Chapter 38

Chapter 38: Only If She Loves Me Does It Count The room on the second floor of Linji fell silent instantly, leaving only the cicadas chirping outside the window, accompanied by the summer breeze rustling the leaves with a whooshing sound. The warm summer wind drifted through the window and brushed against Lin Meiyan. Her limbs felt cold, icy, as she murmured, "Yes." She no longer denied it. She had schemed against Yu Jianghai from the very beginning—starting from that day they shared a room when he asked her if she had a condom. She had to think for herself and for her child. A flicker of pain passed through Yu Jianghai's eyes, so faint that if Lin Meiyan hadn't been watching him closely, she would have almost missed it. His voice was hoarse. "Yanyan, you could have just told me directly." "How was I supposed to tell you?" Lin Meiyan's throat tightened. She bit her lip hard, tasting a hint of rust in her mouth. "Should I have said, 'Yu Jianghai, I don't trust you, and I don't trust how you treat Qiaoqiao'? Or should I have said, 'Yu Jianghai, I don't trust your family'?" Some things simply couldn't be said aloud. Once spoken, the feelings between two people would change forever. Yu Jianghai noticed her agitation and reached out to pull her close, but Lin Meiyan dodged him, stepping back. "Yes, Yu Jianghai, I admit my motives weren't pure. I admit I had selfish reasons. I admit I schemed against you—" As she said this, tears suddenly streamed down her face, like pear blossoms wet with rain. "We were apart for six years. I didn't know—I didn't know if you were still the same person." She and Yu Jianghai were no longer the people they once were. Their positions now were worlds apart. Since they were getting married, she had to make plans. She wasn't the eighteen-year-old Lin Meiyan anymore. She no longer had that reckless courage or wholehearted sincerity. She was a twenty-nine-year-old Lin Meiyan, who had experienced the coldness of the world while raising a child. She was more pragmatic than anyone. Hearing this, Yu Jianghai's heart ached even more. He didn't know when his Yanyan had become like this. His heart aching, he grabbed her hand, trying to pull her into his arms. His voice was hoarse. "If you want me to get a vasectomy, I won't refuse." "If you want me to cut off the Yu family's legacy, I won't refuse either." "If you want me to leave all of Jianghai Dicai to Qiaoqiao in the future, I definitely won't refuse." Whatever Lin Meiyan wanted, he could give her. Even his very life. He said it so calmly—so calmly that Lin Meiyan's tears fell instantly, because she knew Yu Jianghai meant every word. Yu Jianghai saw her tears. His fingers twitched, but this time, he didn't reach out to wipe them away. He took a step back and said quietly, "Yanyan, I can give you anything you want, but you shouldn't have lied to me. You shouldn't have lied to me." "You shouldn't have schemed against me too." Everyone in the world could scheme against Yu Jianghai—except Lin Meiyan. Except Lin Meiyan! Because to Yu Jianghai, Lin Meiyan was his only light, his only hope and salvation, the only person who could open his heart and put his mind at ease. Once she started scheming, what they had would never be the same. Never the same again. Lin Meiyan felt as if those words had pierced her. Her voice trembled as tears poured down relentlessly. "I didn't dare to trust." Yu Jianghai watched her cry, his heart aching unbearably. Several times he wanted to raise his hand to wipe her tears, but he forcibly restrained himself. His eyes reddened as he stared at her. Finally, Lin Meiyan said those words: "Yu Jianghai, I didn't dare to trust." "I'm not the eighteen-year-old Lin Meiyan, the one who could give up everything for you. I'm twenty-nine now. There are five years between us." "You're the big boss of Jianghai Dicai, and I'm just the small owner of Linji Restaurant. The gap between us is enormous. And I have a child. I know what it's like to have no money. I know what it's like to have no house to register in. I know what it's like to have a child pointed at and whispered about because he has no father." "I also know that someone like your father—if he ever got the chance, he wouldn't let us off." "Yu Jianghai, even if we get married, even with that marriage certificate in hand, I still wouldn't dare to trust it. Our statuses are too far apart. As long as your father says the word, as long as you nod, then Qiaoqiao and I could be replaced at any moment." "Replaced!" Lin Meiyan's tears fell harder and harder, but her voice grew steadier and steadier. "Yu Jianghai, tell me—when Qiaoqiao and I get replaced, what do I have to fight back with?" She couldn't fight back. An ordinary woman like Lin Meiyan, against a powerful, wealthy man like Yu Jianghai—she had no way to defend herself at all. Yu Jianghai's fingers slowly clenched, his nails digging into his flesh, yet he felt nothing. "So, you don't trust me?" "Yanyan, even at this point, you still don't trust me." It seemed he hadn't taken in anything Lin Meiyan had said