On the evening of the first weekend of March 2010, Song Shu took the Qin family's car back to the place where he lived with his mother Bai Song and cousin Luan Qiaoqing.
Since the beginning of the year, she and Qin Lou have started preparing for the SAT exam in August. Qin Liang hired a special tutor at home, and Song Shu would go to Qin's house every weekend to take classes with Qin Lou, and this week was no exception.
It was almost 7 o'clock when he got home. After Song Shu opened the door, he found a pair of women's high heels and a pair of men's leather shoes placed in the entrance.
This surprised Song Shu a little.
"Sister, you are finally back." Luan Qiaoqing popped out from somewhere. "My aunt came back early today."
"Well, is there anyone else?"
"That's what I wanted to tell you! Your dad is here today too!"
Song Shu paused as she took off her backpack. She said calmly, "He's not my dad."
"Ah, I was so surprised that I didn't pay attention to the wording..." Luan Qiaoqing tapped her head in annoyance, "But I've moved here two years ago, and this is the first time I've seen him come here. What's wrong with him? Isn't he afraid that his wife and children will be jealous?"
Song Shu was silent for two seconds, "Have you finished your homework?"
"Huh?" Luan Qiaoqing's smile froze.
"… "
"No, not finished yet."
"… "
"Okay, okay, sister, please don't look at me like that. I'll do it right away."
Luan Qiaoqing returned to her room mumbling.
Song Shu sat alone in the living room for a while.
The study and the living room were separated by only one wall, and there was no special soundproofing in the house. At first, the voices inside were hard to hear, but as the tone of the two people behind them became increasingly intense, Song Shu could hear them clearly in the living room.
"… How long have you taken over the head office? What right do you have to say that there is a problem with eag's business model?!"
"The problem is obvious. I don't believe you don't know where it is."
"Bai Song, stop being so sarcastic - don't think that just because the old man handed over the management rights to you, you can sit back and relax and give us orders at will. I tell you, this won't work with me!"
"Okay. It doesn't matter if you don't admit that EAG has a business model problem. Then let me ask you, what is EAG's main business?"
"Of course it's Chenxiang!"
"How long does it take for an agarwood tree to produce agarwood?"
"Growth cycle? About... five or six years."
"Five or six years? EAG claims to be the top company in the agarwood industry, and the agarwood it produces is of the best quality in the industry. The agarwood of the best quality has a growth cycle of at least 10 or even 20 years. The agarwood that can produce agarwood in five or six years can only be the most ordinary agarwood!"
“… I’m not a product manager. How can I possibly know so much about planting?”
"Okay, let me ask you another question. EAG was founded only three years ago, and I'm afraid it hasn't even produced the lowest quality agarwood - that is to say, it is completely unable to generate cash flow from sales. So where does the money to support your company's operations come from?"
"… "
This time, after a long silence, the voice Song Shu heard from Song Chengjun had weakened.
"Of course it's... financing. EAG has such a good industry prospect, and many PE (private equity investment) people are optimistic about the development of our company."
"Are you optimistic about EAG, or are you doing this for the sake of Qin Group's reputation?"
“It makes no difference.”
"There are no brothers in the business world. Are they willing to invest so much money just for the sake of face?"
"No, what else?"
"Do you really think I haven't investigated the interest commitments that EAG made to investors? With such high commitments, your business model is completely inadequate to bear the burden. In other words, you have been relying on the principal of the new round of investors to repay the interests of the original investors - you are dragging the entire company to walk a tightrope together!"
"… "
Song Chengjun's tone softened completely, even to the point of begging.
"Bai Song, give me some time... The latest batch of agarwood is about to enter the sales stage, and I will be able to fill the funding gap soon. You can't cut off my retreat at this time, otherwise I will be finished! The Qin family, the old man, and everyone else will be implicated!"
"You also know that you will drag the company into trouble?"
"I know I was wrong, and I've regretted it, Bai Song - don't worry, really, I will give you a satisfactory report before the second quarter, okay? Trust me this time - even if, even if it's just for Song Shu's sake? After all, I'm her father!"
"… "
The noise in the study completely subsided after those pleas.
