Chapter 158

Chapter 158

"How was the mock exam?" Yu Jingmo asked casually, covering the gaudy gold-plated watch on his wrist with his sleeve.

Tian Ruan leaned back and let out a long sigh. "Still second place."

Yu Jingmo wasn't surprised. "That's already very good."

"I fought tooth and nail just to keep this second place." Though Tian Ruan was a minor academic achiever, his grades were his only strong point—he had to maintain them.

Xi Qin in third place was only three points behind him. He could overtake him any day now.

This gave Tian Ruan a competitive edge. He wasn't afraid of falling behind—he was afraid of falling without even trying.

Yu Jingmo took his hand. "You can ask for a reward."

"A reward?" Tian Ruan turned to him, eyes sparkling.

"Anything you want."

Tian Ruan thought for a moment. He didn't really lack anything. "I haven't had a burger in a long time. I want a chicken sandwich."

"...That's it?"

"Yeah," Tian Ruan nodded.

Yu Jingmo sighed helplessly. Coincidentally, they passed a McDonald's, and the perceptive driver eased the Maybach to the curb.

The pair alighted from the car. Yu Jingmo reached out to open the glass door, allowing Tian Ruan to enter first before following inside. There were about fifteen or sixteen customers in the store, waiting for their orders or seated around. The moment the two entered, they drew half the room's attention.

Yu Jingmo cut an imposing figure in his perfectly tailored suit—towering height, elegant posture, and strikingly handsome features frozen in perpetual coldness. Even without expression or movement, his mere presence created a walking chill. The restaurant fell silent instantly.

Tian Ruan had long grown accustomed to Yu Jingmo turning every space he entered into an icebox. Unfazed, he stepped up to order: "One spicy chicken sandwich, one Bacon Angus Deluxe, and a serving of fried chicken wings."

"Please wait a moment," the cashier replied in awed silence.

Tian Ruan paid via WeChat, collected the receipt, then settled in to wait. The digital screen periodically displayed pickup numbers indicating when orders were ready.

Glancing at his ticket number, he figured he had ten minutes to kill. "Let’s go for a walk outside."

"Mm." Yu Jingmo took his hand as they exited.

Some girls whipped out their phones to snap photos, only to be met by a materializing bodyguard who sternly ordered them to "delete" the pictures.

There wasn't much to see on a ten-minute stroll, but their usual gift shop haunt happened to be right across the street. After crossing at the pedestrian light, Tian Ruan pulled Yu Jingmo inside.

Shelves crammed with trinkets filled the store—mostly cute-themed items. Yu Jingmo asked, "Is this where you bought all those stuffed animals and figurines?"

Tian Ruan nodded. "Yeah, affordable yet cute."

"If you like it, we could buy out the entire store," Yu Jingmo offered casually, as if ordering a burger.

Tian Ruan stared. "...Mr. Yu, you can't do that. It'd suck all the fun out of it."

Yu Jingmo couldn't understand how buying things would remove enjoyment, but respected Tian Ruan's opinion nonetheless. He followed silently, mirroring Tian Ruan's browsing.

The gift shop was packed, mostly with young women. Every so often, furtive glances came their way, accompanied by conspiratorial titters.

Tian Ruan was only interested in plush dolls, stationery, and collectible cards. He picked out a few ¥10 blind bags and said, "Alright, let's go."

After paying, he started opening the packaging as soon as they stepped out of the store, pouring all the cards into his hands to flip through them. "Wow, I got a limited-edition card!"

"What is this?" Yu Jingmo asked.

Tian Ruan was a little embarrassed. "These are characters from a book series—they're really popular right now."

Yu Jingmo didn’t interfere with his hobbies and took the card to examine it. "The artwork is gorgeous."

Tian Ruan nodded eagerly and began chattering away with explanations.

Yu Jingmo watched him with a smile as he talked animatedly, then suddenly pressed a finger against his soft lips. "Save some breath for your burger."

They got their food and took the burgers to the car.

Tian Ruan glanced at the high-end leather seats—pristine and sleek—and then at the hot burger in his hand. "...Is it really okay to eat this in the car?"

Yu Jingmo handed him several soft napkins. "Just be careful, and it’ll be fine."

Tian Ruan took small bites of the crispy fried chicken skin, the spicy flavor filling his mouth, and his face lit up in satisfaction. "So good. Mr. Yu, you should eat too."

He knew Yu Jingmo’s taste and had specifically chosen the bacon Angus burger for him.

Yu Jingmo said, "I’ll eat later at home."

Tian Ruan, aware of his standards, happily dug into the burger he hadn’t had in nearly two months. Yu Jingmo watched him eat intently, making Tian Ruan a little self-conscious. "Stop staring at me."

Yu Jingmo chuckled. "You’re cute eating."

A bit of cheese sauce clung to Tian Ruan’s lips. "Then maybe I should be a mukbang streamer?"

"A mukbang streamer just for me."

"..." Don’t be gross!