before. His mind was consumed with only one thought: his Yanyan didn't trust him. Didn't trust him at all. Even though they were married. "You're still doubting me?" "So you were testing me?" Lin Meiyan's face turned pale. She stood at the doorway, supported only by the wall behind her, barely keeping herself from collapsing. But Yu Jianghai continued. His eyes were red-rimmed, the muscles in his cheeks twitching faintly. The anger seemed ready to burst forth, yet he held it back with iron control. He stared at her, stared hard. "You wanted to see if I would go this far for you, right?" "And you also wanted to see if my father and I would come to blows, right?" Lin Meiyan said nothing. Her silence was already the answer. Yu Jianghai lowered his head and let out a laugh—one that carried little humor. He closed his eyes, a faint trace of disappointment visible at the corners. "Then I did it." Lin Meiyan's tears paused. "Yanyan, I did it." "You saw it." "Can you trust me now?" These words weighed heavier than everything he had said before. Lin Meiyan stood rooted to the spot, suddenly unable to answer. Did she trust him? Of course she did, because the result of this test was very, very good. Yu Jianghai had turned in a perfect score. He had done better than she had imagined. Between her and his father, he had chosen her without a moment's hesitation. Between continuing the family line and Qiaoqiao, he had chosen Qiaoqiao without a moment's hesitation. She should trust him. But Lin Meiyan couldn't open her mouth—not even a little. Yu Jianghai waited for a long time, but no answer came. His gaze slowly dimmed. "I understand." Lin Meiyan panicked slightly. "Yu Jianghai..." Jiang Hai raised his hand to stop her. His voice was hoarse. "Yanyan, you've suffered so much. Being extra cautious is only natural." "Planning for Qiaoqiao's sake is also natural." "And scheming against me, against the Yu family—that's even less of a mistake." Lin Meiyan's heart ached at his words. She wanted to step forward, but Yu Jianghai took two steps back instead. He looked at her, his brows and eyes carrying a sorrow barely perceptible. "But, Yanyan—" He pressed a hand to his chest and murmured, "This place... it hurts a little." The words were too soft—soft as a speck of ash falling—yet they struck Lin Meiyan so hard she could barely stand. What kind of man was Yu Jianghai? When his father had pushed him to the point of staking his life, he hadn't said it hurt. When he learned the fire in the archives had been arranged by his father, he hadn't said it hurt. When he got the vasectomy, he hadn't even said it hurt. But now, he said he was a little sad. Lin Meiyan's tears came flooding out. She wanted to walk over and hold him. But the moment she moved, Yu Jianghai closed his eyes and stepped back. "Let me be alone for a while." He wasn't afraid of being used by Lin Meiyan. He was even willing to be used by her. As long as she needed him. But she had gone around in such a long circle. And at the end of it all, he realized he was just another part of her defenses. Seeing him refuse her approach, Lin Meiyan's steps froze. The room fell silent, leaving only the sound of their breathing. After a long moment, Lin Meiyan stood as if her feet had taken root. She said softly, "Alright." She put away the things from her cloth bundle one by one—the razor on the left, the folded towel on the washstand, the change of clothes hung in the wardrobe. She did it carefully, as if being careful enough could mend the crack that had just split open between them. But when she finished, Yu Jianghai still hadn't looked at her. He stood in place for a long time—so long that customers began arriving downstairs. Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju were overwhelmed, especially when a customer ordered stir-fried dishes. Ye Qiuju called up the stairs, "Yanyan, a customer ordered Wuchang fish. You need to come down." If she didn't come down, no one else could make that fish. Lin Meiyan stood still for a moment, wiped her tears, and called back downstairs, "I'm coming." She glanced back at Yu Jianghai. He stood motionless like a statue. Lin Meiyan paused. "Yu Jianghai, customers are here. I'm going down to cook." She lowered her head and started to leave. Yu Jianghai watched her. Lin Meiyan waited a moment, but he didn't speak. She wiped her tears dry and stepped out the door. Watching her retreating figure without hesitation, Yu Jianghai suddenly tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Yanyan, are the customers downstairs more important than me?" Lin Meiyan stood at the doorway, frozen for a long moment. She turned back, her eyes red-rimmed, and said in a low voice, "Yu Jianghai, I can't lose you—but I can't lose Linji either, can I?" Linji was the foundation of her and Qiaoqiao's livelihood. But Yu Jianghai— She didn't know if he was. At those words, Yu Jianghai's face darkened into something terrifying. Unfortunately, Lin Meiyan had already pushed the door open and stepped out. The moment she emerged, she saw Secretary Shen standing