CHAPTER 259: SHE’S NOT RIGHT FOR YOU"_1

Zhou Luchen gently tapped off the ash and said in a subdued voice, "If you don’t come down, I’m leaving."

That sentence came through the earpiece.

Looking at him across the distance, Shen Jing couldn’t help but ask, "Did I do something wrong?"

The atmosphere fell silent for two seconds.

"No."

His black suit framed his sculpted shoulders. Wisps of smoke mingled around him. Though his head was slightly bowed and his whole demeanor seemed relaxed yet refined, it was apparent that he was thoroughly annoyed.

It was so obvious.

Shen Jing felt somewhat dazed.

She couldn’t remember when she had touched his sore spot or provoked his ire.

"It’s very late. Why don’t you go back to sleep? I’ve already changed into my pajamas and am going to bed. I was very tired from work today."

This was her refusal, albeit tactful.

Zhou Luchen slowly disposed of the cigarette, the smoke roughening his throat as he murmured lowly, "Hmm."

It was laughable. In his life, he could have anything he wanted; it was absurd that there could be something out of his reach.

He ended the call.

Zhou Luchen opened the car door and didn’t stay a second longer.

The cold blue taillights gradually disappeared from view, and Shen Jing pulled the curtains closed.

As the car left Xihe Bay, Zhou Luchen, who had always been punctual only when it came to business, now also had Shen Jing to consider. He returned to Beijing on schedule, yet gained no favor for it.

He wasn’t as out of control as he had imagined.

Lu Siyuan had once given Zhou Luchen a talisman for protection, but Zhou Luchen was so disdainful he didn’t even remember it.

Lu Siyuan had fallen twice while performing stunts on wires and was injured. After that, she went to Hong Kong to find a master to draw talismans and acquired two for protection. She would say, "The boss is so good to me, and I don’t really have anything to give him, so I’ll share one of my protection talismans with you. Think of it as giving all my safety to the boss, hoping the boss will be safe all his life."

He had accepted it with a smile, but as soon as he turned around, Zhou Luchen had Zhuang Ming throw it away.

The people of Hong Kong have a penchant for believing in Feng Shui.

But he was fortunate; he didn’t need it.

How could his lifetime of safety be reliant on a red string or on the dim light of a Prayer Lamp?

The car’s accelerator was floored as he drove away from Beijing.

「The next day.」

Shen Jing got off work at noon and drove to Taihe Middle Court. There, she only saw servants tending to the 4,000-square-meter lawn and Zhuang Ming feeding the goldfish.

She had thought Zhou Luchen was still in Beijing, but he wasn’t there.

"He’s not here?"

"The Second Young Master has already returned to New York. His father needed him for something."

Shen Jing’s eyelids felt inexplicably heavy. "Didn’t he just get back? He’s so busy. He might as well not have returned at all; it’s such a strain on his health."

"Indeed." Zhuang Ming pulled out a pen as he spoke, writing down the villa’s gate code. "This is the code; you can come by any time."

Shen Jing pocketed the piece of paper.

Zhuang Ming nodded at her. As he was leaving, he paused. "United Bank is actually very busy; if he’s not flying to Switzerland, he’s off to Paris. His previous visits to Beijing were just to see his grandmother. Otherwise, what do you think he could do in Beijing? The headquarters aren’t here. If it weren’t for you, he wouldn’t have come to Beijing so frequently these days."

Shen Jing pursed her lips, looking at the colorful koi in the pond. "I know."

When he was around, international online meetings had to accommodate his schedule. Even in the middle of the night, the United Bank Headquarters Building would have calls with him. They dealt with closing transaction volumes and amounts, with large sums of money flowing through the bank.

Shen Jing thought for a moment. "I can tell as well, his mood is off. Before, even if he was tired from work, he wouldn’t lose his temper with me. This time, it must be because I’ve upset him."

Zhuang Ming looked at her downcast face for a long while.

"He’s not angry," Zhuang Ming added, "but I’m sorry. I’m employed by the Zhou Family and don’t get overly involved in his personal affairs, so I can’t answer your question. If you need a driver, please let me know; that’s within my duties."

"Drive if you’re free," Shen Jing said, turning to leave.

