In the Years When I Was a Father

Chapter 15: The Playboy Dad (15)

This little episode didn’t bother Qi Wenyan much. With the new school year approaching, he had successfully been accepted to F University, and the major he applied for was the same as Qi Wenyu’s. Soon, he would officially become Qi Wenyu’s junior in the university.

He still felt a bit jealous of Qi Wenyu at times, but Qi Wenyu seemed to want to make up for the past. Whenever there was any conflict between them, Qi Wenyu would always take a step back first, leaving Qi Wenyan jealous but never resentful toward him.

As for Qi Wenfeng, at first, Qi Wenyan worried that their father might favor that kid, but after more than two months of interaction, he understood. His father just wanted them three brothers to get along and love each other, and he treated them all equally. However, thinking of that kid’s clingy ways, Qi Wenyan still preferred Qi Wenyu.

Two years passed in the blink of an eye. The one who had the most energy in those two years was Qi Wenfeng. Aside from his constant act of being spoiled, he spent a lot of time on music creation, which puzzled Qi Sheng. But Qi Sheng didn’t interfere. If the kid really wanted to pursue music, then it would save him the trouble later. The Qi family didn’t have any strong class prejudices, and even the old man wouldn’t stop the family’s children from entering the entertainment industry. However, whether it was just a fleeting interest or a real goal for Qi Wenfeng, Qi Sheng hadn’t figured that out yet.

“Dad, you’re back.”

Qi Wenyan stood up to greet his father, who had just returned, as he was sitting with the old man in the living room. His demeanor was full of confidence and humility. He had become much more composed in handling people, and even the old man, who never believed in superstitions, had been quietly muttering about ancestral blessings recently.

Qi Sheng was increasingly satisfied with his son. In just two years, Qi Wenyan had transformed completely. If someone didn’t know the backstory, they wouldn’t be able to tell he had spent eighteen years living elsewhere.

Qi Sheng nodded, walking over to sit next to the old man. “Dad, have you made a decision?”

Looking at the small cup of medicinal wine on the tea table, the old man glanced at his son. Qi Wenyan silently gave him a reassuring look, allowing Qi Sheng to shift his focus.

When Qi Sheng had first brewed the medicinal wine, the old man refused to drink it. He didn’t believe his repeated assurances. Later, the old man, realizing how much he was hurting his son’s feelings, invited a trusted, experienced traditional Chinese medicine doctor, under the pretext of tasting it together. The old man felt proud of his thoughtful actions, but unexpectedly, after tasting the wine, the doctor was so impressed that he shamelessly asked the old man for a bottle. The old man, who had been smug about his cleverness, was instantly stunned.

Since the old man drank the medicinal wine brewed by his son, he couldn’t seem to stop. If not for a few children watching, he would have secretly indulged more. Later, Qi Sheng brewed some good-quality white wine, which distracted the old man from constantly focusing on the medicinal wine, but he still treasured it dearly.

“Yes, Xiao Yan has made a lot of progress in the past two years. It’s time for him to gain some experience at the company,” Qi Sheng said.

Qi Wenyan didn’t object. If his son could take over the company sooner, the old man would worry less. He then turned to Qi Wenyan and said, “Work hard at the company. It’ll help your grandfather relax and enjoy his retirement.”

When Qi Sheng said this, he showed no signs of embarrassment. Even the old man nodded in agreement.

Qi Wenyu hadn’t come back for a few days. Now that he had registered his company, he was busy working with several capable assistants on a big project.

Qi Sheng had long since accepted his workaholic nature. He ordered the kitchen to prepare a feast and instructed the bodyguards to deliver food to him every day to prevent him from overworking.

Today, with nothing to do, Qi Sheng decided to visit while the food was being delivered. Without being under his watch, his son might not eat properly.

When Qi Wenyu’s company was first established, Qi Sheng secretly gave him a considerable sum of money. At first, Qi Wenyu had refused, but Qi Sheng, proudly saying, “Right now, I’m supporting you. When I get old, I’ll be counting on you to take care of me!” managed to make Qi Wenyu accept the money.

Qi Wenyan knew his father’s wealth was more than enough to allow him to live a carefree life, but what really made him accept the money was the idea that his father wanted him to support him when he got older!

The company was located in an office building in the financial center. Though it wasn’t very large, it was well-equipped. Qi Sheng made his way directly to his son’s office. Upon seeing Qi Wenyu’s pale face, he couldn’t help but get angry. “You brat, have you been pulling another all-nighter?”

Qi Wenyu, with dark circles under his eyes and looking a bit guilty, quickly got up and motioned for his father to sit down, eagerly making tea for him.

“Dad, why are you here?”

“If I didn’t come, I wouldn’t have known that you, you troublemaker, stayed up all night again! What work is so important that you have to pull an all-nighter?”

Qi Sheng was quite displeased. When his father couldn’t be stopped, at least his son could manage to do so.

“I only stayed up last night. It’ll be finished today. Usually, I don’t stay up late,” Qi Wenyu explained helplessly, feeling a bit embarrassed for being caught.

Qi Sheng glared at him, grabbed the lunchbox, and opened it to reveal his son’s favorite dishes. “You think you’ll finish today? Fine, I’ll wait for you here, and we’ll go home together.”

Looking at the noticeably larger portion of food than usual, Qi Wenyu realized his father planned to stay and have a meal with him. He couldn’t help but feel a warmth in his heart.

In these past two years, Qi Wenyu could clearly feel how much his father had changed. He wasn’t sure whether it was because of all the events that had happened in the Qi family or because his father had realized he had been manipulated by the women around him. Whatever the reason, his father had become much more restrained. While he still enjoyed playing, his interest in women had significantly waned, and instead, he seemed to focus more on their three sons.

