I Live in Your Time

Chapter Ninety-Five

“I’m only willing to fear him because he treats you well.”

For a moment, Shen Qianzhan felt dazed upon hearing these words.

When Su Zan first came under her wing, he was an obstinate and unruly troublemaker, dissatisfied with everything, arrogant and self-righteous. To temper his personality, Shen Qianzhan assigned him tasks he disliked the most—whatever he resisted, she made him do. For example: serving tea and water, cleaning the office, and picking up clients.

She had a certain relentless determination to achieve her goals.

The more Su Zan opposed her, the harsher she became.

Fortunately, the foolish boy wasn’t entirely clueless. After figuring out Shen Qianzhan’s temperament, he retracted his sharp edges and became obedient and compliant.

Over time, Shen Qianzhan gradually began teaching him some negotiation and socializing skills.

He wasn’t particularly clever and was easily provoked. Year after year, he grew older and more muscular, but his mind remained stagnant. In Shen Qianzhan’s eyes, he was less mature and steady than Qiao Xin, often prioritizing emotions and acting impulsively when faced with problems.

Over the years, he had caused Shen Qianzhan plenty of trouble.

She had taught him, scolded him.

It wasn’t entirely without effect—at least he wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.

Often, Shen Qianzhan felt that Su Zan resembled a large dog—a bit silly, a bit naive, but deeply loyal and capable of protecting his master in critical moments.

Just as she had grown accustomed to cleaning up Su Zan’s messes, Su Zan had grown accustomed to relying on her and protecting her.

There were no earth-shattering, deeply moving stories between them, nor had they ever faced any friendship crises that turned their world upside down. Every day was ordinary, revolving mechanically between the company, filming sets, and business dinners. Even the biggest disasters were nothing more than failed projects or lost investments—nothing that couldn’t be resolved over a hotpot meal.

Perhaps it was this silent companionship and gradual influence, day after day, year after year, that had rooted their friendship so deeply, making it unshakable.

Shen Qianzhan sighed softly, shifted her steps, and ruffled his hair. “Then don’t smoke.”

She completely ruined Su Zan’s carefully styled hair with gel. Watching him briefly stunned before hopping around like a ruffled chicken, she curled her lips into a smile.

Was this… considered a reconciliation?

—

After dinner, Shen Qianzhan sent a video call invitation to Old Shen.

Old Shen seemed to have been waiting for a long time—the moment she initiated the call, he answered immediately.

He was sitting under a grapevine trellis. The video angle, from below to above, stretched his face into a long, eerie shape.

Shen Qianzhan stared for a moment and asked, “Have you lost weight?”

“No, I haven’t,” Old Shen fibbed. “I turned on the slimming and beauty filter.”

“How’s the seafood on North Swift Island?”

“Pretty fresh.” Old Shen chuckled and asked in return, “Your mom said you’re bringing a boyfriend home. Your boyfriend is here, but when are you coming?”

Shen Qianzhan let out a cold “hmph” and glared at him.

Old Shen, feeling guilty under her gaze, cleared his throat and stopped beating around the bush, honestly admitting his mistake. “This time, I made you and your mom worry. I promise there won’t be a next time. Haven’t I learned my lesson? I’ve been eating seafood for two days…”

Shen Qianzhan asked, “What happened? How could you rent someone’s boat to go out to sea without even settling on a price?”Old Shen replied, "It's all because your Uncle Hai bargained too hard, and that boat captain has a strange temper—he didn't say a word. I thought they had settled it, but who knew the captain would keep his anger bottled up? He just dumped us on the shore and left without a word. Where was I supposed to go to reason with him?"

As Old Shen grew older, he feared two things: his wife crying and his daughter getting angry.

This afternoon, Shen's Mother's tearful display had already worn him down, and he was terrified that Shen Qianzhan would latch onto this matter and refuse to let it go. Without a shred of loyalty, he dumped all the blame onto his fishing buddy, Uncle Hai.

