As the sliding door closed, the front door opened.
Ms. Lin walked in gracefully, dressed in a vivid pale-green suit.
When she saw Yuan Chen standing in the middle of the living room, the already upturned corners of her eyes lifted even higher.
"So you are home?"
Yuan Chen sighed. What a mess this was.
"What brings you here?"
"Honestly, you child. Not even a word of welcome?" Ms. Lin raised her chin slightly, and the butler behind her immediately got to work. He held a heavy gift box in both hands, decorated with pictures of ginseng and the like. Clearly, she had brought it especially for him.
It was nothing unusual for Ms. Lin to bring tonics, but the quantity this time was excessive.
With both hands in his trouser pockets, Yuan Chen watched the butler work with a cool expression.
This was the very butler who had handled the "aftermath" in the hotel parking lot last time.
Now, facing him directly, the butler showed not the slightest hint of anything amiss. His professionalism was plain to see.
It wasn't that Ms. Lin had no curiosity about how their relationship was progressing, but Yuan Chen refused to discuss any of it.
"Stay out of it." That was always his icy answer.
Lin Shulan stepped inside, her gaze sweeping over the quiet living room.
She hadn't visited her son's home in a long time. It was just as it had been before, so empty it felt almost desolate.
Without any live-in housekeeping staff, the vast space felt all the lonelier.
"Stop sighing. I'll be leaving in a moment."
"Good. I wasn't planning to entertain you."
Even with her son treating her this way, her lips merely twitched, as though she had long since grown used to it.
She walked over