Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"Uncle? Hello? Uncle?"

"What is it?"

Pei Yan frowned as he spoke, as if he'd heard crying.

At the same time, Pei Haochuan's voice came through the phone: "Uh, it's nothing major—"

"If it's not major, I'm hanging up."

"Whoa, wait, wait, wait—I want to borrow Chasing Shadow from you!"

"Chasing Shadow?"

There really was crying.

Pei Yan stood up, saying casually, "Why do you want to borrow Chasing Shadow? Don't tell me you just want to ride a horse."

"Ah, Mu Lin and I are going to..."

*

"East Suburb Horse Ranch?"

Shen Ju blinked: "What do you need me there for?"

Han Chengfeng had just managed to soothe his sister; her loud wailing had nearly deafened him.

The uncle, whom Shen Ju had kicked into the bushes and who was now holding his lower back as he emerged, covered in grass, mud, and grime, came over with a dusty face to apologize. He didn't dare utter a single harsh word, thinking he had truly harmed the little girl. After fumbling for a while, he pulled out a phone with a spiderweb-cracked screen from his pants pocket, shot Shen Ju a resentful look, then added Han Chengfeng as a contact.

The uncle decisively and promptly transferred 20,000 yuan to Han Chengfeng, telling him to reach out anytime if there were issues. Han Chengfeng, equally decisive, let the uncle leave to tend to his back injury.

After promising to buy his sister, Han Chengyue, another Hanfu outfit, he finally calmed her down. Then, while holding his sister's braid, Han Chengfeng efficiently set about his "recruit a sidekick" plan.

"What else would we go for? I'll show you a good time."

Han Chengfeng adopted a chummy posture with Shen Ju, putting on an "I get you" expression: "I know you've just been taken in by the Guan family, so you must be cautious in how you handle things. After all, Guan Mulin grew up in the Guan family; even without blood relations, there's the bond formed from living together day in and day out. He's also friends with Pei Haochuan and Ke Sheng. In comparison, what do you have?"

Han Chengfeng drew out his words.

Then, as if delivering a surprise: "You have me!"

Shen Ju: "............Huh???"

Han Chengfeng wore a reliable and affirmative expression: "Shen Ju, you and I are on the same side!"

"Here's the thing: this afternoon, I made plans with Pei Haochuan and Guan Mulin to race each other at the East Suburb Horse Ranch—it's about that fight the other day; whoever loses admits fault and apologizes. How about you come with me?"

Han Chengfeng thought, even if Shen Ju couldn't do anything, just his appearance with him would surely make Guan Mulin's face a sight to behold.

"It's fine, I don't need you to actually do anything. Just come along for fun."

Han Chengfeng continued to tug at his sister's braid with one hand and patted Shen Ju's shoulder with the other: "I'm genuinely on your side. I sympathize with you! I feel for you! So—"

"What are you talking about?"

A voice came from nearby.

He glanced down again at the little girl whose braid Han Chengfeng had pulled loose; she was probably the one who had been crying earlier, as tear tracks still streaked her face.

Han Chengfeng didn't expect to see Pei Yan here and stammered: "P-P-Pei..."

Pei Yan nodded to Han Chengfeng: "Just call me Pei Yan."

Han Chengfeng mumbled: "Pei, Brother Pei."

Damn it! Did he mention Pei Haochuan earlier? He did, right?! Did Pei Haochuan's uncle hear it or not?!

Why is Pei Yan here?!

Han Chengfeng wanted to add Shen Ju as a contact and text or call him.

But his sister refused to leave now; her eyes darted from Shen Ju to Pei Yan, then from Pei Yan back to Shen Ju, stubbornly unwilling to move.

She's siding with outsiders! It's so infuriating!

Pei Yan hadn't hung up the phone either; Pei Haochuan was still listening on the other end. He hadn't been able to persuade his uncle, and then he thought he heard Han Chengfeng's voice. After confirming it was that scumbag, he immediately started shouting on the phone—"Uncle? You ran into Han Chengfeng? Uncle, how did you run into him? Don't pay any attention to him!"

Pei Yan glanced and put it on speaker.

Shen Ju noticed: "............"

Hmm, what a considerate move by Brother Pei?

Han Chengfeng didn't notice so carefully because when he clearly heard Pei Haochuan's voice, he immediately blew up: "Damn! Pei Haochuan, you're trying to boss your uncle around? You say ignore him and he should ignore him?"

Pei Haochuan sputtered on the other end: "No, Uncle, I—"

Pei Yan looked at Han Chengfeng: "Are you going to the East Suburb Horse Ranch this afternoon?"

"Yeah, and I wanted Shen Ju to come with me."

Han Chengfeng simply stopped hiding it and said boldly: "Guan Mulin is going too. I want Shen Ju to be on my side. We're going to race against Pei Haochuan and Guan Mulin."

Pei Yan turned to Shen Ju: "Are you going?"

Shen Ju was about to speak.

996: "Host, agree to it!"

"This Han Chengfeng is right! He's so understanding! Guan Mulin has Pei Haochuan by his side; you need someone too. Han Chengfeng is your solid ally!"

"It doesn't matter if you can't ride a horse. Anyway, you're going there to cause trouble for Guan Mulin. Earlier, when your mother gave you allowance, the amount she gave you was actually the same as what she gave Guan Mulin—that's totally unfair! Guan Mulin has received so much money from the Guan family growing up. Why should he, a fake young master, get the same amount as you now that you're back in the Guan family!"

