Chapter 205

Chapter 205

The ultimate villain in the original novel was named Qi Feng. While others came from three generations of business, his lineage was steeped in crime. His great-grandfather was a traitor, and by his generation, he stretched human law to its breaking point.

To monopolize the domestic drug market, Qi Feng often put himself on the line to settle matters or remove obstacles. His sponsorship of Zhou Gu was merely a ploy to lower official vigilance and build up his good-guy image, allowing him to secure a legal citizen’s identity.

Apart from a few key members within his organization, anyone who knew what he really looked like either worked for him or wound up six feet under.

Qi Feng even kept up appearances in the country—serving as the executive CEO of a publicly listed company.

As the person who had stayed by Qi Feng’s side the longest, Zhou Gu knew his way around vice and gambling tricks. Palming cards came as easy as breathing.

With his sleight of hand, he never expected to be called out so openly in public.

Zhou Gu chuckled.

"I knew it! There’s no way you could’ve beaten us so many times!" Tian Ruan said indignantly.

Zhou Gu gave a lazy shrug. "A win is a win. Does it matter how it’s achieved?"

Having been molded inside and out by Qi Feng, Zhou Gu was no longer the naive, passionate young man who once immersed himself in literature and art. He had become cunning, jaded, and adept at deception.

Like a second Qi Feng.

Tian Ruan: "Of course it matters. If you’d won fairly, I’d admire you. If you cheated, I’d despise you."

Zhou Gu flung the cards down with a smirk. "Who are you? Why would I need your admiration or disdain?"

"..."

Lu Qiuyan rolled up his sleeves. "True. A win is a win, a loss is a loss."

Zhou Gu eyed his movements. "You want to hit me?"

Wang Weiqi quickly stepped in to mediate. "Look, Big Guy, how about this? I’ll give you the money I lost, and you let him go." He then winked at Zhou Gu.

Zhou Gu pushed back his chair. Slim and about the same height as Tian Ruan, he didn’t stand out when he was sitting. But as he stood, his gaze suddenly landed on the two cards in Yu Shang’s hand. Looking up, he realized just how tall the young man was and smiled. "You look a bit like my lover."

Yu Shang didn’t respond, tearing the two Jokers apart before tossing them into the trash.

Zhou Gu shrugged. "You all play on. Excuse me."

Tian Ruan stared at Zhou Gu’s retreating figure as if trying to bore a hole through him, then felt a pang of something like pity.

"He might’ve cheated, but he was helping me," Wang Weiqi jumped to his defense. "Don’t blame him."

Tian Ruan: "I don’t blame him. I blame his side piece."

Wang Weiqi: "?? How do you know he has one?"

Tian Ruan launched into another wild theory: "Look at how slowly he walks, how he favors one cheek when he sits, and how his lips are all swollen like that. If he doesn’t naturally have pouty lips, then someone must’ve kissed them that way. And the only one who could kiss a man’s lips into that shape is another man."

The whole table went quiet.

Lu Qiuyan said, "Damn, you’re observant."

Tian Ruan: "..."

Wang Weiqi held up an impressed thumb. "Then why’s the side piece catching strays?" he added.

Tian Ruan: "As the saying goes, 'like father, like son' and 'birds of a feather flock together.' If he's like this, his illicit lover must be even worse."

Yu Shang said calmly, "If you generalize like this, others might think my father is terrible too."

Tian Ruan: "...Are you even my son anymore?"

A waiter approached and politely asked Yu Shang, "Sir, would you like something to drink?"

Yu Shang: "Four glasses of the lowest-proof sweet wine will do."

"Right away, sir."

Wang Weiqi pondered for a while, then protested, "Hold up, I'm the one paying, right?"

Yu Shang sat on the sofa with the natural authority of someone in charge and said, "This place is a sketchy crowd, and it turns into a full-on circus at night. Finish this drink and let’s go back."

"Come on!" Wang Weiqi whined. "President, you don’t have to join us, but don’t ruin our fun."

Yu Shang shot him a death glare.

Wang Weiqi shivered under the cold stare and immediately started flattering, "President, you’re a genius, a total dreamboat, way too classy—of course, this trashy joint is beneath you. How about this? You finish your drink and leave first, and we’ll bounce after one more dance."

Yu Shang said coldly, "I didn’t come for you. I came for these two."

