Chapter 8

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Zhao Hai returned home when the clock struck at six.

“Dad, you’re back!” Zhao Yuxin poked her head out from the kitchen and exclaimed.

“Yeah, I’m back. Weren’t you supposed to come with Xu Yang? Where is he?” Zhao Hai said and nodded, not seeing Xu Yang in the living room or on the balcony.

Zhao Yuxin had already told Zhao Hai that she and Xu Yang would come early to cook together.

Zhao Hai didn’t object to it; they had maintained this habit for several years. Ever since Zhao Yuxin began studying at the university, she had been the one cooking for his birthday every year.

“Dad, Xu Yang and I were busy in the kitchen together. We’ll come out to join you once we’re done. I’ll start stir-frying the vegetables when the guests arrive,” Zhao Yuxin said with a smile.

Soon enough, Xu Yang and Zhao Yuxin emerged from the kitchen.

“Dad,” Xu Yang greeted.

“Come, have a seat. Yuxin’s uncle and cousin will come over in a bit. I also have a friend coming, someone you’ve met before. No need to be formal, let’s rest for a while,” Zhao Hai gestured for them to sit.

“Sure,” Xu Yang nodded and asked, “Is the friend you mentioned Junyi?”

Zhao Hai didn’t have many friends, especially those he had introduced to his daughter. Among them, the one with a deeper impression was a person named Lin Junyi.

Lin Junyi was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old. He had a good relationship with Zhao Hai and often came to eat at Zhao Hai’s restaurant. Lin Junyi owned a company, and he would order his employees’ meals from Zhao Hai’s restaurant.

With a net worth in the billions, Lin Junyi was a confirmed young millionaire, a business prodigy.

“Yes, it’s him,” Zhao Hai nodded. Then, the three of them engaged in casual conversation. They talked about work, life, and various topics.

Xu Yang found his father-in-law easy to get along with.

“By the way, Dad, I asked Yulu yesterday, and she said she’ll be coming,” Zhao Yuxin said.

Zhao Hai was taken aback, then nodded and said, “Well, if she wants to come, she can.”

Even though Zhao Hai’s relationship with his eldest daughter, Zhao Yulu, wasn’t great, and they rarely contacted each other, he wouldn’t refuse her if she came for his birthday.

DING DONG!

At that moment, the doorbell rang.

“I’ll go get the door,” said Zhao Yuxin as she got up to answer the door.

“Yuxin.” Standing at the door was Zhao Yulu.

“Sis, you’re here. Come in. Dad just got back not long ago,” Zhao Yuxin ushered and let Zhao Yulu in.

“Dad, happy birthday.” Zhao Yulu said as she handed her gift to Zhao Hai.

“Thanks, have a seat.” Zhao Hai thanked and took the gift. He put it aside, motioning for Zhao Yulu to sit.

Zhao Hai’s attitude toward Zhao Yulu wasn’t good or bad. There was a sense of distance between them, unlike his relationship with Zhao Yuxin. After all, Zhao Yulu had left with Liu Yujuan at a very young age.

They hadn’t seen each other much over the years, meeting only two or three times a year sometimes. Moreover, Zhao Yulu had never come to celebrate his birthday before. This was the first time.

Zhao Yulu sat down and looked at Xu Yang, not saying anything. Her main reason for coming today was to use this opportunity to strengthen her relationship with her father and then ask him for money. As for Xu Yang, she paid him no attention and didn’t know what to say.

Xu Yang remained composed. From the moment he got his marriage certificate with Zhao Yuxin, he had anticipated such a scenario. He had completely let go of his past with Zhao Yulu and cherished his present life with Zhao Yuxin. He treated Zhao Yulu like an ordinary friend.

Because of Zhao Yulu’s arrival, the atmosphere was a bit awkward. Zhao Hai had to try to find topics to chat about. Fortunately, the awkward atmosphere didn’t last long as the doorbell rang again.

Zhao Yuxin went to answer the door again, “Uncle Jiang, Yuqing, you’re here. Come in.”

