After Marrying Bigshot Vegetable Boss - Chapter 53

As Zhang Yan quickly left, Yu Lan’s hand was still resting on Chu Wang’s shoulder, and the previously ambiguous atmosphere had now completely dissipated.

 

“…”

 

“Well,” Yu Lan said after a long silence, “it must have been quite hard for Zhang Yan to follow you around.”

 

“You were quite proactive the first time you pushed me to the company,” Chu Wang said, feeling it wasn’t a big deal, and even tried to give an example. “Back then, you were still downstairs and in the office…”

 

“If I had known you saw me, I definitely wouldn’t have done that!” Yu Lan said, blushing and speaking quickly.

 

The act he put on for survival was different from being caught in such a scene!

 

“Alright.” Fortunately, Chu Wang didn’t press the matter further. “Just give her a raise.”

 

Zhang Yan, who had quickly fled the company, was unaware of Chu Wang’s kindness and was currently calling her friend to lower the budget for their big dinner.

 

News of Chu Wang’s sudden awakening naturally reached the Yu family as well.

 

Yu Ling learned about it the morning after Chu Wang woke up. 

 

His first reaction was disbelief. He even had someone inquire, and learned that Yu Lan had still been attending classes as usual on the day Chu Wang woke up, showing no sign of anything unusual.

 

Yu Ling thought this might be a smokescreen from the Chu family—perhaps there was some internal conflict within the company, and they were using the fake news of Chu Wang’s awakening to calm the restless.

 

After all, if Chu Wang had truly awakened, why hadn’t he appeared in person?

 

But upon further reflection, Yu Ling felt a sense of satisfaction.

 

Even though Chu Wang had threatened him with a cold face, saying something like “the longer Chu Wang stays unconscious, the more misfortune will fall upon you,” it seemed more like bravado to bolster his own courage.

 

Wasn’t he scared too?

 

Yu Ling knew that he had never met Chu Wang before, and if Chu Wang found out the truth, he would be in serious trouble.

 

These past days, Yu Ling’s life had been so exhausting and indescribably tiring that “good” was no longer an accurate description.

 

That day, when Yu Lan had left, leaving a bunch of words without any care, only he and Song Sijue were left.

 

Song Sijue seemed genuinely concerned about Yu Lan. Yu Ling noticed him staring in the direction Yu Lan had left and even seemed to want to chase after him.

 

But Yu Lan had gotten into the car, giving no opportunity.

 

Song Sijue stood still until Yu Lan’s figure disappeared, then left.

 

By then, students were gradually finishing their classes. Yu Ling, not daring to say anything at school, watched Song Sijue leave and had to figure out a plan on his own.

 

And now, he was waiting.

 

Since hearing that Chu Wang would be appearing at the company, Liang Zhiyu had set aside everything and stayed home waiting for news.

 

Though their relationship had been a bit tense recently, Yu Ling put on a smile when he saw Liang Zhiyu waiting and greeted her, “Mom.”

 

Liang Zhiyu didn’t smile. She was rubbing her temples with both hands, her brows tightly furrowed. She responded somewhat perfunctorily without looking at him.

 

Yu Ling’s smile faltered slightly, but he had experience by now, so he acted as if he didn’t notice and continued warmly, “Mom, I know you’re waiting for news. I’ll keep you company.”

 

Liang Zhiyu finally looked up, but there was no sign of the previous affection or warmth. She glanced at him.

 

“I know you’re anxious,” Yu Ling said, “but think about it. Given the current situation, Chu Wang’s awakening is beneficial for us, isn’t it?”

 

“How is it beneficial?” Liang Zhiyu asked, her tone not very pleasant but still curious. “Your father will be arriving in a few days. Will this be of any help to him?”

 

Unlike Xi Jun, who knew everything and was hands-on, Liang Zhiyu lacked business acumen and wasn’t good with financial matters. The Yu family’s business was partly built by the previous generation and partly grew with Yu Wensen’s success abroad.

