Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Yu Shiqin continued his reprimand towards Yu He, "In the past, you were the young master of the Yu family. Even those with ulterior motives had to consider the Yu family’s power. When Qingyan came back, you disregarded everything and insisted on severing ties with the Yu family. Now, being favored by Fu Yunzhen doesn’t mean much. The real hardship will come when he gets tired of you."

"I insisted on severing ties?" Yu He barely managed to retort when Zhang Wan's hand landed on his leg, stopping him from saying more.

Zhang Wan gently persuaded, "Yu He, listen to your father first. We know that Fu Yunzhen has taken you to Yun Su, and your father has been so worried that he hasn't slept well for several nights. Fu Yunzhen is no ordinary person; his power and influence are far more complicated than you think. Even if we wanted to save you from him, it wouldn’t be easy."

Yu He frowned in confusion, "What do you mean 'save me'? I wasn’t kidnapped by him."

Yu He might have been better off not mentioning the word ‘kidnapped.’ At that, Zhang Wan’s tears started to flow incessantly, making it seem as though Yu He was really being mistreated, which left him doubting himself - was he really in such a pitiful state?

Zhang Wan, covering her face with a handkerchief, said with a choked voice, "We all know… When Qingyan saw you last time, he told me everything. Don’t blame Qingyan; I forced him to tell me."

Yu He was utterly perplexed, "???"

He glanced at Yu Qingyan and asked with his eyes: What did you tell them?

Yu Qingyan pointed at the corner of his mouth and used lip-reading to tell Yu He: Injury.

Yu He: "......"

Right, the last time he visited the Fu residence, he had bruises at the corners of his lips and eyebrows. But those injuries were from a fight during a street basketball game, not from Fu Yunzhen. How could Yu Qingyan interpret it as Fu Yunzhen's doing?

Was something wrong with them? Couldn't they wish for his well-being instead of hoping that he would suffer by Fu Yunzhen's side?

Yu He pulled away Zhang Wan’s hand from her face and explained while looking into her tearful eyes, "Fu Yunzhen didn't hit me. I got into a fight outside…"

Zhang Wan’s eyes welled up with tears, and her brows furrowed slightly, as if she was about to cry again.

Yu He quickly said, "Alright, alright, I won't get into fights anymore. Please stop crying, okay?"

His words sounded stubborn, how could Zhang Wan believe him?

Yu He had always been one to bear his burdens alone since childhood. He would not share his troubles, and now that he had left the Yu family, his situation had worsened.

Driving Yu He away was something Zhang Wan couldn’t bear to do, but when compared to her husband’s life, she had no other choice.

After Yu Shiqin was diagnosed, he had taken Yu He to get a kidney match test.

The results showed that Yu He’s kidney type did not match. Typically, the probability of a kidney match between father and son is quite high. This discrepancy raised Yu Shiqin's suspicions, leading him to discover that Yu He was not his biological son.

This is terrible news, yet at the same time, it's good news as well. It indicates that there is another child in this world whose kidney might meet the donation criteria.

Yu Shiqin found Yu Qingyan.

Yu Qingyan is burdened with heavy thoughts. In order to make him quickly regard them as family, Zhang Wan must pretend to be very close to this estranged biological child.

This means they must drive away Yu He; otherwise, Yu Qingyan won’t trust them.

Zhang Wan could only console herself by thinking that fortunately, Yu He is a boy, and it’s not a matter of suffering losses. Once her husband recovers, they can bring Yu He back to the Yu family, and he will once again be the cherished young master... As for Yu Qingyan, being their biological flesh and blood, if he could really donate his kidney to save Yu Shiqin’s life, the Yu family would provide for him generously for the rest of his life.

Keeping both children in the Yu family, and curing her husband’s illness, wouldn’t that make everyone happy?

On the day she learned about Yu Shiqin’s illness and Yu He’s parentage, Zhang Wan and Yu Shiqin discussed it all night long, eventually, Yu Shiqin came up with this plan.

Zhang Wan initially disagreed. Both were her flesh and blood; how could she cooperate in driving away Yu He, pretend to be kind to Yu Qingyan, and coax him into donating a kidney? She just couldn’t do it. They were both her children.

Yu Qingyan had been drifting outside for nineteen years. To deceive him with a double-dealing method, making him believe that they loved him so much that they could drive away Yu He, who had been raised for nineteen years, was just too cruel. If the truth came to light one day, wouldn’t it chill the hearts of both children?

But if Yu Shiqin died, Yu He could not shoulder the Yu family’s responsibilities, and she knew even less about Yu Qingyan. The fall of the great Yu family would be just a matter of time.

