Julia Yu glanced around and casually picked a quiet 24-hour bookstore.
"Alright, I’ll be there soon." Stephen Song grabbed his car keys, about to head out, then suddenly remembered something, rushed to the bathroom to check his appearance, and only left after making sure everything was perfect.
"What’s up with our son?" Mrs. Song, with her gold-rimmed glasses and scholarly air, looked at her husband in confusion. "Heading out so late?"
Mr. Song, who was reading a financial magazine, didn’t even look up. "He’s thirty-five this year, not a kid anymore. As long as he knows his limits, it’s fine."
Mrs. Song said, "He looks so excited—could he be going on a date? But at this hour, what kind of girl would it be? Hopefully not someone shady. Our Song family won’t tolerate anyone who’s lazy or immature."
"Don’t worry, our son has good judgment," Mr. Song replied. "If he were the type to chase after women, would he still be single at this age?"
"True," Mrs. Song sighed. "I wonder when he’ll finally bring home a daughter-in-law. Oh, by the way, I visited the second branch a few days ago and saw a really impressive young lady—she’s a lawyer, and she’s climbed her way up to chief assistant to the CEO. Such a talented woman, I wonder if she’s single. If she married our Stephen, it would be perfect. Only someone that capable deserves to join our family."
You’re overthinking," Mr. Song teased his wife. "You think our son is outstanding, but it depends who you compare him to. If you look at the Yin Family or Monroe Family, any one of their kids could outshine him!"
Mrs. Song knew her husband was right, but she didn’t like hearing it. "Why do you always put down our son? I think Stephen’s great! He’s back to inherit your business, so don’t let anyone bully him."
"Yes, yes, dear. You’re always right," Mr. Song replied, clearly eager to appease her. "You’re always the wisest."
"Not really," Julia Yu smiled, looking down. "I happened to pass by and saw this quiet bookstore, so I thought I’d stop in. What do you want to drink? My treat."
"No, let me treat," Stephen Song quickly raised his hand and pressed the bell on the table.
Soon, a waiter came over. "Would you like something to drink?"
"A hot milk for the lady, juice for me, and a fruit platter. If you have other snacks, please bring some. Thank you." Stephen Song checked the menu on the tablet and added, "Also, could you bring a few throw pillows?"
"Certainly." The waiter quickly placed the order, and everything was brought over soon after.
Stephen Song handed a pillow to Julia Yu. "You’ve been wearing high heels all day, you must be exhausted. Use this to support your back, it’ll be more comfortable."
"Thank you. Are you always this gentle and considerate, Mr. Song?" Julia Yu relaxed against the sofa, letting out a comfortable sigh.
"Not always," Stephen Song replied with a smile. "It depends on the person."
Julia Yu took a sip of hot milk and finally felt her stomach settle. She said, "Mr. Song, you have excellent manners."
Julia Yu had investigated Stephen Song.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have set him up on a blind date with Lisa Li.
Stephen Song’s parents have always been loving. His mother is an oil painting professor, very elegant. His father runs a business but isn’t at all greasy, and is very open-minded about raising children—otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Stephen study in Australia all these years. You could say Stephen is a real catch, and he’s got the credentials to prove it. If Lisa Li could be with Stephen Song, she’d be incredibly lucky. He’s got a great family, upbringing, taste, ability, knowledge, and talent. He’s truly on par with most outstanding young men out there.
It’s just a pity Lisa Li isn’t that lucky.
"My parents really are open-minded," Stephen Song added silently, you’ll like them.
Actually, the reason I asked you out so late was because I wanted someone to talk to. I don’t have many friends here, or rather, my old friends have drifted away and we’ve lost touch. Especially with my current position, it limits who I can associate with. I can’t let people use me to get close to President Mo, or use me to harm the Mo Consortium. So after searching, you’re the only one I could talk to.
"I’m honored," Stephen Song said softly to Julia Yu. "I hope that in the future, whenever you need someone to talk to, you’ll think of me."
Julia Yu laughed. "So, does that mean we’re friends now, Mr. Song?"
"Of course," Stephen Song added silently, I’d rather be your boyfriend.
Julia Yu let out a sigh of relief and said softly, "My feelings are a bit messy today, I’m not sure how to talk about it."
"It’s okay, just say whatever you want. I’m listening." Stephen Song poured Julia Yu a glass of water and placed it in front of her.
You might not know much about my family situation. Technically, I have parents, but it’s basically as if I don’t. Before I turned eighteen, I had a happy family—or so I thought. On my eighteenth birthday, they told me that everything I thought was happiness was just an act they'd put on together. After I came of age, they split up, each started their own family, and quickly had new children. So I became the extra one. All through college, I supported myself with scholarships and part-time jobs. In my junior year, I fought my way through over a thousand applicants to earn a spot as an exchange student, and went to the US for two years for free. After graduation, nobody asked where I was going. I started as a law firm intern and worked my way up to a qualified lawyer.
It was a really tough time. You might not know this, but law firm interns in China earn very little. I only made eight hundred yuan a month, but my rent was a thousand, and that was for a tiny room way out north. To survive, I worked a lot of jobs—delivering milk at dawn, riding my bike from neighborhood to neighborhood. During the day, I worked at the law firm, assisting senior lawyers. At night, I tutored, did homework, and drafted plans, often working late. Day after day, year after year, I made it through. During the hardest times, I was so poor I could only afford one meal a day, and all my calories came from the law firm’s free lunch.
I’m really grateful to my mentor, who saw my situation and secretly helped me out a lot. That’s what gave me the courage to keep going. I almost gave up, but in the end, I pushed through. The first time I stood in court as a defense lawyer and won enough rights for my client, he didn’t cry—I did. That was when I finally found my purpose in life. It was those hard years that laid the foundation for who I am today.
Stephen Song nodded, not interrupting.
Julia Yu’s eyes reddened as she said, "I thought that for the rest of my life, my relationship with my parents would just be a legal obligation. But recently, they both showed up together for the first time. My mother threatened suicide to force me to marry into a wealthy family. My father, short on money, agreed with her and also tried to force me to marry. I bought out my relationship with my mother using a thick proposal and investment plan—gave her billions in profit, in exchange for her leaving me alone."
Actually, I think this is fine. Everyone gets what they need, nothing wrong with that. I’ll just pretend I never had a mother. But then, I was told my father’s new family was struggling. I secretly went to see my half-brother—such a small child, at an age when he should be carefree, but he’s living under the constant threat of illness. He’s been sick since birth, and his whole family has been dragged down by it.
Some people say, Julia, you shouldn’t hold grudges, you should help them. But why? Was it me who made them have Leo Yu? Was it me who made Leo sick? Why should I, just because I have money, play the saint and take care of the people who abandoned me? Is there still any justice in this world?
I thought I could be cold enough, that it wouldn’t matter. But those clear eyes kept flashing before me, that timid little figure kept appearing. When he softly called me "sister," I couldn’t help but soften.
Stephen Song listened quietly, not rushing to offer comfort.
Julia Yu took a deep breath and tried to steady her emotions.
"I just wanted someone to talk to tonight," she said softly. "Thanks for being here."
"Anytime," Stephen Song replied gently. "You can always talk to me."
Julia Yu managed a small smile, her eyes still a little red.
The two sat quietly for a moment, the atmosphere warm and comforting.
Outside, the city lights glimmered through the bookstore windows, casting a gentle glow over their conversation.
For tonight, at least, Julia Yu felt a little less alone.
Stephen Song watched her quietly, hoping he could always be the one she turned to.
They didn’t need to say much—their quiet companionship was enough.