Chapter 313: Warm Man
But she was just feeling envious, nothing more.
"I hope you guys get married soon! I want to drink at your wedding!" Sun Xiaoqi teased with a playful grin.
"That’s still a long way off." Yun Shifei blushed slightly.
Still, she couldn’t help but look forward to that potential day.
Soon it was New Year’s. Before the holiday, Yun Tiancheng gave Yun Shifei several new outfits as gifts.
Looking at the beautiful clothes, Yun Shifei felt happy but also a bit troubled. "Dad, there are so many clothes—I don’t even have enough space to put them all."
Her wardrobe was near capacity. There were so many clothes she hadn’t even worn yet. Was this what it felt like to be spoiled?
This feeling of being dressed up like a little princess was something Yun Shifei had never experienced before.
Yun Tiancheng responded, "Don’t worry. Dad will set up a walk-in closet for you. Then you can put all your clothes there."
Yun Shifei realized that ever since Yun Tiancheng found out she was dating someone, he had been treating her even better than before—a lot better.
He had always doted on her, but now it went to another level.
"Shifei, I used to think I’d be able to spend a long time with you," Yun Tiancheng said, his expression wistful. "But now that I think about it, after this New Year, you’ll be nineteen. You’re going far away to Beijing for university, and now you’re even in a relationship. In the future, we’ll hardly have time to be together."
He sighed in poignancy, unsure why he had been so sentimental in recent days.
Perhaps it was because he had always thought of Yun Shifei as a little girl, but now, without realizing it, she had grown up.
She was going away to study, living a life he knew little about.
Her growing independence gave him both pride and heartache.
Yun Shifei understood how her father felt. She hugged him tightly. "Dad, don’t be sad. Even when I grow up, I won’t leave you."
"But your boyfriend is from Beijing. If you marry him in the future, won’t it mean a distant marriage?" Yun Tiancheng sighed again.
"That’s okay... Travel is so convenient nowadays. If I take a plane, I can come home quickly." She wanted to tell Yun Tiancheng that her boyfriend wasn’t technically from Beijing. But then she thought, even if Cheng Lie wasn’t from Beijing, he was developing his career there. Compared to South City, Beijing undoubtedly had more opportunities.
She could feel it—Cheng Lie was working very hard these days, so much so that he’d stay in Beijing even during the New Year for work.
Alone in Beijing, would he feel lonely?
At that moment, Yun Tiancheng said, "Oh, right, Shifei. For New Year’s Eve, I’ve invited your mom to come home and celebrate with us."
Hearing Yun Tiancheng’s words, Yun Shifei showed little reaction.
"Okay," she replied simply.
In truth, she thought Yun Tiancheng and Xu Ya should have reconciled long ago.
Seeing her lack of objection, Yun Tiancheng also felt that having Xu Ya return was the right decision—it comforted him.
He had been looking for the right opportunity to bring Xu Ya back into their lives.
After all, she was Yun Shifei’s biological mother. Despite the many mistakes Xu Ya had made in the past, Yun Tiancheng thought that since she had realized her wrongdoing and changed, the past could be forgiven with time.
Yun Shifei didn’t object—not because she had forgiven her mother, but because she firmly believed that Yun Tiancheng deserved to restore his life with Xu Ya to how it had once been.
After all, they had truly loved each other. As for herself, that was part of the reason she chose to study far away in Beijing.
She didn’t want to stay behind and become a third wheel in their reconciliation.
But the scars Xu Ya had left on her—that trauma would not be erased so easily.
That evening, Yun Shifei called Cheng Lie. On the phone, she asked about how he’d been lately—was he eating well? Sleeping well?
Cheng Lie answered her questions in turn.
He asked her the same questions.
Yun Shifei answered him and then shared what Yun Tiancheng had said. "My dad’s really worried that if I marry far away, he won’t get to see me. Lately, he’s been treating me even better than before—so much better."
After hearing her remarks, Cheng Lie was silent for a moment. Then he said, "Actually, I could develop my career in South City instead."
Although South City was more focused on foreign trade and lacked the technological support systems Beijing had, it would just mean a little extra hardship.
She hadn’t expected that a casual remark from her would be taken so seriously by him, to the point that he even considered moving his future back to South City.
Sometimes, it was the seemingly ordinary conversations that stayed with you the longest.
Yun Shifei’s heart surged with uncontainable emotions, as if they were ready to burst out of her chest.
After a while, she said softly, "Cheng Lie, you’re so good to me."
Too good, really. Was it possible he had already factored their future together into his plans?
The young man pressed his lips together. Even through the phone line, he could sense the gratitude and emotion in Yun Shifei’s voice.
She was always so easily moved, which was likely why she had fallen for him so quickly, why she had accepted him so readily.
On the surface, it seemed like everyone adored her. But deep down, the feeling of being isolated in the past must have etched itself into her very being.
It was why the smallest gestures of kindness deeply touched her.
Right now, he wished he could fly to her side and hold her in his arms.
It had been so long since he last hugged her—her soft, sweet, fragrant self.
The thought made Cheng Lie feel his body temperature rise. He took a deep breath to calm himself down.
On the other end of the phone, Yun Shifei didn’t notice his reaction. After hesitating for a moment, she finally said, "Today, my dad told me that he’s inviting my mom to join us for New Year’s Eve dinner."
"Do you remember? When I’d just been brought back to this family, she really liked Yun Sisi. She always believed everything Yun Sisi said and not me. She even hit me because of Yun Sisi and left home for her—I felt like she didn’t want me anymore..." Yun Shifei’s voice grew softer and softer as she spoke. She paused briefly, as if trying to keep her emotions in check, and then continued, "At that time, I swore I didn’t want this mother anymore."
"Now she’s seen Yun Sisi’s true colors and regrets how she treated me back then. But I just can’t let go of those memories. Cheng Lie, do you think it’s my fault?"
She hadn’t opened up to him like this in such a long time. Maybe it was easier to be candid with the barrier of a phone between them.
Cheng Lie replied, "It’s not your fault."
How could it possibly be her fault?
If it were him, he would have stopped seeing such a mother as family after being wronged so many times. He might even have sought revenge.
That’s just the way he was—unyielding and unforgiving. Compared to him, his girl was so kind-hearted and generous.
Sharing these unspoken, painful feelings with Cheng Lie and hearing his affirmation made Yun Shifei feel unexpectedly lighter.
Cheng Lie truly was warm, so warm—both in the past and now.
Despite his cold exterior and dark intensity, his heart was more genuine than anyone else’s.
Perhaps that was why she had fallen for him.