Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Yi Ye was yanked by Bush Meihua and lost his footing, landing on the soft bed. He struggled to turn over and sit up, but as soon as he turned his head, the man’s presence suddenly closed in. He flashed his usual fake smile, which Yi Ye should have been accustomed to, but today it felt different, giving him the creeps.

"What do you want?"

He recoiled, his gaze wary.

"Stay away?" Bush Meihua asked, amused. "You can be so intimate with a random woman, even placing your hand on her shoulder, yet you’re telling me to keep my distance after all this time? How unfair of you."

"...Are these two things even related?"

"Yes."

Yi Ye’s mind went blank, and he stammered: "...Then why don’t you just put on a maid’s outfit and play the part, and then shrink a bit?"

Bush Meihua choked back a laugh, exasperated, "Yi Ye, do you really think I’m talking about fairness in that sense?"

"No."

"But you’re a pervert, aren’t you? I’m just giving you something to keep you from pestering me all day."

Bush Meihua: "..."

"Get off me," Yi Ye said, shoving him away. His hand brushed against Bush Meihua’s exposed chest, and he wiped his hand on the expensive silk bedding in disgust, then, finding the texture smooth, he wiped it again. "I’m leaving. Your house is so weird—such a huge place, and it’s impossible to find anything to eat."

But when he tried to turn the doorknob, it wouldn’t budge.

He turned to see Bush Meihua lounging with his legs crossed, annoyingly twirling a silver key.

Yi Ye: "..."

His fists tightened.

A few minutes later, Bush Meihua sat on the edge of the bed, pressing a tissue to his bleeding nose. Meanwhile, Yi Ye leaned back in a chair, his long legs crossed, casually munching on the fresh fruit and bread that had been specially placed in the room that morning, looking every bit like a home invader.

In the scuffle over the key, Yi Ye accidentally punched Bush Meihua’s nose crooked (he swore it was really an accident), causing it to bleed non-stop. Unfortunately, he still didn’t manage to get the key, so he was stuck there, eating the food from his room.

He liked the fruit, and the bread wasn’t too sweet.

The food was great, but the room’s owner was downright infuriating.

"Two men alone in a room," Yi Ye took a big bite of the apple, "Do you know how bad this is for my reputation?"

"Don’t you not care about men?"

"Is that the same? You’re a pervert!" Yi Ye snorted, "And judging by that maid’s attitude towards you, you’re probably a pervert with a bad temper at home."

Bush Meihua smiled with narrowed eyes: "Dear Yi Ye, if you call me a pervert one more time, I’ll pull you onto the bed and show you what a real pervert should be doing right now."

Yi Ye fell silent.

Yi Ye cowered.

"Sorry, buddy, don’t mess with me."

Bush Meihua burst out laughing, unable to contain himself.

Damn it!

He repeated the words "Bush Meihua deserves to die a million deaths" three times loudly in his heart to vent his frustration. He bit into the apple with his neat, white teeth, gnawing on it as if it were a bone, chewing the skin and core into pieces with a crunching sound.

That face pissed him off, so he just looked down at the desk.

The desk had already been wiped clean by the help, spotless, but the drawer seemed to have been opened before, probably closed too casually, leaving a slight gap. He wasn’t one to snoop through people’s drawers, but the gap was two fingers wide, faintly revealing something inside.

Wait... were those candles?

Oh, that’s normal. Candles are handy in case of a blackout. But the other thing...

Yi Ye squinted, quietly pulling the drawer open a bit further, finally seeing what was under the candles.

Wait... was that a whip?

Footsteps came up behind him, and in Yi Ye’s gradually widening eyes, Bush Meihua’s voice whispered close to his ear: "Yi Ye, what did you find?"

Holy shit! He’s really into this?!

Yi Ye jumped up, instinctively hurling the half-eaten apple at Bush Meihua’s face! His wrist was instantly caught, stopping him dead in his tracks, and then Bush Meihua took a bite from the same spot he had eaten, the sweet, juicy crunch as he bit in, his smile straight out of a horror flick.

"So sweet," he murmured.

Yi Ye was mortified, his straight male soul practically leaving his body, eyes rolling back as if he’d died.

Bam!

Another punch hit Bush Meihua’s nose from the side.

...

Bush Meihua’s nose took two brutal hits today, nearly giving out. His hands were full of bloodied tissues, but he didn’t look mad—if anything, he seemed to enjoy it, the amusement in his eyes was unmistakable. Holding his nose to stop the bleeding, he glanced up at the youth in front of the mirror.

Yi Ye stood with his back turned, muttering curses as he frantically tried to wipe the blood off his shirt, but the stain just spread and wouldn’t budge. After one last useless try, he gave up, tossing the tissue aside in frustration. Catching Bush Meihua’s gaze in the mirror, he glared like a vengeful ghost: "If I had a rock, I’d smash your skull!"

