I, Qing Huan (Modern Chapter) 2

Chapter 2

Entrance of Mei’s Group Park.

　　”Oh, you’re back. You should’ve let me know that you would come so early. I shouldn’t have to find out so late. Had I known, I would’ve slept at the company to greet you.”

　　Mei Zhongli couldn’t help but tidy up his suit collar. He is a spirited old man. Although his hair and beard had grayed, he still looks full of style. His left leg looked as if something was wrong with it and he walked with a limp, thus needing to lean on a sturdy wooden cane. He shifted his cane to the other side, as if he was afraid of tripping the person walking beside him. His gray beard couldn’t cover his smile, “How was your vacation in Australia these past years?”

　　Nanyang ate the rock candy in her hand. Strawberry, hm.

　　”It’s good to see that you’re well. Now that you’re back this time, let’s have you take a look at the company.”

　　”…”

　　Mei Zhongli took her through the main office area and pointed to the group of people who were preparing for work, “This is the operations department. You can work here for now. As long as there isn’t too much trouble, I can help you progress upwards. Now that the company has developed smoothly, there hasn’t been an accident within a year… “

　　Just then, they came face to face with two men. A younger-looking man with specks of white on his sideburns and a middle-aged man with extremely sharp eyes.

　　”President Mei.”

　　”Greetings, President Mei.”

　　Liu Zhen and Sun Guohui shook Mei Zhongli’s hand.

　　Mei Zhongli smiled and introduced them to Nanyang: “It just so happens, Liu Zhen and Sun Guohui, these two men besides me, are the two largest shareholders of the Mei Group.”

　　”This is President Mei’s daughter?” Liu Zhen squinted his eyes at Nanyang, and looked at Mei Zhongli, “I just heard Mr. Mei’s plans for next year?”

　　”I’m too old now. I want to let her take over my position next year. ” Mei Zhongli smiled as he looked at Nanyang.

　　”What does President Mei mean by this? Is it a trifle to manage a company?” Liu Zhen changed his expression. “Don’t blame me for speaking badly, but if you are interested in training her, shouldn’t you start from the bottom of the company? You’ve let her idle around until she’s in her thirties. Without any prior training, you can’t just suddenly pull her in to let her manage a company. That’s too irresponsible of you, Mr. Mei.” 

Mei Zhongli’s smile slowly disappeared, “Liu Zhen, are you disapproving my daughter?”

　　”The company is not just your hard work. Forgive me for not agreeing with your hasty decision.” The elderly Sun Guohui gave his opinion as well, “Forget it. Come on, old Liu, too many employees are watching…”

　　Mei Zhongli raised his hand to interrupt Sun Guohui, “He deliberately picked this time to come here and shout at me, let the whole company watch this fool”

　　Liu Zhen grinned and replied: “Mr. Mei’s words are too chilling.”

　　”Others may not know you, but do you think I don’t know you yet?” Mei Zhongli leaned forward with a cane and looked like two people with a glare different from his usual amiable appearance. Freezing the two into ice, he spoke in a low voice, “Don’t think that I don’t know what your thoughts are. If you want to eat this company by yourself, then your eyes are too big for your appetite.”

　　Liu Zhen stared back with equal force. With his sight on Mei Zhongli’s eyes, Liu Zhen swallowed and replied: “I only have the best intentions for Mei’s.” Mei Zhongli sneered.

　　”You may have a big part of the shares in your hand, but I also have a lot of it. I’m going to leave you here for today. As long as I am in this company, she won’t be able to have any power.” Liu Zhen calmly said this sentence before he turned and left without looking back.

　　Nan Yang just stood by and looked at them without saying a word.

　　Mei Zhongli glanced at the busy employees, sighed, and waved them away.

　　”You don’t need to feel pressured. The company knows that you are my daughter. If you want to do say in the company in the future, they’ll all obey.”

　　”…”

　　The company was very large and the two of them talked and slowly came to the company cafeteria. The employees, who had breakfast here, greeted the pair when they passed by Mei Zhongli.

　　A handsome man in a straight suit came over and nodded at Mei Zhongli, “Mr. Mei.” He took another peek at Nan Yang, “This is…your daughter, right?”

　　Mei Zhongli pointed at the man and said to Nanyang : “This is Xiao Wang, the company’s director of operations.” 

“Hello, my name is Wang Zinan.” Wang Zinan reached out to Nanyang.

　　There was no expression on Nanyang’s face. She glanced at Wang Zinan’s hand and bit down on a rock candy strawberry without any intention of moving to shake his hand.

　　Wang Zinan’s outstretched hand stayed held up in the air awkwardly. Seeing that Nan Yang didn’t pay attention to him at all, he retracted his hand angrily.

　　Mei Zhongli watched Wang Zinan, smiled and said in a joke: “I can tell you in advance, don’t think that she is pretty and bother her. I have arranged a marriage for her a long time ago. If I find you harassing her, you’ll be released from Mei’s by tomorrow.”

　　Wang Zinan let out a sigh of disappointment.

　　”Now, hurry up and go eat. And don’t forget to give me me your report before the end of the month.”

　　”Okay, President Mei.”

　　Wang Zinan looked at Nan Yang reluctantly for the last time and went to fetch his meal dejectedly.

　　”I’ll take you directly to my office.”

　　”Yeah.”

