The next morning, an uncalled-for guest appeared in the hospital.
Jian Jie knocked the door to the ward and opened it,?holding?a basket of fruit and a bouquet of lilies in her hand and arm.
Ming Jinhua was surprised to see her, but soon an amiable smile showed on her face.
âLook! Itâs Jian Jie! When did you come back?â
âAh, Jian Jie, is it? Donât just stand at the door. Let her in quickly,â Ye Wentian said happily, not at all like a sick person.
Smiling gracefully, Jian Jie walked inside. After putting the basket on the table and the flowers in a vase, she turned to look at Ming Jinhua and Ye Wentian.
âUncle, Auntie, how are you? I came back last night. I was going to pay you a visit right away â I have missed you so much all this time â but dad said it was too late and he wouldnât let me go.â
Then, she smiled shyly.
âWhen I called your house this morning, the servant said that Uncle was hospitalized, so I immediately came. Uncle, how are you feeling? Are you alright? I can ask a few experts to take a look at you. They are professors and authorities in the field that I came to know in the UK.â
Ye Wentian waved his hand, his face full of smiles?that an elder reserved for?the younger generation.
âItâs very thoughtful of you, but I am not that ill. I was just too worked up by that foolish son of mine. Itâs no big deal!â
âJue? What did he do?â Jian Jie pretended she didnât know anything and continued, âI havenât seen him since I came back. Itâs been three years since we saw each other!â
She lowered her head shyly at her own words.
Ye Wentian felt?more and more pleased with this?girl. âPull a chair over here for her,â he told Ming Jinhua.
Ming Jinhua smiled. She was about to do as bid when Jian Jie beat her to it.
âSit tight, Auntie. Iâll get the chair myself.â
Ming Jinhua smiled at her polite and appropriate behavior. The girl has grown up!
Ye Wentian looked at Jian Jie, who had sat down by his bed, and said, âWait here for a while. Jue is coming now. Iâll ask him to take you to breakfast, so you two can catch up.â
âSure.â Jian Jie again lowered her head shyly.
âJian Jie, are you?planning to stay?this time?â Ye Wentian asked.
Jian Jie looked up at him innocently and shook her head. âYes, Iâm not going anywhere now. I plan to apply for a job somewhere here. Since I majored in finance and management, I am hoping to gain more experiences and assist my father in the future.â
âYou are not going to work for Jian Group?â Ye Wentian asked in surprise.
Jian Jie shook her head. âI want to work somewhere else. Everyone knows me at Jian Group. If I work there, I donât think Iâll get proper training. I want to work from the bottom up.â
Ye Wentian nodded approvingly. What a mature thought!
He considered this for a moment. His wife had told him not to openly clash with his son, but she hadnât said anything about covert operations.
âHow about Mighty Empire, lass?â he asked meaningfully.
Jian Jie pressed her lips and smiled. âMighty Empire is the business giant in A City and has great influence on its economics. Of course it would be an honor.â
âThen come and work for Mighty Empire! Iâll talk to Jue.â
âIâll do whatever Uncle thinks is good for me,â Jian Jie replied innocently.
âHow was studying abroad?â Ye Wentian asked.
âIt was fine at first because Jue was there, but for the last three years, I needed to take care of myselfâ¦â
Jian Jie began to recount her life in the UK to Ye Wentian. She would include some funny stories, too, so laughter could be heard coming from the ward from time to time.
Ming Jinhua smiled tenderly at Ye Wentianâs merriment.
After some time, the door opened.
Ye Zhongjue?brought several?Ye Wentianâs outfits, warm soup made by the servant, and breakfast for Ye Wentian and Ming Jinhua.
Ming Jinhua quickly took the stuff from his hands.
Ye Wentian, who had been smiling a moment before, snorted and put on his poker face at the sight of his son.
Jian Jie, sensing something wasnât right, quickly walked over to greet Ye Zhongjue. She waved his arm and purred, âJue, Iâm back!â
âOkay,â Ye Zhongjue replied noncommittally, as if he didnât care if she was back or not. âWhen?â
Jian Jie smiled a charming smile, almost arm in arm with Ye Zhongjue now.
âI arrived last night. I was going to pay a visit to Uncle and Auntie at their house today, but I heard that Uncle was hospitalized. So, I came here right away!â
âOkay, thank you,â Ye Zhongjue said, then withdrew his arm calmly.
Jian Jie smiled embarrassedly. She couldnât come up with anything else.
