Chapter 20: You're not getting any younger; it's time to get married

At dusk, Lin Haoran leisurely stepped across the threshold of the Lin family villa once again.

Currently, he did not have much work to do; simply keeping an eye on two stocks, Kowloon Warehouse and Qingzhou English China, was sufficient. Therefore, there was no urgent reason to seek opportunities elsewhere.

As for the Huafeng Cement Plant, Lin Haoran did not want to worry about it for the time being. Once he secured Qingzhou English China, the cement plant would truly amount to nothing.

Moreover, living in this spacious and elegant villa, enjoying unprecedented comfort and tranquility, was an indescribable pleasure. The luxury and freedom he had longed for countless times in his previous life but had never personally experienced were now within his reach.

In such an environment, how could he easily abandon this hard-won comfort to throw himself back into the crowded and noisy high-rises? Clearly, the wisest decision was to remain in the villa and enjoy this hard-earned peace and luxury.

After dinner, Lin Haoran rarely sat with his mother in the first-floor hall to watch television, chatting about amusing stories from his childhood. Since his father had social engagements to attend to tonight, the atmosphere at the dinner table was somewhat more tranquil.

"Haoran, you have reached the age to establish a family and a career. It is time to consider getting a wife. Your elder brother was already engaged at your age. I heard that the third young lady of the Guo family has just returned from studying in the UK; she is both talented and beautiful. I think you two could find an opportunity to get to know each other. Perhaps there might be a good match," his mother said earnestly.

As Lin Wan'an's partner, Lin's mother had naturally integrated into high-society social circles. Surrounded by socialites of similar prominent status, the people she met were almost exclusively the wealthy and powerful.

"My, that was a quick subject change. I'm being pressured to marry in the blink of an eye," Lin Haoran muttered to himself. He had been immersed in the joy of his comfortable life in the big villa, and now he found himself caught between laughter and tears.

Looking at his mother's expectant gaze, he felt both warmth and a sense of helplessness. For a fleeting moment, he actually felt the urge to flee the scene.

However, deep down, Lin Haoran harbored a resistance to marriage. After all, he was only 24—still young. He knew that with his current identity and status, getting married would not be difficult; it could even be described as effortless. But to him, marriage meant sacrificing an entire forest for a single tree, a choice he was unwilling to make.

Based on his mother's words, this third lady of the Guo family must also be a child of a wealthy clan. The power standing behind her might even be stronger than the Lin family. If he married such a woman and she turned out to be too domineering, using her family to threaten him, what would become of his life?

At that moment, shadows of famous actresses from his previous life flashed through his mind: the gentleness of Wen Biyu, the intelligence of Guan Jiahui, the glamour of Zhong Chuhong, the purity of Zhou Huimin...

Since fate was so wondrous as to allow him to travel to this time and space filled with opportunities and challenges, if he could not use this chance to cross paths with the actresses he knew from his past life, would he not be wasting this rare opportunity and making this journey of transmigration dull and meaningless?

He enjoyed a life of freedom and unconstraint; he did not wish to be shackled by the chains of marriage, nor did he want to miss out on future possibilities due to a momentary impulse. Therefore, despite his mother's pressure, he remained calm and rational, secretly calculating how to handle the situation tactfully.

Soon, Lin Haoran came up with a response. With a gentle smile on his lips, he looked at his mother and said slowly, "Mommy, you know me best. I have always been someone with my own life plan. I am still young, and this is the golden period for me to pour all my efforts into my career and broaden my horizons. I really don't want to enter the 'fortress of marriage' too early and let responsibilities and constraints limit my pace.

Please believe me, I know my direction and I know when to take each step. If you truly long to enjoy the joys of family life, isn't your precious grandson from Brother's house right here? You can invite him over more often to share warm moments with his grandmother. As for me, Mommy, please don't worry too much. With my qualifications, if I truly wanted to get married, there would probably be a long line of girls stretching from Mong Kok to Tsim Sha Tsui."

"Mommy knows your character and who you are, and she knows the situation you and your brother are facing. You both came from my womb; you are both the flesh and blood of my heart. Your brother is much older than you and has accumulated extensive connections and experience in the Hong Kong business community, so I have no need to worry about him.

However, it is precisely because I am so at ease with your brother that I worry about you even more. You have just returned from the UK and have just stepped out of school into society. I worry about the hardships you will face alone and fear you will encounter setbacks. If you could form a bond with the Guo family and become their son-in-law, it would undoubtedly add much support to your future path and allow you to avoid unnecessary detours. Mommy's intentions are all for your own good!" his mother said earnestly.

To her, her eldest son and two daughters were all married; now, only this youngest son remained unmarried. Naturally, she hoped Lin Haoran could find a good wife as soon as possible.

How could Lin Haoran not understand the deeper meaning behind his mother's words? He smiled slightly and said to her, "Mommy, please rest easy. I am very aware of my own abilities and potential. I don't need to rely on anyone's help, including a future partner. I believe that through my own hard work and talent, I will surely carve out a place for myself in the business world."

Seeing that she could not persuade him, Lin's mother could only temporarily abandon the idea.

Lin's father did not step through the door until after nine in the evening, carrying a heavy scent of alcohol. Seeing this, Lin Haoran's brow furrowed slightly, and he said, "Daddy, why have you been drinking so much again? You know your own health better than anyone. Isn't this disregard for yourself just overdrawing your vitality?"

After the fusion of his memories, he had developed deep feelings for his parents. Therefore, when he witnessed his father drinking excessively due to social engagements, an indescribable sense of worry and heartache welled up in his heart.

Hearing this, although his father felt a sense of apology, he could not hide a hint of gratification; he understood his son's concern. Thus, he explained gently, "Today I was discussing cooperation matters with Mr. Guo, the Chairman of the Kerry Group. The atmosphere was quite harmonious. If this cooperation can truly be finalized, it will undoubtedly be great news for the Wan'an Group. I couldn't help but have a few extra drinks with him to deepen our relationship." As he spoke, his eyes revealed anticipation and confidence for the future.

The Kerry Group?

Hearing the name of this enterprise, Lin Haoran knew exactly who he was talking about. People might not have heard of them if they were discussing other things, but if they spoke of the Shangri-La Hotels, everyone would likely recognize them. The Shangri-La was founded by the owner of the Kerry Group. This was a top-tier tycoon within the Chinese business circle. No wonder his father placed such importance on him.

However, witnessing his father's frequent social engagements, Lin Haoran secretly decided that he must quickly have his father hand over the management of the group to him, so that his father could lay down his heavy burdens and enjoy his well-deserved retirement. After all, being constantly immersed in the heavy social demands of the business world was undoubtedly adding strain to his father's declining health.