In the Lin Family Mansion, Lin Jiahua woke up from his dream before dawn in the morning. He got up and went into the study. No one was allowed to disturb him and he locked himself in there for several hours.

His second wife, Xu Manyuan, knocked on the door several times but received no response.

Lin Yueming was busy in the company when he heard a call from his mother. After answering the call, he said, “Isn’t he always like this these years? Mom, why are you so worried? Let Dad be and don’t disturb him. The more you show that you don’t mind, the more he’ll feel guilty towards you.”

Xu Manyuan frowned. “He’s thinking of that woman again. Mingming, Mom is afraid. He’s getting old and confused. If he decided to leave the company to Lin Jianshen after remembering that woman, what will Mom do?”

After she finished speaking, Lin Yueming said, “We’ve been by his side all along and he would also remember our goodness. Besides, Mom, don’t underestimate your son. I’ve been in the company for several years and have already trained a team. Even if Lin Jianshen comes, I won’t be afraid of anything.”

Xu Manyuan sighed. “How can a living person compare to a dead one? I heard he and that woman had been madly in love, otherwise, how could a country girl marry into the Lin family? Now that your father is getting older, he likes to reminisce about the past. What if he becomes confused?”

Lin Yueming sounded confident, but in fact, he was uncertain.

His mother got married because she was with child and only then did she managed to enter this wealthy family. Xu Manyuan knew how to advance and retreat. Lin Jiahua always had several beauties outside but Xu Manyuan never bothered him about it, thus her position as a wealthy wife remained secure.

However, her status in the Lin family wasn’t very high. It was the son and daughter Xu Manyuan gave birth to for Lin Jiahua that won her some favor.

For example, today, Lin Jiahua didn’t want to see anyone. No one was allowed to enter the room, and the same goes for Xu Manyuan.

Today was the death anniversary of Lin Jiahua’s first wife and he would be depressed for a period of time every year. It was precisely because of his love for his first wife that Xu Manyuan and Lin Yueming were very wary of Lin Jianshen.

Although they didn’t know the reason for the rift between the father and son, they knew that once the relationship between Lin Jiahua and Lin Jianshen eased, there would be no place for them in the Lin family.

Lin Yueming comforted his mother, and at the same time, comforted himself, “Mom, don’t think too much. I know Lin Jianshen. He’s too high and mighty, it’s definitely impossible for him to reconcile with Dad. He probably hates the Lin family to death right now.”

Speaking of this, Xu Manyuan also had an opinion. “Lin Jianshen became the son-in-law of the Yu family. Although the Yu family made a fortune late, they mustn’t be underestimated. Mom can’t help feeling anxious. I’m afraid he’ll take advantage of the Yu family’s influence to target you.”

After a few moments of silence, Lin Yueming said in a deep voice, “As long as we seize the opportunity and strike first, we have nothing to fear.”

After ending the call, Xu Manyuan sat in the room restlessly. A little while later, she heard a servant calling out, saying that Sir Lin was looking for her for something.

Xu Manyuan was overjoyed and came to the study to see Lin Jiahua.

Lin Jiahua has aged very fast this year, and most of his hair has turned gray. He has a bad heart so he basically leaves all the affairs of the company to his son. He loves to play chess and write calligraphy every day, paying more and more attention to his health.

“Wait, give Jianshen a call and ask him to come back for dinner tonight.”

Lin Jiahua had his head lowered. He was standing behind the desk while holding a brush, writing calligraphy seriously. It’s as if his sentence was just a casual remark, a common thing in the house.

Xu Manyuan’s heart, however, sank. She tried her best to conceal her expression with a gentle smile. “This…… Isn’t Jianshen filming in S City?”

Lin Jiahua said, “He’ll come back to X City to visit his mother today, so just go and tell him to come.”

“Okay, I’ll do it now.”

As soon as she turned around, her smiling face suddenly darkened, and she gritted her teeth in hatred.

———pr

Yu Mian had her family’s driver take her to the city center. From there, she took a taxi to Changqing Cemetery in the western suburbs of the city.

It was a large cemetery in X City, where Yu Mian’s original parents were buried.

Changqing Cemetery covered a large area. It was said that the government hired a Feng Shui^[1]an ancient Chinese traditional practice which claims to use energy forces to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment master during the planning process and specially selected a good piece of land. Generally, people who died in X City were buried in this cemetery.

Yu Mian used to come visit her original parents every year. The day she got in a car accident happened to be the day she was visiting them, which was why she was in the outskirts of the city instead of at home.

Unexpectedly, when she came there again, there would be other people visiting.

Yu Mian was very familiar with her parents’ tombs. She walked along the path and looked at the small tombstones standing all around the place. Each was engraved with different words. These were the names of those who had left, the last trace left by a person in the world.

There weren’t many people in the cemetery, and only one or two silent dark figures could be seen standing in front of the tombstones, like another larger and heavier stone.

