Chapter 67: My Father’s Generation and Their Bloody Marriage Advice
Shou Jiaxun was quick-witted. Just as Liang Bo turned his body, he had already begun to shrink back and retreat, squeezing past Guo Ran to leave the room.
By the time Liang Bo hurriedly spat out the word “marry,” he could barely see the back of Shou Jiaxun’s head.
The final sentence, “Let’s give each other a complete home!” was shouted out, but Shou Jiaxun was running too fast. His front door slammed shut with a bang. Even if Liang Bo had shouted until his throat was raw, Shou Jiaxun might not have heard him.
As Shou Jiaxun hurried down the stairs, he asked himself: If you’re not willing, just refuse him and that’s it! Why are you running? You’re not a thief.
But he still “ran.” Fortunately, this place wasn’t far from his home; a brisk walk would take less than ten minutes.
Liang Bo sat slumped on the floor, looking up at Guo Ran. “Uncle, I’ve really never forced him. Why is he so afraid of me?”
Guo Ran couldn’t figure it out either, so he could only offer some vague comfort to the young man. “Calm down. I think he’s hesitating in his heart. He’s running because he hasn’t made up his mind. I’ll talk to him and call you tonight.”
With that, he turned and chased after Shou Jiaxun.
Liang Bo climbed onto his bed and lay flat, opening the ring box to admire the translucent gem set in the platinum band against the setting sun.
It’s so beautiful, yet you won’t even spare it a glance.
Liang Bo let out a long sigh, clutching the sparkling proposal ring as he drifted into a daze.
It wasn’t until seven or eight o’clock, when the sky was pitch black, that the front door opened and closed. Someone came in, shuffling their feet as they changed into slippers, then a chair scraped against the floor, and a backpack was tossed down with a thud…
Then his Omega father casually pushed open the small bedroom door and flicked on the light. “…Oh, it didn’t work out.”
Liang Bo quickly raised a hand to block the piercing light, letting out a low cry. “Dad!” He then grumbled, “…Could you turn on the desk lamp first?”
His father entered the room, turned on the desk lamp, flicked off the overhead light, and walked to the bed. He gave his son a greeting in a very authentic Imperial Capital style: “Have you eaten?”
“No.”
“Let’s go out and grab something.”
“Okay.” Liang Bo propped himself up with his elbows.
Liang Bo’s Omega father was seven or eight years older than Guo Ran, nearly fifty. He had a slim build and wore a dusty-gray short-sleeved polo shirt. Although his hair was still thick and black, he looked a bit elderly from a distance.
Up close, it was better; there weren’t many wrinkles on his face, though his back wasn’t as straight as a young person’s. His frame was too thin to fill out his clothes, making him look a bit aged overall.
Ye Zun held a hand over Liang Bo’s head to prevent his tall son from hitting the top bunk as he stood up. With his other hand, he picked up the platinum diamond ring that had fallen onto the pillow and examined it. “Is it because the one I picked isn’t good-looking enough, so they didn’t like it?”
Liang Bo sighed. “They didn’t even look at it.”
His father gave an awkward shrug. “Well, nothing can be done then. The fate just isn’t there yet. Come on, let’s eat first.”
Their neighborhood was old, but the location was prime. They didn’t need to drive; they just crossed the street and walked through an alley to reach one of the top high-end commercial streets in the Imperial Capital. The view suddenly opened up, filled with massive advertisements for luxury goods.
The father and son expertly ducked into a seven-and-a-half-story building with a full glass facade that glowed with light. They took the elevator to the fifth floor and wound their way past two brilliantly lit designer bag stores before stopping in front of a restaurant that had no sign, only a bull as its logo.
The doorman in a black shirt saw them and immediately greeted them with a smile. “Good evening, President Ye. Here for dinner?”
Liang Bo’s father replied with a smile, “Good evening. I’ve brought you a big customer.”
A “big customer” for a restaurant, of course, meant someone who could eat a lot.
The doorman immediately nodded to Liang Bo. “Young Master Liang, long time no see. Just get back to the country?”
