Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng were discussing something in their office when the door suddenly swung open and someone walked in, giving the couple a fright. What they were talking about was hardly aboveboard. If anyone overheard and reported it to her father, they would be in serious trouble.
“You little brat! Don’t you know how to knock before entering?”
Seeing that it was her son, Zhou Lin breathed a sigh of relief, then angrily scolded Zhao Chenlin. They were at the company, where the slightest disturbance could easily reach her father’s ears.
Ordinarily, Zhao Chenlin would have ignored the scolding. Today, however, he cheerfully replied that he understood and sprawled across the sofa, grinning so widely his smile almost reached the back of his head. Once she finished scolding him, Zhou Lin noticed.
“What’s gotten into you today? What happened to make you this happy? And remember, don’t hang around the company too long. Your grandfather still hasn’t reinstated you. If he sees you loafing around like this, you’ll have even less hope of coming back,” Zhou Lin warned.
Zhao Chenlin finally couldn’t contain himself and burst out laughing. “If he doesn’t restore my position, then so be it. I don’t care anymore.”
Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng exchanged bewildered looks. Had something upset him so badly that he had lost his mind?
Zhou Lin hurried to her son and touched his forehead. “Son, don’t scare me. Tell me what’s happened. Did your grandfather scold you again?”
Zhao Chenlin shook his head, still laughing. “Something certainly happened, but this time I’m not the one at the center of it.”
“Spit it out instead of talking in riddles!” Zhou Lin slapped him in irritation. She had been worried sick. This son was her whole world. She might scold and hit him at times, but he was still her only child.
Zhao Chenlin finally stopped laughing, though his grin remained unbearably smug. “Mom, Dad, I’ve got great news. From today on, you don’t need to worry about Grandfather handing Zhou Group to Zhou Cheng. Grandfather’s already driven him out of the Zhou family!”
“What?” Zhou Lin had barely sat down before she shot back to her feet.
“Chenlin, you’re not joking, are you?” Zhao Jiansheng asked in astonishment.
“Of course not. I saw it with my own eyes.” Zhao Chenlin looked immensely pleased. The photographs mailed to his grandfather had been his and Wei Wei’s doing. Eager to see the results, he had waited outside the Zhou residence in person that day. He saw Wang Cheng and Zheng Jingen arrive. When Wang Cheng and Butler Zhou emerged later, one look at their expressions convinced him the plan had succeeded. He first shared the good news with Wei Wei, and they arranged to celebrate that evening. Then he rushed to tell his parents.
Zhou Lin grew excited and immediately demanded that he explain the entire affair.
Zhao Chenlin told them everything.
Zhou Lin clapped her hands. “So Zhou Cheng has that kind of relationship with Aimer’s president! No wonder Aimer Group suddenly agreed to cooperate with Zhou Group, and your grandfather started relying so heavily on Zhou Cheng. He must have been pulling strings behind the scenes.”
At first Zhao Chenlin had not known that the man was Aimer’s president. He only found out after hiring someone to photograph the pair coming and going from Zhou Group and making inquiries. Since the man used the name Leo, Zhao Chenlin still did not know that Chu Yifeng also belonged to the Chu family.
“So what if Grandfather favored him? He’s been thrown out of the family now. Grandfather would never allow a homosexual who’s only interested in men to inherit Zhou Group.”
Zhao Chenlin had never been this triumphant. He owed Wei Wei a great deal this time. Without him, he still would not have known what to do. Zhou Cheng was smarter and more capable, and everyone at the company was saying he would inherit Zhou Group one day. Nobody took Zhao Chenlin seriously. Now that Zhou Cheng had been thrown out, who else was left but him? What rightfully belonged to him would always be his.
Zhou Lin and Zhao Jiansheng were delighted too. What an unexpected stroke of luck!
“Apart from you, Wei Wei, and the person you hired to take the photographs, nobody else knows about this, right?” Zhou Lin asked once the excitement subsided.
Zhao Chenlin nodded. “Just us.”
“We must handle this properly. If your grandfather finds out you did it, it’ll be bad for you too. Have you taken care of the photographer? He won’t talk, will he?”
“I’ve already paid him. Wei Wei assured me he wouldn’t say anything.” It was Wei Wei who had told Zhao Chenlin that Zhou Cheng liked men, so he trusted him reasonably well.
