Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The next day, as soon as Yu Jingmo left for work, the Yu family arrived right after.

Old Master Yu maintained a dignified posture, surveying his surroundings like an eagle, his expression cold as he stared at Tian Ruan. "You have quite the nerve, refusing to visit the main family."

Tian Ruan casually deflected the blame: "Mr. Yu forbade me from going."

Old Master Yu tapped his cane on the ground. "You lack all sense of decorum."

Tian Ruan: "What decorum? Isn’t Mr. Yu the one who sets the rules in this household?"

"...Disgraceful."

Yu Er pointed at Tian Ruan: "I think he’s relying on Jingmo’s favor to look down on us."

Tian Ruan: "Second Uncle, looking for trouble?"

Yu Er was about to lose his temper when his son, Yu Fada, intervened: "Dad, Tian Ruan is still young. Don’t take it so seriously."

Yu Er sneered: "Yes, younger than my grandson."

Yu San offered a slight defense: "The young are more pliant."

"Pliant? Does he look pliant to you? He won’t even visit his uncles’ homes, forcing us to come to him instead. How generous of him."

"..."

Faced with these middle-aged and elderly men, Tian Ruan felt overwhelmed. "So you came here just to throw your weight around?"

"You’re the one throwing your weight around!" Yu Er snapped angrily.

The butler stepped in at the right moment: "Second Uncle, please calm down. Our young master speaks bluntly because he has Mr. Yu’s favor. As an elder, you wouldn’t hold it against him, right?"

Yu Er’s face flushed red, and he gave a disgruntled snort.

The only woman in the group stood up—Shen Wanyue, Yu Ti’s mother. She was beautiful, and her husband was handsome, so their daughter was equally lovely.

Tian Ruan didn’t dislike Yu Ti. The girl was lively and adorable, a stark contrast to the stuffy, overbearing clan.

Shen Wanyue smiled at Tian Ruan: "Would you like some cake? I brought strawberry cake."

Tian Ruan recalled the proper address: "Thank you, eldest sister-in-law."

Only the "uncle and niece" pair ate the cake, while the others remained cold. Tian Ruan thought to himself, No wonder Yu Jingmo always wears a cold expression—growing up in such a family, it’s hard not to become expressionless.

A servant brought tea, and the butler said politely, "As the saying goes, spring tea is bitter, summer tea is astringent, but autumn white dew tea is the best. This white dew tea is freshly picked this year, and Mr. Yu rarely shares it."

Old Master Yu: "I only drink Longjing."

"Of course, Old Master Yu. Please wait a moment. Everyone, please move to the tea room."

The tea room was next to the living room, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the vast garden. The osmanthus trees in the flower beds showered golden blossoms with every breeze, while the emerald lawn stretched toward the distant maple forest, the view stretching endlessly.

"Exquisite," Yu San praised.

Old Master Yu snorted. "What’s the point of planting all these flowers and plants?"

Tian Ruan couldn’t help but say, "They’re pretty—what more do you need?"

"I didn’t ask you to speak."

"Then get a megaphone, or no one will hear your orders."

"Insolent!"

Tian Ruan wasn’t looking for drama and, after a moment’s thought, just said, "Oh."

"..."

The butler announced, "Madam, Elder Yu, Mr. He Lansi has come to visit."

"What does he want?" Elder Yu, in a foul mood, lashed out at anyone. "That pest—kick him out."

Tian Ruan spun on his heel and left. "I’ll go see him."

"..."

Leaving the suffocating family behind, Tian Ruan even found He Lansi somewhat tolerable in comparison and hurriedly escaped outside.

He Lansi was dressed as blindingly flashy as he had been at the wedding, his silver-red jacket adorned with large, glittering sequins—so dazzling it hurt to look at.

Tian Ruan blinked, shielding his eyes. "You sly fox?"

He Lansi smirked, all teeth. "I’ll take it as one."

Finally managing to focus through the glare, Tian Ruan saw He Lansi’s sly, fox-like gaze. "What brings you here?"

"Can’t I drop by just for kicks?" He Lansi glanced toward the tea room. "Is the whole family here?"

"Mr. Yu isn’t."

"Let me take you out." He Lansi went to grab Tian Ruan’s wrist.

"Not happening," Tian Ruan sidestepped.

"Why not? Don’t tell me you think I like you?" He Lansi laughed, cold as ice. "If that’s what you think, I can pretend to like you."

Tian Ruan remained expressionless. "Keep it professional, He Lansi."

"Really not coming out? There’s a show outside—some guys brawling."

"?"

People love drama, and Tian Ruan couldn’t resist the temptation. He hurried to the estate’s main gate.

Sure enough, a brawl had broken out—punches thrown, curses flying. On one side were the estate’s bodyguards, and on the other were a few bratty trust-fund types.

"Forgot? These are the idiots who dunked you in a pool on your wedding night," He Lansi said leisurely.

It clicked for Tian Ruan. "They here to get their asses kicked?"

He Lansi shrugged. "They say they got an invite, but as soon as they arrived, they got roughed up."

"..."

The trust-fund types were hurling insults, while the bodyguards aimed for soft spots, nothing lethal, all with a solid excuse: "Thieves!"

If cops showed up, it’d be brushed off as a mix-up.

