Chapter 304: Persuading Xiao Shitou

I nodded,

「At that time, I hadn't drunk too much; I told you about the Da Heng Group matter, letting you remember this sentence: the Da Heng Group will always bear the Zhao surname。」

Xiao Shitou said: 「I've always kept it in my heart. 」

「That's good, I believe Xiao Shitou is a conscientious child.

Now the Southern Group has taken over our Da Heng Group.

You feel uncomfortable inside, right?

Xiao Shitou nodded,

「If it weren't for Uncle Jinhe persuading me to stay, I would have left Zaocheng long ago. Without you guys, what's the point of me staying here? 」

I don't want to work for my enemy.

That whatever Zhang Zong, he promoted me to the group headquarters,

I deliberately clashed with him several times, hoping he would fire me.

But he just smiled each time,

He was polite when he saw me, which I couldn't stand.

Dad, I still have something I can't figure out,

Uncle Jinhe told me about my background,

He told me that this Zhang Zong is my biological father.

I find it even harder to accept.

How is that possible? How could I be the child of my enemy?

Zhang Zong is even more ridiculous, saying he wants to acknowledge me so I can have better development in the Da Heng Group.

I scolded him,

I scolded him harshly.

This person is so inhuman, I wish I could kill him with my own hands.

Dad, I'm telling you the truth,

I came this time just to submit my resignation to him,

At the Da Heng Group, I won't work even a single day.

I'm in too much pain.

Dad, tell me, none of this is real.

Dad, say it.

I bear the Zhao surname, I am your son.

After Xiao Shitou finished speaking, tears streamed down again.

Watching Xiao Shitou's tears flow,

I couldn't hold back either; my eyes also filled with tears.

I really want to cry out,

I really want to cry out loud, to tell Xiao Shitou that this isn't true, Xiao Shitou you will always be my son.

But reason tells me,

I cannot cry,

A father cannot shed tears in front of his own child,

so that the son can see the father's strong side,

No matter how great the matter, the father bears it.

I swallowed back my tears,

Calmly I said: 「Xiao Shitou, what I want to tell you is, all of this is true; Uncle Jinhe didn't deceive you. You are Zhang Zong's son. 」

Dad is merely your adoptive father.

After hearing me finish speaking,

Xiao Shitou roared from the heart: 「No, this isn't true, Dad, you're deceiving me again. 」

Having said that, he was about to stand up and leave here.

I know Xiao Shitou has reached the extreme of grief and indignation,

I loudly said to Xiao Shitou: 「Xiao Shitou, sit down. Listen to me finish my words. 」

After hearing my voice, Xiao Shitou obediently sat on the sofa again, staring blankly at me.

I again took out a cigarette and tossed it to Xiao Shitou,

「Xiao Shitou, have another smoke, let me tell you in detail about your background. 」

Xiao Shitou took the cigarette,

He didn't smoke it, just held it in his hand.

I lit it and started smoking,

Then I slowly said: 「Xiao Shitou, I'm telling you the truth, you are not my biological son; your father is indeed Zhang Zong. 」

You were over three when you came with your mother,

We lived together.

Your mother originally lived with Zhang Zong,

At that time, Zhang Zong was the manager of Jian'an Company in Lanling County; after a housing development went wrong, he fled.

That escape has been over twenty years.

I thought no one would bring this up again,

Your lineage will also be forgotten by people.

But many things are beyond our control.

Why does Zhang Zong help us repay the debt? What is he scheming for? It's to swallow our Da Heng Group and then acknowledge you.

Leave the Da Heng Group to you.

Child, I'm speaking the truth; Uncle Jinhe hasn't deceived you either. Your lineage, your Uncle Shi Yong and Uncle Li Ming both know.

They all live on the fifth floor of the group; if you don't believe it, I can summon them, and you can ask them.

Your mother's condition is still the same; if she can awaken, I believe she'll tell you herself.

Your father truly is Zhang Zong.

Xiao Shitou fell silent, clenching his lips tightly,

tears continuously streaming,

both hands vigorously rolling a cigarette,

ruining a perfectly good cigarette.

I know Xiao Shitou feels tangled and painful inside, but this suffering must be borne by him; no one can replace him.

If he cannot endure this pain

then he will never grow up.

To mature, one must shoulder pain.

I also said nothing, continuously smoking.

After I smoked two cigarettes,

Xiao Shitou finally spoke,

"Dad, even though I am Zhang Zong's biological son, you will always be my father; I will not acknowledge that Zhang Zong.

People say a parent who gives birth but does not raise is not truly a parent.

I have always taken you as my real dad—past, present, and future,

Dad, let the past stay in the past,

In my heart there is only you as father,

I will never acknowledge him; he is our enemy.

How could I call an enemy my dad?

I want to leave here, Dad, I want to leave Zaocheng,

to live elsewhere where no one knows me.

Just to live peacefully.

Dad, I'm leaving; please take good care of yourself.

After Xiao Shitou finished speaking, he tried to stand up again.

I know Xiao Shitou is evading reality.

After he cannot accept it in his heart,

he then looks for ways to escape reality, to get away from here.

I reached out and grabbed Xiao Shitou's hand firmly,

"Xiao Shitou, sit down; you cannot leave.

Now, I am leading the big fellow back to the Da Heng Group,

which is equivalent to handing our lives over to Zhang Zong.

If you walk away, we will all be doomed.

No matter what, Xiao Shitou, you must accept this reality,

that Zhang Zong is your biological father,

and you must acknowledge Zhang Zong as your father.

I once told you that the Da Heng Group bears the Zhao surname.

So how can we bear the Zhao name,

only after you acknowledge Zhang Zong can we continue to let the Da Heng Group keep the Zhao name.

Child, I don't want you to acknowledge Zhang Zong now, but many things are not up to us.

The situation is dire; if you truly consider me your father,

then heed my words and acknowledge Zhang Zong.

"I won't, I absolutely won't. Why? I can't understand," Xiao Shitou shouted.

"Xiao Shitou, come over; I'll tell you some secrets," I gestured for him to lean his head forward.

Xiao Shitou leaned his head forward,

I leaned over Xiao Shitou's ear and told him some matters from my secret discussion with Zhang Zong.

Xiao Shitou listened half‑believing, half‑doubting,

after I finished speaking,

Xiao Shitou sat on the sofa,

his eyes hollowly staring at the chandelier above.

After a long while,

Xiao Shitou finally said, "Dad, am I really that important?"

I patted Xiao Shitou's shoulder,

"Very important; you are the future of our group. Once the Da Heng Group passes into your hands, both Zhang Zong and I will be at ease."

Xiao Shitou, I know your heart is very painful,

You must learn to accept this pain,

Only by accepting pain can your inner self become strong.

When you become strong, you can overcome the present pain.

We are currently in difficulty; to get out of difficulty, we have no choice but to do some things that submit to others.

A real man can be yielding and firm.

You must understand that life cannot be as hard as iron only,

but also be soft like water.

Water benefits all things,

only then can it become great and deep.

Xiao Shitou, Dad sincerely hopes you can mature,

Like a true man, facing all difficulties and pain,

and welcoming all challenges.

Conquer your own heart, dare to bear your own responsibility.