"If that's the case, the assets of the Sheng family can give you enough sense of security. As long as you like, Dad can introduce many high - quality men of your age to you."
He looked at her and casually added, "I haven't announced this to the public yet. If the outside world knew that I, Sheng Shuocheng, had a daughter, the people who came to propose marriage would trample the threshold flat. You can pick carefully."
The implication was that she didn't need to worry about not getting married.
Jiang Li blinked and couldn't help laughing. "Dad, I know our family is very rich."
"But Xiao Yanzhi chose me firmly even before he knew I was your daughter. He was even willing to give up everything for me."
Sheng Shuocheng was stunned for a moment, and the wrinkles on his face creased into a smile. "Silly girl, men always lie in love."
"He said he could draw up a property agreement for me at any time."
Jiang Li looked at him calmly. "Dad, if you need it, I can call him now. You'll receive the transfer documents of all of Xiao Yanzhi's property within half an hour."
"What I mean is that even if he has nothing, I'm willing to be with him. This has nothing to do with money, status or interests."
"Even if he has nothing..." Sheng Shuocheng repeated. "Even if you weren't my daughter but just an ordinary person with a huge gap from him in reality, would you still be willing?"
"I wouldn't have before, but now I'm sure he loves me, so I am willing."
Being loved gave her the confidence.
Hearing this, Sheng Shuocheng silently took off his glasses and pressed his eye sockets with his palm. "Daughters are always more like their mothers."
He had heard the same words decades ago, from Li Muzi's mouth.
"Dad, he loves me very much. He liked me at first sight." Jiang Li felt a bit shy when she said this.
Sheng Shuocheng couldn't help laughing. "You're quite confident."
In terms of appearance, Jiang Li was indeed the type that could easily make men fall in love at first sight.
Jiang Li shifted her body and moved closer to him, then wrapped her arm around his. "The first time I saw him was in a bar where I was working part - time. I hit a rich man on the head with a wine bottle at that time."
Sheng Shuocheng couldn't help smiling. "That doesn't seem like something you'd do."
"Young people are always a bit impulsive."
Jiang Li continued with a smile. "I was almost taken away by that angry man at that time. He stepped in to save me, but I was ungrateful and refused his kindness."
"It's a typical hero - saves - the - beauty story." Sheng Shuocheng nodded. He was quite happy to hear his daughter tell him these things.
"I told him I liked acting, and he sent me to be an actress. But he didn't give me excessive favors. Instead, he let me earn money with my own acting skills and abilities. He said his money was only for investment, not charity."
"And you still like him." Sheng Shuocheng was surprised.
"Because he was the only one who believed I could realize my dream. He never laughed at me, and never thought I was too poor to pursue my dream."
Jiang Li looked up and said softly, "At that time, all I wanted was to have enough to eat and survive."
Sheng Shuocheng kept silent and didn't ask in - depth how hard her life was at that time.
This was his guilt towards his daughter.
Jiang Li smiled. "No one had ever said to me, 'I hope you can become the best actress in China.' It was such a grand statement that I didn't even dare to dream about it."
After she finished speaking, she smiled and said to him, "Later I found out that his childhood dream had been aborted, so he hoped I could realize my own dream. I'm the second him in this world."
"He's very lonely. He has a lot of money and high status, but he can't be himself. He's really pitiful. He said there were only two rebellious things in his life, and one had already failed."
"The other one is being with me. I don't want this one to fail either."
"But he hurt you before." Sheng Shuocheng finally managed to interject.
"That's true." Jiang Li leaned on her father's shoulder. "He saved me, but he also really hurt me in the wrong way, although he thought it was a kind of protection for me."
Jiang Li continued, "Just like you and Mom, you once loved each other, but you also made mistakes. But the starting point was always for the other's good - even if it might be wrong."
There was no right or wrong in love. A perfect love would actually seem unrealistic.
Sheng Shuocheng patted the back of her hand and told her to sit up straight. "Lili, you're as understanding as your mother."
"If you had been in the Sheng family all these years, I would never have let you suffer the slightest bit."
She was his precious daughter, the little girl he wanted to dote on.
Jiang Li pursed her lips and smiled. "That would of course be the best, but I don't mind suffering. Every step I've taken in this world counts. I have no regrets."
...
Sheng Shuocheng wasn't deliberately making things difficult for Xiao Yanzhi. Finally, the topic returned to the original point. He said that the matter of feelings was up to the young people, and they should never let themselves be wronged.
"If you're wronged then, you can come to Dad and cry." He stroked Jiang Li's head.
Did he feel regret? Of course he did.
Not being able to watch Jiang Li grow up from childhood and give her all his love, like he did with Sheng Jingxi, was his greatest regret as a father.
Jiang Li couldn't sleep at night and took the initiative to call Xiao Yanzhi.
"Not asleep yet?" The man's clear voice came from the other end. Although his tone was calm, Jiang Li felt quite aggrieved when she heard it.
"Yeah, I miss you a bit."
There was a laugh from the other end of the phone. "It seems I'm not good enough. You only miss me a bit."
Jiang Li swallowed and blinked. "Well... a bit more than a little bit. Why aren't you asleep yet?"
"I'm dealing with work in the company. Director Sheng is right. There's a bit too much work before the New Year." Xiao Yanzhi got up from the large office chair and sat on the sofa beside it.
Actually, there was no urgent matter to deal with. It was just that without the person he cared about in Ruiyuan, he didn't have much desire to go back.
"Tonight... my dad didn't mean anything else. He just cares about me very much."
Jiang Li carefully tried to balance things. "I also said a few good words for you. He doesn't actually have that much of an opinion on you."
"Lili, you don't need to be so cautious." Xiao Yanzhi said, "You don't need to be in the middle of this. As your boyfriend, it's my responsibility to handle this."
Jiang Li's earlobes burned.
His voice was gentle. "Director Sheng is your father. It's only natural for him to have an opinion on me, his future son - in - law. If I even need you to try to ease the situation, then I'm too useless."
He gently comforted her. "Don't think too much. I'll figure out how to handle it. Don't worry."