Chapter 44

Chapter 44

By 10 a.m. the next day, relatives of the Fu family had started arriving one after another.

Fu Yao's family arrived quite early. Yao Yueyin, wearing a smoky-purple brocaded cheongsam, greeted everyone with a gentle smile, holding Yu He's hand as she spoke, “Oh my, it’s been such a long time since I last saw you, Little He. You’ve grown even more handsome.”

Yu He personally led Fu Yao’s family towards the guest living room, saying, “Auntie, I’m not a young lady. Just because you’re handsome doesn’t mean everyone else is.”

Yao Yueyin burst into laughter at Yu He's charm, introducing him to the other relatives, “This is Yu He, the one I was telling you about. Isn’t he good-looking? And he’s got quite the sharp tongue, but that just makes him all the more endearing.”

The relatives nodded politely, their faces breaking into amiable smiles.

Everyone in the Fu family knew that Fu Yunzhen had picked up a pretty toy; this little plaything was indeed outstanding in looks. However, a plaything was still just a plaything; no one truly took Yu He seriously. If Fu Yunzhen was present, they might have put on a show of courtesy, but with him absent, who were they pretending for?

Logically speaking, given Yao Yueyin’s formal introduction, even if just out of politeness, these people should have exchanged a few words with Yu He.

However, Fu Yao’s family was only related to Fu Yunzhen through distant cousins, and since Fu Yao’s father had once offended Fu Yunzhen and Yao Yueyin wasn't a Fu family member, they felt justified in giving Yu He the cold shoulder, not even affording Yao Yueyin the courtesy.

If Fu Yunzhen were to personally introduce Yu He to them, their attitude would naturally be different.

Judging others based on their status seems to be an essential skill in aristocratic circles, a fact well-known yet unspoken by all.

After all, Yu He comes from the Yu family. Although the Yu family’s wealth and influence cannot compare to the Fu family's, they have their fair share of relatives. In any case, as long as one is wealthy, relatives are never in short supply. Yu He didn't take to heart this kind of deliberate disregard commonly found in affluent families.

On the other hand, Yao Yueyin felt somewhat awkward standing there.

Yu He and Fu Yao exchanged a glance.

Fu Yao was in a rather helpless situation; his relatives had always been known to suck up to the powerful and look down on the weak. Not throwing a few derogatory remarks could already be considered decent behavior. It was not just Yu He – even when Fu Yao interacted with them, they would always subtly belittle him to highlight their own children’s excellence.

With just that one glance, Yu He could see Fu Yao’s helplessness.

Yao Yueyin was gentle by nature. Fu Yao was a junior, and Yu He was an outsider; the relatives had accurately identified them as three easy targets.

Yu He was actually quite relieved not to have to deal with these people. If they chose to ignore him, he was more than happy to enjoy his peace.

After sitting for a short while, he said to Fu Yao, "Let’s go, how about we play some basketball?"

Fu Yao, bored out of his mind, immediately agreed, "Let's go."

Yu He never considered himself a troublemaker, but perhaps he was just unlucky. He had been sitting quietly, and nobody bothered to talk to him. Yet the moment he stood up, someone called out to him.

"Where are you going to play basketball?"

A young man in a sapphire blue suit stepped in front of Yu He, his aggressive demeanor and unfriendly face clearly indicating a confrontation: "As an outsider, you think you can just walk in and feel at home in the Fu family’s house, going wherever you please?"

Faced with public provocation, Yu He responded with a laugh instead of anger: "I don’t think we’ve met before. I’ve been living here for half a year, and this is the first time I’ve seen you. My apologies for not recognizing you."

Fu Yao whispered to Yu He, "This is Fu Conglin, the eldest grandson from my granduncle’s family. He’s a generation younger than me; you don’t need to bother with him."

Fu Yunzhen's granduncle was the eldest son, significantly older than his siblings, so despite Fu Conglin being only a few years younger than Fu Yao, he was a generation apart.

