Chapter 7: It turns out she climbed up a high branch.

Yu Yan calmly said the words "widowed" and then calmly hung up the phone.

She knew those words were rather harsh, but she had never been a harsh person. The one who should really reflect on what had driven her to such a harsh state was Xiang Jingheng.

Three years after her divorce, Yu Yan's ex-husband suddenly showed up at her door, and she had no idea what he wanted.

My good mood was suddenly ruined.

Past experiences and images flooded my mind, making my heart ache.

"Is there trouble?"

Three words came from above. Yu Yan raised her head and met Shao Muyan's serious and deep eyes. She was stunned for a moment.

She shook her head: "No."

"Just say so if you have any problems. There are adults in the family, and if there's anything you can't handle, I'll take care of it."

Shao Muyan possesses a scholarly, rigorous yet gentle temperament, a quality that Yu Yan is very familiar with.

Calm, composed, and decisive; he has his own ideas about everything and nothing is a problem for him.

Moreover, his every move exudes an aura of dominance.

No wonder she was able to take over her grandfather's position and, at a young age, defy public opinion to secure the position of director of the State Academy of Sciences.

Yu Yan's grandparents were scientists of the older generation who dedicated their lives to scientific research and cultivated a generation of outstanding researchers. Among these students, Shao Muyan was undoubtedly the most outstanding.

She is also the one who truly puts into practice the scientific research projects that her grandparents set out before their retirement.

"It's nothing, Uncle Yan. He's my ex-husband."

Yu Yan pursed her lips: "He and I haven't seen each other for many years. Since we're divorced, there's no need to meet again. Just because he wants to see me doesn't mean I have to go see him."

The Yu Yan of today is no longer the lowly, subservient young mistress of three years ago, who was at the mercy of others and could be summoned and dismissed at will.

"Okay." Shao Muyan nodded and said nothing more.

After tidying up the table, Yu Yan said, "Uncle Yan, will it be inconvenient for you if I come back to stay? Or should I look at another house instead..."

We're all adults, not children anymore, and we're of the opposite sex, so living together isn't really convenient.

Uncle Yan has always been engrossed in scientific research, and before he knew it, he was over thirty. He finally found a girlfriend, and he couldn't let her ruin it.

“As far as I know, the Yu family’s house is now full of people.” Shao Muyan looked at her seriously as if he was thinking. “The people living there are all your grandparents, parents, uncles, aunts and uncles’ former students.”

"..." Yu Yan was completely stunned.

Her family owns many houses, but the Yu family also has many students.

That's true. She's been gone for three years. Nobody expected her to come back, and she didn't even give us any advance notice. We can't blame anyone else.

"It's alright, I'll just stay at the hotel. We had planned to stay at a hotel today anyway, but I wanted to come back and visit, since I haven't been home in a long time..."

She spoke softer and softer because she sensed that Shao Muyan's aura had changed.

Uncle Yan has a very strong presence, almost as strong as her grandfather; he commands respect without even trying.

Grandpa usually spoils her rotten, but as soon as he puts on a stern face, Yu Yan immediately becomes obedient and doesn't dare to breathe loudly.

As his grandfather's direct student, Shao Muyan inherited Academician Yu's demeanor in every action.

"Okay." Since she insisted, Shao Muyan didn't know what to say. He put the dishes in the dishwasher and said, "I'll drive you there."

Yu Yan quickly waved her hand: "No need to trouble Uncle Yan."

Shao Muyan looked at her and said, "No need to be so polite, Miss Yu."

He spoke with a blank expression, not cold, but his polite tone made Yu Yan's scalp tingle, so she had no choice but to back down.

"Then... I'll have to trouble you, Uncle Yan."

Shao Muyan gently tapped her forehead: "No trouble at all."

Yu Yan went upstairs to get her suitcase. When she came down, Shao Muyan had just finished a phone call. He took the suitcase from her and said, "Let's go."

As the car drove out of the residential compound, Xiang Jingheng's car was still parked at the gate.

Yu Yan sat in the passenger seat, the window was rolled down halfway, and the two looked at each other through the window.

Three years have passed, and this glance feels like a lifetime ago.

Xiang Jingheng, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth but not lit, froze.

Yu Yan glanced at him briefly before looking away, as if she had only seen a somewhat handsome stranger.

"Should we stop for a moment?" Shao Muyan asked.

Yu Yan shook her head: "No need."

Shao Muyan didn't stop, stepped on the gas, and the car sped away.

It wasn't until the car's tail disappeared from sight that Xiang Jingheng realized there was a man sitting next to Yu Yan, and his face suddenly darkened.

Is that her new boyfriend?

Assistant Jin Fan suddenly became excited, "Mr. Xiang, is that Professor Shao next to the young mistress?"

Xiang Jingheng's brow furrowed: "Who are you talking about?"

"Shao Muyan! The God of Research! Professor Yu's last disciple, now a leading figure in the scientific research field!" Jin Fan, a research enthusiast and a die-hard fan of Shao Muyan, immediately rattled off a series of titles for his idol.

The more Xiang Jingheng listened, the darker his expression became.

No wonder she left so resolutely back then, insisting on divorcing him and even abandoning the child; it turns out she climbed the social ladder!

"Drive." Xiang Jingheng stubbed out his cigarette and said coldly, "Follow them."