Chapter 36p1
Shi Dingshan was looking at the screen showing the live broadcast of Shen Jianghe and his son, the pair Jin Youliang had just mentioned.
The father and son had tidied up quickly. By the time Shi Dingshan picked up his cup, they were already lying in bed on the screen, entering their nighttime chat session.
In the short time it took Shi Dingshan to take two sips of water, the two figures, originally occupying opposite ends of the bed with enough space between them to fit two burly men, were now huddled together.
More precisely, Shen Jianghe had unilaterally crossed the no man’s land and clamped his hand over Shen Zilin’s mouth.
Before that, Shi Dingshan had clearly heard Shen Zilin’s question.
He had said, “Dad, why do Wang Qiang, Zhao Yueyue, Shen Siqin, all those young ladies like you? How do you… Mmm mmm mmm…”
On the screen, Shen Jianghe, who had been lying there calmly, swiftly flipped over and covered his son’s mouth, whispering in exasperation, “We’re still live…”
Unfortunately, Shen Zilin was quite articulate. Shen Jianghe was a bit slow to react, and by the time he managed to cover his son’s mouth, the things that should and shouldn’t be said had already been said.
Shi Dingshan spat out his water, clutching his knees and laughing hysterically. Truly a biological son…
“We’re still live, they don’t stop recording until bedtime, do you understand?” Shen Jianghe, at his wit’s end, pressed his hand over his son’s mouth, reiterating the point.
Shen Zilin nodded obediently.
Shen Jianghe released his hand.
This little commotion had eliminated the vast empty space between the father and son.
They lay side by side, a rare moment of closeness for them.
Shen Jianghe felt a bit awkward, but it wasn’t quite right to simply roll back to his original position. However, Shen Zilin, inching closer and closer, edged towards his side of the bed, stubbornly creating a fist’s width of space between them.
What else could he do? Shen Jianghe silently moved back to his original spot. With the distance restored, they felt more at ease.
At this point, Shen Jianghe couldn’t help but feel a pang of regret. In the past few years, he hadn’t been keen on returning home. Initially, it was because Shen Zilin’s eyes looked too much like his deceased wife, causing him heartache. Later, it gradually became a habit not to go home, after all, his parents were taking care of the child, and he could just focus on his own business. In the past two years, he had gradually let go of many things and started spending more time at home. But after missing several years of his son’s growth, although there was no conflict between them, there was a sense of unfamiliarity, a difficulty in getting close. This was also one of the reasons he decided to bring his son to participate in the show. However, it seemed that being here… wasn’t really helpful. Now, even lying on the same bed, they felt awkward if they got a little too close.
“Dad, did you hear what I just asked you?” Unlike his father, Shen Zilin wasn’t overthinking things. He waited and waited in silence, but when no answer came, he couldn’t help but speak up.
Shen Zilin’s voice abruptly pulled Shen Jianghe out of his somber thoughts, putting him on high alert.
What was going on with this child? They were supposed to be distant and unfamiliar, uncomfortable lying next to each other, but he could list off his father’s girlfriends one by one!
“It’s dark, time to sleep.” Shen Jianghe had absolutely no interest in gossiping about his love life with his son.
“…” Shen Zilin was silent for a moment, then rolled over, facing away from his father, and muttered, “You won’t even answer a simple question… Maomao’s dad is really the best.”
Shen Jianghe: ???
Ah, that damned competitiveness, that cursed desire to win…
Shen Jianghe tossed and turned in bed a couple of times, glancing at his watch. Although it wasn’t time for them to remove their microphones and go to sleep, he couldn’t help but sit up.
“Let’s make this clear first, you can ask me questions, but you can’t mention anyone else.” Shen Jianghe stated seriously. It seemed like Shen Zilin genuinely wanted to ask questions and understand him better, he shouldn’t completely suppress his son’s curiosity. After all, being curious about one’s father was also a way to get to know each other. Thinking about it this way, the show wasn’t entirely useless. At least at home, they didn’t have much time for nighttime chats, and Shen Zilin had never asked him these questions before.
