Chapter 131

Chapter 131

"What's wrong?" He Lansi followed Du Henbie’s gaze upward, meeting Tian Ruan’s upside-down stare.

Du Henbie was stuck mid-motion, his belt hanging open between He Lansi’s legs. Unable to move or stay still, he could only stare wide-eyed at the seemingly innocent face outside the window.

Tian Ruan’s eyes shined mischievously as he cleared his throat. "Don’t stop on my account—I’m enjoying the show."

Du Henbie: "..."

He Lansi: "..."

After a beat, Du Henbie climbed off He Lansi and strode toward the window with an intimidating air.

Startled like a rabbit, Tian Ruan dove under the windowsill just as it swung open, narrowly avoiding a collision with his head.

Du Henbie looked down, his glare melting into a smirk when he saw Yu Jingmo. "Are you two so bored in your stale marriage that you have to peek at others’ excitement?"

Tian Ruan retorted, "Not at all! Mr. Yu and I are plenty exciting ourselves!"

"Then go be exciting somewhere else. Watching isn’t civilized, polite, or proper."

Tian Ruan thought to himself, *You weren’t exactly civilized, polite, or proper when you topped your own man either.*

Yu Jingmo gave the scaffolding a shake, like plucking fruit from a tree. With a yelp, Tian Ruan tumbled like a bright red apple straight into his arms.

"Sorry to interrupt," Yu Jingmo said coolly.

Curled into Yu Jingmo’s arms, Tian Ruan gazed wistfully up at his so-called "big brother" through the second-floor window. "Brother, you’re gonna hurt He Lansi!"

Du Henbie chuckled darkly. "Come teach me after you’ve topped your own husband someday."

Tian Ruan glanced at Yu Jingmo’s imposing figure and shivered. "I’m a bottom, through and through. Heavy lifting’s not my thing."

Yu Jingmo: "Mm."

Du Henbie jerked the curtains shut and got back to "work."

Watching such a steamy scene slip away without seeing the climax left Tian Ruan’s heart clawed with curiosity. "...I still want to watch."

But Yu Jingmo carried him farther away, saying, "No ogling other guys’ gear."

Tian Ruan had already caught a glimpse—his so-called "brother" was packing serious heat, likely matching Yu Jingmo.

"He Lansi is so lucky," Tian Ruan murmured.

Yu Jingmo glanced down at him. "Feeling lucky now?"

"Of course I do..."

And so, Tian Ruan got his turn being "lucky."

Flipped like a pancake three times over, Tian Ruan no longer had the energy for anyone else’s drama—he was full up on dragon.

Golden sunset light filtered through the cream-colored curtains, casting a warm glow over the tangled sheets.

A slender, pale figure emerged from the covers, curling into Yu Jingmo’s firm embrace.

Leaning against the headboard, Yu Jingmo cradled the young man’s waist, holding him snugly against his warmth. He pressed a kiss to his forehead and asked, "Feeling lucky now?"

Tian Ruan lifted his face, flushed like sunset clouds, his lips crimson, soft, and moist, his voice sweet and fresh like ripe fruit: "...You're just bullying me."

Yu Jingmo smirked faintly, his thumb gently rubbing the young man's lips. "Mhm, my bad."

By the time they tidied themselves up and stepped outside, a bodyguard approached and handed them a note: "This is the address Boss Du left. He took Boss He to a nearby manor."

Tian Ruan glanced at the address—it was just a few dozen miles away. "But our flight’s tomorrow. Can we make it?"

"Then we’ll reschedule," Yu Jingmo said. "Might as well stay a few extra days."

Tian Ruan felt a twinge of unease but figured it wasn’t a big deal. As long as he stayed close to Yu Jingmo, nothing bad should happen—until their car got a flat tire halfway there.

"..."

It was already late, and the Du family’s old estate was still three or four miles away. There were no streetlights, only a sky full of stars.

Tian Ruan carried his backpack, Yu Jingmo held the luggage, and a couple of bodyguards trailed behind as they all became drifters in the middle of nowhere.

"In the countryside back home, the roads are all concrete. Here, it’s just dirt roads," Tian Ruan muttered in disbelief, noticing the path littered with stones, glass shards, nails, and bottles.

Yu Jingmo glanced at him. "Think the moon’s better overseas?"

Tian Ruan looked up at the small moon in the sky. "Home’s moon is always brighter."

"Mm." Yu Jingmo moved quietly, his leather shoes making only faint sounds on the packed dirt road.

