Superstar Assistant [GL] - Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Li Hongcai, looking like a complete fool, said in shock, “What? Ziyu has a child? Why didn’t I know! When did she get pregnant? Which brat dared to bully my daughter like this!”

Zhong Yanjun asked, “Ziyu didn’t tell you?”

Only then did Li Hongcai realize the heart of the matter. His voice sank instantly. “As I thought, she still hates me. She’s grown apart from me, hasn’t she? Why wouldn’t she tell her own father about having a child?”

Zhong Yanjun rubbed her temples and explained the whole story to him from beginning to end. Finally, she said, “The medication is still in the trial phase, so it’s not convenient to reveal too much. She’s been busy lately; it’s normal that she didn’t tell you.”

If Zhong Yanjun hadn’t been the one to personally deliver the medication to Li Ziyu, she believed she might not have known about Ziyu getting Zhou Tiantian pregnant immediately either.

Li Hongcai was stunned once again. “What did you just say? Our daughter made another girl pregnant with her child? I raised a daughter! Has she been a boy all along and you two were tricking me together?”

Zhong Yanjun reached her limit. “I really don’t know what I saw in such an ignorant businessman back then!” Then, she hung up.

Li Hongcai tried to call Li Ziyu, only to find she wasn’t picking up—it seemed she had blocked him again.

Three days later, Li Hongcai finally accepted and understood the situation. After meeting with his lawyer, he nodded in satisfaction at the various property transfer documents and called Zhong Yanjun. “Since our daughter already has a child, shouldn’t we prepare for their wedding? We can’t let the baby be born without a proper status and be considered illegitimate, can we?”

Only then did Zhong Yanjun speak kindly to him. “Now you’re talking like a human being. Ziyu said Tiantian’s mother has come to take care of her. Let’s set a time for a meeting.”

…

Li Ziyu was more than happy to arrange a meeting between the parents. She sat down beside Zhou Tiantian with a serious face while Tiantian was watching TV. “Tiantian, my mom said that since our baby is about to be born, the two families should meet.”

Zhou Tiantian stiffened slightly. She had never considered this question, and it made her feel a sudden wave of panic.

Seeing her expression, Li Ziyu continued, “My mom said if we don’t settle things, the child in your belly will be illegitimate.”

The word “illegitimate” touched a nerve in Zhou Tiantian. She touched her belly; her previous resistance was beginning to crumble.

She remembered Li Ziyu saying she thought they had been together since high school—meaning Li Ziyu had liked her since then. Although Li Ziyu had supposedly had a change of heart and liked her roommate in college, ever since Tiantian reappeared, Ziyu’s heart had drifted back to her.

It would be a lie to say she wasn’t moved. However, even though she was reborn, Zhou Tiantian still had reservations; she wasn’t brave enough.

She had been avoiding the topic of the child, but with only two months left until the due date, she couldn’t avoid it anymore. Since she had decided to give birth, she had to be responsible.

And toward Li Ziyu…

Zhou Tiantian turned to look at her. Li Ziyu gave her a faint smile, and Tiantian’s heart skipped a beat. She knew she had fallen for Li Ziyu. Ziyu was such an important presence; in her entire life, Li Ziyu was the only one who had ever protected her so wholeheartedly.

“If…” Seeing her silence, Li Ziyu’s spirit deflated. “If you feel it’s not necessary, I can tell them not to mention it again.”

“No…” Zhou Tiantian spoke with some difficulty. “I… I’ll ask my mom.”

Li Ziyu’s eyes brightened instantly, knowing there was a turning point.

Sure enough, a moment later, Zhou Tiantian called Han Ping out from the kitchen. “Mom, Ziyu’s parents want to meet with you.”

Han Ping said awkwardly, “We should meet. You two are ‘married,’ but us parents haven’t even met yet.”

Li Ziyu corrected her, “Auntie, we aren’t married yet—otherwise I’d be calling you ‘Mom.’ This meeting will likely be about the marriage.”

Han Ping looked at Zhou Tiantian, flustered. “If you aren’t married, how do you have a child?”

Zhou Tiantian sighed. “Mom, isn’t it even stranger for two girls to have a child than an unmarried pregnancy? We didn’t expect it either.”

Han Ping nodded and agreed to meet Li Ziyu’s parents to discuss the marriage.

…

Li Ziyu’s parents took this meeting very seriously. They made extensive preparations and booked a restaurant with an exquisite environment in B City.

