Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Lu Zhao had no idea about the interactions happening under the table between them and was full of confusion: "Who is Madam She?"

It wasn’t his fault, given his interests were limited to sports and machine programming.

Besides, given how low-profile Madam She had been in recent years, it’s no surprise he didn’t know her.

Although he didn’t know Madam She, he understood that the person Yan Yan came to Zhu City to meet was likely Madam She.

Hu Chengyu propped his chin on one hand, gazing out the window, seemingly uninterested in conversation.

Lu Zhao knew his brother was angry.

Still, since Yan Yan had brought him along, Lu Zhao greeted Fang Jin politely: "Mr. Fang, hello."

Fang Jin sat down opposite him and looked at Hu Chengyu, who hadn’t spoken a word: "Is this guy Yan Yan’s brother?"

He had heard Shen Yan mention Lu Zhao before, guessing they were just friends.

Fang Jin could feel the hostility from this man.

Especially earlier downstairs, he had sensed this man’s unfriendly gaze.

Shen Yan struggled to introduce Hu Chengyu, especially with his hand still firmly held, unable to pull away.

His mind went blank, and despite his lips trembling, no words came out.

Hu Chengyu, with a sideways glance at Shen Yan’s conflicted expression, chuckled softly.

"Yan Yan?"

Shen Yan immediately looked at Hu Chengyu.

He had rarely heard Hu Chengyu call him that.

Though it was an intimate way to address her, Shen Yan sensed something wasn’t right.

Hu Chengyu looked back at Fang Jin: "Not a real brother."

Fang Jin also noticed the tense atmosphere between Shen Yan and this cold man.

"Yan Yan, are you alright?"

Shen Yan’s fair face flushed slightly, and so did his ears.

Of course, Shen Yan wasn’t okay. As Fang Jin spoke, Hu Chengyu continued to rub her hand.

Each touch was neither too light nor too heavy, but it felt like it brushed against her heart, leaving a tingling sensation.

Shen Yan tried again to break free, but Hu Chengyu seemed to anticipate his move and immediately tightened his grip. Not only did he not let go, but his movement was so large that he bumped into Lu Zhao.

Although it was a six-person booth, both Hu Chengyu and Lu Zhao were large in stature, so it was a bit cramped with three men sitting side by side.

After being jostled, Lu Zhao quickly grabbed the edge of the table to steady himself.

Shen Yan instinctively reached out to pull Lu Zhao, but Lu Zhao had already steadied himself.

"Ha ha, am I squeezing Yan Yan too much?" Lu Zhao didn’t wait for Shen Yan to reply and continued addressing Fang Jin: "Mr. Fang, do you mind if I sit with you?"

Fang Jin smiled warmly. "After you."

With Lu Zhao there, they didn’t have to worry about awkward silences, and the dynamics between the three of them became clear quickly.

Shen Yan shifted uncomfortably in his seat, then abruptly announced, "I need to use the restroom."

Sure enough, as Shen Yan stood up, Hu Chengyu released his hand.

As he turned, Shen Yan let out a breath of relief.

The restroom in the visitor center was sleek and modern. Shen Yan stared at his reflection in the mirror, his face flushed and his brow furrowed with worry.

What was Hu Chengyu up to?

He dug through his sling bag for his phone, planning to text Hu Chengyu.

When he took out his phone, he realized it was turned off. He hadn’t charged it after last night’s call and didn’t know when it had died.

Staring at his reflection, Shen Yan felt his thoughts spiraling into chaos.

He turned on the faucet, splashed cold water on his face, and felt a brief moment of clarity.

Startled, Shen Yan took a step back, only to stumble into Hu Chengyu’s arms.

Already frightened, Shen Yan, like a startled rabbit, tried to move away but was held by the shoulder.

Hu Chengyu, looking at Shen Yan in the mirror, seemed to grind his teeth. "Yan Yan? We’ve known each other for what, a day? And you’re calling me like that?"

After calming down, Shen Yan thought Hu Chengyu was being ridiculous.