Shen Zilin also rolled over and sat up, looking innocent. “What do you mean by anyone else? Is Maomao anyone else?”
“…” Shen Jianghe was speechless. “Why is it always Maomao? Weren’t you asking me a question just now? What I mean is, you can’t… mention people who aren’t on this show, and don’t worry about Dad’s love life. You can ask something else.”
“Oh.” Shen Zilin seemed to understand vaguely, but he had already forgotten his detailed examples from earlier, and said with disdain, “Why would I mention people who aren’t on the show? I don’t care about your love life either…”
“Alright, hurry up and ask what you want to ask.” Shen Jianghe decided not to argue with a child.
“I just want to know how to make Maomao… like me more.” Shen Zilin asked confidently.
Shen Jianghe paused, then laughed in exasperation. “You’re only a few years old, what are you thinking about!”
“I’m six, what’s wrong with that?” Shen Zilin frowned. “Can’t a six-year-old have good friends and business partners?”
Shen Jianghe: ???
They talked past each other for a while, and after a long time, Shen Jianghe finally understood that he had been completely misled by the names Shen Zilin had listed earlier. The “like” that six-year-old Shen Zilin was talking about wasn’t what he had imagined at all.
“So you just think Maomao is very smart, and you want to be her business partner in the future, but you think she doesn’t like you very much, so you’re asking me how to win over a three-year-old?” After figuring out the situation, Shen Jianghe felt even more perplexed. “You’re my only child, where did you get the idea that I have any skills in winning over other children?”
“Maomao isn’t a baby, Maomao is a girl. Grandpa said you’re the best at winning over girls in the world.” Shen Zilin said seriously.
Shen Jianghe’s hand, raised to cover his son’s mouth, froze in mid-air. When he realized there was nothing else to stop him from saying, he awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Heh, biological son, biological father, don’t be angry, don’t be angry, it’s his own fault for talking so much with his son before they removed the microphones!
“Dad, can you do it or not, if you can’t, I’m going to sleep!” Shen Zilin was tired, they had spent a long time just talking about what happened in the afternoon, and yet his father hadn’t given him any useful advice, just kept asking questions.
Shen Jianghe clutched his chest. If he didn’t say something, wouldn’t it seem like he was incapable when it was broadcasted?
“Didn’t you say that Maomao was closest to you in the afternoon, at the convenience store, when you were talking about your assets… Heh… Cough cough, I’m not laughing. It’s just, when you were talking about your future cooperation, she called you Brother Shen. That shows… cough cough, that the little girl is quite ambitious. So just cooperate with her more, not just in the future, but during the show too. The program team will definitely have more tasks, just cooperate with her, then work hard and carry her.” Shen Jianghe finished speaking while suppressing his laughter, releasing his hand that had been secretly pinching his thigh.
Ah, why did it sound so cute as he was talking, a six-year-old wanting to cooperate with a three-year-old, hahaha! Shen Jianghe couldn’t help but reach out and ruffle Shen Zilin’s hair, who was deep in thought with a serious expression.
The overly natural act of closeness made both father and son freeze. They exchanged a glance, one quickly withdrawing his hand, the other lowering his head, pretending nothing had happened.
“Ah, and… and also. You can give some small… Oh, girls. Haha, no, I’m not laughing, not laughing, hahaha, just find some things that girls would like and give them to her.” To cover up the awkwardness of touching his son’s head, Shen Jianghe continued to offer advice. But the situation was so funny that he had to pinch his thigh again to keep himself from bursting out laughing. “Girls all like flowers, fluffy animals, cosmetics, jewelry, cars… Cough cough, as for Maomao… it’s not that complicated. Don’t you have a Baby Convenience Store? I heard they have snacks and little things you can exchange for.”
“Give her gifts…” Shen Zilin muttered to himself, calculating his Baby Coins. Because he hadn’t received the “Daddy Kiss Card,” and he had only guessed three dads correctly in the “Guess the Dad by Dish” game… He only had twenty-six Baby Coins in total, probably the least of everyone. He couldn’t even exchange them for a bag of beef jerky, let alone the popcorn Maomao wanted to eat. He could probably only exchange for a lollipop and that would be it.
