He got up, picked up the half bottle of soda water from the bedside table, and took a few sips, tilting his head back.
Zhong Yi thought he would rinse his mouth but he swallowed instead.
Coming back to her senses from the tingling, she opened her arms toward him.
Finally, she took the initiative to ask for a hug.
Zhou Shiyi put down the soda bottle and bent to hold her close.
Zhong Yi leaned on his chest. The familiar him, at last, had come back tonight.
***
The next afternoon, Kuncheng Motors held another senior management meeting.
The launch of a mid-range SUV originally scheduled for early July was moved up to early June.
The kun Series had been Kuncheng’s best-selling model in recent years. This year’s latest generation featured a full overhaul—from interior to front headlights and exterior design.
High-end models currently held no competitive advantage, so Zhou Shiyi decided to release the kun Series early.
Du asked, “What’s the exact date for the launch? Which day in June?”
Zhou Shiyi replied simply, “To be determined.”
Du frowned, “Even you are keeping it secret from me?”
That’s not possible. How could he leak the news?
He had been with Kuncheng since graduation, working his way up step by step. He’d been with Kuncheng longer than with his own wife.
Zhou Shiyi: “I don’t know myself.”
Du:
Zhou Shiyi wasn’t sure if Yan Tinglin would stay. If he agreed to join the Kuncheng Project, they’d announce his involvement first, then set the launch date.
After leaving the meeting room with Du, Zhou Shiyi returned to his office, where his father was waiting.
Zhou Yunlian had been following the price war between Kuncheng Motors and Ruichi.
In their generation, business battles were completely different—back then, they were more restrained; now it felt like they wanted to strangle each other.
He had seen Shen Chi’s trending hashtag, his son practically adding his name to the phrase.
“Try not to move up the kun launch.”
Zhou Shiyi sat across from his father. “I have my reasons for moving it earlier.”
Two cups of tea sat on the coffee table. He slid one toward his father. “What’s going on with Mom?”
If it was purely business, his father’s secretary would have informed him to come over.
His father showing up at his office meant, most likely, it was a family matter.
Zhou Yunlian: “Your mother wants a divorce.”
Zhou Shiyi wasn’t surprised at all and calmly asked, “Why?”
Zhou Yunlian hesitated, “She asked me to confess to past relationships. If I didn’t, she wouldn’t agree. When I did confess, she still wants the divorce.”
A bolt from the blue. No one knew what Jiang Jingyuan had been saying, but he claimed his wife had multiple past relationships.
Zhou Shiyi: “Then let her leave.”
“What kind of son says that?”
Zhou Yunlian rubbed his nose bridge, “With your mom’s temper, I haven’t even gotten tired of her yet.”
Zhou Shiyi sipped his tea, “So after all that, you just don’t want to divorce, right?”
Zhou Yunlian really didn’t want a divorce, or he wouldn’t have come to see his son.
Zhou Shiyi: “You came to the wrong person. It’s useless asking me. Even if you sob and vow to change, Mom won’t see it.”
Zhou Yunlian sat there, heart sinking. This was his good son—never caring about him, only mocking him.
Zhou Shiyi put down his cup and stood, pulling two concert tickets from his drawer.
Too much happened yesterday; he hadn’t given these to his mother yet.
He handed the tickets to his father. “Take Mom to the concert.”
Zhou Yunlian glanced at the tickets. It was for Lù Chéng’s concert.
“I’ve never listened to Lù Chéng’s songs.”
“Before you took over the team, Mom never watched the F1 Grand Prix either.”
Zhou Yunlian was silent.
Zhou Shiyi explained why Lù Chéng had terminated his contract with his original agency, then said, “The F1 team owner appearing at the concert with his wife will add buzz. If Mom sees you still care about me, maybe she’ll forgive you a bit more.”
Zhou Yunlian was speechless.
Because that was the truth.
Now, to his wife, he only served as someone fighting for their son’s interests.
