Chapter 119: Wouldn't That Be Better? |
Naturally, no one informed Guan Shan about this matter.
The only person who could have informed him was Shen Dinghua, but he hadn't called her the entire day.
Therefore, Guan Shan, completely unprepared, stumbled upon Shen Dinghua's parents, Mr. Shen and Mrs. Ding, who had just returned home and were having dinner with their daughter.
The middle-aged couple in front of him, both in their forties, consisted of Mr. Shen Xian, a man with a gentle and elegant demeanor. Despite wearing home clothes, he carried an aura of a business tycoon, not to the point of being intimidating, but his gaze was enough to make one feel a bit uneasy.
Mrs. Ding Pinghui had aged gracefully, her mature charm evident even at over forty. Her skin remained smooth, with only a few crow's feet around her eyes revealing the passage of time.
She bore a striking resemblance to Shen Dinghua in terms of facial features, especially the eyes, which were almost identical. However, unlike Shen Dinghua's constant smile, Ding Pinghui's expression was more reserved, giving her a slightly cold demeanor. She must have been a classic beauty in her youth.
The origins of Shen Dinghua's name were now clear. The surname Shen from the father, and Ding from the mother, with "hua" meaning flower, fittingly chosen for a daughter.
Shen Dinghua, being a symbol of auspiciousness, made perfect sense as a name.
However, under the combined scrutiny of Shen Xian and Ding Pinghui, Guan Shan couldn't help but wonder why Shen Dinghua's parents didn't name her "Shen Pipi" instead.
Guan Shan could read this mischief from Shen Dinghua's eyes.
Shen Xian smiled and beckoned, "Xiao Shan, it's been a long time. Come and join us for dinner."
Ding Pinghui added, "Yes, since you and Hua Hua started university, it's rare for us to have a chance to gather. You used to visit often when you were kids, but not so much now."
Guan Shan put on a polite smile, walking over nonchalantly. "Thank you, Uncle Shen, Aunt Ding. I just returned from a field trip and have some work matters to discuss with Hua Hua."
Usually, such an invitation for dinner was just a formality. They had been away for over a month, just returned, and were having a warm family dinner. It wasn't the right time for Guan Shan to intrude.
Such a scene would only be harmonious if Guan Shan were already a son-in-law, not just a neighbor's kid.
Not that Guan Shan had any ambitions of that sort—just stating a possibility.
For now, it was best not to test their patience.
Although Guan Shan didn't feel intimidated, considering the friendly relationship between the families and the lack of any prejudice from the Shen family, the disparity was always there.
Guan Shan was acutely aware of this. Without sufficient means, Shen Xian and Ding Pinghui would always see him as a good neighbor's kid rather than someone worthy of their daughter's lifetime commitment.
Even if Shen Dinghua thought so, it wouldn't matter.
Shen Xian nodded, turning to Shen Dinghua. "In that case, work matters are important. Take care of it first."
Shen Dinghua obediently nodded, standing up and walking over to Guan Shan. "Yes, I'll work hard!"
Ding Pinghui smiled softly, "I've heard about you recently, Xiao Shan. The newspaper you work for has been uncovering many truths about Hangzhou's unsolved cases. Very promising."
She looked warmly at Shen Dinghua, smiling, "Hua Hua, you should work hard. Maybe you'll bring home a Pulitzer one day."
Shen Dinghua puffed her cheeks, pouting, "Mom, you're making fun of me again."
Guan Shan nodded, "Thanks to the support from the chief editor, those cases were assigned to me. I'm currently managing the official account as well."
Shen Xian's expression changed slightly, "Those cases are quite complex. I heard that Jiang Siyang was investigating them before he got into trouble and the case was shelved. So, it was passed to you by Chief Editor Li?"
Big shots indeed, having such news circulating within certain circles. Guan Shan, as a tool, had to investigate and only gained Li Zhi Ying's trust after asking around.
However, it seemed Shen Xian was somewhat skeptical, considering Guan Shan had been a journalist for only half a year, suddenly being given such responsibilities seemed a bit fantastical.
Before Guan Shan could respond, Shen Dinghua quickly interjected, grabbing his arm proudly, "Xiao Shan is amazing. He solved cases that even famous detectives couldn't handle. Chief Editor Li even wanted him to be the deputy director of the news department, but Xiao Shan declined."
Hey, hey, tone it down. Your parents look like they want to chop my arm off!
Guan Shan broke into a cold sweat, feeling both nervous and relieved.
Nervous about the clearly different and overly intimate state, which had undoubtedly raised the couple's suspicions.
Relieved because Shen Dinghua's arm still felt warm and soft, definitely real.
There was nothing ghostly about her; she was as real as could be.
With Mr. and Mrs. Shen present, it confirmed that Shen Dinghua was fine and he had been overthinking.
Maybe there was something wrong with the simulator...
While Guan Shan thought this, Shen Xian curiously asked, "Why decline? Chief Editor Li must be grooming you as her confidant."
Guan Shan quickly retracted his arm, chuckling, "I feel I'm not yet capable of handling such administrative duties. Plus, I've only been at the newspaper for six months, so it might be hard to win everyone over... I thought I'd wait another six months."
Shen Xian gave a meaningful nod, "Six months is reasonable. But remember to keep in touch with Chief Editor Li. She's bound to leave Hangzhou Daily at some point. If you help her achieve something, she'll likely take you along. Whether people approve of you is secondary."
Guan Shan was stunned. He'd heard rumors of Li Zhi Ying's impressive background, apparently using the editor-in-chief role to build her resume...
Although Guan Shan didn't rely on his newspaper income to make money, the contract with the Special Security Group included a confidentiality clause he couldn't breach.
Having a better cover job was beneficial.
Guan Shan naturally displayed a humble and attentive demeanor.
Shen Xian continued with some casual remarks before allowing Guan Shan and Shen Dinghua to head upstairs to work in the study.
"Phew..."
Guan Shan closed the door, sighing in relief.
From behind, Shen Dinghua's small hands slipped up, hugging him and sniffing like a puppy. "Xiao Shan smells the same as always. That's nice."
Guan Shan took a sharp breath, quickly turning around and whispering, "Your parents are downstairs!"
Shen Dinghua blinked and said, "Wouldn't that be better?"