Black-Bellied Dad
Chapter 10 : Black-Bellied Dad Chapter 9 Xu He Jun knits his brow. Normally when he comes home, wher

Black-Bellied Dad Chapter 9

Xu He Jun knits his brow. Normally when he comes home, where would they be so ‘high handed’? He had originally been worried about exposing his background, and wanted to give Shang Rong some time to digest. Yet now with the addition of this exaggerated line up… Oh oh, he watches as Shang Rong’s face turns green.

“When did you add this trick, old man!”

“Ahaha!” A familiar laugh erupts from inside, when they see Xu Ying Zhang walk out, grinning widely with a pipe hanging from his mouth. “I knew you wouldn’t come through the main door. Recently the doormen started adding this service. Your uncle[1] really enjoyed it so I wanted you guys to try it as well. What do you thing? Manager Huang, don’t you find it sophisticated?”

“What Manager Huang? She’s now my future wife, and your future daughter-in-law.”

“You should work harder, you’ve been in the company 2-3 years already yet you’re still wasting time in the branch company, and your rank is lower than your wife’s. I say Shang Rong! He Jun and Hao Hao must’ve troubled you a lot during this time!” Using one hand to take him from Huang Shang Rong, Xu Ying Zhang teases his clever grandson. “Good Hao Hao, aiyo! You’ve gotten heavier. Let your grandfather kiss you.”

And Xu Hao in his arms, pulls at his grandfather’s ear one moment, and pulls at his nose in the next, not at all acting shy, and even giggling happily.

“Ye… Ye….”[2]

Grandfather and grandson seem really close, he seems to come home a lot!

Who said they aren’t similar? From head to toe, Xu He Jun extremely resemble Xu Ying Zhang, even their love for mischief and hiding daggers within their smiles!

Hateful! Thinking how her Hao Hao inherited the same blood as that father and son pair, and might even make fun of her the same way in the future, her whole body starts to rage.

“Darling…” Xu He Jun knows the volcano beside him is about to erupt, so he pitifully pulls at her sleeve, hoping to extinguish some of her flames.

“Don’t pull at me.”

Although Huang Shang Rong had coldly rejected him, she still considered his pride and hadn’t simply stormed out. Though her face is somewhat stiff, she was never easy to handle. She immediately recovers her social skills, politely greeting Xu Ying Zhang and mother Xu.

At the table, mother Xu is filled with curiosity towards Huang Shang Rong, asking her how she met her son, whether work is hard, what she normally likes to eat…..

“Since you wander by his place a lot, you wouldn’t know, but back then when he said he wanted to move out by himself, he almost scared me to death! We’ve always given him what he wants, who knows what was going through his mind when he suddenly decided to live in such a pitiful way!”

Right, rather than living the life of a standard rich person, why would he act poor and fool everyone? As mother Xu speaks, she turns to glance at Xu He Jun beside her, sending him waves of killing intent.

“At first I was against it, but his father was enthusiastic. He said, from young, He Jun never knew what suffering was. And not only human suffering, letting him develop some life skills would also be good.”

Also true, for a pampered and sheltered young master like him to learn about the struggles of ordinary people, this way he’ll be more sympathetic towards the staff…. Rarely taking up opposing thoughts, looks like Xu He Jun isn’t so incorrigible after all.

“Back then he had done some research, insisting that everything needs to be second hand, like his sofa, kitchen utensils, household items, all of them were either given by people or through price comparisons online to find the cheapest things. I went to see that apartment of his, it’s really too miserable.” No wonder she always felt something was off when she used the things at his place. Nothing matched, yet he wasn’t someone who completely lacked artistic sense. Rather, if he wants things to be proper, everything would be exquisite, yet the items he uses in his daily life are so chaotic. So he had actually a.s.sembled it from all corners like this, and didn’t have room to choose.

“But if it hadn’t been for this, he wouldn’t have met you, right?”

True, if she had known Xu He Jun was such an important young master and that his poor and pitiful appearance was false, she definitely wouldn’t have suddenly found her conscience, suddenly offering to be Hao Hao’s G.o.dmother, and walked right into his trap.