 

For years, Yu Wensen managed the business, and Liang Zhiyu lived a life of leisure as a rich wife—drinking tea, gardening, shopping with friends, and raising children. She didn’t need to handle any business affairs.

 

However, Liang Zhiyu discovered that wealth had no upper limit once you entered the circle of the rich. While the Yu family’s business was prosperous by ordinary standards, it paled compared to those with large conglomerates.

 

Fortune’s favor doesn’t last forever. Just as Yu Wensen struck gold once, there were times of downturn too.

 

Several of the family’s subsidiaries had been struggling in recent years, and Yu Wensen had to search for opportunities abroad, leaving domestic affairs less attended.

 

Liang Zhiyu had to take over but was overwhelmed and struggled to keep up.

 

Fortunately, Yu Ling had been responsible from a young age, studying economics in college and showing a willingness to share the family burden.

 

Liang Zhiyu, unable to manage everything herself, handed over two of her departments to Yu Ling.

 

Despite her grievances with Yu Ling recently, she still wanted to hear his opinion.

 

Seeing her attitude soften a bit, Yu Ling quickly said, “You see, I visited the Chu family twice before and things didn’t go well. I don’t know what kind of spell Yu Lan cast on them, but they managed to keep him. But then, they were trying to use him for a good omen; they might have gotten some expert advice to keep Yu Lan well to help Chu Wang wake up.

 

“Now that Chu Wang has woken up directly, his only and most important use to the Chu family is gone, right?” Yu Ling said. “Originally meant for a good omen, now it’s no longer needed.”

 

“But…” Liang Zhiyu nodded, feeling Yu Ling’s reasoning made sense but still sensed something strange.

 

Her eyes suddenly widened, and she looked at Yu Ling.

 

“Xiao Ling,” she said, her eyes widening slightly, “didn’t you tell me that apart from me, you were most concerned about him?”

 

Liang Zhiyu quickly pieced together the strange feeling she had and, in disbelief, said, “So you’ve been… targeting him all along?”

 

Yu Ling was stunned.

 

Then he quickly reacted-

 

Perhaps these days, Yu Ling had been so focused on Yu Lan that Liang Zhiyu, who hadn’t mentioned it, had almost forgotten how he used to feign “guilt” towards this brother of his.

 

But now it seemed he was still very concerned about it. He could only dryly pull at the corners of his mouth and explain, “Mom, I just want you to have a better life.”

 

If it had been before, Liang Zhiyu might have nodded in tacit understanding and then reassured him.

 

But now, she obviously paused before saying, “But… I don’t feel like his leaving made much difference for me.”

 

Liang Zhiyu’s expression changed, and she opened her mouth. “Xiao Ling, I don’t know if you’ve changed, but my Xiao Ling wasn’t like this before.”

 

“He used to be more considerate, thinking of everything and taking on many of my troubles, giving me plenty of advice. He was very kind, always looking for the cause of problems within himself rather than blaming others.”

 

“Mom, weren’t you asking me about what’s most advantageous? I’m clearly answering, so why suddenly…?” Yu Ling was very confused, especially since Liang Zhiyu had previously disliked Yu Lan even more than he did, and now she was suddenly changing her stance.

 

“Given the current situation, Chu Wang has awakened, and Yu Lan has used his wife’s status to do so many things. Isn’t now the best time to counterattack?” Yu Ling thought this was the best opportunity to turn things around and didn’t have time to explain in detail.

 

But Liang Zhiyu seemed not to trust his words, holding her temples and looking over. “What if it still fails, Xiao Ling?”

 

Yu Ling instinctively said, “I won’t let that happen, Mom.”

 

But Liang Zhiyu seemed to be waiting for this exact response. “But haven’t you already failed several times?”

 

“Before Chu Wang woke up, I wanted you to mend your relationship with him, but what happened?”

 

Liang Zhiyu rubbed her forehead, seeming to realize her words were a bit harsh. She sighed and said, “Forget it, Xiao Ling. I’m not blaming you.”

