Chapter 102 Together

Chapter 102 Together

"Also, I must emphasize this very seriously: you are not ordinary. Don't belittle yourself just because you grew up in the Yan family's environment."

Zhan Jiayu reached out and gently lifted Yan Zhoubai's chin, making him meet his gaze. Yan Zhoubai remained silent, and Zhan Jiayu waited patiently. He had said all he needed to say; now it was up to Yan Zhoubai to process it.

"So, by confessing to me, you want to be with me?" Yan Zhoubai asked.

"Baby, of course he wants to be with you! Look at everything he's done—it's clear he's been planning this for a long time," the system suddenly interjected.

"But you said before that Zhan Jiayu wouldn't like guys, that his concern for me was just a big brother looking out for his younger sibling."

Yan Zhoubai's tone carried a hint of annoyance, his trust in the system's words now wavering.

"He, he... I really thought he wouldn't before, because the original plot never mentioned he was gay," the system stammered, sounding a bit flustered and defensive. "But now he's confessed; the facts are right in front of us. I can't just stubbornly deny it, can I?"

"Then, do you think I should accept his confession?"

This was the question that most troubled Yan Zhoubai. He didn't know whether to agree—it was the answer he urgently needed to find.

"Do you like him?" the system asked.

"He's alright. I don't dislike him, and I quite enjoy being with him. He's reliable, so I feel very secure. But I've never been in a relationship before, so I don't know if this counts as liking someone."

Yan Zhoubai's voice sounded somewhat dejected.

He had never given much thought to his lack of romantic experience before, having spent his time cultivating in the mountains. Moreover, he had always disdained Ji Yangwen's habit of changing girlfriends faster than clothes.

This attitude was influenced by his elder brother: men should uphold their moral integrity.

However, his inexperience in love meant he was completely blank in matters of the heart. Now that someone had actually confessed to him, he didn't even know how to ascertain his own feelings.

"I think this definitely counts as liking him. And based on my observations recently, your dependence on Zhan Jiayu has skyrocketed. After you woke up from being poisoned, the person you most wanted to see wasn't your family but Zhan Jiayu—that speaks volumes."

To be fair, even though the system was clueless about love, it was an intelligent system—observant, clever, and excellent at drawing inferences.

"Besides, Zhan Jiayu is the powerful villain! He's so capable—wouldn't having him as a boyfriend be even better than having him as an older brother?" The system's voice was laced with strong encouragement.

"That's true, but..."

But wouldn't that be too self-serving? It sounded as if he were trying to exploit Zhan Jiayu.

Although Yan Zhoubai didn't finish his sentence, the system understood his meaning. "Follow your heart. While as a system I have my own tasks to complete, I also want you to be happy."

After saying this, the system seemed to find its statement a bit too sentimental, so it added, "After all, my mission is to help you reach the pinnacle of life. People at the pinnacle of life are happy—if you're not happy, how can it be considered the pinnacle of life?"

"Of course it's to be with you, Xiao Chuan'er. I'm no philanthropist; I can't just be good to you without expecting anything in return. From the very beginning, what I've been after is you."

Zhan Jiayu noticed Yan Zhoubai seemed to be zoning out again, so he decided to be more direct. This time, he wouldn't allow any ambiguity.

"Then let's be together!"

Yan Zhoubai looked up into Zhan Jiayu's eyes and blinked.

Zhan Jiayu had expected to say more to elicit a response from Yan Zhoubai, knowing his gentle nature might make him indecisive in such matters. But he hadn't anticipated Yan Zhoubai agreeing so readily.

"Even though this is my first relationship and I have no experience, and even though I never thought my partner would be a man... if it's you, I'm very willing to try."

No sooner had Yan Zhoubai finished speaking than Zhan Jiayu pulled him into an embrace and silenced him with a kiss.

"Mmm..."

Zhan Jiayu only released him when Yan Zhoubai was almost breathless from the kiss.

"Hey, what was that for?"

Yan Zhoubai was startled by the sudden attack, his round eyes wide as he stared at Zhan Jiayu. A hint of moisture glistened in his eyes, as if accusing Zhan Jiayu.

"I was too happy—I couldn't help myself."

As he spoke, Zhan Jiayu lowered his head and nuzzled against Yan Zhoubai's neck. He thought to himself, this was nothing compared to how fiercely he'd kissed Yan Zhoubai in the restaurant bathroom that time. If Yan Zhoubai couldn't handle this, what would he do in the future?

Zhan Jiayu didn't realize he was acting like a man who'd been deprived for too long—he hadn't even gotten a taste yet, but just the scent was enough to make his eyes darken with desire.

