Chapter 1918: A Few Words Are More Than Enough When Conversation Turns Sour

The moment he saw Li Qingshan and his wife, Zhao Fusheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

How pitiful are the hearts of parents everywhere! Leaving aside Ge Meng, Li Qingshan, a man nearing seventy, had to put on a fawning smile for him—it was hard on the old man.

“Chairman Zhao, hello, hello.” Li Qingshan took the initiative to shake hands with Zhao Fusheng.

After all, today he was the one asking a favor of Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng smiled. “Teacher Li, hello. I grew up listening to your songs.”

This was the truth. As a veteran singer, Li Qingshan's fame in the country was beyond doubt.

Turning to Ge Meng, Zhao Fusheng gave a faint smile. “Teacher Ge, we meet again.”

“Heh heh…”

Ge Meng had been instructed by Li Qingshan in the car and knew that today she really couldn't provoke Zhao Fusheng. Even if she felt dissatisfied, she had to force a smile at him.

Zhao Fusheng chuckled without saying a word and walked inside with Li Qingshan and the others.

They entered a room and took their seats as host and guest. Yu Feihong's teacher introduced both parties and then pulled Yu Feihong aside to chat.

Clearly, the teacher had been entrusted to act as a go-between. As for other matters, everyone present was a seasoned old fox; no one was a fool, and only an idiot would get involved.

Yu Feihong wanted to speak but was stopped by Zhao Fusheng's glance, so she simply chatted with her teacher.

As for Zhang Qian, he hadn't said a word from start to finish.

To him, whether it was Li Qingshan or Ge Meng, it didn't matter. Famous or not, what was it to him?

The one who truly called the shots was Zhao Fusheng.

This was clear to Li Qingshan, Yu Feihong, and everyone else.

“Chairman Zhao, I'm truly sorry about what happened before.”

Li Qingshan was very polite to Zhao Fusheng. “I failed to teach my son properly; you must find it amusing, Chairman Zhao.”

Although he held a military post, it was a civilian one. He lacked the iron-blooded aura of a soldier and instead looked more like a refined scholar.

In fact, that was correct; Li Qingshan had always been a civilian cadre.

“You're too kind, Teacher Li.”

Zhao Fusheng shook his head. "It's everyone's duty to act bravely for a just cause. I think you should understand that better than I do."

Old fox, playing word games with me. Did he really think everyone was as stupid as his wife and son?

Zhao Fusheng sneered inwardly.

He wasn't an idiot. Li Qingshan's words, seemingly humble as if he were genuinely apologizing, actually felt off upon closer inspection.

What did he mean by 'failed to teach my son properly, making a fool of myself before Chairman Zhao'?

It was clearly insinuating that this matter wasn't a big deal, that he came to apologize and hoped Zhao would give him face.

Zhao Fusheng's reply was clear: wrong is wrong. His son had committed a crime, and it couldn't be brushed aside with just an apology. After all, Ge Meng had tried to frame him.

Did Li Qingshan really think he could just let it go with a single sentence? Dream on!

The expression on Li Qingshan's face was quite awkward. He actually understood that his wife had indeed acted improperly, given Zhao Fusheng's status.

Chairman of the prestigious Future Group, a billionaire, and Ge Meng had the audacity to label him as a brawler and a lecher. Wasn't that asking for trouble?

More importantly, after being exposed, Ge Meng, instead of repenting, dared to continue hyping the story in the media, trying to divert attention from Li Tiantian's assault incident. That was going too far.

"Chairman Zhao, I didn't know your identity at the time, I..." Ge Meng began, trying to defend herself.

"Teacher Ge, these matters cannot be conflated."

Zhao Fusheng waved his hand, refusing to listen to Ge Meng's excuses.

Getting off scot-free with a simple 'ignorance is bliss' was impossible.

"Well..."

Ge Meng was speechless. She could tell that Zhao Fusheng didn't want to say another word to her.

Of course Zhao Fusheng didn't want to talk to her, because he knew that Ge Meng wasn't the one who could make decisions. The real decision-maker was Li Qingshan, the veteran artist.

"Teacher Li, you know, I've always respected you."

Zhao Fusheng chuckled, looking at Li Qingshan. "I just didn't expect that after all this, your family wouldn't live up to your artistic achievements."

