Chapter 176

Chapter 176

On the last day of summer camp registration, Lu Qiuyan squeezed in at the last minute and signed up, then informed Yu Shang.

His messages were all practical reminders about what to pack, showing no particular emotion. But the next morning, he got up, put on his sportswear and sneakers, and jogged around the estate with the bodyguards.

He felt as refreshed as if he'd had a spa treatment.

After his run, he showered, changed into neat and casual clothes, and went to the main house for breakfast—his younger dad still hadn’t woken up.

The summer camp gathering was at noon, with a flight in the afternoon, making the schedule tight.

After breakfast, Yu Shang waited in the living room. The butler passed by the staircase several times, hesitating whether to go up and wake someone.

Liu Ma bustled around preparing food and said, "Young Master, this portion is for Madam, this one is for Young Master Lu, and this one is yours. Don’t mix them up—yours is all nuts good for your kidneys."

Yu Shang nodded, then suddenly froze. "What?"

Liu Ma rambled on, "Young Master, you’re all grown up now. It really shouldn’t be an old woman like me worrying about this. If there’s anything you don’t understand, just ask Madam. He knows."

Yu Shang: "...Liu Ma, I’m going to summer camp, not doing anything else. It’s group living—no privacy for anything."

Liu Ma packed their travel snacks and said with worldly wisdom, "Young folks always chasing excitement. I understand."

"You don’t," Yu Shang said seriously.

Liu Ma backed down, just smiling without another word.

Around ten o’clock, a loud, panicked shout came from upstairs: "I'm screwed!!"

Yu Shang sighed in relief—finally awake.

Then came a series of thuds, crashes, and bangs, as if the house was being torn apart.

The butler hurried upstairs in alarm. "Sir, I know you’re in a hurry, but please calm down first!"

Tian Ruan tearing the room apart looking. "Where’s my suitcase?!"

Yu Jingmo watched helplessly as the young man tore the place apart. "I packed your luggage for you last night. It’s in the guest room. Just get dressed, brush your teeth, wash your face, and grab your bag and go."

Tian Ruan, his hair sticking up in all directions, his eyes wide with panic but still sparkling. "Really?"

"Come wash your face," Yu Jingmo said calmly.

Tian Ruan obediently brushed his teeth, washed his face, and changed clothes.

Yu Jingmo combed his hair, spritzed some hairspray, and made sure he looked his best. "The sun’s brutal—remember to apply sunscreen."

Tian Ruan gazed up at Yu Jingmo’s devastatingly handsome face and was suddenly hit with reluctance. "Mr. Yu, I won’t see you for over a week."

"Will you miss me?" Yu Jingmo lowered his eyes to look at him.

Tian Ruan nodded like a bobblehead. "I’ll miss you the most."

Yu Jingmo’s lips curved slightly. "I know."

He had already recalled most of his memories of Tian Ruan. It felt like holding a jar of cotton candy, knowing each piece would be sweet, making each bite pure bliss.

But even cotton candy runs out, so you savor those last few pieces. Yu Jingmo suddenly wanted to remember more slowly—so the happiness could linger longer.

Tian Ruan didn’t have time to get sentimental with Yu Jingmo and immediately dashed to the guest room.

The butler was already standing at the door with the suitcase in hand. “No rush, Mrs. Yu, there’s still time.”

Tian Ruan hurried downstairs, ate a piece of egg pancake and two shengjian bao, drank a glass of milk, and then headed to school with Yu Shang.

As the car drove away from the estate, Tian Ruan leaned out the lowered window, staring wistfully at Yu Jingmo’s tall figure. “Mr. Yu, I’ll video call you!”

Yu Jingmo waved, watching the car until it disappeared down the mountain before preparing to head to the company.

The butler wiped away a sentimental tear. “With Mrs. Yu gone, the manor feels dead without her.”

Yu Jingmo said calmly, “I am angry.”

The butler: “…Sir, don’t be angry. Think of Mrs. Yu’s bright smile instead.”