Yan Zhoubai thought Zhan Jiayu nuzzling his neck was very much like a large dog—Huihui sometimes did the same. But Zhan Jiayu had always given off an impression of maturity and stability, so this sudden behavior made Yan Zhoubai feel both uncomfortable and strangely charming.

So he reached out and patted Zhan Jiayu's head.

Zhan Jiayu straightened up. Honestly, if the situation weren't so inappropriate, Yan Zhoubai patting his head like that would have been enough to make him pin Yan Zhoubai to the office sofa.

Even though Yan Zhoubai was so much younger than him, and he was supposed to be the one taking care of and doting on Yan Zhoubai, that pat on the head made him feel a long-lost sense of being cherished by someone else.

…

Bu Qiran officially started his internship at the Yan Group, under Yan Anxuan's guidance.

He had always been reluctant to rely on the Yan family's influence, especially unwilling to let Yan Anxuan guide him. He wanted to prove himself on his own in Jing City first.

Ultimately, it was pride—he thought since he'd done well in Lan City, he could surely succeed in Jing City too.

But when he actually faced Zhan Jiayu, he realized how powerless and vulnerable he was against a truly formidable opponent.

He wanted Yan Zhoubai to stay with the Yan family; he didn't want Yan Zhoubai to leave with Zhan Jiayu. But he wasn't even in a position to say that.

Even his father and elder brother couldn't keep Yan Zhoubai, because they couldn't solve the problems that Zhan Jiayu could. How could he, the long-lost second son of the Yan family who hadn't even found his footing in Jing City, hope to do so?

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"See? I told you before—you're the true young master of the Yan family. Your parents want to compensate you, so you should use these available resources. Why make life difficult for yourself?"

Bu Qiran's system felt a sense of relief, as if its host had finally come to his senses and stopped contradicting it.

Bu Qiran ignored the system. He seemed like a changed person, shedding his previously careless attitude and seriously learning from Yan Anxuan.

Yan Anxuan was surprised by the change in him. He knew he and his biological brother didn't get along well, and even when Bu Qiran joined the company, he assumed he wouldn't work with him.

When Bu Qiran actually decided to follow him, Yan Anxuan initially thought he might cause trouble, but he was genuinely serious about learning.

Yan Ren and Bai Rong both noticed the change. They should have been happy and relieved, but instead, they felt empty inside.

Losing Yan Zhoubai from the household shouldn't have made much difference. Over the past three years, Yan Zhoubai had mostly lived at Cangru Temple, rarely coming home, so his absence shouldn't have been noticeable.

But recently, both of them felt a void in their hearts. Even if Yan Zhoubai had just been sitting quietly in the living room watching TV, it would have been better than having him gone completely.

Although Yan Zhoubai had only been with Zhan Jiayu for a little over a week, it felt like much longer to them.

The household staff could tell that Yan Ren and Bai Rong were down lately, and the two young masters were also in bad moods. The atmosphere in the Yan household was quite oppressive.

They didn't know why Yan Zhoubai, the adopted young master, hadn't returned. They'd only heard that during the school acceptance banquet, he'd taken the blow meant for the eldest young master, was poisoned, almost didn't survive, and spent over a month in the hospital recovering.

Some thought he had returned to live in that Taoist temple, while others believed he had truly left the Yan family this time. However, his room remained untouched, cleaned daily, and his belongings weren't to be touched.

The servants also noticed that Bai Rong had been cooking more frequently.

They all knew Bai Rong could cook, but she was no pampered rich woman—she usually had no time to prepare meals.

Lately, however, she often spent her free time tinkering in the kitchen, making soups, pancakes, desserts, and the like. After cooking, she wouldn't eat any of it, leaving the food untouched on the counter.

Sometimes, Yan Ren and the two young masters would eat a little when they returned home, while other times, the entire batch would be given to the servants.

In the past, working for the Yan family had been pleasant—the family was easy to get along with, never unreasonable, and the pay was good. Being a servant was just a job; no one looked down on anyone.

But recently, even though the work remained the same, the overall atmosphere felt really oppressive. At times, the servants found themselves speaking in hushed tones, afraid that even a minor incident might spark conflict in such a tense environment.

Was that impostor young master, Yan Zhoubai, really so important? If so, why hadn't the Yan family undergone such changes before when he was away cultivating at the temple, yet now it felt so different?

Yan Zhoubai, of course, had no idea that the entire Yan family was missing him. He thought moving out of the Yan residence was a great idea—he had been quite happy this past week, heh.

His feng shui stall was now open.

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Author's Note: I'm here [melting emoji]. Shocked to have made it onto the rankings this week—I thought I'd be left out until the finale. Feeling a bit dead inside.