Even less could I forgive you for spending the rest of your life in love with Lu Muchi, seeing through my eyes.
Warm tears poured out.
Yan Heqing did not wipe them away. This was the last time he would cry. He let himself cry out all his weakness, all his feelings.
From now on, he would never cry again.
The lawyer returned after consulting his employer. His gaze swept over Yan Heqing's thin, worn sweatshirt, and he said with a smile, "Mr. Yan, my employer says that if you're unhappy with the amount, you're welcome to name your price."
Yan Heqing gave no answer. He stood and offered a slight, polite bow.
"Goodbye."
Ignoring the lawyer's astonished gaze, Yan Heqing paid separately for his own cup of coffee and left the café.
In the past, Yan Heqing would rather get soaked in the rain than spend money he could save.
Today, he went to a convenience store.
He walked to the food display and carefully chose a small cake, then took a large black umbrella from the umbrella rack.
At the checkout, Yan Heqing took a neatly folded hundred-yuan note from his pocket.
The total was 98 yuan.
It was the most extravagant purchase Yan Heqing had made in his life so far.
After finishing the little cake inside, Yan Heqing left the convenience store. Rain poured down. There were no cars or people on the road. It was bitterly cold, and everyone had ducked into nearby shops to shelter from the rain.
Everyone except Yan Heqing. He opened his umbrella, and his tall, slender figure stepped into the downpour without hesitation.
"Happy rebirth, Yan Heqing."
He said it to himself.
Meanwhile.
The Lin family's villa glittered with opulence, warm as spring and piled with beautifully wrapped gifts.
A servant wheeled out a large three-tiered cake, every tier covered in large, fresh, sweet strawberries.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy eighteenth birthday to dear Fengzhi!"
In the living room, Lin Fengzhi was surrounded by friends and family celebrating his coming of age.
Lin Fengzhi wore a thin, creamy-white sweater that day. With his soft black hair and delicate pink lips, he looked like a little prince from a fairy tale.
The underfloor heating was so warm that Lin Fengzhi's fair, tender cheeks had flushed pink.
Lu Muchi stared, entranced.
"Zhizhi." His voice was gentle as he lit the birthday candles himself. "Make a wish and blow out the candles."
His parents stroked Lin Fengzhi's head affectionately. "You can make three wishes."
Lin Fengzhi pressed his palms together and closed his eyes devoutly.
He made his wishes silently, filled with sweetness.
First, I wish Uncle Lu Lin good health.
Second, I wish Uncle Lu Lin happiness every day.
Third... Lin Fengzhi's ears quietly turned scarlet. I wish Uncle Lu Lin would like me!
Chapter 2: 002
It was seven when Yan Heqing returned to the Yan home.
He folded his umbrella. Rainwater slid down its surface to the tip and dripped onto the concrete floor.
The old building had poor soundproofing. Through the iron door, the Yan family's laughter and cheerful voices were clearly audible.
Yan Heqing took out his key, slipped it into the lock, and turned it left. The door creaked open.
It was an old-fashioned layout, with the front door opening directly into the living room.
On the coffee table sat large strawberries that would never have appeared when Yan Heqing was home, along with a pot of lamb spine soup.
On a rainy day in late autumn, a family gathered around a steaming hot pot really did make a heartwarming sight.
On his way back, the contents of the novel had kept flooding Yan Heqing's mind.
This scene matched what the book had described exactly.
Zhao Huilin had taken a hundred-thousand-yuan deposit from Lu Muchi, then gleefully bought her son strawberries costing a hundred yuan per jin and imported lamb spine to make soup.
When Yan Heqing came home late that night covered in injuries, Zhao Huilin had even looked at him with contempt upon seeing the conspicuous marks on his skin.
The money was lovely.
Yan Heqing was filthy.
Ever since adopting Yan Heqing, she had known this child was a shameless little fox spirit.
His skin was softer and finer than a girl's, his features beautiful and delicate. Even the child stars on television were nowhere near as good-looking as Yan Heqing.
The older Yan Heqing grew, the prettier he became. Several times, she had caught men in their residential compound buying him snacks.
Fox spirit!
Already seducing men at such a young age!
Zhao Huilin had felt humiliated and beaten Yan Heqing savagely. When Yan Heqing refused to admit it, she had locked him up for a full day and night, giving him no food and refusing to let him use the toilet.
If abandoning an adopted child had not been illegal and liable to affect her and her husband's jobs, she would have driven Yan Heqing out long ago.
What fools we were! Believing they were infertile and would never have a son, she and her husband had adopted a child. Who would have thought she would give birth to a big, healthy boy the very next year?
Once she had a biological son, she could not stand anything about Yan Heqing.
Over the years, Zhao Huilin had strictly prevented Yan Heqing from getting close to her son, terrified that he would corrupt her precious boy.
When Lu Muchi came to their door wanting to take Yan Heqing away, Zhao Huilin gave a cold sneer, as though her suspicions had been confirmed.
She grabbed a broom to beat Lu Muchi out.
"Three million a year." Lu Muchi stood in the doorway, his brows drawn together, unwilling to enter such a shabby home.
The broom stopped. Zhao Huilin was stunned. "What?"
"Yan Heqing is your adopted son, right? Give him to me, and I'll pay you three million a year."
Zhao Huilin's eyes nearly popped out of her head.
She could never earn three million in her entire life! She felt both contempt and envy.
A fox spirit really is a fox spirit. What a price he can fetch.
But was this real? Could such a good thing really happen?
Zhao Huilin sized Lu Muchi up. He was young, but his suit was expensive. It did not seem like a lie.
Then he could afford a little more, couldn't he?
Zhao Huilin's eyes darted as she put on a troubled expression. "It hasn't been easy raising Heqing all these years. We're very close, so I'm afraid..."
She trailed off, glancing at Lu Muchi.
Lu Muchi had investigated the Yan family's circumstances. With the faintest suggestion of a smile, he said, "Have Yan Heqing come to see me tomorrow. Five million."
Zhao Huilin stood dumbstruck. After Lu Muchi left, she covered her mouth in wild delight, stamped her feet several times, kicked the door shut, and ran back to her room to make a call.
"Honey! We've struck it rich..."
*
When Yan Heqing suddenly returned, Zhao Huilin's laughter cut off.
She pulled open a drawer in the coffee table and put the large strawberries away, then asked unhappily, "Why are you back so early?"