Yet why would he wait until now to tell her? She was like an idiot, being firmly pushed inside his home, yet she only found out he was the boss’s son right outside his doorstep!

No, if she continues holding her anger, she’ll definitely be angered sick! Huang Shang Rong slowly gets up, slightly bowing towards the two elders. Xu Ying Zhang glares at his son, with the latter tactfully following up.

“Are you going to the bathroom?”

Huang Shang Rong coldly glowers at him. Xu He Jun shrugs, knowing she’ll settle thing with him, as he takes her to his room.

While the two Xu elders remain at the table. Just as they’re playing with their little grandson, mother Xu senses that something isn’t quite right.

“Ying Zhang, there’s nothing wrong with He Jun and Shang Rong, right?”

“They’ll be fine. Growing so big, I’ve never seen He Jun so serious about anything, while that girl — in this world, if there’s any man who can restrain her, it’ll still only be our family’s He Jun.”

“Is Shang Rong… really fierce?” Their Xu family only has their son He Jun, she had still hopes of wandering around and shopping with her daughter-in-law!

Looks like her hopes can only be placed on her future granddaughter.

“Her nickname in the company is the female Emperor, what do you think?”

“….” It is?

“What’s wrong?”

“And yet our family still fooled her like this, will we be sentenced to death?” Really worrying!

 

Once he enters the room, Xu He Jun meekly closes the door. As he turns, a pillow is angrily thrown at his face—–

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? Not only are you filthy rich, you’re even my boss’s son!”

Although his expression is a little despondent, his heart is actually delighted since she only threw a pillow at him, and not a slap.

“I’ve tried, but what do you want me to say? ‘Darling, actually I’m really rich’? Or ‘Darling, actually you don’t need to work so hard, this company will eventually be mine.’ Like this?”

“You’re too deceitful! Even now you’re still prattling!” Huang Shang Rong’s fury rushes to her head. “You made me feel like a fool!”

He always said he liked her car since the back is large enough for him to roll around in. But now, in the eyes of the rich Xu He Jun, isn’t it just an ordinary toy j.a.panese car. The first time he entered her apartment, he was so vocal about how large and beautiful it was, and how when he had the money, he’d buy just like it … thinking how all these things were a pretence, how can she still believe him?

“My feelings for you are real, isn’t it enough?” Xu He Jun tries to approach her, but for each step forward, she retreats a step.

“How can I believe you?” She exclaims. “I don’t even want to touch you, leave!”

He pauses for a moment, “Are you saying you want to leave me?”

“Who told you to trick me? You’re not even a little poor, a little dense, or even a little stupid, in fact you’re just….”

Compared to her anger, he’s still quite calm, not even appearing a bit depressed, and even showing a slight smile.

Huang Shang Rong stills for a moment, staring at his demonic expression. Actually she already knew the real Xu He Jun wasn’t easy to bully, and a smooth talker. Most of the time, she can sense his intentions, but she hadn’t thought he’d reveal such an irritable expression before her.

“Who am I? Didn’t you already know I’m not as easily bullied as I seem? You already knew about this, and even became more fascinated, isn’t this aspect what you like about me?”

This, how can this guy be so brazen! She knows he always has an ingratiating smile and a sloppy appearance, but his mind is sharper than anyone’s. Now even if she wants to rage at him, she can’t even find a good reason.

“But… you lied to me!”

Women can lie a hundred times, but they absolutely won’t tolerate their men being even a little dishonest!

“If we’re comparing deceptions, you, Huang Shang Rong, aren’t truthful either.” Xu He Jun rocks the empty crib beside him. Usually, when he comes home, this is where his son sleeps. “Who Hao Hao’s birth mother is, you should know better than me. Do you need me to expose it? Or do you still want to continue playing that ‘G.o.d mother’ game?”

Hateful! To think he already knew, otherwise why hadn’t he reacted after she let slip so many clues!

“You already knew?”

