Chapter 39: On the Brink of Collapse

"Teacher Xiaoyue, I'll have to trouble you to look after Yangyang a bit more today. If there's nothing else, I'll be off now. Yangyang, be good. Daddy will pick you up tonight!" Lin Chuan said with a cheerful reminder.

"Got it, Dad!" Lin Yiyang waved, a little impatiently, and pursed his lips.

Wang Yue watched Lin Chuan's departing figure, opening her mouth several times as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.

After a few minutes, the bus arrived. Lin Chuan got on and found an empty seat away from others.

Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket—a call was coming in.

"Hello, Yuan Ye? You’re calling so early—what’s up?" Lin Chuan spoke quietly.

"Where are you?" Yuan Ye's tone was heavy, his mood clearly somber.

Lin Chuan raised an eyebrow. "Just dropped Yangyang off at kindergarten. What's wrong? You sound pretty upset."

"I'm leaving!"

"Leaving? So sudden? Did something happen?"

"I’ll tell you when we meet. I’m waiting for you at the apartment."

"Alright, I’ll come right over."

After hanging up, Lin Chuan’s brows knitted tightly. From what he knew of Yuan Ye, no matter what happened, he always had a big heart—rarely anything made him frown. The tone on the phone was clearly grave. For Yuan Ye to sound like that, it must be something truly thorny, nearly impossible to solve.

After a twenty-minute ride, Lin Chuan arrived at a hotel apartment—the place Yuan Ye was staying temporarily in Beining. The service was excellent; Yuan Ye must have notified the front desk before Lin Chuan arrived. When Lin Chuan gave his name, a staff member warmly led him to the elevator, personally pressing the floor button for him.

Knock, knock, knock.

Standing outside the room, Lin Chuan gently tapped on the door.

Soon, the door opened. Yuan Ye stood at the threshold in a suit, impeccably tidy, his face utterly expressionless.

"Come in."

Lin Chuan said nothing more, slipping inside.

The apartment wasn't large, about eighty square meters, but all the necessities were fully equipped—move-in ready, which was Yuan Ye’s main reason for choosing it.

"So, all packed up?" Lin Chuan glanced around, spotting a large suitcase on the bed in the master bedroom, already filled with Yuan Ye’s clothes.

"Want anything to drink?" Yuan Ye didn’t answer.

"No, thanks. Tell me, what happened?" Lin Chuan waved away the offer, sitting down on the sofa.

Yuan Ye, his expression gloomy, walked to the floor-to-ceiling window. After a long silence, he said in a low voice, "Something happened at home."

"What? Is it your father’s health...?" At those words, Lin Chuan shot to his feet, visibly agitated.

The "old man" Lin Chuan referred to was Yuan Ye’s father, the director of Quancheng Television Station. Before university, Lin Chuan and Yuan Ye had been inseparable, spending every day together. Yuan Ye’s father never looked down on Lin Chuan because of his background; whenever there was something good to eat at home, he’d invite Lin Chuan over, and always packed some for him to take away.

Normally, the old man was strict with both Lin Chuan and Yuan Ye, like a father teaching his sons. He urged them to study, often using stories to impart life lessons.

In Lin Chuan’s heart, Yuan Ye’s father was no different from his own.

"His health is fine—three meals a day, two steamed buns at every meal, plus a couple of shots of white liquor, and always meat..." Yuan Ye shook his head helplessly.

With that eating habit, even a young man couldn’t handle it, so how the old man developed it was anyone’s guess.

Lin Chuan didn't pursue the topic, his face darkening. "So what’s really going on? Stop dragging it out—just say it."

"The television station... is about to shut down..." Yuan Ye took a deep breath, his face growing solemn.

"What’s going on? Didn’t you just secure sponsorship from Liu Dashan? Weren’t you about to move the ‘Masters Among the People’ program ahead? It’s only been a few days—how did it suddenly come to this?" Lin Chuan was surprised.

It was so abrupt. Although Quancheng Television Station had been operating at a loss for years, it wasn’t to the point of closing.

Yuan Ye’s expression was grim; in all the years Lin Chuan had known him, he’d never seen Yuan Ye so troubled. Usually, the handsome man met everything with a carefree attitude, rarely fazed by anything.

