The Art of Teasing - Chapter 49
Chapter 49
It took a long time for Wen Zhengyu to calm down.
People say a daughter is her father's lover from a past life. She and Mr. Wen Shiyi, however, were more like natural-born enemies. Even if she could never speak it aloud, when it came to her mother's death, she could not stop herself from feeling bitterness and blame—blame toward Mr. Wen Shiyi, and blame toward herself. Without Mr. Wen Shiyi, her mother would not have died. If she hadn't been conceived, her mother would not have died either.
This was an enduring thorn lodged between father and daughter, one that could never be removed.
The discord between her and Mr. Wen Shiyi ran beneath the surface of their father-daughter relationship like countless silent wars. Bound by blood, the only things their wars ever left behind were scars.
In Mr. Wen Shiyi's eyes, she was sneaky, always turning her back on her grandparents to oppose him, refusing discipline, rejecting guidance. As her father, he believed it was his duty to teach her how to behave like a proper daughter.
In her eyes, Mr. Wen Shiyi was a husband and father who had never fulfilled his duties.
Every contest between them would not end until a clear winner emerged—or at least until neither side could claim victory.
Just like this time. Mr. Wen Shiyi looked down on her little art studio and thought it could be dealt with by casually sending someone to handle it. So she, right in front of the person Mr. Wen Shiyi sent, said that he was short of money and was eyeing the last bit of security she and her grandfather had to live on. Mr. Wen Shiyi valued his reputation above all else. By damaging his face, she guaranteed that he would not rest until he restored it. Ye Ling had driven him to bankruptcy, and she had cooperated with Ye Ling. For as long as that partnership lasted, his reputation would never regain its luster. Before, when he was far away abroad, he had no time or leisure to deal with her. Now that she came knocking on his door, of course Mr. Wen Shiyi would set out to discipline her. If she were to give him what he wanted, she would probably have to break up her partnership with Ye Ling before he would stop.
Ye Ling was the studio's largest shareholder. She herself was the studio's operator. Whether she or Ye Ling withdrew, it would be an unbearable loss for both the studio and herself.
No matter how she considered it—from commercial interests or from her own personal will—she could not let Mr. Wen Shiyi have his way.
Wen Zhengyu went home. She opened the safe and took out the records and receipts from when the family had sold off its assets to repay Mr. Wen Shiyi's debts. She photographed every single one, sent them to Mr. Wen Shiyi's email, then called him and told him to check his inbox.
The family possessions, sold off cheaply at fire-sale prices, had raised close to three hundred million to pay his debts. Mr. Wen Shiyi, your precious reputation—right here in these documents!
She sat staring blankly at her laptop for a long time, then sent Mr. Wen Shiyi another text message: "Grandpa and I are living in Second Aunt's house now. My income from the studio isn't enough to cover the household's daily expenses; Grandpa has to earn extra to make up the difference. If you were hoping to see us old and young kicked out onto the streets, I'm sorry, but neither of us is willing. Mr. Wen, I hope we can leave each other alone and each live in peace." After two minutes, she thought it over and sent another text: "The money you owed, Grandpa and I paid it off for you. You've been in business for many years and have too many competitors. If you expect us to take on your competitors as well, I'm sorry, but I will not accompany you." Then, after a brief hesitation, she sent a third message: "Mr. Wen Shiyi, you owe Grandpa and me a total debt of 298 million yuan. If you still have the leisure and idle inclination to meddle in my private affairs, please first consider how to pay off what you owe us. That Grandpa and I are unwilling to see you become a wanted fugitive does not mean we are willing to shoulder your debts for you."
A long while later, Wen Shiyi sent back a message: "Unfilial daughter."
Wen Zhengyu texted back: "Like father, like daughter."
Facing other people, Wen Zhengyu could never bring herself to utter such utterly face-shredding words. But facing Mr. Wen Shiyi, she always had to tear every last shred of face to the ground before it was over. And every time she finished, every time she trampled on Mr. Wen Shiyi's face, she felt awful inside. After all, they were flesh and blood. Flesh and blood that were also like enemies. Once the fight ended, the bones were broken but the sinews still connected. If they were only enemies, she could clap with joy when Mr. Wen Shiyi went bankrupt and fled. But father-daughter kinship is branded into bone and blood—a bond that cannot be severed no matter how hard you cut.
