chsdbacks Chapter 336 Daughters are like warm cotton-padded jackets, sons are like leather jackets
Chapter 336 Daughters are like warm cotton-padded jackets, sons are like leather jackets
Six months later at Xishan Manor, the early summer sun shone through the floor-to-ceiling windows onto the cashmere carpet in the living room.
Lin Zhou had just finished a three-hour video conference on cross-border mergers and acquisitions.
He rubbed his temples wearily, his tall frame sinking into the soft leather sofa.
Before he could even close his eyes and catch his breath, a series of light footsteps came from around the corner of the corridor.
Nuonuo, dressed in a pale yellow floral dress, ran over like a cheerful little butterfly.
She was also holding a mug with a cartoon design on it, from which steam was rising.
"Dad, are you done with your meeting? Have some warm water to soothe your throat."
The little girl carefully held the water cup to Lin Zhou's lips.
Her other chubby little hand clenched into a fist and gently patted Lin Zhou's shoulder in a very sensible way.
"Our kindergarten teacher taught us today that adults work hard, and children should know how to be considerate."
"Dad, did I massage you properly?"
Lin Zhou's heart, which was as cold and hard as iron in the business world, instantly melted into a pool of spring water.
He took a big gulp of water, scooped up his daughter with his long arm, and gave her a big kiss.
"So sweet! Our Nuonuo is Dad's precious little cotton-padded jacket, so sweet and warm."
Lin Zhou leaned back on the sofa with a contented expression.
He felt all the fatigue from the heated debate with those Wall Street old foxes at the meeting vanish.
"Having a daughter is wonderful; I wouldn't trade this blessing for even a god."
Nuonuo giggled as she was praised, and nuzzled her little head affectionately against Lin Zhou's chest.
It was during this heartwarming moment of father-daughter affection that they captured each other.
A deafening noise suddenly came from the stairwell on the second floor.
"Bang!"
It sounded like something heavy hitting the floor, followed by the nanny Liu Ma's panicked cries.
"Oh dear, young master, you can't knock over that antique vase!"
Lin Zhou's smile froze.
Before he could even turn his head, a dark figure rushed out with the sound of footsteps.
The one who came rushing from the corner of the stairs was none other than the little devil who was known as the crown prince of the Lin family.
Lin An, who is just one and a half years old, can now walk steadily and run so fast that even a dog can't catch up with him.
This kid was wearing overalls today, and he was even holding a plastic toy hammer that he'd somehow found somewhere.
His large, dark, bright eyes scanned the living room and precisely locked onto Lin Zhou, who was lying on the sofa.
"Giddy up! Horse! Horse!"
Lin An shouted excitedly, took a few quick steps, and pounced onto the sofa.
Lin Zhou had no time to react; he only felt a heavy impact on his stomach.
The chubby one-and-a-half-year-old boy landed squarely on him.
Lin Zhou groaned, almost spitting out the warm water he had just drunk.
Before he could even open his mouth to scold him, Lin An had already climbed onto his chest and straddled his waist.
The little guy waved a plastic hammer in one hand and grabbed Lin Zhou's newly sprouted stubble on his chin with the other.
"Giddy up! Horse, gallop!"
Lin An pulled hard, causing Lin Zhou to gasp in pain.
"Let go! Lin An, you little brat, have you gone too far?!"
Lin Zhou winced in pain and quickly reached out to pry his son's chubby hand off.
But this kid was surprisingly strong; he held onto his father's beard and wouldn't let go.
Nuonuo sat next to him, watching her father's disheveled appearance, and covered her mouth, laughing so hard she almost fell over.
"Dad, my brother says you're a big horse, run!"
Lin Zhou protected his chin while looking at his daughter with pleading eyes.
"Nuonuo, you need to control your brother! He's going to pull Dad's beard bald!"
Just as the father and son were wrestling on the sofa.
Su Qingge came out of the kitchen carrying a plate of sliced fruit.
Wearing loose loungewear, she looked at the chaotic scene on the sofa and couldn't help but shake her head with a smile.
"Lin Zhou, you brought this on yourself."
"He's all high and mighty outside, but when he gets home, he's just treated like a horse by your son."
Lin Zhou finally managed to pull Lin An's clutches off his face.
He was panting heavily as he pinned the energetic, chubby boy to his lap and held him firmly in place.
"This kid is definitely here to collect a debt."
"The day before yesterday, I took my limited edition fountain pen from my study and used it to smash the sofa. Yesterday, I took out the koi fish that Old Chen keeps and put them on the carpet."
Lin Zhou pointed at his son's nose, angrily accusing him of his crimes.
"Today he tried to ride me like a horse again. This isn't a son, he's the captain of a demolition squad!"
Lin An wasn't afraid of him at all.
The little guy actually found his dad's exasperated look quite amusing.
He grinned, revealing a row of tiny white baby teeth, and giggled incessantly.
He even stretched out his drool-covered little hand and slapped Lin Zhou's expensive face loudly.
"Snapped!"
Su Qingge walked over, placed the fruit plate on the coffee table, and casually pinched her son's chubby cheeks.
