Chapter 20: The Elder in the Park

Bad luck was bad luck, but when the sky falls, there’s always someone taller to bear it—and besides, this was hardly a catastrophe. As long as he remained careful and vigilant in the future, nothing major should go wrong.

The group continued chatting for a while, and before long, the table was filled with an array of delicious dishes. Without waiting for any invitation, Lin Yi-yang’s face lit up with joy as he grabbed his chopsticks, stood, and hurriedly piled his plate with everything he wanted to eat.

At first, Lin Chuan and Huang Quan, still weighed down by the matter of Fang Hao, felt somewhat subdued. But watching the little one’s delighted antics, they couldn’t help but burst into laughter. Childhood was truly a blessing—no worries, no burdens, just learning, eating, and growing.

Gradually, the atmosphere softened; Li Rong and Huang Quan took turns recounting mischievous childhood stories, drawing bouts of hearty laughter from all present. Lin Yi-yang alone remained bewildered, munching away at his food while gazing up at the adults joking loudly, unable to grasp what was so amusing.

It was well past ten at night when the group, full of food and drink, stumbled out of the restaurant. Since his rebirth in this world, Lin Chuan hadn’t touched a drop of alcohol, but tonight, he’d made an exception. Though not completely drunk, his head felt foggy. Lin Yi-yang clung to his father’s hand, worry etched across his face.

“Chuan… I feel a bit floaty… I’ll just leave you to it… ah!” Huang Quan slurred, his eyes half-lidded.

“I’m fine, you all be careful, I’ll head off first!” Lin Chuan waved his hand, stopping a passing taxi.

Of all of them, the rock musician was the most clear-headed tonight. Expressionless, he flagged down two more taxis, sending Huang Quan and Li Rong off in separate cars, then strolled away on foot in a different direction.

That night, Lin Chuan slept soundly, aided by the alcohol. It wasn’t until nearly noon the next day that he groggily crawled out of bed.

“Dad, your phone kept ringing just now!” Lin Yi-yang ran over immediately, holding out the phone.

Lin Chuan frowned. There weren’t many people who would call him so persistently. He checked the missed calls—an unfamiliar number. Lin Chuan was never one to return calls from unknown numbers; if it was someone selling insurance or pushing a product, he’d be wasting his phone bill.

He tossed the phone aside and rubbed his head. He hadn’t drunk much last night, but it was still affecting him, almost as if he’d had fake alcohol.

“Does that big restaurant serve fake liquor?” Lin Chuan muttered.

Suddenly, the phone rang again, the same unfamiliar number.

“Hello?” Lin Chuan answered suspiciously.

“Is this Lin Chuan? I’m Wang Yue,” the voice on the other end hesitated before speaking.

Wang Yue? Why was she calling him?

They’d had a few encounters, but Lin Chuan’s impression of Wang Yue was far from favorable. In fact, facing this young woman a few years his junior, he always felt a vague sense of guilt.

Guilty for what? Lin Chuan shook his head self-mockingly. “Is there something you need?”

His question caused a pause on the other end; after a moment, Wang Yue replied, “Didn’t we agree you’d bring Yi-yang to the kindergarten today? Did you forget?”

“To the kindergarten? Oh…” Lin Chuan slapped his thigh, yelping in pain. Just a few days ago, when Wang Yue and Tang Qinru had visited Lin Chuan’s home, they’d agreed before leaving that he’d bring Yi-yang to Starlight Kindergarten the day after the competition.

Perhaps the ‘fake liquor’ had muddled his brain, for he’d completely forgotten. If Wang Yue hadn’t reminded him, the matter would’ve slipped from his mind entirely.

After exchanging a few brief words, Lin Chuan hung up and dashed toward the bathroom.

Lin Yi-yang, who’d been standing by the bed throughout, scratched his head in confusion, unable to understand why his father had been acting so odd since waking up.

Once everything was in order, Lin Chuan changed into clean clothes and, taking Lin Yi-yang by the hand, left home, heading toward Starlight Kindergarten in the city.

The kindergarten was located across from a primary school and was among the largest in Beining City. The staff and environment were excellent, and its food safety and child protection earned the trust of parents.

The only drawback was its high fees—over three thousand per month, not including meals or miscellaneous costs. All told, it could easily reach nearly five thousand. For ordinary families, that was a hefty expense, though for those better off, it wasn’t much.

Lin Chuan had been performing at the bar for quite some time; Boss Xu hadn’t treated him badly, and he’d managed to save several tens of thousands. But with Lin Yi-yang having entered the ‘black hole’ phase of childhood, it was barely a drop in the bucket.

