That evening, Ling Cheng guarded against An Xin’s advances, preparing for receiving An Xin’s father tomorrow.
“I really can’t! We’re picking up your dad tomorrow, and I can’t be sleepy then.”
Ling Cheng was firm, tightly gripping his clothes.
“Just once! Once, I promise I won’t do what I did last time and start moving on my own again.”
An Xin looked at Ling Cheng pleadingly. She wanted to drain her beloved A Chen completely each day, physically preventing him from thinking about other women.
“Impossible!”
Ling Cheng shook his head wildly. He didn’t trust An Xin, but he trusted himself even less.
“Fine…”
Seeing Ling Cheng’s resolute expression, An Xin had to give up.
“But, aren’t we going to kiss?”
“Well…”
Ling Cheng thought just a kiss wouldn’t be a big deal.
Then things got out of hand under An Xin’s influence, and he couldn’t hold back again. They had to start another round.
…
The next morning, Ling Cheng chugged coffee like crazy, otherwise his eyelids would truly fight each other.
‘Is my self-control really that bad?’
Ling Cheng couldn’t help but grimace.
Just as Ling Cheng downed his second cup of coffee, a message came from An Xin’s father. He had arrived downstairs.
Ling Cheng hurried downstairs to greet the elder.
An Xin’s father, wearing a casual suit, stood straight at the building entrance, scrutinizing Ling Cheng’s company.
Only when he saw Ling Cheng did he reluctantly relax his stern expression a little.
“Good morning, Uncle An. Today I’ll be your guide.”
“Alright, lead the way.”
An Xin’s father still wore a dismissive expression.
In his eyes, such a small company, especially one making games, was no different from a pyramid scheme.
His purpose today was to “reform” these two kids he considered barely dry behind the ears.
The last phone call had infuriated him. A young man in his 20s telling an elder how to do things?
That day, Ling Cheng not only recklessly accused him of bad parenting, but also hung up on him. Truly showing no respect for elders.
Since becoming chief physician of a tertiary hospital, An Xin’s father had been treated with courtesy by almost everyone, both in the hospital and in society. Few dared to defy him.
So today he came specifically to thoroughly scold his worthless daughter and that rascal from his friend’s family.
Ling Cheng frowned slightly, but thinking that the man was his girlfriend’s father, he didn’t say anything.
“This is where our employees clock in. We currently have 25 employees.”
“Pretty small, huh? A startup?”
Ordinarily, if a college dropout could start a company, An Xin’s father would praise him.
But because Ling Cheng had dared to defy him and challenge his authority, the praise naturally turned into disparagement.
“We’re just starting out. But the atmosphere is very positive and upward. An Xin’s job here is absolutely secure.”
When they reached the employees’ work area, An Xin’s father saw that the staff’s enthusiasm was indeed good.
If leadership made employees happy and the company atmosphere satisfied them, the whole environment would be completely different. He could recognize that.
He couldn’t help thinking: ‘No wonder this kid dared to talk back to me. He really does have some skill. But if I praise him now, won’t he dare to rebel against his elders?’
“Let’s go to your office and talk.”
An Xin’s father said calmly.
After they entered the office, Ling Cheng politely made him a cup of tea.
“What do you think, Uncle An?”
“You have some ability, but unfortunately, you’re not using it on the right path.”
As soon as An Xin’s father spoke, Ling Cheng’s forehead veins bulged.
“You’re just like my worthless daughter. I clearly planned a path for her, but she had to jump out and tell me she wanted to draw comics.”
Sitting in the office, An Xin’s father seemed back in his element as chief physician, lightly tapping the desk with his index finger.
“You young people are all lazy and unwilling to work hard. You always think your parents forcing you is harming you. All you think about are comics and games. Can these guarantee your future? And…”
“Sorry, let me interrupt.”
Seeing the same old routine, directly dismissing An Xin’s value, Ling Cheng cut him off.
An Xin’s father suddenly felt this scene was strangely familiar.
“Confucius said, ‘The gentleman is not a utensil.’ Since you want to lecture me, can your great truths compare to the Sage’s?”
As a 21st-century youth who spent days arguing online, Ling Cheng immediately retorted.
Ling Cheng had been holding back for a long time.
“Now I see clearly. Isn’t An Xin’s lack of confidence entirely because of your suppression? Now that she’s found a way to make a living, you’re busy putting her down again. Are you afraid of losing control?”
“Rubbish! Did your parents send you to college to learn how to talk back to elders?”
An Xin’s father, who had been putting on airs of authority, was now so angry his face was red and his speech faltered.
“Huff, huff, huff—”
An Xin’s father took deep breaths, realizing he couldn’t out-argue Ling Cheng, this young man.
Traditional discourse says: if you don’t obey your parents, you cannot be considered a child.
This young man before him had no cultural virtue, coming to argue and ambush him, a 49-year-old old comrade.
“Weren’t you trying to prove something? Prove your company’s value, prove your and An Xin’s future.”
“Isn’t the entire company you saw earlier enough?”
Seeing the man’s flustered state, Ling Cheng felt a bit vindicated.
Not just because the man had looked down on him from the start, but also because he could stand up for his important girlfriend.
“Who knows when it will collapse? Those pyramid scheme companies look lively too.”
Just then, Yun Ziyu gently knocked on the office door.
“Come in.”
Ling Cheng had been waiting for him to bring that up.
“President Ling, this is the company’s revenue after the new event last weekend.”
Yun Ziyu handed over the pre-printed report.
This morning when she arrived, Yun Ziyu had sent Ling Cheng the astonishing weekend revenue.
Ling Cheng was startled at first, but quickly realized it would be his biggest bargaining chip. He arranged with Yun Ziyu to bring the report when he gave a signal by saying “1.”
“Oh, the numbers are okay. Uncle An, want to take a look?”
Ling Cheng glanced at it and pushed the report toward An Xin’s father.
“By the way, if you think the data is fabricated, you can also search on your phone and check the recent topic volume on video sites to make your own judgment.”
“Hmph, playing games.”
An Xin’s father thought he wouldn’t be intimidated by a kid’s trick, so he opened the report.
When he saw the total data at the end, An Xin’s father unconsciously started counting in his head.
Ones, tens, hundreds, thousands, ten thousands, hundred thousands… millions?
An Xin’s father’s pupils unconsciously widened, his lips slightly quivered. He wanted to say something, but seeing the numbers, he couldn’t.
For him, a million wasn’t an unfamiliar figure. Hospital equipment purchases could reach that amount.
But if this was what a young man achieved in one weekend…
“Finished reading, Uncle An?”
Ling Cheng slightly propped his chin on his right hand, his expression relaxed, asking word by word.