“Just back.” Liang Bo’s eyelids were swollen, and his face was full of fatigue. He forced a small smile to acknowledge the server.
After the door opened, the first thing that met their eyes was an artificial stream and a crystal bridge. The water murmured and a cool breeze brushed their faces—the atmosphere was excellent, but it wasn’t the traditional faux-rockery style.
The lights were misty, like candle cages, and every surface underfoot was a polished crystal facet. Aside from the lighting, the walls and scenery in the restaurant were all made of black mirrored marble, creating an alternative sense of high-class luxury that felt like time and space were overlapping.
The hostess recommended as they walked, “Today is member’s day. The Wagyu beef that’s normally 258 per slice is 198 today.”
Liang Bo’s father immediately responded, “Hey, we’re in luck! Give my son twenty slices to start.”
Liang Bo turned and sighed. “I won’t be able to finish that, will I?”
His father immediately offered some superficial care: “You need to eat more when you’re in a bad mood.”
After entering the private room, Liang senior ordered a sashimi platter and a bowl of Japanese noodles for himself.
The server asked, “President Ye, no drinks today?”
President Ye shook his head. “No. People who are heartbroken cry when they drink. They’re hard to comfort.”
The server raised an eyebrow with a chuckle, took the menu, and left.
Liang Bo looked miserable, rubbing the bridge of his nose to relieve his dizziness. “Dad, I think I still have hope. Can you stop being so gleeful?”
“I’m not being gleeful,” his father firmly denied. “I mainly wanted to give you some advice.”
Liang Bo nodded listlessly. “Then go ahead.”
His father took a sip of the free tap water on the table. “First of all, I had no idea Liang Yu went to find Guo Ran.
There’s more than one person in ‘Xiao Hong Hua’ who holds a ‘senior management’ position, but I’m too lazy to check. Whoever it was, it doesn’t matter.”
Liang Bo leaned his head on his hand and asked in a low voice, “Does Grandpa know?”
“Whether your Grandpa knows or not, you’ll have to ask him yourself. It wouldn’t be appropriate for me to ask; after all, my last name isn’t Liang.”
Liang Bo nodded. “I’ll go ask.”
His father continued, “I also wouldn’t suggest you ask him. Even if you do, talk to your second uncle first and ask what he’s thinking. Don’t go straight to your Grandpa.
To your Grandpa, one is his son and the other is his grandson—both are dear to him. He’s so old; it’s not right to force him to be a referee for you every day.”
“Mhm.” Liang Bo’s attitude was reluctant, but he grudgingly accepted the suggestion.
His father went on, “Matters of the heart can’t be forced. I advise you to come clean with President Shou as soon as possible.
We want to buy his company, not steal it. There’s no need to be secretive. If he really doesn’t want to sell, then we’ll find another way.”
Liang Bo smiled bitterly. “Think about it from his perspective. If you were him, would you be willing to sell a well-developed, promising pre-IPO company?”
“If he won’t sell, then so be it,” his father said dismissively. “Anyway, deceiving people is definitely wrong.”
Liang Bo frowned and scratched his ear. “Dad, do you… not want us to acquire ‘Guoran’?”
His father curled his lip and shook his head. “I’m neutral. You haven’t seen ‘Fanrong’s’ books lately. No matter what we buy, the money will definitely come from ‘Xiao Hong Hua’… but if ‘Guoran’ is bought, will it be operated under ‘Xiao Hong Hua’? You can tell it’s impossible just by using your toes to think.
So why should I support you?
The reason I haven’t opposed you is because your Grandpa supports you, do you understand?
To be honest, I’m not optimistic about the acquisition because if you succeed, the performance pressure falls on my shoulders.
But I fully support you pursuing President Shou. I’ve seen him before at the ‘Shuizhen’ summit, and I approve of your taste. So, put the company acquisition aside for now; you can ‘acquire’ the person first.
The point is, even though we’re both busy with the same… no, two things, we have to distinguish which is primary.
