BF Chapter 21

Xu Shen was slightly taken aback. Zhan Shili tapped his chin, already stepping inside.

With an outsider like him present, the crowd finally settled down. Lin Meina reluctantly apologized to Qin Su, while Qin Su told her with an insincere smile to discipline her own son properly, bringing this matter to an end.

Xu Shiji was going to the hospital for a physical checkup today, and Zhan Shili had come over to pick him up.

Xu Shen offered to go with them, so he and Zhan Shili waited downstairs for Xu Shiji to return to his room to change clothes.

The others dispersed to their respective places. Xu Zikang exchanged a few words with Zhan Shili; he actually wanted to go with them as well, but unfortunately, his legs truly made it rather inconvenient.

“Don’t worry, Third Brother, I’ll help you keep an eye on Mr. Zhan for you so he doesn’t go around flirting out there,” Xu Shen said purposefully. Zhan Shili didn’t react, but Xu Zikang blushed deeply.

He said awkwardly, “Ah Shen, don’t talk like that. Nic isn’t that kind of person…”

Xu Shen gave the calm-faced Zhan Shili a side-eye and said, “True, Mr. Zhan does look like a gentleman who can remain unmoved even with a beauty in his lap.”

“…” Left with nothing to say, Xu Zikang went upstairs back to his room as well.

Zhan Shili sat down on the sofa, looking at Xu Shen: “Is it fun messing with him?”

“Not at all,” Xu Shen refused to admit it, “I meant every word sincerely.”

“Sincerely?” Zhan Shili clearly didn’t believe it, “You mean you were sincere when you said you were going to keep an eye on me for him?”

Xu Shen said with a straight face, “Yes, I’m helping him keep an eye on you so you don’t go around sweet-talking again. Clearly you came to pick up my dad for his checkup, yet you said you came to see me.”

Zhan Shili reached out, grabbing his wrist and pulling him close. Caught off guard, Xu Shen almost fell down, barely stabilizing by propping himself up Zhan Shili’s shoulder with his other hand.

“What are you doing?” Xu Shen felt more and more that this man was really too bold—Xu Shiji could come down at any moment, yet he still dared to do this.

Zhan Shili looked into his eyes and said: “The boss originally intended to have the housekeeper accompany him to the hospital, he didn’t ask me to come.”

Xu Shen got the hint: “So you actively came to fawn over him?”

Zhan Shili’s gaze was subtle. Xu Shen began to laugh, poking at his face softly: “Fine, I believe you. You really did come to see me.”

Zhan Shili held Xu Shen’s wrist, his fingers sliding down, gently pressing his palm before releasing his grip.

Afterwards, they accompanied Xu Shiji out to the hospital, only finishing up in the afternoon.

Xu Shiji was in a bad mood the entire day. After coming out of the hospital, he suddenly said he wanted to go pray to Guanyin, so they accompanied him to the Guanyin Temple he often frequented.

Xu Shiji entered the Guanyin Hall, leaving Xu Shen and Zhan Shili to wait outside.

A camphor tree that was at least several hundred years old was planted in the courtyard. Xu Shen walked closer to admire its rugged, peculiar trunk and pressed his hand on it.

Zhan Shili asked him: “You’re not going inside to pray?”

“I don’t believe in these things,” Xu Shen raised his head to look at the lush, verdant green canopy above, saying, “Only those who have done things against their conscience would think of seeking comfort from gods and Buddhas.”

Zhan Shili said, “You’re being too absolute. Your dad probably just wants to pray for family peace and tranquility.”

Xu Shen sneered, “If he hadn’t done anything against his conscience, how could the Xu Family ever lack peace? By the way, why haven’t I seen Assistant Liu these past few days? Isn’t he usually the most enthusiastic about things like accompanying my dad to see doctors and do checkups? There’s no way he wouldn’t show up.”

“Not sure,” Zhan Shili said, “he’s been very secretive and rather busy lately. Perhaps the boss arranged other tasks for him to do.”

Xu Shen thought for a moment and smiled: “Nic, it seems my dad still trusts him more after all. Even if you’re more capable than he is, there’s always the order of first-come, first-served.”

Zhan Shili didn’t deny it: “He’s been by the boss’s side for a long time; it’s only natural for the boss to trust him more.”

