Chapter 38: The Father-in-Law’s Admiration
A cool breeze swept through the small town after the rain. Seasons always seem to change faster in the mountains than in the city.
Standing in front of Pu Huaiyan, Shan Dai felt as if she were facing a mountain transitioning between seasons. It was impossible not to sense the overwhelming affection emanating from him. Even though she was the one who had gotten divorced, he seemed far more hung up on the whole meal than she was.
Shan Dai was laughing inwardly. She guessed he wanted to meet her family so badly that he’d love to propose today and get their marriage certificate tomorrow.
The man’s shirt billowed like gentle waves in the wind. The young woman’s long hair drifted up and down gracefully, occasionally blowing across his chest and pressing tight against his heart.
Their eyes locked in a burning, intense gaze—a scorching contrast to the cool wind, as if they belonged to two entirely different worlds.
“Pu Huaiyan.”
“Hmm?” He tilted his head up slightly toward the sky, looking utterly content. “I like hearing you call me by my name. How about we add an Option D, then? As long as you keep calling me by my name from now on, I’m willing to leave today on an empty stomach. Gladly, too—no need for Madam to go against her conscience.”
“…” Shan Dai felt as though her very soul was swaying. He really didn’t want to make things difficult for her…
Taking a deep breath, she let out a soft, helpless laugh. “It’s too late to leave now. Since President Pu was brave enough to stay, then… I cordially invite you to join my parents for dinner.”
The corners of his lips curved upward as he looked at her. “Thank you.”
Hearing the sound of a car outside, Shan Dai endured her blushing face and quietly turned around to walk out.
Sure enough, a green taxi was driving up from the intersection about ten meters away. It gradually came to a stop in front of the house, and a middle-aged couple stepped out. Though dressed plainly, neither could hide the handsome and elegant features of their youth.
Just as the couple was about to call out to their daughter, they saw two men emerging from the house, one after another.
Shan Dai’s parents were instantly dumbfounded.
“Dai’dai, who are these two?” her father asked.
Her mother also looked at them with immense curiosity, then glanced at the black Bentley parked by the entrance. She didn’t know what brand of car it was, but one look told her it was extremely expensive.
Before Shan Dai could introduce them, Pu Huaiyan glanced at her and took the initiative to ask, pretending they didn’t already know each other: “Are you Uncle and Auntie?”
Shan Dai nodded silently.
Having caught the couple’s attentive gaze, Pu Huaiyan looked at them and spoke: “Hello, Uncle and Auntie. I’m Shan Dai’s friend. My surname is Pu, Pu Huaiyan. Our companies have a partnership, which is how we met. I came over these past two days to inspect work and meet with a few government officials. Since there was nowhere nearby to go, I took the liberty of dropping by. I just saw off a few people. I’m very sorry for intruding.”
After listening to him, Shan Dai’s parents smiled in sudden understanding. Her father, Shan Desong, said, “Mr. Pu, so you’re Dai’dai’s friend! Here inspecting work, young and promising indeed, young and promising! Come in, quick, please come inside and have a seat.”
Her father gestured, inviting him in.
Standing where she was, Shan Dai’s face burned like fire. It was as if her feet were glued to the ground, completely unable to move.
Pu Huaiyan looked back. “Dai’dai.”
Her parents turned around to look at her as well.
Putting on a smile, Shan Dai followed them inside.
As they walked, Shan Desong asked Pu Huaiyan, “Have you eaten yet, Mr. Pu? Did your meeting with them only just finish?”
“Yes, we haven’t had dinner yet. The talk didn’t take too long. My company’s lead project manager had already handled most of the communication over the last couple of days, so today’s meeting was just to walk through the formalities. Uncle, Auntie, did you just return from Chongzhou? I heard from Dai’dai that you two went over there.”
“Yes, we went to visit Dai’dai’s eldest uncle.” Hearing that Shan Dai was so familiar with him that he even knew her parents’ whereabouts, Shan Desong didn’t hide anything and sighed softly after speaking directly. “He was in a car accident.”
