Next morning....
(Father Yan's room)
A knock resounded at the door arousing Father Yan's attention. He lifted his head from his ipad and glanced at the closed door.
"Who's there?"
"Dad, it's Yan He. May I come in?"
Father Yan dropped the iPad onto the table and replied,
"Come on in."
The door opened and Yan He stepped in, shutting the door behind him. Father Yan leaned back and crossed his legs as Yan He walked closer to him.
"Dad."
"What's wrong?"
Yan He hesitated before putting a file onto the table. "I'm done with the task, dad."
Father Yan glanced at the file in surprise before asking, "You're done so soon?"
"Yes."
"Okay," Father Yan replied before picking up the file and went through it. His eyes were focused and his hawk like gaze went across each line.
A ball of sweat rolled down Yan He's neck and dropped onto his shirt. He clenched and unclenched his fist countless times as he watched the older man read the file.
Father Yan finally finished reading the contents. He shut the file and glanced at his eldest son. His gaze was filled with surprise but there was a hint of pride in them.
A year back, Yan He had gotten entangled with an A list actress. She framed him for assault and rape. Then, Father Yan's subsidiary company which had just begun to grow suffered the most. The Yan family was nearly ruined if not for the way Father Yan handled it. He had agreed to bring back Yan He from City C but there was a condition. Yan He had to make a report on a company plagiarizing their products and deal with the problem.
Satisfied, Father Yan patted the seat next to him. "Take a seat."
Yan He's tensed shoulders relaxed. He slowly took a seat beside Father Yan.
"How did you do it?" Father Yan asked.
Yan He was silent.
Father Yan stood up and walked to the window, hIs gaze wandering into the distance. "You didn't come home since you returned. Why?"
"I didn't dare to face you, dad. I nearly ruined everyone. You warned me about Yu Yanran . But I didn't listen," Yan He answered, his head hung low.
Father Yan looked at his lowered head and couldn't help but sigh. "Yan He, I seem to have wronged you all."
Yan He lifted his head in shock, his gaze fixated on the older man's physique.
"What do you mean, dad?"
"Why did you choose business management as your major?"
Yan He's brows furrowed. He seemed confused. "I don't get it."
"Did you choose Business management in university because you felt that your position as the first child was being threatened?"
Yan He was stunned. He subconsciously felt betrayed. As though, his thoughts had been bared out in the open.
"No..." he stuttered.
However, Father Yan pressed on. "You felt that I favored Yehan than I did you, right?"
He continued, his hands slipping into his trouser pockets as he watched Yan He. "I was lost in the aftermath of Yehan's mother's death. I forgot that I also had three other sons who depended on me. I wasn't there for any of you. I have neglected you. I apologize."
At this point, Yan He's eyes had turned red. He looked away, not wanting to let Father Yan see that he was about to cry. He fisted his right hand. Since young, he had always felt as though he had a father. Although, it was different before the death of Yan Yehan's mother, Ms. Ye. When Ms. Ye was alive, his father was very attentive. She treated him as though he was her own child. But, the moment she gave birth and died, things went haywire.
He once heard a relative gossip about his legitimacy. That he was only an illegitimate child. Since then, he had bore thoughts that he had to be better than Yan Yehan. Gradually, resentment grew in his heart and he began to develop nasty feeling towards the younger boy.
Father Yan continued to say though. "I apologize." He walked back towards his seat and sat while facing Yan He. "What exactly would you have chosen as you major if you didn't choose business management."
"It doesn't matter anymore, though," Yan He replied. He didn't have a particular dream he wanted to chase. Moreover, he was beginning to like working in the company."
"Are you sure?" Father Yan asked, his voice doubtful.
"I'm sure, dad."
"Alright."
"Come back to the company with me on Monday," Father Yan suddenly announced. "You've already passed your probation. I hope this time around you're able to manage the company well. I hope no such thing as last year's incident happens again. Do you understand?"
Yan He immediately lowered his head at the mention of his mistake the year before and replied, "Yes, dad."
"Good," Father Yan replied as he reached out to pat the young man. Afterwards, he just kept silent as he stared at the distance. Feeling uncomfortable, Yan He stood up.
"I'll take my leave then?"
Father Yan nodded. However, just as Yan He was about to turn the door knob, he called out,
"You're the eldest son of my small family. Although Yehan is not your mother's son, he is still your younger brother. I hate to see that you brothers are not getting along well. Take care of your younger ones, alright? And, do not let anyone fill your ears with all sorts of nonsense. I do not love any of you more than the other. You all have your strengths in which I adore."
Yan He turned towards his father in surprise. His father knew that their mother was telling them bad things about how their father didn't love them as much as he did Yehan? Yan He felt even more guilty under his father's imploring gaze. He had done all sorts of things to Yehan since childhood under the instigation of his mother. Even though he knew it wasn't right, he still did it. He subconsciously glanced at the mark on his wrist.
'If Si Xi hadn't saved Yehan that day, i could have hurt him badly. What exactly was I doing?'
Nevertheless, he said to Father Yan, "I understand."