Based on the principle that "evil people have no guts," and since she seemed to have done something wrong, and he had a cold and fierce look on his face, Fengzi obediently stepped forward to act as a human crutch, helping him to sit down on the sofa.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean it!" Based on past experience, admitting her mistake first would reduce the punishment, so as soon as he sat down, she jumped back a big step and shouted urgently.
Squinting at his woman who was avoiding him like the plague, he felt a surge of anger. He pursed his lips and said coldly, "Come here!"
"I'm not going!" Her refusal was cut short by his sharp glare, and she quickly smiled and pleaded, "I've already admitted my mistake, what more does he want!"
"Come here." His tone softened slightly, like a cunning hunter luring his prey, and he even managed a slight smile. "Come here and I'll forgive you."
Really? Why does she seem to be getting angrier the more she looks at him?
Should I run away? She thought to herself, then her face fell. No, knowing this man's temper, no matter where she hid, he would find her, and then things would be even worse!
Forget it, I guess I'll just have to accept my fate!
Seeing her approach with a helpless expression, Fang Weiyang's lips curled up slightly, and his anger subsided. After all, this good girl knew what a "smart choice" meant.
He patted his knee, gesturing for her to sit down. Fengzi opened her mouth to retort, but after he glared at her, she swallowed her complaints and sat down reluctantly, her small hands wrapping around his waist.
"My father, as you may have guessed, is Yuji Takahashi, the head of the Takahashi Foundation in Japan. My mother, on the other hand, is quite ordinary. She was a student studying in Japan named Fang Liuli, who was said to be a lively, cheerful, innocent, and kind girl." Hearing the person in his arms make a puzzled "hmm" sound, he lowered his head and kissed her, speaking of his background for the first time without hatred or resentment.
"Perhaps that's what attracted my father. They fell passionately in love, and later my mother even became pregnant with me. But after returning to his hometown one day, he disappeared without a trace. My mother searched desperately for him, and in the end, she gave birth to me alone, impoverished and struggling. Afterwards, she sold everything and took me to Kyoto, my father's hometown, to continue searching for him, because she firmly believed that something must have happened to him that prevented him from returning to find her. Who knew—" His tone turned sorrowful, almost unable to speak.
He continued, burying his head in her fragrant neck for a moment, until she gently stroked his back with concern, at which point he looked up and gave a hasty smile.
“It’s nothing. She ran into his wedding, and it happened at a solemn shrine. How ironic, isn’t it?” Because of the resentment in his voice, he didn’t look down at her, but instead turned his gaze elsewhere. “Although my mother was gentle and kind by nature, she was also very proud and fierce. She rushed up and slapped him, then picked me up and turned to leave. As a result—she got into a car accident and died, while I, in her arms, was safe and sound.”
"The man only glanced at her, ordered someone to pick me up, announced that I was the 21st eldest son of the Takahashi family, and then continued his wedding. It's said that he thought I was incredibly lucky, and that because my mother died right before his eyes without crying or making a scene, he thought I was cold-blooded..."
"No, that's not how it is!" she shook her head frantically, tears welling in her eyes.
"Shh—" He lowered his head and gently kissed away the tears in her eyes, smiling warmly. "He married a good wife, my other mother, a typical lady from a prestigious family. She treated me extremely well, and even after she had her own son, she never changed. In that family, she was like a warm, full moon, gently illuminating everyone, and she was the warmest light in my heart. But in the Takahashi family, this was not allowed. My father demanded that I be ruthless, cold-blooded, and unscrupulous, even... even if the other party was my younger brother, Jiro. At first, he didn't expect that Jiro and I would always disobey him behind his back. Later, he found out and punished us severely. Afterward, he brought back Minako, sweet and gentle like my mother."
"Everything started out beautifully. Jiro and I vied for the position of elder brother, cherishing her delicate beauty. Then, my mother fell ill and, before passing away, revealed the truth about my origins. She couldn't bear the thought of me living my whole life without ever knowing I had such a wonderful mother. That year, I was eighteen, and I already knew how to hide the hatred in my heart. So, under the pretext of studying at Cambridge, I prepared to gather strength for rebellion or revenge. But... I was too young and impetuous at the time, and he found out. So, he summoned me back to Japan under some pretext and put... an aphrodisiac in my tea. At that time, Minako was only sixteen years old. She was ordered to serve her elder brother, who had been away for a long time, and was told that she would become the eldest daughter-in-law of the Takahashi family. Later—later, under the influence of the drug, I..."
"Stop talking, stop talking." She covered his mouth, unable to bear seeing the pain he felt when he reopened the past.
