Call me Grandpa

During the lunch break, Xinyi decided to have it alone after going through such a rollercoaster ride during her presentation. She wanted some time for herself to calm down.

Zizi apologized to her on behalf of Han Huizhong, thinking that she would have felt bad as he had asked that question, but Xinyi shook her head.

"No, no. Don't apologize. He was right."

Outside, she sat on the bench under a tree and exhaled.

"Ah, it's finally over…"

She heard Han Huizhong's voice. "It will never be over until you change yourself."

Xinyi jolted and looked behind. "S-Sir…"

She would always be nervous around people, and Han Huizhong was an important figure. The nervousness doubled inside her.

She quickly got up, but he waved his hand to sit. Instead, Han Huizhong sat beside her. He peeked at her lunchbox and felt hungry himself. The food seemed delicious.

"You cooked it?"

"Yes."

"I see."

Xinyi paused and softly asked, "D-Do you want some?"

He raised his brow. "I know you must be angry at me, right? Then why are you offering me?"

Xinyi blinked her eyes. "Why should I be angry?" She pursed her lips. "I know...I am a little timid. My brother says the same thing. I also understand that you didn't ask me out of mockery like my...other classmates did. I-I was scared a bit by your question, but I am not angry."

Han Huizhong felt proud of himself that he came to meet her. When he saw her on the bench as he was on his way to meet Zhiyuan, something compelled him to talk to her.

"Then are you angry at your classmates?"

"That…We are not close or are friends so it's understandable-"

"Hooo. So you mean to say you don't want to destroy them?"

Xinyi widened her eyes. "D-Destroy is too much…"

He chuckled. "No, it's not. Listen up, young lady. You don't look away from anybody. You never do that. You stare right into their eyes and threaten them with your confidence until they cannot even bear to stay in the same room with you."

Threatening and me?

Xinyi quickly said, "I cannot do that."

He sneered. "That's why you are pathetic, and I don't like you."

Xinyi stiffened and lowered her head in disappointment.

He snorted. "Tons of people pull you down all the time. What happened today in the class doesn't even qualify as humiliation. That is not an insult. You have no idea how far people can go to drag somebody down and laugh at them. And every time you cannot look as if you will cry and stare at the wall instead."

Xinyi flushed in embarrassment.

Han Huizhong narrowed his eyes. "When someone mocks you, don't avert your eyes. Look at them. Mock them back. Sneer at their existence. Humiliate them. Crush them like an ant under your feet and…" he chuckled sinisterly, "completely destroy their self-esteem until they could never stand back. A single gaze is just as powerful as razor-sharp words."

Xinyi now understood why people called him a demon. Even his words alone were so cold and merciless.

But she had to admit that she was mesmerized by his confidence and tone. He talked and acted like how a true CEO should be.

She softly smiled. "Thank you. I will keep your words in mind."

Han Huizhong shrugged and took a prawn piece from her lunch box.

"Hm. Delicious indeed."

He got up and sneered. "Enjoy your lonely lunch."

"..."

As he left, he realized he forgot to ask her how she met Zizi. He was curious to know how she became friends with somebody as spoiled as her.

As Han Huizhong turned his way, he stopped in his steps. He observed that Xinyi was quietly staring at somebody. When he tracked her gaze, he saw the man she was looking at.

His grandson, Han Zhiyuan. There was a woman beside him with who he was laughing.

An Caihong.

A dangerous aura loomed around him as he saw them together.

When he looked back at Xinyi, he was taken aback in shock because he instantly realized what the situation was.

Han Huizhong watched her in a trance. Xinyi's gaze was fixed at them. A small but painful smile gently stretched her lips.

She loves him. She loves Zhiyuan.

At that time, he felt as if he heard a loud shattering sound in his mind. The image he held for Xinyi broke apart.

He realized his error in judgment.

Xinyi wasn't weak at all.

It took just one look at her to know that.

She loved him. But he loved somebody else. She already realized the fruitlessness of her love, yet there wasn't even a trace of malice in her eyes. There was sadness for her one-sided feelings, but there was happiness as well.

Because Zhiyuan was laughing even if the woman beside him wasn't her.

It shone through her eyes how she genuinely meant Zhiyuan's happiness even if it didn't lie with her.

It was hurting her to look at them, yet she was genuinely smiling at them as if wishing them to stay together, and that took incredible courage.

Han Huizhong's heart shook for the first time.

That's when he realized how strong she was because, for all he knew, he only met scheming people in his life, like Han Guang who slept with Han Mingli to make him marry out of responsibility.

He didn't meet anyone until now who knew how to let go instead of snatching that they couldn't achieve.

The assistant came rushing to his side. "Sir, I was looking for you everywhere. Don't you want to meet young master Zhiyuan?"

"Not anymore."

"Why not?"

Han Huizhong smiled. "Because I met the person I wanted to."

---

A year later, Xinyi stepped into Han Huizhong's office. Last night, she had suddenly received a call from him to meet him at his office tomorrow.

Xinyi was stunned. They hadn't met again after that time in college. So, his sudden call baffled her.

As Xinyi nervously stood in front of him, she said, "Sir, I am here."

Han Huizhong smiled. "Don't call me Sir anymore."

"Sorry?"

"Call me Grandpa," and he slid some papers in front of her.

Xinyi was confused. "What are these?"

"Your marriage registration papers with Zhiyuan."