My girlfriend is from the future!

Nanshan Jiadi.

Uncle Hu's car circled the circular fountain at the entrance and came to a steady stop at the foot of the stone steps of the main house.

He Tianran got out of the car, and the evening breeze carried a coolness unique to the mountaintop, which made him shiver.

He looked up at the mansion perched halfway up the mountain, overlooking most of the city's night view. If he hadn't heard from Uncle Hu about his father's plan to make a will, things would have been fine. But now that he knew, looking at this opulent residence that held so many childhood memories, He Tianran wondered how it could possibly be called a "home"...

It's clearly just a "film set" that looks glamorous on the outside but is full of backstabbing and intrigue on the inside.

And I, unsurprisingly, will become one of the "stars" tonight.

With these thoughts in mind, He Tianran stood at his door. The two Jiangshan purple copper doors opened automatically. He stepped inside, walked around the floor-to-ceiling ink-wash marble screen wall, and his figure disappeared completely.

……

It was the dead of winter, and the mountaintop was even colder, making it unsuitable for gatherings in the open courtyard.

Tonight's family dinner will be held in He Panshan's side hall.

The huge floor-to-ceiling windows blocked out the night wind from the mountaintop, while the dazzling lights of thousands of homes outside silently illuminated the silence inside.

He Panshan's reflection, his brows furrowed, appeared above the bustling scene in front of the window. He heard the sound of a door opening, and a man who looked somewhat similar to him but appeared younger pushed the door open and entered.

The two men's gazes met for a moment in the reflection of the window.

"..."

He Tianran stood at the door, opened his mouth, but ultimately made no sound.

He Panshan raised his wrist and glanced at his watch. There was still half an hour before the agreed-upon time for the banquet.

"You're early."

"...Yes, I came over right after get off work."

"Sit down first."

"it is good."

The two men exchanged a few words at a distance. He Panshan didn't turn around, and He Tianran didn't immediately call out "Dad."

But the father and son seemed to have gotten used to this way of communicating in private and never felt that there was anything wrong with it.

"...Where's my mom?"

It seems that when Chinese fathers and sons are alone, before discussing business or daily life, the son's first question is always to ask for his mother. He Tianran was no exception after he sat down. He didn't really care where Bai Wenyu was; she would show up after the banquet started. But in this situation, he always felt the need for such a question to begin their conversation...

"I'm feeding the fish in the courtyard with Sister Wang. I'll probably be here soon."

He Panshan gave a brief explanation, turned around, took out a box of tea from a cabinet on the side, then walked to the sofa opposite He Tianran, sat down, pressed the button on the tea cabinet between the two of them, and started boiling water to brew tea.

"The incense is with you," he told his son.

Upon hearing this, He Tianran bent down, opened the cabinet, took out a dark brown lychee incense stick, picked up the lighter next to him, and lit it with a "whoosh".

The orange flame reflected in his calm eyes and cast a flickering spot of light in his father's teacup across from him.

He Tianran lit the incense and watched as the tip turned from black to red, and then from a bright flame to a wisp of smoke. The smoke initially rose straight up and then drifted away, but as he placed it in the incense burner, the wisp of smoke split into two as it rose, and the unique, slightly sweet, caramelized aroma of lychee wood filled the air.

“Our house has a very good magnetic field. When I light incense, the incense sticks always rise straight up into the sky.”

He Panshan glanced at the shape of the wisp of smoke and then opened the tea packaging.

"So, is there any particular reason for mine?"

“If your grandfather were still alive, he might be able to explain things. When he told me these things back then, I didn’t have the patience to listen. Now that you’re asking me, all I can say is that you’re a top student, but you’ve wasted your time learning math, physics, and chemistry.”

Although He Panshan is very assertive as both a father and a boss, he has one good point: he never pretends to know what he doesn't know in order to maintain his authority and save face, even if it is his son who is asking the question.

"laugh--"

The sound of boiling water being poured into the purple clay teapot rang out, and He Panshan raised his hand to wash the cup, his movements unhurried and deliberate.

"Did you have a good time in Shanghai these past few days?"

He Tianran lowered his eyelids slightly, looking at the two forked wisps of green smoke, his mind clear as a mirror.

"It's alright, it's just work."

The son responded calmly.

"A job worth ten million..."

He Panshan poured out the first brew of tea, his voice flat, making it impossible to tell whether he was praising or mocking:

"Spending tens of millions for a 'brand ambassador'? Kid, your generosity really impresses me. Thinking back, two years ago you came to me and put in a lot of effort for a ten million investment. Now, wow, you just give it away like that. You're so generous."

"It was a publicity stunt, and the subsequent commercial returns far exceeded that amount. My mother was also present at the time, and she approved of it."

He Tianran explained it flawlessly.

"Repay?"

He Panshan finally raised his eyes, his eyes, filled with the storms of half a lifetime, staring directly at his son:

"I just saw some things online, like a company executive preparing for an IPO creating a CP (couple pairing) with his female artist on the red carpet, and staging a 'fight for love' moment at an auction... Natural, is this the 'reward' you wanted?"

