Unmatched Chapter 3
byChapter 3 Throwing a Tantrum
Zhao Shuyi is bisexual, but his Grandfather is not, and he figured the marriage arrangement the Old Master chose must be with a woman.
Several socialite heiresses flashed through his mind, but Zhao Shuyi instinctively felt none of them were the one.
Ye Zhao, the secretary driving in the front, heard the question and answered with noticeable hesitation, “This… I don’t know who it is. The Chairman didn’t mention it.”
“Didn’t mention it?” Zhao Shuyi didn’t believe him.
Ye Zhao was qualified to listen in on the conversation just now, which meant he was the Old Master’s confidant and couldn’t possibly be unaware.
But if he wasn’t saying anything, there was a reason for it. Zhao Shuyi didn’t want to pressure him or appear too curious. He had just asked casually; this rotten marriage wouldn’t happen anyway, so he didn’t care who it was.
The car moved forward in silence, stopping shortly in front of a white villa.
—They had arrived home.
Zhao Shuyi knew why the Old Master had locked him up here: it was so that every morning when he opened the window, he could see the Chaoyang Group headquarters building across the lake—to keep an eye on the “big picture” and Self-Reflect properly.
Zhao Shuyi had been here a few times and entered the door easily. Although the villa was vacant, it was regularly cleaned. The green plants in the yard showed signs of recent trimming, with raindrops still clinging to the leaves, and the scent of soil and grass was rich.
Zhao Shuyi took a light sniff and heard footsteps following him. He glanced back. “Secretary Ye, aren’t you leaving?”
Ye Zhao, refined and scholarly, pushed up his glasses and said, “The Chairman asked me to accompany you.”
Zhao Shuyi scoffed, “Accompany me? You mean watch me.”
Ye Zhao neither confirmed nor denied it. Zhao Shuyi thought he wouldn’t say anything more and walked straight to the door to enter the code. Just then, the person behind him suddenly spoke, “The Chairman meant that I will be serving you from now on.”
Zhao Shuyi looked at him in surprise, “I don’t lack a secretary.”
And he certainly didn’t lack a personal monitor.
Ye Zhao sensed his resistance, paused, and then confessed, “Actually, the Chairman is ill.”
“What?”
“Liver cancer. He has been undergoing treatment for over half a year, and the situation is not optimistic.”
“…”
Zhao Shuyi was stunned. “Really?”
“Yes, that’s why he hastily arranged your Marriage Arrangement.” Ye Zhao lowered his voice. “There’s a bunch of old foxes on the Board of Directors. The Chairman said they are cooperating with your Internal Investigation now because he is keeping them in check. If he were to pass away one day, those greedy old things would use any means necessary to deal with you…”
Zhao Shuyi was speechless for a moment.
“He said you are only in your twenties, lack seniority and prestige, and have no one reliable by your side. The family involved in the Marriage Alliance is a major family that can offer support. This is the last thing he can do for you.”
“…”
The door was already open, but Zhao Shuyi stood frozen, forgetting to step inside. It took him a long time to recover from his state of speechlessness. “Why didn’t you say this earlier?”
Ye Zhao’s expression was guarded.
Zhao Shuyi’s mind raced. “My Second Uncle? Does he know?”
Ye Zhao nodded.
“Alright, I understand.” Zhao Shuyi pressed his right hand against the door frame, gripping it so hard his knuckles turned white, and his wrist, exposed outside his suit sleeve, trembled slightly.
Ye Zhao watched him silently.
—The calm before the storm.
The news of Zhao Fengli’s serious illness could not be made public, or the Chaoyang Group would immediately face upheaval.
But upheaval was inevitable, whether today or tomorrow.
When that time came, the struggle for power and profit would be unavoidable. Not only the Founding Elders on the Board of Directors, but even the Zhao Family’s own members would fail to maintain a united front.
That was why the Marriage Alliance was necessary.
Zhao Shuyi remained silent for a moment, then suddenly asked, “What did the doctor say?”
Ye Zhao answered truthfully, “Three months, six months at most.”
Zhao Shuyi nodded.
He had regained his composure, suppressing his grief and worry. He efficiently took out his phone and instructed his assistant to send over his computer, clothes, and sleeping pills from his home.
Ye Zhao couldn’t help himself. “If you agree to the marriage, you won’t have to be confined here.”
Zhao Shuyi walked upstairs without looking back, searching for a bedroom. “Just a few more days of confinement. I need to consider it.”
Ye Zhao was speechless.
Given the gravity of the situation, he still needed to consider it. Heaven knew if he failed to see the seriousness of the problem or if he had other plans.
Ye Zhao didn’t press him, silently accompanying him like a caretaker.
For three whole days, Zhao Shuyi stayed in his room, rarely coming downstairs unless absolutely necessary.
He asked again who the Marriage Alliance partner was. Ye Zhao, following the Old Master’s instructions, didn’t dare to say directly, instead beating around the bush to Give a Heads-up. “This person… I’m afraid you won’t like them.”
Zhao Shuyi was dressed casually at home, leaning against the doorway in loose pajamas, speaking carelessly, “What, are they ugly?”
“Not ugly.”
“Very old?”
“Not old either. They’re younger than you.”
“Then why wouldn’t I like them? Poor character? Bad personality?”
“This…”
Ye Zhao gave an awkward smile. “I’m not entirely sure. I heard they might have had some past grievances with you.”
Zhao Shuyi was puzzled. “I haven’t had any grievances with girls, have I?”
He thought back for a long time, then a light bulb went off, and he suddenly remembered. “It couldn’t be Xie—”
Ye Zhao was startled.
“Xie Yuran?” Zhao Shuyi judged from the secretary’s expression that he had guessed correctly, and he suddenly understood. “So it’s her. No wonder my mother suddenly mentioned Xie Qi that day, it was so random.”
