Zhou Haikong frowned. "I was hoping you'd come back for the New Year, and you can't even spare some time to keep your... sister company."
Zhou Mingyue quickly cut in, "Just let him leave. I don't need his company."
"Fine, since neither of you wants me around, I won't bother with dinner either. I'm off." Zhou Wang nodded, making as if to leave.
Zhou Haikong panicked, putting on his fatherly authority. "Sit down and behave. You promised on the phone you'd come back for dinner. If you dare leave, I'll break your legs."
"..."
"Well..." The father's tone turned awkward. "Stay home for a couple more days. It's almost Spring Festival, and our family hasn't had a good gathering in a long time."
"That probably won't work. I'm very busy."
"What's so busy about that crappy company of yours?"
"I have to go home with my wife for the New Year's Eve dinner. I'm afraid I won't have the pleasure of enjoying yours, old man."
Zhou Haikong had barely swallowed his pride, only to be met with cold indifference. He said irritably, "Not telling the family about such a big thing as getting married is one thing, but now you won't even bring her home to meet us. Are you trying to piss me off on purpose?"
Zhou Wang tapped the skin under his eye with his index finger. "Not married yet. She's my girlfriend."
"Not married, and you're already calling her 'wife'? Have you no shame?"
Zhou Wang let out a cold snort. "Country bumpkin."
"Who's that? With all the men in this country, she had to pick you? Is she blind?"
"Who are you looking down on?"
"Dad, I don't think that woman is anything special. She's probably ugly as sin, otherwise how could she fall for a loser like him?"
Zhou Wang raised an eyebrow coldly. "Watch your mouth. My girlfriend is stunningly beautiful, a national beauty. You're nowhere near her level."
"You—"
Zhou Haikong, caught between them, rubbed his temples. "Enough, both of you. Zhou Wang, you should bring your girlfriend home first so we can meet her, instead of acting like an idiot and going to her place for them to gawk at you."
"Dad, he's not a gorilla. Who's going to gawk at him?"
Zhou Wang lounged lazily. "I promised Jiang Li I'd go home with her for the New Year's dinner. As for you guys, it depends on her mood. If she wants to come, I'll bring her."
Zhou Mingyue sneered. "Even if you bring her, we won't welcome her—"
Zhou Haikong patted her arm, signaling her to stop.
"Jiang Li?" The name sounded familiar. "Where have I heard that before?"
"She's the girl I got my leg broken for ten years ago."
At his reminder, Zhou Haikong had an epiphany. "That woman?"
After all these years, Zhou Wang had still ended up hung up on the same tree.
Now he was completely wrapped around her finger!
"She must be something special. I'm curious what she looks like, to have this loser so head over heels."
Years ago, he'd heard that Zhou Wang had his leg broken for a girl, then went abroad to recover and study. Now, after all this time, they'd somehow gotten back together without anyone knowing.
"If you talk to me without respect, I'll let it slide. But if you spout nonsense in front of your sister-in-law, I'll really hit you."
Zhou Mingyue snorted, too annoyed to argue further. Fresh off a heartbreak, she was getting sarcasm from her brother and a mouthful of dog food on top of it. Furious, she stormed off to her room.
"Since you're back, stay home for a couple of days." Zhou Haikong cleared his throat, his tone unnatural. "After the New Year, find time to bring that Jiang Li home for me to meet."
"You've already met her," Zhou Wang said, swinging his crossed leg lazily and comfortably.
"That was ages ago. I'm telling you to formally bring her to meet her in-laws."
Back when that little brat Zhou Wang was studying in Ninghai, he'd met a girl named Jiang Li. They'd been young and naive, and that budding romance fizzled out after Zhou Wang got his leg broken in a fight.
Zhou Haikong had met the girl when he was cleaning up Zhou Wang's mess. She was an excellent student and pretty too—the school beauty of Ninghai No. 1 High School. She was more than good enough for Zhou Wang.
Back then, he hadn't supported their relationship because Zhou Wang was stubborn, completely fixated on Jiang Li. He'd kept messing up for her, got expelled from school, and had his leg severely injured in a fight.
After that, Zhou Wang went abroad for treatment, and with his notorious reputation, he had to study overseas. That's when they lost touch.
Zhou Haikong thought they'd never cross paths again, but after all these years, the kid was still hopelessly devoted to that girl!
"If you two are serious about being together, bring her home for a meal. A marriage without parental blessing won't last."
Zhou Wang let out a mocking laugh. "You and Mom had your parents' blessing, and look how long that lasted."
At the mention of his mother, Zhou Haikong's face darkened.
Zhou Wang's mother had always been the fuse between father and son. As a child, Zhou Wang had witnessed his mother's suicide by jumping off a building, and he harbored a deep hatred for Zhou Haikong.
When Zhou Mingyue was less than a month old, Zhou Haikong had been involved in a scandal with another woman. Zhou Wang's mother, suffering from severe depression, lost control and jumped from the third-floor balcony.
Zhou Wang still remembered that afternoon after school. At just five years old, he'd walked into the yard with his backpack, only to watch his mother jump. The butler had covered his eyes immediately.
From then on, the father-son relationship grew increasingly tense. After middle school, Zhou Wang cut off contact with his family and moved to Ninghai alone. Since then, he'd rarely come home.
...
Gu Chao and Song Weiwei's scandal was everywhere, stalling the production schedule. After a long, tedious day at work, An Ruo returned early to the seaside villa.
"Why is the young mistress home so early today?" Butler Xu took her handbag and coat.
"Light workload today. Nothing much to do, so I thought I'd come back early."
"Perfect timing. The young master came home early too. I was just saying, you two arriving one after the other—it's like you have a telepathic connection."
An Ruo raised an eyebrow. "He's back too?"
"Yes, but even though he's early, he's still in the study working."
Butler Xu had the kitchen start dinner half an hour early. An Ruo grabbed some fruit and knocked on the study door.
"Come in."
Hearing the response, An Ruo pushed the door open.
The man was buried in documents at his desk. The girl walked over and set the fruit plate beside him.
"Why are you home so early today?"
At the sound of her voice, the man looked up. His furrowed brow immediately softened into a faint smile as he leaned back lazily.
"Mrs. Shen is home early today too."
Calling her Mrs. Shen again...
An Ruo picked up a toothpick and handed it to him. "You saw the news about CEO Gu and Miss Song, right? Their scandal is blowing up. The crew couldn't handle the public pressure, so they've temporarily suspended filming. I had nothing to do, so I came back early to keep you company."
The man raised a sharp, handsome eyebrow. "Mm, I like hearing that."
"You go ahead and work. I'll check on Xiaoche and make sure he's studying."
"His grades are so stable, he could ace his way into a top university with ease. You'd be better off supervising me."
An Ruo bit into a piece of apple and chuckled. "How is he the same as you?"
"How is he different?"
"You're the big CEO of a company. He's at a critical crossroads in life right now—can't afford any mistakes."