Chapter 070: Anomalous Time 36

Chapter 070: Anomalous Time 36

Humans can lie and conceal, but a puppy's instincts cannot be feigned.

Chang Baoqin had just finished mentally preparing herself, believing that she could win over the family with her long-term companionship rather than these sudden arrivals. But when she saw the Corgi nimbly leap into the little boy's arms, she felt a chill run from the top of her head to the soles of her feet in an instant.

This, this, this... It was clear that it had been kept outside for who knows how long, deliberately not brought into the house!

—No, perhaps only they had been kept in the dark until yesterday when they received the news, then hurriedly tried to find an excuse to come over and investigate.

…It was possible that even the maid they had bribed was part of Old Master Zhang's scheme all along!

Chang Baoqin suddenly lost her composure, her heart turning cold as she finally felt the world turn upside down.

Beside her, Zhang Yizhe, whose arms were left empty, felt a surge of intense anger. Remembering that his grandfather was nearby, he struggled to suppress his ugly expression, adjusted his face, and smiled as he walked towards another little boy.

"Xiao Hang, why don't we..."

But the younger-looking boy completely ignored him, holding Zhang Wei while turning away on his own, looking at the little girl beside him and asking, "Sister, are you full? Do you want to go play with Zhang Wei?"

The little girl nodded, "Okay, let's go play over there, don't disturb Father and Grandfather while they're eating."

Their voices weren't loud, almost drowned out by the bustling restaurant, but they were just loud enough for Zhang Yizhe, who had just walked up, to hear clearly.

Immediately after, the two children got up together, not even glancing at the other child who had approached them.

As they passed by Zhang Yizhe, the little boy holding the Corgi stepped heavily on his foot, even grinding it back and forth a few times, instantly turning his sleek black leather shoes dusty gray.

Zhang Yizhe suddenly drew a sharp breath, pinching his palm hard to keep from crying out on the spot.

…It hurt so much!

Just like their father, they treated everyone as if they didn't exist, just as arrogant!

But at the same time, he was somewhat excited, reflexively turning to call out to his grandfather, wanting him to see the true faces of these two bastards.

However, Zhang Yizhe's words had already slipped to the tip of his tongue when he realized that Zhang Yunjiang was engaged in a low conversation with the person next to him, not looking this way at all.

Instead, it was the young man with brown hair next to him who glanced over here.

His light brown eyes flashed with a dense coldness as they swept past Zhang Yizhe, who was grimacing.

But his voice carried a warm smile.

He said to Zhang Yunjiang, "Zhang Wei seems to really like Xiao Hang."

The old man's face was filled with pure joy, "Yes, I also like Xiao Hang! He has the same insight as Xiao Xi, but he definitely already has a teacher, and his level is already quite good, so it wouldn't be right for me to say I want to teach him."

The brown-haired youth thought for a moment and responded, "Even without teaching, you can still play chess together. Xiao Hang loves Go, he would definitely want to play chess with you."

"Really?" The old man was taken aback, even more delighted, "That's great, it's rare to find chess enthusiasts among today's children!"

Hearing all this, Zhang Yizhe became anxious, mustered his courage, and quickly ran over, blurting out, "Grandfather, I also like Go, I want to..."

The little boy wasn't able to finish, interrupted by the young man with a smile.

"Huh, what happened to your shoes?" Seeing Zhang Yizhe's shoes, his tone was surprised, "Did you accidentally step into a mud puddle?"

Zhang Yunjiang, seated at the head of the table, also looked over, frowning, "How did they get so dirty?"

Zhang Yizhe had no choice but to abandon his original words and hastily explained, "These are new shoes my mother bought, they were originally very clean, it's because I was—"

He knew his grandfather was a very particular person about manners, and he was probably a bit unhappy now, thinking he had lost face in front of others.

But once again, the little boy's words were interrupted by the same clear voice.

"Uncle Zhang, don't blame him, it's normal for kids to be a bit playful."

The youth's voice was warm and bright, filled with gentle tolerance, but the gaze that looked over was icy and piercing, forming an extreme contrast with his beautiful features, creating a terrifying sense of pressure.

Zhang Yunjiang couldn't see his eyes, but Zhang Yizhe saw them clearly.

He stumbled back a few steps, abandoning any thoughts of explanation, stuttering, "I... I'll go polish my shoes."

The thoroughly intimidated little boy turned and ran, and the old man, seeing this, was stunned for a moment, shaking his head, "Ah, truly a child, lacking manners!"

