Sun Rain Chapter 4
byOne night passed, and it was just dawn when Fu Xuanliao woke up.
He washed up in the private room of the club and put on the three-piece suit prepared by the police last night. When he opened the door and went out, he met Gao Lecheng who had returned from the spa room.
“It’s so early, don’t you want to sleep more?”
Frowning at the pungent scent of his friend, Fu Xuanxiao took a step aside: “No, the company is holding a regular meeting.”
“Hey, Mr. Fu is online.” Gao Lecheng closed his tight bathrobe to cover up the smell and sighed, “If I have half your ambition, my dad will laugh out of his dreams.”
In fact, Fu Xuanxiao doesn’t like to be called “Mr. Fu”. Firstly, it sounds like “Vice President”, and secondly, he has no interest in this industry. Taking on this important task is just to rush to the shelves, and he is forced to do nothing.
So when he received a video call from his father Fu Qiming early in the morning, he said “tsk”, and his tone was not very good when he picked up the call: “Good morning, Mr. Fu, welcome to inspect the work at the grassroots level.”
Fu Qiming was choked. Taking into account the dignity of his elders, he didn’t get angry easily. He just asked him: “How are you preparing for Monday’s regular meeting?”
“Let’s make do.” Fu Xuanxiao said, “If you are worried, come back and take over early so that I can take a breather.”
Seeing the luxurious background wall in the video, Fu Qiming snorted: “I see that you are taking in more air than you are going out, and it is very moisturizing.”
Unable to continue chatting, the phone was handed over to her mother Jiang Rong. She switched the camera to the rear, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window to show Fu Xuanxiao the sunset in the southern hemisphere, and whispered advice: “Your dad is very strict. Yesterday, he was worried that you would be too busy by yourself, and said that he would send Lao Liu to assist you.”
Fu Xuanxiao quickly refused: “That’s not necessary. Uncle Liu is stricter than my father. If he comes, I really won’t be able to breathe.”
Jiang Rong smiled: “You, like your father, are very tough-tongued.”
She knew her son better than her mother, and she understood Fu Xuanxiao’s plan – Uncle Liu was Fu Qiming’s right-hand man, and the Fu family had business abroad to take care of, so Fu Xuanxiao would not be so ignorant as to let his parents worry about him.
Speaking of expanding overseas business, Jiang Rong said in a relaxed tone: “Everything is going well. Your dad is not busy when he is in China. He walks with me every day. The climate here is warm and the air is good. After a follow-up visit last week, the doctor said that I am recovering well.”
Seeing that his mother’s complexion was rosy and that what she said was true, Fu Xuanxiao felt relieved: “That’s good, wait until this time is over…forget it, let’s talk about it after we finish our work. Mr. Fu will just leave. He doesn’t care about Mr. Fu’s life or death.”
Jiang Rong was so amused that she laughed.
It was rare to relax, so Fu Xuanxiao found a quiet place in the lobby of the club and watched the scenery with his mother for a while.
“Then when you come back, will you be alone or two people?” Jiang Rong asked slowly and softly.
Fu Xuanxiao pretended to be stupid: “Where do you want me to transform into a living person and come with me?”
With dim eyes, Jiang Rong remembered that a long time ago, Fu Xuanxiao was also a cheerful person. He also brought Shi Mu to play at home during the winter and summer vacations, intentionally or unintentionally asking what the family thought: “Mom, what do you think of Shi Mu?”
At that time, she only thought that a teenage boy loved and hated her like the wind, which was not true at all.
Jiang Rong sighed: “If you are unhappy, don’t go to Shi’s house.”
Fu Xuanxiao was stunned.
“It was your parents who were incompetent and the company ran into problems. In order to tide over the difficulties, they allowed you to sign that kind of contract, which caused you to be trapped in Shi’s family for so long.” As she spoke, Jiang Rong’s voice was choked with sobs.
As a mother, Jiang Rong believed that she had failed.Not only was she unable to protect her son, but she also allowed him to stand up and support the whole family. Later, in those days when she was on the sickbed, in order to make herself feel better, she even deceived herself into thinking that Shi Mu and Shi Meng were brothers, and they looked very similar, so Fu Xuanliao would definitely like them.
Now that I think about it, how selfish it is.
Turning to face the window and looking at the busy traffic outside, Fu Xuanxiao said: “It’s all in the past, why bother mentioning it.”
