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Duan Wei looked at him. "Xin Chun, who is your mother?"

"Did you... change your name?"

An indescribable unease showed on Duan Wei's face.

Xin Chun looked at her and slowly smiled. "Marcus doesn't know you once had a son, does he?"

Duan Wei sucked in a breath. "You, you know that I'm your..."

"Mother?" Xin Chun finished for her, tilting his head. "I was wondering when you would remember that you had a son in Hua Country whom you abandoned years ago."

"You remembered so quickly. That was beyond my expectations."

Duan Wei parted her lips. "You, you hate me..."

Xin Chun said, "How could I? I don't hate you."

Perhaps he had hated her in his previous life, which was why he had taken it out on Owen and everyone connected to her. In this life, he had long since stopped feeling anything. Only Owen mattered most to him.

But judging from Duan Wei's expression, she clearly did not believe Xin Chun.

She said, "You and Owen being together... is it to take revenge on me?"

Xin Chun frowned. "Don't think too highly of yourself. What Owen and I have has nothing to do with you. We're together to take revenge on you? Why don't you first consider whether you're even worth it?"

Duan Wei's face turned pale at Xin Chun's merciless words. "I'm your mother."

Xin Chun said, "So what? A mother who abandoned me for years is no different from a stranger."

"Could it be that you still expect me to respect and cherish you?"

Duan Wei was speechless.

Xin Chun said, "We can just get along like strangers. You can pretend you don't know me, and I won't expose you in front of Marcus."

"Do you have anything else to say? If not, I'm going back. Owen will be looking for me."

Duan Wei said, "I... Owen doesn't know about this, does he? Aren't you afraid that once he finds out, he'll distance himself from you, or..."

Her thoughts were a mess. This revelation had hit her far too hard.

"Do you know the difference between Owen and Uncle Marcus?" Xin Chun suddenly asked.

Duan Wei froze.

Xin Chun said, "Owen loves me. But Uncle Marcus... does he love you?"

Duan Wei's expression changed instantly. Her pale face already explained everything.

Seeing this, Xin Chun no longer wanted to speak with her and turned to leave.

When he returned to where he was staying alone, before he even reached the door, he saw Owen. Owen came down the steps in front of the house and hugged Xin Chun. "Where did you go? I looked everywhere and couldn't find you."

Xin Chun said, "I went for a walk. The maple woods over there are beautiful. I saw that you were discussing something with Uncle Marcus."

"What, were you afraid I'd get lost?"

Xin Chun kissed Owen on the cheek and could not help smiling.

Owen said, "Yeah. I'm afraid you'll get lost, and I'll never be able to find you again."

"Xin Chun, don't leave me."

Owen held Xin Chun tightly, stroking his back and neck.

Xin Chun gave a soft hum. "I won't leave. I'll never leave you. Wherever you are, I'll be there too, following you always."

When Duan Wei returned, she saw the two of them embracing and kissing. She stopped in her tracks, her expression complicated.

Afterward, Duan Wei indeed did not come looking for Xin Chun again, perhaps because the banquet was approaching.

"Try this outfit on."

Owen brought over a suit suitable for Xin Chun. It was white satin embroidered with subtle silver patterns, and the matching shoes, cufflinks, tie, and shirt had all been prepared.

He himself wore a black suit in the same style.

Xin Chun rarely wore such formal clothes. In this life, he had never worn a suit in front of Owen before.

After changing, Xin Chun walked out of the dressing room. The crisp fabric of the suit perfectly accentuated his figure. His features were soft and beautiful, and his skin was fair.

Owen could not look away.

"Does it look good?" Xin Chun asked.

"Very handsome." Owen walked over and adjusted his tie.

Xin Chun moved his arms and legs. "The tailor worked so quickly. He managed to prepare an entire suit in such a short time, and it fits perfectly."

"As long as it fits." Owen had changed before Xin Chun. Standing together, their matching styles made it obvious they were wearing a couple's outfit.

"There should be a lot of people at tomorrow's banquet, right?" Xin Chun asked.

Owen said, "Yes, we invited some people over."

"William told me that you and Miss Catherine grew up together, and your families are close and visit each other often. Didn't you ever have any feelings for her?" Xin Chun looked up.

Owen said, "Never. The only person who has ever given me such thoughts is you. Like right now."

They faced the mirror together. Xin Chun stood in front, Owen behind him, his hands resting on Xin Chun's shoulders as he lowered his head and whispered into his ear.

Xin Chun could not stop the smile from spreading across his lips. "What are you thinking about right now?"

"Taking off this outfit."

"Then take it off gently. You can't wrinkle it. We still have to wear it to attend the banquet... mm."

In the mirror, the suit was carefully removed. In the end, only one tie remained hanging around his neck, and one dress shoe was left on. Xin Chun had no choice but to stand on tiptoe with one foot, his leg hooked over Owen's arm...

On the day of the banquet, Xin Chun changed to a different tie.

He stood with Owen as they listened to Marcus introduce them to the others.

Xin Chun also saw Catherine. She had long, curly brown hair and wore a deep-V green gown. She looked very

mature and commanding,

so this was the type of woman William liked.

"So Owen likes men like you." Catherine was the one who said this to Xin Chun.

She came over to Xin Chun with a glass of champagne in her hand.

"Hello." Xin Chun nodded at her.

Catherine said, "I once confessed to Owen, but he rejected me very clearly. There are many outstanding people around us, but the most outstanding one is Owen Williams."

"I regretted not being able to date him for a while."

Xin Chun said, "Then what about now?"