Chapter 31: How We Used to Be (1)
Translator: Lonelytree Editor: Millman97
Song Qingchun did want to properly bid Su Zhinian farewell before she left his bungalow. However, his bedroom door was locked, and no one answered even after she knocked on it for quite a while. She resigned to saying goodbye through the door to no one in particular.
It was already noon when she returned to the Song family. Her sister-in-law was at the hospital looking after her father, and the housekeeper was preparing lunch. After Song Qingchun stepped out of the shower, lunch was ready, and the housekeeper told her, “Miss, I have placed your lunch on the table. I will be going to the hospital to deliver the Old Master’s and the Young Mistress’ lunches.”
Song Qingchun’s hands that were drying her hair stopped and she yelled to the housekeeper who was leaving, “I am going to the hospital in a bit, I will deliver the food myself.”
“Yes, Miss.”
Song Qingchun thought about it and added, “I am not going to eat at home. Help me pack my lunch as well, I will have it with Father at the hospital.”
…
Song Menghwa was in a good mood that day, and it only improved when he saw Song Qingchun.
Song Qingchun personally fed her father his lunch, and after lunch, she helped him gargle his mouth. Before her father broached the subject, Song Qingchun pulled out the contract from her bag and said, “Dad, Su Zhinian has agreed to take over Song Empire.”
There was a flash of pleasant surprise in Song Menghwa’s eyes as he exclaimed, “Really?”
He took the contract and read it several times as he asked, “How many shares or bonuses did you give him to get him to agree?”
“He did not want any of those,” Song Qingchun answered.
“He rejected them?” Song Menghwa frowned. “Then what did he ask for?”
“He didn’t ask for anything.” The lie rolled easily off her tongue. If her father had known she had signed such a contract with Su Zhinian, he would rather die than allow Su Zhinian to take over Song Empire.
“He didn’t want anything?” A patina of sorrow dyed Song Menghwa’s eyes. “Qingchun, tell your father honestly, you are not lying to me, right? Why would he help Song Empire for nothing? You mustn’t do anything stupid…”
“Dad, what are you talking about?” Song Qingchun interrupted him with forced levity. “Su Zhinian once borrowed our home for accommodation, and he feels greatly indebted to you. Furthermore, I met with Auntie Su and she helped me persuade Su Zhinian to help us…”
“So that’s what happened…” Song Menghwa ate up her lie after she mentioned Su Zhinian’s mother. Like a rock had been released from his chest, he laughed happily while saying, “Wonderful, wonderful.”
Then, he turned to Song Qingchun as if he had remembered something and commented, “When Su Zhinian suddenly moved out of our family for some unknown reasons that one night, I did ask him what happened, but he refused to answer me. I thought it was because you two had argued, and I was honestly worried when it fell on your shoulders to have to go ask him for his help, but now I realize I was overthinking it. Zhinian, that child, might look cold on the surface but he is really a good kid…”
Her father was right. After her big quarrel with Su Zhinian, he had packed up and moved out of the Song family residence. His move was so sudden that her father did not even have the chance to ask him to stay. It was also from then on that her relationship with Su Zhinian ended.
Song Menghwa continued talking as he went down memory lane. Then, he patted Song Qingchun on her hand and reminded her, “Qingchun, we are already in a different phase of our lives. Zhinian is here to help us, so you cannot be as intractable as before; you have to be more kind and respectful toward him…”
