《Transmigrating into the Reborn Male Lead’s Ex-Boyfriend》 Chapter 1: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Eve: I said I wouldn¡¯t pick up another project, but I loved this novel too much, it haunted me. Unlike my past projects, I¡¯ve finished reading this one. I can say that it¡¯s 1v1, protagonist shou, and has a happy ending. I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do!
¡°Xiao Shaoye, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Song Xuanhe had just woken up. While still in a daze, he heard these words and subconsciously replied, ¡°Where are we?¡± ¡°The Qing City Orphanage. This is all the information on Xiao Yuanmu and the orphanage director.¡± Someone ced a hard-covered folder by Song Xuanhe¡¯s side. By coincidence, it bumped into his fingers that were hanging by his leg. The feeling of the hard stic made him frown. He felt befuddled like he hadn¡¯t yet fully woken up. Song Xuanhe rubbed his temples and finally opened his eyes. After getting a clear view of his surroundings, Song Xuanhe subconsciously rubbed his eyes. He turned to face an elite-looking, unfamiliar man, who was sitting by his side. He felt even more absent-minded as if he was still in a dream. Seeing Song Xuanhe furrowing his brows and rubbing at his temples, the man said with concern, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, do you not feel well?¡± Song Xuanhe had yet to understand what was happening. He was just about to ask who the man was, when an extremely boorish voice suddenly sounded in his head: ¡¾Enthusiastically celebrating Host¡¯s sessful fusion with the character, Song Xuanhe, from ¡¶The President and His Seven Boyfriends¡·. You don¡¯t have to pay $998 or even $888, all you need to do is follow the plot and say your lines, and you can take home Death-Seeking System Z48!¡±¡¿ The voice stopped. Words emerged in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind¡ª¡ª¡¾On the way to the orphanage Assistant Zhang Chao coted all of the information pertaining to Xiao Yuanmu and handed it over to Song Xuanhe. Only, when he thought about this youth who had already revealed a great talent for business, Zhang Chao still couldn¡¯t help but try and persuade him, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, Xiao Yuanmu is unable to discern between what¡¯s good for him and what¡¯s bad for him. You don¡¯t have to haggle with him. After some time, he¡¯ll naturally ept you.¡± Song Xuanheughed coldly. There was a determination to win in his voice, ¡°I¡¯m not patient enough to wait for him to ept. This time, he has no choice but to ept.¡± When Zhang Chao heard this, he sighed inwardly over this young master. He only hoped that he would be a bit more sensible. Xiao Shaoye liked to y around a little too much and was the type to get tired of the old and enamoured with the new. ¡¿ Song Xuanhe widened his eyes. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the words in his mind. Instead, he was surprised by the sudden silence around him. The car that had just been steadily driven had paused its movement. However, looking into the rear mirror, he could see that the driver was still in a driving position. Outside, it looked like someone had pressed pause on the pedestrians¡¯ actions. Even the unfamiliar man next to him was frozen, staring at him with a concerned expression. At this moment, it was like time had stopped. There was a baffling, odd feeling as well as a feeling of having transmigrated. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡¾It¡¯s as you see it, brother. ¡¿The System had a northeastern ent. It made its words sound warm like it already considered them friends:¡¾I am System Z48. From now on, I will assist you inpleting your mission. Right now, you¡¯ve transmigrated into a book called ¡¶The President and His Seven Boyfriends¡·. You¡¯ve be Song Xuanhe, who has the same name as you. When you¡¯ve finished your portion of the storyline, you can return to your own body.¡¿ ¡°Death-Seeking System¡­¡± Song Xuanhe repeated this once. There was dislike but also a sense of being at a loss in his tone, ¡°You¡¯re a Death-Seeking System named Death-Seeking?¡± ¡¾You can change my name ording to your tastes. Actually, myst host named me Er Shun, but I thought that it wasn¡¯t dazzling enough, so I changed it into a name that had numbers and letters. Z48 not only suits my identity, but it also sounds very futuristic.¡¿ There was too much wrong with these words. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know from where he should start ridiculing it. Therefore, he just asked about proper matters, ¡°Why did I transmigrate into this book? Also, why do I have toplete the mission you¡¯ve given me?¡± Transmigrating, or transmigrating into a book, wasn¡¯t a new concept to Song Xuanhe, who often liked to read books in his spare time. From historical texts, to astronomy, to domestic and foreign ssics, to even the multifarious types of online texts¡ª he would not refuse to read any of them. So long as he had the time, it was fine. However, he¡¯d seen plots before where people had transmigrated because they had died in a car ident, jumped off a building and died, and all sorts of other reasons, but he never imagined that he would transmigrate after having just fallen asleep in a normal fashion. Like he said, why, ah? He, who was the youngest young master of the Song n in his original world, had notcked money nor power. He hadn¡¯t been at the summit in terms of influence, but he also hadn¡¯t been someone others dared to provoke without thinking it through. He lived freely, confident, and at ease. Only after eating until he burst would he have thought about switching lives. ¡¾This is just the way it is, brother.¡¿The System seemed to be taking the time to put its words together. Half a minuteter, it continued speaking:¡¾If you¡¯re unwilling, I can send you back to your original world. However, you probably won¡¯t live for more than half a year.¡¿ ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡¾Actually, this is also the reason why we looked for you. Do you remember your physical examination you did a while back? Right now, you probably haven¡¯t gotten the results yet. However, I can directly inform you of your result. Your body¡¯s condition is not good. Right now, you already have middlete stage stomach cancer. The cancer cells have already shifted to other parts of your body. With the current level of medicine in your world, the chances of being cured are extremely small.¡¿ Song Xuanhe was silent for a while. He listened to the System¡¯s words. A normal person¡¯s first reaction would be to not believe these words. However, he knew his own body. He had gone to have a physical examination done, because he could perceive that there had been changes in his body. Nheless, he didn¡¯t expect it to really be stomach cancer. It had even progressed to the middlete stage. ¡°If Iplete the mission, is there a chance to be cured after going back?¡± ¡¾Rather, I should say that as long as youplete the story line, your body will cure itself without needing treatment.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak for a long time. He then suddenly smiled, ¡°OK. I agree.¡± The System sighed in relief and said:¡¾Since it¡¯s like this, I¡¯ll first send the information about this world to you and let you get an approximate understanding of it.¡¿ A book very quickly appeared within Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind. Probably because he was reading in his head, he finished flipping through the book in minutes. After finishing, his expression wasplicated and difficult-to-express sinctly. He endured and endured, asking, ¡°You want me to do everything the Song Xuanhe in the book did again?¡± The System felt rather guilty:¡¾Yes.¡¿ ¡°I choose to live for half a year. Take me back.¡± ¡¾Don¡¯t, ah! Big Brother! We can discuss this!¡¿ Song Xuanhe sneered but didn¡¯t say anything again. He only roughly skimmed through the contents of the book once more. This book was called ¡¶The President and His Seven Boyfriends¡·. The focus was indeed on the President and his seven boyfriends. Probably because the censors have been stricttely, although the name made it seem like it was a very sexually explicit novel, the contents were actually very pure and harmonious. Although the main character was indeed always hopelessly entangled with seven men, right until the author stopped writing midway, he hadn¡¯t confirmed his rtionship with any of them, let alone did anything really happen between him and them. The male lead of this novel was named Xiao Yuanmu. Just from looking at his name, you would feel like he kind of seemed like a great male lead from a stallion novel. And in reality, this danmei novel¡¯s protagonist was actually very much like those ¡°Mr.Perfect¡± male leads in stallion novels. Xiao Yuanmu was one of the sessors to the Xiao Group, one of the eight great financial groups in this world. His aura was ice-cold and ascetic; his personality was frigid and gloomy; his methods were decisive and vicious; his talent in business was outstanding. Under hismand, the Xiao Family became the number one financial group in the world, reaching the summit of the world in a single leap. Xiao Yuanmu himself also became an existence that even the head of state had to treat deferentially. Xiao Yuanmu was different from the other ck lotus protagonists, who would smile on the outside but were actually sons of b*tches on the inside. He was an exotic flower that grew out of the mud, covered in filth. He was petty and would not refrain from speaking of taboo topics. He had a good grasp on how to ¡°make stocks drop beneath the horizon while chatting.¡± He was a ssic example of someone who could destroy a group with just a word. No one who offended him ended up with a good ending. Song Xuanhe had a strong suspicion that the reason the author had given up writing in the end had a lot to do with how Xiao Yuanmu was too much of a Gary Stu. After all, if you made your male lead too Gary Stu, don¡¯t even mention the readers, not even the author, who created him, would be able to ept him being pressed under any of the seven boyfriends, who weren¡¯t even better-looking, richer, or more influential than him. Even so, none of this had anything to do with Song Xuanhe. What concerned him was the original host, who had only appeared in less than ten chapters, despite the novel being over a million words long¡ª Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe was the youngest young master of the Song Group that reigned over Jiang City. After graduating, he came out of nowhere and became one of the Song Family¡¯s Vice Presidents. As soon as he entered thepany, he took a fancy to Xiao Yuanmu, who had begun working for thepany not even a month ago. Since then, he had begun a vigorous pursuit of the other. Once you read up to here, you might think that Song Xuanhe was one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s boyfriends. But actually, he wasn¡¯t. This was because most of his scenes urred before the male lead was reborn, and this book was mostly about what happened after Xiao Yuanmu was reborn. That meant it had nothing to do with Song Xuanhe. If you really had to describe their rtionship, then it would probably be: Xiao Yuanmu would still find it difficult to ease his hate for Song Xuanhe even after turning him to dust. That¡¯s right, ¡¶The President and His Seven Boyfriends¡·was a rebirth story. Before his rebirth, Xiao Yuanmu had been an orphan, dependent on the orphanage director while growing up. Although he had been adopted several times because of his exquisitely good looks, he was always sent back to the orphanage in the end. So long as there were other people around, there would be strife, especially in such a barren ce like the orphanage. Xiao Yuanmu was handsome, intelligent, and sensible. He was always the first pick of people who wereing to adopt. The other young children naturally rejected and isted him because of this. They would even frame him for crimes he didn¡¯t do and nder him. It was because he had grown up in such circumstances that Xiao Yuanmu had be reclusive and cold. He had be expressionless at a young age and would bepletely indifferent to everything and everyone else. Nheless, it was fortunate that he had the Director¡¯s fine teaching. Therefore, even under such circumstances, there was a type of kindness that only young people would have still in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart. However, this rare kindness was thoroughly destroyed by Song Xuanhe. As soon as he entered thepany, Song Xuanhe began to court Xiao Yuanmu. However, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t liked him and would not ept him. Therefore, Song Xuanhe used the orphanage director to force Xiao Yuanmu topromise. After the two of them got together, it wasn¡¯t long before Song Xuanhe became fed up with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s constant expressionless and frigid appearance. Even so, he hadn¡¯t broken up with him. Instead, he had begun to torment Xiao Yuanmu for fun. He would willfully order him about, and tease him, and humiliate him in public. He even let his friends make fun of him and y tricks on him. Afterwards, at a banquet, Song Xuanhe directly gave Xiao Yuanmu to a greasy-haired, big-eared, sadistic businessman as a gift. And, it was precisely this that led to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s death. ¡ª¡ªWhen he was on the way to the hotel with the businessman, the car Xiao Yuanmu was in crashed into a truck head-first. He died on the spot. Xiao Yuanmu, after being reborn, naturally hated Song Xuanhe to the bone. However, he was extremely calm. Afterying low for a while, he once again gathered all the evidence of the Song Family¡¯swbreaking that he had found before. He then dumped it all in front of Song Xuanhe, threatened him thoroughly, and then left. He made use of his knowledge of the past to buy a lottery ticket worth 5 million and then left the city, heading for Hai City. Afterwards, Xiao Yuanmu went to work for the country¡¯s biggest stock exchange. After working for some time, he spent his time learning and also used the five million he won to practice under a different identity. His gaze was precise, and in just half a year, that five million grew more than twenty-fold. He had umted nearly 100 million in capital. And, it was in that moment that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s biological parents found him. They allowed him to leap from his status as an orphan to one of the sessors of the Xiao Group, one of the great eight financial groups in the world. ¡°Reaching Heaven in a single bound¡± was not even adequate enough to describe it. In the Capital, the Song Family had both estates and connections. However,pared to a giant like the Xiao Family, they were nothing but an ant. They could not be mentioned on equal terms. Therefore, Song Xuanhe¡¯s fate could be imagined¡ªafter the Song Group went bankrupt, Song Xuanhe somehow became impotent. He was unable to recover from this one setback and was tricked into drug addiction while he had been drowning his worries in alcohol. In order to support his drug addiction, he hadid beneath all sorts of men, jumping from bed to bed. In the end, because those people had grown tired of ying with him, they threw him into the forest, where he was torn apart by ferocious wolves. He died without an intact corpse. When he saw this, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if it was worse to help the original host walk down the plot, dying without aplete corpse, or go back to live a confident and easy life for half a year before dying of cancer.
Eve: For now, updates will be once a week, Sunday. I want to take some time to stock up and gauge my workload. Hoping to make this twice a week soon~ Anyway, this story is super cute with some thorns. It¡¯s also a very long slow burn with lots of UST. Chapter 2: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara When he saw that Song Xuanhe was silent all this time, the System became rather flustered and said, ¡¾Have you made your decision? We really can discuss this!¡¿ ¡°Discuss what?¡± ¡¾For example, I could give you one chance to ask for help?¡¿The System saw Song Xuanhe sneer and promptly added:¡¾Two chances, two chances!¡¿ ¡°Three chances. Otherwise, there¡¯s no discussion.¡± The System was conflicted but finally gnashed its teeth and said:¡¾Three chances it is. Deal!¡¿ Song Xuanhe stretched, and a crafty smile appeared on his face, ¡°OK. Then, from now on, your name is Er Gou.¡± The System: ¡­. ¡°What? Didn¡¯t you say that I have the right to choose your name?¡± ¡¾Perhaps we can discuss this?¡¿ ¡°Are we going to unfold the plot or not, brother?¡± Er Gou choked, gnashing its teeth in anger as it epted this name, and said:¡¾From now on, you can directly speak to me in your head. There¡¯s no need to say it out loud. Right now, I¡¯m going to end my time-suspension ability. Just follow the plot. Otherwise, if it¡¯s not a scene rted to the protagonist, then you are free to act as you see fit, so long as you don¡¯t cause the story line to deviate.¡¿ ¡¾Didn¡¯t you say that I had to do as those words said?¡¿Song Xuanhe adapted very quickly and then continued to speak in his mind:¡¾So what you¡¯re saying is that I only have to earnestly follow the plot when Xiao Yuanmu is around. In any other case, so long as it doesn¡¯t influence the general direction of the story, I can y around however I want?¡¿ When he heard the words ¡°y around,¡± the System felt a bad premonition arise in its heart. However, it still replied honestly:¡¾Yes.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved into a smile as he beamed:¡¾Alright, unfreeze time, ba.¡¿ As if nothing abnormal had urred, everything before his eyes became lively once more. The assistant was still looking at him worriedly. When he didn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe¡¯s response, he asked once more, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, are you not feeling well?¡± Song Xuanhe waved his hand. He took a look at the orphanage¡¯s gate through the window. He said, ¡°It¡¯s nothing. Let¡¯s go, ba.¡± Zhang Chao asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to look at the information?¡± ¡°No. I already know what I need to know. Let¡¯s go straight in.¡± Zhang Chao nodded, hesitated for a moment, and then tried to persuade him again, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, Xiao Yuanmu is unable to discern between what¡¯s good for him and what¡¯s bad for him. You don¡¯t have to haggle with him. After some time, he¡¯ll naturally ept you.¡± Song Xuanhe turned to give Zhang Chao a nce. He smiled while he said, ¡°I have a sense of propriety.¡± Zhang Chao followed Song Xuanhe into the orphanage. They came here under the pretext of contributing goods. Therefore, the orphanage¡¯s Director came to see them very quickly. The orphanage¡¯s Director was an elderlydy of about sixty years old. Her body was a bit feeble, but she seemed extremely amiable and kind. She took Song Xuanhe and Zhang Chao to take a look around with a smile before bringing them into her office. Song Xuanhe sized up this very simple and crude office quietly. He knew very well about the orpahange¡¯s current financial situation. Still, he smiled, ¡°Granny, actually, the main reason why I¡¯vee here to donate is because of Xiao Yuanmu. He has graduated from a well-known school, and his ability at work is extraordinary. I inadvertently overheard that he was an orphan, so I wanted toe here to take a look at the ce he grew up in and help out a little bit.¡± When the Director heard Song Xuanhe praise Xiao Yuanmu, she first smiled and then asked, ¡°Are you Yuanmu¡¯s coworker?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe had fair and clear skin as well as a handsome face. When he smiled, it was very easy for him to increase the goodwill that others had towards him. ¡°Is he here today?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± The Director smiled. ¡°It¡¯s rare for his friends toe looking for him. I¡¯ll call him over for you.¡± A short whileter, Xiao Yuanmu followed the Director in. The moment he saw Song Xuanhe, his face that still held a faint but distinct gentleness immediately froze over and was reced with vignce. However, because the Director was still there, he only used an expressionless tone to say, ¡°Why have youe here?¡± The Director furrowed her brows when she heard this. She said, ¡°Yuanmu, your friend came to see you. How can you talk to him like this?¡± Xiao Yuanmu pursed his lips. The gaze he directed towards Song Xuanhe was full of loathing and restrained apprehension. He didn¡¯t utter a single word. Zhang Chao wanted toment on behalf of Xiao Yuanmu, but Song Xuanhe was his direct superior. Therefore, he could only do his best to mediate. Thus, he said, ¡°Director, it seems like Xuanhe and Yuanmu have some things to talk about. How about you give me a tour of the facilities here?¡± The Director nodded. She gave Xiao Yuanmu a warning and then left with Zhang Chao. When their footsteps were far enough away that they could no longer be clearly heard, Xiao Yuanmu said with a quiet, icy voice, ¡°What are you nning to do here? I¡¯ve already quit.¡± Song Xuanhe folded his arms and leaned against the sofazily. He was just about to say something when a part of the wooden frame of the sofa poked out from the back. Immediately, he could no longer maintain his carefree and lofty manner. He could only bear with the pain as he said his lines, ¡°I didn¡¯t agree. How could you quit?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze became sharp. He then heard Song Xuanhe continue, ¡°You¡¯ve also seen it. This orphanage is already so worn out that it couldn¡¯t be any more worn out. I heard that they¡¯re nning on opening a new orphanage in the Capital¡¯s suburbs. It¡¯s impressive and brilliant. The children left here are mostly the sickly ones. It¡¯s only because of the Director¡¯s kindheartedness that this agency has been able to stay afloat with much difficulty. Otherwise, this little ce would have already been demolished. Say, should I help the Director out a bit?¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Song Xuanhe shifted forward a bit. On his face was a smile that made people want to beat him up, ¡°What I mean is up to you. If you agree, no matter if it¡¯s resources or construction, this orphanage will receive funding. If you don¡¯t agree to my demands, then this orphanage will likely be demolished, and a high-rise will be built in its ce. Thisnd belongs to my Song Family. You should know what I¡¯m capable of.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. However, even if he didn¡¯t speak, those eyes that held a constrained, frosty air were enough to make people feel the cold as if it was tangible. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care. He only smiled and continued, ¡°I¡¯ll give you three days to think it over. Three dayster, either obediently agree to my demands, or watch this orphanage be razed to the ground. It¡¯s all up to you.¡± He then slowly stood up and left after leaving words for the other to ponder over. Once he reached the road, the System said with pleasant surprise:¡¾Brother, I found that, although you¡¯re a designer, your acting ability is actually quite good, ah!¡¿ ¡¾Being skilled is essential to make it in the world. Furthermore, one can never have too many skills. ¡¿Song Xuanhezily leaned against his seat that was made of real leather. The part of his back that had been poked just now still ached with faint pain. ¡¾That¡¯s true. You¡¯re truly worthy of being the host that I, Z48¡ªEr Gou¡ª have chosen.¡¿The System forced itself to ept its name and then continued:¡¾I¡¯ll send you information on the Song Family so that you can adjust to the Song Family¡¯s life more smoothly.¡¿ Three dayster. When Song Xuanhe came down, everyone was already present at the dining table. The woman with a mature air looked up and saw that Song Xuanhe hade down. A smile bloomed across her face. ¡°Come quickly. We¡¯ve been waiting for you.¡± The middle-aged man sitting to the left of the woman was looking at his phone. When he heard her speak, he raised his head and said with furrowed brows, ¡°You¡¯re getting more and more outrageous. At thepany, you brazenly chase after a man. Now that you¡¯re home, you make your entire family wait for you to eat breakfast. What¡¯s next?!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips curled into a smile. His tone was provocative, ¡°Grandpa hasn¡¯t even scolded me. Dad, why are you so angry? It couldn¡¯t be that the newly crowned Film Empress didn¡¯t make you feel good yesterday, ba?¡± ¡°Impudent!¡± Song Guochao jumped up, so furious that his face turned a purplish-red, ¡°How can you speak to your father like this?! Are you looking down on me?!¡± Song Xuanhe shrugged. He was about to say something when the elderly man sitting at the head of the table spoke, ¡°Alright. What are you doing, making a fuss so early in the morning? All of you, sit down and eat.¡± Song Guochao had a face full of rage, but he had no choice but to sit. Song Xuanhe also walked to his seat and sat down. With everyone in their ces, breakfast was served. The servants sessively brought in te after te. Disregarding soup, porridge, water, and juice, each person had at least five to six tes or steamer baskets ced in front of them. Each breakfast item was exquisite and artistic, the West and the Eastbined. Looking at the table, it was obvious that just the expenses incurred for this family¡¯s breakfast were iparably extravagant. Song Xuanhe ate his breakfast quietly, eyes lowered. During thesest three days, he had gained a solid understanding of the original host¡¯s personality and family. The original Song Xuanhe was arrogant, overbearing, and egotistical. Because of his age and the fact that he had grown up in a rather cynical environment, his chuunibyou phase had persisted. And, the most obvious part of chuunibyou syndrome was¡­rebellion. However, he enjoyed being able to always stand on the opposite side of Song Guochao, arguing against him. He never tired of it. Only, after staying in the Song Family for these three days, Song Xuanhe thought that it was only logical that the original host had grown astray, having grown up under such an environment. He had gathered clues leading to this by looking at the constitution of the family¡¯s members. There was the grandfather who held all authority, had the final say, and would not allow anyone to refute him; there was a cowardly, incapable, womanizing father, who could only put on airs in front of his son, a mother who spoiled her youngest son rotten, and an older brother who was much more outstanding than him in every aspect. As written in the story, the Song Family controlled the Capital¡¯s biggest privately runpany and was also the richest family in the Capital. Because Song Xuanhe¡¯s father, Song Guochao, had no talent in business and was a womanizer, the current Song Family was still managed by Song Xuanhe¡¯s grandfather. In the choice for the sessor, the Song Family had directly skipped over Song Guochao. Right now, it was between Song Xuanhe and his elder brother, Song Xuanlin. It was just that Song Xuanhe had no intention of inheriting the family business. From a young age, he had never had to worry about his daily necessities. He had also grown ustomed to courting death with all his might, only to then have his family clean up his messes. Obviously, he wouldn¡¯t want to undertake any responsibilities. Moreover, if there hadn¡¯t been Xiao Yuanmu, the Song Family would have indeed had the ability to let him live his entire life like this. Nheless, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to always have to think of a new way to provoke Song Guochao whenever he saw him as if they were fighting chickens, for the sake of his character settings. He was even less willing to gain another enemy on top of Xiao Yuanmu. Therefore, he needed to find a way thatplied with the original host¡¯s personality to ¡°naturally¡± put a stop to his current kind of behaviour. Moreover, he had to change his personality. Just yesterday, after he saw Song Guochao and the new Film Empress¡¯ scandal be revealed, a solution instantly emerged in his mind. Only, there was no rush. He would first finish his official business of unfolding today¡¯s plot. This time, Assistant Zhang Chao did note with. Song Xuanhe drove himself to the Qing City Orphanage. The gatekeeper was the same one who let Song Xuanhe inst time. Thus, the gatekeeper didn¡¯t stop him upon seeing him. Instead, the gatekeeper called out with a smile, ¡°Xiao Xiao, your friend hase!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. Xiao Xiao? The future badass, abnormal, mental case of an iceberg tycoon was actually being called such a cute nickname as ¡°Xiao Xiao?¡± For some reason, this made him feel that there was a bit of a ¡°gap moe¡± here. Xiao Yuanmu came out. He wasn¡¯t surprised to see Song Xuanhe. With a cold voice, he said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Song Xuanhe followed after Xiao Yuanmu and arrived at the Director¡¯s office that he had been in three days ago. He purposely sat down on the armchair that didn¡¯t have any holes. He raised his chin and recited his lines, ¡°Have you thought it over?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression darkened. He stared fixedly at Song Xuanhe for a while before saying with an insipid tone, ¡°Do I have a choice?¡± Song Xuanhe shrugged, his lips curling into a smile. ¡°No.¡± When he heard this, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes turned even colder. His jaw tensed, and he fell silent for a moment. He then said, ¡°I agree.¡± When he heard this tone of voice that sounded like the other was making a humiliatingpromise, Song Xuanhe lifted his head to size Xiao Yuanmu up. The other was extremely good-looking. His back was always straight, and he had wide shoulders and long legs. Even though he was wearing a cheap white T-shirt and washed-out jeans, he still made it look high-ss. Just from looking at him like this, Song Xuanhe felt that he could really understand why the original host had taken a fancy to Xiao Yuanmu and had been determined to have him. ¡°Then, pack up your stuff, ande with me,¡± Song Xuanhe looked away and said, ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll be living with me in my apartment that¡¯s near thepany.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze. His voice was nd, but there was a cold air seeping through it, ¡°Remember what you promised me.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe stood up, pleased with himself. ¡°So long as you¡¯re willing to be good, this orphanage will only improve.¡± ¡¾After saying this, Song Xuanhe raised Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chin. Under the other¡¯s cold gaze, he smiled, ¡°Since I¡¯ve agreed to help you finance the orphanage, then shouldn¡¯t I get a little something in return? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. There was wariness and loathing in his eyes. With a frosty tone, he said, ¡°What do you want?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled devilishly. He pinched Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chin and pulled him down, kissing him on the lips. Before the other could push him away, he let go and spoke with a ridiculing tone, ¡°Not bad.¡±¡¿ Song Xuanhe, who had gotten up and was about to leave, froze. Quickly, he realized what the words that appeared in his head meant. However, there was still a sliver of hope in his heart:¡¾It couldn¡¯t be that you want me to follow what¡¯s written here, ba?¡¿ Er Gou shattered his hope:¡¾Jiayou, brother.¡¿ Eve: Two notes! One, this is a protagonist shou novel, so SXH is the shou. But the gong/shou dynamics are not really pronounced in this novel! Also, just wanted to make the note that MC (SXH) never does anything that would really hurt ML. Even in the ¡®scenes¡¯ he has to y out, he tries his best to change what he can, to find loopholes and overall just be less of a dick. Likewise, ML is a lot less overbearing than typical BL MLs. There are some dubcon-ish scenes but all-in-all, both of them are pretty respectful to one another and it¡¯s a pretty equal rtionship in terms of power bnce. Chapter 3: Give a Salute, Shake a Hand Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t move. Xiao Yuanmu also stopped walking and stood steps away from him. He stared at him coldly. After fixing his expression, Song Xuanhe slightly raised his chin and deliberated over his own character settings. He then walked until he stood in front of Xiao Yuanmu, haughty. His eyes met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm and indifferent eyes. Xiao Yuanmu watched him approach with a frosty gaze. Aside from the extremely constrained disgust in his eyes, there were no ripples of emotion. Song Xuanhe naturally knew just how much Xiao Yuanmu loathed him. Or rather, how much he loathed the original host. However, it would still be him in the end. These were all things that were already established. Thus, he didn¡¯t have any particr feelings about this. Song Xuanhe raised his head and pinched the other¡¯s chin. His lips raised into a smile. ¡°I suddenly thought that since I¡¯m helping you finance the orphanage, then shouldn¡¯t I get a little something in return? Don¡¯t you think so?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze darkened. He grabbed his hand. There was disdain in his lowered voice, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± His gloomy voice sounded by Song Xuanhe¡¯s ears. It carried a biting chill, causing his eyshes to involuntarily shudder. You could already see hints of his future self, of the iceberg tycoon who would one day make people tremble in trepidation. With just one sentence, he could make your scalp go numb. However, the plot that was to unfold must unfold. Song Xuanhe felt like the other was strong enough to shatter his wrist. He knew that he would not be able to press Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s head down. With the difference in their heights, he could only inwardly vent while slightly going up onto his tippy toes. Song Xuanhe¡¯s approaching face made the cold light in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes even more strict. Just as their lips were about to touch, it became more than he could bear. He frowned and pushed the other away without any mercy. He narrowed his eyes, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Upon being pushed away, Song Xuanhe had to stumble back a few steps in order to maintain his bnce. However, he wasn¡¯t angry at all. He suppressed the joy from having escaped from the situation and analyzed in a very reasonable way:¡¾I¡¯ve already said all my lines. It¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu who pushed me. ording to Song Xuanhe¡¯s character settings, he would likely leave, flustered and exasperated. He would then think of a way to take revenge at ater time. Therefore, ording to my character settings, I should just turn and leave now. ¡¿ ¡¾Your character setting isn¡¯t important in the slightest. What¡¯s important is that if you don¡¯t sessfullyplete parts of the story line, you¡¯ll die immediately. It doesn¡¯t matter if it¡¯s in the book or in the real world¡ªin both cases, you¡¯ll be dead.¡¿The System cruelly shattered Song Xuanhe¡¯s attempt at finding a loophole:¡¾Furthermore, the designated scenes can only ur in the designated locations. If Xiao Yuanmu leaves this room, and you haven¡¯tpleted the designated action, then that means that you have failed your mission. Lastly, I¡¯ll give you a little reminder. Xiao Yuanmu is about to walk through that door.¡¿ Just as the System said this, Xiao Yuanmu pushed Song Xuanhe away and headed outside. Currently, he had just reached the door. Seeing Xiao Yuanmu ce his hand on the door, Song Xuanhe thought about how his little life woulde to an end as soon as that door was pushed open. Song Xuanhe had no time to think. He broke out into a run in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s direction. Just as the other was about to push the door open, he directly pounced onto the other in a moment of desperation. The System: !!! ¡ª¡ªA faint fresh and cool lemon scent wafted into Song Xuanhe¡¯s nose. Before his eyes was a straight nose that the shadows of his eyshesid upon. The smooth and perfect contours were as sharp as a knife. He looked like a sculptor¡¯s finest masterpiece. Xiao Yuanmu turned his head to the side slowly. The shadow on his nose shifted a bit. His long eyshes fluttered, looking like they were stained by an austere chilliness. His eyes met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s widened eyes. It was like shards of ice were forming in his voice. He spat out one word at a time, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Only then did Song Xuanhe realized that he had actually jumped onto the back of the future boss who could determine someone¡¯s life and death with a single blink. However, he was only startled for a moment. After all, he was about to lose his life. What couldn¡¯t he do in this case? ¡°Kissing you.¡± As soon as those words fell and before Xiao Yuanmu could reply, the door was pulled open from the outside. A kindhearted, elderly person stood outside, staring at the two of them, astonished. At that moment, Xiao Yuanmu wanted to pull him off. Song Xuanhe, who greatly valued his life, didn¡¯t have time to care about other things. He directly turned Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face towards himself and then quickly touched lips with him. He then immediately said thest line, ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡¾Missionplete.¡¿ When he heard the System¡¯s voice, Song Xuanhe was relieved. After the urgency from having his life on the line disappeared, the horror from realizing that he was atop of the future tycoon¡¯s back instantly attacked his mind. He acted like someone had just pricked his butt, jumping off of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back. When he regained his bnce, in order to gain a teeny bit of goodwill to offset the extremely negative impression the future big boss had of him, he decided to ¡°help out¡± in a roundabout way. Song Xuanhe stood up straight and smiled extremely lovably at the elderly person standing at the doorway. He said, ¡°Hello, Director.¡± Only then did the elderly womane back to herself. When Song Xuanhe hade looking for Xiao Yuanmu before, she didn¡¯t think much of it. When the two of them said that they wanted to be alone in the room together, she had thought that they had something they needed to talk about. She didn¡¯t expect that they actually had this kind of rtionship. Yuanmu had never treated anyone intimately before. It wasn¡¯t a bad thing that he had a boyfriend now. The Director did not feel any rejection towards this. Gay marriage in this world had already be legalized before she had even been born. In her eyes, it was normal for Xiao Yuanmu to find a partner of any gender. Only, it would be better if his partner was a bit lively. Therefore, Song Xuanhe was very suitable. Although they had only met twice, looking at Song Xuanhe¡¯s glittering eyes and delightful smile, she could tell that he was a good, lively, and cheerful child. She felt that this child suited Xiao Yuanmu very well. Only, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s skin had always been thin. The two of them were horsing around in the room, but she had suddenly pushed the door open and interrupted their intimacy. The Director smiled kindly and pretended not to have seen anything. She volunteered them a way out of this embarrassing situation. ¡°Are you nning to go out to eat?¡± Xiao Yuanmu pursed his lips and said insipidly, ¡°No.¡± The elderly woman flitted her gaze from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold face to the beaming and charming Song Xuanhe. She said amiably, ¡°Since you¡¯re not nning to go out to eat, stay here for a meal, ba.¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously took a look at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. Seeing him lower his head silently, he faced the elderly woman¡¯s expression of anticipation and could only nod. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to trouble you, Granny.¡± Hearing Song Xuanhe agree, the elderly woman¡¯s smile deepened. She pulled him down to sit onto the sofa and poured him a ss of water. ¡°Yuanmu, this child, doesn¡¯t speak much. It¡¯s usually rare to see him get close to others. The only one he¡¯s brought back is you. It¡¯s obvious that he really sees you as his good friend. You two, ah, get along well. He¡¯s a quiet child who doesn¡¯t like to speak much. I hope that you can forgive him for that.¡± Song Xuanhe took the ss and thanked her. He didn¡¯t say anything else. He saw Xiao Yuanmu walk over. Xiao Yuanmu then told the elderly woman, ¡°Granny, go cook, ba. We¡¯re fine here.¡± The elderly woman was all smiles. She said, ¡°OK, OK, OK, Granny will leave. The two of you get along well now.¡± The door had just been shut by the elderly woman when the gentle expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face disappeared. He forcefully wiped his lips that had just touched Song Xuanhe¡¯s. His eyes were cold like a frozen pond. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that we¡¯re going to your ce? Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°I just agreed to¡ª¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know why you suddenly came,¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down at him from above. There was a threat of breaking out into a life-or-death struggle in his meticulously suppressed voice. ¡°However, if you dare scheme against the Director, I promise you that I¡¯ll make you regret being born into this world.¡± Seeing the constrained vicious currents and maliciousness in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, Song Xuanhe only felt a cold air travel up his spine. It slowly climbed up to his scalp, paralyzing it. At the same time, he abruptly realized that even if Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been reborn yet, he was still not someone you could easily create difficulties for. He trusted that Xiao Yuanmu would definitely do as he said. He propped himself into a standing position with the sofa. Song Xuanhe raised his chin and adjusted his expression to one full of disdain. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for you, I wouldn¡¯t eat in a ce like this. Since you want to go, then we¡¯ll go, ba.¡± However, just as the two of them reached the orphanage¡¯s gate, before they could get in the car, a little girl with twin ponytails ran over. She nced at Xiao Yuanmu and then spoke to Song Xuanhe timidly, ¡°Gege, are you leaving now? Granny Director wanted me to call you and Yuanmu gege to go eat in the dining hall.¡± Song Xuanhe paused his steps, and he turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu acted like he didn¡¯t see the little girl. He only said coldly, ¡°Tell her that something¡¯se up, so we won¡¯t being.¡± The girl was evidently afraid of Xiao Yuanmu. When she heard his words, she promptly nodded her head and then ran away like a rabbit being chased by a pack of wolves, making herself scarce. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips and choked by down the ¡°What did you do to the little girl to make her so afraid of you?¡± He then opened the car door and sat in his seat. He waited until Xiao Yuanmu sat in the passenger seat before starting the engine. From the corner of his eye, he saw that the other was looking down. He endured and endured but couldn¡¯t help but finally say, ¡°Put on your seatbelt.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at him but didn¡¯t move. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows knitted, and he spoke in a tone in ordance to the original host, ¡°It couldn¡¯t be that you want me to do it for you?¡± Song Xuanhe thought that if he said it like this, Xiao Yuanmu would put on his seatbelt. However, the other didn¡¯t move. He only stared at him coldly. Was this a passive protest against his threat? Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t this kind of senseless person, ba. Before, when he had only read the novel, it still had been OK. Now that he¡¯de into contact with him, Song Xuanhe only had one thought: Xiao Yuanmu was absolutely not someone he could afford to offend. If it was in his original world, he would certainly avoid Xiao Yuanmu if he saw him. Even if they had to meet, he absolutely would not offend him. However, he was destined to really, really offend him. However, if someone in his car didn¡¯t have their seatbelt on, his obsession would not allow him to start driving. He struggled over this for a second. His character settings¡ªsomething that could copse at any time¡ªcould not win over hispulsive obsession that he¡¯d had for twenty odd years. Song Xuanhe undid his own seatbelt, leaned over to Xiao Yuanmu, helped him put on his seatbelt, and then withdrew. He was afraid that if the big boss was unhappy, he would torment him even more horribly in the future. ¡¾What are you afraid of?¡¿Er Gou said.¡¾There are only a few people who will die as miserably as you will. Rx, ba. No matter what you do, you can¡¯t possibly die an even worse death. ¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s action of starting the car paused. With an expressionless face, he said:¡¾Thank you for the reminder, Big Bro.¡¿ The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: I don¡¯t know if I should let out a ¡®son of a b*tch¡¯ right now or not. Eve: Poor SXH. He just doesn¡¯t want to die. Is that so much to ask? Kara: Ahhhhh! Hello everyone, I am finally here!£¨¡ä?£à£©¥Î To both the readers and Eve, sorry for the dy in editing! I have been sick for a week or so. OTL I just wanted to say that I¡¯m very excited for this project too, and I am already loving it! SXH, do your best! (((o(*?¨Œ?*)o))) CG¡¯s Holiday Giveaway voting is now on~ Vote here. Chapter 4: Smile and Nod Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara The sports car slowly drove into a well-developed, high-ss vi district. It passed a detached vi and turned into the parking lot of the high-rise apartment inside the district. Song Xuanhe nced over at Xiao Yuanmu, who was sitting in the passenger seat, eyes closed and face expressionless. When he thought that he not only had to cohabit with this future big boss from today onwards but also had to torment him in various ways, he couldn¡¯t help but shed tears for his future self. His future self who will have an ending so tragic, it couldn¡¯t possibly be any more tragic. The car had just stopped when Xiao Yuanmu opened his eyes. His eyes were cold like a deep abyss. They were also clear and awake without any vestiges of sleep. Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t surprised. If Xiao Yuanmu could sleep in the car of the man who was forcing him to submit, then that would be as horrifying as if the dinosaurs from the Jurassic period were toe back to life. ¡°We¡¯re here. Get off, ba,¡± Song Xuanhe responsibly and diligently said his lines, ¡°From now on, you¡¯ll live here with me. I¡¯ll take you to see your room in a bit. After that, go make dinner.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him an insipid nce and then opened the car door. Song Xuanhe sighed in relief. He first took him on a tour of the two-story loft they would be living in and then opened the door to one of the rooms. He said, ¡°From now on, this is where you¡¯ll stay.¡± In the book, the only thing Song Xuanhe thought that the original host did correctly probably was choosing to sleep separately from Xiao Yuanmu. Although he didn¡¯t know why he would sleep separately when keeping a lover, it was because of this that Song Xuanhe could at least avoid being guarded and on edge at night. He didn¡¯t have to fear that Xiao Yuanmu would kill him if he was unhappy. Xiao Yuanmu gave an indifferent look at the clean and tidy room. He then shifted his gaze onto Song Xuanhe and said apathetically, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± ¡°Whatever.¡± If the plot didn¡¯t necessitate it, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to make this future big boss even more annoyed with him. Moreover, he wasn¡¯t a picky eater anyway, ¡°I eat everything. Just make a bit of whatever.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t say anything more. He directly turned around and descended the stairs. Song Xuanhe watched as the other¡¯s back disappeared down the stairs. He let out a long sigh. He then opened the door to the adjacent room and lied onto the bed. All of his muscles began to rx. He had received too many scares today. He needed some time to recover. After lying down for a few minutes, just as Song Xuanhe was about to fall asleep, his phone¡¯s ringtone suddenly sounded, pulling him out of the muddled darkness. He lifted his phone upzily, nced at the unknown number, and picked up the call. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Song shao, the arrangements that you¡¯ve asked for have been made. When do you n on visiting?¡± From the other side of the phone, Song Xuanhe could hear the cajoling tone. Only, after hearing these words, he recalled who this person was and what he had been nning since two days ago. ¡°I¡¯lle this weekend.¡± Because he had nearly fallen asleep just now, Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was husky, light, and slow. There was a carelessness that could be heard in his tone, characteristic of hedonistic rich kids. ¡°No need to make a show of it. I¡¯m onlying to have some fun.¡± ¡°Understood, understood.¡± The person on the other side promptly went along with Song Xuanhe, sensiblying up with a very dignified excuse for him, ¡°Song shao ns to invest in a few films. You¡¯re onlying to inspect the set this weekend, that¡¯s all.¡± Song Xuanhe thought that this person was quite interesting upon hearing this. He couldn¡¯t help butugh and remind the other, ¡°I¡¯ve admired Film Empress Liu for a long time. I hope that I can meet her in person tomorrow.¡± There was a chuckle of tacit understanding from the other side. That person said, ¡°It is Film Empress Liu¡¯s honour to be favored by Song shao. She will definitely be here during the weekend.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but smile. The other person was a director named Huang Cong with his own crew. His directing skills weren¡¯t necessarily outstanding, but he was slick and smooth in doing things: the epitome of a boot-licker. He was also a very humorous man. If he were to be ced in the ancient times, he would be remarkably simr to the great eunuch in charge of the Dongchang. He was the type to readily kiss up to those in power and bully those beneath him. Only, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think that there was anything wrong with this. So long as your status was much higher than this person¡¯s, he would not be able to cause any big waves. To Song Xuanhe, speaking with him was rather interesting. As soon as he began to say something, the other would finish his thought for him. He felt that talking to him was very easy. Throwing his phone to the side, Song Xuanhe wriggled around in bed, reluctant to get up. Then, he sat up and stretched. He was nning on going down to see how Xiao Yuanmu was doing with the cooking. Who would expect that as soon as he turned around, he would quickly and exaggeratedly shoot backwards as if he was a little kitten that suddenly discovered that there was a cucumber behind it. He nearly fell headlong onto the bed. With great difficulty, he managed to steady himself by pulling onto the frame at the end of his bed. Song Xuanhe crawled back up, face pale from having yet to fully recover from his panic. He was flustered. ¡°Why the f*ck did you suddenly appear behind me?!¡± It was an extremely difficult thing to remain calm after suddenly seeing a person standing behind you when you werepletely off guard, even if you were Song xiao shaoye, who was extremely daring. Since he was young, the only thing that he was afraid of were those ferocious-looking, unnatural entities that would pop out of nowhere in movies and stories¡ªghosts. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s silent appearance behind him had nearly scared him stiff. If it wasn¡¯t because he still had his wits with him, with his usual temper, he would have recklessly gone over to give Xiao Yuanmu a kick to vent his rage for having startled him. From a certain perspective, it could be said that Song Xuanhe¡¯s temper was no less worse than the original host¡¯s own. It was just that, although he loved to y around, he fortunately still abided by the principles that ordinary people followed and also had a normal bottom line he didn¡¯t cross. He could judge what he should do and shouldn¡¯t do. Otherwise, with how his parents had left the world so early, how else would he have been able to grow up willfully and safe within the exploitative Song Family all on his own? Aftershing out, Song Xuanhe felt a bit guilty. He didn¡¯t know how long Xiao Yuanmu had stood outside for and also didn¡¯t know whether he had overheard his conversation on the phone just now. When he thought about how he had just forced this person to be his lover and then turned around, saying he was interested in some woman, he felt like he had been caught cheating in bed red-handed. However, the original host would not feel guilty, so he straightened his back and raised his chin. He dragged his voice, ¡°Is dinner ready?¡± Sweeping a nce over Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes, which were especially wet because he had just been startled, and his slightly shuddering, dense, ck eyshes, Xiao Yuanmu suddenly felt the gloominess that had been repressed in the depths of his heart all this time disperse quite a bit. His mood became much better for some baffling reason. Xiao Yuanmu nodded. For once, he spoke a little more than normal, ¡°Noodles with tomato egg sauce.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up. Noodles with tomato egg sauce was his favourite kind of noodles. Nothing couldpare to it! ¡°Then let¡¯s go, ba.¡± Song Xuanhe got out of the bed and strolled over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side. He then side-eyed him and said with an arrogant tone, ¡°From now on, don¡¯t randomlye into my room without my permission.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. He only gave him a cold nce back and then left the room first. Before, he had read in the book that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cooking skill was extremely good. One of his seven boyfriends had be crazily infatuated with him after eating a bowl of somen Xiao Yuanmu had casually made. When he saw this, Song Xuanhe had only sneered at the time and scoffed. He thought that the author had be unprincipled and illogical in her desire to give Xiao Yuanmu more boyfriends. However, after eating Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s noodles himself, Song Xuanhe felt that he should apologize for his youthful frivolity, ignorance, and narrow-mindedness. He would swear by his twenty-two-year-old, spoiled, picky taste buds that this was the most delicious bowl of noodles with tomato egg sauce that he had ever eaten! If he could only eat one dish for the rest of his life, he was really willing to eat the noodles Xiao Yuanmu made every day, three meals a day, for every day of the rest of his life! When Song Xuanhe ate, he was extremely refined. He sat up straight and ate very peacefully with a lowered gaze. Even if he was eating noodles, it was hard to hear any inelegant noises. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know why, but although he didn¡¯t have much of an appetite before, upon seeing Song Xuanhe eat all of his noodles, he felt that he was actually quite hungry. Moreover, when he saw Song Xuanhe look up from the bowl and stare at him with sparkling eyes, very earnestly telling him, ¡°It¡¯s delicious,¡± he suddenly felt that if the other had said that he wanted more, he would have developed an urge to immediately prepare him another bowl. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t say that he wanted to eat more. Although he felt that he could still eat, he was very self-aware. Furthermore, he had already decided that aside from what was necessitated by the plot, he would not annoy Boss Xiao any more than necessary. For the sake of ensuring that his future would not be even more tragic, even if he wanted to eat, he would hold himself back. For Song Xuanhe, telling the chef that the food they made was delicious after eating something good was nothing but a little habit of his. His mother had been a very well-known celebrity chef. From a young age, before he had even learned any table manners, his mother and father taught him that he had to respect all food that entered his mouth as well as the person who made that delicious dish. This was a habit deeply ingrained within Song Xuanhe since even before he could talk. Therefore, even after saying this, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even think about whether it waspliant with the original host¡¯s settings. After all, this was too natural for him. It was like how one would naturally use chopsticks to eat Chinese cuisine and cutlery to eat Western cuisine. There was no need to think whenplying with the most basic of principles. After eating, Song Xuanhe sat on the sofa and stared at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back as he did the dishes. Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers tapped against his pillow rather fretfully. When he thought about how he had to push Xiao Yuanmu down and then force him to do that, he felt his legs go soft. Although he knew that he would not seed, he was still a bit terrified. After all,paring his physique to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s, if Xiao Yuanmu were to break his legs in a fit of anger, what would he do then? However, this was an important scene in the plot. Even if Xiao Yuanmu would break his legs, he still had to act it out. Xiao Yuanmu came out of the kitchen and saw Song Xuanhe curled up on the sofa, hugging a pillow with his legs crossed. His lips were gently pursed, and he was thinking about who-knows-what. His dense eyshes left a shadow on his face. It was probably because the sofa was too big and soft, Song Xuanhe¡¯s entire body sunk into it. Inexplicably, he looked rather innocent and pitiful. However, Xiao Yuanmu knew that this was just an illusion. In this world, there were many pitiful people, but they did not include a domineering, arrogant, rich third-generation like Song Xuanhe. The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: Weak, pitiful, and helpless. Xiao Yuanmu: Be good, I¡¯ll make noodles for you to eat. A kitty suddenly sees a cucumber¡ªyou can search it up! It¡¯s super cute,! (Eve: Link to theption) Chapter 5: You Are My Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Avocado for the kofi ??
A ck silhouette loomed over, blocking Song Xuanhe¡¯s light. He looked up, dumbfounded, to meet with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chilly gaze. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯m going to return to my room.¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously wanted to nod, but he had just raised his head a bit when he suddenly came back to himself and paused this action. He squinted as he stared at Xiao Yuanmu, tone indifferent as he pointedly said, ¡°What do you mean, ¡®If there¡¯s nothing else?¡¯ Did you forget who you are now?¡± The depths of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were ice-cold. His eyes tightly locked onto Song Xuanhe, who was curled up on the sofa, looking extremely childish. His expression remained apathetic and cold, however. ¡°What do I have to do?¡± Song Xuanhe threw his pillow away. He stood up on the sofa and peered down onto Xiao Yuanmu. He reached out and raised the other¡¯s chin. With a suggestive tone, he said, ¡°What do you think?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. Song Xuanhe let go and chuckled. ¡°Wash up, and then, wait for me in your room.¡± After he said this, he jumped off the couch and left. After returning to his room, Song Xuanhe closed the door and then heaved a long sigh. When he felt like the feeling of having needles in his back faded a bit, he couldn¡¯t help but begin to worry. He hadn¡¯t even dated before. He didn¡¯t know what they should do. Moreover, Xiao Yuanmu was also a man. The only thing to rejoice over was that he was certain that Xiao Yuanmu would push him away. He just didn¡¯t know how much he had to do before Xiao Yuanmu would push him away. Time was extremely scarce. Song Xuanhe, who didn¡¯t know how to do anything, could only take desperate measures while panicking and whipped out his phone to search how men did it with other men. Only, after looking around, all the answers online were not particrly direct or forting in telling him what went into where. All of the responses were all perfunctory answers like ¡°Just let nature take its course.¡± Before Song Xuanhe could search it up properly, the System reminded him: ¡¾Xiao Yuanmu has finished showering. Right now, he only has a towel around his waist. It¡¯s time for the scene. Quickly go over. When he¡¯s fully dressed, your mission will be considered a fail.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression grew rigid. He paused for two seconds before cing his phone down and turned to push the door open. He walked to the door of the room next door, acting like he was a gant hero about to be a martyr. He lightly knocked on the door three times. Before Xiao Yuanmu could even speak, Song Xuanhe had pushed the door open and entered. As expected, he saw Xiao Yuanmu with only a towel around his waist. He was currently rubbing his hair dry with a different towel. When he saw the door open, Xiao Yuanmu dropped the towel in his hand. He didn¡¯t care about the water still dripping at the ends of his hair. He directly walked over to Song Xuanhe with a cold gaze. Song Xuanhe had been a fashion designer before. When he had been in school, he had gotten used to looking at all sorts of bodies. Therefore, he knew that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s physique was exceptional at first nce. If he applied to be a model, he would be fought over by managers with sharp eyes. However, when Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu, he still couldn¡¯t help but be stunned. If one were to say that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face was God¡¯s proudest work, then Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body was this world¡¯s most magnificent sculptor¡¯s most difficult-to-reproduce, perfect masterpiece. His muscles were tight and full of explosive strength; the proportions between his shoulders and waist as well as between his upper and lower half were perfect and not to mention, his rugged abs and sexy mermaid line. Just by looking at this kind of body, Song Xuanhe could immediately design a whole new line of men¡¯s clothes¡ªone that included both spring-summer and fall-winter wear. Xiao Yuanmu stood only one metre away from Song Xuanhe. When he saw how Song Xuanhe was not covering up how stunned and infatuated he was at all, he lowered his gaze and rescinded the cold light in his eyes. ¡¾The plot, ah, Big Brother!¡¿ The System¡¯s voice pulled Song Xuanhe, who was alreadying up with designs, out of his head. He blinked his eyes, appearing obviously confused. Btedly, he realized that Xiao Yuanmu stood very close to him. The hormones this man was emitting assaulted him. It was just a pity that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t moved in the slightest. He just wanted to immediately grab a piece of paper and draw up the design he had juste up with in his head instead. ¡¾You can give it a try. Perhaps that work will be your most glorious posthumous work. I heard that you humans value art pieces much more after the death of the artist.¡¿ Song Xuanhe: ¡­. He didn¡¯t dare try, he didn¡¯t dare give it a try. With one sentence, the System brought Song Xuanhe back to reality. He looked up at Xiao Yuanmu, who was donning a grave and stern expression. He couldn¡¯t help but feel rather wronged. Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t willing, and he himself wasn¡¯t willing as well, ne. But, he wasn¡¯t willing to just die either. Why was simply wanting to live so rough? Xiao Yuanmu furrowed his eyes imperceptibly. He didn¡¯t know if he was just imagining things, but he thought that Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression just now made the other look a bit wronged and innocent. This was the second time he saw such an illusion. This made Xiao Yuanmu, who had always trusted his own judgement and intuition, feel very vignt. It seemed that he had underestimated Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe was indeed arrogant and overbearing. However, it seemed that the other wasn¡¯t as brainless as he had thought. It seemed that looking for evidence of the Song Family¡¯sw-breaking would be harder than he predicted. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t make a sound or any movement. Song Xuanhe, however, could not wait around for the sake of preserving this little life of his. He directly advanced forward and reached out to push Xiao Yuanmu down, making him sit on the bed. He wanted to take advantage of the inertia to push him all the way down, but he discovered that the other wouldn¡¯t move. Song Xuanhe was helpless. He didn¡¯t dare look at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. He only closed his eyes and kissed the other on the lips. When Xiao Yuanmu felt soft lips meet his, a cold re suddenly appeared within Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. Just when he thought Song Xuanhe would deepen the kiss, the other moved his lips to his neck. Although it was necessary to act out the scene, and he wasn¡¯t a young girl who would care about his first kiss and what not, Song Xuanhe just couldn¡¯t bring himself to really kiss a man he didn¡¯t like¡ªa man who didn¡¯t like him either and was probably also nning a hundred different ways to kill him right now. The plot only said that Song Xuanhe wanted to feel Xiao Yuanmu up. It didn¡¯t describe what had happened with details. Even if he acted half-arsed like this, it should still count as acting out the scene. Song Xuanhe licked and rubbed against the side of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s neck like he was a puppy that had yet to grow up, gnawing at a bone. Xiao Yuanmu had already decided that he would kick Song Xuanhe away when his patience ran out. However, after being given such an inexperienced kiss, he didn¡¯t know why, but his ruthless, dark mood was suppressed. He felt calm despite it all and even wanted to know what the other would do next. Song Xuanhe, thus, bent down and nipped at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s neck for a while. By the time his waist had begun to ache, Xiao Yuanmu still hadn¡¯t pushed him away. The other¡¯s shoulder that had originally been so hard that biting at it made his teeth hurt had even seemed to have rxed quite a bit. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t dare to look at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, so he could only continue on. When his lips reached that sturdy, shower gel-scented chest, Song Xuanhe paused. After preparing himself, he finally gathered up his courage and was about to touch it a bit. However, he had just gotten close when he felt someone press against his waist, forcing him to sit onto the other¡¯sp. Separated by the towel, he could still feel the explosive strength within the other¡¯s thighs. Xiao Yuanmu pinched Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin and forced him to raise his head. He stared at the other¡¯s eyshes that were batting out of nervousness. His voice was hoarse but chilly, ¡°You¡¯ve never done this before?¡± After being pulled up, despite not hearing what Xiao Yuanmu had said clearly, Song Xuanhe was ovee with a peal of ecstasy. He immediately asked the System in his head:¡¾Er Gou! This counts as Xiao Yuanmu pushing me away, ba! It doesn¡¯t matter if he pushes me with his hands or kicks me with his feet! So long as he stops me from continuing, then it counts as having pushed me away, right?!¡¿ The System did not disappoint Song Xuanhe. It said:¡¾We¡¯ll consider your mission a pass.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up immediately. However, even with this abrupt glee, he didn¡¯t forget to maintain his character settings. ¡°Who said that Ben Shaoye hasn¡¯t done this before? It¡¯s just that your body is so hard that you made me lose all interest. We¡¯ll stop here today. We¡¯ll talk about it again next time, ba.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe tried to throw off Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand that was gripping his chin. However, although it didn¡¯t look like Xiao Yuanmu was putting much strength into it, he couldn¡¯t throw the other¡¯s grip off no matter what he did. Actually, because of his struggling, he felt that hard thing under his butt slowly rise up. As another man, Song Xuanhe naturally knew what this thing was. However, he didn¡¯t think that Xiao Yuanmu, this shou, would actually be so well-endowed! It was really such a pity. Song Xuanhe made a very fakement. His male dignity had taken a hit when hepared himself to the other. Therefore, when he thought of this, he felt an ineffable feeling of schadenfreude. So what if it¡¯s big? It was just for show. He was probably more likely to be impotent. As a normal person with a normal length, Song Xuanhe was perfectly healthy in contrast. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t thought that he would react to Song Xuanhe¡¯s rubbing movements. He immediately let go of Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin and pushed him away. With a cold voice, he said, ¡°Since we¡¯re done, then leave, ba.¡± Song Xuanhe was just itching to leave. However, just as he reached the door, he suddenly felt that something wasn¡¯t quite right. After washing up and lying on his bed, he retrospectively realized what it was. He said to the System in his head:¡¾Er Gou, why do I feel like Xiao Yuanmu is a bit strange? Clearly, I¡¯m the one propositioning him. Why does it feel like he¡¯s the one propositioning me? Am I imagining things?¡¿ The System¡¯s voice didn¡¯t sound in his head for a while. Just when Song Xuanhe thought that it would not respond to this kind of question that was unrted to the plot, it slowly confirmed:¡¾You¡¯re imagining things.¡¿ At this moment, Song Xuanhe was already drowsy and about to fall asleep. When he heard the System¡¯s words, he hummed in acknowledgement and then very quickly entered thend of dreams.
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe silently changes his disy name on WeChat: Some people must exhaust all their energy just to live. Grandpa Song: You ran out of money? Mother Song: Has my baby been wronged? Father Song: Evil creature, is there not enough for you to eat or wear at home? Moaning about a non-existing problem! Brother Song: What¡¯s wrong? Xiao Yuanmu: Come, eat noodles.
Eve: The little sort of theaters in the AN¡¯s are so cute and funny haha. Also¡­poor SXH. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do this, he doesn¡¯t want to do this, WHY DO I HAVE TO DO THIS¡± hahahaha Chapter 6: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Eve: The author tends to repeat chapter title names. Thank you Mnthe for the kofi ????
The next morning, Song Xuanhe was woken up by his phone¡¯s ringtone. He could practically feel the other party¡¯s rage st him through the phone¡¯s sound waves: ¡°Unworthy son! Don¡¯t you know that thepany¡¯s routine meeting is happening today?! If you¡¯re not in the conference room for the executive meeting in half an hour, there¡¯s no need for you to show up ever again!¡± Song Xuanhe brought the phone a bit further away from his ear. His dense, ck, upper eyshes slowly and calmly met with his lower ones. A few secondster, he quickly opened his eyes again. He rubbed his eyes. He touched the phone screen, which had turned off at some point, to wake it back up. He was still in a bit of a trance. When he could clearly make out the time, he rolled around the bed, struggling to get up. He spoke to himself in a slow and t tone, ¡°It¡¯s actually past ten o¡¯clock.¡± After saying that, he slowly let out a yawn. It was probably because he had been in a state of nervousness all day long yesterday and had only rxed just before going to bed. He had actually slept quite well. Not only did he have a dreamless night, but also his sleep quality had been very good. Coming out of his trance, Song Xuanhe hopped out of bed in great spirits and washed up. He then picked out an outfit and changed into it before heading downstairs. When he didn¡¯t see Xiao Yuanmu, he wasn¡¯t surprised in the least. He randomly grabbed something out of the fridge to fill his belly and then checked the entertainment section of the news on his cell phone. Only then did Song Xuanhe drive to thepany. By the time he reached thepany, it was already past eleven o¡¯clock. However, his pace still remained neither hurried nor slow. When he pushed the door to the conference room open, the people who were in the middle of the meeting all turned to look at him upon hearing the noise. Song Xuanhe smiled. With his car keys dangling from his index finger, he raised his hand and waved, ¡°Morning!¡± When Song Guochao thought about how he had called Song Xuanhe at half past nine, but he instead had only showed up at half past eleven, he was seething. He stood up and said, ¡°You still have the face to enter! Get out!¡± Song Xuanhe widened his eyes, pretending to be shocked. He nced at the executive shareholders gathered in the meeting room. Then, he shifted his gaze to Song Guochao, tone humble, as if seeking advice, ¡°When did Mr. Song be responsible for making the decisions of the Song Group?¡± This one ¡°Mr. Song¡± fueled the rage within Song Guochao even more. He suddenly pointed at Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Undisciplined and out of control! If I don¡¯t chide you today, you¡¯ll soon be treading on my head!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He spoke with a beaming smile, ¡°My understanding is that Mr. Song and I are of the same rank. At thepany, Mr. Song does not have the right to chide me.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s expression grew rigid, and then, his face turned livid. He looked like he could not bear his anger any longer. Song Xuanlin, thus, stood up to intervene. He reprimanded with a frown, ¡°Alright. You¡¯rete, and yet, you still dare to talk back to Father. Quickly sit down.¡± Song Xuanhe shrugged his shoulders and went to take his seat. When he passed Song Guochao, he still said with an extremely concerned voice, ¡°Mr. Song, cool your temper. Anger will only cause harm to yourself.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s expression was of furious anger. He clenched his fists and sat back down. When the manager who had been reporting thepany¡¯s financial state for this quarter saw that everyone had calmed down, he coughed and then continued to speak in a lowered voice. He was afraid that if he spoke too loudly, he would provoke someone¡¯s sensitive nerves and end up being the one who suffered. Aside from the finance manager¡¯s voice, the conference room was extremely quiet. However, all of the executives and shareholders were exchanging nces all throughout. The majority of the people sitting here knew about the Song Family¡¯s situation. Chairman Song was getting old and would not be able to stay in his position for much longer. Song Guochao¡¯s capabilities were just average, and his vision was short-sighted too. He was not at all boss-material. Moreover, just by looking at the fact that Song Guochao and his two sons were still of the same rank in thepany, it was obvious that Chairman Song had no intentions of handing his position to him. Meanwhile, the two young masters of the Song Family, Song Xuanlin and Song Xuanhe, were both quite capable. However, Song Xuanlin was much steadier and slickerpared to Song Xuanhe. Therefore, everyone preferred Song Xuanlin. As for Song Xuanhe, it looked like he didn¡¯t even want to fight for the position of head of the household. Besides, he and Song Xuanlin were brothers. Their rtionship had always been quite good. He had even dered that he would support having his brother be the sessor of thepany. This meeting came to a quiet end with everyone being preupied by their own thoughts. When the meeting ended, it just so happened to be noon. It was time for thepany¡¯s lunch break. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even return to his office. He directly headed to the floor that Xiao Yuanmu was on. Although it was already time for their lunch break, there were still a few employees who had yet to head to the cafeteria. Song Xuanhe walked through a series of ¡°Young Mr. Song¡± with an apathetic expression and headed towards Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s work area. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s major in university had been finance. As an outstanding person from the finance department of the Imperial University, the number one university in the country, he had originally been nning on doing investment banking upon graduation. However, the Song Group had just created an investment department two years ago. They nned on directly turning it into an independent-venture capital firm when the department had matured enough. Therefore, when they had been recruiting at the Imperial University, as the biggest privately-runpany in the Capital, the Song Group was the first to receive information on the most outstanding graduates. By promising all sorts of benefits, they were able to recruit Xiao Yuanmu into thepany. The benefits the Song Group provided weren¡¯t bad. Moreover, as one of the top 100 businesses in the world, even if they were near the bottom of the list, they were still considered an existence that recent graduates would work extremely hard to get into. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t enter the Song Group because of the sry or the benefits. He had a clear n with regards to his career. The Song Group was just a stepping stone for him. Venture capital firms and investment banking firms were the best ce to be for a graduate from the department of finance of the country¡¯s best university. However, even if he was an outstanding student in school, after entering any of thosepanies, he would first be assigned with all sorts of odd jobs. What thosepaniescked the least were interns with high levels of education. It would be extremely difficult to enter the core division without many years of experience. Meanwhile, since the Song Group¡¯s venture capital department had only just been established, it was a firm springboard for graduates for those who wanted to enter this kind ofpany. As the number onepany of the several great families within the Capital, the Song Group had begun desiring to break away from what it had always done and try developing in other directions. Investment was one direction that the Song Group valued greatly. Moreover, the Song Group had vast connections within the Capital. Moreover, the madam¡¯s maiden family was the Li Family, an expert in stocks and bonds. It could be said that the future of this endeavour would be smooth sailing. Xiao Yuanmu understood all of this, so he naturally epted the Song Group¡¯s olive branch. Only, there was an obstacle blocking him from executing his seamless n: Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe stood against the white wall, arms folded across his chest. He red coldly at the flushed young girl standing by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side. Actually, after Song Xuanhe had begun his undisguised, high-profile courting of Xiao Yuanmu, the majority of people, who had fancied Xiao Yuanmu because of his looks and capabilities, gave up. However, there would always be someone who would risk getting fired to give it a try for some other reason. For example, they may continue pursuing because he was so good-looking that even the gods would be resentful. Actually, Xiao Yuanmu was already at the end of his patience as well. However, before he finished collecting information on the Song family and caused their copse, he didn¡¯t want there to be any more mishaps. Therefore, he tactfully refused, ¡°I don¡¯t usually eat what others make. Nor am I used to using other people¡¯s cutlery. Sorry.¡± The long-haired girl carrying a lunchbox looked rather wronged. However, she still ced the lunchbox down and said, ¡°Then, let¡¯s have lunch together? The cafeteria on the twelfth floor just released a new Mexican dish. Their beef with ck pepper and onion is pretty good. Let¡¯s go give it a try, ba.¡± When he heard this, Xiao Yuanmu felt even more at the end of his patience. An impatient expression appeared on his originally expressionless face. He refused, leaving no room for ¡®buts¡¯, ¡°I don¡¯t eat beef.¡± The girl bit her lips. She took a step forward, wanting to grab hold of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s sleeve. She looked up, appearing lovely and pitiful, with her curled hair falling down her shoulders. She gave off a delicate feeling that aroused people¡¯s tender affections. She carefully but tantly expressed her intentions, ¡°Then¡­we can eat something else. So long as I can eat with you, I¡¯ll be happy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu avoided her hold. The suppressed impatience and frost nearly overflowed out of his eyes. He had grown up in an orphanage. Amongst his peers, regardless of whether they were male or female, they all had quite a few tricks up their sleeves whenpared to other people. Therefore, he would never lower his guard towards someone just because of their gender, let alone did he have some kind of lofty sense of morality that made him incapable of dealing with women. Actually, he had a very solid understanding that at times, a woman¡¯s innate weakness was actually their greatest weapon. Only, although he wasn¡¯t exactly kindhearted, he would not stab a girl, who had no malice towards him, in the back. It was just that her pestering made him extremely annoyed, and he loathed it greatly. Since he wouldn¡¯t be able to find it in him to do anything to her but also didn¡¯t want this girl to continue pestering him, he could only make things clear with his words. ¡°I won¡¯t eat with you. Because, I don¡¯t like¡ª¡± Song Xuanhe came up and grabbed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. He didn¡¯t look at his expression and turned to look at the girl, saying, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like to eat with anyone but me. Understand?¡± The girl was startled. Her gaze shifted from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face to Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s sped hands. Immediately, her eyes reddened, ¡°Yuanmu, y-you and young Mr. Song are together?¡± Song Xuanhe raised his and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s entwined hands together, waving it before her. With an impatient tone, he said, ¡°If you¡¯re blind, go see an ophthalmologist. You need me to repeat myself?¡± The tears in the girl¡¯s eyes instantly fell. She gave Xiao Yuanmu a profound look and choked, ¡°I never thought that you would actually give in so easily¡­.¡± After saying this, she ran away, wiping the tears from her eyes. Song Xuanhe: ¡­. ¡¾Why do I feel like I¡¯ve seen this kind of tear-jerking scene in a weekend drama? Moreover, I don¡¯t know why, but I kind of feel like I¡¯m a vicious mistress tearing apart a pair of lovers. ¡¿ ¡¾You¡¯re indeed imagining things.¡¿The System said:¡¾Did you forget that you and the boss are already boyfriends?¡¿ F*ck, boyfriends, my ass! Song Xuanhe immediately let go of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. He then met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold gaze and followed the plot, ¡°What¡¯s with that girl just now? Did you forget that you¡¯re mine?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away, voice apathetic, ¡°I have no rtionship with that woman.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Song Xuanhe smiled with callousness and contempt. He then said, ¡°Don¡¯t forget about who you are. From now on, if I see you seducing others, I¡¯ll make you see the consequences.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze grew chillier. Before he could say anything, however, he saw that his coworkers hade back from eating. They had obviously overheard their conversation. They collectively took a few awkward steps back. There were a few people who had yet to cover up the sympathy or disdain in their eyes. Song Xuanhe saw that Xiao Yuanmu was looking behind him with a gaze that suddenly dropped in temperature. With that, he knew that the scene for today had beenpleted. He snorted, ¡°Wait for me downstairs tonight.¡± After saying this, he didn¡¯t give Xiao Yuanmu another nce and left.
The author has something to say: A really strange thing¡­ I wrote this chapter twice and edited it twice,before reading it over once more. Every time I wrote about Xuan baby yawning, I would also yawn. This happened five times, every time. I was very in sync with him. Highlight: This text, Reborn Male Lead, is a novel about transmigrating into a book. So there¡¯s no need to exin the settings of this story. Therefore, many things in this novel are fictional. This author has made everything up. Everyone, don¡¯t think too deeply about things. Just know that everything is for the sake of the plot,! Chapter 7: Found a Little Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Mnthe for the kofi again ??
After work, Song Xuanhe directly parked his car in front of thepany¡¯s main entrance. His considerably expensive sports car attracted many of the white-cor workers¡¯ gazes as they passed by. Most of the gazes were on the car. However, the gazes from the white-cor workers that came from the building were on the person inside. Those who worked for the Song Group all could practically recognize Song Xuanhe¡¯s car. What they were concerned about was who Song Xuanhe was waiting for. The white-cor workers slowed down their paces. Those who were with theirpanions began to guess sinctly. Basically everyone knew about Song Xuanhe courting Xiao Yuanmu from the investment department. At noon, there had also been news that Xiao Yuanmu had agreed to be with Song Xuanhe. Therefore, most people already knew the answer to the question: ¡°Who is Song Xuanhe waiting for?¡± They just wanted to confirm it with their own eyes. Without even needing to lower the window to see, Song Xuanhe already knew that quite a number of people were looking over here. He also knew that from today on, rumours would go flying all around within thepany. From today on, Xiao Yuanmu would face not only his coworkers¡¯ ttery and fawning but also their despise and deliberate attempts at making things hard for him. He would be estranged from those coworkers who had entered thepany with him at the same time, who he used to have a rather good rtionship with. Then, he would bear with the deliberate attempts at making life hard for him and the alienation created by the rumours all on his own. During this, his loathing for the Song Group and Song Xuanhe would only increase, thereby foreshadowing the Song Group¡¯s future bankruptcy and Song Xuanhe¡¯s end. ¡¾I think that my life is a bit tragic.¡¿Song Xuanhe put on a pair of sunsses,zily leaning back against his chair. He crossed his legs and began to chat with the System in his head:¡¾He almost broke that girl¡¯s heart at noon. It was I who worked hard to save him from that dangerous crisis. However, he¡¯s actually going to hurt me, make me lose my dignity as a man. It¡¯s simply a case of repaying kindness with malice!¡¿ When it thought about Song Xuanhe¡¯s ending, the System¡¯s boorish voice sounded a bit sympathetic:¡¾Brother, it¡¯s not that your life is a little bit tragic. It¡¯s really tragic.¡¿ Song Xuanhe:¡¾¡­Er Gou, say, do you think it would be possible for you to send me back to my world even if I were to escape as soon as I finished all my scenes, hide in a little vige somewhere in the mountains, and wait for the original host¡¯s story to end?¡¿ ¡¾I can, ah.¡¿The System was very frank:¡¾So long as you¡¯re able to escape the big shot¡¯s revenge and pursuit after finishing all your scenes, when the timees, I can send you back.¡¿ When he heard this, Song Xuanhe felt like he finally had a grasp on things. A smile appeared on his face. He was an expert on running. When the scenes were done, he would run away. He didn¡¯t believe that Xiao Yuanmu, a man that was destined to stand at the top of the world, would have so much time on his hands to hold onto him tightly. The System reminded him:¡¾The big shot is here.¡¿ Song Xuanhe rescinded his smile and lowered the car window. Indeed, he saw Xiao Yuanmu about three metres away from the car. He took off his sunsses and spoke with an arrogant tone, ¡°Get in. We¡¯re going to the grocery store. You¡¯re making dinner.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him an indifferent nce, pulled the door open, and sat inside. From start to finish, there was no superfluous expression on his face. Song Xuanhe started the engine and began to feel fearful inside. Xiao Yuanmu was only twenty years old right now. When most of the people his age were still in their ivory towers, living their reckless, carefree days of youth, not only had he started working for the industry¡¯s number one business, but he also had made an exhaustively detailed n of his future career path. Moreover, he could truly pull off hiding his emotions. Even if he wasn¡¯t found by the Xiao Group and taken back, with his extraordinarily high EQ and IQ, his future would likewise be boundless. Just how stupid had the original host had to have been to act like such a blind moron when faced with this kind of clever, freakishly smart man? Time and time again, he offended him, bringing about his miserable end. The System:¡¾Don¡¯t scold the original host. From now on, the one who has to do those moronic things is you.¡¿ Song Xuanhe:¡¾Thanks for the reminder, Bro.¡¿ The System:¡¾No problem, Big Bro.¡¿ Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. When he suddenly thought about how he had no choice but to offend Xiao Yuanmu like crazy in the future, he thought that there was no reason to be so cautious or feel so much trepidation. Therefore, Xiao Shaoye Song began to list dishes: ¡°I want to eat Sichuan poached sliced fish in hot chili oil¡ªthe really spicy kind, served with potatoes, sliced lotus roots, and dried bean curd. I don¡¯t have any other requests for that. Also, I want to eat sweet and sour spare ribs. Make it sweeter. Also, I want hot and spicy shrimp. Remember to peel the fresh shrimp after buying them before sauteing them. Also, let¡¯s add a meatball soup, ba. Four dishes is enough.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave an indifferent sound of acknowledgement. His expression did not change. There was no dissatisfaction with being ordered about. Song Xuanhe felt a bit afraid, however. He felt like Xiao Yuanmu was marking everything down and would give him payback for everything when the time came. Wouldn¡¯t it be tragic if he offended Xiao Yuanmu so badly that it caused him to want to find him even if he had to scour the entire world? Thus, the flexible Xiao Shaoye Song decided to remedy the situation a bit, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to shell the shrimp, you can just saute them with the shells on. I can peel them myself.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was silent for a while. He then looked down and said ¡°mhm¡± again. The two of them strolled through the grocery store near the vi district. They bought everything they needed before going home. There, Song Xuanhe directly holed up on the sofa, not moving an inch while waiting for Xiao Yuanmu to cook for him. Sounds of the spat hitting against the wok while stir-frying could be heard from the kitchen. The tempting aroma of food wafted over. Song Xuanhe, who had been ying on his phone, slowly sat up as he sniffed the air. Before he could stick his head into the kitchen to take a look, words appeared in his mind: ¡¾Xiao Yuanmu carried the delicious food over and ced them on the long, wooden table. Song Xuanhe, who had been sitting in the living room, did not move. He didn¡¯t want to pay any attention to him, but when he thought about how Song Xuanhe might treat this as an excuse to cause trouble for him, he walked into the living room. When Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmue over, he smiled and said, ¡°Looks like you have some self-awareness of your identity.¡± Xiao Yuanmu held back the chill in his eyes and said in an ordinary tone, ¡°Dinner is ready.¡± Song Xuanhe reached out and spoke with an arrogant tone as if he was talking to a servant, ¡°Come. Pull me up.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stood in ce, not moving. He was already at his limit, having been forced to agree to be with Song Xuanhe. He didn¡¯t want to continue feigning civility. When he thought about how Song Xuanhe wanted to force him to submitst time, he felt his stomach roll, chest filled with anger. If it wasn¡¯t for the Director, he would not mind giving as good as he got. Probably because he was still young, the current Xiao Yuanmu was not as shrewd and scheming as he would be in the future. He turned around and left, patience stretched to the thinnest. He wasn¡¯t willing to give Song Xuanhe another nce. Song Xuanhe, however, felt that he had received an offense. He directly walked over to the dining room. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu, who had already seated himself and was just about to begin eating, his anger billowed, and he said with a cruel voice, ¡°It seems that you still haven¡¯t learned to be obedient.¡± As his words fell, he smacked all the food onto the ground. He then turned around and went upstairs.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes went wide. He was stupefied:¡¾What the hell is this?! This scene wasn¡¯t in the novel!¡¿ ¡¾This is from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s memories, so you still have to do it.¡¿The System probably felt a little sympathetic upon seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. When it thought of his future, its tone became more sympathetic, ¡¾Because it¡¯s a scene from his memories, you have more freedom in handling it. So long as the important part is done, it¡¯s fine. It¡¯s different from the main scenes. You don¡¯t even have to recite the lines.¡¿ Song Xuanhe sucked in a deep breath. The air that entered his nose was the aroma of the Sichuan fish. He asked, still carrying a sliver of hope:¡¾What¡¯s the important part of this scene? ¡¿ ¡¾Flipping the table. You just have to smack the dishes down.¡¿ Song Xuanhe:¡¾Why the f*ck didn¡¯t you tell me when I was ordering all the dishes that I liked?!!!¡¿ The System felt a bit wronged. The boorish voice of a one-metre-eighty man sounded a bit pitiful with the way it spoke:¡¾I didn¡¯t think that you would start ordering, ah. By the time I remembered, you had already told him what you wanted to eat.¡¿ Song Xuanhe: ¡­. Did I perhaps dig up your ancestral grave in a past life? Because his mother had been a chef, although Xiao Shaoye Song was arrogant and willful, he had never wasted food. His temperament wasn¡¯t very good either, but usually, it was rare for people to tread on his bottom line and make him truly angry. However, wasting food that someone else made with all their heart was one of the things that he could not tolerate. And yet, the System wanted him to smack onto the ground the delicious dinner he had been looking forward to eating. This made him feel even more conflicted than when he had to act out the scene of ¡°forcing¡± Xiao Yuanmu. Before Song Xuanhe had finished his mental preparations, Xiao Yuanmu had already walked over, having finished cooking. Probably because he had been in touch with the kitchen mes, Xiao Yuanmu, who walked over and stood in front of Song Xuanhe, was not as cold and unapproachable as he usually was. Actually, because of the apron he was wearing, he looked a bit gentle. Even his tone of voice carried a bit more warmth than usual: ¡°Dinner is ready.¡± Song Xuanhe tightly pursed his lips. When he thought about how he had no choice but to overturn the table full of food he just knew would have been delicious and then starve at night, he became so angry that his eyes turned red. He felt a bit guilty. He didn¡¯t even feel guilty when he had threatened Xiao Yuanmu in a scene or ¡°forced¡± him in another. However, right now, he really felt that he was letting Xiao Yuanmu down. At the very least, he was letting down that table full of delicacies. The more he thought about it, the worse he felt. However, he had to do it no matter what, so he might as well do it efficiently. Song Xuanhe stood up. With a focused gaze, he walked past Xiao Yuanmu, entered the dining room, and directly smacked the dishes onto the floor. With a cold voice, he said, ¡°Not eating.¡± After saying it, he turned around and began to ascend the stairs. However, his arm was grabbed. Xiao Yuanmu grabbed hold of his arm, a storm brewing in his eyes. His voice was thoroughly cold, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Song Xuanhe threw him off. He could only look back, not showing any weakness, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat! You have a problem with that?¡± The hand Xiao Yuanmu had grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm with suddenly tightened. He squeezed harder and harder. It felt like he was about to break Song Xuanhe¡¯s bone. However, when Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s reddened eyes and nose, he subconsciously released his hold, letting the other leave. When he returned to his room, Song Xuanhe found a sofa to sit on. He wanted to y on his phone to alleviate some of his anger and the hunger that had been aroused earlier by the aroma of food. However, he looked for it for a bit before realizing that he had left his phone on the living room¡¯s sofa. When he recalled Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression that was so cold that it could freeze a person, Song Xuanhe kicked a stool over and then went into the washroom to wash up. Downstairs, Xiao Yuanmu stood in ce for a while. He then returned to the dining room and saw the mess on the ground. His expression darkened a bit. He didn¡¯t continue looking and directly left. After Song Xuanhe had destroyed their dinner, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t have much of an appetite. He might as well go back to his room. To reach the stairs, he had to pass by the living room. Halfway, he suddenly stopped. He looked at the phone left on the sofa. Xiao Yuanmu paused for two seconds and then went to pick it up. The phone¡¯s screen had yet to turn off. Xiao Yuanmu nced at it and discovered that it was thepany¡¯s forum. He didn¡¯t n on looking at it in depth, but he saw a familiar name. He flipped the phone over and looked at the thread Song Xuanhe had been looking at. The topic was ¡°The Investment Department¡¯s Male God, Xiao Yuanmu, and Female Goddess, Yang Ran, Were Torn Apart. A Lonely Expression While Looking at the Female Goddess From Behind.¡± Below, there was a picture of Xiao Yuanmu looking at the curly-haired female goddess from behind. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. Suddenly, the image of Song Xuanhe¡¯s seemingly extremely wronged expression appeared in his mind. He pursed his lips, and the suppressed gloominess in his eyes dispersed quite a bit. He turned and re-entered the kitchen.
Eve: The start of ML¡¯s misunderstandings hahaha. The good kind of misunderstandings. Also, I really feel for Xuan Baby. I would be so pissed if I had to do that, especially if hangry already. Kara: Hahaha! It begins!! I am ready for the absolute chaos that these misunderstandings are going to bring us. My poor baby Xuan, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll sneak you some take-out!! (*¨R¨Œ¨Q)??)) Chapter 8: Blink and Hold Hands Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
At nine in the morning, Song Xuanhe came down the stairs on time as usual. He hadn¡¯t expected to see Xiao Yuanmu in the living room. Now that it was summer, it was precisely at this time when the sun would shine the brightest and most beautiful. The omnipresent sunshine came streaming in through the french windows facing the courtyard, illuminating the spacious living room. It also seemed to melt the frost that enshrouded the young man sitting on the sofa. He looked up from his book and nced at the time. The sunshine reflecting off his profile enhanced the look of his eyes, making it many times more resplendent. His eyes were so beautiful that they made one quiet one¡¯s breath involuntarily. Xiao Yuanmu gazed up at Song Xuanhe, who had paused on the steps. He saw that the other was staring at him dumbly. The finger that Xiao Yuanmu had pressed against the pages of his book shook slightly. Soon after, he looked away, restraining the cold glint in his eyes. Because of his looks, he had seen many expressions like the one on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. He knew what it meant. It was infatuation, an expression of having one¡¯s breath taken away, or even nauseating lust. Moreover, as an orphan, he was easy to manipte. All of those who had given him this kind of gaze, practically all of them had had no misgivings doing something against him. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes became ice-cold. It was just that those people would end up paying an extremely painful cost in the end. He didn¡¯t know if Song Xuanhe would act the same as the others. And perhaps if he did, Xiao Yuanmu could use this as an opportunity to gather evidence to attack the Song Group with. As he thought of this, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s index finger lightly rubbed against the page. He nced at the middle paragraph and stopped at the word, ¡°destroy,¡± for two seconds before closing the book. Song Xuanhe licked his lips. He watched as Xiao Yuanmu closed the book and then looked back over at him. His hand on the railing discretely tightened a bit. He then tried to make conversation, ¡°Why are you still here?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him calmly. His gaze fell on the other¡¯s face that obviously looked guilty and avoidant but was still stained with desire. He was a bit surprised, but his tone remained normal, ¡°You told me to wait for you to go to work together.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. Only then did he remember that it seemed like he had said that. At that time, they had juste out of the supermarket in the vi district and coincidentally met with the patrolling security guard. The security guards here usually remembered everyone who lived here. Even if they didn¡¯t, they all had sharp eyes. Just by looking at their clothes, they could tell if they were visitors or strangers. At the time, Song Xuanhe was on a call, so he had had Xiao Yuanmu go up first. To his surprise, when he went up, he saw Xiao Yuanmu being stopped and questioned by the security guards. He went up and gave an exnation. When he thought that Xiao Yuanmu might be questioned again in the morning when he left, he said, ¡°Tomorrow, I¡¯ll send you to work.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that Xiao Yuanmu would really wait for him. ¡°Then, let¡¯s go, ba.¡± When Song Xuanhe passed the security booth with Xiao Yuanmu, he purposely lowered the car window so that the security guard could see Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face and said, ¡°This is my roommate. Just letting you guys see his face.¡± The security guard who had stopped Xiao Yuanmu yesterday was there. When he heard this, he promptly apologized. He then sent them off deferentially. At thepany entrance, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu walked in together under the gazes of many. One in front and one in the back, they walked towards the two adjacent elevators with their gazes focused on in front of them. One of them stopped by the left side¡¯s executive elevator while the other one stood on the right by the ordinary employee¡¯s elevator. They were clearly separated¡ªright until the elevators arrived, they did not interact at all. Song Xuanhe had just stepped into the empty elevator when a sweet and charming girl followed in right after. To his surprise, he also saw the hostile look between the beautiful girl and Xiao Yuanmu. Or rather, it was the girl, whose every movement emitted a lovely air, who was provoking Xiao Yuanmu one-sidedly. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even bother giving her a single nce. He followed the crowd into his own elevator, minding his own business. ¡°Xuanhe gege!¡± The pretty girl pouted, hugging his arm with a wronged expression on her face, ¡°Your little lover actually dared to ignore me! You have to get justice for me!¡± The pretty girl switched gears three times in just one utterance. She raised her voice at the end of her sentences in a lovable tone, causing Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms to tremble. If she put on a few more hairpins, she would seem even more like a concubine fighting for favour in the pce harem in ancient times. ¡°Jiani.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled his arm out of her hold and restrained the corner of his mouth from twitching. He forced out a smile, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Just now, Song Xuanhe found the memories relevant to this Song Jiani. Although she was also surnamed Song, Song Jiani and Song Xuanhe did not have any blood rtion. She was the daughter of Song Xuanhe¡¯s mother¡¯s best friend. Song Xuanhe and Song Jiani were childhood friends. Their familial backgrounds were simr. Because she had liked Song Xuanhe since she had been a child, Song Jiani had decided not to work at her own family¡¯spany after graduation. Instead, she had entered the Song Group with him, because she wanted to keep a firm eye on the person she loved and also wanted to stay in an advantageous position to win him over. What she hadn¡¯t expected was that on their first day at thepany, Song Xuanhe would actually take a fancy to Xiao Yuanmu. Song Jiani was jealous and unresigned. Therefore, she had spread rumours about Xiao Yuanmu all around. She had thought of so many different ways to find trouble for Xiao Yuanmu. Song Jiani¡¯s contributions could not go unnoticed when examining why Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s life at thepany was so miserable. Of course, Song Jiani would not get a good ending, either. Although both of them had really tragic endings, Song Xuanhe did not feel empathetic towards Song Jiani. Rather, he actually wanted to have some distance from her, because this sweet littledy would be the one to castrate Song Xuanhe in the future when her love turned to hate. Just looking at her made Song Xuanhe¡¯s balls hurt. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s indifference made Song Jiani misunderstand. Her eyes turned red as she sobbed, ¡°Xuanhe gege, you¡¯ve been treating me so indifferently as ofte. It couldn¡¯t be that you really like that male vixen?¡± Song Xuanhe was speechless for a moment. He looked up at the elevator¡¯s floor number that was steadily increasing. He didn¡¯t dare to offend Xiao Yuanmu, but he had no misgivings about offending Song Jiani. He directly said, ¡°Even if there wasn¡¯t Xiao Yuanmu, I wouldn¡¯t like you. If I may offer a bit of advice: don¡¯t go making trouble for him. Otherwise, you¡¯ll have to face the consequences.¡± After giving her this reminder, he hopped out as soon as the elevator doors opened, leaving behind Song Jiani, who watched the elevator doors close with a sunken expression. * As a rich and powerful young master who had dropped into the marketing department out of nowhere, Song Xuanhe¡¯s daily life at work was extremely simple. Usually, aside from making decisions about all sorts of marketing proposals, there was little else he had to personally do. He finished everything he had to do in the morning. When he started the work for the afternoon, an hour hadn¡¯t even passed before Song Xuanhe felt bored. He walked over to the sofa on the side of his office and sat down. He suddenly recalled the conversation he had with Xiao Yuanmu in the car just now. At that time, the car was filled with silence. Xiao Yuanmu had abruptly spoken up with a really dull voice, ¡°Why do you like me?¡± Song Xuanhe had felt like he was facing off against a formidable enemy, because he didn¡¯t know why the original host took a fancy to Xiao Yuanmu. If there had to be a reason, it was probably because Xiao Yuanmu was extraordinarily good-looking. But, could he say that out loud? Therefore, he racked his brains and found a reason that would prevent the other from asking too much. ¡°Love at first sight.¡± After saying that, he nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression carefully with his peripheral vision. There were no fluctuations in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. He looked calmly at the traffic before them. A long timeter, he chuckled, but there was no smile on his face. He said coldly, ¡°Because of my face?¡± Song Xuanhe looked away at once. He didn¡¯t answer, feeling a great sense of danger. Xiao Yuanmu cast his gaze downwards. His expression was indiscernible. ¡°If I told you that if you stop pestering me from today on, I¡¯ll pretend none of that stuff happened, but if you don¡¯t stop, you¡¯ll have to face the consequences, what would you do?¡± Song Xuanhe gulped. He really wanted to agree to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s suggestion. He even wanted to say, Forget today, let¡¯s walk our separate paths starting right now. However, he couldn¡¯t. Moreover, he didn¡¯t know if he was imagining it or not, but he felt that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s attitude towards him was not as loathing as it had been to the original host. However, he didn¡¯t know if this event had not urred in the original plot or if it actually had urred but just hadn¡¯t been described in the book. Only, regardless of whether it was thetter or the former, he could only get one answer. He was destined to offend this future big shot. Song Xuanhe felt rather disheartened. He didn¡¯t dare to look at Xiao Yuanmu. He continued to look straight ahead and said, ¡°I don¡¯t agree?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him pensively. There was no anger or hate in his eyes. His icy eyes were very clear, but his tone was indiscernible, ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, no matter what happens in the future, you don¡¯t have any room for regret.¡± When he recalled Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression from the morning, the pen that had been spinning between Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers suddenly stopped. He felt rather agitated and directly threw the pen onto another sofa. He picked up his phone that had been ced on the side and yed with it, now lying on his back. He scrolled up to look at the news on his phone while crossing his legs, cing one ankle to the opposite knee, discontent. The original host had many scoundrels as his friends. It had only been ten days since he transmigrated here, but he had received at least more than ten invites on his phone. Some were for normal banquets; some were for parties, and there was even an invite to fly to Ao City to gamble together. From the other party¡¯s tone, it was clear that this wasn¡¯t the first time. It seemed that the original host did not exercise much restraint when ying around. Actually, Song Xuanhe did not have much misgivings when it came to having fun. Moreover, having to act in front of Xiao Yuanmu, who would think of ways to kill him in the future, made him feel unbearably stifled. It was just that this wasn¡¯t his world. He didn¡¯t know what kinds of people these folk were. Moreover, one reason the original host¡¯s ending had been so miserable was partly due to his scoundrel-like friends who kicked him when he was down. There was no disadvantage to avoiding them a little sooner. Song Xuanhe scrolled through his phone absent-mindedly. Suddenly, a message popped up. His eyes lit up. Although it was very quickly reced by another message, he was still able to very quickly find it again. ******: I¡¯ve already sent to your email the information about the person you wanted me to look into. That woman has someone protecting her. I had to exert a lot of effort to find the things that you wanted. Remember to increase my reward. Song Xuanhe raised an eyebrow and quickly typed a response. Laozi is the most handsome man under the skies: So quickly? ******: If the pay is good, of course I¡¯ll be fast. I gave you my ount. Send me a screenshot of the transfer. After Song Xuanhe opened up his email and saw that it was indeed the information that he wanted, he very happily sent the money over. He then sent a screenshot. ******: Thank you for your patronage. Hope that youe again. Exiting Wechat, Song Xuanhe opened up his email and saw a picture of a pure and beautiful woman, whose age could not be told from her appearance. He smiled. When has Song daye, as free and unrestrained as he was (read: a troublemaker who stirs up trouble for no reason), had to live his days so sullenly? To keep his life, he had no choice but to endure when facing Xiao Yuanmu. But for everyone else, he had no qualms about venting his anger on them. Chapter 9: Laughing and Hugging Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°Here, here! I¡¯ll start us off. Let us toast to our Song shao!¡± At the head of the dining table stood a middle-aged man with a shaved head and round face. He raised his hand that held the drink in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction and then downed the white wine in his ss. Song Xuanhe sat in his spotzily, looking at Huang Cong with a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile. However, he still gave him face and stood up. After finishing his own wine, he wrapped an arm around the other¡¯s shoulder, smiled, and said, ¡°I congratte Director Huang in advance for your movie¡¯s great future sess.¡± Huang Cong had already been beaming, but his smile grew even more radiant after hearing that. He gave a look to the pretty woman sitting on Song Xuanhe¡¯s other side and said, ¡°Song shao gets right to the point! Our Xiao Liu also wants to make a toast to you. You mustn¡¯t refuse!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze flitted over to the woman, who had just stood up. The corner of his mouth rose, and he said, ¡°Film Empress Liu is so beautiful, how could I refuse?¡± Liu Xu was very sensible. Her pale fingers pinched her ss of white wine, and she brought it to her bright red lips. She smiled. ¡°Song shao is young and promising. I make this toast to you.¡± After drinking the wine in her ss, Liu Xu gazed at Song Xuanhe. He did not say anything nor did he express a desire to return the toast. He only nced at her insipidly. One could even see the apathy in his eyes. Liu Xu did not dare sit down before Song Xuanhe said anything. However, she didn¡¯t know whether she had offended this young master, so she didn¡¯t dare say anything more at the moment either. The two of them were in a deadlock. It turned the originally lively room quiet. Song Xuanhe suddenly smiled. He tilted his head and said, ¡°I have always wondered where I¡¯ve seen Film Empress Liu before. I couldn¡¯t put my finger on it before, but I just remembered now.¡± Everyone in the room sighed in relief. They then heard Song Xuanhe say in azy voice, ¡°Has Film Empress Liu gone to Chengguang with my father before? That hotel is under my name. That day, I had gone to inspect it. I think I saw the two of you there.¡± The atmosphere that had just eased once again became tense with Song Xuanhe¡¯s words. Everyone at this party was someone within the entertainment industry. Everyone would know of any and all rumours within the circles. However, no one had known about Liu Xu and Song Guochao. Liu Xu had just received the award for Best Actress and was biding her time. She had been waiting to film a good movie and fly straight into the skies. She naturally would not have let anyone catch hold of any information that could have caused her to be involved in a scandal at such an important point in time. Furthermore, the news about Liu Xu and Song Guochao had been suppressed by the Song Family. Not a single rumour was leaked. So, naturally, none of them would have thought of this. However, they believed that Song Xuanhe as the Song Group¡¯s youngest young master would not juste and nder a female celebrity with no proof. She was just an actress who had just received a ¡°Best Actress¡± award ¡ª an award that looked like it was made of gold but actually only had a low percentage of it within. Even if it had been an actor who had won an international film award, before this young master who had both capital and was born with a golden spoon in his mouth, they were nothing but a measly entertainer, that¡¯s all. ¡°Song shaoye, what are you saying? I don¡¯t quite understand¡­¡± Liu Xu steadied her mood and only revealed a puzzled smile. She and Song Guochao had only been together for two months. It had been kept extremely confidential. Not only did others not know of this, but also not even Liu Xu¡¯s manager did. Song Xuanhe had probablye here because of hearsay. He couldn¡¯t have evidence. She absolutely would not panic. It wasn¡¯t that bad if it were toe to light that she was dating after getting the ¡°Best Actress¡± award. However, if it was exposed that she was a mistress, then her future would be destroyed. Song Xuanhe smiled. She was worthy of being the actress who had just won ¡°Best Female Lead.¡± Liu Xu¡¯s acting ability was quite good. Her reaction time was also very quick, and she was also intelligent. And, what he needed right now was an intelligent person like her. ¡°Perhaps I saw wrong,¡± Song Xuanhe poured another ss of wine and curved his eyes as he spoke to Liu Xu, ¡°Since it was a misunderstanding, I hope that Film Empress Liu will forgive me.¡± Liu Xu watched as Song Xuanhe filled the ss to the brim. The metaphorical stone sitting on her chest disappeared, and sheughed, ¡°What¡¯s with the talk about forgiveness? It¡¯s just a little misunderstanding. I¡¯m usually a bit in a daze, so I¡¯m not good at recognizing faces. I always mistake people for others and have never gone to apologize for that.¡± Huang Cong sighed in relief over Liu Xu¡¯s slickness. He carefully appraised Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. Seeing him smile without any concerns, Huang Cong promptly broke out in a heartyugh, ¡°Hahaha¡­it¡¯s a misunderstanding! It seems like Film Empress Liu and Song shao are fated. Let us make a toast to you!¡± Song Xuanhe epted the ss. He was just about to drink it when a male actor on one side of the room smiled and said, ¡°Since Song shao and Film Empress Liu are fated, and the misunderstanding has been resolved, then this ss of wine shouldn¡¯t be drunk like this. I think Song shao and Film Empress Liu should do a love shot. With this ss, all debts will be washed away.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile froze. He looked at the ordinary-looking male actor, who had a ttering smile on. He was just about to speak when he saw a ck column-like thing out of the corner of his eye through the window. He rescinded the coldness in his eyes and turned to face Liu Xu. He beamed. ¡°Since someone has suggested it, I¡¯ll have to ask if Film Empress Liu will give me the honour?¡± Other people did not know about the matter between her and Song Guochao, but Liu Xu did. Therefore, she knew that Song Xuanhe was Song Guochao¡¯s son. It had also been said that the two of them did not get along. It was obvious that Song Xuanhe and Song Guochao werepletely different. Song Xuanhe¡¯s handsome and clear eyes held a smile. Not only did she not feel repulsed, but she also actually felt quite excited. Although Song Guochao was a good sugar daddy, he was still quite old. Although he didn¡¯t have a beer belly, he still had wrinkles and could not avoid that decline in stamina that came with advanced age. Furthermore, with Song Guochao, no matter how much she fawned over him, she would only ever be a secret lover. Moreover, she had heard that the Song Family¡¯s Old Master had no intentions of letting Song Guochao seed the Song Group. However, it would be different if she got together with Song Xuanhe. He was young, single, handsome, and the most important thing was: He was Old Master Song¡¯s most beloved grandson. It was also said that his rtionship with his elder brother, Song Xuanlin, wasn¡¯t bad either. If she could get together with him, even if she didn¡¯t be a daughter-inw to the Song Family, at the very least she wouldn¡¯t have to hide while they were dating. Even if their rtionship was exposed, it wouldn¡¯t be much of a hit to her reputation. It might even make her more popr. When there was nothing topare it to, Liu Xu thought that she was extremely fortunate to have seduced Song Guochao. However, now that there was Song Xuanhe, and it was obvious who was the better choice, she began to think things over. With a new n in her mind, Liu Xu gave Song Xuanhe a bashful smile. She reached out to loop her arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm and said with a smile, ¡°If Song shao doesn¡¯t mind, I obviously do not mind either.¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows silently. In these few seconds, it seemed like Liu Xu had convinced herself of something. The gaze she used to look at him had changed. Although he had never dated before, he had yed around in bars and all sorts of clubs when he had been around fifteen or sixteen years old. Even if you¡¯d never eaten pork, you¡¯d seen pigs run. Moreover, with his background and face, he¡¯d seen this kind of expression many times before. He didn¡¯t even have to think to figure out the meaning behind it. It was just that if Liu Xu wanted him, then that would depend on whether she had the ability to get him. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze flitted to the camera outside of the window. He crossed arms with Liu Xu and downed his drink. After three rounds, everyone in the room was tipsy. Even Song Xuanhe felt dizzy. Luckily, his background made it so that if he didn¡¯t want to drink, no one would dare to make him drink. What was unexpected though was that after Song Xuanhe chatted with Huang Cong for a while, he discovered that although the other was quite a bootlicker, he was also very professional. Furthermore, the film Huang Cong was seeking investors for really piqued Song Xuanhe¡¯s interest. It was just that Song Xuanhe did not immediately agree. Instead, he expressed his interest and arranged to talk with Huang Cong about this on another day. Huang Cong was ecstatic. Actually, this was a film that he had always wanted to shoot. It could even be said that his previous films had all been preparation for this one. Right now, he was finally more or less prepared. It was just that it was hard to find investors. Even if he was an even smoother talker, when it came time to really invest, all of the big bosses were all shrewder than thest. Moreover, the production costs of this film weren¡¯t low. An ordinary person would find it very difficult to support it. But if there were more investors, then his authority as the director would be reduced. Therefore, he had never finished negotiations. Today, he met up with Song Xuanhe for the purpose of leaving a good impression on the Song Group¡¯s youngest young master so that it would be easier to do business in the future. He didn¡¯t expect that he would give him such a big pleasant surprise. Huang Cong was really in a happy mood. He became even more enthusiastic towards Song Xuanhe. When thest round had finished, it was already nearing eleven o¡¯clock. When Huang Cong saw that Song Xuanhe was already drunk and how Liu Xu¡¯s gaze would asionally flicker to Song Xuanhe, an idea suddenly popped into his mind. When they left the room, Huang Cong said, ¡°Xiao Lin, ah, support Song shao as he walks since you¡¯re sitting next to him.¡± Liu Xu had also drank quite a bit. Right now, her face was flushed. When she heard this, she promptly went over to hold Song Xuanhe up. She said with a smile, ¡°Song shao, I¡¯ll take you to call up a taxi.¡± Huang Cong shook his head and gave Liu Xu a look. He said, ¡°You¡¯re not being thoughtful. Song shao is drunk. How can he go back like this? Take him to the hotel we¡¯re staying at. I¡¯ll get a room for him.¡± Huang Cong was an old fox within the entertainment industry. He had a good understanding of the private interactions between female celebrities and investors. Moreover, Song Xuanhe had expressed interest in Liu Xu before. It also seemed like Liu Xu was interested. He would naturally encourage it. Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind was a bit murky, but he was still pretty clear-headed. So, when he heard this, he shoved Liu Xu¡¯s arm off and said, ¡°No need, I¡¯ll head back on my own.¡± Liu Xu grabbed onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm once more. Her voice was gentle and lovely, ¡°I¡¯ll support you. I¡¯ll take you to the car.¡± Song Xuanhe gave her a look. With Liu Xu clinging onto him like this, it was no different than if she were hanging off of him. And yet, she had the nerve to say that she would be the one supporting him. But when he thought about the paparazzi outside, he didn¡¯t fling her off. Outside of the restaurant, there were several cars already waiting for them. The assistant director promptly directed the partygoers and had managers and chauffeurs support people to their cars. Song Xuanhe pushed Liu Xu¡¯s arm off of him again and walked over to his own car. He told Huang Cong that they would continue their conversation another day and then got in. When Zhang Chao smelled the scent of alcohol on Song Xuanhe and thought back to Film Empress Liu who he had just seen, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, do you want to return to the main residence or your apartment?¡± When he thought about the scandal that would erupt tomorrow morning, Song Xuanhe thought, How can I go back to the main residence? He shut his eyes and said, ¡°The apartment.¡± Seeing Song Xuanhezily close his eyes, Zhang Chao did not say anything more. The car smoothly made its way back to the vi district downtown. After getting out of the car, Zhang Chao first went to knock on the door. After waking Xiao Yuanmu, he went to support Song Xuanhe out of the car. The set had been on the outskirts of town. It had taken nearly two hours to get home. Song Xuanhe had already fallen asleep and was rather muddle-headed. Only when he felt someone holding him by the waist did he finally regain some awareness. He looked up and narrowed his eyes. When he saw that it was Xiao Yuanmu, it took him two seconds to react. He slowly asked, ¡°Why is it you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was shrouded in a cold aura. After smelling the scent of alcohol on Song Xuanhe, his eyes became even colder. He wanted to throw him onto the ground, but Zhang Chao was standing off to the side. He could only endure and say, ¡°Who did you think it was?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked his eyes. Drowsiness once again overcame him. He hugged Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s waist in turn and rubbed his head against the other¡¯s chest before finally shutting his eyes and falling back to sleep. Xiao Yuanmu had only asked without thinking. He didn¡¯t really care that he didn¡¯t get an answer. However, just as he was about to carry the other in, he felt the other¡¯s arm wrap tightly around his own waist. Because it was summer, he hadn¡¯t been wearing much when he came outside. Furthermore, he was in his pyjamas. He could feel Song Xuanhe¡¯s warm, alcohol-scented breath against his chest. Even if there was ayer of clothing between them, it still made him feel itchy. Soon after, he felt Song Xuanhe rub his head against his chest. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body grew rigid after that. He looked down and saw the other¡¯s curledshes slightly flutter along with his breath. The other¡¯s expression was serene in his sleep,pletely off guard. He looked like a little kitty, who waspletely dependent on his owner. It made people¡¯s hearts soften for no reason at all. It just made him want to hold him in the palm of his hands and carefully cherish him as if afraid that he wouldn¡¯t bepletely cozy.
The author has something to say: System: Yesterday, Zhang Chao woke Xiao Yuanmu up and had him carry you into your room. Song Xuanhe: WTF! And I¡¯m still alive?! Chapter 10: You’re My Little Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Golden Fish and someone (anonymous) for the kofi! ??????
A p of thunder woke Song Xuanhe up from his dreams. He stared at the dense, dark clouds gathered outside his window in a daze, letting out arge yawn. Only then did he sit up on his bed and take a look at the time. It was eleven in the morning. However, the ck clouds, lightning, and rain shower outside made him feel absent-minded like he didn¡¯t quite know what time it was. He quietly sat on the bed as he came back to himself. After that, he slowly crawled out of bed and took a shower. After washing away the scent of alcohol, he felt much more refreshed. He hadn¡¯t actually drank all that much yesterday. ording to his usual drinking habits, it should have been fine. It was just that he hadn¡¯t expected that this body was such a lightweight. It had only been a few sses of white wine, and his head had immediately turned fuzzy. It seemed that he should limit the times he goes out to drink. Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue,menting. He wiped his hair and then made his way downstairs. When he reached the living room, he discovered that Xiao Yuanmu, who was usually in his own room reading or fiddling with something, was actually sitting on the sofa watching TV. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but raise an eyebrow in surprise. However, before he could even say anything, his gaze turned to the TV screen, and he paused. ¡°¡ª¡ªAlthough the picture is fuzzy, we can see that Film Empress Liu is drinking with a certain gentleman. The hand gestures of the two of them are quite suggestive. It looks like the exchange of wine from ancient weddings. There is also a rumour that this isn¡¯t the first time Mr. S hase to visit Liu Xu at her workce. They had both gone in and left from a certain hotel before.¡± Two fuzzy pictures of a hotel with its name blurred out appeared. Song Xuanhe looked at them. It was from when he had identally run into Liu Xu and Song Guochao just as they were booking a room. He didn¡¯t expect that the entertainment reporter would ignore Song Guochao. Instead, they had taken a picture of Song Xuanhe at the front desk during his inspection as well as another with Liu Xu entering the elevator with a mask on. In this way, they had forced the two of them together. Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t angry. On the contrary, he found it funny and was looking forward to what would happen. What was funny was that, no matter what world it was, to be able to weave a story from photos was an essential skill for any media reporter. What he was looking forward to was Song Guochao¡¯s reaction upon seeing the news. Song Guochao was probably already cursing him. There was a smile tinted with schadenfreude in his eyes. He went over and sat down on the sofa. While listening to the sound of the rain pouring from outside the window, he crossed his legs on top of the sofa. He grabbed a pillow and was just about to take out his phone to y games when he saw Xiao Yuanmu stand up. Song Xuanhe looked up, meeting with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He subconsciously curled backwards. He thought that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze right now was even more turbulent than the downpour outside. However, Xiao Yuanmu only gave him an askanced look before leaving. He did not stay for even a moment. Song Xuanhe felt rather baffled. He grabbed his phone and thought for a while. He discovered that an ordinary person could not see through this big boss¡¯s thoughts. Furthermore, he was toozy to think about it anymore. They were just acting as a couple without any real feelings anyway. In the future, it would be a rtionship of predator and prey. Even if he guessed correctly, nothing would change, so there was no use in wasting his brain cells. Song Xuanhe yed games downstairs thoughtlessly. Meanwhile, upstairs, Xiao Yuanmu drenched himself with cold water three times before he could suppress the dark emotions inside his heart. Xiao Yuanmu stood by his bed and stared out at the oppressing, dark clouds in the sky through the window. He felt the gloominess and stuffiness in his heart, which had just dispersed a bit, deepen once more. His eyes darkened. He suddenly really wanted to smoke. However, he did not move. He only stood there with a straight back. He knew that something was different. He did not doubt that he had absolutely loathed Song Xuanhe and only had impatience for him in the beginning. However, right now, he wasn¡¯t sure what he thought of Song Xuanhe anymore. He didn¡¯t like him, but he didn¡¯t loathe him. And, he couldn¡¯t quite treat him as an ordinary person, whom he didn¡¯t care about. The current Song Xuanhe was aplicated existence who was difficult to describe in one word. There was something odd, hard to make sense of, that shouldn¡¯t have ever appeared in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart. It had appeared without warning like a ray of light breaking through the mist. It was also like a mirage, tempting travellers into dropping down into a valley. It wasn¡¯t good or bad. It was like silk, entangling him thread by thread until he couldn¡¯t escape. This emotion had caught him off guard and felt baffling. There had been no omens. He didn¡¯t know what to do, but he didn¡¯t reject it or want to go against it. Therefore, he had be curious about it. He was curious as to what was causing this emotion as well as curious to how it would develop. Since he could not break free, he would just wait and see. ¡­¡­ After Song Xuanhe finished a round of games, he finally looked up and discovered that it was already past noon. His stomach growled appropriately, and his hunger grew with every rumble. This caused him to suddenly bolster his courage to go upstairs and tell Xiao Yuanmu to make lunch. In any case, he would have to offend him in the days toe anyway. Right now, he might as well enjoy some good food. From a certain standpoint, he was winning on this front. Song Xuanhe stood at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s door with his hand raised, but before Song Xuanhe could knock, the door was pulled open. Xiao Yuanmu looked down at him and said ndly, ¡°Hungry?¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He took a step back and folded his arms to his chest. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you made lunch yet?¡± ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Right now, Song Xuanhe just wanted to eat something. But when he thought of the ingredients in the fridge, he didn¡¯t want to inconvenience Xiao Yuanmu too badly, so he directly said, ¡°Chicken. General Tso¡¯s Chicken.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly and said indifferently, ¡°OK.¡± Song Xuanhe was honestly really hungry. He randomly found something in the kitchen to temporarily sate his stomach but didn¡¯t dare eat too much. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cooking was worth leaving space for in his stomach. Xiao Yuanmu finished cooking very quickly. In but half an hour, three dishes were disyed. And, Song Xuanhe had already been sitting at the dining table, eagerly waiting. Even though Song Xuanhe was hungry, he ate slowly. He slowly tasted and chewed every bite, carefully savoring the food. When they had nearly finished their meal, Xiao Yuanmu suddenly said, ¡°The day you overturned the dining table, the poached fish in chilli oil had yet to be ced on the table. After what had happened, I ced it in the fridge.¡± Song Xuanhe froze in the middle of picking up food with his chopsticks. Recovering from his pause, he very naturally ced a piece of chicken in his mouth. After swallowing it, he looked up at Xiao Yuanmu and said with a puzzled expression, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. He seemed to be scrunching up his eyebrows in deep thought. He then said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember if the poached fish was on the table or not.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was expressionless. His tone was very dull, ¡°The next morning, the poached fish in the fridge was gone.¡± ¡°This had happened?¡± Song Xuanhe looked shocked. He innocently said, ¡°Perhaps the cleaning aunty, whoes in the morning, threw it away.¡± ¡°The bowl containing the fish also disappeared.¡± ¡°Maybe the aunty took it with her?¡± Song Xuanhe looked like he suddenly understood what had happened, ¡°She might have taken it to eat.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him a dull nce, ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue, acting as if he was taking this very seriously, and said, ¡°She probably thought that it looked pretty good, so she ate it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu put down his chopsticks. He didn¡¯t say anything more and resumed his typical aloof appearance. Song Xuanhe secretly sighed in relief. Luckily, he was quick-witted and was able to toss the me onto someone else in time. If Xiao Yuanmu found out that he had crawled out of bed in the middle of the night, ate the poached fish in chili oil, and had thrown the bowl away to destroy the evidence since he didn¡¯t know how to wash dishes, then how could he be convincing when he acted like a despotic and arrogant spoiled rich boy? * Monday was calmer than expected. It was now 5:30pm. Song Xuanhe waited outside the door to the venture investment department as per usual. People came out one after another. They didn¡¯t find it odd to see him anymore. They all smiled and greeted him, tone of voice no longer as cautious as before. Not long after, Xiao Yuanmu came over. When he saw him, he said in an apathetic voice, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them were just about to leave when they heard someone call out anxiously, ¡°Young Mr. Song! Xiao Xiao!¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head and caught a glimpse at the impatience flickering through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He still asked the approaching man, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this.¡± This person was dressed in a suit and leather shoes. He also had on a pair of gold-rimmed sses. He beamed and said, ¡°Today is the dinner party for our venture investment department. This afternoon, Xiao Xiao said that he wasn¡¯t going. However, I think that since this is Xiao Xiao¡¯s first dinner party since entering thepany, pushing away his coworkers like this would inevitably leave an impression of not being too sociable. Moreover, wouldn¡¯t interacting with his coworkers more only benefit his work? Besides, if Young Mr. Songes along as well, it might just encourage everyone and make everyone feel a bit more enthusiastic towards thepany.¡± Even if he had to go to the dinner party toplete scenes in the plot, Song Xuanhe still raised a brow and coldly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that I, who is from the marketing department, could boostpany morale by eating with you, venture investment people?¡± The bespectacled man choked, but the smile on his face remained the same. He said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s not to boost morale, Young Mr. Song can still attend as a family member.¡± Everyone who was able to rise to management was shrewd. With his words, if Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were really dating, they would have been unable to refuse. However, although he and Xiao Yuanmu were not actually dating, he still couldn¡¯t refuse. Therefore, Song Xuanhe did not continue to make things difficult for the venture investment project manager. He instead smiled and said, ¡°Since you¡¯ve put it like that, we¡¯ll go, ba.¡± When the three of them arrived, the private room was already full with people. There was smoke from the barbecued meat in the air; the meat on the grills sizzled, and there was a special kind of liveliness. When they saw them enter, the majority of the people were shocked. Those who were quick-witted had already stood up and made space, ¡°Young Mr. Song, Xiao Xiao, Mr. Zhang, sit here.¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t polite. He pulled Xiao Yuanmu down and sat in two empty seats. Very soon, new bowls and chopsticks arrived. There were even people who ced already cooked meat in a bowl and gave it to them. ¡°No need.¡± Song Xuanhe waved his hand and refused the dish that a woman had handed over. He raised his chin and indicated towards Xiao Yuanmu as he said, ¡°I¡¯ll eat what he cooks.¡± Everyone¡¯s expressions changed slightly. Their expressions grew suggestive. There were even some male coworkers whoughed and said, ¡°Understood, understood.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him an insipid nce. He rolled up his sleeves, calm andposed, and picked up the tongs and scissors for grilling meat. He grilled meat and ced every single piece in Song Xuanhe¡¯s bowl. The meat was cooked just right and was even paired with vegetables. Upon seeing this, Song Xuanhe frowned. Why did he feel like Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t actually angry? After all, the original novel had described Xiao Yuanmu as having a cold face at this moment. Only, Xiao Yuanmu was typically expressionless. He was very proficient at hiding his emotions. It was very normal for him not to be able to notice any changes in emotion. After all, this big boss was very good at enduring. He hoped that Xiao Yuanmu would remain as steady as a mountain and refrain from acting against him when Song Xuanhe finished the plot.
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: I like the way you won¡¯t hit me even if you dislike me. Xiao Yuanmu: I don¡¯t want to hit you. I just want to¡­.
Eve: Hehehe, Xuanhe thinks he¡¯s slick but Mumu knows. But also¡­he doesn¡¯t know how to wash dishes. Truly a young master. Kara: LOL I literally was like ¡°Did I just really read that with my own eyes?¡± when I read the part of SX not knowing how to wash dishes. Also, isn¡¯t it cute how XY is already exasperatedly fond of SX¡¯s whims? (?¡¯¨Œ¡¯?)? Chapter 11: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you San Xiaojie for the kofi ????
How could a group of adults have a dinner party and not drink? The atmosphere that had turned slightly reserved upon Song Xuanhe¡¯s arrival quickly heated up again after several sses of alcohol. One of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s coworkers saw that he had been continuously grilling meat and then cing all of it into Song Xuanhe¡¯s bowl. Xiao Yuanmu himself hadn¡¯t eaten any. This coworker couldn¡¯t help but bolster up his courage and tease, ¡°Xiao Xiao and Young Mr. Song¡¯s rtionship is quite good.¡± Song Xuanhe had just swallowed down a piece of meat. When he heard this, he looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression from the corner of his eyes. When he saw that the other¡¯s expression hadn¡¯t changed, he took back his gaze and said with a smile, ¡°Jealous, ah?¡± That person hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would reply. He looked overwhelmed with favour. With a smile on his face, he approached Song Xuanhe with a ttering look, ¡°Young Mr. Song, your rtionship with Xiao Xiao is so good, of course we¡¯re jealous.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re jealous, go find a boyfriend or girlfriend for yourself.¡± Song Xuanhe sipped on his alcohol and smiledzily. Seeing that someone had struck up a conversation with Song Xuanhe, who wasn¡¯t as aloof as they had thought and had even made such an easy-going joke, the others¡¯ courage grew as well. After all, there weren¡¯t many chances to interact with thepany¡¯s young master. Even if they didn¡¯t leave an impression on Song Xuanhe, it was still quite good for them to exchange a few words with him. Thus, as soon as the person in front of him had spoken, someone else cut in using this topic as an excuse. He said, ¡°Xiao Xiao hasn¡¯t eaten much. Young Mr. Song, doesn¡¯t your heart ache for him?¡± Song Xuanhe gave that person an askanced look. Although his smile didn¡¯t change, his tone was pressuring, ¡°If my heart doesn¡¯t ache for him, will yours?¡± That person¡¯s expression grew stiff. He didn¡¯t think that Song Xuanhe¡¯s temper would change just like that. He said, embarrassed, ¡°I always shoot my mouth. I said something that I shouldn¡¯t have. I¡¯ll drink in punishment! I hope that Young Mr. Song won¡¯t take offense.¡± Before the other could pick up his ss though, Song Xuanhe had already softened his tone. He said with a smile, ¡°What punishment? You¡¯re right, my heart obviously aches.¡± After saying this, he picked up a piece of meat from his bowl with his chopsticks and brought it over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mouth. Eyes curved into a smile, he said, ¡°Ah¡ªquickly have a bit. Otherwise, others will say that I don¡¯t care about you.¡± Everyone at the table was focused on them. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t open his mouth. He only coldly gazed into Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. Song Xuanhe knew that Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t eat. Not only that, but he would also leave his seat because of this. At that moment, Song Xuanhe was to be angry and then pull Xiao Yuanmu back down, shoving the piece of meat into his mouth under everyone¡¯s gazes. Song Xuanhe was waiting for Xiao Yuanmu to leave. He then felt his chopsticks suddenly lighten. He looked up and discovered that Xiao Yuanmu had indifferently eaten the piece of meat he had brought to his lips. Song Xuanhe widened his eyes in shock. He raised his voice in his mind: ¡¾Xiao Yuanmu actually ate the piece of meat! This didn¡¯t happen in the plot!¡¿ ¡¾I saw.¡¿Er Gou was also quite confused. However, it wasn¡¯t like this kind of thing hadn¡¯t happened before. After all, a book was a book, and reality was reality. The only thing that did not change in reality was the ever-changing nature of reality. There would always be some kind of deviation. Therefore, its tone was very calm £º¡¾This is normal. Although the book was written from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s POV, this world is a real world. Anything could cause deviations. Only, in order toply with reality, you don¡¯t have to get angry like in the plot. Just shove a piece of meat in his mouth. Remember to use your hands.¡¿ When he heard Er Gou¡¯s unimpressed tone, Song Xuanhe let go of the shock in his heart. Actually, he wasn¡¯t one to be easily flustered. It was just that it was the first time Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t acted ording to the plot. It was really unexpected. Moreover, it also felt strange. It was like a thin, 2D portrait had suddenlye to life. It was like fiction and reality had suddenlye together, making him feel dizzy and dazzled. He also suddenly realized that Xiao Yuanmu was not just a character in a story but a living, breathing human. Xiao Yuanmu slowly chewed the piece of meat in his mouth. His gaze had never left Song Xuanhe. He saw every single change in expression, from the surprise of having his expectations destroyed to the current strange expression of seemingly looking through Xiao Yuanmu and gazing at something else, despite obviously looking at him. And now, some fear quickly flitted through his eyes. What had Song Xuanhe thought of in those few seconds to make him raise his guard even further? Actually, ever since he had seen Song Xuanhe at the orphanage, he had perceived the other¡¯s extremely concealed vignce against him. At that time, when he thought of the difference in their statuses, Xiao Yuanmu thought that he must have been imagining things. But after living together, he had confirmed his intuition. Moreover, after observing the other, he very quickly discovered that although Song Xuanhe acted intimate with him, that was only on the surface. He was usually heavily on guard against him but also would asionally bepletely off guard. The only thing he was certain about was that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t actually like him. He didn¡¯t even like him superficially for his looks. Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze. If Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like him, then why had he approached him? Song Xuanhe came back to himself, seeing that Xiao Yuanmu had lowered his eyes and had finished eating. Gaze sweeping over his thin, long eyshes, Song Xuanhe directly shoved a piece of pork belly wrapped in lettuce into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mouth. His action was fast and smooth. Everyone was dumbfounded upon seeing this. Xiao Yuanmu grabbed a napkin and wiped the sauce dribbling out the side of his mouth. His icy gaze fell on Song Xuanhe. For a moment, no one spoke. A few secondster, someone forced augh and tried mediating the situation. ¡°And, you still say that Young Mr. Song doesn¡¯t care about Xiao Xiao? That piece of pork belly had been carefullyyered with sauce and wrapped in lettuce. If that wasn¡¯t caring, then what would be considered caring?¡± When these words were uttered, the others all looked like they had found the antidote to relieving this awkward atmosphere. They promptly agreed one after another. Without conscience, they praised Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu for being a model, loving couple. Someone had even said, ¡°May you give birth to a son soon.¡± The atmosphere became lively again. Only a girl sitting in the corner didn¡¯t speak. She lowered her head and texted, asionally looking in Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s direction. Her gaze was icy. She didn¡¯t blend in with the atmosphere of the dinner party at all. The others ignored her. After all, everyone knew that this woman had tried chasing after Xiao Yuanmu before. She had tried to get Xiao Yuanmu to eat with her before but was discovered by Young Mr. Song. Young Mr. Song directly pronounced that Xiao Yuanmu belonged to him. It would only make things awkward if she spoke. When the dinner party ended, Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone rang. Unsurprisingly, it was Mother Song asking him toe back. This phone call finally broke the calm surface that had been in ce since the morning entertainment news. When he reached the main residence, the lights were on. Song Guochao and Mother Song sat in the living room. The former was livid with rage. Thetter had a peaceful expression. Song Xuanlin was also sitting on the side, on a call. When he saw Song Xuanhee in, he hung up. Song Xuanhe had just appeared when Song Guochao stood up and grabbed the things on the coffee table, throwing them at him. At the same time, he yelled angrily, ¡°Unfilial son!¡± Song Xuanhe had seen him move. He dodged, but his actions were a little slow. The ashtray skimmed his shoulder. The originally calm Mother Song suddenly stood up. With an anxious look, she said, ¡°He Bao! What are you doing?! You picked up a girl outside, and you still dare to put on airs in front of my son, do you think that there¡¯s no one left in my Li Family?!¡± In thest few years, Song Guochao and his wife had long since grown apart despite appearing harmonious on the surface. When they were young, Mother Song had fiercely shouted and screamed over the matter of Song Guochao cheating. Now, she turned a blind eye. So long as she could maintain her two sons¡¯ benefits and reputations, she didn¡¯t care about what Song Guochao did outside. Even when he had bought his first love a mansion and jewelry, so long as it wasn¡¯t over-the-top, she would calmly shut her eyes. However, Song Guochao had actually dared to hurt her son in front of her. Moreover, it was her youngest son who she had carefully held in the palm of her hands since he was young, afraid that he would break. That ashtray hitting his body was no different than hitting her own. It actually made her heart ache more than if it were to have hit her. Song Guochao was also flustered. When he had seen Song Xuanhe leisurely walking in with a devil-may-care expression on his face and then thought about how the woman he had been ying with had crawled into this son¡¯s bed in the blink of an eye, how could Song Guochao not get extremely furious? However, he calmed down upon hearing his wife yell at him. It wouldn¡¯t be good if it got out that this pair of father and son was fighting over some woman. Furthermore, the reason why he was angry wasn¡¯t because of this mistress but because Song Xuanhe had time and time again provoked his anger. Right now, he even dared to challenge his authority. He even dared to fight over his woman. If he let this go, this evil creature would possibly even fall out with him. ¡°I¡¯m not angry with him over that lowly actress,¡± Song Guochao red at Song Xuanhe coldly with a face full of rage and said, ¡°Do you know what your son has done? As soon as he entered thepany, he began to ostentatiously chase after a male employee. After he failed, he threatened the other with his rtives. Right now, he¡¯s forcing the employee to live with him. If this continues, one day he might just kill someone ormit arson!¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know how Song Guochao had managed to link his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu to killing people or arson, but even if he didn¡¯t have the original host¡¯s loathing for Song Guochao, he still didn¡¯t like men like Song Guochao. Therefore, he didn¡¯t hold back at all when attacking the other, ¡°Father needn¡¯t worry about that. You haven¡¯t even killed anyone or set anything on fire. Although they say that the pupil outdoes their master, I don¡¯t care for women as much as you do. I only went to that dinner party because I was interested in the film. I couldn¡¯t stop Liu Xu from clinging onto me when she saw me. Maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re old, and your stamina is no good, so she wanted to look for someone else?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t fuss. If there wasn¡¯t me, there would be someone else, ah. Besides, I¡¯m not interested in her. Even if I was, isn¡¯t it still good to keep the goodies within the family?¡± Song Guochao¡¯s mood that had just calmed down was once again ignited by Song Xuanhe. No matter what age they were, no man could endure being questioned about in that area. Let alone his son who had stolen his woman. This undoubtedly made his anger soar through the sky. ¡°You vile spawn with no conscience!¡± Song Guochao pointed at Song Xuanhe, finger trembling from fury. ¡°Get the hell out of here! I don¡¯t have a son like you! From now on, don¡¯t let me see you again!¡± Song Guochao boasted that he was a graceful and civilized gentleman. For more than half of his lifetime, he had lived high up like a prince. There were very few people who dared to challenge his status and make him curse them. Therefore, even though he was so infuriated, he only switched back and forth between ¡°unfilial son¡± and ¡°vile spawn.¡± At most, he would add a few adjectives before them. Song Xuanhe felt increasingly bored, listening to him. ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll stop showing up just because you said so?¡± Song Xuanhe sneered, extremely mocking, ¡°You don¡¯t have authority over this home.¡± Song Guochao had been extremely angered by Song Xuanhe. But now, he calmed down. He looked at Song Xuanhe. There was no familial affection in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes when he looked at him, only loathing and disgust. Song Guochao naturally knew that he could not chase Song Xuanhe out, but he couldn¡¯t swallow this down either. Song Guochao¡¯s face grew dark. With a cold voice, he said, ¡°I won¡¯t bicker with you about what¡¯s already happened. However, if there¡¯s a next time, although I can¡¯t do anything to you, I have no misgivings about that man you¡¯re hiding.¡±
Eve: MuMu sees through you, Xuanhe. Kara: Song Guochao, you¡¯ve got a big storming, if you think you can take on Xiao Yuanmu. You should be the one to watch out if you do something bad to Xuanhe!! MuMu will protect him!¡­.eventually¡­.£¨???£© Chapter 12: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you San Xiaojie and someone for the kofi ??
