Soon after sending Madam Pei away, Jiang Shenghe and his party arrived.

He Wancheng told him, “Dongbo Medical, I’m afraid you won’t be able to acquire it.”

“Oh?”

“I shouldn’t be wrong in this estimation.”

Madam Pei came to him for cooperation obviously because she has plans to expand Dongbo Medical’s  business. Since she was determined to run the business, she would not quit so easily.

For the rest of it, He Wancheng didn’t say anymore.

“They want to increase the price of acquisition?” Jiang Shenghe asked.

“I don’t know,” He Wancheng said. “It’s also possible that they have their own plans, and it has nothing to do with the purchase price you offered.”

“It doesn’t matter, it’s just one more competitor.” Jiang Shenghe really didn’t care about this matter at all. Dongbo Medical posed no threat to him. If he wanted to acquire it, there was always a way.

He glanced at Luo Qi. She was looking down at the papers in her hand with a calm expression.

… … translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

That night, Jiang Shenghe answered a call from his mother just as they come out of some dinner party.

Liang Zhen was in Suzhou. She asked her son if he was busy.

“When did you arrive in Suzhou City?”

“Just this afternoon. A daughter of a friend of mine is doing a piano concert tour. The first stop is Suzhou. I’m here to support her.”

Liang Zhen has many people who call her friend. For one that she would make a special trip to Suzhou for just to show her support—that was indeed a big deal.

Liang Zhen asked her son, “Are you free tomorrow night? I’ll have someone give you a ticket to the performance. It’s for the best seat in the front row.”

Not only did she want to support the young pianist herself, but she also wanted to win him over.

Jiang Shenghe’s curiosity was piqued. “Who is giving the concert?”

“Chu Lin. You should have heard of her.”

Jiang Shenghe knew the name well, and he also knew that his mother was trying every possible means to arrange a blind date for him.

He had people tell his father last time that if they find someone suitable, then he would be willing to go on a blind date starting October 18th. But then he took back his words and still insisted on making his own decision regarding his marriage.

When her son didn’t respond, Liang Zhen prompted, “Hey.”

Ever since she found out that her son had been in love for years with someone who already  had a boyfriend, she felt unhappy in her heart. She was worried that if her son stayed in this trap for much longer then he might not be able to get out of it for the rest of his life. But if she introduced him to a well-matched person, he would definitely reject her efforts.

She had been worrying about this when her friend, Old Chu, called her and offered her two tickets for his daughter’s piano concert tour for the Beijing stop.

While talking on the phone, Old Chu talked a lot, going around and around, but essentially prodding about Jiang Shenghe’s relationship status.

She knew right away that the lover of wine was not interested in the cup¹, and this person who gave her the concert tickets was after something else, so she asked him if he wanted to match the two children.

Old Chu sighed and told her about the whole situation.

It turned out that Chu Lin was refusing to fall in love and get married and wanted only to focus on playing the piano. She was hurt by a relationship she had a few years ago and had been unwilling to talk about relationships since then. Old Chu was worried about his daughter and wanted her to get to know Jiang Shenghe so she could see that there were still many good men out there.

Old Chu said that he was not forcing a match, just looking for an opportunity for the two of them to meet. Any subsequent development would be up to the children themselves. It would be best if they could get along, and that they would not interfere too much.

Liang Zhen also told Old Chu truthfully that her son had someone in his heart, and he has been pining away for 6 years.

Old Chu laughed at that and said, that’s not good, maybe they could have a conversation and understand each other.

After thinking about it, Liang Zhen thought this matter was feasible. Chu Lin was beautiful and elegant, and played the piano well—and Jiang Shenghe liked very much to listen to piano music.

The concert in Beijing was scheduled at the end of the year. But her son was busiest during that time, and he may not even be in Beijing. Fortunately, the performance scheduled for Suzhou coincided with her son’s business trip, and this could also be considered a fate of sorts.

“If you have time, mom will send you the ticket.”

“I’m free.” Jiang Shenghe turned to look at Luo Qi. She was standing by the car door, waiting for him.

The boss suddenly turned to face her and kept looking at her. It must be that he wanted Luo Qi to hurry over.

Jiang Shenghe said to his mother, “If I need a few more tickets, I’ll get back to you later.”

He hung up the phone and asked Luo Qi to ask the others if they wanted to listen to a piano performance. He added, “It’s Chu Lin’s concert.”

Luo Qi knew who Chu Lin was: a well-known, young pianist who had already gone on several tours. She was good-looking, talented, and very humble.

Luo Qi asked Xiao Jiang and Li Rui if they wanted to come. Xiao Jiang never forgot his identity as a love assistant and responded positively, saying that he would definitely go for the sake of a free ticket.

Li Rui, on the other hand, had originally wanted to buy a ticket to catch the performance. She especially liked Chu Lin. She was attracted by Chu Lin’s frank and transparent personality when she saw her once on a show. Now that the boss was offering them tickets, Li Rui laughed and said, “Of course I’ll go! I’d be stupid if I didn’t go.”

Luo Qi went back to Jiang Shenghe and told him that both were willing to go.

Jiang Shenghe nodded and said, “Wait for me in the car.” There was no need for her to stand by the car door like a driver.

He called his mother back, “Mom, give me 6 tickets.”

Liang Zhen: “…” This boy, does he think she was selling tickets?

But her son was willing to go and was even bringing friends from Suzhou to support her, which gave her enough face.

“Okay, I’ll have someone give it to you tomorrow afternoon.

“Shenghe,” Liang Zhen called her son.

Jiang Shenghe had almost hung up the phone, “Is there something else?”

“We’ll have dinner together tomorrow night. There will be a celebration banquet after the performance.”

“It’s okay to have dinner, I’ll arrange the place.” He planned to choose a restaurant that Luo Qi liked.

“This… Chu Lin must have made other arrangements already. It’s not good for me to make the decision by myself.”

“That’s okay, then you eat together with them.”

“… You ah! How can you say it like this?” Liang Zhen was helpless. Her youngest son had always been like this—unwilling to compromise. People either followed his wishes or not, but he himself had no desire to accommodate others.

His father couldn’t tolerate him being like this, so the father and son quarreled whenever they met.

Liang Zhen asked her son, “Where do you plan to arrange it? I have to ask Chu Lin if it’s okay. This much respect is necessary.”

“Mom, I’m going to invite someone to dinner tonight. If you can accommodate me, then come. If you don’t think it’s appropriate, just celebrate with others. There is no conflict.”

There was no room for negotiation.

“Okay, okay, you decide the place.”

Liang Zhen could only compromise and discuss it with Old Chu later.

After getting in the car, Jiang Shenghe asked Luo Qi to spare some time for tomorrow, “Come to dinner after the performance.”

“Okay.” She would have just stayed in the hotel alone anyway, doing nothing.

Jiang Shenghe said to the driver and bodyguard sitting in front, “I have tickets for both of you.”

“!!”

“…”

They were just rough people, and they couldn’t really enjoy the piano concert, but the boss has arranged it like this. He must have a purpose after all, so they could only go.

With Luo Qi there, Jiang Shenghe did not explain why he invited them over. He would not meet any blind date alone, and his mother must completely give up on this idea.

But thinking about it, it was high time that he took Luo Qi to meet his mother.

Seventh Year of My Secret Love for You translated by Maela @ whitemoonlighttranslations.com

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1. The wine-lover is not interested in the cup, it’s an idiom meaning someone has ulterior motives for doing something ↩︎