I wasn’t a man who delayed my actions or went back on my words. On Monday, I found myself meeting Miss Lán Ān in a quiet yet elegant restaurant in Shenzhen. This restaurant was one of the finest in the city, requiring reservations days in advance. However, Grandma and the owner, Mr. Park, were childhood friends, which made it easy to secure a private room. The room offered a breathtaking view of the man-made ponds and meticulously maintained gardens outside, creating a serene atmosphere.
I arrived a bit early, eager to conclude the meeting quickly. Company documents awaited my approval, and I also wanted to spend some time with Junyan, now that I had a rare moment of free time.
The door to the room opened, and a woman entered, followed by Mr. Park. He was in his 60s but looked remarkably youthful and strong, with an air of someone who had been strikingly handsome in his prime.
"Tang Wei Long, meet Miss Lán Ān," Mr. Park said, giving me a teasing and knowing look. I chose to ignore his playful expression.
"Please, have a seat," I said, pulling out a chair for her.
"Thank you, Mr. Wei," Lán Ān replied softly as she sat down. She was slender, almost delicate, with a quiet demeanor.
I was about to take my seat when I remembered Mr. Park was still in the room. I turned to face him.
"We’ll have some tea for now," I said.
"Tsk, no wonder you’re single. Did you even ask Miss Lán what she’d like?" Mr. Park scolded, his tone reminiscent of an exasperated wife. I was momentarily baffled by his antics.
A soft laugh came from behind me. "It’s alright. Tea is fine," Lán Ān said.
"Alright," Mr. Park relented, though he shot me a warning glance before leaving. I shook my head helplessly.
"He’s quite the character," Lán Ān remarked after Mr. Park had left.
"You’re right," I replied with a chuckle, settling into my seat. I checked my phone briefly before shutting it off and slipping it into my pocket.
When I looked up, Lán Ān was watching me quietly. I offered her a polite smile.
"The pictures didn’t lie. You’re even more handsome than I imagined," she said with a sigh.
"Thank you. You’re a beautiful woman yourself," I replied.
"How is it, living in the Tang family? This seems to be the first time I’ve spoken to someone from an upper-class family, apart from your grandmother," Lán Ān inquired.
"It’s like any other family. After all, we’re all human," I replied.
The door opened again, interrupting our conversation. Mr. Park returned with a tray of tea and small cakes, setting them down before leaving with a knowing smile.
"I wanted to make something clear," I began, my tone serious. "My heart is already set on someone else. I don’t want to deceive you."
"You’re very honest," Lán Ān said with a chuckle, gently picking up her cup of tea and taking a sip. She gazed out the window, her expression thoughtful.
I followed her gaze, feeling a bit awkward. Perhaps I should have just sent a message instead of meeting in person.
"To be honest, I wasn’t really interested in a romantic relationship either. I just wanted someone to talk to," Lán Ān admitted, setting her cup down and turning back to me.
"Really? That’s good to hear. You can talk to me about anything," I said.
"If you had the choice—to walk away and lose everything you’ve ever known and had, but gain the one thing you currently desire, or to give up on your desire and retain what you have—what would you choose?" Lán Ān asked suddenly.
The question caught me off guard. I thought for a moment, framing it in terms of business. If I had a project that promised future profits but required selling all the Tang properties, I wouldn’t pursue it. While I was willing to take risks, I couldn’t gamble everything on an uncertain outcome. If it failed, I’d lose not only the project but also the Tang holdings I’d worked so hard to build.
"I’d retain what I have, but only if the outcome of what I’m giving up is uncertain," I replied.
Lán Ān chuckled, but her laughter carried a hint of sorrow. "How could you know what the future held? Some things in life, you have to let nature take its course," she said.
I sipped my tea silently, looking out the window. As a businessman, I’d always focused on elevating the Tang empire. I’d taken risks, but only when I was confident they’d bear fruit. And they had.
We talked a bit more, and by midday, we parted ways. Surprisingly, Lán Ān was easy to talk to, and our conversation flowed naturally. Meeting her hadn’t been a burden after all.
When I arrived home, Junyan was awake. Aunt Fan directed me to the training room, where he was with Jun Jie and Grandpa. I headed there immediately.
"Wow! Look at this. Men can’t really be trusted! You told me you had your eyes on someone, but today you went behind her back. Tsk, tsk," Jun Jie teased as he approached me.
"I went to make things clear with her. Lower your voice and stop saying nonsense," I warned. Jun Jie rolled his eyes but was cut off by a cheerful voice.
"Pa!" Junyan called, running toward me with a wooden sword in hand. This was a sparring room for sword training, a tradition in our family. I remembered Grandpa’s rigorous training when I was a child. At first, I’d been covered in bruises, but I quickly became the unbeatable champion in the family. Even Dad, an expert swordsman, couldn’t match me.
"My Junyan, were you training?" I asked, crouching down to wipe the sweat from his face.
"Hm! I defeated Grandpa!" Junyan declared proudly.
"Oh really? That’s great. Let’s train together," I said, tapping his cheek.
"No!" Junyan replied firmly.
"Why not? I’m better than Grandpa at sword fighting," I said, amused by his unpredictability.
"Because I can’t win against you yet!" Junyan declared.
"Look at how you scare children. Can’t you let him win?" Grandpa interjected, his sword-fighting gear loosely wrapped around his waist. Although he was talking on behalf of Junyan, it was as though he was venting past grievances.
"Junyan, a man must bear his losses and gains with a clear and honest mind. That’s one of the principles of a gentleman," I said, looking at him. I hear grandpa snort behind me at my words, clearly, this showed his complaint about past matches I worn against him, I thought with a smirk.
"Hm!" Junyan nodded seriously.
"Alright! Who wants to spar with me?" I stood up and challenged.
"Junyan has been up since morning. We’re going to freshen up. Bye!" Jun Jie said quickly, scooping up the giggling Junyan and making a swift exit.
"You’re scared of Dad beating you, haha!" Junyan called out as they left.
"I’m already old. I can’t indulge in these sports anymore. Hmph," Grandpa said, also making a quick escape.
I chuckled and headed to the locker room to change into training clothes. I picked up a wooden sword and returned to the training room, assuming a professional stance. My feet were shoulder-width apart, my knees slightly bent, and my sword held firmly in both hands, the tip pointed forward. My posture was relaxed yet alert, ready to react to any movement.
"You’ve always been good at many things. Let’s spar," a voice said suddenly. I turned to see Dad in full training gear, holding a wooden sword. I raised an eyebrow in surprise. He was usually the first to avoid sparring with me. What had changed?
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