When he thought about how Song Guochao had fanned the mes when the original host had died a miserable death, Song Xuanhe almost wanted tough upon hearing ¡°Can¡¯t do anything to you.¡± Even wild beasts looked after their young. These words meant nothing to Song Guochao, who was over forty and had two sons. On the contrary, if he had been allowed to, Song Guochao would probably have already expelled them from the family. After all, there was only one Song Group, but having another son was no issue. Actually, the original host¡¯s tragedy had to do with Song Guochao deliberately raising him to be useless. Later on, when he had found out that Song Xuanhe had offended the Xiao Family¡¯s sessor, he immediately ced ¡°righteousness before family.¡± Not only had he expelled Song Xuanhe from the Song Family, but he also had even handed him over to Xiao Yuanmu, hoping that this would alleviate the fury he had towards the Song Family caused by Song Xuanhe¡¯s actions. However, Song Guochao had been counting his chickens before they hatched. Xiao Yuanmu was cold and dark. He was also temperamental. If he had wanted to take revenge on Song Xuanhe, he had a multitude of ways to do so. Why would he have cared about the ¡°olive branch¡± sent to him by the Song Group he¡¯d so long been disgusted with? Therefore, he had released Song Xuanhe and, at a banquet featuring all of the people amongst the Capital¡¯s upper ss, he had indifferently appraised the Song Family: coldhearted. It had been these words that led to the Song Group¡¯s copse. Although in Song Xuanhe¡¯s opinion, if they were to talk about coldheartedness, there was no one more coldhearted than the protagonist, Xiao Yuanmu. However, his appraisal hadn¡¯t been wrong. Not only was Song Guochao coldhearted, but he was also extremely hypocritical. Song Guochao had ¡°righteously¡± expelled Song Xuanhe from the family while pretending to be a loving father on the outside. He had controlled the public opinion at a key moment. Even if people in the circle had thought that he didn¡¯t care for family, no one had criticized him either. After all, before this, they all knew how impolite and rebellious Song Xuanhe had been as well as how helpless and magnanimous Song Guochao had appeared. In their eyes, Song Guochao¡¯s actions had been ast resort. He had sacrificed a pawn to save the queen. It was precisely because Song Guochao had been such a ¡°loving father¡± that Song Xuanhe had found himself utterly isted over night. Not only did no one help him, but they had also even thrown stones at him while he was down. This was also why Song Xuanhe had to fall out with Song Guochao. Otherwise, no matter what happened in the future, he could not let Song Guochao continue acting like a ¡°magnanimous, tolerant, and loving¡± father, only to ruin himter. Therefore, Song Xuanhe really let out a snort because of Song Guochao¡¯s ¡°Can¡¯t do anything to you¡± as well as his reckless action of wanting toy his hands on Xiao Yuanmu. Only, there was nothing bad about letting Song Guochao pull some aggro. ¡°Dad, not only are you not willing to let off young women, but you also even want toy your hands on young men?¡± Song Guochao was infuriated by Song Xuanhe¡¯s extremely mocking words. He only threatened him coldly, ¡°Although I do not wield all the authority within the Song Family, I can still fire him. You¡¯re no longer young. You should have some propriety. Don¡¯t disgrace my Song Family.¡± Upon hearing this, Song Xuanhe finally revealed an indignant expression. But, it was only for a second before he covered it up quickly. ¡°Even if he doesn¡¯t work, I can provide for him. Do you think I¡¯m scared of you?¡± ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll still stay with you when he leaves the Song Group?¡± Song Guochao could see the hesitance in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. He was fully aware that he had caught hold of his weak spot. Although he was disgusted that his son cared so much about a man, he knew that if he used this well, his life would be much morefortable. ¡°I naturally have ways to make him stay!¡± ¡°Using the orphanage¡¯s people?¡± Song Guochao sneered. ¡°Our Song Family¡¯s authority isn¡¯t for you to use in oppressing others. If you dare use that to threaten him, I will naturally help him for the sake of our Song Family¡¯s reputation. At that time, what other chips will you have?¡± Song Xuanhe gritted his teeth. In the end, he could only return to his room, flustered and exasperated. When the door closed, the rage on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face disappeared. Instead, there was a schadenfreude smile on his face. If Song Guochao were to do anything to Xiao Yuanmu now, then when Xiao Yuanmu came after Song Xuanhe in the future, even if Song Guochao wanted to send Song Xuanhe over to Xiao Yuanmu in a plea for leniency, he would not find it easy to do. At that time, when Song Guochao and Xiao Yuanmu would fight, he could take advantage of the chaos and run. He only had to persist for two years. When he returned to his own world, there would be nothing to fear. After thinking over his n, Song Xuanhe felt much more relieved. Soon after, he washed up,id on the bed that was softer and bigger than the one in his apartment, and inhaled, feelingfortable. It was rare that he didn¡¯t have to be under the same roof as Xiao Yuanmu. His nerves and muscles were all rxed. He began to think about why the plot had deviated today. All along the way back from the barbecue restaurant, Song Xuanhe had pondered over why Xiao Yuanmu had deviated from the plot. Although the System had said that this kind of matter wasmon, Xiao Yuanmu had never deviated from the plot before. There must be a reason for why he did so today. Only, he thought and thought but couldn¡¯te up with the reason. The only thing he thought of was that Song Xuanhe had probably subconsciously deviated from his own character settings. Song Xuanhe knew himself very well. In his original world, he had lived as he pleased. Even when faced with the people from his family who had harboured motives and schemes, he would verbally attack if unhappy. The only person he hadn¡¯t ever called out had been his grandfather. But even then, he would just restrain his temper a bit and had never pretended to be obedient, let alone endure silently or feign civility. Right now, when he was acting in front of Xiao Yuanmu, although he was quite interested because he liked doing exciting things, his rationality told him that if he didn¡¯t do things perfectly, any little thing he did that was out of sorts would influence Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s view of him and would lead to an even more tragic ending for himself. He wasn¡¯t so confident as to believe that he could perfectly maintain the original host¡¯s personality at all times. He absolutely didn¡¯t believe that he could make it so that Xiao Yuanmu, with his extremely high insight, would never notice anything out of sorts about him. He only wanted to drag things out for as long as he could. Because they have interacted frequently, when the time came, these little changes would imperceptibly influence him, and he wouldn¡¯t think too much about them even if he noticed themter on. Moreover, as time passed, he¡¯d be more prepared and would be better able to respond. Now, it seemed to him that he had underestimated Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s intuition and overestimated his own acting ability. Perhaps Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t perceived anything off yet, but the asional appearance of Song Xuanhe¡¯s real personality had influenced him. It seemed that it had caused their rtionship to be a bit better. However, Song Xuanhe knew that even if Xiao Yuanmu changed because of him, it didn¡¯t mean anything. This was because the scene of him handing Xiao Yuanmu over to the businessman was inevitable. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rebirth, this crucial scene, had to happen. No matter how the plot deviated, the fact that Xiao Yuanmu would hate him to the bone after his rebirth would not change. When he had made clear that he would not be able to escape being enemies with Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xuanhe actually felt less afraid of the scenes toe. After all, he would die no matter what. He might as well think of a way to drag out his time before his death and make his death less miserable. Song shao, who had smashed the cracked pot, very quickly fell asleep. However, Xiao Yuanmu, who was left alone in the apartment, couldn¡¯t sleep.
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: The first day Xuan Baby isn¡¯t home. I miss him. Chapter 13: I Liked Him at First Glance Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Creeperco and Gem for the kofi
Early the next morning, Song Xuanhe headed directly to thepany. Because Mother Song hade, he didn¡¯t eat with Xiao Yuanmu. It wasn¡¯t until the two of them were sitting together in the car that Song Xuanhe retroactively realized that there was something off about Xiao Yuanmu. Although Xiao Yuanmu normally had no expression and was a man of few words¡ªif there was no need, he would not say more than necessary¡ªhe still would look calm and innocent, which was unlike how he looked now, gaze lowered while deep in thought, surrounded by an extremely oppressing air, with a darkness asionally flitting through his eyes. His silence before made people think he was a handsome, mncholic youth with an aloof aura. His actions induced admiration and infatuation. But, his silence now made it seem like he was pathologically antisocial and possessed both a high IQ and meticulous thought. With one look, he could make people¡¯s hair stand on end. If it hadn¡¯t been for the System confidently telling him that Xiao Yuanmu had yet to be reborn, Song Xuanhe would have let go of the steering wheel and run away by now. They couldn¡¯t maintain this silence. When he thought of the pool party they were about to go to, Song Xuanhe made conversation, ¡°Can you swim?¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard his voice, he gently raised his eyes. His long eyshes pointed in his direction before he looked back down again. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe thought about what was about to happen. He pursed his lips, and his eyebrows subconsciously furrowed together. ¡°Then, stay as far away from the pool as you can.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanmu looked up again. He stared directly at Song Xuanhe, gaze calm. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Afraid that you¡¯ll fall in.¡± ¡¾Even if you say that, the boss will still fall in. This is part of the main plot. It can¡¯t be changed.¡¿ ¡°Can you swim?¡± Song Xuanhe was just about to reply to the System when he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice. He turned around and looked at Xiao Yuanmu, surprised. This was the first time he¡¯d asked him a question. This big boss had thrown the question back to him with a tone of wanting to continue the conversation. ¡°Yes, but just average,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I don¡¯t like the water all that much.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away. The lights outside the car window quickly flickered past his eyes. One couldn¡¯t tell what expression was in his eyes. He said with a casual tone, ¡°Where did you gost night?¡± ¡°The main residence.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe recalled how he had just left after getting that call. He hadn¡¯t told Xiao Yuanmu where he was going or when he wasing back. ¡°How did you get back yesterday? A taxi?¡± ¡°I walked.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. Although the apartment was not far from thepany, the location of the dinner party had been quite a distance away from thepany. If he had walked back from there, it would have still taken him approximately half an hour even if he had walked fast. When he thought of this, he didn¡¯t know why, but he suddenly felt that it was rather inappropriate of him to have left Xiao Yuanmu all on his own. ¡­¡­ The pool party was located in a vi district in the western suburbs. Because the vis in this district had only recently gone on the market, there weren¡¯t many inhabitants. The streets were empty at night, and the roads were quiet. Aside from the streetmps and the ornamental lighting from the gardens, there were few lit lights within the homes on either side. Therefore, amidst the stillness, the brightly lit, modern, two-story building that had music sting from it was especially eye-catching. It made Xiao Yuanmu, who has always preferred the quiet, frown. Song Xuanhe had just opened his car door when people began to congregate towards them from thewn. There were both males and females around. Amongst them, a man cloaked in a white bathrobe came out front and wrapped an arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulders. He said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯ve invited you several times before, and you¡¯ve nevere out. This time, I asked Lin zi to invite you, and you show up. This is differential treatment, ah!¡± ¡°I like differential treatment.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, pulling the man¡¯s arm off of him. He then pulled Xiao Yuanmu over and introduced the two of them, ¡°Let me make an introduction. This is Xiao Yuanmu. This is Zhou Nan, my friend.¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s gaze fell on Xiao Yuanmu for a moment but very quickly moved away. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Not bad, ah. Is he the one you¡¯ve been pursuing all this time? It seems that it isn¡¯t differential treatment. This is putting love before your friends.¡± While saying this, there was a smile in Zhou Nan¡¯s tone. But within the teasing, it was clear that he didn¡¯t care for Xiao Yuanmu. He didn¡¯t even give him so much as a nce while speaking nor did he seem to have any intention to greet him. It wasn¡¯t that he despised him, but he wasn¡¯t being respectful either. A normal person would have been angered, being ignored like this. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, however, did not change. He was calm and indifferent the whole time. Seeing this, Zhou Nan chuckled and said, ¡°He seems better than the previous ones.¡± Song Xuanhe shrugged. He headed inside with Zhou Nan. When they reached the living room, he saw that there was a group of people already sitting inside, chatting. Zhou Nan winked at Song Xuanhe. There was an unclear, suggestive meaning in his eyes. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand what it meant. His eyesnded on each and every one of the people sitting in the living room. He then raked through his memory. The original host had been acquainted with everyone here, but he hadn¡¯t been particrly good friends with any of them. He didn¡¯t understand what Zhou Nan¡¯s wink was about. ¡°Song shao.¡± When the people inside saw them, one of them stood up and said, ¡°Xuanhe, it¡¯s been so long.¡± Zhou Nan echoed the sentiment upon hearing it. ¡°Ever since he entered his family¡¯spany, he¡¯s stopped showing up. If I didn¡¯t know that he was working there, I¡¯d think that he was a spy. Couldn¡¯t even catch sight of his shadow.¡± The person who spokeughed. His handsome features radiated warmth. ¡°I thought that you wouldn¡¯te today. I was nning on inviting you out to eat in theing days.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and replied, ¡°I just entered thepany, so there has been much to do.¡± That person nodded understandingly. His gaze paused on the person behind Song Xuanhe. An inquisitive look appeared on his face, ¡°Who is this?¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head slightly and took a look at Xiao Yuanmu. He introduced him again, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± He had only said the other¡¯s name and omitted what rtionship they had. This made the people inside exchange nces. For a moment, they weren¡¯t sure what the rtionship between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu was. Only one person wracked his brain and thought about it for a long time with furrowed brows before it dawned on him, ¡°He¡¯s the one you¡¯ve been pursuing, ba? You got him so quickly, ah!¡± As soon as this person¡¯s words fell, everyone began to size Xiao Yuanmu up. Only the person who had asked who he was looked at Xiao Yuanmu apologetically. He then took a step forward and reached out a hand. He said, ¡°Xiao Shenglin. I¡¯m very happy to meet you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked into the other¡¯s eyes that held a smile. He reached out a hand. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s smile was very pure. It made you feelfortable and want to approach him. He said, ¡°Which Xiao are you? The Xiao with the cao radical on top?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then, it seems like we share some fate. I am also that Xiao.¡± Xiao Shenglin easily dissolved Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s awkwardness. While speaking, he also gave Song Xuanhe a covert nce. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t approve of this kind of introduction. Song Xuanhe curved his eyes into a smile. There was more sincerity in his eyes this time. Actually, he had already analyzed the people from the original host¡¯s memory, who showed up today. Therefore, he had an impression of everyone here. He also knew that the two people sitting on the sofa were the scoundrel friends of the original host who had stabbed him in the back. It could be said that the majority of the people at this party were all people who would toss stones at Song Xuanhe when he was down in the future. The only two exceptions were Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin. The two of them had always treated the original host with genuine sincerity. Only,pared to theckeys, who really knew how to bootlick, the original host had not been particrly close friends with these two. Zhou Nan was a good friend who had grown up with the original host. They would frequently keep in touch and meet up. Meanwhile, the original host had just been a casual friend and would only asionally meet up with Xiao Shenglin, who had gone abroad after junior high. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze unobtrusively fell on Song Xuanhe and saw that his expression when looking at Xiao Shenglin was different from how he was when looking at others. He suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯m rather thirsty.¡± Xiao Shenglin: ¡°There¡¯s all sorts of beverages here. It¡¯s at the bar. There¡¯s also some outside by the pool. Do you want me to take you there?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t respond. He only stared at Song Xuanhe quietly. Song Xuanhe smiled at Xiao Shenglin and said, ¡°I¡¯ll take him.¡± ¡°A gin fizz.¡± Sitting down at the bar, Song Xuanhe ordered his drink and then turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°The same.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and then looked at the bartender. The bartender nodded. A momentter, the two cocktails were ced before them, a slice of lemon on each of the rims. Xiao Yuanmu picked one up and took a sip. He then ced it back on the counter. Song Xuanhe held his chin up with one hand and held his drink with the other. He looked through the window at the people outside by the pool, who were frolicking about in a suggestive manner, bored. No one was around to order more alcohol, so the bartender headed to the pool. Maybe it was the alcohol or maybe it was the lively noiseing from the pool, but although neither of them spoke, the atmosphere wasn¡¯t awkward at all. There was afortable ease. Zhou Nan, who was on the other side, took back his gaze. He crossed his legs and said to Xiao Shenglin, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that there¡¯s something weird about Song Er and his little boyfriend? There isn¡¯t any of that lovey-dovey air that couples have between them. If I didn¡¯t know that he was the one Song Er had been pursuing, I wouldn¡¯t think that they were a couple.¡± When Xiao Shenglin heard this, he took a look in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction. He smiled helplessly and said, ¡°What lovey-dovey air? I think they¡¯re fine as they are.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue. ¡°What do you know, you extremely straight man who¡¯s been single since he was in his mom¡¯s womb? When Song Er was with his previous little lovers, didn¡¯t he always have his arms around their waists and kissed them wherever they went? With this one, the two of them sit half a metre apart. Have you ever seen a couple like this?¡± Hearing this, Xiao Shenglin frowned. His smile diminished a bit, ¡°This means that he¡¯s learned how to respect another person. He¡¯s decided to be serious. What¡¯s wrong with that?¡± Zhou Nan rolled his eyes dramatically. He stopped trying to preach to deaf ears and got up. ¡°I¡¯m going to take Song Er to the pool. You sit here by yourself, ba.¡± Xiao Shenglin watched Zhou Nan quickly head over to the other side. He swallowed down the words he was about to say. After Zhou Nan reached Song Xuanhe, he draped his arm on his shoulder and stuck his head over. ¡°Want to go swim?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t turn to look at him. Hezily said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s boring sitting here. If you don¡¯t want to swim, we can go upstairs. There¡¯s some people who want to see you.¡± Knowing that there was no way to resist the plot, Song Xuanhe could only look up and ask, ¡°Who?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see them.¡± Zhou Nan gave a nce towards Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu. He had just been about to say something when Zhou Nan cut in, ¡°Are you afraid that he¡¯ll get eaten? You can be at ease on my turf. Let¡¯s go upstairs.¡± After saying that, he smiled at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°We¡¯re going upstairs for some matters. Have fun.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him for two seconds and then nodded slightly. Song Xuanhe was pulled upstairs by Zhou Nan. He heard him say, ¡°You can¡¯t be serious about that one downstairs, ba?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®are you serious?¡¯¡± ¡°Tsk, what are you pretending for?¡± Zhou Nan gave him an askanced look, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you regard any of your past boyfriends with so much importance. Although something¡¯s fishy to me, I can¡¯t put my finger on it. It can¡¯t be that Lin zi is right, that you really n on dating him seriously?¡± ¡°Xiao Shenglin?¡± ¡°Who else?¡± Zhou Nan walked over to the door, hand falling onto the handle. ¡°I don¡¯t think that you and that guy downstairs are well-suited for each other. You can date, but don¡¯t actually fall in. Before anything else, your family will be really troublesome.¡± When he saw the sincerity in Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help butment. How bad had the original host been at judging people to think that that pack of cruel and unscrupulous fellows were his real friends while ignoring his friends who actually cared about him? Song Xuanhe had a w. That was that he found it really difficult to say anything harsh when others treated him with sincerity. With just a few words, he would subconsciously soften. Therefore, towards people he truly liked and acknowledged, he would be very easy to deal with. Even if the other had expectations that exceeded Song Xuanhe¡¯s ability, he would grit his teeth and do it anyway, afraid of disappointing the other. It was probably because he had experienced too much malice after his parent¡¯s deaths. So, even if it was just a tiny bit of goodwill, even if it was the concern of a stranger, he would always want to pay them back. Therefore, when he saw that Zhou Nan was seriously concerned for him, even if he knew that he wasn¡¯t the original host, he couldn¡¯t help but respond genuinely in return, ¡°I know. You don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Zhou Nan felt awkward, being looked at by him like that. Heughed, ¡°Who¡¯s worried about you? Go in.¡± The room was a study. There was already a young man wearing ck-framed sses sitting inside. When he saw theme in, he stood up. ¡°Mr. Zhou, is this the Mr. Song you spoke of?¡± Song Xuanhe followed Zhou Nan in and sat before the man with ck-framed sses. He raised an eyebrow when he heard this. Zhou Nan introduced them, ¡°Yes, this is the friend I told you about, Song Xuanhe.¡± ¡°Hello, Mr. Song. My name is Zhao Si. The Si from ¡®temple¡¯. I¡¯m very d to make your acquaintance.¡± Song Xuanhe stood up and shook his outstretched hand. The corner of his lips rose as he said, ¡°Hello. Your name is quite interesting.¡± Zhao Si smiled, looking a bit bashful. He said, ¡°Many people say that.¡± The two of them sat down before Zhou Nan got straight to business. ¡°Today, I had youe because I wanted to cooperate with you on a project. The material is all on the table. You can take a look.¡± Song Xuanhe had foreseen this as soon as he entered the room. Therefore, he didn¡¯t look surprised when he picked up the information. He flipped through it and discovered that it was a project summary for the manufacturing of AI robots. The information was very detailed. From the budget to the objective, everything was very explicit. Its future prospects seemed very good. It was just that the original script had only said that Song Xuanhe was called away. It hadn¡¯t specified where he had gone. It had also probably been to discuss investment with Zhou Nan. However, nothing ever happened afterwards in the book. Therefore, the original host must have refused. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want any side issues arising with this. Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger that was flipping through the information paused. His gaze fell on the obviously very nervous Zhao Si. He was just about to speak when his eyes fell on a very hard-to-pronounce city name. ¡°Yourpany is located in¡­Ji Ao City? Where¡¯s that?¡± Regardless of whether it was technology or history, everything was more or less the same to that of Song Xuanhe¡¯s original world. Even the boundaries around each country were more or less the same. Therefore, although the city names were not the same, he could faintly make a guess as to where it was. However, when Song Xuanhe saw this Ji Ao City, he couldn¡¯t guess where it was. Zhao Si smiled at him and said, ¡°It¡¯s close to where Yun City borders the limits of the country. It is very remote. Although it¡¯s called a city, it¡¯s actually not much different from a small town. Moreover, ourpany is situated in the town¡¯s mountainous area. It¡¯s even less convenient to get there. However, we chose to situate thepany there, because there is a very umon mineral in that area. That mineral is exactly what we need to manufacture the robots. Also, if the factory andpany are together, it will be much more convenient to inspect and make improvements in the future during the production period. Furthermore, if we stay there, we can research and develop in peace.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded, seemingly deep in thought. Actually, he had only heard four words: It is very remote. This was a case of someone sending you a pillow just as you were getting sleepy. He was just thinking about going to find a remote and difficult-to-find ce that was also still livable and had people tending to it. It would serve to be his hiding spot in the future when he went on the run. ¡°It¡¯s really remote?¡± Zhao Si nodded nervously. He thought that Song Xuanhe was dissatisfied with how deste the location was. Actually, he had gotten a few investors interested before, but the majority of them had all relinquished this project because of the location. However, he had his own reasons for choosing that ce and wasn¡¯t willing to change it. Nheless, he was also not willing to let go of any chance in getting investors. Therefore, Zhao Si hurriedly said, ¡°Although the location is very remote, I can guarantee that it will not obstruct thepany¡¯s development. Regardless of whether it¡¯s in recruitment or cooperation, we have a set team. It won¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Song Xuanhe interrupted him. He smiled and said, ¡°However, I have one condition.¡± Zhao Si had yet toe back to himself from the glee brought upon by Song Xuanhe¡¯s sudden agreement. When he heard that Song Xuanhe had a condition, he became nervous. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°I hope that my investment will be keptpletely secret. Aside from the three of us, no one else should know about this matter, even if it¡¯s other members of your team. I hope that you say that there is only one investor: Zhou Nan.¡± Zhao Si was startled. He subconsciously turned to look at Zhou Nan. Zhou Nan frowned and said, ¡°Why are you doing this?¡± ¡°I have my reasons.¡± Although they had only interacted with each other for an hour, from the original host¡¯s memories and the book¡¯s description, Song Xuanhe decided to trust his intuition. He told Zhou Nan, ¡°This is very important to me. Not just for now, but even in the future, do not tell anyone that I¡¯m an investor.¡± Zhou Nan saw that he was serious. He thought it over for a while but nodded in the end. He said, ¡°I understand. No one else will know about this.¡± Song Xuanhe gave him a genuine smile then. He stood up, reached a hand out, and said, ¡°To a pleasant cooperation.¡± Just as he left the study, the System¡¯s voice rung in his head: ¡¾The scene has begun.¡¿ ¡¾Didn¡¯t it begin from the moment we entered, big bro?¡¿ Song Xuanhe had practically let down the huge stone in his chest after determining his future hiding spot. He felt free from all worries. While chatting with the System in his mind, he wore a smile. ¡¾I¡¯m not talking about that one.¡¿Er Gou¡¯s tone was anxious.¡¾The boss fell into the water. He really can¡¯t swim!¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. He questioned:¡¾Wasn¡¯t this written in the plot?¡¿ ¡¾The issue is that the person who is supposed to save him in the plot hasn¡¯t appeared, ah! In a bit, he¡¯ll really drown! If the protagonist dies, your mission will be considered a failure!¡¿ Zhou Nan, who had pushed the door open and came out from behind Song Xuanhe, saw him standing at the top of the stairs. He was just about to holler when he saw Song Xuanhe run into the neighbouring room. Zhou Nan was startled. Just then, he heard noiseing from downstairs. He quickly rushed over to the window by the stairs and looked down at the panicked crowd by the pool. He also saw Song Xuanhe, who was about to dive down into the water from the window sill of the room next door. ¡°What the f*ck?! Song Er, get down from there!¡± Song Xuanhe was also quite nervous. He really was just a mediocre swimmer, let alone a diver. However, the System had analyzed that if he jumped down from this window, he would fall right into the water. Moreover, he would fall very close to where Xiao Yuanmu was currently iling. He already had no time left. If Xiao Yuanmu died, so would he. Therefore, even if he was nervous, he had to jump. Ssh¡ª A big ssh rose up from the pool. Song Xuanhe quickly held his breath. He furrowed his brows, screams from the shore entering his ears. It had been too long since he hadst swam. His form wasn¡¯t very skilled. It took him a few strokes before he got the feeling back. Then, he quickly swam over to Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu could feel the water fill his nose and then his lungs. His strength gradually left his body. But when he thought of the rib-breaking force the person who had pushed him had used, a power arose in his body. He gritted his teeth and tried to go up to the surface, but no matter how he moved, the water continued to fill his mouth and nose. He had a bad cramp in his calves. His body heat seemed to seep away with his strength. His eyes also felt full of blood. The ear-piercing screams and voices also gradually disappeared. Xiao Yuanmu slowly closed his eyes. Actually, death wasn¡¯t so bad. Sooner orter, his life would end. How different could it be? The Director¡¯s kind smile flitted through his brain. His mind slowly calmed down. In this world, the only person who made him feel warmth, the only one he was concerned about, was the Director. He hoped that he could be filial towards her in the next world. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu!¡± While absent-minded, a muffled, familiar voice sounded. Xiao Yuanmu opened his eyes a bit before widening them. He was astonished. Light illuminated the top of the pool from above. The person who was doing his best to swim towards him was surrounded by that light. The azure water moved about the circle of light. The rays of light in the water were dim, falling upon the other¡¯s moving hands and frantic face, making up the most beautiful scene Xiao Yuanmu had ever seen in his entire life.
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: My sweetheart is a merman. One day, he¡¯ll blow bubbles ande save me in a halo of white light. Song Xuanhe: Is the halo you¡¯re talking about the one that dead people have on top of their heads?
Eve: And it was at that moment, MuMu knew he was a goner <3. Kara: Ah, this couple is so silly and awkward. I love them so much. *wipes tears* Also, now I¡¯m wondering who the person who was supposed to save him was and where they are. Perhaps a love rival from the novel?? Either way¡­WHY YOU NO SAVE OUR MUMU??! ( ©b§¥©b£»)£¡£¿ Chapter 14: And Then He Wanted to Hug Him Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you pandy and uhimgood for the kofi!
Song Xuanhe had not submerged for long when someone else jumped in. That person helped him pull the already unconscious Xiao Yuanmu to shore and performpressions immediately. Song Xuanhe only rxed when Xiao Yuanmu had coughed water out. He sincerely thanked the other person, ¡°Thank you.¡± If he hadn¡¯t had Xiao Shenglin¡¯s help, with his slight fear of water, Song Xuanhe would have found it very difficult to save Xiao Yuanmu in such a short period of time. When Xiao Shenglin had jumped in, he had saved two people. Xiao Shenglin shook his head. He wiped the water off his face and examined Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s condition. He said a bit hesitatingly, ¡°He hasn¡¯t woken up yet. He¡¯ll need someone to give him rescue breaths. Can you do it?¡± Song Xuanhe lowered his head and looked at the pale Xiao Yuanmu, who had tightly shut eyes. Although he really wanted to say that he couldn¡¯t, if he didn¡¯t do it, then Xiao Shenglin would have to. As heartless as he could be, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to implicate an innocent passerby, who doesn¡¯t even appear in the story and had even just saved him. Moreover, Xiao Shenglin was one of the few people in this world who Song Xuanhe thought was a decent person. He couldn¡¯t screw him over just because of this. There was no time to waste. Song Xuanhe pried open Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s jaw and lowered his own head. At this moment, Zhou Nan ran over to the pool. His expression was very dark. He scanned the situation and asked with a cold voice, ¡°What happened?¡± This was a party he had organized. Even if Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s status was low, he was still someone Song Xuanhe had brought with him. Moreover, before going upstairs, he had promised Song Xuanhe that he would not let something happen to Song Xuanhe¡¯s people on his territory. He hadn¡¯t expected that in just half an hour, he would be fiercely pped in the face. He didn¡¯t have to even think to know that Xiao Yuanmu had not fallen into the water by ident. There was definitely someone here who had done something. A man in patterned swim trunks walked over and smiled. ¡°This was an ident. Several of the models were ying with water guns over there. When they ran over here, they probably hadn¡¯t seen that there was someone standing by the pool and identally pushed him in.¡± The models who were pointed out by the man stood together. They were male models who Zhou Nan had hired to help liven things up. Right now, they had been exposed, causing their faces to turn deathly white. After all, they were third, fourth-rate models. Just to attend this party, they had exhausted all their resources. Moreover, everyone here was extremely rich. If they really looked into this, it would be hard for them to continue in the industry. Zhou Nan didn¡¯t look at the male models. Instead, he said to the man who had been speaking, ¡°Since he had been identally pushed in, why didn¡¯t anyone jump in to save him? Did you n on watching someone die in my home?¡± Upon hearing this, the smile on the man¡¯s face disappeared. Seeing the relentless expression on Zhou Nan¡¯s face, his face paled. He subconsciously turned to look at Song Xuanhe, who was giving breaths. Song Xuanhe noticed the activity on Zhou Nan¡¯s side, but he wasn¡¯t in the right mind to go deal with it. This was because he had given Xiao Yuanmu quite a few breaths, but the other still showed no signs of waking up. This made him doubt whether he had missed something during his first aid course. If giving rescue breathing did not work, they would have to immediately call for an ambnce. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and turned to Zhou Nan. ¡°Call the ambnce right now.¡± Zhou Nan gave a harsh look at the man who had been talking before and then fished out his cell phone, preparing to call for an EMS. Right at this moment, Xiao Yuanmu slowly opened his eyes. He coughed softly, causing Song Xuanhe to look over. He then asked in a weak voice, ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like water?¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He then reacted. Xiao Yuanmu was asking him why he saved him. He looked into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, that were especially bright either because he had just been choking on water or some other reason, and asked in a low voice, ¡°Should I have watched you die then?¡± The beads of water on his eyshes dripped down into his eyes. Xiao Yuanmu blinked. The water touched his eyes and made them slightly red. His eyshes couldn¡¯t help but quiver. He asked, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to die?¡± Song Xuanhe asked back, baffled, ¡°Why would I want you to die?¡± After saying that, he looked at Xiao Yuanmu a bit hesitatingly and talked to the System in his head:¡¾Help me examine Xiao Yuanmu. He doesn¡¯t seem normal right now. Could he have been reborn?¡¿ ¡¾Big bro, he really hasn¡¯t.¡¿The System sighed. Probably because it had already been asked this twice today, its boorish voice sounded rather helpless. It could only exin:¡¾Although Xiao Yuanmu deviated from the plot a bit before, I¡¯ve already told you that these kinds of slight changes are very normal. But, what I can guarantee is that the important scenes will not be changed. The big boss¡¯s rebirth is the most important plot point in the book. At that time, it¡¯s possible that he won¡¯t chase after you with the intent of killing you, but it is impossible for him to not be reborn. It¡¯s also impossible for the timing of his rebirth to be wrong!¡¿ After getting the System¡¯s guarantee, Song Xuanhe let out a sigh of relief. He thought it over and thought that the System was right. Xiao Yuanmu could not be reborn now. After all, he had not yet done anything to Xiao Yuanmu. The only thing he had done to offend him was using the orphanage director to threaten him. Even then, he hadn¡¯t really done any real harm to Xiao Yuanmu or the Director. If Xiao Yuanmu really was reborn here, how could he look for him in the name of revenge? He wouldn¡¯t want to kill him over such a small matter, right? Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes seemed to light up a bit more. He looked at Song Xuanhe quietly and said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll always be by your side.¡± Song Xuanhe went nk. He only just realized that he and Xiao Yuanmu had had different interpretations of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ¡°You don¡¯t want me to die?¡± Xiao Yuanmu had meant, ¡°Were you afraid that I would die?¡± whereas Song Xuanhe had thought he was asking if Song Xuanhe had been actively hoping for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s death. That was why Song Xuanhe had refuted it at once. It was just that, looking at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression right now, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t really want to correct him. Meanwhile, the others hadn¡¯t misunderstood anything. After all, they all thought that Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were a couple. Just now, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s life had been on the line. They could understand if the two of them exchanged some cheesy words of love. In the beginning, they had also thought that Xiao Yuanmu was the same as Song Xuanhe¡¯s other little lovers, who he had been keeping. Now, they had a whole new appraisal as to the ce Xiao Yuanmu had in Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart. After all, they had never seen a financial backer ever look so anxious over a ything they were keeping as if the one who would die in the next second was themself. Someone¡¯s voice broke through the quiet, interrupting Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, who were silently gazing into each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Er shao, I really didn¡¯t mean it like that.¡± Seeing how keyed up Song Xuanhe had been over Xiao Yuanmu, the man who had said it was an ident could no longer hold himself back. He promptly changed his tune, ¡°Those models had been causing a racket and hadn¡¯t watched where they were going. They actually dared to bump into Mr. Xiao. They must pay for this.¡± The models all paled upon hearing this. One of them couldn¡¯t help but look at the shadow in the corner of the house. Song Xuanhe turned towards the voice. When he saw the face of the person who had been speaking, he instantly connected the original host¡¯s memory with the description in the book. He narrowed his eyes and got up. ¡°That¡¯s not what you said before.¡± Although that person knew he had appraised Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s status wrongly, he hadn¡¯t thought that Song Xuanhe, who had always treated him as a friend, would actually not let this go. He secretly gritted his teeth. As expected of the Song Family¡¯s youngest young master, usually, he treated them like good friends when they were hanging out. But in reality, he only saw them asckeys trailing behind him. That¡¯s why he had be hostile towards him so quickly. Even though he was furious internally, the man still smiled and promptly said, ¡°Er shao, I think you might be misunderstanding me. I was standing far away before. I also didn¡¯t know what had really happened, ah. I just thought that since this is Nan ge¡¯s home, nothing big should have happened. So, I downyed the event to settle this matter easily so that it wouldn¡¯t ruin everyone¡¯s excitement! Now that I know that it was on purpose, we obviously can¡¯t let them off easily. How about you hand this over to me? I promise that I will make those models know what regret means.¡± Song Xuanhe sneered. He slowly got close to the man, who was several centimetres shorter than himself, and said, ¡°How do you n on settling this?¡± The man subconsciously took a step back. Even though he was a bit slow, he could still perceive that Song Xuanhe was not willing to let this matter go so easily. He cautiously said, ¡°Since they are male models, then they should put on a show. How about we let them put on a fashion show in the pool? It just so happens that the pool is 180 centimetres deep. Those male models are all taller than that. Let them walk through it like a walkway. Nothing will happen. It¡¯ll be fun.¡± As soon as these words were spoken, one of the male models rushed forwards. The other models pulled at him. They heard the man continue saying, ¡°Moreover, since they made a mistake, they must be punished. It¡¯s hard to walk steadily in the water. How about we give them some equipment?¡± The man smiled tteringly. There was a cruel light in his curved eyes. Matched with his greasy expression, Song Xuanhe wanted to vomit while looking at him. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t cover up the disdain on his face as he turned away. He used his chin to gesture at the male models standing off to the side. His gaze fell on the model who had nearly rushed over. He said, ¡°You,e over here. Tell me what happened.¡± The male model clenched his fists. It was obvious that he realized that all the people in this house weren¡¯t easy to deal with. Moreover, he firmly believed that the man who had been speaking of the punishment just then had really meant it all. If what the man had suggested really happened, if they really tied things to them and made them walk in the pool, then their noses and mouths would all be submerged under the water, considering that the tallest of them was only 185 centimetres tall. At that time, even if they didn¡¯t die, they¡¯d be barely alive. Besides, he didn¡¯t want to gamble on whether these people, who were some of the richest around, would y with their lives for the sake of amusing themselves. Song Xuanhe saw the look of patient endurance and hatred on the male model¡¯s face. The smile on his face disappeared, and he said in an indifferent tone, ¡°If you tell me the truth, I promise that you and your friends can leave safely. If you lie to me, then I believe you already know what awaits you.¡± The man looked at the clear, deep, blue pool, panicked. His face that had already been pale became even more white. He squeezed his fist tight and pursed his lips for a while. In the end, he nced at the man standing by Song Xuanhe, who was shooting him a look of warning, and gritted his teeth. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything! But, you must promise that my friends and I can leave.¡± Chapter 15: You’re My Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Creeperco for the kofi
Hearing this, Song Xuanhe scoffed. There was undisguised ridicule in his tone, ¡°I must? Who are you to talk to me about conditions?¡± He raised his chin slightly and narrowed his eyes. He was clearly shorter than the male model by quite a bit, but even so, the model still took a step back from being looked at like that. Then, the male model took a look at Xiao Yuanmu, who looked fine standing in the back, expression flickering between anger and fear. He was unwilling to give up, but when he thought about who Song Xuanhe was, his reluctance turned to uneasiness. Song Xuanhe saw the wavering in the other¡¯s eyes. His pale lips pursed. He wasn¡¯t in a hurry. He folded his arms over his chest and waited patiently. He was very patient. Zhou Nan was the first to have enough. He strode over to the male model and said with a cold voice and dark expression, ¡°Although my house has just been built, and the security measures inside aren¡¯t perfect, the walls around the pool are short, and I¡¯ve had security cameras installed. Whatever you guys just did is on camera. If you don¡¯t say what happened, when you guys get convicted of attempted murder, none of you will be able to escape.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t! Don¡¯t call the police!¡± The model¡¯s psychological barrier was broken through. His eyes turned red from being frightened. He carefully pointed at the man standing next to Song Xuanhe. There was a look of determination as if ready to face death on his face. ¡°It was Lu shao. We were ying with water guns, and he came over. He said that whoever pushed that man into the water would be given a load of endorsements. He also said that those who participated would receive twenty thousand dors. Anyone who participated would get a share. We didn¡¯t agree to it at first, because we were only hired to liven things up. We also knew that we could not afford to offend anyone here. However, Lu shao said that this man was just a pretty boy being kept by someone, so no one would look into it. Only then did we dare to agree. I know that I was wrong. Song shao, Zhou shao, as great men, please don¡¯t hold this against us. Please let us go.¡± After finishing, the male model knelt. He was only wearing a pair of swim trunks, and his knees were not at all covered. They directly hit the pool¡¯s glossy marble deck. The sound of his knees hitting the ground resounded clearly. ¡°Who the f*ck incited you, you b*stard? You¡¯re ndering !¡± As soon as the male model had finished speaking, the man next to Song Xuanhe kicked the model, who was kneeling on the ground. The model fell to the ground. After kicking him, he turned his head in a hurry and said in a half-resentful, half-wronged tone, ¡°This b*tch is ndering me. Er shao, we¡¯ve been friends for so long. If you believe him over me, then I, your bro, will really feel aggrieved.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned imperceptibly. He ignored the man, bypassed him, and then said to the other male models who were standing not too far away, ¡°Your friend was kicked to the ground. What do you think?¡± They exchanged nces with one another. Some of them acted like it had nothing to do with them. Some of them gnashed their teeth in anger. In the end, only one person went over to help up the male model who had fallen to the ground. He then lowered his head and stood to the side, not saying a word. Song Xuanhe could see the veins popping out of that person¡¯s arms. He leisurely spoke with augh, ¡°Are you good friends?¡± Hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯sugh, the veins on the forehead of that male model with a crew cut also bulged out. He spat out between gritted teeth, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Is your rtionship good?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue. ¡°Your good friend was treated like a dog. He was kicked, but you all just watched on with indifference. Yes, your rtionship really seems to be quite good.¡± The male model with a crew cut suddenly looked up. There was fury in his eyes. Then, he cooled down and spat out, ¡°I¡¯m just itching to break his arms and legs and then drown him in the pool. I want to cut him into pieces¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± The male model with a crew cut, who had been spitting out such fierce words but was interrupted by Song Xuanhe, was startled. The people watching quietly on the side were also baffled. Xiao Yuanmu, who had been covered with a towel and was sitting not far off, looked up. His gaze fell on the man with a crew cut, sizing him up inch by inch. Ice gradually formed in his eyes. The ruthlessness in the eyes of the man with the crew cut, who had a chest full of rage and hatred, lessened. He held himself back but still ended up saying, ¡°Yu Zhong. Zhong is written with the characters for wood and winter.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Yu Zhong. Not a bad name. You can do what you said you wanted to do.¡± Yu Zhong was startled again. He didn¡¯t react. Lu Chao reacted though. He widened his eyes, ¡°Er shao, what is the meaning of this?¡± ¡°I meant what I said.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even nce at him. He smiled at Yu Zhong and said, ¡°Cutting him into pieces would be pretty bloody. You can do the first part until you¡¯re satisfied. If anything happens, I¡¯ll take responsibility for you.¡± Yu Zhong: ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu walked over to Song Xuanhe. He raised a hand, ced another towel over Song Xuanhe¡¯s back, and kept his hand on him. He said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head to the side and looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Because the other had been unconscious after falling into the water, his face was pale now. His perfect lips were slightly open. There was a line of white in the crack between those slightly pink lips. His jet-ck hair was scattered over his pale forehead. The contrast of white and ck, of his weakness and beauty, was ineffably sexy. A beautiful man was indeed a source of cmity. These words appeared in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind. He could feel all eyes on Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu was really too handsome. He was the kind of handsome that would only appear once every tens of millions of years. One would find it difficult to look away after taking just one nce. However, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were together day in, day out. Although he would sometimes still be stunned, he did have some kind of immunity. At this moment, he didn¡¯t blink though, only because he was shocked. The first time! It was the first time Xiao Yuanmu had approached him out of his own will. It was also the first time the other had not used a chilly tone towards him. Actually, it was much more gentle than how he usually talked to him. Thest time he had heard him speak like this was when he had inadvertently overheard Xiao Yuanmu speaking to the Director the first time they met. Although the voice was cold, there hid an impossible-to-ignore gentleness. It was at that moment, Song Xuanhe, who had no choice but to go against Xiao Yuanmu because of the story, suddenly calmed down. He had seen a gloomy, cold, ruthless, and tyrannical Xiao Yuanmu in theter part of the book. But when he heard that kind of clean, clear voice now, for some reason, he was willing to believe that the owner of that voice would not be that coldhearted. Song Xuanhe suddenly felt upset. This was because the owner of that voice was foreordained to be the Xiao Yuanmu in the book because of despair and helplessness. He would be the Xiao Yuanmu who would not confide in anyone and would even find it difficult to get close to his own biological parents. And, it was because this baffling feeling, which was more than just sympathy, had suddenly arose that Song Xuanhe had chosen to act unguarded towards Xiao Yuanmu in the beginning. It was just that when he looked into those eyes that were no longer stained with ice or darkness, Song Xuanhe felt a bit agitated and was at a loss for what to do. Xiao Yuanmu trusted him. Then, wouldn¡¯t he be more hurt in the future? Song Xuanhe could foresee that his pure eyes that pretended to be cold would be covered in more despair than expected. In the end, this despair would gradually be still beneath the hate, and his eyes would truly turn bone-chillingly cold. It shouldn¡¯t be like this. At that time, he had chosen to copse his character settings, because he wanted to avoid having such a thing happen. In the end, things had still developed in the direction he had least wanted to see. The hurt associated with being betrayed by someone you trusted waspletely different from being abandoned by someone you hated and were guarded against. Song Xuanhe knew this well. Fortunately, this was just sprouting at the moment. He could nip it in the bud. It was still easy to turn this around. Song Xuanhe pulled off the towel Xiao Yuanmu had ced on him and threw off his hand at the same time. His tone was cold and indifferent, ¡°None of your business. Go wait on the side.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand fell into midair. He was slightly stiff. The gentleness in his eyes froze slightly. He pursed his lips tightly and then walked away. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even give him another look. He said to Yu Zhong, ¡°Do it, ah.¡± Yu Zhong subconsciously looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back. Even Zhou Nan felt that something was off. He shuffled over and said, ¡°That, uh, little boyfriend of yours seems to be angry. Why don¡¯t you go coax him?¡± ¡°Do it.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t pay Zhou Nan any attention. He looked at Yu Zhong and said, ¡°I won¡¯t say it a third time. Otherwise, we can do what Lu Chao said. You all can walk the runway.¡± Yu Zhong froze. Without another word, he walked over to Lu Chao. When he saw Lu Chao shrink back, he directly kicked the other. He thennded punch after punch. They only heard cries of pain. In the end, there was even a plea for mercy. Just as Yu Zhong was about to kick Lu Chao into the pool, Song Xuanhe told him to stop. When he saw that Yu Zhong¡¯s rage had been pacified, he smiled and said, ¡°Who¡¯s the other person? There were two people behind the scenes orchestrating this. It couldn¡¯t be that you only want to vent on just one?¡± Yu Zhong¡¯s actions paused. There was shock in his eyes as he looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°You can¡¯t say?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yu Zhong looked around at the surrounding people and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that I didn¡¯t get a good look. I only know that it was a girl. She was wearing a short, ck dress. She had ck hair.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded pensively. He squatted down and asked Lu Chao, ¡°It¡¯s Song Jiani?¡± Lu Chao¡¯s wails stopped. He met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°It¡¯s really her, ah,¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head and muttered, ¡°Didn¡¯t listen to my advice.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe stood up and kicked Lu Chao into the water. After a ssh sounded, he said to Yu Zhong, ¡°You guys can go. This matter has been wrapped up. No one wille looking to make trouble for you. Remember to act more decently, and don¡¯t kneel so easily. If you really get in over your heads, forget kneeling. Not even kowtowing will help. Don¡¯t count on these old practices.¡± Thetter part was directed towards the model next to Yu Zhong. Everyone was aware of what he meant. That male model lowered his head in shame. Song Xuanhe was about to leave after saying his piece. Yu Zhong stopped him though. ¡°Song shao.¡± Song Xuanhe looked back and heard Yu Zhong say through pursed lips, ¡°Thank you.¡± Zhou Nanughed. He wrapped an arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Song Er, you¡¯re especially pleasing to my eye today.¡± ¡°Lu Chao¡¯s eyes have rolled to the back of his head.¡± Song Xuanhe curved his eyes into a smile and continued, ¡°If you don¡¯t pull him out of there, you¡¯ll have to sell your newly bought house.¡±
The author has something to say: Oh, my baby boy Xuan has been designed to have a ratherplicated heart. However, right now, the story has just started. I won¡¯t be spoiling anything. I can only say that neither he nor Xiao Yuanmu like each other right now. At most, they just have some goodwill for the other. However, my baby boy Xuan is my son. No matter who I abuse, I won¡¯t abuse him. Therefore, don¡¯t worry. Chapter 16: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
After the pool party, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship had be a little bit abstruse. The two of them lived under the same roof, worked at the samepany¡ªthey met frequently. Outside, they were each other¡¯s nominal lovers, but when they met with each other, Song Xuanhe¡¯s attitude was always indifferent and irreverent. Meanwhile, Xiao Yuanmu was no longer as detached as he was before. Although he still didn¡¯t speak much, everyday, he would stand at thepany doors with a distant expression at lunch and after work. It was like he was silently dering his possession of the other. This behaviour, which was neither eager nor aloof, made Song Xuanhe feel a bit helpless. Right now, it was time for lunch again. Song Xuanhe kicked the footstool, a bit agitated, scaring the assistant, who had just finished his report, into trembling. The assistant thought that there was something wrong in his report just now and promptly turned around, saying, ¡°Young Mr. Song, if you aren¡¯t satisfied with this n, if you think that it¡¯s not good, I will immediately have theme up with a new one.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. Suddenly, a smile appeared on his face. He hooked his finger and said to the assistant, ¡°Right. Immediately gather everyone for a meeting in the small conference room. Prepare lunch for all attendees while you¡¯re at it.¡± The assistant nodded and left the office in haste. Song Xuanhe called via thepany¡¯s internal line and had his secretary go tell Xiao Yuanmu that he would be in a meeting, so they would not be eating together. When Song Xuanhe looked at his empty office, he suddenly felt that he was especially wise. When the meeting was over, it was already 12:30. Because he had silenced his phone for the meeting, Song Xuanhe discovered that he had two missed calls upon entering his office. One was from Xiao Yuanmu, and the other was from an unknown number. He skipped past Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s name and called back the unknown number. The other party received the call very quickly and went straight to business: ¡°Mr. Song, the person you¡¯ve asked us to keep an eye on has moved. Recently, she¡¯s gone to Zijing vi. It seems that she has bumped into that person.¡± The corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips rose. He was already in a fairly good mood, but it just got better. He said, ¡°Carefully watch over it.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe heard someone knock on his door. His mood right now was quite good, so he let the person in. It was just that when he saw who it was, his good mood diminished. ¡°Xuanhe gege.¡± Song Jiani walked in with red eyes. She was biting down on her bottom lip, and her makeup was light today¡ªit was not as gorgeous and charming as it was usually. She looked lovely and pitiful. ¡°Are you really going to treat me like this over that man?¡± Song Jiani¡¯s tears fell. She walked over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s desk and sobbed, ¡°I just wanted Lu Chao to teach him a lesson, that¡¯s all. Song Xuanhe, you and I have grown up together. It was me who was by your side all this time. You¡¯re going to fire me because of that b*tch you¡¯ve just met?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. With a stern expression, he said, ¡°You should know that you¡¯re getting fired because you messed up at work. This has nothing to do with Xiao Yuanmu.¡± ¡°How could this not have anything to do with him?!¡± Song Jiani¡¯s body trembled, albeit it was unknown whether it was from anger or from crying. She walked around the desk, headed towards Song Xuanhe, and interrogated him, ¡°Before, you would only say a few things if I made a mistake. And before Xiao Yuanmu came, you have never treated me so coldly before, let alone try to fire me. Everything is because of him. It couldn¡¯t be that you actually like him that much?! Because of him, you dislike me now?¡± Song Xuanhe used his toe to push his chair back a bit. The perfume on her body made his nose ufortable. Because he was getting agitated, his tone became impatient, ¡°I¡¯ve always disliked you. It has nothing to do with Xiao Yuanmu. Also, since you¡¯ve been fired, don¡¯t stay here at thepany¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe it!¡± Song Jiani pounced forward and sat on Song Xuanhe¡¯s legs. Before he could push her off, she wrapped her arms around his neck. An impressive, softness pressed against his chest, and a pair of red lips approached him. Song Xuanhe turned his head away. Without any mercy, he pushed Song Jiani off of him. Then, his gaze froze. He saw that someone hade in. Song Jiani also saw Xiao Yuanmu. She could feel Song Xuanhe¡¯s pushing action pause. She smiled, feeling proud. She hugged Song Xuanhe even tighter and looked up to give Xiao Yuanmu an askance nce, ¡°This is a Vice President¡¯s office. Is this somewhere you cane in as you wish? And, you¡¯re still not leaving?¡± It looked like there was ice shooting out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His gaze shifted from Song Jiani¡¯s face to Song Xuanhe¡¯s. He then said in a dull tone, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Before Song Xuanhe could speak, Song Jianiughed in a cold voice. Her tone was soft but full of contempt, ¡°Who do you think you are? You¡¯re nothing but a little lover, that¡¯s all. And, you dare ask about me and Xuanhe gege? Seducing men and selling yourself because you¡¯ve got a pretty face¡ªsuits your lowly background.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression became increasingly cold. His lips pressed even tighter into a straight line. His eyes were chilly. It looked like there was a storm gathering in them. His gaze was fixed on Song Xuanhe, not budging an inch. He asked again, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned slightly. He felt that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression right now was really off. There was a foul air all around him as if he would separate him¡ªthe ¡°adulterous man¡±¡ª and Song Jiani¡ªthescivious woman¡ª and dismember or beat them both to death in the next second. Indeed, when he saw that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t speaking, Xiao Yuanmu directly came over and pulled Song Jiani off, causing her to tumble to the floor. He then pulled Song Xuanhe up. His gaze fell on the kiss mark on the other¡¯s face. The light in his eyespletely extinguished and became cold to the bone. ¡°You actually dare to push me!¡± Song Jiani hadn¡¯t thought that Xiao Yuanmu would actually dare to do anything to her. She crawled up. Before she had even bothered to tidy up her clothes, she brandished her ws, heading towards Xiao Yuanmu. She raised her hand, wanting to give him a p. However, her hands were stopped in mid-air. She met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. Her eyes were red, and she looked aggrieved. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be bothered with what Song Jiani was thinking. He told her, ¡°Leave. Now.¡± Song Jiani bit her bottom lip and gave Xiao Yuanmu a fierce re. She then left. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes went back to Xiao Yuanmu. He did his best to continue looking calm and asked, ¡°Did you need something?¡± Song Xuanhe protecting him just now made quite a bit of the cold in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes dissipate. When he heard the other ask him this, he looked away from the kiss mark and pulled out a tissue, handing it to Song Xuanhe. He then said, ¡°Wipe it.¡± Song Xuanhe was a bit baffled. He pulled out his phone and looked at his own face. Only then did he notice the kiss mark. He subconsciously nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. Seeing that the other looked indifferent again, no longer as stormy as before, he wiped the kiss mark right off in a rxed fashion. Xiao Yuanmu ced the bag in his hand onto the office desk. He said in an insipid tone, ¡°I heard that you had a meeting during lunch, so I brought you something to eat.¡± Song Xuanhe opened the bag and saw that it was dimsum from his favourite ce. That restaurant was twenty minutes away by car and didn¡¯t do delivery. He didn¡¯t even have to think to know that Xiao Yuanmu had gone out at lunch to buy this. ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Xuanhe felt a bit guilty. He took a box out and asked, ¡°Are you eating?¡± ¡°No.¡± It was already gettingte. The lunch break would soon be over, and it would be time for employees to get back to work. After taking out the dimsum, Xiao Yuanmu was about to leave. He deliberately slowed down his pace while heading towards the door. However, he didn¡¯t hear any voices from behind him even when he had reached the door. He smiled a bit self-deprecatingly, opened the door, and left.
The author has something to say: You guys actually forgot about the important supporting female lead that is supposed to cause our son Xuan to lose his male thingy in the future! Demented! Do cannonfodder not have rights?! Do you not feel guilty?!
Eve: LOOL That AN. Also poor ML. MC has a really, really long way to go before he reciprocates ML¡¯s feelings (although at this point ML isn¡¯t actually in love yet). Kara: I am aggrieved!!! I HAVE BEEN WRONGED!!! ??o¡¤(? ????????? )?o¡¤?Sweet Mumu, you little brat! Xuanhe isn¡¯t going to know what you mean if you don¡¯t start being more honest! Ah, these two¡­the road to love is long¡­£¨©`¡÷©`£»£© Chapter 17: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Two hours before the work day ended, the Song Group¡¯s quarterly meeting was in session. Fifteen minutes before the end of the meeting, a ringtone suddenly went off in the conference room, interrupting the financial director¡¯s report. Everyone exchanged looks, looking for the source of the sound. Song Xuanhe leaned to one side. His gaze leisurely fell on Song Guochao, who sat in front of him. His hearing had always been rather good. While others were looking for the source of the sound, he already knew that it was Song Guochao¡¯s phone. Chairman Song Yansong, who sat at the head of the table, also heard it. His already stern expression grew even more taut. He swept an imposing gaze around, wanting to find out who had broken the rule of silencing one¡¯s phone during meetings. Usually, Song Guochao couldn¡¯t be considered smart. However, considering how he was already at such an age and had such a high position, he naturally wouldn¡¯t break such a tiny rule. His phone had been put on silent. It was just that he had set up a special number. No matter when, so long as this phone number called, the ringtone would sound. ¡°Father, why does it seem like the sound ising from you?¡± Song Xuanhe leaned against the office chair, smiling. It was extremely provoking. Song Guochao had originally been hesitating between answering the call and silencing it. When he saw that Song Xuanhe had put him on the spot in front of everyone in the conference room, rage boiled in his chest. However, he also didn¡¯t want to lose face, so he said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s from Mr. Huang, who I have been discussing the new development zone with recently. Because we haven¡¯t confirmed the partnership, I made his number special so that it can bypass the phone¡¯s silent mode.¡± After saying this, Song Guochao looked at the head of the table and said to Song Yansong, ¡°Chairman, the meeting is just about to end. I cannot put off the matter with Mr. Huang. How about I go take this call?¡± Song Yansong¡¯s expression became a bit better. The new development zone was one of the Song Group¡¯s biggest projects from thest half-year. Indeed, they could not be sloppy with it. Moreover, this meeting was indeed nearing the end. There was nothing much more to say. Therefore, he nodded and said, ¡°What needs to be said has been said. We¡¯ll end things here today.¡± Song Guochao sighed in relief. He could faintly make out Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile. His heart was in disorder, and anger arose. He must have sinned a lot in hisst life to have been forced to connect with the Li family in marriage and have such a hateful, unfilial son. The door to the conference room opened, and Song Yansong left first. The others also filed out. Song Guochao hurried to return the call and naturally was at the front of the line. Song Xuanhe fell to the back. Seeing Song Xuanhe look like he wanted to make trouble, Song Xuanlin said to him, ¡°Don¡¯t provoke Father. When you have time,e home more. Mom has been mentioning you often recently.¡± Since Song Xuanhe had transmigrated into this body, he had had few opportunities to speak with Song Xuanlin. Because, the description of Song Xuanlin in the book was very sparse. There was nothing useful, so he didn¡¯t have much interest in interacting with him. Right now, hearing him suddenly speak, he still felt it was a bit strange. Only, his memories of the original host and Song Xuanlin interacting were very distinct. Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was rather rxed, and he smiled. ¡°I know. I wasn¡¯t making trouble for him.¡± Song Xuanlin, however, knew his brother well. He didn¡¯t believe him at all. He could only stress his point, ¡°Jiani called me at lunch saying that you fired her. She probably went to her mom in the afternoon. Grandpa is already displeased about you and that man from the venture investment department. Don¡¯t stir anything else up. If you do, Song Guochao will get involved with your marriage and might decide it for you. Don¡¯t show off.¡± When he heard this, Song Xuanhe nodded, taking his advice. Probably because of his personality, Song Xuanlin, who had been mature and steady from a young age, truly wanted what was best for his younger brother, despite the fact that they were not close like normal brothers. It was just that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand why the other could watch on without doing anything when his own brother had been chased out of the house. ¡°I have a sense of propriety.¡± Song Xuanhe had a smile on his face. He was about to continue when his phone began to vibrate. Song Xuanlin saw that Song Xuanhe had a call, so he didn¡¯t say anything more. ¡°Answer the call, ba. I¡¯ll take my leave first. Remember to go see Mom when you have time.¡± Song Xuanhe watched him leave. Only then did he answer his call. ¡°Mr. Song, someone stormed into that person¡¯s vi not too long ago and destroyed the ce. Right now, those people have already left. That person is on the phone now. I don¡¯t know if she¡¯s calling the police.¡± ¡°No.¡± When Song Xuanhe thought of how Song Guochao had rushed out to answer the phone, he smiled and leaned against the wall. He was in a very good mood. ¡°Continue watching the situation over there. When you see Song Guochao, help me take a few photos. Also, don¡¯t loosen the watch on Liu Xu. I¡¯m keeping myself entertained with their y these days.¡± The person on the other side fell silent for a moment. In the end, they still replied in a very professional manner, ¡°Alright. I will send the photos to you at night. If something happens, I will notify you at once.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe put his cell phone back into the pocket of his zer. He went back to his office with curved eyes. Prior to today, Liu Xu had attempted to seduce Song Xuanhe several times, but the other remained unmoved. Therefore, she gave up and turned back around to fawn over Song Guochao. Song Guochao, if nothing else, was liberal with his money. Not just film opportunities, but he had also gifted her a seaside home and several auctioned jewellery pieces worth tens of millions. It was because of this that there had been a small rumour about the rtionship between Liu Xu and Song Guochao. Because her behind-the-scenes patron was so perfect, and her resources were plentiful, her status had risen ordingly. Just two weeks with Song Guochao had Liu Xu, who had just barely made it as a famous actress, enjoying treatment that exceeded what even a famous actress would receive. Naturally, her ambition grew. She knew that she could not be Song Guochao¡¯s official wife. Thus, she wanted to find a way to keep Song Guochao hanging. At the very least, she wanted to keep her ce as his number one mistress. Song Guochao clearly really liked her. When she acted coquettish or jealous, he would actually sever his rtionships with his other mistresses. He had only been favouring her for a while. As long as she asked for it, Song Guochao would never refuse to give her expensive cars, homes, or resources. Liu Xu really enjoyed the benefits that came with being Song Guochao¡¯s lover. She naturally wanted to wrack her brains over how to tter him even more. She was even more clear about how it was only if she could string this man up that she would be able to get even better benefits. However, it was at this time that someone anonymously sent her an email. There was nothing else aside from information about one woman. The information had detailed the rtionship between this woman and Song Guochao very clearly. It had also detailed the history between the two of them. When she saw the woman who looked 60% simr to her, Liu Xu was furious. When she saw that this other woman was Song Guochao¡¯s first love, how could she not understand what was going on? Although Liu Xu came from a poor family, because her appearance was outstanding, she had never suffered since she was young. Later on, when she entered the entertainment industry, with her beauty and sensibility, she was like a fish in water. After two years, she had won a Best Actress award in film. While others would have to suck up to superiors and yet still find it hard to gain sess, it had been smooth-sailing for her over her entire twenty-something years of life. And it was because it had been so smooth-sailing that although Liu Xu was a slick one when it came to the ways of this world, there was still a haughtiness that was deeply-entrenched in her bones from having been popr all her life. She knew that Song Guochao liked her for her youthful beauty. She also liked Song Guochao for his money and status. The two of them were both getting what they wanted from the other. Even though she knew that he had a wife and a son that was about her own age, she didn¡¯t think that she was doing anything wrong. However, if Song Guochao was using her as a substitute for someone else, then she was really unhappy. Moreover, that other person was nothing but another mistress he was keeping outside. Although ¡°first love¡± sounded good, she was nothing but an olddy with no official status. Liu Xu, a Film Empress who thousands chased after, was actually being used as a substitute for an old, withered mistress. She could not ept this. Moreover, Liu Xu wasn¡¯t stupid. If Song Guochao had wanted to be with her for her youthful beauty, then she could still keep him bound for a long time on the principle that familiarity breeds fondness. However, if she was nothing but a substitute, when he was sick of her, he would throw her away. In any case, as long as the real person was still around, he would leave without any reluctance. Without a financial supporter, she would have nothing. Her heart was filled with rage and hate. However, Liu Xu was not worried. She had first sent someone to check if the information was true. She had also dispatched people to keep watch. She wanted to confirm the ce that woman had in Song Guochao¡¯s heart. However, after half a month, Song Guochao had only gone there once and then left in a hurry just two hourster. It seemed that that woman, now that she was old and withered, had lost most of her charm. Only then did she send people to go make trouble at ease. Although she wanted to make trouble, Liu Xu wasn¡¯t stupid. She naturally would not leave any evidence. She had hired help. When the time came, she would send photos of Song Guochao and his first love to Song Guochao¡¯s wife. At that time, there would naturally be someone who would deal with her. Even if the nominal wife didn¡¯t care, she still had many other means to expose their rtionship. And when Song Guochao¡¯s rtionship with his first love was exposed, she didn¡¯t believe that they could continue to meet privately. Their rtionship woulde to an end, and Song Guochao would naturallye looking for her. As time passed, she didn¡¯t believe that Song Guochao would abandon her and risk going to look for his first love, who was already an old granny, again. Song Xuanhe had someone watching Liu Xu. He naturally knew of all the things Liu Xu did. He had already seen these kinds of things plenty of times in his original world. He had also seen many women like Liu Xu. Therefore, he didn¡¯t have to look into it all that much and was able to urately guess her goal. Actually, Liu Xu¡¯s goal was the same as Song Xuanhe¡¯s. In the early days of nning, he had already anticipated this ending. He only hoped that Liu Xu would put in some extra work to ensure that Song Guochao¡¯s benevolent father image would be destroyed as soon as possible and that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t have to think of a way to provoke Song Guochao. Then, he could estrange himself from Song Guochao after being ¡°disappointed¡± by him without being criticized. Song Xuanhe returned to his office and grabbed his car key. It was just in time for him to get off work. He didn¡¯t even sit down and instead headed out directly. When he reached the marketing division¡¯s floor, he discovered that his secretary was actually still there. Moreover, she was talking to a familiar-looking woman. The secretary saw Song Xuanhe and said something to the woman before walking over. She was beaming, ¡°Today, the venture investment division has a meeting. I wanted to notify you but didn¡¯t think that you would alreadye down. Your meeting must have ended very early today.¡± Although Song Xuanhe had a noble air to him, being the son of a rich family, and would asionally have a bit of a temper, he was usually amiable and easy-to-deal-with to his coworkers and subordinates. Moreover, he was also very handsome. When he smiled, he looked easy-going and cheerful. He would also joke around. With all of this, his short little fits of temper became cute in the eyes of others. The secretary had be much more friendly and casual with him when speaking because of this. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll just wait here. You leave first, ba.¡± The secretary nced at the tightly closed meeting room door. She thought it over and then said, ¡°My friend is in the venture investment division. I¡¯m also waiting for her. How about we wait together? The break room is on the other side. I can talk to you about your schedule for next week.¡± When he thought about how he had to talk about work after just getting off work, Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows imperceptibly. However, he had no reason to refuse. He could only follow his secretary into the break room. The secretary was really professional. As soon as she sat down, she reported everything in his schedule for the next week. She then introduced him to everyone he had to and would want to contact as well as those who already had appointments with him. After she said all this, Song Xuanhe was really looking forward to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s meeting ending early so that he could leave. ¡°Mr. Song,¡± The secretary suddenly stopped speaking and said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°There¡¯s a red mark on your cor.¡± Song Xuanhe paused his action of drinking. When he thought of how the scene of Song Jiani pouncing on him at lunch had already made Xiao Yuanmu make him wipe his face with a cold expression, he promptly looked down. However, he couldn¡¯t see the red mark. When the secretary saw that he couldn¡¯t find the mark despite pulling at his cor, she came closer and helped him wipe it with a dampened napkin. After wiping it, she lifted the napkin up to let him see the red on it, showing him that she had helped him wipe it clean. Just at this moment, the door to the meeting room opened. Xiao Yuanmu was at the forefront. He looked up and was met with the sight of the two sitting intimately together. It looked like Song Xuanhe and the secretary were kissing. The author has something to say: Make trouble, make trouble! Some of you readers said that there¡¯s no reason for my son Xuan to have transmigrated into the original host¡¯s body. Actually, there is a reason,. But I don¡¯t want to spoil it so I can¡¯t exin it. When you see theter half of the text, you¡¯ll understand. Therefore, hold your horses everyone. (¤Å£þ 3£þ)¤Å Eve: The start of jealous Mumu hehe. Chapter 18: Lead by the Hand, Laugh Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Ciel for the kofi ?? Note: I have decided to change welfare agency to orphanage. Changes have been made to past chapters.
Song Xuanhe was facing the door, so he saw Xiao Yuanmu at once. He also saw the cold expression on the other¡¯s face and was a bit befuddled. ¡°Your meeting is over?¡± At this moment, the secretary took a step back. She turned around and smiled at Xiao Yuanmu. Women were sensitive to this type of thing, and so, she exined, ¡°There was something on Mr. Song¡¯s cor. I helped him wipe it off.¡± After saying this, she waved the damp napkin in her hand, dering her innocence. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t say anything. Actually, although it was really easy to misunderstand things from that angle, from what he knew of Song Xuanhe, even if the other had had a change of affection or wanted to do something, he would not do it like this in thepany so ostentatiously. Only, when he saw Song Xuanhe so close to another person, he could feel a dark emotion brewing inside of him. Furthermore, the emotion hadn¡¯t lessened even though he knew the truth. The rest of the people filed out of the meeting room. The manager of the venture investment division saw Song Xuanhe and greeted him. The secretary found an excuse to leave. Song Xuanhe got up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, ba. It¡¯s just about time to eat.¡± Tonight¡¯s banquet was an important scene. The System had been reminding Song Xuanhe in his mind since the afternoon meeting. He had also told Xiao Yuanmu that they would be going out to eat today. He had waited for the other outside of the venture investment division, because the book had a line that said, ¡°Song Xuanhe waited at the entrance to the venture investment division for Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Normally, he would have waited for him in the parking lot. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze swept over his slightly damp cor. He tightly pursed his lips and nodded. His expression was much colder than it was normally. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t mind, seeing the other¡¯s expression. He had originally wanted to reduce the contact he had with Xiao Yuanmu. Until they reached the private club the banquet was being held at today, he didn¡¯t say a word. The owner of this club was one of Song Xuanhe¡¯s high school ssmates. When they were in school, he and Song Xuanhe had had a rather good rtionship. Even after he left the country for university, the two of them had remained in contact. They both liked to attend all sorts of parties. Furthermore, this high school ssmate, who had been influenced by the bold and unrestrained atmosphere abroad, had be even more open-minded. All of his get-togethers were dazzling. The birthday party this time was no exception. When they entered the crowded club, there were both familiar third- and fourth-generation rich kids and several frequently seen faces from TV programs. There were quite a few big stars inside. Xiao Yuanmu followed Song Xuanhe in. He watched the other skillfully chat with people from all sorts of backgrounds. He would asionally hug someone if their rtionship was close or get close and whisper something into the other¡¯s ear. There was an absent-mindedness in his eyes, however. This unintentional show of irreverence and nobility made Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s breathing suddenly slow. The fingers hanging by his side unconsciously curled up. His chest felt stuffy. What followed was an unfathomable itch. Something had sprouted inside his heart, causing him to be absent-minded. He also wanted to cover the other¡¯s eyes so that the other¡¯s scope of vision would be narrow. It would be best if Song Xuanhe could only see him. What kind of feeling was this? Before Xiao Yuanmu could carefully think it over and find an answer, he saw someone pull Song Xuanhe over. That person smiled and asked, ¡°Is this your little boyfriend?¡± After saying this, the smiling person looked at Xiao Yuanmu with narrowed eyes and continued, ¡°I heard that you were really nning on going steady with your new boyfriend. I didn¡¯t believe it. But now that I¡¯ve seen the person in real life, I believe it. You¡¯ve got a good eye.¡± When he heard this, Xiao Yuanmu silently turned to look at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe matched this person¡¯s face to his memories. He then smiled, changing the topic, ¡°I brought him to have some fun. Where¡¯s Qian Qin? It¡¯s his birthday, why haven¡¯t I seen him?¡± No one noticed the sh of disappointment in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. The smiling person pouted, then looked towards the centre of a group of people, and said, ¡°There. Recently, he¡¯s been chasing after that Film Emperor who just won an Oscar. Unfortunately, that Film Emperor isn¡¯t from hispany, and his status is quite high, so he couldn¡¯t control the other¡¯s resources. It wasn¡¯t easy to get the Film Emperor here. How could he dare to let him out into the crowd? At that time, he¡¯d probably want to die if he was taken away by someone else.¡± Song Xuanhe followed his gaze and saw a few unfamiliar silhouettes. Aside from the tallest person whose head was sticking out a bit amongst the crowd, he didn¡¯t see anything else. He asked, ¡°Which Film Emperor?¡± ¡°Xue Mian, ah,¡± That person said, ¡°Recently, he¡¯s been everywhere on TV. It can¡¯t be that you don¡¯t recognize him?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Song Xuanhe replied quickly, but it was really perfunctory. He did know Xue Mian but not because of the news, but because Xue Mian was one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s future pursuers. He could also be considered one of the leading roles of this book. It was just that Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected to meet him here so early. After speaking, the other person was called away by someone else they knew. Song Xuanhe turned to nce at Xiao Yuanmu. He saw that he was indeed looking into the crowd. Although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was still as cold and indifferent as always, Song Xuanhe could see that there was something a bit different about his slightly pursed lips. At the very least, he had never seen Xiao Yuanmu look at someone for so long. Song Xuanhe had just looked away when he saw the crowd open up. A man who had outstanding looks and temperament, who was also the birthday boy, walked out. He headed straight towards them. ¡°Howe you¡¯ve onlye now?¡± The birthday boy nced at Song Xuanhe and then turned to look at the man by his own side. ¡°This is Song Xuanhe, you can call him Song Er. And him, I don¡¯t need to introduce, ba: Film Emperor Xue Mian. You can¡¯t not recognize him.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded towards Xue Mian. Xue Mian also politely greeted him. His gaze then fell on Xiao Yuanmu, and he said, hesitatingly, ¡°And, this is¡­?¡± ¡°This must be the rumoured boyfriend who¡¯s causing all that hubbub?¡± Before Song Xuanhe could speak, the birthday star spoke first. Afraid that Xue Mian, who had once said on a show that his ideal spouse was someone good-looking, would be interested in the extremely handsome Xiao Yuanmu, he said, ¡°I heard that you taught Lu Chao, that fellow, a lesson on the spot for his sake. It seems that it¡¯s for real. Congrattions, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe was toozy to say anything to these sarcastic words. He just nodded and introduced, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded to the others coldly but politely. He didn¡¯t n on saying anything. However, it seemed like Film Emperor Xue was very interested in Xiao Yuanmu. As the three of them chatted, it would always end up back to Xiao Yuanmu, for the sake of having him say a bit more. After chatting for a while, the birthday boy began to use his eyes to hint at Song Xuanhe to take Xiao Yuanmu away as soon as possible. Song Xuanhe was also rather helpless and also felt a bit moved. Indeed, this Xue Mian was an important character. Just the attractive force between them during this interaction was extraordinary. As he spoke, Xue Mian shifted the topic from the future of the entertainment industry to the fact that he was about to open his ownpany. He had also signed a few celebrities already. ¡°Mr. Xiao, I don¡¯t know if you have any interest in joining the entertainment industry? I have opened up apany myself. Right now, we have two people signed. Our prospects look quite good. If you¡¯re willing to enter, I can give you the best resources. I can also guarantee that in less than half a year, you¡¯ll be popr.¡± However, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response was very indifferent. Only, he was very polite despite hisck of interest because of the time and ce, ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t have any ns on entering the entertainment industry right now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was clear and cool like spring water. Although there was a slight chill to it, people would still find it pleasant to listen to. It wasn¡¯t ice-cold. On this point, Song Xuanhe really admired Xiao Yuanmu. So long as he didn¡¯t have any malice towards the person who he was speaking to, it would be rare for anyone to resist the temptation of his looks or voice. Xue Mian didn¡¯t find Xiao Yuanmu cold. Instead, hearing the other speak a bit more made him very happy. He smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll leave you my contact information. If you change your mind, you cane to me anytime.¡± ¡°Cough, cough,¡± The birthday boy gave Song Xuanhe another look. Song Xuanhe, however, knew that it would only be a waste of effort. In the book, Xue Mian had fallen in love at first sight with Xiao Yuanmu. The reason for it was very simple: Xue Mian was a pure face-con. He was also a slight voice-con. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s appearance and voice were both exceedingly outstanding. It was no wonder he had ensnared him at once. However, if they stood around and chatted, they would miss the scene they had to do. Therefore, Song Xuanhe still interrupted, ¡°Film Emperor Xue, just give me your contact information. If we need to, we¡¯ll contact you. They look like they¡¯re waiting for the birthday boy to cut the cake over there. Great birthday boy, didn¡¯t you say there¡¯s still a game after cutting the cake? Go quickly.¡± The birthday boy looked at Song Xuanhe gratefully. He pulled Xue Mian away, half-dragging and half-asking him. Shortly after, only Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were left in the corner. Seeing that Song Xuanhe watched the departing figures of those two and didn¡¯t look away for a long time, Xiao Yuanmu, who had rxed because of Song Xuanhe¡¯s words just now, tensed up again. He said insipidly, ¡°What do you think of Xue Mian¡¯s suggestion?¡± Upon hearing this, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even think and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re suited for the entertainment industry.¡± ¡°Then, where do you think I¡¯m suited to be?¡± ¡°Just¡­¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head, pausing his words before pretending to lose his patience, ¡°Just stay with me. You don¡¯t have to be suited for anywhere else.¡± Xiao Yuanmu actually didn¡¯t be angry at this. Instead, he asked somethingpletely irrelevant, ¡°What do you think of Xue Mian¡¯s looks?¡± Song Xuanhe was startled and then heard the other continue, ¡°Between Xue Mian and I, whose appearance do you like better?¡±
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: This is a question that could get me killed. I refuse to answer.
Eve: Jealousy, jealousy, jealousy~ MuMu is a huge ocean of vinegar. Chapter 19: Kiss Him, Hug Him Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Ciel and two anonymous donors for the kofi ??
¡°Obviously you.¡± Song Xuanhe responded sincerely without any hesitation. He was so direct that no one could doubt his sincerity. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression cleared up a bit at this answer. The corner of his lips rose up, almost unnoticeable, but it did not miss Song Xuanhe¡¯s attention. A pair of beautiful eyes fixed onto him, and the apanying voice was cool and refreshing, ¡°But to me, it looks like you¡¯re really interested in him.¡± Song Xuanhe became slightly dazed at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes that seemed to carry a smile in them. If he didn¡¯t remember incorrectly, this was the first time he had ever seen Xiao Yuanmu smile. Although the smile wasn¡¯t obvious, when that faint smile came onto that face, it was really¡­exceptional. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were slightly curved, making Song Xuanhe think of spring water in early winter, clear and bright. When the wind blew, light reflected off the water¡¯s surface, and revitalizing mist and the scent of rosin came with it. If he used arge expanse of white with just the right amount of ink blue as the main points¡ªif he hadn¡¯t transmigrated into this book¡ªSong Xuanhe thought that he would be very satisfied with what he could havee up with for this year¡¯s spring-summer line. However, there was no point in thinking ¡°What if?¡± in this world. However, he couldn¡¯t deny that Xiao Yuanmu really gave him a lot of inspiration. Xiao Yuanmu quietly waited for Song Xuanhe¡¯s response. The other side of the room, however, had be noisy. Everyone crowded around the centre. The two of them suddenly looked really incongruous standing there in their original spots. ¡°Er shao,¡± Someone patted Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder and said with a smile, ¡°They¡¯re cutting the cake over there. Aren¡¯t youing?¡± Song Xuanhe came back to himself. His eyes fell onto the person who was speaking. He silently peered at Xiao Yuanmu from the corner of his eye and then said, ¡°I¡¯ll be right there.¡± That person nodded and left without saying anything else. Only then did Song Xuanhe turn to look at Xiao Yuanmu. After he had been interrupted, his appearance had be much more natural. There was a frivolous smile on his face. Rxed, he tossed over the question back to Xiao Yuanmu with the attitude he knew Xiao Yuanmu hated the most, ¡°What, jealous?¡± Xiao Yuanmu indeed pursed his lips slightly. However, before he could speak, someone came and wrapped an arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder. ¡°What are you talking about, ne? Nan zi has been waiting for you. Everyone¡¯s already there. Hurry up ande with me.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at this unfamiliar person. He knew that this was the plot¡¯s doing. Therefore, he pulled the hand off his shoulder and lightly gestured at Xiao Yuanmu with his chin, ¡°I¡¯m going to head over there.¡± After saying this, he didn¡¯t wait for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response and directly left with the person who had been speaking with him before. He didn¡¯t look back. The music in the banquet hall was rxing. Their footsteps were light. Xiao Yuanmu could faintly make out their conversation: ¡°Just now, was that your new boyfriend? The one you embarrassed Lu Chao over?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was muffled. He had probably just made a ¡°mn¡± sound. ¡°Really high quality, ah,¡± That person clicked their tongue. He thenughed with a wretched overtone, ¡°Only, you don¡¯t seem as interested in him as they say. Our Er shao is famous for getting tired of his lovers after three months. Who knows how long that fellow willst? When you break things off, let me y with him, hm?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was ice-cold. He turned to look in the direction Song Xuanhe had gone. Those two had already reached the crowd. He couldn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply. ¡°Isn¡¯t this Mr. Xiao of the venture investment division? Why are you standing here all on your own?¡± A charming but undisguised hostile voice chimed. Xiao Yuanmu cast an insipid gaze over towards it. He saw a woman dressed in bright and neat clothes. Song Jiani looked in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction and smiled. Her red lips slightly parted, ¡°Xuanhe gege, really? How could he leave you here? He shouldn¡¯t have done that, ah.¡± Sweeping a gaze over Song Jiani¡¯s lips that had lipstick on them, ayer of frost covered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s already icy face. ¡°Move.¡± When she saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, Song Jianiughed, muffled in her hand. Afterughing, she gave him an askance nce with misty eyes, smile not reaching her eyes, ¡°Do you know what kind of ce this is, asking me to move?¡± ¡°Or rather, do you know what the theme of today¡¯s party is?¡± Song Jiani blinked her eyes, mood quite good, ¡°Let me tell you, ba. The theme of today¡¯s party is ¡®hunting.¡¯ Look at those people gathered over there. Don¡¯t they look familiar? You see them often on TV. They¡¯re all prey. Prey without owners, just like you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. In his mind appeared the profound look the person who had called Song Xuanhe over had had on his face. A bad premonition rose up in his heart. As expected, Song Jiani smiled lovably in the next second and said, ¡°I thought that you were important to Xuanhe gege, ne. I didn¡¯t think that it was just this. You looked pitiful, so I came to exin things to you so that you don¡¯t offend someone you shouldn¡¯t and embarrass Xuanhe gege.¡± ¡°Aside from lovers and people with owners, everyone else who came here are split between hunters and prey. You know who the prey are, I don¡¯t have to talk about that. The hunters are those by the long table. You should also be able to see, ba. Xuanhe gege is also over there. After the cake is cut, it¡¯ll begin. The hunters have a tacit agreement that they can capture any prey they take a fancy to during this banquet. So long as it¡¯s prey without an owner, the hunter can use any means to capture them. Usually, they offer money or directly grant them some kind of status, Of course, there¡¯s also slightly more exciting things. For example, if a prey doesn¡¯t agree to these conditions, other methods can be employed,.¡± Song Jiani beamed, ¡°Only, the prey whoe here all know about the rules and agreed to this game. Usually, the methods used won¡¯t be too much. You don¡¯t have to be too scared.¡± As soon as Song Jiani had finished speaking, a woman with a round face came over from the side and looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Her tone was full of anticipation, ¡°Jiani, I quite like him. If Song shao really left him here, I will have to participate and contend for him.¡± ¡°Do it,¡± Song Jianiughed. Her eyes were full of disdain, ¡°Only, looking at how seductive he looks, there will probably be quite a lot of people contesting for him, both guys and girls. When the timees, you¡¯ll have to fork over quite a lot. You might as well discuss things now with Mr. Xiao and see at what price he¡¯s willing to sell.¡± The other woman¡¯s eyes clung to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body, licking it all over from top to bottom with her gaze. She flipped her hair and blinked, ¡°Xiao gege, what do you want?¡± Song Jiani and some others stared at Xiao Yuanmu silently as if watching a good show, waiting for his response. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze lowered. Aside from slightly pursed lips, no one could discern his expression. He was more calm than Song Jiani had expected. Even the people by Song Jiani¡¯s side were rather surprised. If they didn¡¯t know that the young man before them really hadn¡¯t known about the rules, they would have thought that he had already made mental preparations. Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t bother with the onlookers¡¯ shock, whether they were expressing it openly or inwardly. Only he knew how cold his heart had be upon hearing Song Jiani¡¯s words. Along with the frost came a nearly insuppressible darkness. However, even though he had seen Song Xuanhe leave without looking back, he still had a sliver of hope that even he found ridiculous. Before he could respond, the people by the long table suddenly broke out into a celebratory ruckus. There wasughter mixed in. The lighting in the banquet hall darkened considerably at the same time. The originally rxing music also suddenly stopped and changed into an impassioned tune. The people by the table scattered, heading towards the ¡®prey¡¯¡ªording to Song Jiani¡ªseeming to each have their own targets. Amongst them, there were quite a few people who headed over towards him. Song Jiani didn¡¯t expect the game to start so soon. Only, the faster the better. When Xuanhe gege saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s true face, he would naturally snap out of the spell Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s looks had on him. He would understand who really loved him the most and who was really best suited for him. ¡°There¡¯s quite a few people who like you, ne,¡± Song Jiani covered her lips andughed. She said to him, ¡°In any case, we¡¯ve worked together, so I should give you a word of advice. There¡¯s a lot of people willing to spend money, ne. Be on your guard and choose well. You¡¯ll absolutely be able to get yourself a good financial supporter.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even give them a nce. He slightly turned his head and quietly stared in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction. His profile that looked like it had been carved out of stone was cold, but there was a hope contained in his eyes that he himself didn¡¯t even notice. Song Jianiughed upon seeing this and said, ¡°Don¡¯t think that Xuanhe gege wille over. If he didn¡¯t agree to this, do you think that these people would dare toe over? Don¡¯t be so naive. You couldn¡¯t really have thought that he would really fall in love with you because of your face?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced back slightly. His frosty gaze had a nearly tangible cold to it. His clear voice lowered and was hoarse, carrying a sliver of anger, ¡°Shut up.¡± These two words made Song Jiani startled for no reason whatsoever. She even felt a bit afraid. However, before she could analyze why she would feel fear towards this lowly orphan, she saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze turn back toward its original direction. His originally icy silhouette, however, seemed to have softened quite a bit. Song Jiani bit her lips. She followed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze and indeed, saw the person she yearned for, heading in their direction.
Eve: Hehe, herees Xuanheing to ¡®save¡¯ his beauty. Chapter 20: You’re My Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Ciel and Creeperco for the kofis ??
Since Song Xuanhe had been dragged over to the long table, he had the System help him monitor Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s situation. Right now, Song Xuanhe was smiling and chatting with the people around him, but he also had Er Gou giving him a live broadcast of what was going on with Xiao Yuanmu in his head. Song Jiani¡¯s words entered his mind. Song shaoye, who rarely thought badly of any girl, thought that Song Jiani had really been too harsh and had gone too far. Moreover, her heart was rather vicious. Meanwhile, she wasn¡¯t smart enough either. She had already messed with Xiao Yuanmu enough at thepany. However, Xiao Yuanmu had unobtrusively solved any obstacles she sent his way every time. Sometimes, he would even reflect it back on her. This had happened so many times, and yet, she hadn¡¯t curbed her actions in the least. He could only say that she had already be muddle-headed from her love for the original host. If she was a bit smarter, she would have realized that it would be for the best that she didn¡¯t offend someone like Xiao Yuanmu. Even if he hadn¡¯t been reborn yet, he was not someone you could look down on. While the orphanage wasn¡¯t a bloodbath, there were still turbulent waves beneath the pleasant surface. For Xiao Yuanmu to get to this age in one piece without having suffered any grievances already proved his capabilities. Song Xuanhe believed that even without the cheat that was his rebirth, given some time, Xiao Yuanmu would absolutely be able to achieve sess. It was only the original host and Song Jiani who would rush over and go pull aggro on themselves as if afraid that the other¡¯s revenge wouldn¡¯t be savage enough in the future. Er Gou sighed upon hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s roast:¡¾I heard that when a woman is in love, her IQ falls into the negatives. In any case, she graduated from a famous school. It was because she met you that she has be so radical.¡¿ When the System spoke, Song Xuanhe heard Song Jiani ask, ¡°At what price he¡¯s willing to sell,¡± with reference to Xiao Yuanmu. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue, ¡°She¡¯s asking for death.¡± The person talking to him was startled upon hearing this. He turned and asked, ¡°Er shao, what did you just say?¡± ¡°What¡¯s Song Jiani doing holding up my person for?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply. He cast his gaze leisurely towards Xiao Yuanmu and heedlessly said, ¡°I find it quite strange. As soon as you pulled me away, Song Jiani went looking to make trouble for my person. It can¡¯t be that you guys had nned this?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s expression shook when he heard this. He thenughed and said, ¡°Are you joking? Everyone here is a familiar face. We see each other frequently. You can¡¯t say that I¡¯m the one who called her over to hold you from your little lover.¡± Song Xuanhe side-eyed him, sipped his wine, and slightly pursed his lips into a smile, ¡°That¡¯s right. Although Lu Chao, that thing, was blind, that doesn¡¯t mean everyone else is too.¡± When he heard this, the hand that Zhou Rong was using to hold his ss tightened, but the careless and casual smile on his face remained the same. ¡°You¡¯re going to make people hate you with those words. Song Jiani, if nothing else, has a great body and face. She also has her grandfather behind her. There¡¯s a countless number of people who want to court her in our circles. If I didn¡¯t like men, I might also have taken a fancy to her. You¡¯re just too picky.¡± The corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips quirked up into a smile, but he didn¡¯t speak. Zhou Nan came between the two of them, ss in hand. He used his chin to gesture towards Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°What, you were so worried that you jumped into the water without concern for your own safety for him a month ago. Now you¡¯re willing to let him out over there?¡± ¡°Only, in my opinion, you were really ruthlessst time, you youngster. Was it you who struck against Lu Chao¡¯s family? After being tormented by you, they lost a lot of power. Right now, they don¡¯t dare toe out and are hiding with their tail between their legs. Nice to be you, huh. Even though you got so angry for your beauty, you are able to throw him away quite easily, ah.¡± When he heard Zhou Nan¡¯s pointed speech, Song Xuanhe swirled the cup of wine in his hand and smiled. Zhou Rong, however, couldn¡¯t hold himself back and said, ¡°Nan zi is right. I also think that you were too much. Chao zi is still someone we grew up with. No one can say anything about you getting angry with him, but it was a bit too much getting his family involved.¡± ¡°You think I took it too far?¡± Song Xuanhe cocked his head and looked at the other man, his smile unchanging. Zhou Rong took a sip of wine andughed, ¡°Considering our friendship, for you to do that over a little lover is indeed going too far.¡± Song Xuanheughed. The bones of the hand he was using to hold his ss were prominent. Right then, he downed his drink and smiled. ¡°What friendship between Lu Chao and I? What of his family¡¯s things did they actually earn on their own? They got everything they had from mingling with my family. What I give him, I can naturally take back. So what if I took it back because my lover wasn¡¯t happy? If he were to offend a dog that I had decided to raise on impulse, I would also have cleaned out his family.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t quiet or loud. However, the music was soft right now. Also, the cake was being cut, so few people were talking. Therefore, the people around him all heard his words loud and clear. Some of the people¡¯s expressions changed. Zhou Rong¡¯s became extremely ugly. He was very close to Lu Chao. Moreover, his family situation was simr to that of the Lu Family¡¯s. His family had also relied on the Song Family to get rich. Right now, Song Xuanhe was saying that he and his family were worth less to him than a dog that he had decided to raise on impulse! After these words were spoken, the only one who continued to look calm was Zhou Nan, who was sitting to one side. Since thest time when he had discussed cooperating with Song Xuanhe, he had thought that the other had changed somewhere. However, he didn¡¯t look into it any further, because Song Xuanhe¡¯s change wasn¡¯t big. Moreover, this slight change was in a direction he liked. Song Xuanhe was a lot more clear-headedpared to before. At the very least, he wasn¡¯t being used by others like he had been in the past. Song Xuanhe in the past, as someone involved in the situation, couldn¡¯t see things clearly. He hadn¡¯t known what Lu Chao and co. had been nning or how they were using him. Meanwhile, Zhou Nan, who was standing on the sidelines, did. It was because Song Er was too stupid back then that he had been yed with by these people. Actually, as a group of aristocrats, their friend group was really small. In total, one could count all of the members on just two hands. Song Xuanhe was one of the members, and he was also the strangest one. There were only so many people in their group. Although some of them had good rtionships outside of the group, those people were still all people who the whole group were familiar with or had connections with. Moreover, usually, most members were closest to other people within the group. No matter how much they yed around, they didn¡¯t really go outside of their group. It was only Song Xuanhe who had ignored their covert and explicit prodding and wanted to bring in Lu Chao and them¡ªpeople who were unworthy of mingling with them¡ªinto their group. Furthermore, because Lu Chao and them weren¡¯t qualified to hang out with their group, Song Xuanhe had even faded out from their friend group and had chosen to, instead, mix with Lu Chao and co. Although the people in the group were all rich second- and third-generations, they didn¡¯t dareg behind in their studies or social connections. It was exactly because of their identities that they had to be even more low-key and prudent. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe, who mingled with Lu Chao and friends, had deeply ingrained his image as a domineering, good-for-nothing, rich boy onto himself. Moreover, he was really conspicuous. He might as well have had the words, ¡°I stick out,¡± stuck to his forehead. Because of how incorrigible Song Xuanhe had seemed, several of the group members had stopped thinking about him and hadn¡¯t bothered to interact with him any more. They had wanted to avoid being pulled down by him in a moment of inattention. Only Zhou Nan, who still held onto the memories of how he and Song Xuanhe would secretly eat spicy sticks while hiding in kindergarten, would asionally try to help hime back to himself¡ª to see Lu Chao and co.¡¯s real faces. He didn¡¯t want the other to continue acting in a way that was just asking for death. However, even if they were old friends, this camaraderie was still easily exhausted. Moreover, the friendship from when one was a bare-bottomed kindergartener wasn¡¯t particrly deep. Therefore, the matter from the pool partyst time was supposed to be thest time Zhou Nan had nned on helping Song Xuanhe. Originally, he had nned on severing their rtionship after it. He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would agree. Later on, the way he had swiftly and decisively dealt with Lu Chao made him develop a whole new level of respect for Song Xuanhe. This helped restore his rtionship with Song Xuanhe. Right now, seeing him call out this other person, who Zhou Nan had disapproved of since a long time ago, without giving the other any face, it took a lot of concentration for Zhou Nan to maintain a tranquil expression. If he was not careful, he would break out intoughter. Over there, the cake had been cut. Zhou Nan smiled and took a sip of his wine. His gaze fell onto Zhou Rong, whose emotions were unstable. Others didn¡¯t know, but he already knew that Lu Chao had helped Song Jiani because he liked her. However, this person here was helping Song Jiani for a different reason. Zhou Rong was doing this because he hated Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu on ount of Lu Chao. He wanted to take revenge for him. Because, the person Zhou Rong liked was Lu Chao. If Song Xuanhe was as muddle-headed as he had been back then, he would have been really screwed over by the extremely messy rtionship between these two ¡°friends.¡± It was not toote for him now to wake up to reality. It was just that he didn¡¯t know what kind of great master must have touched Song Xuanhe¡¯s head to cause him to be enlightened. In a sh, he had be so clear-headed and sharp. If someone told him Song Xuanhe had been blessed by a great spiritual master to see the light, he¡¯d believe it. Zhou Nan smiled inwardly. The others who heard this couldn¡¯t help but take fun in the other man¡¯s misfortune. Someone evenughed out loud. Seeing Zhou Rong¡¯s malicious gaze sweep over, that person couldn¡¯t help but p and then happily say, ¡°Happy birthday!¡± The others who hadn¡¯t heard what had happened prior did happen to hear the pping and congrattions. Those people subconsciously joined in on the pping. The congrattions flowed over incessantly, burying that derisiveugh that had been conspicuous on its own before. Zhou Rong had no choice but to suppress the vicious air that had just popped out of him. Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan also said their birthday wishes. They then pretended like they didn¡¯t see Zhou Rong¡¯s expression and changed the topic. The two of them had just started talking about another matter when the music changed. Everyone became restless. Zhou Rong pinched his palm and sent a dark look in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s direction. Seeing people heading over there, he quickly put up a smile. ¡°Er shao, I remember that when I said I wanted Xiao Yuanmu, you said that he was different. It seems like you really care about him. Right now, there are people heading over towards him. How about I go bring him over here and let him meet our other friends, so as to avoid other people trying to chat him up, which would embarrass you.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Zhou Rong and sneered inwardly. Who knew if the original host had been blind, or if there had been something wrong with his brain, to actually get screwed over to such a state by this fellow. When Zhou Nan heard this, he looked at Zhou Rong and said in a casual tone, ¡°Mr. Xiao seems clear-headed to me. After all, there aren¡¯t many ingrates in this world who would turn around and bite their owner. Song Er couldn¡¯t have chanced upon one, ba.¡± Zhou Rong gnashed his teeth. He had to control his strength to avoid squeezing the ss in his hand into smithereens. However, no matter how much he endured, he couldn¡¯t prevent all of the suppressed, ominous light from escaping his eyes. Zhou Nan wasn¡¯t afraid in the least with how high his status was. He didn¡¯t believe that Zhou Rong, this fellow who feared the strong and bullied the weak, would dare to take revenge on him. Moreover, Song Xuanhe seemed to have woken up to reality now. He didn¡¯t have to worry that he would be coaxed over in a few words. Only, although Xiao Yuanmu looked shrewd, he was really the only person Song Xuanhe had found during thesest few years who looked reliable. It would be such a pity for him to be stolen away by someone else right now. ¡°That boyfriend of yours is looking at you, ne, why don¡¯t you go over?¡± Zhou Nan gave Song Xuanhe a shove and said, ¡°Otherwise, those people will touch your person right under your nose.¡± When he heard these familiar lines, Song Xuanhemented, no matter what he did with the plot, even if he had called Zhou Rong out without warning despite it being unrted to the plot, in the end, the lines that should appear still appeared. The scenes that had to happen would still happen. It was just that these lines, which should have been Zhou Rong¡¯s, were now being spoken by Zhou Nan. It was obvious how strong the plot¡¯s perseverance was. Song Xuanhe followed the plot and stood up, saying, ¡°I¡¯ll go see who dares touch someone who belongs to me.¡± After saying this, he directly headed over to Xiao Yuanmu. Chapter 21: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you uhimgood for the kofi ??
Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t gotten very far when he noticed that someone had already walked over to Xiao Yuanmu. He couldn¡¯t help but pause before quickening his steps. A sudden scream echoed through the air followed by a woman¡¯s shriek, attracting everyone¡¯s gaze. Mixed together with the fierce music, the scream sounded even more terrible. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were on Xiao Yuanmu the whole time. He naturally had seen everything that had happened. The man who was now cradling his own hand must have said something terrible to Xiao Yuanmu just now. Seeing that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t paying him any attention, he must have reached out. Xiao Yuanmu had probably foreseen that, dodged to the side, and then broke the other¡¯s wrist. That¡¯s likely how the scream hade about. Seeing that person shaking while holding his own hand, Song Xuanhe once again updated his understanding of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s might. Thinking back to those sturdy, smooth muscles he had seen before, it was obvious that Xiao Yuanmu was trained. Song Xuanhe just hadn¡¯t expected for the other to be so skilled. Fortunately, the original host only wagged his tongue. He had never gotten into a physical fight with Xiao Yuanmu. Otherwise, he¡¯d have ended up being strung up and beat up by Xiao Yuanmu. Passing by the howling man, Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± As Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were always on Xiao Yuanmu as he came over, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were likewise on the other. He naturally knew that Song Xuanhe had seen everything that had happened. When he heard the other ask despite knowing the answer, he also replied indifferently, ¡°Broke his wrist.¡± When he heard this, Song Xuanhe looked at the man on the floor in sympathy. He said to Qian Qin, who had rushed over, ¡°Birthday boy, your guest seems to have bad judgement.¡± Qian Qin was enjoying his birthday. He was unhappy with being disturbed. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s status was not to be trifled with. Furthermore, very few people didn¡¯t know of his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu. If you attempted to pick up Xiao Yuanmu when you saw him alone in the corner, then all one could say when you ended up beaten was: you deserved it. Therefore, he was disinterested upon hearing about this. He said to the employee behind him, ¡°Do you guys have a doctor here? Take him there. If not, just send him to the hospital.¡± His words were cold. Despite being the host, he held no concern for the other. The people on the scene immediately perceived Qian Qin¡¯s stance on this matter. They could also understand. Song Xuanhe was right. Xiao Yuanmu was his; anyone could see that. However, this person had stille over and tried to seduce Xiao Yuanmu. He didn¡¯t have bad judgement; he was just stupid. Zhou Nan leisurely made his way over. He watched as that person was supported away. His gaze swept over Song Jiani and co.¡¯s faces, passed over the cold Xiao Yuanmu, and finallynded on Song Xuanhe. He said with a smile, ¡°Alright, the birthday boy¡¯s game has been ruined. Let¡¯s drop it now. Since Mr. Xiao is also here, how about we have a little fun together? It¡¯s just right that there¡¯s a few of us who have no intention of participating in the game. We were nning on finding a private room to just hang out.¡± Xue Mian pursed his lips. When Qian Qin thought about Xue Mian, whose attention had been solely on Xiao Yuanmu this whole time, he nodded. He pushed for it, ¡°There¡¯s a room upstairs. It¡¯s very clean. You guys can hang out up there. The facility also has tennis, a swimming pool¡ªeverything¡¯s there. There¡¯s even poker and dice games avable.¡± However, before Song Xuanhe could respond, they heard Xue Mian say, ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, let¡¯s go with them. I haven¡¯t yed poker in a long time.¡± Qian Qin¡¯s expression changed. He gave a hesitant look at Xue Mian. When he saw that the other was determined, he could only say, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll go with you guys. I¡¯m bored of the game anyway. We¡¯ll leave the rest of them down here to y.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care. Zhou Nan was the one who had proposed this, so he naturally wouldn¡¯t say much. Therefore, the matter was settled like that. The party of seven or so people then went upstairs. Xue Mian really did as he had said. He sat down and pulled out a poker set, making Qian Qin¡¯s terrible expression improve. However, itsted not even a second, because Xue Mian went to look for Xiao Yuanmu as soon as he picked up the cards. Xiao Yuanmu was indifferent. His expression was cold. It was clear that he didn¡¯t have much interest. Meanwhile, Song Xuanheughed, shing his teeth with eyes curved into a smile. ¡°You¡¯re basically gifting him money, ah. I¡¯ll fund Xiao Yuanmu. Later on, including the starting amount, we¡¯ll split the winnings fifty-fifty. How about it?¡± Thetter part was obviously directed at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu faced Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile, and his gloomy mood improved quite a bit. He asked him, ¡°How are you so sure that I¡¯ll win?¡± ¡°Love is blind,¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t respond, so Zhou Nan replied for him, ¡°He likes you, so of course he thinks you¡¯ll win. Don¡¯t worry. He¡¯s loaded. He can afford you losing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s. His own pair were clear with the light rippling through them. It even looked like there was a glimmer of a smile within. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± At a time like this, what else could he do but agree? It¡¯s not like he could say that he knew from reading the novel that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s IQ was so freakishly high that he could count cards? Although Song Xuanhe¡¯s answer was perfunctory, Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t help but purse his lips, suppressing a smile from blooming. When Zhou Nan saw this, he clicked his tongue inwardly. He felt like he had eaten a mouthful of dog food. He was also extremely surprised by the two¡¯s pure hearts. The both of them were not sitting particrly close together, and there was basically no physical contact made. Song Er, that fellow, he couldn¡¯t actually be in a non-sexual romantic rtionship right now, ba. Otherwise, there was no way two people who have slept together would be so proper and well-behaved. Their kisses were probably nothing more than putting their lips together. As his friend, he should naturally help him out a bit. With this in mind, Zhou Nan¡¯s lips curved into a smile. An evil glint shed through his eyes. Song Xuanhe was focused on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s game. He didn¡¯t notice Zhou Nan¡¯s expression. He only waited happily for Xiao Yuanmu to win him some money. After seven games, although Xiao Yuanmu had yed three more people, he had never lost once. In total, he had won three hundred and sixty thousand yuan. ¡°Alipay, WeChat, or cheque. It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Song Xuanhe waved the bank notes in his hands, the proud look in his eyes making the people who had lost money gnash their teeth in anger. In the beginning, those people had thought that Xiao Yuanmu was just lucky. Later on, they felt cheated. In the end, Xiao Yuanmu revealed all the cards in his hands, not getting a single one wrong. They had no choice but to admit that Xiao Yuanmu was just way smarter than they were. They couldn¡¯tin about losing. ¡°Alright.¡± They had wholeheartedly embraced the fact that they had lost to Xiao Yuanmu. However, Song Er¡¯s ugly behaviour of acting pleased over having reaped benefits for something he hadn¡¯t done made them resentful. But even if they were angry, they could only fight back with their words. ¡°If you have the ability, y yourself. How is it considered a reflection of your abilities if you have your boyfriend win for you?¡± ¡°What do you mean? He¡¯s mine, so of course that reflects my own ability. If you have the ability, go find someone to win your money back.¡± Song Xuanhe crossed an ankle over his opposite knee, his fingersnguidly hanging off the back of the leather sofa. He held his head up with his other hand. His indolent smile was frivolous and confident. He absolutely looked and acted every part of a profligate scion of a rich family. He made the others so furious that they were just itching to roll up their sleeves and teach him a lesson. ¡°Be nice.¡± Zhou Nan kicked Song Xuanhe¡¯s leg that was propped up on the knee back down. ¡°Let¡¯s y something else.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care. He nodded, evidently in a good mood. The reason he was in such a good mood wasn¡¯t because of the money. It was because his luck had always been pretty good. However, it was just that his luck in gambling was the worst. Not only poker, but he would also always lose in Mahjong and betting. Since he was young, he¡¯d been mocked for his terrible luck in gambling for more than twenty years. With this turn of fortune, how could he not be happy? Qian Qin had also yed but lost. He hadn¡¯t gotten to steal the limelight for Xue Mian to see like he had nned. So, when he heard this suggestion, he became the most lively. ¡°Here, here, here, didn¡¯t you say to y something else? How about tennis? Let¡¯s have a tournament, how about it?¡± Zhou Nan rolled his eyes. ¡°Who would y tennis at night? Are you not nning to sleepter? I remember seeing that you had Werewolf here. How about we y that? If you lose, you have to do a dare.¡± Qian Qin¡¯s brows furrowed, and then, his eyes gleamed, his knitted brows once again unfurrowing. He even gave Zhou Nan a look, expressing what he wanted to say without words. Zhou Nan subdued the urge to roll his eyes. He looked away, making clear that he had understood. After this secret partnership was established, Qian Qin became eager to y. Right away, he started the first game of Werewolf. In the first game, the werewolf cards were drawn by Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. Song Xuanhe was the best at pretending to be innocent. Meanwhile, Xiao Yuanmu was always expressionless, and no one could read him. Song Xuanhe was in charge of sowing dissension while Xiao Yuanmu misled them. The two of them worked in tacit agreement. In a short amount of time, all the civilians were killed, and they won. Song Xuanhe nced at Qian Qin, who was winking at him so much that it looked like he was about to pull something. He averted his gaze, not wanting to see that ugly sight, and said, ¡°I remember that the most famous scene in the movie Film Emperor Xue won his award for was the ¡®ten years goodbye kiss.¡¯ How about two people from your team re-enact it?¡± Qian Qin¡¯s eyes brightened up. He immediately threw a grateful look at Song Xuanhe. Xue Mian frowned, however. On their side, he only knew Qian Qin. However, he didn¡¯t want anything to develop between them, so he didn¡¯t want to give the other the chance. Therefore, he looked around and casually chose someone, who looked pleasing. He changed his aura, said his lines, and then pressed towards the other¡¯s face. At that moment, Qian Qin naturally knew that he and Xue Mian would not work out. He had on a dark expression, but he didn¡¯t do anything. He only watched as Xue Mian and the other person pressed together. But, Xue Mian didn¡¯t actually kiss the other person. He had only brought his face close to theirs before turning his face away. He then said, ¡°Scene¡¯s over. We used angles to make it look like we were kissing.¡± The person he had chosen sighed in relief. They felt like the atmosphere was really awkward, promptly sitting back down, and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s continue.¡± The next game began. Once again, Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe somehow chose the werewolf cards again. Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu and knew that this game wouldn¡¯t be very fun. He couldn¡¯t help but feel disinterested. He was careless when speaking. However, this behaviour of his actually made people unsure. For some time, no one voted to kill him. However, the distracted Song Xuanhe did not realize that Zhou Nan, who had drawn a civilian card, had been hinting to Xiao Yuanmu with his eyes and making gestures. Xiao Yuanmu felt the vein in his forehead throb, and he averted his eyes coldly. When Song Xuanhe thought that they were likely going to win again, Xiao Yuanmu was actually voted off. Song Xuanhe looked in Zhou Nan¡¯s direction. Howe the other hadn¡¯t been this smart in thest game? Moreover, Xiao Yuanmu spoke rarely and was cautious. There had been no mistakes just now. How had he been caught by Zhou Nan? Did Zhou Nan guess blindly? Was it that he would rather make a mistaken kill than let him off? Before Song Xuanhe could figure it out, he was also voted off. The one who had nominated him had once again been Zhou Nan. The narrator announced, ¡°The game has ended. The civilians have won.¡± Song Xuanhe appraised Zhou Nan. However, Zhou Nan was as steady as a mountain. He didn¡¯t pay Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze any attention. Instead, he had his brows furrowed as if he had been in deep thought for a long time. Then, he suddenlyughed, an evil glint in his eyes. Song Xuanhe suddenly got a bad feeling. ¡°Since the two of you are together, there¡¯s little options avable. How about the two of you kiss? A long french kiss. At least three minutes. What do you think, fes?¡±
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: I¡¯m smiling on the outside but yelling son of a b*tch on the inside.
Eve: Get ready for a hot kiss scene. *fans self* Kara: *pushes Xuanhe and Mumu together* Now¡­.KISS!!! Chapter 22: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
F*ck your mom, a long french kiss? Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes, not saying a word. However, inwardly, he was systematically cursing at all of Zhou Nan¡¯s ancestors. But, he also had no way of directly refusing Zhou Nan¡¯s punishment. After all, everyone knew of his and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. Moreover, he had previously dered that Xiao Yuanmu was his in front of everyone. It would be weird no matter how you looked at it if he were to refuse now. Therefore, Song Xuanhe put all of his hopes onto Xiao Yuanmu. He could not refuse, but Xiao Yuanmu could, ah. He remembered that the book said that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t like others getting too intimate with him. He would very likely find it absolutely unbearable to kiss. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak. He only smiled at Xiao Yuanmu as if asking for his opinion. The spectators all exchanged silent gazes. They all believed in the rumour that Song Xuanhe was truly smitten even more. They had never seen Song Er treat anyone else like this before. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were cold. He met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes silently. His expression did not change. But, what no one knew was that the fingers hanging at his side had curled up slightly. Seeing Xiao Yuanmu neither move nor refuse, Song Xuanhe hesitated for a long time, unable to read any emotions from within those cool eyes. Then, it dawned on him. Xiao Yuanmu had not been reborn yet. Even if he really didn¡¯t want to, Xiao Yuanmu would not embarrass Song Xuanhe in front of so many people so straightforwardly. Great ns could be ruined by moments of impatience. Right now, Xiao Yuanmu must have already found quite a bit of data on the Song Family. If Xiao Yuanmu were to offend Song Xuanhe now, it would only waste all the work he¡¯d done up until now. When he thought of this, Song Xuanhe knew that he could not escape this situation. He could only stand up. He was nning on taking a page out of Xue Mian¡¯s book. He¡¯d just touch lips with the other for a bit. However, just as he stood up, Zhou Nan, who was already getting impatient, shoved him with a click of his tongue. He teased, ¡°If you¡¯re gonna kiss, then kiss. If you¡¯re gonna y the game, y it. Don¡¯t exchange lovey-dovey nces at each other and force us to eat all this dog food, OK?¡± Song Xuanhe had been caught off guard and ended up being pushed into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯sp. Their lips touched. The soft, warm lips came with a faint smell of peppermint. It was the smell of the toothpaste Xiao Yuanmu used. Song Xuanhe used one that was blueberry-voured. Xiao Yuanmu calmly examined the face that was extremely close to his own. His lips were pressed together. Because his nose was high, they didn¡¯t bump noses. From his point of view, he could only see Song Xuanhe¡¯s surprised eyes. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were not particrlyrge, but they were very bright and clear. His eyshes were long and thick. The corners of his eyes drooped down slightly. However, they were not seductive,e-hither eyes. Rather, they were very cheerful and bright. He always wore a smile. When he shed others an innocent expression, he looked very convincing. People readily developed a good impression of him. However, although there was always a bit of a smile within those pure, limpid eyes, Song Xuanhe never seriously put anyone into his heart. Mixed within his naivety and purity was the indifferent and careless cruelty of someone who lived life as if he was merely ying a game. Suddenly, the image of Song Jiani draped over Song Xuanhe¡¯s body that afternoon burst into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mind. The kiss mark on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face and the red stain on his clothes had been extremely grating, but Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been able to do anything about them. His own pride and Song Xuanhe¡¯s baffling, sudden estrangement had frozen him in ce, rendering him incapable of doing anything except hide away the unfamiliar emotion and hand the other a napkin to wipe away the stain. Song Xuanhe counted the seconds. He had nned on keeping their lips together for several seconds and just hoodwinking it through. But when he had counted to ten, the corners of his eyes began to feel a little itchy, and he couldn¡¯t help but blink. His eyshes were like a fan of feathers, gently brushing against Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s nose. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s curled-up fingers began to shake. The next second, Xiao Yuanmu tilted his head slightly, covered the back of Song Xuanhe¡¯s head with his palm, and pressed his tongue out. His tongue pushed into Song Xuanhe¡¯s mouth, hooking the other¡¯s still one. Before shutting his eyes, Xiao Yuanmu had caught sight of Song Xuanhe¡¯s slightly widened eyes. After closing his eyes, Xiao Yuanmu used his hand to press the other closer to himself. His kiss was sloppy and unskilled as he simply followed his instincts to push his tongue even deeper into the other¡¯s mouth. He alternated between exploring the cavity with that lithe, strong muscle of his and sucking the other¡¯s lips. It was only a short moment before he got the hang of things. The inevitable wet noises that were produced from the entwinement of lips as they exchanged saliva made Song Xuanhe make a sound akin to a whimper as he sucked in a breath. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes fluttered. He ced his other hand on the nape of Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck. At the same time, he backed away slightly before tilting his head once more so that he could plunder the other¡¯s mouth from a different angle. Their tongues danced together in an even more skillful and intense fashion. It was like Xiao Yuanmu wanted to swallow the person in his arms into his own being. Song Xuanhe had been caught off guard when Xiao Yuanmu had cupped the back of his head and pried open his teeth. Just as he was about to struggle free, he heard cheering from the sidelines. It was then that he remembered what kind of situation they were currently in. Although he was angry and wanted to grit his teeth, he couldn¡¯t clench his jaw shut at this time. He could only try to avoid the other¡¯s tongue. However, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s offense was fierce. He didn¡¯t give Song Xuanhe any opportunity to evade. All Song Xuanhe could do was ept the other¡¯s invasion. He could only stifle his fury for now and vent itter. However, as they kissed, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt that making out with Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t all that bad. He¡¯d had boyfriends and girlfriends in his original world, but he had never felt anything much from doing these sorts of things with them to the point where he didn¡¯t even care to find partners to deal with his sexual urges. Later on, his studio became more and more famous, so he became even less inclined to waste time on such things. He had put all his energy into his work. He hadn¡¯t expected that this would feel different. Song Xuanhe had always been the type to enjoy himself. Since it felt quite good, he wouldn¡¯t deprive himself of the pleasure. He switched out of his passivity just now and responded, inexperienced but enthusiastic. A few secondster, he got used to it, pinched Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chin, and took over the lead. The spectators watched with keen interest as the two of them made out as if no one else was around. When Xiao Yuanmu had hooked his arm around Song Xuanhe, some of them couldn¡¯t help but make an odd sound. They had almost blurted out, ¡°Oh yeah.¡± From the onlookers¡¯ perspectives, although Song Xuanhe was sitting on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯sp, with Song Xuanhe¡¯s head tilted downwards and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tilted upwards, it looked like it had been Song Xuanhe who had initiated the kiss. Song Xuanhe¡¯s action of pinching Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chin had only served to solidify that thought. Some people secretly thought, ¡°Song Er is indeed worthy of being an old hand on the ying field.¡± He could easily arouse others. Having counted the seconds, Song Xuanhe pushed Xiao Yuanmu away when time was up, suppressing the bewilderment in his heart. He turned to sh Zhou Nan a smile and said, ¡°Three minutes. It shouldn¡¯t have been less, ba.¡± Zhou Nan looked at his phone¡¯s timer and gave him a thumbs up, ¡°epted!¡± The others also came over to take a look and saw that it was exactly three minutes. A peal ofughter rippled through the room. On the way back home, Song Xuanhe divided his attention. While driving, he spoke to the System. ¡¾There¡¯s something off about Xiao Yuanmu. ording to his character settings, even if he bore with it and didn¡¯t shake me off and leave, he shouldn¡¯t have pulled me into a kiss. And, it was so passionate too¡­.¡¿ ¡¾He hasn¡¯t been reborn yet.¡¿The System first denied Song Xuanhe¡¯s conjecture. It then said£º¡¾There¡¯s nothing off about him. Rx. After all, you saved his life a while ago. Xiao Yuanmu grew up at the orphanage. Except for the old director, no one has ever treated him so kindly. Right now, for him to see you as someone special is very normal.¡¿ The System¡¯s rough voice that carried a thick northeastern ent had a unique cheerfulness to it:¡¾Big bro, just rx.¡¿ ¡¾So, you¡¯re saying he hasn¡¯t gone out of character?¡¿Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was sitting in the passenger seat, taking in the other¡¯s pensive expression. His gaze then flitted down to the other¡¯s red lips before averting away£º¡¾If he wasn¡¯t acting out of character, how could he have kissed me?¡¿ ¡¾Brother.¡¿Er Gou sighed and spoke earnestly£º¡¾Although you know that this is a story, you should also know that this is an actual, real world. Xiao Yuanmu is a living, breathing person. Humans change. What he¡¯s thinking, I don¡¯t know. But, it¡¯s not odd whatever he does. After all, you humans have always been easy to change, haven¡¯t you?¡¿ ¡¾Moreover, even if he really does like you a bit now, when you gift him to someone elseter, he¡¯ll still act the way he¡¯s supposed to. Don¡¯t worry.¡¿ When he heard the System talk like this, Song Xuanhe really did rx. In any case, the ending would not change. No matter how the process deviated, it wouldn¡¯t matter. Halfway through the drive home, a sh of lightning streaked through the sky. Thunder suddenly roared. A momentter, heavy rain followed the wind. Everything was a blur through the car¡¯s windshield. Song Xuanhe turned on the wipers. He gazed at the traffic through the torrent of rain. His slightly smiling lips pursed slightly. A small passage appeared in his mind: £º¡¾Looking at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s indifferent expression, Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes and looked out at the torrential rainstorm outside. He suddenly quirked his lips into a smile and said, ¡°Suddenly, I want to eat Jinji¡¯s congee. Seafood congee. Go buy it.¡± When he saw the unmasked malice in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, but his eyes became colder. He didn¡¯t say anything though and directly walked into the downpour.¡¿ This was the next scene. After this, Xiao Yuanmu, who had braved the rain to head towards Jinji would then be hit by a car. This is how he would encounter the only pursuer he would meet before his rebirth: Wei Chen.
The author has something to say: To date, three of the pursuers of the book have already appeared. Two of them are obvious. One of the big shots can be guessed. If you guess it right, I¡¯ll give you a red pocket!
Eve: Kiss kiss fall in love~ Chapter 23: Look at Him, He’s Really Good-Looking Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe had just sorted out the scene in his head when he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, ¡°Why are you unhappy?¡± Although it had been a question in phrasing, its tone indicated that it was a statement. A pair of cool eyes looked over, seemingly calm. However, there were ripples within them. ¡°Because of the kiss just now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu spoke again. This time, it sounded a bit more like a question. But, he also sounded rather certain, tone very calm. Song Xuanhe peered at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s aloof expression from the corner of his eye. He was about to speak when he noticed the other¡¯s reddened ears. At this moment, Song Xuanhe suddenly recalled how Xiao Yuanmu had seemed especially calm after kissing him. Although Xiao Yuanmu had been quiet and hadn¡¯t talked prior to this, the silence afterwards was different. He couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on or describe what was different about it. But, he could feel it. He had also inadvertently seen Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ears flush when he had pushed the other away. At that time, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to it. But thinking back to it now, an odd feeling suddenly aroused. He had nearly forgotten that this had been Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s real first kiss. Their bumping lips in the past didn¡¯t count. Regardless of gender, most of your first times would feel special to you. Whether it was your first love, first kiss, or first time, it would imprint deeply within you. Right now, he had taken the big boss¡¯s first kiss. Moreover, this big boss was pretending to be calm while speaking to him with red ears as if he wanted to hear what Song Xuanhe thought of the kiss. Song Xuanhe was a bit surprised. He cautiously gave Xiao Yuanmu a nce and just so happened to make eye contact. The other¡¯s red ears once again entered his sight of view. When he had dated in the past, he had never dated anyone without experience before. Butpared to his exes, Xiao Yuanmu made him feelpletely different. It was probably because this big shot¡¯s god-like existence could not bepared to ordinary people. Song Xuanhe averted his gaze, pursed his lips, and stopped the car. He stepped out into the garage, looking at the howling winds and torrential rainfall. He said to Xiao Yuanmu, who had also just gotten out of the car, ¡°I want to eat Jinji¡¯s seafood congee. Buy it for me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s steps paused. He stared at the other¡¯s back, eyes lighting up. The corner of his lips rose up slightly. He walked over to Song Xuanhe and looked down at his slightly pursed lips. He quietly said, ¡°If Ie back with congee, don¡¯t be angry anymore¡­.¡± The sound of the storm outside was fierce. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s clear voice mixed together with the sound of the rain. Coming together, it made his voice sound quiet and soft, giving one the illusion that there was a trace of love within. Song Xuanhe blinked, expression nk for a moment. A few secondster, he realized what Xiao Yuanmu had meant. He raised his head. The light in the garage was not particrly bright, but it was enough to make Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes gleam. Song Xuanhe¡¯s figure was reflected in the other¡¯s eyes. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold voice lowered even more, ¡°¡­.OK?¡± ¡ª¡ªIf Ie back with congee, don¡¯t be angry anymore, OK? Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers curled up. He subconsciously tucked his hand behind himself, straightening and curling his fingers. His heart beat suddenly became strange. He sucked in an imperceptible breath and looked into the other¡¯s eyes, dully saying, ¡°I want to eat congee.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes looked back at him straight on. His clear eyes reflected Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body, but there was no hint of the expression he had wanted to see. Disappointment shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart, but in the end, his eyshes fluttered, and he quirked the corner of his lips up to say, ¡°OK.¡± As Song Xuanhe watched Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s figure step into the rain, the corner of his lips raised, and he said with a faint smile, ¡°In the original story, he didn¡¯t bring an umbre. This time, he brought one.¡± The System knew that Song Xuanhe was speaking to it. Although it didn¡¯t know why he had spoken out loud, it still replied. £º¡¾This kind of detail is easily changeable. It¡¯s just that the general direction will not change.¡¿ ¡°The general direction?¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°You mean how Xiao Yuanmu will find seven boyfriends after taking revenge on me?¡± The System fell silent for a moment. Although it wasn¡¯t human, it could feel that there was something a little off about Song Xuanhe¡¯s emotions. However, before it could figure it out, it saw Song Xuanhe leave the garage. His expression was normal. As soon as Song Xuanhe sat down on the sofa, his cell phone rang. He took a sip of water and epted the call. He sounded a bit disinterested, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Mr. Song has indeede here. He stayed inside until now. That person saw him out. The two of them seemed very intimate.¡± Song Xuanhe felt his interest stir. He said with a smile, ¡°How intimate?¡± ¡°They kissed outside the entrance.¡± ¡°Did you take pictures?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Anything else?¡± ¡°Yes. Whatever photos we could take from the moment that Song Guochao entered until the moment he left, we took. I¡¯ve already sent them to your inbox.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and turned on hisputer upstairs. He opened up his inbox and flipped through the photos,ughing out loud. ¡°You¡¯re calling the kiss at the entrance intimate? You didn¡¯t mention that they were doing some primal ¡®exercise¡¯ in that person¡¯s room.¡± The other side was silent for a moment. As a private investigator, he naturally knew of the rtionship between Song Guochao and his employer. Therefore, he hadn¡¯t directly spoken of that kind of thing just now. He had waited until the other had looked at the photos and discovered it for himself. He hadn¡¯t expected that the other wouldn¡¯t care at all. He even seemed rather happy. Nheless, he was doing private investigation for the money. So, when he heard these words, he just said, ¡°That photo isn¡¯t as clear as the photo at the entrance, so I didn¡¯t mention it.¡± ¡°What do you mean it¡¯s not clear?¡± Song Xuanhe erged the photo and said, ¡°With this kind of quality, anyone who has seen him would be able to recognize him.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up. He said, ¡°Do you guys do spy work? For example, pretending to fix the water pipes and then installing cameras or wiretaps?¡± ¡°Sorry, Mr. Song, we don¡¯t provide those kinds of services.¡± Song Xuanhe was just mentioning it offhandedly. When he heard the other speak with a careful tone, he couldn¡¯t help but find it amusing. He said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Continue to watch them. You¡¯re still keeping an eye on Liu Xu, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± That person hesitated and then said, ¡°Liu Xu seems to have hired some people to secretly take photos. However, the people she hired could not find this ce. They had only managed to take a few photos outside.¡± Song Xuanheughed when he heard this. He leaned back in his chair and said in anguid voice, ¡°I¡¯m the most willing to help others in their time of need. I can help her solve all her problems.¡± The investigator had interacted with Song Xuanhe quite a lot. However, when he heard these words, he was once again astonished by the other¡¯s shamelessness, so it took him a moment to respond. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, then I wish Mr. Song sess.¡± After hanging up the phone, Song Xuanhe rubbed his chin. He was looking more and more forward to the good drama that would unfold in the future. He then took a shower and changed into lounge wear. The rain outside showed no signs of lightening up. Song Xuanhe checked the time on his phone. His lips that had originally been hooked up into a slight smile were now pressed into a straight line. He felt fidgety for some reason. He flopped onto his bed. He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. He shot up and rubbed his hair roughly. ¡°How¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu right now?¡± The System could watch Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s every action and movement. As long as Song Xuanhe wanted to see it, he could watch the other as if there was a security camera on him. He could see what Xiao Yuanmu was doing right that moment. The System didn¡¯t think that Song Xuanhe would suddenly ask about Xiao Yuanmu. But, it still replied: ¡¾He¡¯s still on his way to Jinji. The rain¡¯s too heavy. It took him ten minutes to leave here.¡¿ Jinji was located on an old street in the western district. It would take approximately thirty minutes by car normally and would very likely take more considering the rain. Song Xuanhe kicked a pillow to the floor. He didn¡¯t know what he was annoyed over. He turned on the lights but only felt even more vexed. He got out of bed and drank a ss of water. He then headed towards his closet, changed his clothes, put on his shoes, and headed out. ¡¾Where are you going?¡¿ Song Xuanhe started the car. Hearing this, he said dully, ¡°Can¡¯t sleep. Going out for some air.¡± Getting some air during a storm? Although Er Gou didn¡¯t really understand humans, it did know that no one would go out for air during a storm like this in which it rained so hard that the droplets actually hurt when they pounded against your body. However, so long as Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t do anything that went against the plot, it would not stop him. Therefore, it remained silent. Song Xuanhe let the System read to him Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s location. He stepped on the pedal and drove to Jinji. Just as he stopped the car, he saw Xiao Yuanmu walk out with congee in his hands. However, Jinji¡¯s entrance was on the sidewalk. If you wanted to get a car, you¡¯d have to bear the rain and walk over to the street. But in such weather, the taxis were all full. It was impossible to catch one. Song Xuanhe watched as Xiao Yuanmu tucked the congee into his chest and attempted to g a taxi. None of the taxis stopped. In the end, the other decided to start walking instead. Song Xuanhe opened an umbre and tailed the other from a distance away. To tell the truth, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why he had left his warm, dry bed just to get drenched in the rain. He had walked for only two minutes, but he was already soaked. It was like his umbre had just been for show. However, Xiao Yuanmu continued to walk in front of him, so Song Xuanhe could not stop. They had already walked for nearly eleven minutes. Because the storm was too strong, there was nearly nobody out on the streets. Even at the bus stop, there were only a few people waiting. The bus that passed by this stop did not go to where they lived, so Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t stop. He continued on. Song Xuanhe stood at the intersection, looked both ways, and saw that it was empty of cars. Suddenly, he stopped. His eyes fell on the distant blue sign¡ªYuandong Road. He squinted his eyes, vaguely able to make out a ck SUV driving in their direction. He had already read the plot many times over, so he remembered it well. Song Xuanhe knew who was driving that car. He also knew that this car would hit Xiao Yuanmu, so he didn¡¯t move. He only watched quietly as the car approached Xiao Yuanmu, his fingers wrapped around his umbre¡¯s handle tightening so hard that his knuckles turned white.