“…”
Xie Yuran was Xie Qi’s half-sister.
Unlike the Zhao Family, where everyone was isolated and single, Xie Qi’s father, Xie Jianhe, was quite the philanderer, with countless lovers and Illegitimate Children popping up like mushrooms after the rain, one after another.
Although there were many Illegitimate Children, few managed to enter the Xie Family. Xie Yuran was the only one among them to be officially recognized, and the reason was simple: she knew how to please Xie Qi.
Her method of pleasing Xie Qi was also simple: cause trouble for Zhao Shuyi.
—The source of the grievance dated back to kindergarten.
Back then, Xie Qi and Zhao Shuyi were in the same early education class, which shouldn’t have been the case, as Xie Qi was a year younger than Zhao Shuyi.
A one-year difference is nothing in adulthood, but for toddlers just learning to walk and talk, it was a world of difference.
Xie Qi considered himself a child prodigy, learning everything faster than the other children.
That is, until he met Zhao Shuyi. When he proudly showed off his newly mastered English words while munching on a chocolate bar, Zhao Shuyi gave him no face whatsoever, coldly commenting, “You should learn Chinese first, little brother. You can’t even speak clearly; you have a lisp.”
Xie Qi was stunned.
It was hard to say whether Zhao Shuyi’s aggression was too strong or his self-esteem was too fragile, but he burst into tears and hated Zhao Shuyi from then on.
Their antagonistic relationship lasted from kindergarten through primary school, which is when Xie Yuran appeared.
Zhao Shuyi didn’t know the internal affairs of the Xie Family, he just suddenly noticed a little girl accompanying Xie Qi.
This girl was purely wicked. She heard that Xie Qi hated Zhao Shuyi, so she aided and abetted him, constantly stuffing caterpillars into Zhao Shuyi’s textbooks.
—She was a little girl who wasn’t afraid of bugs, yet she foolishly thought Zhao Shuyi would be.
Zhao Shuyi was certainly not afraid. He collected the live insects, put them into a clear plastic water bottle, and once it was full, he personally presented it to Xie Qi as a gift.
The Xie siblings were so terrified they jumped and ran around wildly.
Zhao Shuyi left with a triumphant “Idiot,” having won a great victory.
Similar incidents were numerous. Later, they entered the same middle school, growing from short primary schoolers into young men and women.
In the third year of junior high, Xie Yuran, for some unknown reason, suddenly acted out of character and brought Zhao Shuyi breakfast.
Zhao Shuyi worried she was trying to poison him, rejected her multiple times, and warned, “It’s useless. Don’t be so childish.”
Xie Yuran was shy and hesitant. “Shuyi Gege, I—I like you. Can you be my boyfriend?”
Zhao Shuyi looked like he had seen a ghost.
Before he could respond, Xie Qi dragged Xie Yuran away.
It was said the siblings had a huge fight afterward. Zhao Shuyi didn’t know what they argued about, but he guessed Xie Qi was furious because his sister had “betrayed” him.
In any case, Xie Yuran never bothered Zhao Shuyi again after that.
Years later, they were all adults, and childhood grievances were hardly worth mentioning.
Unlike Xie Qi, who continued his hostility with Zhao Shuyi into adulthood, Xie Yuran and Zhao Shuyi had very little interaction. When he thought of her, he couldn’t recall much.
—Was he really going to marry her?
Based purely on background, the Xie Family was indeed suitable, but wouldn’t it be too awkward?
Zhao Shuyi definitely didn’t want to be Xie Qi’s brother-in-law.
Moreover, if he remembered correctly, Xie Yuran currently had boyfriends, and not just one.
“…”
Zhao Shuyi fell silent.
He confined himself to the bedroom, spending his days gazing out the window.
Ye Zhao felt he was unhappy, but he never saw any expression of sadness on his face.
All the Zhao Family members had peculiar temperaments. Zhao Shuyi hadn’t even called his sick Grandfather once.
The Old Master also didn’t ask about the situation here, as if they were mutually indifferent, just waiting for each other’s choice.
On the fifth day of his confinement, Zhao Shuyi finally couldn’t sit still anymore.
He walked down the stairs. “Secretary Ye.”
Ye Zhao, who was on the sofa, quickly stood up.
Zhao Shuyi said, “I can’t go out, but there’s no problem with having someone come in to meet, right?”
Ye Zhao nodded. What problem could there be? If Zhao Shuyi insisted, he couldn’t stop him.
Zhao Shuyi must have made a decision in secret, for he said, “Can you help me contact Xie Yuran?” Then he immediately changed his mind. “Forget it, I’ll talk to Xie Qi instead.”
Ye Zhao instantly became nervous, the truth stuck in his throat, making his heart tremble. “Are you suggesting?”
Zhao Shuyi waved his hand, signaling that Ye Zhao was dismissed. “I’ll call him myself.”
Ye Zhao was speechless.
The number of times Zhao Shuyi had proactively contacted Xie Qi was extremely rare.
Of course, Xie Qi didn’t contact him either.
Therefore, every time they connected, it was for a reason, and Xie Qi wouldn’t completely refuse to show face; he would come when necessary.
Zhao Shuyi was unusually polite, saying in the call that he needed to meet in person. Xie Qi agreed readily but then proceeded to Throw a Tantrum when it came to execution—they had agreed on the morning, but he only arrived late in the evening.
When the doorbell finally rang, Zhao Shuyi was already impatient from waiting.
He told Ye Zhao to open the door and sat on the sofa, uncharacteristically pouring two cups of hot tea himself.
A moment later, accompanied by approaching footsteps, a familiar male voice came from behind him, carrying a cool, mocking tone:
“Zhao Shuyi, the sun must be rising in the west today. Why did you call me?”