Chapter 448 — A Very Poor Attitude
The Blossom Guardian · Page 2 of 2
"Dad, I've brought the materials you asked for..." The man who entered was middle-aged, and his face bore a faint trace of Guan Xuewen's features. This, presumably, was Guan Xuewen's son, Guan Xiaopeng.
"Just put them here. Oh, and let me introduce you—this is the Wei Zhao, Mr. Lin, I mentioned to you." Guan Xuewen said, introducing Wei Zhao to Guan Xiaopeng.
"How do you do, Uncle Guan," Wei Zhao said, rising hastily to greet him. Guan Xiaopeng was, after all, his elder, and Wei Zhao did not dare presume too much.
Guan Xiaopeng's attitude toward Wei Zhao, however, seemed rather flat. He gave him a nod and said, lukewarm: "Hello, Mr. Lin."
If Wei Zhao was to address Guan Xiaopeng as uncle, then the man ought not to be calling him Mr. Lin; even out of mere politeness, he would not have been so cold.
Wei Zhao smiled wryly, at a loss as to where he had offended Guan Xiaopeng. He felt awkward, and did not know what more to say.
It was Guan Xuewen who smoothed things over: "Xiao Xiang, is the company busy?"
"So-so," Guan Xiaopeng said indifferently. "Dad, what made you think of starting a company? Haven't you always disliked doing things under your own name? Don't go muddled in your old age—mind that a lifetime's good name isn't ruined in a moment."
"Xiao Xiang, what nonsense are you talking?" Guan Xuewen's face darkened at once; he glared at his son. "Do you have any business here? If not, you may go."
"My company is very busy. I only came back to deliver the materials to you, so of course I have to hurry back." Guan Xiaopeng spoke blandly. "I'm just reminding you not to be taken in."
With that, Guan Xiaopeng glanced at Wei Zhao, turned, and left the room without another word. He walked briskly out of the villa, and the sound of the front gate closing came from outside.
"That boy!" Guan Xuewen was thoroughly exasperated. He shook his head with a bitter smile and said to Wei Zhao, "Xiao Yi, I hope you won't take offense!"
"Ha... Uncle Guan only meant well for you. He was just afraid I might be a swindler." Wei Zhao smiled faintly to show he understood. In truth, there was nothing unreasonable in what Guan Xiaopeng had said. Though it was a little blunt and showed scant regard for face, he had indeed been speaking from the standpoint of a family member, warning Guan Xuewen not to be fooled.
It was only that the way he expressed it had been rather too direct. He could easily have waited until Wei Zhao had left before saying anything. But Wei Zhao was not about to hold that against him.
"It's not directed at you," Guan Xuewen said with a shake of his head. "That boy is still holding a grudge against me. He's never been able to let go of what happened back then!"
"What happened back then?" Wei Zhao was slightly taken aback.
"My eldest son—I've told you about him. A lazy good-for-nothing with no job, who traded on my reputation to rope in some medicine dealers and go into the pharmaceutical business. He's done quite well for himself," Guan Xuewen said. "So when my younger son was about to graduate from university, he joined forces with a close classmate of his. They wanted to set up a clinic and trade on my name, and I refused them in the sternest terms... So he has never been able to get over the fact that this time I used my name to set up a pharmaceutical company with you..."
Hearing Guan Xuewen's explanation, Wei Zhao could not help but laugh. "So Uncle Guan is jealous of me!"