Chapter 58
Those words made everyone laugh at once.
Especially He Zhen. A faint smile tinged with surprise hooked at his lips as he stared at Yu Chen without blinking.
Yu Chen’s ears gradually grew hot, and he began to regret his impulsiveness a little.
Why did it suddenly feel like he was forcing He Zhen to confess to him?
He really ought to be a bit more reserved.
Xiao Yu smoothly jumped in to argue on Yu Chen’s behalf. “Exactly. Fat Chenchén doesn’t even have a boyfriend. That handsome guy was seriously gorgeous—what if Chenchén really fell for him?”
Fang Jingrao looked confused. “Huh? Doesn’t Chenchén already have someone he likes?”
Xiao Yu had told him before that Yu Chen and He Zhen were a pair.
He Zhen raised a brow. “Mm? Likes who?”
Fang Jingrao pointed at He Zhen and was just about to speak when Yu Chen hurriedly stopped him. Xiao Yu signaled for Fang Jingrao to shut up and teased with a grin, “Why should he tell you who he likes?”
A smile settled in He Zhen’s eyes. “Just curious.”
“He Zhen, you tell us.” Xiao Yu was born to stir up trouble. “Do you think Chenchén and that handsome guy suit each other?”
He Zhen set down his chopsticks and quietly looked at Xiao Yu.
Fang Jingrao hurriedly tried to smooth things over. “Xiao Yu, don’t joke like that.”
“I’m not joking. I’m just asking what he thinks.” Xiao Yu curled his lips smugly. “He Zhen, come on, say it.”
Yu Chen’s ears were red as boiled shrimp. From the corner of his eye, he secretly glanced at He Zhen, waiting for his response.
“I think… they don’t match.”
He Zhen lifted a piece of crab meat to Yu Chen’s lips. “What do you think?”
Yu Chen deliberately did not open his mouth and arched a brow. “What do I think…”
He Zhen narrowed his eyes. “Mm?”
Yu Chen’s lashes trembled slightly. After hesitating again and again, he finally ate the crab meat.
He Zhen continued shelling another crab claw and said softly, “I’m asking you.”
Unable to hold back, Yu Chen smiled until his eyes curved. “Not a very good match.”
Xiao Yu was dying from how sickeningly sweet the two of them were being and snapped at them, “What kind of riddle are you two playing here?”
Yu Chen chewed his crab meat and smiled to himself with puffed cheeks.
Xiao Yu said, “Good grief, one piece of crab meat and you’re bought over just like that?”
Yu Chen ordered He Zhen, “Keep peeling for me!”
Warmth shimmered in He Zhen’s deep pupils. “Mm.”
Looking at the dog food spread out in front of him, He Zhi’an rested his chin on his hand, wilted.
He could not swallow a single bite of this meal anymore.
Just then, that boy walked toward their table again.
He Zhen said nothing. He only picked up his bowl and fed Yu Chen another bite of vegetables.
Yu Chen frowned slightly. “I’m not eating spinach.”
He Zhen’s voice was gentle. “Spinach protects your eyesight. Be good.”
The boy had only made it halfway before hurriedly retreating.
Xiao Yu immediately understood He Zhen’s little scheme and deliberately sighed. “One of these days, I’m going to find someone who can feed me too.”
He Zhi’an complained, “You like guys?”
Xiao Yu lifted a brow. “What, I can’t find a girl who’ll feed me either?”
Fang Jingrao said slowly, “That’s… kind of weird though.”
Xiao Yu clicked his tongue. “Fang Jingrao! Your guts are really getting bigger now, huh? You dare mouth off at me?”
Fang Jingrao shrank his neck. “I’m just speaking objectively.”
Leaning against the sofa, Lin Jiashu lazily held his cup and smiled faintly. His gaze accidentally met another pair of resentful eyes. He paused, then lowered his head and kept drinking his juice, deliberately avoiding He Zhi’an.
After the meal, everyone gradually headed home.
Yu Chen leaned against He Zhen, lifting his head now and then to sneak glances at him.
