Chapter 269: Clear Lines

Runze’s POV

A polished pearl-grey car pulls into the driveway in the morning sun.

I stand by the large glass window in the sitting room, watching through the clear light as the car comes to a smooth stop near the stone steps.

The rear door opens, and Ling Yue steps onto the gravel path.

The moment he steps through the front entrance, his eyes wander over the airy corridor and the familiar high ceilings. He pauses, letting out a soft, long breath, as if simply breathing in the scent of osmanthus and tea leaves brings him a wave of relief.

"Welcome back, Young Master Ling," Mrs. Wen says warmly, coming forward from the inner hall to meet him.

Ling Yue’s face instantly brightens into a real, affectionate smile. "Mrs. Wen... it’s so good to be back. I missed your cooking the second I left."

Mrs. Wen laughs softly, her expression full of fond warmth. "I made a fresh pot of jasmine tea and those almond pastries you like. Go on inside, Young Master Runze is waiting."

"Thank you, Mrs. Wen," Ling Yue says softly, giving her a small, respectful bow before turning toward the sitting room.

I step out into the hallway to meet him.

"You look like you haven’t been sleeping well," I say gently, stepping closer to give him a brief embrace.

"I haven’t," Ling Yue admits with a quiet chuckle, pulling back and looking around the quiet hallway with a faint trace of nostalgia. "I forgot how peaceful this house is. My office feels like a war zone every day." He pauses, his gaze darting toward the sitting room sofa. "Where is she?"

"In here," I say, turning to lead the way back inside.

Siying rests on a soft blue cushion in the middle of the sofa, wrapped in a light cotton blanket. She is much more alert now than she was during her first week home. Her curious eyes are wide open, tracking the shadows on the wall, her tiny hands flexing against the woven fabric.

The moment Ling Yue sees her, the tension in his face visibly softens. He sits down beside her on the couch and carefully slides his hands beneath her back and head, lifting her against his chest with the easy, practiced care he’d learned during her first week home.

Siying lets out a short, high-pitched chirp against his shirt, her small fingers instantly reaching out and kicking her tiny legs against his lap.

Ling Yue breaks into a wide smile, resting his cheek against her soft hair for a long second before pulling back to look at her face. "Hmm? She remembers me! Look at those eyes, Runze—she’s actually looking right at me."

"She makes that sound at the window light, too," I tease, sitting down on the other end of the couch.

"No," Ling Yue insists with complete certainty, shifting Siying so she cradles comfortably in the crook of his arm. "That was definitely a greeting. She knows her Uncle Ling Yue." He tilts his head, watching her tiny mouth open into a silent yawn. "She’s grown so much in just two weeks. Her face is filling out."

"She has an appetite," I say softly. "Just like her father."

Mrs. Wen brings in the tea tray, setting down the fresh pot of jasmine tea and a plate of warm almond crackers on the low table between us before quietly stepping out to attend to the morning duties.

As Ling Yue takes a slow sip of the tea, leaning back against the plush cushions, he lets out a long, contented sigh. "I swear, your tea tastes better than anything in my office."

I watch him quietly for a moment, noticing the faint dark circles beneath his eyes despite his calm demeanor. "How are things going at work?"

"Messy," Ling Yue says, staring down at Siying’s tiny fingers as she tugs at his sleeve. "My father’s employees tried to push me around at first. They thought I’d get overwhelmed by everything and run away back into hiding. They threw all the hardest tasks, old files, and unresolved issues at my desk—anything to test me."

"Did they get to you?"

"No," Ling Yue says. His voice carries a flat, solid strength I have never heard from him before. "I stayed at my desk every night until I went through every piece of work they gave me. I took over management two days ago. It’s officially under my control now."

I look at him across the couch. Back when he first left Jin Hao and came to the estate, he hadn’t even bothered asking for permission from work before going into hiding. He had admitted to me once before that he was usually too lazy to take the family business seriously, so it was hardly surprising that the workers were reluctant to welcome him back at first.

Now, seeing him take responsibility without making excuses, he looks entirely different.

"It’s good that you went back," I tell him honestly. "You’re actually handling things now."

"I had to," Ling Yue murmurs, his thumb gently smoothing over Siying’s tiny knuckles. "I couldn’t stay hiding forever."

