The Secret Realm of Time, His and Her Life Through the Changes

Chapter 137 Don't wrong yourself

Zhou Yanruo thought to herself, Shang Yibo inexplicably spent an afternoon with Jian Zheng, and the two of them even got drunk. As a mother, it's understandable that President Fang wants to understand what kind of person Jian Zheng really is. After all, they are from a wealthy family, and Shang Yibo is a public figure. The people around him are not like ordinary people, so it's true that they need to be more careful and cautious.

She answered very seriously: "Jian Zheng is a friend of mine from when I was a teenager. We've known each other since we were kids, but we lost contact after that. I ran into him by chance at a charity gala the day before yesterday."

Fang Xichen said "Oh?" and repeated, "A chance encounter?"

Zhou Yanruo said, "Yes, he even went on stage to speak during the auction, which surprised me at the time."

Fang Xichen remained silent in thought.

Zhou Yanruo added, "Jian Zheng and I are practically from the same hometown; my ancestral home is Xichuan. I knew he was a second-generation official when I first met him; his mother used to be the mayor of Xichuan City."

After saying that, Zhou Yanruo silently apologized to Jian Zheng in her heart. "I'm sorry, I just revealed your secrets to someone else. It's all because you took someone else's precious son out drinking and got drunk. I said all this to show them you're a reliable person."

Fang Xichen said, "You work for Chairman Chu, so you should know about Rongchang Capital in Singapore, right?"

Zhou Yanruo said, "I know, we've been discussing cooperation with them recently..."

Fang Xichen interrupted Zhou Yanruo, saying earnestly, "You don't need to go into the details of the group's specific business. You should understand that I will not participate in the management of Rushang Group. But I want to remind you that you need profound insight when dealing with complex people and things. Rushang Group is currently going through a turbulent period. There are many long-time employees in the group, who are the cornerstone of the company, and their loyalty is beyond question. However, modern enterprises should keep pace with the times to meet current needs. Old Chu is a sentimental and nostalgic person, and you newly joined management should play an active role."

Zhou Yanruo hadn't expected Fang Xichen to speak to her so frankly, clearly considering her a trustworthy person. This surprised and honored her. After all, she had only been with Rushang Group for a short time, and such appreciation was truly rare.

“Mr. Fang, thank you for your appreciation and trust. I will definitely work even harder,” Zhou Yanruo said. “You can call me Yanruo, you don’t have to keep calling me Mr. Zhou.”

Fang Xichen waved her hand gently, her tone calm: "Yanruo, I know you'll do your best." She paused, then continued, "Old Chu and I have a tacit understanding, stemming from the special nature of our respective identities—representing two different groups. We've always adhered to the principle of not bringing work into our personal lives to minimize conflict and avoid suspicion. But this time…"

Shang Yibo changed into a loose t-shirt, baggy shorts that went past his knees, and shuffled over in leather slippers. Seeing Zhou Yanruo and Fang Xichen talking, their expressions slightly grave, he couldn't help but ask, "What are you talking about? Is it something serious?"

Fang Xichen stood up. "Yibo is downstairs. You guys go get something to eat first. I'll go to the study. I reckon Old Chu and the others' meeting should be over by now."

Zhou Yanruo also stood up, "President Fang, please let us know when Chairman Chu is available."

Just then, Aunt Yan came over and called them to eat. "Yibo, President Zhou, I cooked some sour soup noodles. Come and eat, then you can chat. The noodles won't taste good if they clump together."

"Thank you, Aunt Yan." Shang Yibo then said to Zhou Yanruo, "Let's go. Aunt Yan's sour soup is delicious. You like to put vinegar in your soup, right? It will definitely suit your taste."

“This…” Zhou Yanruo was once again surprised by Shang Yibo’s understanding of her.

Chu Fanyan brought over two large bowls of steaming hot sour soup noodles and placed them in front of Shang Yibo and Zhou Yanruo, saying, "Eat them while they're hot. I cooked a lot, and there's still some left in the pot." The sour soup was carefully simmered with tomatoes and broth, and then fragrant vinegar was added to enhance the flavor. The noodles were chewy and smooth, and the sesame oil drizzled on top when they were served added even more aroma. The whole room was filled with an enticing aroma with a slightly sour scent, which greatly increased one's appetite.

After Shang Yibo's violent vomiting that afternoon, his stomach was already empty. He had just said he had no appetite and didn't want to eat anything, but when Chu Fanyan served him sour soup noodles, he immediately proved her wrong. He ate the noodles and soup with gusto.

Zhou Yanruo was also starving. She had a fondness for sour foods and the smell alone was enough to tempt her. She buried herself in her food and ate in a much more civilized and elegant manner than Shang Yibo.

Chu Fanyan sat opposite them, watching the two eat with relish, a gratified smile on her face.

When the two had almost finished eating, Chu Fanyan finally asked, "Yibo, I heard Hong Yun is back. Have you met her?"

After finishing the last sip of soup in his bowl, Shang Yibo smacked his lips in satisfaction and replied, "Yes, we've met. We even had lunch together."

Chu Fanyan seemed somewhat surprised: "You two actually ate together? I remember you weren't so harmonious when you were little; you'd fight every time you met. That girl, with her spoiled princess temper, was pampered by Grandpa Hong. Has her temper mellowed out as she's grown up?"

Shang Yibo shook his head and said dismissively, "It hasn't gotten any better. It's still the same. I was having lunch with a friend, but she insisted on coming to find me. I couldn't stop her. She's so willful."

"It seems that a person's temperament is really hard to change..." Chu Fanyan sighed, as if she still had something to say.

Seeing this, Shang Yibo asked with concern, "What's wrong, Aunt Yan? Is there something you can't tell me?"

Chu Fanyan hesitated for a moment, then asked, "Did Xichen say anything to you?"

Shang Yibo countered, "What did Mom want to say when she called me back? Didn't Dad want to see me about something?"

Chu Fanyan gently tugged at the corners of her mouth and muttered with dissatisfaction, "She's in such a hurry to bring you back, yet she's held back until now without saying anything. She's getting more and more scheming."

Upon hearing this, Shang Yibo glanced at Zhou Yanruo beside him and softly called out, "Aunt Yan."

Zhou Yanruo felt that her presence might make the atmosphere a little awkward, so she stood up and took the dishes to the kitchen. Chu Fanyan quickly stopped her, saying, "President Zhou, don't bother, just leave them there, I'll clean them up later."

Zhou Yanruo smiled and said, "The noodles are really delicious, and the sour soup is very flavorful. Thank you, Aunt Yan. Where is the restroom?"

Chu Fanyan pointed in the direction: "You can see it as soon as you walk through the living room."

After Zhou Yanruo left, Chu Fanyan's expression turned serious. She said to Shang Yibo, "Yibo, no matter what happens, remember, no one can force you to do something you don't want to do. I will never allow anyone to bully you. I still regret what happened two years ago, and I will never let that happen again."

Shang Yibo smiled and reassured her, "Aunt Yan, look how nervous you are. No one is bullying me. I'm all grown up now, how could I be easily bullied? Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself. But you, your health is the most important thing. Don't forget your physical examination next week. I've already asked Lao Zhang to make arrangements, and he will accompany you."

Chu Fanyan was still worried: "Don't think I don't know anything. I overheard them discussing how to bring up Hong Yun with you. You're too soft-hearted. I'm worried that you'll compromise yourself again because of others."

"Why are you bringing up Hong Yun again? Aunt Yan, you're being too sensitive. No one is being wronged. Besides, with you here, who would dare to wrong me?" Shang Yibo rarely acted coquettishly, trying to put Chu Fanyan at ease.