“Right, giving gifts is also a way to quickly increase her favorability.” Shen Jianghe encouraged.
Shen Zilin furrowed his brows in thought for a while, then suddenly relaxed and lay flat on the bed with a thump.
“Thank you, Dad!” Shen Zilin lay down, pulled the covers over himself, and closed his eyes.
Shen Jianghe: ???
“That’s it?” Shen Jianghe felt it was a bit abrupt.
“Mmm.” Shen Zilin nodded. “Sleep, Dad, we have a lot to do tomorrow!”
“What is it?” Shen Jianghe couldn’t quite keep up. Seeing his son turn his head and ignore him, seemingly about to fall asleep, he couldn’t help but ask, “Is Maomao really that great? I heard from the staff that Wang Zhizhi and Cheng Rongrong also wanted to… heh, cough cough… cooperate with you later. Why are you so fixated on Maomao?”
“Because Maomao knows how to protect her own and other people’s property, and she’s also fair. Grandpa said that you have to cooperate with honest people to avoid being taken advantage of.” Shen Zilin said with his eyes closed. “Wang Zhizhi won’t do, his dad will take his money and give it to his sister. Grandpa said not to cooperate with people who can’t hold onto their wealth, otherwise, your own wealth will also flow away.”
Shen Jianghe’s lips twitched as he listened. His father, who didn’t even run a business himself, sure had a lot to say.
“What about Cheng Rongrong? She shared her potato chips with you this morning. The staff said she has a lot of savings for cooperation.” Speaking of money, Shen Jianghe thought of something else, but before he could ask, Shen Zilin answered.
“Cheng Rongrong… I gave her some of my vegetable chips on the way back this afternoon.” Shen Zilin paused, then changed the subject. “Actually, I think Yan Yan is also good, it’s just that she only has a little over thirty yuan, too little to cooperate, it’s a pity.”
“Then…” Shen Jianghe originally wanted to continue asking about Cheng Rongrong, but stopped as soon as he started speaking.
Shen Zilin had already answered him. He had returned the favor for the potato chips from this morning and was more optimistic about Cheng Tingyan. The distance between the two sisters was obvious to everyone, let alone Shen Jianghe. Shen Zilin’s meaning was clear, he already thought Cheng Tingyan was good, so naturally, he wouldn’t cooperate with Cheng Rongrong. Initially, Shen Jianghe thought Shen Zilin’s talk about cooperation was just childish babble, but now it seemed like he was actually taking it seriously.
However, this child was too clear-cut. He returned the favor for the potato chips immediately, leaving no room for reciprocation. He lacked the smoothness of a businessman, he was too straightforward… just like his mother.
Shen Jianghe didn’t want to dwell on these thoughts and casually replied, “Yan Yan has no money, so you won’t cooperate with her. Does Maomao have money?”
“Probably not.” Shen Zilin said matter-of-factly. “Maomao is only three, it’s already amazing that she knows what money is!”
“Wait…” Shen Jianghe was speechless. “Didn’t you say you wouldn’t cooperate with someone who has no money?”
Shen Zilin turned over and didn’t speak.
Shen Jianghe: … Alright, the double standard is here.
“Are you going to sleep?” Shen Jianghe remembered the thing he hadn’t said before and asked again.
Shen Zilin nodded with his eyes closed.
Alright, Shen Jianghe glanced at the time, it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to have this conversation before they removed the microphones.
“Let me tell you one more thing. In business, don’t easily reveal your cards. That is, how much money you have, just know it yourself, don’t say it out loud, understand?” Shen Jianghe said in a low voice. “If you don’t pay attention to this next time, I will…”
“You will what?” Shen Zilin opened his eyes.
“Cough cough…” Shen Jianghe hadn’t thought about what he would actually do, but seeing the seemingly rebellious look in his son’s eyes, he couldn’t help but frown.
