Chapter 83

Old Mister Gu smiled, “I’ve seen Proposal X07 that has just been sent to me. I’ve also met Mu Chutong.”

“Hmm?” Gu Xiaoshan raised his brow, thinking that this Mu Chutong really had some capability, even managing to look for his father.

“That fellow has really made some progress.” Old Mister Gu laughed. “His proposal looks very good, why aren’t we using it?”

Gu Xiaoshan replied, “This has been decided after considering all angles…”

Old Mister Gu knocked the teacup against the table, the crisp sound cutting into Gu Xiaoshan’s nonsense. Having worked for a day, Old Mister Gu was a little tired, and did not want to waste his time listening to Gu Xiaoshan spin his lies, then waste his energy looking for the loopholes in his words, exchange a few blows, and then rebuke him and ask him to settle this matter. So, Old Mister Gu had a rare moment of being straightforward, “Is it because of Yu Yunren?”

Gu Xiaoshan noticed that Old Mister Gu had used Renzi’s full name. This was not a good sign.

“No.” Gu Xiaoshan’s neck stiffened, “How could it have anything to do with him?”

Old Mister Gu smiled, “It’s best if that’s not the case. I don’t believe that you will become a person that handles things based on his personal feelings.”

“You’re right.”

“I heard that you’ve recently spent a lot less time at work.”

This was true, but that was also because the number of hours Gu Xiaoshan used to spend at work was insane as well. It was only that he now had his own personal private life, and so he now spent quite a fair bit of time and energy for his boyfriend.

“You heard?” Gu Xiaoshan chuckled, “Who did you hear it from?”

Old Mister Gu knew this was a tactic that Gu Xiaoshan always used. He would choose not to answer a question directly, but instead toss out a new question — and Gu Xiaoshan had learnt this from him. Old Mister Gu laughed, “I’m just asking you, is that the case?”

Gu Xiaoshan then responded, “I don’t think so. With the intensity of my work and time I’ve spent working, if I’m not the president, I could have already started a case for labour dispute arbitration.” Gu Xiaoshan then smiled, “Of course, I do find pleasure in it. It’s only that I’ve gotten older, my spine, my eyes, they’re starting to have problems. I’ve sought a doctor’s advice, and he says to move around more and rest more!”

It was difficult to find fault with this answer.

Old Mister Gu laughed, “This is also good, I’ve always promoted a good work-life balance. You’re my son, I’m also concerned for you. However, at the same time, I’m also the chairman of the board of directors, do you understand that? If you’ve done something that doesn’t benefit the company, it would cause me great trouble. For example, this Mu Chutong matter, I feel that your decision isn’t for the good of the company.”

“Mn, I understand.” Gu Xiaoshan actually did feel rather guilty about this matter. Because of Renzi’s little unhappiness, he had decided to not select the proposal that would bring about the biggest benefit for the company. Thinking about this matter, he was a little unable to forgive himself — unable to forgive himself as the president of the Gu empire.

Old Mister Gu blew across his teacup, then drank the tea. He spoke slowly, “There’s something else. There seems to be a slight disturbance with the project in O City. Shu Jingyi seems to want to reassess the clauses of the contract with our company. Apparently it’s because you’ve lost your head over Yu Yunren, and offended him, is that true?”

The reason for the souring of the relationship between Gu Xiaoshan and Shu Jingyi did have something to do with Renzi, but it was not what Old Mister Gu was thinking. However, Gu Xiaoshan too felt as though he could not give Old Mister Gu a good explanation, and glossed it over. “There’s nothing like this! Shu Jingyi isn’t a petty person. During our blind date, there was clearly nothing between us. How could he be unhappy about Renzi and me?”

“But I heard that he even went to the mountains in O City for you, yet you came back and started dating Renzi. You even made things awkward for him in front of others.” Everything Old Mister Gu said seemed as though they were true, and his reasoning seemed logical.

Gu Xiaoshan did not know how to start explaining, and so did not bother. He only smiled, “Even if there wasn’t Renzi, I would never date Shu Jingyi. Is it just because Shu Jingyi has resources, and that means I have to date and marry him?”

