Chapter 38#
Zhang Xingchuan didn’t set a specific time with Lawyer Hua. Tan Xiao was the principal party—he needed to align with him on the details and see what Tan Xiao’s thinking was.
Lawyer Hua said she understood and stopped dismissing this thirty-something young alumni for wasting her time.
How much the case was worth and how much in fees she could collect became less important.
She’d been practicing for nearly thirty years, served billionaires on the Forbes list, and was already financially free herself. But the Doria family’s scale—that was another world entirely, a new poker table.
Making this work, she wouldn’t just earn a fee. The unspoken rule in the legal profession: whatever level case you’ve handled becomes your professional level. Handling a seven-trillion-yuan trust case—that label could push her into an entirely new professional tier.
Lawyer Hua genuinely thanked the intermediary alumnus who’d connected them. At this age of wisdom, she really did need a bit more of this kind of stimulation.
Later, after Zhang Xingchuan left work, he messaged Tan Xiao: What are you doing? Can you take a call?
Tan Xiao replied: Playing with your dad.
Zhang Xingchuan didn’t understand. “Don’t be vulgar.”
Tan Xiao: I mean your actual dad.
He sent a photo. It was a selfie of him and Old Zhang facing the camera. Old Zhang was even making an awkward peace sign.
“…” Zhang Xingchuan’s vision went black. How did he get kidnapped?
When he got home, Tan Xiao and his parents were chatting. They were talking about fun things, Tan Xiao and Ms. Jiang laughing together, Old Zhang also cracking a smile, albeit reserved.
The moment Zhang Xingchuan entered, Old Zhang immediately became stern.
Ms. Jiang got up and came over. Zhang Xingchuan hugged her and they exchanged simple greetings.
“Aren’t you going to introduce him to us?” Ms. Jiang said with a smile.
Zhang Xingchuan thought speechlessly: they’ve been chatting this much—you mean you don’t know who he is?
Tan Xiao felt a bit awkward.
He hadn’t introduced himself yet, didn’t know how to do it appropriately.
Zhang Xingchuan’s parents also hadn’t asked who he was because they didn’t know how to ask.
The two sides maintained this balance, exchanging lots of other information instead.
Like Tan Xiao’s age, that he was from Zhejiang, graduated this year, preparing for postdoctoral studies, his parents divorced, his mom and stepfather working in customs in a port city, his foreign dad whom he hadn’t seen in seven or eight years.
They also discussed Wenjing’s recent crisis with the upstream hotel group cutting off supply. Zhang Xingchuan’s parents had seen the news abroad too, couldn’t help directly, knew their coming would just be in the way. They’d called and messaged many times to check in during this period. Though Zhang Xingchuan was the type to not report bad news, they could judge from their own understanding that the turmoil had only basically settled recently.
Based on this, they’d decided this was the right time to return to China—to see Zhang Xingchuan and get to know this mysterious boy and understand what was going on.
Ms. Jiang said with both anticipation and nervousness, “Come on, give us a proper introduction.”
A proper introduction? Okay. Zhang Xingchuan said, “This is Tan Xiao. He’s my wife.”
Ms. Jiang’s smile remained, but her pupils: tsunami with earthquake.
Old Zhang appeared to still be sitting, but he’d mentally left some time ago.
Tan Xiao was also startled, his face exploding red. He’d expected Zhang Xingchuan’s phrasing to be more roundabout.
He looked at Ms. Jiang, then at Old Zhang, finally at Zhang Xingchuan.
Zhang Xingchuan was looking at him too, his eyes full of laughter.
Tan Xiao reconsidered. This should be direct.
“So that’s how it is,” Tan Xiao made a proper self-introduction too. “I’m Zhang Xingchuan’s wife.”
That evening, Zhang Xingchuan talked with his parents for a long time upstairs.
What surprised him was that this time seeing Old Zhang, there was no meaningless bickering between them.
In the event of Wenjing being suppressed by the overseas hotel group, his performance had made Old Zhang look at him with new eyes, with pride evident in his tone. In short, the old man was convinced.