Leaving the Guanyin Temple, Xu Shiji remained in low spirits. On the way back, he brought up the history of the Xu Family’s rise with Xu Shen: “In the 1960s of the last century, your grandfather smuggled me here on a small boat as illegal immigrants. Back then I was only in my teens, penniless, following your grandfather to scrape a living by doing unregistered labor and carrying sandbags at the docks, barely able to fill our bellies. We had good luck, starting from setting up stalls to sell sundries alongside other things, saving money bit by bit. Later on, we opened apartments, ran hotels, bought land to build tower blocks, finally creating the Zhaoqi that you see today…”

Xu Shen listened to him speak in silence, not interrupting. Xu Shiji only needed a quiet listener and didn’t need him to respond with anything.

Xu Shiji’s expression was extremely weary: “Over these decades, I’ve been diligent and conscientious, painstakingly building up a family business like today’s. I consider myself to have done no unprincipled deeds, yet in my late years I must endure the elderly burying the young. Most of the descendants at home are useless; your eldest brother is dead, your third brother’s health has been poor since childhood, your second brother harbors too many schemes, and Tianlang is even more of a disappointment. I don’t even know who else I can rely on.

All these years that you were away, I never took care of you. I know you must resent me. I’m sorry. But you’re very good, more successful than any of them. I should rejoice that Heaven hasn’t treated me too harshly after all for me to have a son like you.”

Xu Shiji rambled on all the way, while Xu Shen simply said, “Since Father is willing to trust me and give me opportunities, I will work hard in response.”

As for anything else, even if he said too much, Xu Shiji might not believe it; what Xu Shiji was telling him now didn’t necessarily mean he really valued him.

In the front passenger seat, Zhan Shili glanced imperceptibly toward the rearview mirror: Xu Shen’s eyelids drooped, his gaze distinctly devoid of even half a fraction emotion.

He had never intended to be a good son to Xu Shiji.

Xu Shiji instructed the driver to drive the car to Sham Shui Po, saying he wanted to look around.

The place he chose to go to was an old-fashioned dance hall in this area, opened in a tenement building here that had been around for decades.

The reception girl said it wasn’t business hours yet and told them to come back later. Someone poked their head out from inside the door, staring at Xu Shiji for a moment before exclaiming delightfully, “Brother Ji! It’s you! Long time no see!”

The owner of the dance hall recognized Xu Shiji and enthusiastically welcomed them inside, calling someone to serve tea and refreshments, sitting down to reminisce with Xu Shiji about old times.

Xu Shiji was unusually unpretentious at this moment, chatting casually with the owner over tea and peanuts, recalling old events from decades ago.

Xu Shen and Zhan Shili sat beside them as company; Xu Shiji briefly introduced Xu Shen as his son. Xu Shen was somewhat absent-minded until the owner suddenly asked him: “Are you Fenglu’s son?”

From deep in his throat, Xu Shen brought out a muffled “Mn.”

“No wonder,” the other party sighed with emotion. “You look so much like Fenglu. Back then Fenglu sang here at my place, and Brother Ji would come every night to support her.”

The lighting inside the dance hall was dim, making the emotions on Xu Shen’s face impossible to distinguish clearly. He said nothing, allowing the other party to reminisce about the past all on his own.

Xu Shiji was a little embarrassed, but the owner was completely oblivious, still talking about his past romantic history until he was called away by the reception girl to answer a phone call, finally bringing quiet.

Xu Shen gently crushed a peanut between his fingers and heard Xu Shiji say, “Your mother and I met here. Back then she was very young and pretty, like a fresh flower. I let her down.”

Xu Shen nodded, but remained silent.

What was with the talk about letting her down and whatnot? In the eyes of a person like Xu Shiji, his mother was merely a prostitute and a plaything. From the very beginning, Xu Shiji had never intended to take responsibility.

The person had been dead for so many years; it’s absurd that it was only now that Xu Shiji—who had never been seen doing anything all those years—was bringing him, this son, here to relive old dreams in an attempt to improve their father-son relationship.

Xu Shiji probably felt his enthusiasm waning, and after sitting for a while, he said he had to leave.

When getting into the car, Xu Shen said he was a bit thirsty; the water in the car was all finished, so he wanted to go to a nearby convenience store to buy some himself.

When checking out, Zhan Shili came over, reminding him: “Move faster, the boss will be unhappy if he waits too long.”

Xu Shen unscrewed the cap to open the bottle of mineral water, taking a slow sip: “What’s the rush? He was the one who wanted to come here and cherish the memories with my mother. Let him wait.”

