"That was his own choice."
"You and I both know he's only doing this out of guilt. Though it was never his responsibility from start to finish, my brother grew up with him since childhood—nominally uncle and nephew, but actually as close as brothers. They share blood ties. He wants to atone for that incident, which is why he endlessly takes care of you, including sending you to Tibet, where he almost lost his life."
The March night breeze in Philadelphia still carried a chill. Zuo Si'an stood frozen in place, her entire body cold, unable to speak as she listened to Chen Zi Hui continue relentlessly: "He's been outstanding since he was young. His previous girlfriend still loves him and occasionally contacts me to ask about him, hoping to get back together. If it weren't for you, they would never have broken up. What kind of girl couldn't he pursue? Why should he be with you? He just pities you, and you actually exploit his sympathy to take revenge on us. Are you even human? How long do you think you can last? Not to mention anything else, you went to my home to speak ill of his father, driving a wedge between him and me. He slapped you—surely you remember that? That alone proves his family will always be most important to him. No one in America cares if you're a virgin or if your body is clean. Why must you cling to my son like this, entangling him and not letting go, insisting on ruining his reputation before you are satisfied? Even if Ziyu did something wrong, getting caught would only mean a few years in prison. But your father forced him to lose his life—is that still not enough for you?"
Hearing that name, Zuo Si'an finally regained her ability to speak: "Not enough. I hope your brother rots in hell, never to be reincarnated."
She enunciated each word clearly, hung up the phone, and turned it off.
Leaning against the balcony railing, Zuo Si'an regulated her breathing, allowing her raging emotions to gradually settle as she struggled to control her trembling body before returning to the room. She climbed onto the bed, lifted the sheet, and found Gao Xiang exposed before her. Kneeling, she kissed his body inch by inch, listening to his vague, contented murmurs in his sleep, watching him become aroused again. Without hesitation, she straddled him, taking him inside her. This unprecedented wild and bold position made him feel as if he had returned to an old dream that had haunted him for years.
Yet the physical collision was so intense and real—all taboos and self-restraint appeared exceptionally pale and powerless, cast aside.
The hazy moonlight spilled into the room as their bodies rose and fell in the dimness. She took and took, and he gave and gave, both equally greedy and insatiable. At a certain critical point, an electric current instantly struck them both, coursing through their entire bodies.
The world fell into a silence so profound it nearly vanished. Suddenly, she no longer knew where she was, completely disoriented. But this loss was different from getting lost as a child—there was no panic, no fear, only unexpected ecstasy, as if after an unknowable fall, she had arrived at a long-awaited destination.
After calming down, they were both utterly exhausted, in a state of satisfaction so deep it felt hollow, their physical and emotional energies completely overdrawn.At five in the morning, Zuo Si'an woke Gao Xiang again. They checked out, and she insisted on driving. She took Interstate 95, arriving smoothly in New York two and a half hours later. That day, New York was unusually cold, with fine snowflakes drifting down. Gao Ling offered to take her to the bus station, but she refused: "No, you're running out of time. Just go straight back to your place."
When they reached the apartment building, she grabbed her luggage and got out: "I'll go to the café across the street for coffee and a bite to eat. I'll watch you leave, then head back to Portland. Don't worry."
Through the café window, Zuo En'an saw Gao Ling carrying large and small bags of luggage downstairs. The building manager helped him load them into the car, then he went back upstairs. A few minutes later, he came down holding a boy, with Chen Zi Hui following. The boy clung to Gao Ling's neck, chattering affectionately to him. Gao Ling smiled and replied, ruffling the boy's hair, his face full of tender affection.
The new episode of Sesame Street, the big golden retriever they'd seen on their walk in Central Park, the pizza and ice cream from the corner shop... From the daily phone calls Gao Xiang received, Zuo Si'an already knew roughly what their conversations were about.
This scene made her think of her own childhood, stirring up waves of emotion inside her.
She watched as Gao Xiang opened the rear car door for Chen Zi Hui to get in, then placed the child beside her. Zuo Si'an held her breath and waited. Gao Xiang tipped the building manager, then finally turned slowly and gazed in her direction. She raised her hand and waved, unsure if he could see her across the street. But he waved back at her before getting into the car and driving away.
