In the reception room, Fu Yuzheng sat comfortably on the sofa. I could sense that he was looking at me, his gaze not excessive or intrusive, but carrying a definite weight that made it difficult for one to feel at ease.

I used to be unfamiliar with him, and now our relationship is even more distant.

He was merely treated as an esteemed customer.

Perhaps it was because my expression was too calm and rigid, Fu Yuzheng was a little surprised.

He touched the wristwatch on his wrist and said, "Long time no see, Deng Ling."

He chose the most cliché and meaningless way of exchanging pleasantries.

I accepted and casually showed a professional smile.

"Mr. Fu, it is an honor to have you--"

Fu Yuzheng's face revealed a thought-provoking smile.

"Mr. Deng, there's no need for you to be so polite."

He appraised me, and upon sensing the hidden fluctuation beneath my calm demeanor, he tactfully withdrew his probing.

I admit that I really want to escape right now. I don't care about interviews or anything else. Face-to-face communication with Fu Yuzheng makes me feel suffocated. I don't understand how he can appear before me so confidently, telling me not to be formal with a casual attitude. It's as if those things that happened in the past never existed. But I don't have the courage to question him. That would make it seem like I still hold grudges against those things. At the very least, I don't want to show him that I am still attached to the past.

So I clenched my teeth and treated Fu Yuzheng like a huge pillar as I said, "President Fu, you're too polite. Work and personal feelings shouldn't be mixed together, and besides, I can't afford to have such a close relationship with you."

Fu Yuzheng listened, his gentle expression unchanged.

"I came to find you, not for an interview. But I promised to do the interview, just to meet you."

Fu Yuzheng was very straightforward in what he said.

His bluntness caught me off guard.

"My secretary will take care of arranging the interview. If Teacher Deng doesn't want to be here, we can change the location."

I saw my colleagues peeking their heads out through the transparent glass door, along with Fu Yuzheng's meticulous secretary standing by the door. It gave me a headache.

I couldn't figure out why Fu Yuzheng came to me today.

For Fu Yuye?

It has been four years since we broke up, no matter how strong the past love was, it is impossible for it to rekindle.

I can only say, "Mr. Fu, I'm doing well now, but I would be even better if I hadn't met you today."

I have no choice. I can't just argue with him here with a big scene. I just want to hurry up and send this powerful deity away.

"Hey, Teacher Deng, I heard you got married?"

My face must have turned pale at that moment, as the warmth rapidly drained from my fingertips. I stared incredulously at Fu Yuzheng, before quickly lowering my head.

He said, "Yes."

I don't know if Fu Yuzheng can hear the tremor in my voice.

Fu Yuzheng simply said faintly, "And what about Xiaoye?"

He asked casually, as if asking about today's weather. But what about me? I couldn't do it, not until this moment did I realize that I was not calm at all. I couldn't do it at all. I clenched my fingers tightly and took a deep breath before finally lifting my head to look at the man in front of me.

I know I must look abnormal right now, at least Fu Yuzheng's expression seems a little strange.

I forced down the taste of blood and sweetness in my throat and said, "President Fu, you're joking."

I paused for a moment, but then I continued with effort, "As for Xiaoye, he never needs me to think about what he should do."

The interview that day, apart from a small mishap on my part, concluded perfectly.

Even my colleagues came to ask me how Fu Yuzheng and I got to know each other.

It turns out that Fu Yuzheng openly admitted without reservation that he and I had a "relationship" in the past. And naturally, it led me to think that Fu Yuzheng would agree to the interview, undoubtedly because of our connection.

His response made me the center of attention, with people even inquiring about my connections with other financial entrepreneurs or trying to dig into my personal life.

In fact, all they know is that I am a single father with a child. They also know that I avoid mentioning the mother of my child, except for Xiaojv. There are often young girls in the workplace who buy cakes or chocolates because they want to lose weight. They give me these desserts to take home and give to my son.

But Xiaolu also doesn't like to eat.

He has no interest in desserts.

I finished work early today. When I arrived, the kindergarten was still closed. However, there were already some parents waiting outside the gate.

On the walls of the kindergarten, the ivy rustled in the cold winter wind, sounding as if someone were stepping on dried leaves, emitting a dry, brittle sound, akin to the withering of bones.

With the sound of a bell, the piercing laughter of the children that emerged alongside the music surged into the ears.

I used to dislike children because I didn't know how to interact with such lively beings. When I was neither young nor old, whenever I visited relatives or friends, I would always encounter many little Hais from various families. They all looked the same, making a ruckus, running around the entire house, and never sitting still while eating. I felt like it was chaos, but the older generation always seemed to enjoy the joy of this youthful vitality.

Even when I was carrying Xiaoju in my womb, I was constantly overwhelmed with melancholy. I felt abnormal, like a monster, neither male nor female. I feared that I would be captured by some organization for experimentation as soon as I woke up. I was also afraid that Xiaoju would suddenly come out of my belly, like those little monsters that crawl out of the mother's abdomen after it's been dissected, afraid that Xiaoju would be a three-legged little monster. Sometimes, I would wake up in the middle of the night and desperately try to recall Fu Yuye's appearance, remembering his smile, his serious and sad moments, and reassuring myself that our little baby would be just as beautiful as Fu Yuye. But this emotion would transform into resentment, like droplets hitting the tiles one by one. At first, you wouldn't notice it, but gradually, it would turn cold, becoming a deep-seated hatred.

I resent him for leaving me, resent him for not knowing the pain I've endured.

It wasn't until Xiaozhu was born that I gradually began to hide this feeling of resentment deep in my heart.

He is just too adorable; describing him as an angel wouldn't be an exaggeration.

Obedient, quiet, not crying nor making a fuss. When hungry, they would make cooing sounds. When happy, they would laugh without hesitation, revealing their two pearly white baby teeth.

Most of the time, it's the mother or the grandparents who pick up the children. It's rare for fathers to come and pick them up.

I stood out among a group of women.

I stood by the window from a distance and spotted Xiaoju, who was talking with the children and parents. When the kindergarten teacher saw me, she said something to Xiaoju, who quickly went to pick up her backpack and hugged her water bottle with her name written on it. Then, she excitedly ran out.

"Dad."

I crouched down, and he came over and hugged my neck.

And then, they let go and grabbed hold of my hand.

I led him downstairs. Downstairs was a recreational area where some children didn't want to go back home and would play around for a while.

I saw Wu Kexin, Xiaocu's classmate, there too. The chubby kid was sitting on the slide, calling Xiaocu to come over and play with him.

I asked Xiaojv if she wanted to go over and play for a while.

Xiaoju shook her head and said, "Dad, I'm hungry."

After getting on the car, I asked him, "Where are the cookies that Dad prepared for you?"

Xiao Ju said, "Give it to Wu Kexin, he didn't have breakfast."

I touched his curly hair and asked, "Why didn't Wu Kexin eat breakfast?"

Xiao Ju thought for a moment and said, "Wu Kexin's mother didn't feed him."

I exclaimed and said, "Dad will take you to buy some biscuits later."

Xiao Ju nodded and said, "Can you also buy a pack for Wu Kexin, please?"

"Alright."

I agreed to him.