Pu Huaiyan looked at him with concern. “How is he doing?”
“He’s out of danger after the surgery. Before, they couldn’t find the perpetrator, so he almost didn’t have the money for the operation. Dai’dai’s aunt asked her to borrow a sum of money, and the surgery was successful. They caught the person a couple of days ago, too.” He smiled and gestured for Pu Huaiyan to sit. “It must have been exhausting for you to travel all this way.”
“Not at all.”
Her mother went to clear a few cups from the table. Li Zhou stepped in to help, but she quickly smiled and said, “Please, sit! You are both guests—guests in our home. Don’t stand on ceremony.”
“Auntie, there’s no need to be polite either. Mr. Pu and I were the ones who intruded so abruptly,” Li Zhou replied.
“Don’t say that, please don’t say that! Our home is humble; as long as you don’t mind it, that’s all that matters.” Smiling, the woman shook her head and headed to the kitchen to brew fresh tea.
Shan Dai didn’t know what she was supposed to be doing. She looked toward the kitchen, then at the living room, and finally at her father, who was sitting down with Pu Huaiyan. In the end, she suddenly blurted out, “The money I gave to Auntie was borrowed from President Pu.”
Her father froze for a moment, and Pu Huaiyan was taken aback as well.
Immediately, Shan Desong turned to Pu Huaiyan and said, “Really? You actually borrowed it from Mr. Pu? How can we ever thank you properly… for such a large sum of money.”
“There’s no need, it was a minor matter.” Pu Huaiyan cut off all of Shan Desong’s gratitude with a single sentence, his expression entirely sincere. “Uncle, please don’t stand on ceremony. Dai’dai and I are friends. Among friends, all of this is a minor matter, and there’s certainly no need to trouble you elders to express thanks. As long as your family is safe and healthy, nothing else is worth mentioning.”
Shan Desong broke into a broad smile, feeling deeply that this young man spoke in a truly extraordinary manner. His demeanor was polite, modest, and grand-minded—it was immensely pleasing to interact with him.
He nodded. “Alright, then I won’t say any more. I’ll have Dai’dai thank you later—taking you out for a meal or something. I’ll leave it to you young people to arrange.”
Pu Huaiyan smiled and nodded.
Shan Desong changed the subject, looking at him and Li Zhou. “Since you came here to inspect, do you have any investment projects in mind?” He gave a slight, self-deprecating laugh about his hometown. “Jincheng is a small place, and the development in the city proper is pretty average. The road leading to our county is even more rugged and bumpy. Everything here is quite ordinary.”
Pu Huaiyan said, “I’m thinking of building a section of road—roughly the stretch you mentioned, Uncle. Once it’s built, it will be much more convenient for you to travel to the city.”
Shan Desong stared straight at him in complete bewilderment, his gaze frozen.
Li Zhou smiled and introduced the situation to him: “Mr. Shan, Mr. Pu’s corporate group is called Yanxin Times. It’s a multinational conglomerate with its domestic headquarters in Beijing and a branch company in Lan City within the Jiangnan region. We plan to donate a sum of money to reconstruct the ten-kilometer road stretching from here to Jincheng’s urban area. We just finished discussions with the government departments; the proposal has already been submitted for approval. Since it’s fully funded by us, this is just a formal process that will be approved very quickly. The roadwork should start within a month or so. At that time, if you need to head into the city, you might have to take a detour for a day or two, but it will be finished very quickly.”
Shan Desong looked at Li Zhou in shock, then at Pu Huaiyan. His wife, carrying a pot of fresh tea from the kitchen, happened to catch these words as well.
The entire family stared at the two men sitting on the bench in sheer astonishment.
“Mr. Pu, this… you…” Shan Desong was completely rendered speechless.
Pu Huaiyan summarized it calmly once more: “I quite like Jincheng, Uncle. Even more so, I like this county town. I’ll likely come back here to visit in the future, so just treat it as me making preparations for myself. It’s a small matter, please don’t take it to heart.”
