Lord, give up! Madam has too many vests

Chapter 389 Breaking the Ice

In the Qin Group building, Qin Shi sat in his office, while Zhao Nan, holding a document, earnestly reported on his work on his laptop screen.

"Boss, just as you predicted, after the news of the old chairman's divorce from Madam Qin spread, various forces took action."

In recent years, several people have been secretly acquiring shares in Qin's company. We followed the clues and finally got results recently.

Currently, the new shareholder who has acquired the largest stake in Qin's Group is Liu Jinnian.

Zhao Nan paused, then deliberately looked up at Qin Shi on the screen, paying attention to the changes in his expression.

"Not only that, news also came from Blackstone Group that Liu Jinnian has taken the initiative to contact them."

Now, Liu Jinnian has become the fourth largest shareholder of the Qin Group, after the Qin family, Blackstone Group, and Hurricane Capital. His shareholding is sufficient to give him a voice on the board of directors.

Qin Shi tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his eyes turning colder, his tone carrying a hint of understanding.

"Liu Jinnian has indeed not given up yet."

Over the past few years, he worked under Si Chu, accumulating considerable wealth and building a large network of connections through Si Chu's resources.

I disinherited him, and he's held a grudge ever since. Now that he has shares, it looks like it won't be long before he makes his move.

"Should we plan ahead? For example..."

Just as Zhao Nan was about to offer a suggestion, a WeChat message notification popped up on Qin Shi's phone.

Qin Shi intended to ignore it, as he hated being disturbed during meetings, but when he saw the words "Blue Sky" in the notification bar, his pupils suddenly contracted.

The computer screen went black instantly, leaving Zhao Nan on the other end, holding the file and staring blankly at the empty screen for a few seconds.

In recent years, my boss has been a workaholic. This is the first time I've seen him suddenly cut off the call during an important meeting without even a word of explanation.

Qin Shi had no time to pay attention to Zhao Nan on the other end of the video call. He quickly picked up his phone, his fingertips even trembling slightly, and opened the message from "Blue Sky". His eyes were fixed on the screen, and he even breathed a little softer.

Upon seeing the message "Are you busy?" on the screen, Qin Shi's tense brows instantly relaxed, the coldness in his eyes faded considerably, and the corners of his mouth involuntarily turned up in a smile.

She's willing to talk to him now!

The thought had barely crossed his mind when a thrilling guess arose in his heart: she had specifically asked him if he was busy, could it be that she needed to talk to him about something?

Qin Shi's fingers flew across the screen, instantly typing the words "Not Busy," but his finger hovered over the send button before suddenly stopping.

Just two words? Isn't that too cold?

What if she feels like I'm just being perfunctory?

Moreover, he used to always act like a playboy, which Yan Lan never liked. If he continues to act so casually now, it might upset her.

He deleted and revised the message repeatedly, thinking it over and over, before finally deciding on a reply: "Just finished working and was about to eat. How about you?"

The moment I sent it, I couldn't help but stare at the screen, feeling a long-lost sense of nervousness, like a boy waiting for a response.

On the other end of the phone, Xiao Chaochao was staring at the screen, puzzled. She had clearly seen the "typing" notification flash several times, but why hadn't a message been sent yet?

Does Dad not want to reply to Mom?

Just then, Yan Lan's voice came: "Chao Chao, dinner is ready, come and eat!"

Xiao Chaochao quickly put his phone in his pocket and ran to the restaurant. He immediately saw sweet and sour pork ribs, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, and his favorite steamed shrimp with eggs on the table. The table was full of familiar dishes.

He had a sudden inspiration. While Yan Lan turned around to get chopsticks, he secretly took out his phone, snapped a picture, and quickly sent it to "Shiguang," adding a sentence in his mother's tone: "I'm eating too."

Qin Shi, in his study, stared at his phone screen for a moment, then his gaze was instantly drawn to the pop-up photo.

The dining table in the photo was covered with a light gray tablecloth, and the dishes on it were all dishes that he used to eat often and that Yan Lan was best at making.

The familiar food and familiar scene instantly relaxed his tense nerves, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart, as if he had returned to the time when the two of them ate together and sent text messages that were like talking to a brick wall.

But this warmth didn't last long, as Qin Shi's gaze suddenly fell on a corner of the dining table in the photo.

There were two white rice bowls neatly arranged there, with faint floral patterns printed on the rims. Looking at the amount of food on the table, there was a full plate of sweet and sour pork ribs and the steamed egg with shrimp was cut in half. It was clear that this was not a portion that one person could finish.

His heart sank suddenly, and the excitement he had just felt was instantly extinguished. The joy he felt about "her being willing to talk to me" was also instantly shattered.

Yan Lan not only had a son abroad, but she might have already remarried. And there's another job in the photo...

A wave of annoyance washed over him, and he even found his earlier expectations somewhat laughable.

He killed her mother and had no right to be near her life. Now that she has a new family and a stable life, why should she bother her and cause further awkwardness?

Qin Shi irritably tossed his phone aside. The screen was still lit, lingering on the picture of food filled with the aroma of cooking, but he had no desire to look at it anymore.

He ran his hands through his hair, his fingertips gripping the strands tightly, his head slightly lowered, the light in his eyes gradually dimming...