Zhang Wan is a natural Cuscuta flower, beautiful, delicate, and soft-hearted. For so many years, she has known nothing but buying luxury goods.

Yu Shiqin is not a good husband, but Zhang Wan can’t live without him.

In the end, Zhang Wan nodded her head and agreed to Yu Shiqin’s plan.

But she couldn't speak of these things now. Until Yu Qingyan was lying on the operating table, she could only bear this grievance and worry by herself. Yu He was the most well-behaved, he loved her the most, and would surely forgive her when he knew the truth.

Zhang Wan touched Yu He's face, her heart full of words she couldn’t express, and could only say, “You should visit us more often in the future. Qingyan doesn’t mind, so you shouldn’t be stubborn anymore. Although the Yu family can’t compare to the Fu family, it’s still a support. Even Fu Yunzhang, lawless as he is, has to give us some consideration, and you might suffer less.”

Yu He: “......”

Zhang Wan’s emotional speech was filled with too many flaws, and every sentence was twisted. Yu He didn’t even know where to start.

This is typical of his mother. Ever since Yu He had memory, Zhang Wan had always lived in her own world, deaf to explanations once she made up her mind about something.

Yu He shifted his chair and put his arm around Zhang Wan's shoulder, “Okay, I understand, don’t cry anymore. Constant crying will give you wrinkles around your eyes.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Wan immediately lifted her head, used a light pink silk handkerchief to dab away the tears at the corner of her eyes, and then rummaged through her crocodile leather tote bag for a mirror and eye cream.

The ward fell silent for a moment.

Every minute and every second spent here made Yu He feel utterly uncomfortable. He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but something was definitely off. If he had to describe it in just two words, it would be —

Absurd.

Since setting foot in this hospital, Yu He felt as if he had entered a bizarre and fantastical dream.

Yu Qingyan wasn't acting normal, neither were Zhang Wan or Yu Shiqian.

Everyone around him seemed strange and off, as if they were hiding something yet wanting him to discover something. Yu He was extremely uncomfortable and just wanted to rush back to Yun Su to be in Fu Yunzheng’s comforting embrace.

Yu He stood up and said, “If there’s nothing else, I should be going. I’ll come visit again another time.”

Yu Shiqian waved at him. As Yu He approached the hospital bed, he noticed how much older Yu Shiqian looked. His face was swollen, and there were dark circles under his eyes.

Noticing the bruising around the site where the IV needle had been inserted in his arm, Yu He commented, “The nurses here aren’t very skilled, are they? Your arm is all bruised.”

Hearing Yu He’s concern, Yu Shiqian’s expression softened a bit. He grabbed Yu He’s hand and patted it, saying, “Yu He, I haven’t been a good father. It’s only right for you to hate or resent me. If I die, the only person I’d be worried about is your mother. Fortunately, Qingyan is sensible and that brings me some comfort. But what about you? You've always been headstrong. Now that you're with Fu Yunzheng, I can't interfere. But you should watch out.”

Yu Shiqian’s hand was wrinkled and weathered, forming a stark contrast with Yu He’s youthful one. It was a poignant comparison between youth and decrepitude, life and death.

Yu He responded, “Mr. Fu treats me very well. You should worry about yourself.”

“Fu Yunzheng is extremely shrewd. Many older folks can’t outsmart him. If he’s willing to give you even a bit of his attention, that’s enough for you to be completely devoted to him,” Yu Shiqian shook his head helplessly and continued, “You are completely taken by him now, and won’t listen to anyone else. You’ll understand everything in time. Once I’m gone, I won’t know anything anymore.”

Every time Yu He tried to rebuild his father-son relationship with Yu Shiqian, Yu Shiqian managed to ruin the atmosphere. It was partly because Yu He knew him too well and trusted Fu Yunzheng too much. If it were someone else listening to Yu Shiqian, they might have been swayed and started to harbor doubts.

Yu He didn’t feel like arguing. He was in a hurry to get back to Yun Su and responded perfunctorily, “Right, right, you’re absolutely right.”

Seeing that Yu He was about to leave, Yu Shiqian stopped beating around the bush and revealed his true intentions, “The Fu family has a vast business empire, and Fu Yunzheng will never actually marry a man. What will you end up with? Only what you hold in your own hands is real... You've been with him for half a year now; do you know anything about his company’s affairs? There’s a sea-crossing highway project in the south...”

Yu He suddenly pulled his hand away from Yu Shiqian’s grip.

“Are you waiting here for this?” Yu He took a few steps back, “On one hand, you say that I’m a disgrace to Fu Yunzheng, that his kindness towards me is just for show, and on the other hand, you advise me to meddle in his company’s affairs and grab some ‘real benefits’ for myself. The sea-crossing highway isn’t as broad as you are. If you lay down, we could probably drive straight across.”

