QTIMP -Chapter 163 Character Persona – Love Brained (Part 34)

Si Qiu pursed her lips in a smile and nodded. “Alright, I’ll give you a chance to show off, but you are our ‘official in charge’—so make sure you stay upright and incorruptible!”

Hearing the latter part of her words, Zhou Chengyu pinched the bridge of his nose.

“You clever little rascal. Don’t worry. As your boyfriend, aside from some family inheritance, I’ve also invested in quite a few friends’ companies. It’s not like I’m fabulously wealthy, but I do have some money.”

“Wow, Brother Zhou really has foresight. Economic foundation determines the superstructure. If you’re not short on money, you won’t be swayed by material things, and you won’t have that weak spot others can exploit. Then I’ll trouble Brother Zhou to make my car look nice.”

Si Qiu’s little mouth chattered, pouring out sweet words with admiration. It made Zhou Chengyu’s eyes curve even more.

He had heard flattery from others before—at his current level of achievement and family status, there were countless people flattering him, some exaggerated, some subtle. But for some reason, hearing Si Qiu say these words today made him feel genuinely comfortable. Even hearing her request, he felt honored.

“Is that all? Any other thoughts?”

Si Qiu nodded. “There’s one more request: before our relationship stabilizes, don’t tell the parents.”

Of course, Zhou Chengyu didn’t want to, but he feared pushing her too hard would trigger rebellion. In the end, he nodded in agreement.

After dropping her off at school and watching her go upstairs, he drove back to the old family residence.

The moment he entered, the old man barely glanced up from his newspaper and immediately noticed the change in him today.

So he casually asked, “What’s wrong? Promotion this year is confirmed. I’ve told you countless times to be steady, control your emotions…”

“Grandpa, I’m in a relationship.”

The old man’s newspaper cracked as it tore in his hands. He carelessly tossed it on the tea table and quickly turned to follow Zhou Chengyu.

“My good grandson, don’t walk off—come tell Grandpa properly.”

Zhou Chengyu didn’t stop, though he slowed his pace to prevent the old man from rushing and stumbling.

“What do you want to know, Grandpa?”

As they entered the study, Zhou Chengyu reflected on his day. He had staged a car accident and spent the whole afternoon running errands—he wasn’t truly idle. He just hadn’t expected that kid to be so uncompetitive and would be eliminated so easily.

So he seized the opportunity to press his advantage and secure his position. But tonight, he wouldn’t get any sleep.

“You say you’re in a relationship—whose daughter is she? How old? What does she look like? How’s her temperament? Ah, I don’t know what kind of feng shui our family has stumbled on. I had three sons, and then each son had kids—five grandsons and not a single girl. Fine, that’s one thing. The key is that now all five grandsons are still bachelors—not just without wives, not even with girlfriends. A while ago, the butler and I were even considering moving the ancestral tombs. Now it seems we’ll have to wait. You’ve finally got someone, don’t spoil it with any tomb-moving.”

The old man went on and on. Seeing that his grandson remained unmoved, he poked him with his cane.

“I’m asking you—how’s your girlfriend? Don’t worry, as long as there’s nothing seriously wrong with her, I absolutely won’t object.”

As the old man said this, he clutched his chest, as if making such a statement required immense resolve.

“So, what defect are you always talking about?”

Hearing his grandson ask this, the old man’s heart skipped a beat. No way… could the girl really have some major problem?

Nervously, he swallowed, then lowered his voice and asked cautiously, “Your partner… is she a woman?”

Zhou Chengyu looked up at him, then lowered his head.

“Yeah.”

The old man put his hand over his chest to calm himself, then asked again, “She hasn’t been married before, right?”

Zhou Chengyu glanced at him once more. “Yeah.”

The old man felt a little more at ease. Leaning in a bit, he continued, “Is she healthy and smart?”

Zhou Chengyu pinched the bridge of his nose, sighed, and said, “She’s healthy, pretty, and comes from a reputable family. Her family isn’t as wealthy as ours, but it’s decent. She’s just a bit young—just came of age this year and is a student at Q University.”

The old man’s face slowly broke into a smile. “Good, good, good. A little young, but she’s an adult, and she’s at Q University—her intelligence must be solid. Family background being average is fine. Honestly, you really shouldn’t marry someone whose conditions are too perfect right now. You say your girlfriend has such good qualities… why didn’t you just say so? Look at me, you scared my blood pressure up!”

Zhou Chengyu quickly went over and helped him settle into the chair.

“She doesn’t really have any flaws. It’s just… she still has some reservations about me and isn’t fully agreeing.”

The old man grew a little anxious. “Reservations? Is it because you’re too rigid? The girl is young and lively—does she not like you because of that?”

Zhou Chengyu thought: the old man’s blood pressure might spike if he keeps talking, but honestly, his own blood pressure is about to go out of control.

“Can’t you just hope for the best for me? My girlfriend’s name is Si Qiu.”

The old man waved his hand. “Of course I want what’s best for you… it’s just that this girl called Si Qiu…”

In a flash, the old man jumped up from his chair. “Si Qiu? That’s Old Fifth…”

“Grandpa, Si Qiu and Old Fifth are just friends. Because of Lin Zixiang’s connection, they’re a bit close, but there’s nothing improper between them.”

Zhou Chengyu spoke firmly. The old man opened and closed his mouth a few times before finally striking his cane on the floor.

“You can fool outsiders with that explanation, but if this goes through… how are you going to get along with Old Fifth? You two are close cousins, after all.”

Zhou Chengyu handed the old man a cup of water and sat down beside him, lowering his eyes slightly. “Grandpa, I know all that. But if I miss her, I might spend the rest of my life dedicating myself only to the country.”

The old man’s expression changed. He was about to say something, but Zhou Chengyu interrupted him.

“Grandpa, you know, this isn’t her problem—it’s mine.”

The old man scanned his grandson’s face, then let out a deep sigh, his cane thudding heavily on the ground.

“Since you say it like that, I won’t stop you. But you better think carefully—how are you going to handle your relationship with your Third Uncle’s family?”

“Don’t worry, Grandpa. Third Uncle and Old Fifth aren’t the type to nitpick, and as for Third Aunt, she doesn’t have much sway anyway.”

“Let’s hope so!”

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to stop his grandson—it was just that he knew this grandson too well.

The boy he personally raised had been stubborn since childhood, with an unusually strong sense of possessiveness. When he set his mind on something, no one could stop him. If truly provoked, the consequences could be unimaginable.