Behind The Red Curtain | YiZhan ✓

57-The Security He Needed (Part 1/3)

"The way of human evolution is adapting. It does not require one to forget about the past, but to consume it so it may not harm you once more. Think of life as a repetitive cycle. You may get over an obstacle now, but a new one will come to you in just a matter of time. To face it, you have to have beaten the first one. Otherwise, you will keep pushing them until they build up in front of you and can't see the distance you wanted to reach. That is how a business man is supposed to act in order to see a clear view of his goals. And goals define the future. Which, i'm sure that you would know about, mister Zhou." 

Duyi furrowed his brows. "...Right." Deming continued, unbothered. "I'm simply doing what i must as a father to show that to my son. He has gone long enough without my clearance, so he stays weak." 

"So you want to take him away to manage him on your own. I must simply disagree. By doing so, you are not only taking his freedom of thought away, but not letting him have the independence every one of us has. But even then, i doubt you'd be affecting him much. He is not young you know." 

Deming hummed, giving him an odd look. "And you think you have raised him well? He has been under your supervision since before he was twenty. That is longer than i have looked after him. Yet... the results seem to offend." Duyi frowned, annoyed. "You know i have taken full responsibility for mistakes i've-" 

"As you should. You not only failed to keep my son safe from your lowly brother, instead letting him run havoc when you should've realised his bad intentions before anyone else,- but have also failed to be a good businessman, going as low as to give yourself up for a crime you haven't committed. It's my right to question such inefficiency as, you are not fit enough to be a good leader. Showing weakness in the times of need... now, that really is not a good image." 

Duyi thought for a bit, feeling belittled yet also angry. "So what? Is that supposed to be a threat?" Deming chuckled. "A threat? You haven't seen me threaten yet mister Zhou. And i'm sure you wouldn't want to see it. Because if i wanted to, then i would've come to you with the proof of your bankruptcy records in 2017, and how you embezzled all that money from that man you made get sentenced to prison. What was his name... Xin.. She-" 

Duyi loudly slammed the table, standing up. "That is enough. How dare you come to my company that i have built with my own hands, and tell me how to do my job? You are nothing but a simple writer. You are nothing without the loss of interest of the masses." 

Deming hummed, calm as ever. "You are not wrong. But that will never happen." He then stood up as well and leaned his arms on the table, his gaze closing in on Duyi's face. "Because unlike the likes of you, i am good at my job. I always know what everyone's best of interest is. My stories will never falter like your reputation would. Just a word out and it'd be enough to get that board of yours to question your dignity." 

Duyi sighed, shaking his head. "So you just want your son?" Deming smiled. "You got that right. The sooner you let him out the better-" 

"Give me a week." Deming glared at him with unknown thoughts before giving him a smile. "Take two weeks." Duyi raised his brows. Was he planning something else? He had just said to do it sooner than later, but had ended up giving him more time than he'd needed. "What's with the skeptical look? You won't take it? Well then, i suppose i can narrow it to two days time-" 

"No. I'll take it. You'll have your son at the end of two weeks." Deming hummed. "That should be it. Don't loose your mind though." 

With that, the meeting had finally come to a halt. As soon as he left, Duyi took his phone out and dial'ed it to a number. "Come to my office now. I need to check the recent activities in the back market- ........ i know we did- but people can still get their hands on-... right, right. I'll be waiting."