Fu Conglin, who considered himself the legitimate successor, had always looked down upon Fu Yao’s family and had never properly addressed Fu Yao as 'Uncle.' However, he was very attentive to Fu Yunzhen, always respectfully calling him 'Uncle' during their interactions.

Fu Conglin sneered, “I’ve heard that Yunzhen’s uncle has been keeping someone by his side, and I thought it was some celestial beauty. Turns out it’s just someone of your caliber.”

Yu He calmly returned to the sofa and took a leisurely sip of his iced cola.

Everyone present had tea in their cups, except for Yu He, in front of whom sat a glass of iced cola—a subtle and delicate exception. This sight offered two possible interpretations to the onlookers: either Yu He was not valued enough, perhaps not even deemed worthy of drinking the Fu family's tea; or, conversely, Yu He held a special place of importance, so much so that his beverage had to be separately prepared.

There were only these two possible scenarios—no third option.

Those with discerning eyes had their suspicions, but without being able to confirm the exact situation, they would not take the initiative to provoke Yu He.

There was no conflict of interest, nor was there any necessity to do so.

However, if everyone in the world could adhere to this principle, perhaps terms like 'making trouble out of nothing' or 'harming others without benefiting oneself' wouldn't exist.

The elders in Fu Conglin's family were all engaged in conversation with Fu Yunzhe, leaving him bored and lacking guidance, which inevitably led him to pick a fight with Yu He.

All the people present were merely spectators, watching with cold eyes.

It wasn't their younger family member causing trouble or embarrassing themselves; it was irrelevant to them. Though they continued to engage in lively conversation on the surface, their attention was wholly diverted to the interaction between Fu Conglin and Yu He.

Yu He set down his glass, not bothering to lift his eyelids, concealing his dazzling, starry eyes. He leaned back on the sofa, "Conglin is truly filial, always considering for his little uncle. Rest assured, although I may not be a treasure, Mr. Fu enjoys his time with me... After all, I don’t constantly dwell on those shares in his hands, nor do I incessantly pester him to hand over the management rights of Fu Corporation."

Fu Conglin's face turned extremely ugly in an instant.

Yu He’s words were a direct hit to the heart.

Ever since Fu Yunzhe’s car accident, the Fu Conglin family had harbored thoughts of supporting his father and seizing power from Fu Yunzhe. However, Fu Yunzhe had established his authority over the years, and the Fu Corporation was as solid as an iron barrel under his control.

If they were to confront him directly, it would be very difficult for them to defeat Fu Yunzhe.

Thus, his father would, under the guise of caring for his cousin and in his capacity as an elder cousin, advise Fu Yunzhe to focus on his recovery and not worry about the company, subtly hinting at the idea of transferring some of the management rights to their family for temporary management.

If this plan succeeded, their family’s status within the Fu family would rise to a new level.

Who could have expected that before the plan could come to fruition, Yu He would recklessly bring everything into the light?

How could the little uncle share everything with this guy!

Fu Conglin could feel the change in the gazes from several relatives around him—there was inquiry and there was caution.

With several main and branch families in the Fu family, maintaining a delicate balance was not easy. If the other families joined forces to sideline his family in front of Fu Yunzhe...

This was an accusation he could not admit to.

Fu Conglin, filled with rage, pointed at Yu He, “Don't spout nonsense and cause trouble here!”

Yu He pursed his lips, neither agreeing nor denying.

The gaze of the other relatives fell on Fu Conglin, piercingly intense. Even though it was the dead of winter, beads of sweat formed on Fu Conglin’s forehead. He never expected Fu Yunzhen to share this matter with Yu He, nor did he anticipate that Yu He would so casually disclose it.

Seeing Fu Conglin standing awkwardly on the spot, and considering that he was, after all, a junior member of the family, Fu Yao, not wishing to bicker with him, decided to smooth things over: “Conglin, why don’t you join us for a game of ball?”

