Liu Changqing looked at the girl in front of him.

He was a little surprised. Although he’d heard Gu Xiyu’s name mentioned by Chen Dafu, he had never really learned what kind of person she was.

But now...

She didn’t seem like just any ordinary girl.

Chen Jianguo fell silent, staring at Gu Xiyu after she spoke. It was a while before he finally opened his mouth.

"Beating my own son counts as domestic violence?"

"Yes! Even if he’s your son, you can’t beat him like that!"

"Interesting. First time I’ve ever heard that term..."

Chen Jianguo laughed, finding the girl’s thinking utterly ridiculous.

"Then call the cops. I’d like to see if they care about this."

"…"

Gu Xiyu was stunned that he actually said that. After a moment of hesitation, she began reaching for her phone.

Seeing this, Chen Dafu—still crouched behind her—was shocked.

He quickly grabbed her arm, panicking.

"Don’t do that!"

"Why not? If your dad beats you like that and ends up killing you, then what?"

"…"

"My grandpa always said he looked down the most on people who hit their kids… When I was little, even when I made mistakes, he only ever scolded me—he never laid a hand on me."

As she said this, Gu Xiyu tried to pull her arm away from Chen Dafu’s grasp.

Even though he didn’t work out much, his sheer size made it hard for her to break free. After several tries, she was nearly in tears.

She rubbed her eyes and glared at Chen Dafu, still squatting on the floor.

"Are you letting go or not?!"

"Xiyu… he’s my dad. I can’t do that to him!"

"You—!"

"Xiyu, just let it go."

A voice came from behind. It was Lan Yixian.

After calming the other customers, she had come back inside. Seeing the scene before her, she spoke up to intervene.

"This is a family matter. It’s better if you don’t get involved."

"But… Dafu, he—"

"That’s enough."

After saying those two words, Lan Yixian looked at Liu Changqing.

She hesitated for a moment before saying:

"You should take them and leave for now. Let them talk it out privately."

"…"

Hearing her say this, Liu Changqing looked at her, then gave a small nod.

He stepped forward, grabbed Chen Jianguo by the arm, and turned to Chen Dafu, who was still squatting behind Gu Xiyu.

"Let’s go. Don’t disturb their work anymore."

With that, Liu Changqing pulled Chen Jianguo along and headed back toward the car they had parked earlier.

Before long, Liu Changqing and Chen Jianguo reached the vehicle and waited.

They didn’t have to wait long—Chen Dafu quietly followed a few paces behind.

When he caught up, Liu Changqing looked at him and said:

"Dafu, today’s the day to say it clearly to your dad. You can’t keep hiding it. That’s not a long-term solution."

"…"

Hearing this, Chen Dafu lowered his head and stood silent for a moment. Then, slowly, he looked up and met Chen Jianguo’s gaze.

After a long hesitation, it was as if he finally mustered his courage.

"Dad, I want a normal life!"

"Normal, my a*! Just looking at your face pisses me off!"

As soon as he heard this, Chen Jianguo was even more enraged.

He charged toward Chen Dafu, fists ready for a combo—but this time Liu Changqing was prepared. Before Chen Jianguo could even reach him, Liu Changqing had already stepped in and blocked him.

Given Liu Changqing’s build, stopping Chen Jianguo was easy.

When Chen Dafu saw his father charging at him, he instinctively took several steps back in fear. It wasn’t until he saw Liu Changqing holding him back that he relaxed.

Gathering his courage, he spoke to the father who had controlled his life for so long.

"I’ve lived my whole life following your expectations. I just want a simple life. I’m not cut out for business. If you make me take over the company, I’m telling you—I’d run it into the ground in no time…"

"…"

"I know you had me when you were 33. I know we’re the only male line in our family. I know you want me to find a fertile wife and give you a bunch of grandkids… but Dad, do you even know what kind of woman I like? Do you know what kind of life I want?"

As he said this, Chen Dafu clenched his fists tightly.

"I just want a normal life. Working nine to five might be tiring, but it brings peace. You have no idea what it felt like every time it was just me and Mom at home when I was little. You were always gone, claiming to be working. You never once showed up to a parent-teacher meeting…"

"Even now, when I finally found someone I like, you don’t approve… My life’s not even mine anymore—it’s yours. You paved every road for me, left me no pressure, no trials… Even when it comes to marriage. I’m just a regular college grad. Do you think I match any of those high-achieving girls you set me up with?"

Hearing all of this—words he had never heard from his son before—Chen Jianguo’s expression became conflicted. But still, he reflexively argued back like he couldn’t help himself.

"Your mom was a college grad too. I didn’t even finish middle school, so how—"

"The times have changed, Dad!"

Interrupting him, Chen Dafu’s face was filled with determination.

He shouted loudly:

"If you hadn’t brought three bicycles, a radio, a washing machine, and a TV to her family back then, do you really think Mom would’ve married you?!"

"…"

"This is the 21st century now. That old-school stuff doesn’t work anymore. Even if I buy them ten TVs, if they don’t like me, it won’t matter. And I don’t like them either. Why do you keep pushing me to marry some big-butt girl? I don’t like that! I like petite ones!!"

"…"

Liu Changqing looked at Chen Dafu and was completely speechless.

That… that was bold.

"You don’t know sh*t. Bigger butts are better for childbirth—"

"Petite girls can have babies too! That’s just old-school superstition!"

"I’ve eaten more rice than you’ve had salt. How could I not know—"

"Then how come I’m still your only kid?! Why didn’t Mom have more?!"

"…"

That hit right at Chen Jianguo’s sore spot.

The one thing he hated most was people saying he was infertile...

Even if it was his own son, he—

Before Chen Jianguo could explode, Chen Dafu added another line:

"I’ll prove it to you. I’ll show you that this whole single-son-per-generation thing ends with me. I’ll have Gu Xiyu give me lots and lots of kids, I’ll—"

"Alright, enough bragging."

Liu Changqing quickly cut him off.

He was genuinely worried that the next line would be “I’ll have enough kids to form a soccer team.” That’s not fatherhood—that’s farming.

Then, Liu Changqing turned to Chen Jianguo and earnestly pleaded.

"Dafu’s not a kid anymore—he’s twenty-six… If you keep pushing him like this, what if he snaps and becomes a monk or something?"

"He better not dare!"

"If you push me again, I’m shaving my head and going to a monastery tomorrow!"