Chapter 740
Chapter 740
Chapter 740 He Was Both Happy Yet Afraid
Ziyue returned home in a sullen mood.
Muchen immediately noticed and offered her a glass of water. "What's wrong?" He asked.
She took a sip. There was a moment of silence as she clutched the glass tightly in her hands. "Youcheng is in the hospital." She finally answered.
"He's getting old. It's nothing to be surprised about." Muchen said calmly, taking the glass back from her.
Ziyue nodded. She thought back to something Youcheng had said. "Did he come to see me while I was hospitalized?" She asked.
Muchen pondered before nodding. "Yes, he did. He came once a month, but I didn't let him in. I thought you might not want to see him."
Ziyue shook her head. "That's okay. Our relationship ended a long time ago."
She remembered what had happened in the hospital.
She was right. Youcheng was sad and alone while in the hospital.
He was sick to the point of needing to be hospitalized, and yet his own son could not be bothered to see him.
She told Muchen everything. Muchen smirked, "If Yuanming were to visit him, that might be the push Youcheng needed into the grave. Knowing that Yuanming has his eye on Su Group, Youcheng would rather Yuanming knew nothing about him being sick and hospitalized."
Ziyue's mouth fell open.
Like father like son.
…
To Ziyue's surprise, Youcheng came to Cloud Bay to see her the day before her wedding.
Muchen was at Lumiere Jade House to supervise the wedding decorators.
"Madam, there's an elderly gentleman outside waiting for you."
"Elderly gentleman?" Ziyue didn't know who it could be. She followed the maid out.
When they reached the front door, she saw Youcheng dressed in a suit and leaning on a cane. He seemed to be in good spirits.
He looked much better than when she last saw him at the hospital.
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Ziyue quietly deliberated before finally deciding what to do. "Let Mr. Su in." She ordered the maid.
She then went to wait for him in the living room.
The maid served them some tea before making herself scarce.
Ziyue and Youcheng sat across from each other. They sat in silence, sipping their tea without exchanging a single word. Youcheng was the first to break the silence.
He removed a file from his bag and handed it to Ziyue. "Sign here."
Ziyue's expression tightened when she saw the cover of the file. "What's this?"
"I'm getting old. I no longer have the energy and intellect to manage such a big company. I understand Yuanming better than anyone. That useless son of mine will not be able to handle this task. Su Group will see ruin if I hand it to him."
Youcheng's voice was riddled with sadness and anger.
Ziyue read the cover of the file over and over again.
'Share Transfer Form.'
Youcheng wanted to transfer half of Su Group's shares to her.
Ziyue stayed quiet. She did not understand why Youcheng would do this.
Assuming Ziyue would reject him, Youcheng quickly added, "Think of it as a favor to an old man. Su Group is a part of your dad's legacy as well. Please… We have employees who have worked for us all their lives. You can't just sit by and watch Yuanming run the company to the ground!"
He shook his head vehemently. His eyes glistened with unshed tears.
"Please, Ziyue. I've made my share of mistakes. I don't expect you to forgive me. But right now, I have never been more sure of this decision. Please, as a favor to me?"
Ziyue couldn't stand to see him plead with her any longer.
The day finally came for Youcheng to regret what he did to her.
She had never held out hope of it happening
and so it meant nothing to her.
She started to tear up at the thought of her father, Su Yizhi.
She couldn't understand how he could be that cruel back then, and the same was happening now. She did not understand his regret.
She inhaled deeply. "I'll accept the shares, but not for free. I'll buy it from you at market price."
Youcheng shook his head vigorously. "I'll give it to you for free. You are a Su, and…"
"Our relationship ended a long time ago." Ziyue stared at him unflinchingly. Her eyes were cool and distant.
The rest of Youcheng's sentence was left unsaid.
Ziyue continued, "I'll sign it after the wedding and get someone to send it to you."
Sensing her resolve, Youcheng kept quiet.
Muchen arrived home a few minutes after Youcheng had left.
He walked in to see Ziyue curled up on the couch. Her eyes were bloodshot, as if she had been crying.
His chest tightened. "What's wrong?" Muchen hurried to her side.
When Ziyue saw him, the floodgates opened. Tears streamed down her face.
Muchen panicked. He held her tightly against him. Thinking of the car he had seen leaving when he arrived, Muchen asked, "Who came?"
"Youcheng." Ziyue hiccupped.
Muchen's voice became like ice at the mention of his name. "What did he do?"
"He wants to transfer the shares to me… I didn't want them… He also… Apologized to me…" Ziyue couldn't keep the sobs from bursting out of her chest.