He Zhen had his eyes half-closed; it was hard to tell whether he was actually sleepy.
After they got home, He Zhen escorted Yu Chen back to his room, but lingered there for a long while without leaving. Rarely acting this reserved, Yu Chen held onto the door and poked his head out. “Boss, why aren’t you going?”
There was still a hint of red clinging to Yu Chen’s ears, like a drop of cinnabar fallen on white snow—bright and tempting.
“I’m leaving in a second.” Maybe it was because the air around them felt too warm, but He Zhen’s voice was slightly hoarse. “Sleep early, and remember to cover yourself properly.”
“Okay.” Yu Chen blinked his lashes. “You too. Drink less water, or you’ll keep having to get up to use the bathroom at night.”
He Zhen’s footsteps paused. Turning back, he rubbed Yu Chen’s fluffy hair.
“Chenchén.”
Something unreadable stained He Zhen’s features. “Your sixteenth birthday is coming soon. How do you want to celebrate it?”
The moment birthdays were mentioned, Yu Chen perked up.
Last year, his birthday had been held in the Pearl TV Tower. Not only had all his friends been invited, even He Zhen’s aunt had come.
“This year… I haven’t thought about it yet.”
His birthday fell in late autumn, when the maple leaves were at their reddest.
“Boss, do you have any ideas?”
He Zhen hid the plan in his heart and said warmly, “Let me think about it.”
“Alright! I’ll wait for your good news!”
The two of them had studied far too hard this semester. They had to use his birthday as a chance to relax properly.
“But I’ve got lots of wishes. I need to write them down before I blow out the candles, or I’m scared I’ll forget some.”
The corners of He Zhen’s lips curved. “Okay.”
After returning to his own room, He Zhen sat before the calendar and began planning Yu Chen’s birthday schedule. He had decided that at the very last part of the day, he would take Yu Chen away by himself and confess to him.
But honestly, he had plenty of worries about that plan too.
Yu Chen was busy with competitions right now, and He Zhen was afraid that if they started dating, Yu Chen would get distracted.
Of course, that tender, hazy kind of first love held an irresistible temptation for him.
But whenever he thought about it rationally, he felt that for the current Yu Chen, his future and studies were more important.
His own MIT offer was already basically certain, but Yu Chen’s was not.
Once they started dating, their hearts would inevitably be pulled by it. This was not the kind of thing that could simply be controlled by sheer will.
He was afraid of affecting Yu Chen.
With a soft sigh, He Zhen’s gaze fell on the chubby koi Yu Chen had given him. Suddenly, he let out a helpless, indulgent laugh.
His chubby baby was just too attractive.
Even though he firmly believed Yu Chen would not be stolen away, he still could not help feeling a rising sense of crisis.
Two days later, He Zhen and Yu Chen were taken to the hospital by Li Huan.
The new specialist team had arrived the night before and had already held an overnight consultation based on Grandpa He’s condition, working out a treatment plan.
He Zhen listened with great care, his brows lightly furrowed, deeply afraid the doctors would tell him Grandpa He’s condition was not optimistic.
Yu Chen gripped He Zhen’s hand tightly, silently praying in his heart.
“Although Mr. He’s condition is relatively serious, if we perform surgery according to our plan, maintaining stable health for the next ten years should not be a major problem.”
Hearing that, the taut string in He Zhen’s heart slowly loosened.
“However, the post-operative care will be absolutely critical. Mr. He must not keep worrying himself with work any longer.”
He Heng sighed and shook his head helplessly.
“The surgery is scheduled for next month. Before that, we need to monitor all of Mr. He’s physical indicators.”
After the doctors left, Yu Chen looked at He Zhen, whose expression was still solemn, and smiled to comfort him. “Boss, the doctors already said it’ll be okay, so stop worrying.”
He Zhen slowly looked toward the hospital room, a tangled and helpless feeling rising in his chest.
Sitting on the chair, he lowered his head and murmured, “Uncle, is it really impossible to leave the company temporarily in the hands of the board?”
