Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Yu Jingmo remained silent, tilting his head back to take a sip of bottled water.

Tian Ruan stared at the movement of his throat. When the bottle left his thin lips, they were still damp. Despite his cold demeanor, his lips looked surprisingly soft—wondering what they’d feel like to kiss…

Realizing what he was thinking, Tian Ruan hastily averted his gaze. He brought his soda to his mouth and bit down on the straw, only to suck in air—the bottle was already empty.

Yu Jingmo took the empty soda bottle from Tian Ruan’s hand and tossed it with his water bottle. He pulled Tian Ruan up and said, “Let’s take a walk.”

Not here—too many people. So, holding hands, Tian Ruan and Yu Jingmo strolled toward the quieter lakeside.

The lakeshore was dotted with patches of daffodils and reeds. A wooden bridge wound around the lake, and two small boats were docked at the pier. A pavilion stood in the middle of the lake.

The two walked along the wooden bridge, the cool breeze rustling the reeds. Tian Ruan took in the view, enjoying the rare, crisp fall air, and casually remarked, “I think I’ve seen Second Cousin meet with that boy before.”

That would explain how he knew Hai Chao’s identity.

Yu Jingmo asked, “Are you saying Yu Fada is supporting a high schooler?”

Tian Ruan: “…I don’t think Second Cousin is into men.”

“Then it’s his love child.”

“Yeah.”

Yu Jingmo showed no particular reaction. “His family’s about to blow up again.”

Tian Ruan: “A little drama might be good. It’ll be a blow to his wife and son.”

And it wouldn’t just be drama—it would be messy. Yu Fada would divorce his wife, his mistress would take over, his secret son would be legitimized, and his legitimate son would come back raising hell.

Hai Chao, the secret son, wanted nothing to do with Yu Fada. He hated his bastard status and despised every member of the Yu family.

In the end, the secret son and the legitimate son fought, each landing a knife wound.

Yu Fada seemed to age ten years overnight, left kneeling before both sons and begging for forgiveness before the farce finally came to an end.

Back at the golf course, President Liu and President Qian were competing swing after swing, while two caddies fetched balls.

Yu Jingmo glanced at them a few times.

Tian Ruan followed his gaze.

President Liu stroked his chin with a sleazy grin. “That caddy really is quite good-looking.”

Tian Ruan: “…” You’re asking for death.

When Hai Chao approached, President Liu puffed up his chest and sidled up to him. “Hey, kid, come here. Take this thousand yuan.”

In comparison, President Liu was a solid three inches shorter than the high schooler, even shorter than Tian Ruan.

Hai Chao, towering at over 180 cm, looked down at President Liu and declined coolly, “I didn’t earn this, President Ma.”

President Liu: “…My surname is Liu, not Ma.”

“My apologies, President Niu.”

“It’s Liu, as in Liu-Guan-Zhang!”

"Oh." Hai Chao went to place the tee into the grass, set the ball on top, and arranged them neatly.

Boss Qian leaned on his golf club and called out to He Lansi, "President He, care for a round?"

He Lansi took off his sunglasses and hooked them onto his collar, then picked a club from the rack, giving it a light swing. "Sure."

The second Liu saw He Lansi’s face, his eyes bugged out—despite the mosquito bite on his cheekbone, the man was prettier than any woman.

Liu's belly jiggled as he sidled closer. "President He, I heard your family's going through tough times? Need a hand?"

He Lansi glanced at him sidelong. "Oh? How exactly does President Ox plan to help me?"

Liu didn’t even mind the insulting nickname—anything sounded sweet coming from He Lansi's lips. "Heh, let's discuss it in private."

"Seems you don’t know me well," He Lansi smiled faintly, then swung his club with a sharp *crack*, sending the ball flying straight into the hole in one stroke. "Golf is like fighting—you have to hit the mark every time, strike where it hurts most."

Liu wondered if he’d misheard. "Golf is like... what?"

"Like fighting," He Lansi grinned. "Want to see my special move? My favorite is kicking someone’s balls in."

"......" Liu scrambled back. "Sorry to bother you."

