"Thank you, Mr. Mu, for taking care of Rain for so many years," Sanford Ke said. He deeply regretted abandoning Rain all those years ago, and he was not surprised that Rain treated him with disdain.


    "Rain is my best friend. It is fitting that I look out for him," Edward answered, indifferent to the expression of gratitude. Sanford Ke could tell from his words that Edward med him. As a friend, Edward had taken better care of Rain than his own father, who abandoned him, ever had. Edward was a cunning fox; he subtly scolded Rain''s father with the carefully chosen insult.


    Leena staggered into the private lounge, pulled along by Rain, his hand still locked onto hers. She sensed that Rain''s strange behavior had something to do with the old man. She didn''t know who the old man was, but she chose not to ask Rain about him.


    "Don''t ask me anything," Rain dered, releasing her numb fingers. He poured a ss of water and finished it in one big gulp.Belongs ? to N?velDrama.Org.


    "Sure." Leena rubbed her throbbing fingers. She saw Rain''s bad mood and decided to rather keep quiet.


    Edward and Sanford Ke entered the room, followed by Daisy and Mark. Wisely, Mark said nothing and quietly chose a seat.


    "Have a seat, please." Edward offered Sanford Ke a seat.


    "Thank you, Mr. Mu." Sanford Ke studied Rain intensely, but thetter ignored him.


    "When did you return home, Mr. Ke? I thought you were still abroad," Edward asked casually. No matter how much Edward disliked the Ke family, he had paid attention to them because of Rain.


    "I returned not long ago. As for the reason, well, I guess you already know it. After all, you''re a businessman also." Sanford Ke sighed sorrowfully. He felt ashamed of the state of his family affairs.


    "Yes, I''ve heard rumors about your family''s dealings, but I don''t know the exact details," Edward answered. The Ke family was still a rich and powerful family in S City, despite their recent decline. Lately, Sanford Ke''s sons and grandsons were scrambling for their inheritance of the family properties. This had be a hot topic, with much public spection.


    "s! I have two unfilial sons. They wait anxiously for my death, so they can carve up mypany." His sons were both senior members of thepany; their greed would divide thepany holdings, and bankruptcy would not be far off.


    "Hmm! How''s it possible? You are still counting on them to support you," Rain snorted. He had never epted being abandoned by his father. He had often been called "bastard" and "son of a bitch" when he was a kid. And that might be part of the reason why he became such a cynic growing up.


    "Rain, I sincerely invite you toe back home and take over the running of thepany for me. The future of the Ke family now rests on your shoulders. You are our only hope." Sanford Ke looked at Rain expectantly. Rain finally spoke to him, dashing Sanford Ke''s hopes that his son''s heart had softened.


    "Are you kidding me? My family name is Xia, and I want nothing to do with the Ke family." Rain scornfully nced at the old man.


    "Are you so cruel-hearted that you would watch thepany, that I''ve worked all my life to create,e to nothing?" Sanford Ke asked in stunned disbelief. He knew how audacious it was to ask Rain to run thepany for him, all things considered, but he had no other choice. His two other sons were good-for-nothing wastrels.


    "I''d enjoy seeing that. You abandoned my mother and me for thepany, remember? I owe you nothing. Why should I run thepany for you? Ha-ha! This is ridiculous!" Rainughed mockingly. The Ke family members were all hypocrites.


    "I know you won''t ever forgive me, and I know I shouldn''t have abandoned you and your mother. But I had my own reasons." Sanford Ke lowered his head in shame. There was no defense against the truth; the shame was his to bear.


    "Really? You had your own reasons? I could understand you. After all, no one has affection for the family bastard. You and your family wanted to stay away from me. I was ostracized. I don''t think it would be possible for your family to ept me now." Rain shook his head in sorrow. Finally, for the first time, he was able to reveal his sad life in front of his friends. Maybe he was finally ready to move on? He surprised himself that he was able to discuss the Ke family, and his own jaded past in such a calm and indifferent manner. "Rain, please, reconsider. Just think about it. I''ll wait for your decision. There''s no rush," Sanford Ke pleaded, trying to cajole Rain. But in Rain''s eyes, the old man was so obviously fake.


