Chapter 141 — Old Buffon's Origins

"There's one more important matter—it's like this." Yang Cheyan said slowly, "A big star named Shu Ya is coming to Songjiang to hold a concert, and Mingyang Entertainment Group is the top name in our city's entertainment industry. The city's Cultural Bureau wants to know whether Mingyang Entertainment would be interested in hosting the concert. After all, in Songjiang there aren't many who have the capability, and the only one who can hold the stage is Mingyang."

"Ha, Dad, you even know what 'holding the stage' means now?" Yang Ce couldn't help laughing.

"I learned it from old Feng," Yang Cheyan said with a wry shake of his head. "Running around everywhere with old Feng these past few days, I've met all sorts of people from every walk of life. Whether I like it or not, I have to be familiar with this social side of things. This chairman really is a position that trains a man."

"Well, as long as you're happy," Yang Ce said, looking at his father's passionate expression with some comfort. "By the way, shouldn't this be Big Hou's responsibility? What does it have to do with you?"

"This matter is indeed under President Hou's purview, but he said that our Songjiang Mingyang Heavy Industry Group has just been listed and its name isn't well known yet, so it would be better to use this concert to build some momentum. So he suggested the concert be hosted by the heavy industry group," Yang Cheyan explained.

"Oh, I see." Yang Ce thought it over. "That's a good thing. Big Hou is right—Shu Ya is one of the top stars in the country right now, and her concert in Songjiang will definitely be broadcast by many TV stations. As long as we slip in some ads for the group, our group's name will get out there."

"All right then. Since you feel the same way, I'll discuss it with old Feng and get it going," Yang Cheyan said.

"By the way, how is that fellow Wang Jinde doing?" Yang Ce suddenly thought of Wang Jinde. Last time he had asked him to come pick him up at the temple fair, but because of the sudden incident with Chen Shutang, Yang Ce had left the fair before Wang Jinde arrived. He hadn't seen the fellow since, and wondered how he had been lately.

"Not bad—he's a sharp one," Yang Cheyan said approvingly. "During the group's restructuring, many of the reference opinions from the HR department were his proposals. Not only did he streamline the original personnel structure, he also set up a number of useful new departments."

"Seems the fellow's doing all right," Yang Ce said, reassured.

"Oh, that foreigner—I mean old Buffon, the one who's been helping us—came looking for you a few times. I told him you'd gone out of town. He asked me to let you know when you got back that he'd been looking for you," Yang Cheyan said, as if suddenly remembering something.

"Oh, I know. I'll get in touch with him." Yang Duoran knew what old Buffon wanted to see him about.

After a simple lunch at home, Yang Ce left the house once more. These New Year days had kept Yang Ce run off his feet. The moment he had a bit of free time, he decided to go to the hospital and visit Zhou Yanning.

He had just called Hou Lin to ask about Zhou Yanning's condition, and the answer was still not encouraging—there was no sign of Zhou Yanning waking up. Several of the attending physicians at the hospital were in contact with Hou Lin, so every development in Zhou Yanning's condition was within Yang Juehuan's grasp.

These past days, though Yang Ce had not visited in person, he had been constantly calling to keep track of Zhou Yanning's injuries.

Hou Lin's BMW X5 had now become Yang Juehuan's official vehicle. Hou Lin himself had bought an Audi A8 as a company car, and had equipped Heaven on Earth and Nightless Sky each with a Rolls-Royce and a stretched Hummer as courtesy vehicles.

Pushing open the door of the sickroom, Yang Ce saw Zhou Yanning's mother sitting haggard at the head of the bed, holding Zhou Yanning's hand and saying something. The once radiant and elegant lady had grown thin and pale, and seeing her stirred a pang of guilt in Yang Ce's heart.

"Auntie Hua," Yang Ce called softly.

Zhou's mother looked up, glanced at Yang Puqi, then gave a faint nod, a trace of bitterness showing in her eyes. "You've come."

"Yes. Auntie Hua, is Jiajia doing any better?" Though he had been keeping track of Zhou Yanning's condition all along, he could hardly skip the polite inquiries.

"She's out of critical condition, but when she'll wake up, it's hard to say." Zhou's mother sighed and said to Yang Ce, "Yang Ce, there's a favor I'd like to ask of you—would that be all right?"

"Ah, what is it?" Yang Puqi was startled. Every time he had met Zhou's mother before, she had either looked down on him or mocked him with sarcasm. This time, however, there was none of her former attitude—her tone with him had become utterly sincere, which for the moment left Yang Mo feeling somewhat at a loss.

"I'd like to ask you—when you have time, could you come and keep Jiajia company for a while?" Zhou's mother looked at Yang Ce earnestly. "Just sit with her and talk to her."

The reason Zhou's mother was so courteous to Yang Cenbin was that over this period she had learned a few things about her daughter. She could scarcely believe her daughter was such a devoted girl. But it had all been told to her personally by her daughter's good friend Wang Xue, so she had no choice but to believe it.

To be continued.

664. A Diary

It seemed his daughter had been nursing a one-sided love all along, and he had misjudged that young man Yang Ce. Still, misunderstanding or not, his daughter had ultimately been hurt because of Yang Ce, so Mother Zhou naturally could not think well of Yang Moyi. But there was nothing to be done—the doctor had told him that his daughter's condition could now be considered a full recovery, and as for when she would wake, that depended entirely on her.

Zhou Yanning was now in a state of total self-confinement, refusing contact with the outside world and refusing to awaken. It seemed some knot in her heart remained untied. If they wanted her to wake soon, the only way was to find a way to untie that knot.

And how to untie that knot was beyond what the hospital's doctors could accomplish. So the doctor suggested that Mother Zhou spend more time with Zhou Yanning, talking to her—perhaps that might loosen the knot in her heart.

If Zhou Yanning had a lover or friends, it would be best to have them keep her company as well; perhaps they would know what wishes or burdens weighed on her heart.

So, following the doctor's advice, Mother Zhou sought out Zhou Yanning's good friend Wang Xue, and from Wang Xue learned the whole story of her daughter and Yan.

Hearing Wang Xue's account, Mother Zhou suddenly realized—could it be that her daughter's knot was Yang Ce? If Yang Ce could spend more time with her, perhaps she might wake quickly.

And so the scene from before had come to pass.

Yang Ce had not expected Mother Zhou's request to be this, and could not help saying earnestly, "Aunt Hua, Zhou Yanning was hurt because of me. Even if you hadn't asked, I would come visit Jiajia often. There's no need to plead with me at all."

"That's good, that's good." Mother Zhou nodded. "You stay and talk with Jiajia. I'll go get something to eat."

"All right." Yang Shuo did not think much of it and sat down at the head of Zhou Yanning's bed.

Mother Zhou, however, meant to give them some privacy. She truly hoped that, with her gone, Yang Ce might say some intimate things to her daughter, and perhaps that would help her wake sooner. If she stayed, Yang Ce would surely feel too embarrassed to say anything.

After Mother Zhou left, Yang Ce took Zhou Yanning's hand with tenderness. It was somewhat cold, yet smooth to the touch, and it stirred something in Yang Jue's heart for no reason at all. Looking at Zhou Yanning's pale face, Yang Ce sighed softly.