He had planned to ask about the competition, but now all he wanted to know was, "What was that about you holding my hand just now?"

Hu Chengyu was silent for a moment, his gaze shifting from the mirror to Shen Yan’s face.

"I was afraid you’d get lost again," Hu Chengyu said, a smile suddenly playing on his lips. "It’s only natural for an older brother to hold his younger brother’s hand, isn’t it?"

Shen Yan frowned, and seeing someone glance their way, grabbed Hu Chengyu’s clothes, leading him to a less crowded spot.

He wore a serious expression. "Hu Chengyu."

"You’ve saved me before, and if there’s ever anything I can do to help you, as long as I can, I won’t refuse."

As Shen Yan spoke, he kept his eyes on Hu Chengyu, and just as Hu Chengyu was about to speak, Shen Yan quickly added, "Don’t say anything yet, let me finish."

"We’re not kids anymore, and this brother-brother thing, without clear boundaries, is very troubling for me."

Hu Chengyu asked, "Is that all?"

Shen Yan thought for a moment and added, "Especially no more holding hands. We’re not in kindergarten anymore."

Hu Chengyu had a smile on his face, but his eyes were cold. "Saying all this, is it because you want to distance yourself from me?"

Shen Yan softly replied, "That was already done a long time ago."

At the birthday party, he had been serious.

Hu Chengyu reached out and pinched Shen Yan's chin, his fingertips grazing the still-damp water on his face, forcing him to look up. "Because of Mr. Fang?"

Shen Yan, confused, asked, "What does this have to do with Mr. Fang?"

In a rush, he blurted out the term from his past life.

"I mean, Mr. Fang."

Hu Chengyu studied Shen Yan's eyes closely, clear and bright, with no hint of a lie.

Hu Chengyu let go of Shen Yan's chin and rested his chin on his shoulder.

Shen Yan could hear his heavy, muffled breaths.

Hu Chengyu said, "Shen Yan, I might not be able to restrain myself soon."

Shen Yan was about to ask what he meant when Fang Jin called out to him, "Yan Yan?"

Both Shen Yan and Hu Chengyu looked over at Fang Jin simultaneously.

Hu Chengyu's gaze towards Fang Jin remained cold.

Fang Jin, looking relieved, stepped forward and said, "Xiaolin just called, asking if we're still going to play."

Shen Yan naturally still wanted to play, but he didn't know what Hu Chengyu and Lu Zhao planned.

Seeing Shen Yan looking over, Hu Chengyu reached out and rubbed his hair. "You guys have fun. Lu Zhao and I have some things to take care of and will head back first."

Lu Zhao waited in his seat, looking at the guide. He had heard that the Visual Hall in Dinosaur Park was a must-visit attraction.

The reviews said it was like the holographic images in movies, with interactive features.

Shen Yan was tempted.

When the three returned, they heard Hu Chengyu say, "We're heading back first."

Lu Zhao: ?

Even sitting in the car, Lu Zhao hadn't snapped out of it. They had spent hundreds of bucks on tickets, only to sit in the visitor center for a bit?

Oh, and they also got a free public service announcement broadcast.

What about the holographic experience hall? He had wanted to see the little dinosaurs!

What kid didn't love the T-rex when they were growing up? If not the T-rex, then a Pterosaur or Triceratops would do!

Seeing Dinosaur Park reminded him of a childhood cartoon about a little dinosaur searching for its mother.

Before he could even reminisce about his childhood, they were already heading out.

Lu Zhao, looking at Hu Chengyu in the driver's seat, was puzzled. "Bro, are you upset because of that guy with the surname Fang?"

From Lu Zhao's point of view, Fang Jin wasn't even close to being a competitor.

Fang Jin was certainly handsome, but he couldn't hold a candle to Hu Chengyu, not even to Xie Shiyu.

Fang Jin's only real advantage was his calm, mature demeanor and elegant presence.

Instead of answering, Hu Chengyu countered with a question. "Who do you think Fang Jin reminds you of?"

Lucas was slightly stunned. Who does Fang Jin look like?