In his gaze following Zhang Yizhe's retreating back, there was dissatisfaction and disappointment, causing the faces of the group of relatives in the distance to pale a few shades more.

Yubai's gaze swept over their terrible expressions, exchanged a knowing glance with the two children in the corner of the restaurant, and then happily retracted his gaze.

Then he casually picked up the glass in front of him and drank the wine inside, the warmth flowing down his throat, slightly spicy but comforting.

It felt good to secretly misbehave.

As soon as the glass was empty, the butler sitting across from him handed him a freshly warmed pot of hot wine.

Yubai took it with a smile, feeling happier than ever before.

He was definitely not drunk now, because his mind was clear, and he hadn't done anything strange.

He just wanted to talk to someone.

So Yubai poured wine for the old man sitting next to him and asked casually, "Uncle Zhang, why is that Corgi called Zhang Wei? Is there any special reason?"

In the fragrant aroma of the wine, Zhang Yunjiang was somewhat surprised, curious, "Huh? Why do you ask?"

"Because it doesn't seem like your style," Yubai said frankly, "I think you would choose some characters or words from ancient poetry to name the puppy."

His tone was straightforward, revealing unmasked confusion, and his eyes were so bright and pure that Zhang Yunjiang thought for a moment and then laughed, "I thought about it, and if I were to name it, I would indeed do it this way."

"Dr. Yu, you're perceptive indeed. The name Zhang Wei wasn't my choice."

The old man replied with a smile, "And it's not the first Zhang Wei either!"

Yu Bai was slightly bewildered. "Not the first Zhang Wei?"

"Yes," Zhang Yunjiang said, turning to look at the butler, Uncle Ah Bo, beside him. "I believe this is the third dog named Zhang Wei." He asked the butler, "Uncle Ah Bo, I'm not mistaken, am I?"

Uncle Ah Bo nodded in confirmation. "It's the third generation. This Zhang Wei is the cutest of them all!"

The two elders shared a laugh, recalling something fondly. Zhang Yunjiang's gaze swept quietly over his children, each with their own expressions around the dining table.

"I remember it was popular back then to name children things like 'Wei' or 'Yong'," the elder said wistfully. "One day, I brought home a stray dog from outside. The kids immediately crowded around, excited to bathe it and give it a name."

"One of them suggested calling it Zhang Wei, and everyone burst into laughter. I didn't particularly like such a common name, nor would I have given it to a child, but seeing their joy, I agreed."

"So, we had a stray dog named Zhang Wei. Later, one of its puppies stayed with us, also named Zhang Wei, and now we're on the third generation, still called Zhang Wei."

In the eyes of the silver-haired elder, a river of time flowed by as he smiled. "But times have changed. They now find the name unappealing, asking me several times to rename it."

Time marched on without pause, and the once innocent and simple children had changed too.

The even older Uncle Ah Bo picked up the conversation with a smile. "Ah, today is different. The weather has changed, they've changed. Maybe they'll think the name is good again!"

Amidst the seemingly warm and peaceful banquet, the elders were unaware of the undercurrents lurking beneath.

Yu Bai sensed the melancholy hidden behind their plain words and comforted the elder earnestly. "Zhang Wei is a good name."

He didn't mention his fabricated grandfather again, but he thought of his long-departed father, and sincerely said, "Uncle Zhang, you're a truly wonderful father, really."

In this magnificent courtyard, every room was meticulously arranged, filled with things young people liked, clean and new, always ready for the children's return.

Among the lush trees, a small brown dog named Zhang Wei forever remained.

Zhang Yunjiang didn't respond. He lowered his head, his trembling fingers lifting the wine glass to his lips, drinking deeply before saying hoarsely, "Ah, this wine tastes truly good!"

There are some emotions that words cannot convey.

Yu Bai also raised his cup, tasting a myriad of flavors, and drank it down with him.

Yan Jing, who had been seated next to Yuan Yuhang and was focused on eating, hadn't heard their conversation clearly, but he saw the action and subconsciously advised, "Xiao Bai, drink less!"

Yu Bai, who was talking to the elder, didn't hear, but the man beside him turned to look upon hearing his voice.

Confronted by those icy, heterochromatic eyes, even with two empty seats between them, Yan Jing instinctively shuddered and hastily changed his words. "Forget what I said, drink as much as you want!"

When he sat down earlier, there were two children between them, giving him the courage to take his seat.

He hadn't expected Yuan Yuhang and He Xi to suddenly run off to play with the puppy, leaving him to face Xie Wufang directly. Yan Jing felt an immense pressure, and even the delicious food lost its appeal.

