Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Tian Ruan comforted himself—Yu Jingmo wouldn’t be back for at least three more days, giving him plenty of time to handle the situation.

First, he needed to downplay the accidentally sent photo; second, when questioned, he should play it cool; and third, neither deny nor confirm anything.

People were forgetful, especially these rich kids. They wouldn’t keep pressing the matter forever.

Tian Ruan’s assumption was correct. Aside from Wang Weiqi asking privately, the other classmates were all quite “reserved,” avoiding such blatant prying into others’ privacy.

Others, however, were a different story—like the Yu family, who came poking their noses in one after another. Especially Uncle Yu Er, who called specifically to lecture him.

In the end, it was Yu Fada who apologized.

Tian Ruan: “It’s fine. I scolded Uncle Yu Er back for being such a busybody, acting like he owns the world. His life’s a trainwreck, yet he has the nerve to lecture others.”

Yu Fada: “...”

“I also blocked Uncle Yu Er. Er-ge, you should check on him—don’t let him die of anger.”

“Alright.”

After hanging up, Tian Ruan felt refreshed. He was already in a bad mood, and someone had handed him someone to take it out on.

Tian Ruan shot a text to Yu Jingmo—

Tian Ruan: Uncle Yu Er scolded me, so I scolded him back and blocked him.

Yu Jingmo: Yeah.

Tian Ruan: Are you angry?

Yu Jingmo: No. Too busy.

Tian Ruan: You’re working? Then I won’t disturb you.

Yu Jingmo: I’m sleeping.

Only then did Tian Ruan remember—it was probably still the middle of the night where Yu Jingmo was. Jet lag’s brutal enough, and now he’d been disturbed. Tian Ruan quickly sent a voice message: “Sorry, go back to sleep.”

Yu Jingmo also replied with a voice message: “It’s fine. Just… stay out of trouble.”

The low, sleepy whisper was like a teasing murmur, making Tian Ruan’s ears go red. Yet, he couldn’t help listening to it several times.

After a few listens, it finally clicked what he meant.

Tian Ruan: “...” People really shouldn’t get horny and dumb.

After breakfast, Tian Ruan went to find Lu Qiuyan.

That’s right—Lu Qiuyan’s holiday gig was at the Macchiato International Garden Hotel, the same place where Yu Shang was interning. Here, the original novel’s main leads accidentally kissed, marking the turning point in their relationship.

All of this could be attributed to He Lansi’s wingmanning, as during this period, He Lansi launched a full-court press on Lu Qiuyan...

Tian Ruan suddenly stopped. Wait—ever since He Lansi tripped in the art studio last time, he hadn’t really approached Lu Qiuyan much. Instead, he’d been sending flirty texts every day.

Tian Ruan: “...”

He Lansi was one of the original novel’s key side characters, so Tian Ruan had chosen to ignore him rather than block his ass.

A new message pinged.

*He Lansi*: Heard you went to Macchiato International Garden Hotel?

*He Lansi*: Isn’t it lonely vacationing at a resort alone? Let me keep you company *[/wink]*

*Tian Ruan*: Come then.

*He Lansi*: ??? Who took over your account this time?

*Tian Ruan*: If you don’t come, how can I scold you? *[/smile]*

*He Lansi*: I’m all for this flirty banter, be right there～*[/kiss]*

Tian Ruan certainly wouldn’t actually pick a fight with He Lansi. Without He Lansi playing wingman, the main couple in the original story would’ve struggled to trigger the "jealousy" plot.

---

At 8 a.m., the hotel opened its doors.

Affluent visitors from all over flocked to Su City, with Macchiato Hotel as their top choice—not just for its reputation, but also because it partnered with a nearby amusement park, offering complimentary access during their stay.

With so many guests, even a five-star hotel couldn’t avoid chaos. That’s why they hired temporary workers, and Lu Qiuyan was one of them, working as a valet and occasionally handling evening turndown service.

After parking ten cars in a row, a fellow valet marveled, "Lu, your driving skills are top-notch. If you joined racing, you’d definitely win big prizes."

