Reborn: The Return of the Villainous Mr. Liu

Chapter 841: The impending chill

The same evening, Yating headed to Gu villa rather than returning to his own condo. First Duan Ren's sudden appearance before him after so many years and now Yin's accusation against Gu Rong failed to settle his heart.

He was looking for an explanation not to prove his father's innocence but the guilt of his mother and Yin's. Though there were differences between him and Gu Rong, he would never allow for such serious accusations against him to linger.

With Yin's involvement, it had gotten even more complicated because Yating knew that he was planning something against him and the Gu family, possibly defaming them to take revenge against him.

I won't let Dad's reputation get tarnished just because Cheng Yin has a problem with me, he thought to himself.

"Young master Yating!"

Butler Mo, who was setting up the dinner at the dinner table, beamed at his sight. He ecstatically rushed towards him. "What a pleasant surprise!"

Yating gave a helpless smile. "Uncle, I have told you so many times to just call me Yating."

"How dare I be disrespectful to you?"

"It's not disrespectful. You feel distant," he pouted.

Butler Mo warmly smiled. "We are never distant, young master. Master Gu will be so happy to meet you!"

It's the first time in such a long time that you came on your own…

Butler Mo couldn't help but get emotional.

"Why are you shedding tears for no reason?"

Gu Rong arrived from the back and just as Butler Mo, he was visibly surprised to see Yating. "How come you are here? Did Mo call you?"

Yating - "..."

"Master Gu!"

Butler Mo gave him an equally incredulous look and harshly reprimanded him. "That's not how you speak to your son who is here to meet you!"

Gu Rong's mouth twitched.

How should I know? Don't you always invite him over!?

"...I mean that's not what I mean."

After the last confrontation, I didn't think that he would…

He cleared his throat. "Anyway. Now that you are here, join me for dinner."

It was more of an order than a request, making his brow twitch. But as he studied him, he observed that Gu Rong looked a little more tired than usual. His eyes looked fatigued and the lines on his face screamed of exhaustion.

"Have you been working more? You look so weary."

"Just the usual office work," he waved his hand in dismissal. "If only-"

He was about to throw a jab as if it was the most natural thing in the world but he stopped himself in time. He didn't want to ruin everybody's mood with another round of arguments between them.

Though Yating smelled that jab from miles away. He knew exactly what he was about to say, making his brow twitch again.

Butler Mo shook his head. "Only you can tell him, young master. I tell him so often to rest and take it easy but he just doesn't listen."

Gu Rong frowned. "I always listen to you."

"My memory must be failing me then," he smiled sarcastically.

"..."

Yating wondered if he should ask him about Duan Ren. Seeing him in this state, he didn't feel it was prudent to tell him what happened, especially with Yin's accusations.

Gu Rong narrowed his eyes. "What are you brooding over?"

"Nothing. Let's eat."

Butler Mo blinked. "But weren't you at the party tonight with Miss. Zhu? You must have already had dinner, right?"

"Oh," Gu Rong then remembered. "How was the party? Did anything useful happen?"

"...Useful in what context?"

He shrugged. "Just like that."

Yating squinted his eyes. "Dad, Chyou and I are just friends and I don't want you to expect anything more out of it."

He secretly gnashed his jaw.

Useless son!

Gu Rong threw him a hard glare and stomped towards the dinner table. When Yating pulled a chair too, Gu Rong asked, "Is there something you want to talk to me about?"

Yating paused and glanced at him again. "Nothing."

He knew Duan Ren's mention would only spiral his mood into more complication.

Gu Rong felt even more confused.

Was Yating here for no reason?

Butler Mo grimaced and whispered in his ear. "Don't you always complain that young master doesn't pay attention to you? Now that he is here, why aren't you looking thrilled?"

"...I am happy."

"Then show it on your face."

"..."

They finished the rest of the dinner in silence. Gu Rong only asked random questions which Yating answered. There wasn't anymore of a conversation.

Gu Rong didn't know what else to talk about, so he said, "I will be in my study. You can come around if there is anything on your mind."

"Yeah."

After Gu Rong left, only Butler Mo remained by his side. He smiled at him. "There is definitely something on your mind, right? Master Gu feels the same."

Yating hesitated. "There is something. But Dad looks tired. I thought I will talk about it later."

"What is it about? Maybe I can help you."

"...It's a little complicated."

"That's fine. We will figure it out together."

Yating's chest filled with warmth and ease with his words. He was the same Uncle Mo he knew from his childhood. Calm, patient and always positive.

"I met…or rather…Mom came to meet me a few days ago."

Butler Mo's eyes ever so slowly widened as if a scene from a horror movie was playing out in front of him.

"Y-You mean…Miss. Duan?"

Yating blinked. "Yes."

He stared at him as he tried to reel in his anxiety. "Why would she meet you after so long? Did she…say anything?"

"I don't understand it either. She only said that she missed me a lot and she felt like meeting me. But…"

Butler Mo stiffened. "But?"

"She asked me not to tell Dad and she looked really terrified of him."

He inwardly clenched his jaw.

This cannot be happening…

Yating shook his head. "I just felt confused. I hadn't seen her in years. I don't know what I was supposed to feel. I still don't."

Butler Mo trembled.

"What's more bizarre is that we met Cheng Yin today at the party. He was uttering nonsense about Dad!" A vein popped on his forehead.

"Huh? That's odd," Butler Mo snapped out from his dilemma. "Cheng Yin spoke about Master Gu? What did he say?"

Yating grimaced. "It's absolutely garbage. He thinks that I snatched everything away from him so he is targeting my family. He wants to defame Dad by saying that he is a killer and so Chyou should keep her distance from us."

It was at that point that Yating felt a steep silence and a sharp drop in the temperature.

He looked up, puzzled with a sense of unease in his heart as he read Butler Mo's pale expression. "Uncle?"