Seeing her uncle, Zhao Jiang, and cousin, Zhao Yuqing, at the door, Zhao Yuxin pulled her inside by the hand. The relationship between Zhao Yuxin and Zhao Yuqing was good, much better than Zhao Yuxin and her relationship with Zhao Yulu.

Then, Zhao Jiang also entered the house.

“Uncle Hai, happy birthday!” Zhao Yuqing greeted Zhao Hai as she handed him a gift.

“Thanks, have a seat,” Zhao Hai smiled and took the gift, gesturing for them to sit.

“Hello Uncle Jiang, Yuqing.” Xu Yang greeted the newly arrived guests.

Zhao Jiang chuckled and said, “Xu Yang, you looked as good as usual.”

Zhao Yuqing greeted with a nod and smiled.

Both Zhao Jiang and Zhao Yuqing had a good impression of Xu Yang. Especially Zhao Jiang, he had always thought Xu Yang was a dependable lad. Sometimes, he also wished that his daughter, Zhao Yuqing, could find a husband like him in the future.

DING DONG!

At that moment, the doorbell rang again.

“It must be Junyi,” said Zhao Yuxin as she went to open the door.

Then, Zhao Yuxin saw a handsome young man in his late twenties and greeted, “Junyi, you’re here. Come in quickly.”

Zhao Yuxin happily welcomed the young man in. It was Zhao Hai’s good friend, Lin Junyi.

“Uncle Hai, happy birthday!” Lin Junyi said as he handed the gift to Zhao Hai.

“Thank you. Have a seat.” Zhao Hai smiled and took the gift. He gestured for Lin Junyi to take a seat.

“Now that everyone’s here, go ahead and chat. I’ll go cook. It’ll be ready soon,” Zhao Yuxin said as she headed to the kitchen.

Xu Yang didn’t follow Zhao Yuxin in; there were only a few dishes left to stir-fry, and he wasn’t needed.

“Xu Yang, when are you and Yulu planning to get married?” Zhao Jiang asked.

“Um… Uncle Jiang, Yulu and I have broken up. I’m now with Yuxin, and we’ve already gotten our marriage certificate,” Xu Yang explained awkwardly.

Although Xu Yang didn’t think there was anything wrong with it and could easily say so among friends, he felt a bit embarrassed saying it in front of Zhao Yuxin’s relatives.

Not only was Zhao Jiang dumbfounded, but even Zhao Yuqing and Lin Junyi were too. All three of them knew that Xu Yang was Zhao Yulu’s boyfriend. Yet, in the blink of an eye, Xu Yang had broken up with Zhao Yulu and married Zhao Yuxin.

Setting aside Zhao Jiang, who was getting on in years and had difficulty grasping the situation, even the heads of twenty-seven or twenty-eight-year-olds like Lin Junyi and Zhao Yuqing couldn’t process it. It was simply too dramatic, like something out of a TV show or a movie.

“Uncle Jiang, Yuqing, Junyi, Yulu and I broke up amicably. Later, I realized that Yuxin is the one I want to spend my life with. I confessed my feelings to her, and we got married to show our commitment to each other,” Xu Yang further explained.

“You…” Zhao Jiang looked at Xu Yang, then at Zhao Yulu, sighed, and smiled wryly without saying anything. Zhao Jiang didn’t quite understand young people’s affairs and didn’t want to comment.

“Yulu, isn’t Xu Yang a good guy? Why did you break up with him? You might regret it in the future,” Zhao Yuqing sympathized with Zhao Yulu.

Zhao Yuqing had a good impression of Xu Yang and thought Zhao Yulu had found a good boyfriend. She didn’t expect that Zhao Yulu would let go of someone like Xu Yang.

Zhao Yulu pursed her lips and remained silent. She couldn’t explain. She certainly couldn’t say she felt that Xu Yang’s family background wasn’t good enough to provide the lifestyle she wanted. If she said that, she would be branded as a materialistic girl.

Zhao Hai, Zhao Jiang, and Zhao Yuqing were all people who didn’t place much importance on material things. If Zhao Yulu said that, she would surely be nagged by her uncle and cousin. It was better not to say anything.