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: My boyfriend and his future boyfriend are about to meet each other in front of me. It¡¯s also going to be one of those ssic car ident meetings from idol dramas. What expression should I make? Xiao Yuanmu: You don¡¯t need to make any expressions. Just lie down.
Eve: ¡°If I buy the congee, don¡¯t be angry anymore, OK?¡± AHHH MY HEART. XYM is so pure. Kara: Another rival, hm? Don¡¯t worry, Xuanhe!! They can¡¯tpare to you!! Mumu¡¯s heart is yours only! (??¦Ø??)?? Chapter 24: When I See Him, I Want to Kiss Him Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Lin for the kofi ??
The rain poured down. Aside from the sound of raindrops hitting his umbre and the ground, all Xiao Yuanmu could hear was the sound of the wind howling. He felt that the congee in his hands still had remnants of warmth inside. His tightly pursed lips loosened a bit. A strong gust of wind blew against his umbre, blowing it backwards. He subconsciously pulled it back but couldn¡¯t help but pause when he noticed something out of the corner of his eye. He had already steadied his umbre. Through the curtain of rain, Xiao Yuanmu stared down the road he had just walked up. A lone person stood at the four-way intersection, grey windbreaker billowing in the wind. Probably because of the gust just now, the other¡¯s umbre had inverted, and he was not fighting against the wind. His white t-shirt beneath his windbreaker and his grey sweats were exposed to the storm. Shortly after, they were soaked by the rain. The articles stuck tightly against that person¡¯s skin, making him look rather lonely and pitiful. He didn¡¯t need a clear view¡ªjust by looking at this fuzzy silhouette, he knew for certain that this person was Song Xuanhe. He was about to head over in his direction when he saw Song Xuanhe steady his umbre. In a sh, the other hid behind some shrubbery. Not even the tip of the umbre was exposed. Xiao Yuanmu paused. A few secondster, his lips curved into a smile. There was no one else here, so he didn¡¯t bother covering up the upward tilt of his lips. His chuckle was full of indulgence. From their interactions, he had long sincee to understand Song Xuanhe¡¯s temperament. He was proud, carefree, did as he wished but also had a deeply hidden softness and awkwardness to him. At this time, if he were to expose Song Xuanhe, with the other¡¯s personality, he would never admit it. He would probably even hold onto these grievances and purposely annoy him or say things to provoke Xiao Yuanmu. Most likely, the other would just ignore him while flying into a rage in shame. If the former happened, Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t care. But if thetter happened, he¡¯d find it really difficult to bear. Xiao Yuanmu turned around. The smile in his eyes had not yet disappeared when he heard an indistinct call. He subconsciously turned to look, but when he looked up, he was blinded by a distant light. His vision became blurry for a moment. A ck sports car came close and closer. After Xiao Yuanmu regained his vision, he was about to dodge. However, the voice he had heard came closer and closer. His mind whirled, and his steps paused. The driver of the sports car stepped on their breaks but still ended up hitting him. Song Xuanhe ran over halfway and then paused. He didn¡¯t know where his umbre had gone. He could only watch helplessly as Xiao Yuanmu fell to the ground. The rain pattered onto the ground as well as the other¡¯s unconscious body. Song Xuanhe felt like his legs were glued to the ground. He couldn¡¯t lift them no matter what he did. ¡¾Xiao Yuanmu is fine. He was just grazed.¡¿ The System¡¯s voice sounded in his head, causing Song Xuanhe toe back to himself in an instant. He rushed over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side. The driver of the SUV had also gotten out of their car. He was squatting near Xiao Yuanmu and examining his condition. He had his phone out and was just about to call for an ambnce. Before the call went through, he saw a handsome young man sprint over. The other¡¯s wet hair was stuck to his forehead. He looked pitiful. He reminded Wei Chen of a little puppy he had picked up when he was young. It had also been a stormy day that time. The puppy had looked quite like this young man in the rain. However, as soon as the young man spoke, he knew that thisparison was wrong. ¡°Call the ambnce! What are you spacing out for?!¡± Right at this moment, he heard a voice on the other end of the phone. Wei Chen coughed and repeated what had just urred into the phone in front of the young man. After rifying the situation, he hung up. Wei Chen turned to look at the young man. He saw that the other was squatting down, looking like he was at a loss over what to do. He didn¡¯t dare touch the unconscious man. He only repeatedly called out that person¡¯s name, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, Xiao Yuanmu, are you OK?¡± Seeing that the unconscious man was not responding, the young man frowned even more anxiously. He wiped the rain off his face and then turned to look at Wei Chen. He asked, ¡°Do you have an umbre?¡± Wei Chen was startled. He grabbed an umbre from his car, and the young man seized it from him. He held the umbre over the unconscious man. There was a hint of stubbornness in his tightly pressed lips. If you looked carefully, you could see many indecipherable emotions hidden in the other¡¯s face. Wei Chen couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s your rtionship to him?¡± After the System had guaranteed that Xiao Yuanmu was fine over and over again, Song Xuanhe finally rxed a bit. Now that he heard Wei Chen¡¯s voice, he turned to look at him. He couldn¡¯t help but size the other up. After inspecting him, Song Xiao Shaoye turned his head back around, not even bothering to give the other another nce. With a chilly voice, he said, ¡°None of your business.¡± Wei Chen choked. He suddenly found this rather funny. He couldn¡¯t help butugh. He said, ¡°I¡¯m the offender. He¡¯s the victim. You ran over here. Of course I¡¯m going to ask you what your rtionship to the victim is. The other is unconscious. It¡¯s not like I can ask him.¡± Song Xuanhe snorted. What Wei Chen had said was just short of directly using him of being a scammer. ¡°You¡¯ll know when he wakes up.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be bothered to talk to him anymore. His expression and voice were both terribly cold. Wei Chen wasn¡¯t annoyed by this attitude. He was a medical student. When he had examined the other earlier, he had found no issues. That¡¯s why he was chatting so calmly right now. He asked with a smile, ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± Song Xiao Shaoye rolled his eyes. This time, he didn¡¯t even bother replying. Five words seemed to be written on his face: None of your goddamn business. The hospital was very close to their location. The ambnce rushed over in no time at all. The paramedics brought a stretcher down, and Song Xuanhe sat in the ambnce. Wei Chen followed behind them in his own car. The doctor gave Xiao Yuanmu an examination and told Song Xuanhe, ¡°He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s just got some scrapes on his body and legs. They¡¯re all superficial wounds. The primary reason he fainted was because of his fever. We¡¯ve already given him a fever reducer. When the fever subsides, he¡¯ll be fine.¡± Only then was Song Xuanhe reassured. He politely thanked the doctor and then turned to head into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s room to see him. At this moment, Wei Chen had also finished reporting to an officer. He had caught sight of Song Xuanhe¡¯s gentle way of speaking to the doctor and couldn¡¯t help but quirk a brow. He said, ¡°So, you do know how to speak properly.¡± Song Xuanhe had just rxed and resumed his usual noble and haughty Song Xiao Shaoye persona. He leaned against the wall and folded his arms, raising his chin up as he looked at the other. ¡°You hit someone of mine with your car. What did you expect?¡± When Wei Chen heard this, he looked startled. A few secondster, he hesitatingly said, ¡°Someone of yours? Your boyfriend?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved, and he beckoned the other over with a finger. When he saw the other bring his head close, he smiled and said, ¡°Does he look like my girlfriend?¡± Wei Chen grew stiff. He realized that he was being yed. However, he didn¡¯t feel angry. He stood up, a smile still on his face. ¡°Since he¡¯s your boyfriend, I¡¯ll leave you my contact information. I¡¯ll pay for his medical expenses and any costs that ur from time off work. This is my business card.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t take it. He nced at the words on the card and couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°You students also have business cards? How impressive.¡± Wei Chen shrugged. His smile was confident. ¡°They say that school is like a smallmunity in itself. Thank you for your praise.¡± Wei Chen was a glib talker and had no sense of shame. He was pretty simr to Song Xuanhe. Normally, if he encountered an even match like this, Song Xuanhe would have had a back-and-forth with the other. However, under these circumstances, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to continue speaking to the other. He perfunctorily said a few things, epted the card, and then shut the door to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s room, expressing that his patience had run out. When he noticed that Wei Chen had left instead of continuing to pester him, Song Xuanhe stepped away from the door and went further into the sickroom. This was a specially arranged single room. It was decorated in a simple but elegant way and was clean. There was a bit of aforting feeling to it. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look around much. His gaze fell on the person lying on the bed. His look of slight impatience gradually rescinded. He lowered his gaze and stood in ce. A bag of cotton swabs was crumpled in his tightly clenched hands, asionally emitting crinkling noises. The sounds were very noticeable in the silence of the sickroom. When he recalled the nurse¡¯s reminder, he pulled open a bag of cotton swabs and walked over to the sick bed. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s flushed cheeks and pale, chapped lips. The fingers clenching the cotton swabs couldn¡¯t help but tighten their grip. Regardless of whether or not this had been a foreordained scene, it did not lessen his guilt when he had seen it happen before his eyes. The hand lying beside Xiao Yuanmu was slender. The back of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand had an IV needle inserted through it. Stretching from the pinkie to the wrist was a red scrape, causing the pallor of the other¡¯s skin to appear more striking. Although the nurse had treated it, stopping the blood, this kind ofrge wound still looked horrible. He didn¡¯t know if it was because of the pain, but the other¡¯s injured fingers would twitch. Song Xuanhe found himself staring at Xiao Yuanmu unwittingly. When he saw that the other was still asleep, he sighed in relief. He suddenly recalled the way his mother would gently but effectively deal with his injuries when he was young. He bent his head down and blew on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arm. Even though he knew Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t hear him, Song Xuanhe still whispered, ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡¾It¡¯s not your fault. The plot is just like that. Even if you hadn¡¯t made Xiao Yuanmu go out to buy congee, he would have still ended up being hit by a car on a rainy day. You don¡¯t need to me yourself.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t respond to the System. He looked down and clumsily dabbed at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips with wet cotton swabs. Looking at them now, they were pale and dry. The feeling of being stifled by the other¡¯s wantonly probing tongue and lips suddenly arose. Song Xuanhe¡¯s movements paused. He tossed the used cotton swabs into the trash. Looking at the sleeping Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xuanhe ced the remaining cotton swabs to the side and replied dully£º¡¾I knew that he would get into a car ident, but I still pushed him to go. Even if it¡¯s part of the story, as someone who knew what would happen, I cannot avoid taking responsibility.¡¿ When it heard this, the System was going to respond but suddenly perceived an unfamiliar fluctuation. It didn¡¯t have time to investigate it though when it saw Song Xuanhe had gotten up and was heading out. It asked£º¡¾Aren¡¯t you going to take care of Xiao Yuanmu?¡¿ ¡¾I¡¯m going to change my clothes.¡¿Song Xuanhe stared at the empty corridor, pursing his lips slightly. He needed to calm down. Only then would he be able to face Xiao Yuanmu normally when he woke up. The door was closed gently. The room regained its stillness. The person lying on the bed slowly opened his eyes. He turned his head and stared in the direction Song Xuanhe had gone. His eyes were deep and quiet; no discernible emotions could be seen. The usual coldness on his face had disappeared as if he had peeled off his shell. All that was left was tranquility and calm. He looked innocent. A few secondster, he shut his eyes, the corner of his lips rising. He hadn¡¯t expected to be reborn once again.
Eve: And there you have it folks, here¡¯s the rebirth you¡¯ve all been waiting for. Just not the one you¡¯ve probably expecting. (Or maybe you guys did predict this, in which case, high five!) Also both of them were so cute this chapter??? XYM thinking SXH is a cute tsundere. SXH acting like a child who doesn¡¯t know what to do SO HE BLOWS ON XYM¡¯S WOUNDS AS IF HE¡¯S ABOUT TO SAY ¡°Pain pain go away¡±. asfshhjkfshahk Kara: AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! HE¡¯S BEEN REBORN!!!!!!!!!! Also, they really were so cute this chapter!?! Ah, my teeth hurt from all this sweetness. But omg, Mumu¡¯s been reborn¨Che¡¯s no longer our pure Mumu. I can¡¯t wait to see how their dynamic and interactions change! (??¨B??¨B)???? Chapter 25: The Big Boss that Collected a Rebirth Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Thank you Ciel for the kofi Note: To rify, prior tost chapter, XYM had not been reborn yet. XYM¡¯s timeline is Ch 1-23 (never reborn, knows nothing of what¡¯s to happen) -> end of 23 (XYM from a future timeline that had lived through the original plot, including the rebirth after the original SXH¡¯s betrayal). Hence why he said he had been reborn ¡°again.¡± Loooong chapter today guys. It¡¯s like two chapters worthy Song Xuanhe found a nearby hotel to shower in. He changed into a set of clothes that his assistant brought over and then returned to the hospital. Xiao Yuanmu had slept all night and had yet to wake. Thus, Song Xuanhe slept at his bedside the whole night. Six o¡¯clock the next morning, Song Xuanhe, who hadn¡¯t slept well all night, woke up muddleheaded. When he sat up straight, his mind nked when he saw the unfamiliar surroundings. It wasn¡¯t until his eyes fell on the nearby Xiao Yuanmu that he slowly recalled what had happened. He casually washed up and left the hospital room. He drove straight home and headed straight into the kitchen, an ambitious expression on his face. The System, who had been silent this whole time, couldn¡¯t help but ask when he saw Song Xuanhe pour rice, oil, salt, and vinegar into a pot£º¡¾Brother, what are you doing?¡¿ Song Xuanhe stared at the boiling water and rice, answering with another question£º¡¾Can¡¯t you see that I¡¯m making congee?¡¿ A few secondster, the System honestly said£º¡¾I really couldn¡¯t tell.¡¿ Song Xuanhe lowered the heat and looked at the pot carefully. He didn¡¯t pay the System any more attention. After a few minutes, Song Xuanhe frowned. He had searched how long congee had to cook for on his phone. However, as soon as the webpage opened, his phone went off. The webpage turned into the call interface. When he saw the unfamiliar number, Song Xuanhe directly declined the call. The webpage listed many ways of cooking congee. Most of them were for in congee. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like in congee, and it was too simple. It would not work in subtly expressing his apology nor could he make a show of his cooking abilities. Therefore, he searched through several pages before finding one that looked quite good from the photos. The ingredients required were not tooplex. It was a recipe for century egg congee with pork. Song Xuanhe looked through the refrigerator. There was quite a lot of meat inside from chicken to seafood. They had everything. It was just that in terms of eggs, they only had regr chicken eggs. If they only had chicken eggs, then chicken eggs it would be. They were both eggs after all. Song Xuanhe directly poured out the congee he had just made. This time, he followed the recipe and once again added water and rice. Step by step, he followed the recipe strictly. It looked quite simr¡ªthat was until he put the chicken eggs in. Song Xuanhe turned off the fire and once again poured the congee out, face expressionless. He was about to attempt another pot when his phone once again rang. It was that unknown number again. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± It was obvious that the other side hadn¡¯t been expecting to hear Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice. For a few seconds, they didn¡¯t say a thing. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and shut the refrigerator door. He vented his anger and feelings of failure from having made bad congee onto the other person. ¡°Spit it out.¡± It seemed that the other person hade back to themself as a voice chimed, ¡°It¡¯s me, Song shaoye. I¡¯m Liu Xu.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He cocked a brow, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Do you have some time? I want to meet with you. There¡¯s something I want to tell you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind whirled. Half a secondter, he discerned Liu Xu¡¯s n. The corner of his lips pulled into a smile, and he spoke with a terribly nasty tone, ¡°Am I someone you can meet with just because you want to?¡± Liu Xu hadn¡¯t thought that Song Xuanhe would adopt such an attitude. However, she still spoke in a soft tone, ¡°I have something of great importance to tell you. It¡¯s regarding your family and your father. I think that you must hear this.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Song Xuanhe found a chair in the dining room to sit on, his tone indifferent, ¡°Something really important?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe yed with a trivet on the table, picking it up and putting it back down. His tone was inquisitive, ¡°But, I just don¡¯t understand why Film Empress Liu would have information pertaining to my Song Family.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not about the Song Family per se,¡± Liu Xu said softly, ¡°But, it has to do with your mother.¡± Song Xuanheughed silently. His lips curled up. ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, then why don¡¯t you set a time?¡± Liu Xu was overjoyed. She promptly said, ¡°How¡¯s next Tuesday? We¡¯ll meet at Liuquxi. Liuquxi was a teahouse that was extremely private. Many celebrities as well as big shots from the political and business sectors would go there to have tea. Reportedly, the owner¡¯s background was very mysterious. Liu Xu was ying it very safe in choosing that ce. Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was calm, but there was an evil glint on his face that was present every time he was scheming. He spoke unhurried, ¡°Alright. I¡¯ll see you Tuesday.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe nced at the time. When he saw that it was 9:10, he couldn¡¯t help but swear. He then pursed his lips and gave Jinji a call, giving them the address to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hospital room. By the time Song Xuanhe had reached the hospital, Xiao Yuanmu was already eating congee. When Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhe enter, the hand holding the spoon paused nearly imperceptibly. He gave the other a cool nce and then smiled. ¡°You¡¯vee. The congee tastes great.¡± Hearing the other¡¯s voice, Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps halted. He quickly swept his eyes over the other¡¯s now normal-lookingplexion as well as the other¡¯s body that still looked vigorous rather than weak. In the end, his eyes fell on the wooden spoon in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand and his thin, slender fingers. He pressed his lips together and said, ¡°You even get into an ident while buying ate-night snack. Is there anything that you can do?¡± When he heard this, Xiao Yuanmu narrowed his eyes. His gaze unobtrusively sized Song Xuanhe up. His eyes stayed on the other¡¯s slightly pursed lips for a few extra seconds before he looked away. He had another mouthful of congee, calm and unruffled. He said coolly, ¡°You¡¯re still angry?¡± Song Xuanhe stood in ce, confusion in his eyes for a moment. There was an innocent look in his eyes that darted slightly back and forth. A few secondster, he got what the other was talking about. His expression changed slightly, and he folded his arms. His clear, rich voice had gone up a pitch. ¡°What would I be angry about? Why would I be angry? Because, you kissed me? Are you joking?¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you¡¯re not angry.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t look up while listening to Song Xuanhe fire off his questions. He put his spoon down, tone serene as if he had just been asking and didn¡¯t really care about the answer. This caused the rebuttals Song Xuanhe had just prepared to get stuck in his throat. It was like punching cotton. It was too soft and made one sullen. Song Xuanhe looked up and met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His eyes were tranquil but profound like a boundless sea. They were also deep like a bottomless abyss. Song Xuanhe blinked, hesitatingly. Some kind of strange, murky emotion flickered in his heart. Before he could grasp onto what it was, a nurse entered. She helped Xiao Yuanmu clean the things off his table and then spoke to him in a soft voice. ¡°Mr. Xiao, I¡¯ll take your temperature again now. If all is well, you will be able to be discharged from the hospital.¡± The nurse carefully helped Xiao Yuanmu take his temperature and then continued softly, ¡°The doctor told me to tell you that you should only eat nd foods for awhile, because you have just recovered from a high fever. Furthermore, although you only suffered a scrape on your legs, it¡¯d be best if you don¡¯t do any heavy exercise. Every day, you need to change your dressing. If you don¡¯t have anyone to help you, I cane to your home and help you apply it after work.¡± After saying this, the pretty nurse flushed. Each of her words and actions were effused with thick affection. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem to sense the other¡¯s infatuation. His tone was polite and distant, ¡°No need. I have someone at home who can help me.¡± Song Xuanhe sat on the nearby sofa, a change of clothes in hand. He watched this show of unrequited love with keen interest. The nurse looked disappointed upon hearing this. However, she still smiled and stammered, ¡°Then, if you have any questions, you can contact me. I will definitelye over to help you.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded indifferently as if he couldn¡¯t hear the underlying hint that the nurse wanted his contact information. His expression was insipid, looking like he had no desire to continue talking with her. The nurse then realized that she had no chance. She lowered her head, voice quiet. She said, ¡°Then Mr. Xiao, I¡¯ll be leaving. Goodbye.¡± Song Xuanhe watched as the nurse, who hadn¡¯t even cast him a single nce from the moment she walked in, left with her head hung low, appearing terribly disappointed. After this, another few nurses also came in with all sorts of excuses. They were eagerly attentive, bashful, and tender. They nearly peeled off Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s clothes under the guise of helping him change into his outside clothes. ¡°I need to change. Will you please leave the room?¡± In the end, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s melodious voice reverberated, sounding deep and maic. The two nurses around him flushed even redder and nodded shyly. They dawdled but did end up leaving reluctantly. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help butugh. He was about to make some teasing remarks when he noticed that Xiao Yuanmu had already taken off his top and was facing him. The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face froze, and he promptly turned his head away. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Hearing his voice, Xiao Yuanmu paused his action of undressing. A sliver of a smile appeared on his cold face, but there were no ripples in his eyes. A difficult-to-detect look of probing was hidden in his eyes. ¡°Undressing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu replied, voice cool, calm, and innocent, as if he didn¡¯t get why the other was asking when it was obvious. ¡°Of course I know that you¡¯re undressing!¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but turn back to re at the other when he heard this. His eyes paused over the other¡¯s sturdy, neat abs before he once again looked away. He sounded even more flustered and difited, ¡°I¡¯m asking you why you¡¯re not going to the washroom if you¡¯re nning on taking your clothes off!?¡± Xiao Yuanmu ced the hospital gown onto the bed and picked up the shirt beside it. He didn¡¯t put it on. Instead, he walked over to Song Xuanhe and said in a low voice, ¡°Why would I have to go to the washroom?¡± A voice came from above his head. When he turned to look, he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mermaid line that was slightly covered by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pants. Song Xuanhe averted his gaze at once. He didn¡¯t think it was that big of a deal, but his heart was racing involuntarily. He had seen countless bodies, and he hadn¡¯t felt anything when he had seen Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body in the past¡ªhe had only thought it was perfect. He didn¡¯t know why, but right now, he felt hot like there was a fire around him. Because of one kiss? Song Xuanhe¡¯s thoughts drifted. It shouldn¡¯t be¡­He had never felt like this after kissing other people. It was probably¡­guilt, ba. He had known that the other would get into an ident, but he hadn¡¯t stopped it. This heavy weight on his conscience must be making him confused. So, he must have been feeling remorseful towards Xiao Yuanmu when he saw him. That was why he felt strange. Song Xuanhe suddenly understood. Once he thought this through, his taut body rxed. ¡°You¡¯re the one who ushered those nurses away. Wasn¡¯t it because you didn¡¯t want others to see you?¡± Now that he no longer felt conflicted, Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was much more rxed. ¡°Since you don¡¯t want to be seen by others, you should go to the washroom.¡± Xiao Yuanmu peered down at the other, taking in each and every one of Song Xuanhe¡¯s expressions. The suspicion in his heart rose, and a cold glint shed through his eyes. However, there was no emotion on his face. He bent down slightly and whispered into the other¡¯s ear, ¡°Because, you¡¯re different from other people.¡± The hot breath prickled his ear, causing Song Xuanhe¡¯s rxed body to stiffen again. His gaze, which had just gotten the courage to look around freely, once again focused on the vase in front of him. He licked his lips subconsciously, breathing in a secret deep breath to steady himself. He pushed Xiao Yuanmu aside and pretended to have lost his patience. ¡°Of course I¡¯m different. They¡¯re girls, and I¡¯m a man. Why do you have so much to say while changing clothes?¡± Caught off guard, Xiao Yuanmu was pushed back half a step by Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes that were peaceful just now seemed to swiftly darken. His gaze flitted between Song Xuanhe¡¯s slightly wet lips and flushed ears. The ripples in his eyes gradually calmed down as he hid the baffling emotion. He put the shirt on. Seeing that Xiao Yuanmu was quietly changing clothes and would not speak to him again, Song Xuanhe rxed. When the other was done, Song Xuanhe stood up and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s gettingte. Let¡¯s randomly buy something to eat and go home.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly, tone frigid. ¡°Mn.¡± The two of them had just reached the door when someone knocked. That someone asked, ¡°Can Ie in?¡± The voice on the other side of the door was rather familiar. Song Xuanhe reacted in two seconds and subconsciously turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu was also looking at him. The inner corners of his eyes seemed to dip downwards, and the outer corners were slightly upturned. His double eyelids were not particrly deep but did stretch to the ends of his eyes, creating a fold on the outer corner. Right now, Xiao Yuanmu was staring at him with slightly lowered eyes. His long, fine eyshes hung down slightly. Eyes that would usually look seductive on an ordinary person looked clean and aloof on him. He was like pure white snow on mountain tops¨Cdifficult to approach. He asked, ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°The person who hit you yesterday.¡± Song Xuanhe looked away, opening the door a bit hastily. ¡°What do you want?¡± Wei Chen looked at Song Xuanhe, who was regarding him with a chilly face. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, raising an eyebrow, ¡°What? Am I not weed?¡± Song Xuanhe just looked at him coldly, the answer obvious. Seeing this, Wei Chen burst outughing despite himself. ¡°I¡¯ve only ever seen family members of a victim yell and fuss, demanding that the culpritpensate them. I never thought that I¡¯d see someone like you who simply doesn¡¯t want the culprit to show up without even taking even a cent.¡± ¡°Now you have.¡± Song Xuanhe quirked up the corner of his lips into a smile that wasn¡¯t a smile. ¡°Yes, I have.¡± Wei Chen furrowed his brows, sighed, and then shook his head in a helpless and proud manner. ¡°But, I¡¯m so kindhearted, simple, honest, and generous. I also have a deep sense of responsibility. I¡¯m afraid that the victim and the victim¡¯s family will disappear after a moment of carelessness, so I rushed over here at once topensate you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips twitched. He had really never seen someone as shameless as Wei Chen before. Xiao Yuanmu recognized the familiar face on the other side of the door with one nce. The corner of his lips raised in an unnoticeable angle, but coldness swept through his eyes. He walked over to stand behind Song Xuanhe, meeting eyes with the man outside the door. He said in a cool voice, ¡°Who are you?¡± Wei Chen met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, and his smile gradually pulled straight. His gaze went from rxed to alert. His instincts told him that this man was very dangerous. ¡°This is Wei Chen,¡± Song Xuanhe introduced, ¡°He¡¯s the person who hit you.¡± Wei Chen didn¡¯t speak, eyes fixed on Xiao Yuanmu. He had grown up in apound. It was normal for him to eat with elders in high positions. He could skillfully and easily maneuver through all sorts of situations. However, this sense of danger that made him shudder and the oppressive feeling of being before a superior being was unprecedented. Although the man looked indifferent, his eyes were tranquil, and his aura just seemed chilly¡ªa normal person would probably think that he was aloof but harmless¡ªWei Chen had grown up within the highest social stratum. He had begun to hone his ability to read people since he had been young. He trusted his instincts. He had done research upon returning homest night. Song Xuanhe was the Song Family¡¯s second young master. This was absolutely true. However, the other person before him was absolutely not just an ordinary orphan who had grown up at an orphanage. Furthermore, if all orphans who grew up in an orphanage would gain his calm, indifferent aura, then regr parents would have no need to raise children. They could just throw their kids into orphanages. Xiao Yuanmu had quite the number of interactions with Wei Chen in hisst life. He could tell what the other was thinking just from the other¡¯s expression. Right now, Wei Chen was nothing more than a twenty-something year old. His ability to control his expression now was nowhere near as good as it would be in the future. The apprehension in the other¡¯s eyes looked like it was about to spill out. It spiked Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s interest. Song Xuanhe, Wei Chen¡ªalthough he had just woken up, he had already met with two familiar faces. However, the two of them were different from the versions he¡¯d met in his life before thest. If that was the case, then what was the reason for this discrepancy? Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes swept over Song Xuanhe¡¯s hair whorl andnded on Wei Chen. He quirked his lips up coolly and said, ¡°How can we help you?¡± Wei Chen¡¯s eyes were fixed on Xiao Yuanmu the whole time. He noticed from the moment Xiao Yuanmu had spoken, the aura around him had changed. The change was minute but easily perceivable. Xiao Yuanmu had rescinded the aura around him, transforming it to match his appearance: cold and aloof but would not make others feel oppressed. Upon seeing this, Wei Chen not only didn¡¯t rx his guard, but also his misgivings about Xiao Yuanmu only grew. A person who could alter his aura at will, a dangerous person who could easily pretend to be innocent, was much more terrifyingpared to a person who typically exuded a powerful aura. A person like this was ambitious and capable. Weighing the pros and cons only took a few seconds. From Song Xuanhe¡¯s perspective, it seemed like Wei Chen had responded to Xiao Yuanmu instantly. The other retracted his amused smile and politely introduced himself. ¡°Hello, my name is Wei Chen. The rain was too heavy yesterday, and I turned on my high beams when I saw that there were nearly no cars or pedestrians on the road. I didn¡¯t think that I would hit you because of it. I¡¯m extremely sorry for that. I¡¯vee topensate you by paying for your medical expenses as well as any other expenses you may have incurred.¡± Song Xuanhe personally got a look at Wei Chen¡¯s remarkable ability to switch attitudes. No wonder he had been able to be one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pursuers in thest world. With this ability to change attitudes so quickly as well as his skin that was as thick as a wall, he could rise above the other pursuers. Xiao Yuanmu said indifferently, ¡°I heard that you have already paid for the medical bill. That¡¯s enough.¡± Wei Chen wasn¡¯t surprised to hear this. Someone with a grandeur like Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s was not someone whocked money. After thinking of this, he confirmed his guess. Xiao Yuanmu was not an orphan. It was just that he didn¡¯t know what the other¡¯s true identity was. Families that could produce a temperament like Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s were sparse. He knew all the scions of the top families in China, but he had never seen Xiao Yuanmu before. With suspicion in his heart and a desire to probe, Wei Chen said with a smile, ¡°Since it¡¯s like this, the two of you must allow me to treat you to a meal. Otherwise, my conscience won¡¯t be able to take it.¡± Hearing this, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t hold in his snort. He didn¡¯t believe that Wei Chen could have a conscience. Looking at Song Xuanhe¡¯s obvious, mocking smile, Wei Chen didn¡¯t get annoyed. His expression remained sincere. ¡°I mean it. No time like the present. If the two of you are free today, we can have lunch together.¡± In any case, they had to eat. Adding another person just meant adding another pair of chopsticks. Moreover, this person was treating them. Therefore, Song Xuanhe decided to just follow along with the strong attractive forces between main characters when he heard Wei Chen¡¯s eager invitation. He said, ¡°We were just about to eat. Let¡¯s go together.¡± Wei Chen subconsciously nced at Xiao Yuanmu when he heard this. He only saw the other cast his gaze down, likely watching Song Xuanhe. His gaze was calm, but other than that, he couldn¡¯t read it. When Song Xuanhe looked up as if sensing his gaze, Xiao Yuanmu looked away and made an indifferent sound of agreement. The three of them thus left the hospital together and drove towards a restaurant. Song Xuanhe was still feeling a bit of incredulity. He didn¡¯t think that there would be a day where he would be having a peaceful meal with one of the men from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s harem. Wei Chen brought them to a private restaurant. It was a little house with a fully-enclosed courtyard on an oldne. It was hidden but not secluded. There was a bit of a smoky aroma. The dishes had yet to be served, but they looked forward to it. ¡°They offer very traditional home-cooked meals here. I oftene here with a few childhood friends. After you get a taste, if you like it, we cane here again.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips quirked upwards upon hearing this. He hadn¡¯t thought that Wei Chen, this great young master, was so scheming. He would beat around the bush while courting someone. Only, his actions were quite aggressive to have already set up a second meeting at this time. ¡°Song shao, what do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe had just finished roasting Wei Chen in his mind when he heard Wei Chen¡¯s voice. Luckily, his reaction was quick, and he replied in the next second, ¡°If it tastes good, I¡¯ll naturallye again.¡± Wei Chen smiled, his gaze sweeping over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s peaceful face before saying to Song Xuanhe, ¡°In any case, we¡¯re already close enough to share a meal. Mr. Wei and Song shao sound so distant. How about we just call each other by name? You can just call me Wei Chen.¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter to me.¡± Since he knew that Wei Chen had an ulterior motive, Song Xuanhe felt indifferent. Xiao Yuanmu cast his gaze down and spoke in a dull tone, ¡°We¡¯re only meeting Mr. Wei for the first time. Perhaps we are not as close as Mr. Wei believes.¡± Wei Chen wasn¡¯t surprised at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words, but Song Xuanhe was. Before, Xiao Yuanmu guarded his words as if they were gold, ah. Even when he had smacked the food onto the ground or had nearly forced the other to sleep with him, he had not been able to make Xiao Yuanmu utter many words. This was his first meeting with Wei Chen, but the other was already able to make Xiao Yuanmu say such long sentences. The difference in treatment between cannon fodder and main characters was too striking. Song Xuanhe had just thought this when he heard the System say£º¡¾I think that there¡¯s something off about the big boss.¡¿ ¡¾Of course there¡¯s something off.¡¿Song Xuanhe waited for Wei Chen¡¯s reply with keen interest while also speaking to the System,¡¾Wei Chen is one of his future men. They can get along.¡¿ ¡¾No.¡¿The System sounded anxious but could not make sense of what exactly was off£º¡¾I¡¯m saying that there¡¯s something off about him as a person.¡¿ ¡¾What about him?¡¿ Song Xuanhe asked the System, but the System had yet to reply when Song Xuanhe heard Wei Chen say, ¡°It¡¯s my first meeting with you, but that¡¯s not the case with Xuanhe. I¡¯ve seen him several times at banquets. Although we hadn¡¯t spoken, we¡¯ve seen each other around. Even if we don¡¯t count those times, this is our second meeting if we count yesterday. It¡¯s normal to call each other by name.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think that he would be pulled into this scene between main characters. Furthermore, Wei Chen asked for his opinion after saying this, ¡°What do you think, Xuanhe?¡± At that moment, both their gazes fell onto him. Although Song Xuanhe was internally swearing at Wei Chen, who had dragged him into this, he didn¡¯t really want to get involved. Therefore, he gave a dryugh and said, ¡°I don¡¯t care.¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s like that, I¡¯ll continue to call you by name.¡± After saying this, Wei Chen nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ripple-less eyes and chuckled. He didn¡¯t continue to speak. He did indeed have misgivings of the baffling sense of danger that he got from Xiao Yuanmu, but that didn¡¯t mean he would cower in fear. At least, his family background and upbringing wouldn¡¯t allow him to flee in fear. In contrast, he was an expert in facing difficulties head-on. The more challenging something was, the more he liked it. When they returned home, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu retired to their respective rooms. Song Xuanhe continued working on the design he had yet to finish after returning to his room£º¡¾Gou zi, what were you saying about there being something off about Xiao Yuanmu?¡¿ The System¡¯s response was very swift£º¡¾I¡¯m sure as of now that there is. I haven¡¯t been able to detect it though. When I¡¯ve detected it, I¡¯ll let you know.¡¿ Song Xuanhe nodded, not really caring. His attention was all on his drawing. Time passed. By the time Song Xuanhe looked up, it waspletely dark outside. The moon was high in the sky. He nced at the time. It was already eight at night. It had long passed dinner time. He hadn¡¯t felt hungry, but when he thought about it, his stomach began to growl. Song Xuanhe suddenly recalled that Xiao Yuanmu was still injured. That meant he couldn¡¯t make dinner. However, he was starving. It would take too long to call for delivery. He might as well cook. ¡¾Are you serious, brother?¡¿ Song Xuanhe walked into the kitchen, and the System¡¯s voice rang in his head. He looked at the recipe on his phone and asked£º¡¾Does it look like I¡¯m joking?¡¿ The System stopped talking, and Song Xuanhe quietly looked up recipes. He wanted to find a simple and nutritious dish that would show off his culinary abilities. Fifteen minutes passed, but Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t found a suitable recipe. He resigned himself to his fate and searched the cabs. He dug out a pack of instant noodles that he had casually added to the cart thest time he had gone grocery shopping with Xiao Yuanmu. He stood up and turned on the stove to boil water. He was about to tear open the instant noodles when he suddenly thought of something. He asked, ¡°Can patients eat instant noodles?¡± The System did a search and replied£º¡¾It would be best to avoid eating it.¡¿ Song Xuanhe looked at the pack of instant noodles. His stomach was still rumbling. He could only pull out his phone and dial a restaurant¡¯s number before continuing to cook the noodles. He typically didn¡¯t eat much. However, a single pack of ramen would not be enough to fill him up. Therefore, he cooked two packs together. When the noodles were done, he carried them into the dining room, just itching to dig in. However, as soon as he turned around, Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing in the dining room, looking into the kitchen. The other¡¯s gaze was on the instant noodles in his hands. Although he knew that it wasn¡¯t good for a recovering person to eat instant noodles, he thought it over and still asked politely, ¡°Do you want some?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The two of them sat on either side of the table with the pot of instant noodles in the middle. There was a bowl in front of each person. They picked up some noodles from the pot and transferred it into their bowls before eating. Two men eating two packs of instant noodles, and yet, they still managed to look refined. But, this amount could be eaten in a few bites, so everything was cleaned off in just a few minutes. Xiao Yuanmu had just ced down his chopsticks when he noticed the other¡¯s gaze. He looked up and met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s crystal clear eyes. He saw that the other didn¡¯t look away and was pursing his lips slightly as if wanting to say something. Xiao Yuanmu regarded him coolly, waiting for him to speak. However, after half a minute, Song Xuanhe still looked like he had no intention of speaking. It was just that his eyes didn¡¯t look as bright as before as if he was a bit disappointed. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t understand why, but he had no interest in probing. Although he really wanted to know why Song Xuanhe was different from his memories, he didn¡¯t want to waste his thoughts on the other¡¯s emotions. What he wanted to know was what had caused the discrepancy between his memories and reality, that¡¯s all. Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hesitate in the least as he looked away. He was about to get up and leave when a scene appeared in his mind¡ªSong Xuanhe¡¯s face as he looked up from the tomato egg stir-fry and said with glittering eyes and a smile: ¡°Delicious.¡± This waspletely inconsistent with the Song Xuanhe in his memories of the previous worlds, but it fit in with his memories of Song Xuanhe from this world. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know which one was the real Song Xuanhe, but he couldn¡¯t deny that before he had been reborn, the twenty-two-year-old Xiao Yuanmu, who had not experienced all that the current him had, had really fallen for Song Xuanhe. ¡°Delicious.¡± His voice emitted from his throat. Even Xiao Yuanmu was surprised. However, when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes suddenly light up, the uncontroble ire from just now subsided. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved up. Although the other was pressing down his smile, Xiao Yuanmu could sense the other¡¯s pride. Song Xuanhe pretended to be indifferent and said, ¡°Actually, it was just OK. After all, it was my first time cooking.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze swept over the upwards lilt that the other was trying to force down. The words he had heard earlier echoed in his mind: Can patients eat instant noodles? He didn¡¯t know if it was because his memories had fused together, but the corner of his lips involuntarily raised. Song Xuanhe had just taken the dishes to the kitchen when he heard the doorbell. He opened the door, epted the takeout, and asked Xiao Yuanmu, who was in the living room, ¡°I called for takeout. Do you want to eat?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the brand printed on the paper bag. He then nced up at Song Xuanhe¡¯s indifferent expression, looking like he was just asking him while he was at it. Xiao Yuanmu thus got up and followed the other back into the dining room. Just as expected, it was all nd foods. There was also an order of bone soup. One nce and you could tell who this had been specially prepared for. Faced with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze that seemed to hold a deeper meaning, Song Xuanhe ate a few bites, then got up, and said, ¡°After eating it, just toss it in the kitchen. I¡¯m going up first.¡± After saying this, he left the dining room and went upstairs without waiting for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response. Xiao Yuanmu continued to eat dinner calmly. After finishing, he brought the takeout waste to the kitchen. When he opened the trash can, he paused. He found some sticky, ck substance inside. After a careful look, he realized that it was watery rice. He examined the kitchen and saw that there were egg shells and half-cut meat on a cutting board on top of the counter. Looking at the meat, it didn¡¯t seem like it had been cut just now. His gaze shifted andnded on a pot in the sink. There was white rice and yellow eggs stuck to the pot. It was equally as charred as the brown stuff in the trash can. If he wasn¡¯t wrong, this must be¡­congee? * After washing up, Song Xuanhe answered a call. His university ssmate had invited him to the opening reception of his studio. This ssmate hadn¡¯t been really close to the original host, but this reception was a part of the plot. Therefore, he did not hesitate and agreed when he received this invitation. After hanging up, Song Xuanhe casually dried his hair with a towel and was about to go to bed. He had yet to reach his bed when he heard a knock. Song Xuanhe stood there in ce. He looked stupefied as he stared at the door. There were only two people living in this apartment. It was obvious as to who was knocking. However, Xiao Yuanmu had never knocked on his door before. With regards to privacy, they had a mutual, tacit agreement to mind their own business. What was Xiao Yuanmu nning on doing now, suddenly knocking on his door? Probably because he didn¡¯t hear any signs of movement on Song Xuanhe¡¯s side, Xiao Yuanmu stopped knocking. His clear voice reverberated from the other side of the door. Although they were separated by the door, his voice was still maic and deep like an instrument. ¡°Can you help me change my dressing?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. He looked at the wooden door for a while, brows furrowed. In the end, he walked over. When the door opened, Xiao Yuanmu handed the bandages over to Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°It¡¯s difficult for me to apply the medicine on my left hand. Going to have to trouble you.¡± Song Xuanhe took the bandage and walked back into his room. He stopped at the sofa and said, ¡°Sit down. Wait a bit for me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. He watched Song Xuanhe leave the room and then slowly got up. He surveyed the room, gaze falling on the desk in the adjourned study. It looked like there was something on it. He headed over. When there were only a few steps left between himself and the desk, he paused. He looked at the open sketchbook on the desk, surprise emerging in his eyes. In the open sketchbook was a sketch of a man¡¯s profile. Although the sketch was simple, it captured the essence very well. Anyone who had seen Xiao Yuanmu before would have been able to tell with just a nce that the person drawn was him. The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: Is it due to a loss of morality or humanity? A young man barging into another man¡¯s room in the middle of the night and actually doing such a thing¡­. Xiao Yuanmu: I can do anything as long as you like it. My son Xuan has finally started to support his family! Thank you for all your support! (¤Å£þ 3£þ)¤Å Eve: Xuanhe is so, so cute. And here¡¯s reborn x2 XYM¡¯s descent. He¡¯s trying to fight against his feelings but something tells me it¡¯s a losing battle. *wink wink* Kara: Ahhh, the romantic misunderstandings continue!! Hehehehe (*¡äÆH`*) Yes, Xuanhe¡¯s power is too strong, even against a reborn Mumu!! But, when is Xuanhe going to destroy his scum dad? ¡Æ£¨??§¥??£©??? Although, I¡¯m totally ok with us just getting these fluffy misunderstandings instead. LOL (Also, also, I¡¯m very tired. This chapter killed me (;¡ä§¥`)?) Chapter 26: Looking for a Boyfriend Tranted be Eve Edited by Kara Thank you Lin and anon for the kofi When Song Xuanhe brought the medkit over, he sighed in relief when he saw that Xiao Yuanmu was still quietly sitting in the same spot. He only remembered the unfinished design left on his desk when he had already reached the bottom of the stairs. The original host and fashion design had nothing to do with each other. Moreover, he had outstanding talent. Anyone who caught a glimpse of his designs would never believe that someone who had never designed before could show such shocking skill. The System quietly listened to Song Xuanhe¡¯s boastful thoughts, unruffled. It then didn¡¯t hesitate to delete that data like it was trash. After pondering over it for a long time, the System decided to refrain from telling Song Xuanhe that Xiao Yuanmu had only nced at his design, making no reaction whatsoever. Song Xuanhe ced the medkit onto the ground. He thought for a second and then just sat on the carpet. He looked up at Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°Lift your pant leg up.¡± Xiao Yuanmu tugged the pant leg up, revealing his injured calf. Although the doctor had said it was just a superficial wound, when the gauze came off, the scrape that took up half of his calf still looked quite terrible. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and unconsciously clicked his tongue. He asked, ¡°It¡¯s not like you were scratched by rocks. Why is the hole so big? And, how could that doctor have not given you any stitches?¡± The injury looked reallyrge, but most of it was just a surface wound. It was just the centre of his calf where the wound had pierced through the deeperyers of his skin. The flesh there had split open and had yet to close. ¡°It¡¯s a small injury. There¡¯s no need for stitches.¡± Xiao Yuanmu slightly lowered his head, peering down at Song Xuanhe, who was pursing his lips in concentration while helping him change his dressings. The words he had wanted to use to sound the other out were choked back down when he looked at the other¡¯s appearance. Song Xuanhe was frowning, the corner of his lips twitching, as if the one in pain was himself. Song Xuanhe slowly pulled off the bloody gauze. As he pulled, his lips would twitch. It looked like he was afraid of reopening Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wounds. When he finally got it all off, Song Xuanhe heaved a long sigh. Now that he was rxed, he realized he had ayer of sweat over his forehead. Song Xiao Shaoye was raised as though he had been as precious as gold in his past life. Even after the death of his parents, his family on his father¡¯s side had been arge, powerful family. Although there had not been much familial affection, the servants who took care of him had acted very carefully around him, trying their best not to offend him, as they were afraid of being reprimanded by their employer. Therefore, before he had started getting into fights in high school, he had practically never been injured before. The first time he had gotten into a fight in high school, he had suffered a bitter defeat, having been ganged up on by five people. He then got down and learned how to fight with a retired special forces soldier. He hadn¡¯t cared about how tiring or hard it was. After that, there basically had been no one who could hurt him. That was why he thought Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wound must hurt a lot. ¡°Wait a bit. I¡¯ll put on some medicine for you. If it hurts, tell me. I¡¯ll be more gentle.¡± Taking in the way Song Xuanhe was tightly furrowing his brows, Xiao Yuanmu made a soft sound of acknowledgement. He didn¡¯t say a thing during this time, however. No one could see this, but his slightly pursed lips were suppressing a smile that he didn¡¯t even notice himself. After applying the medicine and redoing the dressing, Song Xuanhe stood up and rolled his neck. He felt like he had been even more prudent while changing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s dressing than he used to be when working in his studio. If it wasn¡¯t because he held some responsibility for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ident, he would never have done such a thing. Xiao Yuanmu also stood up. His gaze fell on Song Xuanhe, who was currently packing up the medkit, and said, ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°It was because I told you to buy congee that you got into an ident.¡± Song Xuanhe waved a hand. ¡°It¡¯s my responsibility to help you change your dressing.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll buy it for you next time.¡± When these words were uttered, it wasn¡¯t just Song Xuanhe who widened his eyes in surprise. Xiao Yuanmu was also startled. However, this onlysted a second. Very quickly, he returned to his usual indifferent look. He suddenly remembered why he hade over. He gazed into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Why did you follow me the day of the ident?¡± It wasn¡¯t ¡°Were you following me?¡± but ¡°Why were you following me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s certain tone made Song Xuanhe unsure of how he could even go about denying it. However, Song Xuanhe was a quick thinker. A half-secondter, he spoke in a very natural manner, ¡°The rain wasing down too hard that day. You hadn¡¯te home after so long, so I came looking.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯tment on this. He asked another question, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me to get in the car?¡± ¡°Why do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe cocked a brow, turning the question back on him with a calm tone. It had been a long time since anyone had dared to question him to his face. When he saw Song Xuanhe suddenly raise an eyebrow at him, Xiao Yuanmu was taken aback for a moment. His memories had already melded together in his brain. Suddenly, a voice echoed through his head¡ªIf Ie back with congee, don¡¯t be angry anymore, OK? At that time, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t tell him to get in and instead chose to follow him. Was it because he had still been angry? The reason he had been angry¡­almost instantly, the scene of him pressing Song Xuanhe down and kissing him deeply in that room appeared in his mind. When he came back to himself, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes softened slightly for a second before he quickly averted his eyes. He said, ¡°I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± He didn¡¯t wait for Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply. Xiao Yuanmu took the medkit with him and left without looking back. His steps seemed quicker than when he had walked in. Back in his own room, Xiao Yuanmu stood in ce for a long time. He looked a bit hesitant. He didn¡¯t doubt that if he had stayed there for a second longer, ¡°Are you still angry?¡± would havee out of his mouth. Ripples appeared in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, eyes that had always been as calm as still water. But quickly after, they regained their calm. What was most important right now was to investigate and figure out just exactly why Song Xuanhe was different from his memories of his previous two lives. * After the storm on Friday, a light drizzle continued for the next two days. It wasn¡¯t until Monday that the sky cleared up. The passing scenery flitted by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes but attracted none of his attention. He was thinking about what had happened that morning. He had gotten up for a morning jog out of habit. Therefore, he had woken up before six to go for a run as per usual. After his run, he had taken a shower. When he came downstairs, he had found Song Xuanhe already there. When Song Xuanhe saw him, he had first sized up Xiao Yuanmu. He had then said, ¡°The wound on your leg hasn¡¯t healed yet. How could you go for a morning jog?¡± Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t wanted to reply. However, when he saw the concern in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes that could not be hidden, he had ended up saying, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Song Xuanhe had snorted at his words. He then had twisted his face away and said, ¡°Do you think I¡¯m concerned for you? I just meant that it¡¯s up to you whether or not you run but don¡¯t dy my breakfast.¡± After he had said this, he added as ifpromising, ¡°Since your leg hasn¡¯t healed, I¡¯ll just have tomato egg stir-fry today.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had only then remembered that the version of himself prior to his rebirth would personally make breakfast for Song Xuanhe every morning. Several scenes had shed through his mind. All of them had depicted him and Song Xuanhe having breakfast together. In these scenes, his past self had always appeared indifferent. But, he knew from his memories that he had actually been very happy. He would have even thought of what he would make for breakfast the next day before bed every night. No matter how many times he had cooked, when he had watched Song Xuanhe finish the food he had made and heard the other say it was delicious, his mood would always be better because of it. His past self had been a disgrace. Although Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know why his rtionship with Song Xuanhe was so different despite the trajectory of this world being more or less the same as his previous lives, he didn¡¯t want to spoil Song Xuanhe like he had in his memories. He didn¡¯t want to happily let the other order him around. Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu had said in a slightly cold, dull voice, ¡°I¡¯m not cooking.¡± Who would have expected that Song Xuanhe would immediately look up at him and only snort a ¡°Then, don¡¯t do it¡± despite his limpid eyes being full ofints? His tone had been bossy and had carried an air of feigned disdain. It had ovepped with his own memories but hadn¡¯t made him feel the usual loathing that made him want to tear the other¡¯s head off. In contrast, not only had he not felt any hatred, but he also actually had felt a different emotion. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened slightly after thinking through all of this. It seemed that the memories of his self prior to rebirth in this world had more influence over him than he had thought. After getting into the car, Song Xuanhe noticed that Xiao Yuanmu had been silently staring out the window the whole time. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt rather awkward. Since the car ident, he¡¯d felt that his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu had changed somehow, but he couldn¡¯t figure out just what had led to this change no matter how he tried. Had it been the ident or the kiss? The longer the silence persisted, the more chaotic his thoughts became. Song Xuanhe casually turned on the radio, wanting to break the silence in the car. ¡°Another clear and bright morning. Hello everyone. We are Chenjian Xinqing....¡± Song Xuanhe nced at his radio. He had thought that it would y music. However, a radio show was fine. Voices worked too. ¡°Yesterday, our official Weibo ount got manyments. The one that got the most likes said: ¡®Yesterday, a guy kissed me. I¡¯m actually pretty happy about it. I didn¡¯t hate it like I had thought I would. But, I had always thought that I liked girls. Moreover, it had happened so suddenly. I don¡¯t really know if I like him. I hope that Chenjian can give me some advice¡­.¡¯¡± What the heck are they ying at here? Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers twitched slightly while clutching onto the steering wheel. They weren¡¯t giving traffic updates or telling ¡°chicken soup for the soul¡± kind of tales to raise people¡¯s spirits on a Monday morning and were instead giving love advice? Nevertheless, he had just turned on the radio. Wouldn¡¯t it look like he was trying to hide something if he were to turn it off so soon? Song Xuanhe secretly peeked at Xiao Yuanmu. He caught sight that the other was no longer looking out the window and was instead sitting there quietly with his gaze cast down as if listening to the broadcast. Song Xuanhe could only give up on turning it off. He continued to drive, expression not changing. He perked up his ears to listen to the broadcast though. If he heard anything fishy, he¡¯d shut it off immediately. ¡°¡­Hahahahaha, anytime anyone has a ¡®first awakening of love,¡¯ I can¡¯t help but feel happy. To our online friend, if you¡¯re listening right now, listen earnestly, oh. Chenchen thinks that before you¡¯ve met ¡®the one,¡¯ an ideal type is just an embodiment of what you want yourself to be. If you take gender out of the equation, you can just take into ount your ideal type¡¯s personality and three views. Is your ideal type now simr to yourself?¡± ¡°Actually, liking someone is no simple matter. However, finding out whether you like someone or not is pretty easy. Listen to the following statements. If you agree to three or more, then you definitely like him.¡± ¡°Number one, when you see him, you¡¯re really happy.¡± Song Xuanhe sighed a breath of relief. He never felt particrly happy when seeing Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Number two, when you find a novel thing or something that makes you happy, the first thing you would do is think of him and want to share it with him.¡± Something novel or something that made him happy? Song Xuanhe thought about it. He¡¯d never seen anything like that. But even if he had, he wouldn¡¯t think to share it with Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Number three, you can¡¯t help but want to be good to him. You can¡¯t help but want to agree to his requests. Even if you wouldn¡¯t have done something in the past, as long as he asks, you¡¯d be willing to do it for him.¡± That wasn¡¯t the case either. Song Xuanhepletely rxed. It seemed that he had really been thinking too much. ¡°Number four, you don¡¯t reject being intimate with him. Sometimes, you even think that it feels good, that you want to be even closer.¡± ¡°If you agreed to at least three of the four statements, then you¡¯ve fallen in love with him. If you agreed to two, that means you like him. If you agreed to one, then you have a favourable opinion of him. You can think about taking things further, oh.¡± Song Xuanhe was in a pretty good mood. He manned the steering wheel in a much more carefree manner now. He didn¡¯t pay attention to how Xiao Yuanmu had lowered his eyes and pursed his lips unnaturally upon hearing the host¡¯s summary. The voice continued, ¡°There¡¯s one more thing that I forgot to say. If you were thinking of one specific person the entire time I was telling you the statements, that¡¯s proof that you¡¯re interested!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands grew rigid on the steering wheel. He nearly drove onto the curb. Luckily, he reacted quickly enough to avert danger. However, Xiao Yuanmu turned to look at him right then. His expression didn¡¯t change despite the abrupt swerve. He only gave Song Xuanhe a cool nce and then continued staring into hisp. Who knew what he was thinking about? Song Xuanhe secretly sighed in relief. When he recalled what he had heard from the broadcast, his chest felt stuffy. He was interested in Xiao Yuanmu? Impossible! Xiao Yuanmu was the man who would try to kill him in the future! He wasn¡¯t a masochist! Liking Xiao Yuanmu meant death, OK? The only reason he had thought of Xiao Yuanmu was because it was just the only two of them in the car, so he would naturally think of him. It had nothing to do with his feelings. This host was full of nonsense. For the sake of garnering attention, they were spouting rubbish. After passing the area with the worst traffic, Song Xuanhe stepped on the gas pedal and sped towards thepany. He made it there in five minutes, despite it normally taking ten. Before getting out of the car, Song Xuanhe suddenly remembered something. He said to Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°I have something to do after work. Head home by yourself.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded his head slightly, his expression one of indifference. After getting off work, Song Xuanhe headed straight to his appointment. He pushed open the private room door and found Xiao Shenglin and Zhou Nan sitting inside. The two of them turned to look at him the moment the door opened. Xiao Shenglin nodded at him with a smile and greeted him. Zhou Nan waved a hand. He said, ¡°Finally here. I¡¯m starving.¡± They called the waiter, who was waiting outside, and ced their orders. Zhou Nan smiled at Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°It¡¯s so hard to get you toe out. Is your man keeping a strict leash on you?¡± Song Xuanhe casually pulled a chair and sat down onto it. When he heard this, he kicked the other. ¡°Nonsense.¡± Zhou Nan didn¡¯t get annoyed. He joked, ¡°Your kissst week was really scorching hot. Qian Qin also said that you and Xiao Yuanmu are a good match. If you really like him, it¡¯d be pretty good to spend your days without any worries like this.¡± Xiao Shenglin chimed in when he heard this, ¡°Since you¡¯re together, you have to take responsibility. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s not bad. I think you two make a good match.¡± Song Xuanhe folded his arms over his chest and cocked a brow. He asked, ¡°Tell me, what makes us a good match? Is it just because we¡¯re both attractive?¡± Zhou Nan held himself up with the table, dry heaving. He said, ¡°Quickly eat. Stop making me lose my appetite here, OK?¡± The waiter carefully brought in the dishes and ced them onto the table. They then left quietly. ¡°If you¡¯re expecting, eat nder foods.¡± Song Xuanhe gave him azy nce, ¡°Don¡¯t me your morning sickness on me. Go bother whoever knocked you up.¡± ¡°Lin zi!¡± Zhou Nan turned to speak to Xiao Shenglin, ¡°Hold me back if I hit him too hard.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s face waspletely covered by his smile. He said, ¡°But, you should eat nder foods.¡± Song Xuanheughed. Zhou Nan rolled his eyes and then looked at Xiao Shenglin. ¡°You¡¯ve changed.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. His smile was kind. ¡°nder foods are better for the body.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going to bother arguing with you guys.¡± Zhou Nan pouted, grabbing his chopsticks as he said, ¡°I called you guys out ¡®cause I had things to discuss, not so that you guys could team up against me.¡± Song Xuanhe picked up some food. He found that it tasted pretty good after a few bites. He spoke after having tasted enough, ¡°So, what is it?¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°You guys should know what my major in university was.¡± Xiao Shenglin nodded in an elegant manner. Song Xuanhe innocently said, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Zhou Nan rolled his eyes. ¡°Information engineering. Now you know.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Song Xuanhe picked up more food and said indifferently, ¡°And?¡± Zhou Nan didn¡¯t doubt that when Song Xuanhe said ¡®And?¡¯ he really meant ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± But, he had just rolled his eyes. If he were to do it anymore, it¡¯d ruin his image. Therefore, he just red at him. He asked, ¡°Do you guys know of the Wei Family?¡± The hand holding his chopstick paused as Song Xuanhe looked up and answered, ¡°What about the Wei Family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the Wei Family per se but rather Wei Chen,¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°He¡¯s in medicine. After graduating, he¡¯s not nning on working at the hospital and is instead nning on starting a business. I asked around. It seems like he¡¯s interested in medical robots. This is a nationally backed project. Moreover, with the Wei Family¡¯s support, as soon as thispany is founded, it¡¯s all set. I heard that he¡¯s looking for partners. What do you guys think?¡± ¡°Are you going to join?¡± Xiao Shenglin asked in a gentle voice. ¡°Of course,¡± Zhou Nan said. ¡°Anyone who hears of this will want a piece of it. It¡¯s just that making robots¡­regardless of whether it¡¯s the early experimenting phase or theter investment phase, it all requires a huge sum of money. It¡¯s not easy for people our age to be a part of businesses like this. Moreover, those whoe frompounds are all haughty people. Wei Chen is more or less the same. He doesn¡¯t choose his investors based on money. He also wants them to participate in testing. Those are his two conditions. With that, 99% of possible investors have been eliminated. Otherwise, how on earth could this opportunity have fallen into my hands?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°You n on making us all invest in this, but I don¡¯t think Wei Chen will give out that many shares.¡± Since they would be partners, it was unavoidable that the shares would have to be divided. With Wei Chen¡¯s background, he just needed one giant public investment. But, he would definitely not give out arge portion of the shares for it. Therefore, it was obvious that he would be even less likely to partner with a whole gaggle of people. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± Zhou Nan shook his head and told them his analysis, ¡°As the founder, he would obviously hold thergest share. As for the smaller share leftover, however many pieces it¡¯s cut up into or how it¡¯s cut up will be bnced ording to everyone¡¯s interests. It¡¯s not impossible. But, I don¡¯t think there will be too many people looking to take a cut.¡± Song Xuanhe thought it over. He thought that Zhou Nan was right. But still, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about robots. I also don¡¯t know anything about medicine. It¡¯s useless for you to pull me in.¡± ¡°If there was no hope for you, did you really think I¡¯d call you over?¡± Zhou Nan shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t fit Wei Chen¡¯s conditions, but you can still get in.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. Before he could react, he heard Zhou Nan say, ¡°Did you forget what your uncle does? The case data your uncle has in his possession is enough to tempt Wei Chen.¡± When he heard Zhou Nan say this, Song Xuanhe searched for information about this uncle of his from his memories. This uncle was the younger brother of the original host¡¯s mother. He was currently the director of a privately owned hospital. He was also a very renowned neurosurgeon. He was crowned the top neurosurgeon in the country. ¡°Wei Chen ns on creating medical robots for neurosurgery?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. There wasn¡¯t much difference in terms of the science and technology of this world and his own world. They were both still in the preliminary stages of researching artificial intelligence and robots. Researching medical robots indeed went along with the current trend. However, looking at the current state of technology, it would already be very difficult to create robots for ordinary surgeries and diagnoses, let alone neurosurgery. It would be a pipe dream. Zhou Nan didn¡¯t know what Song Xuanhe was thinking. He answered, ¡°Yes. Moreover, he¡¯s able to get immense funding and technological support. Although I don¡¯t know exactly who he¡¯s roped in, it¡¯s possibly one of the eight major corporate groups. One of the eight major groups and the Wei Family to boot¡ªthat¡¯s why I think that hispany will really be set.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard this, his heart skipped a beat. He suddenly remembered the scene of Xiao Yuanmu and Wei Chen eating together a few days ago. The major group couldn¡¯t possibly be the Xiao Family, could it? When Zhou Nan saw that no one was speaking, he added, ¡°A lot of people think that it¡¯s the James Family or the Xiao Group.¡± After saying this, he smiled radiantly, ¡°So, what about it? Are you interested?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even hesitate. ¡°No.¡± What a joke. After his scenes were done, he was going to jet off. How could he even think of getting involved with Xiao Yuanmu again down the line? Xiao Shenglin also shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m not interested in this stuff either. You should ask someone else.¡± Seeing that both of them had rejected him, Zhou Nan clicked his tongue in disappointment at the two, ¡°Don¡¯t you understand what a great chance this is? It¡¯s not an ordinary investment! It¡¯s a chance to get connections to one of the eight major families!¡± Song Xuanhe remained unmoved. Xiao Shenglin also just smiled. Zhou Nan shook his head. He hadn¡¯t thought that no one would agree. Not even the mention of the eight major corporate groups swayed them. But s, Zhou Nan wasn¡¯t the type to force others or make things difficult for them. Seeing that neither of them were interested, he dropped it and changed the topic. ¡°Speaking of the Wei Family, I also heard of a little matter. Last Friday, Wei Chen seemed to have hit someone with his car during the storm. I don¡¯t know if that¡¯s true or not.¡± Song Xuanhe had just eaten his fill and was nning on putting his chopsticks down to respond when his phone rang. He paused, seeing that it was an unknown number. He still answered it, however. ¡°Xuanhe? It¡¯s me, Wei Chen. We said we¡¯d catch a meal together a few days ago. I found a pretty good restaurant¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe identally pressed the screen, and the phone went into speaker mode. Wei Chen¡¯s voice clearly transmitted to every corner of the room. The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: Is my food better or is the food better at the restaurants he takes you to? Kara: Ah, the battle of the Mumus! Which Mumu will reign supreme? I¡¯m betting on reborn Mumu losing.? £þ?¦á £þ? ? And, oh? Is this SXH finally bing a little more aware of his feelings? Hahaha, I can¡¯t wait to see their rtionship develop even more!! (¨RÆH¨Q*) (This chapter is also super long¡­.I die¡­.£¨£»£þ§Õ£þ£©) Chapter 27: Found a Handsome Man Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Thank you Lin, Kat and ResidentialPsycho for the kofi Silence. An awkward silence. No one responded from the other end, so Wei Chen continued speaking. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Is it not a good time to call?¡± Zhou Nan suddenly came back to himself. His gaze was like an x-ray, seeing through Song Xuanhe¡¯s calm exterior and revealing his guilt. Even Xiao Shenglin was a bit puzzled. He had never heard of Song Xuanhe and Wei Chen being on good terms before. But from Wei Chen¡¯s familiar tone, it didn¡¯t seem like they had just met. Song Xuanhe turned off speaker mode, expression not changing. He brought the phone to his ear and said, ¡°Mr. Wei, hello.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t we say that we¡¯d call each other by our first names?¡± Wei Chenughed. He asked, ¡°Is Mr. Xiao beside you right now?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe met with two questioning gazes and smiled. His tone was rather cold, however, ¡°We¡¯ve only met once. I didn¡¯t think that you would call me to have a meal together.¡± ¡°I felt like we had a connection at first sight!¡± Wei Chen¡¯s voice was pure and bright. You could hear the disappointment in his next words. ¡°I had thought that we were at least ordinary friends. I didn¡¯t think that my feelings of friendship were just one-sided.¡± Song Xuanhe was still smiling. He remained unmoved as he replied, ¡°Well, now you know. Then, I won¡¯t say anything more. Goodbye.¡± ¡°Ai ai ai!¡± Wei Chen raised his voice in haste and quickly said, ¡°I wanted to talk business with you! I currently have a project that I want you to partner in. We¡¯d both benefit from it. Let¡¯s talk about it over a meal.¡± ¡°Sorry,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I¡¯m not really interested. Bye.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe hung up without waiting for Wei Chen¡¯s reply. Zhou Nan folded his arms, giving Song Xuanhe an askance nce. He adopted a callous demeanour. ¡°Be honest. When did you and Wei Chen get so close? He actually called you specifically to invite you to eat with him. I¡¯ll go easy on you if you¡¯re honest. If you resist, I¡¯ll have to use force. If you don¡¯t tell the truth, don¡¯t even think of leaving here today.¡± There wasn¡¯t much food left, but Song Xuanhe felt like he could still eat. Therefore, he picked up his chopsticks again and said, ¡°This dish tastes pretty good. Eat a little more. It¡¯d be a shame to waste it.¡± Zhou Nan: ¡­. ¡°I just heard you say that you¡¯ve only met Wei Chen once. What happened?¡± Xiao Shenglin questioned, but his voice was still gentle and amiable, ¡°Wei Chen is quite the lone wolf. Except for the two friends he has grown up with, I¡¯ve never heard of him inviting anyone else out to eat.¡± Song Xuanhe put down his chopsticks and answered, ¡°Weren¡¯t you guys wondering about who Wei Chen had hit with his car? It was Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°What the hell, isn¡¯t that a hell of a coincidence?¡± Xiao Shenglin furrowed his brows and asked, concerned, ¡°Is Xiao Yuanmu OK?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine. It¡¯s just a superficial injury,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°As the culprit, Wei Chen apologized and made amends by inviting us out to eat. That¡¯s why I gave him my contact information.¡± ¡°He apologized and made amends?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes widened even more, ¡°Wei Chen apologizing? Did you know, when he was in high school, he had smashed the skull of his school¡¯s top dog in with a brick? That student¡¯s family didn¡¯t take it lying down and wanted to make a big deal over it. It was also during election time then, so the Wei Family couldn¡¯t afford to make any mistakes. But even so, despite him practically having his head forced down, Wei Chen still didn¡¯t apologize or make it up to them.¡± ¡°Well, that bully probably deserved it,¡± Song Xuanhe said in a nd tone, ¡°But, it¡¯s entirely his fault for hitting someone with his car. He obviously had to apologize.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of Wei Chen, that fellow, apologizing to anyone in all my years of living. Forget making amends, I¡¯ve never even heard the words ¡®I¡¯m sorry¡¯e out of his mouth. He¡¯s extremely proud.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue twice. A thought suddenly popped into his head. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s scheming something. Otherwise, why else would he ingratiate himself to you?¡± When Xiao Shenglin heard this, heughed and asked, ¡°What kind of scheme?¡± ¡°Maybe he¡¯s fallen for Song Er¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s beauty.¡± After saying this, Zhou Nan nodded, certain. He said, ¡°The more I think about it, the more I believe it to be true. After all, your little boyfriend is indeed really handsome. You don¡¯t know, but after Qian Qin¡¯s party had ended, a lot of people were asking about Xiao Yuanmu. It¡¯s not weird for Wei Chen to have taken an interest in him.¡± ¡°Guess. Keep on guessing.¡± Song Xuanhe just watched the otherzily, waiting for him to continue. ¡°It¡¯s notpletely out of the question,¡± Zhou Nan mumbled. However, he still tactfully shifted topics. ¡°This weekend your cousin is having an opening. He¡¯s having a reception. He must have invited you, right? Are you going?¡± Song Xuanhe finished the rest of his favourite dish and wiped his mouth. He thought it over seriously and said, ¡°My university roommate is also having an opening reception this weekend. He called mest Friday. It¡¯s at the White Moon Club.¡± ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Who knows what Zhou Nan was thinking, but heughed and said, ¡°I bet you that your cousin never expected that the partner he found was actually your university roommate. What kind of expression do you think he¡¯ll make when he finds out? Hahahahahaha¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. When he had gotten the call, he only knew that it was rted to the plot, so he agreed without saying much. He hadn¡¯t thought that one of the hosts would be the cousin the original host found really difficult to deal with. Zhou Nanughed for a while and then asked, ¡°So, are you going?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Song Xuanhe said indifferently, ¡°I promised my ssmate. I can¡¯t go back on my word.¡± When he pictured the scene of Song Xuanhe and Song Jiabao facing off, Zhou Nan couldn¡¯t help butugh again. His eyes shone with anticipation. He didn¡¯t cover up any of his schadenfreude. Xiao Shenglin sighed and said, ¡°Can you not look like you want to see the world descend into utter chaos? The Song Family¡¯s going to be a mess if Xuanhe and Song Jiabao fight again.¡± Song Xuanhe knew that Xiao Shenglin was covertly warning him. He was afraid that Song Xuanhe would impulsively make a fuss in public. Song Guochao wouldn¡¯t be giving him any good looks when that happened. Song Xuanhe smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll eat anything but losing won¡¯t be part of the menu.¡± After finishing their meal, Zhou Nan was about to head to the bars. Xiao Shenglin had another appointment, and Song Xuanhe headed home alone. As soon as he entered, an extremely tempting, delicious aroma wafted into his nose. His full belly suddenly had room for more food. Song Xuanhe followed the scent into the kitchen. When Xiao Yuanmu heard the othere in, he turned his head around. He didn¡¯t show much of an expression upon seeing Song Xuanhe. He said in a cool tone, ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± After having not heard this greeting he used to hear every day for a few days, Song Xuanhe paused for a moment. He then casually responded with, ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± He then scurried over to the pot and saw that there were fragrant, bright red crayfish inside. He swallowed unnoticeably and asked, ¡°How long until the lobster is done?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stirred the crayfish in the pot. Even when cooking, his posture was ram-rod straight. The view of him stirring the pot made for a pleasing picture. When he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice, he lowered his gaze. A few secondster, he asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you already have dinner?¡± ¡°I can still eat, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were fixed on the pot. He seemed itching to eat them. ¡°How much longer, ah?¡± ¡°It¡¯s done.¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned off the stove and ted the crayfish. He carried them to the dining table, leaving Song Xuanhe behind. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t get angry. He followed suit and sat down, staring impatiently at the crayfish in front of him. Still, even though he really wanted to eat it, he didn¡¯t dig in immediately. He asked, ¡°Can I eat it now?¡± ¡°You haven¡¯t washed your hands.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took off his apron and said coolly, ¡°Go wash your hands.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and rushed to the kitchen to wash his hands. When he returned, he sat opposite of Xiao Yuanmu. The aroma of the crayfish permeated every corner of the dining room. Song Xuanhe unobtrusively sniffed the air. He raised his head to look at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Then, I¡¯m going to eat now.¡± ¡°Eat.¡± After gaining permission, Song Xuanhe grabbed a crayfish and ced it into his own bowl. He then endured the heat and opened up the shell. The juices flowed out of it and entered his lips. He ate earnestly. Song Xuanhe¡¯s glittering eyes were full of satisfaction at having a good meal. Xiao Yuanmu, who sat in front of him, didn¡¯t even notice that he had a satisfied smile on his own lips. However, the smile onlysted a second. Suspicion quickly shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. In his memories, Song Xuanhe had never eaten garlic. His brows would furrow, and he¡¯d throw a fit any time he had smelled even a hint of it. Xiao Yuanmu recalled a time where they had dined outside. The waiter had forgotten to tell the chef to not add garlic. When the dishes had arrived, Song Xuanhe had been extremely angry. In the end, that waiter had been fired. Nevertheless, the Song Xuanhe in front of him now didn¡¯t react to the garlic at all. He was eating the crayfish, evidently very pleased. He waspletely different from the Song Xuanhe from his memories. Xiao Yuanmu looked down. In the memories he had gained from the Xiao Yuanmu of this world, Song Xuanhe had also eaten this happily no matter what he had made. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to realize that as long as he saw something he wanted to eat, his eyes would light up. His voice would even soften by a few degrees when he spoke. At least, under normal circumstances, Song Xuanhe would never add ¡®ah¡¯ to the end of his sentences or anything else that would add a coquettish tone to his words. And, it was precisely this other side of him that had made the Xiao Yuanmu before his rebirth gradually fall for him during their day-to-day interactions. In the end, the Xiao Yuanmu from before had really fallen for Song Xuanhe. ¡°Is it delicious?¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, lips stained with a bit of juice. He swallowed and wiped the juices off his lips before replying, ¡°It¡¯s really delicious.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze softened. He looked down as he picked up a crayfish for himself, cing it in his bowl before calmly prying it open. He said in a dull tone, ¡°I thought you hated garlic.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled like he had never heard this before. He then smiled and asked, ¡°Since when? Howe I didn¡¯t know that?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s fingers paused their action of extracting meat from the crayfish for a second. He then looked up and said, ¡°I must have remembered wrongly.¡± ¡°Yeah, you did.¡± Song Xuanhe picked up another crayfish. His outward expression didn¡¯t change, but he quickly hollered for the System in his mind: ¡¾Did the original host not like garlic?¡¿ The System hesitated and then said uncertainly£º¡¾I don¡¯t think so? It didn¡¯t say anything about that in the book.¡¿ Song Xuanhe£º¡¾Then, why is Xiao Yuanmu suddenly asking about this?¡¿ The System£º¡¾He probably remembered it wrong. It¡¯s normal for people to misremember things.¡¿ When Song Xuanhe heard this, he furrowed his brows discreetly. It was indeed normal for other people to misremember, but it was odd for Xiao Yuanmu to do so. In the book, Xiao Yuanmu had relied on his abnormally good memory to store all the information from the Song Family¡¯s bidding documents that he had found in Song Xuanhe¡¯s study. He had also been the person who had teamed up with an old enemy of the Song Group to ruin the Song Family. At first, the enemy hadn¡¯t believed Xiao Yuanmu. However, Xiao Yuanmu had given him a show to prove to him how quickly he could memorize things. It was precisely with this gifted memory that Xiao Yuanmu had been able to collect so many wins on the business front. This had been because he would use a forgotten or overlooked detail to defeat his opponents. Therefore, for Xiao Yuanmu to suddenly ask this meant that he was sounding Song Xuanhe out. However, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been reborn yet. So, what was he looking into? He had already been stuffed, but now, he also had something on his mind. Song Xuanhe ate a few more before stopping. He then went to wash his hands in the kitchen again before heading upstairs. As soon as he left the kitchen, his phone that he had left on the table rang. Xiao Yuanmu nced at the name on the screen and paused for a moment. His eyes darkened as he said, ¡°Your phone is ringing.¡± Song Xuanhe dried his hands. When he saw the name on the screen, he answered it. ¡°What do you want?¡± Liu Xu¡¯s voice came through the receiver. Her voice was gentle and soft. ¡°Nothing. I just wanted to remind you of our appointment tomorrow.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned and said coolly, ¡°I won¡¯t forget. Anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± Liu Xu was silent for a few seconds before she continued, reluctant to let things go like this, ¡°Did you note visit the set for mest time?¡± Song Xuanhe stopped walking. He then chuckled. ¡°Director Huang¡¯s new film is about to begin shooting. I¡¯m investing in it. What do you think?¡± Liu Xu didn¡¯t speak for a long time. She then spoke with disappointment in her voice. ¡°I understand.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe continued to head out of the dining room. When he reached the living room, he seemed to recall something and turned to speak to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°I¡¯m noting home for dinner tomorrow. Just make dinner for yourself.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, eyes dark and gloomy. ¡°Because of Liu Xu?¡± Song Xuanhe was caught off guard. He then realized that Xiao Yuanmu had probably seen the name on his phone screen, so he nodded and said, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°You¡¯re eating dinner with her.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was calm, and there were no fluctuations in his tone. ¡°Why?¡± Song Xuanhe said ambiguously, ¡°Because of something.¡± He didn¡¯t think that Xiao Yuanmu, who rarely spoke more than necessary, would ask him about this matter. However, he was meeting with Liu Xu for something regarding the Song Family. Looking at the timeline, Xiao Yuanmu must have already collected quite a lot of evidence against the Song Family, whether it be rted to scandals, gossip, or their trade secrets. He didn¡¯t want to give the other anything else on top of that. After all, it was more beneficial to him if the Song Family remained stable. However, Xiao Yuanmu, who didn¡¯t usually speak much, seemed to want to get to the bottom of things. He continued to ask, ¡°What thing?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. Ever since he was young, what he disliked the most was when people pestered him, wanting to make him talk about something he didn¡¯t want to talk about. Therefore, his voice dropped a few degrees. ¡°None of your business.¡± After saying this, he didn¡¯t wait for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s reaction. He headed upstairs without looking back. * The next day at noon, Song Xuanhe drove straight to Liuquxi after work. This was a members-only tea house and located in a remote area. Even though it was after work, there were only a few people there. As soon as he had reached the second floor, Song Xuanhe saw a short, immactely dressed man approach him. That man smiled at him and said, ¡°Song shao, I¡¯ve been looking forward to meeting you. I am Liu Xu¡¯s manager, Zhang Fei. Please follow me.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded slightly and followed after the other with a ¡®Lead the way.¡¯ The two of them stopped at the entrance to a private room. The short man opened the door for him and then waited outside. When Liu Xu saw Song Xuanhe enter, she stood up. It was slightly chilly today, but she only wore a dress with a plunging neckline, putting on full disy her lovely body. She stroked her long, curled hair thatid over her shoulder and smiled at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Song shao, please sit.¡± Song Xuanhe sat across from her. His expression remained as calm as it had been when he had entered the room. He said in an indifferent tone, ¡°Tell me the important matter regarding the Song Family and my parents that you had insisted I needed to know.¡± Liu Xu was startled. She hadn¡¯t thought that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t even bother to make small talk and would get straight to the point. She pursed her lips slightly into a smile and gently said, ¡°Song shao, how about you take a sip of the tea before we speak?¡± ¡°No need.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the steaming, hot cup of tea. He said, ¡°Tell me what you called me here for. I don¡¯t have time to waste on you.¡± When Liu Xu heard this, her lips pressed down into a straight line. She also sat down. She was silent for a while before saying, ¡°I called you here to talk about your father, Song Guochao.¡± Song Xuanhe raised an eyebrow, pretending to be interested. When Liu Xu saw this, she felt certain that she had hooked him. She probed, ¡°Did you know that your father has another woman outside?¡± ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, demeanournguid. It was hard to read his tone. ¡°I-I¡¯ve been with Mr. Song for a while now.¡± Liu Xu eyed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression carefully. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t affected by this, she continued, ¡°But after getting together, I discovered that he was just using me as a substitute for someone else. At first, I had thought it was Mrs. Song, butter, I realized that I was wrong.¡± Song Xuanheughed. He said in a cool tone, ¡°Of course not. How could a ything like youpare to my mother?¡± Liu Xu¡¯s expression grew rigid. After a few seconds, she looked down. ¡°I know that in Song shao¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m nothing but a mistress clinging onto someone with power, but as someone in the entertainment industry, I have no choice but topromise, especially given the difference in status between Mr. Song and I. You have the right to look down on me, but you don¡¯t have to worry. After all, I¡¯m just a substitute for Mr. Song¡¯s first love.¡± Liu Xu was skilled in speaking. She first had acted pitiful by acknowledging her lower status. She then had belittled herself and turned the conversation towards the main topic. She was worthy of being someone who had been able to get the title of Best Actress in the short span of two years. After all, in a ce like the entertainment industry, where one mistake could ruin you, it was more important to be a good speaker than it was to behave yourself with integrity. Song Xuanhe went along with her. When he heard her words, he peered at Liu Xu, surprise appearing in his eyes. He furrowed his brows and said, ¡°First love? What first love?¡± ¡°Did you not know?¡± Liu Xu¡¯s shocked expression was even more realistic than Song Xuanhe¡¯s. Her lips parted slightly, and she continued after a moment of pause, ¡°It¡¯s the person your father had been dating before he married Mrs. Song. I heard that he had reluctantly broken up with his first love only because the Song Family had been very against it. However, they have always kept in touch.¡± Upon hearing this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows knitted even tighter. His expression gradually turned serious. A few secondster, he narrowed his eyes. ¡°You understand the consequences of lying to me, yes?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Seeing that Song Xuanhe believed her, Liu Xu was ecstatic. However, she shed a frightened expression. She pulled a folder out from her bag and ced it before Song Xuanhe. She said, ¡°I have evidence. You¡¯ll understand when you look through it.¡± Song Xuanhe opened the folder. He actually knew the content inside better than Liu Xu did. Therefore, he only skimmed through it casually before asking, ¡°Why are you telling me this?¡± Liu Xu bit her lips. She hesitated for a moment before adding, ¡°I know that I¡¯m not in a position to say anything with my status. If I was just his paramour, I could continue to endure things for the sake of survival. However, I¡¯m not willing to be both a substitute and a mistress. I just thought, if even someone like me is taking this so hard, what about Mrs. Song? She would definitely feel terrible if she were to find out. Although this matter was hidden very deeply, if it were to be exposed, it would definitely negatively affect the Song Family. I¡¯ve already done immoral things. I can¡¯t watch this continue.¡± Liu Xu was sincere for the first half. After all, she really did think that way. She was lying through her teeth regarding the second half, however. You could almost see her inwardly fanning the mes through her eyes. ¡°Why are you giving me this?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at her. Liu Xu was caught off guard by his stare. She then spoke in a sincere tone, facing his gaze head-on. ¡°I have made mistakes, but that doesn¡¯t mean that I don¡¯t have a bottom line. I¡¯m telling you this because you have a right to know. I was afraid that when this is exposed, you and Mrs. Song would have been hurt if this had been kept hidden from you.¡± Her outstanding acting ability nearly made Song Xuanhe burst out intoughter. Nheless, he looked down, acting like he had suffered a blow. He said, ¡°Thank you for this. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be heading out.¡± Liu Xu looked at him with concern in her eyes. As she watched him get up, she looked like she wanted to say something but was hesitating. In the end, she simply said, ¡°Be careful. Goodbye.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then left without looking back. As soon as he left Liuquxi, his expression changed. He smiled and thought: ¡¾I think that a mere national award is too belittling of Liu Xu. Her acting ability is truly wonderful.¡¿ The System agreed£º¡¾You humans are very cunning.¡¿ Song Xuanhe was about to ask whether it was referring to Liu Xu, himself, or the both of them. However, he had yet to weave his thoughts into a question when he saw Xiao Yuanmu standing across the street. Although they were separated by the rush hour traffic, Song Xuanhe could feel the cold in the other¡¯s eyes. At that moment, the pedestrian crossing light turned green. The cars all slowed to a stop, and pedestrians hurried across the street from both sides. From one side to another, the stream of pedestrians was endless. However, neither Song Xuanhe nor Xiao Yuanmu, who stood on opposing sides, took a single step. When there were less than ten seconds on the light, Song Xuanhe began to cross the street. He asked the System: ¡¾When did Xiao Yuanmu arrive?¡¿ The System, who had been distracted watching Song Xuanhe and Liu Xu battle it out with their acting skills and thus didn¡¯t notice that Xiao Yuanmu was less than a thousand metres away, felt guilty. In order to make up for its mistake, it quickly said: ¡¾I just investigated it. He has been following you since the moment you left the office.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps halted. He didn¡¯t know why, but when he heard that Xiao Yuanmu had been standing outside for at least half an hour, a bad premonition suddenly emerged. However, the pedestrian crossing was about to end. He could only continue heading towards Xiao Yuanmu. Only when he reached Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side did he stand still. He then looked up and feigned calmness. ¡°What are you doing here?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down at Song Xuanhe, gaze dark. His expression was serene and unreadable, and his voice was clear and calm. However, his response was very frank. ¡°I followed you here.¡± The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: I have an ominous premonition. Eve: SXH eating always tickles my heart. He¡¯s so cute. And haha! XYM finally admitted that past XYM really did fall for SXH¡­just going to take some time for the reborn XYM to ept his feelings as well. As for SXH¡­he¡¯s gonna take a much longer time toe to terms with his. Kara: Ehehehehe¡­XYM admitting his other self fell in love¡­soon he will too¡­I can already see his possessive tendencies!!£¨???£©And ooooh, the family drama finally develops some more! I can¡¯t wait to see what SXH does!£¨???£© Chapter 28: He’s Good-looking and He’s Got Long Legs Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Lin for the kofi ??????
Song Xuanhe nodded slightly, pretending to absentmindedly watch the crowd of people passing by. He very naturally averted his gaze and changed the topic. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s head back together. Or, did you want to eat out tonight?¡± Xiao Yuanmu followed his gaze,nding on an elderly couple, who were supporting each other as they walked, for a half-second. He then looked away and said in a cool tone, ¡°Where¡¯s your car?¡± ¡°In the parking lot across the road.¡± Song Xuanhe pointed to a store across the street. Although the store was small, there was quite a line outside. His lips curved into a smile. ¡°I came to buy a roast goose. I heard that this shop¡¯s roast goose is delicious.¡± Xiao Yuanmu cast an indifferent nce at the shop and asked, ¡°Who said that?¡± ¡°Zhou Nan.¡± After responding, Song Xuanhe stiffened. He didn¡¯t know if it was because he felt guilty, but his conversation with Xiao Yuanmu made him feel like he had just been caught cheating. In this scenario, he was the scummy boyfriend, and Xiao Yuanmu had just caught him in the act. Song Xuanhe was about six or seven centimetres shorter than Xiao Yuanmu. When Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze, the other¡¯s slightly curledshes were right at eye level. He stared at them for two seconds before averting his gaze. He said, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Go where?¡± Song Xuanhe was confused for a second. ¡°Roast goose.¡± After they had bought the roast goose, they made their way to the parking lot. Song Xuanhe reyed their conversation in his head, and only then did he realize that he had been the one questioned the whole time. It was Xiao Yuanmu who had tailed him though. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t done anything wrong. What was there to feel guilty about? When Song Xuanhe thought of this, he raised his chin up slightly and cast a nce at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s profile. He coughed once and then slowly asked, ¡°So, why were you following me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him with a cool gaze for a second and said, ¡°I left something in your car.¡± Song Xuanhe cocked an eyebrow up slightly when he heard this. He wasn¡¯t that easy to fool. When he spoke again, his tone now carried the same calmness and indifference as Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s when the other had been the one interrogating. ¡°What was it? If you had left something in my car, you could have called me. Why¡¯d you follow me?¡± ¡°My phone.¡± Song Xuanhe was silent for a few seconds. ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you ask me at thepany?¡± ¡°I was busy. Didn¡¯t see you at lunch.¡± Song Xuanhe looked unmoved. He seemed intent on not letting Xiao Yuanmu off. ¡°Couldn¡¯t you havee find me?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Okay? What was he ¡°okay¡±-ing to? Song Xuanhe had already prepared his arguments, but just as he was to say them, this one ¡°okay¡± shoved his words back down his throat. When Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhe choke, a sliver of delight shed through his eyes, but there was no real change in his expression. He calmly added, ¡°I¡¯lle find you next time.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He struggled with what to say for a long time before he finally spat out an ¡°oh.¡± He then refrained from speaking again. It was silent between them the rest of the way to the parking lot. When Song Xuanhe saw his parked car, he quickly walked over, creating distance between himself and Xiao Yuanmu. He pulled out his keys and opened the door. The moment he got his car door open, the elevator ten metres away from them dinged and slowly opened. Song Xuanhe paused. He saw Liu Xu and her manager, Zhang Fei, walk out. Suddenly, he got a bad feeling. ¡°Song shao!¡± Liu Xu¡¯s manager, Zhang Fei¡¯s eyes lit up when he saw Song Xuanhe. He pulled Liu Xu over quickly. His thin face seemed to bloom, and his tone was very ardent. ¡°I thought that you had already left. I told Liu Xu that she must not have been a very good host. Have you been waiting here for¡­Liu Xu?¡± After saying this, Zhang Fei looked past Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulders with bright eyes. ¡°And, this is?¡± Song Xuanhe turned around and watched as Xiao Yuanmu slowly came over. He immediately felt a headache iing. The tone he addressed Zhang Fei with turned cold. ¡°None of your business.¡± Zhang Fei was startled. The next second, he heard the man who had just arrived ask him a question in a dull tone. ¡°Why would he be waiting for Liu Xu?¡± ¡°Song shao had just been having tea with our Liu Xu.¡± Although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was cool like a spring, there was no chill to it. Therefore, Zhang Fei didn¡¯t mind it. On the contrary, he thought that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s presence had saved him. He could not look away from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. He, who had gotten used to the beautiful faces of the entertainment industry, was still astounded by the other¡¯s beauty. But with what he knew of Song Xuanhe, the people around him would very likely be people who could easily make their way into the entertainment industry if they had wished to. Therefore, he ended this train of thought and said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°Song shao, it¡¯s great that you haven¡¯t left yet. I was just about to leave, because I had something to do. It wouldn¡¯t be convenient to take Liu Xu with me. How about I hand our Liu Xu over to you, and I head out first?¡± The temperature in the parking lot suddenly dropped a few degrees. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was t and crisp. ¡°What do you mean, ¡®hand Liu Xu over to him?¡¯¡± Zhang Fei felt that there was something off about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone. He looked up, wanting an exnation but was chilled when he faced the other¡¯s gaze. Those eyes that had been calm and harmless just now had suddenly be dark and frosty. It felt like there was some force pressing down on him and a chill invading him through the soles of his feet, climbing up to his back. Only a few seconds had passed, but he could feel that his back was already drenched in a cold sweat. When the wind blew, it brought an icy chill. Song Xuanhe noticed that Zhang Fei was looking at Xiao Yuanmu differently. He recalled that Zhang Fei had a reputation for pimping out young men and women in the entertainment industry. Song Xuanhe frowned. He raised his chin and spoke in a derisive tone. ¡°Your schemes aren¡¯t bad, but Film Empress Liu belongs to my father. I¡¯m not interested. It would be best if you stopped with your plotting. If I hear you nder me again, I won¡¯t be polite.¡± As soon as Song Xuanhe spoke, Zhang Fei felt the pressure disappear. He quickly looked away, face pale. He didn¡¯t dare to look at Xiao Yuanmu again. His drenched clothes stuck to his back. There was a tremble in his voice. ¡°Song shao is right. I promise to never hold such thoughts again. I must be out of my mind, wanting to set someone like Liu Xu with someone as great as you. Liu Xu is unworthy of you. Please forgive me. We will leave now. We absolutely will not taint your eyes.¡± As soon as he had said this, he pulled Liu Xu over to the van parked in the corner like his butt was on fire, not even waiting to see Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. He pulled the car door open, entered, and then shut the door again at a very fast speed. He was like a frightened hen being chased by a beast. The van had left, but Song Xuanhe was still baffled. Although his words just now had been ruthless, they hadn¡¯t been so harsh that they would have frightened someone like this. However, before he could think much of it, he heard Xiao Yuanmu say, ¡°Not going?¡± Liu Xu¡¯s business was none of his own, especially when it came to her manager. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother thinking about it anymore and entered the car. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± They didn¡¯t speak at all on the way home. After having safely reached their destination, Xiao Yuanmu spoke up at the entrance to the apartment. ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. In the past, Xiao Yuanmu used to ask him what he wanted to eat before dinner every day. But after being discharged from the hospital, he had stopped asking. Furthermore, the other¡¯s attitude towards him had grown chillier. Song Xuanhe had thought that it was because the other had be disappointed in him over the congee affair or had realized that he had mistaken his gratitude for love. Song Xuanhe had been both relieved and regretful. Thetter was because he wouldn¡¯t be able to have the privilege of requesting specific dishes anymore. He hadn¡¯t thought that the other would suddenly ask him today. Although he was shocked, Song Xuanhe still replied very quickly. ¡°I think there are prawns in the fridge. I want to eat Longjing prawns. Just do whatever with everything else.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly and then headed into the kitchen. Song Xuanhe sat down in the living room to wait for dinner to be made. Song Xuanhe began to ponder over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s changes over thest few days. Since Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s car ident, Song Xuanhe had attributed the changes in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s moods to his injury. Therefore, he hadn¡¯t thought much about them. But when he carefullybed through his memories, he realized that Xiao Yuanmu had actually changed a lot. He spoke more than before, but the current impression he gave off was one that made him seem even more quiet. Although he was still rather expressionless, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s aura had changed from aloofness to indifference. At least Xiao Yuanmu used to never strip in front of him. He would also never have questioned him about his rtionships with other people. The unexpected kiss from Qian Qin¡¯s birthday party suddenly emerged in his mind. Song Xuanhe picked up a cup and took a sip of water, erasing the scene from his head. It was like everything had changed starting from that kiss. It couldn¡¯t be that Xiao Yuanmu had really fallen for him? Song Xuanhe was frightened by his own thoughts, causing him to choke on the water. He coughed until his eyes were red. He ced the cup down after taking a few more sips to settle his rm. Impossible. Even if it was the Xiao Yuanmu before rebirth, how could a fierce cub that had gone through such a rough time growing up at the orphanage fall for someone so easily? Furthermore, when Song Xuanhe recalled their past interactions, all he remembered was him ordering Xiao Yuanmu around or Xiao Yuanmu giving him cold looks. There was nothing about their interactions that would have made either of them happy. He must be overthinking things. ¡°Dinner¡¯s ready.¡± Song Xuanhe looked towards the voice, eyes meeting with Xiao Yuanmu, who was by the sofa. The image of this Xiao Yuanmu and the Xiao Yuanmu who he had just met slowly merged. There was nothing different between them. The doubt slowly dissipated. It seemed that he had really been overthinking things. They ate very quietly. After Xiao Yuanmu came back from cing their dishes in the washing machine, Song Xuanhe tried to sound him out. ¡°I found a really interesting movie. Come see it with me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him a cool nce and then dully said, ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe watched as Xiao Yuanmu left without looking back. Finally, he felt truly relieved. It was as he had thought. If Xiao Yuanmu was the kind to fall in love so easily, his seven pursuers wouldn¡¯t get any screen timeter on. After setting his mind at ease, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t stay in the living room anymore and headed upstairs. The work week passed by very quickly. In a blink of an eye, it was Saturday. At seven in the evening, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu arrived at the reception right on time. As soon as the two of them had arrived, their handsome appearances attracted many gazes. Most of the people here were colleagues of Song Xuanhe¡¯s university roommate. Therefore, most of them were unaware of who Song Xuanhe was. So, when these two people, who were so attractive that they basically increased the reception¡¯s average attractiveness score by themselves, appeared, people couldn¡¯t help but whisper and try to find out who they were. As the topic of such whispering, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were already used to being the center of attention. Their expressions didn¡¯t change at all. Song Xuanhe took a look around the room. He didn¡¯t see anyone who looked like the university roommate in his memories. He thus randomly found a corner to hang around in. He had only made it halfway when Zhou Nan, who had just entered, hollered for him. Zhou Nan also greeted Xiao Yuanmu. He thenughed and spoke to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Don¡¯t head towards a corner. What will we do if Song Jiabao doesn¡¯t notice you?¡± Song Xuanhe knew what Zhou Nan was hinting at. He side-eyed him coldly. ¡°Why would I want to see him?¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°You don¡¯t get it. You¡¯re rtives. It¡¯s terrible of him to not invite you, his cousin, despite having started apany. Therefore, you must appear in front of him and teach him a lesson.¡± Song Xuanhe sneered, ¡°You just don¡¯t want to miss out on a good show.¡± ¡°That is indeed the main reason.¡± Zhou Nanughed frivolously, but his tone was confident as if he believed himself in the right. ¡°Coincidentally, you also dislike him. So, make your appearance, and be an eyesore to him. It¡¯s pretty worthwhile.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother with him anymore. He continued forward. Zhou Nan followed after him. When he saw that the other was getting further and further away, he reached out, wanting to wrap an arm around the other¡¯s shoulder. However, before his hand could make contact, it was blocked. He was startled. He turned and saw Xiao Yuanmu calmly brush at Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder. His actions were very natural, as if he was dusting something away. It made Zhou Nan unable to say anything about it. Song Xuanhe paused his steps. He noticed that Zhou Nan had a strange expression on and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Nan nced at Xiao Yuanmu and then shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± After saying this, Zhou Nan just knew that Song Xuanhe was about to tell him to leave. Therefore, he butted in first with a, ¡°I don¡¯t know anyone here. Don¡¯t chase me away. I¡¯ll be so scared all on my own.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s mouth twitched. But as he was about to speak, someone interrupted him. ¡°Oh! Isn¡¯t this my cousin? I don¡¯t remember sending you an invitation. Why are you here?¡± The surrounding people turned to look at them. Song Xuanhe also turned towards the voice. He saw a graceful-looking man standing nearby. When the man saw him, he smiled, but that smile didn¡¯t seem kind in any way. Song Xuanhe also smiled back, tone indolent and full of disdain. ¡°I don¡¯t remember my father ever having a son like you. Were you recently adopted?¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s expression sunk. He retorted back, ¡°I never said that I was Uncle¡¯s son. But whether or not Uncle has a few other sons, that¡¯s another matter. What do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He smiled. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many sons he has. As long as everyone knows that only two of us will inherit the family assets, that¡¯s fine. But now that we¡¯re talking about this, I heard that Uncle brought home a child recently. So, I don¡¯t really know how many sons Uncle has.¡± ¡°You!¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s face was livid with rage. The surrounding people exchanged nces. They shrunk their heads back as they heard gossip about their boss. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head to the side, eyes curved in a smile. Song Jiabao squeezed his fist. But seeing that they were in the middle of arge party, reason came back to him. He said, ¡°This is the opening reception of mypany. I didn¡¯t send you an invitation. Even if we¡¯re rtives, you can¡¯t juste in. If you have any sense, you¡¯ll leave right now. I¡¯ll give you some face and won¡¯t call security.¡± Song Xuanheughed. He folded his arms and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, you should at least trust your subordinates. Do you think they¡¯d really let me in without an invitation just ¡®cause I¡¯m good-looking?¡± Zhou Nan couldn¡¯t stifle his bark ofughter upon hearing this. Several droplets of wine sshed onto Song Jiabao¡¯s suit. Immediately, everything went quiet. It was kind of funny. ¡°Sorry.¡± Zhou Nan waved a hand whileughing. There was no sincerity in his apology. ¡°It was an ident.¡± Song Jiabao, who had just regained his calm, was furious once more. A fire raged in his chest. However, he didn¡¯t dare let out his temper in front of Zhou Nan. Although Song Xuanhe also had a high status, regardless of whether they bickered or fought, nothing much woulde out of it. After all, they were family. No matter how big of a fuss they made, there would be elders who would smooth it out. Zhou Nan was different. Zhou Nan was the only son of the Zhou family as well as the only sessor. Even if Song Jiabao¡¯s uncle was Song Guochao, he could not afford to offend the Zhou Family. Therefore, Song Jiabao¡¯s expression changed several times before he forced himself to endure it. He said, ¡°Zhou ge did not do it on purpose. There¡¯s no need to apologize.¡± Zhou Nan took another sip of wine and smirked. ¡°It¡¯s good that you don¡¯t mind.¡± Song Xuanheughed. Song Jiabao¡¯s eyes fell back onto him. When he saw Song Xuanhe sitting at the same table as Zhou Nan, he clenched his fists. He stered on a fake smile. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that Cousin woulde with Zhou shao. If you had told me earlier, I wouldn¡¯t have misunderstood.¡± Zhou Nan waved a hand and said, ¡°He didn¡¯te with me.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s face lit up imperceptibly. He watched Song Xuanhe leisurely sip his wine and suppressed the pride in his chest. He said coldly, ¡°Cousin, since no one invited you, I will have to ask you to leave.¡± So what if Song Xuanhe¡¯s family was richer than his? So what if Song Xuanhe had always overshadowed him since they were kids? Once news got out that he was kicked out of this reception, many people would jeer behind Song Xuanhe¡¯s back. Song Jiabao knew that what his cousin valued the most was his reputation. Just when Song Jiabao thought Song Xuanhe would leave with his tail between his legs, Song Xuanhe suddenly smiled. He was a handsome man, and his smile was bright and warm like the sun. It attracted many gazes from the women in the room. ¡°What are you smiling at?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile had yet to fall. He asked, tone full of interest, ¡°You¡¯re not the only host of this reception, are you?¡± When Song Jiabao saw the ridicule and derision on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face, his expression changed slightly. He had a bad feeling now. Indeed, the next second, Song Jiabao saw Song Xuanhe walk towards him, brush past him, and then speak, ¡°Congrattions on your newpany.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s body stiffened. He slowly turned his head around and saw Song Xuanhe shaking hands with his business partner, who held the most shares in theirpany. They seemed very familiar with each other. He forced his stiff expression to look as natural as possible. ¡°Guo ge, how do you and Song Xuanhe know each other?¡± Because something hade up earlier, Guo Tao had just arrived. He didn¡¯t know what had happened just now. He had juste over because he had noticed that his partner and the university roommate he had invited were standing together. Thus, he smiled and said, ¡°Did you forget about the friend I wanted to introduce to you? The one with the really impressive background? Well, this is him, my university roommate, Song Xuanhe. He¡¯s one of the sessors of the Song Group.¡± When they heard this, several people¡¯s eyes congregated on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. They all gasped collectively. They hadn¡¯t thought that such a person would appear at the opening reception of such a smallpany. When Song Jiabao heard everyone gasp at Song Xuanhe¡¯s identity, Song Jiabao¡¯s expression stiffened again. He hadn¡¯t expected that Guo Tao would know Song Xuanhe or that Song Xuanhe was the friend he had said could possibly be a major client for them. Everyone had heard what Song Jiabao had said just prior to this. Song Jiabao thought that there were certainly people making fun of him, saying that he didn¡¯t know how to differentiate between what was good or bad for him. They were probably ridiculing him for daring to offend Song Xuanhe. Why? He clearly shared the same great-grandfather with Song Xuanhe, but there was such a gap between their grandfathers. One grandfather was rich and powerful while the other could be considered middle-ss at best. His father and Song Xuanhe¡¯s father¡¯s statuses werepletely different. Since they were young, because they were close in age, everyone had alwayspared him to Song Xuanhe. Although Song Jiabao would beat him in everything, everyone would conclude theirparison with: What a pity though. It¡¯s Song Xuanhe who¡¯s Song Guochao¡¯s son. After that, all the praise would be given to Song Xuanhe. No one ever looked at him twice. It was only because Song Xuanhe was Great-Uncle¡¯s grandson. Why was it like this? Upon seeing Song Jiabao remain silent with an ugly expression on his face all this time, Guo Tao couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you okay? And, are you and Xuanhe acquainted? I saw you guys talking just now.¡± Song Jiabao immediately turned to look at Song Xuanhe when he heard this. When he saw the ridiculing smirk on the other¡¯s lips, his anger only rose. However, he calmed himself down despite feeling so angry. He suddenly recalled the extremely handsome man who had been standing next to Song Xuanhe. The rumours about Song Xuanhe then popped up in his head. Song Jiabao had an idea. His expression also improved. Heughed coldly. ¡°He¡¯s my cousin. But, he was kicked out of his house, because he had a fight with my uncle, so I haven¡¯t seen him for a long time. I heard that the fight was about a man, because he had forced a man who didn¡¯t like him to be with him.¡± Song Jiabao turned around, his gazending on Xiao Yuanmu. With pride in his tone, he said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the man in question should be this gentleman in front of me?¡±
Eve: I can never get enough of subtly jealous XYM. He¡¯s even jealous of ZN I can¡¯t. Kara: Nah, nah, nah. He did not. He did not just do that. Boy, trying to embarrass both SXH and XYM?? Best square up, I ain¡¯t afraid to fight. ?(`??¡ä)?3? Whelp, I bet neither of them will take this lying down though, so I¡¯ll just leave it to the babies. _( :? ¡¹ )_
Announcement: GIVEAWAY/CONTEST TIME. In celebration of CG¡¯s discord server reaching nearly 5k members, there will be a giveaway and a contest. The prize is one month of nitro on discord. There are three ways to win. I¡¯ll summarize it quickly but you can find more details in the announcements channel on our discord. 1) Leave a review on one of the novels on CG on Novelupdates, screenshot it, and submit it to enter a random draw. There will be three winners. 2) Submit a fan art. There will be one grand prize winner and 2 runner-ups. Runner-ups will receive vanity roles, no nitro. 3) Submit a fanfic. There will be one grand prize winner and 2 runner-ups. Same deal. The deadline is August 20th. Chapter 29: He’s Got Abs and His Body’s Nice Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Lin for the kofi ??
As soon as Song Jiabao spoke, everyone¡¯s eyes had already gathered onto Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s entrance earlier had attracted a lot of gazes. Although the stars of the argument were Song Jiabao and Song Xuanhe, people would still asionally nce at him. After all, humans were forever chasers of beauty. It was very difficult to control oneself when faced with someone so beautiful. Therefore, when they heard this piece of gossip regarding the rich, the people¡¯s gazes on Xiao Yuanmu became even more enthusiastic than theirs had been on Song Xuanhe when his identity had been revealed. People would asionally hear of gossip regarding the rich and powerful on the news. However, they¡¯d never heard of this kind of ¡°Tyrannical President forcing someone to be their lover¡± story before. The reception hall was inplete pin-drop silence. Neither Song Xuanhe nor Xiao Yuanmu spoke either. When Song Jiabao saw this, he smiled maliciously. He asked, ¡°Was I mistaken?¡± Song Xuanhe barked out a coldugh. He was about to speak when he saw Xiao Yuanmue over. The other then stood in front of him, naturally pulled Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand out of Guo Tao¡¯s, and held it in his own. This series of actions were quick and smooth. Everyone¡¯s eyes followed Xiao Yuanmu, finally settling on his and Song Xuanhe¡¯s intertwined hands in the end. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even bother ncing at Song Jiabao. He looked at Guo Tao and said in a t tone, ¡°You should let go if you¡¯re done greeting.¡± Everyone: ¡­. Since the beginning, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t felt anything, being stared at like this. But now that his hand was being held by Xiao Yuanmu in front of everyone, he suddenly felt ufortable. Song Xuanhe struggled for a moment, wanting to pull his hand away. However, although it didn¡¯t look like Xiao Yuanmu was using much force, Song Xuanhe could not throw off his hold. There were too many people here, and Song xiao shaoye cared about keeping up appearances. So, he could only purse his lips and look away. He said to Guo Tao, ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Song Jiabao was your partner. If I had known, I would have given you a heads-up. If you were to suffer lossester on, I¡¯d feel responsible.¡± Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look at Song Jiabao even once. They didn¡¯t reply to his question either. Despite that, no one believed what Song Jiabao had said just now. Just by seeing the natural way that they interacted with each other, as long as you weren¡¯t blind, you¡¯d know that what Song Jiabao had said, that Song Xuanhe had ¡°used his family¡¯s influence to force Xiao Yuanmu to be with him¡± wasplete baloney. Would a man who was being forced assert his ce as the boyfriend, just because he had seen another person hold his partner¡¯s hand for a few seconds? Moreover, if they hadn¡¯t seen wrong, the one who was struggling to get out of the other¡¯s hold was the Song Group¡¯s little young master. If you had told them that it was this tall, handsome man who was forcing Song Xiao Shaoye to be with him, well, it would be more believable. Song Xiao Shaoye forcing the other man though was a ridiculous idea. Furthermore, there was such a strong, lovey-dovey air between them. Could a couple, where one party was being forced, emit such an aura? It was one thing for Song Jiabao to lie through his teeth, but did he take them for fools as well? However, Song xiao shaoye¡¯s skill in provoking people was indeed great. Wasn¡¯t this saying that Song Jiabao¡¯s newly openedpany would eventually lose money and go bankrupt? When Guo Tao heard this, his smile froze. Although he and Song Xuanhe were both rich second generations and had also been roommates in university, the differences between their familial situations were vastly different. They each had their own social circles, so they actually weren¡¯t that close. They were just a bit closer than ordinary schoolmates would be. Guo Tao was not very happy to hear Song Xuanhe say such a thing on the day of hispany¡¯s opening reception. However, he was a smooth fellow and didn¡¯t show any of his discontent. Instead, he yed it off and joked, ¡°He¡¯s just a small investor. Of course I wouldn¡¯t have specifically mentioned him. I heard that you really like to drink Roman¨¦e-Conti. I just so happen to have a bottle. I¡¯ve been meaning to give it to you as a gift. I¡¯ll have someone bring it to you when you leave.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up at that. The only thing he had inmon with the original host was their love of wine. The difference was that the original host loved collecting wine while Song Xuanhe loved tasting wine. This world was about the same as his own whether it was history, technology, or the division of the countries¡¯ borders. Therefore, the famous wineries in his original world were famous here as well. ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. He hadn¡¯t really cared about Guo Tao before and thus didn¡¯t n on meddling, but since the other was gifting him a bottle of wine, it would only do to reciprocate. At the very least, he could not just stand-by while he got screwed over. Song Xuanhe pulled Xiao Yuanmu, who wouldn¡¯t let go, forward half a step. He whispered in Guo Tao¡¯s ears, ¡°There¡¯s something wrong with Song Jiabao¡¯s initial investment. I¡¯d rmend you check it out.¡± Guo Tao was startled. He subconsciously cast a look at the livid Song Jiabao and then quietly asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Really?¡± Song Xuanhe wanted to say something else, but Xiao Yuanmu pushed down on his shoulder and pulled him back a bit. He turned to re at Xiao Yuanmu and then said to Guo Tao, ¡°Payment for the wine.¡± After that, he nodded to Guo Tao and then pulled Xiao Yuanmu towards Zhou Nan¡¯s direction. Guo Tao stood in ce, bewildered and uncertain. Although he wasn¡¯t that close to Song Xuanhe, he also knew that the other was not the type to lie to him. However, the matter of the initial investment¡­although he was a partner, he wasn¡¯t involved with this. So even if something was wrong on Song Jiabao¡¯s end, it shouldn¡¯t affect him. But, Song Xuanhe had gone out of his way to give him a heads-up. This meant that things were not as simple as he thought. The wine he had gifted Song Xuanhe was meant to bring them a bit closer so that the other would be more amiable to discussionster on. Although that particr dry red wine wasn¡¯t very old, its auction price still would reach six figures. That meant that the value of the information Song Xuanhe had given him was still yet to be seen. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care what Guo Tao was thinking after he had given his warning. But when he looked at the furious Song Jiabao, he paused and said, ¡°Cousin, although Uncle has brought another son home, you don¡¯t have to feel too heartbroken over it. After all, old people like children. As a son, you should be sympathetic to the old. Don¡¯t be so headstrong.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe patted Song Jiabao¡¯s shoulder. If you hadn¡¯t just seen him mercilessly tear into Song Jiabao, you¡¯d have thought that they were actually on good terms. Song Jiabao¡¯s expression worsened upon hearing this. When he spoke, it sounded like each word was being squeezed out from between his teeth. ¡°Song Xuanhe, don¡¯t act so pleased with yourself. Who cares if you think of yourself as the sessor of the Song Group? In the end, your family¡¯spany will belong to Song Xuanlin. When the timees, you won¡¯t fare any better than me.¡± Song Xuanhe took his hand back and sighed as if feeling sorry for the other. ¡°Cousin, you don¡¯t have to worry. I¡¯ve never had any desire to take over thepany. Why would I bother if someone else is willing to take care of me? When the timees, the shares I¡¯ll inherit will be enough for me to live in luxury. Although you don¡¯t have any full siblings, half-brothers are still family. Guide the one who was brought back well. Perhaps the little one will be willing to give you a share.¡± Every word stabbed at Song Jiabao¡¯s heart like knives. They exposed his darkest fear and what he cared about the most. He red at Song Xuanhe, gaze dripping with poison. If it wasn¡¯t because he still had his reason, he would be itching to hack him into pieces. Song Xuanhe met Song Jiabao¡¯s gaze with an innocent smile. He pointed to the back and said, ¡°Cousin is the host. There are still guests. I¡¯ll do my own thing over here.¡± Xiao Yuanmu watched the whole thing quietly. He saw Song Xuanhe sneer and deride Song Jiabao, saw him put on an act, and saw him pretend to be innocent despite being unable to hide how his eyes exposed how pleased he was with himself. As Xiao Yuanmu watched Song Xuanhe and Song Jiabao cross verbal swords, a faint but genuine smile appeared on his lips. He had nearly forgotten just how long it had been since he had been this happy. Was it since his first rebirth, or when his parents had begged him to concede the sessor position to his younger brother, who had nearly killed him, or when the Xiao Family¡¯s rtives had been splitting hairs with the board of directors¡ªthey had shed the grace and calm they showed to the outside and had nearly resorted to violence over a tiny bit of profit. He had already gotten used to finding happiness in business instead. He would feel aplished every time he won a deal. But, those aplishments were made up of too many things. The parts that could make you happy were miniscule to the point where he could barely feel it. He had been so unhappy that, when he had just woken up, a strange feeling of satisfaction and joy had apanied both the unfamiliar and familiar memories. It made him feel like everything wasn¡¯t real. He had even subconsciously tried to suppress that strange feeling, to face the world he would soon open his eyes to with the most vignt and rational approach that he could have. However, what he had now suddenly realized was that there was nothing wrong with these memories. Regardless of what kind of person Song Xuanhe had been, at least his existence now could make him feel happiness. Even if this happiness were to disappear in the near-future, that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t enjoy it now¡ªenjoy the strange, uncertain, but genuine emotion. Xiao Yuanmu was pulled over to Zhou Nan¡¯s table by Song Xuanhe. When Zhou Nan caught sight of their intertwined hands, he couldn¡¯t help but scoff. He said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°You¡¯re abusing the single dogs or even ughtering them right now. Can¡¯t you have a shred of sympathy for us?¡± Song Xuanhe only then remembered that he was still holding hands with Xiao Yuanmu. He quickly pulled his hand away. He didn¡¯t think that this time, it would be so easy to get free. It had been so easy that Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but look up at Xiao Yuanmu. Catching his gaze, Xiao Yuanmu withdrew his smile. He peered downwards and said in a cool voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Song Xuanhe looked away. He picked up a ss containing an iced cocktail from a passing waiter with his hand from which he could still feel Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body heat. The icy liquid drained down his throat. Only then did he look up and say with a slightly cold voice, ¡°Don¡¯t grab my hand so casually like that again.¡± Xiao Yuanmu held back all emotions in his eyes. You could not tell what he was feeling. His clear and cool voice carried an innocent tone, however. ¡°Aren¡¯t we a couple?¡± Song Xuanhe was speechless at that. Honestly speaking, he really didn¡¯t think that they were a couple. Although they had kissed, and they lived together, the kiss had been forced, and what couple had separate rooms? At most, they were roommates. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t thought that Xiao Yuanmu would ever admit to being a couple with him. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak, but Zhou Nan couldn¡¯t keep watching this. He thought that Xiao Yuanmu was much better than those messes who Song Xuanhe used to date. At least this one seemed like a decent person. Although he seemed a little cold, his neither servile nor overbearing attitude was very good. He made quite a good match with Song Xuanhe. When he first saw Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, he had been a bit skeptical about their rtionship seeing how they weren¡¯t particrly intimate. However, after seeing what had happened at Qian Qin¡¯s birthday party and today, his doubt had beenpletely dispelled. Although they were not as sticky as other couples, the air around them was the same. Although Zhou Nan could not say that he was extremely experienced, he still had more experience in the love department than the average person. It was impossible for him to mistake this. It was just that there was something Zhou Nan had been curious abouttely. In the rumours and from what he¡¯d personally seen before, it had been Song Xuanhe who had chased after Xiao Yuanmu. But looking at them now, it appeared that Xiao Yuanmu liked Song Xuanhe more. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe was a bit cold to Xiao Yuanmu. Based on what he knew of Song Xuanhe¡¯s history, he knew that the other would only ever be interested for a short amount of time. He guessed that Song Xuanhe was already bored of Xiao Yuanmu. When Zhou Nan thought of this, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s normal for lovers to hold hands. What are you grumbling and acting all embarrassed about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was probably the best partner that Song Er, this fellow, could ever find. After all, everyone knew that Song Er dated people based on their appearances. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s appearance was the peak of human beauty. At least, Zhou Nan had never seen a celebrity more good-looking than him. If Song Er were to annoy the other to the point of breaking up, it would be really difficult to win Xiao Yuanmu back. As his friend, Zhou Nan thought that it was his responsibility to warn Song Xuanhe. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to understand his good intentions. He retorted, ¡°Who said lovers had to hold hands? I don¡¯t like it. Don¡¯t hold my hand for no reason ever again.¡± Zhou Nan coughed twice. When he saw Song Xuanhe nce at him, he gave him a look with his eyes. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand what Zhou Nan was trying to say with his eyes. His gaze fell on him for two seconds before moving away. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes fell on Song Xuanhe¡¯s slightly red ears. He then quietly said, ¡°Okay.¡± There was no discontent in his expression or voice. There was even a bit of warmth in his eyes as he gazed downwards. Zhou Nan¡¯s expression froze for two seconds. Now he knew why people said not to interfere in other people¡¯s rtionships. In this couple, one was willing to attack, and the other was willing to take it. Neither would appreciate his efforts. Zhou Nan rolled his eyes and finished his drink in one go. He then said, ¡°I¡¯m going to head over there. Won¡¯t disturb you two anymore.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him, expression dull. He didn¡¯t even pretend to urge Zhou Nan to stay. He just said, ¡°Go quickly.¡± Zhou Nan gnashed his teeth. He understood why Song Jiabao hated Song Er, this youngster. If he had known this earlier, he would have helped and cheered for Song Jiabao to put this youngster in his ce a bit. When Song Xuanhe saw that Zhou Nan hadn¡¯t moved despite saying that he was going to leave, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Aren¡¯t you leaving?¡± Zhou Nan: ¡­. ¡°I¡¯m going!¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t stop himself from smiling when he saw Zhou Nan stomping off in anger. Zhou Nan was really like one of his childhood friends from his original world. His words were sharp, but his heart was warm. As long as he considered you one of his own, he would never hold a grudge against you. But, it¡¯s exactly because of this trait that they would very easily be stabbed in the back by someone close to them. His only childhood friend, who had also been his best friend, had died because of that. That stupid fellow hadn¡¯t showed any hatred nor had he acted upset right until his death. When he had breathed hisst, he still had remembered to remind Song Xuanhe to take care of himself. He told him that being alive was actually a wonderful thing. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if living was wonderful or not. All he knew was that thest person he could fully trust had left him. Song Xuanhe looked away and dismissed his memories from back then. He focused on waiting for the plot to begin. He didn¡¯t want Zhou Nan to stay here. He had ushered the other away because of the uing scene. Today was the first and only time Xiao Yuanmu would feel another¡¯s kindness since getting together with Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe kept drinking his alcohol. The empty cocktails were whisked away by the waiters. A short momentter, he would grab another ss from another passing waiter. The alcohol content of the cocktails was not high. Although he had drunk quite a number of sses, he didn¡¯t feel the slightest bit tipsy. Xiao Yuanmu watched as Song Xuanhe lowered his gaze, thinking about who knows what. The other drank ss after ss. Although Xiao Yuanmu could not read any expression from the other¡¯s face, he could tell that the other was feeling very unwell. Nothing had happened just now. That meant the source of his upset was whatever Song Xuanhe was thinking of. So, just what was it that was making him look so weak and lonely? Was it because of someone or something? Song Xuanhe grabbed another drink. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He was about to grab the ss out of his hands, but before he could move, a familiar silhouette appeared in his line of view. At the same time, the System¡¯s voice rang in Song Xuanhe¡¯s head:¡¾Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s white moonlight has appeared. He¡¯s behind you. He¡¯ll reach you two in less than five seconds.¡¿ ¡°White Moonlight¡± was something Song Xuanhe had taught the System. Originally, the System hadn¡¯t understood, but after searching the inte, it discovered that this term was very fitting. Therefore, from then on, it would use the moniker, ¡°White Moonlight,¡± to refer to Bai Mo. Song Xuanhe put down the ss, rubbing the bottom of it with his finger. He had yet to take his hand back when he felt someonee up from behind him, stopping next to him. A clear, rich voice sounded next to him. ¡°May I ask if you are Song ershao, Song Xuanhe?¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head and saw the appearance of the person who had been speaking. It was a fairly good-looking but still ordinary-looking young man. Probably because the other had very pale skin, when he wore a suit, he looked even younger. Seeing that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t speaking, Bai Mo blinked. ¡°Song ershao?¡± Song Xuanhe brought his gaze back and smiled. ¡°That¡¯s me.¡± Bai Mo sighed in relief, seeing that he hadn¡¯t been mistaken. He smiled. ¡°I thought I spoke to the wrong person. Yuan ge has a bottle of wine stored in my father¡¯s wine cer. He wanted my father to give it to you, but Father had something pop up, so I came to let you know. Juste find me when you are ready to leave.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips rose. He asked, ¡°Are you President Bai¡¯s son?¡± Bai Mo nodded. When he smiled, two tiger teeth were revealed. ¡°Yes. My name is Bai Mo, the Mo from ¡°end.¡± I¡¯ve been abroad for school and have just returned.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and heard Bai Mo continue. ¡°Who¡¯s your friend?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was dark. He hid the inscrutable emotion in his eyes and then slightly curled his lips into a smile. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Bai Mo widened his eyes slightly, making his average face look a bit cute. He smiled. ¡°Yuanmu? Your parents must really love you to give you a name like that.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze and said in an indifferent tone, ¡°I¡¯m an orphan.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Bai Mo immediately apologized and then said, ¡°Regardless, I think that the person who gave you that name must have loved you a lot. And, you have already met the expectations of the person who picked out your name.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell onto Bai Mo. A long timeter, a faint smile appeared on his face. ¡°Is that so?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Bai Mo smiled back. ¡°Unlike my name. They called me Bai Mo just because I¡¯m the youngest. How half-hearted.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips quirked up. Song Xuanhe looked away, a passage of text that he¡¯d already seen before emerged in his head. ¡¾Whenever he recalled this, a light would burst through his endless dark memories, causing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart, which he had hidden away, to remember that pure kindness that had not been tainted with any desires for profit or pity.¡¿ ¡°Right.¡± Bai Mo turned to look at Song Xuanhe and smiled. ¡°I heard that you liked to collect wine. I have several bottles of collector¡¯s editions. When you go pick up your wine, I can take you over there. I heard that you have a huge collection as well. If it¡¯s convenient, can Ie see your wine cer?¡± Bai Mo¡¯s voice was mellow with a liveliness to it that only young people had. It made him seem all the more younger and made it easy for people to develop goodwill towards him. It was very hard to reject this request, especially because he wasn¡¯t asking for much. However, Song Xuanhe shed a smile back and mercilessly rejected him. ¡°It¡¯s inconvenient.¡± Bai Mo was startled, having been rejected. But, there was neither resentment nor awkwardness on his face. Instead, he scratched his face, embarrassed. He said, ¡°Sorry, I guess I asked for something I shouldn¡¯t have.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded slightly as if agreeing that the other¡¯s words just now had been really rude. But, Bai Mo showed no signs of anger. Heughed. ¡°Regardless, I hope that you can help me take a look at the wines when you go get yours. Father says that you are very insightful when ites to wine, so I was hoping you could help me differentiate the wines we bought.¡± He was very polite, his voice carrying a bit of a fawning tone. But, Song Xuanhe showed him no consideration. He said, ¡°Sorry, I don¡¯t have the time.¡± At that moment, Bai Mo¡¯s expression changed slightly. He pressed his lips into a straight line. Although he was upset at having been rejected twice, he still smiled and said, ¡°We met for the first time today. Indeed, I¡¯m acting too familiar. Since it¡¯s like this, I won¡¯t bother Song shao anymore. Remember to call for me when you want to get the wine.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded, unenthusiastic. His expression was one of indifference. He didn¡¯t say anything else to the other. Bai Mo smiled helplessly. He turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu and shed his two tiger teeth. He said, ¡°Mr. Xiao, let¡¯s meet again if we have the chance.¡±
Eve: Announcement~ (1) New release schedule will be Sun/Tues/Thurs (3x!). (2) I have added Patreon tiers for RMLE. Check out my Patreon for early release chapters and to support me <3. Kara: He better note anywhere near our Mumu!! (? ??_??)? Mumu is SXH¡¯s only!! I also don¡¯t think this Bai Mo is as pure of a white moonlight as the story makes him out to be¡­..Someone who hides their feelings so easily is not that simple¡­.£¨©V§Ù©V£© Chapter 30: You’re My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara FmnGBt
Bai Mo¡¯s silhouette gradually disappeared from view. Song Xuanhe brought his ss of sparkling wine to his lips and took another sip. The ice-cold liquid slid down his throat as the system¡¯s voice rang in his head. ¡¾This is the first time you¡¯ve acted out a scene exactly as the plot had described. Your expressions and lines were performed to a T. I give you full marks for your acting.¡¿ ¡¾I was in a good mood.¡¿ Song Xuanhe ced the ss back down. He didn¡¯t know if it was because the alcohol was strong, but his face felt a bit hot, and his head felt a little heavy. He had known that the original host couldn¡¯t drink much white wine, but he hadn¡¯t expected that he would even get drunk on too much fruit wine. k hNdq The System noticed that Song Xuanhe was currently expressionless. It scanned his data and analyzed the numbers. It then hesitated and said, ¡¾I¡¯ve discovered that your blood alcohol concentration has already exceeded the amount it takes to get you humans drunk. Furthermore, my database includes code for analyzing human emotions. Upon conducting arge-scale analysis, I have determined that your current mood cannot be described as ¡®happy.¡¯¡¿ Song Xuanhe paused in the middle of going for his ss again. His dark mood from recalling his friend had been disrupted by the System, and a lot of the gloom was dispelled. The corner of his lips curled up.£º¡¾Everyone¡¯s alcohol tolerance is different. I¡¯m just a bit tipsy, not drunk. You¡¯ll understand once you give alcohol a try, brother.¡¿ ¡¾I¡¯m a system. I can¡¯t drink alcohol.¡¿ ¡¾From the sound of your voice, it sounds like you¡¯d be a good drinker.¡¿ 5d2n3Q Xiao Yuanmu had noticed that Song Xuanhe¡¯s mood had plummeted since Zhou Nan had left. Since then, the other had been constantly drinking as if he wanted to get drunk immediately. He had wanted to stop him, but he had changed his mind after seeing Bai Mo. What you saw wasn¡¯t necessarily real. The human heart was iparably filthy. Furthermore, his memories weren¡¯t fake. When there were two entirely different sides to what he could see, it didn¡¯t necessarily mean that one was fake and the other real. Perhaps it would be closer to the truth to say that both sides were fake or that both sides were half-truths. Xiao Yuanmu thought that if Song Xuanhe was drunk, he might be able to get some clues out of him. Seeking the truth like this felt novel and exciting. He didn¡¯t want to miss out on this delightful experience that stemmed from the discrepancy between his memories. However, just as Xiao Yuanmu had changed his mind, Song Xuanhe¡¯s mood suddenly brightened. The other, who had seemed to be lost in thought just now, suddenly seemed to think of something interesting. The stillness in his eyes was swept away, and his lips curled up into a smile. 29OPG7 After making the System speechless, Song Xuanhe¡¯s mood became a lot better. He looked around their surroundings, gazending on Zhou Nan. He then said to Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°I have something to do. Stay here on your own for a bit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu narrowed his eyes slightly, gaze sweeping over Song Xuanhe¡¯s face before he said in a cool tone, ¡°Okay.¡± Later on, Bai Mo woulde over and worm his way into being friends with Xiao Yuanmu. In the beginning, Song Xuanhe had stayed because of the plot. Now, he was leaving for the same reason. After all, as the person who would be the light in the to-be-reborn big shot¡¯s life, although Bai Mo¡¯s existence wasn¡¯t particrly detrimental or useful for him, having him was more beneficial for the overall situation. A person who still had light in their heart dealt with their enemies differently from a person who had ckenedpletely. Odrple Song Xuanhe walked towards the crowd. Just now, these people had just seen this little young master from the Song Family unterally suppress and ridicule Song Jiabao. Although it had been an interesting and invigorating spectacle to watch, this young master didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d be easy to deal with. Therefore, when they saw himing over, the majority of people dodged him carefully. They were afraid of possibly offending this young master. However, just because the majority of people were sensible, that didn¡¯t mean that everyone was sensible. ¡°Songshao.¡± A pretty woman stopped Song Xuanhe, her expressionplicated. Song Xuanhe felt like this girl looked familiar. However, he couldn¡¯t ce where he had seen her before. Therefore, he determined that she wasn¡¯t an important person to the original host. He wasn¡¯t going to pay her any attention until he saw the unconcealed hatred in her eyes. Intrigued, he paused and asked, ¡°Is there something the matter?¡± ouyTZl We¡¯re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our trantions keep getting stolen by aggregators so we¡¯re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts. The girl smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach her eyes. She said, ¡°Songshaois so forgetful. It¡¯s only been two months, but you¡¯ve already forgotten me.¡± Kkb wbcatr? Vb, atlr kbwjc kjrc¡¯a rbwfbcf atf bglulcji tbra tjv wfa yea gjatfg rbwfbcf tf tjv rffc tlwrfio? Vbcu Wejctf gjlrfv jc fsfygbk, wfalmeiberis rlhlcu eq atf kbwjc lc ogbca bo tlw. Pc atf fcv, tf olcjiis obecv tfg cjwf jcv tbk atfs tjv wfa ogbw tlr wfwbglfr. ¡°Yang Ran?¡± Song Xuanhe hesitated. VGJoFU Seeing that Song Xuanhe had finally remembered her, Yang Ran¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°You finally remembered.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked innocently and asked, ¡°Why do I have to remember you?¡± Yang Ran bit down on her lips, her eyes turning red. A momentter, she said, ¡°You stole my boyfriend and still dare to act so arrogant? Do you think that you can do whatever you want just because you have a good family background?!¡± Song Xuanhe was genuinely startled upon hearing this. He then couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°Did your ¡®boyfriend¡¯ know that he was your boyfriend?¡± o2eu H ¡°If you hadn¡¯t forced him to be with you, he would have been my boyfriend!¡± Yang Ran raised her voice in rage. However, she regained her calm after letting that outburst out. She lowered her voice and gnashed her teeth. ¡°If it hadn¡¯t been for you, I wouldn¡¯t have had to leave my original job, a career with one of the top five hundredpanies in the world, and end up working for a small, newly foundedpany.¡± Seeing Song Xuanhe smile silently, the jealousy and hatred in Yang Ran¡¯s heart only grew more fierce. She spat hatefully, ¡°Although I don¡¯t know what bewitching potion you fed him to make him feel a tiny bit of emotion for you, I¡¯m telling you that if you insist on being with him, nothing good will await you!¡± Hearing this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s interest faded. He raised his wine ss to her and then left. Yang Ran hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would leave without a word. Impulse took control of her head, and she shouted, ¡°Do you know why Xiao Yuanmu had fallen into the water that day?!¡± 2A8Geg The woman¡¯s shout was sharp and full of pride. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps didn¡¯t falter. He continued to leave without looking back. Zhou Nan had already seen Song Xuanhe making his way over. He had also noticed that the other had been stopped by a woman. The two of them had chatted for quite a bit. Therefore, when Song Xuanhe finally came close, he teased, ¡°Popr with both the guys and the girls.¡± Song Xuanhe sat down next to him. His gaze searched the crowd, looking for Xiao Yuanmu. He then said in a tone void of emotion, ¡°That was someone Xiao Yuanmu ¡®led on.¡¯¡± When Zhou Nan heard this, he also began searching through the crowd. However, unlike Song Xuanhe, he was looking for the woman the other had been talking to just now. xgS4mV He had only caught a glimpse of her back and didn¡¯t get to see her face. A woman with the gall to chase after Xiao Yuanmu would have had to be pretty confident in her own looks. Otherwise, she¡¯d have suffered from an inferiorityplex, being with him every day. When Song Xuanhe caught sight of Xiao Yuanmu, he looked away. Seeing Zhou Nan move his head around, obviously searching for someone, he asked, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°The girl Xiao Yuanmu led on, ah.¡± Zhou Nan said before asking curiously, ¡°So, how was she? Was she unbelievably beautiful? Was her chest big? Were her legs long?¡± Song Xuanhe gave Zhou Nan a look of contempt. He picked up some fruit from the tter to eat. However, they didn¡¯t taste good, so he ced the fork back down. 3pHfax ¡°Tell me, ah.¡± Zhou Nan bumped shoulders with Song Xuanhe. ¡°A girl who can chase after Xiao Yuanmu has to at least be on the level of a goddess.¡± Song Xuanhe conjured up an image of Yang Ran when he heard this. ¡°Fair skin, a pretty face, long legs. She was a part of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s drowning incidentst time. If you like her, you can give her a try.¡± ¡°The time at my party?¡± Zhou Nan retracted his profligate attitude, gaze finally locking onto the woman. He asked, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that she liked Xiao Yuanmu? Why would she have him pushed into the water if she liked him? If she was going to do that to someone, she should have done it to you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were on Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing not too far away. He said in an indolent tone, ¡°Have you ever heard of hatred born out of love? Furthermore, if she wanted to have me shoved into the water, she¡¯d have needed Song Jiani¡¯s permission.¡± AGicdb Only then did Zhou Nan recall Song Jiani¡¯s role in that farce. ¡°That¡¯s true. I used to think that Song Jiani wasn¡¯t a bad person despite her arrogance. I didn¡¯t think she could be so ruthless.¡± ¡°Women are more destructive than men when they decide to get ruthless.¡± Song Xuanhe said inly. Zhou Nan shook his head, sighing. ¡°None of this would have happened if you had liked Song Jiani. That girl¡¯s liked you for over ten years. Of course she¡¯d go crazy, seeing you suddenly fall for someone else.¡± ¡°You were just trying to smooth things out between Xiao Yuanmu and me.¡± Song Xuanhe looked askance at him, ¡°Now you¡¯re trying to be Song Jiani¡¯s matchmaker?¡± S6xfdN Zhou Nan shrugged, ¡°Song Jiani and I were friends in elementary school. But, you and Xiao Yuanmu really suit each other. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have meddled.¡± As he said this, Zhou Nan turned to look at Song Xuanhe. ¡°It¡¯s not just me. Linzialso thinks that Xiao Yuanmu suits you well. Don¡¯t you pick your partners based on appearances? Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s looks are one in ten thousand. If you get tired of him and throw him away, you might just regret it when you can¡¯t find someone better than him.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t thought that Zhou Nan would say such a thing. However, he didn¡¯t care. There were no feelings between himself and Xiao Yuanmu. If he told Zhou Nan what was really between them, he¡¯d probably give him a scare. Zhou Nan saw that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have much of a reaction. Therefore, he changed topics. He could only meddle this much. There was no use for other people to say too much when it came to someone else¡¯s rtionship. vp9VNS The two of them chatted and drank like this in their little corner. No one dared toe bother them anymore. It was peaceful. Suddenly, Song Xuanhe paused while reaching for his ss. His gaze was in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s direction. Although the System could broadcast things straight into his head, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t used to it. Furthermore, it wouldn¡¯t be good to rely on that too much. Therefore, he used his own eyes to keep track of the situation. He watched it for himself. After Song Xuanhe had left, Xiao Yuanmu had moved to a spot where he had a wider view of the venue. He quietly observed the reception that he had already once experienced. His gaze flickered back and forth, trying to find out what was different inparison to hisst life. IkVLPd However, what he discovered was that aside from the mishap between Song Xuanhe and Song Jiabao, everything had been the same as it had been in his memories, including Bai Mo¡¯s appearance and Song Xuanhe¡¯s words after said appearance. Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes slightly, his fine, long eyshes fanning out. His long, slender fingers fiddled with the empty wine ss in his hands. His eyes were peaceful as if quietly waiting for something to happen. In hisst life, he hadn¡¯t been standing here. If the details had changed, would that also change the events that were to ur? Shortly after, a waiter carrying a tray passed by and identally bumped into a female guest nearby. That guest cried out in rm, and the tray slipped from the waiter¡¯s hands in his panic. L248xi Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s fingers paused in their actions. He stepped to the side slightly, avoiding the spilling liquid. He gave a cold look to the waiter, who was constantly bowing and apologizing. ¡°Dear guest, I¡¯m truly sorry.¡± The waiter¡¯s face had turned deathly pale from fright. He was bent down, not daring to raise his head. His voice trembled, carrying an apologetic note. ¡°I¡¯m really, really sorry. So sorry. I didn¡¯t do this on purpose. Please forgive me.¡± The waiter wasn¡¯t a tall man. He was also thin. Although he was wearing a uniformed vest, there was a lot of space left unfilled. Hearing his frightened, sincere apologies, the spectators couldn¡¯t bear to see him continue like that. Even the anger of the woman who had been bumped into had decreased greatly. The people here had all witnessed Song Xuanhe¡¯s fighting prowess just now. They also knew that Xiao Yuanmu was his lover. If Xiao Yuanmu really decided to bicker about this, then this little waiter would likely lose his job. HJSnl6 Finally, someone couldn¡¯t hold back anymore and said, ¡°Sir, he didn¡¯t do this on purpose. You should forgive him.¡± The waiter¡¯s apologies became even more sincere after hearing someone speak on his behalf. With a trembling voice, he added, ¡°I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose.Daren, please forgive me. I have a sick brother at home who needs treatment. I really can¡¯t lose this job. Please, I beg of you.¡± Since the waiter had begun apologizing, Xiao Yuanmu still hadn¡¯t said a word. He stood to the side, indifferent. He was several centimetres taller than everyone else in the venue. It made him feel a bit oppressing. While the waiter bowed and sucked up to him, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t bother to look at him. Someone else couldn¡¯t watch this scene anymore and said in a criticizing tone, ¡°This child is about the same age as you, but he¡¯s in a worse situation than you. He can¡¯t lose this job. Can¡¯t you be a bit more magnanimous? Let him off this once.¡± jb6UMi Other voices joined in, each plea for leniency mixed with a tone of criticism. Everyone attacked Xiao Yuanmu. However, he remainedposed, not the least bit swayed, as if he couldn¡¯t hear them. Just when the crowd was about to blow up at his unmoved appearance, Song Jiabao walked over. ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡± Someone promptly exined what had happened. When Song Jiabao heard this, he sneered and looked at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You¡¯re not willing to let go of a waiter who made a tiny little mistake? If it wasn¡¯t for my fickle-hearted little cousin, you¡¯d have to bow your head and fawn over others like this waiter. What are you feeling so superior for?¡± As soon as Song Jiabao had spoken, the surrounding area went silent. The scene of Song Xuanhe calling Song Jiabao out had engraved too deep of an impression on them. They hadn¡¯t thought that Song Jiabao would dare act so arrogant towards Song Xuanhe¡¯s lover after that. But, they were shocked at Song Jiabao¡¯s words. They hadn¡¯t expected that Xiao Yuanmu came from a poor family either. 9iSwRE After all, no matter how you looked at him, there was a distant, noble air around Xiao Yuanmu that made it hard to approach him. What poverty-stricken person could have an aura like this? However, they also believed that Song Jiabao wouldn¡¯t lie to the other¡¯s face. Furthermore, Song Xuanhe was also here. Therefore, it was even less likely that he would spout nonsense. Despite having such lowly origins, he had been able to seduce the Song Family¡¯s little young master. This man wasn¡¯t simple, ah. The majority of people¡¯s expressions changed. Their misgivings in the beginning turned into concealed disdain. They had thought that he was a lofty figure, but he was really just a gold digger. spJ3KR Song Jiabao was very satisfied, seeing everyone¡¯s gaze change. He couldn¡¯t do anything about Song Xuanhe, but that didn¡¯t mean he couldn¡¯t do anything about the boyfriend he was keeping. Furthermore, Song Jiabao wasn¡¯t worried that Song Xuanhe would stick up for this man. After all, he understood his cousin well. He didn¡¯t actually like Xiao Yuanmu. His boyfriends were nothing but good-looking toys to him. Song Jiabao¡¯s eyes were full of glee. He said to the waiter, ¡°Don¡¯t apologize to him. An orphan like him isn¡¯t any nobler than you. I am the host of this banquet. I will handle this. Let¡¯s all forget about this.¡± The waiter was overjoyed to hear this. He promptly said, ¡°Thank you, Boss Song. I will definitely repay Boss Song¡¯s kindness.¡± ODN7an These words were clearly ridiculing Xiao Yuanmu for hisck of good conscience. Song Jiabao nodded, putting on airs. He raised his hand, telling the waiter to leave. Story tranted by Chrysanthemum Garden. The waiter was about to leave. However, before he could take two steps, he heard a clear melodious male voice say, ¡°Wait a second. Don¡¯t leave just yet.¡±
The author has something to say: XsNHqC Song Xuanhe: Watching a show in the peanut gallery. Xiao Yuanmu: You like to watch shows? I¡¯ll let you see something else from now on.
