Chapter 306: 302. Dad Hits Son (Please subscribe, monthly tickets!)

At 5:00 AM, Zhang Ran received a call from Zhao Hu; after listening to Zhao Hu's report, his expression suddenly turned very ugly.

After Zhao Hu finished speaking, he waited cautiously for Zhang Ran to speak; at this moment, he didn't even dare to breathe loudly, terrified of being caught in the crossfire by Zhang Ran at such a time.

However, Zhang Ran couldn't be bothered with him at this moment; after hearing his report, he hung up the phone directly.

"Dayong, come with me," Zhang Ran said.

After He Yong and Zhang Ran got into the car, he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Brother Zhang, Sicheng is grown up after all; why don't we wait until he returns and talk about this in private?"

He was afraid that Zhang Ran, in a fit of anger, would embarrass Zhang Sicheng in public; regardless of anything else, Zhang Sicheng was nearly thirty years old, and he needed to have the self-esteem and face that he was entitled to.

Furthermore, He Yong was also afraid that the confidence Zhang Ran had helped Zhang Sicheng build over such a long time would be dealt a blow.

Under normal circumstances, He Yong would not interfere in Zhang Ran's family affairs; Zhang Ran was very averse to others meddling in his family matters, and he himself would not casually interfere in the family affairs of others.

However, He Yong spoke up anyway, fearing that Zhang Ran might do something he would regret in a fit of anger.

Once in the car, Zhang Ran closed his eyes to rest; hearing He Yong's words, he said, "Mm, I know. Don't worry, I have it under control."

After hearing this, He Yong said nothing more and drove honestly.

After arriving at the hotel, Zhang Ran didn't do anything; he just sat quietly in the lobby, closing his eyes to rest.

At 9:00 AM, after Zhang Sicheng woke up and washed up, he prepared to go back to work, but when he opened the door, Lu Xin, who was opposite, also happened to open her door and walk out.

"Sicheng, you're up; I was just about to knock on your door to call you," Lu Xin said with a smile when she saw Zhang Sicheng, her makeup already exquisitely applied.

Zhang Sicheng said, "You're up quite early too. Have you eaten?"

"Not yet, let's eat together; the breakfast at this hotel is very good," Lu Xin said.

Zhang Sicheng thought about it and didn't refuse; after finishing breakfast, the two of them took the elevator downstairs together.

"Your alcohol tolerance isn't great; you need to practice more, otherwise you'll easily be at a disadvantage in the business world in the future," Lu Xin said with a smile, which could also be considered finding an excuse for the next time they drank.

Zhang Sicheng said, "My alcohol tolerance was never that good to begin with, but I didn't expect yours to be so good."

"It's alright, next time I..." Before Lu Xin could finish, she saw Zhang Sicheng stop in his tracks, staring blankly ahead.

Lu Xin followed his gaze and discovered that Zhang Ran was standing directly in front of them, looking at the two of them calmly.

Zhang Sicheng didn't know what was going on, but his heart suddenly panicked, as if he were a student caught by his parents sneaking out to go online.

"Why are you here?" Zhang Sicheng hurriedly stepped forward to ask.

"This must be Uncle Zhang, hello, my name is Lu Xin, I am a friend of Sicheng's," Lu Xin was also slightly stunned, then immediately extended her fair, delicate hand with a full smile.

But Zhang Ran didn't even glance at Lu Xin, saying to Zhang Sicheng, "Come over here with me."

In the end, Zhang Ran still didn't rush over to confront anyone directly, nor did he reprimand Zhang Sicheng in public.

Just as He Yong had said, Zhang Sicheng was grown up; regardless of anything else, the face he was owed still needed to be given, even if Zhang Ran was his father.

Just like in many ordinary families, after children reach adulthood and get married, if they still live with their parents, many people will find that the right to speak and the decision-making power in a family will slowly shift toward the children.

No matter what situation the parents encounter, they will consult with their children; this seems to be an unconscious behavior.

As Zhang Ran spoke, he walked toward the door, but he quickly stopped his steps, "You come along too."

These words were meant for Lu Xin.

Soon, the four of them got into the car; on the way, Zhang Ran sat in the passenger seat without speaking, continuing to close his eyes to rest.

Zhang Sicheng looked at Zhang Ran with some trepidation and forced a topic, "Uncle He, when did you get back?"

"I rushed back overnight last night; when I found you weren't home, Brother Zhang was worried about you," He Yong said.

Zhang Sicheng felt even more nervous inside; he clearly hadn't done anything bad.

He Yong found a secluded place to stop; Zhang Ran took the lead and got out of the car, and Zhang Sicheng and Lu Xin also got out, though He Yong remained in the car without moving.

By the time Zhang Sicheng and the other followed Zhang Ran and stopped beside him, before he could even speak, Zhang Ran suddenly slapped him across the face.

Zhang Sicheng hadn't expected Zhang Ran to strike him and didn't react in time, "Dad, why did you hit me?"

This was Zhang Sicheng's subconscious reaction, and it was also the first time he had opened his mouth to call out 'Dad' in front of Zhang Ran!

Hearing this 'Dad', Zhang Ran's heart trembled, but he immediately hardened his heart and said, "Why did I hit you? What is this situation between you two?"

Zhang Ran gestured toward him and Lu Xin.

Lu Xin hurriedly said, "Uncle Zhang, Sicheng and I just had a meal..."

"Is it your place to speak here?" Zhang Ran said coldly.

Looking at the look in Zhang Ran's eyes, Lu Xin suddenly didn't dare to speak; she felt she seemed to have guessed wrong, or done something wrong.

She had already found out almost everything about Zhang Sicheng's family affairs through Zhang Sicheng's own mouth, and even knew some of Zhang Ran's circumstances.

In her mind, this biological father, Zhang Ran, who had not fulfilled his duties as a father for over twenty years, should be full of guilt toward Zhang Sicheng and must be thinking of making up for the missing paternal love of these years.

The situation was also much as she had guessed; Zhang Sicheng's house, company, and so on were all handled by Zhang Ran.

Lu Xin had even heard Zhang Sicheng say that Zhang Ran had given his sister, Zhang Siyan, fifty million in cash directly, along with some other things.

Therefore, Lu Xin concluded that even if Zhang Sicheng did something immoral, Zhang Ran would most likely choose to turn a blind eye because of the guilt in his heart.

But the result was beyond her expectations; not only did Zhang Ran not turn a blind eye, he instead directly moved to beat Zhang Sicheng.

Zhang Ran stared fixedly at Zhang Sicheng and said, "Zhang Sicheng, I indeed did not fulfill the duties a father should have in the past. Perhaps in your heart, I am not a competent father either. You may resent me or hate me, but what I want to tell you is that I will manage what needs to be managed, even if you are uncomfortable with it."

Hearing Zhang Ran's words, Zhang Sicheng felt even more panicked, "Dad, I didn't think that way, really. I know your situation back then was an accident, a force majeure factor; neither Siyan nor I have ever resented you, really."

This was Zhang Sicheng's true thought; when he and Zhang Siyan learned of Zhang Ran's true circumstances, they truly had not resented Zhang Ran. If Zhang Ran had abandoned his wife and children back then, they certainly would have resented him, but such fantastical events were not something Zhang Ran could decide.