Back at the estate, Yu Jingmo had Liu Ma warm up the burger and serve it on a plate with a knife and fork. Then he sat at the head of the table, cutting into the burger like it was fine dining.

Tian Ruan: "..."

Such a small burger, yet Yu Jingmo made it look like a five-star meal.

At dinner, Yu Shang didn’t show up, seemingly buried in work.

Liu Ma asked, "Is the young master not coming back for dinner?"

Yu Jingmo replied calmly, "Set aside a plate for him."

"Yes, sir."

It wasn’t until nine in the evening, after Tian Ruan had finished his homework, that the sound of a car came from the driveway. He pulled back the study curtains to look outside and, recognizing Yu Shang’s car, grabbed his coat to head out.

Just then, Yu Jingmo also stepped out of the study.

"Yu Shang is back."

"Yeah."

The hallway lights were blazing, and the crystal chandelier at the top of the staircase shimmered brightly.

A few servants were moving around the spacious living room, bowing to the master of the house without a word.

After waiting four or five minutes, Yu Shang finally came from the side building to the main house, walking in with a weary look, his thick brows dark with fatigue. When he saw his father, he pressed his lips together briefly before finally saying, "Dad."

Yu Jingmo said, "Have your meal first."

Yu Shang nodded and wordlessly went to eat.

Tian Ruan followed and asked, "Why are you so late?"

"Work."

"That bad?"

Yu Shang didn't answer.

Yu Jingmo interrupted, "Let him eat."

Tian Ruan replied, "Oh."

By the time Yu Shang finished eating, Tian Ruan had already brought down her homework from upstairs and said, "You didn't do your homework, did you? You can copy mine."

Yu Shang shook his head. "No need. I've already finished."

"..."

Yu Jingmo sat on the sofa, one leg crossed over his knee, relaxed in posture but steady in tone. "What's wrong?"

Tian Ruan glanced at Yu Shang’s expression and quietly sat beside Yu Jingmo.

Yu Shang stood before them, head hung like he'd done something wrong. "Dad, the front company has been ordered to suspend operations."

At first, Tian Ruan didn't understand, but when she realized what it meant, she shivered and immediately looked at Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo showed no reaction and asked, "What happened?"

Yu Shang frowned deeply. "The regulators inspected and said the leather goods contained excessive formaldehyde, deemed unqualified and required rectification. I treated them to dinner, gave gifts, and promised to rectify the issues, but today they issued the suspension notice."

Yu Jingmo nodded. "Small-time tactics. Nothing you can't handle."

Yu Shang continued, "Right after the notice was issued, there was a fire at the factory. Over a dozen workers were injured."

"Old factory or new factory?"

"The old one."

Yu Jingmo thought for a second. "Then wait. If the new factory also catches fire, you won’t be the only one scrambling."

"?"

Tian Ruan stared in shock. "A real fire?"

Yu Jingmo instructed, "Prepare the new factory for evacuation and reduce night-shift staff this month."

"Did they find the cause of the fire?"

Yu Shang shook his head. "I checked the surveillance footage. The fire started in an empty storage room. The last person who entered was a factory worker."

Based on this, the police concluded that old equipment caused an electrical short circuit, which led to the fire.

This excuse might fool others, but Yu Jingmo, who had navigated the ups and downs of business for over a decade, wasn’t buying it for a second.

“It must be Xu Bingyang’s doing,” Tian Ruan also refused to believe it, immediately fingered the suspect.

Yu Jingmo: “The new plant’s still running, right?”

Yu Shang shook his head. “Yeah. It’s a joint venture with the Du family.”

Yu Jingmo nodded. “Then we’ll wait.”

Tian Ruan, however, said, “We can’t afford another fire—we can’t let more innocent people get hurt.”

Yu Jingmo glanced sideways at the young man beside him, with his innocent, kind face, and found him adorable. He explained, “Don’t go looking for trouble, but always be prepared. Being good is hard, but doing evil only takes one thought. People’s minds are complicated—there’s no telling when that thought might strike.”

Tian Ruan was stunned. “You mean…”

“Legally speaking, without enough evidence, we can’t convict someone.”

Tian Ruan understood. Even if he knew Xu Bingyang was the villain behind both the bidding and the front company, it wasn’t enough to nail him—they’d have to proceed carefully.

Besides, Yu Jingmo had already issued safety warnings and reduced night shifts to prevent further disasters.

“Go get some sleep. Don’t overthink it. It’ll all work out,” Yu Jingmo told Yu Shang.

Yu Shang: “I messed up, Dad. I’m sorry.”

“Then do better next time,” Yu Jingmo replied calmly.

Yu Shang nodded, his expression serious, then left the main house and headed to his quarters.

Tian Ruan worried. “Yu Shang’s only eighteen. Don’t put so much pressure on him.”

Yu Jingmo: “Then give him a proper birthday.”

“…”

Come to think of it, Yu Shang’s eighteenth birthday hadn’t been celebrated yet. The past month had been too busy to spare any time for preparations.