Two minutes later, the study door opened.
Bai Song stood at the door. "Song Chengjun, this is the last time I will warn you in my personal capacity. If you still can't fill this huge funding gap before the second quarter, don't blame me for not covering it up for you anymore."
"Okay, okay, don't worry, I will!"
"I have a video conference to attend. I won't see you off. Please go now."
"Okay, I'll go by myself."
The door closed again.
A few seconds later, Song Chengjun came out of the corridor with a gloomy face. When he looked up, he saw Song Shu sitting silently on the sofa.
Song Chengjun forced a smile.
"Xiaoshu, Daddy today--"
"Close the door on your way out."
Song Shu stood up and walked towards his bedroom without looking back.
Song Chengjun's smile froze on his face.
A complex emotion flashed across his eyes, and he finally left in embarrassment.
Early June, high school graduation season.
In the atmosphere of students being either jubilant or disappointed, Qin Liang's plan for Qin Lou and Song Shu to get engaged after graduation was forced to be terminated. There was only one reason -
At the beginning of the month, Qin Liang was hospitalized due to serious illness.
It was not until this point that the truth could no longer be concealed, and the Qin family doctor told the younger generations the truth: Mr. Qin had been diagnosed with hepatocellular carcinoma as early as the end of last year, and had been undergoing conservative drug treatment during this period.
According to Qin Liang's own wishes, this has been kept secret from everyone.
The Qin family was in an uproar when they heard the news. Qin Fujun cried beside his father's bed for several days, and was finally driven out by Qin Liang who could no longer bear it.
Qin Lou and Song Shu were called into the room together.
When they went in, the family doctor, who was about the same age as Qin Liang, was mumbling something. Old Mr. Qin had a stern face and looked impatient, obviously being annoyed by the nagging.
When he saw Qin Lou and Song Shu coming in, the old man on the hospital bed forced a smile.
"Come over here."
Song Shu obeyed and sat on the chair beside the bed as the old gentleman instructed. Qin Lou stood there with a frown, and Qin Liang ignored him.
After chatting for a while, Qin Liang sighed.
"After all, it was because of my illness that your engagement was delayed."
Qin Lou hadn't seen Qin Liang smile since he fell ill, and now he frowned: "You know that, so why don't you get better quickly?"
"… "
The family doctor was used to seeing the tearful faces of the younger generations who came to ask about his health these days. This was the first time he encountered Qin Lou's attitude when visiting a patient, and he couldn't help but look up at the young man.
Then he turned back.
"Are the men in your Qin family not able to speak human language?"
Qin Lou had no expression, and Qin Liang glared at his old friend.
The doctor didn't mind and ridiculed him, "I told you before not to delay, not to delay. The sooner you go to the United States and get an appointment for a transplant, the sooner you can see your grandson and great-grandson - but you, the grandfather, just don't believe it. You insisted that if there was a problem with the transplant, he would die without seeing his grandson get engaged, and he would be too embarrassed to face his ancestors... Are you feeling better now? You ruined a young man's engagement."
Qin Liang's face became darker and darker as his old friend spoke. In the end, he slapped the bed in anger and said, "If you don't speak, no one will think you are dumb!"
"snort."
"… "
It was the first time that Song Shu and Qin Lou saw Qin Liang's childish side. He was in good spirits and even Song Shu couldn't help but laugh.
After sitting with the two elderly people for half an afternoon, Qin Liang sighed and said to Song Shu before leaving: "I will go to Country M in a few days to prepare for the transplant surgery, and I will definitely bring Qin Lou and the others with me. By then, your mother will be the only one running the company, and it must be very hard. You and Qin Lou could have gone out to play, but I delayed them - you and your daughter are being dragged down by an old man like me. Don't blame Grandpa."
"No." Song Shu shook his head and looked at the old man seriously. "When you recover from your illness, I will offer you the first cup of tea at the engagement party. Please don't drink alcohol."
Seeing the girl, who usually had no expression, joking with him seriously, Mr. Qin couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Okay, okay! I will definitely drink the tea my granddaughter-in-law offers me! You are not allowed to break your promise!"