 

“Last time I gave you a card to give to him, but it looks like it’s not needed now,” Liang Zhiyu said, her voice reluctantly softening. “Give it to me instead. I’ve just given my own money to the company for cash flow and need to buy a gift for your father.”

 

If things were still manageable before, now Yu Ling was completely stunned.

 

“Mom, I, I…” Yu Ling stammered.

 

“And you still have dividends, don’t you?” Liang Zhiyu, not yet realizing the severity of the situation, asked.

 

Yu Ling forced a smile. “Didn’t you see the financial report? That previous project was tied up and led to layoffs. Now the most urgent need is liquidity… I used that money to fill the gap.”

 

But Liang Zhiyu seemed to see through him. “That amount alone isn’t enough. Are you saying…”

 

She looked at Yu Ling with a scrutinizing gaze. “You’re spending so extravagantly that you can’t even spare that little bit?”

 

“So what you mean is, even though your father is coming back home after a long time and facing a pile of problems, we can’t even pick out a gift?” Liang Zhiyu seemed quite distressed upon realizing this fact. “Where did all that money go?”

 

Yu Ling couldn’t explain and could only repeatedly assure her, “There’s a breakthrough this time. I will definitely help our family get through this—”

 

“Get through this?” Liang Zhiyu chewed on the words as if she no longer believed. “When I sent Xiao Lan away, I thought that was the best chance, but what happened?”

 

“I don’t know how Xiao Lan is doing there, but Xiao Ling, what have you done?” Liang Zhiyu said with disappointment. “Every time you tell me you’ll do well, but every time you return saying you failed and were mistreated… Haven’t I always stood up for you? Haven’t I tried to help you avoid grievances, only to see you accomplish nothing?”

 

“It’s not like that. I really asked and really tried. I don’t know why it turned out like this…”

 

Yu Ling was at a loss for words.

 

“I’m starting to regret why I chose you so decisively back then,” Liang Zhiyu said, growing more agitated as she spoke. Eventually, she coldly added, “I thought it was better to choose you instead of a blood relative, but now you’re still blaming me?”

 

“From childhood to now, what haven’t I given you? When I brought Yu Lan back, I even worried you’d feel unbalanced, so I bought you many more gifts. But now you…?”

 

“I’m just thinking back now. Maybe Xiao Lan was just adjusting when he first came back, which made him seem a bit odd…” Liang Zhiyu sighed. “I should have been more patient. After all…”

 

“He’s also my biological child.”

 

It seemed as though Liang Zhiyu had just realized this. Once she said it, her previously shallow regret seemed to deepen. Liang Zhiyu’s voice faltered as she gently sighed, “I was unwilling to accept or believe that such a thing as switching children could happen. I was more concerned about you, wanting to avoid the fact that the other child was mine…”

 

“Looking back, he was also pitiful. He never shared how he was doing outside. If he had shown some weakness, I might not have been so harsh in my choice…”

 

“How did things change so much in just two months?” Liang Zhiyu said.

 

“Mom, didn’t you say that even if he was a blood relative, it didn’t matter? You told me not to care about blood ties, that I was your only child.”

 

Yu Ling felt as if he had become empty—he had known he wasn’t Liang Zhiyu’s biological child earlier than she did, but after all these years of trying to please her and the Yu family, hadn’t he done enough?

 

He asked himself if he hadn’t done a lot, even though sometimes he wanted to show his status to others to gain respect, which might have cost some money, but it wasn’t all for himself, was it?

 

Yu Ling felt as if all the blood in his body had frozen. He couldn’t think clearly anymore and felt that all his efforts over the years were now a joke.

 

He had worked desperately to stay in the Yu family, achieving his goal and pushing out the rival he had once feared the most. But how could it end up like this?