But that wasn't enough. He then put on a pitiful act, pouring his heart out until Shen Qianzhan shot him a look that was half-amused, half-scolding. Sensing she was no longer angry, he perked up again: "Happy now? Not holding it against me anymore?"

Shen Qianzhan stubbornly retorted, "If you don't even care about yourself, why should I bother?"

Old Shen grinned, carefree and unapologetic: "I reported my whereabouts before leaving. I figured your mom would realize she couldn't reach me within a day or so, and she'd definitely find a way to look for me. I knew I'd be rescued. I'm not like your Uncle Hai—no one at home to keep an eye on him. If he went missing, no one would even know."

Shen Qianzhan looked at Old Shen on the screen.

He looked somewhat haggard, though his spirits seemed fine. His cheeks were slightly sunken, making him appear older. He gazed at Shen Qianzhan with a smile, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes squeezing them into narrow, curved slits, revealing only a glint of dark, bright pupils.

In his eyes, there was a hint of pleading, a touch of begging for mercy, and an indescribable joy.

Suddenly, she thought of Old Chen and Mrs. Chen, who was in some room in this same hotel.

Mrs. Chen's tears and restraint had deeply moved her. Her heart had been aching all evening, and now it felt slightly sour, both bitter and tender: "The day before yesterday, I called my mom and told her the crew was returning to Beijing, and I wanted to bring my boyfriend home to meet you both. She was overjoyed. As soon as she hung up, she tried to call you, but your phone was off. She panicked and was terrified, unable to sleep all night, trying to reach you and Uncle Hai every now and then. When dawn finally broke, she reached out to me for help, and with everything happening at once, I almost missed her call."

"You know how fierce my mom can be with me—like a tiger, ready to grab me by the scruff of my neck and fight. But her voice sounded like she was about to cry, utterly lost as she asked me what to do. Old Shen, you really scared her this time."

Old Shen fell silent.

The smile on his face gradually faded, and the line of his lips straightened.

His eyes, without the smile, lost their sparkle. As he gazed at her with a dull, grayish look, a trace of apology surfaced.

Shen Qianzhan thought about how he and Uncle Hai must have felt when they were stranded on North Swift Island with no one to turn to—probably no better than how she and her mother had felt. Now that the crisis had passed, the panic and helplessness of teetering on the edge of a cliff had been washed away by the news of Old Shen's safe return.

Perhaps she had truly grown softer, more empathetic. All the prepared, harsh words she had planned to unleash on Old Shen vanished in that moment. Her heart softened, and she said, "I'm not blaming you. It's just that this kind of thing can't happen again. If you want to have fun and enjoy life, you have to prioritize your own safety. Don't trouble others or waste social resources because of your own ignorance, selfishness, or foolishness. You're my dad, and I want you to live a long, healthy, and safe life, to stay with me and my mom a little longer."Old Shen was filled with shame, but his pride as an elder made it hard for him to back down. "Dad knows he was wrong. Did I delay your work?"

"No," Shen Qianzhan replied, still stern-faced. "Someone went to find you in my place. I was just holding down the fort at the base."

Old Shen scratched his head and chuckled sheepishly. "You know, when I saw Qinghe, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. I thought, surely I haven't gone crazy from wishing for a son-in-law like him every day. I was so startled I kicked your Uncle Hai right then and there."

At the mention of Ji Qinghe, Shen Qianzhan's expression softened imperceptibly, a gentleness she herself hadn't noticed. "How did he introduce himself to you?"

Old Shen immediately beamed. "We didn't get around to that. Uncle Hai and I had finished all the water we brought ashore, so we were busy asking for a drink."

"You know, that kid is really thoughtful. He had water and rations ready, everything we needed. After Uncle Hai calmed down, he even had the rescue team's doctor check us over first. Even your mom isn't that attentive."

Shen Qianzhan raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical that Uncle Hai would have been so emotionally worked up as to need calming.

It was like the classic "I have a friend" excuse—everyone understood without saying it aloud.