Zhang Wan, who was standing behind Yu He, scolded, “Yu He!”

Yu Shiqian, unfazed, spoke calmly and almost indifferently, “The projects that slip through Fu Yunzheng’s fingers are enough to support dozens of companies. Just by helping someone get connected, you can earn this much,” he showed five fingers, “and if it goes through, you get another two percent.”

Yu He knew exactly how difficult it was to get to know Fu Yunzheng. If he was willing to help connect his family’s business, the Yu family could rise to greater heights under the banner of the Fu family.

The temptation was just too overwhelming.

Who would have thought that Yu He, the discarded child, could actually gain Fu Yunzhe's favor? The boy has been handsome since he was young. Yu Shiqian originally thought that being a good-looking man was of no use. Now it seems that he was the one being old-fashioned.

Yu Shiqian spoke earnestly and considerately, completely appearing to have Yu He's best interests at heart: "Helping the Yu family is helping yourself. The Yu family has raised you for nineteen years. If you hadn’t been so stubborn and unable to get along with Qingyan, who would have sent you away? Your mother and I have not treated you poorly. How much money have you spent on eating, drinking, and having fun these past few years? If it were a heartless family, they would have asked you to pay it all back. You have never lived in poverty, so you don’t understand that a penny can stump a hero. If you don’t seize this opportunity to make easy money, what will you have left when Fu Yunzhe gets tired of you?"

"Your father is also thinking of your best interests," Zhang Wan said as she held onto Yu He's arm, speaking softly, "Just listen to your dad. Would he harm you?"

The strong scent of Zhang Wan's perfume mixed with the original odor in the room, creating a strange and eerie smell, assaulting Yu He's sensitive sense of smell and making him feel nauseous, as if he was car sick.

The perfume was too pungent.

Yu He had a sensitive sense of smell since childhood and disliked the smell of perfume. He had mentioned it countless times, but Zhang Wan never remembered, or perhaps she remembered but didn’t care. Zhang Wan believed it was a difficulty that Yu He could overcome.

At this moment, Yu He suddenly missed Fu Yunzhe terribly.

He had only casually mentioned it once, and Fu Yunzhe had the servants remove all the scented products from the entire manor.

From that day on, all the expensive aroma diffusers were filled with finely chopped white soap.

That was the only scent that Yu He liked.

Actually, it's very clear whether someone values you or not. Yu He had never been valued before, so he felt that parental affection was very important to him.

It was only after meeting Fu Yunzhe that Yu He realized, the people who truly care about him would never ask him to overcome anything; instead, they would change for him.

Yu He didn't want to say another word, completely disappointed. He pulled his arm free and quickly walked to the door, holding his breath, and uttered two words.

"The bill." Yu He turned around and stared at Yu Shiqian: "The card I used before... send me the statement, and I will pay you back in full."

His gaze shifted from Yu Shiqian to Zhang Wan. Zhang Wan slightly lowered her head, pretending to adjust her coat's belt to avoid eye contact. Yu He's eyes swiftly glanced over Yu Qingyan.

Yu Qingyan stood up: "Yu He, let me see you out."

"No need." Yu He pulled open the door.

Outside the door, two young men simultaneously nodded to Yu He: "Young Master Yu."

The two tall and leggy bodyguards dressed in black suits were too eye-catching. In the hallway, family members of other patients were peeking out from their rooms. Upon hearing the term "Young Master Yu," all eyes were immediately drawn to Yu He's face.

Yu He: "......"

Pulling his hat down over his head with both hands, he urged, "Let's go quickly."

*

By the time he returned to Yun Su, it was nearly nine o'clock. Fu Yunzhe maintained a very regular schedule, retiring to his bedroom promptly at nine every evening. Most of the time, he would fall asleep at that hour, or perhaps read for half an hour, watch a live stream with Yu He for a while, and only occasionally work for an additional two hours.

Tonight, Yu He had no desire to work overtime. His mind was in turmoil after leaving the hospital room; he just wanted to see Fu Yunzhe and talk to him.

It had nothing to do with carnal desires.

He gave Fu Yunzhe a call.

After a few rings, the call was answered, but it wasn't Fu Yunzhe's voice on the other end; it was another man's.

"Hello, this is the Fu residence. May I ask who's speaking?"

Yu He: "......Yu He."

"Oh, Young Master Yu, hello." The voice on the other end immediately became very warm: "I'll transfer your call right away, please hold on."

After a beep, Fu Yunzhe's voice came through the speaker: "Xiao He?"