Kara: *Shoving popcorn into her mouth*I am also awaiting the good show. (??¨B??¨B)???? 5pmb7x Chapter 31: Looking for a Boyfriend Thank you Miimaas for the kofi! Everyone turned to look in the direction of the voice and saw a fair-skinned, young man with a gentle aura walk over. Although he was walking at a hurried pace, he still looked elegant. Bai Mo walked over to Xiao Yuanmu and asked worriedly, ¡°Are you okay?¡± The spectators, who were curious about the young man, exchanged nces when they heard this. This young man dressed in expensive clothes seemed to havee to help Xiao Yuanmu. However, Xiao Yuanmu only gave him a cool nce as if he wasn¡¯t moved by the other¡¯s arrival. His chilly voice was distant and apathetic. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± When Bai Mo heard this, he smiled and said, ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± After that, he turned to look at the waiter he had stopped. There was an apologetic look on his face. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry that this happened. I apologize on my employee¡¯s behalf.¡± The people watching this scene were all slightly startled before realizing that the person in front of them was likely the person in charge of this club. Song Jiabao didn¡¯t think that Bai Mo would cause trouble for him at this time. He pushed down the surprise in his eyes and said in a meaningful tone, ¡°Bai shaoye, although you¡¯re the young master here at White Moon, as the master of this establishment, shouldn¡¯t you hear your subordinate¡¯s side of the story before condemning him? You¡¯ll disappoint them like this, ah.¡± Bai Mo furrowed his brows and said to Song Jiabao, ¡°Mr. Song, the first thing every single one of White Moon¡¯s employees learns upon hiring is to respect our clients. The customer is always right. Even if it¡¯s only a little detail that causes our client¡¯s dissatisfaction, we must apologize. This isn¡¯t just for the sake of our clients¡¯ experience but also because of White Moon¡¯s philosophy of putting our guests first. Moreover, my employee has indeed made a mistake. How could I be disappointing them?¡± After saying this, Bai Mo told the waiter, ¡°Right now, apologize to Mr. Xiao again like how you were taught.¡± The waiter¡¯s lips were trembling, being watched by so many people. He carefully gazed at the indifferent Xiao Yuanmu before bowing down to a ny-degree angle and saying, ¡°I apologize profusely for having spilled wine on you. If you don¡¯t mind, please allow me to take you upstairs where you can wash up. We will help wash your clothes before returning them to you.¡± When they heard this formal apology, the spectators all realized that although the employee had been apologizing this whole time, he had never mentioned taking Xiao Yuanmu upstairs to change. Simply apologizing for ruining someone¡¯s clothes really didn¡¯t have any sincerity behind it. No wonder Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t paid attention to him. Moreover, Xiao Yuanmu still hadn¡¯t spoken. He hadn¡¯t said that he wouldn¡¯t ept the apology. They had all rushed forward to speak on the waiter¡¯s behalf before he could. Hadn¡¯t they been forcing him to ept the apology? If it was someone with a rebellious nature, they would not feel like epting the apology now after having been criticized like this even if they had originally intended to do so. When they thought like this, their gazes towards Xiao Yuanmu changed yet again. Regardless of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s identity, he hadn¡¯t been giving the waiter a hard time just now. They had blindly condemned him and had taken advantage of their numbers to bully him. When he saw that Bai Mo had managed to change the tides with a few words, Song Jiabao¡¯s expression changed slightly. His eyes were full of anger. He hadn¡¯t thought that Bai Mo wouldn¡¯t give him any face over Xiao Yuanmu. Not only that, but Song Jiabao had also just told the waiter that he was off the hook, using his authority as the event¡¯s host. However, Bai Mo now wanted to pursue the matter and have the waiter apologize again. This was like a p to Song Jiabao¡¯s face, forcing him into an awkward situation he wouldn¡¯t be able to get out of. Just as Song Jiabao¡¯s expression turned uglier and uglier, Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I won¡¯t ept your apology.¡± His voice was cold, and his tone was t. There was no emotion in it. Everyone wondered if they had heard him wrongly. The Chinese had always put importance on politeness. They were polite in their social interactions. Most people thought that as long as one party apologized sincerely, the other party should ept it. Otherwise, they would be seen as a harsh, narrow-minded, and unreasonable person¡ªsomeone who always had to be right. Everyone here thought like that. They hadn¡¯t expected that, even when the person in charge of the club had personally apologized, Xiao Yuanmu would still put on airs and refuse to ept it. At this moment, no one was more overjoyed than Song Jiabao. He couldn¡¯t do anything to Song Xuanhe. Furthermore, Bai Mo was protecting Xiao Yuanmu. However, they couldn¡¯t stop Xiao Yuanmu from being troublesome on his own. This person really thought that he was a young master equal to them after spending some time in the higher strata of society. It was time to remind him of his ce. Only Bai Mo remained as gentle as before. He pursed his lips, two dimples appearing. He looked even more amiable and approachable. His eyes were full of trust when he looked at Xiao Yuanmu. He asked, ¡°Is there something I don¡¯t know about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes softened imperceptibly. He looked at Bai Mo, tone not as cold as before. His voice was still as pleasant to listen to as before. ¡°When he bumped into that woman, his steps were still steady. When the wine fell towards me, his expression was calm.¡± Bai Mo¡¯s expression froze. He was surprised. ¡°Are you saying that he did it on purpose?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t respond, his expression indifferent. Bai Mo frowned. He turned to the waiter and said, ¡°Tell me what really happened.¡± The waiter shook his head at once. ¡°It was really an ident! I don¡¯t know why this gentleman says that I did it on purpose! I don¡¯t gain anything from spilling wine onto him!¡± When Bai Mo heard this, he looked at Xiao Yuanmu, looking like he was stuck in a difficult position. Even if he trusted Xiao Yuanmu, as long as this waiter refused to admit that he did it on purpose, he couldn¡¯t penalize his employee without proof. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t said anything yet when another voice chimed in. ¡°I have proof, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe had been dragged over helplessly by Zhou Nan. As soon as he got his footing, Zhou Nan continued, ¡°I had been drinking wine over there and just so happened to see Song Jiabao give that waiter some money. I had thought that it was a tip. I hadn¡¯t thought that it was actually for his ¡®service.¡¯¡± As soon as Zhou Nan said that, Song Jiabao raised his voice, ¡°Zhou Nan, you have to have proof when you make these usations. I will not stand for you ndering me without any grounds.¡± ¡°Do you think I¡¯d stand up without any proof?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s lips curled up into a wicked smile. ¡°You know, it¡¯s one thing not to find a reliable person to do work for you, but you should have found a ce without anyone around before you had given him money. You¡¯re a little too overly confident, don¡¯t you think? You even think it¡¯s other people who are stupid.¡± Bai Mo interrupted Song Jiabao before the other could refute this. He asked Zhou Nan gently, ¡°Zhou shao, if you have proof, can you take it out? I would like to clear Mr. Xiao¡¯s name as quickly as possible on behalf of the club.¡± Zhou Nan had a pretty good impression of Bai Mo, so he didn¡¯t cause trouble for him. He swept a gaze over the crowd before his eyesnded on a waiter not too far away. ¡°Brother, can youe over here for a second? Take out your cellphone while you¡¯re at it.¡± The waiter was startled. He took two steps back in rm, seeing everyone¡¯s gaze on him. His face had turned deathly white. Zhou Nan smiled, ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. All you did was capture a scene of bribery. What are you so nervous about? You can clear the name of one of the club¡¯s guests with your phone. Your club¡¯s boss is here too. He will definitely give you a promotion and raise.¡± When Bai Mo heard this, he agreed. ¡°Yes. If you can provide proof, the club will reward you.¡± This reassured the waiter. He pulled out his phone and walked over. When everyone saw this, there was no need for them to even see the evidence on the phone. They all already knew that Zhou Nan hadn¡¯t been lying. Later on, it was discovered that the video on this waiter¡¯s phone showed exactly what Zhou Nan had said. That other waiter had been paid by Song Jiabao to ssh wine onto Xiao Yuanmu. Furthermore, you could hear a bit of their conversation through the video. Song Jiabao had no way to say that it had just been a tip. Now that the truth hade to light, Song Jiabao¡¯s expression flickered between fear and anger under everyone¡¯s eyes. In the end, his face turned the shade of pig¡¯s liver. Despite it all, he could not refute the evidence. The majority of people here were future employees of Song Jiabao¡¯spany. Quite a few of them were also possible partners as well as a few rich second generations who had been invited. Everyone kind of wanted to continue watching this farce, after having seen Song Jiabao get crushed and face-pped after failing to trap someone else. However, although it was an entertaining show, their impression of Song Jiabao still fell. Even the new employees, who had just joined thepany, now had doubts about their boss¡¯s reliability, let alone the biggest investor, Guo Tao. His expression was incredibly ugly right now. He hadn¡¯t seen the entire process. He had been upstairs with a few other possible partners earlier. He hadn¡¯t expected that halfway through, his assistant would knock on the door and tell him about Song Jiabao. Guo Tao had already been vexed over Song Jiabao¡¯sck of regard for time and ce in trying to make things difficult for Song Xuanhe. Later on, after Song Xuanhe had warned him, his issue with Song Jiabao only grew. He had been nning on investigating the matter after going home. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that even before this reception was over, Song Jiabao would once again be up to no good. He knew Song Jiabao¡¯s personality. When he had heard that Zhou Nan had evidence, he apologized to the big shots he had been with and came downstairs immediately. Who would have expected that Song Jiabao would have been so stupid as to give someone money in public and be caught while at it? Forgive him for being harsh, but not even a pig was that stupid. Right now, even if he didn¡¯t look into what Song Xuanhe had said, Guo Tao really didn¡¯t want to work with Song Jiabao anymore. Something was bound to crop up, working with someone like this. As long as Song Jiabao was around, his future would not be safe. It was just that, although Song Jiabao didn¡¯t invest a lot into thepany, it wasn¡¯t a little amount either. It wouldn¡¯t be easy to find a new partner to make up for that shortfall. When he thought of this, Guo Tao could only suppress his anger and dissatisfaction. He came to break up the scene. ¡°Song shao, you¡¯re here, ah. I was just upstairs with a few guests and had originally nned on having Bai xiao shaoye send you wine. I just finished up though and was nning on opening a bottle of good wine. How about we have a ss together? Mr. Xiao, Zhou shao, and Bai xiao shaoye can also join. What do you think?¡± Since Song Xuanhe hade over, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes had been glued onto him. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what the other was thinking. He could only do his best to act natural and wait for Xiao Yuanmu to look away. However, even though Zhou Nan had pulled out proof, Song Jiabao¡¯s expression had changed, and Bai Mo had even apologized, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was still on Song Xuanhe, pensive. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t do anything like this. Now that he had heard Guo Tao¡¯s request, he rxed and nodded. ¡°Okay.¡± The party of five went upstairs, and the crowd in the hall dispersed. Only Song Jiabao stayed, face pale and livid. He was Guo Tao¡¯s partner, but the other had called Song Xuanhe and co. to leave with him without calling him too. The other wasn¡¯t giving him any face at all. However, no one upstairs cared about how Song Jiabao felt. After Guo Tao sat down, he apologized to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Song shao, Mr. Xiao, sorry. I have made you suffer an unpleasant night.¡± Song Xuanhe waved his hand, indicating that it was fine. Guo Tao sighed in relief before turning to Bai Mo. He gave his sincere thanks. ¡°Bai xiao shaoye, thank you so much for today. Without you, everyone would have misunderstood Mr. Xiao. I wouldn¡¯t have been able to face Song shao if it hade to that.¡± There was an intimate joking tone over hisst sentence. Bai Mo smiled and said, ¡°No matter what, I am the owner of this club. You don¡¯t have to thank me. Furthermore, I felt like Mr. Xiao and I were friends at first sight. I feel like we are good friends. It¡¯s only expected that I help a friend in trouble.¡± As soon as Bai Mo had spoken, the atmosphere became strange. Although Bai Mo had called Xiao Yuanmu a friend, everyone here knew that he was Song Xuanhe¡¯s partner. Therefore, it was a bit inappropriate for him to say such things. Furthermore, Song Xuanhe had also been around this whole time. However, Bai Mo had said that ¡®It was expected.¡¯ This was secretly hinting that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care about Xiao Yuanmu. At this time, no one spoke. When Bai Mo saw this, he was first surprised before an expression of self-me took over. He first looked at Xiao Yuanmu and then at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Song shao, I didn¡¯t mean it like that just now. I misspoke. Sorry. I definitely don¡¯t have any other intentions towards Mr. Xiao. Please don¡¯t misunderstand.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He was about to speak when he heard Xiao Yuanmu say in an insipid tone, ¡°He won¡¯t misunderstand. I would never have any intentions towards you.¡± Eve: Bai Mo¡­rubs me the wrong way so much. BUT YOU GO MUMU. Put him in his ce. Draw those lines!!! Let everyone know you only have Xuan bao in your eyes! Kara: Yes, Mumu!! You tell him! Aw man, the facepping was so satisfying this chapter. Song Jiabao totally got what wasing to him. And, I was right! Bai Mo is a sketchy guy, but my Mumu is too smart and won¡¯t be fooled! (*?????*)? ?? SXH was a bit of dead fish though this chapter LOL Novel rmendations: (1) I have a new novel up. It¡¯s hrious and has really great characterization and plot. But it is horror so do proceed with caution. Check it out here if interested! Paintings of Terror. (2) The lovely Xiin has also released a new novel. It¡¯s so, so cute It¡¯s transmigrator x rebirth ML too so I think you guys will like it. I actually read RMLE and this novel around the same time hahaha. Check it out here. Transmigrating into the Heartthrob¡¯s Cannon Fodder Childhood Friend. Chapter 32: Found a Handsome Man Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
The room fell quiet again. There was also a hint of awkwardness in the room. Guo Tao was the most embarrassed. He had originally hoped that this intervention would pacify Song Xuanhe¡¯s anger. He hadn¡¯t expected that things would turn out like this aftering upstairs. However, the expressions of the three people involved in this situation hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest. Song Xuanhe sat therenguidly. He had already severed any possibility of being on friendly terms with Bai xiao shaoye, having recited his lines from the plot. Therefore, he absolutely could not be the one to mediate this situation. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t know why, but¡­although Bai Mo seemed harmless and gentle, the other made him feel ufortable. The moment he heard Xiao Yuanmu say such a thing, the only thing Song Xuanhe had felt was shock. After all, Bai Mo was supposed to be the white moonlight in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart. He had never expected that Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t give his white moonlight any face in front of so many people. He had especially never thought so because the two of them had seemed to have been chatting quite happily earlier today. Furthermore, Bai Mo had helped Xiao Yuanmu out during that whole fiasco earlier. Song Xuanhe had also seen a rare softened expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. That scene had been transmitted through the System, so he couldn¡¯t have seen it wrongly. When he thought of this, Song Xuanhe felt a bit intrigued. He wanted to know just what Xiao Yuanmu was thinking. Bai Mo also wanted to know what Xiao Yuanmu was thinking. He had felt the other¡¯s softness beneath his cold exterior when they had been talking earlier. He had thought that he was probably a bit special in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart. However, if that was the case, why would Xiao Yuanmu say such a thing to him just now? Although he was puzzled over this, the smile on Bai Mo¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. His lips curled up into a smile, dimples appearing faintly. He said in an amiable, adorable voice, ¡°Mr. Xiao is right. There¡¯s nothing between Mr. Xiao and I. Furthermore, Mr. Xiao and Song shao are sweethearts. How could I have any intentions towards him? I didn¡¯t mean anything with what I had said earlier. If I have made you misunderstand, allow me to apologize again. Furthermore, I will give another bottle of precious wine to Song shao as an apology.¡± Bai Mo was good at gauging the situation and saying the right thing. He handled it with ease and carried himself with a generous and dignified manner. Zhou Nan and Guo Tao, who had originally felt like something was up previously, both now thought that they had probably been thinking too much. They no longer looked at him in such a scrutinizing and strained manner. Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue inwardly. Bai Mo was deserving of being Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s white moonlight. Even Song Xuanhe had no choice but to admit that even though Bai Mo didn¡¯t have an attractive face, his aura that made others let down their guard and his mild-mannered bearing really drew people in. Moreover, he had a high EQ, allowing him to easily turn the situation around in a sh. However, since Bai Mo had already said something like that, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t just sit back and watch the show anymore. ¡°Bai xiao shaoye is overthinking things. Neither Yuanmu nor I me you. There¡¯s no need for an apology gift.¡± When he heard this, Bai Mo sighed andpletely rxed. His actions were a bit excessive but didn¡¯t feel exaggerated. He blinked his eyes, appearing very youthful. ¡°Because I grew up abroad, I¡¯m pretty frank and tend to forget that my words could be interpreted differently here. I¡¯m lucky that Song shao is really easy-going and willing to overlook this. Moreover, it¡¯s because I really like Song shao and Mr. Xiao that I spoke up. I wanted to use this as an opportunity to be friends with you. If I had ended up offending you instead of bing friends, I would have been really sad.¡± When Bai Mo spoke, both his tiger teeth and dimples could be vaguely seen. His eyes had been full of sincerity when he said that he wanted to be friends with them. There was a youthful liveliness and sincerity in his voice. He gave off a very candid vibe. Guo Tao was acquainted with Bai Mo¡¯s older brother, but because Bai Mo had been abroad this whole time, this was his first meeting with the younger man. When he heard the other speak like this, his impression of the other became better. Therefore, he smiled and tried to ease the room¡¯s tension. ¡°Song shao has always been easy-going. We can all see that you didn¡¯t mean anything by what you said. Although you¡¯ve juste back into the country, you need to consider your words more carefully in the future when you visit older folk. Otherwise, you might end up making bad impressions on them.¡± ¡°I understand. Thank you, Guo ge.¡± Bai Mo nodded, smiling in thanks. Guo Tao, seeing Bai Mo act so lovably, felt the need to protect his friend¡¯s younger brother. Therefore, he turned to say to Song Xuanhe, ¡°I mentioned wine tasting earlier. I¡¯ll go get it now. With an expert like you appraising it, I won¡¯t have to wonder whether I had identally bought a counterfeit.¡± Zhou Nan had his fill of the show. He had also wanted to try the wine Guo Tao had been mentioning for a long time now. Therefore, he teased, ¡°Buying counterfeit wine is fine. It¡¯s only a problem if you drink that counterfeit wine. Indeed, you should let our Song shao taste it for us first.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes at Zhou Nan and ignored the other when he made eyes at him. He epted the wine ss from Guo Tao and looked at the translucent wine inside. He then sniffed the rich but not overwhelming alcoholic scent. With just that alone, he could tell that Guo Tao¡¯s wine must have cost quite a lot. He took a small sip, letting the lemony, herbal-scented wine slide down his throat. Song Xuanhe slightly narrowed his eyes, taking in the aftertaste. He then smiled. ¡°Guo ge, you must have paid a hefty price for this. From what I know, people usually collect this wine. Very few bottles have been opened for the purpose of drinking.¡± When Guo Tao saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, he knew that he had made the right choice in buying this wine. He smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯m a businessman. I¡¯m not much of a collector. Furthermore, wine is meant to be drunk in my eyes. In my opinion, letting someone who can appreciate the wine taste it is the right way to ensure that it won¡¯t go to waste.¡± The other people in the room also began to sip the wine. Even Zhou Nan, who didn¡¯t like to drink wine much, thought that it tasted pretty good and couldn¡¯t help but take a few more sips. In contrast, Song Xuanhe, who had always liked wine, drank a few sses. In the end, his eyes had turned a bit misty. Only Xiao Yuanmu had refrained from touching the wine. That was why when it came time to leave, he politely refused Guo Tao¡¯s offer of arranging a ride for them. Instead, he drove them home himself. Xiao Yuanmu looked at Song Xuanhe, who was sitting on the sofa with a vacant look in his eyes. The light in his eyes flickered. When they had been in the car just now, he had asked Song Xuanhe a few questions, sounding him out. He had discovered that when Song Xuanhe was drunk, he was abnormally docile. The other would answer any question he was asked. Even when he didn¡¯t know the answer, he would ponder over it for a while before slowly telling Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Song Xuanhe sat on the sofa, looking lovable. His posture was very upright. He didn¡¯t curl up into a ball, cross his legs, or sit in some other sloppy position like he usually did while sober. Instead, he simply blinked his misty, droopy eyes as he looked up at Xiao Yuanmu. His limpid eyes were full of bewilderment and curiosity. When he blinked, one could also feel his fatigue. His eyes were pure like that of a child. It made one want to carry him to bed and softly coax him to sleep. Xiao Yuanmu had never seen this lovable, soft version of Song Xuanhe in any of his lives. It caused a sliver of some strange, unrecognizable feeling to emerge in his still heart. Xiao Yuanmu turned around and sat down on the armchair nearby. His eyes were calm and still,pletely void of any ripples of emotion. His gaze met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s as he got straight to the point. ¡°Why are you so insistent in being with me?¡± Song Xuanhe, who was still sitting on the sofa, seemed to blink in hesitation. He furrowed his brows slightly, obviously pondering the question. About half a minuteter, he seriously said, ¡°Because, you¡¯re good-looking.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s finger that had been tapping against the armchair paused. His voice was t. ¡°Then, why don¡¯t you sleep in the same room as me?¡± Regardless of whether it had been the past him from before he had ever been reborn or the Xiao Yuanmu of this timeline who the current him had taken over, they had both been puzzled over this. However, before he had ever been reborn, although he had been bewildered, he had rejoiced over the fact that they hadn¡¯t had to sleep together. Meanwhile, the Xiao Yuanmu of this timeline had felt both confused and hopeful. Xiao Yuanmu stared at Song Xuanhe, waiting for his response. Song Xuanhe had been mulling over this question earnestly. However, two secondster, he blinked and yawned softly. His eyes were slightly red and watery. He then quietly said, ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tapping against the armchair paused again. He said in an insipid tone, ¡°You can sleep after you answer my question.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at him. He looked even more innocent with his teary, droopy eyes and reddened nose. When he spoke again, he sounded a bit wronged. ¡°I want to sleep.¡± Xiao Yuanmu frowned slightly. He was about to say something when he saw Song Xuanhe stand up. His gaze sharpened, and he was about to pull the other back when he saw the other instead head towards his direction. Song Xuanhe fell into hisp, arms wrapping around his neck as he burrowed into the crook of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s neck. The other then nuzzled at his skin. He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would sit in hisp like this. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body stiffened. Suddenly, the scene of his pre-rebirth self trapping Song Xuanhe onto hisp and French kissing him appeared in his mind, causing him to abort his action of shoving Song Xuanhe off of himself. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s thin lips pursed softly. He rescinded the billowing emotions in his eyes and eased up the tone in his chilly voice. He spoke with a coaxing tone, ¡°Tell me why you don¡¯t sleep in the same bed as me even though you clearly like me, and then, I¡¯ll let you sleep.¡± Song Xuanhe lifted his head when he heard this, his gaze meeting with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s at this close distance. His voice carried a faint sound of exhaustion and was very sweet. ¡°I can sleep after telling you why?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked into his distinct, bright eyes and made a soft sound of agreement. He then watched as the other blinked slowly. Song Xuanhe was silent as if pondering over this matter seriously. After some time, he slowly asked Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Why do we have to sleep together?¡± If it wasn¡¯t because Song Xuanhe looked so innocent and lost right now¡ª his misty eyes, full of doubt, and slightly turned head all made it clear that he hadn¡¯t understood Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s question¡ª Xiao Yuanmu would have thought that the other was pretending to be drunk to trick him. Why would a couple sleep together? Did this question really need to be answered? However, when he looked into Song Xuanhe¡¯s pure, limpid eyes again, Xiao Yuanmu pressed his lips into a straight line. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed a few times before he pushed Song Xuanhe away and stood up. With a chilly voice, he said, ¡°No reason.¡± Song Xuanhe looked like he hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Yuanmu to suddenly treat him so roughly. He blinked, eyes suddenly turning even more watery. He grabbed the bottom of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s shirt, voice filled with a wronged, sobbing tone. ¡°Daddy, don¡¯t be angry. I won¡¯t be bad anymore. You and Mommy¡­don¡¯t abandon me, please?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s steps paused. He then turned to look at the tear-streaked Song Xuanhe.
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: Call me Daddy somewhere else from now on.
Eve: Patreon update~ There is now a RMLE 10 tier so you can be ~10 chapters ahead of schedule. Check it out if interested~ Thank you to all my current Patrons! Also, drunk Xuan bao is so, so, so cute?!!!! My heart!!!! How can anyone resist him??? And then my heart ached for my baby. And then the author¡¯s note killed me LMAO. Kara: Aww, SXH is truly adorable! Mumu, don¡¯t you dare treat him badly, otherwise we will be having words!! <(£à^¡ä)> The author¡¯s note though LMAO pls author, why you like this ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) Chapter 33: Peach Blossom Eyes and a V-Line Tranted by Eve Thank you Anon of the kofi! Morning light trickled in, shining onto the wooden floor. Tiny dust particles floated in the air, illuminated by the iing rays of sunlight. The lump on the bed was half-enveloped by the sun¡¯s beams and a slight rise-and-fall pattern of movement could be seen. It was unknown as to how much time had passed, but a quiet groan eventually emitted from the sheets and a messy head of ck hair burrowed out. What followed was a young man¡¯s ruddy face¡ªpresumably red from theck of airflow beneath the nkets¡ªalso emerged. His long, curled eyshes fluttered slightly. His peaceful, closed eyes struggled to open a bit but shut once more soon after upon being blinded by the light. He had to rub his eyes with his long, slender fingers before they could fully open. Song Xuanhe raised a hand in an attempt to shade the light from his eyes. His consciousness slowly came back to him. Yesterday¡¯s memories were like fragments, assembling together haphazardly. Slowly, it came back to him. He reviewed his memories in anguid fashion. From Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s questions about the Song Family¡¯s situation in the car, to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s questions over why Song Xuanhe had pursued him after they got him, Song Xuanhe knew that he hadn¡¯t given anything away. As expected, Xiao Yuanmu was suspicious of him. He had unexpectedly taken advantage of his drunk state to ask Song Xuanhe why they didn¡¯t sleep together. How did Song Xuanhe respond to that again? He tried to recall it but his mind was a bit nk. He then pulled a scene out from his memories. Oh, that¡¯s right. He had asked Xiao Yuanmu why they had to sleep together. In his mind, the image of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression nearly falling apart upon hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply appeared. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. He had never seen such a vibrant expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face before. What had he said after? Xiao Yuanmu must have been infuriated by his answer! Song Xuanhe sifted through his memories feeling proud of himself. Indeed, Xiao Yuanmu had pushed him off hisp in a fit of rage. Then, Song Xuanhe had grabbed Xiao Yuanmu and called him¡­Daddy? Daddy? He called Xiao Yuanmu Daddy? The mischievous smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face froze. He sat up at once and hugged the pillow next to him tightly. Shock and disbelief filled his eyes. However, the heat emitting from his backside obviously wasn¡¯t under his control. From his neck to his ears, everything had reddened. He felt both ashamed and angry. Who knew if it was because he still had a sliver of hope remaining or if he had already fallen into despair, but Song Xuanhe shoved his pillow against his face and nervously said, ¡¾Er Gou, help me look into it. People¡¯s memories tend to get messy when they¡¯re drunk. It¡¯s even possible for memories to be fabricated.¡¿ ¡¾A drunk person¡¯s memories might be messy but they wouldn¡¯t end up with fake memories.¡¿The System responded quickly. It then continued with a sympathetic tone of voice£º¡¾You really called the bigshot ¡®Daddy¡¯ yesterday. You also begged him not to leave while calling him ¡®Daddy¡¯ and crying. You didn¡¯t remember it wrong.¡¿ That scene once again appeared in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind. It hadpletely destroyed hisst sliver of hope. Expressionless, he lied back onto the bed, wondering how he was going to face Xiao Yuanmu. ¡¾Right, you also mentioned your mom. You begged for your parents to not abandon you. Will Xiao Yuanmu be suspicious over this?¡¿ Song Xuanhe threw the pillow away and flipped himself over. He had suffered too great an attack. His tone waspletely t£º¡¾He won¡¯t. The original host¡¯s parents lived separately when he was six years old. Back then, the original host¡¯s mother went back to her maiden home. Song Guochao didn¡¯t care about the original host and left him in his paternal grandfather¡¯s care. Xiao Yuanmu won¡¯t think too much about this when he finds that out.¡¿ The System sighed in relief£º¡¾That¡¯s good. But in any case, Xiao Yuanmu won¡¯t be able to find out anything about you even if he suspected you.¡¿ Song Xuanhe hummedzily. When he thought about how he had to see Xiao Yuanmuter, he didn¡¯t want to talk anymore. The system was curious£º¡¾My data¡¯s telling me that you¡¯re really unhappy right now. Why?¡¿ Seeing Song Xuanhe remain silent, the System analyzed the other¡¯s reaction just now and asked£º¡¾Is it because you called Xiao Yuanmu ¡®Daddy?¡¯¡¿ ¡¾What¡¯s there to be unhappy about? Isn¡¯t it just a form of address? I also call you ¡®Brother¡¯, ah.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyelid twitched. He rolled his eyes and said£º¡¾Are ¡®Brother¡¯ and ¡®Daddy¡¯ the same? Don¡¯t talk to me. I¡¯m annoyed right now.¡¿ Song Xiao Shaoye rarely got angry. However, once he was angered, practically no one could appease his fury. And yet, the system somehow managed to do it.£º¡¾My data tells me that the reason you¡¯re not happy is that you don¡¯t want to see Xiao Yuanmu. Since it¡¯s like this, just don¡¯t go see him. In any case, there¡¯s no scenes you have to act out for the next month. The System will not force you to stay with him.¡¿ Song Xuanhe sat up at once. The dejection waspletely swept away and his eyes had lit up. He was so excited that he had forgotten to speak with his mind and directly said out loud, ¡°For real?¡± ¡¾Of course.¡¿The System said£º¡¾As far as I know, the next scene you have to make an appearance in takes ce thirty six days from now. Before that, you don¡¯t have to see Xiao Yuanmu at all.¡¿ A month was enough time to erase the memory of him calling Xiao Yuanmu ¡®Daddy!¡¯ Furthermore, this was the first time he could rx and do whatever he wanted sinceing to this world! Song Xuanhe got out of bed quickly. He casually tidied himself up and then went to grab his keys. With the system¡¯s help, he managed not to disturb Xiao Yuanmu, who was inside the study, and headed to his family¡¯s main residence. When he heard the door close, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s typing paused. A momentter, he continued writing his email reply. Song Xuanhe hummed while getting out of his car, clearly in a wonderful mood. He had just reached the garden when he saw the elderly auntie, who worked at the Song Residence,e over. When she saw him, her imposing expression became a lot kindlier. Before he could speak, she made a ¡®hush¡¯ gesture. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe brought his head in close and asked quietly. The auntie patted him on the shoulder and lowered her voice. ¡°The mistress Mr. Song keeps hase to the door. The Old Sir is furious. Xiao Shaoye, you should leave quickly. Otherwise, the mister might take his anger out on you again.¡± The auntie¡¯s suppressed voice was full of concern and affection. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up. He had nearly forgotten that Liu Xu had sent photos to the Song Family. This was going to be a great show. Furthermore, he was the director of said show. How could he not go watch it? ¡°Zhao ah yi, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± There was a schadenfreude-esque smile suppressed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. Before Auntie Zhao could say anything, he quietly added, ¡°I can¡¯t avoid making an appearance now that such a big issue has cropped up at home. Furthermore, I don¡¯t feel at ease leaving Mom alone.¡± Auntie Zhao sighed upon seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s lipid, bright eyes. She thought, such a good child, ah. He¡¯s usually so headstrong but he¡¯s always thinking about his family. If it weren¡¯t for what had happened between the mister and missus, Xiao Shaoye would have grown up to be an even more sensible person. Song Xuanhe had a favourable impression of this elderly, kindhearted auntie. When he saw that she was still worried, he gave her a few more gentle reassurances to put her heart at ease before letting Auntie Zhao let him in. Before he entered, she still warned him once more. ¡°Xiao Shaoye, don¡¯t contradict Mr. Song like you usually do. Right now, he has nothing to defend himself with. But if you speak, he might be able to find something to justify himself with.¡± Auntie Zhao had spent a great portion of her life in the Song Residence. She naturally knew the personality of every member of the Song Family very well. Furthermore, how could she not be wise when all the members of the Song Family respected her? She was afraid that Mr. Song would divert the issue and berate Song Xuanhe instead, taking advantage of him because of his young age. That was why she couldn¡¯t help but warn him. Song Xuanhe naturally thanked her like a good child. When Auntie Zhao, who already sympathized with him, saw this, her heart softened even more. However, she could only watch as he entered through the doors. The Song Residence was huge. One had to pass through an underground sunroom that was fashioned like a courtyard to get to the living room from the main entrance. After passing through the simple and unadorned sunroom filled with greenery and flowers, you would reach therge living room. Three of the living room¡¯s walls were made of ss, allowing the interior to be basked with the sun¡¯s rays. When the people inside saw Song Xuanhe walk in, the room fell silent. Before Song Yansong could speak, Song Guochao furrowed his brows and yelled in an impatient tone, ¡°What did youe back for?!¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply to him. His gaze fell on the woman who was crying silent tears next to Song Guochao. He then asked Song Yansong, ¡°Grandfather, we have a guest?¡± When he heard this, Song Guochao¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Is that not the case?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at that woman curiously, expression that of loss and innocence. ¡°But I¡¯ve never seen this auntie before. Is she one of my aunts on mom¡¯s side that¡¯s been abroad all this time? Is she crying because she was too happy from finally getting to see Mom again after so long?¡± As soon as Song Xuanhe finished speaking, the atmosphere in the living room became even heavier. Song Guochao¡¯s mouth shut. All he wanted to do was to run over and cover Song Xuanhe¡¯s mouth. In the end, Song Yansong was the one to speak. ¡°She¡¯s not your aunt. How could a woman like this be mentioned in the same breath as your aunts? Never say such a thing again.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked and repeated Song Yansong¡¯s words with a meaningful tone. He looked pure and confused. ¡°A woman like this¡­what kind of woman is she? If she¡¯s not my aunt, who is she?¡± ¡°Guochao¡­.¡± The silently crying woman sobbed, raising her head. Her pale skin was streaked with tear marks but that didn¡¯t affect her beauty. Instead, her naive, pure beauty was all the more apparent. A tearful beauty would make one¡¯s heart clench. Song Guochao¡¯s heart ached for her. He red at Song Xuanhe and angrily rebuked him. ¡°You ill-bred creature! Who taught you to use such a tone when talking about your elders?!¡± Song Xuanhe was startled upon being scolded like this. He turned to look at Song Yansong, looking hurt. He was even more confused now. ¡°You disgrace!¡± Song Yansong threw the vase on the table at Song Guochao, not holding back in the least. ¡°You¡¯re the one who¡¯s ill-bred! Kick that woman out right now! If she ever sets foot in my Song Residence again, you too will have no need to ever walk through the doors to my home ever again!¡± The vase smashed against Song Guochao¡¯s forehead. Blood instantly began to trickle down. It frightened the sobbing woman. She widened her eyes and went to cover his head,pletely losing her head in fear. Her trembling voice was full of distress and concern. ¡°Guochao, are you okay? Guochao!¡± ¡°Butler.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s expression was dark as he said, ¡°Escort this woman out.¡± ¡°Dad!¡± Song Guochao didn¡¯t care about his bloodied forehead. He turned around and said, ¡°Xiuya is the woman I¡¯ve spent most of my life with! How could you humiliate her in front of the younger generation? If you kick her out like this, how can she stand with her back straight in the future?¡± Song Yansong didn¡¯t speak. At this moment, Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed. He looked at Song Guochao and the woman in his arms, shocked. His eyes then turned red. Sounding hurt and incredulous, he asked, ¡°This is the mistress Dad¡¯s been raising outside?¡± ¡°A mistress dares to openly set foot in my Song Family¡¯s home?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at Song Yansong. His eyes were so red it made Song Yansong¡¯s heart hurt for him. ¡°Grandpa¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe lowered his head. It looked as if the hard exterior of this young man, who usually acted arrogant outside, had finally been shattered to pieces. His shoulders trembled slightly, as if he was suppressing the grief and indignation this hard-to-bear blow was causing him. Song Yansong was partial to Song Xuanhe, his youngest grandson who he had personally raised for a year. Even though Song Xuanhe had be more and more insolent with each year, Song Yansong had still protected him, giving the other the confidence to fight against Song Guochao. Right now, when he saw his grandson so upset, the always cold and stern old man couldn¡¯t help but feel distressed for him. His originally dark expression grew even darker. The gaze directed towards Song Guochao became even colder. ¡°The older you get, the more muddleheaded you be. You actually brought this kind of creature into my home and hurt your wife and sons. Song Guochao, I order you to take this woman away at once. Furthermore, there¡¯s no need for you toe to thepany for a month. Stay at home and reflect on your mistakes!¡± Stay at home and reflect on his mistakes? Him, a fifty year old man? Song Guochao widened his eyes in disbelief. Furthermore, a month away from thepany¡­. His position as a vice president might be taken over in that time. ¡°I¡¯ll leave!¡± The woman sobbed broken-heartedly as she let go of Song Guochao. She fell to the ground, soft, and knelt in front of Song Yansong. ¡°Old Mr. Song, please don¡¯t punish Guochao. It was I who didn¡¯t understand my ce and came to disturb Mrs. Song. I won¡¯t ever do that again. Please don¡¯t punish him. He¡¯s already so old, he can¡¯t suffer being pointed at by other people! If you¡¯re unhappy, please vent your anger on me instead!¡± ¡°Xiuya!¡± Song Guochao was both touched and upset. At that moment, he recalled how he had been forced into his marriage back then, and how this woman had been willing to sacrifice herself for him and be his secret lover. He had never expected that even now, this woman would still plead on his behalf. ¡°Father.¡± Song Guochao also knelt down, bitter tears streaming down his own weathered face. He said in a grievous tone, ¡°I have always loved Xiuya! Back then, I married Li Nianan because the family wanted me to. We¡¯re already married and Li Nianan has always had the title of Mrs. Song. Xiuya has never resented her. Right now, I just want to spend the rest of my life with the woman I love. I just want Li Nianan to be a bit magnanimous and ept Xiuya¡¯s existence. Is that too much to ask?¡± When he heard Song Guochao¡¯s shameless words, Song Xuanhe nearly burst out intoughter. It wasn¡¯t just Song Xuanhe. Everyone in the room was shocked by Song Guochao¡¯s shamelessness, except for Zhang Xiuya, who looked moved. ¡°Sure.¡± Mrs. Song, who had been sitting there silently with a cold expression finally spoke. From Zhang Xiuya¡¯s sobbing to Song Guochao¡¯s confession, her expression hadn¡¯t changed. Even though she was speaking now, her slightly lowered gaze and slow, pleasant voice carried a noble and disdainful tone. ¡°I will give up my position. I won¡¯t be an obstacle between you and your first love. I will give the title of Mrs. Song to her. What do you think?¡± Zhang Xiuya¡¯s eyes lit up. However, both Song Guochao and Song Yansong both said at once, ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Song Yansong saw that Song Guochao wasn¡¯tpletely stupid and the stuffiness inside his chest lightened. He turned to look at Mrs. Song and eased up his tone. ¡°Nianan, this isn¡¯t the time to get angry. Guochao has indeed gone too far. Dad will teach him a lesson for you. This woman will never be able to enter my Song Family¡¯s doors. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Song Guochao also nodded his head repeatedly. He said, ¡°I only want to be with Xiuya. I don¡¯t want to divorce you.¡± Li Nianan sneered. She stood up and walked over to Song Guochao, looking down on Zhang Xiuya¡¯s tear-streaked face. She said, ¡°I was originally nning on turning a blind eye to this. After all, whose husband doesn¡¯t keep a few ythings around? However, since she¡¯se to my door, and you¡¯ve also said that I¡¯ve taken the title that should¡¯ve been hers, shouldn¡¯t I¡ªthe woman who had taken her ce¡ªgive way?¡± Faced with her cold, disdainful tone, Song Guochao choked in anger, face reddening. Zhang Xiuya beside him also gnashed her teeth but she couldn¡¯t do anything but lower her head and sob. In contrast, Song Xuanhe cocked a brow up in surprise. He hadn¡¯t interacted with the original host¡¯s mother very much prior to this. In his mind, she usually doted on the original host without any principles, as to make up for having abandoned him when he was young. Actually, he¡¯d never expected that he¡¯d see her so badass. Li Nianan swept her gaze over Zhang Xiuya¡¯s lowered head. She then passed by the two of them and walked over to Song Xuanhe. Her heart ached and she spoke with a softened voice when she saw him with his head lowered, as if he could not ept this. ¡°Xuanhe, don¡¯t be upset. Come sit with Mom.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up. When Li Nianan saw his reddened eyes, her voice became even softer. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about Mom. Mom¡¯s fine.¡± After saying this, she pulled Song Xuanhe past the kneeling Song Guochao and Zhang Xiuya and sat down with Song Xuanlin. Song Yansong gave Song Guochao a cold, askance nce. Seeing the other kneel there silently, he couldn¡¯t help but feel even more disappointed in this son of his. He could only console his daughter-inw himself. ¡°Nianan, listen to Dad. This woman is nothing but a ything that can¡¯t be shown in public. It¡¯s beneath you to lower yourself to her level. There¡¯s no need for you to argue with her. Dad will definitely make sure everything is handled in a way you will be satisfied.¡± Li Nianan grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. Her response to Song Yansong was very respectful. ¡°Dad, I never nned on making a fuss about Song Guochao¡¯s cheating. I also know that it¡¯s normal for this to happen in these circles. However, only I, Li Nianan, have ever had to experience having my husband¡¯s mistresse knocking on my door! If this matter isn¡¯t handled well, how will I have the face to show myself at parties? How will other people look at my sons? How will they look at my Li Family? Furthermore, if this matteres out, how will they look at the Song Group?¡± Li Nianan¡¯s eyes reddened. ¡°I¡¯ve endured this for this family¡¯s sake. It was all for the Song Group. I know that if we divorce, that would mean that the Song Family and Li Family will be divided. At that time, there will be upheaval in the stock markets. That was why I have endured it up to now. I did it for my family¡­for my two sons.¡± ¡°However!¡± Li Nianan¡¯s beautiful eyes cast a cold re towards Song Guochao and Zhang Xiuya. ¡°I helped build up this enterprise with my painstaking efforts, but now, they¡¯ve destroyed everything! My sons will be pointed at and talked about from today on and the Song Group will be gued by this scandal! Since things have alreadye to this, I don¡¯t want to struggle like this anymore. Dad, I¡¯m so tired¡­.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s expression had sunk when he had heard the concealed threat in Li Nianan¡¯s words in the first half of her speech. However, when he heard the second half uttered in a sobbing tone, he felt guilty towards her. Regardless, it had been his Song Family that had let Li Nianan down. It was precisely because of this that he couldn¡¯t let Li Nianan divorce Song Guochao! When this scandales to light, Li Nianan¡¯s younger sister, who¡¯s on very good terms with her and had married into one of the major eight financial groups, would never take this lying down! ¡°Dad knows that you¡¯ve been wronged.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s expression softened. Weariness seeped out from his face. The usually hale and hearty old man seemed to have aged ten years. He said in a hoarse voice, ¡°But Dad begs you to give Dad onest chance. Dad will definitely make sure things are handled well, that you will be satisfied.¡± Seeing Li Nianan remain silent, Song Yansong continued, ¡°Dad knows that this will make things hard on you. But you also know that this is no small matter. The Song Group cannot withstand that big of a blow. Song Guochao is incapable of taking on a responsibility as big as the Song Group and Xuanhe and Xuanlin still need time to grow up. Dad is also struggling. Please just wait until they¡¯ve grown up, ah!¡± As soon as Song Yansong spoke, Song Xuanlin, whose expression had been taut this whole time, his eyes also turned red. ¡°Grandpa¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe noticed Song Yansong¡¯s gaze. He secretly called the old man a wily fox. However, he still cooperated and looked up. He looked at Song Yansong, appearing moved. His lips opened and closed but no words came out. Right now, silence was better than words. When Song Yansong saw his grandsons¡¯ reactions, he gained confidence in himself. When he looked at Li Nianan again, her expression had indeed eased up quite a bit. However, although Li Nianan¡¯s heart ached for her sons, she didn¡¯t n on letting this go so easily. She pursed her lips and said, ¡°Dad, I know how severe this matter is. However, it hadn¡¯t only been family members who had seen Song Guochao bring Zhang Xiuya inside the house. Outsiders are all waiting to see the farce that is our family! If Zhang Xiuya isn¡¯t dealt with properly, then how can I ever show myself outside again! What will I tell my parents who are worried about me?!¡± Song Yansong¡¯s expression changed. Li Nianan¡¯sst words reminded them that she was not someone who could be deceived or walked over. She had the Li Family standing behind her. She also had her younger sister who had married into one of the major eight financial groups. At this moment, even Song Guochao, who hadn¡¯t spoken all this time, had finallye back to his senses. Although he wanted to be with Zhang Xiuya, he didn¡¯t want to suffer the Li Family¡¯s oppression! Even more, he didn¡¯t want to offend Li Nianan¡¯s younger sister who had married into a major financial group! He loved Zhang Xiuya and knew that she had been wronged. He also knew that it must not be easy to be with him in secret. But when he thought about the possibility of being excluded from the social circles of the upper ss, how he might lose his position in the Song Group, and how he might never be able to lift his head again, Zhang Xiuya¡¯s grievances and difficulties were no longer all that important. Moreover, he had been generous to Zhang Xiuya over all these years, giving her an easy life. If he were to lose everything, then Zhang Xiuya would also be left with nothing! Xiuya had always been understanding. She would definitely forgive him. Song Guochaoforted himself with that. When he thought of the tragic ending that might await him, he promptly shouted, ¡°Father!¡± ¡°I was wrong!¡± Song Guochao didn¡¯t care about the blood still flowing down his forehead. He shoved Zhang Xiuya away and said with an ashamed expression, ¡°I was confused just now. I was muddleheaded. I have never thought of divorcing Nianan, ah! And I absolutely refuse to do so now! I didn¡¯t know that Zhang Xiuya woulde knocking on our door! You also saw it just now, how shocked I had been seeing her after getting out of my car! I had never expected that she would appear in front of Nianan!¡± Song Yansong snorted and said, ¡°Is this something you should be telling me?¡± Song Guochao was startled. He then turned to look at Li Nianan at once. ¡°Nianan, I was wrong. How could Zhang Xiuyapare to you? She had been too greedy,ing to beg me in tears before our door. I had been soft-hearted just now. If you¡¯re angry, you can handle this however you like. As long as you don¡¯t divorce me, you can do anything.¡± Li Nianan sent a mocking nce towards the deathly pale Zhang Xiuya. Her lips curled up into a sneer. ¡°So, no matter what I do to your first love, you won¡¯t care?¡± Eve: See, I usually don¡¯t like to me the mistresses because sometimes they are innocent/victims. But I mean¡­she came here knowing that she would tear a family apart¡­. So I don¡¯t really have pity for her. As for Song Guochao, trash. Utter trash. I feel so bad for Li Nianan and the original host for having to deal with such a shitty man. Mummy Song, you go tell him where to stick it! Chapter 34: An Eight-Pack and Peach Blossom Eyes Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Anon for the kofi!
Zhang Xiuya¡¯s sobs gradually became louder. Song Guochao, who was about to agree, suddenly couldn¡¯t say the words out loud. Song Xuanhe seemed to have finally collected himself at this moment. Expressionlessly, he said, ¡°Father, didn¡¯t you just say that it was up to Mother to deal with this as she liked? Why aren¡¯t you saying anything now?¡± What Song Guochao valued the most was his image. Likewise, he usually also really hated his youngest son, who had no respect for him and would always contradict him. Right now, hearing his son speak to him with a practically criticizing tone, his slightly pleading expression morphed into hardly-concealed anger. ¡°I¡¯m speaking with your mother! You have no right to interrupt us! Did a dog eat your manners?!¡± ¡°Heh.¡± Song Xuanhe sneered. The upset on his face just now from having suffered a blow had beenpletely reced with a calm expression. His face had turned icy. ¡°Grandpa taught me social courtesy. Mother taught me how to tell good people from bad. But, what did Father teach me? To raise mistresses only to then let theme knock on the door and destroy decades of the Song Family¡¯s good name and reputation?¡± ¡°You!¡± Song Guochao¡¯s expression was livid from being spoken to in this cold, disdaining tone. However, what angered him even more was that he couldn¡¯t refute these words. He had indeed never partaken in Song Xuanhe¡¯s upbringing. Furthermore, he had also let the woman who he was keeping outside into the house. But even so, a son should not reproach his father for his mistakes. There was no justification for a son to chide his father! ¡°This is a matter between grown-ups. There¡¯s no need for you to participate in this conversation.¡± Li Nianan patted Song Xuanhe so slightly that he almost didn¡¯t feel it. Although she spoke words of criticism, her tone did not sound like she was scolding him. She then cast an indifferent gaze towards Song Guochao. ¡°I can¡¯t be bothered to deal with this woman. Dad was right. I don¡¯t need to bicker with her over this.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s eyes lit up. However, Zhang Xiuya beside him sunk her nails into the palms of her hands. ¡°I just want my sons to get what is meant to be theirs.¡± Li Nianan turned to look at Song Yansong and said, ¡°Dad, you have watched Xuanlin and Xuanhe grow up. They are your grandsons, your only sessors. Everyone both within the family and outside of us knows it. However, now that this has happened, they will definitely be pointed at and talked about by outsiders. As a mother, I absolutely cannot watch my sons suffer such an injustice.¡± Song Yansong examined her carefully. When he saw the deep love in her eyes, he nodded softly. ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking right now. You want to test them.¡± Li Nianan sighed. ¡°I know my sons. Xuanlin is a steady person, and he has ambition. He¡¯s the more suitable candidate in inheriting the group. Xuanhe is more unpredictable, but he¡¯s very intelligent. It¡¯s just that he¡¯s got a yful personality. Therefore, I hope that you will quickly make your decision.¡± When Song Xuanlin heard this, he looked up. He gazed at his mother as well as his younger brother, whose expression hadn¡¯t changed at all while he was listening to their mother speak. Song Yansong pursed his lips in a tight line. He knew what Li Nianan was thinking right now. He had always nned on choosing one of his grandsons as his sessor, but he wasn¡¯t very happy being forced to immediately delegate one of them. It was just that Li Nianan had a younger sister who married into the Rogilere Family. Although the marriage was to a member of one of the branch families, it was enough to make them cautious and apprehensive. Moreover, the Song Family was in the wrong right now. If he didn¡¯t agree to her request, then things would only develop in a worse direction. Song Yansong red at Song Guochao fiercely and then said in a heavy voice, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Xuanhe.¡± Li Nianan turned to look at Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Tell Mom something. Do you want to take over the Song Family?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe answered quickly as if afraid that if he were even a second slower, he¡¯d have to take on that responsibility. ¡°I¡¯m happy as a Vice President.¡± Song Xuanlin¡¯s slightly pursed lips rxed. He was usually a bit resentful towards his stubborn and mischievous younger brother for failing to meet expectations, but right now, he felt relieved to hear his brother say this. ¡°Dad,¡± Li Nianan said, ¡°I hope that you can instate Xuanlin as thepany president. You will still stay on as thepany¡¯s board chairman. However, I hope that Xuanlin can begin to truly participate in thepany¡¯s management.¡± Song Yansong stared at her silently for a while before asking, ¡°What about Xuanhe?¡± ¡°I will give Xuanhe all my shares of the Song Group,¡± Li Nianan said, ¡°My only wish is that Xuanlin will protect Xuanhe in the future so that he can live a happy life.¡± ¡°Your shares?!¡± Song Guochao roared, ¡°Have you gone insane!? Your shares are shared between the both of us! How can you make decisions about it on your own!?¡± Li Nianan didn¡¯t pay any attention to Song Guochao. She said, ¡°When the family assets are divided, the percentage that Xuanhe will hold still won¡¯t be more than Xuanlin¡¯s fifty-percent share. However, I hope that you will promise me something.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s gaze was heavy. ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°Xuanhe¡¯s unpredictable and isn¡¯t very sensible,¡± Li Nianan said, ¡°I do wish that he¡¯ll be more thoughtful, but I also want him to be happy. Therefore, I want Dad to promise me that, if one day, he really ends up making a huge mess as long as he hasn¡¯tmited murder or arson, the Song Family will protect him no matter what!¡± Song Xuanhe raised his head at once. The shock on his face was no act. He really was astonished. Were Mother Song¡¯s words only out of love for her son, because she knew him well and wanted to n ahead, or was it because she knew something else? The book didn¡¯t include a scene like this. He didn¡¯t know if the original host had experienced this too. Song Xuanhe guessed that this likely hadn¡¯t happened in the original story line. After all, he had been the one to cause Zhang Xiuya¡¯s appearance in the Song home. That had never happened in the original host¡¯s life. It was just that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if it was a good or bad thing for Mother Song to ask for such a promise on his behalf. Luckily, everyone else was also shocked by Li Nianan¡¯s words. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression right now wasn¡¯t out of ce. ¡°Xuanhe is also my grandson.¡± Compared to Li Nianan, who was just his daughter-inw, Song Yansong loved his grandson, who he had raised himself for a while, a lot more. Therefore, when he had heard her ask him of this, the gloom in his heart dissipated a lot. He said, ¡°I will promise you this. As long as it¡¯s not arson or murder, I will do everything I can to protect him!¡± Li Nianan¡¯s expression eased up when she got Song Yansong¡¯s promise. She ced Song Xuanhe and Song Xuanlin¡¯s hands together and smiled. ¡°You two are brothers. From now on, you must help each other. Xuanlin, take more care of Xuanhe. Xuanhe, you must not be so thoughtless from now on.¡± Song Xuanlin looked at Song Xuanhe, whose surprise had yet to disappear from his face. When he thought of the dispute between their parents, he nodded earnestly. ¡°I will take care of him.¡± Li Nianan smiled. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Even though Song Guochao was making a huge fuss, Song Yansong had already agreed to Li Nianan¡¯s requests. At once, he summoned hiswyer and changed his will in front of everyone. He then alerted the board of directors that a meeting would soon be held. When the time came, he would announce Song Xuanlin¡¯s appointment and the transfer of shares to Song Xuanhe. Hisst order was to have Song Guochao send Zhang Xiuya out through the back door. He would not let the Song Family lose face. This farce had finally been settled. The Song Residence once again regained its peace. Li Nianan hadn¡¯t seen Song Xuanhe for a long time. She naturally wanted him to stay at home and spend more time with him. Therefore, when she heard him say that he nned on living at home for a while, the coldness in her just now waspletely swept away. A smile bloomed on her face, and she ordered the family servant to prepare all his favourites for lunch. She then had him go rest in his room, afraid that he was tired or upset. Song Xuanhe went back to his room as Li Nianan had suggested. After closing the door, his facade of being disappointed in his father disappeared, and his eyebrows slowly scrunched together. ¡¾Er Gou, did Li Nianan give her shares to her youngest son and ask Song Yansong to protect him no matter what in the original plot?¡¿ Although he had asked this question, Song Xuanhe actually already knew the answer. ¡¾No. ¡¿The System was very certain£º¡¾If that had happened, although they don¡¯t have much to do with the protagonist, they would have still ended up being dragged into the protagonist¡¯s revenge. Even if it was just in one sentence, the book would then have had to mention that the Song Family hadn¡¯t honoured their promise. However, there was nothing like that in the book.¡¿ ¡¾Mn.¡¿Song Xuanhe had confirmed his conjecture, but his mood was still low. The System saw Song Xuanhe lying on the bed, silent. It couldn¡¯t help but ask£º¡¾Are you unhappy? Is it because of Xiao Yuanmu or because of what had happened just now?¡¿ ¡¾Why would I be thinking about Xiao Yuanmu?¡¿One of Song Xuanhe¡¯s legs hung off of the bed, carelessly swinging back and forth£º¡¾Song Xuanhe has a good mom.¡¿ After saying this, Song Xuanhe shut his eyes and stopped talking. The System could sense hisplicated emotions. Therefore, it also refrained from speaking. Ever since transmigrating into this book, the only person Song Xuanhe had taken seriously was Xiao Yuanmu. However, that was because he had no choice. He had to follow the plot, so he had to pay constant attention to Xiao Yuanmu. However, just now, he had seen Li Nianan act differently from how she usually was. She had been like a lioness protecting her young. Despite suffering such a huge blow, she had been able to remain elegant and strike back with her words over and over, all for the sake of giving her child as great of a benefit as she could. She had been incredible. That side of Li Nianan had made him think of his own mother. Back then, his mother¡¯splexion had already turned ashy, but she had still fought hard to hold on until Song Xuanhe¡¯s paternal grandfather andwyer had arrived at the hospital. She had kept her calm and had persuaded his paternal grandfather, moving him with emotions and tempting him with promises of benefits. She had made him promise that Song Xuanhe would be able to grow up peacefully amidst theplicated Song Family, filled with family members who schemed and fought against each other. He remembered how his mother had gently stroked his face after his grandfather and thewyer had left. He remembered the words she had said, those words that had been long enough that they had made the sickly her find it even more difficult to breathe. ¡°My darling baby, no matter where you are, remember that Mommy and Daddy love you. Mommy and Daddy only have one wish for you. We just want you to be happy and free. You don¡¯t have to care about pleasing other people. As long as your conscience is clear, it¡¯s good enough. Remember, Daddy and Mommy will always be watching you from the skies.¡± The seven-year-old him had long since stopped believing that people became stars when they died. Despite this, whenever he was sad, he would still look up to the skies. He believed that his parents, who had loved him so much, must have wished that he believed in himself and had someone who loved him, even if that person was no longer around. Even after arriving in this world, he still looked up at the stars. It had be a vain hope. It was no longer the same world. His parents naturally couldn¡¯t see him anymore. He couldn¡¯t deceive himself, tell himself that there were people who loved him in the sky, that he wasn¡¯t all alone. However, the love that Li Nianan had for Song Xuanhe that he saw today, it had shocked him but also brought him an unfamiliar warmth. Perhaps it was due to the influence of the original host¡¯s emotions. Or, maybe it was because this kind of scene was particrly effective at causing his emotions to ripple. Regardless, him having felt pained and moved at that moment had not been fake. He could no longer exploit the Song Family with a clear conscience. He could no longer allow Li Nianan to suffer a miserable fate in the future. * September seemed to pass in a sh. Autumn approached. Right now, crabs were also in season. Song Xuanhe had not contacted Xiao Yuanmu for more than ten days. Because he meticulously avoided the other, there was basically no chance of him, who worked on the twenty-seventh floor, and Xiao Yuanmu, who worked on the sixteenth floor, to meet. Thesest few days had been like a vacation for Song Xuanhe. Song Guochao had lost a lot of authority after Song Yansong took those shares away from him. Aside from scowling and ring at Song Xuanhe coldly, he didn¡¯t dare to criticize or scold the other anymore. He appeared tough on the outside but was cowardly on the inside. He practically had no fighting power. The fact that Song Guochao had no fighting power was not just because the executives all knew that his shares had been transferred and that Song Xuanlin had been promoted. It was also because the matter about Zhang Xiuya forcing her way into his home had been spread around. The day after Zhang Xiuya had been escorted out, intimate photos of Song Guochao and Zhang Xiuya had been released. Photos of her pompously stepping into the Song Family only to leave dejected had also appeared online. What the Inte eracked the least was entertainment news and rumours. However, what was rarely seen were news and rumours like this. As long as the melon is sweet, no one would resent it for its scarcity. Furthermore, the rumour that hade out this time was in regards to the extremely wealthy Song Family. The peanut gallery online had a grand old time. Threads upon threads had been made in forums. From a certain forum came a hefty two-thousand-worded, detailed story. It had been a moving love story about Song Guochao and Zhang Xiuya, who had loved each other since they were young, and how they had wanted to break free from the shackles of time. More and more explosive allegations against Zhang Xiuya had appeared on blogs online. The Song Group¡¯s PR department had been so busy deleting posts and taking down ¡°hot searches¡± that they had hated that they only had two hands. Fortunately, although the masses were interested in this kind of gossip, it hadn¡¯t affected the Song Group¡¯s stocks very much. Therefore, although Song Yansong had been furious, he had still remained rational. That was until news that Zhang Xiuya was pregnant had surfaced. That day, the Song Family had been in total chaos. Song Yansong, who was hale and hearty despite his years, had thrown a stool at Song Guochao, nearly causing the other to bleed. In the end, Li Nianan had given her sons a look, signalling them to grab hold of Song Yansong. It had been only because of that that Song Guochao had averted dying a bloody death. However, Zhang Xiuya¡¯s pregnancy was irrefutable. The rtionship between Song Guochao and her was also clear. There was no way to deny it. Song Guochao couldn¡¯t say that it wasn¡¯t his child, could he? Wouldn¡¯t that be even worse? Letting others know that he hadmitted a wrong that many other men have also donepared to letting others know that he¡¯d been cheated on ¡ª the resulting humiliation waspletely different. Song Guochao would never announce that it wasn¡¯t his child. Therefore, Zhang Xiuya was forced to have an abortion by the people Song Yansong sent. It was supposed to be a happy thing: being able to have a child in one¡¯s older age. Furthermore, Song Guochao wasn¡¯t close to his two sons either. Compared to those two, Song Guochao felt more affection towards his unformed son. However, between a son he had yet to even meet and beingughed at for the rest of his life, Song Guochao still chose himself. Back then, Zhang Xiuya had dared to go to the Song Residence¡¯s door because she was pregnant with Song Yangsong¡¯s grandson. But, the Song Family had shattered her hope at once. She didn¡¯t actually feel that upset about the abortion though. After all, Song Guochao¡¯s attitude back then had already made her see things clearly. The day after her abortion, she took the money offered to her by the Song Family and left the Capital, leaving behind Song Guochao, who resented her for not understanding him. His reputation and wealth had been destroyed. Even his first love had left him. Song Guochao seemed to have aged ten years overnight. He didn¡¯t even have the strength to lecture that son of his anymore. Song Xuanhe bumped into Song Guochao, who was eating breakfast, when he came down. He didn¡¯t even look at the other and just minded his own business, eating his own breakfast. No one else at the table said a word. It was the weekend today. Song Xuanhe had received a call this morning. It was one of the original host¡¯s friends. He had called him out to eat crabs. Song Xuanhe had thought it over. He had discovered that this friend didn¡¯t have any scenes in the original story and didn¡¯t seem particrly important in the original host¡¯s memories. Therefore, he had agreed. The ce where they were eating crabs was located in the outskirts of town. It was inside a stilted building within an artificialke. When Song Xuanhe arrived, the person who had called him out was already sitting inside. ¡°Song Er.¡± That person waved at him, so he could see where he was. Song Xuanhe walked over and sat down in front of him. With a smile, he said, ¡°Didn¡¯t think you¡¯de back. I heard that you were having a great time in Nansheng.¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Qian Ping shed a candid smile and said, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t because my dad had taken up office over there, I wouldn¡¯t have been willing to be apart from you all. I came rushing back when I remembered that it was crab season.¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t you go to Jiang City then?¡± After resting for a few days, Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile was rxed for once. Hisnguid expression caused the waiter, who was serving them their crabs, to blush. Qian Ping grabbed a crab that had already lost its legs and began to pry open its shell. ¡°Obviously it¡¯s because I heard you found true love as ofte. I hadn¡¯t believed it at first, but Nan zi and them told me it¡¯s true. I then asked Lin zi. I hadn¡¯t expected that he¡¯d say it was real too. If it wasn¡¯t because there had been a problem on my dad¡¯s side back then, I would have ran over here a long time ago to see just how good-looking he is to have made you fall head over heels.¡± Song Xuanhe scooped a spoonful of crab roe into his mouth. He cocked a brow when he heard Qian Ping say this. ¡°You came back for that?¡± ¡°Of course not. But, that was the main reason.¡± Qian Ping was obviously very interested. He asked, ¡°Where is he? Call him out to eat. Let your friend see him.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the use in seeing him?¡± Song Xuanhe ate the crab roe calmly. ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be yours even if you got to see him.¡± Qian Ping was startled. He thenughed. ¡°I still had doubted it a bit, but now, I really believe that you¡¯ve fallen for him hard. Originally, I was just trying to get you to speak, but now, I¡¯m really curious.¡± ¡°What¡¯s his name?¡± Qian Ping frowned. He said, ¡°I remember that he has the samest name as Lin zi. Xiao something? Xiao something mu? Xiao Yanmu? Xiao Yunmu?¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t stop himself fromughing. ¡°I¡¯m not telling you.¡± ¡°Call him over.¡± Qian Ping looked excited. ¡°I heard Nan zi say that he looks like an immortal, that he¡¯s even better looking than the celebrities signed under his family¡¯spany. Come on, let me widen my horizons.¡± ¡°Not calling him.¡± Song Xuanhe refused him without any hesitation. What a joke. He had a rare chance to rx, to not have to follow the plot with Xiao Yuanmu, to not be on edge the whole day. Calling Xiao Yuanmu over would interrupt his vacation. He wasn¡¯t an idiot. ¡°It¡¯s just meeting him.¡± Seeing that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t agree, Qian Ping couldn¡¯t help but frown. ¡°You¡¯re doting on him too much. You be unhappy if other people look at him for even a second too long.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to continue with this subject. He made a perfunctory sound of acknowledgement. ¡°I like him too much. I don¡¯t want other people to stare at him like he¡¯s an animal on disy, okay? Eat the crabs. Why are you talking so much?¡± When Qian Ping heard this, he wasn¡¯t angry. Instead, he opened his eyes wide, clearly even more shocked. ¡°F*ck, this can¡¯t be. You didn¡¯t just find someone to be serious with, you¡¯ve really fallen hard.¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah.¡± If Song Xuanhe had known that this character, who was unrted to the plot, would talk so much nonsense, he would have nevere here just because he wanted to eat crab. However, there was no turning back now. If he didn¡¯t want the other to keep holding onto this, he¡¯d have toe up with some reasoning. ¡°Don¡¯t mention him anymore. We fought recently and haven¡¯t seen each other in a while. Let¡¯s eat crabs in peace, okay?¡± ¡°How can we do that?!¡± Qian Ping frowned. ¡°How can you not see each other just because you had a fight? Since you like him, you should be more yielding. How can you make up if you don¡¯t see each other?¡± ¡°He¡¯s the one who doesn¡¯t want to see me. It¡¯s not like I don¡¯t want to see him.¡± Song Xuanhe lied in order to shut Qian Ping up. ¡°We need some time to cool down. I don¡¯t want to talk about him right now.¡± Qian Ping, thus, shut his mouth. He looked at Song Xuanhe as if wanting to say something more but ended up not saying it. The two of them ate two crabs in peace. Qian Ping then spoke up again. ¡°Actually, there is another reason why I came back.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Although he wasn¡¯t really interested, as long as it wasn¡¯t about Xiao Yuanmu, he¡¯d listen. ¡°Do you know about Wei Chen¡¯s medical robots?¡± Qian Ping asked. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I heard that he hasn¡¯t been able to find a good partner yet.¡± Qian Ping¡¯s expression turned serious. ¡°I want to give it a try.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯tment. He only nodded indifferently. ¡°I moved out from thepound when I was in junior high and followed my dad to Nansheng afterwards. Although we had yed together as kids, I don¡¯t really have a way to get in contact with Wei Chen to discuss business right now. I also heard that he¡¯s rejected a lot of people. I don¡¯t know what he wants.¡± ¡°I heard from Zhou Nan that he wants someone who can participate in the testing.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up. ¡°As well as someone who can provide a lot of data.¡± Qian Ping had just beenining offhandedly. He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would actually know something. The first part, he already knew. However, he¡¯d never heard of the second half before. He asked, ¡°What data?¡± ¡°Medical data, ba.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to meddle in this stuff, so he only made a perfunctory statement. ¡°You should go at it from the testing aspect. Data isn¡¯t easy to obtain.¡± Qian Ping nodded, vexed. He sighed. He didn¡¯t want to think about this anymore. He was about to continue speaking when he heard aughe from the other side of the bamboo curtain. The voice then said, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, are you finally full?¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. Qian Ping was also startled. He furrowed his brows and pondered over this for a few seconds before widening his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t Xiao Yuanmu your boyfriend¡¯s name? This name isn¡¯tmon. Is he next door?¡± As soon as Qian Ping¡¯s words fell, the voice from earlier confirmed his suspicion. A smile could be heard in that voice. ¡°Since he¡¯s already guessed correctly and wants to see you, we should go meet them.¡± As Qian Ping stood up, Song Xuanhe finally thought of who this familiar voice belonged to. It was Wei Chen. The two main characters of their conversation just now had been sitting opposite of them and had heard everything they had said.
Eve: Apologies for thete post. I wasn¡¯t feeling well yesterday so I ended up falling asleep and forgetting to schedule it. My heart hurt for Xuanhe when he thought of his mother. And then¡­ *snickers* You¡¯ve been caught lying, Xuanhe. Also, MuMu¡¯s finally back! Chapter 35: You’re My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
The stilted building was simple, unadorned, and nature-themed. In order to keep its decor uniform, the booths were only separated by bamboo curtains. Although they separated the two spaces, they only blocked one¡¯s view. They didn¡¯t block voices. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression stiffened. What had he said just now? He had spoken without much thought for the sake of giving Qian Ping a half-hearted answer. He couldn¡¯t remember his own exact words. But, what he did remember very clearly was his biggest lie¡ª¡±I like him too much.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu and Wei Chen appeared in front of them, there was no expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. Qian Ping was able to tell that Wei Chen was one of the two people in front of him at once. Although he hadn¡¯te back for a long time, they had yed together in thepound when they had been young. Therefore, he recognized the other at once. He gave the other a frank smile and stood up. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect this, ah. I was just talking about you with Song Er, and you just happened to be here!¡± Wei Chen also recognized Qian Ping. He smiled. ¡°I heard that Uncle Qian will be transferring back soon. Congrattions.¡± ¡°Sit, sit, sit, let¡¯s sit together.¡± Qian Ping¡¯s smile grew bigger. He pulled Wei Chen over to his side. Song Xuanhe had already gotten over his embarrassment at having been caught red-handed. He acted nonchntly, telling Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Sit.¡± Only after Xiao Yuanmu sat down did Qian Ping notice him. He looked at Song Xuanhe inquisitively before saying hesitantly, ¡°Is this Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe pretended not to feel Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes on him and calmly introduced them. ¡°Here¡¯s the person you¡¯ve wanted to see all this time.¡± Qian Ping¡¯s gaze shifted over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face again, sizing the other up. He then concluded, ¡°He¡¯s really good-looking.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand that was holding a crab w paused in the air. He looked up to see Qian Ping look away, seemingly uninterested. The other was instead excitedly talking about the medical robots project with Wei Chen. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why, but he kind of wanted tough, seeing Qian Ping so uninterested. He then reflected on himself. Xiao Yuanmu was really, really good-looking. He was so good-looking that he didn¡¯t even seem real. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that he was so good-looking that it shook one to one¡¯s core. However, as a designer, he had been so astonished that he had forgotten that, no matter how perfect and attractive someone was, they would not be able to obtain acknowledgement from every single person in the world. Everyone had their own tastes. Even between people of different races, cities, cultures, or customs, everyone had a different aesthetic sense. This was the first lesson Song Xuanhe had been given in his first year of university. His teacher had told him that all beauty was worthy of being respected. However, beauty of all forms should be explored with established approaches. Beauty must be discovered from within. However, as a designer who had enjoyed a bit of fame, the moment Song Xuanhe had cast eyes on Xiao Yuanmu, he had forgotten what he had learned in his first lesson. The book had said that Xiao Yuanmu was handsome and outstanding, that his appearance was wless. And ording to Song Xuanhe¡¯s aesthetic sense, Xiao Yuanmu was exactly that. Therefore, he had thought that everyone felt the same as he did. That misconception was probably because this world felt surreal to him, and he had overly relied on the novel in his brain. Was Xiao Yuanmu a perfect existence in other people¡¯s eyes? Qian Ping¡¯s attitude today had suddenly startled him awake and made him realize that no, he wasn¡¯t. At this moment, he realized that only Xiao Yuanmu had felt real to him. Meanwhile, the rest of the world hadn¡¯t. Xiao Yuanmu was real and so was the rest of this world. It was more real than he had previously thought. The people here were the same as the people back in his own world. They had all grown up in different households,e into contact with different people¡ªthey each had their own thoughts and sense of beauty. They were the same as him and Xiao Yuanmu. They were made of flesh and blood. They were independent, living entities. When he thought of this, he felt like the umted sense of loss and his perception that this world wasn¡¯t real had instantly vanished. Now, when he gazed out the window and took in the view of theke, everything seemed brighter and more colourful. Xiao Yuanmu had silently been observing Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression this whole time. He had seen the other lower his eyes pensively while Qian Ping had been speaking. The other¡¯s lips had been slightly pursed as if he was ming himself for something. But a few secondster, Song Xuanhe raised his head and looked out the window. His eyes were now slightly curved, a tell-tale sign that he was in a good mood. It seemed like he had realized something as if everything had suddenly be clear to him. At this moment, Song Xuanhe turned to face him. It was the first time Xiao Yuanmu had seen Song Xuanhe look so calm. Before, whenever their eyes had met, it had been like he would always see something hidden in the depths of the other¡¯s eyes. It had made him want to painstakingly investigate it, to slowly dig out the other¡¯s true thoughts. But right now, the other¡¯s eyes held a smile. His eyes were bright as if they held starlight. They were dazzling and clear, the bottom of them visible for once. It made him want to reach out and grab hold of the light in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. He wanted these eyes to only reflect him, to only see him for the rest of their lives. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze changed slightly. His lips that had held a nearly imperceptible smile pulled into a straight line. He wanted to look away. However, he didn¡¯t know if it was because of the memories from before his rebirth, but it was like something was controlling his body, making it so that he couldn¡¯t move as he wanted. Regardless, Song Xuanhe only nced at him for a second. Soon after, he turned to look at Qian Ping and Wei Chen sitting in front of them with the same expression. The smile on his face became even more sincere when his eyesid on them. Xiao Yuanmu then heard Song Xuanhe say to Qian Ping, ¡°If you want to participate in the Wei Family¡¯s project, my uncle has data. I can ask him for you.¡± Qian Ping was overjoyed. Wei Chen turned to look at him in surprise. At once, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression sank. ¡°Even if it¡¯s you asking for your uncle¡¯s data, it¡¯ll still be a lot of work. Are you sure you want to give it to Qian Ping?¡± Wei Chen was the first to speak. The surprise had left his face, but his tone carried a hint of doubt. Although he hadn¡¯t interacted much with Song Xuanhe, from the few times they had met, he could tell that the second young master of the Song Family, Song Xuanhe, was not domineering and brainless like the rumours had said. In contrast, while he seemed willful andnguid, he was also extremely intelligent. He had his own principles when it came to interacting with others or handling business. It was just that, although he seemed friendly, he was rather indifferent on the inside. He wasn¡¯t easy to get close to. From what Wei Chen knew, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t particrly close to Qian Ping either. He was closer to Lu Chao than Qian Ping, and it had been rumoured that Song Xuanhe had thrown Lu Chao into a pool. Why was he suddenly willing to help Qian Ping get data? He hadn¡¯t even said such a thing to Zhou Nan, with whom he had a better rtionship. Qian Ping had already calmed down from his initial joy. When he was young, his rtionship with Song Xuanhe had been good. However, they rarely hung out post-junior high, especially after he had left the Capital. They couldn¡¯t be considered close. He couldn¡¯t think of a reason for why Song Xuanhe would offer to help him get data from Professor Li. If he wasn¡¯t so aware of his own worth, he would have wondered if Song Xuanhe had some intentions towards him. Since Song Xuanhe would never have those kinds of intentions towards him, he could not take Song Xuanhe up on his offer as he¡¯d never be able to pay the other back. Therefore, Qian Ping smiled and said, ¡°Song Er, I know that you¡¯re a good friend, but you don¡¯t have to ask your uncle for his data. If your dad were to find out, wouldn¡¯t your dad break your legs?¡± The Song Family¡¯s matters had been a popr topic recently. Qian Ping naturally knew about the issues in the Song Family. Furthermore, he used to be on very good terms with Song Xuanhe when they were kids. He knew how Song Guochao treated Song Xuanhe as well as what the Li Family¡¯s stance on the matter was. Song Xuanhe saw him as a friend, so Qian Ping would not let the other get screwed over. When he heard Qian Ping say this, Song Xuanhe nted his chin on one hand and said, ¡°Alright, alright, I¡¯m just going to ask. Do you think that I¡¯m going to let my uncle drain me of my blood or something? You¡¯re acting like you¡¯re going to owe me a huge favour. Regardless of whether he gives me the information, remember to make a reservation for a private room at the Delicacy Pavilion.¡± Qian Ping¡¯s eyes lit up. He smiled brightly. ¡°What¡¯s one meal? As long as you help me ask, as long as your uncle agrees on parting with his data, I¡¯ll treat you to as much as you want. Even if he doesn¡¯t, I can still treat you to a few meals.¡± Wei Chen knew that Song Xuanhe genuinely wanted to help Qian Ping when he heard the other speak like this. He just hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe and Qian Ping¡¯s rtionship was this good. Song Xuanhe must truly see Qian Ping as his friend if he was willing to do this for him. Not even Zhou Nan had ever received this kind of treatment before. When he thought of this, Wei Chen subconsciously nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. As expected, the other¡¯s eyes were frosty. Wei Chenughed inwardly. Earlier, he had felt hard-pressed because of the sum of money that Xiao Yuanmu had demanded in return for his cooperation. However, because of the other¡¯s avant-garde thinking and absolute skill, he had had no choice but to suck it up and sign the agreement. But now, the gloom hadpletely cleared. He feltpletely refreshed. Outsiders said that Song Xuanhe had used his authority to force Xiao Yuanmu to be his lover. However, to Wei Chen, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to like Xiao Yuanmu all that much. In contrast, the man who outsiders said was forced by Song Xuanhe actually got jealous when he saw Song Xuanhe smile at other people. As to what the truth of it all was, Wei Chen would only trust what he could see with his own two eyes. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression at all. Actually, even if he had been paying attention, he probably wouldn¡¯t have noticed it. After all, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ability to hide his emotions had already been perfected even before his rebirth. To Song Xuanhe, aside from an asional smile, Xiao Yuanmu only ever had one expression. Qian Ping had just helped hime to a huge realization. All of a sudden, he felt a huge wave of inspiration to design. Therefore, Song Xuanhe was naturally not going to be stingy when it came to something that he could do just by saying a few words. Moreover, it was just as he had said, he¡¯d only ask. If his cheaply-obtained uncle didn¡¯t agree, he wouldn¡¯t plead on Qian Ping¡¯s behalf. Qian Ping was ecstatic and extremely grateful. However, just then, he recalled the issue he had been puzzled over but had forgotten upon Wei Chen¡¯s arrival. His gaze flickered between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu as he asked, ¡°Does Mr. Xiao know Wei Chen? Why were the two of you dining together?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell on Qian Ping. He rescinded the dark light in his eyes and said in a dull tone, ¡°I know him. We were discussing something.¡± ¡°What?¡± Qian Ping beamed. Seeing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm but dark eyes, Wei Chen¡¯s heart stopped. He wanted to cover Qian Ping¡¯s mouth. He had known that this fellow was bad at reading people. But now, he realized that it wasn¡¯t his eyes that were bad but rather his brain. Meanwhile, Qian Ping didn¡¯t know that Wei Chen was inwardly roasting him. When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t speaking, he turned to Song Xuanhe instead. ¡°Song Er, didn¡¯t you say that you two had had a fight? Now that you¡¯ve seen each other again, you shouldn¡¯t let this cold war continue.¡± The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face froze. Suddenly, he wanted to take his words back. If he had known that Qian Ping would be such a meddler, he would have quietly watched as Wei Chen rejected him. He wouldn¡¯t have said anything extra. However, he had already said it out loud. He couldn¡¯t take it back now. Xiao Yuanmu had overheard Song Xuanhe im earlier that they had a fight. Even if Qian Ping hadn¡¯t mentioned it, Xiao Yuanmu would have probably mulled over it. Furthermore, with someone like Xiao Yuanmu, who thought deeply and a lot, it was better to just clear things up right away. Song Xuanhe weighed the pros and cons for a few seconds before speaking. He didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°I was just teasing you. We didn¡¯t fight. I just didn¡¯t feel like calling him.¡± Qian Ping furrowed his brows and said in a disapproving tone, ¡°It¡¯s normal for couples to fight. Didn¡¯t you just say that you haven¡¯t seen each other in more than ten days? Go back with Mr. Xiaoter. How can you make up if you don¡¯t see each other?¡± Seeing the darkness finally dissipate from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, Wei Chen almost wanted to p and praise Qian Ping. He finally understood why they said: ¡°Fortune favours fools.¡± Qian Ping was bad at taking hints, but he seemed to have been able to say something that Xiao Yuanmu wanted to hear. ¡°Who said that we haven¡¯t seen each other?¡± Song Xuanhe wanted to stuff Qian Ping¡¯s mouth. However, he kept a smile on his face. ¡°How could we not see each other, given that we work at the samepany? Besides, there¡¯s been too much going on at home. I can¡¯t leave right now. The crabs haven¡¯t been eaten yet. Eat quickly. Don¡¯t waste them.¡± When he heard Song Xuanhe say this, Qian Ping recalled the current situation with the Song Family. He nodded understandingly. He then shifted the topic to the Song Family. ¡°Is Auntie all right?¡± Qian Ping finally let go of the matter between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. Song Xuanhe, thus, sighed in relief. There was a bit of excitement in his tone when he replied. ¡°She¡¯s fine. The one who¡¯s in trouble is Song Guochao.¡± Wei Chen¡¯s interest was also piqued. He asked, ¡°I heard that Mr. Song¡¯s authority was stripped away by Old Mr. Song. They say that he¡¯s been doing nothing but reading newspapers all day in his office. Is that true?¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t suppress hisugh. ¡°Zhou Nan told you that, didn¡¯t he?¡± The corner of Wei Chen¡¯s lips rose. It was a silent admission. ¡°He doesn¡¯t miss any gossip.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care. He smiled. ¡°Then, did you know that, not only has Song Guochao lost his position, but also his shares of thepany currently make up less than 1%? He can¡¯t even sit in on board meetings anymore.¡± Qian Ping¡¯s eyes widened. Shocked, he said, ¡°I thought that Uncle Song and Auntie had twenty percent of the shares together. Was that false?¡± ¡°No, it was real.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel much towards the Song Family or Song Group, but the transfer of the shares was still a Song Group secret. It wasn¡¯t appropriate to tell outsiders this information. Therefore, he just smiled and said, ¡°Grandpa took it back.¡± Wei Chenughed at this. ¡°All over a woman.¡± ¡°It was his first love,¡± Song Xuanhe said in an indifferent tone. Rather than avoid talking about it, he wanted outsiders to know that the rtionship between himself and Song Guochao was terrible. This would be more beneficial for himter on. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t like Song Guochao. The disdain in his voice when he mentioned the other was real. ¡°But, that woman also isn¡¯t very smart.¡± Qian Ping shook his head. ¡°Where¡¯d she get the confidence to go to the Song Family? Did Uncle Song not watch over her?¡± When Qian Ping had been young, he had realized that Song Guochao didn¡¯t care about Song Xuanhe. At home, he had heard his parents privately criticize Song Guochao. His impression of the older man had never been good. However, because he was friends with Song Xuanhe, he hadn¡¯t been able to speak badly of the other¡¯s elders. But now that he saw that Song Xuanhe waspletely cold towards Song Guochao, he allowed some righteous indignation to bleed into his tone. Song Xuanhe curled his lips into a smile. He didn¡¯t respond. However, Qian Ping thought that it was because the other was upset. Therefore, he changed the topic. ¡°Actually, there was one more reason why I came back.¡± Before anyone asked, Qian Ping said, ¡°The Deere-Barlow cruise ship is stopping at the Southern sea port in Lan City. Did you guys know that the Deere-Barlow auction that happens once every ten years will be held there? I came back for this.¡± Lan City was Jiang Province¡¯s capital city. It was a flourishing seaside city. It wasn¡¯t far from the actual Capital. It would only take four or five hours to drive there. Via ne, it would take less than an hour. Qian Ping looked like he was looking forward to it. His tone was full of longing. He went on about the previous Deere-Barlow auctions. He didn¡¯t notice the other people¡¯s expressions at all. When he heard the name of this cruise ship, Song Xuanhe felt like it sounded a bit familiar. He then heard the System say£º¡¾This is a scene in the plot. It¡¯s not super important, but you must still follow it. You have to ensure that the wealthy merchant takes a fancy to Xiao Yuanmu on this cruise. Later on, that wealthy merchant will have Xiao Yuanmu constantly on his mind. That will lead to the important scene of him asking you for Xiao Yuanmu.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes shook before he cast his gaze downwards£º¡¾It was there that the wealthy merchant first saw Xiao Yuanmu?¡¿ ¡¾The book didn¡¯t say, so I¡¯m not too sure. ¡¿The System said£º¡¾At that time, you just have to take Xiao Yuanmu onto the ship. You don¡¯t have to bother with anything else.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply. He kept his eyes down, lost in thought. Because he didn¡¯t look up, he didn¡¯t notice the frosty expression that suddenly appeared on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. The only person who wasn¡¯t interested in the auction was Wei Chen as he already knew about it. However, he noticed the expressions of the two people in front of him. The Deere-Barlow cruise ship¡­did it have some sort of special meaning for Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu? Wei Chen raised a brow. Suddenly, he felt intrigued. Since it was like this, then he¡¯d also go and enjoy the show. After Qian Ping finished talking about the cruise ship, although it was clear he wanted to talk about it more, he noticed that the other three people didn¡¯t seem to have been listening to him. He sipped some tea to moisten his throat. They all looked lost in thought. Who knew what they were all thinking about? He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Are you guys going to go?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Wei Chen was the first to reply. ¡°I heard that they have great finds at the auction. I obviously have to go check it out.¡± Qian Ping¡¯s gaze fell onto Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe had alreadye back to himself. He smiled faintly. ¡°I¡¯ll probably also go.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go together,¡± Qian Ping said with a smile, ¡°I heard that a new casino opened up in that city as well. They have a few race horses too. We can go earlier and have some fun.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯tment. He only smiled. Wei Chen cast an unobtrusive nce at the indifferent Xiao Yuanmu and then at Song Xuanhe, who looked like he didn¡¯t have any thoughts on his mind. He simply smiled quietly. ¡°Bring Mr. Xiao with you. Oh right,¡± Qian Ping asked, ¡°How old are you, Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away and replied, ¡°Twenty-two.¡± ¡°What month were you born in?¡± ¡°January.¡± Qian Ping went ¡°Ah¡± and smiled. ¡°You¡¯re older than Song Er by half a year. You¡¯re also older than me. I¡¯ll call you Xiao ge.¡± Wei Chen watched Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. He had thought that the other wouldn¡¯t agree. However, what he hadn¡¯t expected was that the other would nod indifferently, expression unchanging. He was basically agreeing to being called this by Qian Ping. After deciding how he would address Xiao Yuanmu, Qian Ping smiled at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Bring Xiao ge along when the timees. We can only board the cruise ship at night. Let¡¯s go riding during the day. We can also watch horse races. It seems interesting.¡± Putting aside his rotten luck at gambling, even if he wouldn¡¯t lose, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to do this with Xiao Yuanmu. There had been a passage in the book that Song Xuanhe remembered clearly. Shortly after Xiao Yuanmu had returned to the Xiao Family, before his position had be stable, someone had invited him out to a horse-racing track. That person had known that Xiao Yuanmu had grown up in an orphanage and had never ridden before. Therefore, he had purposely invited him out to make things difficult for him and ridicule him. He hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Yuanmu to learn so quickly. The fierce horse that person had purposely given Xiao Yuanmu had been tamed by him after the other took it for just two rounds. However, when that person had mentioned them racing, Xiao Yuanmu had purposely pretended to be unfamiliar with it. In the end, the other person had promised that nothing would happen, and that if something did, Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t be responsible. Thus, Xiao Yuanmu had pretended to reluctantly agree. In the end, that person was kicked by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s horse. Two ribs and one leg were broken. It was a permanent injury. Even after spending half a year in the hospital, his leg never healed fully. It had been that person who had suggested horse racing, and he had been the one to say that Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t have to take responsibility. Furthermore, everyone present had thought it had been an ident. Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t had to take any responsibility for him. Outsiders all thought that the man had just been unlucky. Although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actions had be even more ruthless and undisguisedter on, and people had already begun to suspect that this had not been an ident, by that time, Xiao Yuanmu had already solidified his position as the Xiao Family¡¯s Head. No one dared to mention that incident anymore. Even if they had a conjecture, they couldn¡¯t do anything but swallow it down. Furthermore, there had been no evidence. Song Xuanhe obviously wasn¡¯t stupid enough to race with Xiao Yuanmu. However, he was afraid that Xiao Yuanmu would let his horse break his bones if he was unhappy. After all, he knew that as long as Xiao Yuanmu wanted to do something, he would do it cleanly, leaving no traces behind. It was precisely because of this that he didn¡¯t want to go to a horse-racing track with Xiao Yuanmu. Even if he hadn¡¯t truly offended Xiao Yuanmu yet, that scene still made him feel adverse. Therefore, Song Xuanhe declined. ¡°I don¡¯t like horse racing. Go by yourself. I¡¯ll meet you at the cruise ship.¡± When Qian Ping heard this, although he was disappointed, he didn¡¯t think too much about it. Therefore, he just nodded and dropped the topic. The crabs on the table had already been finished. The drinks and pastries that the waiters had brought over had also been slowly consumed. After talking so much, Qian Ping also felt like it was time to go. He, thus, smiled and said, ¡°Let¡¯s stop here today. I have to go see my grandpa still. Let¡¯s meet up again next time.¡± Wei Chen and the other two naturally had no objections. However, after leaving the stilted building, Song Xuanhe felt awkward, because Wei Chen and Qian Ping had both left on their own. Now, he was alone with Xiao Yuanmu. Although he didn¡¯t want to take Xiao Yuanmu back¡ªwith his character settings, he could also just leave like that without caring¡ªwhen he looked at Xiao Yuanmu, whose calm gaze had been permanently on him, he couldn¡¯t tell the other to go home on his own. The two of them stood outside of the car. In the end, it was Xiao Yuanmu who spoke first. He said in a cool voice, ¡°Did you not want to see me because you cried and called me ¡®Daddy¡¯ that day?¡±
The author say something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: I really like it. Call me that a few more times. Song Xuanhe: I¡¯ll show you who should be the one getting called Daddy! ¡­¡­ Song Xuanhe: Daddy.
Eve: XYM¡­careful, your jealousy is showing just a little too much hahaha. And that mini theatre at the end in the author¡¯s note. RIP Xuanhe. Chapter 36: Looking for a Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyelid twitched. The hand hanging at his side came up and rested on the car¡¯s door handle. He opened the door and looked up at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lowered gaze looked pure and innocent, tinged with just the right amount of befuddlement. If it hadn¡¯t been for the fact that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze had been fixed on the other¡¯s face the whole time, he might have been deceived by this kind of inquisitive expression. However, when he recalled the Song Xuanhe from that night, who had clung onto him with misty eyes, crying out softly for him not to leave, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened. He looked away and said, ¡°You were drunk after the receptionst time. Do you not remember anything?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± Song Xuanhe replied without any hesitation. He would never admit to remembering such an embarrassing thing. ¡°I¡¯ll take you back. Get in.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at him. Seeing the other¡¯s indifferent appearance, he bent at the waist and boarded the car. After closing the passenger side door, Song Xuanhe let out an inaudible sigh. He then went around the car and got in through the driver¡¯s side. ¡°You¡¯re noting back with me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked out the window with an insipid gaze. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look up. ¡°I have something to do.¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned to look at him, tone unchanging. ¡°Something to do with the Song Family?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart skipped, and he brought his guard up. He remembered that ording to the original timeline, Xiao Yuanmu would probably soon find evidence of how the Song Family had bribed authorities for the sake of obtaining rights to a development zone. Him asking this question might be an attempt to gain additional chips while the Song Group was in a state of unrest. When he thought of what Li Nianan had told him when she had transferred the shares to him, Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. No matter what, the Song Group could not fall so quickly. ¡°You¡¯re interested?¡± Song Xuanhe kept his eyes forward, keeping his voice casual. Xiao Yuanmu naturally didn¡¯t miss the sh of vignce on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. The light in his eyes glinted slightly. The Song Xuanhe of his first life had treated him like he was a maggot. Therefore, he had never taken Xiao Yuanmu seriously. He had even foolishly left the door to his own study open. However, although the Song Xuanhe in this life seemed rude and unreasonable, he would always protect Xiao Yuanmu at a crucial moment. Based on that, it would be reasonable to assume that this Song Xuanhe cared about him. However, Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t read his thoughts. All he knew was that Song Xuanhe was guarded against him and had his misgivings towards him. The memories from his pre-rebirth self had quite an effect on him. If it weren¡¯t for the memories from the Xiao Yuanmu who had fallen for Song Xuanhe, he would probably have chosen to rx and rest for a while before returning to the Xiao Family rather than waste time here with Song Xuanhe. Just like the Song Xuanhe from his first life, both the Song Family and Song Xuanhe in this life were nothing but insects that could be crushed with his fists. But, these memories were so deeply engraved that they constantly affected his mental state. They caused his ns to change. Even after his memories had fused together, although he had known that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have any feelings for him¡ªrather than feelings, the other seemed to be more on guard¡ªthose memories had still been unforgiving. They made him unable to leave with an easy heart. It was like the emotions that he had abandoned long ago had finally returned to him, making it so that his cool-headed brain would no longer be able to make decisions purely based on reason. Xiao Yuanmu thought that, since this was the case, he¡¯d just treat the time they had now as a vacation. He¡¯d also take this time to figure out why Song Xuanhe had taken an interest in him and why he had wanted to be with him. He had nned to see through the other and find his true face. Whenever he managed to aplish that, those colourful, beautiful memories would naturally fade to grey. Like that, they would no longer be able to affect him. Upon observing Song Xuanhe, he had discovered that the other was indeed hiding something. However, the other¡¯s appearance and behaviour had not been faked. Since he wouldn¡¯t be able to get over these feelings by ¡°uncovering Song Xuanhe¡¯s true face¡±¡ªas there wasn¡¯t one to uncover¡ªhe thought that he would find out the reason why Song Xuanhe seemed to fear him instead. He figured that once he knew why the other had approached him despite obviously holding apprehension towards him, he¡¯d go back to normal. Hundreds of thoughts whirled in his mind, but only a second had passed in reality. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was serene as he said, ¡°No. I just wanted to know when you¡¯re going toe back to the apartment.¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly understood what he was getting at. Xiao Yuanmu was probably asking him this because he didn¡¯t want him toe back and disturb him. It was fortunate that they just happened to have the same view on this matter. If it wasn¡¯t because he had to, Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t want to live under the same roof as Xiao Yuanmu either. Although he thought this, Song Xuanhe curled his lips into a wicked grin. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll be back soon. Don¡¯t miss me too much.¡± The finger on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯sp curled slightly. A secondter, his voice lowered. ¡°I don¡¯t miss you.¡± This was the effect Song Xuanhe wanted. He was inwardly proud but didn¡¯t show any of it on his face. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I¡ª¡± ¡°I missed you¡± was what he was going to say when his ringtone cut him off. It was an unknown number, but Song Xuanhe still put on his bluetooth receiver and answered, ¡°This is Song Xuanhe.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Xiao Shenglin.¡± From the other side came Xiao Shenglin¡¯s gentle, smile-filled voice. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°You changed your number?¡± ¡°Yes. The number from before was a number I randomly got aftering back into the country. Something came up, and I¡¯m not using it anymore. This is my new number.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu and then asked, ¡°What¡¯s up? Did you need something?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you to go eat, ah,¡± Xiao Shenglinughed. ¡°I was having a meal with a friend, and I mentioned your skills as a designer. He really wants to meet you.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He didn¡¯t respond right away. Xiao Shenglin continued, ¡°I know that it¡¯d be really easy for you to open up your own studio, but he¡¯s the great van Noti¡¯sst disciple. His name is Feng Tong. He¡¯s got a lot of connections in the world of fashion design. I think that even if you don¡¯t n on getting serious, it wouldn¡¯t hurt to have a meal with him and get some insight.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe could tell that the other was doing this out of kindness without any ulterior motives. Therefore, he naturally wouldn¡¯t refuse. Furthermore, he¡¯d seen the shows Feng Tong had independently headed after finishing his apprenticeship. The other¡¯s use of colour intrigued him, causing him to be quite interested in meeting the other. ¡°Thanks.¡± Xiao Yuanmu noticed that the smile hadn¡¯t fallen from Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips even after he had hung up. He couldn¡¯t help but look away. A flicker of darkness shed through his otherwise calm eyes. He really wanted to know who the person on the other side of the call had been to be able to make Song Xuanhe look so openly happy. After dropping Xiao Yuanmu off, Song Xuanhe turned the car around and headed to the ce Xiao Shenglin had booked. He obviously wasn¡¯t going to meet that designer so hastily. He and Xiao Shenglin were just having a meal together. Since he had gone back to live at the Song Family¡¯s main residence, Song Xuanhe had stopped holding himself back. He still went to work and got off work very punctually. However, after work, he wouldn¡¯t return to the Song Residence straight away. Instead, he¡¯d take a stroll or go sit at some ce that he was interested in. Meanwhile, it just so happened to be time for the ser world cup. He had gone to a sports bar specifically meant for ser fans to watch the games when he had bumped into Xiao Shenglin, who had alsoe alone. The other had been quietly sitting in a corner of the bar. When his preferred team had scored, his eyes would curve up into a smile, making him look very gentle. When he noticed Song Xuanhe, he had called him over to sit with him. Song Xuanhe loved ser. In his original world, he had specifically attended the matches of his favourite team. This hadn¡¯t changed even aftering to this world. When he had been bored, he had tuned in to countless matches. Naturally, he now had a favourite team. He hadn¡¯t expected that he and Xiao Shenglin would actually be fans of the same team. When their team won, while others whooped with joy, they would only smile at each other and clink their sses together. Later on, after having several meals together, Song Xuanhe discovered that, regardless of whether it was the other¡¯s personality or hobbies, the two of them were verypatible. He was willful while Xiao Shenglin was gentle. Even when they didn¡¯t agree, they would not argue. Moreover, he and Xiao Shenglin had many interests inmon. It was like they could talk about anything. Therefore, it wasn¡¯t like they would disagree often. Furthermore, Xiao Shenglin was a character who existed outside of the plot. Song Xuanhe could rx more when interacting with him. Therefore, after having spent some time together, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin¡¯s rtionship had already be like that of good friends who had known each other for a long time. It was a prettymon urrence for them to just call each other up and have a meal together. When Song Xuanhe arrived, Xiao Shenglin was already there. Seeing hime through the door, Xiao Shenglin smiled. ¡°Qian Ping called me today. He said that you guys bumped into Wei Chen while out for crabs.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Xuanhe sat in front of him, stretching his long legs out. ¡°He was sitting next to us. Qian Ping had been talking about him, and Wei Chen overheard.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s smile deepened when he heard this. However, he wasn¡¯t worried. He knew that Qian Ping and Song Xuanhe were not the type to talk badly about someone behind their back. Therefore, he just said, ¡°Qian Ping said that you were going to ask Professor Li for his data?¡± The waiters carried a few dishes in and then quietly left the room. Their actions were nimble and agile. Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°Mn, I¡¯m going to help him ask.¡± Xiao Shenglin nodded and didn¡¯t ask anything more. He picked up his chopsticks and started on another topic. ¡°Zhou Nan¡¯s asked me to ask you to go bowling tonight. Are you going toe?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Song Xuanhe just so happened to want to get some exercise in. ¡°It¡¯ll help with digestion.¡± When the two of them met up with Zhou Nan, Song Xuanhe realized that it wasn¡¯t just Zhou Nan but a few other familiar faces as well. One of which was Wei Chen. When Wei Chen saw Song Xuanhe, he also raised a brow in surprise. He said, ¡°I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d see you here.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect it either.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips curled up into a smile. He didn¡¯t say anything else and just went to grab a bowling ball. Wei Chen followed after him. When he saw how well Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin got along, how rxed and familiar he was with the other, he couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°I didn¡¯t know the two of you were so close.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that you and I were close either.¡± ¡°We can get to know each other.¡± There was a smile on Wei Chen¡¯s lips. He didn¡¯t seem affected by Song Xuanhe¡¯s obvious attempt at shooing him away. ¡°We¡¯ll get closer as time passes.¡± ¡°You and I are not that close, and I don¡¯t really want to be close to you either.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s bowling ball left his hand and rolled in a straight line. It was a strike. Last time, when Song Xuanhe had picked up Wei Chen¡¯s call, Zhou Nan had thought that Wei Chen probably treated Song Xuanhe quite well. However, seeing Wei Chen stick to Song Xuanhe with a beaming face while Song Xuanhe gave him a cold expression made his eyes widen in shock. Although he didn¡¯t know Wei Chen very well, he knew of the other¡¯s personality. The other didn¡¯t usually pay attention to other people. There were few people who he¡¯d ever show a pleasant expression to. So, why was he talking to Song Er and smiling at him? Zhou Nan¡¯s gaze swept over Song Er¡¯s pale, smiling profile. With a start, he thought¡­It couldn¡¯t be that Wei Chen is interested in Song Er? It couldn¡¯t be! Everyone knew that Song Er had a boyfriend right now and that he really liked this boyfriend. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t like Wei Chen hadn¡¯t known Song Er before. But in the past, the other hadn¡¯t fawned over him that much. Zhou Nan also hadn¡¯t seen the two of them exchange all that many words before. So, why had Wei Chen changed attitudes so suddenly? Moreover, he¡¯d never heard of Wei Chen liking anyone in the past. Zhou Nan¡¯s expression changed slightly. It couldn¡¯t be that Wei Chen liked going after taken people? Regardless of what Wei Chen wanted, Song Er, that idiot, wasn¡¯t a match for him. Although Zhou Nan wanted to get on Wei Chen¡¯s medical robot project, he couldn¡¯t watch on indifferently as the other tempted Song Er into two-timing. Moreover, although Xiao Yuanmu, that youngster, looked innocent, he was actually enigmatic and difficult-to-predict. As the old saying goes, the future of young people was boundless, so don¡¯t look down on them for being poor right now. If Song Er¡¯s willpower was weak now, he might regret it in the future. ¡°Awesome!¡± Zhou Nan walked over, ncing at Wei Chen, in a seemingly inadvertent fashion. He then smiled at Song Xuanhe, ¡°Let me introduce you to someone.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Zhou Nan wanted, winking at him like that. However, he didn¡¯t want to deal with Wei Chen, so he put the ball down and followed after the other without a word. When they reached the door to the lounge, Zhou Nan frowned and said, ¡°Is there something Wei Chen wants from you?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. Xiao Yuanmu appeared in his mind. He calmly asked, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you think that Wei Chen¡¯s attitude towards you is a bit weird?¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°It wasn¡¯t like he wouldn¡¯t speak to others before, but there have been many people who have fawned over him but still ended up failing to get in with him. Moreover, he¡¯s never been one to wrong himself. Aside from his mother and grandmother, I¡¯ve never seen him act amiably to anyone else.¡± ¡°So, you think he¡¯s approaching me with an ulterior motive?¡± Song Xuanhe asked. When Zhou Nan heard this, he looked Song Xuanhe up and down, clicking his tongue. He then shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t think of anything you have that would interest him. Your uncle¡¯s data can¡¯t be enough to make him like this.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips curled up. He didn¡¯t really know what Wei Chen wanted right now. However, he did know what Wei Chen would want in the future. ¡°What does he want?¡± Seeing Song Xuanhe so calm, Zhou Nan felt suspicious, ¡°You don¡¯t actually have something he really wants, do you?¡± After saying this, Zhou Nan thought for a long time. He nted his chin onto his fist and said, ¡°It can¡¯t be regarding Old Master Wei¡¯s seventieth birthday, can it? Recently, he¡¯s been on the hunt for some nice antiques. Do you have one?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head. Seeing Zhou Nan frown, he said, ¡°But maybe, Song Guochao or my mom have something.¡± Zhou Nan seemed to suddenlye to a realization. Mrs. Song had always loved collecting antiques. She had studied relic restoration in university too. It was to be expected that she had some valuable things on hand. This would exin why Wei Chen was acting so friendly towards Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want Zhou Nan to continue thinking about this issue. He asked, ¡°Who¡¯s the person you wanted to introduce to me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see him.¡± The smile on Zhou Nan¡¯s face was unrestrained. ¡°This person is also the reason why Wei Chen had toe.¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t interested at all. However, he still cooperated and pretended to want to meet this person. Zhou Nan pushed the lounge door open. The three people inside looked up. The person in the middle smiled. ¡°Zhou shao, didn¡¯t you say that there was a talented individual hidden in this bowling alley? A chef who is really good at making desserts? They still haven¡¯t arrived. We¡¯re all starving.¡± Zhou Nan: ¡°They¡¯reing. You¡¯ll get it when you eat them.¡± Song Xuanhe, who was following from behind, cocked a brow. He hadn¡¯t thought that these people had actuallye to eat, not to y. However, he had just eaten, so he wasn¡¯t all that interested in the desserts that they were talking about. ¡°Let me introduce you guys to someone.¡± Zhou Nan beamed. ¡°My good friend, Song Xuanhe, the Song Family¡¯s second son.¡± The person who had just been speaking smiled politely towards Song Xuanhe. The other two people were bent over their phones. Who knew what they were ying? They didn¡¯t even look up. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care. He had onlye here to avoid Wei Chen. He found it much morefortable sitting here without having anyone try to talk to him. Despite being the person doing the introductions, Zhou Nan didn¡¯t feel awkward either. He smiled and continued to introduce the three people in the room to Song Xuanhe before sitting next to thetter. The hacker Song Xuanhe had found before was very good. Not only did the other find information on Zhang Xiuya, but he had also even found her location after the other had left the country with the Song Family¡¯s money. Song Xuanhe was a bit surprised. He replied: Additional charges? ******: I was bored. This is just a follow-up for you. If you want to pay me though, I¡¯ll take it. Song Xuanhe knew what a money grubber this person was. He sent the other fifty thousand yuan. ******: Didn¡¯t have to give that much. If you have something else you want to investigate, let me know. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply, because Zhou Nan had stuck his head over. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Who are you chatting with?¡± Zhou Nan was just asking, not actually caring about the answer. He spoke into Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear. ¡°When the food arrives, I¡¯ll introduce you again.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, his gaze falling on the two young people huddled close together. He said in a t tone, ¡°No need. I just came to rest.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue. ¡°You¡¯ll understand in a bit.¡± As soon as he had finished speaking, a knock on the heavy door came. Zhou Nan answered, and the person on the other side entered. Several little dishes were ced in the centre of the coffee table. The desserts looked simple and unadorned. However, they emitted an extremely faint, tempting, milky scent. The two people who had been huddled together looked up. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze just so happened to meet with one of them when he looked away from the desserts. When he realized who it was, he was taken aback. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± The young man¡¯s shiny eyes widened. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think that he¡¯d see this baby-faced man two days in a row. But despite his shock, he only nodded calmly. When the young man had spoken, everyone¡¯s gaze had turned towards Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction. The other person who hadn¡¯t raised his head all this time asked, ¡°You know him?¡± The young man nodded and then shook his head. When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s t expression, he snorted, ¡°I only saw him once.¡± Zhou Nan was surprised. He turned to Song Xuanhe and asked, ¡°When did you meet Guan shao?¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t heard what Zhou Nan had called the young man clearly. His tone was indifferent. ¡°We sat together at the same table yesterday.¡± The young man called ¡°Guan shao¡± looked away. He picked up one of the desserts and took a bite. When he saw no one else move, he said, ¡°It¡¯s all right. Try it.¡± Although he seemed to be addressing everyone, his eyes were on Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe noticed his gaze and said, ¡°I just had dinner.¡± He meant that he didn¡¯t want to eat it. Everyone¡¯s expression changed subtly when they heard this. The young man¡¯s expression also sunk. He ced the dessert down and said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eat something even he looks down on.¡± Zhou Nan poked Song Xuanhe with his elbow and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m not dealing with this. Go coax that kid.¡± Song Xuanhe was baffled. He had lived in two different worlds but had never coaxed anyone before. Even so, Zhou Nan had saved him from Wei Chen¡¯s harassment, so he had no choice but to resolve the room¡¯s awkward atmosphere if he didn¡¯t want to leave. Furthermore, the pastries did smell good. They didn¡¯t seem greasy. Song Xuanhe leaned over and picked up one that looked good and took a small bite. It tasted pretty good. His eyes curved into a smile, and he said, ¡°It¡¯s good.¡± He had picked up a pastry and taken a bite out of it beforementing. This series of actions was both natural and carefree. There was no awkwardness that would usuallye from being pped in the face by your own words. Rather, his actions gave off anguid, unrestrained feeling. Not only did it not feel like he was just pretending to be calm, but he also really did seem calm and confident. When the young man saw him eat the pastry, his expression improved. He walked over and sat down on the sofa near Song Xuanhe. When he saw Song Xuanhe look over, he pursed his lips and said, ¡°I want to eat this one. Sitting over there isn¡¯t convenient.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and finished his pastry in an unhurried fashion. He then wiped his hands with a napkin before getting up, preparing to leave. Compared to Wei Chen, who liked to pretend like they were close, this arrogant and willful young master was obviously much more troublesome. Outside would probably be morefortable. However, as soon as Song Xuanhe stood up, the young man furrowed his brows and asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°Out.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have any ill will towards the young man, because the other¡¯s willful appearance was simr to how he had been himself at seventeen/eighteen. No one would hate themself. But, it was precisely because Song Xuanhe knew himself well that he knew that the young man would be hard to deal with. The young man also stood up. He folded his arms and raised his chin. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± Song Xuanhe faintly felt like this action was rather familiar. However, he didn¡¯t think much of it. If the other was going to follow him, what would be the point of going outside? To face double the trouble? When he thought of this, Song Xuanhe sat back down. The young man¡¯s expression changed. Even if he had been blind, he¡¯d be able to tell that Song Xuanhe¡¯s action of standing up and sitting down was because he didn¡¯t want to interact with him. His lips pressed into a straight line. He snorted and was about to leave. However, before he reached the door, it was pushed open from the outside. Xiao Shenglin and Wei Chen appeared. When Wei Chen saw the young man, a smile graced his previously expressionless face. ¡°Guan shao.¡± The young man nodded. ¡°Wei ge.¡± Wei Chen looked around the room, his gaze pausing on Song Xuanhe¡¯s body for a few seconds. He then stepped into the room. ¡°I just heard that you were here, so I came over. Are you nning on going out to y?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t youe to eat?¡± Wei Chen nced at the rather untouched pastries. ¡°Do they not taste good?¡± The young man followed Wei Chen¡¯s gaze. His eyes paused on Song Xuanhe before he looked away. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± ¡°Then, eat some more. I happen to have something to talk to you about.¡± Wei Chen headed over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side and sat down. He then said to the young man, ¡°Come sit.¡± The young man looked at Song Xuanhe one more time. He then sat next to Wei Chen. At this moment, he noticed Xiao Shenglin, who was also walking over. He asked, ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Wei Chen introduced him. ¡°Xiao Shenglin, my friend.¡± After saying this, he introduced Xiao Shenglin to the young man. ¡°This is Guan Zhi, my younger cousin.¡± Xiao Shenglin smiled and greeted Guan Zhi. No one noticed that Song Xuanhe¡¯s, who had been leaning backzily while ying on his phone, eyelid twitched at this introduction. Guan Zhi? The youngest of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pursuers? The book had never mentioned that he was Wei Chen¡¯s cousin though?