“This… heavens, this sum of money…” No matter how nonchalant Pu Huaiyan acted, Shan Desong simply couldn’t pretend nothing major was happening.
The atmosphere had clearly shifted. Relying on her parents alone to process this whole affair with Pu Huaiyan was going to be difficult.
At this point, Shan Dai spoke up in a soft voice: “Dad, have you guys eaten dinner yet?”
“Not yet,” her mother replied, quickly asking them, “You haven’t eaten either, right, Mr. Pu and Mr. Li?”
Shan Dai shook her head. “No. I was thinking… of having President Pu and Assistant Li stay for dinner… I didn’t expect you two to come back so soon.”
Shan Desong immediately stood up. “We have food! We have ingredients prepped for several days in the house. Since you were alone, you couldn’t have eaten it all. I’ll go cook!”
Pu Huaiyan stood up as well. “Uncle, please don’t be so polite. How could we possibly trouble you to cook? With so many people, why don’t I take you and Auntie out to eat instead?”
“No need, no need! Since you’re here, give your Uncle’s cooking a try—it’s not half bad.” He joked, “As long as you don’t mind it.”
“There’s no reason we would mind. It would be my absolute pleasure,” Pu Huaiyan replied instantly.
Smiles instantly crinkled the corners of Shan Desong’s eyes. “Then please have a seat, Mr. Pu and Mr. Li. Drink some tea.” He turned to Shan Dai and added, “Dai’dai, why don’t you take Mr. Pu and the others out for a short walk? You can come back to eat in a bit.”
Before Shan Dai could say anything, Pu Huaiyan spoke first: “Uncle, I won’t go out. I’ll help you and Auntie. Dropping by uninvited was already intruding, so I am truly sorry.”
Shan Desong was startled. Taking a step forward, he quickly turned back to stop him: “No, no! You’re an honored guest; how could a guest do the cooking? Don’t say anything about being sorry—there’s no need. It’s just a meal, and we’d have to make it for our own family anyway. Please rest, take a seat and have some tea…”
Shan Desong gently pressed him back down, then turned and walked briskly into the kitchen.
Li Zhou didn’t know whether he should step in or stay put. He stood awkwardly in the living room, glancing between the kitchen in the distance, Pu Huaiyan standing nearby, and Miss Shan…
Shan Dai cupped her burning cheeks and shared a meaningful look with Pu Huaiyan.
The man smiled faintly, raising an eyebrow.
Shan Dai signaled with her eyes: Should we head outside?
Frowning slightly, he shook his head and gestured with his chin toward the kitchen, his expression practically writing out: Your parents are cooking. How could I possibly leave?
Shan Dai let out a soft sigh and whispered, “Then you and Assistant Li sit tight. I’ll go help.”
She shuffled her feet over to the kitchen in tiny steps. The moment she entered, her mother immediately urged her to go out and keep the guests company.
Shan Dai felt that with her parents at home, she wouldn’t be able to chat freely with Pu Huaiyan anyway, so going outside or staying in didn’t make much difference.
Shaking her head, she said, “I wanted to let President Pu and Assistant Li talk about work. They just finished speaking with the government folks, so they should probably discuss things.”
“Oh, that makes sense. Sigh, that really is a massive sum of money,” her mother commented while washing the seafood.
Shan Dai held a bundle of garland chrysanthemum, trimming the leaves without saying a word.
A moment later, footsteps approached the kitchen entrance. Her parents looked over first, and Shan Dai turned her head only sluggishly.
“Mr. Pu, please go rest. You don’t need to help,” her mother said to him with a smile.
“Thank you for your hard work, Auntie.”
“It’s no trouble at all, no trouble at all!”
Seeing that Pu Huaiyan preferred to stay here with her, Shan Dai spoke to him, “Are you heading to the city proper tonight?”
Pu Huaiyan nodded. “Mm.” He looked at her from across half the kitchen, the meaning in his eyes abundantly clear: I’ll return to the city and wait for you.
He likely assumed that now that her parents were back, it wouldn’t be convenient for her to leave with him.