The Rolls-Royce pulled up to the gates of Deyin Academy, where six school buses were already waiting. The buses changed colors with the seasons—now a pastel pink and blue, full of youthful energy.

Tian Ruan got out of the car and immediately spotted Lu Qiuyan, whose protagonist halo was blinding. He dashed over, grinning. “Lu Qiuyan!”

Wang Weiqi jumped out from the side first. “Bro, you’re finally here! Hey, where’s your luggage?”

“Ah…” Tian Ruan turned around to see Yu Shang dragging three suitcases with a dark expression—two of which belonged to Tian Ruan.

“Yours.” Yu Shang handed the two suitcases to Tian Ruan.

Wang Weiqi: “Damn, Tian Ruan, what kind of goodies did you bring? This is extra as hell.”

Tian Ruan was also carrying a small backpack—that was where the snacks were. As for the two suitcases, God knows what Yu Jingmo packed in there. He could only laugh awkwardly.

In contrast, Lu Qiuyan had everything packed into a single backpack, didn’t even need a suitcase.

Tian Ruan had a sudden idea and handed one suitcase to Lu Qiuyan. “Help me carry one.”

Lu Qiuyan: “…You’re shameless.”

There were ten teachers organizing this summer camp for the second-year students, divided into five groups, each managing two to three classes.

Coincidentally, the teacher in charge of Classes 1 to 3 was Class 1’s homeroom teacher.

The homeroom teacher wore a small microphone on her collar and a tiny speaker. She barked sternly, “Classes 1, 2, and 3, gather at Buses 1 and 2.”

Each class had about a dozen students attending the camp, so three classes combined weren’t too many—two teachers per group were plenty.

Tian Ruan stuck close to Lu Qiuyan wherever he went, but he was tactful. After Lu Qiuyan sat down, Yu Shang boarded the bus, and Tian Ruan promptly pushed his so-called “kid” into the seat, leaving Yu Shang to sit beside Lu Qiuyan.

Wang Weiqi patted the spot next to him. “Tian Ruan, sit here.”

Tian Ruan opted to fly solo and sat alone.

Wang Weiqi: “…And here I was hoping you’d share some snacks.”

Tian Ruan turned his head and saw Hai Chao sitting with Nan Huaiju, smirking.

Hai Chao gave him a side-eye but said nothing.

Nan Huaiju: “The hell you laughing at?”

Tian Ruan: “Laughing at your ass getting wrecked.”

Nan Huaiju’s face turned red in an instant.

Tian Ruan: "Huh?"

Since he hadn’t paid much attention to Hai Chao and Nan Huaiju lately, Tian Ruan suddenly realized—oh right, how’s it going with those two? Judging by Nan Huaiju’s reaction, there was definitely something going on.

Tian Ruan kept looking back.

Wang Weiqi tried to talk to him every time, only to be ignored. "...Tian Ruan, could you pay attention to me for once?"

Tian Ruan: "Huh? You’re sitting in a double seat, so why are you alone?"

Wang Weiqi: "..." Shit, why was no one sitting with him??

Nan Huaiju, always ready with a comeback, quipped, "Maybe Wang Weiqi’s too dark—scared they’ll catch it if they sit with him."

Wang Weiqi’s eyes widened. "Nan Huaiju, you’d better have proof before saying that, and that doesn’t even make sense."

Nan Huaiju: "From winter camp to summer camp, you’ve stayed this dark. Isn’t that proof enough?"

Wang Weiqi clenched his jaw. "This time, I’m gonna get pale again, I swear!"

Nan Huaiju: "Actually, there’s one part of you that’s still white."

Wang Weiqi, always quick to take the bait, brightened up. "Where?"

Nan Huaiju: "Your eyeballs."

Wang Weiqi: "...If even my eye whites were black, I’d be a freaking zombie, and you’d be my first bite."

The school bus rolled smoothly toward the airport under the blazing sun. The bright-eyed teenagers chatted, laughed, and bickered, while the teacher at the front explained the summer camp rules.

Tian Ruan half-listened, thinking how awesome being young was.

