RAHHSFL - Chapter 87
Chapter 87
8:00 PM, Saturday. Li Jing Villa, A City.
The June weather in A City was intoxicating. The sprawling lawn of the single-family villa was meticulously manicured. The main dining area was set up on an elegant long table inside, but instead of the usual silver Western cutlery, it was adorned with maroon chopsticks and patterned Chinese porcelain dishes.
The dining room's décor was a blend of Eastern and Western styles, the wallpaper and tablecloth hinting at Spanish influences.
On the wall hung a framed photo, taken at some unknown time, of the Ruan family dressed in traditional Tang suits.
A family portrait in the dining room? Really?
Ruan Huyue sat at the head of the table, impeccably dressed in black trousers and a casual short-sleeved shirt, his hair neatly combed. To his right sat Gu Ying, the lady of the house.
Gu Ying wore a Chinese cheongsam, her figure still elegant despite her age, the dress accentuating her curves. It was a shame her face held a perpetually disapproving expression.
Across from them sat Gu Ying's eldest son, Ruan Yan, the same boy who Qin Juran had encountered with the electric scooter. He was about the same age as Qin Julai, probably still in high school. Perhaps aware of Juyue’s current predicament and having been briefed by Gu Ying about the purpose of this dinner, Ruan Yan wore a look of suppressed resentment.
Quite entertaining.
Qin Juran and Ruan Nan arrived together. Ruan Nan wore a dress, while Qin Juran opted for a simple white T-shirt and black jeans, casual yet presentable. As expected, Ruan Huyue frowned subtly as they entered.
This was Qin Juran's first time meeting Gu Ying. They exchanged a brief look, a silent tension crackling between them.
Two other people Qin Juran didn't recognize sat to her right. Ruan Nan also looked at them quizzically. Gu Ying smiled and explained, "Nan Nan, these are two old friends of your father's from his time in A City. You probably haven't seen them since you’ve been away.”
Qin Juran glanced at them, a faint smirk playing on her lips, then remained silent.
Ruan Nan also looked at them, then turned to Ruan Huyue. "Since when did you start making friends with people so much older than you?"
Both men chuckled. Qin Juran took out her phone and, pretending to be awestruck, took a selfie with Ruan Nan, holding the phone up for a dramatic effect.
Ruan Yan scoffed. Gu Ying called out, "Come, Juran, have a seat. This is a family dinner. You can take as many photos as you like later.”
Qin Juran ignored her, sending the photo to Feng Qing before putting her phone away and sitting down.
Once everyone was seated, the food arrived. Despite being called a "family dinner," none of the dishes were homemade. Food from some private restaurant had been transferred to serving dishes, and a hired waiter served the food and left.
Qin Juran once again marveled at the elaborate charade Ruan Huyue had orchestrated.
Perhaps sensing the artificiality of the setting himself, Ruan Huyue raised his glass and cleared his throat. "I’ve lived in A City for almost ten years. This city has witnessed my journey, from starting with nothing, to ups and downs, and even now, A City remains my hometown. Everyone here tonight - my wife, my children, my friends – are the most important people in my life. To have this reunion, in this old house, is truly a joyous occasion for me.”
He raised his glass. Qin Juran and Ruan Nan both had a glass of red wine in front of them, as did Gu Ying and Ruan Yan. Ruan Nan didn't raise her glass, frowning. "I don't drink.”
Ruan Huyue lowered his glass slightly. "Nan Nan, this is a very light wine, it has a pleasant taste. One glass won’t have any effect.”
"I don't drink," Ruan Nan repeated, smiling politely.
Ruan Huyue paused, and Gu Ying smiled, getting up to fetch a bottle of juice from the kitchen. "I didn't prepare any fresh juice, but this imported one is quite good. Nan Nan, have some of this.”
She poured a glass and offered it to Ruan Nan, who ignored it. Ruan Huyue, seeing this, took the glass and placed it beside Ruan Nan.