"Obviously, he looks like his dad," Hu Chengyu replied coolly.

Hu Chengyu shot a glance at Lucas, who immediately looked sheepish.

Lucas thought about it for a moment, then his eyes lit up. "He looks like Uncle Shen Shubai."

After saying that, Lucas fell silent.

Having known Yan Yan for so long, Lucas couldn't help but remember how much Yan Yan had envied Shen Lin for getting all of Uncle Shen's attention when they were younger.

People tend to crave what they don't have.

Now, there was someone with a similar temperament to Uncle Shen, treating Yan Yan well and doting on him.

It was only a matter of time before Yan Yan fell for someone who treated him the way Uncle Shen treated Shen Lin—like he was the most important person in the world.

After thinking it through, Lucas realized his brother's wariness of Fang Jin made perfect sense.

"Then why are we leaving? We need to keep an eye on Yan Yan!" Lucas said anxiously, just after buckling his seatbelt, and was about to undo it.

Hu Chengyu replied, "You know how Shen Yan is—he's like a coiled spring.

The more you push, the more he'll push back.

"We'll return to Jing City the day after tomorrow. It's only two days. I can wait," Hu Chengyu said, looking ahead as he started the car.

Lucas, however, still looked worried.

Unbeknownst to them, Shen Yan had been lost in thought since they left. Even as others marveled at the visual experience hall, Shen Yan remained lost in thought, trying to decipher what Hu Chengyu had meant.

Shen Lin, on the other hand, played carefree until the park closed.

After watching the final fireworks show, the three of them were exhausted.

They decided to stay at a nearby hotel for the night and return home the next day.

Shen Lin booked three rooms, and after borrowing a charging cable from the front desk, Shen Yan went back to his room, feeling truly tired.

A hot bath washed away his fatigue.

After getting out of the bathroom, he was so sleepy he wanted to fall into bed immediately.

Out of habit, he glanced at his phone before bed, and his groggy expression vanished as soon as he saw the screen.

Ten missed calls?

Shen Yan's first thought was Hu Chengyu, but if it had been something urgent, Hu Chengyu would have contacted Shen Lin too.

Checking the details, all ten missed calls were from Xie Shiyu.

Shen Yan was puzzled but decided to call back.

The phone only rang twice before it was answered, but it was a stranger's voice on the other end. "Hello, is Mr. Xie a friend of yours?"

Shen Yan checked his phone and replied, "Sure."

The person on the other end seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. "Mr. Xie got drunk at our place. Could you please come and take him home?"

The man then gave the exact address.

In the unfamiliar city, Shen Yan cautiously started a video call with the person and confirmed that Xie Shiyu was indeed drunk before agreeing.

Xie Shiyu, who had clearly had too much to drink, smiled foolishly into the camera, "Yan Yan..."

It took Shen Yan over an hour to reach him by taxi.

As soon as he saw Xie Shiyu, Shen Yan's brow furrowed in concern.

The video call had been too dark to see clearly, but now, standing in front of Xie Shiyu, Shen Yan noticed the bruise at the corner of his mouth and the injuries on his hands.

"Xie... Shiyu?"

It was hard to tell how much he had drunk; his eyes were glassy and unfocused.

Shen Yan waved a hand in front of Xie Shiyu's face. "Do you recognize me?"

Xie Shiyu stared at him for a moment, then gave a hearty laugh, "Yan Yan."

Shen Yan breathed a sigh of relief; at least he still recognized people.

This wasn't the first time Shen Yan had been to a bar. He had visited one before to investigate who had conspired with Bai Qian to frame Shen Shubai.

So, he confidently called over the waiter. "Check, please."

By the time Shen Yan got Xie Shiyu out of the bar, it was well past midnight, but they could still try to catch a taxi.

The drivers all refused when they saw that one of them was drunk.

Shen Yan was tired. They couldn't possibly sleep on the streets, right?

"Xie Shiyu, what are we going to do now?" Shen Yan smiled at his own question. "Are you a little drunkard? Drinking so much by yourself."