Chapter 218
While Gu Lin was enjoying a hearty meal with Shen Xi and the others, Shen Huaichu was sipping tea with Jing Zeyou in the hospital ward.
Shen Huaichu wasn't surprised that Jing Zeyou had found him here, but he had thought their meeting would happen later, perhaps after he had fully recovered. Thanks to his proactive attitude, the treatment process had been smoother than expected, though still far from pleasant.
He picked up his teacup, took a shallow sip, and frowned slightly, clearly not enjoying the taste. Jing Zeyou noticed this and smiled faintly, saying gently, "You don't have to accommodate me."
In truth, Shen Huaichu's decision to bring out the tea set had also caught Jing Zeyou off guard. Shen Huaichu paused, setting the cup down. He could drink tea, just not the kind Jing Zeyou preferred. He had learned about Jing Zeyou's tea preferences from Jing Yi.
Originally, he had planned to thoroughly understand the likes and dislikes of the Jing family members in preparation for future visits, but he hadn't expected to need that knowledge so soon.
The room fell silent again. Shen Huaichu wasn't a talkative person to begin with, and now, in this situation, he wasn't sure what to say. Should they discuss the collaboration between their companies?
"Huarui Group recently finalized deals with several major domestic banks. The cooperation between our two companies..."
"You've misunderstood. I'm not here to discuss business matters."
Jing Zeyou had never doubted Shen Huaichu's capabilities. Even with Shen Huaichu away from the company, Huarui Group's operations hadn't faltered.
Seeing Shen Huaichu's expressionless face, Jing Zeyou felt a sudden urge to tease him.
"Xiao Qian was worried about you, so he asked me to come and check on you."
Shen Huaichu's composure cracked slightly, unable to maintain his usual calm.
"...That sounds familiar. Did he really just want to make sure I was still alive?"
The two brothers really were alike!
A glint of amusement flashed in Jing Zeyou's eyes as he said with a smile, "Just kidding. They don't know about your condition, and I really just came to see how you're doing."
Though, mentioning Jing Zeqian's concern wasn't entirely a lie, was it? Seeing the displeasure in Shen Huaichu's eyes, Jing Zeyou decided not to push further.
Shen Huaichu regained his usual stoic expression. "You've seen for yourself, Jing Director. I'm still in one piece."
Jing Zeyou studied him carefully, as if genuinely assessing whether Shen Huaichu was indeed "in one piece."
"Shen's definition of 'fine' is certainly unique."
Shen Huaichu opened his mouth, then closed it again, ultimately choosing to take another sip of tea with a resigned expression.
"Did you know that Yi Yi went abroad?" Jing Zeyou suddenly changed the topic.
Shen Huaichu's hand paused slightly as he lifted the teacup.
"...I knew."
A ripple of emotion stirred in his usually calm eyes.
"So, what are your thoughts on that?"
Thoughts?
Shen Huaichu leaned back slightly, his gaze falling on the door of the adjacent room.
What thoughts did he have now? He just wanted to see her.
But not yet. At least not until he no longer had to stand at that crossroads.
Looking at the relaxed Jing Zeyou, Shen Huaichu sighed inwardly. He couldn't help but feel a bit envious of this man.
Shen Huaichu knew that the Jing family was Jing Yi's top priority. If one day she had to choose between racing and her family, she would undoubtedly choose her family.
Jing Zeyou didn't seem to mind Shen Huaichu's gaze. He calmly poured himself another cup of tea and set a glass of water in front of Shen Huaichu.
"Mr. Shen, there's no need to underestimate yourself."
Shen Huaichu gave a faint smile, his voice low. "Jing, do you think it's appropriate for someone who is her first priority to say such things?"
Jing Zeyou raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Oh? Do you think you'd be happy if she chose you over us?"
Shen Huaichu's eyes flickered, and he shifted his gaze back to Jing Zeyou, his expression serious. "No." He would rather not be at that crossroads, forcing Jing Yi to make a difficult choice.
Shen Huaichu had once thought that if Jing Yi chose him, he would be overjoyed. But that all changed the day he overheard Jing Yi saying she had considered giving up racing.
In that moment, Shen Huaichu felt nothing but icy dread. He wondered what he had done to push Jing Yi to the point of considering such a sacrifice.
Jing Zeyou seemed satisfied with this answer, his lips curling into a smile. "So, President Shen, how do you know we're not the same?"
Whether or not they were each other's first priority was beside the point. Even if he was, Jing Zeyou would never allow himself to be in a position where he forced Jing Yi to choose between him and something else.
And that was exactly what Shen Huaichu was striving for.
Shen Huaichu's lips twitched slightly as he spoke slowly, "Thank you, Jing Zong."
You're welcome, Manager Shen. It's only right to visit a business partner.
With his task complete, Jing Zeyou decided not to linger. Shen Huaichu probably didn't want anyone to see him in his current state.
Shen Huaichu: "Take care, Jing Zong."
...
Meanwhile, after enjoying a sumptuous meal, Gu Lin received a message from Shen Huaichu, instructing him to take care of his dinner later.
Shen Xi glanced over, but Gu Lin quickly pocketed his phone.
"Little niece, that's not very polite. How can you sneak a peek at someone else's phone?"
Shen Xi knew she was in the wrong, but she just wanted to see if the message was from Shen Huaichu.
Gu Lin crossed his arms, his tone both teasing and smug. "You'll never get any information out of me. Didn't you say you wouldn't pass any news to Jing Yi?"
Shen Xi looked confused. "I wasn't going to tell Jing Yi. I'm just a junior, so it's natural for me to care about the health of my elders." Her parents and brother had also been feeling a bit strange lately, given that Shen Huaichu's supposed business trip had dragged on longer than expected.
But she had been tight-lipped and hadn't told anyone.
After all, she had to address Shen Huaichu as "Uncle," so regardless of her relationship with Jing Yi, she should show some concern.
Gu Lin: ...
He glared at Chen Yisi, who was trying to stifle her laughter, and forced a smile. "Little niece, you're quite filial indeed."
Shen Xi replied earnestly, "It's only right. How's Great Uncle's health?" Although Shen Huaichu could be quite intimidating, he had gone out of his way to win her over for Jing Yi's sake. She felt she owed him some concern.
Gu Lin's fake smile was on the verge of cracking. Shen Xi's serious demeanor left him with nowhere to vent his frustration.
He clenched his teeth. "He's fine. No missing limbs!"
Shen Xi, still focused on her meal, replied seriously, "That's good then. As long as he's fine."
Gu Lin: ... Are you practicing tongue twisters here?
He officially declared that he and his brother had no such disrespectful niece as Shen Xi!