Qin Juran smirked, raising her wine glass without clinking it with anyone.
After the toast, they started eating. Ruan Huyue didn't immediately reveal the purpose of the dinner, instead reminiscing about the past, constantly serving food to Ruan Nan. Gu Ying even asked Qin Juran if she could reach everything, telling her to make herself at home.
Gu Ying served her a plate of steamed sea bass. Qin Juran took a bite and put down her chopsticks. Ruan Huyue noticed. "This fish is from a very old restaurant in A City. The chef has lived here his entire life. It tastes just like it did when we were young. You young people probably aren’t used to it.”
Qin Juran clicked her tongue. "Are you saying we’re fickle, Mr. Ruan?"
Ruan Huyue paused. Gu Ying replied, "It's just different memories for different generations. No need to be so serious, young lady."
Qin Juran shrugged, looking at her. "So you consider Nan Nan and me 'young ladies'? I thought you were about the same age as us, Auntie Gu."
Gu Ying had married Ruan Huyue at a young age and indeed only looked about 35. The last thing a stepmother wanted to hear was the word "young."
Ruan Yan, seeing his mother being challenged, was about to retort, but Gu Ying stopped him, forcing a smile.
"No matter the age difference, we’re still from different generations, and you still have to call me 'Auntie Gu.' It's normal if you don't like this dish. We heard that the best, most authentic, old-fashioned restaurant in A City is 'Ju Tavern,' but at this hour, they’re probably very busy. Asking your parents to cook for us, Juran, would be rather inconvenient, wouldn’t it?"
Gu Ying’s words hit a nerve. Ruan Yan laughed loudly, asking in a mocking tone, "Seriously, Mom? That little restaurant is her family's? So, her best friend’s family owns a small eatery?"
His laughter was loud and grating, even the two "old friends" seemed embarrassed. Ruan Huyue hadn't expected the conversation to escalate so quickly. He was about to intervene when Ruan Nan spoke up.
"Yes, her family owns a small eatery. And she still managed to beat you to a pulp, didn’t she?"
Gu Ying's face changed instantly. She turned to Ruan Yan. "What beating? Have you met before?"
Ruan Nan was referring to the incident last National Day, when Ruan Yan and his friends had tried to corner her at the KTV, only to be chased away by Qin Juran and her posse. Too embarrassed to tell his family, Ruan Yan had kept it a secret. He hadn’t expected Ruan Nan to bring it up.
Ruan Yan's face paled. Ruan Huyue also looked at Ruan Nan, who continued,
"I came back to A City last National Day. Ruan Yan found out and brought two people to the KTV to corner me. He was trying to provoke me, but Qin Juran chased them away and taught him a lesson. By the way, did he get burned? Being hit by an electric scooter should have broken a few bones, right?"
Ruan Nan’s tone was casual, as if she were asking a colleague about their lunch. Ruan Huyue was at a loss; he hadn’t even known about Ruan Nan returning, let alone the fight and the scooter incident.
Gu Ying's face darkened. She raised her voice, turning to her son. "What did they do to you? What burns and broken bones? Why didn't you tell me?!"
All eyes were on Ruan Yan, who, unable to handle the pressure, shouted, "She's lying! They wouldn't dare do that to me!"
His outburst did little to alleviate his embarrassment. Ruan Nan, no longer pressing the issue, leaned back elegantly and took a sip of the juice Gu Ying had poured.
Since she attacked Qin Juran's background, I’ll just mention something that will truly upset her.
The dinner had become unbearable. Qin Juran wiped her mouth with a napkin, pushed her chair back, and looked at Ruan Huyue. "Just get to the point, Mr. Ruan. My father has prepared a proper reunion dinner. After I leave here, I have to go and eat that one.”
...
The background music, previously chosen to create a pleasant atmosphere, now seemed jarringly out of place in the sudden silence.
Utterly ironic.
Qin Juran's phone vibrated. She glanced at it, a subtle smile playing on her lips.
