Chapter 113: Ambition
A silver, exquisite wristwatch was fastened onto An Tong’s delicate, pale wrist. The cool touch did little to diminish the warmth of the moment. She flexed her left wrist; the size was just right, as if tailored specifically for her. Yet, her smile faded slightly as she lowered her arm and offered a well-meaning fib, “Your gift... won’t arrive until New Year’s Day.”
She was unwilling to admit that she hadn’t prepared a gift, fearing it would seem careless or disrespectful. With just a week left until New Year’s, she thought it reasonable to make it up to him then.
At that moment, a morning breeze stirred, causing ripples on the river’s surface. Rong Shen took the gift box from her hand and raised his left arm. “Isn’t this one ready to go?”
An Tong glanced at the men’s wristwatch, then at the man’s gentle features. As she helped him fasten the watch, she muttered, “It doesn’t count if you bought it.”
“Do I need to be so clear about what’s mine and yours?” Rong Shen smirked, touching the watch before taking her hand and leading her back inside.
Feeling the weight of the watch on her wrist, An Tong eyed the man’s profile, hesitating to speak. “Were you upset last night because your gift was late?” Rong Shen always noticed the slightest shifts in her mood.
Entering the living room, Rong Shen sat down and pulled An Tong onto his lap. This close embrace was becoming familiar to her.
She turned sideways in his arms, absentmindedly swinging her leg, pouting softly, “You noticed again?”
No matter how much she tried to hide it, Rong Shen always seemed to read her thoughts perfectly.
Leaning back on the sofa, the man raised a brow and smiled faintly. “If you don’t want me to notice, there’s no need to fuss over such small things. Gifts like these are just icing on the cake; overthinking only brings trouble.”
An Tong nodded, but her lingering irritation didn’t fade.
...
After lunch, the group boarded a boat and left the landscape gallery. Though the Christmas outing was brief, it was enough for An Tong and Rong Shen’s relationship to blossom rapidly.
As dusk approached, the business car pulled up at the Rong family garden.
---
Ruan Danling, draped in a festive red shawl, stood eagerly at the entrance long before anyone arrived. A holiday of moderate importance naturally called for a family gathering.
Just as night was falling, the man finally arrived, accompanied by An Tong. Seeing her, Ruan Danling beamed and pulled her close. “An An, it’s been days! Let me see if you’ve lost weight.”
An Tong, carrying some ethnic specialties from the scenic area, smiled lightly and handed them over. “Auntie, Merry Christmas.”
“Look at you, just coming back is enough. Why bother with gifts?” Ruan Danling reached for the box but quickly frowned and patted Rong Shen’s shoulder. “How can you let An An carry things while you stand empty-handed? Not very gentlemanly.”
Rong Shen pursed his lips but smiled in agreement. “You’re right.”
Ruan Danling rolled her eyes, handed the gift to a servant, then dragged An Tong off to the dining room to sip bird’s nest soup.
In the living room, Rong Jinghuai, wearing glasses, calmly flipped through a folder. Hearing footsteps, he glanced toward the entrance. “You’re back.”
“Mm.” Rong Shen sat opposite him, crossing his long legs and softly asking, “Did you call us back just for dinner?”
Rong Jinghuai removed his gold-rimmed glasses, closed the folder, and placed it on the coffee table. “Look at this first.”
Rong Shen leaned over and skimmed it, then chuckled coldly. “Quite ambitious.”
“What do you think?” Rong Jinghuai pinched the bridge of his nose and sipped tea. “Although the old lady still holds power at the ancestral home, the sixth branch is clearly getting impatient. You’ve been lying low all these years; it’s time to make your move, unless you plan to give up the entire Hong Kong construction market.”
“No rush,” the composed man leaned back, his deep eyes flickering with meaning. “Ambition doesn’t guarantee success.”
Rong Jinghuai squinted. “So confident?”
Though father and son, their styles differed greatly. Rong Jinghuai was aggressive and successful in business, while Rong Shen always carried an air of effortless control.
Even his own father couldn’t fully grasp how deeply rooted he was within the Rong family.
Rong Shen pulled out a cigarette box from his pocket. Meeting Rong Jinghuai’s suspicious gaze, he remained tight-lipped.
“As long as you know,” Rong Jinghuai took a cigarette, holding it as he whispered, “The so-called heir of the Rong family is basically a tough job—more like a manager working for capital rather than the owner. The family fortune is controlled by outside investors.”
Father and son lit their cigarettes without concern for others. Rong Jinghuai took a deep drag. “I’ve heard the Rong family’s assets have been heavily manipulated by capital in recent years, attracting foreign investors. Their internal shareholding has been shrinking; by the time you take over, it might just be an empty shell.”
“Won’t happen.”
The calm, quiet words slipped from Rong Shen’s lips without any intonation, yet landed with undeniable conviction.
Rong Jinghuai blinked, puzzled. “What won’t happen? Being controlled by capital or the family becoming hollow?”
Rong Shen tapped off the ash and said simply, “Neither.”
Before Rong Jinghuai could ask more, Ruan Danling appeared from the kitchen, frowning as she waved her hand. “The smoke is so thick—why are you two smoking in the living room again?”
Rong Jinghuai coughed lightly, stubbed out the cigarette, and hurriedly ushered Rong Shen into the next room.
He feared his wife.
...
Christmas passed without Rong Xian’s return. Only the four of them sat down for a sumptuous family dinner.
Afterward, night had fully fallen. Ruan Danling suggested they stay overnight, but Rong Shen skillfully declined.
Before leaving, Ruan Danling gave An Tong several boxes of expensive bird’s nest, reminding her to eat it daily.
Whether it was a trick of the mind or not, An Tong felt Ruan Auntie’s eyes lingered on her abdomen repeatedly.
At first, she thought perhaps there was a stain on her clothes, but after checking in the bathroom, found nothing amiss.
Smiling, she accepted the advice and followed Rong Shen to the car, though the gaze behind her felt like a sharp blade.
The car slowly pulled away from the garden. An Tong reached around her waist and stomach, feeling neither gain nor loss.
Then what exactly was Aunt Ruan looking at?
Such a subtle detail puzzled An Tong briefly before she dismissed it.
Back at Xiangzhang Yue Mansion, it was already half past nine.
An An lay sound asleep in the darkened living room. Though alone, the little one had servants who came regularly to care for him.
An Tong knelt by the dog’s bed, watching quietly for a moment before preparing to head upstairs when her phone vibrated in her pocket.
(The End of This Chapter)