Chapter 142

Chapter 142

Tian Ruan was deep in gossip-fueled delight when he suddenly spotted Hai Chao and Nan Huaiju approaching with quizzical looks.

"Drive, quick!" Tian Ruan urged the driver.

The driver slammed the gas pedal, and the Maybach jerked forward. Tian Ruan, caught off guard by the sudden movement, fell back—right onto Yu Jingmo’s big hand.

Yu Jingmo held him close, his fingers sinking into plush flesh and giving a playful squeeze.

Ticklish, Tian Ruan burst out laughing, then abruptly stopped, flashing an embarrassed glare at the man beside him before sitting up and swatting his hand away.

"Pins and needles," Yu Jingmo flexed his fingers.

Tian Ruan sighed and began massaging his palm, once again reminded just how massive Yu Jingmo’s hands were—broad, smooth palms, long elegant fingers with defined knuckles. One hand could easily wrap around his waist, to say nothing of other places.

It was like kneading dough—playing with him entirely at will.

Tian Ruan’s cheeks burned pink. He glanced up and saw the two boys pressed against the wall, seemingly unaware of what had been going on inside the car, though they were grumbling under their breath.

As the car passed them, Tian Ruan clearly caught what they said—

Nan Huaiju: "Zero shame! In broad daylight? Doing nasty stuff in a car—getting it on like that!"

Hai Chao: "Yep."

Tian Ruan: "...”

He rolled down the window and shouted, “You’re the ones! Out here in broad daylight, all over each other like lovebirds!”

Hai Chao: "..."

Nan Huaiju gaped.

The Maybach glided smoothly through the alley toward the exit on the other side.

The two teens stood frozen, exchanging confused glances. Nan Huaiju sniffed and mumbled, "Are we still going to your place?"

Hai Chao pushed his bike forward. "Tag along if you want."

"Oh." Nan Huaiju obediently followed behind. Once they exited the alley, he climbed onto the back rack of the bicycle, gripping Hai Chao’s jacket hem, dazed. The frosty air stung his nose, but as long as he leaned into Hai Chao’s back, it wasn’t so bad.

The Maybach pulled out of the alley, but the Rolls-Royce parked in front of the pharmacy was already gone.

While Tian Ruan was distracted by the spectacle, Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan had already returned to the estate.

By the time the married pair got back, the family doctor had changed Yu Shang’s bandages, and now the two were working on assignments in the annex study.

Hearing this, Tian Ruan grabbed his little backpack and rushed to find them.

"Why didn't you wait for me?" Tian Ruan looked around. Yu Shang’s study was twice the size of his own, but there was only one desk—room for two people.

Lu Qiuyan deadpanned, "Weren’t you out with your husband?"

"Huh? No!"

"Then where’d you two disappear to halfway? Taking a shit?"

Tian Ruan leaned in. "I’ve got hot tea. Want the deets?"

Lu Qiuyan was intrigued: "What’s the big scoop?"

Tian Ruan: "Kiss Yu Shang, and I’ll tell you."

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

Yu Shang: "..."

Lu Qiuyan twirled his pen. "Yeah, no thanks."

Tian Ruan smiled faintly, "Just kidding. I’ll tell you—Hai Chao and Nan Huaiju are into each other."

"Into each other?"

"I saw Hai Chao with Nan Huaiju by the throat."

"...You sure they weren’t fighting?"

"That’s flirting. You’re too innocent to get it."

Lu Qiuyan *didn't* get neck grabbing as flirting. If anyone dared grab *his* neck, he’d slap them silly, punch them senseless, and kick them into next week until they were flat on the ground.

Tian Ruan was amused: "Hai Chao’s such a dom, turns out Nan Huaiju’s a total sub."

Lu Qiuyan: "? What does that mean?"

Tian Ruan, not wanting to corrupt him, explained, "*S* means stylish, *M* means kissy-kissy."

"Oh." Lu Qiuyan didn’t buy it for a second. He immediately pulled out his phone to search online. His mind was blown: "Bondage? Restraints? Whips?"

"...Stop looking!" Tian Ruan snatched the phone and tossed it to Yu Shang.

Yu Shang’s eyebrow twitched, "What the hell…"

Just then, the butler arrived: "Ma’am, Young Master, Mr. Lu, dinner is ready."

The three fell silent and went to the main house's dining room.

Liu Ma was extremely enthusiastic: "Since the young mistress—er—Mr. Lu was visiting, and hearing that Mr. Lu likes squirrelfish, I specially cooked one. Hope you like it."

Lu Qiuyan: "...Thanks." Like he didn’t catch that slip.

Yu Jingmo assumed his place at the head of the table. Only after he started eating did the others begin.