He raises his brow, not disputing her. “One strike each, we’re even.”

Screw his one strike each, this trade-off is clearly unbalanced. From start to finish, she was completely in the dark. So completely and utterly unfair!

“Despicable!” Usually the fiercest, Huang Shang Rong can only manage to squeeze out these few words.

“Yes, I’m despicable.” Xu He Jun sighs, walking towards her.

She hadn’t thought he’d admit it so easily, and doesn’t even know how to respond.

“Darling, I’m despicable since I was hiding this trump card. But I only hid it since I wanted you to stay beside me. And I wanted you to stay since I love you—-“

“Ah——“ She finally heard those three words! Huang Shang Rong suddenly shrieks, covering her ears as she rushes to the bathroom, slamming the door shut.

She feels so disgruntled! She thought she found real love, even if he’s younger than her, and is less qualified —- even like this, she still really likes him. But she hadn’t expected he’d play a pig to eat a tiger! Not only was his wealth off the charts, his schemes were what truly sent s.h.i.+vers up people’s spines! To think he’d trick her, waiting until she’d given him her heart before telling her he wasn’t who she thought he was —– now, it’s impossible for her to leave even if she wanted to.

The person she’s really mad at is herself. Originally she couldn’t forgive his deception, but because of the three words ‘I love you’, in her heart she’s already started to forgive him.

She likes smart men, as a woman, who doesn’t want their man to be clever? But if a man is too clever and easily becomes overconfident, several years of disappointments, she had reached a conclusion: she’s compatible with submissive men, or at the least, obedient men. And this man not only has to be obedient, but also needs to be smart enough to help her come up with ideas. If he’s a stupid moron, then he wouldn’t even enter her eyes….

What a conundrum! A docile man, and yet he can’t be a moron; that might be a little difficult…

Yet now, Xu He Jun had appeared. While he might be a little sloppy and likes to cling to her, but he truly is very smart. While he’s smart enough that, even without her help, he can still work independently. Only when he’s by her side will he act spoilt and whimsical, while obediently listening to her. If she says one, he wouldn’t say two; if they conflict, he even knows how to skilfully retreat, coming up with a compromise for them to peacefully continue their work…. For such a compatible man to appear by her side, what else does she have to complain about?

Huang Shang Rong, ah Huang Shang Rong, to be so smart in some areas but so muddled in others, she’ll spend her whole life in the palm of Xu He Jun’s hands!

The moment she slammed the door, a slight smile appeared in the corner of Xu He Jun’s lips. He knew he had won, Shang Rong won’t leave him, and will even happily stay by his side. Right now, she’s just a little spooked and needs some time to gather her thoughts. Even he has to admit he was a little sinful, and had used some sleight of hand tricks, but as long as it keeps Shang Rong by his side, how could these small schemes be considered anything?

He tries to comfort her from outside the room, before eventually deciding to give her some time to cool down, switching to comforting the two elders outside, a.s.suring them they won’t start fighting….

Mother Xu scolds him, “This brat, why do you still like causing so much mischief? If you scared Shang Rong away, we’ll see how you chase her back.” She knows Shang Rong is the first woman who had moved her son’s heart enough to want to bring home to marry. But based on his methods, Shang Rong has a strong will and a fierce heart, she wouldn’t spend all night and day tossing over her thoughts.

“Relax, she won’t escape my grasp[3].” He cheerfully laughs, before continuing to tease his son.

“You better hope so!”

“Alright!” Xu He Jun get up. “I’ll return to the room to check on Shang Rong. She should have calmed down by now.”

 

Before entering the room, the pleased expression on his face changes to a serious one —- when it’s time to act, there’s definitely no margin for error.

Once he enters the room, Xu He Jun silently closes the door after him, only to see Huang Shang Rong calmly sitting on the bed. He had already prepared himself to catch any vase or pillow she might throw at him, only she hadn’t made any move at all.

“You… are you still mad?”

“Don’t I deserve to be mad?”

He scratches his head. He’s already said everything he needed to say, what’s she still mad about?

