The sky outside had darkened without them realizing it.
Qin Chuan and Li Ya bid farewell to everyone and set off on the road home.
Tonight, he was supposed to eat at home with his parents, elder brother, and sister-in-law, a rare family reunion.
However, on the way home driving, Qin Chuan always felt that Li Ya, sitting beside him, seemed a bit down, as if she had something on her mind.
“Jie, what’s wrong? You seem to have something on your mind?”
Qin Chuan couldn’t help but ask.
“No, I’m perfectly fine, what could be on my mind!”
Li Ya put on a bright smile.
Qin Chuan frowned.
That evening, at his parents’ home, the family prepared a table full of delicious food, enjoying a rare moment of togetherness.
It was good that their son was successful, but there were also drawbacks. For instance, Qin Chuan was becoming increasingly busy, leaving for two to three months at a time, or even longer.
His parents were both happy and helpless, a perfect embodiment of the saying that talented children spread their wings and fly, while less capable children stay by their parents’ side.
However, this did not mean that talented children were not filial.
Since ancient times, filial piety has been divided into two types: nurturing the body and nurturing the mind.
Nurturing the body meant living near one's parents and taking care of their daily needs.
Nurturing the mind meant that children achieved great things far from home, making their parents proud.
In reality, neither was dispensable.
Around ten in the evening, Qin Chuan and Li Ya drove back to their small apartment.
Although Qin Chuan now owned plenty of houses, he still preferred to live with Li Ya, and Li Ya felt the same.
This place held too many memories for the two of them; their every moment had unfolded within this cozy abode.
Besides, they had houses for his parents, elder brother, and second brother, but the renovation company had been too busy this year and they hadn’t had the time to renovate them.
Back home, after being apart for many days, a single glance was enough for them to understand each other’s thoughts. Li Ya even took the initiative to ask if he wanted to take a bath together.
Qin Chuan happily agreed and followed her into the bathroom.
It was great to be with a mature woman. She had shed the shyness of an innocent girl and learned how to entice and please a man, how to firmly capture his heart. More importantly, she possessed numerous exquisite skills.
When everything subsided, it was more than an hour later. Sweaty and breathing heavily, the two lay flat on the bed, seemingly savoring the lingering ecstasy of moments ago.
Qin Chuan was surprised to find that among the women he had been intimate with, each was more experienced than the last. Li Ya was like this, and Alisa was even more fiery and passionate, like a wild mare.
During their time in Beijing, ever since Teacher Yang left, it had given the two of them enough space. Alisa had completely let herself go, sneaking to Qin Chuan’s place almost every night.
Qin Chuan suddenly thought of Teacher Yang, wondering what the ultimate outcome for Teacher Yang had been.
“Xiao Chuan, what if I stopped doing this clothing business and did something else?”
Suddenly, Li Ya’s voice reached Qin Chuan’s ears.
He withdrew his wandering thoughts, turned his head, and looked at the woman beside him in surprise, “Jie, what do you mean by that?”
“Nothing, I’m just asking casually!”
Li Ya hugged Qin Chuan’s arm coquettishly, her voluptuous body pressing against him, “You’re so smart, you have tons of money-making ideas in your head. Tell me!”
Qin Chuan immediately melted and quickly said, “There are so many profitable businesses in the world. Every industry can make money if it’s done well and becomes strong.”
“What you said is as good as saying nothing. I’m asking you to recommend a few, the ones you think are the most profitable.”
Li Ya pouted discontentedly.
Qin Chuan thought for a moment and said, “In my opinion, real estate, the internet, the financial industry, and electronics are all very promising.”
“Of course, the clothing industry you are currently managing also has good prospects… Wait!”
As Qin Chuan was speaking, he suddenly realized something and looked straight into Li Ya’s eyes, “Jie, tell me honestly, what has happened recently?”
“Nothing! I’ve just been staying in this small county, what could happen in a day.”
Li Ya replied.
“That’s absolutely not true!”
Qin Chuan gently caressed Li Ya’s smooth, tender face, his eyes filled with affection, “Jie, you can tell me if something is wrong. Don’t keep it to yourself. I am your greatest support, understand?”
“Xiao Chuan…”
Li Ya, who had appeared strong and brave all day, finally couldn't control her emotions and burst into tears.
This greatly alarmed Qin Chuan. He quickly pulled her into his arms, asking what had happened and if someone had bullied her.
“No one bullied me, really! I… I just realized that the distance between you and me is growing, and I’m afraid that one day you won’t want me anymore!”
Li Ya revealed her inner thoughts amidst her tears.
Qin Chuan was struck as if by lightning. Just as he was about to smile and explain something, he heard Li Ya continue, “Look, your business is getting bigger and bigger. You’ve already left our Yongnan County and opened new factories with friends in the provincial capital. You’ve even established your own laboratory in Beijing.”
“The talents you’ve hired are high-tech personnel from America, and you’ve even reached cooperation with the famous Tsinghua University.”
“Even your collaborators, like Factory Director Ye Meiyun, with the popularity of your electronic products, are likely earning tens of millions annually!”
Hearing this, Qin Chuan finally understood the probable reason for Li Ya’s low spirits.
“Your electronic storage cabinets, at most, have only been researched for about a year, and yet they are yielding such generous returns so quickly!”
“On the other hand, I’ve poured all my energy into that wretched clothing factory for the past few years. Not only have I wasted my best years, but I haven’t achieved much.”
“I’m wondering if I chose the wrong industry, and if I’m simply not suited for this line of work.”
Li Ya lamented her troubles in a hoarse voice.
“Originally, my major was finance, which has nothing to do with the clothing industry. My greatest aspiration was to be an outstanding financial professional, like a fund manager.”
Looking at the woman crying sadly in his arms, Qin Chuan felt a deep sense of guilt.
It seemed that ever since he started his own businesses, he had rarely paid attention to Li Ya’s clothing factory, leaving everything to Li Ya.
Randomly, Qin Chuan recalled what his parents had said that evening: not everyone is meant to do business. Some people are naturally suited for it, while some seemingly intelligent people are not.
Li Ya was undoubtedly one of those who weren't good at business. Otherwise, the clothing factory would have gone bankrupt before Qin Chuan even met her.
It was only after his gradual help that Butterfly Clothing Factory was able to turn the crisis into safety and achieve some success.
However, Li Ya was clearly an ambitious person. She had studied abroad and witnessed the wonders of the outside world, knowing its prosperity.
Seeing that even Ye Meiyun had surpassed her, she became unbalanced and agitated.
This was human nature, perfectly normal.
Originally, Qin Chuan had intended for Li Ya’s business to develop slowly, gradually becoming a brand like Bosideng in later generations, with self-production and self-sales, and then conducting large-scale advertising campaigns when the opportunity arose.
But now, it seemed that this path was not suitable. It required a long time for accumulation and gradual development, and Li Ya, with her personality, couldn't wait that long.
“Jie, what do you mean now?”
“You don’t want to run this clothing factory anymore?”
Qin Chuan asked.