On the matter of Zhang Xingchuan’s romance, Old Zhang didn’t want to make any judgment. He didn’t understand it, but out of consideration for Zhang Xingchuan’s merit in fighting evil foreign capital, he grudgingly maintained respect—didn’t interfere, period.
It was Ms. Jiang who harbored concerns.
She and Old Zhang had fairly good impressions of Tan Xiao. Setting aside his excellent looks, education, and such, Tan Xiao was clearly a reliable, proper kid. And she’d done eight months of psychological preparation about Zhang Xingchuan’s same-sex romance and could accept it.
She was just concerned about the age gap. She told Zhang Xingchuan, “I’m really worried that in a few years, you’ll get your heart broken.”
Zhang Xingchuan started complaining: “I started a business and Dad said my company would collapse within a few years. Now I have lifelong stability, and you’re prophesying I’ll get dumped? Can’t you learn something good from your husband?”
“That’s got nothing to do with me,” Old Zhang now genuinely hoped Wenjing would grow strong and dominate the global travel services platform. “Your wife shoved me into a pile of dung on our first meeting—did you teach him that?”
Zhang Xingchuan didn’t know about this. Ms. Jiang explained it to him, and he burst out laughing.
After settling his parents to rest, he went downstairs and looked around. Tan Xiao wasn’t home—his bike was also gone.
Did he get upset because Zhang Xingchuan chatted too long with his parents and neglected him?
Zhang Xingchuan searched for his phone to call Tan Xiao.
“Don’t worry,” the auntie told him. “He went back to his place. He left in a good mood—definitely not upset.”
Zhang Xingchuan thanked the auntie, thought for a moment, then changed into athletic shoes and left.
The dinner atmosphere hadn’t been very comfortable. Tan Xiao hadn’t eaten much. He’d come back to his own place, played some games, then got hungry and ordered McDonald’s, waiting for the delivery.
He wasn’t coming here to hide. He just felt Zhang Xingchuan’s parents still had to figure out how to interact with him. He should give them some time and space.
Someone rang his doorbell. He tossed his phone aside to get the McDonald’s.
In this residential complex, delivery people hand food to the front desk and building management brings it upstairs. Usually they just ring the bell as a reminder—the food goes in the cabinet outside the door. No face-to-face with residents.
But when Tan Xiao opened the door, a man holding McDonald’s stood at the entrance.
“Eating junk food again,” Zhang Xingchuan said. He’d run into the building management NPC downstairs about to deliver it, so he’d taken over.
Tan Xiao said, “It’s got meat, vegetables, and carbs. Where’s the junk?”
He took the delivery, turned and went inside without managing Zhang Xingchuan. Zhang Xingchuan came in behind him and closed the door.
Tan Xiao went to the table, opened the bag, took out a hamburger, stood there and took a big bite.
Zhang Xingchuan hugged him from behind. He turned to look at Zhang, his big eyes and small face, the food making one cheek puff out. Zhang Xingchuan found him cute and kissed the puffed cheek.
Tan Xiao swallowed his food and said amusedly, “Why are you kissing a fish fillet burger? Is a fish fillet burger nice to kiss?”
Such a frustrating kid. Zhang Xingchuan let go of him and sat on the nearby couch. Tan Xiao followed, sitting sideways on his lap.
Zhang Xingchuan was about to speak. Tan Xiao anticipated what he’d say: “You didn’t tell me to sit, but I’m sitting anyway. Got a problem with that?”
“No,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “My leg grew specifically for you to sit on.”
Tan Xiao giggled, feeling Zhang Xingchuan’s warm body. “Did you run here?”
Zhang Xingchuan was holding him again. “So close, not worth driving. I’m buying a bike too later.”
Tan Xiao said, “I’ll buy it for you. Same model as mine. One last time using Doria’s money.”
Bringing up this, Zhang Xingchuan segued naturally: “I contacted a pretty impressive offshore lawyer today.”
He explained the situation after contacting Lawyer Hua. Lawyer Hua hoped to meet with Tan Xiao to discuss.
