Gu Yan heard this, her eyes widened in shock, her face turned a little pale, and her heart was filled with unease. How could he know about the child?
But then she thought, since he could find her here, he must have found out about the child.
This child was born secretly, and she hadn't told anyone.
Over the years, although her life had been difficult, every time she saw her child's smile, she felt it was all worth it. Unknowingly, her life had become entirely for this child.
Even as the child grew up, became rebellious, always went against her, and his smiles became fewer and fewer, she never regretted it.
Gu En was her everything, and she would never allow anyone to take him away from her.
Even the child's biological father!
She instinctively wanted to close the door, but Ye Qichen immediately blocked it with his hand.
"Are you crying?" Ye Qichen looked at the tear stains on her face and her red nose. It was obvious she had just been crying.
Gu Yan subconsciously wiped her eyes, "No, I was cooking and accidentally got choked."
Ye Qichen pushed the door open and stepped into the living room. Gu Yan only then reacted and wanted to stop him, but it was too late.
Gu En happened to hear the commotion from his room. As he opened the door, he came face to face with Ye Qichen.
Ye Qichen froze, looking at Gu En. The young man was tall, at eleven years old, he was already one meter sixty, like a little adult, but he was too thin, appearing somewhat malnourished.
His facial features were well-defined and handsome, very much like Gu Yan. Only his peach blossom eyes, which exuded a sharp gaze, were different from Gu Yan's.
Gu Yan had almond-shaped eyes, while his peach blossom eyes were much more similar to the Ye family's inherited trait.
Gu En was also sizing up Ye Qichen, from head to toe.
This was the first time in his life he had seen a man come to their house looking for his mother. And the man's clothes, though he didn't know the brand, were clearly expensive. He was a wealthy man.
He remembered classmates at school mocking his mother for being someone's mistress. His brow furrowed, and his gaze towards Ye Qichen became tinged with hostility.
Gu Yan watched them stare at each other, her anxious heart pounding as if it would leap out of her throat.
"Gu En, say hello to uncle," she said hurriedly.
Her mother's anxious demeanor only made Gu En more certain of his classmates' suspicions. He pursed his lips, glared at Ye Qichen for a few more seconds, then turned and went back into his room, slamming the door shut with a loud bang.
Ye Qichen frowned at this.
"Heh heh, he's Gu En, my son. I'm married," Gu Yan explained deliberately, emphasizing the last four words.
Ye Qichen looked at her with surprise, then surveyed the cramped living room. He saw no signs of a third man living there. The most prominent photos on the wall only showed the mother and son.
Seeing his gaze fall on the photos, Gu Yan quickly explained, fearing he would be suspicious, "We divorced later due to incompatibility, and the child stayed with me."
Ye Qichen's gaze shifted from the photos to Gu Yan's face, staring at her intently as if trying to discern if her words were true or false.
After all, when she confessed her feelings to him back then, she had been exceptionally resolute, saying she would marry no one else and would never fall for anyone else...
However, people change.
"When did that happen?" he asked, his lips moving slightly.
Gu Yan hadn't expected him to be so specific. She vaguely replied, "It happened a long time ago, nothing much to say. What about you? Are you married? Do you have children?" Da Feng Xiao Shuo Wang
She wanted to change the subject, but Ye Qichen was unwilling. He continued to stare at her and asked, "I mean, when did you get married?"
She confessed her love to him twelve years ago, and her child was eleven years old. Was she married right after he rejected her?
He felt something was amiss.
Gu Yan, uncomfortable under his gaze, bit her fingernails. The atmosphere suddenly became tense.
Just as she was agonizing over how to answer, her phone in her pocket rang abruptly, rescuing her.
"Ring ring ring!" It was the alarm she had set, reminding her she had to go to the express delivery station at eight o'clock for work.
"I'm sorry, I have to go to work soon and can't entertain you. I won't see you out." Gu Yan took out her phone, turned off the alarm, and asked him to leave.
Without waiting for him, she quickly finished cooking the remaining dishes in the kitchen, then knocked on Gu En's door to remind him to come out for dinner.
"Gu En, dinner is ready. Eat it while it's hot. I'm going to work, and when I get back, I'll check your homework and your self-criticism letter."
Ye Qichen glanced at the dishes Gu Yan brought out from the kitchen: three dishes, scrambled eggs with tomatoes, minced pork with tofu, and stir-fried baby bok choy.
The child was growing, eating such plain food, no wonder he was so thin.
"Where do you work? I'll give you a ride," Ye Qichen asked.
He didn't ask why she still had to work so late, because from their living environment and their meals, he could see their financial constraints.
"No need, it's nearby, just a few steps away." Gu Yan refused, glanced at the time, and it was too late for dinner. She hurried out.
Ye Qichen didn't force the issue and followed her downstairs.
After going downstairs, they passed through an alleyway between tightly packed buildings and arrived at an express delivery station.
Gu Yan worked the evening shift here, helping with data entry, organizing packages on shelves, and occasionally helping to retrieve them. She worked from eight to twelve, for four hours.
Ye Qichen watched her busily working, even lifting heavy packages with her own hands, not seeming to mind the dirt or the fatigue. She was a completely different person from the proud eldest daughter of the Gu family back then.
Watching her, he felt an indescribable emotion, perhaps sympathy, perhaps pity, or perhaps heartache.
Gu Yan knew Ye Qichen was watching her from the side, but she didn't know what he wanted.
She had no choice but to keep busy and ignore him, hoping he would leave on his own. After all, the great young master Ye wouldn't have so much free time to waste here.
However, two hours passed, and Ye Qichen had not left.
"Sister Yan, is that handsome guy your man?" Xiao Jia, the store owner's daughter, who also helped out at the shop, came over to gossip while there were few customers retrieving packages.
"He's very handsome, why haven't you ever mentioned him?"
Seeing her misunderstanding, Gu Yan denied it, "No! Don't guess randomly! I don't know him."
"Really? I saw you come in together, and he's been standing there watching you. It's impossible to say you don't know him, right?" Xiao Jia didn't believe her. "Could he be your suitor? Sister Yan is also quite good-looking, it's normal to have men chasing you. Should I go over and try to find out for you?"
As she spoke, she was about to go out, but Gu Yan quickly pulled her back, "Xiao Jia, don't fool around!"
"What? Shy? Then hurry up and tell me the truth!" Xiao Jia teased.
"I..." Gu Yan was about to explain when she happened to catch a glimpse of Ye Qichen answering a phone call. After hearing what the person on the other end said, he hung up and turned to leave.
Seeing that he had finally left, Gu Yan breathed a sigh of relief, "I really don't know him!"