Fu Conglin's eyes flickered. Since he couldn’t handle Yu He, he directed his anger towards Fu Yao: “Fu Yao, you really know how to play your cards right. Unable to cling to Uncle Yunzhen, you hover around his little lover, ready to serve at a moment's notice. What, can he whisper sweet nothings to influence Uncle Yunzhen on your behalf?”

Fu Yao looked at Fu Conglin in astonishment, confused about why he was acting so irrationally. However, before he could speak, Yu He took the initiative to respond.

“I may not be able to whisper any sweet nothings for anyone, but I can definitely stir up trouble.”

Finally lifting his gaze, Yu He glanced at Fu Conglin, his tone shifting from the previous nonchalance to a threatening sharpness: “Fu Conglin, Fu Yao is Fu Yunzhen’s cousin, which by seniority makes him your uncle. You may choose not to accept the steps he's laid down for you to descend gracefully, but you have no right to bite the hand that feeds you.”

Fu Conglin narrowed his eyes: “And what are you? Do you think you have the right to meddle in the affairs of the Fu family?”

Yu He’s fingers tapped lightly on the tabletop. After a moment of contemplation, he answered slowly, “What am I to you... a little aunt?”

The surrounding conversations came to an abrupt halt, and everyone turned to look at Yu He with eyes filled with shock.

This kid really dares to say anything.

Fu Conglin felt like he was about to spit blood from anger. He had never met anyone like Yu He, who was not only unashamed of being kept by Fu Yunzhen but also brazenly suggested that he should be addressed as ‘little aunt’!

“Don't you feel ashamed?” Fu Conglin pointed at Yu He, his hand trembling: “Have you no shame at all?”

To his surprise, Yu He nodded: “Yes, it is shameful. It was a perfectly good day, and suddenly I have a nephew with no manners like you... Well, since I’m with Mr. Fu, I have no choice but to toughen up and acknowledge you as my nephew.”

The crowd: “......”

Fu Yao slightly slumped his shoulders, supporting his forehead with his hand, turning his head away to avoid the awkward scene.

The first time Fu Yao met Yu He, he went back and asked around about him. The information he got from Fengcheng was abundant, but one piece was particularly striking—

Yu He has a sharp tongue; never get into an argument with him.

At that time, Fu Yao naively thought, having grown up in wealthy and influential families, who could possibly be inarticulate?

What's so impressive about being eloquent?

As the saying goes, seeing is believing. It was not until today that I saw Fu Yao in person that I realized the term 'impressive' does not begin to cover it. Yu He is in a league of his own, not even on the path of eloquence and persuasiveness.

It’s infuriating, a stifling kind of infuriating that’s both rational and well-founded.

Truly worthy of being the renowned trouble-making crane of Fengcheng.

Fu Conglin's cheeks flushed red, his eyes filled with bloodshot veins. If it weren’t for the presence of the elders, he would have really loved to go up there and hit Yu He. How dare Yu He act like an elder when he’s younger than him! Growing up in the Fu family, Fu Conglin was always held in high regard by others. He had never been so publicly humiliated before.

Clenching his teeth tightly, breathing heavily, he squeezed out the words word by word: "Yu He, you've really got guts."

The angrier Fu Conglin got, the calmer Yu He became.

With a bright smile on his face, Yu He was like a crane gracefully gliding on water, as he responded, "How could I dare to acknowledge you as my nephew if I didn’t have the courage?"

Fu Conglin’s mind snapped, forgetting where he was and who he was. Standing there, he felt as if Yu He's humiliation was like a slap in the face in public, and he couldn’t hold his face any longer.

In a fit of rage, Fu Conglin grabbed a teapot from the table and hurled it at Yu He.

Yu He was quite experienced in dodging objects thrown at him; after Yu Shiquan dared not to hit Yu He himself, his most common action was to throw whatever was at hand at Yu He.

