Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Yating impatiently waited at the nearby cake shop, waiting for Chyou's cake to be packed. He frequently glanced at his watch, worried about what his father would say to her.

He was always very passionate about making Chyou as his daughter-in-law and now that she was single, Gu Rong wouldn't leave a chance to sway her towards his proposal.

I just hope he doesn't say any nonsense! He thought as he rubbed his brows.

Yating collected the cake box and quickly headed out of the shop when he heard a soft voice calling him from behind.

"Ya-Yating…"

Yating stopped in his steps and turned. A middle-aged woman stood before him with a hint of hesitation on her face.

Yating stared at her for a long time. It didn't click with him immediately as to the identity of the woman before him. He was very young when she left him and Gu Rong. The hazy figure of that woman from all those years back was almost a fleeting and distant memory now.

But the resemblance slowly came to him and his feet remained frozen on the ground.

"Mom…?"

—

"Duan Ren was never a good mother," Gu Rong remorsefully said. "She began to distance herself from Yating and that soon caused many fights between us. I don't know if he even remembers her."

Chyou's gaze lowered. In a way then she and Yating were very similar. Both went through troubled childhoods with a lack of their mother's love. The only difference was that eventually, Caihong came around and accepted her daughter at one point in time.

But that time never came for Yating.

She softly pursed her lips. "Did she leave because the responsibility was too much for her?"

She didn't hear a response and looked up to watch Gu Rong gazing at a distance with an indecipherable expression.

"...I had enough of it so I told her to leave. There wasn't a point anymore."

Her shoulders dropped. As she gazed into his eyes, Chyou didn't know why but his countenance made her feel a little uneasy. As if there was something more to his and Duan Ren's relationship.

The door opened and they saw Yating step in. He walked slowly as if still in a trance and pondering over something important.

"Ah cake!" Chyou chirped and broke the father-son duo's daze.

They threw a cold stare at each other, making Chyou's brow twitch.

They are always at war, she thought.

Chyou merrily grabbed the cake bag from him and pushed it in the middle of Gu Rong's desk. "Let's sweeten our mood with the cake~"

Gu Rong smiled. "I don't really like sweet things that much."

Yating couldn't help himself from releasing a scoff. "Yeah it's so very evident."

He banged his palm and glared at him. "Gu Yating! What do you mean?"

"I think you know it very well."

"Stop!" Chyou raised her palm. "You two should know a very important rule."

They furrowed their brows in confusion.

"One must never fight when either of the three things are in front of you - chocolates, cake and ice cream."

"..."

What kind of a rule is this?

"So Yating. You should sit down and without throwing any snide remarks this time," she sincerely said.

He was dumbfounded. "What about all the unnecessary commentary he greets me with all the time!"

"Me being concerned about you and your future is unnecessary commentary for you!?" Gu Rong's gaze darkened.

Chyou started sniffling. "Nobody cares about the poor cake."

"..."

They coughed and immediately quietened. Gu Rong felt guilty. Chyou was already dealing through a betrayal. How could he bring more tears to her eyes?

"I am sorry, dear. I won't fight anymore."

Yating cleared his throat. "Same here…"

Chyou beamed and clapped her hands once in delight. "Great! Let's have some cake then!"

Wait a second, where are your tears now?

Yating rolled his eyes.

She is the Queen for a reason.

—

As Yating returned home, he sat down on the couch in contemplation. He didn't let it show in front of Gu Rong and Chyou but meeting Duan Ren after so long had shaken him up. Only he knew how he was holding it together.

As he pondered in the deep silence, he faintly recalled some broken memories of her. But none of them were any sweet memories. There was only arguments, ignorance and avoidance in them.

'Yating…you have grown so much…'

Yating could only stare at her. He saw her eyes rimmed in tears but he wasn't sure how he was supposed to feel. Just days ago, he said to Gu Rong that it would have been nice had his mother been there too.

Now she was really standing before him. But he wasn't sure if he returned the same sentiments.

"I know it must be shocking to you that I am appearing before you after so long. Gu Rong and I separated long back. You were hardly four or five back then…"

He pursed his lips hard and blankly kept staring at her. The cake bag in his hand mildly trembled and his heart began to pound. He wished to run away from this puzzling situation but he couldn't. In the end, he couldn't utter a single word.

"I understand I haven't been a good mother…" she was close to tears. "I regret it a lot. But I still kept missing you. I couldn't help but come to you today. I know it must be bothering you…I just wanted to see you…"

He said nothing.

"I will take my leave," she sniffled. "J-Just I have one request…"

At that moment, Yating realized a distinct fear in her eyes. "P-please don't tell Gu Rong about this meeting, okay? I beg you…"

Yating opened his eyes at present. Duan Ren hadn't said much and quietly left after that. But what he didn't understand was why was so terrified as she mentioned him?

Why did her eyes reflect pure horror as she uttered Gu Rong's name?

Yating felt that reaction a little too extreme. He knew that Gu Rong obviously wouldn't be thrilled for Duan Ren to come meeting Yating again when they had already separated. He would fume to no bounds.

But did that reason really warrant such a fear from her?