Chapter 403: Chapter 403: What Happened at Home?
The old man’s mood was better than ever.
At his age, he rarely worried about the future because he no longer had the strength and had somewhat accepted his fate.
He felt that his company, even within three generations, would be ruined within ten years once he completely relinquished control to his sons.
Accepting fate was one thing, but he was also deeply pained.
But Sheng Tang gave him hope.
She was a capable successor. If the business passed into her hands, at least it wouldn’t collapse before her term ended; there would be no regrets left before the old man passed.
What’s more, Sheng Tang had met the young master of the Huishi Gu Family and gained the family’s approval.
This meant that what she leaned on was not just a small hill, but towering mountains.
The towering, continuous mountains were unshakable.
The old man was in such a good mood that he wanted to have a drink.
He asked Gu Shiting, "Can Ting drink?"
Gu Shiting nodded.
He could handle his liquor well— a few glasses wouldn’t matter, though he didn’t particularly enjoy drinking.
"What about Tangtang? Can she still drink half a glass of red wine?" the old man asked again.
Sheng Tang nodded, "Yes."
The old man ordered the servant to pour wine for everyone at the table, except the youngest, Sheng Zong.
When the dishes were being served, Sheng Tang noticed Sister-in-law Qian.
"You came here too?" Sheng Tang asked with a smile.
Sister-in-law Qian said yes.
"Several of us have worked for the old man for many years. As for me, I’ve worked for ten years now. The old man called all of us over," Sister-in-law Qian said.
Sheng Tang nodded.
The old servants were meticulous with their work and were even more dependable in serving the old man.
Sister-in-law Qian had always been kind to Sheng Tang’s family, and Sheng Tang had a good impression of her.
While they were eating, Fang Mengying’s phone rang.
She smiled apologetically, "It’s my mom calling."
She went out to take the call.
The call lasted a full ten minutes, and when she returned, her face looked a bit off, although she tried hard to mask it.
Her concealment skills were not deep enough, and she couldn’t hide it from the sharp eyes of Sheng Tang and the old man.
"Mom, is everything okay at home?" Sheng Tang asked.
Fang Mengying forced a smile, "It’s nothing, Grandma called. She said Dazhou and Xiaozhou had been waiting for a long time and went home after dinner. She was wondering when we’d be back."
Professor Sheng only then remembered that his students were still waiting.
He felt a bit regretful, "I promised to have them stay for dinner."
"The holidays are long, and they’re free as well. We can invite them over in a few days," Fang Mengying said.
At this point, she paused for a moment and smiled at the old man, "Tangtang’s grandmother said that since you’ve moved into a new home, it should have some liveliness.
If you don’t mind us disturbing you, we’d like to stay the night. It’ll bring some cheer and also save the driver from a tiring drive. It’s the New Year, everyone can have a break."
Her words were flawless.
If it weren’t for her slightly stiff smile, the old man might have believed her.
Sheng Tang saw through it too.
Professor Sheng and Sheng Zong just looked at her in surprise.
Gu Shiting, unaware of the background, quietly ate without interrupting.
"Of course, I’d be happy for you to stay the night," the old man said. "Sister-in-law Qian, prepare all four guest rooms."
Sister-in-law Qian said yes.
She was happy too because she could see the old man’s joy.
It had been many years since the old man had been this happy.
After dinner, Sheng Tang and Gu Shiting, as usual, went out for a walk.
The villa area was sparsely populated, with towering trees everywhere but few people in sight.
After they left, the old man went to his room to change, leaving Sheng Sidong and his wife space to talk, as he had noticed Sheng Sidong giving Fang Mengying several looks.
Once the old man left, Sheng Sidong immediately told Sheng Zong to go to the living room, then asked Fang Mengying, "What happened at home? Why don’t we go back?"