"You need to be unreasonable, bully Guan Mulin behind the scenes, and get back the money your mother gave him!"

Beside Pei Haochuan, Guan Mulin, who was tutoring Pei Haochuan: "............"

Can it really be heard through the phone?

Electromagnetic wave transmission???

But Guan Mulin pursed his lips, thinking: Would Shen Ju really feel uncomfortable?

Because sometimes treating everyone equally is truly unfair.

Plus, what this system called 996 said is also right—everything he has received since childhood should originally have belonged to Shen Ju...

"But bro996..."

Shen Ju's hesitant voice sounded: "It's been so long, why didn't you tell me earlier to make a fuss and stop Mom from giving money to Second Brother? Isn't this just Monday morning quarterbacking?"

Bro996: "............"

Guan Mulin snorted.

Pei Haochuan glanced over: How can you laugh at a time like this?

Guan Mulin: But he called me Second Brother.

Pei Haochuan looked confused: What? I don't get it.

Guan Mulin nodded: That's because you don't have a little brother.

Pei Yan couldn't help but smirk. He spoke up: "If you're going, I'll go with you."

Shen Ju's eyes suddenly lit up: "Bro, are you coming with me too?"

It was as if he had found someone close and reliable, immediately agreeable. This open affection even omitted the "Pei" from his name, as if Pei Yan's presence would have his back. The feeling of being trusted gave Pei Yan that sensation again, like a kitten brushing against him, and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow slightly.

"Mm."

Pei Yan nodded, implying: "After all, I still can't do without you right now."

Pei Haochuan: "............"

What the actual hell? What does "can't do without" mean?!

Why is it that one after another, he just doesn't get it?!

"By the way, I have a horse stabled at the East Suburb Horse Ranch. Its name is Chasing Shadow, and it's the undisputed champion horse there. This afternoon, I can teach you how to ride it."

Pei Haochuan couldn't help but exclaim: "Uncle!"

Pei Yan replied with a hum, as if he didn't understand Pei Haochuan's meaning, or as if he had just realized something: "You're still on the line?"

Pei Haochuan choked: "I—"

"Hung up. See you this afternoon."

With a click, the call ended.

Pei Haochuan held his phone, in complete disbelief.

After a moment, he immediately turned to Guan Mulin, wanting him to join him in being upset: "Mu Lin, did you hear that?! Has my uncle been fooled by Shen Ju? He actually said he'd let Shen Ju ride Chasing Shadow, but he won't even lend it to me for the race! And Shen Ju is actually getting chummy with Han Chengfeng—he's obviously trying to mess with you—"

Pei Haochuan paused: "Mu Lin, are you even listening?"

Guan Mulin: "I'm listening."

Pei Haochuan: "...Then why are you smiling?"

Guan Mulin cleared his throat: "It's nothing. If we can't borrow Chasing Shadow, then so be it."

"No, I mean Shen Ju and Han Chengfeng—"

"Oh, right."

Guan Mulin nodded: "My younger brother is coming to the horse ranch this afternoon too. I'll call the ranch and have them prepare a riding outfit for him."

Pei Haochuan took a sharp breath, grabbing Guan Mulin's shoulders and shaking him back and forth: "Mu Lin! Mu Lin, what's wrong with you? Snap out of it, Mu Lin!!"

............

That afternoon, at the East Suburb Horse Ranch.

Pei Yan drove Shen Ju and Han Chengfeng to the location.

But when they arrived, they found that Qin Suxi had dragged Guan Muyao along as well.

Rewinding time a bit earlier—

Because Guan Mulin had "tipped off" the group chat of the "Special Events Investigation Bureau."

They had previously agreed that, regarding Shen Ju and this system called bro996, if they discovered anything, it would be best to share it in the group chat. The more information they gathered, the better they could figure out how to handle the situation. So, after restraining the seemingly gone crazy Pei Haochuan, Guan Mulin sent a message in the group.

Member Xiao Lin: [I heard JiuJiu and the bull-horse communicating again. You can't hear it if you're not in the same situation, but you can hear it over the phone.]

Guan Mulin summed up the earlier phone call.

He also mentioned that they would be going to the East Suburb Horse Ranch that afternoon, and that Shen Ju, egged on by the system bro996, might try to shake him down for money.

Director Qin: [Ah, I should have thought this through better, letting the bull-horse find an opening again.]

Director's Husband: [Honey, it's not your fault. These kinds of situations are inherently hard to balance.]

Director Guan: [This so-called bull-horse is truly a black sheep! Leading the kids astray! It must be eliminated!] [I sent a voice message I converted to text, and it actually recognized the tone and added exclamation marks automatically?]

Director Qin: [Yes, Dad. Dad, please calm down.]

Member Xiao Yao: [Maybe this afternoon, one of us should go to the East Suburb Horse Ranch to check things out in person.]

Just as the group was discussing who would be suitable to go, "Member Xiao Lin" popped up again.

[It's alright, Mom, Dad, Grandpa, Big Brother, don't worry too much.]

[I think JiuJiu is pretty sensible.]

Member Xiao Lin added casually: [He even knows to call me Second Brother.]

The others: "............"

Author's Note:

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