"Well, we have a deal."
"… "
A few days later.
All the younger generations of the Qin family - Qin Fujun, Song Chengjun, the siblings Song Ruyu and Song Shuai, and Qin Lou - accompanied Old Man Qin abroad to prepare for the transplant treatment.
Bai Song stayed at the company to support the company on his own, while Song Shu stayed at home to take care of Luan Qiaoqing who had not yet had her holiday.
On the day Qin Lou left, Song Shu went to the airport to see him off.
The boy, who is becoming more and more handsome, now has the most eye-catching tall stature in the crowd, but his dark eyes are fierce and his whole body exudes the aura of "keep away from strangers".
Even the younger generations and servants of the Qin family who were traveling with him wished they could stay as far away from him as possible.
Fortunately, when Song Shu arrived, Qin Lou's emotions, which were obviously on the verge of exploding and about to be uncontrollably suppressed, slowly subsided.
"Why are you here so late?" Qin Lou took his little clam shell into his arms, holding it tightly, not caring at all about the looks of passers-by.
"At home..."
"Forget it, don't explain. It won't be long before I fly away. Let me hold you for a while before I leave."
The little clam then calmed down and let him hold it obediently.
The world these two people spend alone is often quiet and silent, and they will never feel lonely or bored. The silence always makes Qin Lou want to slow down again and again so that he has enough time to spend with each other slowly.
It’s just that time is the most disobedient.
After a while, the servants accompanying the Qin family came over carefully to urge them.
Qin Lou impatiently drove the man away and then stood up.
He lowered his eyes to the girl in front of him and muttered, "Doll, do you think the clam shells can be brought through the customs in Country M?"
"Clam Shell" ignored his nonsense.
"Then I'm leaving?"
"Yeah." The girl nodded.
Qin Lou pretended to threaten: "If you dare to hook up with other crazy people, I will stew you in a pot when I come back." He thought for a moment and said, "Steaming is fine."
The girl still nodded, "Yeah."
"… "
Qin Lou's eyes flickered slightly and he turned around.
Then suddenly he was pulled.
Qin Lou looked back.
The girl still had no expression on her face. She just waved at him gently, "Come down."
"what?"
The boy spoke in an impatient tone, but still bent his tall stature.
Then he was gently touched on the top of his head.
"Don't be afraid, little lunatic."
"… "
Qin Lou's pupils shuddered slightly.
After being frozen for more than ten seconds, he finally laughed hoarsely, with bitter helplessness and the trembling of his heart finally being peeled back and exposed a little bit.
"You heard my cry for help again, doll."
Song Shu did not answer, but withdrew his hand, his voice was quiet and reassuring -
"I am here."
It was as if he was back to that thunderstorm night many years ago, when the girl held him in her arms as he trembled in the empty room, covering his ears and talking to him over and over again without getting tired of it.
I'm here.
This time, the boy's pupils shuddered slightly and he laughed.
"As long as you are here, I am not afraid of anything."
"… "
August 13, 2010.
Qin Liang's transplant surgery at the D?F Cancer Institute of Country M was successfully completed, and the several weeks of closed treatment ended.
Qin Lou, who was responsible for accompanying the family members, was also able to leave the hospital on that day.
The first thing he wanted to do was share the good news with his little clam.
However, after getting the phone, Qin Lou couldn't get through to Song Shu or Bai Song.
It was not until Qin Fujun and Song Chengjun, who were waiting outside, arrived that Song Chengjun handed Qin Lou an email on his mobile phone with a sad face.
Qin Lou took it with his stiff hands -
"Bai Song, general manager of Qin Group, is suspected of using EAG subsidiary to illegally collect 50 billion yuan in funds and unable to repay the principal. He faces eight criminal charges including equity fraud and money laundering... Bai Song committed suicide on the eve of the trial."
"The suspect's only daughter, Song Shu, was in a serious car accident on the way to the court on the day of the trial and was seriously injured and hospitalized. A week later, Song Shu died due to ineffective rescue."
"――!"
The phone fell to the ground.
A distorted and fragmented face was reflected on the shattered screen.