Chapter 10 Chen Shihan's Heart（2）

Two hours slipped away like a quietly flowing stream, disappearing without a trace before one knew it. Su Qiyang and Ye Wanqing walked out of the room slowly, while Chen Shihan still remained in that room, as if bound by an invisible force and unable to move her feet.

At this time, Su Qiyang and Ye Wanqing walked up to Zhao Yuxuan and then sat on the sofa. Su Qiyang skillfully took out a cigarette from the cigarette case, and with a "click" of the lighter, he lit the cigarette. He took a deep and comfortable puff, and the smoke was like a nimble little snake, slowly creeping into his nostrils and then swirling in his lungs. Then, very inelegantly, he stretched out his foot and casually placed it on the coffee table in front. His posture was exactly like that of being in his own familiar and comfortable rural home, without any sense of restraint.

Ye Wanqing's eyes gently turned to Zhao Yuxuan, with a somewhat inscrutable complex emotion in her eyes. She said softly, "Zhao Yuxuan, both my husband and I are from the countryside and not well - educated. If there is anything inappropriate in what we say today, please don't take it to heart." Hearing Ye Wanqing's words, Zhao Yuxuan's thoughts drifted back to the last time when he went back to her home with Chen Shihan. At that time, Ye Wanqing was like a tireless little bee, bustling about to change pillows and make beds for him and Chen Shihan, and also enthusiastically served tea and water, calling "Yuxuan" very affectionately. The voice seemed to be full of deep intimacy and enthusiasm. But now, in less than a year, there was an extra "Zhao" in the address. Zhao Yuxuan sneered secretly in his heart. The sneer was like a cold wind, whistling through his heart. However, he still said very politely, "Aunt Ye, just say whatever you want. I'm listening."

Ye Wanqing nodded gently, as if getting some kind of permission, and said, "Okay, I can see that you are a straightforward person and also a smart person. In that case, it's easier to talk. Let me ask you, are you even out of living expenses?"

Zhao Yuxuan lowered his head slightly and also nodded, answering, "Yes. Something happened in my family, and all my property has been confiscated. I'm indeed penniless right now, like a lonely boat that has lost its way in the vast ocean, not knowing where to go."

Ye Wanqing then asked immediately, "Do you have any relatively wealthy relatives?"

Zhao Yuxuan slowly shook his head, with a hint of helplessness and loneliness in his eyes, and said, "No. My relatives are all not well - off. I feel like I've been abandoned by the world right now, all alone and helpless."

Ye Wanqing looked at Zhao Yuxuan with some suspicion, as if there was a small inquisitive flame flickering in her eyes, and said, "Zhao Yuxuan, your parents were so wealthy before. Didn't they leave any property anywhere? Think about it carefully. This is very important for you and Shihan."

Hearing Ye Wanqing's words that were so blatantly all about "money", Zhao Yuxuan just felt disgusted, as if an invisible hand was churning in his stomach. He even had an urge to slam the table in anger. The anger was burning fiercely in his chest, as if it was going to devour him whole. But in the end, he held it back firmly, like a lighthouse struggling to hold on in a storm, and shook his head again, saying, "No. Even if there was, my parents passed away too suddenly and didn't have time to tell me. I'm like a poor wretch toyed with by fate right now."

Ye Wanqing and Su Qiyang looked at each other, and both of their faces were full of disappointment. The disappointment was like a thick dark cloud, shrouding their faces. Su Qiyang nodded towards Ye Wanqing, and then Ye Wanqing said, "Zhao Yuxuan, do you have any skills?"

Zhao Yuxuan frowned and asked, "Skills? What skills?"

Su Qiyang glared at his wife somewhat discontentedly, as if blaming her for her stupidity, and said, "Stupid woman, you don't even know how to talk. This is the city. You should use the city language. Do you understand?" Then he looked at Zhao Yuxuan and explained, "I'm just asking if you have any... any... special talents. Yes, in the city, people call skills special talents. That's what they say on TV." After saying this, he suddenly laughed smugly. The smile was full of pride in his own knowledge, like a cat that had just stolen some fish.

This question really stumped Zhao Yuxuan. Yes, what special talents did he have? Since he was a child, he had been interested in quite a few things. Those interests were like the twinkling stars in the night sky, numerous but not dazzling. But it was just interest. It was far from being a "special talent". So he could only shake his head helplessly. The movement of shaking his head was full of frustration.

Seeing Zhao Yuxuan shake his head, a look of contempt immediately showed in Su Qiyang's eyes. The look was like a sharp sword, stabbing straight at Zhao Yuxuan. He said, "No special talents. Then let me ask you, how are you going to support our Shihan in the future?"

Zhao Yuxuan raised his head, looked at Su Qiyang, and said with a hint of stubbornness in his eyes, "Not having special talents doesn't mean that I can't find a job. Moreover, Shihan is about to graduate soon. We can struggle together. It doesn't need me to support her alone. In this world, as long as you have two hands, you don't need to worry about having no food. We can support each other and create a wonderful future together."