Tian Ruan had seen it before—He Lansi was a hypocrite. He could hit on others, but if anyone tried it with him, they were dead meat. Of course, looks probably played a big role.

Liu, however, was inexplicably confident in his own charm. He refused to believe that among so many young men here, he couldn’t snag at least one.

Finally, his gaze landed on the one who seemed the "most ordinary"—Lu Qiuyan. The guy hadn’t moved since showing up, just sat there, popped a motion-sickness pill, and spaced out.

He seemed harmless.

Liu rubbed his chubby hands together and hovered around Lu Qiuyan like a pesky fly. "Hey, kid, feeling unwell? Need a ride back?"

Lu Qiuyan shot him a tired look and said nothing.

Liu pressed on, "I’ve got a Rolls-Royce. Wanna take a ride?"

Lu Qiuyan frowned. "Since when do *pimps* drive Rolls-Royces? Can just anyone drive one these days?"

Liu’s face went rigid.

Lu Qiuyan murmured and closed his eyes. "I must be dreaming."

Tian Ruan nearly choked on his laughter. Typical protagonist shou—even sick, he could infuriate people to death.

Liu’s face shook with anger. "Who the hell do you think you are? Some broke nobody putting on airs? Look at yourself—you think you’re worth it?"

"..." Tian Ruan mentally wrote Liu’s obituary. Anyone who talked to the protagonist shou like this never ended well.

Lu Qiuyan seemed used to such taunts and didn’t react at all.

As Liu was gearing up for a tantrum, Yu Shang, who had been organizing the student council’s golf game at another course, grew uneasy and came over—only to witness the scene. His expression darkened instantly. "President Liu."

Liu jabbed a finger at Lu Qiuyan. "Yu Shang, this your friend? What a little shit!"

Yu Shang’s eyes flicked to Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo merely kept playing, showing no intention of intervening.

Yu Shang kept his cool and said, "Let me make it up to you."

Boss Liu snarled, "Then he's leaving with me tonight."

"What?" Yu Shang blinked in shock before his expression darkened. His lips thinned as he remained silent for a long moment. "This isn't up to me. You'll have to ask him."

Tian Ruan jumped to his feet. "Screw asking! Let's go!"

He swung his golf club at Boss Liu—

Thud! Thud! Thud! Whacking Boss Liu’s bald spot like a driving range.

Boss Liu scrambled away, clutching his head and yowling, "Yu Jingmo! I’ll sue you all! Stop hitting me, stop—"

Yu Jingmo observed the chaos impassively, raising his club to take another swing.

Qian Zong gasped in disbelief, "Boss Yu, you’re just letting your wife beat up Boss Liu like this?"

Yu Jingmo deadpanned, "My wife has a kind heart and a strong sense of justice."

"..."

No one with a conscience would stand for a middle-aged man preying on a high school student. Even if it hadn’t been Lu Qiuyan being harassed today, Tian Ruan would’ve done the same.

He chased Boss Liu across the course until, finally, a golf ball came flying—

Thunk! It struck Boss Liu squarely on the forehead, sending him crashing to the ground.

Tian Ruan turned to Yu Jingmo in surprise.

Yu Jingmo said simply, "He was annoying me."

Tian Ruan left Boss Liu where he fell and hurried back to Yu Jingmo’s side. A few bodyguards carried Boss Liu off the course, finally bringing quiet. Tian Ruan checked on Lu Qiuyan, who still seemed out of it, while Yu Shang murmured to him.

Lu Qiuyan nodded and said to Tian Ruan, "I'm gonna head out."

Thought you were riding with me?"

Lu Qiuyan pointed at Yu Shang. "His car is here."

Of course, Tian Ruan wouldn’t interfere with the protagonist couple’s alone time. "Then get some rest on the way back. Grab a meal too."

"Mm."

Tian Ruan jogged over to Yu Shang and said, "Come here."

Yu Shang: "?"

The young dad and his "perfect son" stepped aside for a private talk. Tian Ruan switched to dad-mode. "What’s wrong with you? Lu Qiuyan was being bullied, and you were still being polite?"

Yu Shang: "Since when is manners a bad thing?"

"If you reason with a lowlife, they’ll finish their misdeeds and run off."

