With such a face, Fu Yinxiu was practically begging Ming Yutong to forgive him, his tail almost wagging behind him.
Such behavior showed none of his usual arrogance.
After the initial shock of Fu Yinxiu's apparent affection for Ming Yutong, Ming Jingshan was left deeply puzzled.
When did these two become so close?
In just a few days, even if Fu Yinxiu had feelings for Ming Yutong, it was unlikely he would be so persistently trying to please her as he did today.
Fu Yinxiu's attitude made him seem like someone who had done something wrong and was now begging Ming Yutong for forgiveness.
If it were just a matter of pursuing her, Fu Yinxiu wouldn't need to lower his stance so much.
Ming Jingshan found himself coming to some realizations through his speculations.
However, Fu Yinxiu's declarations clearly showed that he was doing all this voluntarily.
No matter how indifferent Ming Yutong was to him, Fu Yinxiu didn't mind and was even happy to please her.
Although it wasn't explicitly stated, Ming Jingshan, being a smart person, understood the implication.
It meant that Fu Yinxiu was saying: He didn't mind being treated this way by Ming Yutong, and Ming Jingshan should not blame Ming Yutong for it.
If Fu Yinxiu himself didn't care, then Ming Jingshan shouldn't interfere with their relationship.
To put it bluntly, Fu Yinxiu was indicating: This is between me and Ming Yutong, and you should stay out of it. Even if she's not very nice to me, I'm happy to keep trying to please her!
Fu Yinxiu wasn't sure if Ming Jingshan could grasp the deeper meaning behind his words.
If he couldn't grasp the deeper meaning, understanding the surface level would be fine too.
The important thing was to ensure that Ming Yutong wouldn't be bothered by the Ming family arranging blind dates for her.
Ming Jingshan indeed didn't grasp the deeper implications but understood the surface level.
"Hehe." Ming Jingshan chuckled, thankfully not saying something like "this is Ming Yutong's good fortune."
Otherwise, Fu Yinxiu wouldn't let him off the hook.
With his intentions clear, Fu Yinxiu left after saying goodbye to Ming Jingshan and drove away.
Ming Jingshan then headed straight to Ming Yutong's office, as Ming Yutong had already gone back there.
So, he entered Ming Yutong's office directly.
Ming Yutong had anticipated his visit, so she wasn't surprised at all.
"Dad." Ming Yutong greeted calmly.
"What's going on between you and Fu Yinxiu?" Ming Jingshan asked as he sat down across from her. "How long have you known each other?"
Ming Yutong glanced at him and said calmly: "He's only been in B City for a short time."
"I know, which is why I'm curious. How could he be so… eager to please you when you've known each other for such a short period?" Ming Jingshan tapped the table with his fingers.
It was one thing to think of "pleasing" in his mind, but saying the word out loud felt a bit difficult.
Ming Yutong paused her actions, letting out a light laugh. "Maybe it's because he likes me a lot?"
Ming Jingshan was left speechless.
"Then why are you so unkind to him?" Ming Jingshan couldn't help but bring it up. "No matter what the reason is, seeing how he's devoted and eager to please you, that's not easy to come by."
"You don't need me to tell you that there are countless families eager to introduce their daughters to Fu Yinxiu. But none have seen him show such a favorable attitude towards anyone. Now that he's pursuing you, we can be reassured. It's not easy to find a man who matches you."
"When you rejected Chu Zhaoyang, it was because you didn't feel anything for him. It's hard to find someone like Chu Zhaoyang again. It's rare that Fu Yinxiu likes you. Be a little kinder to him. For both public and private reasons, he's a very suitable candidate."
"To put it bluntly, his liking you is indeed your luck. Don't talk about whether you feel something or not. How will you know without spending time together? Being nicer to him is beneficial for both you and the family."
Ming Yutong was suppressing her frustration.
Since her father knew she wouldn't like this discussion, why did he insist on bringing it up?
Ming Jingshan was her father, and aside from being driven by family interests, he was quite good to her.
When she was wronged in M Country and Ming Yuqian brought her back home, Ming Jingshan had said nothing, just quietly supporting her recovery.
But once family interests were involved, his daughter had to step aside.
Ming Yutong felt a bit exhausted.
"It's rare to have a man like Fu Yinxiu with top-notch qualities. You should cherish this opportunity and stop being so willful. You say you don't want to get married, but I tell you, it's not possible! You must marry. I've given you as much autonomy as possible."
"On the basis of meeting family alliance conditions, you're allowed to choose someone you like." Ming Jingshan's tone grew serious.
"Yutong, you can't be so willful anymore. You must get married, and your choice cannot be subpar. Fu Yinxiu is an excellent candidate."
Ming Jingshan stood up and patted his knees. "You still have the option to choose now, but in a few years, you won't have that choice. Without someone like Fu Yinxiu, the family won't allow you to be so picky.
"Dad!" Ming Yutong suddenly stood up. "Aside from work, you've always been kind to me, so I've never complained. I've worked extra hard to repay your kindness. I can help you seek more benefits for the family, doing my best. But using my marriage as a bargaining chip is out of the question!"
Ming Jingshan's eyes widened in shock.
"Marriage and who I marry is my own business. I love my work and feel fulfilled seeing the results of my hard work. But these rewards do not come at the cost of my marriage and emotions."
"If I marry, it will be because I truly like the person. Regardless of their status or whether they meet your criteria, I won't use my marriage to gain family benefits. I won't turn my marriage into a tool for seeking benefits."
"My feelings are not something you can calculate with a calculator. They don't have numbers. If I marry, my love for my husband will be pure, not for ulterior motives."
"And what about Fu Yinxiu?" Ming Jingshan brought the topic back.
He almost got sidetracked by Ming Yutong but managed to stay rational.
He remembered that the discussion was not about whether Ming Yutong should marry, but about Fu Yinxiu.
"I'm not talking about whether you should marry or not. Just be nicer to Fu Yinxiu! He's top-notch in every way. If you don't find him acceptable, what kind of person are you looking for?" Ming Jingshan demanded with a frown.