By the time they finished the statements and left the police station, it was almost 2 AM. The cold winter wind cut through the air, and Chu Shangluo, already feeling unwell, was extremely exhausted after staying up so late.

Once everyone got into the car, they sat silently, with no one speaking. This time, Ren Jiaoming had handed over all the illegal evidence of Wen Zhengyang to the police, and with the attention from the media and the business circle, Wen Zhengyang no longer had any chance of a comeback. His charges included not only intentional murder, but also the production of illegal drugs, tax evasion, and various other offenses. In the world of fame and fortune, one misstep can bring down everything, and anyone involved in illegal dealings with him would also be caught. However, the atmosphere in the car felt strangely oppressive.

The driver drove quietly, Shen Jue sat in the front passenger seat with a faint smile on his face. Ren Jiaoming sat in the back seat, his expression solemn, his dark eyes staring out into the endless night. Chu Shangluo sat beside Ren Jiaoming, arms crossed, leaning heavily against the seat, feeling utterly exhausted. He took out his phone and dialed Chu Chendong’s number again, but no one picked up.

A few hours earlier, the police had contacted his father to explain the situation and ask him to come back to cooperate with the investigation. There had been a long silence on the phone, and in the end, Chu Chendong had tremblingly said “thank you” before hanging up. When Chu Shangluo tried calling again, his mother picked up and said that his father was emotionally agitated and had gone into the study, refusing to talk to anyone. She asked him to call back later.

Chu Shangluo put his phone down and was about to drift off to sleep when the phone rang again. Seeing that it was Chu Chendong, he immediately snapped to attention and answered. This time, before Chu Shangluo could speak, Chu Chendong’s voice came through, slightly hoarse but carrying an unusual sense of relief: “Xiao Luo, I’ll come back as soon as I can.” For the first time in many years, Chu Shangluo heard his father’s voice lighter than usual, as if the heavy burden that had weighed on him for so long had finally been lifted.

Chu Shangluo pulled out a cigarette and put it in his mouth, fumbling for a lighter, but couldn’t find it after several attempts.

“Okay, when will you arrive? Let me know, I…”

Just then, a sudden flash of light appeared as Ren Jiaoming leaned over to light his cigarette. Chu Shangluo took a deep drag, glanced at Ren Jiaoming’s unreadable expression, and continued, “I’ll pick you up. I’ve consulted with a lawyer, and your case should result in a three-year suspended sentence, no need to serve time, just four years of observation at home.”

Chu Chendong was silent for a moment. “It doesn’t matter anymore; I feel at peace inside. I’ve never felt at ease until today, when I realized it wasn’t me who caused Ruan Shu’s death. But I haven’t fully let go of the guilt. I’m responsible for his death. If I hadn’t been so foolish and listened to Wen Zhengyang, convincing Ruan Shu to join the business, he wouldn’t have gotten involved and fallen into Wen Zhengyang’s trap…”

Chu Shangluo took a drag from his cigarette. He understood his father’s feelings—“I didn’t kill Ruan Shu, but Ruan Shu died because of me.” Moreover, Ruan Shu was his father’s closest brother^[1]Friend, not biological brother but a friend.. He didn’t try to advise his father because he didn’t know how to. When Chu Shangyue got into trouble, he’d felt guilty for two years. If a life was on his conscience, he wouldn’t have been in a better state than Chu Chendong. However, unlike his father, he would have immediately investigated the truth rather than carrying a false accusation.

Chu Chendong was quiet for a while, thinking about everything, about their children, and he sighed. He thought back to many years ago when the three of them had just married and visited a very accurate fortune teller to ask about their future children. The fortune teller told him and Ruan Shu that their children would be fine and that they would eventually marry into each other families. After hearing this, they decided that if they had a boy and a girl, they would arrange a marriage for them. Wen Zhengyang had also asked the fortune teller about his children, whether they would be a boy or a girl and whether they would be outstanding. The fortune teller told him that he was destined not to have children and shouldn’t force it. Wen Zhengyang didn’t believe it, and then Ruan Shu asked the master what the future held for all three of them. After studying Wen Zhengyang for a moment, the master told them that as long as they didn’t force things, everything would go smoothly. At that time, they didn’t understand what “not forcing” meant. Later, Wen Zhengyang truly had no children, but his obsession with having a son grew, and he took on a young one outside. His ambition also grew, and he wanted to rise, to become the head of the family, to legitimize the illegitimate child. The pure feelings they once had were long overshadowed by his desires, and in the end, it harmed Ruan Shu and him. Now, Chu Chendong finally understood the fortune teller’s words, but he wasn’t sure if Wen Zhengyang ever truly understood. If Wen Zhengyang hadn’t forced things, the situation would probably have been completely different.

Thinking about this, Chu Chendong sighed heavily. It was all fate. Wen Zhengyang had gone against it and ended up being destroyed by his own son.

Chu Shangluo listened at his father, who was still silent on the other end of the phone, thinking he had fallen into his old habit of keeping things to himself. Just as he was about to hang up, he suddenly heard Chu Chendong speak: “Before you were born, your mom and I really hoped you would be a girl.”

Chu Shangluo was puzzled as to why his father was thinking about this again. Chu Chendong explained, “Because we had arranged a marriage between you and Ruan Shu’s family, and we always wanted a girl, so we could marry into the Ruan family.”

Chu Shangluo glanced at Ren Jiaoming, who seemed to sense something, turning his head to look at him. Chu Shangluo quickly looked away and switched the phone to the other ear, thinking that this kind of history was best not heard by Ren Jiaoming.

Chu Chendong continued, “A son is fine too.” His voice was soft. “You’ve grown up and have your own ideas. You can do whatever you want, it’s fine.”

Chu Chendong was never one to say soft words, especially not to his son. But Chu Shangluo understood that his father was showing a softer side. He took a deep drag from his cigarette and murmured an “Mm” before hanging up the phone.

Shen Jue picked up the bottle of red wine and slowly poured a glass, handing it to Chu Shangluo. “Shouldn’t we celebrate a little?” he asked.

Chu Shangluo took the glass, clinked it lightly against Shen Jue’s, and smiled. “It’s worth celebrating.” Ren Jiaoming watched them but remained silent.

Next, Chu Shangluo alternated between smoking and drinking, turning the car into a haze of smoke. He leaned back in his seat and fell asleep. The car jolted, causing Chu Shangluo to sway slightly, his sleep uneasy. Ren Jiaoming pulled him into his arms, steadying his body.

Shen Jue, slightly tipsy, rolled down the car window for some air and coughed twice. “You’re incredible, how do you handle it? I feel like I’m going to suffocate from the smoke.”

Ren Jiaoming draped his jacket over Chu Shangluo and said, “It’s getting a bit cold.”

“Alright, I’ll close it. You’re the boss; you decide,” Shen Jue replied. After speaking, he noticed that Ren Jiaoming didn’t respond. Ever since Wen Zhengyang was arrested, Ren Jiaoming had been like this—he didn’t seem happy, but he didn’t appear upset either.

After a moment of thought, Shen Jue said, “I understand how you’re feeling right now. You’ve endured for more than ten years, all for revenge. Now that the great revenge has been taken, you might feel a bit lost, unsure of what to do next. But there’s really nothing to be confused about. The company is developing so well now, and you…”

Ren Jiaoming interrupted, “I’m not confused. I know what I want to do.”

Shen Jue raised an eyebrow. “Hmm?”

Ren Jiaoming didn’t continue. He simply held Chu Shangluo’s hand, their fingers intertwined.