She heard the sound of a car pulling into the backyard garage. She rose, shut her laptop, returned the records and receipts to the safe, and went downstairs as if nothing had happened.
Old Master Wen was very surprised to see her at home and asked, "Why are you back so early today?"
Wen Zhengyu glanced at the time and said, "It's not that early." She helped the old gentleman settle onto the sofa and said, "Grandpa, your birthday is in a few days. We still haven't decided who to send invitations to, which hotel to book, or what dishes to serve. I thought we could discuss it today and nail down the specific arrangements so we can start preparing."
The old gentleman said he didn't want a big celebration, just close friends and family. But the family had many relatives, and the old gentleman had such a wide circle of friends that they outnumbered her family's relatives. In social relationships, beyond holidays, it was occasions like birthdays and the arrival of new children that brought people together.
Whether a family was flourishing could be judged by how many people attended its banquets, and what kind of people they were.
Since Mr. Wen Shiyi had fallen, she and Old Master Wen had to hold the household up. So even if they wanted a modest birthday banquet, the occasion still demanded a certain degree of presence.
In years past, the old gentleman's birthday had always been celebrated under Mr. Wen Shiyi's name. Now that Mr. Wen Shiyi was absent, Wen Zhengyu didn't want the old gentleman to suffer a bleak old age because he had a good-for-nothing son. Her father had run off, but she was still here. She decided she would host a lively birthday celebration for the old gentleman, in her own name.
Once the guest list was finalized, they needed to contact a hotel and reserve it in advance. Following the principle of keeping the benefits within the family, and since the hotel belonging to Wen Li's family was indeed quite good, Wen Zhengyu contacted Wen Li's father—her fourth paternal uncle—and booked the venue at his hotel. The lion dance troupe, master of ceremonies, decorations, and everything else were all entrusted to her Fourth Uncle to arrange.
The old gentleman's closest friends were mostly elderly people of renown and standing. Wen Zhengyu couldn't just notify them with a phone call the way she did her cousins. She had to write the invitations by hand and deliver them personally. Legwork like that was incredibly time-consuming and physically draining, and it was not something she could entrust to someone else. She also had her own social relationships to attend to, with quite a few people she needed to invite as well.
When writing the invitations, Wen Zhengyu hesitated for a long time before asking the old gentleman, "Should I invite Ye Ling?"
Old Master Wen tossed back, "Decide for yourself."
Wen Zhengyu said, "I think deliberately avoiding her wouldn't be good either—it would be like saying there's no silver buried here when there are three hundred taels of it." Seeing that the birthday star didn't object, she wrote an invitation for Ye Ling.
But Ye Ling was busy and out. She left the invitation on Ye Ling's desk and then called Ye Ling to let her know.
Out of courtesy, she had delivered the invitation. As to whether Ye Ling would come, Wen Zhengyu couldn't say. She was so busy her feet barely touched the ground, and even her sleeping time had been whittled down to three or four hours. She had no time to puzzle over such things.
The bout with Mr. Wen Shiyi this time was also, perhaps, a way to show him how much his father had sacrificed for him, to make him spare a thought for the old gentleman as well. She hoped that on the old gentleman's birthday, he might come back to see him—even if he couldn't return, if he prepared a gift or made a phone call, the old gentleman would know his son remembered him and would find some comfort in that.
Her second aunt, her paternal uncles, and her paternal aunts all came. Even her Eldest Aunt, who was far away overseas, sent a birthday gift and had a video call with the old gentleman to offer her congratulations, since she couldn't return in person.
Wen Zhengyu noticed that the old gentleman kept his phone tightly tucked in his pocket, occasionally pretending to take it out casually for a glance. She knew he was waiting for a call from Mr. Wen Shiyi.
She found a quiet corner and called Wen Shiyi.
The call was just ringing when it was cut off. Not long after, Wen Shiyi sent a text: "I'm with clients."
Wen Zhengyu texted him: "Today is Grandpa's birthday. He is waiting for your call." As she sent that message, her face burned with shame that she had a father like this, and her eyes reddened a little.
A long while later, Wen Shiyi replied: "Be filial to your grandfather. I'll come back when I've earned enough to repay what I owe you and him."
