Chapter 58: I Don’t Want to Leave

Chapter 58: I Don’t Want to Leave

As the year drew to a close, Ye Man had his final check-up.

The doctor scanned the reports on the computer and told him that his condition was good, giving him some advice on what to watch out for. The doctor explained the details, but Ye Man only half-understood, nodding repeatedly to show he remembered.

The closer it got to the New Year, the more nervous Ye Man became.

At dinner, Chi Yanrong and Qin Fangrui kept talking about his grandparents and grandmother.

Ye Man hadn’t felt much about it before—it always seemed like someone else’s story. It wasn’t until it was almost happening that it hit him—they were his own grandparents and grandmother.

"Brother Tong, you’ve gotta stick with me and keep me company, okay?"

"That’ll keep me calm. I’m scared I’ll mess up. What if they don’t like me?"

Lately, the system had heard Ye Man’s worries so many times it felt like its gears were rusting. "Chill out—when have I ever ignored you?"

"At the start? You bailed without even telling me a story."

"Hey, why are you digging up the past now?"

"And that time we came back from Red Maple Mountain..."

The system went quiet.

"Brother Tong?"

"Don’t zone out on me next time," Ye Man said, hanging his head.

The system, sounding annoyed, said, "Yeah, yeah, I got it."

Ye Man laughed right away, "Thanks, Brother Tong!"

...

With the New Year coming up, everyone was swamped.

Dating the big shot didn’t feel much different for Ye Man.

Chi Yan talked it over with his parents and decided to hire a few tutors for Ye Man.

At least to fill in some basics.

Chi Yan ruffled his brother’s hair, "Learn more so you don’t get scammed later."

Ye Man had general ed classes on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, focusing on languages, while Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays were for music and art teachers to hang out with him. The classes were low-pressure, and the vibe was chill and fun, so time flew by.

The family wasn’t expecting him to master anything—they just wanted him to broaden his horizons. Otherwise, even if he wanted to have fun, he wouldn’t know how.

If he discovered any interests along the way, the family could plan his next steps. If not, it’d just be a way to kill time.

Ye Man was busy, and Xu Huaiting was also busy.

At the end of the year, Chi Yan heard that the Xu family patriarch had privately dined with the elders of the Liu family.

In the middle of the year, their second generation had just been transferred back from the provinces, ostensibly demoted but actually promoted, returning with a layer of gold. Last month, when the big shots gathered in the capital, the Liu family member had appeared on mainstream news. Anyone with eyes could see that their family would only go smoother and better in the coming year.

When Chi Yan got the news, he smirked and shut the file.

Xiao Li glanced at his expression: "The girl from the third generation of the Liu family graduated from an Ivy League school the year before last. She wasn’t just sponsored by her family; she’s very capable, has a good personality, and a sharp mind. Elder Xu holds her in high regard and probably intends to arrange a matchmaking."

Whether rich or poor, elders everywhere love to meddle in such matters.

Xu Huaiting’s marriage is even more special. Although Elder Xu has now retired, he is still around, standing as a towering figure that commands respect. Who knows what the situation will be in a few years? The old man is also strategizing to maximize the benefits of Xu Huaiting’s marriage.

This is how it is for all families at their level. With so many assets and interests behind them needing to be reallocated, and a pile of things pressing down, emotions are the least important.

After all, no matter the struggles of youth, by middle age, it’s all the same.

Someone like Xu Huaiting, who rose from the challenging environment of the Xu family’s third generation, isn’t perceived as emotionally driven. As for the conflicts between grandfather and grandson, they can be completely separated from power struggles.

Even though there has been widespread gossip about Xu Huaiting having some unclear relationship with someone, no one thinks it will disrupt anything.

No one thinks Xu Huaiting would disagree with this.

Chi Yan also thinks that Xu Huaiting wants both power and money, and he also wants his brother.

There’s no such good fortune in the world. With this happening, he’s resolved to separate them this time.

...

The news of the old man having a meal with the girl’s family spread in the morning, and by the afternoon, the Xu family was in chaos. Xu Huaiting made a call back, and by evening, Elder Xu was so angry that he was sent to the hospital, keeping company with the Meng family’s old man who was pretending to be ill.

The two old men were even neighboring patients in the hospital. Once there, for some reason, they almost got into a fight.

Chi Yan found out about the situation that evening.

He hadn’t even had the chance to confront Xu Huaiting.

Xu Huaiting was even quicker than him in getting the news and visited the Chi family, bringing flowers.

At that time, Ye Man was squatting in his garden, listening to the family’s gardening master talk about the grapevine trellis at the entrance of his hometown, fully absorbed.

"The grapes we grow at home are unmatched. You just have to eat them; they’re guaranteed to be sweet!"

Ye Man exclaimed in awe, his praise made the master beam with pride, insisting on sending a box from his hometown, determined to let Ye Man taste them.

Xu Huaiting, holding the flowers, called out, "Xiao Man."

Ye Man jumped up from the ground and lunged towards the sound of his voice: "I tell you, Uncle You’s grapes are this big!"

Ye Man could only lunge roughly, not always accurately.

If he missed, he would inevitably face-plant into the dirt.

