The Beautiful Boss's Personal Bodyguard
Chapter 252

Chapter 252: 252

Ye Tian found a stool and sat down across the table, facing Tang Guoqing. He seemed so composed and at ease, as if the person sitting in front of him was just an unimportant figure.

"You don’t have to keep placing the folder in front of yourself every time. If you really don’t want to talk to me, you didn’t have to call me here."

Looking at Tang Guoqing buried in his documents, Ye Tian felt for the first time the hypocrisy and fragility in this man’s heart. Only by burying himself in papers could he avoid the outside world and its people; in his view, everyone out there was either out to use him or harm him, including his own daughter.

Tang Guoqing didn’t raise his head, his pen still scrawling on the paper, "By what right do you marry my daughter?"

This sudden question caught Ye Tian off guard.

"I’m asking you, what justifies you marrying my daughter. Don’t talk to me about love, I don’t believe it. The hardships you’ve faced, you don’t have to tell me, I know they’re not less than the sands on the beach, but I don’t care about that. What does your past have to do with me? I’m the sort of person who only looks at outcomes, not processes. All those clichés about participation being key are just comforting nonsense for the losers. Losing is losing; what’s there to be comforted about? I feel embarrassed for those who don’t just step aside and keep to themselves!"

As he spoke, Tang Guoqing’s face remained buried in the pile of documents, not granting Ye Tian even a sidelong glance.

"Susu followed you at her lowest point. As far as I know, you had just been driven out of Huaizhou, being called a lost dog wouldn’t be an exaggeration. You had nothing to your name, penniless, surviving only by taking a job as a security guard. If you think your current achievements come from so-called effort and perseverance, then I can only say you’re slightly more impressive waste. What, you disagree?"

Tang Guoqing put the corrected document to one side and glanced at Ye Tian, seeing him with a tight face and silent, he asked.

Ye Tian shook his head, "No."

"It’s not your place to disagree. People like you, I’ve seen plenty—petty creatures from the lower classes, full of resentment and complaints, as if the world is conspiring against you. The truth is, the world has no idea who you are. And you still have the audacity to talk to me about freedom and love. I’ve never been against the match of equal social standing; the old traditions from our ancestors still have their uses. You can go. If you two want to get married, then marry, the household registration book is here, just be sure to put it back when you’re done."

The red household registration book was thrown onto the table by Tang Guoqing, and Ye Tian looked at the red color as if it were alms.

Ye Tian reached out and picked up the household registration book. Tang Guoqing snorted coldly, saying nothing. As Ye Tian flipped through the pages, he saw Tang Su’s mother’s page, Jie Zihuan, an elegant name still quietly listed in the Tang Family’s household registration book.

"I heard from Susu that Mrs. Jie passed away early, it was all you raising her. But it seems like the relationship between father and daughter has always been not so good."

Unperturbed, Tang Guoqing’s pen continued to flow smoothly on the paper, "What, starting with the pitiful act now? This is how those third-rate TV soap operas play out. If I were you, I’d rather keep silent than make such a low-level mistake. Is this how Zuo Zhengyang taught you?"

A politician’s rigorous style and terrifying insight and logical thinking always kept him highly alert.

Ye Tian looked at Huaizhou as he bowed his head, and said somberly, "If a man cannot bring happiness to his wife, I think he has no right to decide his daughter’s happiness either. Because he is not only failing as a husband but also likely failing as a father. The one who is unqualified is you!"

Tang Guoqing’s pen tip noticeably wavered for a moment, leaving a black scratch on the white paper.

That woman was the pain that had entangled him for half his life, unforgettable and inseparable. He thought he had finally managed to forget and had developed resistance, but now, when Ye Tian brought her up, he realized he still couldn’t let go of that woman.

"Happiness is not something external things can give. If that was the case, there wouldn’t be so many rich people drowning their sorrows in alcohol. If we were to discuss happiness, you would certainly think I’m quite unsuccessful, but if you lack even this basic common sense, then I must say you’re being too irresponsible as a father."

Tang Guoqing across from him put down his pen, leaned back in his chair, and stared at Ye Tian with squinted eyes, which indicated that he was seriously analyzing the situation.

Indeed, things have changed. Looking at the vibrance and spirit in Ye Tian’s eyes, where was the ruffian look he had before? However, it seems like the ruffian from back then also faced him with the same kind of eye contact, and the innate arrogance hadn’t been worn away. This was somewhat surprising to Tang Guoqing.

"I would like to invite you to our wedding," Ye Tian said firmly, making direct eye contact with Tang Guoqing, enunciating each word clearly as if worried he might miss any of them, "I don’t want her to be without a mother at her wedding and also without a father. This is the least amount of respect a father could give to his daughter."

Holding the household register, Ye Tian pushed the door ready to leave, but then turned back, took out a piece of red cloth from his pocket and placed it on the table, "Susu sends this to you. She said, it’s the same as your zodiac sign."

After the study room’s door was closed, Tang Guoqing unfolded the red cloth, and a milky white Nephrite Jade appeared in his hand, with the image of a lively and jumping horse vividly captured.

"How did it go with him? Don’t tell me you were scolded away?"

A hand rested on Ye Tian’s leg, gently caressing, like a child seeking affection.

Ye Tian turned to look at Tang Su beside him, smiling faintly, while also placing his hand on hers, "He’s coming back. After all, you’re still his only daughter. Not for my sake, but for yours."

Ahead was a red light, and Ye Tian watched the cars ahead gradually slowing down his speed.

"Ye Tian, if I told you I once loved a man, and had a deep relationship with him, would you still love me?"

A straightforward question, akin to a needle prick.

Turning to look at Tang Su, she was gazing out the window, wondering if her words were directed at herself or the glass.

The car window reflected a lovely face, eyes filled with indifference, brimming with a hollowness that saw through all world’s affairs. Ye Tian extended a hand and placed it on her long-haired head, caressing her smooth hair and said softly, "Susu, I’ve heard someone say, a woman, and a psychologist at that. She said that a woman, especially around the age of twenty, should have fallen head over heels in love with someone, even if that person was terrible, as long as she truly loved that person. Why? Because it’s only in the throes of mad love that one can see the truths behind love, and then reserve for her future marriage some rare and wise insights into life. In the long river of time, everyone is bound to become a passerby, but among those who pass through this river, some stay longer, some shorter. Susu, I should thank you for saving the true wisdom for our marriage."