She stared at that message from Mr. Wen Shiyi for a very long time before coming back to herself, but it felt as if all the strength in her body had been drained away by that call. She clutched her phone tightly and leaned helplessly against the wall, using the large potted plant beside her to hide her body. She bit her lip hard, but still couldn't force back the tears spinning in her eyes. She knew perfectly well that the best way to deal with someone like Mr. Wen Shiyi was not to think about him, not to bother with him, to act as if he didn't exist in this world at all.
She took several deep breaths in succession, forced her emotions down, wiped away the traces of tears, went to the washroom to touch up her makeup, then returned to the front hall to greet the guests.
Dong Yuan came to deliver a birthday gift, and inside was a card handwritten by Ye Ling herself. Dong Yuan told her with deep apology that Ye Ling had an urgent matter come up at the last minute and could only send him in her place.
She accepted the gift and said, "CEO Ye is too polite." She invited Dong Yuan inside.
Dong Yuan signed the register, conveyed Ye Ling's birthday greetings to Old Master Wen, and then took his leave.
Wen Zhengyu was very worried that the old gentleman's mood would be ruined by Mr. Wen Shiyi. She didn't dare let anyone know that she had been in contact with him. However, the fact that she had asked Madam Wen Shishu for Mr. Wen Shiyi's phone number was something she could not hide from her.
Madam Wen Shishu asked her about it.
Wen Zhengyu shrugged and said nothing.
Madam Wen Shishu muttered under her breath, "Spoiled rotten—that's what he is!" She called for her assistant to bring her phone and headed off to a corner.
Wen Zhengyu quietly followed and heard Wen Shishu saying, "Third Brother, your startup capital right now came from Eldest Sister, didn't it? I don't care about your other affairs, but today is Dad's birthday. If the old gentleman doesn't have a good day, let me tell you, you won't have a good year either." With that, she hung up.
Within an hour, Mr. Wen Shiyi's birthday gift arrived, and so did his phone call.
The gift was something he had asked someone to deliver. With his son away and unable to return, he had asked an old acquaintance to purchase a birthday gift and send it to his father to mark the occasion.
After Old Master Wen finished the call with Mr. Wen Shiyi and hung up, he even grumbled to an old friend, "That useless thing actually remembered to call back." Yet his whole demeanor was much more relaxed and spirited; the deep wrinkles showed in his smiling face.
Wen Zhengyu suppressed all her emotions and continued to manage the old gentleman's birthday banquet.
That night, after seeing off the guests, Wen Zhengyu returned home and sorted through the birthday gifts together with Old Master Wen and Madam Wen Shishu.
Old Master Wen said to her with feigned casualness, "Let's see what your father had sent over."
Wen Shishu sat nearby, chin propped on her hand, her tone laced with vinegar, and said, "And here it is—proof that a son is still dearer. Your own daughter is right before your eyes, but you don't want to see what I've given first."
Old Master Wen immediately backpedaled and said to Wen Zhengyu, "Let's start with your Eldest Aunt and Second Aunt."
Wen Shishu said, "Don't bother. Start with your precious son."
Old Master Wen said, "That worthless thing—don't mention him."
Wen Zhengyu took out the peace jade pendant she had selected and commissioned an artisan to carve, and put it around the old gentleman's neck. Then she said, "Second Aunt's massage chair—I've already had Uncle Zhan and the others move it to your bedroom so you can use it as a recliner." After saying this, she handed a bank card to the old gentleman, explaining, "She was afraid you wouldn't accept it, so she secretly slipped it to me and said it was her birthday gift to you. There's also a property deed; I placed that in your bedroom as well."
Wen Shishu said, "If you refuse to accept it, then you'd better be even-handed and refuse everyone's."
Seeing that her second aunt's mouth was about to ignite more fires, Wen Zhengyu hastily turned to open the gift from her Eldest Aunt. When she lifted the lid of the gift box, she found property deeds, land certificates, and keys inside. After flipping through the documents and reading them, she immediately diverted the artillery, asking, "Second Aunt, did you and Eldest Aunt coordinate? You each got him a house. Which one should Grandpa live in?"
Wen Shishu said breezily, "Against your Eldest Aunt, I'm a coward. But I figured, you're all used to living here, and moving is such a hassle, so why not just stay here as you are."