Now that Yu Jingmo brought it up, Tian Ruan got excited. “Should we make it big?”

“That’s up to him.”

By Sunday, Tian Ruan finally caught Yu Shang, who was always out at all hours, and asked, “Do you want a big birthday or something low-key?”

Yu Shang was caught off guard, thought for a moment, and said, “Just a family dinner would be fine.”

“You free tonight?”

“Yeah.”

Tian Ruan immediately texted Lu Qiuyan: Yu Shang’s having a birthday—get your ass over here.

Lu Qiuyan: ……… I’ve had his fucking present ready for a month, and now you remember his birthday?

Tian Ruan: Holy crap, I still haven’t gotten a gift yet! /panic

Lu Qiuyan: Got it.

Tian Ruan: Dude, come help me pick out a gift /pleading

Lu Qiuyan: I’m at the hotel. Swing by.

Tian Ruan: OK.

It was only 3 p.m., still bright out, when Tian Ruan hopped into his Ferrari to find Lu Qiuyan.

Lu Qiuyan was working as a front-door valet at the hotel. The weather was warm but not too hot—perfect for being outdoors. So whenever he had downtime, he’d lazily chew on a piece of grass and mess around with stray cats and dogs.

In a way, Tian Ruan was basically one of those cats to him.

Lu Qiuyan texted: Did you get lost or something?

Tian Ruan: Ughhh, traffic’s a nightmare. So many cars!

Lu Qiuyan: Ten more minutes.

Tian Ruan: Hang tight, babe~

Ten minutes later—

The Ferrari finally screeched up the hill to Macchiato Garden Hotel. The driver’s son joked, “You look like you’re rushing off to meet your secret lover.”

Tian Ruan: “Careful what you say, or you’re fired.”

The driver’s son pretended to zip his mouth shut. “Yes sir.”

Tian Ruan stepped out and hurried over. “Sorry I’m late.”

Leaning lazily against the hotel pillar, Lu Qiuyan said, “Cover for me.”

“No problem.” Tian Ruan called the manager and sorted it in just a few words. “Let’s go.”

Lu Qiuyan hopped into the car.

The Ferrari sped off, leaving behind a trail of exhaust fumes—and one jealous valet.

Half an hour later, they pulled up on Su City’s most famous luxury shopping street. It was packed with high-end boutiques from all over the world. Some new brands had recently opened, ones even Tian Ruan hadn’t heard of.

Lu Qiuyan knew the drill. Except for the newcomers, he could rattle off seven or eight must-have items from each store.

Tian Ruan took notes in his little notebook. “This place does men’s leather bags, that one specializes in women’s perfume…”

Lu Qiuyan smirked. “No wonder you’re top of the class—always taking notes.”

As someone who had read the original novel, Tian Ruan naturally knew Yu Shang’s tastes. He also knew that for Yu Shang’s birthday, Lu Qiuyan usually gave things like tie clips, custom stamps, or small antiques.

He couldn’t upstage the main lead, so he needed to avoid those kinds of gifts.

Right—whether Yu Shang liked the gift wasn’t the priority. What mattered most was that it looked expensive.

After hitting up all the luxury shops, Tian Ruan still came up empty—everything was either too pricey or too formal. Lu Qiuyan, meanwhile, had spotted a few things he liked—if only he had the cash to stop himself.

Tian Ruan asked sincerely, “Anything decent for like a hundred bucks?”

Lu Qiuyan almost doubted his ears, "A hundred yuan?"

"Mhm."

"Coming to a luxury store with just a hundred yuan—you're something else."

"..."

Their eyes met, and Tian Ruan gritted his teeth, raising the offer: "Then... a thousand?"

Lu Qiuyan: "Spend more on your son."

Tian Ruan: "...Ten thousand, tops. That's my entire month's allowance."

Lu Qiuyan didn't respond, casually slipping into the next store—

Tian Ruan followed in and was instantly horrified by the wall of hefty vibrators: "Lu Qiuyan, you're into this stuff?!"

Lu Qiuyan: "...Wrong store."

Even so, Tian Ruan was curious, sneaking glances here and there. "Ahem, we're adults. No harm in looking."

Lu Qiuyan gave him a sidelong glance. "Your husband not cutting it?"

Tian Ruan: "...That's not it! I'm just curious. Aren't you?"

Truthfully, Lu Qiuyan was curious too. "Alright, let's browse. No buying though."

"Okay." Tian Ruan nodded vigorously.

Aside from vibrators, there were condoms and all sorts of weird stuff you’d never guess the use for at first glance. Tian Ruan wouldn’t dare touch a thing, while Lu Qiuyan boldly picked up one after another, carefully studying their functions.

Tian Ruan: "..." No wonder he’s the protagonist *shou* (bottom) of this world—so self-aware.

After a quick look, Lu Qiuyan put them back, his expression indifferent. "Eh, nothing to write home about."

Tian Ruan: "Yu Shang’s monster donkey dick is the most special, huh?"

Lu Qiuyan: "..."