“I think this is a terrible idea, but at least it will bring benefits for the Gu family. In any case, it’s better than fooling around with Renzi.”

“Father, what exactly are you trying to say?” Gu Xiaoshan too finally decided to be drank, and asked the question as he stared into Old Mister Gu’s eyes.

“I’ve always hoped that you would settle down, building both a family and a career. It would be best if your partner was someone smart and resourceful, never causing trouble, and would bring benefits to both your career and life. Even if their family background was not impressive, it didn’t matter, it would still be better that just fooling around.”

Smart and resourceful, never causing trouble, Gu Xiaoshan suspected that Old Mister Gu was deliberately choosing words that were the opposite of Renzi.

On the other hand, Old Mister Gu felt that Gu Xiaoshan had found the complete opposite of an ideal partner.

Gu Xiaoshan replied, “What you’ve said makes sense, but I have my own considerations as well.”

“What are your considerations? Do they not include mine?” Old Mister Gu’s voice got louder, and his fury was evident.

Gu Xiaoshan had to consider Old Mister Gu’s feelings, and so said, “I naturally hope to get your blessing, and I believe that Renzi feels the same as well.”

Old Mister Gu sneered, “At that time, you said that you ‘had no choice’ but to be with Renzi. Now, looking at it, you were lying to me?”

Gu Xiaoshan was non-committal, “Why would you think so?”

Again, he was answering the question with another one. Old Mister Gu chuckled, “It doesn’t matter if you lied to me, the most important thing is you know why you decided to lie to me. Because you too understand that the real answer is not convincing at all. You know as well that this decision is very foolish, and so you didn’t dare to tell the truth.”

Gu Xiaoshan was at a loss for words. “I…”

“You don’t have to say anymore!” Old Mister Gu spoke, “If you want to say that Yu Yunren wouldn’t make you foolish, and wouldn’t cause you to harm our benefits, then, prove it to me.”

Gu Xiaoshan was taken aback. “Prove it?”

“Yes,” Old Mister Gu said, “Both Shu Jingyi and Mu Chutong have distanced themselves away because you like Renzi, but they’re both useful people. If you want to prove that you’re still rational, that your relationship with Renzi isn’t foolish, then you have to work with them, and complete the project in O City as how it was planned.” Old Mister Gu then tossed the proposal in front of Gu Xiaoshan.

Gu Xiaoshan picked it up, and it clearly was not the one he had seen the last time. This had been edited, and done according to what Old Mister Gu wanted. It had to be said that Old Mister Gu was still sharp and experienced, this proposal was excellent. The only thing was that if they went with this proposal, the relationship between him, Shu Jingyi and Mu Chutong would draw a lot closer.

However, before he could mention any objection, Old Mister Gu spoke again. “Do you know that there was a mountain fire in O City last night?”

“Mn, I know.”

“Then you aren’t going there immediately?” Old Mister Gu sneered. “Over there, people are dying and buildings are collapsing, yet you’re enjoying yourself over here?”

With his words, Gu Xiaoshan too felt that he was not behaving properly.

The car and flight ticket had already been prepared. Gu Xiaoshan caught his flight as though he was a duck being chased after. Before he boarded, he gave Yu Yunren a call, but Renzi did not pick up. He felt anxious, but the flight was about to take off. Due to the extreme weather, a fire had started in the mountains of O City, it was one thing that there were tremendous losses with the construction work, but it seemed as though people were dead or injured. He had to immediately go there and deal with the situation. Just because his boyfriend did not answer his call, he could not ignore such urgent matters. First, he was remorseful that he had been rather languid with his work lately, and secondly, he wanted to prove to his father that being with Renzi did not affect his work.

Renzi had deliberately not answered Gu Xiaoshan’s call.

He was a little flustered, and did not know how to face him, and did not know what to say to him.

He watched as his screen darken, and the anxiety-causing vibration to stop. Still, a few minutes later, his screen lit up again, and on it appeared a message from Gu Xiaoshan. “I called you just now but you didn’t answer, so I’m sending you a message. There’s a fire in O City, I’m rushing over there now. You have to rest properly, and take your meals on time, sleep on time. Don’t go out and drink with others, ok?”