121. Chapter 121: Heritage (3)

It was only a few seconds; missing it shouldn't matter, he thought. Yet, a strange sense of unease lingered in his mind.

I'll call her back later, he decided, turning his full attention back to the man sitting before him.

Forty-year-old Ou You carried himself with an enviable, youthful grace; even his simplest posture exuded an effortless, innate nobility. Standing before him, Ou Ya looked almost boyish, though a closer observation revealed striking similarities in both their features and their underlying temperaments.

Ou You leaned back against the sofa with elegance, watching Ou Ya. "According to our original agreement, this is your home now."

"This is not my home," Ou Ya replied, his voice calm and detached.

"Is the life of a chauffeur's son really better than being my son? I can give you everything you desire," Ou You said, his tone remaining soft.

"Including an endless string of women?" Ou Ya retorted.

"My personal affairs with women are my own business; they will not affect the bond between father and son."

"Bond?" Ou Ya chuckled softly. "Do we have one? Since I was a child, I have only ever known one father."

"You don't have to call me father," Ou You said, looking at him.

"..."

"As long as you are happy, as long as you are willing to stay."

"You have so many women around you; having a son should be a simple matter," Ou Ya said, his tone gentle, yet laced with indifference.

"Not just any woman can bear my children; only your mother could," Ou You said earnestly, adding, "I can guarantee that you are the only son I, Ou You, have. Everything I possess will be yours in the future."

"Is a son who returns only for your inheritance really what you want?" With those parting words, Ou Ya turned and walked away.

"Sir, shall I stop him?" the butler stepped forward to ask.

Ou You shook his head slightly. "He has my temperament; forcing him is useless. Find another way. For now, see him home."

"Yes, sir." The butler bowed and followed him out. "Young Master, the master has instructed me to take you home."

"There is no need. I will take a taxi," Ou Ya said.

"Please do not make this difficult for me. I must carry out the master's orders," the butler replied with respectful firmness.

Ou Ya said nothing more and got into the car. It made no difference to him how he left.

Halfway through the journey, his phone rang. It was his father. He answered.

His father’s voice came through: "Xiao Ya, where have you been?"

To maintain his privacy, he had moved out during his first year of high school, so his parents usually wouldn't notice if he stayed away all day. His father calling now meant he must have come to visit.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, ignoring the question.

"Nothing much. I just made some soup and thought I'd drop it off since I was in the neighborhood."

"Just leave it there. I'll drink it when I get back."

"Alright. Come back early, and if it's cold, just warm it up yourself."

"I know. Go back and take care of Mom."

After hanging up, Ou Ya stared at his phone in silence. The driver remained focused on the road, and the butler said nothing, leaving the car in profound silence the entire way.

When they finally arrived, the car stopped at his apartment building. He pushed the door open and stepped out.

"In that case, Young Master, I shall take my leave," the butler said, signaling the driver to pull away.

Just as Ou Ya was about to enter the apartment building, he froze, watching his father walk out through the iron gate.

It had been over ten minutes since that phone call; he had assumed his father would have left long ago, which was why he hadn't asked the car to stop at the intersection.