章 14: Chapter 14
"I spotted this office building from miles away. Heard it was just finished last year. Brian, you're as impressive as William always says," General Liu initiated the conversation. Brian responded with a smile, poured tea for the two guests, and then took a seat, distancing himself from William.
Quick to react, William vacated his own seat to follow Brian, settling down on a different couch. He was determined to stay by Brian's side, no matter where he moved.
"Quite a grand setup," Director Gu praised, "I noticed everyone working diligently as I walked in. You've got a good handle on things, young man."
"Our Brian is a sharp one, raking in the big bucks," William chimed in, puffing out his chest in pride. Brian didn't even spare him a glance, instead, he continued his conversation with the two leaders.
"It's an honor to have you both visit my humble company. I usually can't even dream of hosting such esteemed guests. What brings you here in the midst of your busy schedules?"
"Private matters, just private matters."
They glanced at William, who gave them a respectful bow. They sighed and muttered something about him being spineless. But he was their golden boy. Normally, they'd be dealing with military strategy and weaponry. Now, they felt like neighborhood mediator resolving a family spat.
"Yesterday, William came looking for me at the military base, and then went to Director Gu's house overnight. I heard there's been some trouble in your marriage."
"Yes," Brian confirmed, not attempting to hide the truth.
"I see. William's duties have always been intense, and his long absences have strained your relationship. That's on us. We don't have many soldiers like William - brave, bold, detail-oriented, able to complete any mission without a hitch. The army and the national security bureau assign him many tasks. This is our failure to balance his work properly," Director Gu apologized first.
Brian simply smiled faintly, his hand casually resting on his knee.
"After you two got married, he had a few months of leave after his first mission, but I called him back for training. Only with better skills can he complete more dangerous tasks. This also hindered your chance to bond. This is our fault," General Liu also began to apologize.
Brian shook his head with a smile.
"Our divorce is a personal matter, our own issue. I've already explained this to both sets of parents yesterday. It's nobody's fault, and it certainly doesn't involve the army or national security. I appreciate your concern for our private matters, but it's just that, private. There's no need for you to blame yourselves."
In other words, this was between him and William. No matter how high-ranking they were, he wasn't part of the army or national security, so they had no say in his marriage or divorce.
"That's not quite right, young man. Once you're married, he's a soldier, and your marriage becomes a military marriage. We need to inquire more about this," General Liu insisted.
Brian finally gave William a glance, a cold smile on his face.
"You're really pulling out all the stops, aren't you? What's next? Are you going to dig up your grandfather's ashes and put them in front of me if I refuse you?"
William stiffened his neck.
"As long as you don't divorce, I won't involve grandfather."
In other words, if you insist on divorcing, I'll go as far as to bring grandfather's ashes into this.
Brian clenched his teeth, suppressing the urge to pick up the crystal ashtray and hurl it.
He turned to look at the two leaders, maintaining his smile.
"Alright, since he's gone to the trouble of bringing you two here, feel free to ask your questions."
Brian picked up his phone and dialed his secretary.
"Clear my schedule for today. Arrange for lunch, dinner, and late-night snacks."
He ended the call and smiled at the two leaders.
"Gentlemen, please continue."
Go ahead, keep talking, take your time. I'll accompany you all day. That should show enough respect.
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Jade_Quill
Jade_Quill Creation is hard, cheer me up!
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