Chapter 106: “The Game”

[No one can love only one person for their entire life.]

After finishing their skewers at nine o’clock, Zhou Leqi and Milan decided to head to the subway station together. Yan Lin went to settle the bill first and returned to say, “Shall I give you two a ride?”

Zhou Leqi and Milan exchanged glances. As they walked out of the street food stall with him, they noticed a brand-new car parked by the roadside. It was a silver-gray Tesla Model Y without plates, using temporary registration tags.

“You actually bought a car?” Milan exclaimed in surprise. “And it’s really a Model Y?”

Yan Lin stood there with his hands in his pockets, watching Milan excitedly circle the car. He replied, “Didn’t you say this car was pretty good?”

Ah…?

She had only casually mentioned it when he asked for her opinion… who would’ve thought he’d actually take her advice?

Zhou Leqi watched the awkward exchange between the two and felt amused. At the same time, she realized she shouldn’t be in the car but under it. So, she made up an excuse, saying her boss had sent an urgent message requiring her to work overtime and that she needed to leave. Milan expressed regret and sincerely cursed capitalism on Zhou Leqi’s behalf, while Yan Lin gave her a grateful look.

On the same night, the Yuan family villa hosted a dinner party.

Runyuan had originated in City A, but as its business expanded rapidly in recent years, many operations and assets were gradually concentrated in first-tier cities. Two years ago, the Yuan family moved to Beijing, beginning their integration into the capital’s elite circles.

Years ago, Yuan Jianxin had purchased a plot of land in Beijing’s Central Villa District and later developed it into a high-end residential project. The crown jewel of the villa complex was reserved for himself—a standalone mansion spanning over a thousand square meters.

That evening, the villa was brightly lit, and the luxurious dining room buzzed with lively chatter. Yuan Jiahui had brought Hou Zihao home for dinner, and Zhang Min couldn’t stop smiling. Additionally, her younger brother Zhang Jun and his wife Li Feifei joined the gathering at the elder sister’s house.

“Zihao, it’s been years since you’ve tasted my cooking, hasn’t it?” Zhang Min smiled warmly at Hou Zihao sitting across from her. “Try it quickly. Does it still taste like what you ate as a child?”

Hou Zihao also smiled politely and elegantly, showing none of the gloom or volatility he had displayed earlier that day in front of Zhou Leqi. He nodded, picked up a piece of Hangzhou-style beef with green peppers prepared by Zhang Min, and took a bite. Before he could finish chewing, she eagerly asked, “How does it taste?” Yuan Jiahui, sitting next to Hou Zihao, rolled her eyes slightly and scolded her mother gently, “Mom, why are you so impatient? Let him eat slowly.”

Zhang Min laughed awkwardly, realizing she might have been too eager, and excused herself, saying, “Oh well, it’s just been so long since I’ve seen Zihao. I’m just happy.”

As she spoke, she enthusiastically placed a piece of abalone onto Hou Zihao’s plate.

Over the past seven years, Zhang Min had changed quite a bit. She had become fuller-figured, and more white hair had appeared, making her look older. However, her kind and gentle demeanor had grown even warmer. Meanwhile, Yuan Jianxin, seated at the head of the table, appeared younger than before and even more imposing than seven years prior. His smiles and words were fewer, exuding an air of inscrutability.

After some small talk around the table, Yuan Jianxin casually asked Hou Zihao while signaling the maid to change his plate, “How’s your adjustment to the company going? Have you encountered any difficulties?”

Upon hearing this, Hou Zihao put down his utensils and looked at Yuan Jianxin as he answered, “I’m still in the process of getting acquainted. There’s a big gap between my expertise and the business, so it’s not easy to get started. For now, I’m relying on Uncle Zhang’s guidance.”

He appeared very respectful and cautious.

Yuan Jianxin hummed deeply, saying, “Don’t rush. I believe in your abilities. Take your time.”

After a pause, he turned to his brother-in-law and instructed, “You should help the boy out more. Put in some effort.”

Zhang Jun chuckled and replied, “Of course, I’ll help. But I doubt I’ll be much use—he’s so smart. He figures everything out on his own. I don’t think he needs me at all.”

The conversation flowed smoothly, with everyone exchanging pleasantries and laughter, creating a harmonious atmosphere.

Yuan Jiahui watched her family and Hou Zihao chatting happily, feeling an indescribable sense of comfort. The panic and unease she had felt after unexpectedly encountering Zhou Leqi in Rome began to fade slightly. She pretended to focus on eating, but her peripheral vision kept lingering on the man sitting beside her—more mature and handsome than in his youth, and still exuding an endless attraction for her.

…She would be with him.

So what if he had loved someone else? So what if traces of another woman still lingered in his heart? Who doesn’t have a past? Who hasn’t made mistakes in love? She had never been someone to dwell on the past. What she wanted was a future with him.

She would have her wish fulfilled… because now, besides her and her parents, he had no one else.

After dinner, Hou Zihao proposed to take his leave. The Yuan family invited him to stay overnight, but he politely declined. Zhang Min had no choice but to ask Yuan Jiahui to see him off.

