The one who is back

Liang harrumphed. "Boys are not reliable and trustworthy. Who knows when Siying might try to use his charms on Leina? Boys are horrible, sly, and cunning."

"Do you realize you are just dissing your own gender in which you are born?"

"I don't care. That's the ultimate truth."

Zhiyuan chuckled. "Even if Siying did that, so what? I will gladly accept Leina as my daughter-in-law any day."

"You looking for a fight, buddy?" Liang rolled up his shirt and seemed to be ready for a violent confrontation.

"Chill. We can't even tell if they will really fall for each other in the future. Just because they are childhood friends doesn't mean they have to become a couple. Though I will be happy if they did."

"Aha! These are your true thoughts, after all! I should really stop Leina from coming to your house…"

Zhiyuan shrugged. "Sure. If Ah Cy will let you."

Liang leaned back on his seat. "As always, the reception and service of your hotel in Manchester were awesome. As expected from Han Corps leading the hotel chain industry."

"My pleasure."

"Anyway, what's new? You said there were a lot of things going on yesterday that kept you busy."

Zhiyuan smiled. "Well, Siying wrote the best essay in his class, so the teacher praised him a lot. Xinyi, he and I had a pastry party."

Liang said, "Is this a futile effort from you trying to score some brownie points for your son? I will still not accept him for my daughter."

Zhiyuan looked at him in disdain. "Get your head out of it already. You are hopeless."

Liang laughed. "Alright, alright. I was just joking. Ah Cy and I will congratulate him later."

He nodded.

Then there was silence.

"You are hiding something else, Zhiyuan," Liang stated as he calmly looked at him.

"It's nothing."

Liang raised his brow. "You see, Zhiyuan. I was your enemy once and your best friend now. Your enemy knows you too well, and so does your friend. You cannot hide anything from either of them."

He kept quiet.

"Grandpa Han must have lashed out at you again."

Liang knew all about his family and also that Han Huizhong frequently had arguments with him for three years almost every day. But even he had no clue why. What changed so suddenly? He had no answer.

Zhiyuan rested his head a little back. "...Yes."

"About? Related to Xinyi?"

"No."

"So?"

"Caihong. I was searching about her whereabouts."

Liang didn't respond.

Then he leaned and slowly said, "I don't need to tell you this. I think you understand it yourself, but I will say it again. It's been seven years, Zhiyuan. Let her go."

Zhiyuan lifted a glass and twirled in his hand. "I am not entangled in her. I am not at that stage where I was six years back. I know I have a family now. I will not betray Xinyi and Siying. Never."

"So what's the point?"

"I want just one answer from her. That's it."

"That why she cruelly broke up with you and left you?"

"Yes."

Liang pressed the space in between his brows. "Does it still really matter to you that much? Even now?"

"I never got to know the reason."

"You do realize that your grandfather could be behind it, right? We know he never liked her. He must have 'talked' to her or something, and maybe she got afraid."

"We all know that Caihong wasn't like that to budge under anybody's pressure. She knew he didn't like her, but she never left me before."

Liang snorted. "You are talking about Han Huizhong. Don't you know your Grandpa? You got no choice but to give up in front of that sly old man. He knows how to get things done no matter the price."

"Still. I just want to hear from her mouth once."

"And what will you do even if she tells you?"

Zhiyuan shook his head. "Nothing. Whatever is done is done. We cannot change anything. I don't want to change anything either. I... just want closure once and for all."

Liang faintly understood his sentiments because he understood his personality too well.

Zhiyuan was the kind of man who always looked for resolutions and problem-solving. He didn't like questions or uncertainty to stay for long. That was one of his traits. That also meant that he was someone who needed to have all answers, no matter how big or small they were, until he felt satisfied.

So, even after seven years, he was looking for Caihong only to know why she left him so suddenly.

She left him without saying anything to him, and that question always gnawed his heart.

Liang smiled. "Without it, you will always feel that something is left unsettled."

"Yes. It's not like I don't know that Grandpa must have said something to her. He might be behind it. But he might be not, even if that possibility is small. And if he isn't, then I don't want to mindlessly blame him for forcing us apart for the rest of my life. The reason could be him or something completely different. I want to know what it was."

Liang sighed. "Alright. But does Xinyi know? I mean your true thoughts."

Zhiyuan said, "She knows that I want an answer from Caihong."

"She didn't ask you what answer?"

He faintly smiled. "I think she already knows."

"Ahhh... seriously, you have got such a lovely and understanding wife. If it were anybody else, then she would be drowning in jealousy and hatred for Caihong. I mean, who could put up with her husband still searching and mentioning his ex? She is a Goddess. I am warning you. Cherish her, okay?"

Zhiyuan smiled. "I am, and I always will."

Liang got up. "Alright. I trust you. I will leave now. Ah Cy is waiting for me."

"En."

Then he turned again and stared at him. "By the way, you should know something."

"What?"

"I thought to keep this from you for Xinyi's sake, but after listening to you, I changed my mind. You don't need to search for her anymore. Caihong is back with Zhu Xiaosi in Beijing."