Chapter 177

Chapter 177

Yu Shang shot to his feet, his thin lips tensed as he forced out, "I need to use the restroom."

Lu Qiuyan's hand was pushed away, and he sat stunned, his eyes unable to tear away from a certain part of Yu Shang's body. Even though it was mostly concealed by the loose fabric of his casual pants, the prominent outline beneath was still faintly visible. "...*Oh*."

Yu Shang all but bolted toward the restroom connecting to the business class.

Fortunately, only Tian Ruan and Lu Qiuyan noticed Yu Shang's embarrassment—everyone else went about their business.

"This is really good," Wang Weiqi mumbled around a mouthful of dried sweet potato.

Tian Ruan suddenly remembered to ask, "What are you doing here?"

Wang Weiqi: "I paid 20,000 to swap seats with what's-their-name."

"...Damn." Tian Ruan handed the dried sweet potato to Lu Qiuyan just as the flight attendant pushed the snack cart over again. "Miss, could I get a cup of black tea?"

The flight attendant smiled and poured him a cup. "Would you like anything else?"

"One slice of chiffon cake, please."

Lu Qiuyan took the chance to order an orange juice.

About ten minutes later, Yu Shang emerged from the restroom, made his way back calmly to his seat beside Lu Qiuyan. He raised his hand and ordered an ice water.

"Ice water to cool you down. Ice water is good," Tian Ruan remarked.

Yu Shang: "..."

Lu Qiuyan stole a glance at Yu Shang's lower half—it had noticeably subsided. He wondered if Yu Shang had handled it—ten minutes seemed awfully quick.

As if reading his mind, Lu Qiuyan looked up and met Yu Shang's piercing dark eyes. His orange juice wobbled in his hand, nearly spilling.

"I didn't do anything inappropriate," Yu Shang said pointedly. On a plane, in a public space—how could he possibly do something like that?

"*Oh*." Lu Qiuyan lowered his gaze and took a sip of orange juice, then a bite of dried sweet potato, munching away like a squirrel.

Yu Shang watched him.

Lu Qiuyan hesitated. "If you want some dried sweet potato, ask Tian Ruan. I've already eaten half of this piece."

Tian Ruan: "Yu Shang isn't grossed out by your germs."

"..."

Yu Shang gave Tian Ruan a withering look. "I don't eat dried sweet potato."

Tian Ruan was shocked. "Why not? It's delicious!"

Yu Shang: "The ones you brought are tainted with your weird vibes."

Tian Ruan: "...I'm not a monster."

"You're worse than a demon."

"..."

Wang Weiqi butted in curiously, "Why would Prez say that? Isn't Tian Ruan your, uh, little... whatever-dad?"

Yu Shang snapped coldly, "Wang Weiqi, you talk too much."

Wang Weiqi stuffed the remaining half of the sweet potato strip into his mouth, shutting himself up.

Unable to tease his "favorite target," Tian Ruan scanned the surroundings and spotted Xi Qin reading an original English book. "Psst, VP."

Xi Qin ignored him.

"Psst~"

Xie Tangyan burst into laughter, "You potty-training him or what?"

"..."

Xi Qin snapped his head up, took a deep breath, and asked, "What do you want?"

Tian Ruan: "What are you reading?"

"Love in the Time of Cholera."

"I think I've read the Chinese version. Is the English one better?"

"Same either way."

Tian Ruan fell silent, seeing Xi Qin was on edge too and not to be provoked.

After nearly two hours of flight, the plane landed in a provincial capital city in the southwest. As soon as they stepped off the plane, they were hit by a blast of sticky heat that not even dusk could cut.

"Such a fiery city," Wang Weiqi remarked. "The last time I was here was... the last time."

Everyone went to collect their checked luggage. Tian Ruan pleaded with Lu Qiuyan, "I have two suitcases. Perfect for us to take one each. I’ll share half the clothes inside with you!"

Lu Qiuyan let himself be dragged off.

Turns out the bodyguards had taken the same flight and already retrieved the luggage. The other rich kids also had their own attendants.

Tian Ruan: "...Who brings entourages to summer camp?"

Wang Weiqi, who had no attendant, grumbled, "Right? Extra as hell."

Tian Ruan, ever the show-off, looked at Wang Weiqi and said, "Now I have someone to run and buy ice cream for me. Want one?"

Wang Weiqi immediately fawned, "You’re a saint, boss!"

Outside the airport, the summer camp’s shuttle buses were ready. Lu Qiuyan zoned out as soon as he got on the bus and didn’t open his eyes until they reached the hotel. Tian Ruan observed along the way that the bodyguards drove their own cars, rolling incognito in luxury rides—their wheels cost more than a house.

