Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Chyou peeked inside the ward through a small, round window that let her see Gu Rong and Yating, the latter seated beside him. Yating held his father's hand, his gaze laced with an unreadable expression. It was as if his silence spoke volumes of his inexplicable thoughts.

She tiptoed and stepped in without making any noise. She clenched her fists seeing him look so tired and defeated. She slowly dragged another chair and took a seat beside him.

Yating realized her presence even without turning his head. He whispered wearily, "You should head back home and rest. I will be here with Dad."

"And who will be here with you?"

He shook slightly. "I am doing fine."

"Say that while looking at me."

He neither replied back nor moved.

Chyou pouted and held his head, which she made it turn towards her. The traces of his past tears were visible and so did a sense of fear and uncertainty in his black orbs. He tried not to but he couldn't stop his eyes from becoming misty again.

He asked with a hoarse voice, "Why didn't Dad tell me about his health? How could he keep something like this from me? I feel so stupid, Chyou. I have been fighting with him all this time to become an editor. He wanted me to lead the Gu Corps but I remained stubborn. I have been doing nothing but stressing him out.

He is working so hard at this age and it's all because of me. He should have already retired but I kept forcing him to work like a machine."

She flicked his forehead. "That's not true and you also know that."

"He has been worrying over my career choice and future. Wasn't it only bringing anxiety to him? It's my fault that I am still unable to prove my job to him or make him see merit in it and in the end, he keeps worrying more and more."

She shook her head. "You should understand, Yating. Uncle Rong is a little traditional in this sense. Even if you work hard as an editor, in the end, he would always prefer for you to take over Gu Corps. That's because it's the company he has built and he knows that it will keep your future safe and stress-free. So he won't try to look at other career choices.

He is a little rigid in that sense but it's only because he cares about you."

He gritted his teeth. "But I should have listened to him. Maybe arguing with me all this time made him…Maybe I am the reason for his weakened-"

She threw a glare at him. "No self-blame, okay? I won't allow you to. Things like this happen between parents and children. It's a part of parenthood. I am not taking it for granted but there will always be differences of opinions between a parent and a child.

A child is also his or her own person after all. That doesn't mean they are to be blamed for the things they wish to have. You are overthinking your guilt in all this."

He remained silent for a few long moments.

"I should…I should take over Gu Corps, Chyou. I will do what Dad wants."

She peered into his eyes, feeling the sincerity in them. "That's a decision you have to think about very carefully."

"I have given it a careful thought."

"No, you haven't. You are feeling very emotional right now. Seeing him collapsed, learning about his condition has made your mind go into a disarray. I don't think that's what Uncle Rong wants. Maybe that's why he kept his heart condition a secret from you. He didn't want you to agree because you felt pitiful for him.

He might be wanting for you to agree to his decision on your own terms without the pressure of his health being put upon you."

He trembled and her words made an impact on him. What she said was true. If he had known about his condition ten years ago, he would have agreed to become the CEO in a heartbeat.

But that wasn't the kind of yes Gu Rong was looking for.

"But then what about the sarcasm and taunts over these years? Wasn't that to make me give up on my dream? Why does Dad act so confusingly?"

She chuckled. "It's not confusing. He is just being very honest about his take. He doesn't like your editor job so he is simply looking down upon it. I don't think he is meaning to force you to quit and join the Gu Corps because of his verbal attacks. If he wanted that, he would have played the pitiful card ages ago."

Yating paused and looked up at her. "Why do I feel that you understand my Dad more than me?"

She grinned. "Well first of all, I am very charming."

What's that got to do with anything? He wondered.

"Second of all, Uncle Rong is quite like my Dad. There was a time when Dad used to keep a lot of things in his heart. From outside, he gave a fierce and villainous vibe, but his heart held nothing but love and concern for his family. He is not the type to express his own feelings that much so he was misunderstood a lot. I learned it from him to not absorb things just at their face value."

Yating stared at Gu Rong. No matter how salty or rude Gu Rong might have acted over the years, Yating knew in his heart that he could always count on him in the worst situation.

"He actually babies you a lot, you know?" She said, "He doesn't want you to work so hard in making a name for yourself and instead wants you to simply join his company and enjoy a carefree life. When we started working for the ad commercials, Uncle Rong had actually called me one day."

"Huh? Called you?"

She stuck out her tongue. "Don't tell Uncle that I told you. It's supposed to be a secret."

"Chyou, I have a request. Please take care of Yating, okay?"

Chyou blinked. "Is there any problem, Uncle?"

"Of course there is. He is very new to this acting stuff. He doesn't know anything about the entertainment industry. I am forcing this cooperation gig on him so it's my responsibility I don't let anything untoward happen. So I hope you could guide and protect him," he urgently said, "I don't want anybody to bully my son just because he is a newcomer."

"..."

Such a doting father!

Yating stared at her in a daze and quivering hard, he broke down into soft sobs. His head bumped against her shoulder as he let out his tears and held her like a child terrified of the dark.

"I am scared Chyou...I don't know what to think. I love him a lot but what if he has... really killed somebody in the past? I cannot imagine Dad to be a murderer. I am afraid to hear that...it might be the truth...I am afraid because I wonder if I will start hating him for taking someone's life and I don't want to hate him, Chyou. He is the only family I have.

I don't want to lose him..." He cried hard.