Chapter 118: Brother Yutou

Xia Yangyang let Chen Yu lead her from the banquet hall. She followed mechanically, her mind blank. She felt incapable of thinking.

Finally, Chen Yu stopped, turned to her, and said, “If you want to cry, just let it out.”

Xia Yangyang came to her senses. Chen Yu had brought her to Moonlight Beach at Lake Bay. The moonlight was captivating; the beach glowed with a lake-green luminescence. The cool tide washing over her feet pulled her back to reality.

She didn't cry, only wiping away tears from the corners of her eyes. Seeing the beach was best; at least, she wouldn't be trapped by conflicting emotions anymore. For days, she'd felt overwhelmed by inner turmoil.

She sat on a large rock, staring blankly at the vast lake. Chen Yu spoke: “Yangyang, divorce Gu Qichen. Marry me.”

Xia Yangyang was stunned. He'd always called her Xiao Qian; using her name felt unfamiliar. She responded dismissively: “Chen Yu, I’m not in the mood for your jokes.”

Chen Yu sat beside her. “You thought I was joking the first time I proposed, and you think the same now. Do you really think so lightly of my feelings?”

Xia Yangyang said, “Because I can’t figure out why you would propose to me, Chen Yu. Do you like me?”

“Of course, I like you.”

Xia Yangyang was speechless. “Love at first sight?”

Chen Yu shook his head. “No.”

Xia Yangyang was puzzled. At last year's annual meeting, when he'd first proposed, it had been their first meeting.

Chen Yu explained, “You’ve forgotten, but you agreed to marry me fifteen years ago.”

Xia Yangyang was even more baffled. Fifteen years ago, she was only five.

Chen Yu sighed. “I grew up in Saint Orphanage. Most kids relied on donations from philanthropists. Your mother’s donations supported all my living and schooling costs.”

Mentioning her mother shocked Xia Yangyang.

“Your mother was a very kind person. She donated to many children at our orphanage and brought you to visit regularly. The first time we met, you were five and I was nine. You gave each kid a piece of chocolate, and when it was my turn, only one was left. You gave me yours. Did you know that was the first time I had chocolate? The slightly bittersweet taste gave me a sudden sense of hope. We played together often, and your mother joked that when you grew up, you should marry someone from our group. You grabbed my hand and said you would marry me when you grew up.”

Chen Yu’s words stirred a faint recollection in Xia Yangyang. She vaguely remembered those childhood events.

Her mother, Tan Zhen, was a gentle and kind woman. A famous actress in her youth, she'd retired after marrying Xia Liangdong to become a homemaker. Xia Liangdong ran an entertainment company, and her charitable work earned them a good reputation.

During that time, her mother often took her to an orphanage. Xia Yangyang was fond of a boy she called Brother Yutou.

Xia Yangyang exclaimed, “You are Brother Yutou?”