While plucking the withered leaves from her hands, Shan Dai said, “I’ll go with you guys. I’ll stay in the city for one night and leave together tomorrow. Otherwise, I’d have to take a taxi over anyway.”
Pu Huaiyan’s eyes brightened significantly.
Shan Dai turned her head and said to her parents, “Mom, Dad, since the weather is nice tonight, how about I head back today instead?”
“Whatever works for you; it depends on your work schedule,” her mother replied gently. “The weather has been unpredictable lately, and you’ve already been back for a few days. If it interferes with your work, go ahead and head back. In a few days, your dad and I will go to Chongzhou again to visit your eldest uncle, and we’ll stop by to see you guys while we’re at it.”
The “you guys” her mother referred to meant her and Lu Zhixing.
Shan Dai glanced awkwardly at Pu Huaiyan. His expression shifted—he had clearly picked up on it, too.
Unable to help herself, Shan Dai carried a handful of vegetable leaves over to the kitchen doorway. “Then after dinner, we’ll rest for a bit and head out together? I’ll hitch a ride in President Pu’s car.”
“Alright. Come with me,” he responded. Though his verbal answer addressed her question about hitching a ride, he was actually responding to the matter of her divorce.
Shan Dai understood every single word. At that moment, she realized that aside from the vast gap in their social status, they were actually quite compatible in every other aspect. She knew her own looks were quite good—more than enough to match President Pu’s face, which transcended CGI models—and her career was fairly impressive. Pu Huaiyan genuinely appreciated her business acumen as well. They could talk easily and keep a conversation going; they were two people who clicked remarkably well.
Stepping back inside, she placed the vegetables into the basket, then turned to look at the man at the doorway again. “Go rest. I happen to have something to discuss with you in the car tonight.”
Pu Huaiyan asked, “What is it?”
Shan Dai teased him openly right in front of her parents: “It’s definitely a good thing—a partnership that will earn President Pu money. Look forward to it!”
Pu Huaiyan: “…”
Both her parents laughed. Her father chided her lightly, “Listen to this girl talk—so completely lacking in manners.”
Pu Huaiyan couldn’t bear to hear any “scolding” directed at her. He instinctively said, “Uncle, not at all. I’m only two years older than Dai’dai; I hardly deserve such formal deference.”
Shan Desong chuckled. “You see? Truly young and promising.”
Staring at the young woman’s graceful and slender back, Pu Huaiyan remarked nonchalantly, “Inheriting a family business doesn’t compare in the slightest to Dai’dai’s graduation and starting her own company. You overpraise me, Uncle.”
“Look at that—such modest words! This young man is far too humble.” Although Shan Desong was immensely proud of his daughter, he genuinely admired his demeanor and speech. To possess such eloquence and career success at this age earned him great favor. He also knew that if it weren’t for coincidence, how could a small, rundown house like theirs, or an ordinary citizen like him, ever have the chance to meet and converse with a person of his stature? It would have been utterly impossible.
After washing the vegetables, Shan Dai stepped outside anyway and invited Pu Huaiyan and Assistant Li to take a walk in the backyard to enjoy the view.
The backyard was reached via a small path alongside the front courtyard. The garden was lush with greenery, filled with many flowers planted by Shan Dai’s mother, as well as a modest grape trellis bearing plump clusters of green grapes.
There was also a small chicken coop housing a few egg-laying hens. Beyond the garden lay vast fields of crops. The air after the rain was exceptionally fresh. Though the mountains over a thousand meters away were clearly visible, they were still quite distant.
Shan Dai picked a few grapes and placed them in Pu Huaiyan’s palm. “See? That’s why we don’t have natural disasters here. Still, with only crops and fruit trees nearby, it’s pretty desolate and barren.”
Holding a cluster of grapes in his hands, Assistant Li ate happily as he said, “Miss Shan, if you turned this place into a resort, I bet you could make quite a profit. Adapting to local conditions—living off the mountains if you’re near mountains, living off the sea if you’re near the sea—it would work out great!”
