Chapter 48: Lamb Skewers

Chapter 48 Lamb Skewers

"Oh, my goodness," Yun Fan sighed. The swing lurched—Wen Zhaofu had flinched.

From childhood, Wen Zhaofu had never witnessed the old butler in such a rage. He had been lost in a tender moment with Yun Fan when this sudden outburst caught him completely off guard.

Yun Fan quickly gripped one side of the swing and held Wen Zhaofu’s arm. After all, Wen Zhaofu’s legs were still unsteady; if he fell, the old butler might just tear Yun Fan limb from limb on the spot.

For the person currently on the swing was none other than Wen Yaozu, the next leader of the Wen family!

The old butler’s fury wasn’t directed at Wen Zhaofu, but solely at Yun Fan. Standing there, hands on his hips, he glared at Yun Fan, completely abandoning all decorum.

Yun Fan thought, *This is a huge misunderstanding. The old butler must believe I’ve fallen for my employer.* Little did he know, just moments before, the old butler’s mind had been racing, and he’d come to a startling realization: it was his employers—yes, "employers," plural—who had fallen for the butler!

This simply couldn’t be!

The old butler would never allow it!

"I’m going to Taiping Qingshui Residence right now to consult with Grandmother," the old butler declared, trying to compose himself. "Butler Yun cannot remain."

"Butler Wen Cheng," Wen Zhaofu called out sternly, one hand gripping the swing rope.

The old butler froze. He had never heard Wen Zhaofu address him by his full name and title before.

The sky was falling—this time, it truly was.

"This household, I believe, is mine to command," Wen Zhaofu stated, sitting up straight. Yun Fan, concerned for his legs, turned to look at him.

"But Grandmother holds ultimate authority over all butlers," the old butler insisted, still standing his ground.

Wen Zhaofu offered a faint smile. "It was my decision to sit on the swing—it has nothing to do with Xiao Yun. And I am perfectly fine now. There’s no need for concern."

"But, but…" The old butler was frantic, yet too flustered to articulate his thoughts. How could he possibly say, *I know that you, and Young Master Hao Chen, and Cheng Yu, and Liu Erxing, all have feelings for Yun Fan!*

"No 'buts'," Wen Zhaofu said, his smile vanishing. "Without my explicit permission, no one can make Yun Fan leave."

"Including you, Uncle Cheng."

Simply put, Wen Zhaofu meant: *He’s under my protection.* It was the first time he had ever spoken up so forcefully for a butler, because, in truth, he was angry.

The old butler understood his meaning, but the notion of punishing Yun Fan was something Wen Zhaofu found intolerable. His affection must never be a source of harm.

Therefore, Yun Fan—he had to protect him personally.

Wen Zhaofu’s tone was so severe that the old butler’s shoulders slumped. In that moment, he finally confronted a truth: Wen Zhaofu had grown up. He was long capable of standing on his own. He commanded respect in the business world, and he could just as easily assert his authority at home.

The control the old butler had once held over Wen Zhaofu had been tacitly permitted by Wen Zhaofu himself. But now, the child he had watched grow up was reclaiming that power entirely.

The blow was immense. The old butler lowered his head, turned, and walked back toward Langyun Terrace. He had indeed chosen the wrong approach; he had acted impulsively. He realized he could have privately informed Grandmother—why had he chosen to confront Wen Zhaofu directly and risk offending him?

The shock was profound. The old butler had only ever heard of butlers scheming to climb into their employers' beds, but he had never heard of multiple employers relentlessly pursuing one young butler.

Heavens, what an astonishing turn of events!

After the old butler left, Yun Fan quickly supported Wen Zhaofu by the waist, helping him back into his wheelchair. Wen Zhaofu reassured him, "It’s fine. I exercise every day."

"Staying in one position for too long is always uncomfortable," Yun Fan said, still concerned. "Should I ask Doctor Shi to come take a look?"

"Xiao Yun, there’s no need," Wen Zhaofu said firmly, taking Yun Fan’s hand instead. "What about you? Were you frightened?"

Yun Fan didn’t shy away; he scratched his ear and nodded. "You were quite stern, sir. Uncle Cheng’s voice is surprisingly loud…"

"This day was bound to come eventually," Wen Zhaofu said, squeezing his palm. "It’s my fault. Don’t blame yourself."

"And if Grandmother causes you any trouble, tell me immediately."

Yun Fan looked at Wen Zhaofu, then at their clasped hands, and bit his lip. Wen Zhaofu released his hand, looking apologetically at Yun Fan.

Of course, he had much more to say, but given the chaotic situation, it seemed no words were appropriate.

"My fault," Wen Zhaofu repeated.