Zhuang Ming agreed, escorting her out the door.

「New York, Manhattan, United Bank Headquarters Building’s top-floor boardroom.」

The 4-meter-high armored bulletproof door opened, and executives filed out of the boardroom one after another.

The door closed tightly once again.

Inside the boardroom.

Behind the partitioning water curtain.

Zhou Luchen sat in silence.

In front of him was an international chess set inlaid with tiny diamonds, its value comparable to a city.

It was a gold and silver dual-colored chess set, a legacy of European nobility from the last century. The kings, queens, pawns, and bishops were carved lifelike.

The chess game had reached the middle game.

Sitting opposite Zhou Luchen was Zhou Zhengliang.

Secretaries and assistants stood by their side, reporting financial data.

Zhou Luchen signed documents with a pen while casting a casual glance at the chessboard. With a single hand, he moved his piece, retreating perfectly from a dire situation.

The chessboard underwent a dramatic and sweeping change.

At that moment, Zhou Zhengliang sat upright opposite the board, pushing a gold piece forward. "Visiting Beijing so often, missing your grandmother?"

Zhou Luchen looked up, a cold laugh escaping his lips. "You’re quite idle."

That statement implied intrusive meddling. However, Zhou Zhengliang’s expression remained unchanged. "The capital from Huadalas," he stated, "we won’t take it."

"Director Zhou, your warm water," the secretary by Zhou Zhengliang’s side offered, leaning in.

Zhou Zhengliang showed no reaction, accepting the warm water from the secretary and sipping it with an elegant manner.

"Whatever you do, you must live up to your grandfather’s reputation. It cannot be ruined in our hands," Zhou Zhengliang added.

With a casual push of his slender fingers, Zhou Luchen moved a silver bishop to capture an enemy position. "Clear."

Zhou Zhengliang held a gilded gold piece. "Why isn’t Zhuang Ming here? I’m not at ease without Zhuang Ming accompanying you."

Zhou Luchen was quite indifferent. "He stayed in Beijing."

The implication of those four simple words—why he had remained in Beijing—was obvious, and Zhou Zhengliang’s expression soured. He set down his cup. "I’m not satisfied with the Shen Family."

His declaration was utterly straightforward.

Zhou Luchen, neither joyful nor sorrowful, his calm gaze fell on the chessboard, effortlessly launching a counterattack, leaving no room for the gold pieces.

"What could satisfy you?"

When Zhou Zhengliang looked at the chessboard again, he was already the losing party. Decades of battling in the whirlpool of power and influence, yet he was still no match for his own son.

However, Zhou Zhengliang was composed enough to respond, "I’ve met her. She’s not suitable for you."

"Like you? Marry a daughter from a well-matched official family, bring her home only to neglect her, and then not even bother to visit her once until the day she died?"

Zhou Luchen’s tone was neither warm nor polite. His imposing presence deeply pressured his accomplished father, yet before this man who had navigated the circles of power and wealth his entire life, Zhou Luchen was still his equal.

It even carried an uncontrollable arrogance and confidence.

A flicker of regret passed through Zhou Zhengliang’s eyes. "Back then, I..."

Zhou Luchen raised his eyes, his voice extremely faint, cutting off Zhou Zhengliang’s words. "You what?"

The deliberate use of the informal "you" was a stark departure from the respectful address expected for his father.

Despite his incredibly strong self-control, Zhou Zhengliang showed no irritation. Deep down, he admired his son’s audacity and methods.

But after all, a senior’s private matters should not be explained to him. These were things of the past and were irrelevant to his control over United Bank.

His wife had enjoyed being part of the dance troupe in the capital region. He had once hoped she would accompany him to Switzerland, but she was always reluctant. During their international calls, his wife would only ever say one thing: "You must stay safe abroad."

His marriage with her was nothing more than an alliance. They had voluntarily bound themselves together, with no love to speak of and no expectations.

Was he heartless? He wouldn’t think about this question.

As the chess game ended, Zhou Luchen stood up, headed straight out the door, and walked toward the president’s private elevator.

Secretaries and assistants packed up the files and computers, said their farewells to Zhou Zhengliang, and followed close behind.