“Are you going to confiscate my money?” Shen Zilin sat up.
“It’s not impossible.” Shen Jianghe took the bait.
“…” Shen Zilin smiled cryptically and lay down without speaking.
Shen Jianghe sat there alone, feeling something was off. He couldn’t help but nudge Shen Zilin. “I was just kidding. What’s yours is yours, I’m not like Wen… Cough…”
“Oh.” Shen Zilin slowly uttered a word, the cryptic smile returning to his lips. “Even if it’s true, I’m not afraid of you.”
Shen Jianghe felt even more uneasy. His thoughts raced, and he frowned. “I heard from the staff that Wen Dongyu gave his Baby Coins to Maomao.”
“Yes.” Shen Zilin’s smile faded.
As expected, seeing Shen Zilin’s confidence vanish, Shen Jianghe cursed inwardly.
“I was really just kidding. Don’t even think about giving your real money to Maomao, even if you dared to give it to her, she wouldn’t dare to accept it.” Shen Jianghe was exasperated.
“Why wouldn’t she dare to accept it?” Shen Zilin sat up again, dissatisfied.
“You’re actually thinking about that!” Shen Jianghe patted his chest to calm himself down. “Do you think the Wei family runs a bank? They would dare to accept millions? You trust her so much, why don’t you trust me? Do I really need your measly money, do I have to take advantage of you?”
Shen Zilin looked at Shen Jianghe for a while, seeing the genuine grievance in his eyes, and the tension in his heart gradually eased. He lay down again and scoffed. “Wen Dongdong’s dad wouldn’t be short of a plane or a fire-breathing dragon, and would Wang Zhizhi’s dad be short of a hair tie?”
Shen Jianghe: ???
“Dad, even though your cooking isn’t good, you only come home once a week, and you change girlfriends faster than Grandpa changes fishing rods, you’re still okay. Promise me you won’t be like them.” Shen Zilin concluded with a full stop and closed his eyes.
Shen Jianghe: …
The viewers in the live broadcast room burped, their fill of gossip satiated.
“Hahaha, who would have thought, CEO Shen’s rumored girlfriends finally have their names revealed.”
“As expected, no matter how well-behaved Shen Zilin usually is, throwing his dad under the bus is still a baby’s innate skill!”
“Hahaha, the person above, be clear, are you implying something about someone!”
“Honestly, after listening to Shen Zilin, I realized he’s serious about building a career. Regardless of anything else, he has his own standards and is seriously choosing his partners.”
“Hahaha, serious he is, but in the end, he still stubbornly chose Maomao, who has nothing but her adorable self, right?”
“Shen Zilin is truly CEO Shen’s son, he has the potential of a businessman. Did you guys see that on the way back this afternoon, Cheng Rongrong and he were at the back of the group, talking about investment and stuff? At the time, it looked like two little kids playing house. But combined with Shen Zilin’s words now, tsk tsk, didn’t his phrase ‘investment is something for grown-ups’ sound like a tai chi move against Cheng Rongrong?”
“Hey, it really has the feeling of those old business people, putting things off indefinitely.”
“Hahaha, speaking of old business people, wasn’t CEO Shen just subtly dissed by Shen Zilin? But he should also be happy, although it doesn’t seem to be of much use, at least in his son’s eyes, he’s better than Wen Xiang and Wang Qingchuan.”
“Why are you all analyzing Shen Zilin’s business genes, am I the only one feeling sad for CEO Mao for missing out on four million yuan in deposits?”
“I’m dying of laughter, CEO Shen recovered too quickly, Little Bunny Bank missed out on four million yuan in deposits!”
“Hahaha! Allow me to remind you, it’s four million, five hundred and sixty-eight thousand, seven hundred and ninety-eight!”
“Poor Little Bunny Bank, in the end, only Wen Dongyu is a formal depositor, and he’s depositing Baby Coins, hahaha!”
“It’s good enough that there are Baby Coins deposited, after all, Wen Dongyu is the kind of customer who’s so poor he doesn’t even have a roof, his entertainment is looking at the stars!”
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