My girlfriend is from the future!

Meanwhile, when He Tianran returned to his car, he was unaware that He Yuanchong had already gotten into a physical altercation with his biological father. If he had witnessed this, he certainly wouldn't have attended the family dinner that evening.

However, all of that is a matter for later. Right now, He Tianran still wants to confirm one thing: what exactly his mother wants to do. The message from He Panshan revealed two things. The "your business" mentioned in the message undoubtedly refers to his breakup with Cao Aiqing. And the phrase "the business between you brothers" definitely refers to the private compensation he made with He Yuanchong.

Tao Wei was the last person He Panshan wanted to know that He Yuanchong had done something reckless in private. As for her breakup with Cao Aiqing, there was absolutely no need for He Panshan to inform both brothers at the same time as he did today. Bai Wenyu only found out about her relationship status in Shanghai yesterday, and today He Panshan was calling her home. It's hard not to guess that Bai Wenyu had made things difficult for He Panshan, which led to today's incident.

But the question is, how did Bai Wenyu know about He Yuanchong's affair?
Bai Lingye?
He Tianran had already spoken privately with this pillar of the company. He Yuanchong's compensation was for a contract outside of the renewal agreement, and President Bai couldn't know about it. Even if she were stupid, she wouldn't joke about her own interests...

Actually, there were only a few people present that day. If you really had to screen them one by one, the answer wouldn't have been hard to come up with. But the most important thing is that Bai Wenyu eventually found out about this.

Tao Wei helped clean up He Yuanchong's mess, and it even involved the artist she was in charge of. With this kind of leverage, Bai Wenyu really had a hundred reasons to make a scene in front of He Panshan.

He Tianran was truly fed up with the grudges and feuds of the previous generation. He had finally managed to find some clues about the collusion between He Yuanchong and Yu Naoqiu, and he only hoped that the scene his mother made today would not ruin all the advantages he had gained.

He Tianran was uneasy because he couldn't get through to Cao Aiqing on the phone. He returned to the company at noon but couldn't concentrate on his work and just waited until 5:30 pm.

"Uncle, did my dad send you to pick me up?"

After tidying up the matters that had been delayed for several days, He Tianran left the company to go to his appointment. As soon as he arrived at the front desk, he saw his driver, Lao Hu, sitting on the sofa flipping through a magazine.

Old Hu saw He Tianran and immediately stood up, smiling:
“Yes, when Lao He gave me the order, your mother said that you recently found a driver and I wouldn’t have to bother with him anymore. But this time Lao He gave me a strict order: I must see you in person and take you back. There can be no delays.”

As he spoke, he glanced behind He Tianran and asked another question:
"Where's your driver? You've already finished get off work, didn't he wait for you?"

"What, you want to discuss driving experience with your junior?"

He Tianran laughed, and Old Hu scratched his head, then spoke frankly without any hesitation:

"Hey, what I was trying to say was, if you want to find a driver, just tell me. I have a nephew who works as an instructor at my wife's driving school. He's driven all over the roads in Beijing, Shanghai, and Hong Kong. He's more reliable than just anyone you hire."

"So he can fly a plane?"

"Wha...what?"

"Ah, I arranged for my driver to learn how to fly a helicopter, so he's not with me right now. He's not busy these days either. Uncle, I'll drive in a bit, you can sit in the back and enjoy the feeling of being the boss."

"Oh dear, hahaha, you child, you've really gone against the natural order..."

The two chatted and laughed as they walked out of the company. Old Hu ultimately didn't let him touch the steering wheel of the Rolls-Royce. After the car started, looking out at the rapidly receding city scenery, He Tianran realized the direction was straight back to Nanshan Jiadi, and couldn't help but ask:
"Uncle, aren't you going to Shanhai to pick up Yuan Chong? Or did Dad only tell you to come and pick me up?"

"Ah, I originally wanted to pick him up first, since going to Shanhai and then coming here wouldn't be a detour, but when I called him, he seemed to be in the hospital. He said he fell and needed a few stitches, and he's with his mother now. They'll be back together in a bit."