 

“It’s just cash flow problems. It’s just a tough time now.” Yu Ling shook his head. “I’m willing to share the hardships with you, Mom. Even if something really happens, I’m still your child. I won’t—”

 

“You can’t even help me now. The money I gave you for Xiao Lan can’t be recovered, and you’re still making big promises?” Liang Zhiyu seemed to have reached her breaking point. “You said you could do it. Fine, I let you try, but you came back saying you were bullied.”

 

“Later, I gave you advice, but you still came back with your tail between your legs. I didn’t blame you at the time, did I?” Liang Zhiyu recounted one by one. “Then you said that the child named Song who moved away years ago would help us solve this crisis. And now? I’ve only seen him a few times, and it’s ridiculous to say he can help! Do you have any truth left in you?”

 

Yu Ling felt deeply aggrieved. He shook his head vigorously, saying it wasn’t like that, but Liang Zhiyu seemed unwilling to believe anything he said.

 

Why had things come to this point?

 

Why was everything moving towards an irreversible direction?

 

It’s all because, it’s all because…

 

As they were locked in this confrontation, there was a sudden noise at the entrance—the person Liang Zhiyu had sent to gather information had returned.

 

The person came over mysteriously, saw Liang Zhiyu, and whispered something in her ear.

 

Liang Zhiyu frowned. “Really?”

 

The person nodded, added something else, and then left.

 

Yu Ling’s heart tightened. As soon as the person left, he couldn’t help but ask Liang Zhiyu, “Is it news from Chu Wang? Is it…”

 

“Didn’t you say he wasn’t doing well at Chu’s place? How come reality isn’t as you described?” Liang Zhiyu’s frown deepened. “I used to rely on you… What a mistake it was.”

 

“What do you mean?”

 

“Chu Wang went to the company today, and he brought him along.” Liang Zhiyu said impatiently. “Not only that, but they don’t look like they’ve never met before. He even let him follow him into the office.”

 

There was even a photo of them entering the company building together. Although taken from a distance and only showing their backs, the authoritative man in the wheelchair and the young man beside him gave off a strangely harmonious impression, even if their expressions weren’t visible.

 

“So this is the breakthrough you said we’d have once he woke up?”

 

Yu Ling bit his lip and said with reddened eyes, “That’s because Chu Wang still doesn’t know anything right now!”

 

“Trust me just one more time, just once,” Yu Ling had forgotten how to show weakness and only wanted to prove to Liang Zhiyu, or perhaps to himself, that Yu Lan couldn’t possibly be doing so well after Chu Wang woke up. “He’s been so arrogant because he relied on Chu Wang being a vegetable. Now Chu Wang doesn’t know the truth yet. With his character, once he knows everything, it definitely won’t be like this!”

 

“How can I trust you? Trust that you have nothing to offer?”

 

“Really, just one last time,” Yu Ling’s eyes were filled with a desperate hatred. “Even if you don’t love me as much in the future…”

 

He managed to hold back the words, “I can’t accept that he’s living so well now.”

 

Liang Zhiyu looked at him without comment, feeling that this child didn’t seem as good as she had imagined.

 

His features, when scrutinized, were plain, and there was no comparison to Yu Lan’s superior and refined appearance.

 

He didn’t seem as considerate as imagined either. After all, up to now, he hadn’t really brought anything to her.

 

She had been too biased towards him in the past.

 

She raised her eyes, feeling disheartened, and stood up, “I hope you can make it, Xiao Ling.”

 

But if he really could turn things around, maybe he was still her good child.

 

Liang Zhiyu rubbed her forehead and didn’t look at him again, heading straight back to her room.

 

Yu Ling stayed alone in the living room for a long time.

 

For a long period, he hadn’t had anything to drink, hunching on the sofa. When the sky darkened, he suddenly stood up as if in a seizure.

 

Yu Ling walked to the mirror and looked at himself.

 

The once proud and glamorous person seemed to have changed. His lips were almost bitten raw, dark circles were heavy, and his hair, unstyled and unmanaged, was in a messy state.