Tian Ruan glanced down at Yu Jingmo’s trouser cuffs and giggled. "If it were daytime, your pants would be filthy."

"...Don’t mention it."

A polished city tycoon like Yu Jingmo usually walked only on gilded marble or rode in luxury cars worth a fortune. The only exception was a couple of days ago, when he had stepped into mud while accompanying Tian Ruan to a lavender field.

After walking two miles, blinking hazard lights appeared ahead. Yu Jingmo led Tian Ruan toward them. The driver was a white-haired old man who spoke in French: "This road’s rough. Mr. Du sent me to pick you up."

"Thank you." Yu Jingmo guided Tian Ruan into the car while Mao Qi wordlessly opened the front passenger door.

Tian Ruan said, "Bonjour."

The old man replied, "Bonjour."

That was the end of the conversation. The old man seemed either naturally taciturn or assumed they only knew basic French and couldn’t hold a real conversation.

The estate was indeed small and dated—a two-story main house, a smaller servant’s quarters, and a stable. It was less of a grand manor and more like a slightly larger villa, surrounded by lush vegetation and an eerie quiet.

For miles around, this was the only place brightly lit, shining like something out of a fairy tale.

Tian Ruan suddenly thought of Harry Potter—the estate felt just as magical, as if stepping inside would transport them to another world.

He paused and said, "Let me call my big bro."

Yu Jingmo stopped to wait.

Tian Ruan took out his phone and dialed Du Henbie’s number.

"Arrived yet?" Du Henbie’s voice sounded sleepy, like he’d just rolled out of bed.

"Big brother, are you still at the hotel?"

"What are you talking about? Didn’t I have the bodyguard give you the address?"

"Come outside for a sec."

A moment later, Du Henbie emerged leisurely from the main house, now wearing a tailored suit, his long strides effortless. In the midst of the blooming courtyard stood three figures, while the elderly butler shuffled over unsteadily, bowed in greeting.

Tian Ruan eyed Du Henbie closely, clutching his backpack straps as he walked up to him. "Bro, is that really you?"

Du Henbie looked baffled. "Who else?"

The longer Tian Ruan looked around, the creepier it seemed. "Prove you're my bro."

"How am I supposed to do that?" Du Henbie had never had to prove who he was before.

"What's your wife called?"

"I'm not married. I don't have a wife."

"Nope. Your wife's He Lansi."

"..."

Tian Ruan gave him a second chance. "Bro, what's your size?"

Du Henbie: "No idea."

"But someone can measure it with flowers. Who?"

"He Lansi." This time, Du Henbie answered with absolute certainty.

Tian Ruan clapped. "Bingo! You pass."

Du Henbie scoffed. "What kinda crap do you think about all day? You never shut up—can’t even Yu Jingmo shut you up?"

"..."

"Get inside." Du Henbie acted like an older brother in front of Tian Ruan, but in front of Yu Jingmo, he put on his "brother-in-law" act.

Yu Jingmo led Tian Ruan to dinner, but He Lansi wasn’t there.

Tian Ruan asked, "Where’s He Lansi?"

Du Henbie replied casually, "Still asleep."

"Still asleep? I’m up already..." Tian Ruan suddenly stopped talking.

Du Henbie smirked. "Got you riled up, huh?"

"...Not at all. Yu Jingmo and I are crazy about each other."

Yu Jingmo cut in, "No talking at the table."

Tian Ruan stayed quiet. After dinner, he went with Yu Jingmo to rest in the guest room. He’d already napped in the afternoon, so lying in bed, he couldn’t fall asleep again. Restless, curiosity gnawing at him, he murmured, "I still want to see..."

Yu Jingmo said, "I won’t interfere in family matters."

Hearing this, Tian Ruan perked up instantly. Throwing on his coat, he tiptoed out the door. "Mr. Yu, wait ten minutes. I’ll just take a quick look and come back."

"Mm."

Tian Ruan crept through the dim corridor toward the master bedroom, pressed against the door like a cat, ears straining—

"Ah... ah..."

Breathy moans faintly drifted through the air.

Interspersed with the rhythmic creaking of a solid wood bed straining under the weight, along with sharp curses.

Tian Ruan's face flushed crimson. He lasted less than five minutes before bolting.

The guest bedroom door slammed shut as Tian Ruan pressed his back against it, his eyes wide and shimmering, startled, as he looked at Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo set down his book and motioned for him to come closer.

Tian Ruan obediently approached.

