Chapter 81: You Chong’s Father

Lin Hexi later realized that not all New Year’s wishes made after midnight would necessarily come true.

For example, the following New Year, he still spent it with You Chong.

But in the third, fourth, and fifth years after that, he didn’t spend New Year’s with You Chong.

After being with You Chong, it seemed like every aspect of life was gradually improving.

The dog and cat at home became inseparable and incredibly close.

Xia Chengfeng finally won over Fang Qingning.

You Chong started taking over and managing the affairs of one of the companies under his family’s business.

Lin Hexi finally passed the CET-6 English exam on his second attempt, and an old professor at the Art College suggested he apply for a cross-disciplinary postgraduate program in fine arts.

Lin Hexi’s family, after learning that he was on good terms with You Chong and Zhou Xuan, started treating him much more politely.

He and You Chong had gone to art exhibitions together, climbed the highest mountain in the country together, and even took the subway that passed through Lin Hexi Station.

That night, at eleven o’clock, they came out of the cinema and headed to the parking lot to get their car. As they passed the subway entrance, Lin Hexi suddenly stopped, called out to You Chong, and asked, “If we go in from here, will it lead to Line 3, the one that goes to Lin Hexi Station?”

You Chong confirmed and then, on a whim, said, “Do you want to take the subway?”

Lin Hexi found it a bit strange. “Line 3 doesn’t pass by University Town.”

The corners of You Chong’s lips lifted slightly. “Who said we’re taking the subway back to University Town?”

Lin Hexi asked, “Then where are we going?”

You Chong replied, “We’re going to find Lin Hexi.”

Lin Hexi was stunned for a second, then smiled. “Alright.”

They boarded the subway heading toward Lin Hexi Station. The late-night subway was empty and quiet, with only a few passengers scattered throughout the car.

The two rows of seats beside them were unoccupied, but Lin Hexi and You Chong didn’t sit down. Instead, they stood in front of the door, looking at the detailed station map on it.

The lights outside the door flickered on and off, and the blurry shadows of billboards flashed by quickly. Lin Hexi pointed at Lin Hexi Station on the map and joked, “This subway is the train to my heart. Since you’ve already boarded it, you’re inside my heart now.”

You Chong chuckled and asked, “Is it still too late for me to get off now?”

“Too late,” Lin Hexi’s smile deepened. “It’s already far too late.”

“Is that so?” You Chong didn’t seem to mind, his deep, dark eyes fixed steadily on him. “In that case, I won’t get off.”

Such a peaceful life came to an abrupt end in the spring of their senior year.

As spring was about to end, Zhou Xuan’s birthday was approaching, and the birthday banquet was arranged at a hotel owned by the Zhou family.

On the day of Zhou Xuan’s birthday, he had the family driver pick up Yang Juan and Zhao Du from school, and Lin Hexi was also there.

You Chong had been busy with work at the company and hadn’t returned to school for almost a week, so Lin Hexi arranged to meet him directly at the hotel.

Although many distinguished figures from prominent families were invited to the banquet, most of the elders were seated on the VIP balcony on the second floor. The people mingling on the first floor were mostly younger guests of Zhou Xuan’s generation or his classmates and friends.

Thus, Lin Hexi and the other two didn’t seem out of place on the first floor.

Zhou Xuan, busy greeting guests, hurriedly led them to sit beside Xia Chengfeng and Fang Qingning before quickly excusing himself. As he left, he didn’t forget to relay a message for You Chong: “He’ll be arriving later.”

Lin Hexi nodded, greeted the two who were already at the table, and then pulled Yang Juan, who loved desserts, to the buffet area to get some cake.

You Chong arrived just before Zhou Xuan’s father’s speech. There was an empty seat saved for him beside Lin Hexi, and he went straight over, pulled out the chair, and sat down. Glancing at the half-eaten dessert near Lin Hexi’s hand, he casually picked up the spoon and took a bite. His expression subtly changed as he frowned.

Lin Hexi asked knowingly, “Does it taste good?”

You Chong replied, “Too sweet.”

Lin Hexi laughed, “You knew it was sweet, and you still ate it?”

You Chong raised an eyebrow and countered, “I can’t eat your things?”

“You can.” After a pause, Lin Hexi lowered his voice, “You can eat me, so of course you can eat my things too.”

Hearing this, You Chong stared at him for a couple of seconds before suddenly leaning in close and saying, “Let’s head back early tonight.”

Lin Hexi immediately understood, chuckled softly, and gave no response.

After Zhou Yuanwang, the head of the Zhou family, finished his speech, he turned and returned to the second floor of the banquet hall.

