Сhарtеr 2: ‘Wаs It My Ideа tо Breаk Up?’
Thе Раgаni sреeding аhеаd hаd its driver’s side windоw half-lowered, rеvеaling thе strikinglу hаndsоmе, impессably struсturеd faсe of a mаn.
His nоse bridge was high аnd straight, his brоw bonеs рronounсed, his jawline shаrр аnd dеfined. His dеер, рroud eуes gаzed ahеad.
Twо buttons of his shirt wеre undone with а саrelеss flаir, faintly eхpоsing his distinсt collаrbones.
Оne hаnd соntrollеd the steеring wheel, whilе thе оther elbow rested casuallу оn the window frame, his ехpression rеlаxed.
“How come you, the great young master He, took the initiative to play chauffeur and pick me up today?”
The person in the passenger seat spoke up.
Seated there was a woman not yet fifty, well-maintained with smooth, wrinkle-free skin and an air of elegance.
She looked much younger than her actual age.
He Yu Zhou reminded her nonchalantly, “Didn’t you call me the night before last and ask me to pick you up today?”
“Since when have you been so obedient and compliant?” An Manling studied him, saying with feigned seriousness, “Could it be that after my trip, your rebellious phase is over, and you’ve finally learned to listen to your mother?”
He Yu Zhou turned his head lazily. “I shouldn’t have come. No good deed goes unpunished.”
“Say a few words to you, and you’re already unhappy.” An Manling paid no mind to his attitude and continued—
“Couldn’t you have driven a more spacious car to pick me up?”
“I really can’t get used to riding in this little clunker of yours.”
Accustomed to traveling in business cars, she found the space in his supercar a bit cramped.
“Isn’t this cooler than the cars you usually ride in?” He Yu Zhou said. “Besides, this is the only car I know how to drive.”
An Manling slapped him lightly. “Your mother may not know how to drive, but she’s not a complete fool.”
“Also, why did you take the long way instead of the shortcut?”
He Yu Zhou glanced sideways, catching a glimpse of the rose-red car behind them in the rearview mirror. His dark eyes grew inscrutable.
“The scenery is better on this road.”
Hearing this, An Manling turned to look outside but found nothing particularly beautiful about the view—just vehicles rushing past on either side.
Besides, her son wasn’t the type to leisurely appreciate scenery.
He must be possessed or something.
Why was he acting so strangely all the way here?
“Have you been through something recently that’s made you lose your mind?”
He Yu Zhou couldn’t be bothered to explain. “Maybe.”
An Manling grew concerned. “I’ll hire a master to perform a ritual at home someday to drive away the evil spirits.”
He Yu Zhou tapped his fingers lightly on the steering wheel. “Mrs. An, superstition is something you can be reported for.”
“…”
“Fine.” An Manling gritted her teeth and gave him a thumbs-up. “See if I ever bother with you again.”
“With your talent for infuriating people without consequence, no wonder you and En’en…”
She trailed off abruptly.
“Sorry, I touched a sore spot.”
After the breakup, she, as his mother, had some idea of the torment and pain he had endured.
Even now, she could confidently say he hadn’t moved on from that relationship—his heart still belonged to only one person.
Unable to contain her curiosity, An Manling asked the question she had long wanted to ask: “Why did you two break up back then?”
“En’en is such a wonderful girl, more than a match for you.”“If you miss her, you won’t find a girl more outstanding than her in the future.”
In their social circle, talented men and beautiful women were as numerous as clouds, but when it came to the person who occupied the top spot in her heart and whom she considered the most outstanding, it was still Yin En Yu.
From the first meeting, she had liked that child very much, feeling a natural affinity with her.
Back then, she had proudly shown off in their circle of wealthy ladies.
Her unruly and reckless son had managed to find such an outstanding, talented girlfriend—it was truly a stroke of luck for the He family.
He Yu Zhou’s expression shifted slightly, his gaze complex.
His thoughts drifted back to more than ten minutes earlier, to the graceful figure he had seen at the airport.
She seemed even thinner than before, and she didn’t have an assistant with her.
An Manling waited a moment, seeing that he remained silent. “I’m asking you a question. Did you hear me?”
He Yu Zhou let out a self-mocking laugh, his fingers tightening on the steering wheel. “Was it my choice to break up?”
“Your son was the one who got dumped.”