He Tianran fell silent. If he had come here in such a muddled way today, he would probably be using some market value and Wen Liang's now dozens of times increased salary to prove that he was right in business.

But he now knows something deeper: what his father cares about isn't the ten million, but "stability."

Especially at this critical juncture of making a will, He Tianran, as the eldest son and the future heir of the Shanhai Group, even if his current actions can be attributed to youthful arrogance, what about the future?

Would you allow someone who is prone to womanizing, plagued by negative news, and extremely unstable to influence and manipulate the future trajectory of a group and hundreds of billions of dollars?
A father's admonitions and tests are never grandstanding; they are always hidden in the most ordinary questions.

"Dad, I understand. I won't do it again."

He Tianran did not choose to resist this time, or rather, the "writer" did not choose to resist. Even though he didn't care at all who would inherit He Panshan's property, he believed that even without the intervention of Shanhai Capital, he could still make his business thrive year by year, step by step, through his own abilities.

But he couldn't do that, much less say it, because that would seem very narrow-minded.

Although, among the three personalities, the "writer" is the one least sure how to be a good son...

But as he had set for himself, he would not make any major decisions for the original owner of this body until his condition improved. Moreover, since the original He Tianran was able to persuade He Panshan to invest in his dream and did not choose to turn against his family, it meant that he must have made a choice between family and career. He had spent a lot of effort to get to this good day. Therefore, the "writer" who already felt that his life was a failure could not destroy himself in this world, after all he had worked so hard to accumulate.

His son's unequivocal compromise surprised He Panshan. After a moment of contemplation, he decided to get straight to the point and ask the key question that had led him to the meeting:
"And what about you and Ai Qing? You spend ten million to promote an artist, but then you turn around and tell your mother that you and Ai Qing broke up?"

really……

He Panshan really found out about this.

Without a doubt, his mother must have told him this after returning to Hong Kong.

He Tianran's breathing faltered slightly. The air in the side room seemed to have been sucked out at that moment. The two wisps of smoke that split apart were swayed by the breeze from the air conditioner, just like his current predicament.

His plan to use a "fake breakup" to lull Yu Naoqiu into a false sense of security and protect Cao Aiqing, in the face of his parents' absolute authority and the premise of choosing a family heir, actually revealed his extreme instability as the first in line to inherit the family business...

"..."

But it doesn't matter, these are not decisive factors.

He Tianran took a deep breath and was about to answer when another door in the side hall, the glass door connecting to the courtyard, slid open silently.

Bai Wenyu walked in.

She still carried the chill of the outside air, wearing a champagne-colored silk dress over a matching cashmere shawl. She didn't even look at He Tianran, walking straight to He Panshan's side and sitting down with impeccable grace. "Finished feeding the fish?"

"Hmm, where were you guys in your conversation?"

The father asked softly, and the mother responded casually while adjusting her clothes.

"We were just talking about why this guy broke up with his girlfriend."

Bai Wenyu nodded, finally turning his gaze to He Tianran across from him.

"Tianran, answer him, what's going on between you and Ai Qing?"

This "three-way trial" was faster and more deadly than He Tianran had anticipated.

He came here to act, but now, his own mother has forced him into the dock.

Is he going to brazenly tell He Panshan, "I suspect my brother is plotting against me, and he's driven me to the point of having a split personality. I'm investigating this matter. I suspect he's colluding with Yu Naoqiu to covet our He family's property, but I can't produce any evidence right now. But Mom and Dad, you're right to believe this mentally ill person's nonsense?"
He couldn't tell the truth. If he admitted to a "fake breakup," his plan to "win over" Yu Naoqiu would be completely exposed, and his connection with Yu Naoqiu would probably be cut off immediately...

Now that things have come to this, he has no choice but to keep going.

"mom."

He Tianran took a deep breath and put on the mask that belonged to the "writer," which was originally cold and almost harsh.

“This is my private matter, and I don’t think it’s necessary to discuss it with you.”

"Private matter?"

Bai Wenyu laughed. She had just picked up the tea that He Panshan had just brewed, but before she could even taste it, she slammed it down with a loud, jarring sound.

"Tianran, do you... still think of yourself as a child?"

She lowered her voice, releasing the same imposing aura she exuded at the Shanghai auction.

“What did Ai Qing do to wrong you? Just because of her, you waited for three years? Your father and I have witnessed her abilities, knowledge, and character firsthand. Didn’t you two truly love each other? She…”

"She's so wonderful—!!"

He Tianran now understands her mother's good intentions. Even though He Panshan was present, there were some things she couldn't say openly. However, for a future heir of a group, having an excellent spouse would undoubtedly make the family more prosperous and stable in the future. And if the two of them happened to be in love, that would be the best outcome for people like them.

However, He Tianran's roar interrupted his mother's incessant chatter, plunging the entire side hall into deathly silence once more.

He didn't look at Bai Wenyu, nor at He Panshan; his gaze was fixed on the two wisps of smoke that were entangled in front of him.

