"Happyyyyy Birthdayyyyy!!!!"
Jinhai stood impassive amidst the burst of poppers and confetti raining down upon him. Needless to say, employees in the Liu Corps celebrated the birthday event more eagerly than the birthday boy himself.
Hai looked proud. "Isn't my son handsome? It's all my wife's awesome genes~"
The employees took a good look at Jinhai, then at Hai.
We beg to differ, Sir. The looks department comes all from you, they coughed.
"Ah, there he is. Liu Jinhai," One of the shareholders, Mr. Wu, grinned at them. "You have really gotten so big. Time flows so fast. You are lucky, Hai. Both of your sons are growing up so well."
"Of course, haha."
Hai then introduced Jinhai to the other shareholders as well. Everyone held smiles and grins as they gave him their wishes.
"So Liu Jinhai, you are now twenty, huh. Any thoughts about your career?" Mr. Zhang asked, sipping on his coffee.
"Become the CEO," he replied, no-nonsense and point-blank.
Mr. Zhang nearly spat inside his cup, choking in his throat. "Really? That sounds very decisive. Do you not have any other plans?"
"No."
"Come on, you young lads always love to try out new things. Don't you find business boring?"
"No."
Another shareholder, Mr. Li said, "Liu Hai has groomed you well, it seems."
"Not perfect, but he is there."
Liu Hai gasped. "I have always been a good teacher! What do you mean I wasn't perfect!?"
Jinhai said nothing in response to that.
"Ohh yes, I had ordered a cake for everyone! I completely forgot about it," he stuck out his tongue. "Lemme bring it real quick."
Jing's eyes sparkled.
Cake!
"I will come too!"
These oldies are so boring!
Jing escaped at the first chance he got, and Jinhai was left alone with the shareholders.
Mr. Zhang smiled. "Becoming the CEO seems very lucrative, isn't it? Standing at the top of the world."
"Do you want to stand at the top of the world?"
"Sorry?"
"Do you want to sit in the CEO's chair?"
His eyes widened, and he burst out into laughter. "What? No way!"
Jinhai's indifferent, deadpan gaze turned the air more stifling.
"Okay. It's good that you understand. I want peace till the time I take the reins from Dad."
Mr. Li stared at him. "I think…you are trying to insinuate something, child."
Jinhai glanced at him. "Just because I don't visit often doesn't mean I am ignorant of what's happening behind Dad's back. Don't brew troubles whose consequences you won't be able to handle."
With folded arms and a head that tilted to the side ever so lightly, it seemed as though there existed no difference of an age gap between him and the most seasoned businessmen in the room.
"I will take Dad's chair at twenty-five. Five more years to go. Let's all be…really quiet, shall we?"
Mr. Zhang smiled. "Relax, Jinhai. We are not your enemies. Would your father have worked with us for this long if we meant any harm?"
He didn't respond.
Mr. Zhang and Mr. Li soon excused themselves along with Mr. Wu and the other members.
Only Jinhai remained, perfectly content with the silence - which shattered not so long after when the door suddenly burst open. He didn't turn his head but simply darted his gaze to the side.
"Mr. Sun."
Mr. Sun, now in his fifties, was out of breath just a little. "Liu Jinhai…?"
"Yeah."
He walked with slow steps, approaching him with caution and a hint of disbelief. "Liu Jinhai."
It seemed as though his trance snapped apart pretty quickly.
"Ah…My bad. I made a mistake."
"Who were you looking at?"
"You?"
"I guess I should rephrase the question. Who were you searching for?"
"...Nobody really."
Jinhai stared at him, almost as if his gaze silently burned holes into him.
"Mr. Sun," his voice dropped a note lower. "I am Liu Jinhai, Liu Hai's son. That's the only identity you need to remember."
The change in his expression was almost instantaneous.
"I see. You are just as insufferable as your father," his jaw clenched.
"I don't care."
"You should. You must. You have no idea what all your father has stomped upon to stand where he is now."
"At least he only stomped. What's there to complain about?"
He trembled. "Don't become too arrogant. I have been serving the Liu Corps long before your father forcefully took that seat, Liu Jinhai."
"And I am saying that you should stop chasing the ghosts you served in the past. They are long gone. My dad did a pretty good job with the business. I will definitely surpass him. That's all you need to know."
"You-"
"Don't brew troubles whose consequences you won't be able to handle, Mr. Sun - or you will find yourself in the same boat as everyone else."
"Are you threatening me?" He chuckled through the ring of fury.
"Like I said, I want peace till Dad hands over the reins."
Mr. Sun could only clench his fists with a pressing indignation. He turned around in a huff and grabbed the door knob.
"Why did you mistake me for someone else?"
He paused.
Jinhai finally turned to him properly. "Do I really resemble someone that much?"
Mr. Sun turned, his gaze peering into his eyes. It seemed as though he was giving it a long thought.
"Someone used to sit in that chair a long time ago. Same chair. Same posture. Same eyes staring into the other as if they would skin them alive. When I was passing by, I just couldn't help but think-"
"Think what?" Hai entered, holding a big cake box in his hands. "What naughty stuff are you talking to my son, Sun?"
"Nothing."
Hai blinked twice, the grin on his lips intact. "Good, good! It's my cute son's birthday todayyy! We don't have a place for unnecessary topics to discuss~"
Mr. Sun's blaring glares were too evident to ignore, but Hai ignored it anyway.
"Let's cut cakeee! Sun, you will join us too, right?"
"...I have some work. You enjoy."
Hai pouted as he left and looked back at Jinhai. "Such a party pooper!"
Jinhai's slightly squinted eyes were fixed at him. "Why have you still kept these people by your side?"