*

As expected, news of what happened at Langyun Terrace reached Taiping Qingshui Residence. Grandmother did not trouble Yun Fan, because according to the arrangements, Yun Fan would soon be leaving for Beijing.

At this point, creating some distance between Yun Fan and Wen Zhaofu seemed like a good idea to Grandmother.

The old butler wrote a letter to Grandmother, detailing the various interactions between Yun Fan and Wen Zhaofu and outlining the pros and cons. Grandmother did not summon him for further discussion, nor did she reply.

Grandmother needed to buy time—to give these young people space to truly understand their feelings.

She never considered fleeting affections fashionable. On the contrary, she believed that recognizing one's true heart and remaining steadfast was what made memories truly cherished.

Grandmother knew very well that Wen Zhaofu wouldn't act recklessly, but she felt that especially at a time like this, Wen Zhaofu needed a period without Yun Fan.

If it was merely a dependency formed from Yun Fan being by his side for so long, then it was simply habit. He needed to calmly discern whether what he felt for Yun Fan was love, and what kind of love it was.

Before Yun Fan left for Beijing, he didn’t see Wen Zhaofu again, and messages were scarce. He only saw Doctor Shi once, when he came to Langyun Terrace to pick up some spare medicine. Doctor Shi mentioned he would be accompanying Wen Zhaofu to Australia for quite some time.

Watching Doctor Shi’s hurried departure, Yun Fan felt a pang of sadness. He was about to leave for Beijing. Although Wen Zhaofu knew about it, they hadn’t properly said goodbye.

Yun Fan realized that once you let someone into your heart, you pay extra attention to every "good morning" and "good night."

Just before his departure, Grandmother visited Langyun Terrace. The weather was getting warm, but the elderly lady was still dressed in long sleeves, and she didn’t look too well.

Yun Fan was packing when he was called downstairs. He saw Grandmother say something to the old butler, who glanced at Yun Fan somewhat helplessly.

"Xiao Yun, accompany me for a walk in the garden," Grandmother said with a smile. "Put on a hat so you don’t get sunburned."

"It’s alright, Grandmother," Yun Fan said, unconsciously smiling under the elderly lady’s affectionate gaze.

It wasn’t typical for a young butler’s departure to warrant a send-off from the family elders. Yun Fan knew Grandmother had come because she had something to say to him.

He was also prepared to be reprimanded. After all, every household had its rules, and he was being paid to do a job—he understood that.

Yun Fan and Grandmother walked and chatted, discussing the growth of flowers and trees, the work of the young gardener, and finally sat down in a pavilion.

"You’ve all taken very good care of the plants," Grandmother said, sounding tired and slightly breathless. "Of all the residences, I love Langyun Terrace’s garden the most."

"Xiao Shan says we shouldn’t interfere too much with the growth of small flowers and plants. We should only give them a trim appropriately when the time is right," Yun Fan explained, not forgetting to put in a good word for the young gardener. "Xiao Shan is truly an excellent gardener!"

Grandmother smiled at him and nodded. "He’s quite right. I just said the same to Wen Cheng."

Yun Fan was taken aback, looking slightly confused. Grandmother continued, "We’re all old now. We shouldn’t judge current issues with outdated perspectives. But because we are old, we do have more experience in some matters."

"Xiao Yun, it’s not just small flowers and plants or Wen Cheng—you also need to learn to let things take their natural course," Grandmother said, looking at Yun Fan. "The one-year agreement can confine your body, but it shouldn’t trap your heart."

"Do what you want to do, love whom you want to love—freely and openly."

"In all things, Grandmother supports you."

After speaking, Grandmother reached out and pinched Yun Fan’s cheek, an action that Wen Zhaofu’s mother had also done to Yun Fan. Their feelings toward Yun Fan were likely the same.

"Grandmother…" If Yun Fan said he wasn’t touched, he would be lying. "I…"

Grandmother, in her nineties, had seen too many people and experienced too much in life. There was nothing she couldn’t understand, and she hoped the younger generation she cared about could live with fewer burdens.

"No need to respond to me, Xiao Yun," Grandmother said with a smile. "Just listen to your heart more often."

Before departing, Yun Fan still told Wen Zhaofu about Grandmother’s conversation with him. Afraid that Wen Zhaofu might worry, he recounted the entire incident in one breath. However, even after most of the day had passed, Wen Zhaofu had not replied.

In the evening, Brother Xing, his dependable friend, drove Yun Fan to the airport. After looking out at the mountains and the sea, Yun Fan’s mood remained somewhat downcast. He resolved that if Wen Zhaofu still ignored him before takeoff, he’d give him a call.