...Should he go play with Zhang Wei instead?

The timid Yan Jing instantly considered retreating, already slowly moving his butt away from the chair, but the non-human with keen senses wouldn't let him escape.

Xie Wufang accurately caught the tension in his eyes when he called out to Yu Bai and asked coolly, "Why?"

Yan Jing froze, his heart pounding as he responded, "Ah? Wha...what why?"

He was being so considerate as to leave, why did he need to ask the reason!

The cold-faced man frowned, seemingly reluctant to speak with him but, for some reason, suppressing the evident aversion.

Xie Wufang asked the question more fully, his voice colder. "Why should he drink less?"

Yan Jing finally understood what he was asking about, first feeling relieved, then becoming nervous again.

How should he answer this question?

He wasn't sure of Xie Wufang's intentions in asking.

Was he curious about why Yu Bai couldn't drink, or did he find his comment annoying?

"Uh, bec-because..."

Yan Jing's mind raced as he subconsciously moved closer to the empty seats, fearing that Xie Wufang might feel disrespected by the distance.

...Damn, why was he being so servile in front of this guy!

As Yan Jing berated himself, he very servilely whispered in response, "Because Xiao Bai doesn't have a high tolerance for alcohol. I'm afraid he might get drunk."

"Get drunk?"

"Yeah, I remember he gets drunk easily." Yan Jing, now closer to Xie Wufang, said nervously, "If he gets drunk, someone will have to take care of him. It'd be...troublesome for you."

Yu Bai and Xie Wufang shared a suite, and if he got drunk and returned, he'd certainly need his roommate to take care of him.

Sigh, just thinking about the game console in the suite that he could no longer touch made Yan Jing genuinely sad, his expression involuntarily showing his melancholy.

As Xie Wufang looked at his bitter expression, a hint of concern flashed across his eyes. "Is getting drunk serious?"

If Yu Bai heard this question, he would immediately realize that Xie Wufang had no concept of what getting drunk meant.

Tonight's deity was tasting the bitterness of alcohol for the first time, naturally not understanding the concept of drunkenness, possibly equating it with human illness.

But he was engrossed in conversation with the elder and didn't notice the exchange beside him.

The thick-skinned Yan Jing, of course, understood from a more conventional perspective and shook his head repeatedly. "No, no, Xiao Bai behaves well when drunk. You don't have to worry too much."

At least in his memory, Xiao Bai didn't go overboard when drunk, it was just that...

Xie Wufang asked, "His drinking behavior?"

Yan Jing pondered carefully how to answer.

He wasn't quite sure how best to describe Xiao Bai's state after drinking.

Yu Bai didn't drink often, and even less did he get drunk. The only time Yan Jing had personally experienced was during the gathering before graduation from university.

Both of them had applied to the same university, with Yu Bai scoring high in academics and Yan Jing relying on his athletic prowess. They studied in different departments, but because Yan Jing frequently visited him, he gradually became familiar with the people in his dormitory, all of whom became friends. As graduation approached, they were invited to drink together.

That night, by the barbecue stand outside the campus, several male roommates and a few other acquaintances held cool beer cans in the hot summer breeze, reminiscing about days gone by and dreaming of the future.

Having lived together for four years, even if their relationship wasn't as close as with Yan Jing, Yu Bai still felt a tinge of sadness and drank quite a bit, quickly getting drunk.

In truth, what exactly happened after he got drunk that day was somewhat hazy for Yan Jing, who was also heavily intoxicated. But one thing he wouldn't forget was that not long after that gathering, two female classmates confessed their feelings to Yu Bai.

Yan Jing, well-versed in various campus gossip, had known for a long time that many girls had a crush on Xiao Bai. He just assumed that with their impending departure, they wouldn't dare to express feelings that were destined to have no outcome.

For although he seemed warm and friendly, easy to approach, he actually had high emotional barriers, silently keeping most people at arm's length, rarely revealing his true self.

Except when it came to Yan Jing, who was clearly a clueless straight man.

As expected, Yu Bai politely and kindly rejected the confessions of those two girls.

But unexpectedly, not long after the party, another male roommate confessed his feelings to him.

Upon learning this, Yan Jing was shocked and slapped his thigh hard: "Holy shit! He's been secretly in love with you all along!!"

"He kept asking me if I was straight, turns out he saw me as a rival! I go for walks around the neighboring dance academy every day, practically glued to their school gate, do I need to be asked?!"

Yu Bai's reaction was skeptical: "I didn't feel that way, and even if it was a secret love, why would he choose to confess right before we all went our separate ways? We won't even be in the same city."