"Why do I have to be transferred when I call you?" Yu He complained, curling up in the passenger seat, "I'll be home soon. Don’t go to sleep yet; wait for me."

Fu Yunzhe said, "It was my oversight. I will have the internal line set up so that your calls come directly through to me."

Yu He responded with a hum, adding, "And don’t go to sleep, wait for me."

Fu Yunzhe chuckled softly. His laughter vibrated through the phone, each note resonating in Yu He's heart, lifting his spirits.

"I was waiting anyway," Fu Yunzhe said. "Xiao He, come back quickly."

This was bad; Yu He was already feeling happy, and he hadn’t even seen Fu Yunzhe yet.

The vehicle entered the estate, guided by brightly lit street lamps all along the way. As the bodyguard drove past, the lights went out behind Yu He.

These lights were specifically turned on to wait for Yu He; normally, only a few would be lit for illumination.

Bright lights ahead, darkness stretching behind—in the winter night, Yu He was driving towards his only beacon of light.

The lights in front of the main house were also on, the villa's door stood wide open. In the hazy play of light and shadow, Fu Yunzhe was seated in the vestibule, reaching out his hand towards Yu He.

Yu He bounded up the steps in a few strides and embraced Fu Yunzhe tightly, “It’s so cold outside, why are you waiting for me with the door open?”

A servant closed the door from the outside, instantly halting the chilly wind.

Fu Yunzhe, colder than Yu He, seemed unconcerned as he whispered in Yu He's ear, “My little immortal crane asked me to wait for him. How could I not show my sincerity?”

Yu He draped his arm around Fu Yunzhe's shoulder, nuzzling his cold cheek, “Really now, I didn’t want to work late, yet here you are, tempting me.”

Fu Yunzhe lifted his hands, leaning back into his wheelchair, indicating that he hadn’t touched Yu He at all, “You threw yourself at me; I didn’t touch you. How am I tempting you?”

“You didn’t touch or tempt, but you’re more alluring than those who did.” Yu He leaned forward and kissed Fu Yunzhe’s cheek, “Your little immortal crane is about to be charmed silly by you.”

Fu Yunzhe's voice was lush and deep, “Being charmed silly won’t do.” He looked down at Yu He in his embrace, murmuring, “He’s already a little foolish crane.”

Looking up at Fu Yunzhe, Yu He’s neck, visible beneath his down jacket, was slender. His Adam’s apple bobbed up and down, a gesture of utter trust.

With their foreheads pressed together, Yu He, in a hoarse voice, asked, “Can this little foolish crane make love to you?”

Fu Yunzhe’s eyes were steady, serene as he responded, “Of course.”

Satisfied with the answer, Yu He snuggled with Fu Yunzhe in the vestibule for a while. Originally crouching, he eventually knelt on the tiled floor as his legs grew numb.

Fu Yunzhe, supporting Yu He’s shoulders, helped him up from the floor, “Don’t kneel on the ground; it’s cold.”

Yu He carelessly tossed his down jacket onto the entrance cabinet, then pushed Fu Yunzhe’s wheelchair back to the bedroom. He first helped Fu Yunzhe onto the bed, then went to take a shower.

By the time Yu He finished his shower, Fu Yunzhe was already asleep.

Yu He: "......"

Truly, he keeps the schedule of a veteran cadre.

He sighed, ultimately not wanting to disturb Fu Yunzhe, and after drying his hair, he lay down beside him.

Having experienced many frustrating moments throughout the day, Yu He thought he would find it hard to sleep and even opened a live stream on his phone to help him doze off. However, before he could even unlock his phone, sleepiness washed over him.

Yu He shoved his phone under the pillow, facing Fu Yunzhe, and fell asleep in no time.

*

Douya Live hosted a streamer challenge competition, offering a grand prize of 200,000 yuan, along with a promotional spot on the main channel for an entire year.

The competition format involves streamers being categorized based on their follower count, followed by a random live connection battle (PK), best two out of three rounds, with each round lasting 15 minutes. The streamer with the higher score at the end of each round is declared the winner. Points are earned through gifts from viewers, with the cheapest gift, [Little Love Heart], costing just 0.1 yuan and worth 1 point, and the most expensive gift, [Map of Love], costing 5,000 yuan and worth 50,000 points.

While it is a battle between streamers, it essentially becomes a competition of the financial capabilities of their fans.

The revenue generated from the gifts is split, with half going to the Douya platform and the other half to the streamer.