Shan Dai smiled, swallowing a grape. “Assistant Li, you really live up to coming from a major corporate group—you certainly know how to talk and analyze. There actually is a resort up on the mountain. I think it opened a couple of years ago, and it hasn’t gone out of business yet. It’s just that I’ve been too busy these past two years to check out the hype.”
Pu Huaiyan leaned in and whispered in her ear, “You’ve never been there with Lu Zhixing?”
“…” Pouting her lips, she shoved a whole cluster of grapes into his hands. “Don’t open a pot that isn’t boiling!”1
He let out a low laugh, picked a few grapes off the stem, and held them up to her lips.
Just as Shan Dai was about to take them with her hands, he said, “It’s not like I haven’t fed you before.”
Shan Dai: “…”
Li Zhou turned his head to look elsewhere, pretending to notice nothing.
Shan Dai lowered her voice. “This is my house, President Pu! If the farmers working over there see this, my reputation will be ruined tomorrow!”
He chuckled softly and obediently stood straight.
About half an hour later, her mother came out to call the three of them in for dinner.
Shan Dai sat next to her mother. Pu Huaiyan sat one seat away from her, while Li Zhou sat beside Shan Desong.
As soon as Pu Huaiyan took his seat, he said, “Visiting so abruptly today was an intrusion upon you, Uncle and Auntie. Troubling you to cook and host us personally makes me truly embarrassed, and I’m deeply grateful.”
Shan Desong waved off his words with a look. “Don’t say another word about that. Eat, eat! If you didn’t have to drive later, Uncle would have loved to share a couple of drinks with you. Do you usually drink, Mr. Pu?”
Pu Huaiyan nodded, his tone gentle. “I was only worried about intruding again next time. Otherwise, when I come over next time, I’ll bring a few bottles of liquor so I can have a proper drink with you, Uncle.”
Shan Desong’s face instantly lit up with a massive smile. “I just feel that our home is really too small and rundown. It must be uncomfortable for youngsters from Beijing like you, having to eat simple home-cooked meals. Otherwise, what intrusion could there possibly be? My son-in-law—I don’t know if you know him—is from Lan City. The first time he came over, he was just as polite as you.”
Shan Dai: “…”
Li Zhou felt the most awkward person at the dinner table. As someone who knew everything yet didn’t need to speak, he felt too embarrassed to even extend his chopsticks at this moment.
Just as Pu Huaiyan was about to respond, Shan Dai suddenly looked at her parents and spoke: “Mom, Dad…”
“Hmm?” Her mother raised her head, using serving chopsticks to place food on the guests’ plates while looking at her.
Her father looked over as well, full of smiles. “Right, does Zhixing know Mr. Pu? He probably does, right?”
Shan Dai said, “Lu Zhixing works at Yanxin Times. President Pu is the boss of Yanxin Times—which means he is Lu Zhixing’s boss.”
Both parents gasped, turning their heads once more to stare intently at Pu Huaiyan.
Before they could offer polite pleasantries or praise Pu Huaiyan further, Shan Dai continued, “There’s something I want to tell you. Mom had a headache two days ago so I didn’t mention it, but I want to talk about it today.”
Her father was forced to turn his head back. “What is it? Why are you being so serious?”
Shan Dai looked at her father, then at her mother. “Lu Zhixing and I got divorced yesterday.”
Her mother’s chopsticks dropped onto the plate with a clatter.
Everyone’s heart skipped a beat.
Li Zhou quickly reached out to pick them up. Shan Dai’s mother smiled apologetically as she took them back. “I’m so sorry, Auntie didn’t hold onto them tightly.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine.” Li Zhou’s smile was even more strained.
“What did you say? Why?” The smile on Shan Desong’s face receded like an ebbing tide, instantly exposing a dried-up beach beneath.
“Dai’dai, why? What happened?” Her mother looked at the guests, then back at her. She felt it was inappropriate to discuss such things in front of company, but the shock in her heart was far too immense to wait until the meal ended.