Suddenly, she takes the initiative to talk, “Going forward, what do you plan on doing?”

Xu He Jun’s lowers his head, sighing. “Actually I never intended to deceive you. Nor I did I bring you here to resume my ident.i.ty as the Xu family’s young master. Rather, I wanted to continue things as they are! I promised my dad I’d return to central management before 40. After my strength is recognized by everyone, it wouldn’t matter anymore whether I’m the young master.

While bringing you back today, was because as a family, you’ll eventually have to meet my parents. So I had to let you know about my background.”

Huang Shang Rong stares blankly at him as Xu He Jun returns her gaze. Looking at him, she can feel how serious and committed he is. How seriously he had thought through continuing his lifestyle rather than relying on his background to leisurely stroll through life. He’s truly serious about climbing up with his own strength, and obtaining everyone’s recognition.

“This is a top line Simmons!” Changing the topic, she suddenly exclaims. “Letting you sleep on the one I bought must have really inconvenienced you!”

Knowing she wants to rage, Xu He Jun obediently stays silent.

“Darling, as long as you bought the mattress, it’ll always be the most comfortable in the world. I really like it, in the future I’ll only sleep on the ones you buy.”

Eh, people can even talk like this! Huang Shang Rong rises, proudly surveying the room like the mistress of the house.

Just his room is already larger than her apartment, once she opens his wardrobe ——- ah, that’s not a wardrobe but an entire cloakroom. The right side has all his usual s.h.i.+rts and suits, with rows of cuffs next to it. On the left, it’s mostly his casual clothes. Several year old jeans and T s.h.i.+rts, all neatly sorted, ironed flat and hung up, a far cry from the messy state of the rental apartment.

Just thinking about it, she knows he didn’t sort it himself. To think a young master who even needs people to tidy his clothes would be willing to lower himself to live like a normal person, was he too idle in his rich lifestyle?

Just like mother Xu had just said, if he really wanted, he could live a truly comfortable and leisurely life. Even his son —- he could have tossed him over to his parents to help raise, yet he hadn’t. Even with his indulgent lifestyle, he wasn’t pampered and spoilt, or an idle man with no goals in life. Instead, he was willing to try a lifestyle different from his own and examine society from a different perspective. For someone who was raised without having to suffer, it couldn’t have been easy.

Alright! For such a rich and dignified young master like him to spy and deceive the public, whether it’s for life experiences or to understand human interaction, at least he’s diligent in work, while he had relied on his own efforts to reach his current position! A fiancé with money and ambition, this is a rare good man!

So in the end, what does she have to be angry about?

No, unacceptable! This brat had actually deceived her for so long, if she doesn’t at least humour him with a tantrum, she wouldn’t be Huang Shang Rong.

Watching her remain there for so long, Xu He Jun a.s.sumes she likes this place. Ah! No matter how fierce his darling is, she’s still a woman! Don’t women like shopping the most, and for handbags and shoes? Good good good, he’ll clear out his own clothes and let her fill it up with all her new clothes!

“This is a cloak room. If you like it, in the future you can fill it up with all your clothes. You can buy things too, whether it’s handbags, shoes or various types of clothes. If it won’t fit, there’s also the next room’s….”

Huang Shang Rong raises her brow. “Do you think I’m the female lead in ‘s.e.x and the City’, that I’d have so many clothes to store?”

Suddenly losing interest in the cloak room, she turns to see a celadon vase hanging from the shelf. She attempts to climb up and carry it down, when Xu He Jun sees and promptly takes it down for her, offering it to her with both hands.

Examining it right and left, she doesn’t say a word.

This is a vase from the Ming dynasty. If you like it, there’s three from the Tang dynasty in the safe….”

“Displaying several century old objects, it’s a pity if they break now.”

Xu He Jun sighs. She, is she looking to start a fight?

Huang Shang Rong continues, turning towards the wall where two sharp warrior’s swords are hanging high above. Tilting her head, she wordlessly stares at the pair of swords, causing Xu He Jun’s sweat to turn cold.