Eve: I love Guan Zhi. He¡¯s like a tsundere adorable little chick following after Xuanhe hahaha. In my mind he¡¯s like the baby cousin who wants to y with the older, cool cousin. But instead the cool cousin gives him a controller that¡¯s not connected to the game console. Chapter 37: Found a Handsome Man Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you bbe1989 for the kofi! ??
The rtionships between people in higher society were really messy. This was Song Xuanhe¡¯s first thought. Cousins had fallen in love with the same man, and yet, the book had never mentioned their rtionship. That¡¯s weird. That was Song Xuanhe¡¯s second thought. Before Song Xuanhe¡¯s third thought, Guan Zhi had turned the conversation onto him. Guan Zhi: ¡°Wei ge, who¡¯s this?¡± Wei Chen nced at Song Xuanhe, who Guan Zhi was gesturing at with his chin. A sh of shock flickered through his eyes. His younger cousin had been thoroughly pampered while growing up. He wasn¡¯t actually arrogant by nature. However, when he saw the other speak of Song Xuanhe with such undisguised discontent, he could tell that there seemed to be some kind of grudge between them. However, he wanted to see how Song Xuanhe would fix this. ¡°This is Song Xuanhe.¡± There was a smile on Wei Chen¡¯s lips. ¡°One of the Song Group¡¯s sessors.¡± Guan Zhi nodded slightly, ncing at Song Xuanhe askance. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother looking up. He just sat there, ying with his phone. Guan Zhi¡¯s expression sank. He angrily grabbed a pastry and ced it in front of Song Xuanhe. Everyone thought that he was about to make things difficult for Song Xuanhe, but instead, he just said in a loud voice, ¡°Is my hand shaking?¡± Everyone in the lounge was taken aback. Wei Chen was also confused. Even Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger paused for two seconds as he was ying his game. Afterwards, he couldn¡¯t hold back hisughter as he recalled what had happened yesterday. Because of Song Guochao¡¯s scandal, the entire Song Group had been busy as ofte. However, after everything had settled, most departments became very free. Therefore, after looking at several documents in the morning, Song Xuanhe, who hadn¡¯t eaten much at breakfast, couldn¡¯t sit still. It had just so happened that their lunch break was also quickly approaching. Therefore, he had pushed away his pile of documents and left thepany building. He then drove through downtown and went to a restaurant that Wei Chen over the phone had said was rather good. The restaurant¡¯s business was booming. When Song Xuanhe had entered, forget private rooms, even single table spots weren¡¯t avable. The waiter had noticed his expensive clothing and had nervously asked, ¡°Sir, would you be willing to share a table? The gentleman at the window seat is dining alone. If you don¡¯t mind, perhaps you could share a table with him.¡± With regards to eating, Song Xuanhe was both very particr and not particr at all. As long as the food was tasty, he was willing to squat at the door with a bowl. Therefore, he didn¡¯t hesitate to agree to the waiter¡¯s suggestion. The customer sitting at the mentioned window seat was a fashionable looking-youth, who had earbuds in. When he saw Song Xuanhe sit in front of him, he only nced at him before continuing to eat his food. Song Xuanhe had no interest in conversing with strangers. He ordered several of the restaurant¡¯s signature dishes and then sat there quietly, waiting. He didn¡¯t even take out his phone. Shortly after, Song Xuanhe¡¯s first dish arrived. This was the dish the restaurant was best known for: beef pancakes. Although it was a pancake, the dough was very thin, about as thin as the skin of a dumpling. However, it felt fluffy and sturdy like bread. It was a recipe that had been handed down through many generations of this shop. Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t in a rush to eat it. He first sniffed the three different sauces provided and tasted each one with his chopsticks. He then grabbed a bowl and mixed the sauces together in different proportions. After stirring it all together, he even sprinkled some ck pepper on it. When he had finished mixing, he grabbed a pancake, scooped some sauce onto it, and then addedtro and cucumber on top. Lastly, he ced a piece of beef on it before folding it closed and cing it in his mouth. Song Xuanhe had a habit of chewing slowly and savouring the taste of his food. His actions had been very elegant, but this hadn¡¯t affected his expression. His eyes had slightly curved just from eating this beef pancake. It made the person opposite of him think that the pancake he wrapped up must have tasted especially good. ¡°Why did you mix the sauces together?¡± Halfway through the dish, a clear and melodious voice interrupted him. Song Xuanhe looked up and saw that the young man in front of him had taken off his earbuds at some point in time. He was currently staring at the beef pancake in his hands, unblinking. Song Xuanhe moved the half-eaten beef pancake back and forth. Indeed, he saw that the young man¡¯s gaze followed his action. He found this interesting, so he raised the corner of his lips and asked, ¡°You want to eat it?¡± The young man blinked and then nodded earnestly. The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face grew. He took another bite and chewed it thoroughly before swallowing. He then met the young man¡¯s gaze of anticipation with a wicked smile. ¡°I won¡¯t give you any.¡± The young man¡¯s eyes widened. Obviously, he hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would refuse him. He was stupefied for a moment. He then became angry, looking like a kitten whose fur had puffed out. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have eaten it even if you had given it to me!¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then put thest bit into his mouth. ¡°Mn. I won¡¯t give it to you.¡± The young man stood up, huffing. He then snorted before sitting back down. He asked the waiter for another order of beef pancakes. When his pancakes had arrived, he followed the steps Song Xuanhe had just taken in making his sauce. He then gave Song Xuanhe a challenging re before he bit into his pancake. After that one bite though, he threw the pancake back onto his te and frowned. ¡°Disgusting.¡± Song Xuanheughed. He handed the pancake he had just wrapped up over to the young man. ¡°Youck experience.¡± The young man hesitated for a moment. He thought of how Song Xuanhe had been eating with gusto just now. In the end, he couldn¡¯t help but take it. After taking a bite, his eyes widened. He finished the pancake in just two more bites before eximing, ¡°We mixed the same sauces. Howe yours taste so good?¡± Song Xuanhe rested his chin on his hand. He raised a brow when he heard this. ¡°If you let people with extremely different tastes use the same clothes to form an outfit, will their outfitse out looking the same?¡± The young man shook his head, and then, his expression darkened. ¡°Are you saying that my tastes suck?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled indolently. ¡°I¡¯mughing at you, because your hands were shaking.¡± The young man gritted his teeth. A long timeter, he spat out, ¡°Your hands are shaking, your whole neighbourhood¡¯s hands are shaking!¡± Back to the present, when the young man saw Song Xuanheugh and not respond, his bright eyes lit up with fury. He raised his hand and waved it in front of the other as if proving himself. ¡°Look, are my hands shaking?¡± It was hard for Song Xuanhe to rescind his smile. He took the matcha dessert from Guan Zhi¡¯s hands and took a bite. ¡°It¡¯s not shaking. The neighbourhood¡¯s not shaking either.¡± Guan Zhi had yet to get over the shock of having the dessert in his hand stolen away. His eyes met with the other¡¯s smiling ones. It felt like a basin of water had been sshed over the mes of his anger. It had probably been hot water too, because his ears had redden. Guan Zhi turned his head away, not looking at him anymore. ¡°Even if your hands shook, mine wouldn¡¯t.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t respond. He picked up the tea that went with the desserts. The faint vour of tea counteracted the bitter taste of the matcha dessert, leaving a sweet aftertaste. The aromas of the matcha and flowering tea mixed together. He couldn¡¯t help but take a few more sips. Guan Zhi watched as the other drank the tea. He couldn¡¯t help but recall when they had been eating beef pancakes yesterday. He also picked up a cup and took a sip. However, he didn¡¯t notice anything special. He nced at Song Xuanhe and then put the cup down. At this moment, the spectators, who had watched this scene y out before them, realized that things weren¡¯t exactly as they had thought. Guan Zhi did meet Song Xuanhe prior to today. However, he didn¡¯t seem to loathe the other. Wei Chen raised a brow. ¡°You two know each other?¡± ¡°We had a meal together yesterday,¡± Guan Zhi said. The others looked at Song Xuanhe. Therefore, he looked up and said in a dull voice, ¡°There were no seats left, so we shared a table.¡± Wei Chen took in Guan Zhi¡¯s expression and smiled. ¡°He went to the restaurant I rmended yesterday. I didn¡¯t think that Xuanhe would also go there.¡± ¡°It was on the way,¡± Song Xuanhe said. He looked like he was still smiling, but he was actually examining Wei Chen. ¡°I¡¯m going to go bowl. You guys can stay here.¡± Xiao Shenglin also stood up. He smiled and said, ¡°I came here to ask you to y. Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He then passed by Wei Chen and Guan Zhi, leaving the lounge with Xiao Shenglin. As soon as they were through the door, Xiao Shaoye said, ¡°You know the youngest young master of the Guan Family?¡± ¡°Are you talking about Guan Zhi?¡± Faced with Xiao Shenglin, Song Xuanhe¡¯s impatient tone eased up. ¡°It was as I said just now. We just shared a table during a meal. I didn¡¯t think we¡¯d meet again.¡± Xiao Shenglin seemed a bit worried. ¡°I heard that Guan Zhi is the only legitimate grandson of the direct lineage in the Guan Family. His entire family is extremely protective of him. I wonder why he has suddenlye to China.¡± When he heard Xiao Shenglin say this, Song Xuanhe recalled that one of the major eight financial groups in the book was the Guan Family. They had settled in Canada several years ago. They had even transferred their core headquarters to the Americas. They rarely set foot in China. ¡°Probably has to do with Wei Chen,¡± Song Xuanhe guessed. ¡°Possibly.¡± Xiao Shenglin thought the same. ¡°Just now, I noticed that although Guan Zhi is a bit childish, he¡¯s not really overbearing. He didn¡¯t hold any malice towards you just now.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°He¡¯s a kid. I won¡¯t bicker with him over this.¡± With that, Xiao Shenglin was reassured. He didn¡¯t say anything more. This was why Song Xuanhe liked Xiao Shenglin¡¯s personality. Even when he was worried, he would only do this much. He would never meddle in other people¡¯s lives. Even when giving others warning, the way he said it made it really easy to ept. How could it not feelfortable, interacting with someone like this? * Xiao Yuanmu got a call from an unknown number. From the other side came a young voice. He hesitated. ¡°Is this Yuanmu gege?¡± A girl¡¯s voice asked timidly. Xiao Yuanmu recalled that this was the girl who had called for them the day Song Xuanhe had him move out of the orphanage. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice softened, although it wasn¡¯t obvious. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± The girl seemed like she had finally found a pir to hold onto when she heard his voice. She sobbed, ¡°Yuanmu gege, can youe back to the orphanage? Director Granny is sick. She won¡¯t go to the hospital. We¡¯re really scared.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was startled. He suddenly recalled that around this time had been when the Director had passed away in his first life. At that time, it had been the first time he had asked Song Xuanhe for help. However, all he had gotten in return was ridicule. Shortly after, the Director died. That had been the reason why he had decided to destroy the Song Group. He hadn¡¯t expected that after so long, he¡¯d get a chance to make up for his regrets. When Xiao Yuanmu reached the orphanage, the old Director¡¯s door was already surrounded by many people. Seeing him arrive, the children all made way. It was probably because they knew that only he had enough money to help. There was no fear towards him anymore, only anticipation. One of the boys even tugged on his clothes and cried. ¡°Yuanmu gege, will you please save Director Granny?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t really care about these children. Seeing them like this, he only nodded coolly. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Several employees were inside the Director¡¯s room. When they saw Xiao Yuanmu walk in, their eyes lit up. They all knew that Xiao Yuanmu had a good job and that he had a high level of education. Even if there was hope left for the Director, only Xiao Yuanmu could help her now. ¡°Yuanmu, you¡¯vee.¡± A middle-aged woman wearing simple and in clothes gave up her seat. She said to him, ¡°Quickly go persuade your Director Granny. She fell so badly but still refuses to go to the hospital!¡± Xiao Yuanmu walked over to the bed, gaze falling on the elderly woman in the bed. It had been a long time since hest saw her, so long that she felt a bit unfamiliar now. The elderly woman¡¯s face fused together with the kindly face in his memories. A flicker of warmth shed through his eyes. After his rebirth, he had invested all his money in the stock market. Recently, he had donated some of his earnings from those investments to the orphanage. Because of many reasons, it hadn¡¯t been appropriate for him toe back to the orphanage. Therefore, he had never returned until now. He had almost forgotten about the elderly woman¡¯s death. ¡°Granny, I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± When the elderlydy heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, she slowly opened her eyes and shed him a kindly smile. ¡°Yuanmu, ah, you¡¯re so busy with work. Why are you back? Granny is fine. You don¡¯t have to be worried with them for no reason.¡± The voice from his memories sounded in his ears again. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s jaw tightened. He lowered his gaze and pursed his lips slightly. ¡°Recently, thepany has introduced a benefit that pays forpany employees¡¯ family members¡¯ health checkups. I¡¯ve been meaning to take you all this time. We might as well go now.¡± The elderly woman was startled. She then smiled. ¡°You don¡¯t have to take an oldie like me. It¡¯s a waste. Take your Auntie Wang. She¡¯s been talking about how her elbow hasn¡¯t been feeling well. Take her to have that checked up.¡± When he heard the elderly woman say ¡®Auntie Wang¡¯, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. However, a smile appeared on his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll take you first. There¡¯s no hurry with getting Auntie Wang¡¯s issue looked at. The vehicle¡¯s already waiting for you outside. It isn¡¯t good to make them wait any longer.¡± ¡°What vehicle?¡± The elderly woman asked, shocked. However, before Xiao Yuanmu could say anything, from outside came the energetic voices of the children. ¡°It¡¯s the ambnce! The doctors are here!¡± The old woman was surprised. ¡°Why did you call the ambnce? Granny is fine.¡± The corner of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips rose slightly. He had the paramedics lift the elderly woman onto a gurney and into the ambnce. At the hospital, the doctor gave the old woman a checkup and sighed. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that you brought her here in time. There¡¯s a clot in her brain, because she hit her head. If you were even a littlete, it would have be very difficult to save her. We have to be careful of every bump and fall when ites to people in their advanced age. If they fall, you can only be reassured after getting a checkup at the hospital. You did well.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sighed slightly in relief. The doctor continued, ¡°It¡¯s not ideal to perform surgery because of her advanced age. I rmend letting her stay at the hospital to receive treatment. What do you think?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The doctor looked at Xiao Yuanmu and saw that his expression was steady, and his clothes were of high quality. He, thus, knew that this person probably didn¡¯tck money. Therefore, he smiled and said, ¡°Alright. She should be fine once treatment is underway. All you have to do is pay for the treatment downstairs.¡± After leaving the doctor¡¯s office, Xiao Yuanmu directly headed to the payment hall. Halfway there, his steps paused. He then pulled out his phone and made a call. When Song Xuanhe got Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s call, he was five to four against Wei Chen. Shortly after he and Xiao Shenglin hade out of the lounge, Zhou Nan, Wei Chen, and the rest had also followed them out. They then dispersed and yed for a while. Zhou Nan had then separated them into teams and proposed they have apetition They would have ten rounds. Right now, it was him against Wei Chen. ¡°I have to take a call.¡± When he saw the caller¡¯s name, Song Xuanhe was surprised. When he found out what had happened from the System, he ced the bowling ball down. Wei Chen took in Song Xuanhe¡¯s furrowed brows and said, ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you to finish taking your call.¡± Walking past the spectators, Song Xuanhe walked outside towards the garden. The caller had already hung up, so he dialed back. Song Xuanhe: ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Something happened to the director of the orphanage. Can I borrow some money from you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was downcast. He repeated the words that he had said in hisst life. ¡°I¡¯ll return the money to you as soon as possible.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the moths circling themp outside. He was silent for a while before he recited his lines in an insipid tone. ¡°What will you use to repay me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. He recalled what he had been thinking when this had happened in hisst life. Back then, Song Xuanhe had also been silent for a long time. In the other¡¯s silence, he had thought of many things. He had thought that, if Song Xuanhe had helped him this once, then he would abandon attacking the Song Group. He had also thought that, as long as Song Xuanhe had been willing to lend him the money so that the old Director could undergo surgery, he would forget all the humiliation he had suffered under the other. However, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t agreed back then. Just like how he hadn¡¯t agreed just now. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled into a slight, cold smile. However, his voice softened. ¡°What do you want?¡± When Song Xuanhe heard these lines that matched the lines in the book perfectly, he picked a bench by the flowers. He pursed his lips and said, ¡°You can¡¯t give me what I want.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up. All around him were the doctorsing and going in their whiteb coats and the cold light of the hospital. His face turned cold and heavy. ¡°How do you know that I can¡¯t give it to you if you don¡¯t tell me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a pauper without parents. Aside from your face, you have nothing.¡± Song Xuanhe sat down on the bench, his eyes on the beautiful flowers that were shaded by the night sky. He said in an indifferent tone, ¡°Besides, I¡¯m just about tired with that face of yours. What can you offer me? I¡¯m busy. Don¡¯t bother me.¡± Song Xuanhe hung up. He ced the phone on the bench and stretched his legs, leaning against the back of the bench. His hands covered his eyes. ¡¾This scene shouldn¡¯t have happened now. It wasn¡¯t supposed to happen untilter.¡¿The System nced at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, its voice cautious£º¡¾But, the lines were right. So, it¡¯ll still be consideredpleted.¡¿ ¡¾What a f*cking lousy plot.¡¿Song Xuanhe dropped his hands£º¡¾The earlier we get this done, the earlier I can go back.¡¿ The System was taken aback and fell silent. Song Xuanhe sat there for a long time before he picked his phone back up and made another call. ¡°Assistant Zhang, donate two million yuan to the Qing City Orphanage tomorrow.¡± Assistant Zhang on the other side was startled. He then recalled the rtionship between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu and quickly replied. ¡°Okay. If it¡¯s emergency funds, I can send it over today.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Song Xuanhe said inly, ¡°Send it over tomorrow morning after ten o¡¯clock. Don¡¯t take too long. Also, don¡¯t include my name. Just make up some identity. Make up a rich merchant from a different city.¡± Zhang Chao didn¡¯t get it, but he didn¡¯t ask anything more. He agreed. ¡°Okay. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at his phone screen that had already turned off. He then got up and was about to go back inside. However, as soon as he stood up, he saw that there was someone standing underneath a tree a few steps away. ¡°Guan Zhi.¡± ¡°Who were you talking to just now?¡± Guan Zhi walked over and asked. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°None of your business.¡± ¡°You called the second person to give money to the first person?¡± ¡°I told you, it¡¯s none of your business.¡± Song Xuanhe was already in a bad mood, so there was a tone of impatience suppressed in his voice. ¡°Move.¡± ¡°Since you were nning on giving that person money anyway, why didn¡¯t you just give it to them?¡± Guan Zhi didn¡¯t move. He stared at Song Xuanhe stubbornly as if he wouldn¡¯t let it go until he got an answer. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly, and his voice turned cold. ¡°I don¡¯t want to say it again. Move.¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t move? What are you going to do?¡± Guan Zhi folded his arms and raised his chin. However, there was a sliver of hurt and apprehension in his eyes. Song Xuanhe had already extended a hand out, but upon seeing this expression, he held back some of his strength. But, he still pushed the other to the side before walking past him. Zhou Nan was still bowling. When he saw Song Xuanhe walk over with a heavy expression, he exchanged nces with Xiao Shenglin. Neither of them said anything. The youth who had been sitting next to Guan Zhi earlier asked, ¡°Song shao, did something happen?¡± Wei Chen turned around. When he noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, he paused and then said, ¡°If something¡¯s wrong, you can head back first.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head. He then took a bowling ball with him to the other side and yed by himself. Everyone exchanged nces. Zhou Nan frowned. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen that kind of expression on him.¡± Xiao Shenglin was also worried. He was about to say something when he saw Guan Zhi walk in. His expression was hardly any different from Song Xuanhe¡¯s. With a wooden expression on his face, which seemed to still hold some baby fat, he headed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction. They were all taken aback and quickly followed after. ¡°I¡¯ll face you.¡± Guan Zhi walked over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side, expression taut. Song Xuanhe gave him an indifferent nce. He didn¡¯t speak. Guan Zhi¡¯s lips were pulled into a tight line. He wasn¡¯t good at bowling. Just now, he hadn¡¯t yed a lot. He would only hit two pins when he threw the ball. It was too tragic to bear seeing his score on the screen. He said, ¡°If I lose ten times, you won¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He turned to look at Guan Zhi. The other stood beside him, bowling ball in hand. His gaze was evasive as he awkwardly said in a quiet voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t mean to pry into your affairs. Sorry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not angry at you.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head, his tone easing up. ¡°You don¡¯t have to apologize.¡± ¡°After I lose to you ten times, you have to ept my apology.¡± Guan Zhi looked up, meeting Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. Song Xuanhe was unmoved by this, but his voice regained its usualzy tone. ¡°You didn¡¯t do anything wrong. I¡¯m the one who should apologize.¡± ¡°Then instead, when I want to eat with you, you¡¯ll say yes, right?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind nked. He then suddenly recalled why Guan Zhi had fallen for Xiao Yuanmu, and his mood brightened. He nodded, ¡°Sure.¡± The other people were confused, hearing their conversation. Although they didn¡¯t know what had happened, they had all been shocked to see Guan Zhi apologize, especially Wei Chen. It was probably a Guan Family tradition¡ªsince they had been young, whether it was Wei Chen, his mother, or Guan Zhi, none of them had ever been one to apologize and admit their wrongs. His mother didn¡¯t apologize, because his father spoiled her. He wasn¡¯t one to apologize either, because he had never done anything that he had thought he had to apologize for. As for Guan Zhi, with his identity, he just never had to apologize. Both his and Guan Zhi¡¯s first apologies had just so happened to have been given to Song Xuanhe. Wei Chen narrowed his eyes. His pursed lips slowly raised into a smile. He seemed to be examining Song Xuanhe carefully.
Eve: Isn¡¯t Guan Zhi so sweet ToT. He¡¯s such a precious baby. And my heartaches for Xuanhe, having to say such things. He¡¯s such a sweetie afterwards, telling his assistant to donate because his heart just couldn¡¯t take it. Kara: Ahahahaha, Guan Zhi is such an awkward baby! He¡¯s my favorite rival love interest so far. I¡¯m also heartbroken after that phone call though!!£¨ £Ô§¥£Ô£©Stupid system!! Why are you always trying to split my babies apart?! However, knowing XY, I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll be mad for too long, hopefully. Please Mumu, forgive Xuanhe, he didn¡¯t mean it!!©c(¡ä¡õ£à¡£)? Chapter 38: A Serious Face, Icy-Cold Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Loki_Niflheim for the kofi! ??
Guan Zhi was someone who always did as he said. He called Song Xuanhe only two days after the bowling night, wanting to go out and eat with him. However, no one picked up even after he had called several times. At that time, Song Xuanhe had just gotten off work and was going to meet up with Xiao Shenglin. He hadn¡¯t expected to bump into the indifferent-faced Xiao Yuanmu as well as Song Jiani, who he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time, at the door. Just as his phone rang, Song Jiani caught sight of him. She headed over to him and hugged his arm. ¡°Xuanhe gege, Auntie said that we should all have a meal together.¡± After she said this, she cast a disdainful and proud nce at the tall Xiao Yuanmu, who stood a few feet away. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t pay any attention to her expression. His eyes were on Song Xuanhe, who was obviously losing his patience. His gaze was focused on the hard leather book in Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands. His gaze darkened slightly, and he asked, ¡°Where are you going?¡± Song Xuanhe pulled his arm out of Song Jiani¡¯s grasp. He then declined the call from the unknown number. He replied, ¡°I have something going on. About to go eat with someone else.¡± When Song Jiani heard this, she pouted, ¡°Auntie said that you had toe back and eat today! She even specifically had mee get you.¡± ¡°My mother never mentioned this to me.¡± Song Xuanhe gave her a cool nce. Actually, he had no idea why Song Jiani was so obstinate. Even his cold words had only made her disappear for a short while. Soon after, she had already made hereback. Was liking someone really supposed to be this terrifying? Song Xuanhe frowned unobtrusively. He secretly rejoiced in the fact that he himself was in love with his art and thus above all of this. Xiao Yuanmu watched as Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and then rxed. He didn¡¯t know what the other was thinking about. Song Xuanhe looked like he was vexed one second but then like he was relieved in the next. A flicker of a smile shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. However, when he thought about how the other had mercilessly humiliated him on the phone a few days ago, only for some rich merchant from outside of town to donate to the orphanage for seemingly no reason the next day, his smile turned into a probing look. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. He stepped to one side, widening the distance between himself and Song Jiani. When he saw her lips part as if she was about to speak, he cut her off coldly. ¡°I have something to do. If you want to eat, eat by yourself. Don¡¯t follow me. Furthermore, you¡¯re no longer an employee of thispany. Don¡¯t run over herepletely uncalled for again.¡± Song Xuanhe then left. He passed through several groups of employees, who had purposely slowed down to listen to the gossip. He then waved over the security department chief, who was standing nearby. The security department chief quickly made his way over. ¡°Young Mr. Song, do you have any orders?¡± Song Xuanhe gestured in Song Jiani¡¯s direction with his head. In a cold tone, he said, ¡°That woman doesn¡¯t work here. Don¡¯t randomly let her in next time.¡± The security department chief was taken aback. For him to have this position, he naturally had his own connections. He might not know the other people in thepany, but he knew who in thepany were connected to the executives. He recognized all of them. After all, to keep his job, he had to make sure that he didn¡¯t offend anyone he couldn¡¯t afford to offend. The previous security department chief had earnestly advised him to never offend the youngdy Song. When he had heard that Miss Song had quit, he had found it strange. He hadn¡¯t expected that she had offended the little master of thepany. However, how can he stop her with her identity? ¡°That¡­.¡± The security department chief hesitated. He wondered why he hadn¡¯t just pretended that he hadn¡¯t seen Song Xuanhe beckoning for him. He had wanted to give off a good impression in front of the little master, but in the end, he ended up being shoved into the heart of the struggle. ¡°The shot hits the bird that sticks his head out.¡± The ancient people who created that saying got it right. Before the security department chief could speak, Song Jiani had already walked over with red eyes. She gripped her bag tightly, the sharp, fine, diamond studs digging into her flesh. ¡°Song Xuanhe! Do you really hate me that much?!¡± ¡°Is it because of that man, who won¡¯t even be epted by the Song Family?¡± Song Jiani pointed at Xiao Yuanmu. Her expression was full of indignation as she looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°You¡¯re treating me like this because of him?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who she was pointing at. The other¡¯s expression was calm, but for some reason, he seemed to make out a hidden darkness in the other¡¯s eyes. When he thought of what Song Jiani¡¯s fate had been in the book, Song Xuanhe sighed inwardly, ¡°She¡¯s just looking for trouble, and trouble¡¯s going to kick her in the ass.¡± However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel any sympathy or friendship towards her. He had already warned her before. He had no obligation to do anything more for Song Jiani, who would only harm him in the future. However, he would not aggravate the situation either. ¡°What does this have to do with him?¡± Song Xuanhe declined the call again, his tone that of impatience and indifference. ¡°Even without him, I would never like you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe you!¡± Song Jiani raised her head. She didn¡¯t let her tears fall. She watched as Song Xuanhe declined yet another call and sobbed, ¡°Auntie really did tell me to bring you to dinner. But if you have other ns, I¡¯ll tell Auntie. Why do you have to say such hurtful things? You just have to agree to having a meal with me next time.¡± Song Xuanhe realized that his and Song Jiani¡¯s mind didn¡¯t work the same way. He gave up on arguing with her and simply passed by her on his way out. ¡°Unless you agree to have a meal with me, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± Song Jiani rushed over and stood in front of Song Xuanhe, blocking off his path. She had a stubborn look in her eye. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak. Instead, a chilly voice came from behind her. It was cold and hateful. ¡°He¡¯s my boyfriend. Why does he have to eat with you?¡± It wasn¡¯t only Song Jiani who was surprised, even Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Yuanmu to speak out right now. However, before he could think about it, he saw Song Jiani turn around, obviously provoked. She raised her hand, wanting to hit Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. Her actions were so quick that they caught Song Xuanhe unprepared. But, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actions had been even quicker. He grabbed hold of Song Jiani¡¯s wrist and pushed her backwards. There was no change in his expression. Song Jiani hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Yuanmu to have the gall to push her. After steadying herself, she didn¡¯t let the matter go. Song Xuanhe could see the undisguised chill in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes and felt his back go cold. He pulled Song Jiani back and asked, ¡°What are you trying to do?!¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to kill that vixen!¡± Song Jiani¡¯s eyes were red, and her voice was sharp. ¡°The one you should like is me!¡± Song Xuanhe knew that she wouldn¡¯t listen to reason. When he thought about how Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t one to take abuse anyway and how Song Xuanhe had already done so much for Song Jiani, he simply let go of her. ¡°Do whatever you want then.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected for Song Jiani to grab his arm. She softened her voice. ¡°I won¡¯t hit him anymore. Don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He wanted to throw her off, but Song Jiani was holding onto him with all her strength and wouldn¡¯t let go. If he forcefully pulled his arm away, Song Jiani would definitely fall. However, Song Jiani¡¯s nails were digging into his skin. It hurt. ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let go. Don¡¯t be angry. Don¡¯t ignore me.¡± Song Jiani said in a pitiful tone, eyes red. If the spectators hadn¡¯t known that Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe were a couple, they would have thought that Song Xuanhe and Song Jiani were in the middle of a lover¡¯s quarrel right now. Xiao Yuanmu stared at the two people¡¯s tightly entwined arms. His eyes turned dark and frosty. Song Jiani squeezed harder and harder. Her nails digging into Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm caused more and more pain. He endured and endured it, but in the end, he couldn¡¯t take it anymore and threw her off. He hadn¡¯t expected Song Jiani to actually let go but then grab his other arm instead. Song Xuanhe had his sketchbook in his other hand, so he subconsciously tried to protect it so that she wouldn¡¯t tear it. Unexpectedly, following Song Jiani¡¯s forceful pull, the sketchbook in his hand ended up flying out of his hands andnding open face-up less than three metres away from where Xiao Yuanmu stood. On the sketch paper was a drawing of a man who looked icily arrogant. He was looking at the world with a frosty look of disdain. His slightly lowered eyshes were very fine, and his slightly pursed lips emitted a lonely, frigid air. In that moment, the entire room went silent. Then, whispers arose all around. ¡°Isn¡¯t that Xiao Yuanmu in that drawing?¡± ¡°It really looks like him, especially the eyes and eyebrows. However, the expression¡¯s a bit different.¡± ¡°It¡¯s definitely Xiao Yuanmu. You can tell right away. Besides, it¡¯s Mr. Song¡¯s sketchbook. Who else would it be except for his boyfriend?¡± ¡°When Mr. Song was pursuing Xiao Yuanmu, he had been so grandiose. When they got together, he had calmed down quite a lot. I hadn¡¯t seen them together very much as ofte, so I had thought they had broken up. Seeing this drawing though, I realize that I definitely thought too much. If being able to draw him this vividly didn¡¯t mean he liked him, what would?¡± Everyone agreed. Only one person said quietly, ¡°Am I the only person who wonders why Young Mr. Song draws so well? Like it even looks professional.¡± Everyone else was focused on gossiping about Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. They were also concentrating on the scene before them. Therefore, they all ignored this quiet voice. Even people standing further away had seen it. Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing the closest to it, had obviously seen it all the more clearly. When he saw the picture of him, he had been shocked for a moment. Because this was indeed him but not the version of himself that he showed Song Xuanhe. Regardless of whether it had been the previous him prior to his rebirth or the current him, who had put on a facade, he had never shown this side to Song Xuanhe before. He was very familiar with that cold, aloof, proud version of himself. However, there was also a hint of weakness and apprehension that Song Xuanhe had so easily captured in this drawing. It was a side to himself that Xiao Yuanmu had never seen before. Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze slightly. He had seen the other drawing Song Xuanhe had of him in the other¡¯s study. In that drawing, the man¡¯s aura was still cold, but there was still a hint of pure warmth left in his eyes. Although he had turned up his nose to that drawing, after seeing his past self in his memories, he couldn¡¯t help but admit that Song Xuanhe had very urately captured his pre-reborn self¡¯s aura and emotions. It couldn¡¯t be that this was what he looked like in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes? Or rather, is this what the current him looked like to Song Xuanhe? Xiao Yuanmu was lost in thought. Meanwhile, when Song Jiani saw this picture, she was so angry that her face turned red. She crawled over, wanting to steal the sketchbook from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand and tear up the picture. However, as soon as she had lifted her hand, Xiao Yuanmu grabbed hold of her wrist again. This time, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hold back when he threw her off. He let her fall to the ground and then gazed down at her. With a chilly voice, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t make it a habit to hit women.¡± The crowd, who had still been preupied with the drawing of Xiao Yuanmu that Song Xuanhe had done, burst out into a hubbub. They hadn¡¯t thought that Xiao Yuanmu, who had no background to lean on, would dare to push Song Jiani. A male employee couldn¡¯t watch this idly and scolded him for not knowing how to treat women kindly. They chided him for actually raising his hand against a woman. However, as soon as that male employee had spoken, a nearby female employee answered back in a dissatisfied tone. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu and Young Mr. Song are openly together. Meanwhile, Song Jiani came over here, trying to be the other woman. She was even arrogant enough to try to hit Xiao Yuanmu. All Xiao Yuanmu did was push her a bit. That¡¯s still considered not being nice to women? What, is he supposed to just let her hit him?¡± Other people agreed. ¡°Yeah, besides, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even hurt her. He just pushed her a bit.¡± Someone else said, ¡°Song Jiani¡¯s a girl. She isn¡¯t that strong to begin with. A p wouldn¡¯t hurt all that much. He pushed her hard though. You can imagine how much it must have hurt just by hearing the sound she made when she fell. You guys are just saying this, because you¡¯re jealous of Song Jiani¡¯s beauty, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you go help then?¡± Someone sneered. ¡°And, you were saying that Xiao Yuanmu has an unfair advantage over Song Jiani because she¡¯s a girl? Doesn¡¯t Song Jiani also have an unfair advantage over Xiao Yuanmu because he has no family background to rely on?¡± The employees¡¯ argument went back and forth. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hear any of it. That was because, the moment Song Jiani fell, the executive elevator a short distance away had opened. Song Guochao, dressed in a suit and leather shoes, walked out. He had seen Xiao Yuanmu shove Song Jiani. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± Song Guochao roared, walking over withrge strides. He motioned for his assistant to help Song Jiani up. He didn¡¯t look at Song Xuanhe and simply said to Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°This is apany. Which department are you in? You actually dare to hit someone in broad daylight! From tomorrow on, you don¡¯t need toe back!¡± Song Xuanhe, who had been ignored, snorted. He knew that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make his appointment today. With that, he truly became angry. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on the human resources department chief, who was a few paces behind Song Guochao. He asked, ¡°Department Chief Sun, did you hand over your work to Mr. Song?¡± Department Chief Sun shivered upon being looked at by such a cold gaze. He cursed himself for having such bad luck, but he still smiled apologetically. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Then, why is Mr. Song capable of firing an employee with a single word?¡± Song Xuanhe cocked his brow, voice dripping with ice. ¡°And, here I thought that you were about to quit and leave.¡± Department Chief Sun was startled into breaking out into a cold sweat by these two calm sentences. He promptly said, ¡°Firing an employee¡­although we¡¯re the human resources department, we also have tomunicate with the executives of said employee¡¯s department. I can¡¯t just fire someone because I say so.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Song Xuanhe walked over to Xiao Yuanmu and faced Song Guochao, ridiculing thetter. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that Mr. Song had been transferred to the venture investment division? Are you making such bold changes as soon as you have taken office? Is this just the first change?¡± Song Guochao¡¯s expression darkened. In the past, Song Xuanhe would have taken into consideration the time and ce when he quarrelled with him. Usually, it would only be at home, in the meeting room, or in the offices where only the executives who knew of their situation were present. He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would actually shed all pretense of cordiality here in public and leave him no way of getting out of this situation. ¡°What?¡± Song Guochao said in a heavy voice, ¡°Do I not even have the right to fire an employee?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Of course you have that right. But, I do think you¡¯re using your authority here at thispany to take revenge for a private grudge.¡± Song Guochao hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanhe to actually acknowledge his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu in front of so many people. Although same-sex marriage had be legal in China long ago, Song Guochao was still a traditional-minded man. In his eyes, a rtionship should be between a man and a woman. It was a disgrace to the Song Family for Song Xuanhe to be with a man. ¡°I¡¯m using my authority to take revenge for a private grudge?¡± Since Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care about his reputation, he wouldn¡¯t give him any face. Song Guochao snorted, ¡°I have no grudge against him. Fighting is not allowed in thepany. If it happens, the employees involved must be fired. What, does he get special favour, because he¡¯s yours? What will happen to thepany if we don¡¯t adhere to our rules?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled coldly and said, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought that Father would be supportive of seeing other people barging into other people¡¯s spaces and trying to steal someone who is already taken. It seems I was wrong.¡± When he heard how Song Xuanhe had revealed his scandal, Song Guochao was shocked. Then, his face turned red. He had never expected that Song Xuanhe would mention his scandal shortly after the worst of it had passed! Song Guochao pointed at Song Xuanhe, his finger shaking. ¡°You b*stard!¡± ¡°Even someone who had raised his first love as his mistress outside for several decades and allowed her toe knocking on his family¡¯s door isn¡¯t considered a b*stard. I don¡¯t dare ept that honour.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. There was a bit of a smile in his curved eyes. He was really grateful to Song Guochao for giving him this opportunity. Although Song Guochao¡¯s matter had blown up, only his family and the stockholders knew of the change in his status. The other people in thepany hadn¡¯t really known about this. If this had continued, when something happened to Song Xuanheter, Song Guochao would still have been able to act like he had in the novel. He would have been able to choose not to protect him while pretending to still be a loving father. Even though such a scandal had urred, those who had not personally witnessed how bad their rtionship was would never have thought that Song Guochao was intentionally choosing not to help him. However, everyone here had now witnessed it. Now, when the time came, Song Guochao would be forced to act like a decent person and refrain from causing him more trouble. In the beginning, he had been vexed, wondering how he should go about letting everyone know that he had already cut ties with Song Guochao. He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Guochao would handle this for him. How could this not make him happy? A real smile appeared on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. However, from Song Guochao¡¯s point of view, it was a reflection of the other¡¯s pride over having ridiculed him in front of everyone. That smile infuriated him immensely. ¡°You, you!¡± When he heard everyone whispering around him, things went dark in Song Guochao¡¯s vision. He thought that it would be good if he fainted from his anger. However, he had always taken good care of his body. Even though he was so furious, it wasn¡¯t enough to make him faint. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t really want to anger Song Guochao into fainting. If that happened, instead of the victim, he¡¯d be the perpetrator. Therefore, he quit while he was ahead. He was about to leave. However, when he turned around, he met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. The other was staring at him with serene eyes, his sketchbook still in the taller man¡¯s hand. Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. He then grabbed the other¡¯s arm and started to head outside. ¡°Xuanhe gege!¡± Song Jiani¡¯s voice came from behind him. Song Xuanhe pulled Xiao Yuanmu with him, quickening their pace. Yesterday, he had taken his car to get some maintenance done. For once, Song Xuanhe had woken up early, so he hade to thepany with Song Xuanlin. He had originally nned on taking a cab to his appointment and back. However, he hadn¡¯t expected for this to have happened. Standing on the street, Song Xuanhe was at a loss over where to go. Xiao Yuanmu stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand on his arm. The corner of his lips raised a few degrees. ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± As soon as he said this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone rang again. Song Xuanhe picked up his phone and looked at the caller ID. It was Xiao Shenglin. ¡°Lin zi.¡± When he thought about how he would miss the dinner with the designer whose work he enjoyed, Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. ¡°Sorry. Something happened. I won¡¯t be able to make it tonight.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Shenglin asked, ¡°Do you need any help?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll probably hear about it by nighttime.¡± When he recalled Song Guochao¡¯s expression just now, Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Sorry, can you help me apologize to Feng Tong? Tell him I¡¯ll definitely treat him next time.¡± When he heard this name, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze moved to Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. If he didn¡¯t remember incorrectly, Feng Tong was a very renowned new designer. Had Song Xuanhe been taking this sketchbook with him to see Feng Tong? Song Xuanhe was still chatting with Xiao Shenglin. Xiao Shenglin apologized to Feng Tong for him and said that Feng Tong didn¡¯t mind. He also told him that the other had agreed to have a meal together some other time. With that, the call ended. Xiao Yuanmu watched as Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression regained its warmth. The other looked very happy. A sliver of a baffling sense of difort arose in his heart. He didn¡¯t know why he felt ufortable. However, he knew that he really wanted to destroy Song Xuanhe¡¯s happy mood. After Song Xuanhe hung up, his phone rang again. Song Xuanhe noticed that it was a familiar unknown number. He recalled that this was the fifth time this number had called. The other side probably really had some reason to call him. Therefore, he epted the call this time. He hadn¡¯t expected for Guan Zhi¡¯s furious voice toe through though. ¡°You promised to eat with me! Why have you been declining my calls!?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t want to eat with me, just tell me! Did you think that I need you to eat with me?! Do you think that I only have you to eat with?!¡± Before Song Xuanhe could even speak, Guan Zhi fired off like a machine gun. It felt like the anger-covered bullets had managed to travel through the phone and hit Song Xuanhe¡¯s body. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything?!¡± ¡°Great young master.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know whether tough or cry. It was actually really hard for him to be angry when faced with Guan Zhi. He could only say, ¡°You were talking so much, I couldn¡¯t interrupt.¡± Guan Zhi paused for a few seconds. His tone then eased up a lot. ¡°Then, tell me why you kept declining my call.¡± ¡°You¡¯re calling from an unknown number. Isn¡¯t it normal to decline?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t let Guan Zhi cut in. ¡°Something was up on my end just now. We¡¯ll eat together next time. I promise not to decline your call.¡± Probably because he had just be an adult, and he had always been sheltered, Guan Zhi was very easy to coax. When he heard that something hade up for Song Xuanhe, his anger had vanished. He wasn¡¯t rebellious like other kids his age at all. Not only that, but he was even worried. He asked what had happened and if Song Xuanhe needed any help. Song Xuanhe told him vaguely that it was a family matter. Guan Zhi was reassured by this. He was then very amenable, agreeing to eat together a few dayster. Song Xuanhe sighed in relief. He didn¡¯t notice that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s dark eyes had regained their calm or that his slightly pursed lips had rxed. When he finished dealing with Guan Zhi, Song Xuanhe remembered that he was still holding onto Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. He let go of the other¡¯s hand and went to grab the sketchbook Xiao Yuanmu was holding. However, just as their hands had been about to touch, he saw Xiao Yuanmu raise his hand. Song Xuanhe paused. He then stood up and looked at Xiao Yuanmu. He was about to ask why the other wasn¡¯t giving it back to him. However, as he looked up, he identally met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s unreadable eyes and swallowed his question back down. ¡°Who are these designs for?¡± This was what Xiao Yuanmu had asked, gaze fixed on Song Xuanhe.
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: The measurements for the upper body are right, but the measurements for the pants are a bit off. Let¡¯s measure it again when we go back. Song Xuanhe: Measure my ass, f*ck you! Xiao Yuanmu: Yes.
Eve: The emotional roller coaster XYM has makes me, a spectator, tired. LOL Kara: Aiya, Song Jiani is so annoying. Girl, get a grip, please. Mumu, you don¡¯t want to destroy SXH¡¯s happiness; you just want his happiness toe from you instead. Hehe£¨*¡¯?¡¯ÈË£©? Chapter 39: Doesn’t Like to Talk and Doesn’t Smile Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara ¡°What does that have to do with you?¡± Song Xuanhe had originally thought that Xiao Yuanmu would ask him why there was a drawing of him in the sketchbook. He hadn¡¯t expected him to ask about the designs instead. Song Xiao Shaoye, who had been feeling guilty, straightened up and lifted his chin up slightly, appearing very confident that he was in the right. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t missed that flicker of guilt in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. He nced at the other, his speech calm and unhurried. ¡°I just thought that those designs were really breathtaking. So, I thought I¡¯d ask.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up. His ink-ck eyes seemed to shine, and he couldn¡¯t suppress the corners of his eyes from curving into a smile. Back then, the reason he had studied drawing, aside from the fact that it was calming, had been mostly because his fine arts teacher would always squat outside of his ssroom. That teacher would always enthusiastically tell him that he mustn¡¯t waste his talent, that he refused to miss the chance to teach him, a good seedling who would eventually be a painting master of the next generation. That teacher had pestered him to death, trying to get him to be a fine arts student. However, because this teacher had been in the painting and calligraphymittee, the teacher in charge of Song Xuanhe¡¯s ss couldn¡¯t say any harsh words. All they had said was that Song Xuanhe was a good student, soit wasn¡¯t suitable for him to learn art. His homeroom teacher had basically said that learning art should be left to the students who weren¡¯t good at studying. As soon as that teacher had said those words, the old arts teacher had exploded. He had then gone to pull out works from domestic great masters in the field, fuming, and spoke about their artistic mastery and excellent schstic backgrounds. When he had finished, he also pulled Song Xuanhe over and emphasized how important one¡¯s talent was. He had said that if one wasted one¡¯s talent, they would be met with heaven¡¯s wrath. What the chuunibyou-inflicted Song Xiao Shaoye had liked best had been when others praised him. Although he had liked it more when others praised him for his expertise in physics, math, or fighting and while the old arts teacher¡¯s praises were very exaggerated, because he had always said them with a very emotional expression, they had seemed very sincere. Song Xiao Shaoye, who had loved being praised, had felt like happiness had been spreading throughout his body. He had thought that this slovenly-dressed old man had a discerning eye. He had thought that his days would be very enjoyable if he learned to draw with this old man and get praised by him every day. Therefore, Song Xuanhe had agreed. However, the next three years had felt like an abyss of suffering. Forget praising him, if the old art teacher hadn¡¯t red at him or punished him all day, that was something to rejoice over. This had really decreased Song Xuanhe¡¯s zeal. It was just that Song Xuanhe had always wanted to be the best in whatever he did. He was not someone who would give up halfway. Furthermore, as he drew, he had discovered that drawing was really fun. He had wanted everyone to acknowledge his drawings and praise him sincerely. Therefore, as time went on, he had invested more and more of his energy into drawing. Of those next three years, it took nearly two before the art teacher¡¯s reaction had gone from fuming to nodding with a serious expression. However, when the old teacher had heard that Song Xuanhe had been nning on majoring in fashion design at university and not traditional Chinese painting or oil painting like he had thought, he reverted back to fuming at the other. He had been even more resentful for Song Xuanhe failing to live up to his expectations. Back then, everyone had known of Song Xuanhe¡¯s family background. While the other students couldn¡¯t be pure artists, Song Xuanhe¡¯s family had been capable of supporting him if he had gone this route. But even if the teacher thought it was a waste of his talent, there was no way he could force his student to change majors. Therefore, although the old teacher was disappointed, he couldn¡¯t do anything about it. Later on, when Song Xuanhe had gone to university, although his teachers had been kind, no one else had praised him as frankly as the old teacher had back then. This had frustrated Song Xuanhe. However, this frustration had also led him to work even harder on bettering himself. He had hoped that other people would acknowledge his work. The first time he had left the country on exchange, he had just so happened to be epted as a disciple of a top Italian designer. Under this designer¡¯s tutge, he had honed his skills for two years. Afterwards, he had put on his first fashion show. It had been his debut show that had made it so that he would neverck praise or admiration again. However, all of this had disappeared since he had transmigrated to this world. Although Song Xuanhe had stopped basing his self-confidence on other people¡¯s acknowledgement and praise when he had established his own design studio, who could resist sincere praise and admiration? Song Xuanhe tried to suppress his lips from curling up. Even though his eyes had already curved up slightly into a smile, his tone was calm. ¡°Those designs weren¡¯t made for anyone. I drew them out of a sh of inspiration.¡± Not even Xiao Yuanmu himself had realized that the cold had dissipated from his eyes after seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s slight, split-second change in tone and attitude. Now, he was watching the other closely. With a cool voice, he said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, why is my drawing in the same sketchbook as the designs?¡± ¡°I had a sudden impulse while drawing, so I had decided to draw something else for a bit.¡± Even the fifteen/sixteen-year-old Song Xuanhe, who had been hyped up often, would have calmed down after being continuously praised for a month straight despite his happiness. The current him, who was now five-six years older, would definitely not lose his head after Xiao Yuanmu had praised him once. Therefore, the joyful expression had onlysted a few seconds before he had regained his calm. After all, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t forgotten how he had ridiculed the other when he had called him previously, asking him for money to help the orphanage director. As long as Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t broken in the head, he would never genuinely praise him so calmly as if he had no ill-feelings towards him. Moreover, this big shot was famous for seeking revenge for even the smallest grievance. ¡¾The bigshot¡¯s a bit temperamental, brother.¡¿The System suddenly sounded, expressing its thoughts. It disapproved of how Song Xuanhe was looking at the other with prejudice£º¡¾Maybe the bigshot was just praising you, because he thought you drew well. Why are you humans always so suspicious of yourpatriots?¡¿ ¡¾Apatriot who will try to kill me in the future and wants me to suffer a fate worse than death?¡¿Song Xuanhe replied expressionlessly. ¡¾Sorry.¡¿The System shut up.¡¾My bad for disturbing you.¡¿ ¡°I don¡¯t remember you having studied fashion design before.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes had a sharp glint in them as if he wanted to see through the other¡¯s eyes and into his heart. ¡°Why are your designs as good as renowned designers?¡± Song Xuanhe had already expected Xiao Yuanmu to ask him this since the other had picked up the sketchbook. Therefore, when he had heard the other ask this, he wasn¡¯t too flustered. Instead, the corner of his lips rose, and he nced at the other through the corner of his eye. ¡°Just because I didn¡¯t learn it in school doesn¡¯t mean I couldn¡¯t have learned it elsewhere. Did you really think you know me so well?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was sharp. When he saw Song Xuanhe raise his chin without any semnce of guilt in his eyes, he hesitated. Indeed, he didn¡¯t really know Song Xuanhe, especially after he had discovered that there was a discrepancy between his memories. He had begun to wonder if he had ever really understood this young man, who had caused him to go through a lot of trials and tribtions¡ªof which he hade out stronger. However, after interacting with the other for some time, he had discovered that, although it was easy to read Song Xuanhe¡¯s likes and dislikes from his face, if the other really wanted to hide his thoughts, his pure, limpid eyes were his greatest helper. It was really difficult to tell whether he was telling the truth when you looked into his eyes. He was both an open book and hard-to-read. He was an amalgamation of truth and lies but was also frank and pure. Song Xuanhe had the ability to make people believe his every word, because no one could discern the truth from his eyes. Would a cunning, wily fox like Song Xuanhe have let himself end up with such a terrible fate, one like that in hisst life? Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t think so. The light hidden in the depths of his eyes shed. He actually didn¡¯t have to watch things too closely. Soon, time would reveal clues to him. ¡°I just wanted to tell you something.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze lowered slightly. His eyes regained their serenity, and his tone was very calm. ¡°If you want to draw me, you don¡¯t have to do it in secret. As long as you don¡¯t sell it, I can¡¯t use you of viting personality rightws.¡± After saying this, Xiao Yuanmu went over to the taxi that had just stopped for them, not bothering to look at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. He left Song Xuanhe standing there frozen in ce, a dumbfounded expression on his face. Why was it that Song Xuanhe felt like Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t holding a grudge overst time, when he had refused to lend him money and had instead humiliated the other? ¡°It can¡¯t be that I misjudged him?¡± Song Xuanhe murmured to himself. But as soon as he had thought this, he denied it right away. How could Xiao Yuanmu be such a broadminded person? He was probably holding back for now and nning to make a big scer. For example, now that he already had evidence against the Song Family, he was probably waiting for an opportunity to hand it over to one of the Song Family¡¯s opponents. Comparing the timeline to that of the book, it looked like it was nearly time for the Song Family to be attacked by their opponent. Xiao Yuanmu, who was currently sitting in the car, had no idea what Song Xuanhe was thinking. The current him now also didn¡¯t want to keep paying so much attention to Song Xuanhe. That¡¯s right. He had already noticed that he had been paying ridiculously high attention to Song Xuanhe. Even if it was for the sake of finding out an interesting truth, even if it was to feel that happy feeling, even if it was for the sake of quieting down the memories of the him prior to rebirth, even after adding all of this together, he still shouldn¡¯t be paying so much attention to Song Xuanhe. He would soon bring carnage to the Song Family. He had to make preparations prior to his return. That was what he should be focusing on. All of the things he still had to do were much more important than Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu looked away from the window. He closed his eyes, forcing back the messy emotions he should not have. * It was not unexpected that Song Xuanhe ended up seeing Song Guochao donning a dark expression when he returned home. The moment Song Guochao saw Song Xuanhe walk through the door, his already dark expression became even gloomier, so dark that if his face had been the sky, it would have started raining. Li Nianan was beside him. Although she felt that it had been very inappropriate for her son to give a girl so little face in front of so many people, she still couldn¡¯t bear seeing Song Guochaosh out at him. Therefore, she said, ¡°He bao, tell Mom who were you going to eat with? Howe you didn¡¯t tell me?¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t said anything when Song Guochao snorted, ¡°Who else could it be? Birds of a feather flock together. He hangs out with a mishmash of scoundrels. None of them have any prospects ahead of them. And yet, he forgets who he is and lowers himself to mingle among those scum.¡± Li Nianan¡¯s eyebrows furrowed. She was about to defend her son when she heard Song Xuanhe say, ¡°I heard that you be thepany you keep. Father slept beneath the same covers as Zhang Xiuya all year long. The saying definitely rings true for you.¡± When Song Xuanhe mentioned this, Song Guochao was even more enraged. He hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to keep holding the Zhang Xiuya matter against him. Whether it was at home or at work, he didn¡¯t give him any respect at all. He had even dared to contradict him in front of the entirepany. Now, he dared to mention the affair again. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how I am with others, I¡¯m still your father!¡± Song Guochao suddenly stood up, jabbing his finger at Song Xuanhe¡¯s nose. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what I must have done in my previous life to end up being punished by the wrath of heaven to have a b*stard like you as a son. If I had known you would be like this, I would have wrung your neck as soon as you had been born!¡± Song Xuanhe sneered. Hadn¡¯t Song Guochao used another method to wring the original host¡¯s neck in the end? Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like the original host, who had been an arrogant, domineering, stupid idiot who liked to do terrible things despite being so dumb. However, he hated Song Guochao, who had purposely raised his own child to be like that and then had pretended to stand on moral high ground while contributing to his own son¡¯s death. Compared to the original host, someone like Song Guochao deserved to face retribution even more. When Li Nianan heard Song Guochao say such things, she could no longer sit still. She stood up, showing no signs of weakness. ¡°If my son¡¯s a b*stard, then what are you? Let me tell you, this is thest time I¡¯ll tolerate you treating my son like this. If there¡¯s a next time, I will make the matter of the stock transfer public. When that timees, let¡¯s see if you¡¯ll still be able to act so overbearing in front of my son!¡± Li Nianan hit the mark with her words. What Song Guochao cared about the most was his higher birth status, his feelings of superiority. He looked down on those people who struggled to climb up thedders. He thought that he was on a whole different ne of existencepared to them. However, Li Nianan currently threatened to destroy what he valued the most. This was unbearable to him. However, even if he didn¡¯t want to bear with it, he had to, because he was powerless. Song Guochao¡¯s face turned purple. Old Mr. Song, who had been standing on the second floor for a while now, walked down the stairs. He nced at the helper auntie and then gave her instructions. ¡°Serve the food, ba.¡± Song Xuanlin, who had been sitting off to the side reading a newspaper, also stood up. He walked over to Song Yansong and helped him walk over to the seat at the head of the dining table. He then took a seat beside him. The whole family didn¡¯t speak while eating. After the servants cleared the table, Song Yansong said in an insipid tone, ¡°The Deere-Barlow cruise ship will be docking in Lan City. Our Song Family has been given three invitations. I¡¯m old now, so I won¡¯t be partaking in the festivities. I¡¯ll leave the three invitations to you boys.¡± Song Guochao was startled, but soon after, a wave of ecstasy came over him. The Deere-Barlow cruise ship was one of the most luxurious in the world. However, that wasn¡¯t what attracted people. What really drew people in was the Deere-Barlow auction. Only the world¡¯s most influential people had the right to attend. This meant that there was a high chance that he could turn his fortune around. ¡°I don¡¯t care what issues you and Nianan have between the two of you.¡± Song Yansong looked at his son, who was thinking about who-knows-what, and said in a heavy tone, ¡°The two of you must appear to be on good terms at this auction. I don¡¯t need you two to act affectionate. But at the very least, you have to give the impression that you two respect each other as husband and wife. Although the situation with the stocks fluctuating has been resolved, there are still people watching us, waiting for a chance to find out what¡¯s really happening with our Song Family. This time, I want the two of you to fix this mess once and for all!¡± Song Yansong¡¯s words practically shattered Song Guochao¡¯s delusions. If he really wanted to aplish anything, he¡¯d have to keep away from Li Nianan. However, Old Mr. Song¡¯s words had put an end to his thoughts. ¡°Dad!¡± Song Guochao raised his head. Although he was a nearly fifty year-old man, there was still a trace of caution when facing his father, who had been formidable all his life. ¡°Hasn¡¯t thepany¡¯s affairs already been resolved? How can I mingle if I¡¯m with Li Nianan all the time?¡± Song Yansong¡¯s expression grew heavy. What he hated the most were his only son¡¯s cowardice and his ignoble way of conducting himself. If Song Guochao had mmed his hand on the table and said outright that he didn¡¯t agree to this, then perhaps Song Yansong would be willing to raise his impression of the other. Unfortunately, this son of his was ambitious but didn¡¯t have the courage and wisdom to go with it. Like this, forget Song Yansong¡¯s mature, steady, eldest grandson, Song Guochao couldn¡¯t even best his daring, sharp, youngest grandson. Song Yansong sighed inwardly. Actually,pared to his older grandson, Song Xuanlin, he thought more highly of his younger grandson, Song Xuanhe. The Song Group had been stable for too long. It was a bit stuck in its old ways. Song Guochao couldn¡¯t see it, but Song Yansong knew that the Song Group¡¯s influence in the business world had actually been falling. Right now, what the Song Group needed was someone who did not intend to uphold the group¡¯s traditions. It needed a dauntless go-getter. It was only with someone like this that the Song Group could advance. Before, he had hesitated, because Song Xuanhe had been too impulsive. However, he had seen that his younger grandson had bettered himself. It was just that he seemed to genuinely have no desire to take over. Forget it. Song Xuanhe was still too young now. He wouldn¡¯t be able to steady himself and take over anyway. Perhaps in a few years, he¡¯ll change his mind. ¡°You¡¯ll do as I say.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s tone was icy. ¡°Thepany doesn¡¯t need you to mingle right now. You just have to let everyone know that the rtionship between the Song Family and Li Family is still firm. You don¡¯t have to worry about anything else.¡± Since getting off work, every breath Song Guochao had taken was filled with irritation. When Song Yansong went upstairs, Song Guochao shot up with so much force that his chair fell over behind him. He red at Song Xuanhe with an extremely dark gaze and then climbed the stairs too, not looking back even once. Li Nianan patted Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm, using her actions to tell him that he didn¡¯t have to pay Song Guochao any mind. Song Xuanhe smiled at Li Nianan. His gaze then swept over to Song Xuanlin, who had kept himself out of the affair the whole time. He then got up and returned to his room. Lying on the bed, Song Xuanhe stared out at the gentle moonlight outside of his window. His lips rose into a sneer, ¡°Song Xuanhe¡¯s family life is pretty miserable. I almost sympathize with you.¡± The longer Song Xuanhe lived in the Song home, the more he understood what kind of effect living in such circumstances must have had on the original host. What the original host had done to Xiao Yuanmu could not be excused, but as the saying goes, detestable people may have pitiful pasts. The original host had truly been a pitiful person. ¡¾He did so many bad things.¡¿The System said slowly£º¡¾None of the readers think he deserves any sympathy.¡¿ The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. Whether someone deserved sympathy or not was a subjective matter. He didn¡¯t need to discuss it with anyone. After all, even though he felt a shred of pity for the original host, it didn¡¯t erase the disgust he felt for what they had done. It was just that he felt a bit sad for him. A person had many sides to them. Whether someone was good or evil was not set in stone. But, for him to have had more bad sides to him than good meant that he had probably been treated with more malice than kindness. He was like Xiao Yuanmu. Wasn¡¯t it because Xiao Yuanmu had faced so much malice in his life that he had been forced to be a man who people revered but kept distant from in the book? ¡¾So¡­the one you actually sympathize with is Xiao Yuanmu?¡¿The System said hesitatingly. ¡°There¡¯s nothing to sympathize with there.¡± Song Xuanhe spread his hands out as heid there. He shut his eyes and continued, ¡°He¡¯s devising his strategies up in the clouds. He has the majority of people¡¯s fates in his hands, their lives even. What¡¯s there to pity?¡± The System fell silent. As an AI that thought through the use of data, it didn¡¯t understand Song Xuanhe¡¯s emotion right now. The data suggested that he wasn¡¯t happy, but he wasn¡¯t hurt either. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯tment for long. As he wasing up with a new ck and white series inspired by his realization about life, his cell phone rang. ¡°Xiao Shaoye.¡± Zhang Chao¡¯s voice came through from the other side. ¡°You previously had me watch over the orphanage director¡¯s condition. Someone came to visit her today. Shortly after that person had left, a doctor rushed in. It seems like she isn¡¯t doing well.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He had ordered Zhang Chao to keep an eye on the director as a precaution. This was because in the book, aside from the fact that Song Xuanhe had humiliated him, the reason why Xiao Yuanmu hated Song Xuanhe so much was because someone had said that the Director had died after Song Xuanhe had sent someone to visit her. Because the Director had been too agitated, she had ended up dying from cerebral hemorrhage. Obviously, Xiao Yuanmu had naturally taken that to mean Song Xuanhe had been the one to kill the Director. Song Xuanhe had also thought that the Director¡¯s death had to do with the original host. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have any scenes rted to that. Others could be deceived, but the plot given to him by the System could not. Therefore, as a precaution, he had let Zhang Chao assign someone to watch over her. He hadn¡¯t expected that something would really happen just a few days after. ¡°What¡¯s the situation like now?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was heavy. Since this still had happened despite the fact that the Director had been moved to the hospital, that meant that this was not an ident. It was just that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know whether this person¡¯s aim was to target Xiao Yuanmu or to frame him. He also didn¡¯t know whether this person just happened to be an enemy of the Director, who hadn¡¯t dared to appear after the Director had died. ¡°She¡¯s in the operating room right now. Mr. Xiao has already rushed over. He¡¯s currently waiting outside the operating room.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. When he thought of Xiao Yuanmu, who had been asking him about his designs just a few hours prior, a thought suddenly appeared in his mind. The current Xiao Yuanmu must be feeling really helpless and upset. After all, the Director was the only person he acknowledged as family. ¡°Keep watch. If anything happens, call me.¡± Song Xuanhe sat up. He looked out to the garden that was currently enveloped in darkness. It felt like his heart was covered by the same gloom. ¡°Also, pay close attention to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mental state.¡± Zhang Chao responded affirmatively. When he thought about the concern Song Xuanhe had for Xiao Yuanmu, he said a bit hesitatingly, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, you shoulde to the hospital. I think Mr. Xiao¡¯s mental state isn¡¯t very good right now.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips pursed slightly. He paused and then said, ¡°No. Just keep me updated on the situation.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Zhang Chao said. He then added, ¡°Mr. Xiao is picking up his phone. It seems like he¡¯s making a call.¡± Song Xuanhe was caught off guard. Suddenly, an inexplicable feeling arose in his heart. After making a faint sound of acknowledgement, he hung up. As he expected, the moment he had hung up, an iing call popped up on his phone¡¯s screen. The name on the screen was Xiao Yuanmu. Chapter 40: But He’s My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe stared at the iing call screen for a long time, his finger hovering over the ¡°ept call¡± icon. However, he never pressed down on it. Two secondster, his phone stopped ringing. He moved his thumb away, slightly pursing his lips as he stared at his phone. He waited five minutes, but no other call came. Song Xuanhe exhaled slightly. He didn¡¯t know if he was disappointed or d. He then turned off his phone¡¯s screen and lied back down onto the bed. ¡¾Why didn¡¯t you pick up the bigshot¡¯s call?¡¿The System asked. ¡¾Is this a scene I have to act out?¡¿Song Xuanhe had already known that the System would ask about this. His tone was very calm. The System was taken aback. It then said£º¡¾No.¡¿ ¡¾Since it¡¯s not a scene I have to act, then you Systems don¡¯t have to meddle with how I handle it.¡¿After saying this, Song Xuanhe shut his eyes. He grabbed the nket underneath him and rolled over. He then scrunched up the nket and held it in his arms, one leg pressing down on it. He seemed to be preparing to sleep. The System also watched over Xiao Yuanmu, who didn¡¯t seem normal. The other was sitting on a bench inside the hospital calmly. The System could see that Song Xuanhe obviously didn¡¯t want to talk about this anymore. When it thought about his bad mood just now, it swallowed its doubt and warning back down. It didn¡¯t detect any abnormalities in the data, so the System figured that it had probably sensed something incorrectly. * It was once again the weekend. Song Xuanhe finally decided to have a meal with Guan Zhi. It was just that Wei Chen had alsoe with. When he sat down at the table, Song Xuanhe felt a bit out of it. Two of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s future pursuers were sitting in front of him, and they were all eating together. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Wei Chen was very perceptive. He had felt it the moment Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes had fallen on him. He didn¡¯t know why, but although Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze on him and Guan Zhi seemed pretty normal, he still felt like something was off. Despite having been caught staring, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel guilty in the least. He leaned back in his chair, appearing carefree, and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for you and Guan Zhi to be rted.¡± ¡°We¡¯re cousins.¡± Guan Zhi, who had been looking at the menu, looked up. ¡°But, my mom and his mom are half-sisters. They have different mothers. Therefore, we don¡¯t see each other often.¡± Guan Zhi¡¯s words made it apparent that he didn¡¯t really want to be associated with Wei Chen. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but nce at Wei Chen¡¯s expression. The corner of Wei Chen¡¯s lips was slightly raised, and he looked like he hadn¡¯t even heard what Guan Zhi had said. However, when he noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze, he nodded slightly. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± They were cousins who seemed not too close to the point where they even seemed to dislike each other quite a bit. No wonder the book had never mentioned their rtionship. Neither of them seemed like they wanted to mention it either. When he recalled the indifferent way Wei Chen had introduced Guan Zhist time as well as the expressions of concealed surprise¡ªespecially from Zhou Nan¡ªfrom the other people, Song Xuanhe felt like he could probably guess why. After Guan Zhi had ordered their food, he handed the menu over to the waiter and looked up. ¡°Song Xuanhe, have you ever had millet fish from Liangbei? Its meat is very delicious and tender. It¡¯s a really good fish to have filleted.¡± Song Xuanhe had eaten it before. Back then, when he had seen it online, he had ordered his people to get it imported from Liangbei. All other fish he had ever eaten were nothingpared to the dish Xiao Yuanmu had made out of this fish. ¡°I¡¯ve had it before as Sichuan boiled fish.¡± When he recalled how it had tasted, Song Xuanhe subconsciously pursed his lips. He said, ¡°Delicious and fragrant.¡± ¡°You actually used millet fish to make Sichaun boiled fish?¡± Guan Zhi widened his eyes. ¡°If the chef here heard this, he¡¯d curse you for wasting it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as it tastes good.¡± Because of that boiled fish, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but think about the other dishes Xiao Yuanmu had made. When he didn¡¯t think about it, it was fine. But now that he was thinking about it, his mouth began to salivate. When he thought about how he hadn¡¯t had Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s food in such a long time, he started to feel unwell. ¡°I think Xuanhe¡¯s right.¡± There was a slight smile on Wei Chen¡¯s lips. His voice was bright and lively, carrying a casual and careless tone. ¡°With ingredients, as long as you carefully choose for quality, it¡¯ll taste good. There¡¯s no need to be such a stickler in how it should be prepared.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Wei Chen, who had chimed in. He didn¡¯t reply to his words. Guan Zhi also didn¡¯t pay Wei Chen any attention. The two of them continued to talk about other dishes. Meanwhile, Wei Chen continued to sit there, not embarrassed in the least. He seemed quite happy and at ease. At the end of the meal, Wei Chen said, ¡°Did you ask about the data you said you¡¯d help Qian Ping inquire about yet?¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly recalled this matter when Wei Chen mentioned it out of the blue. He shook his head. ¡°Uncle¡¯s been abroad, taking part in some secret seminar. Communication is limited in that they can contact outside, but we can¡¯t contact them. I n to ask him when hees back.¡± Wei Chen nodded. He was silent for a while before asking, ¡°Are you really not interested in the medical robots project?¡± Song Xuanhe looked up. Although Wei Chen was smiling, it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. The corner of his own lips quirked up, and he asked back, ¡°Why should I be interested?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t believe that you can¡¯t see what great prospects the robotics industry will have in the future.¡± Wei Chen took a sip of wine and continued in a t tone, ¡°Or, is it that you think that it¡¯s enough to just be second-inmand of the Song Group?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Song Xuanhe sat up, expression turning serious. When he saw Wei Chen and Guan Zhi¡¯s eyes fall on him, he barked out augh. He then leaned back onto his chair and said, ¡°I don¡¯t even want to be second-inmand. My family has enough money for me to squander for the rest of my life. Why should I bother with other things?¡± ¡°So, you¡¯repletely at ease, handing the entire Song Group over to your older brother?¡± Wei Chen¡¯s expression was calm and indifferent. His bright and clear voice made it sound like he wasn¡¯t trying to sow dissension between the brothers. ¡°Do you think that Song Xuanlin is a good older brother who will take care of his younger brother?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He hadn¡¯t expected Wei Chen to suddenly mention Song Xuanlin. ¡°That good older brother of yours seems to be getting close to that cousin of yours.¡± Wei Chen smiled, obvious ridicule in his eyes. ¡°I heard that your cousin was screwed over by his business partner. He had been forcibly removed. Your brother seems to have given him some money to do some business.¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly startled. He really hadn¡¯t heard about this before. After warning Guo Tao, he hadn¡¯t paid any more attention to Song Jiabao. He hadn¡¯t thought that Guo Tao would be so efficient as to have already kicked Song Jiabao out of thepany. Wei Chen didn¡¯t say anything more. However, Song Xuanhe knew what he had been implying. Now that Song Jiabao had been forced to leave hispany, he would definitely want to settle scores with him. Meanwhile, Song Xuanlin knew that their cousin and his younger brother weren¡¯t on good terms. There was little chance that he didn¡¯t know how Song Xuanhe had humiliated Song Jiabao at that opening reception. And yet, he was cooperating with his cousin. Why? ¡°Did youe with Guan Zhi today to tell me this?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, gazing at the other inquisitively. When Guan Zhi heard this, he snorted. ¡°He was insistent oning with me. He had even said that I¡¯d be fooled by you, because I¡¯m young and have just be an adult. He had said that he didn¡¯t feel reassured.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Wei Chen. The other¡¯s expression was calm. When their eyes met, the other smiled as if saying, Think what you will. ¡°Are you free in the afternoon?¡± Guan Zhi gave Wei Chen a cold nce and then spoke to Song Xuanhe. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a bakery in some alley here in the Capital that makes really good cakes. Take me there.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t had the time to refuse before his phone rang. It was Zhang Chao. ¡°Xiao Shaoye, the person watching the hospital told me that the person fromst time hase again.¡± ¡°Have they already entered the Director¡¯s room?¡± Song Xuanhe raised his brow slightly. Last time, the Director had received treatment in time, so she was fine. However, he had guessed that the person who had done this would not give up. But, he hadn¡¯t expected them to act so soon. Just what kind of grudge or hatred would cause someone to refuse to give up until the other died? ¡°No. As soon as that person had entered the hospital, I received the report.¡± Zhang Chao said, ¡°Should I go in and take a look?¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows. Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t working today either. He was probably at the hospital. Xiao Yuanmu had seen Zhang Chao before, so it wouldn¡¯t be good for them to bump into each other in broad daylight. ¡°No. Just have your people keep a tight eye on things. If need be, chase that person out of the hospital room.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Zhang Chao said. Song Xuanhe then heard a phone ring from the other end. Zhang Chao added, ¡°It¡¯s from the hospital. Do you want to stay on the line?¡± ¡°Yes. Take the call.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze was still on Guan Zhi. A momentter, Guan Zhi looked away, turning towards the window. Song Xuanhe also looked away. He heard Zhang Chao say a few things on the other line beforeing back to speak to him in a rather heavy tone. ¡°Song shao, the person we had sent to watch over the hospital has been caught.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He then quickly asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just our side. The person who came to the hospital has also been caught.¡± Zhang Chao said, ¡°Furthermore, Mr. Xiao is there. He also brought people with him. Our side cannot leave for now.¡± Song Xuanhe took a few seconds to digest this information. He then said, ¡°Does that person belong to the Song Group?¡± ¡°No. He¡¯s someone I brought in from outside. Furthermore, he doesn¡¯t know who you and I are.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. Even so, he trusted that with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s methods, it would be very easy for him to figure out who that person was working for. ¡°Okay, I got it.¡± Song Xuanhe had an idea and said inly, ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. I have a n.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe said to Guan Zhi, ¡°Sorry, something urgent has popped up. I¡¯ll take you to explore alleys another time.¡± From Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression just now, Guan Zhi knew that something had happened. However, when he thought about what had happenedst time and how he and Song Xuanhe weren¡¯t close enough for him to meddle, he just nodded. ¡°If you need anything, you can ask me.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He also nodded at Wei Chen before taking his leave. As soon as he left the restaurant, he drove straight to the hospital that the Director was hospitalized at. When he reached the hospital room¡¯s door, his steps paused. He kind of wanted to turn around and leave. However, he still ced his hand on the door handle and walked in. Contrary to his expectations, the Director wasn¡¯t in the room. There were four people inside. Aside from Xiao Yuanmu, there were two unfamiliar men and one woman. The woman¡¯s head was lowered, so he couldn¡¯t see her face. When Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhee in, he only said in a t tone, ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± When he saw how Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t surprised, Song Xuanhe knew that he had been right. The fact that he had let this person contact Zhang Chao meant that he had already known who this person was. Although he didn¡¯t know how Xiao Yuanmu, who had no connections, had found this out, Song Xuanhe gained a better understanding of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s capabilities through this. ¡°You knew that I¡¯de?¡± Song Xuanhe walked over and sat down, staring at the woman, whose head was lowered. He felt like she looked a bit familiar. Seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze on the woman¡¯s body, a sh of cold light flickered through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His voice turned colder. ¡°Why did you have someone watch over this room?¡± ¡°If I told you that it was to ensure the Director¡¯s safety, would you believe me?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t cower. His lips curled into a smile. Xiao Yuanmu examined his eyes carefully, but he didn¡¯t find anything within them. He then looked away and asked, ¡°Were you the one who donated?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe had been able toe over here openly, because he had an absolute trump card in his hands¡ªthe sum of money he had had Assistant Zhang donate. Since Xiao Yuanmu had let the person call the person behind-the-scenes, he had probably guessed that the true mastermind was Song Xuanhe and that the person who had donated was also him. That was why he had answered back so frankly. ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was heavy. His chilly voice wasced with disbelief. ¡°Why did I donate, or why did I reject you before?¡± Song Xuanhe folded his arms, speaking at a speed neither fast nor slow, ¡°I donated, because this is someone¡¯s life after all. I¡¯m not that cruel. I refused you, because I wanted to. There¡¯s no rhyme nor reason.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. However, the man standing off to the side frowned. Even the woman whose head had been lowered all this time looked over. When Song Xuanhe saw that familiar face, he was stupefied for a moment. When he came back to himself, he realized that this made sense. When he thought over it carefully, there were only a few people who wanted to destroy his and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship and didn¡¯t want to see them happy. Yang Ran was definitely one of them. Even though he already knew why, Song Xuanhe still cocked a brow and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you like Xiao Yuanmu? Why were you trying to hurt the Director?¡± Yang Ran¡¯s face was deathly pale. When she saw his carefree expression, she bit down hard on her lower lip. ¡°It¡¯s because I like him that I can¡¯t watch him walk down the wrong path. I wanted her to look after him properly!¡± ¡°How could he be walking down the wrong path, being with me?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked his eyes, appearing very innocent. ¡°He doesn¡¯t like you at all! You¡¯re forcing him!¡± Yang Ran spat out hatefully, ¡°You used the orphanage to force him to be with you. The Director knows this now. She won¡¯t approve of the two of you being together anymore!¡± Song Xuanhe looked away, disinterested. His gaze shifted to Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°Since you caught the murderer, you can let my person go.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the murderer!¡± Yang Ran screamed, ¡°You¡¯re the murderer! If it weren¡¯t for you, the Director wouldn¡¯t have been so mad!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression turned slightly cold. After seeing Yang Ran, he didn¡¯t want to do anything else that wouldplicate matters. One reason was that he didn¡¯t want to attract Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s suspicion. But, the main reason was that he thought that Yang Ran had probably been tricked by someone else. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have done such a thing. However, seeing her hysterical like this, Song Xuanhe felt like it would be better to clear things up. ¡°How much money did Song Jiabao give you?¡± Song Xuanhe asked after raising his hand, interrupting her screaming. Yang Ran¡¯s pupils constricted. She then feigned calmness and asked, ¡°What do you mean? What about Song Jiabao?¡± ¡°Beforeing here, I looked into your bank records.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips raised. ¡°This is an attempted murder. That sum of money is evidence of your crime. If you¡¯re determined not to talk to me, how about talking to the police?¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Yang Ran¡¯s face paled. However, she didn¡¯t give in. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Song Xuanheughed and said, ¡°I thought you liked Xiao Yuanmu. Your love is really cheap to be able to go and hurt someone important to the person you love over a little bit of money.¡± ¡°What do you know?!¡± Hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s ridicule, Yang Ran screeched. ¡°What would a young master like you know? I lost my love, and I lost my job! I¡¯m an outstanding graduate from a famous university! But because I had offended you, I can¡¯t stay in the Capital anymore. Since he won¡¯t like me, why do I have to care about him? Furthermore, I can make you two break up, make you two suffer, and earn some money. Why shouldn¡¯t I have done it?¡± After Yang Ran said this, she felt an extremely cold gaze fall on her. It disrupted her agitated state and caused reason toe back to her. ¡°So, you did receive Song Jiabao¡¯s money?¡± Song Xuanhe had just been guessing. He hadn¡¯t thought that she would be so easily enraged into confirming his conjecture without him even having to try and squeeze it out of her. Yang Ran bit down on her lip and didn¡¯t respond. She lowered her head, trembling. She didn¡¯t know why, but after she had looked at Xiao Yuanmu, she no longer felt love and hate for him. All she felt was fear. Xiao Yuanmu was clearly no different from before. However, she felt like something had changed. The gaze on her back was like a sharp sword, causing her body to go cold and quiver. Yang Ran really wanted to turn around and look at Xiao Yuanmu to exin herself. But underneath his gaze, she couldn¡¯t even lift her head. ¡°Is everything clear now?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°I had someone watch this ce, because it hade to my attention that Song Jiabao was up to something rted to this hospital. When I had thought about how the Director was here, I sent someone to keep an eye out just in case anything happened. So, you can let my person go now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. He lowered his eyes. Who knew what he was thinking about? Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t worried. His gaze fell on the young man standing next to Xiao Yuanmu. This man looked young. His appearance was ordinary, but his gaze was upright and honourable. When he looked at Xiao Yuanmu, there was a sliver of subtle gratitude. ¡°Who¡¯s this?¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly thought about how he and Xiao Yuanmu were currently ¡°together,¡± so he nced at the other. ¡°A friend.¡± Xiao Yuanmu replied quickly this time. He clearly had no intentions of introducing this friend. But, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t mind. He had only asked to keep up the act that they were a couple. He didn¡¯t really care about the answer. However, what Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t realize was that although he and Xiao Yuanmu weren¡¯t fighting, they obviously didn¡¯t seem close. No matter how you looked at them, they didn¡¯t seem like a couple. Regardless, even if Song Xuanhe had thought about this, he wouldn¡¯t think much of it. After all, one of them was unwilling to be a part of this rtionship, and the other was being forced to be in this rtionship. It would have been weirder if they did seem like a couple. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze swept over Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression and saw that the other didn¡¯t seem to care. He then turned to the man next to him and said, ¡°Call the police. Tell them that there was an attempted murder.¡± Yang Ran raised her head at once. She hadn¡¯t expected that the person to call the police wasn¡¯t Song Xuanhe but rather Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You want to get me arrested?¡± Yang Ran was in disbelief. ¡°I like you so much, but you¡¯re calling the police on me? The Director¡¯s fine! Why should I be arrested?!¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even nce at her. He nodded at the man who had picked up his phone. The police arrived very quickly and took Yang Ran away just as fast. The person who had called the police also went with them to file the report. Once the police had left, the only people who were left in the hospital room were Song Xuanhe, Xiao Yuanmu, and the man who had been helping Song Xuanhe keep an eye on the hospital. The man hadn¡¯t said anything all this time. He looked between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. In the end, he cautiously asked Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Can I leave now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly. That person then left. Song Xuanhe, thus, saw the man slip away after getting permission from Xiao Yuanmu, not caring about him, his boss, at all. He was stunned for two seconds, eyes on the shut door. He then cursed inwardly before standing up to leave. He had slipped away so quickly without his boss! If this had been in the era of a revolution, he¡¯d have been seen as a traitor! ¡°Where are you going?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was sitting, head tilted up slightly towards Song Xuanhe. However, he didn¡¯t seem any less imposing. ¡°Going home.¡± Song Xuanhe said ndly, ¡°I¡¯m meeting someone.¡± ¡°You look like you¡¯ve been doing welltely.¡± Xiao Yuanmu cast an indifferent look at him, speech neither too fast nor too slow. ¡°Since you don¡¯t need me, your boyfriend, why don¡¯t we break up?¡± Song Xuanhe was about to take a step but paused. He then looked down at Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°We¡¯ll break up if I want to. If I don¡¯t want to, we won¡¯t break up. Whether we break up or not isn¡¯t up to you.¡± After saying this, he saw Xiao Yuanmu suddenly stand up. The other then made his way over. Song Xuanhe forced himself not to take a step back. He raised his chin, not showing any weakness. Xiao Yuanmu lowered his head slightly, their noses nearly touching. With a chilly voice, he said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then how about we do something that lovers do?¡± Faced with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s dark, unreadable eyes, Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He took a subconscious step backwards, but Xiao Yuanmu reached around his waist and locked him in ce. The other then slowly moved closer, gaze fixed onto his eyes. ck¡ª The sound of the door opening sounded in the room. A nurse and an elderlydy appeared at the door. When they saw the two people embracing, they were both stupefied. ¡°Yuanmu?¡± The Director could only see Song Xuanhe¡¯s back as he was being held in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arms. She hesitated and asked, ¡°Is that Mr. Song?¡± Xiao Yuanmu took a slight step back and turned Song Xuanhe around. However, he didn¡¯t take back his hand that was around Song Xuanhe. He said to the Director, ¡°Yes, it¡¯s him.¡± The Director took in the two people¡¯s positions. Her gaze fell on Song Xuanhe¡¯s red ears, and her gloomy mood brightened up. She smiled, ¡°So, Mr. Song hase. Why didn¡¯t you call for me?¡± Song Xuanhe sighed in relief. Although he wanted to pull off Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arm that was around him, he bore with it and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I¡¯ve been caught up in some matters and haven¡¯t been able to visit until now.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The Director beamed at him. ¡°As long as you two young¡¯uns haven¡¯t been fighting, that¡¯s good. A couple should trust in each other. Don¡¯t let others instigate you.¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly taken aback. Soon after, he realized that the Director probably incorrectly thought that Yang Ran hade toe between them. However, this was fine. He wouldn¡¯t have to exin things this way. Xiao Yuanmu also thought the same. The corner of his lips rose. He then looked at Song Xuanhe and said in a meaningful tone, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. The two of us definitely trust each other.¡±
Eve: First thought is that MuMu is going to so regret having brought up breaking up. Second thought it dsfjafksdajkdfhjshfhjsahjs MUMU IS SO FORWARD MY HEAAAART. Kara: Mumu, you liar! You don¡¯t trust He bao at all! ( ¨R§¥¨Q) Aiya, this couple still has a long way to go, but at least Director Granny survived!! (*?????*)? ?? Have to trouble Director Granny to give our babies the push they need to better their rtionship!£¨¡ð£à¦Ø¡ä£©©g Chapter 41: Looking for a Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara The Deere-Barlow cruise auction just so happened to take ce on the winter solstice. That morning, the Song Family dining table had only had boiled dumplingsid on top of it. However, there had been many different vours and had, thus, been able to satisfy everyone¡¯s requirements. Yesterday, Song Xuanhe drank until veryte in the night with Zhou Nan. He didn¡¯t have much of an appetite upon waking up. Therefore, he ate a few dumplings and then put down his chopsticks. Simrly, Song Guochao, who was in a perpetual bad mood these days, also didn¡¯t have much of an appetite. After breakfast, Song Xuanhe went back to rest in his room. Shortly after, Zhang Chao informed him that he was already waiting outside. Coincidentally, as he descended the stairs, Song Xuanhe bumped into Song Xuanlin, who was also about to leave. ¡°Ge.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved up into a smile. He greeted his brother in a very lovable tone. Song Xuanlin nodded, his expression softening. He said, ¡°Mother and Father n to head out in the afternoon. Did you n to meet up with your friends? Are you going there now?¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m just nning on heading over a little earlier, so I can rest at the hotel. Otherwise, I won¡¯t have any energy at night. I n on having a good time, ne.¡± When Song Xuanlin heard this, a hint of a smile appeared on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t get too crazy at night. Since you¡¯re already ready, hurry and go.¡± Song Xuanhe and Song Xuanlin walked out the doors together. As the other boarded his car, Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Ge, where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m heading to thepany,¡± Song Xuanlin said, ¡°There¡¯s some matters I need to attend to. I¡¯ll head to Lan City after I¡¯m done.¡± ¡°Tut tut.¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his eyebrows in disdain, waving his hands. He then sat inside the other car that had been waiting for him. He then waved at Song Xuanlin. ¡°Then, have fun at work. I¡¯m heading out first.¡± Zhang Chao nodded towards Song Xuanlin respectfully before closing the door for Song Xuanhe. He then went to sit in the passenger¡¯s seat. Because they had to go pick up Xiao Yuanmu, they were also heading towards thepany. His and Song Xuanlin¡¯s cars were lined up, making it look like they were heading to the same final destination. Song Xuanhe looked at the car behind them through the rear-view mirror. He then suddenly said, ¡°Zhang Chao, what do you think of my brother?¡± Zhang Chao, who had been nning Song Xuanhe¡¯s itinerary, looked up. He thought about it for two seconds before cautiously saying, ¡°Da Xiaoye is a very steady person.¡± ¡°I meant his personality.¡± Song Xuanhezed back in his chair, propping his chin up with one hand as he stared out the window. His tone was very casual. ¡°Don¡¯t call him ¡®steady¡¯ like everyone else does. I don¡¯t want a perfunctory answer.¡± Zhang Chao didn¡¯t know why Song Xuanhe had suddenly mentioned Song Xuanlin. However, as Song Xuanhe¡¯s personal assistant, he¡¯d been with Song Xuanhe since the other had been really young. He knew very well that the other really respected and worshipped his older brother. Therefore, he muttered to himself for a while before saying, ¡°Da Xiaoye is reserved. Because of the difference in your ages, he doesn¡¯t usually y with you. I don¡¯t really know anything about his personality.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He then asked, ¡°What do you think of Song Jiabao then?¡± Zhang Chao was taken aback. He looked up and nced at the rear-view mirror, taking in the image of the rxed Song xiao shaoye. Even outsiders knew about the antagonistic rtionship between Song Jiabao and Song Xuanhe. However, what very few people knew was why they didn¡¯t get along. But, Zhang Chao was one of the few who did. Song Jiabao and Song Xuanhe were close in age. Before entering school, the two of them had gotten along quite well. After all, Old Mr. Song was loaded. Song Jiabao¡¯s father and grandfather woulde visit, mostly with the intention of currying favour. Song Jiabao was usually brought along, so he naturally had to y well with Song Xuanhe. The rtionship between the two had changed when Song Jiabao and Song Xuanhe had entered elementary school. Using the Song Family connection, Song Jiabao¡¯s father had managed to send Song Jiabao to the same private school as Song Xuanhe. It was just that this private school was very strict. The students were separated into different sses based on family background and their own achievements. You had to fulfill both to get into the top sses. Although Song Jiabao had been enrolled via the Song Family connection, the distance between him and Song Xuanhe was still substantial in terms of family background. Therefore, they had not been enrolled in the same ss. Halfway through year one, who knew what had angered Song Jiabao, but he had gone looking for Song Xuanhe during gym ss. He had loudly announced that he wanted to break off all ties with Song Xuanhe. The two of them had gotten into a fight. In the end, Song Xuanlin, who had already been in the sixth grade, had been alerted of this, and he managed to get them to break it up. It was just that, the Song Xuanlin back then¡­Who knew if it had been because he was following the tradition of chiding one¡¯s own family first or if it was because he had been influenced by Song Guochao, who would scold Song Xuanhe whenever he did something wrong without asking first? Regardless, the Song Xuanlin back then had scolded Song Xuanhe as soon as he had arrived. Even the teacher had said that it had been Song Jiabao who had started it. Even the fight had been instigated by Song Jiabao. However, Song Xuanlin had still decided that the first action he had to do was scold his younger brother. Afterwards, he had said a few perfunctory words to Song Jiabao before leaving. When Song Guochao heard about this matter, he had once again chided Song Xuanhe fiercely. This was because Song Guochao had thought that since even his eldest son had scolded Song Xuanhe, then the one in the wrong must have been his own son. Song Xuanhe had then been punished by being imprisoned in his room for two days. He had cried until his voice had be hoarse. In the end, he had been picked up by Old Mr. Song¡¯s subordinates and sent to be cared for by his grandfather. It was also at that time that Zhang Chao had been assigned to Song Xuanhe. However, maybe it was because of familial love or because children adored their parents and older siblings, but back then, even though Song xiao shaoye had ended up so traumatized from being imprisoned in a dark room that he couldn¡¯t sleep for a long time, he hadn¡¯t med his father or brother. He only hated Song Jiabao. From then on, the two of them would butt heads every time they saw each other. Even aftering of age, they still didn¡¯t like each other. Honestly speaking, the reason why Song Xuanhe and Song Jiabao¡¯s rtionship was so bad had to do with how Song Xuanlin had handled the situation back then. Unfortunately, as a subordinate, even if that was what Zhang Chao thought, he couldn¡¯t say that out loud. Therefore, even though he recalled what had happened way back then when he heard Song Xuanhe ask about Song Jiabao after having asked about Song Xuanlin, he could only try to spin hisments in a positive light. ¡°Jiabao shaoye is more outgoing, but he¡¯s still young. Therefore, he is a bit impetuous. He seems to find it difficult to think things through. There is still room for growth.¡± The corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips rose. Zhang Chao¡¯sment seemed unbiased, but it was obvious whose side he leaned towards. He then asked, ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Xiao Shaoye is cheerful and carefree. Although you are still a bit impulsive, and your thinking is still a bit young, you show initiative and have drive. You are also quite dauntless. Although you have not fully matured yet, you are an unpolished gem. With time, you will definitely achieve great aplishments.¡± His bias was even more evident here. Song Xuanhe cocked a brow. ¡°Why is Song Jiabao impetuous, but I have drive? So, my impulsiveness means I have drive?¡± Although Song Xuanhe was smiling, it felt like he was calling Zhang Chao into question. However, Zhang Chao¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He said, ¡°Jiabao shaoye has an overbearing personality and will end up offending people. However, while Xiao Shaoye is brash, it is seen as a reflection of pride in the Song Family¡¯s aplishments. The two of you are vastly different and cannot be mentioned on equal terms.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but chuckle. Only now did he realize that Zhang Chao was talented. This ability to speak in such a slick and sly manner wasn¡¯t easy for just anyone to learn. ¡°Then¡­¡± Song Xuanhe saw that they had reached a familiar street. His voice carried a hint of a smile. ¡°What do you think of Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°Young Master Xiao is destined for great things.¡± Zhang Chao turned around and looked at Song Xuanhe with gravity in his eyes. ¡°I had thought that Xiao Shaoye had only intended to y around with Young Master Xiao. However, I¡¯ve noticed that you seem to have some genuine feelings for him. Furthermore, Young Master Xiao doesn¡¯t seem to be as reluctant to be with you as I had imagined. I want to give you some advice. Even if you and Young Master Xiao choose to break up, try to part on happy terms.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up and gazed straight into Zhang Chao¡¯s eyes. He could see the serious expression on Zhang Chao¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Why do you think Xiao Yuanmu is destined for great things?¡± However, before Zhang Chao could answer, the car came to a steady stop. They had already arrived at their destination. Song Xuanhe looked away and said in a cool tone, ¡°Go call Xiao Yuanmu. I¡¯ll wait here.¡± Zhang Chao nodded and got out of the car. Shortly after, he returned with Xiao Yuanmu. He opened the back door for Xiao Yuanmu. With a smile, he said, ¡°Young Master Xiao, please sit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu bent over and met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s indolent gaze. Suddenly, the image of Song Xuanhe¡¯s radiant smile when the other had been chatting with Xiao Shenglin appeared in his mind. However, his eyes remained as calm as the surface of ake. ¡°We¡¯re all in the car. Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu look away. He then instructed the driver to start the car. The car began its smooth journey once more. But this time, no one talked. It would take approximately half an hour to get to the airport from downtown. Song Xuanhe drank with Zhou Nan and friends untilte into the night yesterday. So, he rested his eyes for a while but eventually started feeling drowsy. Gradually, he fell asleep. Xiao Yuanmu watched as Song Xuanhe¡¯s head bobbed. Afterwards, the other suddenly opened his eyes. However, he was only awake for a second before he leaned back against the seat, shut his eyes, and went to sleep again. It was just that the other didn¡¯t sleep very well. He would tilt this way and that way. Sometimes, his head would droop down and sway along with the car¡¯s turns. Xiao Yuanmu just watched on indifferently. He had no intention of fixing Song Xuanhe¡¯s posture. Zhang Chao had been watching this scene from the passenger seat. He retracted his gaze and stared out the window instead, sighing inwardly. During one turn, Song Xuanhe¡¯s drooping head had nearly knocked against the window. Luckily, he had woken up before it hit. He rubbed his eyes and nced at Xiao Yuanmu with fuzzy vision. He wasn¡¯t fully awake yet right now. When he saw the other sitting then with a cold expression on his face, Song Xuanhe snorted and then shifted closer to the window. He was as far away from Xiao Yuanmu as possible. Xiao Yuanmu had also looked away, his gaze indifferent. He gazed out the window too, thinking about what he had been preparing as ofte. Song Xuanhe moving back to the Song Residence had given Xiao Yuanmu a lot of leeway to contact his subordinates who he had had in hisst life. He had managed to once again recruit some of them, following his memory. Although they were not yet as brilliant as they had been back then, it was easier to gain their loyalty by lending them aid in their time of need now than it had been when he had done it in hisst life, when they all already had had a bit of known reputations. He had already sold off some of his stocks. Although he didn¡¯t have much money on hand, it was still enough to start up apany. Moreover, as long as he had the capital down, money was nothing but a number. He would be able to get as much money as he needed. This time, he would not do things the same way as his previous life. He would not incorporate his littlepany, which he had put his heart and soul into, into the Xiao Family, who hadn¡¯t taken it seriously. Although thispany had been able to help him gain a foothold, the current him didn¡¯t need that anymore. What was his will be his. Furthermore, thispany was no longer just something he would use to establish himself. It was what he would use to seed the Xiao Family. Since it was going to be his support, then he would need both money and status. Right now, he had enough money. What he needed now was to think of a way to get hispany recognized in the industry. He also had to figure out how to quickly take control of the market. While lost in his thoughts, he suddenly felt his shoulder get a bit heavier. He nced to the side. All he saw was a fair, clean, and lovable sleeping visage. It was probably because his shoulder was too hard, it caused difort to the sleeping person¡¯s delicate head. As such, the other would asionally shift his head, and his fan-like curledshes would flutter softly with its movement. A thought suddenly appeared in his mind. Before Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s brain could even process, his hand had already moved ording to his heart¡¯s desire. He gently moved the sleeping person¡¯s head into the dip of his shoulder. He was afraid that the other¡¯s neck would get too strained, so he also shifted lower into his seat. When Xiao Yuanmu came back to himself, that extremely lovable face was already very close to his own. The other¡¯s warm breath mixed with his soft snoring interlined with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s own breath. It was subtle but could not be ignored. Xiao Yuanmu tilted his head down slightly. His eyes were chilly as he examined Song Xuanhe. There was an unconcealed coldness in his gaze. He was just about to push the other off when he saw the other, who had been sleeping soundly, scrunch up his nose. The nasally hum quietly but rudely entered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ears. The sound was willful, arrogant, and unreasonable, just like the person it hade from. It stopped Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand in midair. Xiao Yuanmu pursed his lip slightly, staring at the other. He saw Song Xuanhe hum again as he rubbed his head against him. After some time, it seemed like the other had finally found a suitable sleeping position. The other¡¯s slightly furrowed eyebrows smoothed out, but his long, curledshes seemed restless. They were like butterflies that hadnded on the tops of flowers, asionally pping their wings softly. As time passed, the rate his eyshes fluttered decreased. A few minutester, they only quietly cast their shadows on the other¡¯s face, nowpletely still. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes are very long. They are also a deep ck color and dense. That had been Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s first thought. He probably hasn¡¯t slept on Xiao Shenglin like this before. This had been Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s second thought. At the same time his second thought had popped into his head, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes became colder. This was because he recalled the scene he had watched yesterday. Yesterday evening, after having finished discussions with his business partner, he had exited the tea house to wait for Yang Jie toe pick him up. Completely by ident, he had caught sight of Song Xuanhe in the pub across the street. Song Xuanhe, Xiao Shenglin, and Zhou Nan had been sitting on the patio of the bar. There had been fruits, drinks, and other light refreshments on the table in front of them. Zhou Nan had been drinking. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe had been speaking to Xiao Shenglin with a radiant smile. Even though they had been on opposite sides of the street, he had still been able to see the light in the other¡¯s eyes. The singer outside had suddenly broken out into the climax of their song. The guests outside all lifted their sses and hummed or sang along. It was probably because it had been too noisy, Song Xuanhe had brought his face close to Xiao Shenglin¡¯s ears, a smile in his eyes as he said something to him. In the end, he and Xiao Shenglin exchanged smiles. Xiao Shenglin had even rubbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s head. This was a version of Song Xuanhe that Xiao Yuanmu had never seen before. This version of him was rxed, happy, and seemed to radiate joy from the inside out. He had spoken to Xiao Shenglin with a beaming smile. Even though Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know what they were talking about, he could see how close and familiar the two of them were. They had a special aura around them that was born from mutual trust. This kind of aura had never existed between him and Song Xuanhe. It was probably because of the memories of pre-rebirth him, but at that moment, Xiao Yuanmu had had the urge to walk over ande between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin. He had wanted to break their gaze and conversation and then pinch Song Xuanhe¡¯s face so that the other could only look at him. He had wanted to let everyone know just who Song Xuanhe belonged to. When Yang Jie had called out to him, he had already taken a step onto the crosswalk. If it hadn¡¯t been for Yang Jie, he probably would have done as he had wanted. At that moment, he had thought that Song Xuanhe must have instilled some kind of mental suggestion into his pre-rebirth self. That must have been why he was being enticed like this even after his rebirth. The effect Song Xuanhe had on him, or rather the effect his pre-rebirth memories had on him, shocked Xiao Yuanmu. But along with that shock, there was vignce. This was because he knew that no matter what Song Xuanhe was like, he could not stand by his side. Moreover, he had never wanted anyone to walk with him shoulder-to-shoulder anyway. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lower jaw tensed. He meticulously examined Song Xuanhe¡¯s sleeping face. From the other¡¯s fair, smooth skin to the nearly invisible tear mole on the outer corner of his eye, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t let off any details. Song Xuanhe¡¯s appearance was quite good, but in the eyes of Xiao Yuanmu, who had gotten used to seeing the most beautiful people in the world, he was just all right. A face like this, a person like this¡­none of it should have attracted his attention. The only reason the pre-rebirth him had fallen for him was probably because he hadn¡¯t seen much of the world yet. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes regained their calm. He pinched Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin and then moved him off his shoulder. Song Xuanhe, who was still drowsy from sleep, still wanted to lean against Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s shoulder. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hold back. No matter how much Song Xuanhe tilted his head, his head was fixed in ce. ¡°What are you doing¡­?¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes just a crack. His clear eyes had a hint of sleepiness. He obviously wasn¡¯t fully awake yet. His eyes were glossy. ¡°Why are you holding onto my chin?¡± His guard waspletely down, and he looked confused. This was the first time Xiao Yuanmu had seen Song Xuanhe before the other was fully awake. While his tone was that of discontent, it also sounded a bit coquettish. However, Xiao Yuanmu remained unmoved. He pushed the other back when he saw that his eyes were open. He said in a t voice, ¡°We¡¯ve arrived at the airport.¡± At the same time, Zhang Chao, who had been watching the situation in the back seat, also spoke. ¡°Xiao Shaoye, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Song Xuanhe rubbed his eyes and then yawned softly. He then opened his eyes fully. The outer corners of his eyes were slightly red from the rubbing. With his watery eyes, he looked even more tired. Actually, Song Xuanhe really wasn¡¯t fully awake yet. He didn¡¯t even remember to bicker with Xiao Yuanmu for having pushed him. Instead, he just nodded quietly. He then slowly said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll sleep on the ne.¡± Zhang Chao looked at this especially lovable version of his Xiao Shaoye. He was a bit surprised. He had cut off Song Xuanhe just now, because he had been afraid that the other would be angry at Xiao Yuanmu. He hadn¡¯t thought that he would be so easy to deal with today. Xiao Yuanmu looked at Song Xuanhe. It then dawned on him. Song Xuanhe had also been like this when he had been drunk. Quiet, lovable, slow¡­he would do anything you told him to do. He wouldn¡¯t get angry no matter what. He hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to be like this after waking up too. Song Xuanhe was probably like this when he wasn¡¯t fully awake or sober. Xiao Yuanmu subconsciously frowned. His first thought was that he had to make sure that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t drink or stay out overnight outside. However, before he could think about anything else, he saw Song Xuanhe get out of the car and blindly follow Zhang Chao. He had even wanted to help Zhang Chao get the suitcases. Zhang Chao had naturally refused. This was the first time he had ever seen Xiao Shaoye act so lovable. Assistant Zhang, who had watched Song Xuanhe grow up and practically saw him as his own younger brother, felt really gratified. But at the same time, his heart ached. This was because from what he had heard from Mrs. Song and Old Mr. Song, Xiao Shaoye had also been a very good, clever, and likeable child when he had been young. He had never expected to be able to see him like this. Obviously, Zhang Chao also noticed that this was probably because Song Xuanhe had yet to fully wake up. However, even if the other hadn¡¯t woken up yet, this was his Xiao Shaoye. This at least proved that Xiao Shaoye wasn¡¯t inherently bad. His brash, domineering personality when awake was just a wall he had built up around him. But before Zhang Chao couldment for long, Xiao Yuanmu exited the car and came to stand between him and Song Xuanhe. Although the other¡¯s tone was a bit chilly, it was very polite. He asked, ¡°Do you require any help?¡± Zhang Chao shook his head. He then nced at Song Xuanhe, who was standing behind Xiao Yuanmu, and said, ¡°Young Master Xiao, our Xiao Shaoye hasn¡¯t woken up yet. Could you please help me take him inside? I¡¯lle over once I get the boarding passes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu agreed. He took a few steps before he realized that Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t been following. He, thus, went back to grab Song xiao shaoye¡¯s wrist and drag him into the airport. The airport was filled with hubbub. Song Xuanhe gradually woke up as he followed after Xiao Yuanmu. He took a look around their noisy surroundings as well as the middle-aged aunties who ran through the airport, probably because they had gone to the wrong check-in station. He wanted to pull his hand away, but Xiao Yuanmu had a firm hold on it. At least there was a meat shield in front of him for when people charged past them. Zhang Chao had very quickly obtained their boarding passes. He took them to the VIP waiting room and said, ¡°Xiao Shaoye, you and Young Master Xiao can rest here. I have some things to do.¡± At this moment, Xiao Yuanmu let go of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. They sat in armchairs next to each other. Their expressions were that of indifference. When he heard Zhang Chao speak, Song Xuanhe had looked up from his phone and said, ¡°Go quickly, ande back quickly.¡± Zhang Chao rushed out. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell back onto his phone screen. He was currently looking at a small group chat. There were only three people in it, and it was called ¡°Top Male Models Group.¡± It was named by the shameless Zhou Nan. Just now, Zhou Nan had sent a message: Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: Are you awake? Let¡¯s continue to go crazy tonight! Laozi¡¯s the Most Handsome Man in the World: I¡¯m at the airport. I don¡¯t want to go crazy with you tonight. Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: Heh, it¡¯s different now that you have your boyfriend. Daddy is tactful and won¡¯t interrupt you guys from deepening your connection. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll let Lin zi know. Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. He also sent a rolling-eye emoji. He replied: Who says I¡¯ll be with Xiao Yuanmu? I¡¯m going drinking with Lin zi. After sending that, he added: Without you. Zhou Nan cried bitterly. He sent message after message like crazy. Before Song Xuanhe could read them all, he saw that Zhou Nan had sent a voice message. He didn¡¯t think and clicked on it. All he heard was Zhou Nan¡¯s indignant voice say: ¡°Tell Daddy just when you and Lin zi got together! You guys dare to get together behind my back?! You guys have let down both me and your Xiao Yuanmu!¡± Zhou Nan spoke quickly, and his voice was loud. As soon as Song Xuanhe had been about to end the message, Zhou Nan had already finished speaking. His words echoed through the spacious VIP waiting area. Obviously, Xiao Yuanmu, who had turned to look over here, hadn¡¯t missed it. The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: Idiot! That doesn¡¯t mean what you think it means! Eve: XYM¡¯s jealousy and the way his first reaction was to make himself morefortable for SXH to sleep on ahhhh. Also dkm at the ending. SXH has a talent for getting into awkward situations. Kara: ?a?a?a (?????) Zhou Nan is so embarrassing! I¡¯m honestly surprised Song Xuanhe hasn¡¯t killed Zhou Nan for all the trouble he¡¯s already put him through. But, more importantly, Mumu!! Aiya, just admit your feelings, don¡¯t deny them, embrace them!! (¡äÆH`) Chapter 42: Looking for a Really Handsome Man Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Song Xuanhe thought that this was really awkward. But what was even more awkward was that because he had pressed down on the message a second time just as it had ended, it yed again. It was like the message was ying on surround sound as if it was tangibly encircling Xiao Yuanmu, who was currently looking at him. When the message had ended the second time, therge VIP room fell into a weird and awkward silence. Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu looked at Song Xuanhe. The two of them gazed at each other. One of them was pretending to be calm while the other had no expression on his face. It was really, really awkward. Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone was still vibrating. When Zhou Nan had gotten no response, he continued to barrage Song Xuanhe with messages. He sent both texts and voice messages that were all full of disdain andint. Who knew what court drama he must have had taken inspiration from to actually call himself Nobleman Nan? He had also named Xiao Shenglin as Imperial Consort Lin and Xiao Yuanmu as the Empress. He had turned this into some big imperial court drama. Among them, the most scummy and unbridled was naturally ¡°Emperor¡± Song Xuanhe. From the corner of his eye, he could see message after message appear on his phone¡¯s screen. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t keep his expression calm. He quickly turned off the screen and then forced out augh. ¡°Zhou Nan¡¯s been watching a lot of court dramas with his mother recently, hahahaha.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes shifted. He looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s embarrassed smile and calmly asked, ¡°Emperor?¡± Song Xuanhe coughed. He had felt ashamed for some reason when he saw Xiao Yuanmu say that word with such a nk expression. At the same time, he had felt his back go cold. He continued tough in a fake manner, ¡°Hahaha, Zhou Nan¡¯s just joking.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyelids lowered slightly, and he came in a bit closer. He asked in a quiet voice, ¡°How many concubines are in the Emperor¡¯s harem?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if Xiao Yuanmu was just asking or if there was a deeper meaning behind his question. In any case, he felt like the other didn¡¯t harbour any good intentions. Song Xuanhe stared at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes, which were so straight and long that they could poke someone. ¡°There¡¯s no one in the harem.¡± Song Xuanhe watched as Xiao Yuanmu looked up. He quickly corrected, ¡°There¡¯s only an Empress, no concubines.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips seemed to curl up slightly. They then fell back down. At the same time, Zhang Chao¡¯s voice echoed alongside the boarding notification in the VIP waiting room. ¡°Xiao Shaoye, Young Master Xiao, we should board the ne.¡± Song Xuanhe felt the oppressing atmosphere around them disappear. When he turned to look at Zhang Chao, he caught a glimpse of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm expression in his peripheral vision. Song Xuanhe raised his chin that had been slightly lowered before. He then walked in Zhang Chao¡¯s direction with his back straight, the air of an arrogant young master around him. ¡¾Brother, you seem really scared.¡¿ Song Xuanhe had just taken his seat and had refused the flight attendant¡¯s beverage offer when he heard the System say this. ¡¾Me? Scared? ¡¿Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was at least a metre and a half away from him. His response had been in a very rxed tone. ¡¾In human words, you know how to adapt to the situation!¡¿The system¡¯s boorish voice was filled with admiration £º¡¾I¡¯ve noticed that every time the data says that the big shot¡¯s spirits are high, you rain down tyrannical abuse on him. When the big shot¡¯s spirits are low, you immediately concede. You¡¯re very flexible! You¡¯re a genius!¡¿ Song Xuanhe£º¡­¡­ ¡¾Do you Systems have a Chinese teacher?¡¿Song Xuanhe said expressionlessly£º¡¾I think your Chinese iscking. You need to get a new database. Should ¡°tyrannical abuse¡± and ¡°concede¡± be used like this? What I was doing should be called ¡°going after gain while avoiding harm.¡± This is an outstanding skill that has helped establish humans at the top of the food chain. Do you understand?¡¿ The System was silent for a bit before quietly saying£º¡¾Actually, there¡¯s been something I¡¯ve been wanting to tell you. I didn¡¯t tell you before, because I wasn¡¯t too sure about it. Although I¡¯m still uncertain, I think I should still tell you.¡¿ When he had heard the System¡¯s tone, Song Xuanhe thought that it couldn¡¯t be anything good. Therefore, he ruthlessly declined£º¡¾I don¡¯t want to know.¡¿ ¡¾You really don¡¯t want to know?¡¿The System was astonished. After all, this matter was very important. Therefore, it couldn¡¯t help but say a bit more in hopes of rousing Song Xuanhe¡¯s interest£º¡¾I think that your intuition is spot on. You didn¡¯t used to be so afraid of Xiao Yuanmu, remember? It was only recently that you began to fear him. Don¡¯t you want to know why?¡¿ However, Song Xuanhe remained unmoved. His words were curt and firm£º¡¾No.¡¿ The System sighed and said£º¡¾Alright. I¡¯ll let you know when I¡¯ve confirmed it then.¡¿ After saying this, the System still seemed like it wanted to say something more. However, when it saw Song Xuanhe had closed his eyes, looking like he was about to go back to sleep, it didn¡¯t say anything in the end. The flight from the Capital to Lan City would take less than an hour. Very quickly, the ne hadnded. Song Xuanhe was woken up by Zhang Chao. He had slept quite a bit if you added the duration of the car ride and flight together, so he had more-or-less slept his fill. Although he was a bit muddle-headed upon waking up again, he was able to wake up quickly this time. There had already been people waiting for them at the airport. Shortly after, they were brought to the hotel nearest to the harbour. Zhang Chao had booked a presidential suite with two bedrooms. This was because Song Xuanhe had emphasized that he and Xiao Yuanmu needed to have two separate rooms. Although Zhang Chao didn¡¯t understand why lovers would sleep apart, he also didn¡¯t have a habit of inquiring too much into his master¡¯s life. All he did was get matters done quickly. Aside from the two master bedrooms, the presidential suite also had a few bedrooms for apanying subordinates. Therefore, Zhang Chao also lived there. It was just that his room was a bit further from Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rooms. The presidential suite had alsoe with a personal butler. The butler, dressed in a swallow-tailed coat, led them inside. He meticulously and properly set down some wine, a fruit tter, and some hot towels. He then softly asked Zhang Chao about the two masters¡¯ habits and taboos. He then retreated to the living room in a refined and courteous manner. Although Song Xuanhe had slept his fill, he was still tired from the journey. There wasn¡¯t much time left until the cruise ship would dock, so he didn¡¯t bother going out. He entered his own bedroom and washed up. He then lied down on his bed and yed on his phone. Zhou Nan had already sent 99+ messages in the meantime. Xiao Shenglin had also replied a few times. The two of them had joked around and had figured out what they would do tonight. They had decided to go hang out at the casino on the cruise ship¡¯s third floor. Song Xuanhe thought that Zhou Nan would definitely give him a hard time today. If he were to look up his horoscope for today, it¡¯d probably tell him that he should avoid Zhou Nan. However, Song xiao shaoye, who would lose nine out of ten times when gambling, couldn¡¯t stop himself from wanting to y when he heard that they would be gambling. Therefore, he opened up a horoscopes website and went to read the one for Gemini. After having read his horoscope, he found out that his luck was really ordinary today. As such, he started to read through the text more carefully. However, after reading just one paragraph, he started to get annoyed. It said that Geminis¡¯ luck wasn¡¯t particrly good today except for when it came to love. His love fortune was a full five stars. Underneath the five stars was ament saying that he would encounter true love at the start of the second half of the year. That person would be his soulmate, who would spend the rest of his life with him. Today, his luck in love would increase. The two of them would get closer. It also said that he had to make sure to cherish and grab hold of this chance today. Just by looking at this, Song Xuanhe knew that this was just some nonsense someone hade up with. It wasn¡¯t reliable at all. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and continued scrolling as he held his temper back. He skimmed through until he found the section on what to avoid for the day. What to Avoid: If Geminis are going out today, it would be best to avoid being with Cancers, especially if they¡¯re male. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He opened up WeChat and messaged Zhou Nan. Laozi is the Most Handsome Man in the World: What¡¯s your astrological sign? A secondter, a reply came. Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: Why? [I¡¯m confused.jpg] Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: What, it can¡¯t be that you¡¯re still not satisfied even though you have Lin zi now? Did you take a fancy to me too? Laozi is the Most Handsome Man in the World: Are you nning on walking down the red carpet at next year¡¯s Oscars? Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: Forget it. I¡¯ve retired from acting a long time ago. I would feel sorry if I were to snatch it from the neers. So many of my fans would show up and crowd around me to the point that I wouldn¡¯t be able to move. If the media gets pictures of that, they¡¯ll all say I usurped the red carpet once again. Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: [Auntie batting her eyes and brushing her hair back flirtatiously.jpg] Upon seeing this nauseating emoticon, Song Xuanhe felt like he had made a mistake. He shouldn¡¯t have given Zhou Nan any more fodder to weave his ridiculous tales. Laozi is the Most Handsome Man in the World: Shut up. Astrological sign. Daddy¡¯s Handsomeness is Unrivalled: You don¡¯t even know my astrological sign? Fake friend! You fickle, heartless rat! Song Xuanhe sucked in a deep breath, restraining himself. When he opened his eyes, he went to cklist Zhou Nan. After cklisting him, he felt refreshed. His chest was no longer stuffy. His thumbs even typed more nimbly too. He then opened up Xiao Shenglin¡¯s WeChat. He asked: Do you know Zhou Nan¡¯s astrological sign? Xiao Shenglin replied very quickly. Deep in the Woods You Hear the Sound of a Xiao: His birthday¡¯s June 22nd, so he¡¯s probably a Cancer. Song Xuanhe looked at the astrological sign in front of him. He now thought that horoscopes held some truth to them. After thanking Xiao Shenglin, he chatted with the other a bit before putting his phone down. He rested for a while. Zhang Chao had then knocked on his door to tell Song Xuanhe that Song Guochao, Li Nianan, and Song Xuanlin had arrived. He had also asked if Song Xuanhe wanted to change now and eat dinner with them. Song Xuanhe naturally wouldn¡¯t go. He finally changed only when it was nearing eight o¡¯clock. He then waited outside for Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°What clothing did you prepare for Xiao Yuanmu?¡± While waiting, Song Xuanhe asked this casually. But before Zhang Chao could respond, Xiao Yuanmu had already opened the door ande out. Xiao Yuanmu had broad shoulders and long legs. He was very eye-catching, dressed in a tailored, fitting suit. Even though Song Xuanhe had already gotten used to his appearance, his eyes still lit up. However, he realized that something was off about it. ¡°That suit¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe looked down at his own, ¡°Is it from the same series as mine?¡± Zhang Chao nodded, expression earnest. ¡°Your suit and Young Master Xiao¡¯s suits are both from XX¡¯s newest ready-to-wear collection. These two suits reflect Young Master Xiao¡¯s and your personalities.¡± One ck and one white. They really did reflect their personalities. Song Xuanhe looked bright and cheerful whereas Xiao Yuanmu looked calm and reserved. However, who wanted to be in couple clothes with Xiao Yuanmu? These two pieces were a set. But in this world, where same-sex marriage was legal except for blood-rted brothers, only couples would wear things from the same set. Wouldn¡¯t this infuriate Song Guochao to death if he and Xiao Yuanmu appeared like this? Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up. Originally, he had been nning on changing, but he had changed his mind. He patted Zhang Chao¡¯s shoulder, pleased. ¡°Not bad.¡± * The moment Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had boarded the cruise ship, many eyes were drawn to them. Aside from the fact that the two of them were very handsome, most people were also curious about their identities. Ignoring everyone¡¯s stares, Song Xuanhe headed straight for the second floor. The entire second floor was where the entertainment was. Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin, who had already arrived, were probably there. However, just as he had stepped foot on the carpeted floor of the second floor¡¯s hall, he heard a lovable voice. The owner of said lovable voice made a beeline for the two of them. In the end, she stopped in front of Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Hey mister, can I have your number?¡± The girl¡¯s eyes were beautiful. Paired with her pink cheeks, she was adorable. Well, at least Song Xuanhe thought that she was quite attractive. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even look at her. He reached out and pulled Song Xuanhe towards him. He then said in a cool voice, ¡°I have a boyfriend.¡± Song Xuanhe also remembered that he had a role to act out too. Therefore, he nodded and said in a t voice, ¡°He¡¯s not interested in girls.¡± That girl red at him and pouted her lips. ¡°Well, my big brother is better looking than you! He suits this mister more than you do!¡± Song Xuanhe really wanted to say, ¡°Then, give him to your brother,¡± but he could only smile in disdain. ¡°Whether I suit him or not isn¡¯t up to you.¡± After saying this, he raised a brow and looked at the crowd of gorgeously dressed young men and women a distance away. He then said, ¡°You should pick better targets when ying this kind of game. Otherwise, don¡¯t cry when you lose.¡± The girl widened her eyes, face flushing. Her voice quieted. ¡°How did you know?¡± ¡°Gege¡¯s yed this kind of game a lot more than you have.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. He pulled his arm out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hold and then held the other¡¯s hand. He said, ¡°Enough. Go y.¡± The girl looked at Song Xuanhe hesitantly. She then said in a quiet voice, ¡°How about giving me your contact information? I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that ugly. Actually, you¡¯re even a little handsome.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips twitched. He had been about to speak but had ended up pulled away by Xiao Yuanmu before the words could leave his mouth. They ended up leaving the girl far in the dust. After drawing some distance between them and the girl, Song Xuanhe let go of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. He pulled out a room card and handed it to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°I¡¯m going to drink with my friends. The room¡¯s on the sixth level. You can head there yourself.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him without much of an expression on his face. He epted the room card and left. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips, staring at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back. When he thought about his goal for this cruise, he clicked his tongue, feeling a bit antsy. He then headed towards the bar by the deck. It was already a bit past eight. All of the cruise¡¯s guests had just arrived. Most of them were gathered at the banquet hall on the first floor or had headed directly to the auction hall on the third floor. Therefore, there weren¡¯t a lot of people at the bar right now. Song Xuanhe saw Zhou Nan as soon as he had entered. Song Xuanhe looked around and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Lin zi?¡± Zhou Nan had a cocktail in his hand as he gestured with his chin. ¡°Over there. As soon as he had arrived, some girl started pestering him. Who knows which family she belongs to?¡± Song Xuanhe followed the other¡¯s gaze and saw that Xiao Shenglin was currently chatting with an exquisitely pretty young girl. The girl¡¯s smile was beautiful. ¡°That girl looks like she has juste of age.¡± Song Xuanhe swept a gaze before looking away. ¡°She looks young.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue. ¡°That youngster usually seems so upright, but he¡¯s not even willing to let off a young girl.¡± A waiter in a vest bowed and handed the drinks menu to Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe casually nced through it and then ordered a wine with a low alcohol content that he usually drank. The waiter took his order but didn¡¯t leave. The waiter stood very close by. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and turned his head to say, ¡°Is something wrong?¡± The pretty young man wearing the vest pouted and said, ¡°Er shao, do you not recognize me?¡± Song Xuanhe was confused. ¡°Should I?¡± The young man¡¯s eyes turned red. He choked and said, ¡°No.¡± He then looked at him with anticipation in his eyes onest time before taking the drink menu away. ¡°Who was that?¡± Song Xuanhe was mystified. Zhou Nanughed. ¡°You can¡¯t even recognize your ex?¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He carefully recalled that face that had been illuminated by the faint light. He had only seen that the other¡¯s face seemed pale and was normal-looking. He couldn¡¯t find this face in his memories. Therefore, he didn¡¯t bother thinking about it anymore. He stretched out his legs and smiledzily. ¡°I¡¯ve had so many lovers, how can I remember them all?¡± Zhou Nanughed and called him arrogant. He then said in a serious tone, ¡°That man can¡¯t evenpare to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s fingernail. Don¡¯t go back to him.¡± Song Xuanhe knew that Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin thought that he and Xiao Yuanmu suited each other well. Therefore, he didn¡¯tment and just asked, ¡°You know that guy?¡± ¡°Okay, just keep pretending.¡± Zhou Nan rolled his eyes and continued, ¡°Do you really think that you¡¯re the Emperor with three thousand wives in your harem? You¡¯ve actually forgotten someone you¡¯d favoured before. Don¡¯t you remember that he cheated twenty million yuan out of you?¡± Only then did he figure out who they were. ¡°Is he that boyfriend I had during university? Isn¡¯t he a graduate of a well-known university? What¡¯s he doing here as a waiter?¡± ¡°Waiter¡± was putting it nicely. The young women and men who ran over to wait at a ce like a cruise have all given tacit approval to be priced ¡°attendants.¡± This meant that they knew fully well that they were also goods to be sold on the cruise. ¡°That youngster likes to gamble. Twenty million isn¡¯t enough for him,¡± Zhou Nan sneered in disdain, ¡°And, you¡¯re an idiot who spends money recklessly. You gave him the money so easily.¡± Even though their families were well-off and could afford spending several tens of millions, there were different ways to spend money after all. If they used the money to invest or for their studies, their families wouldn¡¯t say much about it. However, only wastrels would spend that much on lovers who they were just ying with. People outside of the circles would always talk about some rich guy spending tens of millions to buy cars or homes for their lover, but in reality, there were very few people who were born into money that actually did this. This was because they had all been taught financial management and investment since they had been young. They knew how to best utilize every dor. How could they bear to give all their elders a bad impression for the sake of a little ything? They¡¯d also be aughingstock among people their age. This wasn¡¯t how those born into money unted their wealth. This was how new money generations led themselves to ruin. Zhou Nan had used to watch Song Xuanhe from afar in the past. Not only had he seen how Song Xuanhe had liked to hang out with fastidious but ipetent people and good-for-nothing wastrels who fawned over him, but he had also seen how the other had wasted money like he was part of the nouveau riche. That had made him really unhappy. However, ever since Song Xuanhe had gotten together with Xiao Yuanmu, things had changed. Zhou Nan really liked this change. Song Xuanhe¡¯s change was also more in line with what their circumstances entailed. Therefore, that had been why he had tried to approach the other slowly. After having interacted with each other for a while, he had realized that Song Xuanhe was no longer as stupid as he once had been. Only then had Zhou Nan really epted him. Therefore, when he had seen that guy just now, Zhou Nan¡¯s guard had gone up. If Song Xuanhe had been seduced by that guy again, all their efforts would have gone to waste, and the other would have reverted back to his old ways. When he had thought of this, Zhou Nan had carefully examined Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. He had been ready to act as soon as he had found something wrong. Except Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t even taken another look at that waiter. When Song Xuanhe found out that the original host had given that guy twenty million, he had been shocked. However, strictly speaking, it hadn¡¯t been his money. He didn¡¯t even know that guy either, so he didn¡¯t really care. However, although Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care, that didn¡¯t mean that that waiter didn¡¯t have any intentions on seducing him again. Shortly after, that young man came back carrying wine. When he bent down, he had purposely leaned towards Song Xuanhe. His fair face appeared before Song Xuanhe. The other said in a docile voice, ¡°Er shao, this is the wine you had ordered. I also remembered that you liked to eat mango. These were transported to the kitchen this morning. I peeled it for you and cut it into pieces.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the mango. He hadn¡¯t even opened his mouth yet when he heard Zhou Nan say, ¡°Enough. Go back. Don¡¯te over again unless someone calls for you.¡± The young man looked at Song Xuanhe, feeling wronged. Song Xuanhe naturally didn¡¯t want him to stay either. He had been about to tell him to leave when he saw Xiao Shengline over with the pretty girl from before. When he saw them, Xiao Shenglin smiled. ¡°This is my cousin, Xiao Ranyun. She came with her parents today and was bored, so she came looking for me. It should be fine for her to join us, ba.¡± Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe naturally didn¡¯t mind. Zhou Nan said, ¡°Sit. Since you¡¯re Lin zi¡¯s little sister, you¡¯re also my little sister. Order whatever you want to drink. The fruits¡¯ pretty good here. There¡¯s freshly cut mango in that dish. I heard that it was transported here just this morning. You can have some.¡± Xiao Ranyun smiled and nodded. She sat down in front of Song Xuanhe alongside Xiao Shenglin. She said, ¡°Thank you, Zhou Nan gege. And, thank you, Xuanhe gege. But, I can¡¯t eat mangoes. We¡¯re both allergic to mangoes. But, I can eat other fruits.¡± Xiao Shenglin said in a gentle voice, ¡°I told her about you two just now.¡± When Zhou Nan heard this, he nodded in understanding. He said, ¡°Since no one¡¯s going to eat the mangoes here, take it away.¡± The young man looked at Song Xuanhe with red eyes, hoping that Song Xuanhe would say something in his defense. He had remembered that Song Xuanhe had liked to eat mangoes the most, especially the mangoes he cut up, because he had always been very careful whenever he did it. He would always meticulously cut around the seed, only leaving the flesh. Song Xuanhe naturally couldn¡¯t read the grievances on the young man¡¯s face. He waved his hand indifferently. ¡°No one wants this. Take it away.¡± When Zhou Nan saw how Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to feel anything for his old me, he rxed. His fingers that had been just about to type out a message moved away from his phone¡¯s screen. Seeing that no one was defending him, the young man left with the dish full of fruit, looking wronged. Zhou Nan frowned as he stared at the other¡¯s back. ¡°You better be more steadfast. That youngster can¡¯t even bepared to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s¡­.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t evenpare to his fingernail, I know.¡± Song Xuanhe interrupted him, stopping him from continuing. In a show of his ¡°loyalty,¡± he said, ¡°I will never take an interest in anyone else. I only like Xiao Yuanmu, okay?¡± Zhou Nan pulled his finger off the voice message button and beamed, satisfied. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu got your message.¡± Song Xuanhe had just taken a sip of his wine, so he hadn¡¯t really processed what Zhou Nan had said. He replied, ¡°If I didn¡¯t know better, I¡¯d have thought you were a part of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s family. Why do you like him so much? And what about me makes you think that if I take so much as another look at someone, I¡¯ll cheat?¡± After having said this, he only just realized what Zhou Nan had said. He spat the wine he had just sipped back out and started coughing. With red eyes and a hoarse voice, he asked, ¡°What exactly did Xiao Yuanmu receive?¡± Eve: Zhou Nan best wingman hahahahaha. Chapter 43: A Steady Gaze, No Expression Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you to Anon and another Anon for your kofis and sweet messages!
