Chapter 122: Origins (4)

"You're back," Lu Zhengqi said as he walked over.

"Why haven't you left yet?" Ou Ya asked.

"I noticed your fridge was empty, so I stopped by the supermarket and bought you a few things," Lu Zhengqi explained.

"Thank you. It’s not convenient for Mom to be home alone; you should head back and look after her," Ou Ya said, but then heard him ask:

"Who was that who dropped you off just now?"

"A friend," Ou Ya replied. It wasn't that he intended to hide it, but he felt that if his father knew about this, it would only upset him.

"I see. Remember to drink the soup. I'm heading out." Lu Zhengqi turned to leave, but after two steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back to Ou Ya. "Actually, I know everything."

"?"

"I knew it even back when I first got together with your mother. If you want to go back, I won't oppose it, and neither will she."

Ou Ya looked at him, saying nothing.

Lu Zhengqi reached out and patted his shoulder. "The most important thing is that you are happy."

"You don't mind?" Ou Ya asked.

"Mind what?"

"..." Ou Ya fell silent, momentarily unsure of how to put it into words.

Lu Zhengqi understood, however. Having raised him, he knew him well, even if they weren't blood-related.

"You're trying to say that your mother still hasn't let go of that other man, and yet I’m still with her, aren't you?"

It was only at this moment that Ou Ya realized his father knew everything.

"Your mother and I were classmates in middle school. I had a secret crush on her all that time. In high school, I chose the same school just to stay with her, only to realize after classes started that I had made a mistake. We didn't have any contact for the next three years, but then we met again by chance in college. By then, she already had a boyfriend—your father. Whether it was his family background or his looks, he was truly one of a kind, the absolute prince charming in the hearts of every girl on campus. I knew I couldn't compare to him, so I kept my feelings for your mother buried deep inside. Later, my father fell ill and needed a lot of money for medical bills, so I had to drop out. Years later, I ran into your mother on the street. She was crying while holding you, just an infant, and clutching a divorce agreement. Your grandparents had already immigrated by then, and she was homeless and alone. I brought her home, and after spending some time together, we gradually grew closer."

Ou Ya listened quietly, never interrupting.

"I have always known that your mother never forgot that man. But if you never try to be together, how can you know what's impossible? For over a decade now, the life we’ve built—you, your mother, and I—has been truly happy. Your mother is happy, too. Bringing her that happiness is what makes me happiest of all."

*If you never try to be together, how can you know what's impossible...*

Ou Ya pondered these words, as if suddenly understanding. For the longest time, he hadn't understood the complex emotions between his parents and that man.

He had been so lost that he had always hesitated regarding his feelings for Qiao Xi, afraid to take a step forward.

He didn't know: if people who were truly in love couldn't be together, how far could a simple attraction really go? This doubt had led him to constantly evade his relationship with Qiao Xi...

But his father had said, if you never try, how can you know what's impossible?

If he gave up without even trying, would he regret it in the future?

Back in his apartment, he dialed Qiao Xi's number.

For a long time, no one answered, until the call finally cut off automatically.

He recalled the sound of Qiao Xi's voice on the phone earlier, and his heart sank inexplicably.

Elsewhere.

Qiao Xi received a text message from Leng Xinmeng and put on her coat to head out.