The first 2 minutes of the game and the last 3 minutes are designated for rallying support and votes, while during the middle 10 minutes, the streamer with the higher score can impose a penalty on the streamer with the lower score. For streamers in the talent sector, this usually means singing or dancing, while for those in fitness sections like Yu He, common penalties include push-ups, pull-ups, handstands, and backflips.

Regarding the penalties, it’s less about the privileges of the streamer with the higher score and more about providing an opportunity for the streamer with the lower score to showcase themselves. Sometimes, bystanders will enter the stream, and upon seeing one party continuously performing penalties, they might feel compelled to send gifts.

Regardless of winning or losing, this is a great opportunity to increase exposure and earn money. Top streamers are not particularly concerned about the prize money; what matters to them is the promotional spot on the main channel for a year.

Yu He is extremely tempted by the 200,000 yuan prize.

In the hospital ward, he made a bold promise to Yu Shiquan to send him his bills, as he does not want to pay using Fu Yunzhe’s money. Instead, he wants to earn the money himself to repay Yu Shiquan.

Yu He initially wanted to use the money earned from streaming for charity, but now, it has turned into using the streaming money to repay Yu Shiquan. Afterwards, he plans to take an equal amount of money from what Fu Yunzhe gave him and use it for charity.

Yu He: “This way, the heavens can’t accuse me of not keeping my word, right?”

Fu Yunzhe, noncommittal, responded, “It’s your money; do as you please.”

Yu He said, “Consider yourself a 50% shareholder in the merit.”

Fu Yunzhe: "......Thanks."

The 200,000 yuan is clearly just a drop in the bucket compared to what Yu He has spent over the past 19 years, but it's a start nonetheless. The streamer challenge competition is a rare opportunity, and even if he doesn’t secure first place, he can still gain exposure.

Moreover, if he can become the champion in the fitness category and advance to the main channel competition, he might have the chance to PK with Master Meng from the medical and wellness category!

He is, after all, a devoted fan of Master Meng!

Yu He aims to meet Master Meng at the pinnacle of success!

As the saying goes, to do a good job, one must first sharpen one’s tools. Yu He has purchased the new streamer package, complete with carbon steel brackets, a 22-inch liquid crystal muscle-enhancing fill light, a six-position phone holder, a sound card, and a noise-reducing microphone – everything is ready to go.

He initially planned to set up the equipment in his own room, but considering that the live PK sessions are scheduled from 9 PM to 2 AM, and his room is right next to Fu Yunzhe’s, he had to reconsider.

"This will disturb you at night," said Yu He, unpacking a parcel from the basement with Fu Yunzhang, "Could you arrange another room for me, Boss Fu?"

"Sure, you can stream in any room you prefer." The 22-inch ring light was particularly large. Fu Yunzhang turned the light around to check the product specifications on the back. "Honeycomb-style optical pearl lamp, 3D nano light soft cover... Does it protect the eyes well?"

Yu He looked up, a blank expression on his face: "I don’t know."

"Plug it in and see. This kind of light has a high wattage, and you already have night blindness; don’t damage your eyes any further," Fu Yunzhang advised.

"How do you know I have night blindness?" Yu He plugged in the light and adjusted the brightness of the ring light. "We've never been out together at night."

Under the stable and bright spectrum of the ring light, Fu Yunzhang's complexion seemed to improve significantly, the soft light softening the harsh lines of his face.

"You don't eat carrots, and you end up banging your legs several times walking from the bathroom to the bed when the light is slightly dim at night." Fu Yunzhang bent down to roll up Yu He's trouser leg, revealing a knee and calf bruised in shades of blue and purple: "It's really indefensible if others saw this."

Yu He was wearing an old pair of sweatpants he found in the wardrobe. Fu Yunzhang was quite tall, and even though Yu He was 186 cm tall, the sweatpants were surprisingly not short on him.

Fu Yunzhang wasn't sure how other people's pet canaries were like, but his ‘golden crane’ was very easy to take care of. Not picky about food or clothing, he would just rummage through Fu Yunzhang's wardrobe if he needed clothes. Their heights were quite similar, so Fu Yunzhang's clothes fit Yu He just right.

He had never seen a young master who could make do like this.

The last time they sorted out winter items together, they found a set of skiing equipment, including a limited edition red and black snowboard with a champion's signature on it. Yu He loved it and claimed it on the spot.

Fu Yunzhang offered to buy him a new one, but Yu He insisted on taking that one, boldly saying, "I'll return it to you when your leg is healed."

Even though the conversation touched on his injured leg, Fu Yunzhang didn't seem to mind and jokingly said, "Everything will be yours when I die."

Yu He burst into laughter, lying back among the clutter, while Fu Yunzhang quietly watched him, his gaze as peaceful and calm as it was now.