¡°I will never fall for anyone else, I only like Xiao Yuan¡ª¡± Song Xuanhe snatched Zhou Nan¡¯s phone. When he saw that the voice message had already been sent, he didn¡¯t even ask Zhou Nan when he had gotten Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s WeChat information and instead quickly went to delete the message. When he saw the ¡°Your message has been deleted¡± notification, he sighed in relief. He then kicked Zhou Nan, who had on an innocent expression. Song Xuanhe threw the phone back at Zhou Nan and asked, ¡°When did you even get his WeChat info?¡± ¡°At Song Jiabao¡¯s receptionst time.¡± Zhou Nan nced at the ss of wine in Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. ¡°That time you ended up drunk.¡± Wasn¡¯t that also the day he had called Xiao Yuanmu ¡°Daddy?¡± Zhou Nan had touched his sore spot. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression turned rigid. The re he directed towards Zhou Nan was as sharp as a de. However, by the time Zhou Nan looked over at him, his eyes had already curved into a friendly smile. ¡°Now that I think about it, I didn¡¯t get to drink enough with youst time. You have to try my handiwork today.¡± Song Xuanhe beamed as he called a waiter over. He whispered into the waiter¡¯s ears. The waiter hesitated for a moment before giving an affirmative answer and leaving. Zhou Nan didn¡¯t know why, but he felt like the asional nces that Song Xuanhe¡ªthis handsome fellow with a deceiving face¡ª was giving him felt a bit weird. Furthermore, when the other had said, ¡°Taste my handiwork,¡± it felt like he had actually been saying ¡°I¡¯m going to kick your ass.¡± However, these thoughts disappeared when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s nimble and beautiful drink mixing skills and especially when he saw the end product. It was an ombre-coloured cocktail in a wine ss, the colour going from grey to blue. Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes widened in amazement. ¡°A cocktail I have specifically made for you. Make sure to drink it all.¡± Song Xuanhe pushed the drink to Zhou Nan¡¯s side, beaming. ¡°Of course I¡¯ll finish it. But, when did you learn how to mix drinks? And, you¡¯re so good at it too.¡± Zhou Nan was astonished. He raised the ss and looked at it from the bottom. Even though the cup had swayed, the drink still retained its ombre effect¡ªthe colours didn¡¯t mix together. The waiter who had brought the necessary mixing tools and alcohol to Song Xuanhe was shocked. Even the bartender, who had followed along to see which guest had wanted to mix drinks, was astonished. The fact that the bartender could mix drinks here was evidence of his skill. However, despite all the years he¡¯d spent mixing drinks and participating inpetitions, he had never seen a drink like this before. The beautiful colours and that ombre effect¡­the alcohol used in it had been expensive too. If he could learn how to make that, it could be a signature drink. The bartender looked at Song Xuanhe with an ardent gaze. However, when he remembered who Song Xuanhe was, he became dejected. The people who coulde drink here were not people he could casually seek connections with. He was different from the waiters. He had only been hired to work. While Zhou Nan was astonished, the youngdy sitting next to Xiao Shenglin had also widened her eyes. She looked at the ombre colour in the ss with fondness on her face. The drink looked like a cloudy sky clearing up or a hazy morning. Her mood bettered as she looked at it. ¡°Xuanhe gege, how did you make this?¡± Xiao Ranyun thought it was stunning. Her favourite colours just so happened to be blue and grey. This cocktail made her eyes light up. If it weren¡¯t for the fact that it would be rude, she would have already snatched the ss out of Zhou Nan¡¯s hands to get a better look. Xiao Ranyun¡¯s question was exactly what the bartender had wanted to ask but couldn¡¯t. Now that someone was asking this for him, he was ecstatic! ¡°I just mixed a few things together. It¡¯s nothing amazing.¡± Song Xuanhe said this in a casual tone, but the bartender didn¡¯t believe him. Even Zhou Nan and the others, who didn¡¯t know anything about mixing drinks, didn¡¯t believe him. But since Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to want to say much about it, they couldn¡¯t continue to ask him questions even if they wanted to know. Even the youngest, Xiao Ranyun politely dropped the topic. She then turned to ask Song Xuanhe shyly, ¡°Xuanhe gege, can you make me a ss too?¡± When Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on her, Xiao Ranyun, who had felt at ease up until now, felt a bit embarrassed. Her voice was melodious and lovable though. ¡°My favourite colours are blue and grey. This drink is really too pretty.¡± Song Xuanhe paused slightly at her words. As he looked at the girl¡¯s shy expression, he found himself losing himself in his thoughts. In his original world, these two colours had been precisely the favourite colours of his only friend. Back then, he had learned to make this cocktail to prank him. Seeing Song Xuanhe fall silent, Xiao Ranyun realized that her request had been a bit rude. She had already felt embarrassed, but now, her face heated up even more with this realization. She clenched the hand on her knee and had been about to apologize when she saw Song Xuanhe smile. ¡°Okay, but wait until Zhou Nan finishes it. If you still want to drink it after you hear what he has to say, I¡¯ll make you a ss.¡± Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes lit up, and she thanked him, a grin on her face. She looked particrly sweet when she smiled like a younger girl-next-door. She seemed sincere and adorable. Upon hearing this, Zhou Nan thought that something seemed fishy. Why had Song Xuanhe said that he¡¯d only make the drink for her if she still wanted it after he drank it? No matter how he looked at it, it all pointed to the drink tasting bad. However, looking at the cocktail¡¯s beautiful colour, Zhou Nan also thought hesitantly, How bad could a beautiful drink like this be? Song Xuanhe smiled as he watched Zhou Nan hesitate. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you¡¯d finish it? Why aren¡¯t you drinking?¡± Zhou Nan gazed at Song Xuanhe¡¯s smiling face. His suspicion only grew. However, he had already promised to finish the drink. Furthermore, even if it did taste bad, alcohol was alcohol, how bad could it actually be? He was probably just overthinking things. ¡°It¡¯s so pretty. Of course I have to look at it a bit more.¡± Zhou Nan picked the ss up and sniffed it slightly. It didn¡¯t smell bad at all. He then brought the ss to his lips to drink. Before he could take a sip, Song Xuanhe stopped him. He picked up the lime on the edge of the ss and squeezed two drops into the drink. The transparent lime juice caused a line to appear in the middle of the two colours, separating them briefly before the colours mixed together. After a few seconds, the ombre effect returned. But this time, the grey had lightened up a lot. It was now an ash blue. Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes had widened again as she watched the cocktail change before her eyes. It was like she had been watching an interesting chemistry experiment. The light in her eyes was especially noticeable in the dark bar, and it was really obvious that she liked it. After this beautiful spectacle, Zhou Nan had further solidified his belief that this drink wouldn¡¯t taste bad. In front of everyone, he downed the ss with a smile on his face. But as soon as the cocktail had touched his tongue, his taste buds exploded. He didn¡¯t even have time to carefully taste the drink. His face flushed, and he started coughing. ¡°There¡¯s¡­p-poison in this!¡± Zhou Nan then clutched at his neck with one hand, dry-heaving. With the other hand, he searched for some other drink to cover up the taste in his mouth. Everyone who had seen this unforeseen event was startled. They all looked like they had no idea what to do. After all, Zhou Nan¡¯s actions and words sounded really exaggerated. It seemed like he was acting on purpose and ying it up. But, you couldn¡¯t fake a face that red or fake coughing to the point where tears would form in your eyes. After the shock had passed, they all turned to look at the culprit¡ªSong Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe had a faint smile on his lips. He passed the watermelon juice on the table to Zhou Nan. ¡°He just thinks it doesn¡¯t taste too good, so he wants to wash it down with something else. He¡¯s fine.¡± Zhou Nan had finally recovered after finishing the watermelon juice. He red at Song Xuanhe, tears still falling from his eyes. Heined in a raspy voice, ¡°That is just ¡®doesn¡¯t taste good?¡¯ Can you say that with a clear conscience? ¡®Doesn¡¯t taste good¡¯ is too much of a f*cking understatement!¡± Zhou Nan didn¡¯t even want to think about that seemingly stunning drink that had such a frightening taste! There had been a bitter taste that had seemed to stick to his tongue¡­following the bitterness had been this spiciness that had irritated his throat. There had also been a tart, sour taste that had made him feel like his teeth would fall out. The moment he had tasted the drink, goosebumps had broken out all over. This drink was a lethal weapon! If he hadn¡¯t personally tried that drink, Zhou Nan would never have believed that there could be any drink that could taste as bad as that! Not even Chinese medicine couldpare! If you drank the cocktail Song Xuanhe had concocted, you¡¯d have no problem drinking Chinese medicine! Probably because he was shocked by Zhou Nan¡¯s overly indignant expression, even Xiao Shenglin couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Is it really that hard to drink?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just hard to drink!¡± Zhou Nan downed all the other drinks on the table, but he could still feel that bitterness sitting on his tongue. He bared his aching teeth and said, ¡°Let me tell you, as long as you take a sip of this, no matter what you drink in the future, it will taste delicious! This isn¡¯t a drink, it¡¯s a chemical weapon!¡± ¡°Little sister, let me tell you,¡± Zhou Nan shook his head like he had gone through rough times in life. ¡°Listen to me. Don¡¯t drink it, no matter what. You¡¯ll die. For real.¡± Song Xuanhe had been watching the show with his arms folded. When he had heard Zhou Nan say this, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°But, you¡¯re not dead, are you?¡± ¡°What grudge do you have against me?¡± Zhou Nan stuck out his index finger and trembled as he pointed at Song Xuanhe. ¡°What did I do to offend you? Tell me, why did you want to hurt me like this?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel guilty at all. He even quirked his brow and asked, ¡°What do you think?¡± Zhou Nan didn¡¯t know what he had done. He only red at Song Xuanhe¡­ and then red at him again. In the end, he gave Song Xuanhe a stern expression. ¡°I want to end our friendship for one minute.¡± Xiao Shenglin raised his hand and looked at his watch. His smile was gentle. ¡°I¡¯ll keep track of the time.¡± Zhou Nan gave Xiao Shenglin a simr bitter and hateful look. ¡°You¡¯ve changed, Lin zi, you¡¯ve changed. You¡¯re as heartless and unreasonably troublesome as Song Er now.¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at the girl who¡¯d been looking at him the whole time. He smiled. ¡°Do you still want me to make you a ss?¡± Xiao Ranyun hesitated and then asked in a quiet voice, ¡°Can I just have one to look at and not drink it?¡± ¡°Yeah, but you¡¯ll have to give it back to me when you¡¯re done with it.¡± Song Xuanhe picked up the cocktail shaker. Eyshes slightly lowered, his smile seemed to fade slightly. Eventually, a serious expression reced his smile. Shortly after, a cocktail just like the previous one once again emerged on the table. Xiao Ranyun couldn¡¯t hide her astonishment. She carefully lifted it up to look at it. Song Xuanhe had a faint smile on his lips. ¡°The cocktail will only stay like that for ten minutes. The colours will mix together after that.¡± Xiao Ranyun made a sound of acknowledgement. She nodded and thanked him before earnestly studying the drink. She couldn¡¯t help herself and pulled out her phone to take a few pictures. Upon noticing that the lighting wasn¡¯t good in the bar, she asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Xuanhe gege, can I take it to the deck? The lighting isn¡¯t good here. I¡¯ll bring it back. Please?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and nodded. ¡°Go ahead.¡± When Xiao Ranyun had disappeared with the drink, Zhou Nan then said, ¡°You b*stard, you did that on purpose.¡± Song Xuanhe had a fake smile stered on his face. ¡°Aren¡¯t you Nobleman Nan? Both the Emperor¡¯s punishments and rewards are your blessings. You naturally have to drink what the Emperor bestows upon you.¡± Zhou Nan choked. He only now realized that Song Xuanhe had been taking revenge on him for that court drama he had made up previously. Nobleman Nan inwardly cursed Song Xuanhe for being petty. He then took another sip of watermelon juice before changing the subject. The atmosphere in the bar was joyous and harmonious. Meanwhile, things were more vtile on the deck. After a calm young man with astonishing looks had appeared, many people had started to talk about him. From what he was wearing, they could tell that he didn¡¯t work here. Therefore, people had started guessing at his identity. In an instant, the deck had turned raucous. After Xiao Yuanmu had impatiently rejected another wave of people trying to initiate conversation, his gaze fell on his target. However, before he could get near, he saw a greasy, fat body suddenly approach. The owner of said fat body raised his head. His eyes were hard to make out as the surrounding fat squished them into narrow slits. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu with a lecherous gaze. ¡°Buddy, which family are you from? Do you want to be Uncle¡¯s? I¡¯ll give you anything you want, how about it?¡± The spectators all broke out into a hubbub. Anyone would find it difficult to bear, seeing a nauseating creature stand in front of someone who looked like an immortal. However, they didn¡¯t know who either Xiao Yuanmu or that man were. Therefore, they would not do anything rashly. Based on his aura, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem like the type to be kept. However, based on his looks, it was definitely a possibility. In contrast, the fat man didn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d be any person¡¯s kept lover. Since they didn¡¯t know anything about the situation, even if they found this scene searing to their eyes, most people would only watch from afar. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s field of sight waspletely taken up by this man, whose facial features were all distorted by fat. Digging through years of his memories, he finally figured out who this person was. When he thought of this person¡¯s ending in hisst life, a sinister smile appeared on his lips. However, it had onlysted a second. Almost no one had noticed. This ¡°almost no one¡± did not include Boss Sun who had been standing in front of Xiao Yuanmu this whole time, gaze fixed on the other. After he saw Xiao Yuanmu smile, he had felt his back go cold and his hairs stand up on end. But after the initial shock, his heart also started racing. He couldn¡¯t help but smile, drooling over the other. This man was the most beautiful prey he had everid eyes on. Boss Sun stuck out his belly and exerted all his strength to raise his head towards Xiao Yuanmu. He beamed, ¡°I know that you¡¯re with a young man right now, but how can he have as much experience as me? Since I¡¯m more experienced, I can make you feel even better. Trust me, after one night with me, you¡¯ll never want to leave. How about it?¡± The other people on the deck were shocked by Boss Sun¡¯s words. Originally, they had also thought that Xiao Yuanmu was an unfamiliar face and that he may have been brought in by someone. However, after having taken in his strong and calm aura, most people had dismissed that idea. They had thought that he had to be the sessor to some family that rarely made public appearances. They hadn¡¯t expected that Boss Sun would be able to so confidently insinuate that he was being kept by some young man. Unless he was confident in that information, there was no way he would have dared to risk purposefully ndering some family¡¯s young master. Instantly, everyone¡¯s gazes changed. Some people disdained Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lowly status underneath his good appearance. Some people regretted not having snatched this ridiculously good-looking man first. When he felt the surrounding gazes change, Boss Sun stuck his belly out more. Influential bigwigs have all gathered together on this cruise ship. How could he be so stupid as to hit on someone if he didn¡¯t know who they were? He had already found out who this good-looking man was. That young master of the Song Family had said that he was nothing but a ything his cousin was keeping. Furthermore, he was an orphan, and no one in the Song Family approved of their rtionship. Sun Jinren would never miss out on such a good opportunity. Boss Sun took Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s silence as fear. Heughed and took half a step towards him. He said, ¡°Be good. Come with gege. In the future, you¡¯ll live a life of luxury. Anything you want¡ª¡± ¡°You¡¯ll have¡± didn¡¯t get to leave his mouth before he had ended up taking a foot in the chest and flew through the air. ¡°Flew¡± wasn¡¯t an exaggeration. Boss Sun weighed at least three hundred and thirty pounds. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s kick had sent him crashing against the long table in the back. The fruit, wine, and pastries were all knocked onto the ground. Screams filled the deck. Amidst them came an angry, beautiful voice that attracted people¡¯s attention. ¡°Mister! You nearly destroyed my drink!¡± Xiao Ranyun held onto the drink, which contents had already begun to mix together. Although she had managed to avoid losing it entirely just now, because of the intense movement, some of the liquid had still ended up spilling out. The contents had also ended up mixed, causing what was once ombre to be a solid hazy ash blue. Sun Jinren crawled up with much difficulty, supporting his belly. When he had heard the girl denounce him indignantly, he was about to curse at her. However, when he had noticed her expensive clothes and her bodyguards, he eased his expression and smiled apologetically. ¡°Uncle didn¡¯t mean to. It¡¯s all because that person kicked me. How much does this drink cost? Uncle willpensate you, okay?¡± Xiao Ranyun had also seen what had been happening when she had arrived. However, she had grown up in these circles. She¡¯d seen things like these before. Although she loathed it, she didn¡¯t meddle. Furthermore, all her attention had been on her beloved cocktail. She hadn¡¯t expected that it would end up all mixed together after just two minutes though. Because of him, everything had ended up all mixed together. ¡°Miss.¡± One of the bodyguards, dressed in ck, walked over to Xiao Ranyun. He asked worriedly, ¡°Are you okay? Should we go get Young Master Xiao?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xiao Ranyun pouted and shook her head. She red at Boss Sun, but her tone was courteous. ¡°Mister, this drink cannot be bought. My cousin¡¯s friend helped me make it. Even if you want to pay for it, I won¡¯t be able to get another ss. Furthermore, I had promised Xuanhe gege to bring it back in tact. It¡¯s your fault that I have to go back on my word.¡± Boss Sun knew that Xiao Ranyun was no ordinary person when he saw her attitude. His anger and lust from earlier hadpletely vanished. He apologized again and again. ¡°It¡¯s all because I didn¡¯t make sure to fall in a different direction that I ended up destroying your drink. How about calling your cousin¡¯s friend and I¡¯ll personally apologize?¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard this familiar voice and those familiar words, he looked up. His gaze swept over Xiao Ranyun¡¯s pretty face for a moment and then shifted to the ss in her hand. It was a dusky colour like that of a gloomy rainstorm. His gaze then moved to Sun Jinren, who was trying to persuade her. When Sun Jinren heard that Xiao Ranyun¡¯s cousin was surnamed Xiao, he had broken out into a cold sweat. There was only one Xiao Family that could appear in a ce like this with so many bodyguards. They were an entity that he absolutely could not afford to offend. Sun Jinren wiped the sweat from his forehead. He then apologized again. He was clever this time and shifted the me onto Xiao Yuanmu. He said, ¡°It¡¯s all because of that pretty boy. I had just been trying to talk to him, but he suddenly kicked me. If it hadn¡¯t been for this, I would never have rmed Miss Xiao. How about I contact the security department and have them throw him off this cruise? We¡¯ll punish him when we get back to shore.¡± Xiao Ranyun frowned. She actually disliked this greasy man, who kept spouting nonsense. However, her upbringing made it difficult for her to say anything rude. She could only say, ¡°It¡¯s not his fault. It¡¯s not like you meant to knock into that table either. As long as you can get Xuanhe gege to forgive me, I won¡¯t hold this against you.¡± Even if she had a good upbringing and was gentle by nature, because of her education and family¡¯s influence on her, she wasn¡¯t someone who would be softened by a few nice words. She was someone who abided by the rules and would naturally not let him off so easily. Sun Jinren nodded. ¡°Of course, of course. It¡¯s my fault, so I ought to apologize to the owner of this drink.¡± Xiao Ranyun took a step back, drink in hand. She ordered one of her bodyguards to call Xiao Shenglin and co. over. She then looked at her ash blue drink, disappointed. She was rather unhappy. Sun Jinren cautiously nced at Xiao Ranyun¡¯s expression. Seeing that she wasn¡¯t going to bicker about this, he sighed in relief. Indeed, people were more soft-hearted when young. Otherwise, if ady of her status were to really hold this against him, it would be impossible for him to enter the higher stratums of society. When he thought this, Sun Jinren¡¯s gaze towards Xiao Yuanmu grew resentful. If it hadn¡¯t been for this youngster, he would never have offended someone from the Xiao Family. After showing his ugly side in front of the Xiao Family¡¯s young miss, even if she wasn¡¯t going to hold this against him, he had failed to make a good impression. Even though this matter would pass, this meant that it would be a lot harder for him to climb his way up in the future. Xiao Yuanmu noticed Sun Jinren¡¯s gaze. He nced at the other indifferently and saw the ruthlessness and lust in his eyes. There was not a single ripple in his own eyes. He then looked away. Although he would need to expend a bit of effort to get rid of the Song Family, destroying Sun Jinren would require no effort at all. Sun Jinren also looked away. A poor kid like Xiao Yuanmu, Sun Jinren naturally had a myriad of ways to make him suffer until he had no choice but to beg to be with him. Right now, his top priority was getting the young Miss Xiao¡¯s forgiveness. When Xiao Ranyun noticed that Xiao Shenglin and them still hadn¡¯te, her expression turned even more nervous. She quietly said to her personal assistant, ¡°It¡¯s a pity that no one¡¯s going to drink such a pretty drink. I was originally going to take a little sip, but Xuanhe gege said that I had to return it. What if he gets angry?¡± The assistant hadn¡¯t had the time to persuade Xiao Ranyun out of it when they heard Sun Jinren say, ¡°It¡¯s fine. Miss Xiao, I can drink it. Let me help you drink it.¡± As soon as he had spoken, he heard a clear and sonorous male voice say in a furious tone, ¡°Does someone like you have the right to drink this?¡±
The author has something to say: Zhou Nan: Emperor, your heart is so ruthless. I, your servant, have served you for so many years but you actually made me drink poisoned wine. How malicious!
Eve: Eve: Gotta say, I did not have a good time doing Sun Jinren¡¯s parts. It made me¡­feel so grossed out. Brb need a shower. Kara: Sun Jinren is a disgusting and sad excuse of a human being. Excuse me while I vomit. Chapter 44: A Pair of Ice-Cold Eyes Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on Xiao Ranyun, who was calmly standing a short distance away. He then shifted his eyes to Boss Sun, who was cutting a sorry figure in his crumpled clothes. In the end, his eyes fell on the cocktail in Xiao Ranyun¡¯s hand, in which the contents had already mixed together. His gaze stayed on the cocktail for a few seconds as aplicated emotion flitted through his eyes. Although he had managed to force back the emotion, his expression was still as cold as ice. However, there was still a trace of warmth in his voice as he spoke to Xiao Ranyun. ¡°What happened?¡± Xiao Ranyun had already been feeling guilty. When she saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, she felt even more dejected. She gave the wine ss to Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Xuanhe gege, I¡¯m really sorry. I identally spilled some of it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head slightly. He took the drink from her hand and downed it. The bitter, spicy, tart, and sour liquid slid down his throat, irritating it. However, the expression on Song Xiao Shaoye, who would always eat less of a dish if it didn¡¯t suit his pte just right, hadn¡¯t changed in the slightest. He ced the ss down onto the white tablecloth that had half-fallen off the table. The corner of his lips rose as he said, ¡°It¡¯s just one drink. It¡¯s nothing major.¡± ¡°Song Er¡ª¡± Zhou Nan, who hadn¡¯t been able to stop the other in time, stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s calm expression in shock. If he hadn¡¯t personally watched Song Xuanhe mix that drink and knew what that drink tasted like, he would have suspected Song Xuanhe of having drunk a fake version of it. The vour of the cocktail gradually disappeared from his mouth. Song Xuanhe¡¯s cold expression slowly eased up as well. Back then, when he had first created this drink, he had seeded in fooling Zhou Yunyang. Zhou Yunyang had been so furious that a physical fight had nearly broken out between them. Later on, because he had really liked the colour of the drink, he would ask Song Xuanhe to mix it many times. He¡¯d then use that drink to prank other people. Back then, when Zhou Yunyang and Song Xuanhe would see their victims grimace after drinking the beverage, the trouble-making duo would clink sses with each other, smiles stered on their faces. As long as this drink had been mixed, someone would have had to drink it in Zhou Yunyang¡¯s stead. Every ss had to be finished. It absolutely could not have been wasted. Back then, the rule that every ss had to be drunk had only been formed as a part of their pranks. After Zhou Yunyang had died, however, this drink had becaoe a promise between the two. Every year on the anniversary of Zhou Yunyang¡¯s death, Song Xuanhe would mix a ss and drink it himself. After Zhou Yunyang¡¯s death, no one else had ever gotten to drink it again. Today, he had been carried on an impulse and had let Zhou Nan drink it. After that, he had only agreed to mix another one for Xiao Ranyun, because she had said that same thing as Zhou Yunyang. It was just that, no matter how disgusting it tasted, it was not something that just anyone was allowed to drink. Song Xuanhe looked at Boss Sun, who was sucking in his belly. His lips curled into a cold arc, but his tone was still polite. ¡°May I ask who you are?¡± ¡°My surname is Sun. Song Ershao can just call me Xiao Sun.¡± Boss Sun didn¡¯t dare to wipe the cold sweat off his forehead. He cautiously examined the expression on Song Er¡¯s face. Even though he saw that the other seemed indifferent and not too angry, he still didn¡¯t dare rx. Song Xuanhe was the second young master of the Song Group. Sun Jinren had lived in the Capital for many years. Naturally, there was no way he wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize the other. He had also known that the pretty boy he had been taking liberties with was Song Xuanhe¡¯s boyfriend. It was just that it was a totally different matter to dally with the young master¡¯s little lover behind his back versus being caught by said young master while dallying and bullying his little lover. Even if it was as that other young master of the Song Family had said¡ªthat Song Xuanhe only saw Xiao Yuanmu as a ything that could be given away at any time¡ªeven when you wanted to beat the dog, you should still be clear on who their master was. He had so ostentatiously disrespected Song Xuanhe. How could he not be afraid? ¡°Xiao Sun?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes scanned Sun Jinren¡¯srge body. His lips then pulled into a mocking smile. ¡°As someone younger than you, I don¡¯t dare call you Xiao Sun. If I did, I¡¯d be disrespecting Boss Sun¡¯s precious body, which is a result of many years of eating very well.¡± When they had heard what Song Xuanhe had said, several snickers echoed throughout the deck. There had also been some people who didn¡¯t even bother concealing theirughter. After all, there was practically no one here who was afraid of offending Boss Sun, who must have only been able to board this ship bytching onto someone more influential. Therefore, they simplyughed out loud. Zhou Nan was also one of the ones whoughed out loud. He covered his stomach and gave a thumbs up. ¡°Song Er, you¡¯re one mean b*stard.¡± There wasughter all around, but Sun Jinren didn¡¯t dare show any anger. Instead, he smiled apologetically. ¡°You can also call me Boss Sun. Anything is fine as long as Ershao is happy.¡± ¡°And, what if I¡¯m not happy?¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head slightly. The drooping corners of his eyes held a smile as if he was asking purely out of curiosity. A fawning expression appeared on Sun Jinren¡¯s chubby face. ¡°If Ershao isn¡¯t happy, I will definitely think of a way to make you happy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Song Xuanhe said with a smile, ¡°What will Boss Sun do to make me happy?¡± Although it wasn¡¯t apparent on his face, Sun Jinren was furious at how this younger man, who could have basically been his son, was so unwilling to forgive him. Although the Song Family was an entity that he could not afford to offend, Song Xuanhe was nothing but a profligate young master standing in the shadows of the true sessor of the Song Group. What was there to be afraid of? Sun Jinren didn¡¯t believe that the Song Family would attack him over Song Xuanhe. The issue was that standing beside Song Xuanhe was the only sessor of the Zhou Family. There was also the young miss and young master of the Xiao Family, one of the major eight families in the world. If it had just been Song Xuanhe, he would have just said a few casual, perfunctory things to de-escte the matter, but he didn¡¯t dare be so casual with the others in fear of offending them. Therefore, even if he was furious, Sun Jinren still smiled his most greasy smile. ¡°I can do anything as long as it makes Ershao happy.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. The cold expression he had had on in the beginning disappeared. It was reced by a more innocent expression. He asked, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Sun Jinren stuck out his stomach and spoke in a powerful and resonating voice. He had always been an expert at reading people. Otherwise, he would never have been able to make it as far as he had. When he saw the expression Song Xuanhe made, he knew that this young master had never experienced the dark side of life. Even if he had been angry, he could be coaxed with just a few words. Song Xuanhe smiled at that. ¡°It just so happens that I was just telling Zhou shao and them how bored I am since the auction hasn¡¯t started yet. I was saying how, since we¡¯re out on the sea, I wanted to see some kind of show in the water. Boss Sun, how about you give us a show?¡± Boss Sun¡¯s expression grew rigid. He couldn¡¯t maintain his smile anymore. ¡°What? You won¡¯t do it?¡± The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face faded. Arms folded over his chest, he stood by the long table. He was a head taller than Boss Sun, and he was currently peering down at the other. There wasn¡¯t much of an expression on his face, but Sun Jinren felt like the other was looking at him like he was nothing but a disgusting, skittering bug. Sun Jinren froze and remained silent while the spectators broke out into moreughter. Someone even added fuel to the mes. ¡°Boss Sun, you should keep your word. Everyone here is someone with some status. Don¡¯t businessmen value good faith the most? If you go back on your word now, no one will want to do business with you.¡± Song Xuanhe just stood there with his arms crossed, staring at the silent older man. Zhou Nan had also wanted to see a good show, but Song Xuanhe was his good friend. Therefore, he had more concerns than a bystander would. There weren¡¯t many people on the deck right now, and everyone here was young. However, this had been going on for a while now, so Song Guochao might rush over at any moment now. If Song Guochao came, even if Song Xuanhe had been in the right, Song Guochao would make him seem like he had been in the wrong. Moreover, no matter how you looked at it, making Sun Jinren jump into the sea was going overboard. Even Zhou Nan had thought of this. Naturally, so did Xiao Shenglin. He whispered in Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear, ¡°Uncle Song is also aboard this ship.¡± Although Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t afraid of Sun Jinren, who would soon die, he also knew that it would make him seem unreasonable if he continued making a fuss over this. Therefore, although he was still angry, he didn¡¯t actually insist on the matter. He looked up slightly, gaze falling on Xiao Yuanmu, who stood a short distance away. Coincidentally, Xiao Yuanmu also looked in his direction. Their gazes met for a second before both of them calmly looked away. Neither of their expressions changed. Song Xuanhe then shifted his gaze to Zhou Nan and gave the other a signal with his eyes. Zhou Nan understood what he had wanted to say. He wrapped an arm over Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulders and said to Sun Jinren, ¡°My friend likes to joke around. Don¡¯t take him seriously, Boss Sun. We¡¯re your juniors, how could we actually let you jump into the sea? Besides, even if we weren¡¯t your juniors, we shouldn¡¯t be breaking thew anyway.¡± ¡°Song Er usually jokes around like this when he¡¯s in a good mood.¡± Zhou Nan beamed. ¡°Boss Sun, you won¡¯t take offence, right?¡± How could Sun Jinren not ept this chance to get out of this predicament? He smiled quickly and said, ¡°Of course not. I¡¯m definitely not offended. It is my honour to make Ershao happy.¡± Song Xuanhe reached out to pat Boss Sun¡¯s thick, squishy shoulder and smiled. ¡°Uncle Sun, we, your juniors, are the ones who should be honoured. Since everything¡¯s fine, let¡¯s not keep Boss Sun from his business.¡± Boss Sun, who had just rxed, tensed up again. From the corner of his eyes, he nced at Xiao Yuanmu. He then smiled tteringly at Song Xuanhe, ¡°I wasn¡¯t busy. I had just been strolling around before the auction started. Now that the auction is about to start, I¡¯ll head over first.¡± After having said this, Sun Jinren bid farewell to Song Xuanhe and his friends before apologizing to Xiao Ranyun again. He then turned around and disappeared quickly from the deck. When he saw that Sun Jinren had left, Zhou Nan broke out into augh. ¡°I wonder who brought him here. Hurts my eyes.¡± Xiao Shenglin smiled slightly and then reminded Song Xuanhe, ¡°Mr. Xiao is over there. It would be better for you to have hime with us when the auction starts.¡± Hearing this, Song Xuanhe turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. He saw him looking at the direction Sun Jinren had left, a pensive look on his face. Song Xuanhe hesitated and then walked over to him. ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you to go to our room?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, frowning. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xiao Yuanmu shifted his eyes to Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. When he saw that there was undisguised concern on the other¡¯s face, he averted his gaze. He then said in a cool voice, ¡°I came looking for you.¡± Song Xuanhe had wanted to say something else, but the emotion he had seen on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face was a very familiar one that he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. That and the words ¡°I came looking for you¡± stopped the words in his throat. He pursed his lips. In the end, he turned his head away and said, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you call me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell on his pale ears. He noticed that the usually smooth, soft, fair ears were currently flushed, turning a darker shade by the second. Subconsciously, his fingers curled slightly. He looked away, rescinding the darkness in his eyes. There was an inaudible raspy tone to his chilly voice. ¡°You didn¡¯t pick up.¡± Song Xuanhe was surprised. He pulled his phone out of his pocket and discovered that it had run out of battery. It was probably because he had used it for too long in the afternoon and had forgotten to charge it before boarding the ship. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Zhou Nan smiled at Xiao Yuanmu in greeting. He then patted Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go inside. We still have an hour before the auction starts.¡± Their party returned to their booth at the bar. No one had touched their things. It was exactly as they had left it. Zhou Nan sat down and finished the tiny bit of watermelon juice he hadn¡¯t had time to drink earlier. He then said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°I will never drink that cocktail of yours ever again. I don¡¯t want to drink anything but watermelon juice for the rest of the night.¡± Now that the matter had been resolved, Xiao Ranyun had regained her liveliness. She looked at Xiao Yuanmu curiously and asked, ¡°Xuanhe gege, is this your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Song Xuanhe introduced them, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu. The youngdy in front of you is Xiao Shenglin¡¯s cousin, Xiao Ranyun.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and said to Xiao Ranyun, ¡°Hello.¡± Xiao Ranyun beamed at him and replied, ¡°Hi Yuanmu gege.¡± Zhou Nan was shaking a pair of dice, telling Song Xuanhe to guess whether it¡¯d be high or low. Song Xuanhe had just been about to make his guess when he heard Xiao Yuanmu speak to Xiao Ranyun in a gentle tone. He couldn¡¯t help but pause and turn to look at the other. Sensing Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze on him, Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± When he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s refreshingly clear voice that held no chill, Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He then shook his head and said, ¡°Nothing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice had probably sounded a bit weird because of the bar¡¯s music and dark environment. With that in mind, Song Xuanhe eliminated the suspicion in his heart. Zhou Nan seemed to have gotten addicted to ying with dice. He drank with Song Xuanhe while grumbling about how the other and Xiao Shenglin wouldn¡¯t go to the casino with him. Whenever he¡¯d win, he would make Song Xuanhe drink with a radiant smile. Song Xuanhe knew that his body¡¯s alcohol tolerance wasn¡¯t high. After having drank a few sses, he got serious. In a sh, he had the advantage. However, Zhou Nan wasn¡¯t willing to concede. He raised his hand and called for more alcohol. Shortly after, a waiter came with more alcohol. The waiter opened the bottle and ced it down onto the table. However, when he stood back up, he identally knocked over a ss of unfinished alcohol that he had been about to take away. The spilled alcohol just so happened to ssh all over Xiao Yuanmu. rmed, the waiter apologized repeatedly at once. Zhou Nan sat on the sofa opposite of the one Xiao Yuanmu was on. When he saw who the waiter was, he frowned. ¡°What are you doing?¡± The waiter looked towards Song Xuanhe, appearing pitiful. He quietly said, ¡°I really didn¡¯t mean to do it. My hand was suddenly pushed just now. That¡¯s why the ss fell over. I really didn¡¯t mean it, Ershao.¡± It had been fine before he gave this exnation. But once he had, it was obvious that he was putting the me on Xiao Yuanmu. The ce where he was standing was close to the sofa Xiao Yuanmu was sitting on. When he had been cing the alcohol down, the only person who could have made contact with him was Xiao Yuanmu. He was practically saying that Xiao Yuanmu had purposely shoved his hand. Compared to Zhou Nan who was furious, not only was Song Xuanhe not angry, but he also actually found this kind of funny. Xiao Yuanmu was no pushover. He was not someone who just anyone could try to bully. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that Xiao Yuanmu knocked against you?¡± Song Xuanhe asked. The waiter secretly peeked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. However, the lighting here was dim. The swerving lights above were not currently illuminating this section of the bar, so he couldn¡¯t get a good look at Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. Nheless, he understood the other man. When he had heard the other¡¯s tone, he knew that he wasn¡¯t angry. Therefore, his courage grew. He said, ¡°I don¡¯t know. But when I had been picking up the other sses, I knew that there was still liquid inside, so I had been really careful. I didn¡¯t think I¡¯d be pushed. That¡¯s why it fell over.¡± ¡°How could you not know?¡± Xiao Ranyun had a good impression on Xiao Yuanmu. In contrast, she didn¡¯t have a good impression of this waiter. She furrowed her brows slightly. ¡°Only Yuanmu gege could bump into you with you standing there. Aren¡¯t you basically saying that Yuanmu gege purposely pushed you?¡± ¡°Miss Xiao¡­.¡± The waiter lowered his head and didn¡¯t speak again, appearing very wronged. Xiao Ranyun¡¯s brows knitted more tightly, seeing him act like this. But, she didn¡¯t know what to say. Therefore, she turned to Xiao Shenglin and said, ¡°Gege, you were sitting in front of Yuanmu gege. You should have seen whether Yuanmu gege had pushed him earlier.¡± Actually, Xiao Shenglin hadn¡¯t seen a thing. Nheless, although he hadn¡¯t interacted much with Xiao Yuanmu, he knew that the other wouldn¡¯t do such a petty thing. When the three of them had just arrived on the deck earlier, they had seen Xiao Yuanmu send Boss Sun flying with a kick. Based on that, he could easily deduce that if Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t happy, he would never vent his anger so secretly. Xiao Shenglin said in an insipid tone, ¡°Even if someone had bumped into you, you¡¯re still the one who didn¡¯t have a firm hold on it. It¡¯s a fact that you messed up your work and ended up dirtying a client¡¯s clothes. Shouldn¡¯t you be apologizing?¡± The waiter¡¯s expression changed. He raised his head to look at Song Xuanhe, a wronged expression all over his pale face. He looked like he was hoping Song Xuanhe would support him. But, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t see his face, let alone his expression. Regardless, even if he could have seen it, he wouldn¡¯t have said anything anyway. He wanted to see how Xiao Yuanmu would handle this. Therefore, Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What do you want to do?¡± Xiao Yuanmu took off his suit jacket. There was no emotion in his clear, cool voice. ¡°Call your manager over.¡± The waiter¡¯s expression changed again. He raised his voice, ¡°Ershao, I really didn¡¯t do it on purpose.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like I¡¯m the one you spilled the drink on.¡± Song Xuanhe remained unmoved. ¡°Even if it wasn¡¯t on purpose, I¡¯m not the one you should be speaking to.¡± The waiter¡¯s eyes turned red. He had also gone to see what had happened on the deck outside since it had been so noisy. He knew that Xiao Yuanmu was Song Xuanhe¡¯s current boyfriend. But, so what? He was nothing but an orphan. Xiao Yuanmu was even worse off than him. Moreover, the waiter knew that he had been Song shao¡¯s longest rtionship. He also knew that what Song Xuanhe liked the most was an adorable, innocent lover. Therefore, he had the confidence to make Song Xuanhe fall in love with him again. The person Song shao had doted on the most in the past had been him. How could he be willing to apologize to this man? ¡°Call your manager over.¡± Zhou Nan raised his hand, instructing a different waiter. When he saw his co-worker really left to call for the manager, he couldn¡¯t help but say in a wronged tone, ¡°Mr. Xiao, I¡¯m sorry. I misunderstood you just now. I hope you¡¯ll forgive me.¡± ¡°A hundred and twenty thousand yuan,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°That¡¯s how much this outfit costs.¡± The waiter was taken aback. He didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°You dirtied Yuanmu gege¡¯s clothes, so obviously you have to pay for them.¡± Xiao Ranyun smiled. She had heard that this waiter had previously tricked Xuanhe gege out of his money and then left. What someone like this liked the most was money. Therefore, making him pay was the best punishment. ¡°You want me to pay for your clothes?¡± The waiter widened his eyes, voice getting louder. ¡°You dirtied his clothes, of course you have topensate him.¡± Song Xuanhe had originally been surprised at the way Xiao Yuanmu was handling this. However, a secondter, he had more-or-less understood. Xiao Yuanmu was really talented in reading people. Making this person, who would do anything for money, pay for damages was probably the most unbearable punishment for him. ¡°I don¡¯t have any money,¡± The waiter said, ¡°Mr. Xiao, I¡¯m just a waiter, I don¡¯t have all that money. How about I wash it for you instead?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. Zhou Nan chimed in instead, ¡°Didn¡¯t you have two million yuan before? How can you say you have no money?¡± As soon as Zhou Nan had spoken, the manager came rushing over. He bowed and apologized at once. He then listened to what had happened before sincerely saying, ¡°Mr. Xiao, it is our employee¡¯s fault. We will definitelypensate you for your clothes. He doesn¡¯t have the money, so I willpensate you on his behalf first.¡± Who would have expected that the waiter would be so rmed by these words that he¡¯d start crying? He knelt down all of a sudden and said, ¡°Mr. Xiao, I beg you to forgive me. I¡¯ll give you the money, just give me some time. I¡¯ll get a hundred and twenty thousand yuan together at once and give it back to you.¡± The waiter knew what ¡°business¡± the manager of the bar did in secret. If the manager paid on his behalf and found out he had offended some influential bigwigs, he would be directly sent to those kinds of clubs. From then on, he would not be able to live well. ¡°I beg you.¡± The waiter grabbed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pants. ¡°I¡¯ll get it to you right away. It won¡¯t take very long. Give me two days. When we reach the shore, I¡¯ll give it to you then.¡± Xiao Yuanmu moved his leg away. He then looked at the manager, who had on an indifferent expression. With a t tone, he said, ¡°Transfer the money right now.¡± The manager was startled. He had thought that Xiao Yuanmu would agree to give the waiter two days. Since even the waiter knew about what had happened outside, the manager was also in the know. Therefore, he knew who Xiao Yuanmu was. Based on Xiao Yuanmu and the waiter¡¯s statuses, the best way to resolve this would be to let the other off lightly. He hadn¡¯t expected that Xiao Yuanmu would have him transfer the funds. Wasn¡¯t this pping his boyfriend¡¯s ex in the face? Although he had thought this, the manager also thought that this was to be expected. He was engaged in shady businesses. He often interacted with many ruthless figures. He was definitely no ordinary fellow to get to where he currently was. The moment he hadid eyes on Xiao Yuanmu, he knew that this was no ordinary person. From what he had seen of the interactions between Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe, it didn¡¯t seem like their rtionship was that of a kept lover and his financial backer. Regardless, none of that mattered. All he knew was that he had one more working boy who could make him money. Song shaoye¡¯s taste was good. The manager had already had his sights on this waiter and had been preparing to get his hands on him. Now, he had a proper reason to do so. The manager¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He bowed and said, ¡°Mr. Xiao, please choose the method in which you would like your funds transferred.¡±
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: I hope that more idiots will walk into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s line of fire and pull some of his hatred away from me.
Eve: Honestly, I do feel kind of bad for the waiter. Like, I wouldn¡¯t wish that fate on anyone butttttttt. He¡¯s also an asshole and this is fiction so I¡¯ll root for my babies instead. Kara: Amazing. Kick *ss and take names, Mumu. (? ??_??)? This waiter cannot defeat you!! burningelmo.gif Chapter 45: Don’t Need Him to be My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
The auction had started right at ten. Inside their private room, no one in their party of five appeared to be particrly interested in the auction. Xiao Ranyun seemed to have taken an interest in Xiao Yuanmu for some unknown reason and had been conversing with him all this time. Xiao Yuanmu, who rarely spoke or paid any attention to others, was unexpectedly gentle towards Xiao Ranyun. Of course, no one but Song Xuanhe could perceive his gentleness. Xiao Shenglin even thought that it was rather impolite for his cousin to be pestering Xiao Yuanmu like this. This was because, although Xiao Yuanmu would reply to her, his answers all sounded very indifferent. His responses were short and efficient. Xiao Ranyun could also tell that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t one to talk a lot and that she shouldn¡¯t be trying to chat with him so much. However, she didn¡¯t know why, but ever since she had first exchanged words with him, she felt like she really wanted to get closer to him. There was somethingpelling her to chat with him more. ¡°Yuanmu gege, did anything catch your eye while you were looking through the items pamphlet?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s answer was very short and simple. ¡°No.¡± ¡°I think that McPhail¡¯s 30th anniversary cufflinks would suit you really well.¡± Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes twinkled. Although she had only known him for about an hour, she already felt close to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°They would look really good on that white shirt you just changed out of.¡± After the bar manager had transferred the funds, Xiao Yuanmu had gone upstairs to change clothes. Originally, he had been wearing a white shirt, but he had switched it out for a ck one. The ck shirt gave him a bit of a noble, willful air to him, disrupting his usual indifferent aura. However, Xiao Ranyun still thought that white suited Yuanmu gege better. ¡°Ranran.¡± Xiao Shenglin called out her name. Although his tone was gentle, there was also a hint of warning. ¡°The auction is about to start. Don¡¯t bother Mr. Xiao the whole time.¡± Xiao Ranyun pouted. After spending some time with them, she had grown closer to Zhou Nan and even Song Xuanhe. Now, she spoke to them with a much more intimate and childishly innocent tone. At this moment, she turned to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Xuanhe gege, Yuanmu gege, am I bothering you guys?¡± Song Xuanhe had been conversing with the System in his mind. When he suddenly heard Xiao Ranyun¡¯s voice cut in, without even thinking about it, he simply said, ¡°No. What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Ranyun shed Xiao Shenglin a smile, a bit pleased with herself. Xiao Shenglin shook his head and didn¡¯t bother with her again. He continued to flip through the pamphlet in his hands, searching for something that would catch his interest. After having been interrupted by Xiao Ranyun, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes drifted to Xiao Yuanmu incidentally while recalling the System¡¯s words. He just so happened to meet with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes like this, and the two of them froze for a moment. Song Xuanhe then looked away. Song Xuanhe continued discussing the previous topic with the System after taking back his gaze. ¡¾You¡¯re sure that it had been that waiter who had tricked the original host into selling himself in the original plot?¡¿ ¡¾Yes. In the book, he had only been vaguely mentioned once. After searching through the database with his data, I was able to ascertain that it was him.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think this had been a coincidence. Although he didn¡¯t know exactly what the bar manager did, there was no escaping from someone who had been in shady business for a long time. Furthermore, the original host¡¯s ex seemed to like to gamble too. Now that he was in that manager¡¯s hands, he probably wouldn¡¯t be able to stir up any trouble in the future. When he thought like this, he felt like he had profited from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s misfortune. ¡¾But, this waiter had been instigated,¡¿The System said.¡¾If you can¡¯t avoid being forced to do drugs, things might still develop in the same direction except with other peopleing to make up for it.¡¿ Song Xuanhe naturally knew that. Furthermore, he had already made preparations. If he died, he died, but he would never let himself fall so low as to be addicted to drugs and then sell himself to support said addiction. The culprit behind the drugs had been Lu Chao and his family. With Song Xuanhe¡¯s work behind the scenes, the Lu Family had already faced countless setbacks time and time again so far. Theirpany¡¯s performance had been on a steady decline. As for Zhou Rong, who was also a member of thatplicated love triangle, Song Xuanhe also had ns for him. Now that those two couldn¡¯t incite trouble, and Song Guochao¡¯s reputation and authority had both been destroyed, he wasn¡¯t afraid of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s revenge anymore. Furthermore, after spending time with Xiao Yuanmu,bined with what he knew from the book, Song Xuanhe felt like he understood Xiao Yuanmu to a certain extent. Xiao Yuanmu was indeed the type to take revenge for even the smallest grievances, but his methods were not dirty. Even in the book, even though the people Xiao Yuanmu had taken revenge on had gone bankrupt, he had never tormented them with sinister and vicious means. Therefore, there wasn¡¯t anything to fear. ¡¾I¡¯ll cross that bridge when I get there.¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes fell on the cufflinks on the screen. His attention shifted, and his tone became a lot more perfunctory£º¡¾What¡¯s going to happen will happen.¡¿ The auctioneer was enthusiastically introducing the pair of cufflinks on the screen. He spoke of the designer, the designer¡¯s inspiration for the piece, and the story behind it. Words kept spilling out of his mouth, and it took about two or three minutes for him to finish. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t listen to any of that. His gaze was fixed on the cufflinks, his eyes gradually lighting up. The camera had captured every single detail very clearly. Song Xuanhe was a fashion designer. He was very interested in everything beautiful, including and not limited to jewels, buildings, cars, furniture designs, etc. He was also interested in scenery, calligraphy, paintings, and even video game design. Amongst these interests, he was most diligent in researching jewels. There was no reason apart from the fact that, when his parents had been alive, regardless of whether it had been the holidays or their anniversary, his father would always gift his mother some kind of jewel. Unfortunately, with his mother¡¯s profession, it hadn¡¯t been convenient to wear them. Regardless, that hadn¡¯t meant she hadn¡¯t liked them. When he had been really young though, he had also been affected. It could be said that, on some level, this early appreciation of jewellery design had been a big source of inspiration for his fashion designs. This pair of cufflinks took his breath away. At the same time, they made him realize what the series of drawings he had made recently have been missing. Jewels! He knew what his designs needed. His clothes didn¡¯t need to be iid with jewels. What they needed was a set of essories to go with them. Actually, a lot of luxury fashion brands didn¡¯t just have clothing; they also had corresponding jewellery and leather essories that were meant to be paired with their outfits. In his previous world, Song Xuanhe¡¯s studio had just managed to establish himself. Therefore, he hadn¡¯t thought that far. As such, since he wasn¡¯t used to using essories, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t thought in this direction until now. When he saw this pair of cufflinks, he had a sudden realization. His dejection from being dissatisfied with his designs all this time because he had felt like they had been missing something disappeared in that instant. He hadn¡¯t nned on manufacturing ready-to-wear clothing here. It was just that fashion design was the one thing he was most proud of. After having suddenly transmigrated into a different world, the only way he could give himself peace of mind, reminding himself that he was still himself and would eventually get to go back to his world, was to look at his designs on paper as they were the only thing that set him apart from the original host. However, when he had suddenly reached a bottleneck, a faint panic had emerged in his heart. Now that he had broken through his bottleneck, the restlessness hidden in his heart over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s change had lessened a lot. ¡°The starting price is a hundred thousand. The bid increment is ten thousand.¡± The price appeared on the screen. Song Xuanhe had been lost in his thoughts for a second, and the price of the cufflinks had already reached two hundred thousand. Song Xuanhe promptly pressed down on the bid machine and directly raised it to three hundred thousand. The people inside the private room were all startled at Song Xuanhe¡¯s sudden action. When he had been looking through the pamphlet, he hadn¡¯t seemed particrly interested in these cufflinks, but now, all of a sudden, he seemed determined to win them. Unlike the others in the room, Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes lit up. She turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu and blinked her eyes mischievously, a tant smile on her face. Xiao Shenglin and Zhou Nan also exchanged nces. They had also heard what Xiao Ranyun had said earlier. They just hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanhe to bid on the cufflinks because of what Xiao Ranyun had said. Zhou Nan had previously thought that things had been weird. In the past, when he saw Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, although they hadn¡¯t been all lovey-dovey like typical couples, there had still been an aura between them that didn¡¯t allow anyone else toe in between. But thest few days, the interactions between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had left him at a loss. Now that Song Xuanhe was recklessly spending money on Xiao Yuanmu, he felt reassured. In any case, it seemed like this fellow hadn¡¯t been seduced by Wei Chen. The price kept going up. When it had reached five hundred thousand, the bids started slowing down. Except for Song Xuanhe, everyone else seemed to hesitate for a few seconds before increasing the bid. After all, no matter how limited edition a pair of cufflinks were or how deep of a meaning they had, to put it bluntly, the designer hadn¡¯t died yet, so it wasn¡¯t like there wouldn¡¯t be any more. With these kinds of thoughts, thest contender finally gave up. In the end, Song Xuanhe had won the cufflinks at six hundred and twenty thousand yuan. Zhou Nan smiled and raised his ss. ¡°Not bad, ah, Song Er. Cheers.¡± Song Xuanhe was in a really good mood since he had won the item he wanted and had had a breakthrough. He didn¡¯t conceal his happiness at all and clinked his ss with Zhou Nan. His eyes were curved, the smile on his face bright. ¡°Thanks.¡± It was rare for Song Xuanhe to look so bright and carefree as ofte. Seeing him like this now, Xiao Shenglin¡¯s worry over the other¡¯s asional gloomy moods vanished. He also raised his ss. ¡°Congrattions.¡± Song Xuanhe clinked sses with Xiao Shenglin, beaming. When he saw Xiao Ranyun raise her ss of juice, he also clinked sses with her. For once, he didn¡¯t forget Xiao Yuanmu either. He blinked and said, ¡°Let¡¯s clink sses.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took in the other¡¯s jubnt expression and recalled the words Xiao Ranyun had said just now. The expression in the depths of his eyes wereplicated, and his heart felt even more messy because of it. But even so, he couldn¡¯t ignore the fact that happiness had emerged in his heart when he had seen Song Xuanhe bid so earnestly for that pair of cufflinks. He suppressed the corner of his lips that wanted to curl upwards. His long, slender, fair fingers wrapped around the stem of his ss. His voice was quiet and light. ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s attention was divided, half of it on the cufflinks that were about to be sent over. He didn¡¯t hear Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words clearly and simply clinked sses with the other when he saw him lift it. He then downed his drink and smiled before cing all his attention on the next item to be auctioned. Xiao Yuanmu had originally been going to say something else, but the back of Song Xuanhe¡¯s head had appeared in his line of sight before the words coulde out. He didn¡¯t know why, but his feelings became even moreplicated. This was because he realized that he really wanted to turn Song Xuanhe¡¯s head around and make him listen to him earnestly. He didn¡¯t want the other¡¯s attention to be on anything else. He wanted to see the other smile at him, to see him give that pair of cufflinks to him. But in the end, Xiao Yuanmu only cast his cool gaze to the floor. An auction where bigwigs gathered naturally would not be simple. The cufflinks Song Xuanhe had won were nothing but an appetizer to whet everyone¡¯s appetite and get things warmed up. The items that would appearter were the real treasures people would fight over. Song Xuanhe knew that this world¡¯s history was more-or-less simr to that of his own world. Therefore, he knew that this ce was the same as his country in his original world¡ªthere were many national treasures and antiques that had been lost abroad. He hadn¡¯t expected that he would get to see such things at this auction. Of course, Song Xuanhe could only look at something like these items. Not even Song Guochao would necessarily have the funds to afford such things. Now that he thought about this, Song Xuanhe suddenly realized that he hadn¡¯t seen his family since boarding the cruise. Just now, Sun Jinren had said that it had been his brother who had revealed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s identity. Therefore, Song Xuanhe wondered where they were. The auctionsted two hours. Except for the items that had appeared in the first ten minutes, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t afford anything after. Therefore, he lost interest. Even so, he really was in a good mood. Therefore, he had drunk a few sses of wine. When he had gotten a call from Guan Zhi, he had even happily told him their room number when the other had said he was bored on his own and wanted toe find him. Guan Zhi arrived really quickly. As he had imed, he was indeed alone. After walking into the room, he sat next to Song Xuanhe forgoing any and all courtesy. Heined, ¡°This auction is so boring.¡± ¡°Why are you alone?¡± Song Xuanhe was in a good mood, so he didn¡¯t roast him. When he said this, he had even sounded a bit concerned. Guan Zhi said, ¡°I came to China alone. My family had assigned a few people to follow me, but I thought it was senseless, so I didn¡¯t let theme along.¡± ¡°What about Wei Chen?¡± Song Xuanhe asked casually. ¡°I¡¯m not close with him.¡± Not holding himself back at all, Guan Zhi grabbed a ss of wine from a bottle that had just been opened and took a sip. He cast a sidelong nce at Song Xuanhe and asked, ¡°Did you call me over thinking that Wei Chen would be with me?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why the other was asking this. However, because he was in a good mood, he replied, ¡°You¡¯re the one who wanted toe. Why would you think that I thought Wei Chen was with you?¡± Guan Zhi snorted. His tone was that of indifference, but there was a smile on his face. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t be with him. He wouldn¡¯te to something like this. Elections are around the corner, so he wouldn¡¯te to such a conspicuous ce.¡± Song Xuanhe knew that Guan Zhi and Wei Chen¡¯s rtionship wasn¡¯t very good. But, he didn¡¯t really care about their rtionship, so he didn¡¯t pursue the matter. However, Guan Zhi was unhappy that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak. ss in hand, he knocked against Song Xuanhe, seemingly not on purpose. He looked for something to talk about. ¡°Did you bid on anything? I just won a bid for a bottle and n on gifting it to my grandfather for his birthday.¡± ¡°I won a pair of cufflinks.¡± Just then, Zhou Nan interrupted. ¡°Guan shao, I heard that Old Mister Wei doesn¡¯t n on doing anything big for his birthday. Do you know anything about it?¡± Guan Zhi nodded and said tly, ¡°With the current political situation, it¡¯s not appropriate to hold a big event. He¡¯ll likely just do something at home.¡± Zhou Nan then switched topics and began talking about fun things to do on the cruise. Guan Zhi was also really interested in that. In no time at all, their conversation picked up. Song Xuanhe felt happy and rxed. The wine on the cruise was of good quality, especially the ones in their room. Zhou Nan had spent a lot on them, and Song Xuanhe happily leeched off him, drinking happily. In contrast, the moment Xiao Yuanmu had seen Guan Zhi walk in, he had furrowed his brows unobtrusively. There were a lot of differences between this life and hisst life. For example, he had been reborn earlier in the timeline; Song Xuanhe was different, and the people in his life had appeared earlier as well. Xiao Yuanmu remembered that he was supposed to meet Guan Zhi for the first time five years from now. Five yearster, Guan Zhi would have alreadye back from his postsecondary studies abroad. He would be pressured to work at his family¡¯spany, and they would bump into each other for the first time at an industry wine reception. He hadn¡¯t expected Guan Zhi¡¯s appearance to have been shifted so early in advance. From what he knew, Song Xuanhe and Guan Zhi didn¡¯t have anything to do with each other in hisst life. But from what he was looking at now, their rtionship seemed pretty good. He understood Guan Zhi. Or rather, he knew everyone the other frequently spent time with. Guan Zhi seemedid-back, but he was actually difficult to deal with. It could even be said that it was really hard to get on his good side. At least, he had never seen Guan Zhi be genuinely close to another person. On this front, he was the same as his cousin, Wei Chen. They were both cold-hearted. Xiao Yuanmu had no idea why he had seemed to take an interest in Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened. His gaze fell on Song Xuanhe, who was enjoying himself quietly. The other seemed to be in a good mood¡ª Xiao Yuanmu could read from the other¡¯s face. It was just that he didn¡¯t know if the other¡¯s happiness was because of those cufflinks or because of Guan Zhi¡¯s arrival. If it was thetter...Xiao Yuanmu narrowed his eyes. Just thinking about it left him in a bad mood. Regardless of what their true rtionship was, at least right now, he and Song Xuanhe were lovers on the surface. For Song Xuanhe to show any goodwill towards someone else before they had broken up was an insult towards him. Xiao Yuanmu had been thinking about this when he saw Song Xuanhe stick out his tongue and lick the wine stain on the corner of his mouth. The other didn¡¯t seem to notice the gazes of the people around him. He drank ss after ss, eyes narrowing whenever he took a sip. It was obvious that he was really enjoying the wine. A bottle of wine had very quickly been emptied. Right now, Song Xuanhe felt a bit tipsy. He opened another nearby bottle of wine and poured himself another ss when he heard Xiao Ranyun say, ¡°Xuanhe gege, you¡¯ve drank a lot, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked, his eyes regaining a bit of rity. His lips curled into a smile. ¡°Gege¡¯s tolerance is high. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Who knew if it had been because he was already drunk, but the corners of his eyes were slightly red. Right now, with his curled lips, the smile in his slightly raised arched eyes, and his indolent expression, he looked really seductive. Xiao Ranyun¡¯s rxed face flushed when the other looked at her like this. She leaned back a bit and said to Xiao Shenglin quietly, ¡°Is Xuanhe gege drunk? I feel like he¡¯s a bit different than usual.¡± When Xiao Shenglin had heard this, he looked at Song Xuanhe. Although the other looked simr to how he usually was, Xiao Shenglin was still a bit concerned. ¡°Xuanhe, don¡¯t drink so much. Be careful not to get drunk.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine even if he ends up drunk.¡± Zhou Nan smiled mischievously. ¡°It¡¯s not like there¡¯s no one to take him back. Yuanmu¡¯s here. It¡¯s fine if he drinks.¡± After saying this, Zhou Nan gave Xiao Yuanmu a look. ¡°Right?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted away from Song Xuanhe. He had originally nned on taking the ss of wine from Song Xuanhe, so as to save himself some troubleter. But when he saw Zhou Nan¡¯s expression, he didn¡¯t know why, but his hand dropped back down. He then nodded coolly. Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t fully drunk yet. As he listened to their conversation, he smiled. ¡°Ben shaoye has a good tolerance. There¡¯s no way I¡¯d get drunk that easily.¡± Seeing that he looked sober, and his words sounded normal, the others stopped paying attention to him. Only Xiao Yuanmu continued to watch him. As he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s flush deepen, his own eyes grew darker until they looked like a bottomless well. At midnight, the auction had formally ended. The guests had left one after another. Song Xuanhe was also led back to their room by Xiao Yuanmu. With the door shut, only moonlight filtered into their suite. Through the window, they could see the sea¡¯s waves underneath the cruise¡¯s lights. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t go further into the suite. He simply stood at the door, his bottomless eyes fixed on Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe quietly stood next to Xiao Yuanmu. When he saw the other looking at him, he rubbed his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m sleepy.¡± However, the person in front of him didn¡¯t speak. Xiao Yuanmu simply stared at him. It looked like there were clouds and mist spiralling within his eyes. He couldn¡¯t tell what the other was feeling. Song Xuanhe felt wronged, being ignored like this. He craned his neck to look at the bed inside. He really wanted to go over and sleep on it. But even if he wasn¡¯t fully sober, his instincts told him that if he were to just do what he wanted and walk over there, something bad would happen. ¡°I want to sleep.¡± Song Xuanhe emphasized. This time, the person who had been staring at him finally replied. The other¡¯s voice was refreshing and quiet, a hint of a storm suppressed in his voice. ¡°Who am I?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the person in front of him, a bit puzzled. But, he still obediently replied, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curved up. He chuckled. ¡°I¡¯m not ¡®Daddy¡¯ anymore?¡± Song Xiao Shaoye, who was a little slow right now, furrowed his eyebrows slightly. He felt a bit angry, but he was also really, really tired. He couldn¡¯t even be bothered to let out his temper. Therefore, although he wasn¡¯t happy, he only frowned and red at Xiao Yuanmu with a fierce expression. But when Xiao Yuanmu was looked at by the other¡¯s misty eyes like this, he felt his breath catch. Right then, a scene that had reyed countless times, regardless of whether he was awake or dreaming, suddenly appeared in his mind: Song Xuanhe sitting on hisp, trapped in his embrace. Meanwhile, Xiao Yuanmu was plundering his mouth without any scruples and listening to the other¡¯s quiet pants and moans. And, Song Xuanhe was helpless and had no choice but to let the other deepen the kiss. Song Xuanhe had drunk a lot of wine. He was sleepy and thirsty. Even so, being looked at by Xiao Yuanmu like this, he didn¡¯t dare walk away. He could only gently lick his lower lip in an attempt to moisten his chapped lips. But before he could retract his tongue, Xiao Yuanmu suddenly grabbed his chin and sucked it into his own mouth. The other man pried open Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips and explored every bit of his mouth. He sucked on Song Xuanhe¡¯s tongue until it hurt and made his breath unsteady. Song Xuanhe subconsciously wanted to struggle. However, even if he hadn¡¯t been drunk, he wasn¡¯t a match for Xiao Yuanmu. Furthermore, as soon as he had raised his hands, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s free hand locked it behind his back. The other then turned him around and pushed him against the door, kissing him even more intensely and willfully. Song Xuanhe tasted the same as Xiao Yuanmu had remembered. The kiss was even better than it had been in his dreams. No matter how much he kissed him, he still wanted more. He didn¡¯t feel satisfied at all. It was just that this wasn¡¯t the time. Xiao Yuanmu let go of Song Xuanhe slightly, but he still nted more soft kisses against the other¡¯s lips, not allowing the other to escape. He saw the other¡¯s reddened eyes as well as the other¡¯s confused expression ofint. The corner of his lips rose. Even if he couldn¡¯t figure out what Song Xuanhe¡¯s motive was, Song Xuanhe having taken the initiative to chase after him first was a fact. Since that was the case, then Xiao Yuanmu had no reason to let go.
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: No, I didn¡¯t, don¡¯t spout nonsense, it wasn¡¯t me! Xiao Yuanmu: I caught you, so you¡¯re mine.
Eve: My sympathy fell a bit more for the waiter. Poor OG SXH, his ex was vile. And that kisssss Kara: Ahhhhhh, this chapter was so cute!! SXH being so happy with his fashion design and Mumu wanting SXH to pay more attention to him has me iling my arms like an octopus!! AND YES, THE KISSSSSSSS£¨?????£©
Announcement: new patreon tier~ There¡¯s now a tier to be ~20 chapters ahead of release. Chapter 46: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve
Song Xuanhe felt exhausted and he had a raging headache. He was about to roll over and rub his temples when he realized that there was an arm slung over his waist, trapping him in ce. When the owner of that arm felt his movement, the arm tightened, pulling him back. A secondter, he bumped into someone¡¯s chest. Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind was still a mess. He raised his head, feeling muddleheaded. When he saw that familiar face, he blinked. As the memories came back to him, the confusion gradually dissipated and his pupils began to constrict. Last night, Xiao Yuanmu had taken advantage of his drunken state to kiss him. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed again and again. What happenedst night reyed in his mind, from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s unreadable expression to that sudden kiss. Thousands of thoughts shed through his head. He could tell that something was wrong, but figuring it out was as hard as trying to catch a shooting star¡ªthe thought would disappear in a blink of an eye. He couldn¡¯t grab onto it no matter how much he tried. Prior to this, he had felt like his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu had dropped below freezing point, just as he had wanted. But based on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actionsst night, this was clearly not the case. Moreover, the Xiao Yuanmu fromst night had felt dangerous. He hadn¡¯t realized it while drunk, but thinking back on it now, all he could think about was: the further he could get from Xiao Yuanmu, the better it would be. Song Xuanhe pulled Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arm off him without any gentleness. He then sat up and examined the perfect sleeping face on the bed. He didn¡¯t know why, but it felt like he had missed something. But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn¡¯t figure out what it was. Under Song Xuanhe¡¯s scrutiny, Xiao Yuanmu slowly opened his eyes. When he saw that Song Xuanhe was already awake, a sliver of surprise emerged on his face. The other¡¯s furrowed brows quickly smoothed out and a clear smile appeared in his eyes. Having just woken up, his voice was a bit hoarse. ¡°Morning.¡± It was like¡­. Song Xuanhe widened his eyes. He was like the Xiao Yuanmu from before the car ident! Because they had been together all this time, he hadn¡¯t realized that Xiao Yuanmu had changed. Aside from the fact that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression seemed a bit better than before and the fact that he had been speaking less, he hadn¡¯t been all that different after the ident. Therefore, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t realized that something had been off. But the Xiao Yuanmu fromst night had been different from the Xiao Yuanmu as ofte. The difference was very subtle. The only difference had been the expression he used to look at others. The Xiao Yuanmu before the ident would always have a cold expression even when angry. However, there was still some warmth in his eyes when he looked at people. That time, when Song Jiani had purposely provoked Xiao Yuanmu in Song Xuanhe¡¯s office, Song Xuanhe remembered that, although Xiao Yuanmu had controlled his temper very well, he had still been able to see coldness and unhappiness in the other¡¯s eyes. But the current Xiao Yuanmu¡­even though his expression wasn¡¯t cold, there was no warmth in his eyes when he looked at others. Song Xuanhe thought back to Sun Jinren fromst night. He recalled the expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face from when he had incidentally nced at him. The other¡¯s gaze on Sun Jinren had been weird. It had been like Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been looking at another human, but rather, some insignificant creature. Or to put it another way, it had been like he had been looking at an insect he could crush at any time. Even when faced with Sun Jinren¡¯s nauseating words and tant lewd expressions, there had been no anger or, frankly, any ripples of emotions at all in his eyes. It had been like he hadn¡¯t taken the other seriously at all. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. He couldn¡¯t conceal the conflicted feelings in his eyes when he looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Therefore, he turned onto his side and got up to go choose something random to wear. He didn¡¯t acknowledge Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ¡®morning¡¯ and simply left the room after washing up, trying to act as normal as possible. As soon as the door closed, Xiao Yuanmu pushed himself up with one hand, the corner of his lips curling into a slight, easy smile. Last night had been the best he had ever slept in his twenty something years alive. As soon as he had closed his eyes, he had fallen into a deep, uninterrupted sleep that hadsted the entire night. When he had woken up, he had felt cozy and his mood had been pretty good for once. He had never expected that Song Xuanhe would have such a function. When Xiao Yuanmu recalled the conflicted, panicked expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face just now, his smile widened. He could tell that the other had been doing everything he could to conceal it. If it were the him prior to rebirth, he might not have seen through it. However, practically no one could hide their emotions from the current him. Moreover, Xiao Yuanmu thought that Song Xuanhe¡¯s attempt at feigning calmness while fleeing was really cute. Now that he hade to terms with these feelings and had opened the doors to his pre-rebirth self¡¯s memories, he finally understood why the past him had fallen in love with Song Xuanhe. It was because Song Xuanhe was intelligent and frank, but also clumsy and awkward. Song Xuanhe lived life as he wanted and was very authentic. He had a wilfulness that neither the Xiao Yuanmu before nor after his rebirth could obtain. Regardless of his status or identity, the other was able to remain free-spirited no matter where he found himself. It was like that saying he once heard before. Rather than a restricting love, I¡¯d rather love a free spirit. The Song Xuanhe in this life was a free-spirit. Although his feelings for Song Xuanhe were not as pure as his pre-rebirth self¡¯s¡ªit was likely that he would never be able to genuinely love him¡ªhe would never let go of someone who could set his heart at ease and make him happy like this. Song Xuanhe had bolted out of his room and gone to the buffet on the fourth floor. He casually grabbed a few pieces of bread and a ss of juice before finding a ce to sit down. When he finished his ss of iced orange juice, the hair on his body that had stood up because of the conjecture he had juste up with, finally fell back down. Song Xuanhe sucked in a deep breath and stared out at the rippling sea water through the round window. Gradually, he calmed down. No opportunities for rebirth had been presented yet. It was still too early. Furthermore, even if Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t done anything to offend him yet. When he thought of this, Song Xuanhe thought that maybe this was a good thing. ¡¾System.¡¿ ¡¾What¡¯s wrong?¡¿The System¡¯s reply was very serious. It had already recognized the pattern. Whenever Song Xuanhe called it ¡®Er Gou¡¯, it wouldn¡¯t be anything major. However, if he called it ¡®System¡¯, it meant that there was a big problem. ¡¾Don¡¯t you think that recently, Xiao¡­.¡¿ ¡°Hi, sorry for bothering you. Can we sit with you?¡± His thought was interrupted halfway. Song Xuanhe nced up, a look of tant irritation on his face from having been interrupted. The two people obviously noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. However, they thought that the other was irritated at having his alone time interrupted. Therefore, the person who had just spoken continued, ¡°Are you the person who won McPhail¡¯s cufflinks yesterday?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows furrowed tightly. He didn¡¯t reply and simply looked at that person with indifference. The young man was unhappy, being gazed at like this so frankly. However, he said, ¡°It¡¯s like this, I want to negotiate something with you. Can I sit here to discuss it in more detail?¡± ¡°Sorry, I want to eat on my own right now.¡± Song Xuanhe said in an insipid tone, the refusal in his voice very obvious. The young man paused. He looked helpless. The blonde man next to him frowned. With fluent Chinese, he rudely said, ¡°Mister, we came here to negotiate with good faith. I hope that you can at least speak to us with the most basic of respect.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s head, which had felt ufortable since waking up, throbbed faintly. Furthermore, his mood had already been ruined because of what had happenedst night, and because of his conjecture this morning. Now, these two people had just so happened to appear in front of him. Except for when it came to Xiao Yuanmu, who would eventually hold his life in his hands, Song Xiao Shaoye would never let himself be wronged. Therefore, he didn¡¯t n on being polite to these two people at all. ¡°Neither of you seem any more respectful than I am, considering how you¡¯re interrupting someone else¡¯s breakfast and insisting on sitting here even though there¡¯s so many empty tables in this huge buffet room.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his chin slightly, looking at them askance. Even though he was sitting down, he had a noble, lofty air to him. His aura did not lose against the two people, despite the fact that they had the advantage while standing. On the contrary, it felt like his aura was actually suppressing theirs. ¡°Don¡¯t push it!¡± The blond man spoke like a native and was even able to use idioms easily. He said, ¡°We came here with sincerity. Deyi had also been very polite towards you. You were the one who had treated us rudely first. And yet you say we¡¯re not being respectful?¡± Song Xuanheughed and raised a brow. ¡°May I ask the proud Mr. Deyi a question. You should be Chinese. May I ask how my words just now were rude? What, is it rude to refuse to let strangers sit at my table when there¡¯s plenty of empty seats in the dining room?¡± Jiang Deyi was furious over the same-sounding adjective Song Xuanhe had used before his name. However, he knew that everyone on this cruise was rich and thus people he could not rashly provoke. Therefore, even though he was angry, he suppressed his rage and tried his best to make his voice gentle. ¡°It¡¯s my friend who needs to brush up on his Chinese idioms. Let me apologize. We mean no ill intent by our request to sit with you. We really do have something to discuss with you. It has to do with the cufflinks you won yesterday.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hide the derision in his eyes. The corner of his lips rose and his tone softened, ¡°Since he¡¯s a foreigner, I can forgive him for not understanding ournguage and for using idioms incorrectly. As for what happened earlier, I should also apologize. My refusal also had no malice behind it. I just don¡¯t like being disturbed at breakfast. I hope that you can show me some respect and let me finish my breakfast in peace first. Okay?¡± As soon as he spoke,ughter arose around them, the spectators not even bothering to hide their chortles. It made the expressions of Jiang Deyi and hispanion turn ugly. Over and over again, he had been embarrassed in public. Jiang Deyi¡¯s face heated up, the anger in his eyes intensifying. Despite that, he only pursed his lips and said to the man next to him. ¡°Hayden, let¡¯s go.¡± The blond man named Hayden wasn¡¯t as easy to deal with. He ced a hand on the table and leaned down, staring at Song Xuanhe at a close angle. ¡°My name is Hayden Schroder. I hope that you can speak to us nicely.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, not scared of him in the least as he met his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m Song Xuanhe. I hope that you can learn Chinese before you speak to me again.¡± Hayden Schroder didn¡¯t expect Song Xuanhe to neither fear him nor give him respect upon hearing hisst name. The other even dared to provoke him. He stood up, expression hard-to-read. ¡°That pair of cufflinks is extremely important to my friend. I¡¯m willing to pay you double of what you bought those cufflinks for. I hope that you, sir, will choose to part with it.¡± They weren¡¯t making all that big amotion but the dining room was too empty and quiet. Therefore, all the gazes of those nearby still zoned in towards this area. Some people had been watching this from the beginning. Therefore, although they thought that Hayden Schroder was acting quite arrogant, they also thought that he was being quite sincere. Those cufflinks were only worth two hundred yuan. The original selling price of five hundred plus yuan already exceeded its worth. Right now, Song Xuanhe would profit by selling it to Hayden Schroder. Although the profit was small, the Schroder Family was a subsidiary of the Hoffman Family, one of the major eight families. It would be quite worth it to do him this favour. It was impossible for someone not to know who the Schroder Family was. Therefore, they thought that this young asian man would definitely agree to this condition. However, Song Xuanhe was precisely someone who had no idea who the Schroder Family was. The book only talked about the eight major families and the original host didn¡¯t know anything more. There really had been no mentions of any subsidiaries. But even if he had known of them, when Song Xuanhe got angry, not even God himself would be able to change his mind. ¡°Those cufflinks also hold extraordinary meaning to me,¡± Song Xuanhe said ndly, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I hope that the two of you won¡¯t continue to disrupt my breakfast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very sorry for what happened earlier,¡± Jiang Deyi said, ¡°I know that Mr. Song does notck money. But I hope that you will listen to the reason why I want the cufflinks. The cufflinks are really important to me. They concern my life.¡± Jiang Deyi looked very sincere and his tone was very earnest. In the beginning, everyone thought that he had been a very rude person for disrupting Song Xuanhe and asking to sit with him. When they heard him say this, their minds changed and they thought that it was a forgivable action. If it was important to the point of affecting his life, then it would be hard for anyone to remain calm. But¡­it was just that¡­how could McPhail¡¯s cufflinks have an effect on anyone¡¯s life? Most people who were watching the show had the same question. Therefore, the gazes shot towards their direction only multiplied. Seeing that Song Xuanhe remained silent, Jiang Deyi sighed in relief and felt inwardly happy. He decided to strike while the iron was hot and continued. ¡°Actually, I¡¯m a fashion designer. I just graduated from Mno University. I have had the pleasure of attending one of McPhail¡¯s lectures before. From then on, I had admired him greatly. I had also drawn inspiration from McPhail¡¯s work. McPhail had said that he was looking to cooperate with new designers orbels. He also said that he doesn¡¯t look at one¡¯s experience or history when choosing which designers orbels to cooperate with while doing shows. He only cares about the designs. Therefore, I wanted to try and see if he¡¯d work with me. This pair of cufflinks hold great meaning to McPhail. I was hoping to use these cufflinks to help obtain a chance to work with him. I hope that you will sell it to me.¡± Jiang Deyi said all this in one breath before inhaling a short breath of air. He looked at Song Xuanhe in anticipation. Contrary to expectations, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t even looked up during his speech. When Jiang Deyi had finished speaking, a few seconds passed before Song Xuanhe finally raised his head. It looked as if he had been lost in his thoughts and had juste back to himself. He then let out an indifferent, ¡°Oh.¡± That was it. Jiang Deyi almost couldn¡¯t maintain his expression. He didn¡¯t expect that after saying all that, the other would only say ¡®oh.¡¯ Moreover, he suspected that Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t listened to him at all! ¡°Mr. Song,¡± Jiang Deyi forced a smile. ¡°Will you sell it to me?¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head and suddenly asked, ¡°If the cufflinks are so important to you, why didn¡¯t you buy it yesterday? I remember that everyone received the same pamphletst night. It couldn¡¯t be that I was able to find these cufflinks but you, to whom these cufflinks mean a lot, didn¡¯t notice them, ah.¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s expression froze. He nced at Hayden, who was standing next to him with a guilty look on his face. But when Hayden thought about how he had gotten to eat his fillst night, the corner of his lips rose. He said, ¡°We had something else to dost night. That was why we didn¡¯t attend the auction. You just have to give us the cufflinks and we¡¯llpensate you with double of what you paid. Why are you talking so much?¡± ¡°On this cruise, what could possibly be more important than something that concerns his life?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the marks on Jiang Deyi¡¯s exposed neck with a fake smile. ¡°Seems like Mr. Deyi¡¯s got a lot more ¡®extremely important things¡¯ than an average person does.¡± The nearby guests who could see the hickeys on Jiang Deyi¡¯s body also chuckled quietly. The quiet noises alerted the guests who were too far away to see Jiang Deyi. In an instant, they all understood what he meant. The people who had been invited to this ship knew most of the other guests. Even if they weren¡¯t familiar, they¡¯d be able to recognize the others by face. They knew Song Xuanhe and Hayden, but they had never seen Jiang Deyi, who Hayden had brought, before. When they saw the hickeys on his body and the expression that all men would understand on Hayden¡¯s face upon saying that they had ¡®other things¡¯ going on, how could they not understand what had been going on? Last night, they had missed the auction because Hayden had been busy with his little lover. Today, he was doing this in order to curry favour with his little lover. Jiang Deyi¡¯s expression had frozen over. Theughter echoed in his ears. He felt ashamed as he felt the people around sizing him up, both openly and in secret. He looked at the calm, wilful Song Xuanhe and hatred seeped into his existing anger. ¡°Mr. Song,¡± Jiang Deyi suppressed his voice, ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t want to sell. There is no need to humiliate me with malicious words.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked, looking extremely innocent. ¡°What did I say that was malicious? Tell me, I¡¯ll change it.¡± Hayden didn¡¯t care that people knew what he and Jiang Deyi had done. He didn¡¯t think it needed to be hidden at all. However, he felt provoked by Song Xuanhe¡¯s refusal to cooperate. He said, ¡°Mr. Song, between your family and the cufflinks, which are more important? Weigh your decision carefully. Which one means more to you?¡± When he heard Hayden¡¯s threat, Song Xuanheughed. He said, ¡°I really like those cufflinks. Although I can¡¯t say that they are extremely important, I don¡¯t n on giving it to other people. As for my family, it obviously can¡¯tpare to what Mr. Deyi considers ¡®extremely important.¡¯¡± ¡°Mr. Song!¡± Jiang Deyi felt like everything Song Xuanhe said was subtly hinting that he had bent over for Hayden. It felt like everyone was looking at him in derision, mocking him for not having decorum. It made him feel extremely embarrassed. Moreover, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t letting him off. It made him feel unbearably ashamed and indignant. ¡°I already told you, those cufflinks are extremely important to me. Furthermore, I also exined why. I hope that you will not misinterpret my meaning. I came to find you because I thought that these cufflinks were nothing but an essory to you. Meanwhile, they have great influence over my career. That was why I had acted so rash. Since you¡¯re unwilling, then there is no need to continue this conversation.¡± Jiang Deyi was so angry his eyes turned red. Stirred up and unwilling to ept this humiliation, he added, ¡°I know that my life and the fact that it¡¯s extremely important to me is nothingpared to a moment of happiness for you. But I don¡¯t believe I¡¯m beneath you. I hope that you will apologize for your rude remarks just now.¡± ¡°Why should he apologize?¡± A clear, melodious voice interrupted. ¡°You¡¯re the one who was insistent on sharing a table without thinking about the other person¡¯s feelings. You then told the story about the extraordinary significance the cufflinks have for you without thinking about whether the other party wanted to listen. You¡¯re even ndering the other party, saying that he had said malicious words. Now, you¡¯re forcing the other to apologize. He doesn¡¯t look like he looks down on you to me. You¡¯re the one acting overbearing.¡± Guan Zhi and Zhou Nan walked out from the back and sat down at Song Xuanhe¡¯s table. Guan Zhi then continued, ¡°I think that you¡¯re the one who should apologize.¡± Hayden looked at Guan Zhi in shock. He naturally knew that this was the only sessor of the Guan Family. He had never heard of the Guan Family having any rtionships with China¡¯s Song Family before. Or rather, China¡¯s Song Family had nothing to do with the eight major families. He hadn¡¯t expected for Guan Zhi to speak out for the other. The moment he saw Guan Zhi sit down, Hayden made a strategic decision. He turned to Jiang Deyi and said, ¡°Apologize.¡± Jiang Deyi didn¡¯t recognize Guan Zhi. Even so, when he saw Hayden¡¯s expression, he knew that he could not provoke him. When they had decided toe looking for Song Xuanhe, it had been because they had thought that they could use Hayden¡¯s family background to pressure him. But now, someone with a more impressive background hade. He naturally didn¡¯t dare to refuse to apologize. After all, Hayden was his ticket to sess he had grabbed onto after much difficulty. He couldn¡¯t anger him. ¡°I apologize profusely.¡± Jiang Deyi lowered his head, looking extremely embarrassed. ¡°Those cufflinks are just too important to me. That¡¯s why I had forgotten my manners in my eagerness. I hope that you will forgive me.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on Guan Zhi, who had stolen his bread. His gaze then shifted to Jiang Deyi. The expression on his face didn¡¯t change. He said in an insipid tone, ¡°I know that they¡¯re very important to you and your life, but this has nothing to do with me. You don¡¯t have to apologize for disrupting my breakfast. Just leave. Get out of my sight.¡± Guan Zhiughed while taking a bite of the bread. He used to think that Song Xuanhe¡¯s attitude towards him specifically had been bad. He hadn¡¯t expected that the other would be like this to others too. It seemed like it hadn¡¯t been that the other didn¡¯t like him. He was this way with everyone. Only, from what he had seenst night, it seemed like that the Xiao Yuanmu he metst night was different. This was what Guan Zhi had thought about while chewing on his bread. ¡°Don¡¯t push it.¡± Hayden frowned. He had made Jiang Deyi apologize to Song Xuanhe because he had been wary of Guan Zhi. However, this didn¡¯t mean that he would feel wary towards Song Xuanhe. The Song Family wasn¡¯t even worth mentioning to him. ¡°Hayden.¡± Jiang Deyi pulled on Hayden¡¯s sleeve. He wanted to persuade the other to stop talking. However, just as he was about to speak, he saw an extremely handsome man with an incredible aura walk over. This man made him forget what he wanted to say. He felt his heart race and he couldn¡¯t look away. It felt like his muse had arrived. Song Xuanhe also noticed Xiao Yuanmu, who was wearing a shirt and cks. The other walked towards him slowly,pletely unruffled. His eyes were on Song Xuanhe, his gaze like a giant that would calmly trap prey inside. But after Song Xuanhe blinked, this weird feeling suddenly disappeared. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold gaze had thawed a lot sincending on Song Xuanhe. His eyes were currently exactly like they had been prior to the car ident, like they were encased with a thinyer of frost that could be easily shattered. Although they were cold, his eyes did not seem unfeeling at all. At this moment, Song Xuanhe suddenly thought about the conjecture he had been meaning to test. But looking at Xiao Yuanmu now, he slowly pressed that conjecture back down into the deep recesses of his mind. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips slightly. He had probably been confused from all that alcoholst night. He had probably over-thought matters with how foggy his brain had been.
Eve: I was actually so furious during JDY and Hayden¡¯s scenes like, I resented my fingers for not typing fast enough. adhsfjsdjha. UGH. Chapter 47: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve
¡°Yuanmu, you¡¯re here.¡± Zhou Nan was the first to speak. He pointed at the spot next to Song Xuanhe and beamed, ¡°How could you let Song Xiao Er eat breakfast all alone? Without you, he just eats a few pieces of bread. He¡¯s eating without tasting the food.¡± Song Xuanhe came back to himself when he head Zhou Nan¡¯s teasing. His lips twitched and he looked away. ¡°Come sit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze swept over Hayden and Jiang Deyi who were standing on the side. When he saw the infatuated, stunned expression on Jiang Deyi¡¯s face, his own eyes darkened slightly and loathing shed through them. He sat down and asked in a cool voice, ¡°Who are they?¡± ¡°Schroder Family¡¯s Hayden Schroder.¡± Song Xuanhe introduced them in a t tone. ¡°Next to him is his friend, Mr. Jiang Deyi. They wanted to sit here with me and buy the cufflinks I won at the auction yesterday.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened even more. He turned to look at the tall Hayden Schroder. He knew the Schroder Family but he had never seen Hayden before. He just hadn¡¯t expected that the Schroder Family¡¯s people would dare try to steal what belonged to him. Hayden was bewildered at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. He didn¡¯t know why, but he felt like he¡¯d seen Xiao Yuanmu somewhere before. However, to him, all East Asians looked alike. Even after wracking his brains, he couldn¡¯t recall where he¡¯d seen him before. ¡°It¡¯s already been settled.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like Schroder or his friend. However, he had also grown up in an influential family. He would still do introductions. However, they would be curt. He didn¡¯t want to talk about them. After the introductions, Song Xuanhe rested his chin on his hand and looked at Hayden. ¡°Mr. Schroder, is there anything else?¡± Song Xuanhe interrupted Hayden Schroder¡¯s thoughts. He stopped overthinking things and simply cast a malicious look at the unruly Song Xuanhe. He then pulled Jiang Deyi, who still had a dazed look on his face, away. After they left, Zhou Nan frowned. ¡°Is that Schroder guy sick in the head? He actually attempted to publicly buy those cufflinks from you for his little lover. Does he not care about his reputation?¡± Guan Zhiughed. ¡°He¡¯s Hoffman¡¯s people. The Song Family poses no threats to him. He had been determined to win when he came. How could he have found it embarrassing?¡± Guan Zhi was used to being blunt. He hadn¡¯t avoided saying that the Song Family was lesser than the Schroder Family just now. However, as soon as the words had left his mouth, he suddenly realized that this could make Song Xuanhe unhappy. He couldn¡¯t help but press his lips together and turn to nce at Song Xuanhe. Contrary to what he expected, Song Xuanhe was still looking at their departing backs with his chin on his hand. When he noticed Guan Zhi¡¯s gaze, he perfunctorily said, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Guan Zhi: ¡­. Guan Zhi snorted. ¡°The Schroder Family¡¯s just one of Hoffman¡¯s dogs.¡± Guan Zhi raised his chin. He nced at Song Xuanhe and pretended to be haughty. ¡°After he saw me, he didn¡¯t dare do anything to you. You don¡¯t have to be afraid.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Do I look afraid?¡± Guan Zhi choked. He pursed his lips and red at the other. He then coldly said, ¡°I don¡¯t care if you¡¯re scared. If the Schroderse looking to cause trouble, you cane find me.¡± Song Xuanhe was just about to reply when he heard Xiao Yuanmu ask him, ¡°Did you only eat this?¡± He then added, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you to grab more.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stood up, his slender, pale fingers grabbing onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand that had been holding his chin up. He pulled gently and then held his other hand palm up to catch Song Xuanhe¡¯s falling chin that had suddenly lost its support. He then gazed into Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes that had widened with surprise and anger. With his refreshing voice, he said, ¡°You drank too muchst night. You should have some congee for breakfast.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his chin and backed up a bit. He wanted to throw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hold off, but when he thought about how this was a public ce and how Zhou Nan and them were here, he could only force himself to bear with it. He said, ¡°I¡¯m full.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took his hand back, the pad of his thumb carelessly brushing against Song Xuanhe¡¯s jaw. His gaze was cool but there was a familiar warmth to it. He said, ¡°Then go with me to get food.¡± Zhou Nan, who hadn¡¯t even eaten much of his breakfast yet but had been given a mouthful of dog food, waved his hand with all his strength, breaking up their eye contact. He said with disdain, ¡°Go go go, go quickly. Stop burning my eyes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took this opportunity to pull Song Xuanhe up. Under the other¡¯s gaze, he listened to his heart and rubbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s head with slightly curled fingers. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± ¡°Are you guys going or what?!¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°If you guys don¡¯t leave, I¡¯m leaving.¡± Song Xuanhe gave Zhou Nan a warning nce. Before the other could read his gaze, Xiao Yuanmu pulled Song Xuanhe forwards, leading him out of the dining room. It was already almost ten o¡¯clock. The majority of the cruise¡¯s guests had already woken up. Although most people ate in their own rooms, there were still more guests in the dining hall than when Song Xuanhe had arrived. When extraordinarily attractive people were together, they would be even more eye-catching. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t throw off Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. He let the other pull him over to the food area. He had already pushed that conjecture to the depths of his mind. When he thought of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expressionst night, his instincts told him that it would be best to remain calm and just watch. ¡°What kind of congee do you want?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice echoed in his ear. Song Xuanhe came back to himself and turned to look at the abundant, varied congees in the congee station, expression unchanging. He simply picked the one that he has had most often. He said to the waiter who was helping to te the congee: ¡°Seafood congee, thanks.¡± When he received the bowl from the waiter, he turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu but found the other deep in thought. He didn¡¯t know what the other was thinking about. Xiao Yuanmu noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. His eyes paused on him slightly but no expression showed on his face. He then said to the waiter in a cool voice, ¡°Another bowl of seafood congee.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think too much of it. He was about to head back to the dining room as he watched Xiao Yuanmu receive his own bowl of seafood congee. However, he heard Xiao Yuanmu say, ¡°There¡¯s stir-fried egg in tomato sauce over there.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. He looked back to appraise Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. When he couldn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary, he looked away and said, ¡°No need.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at the back of the other¡¯s head. Something flickered through his eyes but he didn¡¯t say anything else. When the two of them returned, aside from Zhou Nan and Guan Zhi, Xiao Ranyun and Xiao Shenglin had also arrived. When Xiao Ranyun saw Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu walk over side-by-side, she fell into a bit of a daze. She then furrowed her brows, puzzled. When she had seen Yuanmu gege yesterday, although both the deck and private room had been lit up, she hadn¡¯t been able to see him as clearly as she could now in broad daylight. Yesterday, she had felt like Xiao Yuanmu had felt very familiar to her. She had felt a strong desire to get closer to him. But today, the strange familiarity seemed to have grown stronger. She didn¡¯t know where this feeling came from. Nheless, she couldn¡¯t avert her gaze. Noticing Xiao Ranyun¡¯s gaze, Xiao Yuanmu met her eyes with a calm look. The warmth in his eyes didn¡¯t change because of her. His expression was still that of indifference. Song Xuanhe had been walking next to Xiao Yuanmu so he naturally had caught sight of Xiao Ranyun¡¯s expression. Moreover, he had noticed that Xiao Yuanmu had treated her more gently than usual. Therefore, he turned to check on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face at once. But Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t reacted at all. He was as indifferent and distant as ever. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips and then sat down. He then spoke in a seemingly inadvertent tone, ¡°Lin zi, I didn¡¯t ask yesterday, but howe I didn¡¯t know that you had a younger sister?¡± When Xiao Shenglin heard this, he smiled kindly. ¡°Ranran is my cousin. We don¡¯t see each other often so I¡¯ve never mentioned her.¡± Xiao Ranyun was pulled back to the present by Song Xuanhe¡¯s words. She smiled, ¡°It¡¯s because I¡¯m never in the country, ah. Actually, most of the kids in our family have been sent to study abroad since young. It¡¯s only Gege who had been allowed to stay in the country. Although he did go abroad for university, he came back to this country after graduating. Therefore, we rarely got to see each other.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many people of the Xiao Family in this country to begin with.¡± Zhou Nan looked at Song Xuanhe like the other was an idiot. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you didn¡¯t even know that?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils constricted. His hand that had been scooping up congee paused. He swallowed down the mouthful in his mouth and was about to retort when he suddenly saw Sun Jinren run out with dishevelled hair. The other walked forward while speaking onto his phone, appearing deeply worried. Although he was a heavy man, he wasn¡¯t slow at all. Xiao Shenglin also noticed him. Xiao Ranyun frowned. She put down her utensils and said, ¡°Why am I so unlucky? It¡¯s only breakfast.¡± No one acknowledged Xiao Ranyun¡¯s words because they were all watching Sun Jinren¡¯s actions. All they saw was Sun Jinren hang up and then turn to tug on a middle-aged man sitting at a table close to him. He bent down and said in earnest words, ¡°Song ge, may I bother you to help me out? Could you help me speak to the Captain and ask him to dispatch a boat to take me to shore? Something urgent has cropped up at mypany and I must return at once.¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s voice was really loud. Song Xuanhe and his party were all able to clearly hear his words. Xiao Ranyun widened her eyes, shocked. She whispered, ¡°Has he gone crazy?¡± This cruise was set to sail for one day and two nights. It would return to Lan City¡¯s port on the morning of the third day. Currently, it was only the morning of the second day. They were more-or-less as far from the shore as possible. They weren¡¯t near any coastal cities right now¡ªit was nothing but endless seawater. If he had asked to get off the ship yesterday, then they could have called for a speed boat. But now, it would be really difficult to reachnd. Moreover, even if they managed to reach the shore, it absolutely wouldn¡¯t be Lan City¡¯s port. The cruise ship obviously had spare boats for emergencies. It was just that those boats were strictly meant for emergencies. No one was allowed to use them. Furthermore, the Captain would not let guests ride on those so rashly. If they wanted to get on those speedboats for a quick ride in the ocean for fun, then fine, but what Sun Jinren wanted was for that speedboat to bring him back to the city. Unless there was something wrong with the Captain¡¯s head, he would not agree. Or rather, unless there was something wrong with them in their head, no guest would raise such a preposterous request. Therefore, Xiao Ranyun didn¡¯t mean it as an insult. She actually thought that there was something wrong with him. The ¡®Song ge¡¯ he asked naturally didn¡¯t agree to the request. That person furrowed his brows and said, ¡°The cruise will dock tomorrow morning. If something¡¯s happened, you can deal with it via teleconference. There¡¯s no need for you to head over there personally. In any case, unless there are special circumstances, the Captain would never approve of letting a boat leave.¡± Sun Jinren was so anxious he had broken out into a sweat. This issue concerned his entire family. Therefore, when he heard ¡®Song ge¡¯ say this, he still insisted anxiously. ¡°Mypany¡¯s matter is extremely urgent, Song ge. If you help me this once, I promise to repay you at a suitable time in the future.¡± ¡®Song ge¡¯ frowned. He didn¡¯t feel any concern for the other. However, he had some misgivings, given that they were in public. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s me, the Captain would not approve of it. Did you think that the captain of this ship is an ordinary person? He doesn¡¯t need to give me any face at all. Give up. Wait until the ship docks.¡± ¡°By the time this ship docks, I¡¯ll be done for!¡± Sun Jinren shouted. ¡°I can¡¯t wait!¡± ¡°Song ge¡¯s¡± face grew cold. ¡°Even if you can¡¯t wait, you¡¯ll have to wait. I cannot help you. The only way you can go back is if you have the ability to have a private aircraft pick you up, or if you give your coordinates to your subordinates and have them bring a boat to pick you up. In any case, the Captain will not have his crew take you back on one of their boats.¡± When the surrounding people heard this, they all nodded inwardly. Zhou Nan smiled. ¡°Song Jiani is impulsive but Boss Song¡¯s prudent. Although he¡¯s furious, he¡¯s still able to hold back his temper and speak properly.¡± This Boss Song was Song Jiani¡¯s father. He was also the person who had brought Sun Jinren onto this cruise. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. He had not expected that Song Jiani¡¯s father would have been the person to have brought Sun Jinren onboard. If that was the case, the scene where Sun Jinren asked him for Xiao Yuanmu¡­had that solely been because of Sun Jinren¡¯s lust or because of Song Jiani¡¯s incitement? Furthermore, although Sun Jinren was a tterer and lustful, considering the fact that he had been able to build up hispany from scratch and make it into one of the toppanies in the industry, he likely wasn¡¯t an idiot. His behaviour yesterday had made it clear that he knew just who everyone on the ship was. If it weren¡¯t because things were truly urgent, he would probably never have forgotten himself in worry like this. But Song Xuanhe remembered that the scene of Sun Jinren asking for Xiao Yuanmu was supposed to happen three days after they got off the cruise. The book had never described Sun Jinren leaving the ship in a hurry like this. But if such an urgent matter actually had happened, would Sun Jinren really have been able to resolve it within three days and still be in the mood to ask him for Xiao Yuanmu at the biannual gathering in the Capital? Song Xuanhe was suspicious. Meanwhile, Sun Jinren still hadn¡¯t let go of Song Jiani¡¯s father, Song Qiyi. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Song Qiyi had said, but Sun Jinren had calmed down a lot. He also seemed to understand that there were many eyes here. Therefore, he had lowered his voice. ¡°Someone¡¯s trying to acquire the Jinren Group with malicious intentions. There had been no wind of this in the past. But this morning, I woke up and saw that they had already acquired twenty percent of mypany¡¯s shares. If this continues, I won¡¯t be able to protect mypany.¡± Upon hearing that, Song Qiyi was truly astonished and finally realized the severity of this situation. But even so, he really had no way of helping Sun Jinren get off the boat. Therefore, he could only lower his voice and say, ¡°Let me give you some advice. The Captain will not make an exception for you. However, we¡¯re close to Japan¡¯s west coast. The Guan Family has businesses in Japan. If you can get Guan Zhi to relent, then it would be very easy for the Guan Family¡¯s airlines to send a ne over. They can take you back to the country. Even if the nes can¡¯te over, as long as you can get Guan Zhi to give his family a call, they will send a boat over. You can then fly back after reaching Japan¡¯s shores. Flying from Japan to Lan City only takes a few hours. If all goes well, you¡¯ll be able to get back by noon.¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s expression flickered rapidly. At this moment, he finally realized that Song Qiyi really had no way of helping him. But the problem was, he wasn¡¯t acquainted with the Guan Family¡¯s sessor. He had also heard that the young master¡¯s temper wasn¡¯t good. There was no way he would help him arrange a flight. If the other only needed to help him summon a boat, then perhaps, but definitely not this. ¡°Song ge.¡± Sun Jinren said, ¡°Do you know what room Mr. Guan is in, or a way to get in contact with him?¡± Song Qiyi raised his head and met eyes with Song Xuanhe who was looking over here from a ways away. He furrowed his brows and was about to look away when he noticed that Guan Zhi was sitting with Song Xuanhe. Sun Jinren saw Song Qiyi¡¯s expression change. He subconsciously followed the other¡¯s gaze and saw Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. He was on the verge of bankruptcy so he wasn¡¯t in the mood to think about looking for a lover. Therefore, he asked, ¡°Song ge, what are you looking at?¡± Song Qiyi sighed quietly. In the past, rather than Song Xuanhe, he had hoped that his daughter would marry Song Xuanlin. However, his daughter had been dead set on Song Xuanhe so he could only help her. What he had not expected was that Song Xuanhe would dislike his daughter and even embarrass her over some man in public. Back then, the reason he had agreed to take Sun Jinren aboard and had purposely brought him in front of the Song couple, was to get Song Jiabao to reveal that Song Xuanhe was only ying with Xiao Yuanmu. He had wanted Sun Jinren to take an interest in Xiao Yuanmu. Then, he and Song Guochao would team up to pressure Song Xuanhe so that he would have no choice but to give Xiao Yuanmu to Sun Jinren. But what he hadn¡¯t expected was that, in this short amount of time, Song Xuanhe, who used to hang out with only good-for-nothings, would suddenly turn his life around. Not only did he return to the upper ss circles, he had even made friends with Zhou Nan and Wei Chen. Right now, he was also sitting at the same table as the Guan Family sessor. If this was the case, he needed to rethink his daughter¡¯s marriage. He had thought that Song Xuanhe would be easy to control in the past. Now, he realized that he might have been wrong. Sun Jinren didn¡¯t know what Song Qiyi was thinking. When he saw the other don a gloomy expression and remain silent, a feeling of unease sprung forth in his chest. He asked, ¡°Song , what are you looking at? This matter is urgent. How about you give Guan shaoye¡¯s contact information first? I¡¯m in a hurry to find him.¡± Song Qiyi sighed and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to go looking for him. Guan shaoye is currently sitting at Song Xuanhe¡¯s table. Over there, where Zhou Nan is.¡± Sun Jinren was taken aback. When he looked over again, he saw that Song Xuanhe and friends were currently chatting with a young man. All Sun Jinren thought was that it felt like everything was turning dark around him. Hisst shred of hope had disappeared. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t hear what Song Qiyi and Sun Jinren were saying in hushed voices. Regardless, neither he nor his friends cared anymore. However, when they saw them look in their direction, they felt baffled. Guan Zhi frowned. ¡°What¡¯s the fatty looking over here for?¡± Zhou Nan raised a brow. ¡°He¡¯s not just looking over here, he¡¯s making his way over too.¡± When the people at the table heard this, they all looked over and saw that Sun Jinren really was moving his hefty body over at a quick speed. The anxiety on his face hadn¡¯t decreased at all. Rather, it seemed like there was now panic and apprehension as well. A momentter, Sun Jinren reached their table. He first looked at Guan Zhi and then looked at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. He said, ¡°Actually, I wanted to apologize to Song shaoye and Mr. Xiao again for yesterday¡¯s matter. I drank too much yesterday. I hope you can forgive me. When we go back, whatever Song shaoye and Mr. Xiao wants inpensation, I will pay.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, the expressions of every single person on the table changed, except for Xiao Yuanmu, who remained calm the whole time. His expression didn¡¯t change in the least. Seeing that no one spoke, Sun Jinren grit his teeth. ¡°Mr. Xiao, what I said to you yesterday was utterly shameful. As long as you forgive me, I willpensate you to the best of my abilities.¡± There were no ripples in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. It was like he hadn¡¯t heard anything Sun Jinren had said. He only lowered his gaze and calmly stirred his congee. His jade-like knuckles seemed more like white porcin than the porcin spoon in his hand did. His calm movements looked elegant and noble. Sun Jinren was shocked. Although he was not born of an aristocratic family, he had had many interactions with scions of rich families over the years. Yesterday, he hadn¡¯t been able to get a good look on the deck. However, when he looked at Xiao Yuanmu, he was shocked that this person, who he had thought to be a sex toy, actually had a calmer, more noble air than any of the rich young masters he had met in the past. Not only this, but the other also had an oppressing aura of someone who had existed at the top for a long time. This aura was difficult for even young masters who lived like princes to cultivate. Only someone who had been at the topmanding others for many years would be able to exert such an aura. The reason why Sun Jinren, who had only graduated from elementary school, was able to climb all the way up here, was because he was an expert at reading people. His eyes were sharp and he had never been wrong with his judgements. It was precisely because of this that he had never offended any influential person who could help him. This was the reason why he had been able to climb up to his current position. But now, he saw a noble air exuding off of an orphan. How could he not be shocked? It couldn¡¯t be that Song Qiyi had teamed up with Song Guochao to swindle him? Or was it because the Song Family didn¡¯t want Song Xuanhe to be with a man? Did they purposely push him out to offend this person? The more Sun Jinren thought about this, the more afraid he became. His tone changed ordingly as he apologized once more. There was now a sliver of fear. ¡°Mr. Xiao, it was truly my error to fail to recognize you. I offended you. I hope that you, Your Excellency, can be so magnanimous as to forgive me.¡± The people at the table all exchanged nces. Their eyes flickered back and forth between Sun Jinren and Xiao Yuanmu. They weren¡¯t blind nor deaf, so they could obviously read the fear within Sun Jinren¡¯s expression and words. It was just that¡­what had Xiao Yuanmu done to make Sun Jinren so afraid of him? Song Xuanhe was also shocked. However, he knew that Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t have done anything. First of all, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t have the ability to do anything. Secondly, he knew that Xiao Yuanmu had been with him all night yesterday. He couldn¡¯t have done anything to Sun Jinren. ¡°Why did youe over here?¡± As the only person who didn¡¯t know about what happened yesterday, Guan Zhi¡¯s face filled with impatience. He said, ¡°If you have no business with us, don¡¯t disrupt our breakfast.¡± Sun Jinren suddenly came back to himself. He recalled how hispany was in imminent peril and what his original goal had been ining over. He promptly turned to look at Guan Zhi and pleaded, ¡°Guan shaoye, urgent matters have cropped up at mypany. I beg you to send a boat over to take me to Japan. I just need to be sent to shore. I will definitely repay you in the future.¡± Guan Zhi looked confused. Sun Jinren had clearly been looking for Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu just now. Why was he suddenly talking to him? Meanwhile, everyone else understood. Yesterday, Sun Jinren had offended Song Xuanhe. Today, he had a request for Guan Zhi but had seen that Song Xuanhe and Guan Zhi¡¯s rtionship was quite good. Before asking for Guan Zhi¡¯s help, he would have to first resolve the issue between himself and Song Xuanhe. ¡°Why should I help you?¡± Guan Zhi snorted coldly. Although he didn¡¯t understand what was happening, he could tell that this man had been in conflict with Song Xuanhe in the past. Even if there wasn¡¯t a conflict between them, he wouldn¡¯t help a stranger with no rhyme or reason either. Xiao Yuanmu, who had been silent all this time, finally looked up. His tone was as calm and cold as his eyes. ¡°Boss Sun, there¡¯s no need to be in such a hurry. Yourpany cannot be saved anyway. You might as well enjoy your time on the cruise.¡± Sun Jinren was shocked. When he met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold gaze, his own pupils constricted and his expression morphed into one of utter shock and fear. Someone had started to acquire hispany with malicious intentions startingst night. He had only gotten news of it this morning. Prior to that, the only person who he had offended, the only one who would want revenge¡­there could only be this man before him!