Gu Ying regained her composure and exchanged a look with Ruan Huyue, who forced a smile. "Nan Nan, I’ve never realized before how much you’ve grown up.”
The "caring father" card.
Ruan Nan remained silent, her expression unreadable.
Ruan Huyue continued, "Nan Nan, you’ve grown up, and I’m getting old. After all these years of hard work, I thought I could leave something for my children, but now... this has happened. I haven't been able to sleep these past few nights, not just because of the company, but also because I feel I’ve let you down.”
"So? What do you want me to do?"
Ruan Huyue looked at Ruan Nan, then at Qin Juran. "Nan Nan, I know you and Juran have a good relationship. There aren’t many people in the industry who can help us right now. CEO Qin of Chengmao Group is one of them. I was wondering if Juran could introduce us, pull some strings?"
Ruan Nan remained silent, turning to Qin Juran, who tilted her head. "Mr. Ruan, I’ve already said, Mr. Qin Yuan and I are merely acquaintances. This is a major issue for Juyue. What leverage do I have to ask for his help?"
Ruan Huyue’s smile faltered. Gu Ying cleared her throat, about to speak.
Qin Juran sometimes truly felt that Gu Ying's adaptability was a talent in itself.
Gu Ying tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, smiling. "Juran, this is a family dinner. There are no outsiders here. Your relationship with CEO Qin is no secret. We understand. Don’t worry, we won't tell anyone else. There's no need to hide it.”
Qin Juran laughed, tracing the pattern on the tablecloth. She looked up at Gu Ying. "You really know?"
Gu Ying nodded.
Qin Juran smiled. "Then tell me. I'm still in the dark here.”
"..." Gu Ying realized she had been played again, her face hardening. She said something to Ruan Yan, who stormed out of the room, his face red with anger.
As the door closed, Gu Ying dropped the pretense, her smile replaced by a cold, calculating expression. "Qin Juran, we’ve been polite enough. I’m asking you one last time, for Ruan Nan's sake, for the Ruan family's sake, will you help us?"
Her words hung in the air, her gaze fixed on Qin Juran.
Qin Juran shook her head calmly, meeting Gu Ying's gaze. "No."
Gu Ying paused, then a strange smile appeared on her face. She leaned back in her chair. "So, this is the extent of your love? The Ruan family heiress isn't worth much in President Qin’s eyes, is she?"
Everyone froze.
After a few seconds, Ruan Huyue finally reacted. "What are you talking about?"
Gu Ying chuckled, her voice laced with contempt. "You don’t know, do you? Your daughter, and this President Qin, they’re together. They're a couple."
Ruan Huyue stared at Gu Ying, stunned, as if questioning her sanity. He licked his lips and turned to Ruan Nan.
Ruan Nan, her arms crossed, didn't deny it.
All the subtle signs, the unspoken gestures, suddenly clicked into place. Even Ruan Huyue, slow as he was, finally understood. His voice trembling, he asked Ruan Nan, "Nan Nan, tell me, what's going on?"
After a moment of silence, Ruan Nan looked up. "It's exactly what she said.”
Ruan Huyue pointed at Qin Juran. "She... she’s a woman..."
"Yes, she likes me, and I like her."
Ruan Huyue ran a hand through his hair, glanced at the two "old friends," then turned to Gu Ying, his voice shaking. "You did this on purpose, didn’t you?"
Gu Ying scoffed. "Your daughter doesn't even care about your company, why should you care about her reputation? Juyue is already on the verge of collapse, what more is there to lose?”
Ruan Nan also smiled, a look of indifference on her face.
The music continued to play, oblivious to the tension in the room. Of all those present, Ruan Huyue was the most shocked.
From Gu Ying urging him to contact Qin Juran, to this elaborate "family dinner," to the "trump card" she claimed to have, he had never imagined it would be his own daughter's personal life.
"So, this is your trump card?" Qin Juran, as if reading his mind, casually posed the question.
Gu Ying replied, "From the moment she admitted it, this isn't just a family matter anymore. It affects both your companies.”
