Chapter 114: This Is a Difficult Problem

By the time they left the KTV, it was already past midnight, and everyone was slightly tipsy. Yet, everyone had enjoyed themselves thoroughly—everyone except Gao Meng.

Since Xia Tian had left, she had been sitting there, gloomy and withdrawn, especially after learning about his family situation; her mood had darkened even further.

Fortunately, with Chu Fei around—a bit of a clown—the atmosphere never grew too heavy. He was indeed a joker, especially after a few drinks, blurting out everything that should or shouldn’t be said.

The night air was cool. After exchanging farewells, everyone paired off and left. Chu Fei had wanted to see Lin Chuan home, but given how drunk he was himself, Lin Chuan couldn’t bring himself to impose.

Hailing a taxi by the roadside, they headed toward the Jinxiu residential complex.

Meanwhile, not far from the Yun City KTV, in the shadows, a woman with a ponytail held a camera, a faint smile playing on her lips. She quickly pulled out her phone, dialed a number, and soon the call connected.

“Hello, Uncle. I’ve got the exclusive. Please thank Miss Zhang for me. Yeah, I’ll treat you to dinner another day…”

After ending the call, the woman reviewed the photos once more, then, satisfied, turned and left.

—

Forty minutes later, the taxi arrived at the Jinxiu complex. Being late at night, aside from a few dim street lamps, almost every window was plunged in darkness.

Only a handful of homes had lights on, some flickering with the glow of television screens.

Lin Chuan exhaled deeply and stood downstairs for a moment, letting the breeze try to dissipate the alcohol lingering on him—he didn’t want to carry that scent to his son.

At the door, he pulled out his keys and unlocked it. As soon as he stepped inside, he saw Wang Yue in the living room, propping her head up with her hand, seemingly asleep.

Immediately, Lin Chuan lowered his movements, trying not to disturb her.

But Wang Yue stirred. As Lin Chuan entered, her drowsy eyes opened, and she murmured softly, “You’re back?”

“Yeah. How did you end up falling asleep here?” Lin Chuan smiled lightly.

“I was watching TV, but somehow just dozed off. You must be hungry, smelling of alcohol like that. You probably didn’t eat much. I’ll make you some noodles.” She rose and headed toward the kitchen.

A warmth blossomed in Lin Chuan’s chest. He opened his mouth to say something, but the words caught and stayed unspoken.

Watching Wang Yue’s figure retreat, he smiled faintly, then turned to his bedroom. His son was already asleep, but sprawled carelessly—the blanket kicked off at the feet, arms and legs spread wide like the shape of a star.

Lin Chuan shook his head in helpless amusement and went to retrieve the blanket, about to cover his son properly. Suddenly, a muffled voice came from his son’s lips.

The words were fragmented and unclear, but a few caught Lin Chuan’s attention.

“Mom… hehe, wait for me… Mom…”

A tangle of emotions knotted deep in Lin Chuan’s heart. He gazed at his son intently, unable to articulate the complex feelings stirring within.

Though only five years old, Lin Yiyang bore heavy worries—especially a longing for his mother, buried deep inside, never uttered in Lin Chuan’s presence.

Thus, only in his sleep, through murmurs and dreams, did the hidden thoughts emerge.

Indeed, Lin Yiyang missed his mother dearly. Though he had never truly met her, the bond of blood ran deep and would never fade.

At that moment, footsteps approached. Wang Yue appeared at the bedroom door, smiling as she said, “The noodles are ready. Come eat.”

Turning back, she added softly, “Thanks for everything.”

Lin Chuan smiled faintly, “You don’t have to be so polite.”

Wang Yue pouted playfully, “Stop being so formal. Come on.”

In the living room, a steaming bowl of noodles sat on the coffee table, accompanied by a small dish of pickled vegetables.

Lin Chuan said nothing, lifting the bowl to eat heartily. Honestly, he was starving. He had drunk quite a bit at the KTV but barely eaten anything.

In no time, the bowl was empty. Wang Yue smiled with relief. “There’s more in the pot. I’ll get you another bowl.”

Lin Chuan nodded, instinctively saying, “Thank you.”

At once, the smile on Wang Yue’s face stiffened. She looked at Lin Chuan deeply but said nothing, returning to the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, her brows furrowed. She had thought their relationship had eased—that her changes had been accepted, that they had surpassed friendship—that she had…

But all those assumptions vanished with Lin Chuan’s single ‘thank you.’ He remained polite, still keeping a subtle distance.

Could it be that her efforts and openness still couldn’t penetrate the depths of his heart?

Shaking her head hard to dispel the chaotic thoughts, Wang Yue forced a smile and carried the second bowl back to the living room.

“Eat up,” she said.

Lin Chuan responded with a soft “Mm,” picking up his chopsticks and digging in.

Wang Yue sat nearby, watching him eat, a faint smile playing on her lips. “I’ll be going back to work tomorrow.”

“Mm, good to get back to work,” Lin Chuan mumbled.

“When will you send Yiyang to kindergarten? You’re busy every day and don’t have much time for him. It might be better for him to go. With me around, you could have some peace of mind…” Wang Yue suggested.

Hearing this, Lin Chuan set down his bowl. “Alright, I’ll take him to check it out tomorrow morning.”

“If you’re comfortable with it, why not just leave Yiyang with me—at the kindergarten where I work?” Wang Yue smiled.

“That would trouble you again,” Lin Chuan said apologetically.

“I told you, no need to be so polite with me.” Wang Yue smiled on the surface, but inside, her heart ached.

Lin Chuan didn’t notice the subtle change and resumed eating.

After hearing his son’s sleep talk, Lin Chuan’s mind was a tumult of emotions. His feelings wavered once more.

Before him were two choices: Wang Yue, who had changed so much and cared for both him and Yiyang with meticulous attention. She was the first woman he genuinely liked after coming to this world.

The other was An Xier, Yiyang’s biological mother. Although he had never truly met her, and despite having been reborn into this world carrying its history and emotions for everyone, An Xier was still Yiyang’s mother. Blood ties were not something to dismiss lightly, especially since ‘mother’ was a word deeply buried in Yiyang’s heart.

If he chose Wang Yue, abandoning An Xier, would Yiyang accept it? Would he consider ‘Sister Xiaoyue’ as his mother?

In other words, if he honored his son’s wishes and found An Xier to rebuild their broken family, giving Yiyang a complete home, that would undoubtedly be the best choice for the boy. But where was An Xier?

“Ah, this is truly a difficult problem. I’ll just take it one step at a time,” he thought.