outsiders, the more they feel their love is unbreakable. When there’s no one opposing them, they’ll start arguing and breaking up on their own.”
“So I just let it go, if they want to be together, let them. Since they think I’m a bad person, I won’t interfere. Sometimes you have to stumble on your own paths, feel the pain to realize it’s a dead end. I think it’s not necessarily a bad thing for him to experience some setbacks. At most, he’ll suffer a bit from the breakup, cry a bit, and then it’ll be over.”
The slight smile on his lips gradually faded.
Yu Shanding regretfully lowered his voice, “Alas…”
Huo Niansheng continued, “So you can’t imagine how I felt when I saw his face full of wounds.”
He paused, tapping the cup lightly with his knuckles, “I had such a short time with him, but I knew what he used to be like, so hardworking, so ambitious, so intelligent, so quiet when smiling at people… To see such a person ruined like this, it’s really heart-wrenching. I couldn’t believe Zheng Yucheng was so useless, but it’s too late to say anything now. As for myself, saying I don’t regret it would definitely be a lie. I had the chance to stop all of this, but I was negligent, and I owe him that.”
Yu Shanding tried to comfort him, “No one can predict these things, you were already getting lawyers to get him out at the time.”
Huo Niansheng, for once, didn’t have a mocking expression, nor did he argue, “Forget it, there’s no need to talk about this anymore. And then these years, it’s been all about seeing injuries, treating illnesses, either this part is broken or that part is broken. My only thought now is to make him better. As long as he’s healthy, everything else can be sorted out.
At first, I thought he needed me, and couldn’t do without me. But the longer it went on, the more I realized that I needed him, and couldn’t do without him. And the longer it went on, the more regretful I became. How could I not protect him when I should have? This has become a demon in my heart, so I don’t know if there’s any way to untangle it between us in this lifetime.”
Yu Shanding looked at him in shock: “Ah? So you…”
Huo Niansheng chuckled at his obstinacy: “Can’t you see that I love him?” he said, “The magazines mock me for loving him, but have you ever thought that maybe they’re right?”
Yu Shanding couldn’t find words to say.
For a moment, he even felt a sense of world-weariness. Perhaps he was really getting old, and Huo Niansheng was getting old too—after all, they were both nearing forty, taking care of each other for seven years without any response. No matter how much they went through, they always seemed to be stuck in the same place.
How many seven years does life have, and when will their wishes be fulfilled?
The signs of aging are not necessarily wrinkles or gray hair; perhaps, like them, starting to reminisce about the past is already showing the cruelty of time.
Huo Niansheng placed the highball glass back on the table: “Could you arrange a guest room for me? I’ll stay here for the night. Your place is closer to the villa on the hill. Tomorrow, I’ll have the driver come pick me up.”
Yu Shanding naturally agreed: “No problem.”
He thought for a moment, then asked, “By the way, are you planning to go out to sea next month?”
Huo Niansheng said, “Yes, but it won’t be for long. We should be back soon. If he needs anything during that time, I’ll have the housekeeper call you. Would you mind looking after him for a while, Mr. Yu?”
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My heart is literally breaking! Poor Wengang and Niansheng! 😥🥹 I cannot imagine the pain.