Chapter 200

Chapter 200

Thus, Tian Ruan kept postponing the separation, tomorrow night and the night after that, yet it never happened. Not only did they not separate, but Yu Jingmo sweet-talked his way into Tian Ruan’s bed and heart every evening.

Filled with guilt, after the benchmark test, he decided to judge by his grades. If he fell out of the top three in his grade, he would insist on separating from Yu Jingmo that very night to save his own skin—at least for half a month without indulging.

"The grade rankings are out." Tian Ruan dragged Lu Qiuyan along to check the digital leaderboard. "Yu Shang is definitely still first."

Lu Qiuyan: "Meh."

"If you're in the top five, I'll treat you to river snail noodles," Tian Ruan said.

"If you're in the top three, I'll treat you to durian."

"Lu Qiuyan, you're the best." Tian Ruan was deeply moved—durian cost way more than river snail noodles.

The bulletin board was nearly four to five meters long, crowded with students from all three grades. On a whim, Tian Ruan first checked the rankings for the first-year students. "...Yu Ti isn't here."

Lu Qiuyan: "Maybe she ranked twenty-first."

The electronic screen only displayed the top twenty. Tian Ruan didn’t hold out much hope—students from Deyin Middle School division could advance directly to high school regardless of grades. These rich kids hardly cared about academics, as the wealthy had options to spare.

All roads led to Rome. With their connections, these aristocratic students had endless backup plans, and short of going bankrupt, they usually wouldn’t fare too poorly in the future.

Helpless, Tian Ruan went to check the rankings for the third-year students.

1st Place: Class 1, Grade 3—Yu Shang, Total Score: 449.

2nd Place: Class 6, Grade 3—Ying Feixu, Total Score: 448.

3rd Place: Class 1, Grade 3—Tian Ruan, Total Score: 447.

4th Place: Class 2, Grade 3—Hai Chao, Total Score: 446.

5th Place: Class 3, Grade 3—Xi Qin, Total Score: 445.

6th Place: Class 3, Grade 3—Xie Tangyan, Total Score: 444.5.

7th Place: Class 1, Grade 3—Lu Qiuyan, Total Score: 444.

...

Tian Ruan sighed in relief—at least he’d maintained his top-three position. "Where did this Ying Feixu come from?"

Lu Qiuyan: "Deyin gets transfer students every year."

"A new transfer? And he’s even better than me?" Tian Ruan mused, chin in hand. There was no mention of him in the story, yet he’d suddenly taken second place—he really made a splash.

The benchmark test only covered three subjects—Chinese, Math, and English (the core subjects)—each worth 150 points. There would be weekly tests kicking off next week. Every test score in the third year would be publicly posted to instill a sense of urgency and motivate students to step up their game.

But for students at an elite school like Deyin, with their families backing them, pressure meant nothing to them.

Returning to the classroom, Tian Ruan found that the gossip-savvy rich kids had already dug up every detail about the new second-place student. He ended up catching wind of it—

Ying Feixu had transferred from the capital. His family wasn’t wealthy, just average—both parents were public high school teachers, with some shared alma mater with Deyin’s faculty.

For their son’s future, the family had uprooted their lives and enrolled Ying Feixu at Deyin.

And Ying Feixu had lived up to their hopes, securing second place right after transferring.

Tian Ruan: "Wait, Ying Feixu is a girl??"

A girl said, "Yes, and quite pretty too."

Tian Ruan: "No wonder her grades are so good."

"...Pretty girls study better?"

"No, I just think most girls work harder than boys."

The female classmates loved hearing this and asked, "Why do you think so?"

Tian Ruan spoke from experience: "If you visit rural areas, you’ll see that in poor families with both a son and a daughter, as long as the girl doesn’t drop out, she’ll do better in school than the boy."

In his previous life, Tian Ruan had seen many such cases—there were only a few girls in his class from impoverished backgrounds, yet they were exceptionally talented in certain subjects.

The conversation moved on quickly, and Tian Ruan didn’t dwell on it. Having one more competitor only made him study even harder.

Not only did he push himself, but he also pulled Lu Qiuyan into it too. He insisted on recopying his lecture notes for Lu Qiuyan, saying, "Even if your handwriting looks like a mess, as long as you can read it yourself, it’s fine."

Lu Qiuyan said bluntly, "Sometimes I can’t even read it myself."

"..."

