Chapter 116: Evil Gets Its Due

Chapter 116: Karma Strikes

The noisy bar was filled with deafening beats that hammered against eardrums, while colorful cocktails clinked together.

Young men and women grinded suggestively on the dance floor, and couples engaged in intimate acts in dimly lit corners—the entire place exuded an air of decadent opulence.

In Yu Wei's arms lay a fair-skinned, alluring young man, who was holding a glass to his lips, helping him drink.

Yu Wei, who had been scrolling through his phone, suddenly stiffened and froze on the couch.

"What's wrong, Brother Yu?" The flirty young man, unaware of what had happened, pressed closer, trying to peek at Yu Wei's phone—only to be shoved away harshly.

The boy jumped up, bowing repeatedly in apology. "I'm sorry, Brother Yu! Did I do something wrong? I'll fix it!"

"Get lost!" Yu Wei snapped, his face twisted with irritation.

Biting his lip, the young man reluctantly obeyed and left.

Yu Wei downed the entire glass in one gulp, repeatedly checking today's trending news, afraid the news he saw might be fake.

The headlines claimed that Jian Ye was actually the young master of the YunJing Jian family—the one set to marry his distant cousin?!

How was that possible?!

His first instinct was to deny it, but in the next moment, he suddenly remembered that when his father had attended Yi Siyu's wedding, the partner's name had been Jian Ye.

At the time, Yu Wei had assumed it was just a coincidence—but now, it turned out to be the real Jian Ye?!

His hand gripping the empty glass trembled slightly as a tidal wave of resentment, regret, and jealousy surged within him.

If I had known Jian Ye was a rich kid from a powerful family, I would never have broken up with him no matter what!

Now Jian Ye has become super famous, with many people adoring him. He has both a prestigious background and reputation, and certainly no longer lacks money. Marrying Third Young Master Yi—what a glorious thing that is.

A few minutes ago, Yi Siyu posted on Weibo.

It was a photo of Jian Ye cooking at home; the whole scene looked super cozy. The boy smiled gently, his handsome profile heart-melting.

Yu Wei felt like his heart was getting ripped out. This boy should have belonged to him alone, yet he was the one who pushed him away, causing them to drift apart in the end.

That young man who once clung to him from behind was now gone for good.

Yu Wei was furious at his own stupidity, his own incompetence. With an angry roar, he swept all the glasses off the table onto the floor.

The glasses shattered one by one, like exploding glass, scattering in all directions.

"Sir, the glasses you damaged, you'll have to pay double for, and these drinks—"

"Fine, fine, I'll pay! Money's no object!" Yu Wei waved his hand dismissively and flung his card at the staff member's face.

Then, suddenly breaking down, he covered his face and sobbed. "But now, having money is useless. He’s richer than me, and he wouldn't even look at my money..."

"If I'd just treated him right from the start... would everything have been different?"

"He never smiled at me like that..."

Yu Wei collapsed onto the couch, bawling his eyes out, freaking out the staff nearby.

"Sir, you're drunk. Want us to call someone to pick you up?"

"I don't have a boyfriend, my boyfriend has already married someone else... Waaah... Jian Ye, Jian Ye... I was wrong, can we start over... Waaah..."

The staff member: "I meant your friend, not boyfriend."

"But I want a boyfriend, I want my boyfriend to come... no, he's not my boyfriend anymore, he deleted me, blocked me... Waaah..."

The staff member: "..."

When Yu Wei walked out of the bar, his eyes were glazed over as he staggered forward, mumbling Jian Ye's name under his breath.

His steps were unsteady, occasionally hiccuping, whether from drink or despair.

This was a riverside street. Though it was late, the shops along the street were still brightly lit. Some wealthy patron had rented a billboard on the office building across the river, currently displaying compilation clips of Jian Ye from various periods—dancing, appearing on variety shows.

Finally, there were wedding congratulations for Jian Ye's marriage and encouraging words from fans.

Yu Wei looked up, and that familiar face filled his vision.

"Jian Ye... Jian Ye... wait for me..."

His vision blurred, as if countless Jian Yes appeared before him. He instinctively stepped forward but could never grasp the one he wanted.

Driven by desperation to get closer, his hurried, stumbling steps grew frantic until he accidentally crossed the guardrail, lost his balance, and toppled headlong into the river.

With a loud splash, water sprayed upward, but he didn’t resurface—only bubbles continuously rising to the surface.

There were still people around. Upon hearing the noise, someone shouted, "Help! Someone fell into the river!"

...

Three days later. At the Waterfront Pavilion.

It had been a while since they last visited the Yi family, and Yu Xinran kept saying she missed them. So Yi Siyu took Jian Ye back for a visit.

As the gate opened, Jian Ye called out sweetly, "Mom, Dad, we're back!"

"Oh! Xiao Ye and A Yu are back! Quick, bring the fruit platter!" Yu Xinran instructed the servants while stepping forward to cup Jian Ye’s face, studying his face. "Xiao Ye, you look thinner. A Yu, have you not been taking good care of him?"

Yi Siyu held his tongue, but Jian Ye smiled and defended his husband, "I’ve been practicing dance a lot recently, so I lost weight. Brother Siyu takes great care of me. Mom, don’t blame him."