"There’s a lamp here. Wanna try it?"

"..."

Ugh! He was so pissed!

"Don’t get too upset, it’s not good for your health. As an apology, I’ll give you my clothes."

Bush Meihua got up, took a shirt from the wardrobe, and tossed it to him.

Yi Ye’s eye twitched: "Who wants your crappy clothes?"

"So you’re just gonna go out like that? With my blood on you?"

"It’s just one spot, can’t you be more precise with your words! And I won’t wear clothes you’ve worn, they’re dirty."

"It’s new. Look, the tag’s still on."

Yi Ye pulled open the collar, and indeed, the tag was still there, but the price was shocking. He immediately stuffed the tag back, silently telling himself that this was something Bush Meihua owed him, so it was okay to accept it.

Pointing a finger, he said: "You get out, I need to change!"

Bush Meihua gestured to his bathrobe and said, "Do you want me to go out like this? The servants might think I’m an exhibitionist, and my father would be upset if he knew."

"Judge Ai Linya must be absolutely appalled to have a son like you," Yi Ye extended three fingers, "I’ll give you three seconds. If you don’t leave, I’ll block your contact and spread it all over the forum that you have unspeakable things hidden in your drawer. Then I’ll report your harassment to Judge Ai Linya."

There was silence.

It was unclear which warning finally got through to him, but Bush Meihua hesitated for a moment, then opened the door and left.

"So, threatening to tell on you to your parents actually works?" Yi Ye felt like he had discovered a new continent, "It seems like I should use this trick from now on."

He carefully locked the door and checked around several times to ensure there were no peepholes or surveillance before he felt safe enough to unbutton his uniform.

Outside, Bush Meihua leaned against the door, still clutching his nose. Occasionally, a maid would pass by in the corridor, casting him a look mixed with fear and confusion.

He smiled gently, "Yi Ye is inside changing into my clothes, I came out to guard for him."

Maid: ...No one asked you... And is your nose okay?

But the young master seems quite happy. It's good, it's been a long time since I've seen the young master show a normal smile.

Yi Ye changed quickly. Not long after, the door opened, and Bush Meihua straightened up, eagerly awaiting the so-called "boyfriend" shirt, but then he paused, his lips curling down, clearly dissatisfied.

The youth was still wearing his original shirt with the hem torn, awkward and reluctant, he angrily tossed the clothes into his arms.

"...Is the fabric uncomfortable?" It was made of top-grade silk, it shouldn’t be.

Yi Ye took a deep breath, speaking each word clearly, "Bush Meihua, you have really pissed me off."

Once he put it on, he realized it was long enough to cover his butt and thighs, the sleeves were baggy, and in the mirror, he looked like a kid in adult clothes. He’d been annoyed many times before for being seen as short by a group of Alphas, but this time it really stabbed him in the heart. Thinking back to his past life, even if he wasn’t the tallest, he was at least towering over others.

Bush Meihua was unusually speechless, "I just..."

"I hate you," Yi Ye expressed his hatred from the bottom of his heart, "I hate you more than anyone in the world!"

Bush Meihua: ...

The conversation between Bai Chuan and Judge Ai Linya ended as Yi Ye and Bush Meihua continued their one-sided cold war. Lunch was ready, and the dining table in the first-floor hall was lavishly arranged. Yi Ye had already snacked on fruits and bread in the room, so he wasn’t that hungry.

He was worried about the clothes. With the bloodstain on the collar and chest, he had to keep his jacket zipped up. As long as he didn’t take off his clothes or make any vigorous movements that would open the jacket, the mess inside wouldn’t be exposed.

"What were you guys talking about in there?" he asked Bai Chuan, pulling his clothes tight.

Bai Chuan didn’t speak.

After a pause, he suddenly sniffed Yi Ye’s neck, like a dog confirming its owner’s scent.

"What are you sniffing for..."

Yi Ye stretched his neck back, his heart shaking violently. After the incident with Eugene, he had gained some experience. He had specifically run to the bathroom to spray air freshener like crazy and wiped his neck with wet wipes, so there shouldn’t be any smell left, right?

"Where does this fragrance come from?"

He looked down guiltily, "It’s, it’s from the bathroom spray, I think the smell is quite nice."

Bai Chuan frowned, "I didn’t know you liked this kind."

The strawberry air freshener was way too sweet, did Yi Ye now like this kind?

"Hahaha..." Yi Ye laughed awkwardly, meeting Bush Meihua’s expression of enjoying the drama across the table, he glared at him fiercely, then quickly turned back, "My taste has changed recently, I quite like it."

Bai Chuan didn't press further, seemingly fooled by his clumsy excuse. Yi Ye sighed in relief, patting his chest, and shot another glare across the table.