Wang Weiqi’s dark complexion stayed neutral under the colorful lights as he widened his eyes. "Don’t I deserve some worry too? I’m the squishiest one here!"

Yu Shang: "..."

Tian Ruan and Lu Qiuyan stage-whispered, "Who would’ve thought Wang Weiqi, with his thick eyebrows and big eyes, actually has the hots for Yu Shang?"

Lu Qiuyan: "Is there anyone in the student council he hasn’t hit on?"

Tian Ruan: "Not many. So Wang Weiqi is the real campus crush?"

Wang Weiqi: "...Can you stop mocking me? Can’t a guy suck up in peace?"

Just then, the drinks arrived. Yu Shang took a sip expressionlessly and said, "We leave by 9:30 at the latest."

Tian Ruan checked his phone—it was less than four hours until 9:30. He opened WeChat and quickly typed in the pinned chat: *Mr. Yu, are you home yet?*

After a while, Yu Jingmo replied: *Still at work.*

Tian Ruan: *What time will you be back?*

Yu Jingmo: *Around 9.*

Tian Ruan: *I’ve been drinking / [image]*

Yu Jingmo: *I’ll pick you up after work.*

Tian Ruan: *Okay / [rose]*

He needed to tell Yu Jingmo about the major antagonist as soon as possible and discuss how to deal with it. He couldn’t handle it alone—one wrong move and I’m toast.

Tian Ruan had a feeling that the antagonist’s early appearance was meant to take him out.

In the original novel, "Tian Yuan" died after the main couple’s college entrance exams—it was a fixed plot point. Tian Ruan had thought the surrounding dangers were resolved, that he could stand against Yu Jingmo, and that all those who could threaten him had been dealt with. But it seemed the story had other ideas.

With this weighing on his mind, even partying lost its spark.

As the rhythm of the music pulsed, the club-goers seemed to collectively trigger a dance command. Men and women grinded together, arms raised toward the ceiling like branches yearning for freedom yet bound in place.

Wang Weiqi whooped and flailed his way into a crowd of hotties. To stand out, he resorted to his old trick—sprawling on the floor with limbs outstretched like a trendy black poodle, barking excitedly.

The girls squealed at first, but soon burst into laughter.

Yu Shang remained as still as an unshakable monolith, while Lu Qiuyan and Tian Ruan across from him also stood their ground. After watching Wang Weiqi’s antics, Yu Shang fell silent for a long moment before remarking, "That's disgusting."

Tian Ruan quickly added, "Lu Qiuyan and I would never crawl around like a dog like him."

Lu Qiuyan: "Makes my eyes hurt."

Yu Shang finally said, "Just stick to the sidelines. Don’t go into the crowd."

Tian Ruan, like he'd been set free, dragged Lu Qiuyan to the dance floor. The booming music pounded their eardrums, drowning out all conversation near the dance area.

Tian Ruan’s heart pounded wildly. He'd barely gotten two moves in when the room started spinning.

When he woke up, he was already in a Maybach.

Tian Ruan: "……Huh?"

Yu Jingmo’s rich voice hummed like a cello in the night. "Awake?"

Tian Ruan sat up dazedly from Yu Jingmo’s embrace, his eyes wide and blank. "Wasn't I just at the club? Was that all a dream??"

Amused by his bewildered expression, Yu Jingmo chuckled. "According to Yu Shang, you blacked out after like five seconds of dancing."

Tian Ruan: "……I was really clubbing?"

"Mm."

What kind of person faints from clubbing? Tian Ruan was probably the first. Having never been to such an intense place before, he was like a rookie facing a martial arts master—KO'd by the vibe alone before even exchanging blows.

Speechless, Tian Ruan's eyes welled up. "I only danced twice."

Yu Jingmo reached out to smooth his tousled hair. "It’s fine. You can go back and dance twice next time. Take it little by little, you’ll get through it."

Too embarrassed to face such humiliation again, Tian Ruan was done with clubbing—it was a total blow to his dignity. He’d rather dance at home, where it wasn’t so overwhelming.

He took Yu Jingmo’s large hand and glanced at his wristwatch. The time read 7:15—barely any time had passed.

Yu Jingmo clasped his hand and lightly scratched his palm. "Don’t be upset. I'll hang with you next time."

"How?" Tian Ruan grumbled. "You're always busy."

"I’ll make time for you," Yu Jingmo said. "Or you can come to my office and use VR glasses to club. I’ll have someone download a dancing game for you."