Eve: MuMu back at it again with that PDA ah ah ah~ Chapter 48: Bow and Shake Hands Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Golden Fish and bugonia for the kofi
¡°You¡ªyou¡ªwhat do you know?!¡± A chill rose up from the soles of his feet, straight into his head. Sun Jinren felt his scalp go numb from fear and rm. He had never been wrong about anyone before. When he had heard Xiao Yuanmu say such words, he became certain that it must have been Xiao Yuanmu behind the acquisition of hispany. Gazing into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s indifferent eyes, Sun Jinren widened his own and said, ¡°It¡¯s you! The mastermind behind the malicious acquisition of Jinren Group is you, isn¡¯t it?!¡± Sun Jinren raised his voice abruptly. Although his voice wasn¡¯t sharp, it was hoarse and cracked. Therefore, it had managed to make everyone in the dining room turn their heads. But, he didn¡¯t care that others were watching him. Scenes shed through Sun Jinren¡¯s mind. There was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s first expression of appearing indifferent to the point of looking like he had been ignoring Sun Jinren. There was also Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s unchanging, emotionless expression from when Sun Jinren had been dallying with him. And then, there were also those dark, cold eyes from when Xiao Yuanmu had run out of patience and kicked him away. Sun Jinren¡¯s mind was a mess. Bewildered, he stared at the calm, seated Xiao Yuanmu. An aura of loftiness was etched into the other¡¯s bones¡ªhow could this be a mere orphan?! When he thought of this, his suspicious gaze swept over Song Xuanhe and the other people at the table. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder if this really had been a coincidence or if the two Song men from the Capital had teamed up with the intention of ruining him. Could it be that they had orchestrated this on purpose, because they had wanted a piece of hispany? Song Xuanhe frowned as he felt Sun Jinren¡¯s gaze fall on him. He exchanged nces with Zhou Nan and then turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu, whose expression hadn¡¯t changed throughout this whole exchange. The idea he had suppressed to the back of his mind once again floated back up. This time, he couldn¡¯t continue to deceive himself. He rescinded the emotion in his eyes and beckoned for the System. ¡¾System, there¡¯s been something weird going on with Xiao Yuanmu since the car ident. It¡¯s even more suspicious that he¡¯s suddenly gone back to how he had been prior to the ident. What¡¯s going on with him?¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was calm, but it contained a trace of nervousness that he didn¡¯t even notice himself. The System had naturally been watching what had been happening. However, it really hadn¡¯t detected anything£º¡¾After Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s car ident, I had detected a fluctuation in his soul. However, when I had investigated itter, I hadn¡¯t been able to find anything. It was only recently that I¡¯ve been able to see that there is indeed something fishy upon analyzing his emotions ratio.¡¿ Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. Although he didn¡¯t know what an ¡®emotions ratio¡¯ was, he didn¡¯t ask about it. He just said£º¡¾And?¡¿ ¡¾I discovered that the emotions ratio of Xiao Yuanmu prior to his car ident had been very unstable, especially when he had been in front of you. It would frequently fluctuate. After analyzing it, I realized that this meant that he had probably ¡°liked¡± you as you humans call it. But after his ident, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotions ratio has almost never changed. Even if there have been any fluctuations, it has only changed in negligible amounts¡­.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. Actually, with what the System had just said, he was already able to confirm his conjecture. To be honest, he had already sensed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s change since a long time ago. This had been precisely why he had never gone back to live with Xiao Yuanmu even though the atmosphere within the Song Residence was so murky. It was just that, putting aside his unwillingness to ept this, there was still something that didn¡¯t make sense to him. He was certain that, although the Xiao Yuanmu in front of him now wasn¡¯t the same as before, he was still the original Xiao Yuanmu. It wasn¡¯t like he was possessed by another soul. First of all, it would have been impossible for the System to miss that. Secondly, there was no way anyone else could so perfectly mimic someone else¡¯s every preference and habits. Since he had started to live under the same roof as Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xiao Shaoye, who had never been one to try and glean a person¡¯s thoughts from their bodynguage, had learned to be observant for the sake of survival. He had already been intelligent and keen. The only reason he hadn¡¯t done it before had been because he hadn¡¯t wanted to. When he truly got serious, he was able to discover many details that perhaps not even Xiao Yuanmu knew about himself. And, it had been through these details that Song Xuanhe had learned to read Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s moods. Song Xuanhe naturally wouldn¡¯t do this all the time as it would only make him feel stifled. Therefore, what he paid most attention to were the little things that Xiao Yuanmu did when angry. Xiao Yuanmu usually looked taciturn and expressionless. It was typically very hard to read his mind. But, Song Xuanhe had a System that could monitor Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actions at any time of the day. Moreover, the two of them had been living under the same roof. They had seen each other frequently every single day. It was impossible for any human to bepletely devoid of emotions. Therefore, Song Xuanhe had still been able to gain some experience in reading the other. Thus, Song Xuanhe had be an expert in reading Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotional changes. It was also because of this that Song Xuanhe was currently very certain that Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been possessed by someone else. But if he wasn¡¯t possessed, why had Xiao Yuanmu, who used to be cold-faced but warm-hearted, suddenly be like this¡ªlike someone whose heart was colder than their face? Song Xiao Shaoye, who preferred living in the moment rather than nning ahead, didn¡¯t want to think about it too deeply. Unfortunately, the information was right in front of his eyes, so he had no choice but to think about it even if he didn¡¯t want to. Although Song Xuanhe was very certain that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t possessed, he still wanted confirmation from the System.¡¾Has anyone transmigrated into Xiao Yuanmu? Like how I transmigrated into Song Xuanhe?¡¿ ¡¾Absolutely not.¡¿The System was a hundred-percent certain£º¡¾Everyone¡¯s soul is different. If it was a different soul, I would have noticed at once. Moreover, Xiao Yuanmu has the most formidable destiny in this world. His destiny doesn¡¯t just concern himself but many other things in the world as well. Therefore, even if I had not noticed it, the Main System would have.¡¿ Song Xuanhe believed in the System¡¯s words. However, he still joked£º¡¾Maybe the transmigrator¡¯s a hacker. Maybe he hacked into your Main System. If he did, he¡¯d have been able to take over any body.¡¿ The System immediately refuted this possibility£º¡¾Although I¡¯m called a System, that¡¯s just a term we use to cater to you humans as it¡¯s familiar to you. Moreover, although I have data, I am not solelyposed of data. There¡¯s no way a hacker could appear, let alone control the Main System.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes twinkled, and the System realized afterwards that it had said too much. It immediately got back on track£º¡¾The soul in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body is definitely his. But, I did discover that his soul wavelength seemed longer than what had been told to me by the Main System. I¡¯ve already reported this to the Main System. It should give me an answer within the next few days.¡¿ ¡¾What¡¯s a soul wavelength?¡¿ ¡¾A soul wavelength is an indication of the strength of an organism¡¯s soul. An organism¡¯s thinking will change as they gain experience. One¡¯s soul and one¡¯s thinking cannot be analyzed without the other. Some wavelengths are long, and some are short. Typically speaking, a child¡¯s soul wavelength is short whereas an elderly person¡¯s is long. However, there will asionally be exceptions. For example, someone whose destiny is stronger than the average person or someone who has more opportunities than normal will have a longer soul wavelength than usual. As the protagonist of this world, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s soul wavelength had already been longer than an average elderly person¡¯s at birth. Ratios are even moreplicated. Therefore, we need the Main System to analyze his before we can be certain of anything. ¡¿ The System¡¯s words weren¡¯tplicated. Song Xuanhe mulled over them for two seconds beforeing to terms with what it was saying. This understanding only made him more certain of his conjecture. Song Xuanhe and the System¡¯s conversation had onlysted two minutes. During this time, Sun Jinren had received another call. As Song Xuanhe¡¯s conversation ended, Sun Jinren¡¯s had also coincidentally ended. Who knew what he had been told, but Sun Jinren¡¯s face turned red. The look he gave Xiao Yuanmu had even more intense fear weaved into it. ¡°Just who are you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu cast him an indifferent gaze. He didn¡¯t have any intention of responding. Sun Jinren¡¯s eyes widened even more. He already knew that he was done for. Therefore, he was no longer afraid of confronting Xiao Yuanmu. Combining what he had heard from Xiao Yuanmu just now with the terrifying conclusion he had just reached, Boss Sun calmed down. Sun Jinren was naturally no weakling, considering the fact that he had managed to climb up so high. Although he feared whatever power was behind Xiao Yuanmu, his fury over having hispany¡ªthat he had started up from scratch¡ª destroyed in one night by this young man triumphed over that fear. He stared at Xiao Yuanmu, a sinister light flickering through his eyes. He then raised his voice and said, ¡°You¡¯re definitely not an orphan! You¡¯re obviously concealing your identity! Are you dating Song Xiao Shaoye while hiding your identity, because you n on doing something to the Song Family? Or should I say, have you already finished preparations and are already acquiring shares behind his back like you had done to Jinren? I don¡¯t believe that you were able to acquire Jinren in a single night. This must have been in the works for a long time! Just what is your goal?!¡± It had only been five minutes since Sun Jinren had walked over here. As soon as Sun Jinren had woken up from his shock, he had immediately started to sow dissension between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. The spectators didn¡¯t understand what was going on really, so they shifted their gazes to Xiao Yuanmu, who Sun Jinren was grilling. The people who knew of what had happened yesterday all frowned inwardly. They also thought that this was too coincidental. Honestly speaking, Xiao Yuanmu was acting way too calm. This made people wonder whether or not this really had something to do with him. Faced with everyone¡¯s stares, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s brows knitted slightly. Even though it was only for a second, anyone could feel the coldness and impatience emitting off of him. He didn¡¯t respond to Sun Jinren¡¯s question. Instead, he picked up his phone and shoved the screen into the other¡¯s face. He then said in a t voice, ¡°I knew about this because I saw it on the news.¡± Sun Jinren was taken aback. His gaze fell onto the screen. When he finally processed the words on the screen, he grabbed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s phone from his hands and scrolled until he could read the entirety of the economic news website¡¯s headline: ¡°The Jinren Group Changes Owners Overnight, an Emergency Shareholders Meeting is Held, Company Behind the Acquisition is Unknown.¡± Other people could not see the article on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s phone, but based off of what they had heard of the conversation and Sun Jinren¡¯s expression, they knew that Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been lying. At that moment, many others pulled out their own phones and searched it up. Indeed, they were able to find news of the Jinren Group¡¯s acquisition. The people who had started to suspect Xiao Yuanmu because of Sun Jinren¡¯s confident questioning all rolled their eyes. Sun Jinren¡¯s brain must have malfunctioned. He had thought that the other was the mastermind just because he had read about the Jinren Group¡¯s change in management from the news. Even if he had been having delusions about who the mastermind was, it would have made more sense to use someone else. ¡°Boss Sun.¡± Zhou Nan smiled. He nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who had been calm throughout this whole altercation. ¡°Since you already know that we can¡¯t help you and that it has nothing to do with Yuanmu, can you let us eat in peace now?¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s face quivered, and a shiver ran up his spine when he met Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. He then smiled apologetically. ¡°I¡¯ve disturbed you all. I shall take my leave.¡± Two farces in one morning, and both revolved around the same table. The people in the dining room couldn¡¯t help but take a few more looks in their direction. Although Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t afraid of being looked at, he still wasn¡¯t particrly happy about it. After Sun Jinren had left, Song Xuanhe and his party also left the dining room. Shortly after splitting from his friends, Song Xuanhe received a call from Li Nianan. She asked him toe to the cafe upstairs. Song Xuanhe, whose muscles had been tense all this time, sighed in relief. He turned to look towards Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°My mom¡¯s looking for me. You should head back to our room first. I¡¯ll let you know if I¡¯m not going toe back by noon.¡± Xiao Yuanmu scanned Song Xuanhe¡¯s feigned calm expression. When he saw the other¡¯s expression grow more and more tense, the corner of his lips unobtrusively rose a few degrees. He said, ¡°Okay.¡± Once out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s sight, Song Xuanhe rxedpletely. Although he didn¡¯t quite understand everything that was happening at present, he knew that things would be clear in three days¡¯ time when the crucial scene took ce. Before that, he thought that it would be best for him to keep his distance from Xiao Yuanmu. He didn¡¯t want to be faced with someone he was uncertain about. Li Nianan quietly sat in a sunny corner, steam rising from the cup of coffee on the table in front of her. When she saw Song Xuanhe walking over, she smiled at him gently. ¡°He bao,e over here quickly.¡± Song Xuanhe walked over and then sat in front of her. He asked, ¡°Mom, what did you need me for?¡± Li Nianan smiled. ¡°Can¡¯t Mom see you just because I want to? I haven¡¯t seen you since boarding the ship. Mom obviously misses you.¡± ¡°Oh, but I did have something to talk to you about.¡± Li Nianan¡¯s smile disappeared. The topic took a sudden turn. ¡°Did the young master of the Schroder Familye looking for you wanting to buy your cufflinks?¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. Soon after, a cold smile appeared on his lips. ¡°Yes, but I didn¡¯t give it to him.¡± Seeing his unconcerned expression, Li Nianan red at him. However, her tone wasn¡¯t stern. ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to give it to him, you didn¡¯t have to make such a scene. You gave him no way out of that awkward situation in front of so many people. Later on, he¡¯ll probably try to take revenge on you over this. The Schroder Family¡¯s methods are not clean. Furthermore, Song Guochao had cursed you fiercely in our room when he had found out about this. He had nearly run over to the dining room to find you.¡± ¡°But in the end, he didn¡¯te.¡± Song Xuanhe ignored arge section of what Li Nianan said in the beginning. Instead, hemented on the more trivial part. ¡°Besides, he didn¡¯t curse me to my face.¡± ¡°You, you¡¯re really not willing to suffer any loss.¡± Li Nianan had originally wanted to scold him, but her expression couldn¡¯t help but soften. ¡°The Schroder Family¡¯s hands cannot reach you in China. I just wanted to warn you. Furthermore, you are a child of my Li Family, so you naturally have no need to bear the Schroder Family¡¯s anger. He thinks that the Song Family is easy to bully, but he¡¯s forgotten that you also have the Li Family behind you. After I give him a warning, he¡¯lle to understand what¡¯s best for him.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze changed slightly. He suddenly remembered the original host¡¯s maternal aunt who had never appeared in the book. He couldn¡¯t stop himself from asking, ¡°Is he afraid of Auntie¡¯s side?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Li Nianan smiled, patting Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand gently. ¡°In any case, cause less trouble outside. Keep propriety in mind. Don¡¯t act too unrestrained just because of the promise Mom asked of Grandpa.¡± ¡°Alright, let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± Li Nianan stared at Song Xuanhe silently for a few seconds before her expression turned serious. ¡°I wanted to see you today not just because of that. I have also heard about the matter fromst night. What¡¯s going on between you and that Xiao Yuanmu child?¡± Song Xuanhe was pulling back his hand when he paused. He then calmly said, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Li Nianan thought it was both infuriating and funny, seeing him guard his expression so carefully. ¡°You¡¯re still trying to hide it from Mom? Mom didn¡¯t care about who you dated before, because I thought you were still young. It hadn¡¯t mattered if you dated a few people as long as you didn¡¯t go overboard. I had been willing to turn a blind eye. But this time, this Xiao Yuanmu, there¡¯s been a lot more trouble rted to himpared to your previous boyfriends.¡± As she said this, Li Nianan observed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. When she saw that his expression didn¡¯t change, she changed her tone. ¡°Mom can tell that to you, Xiao Yuanmu is differentpared to the others you dated in the past. Yesterday, Sun Jinren going to look for Xiao Yuanmu had been instigated by your cousin. I had overheard about it, but I had wanted to see your reaction, so I allowed it to happen. I hadn¡¯t expected you to protect him like that. He bao, tell Mom, have you really fallen in love with Xiao Yuanmu?¡± He had protected Xiao Yuanmu? Song Xuanhe was puzzled. He hadn¡¯t protected Xiao Yuanmu at all yesterday. This was a huge misunderstanding. He parted his lips and tried to exin: ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie to Mom.¡± Li Nianan didn¡¯t give him a chance to exin and interrupted him. ¡°There had been nothing good about those kids you used to date. But, they couldn¡¯t hurt you anyway. I¡¯m your mother. Therefore, it¡¯s only natural that I¡¯m partial towards you. But, you¡¯re no longer young. You can¡¯t keep ying like this forever. I¡¯ve already investigated Xiao Yuanmu. I have discovered that he¡¯s indeed better than your exes. Although his family background isn¡¯t particrly good, if you truly like him, Mom will figure out a way to allow him into the Song Family. You don¡¯t have to lie to me just because you¡¯re worried.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected the conversation to take such a turn. However, he couldn¡¯t say that he didn¡¯t like Xiao Yuanmu. If he did say that, he¡¯d have to exin why he was together with Xiao Yuanmu, and that would just bring about more problems. Therefore, he just vaguely said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about this. I have my own ns.¡± ¡°What ns can you have?¡± Li Nianan frowned, looking at him in disapproval. ¡°Mom knows that it¡¯s wrong to spoil you. But, I¡¯ve never been able to bear meddling in your affairs or disciplining you. In the past, it had been one thing for you to bully other kids when you were younger. But now, since you have real feelings for the other person, date him properly. Mom doesn¡¯t need the two of you to get married right away, but if you two really do n on getting married, you won¡¯t need to worry about Song Guochao and them. I will settle it for you.¡± Before Song Xuanhe could interrupt, Li Nianan told him, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this boyfriend of yours. Since that child is also on this ship, bring him over to have dinner with me.¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe was afraid of being cut off again. Therefore, he refused very quickly, tone heavy. Even when he saw Li Nianan look at him weirdly, he remained firm. ¡°We¡¯re not at the ¡®meet the parents¡¯ stage yet. You really don¡¯t have to meddle in my affairs. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be going.¡± As soon as he had finished talking, Song Xuanhe stood up. However, he saw that Li Nianan had also stood up, a smile on her lips. Before he could figure out what she was doing, he saw her look behind him. ¡°You must be Xiao Xiao,e sit.¡± Song Xuanhe had been about to turn around, but he suddenly halted when he heard this. For some reason, the sounds of the footsteps behind them made him panic. Before he could turn his head around to look, that person had already walked over. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s refreshing voice echoed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear, ¡°Auntie Song.¡± When she saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s appearance, Li Nianan was stunned. She realized why her son treated him so differently. She rescinded the emotion in her eyes and brushed a lock of hair behind her ears. ¡°Quickly, sit.¡± ¡°Thank you, Auntie.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat next to Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe as the only person left standing looked very out of ce. Li Nianan nced at him and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sitting?¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He was about to say something when he saw Li Nianan turn to face Xiao Yuanmu. With a graceful smile on her lips, she said, ¡° Xiao Xiao, it must have been very abrupt of Auntie to call you over so suddenly. I didn¡¯t frighten you, did I?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at Song Xuanhe, who had sat back down with a tense expression. The chill on his face lessened slightly. Although his voice wasn¡¯t warm, it wasn¡¯t frosty either. ¡°No. I should have visited Auntie.¡± When Li Nianan heard this, her smile grew more genuine. Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu in surprise. From what he knew, this big shot wasn¡¯t someone who would curry favour with his elders. Any time the Xiao Yuanmu in the book had looked at anyone else with a pleasant expression, he had had an ulterior motive. But, what could Xiao Yuanmu want from Li Nianan? Was it for the sake of toppling the Song Family? Or, did he want to hurt Li Nianan to get to him? Song Xuanhe had many guesses in his mind, but he showed none of that on his face. Since he had started doubting Xiao Yuanmu, he had be much more cautious when it came to his expressions. He would not inadvertently let his emotions leak like before. ¡°Auntie called you over, because I haven¡¯t had a chance to see you all this time.¡± Li Nianan took a sip of coffee. She then said in a cool voice, ¡°Although I¡¯ve never seen you, I¡¯ve heard a lot about you. There are rumours about you at thepany, and others mention you often. Therefore, I wanted to see you.¡± Faced with Li Nianan¡¯s words that didn¡¯t seem to hold much goodwill, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression remained calm. He politely said, ¡°That is only to be expected.¡± Li Nianan looked at Song Xuanhe and then suddenly broke out into a smile. ¡°He bao has always been an unpredictable child. I¡¯ve spoiled him a lot, and it has caused him to be a child who does things half-heartedly. It¡¯s my fault for not teaching him well. But in the end, he¡¯s still my son. I can¡¯t bear to chide him. Therefore, Auntie can only chide you. You don¡¯t mind, right?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips twitched. Mrs. Song was so obviously announcing, ¡°I spoil my son. Even if you don¡¯t like it, you can¡¯t do anything about it.¡± No wonder the original host had grown up to be like that. It was just that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t easy to deal with. Right now, the Song Family had really offended him. But, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem like he minded. Not even his eyshes quivered. He only said in a calm voice, ¡°Auntie, please speak what¡¯s on your mind.¡± Li Nianan carefully examined Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. She then softened her tone. ¡°Although He bao is our youngest, even if he¡¯s with another man, he must have a child. What are your thoughts on that?¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, incredulous. She had just been making a show of strength, so why was she talking about children now?! ¡°I don¡¯t mind.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression through his peripheral vision. A sliver of amusement shed through his eyes. He added, ¡°As long as he¡¯s happy.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression grew stiff. He wanted to turn to look at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression and see what he was ying at. However, he knew that even if he looked, he wouldn¡¯t be able to find the answer on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. Therefore, his expression only tensed up even more. He sat there expressionlessly. Li Nianan, in contrast, was very pleased. She smiled. ¡°None of his exes were as sensible as you. Although you¡¯re not quite a match for our family background wise, your personality is good. I¡¯m very happy that there¡¯s someone else to keep him in check. Although the two of you are young, you¡¯ve both already graduated. Since you¡¯ve graduated, you should think about marriage and k¡ª¡± ¡°Mom!¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, interrupting Li Nianan. ¡°We¡¯re just dating. There¡¯s no need to talk about something so far away. Besides, we haven¡¯t even dated for all that long. Why are you talking about marriage?¡± Li Nianan had been ying matchmaker with him and Song Jiani just a while ago. Why did she suddenly have her eye on Xiao Yuanmu? Song Xuanhe had no idea what kind of development this was. Li Nianan didn¡¯t pay Song Xuanhe any attention. Although there was a smile in her eyes, she was closely examining Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Do you want to marry into our Song Family?¡±
Eve: I actually love SXH¡¯s mom. Hahahaha. While she¡¯s not exactly the moooost supportive here it¡¯s not the worst I¡¯ve seen. She also gets more supportiveter so <3 Also omg SXH being utterly panicked over this cracks me up. Meanwhile, MuMu is just entertained. Kara: Aiya, Mama Song, please don¡¯t tease your son too much. He may just have a heart attack, haha! ¡Ï( ? ¡¹¡Ï)£ß I agree though, she¡¯s definitely one of the better moms I¡¯ve seen in CNovels. Also, sorry to the readers that the past few chapters have not been edited. IRL circumstances are really hindering my free time, but I promise to back edit them soon! ???????) ????? Chapter 49: Nod and Smile Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯re at the stage to discuss marriage yet.¡± Despite the abrupt questioning, Xiao Yuanmu still retained his calm. Although his voice was chilly, it didn¡¯t make the person he was refusing feel ufortable at all. Not only was Li Nianan not angry, but her smile also became even more sincere. She said, ¡°You¡¯re both young, so it¡¯s normal to not want to talk about something so distant. It¡¯s because I¡¯m old that I¡¯m thinking so much.¡± Song Xuanhe was finally able to let out the breath that had been stuck in his chest. He turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu and saw that the other¡¯s long, straightshes were slightly lowered. It looked like he didn¡¯t n on replying to Li Nianan¡¯s words. ¡°But,¡± Li Nianan didn¡¯t force Xiao Yuanmu to reply either. There was a faint smile on her face, ¡°Since the two of you are dating, you two should get along nicely. If you treat each other with sincerity, even if you¡¯re no longer together in the future, at least hatred will not be borne of your love, and you won¡¯t be enemies. Xuanhe is my son. I know that he¡¯s difficult to interact with. He always needs to be coaxed or persuaded. Sometimes, his temper can get really bad. However, he has dared to go against his father for you. They nearly had a falling out, and Xuanhe almost moved out. It¡¯s obvious that he really likes you. I hope that you¡¯ll take care of him a bit more.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. His eyes shifted towards Song Xuanhe, astonishment flitting through his heart. When he felt Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze on him, Song Xuanhe forced himself to keep a straight face. ¡°Mom, are you done? I still have something to do with him.¡± ¡°Alright. You young¡¯uns go have fun with dating. I won¡¯t disturb you two anymore.¡± Li Nianan smiled. ¡°I was originally going to have dinner with the two of you, but Xuanhe didn¡¯t want me disturbing the two of you. I¡¯ll you two enjoy your own little couple¡¯s world.¡± Song Xuanhe tugged on Xiao Yuanmu and stood up. He hastily said, ¡°We¡¯re going first.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was pulled downstairs by Song Xuanhe. Only after they had returned to their room did Song Xuanhe let a breath out of relief. At the same time, he felt like he really couldn¡¯t figure out why Mrs. Song was suddenly so supportive of him and Xiao Yuanmu being together. In the past, at one point, she had been on the same side as Song Guochao. She had hoped that he would get together with Song Jiani. ¡°How long are you nning on holding my hand for?¡± A sudden voice echoed through the room, interrupting Song Xuanhe¡¯s thoughts. He subconsciously looked up into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He then btedly realized that he was still holding Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. He rxed his own hand, wanting to let go. But a second before he fully let his hold go, he suddenly remembered that it would be best for him not to go against his character settings. It didn¡¯t matter what was going on with Xiao Yuanmu. If he had changed, then what was important was that Song Xuanhe had to remain calm and act ordingly. If he hadn¡¯t changed, then Song Xuanhe should prepare ordingly. After Li Nianan¡¯s interlude, Song Xuanhe had actually calmed down. When he looked at Xiao Yuanmu, there was none of the vignce and misgivings he had had in his eyes just a while back. In any case, he wouldn¡¯t end up any worse off than the original host. The hand he had just loosened tightened again. He raised his chin and cocked a brow. ¡°If I want to hold your hand, I will for however long I want. Even if I want to hold your hand all day, all you can do is let me hold it.¡± Song Xuanhe was acting haughty and overbearing, but in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, he looked like a kitten trying to act threatening. Even when this kitten¡¯s fur was puffed out, he was just a little round ball. There was a wariness and probing in his round eyes that could not be hidden. ¡°Since you like to hold it, don¡¯t let go today.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted from the other¡¯s ck eyes and fell on their intertwined hands. He switched his hold, so he went from being the passive party to the initiator. Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands were a bit smaller than his and fit perfectly in his own. Song Xuanhe tried to pull his hand out. When he realized that he couldn¡¯t, he pressed his lips together and furrowed his brows. ¡°I don¡¯t want to hold hands with you anymore. Let go.¡± ¡°Toote.¡± * Zhou Nan exchanged a weird look with Xiao Shenglin. He then turned to look at Song Xuanhe and coughed. ¡°Song Er, can you tone it down a notch while we¡¯re eating?¡± Song Xuanhe paused while picking up some food with his chopsticks, expression stiffening. He nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was eating gracefully with his left hand, in his peripheral view. Song Xuanhe gnashed his teeth and vented his stifled anger onto Zhou Nan. ¡°Eat your food. Don¡¯t meddle in other people¡¯s business.¡± Zhou Nan choked. He looked helpless. ¡°I¡¯m worried that it¡¯s not convenient for you to eat like this, okay. Besides, both of you only have one hand on the table. It looks really weird to me, sitting opposite of you.¡± ¡°Then, sit at another table.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. Since Xiao Yuanmu had said that he wouldn¡¯t let go, he was really doing as he had said. Things had been super inconvenient for him. However, he had no way of pulling his hand out of the other¡¯s hold. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t have the courage to directly have a falling out with the big shot, so he could only bear with it, sullen. Even while eating, he didn¡¯t dare to drink any soup. He was afraid that Xiao Yuanmu would insist oning with him to the washroom! Because of this, Song Xiao Shaoye, who already had a bit of a bad temper, currently had a fiery rage burning in his stomach. At first, he could still endure it. But, who could have expected room service to suddenly be suspended? Because of this, he had toe out to eat while holding hands with Xiao Yuanmu. While leaving, he had even been thinking that they absolutely could not bump into anyone they knew. He hadn¡¯t expected that, as soon as they had sat down in a little corner of the dining room, Zhou Nan, who had just been a step behind them, woulde right over and insist on sitting with them. As if that hadn¡¯t been enough, he had even called Xiao Ranyun and Xiao Shenglin over, making Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression all the more uglier. Zhou Nan didn¡¯t know why Song Xuanhe was suddenly so angry. He just thought that the other¡¯s cold face was because he was in a bad mood. Therefore, Zhou shaoye, who had received apletely uncalled for eye roll, felt a bit wronged. Still, he asked Xiao Yuanmu curiously, ¡°He was still fine this morning. Why¡¯s he suddenly so angry now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at Song Xuanhe¡¯s pursed lips and replied, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Zhou Nan thought about it for a while and then snapped his fingers. ¡°I had been thinking that Song Er¡¯s temperament had gotten better as ofte. I thought that he had changed. But s, he¡¯s the same. Men, there are always a few days a month when they get like this. I get it.¡± Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes slightly, lowering his voice. ¡°Say one more thing, and I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t get up for the next few days.¡± Zhou Nanughed, not afraid in the least. ¡°If you want to make it so that I can¡¯t get up, you¡¯ll have to first free your hand.¡± Seeing that Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was a bit off like he really was nning on hitting Zhou Nan, Xiao Shenglin mediated. ¡°The food¡¯s already cold. Let¡¯s eat.¡± They finally quieted down and finished their food. After the meal, Xiao Ranyunmented, ¡°Yuanmu gege, are you left-handed? Looking at you just now, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to tell that you used to use your right hand in the past. Your rtionship with Xuanhe gege is really good. You guys really haven¡¯t let go for even a second.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up a few degrees discreetly. He spoke in neither a fast nor slow pace, voice very tranquil. ¡°He said that he wanted to hold hands all day.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu, shocked. He hadn¡¯t thought that the other would act so shamelessly right now. When did he ever say that he wanted to hold hands all day?! However, the others at the table didn¡¯t notice Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. This was because, while Xiao Yuanmu had been saying this, although his voice was cool and his expression as cold and distant as ever, they didn¡¯t know why, but they felt like they could hear a trace of helplessness in his t tone. Zhou Nan¡¯s gaze towards Song Xuanhe changed slightly. He said, ¡°Song Er, howe I never noticed that you were this clingy in the past?¡± The vein in Song Xuanhe¡¯s forehead throbbed. For the first time, he understood what it was like to be unable to exin himself. However, he was still determined to clear his name. ¡°It was he who said he wanted to hold my hand. I didn¡¯t say that I wanted to hold his hand.¡± When he said this, it wasn¡¯t just Zhou Nan, even Xiao Shenglin¡¯s expression changed. Xiao Ranyun quietly asked, ¡°Xuanhe gege, are you guys doing that rumoured thing? Are you ¡®force-feeding¡¯ us ¡®dog food?¡¯¡± Xiao Yuanmu remained silent. Song Xuanhe was speechless. Neither of them spoke, but everyone at the table felt like Xiao Yuanmu was the one giving into Song Xuanhe. They felt like they could feel his helplessness and doting towards Song Xuanhe. They also felt like Song Xuanhe looked like he was purposely putting on a show of affection. Because of the strange atmosphere here, Song Xuanhe dragged Xiao Yuanmu back to their room without any reluctance. Song Xuanhe sat down on the 3-seater and inwardly hated this suite¡¯s living room for not having any single-seater sofas. He couldn¡¯t even sit on an armchair to force Xiao Yuanmu to let go. He pulled at his hand and said, ¡°I want to brush my teeth after eating. Let go of my hand.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said inly, ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I can¡¯t squeeze toothpaste out with one hand.¡± Xiao Yuanmu fiddled with the hand he was holding and said, ¡°I¡¯ll help you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression warped. He endured and endured, and then, he suddenly beamed. ¡°I want to use the washroom. Number two.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused his action of ying with the other¡¯s hand. He looked up at Song Xuanhe, who was looking at him provokingly. The corner of his lips rose slightly, and he said calmly, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll let go when you want toe out.¡± Song Xuanhe felt his eye twitch. For the first time, he realized just how much of a freak Xiao Yuanmu was. This had also made him all the more certain that this wasn¡¯t the Xiao Yuanmu of the past. Despite that, Song Xiao Shaoye, who had no other choice, could only ease up his tone andpromise. ¡°How can I make you let go?¡± ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one who wanted to hold hands?¡± ¡°No!¡± Faced with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed. However, his dder that was getting fuller by the minute forced him to adapt. He squeezed out a smile and asked, ¡°What do you want me to do for you to let go?¡± ¡°Just answer one question.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised his hand and stared at Song Xuanhe with his bottomless eyes. There was a bit of hoarseness to his refreshingly cool voice. ¡°You don¡¯t like me, so why do you want to be with me?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils constricted slightly, and he looked away at once. He said, ¡°How do you know I don¡¯t like you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him calmly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter whether you like me or not. Just tell me why you are so insistent on being with me.¡± ¡°Because, you¡¯re good-looking.¡± ncing at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face, in a spurt of cleverness, Song Xuanhe answered, ¡°I like good-looking people. You¡¯re good-looking. Therefore, I want to be with you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow, ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Although Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand why the original host had chased after Xiao Yuanmu and forced him to be with him back then, he thought that there were probably two reasons: Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s looks and a man¡¯s desire to conquer. The desire to conquer wasn¡¯t really appropriate to say out loud though. It didn¡¯t really make a difference to just say that it was because of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s looks. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heavy gaze closely examined every inch of Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. However, the other¡¯s eyes were pure, and his expression was calm. There were no signs of him lying. Did Song Xuanhe really force him to be with him in every world just because of his face? Suddenly, a sliver of unhappiness emerged in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chest. His already cold eyes became even chillier. It was like ayer of frost had formed over his eyes. Song Xuanhe naturally had noticed the change in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. However, he didn¡¯t have the energy to say anything more. He pulled at the hand Xiao Yuanmu held and said, ¡°I answered you. Let go.¡± But, the cold in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes onlysted a second. Very quickly, they regained their calm. He said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why haven¡¯t you slept with me even after all this time?¡± This time, Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. All sorts of reasons floated into his head, but Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s dark, ruthless eyes pulverized those thoughts. The only one left was: ¡°Because¡­I can¡¯t get it up.¡± The System: !!! Xiao Yuanmu was quiet for a moment. He then narrowed his eyes. ¡°Are you lying?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth.¡± Song Xuanhe gritted his teeth. Although he and the original host had the same name, he wasn¡¯t the original host. He had drawn a line between himself and the original host, so his words were very smooth. ¡°I¡¯m not lying. Otherwise, why wouldn¡¯t I touch you?¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe really did think that maybe this was the reason the original host had never touched Xiao Yuanmu. Otherwise, with the original host¡¯s morals and character, there was no reason for why he wouldn¡¯t have touched such a perfect person. Xiao Yuanmu let go of him. Song Xuanhe quickly went to the washroom, sighing in relief. Halfway, however, he heard a chilly voice behind him. ¡°I will check to see if you¡¯re lying to me.¡±
Eve: I actuallyughed at the hand-holding part. And thenughed even harder at thatst line. He bao¡¯s actions biting him in the butt hahahaha. Kara: Ahahahaha, I really do love their dynamic of push and pull like this; it¡¯s always so fun to see! (*¨RÆH¨Q) Also, how cute is SXH?? I agree with MuMu, our He bao really is a little fluffy kitty furball. ?(????) Chapter 50: You’re My Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
After having managed to safely make it through the night on the cruise, trembling in trepidation, as soon as they had disembarked, Song Xuanhe began a punctual routine of going to work from 9 to 5. At work, he would prudently avoid Xiao Yuanmu. When he got off work, he¡¯d go straight back to the Song Residence. His schedule was now very rigid. When he recalled how Xiao Yuanmu had said that he¡¯d check, Song Xuanhe felt his scalp go numb. Although he was certain that he wouldn¡¯t react even if Xiao Yuanmu were to sit on hisp and seduce him, even just thinking about it made him feel opposed. Moreover, he didn¡¯t know if Xiao Yuanmu would use some other kind of method to turn him on. However, he couldn¡¯t hide from him forever. The plot still had to go on at the specified times. Even if he wanted to keep avoiding the other, he had no choice but to brace himself. The gathering this time was a biannual party for those in the circle who already possessed some level of authority and influence. The event was considered for both business and pleasure. You coulde to expand your connections or to just have fun. It was precisely because of this that the participants of this party were of all different levels of society. It was not restricted to people of only one circle or age group. The participants in attendance were: second-generations who were already in power, those who were currently being taught by their families to take over, and also many young entrepreneurs who had started theirpanies from scratch. The only thing inmon was that most of them were under thirty years old. The reason Sun Jinren had appeared at this party, aside from the fact that he was eligible, was because someone else had brought him. When Song Xuanhe saw him today, he found out that the person who had brought Sun Jinren was unexpectedly Song Jiabao. Song Xuanhe recalled that it had also been Song Jiabao who had told Sun Jinren of the rtionship between himself and Xiao Yuanmu. He had also been the one to urge Sun Jinren to attempt toy his hands on Xiao Yuanmu. Contemtion shed through Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. Although Song Jiabao loathed the original host, for some reason, he had never done anything to him directly. Instead, he had always acted against Xiao Yuanmu. However, what Song Xuanhe was more concerned over was the fact that Sun Jinren was still able to attend this party despite the fact that hispany had changed hands. Once again, he perceived just how strong the plot¡¯s force was. Xiao Yuanmu had also noticed Sun Jinren. The light in his eyes flickered, and his gaze discreetly flitted to Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice his gaze. He raised his head and faced towards Song Jiabao, who was walking over. The corner of his lips rose. ¡°Cousin, I hadn¡¯t expected for you toe. I heard that my brother was busy. You must have gotten your hands on his invitation.¡± When he had heard Song Xuanhe indirectly insinuate that he had no right to attend this party, Song Jiabao¡¯s expression changed slightly, a cold smile appearing on his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t have to concern yourself over how I came. I just wanted to tell you that Uncle is really unhappy about your current rtionship. He hopes that you will shape up.¡± Song Xuanhe also smiled. ¡°You specifically went to ask my brother for his invitation for this trifling matter? He could have just told this to our butler. There was no need to trouble Cousin.¡± Song Jiabao red at him coldly. His gaze flitted between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, who the former was holding hands with. He then sneered. ¡°You must quite like this little boyfriend of yours. It¡¯s one thing to bring him to such an important asion, but must you two men hold hands like this and be so clingy? But then again, who knows how long the two of you will be able to be so affectionate?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. He looked at Sun Jinren, who stood behind Song Jiabao. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected to see Boss Sun here either. Has the issue with Boss Sun¡¯spany already been resolved?¡± Sun Jinren hadn¡¯t thought Song Xuanhe would suddenly speak to him. He subconsciously nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who made him feel dread. Although he had determined that the person who had acquired hispany and be thergest shareholder had nothing to do with Xiao Yuanmu, his intuition told him that Xiao Yuanmu definitely still had something to do with it. The only thing that puzzled him was that he had never seen Xiao Yuanmu before the cruise, let alone offended him. Acquiring apany was not something that could be done in one night, and this case was no exception. Although it had exploded the night on the cruise, and hispany had changed hands the next day, they had found out that someone had actually begun acquiring Jinren shares more than a month ago. He was certain that he had not offended Xiao Yuanmu more than a month ago. Therefore, just what reason did the other have to set his sight on hispany? The more he thought about it, the more afraid he felt, and the less he understood. But when he thought about what Song Qiyi had promised him, his misgivings could not triumph over the business he had painstakingly built. As long as he destroyed the rtionship between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, Song Qiyi would give him the Jinren shares he owned. After that, he would just need to get a few more shares before he would be able to regain his position as thergest shareholder. This was why he was going to stake it all. Sun Jinren forced out a smile. ¡°Er shao, you¡¯ve be even more handsome after having not seen you for a few days.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°After having not seen you for a few days, you seem to have gotten thinner.¡± ¡°I should be losing weight.¡± Sun Jinren gave a hollowugh. ¡°Er shao, if there¡¯s nothing you need, I will take my leave first.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Song Jiabao, who was thinking about who knows what, and nodded. He watched as Sun Jinren left. ¡°You seem to be paying a lot of attention to Sun Jinren.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice sounded in his ear. The moment Song Xuanhe inadvertently met the other¡¯s eyes, his expression was unnatural for a split second. But soon after, he regained his calm. ¡°He shouldn¡¯t be able toe here with his current status. I wonder what Song Jiabao brought him here for.¡± ¡°As long as he has a motive, you¡¯ll find out when the timees.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said indifferently. As he said this, Xiao Yuanmu let go of his hold on Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand, which he had been holding since they had entered the private vi. Xiao Yuanmu then shifted a bit away. Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand that had been held by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s dry, warm hand suddenly felt breezy. The back of his hand now felt a bit cold. The party had started at six o¡¯clock. Because it was taking ce at the private vi of one of the party¡¯s founding members, they had ess to the whole vi. It had everything guests would want, from the barbecue in the gardens to the models in bikinis lounging by the heated pool. There was also a cocktail-tasting station on the first floor and a quiet room on the second floor for talking business. Right now, it was already nearing eight in the evening; the sky had already darkened. The vi was still brightly lit, however. For the guests here, the party had just gotten started. Following the System¡¯s notifications, Song Xuanhe went to sit in the lounge on the first floor. There weren¡¯t many people there. The majority of the guests were having fun with others elsewhere. Therefore, it was very quiet on this side. Xiao Yuanmu was as cold and taciturn as ever. He sat next to Song Xuanhe, his gaze on his own fingers that were gently tapping against his leg. He seemed to be deep in thought, but at the same time, it also looked like he wasn¡¯t thinking about anything at all. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He felt like the atmosphere in this room was strange. He also felt like, although Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem all that different from usual, there was still something off about him. But, the plot would soon start to roll. He was in no mood to think too much about it. Thinking about what was about to ur, he felt even more at a loss regarding what to say to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡¾Sun Jinren has returned. The plot will continue as prescribed.¡¿ ¡¾This is an important scene.¡¿The System said£º¡¾When Sun Jinren¡¯spany had changed hands, you had asked me a question. I¡¯ve already told you that every world has its own rules under which it functions. One of the rules is that important events concerning the protagonist¡¯s fate must ur. Even if there are some deviations, the world will automatically patch things up so that things will still end up heading in the same direction. Therefore, you don¡¯t need to worry. ¡¿ Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t worried. Actually, he even had a faint hope that this important scene wouldn¡¯t happen. But since it was something fixed, he would have no choice but to wait for it silently. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu had looked up at some unknown point in time. His legs were crossed, and one of his elbows was bent, digging into the sofa¡¯s armrest. His other hand was on his own knee. The finger that had been tapping gently had already stopped. Xiao Yuanmu turned his head over, eyes dark. He simply watched Song Xuanhe like this quietly. It looked like he was waiting for something or like he had a clear understanding of what would happen next. The conjecture once again emerged in Song Xuanhe¡¯s chest. He pressed his lips into a straight line and said, ¡°I was thinking that it¡¯s too boring here and that maybe we should head home early.¡± The finger on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg shifted slightly. He sat up a bit straighter, and his eyes became more intense and dark. His refreshingly cold voice was deeper than usual. It was difficult to read anything from his voice. ¡°You want to leave?¡± ¡°Do you?¡± Song Xuanhe met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His tone was serene. Xiao Yuanmu seemed to just be asking, ¡°If I wanted to go, would you leave right now?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply immediately. He was silent for a few seconds before opening his mouth to speak. However, just as the words had been about to leave his lips, he heard Sun Jinren¡¯s voice behind him. ¡°Song Er, so you were here. Perfect. I had something to discuss with you.¡± The words were exactly the same. Suddenly, ripples suddenly arose in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s typically still eyes.
Eve: *gasps* Kara: Oh my god! Okay, it¡¯s happening! Everyone, stay calm! ¦²(¤Ã?§¥?£»)¤Ã Chapter 51: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you M. Landers for the kofi! ??
Just as Sun Jinren had spoken, the System¡¯s notification had also sounded£º¡¾The scene has begun.¡¿ Song Xuanhe turned his head around suddenly, movement abrupt. His action made Sun Jinren, who had been smiling tteringly, startled. Because of this, neither of them noticed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s sudden outburst of emotion. ¡°This¡­¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s narrowed eyes flickered between Xiao Yuanmu, whose eyes were lowered and whose emotions couldn¡¯t be read, and Song Xuanhe, who had on an icy expression and pursed lips. The words he wanted to say were suddenly stuck in his throat. Intuition told him that this wasn¡¯t a good time to say those words. It was just that the gaze behind him that followed him like a shadow forced him to follow the n. He rubbed his hands nervously, cursing the situation inwardly. He then regretted again having offended Xiao Yuanmu for the nth time before sucking in his belly and saying, ¡°It¡¯s like this, Er shao, I have something to discuss with you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s face was tense, and his cold gaze was sharp as a knife, slicing at Sun Jinren¡¯s face. ¡°What do you want to discuss?¡± When he heard Song Er shao¡¯s overbearing and arrogant tone and thought about how the other actually seemed to care about Xiao Yuanmu, contrary to what the rumours said, Sun Jinren thought that telling the other that he wanted Xiao Yuanmu would be the same as provoking him. Even though Song Qiyi had said that Song Xuanhe would not inherit the Song Family, he was still currently publicly acknowledged by the Song Group as one of the sessors. Even before hispany had changed hands, he still had had to put on a smile around the other. The current him had even less confidence around him and was even more wary of offending him. Furthermore, there was also Xiao Yuanmu, who he couldn¡¯t read. Sun Jinrenined incessantly inside. Originally, although he had been very tempted when Song Qiyi had asked him to participate in this n, he still feared the Song Family and Xiao Yuanmu. However, aside from the fact that Song Qiyi¡¯s reward was difficult to refuse, he was even more afraid of offending the person in the dark who had told him to do as Song Qiyi said. By epting this deal, Song Qiyi would help him get hispany back, and he would be able toply with that mysterious person¡¯s orders. Furthermore, Sun Jinren believed that if hispany hadn¡¯t changed hands, he would have definitely continued with the previous n to get his hands on Xiao Yuanmu with Song Qiyi¡¯s cooperation. After all, Xiao Yuanmu was indeed a top quality product. Therefore, even if he did have his misgivings about Xiao Yuanmu, he had no choice but to do this. The Sun Jinren from before had been full of lust and courage to pursue said lust. But now, all of that was gone. However, he still had to cautiously implement the same n. Sun Jinren cast a discreet nce at Xiao Yuanmu and then took a step towards Song Xuanhe. He lowered his voice and said, ¡°I would like to chat with you alone.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze turned even sharper, and his voice took on an icily arrogant tone. ¡°What would you need to talk to me in private for? I don¡¯t think that we¡¯re close enough for that.¡± When he heard this, Xiao Yuanmu looked up, a surprised expression colouring his eyes. In his memories, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t said that. The System also reminded Song Xuanhe£º¡¾This is the important scene where you¡¯re supposed to give Xiao Yuanmu to him. It would be best for you to follow your lines.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change though as if he hadn¡¯t heard the System at all. He only stared at Sun Jinren coldly, watching for his reaction. Sun Jinren sucked his belly in even more. Even though he was displeased with Song Xuanhe¡¯s rude tone, he didn¡¯t darement on it. He only continued to smile apologetically. ¡°It¡¯s just that it isn¡¯t appropriate for other people to hear about this. If you are unwilling to speak to me in private, we can chat right here.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard Sun Jinren say something different from what had been in the original plot because of his interruption, the light in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes flickered slightly. He asked, ¡°What if I don¡¯t want to talk to you?¡± Sun Jinren licked his chapped lips awkwardly. He swallowed, feeling very ill-at-ease. A whileter, he said, ¡°Er shao, I havee to speak to you with good faith. You absolutely will not suffer any losses by speaking with me.¡± Upon saying his line, Sun Jinren had abruptly made a return to the original script. Once again, Song Xuanhe got a taste of how futile it was to try and resist the world¡¯s storyline, especially when it came to a crucial scene. His eyes dimmed slightly, and he subconsciously turned to nce at Xiao Yuanmu. What he found was that the other¡¯s eyes seemed to have been on him the whole time. Although their gazes had met, Song Xuanhe could not read anything from the other¡¯s serene eyes. Song Xuanhe suddenly realized that Xiao Yuanmu now, who had been reborn early, was not like the Xiao Yuanmu from before at all. While the pre-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu would have hidden behind an icy expression, he would have also asionally revealed his weak and lonely side. Meanwhile, post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu¡­as long as he didn¡¯t want Song Xuanhe to know how he was feeling, Song Xuanhe would have no way to read him. The reason why he had even sensed the anomaly in Xiao Yuanmu at all was partly because he had been intuitive since young, and Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t particrly tried to pretend to be like his pre-rebirth self. Even so, he still hadn¡¯t been able to confirm that there was really something off about Xiao Yuanmu until a few days ago. So, just what emotions were hidden beneath those calm eyes? The finger Song Xuanhe had on the sofa curled up slightly, his nail gently tracing the somewhat crude pattern of the fabric sofa. The sound of his nail against the sofa was so quiet that it was almost negligible, but Xiao Yuanmu had heard it loud and clear. Xiao Yuanmu paused, and then, his gaze shifted to Song Xuanhe¡¯s pale, slender finger. The other¡¯s nails were neatly trimmed and looked very good. His nails were a faint pink colour, looked healthy, and did not seem at all feminine. His hands were a pair of very good-looking, masculine hands. Right now, the other was gently carving his nail into the sofa¡¯s cushions. Xiao Yuanmu knew that this was something the other did when he felt uneasy and anxious or when he felt guilty. For example, in his memories prior to his rebirth, Song Xuanhe had done this when he had flipped all the dishes on the table onto the floor without any warning. Another example was when Song Xuanhe had bossily ordered him to go buy him congee on that rainy night. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze drifted upwards. He looked into Song Xuanhe¡¯s limpid eyes. The other¡¯s emotions were very obviously disyed on his face. Right now, he had a look of impatience and agitation on. Despite this, Xiao Yuanmu also knew that Song Xuanhe¡¯s pair of seemingly pure eyes were able to hide any and all emotions he genuinely wanted to conceal. He was really curious. He wanted to know just what exactly Song Xuanhe was thinking about to cause his deceptive eyes to be so enigmatic and conflicting. Sun Jinren watched as Song Xuanhe turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu rather than respond. As time passed, he couldn¡¯t help but grow nervous. He once again licked his dry lips and cautiously called out, ¡°Er shao?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils moved slightly as he transferred his gaze back to Sun Jinren. However, he still kept his silence, waiting for the other to continue. ording to the plot, after thest line Sun Jinren had said, his next line was destined toe soon after. There was no need for Song Xuanhe to reply. When Song Xuanhe turned his head, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze finally left Song Xuanhe¡¯s body and fell onto Sun Jinren. Sun Jinren was suddenly the object of both people¡¯s gazes. One was cold andced with impatience while the other was serene but unreadable. This caused him to swallow back down the words he had been about to say. His lips pped, but he still didn¡¯t speak even after mulling over it for half a day. But even if he didn¡¯t speak, Song Xuanhe had no intentions of speaking up either. The three of them thus entered a deadlock, looking at each other like this. The atmosphere around them seemed to grow stagnant. ¡°I¡­have something to discuss with you,¡± was what Sun Jinren said in the end. Song Xuanhe gave him a frosty, askance look. ¡°You have already said that three times.¡± Sun Jinren swallowed and cast a careful look towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re in charge of yourpany¡¯s marketing department. I was wondering if you would be interested in cooperating with Roller Company.¡± ¡°I can help you with that. As long as you snatch this huge contract with Roller, after you seed the Song Group, your prestige and reputation will be all the greater.¡± Song Xuanheughed. Although he was reciting his lines word for word, his words were genuine. ¡°I have no interest in inheriting the family business. If this is what you wanted to talk about, then you can leave.¡± ¡°Of course it¡¯s not just this.¡± Sun Jinren pulled his phone out and took another nce at Xiao Yuanmu. He then said, ¡°I want to show you something. I am certain that you will find this very interesting. However, only you can look at it.¡± ¡°Then, I won¡¯t look at it.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was cold. There was no interest on his face whatsoever. Sun Jinren unlocked his phone. His expression suddenly went from apprehensive to confident. There was a strange smile on his face. ¡°Trust me, you will definitely be pleased with this. If you don¡¯t look at it now, you¡¯ll definitely regret itter.¡± As Song Xuanhe took in Sun Jinren¡¯s nervous but certain expression, lines from the story appeared in his mind: ¡¾Sun Jinren¡¯s smile was that of confidence. His features were all squished together on his chubby face, causing his smile to appear all the morescivious£º¡°Trust me, you will definitely be pleased with this. If you don¡¯t look at it now, you¡¯ll definitely regret itter.¡± Song Xuanhe was interested. He asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Sun Jinren whispered into his ears. He then saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression change. A smile finally appeared on his face. Although Song Xuanhe was willing, there was a threat in his voice. ¡°If you can¡¯t arouse my interest, the one who will regret this will be you.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe then followed Sun Jinren to a nearby corner. Sun Jinren handed his phone over to Song Xuanhe. As expected, he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression change drastically. Sun Jinren then took his phone back and smiled. ¡°Er shao, as long as you¡¯re willing to strike a deal with me, the person you see on my phone¡­that person will be yours. How about it?¡± ¡°What do you want?¡± There was determination to have what the other had offered in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s lustful gaze shifted in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s direction. He did not conceal his desire at all. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu is nothing but an orphan. I heard that he¡¯s not very sensible and is unable to gain Er shao¡¯s fondness. How about you give him to me to train for some time? I promise that I¡¯ll give you back an obedient, good boy.¡±¡¿ The book didn¡¯t say what Sun Jinren had shown Song Xuanhe. Even near the end, there was no mention of it. Therefore, Song Xuanhe was very curious about what Sun Jinren had in his phone that had made the original Song Xuanhe change attitudes so quickly and agree to give him Xiao Yuanmu. After all, with the character settings of the original Song Xuanhe, even if he hadn¡¯t liked Xiao Yuanmu, he would have be furious and wanted revenge on anyone who dared to drool over his things. This was because in the original host¡¯s mind, even if he didn¡¯t want something anymore and was throwing it away, it still was not something that other people could just pick up, let alone something people could ask him directly for. The thing the book never mentioned but could make the original host agree to this deal right away must be something the original Song Xuanhe had really wanted but had found difficult to get. This thing had been able to make him instantly forget about his rage over having someone drool over what was his. It was even enough to make him willing to hand Xiao Yuanmu over to Sun Jinren. This had been very abnormal behavior. Therefore, Song Xuanhe was very intrigued. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on Sun Jinren¡¯s phone. He asked, ¡°What is it?¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s foot moved. He had wanted to take a step towards Song Xuanhe. However, as soon as he had lifted his foot, he felt a bone-chilling gaze fall onto himself. His foot froze in midair. When he looked at the owner of said gaze, he ced his foot back down in its original position. ¡°Er shao, only you can see this. I promise that you will be interested in it.¡± Sun Jinren cautiously looked at Xiao Yuanmu while he spoke to Song Xuanhe. ¡°I would not lie to you. You will understand when you see it.¡± When he saw that Sun Jinren didn¡¯te in close to speak to him, Song Xuanhe¡¯s disdainful expression loosened. Obviously, he didn¡¯t want Sun Jinren, this greasy old man, to whisper into his ear, but he couldn¡¯t help but find this odd. Although the book didn¡¯t mention what Sun Jinren had said, it probably hadn¡¯t been this. This was because there was nothing in these words that would have aroused the original Song Xuanhe¡¯s interest. Regardless, Song Xuanhe was still very curious as to what this thing was. Therefore, he continued with his lines. ¡°If you can¡¯t arouse my interest, the one who will regret this will be you.¡± Sun Jinren sighed in relief. A weird smile once again appeared on his face. ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe stood up and was about to head to another corner with Sun Jinren. However, as soon as he had taken one step, Xiao Yuanmu grabbed hold of his hand. He turned to face him. Xiao Yuanmu had changed his sitting position at some unknown point in time. His legs were no longer crossed. His long, slender legs were casually nted on the floor, slightly bent at the knees. His pants legs were slightly pulled up, revealing the contoured muscles beneath his cks. Just like him, they seemed quiet and harmless but were actually capable of releasing stored up explosive strength at any time. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze shifted away from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s legs. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him, eyes like a bottomless well. His cold voice seemed to be holding back some emotion. ¡°I asked you just now, if I wanted to leave, would you leave right away? You haven¡¯t answered me.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. It felt like there was no blood travelling to the hand that was in the other¡¯s hold. It felt stiff. He stood there in ce for a long time, his expression fluctuating slightly. It looked like he wanted to say something, but in the end, he only pressed his lips into a straight line and cast his eyes downwards. ¡°Is the answer important?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was quiet, but Xiao Yuanmu had heard it loud and clear. Neither of them spoke. Sun Jinren, who had already walked quite a bit of a distance ahead, realized that Song Xuanhe was still where he had been. He stopped his steps and gazed in their direction. He had been about to speak, but upon seeing the atmosphere between them, his parted lips closed once more. A few secondster, the corner of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly, a sliver of derision flickering through his eyes. He let go of Song Xuanhe¡¯s wrist. Song Xuanhe moved his stiff hand a bit, curling and unfurling his fingers to get rid of that rigid feeling. He took a step back and nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s half-lidded eyes. He then replied, ¡°If you say you want to go, I will go right now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up abruptly and met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s pure eyes. Song Xuanhe asked him, ¡°Do you want to leave right now?¡± Sun Jinren was taken aback. He promptly took a few steps closer and interrupted, ¡°Er shao, I still have something to say to you. Let¡¯s talk before you leave!¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t pay Sun Jinren any attention. He simply stared at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curved up even more, but Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t hear any emotion in his voice. ¡°Since you have something to do, you should deal with it first.¡± Song Xuanhe, thus, looked away and walked over to Sun Jinren. The System, who had been watching this the whole time, sighed in relief£º¡¾Brother, this is an important scene! If any idents ur, your life will be in danger! Don¡¯t y around anymore! Even if Xiao Yuanmu isn¡¯t reborn this time, there will still be another chance in the future. However, it¡¯s not the same for you. If you mess up this important scene, you won¡¯t get another life!¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps faltered. He asked£º¡¾Is the important scene me giving Xiao Yuanmu to Sun Jinren, or is it the car ident that urs after Sun Jinren has taken him away?¡¿ ¡¾Both!¡¿The System was afraid that Song Xuanhe would cause the scene to deviate again by adding in lines£º¡¾They are interrted. If you don¡¯t give Xiao Yuanmu to Sun Jinren, Xiao Yuanmu won¡¯t be reborn. All steps must be taken. Without the cause, there is no result. Therefore, Brother, please take this seriously. Don¡¯t y with your life! ¡¿ Song Xuanhe smiled, his gaze on Sun Jinren in front of him. He asked in an insipid tone£º¡¾You should also know that Xiao Yuanmu has already been reborn. Does he have to be reborn again?¡¿ The System was silent for a few seconds. He avoided Song Xuanhe¡¯s verbal trap and said£º¡¾Regardless of whether or not he¡¯s been reborn, you cannot avoid such a crucial scene. You should know that what is about to happen is the most important point in the novel. Any previous deviations will not produce any huge effects. However, everything that had happened before this was all for this moment. It is only bypleting this scene that you will be able to get to theter scenes. It is only bypleting this scene that you will be able to go back to your original world.¡¿ The System didn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe reply immediately. Therefore, it warned again£º¡¾Xiao Yuanmu is the protagonist. He can be reborn, but you do not have that privilege. Don¡¯t be reckless.¡¿ Sun Jinren stopped walking. Song Xuanhe stood a step away from him. The System was right. He had no way out of this. In the past, he had thought that he wouldn¡¯t care if he were to be sent back with only half a year to live. But now that it was actually time to make a choice, he was selfishly choosing himself without any hesitation. Song Xuanhe looked at Sun Jinren, waiting for him to speak. When Sun Jinren met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze, his back felt cold for some inexplicable reason. He took out his phone hesitantly and handed it over to Song Xuanhe. He quietly said, ¡°Er shao, as long as you¡¯re willing to strike a deal with me, the person you see on my phone¡­that person will be yours. How about it?¡± It was the same line, but the tone was different. It waspletely different. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell onto the screen of Sun Jinren¡¯s phone, and his eyebrows furrowed. What had made the original host hand Xiao Yuanmu over excitedly hadn¡¯t been some kind of contract or treasure like he had expected. It was just one photo. Specifically speaking, it was a photo of a man. The man in the photo looked refined and graceful. His skin was fair, and when he smiled, he looked gentle and reserved. He looked like a very lovable and well-behaved child. He also looked faintly familiar. It was just that, although the young man was good-looking,pared to Xiao Yuanmu, he was nothing but dirt. Based on looks, he wasn¡¯t even a tenth as good-looking as Xiao Yuanmu. Song Xuanhepletely did not understand why the original Song Xuanhe had wanted this young man in exchange for Xiao Yuanmu. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t find any information rted to this young man in the original host¡¯s memories. The original host didn¡¯t know this young man at all. So, why had he sent Xiao Yuanmu away in exchange for him? Song Xuanhe pondered over this for a long time but still couldn¡¯t understand. If the original host had known this person, then perhaps his actions could have been justified. However, the original host had never met him before. Sun Jinren watched as Song Xuanhe stared at the photo silently. There was no interest on his face as he had expected. Sun Jinren couldn¡¯t help but get nervous. Song Qiyi had been certain that Song Xuanhe would agree to the deal as soon as he had seen this image. But now, looking at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, it didn¡¯t look like he would agree. Some timeter, Song Xuanhe finally looked up. ¡°What do you want?¡± When he heard this, Sun Jinren rxed. He was still a bit hesitant though. Song Xuanhe¡¯s reaction waspletely different from what Song Qiyi had predicted. This made him feel very unsure. However, they had already reached such a point, he might as well continue on with the n. ¡°I want Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Contrary to Sun Jinren¡¯s expectations, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look angry or moved. There was no expression on his face at all. Although his eyes made it look like he would be easy to deal with, there were no emotions inside. Sun Jinren didn¡¯t dare speak for a moment, being stared at like this by Song Xuanhe. A whileter, Sun Jinren wiped the sweat off his forehead. He said, ¡°Er shao, as long as you give Xiao Yuanmu to me, the Roller contract is yours. Furthermore, this man will be given to you right away. ¡°¡­Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t look well-behaved at all. Moreover, you treat him so well, but he doesn¡¯t seem to like you at all. He seemspletely cold to you. There¡¯s no point in keeping him by your side. How about you give him to me, and I¡¯ll train him properly before giving him back to you?¡± These lines are not the same as those in the original plot was what Song Xuanhe was thinking. However, he still recited his own ording to the script. ¡°You just want him temporarily? When will you give him back to me?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes.¡± Seeing that the deal was on the right track, Sun Jinren immediately said, ¡°When the timees, both the person in the photo and Xiao Yuanmu will be yours. You definitely won¡¯t lose out.¡± Sun Jinren looked up, lips curling into a smile. Song Xuanhe turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu, who was still sitting on the sofa. He then said hisst line, ¡°I can give him to you. But, I have to speak to him first. If he agrees, then I¡¯ll let him go with you. How about it?¡± Sun Jinren¡¯s mind whirled. Although he didn¡¯t know about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s history, he had an inkling about the other¡¯s personality. If someone like him, who emitted a noble aura from his bones, heard his own boyfriend ask such a question, he would very likely agree either because of his dignity or because he was peeved. Therefore, as long as Song Xuanhe had agreed to this, his mission would beplete. ¡°Of course, of course.¡± Sun Jinren smiled tteringly. ¡°Of course you should ask Mr. Xiao for his opinion.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Sun Jinren and then left. He walked over to Xiao Yuanmu and then cast his eyes down on the other. ¡°Boss Sun asked me for you. I have already agreed.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe felt like something in his chest had suddenly dropped. He didn¡¯t feel relieved. Instead, he felt like he had been heavily struck by whatever had fallen. It was aplicated feeling that he found difficult to put into words. Chapter 52: Found a Little Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Xiao Yuanmu leaned back against the sofa and seemed to not have heard him clearly. He raised his head slightly. ¡°What did you say?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers on his hand hanging by his side curled slightly, brushing past the seam of his hand-sewn pants. He had been about to repeat himself when he heard someone¡¯s phone chime, alerting the owner that a new email had arrived in their mailbox. Sun Jinren pulled his phone out and had just read the contents of the email when his expression changed drastically. He shouted, ¡°Er shao!¡± ¡°Er shao!¡± Sun Jinren ran over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side. He pulled on Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm, his forehead already covered in ayer of cold sweat in the span of a few seconds. His voice nearly cracked in his urgency, and there was a warped smile on his face. ¡°Forget about the matter of me asking to borrow Mr. Xiao for a few days to answer investment queries. I¡¯ve found another financial advisor. There¡¯s no need to trouble you anymore.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes trembled. He restrained himself from ncing at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. He then turned to Sun Jinren, whose face was full of worry. Pulling his arm out of the other¡¯s hold, he ignored Sun Jinren¡¯s surprised and panicked voice and said, ¡°Financial advisor?¡± Sun Jinren nodded at once, appearing very impatient. However, there was still a stiff smile on his face. ¡°Yes, ah. Weren¡¯t we just talking about getting Mr. Xiao to help me look at investments? Oh, but there¡¯s no need for that now.¡± Song Xuanhe acted like he didn¡¯t understand the look Sun Jinren was giving him. He looked down and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t Boss Sun want¡­.¡± ¡°No!¡± Sun Jinren seemed frightened. Every word carried rm. He sounded guilty. At once, he lowered his voice, ¡°I will still give Er shao the present I have promised, including both the Roller Group contract and that other thing you want. However, there is no need to lend Mr. Xiao to me. I have other matters to attend to. I won¡¯t disturb you any longer.¡± Sun Jinren acted like he was being chased by something. As soon as he had finished speaking, he sprinted out of the room without waiting for Song Xuanhe¡¯s response. The light in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes flickered. A few secondster, he turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu, who was still sitting down. Xiao Yuanmu was fiddling with his phone. Because his gaze was cast down, the corners of his eyes that were typically nted upwards were currently pulled straight. With the light illuminating his profile, his exquisite jade-like face seemed to lose some of its chill. He looked even more beautiful. Noticing Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze, Xiao Yuanmu stopped spinning his phone and held it firmly in his hand. He then looked up and asked, ¡°Boss Sun had wanted me to be his advisor?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled suddenly and replied, ¡°But, it seems like he¡¯s already found someone else and changed his mind.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s jaw seemed to rx a bit. He said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you curious why he had wanted an ordinary venture investment employee to be his advisor?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at him, creases between his brows. He sounded vexed, ¡°I don¡¯t know why he had suddenly asked for you only to not want you anymore just as soon.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were cold. He stood up. ¡°Not curious.¡± The two of them left the room shoulder-to-shoulder. As soon as they had walked out the vi¡¯s doors, they saw Sun Jinren and Song Jiabao standing in a corner of the garden. From this distance, they couldn¡¯t make out their conversation. However, Song Jiabao was facing their direction, and they could see that his expression was ugly. It was obvious that he was not in a good mood. In that same moment that Song Xuanhe had caught sight of Song Jiabao, Song Jiabao had also noticed Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. In that instant, his expression grew even uglier. Song Xuanhe looked away and said to Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at the two over there, a cold glint shing through his eyes. Before it had disappeared, his lips curled up slightly. ¡°Your rtionship with Song Jiabao doesn¡¯t seem to be very good.¡± After climbing into the car, this was what Xiao Yuanmu had said. ¡°Is that even worth mentioning?¡± Song Xuanhe turned on the engine. The System¡¯s voice was constantly ring in his head. He furrowed his brows and thought£º¡¾Sun Jinren doesn¡¯t want Xiao Yuanmu anymore. Am I supposed to just directly send him over? But even if I did offer him, with how frightened Sun Jinren had looked, he probably wouldn¡¯t even have had the nerve to ept.¡¿ Hearing that Song Xuanhe was finally replying to it, the System said£º¡¾But if the plot deviates, your mission will be considered a failure! You¡¯ll only have half a year to live after returning to your original world!¡¿ Song Xuanhe looked at the congested road in front of him calmly£º¡¾If I hadn¡¯te to this world, wouldn¡¯t I only have had half a year to live anyway?¡¿ The System froze before saying£º¡¾But if youplete our mission, you can live longer than that.¡¿ ¡¾It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want toplete my mission. You also said it before, there can only be an oue if there is a cause. Sun Jinren doesn¡¯t want Xiao Yuanmu anymore. Even if I offer Xiao Yuanmu to him, he doesn¡¯t want him. Since the cause is gone, how am I supposed to get my oue?¡¿Song Xuanhe sounded very calm as if he had already expected this to happen,¡¾Besides, Xiao Yuanmu has already been reborn. Therefore, the storyline regarding Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rebirth hasn¡¯t been messed up. Since that¡¯s the case, we should just let nature take its course.¡¿ Song Xuanheughed after£º¡¾You¡¯re not going to tell me that Xiao Yuanmu actually hasn¡¯t been reborn yet, right?¡¿ ¡¾The main System has already replied. He was indeed reborn on September fifteenth.¡¿The System said£º¡¾But, not even the main System knows why he had been reborn at that time. Therefore, it ordered for the plot to still be followed¡­.¡¿ It had only been five days since he had gone from repeatedly panicking over this conjecture and sounding Xiao Yuanmu out to ascertaining that he had indeed been reborn. Back then, Song Xuanhe had wondered how he would feel if the System were to tell him that Xiao Yuanmu had already been reborn. Would he feel like it was only to be expected, or would he find it hard to believe and think it absurd? But when it had reallye time, he found that he didn¡¯t feel anything at all. He was very calm. There was only one question in his mind. It was something that not even the main System could confirm: From what point in time did this Xiao Yuanmue? Song Xuanhe cast his eyes down. He thought that the possibility of his guess being true was growing. The Xiao Yuanmu today seemed to have already known about what would happen at this party. That was why he had spectated the whole time. He had silently examined everything from the moment Sun Jinren hade looking for him. He had examined their every action and hade to some kind of conclusion. Perhaps Xiao Yuanmu had already realized that he was different from the original Song Xuanhe he had met in hisst life prior to rebirth. Perhaps he was now just lying in wait for the sake of finding out why they were different. ¡¾I¡¯ve just received an order. That scene¡¯s done for.¡¿The System sounded dissatisfied£º¡¾But, I¡¯ve already reported everything that has happened today to the manager System. When the main System is notified, it will give us instructions. But, I¡¯ve already made sure to make it clear that the plot deviation has nothing to do with you, so you¡­don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡¿ ¡¾I¡¯m not worried, I just think¡­.¡¿ Halfway through this thought, Song Xuanhe heard Xiao Yuanmu ask, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Song Xuanhe paused and replied normally, ¡°I¡¯m thinking about what to do next.¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°With regards to what?¡± ¡°A lot of things.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the changing numbers of the traffic light and said in an absent-minded tone, ¡°Like where I came from and where I should go.¡± Listening to Song Xuanhe¡¯s joking, half-hearted tone, Xiao Yuanmu cast his gaze downwards. When the car started moving again, he looked up, gaze dark. ¡°Have you decided?¡± ¡°No,¡± Song Xuanheughed, ¡°How can I understand something that even philosophers don¡¯t get?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s unreadable gazended on his face for a few seconds. He then looked away. Neither of them spoke again. It was quickly approaching nine o¡¯clock, so there wasn¡¯t much traffic downtown. For some reason, when Song Xuanhe saw the empty four-way crossing up ahead, a bad premonition arose in his heart. When the light turned green, he furrowed his brows and suddenly asked, ¡°What time is it now?¡± The System and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voices sounded at the same time. ¡°Nine o¡¯clock.¡± ¡¾Careful!¡¿ The truck on his right side that had its high beams on seemed to suddenly lose control. It bumped into two turning cars and then came barrelling at them. Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils constricted. His rationality told him to turn the wheel to the left in order to avoid the truck at once, but his body froze, and he found it difficult to control his own actions. Suddenly, another hand reached for the wheel. Xiao Yuanmu had undone his seatbelt and quickly took control. There was currently no way to avoid the truck by turning to the left anymore, so he yanked the wheel all the way to the right instead. The car quickly sped into the strip of vegetation on the side, skirted past the trees on the side, and crashed into a streetlight. At the same time, the truck had crashed into a big tree in the strip of greenery. The overloaded truck started to tilt to one side. Soon after, a louder bang echoed throughout the night as the truck fellpletely onto its side. The series of car crashes that had started with the truck had ended up causing eight cars in total to lose control, including the cars the truck had hit in the beginning and a bus that had been hit by said cars, because they hadn¡¯t been able to break in time. The entire intersection was blocked up. Song Xuanhe¡¯s face was pale upon narrowly escaping danger. He didn¡¯t pay attention to the System¡¯s calls. He quickly undid his own seat belt to go check on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s condition. When he saw the blood seeping out from the other¡¯s forehead, Song Xuanhe¡¯s raised hand began to shake. He carefully supported Xiao Yuanmu up and quietly called out, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, are you okay?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t respond. His long eyshes fluttered slightly, blood flowing down his eyebrow and streaking across his cheek. The blood was nearly the same colour as his slightly pursed lips. He looked abnormally weak. He was so still that Song Xuanhe felt panic arise in his chest. Song Xuanhe pulled out his phone to call for an ambnce in a flurry. His gaze never left Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pale face though. His mind was a total mess. Reasoning told him that even if Xiao Yuanmu had undone his seat belt, the force of the impact just now wouldn¡¯t have been enough to do any fatal damage. But, he was still panicked and at a loss over what to do. The book had described Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ident in great detail. Even though it hadn¡¯t been the same road Sun Jinren had taken, the timing and the truck had been exactly the same. Then¡­would Xiao Yuanmu, who had been set to die in that ident¡­die now? ¡¾He¡¯s fine. He¡¯s just unconscious.¡¿The System¡¯s voice echoed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear£º¡¾His physical signs are very strong. He only bumped his head a bit. He doesn¡¯t even have a concussion. With his condition, he shouldn¡¯t have fainted. My analysis suggests that the reason he¡¯s unconscious right now likely has to do with the unavoidable force of the plot. You don¡¯t need to worry so much. ¡¿ Song Xuanhe pressed his hand against Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pulse. Indeed, the other¡¯s pulse was very steady. He sighed in relief and then pulled Xiao Yuanmu out of the car. The truck was already leaking oil. Although the book hadn¡¯t mentioned the truck exploding, Song Xuanhe was still very cautious. With this chain of car idents, there must have been many people who had called emergency services. Furthermore, the city centre was very close to the hospital. Shortly after, sirensing from several ambnces could be heard. Song Xuanhe followed Xiao Yuanmu into one of the ambnces. The doctor quickly examined and wrapped up Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wound. Afterwards, the doctor discovered that this patient didn¡¯t seem to have any major issues, so he sighed in relief before turning to Song Xuanhe. ¡°The patient seems to be fine from a preliminary check standpoint. As for whether he has any internal injuries, it¡¯ll have to wait until we reach the hospital¡­. What¡¯s with your hand? Why didn¡¯t you mention it earlier?¡± The doctor looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s bloody hand in shock. He called for a nearby nurse to help prepare his tools. He examined Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm while saying, ¡°You lost so much blood, why didn¡¯t you speak out? When I saw all that blood on your friend, I had thought that he was injured somewhere. There¡¯s a big hole in your hand! Where did you even get the strength to pull him out¡­?¡± ¡°Your hand will have to be stitched upter.¡± The doctor frowned while treating Song Xuanhe¡¯s wound simply. ¡°Don¡¯t move your hand anymore. If you do, although your friend will be fine, you won¡¯t.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips curled up. ¡°I¡¯m fine. Besides, that truck is leaking oil. What if it had exploded, and I hadn¡¯t dragged him out?¡± The doctor nced at him before checking him over for any other injuries. When he had confirmed that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have any other wounds aside from the one on his hand, he said, ¡°You¡¯re a thorough thinker.¡± After having arrived at the hospital, the result of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s examination was as the System had said. He had only bumped his head, but it hadn¡¯t been enough to give him a concussion. It was just that they had to keep him under observation, because he was unconscious. Seeing Xiao Yuanmu lying on the hospital bed serenely, Song Xuanhe finally rxed. He followed the doctor to another room to clean up and stitch his own wounds. However, when the doctor was cleaning his wounds, Song Xuanhe¡¯s face, which had just regained some colour, paled again. He actually looked even more pale than before. ¡°Dage, can you be more gentle¡­.?¡± There had been too many victims in this car ident. There weren¡¯t enough doctors. Therefore, the doctor dealing with his wound right now was the one from the ambnce just now. When he saw Song Xuanhe frown and make a fuss, he mocked, ¡°Hadn¡¯t you been able to bear with even worse pain to drag your friend out just now? Why can¡¯t you handle this bit of pain?¡± ¡°Well, at that time, I, ah, ah, ah¡ª¡± Song Xuanhe had never been able to handle pain, even in his past life. As soon as the doctor had begun working, he started to shout. He was about as loud as the child next door who was refusing to get a shot for his fever. ¡°Dage, be more gentle, ah. It really hurts.¡± The doctor furrowed his brows and finished cleaning his wounds before rubbing his ears. ¡°If you keep shouting like that when I stitch you up, don¡¯t me me if they end up crooked.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at his cleaned wound nkly. He said in a stiff tone, ¡°Can¡¯t you use an anaesthetic?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The doctor smiled, ¡°But, it won¡¯t numb the pain fully.¡± The doctor was right. Compared to when his wound was being cleaned, when he had to watch the needle pierce his skin, although it didn¡¯t hurt as much, it felt even more torturous. But, the doctor¡¯s words had managed to shut Song Xuanhe up. With a tensed, pale face, he pursed his lips and endured the stitching. When it was over, Song Xuanhe nced at the doctor¡¯s name tag. ¡°Dr. Yu, can I get an anaesthetic for when I take the stitches out too?¡± Yu Yan looked at him and smiled. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe was about to speak again when his phone rang. Afterforting the worried Li Nianan, he refused her offer toe to the hospital or send a car over and over again. He then hung up. After having been interrupted by Li Nianan¡¯s call, Song Xuanhe suddenly realized that his question just now had been very childish and useless. Since he couldn¡¯t use an anaestheticter, then what else could he say? Therefore, he simply thanked the doctor and then headed back to the emergency room. Xiao Yuanmu had already woken up. When he saw Song Xuanhe, he stood up, gaze falling on the other¡¯s stitched hand. For some reason, a hint of a smile shed through his eyes. However, it disappeared very quickly, so Song Xuanhe missed it. He asked, ¡°How¡¯s your hand?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± The anaesthetic was still in effect, so Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t find it very painful. He replied very honestly. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze then shifted to Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. He suddenly came in close, his fingertips gently flitting over the other¡¯s eyshes. He said quietly, ¡°Your eyshes are wet.¡± Song Xuanhe froze, the corner of his lips rising. ¡°Probably just sweat.¡± A rare smile that didn¡¯t seem to reach his eyes appeared on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold face. However, it onlysted a second. He then said, ¡°Since it¡¯s nothing, let¡¯s go back.¡± Both of them were injured, and the car was left at the site of the ident. So, they didn¡¯t have a car now. Therefore, they stood on the road and waited for a taxi to pass by. Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand was injured, and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s head was wrapped in bandages. Although they were trying to g a car, no car stopped for them. Song Xuanhe stared at the backside of a taxi that was clearly empty as it ignored them. He mulled over it before saying, ¡°Could it be that the drivers think that we got injured in a fight?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused while raising his hand. His gaze fell on Song Xuanhe¡¯s sleeve that was darkened from being drenched in blood. His eyebrows furrowed slightly, and he pulled his phone out to make a call. Song Xuanhe looked up and asked, ¡°Are you calling someone to pick us up?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. ¡°A friend.¡± The image of the man who had been at the orphanage director¡¯s hospital room appeared in his mind. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s your friend¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Yang Jie.¡± Song Xuanhe flipped through both his memories and the book but couldn¡¯t find anything rted to this person. Song Xuanhe sighed and didn¡¯t ask anything more. Yang Jie arrived very quickly. It was just that he was just a bit too overly respectful and cautious towards Xiao Yuanmu, his ¡°friend¡±. For example, when he had seen that Xiao Yuanmu was injured, he had turned whiter than Song Xuanhe, who had suffered from blood loss. He looked like he wanted to ask about it but didn¡¯t dare to ask. Therefore, he could only open the car door for them. Furthermore, when he had opened the car, he had even put his hand over the top of the car¡¯s interior and said, ¡°Xiao ge, be careful.¡± With his behaviour, it didn¡¯t seem like they were equals. Rather, they seemed like they were boss and subordinate. Regardless, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t ask about it. Since Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn, he naturally had a way to gather subordinates. One Yang Jie was nothing. His future army of loyal subordinates was what was truly fierce. When he saw Song Xuanhe close his eyes after climbing into the car, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s brows knitted even more tightly. ¡°Does your hand hurt?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe closed his eyes andforted him, saying, ¡°I¡¯m just tired and want to rest for a bit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze flickered between the other¡¯s pale face to his slightly trembling, curledshes. His eyes that had always been still suddenly rippled. There was aplicated, unclear, and dark emotion in his eyes. In the end, he also closed his own eyes and rested. Song Xuanhe really was tired. However, the System that was constantly speaking was being too loud for him to sleep. ¡¾I don¡¯t want to know what order the main System has given us.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾Did your data not tell you that a human needs to rest after losing too much blood?¡¿ The System£º¡¾But, this is rted to your future mission and your life. Aren¡¯t you curious?¡¿ ¡¾The car ident Xiao Yuanmu was supposed to be in happened. What do I have to be curious about? ¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s eye twitched, and he said£º¡¾Did the main System decide to consider this important scene aspleted?¡¿ ¡¾How did you know?!¡¿ ¡¾If not, wouldn¡¯t I have gotten injured in vain?¡¿ Although he had been in a panic when the car ident had urred, after calming down, Song Xuanhe realized that this ident had been his road to survival. In the book, Xiao Yuanmu had died before he could be reborn. However, the Xiao Yuanmu here had already been reborn. The matter with Sun Jinren had changed too. However, the car ident that was supposed to happen had still urred as scheduled. This meant that Sun Jinren taking Xiao Yuanmu had actually been only a small part of the important scene. Only the car ident that had been meant to cause Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rebirth was an important, unchangeable detail. That meant that, regardless of whether Sun Jinren had appeared, all that was important was that the car ident happened. Furthermore, it didn¡¯t matter when Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn. The car ident was just an excuse to justify his rebirth. Therefore, the important scene should be considered to have beenpleted. Since it was like this, the moment the reborn Xiao Yuanmu had helped him avoid being hit by that truck, this ident had be his chance to survive. ¡¾But, you still have to act out the scenes in the future.¡¿The System said£º¡¾But, there are very few scenes directly rted to you after Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rebirth. Therefore, as long as everything goes smoothly, when we reach the scene where the original host is set to die, you can return to your original world.¡¿ ¡¾Oh, but you should be careful. Xiao Yuanmu was reborn early, so this has called a lot of things to deviate. You have to make sure that the most important things do not deviate.¡¿ Song Xuanhe thought about it a bit. He asked£º¡¾Are you referring to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s return to the Xiao Family?¡¿ ¡¾Yes.¡¿ ¡¾His return to the Xiao Family is his business.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾In the book, it was because he revealed his outstanding talent that he was noticed by the Xiao Family. It had nothing to do with the Song Xuanhe in the book.¡¿ ¡¾But, it concerns you now.¡¿The System felt a bit guilty£º¡¾The main System has discovered that you had altered your lines during the crucial scene. It was going to punish you by sending you back to your original world, but it changed its mind in the end. It said that as long as you can guarantee that Xiao Yuanmu goes back to the Xiao Family, it will count it as you having made up for your mistakes and won¡¯t make you pay for it.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply. The System hesitated and then asked£º¡¾Earlier, you did all that¡­You knew that you shouldn¡¯t have made any mistakes during the crucial scene but had still purposely probed¡­Was it because you didn¡¯t want Xiao Yuanmu to die in the ident?¡¿ Almost in unison with the System¡¯s voice, Xiao Yuanmu suddenly spoke up and broke the silence of the car. ¡°When the truck had beening at us, you knew that by turning the wheel like that, it would put you directly in the truck¡¯s line of collision. So, why did you do that?¡±
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: It¡¯s probably because he cherishes me. That¡¯s why he chose to sacrifice himself to protect me. Song Xuanhe: My mind waspletely nk. I had no idea what my hands were doing.
Eve: Song Xuanhe being afraid of pain is so cute. I can imagine him pouting when he heard he couldn¡¯t use anaesthetics when taking the stitches out. And Xuanhe baby, the fact that your subconsciousness chose to protect MuMu over yourself is very telling. Kara: He bao, you do care!! Also, thank goodness that they¡¯ve made it through the crucial scene unscathed¡­mostly. I can¡¯t wait for whates next, because the whole plot seemed like it was building up to this moment, but now we¡¯re here. So, what chaotic fun awaits us? Hehehehehe (*¨RÆH¨Q) Chapter 53: Hold Hands and Blink Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you LurkingReader for the kofi ??
Why had he done that? Song Xuanhe was still thinking about the question Xiao Yuanmu had asked him a week ago while sitting in the hospital room. When the truck¡¯s lights had shone into his eyes, everything else in front of him had gone dark, and his head had nked. Then, the paragraph describing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s car ident had appeared in his mind. The author had written about it in a lot of detail from the time to the location. Details of how tragic the car crash had been were also included. Each word had helped construct the scenes that were then reyed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s brain. In those few seconds, he had suddenly thought of the Xiao Yuanmu he had seen just before he had forced the other to buy congee. That had been thest time he had seen the Xiao Yuanmu he had been familiar with. Suddenly, a question he had never thought of before had appeared in his mind: If he were given a second chance, would he have followed the plot again? No answer hade to mind. But, what had happened was that he had unconsciously yanked the steering wheel to the side. The fact that they had avoided death was probably the best answer he could havee up with. ¡°Song gege, there¡¯s no more flesh on your apple, it¡¯s just the core!¡± A silvery voice interrupted Song Xuanhe¡¯s thoughts. He looked at his bumpy apple that he had been peeling and ced the fruit knife down, guilt bubbling in his chest. He looked at the girl beside him with a serious expression: ¡°I¡¯m just using this to practice. It¡¯s not a reflection of my true skill.¡± The girl blinked and asked, ¡°Why do you have to practice peeling an apple? What¡¯s Gege¡¯s true skill? Are you also really good at peeling apples like Yuanmu gege?¡± The old woman in bed interrupted the girl. She smiled and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you had a gift for Song gege? We¡¯re about to leave the hospital. Why don¡¯t you give it to him now?¡± The girl suddenly became shy. She slowly stood up from where she had been lying on the bed. She then shuffled over to the backpack that was near the sofa and pulled out a drawing. She then handed it to Song Xuanhe with a nervous and bashful expression. Song Xuanhe finished his apple in a few bites and then wiped his hands clean before epting the little girl¡¯s drawing. It looked like there were a few stick people performing some kind of demonic dance. He thought long and hard, trying to see it from a child¡¯s perspective. He asked, ¡°Are these people¡­ying a game?¡± The girl blinked and then shook her head, face red. Song Xuanhe examined it carefully again. He couldn¡¯t find any crucial clues from the stickmen¡¯s bodies. When he recalled that the girl had just entered the first grade and was still wearing a red scarf, he guessed, ¡°Are these stickmen raising a g? Are the two in front the ones hoisting it?¡± ¡°No.¡± The girl puffed out her cheeks and pointed at the two in the front that Song Xuanhe had said were ¡°hoisting the g.¡± She said, ¡°This is Song gege, and this is Yuanmu gege. This is your wedding, ah! Everyone else is congratting you.¡± The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face froze. However, under the girl¡¯s pure, innocent gaze, he could only force out augh. He then spoke in a dry tone, ¡°Wedding?¡± ¡°Yes, ah, I hope that Song gege and Yuanmu gege can get married sooner!¡± The girl¡¯s voice was very clear and melodious. Her eyes sparkled like jewels. Anticipation was written all over her face. The door to the hospital room was suddenly pushed open, and Xiao Yuanmu walked inside. It seemed like he didn¡¯t hear the girl¡¯s words. In a cool voice, he said, ¡°The paperwork is all done. Granny, we can leave after we pack up.¡± When he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze sweep over to their side, Song Xuanhe felt like the drawing in his hand was scalding. He calmly shifted his body and avoided Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. Luckily, the girl from the orphanage was really scared of Xiao Yuanmu and would not typically take the initiative to speak to him. But while the little girl didn¡¯t speak, Xiao Yuanmu still walked over. When he saw the drawing in Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand, he asked casually, ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± ¡°A present Yuanyuan has given to Xiao Song.¡± The Director beamed at him. ¡°We¡¯ve already packed up. We can go now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t ask any other questions. He carefully helped the Director as they walked. Song Xuanhe walked behind them, dragged along by Yuanyuan. He feltplicated as he looked at Xiao Yuanmu, who was currently bent over supporting the Director in front of them. A week ago, Song Xuanhe had seen Xiao Yuanmu curb his chill and interact with the Director as a normal grandson would with their grandmother. Xiao Yuanmu personally took care of the Director, surprising Song Xuanhe. In a week¡¯s time, Song Xuanhe had gradually realized just how important the Director was to Xiao Yuanmu. At this point in the original book, the Director had already died, and Xiao Yuanmu had also left the Capital to expand in Hai City. But now, the Director had already recovered, and Xiao Yuanmu had not been forced by his circumstances to leave his home. Now that the plot had changed, it was unclear as to how the future would unfold. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if this was a good or bad thing for him. Regardless, at least he hadn¡¯t done anything he would regret. After taking Yuanyuan and the Director back to the orphanage, the Director pulled Song Xuanhe by the hand and had him stay to eat. After a week of interaction, she liked this young man, who she had already had a good impression of, even more. In the beginning, she had only ever seen Xiao Yuanmu on his own. That was why she had casually mentioned how she hadn¡¯t seen Song Xuanhe for a long time. She had wanted to ask Xiao Yuanmu how his rtionship with the other was. What she hadn¡¯t expected was that she¡¯d be able to see Song Xuanhe the next day. After that, as long as Song Xuanhe had had time, he woulde see her. The Director felt very pleased, thinking about how, although Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t very good at it, he would still earnestly help out wherever he could. The orphanage¡¯s children all really liked him. The most important thing was that she could sense that to Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xuanhe was different. The Director thought, These two kids are too shy. They never acted affectionate like lovers do in front of her. It was even rare for them to interact with each other. Speaking of which, she also thought that Yuanmu was too cold. His indifference had even caused a cheerful, lively boy like Xiao Song to be so prudent. ¡°Yuanmu, ah, Xiao Song hasn¡¯t been to your room yet, right? Take him there to have a look. I¡¯ll call for you when it¡¯s time to eat,¡± The Director said with a smile on her face. ¡°It¡¯s fine, Director,¡± Song Xuanhe grabbed onto Yuanyuan, who had been about to run away and find her friends. ¡°Yuanyuan said that she wanted me to y with her. Isn¡¯t that right, Yuanyuan?¡± Yuanyuan furrowed her brows as she looked at Song Xuanhe. Did Song gege remember incorrectly? ¡°Song gege, Yuanyuan didn¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Yes, you did.¡± Song Xuanhe said without any hesitation. ¡°When you gave me that drawing, you said that you wanted me to y with you. You must have forgotten.¡± Yuanyuan widened her eyes. She thought that it might really have been she who had remembered it wrong. She nodded, muddleheaded, ¡°I think I did ask Song gege to y with me.¡± ¡°Yuanyuan hasn¡¯t done her homework yet, because she went to the hospital right after school,¡± the Director said, ¡°We will be eating soon. Yuanyuan, Song gege can¡¯t y with you right now. You should finish your homework first.¡± ¡°Oh yeah, I still have a page of math homework to do.¡± Yuanmu nodded again. She then looked at Song Xuanhe, conflicted. ¡°Song gege, I can¡¯t y with you today. I have to do my homework. You and Yuanmu gege.¡­¡± ¡°Gege can help you with your homework.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Gege is really good at drawing. I can teach you how to draw after you¡¯re done with your work.¡± Yuanyuan¡¯s eyes lit up, and she turned to look at the Director. The Director nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who had remained silent this whole time. ¡°Then, let Yuanmu gege and Song gege help you with your homework. When you¡¯re done, we¡¯ll eat.¡± Yuanyuan¡¯s happiness immediately morphed into apprehension. All of the children at the orphanage were afraid of Xiao Yuanmu, and she was naturally no exception. She shrunk towards the Director. ¡°I can do it on my own. Song gege, you should go look at Yuanmu gege¡¯s room. Yuanyuan won¡¯t disturb Song gege and Yuanmu gege¡¯s date.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected for his teammate to betray him so quickly. He had still wanted to resist, but Xiao Yuanmu pulled at his hand. The other said to the Director, ¡°I¡¯ll take him to my room. Granny, you should rest.¡± The smile on the Director¡¯s face became even kinder. She looked at their intertwined hands and nodded, pleased. ¡°OK, OK, OK, Granny will go rest. Take your time to show Xiao Song your room. Show him the photos from when you were young. There¡¯s no hurry to eat.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone grew softer. ¡°Okay.¡± The Director led Yuanyuan away by the hand. Xiao Yuanmu also pulled Song Xuanhe over to his room while still holding his hand. Song Xuanhe had originally wanted to make up some excuse to get out of this. But when he saw the room that would be considered crude and impoverished regardless of which world it was in, he found himself unable to speak. Xiao Yuanmu let go of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand and walked in. He was tall and slender. When he entered it, the room that was less than five square metres big seemed all the more cramped. Every living being would unconsciously show an unguarded expression upon returning to their ¡°nest,¡± where they could rx and rest soundly. Xiao Yuanmu was no exception. Right now, his face was soft, quiet, and rxed unlike Song Xuanhe had ever seen before. Xiao Yuanmu walked over to the old-fashioned window, which needed to be unlocked to be opened. He then pushed the two Ìï-shaped ss panes held in the wooden frame to the sides. The branches of the tall,rge, leafy tree outside stretched across the sky. The flowers were still in bloom, and the vegetation was still lush in thiste autumn weather. Natural light filtered in through the window, making the cramped room seem brighter and more spacious. Xiao Yuanmu picked up a book that had still been open on the desk. He turned to look at Song Xuanhe, who was still standing at the door. ¡°You must have never seen such a small room before.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak. He only nodded. He had indeed never seen a room as small as this. Even when he was going through his own roughest times, he had never experienced what it was like to have financial issues. It was just that, ever since his mother had died, there had never been a room or home that could make him reveal an expression that was even a sliver as soft or filled with longing as Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s had been just now. It was because he no longer had a home, regardless of whether it was in this world or in the world he wanted to return to. ¡°This is my favourite book.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down at the book in his hand, the corner of his lips curling slightly. There was an unprecedented softness in his refreshingly cool voice. ¡°It¡¯s also the only birthday present I¡¯ve ever received.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze couldn¡¯t help but also fall on the book in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. The pages had already turned yellow. Although he wasn¡¯t very far away from it, because of the angle he was at, he couldn¡¯t make out the content of the book. He could only base his guess off of the title page¡¯s colour that this probably wasn¡¯t some ssic or reference book. Noticing Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze, Xiao Yuanmu handed the book over. There was a little bit of a distance between him and Song Xuanhe, who was standing by the door¡ªabout the length of a twin bed. But as long as Song Xuanhe took a step forward, he¡¯d be able to grab hold of the book. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t take the book right away. He lifted his eyes to gaze at Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing in front of the window. Right now, the sun was setting. The soft light enveloped Xiao Yuanmu from behind, causing the sharp, cold aura around the other to be fuzzy. The smile on his lips made his entire being warm up. He actually looked like an amiable person, like someone who was actually within reach. Song Xuanhe stared at Xiao Yuanmu, dazed. In this moment, he suddenly realized something that was really obvious. This something¡ªhe denied it this whole time. It was that the Xiao Yuanmu pre-rebirth and the Xiao Yuanmu post-rebirth¡­they had always been the same person. He had denied it because he had subjectively drawn a distinction between them in the past. He had used the book¡¯s description to observe and think about the post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu. It had been from there that he had concluded that the current Xiao Yuanmu was filled with hatred, that he was cold-blooded, ruthless, and sinister. It was evident that the Xiao Yuanmu in front of him had interacted with the original Song Xuanhe before. But, the other had not hurt him or taken revenge on him as soon as he had been reborn. Instead, the other had decided to watch him and ponder over why he and the original host were different. This obviously contradicted what he had learned from the book. However, Song Xuanhe had drawn a conclusion as soon as he had learned that Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn. That wasn¡¯t fair. Xiao Yuanmu looked at his own reflection mirrored through Song Xuanhe¡¯s pure eyes. He didn¡¯t know what the other was thinking about. He watched every shift in emotion in the other¡¯s eyes. When it looked like the other hade back to himself, the gaze he used to look at Xiao Yuanmu suddenly looked a lot less conflicted. Could it be¡­that Song Xuanhe suddenly felt sympathy for him, because he thought his childhood was too tragic? Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow, the smile on his lips deepening. He waved the book a bit. When he saw Song Xuanhe look over, he wiped the smile off of his face and quietly said, ¡°Although this had been a contribution to the orphanage and wasn¡¯t specifically intended to be given to me as a birthday present, it had reached my hands on my birthday. Therefore¡­I considered it a birthday present.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips, brows knitting subconsciously. After having epted the book, he noticed the folded corners of the book at once. He looked up and asked, ¡°Did you read this book often?¡± ¡°Mn,¡± Xiao Yuanmu answered quietly. ¡°This is the only book that belonged to just me, outside of textbooks.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips pressed even more tightly in a line. His eyes shifted back to the book, and he had been about to say something. However, his expression morphed into bafflement when he read the book¡¯s contents. A momentter, he asked hesitantly, ¡°Do you¡­really like this book?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted to the book in his hands. Calmly, he made a sound of agreement. Song Xuanhe looked at the picture in the book and coughed. ¡°Which¡­story do you like the most?¡± ¡°The one you¡¯re looking at now.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the mermaid sitting on a rock depicted in the illustration as well as the title of the story: The Little Mermaid. ¡°I¡­also really liked reading and watching animated films as a kid.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help butugh. He met Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze that didn¡¯t hold any coldness for once, voice quiet as he continued. ¡°I used to really like Buzz Lightyear¡­.¡± ¡°Did Yuanyuan give you that drawing in your hand?¡± Suddenly, Xiao Yuanmu had changed the topic. Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand that had been holding onto the book grew stiff. His gaze shifted to the drawing that was currently sitting beneath the book and discreetly shoved it in further. ¡°Yes. She had casually drawn me a picture and said that it was to thank me for ying with her while visiting the Director thesest few days.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes fell on the drawing and asked, ¡°Can I see it?¡± ¡°That wouldn¡¯t be good.¡± When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze didn¡¯t leave the drawing, inspiration suddenly hit Song Xuanhe, and he made up a nonsense excuse. ¡°Actually, Yuanyuan had a sh of inspiration when she saw the g being raised today at school. She really admired the people who raised the g, so she drew this. She said that she wanted to one day get up on stage and raise the g too. This drawing holds her dreams, so I think that it wouldn¡¯t be good to let others see it so casually.¡± ¡°Is that so, ah?¡± It looked like Xiao Yuanmu believed him. He looked away and said, ¡°Granny told me to show you my room, so I¡¯ll show you some things.¡± When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression had softened again, Song Xuanhe nodded slightly. Xiao Yuanmu looked around the room and introduced him to some of the things in the tiny room. Every piece of furniture in this room, every decoration¡ªthey all held some kind of special meaning to Xiao Yuanmu. When he had talked about them, his cool voice was refreshing like a creek on a summer evening. Every word he uttered was infused with a bit of warmth. By the time he had pulled out an album, there was only the afterglow left of the setting sun. The shadows in the rather dusky room had been pulled long. The two young men sat inside this room with their heads gathered close together. They were carefully examining pictures that had already be a bit fuzzy and unclear. The moment thest vestiges of sunlight had finally disappeared, Xiao Yuanmu closed the album. He met eyes with Song Xuanhe, who had also looked up, through the darkness. The two of them simply stared at each other, seemingly in a daze, before they both looked away at the same time. The room fell silent. Theughter of the children outside became even more obvious. Xiao Yuanmu suddenly asked, ¡°I noticed that you seem to be very afraid of me. Why?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes trembled. He raised his chin and looked at the tree branches outside the window, denying it. ¡°Why would I be afraid of you?¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s quiet question was filled with some unclear meaning. He then stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s probably about time to eat dinner.¡± The two of them left the room, one after another. Yuanyuan, who had been ying for a very long time, finally came running over, crashing into Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms. Xiao Yuanmu caught Song Xuanhe by the shoulders and gazed at the little girl, who was hugging the other. His voice was cold. ¡°Don¡¯t run around recklessly and bump into other people like that.¡± Yuanyuan pouted, looking rather wronged. However, she didn¡¯t have the courage to talk back to Xiao Yuanmu. Therefore, she let go of Song Xuanhe and went to hold his hand instead. ¡°Song gege, Yuanmu gege, the Director told me to tell you toe eat.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and asked casually, ¡°Did you finish your homework?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yuanyuan hopped along vivaciously as she held his hand. Her smile was cheerful. ¡°It was really easy, ah. I finished it really quickly, so Granny Director told me toe call you guys.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the two of them, who were holding hands. With an insipid tone, he interjected, ¡°Why did youe sote?¡± Yuanyuan stopped hopping for a moment. In a timid and guity tone, she said, ¡°Because¡­ because, when I was originally going to call you guys, I had noticed that the food wasn¡¯t ready yet, so I had decided to call you when the food was done.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t just because I wanted to have fun.¡± Yuanyuan tugged on Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand and looked up at him. ¡°Song gege, are you hungry?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe, who had been pretty hungry while looking through the album just now, lied without batting an eye. ¡°You were right to wait until all the food was done.¡± Hearing this, Yuanyuan felt relieved. She continued to bounce while holding Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand as they made their way to the dining room. At this time, most of the children had already finished eating. Right now, the Director and the other teachers, who had just finished with their work, were sitting at the small table in the dining room. When she saw Song Xuanhe and theme, the Director beckoned at them. ¡°I had Yuanyuan go call for you guys a long time ago, so why are you sote? The food is already all cold.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe sat down, she handed full bowls of rice over to the two of them. She then scolded Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Xiao Song doesn¡¯t know what time dinner is here at the orphanage, but you should, no? It¡¯s already sote, Xiao Song must be starving.¡± ¡°He¡¯s not.¡± The Director and the other teachers all looked at Xiao Yuanmu and saw him say in an indifferent tone, ¡°He said it himself just now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m¡­really not that hungry.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze shifted from the food to the Director. ¡°Director, you don¡¯t have to give me so much rice. I¡¯m not that hungry right now.¡± When the Director heard this, she shook her head. ¡°You¡¯re such a big man, you must eat a lot. What are we going to do with so much rice if we don¡¯t eat it? Eat first, if you can¡¯t finish it, we¡¯ll talk about itter.¡± Song Xuanhe had wanted to nod, but he heard Yuanyuan next to him say, ¡°Song gege, Yuanyuan is hungry. If you can¡¯t eat it, how about giving it to Yuanyuan?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled while giving some of his rice to Yuanyuan. ¡°You should eat more.¡± The Director¡¯s smile deepened as she watched the interaction between Song Xuanhe and Yuanyuan. She said, ¡°Eat quickly, ba. If it¡¯s not enough, you can get secondster.¡± Song Xuanhe had just said that he was not that hungry, so obviously, he wouldn¡¯t be getting seconds. Therefore, not long after, he ced his bowl that had only held a bit of food down. He then nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was still eating unhurriedly, as well as Yuanyuan, who was eating with gusto. Yuanyuan looked up from her bowl and smiled. ¡°Song gege, are you done, ah? When I¡¯m finished, let¡¯s y together.¡± Gege doesn¡¯t want to y. Gege just wants to eat more. Song Xuanhe had a smile on his face and shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be leaving after dinner. I¡¯ll y with you next time.¡± Yuanyuan nodded, looking disappointed. However, she was a very sensible child. ¡°Then, Song gege will y with Yuanyuan next time.¡± Right at this moment, Xiao Yuanmu had also finished eating. He wiped his lips and looked at Yuanyuan, who was still eating. He said in a seemingly casual tone, ¡°Yuanyuan, the drawing you gave Song gege this afternoon was very well done.¡± Yuanyuan looked up, appearing to be in disbelief over Xiao Yuanmu praising her. When she saw that he had really meant it, her face broke out into a huge smile. ¡°That was for Song gege and Yuanmu gege. When you guys get married, Yuanyuan will draw you another one.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Yuanyuan, don¡¯t speak while eating. Careful not to choke.¡± Yuanyuan lovably said, ¡°Oh,¡± and then continued eating. But now, Xiao Yuanmu seemed puzzled. He asked, ¡°You¡¯ll draw another one when we get married?¡± ¡°I drew Song gege and Yuanmu gege getting married, ah.¡± Because Xiao Yuanmu had praised her just now, Yuanyuan was no longer as afraid of him. She smiled sweetly, ¡°It would be really good if Song gege and Yuanmu gege could really get married.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Wasn¡¯t it about raising a fl¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly stood up and bid goodbye to the Director. ¡°Since we¡¯re done, we¡¯ll be leaving.¡± The Director smiled at them and walked them out to the orphanage¡¯s gates. On the way back, Xiao Yuanmu looked at Song Xuanhe pensively. Song Xuanhe kept his eyes forward. When he recalled the awkwardness just now at having been nearly exposed by Xiao Yuanmu, he couldn¡¯t help but ask in an unhappy tone, ¡°Why are you looking at me? What do you want to say?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°I want to ask¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe interrupted him. ¡°I¡¯m not answering your question.¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you if you¡¯re still hungry. If you were, I was going to make noodles for you at home,¡± was what Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°But if you don¡¯t want to eat, we can just forget about it.¡± When he thought about how he hadn¡¯t gotten to eat Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tomato egg noodles for nearly two months now, Song Xuanhe, who had always submitted when it came to delicious food, very quickly changed attitudes. ¡°I want to eat.¡±
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: If you don¡¯t want to eat my noodles, forget it. Song Xuanhe: I want to eat!
Eve: There was so much cuteness in this chapter??? SXH and XYM bonding over children¡¯s stories, Yuanyuan¡¯s drawing and the fact that SXH is good with kids. UwU Kara: While there was a lot of cuteness, there were also a lot of sad things in the chapter?? Both He bao and MuMu have such sadness in their hearts. Please heal each other!! (¡ä£»§¥£»£à) But, MuMu being jealous over SXH and Yuanyuan holding hands was cute. And, I¡¯m d that they¡¯re finally getting closer!! Hehehehehe (?¡ä¨Œ`?)*??* Chapter 54: Hug and Smile Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
After moving back to the apartment, the only thing Song Xuanhe was happy about was that the quality of his meals had gone up. Unfortunately, he also had concerns. In the book, at this point in time, Xiao Yuanmu had already gone to Hai City for work. But in this world, Xiao Yuanmu was still with the Song Group and seemed to have no intention of resigning. Therefore, today at lunch, Song Xuanhe, who rarely spoke while eating, started to ask Xiao Yuanmu questions about work. ¡°The beef is really tender today.¡± Song Xuanhe swallowed down a piece of beef, watching Xiao Yuanmu, who didn¡¯t even look up from his bowl of food, for his reaction. He continued, ¡°But, there¡¯s a bit too much cumin. Put a bit less in next time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up and said, ¡°You said that you wanted a lot of cumin in your beef this morning.¡± ¡°Did I?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze flickered back and forth, looking guilty. He then defended himself. ¡°But, I didn¡¯t say that you had to put in this much.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him an indifferent nce before looking away to continue eating. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a new hire in your department?¡± Song Xuanhe picked up another piece of beef and chose a random topic to lead in with. Acting as if he was just mentioning this casually, he said, ¡°Seems like he graduated from the same school as us. How is he at work?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand paused while picking up food with his chopsticks. After meticulously chewing and swallowing the food in his mouth, Xiao Yuanmu calmly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know him.¡± ¡°He¡¯s in the same field as you, and he¡¯s your junior, how could you not know him?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°I heard that he has good grades and good practical skills. Do you think your manager wille to rely on him more?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was cold. ¡°I heard that when he graduated, the Bank of Hai City had wanted him toe intern for them. In order to snatch him, the Song Group gave him a starting sry that is twenty percent higher than normal. During the managers¡¯ meeting yesterday, the venture investment division¡¯s manager seemed to really appreciate him. Heplimented him for a long time, saying that he had unique insights. I heard that he had made a profit of ten million in stocks while he had still been testing the waters as a university student. Don¡¯t know if that¡¯s true though.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing that Xiao Yuanmu showed no reaction, Song Xuanhe ced his chopsticks down and got to the point while pretending to be nonchnt. ¡°If your manager starts to rely on him a lot and starts to marginalize you, will you feel like you won¡¯t be able to realize your aspirations here and quit?¡± Xiao Yuanmu finally spoke more than three words. He asked, ¡°Are you saying all of this because you¡¯re afraid that I¡¯ll quit?¡± No. I want to get information from you and then make your department manager marginalize you, thereby forcing you to quit. Song Xuanhe shook his head and said, ¡°I was just asking.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t be quitting for now,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said tly. So, you¡¯ll quit in the future? Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up, but his brows furrowed. He asked in a displeased tone, ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that you¡¯ll quit in the future? How long is ¡®for now?¡¯ Ten days? Half a month?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stopped moving his chopsticks. His still eyes sized up Song Xuanhe calmly. Just as Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t keep up the angry facade anymore, he said in a cool voice, ¡°You don¡¯t want me to leave?¡± I want you to leave! ¡°Of course not.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows were still furrowed. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu like the other was an ungrateful wretch. ¡°This is my family¡¯spany. Do you think I¡¯d want you to be an employee who wastes our administration¡¯s time and effort because you can¡¯t even stick around for half a year?¡± Xiao Yuanmu wiped his lips clean with a napkin. The meaning in his voice was unclear. ¡°I thought that you wanted me to leave.¡± ¡°How could I¡­.?¡± ¡°Since you don¡¯t want me to leave, I won¡¯t.¡± Xiao Yuanmu put down his napkin, and his peach blossom eyes slightly curved. His tone was filled with meaning. ¡°After all, you are my boyfriend.¡± After the assistant had left upon clearing their dishes, Xiao Yuanmu also took his leave as he had something to deal with during the break. As soon as the door to his office had closed, Song Xuanhe kicked his desk. He then shot up to his feet and walked over to the french windows. He stared at the infinitesimally tiny people and cars on the road below before childishly smacking the clean, bright window to vent his rage. Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone rang while he was still mulling over the problem of getting Xiao Yuanmu to quit. He didn¡¯t even look at the caller ID and simply swiped to ept the call. ¡°Song shao!¡± The other party hadn¡¯t seemed to have expected that Song Xuanhe would pick up. There was a trace of surprised delight in their voice. When Song Xuanhe heard this female voice that seemed a bit familiar, he brought the phone away from his ear. When he saw who it was, he turned on speaker-mode and ced his phone on the desk. He then sat down on the sofa and asked coldly, ¡°What does Film Empress Liu need?¡± ¡°Song shao¡­I was desperate and had just been calling everyone. That¡¯s why I just so happened to call you.¡± Liu Xu¡¯s voice came through from the phone¡¯s speaker. There was a slight rasp to it. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you would really pick up.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t pay attention to what was happening in the entertainment circles. However, he was around Zhou Nan, whose family had business in the film and television industry. Therefore, he did know about Liu Xu¡¯s current situation. But, that didn¡¯t mean that he wanted to continue this conversation. He said with a bit of impatience, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I¡­want to invite you to the premiere of Guangmang. It¡¯s the movie for which you visited the set, the one in which Director Huang was an assistant director.¡± Liu Xu¡¯s quiet voice was husky, making it sound soft and pleasant. ¡°I¡¯m asking if you woulde, because Director Huang wishes to see you there.¡± The corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips rose. He knew what Liu Xu was trying to do. She had sent information about Zhang Xiuya and Song Guochao to Li Nianan, but Li Nianan had already known about it. Therefore, she had ignored Liu Xu. When Liu Xu hadn¡¯t gotten the oue she had wanted, she refused to give up. Who knew where she had gotten the information about Zhang Xiuya¡¯s pregnancy, but she must have anonymously sent an email to instigate Zhang Xiuya to try to wiggle her way into the Song Family. That was what had caused the Song Family¡¯s farce/scandal. Naturally, while Song Guochao had still been hard-pressed over this scandal, he hadn¡¯t thought about what had caused his affair to be exposed. However, after things had settled, and he had time to think, he realized that this had been no coincidence. Although Song Guochao was incapable on his own, he still had ess to the Song Family¡¯s resources. Furthermore, he had managed to get Zhang Xiuya to confess. Like this, it had only been a matter of time before he had been able to follow the trail of clues that led back to Liu Xu. As such, Liu Xu¡¯s career in film was ruined by Song Guochao, who had been in a rage of humiliation over the conflict at home. She was now on the verge of being shut out of the industry. Liu Xu was looking for him but didn¡¯t directly ask him to speak to herpany. Instead, she was using a roundabout way by inviting him to her movie¡¯s premiere. This was probably because she wanted to make use of his identity. Liu Xu¡¯spany had decided to cut off her resources under Song Guochao¡¯s orders. But if Song Guochao¡¯s son was to appear at her premiere in support of her, and ambiguous photos of them and a rumour were to be spread around, the executives at Liu Xu¡¯spanies would probably reconsider their decision. When that time came, as long as Liu Xu let it be known that Song Guochao no longer had any say in the Song Group while Song Xuanhe owned twenty percent of the group¡¯s share, she would be able to use Song Xuanhe to resolve her difficulties. He had to admit: Liu Xu¡¯s idea was good. At present, the fact that he and Song Guochao were not on good terms was no secret. Anyone who inquired about it would be able to find that out. Furthermore, Song Xuanhe was known to be overbearing and haughty on the outside. Based on this information, one would think that there would be a very high possibility that he would go against Song Guochao when he heard about the other shutting out Liu Xu. When the time came, people would only think that the Song father and son were using her as a way to battle it out. Meanwhile, Liu Xu, the only person to benefit from this, wouldn¡¯t be noticed. After still not hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s response despite having waited for a long time, Liu Xu grew nervous. She softened her voice even more. ¡°I just asked my assistant to send the premiere invitation to yourpany. If you don¡¯t have time, you don¡¯t have toe. But, this movie is quite light-hearted. I think that it¡¯ll help you rx if youe watch it after work.¡± Because he knew that Liu Xu was only saying this to get him to agree, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply immediately. He only said in an insipid tone, ¡°I¡¯ll think about it.¡± Hearing that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t rejecting her right away, Liu Xu was overjoyed. She promptly said, ¡°Okay. The director and the cast are all really looking forward to seeing you there.¡± ¡¾Are you going to go?¡¿ Since the car ident, the System had rarely spoken. When he heard its voice, Song Xuanhe was a bit surprised. Regardless, he still replied. ¡°Yes. Why not? It¡¯s interesting.¡± ¡¾In any case, there¡¯s no scenes you need to act out. It will take a long time to get Xiao Yuanmu to return to the Xiao Family anyway, so you can do what you want.¡¿ Song Xuanhe nodded but didn¡¯t speak. The System hesitated and then added£º¡¾Before, you told me that you suspected that Xiao Yuanmu had transmigrated from the original book and that the point in time he hade from was the car ident with Sun Jinren. I passed that over to general HQ. HQ told me that Xiao Yuanmu had indeed transmigrated from the original book, but they could not figure out from exactly when in the timeline. ¡¿ ¡¾Aside from the car ident, there shouldn¡¯t be any other event that could cause transmigration,¡¿Song Xuanhe said. ¡¾Why do you think that?¡¿The System said£º¡¾He could also havee fromter in the timeline. Not even the main System can determine when it had been right now.¡¿ ¡¾If it were after he had returned to the Xiao Family, then he would have already found his way back there by now. Furthermore, even if he didn¡¯t go back to the Xiao Family, he would have found a way to contact his future subordinates and make detailed ns for what¡¯s toe next.¡¿Song Xuanhe said while lying down on the sofa£º¡¾But, he hasn¡¯t contacted the Xiao Family nor anyone else rted to the Xiao Family. His subordinates whose names were mentioned in the book haven¡¯t even shown up yet.¡¿ ¡¾Putting aside everyone else, his capable assistant, Wang Dong, had be destitute and homeless around the same time as the orphanage Director¡¯s death. The book had been very clear on the timing of these events. Later on, Wang Dong would be the only person Xiao Yuanmu considered a friend. During one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s soliloquies, he had said that, if he had known Wang Dong when the other had been in need, he would have helped him. But, there¡¯s no one named Wang Dong around Xiao Yuanmu right now. Therefore, I am certain that the point of time he must have transmigrated from is the car ident.¡¿ The System thought that Song Xuanhe¡¯s analysis made sense£º¡¾That does seem to be the case.¡¿ ¡¾This is the most likely possibility.¡¿Although Song Xuanhe was very certain, he didn¡¯t want to say that it was definitive. * The premiere began at eight o¡¯clock. After Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu got off work, they had dinner together before driving over unhurriedly. Originally, Song Xuanhe had thought that Xiao Yuanmu would have no interest in an asion like this and would note with. He hadn¡¯t expected for the other to also stand up and say that he also wanted to attend upon hearing him talk about it. It was about ten minutes prior to the start of the premiere when the two of them arrived. Although there were many journalists and media representatives gathered outside the movie theatre, the red carpet was clear. The guest book was already filled with names. It seemed like the majority of people had already arrived. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had changed into more rxed clothing after going home. But because the season was already shifting towards winter, even if they were wearing tailored coats, it still looked appropriate for the asion. It was just that, after the reporters who didn¡¯t recognize them took pictures of them, they quietly whispered to one another. ¡°Who are they? Are they the rumoured neers from Zhuangyue Entertainment? They look quite good, especially the one on the left. His looks are Heaven-defying. I wonder if he got surgery abroad.¡± ¡°Surgery?¡± A reporter who did recognize Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. ¡°The one on the right is the little young master of the Song Group. Although I don¡¯t recognize the one beside him, look at his aura. Can a little celebrity who got stic surgery give off such a feeling? I can tell that you have just entered this line of work with one nce. You can¡¯t even read people. Can¡¯t believe your seniors dared to bring you here. Are they not afraid of you offending somebody?¡± The reporter who had spoken up first felt rather wronged. However, the other reporter was right. He had only gotten hired a month ago. The only reason he had been able toe along was because there weren¡¯t enough staff on hand. Otherwise, he¡¯d never have gotten this opportunity at this point of his career. The other reporters had also heard the second reporter¡¯s words. When they had finished taking their pictures, they discussed amongst themselves. ¡°I wonder who that man next to Song shaoye is. With that aura, he muste from a big family. He might even possess some power. But, I¡¯ve never seen him before, so I have no clue which family he must belong to.¡± ¡°Those young masters of influential families aren¡¯t like celebrities. They¡¯re protected very well by their families.¡± Another reporterughed. ¡°When they¡¯re born, they¡¯re already worth upwards of a hundred million. If their privacy is not protected well, they¡¯d be constantly kidnapped. After growing up, most of them don¡¯t like to be in the spotlight. Don¡¯t bother guessing. The less they appear in public, the more influential their family may be.¡± The other people agreed. Only one older reporter furrowed his brows. He muttered, ¡°Why do I feel like I¡¯ve seen him somewhere before¡­?¡± Before he could finish that thought, he heard someone shout, ¡°Film Emperor Xue has arrived!¡± The crowd was thrown into a flurry. Every media representative pointed their cameras at the young film emperor, who had just appeared on the red carpet. The lights shed non-stop. After Xue Mian had signed his name and walked in, the crowd finally settled down outside. Someone sighed, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected for Film Emperor Xue to attend this premiere!¡± The others were also pleasantly surprised. ¡°After Film Emperor Xue¡¯sst film ended, he hasn¡¯t appeared in public much. We¡¯re really lucky this time. We finally have something to report back with!¡± The neer didn¡¯t get it. ¡°Didn¡¯t we just get a picture of the Song Group¡¯s young master? Won¡¯t he attract views?¡± The reporter who had lectured him earlier sighed and said, ¡°Do you think you can release pictures of the Song Group¡¯s young master just because you got ahold of it? The only reason we recognize him is because he didn¡¯t bother hiding his identity. But if we were to publish his pictures without his approval, we¡¯ll get a letter from the Song Group¡¯swyer the next morning. Not to mention, there¡¯s also the other young master whose identity is unknown. If we release his picture, we¡¯ll probably end up getting into big trouble.¡± The neer once again learned something new. He nodded his head, expressing that he understood. ¡°So, it¡¯s like that¡­.¡± The old reporter sincerely and earnestly said, ¡°You still have much to learn.¡± ¡­¡­ Song Xuanhe, who had been pulled over by Director Huang as soon as he had arrived at the movie theatre, had no idea what was happening outside. The only thing he was thinking about right now was how to get the incessantly babbling Huang Cong to shut up. ¡°I have already started shooting my film. Song shao, trust me, this film is going to be huge. I will not let you down. This film will sell, and it will also be profound. I think that it¡¯s very possible for this film to get a nomination. But whether it¡¯ll win an award¡­.¡± ¡°Xue Mian hase¡­.¡± Whispers arose behind them, interrupting Huang Cong¡¯s words. Song Xuanhe also turned his head, pretending to be shocked, and looked at Xue Mian. With this one look, Song Xuanhe realized that this would be interesting. Although Xue Mian was young, he had already made a name for himself. At the tender age of twenty-three, he had won a Best Actor award. Furthermore, it wasn¡¯t a ¡°Best Actor¡± award from a less prestigious domestic awards show but rather one from one of the three most prestigious shows in the world. Despite this, he never acted arrogant. He was still very modest towards staff members. As he walked over, Xue Mian held a patient smile on his face the whole time. He chatted with all of the staff. Even when someone had pretended to identally bump into him, he just gently told them to be careful. It was obvious that he had great self-restraint and patience. It was just that his seat was in the middle of the first row. He apologetically said to a staff member, ¡°I¡¯m friends with Song shaoye and Mr. Xiao. I also have something to discuss with Director Huang. I don¡¯t know if I could trouble you to help me switch seats, so I can sit in the second row?¡± When the staff member heard Xue Mian¡¯s gentle voice, although they were very excited, they still hesitated. ¡°Film Emperor Xue, I really want to help you, but the seats have already been decided. I have to ask if any person sitting in the second row would be willing to trade seats first. Only if someone is willing will I be able to help you switch.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Xue Mian said gracefully, ¡°It¡¯s fine if no one agrees. I can chat with Director Huang after the premiere ends. Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± The staff member naturally didn¡¯t worry. This was because someone had overheard their conversation. The small-time actor sitting next to Xiao Yuanmu immediately stood up, acting like it would be his honour to have Xue Mian sit in his seat. He ardently let Xue Mian sit down before heading to the first row. Honestly speaking, even if it hadn¡¯t been for Xue Mian¡¯s status, that actor would have been perfectly happy to sit in the first row either way. After all, those in the first row were the chief writer and the director. He was naturally very willing to sit there. Furthermore, if he could get the Film Emperor to owe him a favour as well, it was all the more worth it. ¡°Song shao, Mr. Xiao.¡± At this moment, Xue Mian had already walked over to the seat beside Xiao Yuanmu. He shed them a refined smile. ¡°We meet again.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him, his own lips curling up. ¡°I didn¡¯t know we were friends.¡± Xue Mian remained unruffled. His smile was still gentle. ¡°I have always wanted to be friends with Song shaoye and Mr. Xiao, so I was presumptuous in calling you my friends. I hope you don¡¯t mind.¡± Song Xuanhe obviously didn¡¯t care. However, Xiao Yuanmu, who was sitting beside him, frowned. Xue Mian¡¯s attention was perpetually on Xiao Yuanmu, so he naturally caught sight of his expression. His eyes dimmed, but he kept smiling. ¡°It¡¯s been a long time. Mr. Xiao, you¡¯ve be more handsome.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded indifferently and didn¡¯t speak. Xue Mian didn¡¯t fawn over him either. Instead, he talked to Song Xuanhe over Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Song shaoye, I heard that you¡¯ve invested in two of Director Huang¡¯s films. Are you nning on entering the film and television business?¡± Xue Mian, who had always acted gentle and courteous, sounded tactful when he spoke. Even when he asked a question that usually shouldn¡¯t be raised to a stranger, especially since Song Xuanhe had said they weren¡¯t close, because his voice was gentle and refined, and his every action wasced with elegance, it hadn¡¯t sounded rude. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Huang Cong, who had scurried on over, and said, ¡°I just wanted to invest casually.¡± Because of the film matter, Huang Cong had interacted with Song Xuanhe a few times. He knew that Song Xuanhe was not as lofty and hard-to-deal-with as rumoured. It was just that the other didn¡¯t like to beat around the bush. Therefore, Huang Cong had slowly stopped with the deferential, ttering attitude he had had in the beginning. He would even asionally take a mile when given an inch and joke around. At this moment, he jumped in with a smile. ¡°Song shao has a discerning eye. He took an interest in my scripts as soon as he saw them. Maybe after I have made him some money, he¡¯ll decide to enter the industry.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Xue Mian smiled and asked, ¡°I heard that Director Huang had received two good scripts, and that one is already in the middle of being shot. Meanwhile, the other one is in the preparation stage. Would it be possible to give me the honour of auditioning for it?¡± Huang Cong sucked in a deep breath, pleasantly surprised. A momentter, he finally reacted. ¡°Really? Does Film Emperor Xue n on acting in my movie?¡± Xue Mian nodded. ¡°Actually, I won¡¯t hide it from you, but I¡¯ve always been rather interested in that script you took. It was just that there had never been a director who had wanted to film it before. It would have been really hard for me to pull together a cast and crew, so when I heard that you had picked it up, I was really happy.¡± Huang Cong immediately became excited. He started to sound Xue Mian out by chatting about how he was going to go about shooting it. His hands were wildly gesticting in the air, making it obvious that he was ecstatic. Xue Mian was also very good at interacting with others. Every one of his words perfectly scratched just the right spot. Not long after, Director Huang, who had just been calling him Film Emperor Xue, was now calling him Xiao Xue. It was just that Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, who were sitting between these two, were forced to listen to their conversation. Although they weren¡¯t annoyed, it was still ufortable. At this moment, Xue Mian seemed to realize that he had gotten too into his conversation with Huang Cong. He looked at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu apologetically. ¡°Sorry, I forgot about everything else while talking to Director Huang about work. We must have bothered you.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t believe that Xue Mian, who had an extremely good reputation within the industry and was said to conduct himself well despite his young age, would have made such a novice error. Furthermore, when he had been speaking to Director Huang just now, every time he had said something profound or unique, he had discreetly nced at Xiao Yuanmu from the corner of his eye. Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t blind. He knew what the other was up to. It was just that Xiao Yuanmu, who had been watched by Xue Mian this whole time, didn¡¯t seem to notice. From beginning to end, his eyes were calmly on the screen in front of them. When he had heard Xue Mian¡¯s apology, he only spoke in an emotionless, in tone, ¡°The movie has already started. You¡¯re not only disturbing us, you¡¯re also disturbing the other viewers.¡±
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: Am I a man who will make a mistake in front of my partner? Song Xuanhe: Thank you to all the older brother, older sister, younger brother, younger sister, auntie, mom, girlfriend and wife fans for your support! I will definitely work harder in the future to make everyone love me! Xiao Yuanmu: What¡¯s a girlfriend fan or wife fan? Song Xuanhe: People who like me because of how ¡®boyfriend material¡¯ I am. I¡¯m drawing in fans with my abilities. Do you have a problem with that? Xiao Yuanmu: As long as you only have one husband, that¡¯s fine.
Eve: OMG HAHAHAHA. This little ¡®game of wits¡¯ between them is so funny. SXH trying to be sneaky and XYM teasing him like this kills me. And then XM, honey, move over. Our MuMu only has eyes for one person. Lastly, I am 100% a mom fan for SXH. My baby <3 Chapter 55: You’re My Little Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Smh136 and Kitty for the kofi!
The opening title had just ended. There were a few seconds of silence before the film started. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration to say that it was so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. Aside from the chief writer and the director, the other people sitting in the first two rows were all investors. From the third row on, there were famous film critics and rather influential reporters. Ever since Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had arrived, everyone¡¯s attention had been on the middle of that second row. Sitting behind them was a reporter, who had gone from writing for a tabloid to entertainment news. Since the beginning of Xue Mian and Song Xuanhe¡¯s conversation, his sensitive nose for gossip had sensed that something was off. Therefore, he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to the opening title. He had instead pricked his ears to listen in on the conversation in front of him. It was just that, although Xue Mian and Huang Cong had been talking about movies, their voices had been hushed. Even though he was sitting behind them, he didn¡¯t hear what they had been saying. He had originally been about to give up and just watch the movie quietly before going back to draft his article. But, who would have expected that Heaven would have mercy on him? Film Emperor Xue had apologized, and then, the man next to Song er shao had embarrassed him without any mercy. Although the man¡¯s voice wasn¡¯t loud¡ªit was actually pretty quiet¡ªyou could still make out the crispness of his voice. Although it was quiet, his voice was very clear. The reporter had heard every single word. The reporter swallowed, excited. He subconsciously brought his head closer. Several decades working as paparazzi told him that there was a hidden inside story here and that this inside story would make for some good drama. The next second, he heard Film Emperor Xue say, ¡°I hadn¡¯t realized. I¡¯m really sorry for interrupting your watching experience.¡± Film Emperor Xue was worthy of his title. He apologized very sincerely since he had been in the wrong. He was just as rumoured. The reporter wondered how the man next to Song shaoye would reply. The reporter held his breath in anticipation. But, one second passed and then another. The dark movie theatre gradually lit up along with the screen, but the man in front didn¡¯t speak again. From the reporter¡¯s angle, he could faintly make out the cold outline of the other¡¯s face. It looked like the other had no intention of responding. This¡­was too arrogant of him. The reporter thought, although Film Emperor Xue¡¯s background had never been revealed so far, the veteran reporters in this industry all had their own intelligenceworks. A previous colleague of this reporter now worked for Zhuangye Entertainment, whom Xue Mian was under. This former colleague knew a bit about Xue Mian¡¯s family. The Xue Family didn¡¯t operate in the Capital. Although the Xue Family could not bepared to the Song Family based on pure influence, they also were not easy pickings for the Song Family either. There was evidence backing this up. When Xue Mian had just debuted, there had been a film and televisionpany¡¯s boss who had wanted to make him his little lover and had even tried to use indecent methods to do so. Who would have expected that this boss would end up in prison the next day? This boss had had quite a bit of influence behind him in the Capital. However, even he hadn¡¯t been protected. When the power behind him had found out that the situation was rted to Xue Mian, they had directly abandoned him. Those who had watched this spectacle had all sighed. It was obvious that Xue Mian¡¯s powerful background was not unfounded. So, the reporter hadn¡¯t expected that, Xue Mian, who even the Song Family¡¯s young master would only say a few prickling words to when discontent, would be ignored so mercilessly and left in such an awkward situation. The first thing the reporter thought about what Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s background was. When Song Xuanhe and the other man had walked in just now, the reporter had also been outside, because he had encountered an old colleague. He had, thus, naturally heard the other reporters¡¯ discussion. In the beginning, he had had his reservations. But now, he kind of believed it. Perhaps the man next to Song Xuanhe was really more influential. The reporter sighed. It seemed like Film Emperor Xue had no choice but to just take it. Regardless, Film Emperor Xue wasn¡¯t the type to pick a fight anyway. He probably wouldn¡¯t say anything more. He might even just leave right after the movie ended. After all, no matter how much self-restraint he had, it would be difficult for him to act like nothing had happened after having been embarrassed like this. Then, the reporter¡¯s face was pped again. After the movie showing was a small reception. Not only did Film Emperor Xue not leave, but he also even approached Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu again. He continued to chat with them with a smile on his face. It was just that the atmosphere around them didn¡¯t seem very happy. This was because only Xue Mian was smiling. As for the other two, one of them had a cold face, and the other had no expression. ¡°Song shao, I heard that you¡¯re the sole investor for ¡®Bathed in Fire.¡¯ Director Huang also said that it was all because of you that this film could be shot, so if new investors want to join, they must first go through you. I was wondering if you¡¯d be willing to let on a new investor.¡± For the first time, Xue Mian wasn¡¯t looking at Xiao Yuanmu. He was staring at Song Xuanhe earnestly. Song Xuanhe took a sip of wine, and his eyebrows unfurrowed. He turned to look at Xue Mian and raised a brow. ¡°Are you interested in investing in ¡®Bathed in Fire?¡¯¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xue Mian said, ¡°I really like this script. Furthermore, I¡¯ve always liked the character, Lei Huo. After listening to Director Huang talk about how he ns on shooting this film, I¡¯ve be even more confident in this film. That¡¯s why I wanted to talk to you about investing.¡± When he heard this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved, and he shed a set of white teeth. ¡°You just admitted that this film is bound to make money. Why should I share the profits? Do you think I¡¯m dumb?¡± The smile on Xue Mian¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. With great poise, he said, ¡°I naturally have no intention of fighting with Song shao over the profit. I merely want to invest, because I truly like this script.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and widened his eyes in feigned shock, ¡°Are you saying that you don¡¯t want the dividends from the box office?¡± The smile on Xue Mian¡¯s face faltered. A whileter, he said, ¡°My investment will only make up a tiny portion of the film¡¯s total investment. In the future, when ites to dividing the box office revenue, I¡¯m willing to give up some of it.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Since your investment is going to be small to begin with, why should I let you participate? Do you think Ick money?¡± Xue Mian: ¡­.. Song Xuanhe was really the most unconventional and difficult-to-persuade person Xue Mian had ever met. When he had first met Song Xuanhe, he had thought that he was different from the rumours. But after seeing him again, he thought that he was exactly as willful and arrogant as the rumours said. It was exactly because of this that Xue Mian thought that he could not underestimate Song Xuanhe. The other could change how others perceived him. He could influence someone¡¯s attitude towards him however he liked. His ability to skillfully and easily change personalities was even enough to shock Xue Mian, who had gotten a Best Actor award very early on in his career and whose acting talent was never questioned. Someone like this¡­although he may be arrogant, egotistical, and overbearing, he wasn¡¯t the brainless domineering type. Xue Mian¡¯s gaze subconsciously flitted towards Xiao Yuanmu, whose eyes were lowered and was clearly thinking about something else. In the past, Xue Mian had never understood why someone like Xiao Yuanmu was with Song Xuanhe. When he had asked his assistant to look into it, he heard that Xiao Yuanmu had been forced to agree. Although he didn¡¯t think someone like Xiao Yuanmu could be held back, he couldn¡¯t help but think that it would be good if it was true. If that was the case, he had hope. He would be able to steal Xiao Yuanmu from Song Xuanhe and then make Xiao Yuanmu fall in love with him. However, the scene Xue Mian had seen while watching the movie had shattered his delusions. Halfway through the film, there had been a hrious scene. When he had heard Song Xuanheugh, he didn¡¯t know why, but he had subconsciously turned to nce at Xiao Yuanmu. As a result, he had just so happened to see the other turn towards Song Xuanhe, who had beenughing so hard that he couldn¡¯t breathe. Xue Mian hadn¡¯t been able to make out Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, but he had seen the slight curve of the other¡¯s lips. It was the first time Xue Mian had ever seen Xiao Yuanmu smile. Even though he hadn¡¯t seen it very clearly in the dark theatre, he had still felt like he had been blinded by the light. But after recovering from being stunned, Xue Mian¡¯s heart fell. This was because Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression told him that his rtionship with Song Xuanhe was absolutely not as one-sided as the rumours implied. Right now, after having realized that Song Xuanhe was not only not like the rumours about him but was also actually more charming than he had imagined, Xue Mian¡¯s already dejected heart fell even lower. But although he was down in spirit, Xue Mian, who had been able to do what he wanted despite the opposition from his entire family¡ªincluding the threat of being expelled from the family from his father¡ªat the age of twenty, would never give up easily. Moreover, so what if Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t bad? Xue Mian didn¡¯t think that he was any worse offpared to Song Xuanhe. In a fairpetition, everyone had to rely on their own abilities. Neither Song Xuanhe nor Xiao Yuanmu knew just how many thoughts had flitted through Xue Mian¡¯s brain in these few seconds. When he saw that the other wasn¡¯t speaking, Song Xuanhe thought that he had finally managed to anger the Film Emperor, who was rumoured to be impossible to anger. He felt a bit aplished. It was just that he ended up seeing Xue Mian smile a secondter. ¡°I obviously don¡¯t think that Song shaocks money. It¡¯s just that I¡¯ve been thinking about investing recently. I also really like ¡®Bathed in Fire.¡¯ That¡¯s why I mentioned it. If Song shao wishes to be the sole investor, I won¡¯t insist.¡± Xue Mian was very good at speaking. Like this, he had given both himself and Song Xuanhe enough face. Therefore, Song Xuanhe lost interest in provoking him. As such, he only smiled silently. Xue Mian also didn¡¯t continue to ask for punishment. He nced at Xiao Yuanmu again and then left. ¡°Bathed in Fire?¡± Xiao Yuanmu, who hadn¡¯t spoken up all this time, asked, ¡°You¡¯re nning on investing in movies?¡± Song Xuanhe nced around the bustling wine reception and suddenly felt bored. He absentmindedly nodded. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. He hadn¡¯t paid much attention to movies or television in his previous life, but he did know about the really popr films. One of them had been ¡°Bathed in Fire.¡± Back then, the film had been a typical sess story of a small-budget film reaching incredible box office sess. He had heard a business partner of his, who worked in the film and television industry, speak about it. That partner had used it as a model case of ¡°throwing a sprat to catch a herring¡± in movie investment. That was why Xiao Yuanmu remembered it so clearly. This film¡¯s budget had been less than ten million yuan. Furthermore, the investor in hisst life had not been Song Xuanhe. Moreover, he remembered that this film wasn¡¯t supposed to begin filming until three years from now. That was because Huang Cong hadn¡¯t been a very aplished director in the beginning. He had been an assistant director formercial films the whole time. It hadn¡¯t been until two yearster that he had finally found someone willing to be an investor for ¡°Bathed in Fire¡± and became an independent director. The reason why he hade with Song Xuanhe to this reception was because he had heard that Huang Cong was the assistant director of this film. He had wanted to get in touch with Huang Cong about investing in that film so that he could use it as the starting point for his future endeavours into film investment. He hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanhe to beat him to it. There was a veiled look of inquiry in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze as he looked at Song Xuanhe. He asked, ¡°Why did you decide to invest in movies?¡± ¡°Thought it¡¯d be fine, ah,¡± Song Xuanhe said off-handedly. ¡°Why ¡®Bathed in Fire?¡¯¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pure, serene eyes were fixed on Song Xuanhe as if he wanted to find clues from the other¡¯s face. ¡°Because, Huang Cong is talented and pretty interesting.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think much about it. Recently, the film and television industry was booming. It wasmon for those with keen eyesight to earn huge profits after investing. There were already many people who had set their gaze onto movie and television investment. Therefore, he didn¡¯t think it was odd that Xiao Yuanmu was interested. However, he really hadn¡¯t thought much about the return the movie would bring or whether to step into the world of film and TV. He would return to his original world in two years¡¯ time, so all that money would be useless in the end. So, there was no point in walking down that line. There was only one reason he had decided to invest in Huang Cong¡¯s films¡ªHuang Cong was really just too good at conversing. Song Xuanhe had been delighted by the other¡¯s praises, so he had thought that Huang Cong was interesting. Therefore, he had decided to invest. So when Xiao Yuanmu had asked him this, although Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was casual, he had meant every word. He hadn¡¯t lied. ¡°What¡¯s so interesting about Huang Cong?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted to the social butterfly himself. When he saw the other chatting with people all around him, he looked away. Xiao Yuanmu genuinely wanted to know. ¡°How could he not be interesting?¡± Song Xuanhe gestured at Huang Cong, who was saying something with a ttering smile on his face. ¡°Look, he¡¯s so sincere, exaggerated, and amusing when hepliments people. If he¡¯s amusing, wouldn¡¯t you say he¡¯s interesting?¡± Incidentally, Huang Cong had just walked over to an investor not far from where the two of them were standing. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, thus, saw the other beam at the investor and heard him say, ¡°Mr. Zhang! I was wondering why I haven¡¯t seen you around. But, it¡¯s because you¡¯re simply¡­glowing! I almost couldn¡¯t recognize you. I heard that the missus gave birth to another child recently. Do you work out for the sake of holding your child? This body¡­tsk, your body is looking almost as good as the boxer in my film.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell on the obese, balding ¡°Mr. Zhang,¡± who had bags under his eyes and was obviously in bad health. His eyes then shifted to Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe wasughing so hard that his shoulders shook. When he noticed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze, he looked up and asked him, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that it¡¯s really funny that he¡¯s able to utter nonsense like that? The way he says it actually makes you believe him. Don¡¯t you think that¡¯s a talent?¡± Xiao Yuanmu had thought when Song Xuanhe had said Huang Cong was talented, he had been referring to the other¡¯s skill in shooting films. He hadn¡¯t expected that he had been referring to this. Regardless, when his eyes took in Song Xuanhe¡¯s radiant smile, the corners of his lips involuntarily curled up. There were some people who were like this. They innately had the ability to make others like them. When heughed, it made you want tough with him. When he ate delicious food, it made the appetites of others¡¯ grow. Even when he put on a haughty, arrogant attitude, it was hard to hate him. It was really weird. Obviously, Song Xuanhe was the same person in all three of his lives. But in his previous two lives, he¡¯d never thought that Song Xuanhe was likeable. It was only in this world with this Song Xuanhe that he thought that. He didn¡¯t know if it was because Song Xuanhe seemed to havepletely changed or because of his memories prior to rebirth, but although Song Xuanhe was still as icily arrogant and domineering as he had been in his previous lives, he didn¡¯t loathe him or hate him at all. When Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu smile, he raised a brow, feeling a bit pleased with himself. He was about to say something when he saw Huang Conge over. The other said, ¡°Song shao, Liu Xu asked me if you are free just now. She said that she had something to talk to you about.¡± ¡°Talk about what?¡± The person who replied hadn¡¯t been Song Xuanhe but rather Xiao Yuanmu. He remembered Liu Xu. In his pre-rebirth self¡¯s memories, he had disliked this female celebrity a lot. Huang Cong nced at Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°I don¡¯t really know. She just said that she wanted to see Song shao.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the corridor that led to the balcony pensively. ¡°Why did she ask you toe find me if she was the one who wanted to see me?¡± ¡°She¡­¡± Huang Cong furrowed his brows, feeling awkward. He mulled over it beforeing in close to Song Xuanhe. He whispered, ¡°She probably offended someone and is now being shut out by the people on top. She¡¯s probably looking for you because of this. But, no one knows who the person shutting her out is. Song shao, listen to me, it¡¯d be best if you didn¡¯t get involved.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected that Huang Cong, who would never offend anyone and was very keen on self-preservation, would actually warn him like this. He looked at Huang Cong in surprise. Huang Cong noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. He knew what kind of impression he gave off. Therefore, heughed bitterly. ¡°I know that I may offend someone badly by saying this, but Song shao, you have always shown me great kindness. I can¡¯t simply stand to the side and watch as you, oblivious, walk into a trap. All I¡¯m doing is telling you this. It is up to you whether or not you decide to go.¡± The gaze Xiao Yuanmu directed towards Huang Cong was a little strange. He had heard about Huang Cong in hisst life. His reputation was not to be outdone by the poprity of his film. That business partner back then had talked about Huang Cong¡¯s movies the most. At the same time, the partner had also talked about Huang Cong himself. He had heard that Huang Cong had betrayed a partner who he had cooperated with for many years and benefited from. At that time, that business partner, who had been talking to Xiao Yuanmu, had said that Huang Cong was truly talented, but his character wasn¡¯t very good. Today, when Xiao Yuanmu saw the slick and sly Huang Cong, who could lie without batting an eye, although he had no prejudice against the other man, he couldn¡¯t help but recall his old business partner¡¯s words. Therefore, he was indeed shocked to hear Huang Cong say such things. ¡°I obviously have to go.¡± When he heard Song Xuanhe speak, Xiao Yuanmu suddenly looked towards him. The memory of the scandal he had seen abruptly arose in his mind, and darkness flickered through his eyes. Huang Cong hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to still want to go despite his warning. But when he thought about his own reputation, Huang Cong couldn¡¯t help but let out a mncholicugh. He said, ¡°Since Song shao wants to go, Liu Xu is waiting by the balcony.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice Huang Cong¡¯s expression. He nced at the balcony before patting Huang Cong on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a sense of propriety. I know who shut out Liu Xu. She won¡¯t be able to scheme against me.¡± Huang Cong widened his eyes in shock. Instantly, a desire for gossip arose in his eyes. Actually, someone who was able to make things go their way had a good ability to gather information. Adding onto that, those who were good at gathering information were typically people who loved to gossip. Huang Cong was no exception. The reason why he knew so much deeply hidden information within the circles was because he loved to hear about gossip and dig for gossip. When he noticed Huang Cong¡¯s expression, Song Xuanhe knew what the other was thinking. But, he didn¡¯t intend to hide things, so he whispered, ¡°The one who wants to cut off all her resources is Song Guochao. It¡¯s fine if you know it. Don¡¯t spread it around.¡± Huang Cong nodded. He wouldn¡¯t dare to spread rumours about an executive of the Song Group. Xiao Yuanmu also looked away. He realized that the rtionship between Song Xuanhe and Song Guochao in this world was even more strained than it had been in thest two worlds. Father and son had practically be enemies. Although Song Xuanhe and Song Guochao had indeed be enemiester on in his previous life, it had been a year from now. It had only happened after the Song Family had abandoned Song Xuanhe and had expelled him from the family. He wondered just what had happened in this year to make the rtionship between them this strained. When Xiao Yuanmu thought of this, the Song Family¡¯s eldest son, Song Xuanhe¡¯s older brother, Song Xuanlin, suddenly came to mind. He was a decisive man who was the type to have a clear view on the situation. The Song Family had chosen him as the sessor, and he was indeed more suitable than Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe¡¯s silhouette slowly disappeared down the corridor. Xiao Yuanmu looked up and no longer hid the chill in his eyes. He gazed at Huang Cong and asked, ¡°You should know that the person who is shutting Liu Xu out is Song Guochao, so why did you specificallye tell Song Xuanhe that?¡± Huang Cong was taken aback. He parted his lips, about to refute this. However, after meeting eyes with Xiao Yuanmu, it felt like the lies were stuck in his throat. His mouth was open for a long time, but no words came out. A long timeter, he nervously took a step back and exined, ¡°I mean no harm.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t say anything. He only narrowed his ice-cold eyes, causing the other to feel a nearly tangible cold. ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± Huang Cong swallowed nervously. In one breath, he said everything on his mind. ¡°I was afraid that Song shao didn¡¯t know about this, so I said this to sound him out. I was afraid that he would unknowingly get into a dispute with his father over Liu Xu. A lot had happened with the Song Family. Everyone knew that Mr. Song and Song shao didn¡¯t get along. But, Mr. Song is still Song shao¡¯s father. Moreover, I heard that Liu Xu and Mr. Song used to¡­. If a scandal were to erupt between Song shao and Liu Xu right now, everyone would think Song shao is in the wrong. That¡¯s why I wanted to warn him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes lightened up slightly. He asked, ¡°Then, why didn¡¯t you stop him from going just now?¡± Huang Congughed bitterly. ¡°Although everyone says that Song shao doesn¡¯t care about the consequences of his actions, even if I haven¡¯t known him for long, I know that he¡¯s not as the rumours say. He has a grasp of everything he does. I believe that since he has decided to face this head-on despite knowing the person behind this, he must certainly be sure of himself.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. With an unclear meaning to his voice, he said, ¡°You treat him quite well.¡± When Huang Cong heard this, he smiled. ¡°I know what my reputation is like. I will admit that I¡¯m not a good person. Most of the rumours about me are true. But even if I¡¯m not a good person, I¡¯m still a normal person. Song shao is the first person to not look at me oddly in all these years. He has also never judged me based on what others have said about me. Based on just this, I think that he¡¯s much more deserving of being liked and respected than most other people. My heart is still made of flesh. Even if I¡¯m a bad person, I will not hurt someone who treats me well.¡± ¡°You like him?¡± Compared to his chilly voice earlier, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was much more serene and rxedpared to before. But, Huang Cong couldn¡¯t help but wipe off the cold sweat that had formed on his forehead. He shook his head at once. ¡°No, I don¡¯t dare. I only respect Song shao, I don¡¯t dare like him. Even if I do like him, it¡¯s only the kind of fondness an older person would have for the younger generation or a tonic fondness. I absolutely do not have any other kind of feelings for him!¡± Xiao Yuanmu finally looked away. In his emotionless voice, he said, ¡°It¡¯s enough to just respect him.¡±
The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: There¡¯s no need to like him.
