Chapter 29: Zhao Ru Meng

At this moment Dean Yang also came over, and saw Xiao Shitou crying and wailing outside the intensive care unit door,

He immediately arranged for someone to take Xiao Shitou to another room to rest, so as not to affect the other patients.

After Xiao Shitou entered the room, he still kept crying,

I also followed in, and I truly don't know how to comfort him,

There is a sense of distance between me and Xiao Shitou,

Perhaps he has not lived with me since childhood,

I have no distance with Zhengzheng and Da Jun.

I can only say this: "Xiao Shitou, I understand your feelings; regarding your mother's condition, I will do my best to treat her, but you also know that some illnesses the hospital cannot cure."

Xiao Shitou, stop crying,

A man must first learn to face all difficulties with strength.

Xiao Shitou, I ask you, what are your plans for the next step.'

Xiao Shitou looked at me, shook his head, and gave no answer.

I continued: "Stop playing basketball for now, come work at the company; I urgently need staff here. You should come help me. You must know Da Heng Group is now at a critical moment, Xiao Shitou; I want you to first go to the project department, train under Uncle Jinhe, and then work at the group headquarters. Xiao Shitou, I want to hear your opinion."

At this moment Xiao Shitou stopped crying,

Then he said, "I want to keep playing basketball; I don't want to come to work."

I said, "Can you play basketball for a lifetime? Da Heng Company is ours, and if Da Heng Company fails, we will have nothing."

Xiao Shitou still stubbornly shook his head.

This Xiao Shitou really doesn't understand.

I continued, "Don't think you're good at basketball; actually your making the provincial team has nothing to do directly with your skill—it was because I, your father, sponsored the basketball team that you got in. If Da Heng Company fails, you won't have a starting spot on the team; you'll only be a substitute."

There are many in the city who play basketball far better than you; think about why you could make the provincial team.'

Xiao Shitou remained silent, saying nothing.

I can only say so much, let him figure it out himself.

Don't think you're so great; actually someone is holding up the sky above you.

What I say is the truth; if Da Heng Company fails and can no longer sponsor the basketball team, with Xiao Shitou's level how could he be a starter on the team?

Xiao Shitou's height is average, and his skill is not particularly outstanding.

They use you because someone behind the scenes is paying.

I had Nurse Lin push me back into the ward,

I sat alone on the hospital bed, dazed; actually I hope Xiao Shitou can stay to help me. The company's current situation is precisely when we need young people, and that young person must be someone I trust.

Xiao Shitou is just right.

I was closing my eyes, thinking about Xiao Shitou,

At that moment someone patted my shoulder,

I looked and saw it was Li Ming,

Li Ming had brought Ru Meng and Xiao Long from the Provincial Capital.

Ru Meng stood blankly in front of me,

Ru Meng has grown much taller than before, also gotten much fatter, wearing a brand I don't recognize,

dressed like a mature young lady.

She had shaped eyebrows, dyed hair, applied powder, and even drawn two dark circles under her eyes.

In my mind I thought this is my daughter; why is she dressed like this,

My eyes became moist,

I hurriedly called to Ru Meng, "Ru Meng, come over, dad wants to see you."

Ru Meng looked at me, and she actually covered her own nose with her finger,

"Dad, what smell is on you."

I haven't bathed, and I'm still applying medicinal ointment, so of course there's a smell.

Seeing Ru Meng covering her nose made me angry,

"Ru Meng, do you know? Your mother is still awake now, sweetheart, don't you miss your mother? Dad's leg is injured, so I naturally smell, and you actually despise me."

Ru Meng said, "Dad, why did Uncle Li bring me to Zaocheng? My mother hasn't woken yet. I just made plans with a classmate to go to Shanghai to see Star Jin…."

Hearing Ru Meng say that, I was so angry I didn't know what to do,

My own mother hasn't woken, and dad's leg is injured,

At this time, I still have the mood to watch a star's concert.

How was this daughter raised.

"Enough, I'm telling you Ru Meng, you can't go anywhere this summer; you must stay in the ward to take care of us. You know how much your mother misses you.

Starting tomorrow, bring me meals every day,' I said, suppressing my anger.

Seeing me angry, Li Ming said to Xiao Long beside him, "Xiao Long, take your sister home."

Ru Meng shouted, "I won't go home; staying at home is uncomfortable, I want to stay at Zaocheng Grand Hotel.

Why let me come back? Zaocheng can't even get a Western meal."

Hearing Ru Meng say that, my lungs felt about to explode.

I pointed at Ru Meng and said, "Ru Meng, are you still my daughter? Look at the ICU doorway, how many

children your age are standing at the doorway, each watching over their parents.

You shouldn't go anywhere; just stay at the ICU doorway until your mother wakes up.

Ru Meng at that moment lifted her head and said, "No, I'm going back to the Provincial Capital now. I'll return after my mother wakes up."

【61】 I really want to grab Ru Meng and slap her.

I've raised you this big, what can you do. Li Ming, hurry and get her out of my sight, don't keep irritating me.

Li Ming said, "Ru Meng, how are you speaking to your father, how did your teacher educate you. Xiao Long, first take Ru Meng back to the hotel."

Ru Meng, on the contrary, pouted in anger and said nothing.

Xiao Long walked up to me,

"Sir, don't be angry. I'll take my sister back to the hotel right away. As for delivering meals and looking after my aunt, I'll handle that."

I looked at Xiao Long, dressed in a uniform, very dashing, truly reminiscent of Li Ming in his youth.

I nodded.

Xiao Long left with Ru Meng.

Only Li Ming and I remained in the room.

I let out a long sigh,

"Li Ming, I have failed terribly."

Li Ming said, "What's wrong, brother? What did you fail at."

I said, "Ru Meng's education is what kind of nonsense; she's a student raised with money. Besides eating, what else can she do? It infuriates me—her own mother is already like that, yet she still wants to go to Shanghai to see some celebrity concert. We've spoiled her."

"In her eyes, even basic filial piety is gone."

To give her a better education, Zhou Wei and I, when she was three, sent her to a noble kindergarten in the Provincial Capital for full‑day care, then elementary, middle and high school were all the most expensive schools in the province. I wanted to use money to forge the best education for Ru Meng, to make her grow up talented,

that is my pride, Zhaoerhai,

but the result turned out like this, something I never dreamed of.

Raising a cold‑hearted, unfilial wolf with money.

I asked Li Ming for a cigarette,

and smoked it hard.

The three adopted children are like that; Zhengzheng shows no sign of being a boy at all, the big army opposes me, and Xiao Shitou doesn't listen to me.

My own biological daughter is even more infuriating than they are.

Look at the Xiao Long Li Ming raised; he speaks very sensibly.

Sigh.

Li Ming saw through my thoughts,

"Back then, I told you not to be apart from the children for too long, otherwise the bond will fade. You and Ru Meng have been separated for far too long.

Brother, don't worry; Ru Meng is still young, some things can still be taught.

Tomorrow my mother and I will go to the hotel to find her and have a heart‑to‑heart talk."

After hearing Li Ming's words, I could only nod.

In my forties, I suddenly realized I have nothing at all.

The company is on the brink of collapse, and the children's education hasn't been done properly.

Zhaoerhai, what have you been busy with all these years?

I fell into self‑reproach again.