“It’s not too late now. Now that the company is on the right track, we have discussed that we can maintain the status quo. The money we borrowed from the Shi family has been repaid, and we no longer owe them.” Jiang Rong rarely showed urgency and spoke faster. “Your father and I will come forward together when the time comes. Considering the years of friendship and the current business relationship between the two families, the Shi family will definitely give some face and won’t force it anymore.”
The silence lasted for half a minute, and Fu Xuanxiao pretended to smile lightly: “Mom, don’t make such a joke.”
“Mom is not kidding.” Jiang Rong wiped the water stains from the corners of her eyes with her fingertips, adjusted her state, and calmly recounted the conclusion reached after careful consideration, “Besides, the contract was signed in a hurry and full of loopholes. Even if we go through legal procedures, we will definitely destroy this ridiculous agreement and give you your freedom.”
At this time, on the other side, Shi Meng woke up, straightened up and twisted his stiff and painful neck, bent his knees to stand up, only to see his feet on the floor were turned purple from the cold, and he wrapped them in his palms for a long time before he recovered.
The rules of the Shi family include having breakfast with the whole family on weekday mornings, and the meal was already in session when Shi Meng came downstairs.
Shi Huai also seemed to have just come back from outside. He sat down without taking off his coat. Even though he was outside doing whatever he wanted, he was just a husband who stayed out all night and was always a little weak in front of his wife.
But Shi Meng’s presence at the table was just adding fuel to the fire. Shi Sihui only came home during holidays. The three of them stood apart at the huge dining table. No matter how much Li Bihan saved face, it would be difficult for her to look as good as in front of outsiders.
Before the chair was warm, Li Bihan asked: “Master didn’t stay at home yesterday?”
Shi Meng said “hmm”.
Shi Huai also asked: “Did Xiaofu come yesterday?”
“Yeah, I met him outside and asked him to come sit with me. I thought he would stay at home for one night.”
Li Bihan picked up the cup and took a sip of juice, then looked at Shi Meng, “Speaking of which, this is different from your mother. If it were her, she would never let people leave like this.”
Shi Huaiyi almost lost his temper with his light words.
Later, Li Bihan left the table early after finishing the meal. Shi Huai also regained his airs as the head of the family and asked Shi Meng if he had been in contact with his biological mother recently.
Shi Meng said no, and Shi Huai nodded: “Stop interacting with her, don’t be led astray by her.”
Shi Meng lowered his eyes and said nothing, thinking that he was dissatisfied. Shi Huai also said: “Your aunt just blames me and has no bad intentions towards you. You should get closer to her more often.”
Seeing that Shi Meng still had no reaction, Shi Huai seemed to want to say something more, and his words turned into a sigh: “She has not had it easy these years, don’t be angry with her.”
Shi Meng has always been slow to respond to messages he doesn’t want to receive.
For example, the conversation at the dinner table in the morning, it was not until two hours later when he was standing in the cafe of the exhibition hall that he came back to his thoughts and told the person sitting opposite him with some confusion: “Father asked me not to be angry with her.”
There was a “pop” sound, and the woman with exquisite makeup slapped the menu in her hand on the table: “Why can’t you be angry? She is not your biological mother!”
The commotion was quite large, attracting the side glances of the guests dining in the hall. Only Shi Meng remained calm, lowering his head and continuing to stir the coffee.
The woman was obviously used to his calm demeanor of always staying out of things, and she made up her own mind: “I think you should move out. Anyway, there is no shortage of money, and the two paintings in the hall were sold at high prices just now. If you find it troublesome to look at the house, just move to my place. The door of Sister Xue’s house will always be open to you.”
The woman who calls herself Sister Xue is named Jiang Xue. She is Shi Meng’s partner and the only person who can be called a friend.
Jiang Xue is twenty-seven years old, three years older than Shi Meng.It is said that it is difficult for two people with completely opposite personalities to get along peacefully, but they have had minor conflicts over the years, but they have never had a quarrel.
The reason for this is that Meng is sometimes cold-tempered and can’t quarrel with anyone, and it’s also because the other has seen the two of them in their most desolate state.In short, from the painter and Bole, to the painter and agent, the two people like ice and fire supported each other and miraculously became friends who talked about everything.
“No, it’s good to live at home.” However, no matter how good friends are, they have to keep a distance. Shi Meng refused, “Besides, there are differences between men and women. If I move there, it will delay your love.”
