Chapter 25: We Will Be Even Closer in the Future

Chapter 25: It’ll Get Even Closer From Now On

“Thank you for having us over today, cousin. We won’t overstay our welcome.”

Hearing his father finally finish speaking, Yu Wei finally breathed a sigh of relief. Even he could tell that Yi Sizhe had come with something important to say to Yu Xinran and the others.

His dad was so clueless.

As they were leaving, Yu Wei couldn’t resist sneaking a curious glance back. He saw his oldest cousin saying something in front of Yi Sizhe’s parents, and their faces flickered with reaction.

Had something happened?

Stepping out of the lakeside pavilion, he spotted a doctor in a lab coat standing beside a car on the phone.

“Filled in for Third Young Master’s situation temporarily. Yeah… it’s all taken care of.”

“It wasn’t Third Young Master who got hurt—it was the boy he brought home…”

“A cut on the head, yeah…”

“Right… his future spouse…”

Yu Wei didn’t catch everything clearly, but he managed to piece together some explosive gossip.

His third cousin had brought his fiancé home today, and apparently injured him somehow.

How does someone end up with a head wound like that? If it wasn’t from a beating, then what else could it be?

Combined with Yu Xinran and Yi Xiangcheng’s expressions earlier… Yi Sizhe must have come specifically to report this incident!

Wow, do elite rich families really go this hard?

He suddenly felt bad for his third cousin’s fiancé. What kind of person could stand up to that kind of attitude? Maybe someone with leverage over them?

Yu Wei didn’t dare dwell on it further and quickly left the massive Yi mansion with his father.

……

After they left, the house physician chuckled into the phone, “Honey, it looks like Third Young Master has really found someone he likes this time. I’ve never seen him care about a boy like this before.”

“Let me tell you, when I was treating that kid’s wound, I swear his stare could’ve burned a hole through me.”

“I know Third Young Master treats our family well, so before I left, I told him to call anytime if anything comes up.”

“As his personal doctor, I’m practically at his beck and call.”

“……”

What Yu Wei didn’t hear was that missing part of the conversation only spiraled into wilder rumors outside.

—

At the Yi residence.

Upon hearing that Jian Ye was injured, Yu Xinran and Yi Xiangcheng hurried over in a panic after seeing off their guests.

When they entered the main hall, they found the young man cozied up on the couch, quietly eating honeydew melon, while their youngest son sat beside him, handing him napkins and occasionally wiping sticky juice from his chin.

Now that’s a scene of domestic bliss.

Yu Xinran knew her youngest son well enough to be certain he wouldn’t make the same foolish mistake as the Yi brothers and think that Yi Siyu had bullied Jian Ye.

She quickly moved closer to comfort him.

"Xiao Ye, does it hurt a lot? Siyu really is... letting you get hurt in our home like this," Yu Xinran’s motherly concern surged again as she gently patted Jian Ye’s head.

The doting care felt just like a real mother’s, leaving Jian Ye momentarily dazed.

Flashes of the original host’s memories surfaced in his mind.

Back when the original host’s parents were still alive, he had once enjoyed such warmth too.

Yu Xinran, like his own mother, was a gentle and beautiful woman.

This body held a deep, instinctive longing—for family, for a mother’s love.

Jian Ye pressed a hand to his chest, silently soothing himself: *See, coming to the Yi family wasn’t so bad after all. You’re not alone. The Yi family is kind—just give a little kindness, and they’ll give back the warmth you need.*

In a world like this, would you still want to throw your life away?

You should also lift your head bravely and walk forward with determination.

...

It seemed like the silent communication with this body had worked—Jian Ye's heartbeat steadied, and for a moment, it felt as though his soul had settled more firmly into his body.

"You okay?" Yi Siyu was the first to notice something off about Jian Ye.

Seeing the boy suddenly pale, he frowned in concern.

Jian Ye couldn’t explain what had just happened, so he simply said, "Just a little lightheaded—I’m good now."

