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Enjoy the bonus chapter!
While the Internet was buzzing, Jian Xingsui also received a call from his mother at night: “Hello, Mom?”
Xu Enzhen’s voice was crisp, with a hint of her usual affection, “A-Sui, there’s an auction in the south of the city this evening. There are many precious and rare objects. I heard that they are quite rare and interesting, so would you like to come?”
Jian Xingsui immediately responded after hearing this, “Mom, are you going? If so, I’ll accompany you.”
Xu Enzhen’s heart was warm, Suisui was truly her caring little padded jacket. This child’s need for love and affection was very clear to her. Very fortunate because she also wanted to pour love for him in return.
“Well, I’m going. All of us are coming, because it’s a charity auction held by the Fu family.” Xu Enzhen looked at the time on her watch and said softly, “If you want to come, tell me your address. Mom is going to pick you up.”
Hearing it was held by the Fu family did explain why Fu Jinxiao left early today. Jian Xingsui nodded at himself, then asked his mother, “Okay, do I need to change to a special clothes or something?”
Xu Enzhen really didn’t want him to be so reserved all the time. She smiled and reassured him, “No, no,  no. Just use your usual formal clothes, or you can choose the one we have. Besides, you’re very good-looking already, you’ll look good in anything.”
Jian Xingsui blushed, but he was actually very happy in his heart.
Since returning to his biological family, he has lived happily every day. This has never happened in so many days in a row. If this was a dream, he hoped he would never wake up.
As the evening rolled out, Jian Xingsui arrived at the venue alongside his family. Only then he realized that the “venue” was actually just one of Fu family’s many mansions. It was many times more luxurious than the Shen family’s manor, which really opened up his eyes.
Shen Xingchen said excitedly, “I don’t know what will be auctioned today, I can’t wait!”
Xu Enzhen shook her head in fond exasperation of her second son, and gave him some educated guesses, “Definitely antiques and art works. The Fu family is a scholarly family that has existed for hundreds of years. They have countless collections of antiques and ancient treasure, especially since the Fu patriarch is a famous calligrapher and painter. His collection is worth millions of yuan if you sell them all off. As for how many there are and how precious there are, I don’t even know.”
Shen Xingchen sighed and said, “If only Fu-ge could give me some of them when he’s happy… easy way to double my net worth.”
“Keep on dreaming, dear.” Xu Enzhen looked at her silly son, and then at Jian Xingsui who was resting with his eyes closed, “It might be possible for your didi, though.”
Jian Xingsui woke up when he heard he’s being mentioned. He looked confused.
Shen Xingchen said to nobody in particular, “It’s time to get out of the car.”
They got out of the car and walked inside. The Fu family really had a big business, and their family held charity auctions quite frequently. Each time, potential guests scrambled to participate, and the number kept increasing.
Enemies do meet in narrow paths. Not long after arriving at the venue, they met with the Jian family.
Jian Xingsui’s face changed, but he didn’t speak.
Jian Kuo1If you haven’t read my retroactively added footnotes on previous chapters: my mistake, I translated Jian Kuo as the eldest brother of the Jian family before. He’s actually the father. As for the eldest brother, he’s called Jian Gu. saw the Shen family group, and he took the initiative to come over. Unlike his usual indifference to Jian Xingsui, he walked over with a smile and a stretched hand,”Mr. Shen, long time no see.”
Shen Yong put his arm around his wife. He kept his usual calm demeanor, answering him with only a tiny fraction of visible disdain, “We have not long ago. If I remember correctly, wasn’t it at that land acquisition auction?”
Recently, Jian family was gunning to win favorable land for a project – and that project was proposed by Shen family’s main company. So, in order to gain goodwill for a prospective collaboration partner, Jian Kuo had no choice but to curry favor. Especially since the Jian family paled in comparison with the Shen family.
