Shentu Tianyin was sitting at the desk in the study reading a document quietly.
The document was from Shinyeok Group, asking for ridiculous compensation.
Shentu Tianyin’s brows wrinkled. “Who does this Ahn Geungan think he is? He’s trying to eat all he can – must I feed him? He really is an arrogant fellow.”
Fu Mingmei knocked and walked into the study. She put a steaming cup of coffee on Shentu Tianyin’s desk and said quietly, “He’s back.”
Shentu Tianyin paused, and a smile appeared on her pale face. “Why didn’t he come over? He doesn’t know that I’m in the study?”
“I told him.” Fu Mingmei gave her a wicked smile. “He drank some alcohol and I said you didn’t like the smell so he went to shower.”
Shentu Tianyin rolled her eyes at Fu Mingmei. “Which man doesn’t drink? I don’t like the smell of alcohol but that’s for other people. Is he ‘other people’?”
“Would you be able to see how he cares for you if I didn’t say that? And now here you are, scolding me for it,” said Fu Mingmei.
Shentu Tianyin closed the document and stood. “I’ll go see him. He drank so he needs someone to take care of him.”
Fu Mingmei laughed, “He didn’t drink so much. He’s wide awake and doesn’t need you to take care of him.”
“Still, I’ll go over and see.” Shentu Tianyin still wanted to leave the study.
Fu Mingmei blocked her. “Then drink the coffee I made for you.”
Shentu Tianyin looked suspiciously at Fu Mingmei. “You’re being weird tonight. Spit it out – what’s going on?”
Fu Mingmei sighed. “Okay, I can’t hide anything from you. It’s the Old Master’s idea. He got people to concoct some medicinal herbs to boost your ovulation. I made a soup with these herbs and added some to your coffee.”
Shentu Tianyin’s expression was a cross between laughing and crying.
Fu Mingmei shrugged. “This doesn’t concern me. It’s Old Master who wants to hold his grandchild. I told him that your wedding is going to take place in four months so he doesn’t have to be so anxious, and he said that it can’t be seen in four months anyway even if you get pregnant now. Plus, he’ll get to hold his grandchild four months earlier. So if you want to find fault with someone, go take it up with Old Master.”
Shentu Tianyin was speechless.
“So are you drinking it or not?” asked Fu Mingmei.
Shentu Tianyin picked up the cup of coffee and took a tentative sip. It tasted a little weird; she wrinkled her brows but still gulped the mixture of herbs and coffee down. She then wiped her mouth with a serviette and left the room.
Fu Mingmei stared blankly for a bit, then said, “She’s saying one thing but doing another. Looks like she’s more determined to get pregnant than Old Master’s want to hold a grandchild.”
In the shower, Xia Lei scrubbed and scrubbed and nearly turned himself into swiss cheese, all for Shentu Tianyin to get a taste of him.
He took another look in the mirror after he was done showering and walked out of the bathroom only after he had confirmed that he had erased all dirt.
He was stunned when he walked out of the bathroom. Shentu Tianyin was already under the covers and looking at him with anticipation. They had not seen each other for just a few days but seeing her all of a sudden like this was like seeing her again after three years. The passion and excitement in his heart could not be contained nor fully described in words.
“Weren’t you in the study?” Xia Lei snapped back to his senses and said with a smile, “I was about to go look for you in the study.”
“It’s late. We should go to bed,” said Shentu Tianyin.
They were full of passion.
“Wait.” At the most critical moment, Shentu Tianyin stopped Xia Lei and said, “Mingmei said you were drinking. Will it affect our baby?”
“Huh?” Xia Lei was awash with emotion. “You’re pregnant?”
“No, not that quick! I mean, you were drinking and if I get pregnant tonight, will it affect our baby?”
Small droplets of sweat popped out on Xia Lei’s head. How was he to answer a question like this?
“Father had medicinal herbs for childbearing brewed for me. Will we get pregnant tonight?”
“I… only drank a little bit. Take a sniff – do I smell of alcohol?”
Shentu Tianyin leaned in and sniffed Xia Lei all over with her petite nose. She did not smell any alcohol. She then gave Xia Lei a smack. “Tell me earlier if you didn’t drink much. You made me worry for nothing.”
Xia Lei had actually freed himself of his drunkenness at Bureau 101, and he had taken a shower too. His body really was a miracle.
“So, we…?” Xia Lei seemed a little anxious.
The night passed pleasurably, and they were in no mood to sleep – there was tenderness and a tangling of limbs.
The next morning, Fu Mingmei came to the door to wake them. Shentu Tianyin and Xia Lei woke up, washed up, and went to eat breakfast.
Fu Mingmei had prepared breakfast in the sparse, Western style of bread, milk and omelettes.
Breakfast was an interesting time too. Who knew what he was thinking but Shentu Ren kept chuckling when he looked at Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin.
“How have you been feeling, Father?” Xia Lei felt a little embarrassed, being stared at like this.