outside, and she had no idea how much he had overheard. Lin Meiyan's eyes were still red. She said quietly, "Go in and check on your boss." Secretary Shen's scalp was about to explode, okay? "Youth Lin, you're more useful than me." He wore an expression that looked more like crying than smiling. "You really are more useful than me." He was practically ready to kowtow to Lin Meiyan right now, okay? If he went in now, he wouldn't be cannon fodder—what else would he be? Lin Meiyan shook her head. "Yu Jianghai doesn't want to see me right now." With that, she walked down the stairs at a leisurely pace. She walked slowly, the staircase was long, and the lights were stark white. She walked out step by step, and suddenly felt as if she had returned to many years ago. Only this time, she wasn't leaving Yu Jianghai. She just didn't know how to face him for the time being. In the living room on the second floor of Linji, Yu Jianghai stood at the bedroom door, listening to the sound of footsteps fading away. He suddenly curled the corner of his mouth. When Secretary Shen pushed the door open, he found his boss still maintaining the same posture, motionless. He lowered his eyes respectfully and called out, "Boss." Yu Jianghai didn't respond. Even Secretary Shen, with his silver tongue, didn't know what to say at this moment. "Youth Lin is also also also—" He stammered "also" for a long while, but couldn't manage to complete the thought. Secretary Shen had originally wanted to offer a few words of comfort, but after thinking it over, he realized he wasn't really in a position to do so. This kind of thing would be hard on anyone. He scratched his head and said quietly, "Youth Lin was scared into this." At least he managed to get out a complete sentence. Yu Jianghai's voice was faint. "I know." "You know, and you still—?" Yu Jianghai didn't answer. Instead, he asked in return, "Am I not good enough?" As he asked this, his dark, pitch-black eyes stared at Secretary Shen without focus. He wasn't asking Secretary Shen—it seemed like he was asking someone else through him. Secretary Shen didn't know how to answer either, despite his formidable eloquence. "Boss, you're already very good," he said in a low voice. "You're the best, best husband I've ever seen." "Bar none." Upon hearing this, Yu Jianghai curled the corner of his mouth with a hint of mockery. "She doesn't think so." "She doesn't think so at all." Otherwise, she wouldn't have distrusted him. She wouldn't have schemed against him either. And she definitely wouldn't have chosen to go downstairs to cook for the guests instead of choosing him. Secretary Shen couldn't respond to that. He kept his eyes lowered, respectful, only stealing glances at his boss from the corner of his eye. He suddenly felt that this man—who was unyielding at Jianghai Dicai, who dared to go head-to-head even with the Planning Bureau—was actually pretty pitiful. He had given everything now. His life, his family, his future, the Yu family—even the possibility of having more children in the future. Yet Youth Lin still didn't dare to fully trust him. Secretary Shen, who normally shouldn't have spoken out of turn, suddenly asked, "Boss, what do you plan to do now?" Yu Jianghai looked out the window. It was just past eleven in the morning, the scorching sun hanging high in the sky, sunlight brilliant—but to him, it felt like dark clouds were gathering. "Let's go." "Where to?" Secretary Shen asked respectfully. "Back to Jianghai Dicai." Secretary Shen was taken aback. He thought to himself, Isn't this the boss's home? Why isn't he staying home, and instead going to Jianghai Dicai? Downstairs, Lin Meiyan had just come down when Qiaoqiao noticed that her mother's eyes were red. She immediately ran over. "Mommy, Mommy, what's wrong?" Her face was full of worry. Lin Meiyan didn't want her child to know that she and Yu Jianghai had argued, so she said, "The chili peppers stung my eyes when I was cutting them." Qiaoqiao thought to herself, That's not it—Mommy hasn't even been in the kitchen. Unfortunately, Lin Meiyan didn't intend to explain further. She reached out and ruffled Qiaoqiao's hair. "I'm going to get busy in the kitchen. You go do your homework." "School starts in three days." Qiaoqiao nodded obediently. Lin Meiyan put on an apron and entered the kitchen. As soon as she came in, Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju noticed that her expression wasn't right. The two exchanged a glance. "What's wrong?" Lin Meiyan didn't really want to talk about it—the whole thing was too complicated. So she said, "Auntie, what dishes did the guests order? Bring me the order slip and I'll take a look." Seeing that she wasn't going to say, Ye Qiuju let it go. She brought over the order slip. "One sour and spicy lotus root, one Wuchang fish, and oh, one braised Bagua Tang." The so-called braised Bagua Tang was turtle soup. However, the weather was too hot this season, and few people ordered this dish, so Linji had taken it off the menu. After reading the order slip, Lin Meiyan knew what to do. "I'll make