After some thought, Tian Ruan thought that sounded pretty good. "Alright."

Still reeling from his five-second club disaster, Tian Ruan only pulled himself together after arriving at the estate, finally texting Lu Qiuyan.

Tian Ruan: I’m home. You and Yu Shang can keep having fun.

Lu Qiuyan: You okay?

Tian Ruan: Might’ve had a minor concussion. Resting now, I’ll be fine.

Lu Qiuyan: We’re done. The police shut it down for illegal activity.

Tian Ruan: ???

Lu Qiuyan: Wang Weiqi was arrested.

Tian Ruan: Huh?

Lu Qiuyan: He was on all fours like a dog, and someone tore his clothes off halfway. Then the cops walked in and thought he was doing something wild.

Tian Ruan: ...Burn some incense for him.

Tian Ruan: What about you and Yu Shang?

Lu Qiuyan: We left—headed to the police station to vouch for Wang Weiqi.

Tian Ruan: Got it.

Unreal. This is unreal.

Tian Ruan thought blacking out mid-dance was ridiculous enough, but who knew things would get even crazier behind the scenes.

He suddenly felt a bit grateful. Sipping his bird's nest soup, he said to Yu Jingmo, "Mr. Yu, lucky I passed out, or I’d have been nabbed in the raid too."

Yu Jingmo, already briefed by Yu Shang, replied, "The raid wasn’t for prostitution—it was about illegal business."

"?"

"The boss behind 'Willow Lane' is shady."

"How so?"

Yu Jingmo, well-informed, said, "'Willow Lane' might be a front for drug trafficking."

"..."

"You look like you know something?"

Tian Ruan was just thinking about how to bring up Qi Feng to Yu Jingmo—and here was the perfect opening.

Discussing this in front of the servants and butler was clearly inappropriate. Tian Ruan said, "We’ll talk in private after dinner."

They went to the study instead of the bedroom, where Yu Jingmo had unfinished work. As he worked late, Tian Ruan recounted this part of the original novel’s plot to him.

"So that’s why Zhou Gu was at 'Willow Lane.' That club was opened by Qi Feng," Tian Ruan realized.

The novel didn’t go into detail much on Qi Feng’s businesses—just one word: wealthy.

Yu Jingmo, who had been typing, fell silent for a long moment. Propping his elbows on the desk, he laced and unlaced his fingers, calmly analyzing, "Lu Qiuyan hasn’t enlisted yet. Qi Feng doesn’t know him now and has no feelings for him. Him showing up now means something else."

Tian Ruan: "Drug dealers always want more money. He only has two hobbies in life: money and taking what he wants by force."

Yu Jingmo: "If it’s just about money, we can handle it."

"How?"

"His businesses are his cash cows. Even if he has more than one, taking down one still hurts him." Yu Jingmo said, "Once he’s cornered, his true colors will show."

But Tian Ruan had doubts. "Posing as a business feud, but actually to expose him as a drug dealer? Isn’t that too risky?"

People like him will do anything when desperate.

"Can't we collect the evidence piece by piece and present it all together in the end?"

Yu Jingmo chuckled lightly, "By then, he would have already amassed his wealth and fled. Only a head-on clash can bring out a man’s grit, pushing him to take greater risks for a gamble."

Tian Ruan, "Is it worth it over just a few of his ventures?"

"Without trying, how would we know if it's worth it?" Yu Jingmo said. "If one of my companies collapsed, I'd be heartbroken too. Let alone some shady drug dealer."

Tian Ruan nodded, "True. If I lost a dime out of a hundred bucks, ruining the round number, I’d lose sleep for days."

Of course, bringing down a company wasn’t quick work. Tian Ruan had no other strategy but to rely on his biggest trump card—his husband, Yu Jingmo. He trusted Yu Jingmo would handle it.

Tian Ruan returned to his winter vacation routine, reviewing coursework for the college entrance exams while translating poetry collections.

On the day his IELTS scores dropped, his translation was also completed.

Ai Ge called him, saying, "If you have time, you could meet a few translation writers to compare notes."

Tian Ruan agreed immediately, "Sure! I’m free tomorrow."

"Then let’s meet at Starbucks."

Starbucks was the go-to spot for casual meetups—whether for ordinary people, office workers, or those with a bit of money, everyone was equal there.

The next day, Tian Ruan nearly ran late because Yu Jingmo, after working frantically for days without touching him, had gone nuts the night before.