They waited for a long time but didn't see Chief Justice Aylin coming downstairs. Eventually, the butler came over and told them to go ahead and eat without him, which suited Yi Ye just fine. After finishing the meal, the two prepared to leave the Meihua mansion, with the car already parked in front.

As they were getting into the car, Bush Meihua called out to them again. Yi Ye was worried he might say something nonsensical and was ready to rush over and cover his mouth at any moment. However, Bush Meihua's twisted personality seemed to be on hold for the moment, and he appeared relatively normal. He merely informed them that there was a major event happening on the main planet soon, and it wouldn't be easy to meet the Emperor.

"Major event?"

"The Emperor's birthday is approaching, and the entire main planet is busy with celebrations. Your knighthood ceremony will likely have to wait until after the birthday festivities, so you'll probably have to stay on the main planet for a while," Bush Meihua said, glancing past Bai Chuan to look at Yi Ye. "Even if you're not thrilled, we'll be running into each other a lot."

Bai Chuan moved to shield Yi Ye completely, his eyes briefly flicking over Bush Meihua's heavily bandaged nose, his gaze darkening slightly. "Thank you for the information, but please don't disturb our lives."

He then yanked Yi Ye into the car, and they sped off.

Shortly after getting into the car, two messages popped up on Bai Chuan's screen.

"Bush Meihua" You're pitiful.

"Bush Meihua" Don't you want to know what happened between Yi Ye and me in the room?

Bai Chuan gripped the screen so hard his knuckles turned white, nearly cracking it. Bush Meihua's scent was overpowering, clinging to Yi Ye's clothes, and no air freshener could have masked it.

"Xiao Bai?"

A voice came from beside him. He held back his feelings, acting casual as he set the device down.

"What's wrong?"

"Xiao Bai, what did the Chief Justice say to you?"

"Nothing much, just told me to watch who I associate with."

"That's all? But you talked for a long time." Yi Ye was suspicious.

"The political landscape on the main planet is tricky. One wrong move could land us in serious trouble. He warned me not to associate with certain forces, probably because he sees me as a pawn and doesn't want me to be cast aside too soon." Bai Chuan lowered his eyes. "Without power, I'm nothing to them."

Aylin had told him that even though he was a 3S, on the main planet, he could be easily controlled. Without backing, he might not make it through the night. It seemed like a warning, but in reality, it was a nudge to pick a side quickly. Bai Chuan knew that one day he would have to step into the power games of the main planet. As long as that person was there, he could never break free from the chains of his lineage and destiny.

But he didn't want to make a choice.

It was a contradiction. He wanted to grow stronger, but he was afraid to take that leap. Because a voice kept telling him: once you step out, you might never see Yi Ye again.

So he started to fear.

Everything he did was to keep Yi Ye close.

But what if, in the end, it drove Yi Ye away? What would he do?

Yi Ye vaguely sensed that Bai Chuan was in a bad mood. He thought, typical of the main character, always facing tough situations. As an older brother, it was his duty to comfort his younger brother at such times.

He reached out and cupped Bai Chuan's face with his hands, his palms warm, speaking softly, as if soothing a child. "It's okay, I'm an ant too. We're two little ants in this big world, and we can still play together."

"No matter what happens, your brother will always be by your side."

The youth's eyes sparkled, like a dazzling shooting star streaking into Bai Chuan's heart, warmth spreading through his veins.

"Will you always be there?" he persisted, "No matter when, no matter how long, will you always be there?"

"Of course, where would I go? I'll be by your side until you make it."

Bai Chuan's breath trembled. He couldn’t put his feelings into words. Bush Meihua called him pitiful, maybe he was, perhaps he was a very pitiful person, but with the person in front of him, he was the happiest person in the whole world. They were like two tiny ants in a vast world, and in a small world, they filled each other's lives completely.

His cheek lightly brushed against Yi Ye's palm, the love in his eyes almost impossible to hide: "Let's go back and buy you some strawberries. The fruit on the main planet is top-notch."

Yi Ye: "Hmm" How did he still remember the strawberry-scented air freshener?

Yi Ye: "What about watermelon instead? Summer is the time for watermelon!"

"Okay."

Yi Ye patted his head: "Then we’ll grab some watermelon to take back. I heard Dad’s place is pretty big."

…………

An hour later, they successfully arrived at the house left by Kewen's father.

Yi Ye was holding the freshly bought watermelon, while Bai Chuan carried large and small bags of luggage. They looked at the house, then at each other.

"I messed up—I shouldn’ve trusted Dad."

He whimpered, trying to hold back his disappointment, but a few seconds later, his anger exploded like a popped balloon, and he angrily pointed at the dilapidated red-roofed house with a leaking roof: "What the heck is this?!"

The red house, with its paint peeling off in sheets: Whimpering away.