it right away." She quickly threw herself into her busy work, even forgetting about the argument with Yu Jianghai. It wasn't that Lin Meiyan was cold-blooded—it was that she had to force herself to do this over the years. If she spent large amounts of time dwelling on sadness and melancholy, she and Qiaoqiao wouldn't have the life they had now. Seeing her mood gradually improve, Ye Qiuju nodded. She carried out a freshly braised Wuchang fish to the guests, and it happened to be perfect timing. Just as she set down the dish, Yu Jianghai and Secretary Shen came down from upstairs. Ye Qiuju was taken aback. "Jianghai, why don't you rest a bit more?" Secretary Shen had thought that since his boss had argued with Youth Lin, he might take his anger out on others—but to his surprise, he didn't. Not only that, but at least from an outsider's perspective, no dramatic shift in emotion could be detected. "Auntie," Yu Jianghai said in a calm voice, "something urgent came up at Jianghai Dicai. I need to go over to the office for a while." Ye Qiuju let out an "oh" and asked, "Well, have you eaten? Why not eat before you go?" Yu Jianghai glanced toward the kitchen. Lin Meiyan stood at the stove, her head lowered as she focused on cooking. He paused for a moment, then said in a low voice, "No time." It wasn't that there was no time. It was that the person trying to keep him wasn't the right one. Ye Qiuju wanted to say something more, but Yu Jianghai had already stepped out of Linji, and Secretary Shen stayed behind to wrap things up. "Comrade Ye, no need to worry. If my boss gets hungry, I'll come back and pick up some food for him." It was just a quick drive anyway. Ye Qiuju hummed in acknowledgment and let the matter drop. After Yu Jianghai and Secretary Shen left, she returned to the kitchen and said to Lin Meiyan, "Meiyan, Jiang Hai is gone." Lin Meiyan's hand stirring the wok paused for a moment. She didn't even lift her head. "If he's gone, he's gone." Maybe it was the heavy oil smoke from the wok, but her eyes felt a little stinging and sore. After Yu Jianghai left Linji, he stood at the entrance for a long time. No one came out to see him off. Under the blazing sun, he finally got into the car that Secretary Shen had driven over. Secretary Shen was in the driver's seat, but Yu Jianghai told him to get out. Secretary Shen was a bit confused. The next second, Yu Jianghai switched places with him. In an instant, with a roar, the black sedan let out a low rumble and shot forward. Secretary Shen, an experienced driver, was nearly thrown out of his seat by the speed. He was terrified in an instant. Fortunately, Yu Jianghai still had some control. He said, "Buckle your seatbelt." Secretary Shen did as he was told immediately. The moment he fastened it, the car shot forward again. He swore—he swore—that from Linji to the Jianghai Dicai Phase One office. Normally, it took at least half an hour to get there. If there was traffic or slower driving, it would take at least forty to fifty minutes. Instead, they arrived in twelve minutes. Even Secretary Shen, an old hand at driving, nearly got shaken to the point of throwing up the whole way. When they arrived at Jianghai Dicai, Yu Jianghai stopped the car and tossed the keys to Secretary Shen. "Park it." With that, he left directly. When Yu Jianghai arrived at the office, Lu Qingyuan was still in there working like a beast of burden. He had pulled an all-nighter and was now sporting a pair of huge dark circles under his eyes—it was almost frightening to look at. When he saw Yu Jianghai, Lu Qingyuan looked as if he'd seen a savior. "Old Yu, old Yu, you're finally back." Ever since Yu Jianghai got married, Lu Qingyuan felt like he'd barely seen the man in the office at all. Yu Jianghai's expression didn't change. He unbuttoned his shirt collar and strode over to the desk in big steps, giving a cold order. "Make a list of all the work and bring it all to me." "What are you planning to do?" Lu Qingyuan was first delighted, then instinctively felt something was off. "Wait, that's not right. You're married now—shouldn't you be at home with your wife and kid? Why are you here working yourself to the bone?" "Old Yu, something's not right with you." Yu Jianghai didn't say a word. He slapped the desk and said, "Give me the work. It won't be available forever." At that, Lu Qingyuan stopped worrying about whether something was off. He scurried over and carried all the files from his desk over. "Look, there are still three days until Phase Two breaks ground. We've got a pile of documents here, a pile of things that need approval. Take a quick look—I can't keep up." "Mm." Yu Jianghai took the files and started flipping through them. After a moment, he said, "Leave it to me." That wasn't an empty promise. Yu Jianghai arrived at the Jianghai Dicai office at exactly 11:30 in the morning. He barely moved from his seat until 11:30 at night. He was truly a work machine—no, a workaholic. Even Lu Qingyuan couldn't hold on at this hour. He couldn't help but yawn. "Old Yu, you're still going?" Yu