Their shuttle bus was a sleeper—plain outside but comfortable inside.

At the five-star hotel, everyone was assigned double rooms. When the teacher called roll, Tian Ruan barked "Here!" and collected his room key.

Seeing the number 2209 on the keycard, Tian Ruan’s face lit up as he cornered Lu Qiuyan.

Shortly after, Lu Qiuyan also checked in and received his keycard—room 2208.

A while later, Yu Shang grabbed his keycard too.

Tian Ruan feigned innocence, "Yu Shang, what’s your room number?"

Yu Shang: "2208."

Tian Ruan: "Woohoo!"

Lu Qiuyan: "..."

Yu Shang remained expressionless; this outcome was under his control.

Tian Ruan then went to find his roommate. "Who's in 2209?"

No one answered.

After a moment, the homeroom teacher said, "Our group has an odd number of people. Tian Ruan, you'll have a room to yourself."

Tian Ruan: "..."

It was hard to tell if this wasn't some kind of special favor. Even without Yu Jingmo’s influence, the teacher might've arranged it anyway.

Oh well, solo it was. Tian Ruan wheeled his suitcase and boarded the elevator with Lu Qiuyan and Yu Shang.

He swiped his keycard and walked in. Tian Ruan saw two beds and immediately used the one closer to the bathroom as a luggage rack, tossing all his belongings onto it.

As he unpacked, he video-called Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo picked up right away, the background showing an unfamiliar office setting.

"Mr. Yu, are you on a business trip?" Tian Ruan asked keenly.

"Yes," Yu Jingmo replied. "Checking out a branch office."

"Which one?"

"Tianrui Xianglong."

Tian Ruan had never heard of it and quickly dismissed the thought, pulling out a whole tea set from his bag. "...Why was this packed for me?"

Yu Jingmo said calmly, "I don’t trust hotel tea sets. Bringing your own is safer."

Tian Ruan: "Thanks, but I’m good with just bottled water."

"It’s hot and humid there—how are you holding up?"

"I don’t sweat much, so I’m doing fine."

"That’s good."

Tian Ruan continued unpacking, but ended up making a bigger mess. "...Mr. Yu, the tea set won’t fit back in."

Yu Jingmo chuckled lightly. "Then don’t force it. Leave it out if you need it."

Tian Ruan wasn’t sure he’d ever use it—he didn’t even know how to make tea.

There was a knock at the door, and Tian Ruan turned to look.

Yu Jingmo said, "Go on. I’ll let you go."

Tian Ruan said, "Oh, okay. Talk tonight then."

"Yeah."

Tian Ruan slammed his suitcase closed and went to open the door, and saw a guy he didn’t know standing there. The boy stammered, "Uh, Tian? You’ve got an extra bed… Can I use it?"

Tian Ruan paused: "I mean, yeah, but how would you move it alone?"

"...What if I just crash here?"

"No."

"Why?" The guy’s face turned red, flustered.

Tian Ruan: "I sleepwalk, and often wake up to find the room chopped up."

The boy: "...Really?"

Tian Ruan sighed: "I’ve seen a doctor. He said as long as no one sleeps near me, it’s fine. Otherwise, even if I kill someone, it wouldn’t be a crime—just chalk it up to mental illness."

The boy took two fearful steps back, connecting the dots about Tian Ruan’s questions on his own. "So when you asked if anyone was in 2209, and the teacher specifically arranged for you to have a single room... it’s because you sleepwalk and slash people?"

Tian Ruan thought for a moment and decided this was a bad idea. If word got out that he had a mental disorder, it might affect his future civil service exams. He backpedaled: "No."

"No?"

"Because I’m just messing with you. See, you just fell for my lies."

The boy: "…………"

Tian Ruan: "Men lie like devils. Off you go."

The boy left in a daze, looking shell-shocked.

Tian Ruan had no interest in romantic drama. Glad to be off the hook, he continued unpacking, setting his toiletries aside and arranging them in the bathroom—though the five-star hotel provided fancy toiletries, Tian Ruan preferred using his own.

Yu Jingmo had even specially prepared a set of pajamas for Tian Ruan. Tian Ruan hung them up, feeling cozy and settled.

Of course, the first thing to worry about when staying in a hotel was hidden cameras. Tian Ruan drew the blackout curtains, turned off all the lights, and used his phone’s camera to sweep the room for cameras.

All clear.

Grabbing his keycard, Tian Ruan stepped out and knocked on room 2208.