But this time, Lin Chuan was moved.

"I’m not clear on the details. Last night, a colleague I’m close to called and told me several board members have started withdrawing their investments, the rest are selling off their shares... Honestly, that’s not the real issue—I can always find another job, or come to Beining and join you. I’m mainly worried about my father..." At this, Yuan Ye’s eyes glistened with unshed tears.

Lin Chuan’s brows furrowed, worry etched on his face. Yuan Ye’s father lost his wife young and never remarried. For him, Yuan Ye and the television station were his life’s pillars. Now, at over fifty, having worked hard at the station for decades, to hear it’s shutting down as he nears retirement—given his temperament, he’d surely fall seriously ill.

"Why don’t I go back with you? Since graduation, I’ve never returned home. There’s time before the competition—might as well take Lin Yiyang, visit home, pay respects to my parents and grandmother." Lin Chuan murmured, his gaze flickering.

Yuan Ye was stunned, then nodded slowly. "That’s a good idea. You really should go home."

Lin Chuan forced a smile, saying nothing more.

Since graduating, he and An Xier had come to Beining, hoping to make their mark. With no real family back home, he was free of attachments.

Now, five or six years had passed, and Lin Chuan hadn’t once returned. Thinking back, he couldn’t even remember what the old house looked like—or whether it had fallen into ruin. He had no idea if the stinking ditch nearby was still as foul as ever, nor how tall the grass had grown on his parents’ and grandmother’s graves.

Shame. All Lin Chuan felt at that moment was overwhelming shame. If not for the television station’s crisis, he might never have thought to return.

After further discussion, Lin Chuan left the apartment and took the bus back to the kindergarten.

If he was going home, he’d take his son along—give him a chance to see where his father grew up.

...

"Teacher Xiaoyue, are you busy?" Lin Chuan stood at the kindergarten gate, phone in hand.

"Not really. What is it?" Wang Yue’s tone showed a moment’s hesitation.

"I’m at the gate. Could you come out? There’s something I want to discuss with you." Lin Chuan thought it best to request Lin Yiyang’s leave in person.

"Alright, wait a moment—I’ll be right out."

After hanging up, Lin Chuan paced at the entrance.

As expected, soon Wang Yue hurried out from one of the buildings, half running.

"What’s the matter? Did something happen?" She greeted the security guard and walked quickly out the gate.

"I’d like to request leave for Yangyang and take him back to my hometown. Is that alright?" Lin Chuan smiled sheepishly.

"Going home? Don’t you have a competition in a few days? Why suddenly now? Did something happen?" Wang Yue’s brows knitted.

Lin Chuan hesitated. He’d meant to find a casual excuse, but when he opened his mouth, he ended up telling her everything.

He especially emphasized his worry that the old man might take it badly—or fall ill from depression.

Wang Yue was visibly surprised. She knew little about television stations, so she didn’t comment. After a pause, she said, "Alright, I’ll tell the principal and bring Yangyang out for you. Also, try to comfort Yuan Ye—tell him not to worry too much. Things might still turn around."

"Heh, thanks in advance for him!" Lin Chuan smiled and nodded.

Wang Yue smiled gently, swallowing the words, "Do you need me to go with you?"

She was serious about feelings. Though she’d seen Lin Chuan often—and had begun to feel a trace of affection for this man who never shaved—she found it hard to say such things outright.

But if Lin Chuan really needed her help, just one word and she would never refuse.

Yet Lin Chuan was clueless when it came to emotions. Despite having a son now, in his previous life Lin Chuan was alone—well into his thirties without ever having a girlfriend.

Even in this life, he’d only dated An Xier once; his emotional experience was pitifully lacking, his emotional intelligence woefully low.

If it were Yuan Ye instead, he’d shamelessly invite her along.

The two stood silently for a while. As the atmosphere grew awkward, Wang Yue quickly said, "Um... I’ll go get Yangyang."

"Alright, sorry to trouble you!" Lin Chuan, as taciturn as ever, laughed awkwardly and nodded.

Watching Wang Yue turn back inside, Lin Chuan frowned, his gaze shifting, and sighed inwardly.