Just as he was lost in thought, Brother Xing parked the car in the underground garage of the Wen Group. The car door opened, and Yun Fan looked out, meeting Wen Zhaofu’s eyes directly.

"Sir!" Yun Fan looked at Wen Zhaofu with surprise, stepping out of the car and crouching in front of him.

Wen Zhaofu tried to pull him up, but Yun Fan resisted, pressing down on Wen Zhaofu’s wrist and anxiously staring at the person he hadn’t seen for days.

"Xiao Yun," Wen Zhaofu couldn’t bear to see him like this and reached out to ruffle his hair. "I saw your message, but then the plane took off. Sorry I made you worry."

"I was so worried about you and almost called Grandmother," Wen Zhaofu said gently. "But I was afraid it might backfire, so I held back."

"Grandmother is very kind, she’s wonderful," Yun Fan smiled. "Please don’t worry about me, Sir."

Wen Zhaofu shook his head; this was something he truly couldn’t promise. The next moment, he found himself ridiculous—knowing full well that Grandmother wanted him to stay calm, yet he had arranged for Brother Xing to bring Yun Fan to see him as soon as he landed.

"Have fun in Beijing. Da Liu is great at showing people around," Wen Zhaofu instructed Yun Fan. "Don’t worry about things at home. Take care of yourself."

"You too, Sir," Yun Fan replied sweetly and quickly.

"Alright, I will," Wen Zhaofu gently patted the back of Yun Fan’s head. "Go on, the traffic might be bad."

When Yun Fan returned to the car and rolled down the window, Wen Zhaofu’s wheelchair backed up a few meters. Brother Xing started the car, and Yun Fan continued to hold Wen Zhaofu's gaze.

Out of the corner of his eye, Yun Fan saw Brother Xing turn the steering wheel. The car was about to turn, and he would soon lose sight of Wen Zhaofu.

Wen Zhaofu clearly realized this too. In the final moments, he didn’t speak but silently mouthed two words:

"Miss me."

*

Breathing in the Beijing air, Yun Fan found it much drier than in Hong Kong. Liu Erxing wasn’t at the airport but arranged for someone to pick Yun Fan up and take him to the hotel he had booked.

On the way, Yun Fan received a message from Cheng Yu, warning him to be cautious of Liu Erxing and not to get involved in any mischief with him.

Yun Fan read the message but didn’t reply, thinking to himself that he was old enough not to be led astray. If he encountered danger, he would tell the police. He figured Cheng Yu’s warning was entirely aimed at Liu Erxing.

Wen Haochen was unusually quiet, seemingly trying to make a last-ditch effort to graduate on his own.

Thinking of this, Yun Fan felt his trip wasn’t in vain—he had even managed to give a pep talk about studying, though he wasn’t sure how long the effect would last.

Lost in thought, the car entered a courtyard. The entrance was unremarkable, but inside was a hidden gem. It was a courtyard-themed hotel, with each suite designed as a traditional siheyuan. Liu Erxing had shares here and often hosted guests at this location.

*Dong dong dong dong qiang! Dong dong dong dong qiang dong qiang!*

As soon as Yun Fan stepped out of the car, he heard the sound of drums and gongs. Startled, he quickly pulled his foot back.

"Hey, Yun Fan, come down!" Liu Erxing shouted. "You’re in the right place. This is for you."

Yun Fan held onto the doorframe, peeking out with half his face. Two large drums and a gong were making an ear-splitting noise. He blinked but didn’t move.

"Alright, alright, stop," Liu Erxing waved his hand and tilted his head to look at Yun Fan. "Come down now."

Liu Erxing had recently gotten a buzz cut and wore two black round earrings, seemingly dressing down to welcome Yun Fan.

He was excited, striding over to help Yun Fan out of the car, spreading his long arms to hug him. Yun Fan quickly raised his hands to block, allowing only a brief pat on the back before jumping away.

Liu Erxing didn’t mind, still smiling as he asked Yun Fan, "Hungry? Want some skewers? The lamb was delivered fresh this morning. I skewered them myself—super tasty."

"No thanks, I’m tired and want to sleep," Yun Fan shook his head.

Outside it was dark, but the courtyard was brightly lit. Yun Fan thought it was a waste of electricity and wanted to end the welcome ceremony quickly.

Liu Erxing touched the tip of his nose and smiled. Under normal circumstances, he might have been impatient, but since Yun Fan was already here, he had plenty of time.

"Alright then, let’s both rest. Tomorrow…"

"Brother Xing!!!" A thunderous shout shattered the silence left by the drums and gongs.

Liu Erxing looked over, frowning tightly and gritting his teeth as he roared, "Who let him in!"