I think in acquisitions and investments, if one deal fails, there’s always another. But once you miss a good person, they’re gone.
You might be afraid that if you can’t get him, the acquisition of ‘Guoran’ will be a deal impossible to discuss.
But I think exactly the opposite. If you want to buy someone’s company but don’t make things clear, later when he finds out…
At that time, even if he accepts your feelings, he won’t be able to accept your character. No amount of regret will help then.”
Liang Bo was so worried he kept pressing his head, arguing in a low voice, “That day, I was originally going to tell him! But then… then… didn’t the accident happen?
If I tell him now, without waiting for what comes next, he’ll fire me immediately.
Dad, I’m in a real bind now. I don’t dare to say it.”
“If you don’t dare, what do you plan to do?” Ye Zun pressed. “Can you get him to marry you? Can you get him to keep this child? Son, a short pain is better than a long one. Try to see it more clearly.”
Just then, the server knocked and brought the food, asking if they needed help cooking the meat.
Liang Bo remained silent with his head down, not wanting to speak.
His father waved a hand. “Just set up the pot; we’ll do it ourselves.”
Once the server left, Liang Bo finally lifted his head, his eyes as red as swollen walnuts. “Guo Ran said he would help me.
Three days… as long as he’s willing to keep the baby, I definitely have a chance. I’ll keep proposing to him until he agrees.
You’re right; the acquisition actually isn’t important. As long as he’s willing to be with me, the project can be postponed indefinitely. We could even help him go public and then cooperate through a stock swap.”
His father nodded. “And what if he’s not willing?”
Liang Bo didn’t say anything, biting his lip as his eyes grew redder.
“Maybe he’s already taken the pill by now. What will you do then?” his father pressed.
Liang Bo picked up a thick piece of fatty Wagyu beef and dropped it into the boiling pot, pressing his lips together and taking two deep breaths. He worked hard to make a decision: “Then, business will be business.”
Back at his own place, Shou Jiaxun also put everything aside and went to bed first. It was almost nine o’clock when Guo Ran finally knocked on his door. “Get up and eat something before sleeping more. How about some noodles with fried sauce?”
“…Okay.” Shou Jiaxun gave a vague response, slowly climbed out of bed, and went to the bathroom to brush his teeth and shower.
By the time he was ready, Uncle Guo had just brought the steaming noodles and sauce to the table.
The two sat opposite each other, picking up their chopsticks in unison to toss the noodles with the sauce.
Uncle Guo asked, “What kind of house do you want to buy? For investment or for retirement?”
“Uh… either is fine, I guess?” Shou Jiaxun shook his head, his mouth full of noodles.
Guo Ran waited until he had finished most of the bowl before speaking again. “Well, they’re definitely different. For investment, we’ll pick a new development with a large area—there’s more room for appreciation.
For retirement, buy something smaller in an old neighborhood, high-density housing. That way, if you accidentally lock yourself in the bathroom one day, it’ll be easier to call for help.”
Shou Jiaxun let out a gulp, choking slightly on the smooth noodles. He questioned with a bitter face, “Uncle, is it necessary to make marriage advice so bloody?”
“How is it bloody? There are plenty of news stories about people locking themselves in the bathroom, right?” Guo Ran laughed awkwardly. “Besides, I’m not advising marriage; I’m advising you not to move out. I support you investing in a house, but why do you have to move out on your own?
If you leave, I still have Guo Duoyu.
But you? All alone… Sigh! I’m afraid I won’t be able to stop myself from going to your bathroom every day to check on you.
And then I’d have to stock up on food in your bathroom.
How about this: you give birth to the child first, and I’ll take care of it for you. In the future, the child can look after you in your old age.
As for whether to marry or not… you can discuss that slowly yourselves.”
Translator’s Note: “Imperial Capital” (帝京): This refers to Beijing. The “Imperial Capital style” greeting “Have you eaten?” (您吃了么) is a classic Beijing way of saying hello, emphasizing the local flavor of the setting. It’s a very grounded, earthy way of speaking.
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