Chapter 207

Chapter 207

Facing the ultimate villain from the original novel—a ruthless drug lord who killed without hesitation—Tian Ruan showed remarkable calm and nerve. He first took a step back, raised his arm, and flung all the coins into the fountain. With a series of clinking sounds, all five coins were dedicated to Lord Wenchang.

Zhou Gu gave Qi Feng a conflicted look. "Brother, are you okay?"

Qi Feng stared coldly at Tian Ruan, dismissing Zhou Gu’s question. "Weren’t you supposed to pay me back?"

Knowing the man was a drug dealer, Tian Ruan not only had no intention of paying but also felt like landing a few hits—though of course, he wouldn’t actually do it. He wasn’t about to risk his neck.

"Just now, Lord Wenchang was calling me, and in my excitement, I gave all the money to him," Tian Ruan started spewing nonsense again. "Sir, why don’t you wash your face with the fountain water from our school? They say it’s blessed by the spirits of this place. Maybe the pain will go away."

Cold water does numb pain—Tian Ruan wasn’t lying about that.

Qi Feng sneered, his sharp eyes locked onto Tian Ruan’s pretty face. "How old are you?"

Tian Ruan: "?"

Zhou Gu’s expression changed. "Brother, he’s still in high school."

Qi Feng replied indifferently, "You were in high school too when you started following me."

Zhou Gu’s gaze darkened, his brows furrowing.

At first, Tian Ruan didn’t grasp the implication, but once he did, chills ran down his spine, sending a shiver through him.

Qi Feng watched his reaction with amusement. "What’s your name?"

Tian Ruan: "...My name is Wang Weiqi."

Qi Feng: "Lame."

Wang Weiqi: "...If you’re Wang Weiqi, then who am I?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a cold voice came from behind. "Tian Ruan."

Tian Ruan turned his head and saw Lu Qiuyan—of course. As a mere side character, he wouldn’t encounter the main villain for no reason. The protagonist had to be nearby. Instantly revived, he knew that as long as Lu Qiuyan had his back, he wouldn’t die!

Lu Qiuyan sauntered over, his backpack slung over his right shoulder. His sharp eyes scanned the scene before him. Ignoring Zhou Gu’s gaze as if they had never met, he said to Tian Ruan, "Why are you just standing there? Let’s go."

"Oh." Tian Ruan took a step to the side, slipping past Zhou Gu and Qi Feng, heading toward the senior high school building.

Qi Feng’s gaze followed, lingering on the tall boy’s retreating figure. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "Your alma mater has no shortage of bold kids."

Zhou Gu let out a dry laugh. "But not everyone was as poor as I was back then."

Qi Feng’s attention finally shifted to Zhou Gu, his voice icy. "Are you saying you only followed me back then because you were poor?"

Zhou Gu: "That’s not what I meant, brother. Don’t misunderstand."

"Dig up everything on that kid who bumped into me—his background, his connections."

"...What about President He?"

"He Lansi?" Qi Feng’s lips curled like he’d thought of something funny. "He’s different from others. One of a kind."

Zhou Gu bit his lip. After a long pause, he still couldn’t bring himself to ask whether "others" included him.

Back in the safety of the classroom, Tian Ruan finally caught his breath. Lu Qiuyan sat down behind him and lazily asked, "What was Zhou Gu doing here?"

Tian Ruan frowned. "Zhou Gu used to study at Deyin. He probably came back today to revisit his alma mater." Apart from this reason, there was no other explanation for Zhou Gu's presence.

"Who was that man?" Lu Qiuyan recalled Qi Feng's icy aura—not exactly murderous, but his instincts told him this person was dangerous.

"Zhou Gu's partner."

Lu Qiuyan didn’t ask further. "Doesn’t seem trustworthy. Stay away from him."

"Yeah." Tian Ruan also didn’t want Lu Qiuyan to know too much. The less he knew, the better.

A gentle female voice came from the school broadcast: "Deyin High School’s opening ceremony is about to begin in the auditorium. All students are requested to attend and listen to the principal’s speech."

In previous years, the opening ceremony was held on the second day. This year, it was unexpectedly moved forward. Tian Ruan felt something was off but still took his thermos and headed to the auditorium.

Familiar with the place, he easily found the seating area for Class 1, Grade 12 and found seats with Lu Qiuyan.

Tian Ruan sipped hot water while making small talk with classmates.

