The two of them sat on the leather sofa worth over a million, neither saying another word. The only sound in the living room was the ticking of the wall clock.
"Tick, tock."
Every tick struck them in the heart.
A long silence passed.
Song Guoan leaned back against the sofa and stared at the ceiling, his voice sounding as though he had forced it out of his throat.
"These past few months... sometimes I'd be in a meeting at the company, with dozens of executives lined up to report to me, and I'd feel pretty pleased with myself. I thought I, Song Guoan, had finally become somebody."
He gave a bitter smile.
"Looking back now... with my meager abilities, I'm not even worthy of carrying Xiao Chen's shoes."
"He can even replace the Provincial Party Secretary. He can wipe out the Capital City's four great families whenever he wants."
"What kind of being... is he, really?"
Ye Qingqing couldn't answer that question.
But there was one thing she knew for certain.
She sat up straight, an almost resolute look appearing in eyes that were still bright thanks to her careful upkeep.
"Guoan, pack your bags."
"We're going to Yicheng."
Song Guoan raised his head to look at her.
Ye Qingqing's tone left no room for discussion.
"I want to see for myself what kind of life my son-in-law is living in Yicheng."
She paused, then added another sentence.
"Besides, I haven't seen Qiu Ya in three months. I really miss her..."
At the mention of her daughter, tears glimmered in Ye Qingqing's eyes, but she quickly forced them back.
Song Guoan looked at his wife, stayed silent for a few seconds, then nodded firmly.
"Let's go. Right now."
He stood up. As he passed the coffee table, his gaze