Translator: Sissy That Walk
Di Qiuhe knew that Di Bian couldn’t see his expression at this time, so he continued to make no secret of his taunting in his eyes, while on the other hand he talked to Di Chunhua gently, “Chunhua, please clam down, great anger is bad for your health.”
“Shut up!” Di Chunhua screamed.
“You should shut up!” Di Bian became angrier due to Di Chunhua’s undisguised command and despise attitude towards Di Qiuhe. Thinking of her good behavior in the past, Di Bian feels buzzing in his head and has splitting headache. He shouts, “apologize to your brother, right now!”
Di Qiuhe reached out to Di Chunhua at the right time, and appeased her, “Chunhua, I do not blame you. Don’t be angry. You are in poor health, don’t get emotional.”
“Get away from me. You are insincere!” Di Chunhua hit his hand away without thinking.
Di Qiuhe almost couldn’t help laughing. He lowered his head for a while and pressed down his mood. Then, he stood up and faced Di Bian. He pulled his clothes which was wet by tea, said with a forced smile, “Dad, is my room still there? I want to change my clothes. Do not blame Chunhua. She is just joking. After all, there is even worse saying outside. Because she is still young, so she may be influenced by those rumors outside.”
‘How shall be it a joke by calling you bastard? What do you mean of even worse saying outside?’ thought Di Bian.
Di Bian looked at his little daughter who became a stranger to him because of her face of rage; meanwhile, he looked at his eldest son who was forcing a smile and hadn’t been home for a long time. He felt that some of his understanding was faintly crumbling.
His daughter who was clever and obedient in front of him abused her brother by shouting and commanding behind his back without scruple. The disgust in her voice was so deep. It was obvious that it was more than just throwing a fit. If this was the real attitude of his daughter toward his eldest son, was the brother-sister moment in the past fake?
“Qiuhe, what happened to your clothes?” He asked with an angry face, suppressing his agitating mood.
Di Qiuhe took one step forward and stood in the front of Di Chunhua, and replied briefly, “I just accidentally knocked the cup over. Dad, don’t worry.”
Di Bian glanced at Di Qiuhe’s gesture of protecting Di Chunhua, and he felt his heart was blocked with a stone. He paused and tried to soften his tone of voice, “You can go upstairs to change your clothes first.” Then, he looked at Di Chunhua who was just coming out from the back of Di Qiuhe with a expression full of discontent, said with heavy tone on purpose, “As long as I live, you shall have your room in this house!”
Di Chunhua was stunned, and the dissatisfaction on her face was replaced by astonishment quickly. She demanded, “Dad, what do you mean?” ‘Mom finally forced the bastard to renounce his inheritance. What Dad is doing will put all Mom’s efforts into nothing.’ thought herself.
‘Look at her attitude and tone. I was just saying that for test. Unexpectedly……’ Di Bian closed his eyes. Then he looked at her again and asked, “What do you think my meaning is?”
It was the first time for Di Chunhua to be gazed by her father with this kind of inquisitive and dark look. She was surprised and realized that she was too complacent in her previous behavior, so she concealed all her dissatisfactions quickly and ran to her father. She lowered her head and talked fawningly, pulling his arm, “Dad, I have been at home these days. Brother seldom comes home, but he has been playing mobile phone and ignored me. I went angry, feeling neglected, so I said the wrong words. Sorry, I am not intentional.”
The coquetry that used to soften his heart easily suddenly was colored with new meaning now. The daughter was fifteen years old and no longer a girl who did not understand anything. Di Bian looked at his eldest son who had been standing there calmly without any argument, and looked at two cups on the tea table, one full and one empty. He pulled down his daughter’s hand slowly and said, “Chunhua, please go to your room for rest. Qiuhe, follow me to the study room.”
“Dad.” Di Chunhua was really flustered. Her father had never spoken to her in this manner.
Di Bian ignored her, picking up his briefcase, and went straight upstairs.
Di Qiuhe watched his dad going upstairs and removed the staged gentleness from his face. He bent down to pick up his backpack on the sofa, smiling at Di Chunhua proudly, and turned to follow Di Bian.
“You!” Di Chunhua wants to get angry, but considering Di Bian, she had no choice but to calm down. Biting her lips, she ran to sofa to pick up her phone and dialed her mother’s phone number.
The father and son sat in the study room. Di Bian asked the housekeeper to send clean clothes and towels. After watching Di Qiuhe changed the clothes, he talked to Di Qiuhe in a commanding tone, “Qiuhe, as you have come home, don’t leave again. I don’t agree to cut off the relationship between us. Huangdu is the property of Di Family. You are my son. Of course, you shall have your share for the right of inheritance.” He was confused in the past. The saying of letting Qiuhe suffer grievance for family safe and compensating him in future is nonsense. The son of Di Bian could accept anything but unfair treatment!
“Dad, if you do this, Aunt Qin will be in a pickle. She has devoted herself to the family a lot these years. It’s The Board of Directors that is making trouble now. She has no choice but to propose that I quit Huangdu. If I can stabilize the situation by taking a step back, I would love to. You do not need to feel sorry for me. I believe that if Xia Song is the one who is asked to quit by the Board of Directors, he would make the same choice as me for the sake of family stability.” Di Qiuhe said that while folding the clothes that he had changed and put it aside. He talked in a gentle and placatory tone, as if he had no idea of how much fortune that he was giving up on.