After about twenty minutes, the opening ceremony officially began, and the crowd quieted down. Principal Li took the stage first, delivering an encouraging speech that was largely the same as before.

Next were Director Hu and the student council. When Director Hu stepped up, the audience was distracted, some even playing with their phones. But when Yu Shang appeared, all eyes instantly locked onto him.

The protagonist on stage shone brilliantly, while Tian Ruan below was nearly blinded by his radiance. He nudged Lu Qiuyan. "Yu Shang is really handsome, right?"

Lu Qiuyan: "Whether he’s handsome or not has nothing to do with me."

Tian Ruan, speaking from experience, whispered, "Looks matter when choosing a husband. If he makes you angry, just seeing his stunning face will make all your anger vanish."

Lu Qiuyan stated firmly, "I don’t judge by looks. I wouldn’t."

Tian Ruan: "So you admit you’d pick Yu Shang as your husband?"

Lu Qiuyan: "*Get lost*."

When Yu Shang stepped down, everyone assumed the ceremony was over and that performances would follow. Unexpectedly, Principal Li returned to the stage, accompanied by a refined, slender man—Zhou Gu.

Principal Li introduced Zhou Gu as a "distinguished Deyin graduate" and invited him to give a speech. After a few introductory remarks, she said, "Let’s welcome Mr. Zhou Gu."

Applause erupted from the audience.

Standing on stage, Zhou Gu scanned the crowd. His gaze met Qi Feng’s in the front row, and he smiled. "Today, I’m honored to be invited by Principal Li to attend Deyin’s opening ceremony."

"Seven years ago, I graduated from Deyin. The opportunity to study abroad was made possible not only by my benefactor, Mr. Qi, but also by Principal Li’s guidance. She always encouraged me to broaden my horizons—the world lies before you, and the path you take is your own choice."

"You’ve probably heard my story. I lost both parents and came from a poor background. Being able to attend Deyin was a stroke of incredible luck. I don’t have much to show for myself, except a minor fame in literary circles. I’ve written a few books about life’s lessons—if you’re interested, you’re welcome to read them."

"Lastly, I’d like to thank Principal Li and Mr. Qi for their support, and all of you for listening to my thoughts."

The audience tittered and gave thunderous applause.

Tian Ruan had mixed feelings. He didn’t dislike Zhou Gu, but it was a pity—someone so talented had ultimately had his life ruined after getting entangled in Qi Feng’s life.

After Zhou Gu left the stage, Director Hu returned. The difference was night and day between the handsome men and his goatee—and the students looked unimpressed.

Director Hu, flushed with anger, retorted, "What’s with those expressions? Don’t want to see me?"

"Exactly—" the crowd chorused.

"Hah! Well, I’ll make sure you do. This dashing, brilliant specimen—you’re lucky to behold me!"

"Ugh—"

"Next, I will recognize the students who ranked in the top 20 of their grade last semester. When I call your name, please come up to receive your awards."

Starting from Grade 10, they went up to the stage one by one.

The prizes included the latest iPad, a laptop, a smartwatch, a smartphone, a pair of earphones, and a spare set of school uniforms.

For these rich kids, these prizes were nothing special—just for the prestige. But for Tian Ruan, it was an amazing sight; the prizes were incredibly generous.

Soon, it was the Grade 12 students' turn.

Director Hu announced, "First place, Yu Shang. Second place, Tian Ruan. Third place..."

Yu Shang and the others walked up, but Tian Ruan remained frozen in his seat.

Lu Qiuyan stood up, puzzled. "Come on, let's go."

Tian Ruan had a sudden idea. "My legs hurt. Can you get it for me?"

"Legs hurt?" Lu Qiuyan paused briefly. "You had quite the night, huh."

"..."

Lu Qiuyan went up to the stage. Director Hu counted the names and asked, "Where's Tian Ruan? Why isn't he coming up?"

Qi Feng, leaning back casually, narrowed his eyes. "Class 1, Grade 12—Tian Ruan?"

Lu Qiuyan replied, "He's not feeling well today, so I'm accepting it on his behalf."

Director Hu didn’t press further. "That's a lot to carry. Can you manage alone?"

Lu Qiuyan: "I can handle even more."

Director Hu: "No way. Good looks don't get you privileges."

"..."

Director Hu was wearing a microphone headset, so everyone heard him. The girls burst into giggles.

Zhou Gu also laughed, turning to Qi Feng. "The most impressive among these students must be that student council president."