Ye Wentian saved her skin by saying, âJian Jie, what donât you rinse some fruit for me, with your auntie? I need to talk to Jue before he takes you to breakfast.â
Ye Zhongjue was displeased, but he reminded himself that his father was a patient here and forced down the rage surging inside. Jian Jie took some fruit smilingly and headed toward the water fountain room with Ming Jinhua.
âDad, what are you playing at now?â
Ye Zhongjue asked impatiently.
âWhat am I playing at? You bastard! Donât you see how the first thing Jian Jie did after she came back was to visit us? And how she rushed here when she heard I was hospitalized? Do you really need me to tell you everything? So what if I ask you to take her to breakfast on behalf of me and your mother? Donât forget you two studied in the same country before.â
Ye Zhongjueâs face darkened. He knew very well what his fatherâs plan was.
However, since he couldnât get worked up again, Ye Zhongjue reluctantly agreed.
âFine. Iâll take her to breakfast later. But I canât take her around; I have this meeting to attend this morning.â
Although he was obviously reluctant, at least he had agreed. Ye Wentian felt relieved.
âThereâs one more thing.â
âWhat?else?â Ye Zhongjue raised his brows immediately.
Ye Wentian became irritable again. âI am your father. A favor or two from my son isnât too much, now is it?â
Ye Zhongjue saw that the old man was going to flip out, so he conceded resignedly, âAlright, alright. Please tell me what it is you want me to do. You donât have to explode every time I talk to you, just like a dynamiteâ¦â
âYou bastard! Who talks to his father like that? Who is a dynamite?â Ye Wentian flipped out anyway. He picked up an apple from the nightstand and hurled it at Ye Zhongjue.
Ye Zhongjue caught it and waved his hand impatiently. âAlright, donât be mad. I am?talking about myself, okay? I am a dynamite! So what were you going to say?â
Ye Wentian scowled. âJian Jie is looking for a job. Let her work in your company!â
It was not a question; it was an order. His son had grown wild, so he must exert some degree of control here.
However, Ye Zhongjue hated to be forced into hiring someone, especially when the person?forcing?him was his father.
He drew his brows together in irritation. âCan you learn how to control your temper? Also, my employees are hired after a series of exams and interviews. If everyone forces their way into my company, how am I going to manage my subordinates?â
Ye Wentian did not get angry at once. He thought about it for a moment and said, âI think you are right. Iâll ask her to apply for the job. You know how competent she is, so arrange a good position for her, like a manager or higher-ranking secretary.â
Although Ye Wentian did want to place Jian Jie by his sonâs side, he was not unreasonable. Something as important as hiring an employee could not be treated lightly. Otherwise, they would have a bunch of losers to manage in the future.
He asked Ye Zhongjue to arrange a position for Jian Jie, but didnât ask him to substitute his current assistant or secretary with her. This was exactly what his wife meant by âa more indirect wayâ and he wouldnât sabotage the company, either. Win-win.
Ye Zhongjue saw that his father had relented and was not being stubborn or trying to push him harder like he used to, so he softened.
âOkay. Iâll see if thereâs anything for her and tell you in a few days. But, if thereâs nothing, Iâm not going to replace any of my current employees. You know how bad it would look if I do so.â
Ye Wentianâs brows quivered a little, as if he was going to go berserk again.
Fortunately, Ming Jinhua and Jian Jie came in at this moment.
Ming Jinhua put the fruit on the nightstand and handed an apple to her son.
Ye Zhongjue shook his head. âIâm good. I need to go to the company now. Call me if you need anything.â
Ming Jinhua nodded and began to peel an apple for Ye Wentian.
Seeing that Ye Zhongjue was going to leave without Jian Jie, Ye Wentian prompted, âWhat did I just ask you? Jian Jie hasnât eaten yet. Take her to breakfast before going to the company.â
Ming Jinhua could see that Ye Zhongjue hadnât eaten, either, so she chimed in with her husbandâs thoughts.
âYeah, she was here very early! I can see you havenât eaten, either, so why donât you take her to breakfast? I would do so myself if I didnât have to take care of your father.â
âOkay then.â Ye Zhongjueâs face clouded. Then, he looked at Jian Jie and said, âLetâs go.â
Although Ye Zhongjue didnât look too happy about it, Jian Jie still felt glad. She had just?returned?and they were already having breakfast together!
Even back when they were both in the UK, they wouldnât cross paths for a week or two sometimes.
Now that she was here, the situation might improve. If she could work in Mighty Empire, she would probably see him every day.
Jian Jie planned and schemed thus while following Ye Zhongjue happily.
At the parking lot, Ye Zhongjue turned to look at her. âDid you drive your car here?â
Remembering her Ferrari in another parking lot, Jian Jie bit her lip and shook her head.