The You family and the Xia family were also seated upstairs. You Chong and Xia Chengfeng stood up and went upstairs to greet the elders from the prominent families.

About ten minutes later, Xia Chengfeng had nothing much to do, so he left first. You Chong, however, was held back by You Yueteng to discuss the progress of company affairs.

As the two spoke, Zhou Yuanwang, listening nearby, sighed repeatedly.

After finishing the conversation, You Yueteng let You Chong head back downstairs and then turned to Zhou Yuanwang, asking, “Why are you sighing?”

Zhou Yuanwang sighed, “Compared to your son, mine is just a typical idle rich playboy.”

You Yueteng chuckled, dismissing it lightly, “They haven’t graduated yet. It’s normal for them to like having fun.”

Zhou Yuanwang shook his head helplessly, then got up and walked toward the second-floor railing, looking down as he searched for Zhou Xuan’s figure below.

After spotting Zhou Xuan sitting beside Xia Chengfeng, his gaze shifted to You Chong, who was seated a spot away from Zhou Xuan. Finally, his eyes rested on the young man sitting between Zhou Xuan and You Chong, separating the two.

After staring at Lin Hexi’s face for a moment, Zhou Yuanwang suddenly turned around and asked, “I heard You Chong has been getting quite close to that illegitimate child from the Lin family lately?”

Hearing this, You Yueteng stood up and walked toward him. “The illegitimate child from the Lin family is here too?”

Zhou Yuanwang squinted his eyes slightly. “Isn’t it the one sitting between them?”

You Yueteng stopped beside him, glanced down at the scene, and just happened to see You Chong turning his head to talk to Lin Hexi.

“He makes his own friends, I don’t interfere,” You Yueteng said calmly, clearly not paying much attention to Lin Hexi. “After he graduates, he’ll naturally understand what kind of friends are useful to him and what kind of friends, far from being helpful, will only bring him endless trouble.”

Midway through the birthday banquet, You Chong and Lin Hexi did indeed leave early to go home.

In the descending elevator, You Chong received a phone call from You Yueteng.

On the phone, You Yueteng asked, “Do you want to come home for a couple of days?”

You Chong replied, “I still have some things to take care of. I’ll come back in a few days.”

You Yueteng didn’t say anything further and hung up the phone.

Just as the elevator doors opened, You Chong put away his phone, stepped out of the elevator, and didn’t give much thought to the call from You Yueteng.

What he didn’t expect was that, two minutes later, You Yueteng would happen to spot his car in the parking lot.

You Chong and Lin Hexi weren’t the only ones to leave the banquet early—You Yueteng left as well.

Zhou Yuanwang and the hotel executives personally escorted him out. While waiting for the elevator, You Yueteng called You Chong, asking if he would be coming home.

When You Chong said he wasn’t, You Yueteng didn’t think much of it and took the elevator down to the underground parking lot. He then called the family driver.

Seeing the call come in, the driver immediately got out of the car and went to meet him at the elevator entrance.

The distance from the elevator to the parking spot was a bit far. After getting into the car, You Yueteng, slightly displeased, asked, “Why did you park the car in such a remote corner?”

The driver quickly apologized and explained.

However, You Yueteng wasn’t really listening to his explanation. His gaze passed through the windshield and landed on a car parked in the left spot ahead. “Is that You Chong’s car?”

The driver turned to look and then answered confidently, “Yes, it’s the young master’s car.”

In previous years, when had You Chong ever left early from Zhou Yuanwang’s son’s birthday?

You Yueteng’s expression showed surprise. He thought about having the driver call You Chong over, but just as he was about to speak, he changed his mind. Instead, he instructed the driver to stay in the car and not move. He then opened the door himself, stepped out, and began walking toward the car parked diagonally ahead.

You Chong’s car was parked properly in the spot, and the driver’s side window wasn’t fully rolled up. As You Yueteng approached, he saw that You Chong was sitting in the driver’s seat with his back to the window, and in the passenger seat sat that illegitimate child from the Lin family.

The two of them were leaning very close to each other, seemingly searching for something in the center console between the seats.

You Yueteng took two more steps forward, about to call out to You Chong to get out of the car, but when he fully saw what was happening inside, his expression subtly changed.

They weren’t searching for anything at all—they were clearly kissing.

You Yueteng’s face was as dark as water as he walked back.

The driver stood by the car, holding the door open for him. He bent down and got into the car, picking up his phone and making a call: “Look into the relationship between You Chong and that illegitimate child from the Lin family.”