Before Su Qiyang could speak, Ye Wanqing said in a shrill voice, "When a woman marries a man, she depends on him for food and clothing. Whomever our Shihan marries, it should be that person's responsibility to support her. This is an old rule, a rule, Zhao Yuxuan. Do you understand?" Her voice was like a sharp awl, piercing the already somewhat tense atmosphere in the room.

Zhao Yuxuan looked coldly at this vulgar couple. His eyes seemed to be covered with a layer of ice. He was already too lazy to listen to their nagging. Suddenly, he stood up resolutely and walked towards the study. If it weren't for Chen Shihan, such people would be like ants in his eyes, not worth caring about at all. At this moment, he just wanted to hear Chen Shihan's thoughts. Those thoughts were like a ray of dawn in the darkness, his only hope at the moment.

Coming to the study, he saw Chen Shihan sitting silently on the sofa, with red eyes. The swollen eyes were like two ripe cherries. Presumably, she had just cried, and the tear stains still remained on her fair cheeks, like sad marks.

Zhao Yuxuan gently closed the door. The sound of closing the door was very soft, as if he was afraid of disturbing Chen Shihan. He slowly walked to Chen Shihan and sat down beside her, asking softly, "Shihan, did your parents ask you to break up with me?"

Chen Shihan's tears flowed down again, like broken beads. She nodded gently. The movement of nodding was full of helplessness and pain.

Zhao Yuxuan said, "I want to hear your opinion, Shihan. I want to know your real thoughts."

Chen Shihan didn't speak, but just lowered her head slightly, like a flower battered by wind and rain, looking so helpless.

At this time, Chen Shihan's tears seemed to flow even more fiercely, like a flood breaking through a dam. Looking at her, Zhao Yuxuan felt as if his whole body was immersed in ice - cold water. The coldness seeped from his skin into his bones bit by bit. But he still couldn't believe it and was still not willing to give up. He asked again, "Shihan, speak up. I want to know what you mean."

Chen Shihan just bit her lip and cried. The tightly bitten lip turned a little white, as if she was trying hard to suppress her emotions.

Zhao Yuxuan felt as if he suddenly fell from a high cliff towards the ground, and his heart had already shattered into countless pieces before it hit the ground. Those pieces were deeply and mercilessly stabbing and cutting his body, leaving him bruised all over. He was almost losing all his strength, like a body without a soul.

Just then, Chen Shihan sobbed and said, "Yu... Yuxuan, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I know you are good to me, always good to me. But my father and mother said that if I stay with you any longer, they will... will never recognize me again. I... I..."

Zhao Yuxuan suddenly interrupted her and said, "So you have no choice but to agree to break up with me as they said, right?"

Chen Shihan was silent again. She seemed to be too ashamed to face Zhao Yuxuan, so she lay on the armrest of the sofa and started crying "yingying" again. The crying was like a sad tune, echoing in the study.

Zhao Yuxuan suddenly laughed.

Laughed heartily.

The laughter was full of grief, disappointment and sadness, like a gust of wind mixed with hail, raging in the study.

But he didn't say any more words like asking Chen Shihan to think it over again or give him a chance. Instead, he slowly stood up and opened the door of the study.

As soon as the door opened, he saw Su Qiyang and Ye Wanqing standing beside the door, slightly bent over, with their ears tilted to eavesdrop on the movement inside. Their faces were very nervous, as if they were afraid that their daughter would be soft - hearted and couldn't say the words of breaking up. They looked like two thieves with a guilty conscience, and the nervous expression was as if they had been discovered with some dark secret.

Seeing Zhao Yuxuan come out, the two immediately stood up straight. Su Qiyang coughed dryly twice. The dry cough sounded very abrupt in the quiet corridor. He put his hands behind his back and said rather pompously, "Zhao Yuxuan, there is one more thing I need to make clear to you."

Zhao Yuxuan stared at him, with a calm look in his eyes, like a bottomless lake, and said, "Okay, go ahead."

Seeing that Zhao Yuxuan's eyes had become surprisingly calm, Su Qiyang was a little frightened instead. He involuntarily took a step back, like a frightened rabbit. Then he said, "It's this house. I know you bought it, but it has been given to our Shihan. And her name is on the property ownership certificate."

How could Zhao Yuxuan not guess what he meant? He just said, "Yes, this house already belongs to Chen Shihan. It has nothing to do with me."

Su Qiyang added, "That's right. Shihan's mother and I have decided to come to the city to do some small business. Of course, we can only live here. So this house seems a little small. It's not convenient for you to stay here. You'd better find another place to live."

Zhao Yuxuan suddenly laughed again. The laughter made Su Qiyang and Ye Wanqing's faces change. They thought that this young man had lost control and his emotions were out of order.