At that moment, completely against everyone’s expectations, Pu Huaiyan spoke to Shan Dai: “How about we eat first? Let’s have dinner first, and we can discuss it thoroughly after the meal.”
Shan Desong stared at him. “Mr. Pu even knew about this matter?”
Pu Huaiyan replied, “Yes. But Uncle, please don’t worry. If anything comes up, I will help. Please don’t worry for now.”
The middle-aged man let out a sigh. “Eat, go ahead and eat, Mr. Pu and Mr. Li.” With that, he looked at Shan Dai and said, “Dai’dai, just give us a brief explanation. What on earth happened?”
Shan Dai offered a faint smile toward Pu Huaiyan, then turned her head to face her parents. “Lu Zhixing had an affair.”
Her parents’ expressions changed drastically once again.
Shan Dai knew that bringing it up at this exact moment was for the best—it was the only way everyone could actually get through the meal.
She wouldn’t have to look for another “appropriate” opportunity later, either.
Shan Dai said, “He confessed. I found out two months ago. When he was on a business trip in North City, he was constantly together with someone else. Later, we agreed on a divorce. Yesterday, I went back to Lan City and collected the divorce certificate with him, and I only came back today. So let’s not talk about him at the dinner table anymore. President Pu knows everything. Earlier, Lu Zhixing wasn’t willing to get a divorce, but he never cut off contact with the other person in private. President Pu helped me talk to him, hoping we could part ways amicably. In short, we have now gone our separate ways, and Lu Zhixing no longer works at President Pu’s corporate group either… So, anyway, just don’t mention him anymore. We no longer have any connection whatsoever.”
Her parents’ sharp gasps felt like the heavy pressure preceding a sudden, violent storm.
Shan Dai said to Pu Huaiyan and Li Zhou, “Let’s eat, please go ahead.” After speaking, she lowered her head to sip her soup.
Her parents exchanged a glance that lasted several seconds. Finally, her mother gradually came back to her senses, whispering in utter disbelief, “Is he crazy? They’ve only been married for a year! I’m going to die of anger!” She clutched her chest and closed her eyes.
Looking at the couple, Pu Huaiyan spoke up: “Uncle, Auntie, Dai’dai has already accepted this turn of events and stopped dwelling on it. So please don’t worry too much either. Ultimately, Mr. Lu was indeed the party at fault, and the fact that he was finally willing to go through with the divorce is a good thing. Finding out early is a blessing. So please don’t be too sad. Dai’dai is still young, she’s very young—just treat it as if this marriage never happened. She will live a much better life in the future.”
Shan Desong let out a bitter smile, looking at him. “We’ve made a fool of ourselves in front of you, Mr. Pu, bringing up such matters at the dinner table while hosting you.”
Pu Huaiyan’s face remained calm. “Uncle, I was actually the one who broke the news to Dai’dai.”
Both parents froze.
Pu Huaiyan glanced at Shan Dai, who was quietly eating her food, then looked back at her parents: “So there is no ‘making a fool of yourselves’ here.”
“This…”
“I’ll briefly explain to you, and then we’ll change the subject. I don’t want Dai’dai to be affected any further, and I hope Uncle and Auntie won’t be affected either. Mr. Lu was together with someone else during his multi-month business trip in Beijing. I assumed he was single, so I didn’t think anything of him being close with one of my employees. It wasn’t until Dai’dai went to North City to visit him one day that I noticed something was wrong and warned her…”
Shan Desong set down his chopsticks as well, his face filled with disbelief. “That scoundrel! All my good treatment toward him went completely to waste! I thought he was rare, so very rare… He’s truly driving me mad!”
Pu Huaiyan comforted him: “Uncle, let’s not think about it anymore. The whole thing happened two months ago, and Dai’dai is no longer affected by it. What you can be certain of is that Dai’dai is very capable. A divorce won’t negatively impact her life in any way, and that’s all that matters. In the future, whether she chooses to marry again or not, as long as she lives well, that’s what counts. Marriage isn’t a necessity. Why don’t you look forward to my next visit in the near future? We can share a few drinks then. With your son-in-law gone, I can temporarily keep you company.”