“Darling,” he takes the opportunity to grasp her hand, s.h.i.+fting her attention. “The killing aura on those things are too strong, in a moment I’ll have someone take them down so when we live here in the future, we won’t always have to see it…”

“Did I say I wanted to live here?”

Will he ever say anything right? Ah, his guilty conscience, who told him to trick Shang Rong first. Giving her such a huge shock, it’s no wonder she’s being so unpleasant.

“Since you’re so rich, you won’t need to move in with me to save on rent.” She turns towards him, asking. “When will you finish moving?”

What, did he miscalculate? She’s already asking him to leave? This time, Xu He Jun is really a little anxious. She couldn’t be serious right?

“Darling…”

“I still plan on living there before marriage, and currently don’t have any plans to sell it. I bought that house with my own strength. Also, having a normal house would be easier for you to ‘conceal your background’. If you use my house as your place of residence, then human resources and other people would be less likely to suspect you.”

What? She’s already thought about their future? That is to say, she’s already forgiven him!

“Yes! Shang Rong my darling!” Xu He Jun sweeps her up in one go. “I love you the most.”

“Also, since you’re so rich, then I want to have four kids. Two sons and two daughters. Do you have any complaints?”

Great! Increase productivity for their country. The more the better.

“How can there be a problem? Leave everything to me!”

Huang Shang Rong pulls his hand, placing it on her flat stomach. Her voice turns soft as she quietly whispers in his ear, “this time, you’ll be with me as the baby grows.”

Listening, Xu He Jun’s eyes light up, “Are you saying you already have one?”

“Of course not, I’m saying in the future!” Really! She couldn’t resist pus.h.i.+ng at him. “How can I be so careless? How can I be so stupid to let my belly swell right before marriage, how would I wear a bridal gown like this?”

That’s true. Although he’s disappointed, he holds infinite expectations for their future. Xu He Jun holds Huang Shang Rong, openly displaying a sweet smile.

“Then we should quickly marry, and work hard to give Hao Hao a little sister.”

“Things won’t happen just because you said so!” She pouts, before recalling a critical matter.

“That’s right, when did you know I was Hao Hao’s mother?”

Xu He Jun opens his palms, displaying a pleased expression. “I knew from the start.”

Huang Shang Rong squints. This brat, he really knows how to put on a show! “How did you know?”

“The first day you came to my home and told me not to let Hao Hao wear girl’s clothes.”

“Just like that?”

“Of course it’s not only that. At the time it was only a suspicion. But later on, I…” He very deliberately leaves out the fact that he had secretly investigated her. Sometimes it’s good for lovers to have some secrets between them. “Had used other methods to verify it.”

“What method?”

“This method———“ The second he finishes speaking, he immediately pushes her down!

“You, what are you doing?” Huang Shang Rong shrieks. “In the middle of the day, and with your parents just outside!”

“You wanted me to prove it!”

“Then you should quickly…..ah….” A while pa.s.ses…..

“Ah? How can this be?” Her clothes are so wet, so it’s actually——-

“Right!” Like this, it would be really strange if he didn’t know!

The two gaze at each other. Xu He Jun smirks, climbing off from her before tidying his s.h.i.+rt.

“We should go now! My mum and dad are still waiting for us outside!”

What? He’s already made her so wet… eh, that’s to say, how can he just simply walk off after he finishes kissing and touching her as he liked? Huang Shang Rong hooks her legs around him, pulling him back towards her as she untucks his s.h.i.+rt from his pants.

Xu He Jun’s temperature rises as he stretches his arms around her, his reasoning becoming just like his pants, slowly unravelling.

“Darling…. My parents are right outside, if we still don’t leave, they might—-“

“Then you should finish the job quickly!”

“…” This woman, is she doing it intentionally? The thing that absolutely shouldn’t be discussed before a man —- whether its inches or time, when she puts it like that, it’ll only raise his battle spirit!

Ho! He’ll prove the word ‘quick’ definitely and absolutely can’t be a.s.sociated with him!