Yu He did not dodge or avoid, sitting on the sofa allowing the teapot to fly towards him. If it weren't for Fu Yao stepping in and pushing Yu He out of the way, the just-boiled hot water would have spilled all over him.

Even so, when the teapot shattered with a crash, tea splashed everywhere, not only on Yu He but also on Fu Yao, who was sitting next to him.

The noble family showed its grace in times of crisis; there wasn’t a single scream or panic. Instead, the room fell into a dead silence.

At this moment, a middle-aged man strode forward and slapped Fu Conglin across the face.

Fu Conglin’s head whipped to the side. He turned back, disbelieving, and called out, “Dad?”

In the heavy silence that ensued, Yu He chuckled softly.

Yu He stood up, flicking the water off his pants, and addressed him politely, “Mr. Fu.”

The crowd suddenly turned around, only to realize that Fu Yunzhen had arrived unnoticed.

Sitting in his wheelchair, Fu Yunzhen wore a grave expression, impossible to read. "Uncle, it’s been a long time since your family visited. It turns out you were saving such a surprise for me. Cousin, you've taught your son so well. You must have been too busy to take care of the company down south... Fu Yao," Fu Yunzhen turned to Fu Yao, "go downstairs with Xiao He and change your clothes. When you come back, you can also handle the handover with your older cousin. From next year on, you will be directly responsible to me for the company down south."

Fu Yao stood up in response, “Older cousin?”

Everyone was stunned, exchanging glances in disbelief.

The astute observer’s gaze fell upon the cola on the coffee table, finally discerning the special significance of this particular cup of cola and understanding its subtle implications.

It's significant, important.

In Fu Yunzheng's words, accompanying Yu He to change clothes is the main task, whereas handing over several companies in the south to Fu Yao is just done in passing!

Done in passing? What does that mean?

The implication seems to be that he’s just casually handing over the companies. Clearly, he appreciates how well Fu Yao gets along with Yu He, even helping Yu He to block the teapot. Satisfied with Fu Yao's allegiance to Yu He, he decided to reward Fu Yao with the management of several companies.

Realizing this, the relatives seated far from Yu He regretted not sitting closer to strike up a conversation with him earlier, while those seated nearby cursed their slow reactions for not showcasing themselves in front of Fu Yunzheng.

Even though Fu Yao and Fu Yunzheng are distant relatives, and Fu Conglin's father is Fu Yunzheng's first cousin, whether Fu Yunzheng rewards Fu Yao or punishes Fu Conglin's father, it all boils down to one factor: Yu He.

Feeling everyone’s eyes on him, Yu He pushed away the towel offered by the attendant and walked slowly towards Fu Yunzheng.

Fu Yunzheng looked at Yu He and asked, "Did it burn you?"

Raising an eyebrow slightly, Yu He unhesitatingly threw out an accusation in front of everyone, "Yes, it did."

Hearing this, Fu Yunzheng bent down to lift Yu He’s trouser leg.

A sudden tightness gripped Yu He’s heart, and he swiftly retreated three steps to dodge.

Whether in private or in front of others, Yu He was unwilling to let Fu Yunzheng stoop to do such things for him.

He retreated so quickly, even faster than when he himself would squat down to help Fu Yunzheng change his slippers.

While they respected and took care of each other, neither wanted to see the other bend or kneel in front of them.

Fu Yunzheng raised his head, “What are you dodging for?”

Yu He had asked the same question that night; this was a secret belonging exclusively to them.

The two locked eyes, unable to hide the laughter in their eyes.

Yu He said, “You can see after you accompany me to change clothes.”

The crowd: ...This little charmer really knows how to set the scene. No wonder he has Fu Yunzheng so bewitched, showing such blatant favoritism towards him.

Fu Yunzheng maneuvered his wheelchair, extending his hand to yield to Yu He, “Alright, Master Yu, after you.”

Yu He took Fu Yunzheng's hand, and together, they left the reception room.

This left the entire Fu family, old and young, standing in place, exchanging confused glances.