He texted Yu Jingmo: *Mr. Yu, I’m on the school bus heading to the airport.*

Yu Jingmo: *Check your jeans pocket.*

Puzzled, Tian Ruan reached in and pulled out a folded, bulging triangle-shaped paper—a hand-drawn protective charm.

Yu Jingmo: *Don’t lose the talisman.*

Tian Ruan smiled, eyes lighting up: *I’ll tuck it in my phone case.*

Yu Jingmo: *And the sandalwood bead bracelet I gave you.*

Tian Ruan: *Wearing it.*

Yu Jingmo: *This is your first summer camp. Have fun.*

Tian Ruan: *Yeah.*

Yu Jingmo: *Safe travels. I’ve got your back ❤️*

Tian Ruan: *❤️❤️❤️*

The homeroom teacher walked over and stood sternly beside Tian Ruan.

Suddenly alert, Tian Ruan quickly put away his phone to avoid prying eyes. The teacher gave him a knowing look before moving on to continue explaining the camp rules.

Upon arriving at the airport, after waiting for about an hour, everyone boarded one by one.

This flight had been chartered and could accommodate four to five hundred people, though there were just over a dozen seats in first class. Since the teachers needed to make rounds periodically, the priority for first class went to the student council.

Tian Ruan was fortunate enough to score a seat and dragged Lu Qiuyan with him.

Wang Weiqi was crushed at the sight: "Tian Ruan, am I not your best friend?"

Tian Ruan: "There are only two seats. Want to sit on my lap instead?"

Wang Weiqi perked up a little and said jokingly, "Nah, man, you sit on mine."

"You sure? I’ve only ever sat on Mr. Yu’s lap before."

"...Never mind, I’d like to keep all my limbs intact."

Tian Ruan took Lu Qiuyan to first class.

Lu Qiuyan showed no reaction, closing his eyes to nap as soon as he sat down.

Tian Ruan asked, "Do you get motion sickness on planes too?"

Lu Qiuyan: "A little."

Tian Ruan pulled out dramamine from his backpack. "Take one."

Lu Qiuyan asked a flight attendant for water and took the pill without much hope before passing out immediately.

Tian Ruan stood up and said to Yu Shang, "Switch with me."

Wordlessly, Yu Shang silently swapped seats with him, sitting beside Lu Qiuyan to keep an eye on him.

Lu Qiuyan slept for about an hour before opening his eyes to the dim overhead light. He stared blankly for a moment, his steady breath tickling Yu Shang’s neck, then sighed.

Yu Shang: "...Awake?"

Lu Qiuyan jolted like a startled animal, jerking upright: "Damn!"

The loud exclamation made other student council members turn to look.

Xie Tangyan chuckled. "Lu, dreamt of something exciting?"

The thin blanket slid off him. Lu Qiuyan’s jaw tensed, momentarily forgetting to pick it up. Yu Shang retrieved it and draped it back over him, asking, "Want something to eat?"

Lu Qiuyan grunted out, "Orange juice."

It happened to be tea time for the students, so everyone ordered drinks and snacks, chatting elegantly.

Tian Ruan pulled out some dried sweet potato strips prepared by Liu Ma, clashing badly amidst the refined atmosphere. "..."

The others didn’t recognize it, but Wang Weiqi, who had been poor before, started salivating on the spot. "Dried sweet potato! Haven’t had this in ages!"

Tian Ruan handed him a piece. "Lu Qiuyan, want some?"

Without questioning why Tian Ruan and Yu Shang had switched seats, Lu Qiuyan reached out. "Yeah."

Perhaps not fully awake, Lu Qiuyan miscalculated his reach and accidentally brushed against Yu Shang’s...

Yu Shang’s face went rigid immediately, his body stiffening.

Lu Qiuyan belatedly realized and lowered his gaze to see the noticeable bulge on Yu Shang's casual pants, quite substantial—worthy of being called a horse cock.

Yu Shang—

Lu Qiuyan—

Tian Ruan—

Zhu Jueshou couldn't take even the slightest touch—peak main lead energy. Truly worthy of being Mr. Yu's son.