"What did you see?"

Tian Ruan shook his head.

"Then you heard it."

"...I won't eavesdrop again."

Yu Jingmo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Already shy?"

Tian Ruan fidgeted with his fingers. "It's just... too intense for me."

Yu Jingmo pulled him close, lips brushing against his ear as he whispered, "Did you like listening?"

"...No." Tian Ruan lied unconvincingly.

Yu Jingmo's lips curved faintly. He had already discovered that when Tian Ruan's eyes were covered, his moans turned sweeter, as if he had finally let go of some inhibitions.

So that night, Yu Jingmo once again covered the young man's eyes, his voice low and thick with restraint: "I love the sounds you make."

The next morning, Tian Ruan woke up blinking groggily. Though this was his elder brother's estate, doing this here felt utterly improper—he was too ashamed to face anyone.

Yu Jingmo, however, was perfectly put together, tending to Tian Ruan himself, washing him, dressing him, even putting on his socks.

Downstairs, Tian Ruan picked at his breakfast guiltily. But by the time the meal ended, He Lansi still hadn’t shown up.

Servants moved wordlessly, none daring to speak out of turn.

About an hour after breakfast, Du Henbie came downstairs and said, "The weather’s perfect for horseback riding today."

Tian Ruan glanced past Du Henbie. "Where’s He Lansi?"

"Still asleep."

"Oh."

So Tian Ruan went horseback riding with Yu Jingmo, who led him patiently, guiding the horse at a leisurely pace through the estate grounds.

Only then did Tian Ruan realize that while the estate appeared modest, its grounds stretched for miles—gentle hills and glittering lakes, lush gardens, winding streams, all arranged in a harmonious mix of Eastern and Western landscaping.

Whether strolling through flowerbeds or racing through open meadows, every view was postcard-perfect.

Tian Ruan clip-clopped along on his pony, while Yu Jingmo followed on a bigger horse.

Three days slipped by this way, and apart from hearing He Lansi’s curses, Tian Ruan didn’t lay eyes on him once.

He wanted to go take a look, but was stopped by an old man who babbled something unintelligible to Tian Ruan.

Yu Jingmo passed by and said, "This is their family matter. Mind your own business."

Tian Ruan, though convinced He Lansi deserved it, still worried his older brother might have gone too far. "But..."

"If it were really dangerous, He Lansi would’ve run long ago."

Tian Ruan suddenly understood—right, who was He Lansi? The most brutal character in the original novel, merciless toward himself and even more so toward others. If he didn’t want something, he’d sooner stab someone than let them get their way.

And if he truly wanted something, no matter how extreme, it was just “play” to him.

“…” Tian Ruan gave a thumbs-up toward the upstairs. “Damn, bro, you’re a machine. Three days straight?”

By the time Tian Ruan left, he still hadn’t seen He Lansi.

Du Henbie, however, acted like nothing had happened, seeing them off at the airport. “Tell Mom and Dad I’ll be back in ten days.”

Tian Ruan counted on his fingers. “So that’s half a month going at it with He Lansi straight? Holy shit… Big bro, take care of yourself.”

Du Henbie smiled. “It’s not just me.”

Tian Ruan gasped. “Wait—there’s someone else?!”

“And toys,” Du Henbie said with icy finality. “I’ll make sure He Lansi never touches anyone else again.”

Tian Ruan raised two thumbs. “Alpha as hell. He Lansi’s gonna love that even more.”

“…”

On the plane, Tian Ruan gazed out the window at the foreign scenery and mentally lit a candle for He Lansi.

After thirteen hours of flight, they finally landed in the embrace of their homeland.

The moment he stepped off the plane, Tian Ruan got a bone-chilling hug from the subzero wind: *“Achoo! Achoo! Achoo!!”*

This wasn’t just a sneeze—it was Tian Ruan’s heartfelt ode to home, though maybe a bit too loud, with snotcicles forming.

“…”

Passengers bundled in down jackets tutted in disapproval at the couple in shirts and trousers. Kids these days—obsessed with style while freezing their asses off. They’d learn.

Though Yu Jingmo quickly wrapped Tian Ruan in a cashmere coat, his heart stayed numb with cold, his teeth chattering. “…The motherland’s freezing. Some son I am… couldn’t even warm her up.”

Yu Jingmo sighed. “My bad. The north is still buried under snow.”

If they’d landed in Suzhou, it wouldn’t have been this harsh right away. But here, they were at a northern airport.

