497 Looking Forward (1/2)
If one had to describe Darren's relationship with his father, it would be worded as amiable, peaceful, close, and yet a little strained. Although Darren respected his father, this respect was completely different than the one he had for Francesca. And there was no need to say that even his father was aware of this fact.
”Did you meet your brother?” His father began making Darren's brows twitch slightly. ”Xiao Jin had been in the same city for a while now. Didn't he across you? Or you both had been avoiding each other again?”
Darren took a moment to reply, ”I didn't know he had been in the An City. And why would I avoid him?”
His father, Zhou Xichen took a deep breath as he said, ”Are you both really going to play this game?”
”Who said we are playing a game?” wondered Darren. ”We just don't talk anymore Like we used to do. I guess we grew up and grew apart as well.”
”I can't believe both of my sons take me for a fool. Do you really think that I'd believe this 'we grew apart' crap? Something definitely happened between you both but neither of you is willing to say anything about it.” Zhou Xichen was frustrated. He had heard this reply from both his sons for so long that it had gotten on his nerve now!
Either it was Zhou Jinhai as an elder brother or Darren as a younger brother, they always had been as close as real brothers even though they didn't share the same mother. They never even argued. Never had any squabbles about inheritance. After all, Darren never wanted to take anything from his father and Zhou Jinhai wanted to present the whole world to his brother even at the cost of angering his own mother.
This was the reason why Zhou Xichen was unable to understand why they both were unwilling to talk about each other much less talk to each other now. What created this rift between them?
”If we don't want to talk about it, why are you insisting on making us talk?”
”Because as a father, I deserve to know what's going on between my own sons.”
”I really don't think it concerns you though,” said Darren soberly. ”It's between him and me.”
”But it does concern me!” Zhou Xichen's voice turned sharp and he ended up coughing. Darren sprang up to his feet and offered him water while rubbing his back soothingly. After his coughing seized did he continue, ”You both are the reason my health is deteriorating.”
”Me included? What did I do?” Darren grumbled unhappily.
”Did you hear that Xiao Jin refused to inherit the family business?” Darren's brows quirked up perplexingly.
”Huh? But a few months ago, I heard that he was officially the new chairman of the Zhou Empires.”