The Zhang family was led into a large room fully decorated with traditional paintings depicting the culture from some centuries back.
The room had a full traditional setting apart from the round table in the middle of the room surrounded by padded chairs.
Zhang Renshu was all smiles as he gestured for everyone to take their seats.
The man was cunning and made sure to sit next to Song Jujing. When Shi Wenqian saw this, she immediately went to sit next to his left side.
Even if she was not allowed to speak, she wasn't going to give him the freeway to act all cozy with her rival.
Zhang Liling shook her head in disappointment and turned her gaze to the side. At least, she was happy that no one was sitting beside her.
Glancing in front of her, she saw that Zhang Xiaoling and Zhang Mingyu had given one seat gap after their mother, makig her to wonder what was going on between them.
Soon, 5 waiters stepped into the room with food trolleys and placed the several dishes on the rounded glass on the table before stepping away.
The manager soon came in to place 5 bottles of champagne and bowed before leaving them to enjoy their meal.
"Jujin, I am not sure of your palate, so I ordered every kind of dish to be prepared to suit your taste. Please help yourself to any fish you want." Zhang Renshu said while gesturing to the several dishes on the table.
Song Jujing glanced at the table and nodded. "My tastebuds didn't change that much, and I think i will be able to find some to my liking."
Zhang Renshu nodded before shifting his gaze to Zhang Mingyu. "Mingyu, hand me one of bottle of the Champagne. It is time to toast to you and your sister's success." He instructed with a proud smile.
Zhang Mingyu quickly picked up the bottle and got up from his seat to go to his side. Handing the item in his hand, he returned to his seat.
At the moment, the manager returned with champagne glasses.
"Sir, let me help you out," he said as he reached out for the champagne in Zhang Renshu's hand, but the latter rejected his kind gesture.
"I will do it myself." He insisted.
After popping the champagne, Zhang Renshu stood to his feet to say a few words in regards to Zhang Liling and Zhang Mingyu's excellent grades before going ahead to pour some quantity of the bottle in each of their glasses.
First of, he started with Song Jujing before moving to Zhang Liling which angered the other trio.
Having served the people at his right side, he moved over to his left side to serve Mingyu and Xiaoling. Shi Wenqian was the last person he served before returning to his seat to serve himself.
Raising his champagne glass, the others followed suit as he made his statement.
Because of how large the round table was, it wasn't possible for everyone to clink glasses together, which was perfect, given the animosity they had against each other.
There was a satisfying smile on Zhang Liling's face having gotten the opportunity to start eating.
Zhang Renshu made sure to engage Song Jujing in a conversation while eating, but at a point where she was no longer showing interest, he allowed silence to resume.
Zhang Liling made sure to try most of the food on the table she found appetizing, not bothering to regard anyone's gaze on her.
Song Jujing would from time to time put some of her favourite dishes on her plate, and each time she picked a side dish she wasn't sure she would like, she would point at it and ask, "Do you like this one?"
If Zhang Liling liked it, she would nod, but if she didn't, her nose would immediately scrunch up showing her distate and disapproval.
Zhang Mingyu and Zhang Xiaoling watched this scene with envy in their hearts. When did their mother ever treat them like that?
On the otherhand, Shi Wenqian wasn't comfortable.
She would have loved to show how much she adored her children, but if she were to make similar gestures, she would look like a hypocrite and someone trying to copy Song Jujing.
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Finally when everyone was done eating, the waiters trooped in to removed the plates.
Now, the family was left alone, the time Zhang Renshu had been looking forward to.
Sparing each of them a glance, he started to speak about the company's affairs and his intentions to pick a successor between Liling and Mingyu.
"I will pick the one with the highest score at the end of their internship as my successor, why the other one will assist."
"Is this some kind of a battle?" Song Jujing asked with knitted brows. She could already tell the man's plans and motive.
He wanted them to fight for that position so he could pick the best amongst them. Although that looked okay on the surface, but they were a aware of what might happen at the long run.
Zhang Renshu denied her speculation. "It's not a battle. This is a competition between two siblings."
Shi Wenqian clenched her fists under the table in anger, while at the same time, lowering her gaze to hide her facial expression.
The woman was angry with this topic just like she has always been everytime it was brought up.
How could her son be reduced to a competitor to get the position that originally belonged to him? How was that possible?
'This will only happen if I stop existing.' Shi Wenqian's swore to herself.
With her father arguing about his aim being the just method to pick his successor, Zhang Liling released a tired smile.
She hated to ruin things, especially after he had just fed her some expensive meal, but she needed to get her decision off her chest so he would no longer have to trouble himself with any more methods to pick a successor.
"Dad?" She called out, thereby interrupting the upcoming heated argument.
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ANNOUNCEMENT!
Hello dearest readers, there will be a mass release if I get a considerable number of collections on my new book 'Alchemy of Hearts' before the beginning of a new week.
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