Outside the window, the faint drizzle and snow continued to fall, the leaden sky oppressive and heavy. Zuo Si'an leaned back in her chair, her heart as empty and blank as the first heavy snowfall of winter during her initial year in Portland, when everything had been buried under a vast, white expanse.
Despite having just experienced the greatest sweetness and fulfillment of her life and receiving a promise she trusted, she had a strong premonition of pessimism about the future.
Chapter 17: 2012, Hanjiang
The call Gao Xiang received outside the Chengdu hospital was from Chen Zi Hui. He thought his mother was just urging him to return as usual, but the news she delivered shocked him.
"Liu Yaqin just tried to blackmail me. She said if I don't give her two million in cash, she'll go to Xiao Fei and reveal his origins, and spread the story so he can't establish himself anywhere. What should I do?"
Chen Zi Hui sounded completely distraught; no amount of urging from Gao Xiang to stay calm helped. He immediately called his father, Gao Ming, briefly explained the situation, and asked him to go check on the house first, insisting that Chen Zi Hui must not respond recklessly and let things spiral out of control.
He flew back from Chengdu to Hanjiang, but his flight was delayed. By the time he got home, it was late at night. Gao Fei was already asleep, and no one was in the living room. The light in Chen Zi Hui's bedroom was still on. As he approached, he was surprised to see Gao Ming and Chen Zi Hui sitting by the window, talking.
Chen Zi Hui had been separated from Gao Ming for years, and whenever they met, she was consistently cold and sharp with him.
Ten years ago, when Clear Ridge Winery successfully went public, Gao Ming proposed a divorce. But Chen Zi Hui said coldly, "Only if you leave with nothing, relinquish all your shares in Clear Ridge Winery, and resign from any positions."This was, of course, a demand Gao Ming could not agree to. Coupled with Chen Li Guo's pressure and Gao Xiang's tactful persuasion, he had no choice but to give up, and the two remained locked in a stalemate.
Nine years ago, Chen Li Guo suffered heart failure and passed away. Before his death, he drafted a will, distributing his shares equally among Chen Zihui, Gao Xiang, and Gao Fei. Gao Fei's shares were to be jointly managed by Chen Zihui and Gao Xiang until he came of age. Gao Ming once again brought up the topic of divorce. Despite Gao Xiang's attempts to mediate, it was to no avail. Unexpectedly, Chen Zihui demanded a seat on the company's board of directors and insisted on overseeing the finances.
Gao Ming was taken aback: "What do you know about financial management?"
Chen Zihui replied firmly, "Although Gao Xiang joined the board, he has never been willing to get involved in the company's affairs over the years, focusing entirely on his own career. Now that Father is gone, if I don't step up, Clear Ridge Winery will no longer belong to our Chen Family."
"Zihui, you need to understand one thing: a publicly listed company can no longer belong to any individual, regardless of whether their surname is Chen or Gao."
She sneered, "I don't care for these empty concepts and grand principles. All I know is that Clear Ridge Winery was founded by my father. I am a shareholder, and if I call for a board meeting, I don't believe no one will support me."
Aside from her own shares, Chen Zihui also held half of the custodial rights to Gao Fei's stock. Her demand to join the board was not unreasonable. Although Gao Ming had worked with his son to take the company public, spearheaded its rapid growth in recent years, and assumed the role of chairman, he did not dare risk convening a board meeting to discuss this issue. Not only did Chen Li Guo's influence still linger, but Gao Ming had yet to establish absolute authority. Many board members and senior executives held differing views, and he couldn't rule out the possibility that some might openly or covertly encourage and support Chen Zihui's bid for a directorship, deliberately muddying the waters to profit from the chaos.
Gao Xiang advised him, "Mom may resent you, but deep down, she still can't let you go. Why not try talking to her properly?"
Gao Ming sighed deeply, "Don't even mention talking to her—she won't listen to a word I say. She only wants to tie me down because she hates me to the core. Once we're divorced, how else can she continue to take revenge on me?"
