When Su Jin saw that walking headache return, his face darkened another shade. He no longer had any prejudice against him-just fear. This brat didn't care whether he lived or died.
"For the love of God, what is it now?"
"Who's your god? Don't shorten my lifespan..." Xia Shule suspected he was out to get him. First he had caused trouble, and now he was calling him a god.
Su Jin put on his standard smile. "...What can I do for you, Chairman Xia?"
Xia Shule pointed at Song Dimu behind him. "How long until the trainees debut?"
Su Jin checked his planner, assuming Xia Shule wanted special treatment for this trainee. "They'll debut at the end of the month. He...is on the tentative debut list. You don't need to worry."
"Good. I can pay out of my own pocket to get him the best teachers. I want him to have real skills when he debuts."
So he didn't want special treatment; he wanted skills... Su Jin had misunderstood him again. "Don't worry about that. The best teachers are all at Shengshi. I'll arrange it."
That wasn't what Xia Shule had mainly come to ask, though. "Those two with the surname Du-the company should have their files, right?"
"What are you planning?"
"I'm the chairman. Am I not allowed to look? Whatever I do, I won't do it in the company's name. Don't worry~"
Su Jin took out their files and handed them to Xia Shule. One look at his expression told him nothing good would come of this. Those two from the Du Family could look forward to trouble.
With the files in hand, Xia Shule breezed out. "Off I go, heading home~"
"Wait! I want to ask you something."
Xia Shule turned back with the baffled expression of an old man squinting at his phone on the subway. Please don't ask him anything about the company. He really knew nothing about that. "What?"
"..." Su Jin thought he was awfully aloof.
In fact, Xia Shule had simply lost too many platelets and didn't have the energy to say much.
"Well, a senior executive got involved with a minor actor. The executive is married. The actor wanted their relationship to be made official, didn't get anywhere, and brought the whole mess to me..."
Ooh~~~~ That sounded interesting! Xia Shule sat back down, suddenly eager and animated, his eyes gleaming!
"The actor wants compensation for emotional distress, or they'll expose the executive. The executive says he won't pay a cent, and a minor actor can't stir up much trouble anyway. They're at a stalemate right now. Neither side is willing to back down, and the company's reputation could...suffer."
Xia Shule rubbed his chin with his uninjured hand. He didn't understand corporate management. Perhaps it was precisely because he didn't understand it that this seemed so simple to him.
But since Su Jin had asked, he surely wanted an outsider's opinion. After spending so long in that position on his own, he was bound to fall into fixed patterns of thinking.
So Xia Shule asked, "Is this executive really important to Shengshi?"
Su Jin was puzzled and didn't understand why he was asking, but answered anyway. "Actually...no. He's the financing manager. He usually negotiates investments and partnerships, but I've handled those matters myself these past few years. He just comes along."
Xia Shule continued, "And that actor...you called them a minor actor, so they can't be very popular, right?"
Su Jin nodded. "Yes. A few small web dramas so far, with a bit of popularity in a limited audience."
Xia Shule frowned, giving Su Jin an almost amused look. The words were on the tip of his tongue, but he didn't know how to say them.
Su Jin could tell he had something to say. He only wanted an outsider's opinion, and he was prepared to accept and understand whatever startling suggestion Xia Shule might offer.
"Go ahead."
Xia Shule exhaled. Since Su Jin had told him to say it, he would. "Neither of them matters much to the company, so why keep them? Whichever one stays and whichever one leaves, neither is worth much. Just dismiss both of them for misconduct."
That was how he handled everything. Useless people shouldn't be kept around. As for the things he wanted, either he destroyed them or they belonged to him.
It was rather extreme, but it felt great.
Su Jin's eyes lit up. He hadn't considered getting rid of both of them. He had been racking his brains for a way to keep them both and make everyone happy.
But now that he thought about it, this also served both purposes. Two people who weren't important to the company would leave, and the source of the trouble would be gone.
"A fresh brain really does work better!"
"..." Xia Shule waved a hand. Apparently he was useful after all! "All done? Can I go now?"