Yuan Jianxin said nothing at the time, but after his daughter and Hou Zihao walked out of the villa gate together, he frowned and showed visible impatience as he spoke to Zhang Min, “Why do you always push our daughter to do this? As parents, is it appropriate to push a girl out like this? Are we trying to strip her of dignity? Is Huihui unable to find a husband or something?”

Zhang Min hadn’t expected Yuan Jianxin to suddenly lose his temper. Over the years, she had grown increasingly fearful of her husband, whose temper had indeed worsened, often leaving her feeling helpless.

“That’s not what I meant…” Zhang Min nervously explained, “…Zihao hasn’t been back for so many years. I just wanted the two kids to spend some time together…”

Yuan Jianxin still appeared agitated, his brows tightly furrowed. Cautiously, Zhang Min probed further, “Did… did something happen? Do you have other thoughts about Zihao?”

Zhang Min liked Hou Zihao very much.

She had watched him grow up and knew him inside out, which made her feel at ease. Moreover, she and Su Ruini had been college classmates and best friends. Now that Su Ruini was imprisoned, Zhang Min naturally felt responsible for taking care of her friend’s only son. Besides, even without understanding the intricacies of the company, Zhang Min knew that Runyuan’s development over the years had heavily relied on resources from Haoting. Both personally and professionally, she believed she should take care of Hou Zihao. If he could marry Huihui, it would be the best outcome for both parties.

However, Zhang Min had gradually sensed that Yuan Jianxin’s thoughts differed greatly from hers—he seemed… somewhat guarded toward Zihao…

Perhaps “guarded” wasn’t the most accurate term; she struggled to describe it. In any case, it didn’t seem like he was particularly close or fond of him.

In response to Zhang Min’s probing question, Yuan Jianxin firmly denied it.

“No, how could I have any issues with the boy?” he hastily shook his head. “Don’t talk nonsense.”

Another baseless accusation.

Zhang Min fell silent, lowering her head to peel an apple. Her brother Zhang Jun and sister-in-law Li Feifei watched silently from the side, neither speaking, creating a tense atmosphere.

Yuan Jianxin sat on the living room sofa for a while longer, then his phone rang. He glanced at it, and a subtle, almost flirtatious expression crossed his face, immediately understood by Zhang Jun, who was also a man.

Sure enough, his brother-in-law soon stood up from the sofa, now restored to his authoritative, solemn demeanor. Adjusting his pants, he said, “You all chat. Old Hong has arranged a game.”

A game?

What kind of game?

Zhang Jun inwardly sneered.

Would it be a clean game?

Meanwhile, Yuan Jiahui had accompanied Hou Zihao to the exit of the villa district.

By late May, Beijing had already begun to heat up. Even the nighttime breeze wasn’t cool enough, easily making people restless.

Yuan Jiahui’s heart was far from calm. As they walked, she stole glances at him. Despite him repeatedly saying, “You don’t need to see me off,” she stubbornly followed him, relishing this rare moment alone with him.

“I’ll visit you at the company tomorrow, okay?” she initiated the topic enthusiastically. “Dad has been asking me to go to the company anyway, so I’ll do him a favor—how about lunch together? Or I can bring you something to eat.”

But the man beside her remained silent, listening to her for a while before finally speaking, once again declining. “No need. I’ve been busy lately. If you come, I’ll probably be in meetings. We won’t see each other.”

Polite yet cold.

Yuan Jiahui’s enthusiasm was slightly dampened, but this did not diminish her affection for him. This was something she had persisted in for many years. She had almost grown accustomed to his rejections—how could she possibly give up now?

“Alright, then let’s make plans for the weekend,” she suggested again. “You’ve just returned to the country. There are so many places in Beijing you haven’t visited yet. I’ll take you. I know the city well.”

Eager and attentive.

Ambiguous hints lingered in her tone and expressions, clear to the mature man. He understood that he should no longer reject her—not just as an individual, but as a symbol, a force he could rely on for self-preservation. He should accept her offer, at least to keep her happy. Sometimes, to achieve something, one must sacrifice certain things—principles, conscience, or even becoming someone else.

He had lost too much. Those seven painful years weighed heavily on his heart, leaving him no moment of respite. Pain always breeds distortion. He knew he had already changed completely three years ago when he realized the truth. Clinging to trivial matters now seemed too vain, too hollow.

In the night, he lowered his gaze to look at her. For a moment, his inner principles nearly collapsed. But ultimately, the image of another girl appeared in his mind—her eyes curved like crescent moons when she smiled, revealing adorable little fangs, pure and beautiful. She was desperately pulling him away from the edge of the abyss, keeping him tethered to certain deep-rooted principles within his heart.

“It’s better not to.”

He rejected her again, this time more gravely and meaningfully.

She heard his faint sigh.

“Yuan Jiahui… I don’t want to hurt you.”

“Let’s remain friends forever.”

The “hurt” he referred to and the “hurt” Yuan Jiahui understood were not the same. At that moment, she thought he merely meant emotional debt and betrayal. Thus, her heart felt a slight disdain. Hadn’t he hurt her enough already? One more time wouldn’t matter.

“I can wait for you,” she told him firmly. “No one can love only one person for their entire life—Monkey, you won’t love her forever either.”

“I will definitely wait for you.”

The warm night breeze blew as he raised his head to look into the distance.

His eyes reflected only frost.