He kissed the small hand affectionately, held it in his palm, and smiled to show that he was alright. "Fortunately, I recognized Minako later and struggled to run out and jump into the pond behind the house. I stayed up all night until the effects of the drug wore off. I thought I should go back to see Minako, after all, I hadn't completed the mission, and I was afraid she would be punished. But then I saw Jiro coming out of my room. I knew Jiro loved Minako, so I avoided him to avoid embarrassment. Later, I ran away before the wedding and never returned to Japan. Who knew that Minako would give birth to a daughter whose appearance somehow resembled my birth mother, so she was named Ruri, and I became her nominal father."
"So you pretended to be 'homosexual' to deceive people so that you wouldn't go back to Japan or fight with the Jiro brothers, right?" She was a little angry that she had been fooled by him for so long.
"Didn't you already know?"
He felt a little guilty and kept his eyes fixed on her face, lest she act impulsively and hurt herself in anger.
Unexpectedly, after yawning, the young lady mumbled "So sleepy" and then closed her eyes to fall asleep—and she actually fell into a deep sleep right away.
Staring at her beautiful sleeping face for a moment in disbelief, Fang Weiyang finally remembered that the "Infant Care Handbook" he had been studying late into the night said that it was normal for pregnant women to be gluttonous and sleepy.
"Like a little pig—"
He gently stroked her delicate cheek, a serene and contented smile playing on his lips, as light as the wind and as warm as the sun.
※※※
Is it a kind of coincidence? She pretended to be sick at home to avoid Pei Zaiyu, but because she was bored and frustrated, she simply went out to help her son submit a case, and ended up running into her ex-boyfriend.
From the moment he opened the office door until he saw her, Du Zhiwen's expression was one of mixed surprise and delight. He bypassed his secretary and Manager Ye, who was originally responsible for contacting her, and stopped directly in front of her, his gaze fixed on her.
As he sized her up, she also quickly scanned the not-so-large company and her long-lost first love. Surprisingly, she found that the resentment she had felt earlier had vanished without a trace. Was he heartless?
So she smiled quietly, greeting him as if he were an old friend, her eyes looking directly at the still refined and handsome man before her. "Hi, Zhiwen, long time no see."
“It has been a long time, um—it’s been a full seven years, and you haven’t changed at all, you’re still so young and beautiful!” Du Zhiwen smiled slightly uneasyly, staring at her helplessly.
Noticing the commotion she had caused and the numerous eavesdroppers around her, Ye Zi, thinking of him, deliberately avoided any appearance of impropriety and said, "What do you mean 'still young'? You're already a mother of one child."
"You're married?"
Instantly, his previously dull face lit up, and his expression relaxed, showing a sense of ease and peace as if he had been given a great release.
"Hmm." Not wanting to explain further, she simply accepted his explanation, and her mood lifted accordingly. Ah, it was so comfortable and pleasant to realize that she was no longer a source of guilt for others.
Noticing the frequent "favor" from his subordinates, Du Zhiwen turned around and invited her into his office, then gestured for his secretary to bring her two cups of coffee.
"Xiao Zi, I've been so worried about you all these years. I heard you went back to your hometown, right? When did you come up here? How have you been lately?" he asked eagerly, wanting to make up for all the guilt he had felt over the years.
"It's been years, Zhiwen, and you've become quite impatient," Ye Zi teased with a smile before replying, "I've only been here for a little over two months, and I'm doing very well, so you don't need to worry about me anymore."
"Really, it's not necessary... I mean, is there anything I can help you with? I'll do my best... Back then, I..."
"No need, really no need... It's all in the past, there's no need to bring it up again." He was still the same kind and helpful person as before. She smiled gently, and Pei Zaiyu's face suddenly flashed through her mind, causing her to pause for a moment, but she still smiled and asked, "And you, you've been married for so long, how many children do you have?"
"Two daughters, two years old this year, a sweet pair of twins." His face instantly filled with fatherly pride, and he asked with interest, "Are your children boys or girls?"
"Knock knock".
The knocking interrupted Ye Zi's reply, while Du Zhiwen was quite surprised by the person who brought in the coffee.
"Ruiyun, it's you? Where's Secretary Wang?"
"She's busy. I heard from Manager Ye that you had a friend coming over, so I came to visit as well." The elegant woman in the designer suit smiled gently at her husband, then gracefully put down the coffee. As she straightened up, Ye Zi saw a glint of shrewdness flash across her eyes.
She thought to herself that she was hostile towards her, and couldn't help but chuckle to herself.
After exchanging names and pleasantries, Ye Zi resumed the topic that had been interrupted.
"I had a son named Ye Pei. He's an exceptionally bright child, and he's almost seven years old now." She admitted that she had a mischievous intention to tease Meng Ruiyun, just to settle a small grudge from seven years ago.