Zhou Shiyi asked if there was anything else: “I have to get busy.”
Zhou Yunlian reminded him, “Be careful with the price war against Shen Chi. Don’t let it spiral out of control.”
“I know what I’m doing.”
Zhou Yunlian left, still staring at the tickets until the elevator doors closed.
Convincing him to accompany Shi Fanyin to the concert was a difficult excuse to make.
After thinking it over, he could only say it was Zhong Yi’s filial piety; not going would be betraying the child’s feelings.
***
Meanwhile, Zhong Yi sneezed twice during the meeting, hurriedly covering her nose, nearly tearing up.
Níng Quē asked with concern, “Are you sick?”
Zhong Yi shook her head. “It shouldn’t be.”
She hadn’t caught a cold at night.
With Zhou Shiyi by her side, she couldn’t possibly catch a cold.
This meeting was specially convened to discuss how to keep Yan Tinglin.
Jinghe’s Vice Chairman Jia, who oversaw chip operations, was also present, sharing his experience flying to the Bay Area to invite Yan Tinglin.
“He’s willing to talk, so there’s hope—but very slim.” Jia was knowledgeable about Yan Tinglin. “You can’t just use connections to convince him. It’s tough.”
Zhong Yi was fully aware and had long made plans: “From the 1st to the 3rd of next month, there’s a semiconductor expo in Shanghai. I plan to accompany Yan Tinglin.”
Jia: “Good. Jinghe has a booth there.”
He looked at Níng Quē. “You’ll go too.”
Níng Quē nodded, “Okay.”
***
On the 25th at noon, Níng Quē accompanied Zhong Yi and Zhou Shiyi to pick up the returning ancestor at the airport.
That night when Zhong Yi told Zhou Shiyi Yan Tinglin was coming back, he thought she was joking—until he saw Yan Tinglin’s post on Moments.
At 12:35, Yan Tinglin pushed two large suitcases out of customs.
He was alone, without anyone else.
Zhou Shiyi looked coolly at the newcomer—more dressed up than usual, wearing sunglasses, and his hair carefully styled.
A stranger might have thought he was back for a matchmaking.
Níng Quē hadn’t seen Yan Tinglin in six or seven years; they hugged.
“Finally back.”
“There’s someone waiting for me, so of course I have to come back. Not coming would only break hearts.”
“Shen Chi’s heart is already like a sieve, leaking everywhere.”
“Ha ha.”
Zhong Yi had specially bought fresh flowers for the airport and handed them to him.
“Welcome back.”
“Thank you.”
Yan Tinglin accepted them with both hands, “I’m flattered.”
Zhou Shiyi glanced at Yan Tinglin, noticing that he could actually speak properly to Zhong Yi now.
The group walked toward the exit.
Less than half a minute after receiving the flowers, Yan Tinglin passed them to Zhou Shiyi.
“Hold these for me. Hold tight.”
Zhou Shiyi:
Clearly showing off.
What else could he do but take them?
Yan Tinglin pulled out his phone, smiling at Zhong Yi.
“We haven’t exchanged contact info yet.”
Zhong Yi smiled back, apologetic, “I’ll add you.”
After adding him as a friend, Yan Tinglin changed his note on her contact and casually unpinned that Moments post he’d pinned.
He had originally pinned it because life felt dull and that post was interesting.
All his life, he’d been the one rejecting others.
Now, fate had made him taste being rejected.
No one but Zhou Shiyi and Níng Quē knew who had rejected Yan Tinglin.
Zhong Yi and Níng Quē walked ahead, discussing parameter adjustments.
Yan Tinglin tilted his head and asked Zhou Shiyi, “Back when Zhong Yi deleted you, who added whom first afterward?”
Zhou Shiyi glanced at him, “I’ve been holding back on you these past few days.”
Yan Tinglin laughed heartily, suddenly feeling life was interesting again.