Chapter Seventy-Three: Separation

Second Uncle Lin Yuanshan also chimed in, “Hong Chen, your second uncle isn’t prejudiced against you. I just want to say a fair word. There’s less than a year left on your three-year engagement with Yuxin. Our Lin family, though dissatisfied, was prepared to grit our teeth and accept it. But now that this mess with Yufei has happened, Yuan Gui’s family is selling their house and shares, practically bankrupting themselves. If you continue to cling to Yuxin, letting her support you for nothing, can your conscience really bear it?”

“All right, enough idle talk.” First Uncle Lin Yuanhai looked at Hong Chen with obvious impatience and said coolly, “Hong Chen, Yufei’s external debts are due tomorrow. Yuxin said you were accompanying your boss to meet a client tonight, planning to find an opportunity to mention Yufei’s situation and beg your boss for help. What’s the outcome now?”

At once, everyone fell silent, their gazes all fixed on Hong Chen. Sweeping his eyes around, he saw that, except for Lin Yuxin’s face full of hope and Lin Yuangui’s mixture of anxiety and a gambler's desperate hope, the rest looked cold and indifferent, as if they had no expectations at all.

Hong Chen didn’t answer immediately but instead asked Lin Yuxin, “First Uncle, Second Uncle, Third Aunt, you came over so late—are you here to offer money or help to get Yufei through this crisis?”

Lin Yuxin glanced at the three of them in turn and replied, “They know tomorrow is the last day to repay the debt. They came tonight specifically to have my father and me sign share transfer agreements.”

Hong Chen instantly understood. Lin Yuxin didn’t fully trust him, so she kept a backup plan. Rationally, he couldn’t blame her, but emotionally, he still felt uncomfortable.

First, Lin Yuxin’s trust in him was clearly lacking. Second, she made her decision without informing him beforehand, still acting completely on her own.

Such behavior would be taboo even between a superior and a trusted subordinate, let alone between husband and wife.

Hong Chen replied with a faint “Oh,” and then asked, “So, what are the specific terms of the share transfer?”

Lin Yuxin said, “First Uncle offered six hundred thousand to buy ten percent of my father’s shares in Lin Group, and to lend our family another four hundred thousand, interest-free for a year. Second Uncle and Third Aunt want to buy my thirty-five percent stake in Linfeng Trading, offering five hundred thousand in total.”

Although Lin Yuxin spoke calmly, her underlying anger and resentment were unmistakable—and justifiably so. Ten percent of Lin Group’s shares were worth at least a million, and though Linfeng Trading had fewer assets and clients than Lin Group, last year’s profits exceeded a million, recognized even by finance companies, which would use that shareholding as collateral for a three-million loan. Thirty-five percent of those shares were easily worth over a million.

This was nothing short of kicking them while they were down—or even robbing them while their house was on fire.

Hong Chen wasn’t surprised. He’d long since seen through the Lin family. Excusing himself to the restroom, he returned three minutes later and gestured with his phone. “Listen to this recording.”

He put the phone on speaker and played an audio file Gao Tianxiong had sent him via Cloud Messenger. It was Chen Feiyang’s voice—an outright confession.

As the playback continued, everyone’s expression shifted. Lin Yuangui’s family was livid, Lin Yuanhai gaped in astonishment, and Lin Yuanshan and Lin Shujie went from stunned to uneasy—especially when they heard that their own children, Lin Huihuang and Lin Meimei, were also involved. Their faces became a shifting palette of emotions.

When the recording ended, Lin Yuxin’s tone was icy. “Second Uncle, Third Aunt, how do you intend to explain this to our family?”

“What does Meimei have to do with this? Who knows where this loser got that recording—probably just hired someone to fake it in a studio! You actually believe this...”

“Right, right, my Huihuang would never do something like that. This is obviously a frame-up.”

Both instinctively tried to shift the blame. Hong Chen snapped impatiently, “Enough!”

He continued, “Drop the act and think carefully about how you’re going to deal with the aftermath. Someone from Hongcheng Group will be contacting you both for an explanation.”

Then his tone turned cold and ominous. “Just so you know, Chen Feiyang’s punishment was to lose both his eyes. Yufei’s boyfriend, Li Yi, had all four limbs broken and won’t be getting out of bed for months—he’ll have lasting injuries even after he recovers. As for that debt collector, you can go to Zhengnan Street tomorrow and see for yourselves—a bald man with a broken hand and foot will be there begging for food.”

