Fang Miaomiao didn't think much of the remark, had a brief conversation with him, and hung up, telling him to rest.
The next morning.
Fang Miaomiao habitually reached for her phone on the bedside table.
It wasn't there.
Fang Miaomiao frowned, reluctantly opened her eyes, and almost jumped out of her skin at the sight before her. All traces of sleep vanished.
"Wen Zhiyan, how did you get back?"
And appear in her bedroom without a sound.
"Sorry, Lin Ma just finished breakfast and said you should be waking up around this time, so I wanted to surprise you." Wen Zhiyan rubbed his temples and apologized, "I shouldn't have entered your room without your permission."
The moment he returned to the apartment, he desperately wanted to see Miaomiao, and before he knew it, he had come in.
"It's fine," Fang Miaomiao waved her hand. "Why did you come back so early?"
"Miaomiao said that place wasn't great, so I booked the earliest flight back with Xin Xuan."
"Oh, oh."
Fang Miaomiao yawned and her body instinctively retreated back under the covers.
"Still sleepy?"
She gave an awkward smile. "Old habit, old habit."
When she wasn't working, she liked to lie in bed all day, ordering takeout when she was hungry.
Wen Zhiyan smiled knowingly. "Then lie down a bit longer? I'll have Lin Ma bring breakfast to you later?"
"How can I accept that?"
"It's alright, I'm just glad to see you. Rest well."
With that, Wen Zhiyan pushed his wheelchair out of Fang Miaomiao's bedroom.
He came face to face with Wen Yan'an.
"Dad?" Wen Yan'an rubbed his eyes in disbelief, which was rare. "Weren't you on a business trip? Why are you suddenly at the apartment?"
And in Mom's bedroom, no less.
Wen Zhiyan hummed, "Let's eat first."
The father and son ate in silence.
"How is Mom's condition?"
"Uncle Yuan said Mom's wrist is recovering well and there won't be any lingering issues."
"That's good. I won't be developing the new Xin Hui project in S City."
"Is it because of Grandma's family?"
Wen Zhiyan looked up at Wen Yan'an. "How did you know?"
"Grandpa told me. Grandpa said Grandma is back and asked when Mom and I can go back for a family meal," Wen Yan'an added. "Don't worry, Dad, I didn't tell Grandpa about Mom getting hurt."
"It's fine. Even if you didn't say anything, those people would have found out."
Wen Yan'an looked at Wen Zhiyan, confused. "Did something happen?"
"It's nothing. Your job is to take good care of Mom," Wen Zhiyan said, then thought of something. "By the way, where is your variety show filming next, and when is it approximately?"
He had wasted too much time in S City these past few days and had almost forgotten that Miaomiao and An An had a variety show to record.
Wen Yan'an shook his head and was about to speak when his phone rang.
It was his father's.
Wen Zhiyan gave Wen Yan'an a look and took his phone to the living room.
"Father."
"Where are you now?"
"The apartment."
"Is the matter in S City resolved?"
Wen Zhiyan lowered his gaze, obscuring the mockery in his eyes. "Does Father need to ask about this matter?"
"Wen Zhiyan, how dare you speak to your father like that."
"Father, I don't think my tone is problematic at all," Wen Zhiyan said, fiddling with his pants, his voice devoid of emotion. "If Father is calling to reprimand me, then I think there's no need."
"Zhiyan, you child, why are you so stubborn?" Wen Renhe sounded tired. "Those are your mother's relatives, after all."
"So, me withdrawing from the Xin Hui competition is already doing them a favor, isn't it?"
"You scoundrel, I told you to help their Ran family, not to withdraw!"
News had come that the new high-speed rail would be built near Xin Hui, making it a rapidly developing economic area again. Wen Zhiyan wasn't competing, wasn't building relationships, and had even rushed back from Xin Hui early in the morning.
"I have my own judgment on this matter."
"Wen Zhiyan, don't forget, Wen's was built by me. I am now ordering you to rush over there as quickly as possible."
Wen Renhe's greatest wish was to see October Hotels open in every economically developed region. Now, his most promising son had thrown away such a lucrative opportunity in Xin Hui, how could he not be heartbroken?
The moment he thought of the mockery in that phone call, he wished he could fly there himself and do the running and negotiating for Wen Zhiyan.
"Father, you also shouldn't forget that I am the current chairman of Wen's Group."
"Wen Zhiyan." Wen Renhe was so angry he stamped his cane.
If before he was angry at Wen Zhiyan's short-sightedness and inability to see long-term benefits, now he was angry at Wen Zhiyan's audacity and blatant defiance.
It felt like the person he had painstakingly groomed had turned around and betrayed him.
"Father, I didn't say I wouldn't open an October Hotel in Xin Hui, but not right now at least."
"What do you mean by that?"
"Father, have you ever seen someone paint a pie?"
Wen Renhe's anger flared up and subsided just as quickly. "Wen Zhiyan, when you say something like that, do you have any proof?"
"No proof is the best proof."
Last night, after he heard Miaomiao say there was a problem with that place, he had used his connections and painstakingly analyzed information all night, only then discovering some details.
Xin Hui City was said to be building a high-speed rail, but for the commercial land aspect, it was all hearsay, with no concrete evidence.
He hadn't seen any. More importantly, the high-speed rail in Xin Hui was only mentioned as a plan, with no clear designation of where it would be built.
Wen Zhiyan felt that such an important matter couldn't have gone unnoticed by anyone, so he sent Xin Xuan to investigate further. Only then did he learn that the purpose of that land had never been specified, and it was only vaguely rumored from the Xie family that the area would be planned for commercial development. httpδ:/m.kuAisugg.nět
Therefore, he booked his flight back that night.
Bidding for land? Sorry, he probably didn't need to for now. Even if he did, it would have to wait until the official documents were released.
Wen Renhe fell silent. "Then don't worry about it for now. I'll see if I can find someone to investigate the situation in Xin Hui. I hope this isn't just you overthinking."
If it was indeed just speculation, then the Wen family might find themselves at the mercy of others in Xin Hui, a feeling he strongly disliked.
"I know what I'm doing. I have my limits." Wen Zhiyan heard a movement. "I have something else here, I'll hang up now."
With that, Wen Zhiyan hung up the phone.
He looked up and saw Fang Miaomiao coming out of the bedroom, wearing a rather loose white t-shirt and sweatpants.
"Did I disturb your phone call?"
"No, I just finished speaking."
"Mom, time for breakfast."
Fang Miaomiao pointed towards the dining room.
"Go ahead."