Chapter 3.1
In the dream, Tang Zhou worked as an assistant for Fu Shen for a period of time.
Now, he was adept at cleaning up his house. After tidying up the coffee table and opening the window for ventilation, he took a comfortable shower.
After making the decision to break free from the constraints of the Tang family, the burden on Tang Zhou’s heart and mind decreased significantly.
Whether in the dream or in reality, he never had any ambition for the Tang family. The only thing he couldn’t accept was the indifference or perhaps even the malice from his relatives.
However this good mood vanished when he heard the ringtone of his phone. He stared coldly at the caller ID, waiting for more than ten seconds without answering. After the ringing stopped, it started again not long after.
With a slightly cold look between his proud brows, Tang Zhou pressed the answer button on his phone and put it on speaker.
“Tang Zhou, there’s a banquet tonight. Come with me.”
The person who was speaking was Tang Zhen, his biological father.
For a father to communicate with his son using just his name was a form of coldness and distance in itself.
Tang Zhou opened his laptop and said casually, “I’m not going. I don’t like those kinds of occasions.”
Tang Zhen said, “It’s your grandfather’s orders. It’s the 18th birthday of your Grandfather Du’s granddaughter, come over for a visit.”
This was a blind date in disguise.
Tang Zhou analyzed the current trends of the stock market seriously then coughed lightly, “I have a cold, I’m not feeling well.”
If he remembered correctly, in his dream, this Miss Du was in the same boat as his illegitimate younger brother. Whether the dream was real or not, he didn’t want to get involved in this mess.
As his voice was hoarse, it was unknown whether Tang Zhen believed his excuse or not, but he didn’t press the issue any further.
Not long after, another call came in, it was from his grandfather.
When facing Tang Zhen, he felt no fluctuation in his heart, but when facing his grandfather who taught him since childhood, Tang Zhou couldn’t remain calm.
In his twenty or so odd years of memories, Old Master Tang was the only one who showed him warmth, but in his dream, his grandfather whom he had always respected and admired dealt him a fatal blow, revealing an ugly side of him that he had never seen before.
“Ah Zhou, I heard from your father that you’re sick. Have you seen a doctor? Should I ask Dr. Li to go over?”
The old man’s kind voice didn’t make Tang Zhou feel warm. Rather, it made a chill run down his back.
He was confused. Was the old man’s love and concern for Tang Zhou the person or for the value that Tang Zhou could bring the Tang family?
“No need, it’s just a minor illness. I’ll sleep it off.” Tang Zhou laughed lightly, “But you, you’ve been coughing a lot lately, take care of your health.”
Old Master Tang laughed, “It’s just a little cough, my health is very good. When I was young I even did some farm work for a few years in the countryside and didn’t do worse than anyone else. Nowadays that life is getting better and better, I’m afraid the health of you young people can’t compare to us old folks.”
He changed the subject, “But if your health is okay, you have to attend the banquet tonight. Your Grandfather Du has been mentioning you lately. Even if you don’t like his granddaughter, it’s good to come see him.”
At this point, if Tang Zhou refused, it would be a bit impolite and would easily raise suspicions.
“Okay, I’ll come tonight.”
Tang Zhou was currently a senior student at Jiangcheng University and since freshman year, he had been living in a house near the school.
Jiangcheng was quite large and the location of the banquet was about an hour and a half drive away from his place. The banquet started at six in the evening and as Tang Zhou didn’t have much time he tidied up a bit and put on a formal suit that was like fetters and drove to the venue.
The Du family had a bit of a reputation in Jiangcheng, so there were many celebrities who were in attendance at Miss Du’s birthday party. Outside the banquet hall were many people, many of whom were well-known figures in their circle and some of whom Tang Zhou recognized but couldn’t name.
Among the younger generation, Tang Zhou’s reputation was quite resounding, so as the heir of the Tang family, as soon as he got out of his car, he became the focus of the whole crowd.
His handsome and proud appearance, his tall and slender figure and his enviable family background made him a winner in the eyes of men and a golden and shiny young master in the eyes of women.
A waiter immediately came forward to greet him with a smile that implied respect, “Mr. Tang, welcome.”
Tang Zhou handed his car keys over to him, his voice cold but with a hint of warmth, “Thanks for your hard work.”
The waiter smiled and bowed and watching Tang Zhou’s back disappear at the entrance of the banquet hall, thought to himself: Mr. Tang is not as aloof and cold as rumored.
Upon entering the banquet hall, a few people came forward to greet him and Tang Zhou reciprocated. His gaze roamed around the hall and he saw Tang Zhen, who was indulging in loud and empty talk with several uncles and older relatives.
Tang Zhou had never liked this kind of occasion, so he found an inconspicuous corner to sit down in. He wanted peace, however an unexpected visitor came to visit.
Tang Zhen, holding a glass of wine, looked down at him.
“Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
Tang Zhou had inherited the best features from his parents in terms of appearance, so as his father, Tang Zhen’s appearance was naturally not bad either. As a man nearing fifty, because of his good maintenance, he looked like he wasn’t over forty.
However the momentum that his money could buy could fool others, but it didn’t work at all in front of Tang Zhou.
Tang Zhou leaned against the sofa and looked at him lazily, “Grandpa asked me to come.”
His eyes were calm and cold, not taking him into account at all. This was one of the reasons Tang Zhen couldn’t like Tang Zhou.
He couldn’t find any sense of achievement or satisfaction as a father before Tang Zhou, and this child seemed to be born to be his nemesis.
A child who suppressed his father so much was destined to not receive his father’s love.
Disgust flickered in Tang Zhen’s eyes, “Your grandfather Du’s granddaughter isn’t bad and her education is also good. You better know what’s good for you.”
Tang Zhou’s eyes glimmered with a hint of a smile which for no reason sent chills down his spine, “She is Tang Tianyang’s person, I don’t have the hobby of wearing a green hat.”
Tang Tianyang was Tang Zhou’s illegitimate younger brother, currently a freshman at Jiangcheng University.
“What nonsense are you saying!” Tang Zhen glared at him, “You are a person of the Tang family, be careful with your words when you’re outside, don’t let people laugh at us.”
Tang Zhou restrained his smile, his words hiding a sharpness, “It’s not me who will make the Tang family a laughing stock.”
“You–“
Tang Zhen was so angry that he couldn’t speak and left with a fling of his hand.
Thank You for the new chapter (｢`･ω･)｢❤️