Ye Linchen looked up at Gu Jingran and saw that his eyes were full of seriousness.
Gu Jingran held Ye Linchen's hand and said, word by word, "Xiao Chen, it's not that I don't want to marry you. But you have your own dreams and want to strive for them wholeheartedly, so as your boyfriend, I should support you."
"No one and nothing should be an obstacle for you. That's what I told my parents too, but I never expected them to come after you."
Ye Linchen was stunned for a moment, a bittersweet feeling welling up inside her. She couldn't help but ask, "Aren't you going to ask for my decision first? What if... I want to give up starting a business and just marry you?"
Gu Jingran smiled and gently shook his head: "No, that's not like you."
Ye Linchen stared at him, still pressing for an answer: "But what if?"
Gu Jingran pondered for a moment: "Even if that's the case, I won't agree. I don't want you to regret giving up what you've always wanted to do because of me many years from now when you look back on today."
These words completely relieved Ye Linchen of the heavy burden in his heart, and a smile appeared on his face.
Gu Jingran breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that she no longer had the same miserable look on her face as when she first arrived.
He reached out and ruffled the top of her hair.
"So, how about it? Want to try that barbecue place I mentioned before?"
Ye Linchen nodded repeatedly: "I want to."
After receiving Ye Linchen's reply, Gu Jingran stood up, took his coat from the coat rack, and draped it over his shoulders.
"Let's go, it's nearby, I'll drive you there."
With the burden on his heart gone, Ye Linchen ate his meal with unprecedented enjoyment, unlike at noon when everything tasted bland.
After dinner, Gu Jingran drove Ye Linchen home and watched her walk into the apartment building before getting back into his car.
The carriage was so quiet that only the night remained.
He took out his phone and dialed Huo Yunlan's number.
He stared at the number with a serious expression for a long time before finally sighing and dialing it.
At this moment, Huo Yunlan had just finished dinner with Gu Yuanshan and returned from a walk.
When the nanny told her that Gu Jingran had called, her eyes lit up. She glanced at Gu Yuanshan and said with delight, "Jingran called, it must be about the wedding."
"Then hurry up and go pick it up," Gu Yuanshan urged her.
Huo Yunlan rushed to the telephone room, answered the phone with a smile on her face.
"Jingran, why are you calling so late at night? What's up?"
Gu Yuanshan sat down beside her, straining his ears to hear what his son had to say.
On the other end of the phone, Gu Jingran's cold voice came through: "There are some things I want to talk to you about. Mom, did you mention marriage to Xiaochen?"
Huo Yunlan glanced at Gu Yuanshan and hesitated before saying, "Yes... there is such a thing. But Mom is doing this for your own good. What did Xiao Chen say?"
Gu Jingran's tone turned serious: "Mom, haven't I already told you? Don't mention these things to her. If someone had asked you to give up your career before you married Dad, what would you have done? Would you have given up the option of marriage?"
Huo Yunlan was stunned for a moment.
She fell silent, and the scene from that year flashed through her mind.
When she was twenty, she desperately wanted to make her way to the capital, but her family strongly opposed it.
She even considered divorce at one point, but fortunately Gu Yuanshan chose to support her and accompanied her to the capital...
Thinking of this, a sudden unease welled up inside her, and she asked urgently, "Xiao Chen... does she want to break up with you? That's not what Mom meant. Should I go find her and explain things to her?"
Although she hoped that Gu Jingran would settle down soon, she would never do so at the cost of breaking up with him.
It's rare for my son to have a relationship. If it really ends, I don't know when I'll be able to get him to accept another one.
It might never happen again.
She knew her son too well. He appeared gentle on the outside, but deep down he was just as stubborn as she was.
Gu Jingran said in a deep voice, "No need. I've already explained things to Xiaochen. But Mom, if there's a next time, I can't guarantee I can keep her."
“You are my closest family members, and Xiaochen is someone I want to protect. If you really care about me, then please respect us and support us, instead of putting pressure on her in this way.”
Upon hearing her son's words, Huo Yunlan hurriedly explained, "Jingran, that's not what I meant. You're not young anymore. I just want you to settle down and start your own family."
"Mom, I know, but I have my own life and plans, please respect that."
After saying that, Gu Jingran hung up the phone without giving Huo Yunlan a chance to continue.
Huo Yunlan held the ringing phone, her heart turning ice-cold.
She didn't understand how things had come to this.
Seeing his wife's expression, Gu Yuanshan quickly asked, "What's wrong? Why are you talking about breaking up? Didn't you say Xiaochen was willing to get married?"
Huo Yunlan shook her head, dejected: "I misunderstood..."
"So what do we do now? Why don't you explain to Xiaochen again, tell her we're not forcing her to get married?"
"Jingran said he'd persuaded Xiaochen to stay together for the time being." Huo Yunlan belatedly began to regret her actions, "How could I have been so foolish..."
Seeing his wife like this, Gu Yuanshan felt bad. He reached out and pulled Huo Yunlan into his arms, comforting her in a low voice.
"You mean well, and I believe Jingran and Xiaochen will understand. Let's not talk about marriage anymore; let the two of them decide for themselves and let nature take its course."
Huo Yunlan leaned against Gu Yuanshan's chest and sighed deeply.
A few days later, Ye Linchen received another call from Huo Yunlan.
However, this time, Huo Yunlan came to apologize.
"Xiao Chen, I'm sorry, what happened before was my fault. I hope you can forgive me."
Ye Linchen didn't blame Huo Yunlan.
She understood that Huo Yunlan was doing this for Gu Jingran's own good.
This demonstrates Huo Yunlan's love for Gu Jingran.
It was something she had always lacked.
Ye Linchen didn't want to be harsh on a mother who loved her child.
Ye Linchen smiled and reassured Huo Yunlan, "It's alright, Auntie, I understand your good intentions."
Huo Yunlan was touched that Ye Linchen didn't blame her at all, and she liked Ye Linchen even more.
"Thank you, Xiao Chen. When we have the chance this year, your Uncle Gu and I will go back to Jiangcheng and apologize to you."
Ye Linchen quickly declined, "No need, no need, Auntie, it's all in the past, don't take it to heart."
"Okay, Xiao Chen, Auntie was right about you. You're such a generous child."
The two chatted for a while longer before Ye Linchen hung up the phone.
With the emotional crisis resolved, Ye Linchen devoted herself entirely to her career.
But Meng Zihan, who was far away in the port city, was not so lucky.
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