Old Shen, who had clearly been holding this in for a while, was eager to share. "I figured it out myself. At first, I didn't dare think too deeply about it. After all, with your terrible temper, most people can't stand it. Even if they're drawn to your looks, they wouldn't last a month."

Shen Qianzhan couldn't take it anymore and interrupted with a sharp "Hey!" "Is that any way to talk about your own daughter?"

Old Shen chuckled, undeterred, and continued, "At first, I guessed he came with you, but when I asked, he said you were tied up with the crew. Then it hit me—even if your crew is short-staffed, it wouldn't be to the point where you'd send an investor to look for your own father. Besides, isn't there Su Zan by your side? He gets along with me, and you can boss him around—he'd be the obvious choice."

"Later, I remembered last year when he came over for dinner. He mentioned that you're a light sleeper. You didn't notice, but I caught it. So I tried to probe a bit, asking him, 'Is Dēngdeng doing okay with work? How's her sleep lately?'"

Shen Qianzhan watched the poorly concealed smugness on Old Shen's face and silently rolled her eyes.

So, he'd encountered someone even trickier than Shen's Mother before she had.

Old Shen went on, "He probably knew I was testing him. He smiled and replied carefully, 'Before I came, I told her not to worry about you, Uncle. It shouldn't affect her sleep.' See how thoughtful and tactful this kid is? With an answer like that, how could I not understand? I realized right then—my dream had come true."

Shen Qianzhan was far calmer than Old Shen. "So you're so pleased that just mentioning him makes you grin like you've won five million?"

"Five million isn't enough—at least a hundred million," Old Shen said approvingly, heaping on the praise. "I can see Qinghe is steady, good-natured, and handsome. With your awful temper, you must bully him all the time."

Shen Qianzhan: "???"

Who's bullying whom here?Perhaps her dissatisfaction was so intense it seemed to seep through the screen. Old Shen toned it down a little, cleared his throat, and said with a measured tone, "Of course, your dad isn’t that unreliable either. I talked to him last night, asked about your usual interactions, your hobbies and interests, and even set a few traps for him to see how well he knows you."

Shen Qianzhan’s interest was piqued. She raised an eyebrow and asked, "What did you ask?"

"Nothing too serious. I didn’t want to make it too obvious or put him on the spot, so I just asked what you’ve been busy with lately." Old Shen’s mood suddenly dipped. He looked at her for a moment before saying, "But I don’t have the answers myself, so I don’t know if what he said was right."

"Qinghe said you’ve found a new direction in your career and want to try your hand at being an independent producer. I was worried you’d have a hard time, but he was very supportive. He said your life is stable, you have some savings, and even if you make a mistake, you still have the chance to start over."

"I said you’re strong-willed, but he said you’re actually quite delicate—when you get hurt or feel pain, your eyes redden all the way to the tip of your nose, and you get all pouty."

"I said you usually care too much about looking good, wearing too few clothes and prioritizing style over warmth. He said he’d have to scold you about that and keep an eye on you in the future, but girls all want to look pretty, especially in your line of work, where there are expectations for attire and appearance."

"I said you have bad eating habits and are picky. He just laughed and said it’s fine, but someone needs to remind you to eat on time. As for being picky, it depends on how you’re fed…" Old Shen’s sentimental tone paused as he looked at her curiously. "So, how do you need to be fed to not be picky?"

Shen Qianzhan kept a straight face and asked in return, "Where is he?"

"He went back." Old Shen glanced at the clock and estimated, "He should be there by now."

As soon as he finished speaking, a pair of distant headlights swept in a curve outside the window and entered the parking lot. Shen Qianzhan leaned against the window and looked down. A black SUV, its paint gleaming, pulled into a parking spot, cloaked in the night.

The man who stepped out of the car was tall and slender, standing straight and poised. He walked through the two straight beams of the headlights toward the hotel.

Behind him, the SUV emitted a soft click as the doors locked. The ambient lights on the door handles dimmed, and the headlights flickered twice, shifting from far to near, from bright to dark, like a spotlight tracing his path straight into her heart.