Once they got back to the manor, Tian Ruan discussed with Yu Jingmo the idea of going to after-school tutoring. Otherwise, with the relaxed atmosphere at Deyin, even if he wanted to study hard, he might easily slack off.

Yu Jingmo replied simply, "Just hire a private tutor."

"That’s expensive. Tutoring classes are cheaper."

"A private tutor can pinpoint your weak spots based on your foundational knowledge and provide in-depth explanations." Yu Jingmo never cut corners when it came to education. "Don’t stress over it. Principal Li has recommendations."

Tian Ruan nodded. "Alright."

Yu Jingmo added, "If you plan to study abroad, your grades in senior year don’t matter as much. As long as you have recommendation letters and IELTS scores, you can get into any top university in the world."

Tian Ruan said, "Even though I want to study abroad, I still want to attend a domestic university first."

"Then go abroad for your master’s or Ph.D." Yu Jingmo ran his fingers through the young man’s clean, soft hair and pressed a kiss to his ear. "I also don’t want you leaving for abroad so soon."

"Is twenty still too early?" Tian Ruan asked. "Yu Shang is leaving at eighteen."

"It’s different with him."

"How so?"

"Yu Shang is my son. You’re my wife." Yu Jingmo said deadpan. "Of course, my wife is more important."

Tian Ruan laughed and elbowed him. "Don’t let anyone hear that."

"It’s fine if they do." Yu Jingmo replied. "When he has his own wife, he’ll understand me."

Tian Ruan nodded, thinking it made sense—Lu Qiuyan was Yu Shang’s everything, his first love. After those five years apart, he had long become irreplaceable.

Dinner was still half an hour away, Tian Ruan finished his homework and discussed with Yu Jingmo, "My schedule is getting tighter. We should stop sharing a room."

Yu Jingmo said, "Once your tutor arrives, we’ll sleep in separate rooms."

"...Really?"

"Hmm."

Tian Ruan said, "Mr. Yu, your trust score with me is down to 60 now."

"Out of 100?"

"Out of 200."

Yu Jingmo chuckled, "Ten points off every time we sleep together? You're so harsh, darling."

Tian Ruan: "And you're gentle when you do it?"

Yu Jingmo: "No, I'm all heat."

Tian Ruan: "..."

That weekend, the tutors arrived—all three women, specializing in liberal arts, sciences, and arts, music, and gymnastics respectively.

Tian Ruan put on a polite face for them, but as soon as they turned away, he muttered, "Fine arts, music, and gymnastics aren't even on the exams. I'm not an art student—why bother?"

Yu Jingmo replied, "Fine arts cultivate your mind, music enhances your appreciation, and gymnastics..." He glanced at the young man's tall, flexible figure, lips curling slightly. "Gymnastics improves your flexibility, for flexibility in all kinds of positions."

Tian Ruan: "..." He should've known Yu Jingmo had dirty intentions, even when arranging tutoring.

After the tutors left, Tian Ruan reminded Yu Jingmo of his promise. "Starting tonight, we're in separate rooms—weekends only till graduation."

Yu Jingmo neither agreed nor disagreed. "Tonight, you won't have a choice anyway."

"?"

The butler brought down two enormous suitcases. Yu Jingmo explained, "I'm going on a business trip—likely a week."

Tian Ruan was stunned. "So sudden?"

Yu Jingmo smiled. "Sometimes I fly out in the morning and return by afternoon. You didn't even notice."

"...When?" Tian Ruan had assumed Yu Jingmo only commuted between home and the company.

"This one's farther and busier, hence, a week."

"Oh." Tian Ruan stared at the suitcases, a weird pang in his chest.

Yu Jingmo said, "I'm heading out now."

"Not even dinner?" Tian Ruan looked up at him pleadingly.

Yu Jingmo nearly relented. "No. Earlier flight, earlier sleep."

"Then I'll walk you out," Tian Ruan conceded.

"Mm."

At the airport, the bright, crowded terminal felt unreal. Tian Ruan said, "Next time, give me a heads-up before you travel."

Yu Jingmo, accompanied only by Assistant Xu and two bodyguards, replied, "If I did, you'd talk me into staying, and I'd cave."

"If it's work, I wouldn't hold you back."

Yu Jingmo gave Tian Ruan's cheek a playful pinch. "No sweet words for me?"

Tian Ruan let him squeeze his cheeks playfully and said, "I'll miss you."

"Hmm."

"I’ll miss you every single day."

"Hmm."

"I'll think of you whenever I'm not in class." Tian Ruan said earnestly.