Yu Shang opened the door, his expression calm. "Yeah?"

Tian Ruan waved his phone. "Checking for hidden cameras."

"Did that. Clean." Given Yu Shang’s cautious nature, he’d already turned the place inside out. Even staying in his family’s hotel, he wouldn’t let his guard down.

In the digital age, you could never be too careful—caution was paramount.

Lu Qiuyan, who packed light, had already fixed up his bed and stepped out. "Want to go for a walk?"

Tian Ruan: "It’s almost six. Dinner’s probably soon."

Lu Qiuyan gave him a deadpan look. "Other than eating, studying, and sleeping, can you think of anything else?"

"?"

"I’ll go alone. You can just sit tight till dinner, Mr. Perfect."

Tian Ruan scampered after him. "Wait for me, Qiuyan! Take me with you!"

"Who’s your brother? Don’t call me that."

Yu Shang couldn't leave, as he still had to assign specific tasks and plan routes for each group in the summer camp.

Tian Ruan and Lu Qiuyan took the elevator down together and noticed a few other rich kids heading out to shop, chatting and laughing like they were tourists, not campers.

Once outside the hotel, those rich kids got into their chauffeur-driven cars and drove off.

Having traveled by both car and plane today, Tian Ruan knew Lu Qiuyan was still feeling dizzy—he was scowling so hard at cars you could swat flies with it. Without waiting for Lu Qiuyan to refuse, Tian Ruan said, "Let's walk instead of taking a car."

Lu Qiuyan let out a relieved sigh. "Good."

The hotel was located in the city's largest financial district, adjacent to a landmark square, with a high-end shopping mall right across the street, perfect for business travelers.

Tian Ruan remarked, "Those rich kids probably didn't even go a block before getting out again."

Lu Qiuyan had zero interest in window-shopping and browsed aimlessly, eventually stopping at Mixue Ice City (a popular Chinese bubble tea chain).

Tian Ruan: "..." The protagonist was even lower-maintenance than him.

The two walked back with their fruit teas in hand. Before reaching the hotel entrance, a glossy tour bus drove past them and stopped at the main entrance.

Soon after, a paparazzi car arrived, cameras hanging out the windows, flashes going off nonstop.

Not long after, a striking figure stepped out of the RV—his golden hair gleaming in the twilight, oozing confidence as he struck a pose like he was on a red carpet under the hotel's grand entrance.

Tian Ruan's eyes lit up, and he bounded over. "Hey, money slave!"

Yan Xx turned his head and almost face-planted, covering his face with his hand. "Stop filming!"

The paparazzi, clearly hired for the occasion, obediently stopped and did not capture X's embarrassed expression.

X stared at Tian Ruan in disbelief, his earlier confidence replaced by distress. "What are you doing here?"

Thinking of the monthly payments X was making to him, Tian Ruan beamed. "I'm here for the summer camp. You here to make money?"

X: "...Filming."

"So, still making money. Get that bag!"

X's lips twitched. "After this film, I'll pay back all the debt I owe you."

"No more installments?"

"No more. Seeing you makes me feel like life is hopeless."

Tian Ruan: "Seeing you makes me feel like life is full of hope."

X made a face like he'd bitten a lemon. Paying off that debt was killing him—better to endure short-term pain than drag it out. Once he paid it all off at once, he'd never have to be a debt-paying drone again.

Learning that X was also staying at the hotel, Tian Ruan invited him, "Let's go to the restaurant together for dinner."

X smiled. "No, I'd hate to ruin everyone's appetite with my gorgeousness."

"..."

After dinner, everyone was still hyped up about the summer camp, discussing what they'd do the next day and gathering friends to play cards or chat.

Some rooms even had mahjong tables. Tian Ruan glanced as he passed but wasn't interested—better to wash up and sleep early. Tomorrow would be a big day.

Originally, Tian Ruan planned to FaceTime Yu Jingmo after his shower, but he was too tired. Lying in bed, he opened Yu Jingmo's WeChat chat page on his phone and was out like a light.

Accidentally pressed the voice recording button.

"Mmm... snore... snore..."

"Soft rustling..."

"Mmm... snore... mmm..."

Three consecutive voice messages, all meaningless sleepy sounds and slight movements of kicking the blanket.

After about half an hour, the fallen blanket was gently pulled back over the young man, and his phone was quietly taken away. Another half hour later, the young man was held securely in warm, strong arms, with a hand gently patting him. Eventually, his little snores gradually turned into even breathing.

"...Mr. Yu..."

"Mm, I'm here."