"Didn't you brag before, saying your son was like a leather jacket, able to block the wind and rain?"
Lin Zhou touched his reddened cheek, feeling like crying but unable to shed a tear.
"What kind of leather jacket is this? It's clearly a tattered leather garment that lets in drafts everywhere!"
"Not only does it not keep me warm, it also makes me feel hot and bothered every day."
"He doesn't look at all like I was when I was a child."
Nuonuo stood by and sabotaged him, mercilessly adding insult to injury.
"But Grandpa Chen said that Dad was even more mischievous than my brother when he was little, and he even burned off Great-Grandpa's beard."
Su Qingge chuckled, looking at her husband with a playful expression.
Lin Zhou blushed and quickly coughed twice to change the subject.
"That's a rumor! Pure fabrication! I, Lin Zhou, have always been the 'model child' since I was a child."
He pulled Nuonuo over and kissed his daughter on the cheek.
He then glanced disdainfully at his son, who was still struggling in his arms.
"In short, girls should be raised in a wealthy and pampered manner."
"Boys need to be raised roughly; they need to be beaten a lot to succeed."
"When this kid gets a little older, I'll send him to a training camp in Siberia and let him fight bears."
Lin An seemed to understand that her father was making a threat. She pouted and immediately turned to her mother for help.
"Mommy! Hug me!"
Su Qingge softened and took her son from him, giving Lin Zhou a reproachful glare.
"You dare touch him?"
"If you dare send him away, I'll take Nuonuo and An'an back to my parents' home, leaving you all alone in Xishan."
Lin Zhou immediately chickened out and raised his hands in surrender.
"Wife, I was wrong. I was just venting. How could I really bear to send that little rascal away?"
Looking at his wife and two children, a tremendous sense of satisfaction washed over him like a tidal wave.
This lively, bustling atmosphere was a tranquility he had never dared to dream of during the bloodshed and turmoil of his past.
Sunlight streamed onto the carpet, casting the intertwined shadows of the family of four, a scene so warm and inviting that one hesitated to disturb it.
However, the gears of fate never stop turning because of individual happiness.
A series of hurried footsteps broke the silence of the living room.
Old Chen strode in from outside the gate with a solemn expression, holding an encrypted tablet computer in his hand.
He rarely disturbs his family when they are resting, unless something extremely serious happens.
"Young Master, Madam."
Old Chen walked to the sofa, bowed slightly, and his expression was more serious than ever before.
Lin Zhou put away his playful thoughts.
He sat up straight, his eyes instantly regaining the cold, sharp look that belonged to the Lin family godfather.
"What happened?"
Old Chen handed the tablet computer to Lin Zhou, and a public letter written entirely in English was displayed on the screen.
"Young Master, this is a joint open letter released half an hour ago by Hollywood's top production unions in conjunction with the world's three major record labels."
Old Chen's voice was filled with suppressed anger.
"In their letter, they openly questioned the originality of the lady's previous song, 'Prototype'."
"It even implied that our Lin Group used capital to manipulate last year's Grammy Awards."
Upon hearing this, Su Qingge's smile vanished instantly, and her brows furrowed tightly.
"Questioning originality? What evidence do they have?"
"There is no substantial evidence." Old Chen shook his head.
"But in the letter, they launched a global music livestream challenge called 'Trial of the Century'."
"They specifically requested that the lady accept a series of challenges from ten top Western singers they nominated at the Universal Stadium in Los Angeles next month."
"If the wife cannot prove her dominance during the live broadcast, they will jointly pressure the Grammy committee to strip her of last year's trophy."
The air in the hall seemed to drop to freezing point in that instant.
Lin An seemed to sense the tense atmosphere as well, and obediently leaned on his mother's shoulder, not daring to make a sound.
Lin Zhou stared intently at the arrogant English words on the screen, a cruel sneer suddenly curling at the corner of his mouth.
His long, slender fingers tapped lightly on the tablet screen, making a clicking sound.
"Hollywood? The Big Three record labels?"
"These foreigners have been living in their comfortable circles for too long, they're tired of living."
Lin Zhou tossed the tablet onto the coffee table, his eyes filled with murderous intent that had hardened into frost.
Looking into her husband's familiar eyes, Su Qingge knew that someone was about to be in big trouble.
"Lin Zhou, this is aimed at me."
"Since they've issued a challenge, I'll go and meet them."
Su Qingge's tone remained aloof, but her inherent pride would never allow her to back down.
Lin Zhou stood up, moved his wrist joints, and made a crisp sound of bones grinding together.
He turned to look at Old Chen, his eyes blazing with a frenzied fire.
"Old Chen, find out exactly which short-sighted tycoon is behind this letter."
"Young master, you mean...?"
"Since they like playing open challenge games, let's play a big one with them."
Lin Zhou casually loosened his tie, his tone as dismissive as if he were deciding the life or death of an ant.
"Get the private jet ready."
"I'm going to Los Angeles to personally take down the Hollywood signboard and give it to An'an as a toy."