After returning home with the child, her ex-husband knelt down and gently coaxed her.

As if bewitched, Anning's mind was filled with the four words "Go find him".

It wasn't until the taxi stopped at the entrance of the Yuhe Mansion and she was stopped by the park's security that she realized—at nine o'clock that night, she had dragged her still-cold body to the Yuhe Mansion to find Lu Xiyan.

She stood at the entrance of the park, her fitted white dress outlining her perfect figure, while a simple gray suit made her fair face appear even cleaner and paler.

Despite being the most unassuming outfit, it's unforgettable at first glance.

The park's security guards recognized her at a glance; she was "Ms. An," whom President Lu had specifically mentioned.

President Lu instructed that Miss An should not be allowed to enter the Yuhe Mansion without his permission.

At this moment, the woman stood outside the park gate, her features delicate and clear, her eyes serene, standing in the night like a gardenia blooming in the darkness.

Its thin frame and sickly frail appearance made even the security guards feel a pang of pity.

"Ms. An, please go back." The security guard looked at her with difficulty. "President Lu instructed that you are not allowed to go in."

The woman didn't move, but stared blankly at the building in the garden, whose outline was no longer visible in the night.

She stared in the direction of the villa; the person she was looking for was there.

"Why don't you ask Mr. Lu?" the security guard suggested. "If he approves, you can go in."

......

Yuhe Duke's Mansion.

In the quiet tea room on the second floor, only the crisp sound of chess pieces falling onto the chessboard could be heard.

On the tea table sits a set of Song Dynasty Ding kiln Go pieces, with purple-gold glazed pieces placed on the board, clearly distinguishing between black and white.

"When he was a child, the young master was very lively and especially liked recreational activities such as racing, rock climbing, and horseback riding. He could never sit still during Go lessons."

Li Quan placed the smooth, translucent white chess piece down, looked up at the man opposite him, his eyes kind and gentle, "Now the young master's chess style is quite similar to the madam's."

Lu Xiyan was dressed in light gray loungewear, made of high-quality and comfortable fabric. She had shed his usual coldness and gained a touch of refined gentleness. His eyes, as he looked at the chessboard, were like a clear, still pool.

"No matter how similar they are, they can't compare to my mother, and I'll never have the chance to play a few rounds of games with my parents again." He raised the corners of his lips, a faint smile on his face. "If I had been more mature back then, perhaps I wouldn't have this regret."

Seeing the desolation in his eyes, Li Quan smiled kindly and sighed softly, "Life is like a game of chess, young master, why confine yourself to this small place?"

Lu Xiyan stared at the chessboard on the table, his eyes somewhat dim.

His mother, Mu Wen, was born into a scholarly family and loved playing chess and calligraphy. She could also play the most beautiful piano music and cultivated these interests in him from a young age.

However, Lu Xiyan didn't like these things when he was a child. He was naturally active and liked any kind of sport that could bring him to life.

Mu Wen and Lu Ling tried many ways to get him to attend classes, but he always went through the motions and often sneaked out, either to go skiing in the Arctic by himself or to go polar racing with Liang Xu and the others.

He was like a little lion full of curiosity about the world, not bound by the rules of the Lu family. Over time, Mu Wen and Lu Ling let him do as he pleased.

Four years ago, Lu Ling went abroad on a business trip and brought back a set of Go pieces from an auction. The Song Dynasty Ding kiln Go set, worth 1.8 million US dollars, was a gift he gave to Mu Wen.

Mu Wen loved it so much that she couldn't bear to take it out to play a game with her friends. Just then, Lu Ling had to go abroad for work again, promising to spend three days and three nights with her when he returned.

At that time, Lu Xiyan had just broken up with his girlfriend and was frantically looking for An Ning, so Lu Lixiao locked him in the old house and wouldn't let him leave.

Lu Ling couldn't bear it. For his son's obsession, he originally planned to return to China, but instead took a connecting flight to Australia to find An Ning.

Once they left, they never returned.

Mu Wen did not see Lu Ling.

This priceless chessboard never saw another player.

Before Mu Wen fell into a coma, there was a clean chessboard on the table, with only one chess piece left. She had not yet waited for the person who would play chess with her to return.

Learning chess wasn't difficult for Lu Xiyan, but mastering his mother's style was not.

For a long time, he played chess alone, imitating his parents' way of playing.

But the father never came back, and the mother never woke up.

He trapped himself in this game of chess, and also in those days of major upheaval.

"jingle--"

The intercom in the tea room rang, interrupting his thoughts.

Li Quan quickly answered the phone, listened for a few minutes, and then looked at the man. "Young Master, Miss An has arrived at the park entrance."

Lu Xiyan's fingers, which were holding the chess piece, paused slightly, and his light eyes turned deep.

Jiang Yao reported her condition after returning yesterday. The doctor examined her and found nothing seriously wrong; she just had a minor cold and fever, and the doctor prescribed medicine and gave her an injection.

A day and a night have passed, and he should be almost fully recovered.

If I come over at this time, I guess I'll just pester him with some meaningless questions.

The chess piece was placed on the board, and he spoke softly, "Let her go back."

Li Quan observed his expression and then relayed a message over the phone.

As Lu Xiyan returned to the chessboard, his phone rang.

As expected, it was Miss An again.

Lu Xiyan glanced at the caller ID and hung up the phone without hesitation.

He looked at the chessboard. "Continue."

Li Quan placed a piece and laughed, "Young Master is already distracted. He knows this is a dead end, yet he still places his pieces here."

Lu Xiyan then noticed that the white piece had just been surrounded by the black pieces.

He chuckled softly, "I lost."

"Young Master has never liked playing chess since he was a child, so Madam and Master did not force you, because they wanted Young Master to live as he pleased and be happy."

Li Quan pointed at the prodigal son he had just dropped, "Young Master knew he was trapped here and couldn't get out, so why did he jump in?"

"As Uncle Quan said, chess is like life," Lu Xiyan smiled. "If you lose, you lose; once a move is made, there's no going back."

Li Quan picked up the black piece and placed it in front of him. "If you take a step back, there are more paths you can take. Why don't you give yourself a chance, and also give the other person a chance?"

Lu Xiyan stared at the black piece in front of him, remaining silent.

"I ate too much for dinner, Uncle Quan, go out for a walk to digest." Li Quan stood up and smiled meaningfully, "If the young master needs it, I'll bring you some late-night snacks."

......

Anning stubbornly stood at the park entrance and refused to leave. Suddenly, she saw car lights coming on in the distance inside the park. She looked closely and saw a car slowly driving out.

The car stopped at the park entrance, and one person got out.

"Uncle Quan?"

An Ning quickly approached, only to find that Lu Xiyan was not in the car.

Li Quan asked with a smile, "Miss An, is there something you need from Mr. Lu so late?"

"Uncle Quan, I want to see him."

An Ning's mind was a little foggy, and her voice was very soft, "I have something I want to say to him in person. Can I see him?"

It was already quite late, and she didn't look well.

"Miss An," Li Quan said with a friendly expression, "I can take you in, but whether Mr. Lu is willing to see you depends on his decision."