Perhaps influenced by the atmosphere, Yu Mian’s mood was also much lower.

She arrived in front of her parents’ tombstone and stood silently, staring at the two names engraved on the surface. She silently said all the words she wanted to say as well as the experiences she has had these days in her heart.

‘Mom, Dad, I’m living very well here. Mianmian now has a home and lots of people who love me. I’m very happy, so you must also live a good life in your new world too.’

‘Although I have a new home, I will never forget you. I will come see you every year and burn a lot of paper money, alright? I’m just too tired of living alone. My new parents are very good to me and I also call them mom and dad. Please don’t be jealous and blame Mianmian.’

After talking to her parents for a long time, Yu Mian turned her head to the right. By her father’s tombstone was a newly made one.

It was engraved with two characters ‘Yu Mian’. A few drooping chrysanthemums lay in front of it and it was obvious that someone had visited her not long ago.

Yu Mian’s eyes gradually became wet. She squatted down and moved closer to touch the cold black marble.

“Yu Mian, thank you for giving me this wonderful life. I will take good care of Mom and Dad for you. I hope you can live happily in your new world.”

Warm tears slid down her cheeks that were blown dry by the wind.

“Yu Mian?”

At this moment, a familiar and hesitant male voice suddenly sounded from behind her.

Yu Mian snapped back to her senses. She quickly stood up and turned around, and saw someone she never expected to be there.

“Lin Jianshen!”

The young woman’s reddened eyes widened in horror, her face and lips were pale, the tip of her nose was red from the cold, and there were streaks of tears on her cheeks.

The brow of the man in the black coat subconsciously furrowed. He walked closer to her in a few steps while taking his coat off. He quickly unfolded it to wrap her entire body and shield her from the cold wind.

He held the collar of the coat together, tightly gathering the petite woman close, and slightly bent down to gaze at her.

“What are you doing here?”

Yu Mian raised her face, her mind blank. She was completely unresponsive and was in a state of fear. She’s afraid that he would find out that she wasn’t the real Yu Mian and was just a fraud.

How long had he been there? Had he heard what she said?

Faced with his inquiry, she replied in a panic, “I-I’m here to express my condolences.”

It was only then that Lin Jianshen had the time to glance at the tombstone next to him. The name on top pierced his eyes, making his pupils suddenly shrink.

Noticing his shock expression, Yu Mian stumbled to explain, “That-, do you remember the day we first met in the hospital? The person who had a car accident and has the same name as me was this person. I just came to see her, I……”

She seemed anxious and nervous, her lips and eyelashes were trembling violently, and he could tell that she was afraid.

What was she afraid of? Also, their first time meeting wasn’t at the hospital. The two of them had met formally twice in order to confirm the engagement. Did she remember it wrong, or was it something else?

Lin Jianshen was deep in thought. He was acutely aware that she had a secret she was hiding from him, and it was likely related to him as well.

But now wasn’t the time to delve into it. Lin Jianshen placed his hands against her chin and gently rubbed her cold face with his fingertips.

“Don’t be anxious, I remember it all. We went to find her together.” He held her gently and calmed her panic with a smooth and gentle tone, “Your face is icy. Are you cold? Let’s go back first and talk about it after we get home, okay?”

Yu Mian stared back at him uneasily, and under his soothing touch, she slowly relaxed.

Judging from his expression, it didn’t seem like he suspected something, right?

That was when she remembered to ask him, “I’m okay, it’s not very cold. Why are you here as well?”

She was wrapped up tightly by him and the thick coat carried the warmth of his body, completely blocking the cold wind from the outside world like a warm fortress.

Yu Mian shrunk her face and smelled a light fresh scent, which was very pleasant. Lin Jianshen had already let go of her. His eyes were lowered as he was buttoning the coat.

Lin Jianshen said lightly, “Today’s the anniversary of my mother’s death. I am here to visit her.”

He only had on a dark blue high necked wool sweater on him. Against the gray sky and dark background, he looked exceptionally handsome.

Yu Mian raised her eyes. Facing such beauty in close proximity, she almost held her breath.

Really not knowing how to comfort him, she said dryly, “You-, don’t be sad.”

After buttoning up the coat, Lin Jianshen lowered his hand and naturally took one of hers in his palm.

He smiled slightly and rubbed her head. “I’m not sad. My mother has been gone for many years. Let’s go, I’ll take you home.”

Yu Mian obediently agreed. Lin Jianshen gave her his coat and she’s afraid that he would freeze, so she would go back even if he didn’t say anything.

When she came there, she was alone and lonely while walking through the stone steps of the cemetery. When she returned, they had become two shadows holding hands and relying on each other.

Getting farther and farther away from the tombstones behind her, Yu Mian silently said in her heart, ‘Mom, Dad, do you see? The person walking beside me is the person I love. He’s very kind and I like him very much.’