Hearing that, Yi Siyu frowned even harder. "Let’s get you to the hosp—"

"No, no! It was only for a second—probably didn’t sleep well last night," the boy quickly waved his hands.

Seeing Yi Siyu’s stubborn expression, Jian Ye had no choice but to pull out his trump card.

"Brother Siyu, do you know why I couldn’t sleep last night?" A shy, tender look flashed in his eyes as he lifted his gaze slightly, tugging at Siyu’s heart.

"It was because I was too excited to sleep half the night thinking about getting our marriage certificate today."

*Ding—Green Tea element detected! Green Tea Points +50.*

*System 748: Host, you were sawing logs last night.*

*Jian Ye: Er Tong, zip it and focus on farming Green Tea Points!*

*System 748: Wah~ Host is being so mean~*

Yi Siyu didn’t know how to respond, while Yu Xinran beside them burst out laughing.

"You're still young—it's normal to feel like this right after getting married. I was exactly the same back then—excited and nervous, but above all, happy. Seeing you two get along so well, as a mom, I’m relieved."

Then, the refined woman leaned in and whispered into Jian Ye’s ear, "You two just got your certificate today. You’ll have even more intimate moments later—don’t be shy, child. Just be safe, and then..."

Jian Ye, who had only meant to tease Yi Siyu, was now turning beet red from Yu Xinran’s words.

*Mrs. Yi must be very... uh... satisfied in every way.*

She actually taught him about the birds and the bees right in front of her own son!

Enough already! Your son would never do *that* with me! The one he truly loves is his White Moonlight! He’ll only do *that* with her!

Jian Ye shot Yi Siyu a look that screamed “Help me!” Yi Siyu found it amusing—wasn’t he just so bold a moment ago, coaxingly calling him “Brother” over and over?

His heart melted halfway.

And now he couldn’t even handle hearing such talk.

"Mom, it’s time for dinner."

Seeing the boy practically turtling up, Yi Siyu finally spoke at the right moment.

Yu Xinran slapped her thigh. "Ah, right! Tell the kitchen to whip up some pig brain soup—it's good for healing!"

Jian Ye: "...” I banged my head, not got a concussion, geez!

Jian Ye turned back and noticed the man beside him fighting a smile.

Looking smug, like he was watching the drama unfold.

Keep laughing, why don’t you? This wouldn’t have happened if I hadn’t run into you!

He pouted. "Brother Siyu, didn’t you say earlier that you’d fulfill any request I made today?"

Yi Siyu nodded. "That’s right."

"Later, I’m going to video call my grandpa. You… you know what to do, right?"

"Mhm, I understand."

*Really* understand?

...

The call rang once and was picked up immediately—Grandpa Jian must’ve been expecting it after hearing about the marriage registration.

"Grandpa." Jian Ye adjusted his hair, carefully covering the wound, then said meekly.

Grandpa Jian’s face wrinkled into a grin, clearly delighted.

He asked, "Are you at the Yi family’s place now?"

Jian Ye nodded. "Yes, Brother Siyu is here too."

As he spoke, he turned the camera, and the screen filled with Yi Siyu’s handsome face.

“Hello, Grandpa,” Yi Siyu greeted politely.

“Please give my best to your parents,” Grandpa Jian replied. “And well… our little Ye can be a bit spoiled sometimes, but deep down, he’s a good kid. I hope you’ll cut him some slack and be understanding.”

“I will,” Yi Siyu replied earnestly.

Jian Ye was taken aback by his grandfather’s words.

He’d always thought the Jian family saw him as nothing more than a pawn in this marriage alliance—their only concern being what it could bring the family. And those relatives of mine—none of them could care less if he was miserable.

It seems only Grandpa still truly cares about his well-being.

Jian Ye never betrays those who are good to him.

As for those who upset him, he wouldn’t just take it lying down either.

"Grandpa, when I posted our wedding license photos in the group chat today, they all said I had edited them with Photoshop. They even claimed that Brother Siyu was an AI-generated deepfake of a celebrity, and they also..." The young man spoke with a trembling voice, on the verge of tears, his face filled with a sense of grievance.