The Yu family’s ancestral home was here, and after the New Year, there was a pile of work waiting. So Yu Jingmo decided to come first, taking the chance to have Tian Ruan pay respects to the ancestors—just in case the spirits were even awake to offer some blessings.

But with this kind of weather, even the ancestors were probably hibernating.

Outside the airport, Assistant Xu, having been informed in advance, waited with a car and down jackets.

Tian Ruan slowly warmed up inside the car, nearly weepy with gratitude. “Assistant Xu, thank goodness you’re here.”

Assistant Xu, sitting in the passenger seat, blushed at the praise. “It’s my duty.”

Tian Ruan dug out a French coin from his pocket. “Here, for your next France trip.”

“…Thank you, Ma’am.”

The Yu family’s ancestral home was a courtyard house—neither too big nor too small. At its peak, four generations lived together under one roof, with over twenty people squeezed into fewer than ten rooms. It looked impressive from the outside, but in reality, it was tight and cramped.

As the family business grew, the four generations quickly scattered. Some died, others moved away, leaving only Elder Yu’s branch to seize the opportunity and take off.

Later, when they moved south to Su City, the old house stood empty, only cleaned up for the yearly ancestor ceremonies.

The alley was too narrow to drive through, so Tian Ruan hopped out of the car and stepped onto the street, zipped up in his puffer jacket. He looked around curiously at the run-down neighborhood, which was nothing like he’d imagined. He had expected the ancestral home to be a fancy mansion with a big, dignified sign.

But instead, there were only low, single-story buildings, most of them old structures badly needing fixes.

Someone on an electric scooter came zooming by. Yu Jingmo pulled Tian Ruan aside and said, “They’re still working on this area.”

Tian Ruan asked, “Working on it? You mean they’re going to tear it down and rebuild?”

“That was the plan at first, but I kept it intact. With some repairs, we could turn it into a tourist spot.”

There were plenty of such old houses all over the country, honestly not much to look at. But making it a tourist site was the only way to preserve it amid urban development.

Yu Jingmo said, “Grandfather said we can’t demolish the ancestral home—it’s the root of the family’s fortune.”

Tian Ruan glanced curiously at Yu Jingmo’s perfectly sharp profile. His nose was as striking as a mountain ridge, lit by the snow’s glow. “You buy into that stuff, Mr. Yu?”

“No,” Yu Jingmo replied flatly. “I’m the one holding the Yu family together.”

Tian Ruan grinned. “Mm.”

The main house looked shabby. Even though it had been repaired, it still seemed pretty run-down next to the other houses.

Xu, the assistant, unlocked the door with a key.

Tian Ruan noticed there were still quite a few people living here. A neighbor—a local auntie coming back from shopping—stared at Yu Jingmo for a moment before suddenly calling out with a laugh, “Hey, aren’t you little Yu? Look how tall you’ve gotten!”

Yu Jingmo nodded politely. “Mrs. Li.”

Mrs. Li greeted him warmly. “Long time no see! Ever since your family left, this alley’s been so quiet. Back then, your family had the most kids—oh, you were just a kid yourself then.”

“Yeah.”

“How have you been lately? Is your grandfather doing okay?”

“He’s still healthy.”

“That’s good. Wishing the old folks long lives. How about your uncles—are they all doing alright?”

“They are.”

“You guys were smart to move. This street never gets redeveloped—it’s such a pain to live here.”

“The relocation notices will come out in a few months.”

“What??”

Without another word, Yu Jingmo said “Goodbye” and walked into the old house.

Mrs. Li tried to sneak a peek inside, but the door was already shut. “Ah, who was that good-looking guy with you?”

A moment later, the door cracked open and Xu whispered, “That’s the boss’s better half.”

"Aww, how sweet!"

"Right? They’re totally smitten..." Assistant Xu, who normally had no one to gush about his favorite ships with, couldn’t help himself and rambled on endlessly to the woman in her fifties or sixties.

Next thing he knew, Assistant Xu found himself invited inside for tea and more gossip.

Tian Ruan didn’t mind Assistant Xu’s absence and kept exploring the small courtyard house.

Though small, the ornate carvings and beams showed its rich history. Various antique decorations were worth hundreds of thousands, cameras were everywhere, and signs bluntly stated: "Smile, you’re on camera."

Tian Ruan: "What if these get stolen?"

Yu Jingmo: "What can we do? Hope our ancestors smite the thief with lightning."

