Chapter 67

Chapter 67

"Keep it down in public," Hai Chao said coldly, wiping his hands with a tissue.

Tian Ruan clutched his phone awkwardly. "I was just talking to your uncle."

To his surprise, Hai Chao's expression turned even colder. "I don't have an uncle."

"...Oh."

Hai Chao felt like he was hitting a wall. "And since you're in school, you should at least act like a student."

Tian Ruan was baffled. "Do I not look like a student? Anytime I'm in uniform next to Mr. Yu, everyone thinks I'm his son."

Hai Chao: "..."

Hai Chao frowned, about to argue further, when suddenly he froze at the sight of a drag queen entering—wearing a rose-red bustier with a plunging neckline, a leopard-print bodycon miniskirt, a faux fur coat draped over her shoulders, and heavy makeup on her buzz-cut head.

"Well hey there, little Chaochao, you here to pee too?" The moment the person spoke, their deep, rough voice made both guys at the sink freeze.

Stunned, Tian Ruan muttered under his breath, "A drag queen?"

The drag queen giggled coyly. "My, what a handsome student, and from a prestigious school too. Are you lonely?" As she spoke, she extended a rose-red, long-nailed hand toward Tian Ruan’s face. "So soft."

Tian Ruan was completely shell-shocked, frozen in place and forgetting to dodge.

Hai Chao yanked the dazed Tian Ruan aside, just dodging those long nails.

"Ooh, someone's protective," the drag queen pouted playfully. "Not your boyfriend or something?"

Hai Chao had no interest in explaining to irrelevant people. He glared at Tian Ruan. "Not leaving yet? You trying to get felt up by a drag queen?"

Tian Ruan shuddered and snapped back to reality, booking it out of there.

Not long after fleeing, he turned back and saw Hai Chao emerge as well. He stopped to wait for him. "You okay?"

Hai Chao walked right past him. "Fine."

"How do you know that drag queen?"

"Not your concern."

"..."

Seeing Hai Chao’s reluctance to elaborate, Tian Ruan didn’t press further.

They went separate ways after. Figuring Hai Chao had eaten and taken off, Tian Ruan returned to the table and kindly warned Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan, "There's some drag queen in the restroom. If you spot her, run."

"No can do," Lu Qiuyan said. "Still need to eat."

Yu Shang’s face was dark, radiating such don't-fuck-with-me energy that the waiter served their dishes with extra caution.

"What’s wrong with him?" Tian Ruan pulled his plate toward him to make room.

Lu Qiuyan snorted. "He already got harassed by the drag queen. I said we should beat her up, but he refused. Now he's just sitting there pissed."

Tian Ruan stared at Yu Shang in disbelief. "You just took that harassment?"

Yu Shang: "...We're in a restaurant. Throwing punches would be trashy."

Tian Ruan opened his mouth but didn’t know what to say.

Lu Qiuyan sneered, "Wow, so polite."

Yu Shang: "..."

Being too polite was exhausting. Tian Ruan even felt tired on Yu Shang’s behalf—putting on this act at seventeen, without the gravitas of a real leader, only made shameless people think it was funny.

If Yu Jingmo were here, one look from him would’ve scared them stiff.

Tian Ruan decided he had to help Yu Shang reclaim his authority as student council president.

Just as he was thinking this, the restaurant manager hurried over, bowing and scraping. "Yu Shang, is there anything you need?"

Yu Shang replied indifferently, "There was a drag queen earlier. Make sure they’re never allowed in again."

Talk of the devil—the flamboyant person strutted over. "Heyyy~ You guys together? Wanna play, kids~?"

The manager flinched and immediately summoned several burly male staff members. "Throw them out and make sure they never set foot here again. Don’t let them bother Yu Shang again."

The drag queen, grabbed by two burly men, gave an excited hip wiggle. "Ohhh~ Don’t be so rough, I’m fragile~"

The two men also flinched, their faces contorting in disgust as they dragged the drag queen away amidst flirtatious squealing.

The manager promptly apologized, "I’m so sorry. We’ll definitely ban anyone disruptive in the future."

Yu Shang corrected, "Ban anyone disruptive. It has nothing to do with their identity."

"Ah, yes, understood!" The manager wiped his sweat. "To make up for this, this one’s on us. Would that be acceptable?"

"Hm."

Later, the manager sent over three house special cocktails as an additional apology. Coincidentally, the server delivering them was Hai Chao.

"You work here?" Tian Ruan asked.

Hai Chao placed the drinks down silently and turned to leave.

The manager, watching, fumed. "...Hai Chao, where are your manners? I’m so sorry, Yu Shang. I’ll give him hell."

Yu Shang asked, "Is he even legal?"

The manager: "...Uh, I’ll go check."

That inquiry led to the immediate termination of underage Hai Chao’s employment.

Hai Chao walked out after changing out of his uniform, expressionless, only casting a cold glance at Tian Ruan’s table.

Tian Ruan: "..."

Lu Qiuyan asked, "Did he just get fired?"

Tian Ruan: "Definitely."

The atmosphere at the table grew heavy. Lu Qiuyan was also underage and working under Yu Shang’s nose—the only difference was that his ID listed him as a year older, legally an adult.