Lu Qiuyan shrugged. "Racing’s a money burner. The earnings might not even cover the costs."

"What a shame," the valet sighed. "Your family used to—"

"I’m gonna grab some water," Lu Qiuyan said, changing the subject. He picked up his backpack from the bushes and unscrewed his water bottle.

Aside from meal and bathroom breaks, he had to stand at the hotel entrance all day—less talk, more work. $300 for days, another $100 for nights, six days totaling $2,400.

Enough to cover two months of living expenses at Deyin.

Nowadays, though, lunch usually didn’t cost him anything. He ate the meal prep Yu Shang shared, saving a significant amount… just enough to buy his mom a birthday gift.

As he calculated, a clear, melodic voice suddenly called, "Lu Qiuyan."

Puzzled, Lu Qiuyan looked around—the voice came from the revolving door.

A young man in a blue tracksuit and gray jeans stepped out, his face pale as moonlight in the sun, honey-brown eyes sparkling with laughter as he dodged past the fountain and garden to approach.

"Tian Ruan?"

"Yeah, I’m staying here for a couple of days," Tian Ruan grinned.

Lu Qiuyan nodded. "You’re already in Su City, yet vacationing here?"

"It’s the Yu family’s hotel. Complimentary."

"..." Lu Qiuyan shot him a thumbs-up. "Makes sense."

Tian Ruan craned his neck, gazing at the paved driveway flanked by maple trees, their leaves fiery red, a few fluttering down in the breeze.

"Here by yourself?"

"Sort of." "? "

The doorman didn’t recognize Tian Ruan and asked, "A classmate?"

Lu Qiuyan: "A classmate."

"Your classmate’s a guest here, and you...?"

"What about me?"

"Nothing." The doorman chuckled awkwardly, thinking to himself that the two were worlds apart and would surely go their separate ways in the future.

Tian Ruan casually replied, "Don’t look down on someone just because they’re young and broke."

Lu Qiuyan didn’t react, then spotted a sleek Rolls-Royce speeding toward them. The doorman eagerly rushed forward, putting on a fawning smile. Luxury cars like this always meant big tips.

But Volkswagens, usually driven by executives, never tipped.

Bentleys and Maybachs had a subdued air—no tips there either. The doorman and Lu Qiuyan had a clear division of labor—Lu Qiuyan almost never got tips.

But today, Yu Shang arrived in an extremely ordinary Volkswagen.

With sharp eyes, Tian Ruan spotted the driver from a distance—the clean-shaven middle-aged man who often chauffeured Yu Shang. He acted casual and stood beside Lu Qiuyan.

Lu Qiuyan stepped forward like always.

The black Volkswagen stopped, and the driver stepped out, bowing to Tian Ruan.

Doorman: "???"

Tian Ruan: *Gotta love rich people’s drivers—always polite.*

Yu Shang got out of the car, his calm eyes locking onto Lu Qiuyan’s. "What are you doing here?"

Lu Qiuyan only panicked for a second before replying flatly, "Just working valet."

Yu Shang frowned slightly, glancing at Tian Ruan.

Tian Ruan quickly distanced himself: "Wasn’t me. We just bumped into each other."

Yu Shang: "Then why the guilty look?"

Tian Ruan: "..." *Wait, why *am* I guilty? I’m just an extra pushing the story forward.*

The doorman scurried over, grinning. "Sir, need valet parking?"

Yu Shang: "No need. I’ve got a driver."

Then he walked off toward the lobby, pulling out his phone to make a call. "Manager Sun, I’m here."

Tian Ruan blinked, glancing around in disbelief. *Seriously?? Yu Shang, not even a glance at your future spouse? Poor guy’s baking out here.*

"Not going in?" Lu Qiuyan asked.

Tian Ruan thought for a moment. "I’ll hang with you."

"...Don’t bother."

Tian Ruan dug in his heels, staying put beside Lu Qiuyan. Nearby, a bodyguard relayed the scene to Yu Jingmo.