Yu Jingmo smiled faintly. "Rather than just missing me, I'd prefer it if you called me on video whenever you do."

Tian Ruan nodded like a bobblehead. "I will."

The boarding announcement crackled over the PA, and Yu Jingmo said, "I'm leaving."

Tian Ruan watched him walk a few steps before he couldn't help but call out, "Mr. Yu."

"Hmm?" Yu Jingmo turned around just in time to catch the young man in his arms—soft and sweet-smelling, like spring itself.

The tight embrace lasted only a dozen seconds before Tian Ruan reluctantly let go, planting a kiss on Yu Jingmo's strong jawline. "I'll wait for you to come back."

Yu Jingmo's large hand gently stroked the back of Tian Ruan's round head, his fingers threading through the soft strands of hair. He then leaned down and, as if no one else were around, pressed a kiss to Tian Ruan's forehead before heading toward the boarding gate.

Tian Ruan watched his figure disappear behind the glass doors before returning to the manor down in the dumps.

"Young Master, it's time for dinner," Liu Ma said as she came out.

Tian Ruan asked, "Where's Yu Shang?"

"The Young Master ate earlier."

"Oh." Tian Ruan ate a little, picking at his food.

He knew Mr. Yu would be flying for four to five hours and his phone would certainly be off, so he didn't call but sent a WeChat message instead: "Let me know when you land / kisses"

Without Mr. Yu's kisses, Tian Ruan, after taking a shower, tossed and turned on the two-meter-wide bed, rolling from one side to the other, from the head to the foot of the bed, feeling no peace in sleeping alone.

When sleeping with Mr. Yu, the bed never felt too big; sometimes it even felt cramped. Whenever he squeezed over to Mr. Yu's side, he would be firmly embraced, held close as if lying in a dragon's lair, safe and secure knowing he wouldn't be harmed.

Now, touching Mr. Yu's empty half of the bed, Tian Ruan felt an overwhelming sense of emptiness.

"Damn!" Tian Ruan cursed himself, "What loneliness."

He drifted off into a daze.

The next morning, he woke up without opening his eyes and called out, "Mr. Yu, help me get dressed..."

The bedroom was silent, only the almost imperceptible sound of the central air conditioning could be heard.

Tian Ruan, with his hair sticking up in all directions, climbed out of bed naked, taking a while to remember that his Mr. Yu was on a business trip, not at home, and no one was there to help him put on his underwear and socks...

He had to do it himself.

As he dressed, Tian Ruan began to question his life. He didn't think he was lazy, so how did he end up being so dependent on Mr. Yu?

Downstairs, he had breakfast with Yu Shang.

"Mr. Yu is on a business trip, did you know?" Tian Ruan asked his eldest brother.

Yu Shang, sitting opposite him, replied calmly, "Yes."

Tian Ruan suddenly felt a bit angry: "Don't imitate your father."

Yu Shang glanced at him, "You've gone crazy after just one night apart from my dad?"

Tian Ruan: "..."

His phone buzzed, and Tian Ruan, who had stopped eating his pan-fried buns, quickly picked it up to check.

Yu Jingmo: I went straight to sleep when I got there. Are you awake now?

Tian Ruan: Yes, I'm eating.

Yu Jingmo: Can you drive yourself to school after finishing your meal?

Tian Ruan: Sure.

Yu Jingmo: If you can't park, the bodyguard will help you.

Tian Ruan: Okay.

Yu Jingmo: Do you miss me?

Tian Ruan, being stubborn: It's only been one night.

Yu Jingmo: Mm /rose

Tian Ruan: I'm off to school /rose

After chatting with Yu Jingmo, Tian Ruan felt much better. He thought he would be excited about driving his new car, but in fact, he was quite calm. Apart from feeling a bit nervous when encountering traffic, which made him drive a little slower, he didn't have any other emotions.

In summary, he drove the Rolls-Royce to school with a poker face, and it was the bodyguard who parked it.

Mao Qi asked, "Is Madam not happy?"

Tian Ruan replied, "No, she isn't."

Many students at De Yin drove themselves to school, especially those in the senior year; they were all adults, and almost everyone had a driver's license—Nan Huiju being the exception, as this guy could already drive recklessly in his sophomore year before turning eighteen.

Just as men have a special fondness for cars, the young masters from wealthy families were no different. When they showed off their wealth, they boasted about how many luxury cars they owned.