Tian Ruan used serving chopsticks to place food on Lu Qiuyan’s plate: "This sweet and sour lotus root is something you usually like. Have more."

Lu Qiuyan was mindful of his manners here: "Thank you."

Tian Ruan was relieved Lu Qiuyan didn’t call him "auntie"—and heaped more ribs and tomato and eggs onto his plate. "Eat more. You're too thin."

Yu Jingmo served him as well: "You’re skinny too."

Tian Ruan: "I packed on five pounds this winter."

Yu Jingmo’s lips curved: "It looks good on you."

"..." No wonder Yu Jingmo had been grabbing his ass lately.

Too much luxury living inevitably leads to weight gain. Tian Ruan decided to follow Yu Jingmo’s example and stick to a workout routine every day.

After dinner, Tian Ruan personally washed eight large creamy strawberries and served them alongside a fruit platter Liu Ma had cut up to Lu Qiuyan.

Although De Yin’s teahouse offered complimentary tea and pastries, the good stuff cost extra. Imported strawberries like these sold for as much as fifty yuan each in De Yin's teahouse.

If you didn’t eat at least two, you’d stick out like a sore thumb.

"Lu Qiuyan, do you eat durian?" Tian Ruan perked up—after all, he was the only one in the house who liked it; Yu Jingmo and Yu Shang both avoided it.

Lu Qiuyan didn’t disappoint him. "Yeah, durian is delicious."

So Tian Ruan happily brought out two sections of durian flesh, instantly filling the living room with its “fragrance.”

Yu Jingmo shot Tian Ruan a look, like he wanted to say something but held back.

Tian Ruan winced because, to him, durian was heavenly, but Yu Jingmo once said it smelled rotten.

At least Lu Qiuyan was game.

Yu Shang pulled a face like he’d smelled something foul.

Lu Qiuyan: "...What’s with that face? It’s durian, not crap."

"Sure."

After finishing the durian, Tian Ruan made a show of brushing his teeth before obediently sitting next to Yu Jingmo, who wore a refined men’s cologne. He took a whiff. "Mr. Yu, you smell amazing."

Yu Jingmo: "Better than durian?"

"...Of course." Yu Jingmo’s scent got him hot and bothered, while durian only stirred his appetite.

Yu Jingmo didn’t mind, holding a newspaper in one hand and munching on post-dinner fruit while watching him do homework.

Homework was light, so he finished quickly. Tomorrow was Saturday—no classes.

Tian Ruan piped up, "Let’s play a game?"

They played *The Brave’s Adventure House*, with Tian Ruan as the warrior, Lu Qiuyan as the mage, and Yu Shang as the swordsman. Yu Shang went full Leroy Jenkins with his character, charging ahead and completely ignoring the warrior and mage behind him.

Rusty from not playing in a while, Tian Ruan fumbled and died three times straight, ready to yeet the controller in frustration.

Seeing this, Lu Qiuyan came back to help, dumbstruck by how bad he was, "That’s a trap, don’t step on it—"

Tian Ruan stepped right in. "Save me!"

It was a cooperative RPG, after all—without teamwork, the warrior was bound to get wrecked.

Tian Ruan: "...Yu Shang, stop playing! Let the swordsman protect me!"

After three rounds, Tian Ruan chucked the controller aside and went to whine to Yu Jingmo. "Your son’s bullying me—he won’t protect me at all. This is what happens when you pick wife before life."

Yu Shang: "..."

Lu Qiuyan: "Leave me out of it."

Yu Jingmo bit back a laugh at his pout. "What do you want to do about it?"

Naturally, Tian Ruan couldn’t do anything to the main character of this story. After some thought, he said, "Make him bunk with Lu Qiuyan tonight, and I’ll forgive him."

"Sure."

Yu Shang: "...Dad, even if you don't control him, do you really have to let him have his way?"

Yu Jingmo: "What he’s asking isn’t that hard for you."

Yu Shang held the game controller tightly, glancing at Lu Qiuyan’s odd expression. "What do you say?"

Lu Qiuyan looked at Tian Ruan. "I’m not a teddy bear—you can’t just pick who I sleep with."

Tian Ruan asked him: "Then, would you be willing to sleep with Yu Shang?"

Lu Qiuyan: "..." It's not about whether I'm willing—the whole idea is weird.

Yu Shang gazed at Lu Qiuyan. "My injury isn’t serious enough to need someone staying with me at night. No need to trouble Lu Qiuyan."

Mentioning the injury made Lu Qiuyan hesitate. "If it’s absolutely necessary, I could crash on the floor next to the bed. Just call if you feel unwell at night."

"No, the floor’s too cold," Yu Shang shot that down right away.