"What? You tripped and fell?"

He Tianran's mind raced.

"Yeah, oh dear, this kid is so impulsive. He's such a grown man now, he still doesn't know how to behave. He's always causing me so much worry..."

Ahead, Old Hu continued his usual rambling, while behind him, He Tianran remained calm and continued asking:

What did my dad say?

"Old He? What else could Old He say on the phone besides 'I know'? He's with your mom today... Oh, right, Old He also called Xiao Bai and Xiao Tao together today. What's he doing? Isn't he afraid they'll fight... Tsk tsk tsk."

Old Hu seemed to realize things too late, and He Tianran didn't want to delve into whether his driver, who had followed He Panshan for over ten years, was genuinely negligent or pretending to be confused. He simply gripped the back of the driver's seat, leaned forward, and leaned his head close to Old Hu's ear to get straight to the point.

"Uncle, just tell me directly, why did my dad call the two of us, my mom, and Aunt Tao back this time?"

"This...how would I know to go there..."

Old Hu chuckled, but He Tianran remained solemn and said earnestly:
"Uncle, you've practically watched me grow up since I was a baby. Ever since I can remember, you've always been by my dad's side. When my mom left this house, you drove me to the airport with her. Later, when my dad brought Aunt Tao and Yuan Chong into the family, you drove them in the same car. Let's not talk about what happens outside, but when have you ever seen the two of them together in Nanshan Jiadi? That's their home. Unless there's something really important, how could they tolerate another woman in their house?"

Uncle, Yuan Chong deliberately delayed his mother's arrival until after me. He had to fall now of all times, of all times! It's obvious this meal isn't just a simple family gathering... I know nothing... I... I didn't prepare anything..."

"Oh dear... what could possibly happen? Even though Yuan Chong is with his mother, when you go to your father's place, your mother is with you too, isn't she?"

Old Hu was driving, his expression shifty. He Tianran, of course, wouldn't let such an opportunity to get to the bottom of things slip by, and continued:
"Uncle, you asked me about the driver earlier, right? To tell you the truth, anyone can drive a car, but not everyone can protect a life... So besides driving for me, that person is also my bodyguard."

"Little Tianran, you're too sensitive. Who would dare to mess with you in Hong Kong?"

When Old Hu said this, he was still smiling, but when he glanced at He Tianran's serious and solemn expression, his smile gradually faded. He seemed to have thought of something, his brows furrowing as he said earnestly:
"What's wrong? Did something happen to you?"

He Tianran didn't answer, and the car was silent for a few seconds before Lao Hu slowly spoke:
“I…I really don’t know…why your dad called you home this time…but…”

"But what?"

"Recently... well, not recently, it's been about half a year. One day, Lao He suddenly started talking to me about making a will."

"What--?!"

He Tianran's voice suddenly rose several decibels; he almost cried out in shock, still somewhat incredulous at the mention of "will." "My dad..."

"Don't worry, your father is in very good health and doesn't have any serious or hidden illnesses..."

Driver Lao Hu first allayed He Tianran's concerns, and then said with a sigh:

"It's just that your dad is in his fifties now, and he'll be sixty in a few years. It's only natural that he should think about these things. Anyway, in your family, a will can't be made in a day or two, but if you have one, it might save you a lot of trouble. After all, you and Yuanchong are both getting on in years, and you're still brothers."

He Tianran slowly sat back down.

Making a will at fifty is not uncommon in their social class. In fact, many wealthy people set up trusts before getting married to prevent future property division in case of divorce.

However, He Panshan's desire to make a will reminded He Tianran of a series of recent events. He felt that there was some connection between them, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"Uncle Hu, does anyone else know that my dad is going to make a will?"

"Well... I don't know. If Lao He hadn't said it himself, probably no one would know. But... Xiao Tianran, don't blame Uncle Hu for saying something..."

Old Hu kept his eyes on the road ahead, drove steadily around a bend, and looked at the increasingly clear outline of the mansion in the distance.