Even Wang Weiqi had two or three sports cars, but without a license, he didn't dare to drive them on the road.

Among this crowd of luxury cars, Tian Ruan's Rolls-Royce was anything but outstanding.

The tinkling of a bicycle bell rang out, and Tian Ruan stepped aside to let the bike pass.

The presence of the bicycle was no less impressive than that of the luxury cars. Lu Qiuyan rode it with the air of a prince, his long legs pushing off the ground as he dismounted gracefully. He casually steered the bike into a corner with one hand, slung his backpack over his shoulder, and strutted into the hearts of countless admirers with the cool demeanor of a high school heartthrob.

Several girls looked at Lu Qiuyan shyly, but he kept his eyes straight ahead and strode toward Tian Ruan, his voice indifferent, "What are you standing around for? Let's go to the classroom."

Tian Ruan obediently shouldered his backpack, raised his hands, and gave a thumbs-up, "Lu Qiuyan, you're so cool."

Lu Qiuyan dismissed the compliment, saying, "Are we still having snail rice noodles for lunch today?"

Tian Ruan replied, "Yeah, we'll stink together."

"…It’s not like we don’t brush our teeth, where’s the smell coming from?"

Tian Ruan wouldn’t deceive himself; anyone who had been to a snail rice noodle shop would be permeated with the scent of pickled bamboo shoots, which lingered on their school uniforms all day. Only he and Lu Qiuyan didn’t mind each other’s smell, while Yu Shang would avoid them.

Three days passed in a blur, with Tian Ruan attending school during the day and receiving tutoring in the evenings. Three female teachers took turns, each as strict and unsmiling as his homeroom teacher.

Tian Ruan suspected that Mr. Yu had deliberately chosen them to keep him on edge, making it impossible for him to slack off.

Fortunately, the three teachers all gave Tian Ruan high praise, commending his intelligence, quick understanding, ability to apply knowledge broadly, serious attitude, and neat, organized notes, saying he was a prime candidate for Tsinghua or Peking University.

Tian Ruan calculated that with his usual overall scores, he could indeed reach these prestigious universities, but the college entrance exam was like taking a test while hanging from a cliff—any small mishap could lead to failure.

Therefore, reinforcing his knowledge was essential, so even if he felt nervous, his mind wouldn't go blank.

After seeing the tutors off, Tian Ruan sighed and walked back inside.

The butler, with a clever remark, said, "A day without seeing you feels like three autumns; Mr. and Mrs. Yu have been apart for three years."

Tian Ruan: "..."

The butler sighed, "I wonder if Mr. Yu is eating well and sleeping well in his distant place, and whether any fox spirits are trying to seduce him."

Tian Ruan: "Who would be so foolish as to try to seduce Mr. Yu?"

With Mr. Yu's stern face, even Assistant Xu, who had followed him for many years, dared not act rashly.

The butler: "Mrs. Yu, you are still too innocent. With Mr. Yu's conditions, even if it means flying into the fire, there are many moths willing to seek his favor."

Tian Ruan shuddered: "Uncle Wang, if you don't know how to use idioms, don't misuse them."

However, one point was true: Mr. Yu was never short of people trying to seduce him. Their marriage, in part, was to shield Mr. Yu from such unwanted attention—he was Mr. Yu's shield.

Tian Ruan touched the sandalwood beads on his right wrist, feeling the cool, smooth jade pendant. As he traced the engravings, a faint worry began to grow within him.

Sitting on the sofa, eating the fruit bird's nest soup cooked by Aunt Liu, Tian Ruan called Assistant Xu and asked directly, "Has anyone recently sent someone to Mr. Yu?"

Assistant Xu: "A boss sent an underage boy."

"What??" Tian Ruan was shocked, "An underage boy? Who the hell is so heartless?"

Assistant Xu: "Madam, don't worry. That boss has already been beaten up and will never be cooperated with again."

"What about the boy?"

"Of course, he was sent away."

"That's better." Tian Ruan naturally trusted Yu Jingmo's character but still asked, "What did the boy look like? What was Mr. Yu's reaction?"

"The boy was quite handsome, but Mr. Yu showed no expression, just waved his hand to have him taken away."

"Good. If this happens again, you must report it to me immediately. Ten dollars for each report."

Assistant Xu: "... Thank you, Master." No problem, little by little, ten times would be a hundred dollars.