    "No, there''s no need for reconsideration. I have made up my mind. I will never go back to the Ke family. Yourpany has nothing to do with me. I''m Rain Xia, not Rain Ke." Rain turned Sanford Ke down without any hesitation. He thought to himself, ''When you were young and rich, you just abandoned me and my mother. And now that you are old and yourpany is failing, you dare toe to me and ask me to help you. Who do you think I am? Your Savior?''


    Sanford Ke opened his mouth to speak, but eventually chose silence. Rain''s words made perfect sense, and Sanford Ke couldn''t find any words to refute him.


    "Can I weigh in here, Mr. Ke?" Edward asked with a frown. It was the Ke family affairs, but Rain had never treated himself as part of the Ke family. As his best friend, Edward felt obliged to speak for him. "Of course, Mr. Mu. Please continue." Sanford Ke showed great respect to Edward, despite thetter being much younger. Perhaps this was because he thought Edward had been kind to Rain, or maybe because Edward was the head of the leading enterprise in S City. "Rain is leading a happy and simple life now. I don''t think he should get involved in the family''s property fight. Besides, the Ke family members dislike him. If he goes back to the Ke family, and takes over running thepany, it would only worsen the situation. I don''t think it will help save yourpany." Rain and the Ke family members all lived in the same city, but not one of the Ke family had ever acknowledged Rain as a member of the family. As a result, Edward would not allow Rain to demean himself by helping the Ke family now. "But Rain is my son. I can''t just watch him be without family, or a home!" Sanford Ke argued immediately. He knew what Edward said did make sense, but he had an ulterior motive for asking Rain toe back to the family. He hoped that Rain could save thepany. After all, Rain was a capable businessman and he had a powerful friend, Edward.


    "Without family? You must be kidding, Mr. Ke. We have always treated Rain as family. He is not homeless." Edward had been polite to Sanford Ke because he was Rain''s biological father, but he wouldn''t allow him to use his friend.


    "I''m sorry, Mr. Mu. I was anxious and spoke without thinking. Rain, I still hope you will reconsider your decision, and think carefully about what I said." Sanford Ke stared at Rain with hopeful eyes.


    "Mr. Ke, I think you should be the one to think carefully, before you ask Rain to go back. What do you want? Do you want him to go back because you miss him and want to make up for your mistakes as a father, or do you just want to use him to save yourpany?" After having listened to their conversation, Daisy had formed a rough idea about the story and didn''t agree at all with Sanford Ke''s request. The family members of the Ke family were squabbling amongst each other for family properties. Sanford Ke wanted Rain, who had never even been admitted as a member of the family, to get involved in their fight. Daisy couldn''t understand how Sanford Ke could be so cruel to Rain. He had never treated Rain as his son, but now wanted to use him as a tool to save hispany. Daisy felt she should speak up for Rain. She pushed back her chair to do just that.


    "And you are?" Seeing her stand to speak, Sanford Ke asked in confusion. He really didn''t know who she was, as he had been abroad for two years, and had just returned because of the family crisis.


    "She is my wife. She is a straightforward person. Please don''t mind it if she says something unpleasant," Edward said in a calm voice. He continued being polite to Sanford Ke, simply because thetter was his friend''s father. If it weren''t for that, he would have asked his men to throw the old man out.


    "No, I don''t mind. Mrs. Mu, I''ve heard what a remarkable woman you are! To reach the rank of senior colonel at such a young age." Sanford Ke had been focused on Rain and only now did he begin to notice the others. He then looked at the girl who Rain had grabbed by the hand. Sanford Ke remembered suddenly that the girl was Duke Leng''s younger sister. ''Is Rain and the girl in a rtionship now? Does this mean that the Leng family will also help Rain?'' Sanford Ke mused joyfully.


    "You are ttering me, needlessly," Daisy answered coldly. She disliked Sanford Ke, and she wouldn''t be polite to him like her husband. She was above false ttery.00