Not long after, Yu Mo's figure appeared at the entrance of the villa's grand hall.
The moment he saw his father, stepmother, younger brother, and younger sister all gathered there, that familiar, spine-chilling tension instantly crept into his heart.
In the past, every family gathering like this had never ended well, and he was always the sole target of scoldings and beatings.
From childhood to adulthood, he had been the family's punching bag—as if without him, there would be no outlet for their pent-up frustrations.
"Chairman, the eldest young master has arrived," the butler announced, and the atmosphere in the hall immediately grew subtly tense.
Yu Jianhua, who had been slightly squinting his eyes, slowly opened them, his usual authoritative demeanor fully restored. There was no trace of the frail patient who had just recovered from a serious illness.
Seeing his father like this, Yu Mo wasn’t all that surprised.
Because he remembered Liu Yutong’s seemingly joking remark: "Your father has at least another decade or so to live." At the time, he had dismissed it as a jest, but now it seemed she had seen right through everything.
At the same time, his admiration for Liu Yutong grew—how could she have guessed this? It was almost supernatural.
Yu Mo walked up to his father. "Dad, you asked for me?"
This was the first time he hadn’t proactively greeted his stepmother, brother, or sister. Perhaps his recent experiences at the Wanlong Society had toughened him up, or maybe he had finally seen through their hostility toward him. Either way, there was no need for hollow pleasantries anymore.
Yu Jianhua studied his eldest son carefully, his gaze lingering on Yu Mo’s slightly gaunt face before he spoke slowly, "Xiao Mo, you’ve lost weight."
Though Yu Mo harbored deep resentment toward his father, at that moment, his nose inexplicably stung.
How many years had it been? This was the first time his father hadn’t immediately scolded him—instead, there was even a hint of concern. "Dad, I just don’t gain weight easily. I actually eat plenty every day."
Yu Jianhua gave a slight nod and gestured to the sofa across from him. "Sit."
Yu Mo cautiously took a seat, back straight, hands properly resting on his knees.
Yu Jianhua swept his gaze over the family members in the room before suddenly declaring, "Starting today, Yu Mo will intern in the Group’s Asset Management Department."
The moment these words were spoken, the others could no longer stay seated.
The Asset Management Department was one of the core divisions of the conglomerate, handling critical data, investments, financing, expansions, and asset sales—everything had to go through this department.
Originally, this sector had been under the control of Yu Mo’s stepmother, Wang Simin. Now, suddenly inserting Yu Mo into it—what was the meaning of this?
Yu Jianhua had no intention of explaining himself. He had always been domineering, his word final. Neither Wang Simin nor any of his children dared to contradict him.
Then he turned to his wife, Wang Simin. "You won’t be going to the company for a while. Stay home and focus on managing the children."
Wang Simin didn’t dare argue. She knew her husband must be furious right now, so she could only comply. "Understood."
Yu Jianhua then looked at his youngest son, Yu Fei. "Kneel here. You don’t get up until I say so."
"Yu Mo, come with me to the study." With that, he stood and headed upstairs.
Yu Mo quickly rose and followed.
Yu Fei glared daggers at Yu Mo’s retreating figure, teeth grinding audibly. Everyone present understood the reason behind Yu Jianhua’s arrangements—it all traced back to the incident with Plot No. 33 in the northern district.
Once Yu Jianhua and Yu Mo disappeared around the staircase corner, Yu Fei finally exploded. "Mom, why him? Why does he get to go to Asset Management?"
Wang Simin shot him a sharp look. "Why? Because of the mess you made! Now kneel properly!"
Deep down, she was panicking. Her husband’s sudden discharge from the hospital and these abrupt changes felt like he had uncovered something.
But what was done was done. She could only brace herself and take things one step at a time.
After a moment of contemplation, she turned to Yu Meng, who had been about to speak up for her brother. "Xiao Meng, go brew some tea and take it to the study."
Yu Meng swallowed her words and nodded obediently.
.............
In the study, Yu Jianhua sat solemnly behind his mahogany desk, studying his son across from him. "Do you know why I’m sending you to Asset Management?"
Yu Mo thought briefly before answering, "In the three years Aunt Wang has overseen the department, the average return on investment projects hasn’t even reached 1%."
He didn’t spell it out bluntly, but the implication was clear—his stepmother, Wang Simin, had likely been embezzling and diverting company assets all this time.
A flicker of surprise crossed Yu Jianhua’s eyes. "Oh? Where did you get these figures?"
This time, Yu Mo stood his ground. "I won’t tell you how I obtained them. Dad, there’s something I’ve always wanted to ask you—how did Mom really die? And why have you never been willing to tell me?"
Yu Jianhua’s eyelids twitched violently. Outside, dark clouds drifted across the sky, casting a web-like shadow over his face.
He hadn’t expected this son—who had always bowed his head and endured scolding—to now carry a sharpness in his eyes that sent a tremor through him. That gaze… it was just like Zhou Jing’s, lying in a pool of blood on that rainy night twenty years ago.
Truthfully, he couldn’t tell Yu Mo the truth. Not because he didn’t want to, but because he simply couldn’t. The implications ran too deep—otherwise, he wouldn’t have chosen to lie low, even feigning illness.
"At the end of the year, I’ll convene a board meeting," Yu Jianhua forcibly changed the subject. "I need you to accomplish two things: uncover all the hidden accounts in Asset Management, and secure Plot No. 33 in the northern district—it’s crucial for the Group’s future."
"If you can do this, I’ll return your mother’s belongings to you."
As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Jianhua was seized by a violent coughing fit, as if he were hacking up his lungs. The sound was so loud that even Yu Meng outside the door could hear it clearly.
Watching his father in this state, Yu Mo felt a tumult of emotions. He nearly stepped forward to pat his back but forcibly held himself back.
By the time Yu Meng gently knocked and entered, Yu Jianhua had already regained his composure. The moment he saw his daughter, his face softened with unmistakable doting.
"Xiao Meng, you should leave tasks like this to the maids."
"Dad, you just got out of the hospital. I just wanted to take care of you. This is a health tonic tea I brewed for you."
"Good, good. You’re so thoughtful."
Yu Mo, however, felt a bitter taste in his mouth. This picture of paternal affection only made him feel like an outsider—as if he had never belonged in this family.
"Dad, if there’s nothing else, I’ll take my leave."
Yu Jianhua lifted his head slightly. "Not staying for dinner?"
"No, I’ll eat back at school."
Yu Jianhua didn’t press further, simply waving him off.
When Yu Mo reached the ground floor, he saw his younger brother, Yu Fei, rubbing his knees—no surprise, given how hard the floor was after kneeling for so long.
However, the moment Yu Mo laid eyes on Yu Fei, his demeanor hardened, his gaze laced with venom.
Yu Mo had initially intended to ignore him, but that resentful glare stirred something primal within him. A surge of fury rose from the depths of his chest, and before he could stop himself, he barked, "Stay on your knees! If you ever look at me like that again, I’ll break your legs first!"
Then, under the furious stares of Wang Simin and Yu Fei, he turned and walked away without a backward glance.
This was the first time Yu Mo had ever spoken to his younger brother with such defiance. In the past, he’d tiptoed around his words, terrified of provoking a beating.
Now, for the first time, he felt the exhilaration of standing his ground.
In one word—satisfaction.