Jiang Xue, who had long made up her mind to play with the world, shrugged and said, “You don’t have to use the word ‘love’ to describe ‘hook up’ for me. No man in the world is worthy of it.” He turned the handle of the spoon and winked at Shi Meng who looked up, “—except you.”
This time we made an appointment near the exhibition hall, not only to supervise the auction situation, but also to discuss the next work arrangements.
When it comes to work, Jiang Xue suddenly turns into an old father who hates iron and steel: “You said that you have no ambition at all, and your painting skills are useless. Those young painters of your generation are squeezing their heads to grab the booths on holidays. How about you specially ask people to arrange it on weekdays when there is less traffic, for fear that the funder’s father will be able to see if he has eyes?”
Shi Meng had a slight cold, his eyebrows were indifferent, and his expression was bleak: “I’m not free during the holidays.”
“Yeah, yeah, I know you’re busy on Saturday, and on Sunday, you’re rushing to deliver paintings to Lao Sun, so that he can make the difference with the middleman.”
“Teacher Sun did not make any profit from it.”
Jiang Xue chuckled and said, “That’s right. He has already done such things that ruined artistic ethics. If he still wants to stay in this circle, he can only settle down.”
Shi Meng said: “Teacher Sun may not have known about what happened back then.”
Jiang Xue’s firecracker was caught off guard and was lit: “Okay, let’s just pretend that he doesn’t know anything. Not counting your stepmother who is not related to you by blood. What about your parents? Do they really know nothing and just watch you being bullied?”
She spoke very fast and sharply, and every sentence hit the point, “And that man named Fu, have you forgotten what he did to you back then?”
Coffee goes from piping hot to ice cold in just ten minutes.
Jiang Xuebie turned around to calm down her breathing, and when she turned around, she had regained her composure.
“Sorry, I always bring my experiences to you.” Her eyes were still red, Jiang Xue smiled reluctantly, “As a friend, I really don’t expect you to be nice.”
“…No.”
She is ignorant of the world, and knows that Jiang Xue will be confused if she cares. After all, she has had a similar experience, and her reckless reluctance ended in a disastrous outcome. Whether as a person who has experienced it or as a friend, she does not want to see him make the same mistake again.
Although Shi Meng is slow, he has the ability to distinguish who is good to him and who is bad to him.
“He… was very good to me when I was young,” Shi Meng said.
Jiang Xue rolled her eyes crazily: “I know it well, you can talk about it over and over again for the rest of your life, right?”
Shi Meng pursed his lips, remembering being hugged against the wall and kissed by Fu Xuanxiao yesterday, and spoke again: “He has been very nice to me recently.”
Jiang Xue took out a piece of paper and blew her nose, then gave up the persuasion: “Okay, okay, as long as you say yes.”
The two talked about something else.
Although most of the time, Shi Meng was immersed in his own world and ignored irrelevant things, but this morning when Shi Huai also used the word “bring bad”, what Shi Meng thought of was – since she is so bad, why did you keep her?
When he told Jiang Xue this doubt, he received another eye roll: “She is beautiful.”
Secular and straightforward, Shi Meng nodded in realization. Jiang Xue was worried for him when he saw it: “You too, you have the face of a femme fatale, but you are not careful. Be careful of the people around you, including the person named Fu. Don’t think that everything will be fine with just a contract.”
“He won’t.” Shi Meng said.
Jiang Xue looked him up and down: “It seems like you two are getting along really well these days?”
In fact, Shi Meng had confidence in Fu Xuanxiao’s character. He had been upright and upright since he was a child, and never did anything that broke the moral bottom line.However, recalling everything that happened in the past two days, Shi Meng still said “hmm”.
“Then you still have a cold?”
“I forgot to close the window at night.”
“What about the previous nightclub incident?”
“That’s not a nightclub, it’s a private club.” Shi Meng stated the investigation results seriously, “He went there to discuss business, just for fun.”
Jiang Xue narrowed her eyes, still full of doubts.
After only a moment of panic, Shi Meng quickly found new evidence: “He changed his name for me.”
“Oh?” Jiang Xue became interested, “What did it change to?”
Shi Meng raised his hand and touched his face. The warm touch was still there in his palm. The pad of his other finger pressed tightly against the wall of the cup, as if this could extract a little sweetness from the long night.
“Baby.” Mimicking a familiar tone, Shi Meng would rather believe that Fu Xuanxiao’s heart and mind were united at that moment, “He called me baby.”