The restaurant was situated in a mountain villa; walking inside felt like touring a famous scenic spot. A waiter led them to a pavilion on the mountainside, and the dishes began to arrive.

The moment Han Ping walked in, she realized the massive gap between her family and Li Ziyu’s. By the time she sat down, she felt completely out of her element. She was just a middle-aged divorced woman with no income, while the other parents were clearly wealthy and influential. Would her Tiantian be bullied if she married into this family?

Zhong Yanjun looked at Han Ping and gave a faint smile, showing a rare gentleness. “In-law, try the food here. The taste is quite good.”

Han Ping quickly took the dish with her bowl and began to eat with her head down.

Li Hongcai cleared his throat. “Well, in-law, today we mainly want to talk about Tiantian and Ziyu’s marriage. Ziyu didn’t even tell me Tiantian was carrying her child! As the child’s grandfather… ouch, I mean, as the child’s maternal grandfather, I have the right to express my care and expectations, don’t I?”

Han Ping could only nod. Li Ziyu looked at Li Hongcai and said coldly, “Why does my child need you to express your ‘like’? I’m still waiting for you to introduce me to a boyfriend so I can marry into a wealthy family and be a lady of leisure.”

Li Hongcai said angrily, “If you hadn’t kept me in the dark, would I have been looking for those young men? If I had known you already had a child, I would have been urging you to marry Tiantian long ago!”

Li Ziyu felt a slight pang of regret. “Oh.”

Li Hongcai suppressed his anger. “We’re here for serious business today, don’t interrupt!”

Li Ziyu looked at Zhou Tiantian, Han Ping looked at Tiantian, and finally, the whole table looked at her.

Zhou Tiantian couldn’t help but feel nervous. Facing Li Ziyu’s parents, her voice turned soft. “But there is no same-sex marriage law in this country. Ziyu and I can’t get married.”

Li Hongcai said, “Don’t worry about that. I’ve had someone look into it. Many countries abroad allow same-sex marriage. You can go abroad to get your certificate.”

Zhou Tiantian looked at Li Ziyu. “But a foreign marriage certificate has no legal effect here.”

Li Hongcai said, “You can immigrate. Don’t worry, I can handle all the paperwork. You can immigrate before the baby is born.”

Han Ping was stunned. “Immigrate?”

Zhou Tiantian also frowned slightly. She didn’t really want to immigrate. Although the tolerance for same-sex couples was higher abroad, she wanted to develop her career here.

Li Ziyu reached out and held Tiantian’s hand. She said to Li Hongcai, “Alright, don’t pressure her. These things can be taken slowly. Having you meet Auntie today was just so everyone could get to know each other. It would be awkward if the baby was born and you didn’t even know each other.”

“It’s not that I’m unwilling to get married.” Zhou Tiantian’s voice was low, but she mustered the courage to squeeze Li Ziyu’s hand back. Her eyes shone with a different light. “I know you want to marry me and give the baby a complete family. It’s not that I’m unwilling, but if we immigrate just to get married, people will find out. Your career is currently in a growth phase, and I… I also hope to have my own career. So I think, can we keep a low profile? As long as we have each other in our hearts, a marriage certificate doesn’t really represent much.”

Zhou Tiantian’s attitude toward marriage was different from others. She had seen her mother’s failed marriage and had experienced one herself. What did a certificate matter? If a person doesn’t love you or wants to hurt you, a piece of paper won’t stop them. To her, that document wasn’t the most important thing.

She wanted a career that gave her a voice in society. She knew that only by being strong herself could she protect the people she loved.

Li Ziyu had been prepared for rejection, but hearing such a confession instead, she immediately smiled and nodded. “Okay, whatever you say is fine.”

Zhong Yanjun sighed. “If you don’t want to go abroad to marry, then don’t. I’ll handle the birth certificate and household registration issues. Besides, there are rumors that if the same-sex birth trials go well and the technology is promoted, the country will immediately draft same-sex marriage laws. You can just register then.”

Zhou Tiantian nodded and looked at Li Ziyu. Ziyu also nodded. “Fine, then it’s settled. We won’t marry yet. We’ll wait until the domestic laws pass. By then, I’ll surely be a Best Actress, and you’ll be a top agent with your own network and connections. We won’t have to fear gossip.”

Seeing the matter resolved, Li Hongcai continued his process. He took out a folder and handed it to Han Ping. “In-law, this is a gift I prepared for Tiantian. Although they aren’t marrying yet, Tiantian is now a part of the Li family. I must give her what she deserves.”