He left Tian Ruan’s ass red and stinging...

In the middle of winter, Tian Ruan actually had to apply cooling ointment to soothe his bottom—total misery.

Having thoroughly enjoyed himself, Yu Jingmo was in an even brighter mood the next day, pampering his wife head to toe, dressing him himself.

"...What’s with the attitude? You won’t be late." Yu Jingmo applied the ointment, deftly pulled up Tian Ruan’s snow-white underwear, and then helped him into his socks.

Tian Ruan’s cheeks flushed faintly—not from anger but from embarrassment, as he had been shamelessly begging for it like crazy the night before too.

And after all this time, they hadn’t used a single condom.

Every time afterward, Yu Jingmo would carry Tian Ruan to clean up, and during the process, they’d end up going at it again.

Yu Jingmo did whatever he pleased.

Tian Ruan was putty in his hands, kneaded into a mess by him.

When the rosy-cheeked Tian Ruan came downstairs, Auntie Zhang praised, "Ma’am, you’re glowing today."

Tian Ruan, "...Thank you, Auntie Zhang."

That post-sex glow was obvious. Tian Ruan couldn’t see it himself, but others noticed immediately.

He deliberately walked stiff and sat straight, trying not to make it too obvious.

"Madam, I’m off to work." Yu Jingmo, dressed to kill in a crisp suit, polished pointed shoes, and a slicked-back hairstyle that oozed power, left with a composed expression.

Tian Ruan saw him off, watching his husband’s tall figure in a black overcoat, his aura as striking as ever. Suddenly, his anger faded. "Have a good one, Mr. Yu."

The butler stood tactfully five steps away, bowing with a smile.

Yu Jingmo pecked Tian Ruan’s forehead without a care for onlookers. His lashes caught the morning light, his fair cheeks tinged with a delicate blush—irresistible. Unable to resist, Yu Jingmo brushed a kiss over his eyelids. "Dinner’s on me tonight."

Tian Ruan nodded meekly.

Then, Tian Ruan changed into a neat outfit to meet those translator-writers.

He drove himself near the Starbucks but had trouble finding parking. When he finally did, he couldn’t parallel park. The bodyguards in the car tailing him were stuck in the middle of the road, unable to move.

Tian Ruan reversed, moved forward, turned, and reversed again, inching forward painfully slow. Yet, no matter how much he used geometry, he just couldn’t get the car in.

Just as he was stuck, Ai Ge ran over from the crosswalk and knocked on the window, laughing, "Rich boy, I spotted you from afar, looking like a bug trying to parallel park."

Tian Ruan: "...Sorry, I can’t park."

"Get out, I’ll do it."

Ai Ge was swift and decisive, effortlessly parking the Rolls-Royce in two seconds flat.

Tian Ruan admired, "Boss, you’re a pro."

Ai Ge: "I drive to school every day. If I were as slow as you, I’d have been late countless times."

The two waited at the intersection for the green light on the opposite crosswalk. Tian Ruan glanced at the Starbucks across the street and caught a glimpse of a familiar figure through the window, doubting his eyes. "Are those the writers?"

Ai Ge: "Exactly. They’re usually abroad, so they hardly ever get together. What a coincidence—today’s the perfect chance for you to meet veterans in the field."

As the light turned green, Tian Ruan walked over hesitantly.

The closer he got, the wider his eyes grew. Holy shit, wasn’t that Zhou Gu??

Zhou Gu watched him with a knowing smirk until he entered the café.

"Hello, seniors. This is Tian Ruan, the one I mentioned with amazing translation skills," Ai Ge introduced cheerfully, giving Tian Ruan a pointed look.

Stunned by Zhou Gu’s presence, Tian Ruan froze up. "Ah, hello."

Ai Ge added, "He’s a bit shy and not great with words. Please don’t mind him, seniors."

A well-put-together woman chuckled, "We can tell."

Ai Ge led Tian Ruan to a booth, where two people sat opposite them and one beside them—three "seniors" in total, including Zhou Gu.

"What a coincidence, seeing you again," Zhou Gu said.

Tian Ruan was speechless. How could someone who worked with drug dealers in illegal activities also be renowned for literary cred? It was total bullshit.

Ai Ge smiled at them, then glanced at Tian Ruan in confusion. "They’re all very kind people. Don’t be afraid."