In the evening, as Tian Ruan was preparing to wash up and go to bed, his phone rang. He immediately answered Yu Jingmo's video call, holding the phone and asking, "Mr. Yu, do you have nothing planned for tonight?"

"Hmm, no more banquets," said Yu Jingmo.

Tian Ruan's eyes roamed greedily over the image of Yu Jingmo in the video, who seemed to have just bathed, his hair slightly damp, wearing a white silk bathrobe from the hotel, exposing a large expanse of chest muscles, with water droplets still glistening in the crevices.

It must be the shower gel he brought along, with its scent of tangerine and osmanthus. Through the phone screen, Tian Ruan could almost smell the fragrance emanating from Yu Jingmo, a scent that had long been etched into his memory.

"Sweetheart," Yu Jingmo called him.

Tian Ruan came back to his senses.

Yu Jingmo’s voice was slightly hoarse: "Don’t look at me like that."

Tian Ruan, with bright eyes, looked puzzled: "How am I looking at you?"

"Like... with those sweet eyes."

A light blush spread across Tian Ruan's cheeks, his eyelashes fluttering as he realized how close he was to the phone. He quickly moved it farther away, "Like this?"

Yu Jingmo gazed at him, his strikingly handsome face unaffected by the slightly distorted lens, "Your body is sweet too."

"..."

"Miss me?"

"Miss you." Tian Ruan replied involuntarily.

"How much?"

"A lot, a lot."

"Not enough."

"I think of you even in my dreams."

Yu Jingmo raised an eyebrow, "Dreams? What kind of dreams?"

Tian Ruan felt embarrassed to say.

"Can you show me the scenes from your dream?"

"You're not here, how can I show you?"

"Looks like it was indeed a spring dream."

Tian Ruan glared at him, blushing.

Yu Jingmo laughed, "How about this, you just do your part, okay?"

"?" Tian Ruan was confused.

"What did you do in your dream?"

"… Nothing, it was all you."

"Am I that amazing?"

"Amazing." Tian Ruan's face turned completely red. He didn't want to admit he had such an embarrassing dream, but since Yu Jingmo wasn't there, it didn't matter what he said; he couldn't do anything to him anyway.

"Honey." Yu Jingmo called him again.

"What?" Tian Ruan's ears tingled, his body felt hot, it must be the autumn heat, still so warm even in fall.

Yu Jingmo's phoenix eyes lowered, seemingly scanning the young man's entire body, "Can you show me yourself, okay?"

Tian Ruan: "…"

"Okay?" Yu Jingmo coaxed softly.

Tian Ruan had been holding back for these few days; not only had Yu Jingmo not touched him, but he himself hadn't either, as it was both unfamiliar and unpleasant. "I... I'll wait for you to come back."

"Hmm?"

Tian Ruan lowered his head, just as he usually did, presenting the nape of his neck to Yu Jingmo. However, this time, the redness of his earlobes was clearly visible. "When you come back, do it for me."

Yu Jingmo's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, his voice deepening as if dipped in honey. "Only me?"

Tian Ruan nodded. "I... I'm not very good at it myself."

Indeed, Yu Jingmo usually took the lead, exploring every inch of Tian Ruan, while Tian Ruan knew little about himself, rarely even taking care of his own needs.

Every time Yu Jingmo tried to teach him, Tian Ruan would be so captivated by the sensations elsewhere that he wouldn't need further instruction.

"…Alright," Yu Jingmo said.

Tian Ruan looked up at him, his cheeks flushed. "Are you still coming back in four days?"

"Probably."

"Oh." Tian Ruan couldn't hide his disappointment. "I can hold on."

Yu Jingmo chuckled softly. "You don't have to if you don't want to."

Tian Ruan shook his head. "I can manage."

Without Yu Jingmo, such things would be meaningless and unenjoyable.

"You have school tomorrow, go to sleep," Yu Jingmo said. "Put your phone next to your pillow, I'll watch you sleep."

"And what about you?" Tian Ruan lay on his side, propping his phone against the pillow on the other side so it could capture the upper half of his body. Due to this position, his bathrobe slipped, revealing a hint of a plum blossom hidden in the snow.

Mr. Yu stared at that spot and said, "I'll watch you fall asleep, then I'll sleep."

Tian Ruan closed his eyes, "Alright."

He believed that tonight's dreams would be sweet.

But in the morning, the dream took a sudden turn, becoming rather risqué.

Just as Tian Ruan thought it was all a dream, he opened his eyes to see Mr. Yu, "Ah... Mr. Yu..."