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Chapter 57: Is there nothing you can do if you ask Zheng Bingyi?
In the morning, when Chen Wengang went to the living room after washing up, Huo Niansheng said, “It seems like you hardly ever call my name.”
Chen Wengang was taken aback, “Hmm, what’s wrong?”
“Just ‘hmm’,” Huo Niansheng complained, “Always calling me ‘Young Master Huo’, I don’t know if it’s ironic or what. I feel like you’re deliberately keeping your distance from me. I used to not care about it with you, but times have changed.”
“I have called you before…” Chen Wengang was being held from behind by him, restraining his hands that were mischievously wandering inside his clothes, “Stop it…”
…
“Remember this lesson for the future.” Huo Niansheng left a bit of warmth on his neck, “If I hear something I don’t like, there will be consequences.”
Since there was no room service for meals at home, Huo Niansheng opened the fridge and asked, “What do you want to eat?”
Chen Wengang followed, peering inside, guessing it was stocked by the housekeeper, “Can you cook?”
Huo Niansheng took out a box of eggs, “And you?”
Chen Wengang shook his head. Between knowing and not knowing how to cook, there was still a large area of uncertainty. Even if he could cook, it would be just enough to get by. His specialty was preparing dog food for Halley, and making food for humans was another matter.
With a face that seemed indifferent to worldly affairs, not knowing how to cook seemed like the natural order of things for someone like him. But Chen Wengang didn’t quite see it that way. Loving to cook was a privilege for those who loved life, and he wasn’t sure if he qualified. Most likely not.
Huo Niansheng sat him on the counter, “Then let’s see how we can avoid starving.”
Chen Wengang smiled, then hopped down, watching him lay out ingredients on the countertop one by one.
Sitting up there, he felt as if he himself were also an ingredient, waiting to be put into the pot.
In the end, Huo Niansheng toasted a bag of bread dough, filled it with various ingredients, and made two richly garnished sandwiches.
With one bite, the bread was crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The lettuce, egg, salmon, hot dog sausage, pickles, and mustard sauce were mixed together. Chen Wengang was easy to please; he wasn’t picky about food. For him, this was already a perfect morning.
As he took another bite, he messaged his uncle Chen Zeng, arranging a time to address the issue of his cousin Chen Xiangling.
Huo Niansheng casually turned on the TV news.
The morning news anchor was reporting on global economic trends.
Huo Niansheng poured two glasses of orange juice and pushed one over to Chen Wengang’s hand, teasing him about his dedication, “Did you already contact your boss? Are you not going to work today?”
Chen Wengang nodded, his gaze shifting from the TV screen to Huo Niansheng’s face, as if he wanted to say something but was hesitant.
Huo Niansheng asked, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m considering something.”
“Hmm, what is it?”
“What do you think… if I resign from Zheng’s?”
“I didn’t think I was that important, deserving of your careful consideration,” Huo Niansheng said. “Of course, it’s up to you to do as you please.”
He looked at Chen Wengang freely and said with a smile, “Even if you don’t do anything and just accompany me every day… I might be even happier.”
It sounded like a casual remark from him. Chen Wengang smiled, feeling a sense of relief as if a weight had been lifted off his shoulders because of his attitude.
Because, in reality, it wasn’t just about whether he should resign from Zheng’s company.
His life had reached a crossroads.
Leaving Zheng’s company, he would only be Zheng Bingyi’s adopted son in name, inheriting no property, not working at Zheng’s company, and having no substantial support behind him. Eventually, he would have to move out and live his own life, residing in the old streets and alleys of the city and working at a nonprofit organization, just like an ordinary person.
At least if his uncle and aunt knew, they would surely react hysterically and try their best to stop him from reaching that decision.
With these thoughts in mind, Chen Wengang made up his mind to seize the time and solve some of the issues he could address.
***
He had arranged to meet his uncle next Friday. That day, Chen Wengang would be working and could come out to see him at noon.
It was a good atmosphere on that day. Early in the morning, Chen Wengang casually mentioned his resignation plan to Zheng Maoxun.
Zheng Maoxun still found it hard to accept, “I still don’t understand. Is your current position not satisfying you anymore?”