Shen Yong didn’t shake hands with Jian Kuo. This made Jian Kuo a little embarrassed and upset, but he suppressed it and quickly glanced at Jian Xingsui. He then withdrew his hand and continued to smile, “Ahaha, it must be my bad memory!”
In order to get close, Jian Kuo had to stoop this low. He hated it.
“Suisui, I actually met you here,” Jian Kuo approached, wanting to hold Jian Xingsui’s hand, “How are you doing recently?”
Seeing him, Jian Xingsui subconsciously rejected him. He slightly took a half step back and made Jian Kuo miss.
The two of them faced each other. This seemed to be their first meeting in a serious setting ever since he left the Jian family. Jian Xingsui was expressionless as he replied, “It has nothing to do with you.”
Jian Kuo smiled awkwardly, “Aiya, this kid. Why do you talk like that?”
“Didn’t you teach me this?” Jian Xingsui returned all his heartless words that day, “You said that I will have nothing to do with the Jian family after leaving that house. I am also not allowed to mention that I used to be a member of the Jian family after leaving. I was told to not embarrass the ‘Jian family’s good name’.”
The clear and crisp words fell, so that everyone could hear them clearly.
Before that, Jian Kuo had always set up the character of a good father when he was away. Later, when he had Anran, he loved him in every possible way, and he showed it off. It gave the impression that he was a doting father.
But at this moment, Jian Xingsui didn’t hesitate to let everyone within hearing range know that it was just a farce – Jian Xingsui was like that during his stay.
The faces of the Shen family suddenly turned ugly, especially Shen Yong, whose stern eyes swept Jian Kuo’s body like he wanted to cut it into pieces.
Jian Kuo didn’t expect that his always obedient child would do this in public. He was a little embarrassed immediately, but he forced a smile and said, “That was just a momentary relapse of judgement. I was too harsh that day, because I’m too emotional. Ah, this child… why did you take it so seriously? And I even offered to give you money back then, but you immediately rejected it.”
Before Shen Yong could speak, Shen Minglang pushed up his glasses and said, “Mr. Jian, you are joking about a matter of that scale? If the head of the Jian family’s enterprise is so fond of taking things as a joke, I do not like the implication of it. It make me doubt the ability and the credibility of the companies under the Jian family.”
Jian Kuo choked up and wanted to explain, “No, you misunderstood, this is not what I mean–”
Shen Yong interrupted him, “Whether it is a misunderstanding or not, since Mr. Jian once said to my son to separate your relationship, it is natural for our family to distance each other. We have to make a clear boundary between us. I think it’s best for our cooperative project to stop here.”
Jian Kuo’s face turned pale.
At that time, because Anran was injured and passed out, he was anxious. So he turned all his anger on Jian Xingsui. Even if there was no evidence, he didn’t want to listen to Jian Xingsui’s explanation. He hated that brat for hurting his good son.
But had he acted gently that time, would today never have happened?
The Shen family passed him by. In desperation, Jian Kuo grabbed Jian Xingsui’s arm, looked at the child who he saw growing up with complicated eyes. His hoarse voice was clearly on the verge of begging, “Suisui, that day I…”
Jian Xingsui stopped and looked at the man in front of him. In fact, he could break free and walk away immediately, but at this moment, looking at Anran behind Jian Kuo, he finally said to Jian Kuo, “Do you know why I went back home that day?”
Jian Kuo shook his head.
“Because it would be your birthday in two days.” Jian Xingsui said softly, a complicated feeling twisted inside his guts, “I know you like the sweet-scented osmanthus cake made by Grandma Wang from a shop nearby. So I went there to buy some as a gift.”
Jian Kuo’s body shook, and he looked at Jian Xingsui in disbelief.
He once received an osmanthus cake on the table, but he never thought it was given by his naughty and stupid young son. He thought it was given by the well-behaved and sensible Anran.
Jian Kuo’s heart trembled, and his eyes were moist: “Suisui, I…”
Jian Xingsui steadily loosening the older man’s grip on him. His eyes turned steady, “But now, I regret that decision very much.”