Another one trying to use this to threaten Ju Nan.
Qin Juran clicked her tongue impatiently. "Auntie Gu, do you know what happened to the last competitor who tried to threaten me like this?"
Gu Ying scoffed. "Qin Yuan took care of it, didn’t he?"
"Knowing that, why are you doing something so foolish? Even hiring tabloid journalists pretending to be Mr. Ruan’s old friends? What's the point of digging up this kind of gossip?”
Qin Juran's gaze swept over them. From the moment they arrived, she had sent their photos to Feng Qing to investigate. As expected, they were tabloid journalists specializing in the financial world’s dirty laundry.
Notorious.
The two journalists, exposed, didn't leave, instead watching the scene unfold like vultures, their eyes gleaming with anticipation. Ruan Huyue, Gu Ying, Qin Yuan, Qin Juran - any scrap of information from tonight would be a goldmine.
Gu Ying scoffed, her eyes fixed on Qin Juran. "I’ve already told you the answer. Qin Juran, I’m asking you one last time, if you refuse to help, this will be in the newspapers tomorrow.”
"Are you threatening me?"
"It’s a negotiation."
Gu Ying's smile turned even colder. Qin Juran, no longer bothering with her, stood up and walked towards her, looking down at her. "You're not in a position to negotiate with me."
She was about to pull Ruan Nan out of the room when Gu Ying shouted, "Qin Juran! I’ve already found out! The reason Qin Yuan is so good to you isn't because he sees you as some talented protégé! It's because you’re related! You're his illegitimate daughter!"
Gu Ying blurted it out. Ruan Huyue clearly already knew. The journalists' eyes lit up, their hands reaching for their recording devices.
Illegitimate daughter.
Qin Juran scoffed inwardly. Such imagination.
She looked down at Gu Ying, her height and aura giving her a distinct advantage.
"Gu Ying, if this appears in any media outlet tomorrow, you’ll be facing a lawsuit. Even if I don't pursue it, Qin Yuan will. His wife and children won't let you get away with this. Be careful what you wish for."
The icy certainty in Qin Juran's eyes made Gu Ying falter.
Impossible. There’s no way they’re not related.
She had confirmed that Qin Yuan had offered to invest millions in Qin Juran's company, that he had even resolved the Fatty Sun incident. He had been in A City the year Qin Juran was born. There was no way they weren't related.
Qin Juran saw the doubt in Gu Ying’s eyes, her own gaze hardening. But in an instant, Gu Ying regained her composure. She looked at Qin Juran and pressed the call button on the intercom. "Xiao Liu, did you find the people I asked you to bring?"
"They're at the door, coming right up."
Gu Ying hung up, smiling at Qin Juran. "President Qin, we’re all family here. Talking about media and lawsuits is so impersonal. After all, with this kind of news, it’s enough for the people involved to know, isn't it?"
Qin Juran frowned. Gu Ying continued, "Qin Haotian and Zuo Yanzhen will be here any minute. I guess we can call this a 'meeting the parents' dinner, can't we?"
Qin Juran hadn't expected Gu Ying to involve her parents. Shocked, she knocked over her wine glass, the stem snapping.
Ruan Nan also knew how much Qin Juran dreaded her parents finding out. She grabbed her bag, ready to intercept them. As Qin Juran walked towards the door, Gu Ying grabbed her arm, signaling to the journalists, who quickly started filming.
"What are you doing?" Qin Juran glared at Gu Ying, her voice low and menacing.
Ruan Nan turned to Ruan Huyue. "Are you really going to let her do this?"
Ruan Huyue seemed to have been stunned into silence, watching passively as the scene unfolded. The doorbell rang. Someone opened the door.
Hearing footsteps approaching, Qin Juran wrenched her arm free and ran towards the door, Ruan Nan close behind, a bottle of red wine in her hand, ready to strike anyone who tried to stop them.
The journalists, seeing their fierce expressions, backed away, and as they hesitated, the door opened.