His words soothed the most congested knot in the couple’s hearts, instantly bringing smiles back to their faces.
Her mother resumed placing food onto their plates. Shan Desong said, “Fortunately… fortunately Dai’dai still has friends like you. Thank goodness.”
Li Zhou chimed in, which was rare for him: “President Pu appreciates Miss Shan very much, Uncle, Auntie. If anything happens, President Pu will look out for Miss Shan. No one will be able to bully her. Please set your minds at ease; everything will get better.”
Shan Desong and his wife broke into genuine, full smiles.
The corners of Pu Huaiyan’s lips curved upward as he nodded toward Shan Desong. “Uncle, Auntie, please eat. I’m practically acting like the host now—how embarrassing.”
Shan Desong laughed heartily. “It’s best this way! It’s wonderful that you aren’t treating us like strangers—it’s an honor for our family. Come, eat, eat, let’s all eat! Mr. Li, please eat as well.”
“Alright, Uncle.”
The scene played out far more peacefully than Shan Dai had envisioned. It was all thanks to Pu Huaiyan’s presence; otherwise, this meal would have been impossible to finish. Parents were parents, after all—people of that generation found it incredibly difficult to face a child’s divorce with calm acceptance, without getting angry or worrying for them.
After the meal, Shan Dai stayed in the kitchen to help her mother tidy up, while her father accompanied Pu Huaiyan and Li Zhou outside. Mr. Shan enthusiastically offered to show them around and introduce the local scenery. Though he kept claiming the area was barren, it wasn’t as if there were no places to visit—there was a tourist mountain just ahead that was quite famous locally.
“Dai’dai, tell Mom the truth—did Lu Zhixing really just get together with someone else like that?” Her mother washed dishes while looking at Shan Dai, who was keeping her company by her side. “Have you two really collected the divorce certificate already?”
She gave a bitter smile. “Do you want to see the photos of him hugging someone else? I witnessed that scene with my own eyes.”
In an instant, her mother’s face flushed red with anger. “He must have completely lost his mind!”
“Don’t be mad anymore. I’m not angry anymore, Mom. I can support myself.” After wiping down the kitchen counter, she dried her hands, wrapped her arms around herself, and leaned back lazily with her head down.
Seeing her indifferent expression, her mother felt a pang of heartache and could only shift the topic: “Then what exactly is your relationship with this Mr. Pu? I keep feeling like he’s exceptionally good to you.”
“He’s… Lu Zhixing’s boss. When I went to find Lu Zhixing, he discovered that Lu Zhixing actually had a wife while messing around with a female employee at headquarters. So he gave me a private heads-up, and I turned around and found ambiguous proof of Lu Zhixing communicating with someone else.” Shan Dai paused briefly before continuing, “Later, President Pu went on a business trip to Lan City, so I treated him to dinner to express my thanks. After that, I went on a business trip to North City. Because President Pu was injured in a car accident, I went to visit him. One thing led to another, and we met a few times. In short, we can be considered friends now. He’s a very good person. Since he came here this time, it was only natural for me to host him.”
“Yes, it’s only right to host him. It’s just… why would he suddenly want to donate money to repair our road? How did he even know about our impoverished little town?”
“He… seems to be doing it at his older brother’s request. I heard his brother’s wife is from around here. The couple is currently settled in North America, so maybe they wanted to do something for her hometown. Rich people things.”
Her mother nodded in understanding.
Once the kitchen was cleaned up, her mother went to pack things for her to bring back to Lan City.
Every time she left, she’d carry a whole mountain of food. In the past, Lu Zhixing would always say with a beaming smile, Mom, every time I come here I feel so happy, making the two elders burst with joy.
Of course, even without him this time, the portion her mother prepared was by no means small. She still stuffed an entire suitcase to the brim, forcing Shan Dai to pack her clothes in a separate bag.