Youcheng apologized right before he left.
Ziyue hadn't allowed herself to understand how she felt then truly.
But now, in Muchen's embrace, sadness and helplessness engulfed her.
So what if he apologized? Her father was dead.
And nothing could bring him back.
Her heart was covered in scars from her past sufferings.
It was all in the past, but it didn't stop the scars from throbbing occasionally.
She no longer felt any hate for them, but that didn't mean she had to forgive them.
Muchen held her even tighter. Kissing the top of her head, he said gently, "I think it's best if he didn't come to our wedding, don't you?"
"Okay…" Ziyue mumbled.
He picked her up and brought her upstairs. "What do you feel like having for dinner? Just let me know, and I'll take care of it. Take a nap. We'll have dinner after you've woken up."
His voice was warm and gently coaxing.
Ziyue slowly calmed down. She told him what she felt like eating.
Muchen repeated them so that he could remember them.
Once they reached the bedroom, Muchen waited until Ziyue fell asleep before going back downstairs.
He called Youcheng.
He went straight to the point. "Mr. Su, if possible, I think it's best if you don't come to our wedding tomorrow."
Youcheng immediately recognized Muchen's voice.
Youcheng will never forget Muchen. Muchen was a memorable man.
"But Ziyue gave me an invitation…"
"So what if she did? Do you think it's appropriate for you to come?"
Muchen's accusations were like daggers piercing Youcheng's heart.
With Ziyue, Muchen was gentle, kind, and patient. But he was ruthless and cruel to everyone else.
Finally, Youcheng replied, "Okay."
Muchen hung up to see Zixi coming downstairs.
He had just woken up from a nap.
Zixi looked up to see Muchen staring at him. He blinked and bounded over to Muchen. Hugging his legs, Zixi exclaimed, "Dad, you're home."
Zixi was adorable. But staring up at Muchen like this made him absolutely lovable.
Muchen, usually calm and indifferent, couldn't help pinching Zixi's chubby cheeks.
Pinching it once, Muchen couldn't believe how incredibly squishy Zixi's cheeks were. He wanted to pinch them again.
Zixi frowned at him. His little button nose scrunched up in annoyance, but he didn't dodge it.
Muchen chuckled. This was the first time he found children adorable and funny.
He picked Zixi up. "Go keep your mom company."
"What's she doing?" Zixi poked Muchen's chin.
Muchen wiggled his eyebrows at Zixi. "She's in a bad mood. She's napping. Keep her company but don't wake her."
"Okay," Zixi answered with wide eyes.
Zixi was a mother's boy through and through. If Mom was upset, ZIxi was more than willing to cheer her up.
"Go."
Muchen put him down on the ground and patted Zixi's butt.
Zixi touched his butt and glared at Muchen. He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but chose not to. Instead, he stomped up the stairs in anger.
Muchen arched his eyebrows. "Why can't I pat your butt? I'll give you a beating if you wake Mom up. You hear me?"
Zixi hurried up the rest of the stairs without a backward glance.
His son was good for something, at least.
He ran fast and also made his Mom happy.
…
Ziyue went to bed early that night because their wedding was the next day.
Muchen, on the other hand, couldn't sleep.
He watched cartoons with Zixi in the living room. Zixi yawned uncontrollably.
"Why aren't you going to bed, Dad? I'm getting sleep…" He yawned once more.
"Go to bed if you're tired." Muchen glanced at him.
Zixi jumped off the couch and walked to the foot of the stairs. He turned back to see his father sitting alone on the couch and doubled back.
"Didn't you say you were sleepy?" Muchen said when he saw Zixi coming back.
Hugging a pillow tightly, Zixi mumbled, "Aren't you afraid of being here alone?"
Muchen burst out with laughter. Why couldn't Zixi just say he wanted to be with Muchen instead of beating around the bush? Muchen didn't know who Zixi took after.
Burrowing into Muchen's chest, it didn't take long for Zixi to fall asleep.
Muchen turned off the TV. Gently cradling Zixi in his arms, he brought Zixi to his room.
Once Zixi was tucked in, he went to check on Ziyue.
Ziyue was deep asleep. He kissed her on the forehead. Making sure the volume on his phone was off, he played a few games on it.
He couldn't sleep.
He was happy, yet terrified.
Unexplainable fear.
He was on his phone until way past midnight.
A notification for a news report popped up.
"The wife of LK's former chairman has been found to use drugs in her youth…"
Muchen straightened up when he read the title.