Chapter 116: Visiting Shen Jingshu

Qin Ze nodded politely:

"Hello, Auntie, sorry to bother you."

He changed his shoes and entered. In the living room sat a middle-aged man with graying hair.

He was wearing a white shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, wearing reading glasses, and was reading a newspaper.

Hearing the movement, he lifted his eyelids and glanced at Qin Ze who had entered.

Then he lowered his head and continued reading the newspaper, as if he hadn't seen him at all.

Shen Zhihong.

Qin Ze recognized this former number one of Xicheng District at a glance.

That temperament of a superior, even after retirement, could still not be hidden.

Just sitting there reading the newspaper, he carried an aura of dignity that didn't need to be angry to be intimidating.

Seeing her father's attitude, Shen Jingshu quickly called out:

"Dad, he's here."

Only then did Shen Zhihong slowly put down the newspaper, take off his reading glasses, and look at Qin Ze.

His gaze lingered on Qin Ze's face for a few seconds, carrying scrutiny and assessment.

Then he said indifferently:

"You're here, sit down."

Qin Ze knew clearly that this was Shen Zhihong giving him a show of power.

He wasn't annoyed, nodded with a smile:

"Thank you, Uncle."

Then he sat down on the sofa.

He Lanfang had already brought two cups of tea, placed them on the coffee table, and greeted Shen Jingshu to sit down.

The family of four sat down in the living room.

Shen Zhihong picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then spoke.

He looked at Shen Jingshu, his tone carrying a bit of resentment:

"What did I say back then? I told you not to marry that Liu Bin, but you wouldn't listen."

"Now look at you? He cheated, and only then did you regret it."

"What were you doing before?"

Shen Jingshu lowered her head and didn't speak.

He Lanfang couldn't watch anymore and glared at her husband:

"Alright, alright, the daughter is already divorced, why are you still scolding her?"

"Divorce is divorce; it's not something shameful."

Shen Zhihong hummed and stopped talking.

He Lanfang looked at Shen Jingshu again, her tone also carrying a bit of resentment:

"But you girl, you've been divorced for so long, and only told us today."

"Do you still have me as your mother in your heart?"

Shen Jingshu quickly explained:

"Mom, it's not that I didn't want to tell you, I was just too embarrassed to say it..."

"You advised me not to marry him back then, and I didn't listen. Now that it's turned out like this, I was afraid you'd be angry..."

He Lanfang sighed:

"You're my daughter, why would I be angry?"

"As long as you're living well, Mom is relieved."

As she spoke, she turned her head to look at Qin Ze, a smile appearing on her face:

"Xiao Qin, right? I heard from Jingshu that you're also in business?"

Qin Ze nodded and answered politely:

"Yes, I'm in investment."

He Lanfang continued to ask:

"Then what do your parents do?"

Qin Ze answered truthfully:

"My parents are both workers and are already retired."

As soon as he finished speaking, Shen Zhihong, who had been pretending not to hear and holding his posture while reading the newspaper, suddenly put it down.

He turned his head to look at Qin Ze, his eyes showing some interest:

"Oh? Your parents are both workers, then how did you get into investment?"

"And how did you earn your first pot of gold?"

Qin Ze sighed inwardly.

As expected of someone who had been a number one, this question hit the point immediately.

He smiled and began to weave a story that sounded reasonable:

"After graduating from Jiangcheng University, I went to work for a large company."

"I studied the stock market while working and saved some money."

"Later, when the market was good, I quit my job, went all-in with all my savings, and earned my first pot of gold."

"Only then did I start accumulating slowly and doing real business."

After listening, Shen Zhihong didn't say it was good or bad, just nodded, and then picked up his teacup again.

He Lanfang asked another question:

"Then Xiao Qin, how did you and our Jingshu meet?"

Before Qin Ze could answer, Shen Jingshu snatched the words:

"Mom, the woman Liu Bin cheated with is Qin Ze's ex-girlfriend."

"She looked down on Qin Ze for having no money and hooked up with Liu Bin."

"Liu Bin looked down on me and got together with that woman."

"So... that's how we met."

As soon as this was said, the living room was quiet for a few seconds.

Shen Zhihong's hand holding the teacup paused.

He Lanfang was also stunned.

The two old people looked at each other, a hint of complex emotion flashing in their eyes.

After a long while, He Lanfang sighed:

"The fate in this world is truly hard to explain."

"You two were both hurt by those two people; being able to come together can be considered heaven having eyes."

Although Shen Zhihong didn't speak, his gaze toward Qin Ze was clearly much softer.

By this time, the wariness Shen Jingshu's parents had toward Qin Ze had finally been put down for the most part.

Qin Ze quickly took out the gifts he had brought.

"Uncle, Auntie, it's my first time here, and I didn't know what to bring, so I just bought some things."

He placed the Moutai and cigarettes on the coffee table and put the Da Hong Pao tea next to them.

Then he took out the brush and handed it to Shen Zhihong with both hands:

"Uncle, I heard from Jingshu that you like writing, so I specifically picked out a brush for you. It's not worth much, please don't mind."

Shen Zhihong took the brush and examined it carefully in his hand.

He touched the texture of the brush handle and looked at the wolf hair tip, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes.

"This brush is good."

He nodded, his tone clearly better than before.

Although it was only four words, Qin Ze knew in his heart that he had opened this door.

Next, he took out the Cartier necklace box and handed it to He Lanfang:

"Auntie, this is a necklace I picked out for you; see if you like it."

He Lanfang opened the box and saw the exquisite necklace, her eyes lighting up instantly.

But she was someone who had seen the world, and soon returned to calm, saying with a smile:

"You child, just come, why bring such valuable things?"

But although she said that, her hand honestly put the box away, and the smile at the corner of her mouth couldn't be hidden.

Qin Ze saw it and noted it down inwardly.

Just then, Shen Zhihong suddenly asked:

"You're divorced from Liu Bin, so where are you living now?"

"If you don't have a place to live, just move back."

Shen Jingshu shook her head:

"Dad, I'm not living at home. Qin Ze bought me a villa on Jianglin Road, and I've just settled in."

"You don't need to worry about me."

As soon as this was said, Shen Zhihong's brow raised slightly.

A villa on Jianglin Road?

That place wasn't something an ordinary person could afford.

His gaze toward Qin Ze held another layer of deep meaning.

"So you two... are already living together?"

Shen Jingshu quickly explained:

"No, Qin Ze has been living at the Fusheng Hotel for office convenience and rented an office in the hotel."

"I'm the only one living in the villa."

Shen Zhihong was silent for a few seconds after listening.

Subsequently, he picked up his teacup, took a sip, and didn't say anything else.

But He Lanfang next to him, when she heard the word "villa," her gaze toward Qin Ze had completely changed.

The slight scrutiny and suspicion from before had completely turned into satisfaction and appreciation.

She greeted with a smile:

"Xiao Qin, sit, I'll go cook, you guys chat first."

"Eat here at noon today, try Auntie's cooking."

Qin Ze quickly stood up:

"Auntie, I'll help you."

"No need, no need, you sit and keep Uncle company drinking tea."

He Lanfang waved her hand with a smile and turned into the kitchen. ===== CHAPTER 117 =====