Then he suddenly realized, "…I know, he must want to borrow money from me?!"

"…" Yan Jing fell silent for a moment, lighting a candle in his heart for that brother, "It's not impossible, you should be wary of romance scams. Your strong anti-fraud awareness will surely make Uncle Li proud."

Considering these confessions all occurred after that gathering, Yu Bai, who was taken care of by his friends and completely blacked out, always felt something was off. He tentatively asked, "Did I do something to them while I was drunk? Do you remember anything?"

Yan Jing tried to recall and honestly answered, "No, we just chatted normally. I don't remember specifics, but the atmosphere that night was good."

The usually distant young man talked a lot after getting drunk, his gaze clear and soft, yet his mind remained mostly sober. He didn't seem drunk and refused to admit he was.

So instead, it was like he had opened up his heart, speaking incessantly with a clear smile. Those beautiful light-colored eyes would focus intently on whoever was talking to him, as if the whole world had shrunk to just the two of them, nothing else mattered, giving the illusion of being chosen in a sea of people.

Yan Jing vaguely felt that this might have been the reason why those red-faced classmates decided to muster the courage to try after the gathering.

He didn't have any special feelings about it.

Because he thought Xiao Bai had always been indulgent towards him.

And he was a 100% straight man!

So...to sum it up, how should he describe Xiao Bai's drinking behavior?

Beside the raven-haired, blue-eyed man, Yan Jing, who looked like a bodyguard reporting in a low voice, was secretly troubled.

He couldn't possibly recount this lengthy memory to Xie Wufang in such detail, could he?

Besides, he didn't think he was close enough to share these things with this terrifying non-human.

It felt like discussing dinner plans with an unreachable deity.

After some hesitation, Yan Jing carefully said, "When Xiao Bai drinks too much, he keeps saying he's not drunk, becomes very talkative, and maybe a little clingy...but really, there's nothing to worry about. He's easy to take care of, let him drink if he wants, he seems pretty happy now."

Tonight wasn't a gathering of young people, and there was no one with a crush on Xiao Bai present. He didn't think there would be any problems.

With that thought, Yan Jing finally relaxed, specifically reminding Yu Bai's current roommate, "If he insists on chatting with you after dinner, just say something random to appease him, or ignore him if you want. Just wait until he falls asleep, he won't remember anything when he wakes up."

Xie Wufang listened quietly to his words, the worry in his eyes gradually fading. That instinctive aversion surged again in the gray-blue lake.

After Yan Jing finished his report, he dared not move, waiting obediently for the reaction of this ancestor, with a bold expectation in his heart.

He vaguely remembered that Xie Wufang used to be quite polite.

Would he say thank you?

After a brief silence, a cold voice sounded above the sycophantic bodyguard.

The man said expressionlessly, "This is He Xi's seat."

"…Okay, I'll sit back down right away!"

Yan Jing quickly dispelled his wild thoughts and swiftly returned to his previous seat, almost saying 'thank you for your grace.'

At least Xie Wufang hadn't made him leave the restaurant.

Ah, in life, the most important thing is to learn contentment.

The commotion here finally drew Yu Bai's curious gaze.

Were they having a conversation?

But Xie Wufang was clearly repulsed by others tonight.

But when Yu Bai, full of questions, looked over, Yan Jing, three seats away, was happily enjoying his lavish dinner, with a strange look of appreciation and gratitude on his face.

Xie Wufang beside him was looking down at the small white porcelain wine cup on the table, lost in thought. Not until he sensed Yu Bai's gaze did he lift his eyes and look over, softly asking, "What's wrong?"

Yu Bai suddenly forgot what he had intended to say. After a brief moment of bewilderment, he laughed. "Never mind."

Looking up at Xie Wufang, who was just inches away, his voice carried a light-hearted smile. "You don't like bitter flavors, so don't look at it."

As Yu Bai spoke, he casually picked up the wine glass. The man, who indeed disliked bitterness, obediently averted his gaze.

He didn't look back at the orange-yellow, fragrant wine in the white porcelain cup, nor did he stop the cheerful human beside him from continuing to drink.

Instead, he asked, "Are you drunk?"

This ordinary question received the standard response from a drunkard.

Upon hearing it, the flushed person blinked their eyes, their thick, raven-like lashes fluttering like a small fan under the dim yellow light.

Beneath the swaying lashes, warm, light-brown eyes gazed intently at the one who had asked the question, answering with utmost seriousness, "I'm not drunk, though."