Facing the main hall converted into an ancestral shrine, Yu Jingmo delivered this nonsense with a straight face.

Tian Ruan: "...Guess our ancestors are napping, or you’d be toast by now."

Yu Jingmo lit three incense sticks, bowed, and said, "I don’t buy into gods or ghosts—just my own damn self."

Tian Ruan bowed devoutly. "Ancestors, please don’t listen to Mr. Yu’s nonsense. Keep us healthy and thriving, year in and year out."

After paying respects to the ancestors, Yu Jingmo planned to take Tian Ruan to a hotel.

But the moment they stepped outside, they ran into a red Maserati crawling through the alley at a snail’s pace, scraping the walls. Behind it, an electric scooter blared its horn nonstop.

The Maserati’s driver yelled furiously, "F*** it, I’m almost home already!"

The scooter rider: "Eat sh**, you're like a power drill up someone’s a**—no room to breathe, huh?"

Tian Ruan: "...That’s a vulgar yet unique metaphor."

Compared to a diamond drill up someone’s rear, the Maserati honked back deafeningly: "You wanna hit me? Go ahead! You’re the kinda guy who’d block three urinals to piss! Did you pave this road?!"

The scooter rider: "Who cares about shoes when you’re barefoot? Today, I *will* run you over!"

With that, the scooter rider abandoned his ride, kicked off his shoes, and climbed barefoot onto the Maserati.

The Maserati driver’s face twisted in disgust. "Get the f*** off!" He slammed the gas, and the car screeched forward.

The barefoot guy rolled off, scraping a huge gash into the Maserati’s door.

"HAHAHAHA!!" The barefoot man sat on the ground laughing. "Eat sh**, you brought this on yourself!"

Suddenly, the Maserati’s roof flipped open, and out jumped a man dripping in designer labels, around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, with gelled-up hair, smudged eyeliner, and piercings in both nose and lip.

With a snarl, he tackled the barefoot dude, and the two began brawling.

Tian Ruan whipped out his phone to film, but the car blocked his view. So, he hopped onto the Maserati’s hood for a better angle.

Mid-fight, the man spotted him and turned crimson with rage. "The f***?! Off my hood, now!"

Tian Ruan: "Yeah, hot stuff! Kick his a**!"

The man: "..."

Snarling, he pummeled the barefoot guy, fists flying like rain.

Furious, the barefoot man retaliated—his nasty toes jammed right into the other guy’s mouth.

"…………"

The man roared and spat on the ground.

Tian Ruan: "…"

Ten minutes later, the fight ended when police officers from a nearby station arrived to enforce the law. As the man had illegally driven his car into the alleyway, he was fined two hundred yuan, and an additional five hundred yuan for fighting.

Because the smelly-footed man caused the other man emotional distress, he was also ordered to pay five hundred yuan in compensation.

When Tian Ruan heard the man’s name, she froze—Yu Linluo, one of the minor cannon fodders in the original story, a distant relative of the Yu family. When Yu Jingmo needed an heir, Yu Linluo’s father decided to send his son to live under Yu Jingmo’s guardianship. Despite their similar ages, Yu Linluo would have to call Yu Jingmo “uncle.”

Unfortunately, Yu Jingmo never warmed up to this distant nephew and refused. From that point on, Yu Linluo and his father both envied and feared Yu Jingmo, and Yu Linluo himself harbored even deeper hostility toward Yu Shang.

In terms of plot progression, Yu Linluo and Yu Jun were quite similar—neither had much presence in the story. However, Yu Linluo did cause some trouble midway through the narrative. He discovered that “Tian Yuan” also disliked Yu Shang, and the two quickly teamed up to set a trap.

As Yu Shang was about to graduate high school and go inspect a branch company, they cooked the books and submitted false accounts before anonymously reporting the fraud to higher-ups.

An investigation followed, and the branch was shut down completely, reopening only after three months. As a result, the Yu family's stock prices took a nosedive, and Yu Shang’s reputation nearly collapsed.

At the time, Yu Shang was still just an honest and inexperienced eighteen-year-old, straightforward and pure, with little awareness of such underhanded schemes. In the end, he traced the blame only as far as Yu Linluo.

Surprisingly, Yu Linluo never revealed “Tian Yuan.” Some readers speculated that Yu Linluo and “Tian Yuan” were birds of a feather—two villains perfectly matched.

Tian Ruan: "…"

Tian Ruan threw herself into Yu Jingmo’s arms. “Don’t!”

Yu Jingmo: “?”