That evening, Lin Chen went alone to attend Lin Fei’s engagement banquet. Sitting by himself in a corner of the table, he looked somewhat lonely. When his eyes briefly met his father’s, he lowered his head in shame.
In his parents’ eyes, even the youngest, Lin Fei, was getting married this year. Yet Lin Chen, who had been married for ten years, not only had no children but had now even gotten divorced. His parents simply couldn’t understand his emotional situation.
After the banquet, Lin Chen left in a hurry. If his parents hadn’t insisted, he would never have come. The looks from the elders carried faint traces of ridicule and reproach. Even during the meal, when a few uncles brought him up, his father avoided the topic. Lin Chen clearly remembered what his father, Lin Chengtai, had said during the divorce not long ago, “A perfectly good family, and you turned it into this. In the Lin family, no one has ever gotten divorced… you’re the first. Back then, we arranged a suitable marriage for you, but you refused and insisted on marrying Chen Ya. Look at how your life turned out after all these years. Son, you’ve become a joke. Wake up.”
Walking along the street, Lin Chen lit a cigarette. The suppressed emotions seemed to ease slightly. In stark contrast, families who had just finished the banquet stood at the hotel entrance, chatting and seeing each other off warmly.
Lin Chen kept walking, not looking back, as if he couldn’t hear the distant calls behind him.
“Uncle?” Suddenly, a familiar white Audi stopped in front of him. Bai Mengyan’s gentle and beautiful face brought him a long-lost sense of comfort.
“Why are you here?” Lin Chen asked, surprised. He had taken a taxi from the hotel earlier that evening.
“Tch, how hard could it be? At lunch, your cousin Lin Fei mentioned the address. I just followed the navigation,” Bai Mengyan said lightly. She could sense his embarrassment, though he had no idea she had been waiting outside the restaurant for an entire hour.
“You must be an angel sent to save me,” Lin Chen said sincerely. Her appearance at this moment felt almost miraculous. Just as he was about to get into the car, he heard his mother Zhao Yan’s voice from behind.
“Son, where are you going? Aren’t you coming home tonight?”
The moment Zhao Yan approached, Bai Mengyan immediately turned off the engine and got out of the car. With a warm smile, she greeted, “Aunt, hello. I’m Ah Chen’s friend from Nanfeng City.” Find the original chapter at novelping . com.
Zhao Yan thought she had seen wrong at first. Standing beside her son was a girl as beautiful as an immortal… young, elegant, and refined. For a moment, she didn’t know how to react.
Bai Mengyan stepped forward and gently linked her arm with Lin Chen’s. Tugging lightly at his sleeve, she whispered, “Say something, this is getting awkward.”
“Ah… this is Bai Mengyan, my friend from Nanfeng City. She’s never been to Donghai City before, so she came along to have a look for a couple of days,” Lin Chen said, completely unaware of her intention in holding his arm.
“Oh, Miss Bai, hello,” Zhao Yan said. By now, she had already grasped the situation clearly. The girl in front of her was excellent in both appearance and temperament, and more importantly, it was obvious she liked Lin Chen.
“Aunt, we came in a hurry this time and didn’t have time to visit you. Next time, we’ll definitely come to your home to see you and Uncle,” Bai Mengyan said confidently with a smile. Her words subtly hinted that she and Lin Chen were in a relationship… though only just beginning.
No matter how clueless Lin Chen was about relationships, he understood that Bai Mengyan was helping him. So he boldly took her small hand and said, “Yes. I’ve just joined a new position recently and have been busy with a major case. Once things settle down, I’ll go home for a visit.”
“That’s right, Aunt. Ah Chen has always been thinking about you. It’s just that he recently transferred to the Provincial Public Security Department and is handling a big case. He’s so busy he sometimes forgets to eat. But don’t worry… I’ll make sure he eats on time and takes care of himself,” Bai Mengyan added gently.
Zhao Yan looked at the thoughtful and attentive girl in front of her, then happily held her hand and said, “Miss Bai…”
“Aunt, just call me Xiao Yan.”
“Oh, Xiao Yan.” Zhao Yan held her slender hand, her face full of fondness. Lin Chen suddenly noticed Bai Mengyan’s cheeks flushing slightly, a hint of shyness showing through.
He couldn’t help but feel surprised. Someone as fearless as Bai Mengyan could actually blush like this.
Zhao Yan continued, “My son… aside from being honest, he’s quite dull when it comes to relationships. Over the years, because of family pressure, he quit his job to prepare for the civil service exams, carrying quite a burden. And now, with everything that’s happened recently, he may be feeling a bit insecure.”
As the saying goes, no one understands a child better than their mother. Though Zhao Yan had scolded him before, she understood his feelings very well. Visit g.com for the full chapter.
After hearing her words, Bai Mengyan immediately responded like a well-behaved girl, holding Zhao Yan’s arm and saying softly, “Aunt, don’t worry. I’ll make sure he eats on time and takes good care of himself.”
“Good. Life takes time… and you have to live it one day at a time,” Zhao Yan said with a smile, patting Bai Mengyan’s hand. It was clear she had taken a great liking to her.
After Zhao Yan left, both Bai Mengyan and Lin Chen let out a long breath of relief. Bai Mengyan laughed and patted his shoulder, asking, “So, Uncle, did I do well? I didn’t embarrass you, right? With someone as lovable as me, Aunt must be very satisfied.”
Although Bai Mengyan had done her best to help him, Lin Chen couldn’t bring himself to feel happy. He could tell that his mother was genuinely pleased with her. They had gotten through this time… but what about the next?
“Thank you… for just now,” Lin Chen said, forcing a faint smile.
Bai Mengyan rolled her eyes at him and said displeased, “Tch, who wants your thanks?”
At that moment, her stomach growled audibly. She hadn’t eaten dinner while waiting for him, and now hunger finally caught up with her. Her face flushed with embarrassment.
Lin Chen smiled softly and said, “Come on, Uncle will take you to eat something good.”
He opened the car door. Bai Mengyan gave him a gentle smile. As the car’s taillights faded into the night, the two of them disappeared into the darkness together.