Difficult?
Di Mingjue’s dictionary did not contain that word.
"Thank you for the kind offer, brother. But I believe that where there is a will, there is a way."
"Then I shall look forward to it."
In Sizong City, everyone of consequence acted with consideration for the Ye family. He, an outsider from the imperial capital, dared to venture into this world? A pipe dream!
Di Mingjue glanced at Ye Shaoting twice more, sensing a significant hostility from Ye Shaoting towards him. It was similar to the feeling he got from Xing Xing; both father and son harbored hatred towards him.
"If you ever need anything, just mention it. From now on, we are family. As long as you treat Zi Yu well and do not betray her, you can utilize the Ye family's power as you wish," Ye Qianzhi said.
"I appreciate your good intentions, but I hope to achieve my goals through my own capabilities," Di Mingjue replied, declining.
His immediate refusal surprised Ye Jiaxu and Ye Yubin, making them suspect his sincerity.
In this world, unless one was a fool, who would forgo a golden opportunity and court hardship?
After the banquet concluded, Ye Ziyu was summoned to the study by Ye Qianzhi.
"Don't be nervous. I have something to show you."
Once the study door was closed, Ye Qianzhi activated a hidden button on his desk in front of Ye Ziyu.
The bookshelf covering an entire wall then swung around, revealing a hole as large as a door.
Inside the opening was a safe. Ye Qianzhi leaned in, gripping both ends of the safe with his hands, and pulled it out.
The bulging veins on his neck indicated the heavy contents within the safe.
"These are items your mother left behind."
The password was Lu Yuman's birthday.
Upon opening the safe, Ye Qianzhi was met with paintings and small objects. Among them was a small wooden box with a rusted lock, clearly aged.
Ye Ziyu watched as Ye Qianzhi took out the wooden box. He pointed to the rusted lock and said with a bitter smile, "This is what your mother left for me. Unfortunately, she didn't leave the key at the time. I thought she intended to open it for me herself, so I never resorted to using force to damage the box. Decades have passed, your mother is gone, and the key is nowhere to be found."
He touched the lock, his gaze drifting towards a sturdy object nearby.
"I have the key," Ye Ziyu said.
She pushed her hair back and retrieved a necklace from around her neck. The pendant was a key, one that Jiang Ziyu had worn since childhood.
Lu Yuman had told her the key was very important, but she hadn't realized it was connected to Ye Qianzhi. When she left, she had foreseen that father and daughter would eventually meet.
Taking out the key, Ye Ziyu inserted it into the lock.
With a click—
The lock sprang open.
Ye Qianzhi's eyes welled up with tears. His hands trembling, he opened the box.
Inside lay a piece of paper, yellowed with age.
"So she wanted to tell me she was pregnant. I, I only found out now," Ye Qianzhi cried, clutching the pregnancy report.
Years ago, Lu Yuman had joyfully told him she had a surprise for him and asked him to open the box after he finished his work. By unfortunate coincidence, the box was on her desk while he had ended up in bed with another woman.
How heartbroken Lu Yuman must have been, believing she would spend her life with him, only to witness his betrayal.
Ye Ziyu gently patted Ye Qianzhi's back, wanting to comfort him but unsure how.
In the context of their relationship, only the involved parties could be each other's remedy. Regrettably, Lu Yuman did not live to see Ye Qianzhi's remorse and apology, nor did she hear his explanations.
If she had been calmer then, and listened to his explanation for a few minutes, would things not have turned out this way? Would she not have been harmed by Jiang Wenbin and the mistress, nor suffered a nightmarish childhood?
Alas, there are no 'if onlys' in this world, nor any undoing of regrets.