Wen Zhengyu offered no opinion. She opened the gift box that Mr. Wen Shiyi had hastily arranged for someone to deliver. Lifting the lid, she found a complete Qing dynasty official-kiln tea set inside. She sighed inwardly but kept a smile on her face as she said, "Summer dampness is heavy. That aged Pu'er ripe tea of yours can be opened and drunk now." She picked up a teacup and carefully examined it. "Specially chosen with the bird-and-flower pattern you like. Qianlong-era official kiln." She handed it to Old Master Wen and said, "Take a look. Is the friend my father found reliable?"
Old Master Wen took the teacup with great care, inspecting it closely from every angle. "It is indeed Qianlong official kiln, well preserved too. The porcelain market is hot right now; a complete, well-preserved Qianlong official-kiln set is hard to come by. Your father must have gone to no small trouble to find this set."
Wen Zhengyu thought to herself, "Trouble? Unlikely. But to procure a set like this in such a short time—that certainly cost him a great deal of money." It was only because of the old gentleman's prestige and because this was his major birthday, along with the earlier incident where the celestial sphere vase had been swapped, that people in the local antiques trade were now less willing to play tricks in front of the old gentleman. Otherwise, with the way Mr. Wen Shiyi went about buying antiques, he would absolutely have been fleeced like a fat sheep. This time the antique was genuine, but how much he paid and whether anyone had demanded an exorbitant price were hard to say.
She glanced quietly at Wen Shishu. Wen Shishu looked as innocent as could be, with an expression of complete ignorance.
She and Wen Shishu kept the old gentleman company as they unwrapped the gifts. The gifts she received needed to be carefully inventoried and registered, so that in future social exchanges she could use this as a reference for reciprocal gifts.
The old gentleman had been busy all day and was tired. After going through the birthday gifts, he went upstairs to sleep.
The house was small, with not many rooms, so the relatives and friends who came were all put up in hotels. Madam Wen Shishu, worried about her old father, had come back with them. At this late hour, heading back to the hotel would be too much of a hassle, so Wen Zhengyu had her second aunt share her bed.
She was exhausted, but something was still strung tight inside her heart, and she couldn't sleep.
After washing up, she lay in bed. Even after Wen Shishu had finished washing up, she still hadn't fallen asleep.
Wen Shishu saw that her eyes were still open and said, "With dark circles that big, you still aren't sleeping?"
Wen Zhengyu didn't really like being physically close to people, but aside from her grandparents, her closest person was her second aunt. So she was a little clingy with her. She sighed and said, "Second Aunt, do you think my father…"
Wen Shishu said, "Your father doesn't have any huge flaws. He's just cowardly and pretentious—a common problem for spoiled youngest children."
Wen Zhengyu gave a bitter smile and didn't know what to say.
Wen Shishu said, "Sleep now." She added fretfully, "You're almost thin as a stick. Take things a bit easier; the sky isn't going to fall."
Wen Zhengyu gave a soft "Mm." As long as she treated Mr. Wen Shiyi as transparent and nonexistent, nothing under heaven would trouble her.
Wen Zhengyu felt that her second aunt was good in every way, except for the rather troublesome habit of hogging the blanket while sleeping. In the summer, her bed had only one air-conditioning blanket. Her second aunt snatched it away and left her freezing awake. She got up and fetched a thin blanket, and then her second aunt took that too in her sleep. Madam Wen Shishu lay there with the air-conditioning blanket draped over her, hugging the little thin blanket in her arms, sprawled diagonally across two-thirds of the bed, sleeping deeply and sweetly.
Wen Zhengyu was so tired her eyes wouldn't open. She had managed to get up and fetch a blanket once, but she was determined not to get up a second time. Shivering, she huddled at the edge of the bed and slept until dawn.
The next day, Madam Wen Shishu even said to her, "Why haven't you corrected your sleeping habit yet? Curled into a ball against the bed's edge, sleeping like a shrimp."
Wen Zhengyu's heart and nose were both stuffed. She didn't want to say a single word to Madam Wen Shishu. She had been busy with her grandfather's birthday matters for the past few days and hadn't been to the studio in a long while. She left the job of inventorying the birthday gifts to Madam Wen Shishu, who had returned home to visit her old father, and went to the studio.
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