"Dad, I'm hungry."
Chen Yan looked at Beibei. "What do you want to eat?"
Beibei gazed back at him. "I want fried chicken."
Chen Yan replied, "Fried chicken isn't healthy. How about I make you something else?"
Beibei asked, "Then what will you make for me?"
Chen Yan responded, "Whatever you want, I'll make it for you."
Beibei thought for a moment. "I want grilled fish."
Chen Yan smiled. "Okay, I'll make that for you."
...
In the kitchen, Chen Yan prepared grilled fish for Beibei.
Liu Yuan sat on the sofa, watching him.
Chen Yan brought the grilled fish to the table and said to Beibei, "Go ahead and eat."
Beibei picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
Chen Yan sat beside her and asked, "Is it good?"
Beibei looked at him and replied, "It's good."
Chen Yan chuckled. "If it's good, then eat more."
Beibei looked back at him. "Dad, you should eat too."
Chen Yan shook his head. "I'm not hungry; you eat."
Beibei insisted, "Come on, Dad, just have a little."
Chen Yan relented. "Alright, I'll have some."
He picked up his chopsticks and took a bite.
Beibei watched him closely. "Dad, is it good?"
Chen Yan nodded. "It's good."
Beibei encouraged him, "Then you should eat more."
Chen Yan agreed. "Okay."
...
Later that evening, Chen Yan sat in the study, looking at his dad and mom.
Chen Sheng and Wang Min turned to him. "What do you need to talk to us about?"
Chen Yan replied, "I have something to tell you."
Chen Sheng looked at him, "What is it?"
Chen Yan glanced at them, "I... I have a child."
Chen Sheng and Wang Min were stunned, staring at him, "What did you say?"
Chen Yan repeated, "I have a child."
Chen Sheng asked again, "You... you have a child?"
Chen Yan nodded, "Yes."
Wang Min inquired, "Whose child is it?"
Chen Yan replied, "It's Liu Yuan's child."
Chen Sheng and Wang Min widened their eyes in shock as they stared at him.
Chen Yan looked at them, "What's wrong with you?"
Chen Sheng questioned, "You... you have a child with Liu Yuan?"
Chen Yan confirmed, "Yes."
Wang Min pressed on, "When did you have the child?"
Chen Yan answered, "Just last year."
Chen Sheng asked, "You... you had a child and didn't tell us?"
Chen Yan responded, "Didn't I just tell you?"
Wang Min continued, "How could you—"
"Wait!" Chen Sheng interrupted Wang Min and turned to Chen Yan, "Did you rent a child to trick us?"
Chen Yan scoffed, "You really have wild imaginations."
Wang Min retorted, "Our imaginations? Isn't this a bit outrageous?"
Chen Yan replied, "What's so outrageous about it?"
Chen Sheng insisted, "You and Liu Yuan are divorced; how could you possibly have a child?"
Chen Yan explained, "Even though we're divorced, we still keep in touch."
Wang Min pressed further, "You and Liu Yuan are divorced; how could she have a child for you?"
Chen Yan stated firmly, "That has nothing to do with the divorce."
Chen Sheng challenged him, "Don't lie to us. If you could get Liu Yuan to have a child for you, you would have brought her back already!"
Chen Yan shot back, "If I bring her back, will she come?"
Chen Sheng looked at him, "You, you can't even handle the child's mother. What else can you do?"
Chen Yan glared back, "I warn you, if you dare to go find Liu Yuan and Beibei without permission and scare them, I won't let this go!"
Chen Sheng and Wang Min were taken aback.
Chen Yan stood up and walked towards the door.
...
Chen Yan stepped outside. He made his way to the parking lot and got into his car. Taking out his phone, he called Luo Ming. "Luo Ming, help me find a place."
"Sure, boss. What kind of place are you looking for?"
"I need something safe, quiet, and with a good environment."
"Got it, boss. I'll take care of it right away."
Chen Yan hung up the phone and drove off.
...
In the study, Chen Sheng and Wang Min sat on the sofa, looking at each other.
Chen Sheng turned to Wang Min, "Do you think he's lying to us?"
Wang Min replied, "I don't know."
Chen Sheng continued, "How could he possibly have a child?"
Wang Min shrugged, "I don't know."
Chen Sheng pressed on, "That child can't be fake, right?"
Wang Min responded, "I don't know."
Chen Sheng insisted, "How can he have a child?"
Wang Min said, "If he says he has a child, then he probably does."
Chen Sheng argued, "He can't even bring his wife back. How could he possibly bring the child back?"
Wang Min reassured him, "The child will come back eventually."
Chen Sheng asked anxiously, "Really?"
Wang Min nodded, "Yeah."
Chen Sheng pressed further, "Then when will they come back?"
Wang Min looked at him and said, "It should be soon."
Chen Yan was driving on the road. He was heading to his grandmother's house.
When Chen Yan arrived at his grandmother's house, he walked inside. "Grandma!" he called out. She was sitting on the sofa and looked at him, saying, "Xiao Yan is here."
Chen Yan walked over to her side and sat down. "Grandma, how are you today?" he asked. She replied, "I'm doing well today."
Chen Yan smiled and said, "That's good to hear." His grandmother then asked, "Have you eaten yet?"
He looked at her and replied, "I have eaten." She continued to look at him and said, "Then stay and eat a little more with me."
Chen Yan nodded, "Okay."
Chen Yan sat at the dining table with his grandmother, eating their meal. She looked at him and said, "Xiao Yan, Xiao Mei came to see me again today."