Qin Juran froze. Ruan Nan, beside her, lowered her arm.
It wasn't Qin Haotian and Zuo Yanzhen.
It was Qin Yuan and Mr. Wang.
Qin Yuan looked at Qin Juran and slowly pushed up his glasses with his middle finger.
There was no one else behind him.
He walked towards the dining table, Gu Ying and the journalists frozen in place. Ruan Huyue, realizing who it was, stood up and extended his hand.
Qin Yuan ignored him.
He walked to the head of the table, Mr. Wang pulling out a chair for him.
He sat down, his tall, imposing figure, his perfectly tailored suit and gold-rimmed glasses, radiating an air of authority.
He looked at each of them, his gaze cold and sharp, finally settling on Ruan Huyue.
"I heard Juyue wants to discuss a partnership with me?"
Ruan Huyue, backed into a corner, stammered, "Mr. Qin, you might not know this, but Juyue collaborated with Chengmao on a previous project. We’ve had an accident recently and desperately need a contract. I heard..."
"You want the contract Chengmao is currently handling?"
"Yes, yes. If we could get that contract, Juyue..."
"Why should I give it to you? Just because of a collaboration we haven’t even discussed in person?"
"Well, President Qin here is working with my daughter, Ruan Nan. I thought, perhaps for President Qin's sake..."
Ruan Huyue's voice trailed off, unsure how to phrase his request. Qin Juran glanced at the journalists and gave Qin Yuan a meaningful look. He steepled his fingers and gave an almost imperceptible shake of his head.
"As far as I know, Miss Qin's and Miss Ruan's partnership has no financial ties to Juyue. In other words, Juyue’s situation has nothing to do with Qin Juran's company. So why should I help?"
Ruan Huyue was speechless.
Qin Yuan, looking at his flustered expression, his voice hardening, finished the unspoken sentence for him. "Or is it because you know about Miss Ruan’s relationship with Qin Juran, and you’re trying to use your daughter to gain my favor?"
He looked at Ruan Huyue, a look of disapproval Qin Juran had never seen before. Ruan Huyue was speechless.
Discovering his daughter's sexual orientation was difficult enough to accept. Now, to gain Qin Yuan’s favor, he was willing to exploit even that.
Qin Yuan scoffed. "If you still want to deny it, we can end this conversation here, and I’ll pretend this never happened. I won’t pursue it further."
He waited, but Ruan Huyue remained silent. Qin Yuan seemed to take his silence as confirmation, about to stand up, when Gu Ying stepped forward. "Mr. Qin, since you’re here, you must know this isn't just about favors. It’s about negotiations.”
Qin Yuan pushed up his glasses, looking at her. "What do you have to negotiate with me?"
Gu Ying stared at him. "Your relationship with Qin Juran.”
"Illegitimate daughter?"
Gu Ying didn't answer.
Qin Yuan chuckled coldly, turning to the journalists. "If I were you, I would be pointing my cameras at this woman right now.”
He smiled, and Mr. Wang pulled a document from his briefcase, which Qin Yuan tossed to Ruan Huyue without even looking at it. He looked at Gu Ying.
"Gu Ying, formerly known as Li Xiaomeng, changed her name a year before marrying you. When Juyue faced its first crisis in its early stages, it was Gu Ying who brought investment and saved the company, then married you. "
"Ruan Huyue probably knows all this. What he doesn’t know is why Juyue was suddenly targeted and suppressed back then. This document contains detailed data, testimonies from key individuals. After reading it, you'll understand how much effort the woman who has been playing the role of a virtuous wife and mother all these years put into marrying into the Ruan family, even going so far as to short Juyue's stock to create that crisis.”
Ruan Huyue stared at him, stunned. Gu Ying's face paled, her voice trembling as she retorted, "What are you talking about? How could you possibly know about Juyue's internal affairs from so long ago?"