He Heng explained helplessly, “If either of your two uncles had some ability and could sit on the board, maybe the company could hold on for a few more years. But you know the current situation. The company can only be handed to outsiders. Mr. He did consider letting Fourth Miss take charge, but she has no experience in company management and has never studied anything related. Sending her into the company would only leave her at the mercy of others.”
“What if I don’t go abroad to study?”
He Zhen seemed to have already made up his mind. His hands rested lightly crossed in front of him. “That way, I could go to university here while helping Grandpa oversee the board. My ability is limited too, but at least I’ve studied public administration for seven or eight years.”
“If Mr. He knew you were giving up MIT because of him, then even if he stopped treatment, he still wouldn’t agree.”
He Zhen lowered his eyes in turmoil, his chest feeling as though a stone were crushing it, filled with helpless anxiety.
“Isn’t there anyone on the board Grandpa trusts?”
He Heng’s expression turned complicated. “He Feng Group is basically a family business, which has always caused a lot of dissatisfaction within the board, leading to all kinds of disputes. Internally, it’s even split into three factions. Mr. He did once consider training an outsider as heir and personally selected nine young people to form a professional manager team. But after your father entered the company, Mr. He abandoned that plan. Now, there’s neither time nor a trust foundation to start cultivating his own people all over again.”
Yu Chen could not think of any solution. He could only stay quietly by He Zhen’s side.
Six years—if there were rot eating away from within, that was more than enough time to drag down a thriving company.
“Even during the years Mr. He was ill, he still made sure to attend the board meeting every Monday at nine in the morning by video link. And whenever any major decision required a high-level meeting, Mr. He always attended.”
“Xiao Zhen… is that you?”
From inside the hospital room, Grandpa He suddenly called out He Zhen’s name.
He Zhen rushed in. “Grandpa.”
Grandpa He coughed as He Zhen helped him sit up. “The doctors already told me about my condition. I don’t think it’s a big deal. You all don’t need to worry so much.”
“Grandpa.”
Holding Grandpa He’s hand tightly, He Zhen’s expression became grave. “Can I stay and not go abroad for school? I want to stay here with you and help you manage the group.”
“No!”
Grandpa He grew agitated. Trembling, he clasped He Zhen’s hand in return. “When you clearly have the chance to study at a great school, I won’t allow you to give it up for any reason!”
Because he was too emotional, Grandpa He started coughing repeatedly, his heavy, clouded eyes filled with pain. “You have to go! I’ll hold on for another six years!”
Yu Chen looked stricken and kept rubbing Grandpa He’s back.
“Grandpa, don’t get upset. We can talk this through slowly.”
At that moment, He Jinglin, who had just returned from abroad, hurried over as well.
Looking at her father’s grave and self-reproachful expression, she quietly asked He Heng what exactly had happened. In her heart, she both agreed with and opposed He Zhen’s suggestion.
She had always believed that happiness and freedom mattered most, and because of her parents’ indulgence and pampering, she had grown up living like a carefree princess.
Her father had mentioned before that he wanted her to temporarily take over the work of her two older brothers, but she had refused. Part of it was because she knew she was not capable, and part of it was because she did not want to be tied down.
But as her father’s health had worsened more and more, she had thought about helping shoulder some of his burdens. She had even tried working at the group for a few days, but because she knew nothing about business or management, in just three days she had been marginalized by the core team and had been completely useless.
“I actually have an idea.”
The usually silent He Heng suddenly spoke softly. “When I was looking through information about MIT, I found a lot of cases of students graduating early. As long as enough credits are earned, the degree can be completed in as little as two years.”
He looked at He Zhen. “And unlike Harvard, MIT only requires that high school coursework be completed, and that the SAT and TOEFL scores meet the standard before an application can be submitted.”
“Finish high school coursework?” He Jinglin frowned.
“Xiao Zhen has already finished it. And based on the pace of Chinese high schools, by the second semester of senior year, most students are already doing systematic review anyway. So if Xiao Zhen works hard enough and is outstanding enough, he can graduate from MIT before turning twenty.”
Grandpa He finally calmed down. This seemed to be a solution that could satisfy both sides.