Tian Ruan blurted out, "Afraid of him? Like hell I am."

"..."

"I mean, this senior looks like a bird keeper—big ones."

Zhou Gu looked surprised. "How did you know I keep birds? I do have a white peacock."

Tian Ruan: "You smell like bird droppings."

Zhou Gu: "..."

The woman beside him discreetly pinched her nose.

Zhou Gu maintained a polite smile: "The peacock is usually cared for by others; I only feed it occasionally."

Ai Ge smoothly changed the subject: "Senior Zhou also went to Deyin, and his story is pretty inspiring. Actually, he shares some similarities with Tian Ruan."

Tian Ruan: "?"

Zhou Gu lowered his gaze and took a sip of coffee, a faint smile lingering on his lips: "It's nothing worth mentioning. I just got lucky—someone helped me out during high school, allowing me to continue studying at Deyin. After that, I got into college and went abroad."

Ai Ge: "Senior Zhou always ranked top three in his class, just like Tian Ruan."

Tian Ruan pondered carefully and was shocked to realize that he and Zhou Gu did share some similarities.

The biggest similarity was that they were both "backed by big shots." The difference was that Zhou Gu and Qi Feng weren't married, while Tian Ruan and Yu Jingmo did have a marital relationship.

If Zhou Gu and Qi Feng's existence were the mirror opposite of Tian Ruan and Yu Jingmo's, then it all made sense.

Tian Ruan stared at Zhou Gu, as if seeing the ending from the original novel—one died, and the other died too...

Just burn it all down.

While Tian Ruan was zoning out, the others had already started chatting.

Tian Ruan continued staring blankly—

Zhou Gu: "If you keep looking at me like that, I might think you've fallen in love with me."

Tian Ruan jolted back to attention, "What? You fell in love with a piece of shit?"

Zhou Gu: "..."

Ai Ge tugged at Tian Ruan's sleeve and whispered, "What's wrong with you today? Why are you not making sense?"

Tian Ruan: "Sorry, my concussion’s flaring up again."

"You have a concussion?"

"Yeah, it's a leftover thing from sophomore year. I just need to zone out for a minute."

The lady and another male writer were chatting happily, clearly vibing. She eagerly stood up and said, "We’ve got things to do, so we’ll take our leave. You all continue."

Ai Ge didn’t push them to stay, "Then we’ll see you next time, teachers."

Tian Ruan: "Goodbye, teachers."

The lady smiled faintly, "What a good student."

Only the three of them remained in Starbucks, left in awkward silence. Even Ai Ge, who was usually eloquent, was at a loss. She coughed lightly and asked, "Senior Zhou and Tian Ruan know each other?"

"We’ve crossed paths once," they said simultaneously.

Tian Ruan: "...Fuck."

Ai Ge sensed it wasn’t a pleasant encounter and stood up, "I’m gonna step out for air. You two talk."

Tian Ruan: "I got nothing to say to him. I’m leaving."

Zhou Gu took his sweet time sipping his coffee when suddenly his phone rang.

Tian Ruan, who was halfway up, plopped back down. He wanted to hear what Zhou Gu and Qi Feng would say—if it was really Qi Feng calling.

Zhou Gu answered the phone in front of everyone, saying, "Brother, what is it?"

The only person Zhou Gu would call "brother" was Qi Feng.

The voice on the phone was inaudible.

Zhou Gu's face slowly fell as he said, "I understand. I'll pick out a bouquet for you on my way back."

He hung up.

Zhou Gu gave Tian Ruan a puzzled look, "Why are you still here?"

Tian Ruan chugged his coffee, "Fifty bucks a cup, it would be a waste not to finish it."

"...My treat today, you didn't have to drink it all."

"Guess I'll go puke then." Tian Ruan dashed outside and made gagging sounds under a tree, but nothing came out.

Ai Ge patted his back with a worried expression, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought you here. The coffee's too cheap—must've made you sick."

"It's fine." Tian Ruan patted his chest, "Though I usually drink coffee that costs three thousand a cup, today was a good chance to see how the other half lives."

Ai Ge felt even guiltier, "Honestly, I've never tasted coffee this awful either."

Zhou Gu had been listening quietly all along, "..."

Ai Ge suddenly turned back, "..."

Tian Ruan casually made his escape, faster than a rabbit.

A week later, Tian Ruan found out that the bouquet Zhou Gu had bought wound up with He Lansi.