 

But he didn’t have time to think about it. He just quickly washed his face, ruffled his hair, and went out.

 

Song Sijue had just finished a call with the headquarters abroad.

 

The project had found another company to cooperate with. Although the scale and funding had significantly decreased, it was still secured.

 

The headquarters didn’t seem very satisfied with his business trip, and the news there was very well-informed. “Why not try again? Didn’t they say the young leader had already awakened? With your ability, you couldn’t get it done?”

 

Song Sijue’s voice stiffened at that moment, but he still apologized to the other party, “I did try and made contact, but the likelihood of the other party agreeing… is quite low.”

 

Unlike Yu Ling, he had more self-awareness but still harbored other thoughts.

 

He had sent a message to Yu Lan, but whether he hadn’t seen it or for some other reason, he didn’t receive a reply.

 

Song Sijue provided many reasons on the call, and the other party seemed to understand, sighing, “Well, these things also depend on luck. Everyone believes in your abilities and knows you didn’t intentionally fail.”

 

“However, the amount is still far from what was expected. Perhaps the promises made to you…”

 

“I understand,” Song Sijue said readily. “I’ll complete the follow-up procedures and not consider staying in the domestic branch. I’ll be back earlier.”

 

“Alright, Song,” the other party said with a smile. “Talking to smart people is indeed pleasant.”

 

He had initially come back to China hoping to stay and develop here long-term, but since the company wasn’t blaming him for failing to secure the biggest deal, he no longer had a reason to stay in the country.

 

His departure was scheduled earlier than before, but it didn’t affect him much.

 

However…

 

He had been thinking about how Yu Lan looked when he left.

 

Now hearing that Chu Wang had awakened, he wondered how he was doing and how his life was.

 

He felt that everything that had happened since he returned to China seemed absurd.

 

He hadn’t expected to suddenly develop feelings for someone he had only met once, and he hadn’t anticipated that the person’s identity would be so complex and intertwined with his own.

 

Even more unexpectedly, knowing his identity, he still couldn’t stop these feelings.

 

Song Sijue took a deep breath, about to get up and freshen up, when the apartment door nearby suddenly opened.

 

He frowned. As he walked over, he saw Yu Ling standing at the door, looking somewhat lost.

 

Song Sijue’s expression wasn’t exactly pleasant but remained polite. “Didn’t I ask you to return the key? How come you still have it?”

 

Yu Ling held the key but didn’t answer the question. He just stubbornly called out to him, “Brother Sijue.”

 

“Don’t call me that,” Song Sijue said, unappreciative, standing at the door with his hand outstretched. “Give me the key.”

 

Yu Ling reluctantly placed the key on the counter and added, “I also made a spare. Since you want this one, I can still find you.”

 

“…” Song Sijue found him unreasonable. “What are you doing?”

 

“Yu Ling, this is my friend’s house. If you keep this up, I’ll either have him change the lock, move to another place, or just stay in a hotel.”

 

Yu Ling seemed to catch something from his words. “Are you leaving?”

 

“Once work is done, there’s no need for me to stay here,” Song Sijue said.

 

“Then take me with you?” Yu Ling suddenly proposed.

 

“Take me with you? I can apply to a university abroad now, or start over there. I’ll be with you, and we can take care of each other…”

 

“What are you talking about?” Song Sijue looked at him in confusion. “You should focus on studying here. Why are you suddenly saying all this?”

 

Yu Ling seemed unable to bear the pressure any longer. He looked at Song Sijue and collapsed onto the floor, crying unexpectedly.

 

Although Song Sijue had seen him cry a lot recently, Yu Ling now seemed deeply distressed and somewhat desperate.

 

Song Sijue’s own mind was in turmoil, and the confrontation had made him lose patience with Yu Ling.

 

“Is this why you came to see me? Just to say these things?” Song Sijue sighed but still went to get him a tissue.

 

However, Yu Ling seemed to interpret this as a sign of weakness. As Song Sijue approached with tissues, he suddenly reached out, wanting to embrace him.

