Shine on Me

With Mom's groundwork laid, I wasn't too surprised by Dad's arrival, though I hadn't expected it to be this soon.

On Monday afternoon, just as I started work, I received his message. I asked my section chief for leave and called Lin Yusen before leaving the company.

"I'm going out this afternoon. This princess is going to slay a dragon for you."

"What?" Lin Yusen was rarely caught off guard. "What dragon?"

"My dad."

Dad arranged to meet me at a teahouse in the old city. Probably because he had other business and wasn't here just for me, he was half an hour late.

Sipping tea in the small private room, gazing at the little bridge and flowing water outside the window, I waited calmly, not particularly bothered. However, President Nie seemed to arrive in a rage. The moment he sat down, his tone was accusatory: "Were all those things you said at the Sheng family dinner taught to you by Lin Yusen?"

My relaxed mood vanished instantly. Frowning, I asked, "What things?"

"About how Lin Yusen would take over the Nie family business in the future—did you say that? Sheng Bokai congratulated me immediately, saying I'd gained a good son-in-law and wouldn't have to worry about succession."

So that was it. I was speechless—the Sheng family really knew how to twist words and stir up trouble.

But I understood why my dad, in the prime of his life, would be unhappy hearing this. I explained, "I said that because they were being so infuriating, treating Lin Yusen like he was disposable. I was deliberately provoking them. I promise Lin Yusen has zero interest in our family business. In fact, he's not even interested in Shengyuan, let alone our company."

To my surprise, my explanation only made Dad angrier. "It seems he's completely brainwashed you. I've never been a snob. I wouldn't mind if you dated someone from a less prominent family, as long as they were a good, outstanding person. But Lin Yusen is out of the question. I won't allow it. I've already received notice of the Sheng family transferring shares. I won't agree unless you promise to leave Suzhou and return to Wuxi for work."

I stared at him in disbelief. "What does it have to do with you if someone wants to give shares to their own grandson?"

"I'm a shareholder. According to the company's bylaws, this is my right. I don't trust his abilities."

This was blatantly untrue—Lin Yusen's capabilities at Shengyuan were undeniable. Ultimately, Dad was just holding a grudge over how Lin Yusen had once made things difficult for him at Shengyuan.

I tried reasoning with him patiently. "Dad, is this because of what he did to you at Shengyuan before? But have you ever considered that if not for that car accident, he'd still be that brilliant surgeon? Countless desperate patients might have been saved because of him. He could have spent his life saving so many people. And the reason that accident happened was because you brought Ma Nianyuan to the banquet, letting others assume she was your... using my name to lure Lin Yusen out. After the accident, you completely ignored it—you even said he was 'chasing after' Ma Nianyuan..."

I didn't want to dwell on what Ma Nianyuan might have whispered to Dad behind the scenes and continued, "So isn't it understandable that he gave you a hard time at Shengyuan before? All of this destroyed the career he'd worked toward for over a decade. And knowing him as I do, I'm sure he operated strictly by business principles, without resorting to any underhanded tactics."Yet all my words were in vain. Perhaps because I had hit a sore spot, Dad became even more stubborn and said firmly, "That doesn't mean I have to sacrifice my own daughter."

I flared up instantly. "If your own daughter leaves you, it won't be because of anyone else!"

The teahouse fell into a suffocating silence.

"I have a question," I said calmly, my voice steady. "Why do you feel no guilt at all for indirectly ruining someone else's career? You knew Lin Yushen went to Wuxi and had a car accident, yet you completely believed Ma Nianyuan's one-sided story. With your life experience, didn't you have even a shred of doubt? Even if you didn't, now that you know the truth, why do you still feel no remorse, no desire to make amends, and instead harbor so much hostility toward Lin Yushen? Why? Is it because you know you're in the wrong and feel guilty? Are you imagining him as a greedy villain to ease your own guilt and justify yourself?"

Dad abruptly stood up from the sofa. "Nie Xiguang!"

I remained seated, looking up at him. "You keep saying I'm your only biological daughter, but when I was little, you sent me to the countryside for years. During that time, you were busy taking care of your first love and her daughter. Where was I in all that? I studied in Nanjing—how many times did you visit? I worked in Suzhou—before you knew about Lin Yushen, did you ever come to see me? Not once."

"Lin Yushen misunderstood that the trip to Wuxi was to see me. He hated me for being so heartless after his accident, for not caring at all. If I hadn't gone to Suzhou to uncover the truth, I would have been blamed for Ma Nianyuan's actions my whole life. Someone as capable as Lin Yushen—if he hated me, wouldn’t he just casually retaliate against me in the future? Did you ever worry about that?"