Outside the sitting room, the estate is slowly coming alive with an unusual level of movement.

Through the window, I catch sight of two gardeners clearing fallen leaves from the path, while the faint sound of floor-polishing carries down the hallway from the dining wing. Mrs. Wen’s calm voice echoes in the distance, directing the maids as they prep the main reception hall.

The entire estate is quietly shifting gears, waking up to prepare for something massive.

Ling Yue glances toward the hallway as a maid passes by carrying a stack of pressed white table linens. "What’s going on out there? The house feels... busy."

"Grandmother," I explain with a low sigh, running a hand over my forehead. "She announced Siying’s one-month celebration two days ago. She just decided we were hosting the whole business circle here at the estate."

"A formal banquet?" Ling Yue asks, an amused glint touching his eyes.

"A massive one," I clarify. "She’s inviting corporate partners, old family friends, board executives... Bael didn’t even argue with her. He just handed the planning over to Mrs. Wen and security to Liang Feng."

Ling Yue smiles, looking down at the baby in his arms. "Well, she is a Wuchen. A grand introduction is only fitting."

Suddenly, Ling Yue stops. A look of sharp realization flashes across his face, his shoulders stiffening slightly.

"What is it?" I ask.

"The bracelet," Ling Yue groans, pressing his forehead against Siying’s blanket with a soft, embarrassed laugh. "Runze, I am an idiot. The day Jin Hao found me at the boutique... I bought a white-gold bracelet with a pale jade bead for Siying. I was holding the bag when he took me back to his villa."

My eyes widen slightly. "You left it at his place?"

"In the rush of leaving that night, I forgot the bag on his nightstand," Ling Yue mutters, shaking his head in self-deprecation. "I was so focused on grabbing his car keys and getting out that I completely left her gift behind."

"Ling Yue, it’s fine," I say gently, reaching out to pour him another cup of tea. "You don’t need to bring a gift."

"No, it isn’t fine," Ling Yue insists playfully, looking up with a pout. "That was her official welcome gift from her uncle! Now I have to go out and find something even better before the party. I refuse to let someone else outdo me."

I chuckle, shaking my head. "Good luck with that. Bael has already ordered a custom cradle from abroad."

"I’ll find something," Ling Yue says with a quiet, stubborn determination.

The light mood lingers for a few quiet minutes, filled only with the soft sounds of Siying smacking her lips against Ling Yue’s shirt as she drifts into a light sleep.

For a moment, we simply sit together. Although Ling Yue hadn’t made it back to the estate on the exact third day like he originally said he would, he had eventually found time to tell me what actually happened that night at Jin Hao’s villa—why he chose to pack his things and leave for the second time. Hearing him talk about it now, there’s no frantic pain in his voice. He isn’t asking for advice or looking back. He has simply made up his mind to choose himself.

I look at my friend, feeling a quiet pride in the space he has given himself to breathe.

Before we can continue, Liang Feng steps into the sitting room archway, carrying a sleek leather binder in his hand.

"Young Master Runze," Liang Feng says politely, bowing his head slightly. "Madam Wuchen asked if you could review the draft guest list for the celebration. She wants your input on the seating arrangement for the main table."

"Thank you, Liang Feng," I say, taking the binder from him. "How is the planning coming along?"

"The florist will arrive tomorrow morning for the courtyard, and the hotel catering team is inspecting the kitchen on Thursday," Liang Feng reports smoothly. "Everything is on schedule."

Ling Yue looks up from the couch, an amused glint in his eye. "Am I invited to this grand affair? Or will your men turn me away at the iron gates?"

"Of course you’re invited," I say, opening the binder to glance through the names. "You don’t even need to ask."

"No," Ling Yue says, his tone turning playfully firm as he cradles the sleeping baby against his chest. "I want an explicit invitation, my name printed in gold foil on a formal card."

I let out a soft laugh. "Fine. Ling Yue, you are explicitly invited to my daughter’s one-month party."

"Good," Ling Yue says, looking down at Siying with a satisfied smile. "I’ll make sure my new gift makes Mr. Bael’s gift look ordinary."

Liang Feng offers a subtle, polite smile at our exchange before bowing and quietly stepping out to handle his duties.

I look down at the binder in my lap, feeling the quiet weight of the days ahead as the estate prepares to open its gates to the world.