After hearing this, Di Bian grew more dissatisfied with the Board of Directors, but also felt even more indebted about his eldest son who had always been sensible. Because he knew, if it was his second son who was put in this situation, he would never choose to quit decisively.
“Qiuhe, you……”
“Dad, stop please, I will not come back. The members of Board of Directors have been changing over the years. Even you are laborious in managing Huangdu. As your son, I am not competent enough help you. Now, there finally came up a chance that I do not drag you down.” Di Qiuhe shook his head and changes the topic, “In fact, I come back home this time to ask you for help.”
Di Bian’s heart missed a beat when he heard the changes of the Board of Directors, and asked Di Qiuhe urgently when he heard that Di Qiuhe needed help, “What kind of help? Do you need money or you agree to study abroad? I will agree whatever you want.”
Di Qiuhe smiled gratefully, and shook his head, “No. I have enough money. I earned endorsement fee before I was blacklisted by Huangdu, couple millions RMB. Aunt Qin also gave me the downtown apartment. I am not short on money. I have thought about going abroad to study, but I may probably have to fail Aunt Qin’s kindness. Our family is in trouble now, although I may not be able to help, I want to be close to you……I come back this time to hope you can ask Aunt Qin to terminate my contract. Don’t worry, I will pay the liquidated damages, and I will not sign contracts with other company. I love being an actor, and I want to fight for myself.”
Di Bian didn’t expect that he would only ask for this in the end. He swallowed his dry throat and asked, “Did Aunt Qin give you the downtown apartment?”
“Yes.” Di Qiuhe nodded, looking calm and contented, “The apartment is in good location. It is convenient for me. Aunt Qin also hires housekeeper for me. It is good.”
Di Bian was completely speechless. He knew that his wife gave apartment to his eldest son. At that time, he just thought his wife was being considerate to his son. But now, from a different perspective and with more information in hand, everything had changed.
For families at the same level of Di family, almost every adult child had several houses and cars under his name. For the favored children, they even had company shares and started to participate in affairs of the Group. How about Qiuhe? He had been in Huangdu for three years. No one knew he was the member of Di family. He did not enjoy any benefit. The reason was that his wife said a young fella like Qiuhe might get pride easily; she meant to trial him and exercise his ability. However, three years had passed, Qiuhe had made some achievements with great effort, but he had to give up everything for this family. In the end, he only got an apartment.
“I am sorry.” What had been taken for granted suddenly was unveiled now, only to find the things underneath was so unendurable. How he failed as a father.
“Dad, where did that come from?” Di Qiuhe slightly frowned, hesitated for a moment, “I’m giving you a hard time, aren’t I? Aunt Qin manages the contracts of all actors of Huangdu. If she terminates my contract without going through formalities, the Board of Directors may bring trouble again……It is only a seven-year contract. Three years have passed if counting this year. I can wait four years and continue my career by then. Dad, please do not feel sorry. Furthermore, Xia Song will grow up after four years. He can join the company and give you a hand with Aunt Qin. I will also feel relieved.”
Di Bian felt shocked and his expression became terrible again.
His son only wanted to terminate the contract, yet he stooped so low to compromise.
The Board of Directors of Huangdu did undergo member-changing these years. Most of the current members were relatives from his wife’s side. In addition, for the contracts of actors, because there were situations that the senior executive changed jobs and took actors away alongside, so he assigned all the contract issues to his wife. At that time, he only felt that his wife was a good wife who helped him to share affairs and solve problems. But now to think it carefully, was Huangdu still under the name of Di?
Once doubts arose, they were hard to put down.
Di Bian looked at his son, who had become so mellow, and he was panic-stricken.
Qiuhe is his first child. He once outshined all his peers. Fancy him becoming so edgeless within a few years.
When exactly did all that start? Two years ago, or three years ago, or even longer?
He hardly had any clue. The huge change seemed to take place in a short moment. The child once laughed loudly and resplendently became such a person who wouldn’t be angry even if his sister called him bastard. Was it possible that Huangdu, just like Qiuhe, which was also grinding off the edges of Di family inch by inch and was replaced by a shell belonging to the Qin family?
“No. The contract must be terminated. I will terminate your contract personally. ” Di Bian seemed to wake up suddenly. He took out his phone hastily, as if trying to prove something, and called his wife. The line was busy. He called again, but the line was still busy. A sudden rage rose in his heart. He called his trusted subordinate, vice-president, instead, demanding, “Send me the contract of Qiuhe. Then, ask someone to draw up a termination contract. As a president, since when do I need the approval of a manager for my request? Go and get it done. If someone obstructs you, let him communicate with me directly!”
Di Qiuhe looked at the red face of Di Bian due to anger. A sneer flashed in his eyes. Then, he put on a worried expression quickly and walked forward to “persuade”.
No sooner had He Bai finished the roast duck than there came the WeChat message of the buyer again.
A bird born in autumn: I feel blue.
He Bai raised a hand to prop up his face, expressionless.
‘You are feeling blue, so? We are just under transaction relationship. We shall not cross the line when it comes to deep communication.’
A bird born in autumn: comfort me.
He Bai decides to pretend to be blind.
A bird born in autumn: I was bullied by my half-sister today. My stepmother is very mean.
He Bai halted the action of closing the chat box, and held the mobile phone again at eye level.
A bird born in autumn: then I provoke my father to help me bully back, and I have dug a trap for my stepmother.
The budding sympathy withered suddenly.
A bird born in autumn: so I am happy again.
He Bai: “……”, ‘is this buyer crazy?’