Qi Feng said indifferently, "If you like him, I can arrange for you to have him."

Zhou Gu’s face went pale. "Brother, that’s not what I meant."

"Even if it were, it wouldn’t matter." Qi Feng absentmindedly rubbed his fingertips. His hands, rough and powerful, had gun calluses.

Zhou Gu’s stomach dropped. He took a deep breath. "They’re not me."

"That’s what makes it interesting." Qi Feng looked over, scanning the crowd for that nervous boy. But with so many people, he couldn’t spot him.

The auditorium seats were raked like stadium seating, making the back rows completely visible from the stage.

To avoid being seen, Tian Ruan had to duck behind the seat in front of him. A classmate beside him asked, "Tian Ruan, why didn’t you go up? Stomachache?"

Tian Ruan pretended to be in pain. "Must've eaten something bad."

"Then you should go to the nurse's office."

"I’ll go slowly." Tian Ruan peeked through the gaps between his fingers. Was his dad’s nemesis some kind of camera spirit? Its gaze darted everywhere.

Finally, the show started, and Qi Feng turned his head, boredly watching the stage.

Seizing the chance, Tian Ruan ducked low and sneaked away, pulling Lu Qiuyan with him.

Back in the classroom, the two opened their reward packages. Tian Ruan pushed the school uniform toward Lu Qiuyan, "Here, take this. I got extras—no way I can use this many."

Lu Qiuyan didn’t refuse. He had grown taller, and his old uniform no longer fit. Since the spring uniforms hadn’t arrived yet, the prize arrived just in time. He also noticed that Tian Ruan’s uniform was the same size as his.

"Was this a mistake?" Lu Qiuyan asked.

Tian Ruan already knew it was Yu Shang’s sneaky ploy. In the original story, Yu Shang had gifted uniforms to the top twenty students in the grade just to openly give one to Lu Qiuyan—all paid from his personal account.

Clearly, Yu Shang had anticipated Tian Ruan would pass the uniform to Lu Qiuyan, so he had it tailored to Lu Qiuyan’s measurements.

Tian Ruan: *My kid’s got my back.*

Tian Ruan smiled. "Maybe."

So Lu Qiuyan went along with the "mistake," ensuring he wouldn’t have to worry about uniform expenses later.

The first day of school passed relatively peacefully. In the evening, Tian Ruan collected his new textbooks and happily walked toward the school gate, backpack slung over his shoulder, just like any other ordinary day.

Sliding into the Maybach, Tian Ruan let out a long sigh of relief—perhaps Qi Feng’s interest had been fleeting, and he no longer cared about someone as insignificant as him.

But when he turned his head, he found his husband’s icy gaze fixed on him, his phoenix eyes calm yet piercing.

Tian Ruan: "...Mr. Yu, what’s wrong?"

Yu Jingmo pinched his chin, tilting it left and right as he scrutinized him.

Tian Ruan’s cheeks were squeezed inward, his lips puckered into a glossy pink pout, like rose petals. Blinking, his voice muffled, he asked, "Wha—?"

Yu Jingmo said coolly, "You’re hardly a peerless beauty, so how did you become a 'heartbreaker'?"

Tian Ruan: "???"

Yu Jingmo: "You really like falling into strangers’ arms, huh?"

Tian Ruan: "..."

He understood now—Mao Qi must have filmed him bumping into someone that morning and sent it to Yu Jingmo. No wonder Yu Jingmo hadn’t replied to any of his messages all day. He had assumed his husband was too busy to check, but in reality, Yu Jingmo had been too jealous to respond.

Ignored all day, Tian Ruan only just realized it now.

"Do you know who he is?" Yu Jingmo asked quietly.

Tian Ruan nodded vigorously, teary-eyed. "Mr. Yu, I’ve been a nervous wreck all day."

Yu Jingmo’s thumb brushed over the young man’s soft lips, catching glimpses of white teeth and the tip of his tongue. "Really?"

"Really." Tian Ruan grabbed Yu Jingmo’s large hand and pressed it against his chest. "See? My heart won’t slow down."

Yu Jingmo’s palm rested over Tian Ruan’s heart, feeling the rapid, light beats through the thin but warm school uniform. "Mm."

Tian Ruan leaned into his embrace. "I don’t want to be a 'heartbreaker.' I only want to be your husband."

The driver fake-coughed, then, as if nothing had happened, put up the divider between the front and back seats.

"......"