Lu Qiuyan didn’t know what else to say. No way was he sharing a bed with Yu Shang—that’d be way too much.

Tian Ruan, getting impatient, cut in and decided for them: "Then Lu Qiuyan can sleep on the small sofa in your room." He leaned in and whispered to Yu Shang, "At night, you can just carry him to the bed."

Yu Shang: "..."

The sofa in the bedroom was seriously small—barely fit a guy over six feet tall without rolling off during sleep.

After a moment’s thought, Yu Shang agreed. "Works for me."

Lu Qiuyan had no objections either.

Tian Ruan, happy with his meddling, grinned at the good-looking couple—his son and future partner—admiring how good they looked together.

Then Yu Shang suddenly remarked, "Dad, Xiao-Dad seems really into S&M."

Tian Ruan: "..."

Yu Jingmo glanced sideways. "Oh?"

Tian Ruan: "I am not!" That brat—totally evil.

Yu Jingmo said nothing more and headed to his study to get back to work.

About half an hour later, Yu Shang and Lu Qiuyan also went to rest. Tian Ruan returned to the master bedroom, took a shower, scrolled mindlessly through his phone, found it boring, wasn’t in the mood to study English, and couldn’t sleep.

Wrapped in his bathrobe and carrying a glass of milk, he tiptoed to the study door and knocked.

"Come in."

Tian Ruan entered. "The milk’s gonna get cold."

"Mm." Yu Jingmo’s slender fingers tapped on his laptop keyboard without looking up.

Tian Ruan set the milk down and sat by the small tea table, cupping his face as he watched Yu Jingmo.

The tall, imposing figure sat perfectly upright in the wide leather chair—not the most comfortable executive seat, yet his posture remained straight. His arms rested on the desk, fingers moving like he was playing piano across the English letters on the keyboard.

Enter, delete, spacebar—his rhythm was flawless.

After a while, as if finishing a task, Yu Jingmo picked up the milk with his left hand, drank half, and suddenly looked over. "Not going to sleep?"

Tian Ruan: "I'll wait for you."

Yu Jingmo gave a faint smile. "After drinking milk, not tired yet?"

Tian Ruan shook his head. "Not tired. I'll wait for you."

"Come here."

Tian Ruan stood up and walked over.

Yu Jingmo pulled him close with one arm, and the young man went limp against him, settling pliantly on his lap. He picked up the half-empty glass of milk. "Drink this—maybe you’ll feel sleepy."

Tian Ruan obediently drank it, his bright amber eyes wide open. "Not sleepy."

"Is that so?" Yu Jingmo licked away the milk droplet on his lips. "How about something fun?"

"What fun thing?"

Yu Jingmo set the laptop aside and lifted him, pinning him against the wide desk.

Tian Ruan’s ears tinged pink. "Mr. Yu..."

Yu Jingmo lifted his bathrobe. "Behave."

Tian Ruan stayed still, obediently gripping the edges of the desk with both hands as they settled into an easy pace.

The movement rocked him forward with each thrust, forcing him to hold tightly to the desk to keep his balance.

But any rhythm grows tiring. Just as Tian Ruan was about to lose his grip, he was turned onto his back, barely on the desk with his limbs dangling.

He clung to Yu Jingmo fearfully. "Is the desk... stable?"

Yu Jingmo held his lower back with one hand and braced the other against the solid two-century-old elm. "Very sturdy."

"Mmm." Tian Ruan tilted his head back with a soft moan.

Yu Jingmo kissed the corners of his lips, the tip of his nose, his earlobes, his voice a low, rough murmur. "Good boy..."

The old desk groaned faintly beneath them.

But Tian Ruan couldn’t hear it anymore—his ears were filled only with the sounds of their bodies.

Worried that Tian Ruan's slender back might chafe against the wood, Yu Jingmo lifted him and settled onto the chair with him.

Then flipped him over again.

Tian Ruan leaned back against Yu Jingmo's chest, legs hooked over the desk edge, scattering stacks of paper documents.

As the papers scattered across the floor, Tian Ruan murmured, "They fell..."

"It's fine." Yu Jingmo left faint red marks wherever he gripped—the young man's skin was too fair.

Yu Jingmo reached for the laptop and turned on the camera.

Tian Ruan suddenly saw himself on the screen and startled. "Mr. Yu..."

"Not streaming, not saving. Just for us to see." Yu Jingmo soothed him.

Blushing, Tian Ruan nodded, curiously watching the screen.

Yu Jingmo hooked his hands under Tian Ruan’s knees and lifted them. "Like what you see?"

"..." Tian Ruan turned his face away, too embarrassed to look.

Yu Jingmo chuckled, the sound vibrating against him. "Darling, you're so beautiful when you're with me."