The three men's faces twisted in rage, and upon spotting Tian Ruan, they immediately began hurling insults: "You scum! No shame at all! I'm not done with you!"

Tian Ruan: "You wanna keep this going forever?"

"...Fuck! Stop! Ah!"

Only when the three could no longer endure the pain, swearing on their knees never to bully Tian Yuan again, did they finally beg for mercy.

The butler brought out three written pledges for them to sign. Not legally binding, but it still served as a deterrent. The three fled in utter disgrace.

Tian Ruan asked the butler, "Did Mr. Yu order this?"

The butler said indignantly, "Mr. Yu reviewed the hotel surveillance from that night and saw how you were held underwater in the sink. He was absolutely heartbroken!"

"..."

"Rest assured, Madam. If anyone dares harm you again, Mr. Yu will make sure he beats them to a pulp, knocks their teeth out, and leaves them too terrified to ever try again. The two of you are #couplegoals!"

"............"

Tian Ruan gave up trying to explain.

No sooner had the cannon fodder left than another, slightly more significant one arrived—Zhao Quan.

Zhao Quan, potbellied and lumbering, hesitated visibly as he stepped out of his car, waddling hesitantly toward the manor gates. "Everyone… here to welcome me?"

The butler beamed like a host greeting VIPs. "Indeed, Boss Zhao."

With a wave of his hand, four or five bodyguards stepped forward and immediately laid into him.

Zhao Quan shrieked, "What the hell are you doing?!"

The butler, simpering like a palace eunuch, cooed, "Boss Zhao offended someone he shouldn’t have. Truly, he has only himself to blame."

And so, another "invited" guest received a beating, leaving Tian Ruan utterly dumbfounded.

The assault didn’t last long—just over ten minutes—before the butler signaled the bodyguards to stop. Zhao Quan, now disheveled and covered in grime like a giant dung beetle, staggered upright, his face ashen and his eye bags trembling. "You… you…"

The butler: "Boss Zhao, aren’t you leaving?"

In the end, Zhao Quan said nothing, crawling back to his car and nearly driving it into a ditch in his haste to escape.

He Lansi edged away cautiously from Tian Ruan.

Tian Ruan, dumbfounded, asked the butler, "Is this how wealthy families usually operate?"

The butler maintained a professional smile. "No. Only Mr. Yu is obsessively doting on his wife."

Tian Ruan never wanted to hear the word "doting" again.

Speak of the devil—a black Rolls-Royce ascended the hill and stopped at the manor gates. A tall man, tailored to perfection, stepped out from the backseat. His gaze swept over the crowd with a slight downward tilt, his voice deadpan as he remarked, "Are you all just standing here like wooden posts?"

Tian Ruan, the shortest among them, muttered, "Grandfather and the others are here."

Yu Jingmo swept past the gates, brushing past the extras. "Did they bring gifts?"

"Your second brother’s wife brought a strawberry cake."

"The others couldn’t be bothered?"

"Not quite— they came bearing insults."

Yu Jingmo paused mid-step, turning his face slightly to look at Tian Ruan. "What did they call you?"

"No manners, spoiled rotten, full of yourself, putting on airs."

"They were wrong."

Tian Ruan nodded pitifully.

"Your face is tiny."

"And?"

"All of you is petite."

"..." Tian Ruan glared at him indignantly.

The corner of Yu Jingmo’s lips lifted slightly as he said, "I’ll make it right for you," then strode ahead into the living room, where indeed, many more people had gathered. With a cold sweep of his gaze, his commanding presence instantly silenced them, leaving them too intimidated to speak loudly.

"Grandfather, Second Uncle, Third Uncle, did you team up to bully my wife?"

Elder Yu’s brows furrowed deeply. "What kind of talk is that?"

Yu Jingmo replied coolly, "You must have seen by now—anyone who bullies my wife gets a personal invitation to get their ass kicked."

"..."

Yu Er trembled. "Y-You dare hit us?"

Yu Jingmo: "I wouldn’t dare. After all, we shouldn’t air our dirty laundry in public. If you bully my wife, I’ll simply compensate her in other ways—say, the companies in your names?"

To hit them where it hurts—since Yu Jingmo took charge, the companies distributed among his uncles all held his shares. If he chose to reclaim them, they’d be left penniless overnight.

"Second Uncle, shall we begin with your company?" Yu Jingmo lightly draped an arm over Tian Ruan’s shoulder, his sharp features like carved stone as he glanced down at the young man beside him.

Tian Ruan looked up, understanding immediately, and played the role of the emperor’s seductive favorite: "One company isn’t enough. I’ll need eight or ten to heal my broken heart."

Yu Er: "Outrageous!"

Not forgetting his role as Yu Jingmo’s shield, Tian Ruan went all out: "If Second Uncle keeps pushing, I’ll work my magic tonight and have you kicked out of the Yu family."

The fox riding the tiger's power, Tian Ruan shot Yu Jingmo a smug look—like this, right?

Yu Jingmo’s brow arched slightly, his smile widening. "Work your magic? Go ahead, right now."

Tian Ruan: "Huh?"

Yu Jingmo dismissed the others: "Now it's just us—my wife and me. The rest of you—out."

The Yu family: "..."

Tian Ruan, about to work his magic: "..."

Did he actually mean sharing a bed to whisper, he wondered?