Departure

The next morning, just before the sun fully emerged from the horizon, the hotel lobby was filled with an air of displeasure. All eyes were fixed on Jiang Yanxu, who was preparing to fly back to his home country, and not a single gaze held warmth.

Ye Xinren sat on the couch, his face clouded with a deep frown. Tang Shilin and Shen Ke sat beside him, their expressions equally sour. Wen Haoyi, on the other hand, had chosen not to be present.

Jiang Yanxu settled into the seat beside Ye Xinren, sulking like a petulant child.

"You'll be fine," he said.

The words were hollow. They lacked comfort, utterly failing to reassure. Ye Xinren refused to respond, let alone acknowledge him with a glance.

Tang Shilin broke the silence, her voice dripping with irritation. "You ruined our vacation."

Jiang Yanxu shifted his gaze to the middle-aged woman and responded with a chilling indifference. "I know. That's why I'm leaving."

Tang Shilin rolled her eyes but didn't argue.

Shen Ke, however, wasn't as forgiving. "You don't even understand how Brother Ye feels. You're terrible."

A small, almost mocking smirk tugged at Jiang Yanxu's lips. "What does a kid like you know? That kind of talk doesn't suit your age."

Shen Ke bristled, ready to retaliate, but before he could get a word in, Jiang Yanxu's phone rang. He stood up, stepping away as he answered the call, leaving the conversation hanging.

Tang Shilin seized the moment to turn to Ye Xinren, her tone sharp with disapproval. "You should've stopped him. This is your honeymoon. A time to bond. Unbelievable. You're a fool, and he's completely inconsiderate. Astonishing."

Ye Xinren exhaled slowly, resting his chin on his hand. His voice carried exhaustion rather than conviction. "It's fine. He has responsibilities. I don't want to be selfish. His work is his duty. It's for all of us."

For all of us .…

Tang Shilin nearly burst into laughter. The absurdity of those words was beyond comprehension. Instead, she scoffed. "No wonder he does whatever he pleases. You let him."

Ye Xinren took another deep breath. If only his mother-in-law knew how he and Jiang Yanxu had argued the night before, how he had demanded answers, how he had been ignored. Maybe then, her words would have been even sharper. But he didn't want to air his grievances. He didn't want to disrupt the fragile peace.

His tired gaze drifted toward Jiang Yanxu before shifting back to Tang Shilin. He forced a smile, one that barely held any warmth, and said, "At least he's just returning to our country, not … running back to his ex's arms." A bitter chuckle followed, laced with irony.

When Jiang Yanxu finished his call, he wasted no time returning to Ye Xinren. Without hesitation, he pressed a brief kiss to his temple before murmuring, "I have to go."

He strode toward the entrance, where a car was already waiting. Ye Xinren walked beside him, his steps heavy, while Song Yuhang trailed silently behind.

As the car pulled away, a quiet emptiness settled over Ye Xinren. No matter how much they fought, no matter how much he resented Jiang Yanxu's actions, being left behind always felt like a hollow ache.

It wasn't the first time. But before, at least, Jiang Yanxu's reasons had made sense.

He tried not to dwell on it, but the sadness crept in regardless. Because no matter how infuriating Jiang Yanxu could be, no matter how much they clashed, he was still the man Ye Xinren loved.

The man he married.

Inside the car, Jiang Yanxu sat with his laptop open, his focus now entirely on the numbers flashing across the screen. He and Song Yuhang were deep in discussion, analyzing the financial data Jiang Yanxu had discovered the night before.

"There's something wrong," Jiang Yanxu muttered, his gaze locked on the report. "Look at the inconsistencies in these numbers. They don't add up."

Song Yuhang frowned, studying the screen closely. "I noticed it too. Normally, fluctuations like these happen due to external factors. But I checked—there's no record of increased costs."

Jiang Yanxu nodded. His voice remained even, but suspicion laced his words. "So the question is … who altered these figures? And why?"

Song Yuhang's brows furrowed in thought, but neither of them had an answer.

After an hour's drive, they arrived at the airport. Without wasting any time, they moved through security and headed toward their flight.

Jiang Yanxu barely acknowledged the world around him. Even as he stared out the airplane window, the sea of clouds stretching endlessly below, his thoughts refused to settle.

There was too much at stake. The company. His father's legacy. Himself.

And … Yan An.

A dull ache formed in his chest.

For the first time in a long time, the hardened edges of his heart softened—just slightly.

Lu Xin'ai had once told him, in his past life, that the Yan family had fallen into ruin after their divorce. The reason? Their marriage had been a business arrangement, and its dissolution had led to financial collapse. Investors withdrew, deals were severed, and Yan An's family had been left to crumble.

And all of it had been because of him.

Because he had been selfish.

Because he had thrown everything away … for a mistake.

The Yan family was destroyed. Jiang Group fell apart. And in the end, so had he.

Jiang Yanxu inhaled sharply, shaking off the weight of his thoughts.

A small smile ghosted his lips.

Maybe, just maybe … he could rebuild the bridge between them.

And perhaps, this time, he could save Yan An and make things right.