Gao Xiang then tried to persuade his mother to back down, but Chen Zihui bluntly admitted, "Everything he has today was given to him by our Chen Family. Once we divorce, with the title of chairman of a listed company, he'll surely have women throwing themselves at him. He might even remarry a younger woman and have children to divide our Chen Family's assets."
Gao Xiang said helplessly, "Aren't you tired of constantly inventing stories and imagining enemies? Letting him go is also freeing yourself. Wouldn't it be better for everyone to live a little more easily?"
"No, I won't let him go off and live carefree. There's no need to say anything more—I will absolutely not change my mind."
Left with no other choice, Gao Ming compromised once again. He dropped the divorce and appointed someone she approved of as the company's chief financial officer. Gao Xiang also promised to participate in major company decisions, and she withdrew her demand to join the board. And so, the two continued to maintain their nominal marital relationship.Gao Xiang persuaded his mother that since his father had already compromised, she shouldn’t go too far either. Besides, Gao Fei was gradually growing up, and losing her temper with Gao Ming in front of him or bringing up old grievances would only confuse the child. Chen Zi Hui did tone down her habit of erupting into angry tirades whenever they met. When Gao Ming came to the provincial capital on business, he would occasionally visit them, stay briefly, and then leave. Over the years, Chen Zi Hui remained cold toward him, never inviting him into the bedroom to linger late into the night or engage in such peaceful, seated conversations.
Seeing Gao Xiang return, Chen Zi Hui immediately said, “I told you not to go to Tibet, but you wouldn’t listen. You nearly got into serious trouble.”
“How is it now?”
Gao Ming replied calmly, “It’s settled. I had your mother say she had no money on hand and told Liu Yaqin to negotiate directly with me. I recorded our conversation, reported it to the police, and she’s been detained.”
“I hope she gets sentenced, locked up for life, never to be released. Let’s see if she can still stir up trouble then,” Chen Zi Hui said through gritted teeth.
Gao Ming said lightly, “Her crime is attempted extortion. Even if she’s sentenced, it won’t be as long as you’d like.”
Chen Zi Hui, choked with anger and unable to vent it, said bitterly, “I knew from the moment that Zuo Si’an showed up, nothing good would come of it. I wasn’t wrong…”
“Mom,” Gao Xiang interrupted her, “you’re still saying that now? Back then, when you had Liu Yaqin spread rumors about Zuo Si’an at school, did you ever think Xiao Fei would face something like this one day?”
Chen Zi Hui was taken aback and jumped to her feet. “What do you mean by that? Are you saying I deserved this retribution? Don’t forget, Xiao Fei is your son.”
“Maybe it’s better if I send him abroad to study.”
“You’re talking about going abroad again. Is that Zuo Si’an trying to seduce you back?”
Gao Xiang was so exasperated by his mother’s logic that he laughed. “You always think I’m irresistibly charming. Zuo Si’an made it clear back then that she didn’t want to be with me. Now she’s a medical doctor from a prestigious university, working in neurosurgery. Once she starts practicing independently, she’ll be among the top earners in the U.S., with a bright future ahead. There’s even a lawyer proposing to her. What would she gain by luring me? Just to reconnect with you and relive painful memories?”
Chen Zi Hui was left speechless. Gao Ming stood up. “Alright, it’s late. You’ve been through a scare, so you should rest early. We can discuss Xiao Fei’s matter slowly.”
The father and son stepped out, and Gao Xiang said, “Don’t go to a hotel. Stay in the guest room tonight.”
Gao Ming smiled wryly. “Today, I’ve done a little to help, so I probably won’t be kicked out by your mom. But I can’t sleep right now. Keep me company for a drink and a chat.”
Gao Xiang took his father to his study and opened a bottle of French red wine. Gao Ming took a sip and shook his head disapprovingly. “Our family produces baijiu. Its flavor and lasting impact are far superior to this foreign wine. It’s one thing for you to go into the red wine代理 business, but to not even touch baijiu in your daily life…”
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