Jian Kuo was stunned.
“I shouldn’t have gone and wasted my money like that,” Jian Xingsui’s lips twisted into an ironic smile – but it was unclear if it was for Jian Kuo or himself. His eyes sting, but his heart was relieved, “Because it’s not worth the effort.”
Jian Kuo froze on the spot. Jian Xingsui looked at him as if he was looking at a stranger, so unlike what he used to look at him when he was younger. He used to look up at him with a loving gaze, he used to follow him behind and call him “Dad” with a sweet smile, and he used to always try to please him in his own clumsy way.
He now looked at him coldly, like another passing stranger unrelated to his life. He once regarded Jian Xingsui as a burden, but when this moment really came, he froze in place.
Something, somewhere shattered.
It was probably a part of his heart.
Jian Xingsui wasted no time to return to his family’s side. He followed them to take a seat, waiting for the charity auction to begin.
The status of the Shen family was very high, and many people would come to greet them. Most of them praised the Shen couple for their exemplary charity work.
Jian Xingsui was a little curious about this matter, so he asked Shen Xingchen, “Our parents often donated to charity?”
Shen Xingchen nodded and replied truthfully, “Yup. Quite often, in my opinion. They donated to Project Hope2full name Project Hope – China Youth Development Foundation. A donation centered for helping improvised students by giving them scholarships, financial aids, and building schools in rural areas. It’s not the same as the western Project Hope, which is a healthcare charity project. and others like it, mostly for children all over the country.”
Shen Xingchen knew his parents had been donating to charity – both in private and in public – for a long time.
He also knew it was done as doing good deeds in the name of their deceased son.
Jian Xingsui was very curious: “Can you tell me the charity names?”
“Eh… I can’t really remember it at the moment,” Shen Xingchen looked at Jian Xingsui meaningfully as he smiled, “But I think you’ll be able to guess it one day.”
Jian Xingsui didn’t know what charade he was playing, so he just nodded.
The auction will start soon. The head, his wife, and Fu Jinxiao – the eldest son and current heir of the Fu family – first came forward to pay tribute to the guests. After some speeches, the auction officially started.
Shen Minglang helped his family to sit down, then he excused himself. He went backstage to find Fu Jinxiao for a drink and a chat.
“Suisui and Xingchen are going to participate in a reality show soon.” Shen Minglang took a sip of his wine, “Please take care of the two of them there. As for Xingchen, you don’t need to show him mercy. If he made a mistake, let him learn from it. He has been this wild and unruly since he was young, and it was time to temper him down with some hardship. I’m afraid if he continues on with that young master’s temper of his, it would lead to his downfall. As for Suisui…”
Fu Jinxiao snuck a glance at his friend.
Shen Minglang pushed his glasses, “Take care of him more, don’t let people bully him.”
Fu Jinxiao’s curled into an amused smile, “Ah, this Mr. Shen… you entrust me to take care of everything. I am your free nanny?”
Shen Minglang knew that this old fox was not willing to suffer without benefits, so he offered: “You can pick whatever you like from my private collection.”
“Your collection?” Fu Jinxiao took a sip of his own red wine. While he looked sexy, Shen Minglang could see a hint of the actor’s black-belly temperament behind his eyes.
Fu Jinxiao smirked. He had an idea. “I don’t like those things.”
Shen Minglang had an ominous premonition, “Then… what do you want?”
SML: My big brother senses are tingling… I don’t like where this is going.
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1If you haven’t read my retroactively added footnotes on previous chapters: my mistake, I translated Jian Kuo as the eldest brother of the Jian family before. He’s actually the father. As for the eldest brother, he’s called Jian Gu.2full name Project Hope – China Youth Development Foundation. A donation centered for helping improvised students by giving them scholarships, financial aids, and building schools in rural areas. It’s not the same as the western Project Hope, which is a healthcare charity project.