Yu Jingmo played with the young man's soft earlobe, his voice vibrating deep in his chest: "Hmm."

Tian Ruan continued whining playfully, "Mr. Yu, what if I get targeted?"

"He won't have time to keep an eye on you anymore," Yu Jingmo said. "One of his companies is going under."

"Really?!" Tian Ruan's face lit up with delight. "Hah! Serves him right!"

Yu Jingmo couldn't help but chuckle, planting a kiss to his smooth, full forehead.

For a while after that, Tian Ruan indeed heard no more news about Qi Feng—not even Zhou Gu was seen. The third year of high school was already a busy time for studying, and with no energy to spare for others, he gradually forgot about the big bad.

As the saying goes, "You cross each bridge as you come to it." He had long planned to stay out of the rich people drama and focus on his studies. As long as the fire didn't spread to the Yu family, he could keep his head down.

Meanwhile, Yu Jingmo left early and returned late, business as usual.

Until one evening, when Yu Jingmo was supposed to come get Tian Ruan, but the familiar Maybach was nowhere to be seen at the school gate.

"Where's your husband?" Lu Qiuyan rode up on his bicycle. "Isn't he picking you up?"

"Yeah." Tian Ruan couldn't tell cars apart anymore and could instantly spot his own car among thousands of luxury vehicles. "Weird. Mr. Yu's never late."

Lu Qiuyan waited with him until even Yu Shang finished his student government stuff and came out, but the Maybach still hadn't arrived.

Tian Ruan got a bad feeling, and he immediately called Yu Jingmo.

The phone rang for a full minute, but no one answered.

Tian Ruan kept calling, but it still wouldn't connect.

So he called Assistant Xu and asked, "Has Mr. Yu left work yet?"

Assistant Xu sounded confused. "He left ages ago. Isn't he usually picking you up around this time?"

Without wasting another second, Tian Ruan called the accompanying bodyguards. After several attempts, someone finally picked up. Tian Ruan demanded at once, "Where's Mr. Yu?!"

The bodyguard hesitated before answering, "The car was intercepted halfway. Mr. Yu's car left with a black Mercedes."

"Where to?"

"Ma'am, better not ask. Mr. Yu said he'd handle it."

How could Tian Ruan not panic? Even if Yu Jingmo was basically untouchable, that didn't mean he was completely free from danger. If he got injured or disabled, it wouldn't break the rules of this world.

"What exactly happened?" Yu Shang was the only one who remained calm.

Tian Ruan felt like he'd been dunked in ice water. "It must be Qi Feng! He's the one who snatched Mr. Yu!"

"Qi Feng?" Yu Shang searched his memory for the name. "Qi Feng from Tianrong Company?"

"You know him?"

"I know all the movers and shakers in Su City," Yu Shang said matter-of-factly. "It's not uncommon for businessmen to pull shady stunts like grabbing my dad off the street."

"?"

"To close a deal, merchants will do whatever it takes."

"Cooperation? Cooperate on what? Drug trafficking?"

"Drug trafficking?" Yu Shang frowned. "Tianrong deals in finance. How could it be linked to drug trafficking?"

Tian Ruan took a deep breath. "Qi Feng's real identity is a drug lord. His company barely makes a fraction of what he earns from drug trafficking annually."

Yu Shang’s face grew serious. "How do you know this? Are you serious?"

Too many ears around, Tian Ruan couldn't elaborate. "The most important thing now is to ensure Mr. Yu returns safely. I won’t just sit around. I need to know where he was taken."

Yu Shang made a swift decision. "Give me ten minutes."

He immediately stepped aside to make calls, pulling Su City’s surveillance footage—as the heir of the Yu family, he naturally had the authority to mobilize all connections in the city.

Within ten minutes, the license plate tracking results came in. According to the surveillance footage, the Maybach's last stop was actually the "Fireworks and Willows Alley."

"A club?" Tian Ruan blinked.

In his imagination, Yu Jingmo might have been taken to an abandoned factory in the suburbs, where both sides would face off, guns drawn, sparks flying, leading to a mutually destructive outcome.

He never expected it to be a nightclub.

Tian Ruan: "...Don't tell me Qi Feng invited Mr. Yu to go clubbing."

The thought was too ridiculous to picture.

Yu Shang said, "The first five floors of Fireworks and Willows Alley are for clubbing. The sixth floor is a private club."