Finally, Lu Qiuyan couldn’t resist muttering, "If he weren’t struggling, he wouldn’t be working in the first place."

Yu Shang: "His biological father is my second uncle. Even if he’s broke, he’d still pay child support."

Lu Qiuyan said no more. Every family has its own troubles, and Hai Chao's situation was beyond his control.

Tian Ruan knew that Hai Chao disdained using Yu Fada’s money and wouldn’t touch Hai Mingyue’s either. He had a stubborn pride that carried him through his impoverished youth—perhaps this was the one thing he and Lu Qiuyan had in common.

After school that day, Yu Shang didn’t forget the matter and deliberately used the landline at home to call Yu Fada.

Yu Fada was pleasantly surprised to receive a call from the manor. It had been a long time since anyone from the Yu family had paid him any attention, as if they all looked down on him. He asked cheerfully, "*Xiao Shang* (a familiar term for Yu Shang), what’s the matter? Would you like to come over for a visit?"

Yu Shang was concise: "I saw Hai Chao working at a restaurant. Is he really that hard up for cash?"

Yu Fada froze, then stammered, "I gave money—well, to his mother. Did she forget?"

"How much do you give each month?"

"My salary is 20,000 *yuan*. I give her 10,000. The rest I have to save."

Yu Shang now understood. The 10,000 handed over to Hai Mingyue was far from enough to cover expenses, let alone provide for Hai Chao. Elder Yu had always disapproved of Yu Fada’s remarriage and had people keeping an eye on them. They’d seen Hai Mingyue splurging at luxury stores, running up Yu Fada’s credit cards.

Aside from his basic salary, Yu Fada also received an annual bonus of at least a few million. As a result, Hai Mingyue spent recklessly, burning through all the money and even accumulating debt.

Only Hai Chao struggled to get by.

After hanging up, Yu Shang reported the situation to Elder Yu.

No matter what, Hai Chao was still a member of the Yu family—Elder Yu’s own great-grandson, and a top student, no less. Upon hearing this, Elder Yu hit the roof: "That bastard Yu Fada—can’t even raise the kids he fathers! Can’t even take care of his own proper son, let alone the one born outside!"

Landlines were always louder than cell phones. Yu Shang had to hold the receiver farther away. Tian Ruan, who had been upstairs working on homework, rushed down upon hearing the commotion and eagerly piled on: "Exactly, Grandpa! Hai Chao is my nephew too. His hands were cracked from washing dishes at the restaurant, and some drag queen groped his face. It’s disgusting how Second Cousin treats him!"

Elder Yu: "What?! There’s more to this?! I’ll tear Yu Fada apart myself!"

With a loud *click*, the other end hung up, leaving only the buzzing static of the landline.

Tian Ruan practically bounced with excitement. "I finished my homework. Let’s go catch the drama!"

Yu Shang sighed silently: "..."

When Yu Jingmo came downstairs, Tian Ruan put on a serious face and said, "Mr. Yu, Second Cousin’s family is in trouble again. Let’s go check it out."

Yu Jingmo: "What happened this time?"

"Grandpa is going to tear Second Cousin apart because he only knows how to sire children but not raise them."

"?!"

Yu Shang gave Tian Ruan a deadpan look, as if to say, "You love stirring the pot, don’t you?"

This rebellious expression didn’t escape Yu Jingmo’s notice. "Show your stepfather some respect."

Yu Shang: "...Whatever, I’ll just sit this one out."

*Fine, I won’t watch then.*

Tian Ruan deliberately put on a loud orange-and-green tracksuit before getting into the car to watch the drama. To ensure his phone had enough battery for live updates, he even charged it in the car.

As the car entered the upscale neighborhood where Yu Fada’s new home was located, Tian Ruan secretly video-called Lu Qiuyan.

When Lu Qiuyan picked up, all he saw was a lip gloss close-up and quickly pulled the phone away. "The hell—?"

Tian Ruan checked his phone and realized the front camera was on. He quickly switched to the rear camera, aiming it at the brightly lit high-rise buildings, and whispered, "Shh, you’re getting front-row seats to the mess."

"...What kind of show?"

"A deadbeat dad who sires kids but won’t raise them, abandons his family to start a new one, and neglects his illegitimate son."

Lu Qiuyan perked up, propping his phone against the wall while idly spinning a pen in his hand, doodling a few words in his notebook now and then. The dim light overhead cast shadows over the rows of shelves behind him.

Tian Ruan noticed and asked, "You’re not at home?"

Lu Qiuyan answered vaguely, "Mhm. Doing homework."

Tian Ruan could read between the lines.

Access to the elevator required a keycard, but Yu Jingmo had pull in Su City. With just one call to his assistant, the property manager personally escorted them upstairs.

As the elevator ascended slowly, Tian Ruan casually held his phone. The air in the elevator was thick, and the manager hardly dared to breathe. When the elevator doors dinged open, the manager quickly said, "I’ll leave you to your family business, Mr. Yu."

"Mm." Yu Jingmo pressed the electronic doorbell.