"She's too good, so good that... I... don't know how to face her."

Not knowing how to face it is the only shield that the "writer" can raise at this moment.

He has always been honest on this issue.

"you--"

Bai Wenyu was trembling with anger. She pointed at He Tianran, unable to utter a single word.

He Panshan was still boiling water, the steam blurring his expressionless face.

“Fine… fine, ‘I don’t know how to face it’…” Bai Wenyu laughed angrily. “Tianran, when it comes to feelings, there are no yeses or nos, no ambiguities. If it is, it is; if it is, it is. If it is, it is. Your mother no longer expects her son to become a dragon, but I still hope that you can at least act like a man in this matter.”

She suddenly turned towards the foyer and called out, "Sister Wang, please invite Miss Cao in."

He Tianran's pupils suddenly contracted.

He...she brought Cao Aiqing along too?

The man's mind went completely blank for a moment.

It’s over.

All his plans, the "fake breakup" he orchestrated to protect Cao Aiqing, the "opportunistic move" he intended to use against Yu Naoqiu...

At that moment, his mother, who had "done good things but did bad things," slapped him to pieces!
He Tianran's script tonight is for Yu Naoqiu, who is uninvolved. He Panshan's silence is the best proof. This father has never had any requirements for his son's spouse. As long as he likes someone, that's fine. After all, he is not old yet, and his son is young.

But Bai Wenyu is different, and so is her mother. She has known Cao Aiqing for too long, or rather, Cao Aiqing has done too well. As for this future mother-in-law, she can't tolerate anyone else around her son. But now, the "leading lady" that He Tianran least wanted to be involved in this storm has been forcibly pushed onto this damned "set" by her mother!
Footsteps sounded outside the door, and Cao Aiqing appeared at the entrance of the side hall.

She wore an elegant off-white cashmere dress, her long hair flowing smoothly over her shoulders, and she wore only light makeup, making her appear gentle and serene.

The girl stood there, at the entrance to the He family's side hall, right in the eye of the storm.

When Cao Aiqing saw He Tianran on the sofa, a clear look of confusion and...helplessness flashed in her usually gentle and warm eyes.

Clearly, she was unaware of the situation tonight. She only knew that He Tianran was planning everything, but she was kept in the dark and forced to stay here by Bai Wenyu, who had meant well but ended up doing something wrong.

"Uncle He...Aunt Bai..."

Cao Aiqing's voice trembled slightly, almost imperceptibly. She didn't look at He Tianran, but simply bowed politely to the two elders.

"Ai Qing, come, sit here with me."

Bai Wenyu immediately beckoned and affectionately pulled her to sit beside her. Her gesture was undoubtedly a declaration to everyone that this was the only daughter-in-law Bai Wenyu acknowledged.

The situation in the side hall instantly became incredibly strange.

He Tianran and Cao Aiqing, the "accomplices" in this "fake breakup," are now forced to play the roles of "heartless man" and "victim" across the coffee table.

Before He Tianran could speak, footsteps sounded again at the door, but even before the footsteps reached his ears, he heard a sob approaching and a man comforting him...

"Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu"

"Okay, Mom, don't cry, I'm fine..."

"Yes, Aunt Tao, Yuan Chong only needed a few stitches, and the doctor said he's fine..."

The four people in the side hall all paused and turned their gazes toward the door.

The door was pushed open again.

The first person to come into view was Tao Wei. Tonight, she was unusual; she wasn't wearing gold or silver jewelry, but rather a simple dark suit. Her face was bare of makeup, her eyes were red, and she was clutching a handkerchief as she pushed open the door.

Then, what came into view was He Yuanchong's weak face. His face was as pale as paper, his lips were cracked, and a conspicuous white gauze wrapped around his forehead, stained with a few drops of blood. He was wearing a hospital gown with only a loose coat over it. He was swaying precariously, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

He Tianran's gaze lingered on his brother's bleeding wound for half a second before shifting to the woman supporting him, her face displaying "just the right amount of worry and anxiety."

Yu Naoqiu.

She was dressed very "appropriately" tonight, her hair neatly pulled back, and her face, which always carried a shrewd and calculating air, was now filled with concern for her "friend" and a hint of "fear and unease" at having intruded into someone else's business.

However, she was taken aback when she entered the room and saw this bizarre scene of "three people being interrogated".

When her gaze fell upon Cao Aiqing, who was sitting calmly next to Bai Wenyu...

A flicker of something she couldn't even hide flashed in those beautiful eyes—

accident.

He Tianran caught it.

He knew that in Yu Naoqiu's script, the character Cao Aiqing should have been betrayed by him, this "scumbag," and "left the game" with resentment in her own apartment that time.

But now, Cao Aiqing, this "outsider," has not only returned to the He family, but is also sitting next to Bai Wenyu, the "mother-in-law."

Yu Naoqiu's shock also confirmed He Tianran's final guess—

He Yuanchong's performance today was indeed directed by her. (End of Chapter)