Chapter 124: The Banquet

The next day, Zhao Fan saw Chen Jianyu outside the company.

“Fan, Mr. Zhao,” Chen Jianyu instinctively wanted to call him “Brother Fan,” but suddenly caught himself and retracted the words.

“Good morning, Mr. Zhao,” he said instead.

Zhao Fan smiled faintly and patted Chen Jianyu twice on the shoulder. “You look full of energy and spirit. Good job—consider this a raise.”

“Thank you!” Chen Jianyu’s spirits lifted even higher at the mention of a raise. Who didn’t like money? Doing well and getting paid was definitely a good thing.

“If you’re short-staffed, just contact HR. They can register and make arrangements for you.”

“Got it.”

The company had changed its security guards, and Zhao Fan felt noticeably more at ease because of it.

Under these circumstances, the banquet arranged by Zhao’s father was ready.

All Zhao Fan had to do was show up on time and eat; he didn’t need to worry about anything else.

The night before the banquet, Zhao Fan received a call from Han Chen, who said the game had been fixed and asked when Zhao Fan would have time to play.

Zhao Fan checked the time. “The day after tomorrow. I’m not going to the office tomorrow.”

“Alright.”

The next day at noon, Zhao Fan arrived at the hotel early with his father and mother.

For this banquet, Zhao’s parents had specially bought new clothes several days in advance. Standing at the hotel entrance, their beaming smiles and attire changed their very aura.

Zhao Fan glanced at them and smiled, “Mom and Dad look like completely different people compared to back home.”

The Zhao family didn’t have many relatives—counting both paternal and maternal sides, there were only three tables.

As the banquet went on with glasses clinking and cups being passed, someone soon brought up Zhao Fan’s previous engagement.

“Why on earth did you suddenly go back to school?”

It was Zhao Fan’s eldest uncle’s wife who spoke.

Zhao Fan’s father was the second of four brothers, caught in the middle, neither favored by their father nor mother.

But one good thing was that the brothers shared a strong bond.

Still, no matter how close the brothers were, they couldn’t compare to the intimacy of a spouse. Gradually, that closeness had drifted apart.

Yet despite the distance, Zhao Fan’s parents had gone to great lengths to borrow money for his betrothal gift—and they had managed to get some.

Because of that, Zhao Fan didn’t pay any attention to the jealousy nearby. Smiling pleasantly, he said, “I’m not planning to get engaged anymore. I figured since I don’t have much to do, I might as well go back to school.”

“Oh, that’s a relief. Otherwise, our Zhao family would have no university students left.”

“Right, right, lucky that you went back to school. Our Zhao family still has university students—top of the class, no less.”

“...”

The men spoke up and quickly quieted some of the women’s grumbles, and the atmosphere at the banquet gradually improved.

An hour after the banquet ended, a group of tipsy relatives stumbled out of the hotel. Zhao Fan’s father’s relatives clapped him on the shoulder repeatedly, murmuring blessings for the prosperous times ahead.

Zhao Fan’s mother held his hand and whispered, “This is the benefit of studying. See? As long as you succeed, even those who looked down on you before will start fawning over you.”

Zhao Fan squeezed her hand in return. “I know, Mom. Don’t worry. Our family will only get better from here.”

His mother smiled softly. “I don’t doubt it; I’m just a bit sentimental.”

Relatives were relatives, after all. Once there was distance, they tended to look down on you from above.

Zhao Fan’s eyes flickered. “Mom, did they treat you badly?”

The men in the Zhao family were traditional, and there were inevitably humiliations here and there. Judging by his mother’s expression, she had probably faced some slights.

She shook her head. “Don’t overthink it. I’m just a little sentimental.”

She sighed, involuntarily recalling the cold stares she had received when borrowing money earlier. She knew those relatives had their reasons—no one’s life was particularly easy these days.

Still, knowing didn’t make it any easier to bear. Fortunately, the money had been repaid, so there was no need to keep groveling.

“Fan, we have to keep the business matters secret from them. They can’t know.”

“Okay.”

Knowing his mother was looking out for him, Zhao Fan agreed without hesitation.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got it all under control.”

Not long after, Zhao Fan’s father staggered back.

“F-Fan, do you think you could... could you take your uncles and aunts into the business?”

Before Zhao Fan could respond, his mother’s tone turned cold.

“What are you thinking, wanting to bring them into the business?”

She had just told Fan not to let the Zhao family know about the business. Yet here was Zhao Fan’s father, drunk and blurting it out, even wanting to involve them in the business!

Suppressing her anger, she asked calmly, “You haven’t told them anything directly, have you?”

Though drunk, Zhao Fan’s father still retained some clarity. He shook his head. “I haven’t told you all yet. How could I dare tell them first?”

Zhao Fan exchanged a glance with his mother but said nothing. They helped their father into the car, one on each side.

Since he was driving, Zhao Fan hadn’t been drinking, so he was now of use.

Back home, Zhao Fan’s mother wore a stern expression and wordlessly made a hangover soup for his father.

“Give this to your dad.”

“Okay.”

Her aura was imposing. Even Zhao Fan felt a bit breathless and cooperated by making sure his father drank the soup.

His mother’s hangover soup was unique—once downed, it would clear the mind significantly.

After drinking the soup, Zhao Fan’s father rubbed his forehead and said, “Fan, I’m your dad after all. Do you have to... do you have to force me to drink this hangover soup?”

Zhao Fan shrugged. “The person outside told me to do it. Dad, Mom’s angry.”

Although Zhao Fan’s father was the head of the family, his mother was the unspoken queen. When she got angry, everyone had to yield.

His father shrank back his neck. “Why is your mom angry all of a sudden?”

“Because you want to bring others into the business.”

“Bring others...”

Suddenly sober, his father understood. No wonder she was mad.

“Oh, I was just joking.”

Looking defeated, he patted his thigh and hurried outside to find his wife.

Zhao Fan stood there, feeling a little helpless. Tonight was going to be long.

Sure enough, his parents argued until midnight before finally settling the matter.

At 9 a.m., Zhao Fan arrived at the company punctually. He had arranged with Han Chen to test the game today, so he had to be on time.

“Mr. Zhao is here! Quick, make some room!”

A group of people scrambled to pull out chairs and tidy up.

Zhao Fan twitched at the corner of his mouth. “Honestly, this place is a mess.”

Finding a spot to stand here was no small feat.

“Seriously, Han Chen, don’t you guys plan to clean up this place at all?”

After all, it was a company. Even Zhao Fan, a man, couldn’t stand how chaotic it was.