“Oh, good,” said Shentu Ren with a laugh, “The Shaolin Master did some divine calculations for me and he says I can live till 80.”
“Father, with your current condition living to 90 would be no problem. That Master must have calculated wrong,” said Xia Lei.
“Heh heh, I’m content with living till 80. The grass past my tombstone would be at waist height by now if it weren’t for you,” said Shentu Ren feelingly.
“Father, why are you talking about such inauspicious things when it’s all going nicely?”
“All right, all right, I won’t say it.” Shentu Ren changed the topic. “Right, I’ve booked the hotel you two will be having your wedding in. It’s in our own hotel in Haizhu City. What do you think?”
“Pbbt…” Shentu Tianyin spat out the milk she had just sipped.
Shentu Ren frowned. “What sort of reaction is that?”
Shentu Tianyin wiped her mouth. “Father, aren’t you being too hasty? There are still several months to go. Who books the hotel so quickly?”
“Early? No,” said Shentu Ren, “There’s still about four months to go and that will pass in the blink of an eye. Besides, I booked the hotel but you two need to hurry up and get the certificate.”
This was Shentu Ren’s real intention. Xia Lei and his daughter were more or less considered to be living together, and based on their ages they could both go to the Civil Affairs Bureau to apply for a marriage certificate at any time.
Shentu Tianyin’s gaze went to Xia Lei, waiting for his response. She was as nervous as the time Xia Lei had knelt and proposed to her.
Shentu Ren watched Xia Lei closely too, waiting for his response.
Xia Lei thought for a bit and a small smile appeared on his lips. “No problem. There’s nothing major I need to take care of these few days anyway so Tianyin and I can go back to Haizhu and get the certificate.”
Shentu Tianyin and Shentu Ren smiled at the same time.
“But I have something I want to say,” added Xia Lei.
“Feel free to say it. This is your home – why the formality?” said Shentu Ren.
“I will not work in Vientaine Group after Tianyin and I are married.” He then looked at Shentu Tianyin. “Tianyin, you have to register your assets too. Best to get your lawyer to draft an agreement.”
“This is…” Shentu Ren started to say, then stopped.
Shentu Tianyin, on the other hand, smiled. “Of course. I’ll have it handled like you said.”
She understood why Xia Lei wanted to do this. She was the owner of Vientaine Group and was worth hundreds of billions. Xia Lei was the owner of Thunder Horse Group but he was only worth a few billion. He was a man, and a very strong-minded man too. People were sure to talk about their marriage and have rumours so he did not want to be seen as a man who was greedy and borrowing the wealth of a woman to get ahead in life.
Seeing Shentu Tianyin agree so readily made Xia Lei feel that she understood him, and a rock was lifted off his heart. He shot a smile at Shentu Tianyin. “Thank you.”
Shentu Tianyin nudged his thigh under the table and said rebukingly, “Why so formal?”
Shentu Ren seemed to understand Xia Lei’s thoughts on the matter too and he smiled too. “Good, good, I won’t interfere with you young people, go ahead and handle it however you like. If it’s like this though, it feels a little strange.”
“Don’t worry about this, Father. Xia Lei is in the arms business and his business is global. His Thunder Horse Group would take just a few years to catch up to our Vientaine Group. When that time comes, he will merge Vientaine Group and Thunder Horse Group without you asking,” said Shentu Tianyin.
This seemed to be a way for the owner of Vientaine Group to show her sincerity. Though their assets were separate and both ran their own businesses, the decisions of this family were still for Xia Lei to make. The merging of the two business groups would be up to Xia Lei.
What regret had Xia Lei with a wife like this?
Xia Lei was all smiles. “So when shall we go to Haizhu, Tianyin?”
They were both residents of Haizhu so of course they needed to go to Haizhu to register their marriage.
“I can go back tomorrow. I am going to the company to send an official letter to Shinyeok Group to tell them to send representatives to Haizhu for negotiation,” said Shentu Tianyin.
“The issue between you and Shinyeok Group is still not settled?” said Xia Lei.
“No,” said Shentu Tianyin, “Ahn Suhyeong and I were supposed to talk about it but that day, I…” She did not continue but changed the topic. “This matter was left hanging. Ahn Geungan is now trying to get the lion’s share. I’m prepared to talk directly with his representatives.”
Xia Lei remembered that Shentu Tianyin was supposed to meet Ahn Suhyeong for business negotiations that day but it had been a trap. Ahn Suhyeong and Gu Kewen worked together to help the CIA kidnap Shentu Tianyin. Both Gu Kewen and Ahn Suhyeong had escaped that night. Now, this Ahn Geungan still dared to try to take the lion’s share and pressure Shentu Tianyin!
Xia Lei was silent for a bit. “Nn, then let’s go together.”
Shentu Ren interrupted, “Go get the certificate first, then talk business.”
Xia Lei and Shentu Tianyin couldn’t help exchanging glances and laughing.