“Good. But be careful anyway,” Zhou Lin said. “You should leave now. Your father and I will make more inquiries and confirm whether Zhou Cheng really has been dismissed.”
After Zhao Chenlin left, Zhou Lin went upstairs on the pretext of official business to ask around. She learned nothing useful. Feng Yifan gave no reaction at all to her probing, as though he knew nothing about it. At first Zhou Lin was puzzled, but then an explanation occurred to her.
Publicizing Zhou Cheng’s homosexuality would also reflect badly on the company. Although Father had driven him from the house and the business, he was still his grandson. Perhaps Father had a soft spot for him after all. At that thought, Zhou Lin decided she should add fuel to the fire. An excellent plan came to mind.
By then, Zheng Jingen’s mother had learned about the situation too.
After Wang Cheng told his brother the truth, Zheng Jingen decided there was no reason to keep it from their mother. He sent Wang Cheng to see her and explain what had happened.
The first thing Mother Zheng did after examining the photographs was give Wang Cheng a solid whack on the head. “What did I tell you? This is a sensitive time! I told you to be more restrained when you’re with Chu Yifeng, especially in public. Yet you’ve let someone take a picture this damning and send it to your grandfather! You!”
“Mom, I listened to you! This photo was Photoshopped.” Wang Cheng covered his head. He had never known his mother could be so violent. The blow had nearly knocked him senseless.
“Photoshopped? What’s that supposed to mean? They took the picture, didn’t they?” Mother Zheng was not much of an internet user and did not understand the term.
Wang Cheng wiped away imaginary cold sweat. “It means someone used computer software to alter the picture. It isn’t real. The only person stupid enough to pull a stunt like this has to be Zhao Chenlin. I’m sure of it.”
Mother Zheng glared. “But this idiot used the photograph to knock you right off your horse today! What are you so pleased about? Your grandfather isn’t a fool. Can’t he tell what’s real and what isn’t? You must have taken the chance to confess about yourself and Chu Yifeng, didn’t you?”
Wang Cheng looked guilty.
One look at his face gave Mother Zheng her answer. Her teeth ached with frustration. She wanted to scold him, but the damage was done, and blame would accomplish nothing.
“Now tell me, how did your grandfather deal with it? Did he say you weren’t allowed back to the Zhou house?”
“No. He only said he’d find someone to replace me at the company.”
“That’s not so bad. It means he still has some hopes for you and there’s room to turn things around. If I’ve guessed correctly, he’s waiting to see what you do next. If you agree to break up with Chu Yifeng and come to your senses, he’ll still consider you his grandson, and Zhou Group will still be yours. It depends on what you decide.” Mother Zheng analyzed the situation calmly.
Wang Cheng scratched his head. Wasn’t that just making things difficult for him? “Mom, I don’t want to break up with Chu Yifeng.”
“I knew you’d say that.” Mother Zheng knew her son very well by now. Seeing his dejected expression, she softened a little. “This isn’t beyond repair. Your grandfather has weathered all kinds of storms. When it comes to being a crafty old fox, very few can compete with him. I’m sure he can guess who mailed him those pictures. So don’t worry too much.”
“Mom, what if Grandfather never gives in?” Wang Cheng asked. People got more stubborn with age. If Grandfather truly dug in his heels, he could be as inflexible as Old Master Chu.
That question stumped Mother Zheng too. Ultimately, it came down to the issue of descendants. “If your grandfather really won’t budge, then you and Chu Yifeng can have a baby through surrogacy.”
Surrogacy…
Wang Cheng didn’t know whether to be grateful that his mother was the only one who had not told him to “just give birth to one yourself.” He knew about surrogacy, but it would mean introducing the blood relationship of an unfamiliar woman into his and Chu Yifeng’s lives. Whether the child’s father was himself or Chu Yifeng, the thought sat badly with him. It would be as though they had come within one step of a perfect family only to leave a permanent knot between them. If either of them grew troubled by it someday, the knot might widen into a rift.
“Mom…”
“You don’t need to say anything. I know what you’re going to say.” Mother Zheng cut him off. She had only made the suggestion in passing and could tell he would never do it. If only some technology existed that allowed two men to have a child truly belonging to both of them, the problem would be solved. The crucial thing was that Mother Zheng did not know about it.
Just as they decided to wait and see how matters developed, news that Wang Cheng liked men began spreading across the internet.