Naturally, Qi Wenyu was glad to see this change in his father. Deep down, he was even more fond of the father who cared about him this way.

Qi Sheng ate his meal slowly and steadily, which helped Qi Wenyu relax and enjoy his food. After eating, Qi Sheng sat down at a desktop computer on the other side and started playing games. This was something he had specifically downloaded after visiting a few times. Qi Wenyu continued working on his tasks, and the father and son didn’t disturb each other. The staff passing by saw them and felt the warmth of the scene. Of course, it would have been better if the father weren’t playing games, but the sentiment was still there.

Not long after Qi Wenyan entered Qi Corporation, Zhou Yan reacted strongly. She had obediently waited for two years, and upon hearing this news, she felt rather upset. But since her son was only in his second year of high school, there was nothing to be done even though she was anxious.

“Xiao Feng, why don’t you talk to your dad? Ask him to arrange for you to join the company…” While they were eating together, Zhou Yan couldn’t help but say.

In the past two years, her son could only find time to accompany her on weekends. Although she sometimes missed him terribly, she still hoped he would stay in the Qi family for good. So even though Qi Wenfeng wanted to spend more time with her, she often persuaded him to go, and gradually, it became a habit for him to have lunch with her once a week.

“Mom, I haven’t graduated from high school yet. I’m in such a rush to join the company. Not to mention what Dad thinks, Grandpa definitely won’t approve.”

“You can just say you want to gain some practical experience. Your grades are good enough, and as long as you only go to the company on weekends for an internship, there’s no problem. You can talk to your dad about it when you get back…”

“Mom!” Qi Wenfeng said helplessly. But since she was his mother, he patiently continued, “Qi Wenyan’s grades were even better than mine back when he was my age. Grandpa only arranged for him to join the company after he went to university. If I go now, it’s obvious that everyone in the Qi family will think I want to fight with Qi Wenyan for the inheritance! At that point, Madam and the Bai family will make sure I’m in trouble.”

Zhou Yan knew this made sense, but she was still anxious. “Didn’t you say that your dad dotes on you the most? Why don’t you act a little spoiled and say you want to join the company for fun? If you wait until you’re in college, Qi Wenyan will have already solidified his position in the company, and when he graduates, he’ll spend all his time there. How could you, as a student, compare with him?”

Qi Wenfeng sighed internally. His mother really… but he didn’t show it on his face. He continued to patiently reassure her, “Mom, don’t worry. Dad said that as long as I want to join the company, he’ll arrange a proper position for me. And Grandpa is treating me very well right now. If he finds out I’m only thinking about competing with Qi Wenyan, he’ll favor Qi Wenyan, and that would be a loss for me.”

Seeing that his mother still wasn’t convinced, Qi Wenfeng added, “The main decision-maker in the Qi family is still Grandpa. If I behave well now, he’ll be very satisfied with me. When the time comes, if I join the company, Grandpa won’t have any doubts. Besides, Qi Wenyan isn’t that capable. Even if he joins a year or two earlier, he won’t make much of a difference. You don’t need to worry!”

Zhou Yan looked somewhat unconvinced. “Really? You’re not lying to me? I heard that his grades are pretty good in school, and some of Grandpa’s business partners even praise him.”

Qi Wenfeng frowned, unable to hide his frustration. “Haven’t I told you already? Don’t make any more moves behind Dad’s back…”

“Don’t worry, I’ll be careful. Your dad won’t find out. Son, you really need to hurry and join the company!”

Qi Wenfeng shook his head in resignation, a little disdainful as he said, “Mom, you really don’t need to worry. I know exactly what Qi Wenyan is worth! All he does is study. You don’t know how hard he works to get those good grades. As for Grandpa’s business partners, it’s normal for them to praise each other in business. Besides, Qi Wenyan is the legitimate heir. To keep the company’s stock stable, Grandpa has to package him as the perfect heir. What you don’t know is that Grandpa has been worried for a long time. He’s actually concerned that Qi Wenyan won’t be up to the task!”

Zhou Yan’s face visibly brightened upon hearing this. Over the past two years, she wasn’t sure if Qi Sheng had been secretly intervening, but it had become harder and harder to get information about the Qi family. The information she could gather was always second-hand, and it was difficult to verify. But since her son said so, it must be true.

With her mind at ease, Zhou Yan felt a sense of relief. As long as Qi Wenyan couldn’t shoulder the responsibility of being the heir, how could Grandpa let the company fall into the hands of someone incapable? Her son was so excellent, and when the time came, if he smoothly took over Qi Corporation from Grandpa, the company would naturally belong to her and her son.

Thinking about how the entire Qi family’s wealth would be at her disposal in the future, she felt much better about the grievances of the past two years. Qi Sheng no longer paid attention to her and certainly didn’t give her money to spend. While her son would sometimes give her some money, it was far less than what Qi Sheng used to give her. She had grown accustomed to living a lavish lifestyle, and even though she had some savings, her living standards had significantly decreased in these two years. Deep down, she resented Qi Sheng’s heartlessness, but she had to be more frugal for now. She’d need money to make connections in the future, so she just had to endure for a few more years.

With her plans set and her mind at ease, Zhou Yan happily picked up some food for her son. “Be good at Qi family, listen to Grandpa and Dad, and remember to study well. Once you get into F University next year, then you can talk to Dad about joining the company.”

Qi Wenfeng nodded as he ate, and Zhou Yan was very pleased.