"Alright, alright, I won’t. Seeing you two so happy together reassures me. I’m so glad you came home today—I had the kitchen prepare all your favorites, so make sure to eat plenty!"

Yu Xinran’s joy was written all over her face, and even the usually stern Yi Xiangcheng had softened his expression.

Yi Xiangcheng also approved of Yi Siyu’s recent actions. The Yi Group’s stock prices had surged, thanks in part to his son and son-in-law's.

Public reception of their marriage had been overwhelmingly positive. The two families were from equally good families, and Jian Ye was so charming in public—naturally, people wanted them to stay happy together.

Yi Siyu had also gained fans from the variety show, and after his identity as Third Young Master Yi was revealed, his following surged dramatically.

"Where are Big Brother and Second Brother?" Jian Ye asked, noticing their absence.

"Your eldest brother said he couldn’t make it, and your second brother is still busy at the company," Yu Xinran said with clear disapproval. "They’re always too busy to come home, but today, when you two finally visit, they still can’t spare the time. It’s simply inexcusable!"

"Mom, don’t be upset. Big Brother and Second Brother might have genuine conflicts. It’s fine—we'll be visiting regularly, so we’ll have plenty of chances to meet."

Jian Ye was the best at pleasing elders. He sat with Yu Xinran in the living room, watching TV and shooting the breeze, bantering effortlessly as the atmosphere remained warm and harmonious.

On the other side, Yi Xiangcheng was also asking Yi Siyu about the recent situation at the company and how he was settling in there.

Yi Siyu answered each of his father's questions, offering thoughtful analysis.

"What's going on between you and that Qin Group guy?"

The recent feuding between the two companies had become common knowledge in the business world.

At this stage, Yi Xiangcheng had already handed over the company's operations to his sons. Knowing they were level-headed individuals, he didn’t micromanage their decisions. Since Yi Siyu happened to be home today, he took the opportunity to ask.

"I was helping Qin Fei with something—scratching each other’s backs. He needed Yi Group’s cooperation to smoke out some rats."

"I see. Quite a gutsy move. Qin Group’s stocks have been in free fall..." Yi Xiangcheng took a sip of tea.

"He can be quite unhinged at times, sacrificing certain things to achieve his goals. But it’s only temporary—he won’t let Qin Group stay in decline forever."

When lunch was served, Yu Xinran showed a slight bias, piling the choicest bites onto Jian Ye’s plate.

Yi Siyu didn’t mind his mother playing favorites with Jian Ye; in fact, he was happy to see it.

"A few days ago, that kid from Yu Lin’s family nearly drowned after falling into the river. He even blacked out on the way to the hospital—apparently, he was drunk and didn’t watch his step, just stumbled right in."

Yu Xinran’s face was a picture as she gossiped, and Jian Ye loved listening to her high-society gossip. Unable to resist, he chimed in, "Who was it? A relative from your side, Mom?"

Yu Xinran nodded. "Yes, the son of some cousin a few branches removed from my Yu family—Yu Wei. He visited when you first came to our house. The relationship isn’t that close, but since they showed up at our doorstep, we gave them an invitation to your wedding."

He choked—"Cough, cough—" Jian Ye choked on his soup.

"Oh dear, are you okay? Slow down, don’t rush. Was the soup too hot? A Yu, hurry and cool it down for Xiao Ye." Yu Xinran patted Jian Ye’s back gently, urging her son to take care of him.

Jian Ye shook his head. "It’s nothing, Mom. I just got carried away listening to your story."

"Xiao Ye likes gossip? Music to my ears! I’ve got plenty, enough to last three days and nights!" Yu Xinran laughed.

Jian Ye shot a sidelong look at Yi Siyu, whose expression remained calm, as if he had already known about this.

After the meal, Jian Ye leaned in and whispered, "Is it the Yu Wei I know?"

Yi Siyu nodded. "Mm."

Jian Ye: "..."

Talk about a small world—the original host’s ex-boyfriend turned out to be the male lead’s cousin?

Yi Siyu had never mentioned this before, so Jian Ye had no idea about the connection.

Still, hearing the gossip about Yu Wei nearly drowning made Jian Ye quite happy. Even the heavens couldn’t stand that scumbag’s behavior, huh? Truly, what goes around comes around!

It was sweet revenge for the original host, who had been deeply hurt by that jerk. Jian Ye wouldn’t shed a tear if the guy vanished from the world altogether.

"What are you thinking about?" Yi Siyu asked, noticing the dazed look on the younger man’s face.

"Yu Wei..." Jian Ye blurted out without thinking.

"What? Still hung up on your ex? You’re part of the Yi family now—save your longing, you’re stuck with us."

Jian Ye: ?

What's with the jealousy in the air?

You're even jealous of a scumbag like him? How insecure can you be?

Jian Ye didn't say a word. He simply stepped forward and kissed Yi Siyu's lips, staring at him unblinkingly and obediently declaring, "There's only you in my heart, Gege~"

"Author's Note"

The green tea puppy (a term for someone who acts innocent but is actually calculating) strikes again. (sparkling star eyes jpg.)