"You say."

Old Hu pondered for a moment, then suddenly asked:

"Xiaobai has been back in China for more than half a year now, hasn't she? Why did she come back?"

"My mom came back to help me manage my agency and her business in Nanzhi Island... No, you mean, my mom knew about my dad's plan to make a will, so she came back to China and suddenly shifted her business focus to Hong Kong?"

He Tianran was startled, but Lao Hu remained noncommittal:
"I don't know about that, but there are only two people who have worked around Panshan, so it's not surprising that your mother knows."

"Two people?"

He Tianran seemed to wake from a dream, muttering to himself, and by the end, he even began to put himself in others' shoes:
"Well... my mom knows, and since Aunt Tao is now my dad's bedmate, the probability of her knowing is quite high... If she does know, she'll definitely tell He Yuanchong. Even if she doesn't have any ulterior motives, she'll at least ask her son to be more restrained in his conduct, and as for his career, he should only strive to avoid mistakes rather than seek merit..."

If I were He Yuanchong, my reaction upon hearing this news would be... I would fight! Yes, I would fight! I don't want to go back to that quagmire..."

He Tianran recalled the heart-wrenching words He Yuanchong had spoken to him at noon, and putting himself in that shoes, he overturned that conclusion:

"No, I can't compete. He Tianran's career is going smoothly, and his position is stable. If he doesn't make any mistakes, I have absolutely no chance of getting my father to add more money to my will..."

So what are my advantages? My father doesn't dislike me that much? I have a lot of good-for-nothing friends? Oh right, I have a friend named Yu Naoqiu. This woman studied psychology, and her family is a leader in the real estate industry in Lingnan. Her father was also one of the initial shareholders of Shanhai. More importantly, this woman is very ambitious, just like me. I wonder if she can help me..."

He Tianran stopped his speculation here because details that are too detailed, without supporting evidence, are bound to become too subjective and lose their rationality. Such speculations can only be called conjectures, not reasoning. Besides...

Now is not the time for him to deduce.

Because we're almost there in Nanshan Jiadi.

"Little Tianran, what were you babbling about just now? I didn't understand a word you said!"

Before arriving at the He residence, Lao Hu stopped his car on the side of the road, removed the car's dashcam, and deleted the records of the more than forty minutes of the journey.

He Tianran seemed to wake from a dream, looking completely bewildered:
"Huh? Did I say something? Ah, maybe I was just talking to myself because I was tired. It's nothing."

"I mean, you've been really busy since you started working..."

Old Hu reinstalled the car dashcam, turned around and smiled at He Tianran:
"By the way, Xiao Tianran, you're still driving that X5? I remember it was given to you by Lao He when you were in your senior year of high school. You've been driving it for so many years."

Rolls-Royce has restarted, and He Tianran did the math:
"Oh my, this... it's been ten years, and it's still running. It's been well maintained... Oh, by the way, Uncle, do you buy used cars? I'll give you my car, and you can help me get rid of it."

"Huh? Little Tianran, that's not what I meant, you..."

"Oh, I know, I know, Uncle. I really want to get a new car. That car is indeed... a bit old. How about you recommend one for me? My dad doesn't have one in his garage. I'm thinking of... buying one myself. You know what I mean?"

He Tianran leaned back in his chair and made the suggestion earnestly.

Looking in the rearview mirror at the boy who always dressed in a suit and tie to go home, Lao Hu suddenly felt a pang of emotion:

“I still remember when I took you to school, you were still wearing your school uniform. Now you’ve grown up so much.”

"Haha, why are you getting so sentimental? Give me some recommendations. Something not too flashy, not a sports car, and definitely not the Maybach that's the go-to choice for successful social media influencers. An SUV or sedan is fine, preferably a gasoline car."

Old Hu paused for a moment, then gave an answer:
"Then... let's go with Hoshi."

As he spoke, he turned back and looked at He Tianran again, confirming once more:
"Hmm, Huo Xi, suits you well, kid." (End of Chapter)