“I’m free these days. Any time works,” Tan Xiao said. “If it’s inconvenient for her, I can go to Hong Kong to meet her too.”
But Zhang Xingchuan was busy this week. Tan Xiao going to Hong Kong alone to meet the lawyer made him uneasy.
He said, “Have her come over instead. For this case, let alone flying to Beijing, she’d think it’s worth flying to the North Pole.”
Tan Xiao asked, “How much do I have to pay her?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Probably several tens to a hundred million. The fees won’t be too high.”
“That’s not high?” Tan Xiao said. “I can only earn three hundred thousand per year by myself.”
Zhang Xingchuan was at a loss for words.
Tan Xiao said, “After this, I won’t have dividends. I earn little and will become a poor wretch, relying on my CEO husband to support me.”
Relying on Zhang Xingchuan to support him didn’t exist as a situation. His personal assets alone were astronomical, how to handle them still uncertain. But just the interest from his money generating more money these years would far exceed supporting Tan Xiao.
This was purely Tan Xiao teasing his poor husband.
Zhang Xingchuan gasped, “Wait, there really is a pig slaughtering scheme?”
Tan Xiao laughed. He touched Zhang Xingchuan’s face. “How did it go with your parents? Did your dad beat up on you as the unfilial son?”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “My dad doesn’t watch short dramas.” He hadn’t learned the magical skill of slapping people randomly.
Tan Xiao asked, “Did he scold you?”
“No,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “My parents gave you a good talking-to, saying how wonderful you are, everything about you. They said I punched above my weight with you.”
Tan Xiao knew there was definitely some water in this statement, but he loved hearing it.
Tan Xiao said, “That’s not right. I’m very good, and you’re… acceptable.”
Zhang Xingchuan asked, “Only acceptable?”
“To others, you’re acceptable,” Tan Xiao said. “With me, we’re a match made in heaven.”
He bit his straw, sipping his cola. Knowing Zhang Xingchuan wanted to kiss him, he deliberately took his time, not finishing the junk food quickly.
He asked, “Are you going home later?”
“I haven’t asked you,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “Why did you come back here anyway? You’re making me chase my wife.”
Tan Xiao said, “Otherwise, if I stayed at your place sleeping with you, your parents couldn’t sleep tonight.”
Zhang Xingchuan said, “Makes sense. So I’ll come here and you can sleep with me.”
After Tan Xiao finished eating and finished washing up, the two kissed on the couch, with Tan Xiao sitting on those long legs specifically made for him. They rarely used this position. Tan Xiao indulged in pleasure, was a bit lazy, didn’t like exerting himself. Occasionally like this, it felt pretty good too.
“Are you going home?” Tan Xiao suddenly asked.
“What’s wrong,” Zhang Xingchuan said. “Asking this now? No.”
Tan Xiao asked further, “So you’ll sneak back home before they wake up tomorrow morning?”
Zhang Xingchuan understood. “I’m not sixteen.”
Tan Xiao laughed. “So you’re sixteen now. Call me big brother.”
Zhang Xingchuan: “…”
Tan Xiao discovered the advantage of initiative—he could actually coerce and incentivize his husband. He said, “Come on, call.”
Zhang Xingchuan hadn’t expected Tan Xiao to be this bad. Facing that beautiful little face, finally he reluctantly called out.
Tan Xiao was thrilled. Of course, the consequence was joy turning to misery—called once, and returned at least a hundred times.
The next morning, Zhang Xingchuan got up and ran through the Aolympic Forest Park. That basically meant running through it to get back home.
His parents were chatting with the auntie, wanting to understand his daily life.
Zhang Xingchuan entered. His parents froze and exchanged a look. They’d already been up. If Zhang Xingchuan had gone out early to jog, they would have seen him leave. This clearly meant he’d stayed out all night and just came back.
None of them spoke. Zhang Xingchuan walked across the living room under their gaze, went to the stairs, and headed up.
His parents immediately started whispering. Zhang Xingchuan poked his head down from the stairs to look. They quickly stopped talking.
Well, he was thirty-six. He couldn’t not come home overnight right under his parents’ noses.