Tian Ruan pictured it again: a hazy, boozy private club where two powerful figures sat across from each other, coolly negotiating like bosses, surrounded by one, two, three, four, five, six, seven hot girls.

"Bullshit!" Tian Ruan clenched his fists. "How dare they take the straight-laced, kind-hearted, and disciplined Mr. Yu to such a place!"

Lu Qiuyan deadpanned, "You’re laying it on thick."

Tian Ruan wasn’t hearing it. In his eyes, Yu Jingmo was a genuinely upright and kind person. Though Yu Jingmo often called himself a businessman—one who prioritized profit over sentiment, donating to orphanages just for clout—how many businessmen could actually donate hundreds of millions annually?

Reputation could be bought anywhere with a bit of marketing, but Yu Jingmo put his money where his mouth was.

As for being disciplined and restrained—except, well, with Tian Ruan. But in public, Yu Jingmo had never stepped out of line, hating player behavior. At his core, he had inherited his parents' devotion, which made him seem cold.

Tian Ruan got into the car sent for Yu Shang, ready to rescue Yu Jingmo.

He wasn’t going alone—he was bringing the main couple along for extra security.

Lu Qiuyan's bicycle was stuffed into the trunk. He asked dryly, "Is it really appropriate for me to go?"

"Absolutely perfect," Tian Ruan said. "You’ll have my back."

"Your courage needs boosting? It’s already huge."

"..." If Tian Ruan’s courage were truly that great, he would’ve long since knocked the villain’s teeth in.

Without plot armor, he couldn’t afford to screw around.

Arriving at Fireworks and Willows Alley, they spotted the familiar Maybach immediately. Tian Ruan’s vision went red—if anyone dared lay a finger on his Mr. Yu, he’d wreck them.

"Sorry, gentlemen. We only accept members," the receptionist said.

Yu Shang tossed out a black card. "Three minutes. Get me top-tier VIP, now."

"In that case, you'll need to spend over a million here."

"A million in drinks, don't have that?"

"We do, of course we do!" The manager personally came out to greet the VIP guests. "Since the three of you are together, you can all use this membership card."

Tian Ruan felt a pang of heartache. Though the million wasn't his, it still belonged to the Yu family—just wasted like that.

Yu Shang, however, showed no reaction as a server led them to the sixth floor. This so-called private club was essentially just a dozen or so large private rooms, each resembling a hotel suite and fully equipped. Apart from the million-yuan bottle of alcohol, all other drinks and snacks were free. From then on, as long as they spent over fifty thousand per visit, they could enjoy "special privileges."

"Special privileges?" Yu Shang asked.

The server smiled mysteriously. "Whatever you want, we have it here."

"What exactly is available here?" Yu Shang asked coolly.

"Whatever you want, we can provide," the server answered vaguely.

Tian Ruan suddenly caught on. "Do you have... those kinds of drugs?"

"We do."

"Both male and female?"

"We do."

Tian Ruan didn’t ask more and waved them off. "Leave us. We’ll call if we need anything."

"Please enjoy your time, gentlemen," the server said before exiting.

The moment the door closed, Tian Ruan's face fell. "What kind of dump is this?"

Yu Shang, unbothered, replied, "Every private club has these things to some extent. Let’s check things out first."

A knock came at the door. Lu Qiuyan, being the closest, opened it, and Mao Qi slipped in. "They're in Room 1. Da Zhuang and I verified it."

Tian Ruan immediately made to rush out, but Yu Shang stopped him. "What’s the situation inside?"

"Not good. The other side has guns."

"Illegal firearms." Yu Shang frowned deeply. Of course, this was a crime in this country, but if Qi Feng could bring in so many weapons, it meant he had no fear—perhaps even inside connections.

Tian Ruan grew even more worried. "Whatever Qi Feng’s goal is, I’ll go first. You two back me up."

Lu Qiuyan disagreed. "Too dangerous."

But Tian Ruan wouldn't wait. He strode out, heading straight for Room 1. Sure enough, guards stood outside, their hands going to their waists—clearly, they were armed.

"I’m here for Yu Jingmo," Tian Ruan said. "Move aside."

The two men didn’t move, glaring at him fiercely.

Tian Ruan’s hands grew clammy with tension when a tall figure walked up casually. "He Lansi?"

Without wasting words, He Lansi swiftly subdued the two guards, confiscated their guns, and twirled one playfully before kicking the door open, singing, "Little bunny, be good, open the door~"

Tian Ruan: "..."