Holding his phone, Su Jin told the executive and the actor to wait outside his office. When he heard Xia Shule say he was leaving, he waved casually.
He didn't even look up.
Use me and toss me aside, huh?
Xia Shule didn't have the energy to argue with him. He patted Song Dimu on the shoulder and left.
Seeing Xia Shule leave, Song Dimu immediately moved to follow. Su Jin stopped him. "Don't go yet."
"Huh?" Song Dimu looked bewildered.
He watched Su Jin take out a contract, set it on the desk, and tap it lightly. "Sign this."
"What is this?" Song Dimu sat down and looked at the contract on the desk. It looked just like the one he had signed a few days earlier.
Su Jin explained, "A new contract. Chairman Xia messaged me and asked me to draw it up. It won't hurt you."
Song Dimu leafed through it, unable to spot any differences from the one he had signed a few days ago. Summoning his courage, he asked, "How is this different from the previous one?"
"Better terms. In simple terms, more money."
"Did...Chairman Xia specifically ask for that?"
"Yes. He just sent me a WeChat message. Might as well make me his errand boy..." Su Jin grumbled under his breath.
Song Dimu signed his name, then clutched the contract tightly.
Even though he knew Xia Shule was only trying to make up for something he couldn't get past, it was still precious to him.
Xia Shule had planned to go home, pick up a few changes of clothes, and then find Yan Zhiyi. But as soon as he got home, he learned that Yan Zhiyi had already come to the Xia Family home and packed up his things.
He had taken all the essentials, but figuring Xia Shule would still come home to stay from time to time, he had left some everyday supplies and a few sets of clothes.
So Xia Shule ate a quick meal at home and left. The three of them had already grown used to living apart while he was abroad, so there wasn't much reluctance when he left.
With his battered hand in tow, he headed north all the way to Yan Zhiyi's home.
By now, he knew his way around the Yan Residence. He walked inside to find Yan Zhiyi sitting on the sofa, working.
Watching Xia Shule walk in, Yan Zhiyi said, "Welcome home."
Welcome home.
Yes, their home. Yan Zhiyi savored the thought.
That voice was practically enough to get Xia Shule's ears pregnant. Damn it, was this man trying to seduce him? That scheming bastard!
"You moved all my things over. Why didn't you tell me?"
Yan Zhiyi explained, "Your hand makes things difficult, but I thought you'd still want to go home and tell your parents."
"How thoughtful of you~" Xia Shule happily settled onto the sofa.
At the mention of his hand, Yan Zhiyi's gaze drifted over. The bandaging around his wrist was even heavier now. He hadn't seen the boy for one afternoon-what had he done this time?
"Why has your hand gotten worse?" Yan Zhiyi moved his laptop aside and leaned toward Xia Shule.
Xia Shule was utterly unconcerned. "Got into a fight this afternoon. The wound reopened."
Hearing that careless tone, Yan Zhiyi truly didn't know what to say. He took so little care of himself.
"Starting today, you're not allowed out of my sight." Yan Zhiyi lowered his eyes, not looking at Xia Shule, but his tone was a little firm.
By the time the words left Yan Zhiyi's mouth, it was too late. What was said couldn't be taken back, so he could only brace himself for Xia Shule's refusal.
After all, who would want to be watched by someone else? He had accidentally exposed his hidden tendencies. He would have to control himself better from now on...
Yan Zhiyi kept his head lowered and waited to be rejected.
"Huh?"
Xia Shule couldn't quite process it. How was this man stricter with him than his dad? He couldn't even leave his sight now?
But then he thought about how much older Yan Zhiyi was. It was probably just an elder's concern.
Xia Shule was straightforward to a fault. He missed the possessiveness in that tone and took it as nothing but concern. "Sure. It's just as well you'll be keeping an eye on me. Otherwise, who knows when I'll finally heal?"
Yan Zhiyi lifted his eyes to Xia Shule, a rare glimmer of hope in them. Whether Xia Shule meant it that way or not, he felt that someone had finally thrown him a rope after thirty years spent drowning.
It was every bit as lovely to hear as what he had said that night: "Grandpa Yan, it wasn't his fault."