"Chaochao? You can't play with your watch while eating. Eat properly first." At the dining table, Yan Lan picked up a piece of shrimp and steamed egg and put it into her son's bowl, her eyes filled with a hint of puzzlement.

Chaochao has always had excellent table manners. Because he was weak when he was young, she specially taught him to chew slowly and never get distracted while eating.

But the little guy was unusually restless today. He held a spoon in his hand, but his eyes kept glancing at the little genius watch on the corner of the table. He even forgot to chew the food in his mouth, looking a bit guilty.

After being exposed by her mother, Chaochao quickly put down her watch, scratched the back of her head with her little hand, stuck out her tongue slightly, and quickly shifted the blame to her older sister Xiaoxi: "I wasn't playing, I was chatting with my sister Xiaoxi! She said she ate alone today, the food the servants made at home didn't suit her taste at all, and she said no one was with her, so pitiful."

He paused, then looked up, his big, round eyes wide with anticipation as he gazed at Yan Lan: "Mom, Sister Xiaoxi said she wanted to eat with us before. Can we bring her over more often in the future? That way, she won't be lonely, and I'll have someone to play with!"

Looking at her son's sincere expression, Yan Lan thought of her daughter, Xiao Xi, who was also one of Chao Chao's few playmates. It was normal for the children to want to eat together.

She smiled and ruffled Chaochao's hair: "As long as Xiaoxi is willing, I will ask the Qin family for their consent. But we need to eat properly first, otherwise the food will get cold."

Upon hearing this, Chaochao immediately agreed happily, but secretly glanced at her watch on the corner of the table, still wondering: Why hasn't Dad replied yet? Is he busy again?

Chaochao secretly glanced at her watch, which hadn't received any more messages. Her little brows furrowed tightly, and she couldn't help but mutter to herself: "Hey, Dad's so clueless! No wonder he can't keep Mom. How can he be so passive when pursuing a girl? He even dawdles over sending a message!"

He shook his head helplessly, decided to put aside the idea of ​​"matchmaking his parents" for now, and focused on eating his meal.

After the meal, Chaochao was exceptionally well-behaved. She took her bowl and plate and walked to the kitchen with small steps, carefully putting them into the dishwasher.

Yan Lan looked at her son's sensible appearance and her heart softened. Then she remembered what Chaochao had just said.

Xiaoxi was eating alone, and there wasn't even any food she liked. She felt a pang of heartache.

In fact, over the years, she has never stopped thinking about Xiaoxi, but because of her past with Qin Shi, she has never dared to take the initiative to get close to her.

"Since Chaochao also wants to play with Xiaoxi, why don't we... ask Qin Shi what he thinks?"

Yan Lan sat on the sofa, her fingers unconsciously stroking the edge of her phone, feeling somewhat hesitant.

She and Qin Shi haven't been in contact for several years. Wouldn't it seem abrupt if she suddenly made such a request?

After a moment of hesitation, his concern for his daughter prevailed.

Yan Lan took a deep breath, opened WeChat, found the chat box with the nickname "Shiguang", and instead of typing, pressed the voice button. Her voice was gentle but also a little cautious: "Qin Shi, Chaochao just said that Xiaoxi is quite lonely eating alone. I was thinking, if it's convenient for you, could you let Xiaoxi come to my house for dinner on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays? That way I can spend more time with her."

After successfully sending the voice message, Yan Lan put her phone aside, but couldn't help looking at the screen frequently, feeling a strange sense of nervousness.

As night deepened, Qin Shi's food remained almost untouched. Ever since seeing the photo with two bowls, he had lost all appetite. Just as he got up to pay the bill and go home, his phone suddenly rang again.

He took out his phone and saw that the screen still displayed "Blue Sky." His heart tightened, and he hesitated for a moment before pressing the answer button.

But after hearing Yan Lan's words in the voice message, he frowned slightly: "Go to her house for dinner, with her son?"

Thinking of the little boy Yan Lan gave birth to abroad, a strange sense of resistance welled up in my heart.

He didn't want to see the child, and he didn't want to face the fact that Yan Lan already had a new family.

But then she remembered that her sister had mentioned that the little boy named Chaochao was a year younger than Xiaoxi, and the two children got along very well, and Xiaoxi also liked playing with him.

Moreover, if Xiaoxi agrees to go out to eat, three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, it means that he can take the opportunity of dropping off and picking up his daughter to see Yan Lan three times a week.

The moment the thought popped into his head, a sense of anticipation, which he himself was unaware of, arose in his heart.

More importantly, it's Xiaoxi.

Over the years, in order to protect his daughter from being involved in disputes, he had deliberately restrained his affection for Xiaoxi until that matter was completely resolved, and he had spent very little time with her. He had indeed neglected her too much.

Yan Lan's willingness to spend more time with Xiao Xi and let her daughter feel more maternal love is a good thing for Xiao Xi.

Qin Shi stood at the restaurant entrance, the evening breeze caressing his cheeks. His tense brows gradually relaxed, and he quickly replied to Yan Lan with a voice message, his tone as calm as possible, yet concealing a subtle tenderness.

“Okay, I’ll tell Xiaoxi that I’ll take her there on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and then pick her up in the evening.”