The two were horrified at this and finally showed true fear. Hong Chen shifted his gaze to Shen Huifang, speaking indifferently, “You’re the head of this household. I’ll move out. Whether we divorce or not is up to you—just convince Yuxin, I have no opinion.”

With that, he turned to Lin Yuxin. “It’s settled.” Leaving everyone else behind in the living room, he headed straight for Lin Yuxin’s room.

Back in the room, Hong Chen took his clothes out of the closet and packed them, then went to shower. Fifteen minutes later, as he emerged from the bathroom ready to leave, he found Lin Yuxin waiting for him.

“Your mother doesn’t like me, and it’s not right for me to stay in her house,” Hong Chen said seriously, his tone resolute. “I’ve decided to move out.”

Lin Yuxin could tell he wasn’t just angry. She frowned. “If you don’t live here, where will you stay?”

“That’s not your concern,” Hong Chen replied offhandedly, his eyes sweeping over the bed. He noticed something—just moments ago, the bedding had been messy, but now two duvets lay flat, each occupying half the bed, with two pillows at opposite ends. In that instant, he understood and a faint, mocking smile flickered across his lips.

He said suddenly, “More than seven hundred nights, a legally married couple under one roof, one sleeping on the bed and one on the floor, always polite and distant. Yuxin, do you think that’s normal?”

Lin Yuxin froze, a complicated look in her eyes. Hong Chen went on, “Last night you said we should start over. I agree. But sleeping separately on the same bed isn’t a beginning—living apart is.”

Lin Yuxin understood what he meant and fell silent. No one could know the turmoil in her heart, but after a while, she nodded slightly. “Since you’ve decided, I’ll respect your choice.”

Hong Chen nodded too. Lin Yuxin added, “Thank you for what you did for Yufei. I know a simple thank you isn’t enough, but I have to say it anyway.”

Looking at her sincere face, Hong Chen smiled. “I accept.”

“It’s late. Why not stay just one more night?”

But Hong Chen shook his head, not out of pettiness, but simply because he didn’t want to face Shen Huifang’s attitude in the morning.

In the end, Lin Yuxin walked Hong Chen out of the house, all the way downstairs. Only after watching him drive off did she return inside. She soon found herself in the now-dark, empty living room, holding the giant white mascot Hong Chen had won for her at the dumpling-eating contest. Silently, she stood by the window, gazing at the quiet neighborhood under the night’s shroud, lost in thought for a long, long time.

Old Master Liu was an early riser. After breakfast, he took a stroll in the garden.

The sun was shining, the morning air was fresh, a gentle breeze caressed his face, and birds sang among blooming flowers. In such surroundings, one should have been in high spirits, yet Old Master Liu’s mind was heavy.

Last night, Liu Xinyue had called for his advice. It was his tacit approval that prevented Liu Hao from stopping before it was too late. Instead of correcting his mistake, Liu Hao took a second, even more reckless step. Now, the Liu family stood in direct opposition to Hongcheng Group, and their cooperation was likely doomed.

Of course, a few more or fewer business deals wouldn’t trouble Old Master Liu. What truly concerned him was Hong Chen. His investment in Baijiantang had been kept secret from the family—a valuable connection for the Liu family, one with great potential though not yet needed.

Unfortunately, before that potential could be realized, he had personally destroyed it.

In fact, he had regretted it the moment he hung up on Liu Xinyue, though not enough to abandon his protection of Liu Hao—until the consequences came, and regret surged over him like a tidal wave.

Ultimately, he had spoiled Liu Hao, his eldest grandson, too much. He’d indulged him even knowing Liu Hao was being reckless.

All night, he had agonized over how to repair his relationship with Hong Chen. He woke up still pondering it.

At that moment, the butler hurried over and handed him an envelope. “Sir, a special delivery just arrived, marked for your eyes only.”

A flicker of confusion crossed Old Master Liu’s eyes as he opened it. Inside were two cards—a bank card and a platinum card—and a piece of paper that read: The platinum card, ninety-eight thousand six hundred fifty spent; the bank card, one million nine hundred eighty-six thousand five hundred balance; password: six zeros.

Old Master Liu’s pupils contracted, his expression froze, and his heart sank little by little. After a long, dazed silence, he let out a long, inscrutable sigh.

The envelope was from Hong Chen. The platinum card repaid the difference; everything was returned exactly as it was. The one million was the investment in Baijiantang—also returned. The meaning could not have been clearer: whatever ties remained between him and the Liu family had been cut cleanly and for good.