It was still dark in Africa, and Yu Jingmo had his phone on Do Not Disturb for all contacts except important ones, so he didn’t respond immediately.

"May I ask your name, sir?" the doorman asked Tian Ruan politely.

Tian Ruan replied, "Surname Tian."

The doorman thought for a long time but couldn’t recall any wealthy family with the surname Tian.

Actually, Tian Ruan wasn’t just keeping Lu Qiuyan company—he was also waiting for He Lansi, whose promises were as reliable as a broken clock. "Be right there" usually meant arriving three hours later.

During this time, Tian Ruan did some calisthenics, memorized passages and English words, played badminton and basketball with Lu Qiuyan, jumped rope, and ate a sandwich Lu Qiuyan had made.

Lu Qiuyan was baffled. Tian Ruan looked like a model student, so why was he so stubborn?

Meanwhile, Yu Jingmo had woken up and started working, occasionally checking the bodyguard’s reports to add a bit of amusement to his otherwise tedious social obligations.

"You treated me to a sandwich, so I’ll treat you to a meal," Tian Ruan said to Lu Qiuyan.

It was Lu Qiuyan’s break time anyway—an hour wasn’t much, just enough for a quick meal and rest. Without hesitation, he asked, "What are we eating?"

"My treat."

"Alright."

Just then, a gaudy red convertible roared up to the hotel entrance, blaring rock music and forcing the doorman to step back.

A man with champagne-blond hair whistled, one hand on the square steering wheel and the other lifting his sunglasses. "Hello, babes."

Tian Ruan deadpanned, "Who are you? We don’t know you."

He Lansi didn’t bother opening the car door—just swung his long legs out, his body clinking with enough accessories that he looked like a walking jewelry store.

"A handsome guy like me making you wait a little—what’s the harm?" He Lansi grinned. "People beg for the privilege, but I don’t give it to them."

Tian Ruan turned and walked away.

He Lansi flipped a wad of cash to the doorman, who eagerly hurried to park it. He followed the two who interested him. "Actually pissed?"

Tian Ruan replied, "No."

"Lu Qiuyan, what about you?"

Lu Qiuyan: "??? The hell does this have to do with me?"

He Lansi smiled charmingly, but it was lost on them. "I’ll treat you both to a meal."

No response.

"I’ll take you to an amusement park."

Still no response.

He Lansi dropped his ultimate offer: "Spend half a day with me, and I’ll give each of you 10 grand."

Lu Qiuyan looked at him like he was an idiot. "You nuts?"

He Lansi narrowed his fox-like eyes. "Money talks."

Tian Ruan studied He Lansi—dapper and undeniably hot, definitely qualified to be Yu Shang’s romantic rival. For now, he’d let it slide. After all, the main couple’s romance needed a proper wingman.

However, Lu Qiuyan remarked, "So what if you're rich? You still ate dirt."

He Lansi: "..."

He Lansi eyed Lu Qiuyan's snarky attitude and sneered, "Talking like that will get you punched."

The scrapes on Lu Qiuyan's face hadn't fully healed, and there were still marks on his neck. He stared back at He Lansi indifferently, "Do I look like I care?"

He Lansi studied him for a moment before suddenly cracking up, "Alright, alright, you don't care. I'm the one who's scared."

"...You're batshit crazy."

Once He Lansi had laughed his fill, he flung an arm over Tian Ruan's shoulder.

Caught off guard, Tian Ruan felt as if a sandbag had suddenly been dumped on him. With a yelp, he tumbled to the ground.

He Lansi, who hadn't steadied himself properly, also crashed down in a clattering mess, two strands of accessory chains from his outfit scattering across the floor.

"..."

"..."

Tian Ruan seethed and glared at He Lansi.

He Lansi massaged his temples and beamed, "Are you a lightweight who folds like a lawn chair?"

Tian Ruan scrambled to his feet, "Don't touch me. I'm off the market."

