051: The days became less difficult to endure.

"Did I ever say you were the one working hard? If anything, I'm the one who's struggling here, isn't it?"

"What if I never learn how to cook?" she asked, worry coloring her tone.

Yichen smiled with gentle elegance. "Then I’ll keep teaching you until you do."

She fell silent, fighting a losing battle. "What if, while I'm cooking, I turn your kitchen into a disaster zone? What if I blow it up?"

Lin’s voice was calm as a spring breeze. "Don’t worry. As long as I’m by your side, I won’t let anything like that happen."

She could only surrender. In truth, she could have said: "President Lin, it’s not proper for a man and woman who aren’t related to be living together." Or: "President Lin, if I want to learn to cook, I could just follow my family's chef." Or she could have been blunt: "Lin Yichen, I have no desire to learn any so-called culinary skills from you. Stop the car right now, I want to get out."

Yet all those retorts died before they could be spoken.

First: She was the one who had insisted on staying in his big house the night before.
Second: She’d eaten so many of his steaks, proof enough that his cooking was no joke.
Third: Fine! She didn't have the guts to show off in front of President Lin.

Ah, she had brought this upon herself.

Taking out her phone, she called her aunt, her voice filled with resignation. "Auntie, my little White—have you remembered to feed her? Please treat her well! She’s my precious, you know."

Fang Yun was silent at the other end.

"The white cat you’re raising?" Yichen suddenly asked.

She nodded, too dispirited to even speak.

"Why not bring her over?"

Why hadn’t she thought of that? If Little White were with her, the days wouldn’t be so hard to bear.

"Let’s go get her now."

...

Xu Lu pulled Yiyang into the study. Lin Bosen, upon seeing them enter, set aside his book. He simply looked at the mother and son, saying nothing.

Yiyang wanted to pull away from his mother’s grip, but in the end, he let her lead him in.

"Bosen," Xu Lu wore a look of deep regret. "Today, I want to apologize to you in front of our son. I was wrong before. Please, for our child’s sake, don’t be angry anymore."

Bosen sighed. After all, they were husband and wife—how could he truly stay angry? "If I were really angry, I wouldn’t say so. Let’s not mention it again."

Sensing his softening, Xu Lu seized the moment. "Bosen, Yiyang worked so hard on his art exhibition, only to lose it all in the fire. He’s lost his heart for painting, and now he has nothing. Why not let him join the company..."

"Mom," Yiyang couldn’t bear it, "even though the exhibition is gone, I still want to paint. In fact, I plan to organize another show..."

Xu Lu gave his hand a tug and shot him a warning look.

Yiyang pursed his lips.

"Our son has his own ideas," Bosen said, rubbing his brow. "As parents, we should let him be. If painting is what he loves, let him keep painting. If you want to join the company, I’ll ask Yichen to find you a position—whatever you want to do, I’ll support you."

"Dad, all I want is to paint..."

"Well then, Bosen, you get back to work. I’ll take our son for a stroll in the garden."

"Mom, I—"

Yiyang was pulled out by his mother.

Bosen shook his head. All he wanted was harmony in his family.

"Mom, I don’t want to work at the company. I only love painting."

"You useless child," Xu Lu scolded, dragging him into the garden. "Your mother has humbled herself to persuade your father, and you just keep insisting on painting."

"Mom," Yiyang’s voice was heavy with fatigue, "I truly love painting. I have no interest in business whatsoever, and besides, the company is thriving under my brother’s management. Even if I went there, I’d never match up to him."

"You haven’t even tried—how do you know you’re not as good as he is?"

"Mom, let me tell you the truth. I’m not going to the company. All I want is to paint."

With that, he turned away.

"That exhibition of yours—it was I who ordered it set on fire. If you refuse to go to the company, I’ll turn myself in right now."

At her words, Yiyang froze, staring in disbelief at his mother. "Mom, do you have any idea what you’ve done? That exhibition was everything to me—do you understand?"