“Since you can hitch a ride in Mr. Pu’s car, you might as well head back today. In a few days, your dad and I will go to Lan City to visit you. Don’t feel homesick, and don’t dwell on things too much. A divorce is a divorce—it’s no big deal. Mom and Dad can support you, too.”
Shan Dai smiled and nodded.
“By the way, where are you living now? Are you still staying in your original house?” her mother asked.
“No, I gave the car and the house back to him. I rented an apartment myself.”
Her mother’s eyes instantly filled with unhideable heartache.
Shan Dai comforted her: “I originally wanted to buy a place, but since I’ve been considering expanding my business to North City lately, I’m still hesitating. We’ll see—no rush.”
“You want to expand to North City?”
“Open a branch company.”
“Can you handle all that work?” her mother asked worriedly. “Besides, North City is so far away, and you don’t know anyone there. Is your best friend going with you?”
“Mingming isn’t sure yet, but hey, President Pu is there.” Shan Dai joked, “No one in North City will dare bully me—President Pu lives in North City, after all.”
“That’s good, that’s good then. He’s a very good person.”
Later on, Shan Dai went out to look for Pu Huaiyan and the others. When she couldn’t find them, she sent a message, only to discover that the group had actually walked quite a distance all the way to the foot of the mountain.
Mr. Shan Desong really seemed to like this future son-in-law of his.
At that thought, Shan Dai gasped, blushing as she silently retracted the phrase that had nearly slipped out of her head. How absurd—how could I have such a thought?
…
Dusk had long set in, and tiny stars scattered across the night sky above the fields while a gentle evening breeze blew past. Li Zhou felt that this was an excellent place for a vacation. He was even thinking about buying a house here when he retired to live out his golden years—much healthier than breathing in car exhaust in North City all day.
After Pu Huaiyan finished discussing the road construction with his future father-in-law, as well as the future development of Tong’an County, Shan Desong’s impression of him shot up like crazy.
“Mr. Pu is truly exceptional. I haven’t asked yet, but are you married?” he asked with a cheerful smile. “Next time you come over, bring your family along! Uncle will host all of you, provided you don’t mind our place.”
With his hands tucked into his trouser pockets, Pu Huaiyan said leisurely, “I’m not married yet, Uncle. I won’t be able to trouble you with that for now. Next time, please just host me first—I would be endlessly grateful.”
Shan Desong burst into laughter, resting his hands behind his back as he strolled back with them lazily. “Getting married later has its perks, too. Look at Dai’dai—didn’t she just get divorced? Sigh, she was too young to read people’s hearts clearly.”
“Yes, that’s certainly part of the reason.”
“Still, anyone a young man like you takes a fancy to must be exceptional. There’s no need to worry.”
“Mm. On that point, I won’t pretend to be humble with you, Uncle. The girl I like is indeed very exceptional.”
Beside them, Li Zhou kept his eyes on his nose and his nose on his heart2, staring up at the sky in silence. His mindset had already undergone a total transformation compared to when he arrived this morning. He now saw the situation with absolute clarity: at this very moment, he was a guest in the home of President Pu’s father-in-law. What special assistant could ever share such a stroke of fortune? It was truly the luck of three lifetimes.
In an instant, Shan Desong beamed with joy and asked, “So Mr. Pu already has someone in mind! Good, good, good.” He nodded. “That’s wonderful. Once you get married, tell Dai’dai to let me know, and Uncle will send you a wedding gift as well.”
“It’s difficult.” He sighed softly. “I haven’t managed to win her over yet, Uncle. For now, I don’t dare think that far ahead.”
Shan Desong chuckled again, shooting him a glance with a slight touch of surprise: “A man as exceptional as you, and there’s still someone you can’t win over?”
“She is extraordinarily exceptional.” Looking up at the sky, a smile played at the corners of his lips. “Just like Miss Shan, it’s only normal that I haven’t been able to win her over.”
Hearing his daughter’s name, Shan Desong paused briefly before letting out a hearty laugh. “Then keep working hard! Uncle has full faith in you.”