Qin Yuan rubbed his forehead. "I wasn't interested before, but since Mrs. Gu has brought this to my attention, I had to do some digging. If I’m not mistaken, this document will be released to the media tomorrow. It's a family matter, but since Mrs. Gu has invited journalists, we might as well use their resources.”
Gu Ying stared at the cameras, her legs shaking. Ruan Huyue’s gaze burned into her. Clenching her fists, she looked at Qin Yuan. "I’ll explain this to my husband. I’m assuming you have no other tricks up your sleeve? Let me tell you, compared to Juyue’s internal affairs from decades ago, an illegitimate daughter and a homosexual relationship will make much bigger headlines!”
Her voice rose to a near shriek. Before Qin Yuan could respond, Qin Juran spoke up. "Business scandals aren’t that interesting. What about the entertainment industry?"
"Seventeen years ago, the famous singer William attempted suicide due to a personal affair. He still suffers from mental health issues to this day. If the person responsible for this 'personal affair' were revealed, that would be quite a story, wouldn't it?"
Since Ruan Nan's meeting with Ruan Huyue a week ago, Qin Juran knew there would be a final confrontation. So, she had spent the entire week preparing for this.
Gu Ying had been a part of the Ruan family for years. Ruan Nan even knew about her scandalous past.
Gu Ying collapsed into her chair, the journalists’ cameras and Ruan Huyue's gaze fixed on her. She couldn’t speak.
Qin Yuan stood up and turned to the journalists. "I'll pay you triple what this woman promised. If you want more information about Mrs. Gu’s… interesting past, contact my assistant.”
"However, as Qin Juran said, if any rumors about an illegitimate daughter are spread, I will pursue legal action against you. I will not hesitate.”
The charade was over. The music, having looped back to the beginning, played on, oblivious to the scene. Leftover food sat on the table, a spilled glass of red wine staining the white tablecloth. A complete mess.
Qin Yuan and Mr. Wang left. Qin Juran helped Ruan Nan with her bag, putting an arm around her as they walked out.
"Nan Nan..."
Ruan Huyue’s weak voice called out from behind.
Ruan Nan stopped.
Ruan Huyue looked at her, unable to speak.
Ruan Nan looked at her father, a familiar yet distant figure. Tears welled up in her eyes. She took a deep breath. "Dad."
"Is this really all you care about?"
Ruan Nan tightened her grip on Qin Juran’s hand. "Dad, you gave me life, you’re my father, but you’re willing to use me, to exploit my relationship, for your company’s benefit. Qin Juran, although a woman, has given me her whole heart.”
"So in this world, nothing is impossible.”
Hand in hand, they walked out of the villa. The warm June breeze seemed to wash away the filth and the ugliness of the evening.
A black Bentley Mulsanne was parked outside. Qin Yuan got out. Qin Juran looked at him, unsure what to say.
"I intercepted Qin Haotian and Zuo Yanzhen at the door. I’ve already sent them back to Ju Tavern.”
"Don’t worry, I used a business-related excuse. You can explain it to them later. If necessary, I can personally go and explain it myself.”
Qin Juran and Ruan Nan stood there for a moment, then Qin Juran managed a slightly awkward "Thank you."
Qin Yuan looked at her. "I've thought about it a lot. Until last week, when Gu Ying tried to involve Chengmao, I realized you were right."
He didn't specify what she was right about: his approach to parenting, his methods of control, or his skewed "value system.”
He stood there in the moonlight, and for the first time, Qin Juran saw the usual coldness in his eyes melt away, the warmth of the June night softening his expression.
Being a source of pride wasn't the only way to show gratitude. Not every act of possession or declaration, every attempt to control someone's life under the guise of love or parental guidance, was a sign of affection.
Every day in this world, people made choices, sometimes actively, sometimes passively. But all the twists and turns, all the unexpected detours, couldn't overcome love and perseverance.
Qin Yuan patted Qin Juran on the shoulder. "Ranran, I’ll wait for the day you’re willing to acknowledge me, in your own way. Even if it’s just calling me ‘Dad’."
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