Dominant CEO and His First Lady

Chapter 3 Story

Yu Jia regarded Ziye earnestly. She genuinely doubted Ziye's ability to share any profound stories at this moment. Yet, there was a vague sense that Ziye must be attempting to console her in his own unique way. Hopefully, his creatively spun tale wouldn't disappoint. After Ziye outlined the basic plot, he began articulating, "Once upon a time, there was a story about a young horse. One day, the old horse, looking at the grown-up young horse, felt a sense of contentment and asked the young horse to do something for him. The old horse requested the young one to carry half a sack of wheat to the mill. However, on the way to the mill, the young horse encountered an obstacle. Facing a small river, it started to worry! At that moment, an old cow and a squirrel happened to pass by. Upon the young horse's inquiry, the old cow and the squirrel started offering advice. However, they gave conflicting answers. The old cow thought the river wasn't deep, and the young horse could try wading through. On the other hand, the squirrel insisted the river was deep, even kindly reminding the young horse that its friend had drowned in the same river a few days ago. In the end, torn between their differing opinions, the young horse hesitated and couldn't make a choice. It would never know how deep that river was..."

Yu Jia silently observed Ziye, who subconsciously paused. This overly cliché story revealed Ziye's lack of innovation. Although Ziye improvised on the spot, Yu Jia had no real interest in his so-called stories. She, however, did not expect Ziye to be so dismissive. Annoyed, she said, "Isn't this just a watered-down version of 'The Fox and the Grapes'? From start to finish, you even copied every little detail from the original story." Ziye, catching the disdain in Yu Jia's words, calmly responded, "Since you're so familiar with this story, do you know the underlying moral?" Yu Jia, recalling every detail of Ziye's adapted story, confidently replied, "If you don't dare to try, the answer will always be 'no'!"

Upon hearing Yu Jia's response, Ziye silently chuckled. In the subtle curve of his slightly uplifted lips, Yu Jia sensed a hint of disdain. Perplexed, she asked, "Did I say something wrong?" Ziye simply shifted his gaze into the distance. Yu Jia had provided an answer, showing genuine engagement with the somewhat clichéd story. Yu Jia was indeed a smart girl. Ziye, in a calm tone, remarked, "You're not wrong, but you've only grasped half of the story. This tale tells us that avoidance is often not the best solution to problems."

As Ziye finished speaking, Yu Jia fell into a contemplative silence, pondering his words. How could she not recognize Ziye's sincere intentions? However, they were not close, and why would he be so kind to her? Moreover, he had no knowledge of what she had been through. Why should he have the audacity to advise her on what to do? Yu Jia detested others passing judgment on her life. Like how she didn't want others meddling in her choices, she didn't appreciate life evaluations from others. After contemplating for a while, Yu Jia began to speak as if lost in thought, "Reciprocity. Allow me to share a story with you." Ziye, gentlemanly, replied, "I'm all ears!"

Yu Jia didn't bother concocting intricate and fantastical plots. Following Ziye's story, she continued, "The following year, the young horse returned to the familiar river. Despite failing to cross the previous year, it finally mustered the courage. Taking a step towards the river, the inevitable outcome was that the young horse drowned!" Ziye, surprised, widened his eyes at Yu Jia. Unperturbed, she calmly stated, "Yes, you heard it right. The young horse ultimately perished. The old cow and the squirrel didn't deceive it. While the river posed no problem for the old cow, the same couldn't be said for the young horse. The river was indeed a challenge for it. Clearly, the young horse overestimated its capabilities and ended up succumbing to itself."

After hearing Yu Jia's self-directed story, Ziye couldn't help but bow his head in acknowledgment. Yu Jia indeed played her cards unexpectedly. Although Ziye wasn't entirely satisfied with the story's ending, he admired Yu Jia's ability to improvise. After all, her extemporaneous storytelling produced a reasonably complete narrative. Yu Jia, feigning composure, remarked, "What do you think this story tells us?" Ziye, caught off guard by Yu Jia's unexpected move, responded, feigning calmness, "One should assess one's abilities when facing challenges?" The questioning tone in Ziye's voice betrayed a hint of insecurity. Yu Jia, however, only said in silence, "You're not wrong. I just want to tell you that sometimes, facing it may not necessarily be the only solution to a problem. Everyone has moments when they're helpless. You're not them, so how could you know their predicaments?" Yu Jia spoke earnestly, her tone serene, causing even Ziye to involuntarily fall into silence. After a while, Ziye tentatively murmured, "So, how much longer do you intend to remain despondent?" This question touched upon many painful memories for Yu Jia. How could she remain indifferent after losing the most cherished person in her world? However, she was only human and couldn't possibly be emotionless. Ziye, discussing this so casually, only showed that this matter had nothing to do with him. As an onlooker who resembled a father, how could he comfort her? How could he understand the deep bond she shared with her grandfather over countless days? Yu Jia suddenly shouted in anger, "It's none of your business! Who do you think you are to me? Are we even close?" Yu Jia pointed out a stark reality: Ziye was just a stranger she had met briefly. Witnessing Yu Jia's sadness, Ziye couldn't help but feel a pang of anxiety. This marked the second time today that he desperately wanted to protect someone.