Ye Yujun turned off the stove and ca out of the kitchen, glanced at the clock, and muttered to herself, "The lamb spine needs to simr a little longer for the flavor to really sink in."
Just as her words fell, the door opened.
"Mom, I’ve noticed you’ve been having trouble sleeping, so I brought you this tonic for calming nerves and improving mory."
Cheng Qiaobei ca in from outside, carrying supplents in his hand and placing them on the foyer. Ye Yujun urged him to wash his hands while she headed back to the kitchen to serve the dishes.
"Cheng is back—ti to eat."
The father and daughter exchanged a look. She was just saying it needed more ti to simr, and now it was ready to eat.
The four of them sat down at the table. Ye Yujun used the serving chopsticks to pick up a piece of lamb spine with the most at for Cheng Qiaobei. "Cheng, eat more."
Cheng Qiaobei replied, "Thanks, Mom."
Chen Ningxi raised her plate with a playful look. "Don’t be partial!"
Ye Yujun chuckled and served her a piece, then added another to Chen Weichuan’s plate. "Old Chen."
Chen Weichuan said, "You do the most for this family. You should eat more too."
Ye Yujun nodded with a smile.
After years of marriage, so words didn’t need explaining—their understanding of each other ran deep.
From the mont he was taken away to when he ca back, Ye Yujun had lost a significant amount of weight, and the dark circles under her eyes were stark and obvious. It was clear that during his absence, she had barely gotten a good night’s sleep.
After dinner, Chen Weichuan called Cheng Qiaobei to the study for tea. Chen Ningxi watched their retreating backs and didn’t need to guess to know the conversation would definitely involve the evidence he had provided.
Cheng Qiaobei was a quick-witted person. As he stepped into the room, he closed the door behind him and sat with Chen Weichuan at the tea table.
He took the initiative to pour tea for Chen Weichuan and started discussing the matter of reporting Sun Dongchen without beating around the bush.
"Dad, the one who frad you was my brother-in-law. He has no direct grudge against you; he just wanted to stir trouble for . When all is said and done, this incident dragged you into it. I’m sorry, Dad."
After taking a sip of tea, Chen Weichuan replied slowly, "There’s no need for you to apologize to . Don’t let it weigh on you—it hasn’t impacted much. It’s just a matter of spending a few days in a different place. I didn’t call you here to reprimand you, but to remind you that what you’ve done might affect the harmony within the family."
It’s often said that family scandals should not be aired publicly, but clearly, their family’s scandal was impossible to cover up now.
Cheng Qiaobei spoke frankly, "In my family, I’m the outsider. They get along just fine. Before, I always considered familial ties and refrained from going too far in what I did, but it’s clear that my sister and brother-in-law don’t see as part of the family. Most importantly, my father’s attitude has deeply disappointed . Sotis, I even doubt myself, wondering if the failure in family relationships is because of ."
Chen Weichuan’s eyes were filled with sympathy. He said, "Rember this: never negate yourself easily. Every family has its own struggles. The situation you’re facing isn’t unique in the world. You’re sharp-minded, so I trust you’ll understand what I’m about to say.
Consider this—this society is diverse and complex. The more you see, the more complicated the hearts of people you encounter beco. Ask yourself truthfully: if you feel you have acted conscientiously, don’t obsess over it anymore. Not every gesture of kindness will yield positive results. A rose in a good person’s hand can turn into a thorn piercing your heart when placed in the hands of soone malicious.
Don’t hand over a knife for bad people to hurt you. It’s best to let go completely—if you can’t, shove it to the back of your mind. Don’t waste ti or effort on people who’ve hurt you.
I hope my words help."
Rarely did he hear his father-in-law say so much, but today’s frank wisdom truly lightened the burden on Cheng Qiaobei’s heart.
He exhaled, saying, "I feel much better after listening to you."
Chen Weichuan smiled kindly, "I knew you’d get it right away."