Soon, the door opened, revealing Hai Mingyue in a pink silk nightgown draped with a mink coat, her wavy hair cascading loosely. Though makeup-free, her eyes sparkled, oozing feminine charm.

Tian Ruan couldn’t help but remark, "Cousin’s got good taste."

Hai Mingyue: "..."

Yu Jingmo shot him a cold glare.

Tian Ruan shivered. "Good thing I don’t like women—won’t lose my head over a pretty face."

His lips twitched, Yu Jingmo said, "Good evening, Ms. Hai. Has my grandfather arrived?"

Hai Mingyue awkwardly stepped aside. "He’s here."

The spacious living room was lavishly decorated. Yu Fada stood like a scolded puppy before Elder Yu, who was accompanied by his butler. When Yu Fada spotted Yu Jingmo and the others, he pasted on a smile. "What brings you here?"

They just *had* to show up during date night.

Though unwelcoming, Yu Fada had no choice but to endure it.

Clueless, Tian Ruan only noticed how strangely fragrant Yu Fada’s home was—overwhelmingly so, like a boudoir straight out of a fantasy. And with Hai Mingyue’s bewitching presence, she seemed every bit the heartbreaker of a femme fatale.

Fortunately, the Yu family knew their priorities—Yu Fada was the real culprit.

Elder Yu thumped his cane on the floor. "Look what you’ve done!"

Yu Fada: "Grandfather, I promise I’ll treat Hai Chao better from now on. I’ll hand-deliver his allowance every month."

Hai Mingyue pressed her lips together, silent.

Tian Ruan: "Even if you offer, Hai Chao won’t take it."

Yu Fada: "What do you mean by that?"

Elder Yu snarked. "With a father like you, it’s no wonder he wouldn’t want to acknowledge you."

Yu Fada: "..." Touché.

Yu Jingmo suggested, "Grandfather, how about taking Hai Chao under your wing?"

"Mm. My thoughts exactly." Elder Yu said. "The boy’s still Yu blood. I won’t let this bastard ruin him."

Tian Ruan was startled—this wouldn't do. With Hai Chao by Elder Yu's side, would he still remember Yu Shang? Besides, one was a biological grandson, the other an adopted one—blood ties would always soften hearts.

If Hai Chao replaced Yu Shang's position, it would be a complete upset of the natural hierarchy.

Yu Shang was the only possible male lead in this world.

Tian Ruan asked Yu Shang, "What do you think?"

Yu Shang: "No objections here."

Tian Ruan: "...I oppose."

Yu Shang looked at him, puzzled.

Tian Ruan had a sudden idea: "Hai Chao's personality wouldn't allow him to accept the Yu family's support. Otherwise, he wouldn't be working part-time jobs or refusing to acknowledge his second cousin."

"So sending him to the old master's house is the cleanest solution."

"What about Yu Jun? What would his mother think? Yu Jun never received such treatment—he'd only grow more hostile toward Hai Chao. They're already at each other's throats. This would only lead to irreversible consequences."

The plot of them stabbing each other hadn't happened yet, but there had already been bloodshed. Yu Jun must be seething with hatred for Hai Chao. One more clash could be deadly.

Yu Jingmo mused, "That makes sense."

Elder Yu went quiet. "Then what should we do? We can't just abandon Hai Chao. He's top of his class—bound for great things."

Tian Ruan thought to himself, even if Hai Chao made it big, it wouldn’t be in Su City. In the original story, Hai Chao went abroad as an exchange student during college, used that chance to build a life overseas, and never returned.

As long as the Yu family didn’t pressure him, they couldn’t trap Hai Chao.

Amid the silence, Yu Shang lowered his gaze and suddenly caught sight of Tian Ruan’s phone screen—under pulsing neon lights, a young man chugged a beer bottle in one swig, his Adam’s apple bobbing as the liquid trickled down his fair, slender neck and seeped into his round-neck T-shirt.

After finishing, the boy wiped his mouth, raised the bottle, and did a victory spin, while a crowd of men and women around him laughed and clapped.

That young man was none other than Lu Qiuyan.

Yu Shang snatched Tian Ruan’s phone for a closer look—no mistake, it was Lu Qiuyan.

At that moment, Lu Qiuyan on the other end picked up his phone to check how far the livestream had gotten, grinning at the people around him. "The annual rich-people drama is starting. Anyone wanna watch?"

Everyone crowded around to see—only to see the cold, handsome face of a young man.

"Who’s that?" a girl asked. "Damn, he's hot."

Lu Qiuyan glanced down and found himself locking eyes with Yu Shang's glacial glare. "..."

Tian Ruan went pale in horror and tried to grab his phone back, but Yu Shang easily dodged, turning off the mute button. Ear-splitting rock music exploded through.

Yu Shang's voice dropped to subzero with every syllable: "Lu Qiuyan, where are you?"

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

Yu Shang’s eyes darkened. "You're at a bar? Drinking with a bunch of people?"

Lu Qiuyan was speechless.

Yu Shang: "Just you wait."

The screen went black.

Tian Ruan froze in horror, his mind screaming only one thought: We're toast.

Tian Ruan thought, "We're toast."

Yu Jingmo stared at him coldly. Tian Ruan: "..."