Li Qingshan frowned. Clearly, he hadn't expected Zhao Fusheng to be so blunt.

Generally, even in negotiations, one would employ some strategy. Who would be as straightforward as Zhao Fusheng?

At his age, Li Qingshan had seen all kinds of people. In his view, this Chairman Zhao should understand that making an enemy for no reason was pointless. Even if Li couldn't affect him or harm him, the two were strangers, and doing this was simply creating an adversary.

It was clear that Li Qingshan had forgotten that, to Zhao Fusheng, he meant nothing at all.

"Chairman Zhao, that's going too far."

After a moment of silence, Li Qingshan looked at Zhao Fusheng and said slowly.

Zhao Fusheng smiled and said to Li Qingshan, "Teacher Li, I once read a book that said a person dies three times in a lifetime."

"The first time, when your heart stops beating and your breathing ceases, you are declared dead biologically."

"The second time, when you are buried and everyone attends your funeral, they declare that you no longer exist in this society, that you have left."

"The third time, when the last person in this world who remembers you forgets you. Then you truly die, with no connection left between you and the world; no one remembers you, no one mentions your name again."

After hearing Zhao Fusheng's words, Li Qingshan frowned but did not speak.

Clearly, Zhao Fusheng wouldn't bring this up for no reason; he must have something to convey.

In fact, when Zhao Fusheng said this, not only Li Qingshan, but also Yu Feihong and her teacher—everyone at the table—changed expression.

Birth, aging, sickness, death—these are the common lot of humanity.

Everyone must experience this, but that doesn't mean they are fearless in the face of death.

As Zhao Fusheng said, death is a process—the end of a life, and then being forgotten by the world, a feeling that is truly unpleasant.

"Teacher Li, do you think your name will be mentioned years from now?"

Zhao Fusheng looked at Li Qingshan with a half-smile.

Li Qingshan remained silent.

Ge Meng remained silent.

The couple were not fools; although Zhao Fusheng's words seemed like teasing, they knew he was hinting at something.

Reputation after death—this is what Chinese people have valued most since ancient times.

Especially for an old artist like Li Qingshan, this mattered even more.

That was why Ge Meng had originally used her connections to suppress the matter.

Because in her eyes, this incident would affect her husband's reputation and their child's future.

But she never expected that the person she chose to suppress was Zhao Fusheng.

It was like a bully who picks on the weak, thinking an old man is frail and easy to push around, only to discover he's a high-ranking official.

They had kicked a steel plate!

This was the predicament Li Qingshan and Ge Meng now found themselves in—unable to advance or retreat.

If it had been an ordinary person, they might have continued to smear Zhao Fusheng and Zhang Qian.

But unfortunately, Zhao Fusheng's identity meant that slandering him would be outright suicide.

This was evident from the Future Group's immediate decision to send a lawyer's letter.

"Chairman Zhao, what do you suggest?"

After a long while, Li Qingshan looked at Zhao Fusheng and asked slowly.

Clearly, he was asking Zhao Fusheng what his demands were.

Zhao Fusheng laughed. He found it absurd.

At this point, Li Qingshan was thinking not about how to educate his child or solve the problem, but about asking for Zhao Fusheng's opinion.

But since things had come to this, Zhao Fusheng had no complaints about the couple. If Li Qingshan hadn't been like this, Ge Meng probably wouldn't have spoiled their child so badly.

Waving his hand, Zhao Fusheng said, "Teacher Li, I have only one demand regarding this matter: the truth must not be buried."

"Huh?"

Both Li Qingshan and Ge Meng were stunned.

They hadn't expected Zhao Fusheng to make such a demand.

What exactly was this guy up to?

Seeing their reaction, Zhao Fusheng knew that these people couldn't possibly understand his thinking.

"Teacher Li, all I seek is justice."

Zhao Fusheng looked at him and said calmly.

Then he stood up and walked straight out.

When there's no meeting of minds, half a sentence is too much. In Zhao Fusheng's view, this dinner was meaningless.

Watching Zhao Fusheng's retreating figure, Li Qingshan and Ge Meng looked at each other in dismay. Especially Ge Meng—she suddenly realized just how great a mistake she had made and what kind of person she had provoked.