"What else did they say?!" Grandpa Jian's expression instantly turned serious.

Jian Ye hesitated, nervously glancing at Yi Siyu before looking back at the screen. "They said I just picked up some random guy off the street to marry, and that you'd definitely break my legs."

"Outrageous! They're asking for trouble!" Grandpa Jian's beard bristled with anger.

With that setup, Jian Ye then launched into a flood of emotionally manipulative words.

"They can say whatever they want about me—they've always had it out for me anyway."

"But they went too far by insulting Brother Siyu!"

"Brother Siyu has surely never been mocked as a 'fake influencer face' before. How could they say such things about him just because they hate me?"

"Grandpa, you know I'm part of the Yi family now. Their insults not only target me but also disgrace both the Yi and Jian families."

"Thankfully, Brother Siyu is big enough to not hold it against them. Anyone else would’ve blamed me already!"

"How can I even show my face in the Yi household after this?"

"I've already distanced myself from the Jian family and stayed out of their way. Why do they still have to attack me so harshly?"

With one final sob, the young man choked out, "Grandpa... is it really because I've done something wrong that everyone hates me?"

These words hit Grandpa Jian like a punch in the stomach.

In the past, Jian Ye had never opened up to him like this, and he hadn't understood the boy's often extreme behavior. Now, it became clear—it was all due to these people’s cruelty.

"My dear boy, you've done nothing wrong. It's all their fault. Don't cry—Grandpa will make sure they learn a lesson!"

Grandpa Jian had always been soft-hearted. He had been patient with Jian Ye before, but the boy had disappointed him repeatedly, pushing him close to giving up entirely.

Now that his grandson had suddenly changed, becoming obedient and more and more like his beloved youngest son, Jian Zhengshu, Grandpa Jian's affection for Jian Ye reignited.

Moreover, since Jian Ye was now married to Yi Siyu, he represented the Jian family's dignity within the Yi household, and the alliance between the two families carried great significance.

"Thank you, Grandpa. Please don't worry too much about me. Brother Siyu treats me very well—you can rest assured." Jian Ye quickly signaled the man beside him with his eyes, urging him to end the conversation.

He had gathered enough *Green Tea Points* and dripped plenty of poison into Grandpa’s ears—today was going to be chaotic in the Jian household.

But this man, cold and sparing with words, simply hooked an arm around the kid’s waist and pulled him into his arms.

Yi Siyu rested his chin on Jian Ye’s shoulder, instantly turning the boy’s ears red and making his body stiffen.

"Whoa, dude, tone it down a bit!"

"I just found out today how much suffering Ye Ye endured in the Jian family. From now on, I won’t allow him to face any hardship in our Yi household."

The statement was brilliant—the underlying message unmistakable: *Your Jian family treated your own so poorly, yet our Yi family will never mistreat someone like you did.*

In other words, the Jian family, as one of Yunjing's prominent aristocratic households, has displayed a rather small-minded approach.

Jian Ye didn’t even have time to focus on their conversation anymore. His toes curled tightly inside his shoes, every nerve in his body on fire. The chest pressed against his back felt scorching hot—so much so that he could feel the man’s strong heartbeat pounding against his back.

The sensation of their skin pressed together only disappeared after the video call ended. Yi Siyu couldn’t help but smirk at the boy’s dazed expression.

Earlier, he had been so sharp-tongued in front of Old Master Jian, yet now he was getting all worked up over just a little touch.

Didn’t you say you’d had boyfriends before? How come you’re still this shy and flustered?

Still, Yi Siyu was getting a kick out of it—he enjoyed seeing the boy so unsettled in front of him.

"Author's Note"

Jian Xiaocha: You know what to do later, right? (pouting.jpg)

Boss Yi: Got it.

Boss Yi: Cuddle time with wifey. o(*￣3￣)o (hugging tightly.jpg)

Jian Xiaocha: !!! (O_O)