Yu Shang frowned slightly. "That won’t happen. I wouldn’t let it."

Tian Ruan shook his head. "That's your whole issue—you're too proper, always sticking to rules. Let me tell you, winning someone over requires zero shame and some alpha energy."

"..."

"Got it?" "Tell me, was Dad a total shameless bastard?"

"Ah?" Tian Ruan glanced at Yu Jingmo. "Not that thick."

"Overbearing?"

"Very much so."

"I see." Yu Shang nodded solemnly. "But I must clarify, I don't have a wife. High schoolers shouldn't date."

"......"

Yu Shang left, and the student council dispersed. He Lansi casually continued playing golf while Yu Jingmo chatted with Mr. Qian, basically sealing the deal.

"Business stuff's pretty dull, huh?" He Lansi asked Tian Ruan with a smile.

As the sun set, the entire field was bathed in golden light, the distant waters shimmering with occasional birds skimming the surface. The artificial beach sparkled brilliantly.

Tian Ruan swung his club, feeling great. "Not at all. It's fun to get some exercise."

"I heard you reunited with Madam Du? So you really are Du Henbie's younger brother?"

"Yeah."

He Lansi didn’t push it.

But Tian Ruan asked, "Why were you at the pool that day?"

He Lansi was silent for a long moment before sighing. "You actually saw that? Guess word gets around."

Tian Ruan got uncomfortable. "I didn’t mean to. I was just worried—"

"Your brother is a really strong swimmer..." Though he tried to play it cool, He Lansi still seemed embarrassed. "It just happened. I was at the pool first, but who knew he’d suddenly jump in?"

Tian Ruan thought that was weird. "It was raining that day. You still went swimming?"

He Lansi said lightly, "Rainy days make me wanna die. If I died at the Yu family’s hotel, my family would get a big payout."

Tian Ruan: "......"

"Haha, I'm messing with you. Did you actually believe me?"

Tian Ruan did.

Despite He Lansi’s easygoing act, he had a strong sense of pride. Artists were often sensitive, and he’d probably imagined countless ways to die.

Moreover, in the original novel, after He Lansi was imprisoned, there was no further mention of him. Many readers speculated that his pretty face would make him a target in prison, and he likely ended up taking his own life.

Tian Ruan felt a chill run down his spine, as if the He Lansi beside him was a ghost who had returned from rebirth. Unconsciously, he scuttled sideways toward Yu Jingmo like a crab, feeling safer.

Yu Jingmo was suddenly bumped into. His phoenix eyes flicked over—it was Tian Ruan. "What’s wrong?"

Tian Ruan quickly took half a step back. "Nothing, just... I want to go home."

Yu Jingmo’s sharp features were bathed in the sunset glow, revealing a hint of softness he rarely showed. "Then let’s go home."

Tian Ruan smiled.

As soon as they returned to the manor, the butler gave a practiced bow. "Welcome home, sir and madam. Today, as always, you are a perfect pair—both brilliant and gorgeous."

Liu Ma bustled out cheerfully and said, "The young master brought his partner home. They're up in his room now."

Yu Jingmo paused mid-step. "What?"

"The young master brought his boyfriend home. He's never brought a girl home before, turns out he prefers boys." Liu Ma was still holding a spatula in her hand. "I need to prepare more dishes, otherwise there won't be enough. Young men need their nourishment..."

Yu Jingmo kept a straight face.

Tian Ruan, startled by the realization, thought to himself—Did Liu Ma really just say that out loud?!

Yu Jingmo raised his arm as usual, and Tian Ruan quickly helped him take off his coat, working overtime to cover up the secret romance between the protagonist couple: "Liu Ma just likes to talk nonsense. We've both met Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan—they're just regular classmates."

Yu Jingmo headed to the bathroom.

Tian Ruan followed, hastily adding, "Besides, Lu Qiuyan wasn't feeling well today. Crashing here for one night is no big deal, right?"

"What?" Yu Jingmo asked.

"What?"

"Liu Ma only said Yu Shang brought a boy home, not that it was Lu Qiuyan. Why did you immediately think of him?"

Tian Ruan fell silent.