He Lansi picked up the fallen ornaments and reattached them to his coat buttons, shrugging, "You think I care?"

Tian Ruan: "..." This psycho genuinely didn't give a damn.

He Lansi snapped his fingers, "As compensation for being late, this meal is definitely on me."

The hotel butler personally ushered them to the restaurant and helped with ordering. Lu Qiuyan, busy replying to Yu Shang's messages, said, "Yu Shang's coming soon. Should we eat together?"

Tian Ruan: "Sure."

Cue the drama—just don’t let the plot derail.

Before long, Yu Shang arrived after finishing his work and headed straight for Tian Ruan and Lu Qiuyan's table. Spotting He Lansi, he didn't bat an eye and simply greeted, "Boss He is here on vacation too?"

He Lansi beamed, "Yeah. Interning, Shang-Shang?"

"Yeah." Yu Shang sat expressionlessly beside Lu Qiuyan.

"Shang-Shang?" Lu Qiuyan asked, puzzled.

He Lansi: "Can I call you *Yan-Yan*?"

"No."

He Lansi gazed affectionately at Tian Ruan, "Can I call you *Sweetie*?"

Tian Ruan shot back, "That’s way too stuffy. Call me Tian·Nicholas·Peppa the Third·Pradada·All's Well That Ends Well·Ruan."

"..."

Their orders arrived, and Yu Shang slid over a small bowl of abalone stew to Lu Qiuyan, "This slaps."

Lu Qiuyan gave a nod. "Thanks."

He Lansi's table kept getting more dishes until there was barely any room left. Even if it was He Lansi paying, Tian Ruan couldn’t understand: "Why get so much if you can't eat it all?"

He Lansi had the waiter push two tables together and said matter-of-factly, "Just try a bite or two of each."

"That's just wasteful."

"Exactly." He Lansi didn’t even try to argue. "Rich people waste food, water, even the air we breathe. That’s just how it is."

"But you could at least try not to."

"Why should I hold back?" He Lansi chuckled. "I’m no saint."

"..." Hard to argue with that.

After the meal, He Lansi extended an invitation to Tian Ruan: "Wanna hit the amusement park?"

Tian Ruan said, "Only if Lu Qiuyan goes."

Hearing this, Lu Qiuyan simply replied, "I’ve got work. Leave me alone."

"..."

He Lansi laughed. "What kind of money is that, anyway? You’d do better sticking with me."

It sounded like he was propositioning Lu Qiuyan. Before Lu Qiuyan could react, Yu Shang’s expression darkened. "With your finances, He Lansi, following you means going broke."

He Lansi’s smile faded. "You’ve got your father’s sharp tongue."

"Not exactly kind to say that to a kid, either."

After a few more rounds of sarcastic exchanges, Lu Qiuyan had already returned to his post at the hotel entrance. Tian Ruan followed, only for Lu Qiuyan to shoo him away. "What are you doing here? Go have fun."

Tian Ruan smiled knowingly. "Yu Shang’s definitely jealous."

Lu Qiuyan froze. "Jealous of what?"

"Jealous of you and He Lansi."

"Don’t talk nonsense. I have nothing to do with either of them."

"Not even with Yu Shang?"

"...At most, we’re classmates."

Tian Ruan nodded. "He doesn’t act like this with anyone else."

Lu Qiuyan frowned slightly, his ears turning red. "You think Yu Shang... likes me?"

"What?"

"Never mind." Lu Qiuyan turned away, leaning against a pillar in the shade, letting the autumn breeze cool his thoughts.

Before long, He Lansi strolled out. The doorman grinned eagerly. "Need the car, boss?"

"Mm."

"Right on it, boss!"

He Lansi grinned at Tian Ruan, "Not coming to hang out?"

Tian Ruan: "I'm scared you'll trick me."

"That's a stretch. How about bringing two bodyguards?"

"I didn't bring any bodyguards."

He Lansi pointed his pale hand toward the bushes, "Then what's that? A piece of crap dressed as Yu security?"

The bodyguard scowled—now that was uncalled for.

