Chapter 789: Chapter 789: Ten Minutes Left
Zhou Ran was at a loss on how to persuade, caught between her son on one side and her husband on the other.
She knew the determination of both men well—neither would concede to the other.
But considering the current situation, if Shen Cexian didn’t hand over the authorization letter, it was clear that Shen Cexian would be the one at a disadvantage.
However, if she took Shen Chi’s side in this argument, it would seem she was unduly favoring him.
Unable to assist either party, she was stuck in the middle.
Under unbearable pressure, Shen Cexian eventually calmed himself and adopted a more conciliatory tone.
“Shen Chi, we can discuss this,” Shen Cexian said.
Shen Chi narrowed his eyes slightly, his icy gaze fixed on the window, but he still did not speak.
He had said all there was to say—there was no room for negotiation!
“I can certainly sign your name on the group’s authorization letter, but you should also consider this: your relationship with Xu Chaomu gives you nothing but love, and you will find that love is something utterly useless,” Shen Cexian tried to reason with him, appealing to his emotions.
Shen Chi remained silent, just quietly smoking his cigarette.
He wondered if the young woman in the car was growing anxious from waiting.
No matter how difficult the circumstances he found himself in, the mere thought of her always brought a slight upward curve to his lips.
Like that time on the mountain when, despite knowing there was a violent explosion ahead, he ensured her complete safety.
Seeing that Shen Chi was still not responding, Shen Cexian started to panic.
He struggled to sit up from the hospital bed, but Zhou Ran held him down.
“Cexian, don’t move; just communicate with Achi properly,” Zhou Ran said, remaining neutral.
“Shen Chi, aside from this issue, what other conditions do you have? Speak,” Shen Cexian said, frowning.
Without a word, Shen Chi’s imposing presence alone seemed to chill the very air around him.
In the enveloping night, surrounded by swirls of smoke, his chiseled features appeared even more severe and indifferent.
His long fingers clutched the cigarette, which had already burned away by half.
“Shen Chi, must you force my hand? I shouldn’t have handed over the group to you in the first place!” Shen Cexian expressed with regret coloring his face.
“Say it again,” Shen Chi said slowly, his deep, resonant voice filling the room, “The group is something I can take or leave.”
“Fine,” Shen Cexian despaired, “Does Xu Chaomu mean so much to you? A stubborn love and marriage won’t receive any blessings.”
Shen Chi fell back into silence, unflappable.
Shen Cexian could see his son was determined, but he wasn’t willing to hand over the authorization letter so easily.
“Someone come! Someone!” Shen Cexian called out.
There was no response; the hospital room remained silent.
“Cexian, don’t get agitated; stay calm,” Zhou Ran consoled him.
“Aran, go call someone, have them throw him out!” Shen Cexian grabbed Zhou Ran’s hand, visibly agitated.
“Cexian, the people outside are all Achi’s men,” Zhou Ran pointed out.
“Then call my people!”
“It’s no use; Achi’s men won’t let them in. If things escalate, it might not end well,” Zhou Ran said calmly.
An incident , if it got out of hand, could have a significant impact on Shen Group’s share value.
Besides, the international trade fair was just around the corner.
“I’m not afraid of making it bigger. It’s better to have the whole group ruined than to hand it over to him the way things are going!” Shen Cexian was too agitated.
His emotions were boiling over, his heart beating violently, even his hand grasping the bedsheet was trembling.
“Cexian, calm down. You want what’s best for the group, right? If I go and call people now, it’s more harm than good. Moreover, with Achi’s ability, he’s not going to let things get out of hand. In the end, won’t the result be the same?” Zhou Ran said.
Zhou Ran was relatively calm; she patted Shen Cexian’s hand and said softly, “I’ll talk to Achi.”
Having said that, she stood up and walked over to Shen Chi.
As she approached, Shen Chi caught a hint of her light perfume scent, like a hidden orchid.
“Achi, your father is completely willing to sign the authorization. He’s just a little upset,” Zhou Ran spoke evenly, “He told me long ago that he would hand over the group to Achi in the future. Your father loves you very much.”
Shen Chi’s lips pressed into a thin line, and he silently watched the view outside the window.
“Both your father and I love you, probably no less than that girl,” Zhou Ran continued, “To be honest, we don’t like her. We see nothing in her that is worthy of you. You will not be happy with her.”
Zhou Ran spoke more than usual, but she was only saying what she wanted to say.
Shen Chi paid her no heed, his gaze still fixed outside.
Was there really nothing about Xu Chaomu that made her worthy of him? No, it was he who was unworthy of her.
She must have fallen asleep by now, without him by her side…
The car was cold, and he wondered whether she had wrapped herself in a coat…
Zhou Ran felt she had said a lot, but Shen Chi was unmoved.
“Achi, think about it, the group won’t always have smooth sailing. If you had married Manman, the Bai Family would have helped you through your troubles, but marrying Xu Chaomu, she has nothing. Sure, you might say I’m treating marriage as a transaction, but after all these years in the business world, you should understand that these things are all harmless,” Zhou Ran earnestly explained.
Despite her sincerity, Zhou Ran saw no response from Shen Chi.
After a long pause, Shen Chi exhaled a puff of smoke, speaking indifferently.
“Yes, Chaomu can’t help me with anything, but she loves me just because I am Shen Chi, without any accretions,” Shen Chi stated, “She is willing to share the sweet and the sour with me, and not because I am the President of Shen Group.”
She could love him with her life, not like Bai Man who, at the most dangerous moment, shouted to exchange her life for a contract.
The purest love does not count the cost.
It’s like—she loves him, and he can also stand against everything for her.
“How do you know for sure that she’s loving you so purely?” Zhou Ran questioned, “Her mother, Xu Mengxi, isn’t simple, and I can’t believe her daughter would be naïve. Every woman knows that securing a successful, young man means she’ll never have to worry for life. She’s just smart about it, so she’s clinging tightly to you.”
Shen Chi let out a cold laugh…
“Five years ago, she left; it was nothing more than coquettish play. When you couldn’t find her anywhere in the world, she suddenly reappeared. Of course, you would treasure her then, fearing she might leave again,” Zhou Ran said.
The corners of Shen Chi’s lips still bore a cold smile—love, after all, is a matter of the heart.
If he looked at her through the same skeptical lens as those on the outside, doubting her, would he even be worthy of loving her?
Zhou Ran’s voice sounded particularly clear in the hospital room, but Shen Chi was unmoved.
After a moment of silence, he threw the cigarette butt to the ground and stamped it out fiercely.
He looked at his wrist, speaking coldly, “Ten minutes left.”
Zhou Ran and Shen Cexian’s expressions immediately changed; despite all that was said, Shen Chi paid no heed.