 

But Song Sijue seemed to sense this and sidestepped, causing Yu Ling to fall back onto the floor dejectedly.

 

“What exactly do you want to say?” Song Sijue asked calmly.

 

Yet, the calmer Song Sijue became, the less Yu Ling could accept it. He shook his head, “I don’t know. I just have nowhere to go…”

 

“You have family and many friends. Why do you feel like you have nothing?” Song Sijue asked.

 

“Can’t you stop being so cold when you talk?” Yu Ling felt increasingly aggrieved and couldn’t help but say.

 

Song Sijue seemed amused. “Xiao Ling, I thought that after seeing everything that day, talking to you like this now is already considering our past acquaintance.”

 

“That day…” Yu Ling didn’t want to recall, but still wanted to know, “Why were you suddenly there?”

 

“I was actually going to find him,” Song Sijue said directly. “I wanted to tell him what I knew. I didn’t expect to encounter you as well without even meeting him.”

 

“It was quite a coincidence. Hearing what you said saved me from having to bring up how you bullied Li Shu again.” Song Sijue found it surreal, smiling self-deprecatingly. “I didn’t expect to see that scene right after I returned, and yet…”

 

Yet the two main characters in this matter were both related to him.

 

Just in completely opposite ways.

 

The younger brother, who had initially been favorable, became the perpetrator, while he developed feelings for the young man who was spoken poorly of by everyone.

 

It was a situation that seemed magical in hindsight.

 

“I don’t—”

 

Song Sijue looked down at him with some irritation.

 

“Are you going to use the same old trick? Pity yourself? Pretend to be innocent? Then make everyone believe in you?” Song Sijue looked him in the eyes and asked, “But now that we all know what’s going on, what’s the use of continuing to deceive yourself?”

 

Yu Ling realized that after Yu Lan left, Song Sijue’s attitude towards him had become even colder and more ruthless than before.

 

It was all him, it was all him… that made things turn out this way.

 

But he couldn’t remain assertive now. Song Sijue was almost his last lifeline.

 

Yu Ling just kept shaking his head, his tone even carrying a hint of pleading. “Yes, I made some mistakes before, but I only ask you to believe me just once. I am truly innocent in that matter. I really looked for evidence! Others don’t believe me, my mom doesn’t believe me. Song Sijue, only you, only you are my hope now. How can… how can you not believe me too!?”

 

“How should I believe you, Yu Ling?” Song Sijue’s voice was very calm. “Should I believe in your endless slander of others, believe in your attempts to silence ordinary classmates because of some ability, or believe that you’re pretending to be something you’re not, driving yourself into this state?”

 

“You—You even know about these things?” Yu Ling, although understanding that Song Sijue might hesitate, hadn’t expected him to be aware of these finer details.

 

Song Sijue didn’t speak further, which was as good as an acknowledgment.

 

Yu Ling had thought he would be scared, anxious, or feel something else, but when he realized there was no way out, his mind went blank for a moment before he let out a sharp cry.

 

“So, is this the reason you like him too?” To Yu Ling, the fact that Song Sijue had feelings for Yu Lan seemed harder to accept than the fact that Song Sijue knew about his own actions.

 

Song Sijue seemed helpless. “Whether I like him or not has nothing to do with what you’ve done.”

 

“Yes, maybe before I met him, I thought you were a decent brother. I might have struggled with how to tell you about these things, maybe I would have had some difficulties expressing it, but now that things have happened, there’s no possibility left.”

 

“If it has anything to do with you…”

 

Song Sijue paused briefly and then said something that Yu Ling couldn’t accept at all.

 

“If you hadn’t sent someone to bully Li Shu that day, I might not have been so struck by him at first sight,” Song Sijue said. “But it’s not certain; I would have had feelings for him eventually anyway.”