Tian Ruan peeked over and indeed saw a burly man in blue clothes and sunglasses crouching in the bushes, holding up his phone like a creep, an earpiece on his ear.

"No worries, ma'am—it’s just me, Da Zhuang," the bodyguard said.

"..."

Tian Ruan: "Who sent you to stalk me? Never mind, forget I asked."

No question—Yu Jingmo.

He Lansi clicked his tongue, "Is Yu Jingmo that paranoid about losing his wife?"

Out of nowhere, Tian Ruan flushed, suddenly curious about what Yu Jingmo was doing right now.

Like he’d sensed it, Yu Jingmo's call came through at that moment—

Tian Ruan hurried over to the flower bed to answer, "Mr. Yu."

"You eat yet?" Yu Jingmo's tone was indifferent, as if completely unaware of Tian Ruan's whereabouts, though in reality, his email was spammed with photos of Tian Ruan sent by the bodyguard.

He clicked through them one by one, his voice tinged with amusement without realizing.

"Yeah. You?" Tian Ruan asked.

"Just had breakfast. Got a meeting soon."

"What did you have for breakfast there?"

"Stew, bread, and eggs."

"Was it good?"

"Nothing beats home cooking."

"Then hurry back."

"Okay."

Meanwhile, Yu Shang had slipped over, chatting with Lu Qiuyan while He Lansi butted in occasionally, though his eyes kept drifting toward Tian Ruan. He needled, "Didn’t peg Yu Jingmo for a phone-talker."

Yu Shang disliked others discussing his father and deflected coolly, "If you’re that bored, He Lansi, go play somewhere else. Don’t bug my classmate while he’s working."

"Pretty sure your hotel’s hiring underage."

"..."

Lu Qiuyan said lightly, "My ID says I’m 18—off by a year."

He Lansi asked, "Why one year older?"

"Mistake on the records. My mom thought I could retire a year earlier, so she didn’t correct it."

He Lansi broke into laughter.

Neither Yu Shang nor Lu Qiuyan understood what was so funny.

A portly middle-aged man with a bulging belly walked out of the hotel entrance, stopping abruptly at the door to size up the three standing under the crabapple tree.

He Lansi gave him a dismissive once-over.

The man approached, looking them up and down, his expression no different from appraising cuts of meat.

Yu Shang frowned. "What do you want?"

The man stroked the stubble on his chin and grinned. "You’re not listed. New here?"

"?"

The man pointed at He Lansi. "You’re the one."

He Lansi smiled coldly. "The hell?"

The man pulled out a room key. "Come to my room this afternoon. 300 bucks an hour, 500 if you do well."

"..."

The brazenness stunned everyone. Though He Lansi had a pretty face, the only thing remotely feminine about him was his past relationships.

Tian Ruan immediately rushed over to gawk.

The man’s squinty eyes gleamed as he smirked triumphantly. "Don’t fight—plenty to go around."

"..." Tian Ruan instantly regretted joining in—otherwise, he wouldn’t have heard such a disgusting proposal.

Yu Jingmo’s voice came through the phone. "What’s wrong?"

Tian Ruan: "Some creep’s harassing us."

"Just let the guards handle it."

"No need. He Lansi and Yu Shang were insulted too."

"?"

He Lansi flashed a shark-like smile at the man. "We’re not in a rush. One at a time." With that, he swung a fist.

The man went down like a sack of potatoes, screaming obscenities. He Lansi showed no mercy, hitting way harder than the Yu family’s bodyguards. A sharp *crack* echoed as the man’s leg snapped under his kick.

Nobody else had to lift a finger.

Tian Ruan backed up slowly, pressing the phone to his ear. "Mr. Yu, He Lansi is scarier than you."

The moment the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake.

Unexpectedly, a deep chuckle sounded through the receiver. "Getting brave without me around?"

Tian Ruan’s ears flushed for no reason. "I didn’t mean—"

Yu Jingmo: "I’ll cut my trip short."

"..."