He Zhen would still be able to receive top-tier education, while also returning to take over the company in a relatively short time.
In the meantime, as long as He Heng barely kept watch and Grandpa He occasionally checked in on major decisions, it would not be impossible.
But even so, Grandpa He still felt heartache. “How hard would graduating early be? Xiao Zhen probably wouldn’t even be able to come home during winter or summer break.”
He Heng said, “It is difficult. And preparations would have to start now. At the latest, he’d need to leave within half a year.”
This time, everyone in the room fell silent.
Especially Yu Chen. His heart tightened softly, unable to accept the sudden change.
Looking at He Zhen, his rational mind told him this was a good solution. But his feelings suddenly took over, forcing him into sadness.
He and He Zhen had never been apart for this long before.
This time, He Jinglin volunteered of her own accord. “Dad, even if I can’t do much, I can still assist He Heng.”
Grandpa He nodded gently. “Thank you for your hard work, Linlin.”
After leaving the hospital, He Zhen and Yu Chen rode home together.
The whole way, He Zhen remained silent.
He Heng’s plan really was a stopgap measure. If all went well, He Zhen could return and take over the company in two and a half years.
During that time, the group would be supervised by He Heng, with his aunt assisting in management. If Grandpa He truly could not let go, he could still periodically check in on the company, which would at least lighten his burden.
It was just that…
That would mean he and Yu Chen had to separate.
Even if Yu Chen really got an MIT offer, it would still be a year and a half later. By the time Yu Chen went to America, He Zhen would be due to come back half a year after that.
The time they would be apart had suddenly grown much longer.
And without him by Yu Chen’s side, he did not feel at ease letting Yu Chen face exam prep alone.
What if someone bullied Yu Chen?
What if Yu Chen missed him?
Would his leaving affect Yu Chen’s mood?
Looking at the helplessness and hesitation in He Zhen’s eyes, Yu Chen had already guessed what he was thinking.
After considering it for a moment, he suddenly wrapped his arms around He Zhen’s arm and rested his head on his shoulder. “Boss, I think this is actually a pretty good plan! I totally support you leaving in the second half of the year!”
“Yu Chenchén.” The light in He Zhen’s eyes dimmed slightly, and he pressed his lips together. “But that means we’ll have to be apart.”
“It’s only a little over two years.” Yu Chen lifted a smile. “And when you come back, I’ll just be turning eighteen. The time we’ll be apart really isn’t that long.”
Listening to Yu Chen’s bright, easy tone, He Zhen knew Yu Chen was only pretending to be relaxed to comfort him.
He gently rested his forehead against Yu Chen’s, bitter memories of all the years they had spent together from childhood until now washing over him at once.
“I’m sorry, Chenchén. I might not be able to stay by your side for your competitions anymore.”
“It’s okay. The reason I want to get into MIT is partly because of you, but also because of myself. I may not have that kind of burning obsession, but I still want to amount to something and make my dad proud. So if I get in, I’ll go to America to find you. Even if we have to be apart for a few more years, it’s okay. As the saying goes… a good meal isn’t afraid of being late.”
Yu Chen did not even know whether that saying fit here, but he laughed at himself anyway. “And if I don’t get in, then I’ll attend a good university here at home and at least won’t betray all my own hard work. It’s just that by then I’ll still be a freshman, while you’ll already have graduated and started working.”
He Zhen gave a faintly bitter smile. “Doesn’t it feel like we suddenly got very far apart?”
“It does!” Yu Chen narrowed his eyes. “By then my boss will be some big CEO. Let’s see who still dares bully me. Just remember to come pick me up in a Rolls-Royce! When that time comes, I’ll definitely walk with my head held high.”
Staring at Yu Chen’s bright smile, He Zhen’s throat suddenly turned sour, and his voice came out thick and muted. “Mm. When that time comes, the big CEO will listen to everything you say.”
“Promise!” Yu Chen said cheerfully. “And I can also help you take care of Grandpa, can’t I? As for you, just study with peace of mind. As long as your heart is full of me, that’s enough. I’ll work hard too and become a great scientist someday!”