　　Mei Zhongli took Nanyang up to his office on the twelfth floor and introduced her to the current situation of the company along the way, explaining everything in the company. Seeing this situation, the employees inevitably eavesdropped and whispered something. Nanyang didn’t seem too interested, just lowering her head to eat the rock candy strawberries in her hand.

　　Opening the office door, two people seem to have been waiting inside. Mei Zhongli smiled, letting Nanyang go in first. Before following her, he asked his secretary to not let anyone near his office.

　　The two familiar back figures turned around, revealing themselves to actually be Liu Zhen and Sun Guohui. The pair that they had met not too long ago.

　　Mei Zhongli locked the office door. Liu Zhen and Sun Guohui glancing at the locked door, stepped forward in two steps.

　　Then, with their heads down, they knelt towards Nanyang in a pious and dignified manner, as if they were worshipping a god.

　　Mei Zhongli also put down his cane, supported his limping left leg and slowly knelt down in front of Nanyang.

　　”Liu Zhen, the 68th descendant of the ancestor Yuntang, greets the ancestor.”

　　” Sun Guohui, 65th descendant of the ancestor Bian Zi, greets the ancestor.” 

　　”Welcome back, ancestor.” Mei Zhongli said this respectfully, with his forehead close to the ground.

　　If someone breaks in by accident at this time, they would definitely feel that something is wrong with their eyes, or if they haven’t woken up yet. In any case, three successful middle-aged and elderly entrepreneurs are kneeling towards a young woman. This scene is an extremely strange sight.

　　Nan Yang raised her hand, motioning for them to get up. She found a corner of the sofa to sit down, and vaguely said with a candy-stained mouth:

　　”What scene was that you were just performing earlier? I was stunned.” 

Mei Zhongli replied: “Your last ID card has expired. I took the liberty to give you my a new identity as my daughter to allow to return smoothly from Australia and to let you use my influence. This time the ID card is still your original name. I dare not give you my surname. I declared that you have your mother’s surname. Don’t worry.”

　　Liu Zhen said earnestly: “You’ve never been interested in company affairs, so I publicly said that I want to take you off the chair. This way, you won’t have to do any company chores in the future.”

　　”Old Liu thinks thoughtfully,” Sun Guohui smiled gently, “We really don’t want you to waste time on these common things.”

　　”Yes.” Mei Zhongli rubbed the crutch in his hand and said with emotion, “We’re old, and we have to arrange the way forward for you. The ancestors ordered it to come down for generations after the three passed. We did our best to protect you like our ancestors and we dare not forget our task for a moment. Fortunately, it has been peaceful for the past three thousand years. Although there has unexpected been twists and turns, we we’re still able to follow our ancestors’ instructions”

　　Every time they saw her, they couldn’t help but sigh with emotion. It’s like seeing an old classmate they haven’t seen for many years. They don’t know what other topic to start with, so the three of them tacitly decided to discuss the past.

　　Nan Yang was silent for a moment. She turned her head and looked out the window, “…I saw her today.”

　　Mei Zhongli immediately realized who Nan Yang was talking about and couldn’t restrain the joy in his eyes: “Did she recognize you?”

　　Nanyang answered very softly.

　　”No.”

　　”Why? Didn’t you say that she would remember this time?” Mei Zhongli was surprised.

　　”I don’t know either.” Nan Yang looked at the snow on the window sill and grabbed the sofa leather with her fingertips resting on the armrest of the sofa. “Maybe… there is still a lack of confirmation.” 

“Why…this…” Sun Guohui wrinkled his eyebrows, lost in thought.

　　”Don’t worry Ancestor! The three of us will look for the reasons for this. I made a marriage contract for you, and you will have many opportunities to confirm in the future.” Mei Zhongli remembered the daughter of the Zhu family. “I also prepared the little girl. In order to help with the process, I gave her the same name as your love. This child is beautiful and has a gentle personality. Ancestors will love her. “

　　Nan Yang lowered her eyes and said, “…but just seeing her earlier, she seemed unwilling to marry me.” Mei Zhongli opened his mouth, not knowing how to reply.

　　”She may come to you to divorce later.” Nan Yang looked at the snow outside the window again, “If she really doesn’t want this marriage contract, don’t force her. Just retreat and leave.”

　　”But Ancestor… “

　　”Her destiny is her own. You don’t have to entangle it with mine.” Nanyang paused, her voice becoming softer and quieter, “Little Mei, I know you made this engagement for my sake. I am very grateful. But, no one guessed that she would still not remember me. Have you ever considered the possibility that she already has someone she likes? What if she doesn’t want to spend the rest of her life with a woman? If we do this, what should she do? Grieve?”

　　Mei Zhongli looked at Nan Yang’s eyes. When she said these words, her eyes were filled with heart-shaking tolerance.

　　In the decades he knew her, only when she was talking about that person could he see a little glimmer in her indifferent eyes.

　　”…I see.. this matter…Don’t worry about it, I’ll take care of it.” Mei Zhongli gradually clenching his hand into a fist while holding the cane.

　　Liu Zhen looked worriedly at Nanyang and then at Mei Zhongli, vaguely feeling that the matter would not end so easily.

Author’s Theater
From the Lord of Beifang to an ancient Ancestor in the modern ages
Nanyang: I am old [looks at sky]

TL notes
Whoo! Another chapter! I’m going to be somewhat feverishly churning out these chapters until I reach like chapter 10 or some satisfying number so you guys wouldn’t have to wait too long. Once again, please help me get rid of any ew bits in the translation.

Also, Nanyang’s love is beyond pure and undying. Wow.

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