CHAPTER 273: 272"I LIKE"_1

Shen Jing pushed open the door to the CEO’s office herself. The assistant, looking somewhat troubled, tried to stop her. "Could you come back later...?"

This foreign male assistant was tall and burly, blocking Shen Jing’s path like a mountain. He used to follow Luchen closely, and I never felt he was that tall. Why does he seem so overwhelmingly imposing today?

"Is there an important client discussing business?" she asked. Unfortunately, Shen Jing’s hand had already pushed the door open. She whispered, "I’m just here to give him a surprise, delivering a pen."

"He hasn’t been avoiding me in his business talks these last few days, so it should be fine," she added.

The assistant’s hand tightened. Shen Jing wasn’t really in a position to leak any secrets, and he couldn’t stop the CEO’s girlfriend anyway. He let her pass. The assistant nodded and reluctantly closed the armored door from the outside.

The hall was a three-story loft containing a Lawrence series desk, dark and understated. A water curtain fell from the ceiling, separating the central office from the rest area.

A few steps in, Shen Jing faintly heard Luchen’s voice, very low.

Her gaze moved forward. Luchen leaned against the bookcase, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his forearms. He held a handkerchief and attentively fiddled with a lamp, not lifting his gaze as he occasionally replied.

His father sat on the couch. Secretary Song had ground coffee and now served it to Zhou Zhengliang.

Zhou Zhengliang pushed it aside, untouched. "Do you dislike the person I’ve arranged to share your burden that much? A graduate from Princeton; she can help you with some minor matters when you’re busy."

Luchen scoffed. "Am I lacking Princeton grads? If I release a recruitment ad, I can pick and choose talents from top schools for a million-dollar salary at will."

Despite this, Zhou Zhengliang tapped his fingers on his knee. "Have you seen the many ancestral tablets in the family shrine since you returned home?"

"Achen, the Zhou Family has not declined for a hundred years. Whether in business or politics, no one has ever failed."

"Is Shen Jing willing to come with you to New York? Or will you continue to return to the country every few days to accompany her, as always? Is this for your benefit? Do you young people care so much about feelings? She lacks the capacity, ambition, and family background of Wenxin, and doesn’t match Xie Yao in terms of family lineage. What? Has your taste deteriorated that much?"

Xie Yao? Shen Jing remembered; she was Xie Qinyang’s cousin.

Luchen calmly responded, "I like her."

Zhou Zhengliang waved off his son’s words. "Oh? Or do you plan to have her give up her job to depend on you, to stay with you in New York?"

Luchen put the lamp back on the side cabinet, tossed the handkerchief onto the table, and his eyes darkened. "That’s none of your business."

Zhou Zhengliang said calmly, "I’ve come to take you back to the country. End this, and find someone suitable to marry properly."

"Zhou Zhengliang, you wouldn’t dare," Luchen retorted. He and Zhou Zhengliang had never been on good terms; he always called his father by his full name.

Sensing the father-son atmosphere growing increasingly tense, Secretary Song stepped next to Luchen and tugged at his sleeve, saying considerately, "Don’t be angry... The old chairman means well. Go to the meeting first. Family matters can be discussed calmly."

Shen Jing watched as the United Bank CEO’s sleeve was lightly tugged by his female secretary. She smirked. He must be too angry to notice. He hasn’t noticed this flirtatious gesture.

Zhou Zhengliang closed his eyes momentarily. "What, don’t you think her future path looks a lot like your mother’s? If you’re not satisfied, you’re not satisfied. Don’t let her be an eyesore in front of us. Your grandmother is already sick with anger. Last night, she missed you and got up to find the phone to chat with you. The call didn’t go through, and she fell."

Shen Jing lowered her eyes to the gift box in her hand and turned to leave.

Upon leaving, she encountered the assistant and handed the pen box to him. "Please give this to him for me; I have to rush back for something urgent," she said, then hurried toward the elevator.

The conversation inside the CEO’s office hadn’t been pleasant. He and Zhou Zhengliang had never been able to sit down and have a proper conversation; the resentment regarding his birth mother always lingered.

Luchen stormed out, slamming the door. The assistant immediately handed the pen box to him. "Ms. Shen sent you this pen. You were busy, so she didn’t want to disturb you and has gone back to the manor."

His gaze fell on the black gift box in his palm. It was tied with a very pretty bow, one she had clearly tied herself; she used to tie her hair with ribbons in just the same way.

The white Bentley sped away from the building, passing South Street Seaport.

「Come nightfall, it stopped outside the manor gates.」

Seeing Zhuang Ming leisurely standing at the main gate watching eagles fly, Luchen headed straight to the back garden.

In the season of blooming flowers, ever since Shen Jing arrived, she had planted many camellias and roses.

She had her back to him, bending over to water the plants. Unlike in the past, she didn’t throw herself into his arms. She showed no particular emotion, merely reaching out occasionally to tend to the green leaves.