Chen Yan responded with an "Oh." His grandmother continued, "Xiao Mei is a good girl; you shouldn't let her down."
He looked at her and said, "Grandma, she and I aren't suitable for each other."
His grandmother asked, "What do you mean by not suitable?"
Chen Yan replied firmly, "I just know we're not."
She pressed on, "You haven't even spent time together; how do you know you're not suitable?"
He insisted, "I just know."
His grandmother looked at him seriously. "Xiao Yan, you can't keep thinking like this. You're already 28; it's time to consider marriage."
Chen Yan met her gaze and said, "I know; I'm thinking about it."
She added, "Both you and Xiao Mei are single; you could get to know each other better."
He shook his head gently. "Grandma, I don't like her."
Grandma looked at him. "So, who do you like?"
Chen Yan gazed back at her. "I..."
He paused.
He couldn't tell Grandma that he liked Liu Yuan.
Grandma continued to look at him. "Xiao Yan, just listen to your grandma and consider being with Xiao Mei."
Chen Yan replied, "Grandma, I don't want to date anyone right now."
Grandma's gaze intensified. "Why not?"
Chen Yan hesitated again. "Because I—"
He stopped short.
He couldn't tell Grandma that he had a child with Liu Yuan.
Grandma studied him closely. "Xiao Yan, are you hiding something from me?"
Chen Yan stammered, "I—I’m not."
Grandma pressed on, "Are you really not?"
Chen Yan insisted, "I really am not."
With a sigh, Grandma said, "Oh dear, you're becoming more disobedient."
Chen Yan started to respond, "Grandma, I—"
But he fell silent again.
He didn't know how to express himself.
...
Later, Chen Yan returned to the villa and sat on the sofa, staring at the ceiling.
Thoughts of Liu Yuan flooded his mind.
He remembered Beibei.
How could he possibly marry Liu Yuan?
...
The next morning, Chen Yan sat at the dining table, having breakfast.
Luo Ming walked in and looked at him. "Boss, I've found a house."
Chen Yan turned to him. "Where is it?"
Luo Ming replied, "It's in the neighborhood."
Chen Yan asked, "Is it safe?"
Luo Ming looked at him and said, "It's very safe."
Chen Yan replied, "Is it quiet?"
Luo Ming nodded, "It's very quiet."
Chen Yan asked, "Is the environment good?"
Luo Ming responded, "It's great."
Chen Yan insisted, "Take me there now."
Luo Ming replied, "Okay, boss."
...
Luo Ming led Chen Yan to the entrance of a villa. He opened the door and said, "Boss, please come in."
Chen Yan stepped inside and glanced around.
Luo Ming asked, "Boss, what do you think?"
Chen Yan replied, "This will do."
Luo Ming said, "Alright, boss. I'll go take care of the paperwork."
Chen Yan responded, "Good."
Luo Ming turned and left.
Chen Yan walked around the room and called Liu Yuan.
"Hello, Liu Yuan."
"What's up?"
"I have something to tell you."
"What is it?"
"I bought a house."
"Why are you telling me about buying a house?"
"I want you and Beibei to move in."
"We're not moving."
"Why not?"
"There’s no reason; we just don’t want to move."
"Liu Yuan, this house is for you. You have to move in."
"I already said we're not moving."
"Liu Yuan, you have to move over here."
"We're not moving. What are you going to do about it?"
"If you don't move, I'll just take it by force."
"You dare!"
"Do you want to see if I dare?"
"You—"
Liu Yuan hung up the phone.
Chen Yan put down his phone and stared ahead.
...
That evening, Chen Yan sat in his study, looking over some documents.
Luo Ming knocked on the door.
He looked up and said, "Come in."
Luo Ming pushed the door open and walked in, looking at him. "Boss."
Chen Yan glanced at him. "What is it?"
Luo Ming replied, "Boss, I found the information on that person you asked me to look into last time."
Chen Yan raised an eyebrow. "Who?"
Luo Ming continued, "The one who hit Miss Liu."
Chen Yan's eyes widened. "What did you find out?"
Luo Ming said, "I found out that person was arranged by Manager Zhang."
Chen Yan stared at him in disbelief. "What did you say?"
Luo Ming repeated, "That person was arranged by Manager Zhang."
Chen Yan pressed further, "Are you sure?"
Luo Ming nodded. "I'm sure."
Chen Yan asked, "Why would he do that?"
Luo Ming shrugged. "I don't know."
Chen Yan insisted, "You need to ask him."
Luo Ming replied, "I did ask him; he wouldn't say anything."
Chen Yan urged, "Go ask him again!"
Luo Ming responded, "Boss, I really did ask; he still wouldn't say anything."
Chen Yan glared at him.
Luo Ming lowered his head, unable to meet his gaze.
Chen Yan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.
...
The next morning, Chen Yan arrived at the company and walked into the office.
He sat in his chair, staring ahead.
He thought of Liu Yuan.
He thought of Beibei.
He needed to find a way to bring them back to his side.
...
In the evening, Chen Yan sat in his study, looking at the computer.
His grandmother called.
He picked up the phone and answered, "Hello, Grandma."
"Xiao Yan, what are you doing?"
"I'm working."
"Why are you so busy?"
"I have something to take care of today."
"What is it this time?"
"I have a few matters to handle."
"Can't you stop being so busy all the time?"
"I'm sorry, Grandma, but I really have things to do today."
"Well, fine, I won't push you. You can get back to work."
"Okay, bye."
Chen Yan hung up the phone.
He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair.
...
Comment 0 Comment Count