*

Inside the bedroom, Yu He took off his trousers, revealing his long, straight legs hanging in the air, with a conspicuous red burn mark.

Fu Yunzheng’s eyes were fixed on the red mark as he furrowed his brows.

Yu He seemed completely indifferent, using a towel to dry his legs and casually pulling a pair of trousers from the wardrobe, “This is strange. Last time it was cola spilled on me, and this time it’s water. Is this the treatment a lover gets?”

Fu Yunzheng's fingertips touched the burn ointment, gently applying it on Yu He’s leg, his tone unusually reproachful, “I’ve told you to associate less with them, but you wouldn’t listen.”

Sitting at the edge of the bed, Yu He bent his legs, “You said people would talk, but you didn’t say they’d resort to physical attacks when words failed.”

The green burn ointment covered the red skin.

Fortunately, the burn wasn’t serious. Though it looked alarming due to its size, it would subside after a night with the ointment.

Fu Yunzheng spread the ointment, “Blaming me? They don’t act like this in my presence.”

Yu He lay back on the bed, “They are bullying me.”

“It won’t happen again,” Fu Yunzheng wiped his hands clean, screwing the cap back on the ointment jar, “I arrived too late.”

Yu He turned over, holding Fu Yunzheng’s fingertips, saying, “It’s not late. As long as it’s you, it’s never too late.”

Fu Yunzheng looked up into the eyes of the young man before him, also holding Yu He’s hand, his gaze uncertain, yet he couldn’t help but voice his question, “Xiao He... why didn’t you dodge?”

Yu He loved sports and was good at basketball. He was nimble and quick in his reactions from morning till night. Why didn’t he know to dodge when the teapot was thrown, and it was Fu Yao, standing next to him, who reacted first?

Yu He’s eyes shone like stars, the raven-black lashes casting a fan-shaped shadow, “I only know how to go on the offensive.”

“So if someone attacks you first, you won’t dodge?” Fu Yunzheng’s tone carried a barely noticeable sorrow, “You’re usually so clever; how could you freeze at a critical moment?”

Yu He noticed the tenderness in his words. He wasn’t sure if he wanted to appear stronger or more pitiable. He had a secret in his heart, a past never shared with anyone.

But in front of Fu Yunzheng, it seemed like there was nothing he couldn’t say.

Yu He moved his lips slightly, whispering, “You can't dodge when being hit.”

This was a habit that Yu He had developed since he was very young. When Yu Shiqian would hit him, if Yu He dodged or hid, he would end up being beaten even more severely.

The notion of ‘not dodging when being hit’ almost became an ironclad rule, deeply ingrained in Yu He's heart since he was four or five years old, only deepening and solidifying over a decade.

When someone raised their hand at Yu He, he felt that he had to let the strike land on him; feeling the pain was the only way he could break free from that confinement and fight back.

So when Yu He got into fights, he would either strike first, or he had to take a hit before retaliating.

Fu Yunzheng gripped Yu He’s hand tightly: “I will protect you from now on.”

Yu He looked up, “Do you understand what I am saying?”

Fu Yunzheng nodded, “I have investigated your background and know that you have suffered a lot in the Yu family.”

Yu He shook his head with a smile, “It’s not that much. Which kid hasn’t been beaten by their parents? Later on, he didn’t dare to do it anymore.”

Fu Yunzheng also smiled, choosing not to tell Yu He anything else.

Before coming to the Fu family, Yu He had been suffering from chronic insomnia. He thought it was due to his reversed day-night cycle, believing his sleeplessness and sudden mood swings were just part of adolescence.

But that wasn’t the case.

After analyzing Yu He’s condition, a psychologist told Fu Yunzheng that Yu He might have minor psychological issues, but they couldn’t be sure until they had direct contact with him.

After all, Yu He appeared to be in good spirits most of the time.

And now, he no longer suffered from insomnia.