Raising a child was no easy task!

Lin Chuan looked up and laughed bitterly.

To save money, he gave up on taxis and chose to walk part of the way to a bus stop—good for both his wallet and his health.

Getting from Lin Chuan’s place to Starlight Kindergarten required two transfers, a real hassle. But by walking through a park, he could reach a bus stop and take a single bus straight to their destination.

Walking was not only cheaper, it was more convenient.

It was midday, and the park wasn’t crowded. A few elderly folks sat together, chatting about family matters or current events.

Lin Chuan and Lin Yi-yang strolled along an artificial lake, admiring the scenery as they went.

The park had been established many years ago; some exercise equipment was aging, but the environment remained serene and beautiful, a favorite among older residents. In early summer, young couples could sometimes be seen hand-in-hand along the lakeshore—a warm, lovely sight.

It was early June, the weather had grown pleasant. Gentle sunlight danced across the lake, shimmering on the water. Trees along the path burst with fresh buds, cloaked in a layer of new green.

This wasn’t Lin Yi-yang’s first visit to the park, but every time he came, he was filled with excitement.

Watching his son dart around happily, Lin Chuan’s mood soared.

Just then, an elderly man with graying hair approached from the opposite direction.

His face was rosy, eyes bright and spirited. He walked slowly but with strong, steady steps, never seeming hurried.

He wore a shining silver traditional suit, hands clasped behind his back, moving straight toward Lin Chuan.

Lin Chuan glanced at the old man’s face, raising his brows slightly. For some reason, he felt the man looked familiar, as though they’d met before.

“Young man, looks like we’re fated to meet again!” the old man called out in a booming voice from afar.

“Sir, have we met before?” Lin Chuan asked awkwardly.

“Heh, you young folks have worse memories than us old men. Think back—at the bookstore…” the old man prompted as he walked.

At the bookstore? Lin Chuan quickly searched his memory.

In a moment, his eyes brightened in realization.

That’s right—when he’d gone to the bookstore looking for history materials, an old man had spoken to him. Lin Chuan recalled clearly that during their brief conversation, Lin Yi-yang had wandered off to the storybook section, causing a minor commotion.

The man before him was indeed the old gentleman from that day.

“Heh, I never expected to meet you here. Truly, fate works in mysterious ways!” Lin Chuan walked up and smiled politely.

Seeing his father chatting with a stranger, Lin Yi-yang curiously approached.

“This must be your son?” The elderly man’s face softened in affection at the sight of Lin Yi-yang.

“Yi-yang, greet grandpa!” Lin Chuan instructed.

Lin Yi-yang’s handsome little face blossomed into a radiant smile. He bowed to the old man and said in his sweet voice, “Hello, grandpa! My name is Lin Yi-yang!”

“Ha ha, good, good! Yi-yang, where are you going with your father?”

That ‘grandpa’ was music to his ears; the old man’s face was alight with joy.

Lin Yi-yang frowned slightly, glancing up at Lin Chuan. Seeing his father nod, he obediently replied, “I’m going with Dad to kindergarten!”

“Kindergarten? It’s already noon, why are you only heading to school now?” The old man continued to tease him.

“Mm!” This question puzzled Lin Yi-yang. He thought for a moment, then said, “I’m not like other kids; I always go to school in the afternoon!”

The old man’s gentle, loving gaze suddenly sharpened, fixing on Lin Chuan. “Why does your child go to school in the afternoon?”

Lin Chuan’s heart skipped. Facing this old man he’d only met twice, he felt an inexplicable sense of intimidation. He forced a laugh and quickly explained, “You misunderstand, sir. I’m just taking him to look around the kindergarten today!”

“Ah, well, you’d better hurry then, don’t waste time,” the old man finally nodded, still somewhat skeptical.

Lin Chuan breathed a sigh of relief and, not daring to linger, hurried off with Lin Yi-yang.

The old man stood watching their retreating figures until the father and son disappeared from view, his gaze gathering a faint mist.

Leaving the park, Lin Chuan took Lin Yi-yang to the bus stop. Before long, a bus arrived, and fortunately, it wasn’t crowded. They boarded in turn.

All the way, Lin Chuan kept seeing the old man’s face in his mind, but the more he thought, the more uneasy he felt. That dignified countenance seemed oddly familiar, as if their connection went deeper than a mere bookstore encounter.

Yet, try as he might, Lin Chuan couldn’t recall any prior meeting.

Unconsciously, the bus reached their stop.