Qin Tianyi hummed and opened the computer on his desk, then said abruptly, "This is about agreeing to Auntie's request for me to go on a blind date."
Xiao Anjing almost lost his balance and asked, "How did you know?"
"Auntie sent me photos of the girls she's picked out for you, asking me to persuade you." Qin Tianyi showed him a rare smile.
"Fine, you guys… you guys did this behind my back… you're not good brothers…" Xiao Anjing pointed at him awkwardly and retreated from his office. He realized he couldn't hide anything from Qin Tianyi, who had seen through him again.
Qin Tianyi remained alone in his office, feeling uneasy thinking about how Shu Zhongze had ordered someone to harm Susu for the sake of Shu Yan.
Should he tell Shu Zhongze that Susu was his biological daughter?
If he knew this, he wouldn't harm Susu, and then Susu would be safe?
But he saw that Susu was unwilling to acknowledge Shu Zhongze, and if she were to confront him, she would need to agree first.
This was a difficult matter. Since Shu Zhongze had tried to kill Susu, Susu would definitely be even more unwilling to acknowledge him as her father.
After much thought, even if he didn't reveal Susu and Shu Zhongze's relationship for the time being, he still had to warn Shu Zhongze and tell him not to harm Susu anymore.
…
In the CEO's office of Shu Group, Shu Zhongze seemed to have anticipated Qin Tianyi's visit.
When his secretary informed him that Qin Tianyi was at the front desk on the first floor and insisted on seeing him without an appointment, he calmly told the secretary, "Let him come up."
Shu Zhongze, wearing a white shirt and a black vest, took out a set of purple clay teaware that he had treasured for a long time, rolled up his sleeves, and elegantly brewed tea.
Qin Tianyi strode into his office and, seeing his demeanor, had to calm himself down and say, "Mr. Shu certainly has a refined taste."
"Sit down." Shu Zhongze poured out the first brew of tea and said, "The art of tea emphasizes the right timing, just like living life, neither rushed nor impatient."
Qin Tianyi said with a chuckle, "Then have you prepared the right timing for your next move against us?"
"I don't understand what you mean." Shu Zhongze looked up at him and, seeing him dressed in casual clothes, said, "Mr. Qin must have rushed here directly after rescuing people in the mountains. You look quite travel-worn."
Qin Tianyi didn't want to waste time or beat around the bush. "Aren't you aware of what your assistant did? How could he have almost harmed my wife and child and then suddenly become your former assistant? What a coincidence."
Shu Zhongze didn't rush to refute him. He handed Qin Tianyi a cup of brewed tea and said, "I only heard about this from the police. I'm glad Susu is alright. I won't let him go once he's found."
Qin Tianyi took the teacup but didn't drink from it, thinking he was too good at pretending. "Now that the person has fled and there's no concrete evidence, you can say whatever you want. I've come to tell you that your daughter's death is entirely her own fault. Anyone who dares to harm my wife and child will meet a terrible end…"
"Don't be so absolute with your words." Shu Zhongze interrupted him. "It seems you only see the surface. I am heartbroken by Shu Yan's death, but I have already lost one daughter, and I don't want to lose another. The person who would least harm Susu is actually me."
Qin Tianyi stared at him and asked, "What do you mean by that?"
Shu Zhongze took out a paternity test report that he had prepared long ago and placed it in front of him, saying, "Susu is my biological daughter. You should have known this for a long time, shouldn't you, Mr. Qin?"
This was something Qin Tianyi had never expected. Before they had even said anything, Shu Zhongze already knew.
He picked up the teacup, lowered his gaze, and took a sip of tea, neither confirming nor denying, and did not answer Shu Zhongze.
Shu Zhongze, however, threw the report in front of him and said, "Look at the date the鉴定 results came out. I knew she was related to me before Susu's car accident. How could I have sent someone to retaliate against her!"
Qin Tianyi glanced at the date on the report and found that Shu Zhongze was telling the truth.
If Shu Zhongze's former assistant wasn't acting on Shu Zhongze's orders, then this matter was too strange.
"If it wasn't you, then who was it? Your wife?" Qin Tianyi said thoughtfully. "But your wife has always listened to you and been obedient to you. If it wasn't your intention, how could she have done such a thing?"
Shu Zhongze saw that Qin Tianyi had not answered his previous question, which meant he tacitly admitted that he and Susu had known about their blood relationship for a long time.
Among the illegitimate children he had encountered, all of them were eager to acknowledge him, and some, despite having no blood relation to him, even went to the trouble of forging proof.
This Gu Susu was quite spirited, it seemed she had no intention of acknowledging him.
Shu Zhongze said unhurriedly, "She's obedient to me? It doesn't seem so now. Whether she hired my former assistant to do this, I will investigate and give you… you all an explanation. But I also ask you to clarify to Susu that I did not send anyone to harm her."
"I will," Qin Tianyi readily agreed and couldn't help but ask, "Then do you want to acknowledge her?"
Shu Zhongze retorted, "What does she think?"
Qin Tianyi could only say tactfully, "She hasn't made up her mind yet."
"Then let her think it over carefully." Shu Zhongze said, drinking the tea that had been brewed three times. "To be honest, I admire her. She has the demeanor of our Shu family."
Qin Tianyi shook the paper in his hand and said with a laugh, "Besides this piece of paper showing your blood relation, what else do you have? Someone as irresponsible as you doesn't deserve to be a father! You haven't fulfilled your responsibilities to your women or your children, and you owe so many romantic debts. Don't you ever feel guilty?"
"It was those women's own doing. They were just high-class prostitutes, vain and materialistic! Children, children are just their bargaining chips for continued materialism. Why should I be responsible for them?" Shu Zhongze said calmly. "They got what they wanted from me. Sometimes people can't be too greedy, don't you think?"
"I don't know. I'm not as promiscuous as you. In this life, I will only love one woman." Qin Tianyi said, putting down his teacup, and bid farewell to Shu Zhongze.
He couldn't understand Shu Zhongze's thinking. In his opinion, since he knew those women had ulterior motives, he wouldn't get involved with them, let alone play around with them like Shu Zhongze.
Walking out of the Shu Group building, the early spring sunlight was still cold. Looking at the endless street ahead, he took out his phone and dialed Susu's number, wondering if she was still eating at the网红店 or had already gone home.
After Qin Tianyi left, Shu Zhongze stood by the huge floor-to-ceiling window of his office, recalling many past events.
He and Yuan Shuna, Gu Susu's mother, had actually been intimate more than once.
The first time was when he was tricked by Ai Shunan, and under the influence of alcohol and drugs, something that shouldn't have happened, did.
But the next two times, because he disliked Ai Shunan so much, he wanted to take it out on his wife.
Didn't Ai Shunan like his wife cheating on him? Then he would let Ai Shunan have enough of it.