Free Web NovelChapter 215: YOU HAVE TO MUCH FAITH IN ME
The month hadn’t only been long for Liuxian.
There was someone else carrying the same burden.
"Boss, you should eat something. I have some news that might elevate your mood. The young master has been found and returned home. Would you like to see him?"
ShangYan shook his head, the dark circles beneath his eyes more obvious than ever.
The dinner and the words that had come out of his father’s mouth had shocked everyone to their core. Ultimately, it had become one of those days he knew he would never forget for the rest of his life no matter how many years passed.
"Your lover, Isabelle, is still alive."
When he first heard those words, his entire world had crumbled. For a brief moment, he genuinely thought he had misheard because there was no way the person he had mourned for over twenty-two years could suddenly be alive again.
The revelation alone had been enough to leave him speechless, but what came after had shocked him even more. He couldn’t even call Isabelle "she" anymore because the person he had loved all those years ago had been a male Omega the entire time.
Not that it mattered.
Even if Isabelle had been disabled, disfigured or anything else entirely, it wouldn’t have changed a thing. The person he had loved was Isabelle, and that had never been dependent on gender.
What truly hurt wasn’t learning that Isabelle was alive. What truly hurt was discovering that his father had known all along and had deliberately chosen to remain silent for twenty-two years despite knowing exactly how much damage that silence would cause.
During those twenty-two years, he could have brought Isabelle home. They could have gotten married, raised their son together and given Guiying the loving family he deserved instead of forcing all three of them to suffer separately.
The more he thought about it, the harder it became to forgive the old man. Guiying had suffered, Isabelle had suffered and he had suffered, yet every bit of it could have been avoided if his father had simply spoken the truth.
A month had passed since that dinner, but ShangYan still couldn’t understand why. No matter how many times he replayed the conversation in his head, he couldn’t find a single reason that justified what his father had done.
"It’s nice to hear that he’s back," ShangYan said quietly as he stared out the window. "I was worried about him."
A faint smile appeared on his face before quickly disappearing.
"I would like to see him, but I don’t think I can. I doubt he wants to see me, and his husband certainly won’t let me get close to him. The man bought an entire estate just to keep track of him."
Little Tao sighed as he looked at his boss. After everything that had happened during the past month, it seemed the indirect approach was no longer an option.
"Then why not approach him the right way?" he asked. "Let him decide whether he wants to see you or not."
ShangYan remained silent.
Little Tao looked at him seriously before continuing.
"I’m not saying this because you’re my boss. I remember how much you cried the day you found out he was your son, and I remember how much you cried when you found out your lover was still alive. You’ve always worked hard for the people you care about, and anyone with eyes can see that."
His voice softened slightly.
"So have some faith and contact your son. It’s been twenty-three years, but there’s still plenty of time to build a father-and-son relationship. You don’t have to give up before you’ve even tried."
ShangYan laughed softly, though there was very little amusement in the sound. More than anything, he wished he could believe what Little Tao was saying.
"You may encourage me, but that doesn’t change anything," he said quietly as his gaze drifted back toward the city lights. "Guiying will probably hate me just as I’ve come to hate my father."
The office fell silent for a moment before ShangYan spoke again.
"But I will see him. I’ll see him after I find Isabelle because that’s something I owe both of them. If Guiying can’t forgive me, then I hope he’ll at least find comfort with the better parent."
Little Tao stared at him for several moments before shaking his head.
"Boss, you’re already making decisions for him."
ShangYan frowned slightly.
"What do you mean?"
Little Tao folded his arms across his chest.
"You’ve already decided he’ll hate you. You’ve already decided he won’t forgive you. You’ve already decided he doesn’t want to see you. But none of those decisions belong to you because Young Master Guiying is the one who should make them."
For the first time, ShangYan found himself unable to answer.
Little Tao walked toward the door before stopping halfway and glancing back over his shoulder.
"At least give him the opportunity to choose."
The door closed behind him.
ShangYan remained standing by the window for a long time, staring at the city lights below while Little Tao’s words repeated themselves inside his mind. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t deny that there was truth in them.
Eventually, he opened the drawer of his desk and pulled out the old photograph hidden inside. His fingers brushed across Isabelle’s smiling face, and for the first time in over twenty-two years, hope felt close enough to touch.
Perhaps Little Tao was right.
Perhaps the decision shouldn’t belong to him.
Perhaps, for once, the choice should belong to Guiying.
Little Tao sighed and shook his head as he looked at ShangYan.
"Boss, you’re being too harsh on yourself. You weren’t the villain in this story, you were a victim too. You truly searched for your lover, and the moment you found out Young Master Guiying was your son, you immediately started looking after him in every way you could."
ShangYan remained silent.
Little Tao continued before he could interrupt.
"You’ve done your best with the information you had. I honestly believe the young master understands that better than you think, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he gave you a hug the moment he sees you."
A laugh escaped ShangYan before he could stop it.
The image was so absurd that it immediately lifted some of the heaviness in his chest.
"You have far too much faith in me."
"I have eyes," Little Tao replied with a shrug. "Unlike certain people, I actually use them."
ShangYan shook his head and laughed again. For the first time in weeks, the tension that had settled over the office eased slightly.
"Lingyue."
The sudden use of his name caught Little Tao off guard.
"Yes, Boss?"
ShangYan’s expression softened as he looked at the young man.
"Thank you. You’ve been a great help to me over the years, and there were times when I honestly felt like you were my first son."
Little Tao blinked in surprise.
ShangYan smiled.
"Perhaps I should just adopt you."
A grin immediately appeared on Little Tao’s face.
"Well, I wouldn’t mind, Sir."
That answer made ShangYan laugh even harder.
"That’s good to hear."
The office finally felt lighter than it had in an entire month. Ever since the dinner, every day had felt like carrying a mountain on his shoulders, but for the first time he could see a path forward.
He still needed to find Isabelle, and he still needed to face his father and compete against Deyong for a position he had never wanted. None of those problems had disappeared, but they no longer felt impossible.
ShangYan picked up his suit jacket and slipped it on before turning toward the door.
"Ready the car."
Little Tao blinked.
"Sir?"
A determined smile appeared on ShangYan’s face.
"Let’s go visit my son. I’ll be busy searching for Isabelle soon, so I want to clear the air before that happens."
Little Tao’s eyes widened.
"Right now?"
"Right now."
ShangYan adjusted his cuffs as he headed toward the elevator.
"If Guiying decides he hates me, then I’ll accept it. If he refuses to acknowledge me, then I’ll accept that too. But those decisions should belong to him, not me."
A smile tugged at Little Tao’s lips as he followed behind him.
"I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised."
ShangYan laughed softly.
"We’ll see."
The elevator doors closed behind them as they headed toward the underground garage. For the first time in twenty-three years, ShangYan was finally going to meet his son as a father, and the realization made him more nervous than any board meeting or business negotiation ever had.
************
When Guiying woke up, the room was still quiet.
The afternoon sunlight had shifted slightly, casting a warm glow across the floor, while the arm wrapped around his waist remained firmly in place.
For a moment, he simply lay there and listened to the steady rhythm of Liuxian’s breathing.
The man was still asleep.
Considering everything Liuxian had put himself through during the past month, Guiying decided not to wake him.
The dark circles beneath his eyes wouldn’t magically disappeared after a single nap, and he clearly needed the rest.