 

Yu Ling was struck by this revelation like a bolt from the blue. The remorseful tears he had shed vanished, and he seemed to finally become hysterical—

 

“Yes, I’m not a good person, so what?” Yu Ling said recklessly. “But what’s so great about him?”

 

“I misappropriated company funds, moving money around, but I used it to sponsor schools, donate to welfare institutions, or maintain relationships with classmates. What about him? What has he done?”

 

“Buying a useless bead for tens of millions?” Yu Ling argued. “No matter how I spend my money, it’s still from the Yu family, but he’s embezzling from the Chu family!”

 

Song Sijue seemed to think that Yu Ling had lost all reason. He said helplessly, “Is it possible that you’re not even a Yu by birth?”

 

Yu Ling didn’t expect Song Sijue to be so probing, hitting him where he was most vulnerable. With his image already tarnished in Song Sijue’s eyes, he shouted, “What do you want from me?”

 

“What’s so good about him? Why has everything changed just because he arrived?”

 

“It was never like this at the start, so why does it seem like everyone likes him overnight?”

 

Song Sijue looked at him with the same bewildered expression as Yu Lan did that day.

 

“Isn’t the result of all this something you caused yourself?” Song Sijue said. “Now you’re coming to plead with me, but you don’t even really like me. You just want me to recall the old times and help you achieve your goals.”

 

“But what do you want?” Yu Ling didn’t deny, nor dared to deny this question, but instead shifted to another argument, “Do you expect him to stay with Chu’s family after all this?”

 

Song Sijue closed his eyes.

 

He didn’t know what to do.

 

He was decisively rejected and originally didn’t want to watch Yu Ling drag on with a comatose person, but hearing that Chu Wang had awakened made him even more uneasy.

 

Yu Ling seemed to finally see Song Sijue’s worried expression and said with jealousy and agitation, “But you know how he took advantage of Chu Wang’s coma to meddle in the company’s processes, used stolen account passwords to fire the management, and even spent a fortune to attract attention at an auction—”

 

“Do you think he’ll have a good time after Chu Wang wakes up?”

 

Yu Ling looked at him. “You’d be better off working with me. My father is coming back soon. As long as the company gets through this crisis, I can guarantee you shares…”

 

He couldn’t care less, issuing empty promises and using strong psychological suggestion to ignore the recent rumors about Chu Wang and his apparently harmonious relationship with his wife. “As for Yu Lan, no one can help him now. That’s Chu Wang, not someone you can just mess with.”

 

Song Sijue didn’t even think about it. “I want to help him.”

 

Looking at Yu Ling, who was trying to recruit him, Song Sijue found it both laughable and powerless. “Go back.”

 

“Given that we once had some pretty good memories together, I won’t pursue the matter any further,” Song Sijue said with a distant look, slightly bowing his head. “But if that accident hadn’t happened, perhaps we wouldn’t have these memories.”

 

At that moment, Yu Ling’s expression turned bewildered, followed by intense, furious hysteria. “Song Sijue, do you really want to wade into this muddy water?”

 

Song Sijue looked at him with indifference, as if observing a joke from his younger days.

 

Yu Ling couldn’t withstand that gaze, gritted his teeth, and then stood up in humiliation and frustration.

 

“I came to find you today, hoping you’d be the last person who could believe in me.” His current state was a stark contrast to the praised, kind, and wealthy senior in university.

 

Yu Ling sneered. “I may have nothing, but you still can’t help him.”

 

Song Sijue seemed to think he was joking. “What can you do?”

 

“I can’t do anything, but just the fact that he’s brought this upon himself is enough for him to face the consequences.”

 

Song Sijue watched as Yu Ling walked to the door, gave him a fierce look, and shut it behind him.

 

Once the sound of his footsteps had faded, Song Sijue sat down and sighed deeply.

 

He had a premonition that this might be his last meeting with Yu Ling.

 

To say his feelings were uncomplicated would be a lie, but he had more pressing matters to attend to.

 

Yet, when he looked at his phone, the messages he had sent today still hadn’t received any replies.