Cheng Qiaobei refilled Chen Weichuan’s tea and said, "Not sure if Mom has ntioned this to you—I’m planning to leave Jade Jiali and start my own venture."
Chen Weichuan, confident in his abilities, said, "While you’re young, have ideas, and guts, go for it. You understand the social demand trends well—I support you. If you need my help, as long as it doesn’t go against principles or break the law, feel free to ask."
"Thanks in advance for your support, Dad. For now, I don’t need you to step in." Cheng Qiaobei held his teacup but set it down again, expressing, "I do have concerns. In the hotel business, I’m familiar with the operations, but starting from scratch carries no guarantees. Yet if I don’t seize the opportunity now to step out and give it a try, I might never break free from my comfort zone later on. I’ll beco accustod to this life, settle into complacency, and eventually lose all ambition."
Chen Weichuan nodded and said earnestly, "Whether you succeed or not, your mom’s and my inco alone can easily support you and your family. So, Cheng, just rember—we’re your safety net."
"..." Cheng Qiaobei felt his nose tingle with emotion, bowing his head and using a smile to mask it. Sniffling slightly, he said, "Dad, you’re overthinking. It won’t co to that."
Despite his outward composure, he was deeply moved inside.
The night grew late as the two left the Chen Family residence.
The cold of winter was biting, the night wind piercing. The crescent moon had lost its color, laying a pale blanket over the snow-covered ground, lending it an icy tallic sheen. The snow’s tire tracks crisscrossed like veins, recording the passage of ti after the snowfall—so fresh and deep, others blurry and faded. Within these marks lay the sedint of life’s hustle and bustle.
Life always moves forward—just keep pushing ahead.
The two cars parked one after the other. Cheng Qiaobei stepped out and walked toward Chen Ningxi, who was clutching a sea cable guide and a notebook.
Cheng Qiaobei joked, "Does your workplace give out howork?"
Chen Ningxi replied, "Of course not."
"Then why are you jotting things down?" Cheng Qiaobei gestured toward the items in her hands.
"These," Chen Ningxi explained as they walked, "aren’t my notes. They were compiled by Lu, the junior at our company, after reading through the material. There are a few points in here that have been troubling for a while. I’m planning to research them online tonight."
"Lu?" Cheng Qiaobei asked, puzzled, "Which Lu?"
Chen Ningxi answered, "Rember the college student I t at the gym? That’s him—Lu Xingyan. He joined our company."
From her sentence, he fixated on just four words: "college student, male."
He grabbed the notebook from her hands and casually flipped through it as they entered the elevator. "His handwriting’s pretty nice."
Peeking over to look, Chen Ningxi comnted, "It’s alright. I think your handwriting looks better."
"Ah... that’s more like it. Sounds pleasant, makes happy, feels great." Cheng Qiaobei grinned, clearly enjoying her complints. Wrapping an arm around her waist, he raised an eyebrow teasingly, "To reward you, I’ll take you out for so fun tonight."
What kind of "fun" could this be?
Rembering the last incident, Chen Ningxi couldn’t help but recall how he’d suddenly ssaged her before she’d finished work.
Just three words: Co back now.
That night had turned into utter madness—he’d practically torn her apart.
This ti she wasn’t about to fall for it, though she was already growing nervous inside. "Can I skip the fun?"
Cheng Qiaobei closed the notebook and stuffed it back into her hands. "No way, you must."
As the elevator doors opened, Chen Ningxi darted out first, but she found herself cornered in the doorway. Cheng Qiaobei pressed close to her from behind, his hand already sliding to her waist. Her voice trembled as her body responded involuntarily, "...I-I’d really rather not."
"Shh..." Cheng Qiaobei gently hushed her. Without turning on the light, he slipped the books from her arms, leaving them in the foyer. His warm lips captured her earlobe, and as he kissed it, his whispers lured her deeper into the abyss of desire...
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