Zhan Shili asked, “In a bad mood?”

Xu Shen rolled his eyes very elegantly: “If it were you, having your dad spoken of to your face as a sponsor of prostitutes and your mom as a songstress and whore, would you be in a good mood?”

Zhan Shili said: “The boss has many romantic debts like this, never ceasing even until now. The fact that he remembered your mom at all shows there was at least some sincerity back then after all.”

“Do you believe that?” Xu Shen dismissed it with contempt. “As soon as I was born, my mom carried me to their house and was kicked out by his wife. He never spared me a single glance until he suddenly showed up at our door when I was six. Do you know what he wanted to do?”

Zhan Shili paused. Xu Shen looked at him and continued: “That Third Brother of mine had severe heart disease back then and needed a heart transplant. No suitable donor was found in that short period of time, so they set their sights on me. Unfortunately, the matching failed.”

Xu Shen spoke lightheartedly, as if he was just telling a joke. Zhan Shili’s throat bobbed: “Really?”

“Really,” Xu Shen smiled. “I heard it was that grandfather of mine’s idea. He doted on Xu Zikang the most; either way, if an illegitimate child born of a prostitute like me died, no one would miss me, and it would instead save their family reputation from being ruined. They thought I was too young to know or remember at the time, but I knew very well.”

As he spoke, his finger tapped his temple, frost finally surfacing in his smiling eyes: “Here, I’ve kept it all here.”

“Isn’t Xu Zikang lucky?” Xu Shen’s tone grew increasingly contemptuous. “Later, I don’t know where, they found a heart source. But then again, the Xu Family has a large family and great business—with money, you can always make the devil turn the millstone. Pity that a heart taken from someone else can’t possibly become his own; look at him now, isn’t he still such a sickly, frail thing?”

Zhan Shili looked at him in silence for a moment, unable to offer any words of comfort—perhaps Xu Shen didn’t want to hear them either. In the end, he pulled a candy out of his pocket and handed it to him: “Let’s go, get in the car.”

Zhan Shili had already turned around to walk toward the car first. Xu Shen lowered his eyes to look at the candy in his palm, his fingertips stroking it briefly before peeling it open and popping it into his mouth.

When they got into the car, Xu Shiji suddenly said he still wanted to go pray to Mazu, telling them they didn’t need to follow and could head back on their own.

Xu Shen reminded him, “Father, it’s late now. Going to the Mazu Temple again might delay things until very late.”

“I know, it’s fine,” Xu Shiji shook his head slightly. “Just let Old Chen take me; you two go back first.”

Xu Shiji insisted, so Xu Shen didn’t press further, instructing the driver, Old Chen, to take care of Xu Shiji before getting out of the car together with Zhan Shili.

As the car drove away, he turned back to tease Zhan Shili: “One moment praying to Guanyin, the next moment praying to Mazu. They aren’t even gods from the same sect! Praying back and forth, his heart isn’t sincere anywhere; I wonder if this counts as turning to any doctor in times of desperation.”

Zhan Shili raised a hand to pat his back lightly: “Perhaps your father has something to do and doesn’t want us following along.”

He waved his hand to hail a taxi: “Let’s go, I’ll send you back.”

By the time they returned to the Xu Family estate, it was already past six o’clock. Despite hearing that Xu Shiji had gone to the Mazu Temple, Qin Su didn’t ask much, only keeping Zhan Shili behind to stay for dinner.

Xu Zikang agreed, “Yes, Nic, how about you stay for dinner?”

Seeing the ridicule in Xu Shen’s eyes, Zhan Shili agreed.

Xu Ziren’s family was absent; only the few of them were at the dining table, chatting idly as they ate.

As this meal was drawing to a close, the home phone rang. A moment later, the maid, Sister Huan, ran into the dining room in a panic: “Ma’am, something terrible has happened! Someone called just now saying the Master is in their hands, demanding that we prepare thirty million!”

“What?!” Qin Su was pale with fright, the soup spoon in her hand falling onto the table.

Xu Shen’s eyebrows twitched, his surprise lasting for only an instant. Thinking of something, he subconsciously looked toward Zhan Shili across the dining table…

—Only to see that his face remained composed, already reacting swiftly to soothe the others.

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t/n: his father is super stinky but it that isn’t the most valid reason to hate on XZK, is it, Ah Shen? Well, that’s what we’re here for anyways. Be heartless, Ah Shen. Be heartless. (Except towards Shili, oh)

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