Jianghai didn't even look up. He hummed in acknowledgment. "You rest first." Lu Qingyuan got up and walked over to his desk to take a look. Most of the files on Yu Jianghai's desk had already been reviewed, with only a few remaining. "How about we rest together? If you don't go home, I'm afraid your wife will come find me and settle the score." His mention of "your wife" made Yu Jianghai pause for a brief moment. He didn't say anything, just lowered his head, holding his pen, silently approving documents. Eventually, Lu Qingyuan could tell something was off. He picked up a cup, took a sip of strong tea, and asked, "Did you and your wife have a fight?" He sure was quick to call her "your wife." Yu Jianghai looked up. Under the light, his features were striking, but at this moment, they seemed to be covered in a layer of frost. "Aren't you busy? If you're not busy, come keep working overtime." The Jianghai Dicai Phase Two project was massive, and there was a lot to prepare. Once construction began, it meant huge machinery would start running. "I am busy." Lu Qingyuan instantly lost his curiosity. "Forget it, you keep working. I'm going home to rest." He yawned. "But take it easy, alright? You just got your vasectomy—don't work too hard. Be careful you don't end up impotent, and then your wife won't want you even more." His words silenced the office. Lu Qingyuan felt a chill, rubbing the goosebumps on his arm before hastily making his exit. He was afraid that if he lingered even a second longer, Yu Jianghai would devour him alive. Lu Qingyuan left, and the office fell silent. Yu Jianghai gripped his pen. The moment he looked up, he saw the photo frame on his desk. It held no one other than Lin Meiyan, smiling at the camera with a gentle, spring-like warmth. For a split second, Yu Jianghai almost thought she was smiling at him. The corners of his lips tugged upward naturally, the kind of smile that came without thinking. Seeing Lin Meiyan always stirred a sense of joy in him. But the smile came and went quickly. Yu Jianghai was soon dragged back to reality. He picked up his pen and got busy again, but try as he might, he couldn't calm his mind. All he had to do was look up, and there was that photo, right in front of him, impossible to shake off. Yu Jianghai locked eyes with the person in the photo. After a moment, he flipped the frame face down on the desk. Now he couldn't see anything. With Yanyan no longer looking at him, he could finally get some work done. Ten minutes later, still no good. Yu Jianghai raised his hand to check the time—11:45. He called out toward the door, "Secretary Shen." Secretary Shen, who had been dozing by the entrance, snapped awake instantly. He stood up and called back through the door, "Boss." Yu Jianghai picked up his suit jacket from the chair. "Take me to Linji." Secretary Shen felt a flicker of delight, but then Yu Jianghai added, "Keep it quiet. Don't alert them." Secretary Shen was a bit puzzled, but obedience was his greatest virtue. Half an hour later, the black Mercedes pulled up downstairs at Linji. Secretary Shen turned to look at Yu Jianghai, who said nothing—he just sat quietly, gazing up at the building. By evening, Linji had closed for the day, leaving only a dim, faint desk lamp glowing weakly on the second floor. Yu Jianghai sat there in the car, tilting his head back to stare at that faint sliver of light. He seemed to be melting away into the darkness itself. Upstairs at Linji, Qiaoqiao was being restless tonight. She didn't want to sleep and kept pestering Lin Meiyan to talk. "Mommy, why didn't Daddy come home today?" Lin Meiyan had no answer for that. She held Qiaoqiao in her arms, rocking her gently to sleep. "Daddy's been busy with work today." Qiaoqiao let out an "oh." Just as Lin Meiyan thought she'd drifted off, she suddenly whispered, "Mommy, did you and Daddy have a fight?" That— The dim room fell silent in an instant. Lin Meiyan froze for a moment, stroking Qiaoqiao's soft hair before finally saying, "Does Qiaoqiao want to hear the truth or a lie?" "The truth, of course." Qiaoqiao answered without hesitation. Lin Meiyan was quiet for a long while. She switched on a small bedside lamp, its pale yellow glow illuminating the entire bed and letting her see Qiaoqiao's little face clearly. "Mommy... probably did something not so good, and it made Daddy angry." "Huh?" Qiaoqiao was surprised, sitting up with a rustle. "Daddy can get mad at you?" In Qiaoqiao's impression, her daddy was like a clay Bodhisattva in front of her mommy—fierce to outsiders, but he did whatever mommy said. Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment. "He's angry." "Why?" Qiaoqiao leaned in curiously, her eyes widening. "Why is Daddy angry? Mommy, what exactly did you do?" How was Lin Meiyan supposed to answer that? She looked at her daughter's little face, brimming with curiosity, and reached out to pinch her cheek. "Time to sleep." She didn't know how to explain to her daughter what she'd done. After all, it was far too adult a matter. Qiaoqiao looked a little disappointed, but then she had a thought. "If you did something wrong, you just apologize, right?" "Mommy, isn't that what you taught me?" Lin Meiyan froze, then murmured, "But what if Mommy doesn't think she did anything wrong?" She thought that if she had to do it all over again, she would probably make the same choice. She needed to test Yu Jianghai's sincerity toward her and toward the child. She also needed to pave the way for her daughter and for herself. More than that, she needed to cut off Yu Jianghai's future options, ensuring that once she and Yu Jianghai married, Qiaoqiao would be their only child. That was too cold, too calculating. But Lin Meiyan had to admit—even if she did it all over again, she would still do the same. Qiaoqiao tilted her head. "If you don't think you did anything wrong, then you don't apologize?" Her little face was full of confusion. "But Mommy, if you didn't do anything wrong, why would Daddy be angry?" Lin Meiyan still couldn't answer. She said nothing, just pressed her face into the pillow. Qiaoqiao, not getting a reply, muttered softly, "You taught me that when you do something wrong, you apologize—not insist you're right." She'd even gotten a spanking over that lesson once. "Wrong is wrong. It's not wrong just because you say it isn't." Those words struck Lin Meiyan like a sudden clarity. She turned to speak to Qiaoqiao, but the little one had already fallen asleep from exhaustion. Lin Meiyan pinched her cheek gently, but sleep wouldn't come for her. She got up to use the restroom, and when she turned on the light, she saw the things placed inside—Yu Jianghai's towel, his razor, and the pajamas he had changed out of during the day. Yu Jianghai had left, but traces of him seemed to be everywhere in the house. Lin Meiyan touched his belongings and stood in the bathroom for a long time. She murmured, "Yu Jianghai." "Did I really do something wrong?" Unfortunately, no one could answer Lin Meiyan's question. Of course, she wasn't the type of person who needed others to answer for her anyway. Another morning came, and Linji opened for business as usual. At least during the day, Lin Meiyan appeared perfectly normal, showing no sign of emotion. She worked methodically in the kitchen, arranging tables and seating guests one after another. Only when she had a moment of free time did she occasionally sit in the main hall of Linji, staring at the blue wainscoting lost in thought. Gu Kaihua and Ye Qiuju both noticed. The two exchanged a glance, and Ye Qiuju, seizing a lull in business, cut a plate of iced watermelon and brought it over. "Yanyan, I see you're drenched in sweat. Want some iced watermelon?" Lin Meiyan's skin was exceptionally fair. When she sweated, her complexion took on a faint pinkish hue, like a peach hanging from a branch in May—white with a blush of pink, juices flowing freely. Lin Meiyan took a bite of the watermelon with relish. Though the watermelon was sweet, it tasted like nothing in her mouth. Ye Qiuju chose her words carefully. "Did you and Jiang Hai have a fight?" From yesterday to today, Yu Jianghai hadn't come to Linji. Anyone would know that was impossible before. At least since Lin Meiyan and Yu Jianghai had gotten married, this had never happened. Everyone had seen how clingy Yu Jianghai was with Lin Meiyan. Lin Meiyan put down the watermelon. Her fair fingers were stained with watermelon juice, and she wiped them with a handkerchief before speaking in a low voice. "Sort of." What kind of answer was that? "Sort of?" Ye Qiuju pressed. Lin Meiyan didn't know how to explain. Ye Qiuju wasn't in a hurry either, speaking slowly, "Your uncle and I have been married for thirty years, and we've had our fair share of arguments. But Meiyan, the worst thing for a married couple when they fight is to give each other the cold shoulder." "I've been through it. I still hope that if you two have a problem, you can talk it out rather than continuing this cold war." That would only hurt the bond between husband and wife. It was a long while before Lin Meiyan spoke. "Aunt, this time between us, the fault is mine. But if I could go back, I would still do the same." Ye Qiuju frowned slightly but waited until Lin Meiyan had finished speaking before letting out a heavy sigh. "He found out?" Lin Meiyan hummed in acknowledgment. She curled her fingers—ten fair digits, each nail trimmed clean and rounded. "He knows. He went to the family planning office and saw my signature." The condoms at the family planning office were free, but once you took them, you had to sign your name on the form. Unfortunately, last time Lin Meiyan had taken some just to be safe, and she had signed her name on the form. Ye Qiuju was taken aback for a moment. "Then it's no wonder you two fought." Seeing that Lin Meiyan could take in what she was saying, she continued unhurriedly, "I can understand why you'd scheme against the Yu family." "After all, that old man in the Yu family really isn't an easy one to deal with, and he put you and Qiaoqiao through so much hardship." "But the one thing you absolutely