Chapter 33 - 33 033 Imitation Leather Invitation_1

Chapter 33: 033 Imitation Leather Invitation_1 Chapter 33: 033 Imitation Leather Invitation_1 Lin Xiangwan, who was at work, received a call from Song Yichen.

She knocked on the door and walked into the office. “Mr. Song, you wanted to see me?”

As soon as she entered, the air was thick with smoke, making her eyes tear up.

Yichen, slouched in a leather chair, stubbed out his lit cigarette in an ashtray and motioned to a seat opposite him. “Sit!”

“Cough, cough…” Xiangwan began to cough, and she looked at him anxiously. “You’re not in good health, smoking so much is just reckless!”

“I’m fine, in fact my health is great!” Yichen responded with a smile.

However, his smile only made him look more haggard: unkempt hair, creased clothes, a stained white shirt, gloomy cheeks, dull eyes laced with bloodshot strands. He looked messy, something he’d never been.

“Didn’t sleep well last night?” Xiangwan asked out of concern.

“Had to entertain!”

“Did you drink too much?”

“Indeed, I did,” Yichen barely nodded and immediately felt a splitting headache. His cheeks flushed.

“You should lie down and rest for a bit!”

It took a while for Yichen’s face to regain a little colour. “No need. How have you been lately?”

“I’ve been worrying about the land acquisition matter and about my child…” Xiangwan stopped mid-sentence.

He didn’t want to hear about Ranran. She better not say anything!

Instead, Yichen picked up where she left off. “The matter of your child’s school admission still hasn’t been solved, right?”

“Yes! But it doesn’t matter, there’s still time. I believe…I will find a solution!” An enigmatic face flashed across Xiangwan’s mind.

If she were to ask him for help, he could probably help, right?

Yichen opened a drawer and pulled out an elegant letter envelope. It was in a light green, with a faux reptile skin pattern that made it look high-grade.

He gently pushed it in front of her, smiling. “Open it and see, I think you and Ranran would be happy to see this!”

“What?” Xiangwan gave him a puzzled look. She couldn’t imagine what good news could possibly come her way.

Yichen raised a hand. “Just open it and you’ll see!”

With anticipation, Xiangwan opened it and found the words ‘Yutong Fund Education Program Invitation Letter’ leapt out at her.

“This… is it an invitation from an organization that guarantees admission to a local or out-of-town key primary school for the invited children?” She was so excited, her words became a little jumbled.

Yichen nodded. “Correct, it’s a learning enterprise that enrols pre-school children and nurtures them right up to high school. If a child is selected, they get to attend not only a key primary school but also a key high school. And the tuition fees for these 12 years is fully covered by the company!”

“Ah… does that mean the expenses of twelve years are saved?” Xiangwan, hardly composed, almost jumped up.

“Look at how happy you are!” Yichen teased her with a shake of his head.

“Solving my worries for the next twelve years at once, how can I not be happy?” Xiangwan didn’t bother hiding her excitement. “Yichen, you must’ve helped a lot, right?”

Yichen dismissed her praise with a wave of his hand, modestly saying, “I actually didn’t do all that much. I just happen to know the boss of the enterprise. I casually asked him about it while we dined last night, surprisingly he gave me this invitation letter. And according to their database, Ranran has already signed up online for this event!”

Xiangwan nodded over and over again. “Yes, yes, he did! I really have to thank you, otherwise, he would never have this opportunity!”

Yichen smiled, his features softening with no intention of taking credit. “There’s no need for such formalities. Even if we can’t be together, I’m still Ranran’s uncle, right?”

Xiangwan broke into a smile and nodded. “Yes, you’re his uncle!”

Yichen snorted at himself. “How can I really abandon him…”

“Mmm!” Xiangwan gratefully agreed.

Yichen saw the tears welling up in her eyes, and changed the subject to avoid getting awkward. “Also, about your shop and residence being relocated, I will try to talk to my friends in the housing bureau and see if they can compensate you more. It’s not safe for a woman like you to stick out like a sore thumb… it wouldn’t be worth it if an accident happens!”

“Okay!” Xiangwan felt warm in her heart again.

He still cares about her!

Feeling a lump in her throat, Xiangwan’s tears began to brim over in her eyes. “You too, although you have business dinners, remember to drink less and take care of yourself! Remember to drink a cup of yoghurt before drinking alcohol, it’s good for you!”

“Mmm!” Yichen curled up the corners of his mouth with a smile, somewhat regretful and sad.

“If you and Ni Shanshan get along well, you should settle down soon. You’re not getting any younger, and your parents are eager to have a grandchild! Now that Ranran is older, I can take some time to help you take care of the child!”

“Do you really want me to marry her?” Yichen asked, his eyes filled with sadness.

His gaze pierced Xiangwan’s heart, causing her so much pain she could hardly speak. “Of course, if you like someone else… that’s fine too!”

Suppressing his anguish, Yichen growled, “But I don’t like anyone else, I only like you!”

“…Don’t say that!” Xiangwan shook her head. “I don’t deserve you!”

“Why say you don’t deserve, why undersell yourself? Why did you…” betray me back then.

Yichen held back the rest of his accusatory words, swallowing his pain.

“It was all my fault back then, I was so stupid, so careless!” Xiangwan bowed her head.

“Tell me, do you still love me?” Yichen probed.

Love, how can she not love him? How is it even possible not to love?

Xiangwan bit her lip tightly, forcing herself not to utter those words, and then forced herself to shake her head. “I already think of you as my older brother, Yichen. We’ve talked about this already, haven’t we?”

Yichen was deeply hurt, his heart throbbing in agony. But he managed to control his anger. “Are you truly not bothered about me being with another woman? Can you truly accept us kissing, touching, even lying in bed together…”

Just thinking about such a scenario made her so depressed she felt like dying. “Yes, I can accept it!”

Yichen nodded, his demeanor gradually calming. “Fine, I’ll try to start a relationship with someone else.”

“Alright!” Holding onto her letter, Xiangwan expressed her gratitude. “Thank you so much indeed, if there’s nothing else, I should get back to work!”

Watching her retreating figure, Yichen questioned her once more. “Did you get a boyfriend?”

“Huh?” She turned around, looking at him, puzzled.

“Last night, I saw a man drop you home!”

Xiangwan wanted to deny it at first, but on second thought, maybe it’s better to admit some of it. “Yes, we just started dating…”

“Does he know you have a child?” Yichen probed further.

Xiangwan nodded. “He knows!”