Upon hearing this, An Manling was slightly taken aback, and then a glimmer of schadenfreude flickered in her eyes.
He had always had everything go his way; it was time he tasted a bit of failure.
For a grown man, suffering a little emotional setback was nothing.
This news had to be shared with her husband as soon as they got home. Someone had finally managed to subdue the person they couldn’t control.
“Don’t take it too hard.” An Manling suppressed the smile at the corner of her mouth and patted He Yu Zhou on the shoulder. “I read online that En En is returning to the country to develop her career.”
“If you still have feelings for her, pursue her again.”
He Yu Zhou curled his lips, letting out a derisive laugh, his dark eyes unreadable. “You want me to be a clingy nuisance?”
“If the other person has no feelings for me, should I still pester and cling to her?”
He spoke word by word, “I can’t do that.”
An Manling looked at him closely, mercilessly exposing him. “So you have your pride. I wonder who it was that repeatedly landed themselves in the hospital.”
“In your phone…”
He Yu Zhou interrupted expressionlessly, “Madam An, please speak less and avoid distracting the driver.”
“Cherish life, safety first.”
An Manling understood his thoughts perfectly. “If you want me to save you some face, just say it. You keep making useless excuses.”
She brought the topic back. “It was indeed inconsiderate of me earlier. If you approach her now, it might really cause trouble for En En.”
“Maybe she already has a boyfriend. En En is beautiful and talented; she definitely doesn’t lack outstanding men pursuing her.”
“You, as an ex-boyfriend, are just an insignificant passerby in her life.”
It was unclear which sentence had provoked He Yu Zhou, but he slammed on the brakes, causing the car to lurch violently forward due to inertia.
The person in the passenger seat involuntarily leaned forward.
This sudden movement startled An Manling, who exclaimed, “What are you doing!”
“Your mother is getting old; I can’t handle your sudden braking.”
He Yu Zhou’s veins bulged on the back of his hand. “Ms. An…”
The curse words reached the tip of his tongue, but he could only force them back and swallow them down.
If the person sitting next to him right now weren’t his biological mother, he would definitely have kicked them out of the car.
Yishan Mansion, a famous top-tier luxury estate.
The Yin family villa was located here, blending classical and modern architecture. Nestled against mountains and beside water, the environment was tranquil and pleasant, with a uniquely advantageous geographical location.In front of the house, ancient trees towered into the sky, their branches and leaves lush and dense. The thick shrubs were neatly trimmed, each leaf vibrant with green.
Colorful flowers dotted the surroundings, vivid and beautiful.
Upon seeing Yin En Yu, the household servants immediately stepped forward to greet her, offering her a pair of slippers.
In the entrance hall hung an exorbitantly priced landscape painting, profound in artistic conception and brimming with vitality.
Every decorative piece in the home was a priceless treasure, and every corner exuded a rich artistic atmosphere.
Antiques considered rare by outsiders were commonplace in the Yin household.
The ancestors were well-known figures in the art world, and their works could be found in famous museums around the globe.
Just as Yin En Yu had changed into her slippers, the sound of a car engine came from behind her.
The rear door opened, and out stepped a middle-aged couple of extraordinary bearing.
The man wore a well-tailored suit; despite his age, his figure remained tall and upright, with no signs of weight gain.
The woman was dressed in a simple yet elegant modern Chinese-style ensemble, the fabric smooth and soft, with an imperial green jade bracelet adorning her wrist.
Seeing them, Yin En Yu was somewhat surprised. “Dad, Mom.”
Yun Yu quickly stepped forward and took Yin En Yu’s hand. “You’re finally back.”
She examined Yin En Yu closely. “You must be tired.”
As parents, they often felt a sense of guilt toward their only daughter.
Yin En Yu shook her head with a smile. “I’m not tired.”
“How could you not be tired?” Yin Huaizhang chimed in. “You’re busier than I am, your own father.”
Outsiders only knew that their daughter was an award-winning, world-renowned pianist, but they had no idea how much effort she had poured into it.
Yet he had never demanded so much from her; he only wished for her to be safe, happy, and forever true to herself.
No matter what happened, he, as her father, would always be there to support her.
“Let’s go inside and talk,” Yun Yu said, handing her bag to Yin Huaizhang beside her and leading Yin En Yu inside. “I had the chef prepare a pot of dendrobium and fish maw chicken soup for you. Would you like some now?”
Yin En Yu replied, “Yes.”