SAG -Chapter 68 Preparing to Meet an Old Friend

Huo Li felt that the current Huo Zhiyuan seemed to have found something to rely on—some powerful source of confidence.

Back when their family first learned Huo Zhiyuan had become successful, they had come looking for her.

At that time, Huo Zhiyuan hadn’t wanted to deal with them either. She had been extremely cold toward them.

But faced with her parents’ bitter pleading—even reaching the point where they nearly knelt before her—Huo Zhiyuan had eventually softened.

Over the years, whenever her parents begged her for something, although she was reluctant, she had never truly been heartless.

After all this time, Huo Li had also come to understand something.

Huo Zhiyuan needed them.

She needed them to give her a family.

Even if that family was illusory and fake, as a woman, she still needed something to lean on.

Even if that support came from deceiving herself.

But now…

The Huo Zhiyuan before him seemed to have found her true support, her true harbor.

She no longer needed their false “family.”

Seeing that Huo Li still wanted to speak, Huo Zhiyuan waved impatiently.

“Enough. It’s decided. There’s no need to say more.”

“You’ve earned plenty of money over the years too. Now that you’re getting older, while you still have time, go travel more. Don’t always keep yourself so busy.”

Her last words sounded almost like concern.

But Huo Li heard another meaning beneath them.

At this point, he stopped talking.

He planned to have their parents come beg Huo Zhiyuan in a couple of days.

He also wanted to figure out why she had changed so much.

Once outside, Huo Li immediately went to find Zhao Jingyu.

If anyone in the company knew what was going on, aside from Huo Zhiyuan herself, it had to be Zhao Jingyu.

“Assistant Zhao, are you free tonight? Let me treat you to dinner.”

Huo Li smiled.

He had assumed Zhao Jingyu would agree.

After all, he was Huo Zhiyuan’s biological older brother. She should at least give him some face.

Unexpectedly, Zhao Jingyu’s attitude was extremely cold.

“President Huo, I’m sorry. I’ve been quite busy lately. I don’t have time.”

Huo Li froze.

He could tell that Zhao Jingyu wasn’t even bothering to pretend.

She was openly refusing to give him any face.

And there were other company employees nearby.

If word of this spread, where would his dignity go?

Just as he was about to lose his temper, Huo Zhiyuan’s voice came through the phone in front of Zhao Jingyu.

“Jingyu, come in for a moment.”

Huo Li took a deep breath and forced down his anger before leaving.

Watching his retreating figure, Zhao Jingyu smiled.

Huo Li thought no one knew what he was plotting, but that was only what he believed.

In reality, almost everyone in the company understood his little scheme.

Wasn’t he simply looking at the fact that Huo Zhiyuan had no children and hoping to have his own son take over?

Because of that, very few people in the company had dared refuse him in the past.

Even when Huo Zhiyuan repeatedly emphasized otherwise, it made little difference.

After all, she was unmarried and had no children.

No one truly dared offend Huo Li.

But now Zhao Jingyu knew that Huo Li’s dream of having his son inherit the company was impossible.

The company already had a successor.

And just now, Zhao Jingyu had deliberately embarrassed Huo Li in front of others.

Her purpose was to show everyone Huo Zhiyuan’s stance.

Although Zhao Jingyu’s position wasn’t particularly high, her attitude represented Huo Zhiyuan’s.

Anyone smart enough should be able to detect something from the scene between her and Huo Li.

Perhaps they would even start looking at Zhang Siyan and Qian Li differently.

At the very least, they wouldn’t dare secretly make things difficult for them.

Because this shift in attitude had begun because of Zhang Siyan and Qian Li.

From today onward, Zhang Siyan and Qian Li had officially been marked as belonging to Huo Zhiyuan’s direct faction.

That Saturday, Zhang Ran kept his promise to Taotao and took the children out to play again.

“Uncle Zhang.”

Meng Mingxuan drove over.

“Taotao, Susu, rest for a bit.”

Zhang Ran first nodded to Meng Mingxuan, then spoke to the two children.

“Mhm. Sister, drink some of this first. I’m telling you, it tastes really good.”

Taotao obediently held Susu’s hand and sat down on the grass.

Watching the two children sit down to rest, Zhang Ran turned to Meng Mingxuan.

“Uncle Zhang, the negotiation team is ready. These are the personnel lists and their resumes. Please take a look.”

Meng Mingxuan handed over a thick stack of documents.

Zhang Ran didn’t take them.

Instead, he looked at Meng Mingxuan and smiled.

“These past few days have been tiring, haven’t they?”

Hearing this, Meng Mingxuan immediately sat down beside him and began complaining.

“Yeah. I’ve never been this tired in my life.”

“Uncle Zhang, I’m telling you, I haven’t slept properly at all these past few days. And also…”

Although he sounded like he was complaining, he was really asking for credit, listing all the difficulties he had endured.

Zhang Ran could tell that everything he said was true.

His current appearance made that obvious.

The once fair, clean, fresh-faced young man now had messy hair, frighteningly heavy eye bags, and faint but visible dark circles.

“Not bad.”

Zhang Ran first praised him, then looked at him and said, “I won’t read the documents. Since I handed this to you, I won’t interfere. I only want the final result.”

“Alright.”

After that, Zhang Ran discussed a few more things with Meng Mingxuan.

Just as Meng Mingxuan was about to leave, Zhang Ran suddenly said, “Leave the car here. I’ll use it for a few days.”

Meng Mingxuan nodded.

Then he could only miserably take a taxi back.

“Taotao, Susu, Grandpa will be leaving home for a few days tomorrow to handle some matters. You two must behave at home.”

That afternoon, while driving the children home, Zhang Ran said this.

Zhang Xiaotao’s little face immediately fell.

“No… I’ll miss Grandpa.”

Susu looked nervously at her grandfather driving in front.

Her little hands instinctively clenched together.

Zhang Ran saw this through the rearview mirror.

He felt both comforted and heartbroken.

Comforted because his efforts during this period hadn’t been wasted—the two children had finally developed feelings for him.

Heartbroken especially for little Susu.

“Don’t worry. Grandpa will only be gone for a few days. I’ll be back very soon.”

“When I come back, I’ll bring you gifts.”

Zhang Ran spoke gently.

Taotao was cheerful by nature and recovered quickly.

He asked curiously, “Grandpa, what are you going to do?”

“I’m going to meet an old friend.”

Zhang Ran sounded somewhat emotional.

“Then Grandpa must come back early.”

Susu spoke softly.

Zhang Ran nodded firmly.

“Don’t worry. Grandpa will definitely come back early.”

“Grandpa will think of Susu every day.”

“Susu must remember to think of Grandpa too.”

“Mhm!”

Susu nodded her little head hard, as if using the motion to express her feelings.

“Grandpa! Grandpa! I’ll think of you every day too!”

Zhang Xiaotao immediately jumped in, refusing to be left out.

Zhang Ran laughed.

“Grandpa will think of you every day too.”