To be polite, Han Ping didn’t open it, but Li Hongcai spoke up himself. “Inside, there are 1 million shares of my company under her name. They’re worth 10 million—it’s not much, but the annual dividends can serve as pocket money for Tiantian.”

Han Ping felt as if the folder in her hand had suddenly turned red-hot.

Li Hongcai continued, “Also, I’ve prepared five properties for Tiantian: two villas and three apartments. Tiantian just needs to sign, and they will be transferred to her name. You can live in them or rent them out; it’s up to you.”

Han Ping silently placed the folder back on the table.

Li Hongcai wasn’t finished. “I also prepared three cars. I didn’t know what kind of cars Tiantian likes, so I just picked some. If you don’t like them, tell Dad… I mean, tell Uncle, and I’ll buy you new ones.”

Finally, “There is also a card in there with 50 million in cash. Tiantian, you can use it for investments or just keep it for the interest.”

Zhou Tiantian and Han Ping exchanged a look. Han Ping snapped out of her shock and hurriedly pushed the folder back. “This… this is too much. We can’t accept this.”

Li Hongcai refused to take it back. “Why? Does my in-law think it’s not enough? When they get married later, I’ll have a lawyer notarize it—after I die, all my assets and shares will belong to the two of them. The company needs capital right now, but maybe I should add a few more shares?”

Han Ping said, “No, you’ve misunderstood. The ‘bride price’ in our area isn’t like this.”

Hearing the words “bride price,” Zhou Tiantian’s mouth twitched. Why was it assumed she was the one “marrying into” the family?

Li Hongcai asked seriously, “Oh? Then what is the usual bride price in your area?”

Han Ping said, “Thirty or fifty thousand is enough.”

Li Hongcai: “…”

Zhong Yanjun smiled and pushed the folder back again. “This is just a token of the grandfather’s heart. Just accept it. Raising a child is no simple task; you’ll need a lot of money in the future.”

Han Ping was timid and was almost scared to tears. “But this is far too much! A child couldn’t spend this in a lifetime!”

Zhou Tiantian also thought it was too much, but Li Ziyu accepted it for her. She said to Li Hongcai, “I’ll have her sign it when we get back. Are you sure it’ll take effect immediately?”

Li Hongcai’s face darkened. “What? You doubt I can afford the bride price?”

Li Ziyu didn’t say a word as she tucked the documents into her handbag. The table continued to eat, but Han Ping and Zhou Tiantian found it hard to swallow.

…

On the way home, Li Hongcai sent a driver to take them back in a stretched Bentley. The three sat in silence.

Li Ziyu smiled and looked at Zhou Tiantian. “What’s wrong? Did my dad scare you?”

Zhou Tiantian was still in a daze. “How could Uncle give so much money?” She had just checked—the stock price of Li Hongcai’s company was currently 100 per share, and experts suggested it would keep rising. 1 million shares meant a market value of 100 million. Five properties, including two villas and three apartments in the inner ring, were worth another 100 million. The three cars totaled nearly 50 million, plus 50 million in cash. To Zhou Tiantian, these were astronomical figures.

Li Ziyu said, “He’s just rich from running his company. Besides having money, he doesn’t have many other merits—that’s why my mom divorced him.”

Han Ping asked blankly, “Your parents are divorced?”

Li Ziyu nodded. “Yeah. That’s why I went to Z City for high school—I was annoyed by them. I went to stay with my grandmother. Not long after I moved back for the exams, my grandmother passed away, and I haven’t been back to Z City since.”

Zhou Tiantian touched her belly, still processing everything.

It turned out Li Ziyu was this wealthy and her family was this powerful. If she had known Li Ziyu liked her back in high school and they had run away to B City together, would her life have been so miserable?

“What’s wrong?” Li Ziyu frowned, noticing Tiantian looked unwell.

Zhou Tiantian leaned on Ziyu’s shoulder and sighed softly. “Nothing, I’m just a little startled.”

Zhou Tiantian slowly calmed down. She realized that she didn’t regret not knowing about Li Ziyu’s wealth—she regretted that she had been too dense in high school to understand Li Ziyu’s feelings. If she hadn’t experienced those dark days, if she hadn’t been reborn, and if she had just stayed with Li Ziyu with that same innocent heart, they would be even happier than they are now.

But it was okay. It wasn’t too late. They could still live happily together. Even if they couldn’t go public yet, this was already enough happiness.

Just then, Li Ziyu let out a light sigh. “Sigh. If only I could post on Weibo to show off our love.”

Zhou Tiantian: “…”