He hadn’t always lunged at people so carelessly, and he didn’t know how he developed this habit.

But regardless of his posture or aim, he always ended up safely in Xu Huaiting’s arms.

This time was no different.

Xu Huaiting wrapped his arm around his waist, dissipating the force and catching him, skillfully enveloping him in his coat.

The young boy in his arms sniffed around him like a curious cat, "What did you bring?"

Perhaps because of his poor eyesight, his sense of smell and hearing had become sharper than before.

He tilted his head and saw a bundle of orange-red in his right hand.

Ye Man leaned in curiously, "What's this?"

He couldn’t make it out clearly, but the colors were vibrant.

"It’s oxalis. It’s too cold outside, so it needs to be kept indoors."

Handing the oxalis to Uncle You to take to Ye Man's room, Xu Huaiting said, "Want to take a walk?"

At the moment, there weren’t many people at the Chi family’s house. Xu Huaiting had come under the guise of visiting a friend, and Auntie Zhou brought him to find Ye Man.

Auntie Zhou wasn’t particularly close to Xu Huaiting, but she wasn’t a stranger either. It wasn’t his first time coming to the Chi family’s house to see their young master. Ye Man always quietly told Auntie Zhou not to tell anyone.

"Why’d you come over so suddenly? You didn’t give me a heads-up."

Ye Man wasn’t as in the loop as they were; he hadn’t heard about what was going on outside.

Xu Huaiting held his hand and replied, "Something came up, and I just had to see you."

"If anyone tells you I’m marrying someone else, don’t believe it—it’s all just rumors. I won’t marry anyone else."

He blurted this out, and Ye Man nodded, confused.

Recalling Elder Xu’s disbelieving outburst that afternoon, Xu Huaiting was unfazed, even narrowing his eyes with ease.

He sneered, "But I doubt anyone will dare spread rumors anymore."

If even Elder Xu can’t control him, who else would dare meddle in his business?

Does he think he’s Meng Yao, that punk?

He glanced at Ye Man, "I was worried you might be upset about this, so I rushed over. If something’s bothering you, tell me, okay? Give me a chance to explain."

"Okay, sure." He wasn’t unhappy, though?

Seeing him agree, Xu Huaiting relaxed and pinched his cheek.

As they walked, Ye Man filled him in on his recent studies. Before the Chi family got back, Xu Huaiting took him home.

Ye Man wanted to check on the oxalis in his room, so Xu Huaiting walked him to his door.

At first, he’d only planned to take him to the door.

Xu Huaiting stood at the door, stared at him for a moment, then slipped inside.

The door shut with a thud.

"Don’t want to go." Xu Huaiting picked him up, face to face, and buried his head in Ye Man’s chest.

...

When Chi Yan got off work, he was met with stares from everyone in the company.

Secretary Chen stood up in the reception area, warmly welcoming him, "Mr. Chi, long time no see!"

Thinking of the last time they met, Secretary Chen was still aloof and polite, but today he was beaming with smiles as if he had seen his own uncle.

Knowing that he came here now must be on Xu Huaiting's instructions, Chi Yan didn't want to give him a good face.

Secretary Chen didn't mind, even if he was met with a cold shoulder, he had no psychological burden.

The smile on his face didn’t diminish one bit: "I heard that the investment project Chi Yan has been focusing on recently has encountered some issues. Isn’t that a coincidence?"

He opened his briefcase, took out a few documents, and handed them over: "We’ve come across some information that might be helpful for the problems you’re facing."

Chi Yan glanced at them casually, then his gaze fixed, and he took them over, reading more and more seriously.

After finishing, he took a deep breath and asked directly, "What does Xu Huaiting want?"

Secretary Chen smiled: "Just a small favor, no big deal. Why so serious, Mr. Chi?" As if he just remembered something, he casually added, "By the way, I just visited Miss Liu. Oh, you must have heard of her. I only found out after chatting with her for a bit that she’s my junior from the same school. She mentioned she plans to return to school for further studies after the New Year."

"Out of curiosity, I asked around and found out she has a boyfriend she’s been with for three years, and their relationship is stable. They plan to get married the year after next."

Chi Yan didn’t respond, and Secretary Chen seemed to realize something, suddenly understanding: "Look at me, I just keep talking and talking. You must be eager to get home. It’s almost the Lunar New Year, after all, it’s good to spend more time with family. I won’t take up any more of your time, I’ll be on my way."

Secretary Chen left very casually.

When Chi Yan got home, Ye Man’s face was flushed abnormally, and his lips were slightly swollen.

He kept staring at him for a long time, until Ye Man started to notice something was off and made a questioning sound: "Big brother? Is something wrong?"

Chi Yan tugged at his tie, irritated: "Nothing, go to bed early."

...

A week before Lunar New Year’s Eve, Ye Man’s grandparents and maternal grandmother returned from abroad one after another.

Before leaving for the Chi family estate, Ye Man was so nervous he couldn’t even swallow.

He confirmed with the system again: "Brother Tong, don’t forget to keep me company."

The system: "You’ve asked a hundred times already, I know, I’ll definitely be with you all the way."

That finally put Ye Man at ease.