shouldn't have done was include Yu Jianghai in your calculations." At this point, she paused briefly before continuing, "Others might not believe in Yu Jianghai, but Yanyan, you have to." "During the five years you were away on the island, Yu Jianghai stayed unmarried with no children, searching for you the whole time. The moment he found you, he married you without a second thought. For that bond alone, you shouldn't have doubted him." Lin Meiyan said nothing. She murmured, "Aunt, I know that. But people's hearts change. We were apart for five years." Not one year, not two years—five years. When they remarried, their statuses were vastly different. Lin Meiyan thought she needed to do something—not for herself, but for her Qiaoqiao. She had to do something to secure her Qiaoqiao's position. Ye Qiuju couldn't say Lin Meiyan was wrong. She could only say their perspectives were different, and it wasn't surprising that Lin Meiyan would come up with such a solution. After all, those five years were endured by Lin Meiyan alone. She was the one who raised the child, gritting her teeth through it all time and again. Ye Qiuju sighed. "Is that what he's fighting with you about?" Lin Meiyan hummed softly in acknowledgment. Ye Qiuju pulled her to sit down, her tone rare in its gentleness. "Yanyan, Aunt isn't saying you did wrong." "A woman can't be naive when she runs a household." "You've suffered so many years raising Qiaoqiao on your own. Thinking a few steps ahead isn't a mistake." "But between husband and wife, too much scheming hurts people too." Lin Meiyan's eyes slowly reddened. Ye Qiuju's heart ached at the sight, and she reached out to smooth her hair. "If you truly don't dare to trust him, then take your time watching." "You can watch, but you can't speak, and you can't act." "Some things, once done, damage the bond." The bond between husband and wife is finite—how much of it can there really be? "Just watch Yu Jianghai's reaction. If it really doesn't work out, you go lower your head to him, admit your mistake, tell him you were too scared and your mind went blank for a moment." Lin Meiyan said nothing. At the Jianghai Dicai office, Yu Jianghai had returned at 4:30 in the morning. He had spent the entire night downstairs at Linji, watching that dim yellow light. When he returned to the office, Secretary Shen cautiously reminded him, "Boss, how about taking a short rest?" His boss hadn't rested at all since yesterday. Yu Jianghai looked up, his gaze indifferent, and Secretary Shen immediately shut his mouth. Yu Jianghai instructed, "Go call in the procurement, finance, design, and construction departments. We're having a meeting." Secretary Shen nodded and quickly made the arrangements. The meeting lasted three hours. Yu Jianghai was like a sharp blade, cutting down everyone in his path. When the meeting finally ended, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Only Lu Qingyuan was bold enough to approach him. "Old Yu, what exactly happened between you and Youth Lin?" "If you keep going like this, everyone at Jianghai Dicai is going to lose their minds." Seriously, Old Yu and Youth Lin had a fight—why were they, the innocent fish in the pond, being caught in the crossfire? Yu Jianghai ignored him. He walked straight to his office, his tailored suit cutting through the air with a sharp gust of wind, as if he hadn't heard Lu Qingyuan's question at all. "In the afternoon, call President Chen from Lifang and Director Xiao from the Planning Bureau—" He tapped the table. "Before the second phase of Jianghai Dicai breaks ground, invite them out for drinks at the disco." Lu Qingyuan: "?" "Aren't you the one who hates this kind of thing the most?" In the past, these tasks were always his—Old Yu wouldn't touch them with a ten-foot pole! Yu Jianghai raised his eyes to look at him, and Lu Qingyuan immediately shut up. "I'll arrange it right away." That night at Jiangcheng's New Wave Disco, the music was explosive, and the dance floor was packed with people swaying and gyrating, passionate and full of life. Lu Qingyuan led the way, guiding their invited guests through the crowd, practically hyping up the entire venue. When the song ended, Lu Qingyuan tugged at his collar and walked from the middle of the dance floor to the outermost edge. That spot was none other than— Exactly where Yu Jianghai was sitting. The dance floor was hot and lively, but he sat there like an ascetic monk, frowning at everything happening inside the club. To be honest. Yu Jianghai hated it. He despised noise more than anything! It was at that moment Lu Qingyuan came over. "Old Yu, you come to a disco but don't dance, don't drink—what's with the tea?" He waved over a waiter. "Bring us a bottle of whisky." A moment later, the waiter brought the whisky, and Lu Qingyuan poured a glass for Yu Jianghai. "If I were you, feeling all bitter inside, I'd drown my sorrows in alcohol." "Who knows—maybe after a good drinking session, everything gets resolved." Yu Jianghai didn't take it. He lifted his own teacup and took a sip. Director Xiao from the