The insightful words left Shen Yi speechless.
He silently raised his glass, clinked it with Old Dai’s, and downed it in one go.
Seizing the opportunity, Su Xun chimed in with a wave of his hand,
“What the group leader said makes sense, but I don’t agree.”
“At the end of the day, people have to bow to reality. No matter how amazing your girlfriend is, Shen Yi, she probably can’t compare to Miss Cheng.”
“Her looks are top-tier, her family background is unmatched, and she doesn’t seem spoiled at all. I really don’t understand why you’re so conflicted.”
Su Xun peeled a peanut and continued,
“Bro, I gotta hand it to you. If a girl like her was chasing me, I wouldn’t be able to resist.”
“Don’t call me shallow, but if it were me, I’d have already thrown myself at her. Isn’t it normal for men to be ruled by their lower half? You’re not a monk, so stop acting like one.”
The bluntness of his words left Shen Yi at a loss. He could only smile and say,
“So, does that mean you’re giving up on Lin Ruoyu?”
Su Xun, who usually prided himself as Lin Ruoyu’s biggest fan, hesitated for a good ten seconds before reluctantly replying,
“I’d still choose Lin Ruoyu. I’m just used to chasing her, you know? Sunk cost and all that.”
“Wait, you almost got me sidetracked. We’re talking about you here.”
Su Xun suddenly realized he’d been diverted and turned back to Shen Yi, asking,
“You’re not sure about your feelings, right? But deep down, you still have some affection for Miss Cheng, don’t you?”
Shen Yi wasn’t entirely sure, but he nodded in acknowledgment.
Su Xun clapped his hands decisively,
“Then it’s simple. Let me ask you one thing.”
He leaned in closer and whispered into Shen Yi’s ear,
“Can you honestly say that after breaking up, you’d let her go, watch her be with someone else, and smile while wishing her a happy life?”
“When you’re lying in bed at night, won’t there be a pang of regret in your heart?”
Su Xun watched as Shen Yi’s expression shifted, then patted his shoulder knowingly,
“I think you’ve got your answer.”
“Hey, what are you two whispering about over there?”
Old Dai pushed Su Xun in annoyance,
“Don’t go teaching him bad ideas. Messing with someone’s relationship isn’t cool.”
Su Xun, who was all too familiar with the pain of seeing Lin Ruoyu get close to others, defended himself,
“I’m just helping him understand his own feelings so he doesn’t make the wrong choice. How is that bad advice?”
“But wait, bro, weren’t you single your whole life? Where did this girlfriend come from?”
“Oh, it’s from a while back. We never made it official, so I didn’t mention it,” Shen Yi brushed it off casually.
“Let’s not talk about it anymore. Let’s just drink.”
The three of them raised their glasses, and the conversation gradually drifted to other topics.
...
Meanwhile, Fu Nanzhi drove home.
As soon as she opened the door, she called out eagerly,
“Mom, I’m back!”
Hearing her voice, Ji Shulan hurried out, her face lighting up with joy,
“Oh, my precious daughter is finally home!”
Fu Nanzhi’s eyes welled up as she rushed over and hugged her mother, murmuring,
“Mom, I missed you.”
In her ‘previous life,’ she and Shen Yi had bid farewell to their parents one after another. Thankfully, they had passed away peacefully, so the grief wasn’t unbearable.
But now, seeing her mother again, the flood of emotions was overwhelming.
“Let me look at you. If you missed home, you should’ve come back sooner. Why insist on living alone? Isn’t there enough room here for you?”
Ji Shulan only had one daughter, and she cherished her dearly.
Fu Nanzhi shook her head,
“I’m all grown up now. I can’t keep relying on home.”
Ji Shulan knew she couldn’t change her daughter’s mind, so she didn’t press further. Instead, she called out,
“Old man, your daughter’s back. Aren’t you coming down to see her?”
“No need to shout. I’m not deaf.”
Fu Yuanyu’s voice was calm and measured, but he was already at the entrance, showing just how much he cared.
Fu Nanzhi called out,
“Dad.”
“Welcome back,” Fu Yuanyu replied, his eyes fixed on his daughter.
Ji Shulan looked Fu Nanzhi up and down and said to her husband,
“You know, since she started working at Tiancheng Corporation, she’s changed a lot. She seems much more cheerful now.”
Parents always know their children best, and Fu Nanzhi’s transformation hadn’t escaped their notice.
Fu Yuanyu cleared his throat,
“Big companies have their advantages. She made the right choice going to Tianwei.”
“Alright, you two, don’t just stand there at the door. Come inside.”
With that, he turned and slowly made his way back into the house.
Ji Shulan smiled and said,
“Come on, I made some soup for you. Make sure you eat well tonight.”
“Okay,” Fu Nanzhi nodded, and the three of them walked into the living room.
Father and daughter sat down, while Ji Shlan excused herself,
“I’ll go check on the soup. You two catch up.”
Though Fu Yuanyu appeared calm, he was genuinely concerned about his daughter and asked,
“How’s everything at Tiancheng Corporation?”
“It’s great. There are a lot of people and opportunities. I’ve been learning a lot,” Fu Nanzhi replied honestly.
In the past, she’d had a head full of theoretical knowledge but little practical experience, which had led to quite a few mishaps.
If it hadn’t been for Shen Yi cleaning up after her, things could’ve gotten much worse. But their relationship had also started because of those very incidents.
“Practice leads to true understanding. It’s good that you took that first step,” Fu Yuanyu said, his traditional parenting style masking his concern.
Fu Nanzhi nodded in agreement. Now, she just wanted to live her life well, free from the constant pursuit of perfection and self-doubt that had once consumed her.
“External things can’t shake me anymore. Living well for myself is what matters most.”
Her words brought a spark of pride to Fu Yuanyu’s eyes, and he said with satisfaction,
“You’ve finally learned something.”
“You two can continue your chat later. Come wash your hands; dinner’s ready,” Ji Shulan called from the dining room.
The table was laden with dishes, all of Fu Nanzhi’s favorites, prepared especially for her return.
“Here, have some soup first,” Ji Shulan said, serving a bowl to each of them.
“Thanks, Mom,” Fu Nanzhi said with a smile, taking the bowl and sipping the soup.
Throughout the meal, Ji Shulan kept piling food onto Fu Nanzhi’s plate, her eyes welling up as she watched her eat with such joy.
“This is how it should be. You used to be so gloomy, always locking yourself in your room. It worried me sick...”
Fu Yuanyu frowned and interrupted her,
“Nanzhi’s finally back. Can’t you say something nice?”
Ji Shulan quickly wiped her eyes and smiled,
“You’re right. She’s doing great now.”
“Nanzhi, you’re not getting any younger. It’s about time you thought about settling down.”
“Should we introduce you to someone, or are you planning to meet people on your own?”
Fu Nanzhi was nearing twenty-eight, and Ji Shulan, who had been hesitant to bring it up before, now felt the need to nudge her daughter.
Fu Nanzhi had been wondering how to bring up Shen Yi, and her mother’s question gave her the perfect opening,
“Actually, I already have a boyfriend.”