The doctor explained, “The impact of psychological issues on a patient is highly related to their environment. The fact that his insomnia symptoms disappeared after he came to your house doesn't prove that he didn't have psychological issues before. On the contrary, it highlights the negative impact his previous environment had on him. Now that the negative influence is gone, he is getting better.”

This situation is not uncommon; many depression patients show improvement after therapy at psychological centers, only to relapse when they return home.

Although people often say home is a safe harbor, it’s not always the case. Data indicates that a significant portion of psychological disorder patients’ stress actually comes from their families.

Fu Yunzheng only regretted not taking Yu He in sooner.

His Xiao He, whom he’d treat like a precious treasure, was beaten black and blue in places he couldn't see.

Fu Yunzheng couldn't afford to dwell on this matter.

He has always been a calm and composed person, but the mere thought of Yu He getting hurt throws him into a state of uncontrollable rage. He condemns himself from the bottom of his heart for being useless, for not being able to protect his little crane properly.

Fu Yunzheng took a deep breath, trying to suppress the tumultuous emotions inside him. Dark clouds gathered in his phoenix eyes, a storm was about to come.

He wanted to free up his hands to deal with Yu Shiqian, but he was uncertain about Yu He's feelings towards his foster parents, fearing that it might backfire.

Yu He noticed that Fu Yunzheng was in a bad mood, so he leaned in and kissed Fu Yunzheng's cheek, "Why are you angry? Come on, give me a kiss to cheer up."

Fu Yunzheng: "......"

He was worried sick about what Yu He had gone through, yet here was Yu He, acting as if nothing had happened, airing his legs while applying ointment.

He really was a lively little crane.

Resilient in life, he held no grudges, didn’t like to complain, and would shamelessly act coquettish with him.

Yu He treated Fu Yunzheng differently than he treated others, and this difference filled Fu Yunzheng with joy—

He was the one who had spoiled him.

It had taken more than half a year, but he had finally tamed him.

Fu Yunzheng dialed the internal line and said to Zhang Shan, "Uncle Zhang, please ask everyone to leave, just say that I’m tired."

Zhang Shan answered, “It’s already being arranged. Mr. Fu, your elder cousin and his family haven’t left yet. They said they want to apologize to young master Conglin in person.”

This cousin was named Fu Hui, the oldest among Fu Yunzheng's generation, and also Fu Conglin’s father. He was the one who had slapped Fu Conglin in the living room just before.

Fu Yunzheng and his cousin had a big age difference. When Fu Yunzheng started to remember things, Fu Hui was already studying abroad, so they didn't see each other much.

At that time, Fu Yunzheng’s father was the head of the Fu family. Although Fu Yunzheng was young, everyone knew that he would most likely be the one to take over the family business in the future. However, Fu Hui was the eldest, and he had already become a manager in the Fu family company when Fu Yunzheng was just finishing middle school.

How could Fu Hui feel balanced about this?

This imbalance had a long history, and Fu Yunzheng’s granduncle must have felt the same when he saw Fu Yunzheng’s father become the family head. But they, father and son, were older and more sophisticated, able to hide their ambitions very well.

Fu Conglin was not so able. Being young and hot-headed, he had to bear three generations' worth of resentment. It was already hard enough for him to act submissive and respectful in front of Fu Yunzheng. Now, he had finally caught a soft persimmon on Fu Yunzheng's territory, but it turned out to be a hedgehog.

He didn’t succeed in crushing Yu He, but ended up pricking himself. It was indeed a stroke of bad luck.

Currently, Fu Conglin is forcibly kept at the Fu residence by his elders, compelled to apologize to Yu He, and his face has turned white from anger.

Forget the fact that Yu He is currently just a pampered plaything; even when he was still with the Yu family, he would have had to respectfully greet him, Fu Conglin, as Young Master Lin. How is it that upon becoming a canary in the Fu house, he can now push him around and call him nephew?

Just thinking about it makes me furious.