He paced around the office, a bit agitated, bumping his thigh against the desk corner, grimacing in pain.
Turning around, Chen Wengang looked at him calmly.
Zheng Maoxun sighed and sat down opposite him, “Forget it. Ignore the bullshit I just said.”
Chen Wengang smiled gently at him, “It’s okay; there’s always room for improvement. Just be a bit more tactful next time you speak.”
Zheng Maoxun felt frustrated again, scratching his head with both hands, “I just don’t get it; why are you so stubborn?”
“I’m not leaving immediately. In fact, I haven’t fully made up my mind about this yet,” Chen Wengang said.
There was a moment of silence in the office. The spot where Zheng Maoxun bumped his thigh still hurt, “Then why are you in such a hurry?”
“I’m not in a hurry. It’s just that last time you weren’t happy about being kept in the dark, so this time I’m telling you in advance. I consider you someone I can discuss things with,” Chen Wengang said again. “I hope to gain your understanding. Can you accept that?”
“You didn’t discuss this with Zheng Yucheng?”
“Why would I discuss it with him? I might mention it to Baoqiu at most.”
“…So,” Zheng Maoxun seemed somewhat surprised by the sudden attention, “What are your future plans? Are you really considering becoming a social worker?”
“I’ll finish school first and then decide. By then, my job might not warrant face-to-face conversations with you, second young master Zheng.”
“Chen Wengang, what the hell do you think of me?!” Zheng Maoxun suddenly felt like strangling him.
“I was just joking with you. You’re not that kind of person. Even if I resign, our relationship won’t change.”
“Hey, seriously, have you been learning how to talk like this from someone?”
Chen Wengang chuckled and, holding back his laughter, straightened out his hair before leaving.
At noon, Uncle Chen Zeng arrived and messaged Chen Wengang. The uncle and nephew booked a private room in a small restaurant.
Uncle Chen Zeng looked troubled. He had been dealing with some issues lately.
His boss had persuaded him to become a nominal legal representative of a new company, urging him to invest his savings in the company as a nominal shareholder. However, the company turned out to be a shell company, and within a few months, his partners absconded with the funds.
Just as Chen Zeng’s dreams of wealth began to materialize, he was informed that the company’s debts couldn’t be paid off. As the legal representative, he would undoubtedly be sued and might have to bear compensation liability for the amount of his investment. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have turned to his daughter for money.
But Chen Wengang decided to come clean with him—
“That’s it. She’s decided to take a leave of absence from school, at least for this year. The school definitely won’t assign her any work placements,”
Chen Zeng was first stunned, then visibly enraged, with veins popping on his forehead. “How dare that unworthy daughter of mine! Where does she get the nerve?”
He slammed the table, causing the glasses to jump, venting his anger while Chen Wengang remained calm.
Once the anger subsided, Chen Zeng looked at Chen Wengang. “You don’t have to be so angry or scold her. From the beginning, this was my idea. I apologize for the wrong approach, but she must go to college.”
Chen Zeng’s tone softened a bit as he scolded his nephew, “Wengang, you’re too rebellious. How could you do this?”
Chen Wengang lowered his eyes. “Let me tell you the truth. Dad liked Lingling when he was alive and wanted her to study well. I even dreamed about him recently… If I can’t do this, it’ll be my lifelong regret. With the responsibilities of supporting Guangzong and Yaozu on Uncle and Aunt and the burden that entails, since I’ve taken this on, I’ll see it through to the end. I’ll cover her tuition and living expenses in the future.”
He seemed to say these words with a touch of melancholy and a hint of a wistful smile on his face.
The waitress glanced at him several times as she came in to refill the tea.
Chen Wengang thanked her, and she blushed as she left the room.
Chen Zeng coughed twice. “Anyway… there’s no reason for you to support her financially. Ultimately, it’s my fault as her father for not being reliable.”
Chen Wengang poured him some wine. “No, it’s not like that at all.”
A few more drinks were consumed. Chen Zeng rubbed his face, revealing the weariness and confusion of a middle-aged man. “But our family is in this situation now… Forget about paying for her tutoring classes; we’re not even sure if we can afford Guangzong and Yaozu’s tuition for next semester. Wengang, if they really sue me, I’ll be the one being sued; you know what that means? I won’t even be able to take a plane or a train!”