"Has Ma Nianyuan ever done anything else under the name of Nie Chengyuan's daughter? Will there be other things I’ll have to take the blame for in the future? After the truth came out, did you investigate? Did you comfort me? Did you punish her? Did you worry that her actions might hurt me? No, you did none of that. Not a single thing."

Tears welled up in my eyes as I stood up.

"Dad, the company shares, all your property—do whatever you want with them. You can give them to Ma Nianyuan, to anyone. I never wanted them, and don’t you dare try to use them to control my life and choices."

"I’ll never hope for you and Mom to get back together again."

After leaving the teahouse, I walked aimlessly for a long time. Vaguely, I heard my phone ring several times before I remembered to answer.

It was, of course, Lin Yushen.

Without asking too much, he said steadily, "Xiguang, where are you now?"

"I don’t know."

"Look around and tell me what buildings or shops are nearby."

I glanced around and named a few stores.

"Wait there. I’ll be there in about ten minutes."

While describing my surroundings to Lin Yushen, I realized I had wandered into a lively street filled with all kinds of food stalls.

So when Lin Yushen found me, I was sitting by the roadside eating, surrounded by piles of snacks.He approached quickly, his face full of concern, but the moment he saw me, his worry melted into a smile. He sat down beside me, picked up a paper bag, and was about to take something out to eat.

"Wait!" I hurriedly stopped him. "That's plum blossom cake inside. I only bought one, so you can only have half."

He obediently broke it in half, but after finishing his portion, he actually ate the other half too. I stared at him wide-eyed, my face full of question marks, but he shamelessly commented, "It's delicious. Where did you buy it? I'll go get another one to make it up to you."

"...Never mind."

I lowered my head and picked out a piece of dingsheng cake from the pile of food.

"Did the meeting with President Nie not go well?"

"How did you get here so fast?"

"I was worried, so I followed you out."

"Oh." I finished the dingsheng cake in my hand and raised my sticky, messy fingers for Lin Yusen to see. "Can I hug you?"

Lin Yusen directly grabbed my hands and pulled me into his embrace. I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his chest, and murmured softly, "I'm sorry. I messed things up."

"What things?" he asked gently.

"The share transfer. Dad might not agree to Shengyuan transferring the shares to you. He said he has the right of first refusal—if Shengyuan wants to transfer, he'll buy them first. We might have to run away together. I'll find a job in Shanghai too... I just feel a little bad for Xiao Dai and the others."

"Don't cry yet." Lin Yusen wiped my eyes gently with his fingers. "It's not that serious."

Was I crying? I hadn’t even noticed. I rubbed my eyes roughly. "Anyway, he just won’t agree unless..."

I didn’t finish, but Lin Yusen already understood.

"President Nie invested heavily in another project at the end of last year. His financial situation isn’t ideal, and he can’t spare the funds to take over here. If he doesn’t exercise his right within a month, it’s equivalent to giving it up."

"Really?"

"That’s my judgment." Lin Yusen stroked my hair. "So don’t worry in advance. He’s just trying to scare you."

"But what if he manages to free up the funds? If it weren’t for me being involved, he’d probably agree."

"Then we’ll run away together. I don’t necessarily need my girlfriend to support me by running a company."

I laughed at that. "Thanks for lowering your standards."

"You’re welcome."

Lin Yusen leaned down and kissed my eyes lightly. "Don’t rub your eyes so hard in the future."

"Mm."

"And don’t take responsibility for everything."

"Okay," I answered softly, resting quietly in his arms, not wanting to move. My fingers unconsciously fiddled with the buttons on his coat as I called his name: "Lin Yusen."

He looked down at me.

"You don’t have to make up for my plum blossom cake."

"So generous?"

"Mm. If my dad ends up preventing you from getting the shares, consider this as compensation."

The person above me fell silent for a long moment before finally patting me. "Xiguang, do your best."

"Huh?"

"You have a talent for business."

In the end, just as Lin Yusen had predicted, Dad gave up his right of first refusal for the shares. Then I received a very, very long text message from him, but I only skimmed it without reading it carefully.

I didn’t want to.

It didn’t matter anymore.However, not long after, he sent another message through my mother, saying he wanted to transfer all of Shuangyuan's shares to my name.

Along with it came another text from my father.

"My daughter, I still have reservations about Lin Yusen. Not out of personal resentment, but a father's natural wariness and concern toward any man who approaches his precious daughter. But you're right—I shouldn't interfere in your life based on my own biases. I only wish for your happiness and health, and I hope you never get hurt."