Planning Bureau caught sight of this and immediately walked over from the dance floor. "President Yu, you invite us to a disco but sit here drinking tea yourself—that's not quite fair." "Come on, come on, let's head to a private room and have a proper drink." This is bad. That was Lu Qingyuan's first thought. Old Yu barely touched a drop of alcohol. But to Lu Qingyuan's surprise, in the private room that followed— Yu Jianghai handled himself like a seasoned pro. He refused no one and practically got everyone else drunk. "The second phase of Jianghai Dicai breaks ground on September first. I hope all of you friends will lend your support." He was already a bit tipsy, but he still hadn't forgotten about work. The other party, several rounds in and feeling generous, said, "President Yu, rest assured. The second phase of Jianghai Dicai is also the biggest project in Jiangcheng this year. As your superiors, we'll definitely support it." That was exactly what Yu Jianghai wanted to hear. He raised his glass and downed it in one gulp. Lu Qingyuan watched from the side, his heart racing. Later, Secretary Shen frantically signaled him—"He can't drink anymore, he can't drink anymore." His boss had only had his vasectomy three days ago. If he kept drinking, he might not survive the night. Lu Qingyuan finally snapped to attention. He quickly wrapped things up. "Director Chen, President Ming, there's a new private room on the second floor of New Wave. How about I show you up?" He led everyone away, and in no time, the room that had been thick with alcohol fumes fell silent. Yu Jianghai was left alone, slumped over the table, a hazy flush spreading across his eyelids. He just sat there quietly, staring at a corner. Secretary Shen came over to help him up, but Yu Jianghai waved him away, refusing to let him anywhere near. Secretary Shen didn't know what to do. Fortunately, Lu Qingyuan came back down. Secretary Shen looked at him like a lifeline. "President Lu, President Lu, please take a look at our President Yu. Something seems off with him." Yu Jianghai was drunk, but he showed no reaction. He just sat there quietly, his eyes bloodshot, his expression dazed, as if he were about to shatter into pieces. "What exactly is going on with him?" Lu Qingyuan asked. At this point, Secretary Shen couldn't afford to hold back. He explained the situation in a few brief sentences. After Lu Qingyuan heard this, he fell silent. "Your boss did this voluntarily?" "Mm." "Youth Lin was also scheming?" "Mm." "Then no wonder your boss is done for." Yu Jianghai had seen plenty of schemes in his time. Jianghai Dicai hadn't grown to its current size overnight, and moreover, even the people around him—his own relatives—were scheming against him. Scheming for his value, scheming for his marriage, scheming for his Jianghai Dicai. What's more, anyone could scheme against Yu Jianghai, but Lin Meiyan couldn't. It could be said that Lin Meiyan was the last piece of pure ground in Yu Jianghai's heart. Lu Qingyuan let out a sigh. "The one who tied the knot must untie it." "Go find a way to get Youth Lin over here." Secretary Shen hesitated. "Have Youth Lin come to the New Wave Disco?" That didn't seem appropriate, did it? Youth Lin looked like the type to be a good homemaker, while the New Wave Disco didn't seem like a decent place. Wasn't that selling out his boss? Lu Qingyuan loosened his collar. "Are you going or not?" "If Youth Lin doesn't come, who do you expect to take Yu Jianghai home?" "That's true." Secretary Shen left promptly, but before leaving, he didn't forget to add, "I'm off now, President Lu. Please keep an eye on my President Yu for me. Oh, and—" He made a point to add, "Guard him, don't let my President Yu's innocence be compromised." "Otherwise, Youth Lin really won't want him anymore." Lu Qingyuan, "..." "Get out, get out, get out, get out. I really owe the two of you." After Secretary Shen left, the room fell quiet, and the drunkenness fully flooded into Yu Jianghai's eyes. Yu Jianghai's usually sharp gaze was now veiled with a layer of mist, the corners of his eyes stained a deep red. He seemed to have regained a bit of clarity, murmuring, "Youth Lin?" Lu Qingyuan nearly laughed in exasperation. "So after all that Secretary Shen and I said, the only thing you heard was the words 'Youth Lin'?" Yu Jianghai was deeply drunk. He slumped loosely against the back of his chair, having unbuttoned two buttons at his collar, and said in a hoarse voice, "Youth Lin." "I can't find her anymore." He murmured, "I can't find her." Lu Qingyuan watched his drunken, hazy state and couldn't help but say, "Your Youth Lin schemed against you, wanting to cut off your bloodline, and you're still 'Youth Lin, Youth Lin, Youth Lin'!!" Yu Jianghai frowned, his handsome, flushed face full of displeasure as he retorted, "She schemed against me because she loves me." "Otherwise, why didn't she scheme against you!?" Author's Note: I'm here! Bonus update for 500 nutrient solution, super chunky. Babies, if you have nutrient solution, give it all to me. Love you all.