“As a shareholder, how much did you invest?” Chen Wengang asked.
“Eight… or nine hundred thousand.”
He didn’t go into much detail about whether it was eight hundred thousand or nine hundred thousand, but it was about the same. Chen Wengang knew that this was probably his uncle’s entire life savings. It wasn’t surprising to him. People are inherently greedy. “I’ll recommend some good lawyers to you.”
“Lawyers? What lawyers?” Chen Zeng asked.
“To defend against the lawsuit. Let’s see how far we can go with this.”
Chen Zeng seemed to see him as a lifesaver. “Wengang, you know a lot of people. Isn’t there anything you can do?”
Chen Wengang simply said, “We need to think of a solution, but you also need to prepare for the possibility of an unfavorable outcome.”
Chen Zeng was a bit frustrated with his indifference—how could there be no solution? Couldn’t he appeal to Zheng Bingyi for help?
After dinner, Chen Wengang said he had to go back to work.
Chen Zeng followed him until they reached the entrance of the Zheng Corporation headquarters.
Chen Wengang had to raise his voice a bit to bid him farewell. “Uncle, go back now.”
Chen Zeng stood at the door, slightly hunched, his skin a dark red. “Then I’ll go. Wengang, remember this, help your uncle. We’re getting old now. You young people understand more. We’ll have to rely on you in the future.”
Just then, a young man in a suit, handsome and upright, walked out of the revolving door, followed by a sophisticated city woman.
The four of them met, creating an awkward atmosphere.
Chen Wengang nodded and stepped aside. “Miss He.”
Chen Zeng felt the awkwardness and tension in the air.
The sophisticated woman looked at him with an indescribable sneer, casting a contemptuous glance at Chen Wengang as she passed by.
The young man seemed very familiar to Chen Zeng, his name almost on the tip of his tongue, but before he could think of it, the young man recognized him first, with some hesitation, and greeted his nephew beside him, “Wengang, is this your uncle?”
At the same time, Chen Zeng realized the identity of the person—
His back hunched a bit more, his face filled with smiles, and he extended his hand, “You must be Yucheng, right? Wengang has been grateful for your care.”
He Yanxin’s lips curled into an indifferent smirk.
Zheng Yucheng reacted and pushed aside his briefcase, shaking hands with Chen Zeng, “Oh, no, you’re too kind. You’re Wengang’s relative, so you’re almost like my relative. I have to thank you for taking care of him. Are you here for business today, or did you come specifically to see him?”
Chen Wengang glanced at Zheng Yucheng and asked, “Are you going out with Miss He?”
Zheng Yucheng said stiffly, “She has her own car, and I’m meeting a client. We’re not going the same way.”
Afterward, he noticed Chen Zeng standing on the steps; his face softened a bit, and he smiled gracefully, “Uncle, where are you heading? My driver is here. If you’re not driving, I’d be happy to give you a ride.”
Chen Zeng accepted graciously.
Before He Yanxin left, she gave him a disdainful glance. Chen Wengang had already gone upstairs.
The driver sped off. Chen Zeng held onto the business card, got off the car at the roadside, and waved to Zheng Yucheng’s car.
Zheng Yucheng gazed out the window for a while, was snapped out of his daze by the driver, and lowered his head to find Lawyer Cao’s contact information.
Just as he was about to unlock his phone, a call from Huo Niansheng suddenly popped up on the screen, nearly startling him. Irritated, Zheng Yucheng furrowed his brow and answered, “Do you have any plans to attend the wine tasting tonight?”
Zheng Yucheng replied indifferently, “I’m not sure if I’ll have time tonight.”
Huo Niansheng said, “Is that so? You better confirm soon. I was thinking of bringing Wengang along, but he might feel awkward meeting you. If you’re coming, I won’t bring him.”
Zheng Yucheng furrowed his brow even deeper, “Huo Niansheng, if you want to meet me, just say it directly. I got it; I’ll come.”
Huo Niansheng’s voice was cheerful and pleasant, “See you there. Come for a drink; I have something to talk to you about.”
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