Eve: That¡¯s right XM, you stand no chance against my baby. And MuMu¡¯s jealousy strikes again. I love how lowkey his jealousy is. Just a bit of a re. A bit of repressed sulking. Chapter 56: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Liu Xu stood on the balcony, ncing down at the rare flowers that were blooming in wee of winter¡¯s chill. She looked terrified. Although it was freezing on this winter night, she only wore a sleek, champagne-coloured evening gown. She looked beautiful standing there as hernguid curls were blown into disarray. A few locks fell against her thin, smooth shoulders while the rest of it fluttered with the brisk wind. Suddenly, she heard the sound of approaching footsteps. Standing against the railing, Liu Xu¡¯s eyshes quivered. Her hands atop of the railing slowly shifted towards each other before sping together. When the footsteps sounded close by, she pulled her tightly entwined hands apart and turned her head. The new arrival had their back against the light. His tall, slender appearance was a bit hard to make out because of that. Delighted surprise emerged in her eyes, and her tone was sweet and soft. ¡°Song shao.¡± Song Xuanhe stood in ce. His eyes swept over Liu Xu¡¯s body. There was no expression on his face even when he noticed that she was not dressed for the cold. He nodded indifferently. ¡°Huang Cong said that you were looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Liu Xu turned around, wrapping her frozen arms around herself. She raised her head slightly, eyes downcast, revealing her pale, frail face and slender neck. She said in a soft voice, ¡°Actually, I called you here today to apologize.¡± While keeping a distance of a metre and a half from Liu Xu, a sliver of intrigue shed through Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. However, the expression he revealed on his face was that of confusion. ¡°Apologize?¡± ¡°Yes, I¡¯ve wronged you.¡± Liu Xu looked up. Her eyes were very attractive¡ªthey were round, pure, and charming. The outer corners of her eyes were also long. From Song Xuanhe¡¯s angle, it looked like there was a frail innocence within them. Her eyshes also fluttered gently. Her appearance was definitely very effective in arousing tender feelings towards her. But, Song Xuanhe remained unmoved. Everyone in the entertainment industry was very proficient in utilizing their looks. Liu Xu was naturally no exception. Moreover, he was a fashion designer. He had seen countless handsome men and beautiful women. It was very difficult for the average person to move him. Furthermore, a model¡¯s makeup for a certain fashion show would be determined by the show¡¯s background and the clothes that were to be showcased. Furthermore, the makeup artists in charge of the models¡¯ makeup would typically have more than one ongoing job. Therefore, he was very familiar with all sorts of looks and how they were achieved. For example, right now, he could see that Liu Xu had lengthened the upper lines of her eyes that naturally drooped down. It went very well with her eye shape, looking very natural. It made her look even more ssy and beautiful. This effect had been achieved with the use of subtle makeup. The fact that Liu Xu wanted to use makeup and her acting skills to sway Song Xuanhe meant that she didn¡¯t understand him at all. Upon seeing through such a boring trick, impatience bled into Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re going to apologize, just tell me the reason. Don¡¯t equivocate.¡± Liu Xu had been shivering with her arms around herself. When she heard him, she froze. She then looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s indifferent face with watery eyes and bit down on her lip. ¡°Actually¡­it¡¯s partially my fault that Song Guochao¡ªMr. Song¡¯s¡ªlover had gone to cause trouble at your home.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, signalling her to continue. Liu Xu was already trembling from the cold from being out here so long. When she saw that Song Xuanhe showed no signs of having tender, protective feelings towards her, she stopped biting down on her lip and hugged herself even tighter. She said, ¡°I couldn¡¯t stand by and watch it go on anymore. I couldn¡¯t just do nothing while Mr. Song kept his first love as a lover outside, away from the eyes of Mrs. Song and the Li Family. I had also been furious over the fact that I had been nothing but a substitute for his first love. Therefore, I had looked into it and ended up discovering Zhang Xiuya¡­.¡± When she saw that Song Xuanhe¡¯s indifferent expression hadn¡¯t changed, Liu Xu sobbed quietly and lowered her head. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected that Zhang Xiuya would be pregnant, let alone that she would go cause trouble at the Song Residence with ulterior motives. Now, everyone knows about this. I¡¯m sorry¡­.¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Liu Xu was taken aback. She looked up, eyes filled with tears. She asked, ¡°I¡­Song shao, can you forgive me?¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°I¡¯m not the one from whom you should be asking forgiveness. The real victims here are Song Guochao and my mother. If you really regret it, you should apologize to them. If you¡¯re done, I¡¯m leaving.¡± ¡°Song shao.¡± Upon seeing that he was really going to leave like he had said, Liu Xu didn¡¯t have time to worry about anything else. She promptly grabbed hold of his arm. She said in a hurry, ¡°Song shao, I can¡¯t go see Mr. Song. I have been so scared since I had found out what had happened with the Song Family. I didn¡¯t have the courage to show up and clear things up at all. And shortly after, Mr. Song found out that I had something to do with it. He¡¯s already decided to treat me like the culprit. He¡¯s already ordered mypany to shut me out. I¡¯m already at the end of my rope.¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows. ¡°So, what do you want me to do about it?¡± Liu Xu¡¯s eyes lit up. She thought that Song Xuanhe was finally willing to help her. She said, ¡°I just need you to speak to mypany on my behalf. You just¡­you just need to say that we¡¯re friends.¡± ¡°Are we friends?¡± Song Xuanhe pulled his arm away. From the corner of his eye, he saw a glint from some kind of metal in the darkness of the tall building opposite of them. The corner of his lips raised. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, I do believe that Film Empress Liu and I are not friends.¡± After having said this, Song Xuanhe took a step and prepared to leave as he knew that Liu Xu¡¯s goal had already been achieved. What he hadn¡¯t expected was that after just two steps, a soft body would press onto his back. That hour-ss figure was stuck tightly against him, causing his body to go rigid for a moment. When he came back to himself, he had already pushed Liu Xu onto the ground. Liu Xu had not expected any of this to happen. Not only did Song Xuanhe have no interest in her even after she had thrown herself into his arms, but he also had even pushed her away roughly. Because she had never been treated like this before, she knelt on the ground in a daze for a moment, unable to react. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression had turned thoroughly cold. Liu Xu¡¯s action just now had made him recall something from long ago. All interest in going along with her disappeared. He gave Liu Xu, who was still sitting on the ground, a frigid nce and then left without looking back. Since Song Xuanhe had left them earlier, Huang Cong was struggling to engage Xiao Yuanmu in conversation. It hadn¡¯t even been ten minutes yet, but it felt like he had been going at it for ten years. Xiao Yuanmu was really the hardest person to find amon interest with or tter that Huang Cong had ever met in all his years. Except for when they had been discussing Song Xuanhe in the beginning¡ªin which Xiao Yuanmu had said a few more sentences and looked at him with a chilling gaze¡ªno matter what they talked about after that, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze never changed. It was forever that indifferent, serene expression. He would also asionally answer back with one or two words. Therefore, Huang Cong had no idea how to continue the conversation. What Huang Cong was most proficient in was reading people. The reason why he was so sessful in sucking up to others was because he would watch for slight changes in their expressions. But, this was of no use when it came to Xiao Yuanmu, because the other showed no expression on his face whatsoever! Because of his age and the uniqueness of his profession, the thirty-year-old Huang Cong had seen all sorts of people. Of these, there were quite the number of high-ranking, influential people. But even if those people were imposing and spoke rarely, they would still inadvertently reveal minute fluctuations in their expressions. Therefore, Huang Cong had always thought that there was no such thing as a person who could hide their emotions while under his observation. Now that he¡¯d met Xiao Yuanmu, however, Huang Cong realized that he had been ignorant. Despite this, he didn¡¯t want to use this opportunity to grow at all. All he wanted was to quickly get away from this ce that made his legs shake! Even so, no matter how much he wanted to escape, he didn¡¯t dare walk away as he pleased. Thus, he could only pray for Song Xuanhe to hurry back. Who knew if it had been because Heaven had heard his prayers but, as Huang Cong was once again smiling and trying his best to make conversation with Xiao Yuanmu¡ªwhile praying for the ny-ninth time for Song Xuanhe toe back soon¡ªSong Xuanhe really appeared before his eyes. ¡°Song shao!¡± You¡¯re finally back! The cold had yet to disperse from Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. When he saw Huang Cong look at him exaggeratedly like he was the other¡¯s saviour, he put his foot back down and subtly changed direction. Huang Cong quickly rushed over. He even ignored that his excessively impatient action might have exposed the fact that he really didn¡¯t want to stay with Xiao Yuanmu anymore and offended the other. He tugged on Song Xuanhe, who had wanted to change directions, and spoke in a stirred-up voice. ¡°You¡¯re finally back. Mr. Xiao and I were so worried about you just now. You don¡¯t know howplicated and dangerous the entertainment industry is. Sometimes, even if you only say a few words, people can use those few words against you. We were both afraid that you would say something wrong and end up being plotted against.¡± Song Xuanhe currently didn¡¯t like being touched by others. The moment Huang Cong had grabbed him, his brows that had just unfurrowed knitted again. He pulled his arm out and said, ¡°Use your words. Don¡¯t touch me.¡± Huang Cong smiled and said, ¡°My emotions were too stirred up just now. I was so concerned for you.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Huang Cong and then walked around him to reach Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side. He asked, ¡°What were you two talking about just now?¡± What had frightened Huang Cong to such an extent? ¡°Nothing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell over onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s slightly tense jaw. He grabbed hold of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand that was hanging by the other¡¯s side. When the other started to struggle out of his hold, he squeezed harder. ¡°Since you¡¯re done, let¡¯s leave.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t throw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hold off. His slightly tensed jaw grew even more tense. His voice had also gotten colder. ¡°Let go.¡± Huang Cong, who had been about to say something, noticed as the atmosphere around them turned hostile. He swallowed his words down and took a step back,ughing. ¡°I suddenly remembered that Film Emperor Xue was looking for me. Since Song shao is back, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± When he had finished, he held his breath and nced at the two people who didn¡¯t even bother to look at him through their peripheral vision. He then exhaled and left. ¡°Your hand is cold,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t tone, ¡°It¡¯s shaking.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He stopped struggling and turned his face away. ¡°It was too cold on the balcony.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the other¡¯s downcast gaze and thick eyshes. A dark light shed through his own eyes, and his voice softened. ¡°I¡¯ll warm it up for you.¡± When he heard this, Song Xuanhe pursed his lips, but he didn¡¯t fight him anymore. * The next morning, Song Xuanhe was once again woken up by his phone¡¯s incessant ringing. He frowned as he ruffled his already dishevelled hair, making it all the more unruly. He nced at the ¡°iing call¡± notification on his phone and then lied back down onto the bed. He slowly stretched out his limbs and closed his eyes again. Shortly after, he fell back to sleep, apanied by the sound of his ringtone. By the time Song Xuanhe had finally crawled out of bed, he already had more than twenty missed calls. They were all from Song Guochao. He chuckled and then threw his phone back onto the bed before heading into the bathroom. He took a shower, changed his clothes, and then headed downstairs. They were having pasta for breakfast today. He had to admit that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s seafood pasta was unparalleled. The reason why he hadn¡¯tzed around in bed and had instead punctually gotten up was because of this bowl of pasta. By the time he had reached the first floor, the pasta was already set on the dining table. The television in the living room was turned on, but Xiao Yuanmu was nowhere to be found. Song Xuanhe looked around but didn¡¯t see him. He hesitantly headed into the dining room. There, he saw Xiao Yuanmuing in from the balcony, phone in hand. Xiao Yuanmu nced at him and said in a cool voice, ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He hadn¡¯t expected that Xiao Yuanmu would make a call so early in the morning. He turned around but seemed to suddenly think of something. His eyes lit up. ¡°Who were you talking to just now? Was it Yang Jie fromst time? I remember hearing that he just joined apany. Does he want you to change jobs?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused his steps and turned to ask him, ¡°Do you want me to change jobs?¡± ¡°I obviously¡­.¡± Before Song Xuanhe could finish, he heard the other¡¯s chilly voice say, ¡°So that you can take advantage of that to break up with me?¡± The expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face grew rigid for one second. But shortly after, he forced himself to show an expression of surprise. There was also an Oscar-worthy performance of anger and incredulity. ¡°Why would you ever think that?!¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re the one who wants to use your resignation as an excuse to break up with me!¡± Song Xuanhe struck back promptly, ¡°If you weren¡¯t thinking about that, why would you say that? You saying that just proves that you were thinking about it!¡± After having made this illogical, facious argument, Song Xuanhe suppressed the corner of his lips that wanted to rise up due to the pride he felt over his own resourcefulness. He gazed at Xiao Yuanmu with suspicion in his eyes. Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow, shifting his chin slightly. He was using it to point in the direction of the living room. Song Xuanhe followed the other¡¯s chin and looked over. He saw that the television was currently broadcasting some entertainment news. The host of the entertainment news show was a young woman. She was currently speaking in an excessively lively tone. ¡°Breaking news this morning: Film Empress Liu had a secret rendezvous with a young pretty boy. It¡¯s said that the pretty boy isn¡¯t part of the entertainment circle. An insider has leaked that this pretty boy is an extremely handsome young master of a wealthy, influential family. Apparently, he has been dating the older Film Empress Liu for some time now. It¡¯s said that there were signs of this rtionship prior to today¡¯s photograph. Who knows if this means that there will be hearing good news from Film Empress Liu soon? Liu Xu has yet to make a statement regarding this. We will be following this story closely.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡­. ¡°You¡¯re watching entertainment news this early in the morning?¡± The look Song Xuanhe gave Xiao Yuanmu was coloured with reproach. ¡°Entertainment news is all fake. Most of the photos are photoshopped.¡± Song Xuanhe had just finished speaking when several pictures appeared on therge screen in the host¡¯s broadcasting room. In one photo, Liu Xu was pulling on the arm of a tall young man. In another photo, Liu Xu was hugging said young man from behind. There was a mosaic over the young man¡¯s face, but anyone who had attended the banquetst night would be able to recognize that it was Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes fell on Song Xuanhe as if waiting for him to exin himself. Song Xuanhe looked extremely surprised. There was also a hint of fury. ¡°I was wondering why she was pulling on me and hugging me yesterday. So, it was all because she wanted to set me up like this!¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were ice-cold. Expressionlessly, he asked, ¡°You didn¡¯t know before?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Song Xuanhe changed what he was going to say. ¡°Well, I knew a bit. I knew that she wanted to use the conflict between Song Guochao and I to resolve her issue of being cut off by herpany. It just so happens that I don¡¯t get along with him. Therefore, I had originally nned on doing what she wanted to disgust Song Guochao. But, I hadn¡¯t thought she¡¯d be this bold.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him for a long time before saying, ¡°You don¡¯t like Liu Xu.¡± Song Xuanhe replied without any hesitation. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Then, who do you like?¡± Xiao Yuanmu followed with his next question quickly after. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­¡± Xiao Yuanmu had been too fast just now. It had almost caused Song Xuanhe to slip up. Song Xuanhe managed to m the brakes just in time, and his mind whirled. ¡°I like whoever I¡¯m currently with.¡± He knew that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t telling the truth. However, Xiao Yuanmu, who didn¡¯t care about whether the other told the truth or not, didn¡¯t get angry. In any case, when he saw how the other could not hide the crafty light in his eyes, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled upwards. He didn¡¯t pursue the matter any further. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± On the way to thepany, Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone rang nonstop. He concentrated on driving, acting like he hadn¡¯t heard it ring. Xiao Yuanmu, who was sitting beside him, was also looking out the window, lost in thought. He didn¡¯t have any interest in Song Xuanhe¡¯s incessantly ringing phone. Yang Jie was currently helping him with the merger and acquisition of severalpanies that currently didn¡¯t seem to have any good prospects but would develop impressively in the future. Things had been proceeding very sessfully. He had also managed to find his outstanding, capable assistant, Louis, from his previous life. He had the other help manage hispany that was about tounch overseas. Everything was progressing extremely smoothly. If this were to continue, then hispany would be right on track within three months¡¯ time. When that time came, he¡¯d have to leave. Leaving China for the United States had been his n since he had been reborn. From the moment he had won that lottery ticket that had been worth more than his capital in his previous life, everything he had done so far had been ording to that n. Regardless of whether it was with regards to hispany policies or how he would contend against the Xiao Family in the future, China had never been the ce he had nned to establish hispany¡¯s headquarters. Leaving China was an indispensable step. He had never thought of himself as someone who would stop just because of someone or something. Actually, not even Song Xuanhe could make him change his ns. It was just¡­he didn¡¯t know why, but when he thought about how he would not be able to hear Song Xuanhe offhandedly say ¡°delicious¡± anymore, his desire to cook for himself diminished greatly. This seemed like a trifling matter, but for someone like Xiao Yuanmu, who had never wavered because of someone else, it was something worthy of being on guard over. The phone rang once again. This time, the ringtone was different. Xiao Yuanmu pulled away from his thoughts and turned to look at Song Xuanhe, who had just picked up the call via his bluetooth receiver. He didn¡¯t know what the other was talking about. Although there was a smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face, his expression was frosty. The finger on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg shifted slightly. This was the first time he¡¯d seen such a look of repulsion and loathing on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. Therefore, when Song Xuanhe had hung up, for once, Xiao Yuanmu asked a superfluous question, ¡°Who was it?¡± The ice on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face had yet to thaw. He said, ¡°Liu Xu.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away, a pensive look in his eyes. When Song Xuanhe had mentioned Liu Xu yesterday, he hadn¡¯t had such an expression on his face. Even when Huang Cong had warned him about what Liu Xu had been nning, he had even spoken up for Liu Xu a bit. Just what had happenedst night to make Song Xuanhe¡¯s reaction change so drastically? Xiao Yuanmu involuntarily recalled the tense expression that had been on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face when he hade back from the balcony. There had also been the other¡¯s apparent aversion towards being touched. That level of repulsion and fluctuation in emotion¡­rather than saying it was because he had been in a bad mood, it had been more like a stress response to having encountered something or a simr situation that made him recall something he didn¡¯t want to remember. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened slightly. A rejection of touch due to physiological stress typically urred after a person had experienced being forcibly touched and suffered psychological hurt as a result¡­. The car slowly drove into the parking lot. When parking the car, Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand fell onto the handbrake. Xiao Yuanmu stretched his hand over, brushing against the other¡¯s hand in a seemingly idental manner. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t react. He only looked at Xiao Yuanmu oddly. Xiao Yuanmu undid his seat belt calmly. Usually, those who suffered from traumatic stress would find it difficult to control their own emotions and find it hard to calm down in a short period of time. However, Song Xuanhe had remained calm the whole timest night. Even when he had refused other people¡¯s touch, he had been very restrained. It was obvious that, although he was affected by whatever had happened to him, the effect wasn¡¯t particrly pronounced. When they had arrived at the elevator, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was cast downwards. He thought, perhaps Song Xuanhe¡¯s trauma was the reason why he had never been overly intimate with him in any of his lives. Song Xuanhe had no idea what Xiao Yuanmu was thinking about. He also didn¡¯t know that, in this short amount of time, Xiao Yuanmu had already helped hime up with a reason for why the original host had neverid hands on Xiao Yuanmu. If he knew, he would immediately admit to it and thoroughly put this big shot¡¯s heart to rest. The door to the executive elevator opened. The President¡¯s assistant who was about to exit the elevator widened his eyes upon seeing Song Xuanhe. He said at once, ¡°Er shao, you¡¯re here!¡± After saying this, he seemed to realize that he had sounded a little too worked up just now. He nced at the other employees who were waiting for the other elevator and lowered his voice while leading Song Xuanhe into the executive elevator. ¡°The president is waiting for you in his office. You should make a detour in a bit and head straight for the president¡¯s office. Don¡¯t let Mr. Song catch you. He charged straight towards your office this morning, furious. I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s no small matter.¡± ¡°What does my brother want?¡± Song Xuanhe asked in an indifferent voice as he rode the elevator, arms crossed. ¡°Of course it¡¯s the matter regarding the entertainment news today.¡± Song Xuanlin¡¯s assistant was just like Zhang Chao, Song Xuanhe¡¯s assistant. He had also been working as a personal assistant to Song Xuanlin as the other had grown up. Therefore, he knew a lot more about the personal affairs of the Song Family members more than the average person. ¡°You weren¡¯t at home, so you didn¡¯t hear how Chairman Song also said you were making trouble upon seeing the news,¡± The assistant said, ¡°Don¡¯t let yourself end up bumping into the muzzle of Mr. Song¡¯s gunter. He¡¯s technically in the right this time. He¡¯s probably been holding back all this time and has been waiting for you to go overboard, so he can teach you a lesson.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled at the other, the smile not reaching his eyes. ¡°You¡¯re quite prejudiced against Mr. Song, ah.¡± The assistant smiled. He was Song Xuanlin¡¯s personal assistant, so he was naturally very familiar with Song Xuanhe. When he heard the other say this, he knew that the other was only joking. However, he still had to talk about proper matters. ¡°Mr. Songing to cause trouble isn¡¯t likely to be solely motivated by personal matters. You currently possess the twenty percent of shares that he and the madam had used to own together. After the scandal between Liu Xu and you came out, even Chairman Song was rather angry. Mr. Song may use this matter to take back those shares. It would be best if you did not sh with him.¡± ¡°Are shares as cheap as cabbage?¡± Song Xuanheughed,pletely unconcerned. ¡°Are they something that can be transferred that easily? Something that should change hands every few months?¡± The assistant also knew that the probability of that happening wouldn¡¯t be high. However, the effect the shares would have in Song Xiao Shaoye¡¯s hands¡ªwho didn¡¯t intend to inherit thepany¡ªversus the effect the shares would have in Song Guochao¡¯s hands were vastly different. He was in Song Xuanlin¡¯s faction, so he would naturally consider this matter more carefully. Song Xuanhe obviously knew what the assistant was thinking. However, he didn¡¯t expose the other. Incidentally, the elevator doors opened this very second. He made an upwards gesture with his chin and said, ¡°Lead the way.¡± The assistant nodded and took a step out. After having confirmed that no one else was around, he warned Song Xuanhe again, ¡°I¡¯ll lead the way. I¡¯ll take you on a detour around several departments before heading to the president¡¯s office. However, Mr. Song is lying in wait on this floor with intentions of catching you. Therefore, if you see Mr. Song, leave first. Don¡¯t worry about me.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°Are you a secret service member?¡± When the assistant heard this, he had turned his head, wanting to tell Song Xuanhe that this matter was extremely serious. However, before he could speak though, he saw Song Xuanhe straighten up. Song Xuanhe raised a brow and said, ¡°You don¡¯t have to lead the way anymore. Mr. Song has already found his way over.¡± Chapter 57: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you rosadina for the kofi!
Song Xuanhe pressed down on the ¡°open¡± button and calmly watched as a furious Song Guochao walked over. Although Song Guochao was furious, his reasoning had still been keeping his rage under control. When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s provocative expression, however, the barely suppressed fire inside him surged and almost overcame his rationality. After all,pared to having your mistress cheat on you with a stranger, it was a whole new level of humiliation if your former mistress was cheating on you with your own son. To a male chauvinist like Song Guochao, even if Liu Xu wasn¡¯t his anymore, the fact still remained that she had once been his. Therefore, after he had found out that a mere ything had screwed him over and caused his twenty percent of shares to be transferred, he had ordered for herpany to cut off her resources to teach her a lesson in a fit of rage. However, he had never expected that she would get together with another man. Let alone for that other man to be his own son. It was just that, even though he was already so livid that his face was turning purple, there was still a sliver of rationality left in Song Guochao. Therefore, when he noticed the discreet ncesing from passing executives, Song Guochao gritted his teeth and said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°Come with me to my office.¡± Song Xuanhe walked out of the elevator, brushing his unstyled hair back. Confusion appeared in the pair of eyes beneath his smooth, clean forehead. ¡°Why, ah?¡± ¡°Shameful!¡± When he saw how Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t respect him or care about him at all, Song Guochao raised his voice. But upon seeing everyone¡¯s gaze turn towards their direction, he lowered his voice again. It sounded like his voice was being forced out of his throat. ¡°Don¡¯t you know what you¡¯ve done?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lowered eyes were full of innocence and befuddlement. ¡°I haven¡¯t beente nor have I left work early as ofte. I didn¡¯t make any mistakes at work either. So, what did I do?¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s innocent expression changed slightly. His eyebrows furrowed just a bit. A momentter, it looked like he had thought of something. At once, his eyes widened slightly. Song Guochao didn¡¯t know why, but he had a bad feeling about this. A subconscious desire to stop Song Xuanhe from speaking arose inside of him. But before he could open his mouth, Song Xuanhe beat him to it, sounding like he had juste to a realization. ¡°Are you talking about the news about me participating inst night¡¯s premiere?¡± Song Guochao¡¯s lips open and closed. He immediately wanted to cut Song Xuanhe off. Unfortunately for him, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t give him a chance. While the innocent expression on his face didn¡¯t change, one could make out a trace of willfulness and indifference in his eyes. ¡°A female celebrity had been pestering mest night. I hadn¡¯t wanted to pay her any attention, but she had kept tugging at me. I don¡¯t know what her goal was. But in any case, I pushed her away and left immediately. I have no idea why it was on the news this morning.¡± As he listened to Song Xuanhe imply that the mistress he had kept was worthless and had been the one who was clinging onto him unsolicitedly, Song Guochao¡¯s anger red so high that he felt like he would burst. To add to this matter, Song Xuanhe was unexpectedly not done. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. I have a boyfriend. I would never fool around with a woman of unknown origin like her. After all, even if I¡¯m a scoundrel, I still have principles. I would never do such shady things while I¡¯m still taken.¡± When he had finished, there was still that innocent expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face as he smiled obediently. He then pointedly said, ¡°Don¡¯t you agree, Mr. Song?¡± How could Song Guochao disagree? With an ashen expression, although he was so angry that his cheeks were puffed out so much that they were probably stiff to the touch, he didn¡¯t say a thing. At this moment, it seemed like Song Xuanhe had suddenly remembered that Song Guochao had been looking for him to discuss something. He asked, ¡°Right, what did Mr. Song want to speak to me about?¡± Song Guochao sucked in a deep breath while looking at that face that held some simrities to his own. Words of violent rage brewed in his mouth but were swallowed down in the end. He gnashed his teeth and said, ¡°I was about to¡­.¡± Song Xuanlin interrupted Song Guochao upon finally arriving. With his tall stature and long legs, he reached the two of them in no time at all. Appearing unbiased, he stood exactly in the middle of the two people. There was a steady expression on his face as always. ¡°Mr. Song, Chairman Song called just now. He said that he¡¯ll be arriving at thepany in half an hour. You are in charge of the quarterly meeting this month. However, Mr. Zhang of the finance department has suddenly taken some emergency time off. He has submitted the finance report forms to me, and it seems like you will likely have to undertake his duties.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s rage was doused upon suddenly being informed of this pressing matter. He had been preparing for this quarterly meeting for a long time now as he had wanted to use it to turn his situation around. Therefore, he had already prepared all relevant powerpoints, documents, and speeches. An issue cropping up in the financial department meant that he had to re-arrange everything. Suddenly, he was no longer in the mood to make trouble for Song Xuanhe. In the blink of an eye, he turned around and headed for his office. The assistant, who had called Song Xuanlin over, sighed in relief. He gave Song Xuanhe a signal with his eyes, looking d that they had managed to get out of that situation. He then pointed at Song Xuanlin and gave a thumbs up, silently praising the other for his great n. Shortly after Song Guochao had arrived, the assistant had slipped away to call Song Xuanlin for help. Therefore, he naturally had no clue that Song Xuanhe had already resolved the issue with Song Guochao. That was why he was winking at Song Xuanhe right now. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think anything of it. Meanwhile, the person who had watched the entire process while hiding in the corner thought it was so funny, the corner of his lips curled up. This person had long sincee to understand just how sharp the legendary, irascible Song er shao¡¯s tongue was. But when he saw the other¡¯s seemingly innocent expression contrasted with that hard-to-conceal willfulness in his eyes, he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle silently. There was great interest reflected in his innately roguish eyes. Nheless, neither Song Xuanhe nor Song Xuanlin had noticed that there was someone else present. As soon as Song Guochao had left, the two of them had headed off to the president¡¯s office. The president¡¯s office was huge. The huge, arched French windows seemed to give a wide 360-degree view of the entire city. However, Song Xuanhe, who was sitting by the window on the guest chair, only swept an uninterested gaze over it before looking away. As Song Xuanlin steeped some tea, he also secretly observed his younger brother, who he hadn¡¯t paid any attention to in a long time. When he noticed the uninterested look the other had on while ncing around the room, he said, ¡°Grandfather was furious this morning. Have you thought about how you¡¯re going to fix this?¡± ¡°Why was he angry?¡± Song Xuanhe asked despite clearly knowing the answer. Actually, while Song Xuanlin had been examining Song Xuanhe, Song Xuanhe, who had been leaning against the sofa, had been doing the same. Ever since Song Xuanhe had transmigrated over, even when taking into consideration the amount of time he had spent living in the Song Residence, he could count the number of times he¡¯d interacted with Song Xuanlin on his fingers. Compared to the other people of the Song Family, he was much less familiar with him. Every time he saw Song Xuanlin, the other perpetually had a peaceful expression and steady bearing. This time was no exception. Even though it was rare for a young man such as himself to do something like brew tea, he was still able to do it to the letter as if he was immersed in the action. He was exactly as the rumours and the original host¡¯s memories portrayed him. Song Xuanlin was theplete opposite of the original host, who had seemed to suffer from extended Chuunibyou syndrome. While the original host¡¯s development seemed like that of a typical bad child, Song Xuanlin was that of a typical good child. When he was young, his grades had been exceptional. He had been lovable and sensible. After growing up, he was mature and steady. He followed the rules. Even Song Guochao, who didn¡¯t like Li Nianan and thus, by extension, didn¡¯t like her kids, would treat him amicably. It was just that Song Xuanlin was always too indifferent, whether it was towards his younger brother¡ªthe original host¡ªor his father, Song Guochao. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanlin to speak up this time. Song Xuanhe had purposely acted dumb, but Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t get angry. He pushed a cup of tea in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction and said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like Father, you don¡¯t have to fall out with him for real. There are some things that should only be done after careful consideration. Perhaps provoking him will make you feel temporarily satisfied, but it won¡¯t solve the issue in the long term. You¡¯ll only end up putting yourself in a disadvantageous situation if you don¡¯t think about the consequences of your actions.¡± Regardless of whether it was Song Xuanhe now or the original host, it was the first time for either of them to hear Song Xuanlin guide him like a proper older brother should. Song Xuanhe paused while reaching for his cup. He then ced his hand back down on hisp. His next question sounded like one of pure curiosity. ¡°You don¡¯t like Song Guochao either?¡± Song Xuanlin furrowed his brows. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t really approve of the way Song Xuanhe addressed their father. He said, ¡°What you call him privately doesn¡¯t matter. But outside, be careful that you don¡¯t be the target for gossip and derision because of a moment¡¯s indulgence.¡± Another piece of advice. There was also concern inside his words this time. Song Xuanhe raised his brows in surprise. Actually, if he had been the original host, he¡¯d probably be ecstatic. This was because, even though Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t really care about the original host, the original host had truly liked and worshipped his older brother. It was also precisely because of this that, when rumours had firste up regarding Song Yansong¡¯s n to choose a sessor between the two of them, the original host had publicly dered that he had no intentions of seeding thepany and that he supported his older brother. After saying that, the original host had even secretly hoped that Song Xuanlin would praise him or get closer to him because of it. It was just that what he had hoped for never happened. Therefore, when he heard Song Xuanlin¡¯s tone¡ªwhich was obviously that of an older brother advising his younger brother¡ªSong Xuanhe felt a bit mncholic. Obviously, he didn¡¯t think that the original host had been a good person. He would even go so far as to say that the original host deserved what had happened to him in the original plot. However, after having possessed the other¡¯s body and memories, Song Xuanhe found it very difficult to be impartial and loathe him like the other readers or Xiao Yuanmu. It wasn¡¯t just a thing or two, or even a person or two, that could make a person into someone like him. When Song Xuanlin saw Song Xuanhe lower his eyes silently, he thought that the other didn¡¯t want to listen to his preaching. Thus, he sighed quietly and continued, ¡°I won¡¯t say too much about this. But, you¡¯re already twenty-two years old. You have to consider your actions more carefully.¡± Song Xuanhe suddenlyughed out loud. He then spoke in anguid voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t Mom say that Ge will help me from now on? Why should I think so hard? Isn¡¯t it fine to just do what makes me happy?¡± Song Xuanlin frowned when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s good-for-nothing disy. He unconsciously knitted his brows. ¡°You¡¯re already an adult. You should naturally take responsibility for your actions rather than be someone else¡¯s responsibility. If you can¡¯t control yourself and end up causing a difficult-to-suppress disaster in the future, do you think Grandfather and Father will disregard the public opinion and thepany¡¯s interests to protect you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t I still have you?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. The look in his eyes was hard to read, however. Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t hesitate or mince his words. ¡°I won¡¯t do it either.¡± When he saw the smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips change slightly, Song Xuanlin continued, his own expression unchanging. ¡°The only person who would disregard everything else to protect you is Mother. But even if she wants to protect you, she has no ability to do so. If even the Song Family refuses to protect you, then the Li Family will be even less inclined. In the end, she¡¯d be forced to abandon you.¡± ¡°Wasn¡¯t this just an argument with Song Guochao?¡± Song Xuanhe chuckled. ¡°I didn¡¯t think you were the type to lecture people. You never did this in the past. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have caused trouble.¡± Song Xuanlin examined Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression that seemed to convey that he hadn¡¯t taken his words seriously. In the end, he pressed his lips into a straight line and finished his cup of tea. He then said, ¡°I have nothing more to say. The meeting will start soon. Let¡¯s go.¡± * It was probably because the expressions of all three generations of the Song Family were bad¡ªeven the usually frivolous Song er shao looked pensive¡ªbut, this time¡¯s quarterly meeting was much more solemn than usual. Aside from the sounds of the serious-faced Song Guochao speaking and pages flipping, there were no other sounds inside the meeting room. This contrasted with how their meetings typically went. Usually, one would be able to hear an asional, quiet, whispered discussion, or someone would share their opinion. Song Guochao, who was currently standing at the podium, had just finished his section. He then had the financial department¡¯s deputy manager speak about the Song Group¡¯s financial situation for this quarter. When they saw the quarterly reports, the expressions of all the executives and shareholders turned ugly. Trembling underneath this oppressive atmosphere, the finance department¡¯s deputy manager talked about this quarter¡¯s financial situation. When he had finished, he quickly left the podium. At this moment, the meeting room was absolutely silent. Song Yansong¡¯s expression was so cold that it looked like ice would form on top of it. Suddenly, he spoke up. ¡°Song Xuanhe, you are the marketing department¡¯s director. Tell me why thepany¡¯s performance has declined.¡± Although Song Xuanhe had been thinking about something else, he had also been paying attention to the meeting. When he heard Song Yansong say this, he raised his head at once. Although he had no interest in taking part in the running of apany, he had signed many documents every day while at work. Therefore, he naturally had a fair understanding of thepany¡¯s situation. As such, he wasn¡¯t flustered at all. ¡°I think that the primary reason for the decline inpany performance this quarter is¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe obediently made his analysis. Although it wasn¡¯t outstanding, there were no faults within his statements either. As he listened to this, Song Yansong¡¯s expression eased up. The people around also sighed in relief. News that Song Guochao had stopped Song Xuanhe this morning and that the father-son pair had nearly broken out into another big fight had already made its way around thepany prior to this meeting. Everyone here had naturally already heard about this. Although they didn¡¯t know what had been the cause, considering the fact that even Chairman Song¡¯s expression was heavy meant that it had been no small matter. They were all part of thepany¡¯s administration and/or were shareholders. They didn¡¯t want the meeting to be a battleground for the Song Family. They also didn¡¯t want to identally listen in on something they shouldn¡¯t or watch as either Song Guochao or Song Xuanhe was reprimanded on the spot. Therefore, when they had heard Song Yansong speak, the majority of the people in the room had shifted ufortably on their butts. They just wanted to leave as soon as the warning signs appeared. When they had seen Song Xuanhe pass Song Yansong¡¯s test without any mishaps, the other people in the room couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Song Guochao, whose expression currently wasn¡¯t anything good. Song Guochao, as expected, wasn¡¯t happy. One of the reasons why he had worked so hard to take charge of this meeting was because he thought it might have helped him take his shares back. When he had seen the scandal regarding Song Xuanhe on the news this morning, although he had been furious, when he had seen the equally unhappy expression on Song Yansong¡¯s face, he had realized that this was his chance. That had been why he had rushed over to thepany in search of Song Xuanhe in the morning. As long as he had been able to drag Song Xuanhe into his office and chide him, with Song Xuanhe¡¯s temperament, he would have very likely had to leave thepany. Song Yansong had already been angry. If Song Xuanhe had missed the quarterly meeting as well, Song Guochao might have been able to get his shares back if he had asked for them. But, Song Xuanhe had not acted the way he had imagined. Not only had he made Song Guochao choke up in front of everyone, but he also had even given an adequate analysis of the report form during the meeting, thereby shattering Song Guochao¡¯s hopes to pieces. Song Yansong decided to let Song Xuanhe squirm for a bit by not immediatelymenting on his analysis. He then said in an insipid tone, ¡°The reason you brought up was obvious. Be more mindful in your work from now on. Don¡¯t fool around so much outside.¡± He had neither been harsh nor easy on him. Song Yansong then turned to Song Guochao. ¡°You were in charge of this meeting, so you must best understand thepany¡¯s situation. Tell me why thepany¡¯s performance has gone downhill.¡± Song Guochao froze up. Wasn¡¯t the reason what Song Xuanhe had just said? There were no other reasons he could think of. Therefore, Song Guochao repeated what Song Xuanhe had just said but in his own words. He hadn¡¯t added his own thoughts nor changed anything. Song Yansong¡¯s expression, which had just improved, sunk once again. He mmed his hand against the table. ¡°Why are you so narrow-minded despite being a vice-president? What¡¯s the point in me asking you this question if all you¡¯re going to do is repeat the obvious?!¡± Song Guochao trembled. Although he felt like he had lost a lot of face just now, he still tactfully decided not to talk back. Song Yansong sighed, disappointed in his son for failing to meet expectations. He then turned to Song Xuanlin. ¡°You say it.¡± ¡°Aside from the reasons brought up by the two Mr. Songs, thepany¡¯s decline in performance is also in part due to the newly implemented price restriction policy¡­.¡± Song Xuanlin easily summarized the cause of thepany¡¯s decline in performance with great depth. In the end, he also suggested a n of action to improve thepany¡¯s performance. With Song Xuanlin as furtherparison, the image of Song Guochao being reprimanded became even more firmly engraved in everyone¡¯s minds. As for Song Xuanhe, everyone knew that he didn¡¯t care about work. Therefore, it was already an improvement that he had been able to give an analysis without any errors. Song Yansong¡¯s expression finally eased up. He gazed at his eldest grandson, who had grown up a long time ago, with aplicated gaze. Out of the corner of his eye, he also subconsciously nced at Song Xuanhe, who didn¡¯t seem to be paying any attention. Song Yansong sighed heavily inside. His determination over a certain decision wavered. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Song Yansong was thinking. This was because he had been shocked upon hearing Song Guochao repeat his words. Although he had always known that Song Guochao had no talent for business, it was different seeing proof of this in person. There were many reasons why apany¡¯s performance would decrease. Naturally, it was impossible for him to have covered all the reasons as he had only mentioned several points. Song Xuanhe had only mentioned the ones he had because, firstly, those were the only ones he had been able to confirm while reviewing and signing documents, and secondly, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to this stuff anyway. But regardless of anything else, Song Guochao had been in the business scene for twenty to thirty years now. Moreover, he was ambitious with regards to the Song Group. And yet, he couldn¡¯t even notice such a simple problem as this. He didn¡¯t just have no talent¡ªhe shouldn¡¯t even be in business! When the meeting had ended, because of the stifling atmosphere around the three generations of the Song family, the other executives and shareholders all rushed out in a hurry. Song Guochao and Song Xuanlin also left. The only people left were Song Xuanhe and Song Yansong. After Song Xuanhe had been chided by the other, he could finally leave. When Song Xuanhe had returned to his office, Xiao Yuanmu was already waiting for him there. Since he had moved back into the apartment, and Xiao Yuanmu had started to cook again, the location of his daily lunch had shifted from the dining hall to his office. This had already been going on for quite some time, so the first thing Song Xuanhe, who was already used to this, did was go over and look at today¡¯s lunch. Two meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and one soup. It was a very standard home-cooked meal. The delicious, fragrant, beautiful food in the light-coloured Tupperware enticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s already rumbling stomach. He walked over to his seat and picked up his chopsticks. Xiao Yuanmu also began to eat. A peaceful meal passed just like that. After his assistant had taken the Tupperwares to wash, Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°I heard that you had a fight with Mr. Song in front of the executive elevator this morning and that you said you would never two-time while dating.¡± Song Xuanhe paused while stretching his arms. He went over what he had said this morning before bringing his arms back down and nodding. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked in a quiet, casual voice, ¡°What about long-distance rtionships?¡± ¡°A long-distance rtionship is still a rtionship.¡± Song Xuanhe leaned back against the sofa, arms wrapped around a pillow. There was anguid tone in his voice from having just eaten his fill. ¡°Since it¡¯s also a kind of rtionship, I¡¯d still do the same.¡± Xiao Yuanmu made a quiet sound of acknowledgement as if he had really just been asking casually. But, Song Xuanhe¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. The original novel hadn¡¯t been finished. It didn¡¯t say which man who this big shot, who had been surrounded by all sorts of men, would end up with or if he¡¯d entered an immoral 8P rtionship. It hadn¡¯t revealed what Xiao Yuanmu thought on the emotional front either. Therefore, the very curious Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What about you?¡± ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°Seven¡ªI mean two-timing, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe nestled into his spot on the sofa, staring at Xiao Yuanmu with curious eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do that.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response was very straightforward. He had never even thought about going steady with one person, so he would obviously never want to waste time on an even more troublesome emotional entanglement like that. When Song Xuanhe heard how unhesitating he had been in answering him, he suddenly lost all interest. He dropped one of the extra pillows onto the ground and said in a bored tone, ¡°Who knows for sure?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change when he heard the other¡¯s doubtful statement. He didn¡¯t have any intention of exining himself either. He nced at the clock and then got up in preparation to leave. However, after taking one step, he heard Song Xuanhe suddenly say, ¡°Say, imagine there was a really bad person who everyone thought was utterly despicable. You identally find out about his pitiful past and the reason for said pitiful past. Would your opinion of this person change?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stopped walking, but he didn¡¯t look back. He said in a cool voice, ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly taken aback. He stared at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back silently. When he didn¡¯t hear any sounds behind him, Xiao Yuanmu continued to walk towards the door. When he reached the door, he once again heard Song Xuanhe suddenly speak up. ¡°Then, what if you had a younger brother like that? Would you try to guide him back onto the right path?¡± ¡°No.¡± A dark light shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His gaze was frosty, and his tone was frigid. ¡°I don¡¯t have a younger brother. Even if I did, whether or not he mends his ways is his own problem. It has nothing to do with me.¡± After Xiao Yuanmu had left, Song Xuanhe continued to stare at the door for a long time. He then lied back onto the sofa. After he hade out of Song Xuanlin¡¯s office, he had been constantly thinking¡­what if the original host had heard Song Xuanlin say those things to him before his personality had been fully formed? Would he still have turned out the way he had? He didn¡¯t manage toe up with an answer. However, Song Xuanhe did recall his own younger cousin, who always loved to fight with him. He also recalled that cousin¡¯s parents. Although they had been strict, they had also indulged that cousin of his. If he hadn¡¯t been pulled back into the sunlight by Zhou Yunyang, that sweet, stubborn, naive idiot who had loved to preach, maybe he would have turned out more-or-less like the original host. He might have ended up walking more-or-less the same road. Following his sudden realization over how absurd he had used to be, Song Xuanhe began to resent his aunt and uncle who had purposely raised him to be a good-for-nothing person. He had always thought that, if his aunt and uncle had been willing to scold him even once, then perhaps he wouldn¡¯t have wallowed in that metaphorical dark swamp all on his own for so long. However, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words had dispelled all of his pent-up hatred. Even between those most closely rted, no one was responsible for anyone else, let alone his aunt and uncle, who had been more distantly rted and feared that he would fight their son over their family¡¯s inheritance in the future. It was because he had been unable to ovee his emotions that he had been perpetually wishing to have a real family again. He had just wanted to forget the fact that, since a long time ago, he already had no home or family to return to.
Eve: Xuanlin surprisingly will have some character development. I will say that I was saddened here when I thought about how the original host could have turned out differently if someone had just cared. Can¡¯t say I wasn¡¯t disappointed with Xuanlin here. Also partly because I love the doting older brother trope. I was also sad over SXH¡¯s thoughts about his past too. My poor baby. Chapter 58: Smile and Hold Hands Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
A heavy snowstorm took over the skies. The Capital weed its first snowfall. Song Xuanhe was woken up by his rm clock this morning. Upon raising his head, his eyes were blinded by the white light shining in through his windows, forcing his eyelids to close again. Without any qualms, he fell back asleep. The second time, he was woken up by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice. ¡°If you¡¯re tired, let¡¯s skip the birthday banquet at noon.¡± Typically speaking, with how soundly Song Xuanhe tended to sleep, a quiet voice like Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s that wasn¡¯t a customized rm sound would rarely be able to wake him. However, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold voice caused his eyes to immediately snap open. He even skipped over his usual habit ofzing in bed, mind nk, and instead, sat up in a sh. His face was flushed from sleep, and he was still in a bit of a daze. However, his voice was determined. ¡°We have to go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. Er Gou, who had been very flustered but hadn¡¯t dared to wake Song Xuanhe because he was still deeply affected by Song Xuanhe¡¯s scolding in the past, sighed, sounding moved, ¡¾I didn¡¯t think that you would be so serious in helping the big shot go back to his family, brother! I¡¯m so moved!¡¿ The System¡¯s voice had always been very loud. As it echoed through his mind, although it hadn¡¯te in through his ears, Song Xuanhe still felt like his ears hurt. It immediately knocked him out of his daze. It had been a really long time since he had heard this boorish, northern ent. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t miss it at all. Just a moment ago, Xiao Yuanmu could still see that Song Xuanhe had still been in a befuddled state. He hadn¡¯t expected for the other to so suddenly snap out of it. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. However, that smile disappeared very quickly. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, because it was already ten o¡¯clock. While the birthday banquet was set to start at noon, out of politeness, practically everyone would arrive at the venue around eleven. Even if there was no traffic, it would still take at least thirty minutes to get to the hotel where the banquet was being held from the apartment. If there was traffic, themute would be indefinitely longer. Therefore, he rushed out of bed to wash up and change before setting out. By the time Song Xuanhe had finished his shower and had walked out of his bathroom, Xiao Yuanmu had already disappeared. Song Xuanhe hurried to change into his prepared suit and then headed downstairs with his coat in hand. Xiao Yuanmu was currently chatting on the phone while leaning against the window. His gaze was downcast, and the look in his eyes was that of indifference. He was wearing a form-fitting dark grey suit, which highlighted his wide shoulders and long legs. Although he was just casually leaning against the window, he gave off a formidable aura. However, the tan jacket draped over his arm subdued this aura a bit, making him appear both mature and self-restrained. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. This was to be expected from an outfit he had tailored to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s measurements. No matter how you looked at him, he looked good. The most important part, however, was that his tailoring skills hadn¡¯t diminished despite how long he had been out of practice. If his teacher could have seen this, he¡¯d definitely feel very gratified. Noticing Song Xuanhe¡¯s arrival, Xiao Yuanmu hung up the phone after bidding goodbye to the other party. His gaze fell onto the other¡¯s coat that was in the same style as his own. He then put on his own coat. Song Xuanhe spoke up while putting on his shoes. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯ve been on the phone a lot more these days. Are they all calls from Yang Jie?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Xiao Yuanmu walked over to him and gave a quiet sound of affirmation. ¡°Yang Jie speaks to you in English?¡± Song Xuanhe asked. Xiao Yuanmu remained calm and unruffled. ¡°He¡¯s been helping with hispany¡¯s expansion in America. He asked me to help him practice English.¡± Song Xuanhe was in a rush to leave, so he just rolled his eyes at this answer and then hurried over to press the elevator¡¯s button. After heading into the elevator though, he nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was half a head taller than him, from the corner of his eye. ¡°Tell me the truth, are you nning on quitting?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down at him. ¡°Why do you ask that?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± The elevator reached the parking lot, and Song Xuanhe ended their conversation with a perfunctory statement. There luckily wasn¡¯t any traffic, so the two of them arrived at the venue on time. Wei Chen, who was receiving guests at the entrance, raised a brow upon seeing the two of them in their matching coats. His lips curled into a smile. ¡°You didn¡¯t tell me whether you were going toe or not when I had given you the invitation. I hadn¡¯t thought you¡¯d really show up.¡± Song Xuanhe beamed at him. ¡°How could I note when Wei shao so badly wants me toe? Besides, Old Mr. Wei¡¯s birthday banquet is an event that many people can¡¯t attend even if they wished they could. Even if I didn¡¯t want to give you any face, I should show Old Mr. Wei some respect.¡± Wei Chen was still thinking about the image of Song Xuanhe waving his ws and making Song Guochao speechless at the Song Grouppany. He hadn¡¯t expected for the other to make him his new target so quickly. Wei Chen¡¯s eyebrows lifted slightly. His unruly nature that had been suppressed by the mature, steady facade created by his formal attire began to leak out. ¡°Your Song Family is definitely showing him a lot of respect. Mr. and Mrs. Song arrived before you.¡± The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, we¡¯ll head in first.¡± Wei Chen nodded. After Song Xuanhe had taken a step, Wei Chen seemed to suddenly recall something. He said, ¡°Right, a Miss Song also asked me when you would arrive. I had told her that you¡¯d probablye soon. She¡¯s probably waiting for you in the lobby. Don¡¯t miss her.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t stop walking and continued to head inside. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t spoken since they had entered the hotel. When he passed by Wei Chen, he nodded his head coolly. The smile on Wei Chen¡¯s face didn¡¯t change, and he nodded politely in response. After their gazes had met, they both looked away at the same time as if they were nothing but strangers who rarely met. There were no emotions in their eyes. One had to pass through the guest lobby to get to the banquet hall. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu walked side-by-side, their gazes focused in front of them as if they didn¡¯t notice the other people sitting in the lobby. However, the people sitting there clearly noticed them¡ªor rather, noticed Song Xuanhe. Song Jiani stood up at once, her high heels cking against the floor. She called out, ¡°Xuanhe gege.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down at him, and Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps paused. He subconsciously looked up to meet Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. He then looked away, feeling a bit guilty. ¡°Xuanhe gege.¡± Song Jiani walked over to Song Xuanhe and said in a lovable tone, ¡°I waited so long for you. Uncle and Auntie said that you probably wouldn¡¯te. It¡¯s good that I thought to ask Wei shao.¡± ¡°What do you want from me?¡± Although Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was cold, there wasn¡¯t his usual impatience. Song Jiani¡¯s eyes lit up, and her smile widened. ¡°Right, it¡¯s been a long time since¡­.¡± As she spoke, she nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was next to Song Xuanhe. Disgust shed through her eyes, and she changed her words. ¡°Lu Chao is looking for you. He hasn¡¯t been able to reach youtely, so he asked me to talk to you. He wants to meet with you.¡± ¡°Lu Chao?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°What does he want?¡± There was still half a year until ¡°Song Xuanhe¡± was supposed to be enticed into doing drugs. Furthermore, Lu Chao had stopped showing up in front of him since that time at the pool party. Back then, he had humiliated Lu Chao publicly and had thrown him into the water. Those who were well-informed all knew that he and Lu Chao had fallen out. The people who had wanted to cling onto him, and therefore the Song Family by extension, through Lu Chao had naturally acted in ordance to this news. The Lu Family¡¯s business had suddenly shrunk to a third of what it once had been after the pool party fiasco. Right now, they were just barely managing to avoid bankruptcy. In less than three months, the Lu Family had nearly fallen to ruins. All of this was because Lu Chao had fallen in rank: from being Song shaoye¡¯s friend to Song shaoye¡¯s abandoned dog. ¡°The Lu Family¡­¡± Song Jiani naturally knew why Lu Chao¡¯s family had suffered. Actually, this was all because of her. However, although her family was rtively well off, she didn¡¯t have the power to help Lu Chao. Moreover, she didn¡¯t want Song Xuanhe to hate her even more over him. Song Jiani couldn¡¯t continue her sentence. She bit down on her lip and then cast her gaze down. ¡°What about the Lu Family?¡± Song Xuanhe acted like he didn¡¯t know. ¡°Something has happened with the Lu Family.¡± Song Jiani pinched a corner of her dress and said, ¡°So, Lu Chao wants to meet with you.¡± ¡°What does the Lu Family being in trouble have to do with me?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, looking confused. Song Jiani chewed on her lip. She didn¡¯t know what to say. Actually, the reason she had decided to speak up for Lu Chao was only because she had wanted an excuse to talk to Song Xuanhe. ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the helpless-looking Song Jiani, nodded to her indifferently, and then pushed the doors to the banquet hall open. It was already eleven twenty. Although the banquet hall was huge, and the division of space was very obvious, there was about two hundred square metres of empty space from the door. There were simple, unadorned, tasteful tables and chairs set against the walls as well as simple drinksid out on top of them. There was room for people to rest and socialize. Further into the room, there was a small arched door. That door led to where they would be dining during the birthday lunch. Currently, the guests were all outside. The majority of the people in the centre of the hall were immactely dressed in Western formal wear, drinking and socializing in quiet voices. There were also middle-aged and elderly men dressed in Chinese tunic suits sitting by the tables on the side. Most of them seemed very imposing and would only chat with those near them. It was just that the gazes of the majority of those in the centre of the room would flicker towards them. It seemed like they wanted to speak to those dignified men. Song Xuanhe more-or-less got a good read on the room after sweeping his gaze over the venue once. However, his eyes didn¡¯t stop moving despite that. The Xiao Family would definitely send someone to attend Old Mr. Wei¡¯s birthday banquet. It was just that he didn¡¯t know who this person would be, let alone whether that person would be able to recognize Xiao Yuanmu. In the book, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s biological parents had recognized him at first nce. Since they had been able to recognize him so easily, this meant that Xiao Yuanmu shared a strong resemnce with the other members of the Xiao Family. Or at the very least, he was very simr to a certain member of the Xiao Family. Therefore, it was reasonable to assume that the probability of Xiao Yuanmu being recognized by members of the Xiao Family was very high. Upon seeing Song Xuanhe constantly scour the room with his gaze as if he was looking for someone, Xiao Yuanmu linked this to the undisguised look of anticipation that had appeared on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face every time the Wei Family¡¯s banquet had been mentioned. The light in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes flickered slightly, and he quietly observed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. But, Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change even as he scanned the room several times. This was because he didn¡¯t know which Xiao Family member woulde. Not even the System could recognize them. Song Xuanhe cursed the System for being useless. The System, however, didn¡¯t feel ashamed at all. ¡¾The Xiao Family member here today isn¡¯t someone who appears in the plot. How would I have information on him?¡¿ He didn¡¯t have a specific target, so Song Xuanhe could only give up his search. As soon as Xiao Yuanmu had entered the room, there had been many gazes on him. Furthermore, considering how much he stuck out of the crowd, as long as the Xiao Family member was present, they¡¯d notice him soon. Therefore, there was no reason he had to search for them. When Xiao Yuanmu noticed that Song Xuanhe had quit his search, he asked in a t tone, ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± ¡°Song Guochao, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe lied without batting an eye. ¡°I¡¯m dreading having to see him. Might as well find somewhere good to hide. Besides, if he sees that I¡¯ve brought you, he¡¯ll probably point at your face and curse you.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel any guilt while tarnishing Song Guochao¡¯s reputation in front of this future big shot. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s suspicions dwindled upon hearing this, because Song Guochao and his wife really weren¡¯t here in the hall. It was to be expected that Song Xuanhe would spend a bit more time searching if he was looking for them. ¡°When Song Guochaoes over, he¡¯ll definitely tell me to go pay respects to Old Mr. Wei with them. At that time, you should go around him.¡± Song Xuanhe continued to make the other sound bad, ¡°Otherwise, if he catches you, although he won¡¯t say much here, because we¡¯re in public, and he values his reputation, he might use this as an excuse to make trouble for you at work.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t care about this. He replied in a t tone, ¡°He has nothing to do with my department. He won¡¯t be able to cause me any trouble.¡± ¡°He can.¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows at him as if he was looking at an innocent littlemb. ¡°He¡¯s Song Guochao. Song Group¡¯s Chairman of the Board is his father. And, you¡¯re saying that he won¡¯t be able to cause you trouble? As long as he finds you an irksome presence, he¡¯ll have a myriad of ways to teach you a lesson.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t reply. Song Xuanhe continued, ¡°You¡¯re being oppressed by the Song Family, because you¡¯re dating me and especially because you work for ourpany. Before, Song Guochao hadn¡¯t done much to you, because he thought I was just ying with you. But when he sees how I¡¯ve brought you to such an important banquet, rm bells will definitely start to ring in his head. He¡¯ll think that I¡¯m serious about you. He¡¯ll even think that I might marry you in the future. When that happens, he will certainly try to think up ways to break us up. However, he can¡¯t do anything to me. Therefore, won¡¯t he try to vent his anger on you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze, his serene eyes darkening slowly. His tone was dark and unreadable. ¡°Will you?¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. He didn¡¯t know how to react. ¡°Will I what?¡± Xiao Yuanmu shifted his gaze, the corner of his lips rising slightly. He said, ¡°So, you had been pursuing me with intentions of marrying me from the start.¡± Song Xuanhe finally reacted. He thought back to the nonsense he had been spouting while attempting to help Xiao Yuanmu avoid getting into an awkward situation. He licked the corner of his lips and was just about to exin himself when he saw Xiao Yuanmu turn to look at him again. The darkness had dissipated from the other¡¯s eyes. They had be clear and tranquil. It was just that there was now something else hidden in the depths of those eyes. But before Song Xuanhe could think too much of it, he heard the other continue, ¡°So, you were lying to me when you had said that you had erectile dysfunction?¡± Song Xuanhe had no clue how things had taken such a drastic turn. He was about to speak when Xiao Yuanmu once again beat him to the chase. ¡°You¡¯re just unwilling to do it before marriage.¡± Turned out, he could¡¯ve just used this as an excuse! When he heard Xiao Yuanmu say this, Song Xuanhe was nearly incapable of concealing his joy as this realization dawned upon him. To not want to do it before marriage¡­wasn¡¯t this the best excuse to use? It was the least likely to cause trouble for him in the future. Why hadn¡¯t he thought of this before? Song Xuanhe realized the advantages of ¡°admitting¡± to this at once. His acting skills came out full st. He furrowed his brows and then turned his face away, eyes lowering as he pursed his lips slightly. It looked just like he was feeling guilty and was unwilling to admit to it after having been exposed. A few secondster, he spoke in an awkward voice, ¡°Although few people care in this day and age, my family is pretty traditional.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell on the other¡¯s slightly trembling eyshes. Based on the other¡¯s performance, it seemed like he was telling the truth. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were lowered, so Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t see his eyes. It was very difficult to tell whether or not he was being honest. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m too old-fashioned?¡± When Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hear Xiao Yuanmu respond, his tone became harsh as he ¡°flew into a rage out of humiliation¡±: ¡°If you can¡¯t ept it, then we¡­.¡± Before Song Xuanhe could finish speaking, his chin was forcibly raised. When his eyes met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s, he subconsciously wanted to look away out of guilt. However, he forced himself to endure it. He continued to stare into the other¡¯s eyes righteously. He even frowned and said, ¡°Let go of me. If you can¡¯t ept it, just forget about it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu let go as he had wished. This was because he had retrospectively remembered how good this person was in hiding his emotions when he met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. Since he wouldn¡¯t be able to tell whether he was being honest or not, things wouldn¡¯t change no matter what he said. In any case, he wasn¡¯t actually all that curious as to what the answer was. Because their appearances were too eye-catching, their interactions had drawn the gazes of many since a while ago. When they had seen Xiao Yuanmu raise Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin, a youngdy in a short dress had even covered her face. ¡°They look so good together. It¡¯s so sweet!¡± Another girl beside her felt regretful. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that they didn¡¯t kiss.¡± The expression of Song Guochao, who had been passing by them as they chattered, became ashen. But, he still forced out a smile as he greeted the other guests on his way over. He felt like he would go crazy from how drastically different his outward appearance was to his feelings. Therefore, when he had finally reached Song Xuanhe, he couldn¡¯t hide his disgust for Xiao Yuanmu. He didn¡¯t even nce at him. Instead, he simply red at Song Xuanhe and then looked at Li Nianan as if he was unwilling to speak to Song Xuanhe. Li Nianan didn¡¯t mind. She first smiled at Xiao Yuanmu and then spoke to Song Xuanhe in a gentle tone. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell Mom you were going toe? If you had told Mom, I would have prepared a suit for you. We were about to go say hi to Old Mr. Wei. Come with us.¡± It was expected that a family would go greet the banquet host together. Since he hade, Song Xuanhe naturally would not refuse to do this, especially because it had been Li Nianan to suggest it. In front of Song Guochao, Song Xuanhe pulled on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand and said to him, ¡°I¡¯m going to head over there for a bit. Wait for me here.¡± When he heard Song Xuanhe speak to him in an unprecedentedly gentle tone, a strange light flickered through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He then nodded his head in agreement. Li Nianan had only attended this banquet with Song Guochao to show outsiders that the Li Family and Song Family were still getting along. Now that Song Xuanhe was present, Li Nianan naturally let go of Song Guochao and looped her arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s. ¡°He bao, you haven¡¯te home in a few days. You look thinner.¡± Song Xuanhe, who had never had an older family member show concern for him like this, didn¡¯t know that all mothers would always feel like their sons had gotten thinner after having not seen them for a few days. Therefore, he touched his face in surprise and honestly said, ¡°I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve lost weight. I weighed myself recently. I gained two and a half pounds.¡± Li Nianan carefully examined his face and sighed. ¡°No, you really look like you¡¯ve lost weight. It¡¯s probably because you haven¡¯t been able to eat at home, so you¡¯ve been starving.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Xiao Yuanmu is a really good cook. I eat a lot every day.¡± ¡°Then, maybe it¡¯s because you¡¯re not getting enough nutrition from his meals,¡± Li Nianan insisted, ¡°Come home soon. Mom will help you make up for theck of nutrients.¡± If Song Xuanhe still didn¡¯t understand what Li Nianan was really hinting at here, he¡¯d be a real idiot. But even though he had understood what she meant, he still didn¡¯t know how to respond. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± When Li Nianan didn¡¯t hear a response, she looked at him, displeased. ¡°I just want you toe home for a meal. Will it get in the way of your love life?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°I¡¯lle home to eat with you sometime during the next few days when I¡¯m free.¡± Song Guochao was silent and had an icy expression on the whole way to Old Mr. Wei¡¯s lounge on the second floor. However, as soon as the door to the lounge had opened, a smile immediately graced his face. He said, ¡°Old sir, may your happiness be as immense as the East Sea.¡± The lounge was huge. There was quite a number of elderly people sitting inside, including Old Mr. Wei. When he heard Song Guochao¡¯s blessing, he nodded. ¡°Thank you for your kindness.¡± Song Guochao smiled and continued to give his good wishes. Old Mr. Wei had already gone through this with other guests and had already gotten used to hearing all sorts of good wishes. Therefore, the faint smile on his face didn¡¯t change. He looked very kind. Song Xuanhe simply stood on the side, arm around Li Nianan. He couldn¡¯t help but sincerely sigh upon hearing Song Guochao continually give Old Mr. Wei his blessings without ever repeating one. He thought that Song Guochao really wasn¡¯t meant to go into business. With this kind of wit, a profession inedy suited him much better. Song Guochao still hadn¡¯t finished speaking yet when someone knocked on the door. Old Mr. Wei quietly told the person outside toe in. Song Guochao also tactfully stopped speaking. The person outside didn¡¯t say anything and directly walked in. When he passed Song Xuanhe, he paused and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t see you downstairs earlier. Turns out you were here.¡± When he had heard Wei Chen speak to the other in a rather familiar voice, Old Mr. Wei, who had had a perpetual faint smile on, suddenly looked up in surprise. He looked at Song Xuanhe and Li Nianan, who were standing in the back. Song Xuanhe had everyone¡¯s curious gazes on him as well as Song Guochao¡¯s extremely shocked gaze. He smiled slightly and said, ¡°I came to congratte Old Mr. Wei for his longevity.¡± Afterwards, he cast a polite gaze in Old Mr. Wei¡¯s direction. He bent down into a slight bow and said, ¡°Old Mr. Wei, Mother and I hope that you always shine as brightly as the sun and moon and that you are ever-young like the red-crowned crane and pine tree.¡± Very few people knew that Old Mr. Wei¡¯s favourite nt was the pine tree and that his favourite animal was the crane. Song Xuanhe¡¯s good wishes had precisely aligned with his tastes. Furthermore, Song Xuanhe had spoken with an easy-mannered, steady attitude. Altogether, this caused Old Mr. Wei to show a rare fondness for him. He smiled and replied, ¡°Since you¡¯re Wei Chen¡¯s friend, just call me Grandpa Wei. There¡¯s no need to be so distant.¡± Song Xuanheplied. ¡°Grandpa Wei.¡± Most of the people sitting here knew of the Old Mister¡¯s tastes. Although they were a bit surprised that he had taken a liking to this young man, it was just for a moment. After all, they all knew that Wei Chen, this youngster, had a cold personality and few friends. It was rare for him to have a friend outside of his usual few. Therefore, it was only to be expected that Old Wei would treat him more kindly. Meanwhile, Song Guochao¡¯s eyes had widened in shock. You could count on one¡¯s fingers how many people in the Capital around his age were allowed to call Old Mr. Wei, ¡°Uncle Wei.¡± Likewise, there were just as few people in Song Xuanhe¡¯s age group who could call him, ¡°Grandpa Wei.¡± He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would enter Old Mr. Wei¡¯s eyes in their first meeting. Moreover, he hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to be on good terms with Wei Chen, the Wei Family¡¯s only legitimate grandson. Song Guochao wasn¡¯t sure how he felt about this. Song Xuanhe was his son. Even though they didn¡¯t have a good rtionship, if other people knew that Song Xuanhe had won Old Mr. Wei¡¯s favour, his own position would rise up. It was just that, if Song Xuanhe had this kind of support and Old Mr. Song¡¯s support to boot, it would be even more difficult to predict whether the Song Family would be handed over to Song Xuanlin or Song Xuanhe. When he recalled how he had inadvertently found out that Song Xuanlin and Wei Chen had a sort of friendly rtion, Song Guochao sighed in relief inwardly. Perhaps Wei Chen looked at Song Xuanhe favourably because his rtionship with Song Xuanlin was good. That might be why he was giving Song Xuanhe some face.
The author has something to say: Truth or false: Song Xuanlin: I¡¯m not a bad person. Song Guochao: I won¡¯t go die so easily. Song Yansong: I have already decided on my sessor. Song Jiani: Even if I die, I won¡¯t give up on Xuanhe gege. Xiao Yuanmu: I will never fall in love with anyone. Wei Chen: I think that Song Xuanhe is a bit interesting. Six questions, full score is sixty points. What do you guys think?
Eve: LOL SXH keeps digging his own grave. Sometimes I wonder if this boy processes the things he says. And SGC, dream on. WC def doesn¡¯t look at SXH differently because of his brother. Chapter 59: Hug Him, Kiss Him Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Because of Wei Chen, Song Xuanhe had to stay on the second floor to chat with all the elderly men. Actually, whenever he had wanted to bid goodbye, Wei Chen or Song Guochao would interrupt him. Although the two people had different motives, their actions brought about the same result¡ªby the time Song Xuanhe hade downstairs, there was an icy-cold expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face that he hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face was usually cool, it was still serene. Furthermore, because of their interactionstely, although they weren¡¯t close, Xiao Yuanmu would at least greet him when he saw him again. Sometimes, he would even hold Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand, refusing to let go, on a whim. However, when Song Xuanhe finally sat down next to Xiao Yuanmu at noon, the other only gave him an insipid nce. When he looked away, the look in his eyes was frosty. It looked like there was ayer of thin ice over his face. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t need to consult his previous experience. He was able to easily tell that the big shot was angry. ¡°Song Guochao seems to want to use Old Mr. Wei to change his fortunes. He wouldn¡¯t leave after we had entered the room and didn¡¯t let either my mother or I leave either. Old Mr. Wei also couldn¡¯t shoo us away, so I was forced to stay there.¡± Song Xuanhe was able to easily figure out why Xiao Yuanmu was unhappy as soon as he saw him. In the next second, he was also able to pass the me off of himself in one clean sweep. As expected, as soon as he had finished speaking, although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, his gaze did return to Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. ¡°He¡¯s got a good idea.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel guilty for talking crap behind someone else¡¯s back, even if the other was this body¡¯s father. He continued, ¡°Indeed, he¡¯d be able to rise up by clinging onto the Wei Family. You must have seen it too. The gazes directed towards him have changed. In a few days¡¯ time, those friends of his who had previously started to avoid him will probably call him up.¡± Although Song Xuanhe¡¯s words were impolite, they were true. When his family hade downstairs with those important elderly men, he had noticed the smiles on the faces of the other guests as they had greeted them. Those people had then turned around and whispered guesses to each other. Shortly after Song Guochao had sat down, Song Xuanhe had seen several people at the other¡¯s table chatting him up. ¡°So, it wasn¡¯t because of Wei Chen?¡± As Xiao Yuanmu said this, his eyes narrowed slightly. His drooping eyshes fluttered open, revealing his peach blossom eyes as he looked up. The outer corners of his eyes curved a bit. He was still a bit taller than Song Xuanhe even when they were both seated. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t read the expression in the other¡¯s eyes, but he seemed to realize what exactly had been making the other unhappy. ¡°Of course not.¡± Song Xuanhe replied without any hesitation. ¡°I¡¯ve only met him a few times. Why would he have me stay?¡± Regardless of why Xiao Yuanmu had asked him this, Song Xuanhe would never say that he was on good terms with one of the big shot¡¯s future pursuers. Moreover, he and Wei Chen really were strangers who had only met a few times. It was probably because Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply had held no hesitation and had been very firm, but the ice on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face melted. For some baffling reason, he even chuckled. Song Xuanhe¡¯s intuition told him that there was something he didn¡¯t know. Therefore, he asked the System:¡¾What happened to Xiao Yuanmu while I wasn¡¯t here?¡¿ The System said£º¡¾I don¡¯t know either, brother. After the crucial scenes have ended, you be nothing but an insignificant character to the big shot and the book. Therefore, my tracking and monitoring ess also be limited. If you¡¯re not within a set distance to the big shot, I can¡¯t see what¡¯s happening to him.¡¿ ¡¾How useful.¡¿Song Xuanhe had already gotten used to Er Gou beingpletely useless. After sarcastically roasting him once, he didn¡¯t ask any other questions. In front of the main table of the banquet hall, there was a two-step-high podium. Currently, someone from the Wei Family was making a speech there. Based on his looks, he was probably Wei Chen¡¯s father, who had not made an appearance until now. It was probably because of his upation, but Mr. Wei, who had been enlisted in the army since he had been young, spoke very briskly. He didn¡¯t speak much. He simply thanked everyone foring and then announced for the banquet to begin. One of the absolutely indispensable parts ofrge Chinese banquets were toasts. Shortly after the dishes had been brought out, there was even more mingling and drinking inside the hall. There were people standing up and moving around from every table. They all wanted to chat and toast people they knew or wanted to get to know. A momentter, aside from Old Mr. Wei¡¯s table, Song Xuanhe¡¯s table, which was mostlyposed of the younger generation, was the most quiet table. Song Xuanhe was very satisfied. In the beginning, when he had heard that Old Mr. Wei had invited a chef whose ancestor¡¯s services had been employed in the imperial kitchen and who had been frequently invited to serve at state banquets for three generations, he had been very intrigued. Now, upon tasting the food, he realized that this chef did indeed live up to his reputation. Most of the people sitting at this table were Wei Chen¡¯s childhood friends. Several of them were second-generation rich kids who were on good terms with Wei Chen and in the same social circles. They had never seen Song Xuanhe before. However, they knew that, although they were all at a table in the back, everyone here was close friends with Wei Chen and simply didn¡¯t want to mingle with their elders. Everyone else at this table knew each other. For there to suddenly be two new faces, they would naturally feel curious. Since Song Xuanhe had sat down, he had had no intention of chatting with the other people at the table. He only quietly ate the food on the table. He didn¡¯t even look at anyone else through his peripheral vision. Eventually, one of the people at the table could not hold back and asked, ¡°Song shao, we heard that your rtionship with Chen er is quite good, but we¡¯ve never seen you before. How about we have a meal together one of these days?¡± Song Xuanhe had walked over with Wei Chen earlier. He had naturally discovered that the people sitting here were all Wei Chen¡¯s good friends. It was also because of this reason that he hadn¡¯t spoken too much. He didn¡¯t want Xiao Yuanmu to think that he was close enough to Wei Chen that he could even join the other¡¯s friend group. When he heard someone speak to him, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes had curved into a smile. He drew a clear line between himself and Wei Chen. ¡°We¡¯re not that close. Can¡¯t say that our rtionship is particrly good. We were probably ced here because we had decided to attend sote, so there were no other spots left.¡± The person who had spoken to him obviously hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to answer like this. The other people were also surprised. It wasn¡¯t that they were being conceited; it was just that, even if someone didn¡¯t painstakingly try to curry favour with them, they still would never act like they didn¡¯t want to get in with them. Although Song Xuanhe was smiling, and his words hadn¡¯t been offensive, it was very clear that he didn¡¯t want to get too close to Wei Chen or them. Everyone here had proud and arrogant personalities. It was rare for them to put down airs and speak to others. However, this young man had expressed that he didn¡¯t want to get involved with them. Even if they wanted to say more, they wouldn¡¯t bother to anymore. Song Xuanhe was quietly happy. Except for Xiao Yuanmu, few people at their table ate. Song Xuanhe ate slowly while Xiao Yuanmu ate without haste. The two of them acted like no one else was around as they ate the dishes on the table. They tasted each dish with impable manners. The other people suddenly felt their appetites stir while watching them. Unwittingly, they found themselves picking up their own chopsticks. It was just that, shortly after they had picked up their chopsticks, the toast army had finally reached them. Most of the people who woulde here to toast them were other young rich second generations. Although Song Xuanhe had a decent family background, his family was less influential than those who came from old money. Therefore, no one particrly looked for him to toast. Even if the toasters didn¡¯t want to be too obvious and would toast the whole table, Song Xuanhe would refuse with the excuse of having just taken cold medicine. Therefore, the people who came to toast him and Xiao Yuanmu dwindled even more. Waves and waves of toasters came and went. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem affected at all. That is until one young man, who came to toast,ined, ¡°My father and I went to toast the main table just now. We had originally wanted to talk to the Xiao Family¡¯s people, but it was full over there. We couldn¡¯t squeeze in.¡± That person then continued to prattle on. ¡°Those people don¡¯t dare to loiter around the elderly folks at the main table, so they went to fawn over the Xiao Family instead. I also saw that Guan shao was sitting at that table. The person from the Xiao Family was really arrogant. Except for Guan shao, he didn¡¯t talk to anyone else. I think that it is actually fortunate that we hadn¡¯t managed to cram in. Otherwise, I¡¯d have been really fricking ufortable having to watch my father smile obsequiously to that person.¡± The expression in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes changed slightly. He then casually cast his gaze over to the main table. He remembered where Guan Zhi sat, because the other had alsoe over with him. When he recalled how Song Guochao had looked at him with aplicated emotion only to change his attitude towards him in a sh upon finding out that he was acquainted with Guan Zhi, Song Xuanhe felt amused. There was a good show going on at Guan Zhi¡¯s table, because it was near the main table. Therefore,pared to the peaceful main table, although that person had been exaggerating when saying that he hadn¡¯t been able to squeeze in, there was indeed an endless stream heading to that table. The crowd never seemed to thin. The table was surrounded. But, what excuse should he use to go over to the Xiao Family representative? As soon as this issue cropped up in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind, his phone sounded loudly. Song Xuanhe unlocked his phone and saw that Guan Zhi had sent him a text: Quicklye over here, and make up an excuse to drag me out of here! I¡¯m annoyed to death by these people!!!! Just what he needed. Those exmation points made it very clear as to just how little patience Guan shaoye had left right now. However, this didn¡¯t affect Song Xuanhe¡¯s good mood at all. He put his phone away and smiled at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Guan Zhi asked us to make up an excuse and get him out of there.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had also heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s text tone. Nevertheless, he wasn¡¯t interested. ¡°Go by yourself.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Song Xuanhe said seriously, ¡°How can I squeeze into that crowd on my own? You also heard it just now. There¡¯s a lot of people over there. You have to help push me in.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at the table that was indeed surrounded but not to the point of being impossible to cram into. His expression didn¡¯t change as he said coldly, ¡°Not going.¡± ¡°You have to go with me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked over. Only then did Song Xuanhe realize that he had sounded rather overbearing just now. Even so, he remained calm and said, ¡°We¡¯re not going toe back and will probably leave this ce right away. Are you nning on staying here alone?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu got up and followed Song Xuanhe to Guan Zhi¡¯s table. From afar, it had looked like there were a lot of people there. However, when they got closer, they discovered that there weren¡¯t as many as they had thought. After all, everyone present at this venue valued their reputations. Even if they wanted to curry favour with the people sitting here, they wouldn¡¯t act like aunties fighting over vegetables on sale at the supermarket. But then again, if that were to happen, it¡¯d be hard to say whether they were nning on currying favour with or offending the people at the table. Thus, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were very easily able to walk over to the spot opposite of Guan Zhi¡¯s seat. It was the opposite seat, because there were five or six people hovering around Guan Zhi. They would have had to brush shoulders with those other people if they had wanted to get over there. When Guan Zhi saw Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, his eyes lit up. His impatient expression changed. ¡°My friends came. We have something to discuss, so I¡¯ll be taking my leave.¡± The young man who had been talking to Guan Zhi frowned. He looked up at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu across from them. There was little difference in the amount of time his gaze was on either person. He only nced at them indifferently before looking away. It was obvious that he didn¡¯t recognize Xiao Yuanmu. Actually, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t recognize the young man from the Xiao Family either. The Xiao Family was immense, and there were countless members. Except for some people he¡¯d gotten along with from the main family and some branch families¡ªas well as some families rted to the Xiao Family by marriage¡ªXiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t actually met all that many people from the Xiao Family despite having been apart of it for over ten years in hisst life. The two Xiao Family members were very indifferent towards each other. Neither of them recognized the other. Song Xuanhe, who had originally been looking forward to this, was disappointed. What was odd though was that there was also relief mixed in with his disappointment. ¡°Since your friends havee, you should go,¡± The young man surnamed Xiao said, ¡°Uncle will probablye here to check up on business. We¡¯ll probably hold a dinner party when the timees. If you¡¯re still in the country, you muste.¡± Guan Zhi gave him a half-hearted response, stood up, and rushed over to Song Xuanhe. ¡°You finally came.¡± After they got a ways away, Guan Zhi finally started toin. ¡°I hate events like this. Those people always go on and on and on. And that Xiao Cuo, I have no idea why he started to talk to me. He had probably gotten annoyed by the surrounding people, so he decided to bother me. Because of him, I didn¡¯t want to sit there for even one second longer.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard the other finish his rant, he absentmindedly asked, ¡°That guy just mentioned that you were going to leave? When?¡± Guan Zhi¡¯s steps paused. He raised a brow, and one could see that he was a bit pleased with himself. ¡°What? You can¡¯t bear to see me leave?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe also raised a brow. The answer was obvious. Guan Zhi snorted. ¡°I was going to treat you to fine Canadian cuisine. Forget it.¡± When he saw that Song Xuanhe made no reaction to his words, Guan Zhi circled back to the previous topic. ¡°I hadn¡¯t decided when I¡¯d go back. But when that Xiao Cuo said that his uncle or whoever was going toe and would be holding a wee feast that I¡¯d have to go to if I were to still be here, I decided to leave before his uncle arrived.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard this, he sighed regretfully. ¡°I have already made a reservation for that restaurant that serves Imperial cuisine that you wanted to try. It¡¯s scheduled for half a month from now. By that time, you¡¯ll probably be gone. I guess we¡¯ll try again the next time you¡¯re back in the country.¡± Guan Zhi¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Are you serious? Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d have to book half a year in advance?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°It is my friend¡¯s reservation. He said that he wouldn¡¯t be able to make it that day, so he transferred his reservation to me.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯lle back in half a month,¡± Guan Zhi replied quickly, ¡°School doesn¡¯t resume until half a monthter anyway, so I can go back after eating.¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly remembered that Guan Zhi had juste of age. For once, he felt guilty as if he was deceiving a kid. Therefore, Song Xuanhe, whose conscience suddenly came online, eased up his tone while speaking to Guan Zhi. ¡°You mentioned that you wanted to eat fried sticky rice balls from the Long Tail Alley, right? I¡¯ll take you there when you have time.¡± Guan Zhi blinked, and excitement filled his voice. ¡°Really? The hundred-year-old restaurant you said was really hard to find?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°The boss of that restaurant¡­.¡± ¡°Watch where you¡¯re walking.¡± Midway through his sentence, Song Xuanhe was pulled by Xiao Yuanmu and ended up stumbling. He nearly fell into the other¡¯s arms. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe turned around to look at the rather t floor. He looked confused. ¡°A part of the carpet had been flipped over,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°You stepped on it while avoiding it and ended up flipping it over.¡± Song Xuanhe mulled over it. However, no matter how hard he tried to recall the scene, he couldn¡¯t tell whether or not he had stepped on something soft just now. Regardless, he didn¡¯t think Xiao Yuanmu would lie. Therefore, he simply smiled with his eyes. ¡°Thanks.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was cool. ¡°No problem.¡± Guan Zhi had also turned to look at the t carpet. He didn¡¯t quite get it. Although he had been chatting with Song Xuanhe just now, he hadn¡¯t been so absorbed that he hadn¡¯t been paying attention to what was underneath his feet. He clearly remembered that the carpet had beenpletely t. No part of it had been flipped over. But by the time he hade out of his thoughts, Song Xuanhe had already given his thanks. Therefore, Guan Zhi didn¡¯tment on it. After all, it was no big deal. Maybe Xiao Yuanmu had seen it wrongly. After Xiao Yuanmu had interrupted their conversation, Song Xuanhe¡¯s good conscience had seemed to have disappeared. They had already reached the end of the banquet hall¡¯s corridor. After pushing the door open, they¡¯d be outside. Thus, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°We still have something to do. You should go back by yourself. We¡¯ll be going now.¡± Guan Zhi nodded. He was about to push the door open when he suddenly thought of something. He turned his head and asked, ¡°Do you know Liu Xu?¡± Song Xuanhe paused and then nodded. ¡°I attended a party in the past.¡± Guan Zhi frowned. ¡°There had been a lot of girls apanying the men there to drink. One of them had been Liu Xu. That particr party had been really¡­well, in any case, it hadn¡¯t been a decent party. Don¡¯t be fooled by her.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t thought that the next time he would hear about Liu Xu after she had been cut off by herpany would be from Guan Zhi¡¯s mouth. However, Song Xuanhe was also surprised when he heard Guan Zhi say such things. This was because although Liu Xu was snobbish, she was also very proud. Even if she¡¯d been cut off right now, she must still have some savings left. Even if she had really wanted to look for a new supporter, she shouldn¡¯t have fallen so low as to have to participate in a party like that where you¡¯d be shared by everyone. However, Guan Zhi had misinterpreted Song Xuanhe¡¯s surprised expression. He thought that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t believe him. Therefore, he furrowed his brows and said, ¡°I¡¯m telling you the truth. I only got to know her after seeing the scandal between you two on the news. After that, when I saw her at that party, I had also been a bit shocked. I made sure to ask someone to confirm her identity before I told you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Song Xuanheughed. When he heard the other¡¯s awkward concern, he exined himself. ¡°I don¡¯t really know her, so you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Guan Zhi¡¯s ears turned red, and his eyebrows knitted even more tightly. ¡°Who¡¯s worried about you? I¡¯m just repaying you for helping me out of that situation just now and for taking me out to eat in this past half a month¡¯s time. The people of the Guan Family have never liked owing other people.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Got it. You¡¯re not worried about me. Guan shao, can you open the door now?¡± Guan Zhi pursed his lips, and it looked like he wanted to say something else. But in the end, he only snorted and pushed the door open. The three of them left the banquet hall. They had just reached the hotel¡¯s lobby when they heard someone shout, ¡°Song shao!¡± Song Xuanhe stopped walking and turned to look at the iing person. Lu Chao walked over quickly. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu next to Song Xuanhe, he paused for a second before quickening his pace. He said, ¡°Song shao, I¡¯ve been calling you all this time, but I haven¡¯t been able to reach you.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow but didn¡¯t respond. Lu Chao felt awkward but still continued to speak. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to invite you to have a meal with me to apologize and make things up to you forst time. I didn¡¯t want to just make it up to you but also to apologize to Xiao¡­Mr. Xiao. But, I couldn¡¯t get a hold of you. I also couldn¡¯t find you. Therefore, I¡¯ve never had the chance until now. Will you do me the honour of having a meal with me?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. He had no intention of speaking. Lu Chao¡¯s expression froze slightly. Who knew if it was because he was angry or embarrassed, but his skin flushed slightly. A whileter, he turned his head stiffly towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Mr. Xiao, I was wrong aboutst time¡¯s matter. I hope that you¡¯ll forgive me. Please do me the honour of letting me treat you and Song shao to a meal and putting this matter behind us.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected for Lu Chao to so shamelessly try this roundabout manner. However, his idea was obviously a bad one. Xiao Yuanmu was not someone who would be easy to deal with. As expected, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. His gaze was firmly on the empty air in front of him. He didn¡¯t even nce at Lu Chao out of the corner of his eye. After a few seconds had passed without a response, the expression on Lu Chao¡¯s face turned even uglier. But for the sake of his parents and his family¡¯s business, he could only force himself to endure the embarrassment and humiliation. He took a step back and gave Xiao Yuanmu a ny-degree bow. He suppressed the emotions in his voice. ¡°Mr. Xiao, I¡¯m sorry. I had been so senseless. Please forgive me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak. Guan Zhi also hadn¡¯t left either, because he thought that this situation was amusing. He simply stood there with his arms folded as he watched the show. A person was bowing while three other people simply stood across from him, watching him like they were watching a show in this spacious hotel lobby. Very quickly, this scene attracted quite a few gazes. Quiet whispers arose in the originally quiet lobby. Although he couldn¡¯t see the spectators¡¯ expressions, Lu Chao knew that they were definitely pointing at him and talking about him. He gritted his teeth, and the hands at his sides clenched into fists. There was an unconcealed hatred and look of humiliation on his face. ¡°Mr. Xiao, Song shao?¡± A young man dressed in a long, white wool coat walked over. He seemed quite surprised to see this scene. His eyes were widened, and his tone was cautious. ¡°What¡­is happening here?¡± What a coincidence for them to bump into Bai Mo here. Song Xuanhe raised a brow and subconsciously turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. Just as with Lu Chao just now, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change at all as if he didn¡¯t recognize Bai Mo or care why the other had appeared here. Bai Mo, however, acted like he didn¡¯t notice the other¡¯s indifferent expression. He smiled. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected to bump into you two here. My father has gotten his hands on some good wely. I had been nning on sending some over to you, Song shao. But, I realized that I didn¡¯t have your contact information. That¡¯s why I haven¡¯t managed to gift it to you.¡± Song Xuanhe acted like he hadn¡¯t heard what Bai Mo was implying. He smiled. ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Bai shao. But, you don¡¯t have to give that wine to me.¡± Lu Chao, who had been bent over this whole time, could feel blood gradually rushing to his head. His ears turned even more red, but Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t react to him at all. Song Xuanhe was even leisurely chatting with someone else. Lu Chao couldn¡¯t help but straighten his back. ¡°Song shao, actually, I wanted to ask you for help.¡± This time, Song Xuanhe finally replied to him. He looked at the flushed Lu Chao and asked in an indifferent tone, ¡°What are you to me? Why should I help you?¡± The author has something to say: Everyone had different answers to thest chapter¡¯s questions. Here¡¯s a spoiler: Three are true, and three are false. As for which are true and which are false, that¡¯s up to you guys to determine. Eve: Wow so much is happening this chapter HAHA. Hope there¡¯s some face-pping for BM and LC . Chapter 60: You’re my Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Eve: I made a simple character rtionship guide that includes most recurring/notable characters. I forgot Yuanyuan and the Director but I think people remember them enough. They also don¡¯t show up much after a certain point.
Lu Chao¡¯s expression changed. He hadn¡¯t expected that Song Xuanhe would still refuse to give him a way out of this embarrassing situation despite all he¡¯d done. In the past, Song Xuanhe had considered him a good friend. Now, he¡¯d fallen out with him over his little lover. It was obvious that their previous camaraderie had been fake. Song Xuanhe had just so happened to be lucky enough to be born in a better family. What right did he have to look down on him and humiliate him like this? Song Xuanhe¡¯s indifference and disregard had utterly humiliated him. The expression on thepletely mortified Lu Chao¡¯s face turned malevolent. Even though he had already tried to cover it up, he couldn¡¯t stop some of the malice from leaking out of his eyes. Xiao Yuanmu easily sensed the hostile gaze. His own eyes involuntarily paused over Lu Chao¡¯s face. Although the pre-rebirth him had memories of Lu Chao, it was his own memories from his previous life that left the greatest impression. After having returned to the Xiao Family in hisst life, the Xiao Family had quickly held a banquet to announce his identity. Families from all over China hade to participate. After finding out his true identity, the Song Family had also sent someone to sound out his intentions. Naturally, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been willing to let Song Xuanhe go. Therefore, he had said that the Song Family was his enemy. A month after he had said that, the Song Family had sent someone to pass on a message. They had said that they would not let Song Xuanhe off and would give Xiao Yuanmu a satisfactory oue. Back then, he had already been trying to assimte into the Xiao Family and had had to guard against other people¡¯s malicious covert attacks. He had already forgotten about Song Xuanhe. Another half a monthter, he had then received news that Song Xuanhe had been lured into drug addiction. And, the person who had done the luring had been the person in front of him right now, Lu Chao. He had been Song Xuanhe¡¯s best friend back then. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t really felt anything when he had heard about this. This was because he had already been under great pressure with the Xiao Family¡¯s matters. Aside from telling one of his subordinates to make a bit more trouble for the Song Family, he hadn¡¯t had any more time to take revenge on Song Xuanhe or the Song Family. Who would have expected that, when he had finally gained a steady foothold in the Xiao Family, he would find out that Song Xuanhe had previously fallen to the point of having to sell himself? Furthermore, because he had offended one of his patrons, he had been thrown into a forest that was supposed to be used as a secret colosseum of sorts. He had died with his corpse torn to pieces. The person who had secretly orchestrated all of this had also been the person in front of him, Lu Chao. When he had heard of Song Xuanhe¡¯s ending in hisst life, he had been momentarily surprised. Although he had loathed Song Xuanhe, he hadn¡¯t hated him to the point where he¡¯d throw stones at someone who had already died a tragic death. He also knew that, although Song Xuanhe¡¯s death hadn¡¯t been directly caused by him, it had happened because of him. Although he hadn¡¯t directly orchestrated it, his revenge could be considered fulfilled. After finding out that Song Xuanhe had died, he had thrown all his memories of the Capital and Song Xuanhe to the back of his mind. It had been only another five yearster that he had received news of the Song Family and Lu Family again. ¡ª¡ªLu Chao had been murdered in an extremely sadistic fashion. His dismembered corpse had been deposited in the wilderness. By the time the Lu Family had found him, all that had been left had been his upper half and one thigh. Lu Chao¡¯s death had been very simr to Song Xuanhe¡¯s. Furthermore, the Lu Family had been fully aware how important of a role Lu Chao had yed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s death. Therefore, after Lu Chao had died, they had immediately thought that the Song Family had been responsible for his death. Back then, although the Song Family had been on the decline after having been suppressed in all directions, a dying camel was still stronger than a horse. They were not something the small Lu Family could casually use. Furthermore, the Song Family would never admit to such a thing. Everyone in the Capital had known that Song Xuanhe had been expelled from the Song Family back then. No one thought that the Song Family would risk offending the Xiao Family Head to get revenge for him. The Lu Family had been without proof, and they couldn¡¯te up with a motive. Therefore, they could only give up. Yang Jie had known about what had happened between Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe. He had told Xiao Yuanmu all of this for fun. Or maybe, he had been hoping that this would have bettered his mood. But, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been interested. The other¡¯s words had gone in one ear and out the other. Right now, when he saw how Lu Chao couldn¡¯t hide that fierce gaze in his eyes, a cold light emerged in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s own. From what he knew, regardless of which life it had been, Song Xuanhe had treated Lu Chao well prior to the pool party. He really wanted to know just why the other had disregarded their friendship and had been so eager to cause Song Xuanhe¡¯s demise. In his previous life, Lu Chao had meddled with his revenge and messed up his ns. It had been his fault that Xiao Yuanmu had felt little satisfaction after getting revenge on Song Xuanhe. Back then, he hadn¡¯t had the time nor interest to haggle over this. But now that he had thought about it, he felt quite unhappy. Xiao Yuanmu suppressed the coldness in his eyes. Since it was like this, making the Lu Chao of this life pay could be considered karma. Lu Chao wasn¡¯t good at controlling his expressions. Song Xuanhe also noticed this. Originally, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t really felt anything. But now, a sliver of anger appeared in his chest. Xiao Yuanmu getting revenge on the original host could be considered karmic retribution. But, what Lu Chao had done to the original host had been nothing but a case of repaying kindness with enmity. Song Xuanhe hated ungrateful people like this the most. He would make Lu Chao experience everything the original host had suffered in the book. Song Xuanhe wiped the indifferent expression off his face. His slightly hook lip ttened, and he asked in a t tone, ¡°You said you wanted my help. Tell me, what do you want help with?¡± Lu Chao hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanhe to suddenly change attitudes so quickly. Although he didn¡¯t know what had caused this change, it still meant that he finally had some hope. A hint of joy appeared on Lu Chao¡¯s face. He parted his lips, about to tell him about his family¡¯s situation. However, when he realized where they were and that there were others around, he shut his mouth again. Song Xuanhe observed Lu Chao¡¯s expression the whole time. The original host had known Lu Chao very well. Therefore, Song Xuanhe was able to very easily read Lu Chao¡¯s face. He knew what the other was worried about¡ªhe was worried that he would not be able to raise his head in the circles if he were to talk about his family¡¯s predicament here. As expected, Lu Chao looked around and then said hesitantly, ¡°Er shao, how about we go somewhere else to talk?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time to go somewhere else with you. Tell me here, or don¡¯t evere pester me again.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hold back. Lu Chao, who had thought that the other had softened and was, thus, prepared to talk about his circumstances, filled with apprehension. He promptly said, ¡°Don¡¯t go. I¡¯ll say it here. Er shao, I wanted to ask you to talk to the Song Group¡¯s suppliers. Recently, they have teamed up to push out my family. Because of this, we have lost a lot of merchandise supply rights. It¡¯s not just with the Song Family. Otherpanies¡¯ suppliers have also been roped in by them, and they now hold a monopoly. They¡¯re trying to force my Lu Family into a dead end!¡± Lu Chao said thatst sentence with a tone of righteous indignation. He looked at Song Xuanhe with wide, reddened eyes, emotions clearly stirred up. He waited with anticipation for the other to reply. When Song Xuanhe heard this, he raised a brow, and his gaze travelled over the other¡¯s face. ¡°It¡¯s not like I can¡¯t help you put in a few words, but how will you repay me?¡± When he saw Lu Chao¡¯s face flush, Song Xuanheughed. He didn¡¯t bother to hide the ridicule in his eyes. ¡°Or, were you nning on getting my help for free? Did you want me to interfere with the interests of the suppliers my Song Family have worked with for a long time for you without anything in return?¡± Under Song Xuanhe¡¯s derisive gaze, Lu Chao clenched his fists. He sucked in a deep breath and then forced out a smile. He tried to put his hand on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Aren¡¯t we friends? How can you¡­.?¡± Before he could finish, his hand was grabbed. The person who had grabbed his hand frowned and then flung his hand away with disdain on his face. That person then said, ¡°Speak with your words. Why are you trying to get physical?¡± That person then turned to speak to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Everyone around you is like this. Just like trash. I¡¯m so disgusted that I don¡¯t think I¡¯ll be able to eat. Remember to take me to that Chinese restaurant in half a month. I¡¯m going to leave first.¡± Guan Zhi swaggered off. Lu Chao¡¯s expression alternated between that of fury and shame. Lu Chao noted down Guan Zhi¡¯s appearance. He forced his anger back and asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Er shao, who was that just now?¡± ¡°Guan Zhi.¡± Song Xuanhe noticed Lu Chao¡¯s changing expressions and said insipidly, ¡°But, you should be grateful that you didn¡¯t manage toy your hands on me. Otherwise, I would not have the patience to continue speaking to you. Tell me right now, what can you do for me in return? Otherwise, get lost.¡± Lu Chao gnashed his teeth. He now knew that Song Xuanhe really didn¡¯t care about their past friendship at all. He had no choice but to ease up his tone. ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to help me, the Lu Family will do anything in return.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, ¡°What if I want Lu Yue toe back home?¡± When he heard this, Lu Chao¡¯s expression changed drastically. He widened his eyes in disbelief. ¡°Song Xuanhe! What do you mean by this?!¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and said in a frosty tone, ¡°Tell Uncle Lu that I have no other conditions. I just so happened to have met Lu Yue once and have a good impression of him. Take it as me doing him a favour, because I¡¯m in a good mood. As long as Lu Yuees back, I¡¯ll speak on the Lu Family¡¯s behalf.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother paying any attention to Lu Chao¡¯s expression. He bypassed the other and left. * The previously mentioned Mr. Xiao, who had been nning toe to China for inspection purposes, arrived very soon. Less than five days after Old Mr. Wei¡¯s birthday banquet, he arrived. The young Xiao Family representative hadn¡¯t concealed anything at the banquet. The people who had been secretly inquiring about the matter and waiting for news all found out as soon as Mr. Xiao had arrived. They all longed to attend the Xiao Family banquet. Prior to the banquet, Song Xuanhe unexpectedly heard about this Mr. Xiao, who hade to inspect his family¡¯s businesses, from Xiao Ranyun. This Mr. Xiao was actually Xiao Ranyun¡¯s father. Therefore, even without Guan Zhi, Song Xuanhe had been given an invitation to attend the Xiao Family banquet. There were two invitations, actually. Xiao Ranyun was very considerate and had given Xiao Yuanmu his own. After Old Mr. Wei¡¯s birthday banquet, Xiao Yuanmu had been so busy that Song Xuanhe had barely seen him. Typically, aside from at work, Song Xuanhe would not see him around. Xiao Yuanmu had stopped cooking. From that day on, Song Xuanhe ate at the work cafeteria or called for takeout. It was also because of this that Xiao Yuanmu had also stoppeding to eat at his office for lunch. One morning, after waking up from an urge to pee, Song Xuanhe found it difficult to fall back asleep. Therefore, he decided to go downstairs with the intention of making something simple for breakfast. After all, Xiao Yuanmu had already stopped cooking in the mornings. However, on his way downstairs, he noticed that the study light was on. Xiao Yuanmu was currently speaking English to talk on the phone while also typing on hisptop. It looked like he had worked through the entire night. Song Xuanhe could guess what the other was doing. Without speaking, he retreated from the study. For the first time, he realized that Xiao Yuanmu would very likely leave this ce soon and go where he should go. Xiao Yuanmu would find his true identity and his real family. When that happened, they would probably not see each other much right up until he left this world. He didn¡¯t know why, but although he had been looking forward to the Xiao Family banquet all this time, Song Xuanhe suddenly lost interest in it now. He didn¡¯t continue to go downstairs. Instead, he turned around and went back into his own room, flopping back onto his bed. Eyes open, he tried to mull over some things. But in the end, he couldn¡¯t manage to focus. Therefore, on the day of the banquet, Song Xuanhe, who had been excited all week didn¡¯t feel interested anymore. In contrast, Xiao Yuanmu, who had lost weight after staying up for several nights in a row, seemed to be in a good mood. When he saw Song Xuanhe wearing the tailored suit the Song Family had sent him, he even gave him a rare smile andpliment: Not bad. Song Xuanhe looked up and examined Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. He pursed his lips. After debating it for a bit, he still asked, ¡°What have you been so busy withtely? I don¡¯t remember thepany giving you so much to do.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s slightly curled lips ttened back down, and his expression became a bit colder. When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s probing expression, his expression turned even more frigid. He looked away. ¡°You wanted me to quit all this time, so I¡¯ve decided to do as you wish.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback for a moment. He should have masked his emotions and denied Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words, but aftering back to himself a few secondster, he suddenly realized that he didn¡¯t want to act anymore. Therefore, he turned his face away andughed. ¡°Then, if I were to say that I want to break up with you right now and for you to move out, will you do as I wish?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. He turned back to look at Song Xuanhe, his dark gaze fixed on the other¡¯s profile. A long timeter, he said in a frigid tone, ¡°No.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± a sliver of derision flickered through Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes as he said, ¡°Don¡¯t use me as an excuse.¡± Neither of them spoke to each other on their way over. They didn¡¯t even look at each other even after having arrived at the venue. When Zhou Nan saw them, he let out a whistle and joked, ¡°Yo, did you guys fight? Does that mean that I won¡¯t be forced to eat dog food today?¡± Song Xuanhe paused while walking and then rolled his eyes icily at the other. He was going to reply when he suddenly realized that the emotion that had suddenly arisen in him before they had set out had really been abnormal. ording to his future ns, he shouldn¡¯t be angry at Xiao Yuanmu while he was still here. Everything had been fine in the past. He had no idea why his mood had turned sour so abruptly this morning. What he had said hadn¡¯t been like him at all either. When Zhou Nan noticed Song Xuanhe silently pursing his lips, he couldn¡¯t help but turn to look at Xiao Yuanmu. He gave the other a look and mouthed: Did you piss him off? Xiao Yuanmu gave him an insipid look and then looked away. Zhou Nan clicked his tongue and spread his hands out. ¡°Fine. I won¡¯t disturb you two. I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± He had just taken a step when Song Xuanhe stopped him. ¡°Have you seen Lin zi? He said that he¡¯s going to bring someone today.¡± Zhou Nan nodded. ¡°I was waiting here for you because of that. He did bring someone. He told me to take you over to him when you came.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu. He had indeed been weird this morning. His goal was originally to get Xiao Yuanmu to quit. And yet, after Xiao Yuanmu had said that he would quit, Song Xuanhe had suddenly turned cold and angry. If he had been in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s shoes, he would probably also be unhappy and think that the other was sick in the head. ¡°I have a meeting with Lin zi and the guest he brought.¡± Song Xuanhe felt a bit guilty. For once, he softened his expression as he spoke. ¡°Do you want to go with me? You can also rest here on your own, and I cane find youter.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were like a bottomless pool. There was some unreadable emotion hidden in the depths of his serene eyes. He stared at Song Xuanhe, whose attitude had suddenly changed, and responded in a cool voice. ¡°I¡¯ll rest here for a while.¡± Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe left together. When they were far enough that they were out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hearing range, Zhou Nan bumped his fist against Song Xuanhe¡¯s chest and smiled mischievously. ¡°What were you fighting about this morning? Were things not going wellst night?¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He then elbowed Zhou Nan in the gut. He didn¡¯t hold back at all. Zhou Nan bent down in pain. ¡°F*ck! Even if it¡¯s true, you don¡¯t have to take it out on me!¡± Zhou Nan stood back up, hand on his stomach. ¡°If there¡¯s an issue with your sex life, take it up with him. What are you hitting me for?!¡± Song Xuanhe turned around and waved his fist at the other. Zhou Nan shut up. After a few more steps, Zhou Nan couldn¡¯t hold it back any longer. He asked, ¡°Is his technique bad? Did it not feel good? How about I lend you a few films¡­.?¡± ¡°Say that again?¡± Zhou Nan shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ll be quiet.¡± ¡°No, say it again.¡± Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes and said in a threatening tone, ¡°Repeat everything you said just now, word for word.¡± Zhou Nan shook his head again and then seriously said, ¡°If you¡¯re talking about those films, I can only say that I don¡¯t actually have many that would be relevant to you. But if you need them, I can help you find them.¡± Song Xuanhe gnashed his teeth and then looped his arm around Zhou Nan¡¯s neck. He then whispered, ¡°Listen carefully. I¡¯m the one on top. Don¡¯t make this mistake again next time.¡± Zhou Nan shrunk back. He widened his eyes, and his mouth opened in clear disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re kidding me, right? How is that possible?¡± Song Xuanhe gave him a cold look. Although he had doubted himself after seeing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body and aura, it was fact that Xiao Yuanmu was supposed to be the bottom. He couldn¡¯t exin this without bringing up the book, so he simply said in a very confident tone, ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t it be possible?¡± Until they met with Xiao Shenglin, Zhou Nan had looked like his three views had been shattered. After introducing Song Xuanhe and Feng Tong to each other, he asked, ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± ¡°Because his eyes and thoughts were too narrow-minded, he suffered a shock.¡± Song Xuanhe said inly. Zhou Nan didn¡¯t speak. He sipped his coffee quietly, gaze vacant. There was a purpose for this meeting today, so Xiao Shenglin looked away. He then smiled gently. ¡°We haven¡¯t had a chance to let the two of you meet until now. There had never been a suitable time. You two should take advantage of today to chat.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. There was a smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Feng Tong, I really like your designs, especially thest one from your most recent autumn-winter collection. Your original cut paired with that unique use of wool was absolutely stunning.¡± Feng Tong had also seen Song Xuanhe¡¯s designs before. He already admired the other very much. Now that he heard the other praise the piece he was most proud of, he couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°I can¡¯t take all the credit for that. Actually, the material for making ancient handmade suits is monopolized by my teacher¡¯s family. He used his authority to help me find out how the ancients had made clothes out of that material. That had been where I had gotten my inspiration from. Therefore, it was all due to the precious knowledge the ancient people have left behind.¡± ¡°Modern machines have already taken over the job of tailoring. No one in thest few decades hase up with a new cut.¡± Song Xuanhe had never been stingy with hispliments towards a fellow designer who he admired. There was a genuine smile in his eyes. ¡°Mr. Feng Tong, this creation of yours has brought forth a revolution in the world of design. You deserve all praise.¡± Everyone liked to hear kind words, especially when there was substance to it. Feng Tong¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°If you praise me like this, then I must praise you back. My breath had been taken away when I had first seen your designs. Actually, I wanted to ask, did you mix your own colours for your clothes? I have always been good with colours in school, but I have never been able to make the colour you did no matter how many times I tried. I¡¯m really curious about your expertise and precision with colours. Thebination of colours in every single piece you design is stunning, and it makes it impossible to look away from them.¡± Feng Tong had grown up overseas but had been brought up with the traditional values of this country. Therefore, although he was extremely curious, he was still polite and tactful. He gave people a very good impression. Song Xuanhe indeed had a good impression of him. He didn¡¯t hide his mixing technique at all and even told the other about his experiments in blending colours in the past. The two of them had only talked for less than half an hour, but they were already calling each other by their names. Xiao Shenglin sat on the side, smiling. He quietly listened to them talk. Zhou Nan hade back to himself a long time ago. He couldn¡¯t help but feel shocked when he heard those two talk about fashion design with so much confidence andposure. He asked Xiao Shenglin, ¡°Howe I never knew that Song Er learned fashion design before? And, that he¡¯s actually talented in it?¡± When Song Er heard Zhou Nan¡¯s words, he realized that he had gotten carried away just now. He was about to think up an excuse to exin his sudden interest in design when he heard Zhou Nan say, ¡°But, he¡¯s always liked to draw as a kid. He probably secretly learned this behind Uncle Song¡¯s back. This isn¡¯t anything major. Hey, did you know Song Er just said that between him and Xiao Yuanmu in bed¡­.¡± ¡°Did you forget that I¡¯m sitting right here?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to side-eye him. Zhou Nan shrugged. ¡°I don¡¯t like talking behind other people¡¯s backs, so I¡¯m saying it to your face.¡± Xiao Shenglinughed. ¡°You¡¯re quite confident that you¡¯re in the right.¡± ¡°As long as I know I¡¯ve done nothing wrong, why wouldn¡¯t I feel like I have justice on my side?¡± Zhou Nan crossed his legs and shrugged. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with him. He continued to chat with Feng Tong until the other had no choice but to leave upon receiving a sudden call. Only then did they end their conversation despite wanting to continue it. Coincidentally, the young man surnamed Xiao from Old Mr. Wei¡¯s banquet had also appeared in the hall. Therefore, the three of them got up and went to look for Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Lin zi, seriously, thank you for this.¡± Song Xuanhe recalled the colouring and cutting techniques he had just heard about, which were different to those from his original world. His eyes sparkled, and there was an unprecedented brilliance to his smile. ¡°I was ecstatic, getting to chat with Feng Tong just now. I learned so many things that I¡¯ve never heard of before. I got a lot from that.¡± It was rare for Xiao Shenglin to see him smile so brightly. He couldn¡¯t help but rub the other¡¯s head. He also smiled and said, ¡°If you like design, you can go learn it in school. Even if Uncle Song doesn¡¯t approve, you can think of another way.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head, but his smile didn¡¯t change. He had only said that before to convince Xiao Shenglin and Zhou Nan that he had learned design behind Song Guochao¡¯s back. But, fashion design meant a lot to him. He didn¡¯t want to lie too much about it. Therefore, he changed the topic. Zhou Nan hadn¡¯t been interested at all. He instead searched for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s silhouette, bored to death. Finally, he managed to find the other and shouted, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu!¡± Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin also turned at the same time. They noticed Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing not too far from them. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was on Xiao Shenglin¡¯s hand atop of Song Xuanhe¡¯s head. His eyes then drifted down to Song Xuanhe¡¯s clear, bright smile. The light in his eyes gradually turned cold.
Eve: Ooh, angst is ramping up. Break up talk. But MuMu clearly isn¡¯t going to be okay with it. And XYM getting jealous over XSL is never not funny. Also fulfills my love for the jealous!ML trope. It¡¯s a guilty pleasure. Chapter 61: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara Song Xuanhe noticed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s foul mood right away. The other wasn¡¯t trying to hide it at all. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe carefully examined Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s dark, icy pupils. The other¡¯splexion was deathly pale. Something was wrong. Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile disappeared and was reced with a concerned expression. ¡°Did something happen while I was gone?¡± Xiao Yuanmu pursed his thin lips slightly. When he saw that Song Xuanhe was genuinely worried for him, he grabbed the other¡¯s warm hand. Suddenly, his mood had improved. He then shook his head. ¡°No.¡± Xiao Shenglin and Zhou Nan stayed a bit further back. They hadn¡¯t been able to tell that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mood had been different from what it had been before. This was because in their eyes, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression had been the same. But when they had heard Song Xuanhe ask that, Zhou Nan chuckled and said, ¡°Weren¡¯t you two fighting? You made up after being apart for a bit?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hold stiffened. Actually, he had forgotten all about that. That was why he had asked Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± just now. Now that Zhou Nan had reminded him, he btedly realized that perhaps Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been upset over something that happened in his absence but was rather still displeased with his ridicule from this morning. Upon having his sore spot poked, Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes at Zhou Nan. Zhou Nan instantly understood that perhaps his words might cause the couple who had just made up to argue again. Therefore, he quickly tried to remedy the situation. ¡°This must be real love. None of Song Er¡¯s previous lovers had been able to reconcile with him after angering him.¡± Song Xuanhe felt like there was something off with what Zhou Nan had said. But before he could pinpoint what, he saw Xiao Yuanmu lower his gaze at him. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°No one!¡± Zhou Nan realized that he had misspoken again. After shouting that, he coughed and turned to look at Xiao Shenglin for help. Shenglinughed. ¡°The banquet will start soon. Xuanhe had been looking for you since our chat had ended. Since you two have managed to reconvene, you guys should head over first.¡± Zhou Nan was startled. He had wanted to ask Xiao Shenglin why he hadn¡¯t tried to speak up on Song Er¡¯s behalf, but Song Xuanhe cut him off. ¡°Okay. Right, Shenglin, don¡¯t you have to go over there too?¡± Xiao Shenglin shook his head. ¡°I¡¯m just a really distant rtive from a branch family. Furthermore, I already greeted Uncle when I had arrived. I don¡¯t have to go over there again.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then very naturally led Xiao Yuanmu over. Halfway, he paused and turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You¡¯re squeezing my hand really hard.¡± Xiao Yuanmu rxed his hold, but he didn¡¯t respond. He instead sped up so that he was now the one leading Song Xuanhe. However, Song Xuanhe finally realized just what had been wrong during that pause. He squeezed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand a bit more tightly. He could feel how cold the other¡¯s hand was. He then looked back up and realized that the other¡¯splexion was paler than normal. He asked, ¡°Why is your hand so cold? Your face is also a bit pale.¡± When Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin had heard this, they also turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. At this moment, they also noticed that Xiao Yuanmu was paler than usual. But aside from this, they didn¡¯t notice anything else. Just in case, Xiao Shenglin asked, ¡°Yuanmu, are you not feeling well?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was calm, and his back was straight. Although he was a bit paler than normal, it wasn¡¯t a sickly pallor. He did seem fine. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. He had wanted to say something else, but Xiao Ranyun and the young man from the Xiao Family from before had walked over. Xiao Ranyun smiled at them. ¡°Ge, Dad told me to call you and everyone else toe sit with him.¡± Xiao Shenglin was rather surprised. ¡°It¡¯s all Uncle¡¯s guests on that side. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for us to go over.¡± The young man from the Xiao Family nced at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. He then said in a t voice, ¡°Uncle obviously has his own ns since he¡¯s called you over. Just go.¡± Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t say anything more. Song Xuanhe frowned imperceptibly. The look in that young man¡¯s eyes just now had been hostile. ¡°Actually, Dad heard that you guys are on good terms with Guan Zhi ge. That¡¯s why he wants you guys toe visit.¡± Xiao Ranyun red at the young man from the Xiao Family and continued, ¡°Guan Zhi gege didn¡¯te today. Apparently he¡¯s not feeling well. So, Dad wanted to ask you guys how he is doing.¡± Xiao Shenglin frowned slightly. From what he knew of the Xiao Family and Xiao Ranyun¡¯s father, they were not the type to invite strangers over to chat about a guest who wasn¡¯t present. Everything the members of the Xiao Family did, they did for a reason. But even after having pondered over it carefully, he couldn¡¯t figure out what his Uncle Xiao Nan wanted. ¡°It¡¯ll be fine,.¡± Xiao Ranyun batted her eyshes. ¡°My dad is easy to get along with.¡± This was someone else¡¯s banquet. It would be very rude not to go over when the host himself had invited them. Therefore, they had to go over regardless. Song Xuanhe nodded when he thought of this. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll have to trouble you with leading the way.¡± ¡°Xuanhe gege, you¡¯re too polite.¡± Xiao Ranyun smiled. Their party followed Xiao Ranyun over to the banquet¡¯s host. Xiao Ranyun walked over, wrapped her arms around Xiao Nan¡¯s arm, and spoke in a coquettish voice. ¡°Dad, I brought Shenglin gege and them over,.¡± Xiao Nan was a middle-aged man with a refined temperament. When he had heard his daughter speak up, he ruffled Xiao Ranyun¡¯s hair dotingly. He then smiled at Xiao Shenglin and then at the rest of the party. ¡°Sorry, I hope I didn¡¯t disturb you. I heard Ranran say that you took very good care of her while on the cruise. I should have been the one to have gone looking for you, but I really¡­couldn¡¯t leave here. I could only call you three over to thank you in person for having taken care of Ranran.¡± Zhou Nan smiled. ¡°Uncle Xiao, you¡¯re looking down on our friendship by saying this. Ranyun is Shenglin¡¯s cousin, so she¡¯s basically family to us. Furthermore, she¡¯s a very clever kid. We didn¡¯t really have to take care of her.¡± Xiao Nanughed while shaking his head. ¡°I know my daughter. She¡­¡± He didn¡¯t finish his sentence. His gaze shifted to Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. His gaze was gentle. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you two must be the Song Group¡¯s Song er shao and Mr. Xiao.¡± Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu nodded at the same time. One of them was smiling while the other had a distant expression on his face. But, neither or them spoke. Xiao Nan didn¡¯t mind. He continued to speak to Song Xuanhe with a smile. ¡°Xuanhe¡ªcan I call you that? Thank you for taking care of Ranran on the cruise. Ranran has mentioned you often. Seeing you today, I must say, you are a remarkable young man.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°It was nothing much. Mr. Xiao doesn¡¯t need to thank me.¡± ¡°Even so, I should still thank you.¡± Xiao Nan chuckled. ¡°Ranran also said that you are rather skilled in mixing drinks and that you adore wine. Therefore, I have prepared a bottle as a gift. It has already been sent to the Song Family.¡± The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face didn¡¯t change. ¡°Then, I must thank Mr. Xiao.¡± ¡°It is only polite. There¡¯s no need to thank me,¡± Xiao Nan said, ¡°But since you all are Ranran and Shenglin¡¯s friends, just call me Uncle.¡± The three of them nodded. Song Xuanhe secretly thought that people from the Xiao Family were not so simple as expected. A bottle of wine as a gift was very appropriate. Furthermore, the ce he had sent it to was tastefully chosen. When Song Guochao found out who the sender of that wine was, he would probably have even more misgivings towards Song Xuanhe gaining yet another ¡°backer.¡± Xiao Nan then looked at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but feel close to you when I heard yourst name. Now that I¡¯ve seen you, I feel even closer. It¡¯s probably because we share the samest name.¡± Upon hearing this, Xiao Yuanmu nodded. He replied in a t voice though, ¡°Thank you. However, myst name was given to me by the orphanage director. She gave me the surname ¡®Xiao¡¯ after looking at the bushes. That¡¯s all.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. The gaze he had directed towards Xiao Yuanmu turned weird. The book had said that when the Director had picked Xiao Yuanmu up, she had found a jade pendant on him. The character ¡°Xiao¡± had been engraved in that jade pendant. That was why the Director hadn¡¯t given him her surname as she had with all the other orphans. She had named him ording to the jade pendant. It was impossible for Xiao Yuanmu not to know this. So, why was he lying? ¡°So, that¡¯s how it is.¡± Xiao Nan didn¡¯t seem surprised when he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s background. He continued to smile. ¡°But, it is still fate for us to share a family name. Yuanmu, you don¡¯t mind me calling you that, right?¡± ¡°As you wish.¡± ¡°It must be fate for the Director to have chosen the surname ¡®Xiao¡¯ amongst the myriad ofst names.¡± Xiao Nan chuckled. He then brought the spotlight over to Zhou Nan. ¡°I had just been speaking to your father. I heard that you had managed the holiday vige in Nanzhou while you had been in university still. I¡¯ve gone there once before. It was impressive. You are indeed an outstanding young man.¡± Zhou Nanughed. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re exaggerating things. It was just a bit of practice while I was in school. It¡¯s not worth mentioning.¡± Xiao Nan was good at socializing. He didn¡¯t forget anyone. In the span of five minutes, he had thanked every single one of them. It was only when his assistant hade to call him that he had courteously said his farewells. He had also told Xiao Ranyun to take good care of them. After Xiao Nan and the young man from the Xiao Family had left, Zhou Nan said, ¡°Worthy of being part of the Xiao Family. I had heard that Uncle Xiao was a cultured and refined man before. Indeed, he¡¯s as the rumours have said.¡± Xiao Ranyun smiled. ¡°My dad is gentle. But, don¡¯t think that everyone from the Xiao Family is like that. Those uncles and big brothers all have a temper. My dad has the best temperament.¡± ¡°But sometimes, having a good temperament isn¡¯t necessarily a good thing.¡± When Xiao Ranyun said this, the smile on her face grew fainter but only for a moment. ¡°I heard that there¡¯s a ¡®floating pavilion¡¯ in this hotel. I¡¯ve always wanted to see it. Come with me?¡± Zhou Nan and them naturally didn¡¯t mind. They followed Xiao Ranyun into the elevator. This hotel¡¯s ¡°floating pavilion¡± was very famous and was located on the hotel¡¯s eighty-sixth floor. Because Xiao Ranyun had spoken to the hotel management already, there weren¡¯t many people around when they had arrived. Xiao Ranyun sat down on the ss, rxed, and looked down on the tiny stream of traffic and other buildings. She looked at the cityscape, excited. After having asked about what a few special-looking buildings were, she pouted. ¡°China is so fun. The Capital is really interesting. I want to stay here for longer, but it¡¯s going to be Xiao da shaoye¡¯sing-of-age banquet soon. All the members of the Xiao Family will be rushing back to the main residence. I want to stay here, but Dad won¡¯t let me. After the banquet, I¡¯ll have to start school as well. I don¡¯t know when I¡¯ll get toe back. I really want to stay, ah.¡± Xiao Shenglin also knew about this. However, he was very distantly rted to the main family. His side of the family was already considered a waning side branch. He didn¡¯t have the right to attend that banquet. Therefore, he could only smile andfort her. ¡°You cane back during your vacations. When that timees, just board one of the Xiao Family¡¯s nes, and I¡¯ll take you around to y.¡± When Xiao Ranyun heard this, she became happy. She talked about a few ces she was interested in. In the end, she grumbled, ¡°Dad could clearly find an excuse for us to not go. We¡¯re not going to have a fun time even if we go. There¡¯s so many rules at the manor. I honestly have no clue why Dad insists on going.¡± ¡°The eldest young master will finally be an adult. It is etiquette for all of the Xiao Family to go back.¡± Xiao Shenglin continued to console her. ¡°Theing-of-age ceremony will onlyst three days. Just bear with it for a bit, and it¡¯ll be over soon.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to bear with it.¡± Xiao Ranyun pouted. ¡°Except for his close cousins, Xiao Baicong doesn¡¯t talk to anyone else. And, Xiao Baicong is the only one considered royalty at the manor. Everyone else is his servant. I don¡¯t even want to spend a single second there.¡± When he heard this, Xiao Shenglin frowned. He gazed at the empty garden outside and said in a stern voice, ¡°Ranyun.¡± Xiao Ranyun realized that she had misspoken. She puffed out her cheeks and saw that there was no one outside. She then pouted. ¡°That¡¯s just the way it is. I was justining. Gege, why are you being so mean to me?¡± ¡°You should know what you should or should not say.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Iin?¡± Xiao Ranyun hadn¡¯t expected for her perpetually gentle cousin to suddenly speak to her in a fierce tone. Her eyes turned red, but she wasn¡¯t willing to act weak. ¡°I just said that Xiao Baicong doesn¡¯t talk to us. I didn¡¯t speak ill of him. Why are you being mean to me? What, should I treat him likemoners used to treat their lords in olden times? Should I be afraid of even talking about him?¡± ¡°Ranran.¡± Seeing that she was getting stirred up, Xiao Shenglin eased his tone and chided her. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who it is. Speaking ill of someone behind their back is not what ady should do.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, gege.¡± After having vented a bit, Xiao Ranyun calmed down. She cast her gaze down and apologized quietly. ¡°I was wrong.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t do it again.¡± Xiao Shenglin sighed. He then rubbed Xiao Ranyun¡¯s head softly and didn¡¯t say anything more. Since Xiao Ranyun had startedining about the Xiao Family, neither Zhou Nan nor Song Xuanhe had spoken. Aside from the fact that this was about the Xiao Family, it also wasn¡¯t their ce to butt into a conversation regarding someone else¡¯s family. Now that the conversation seemed to have finally ended, Zhou Nanughed. ¡°The dishes here at the floating pavilion are also delicious. Ranran, want to try? Let¡¯s order a few to try.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Ranyun looked at Zhou Nan gratefully and beamed at him. Zhou Nan got up and went to find the waiter who was on-call outside. Song Xuanhe took a sip of his drink, eyes lowered in thought. Xiao Baicong was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s biological half-brother, who he shared a father with. But in the book, he hadn¡¯t appeared all that often. The book had said that when Xiao Yuanmu had returned home, Xiao Baicong had already be an adult. It was very hard for Xiao Baicong to get close to his biological brother. Therefore, he had avoided Xiao Yuanmu most of the time. It could even be said that he hadn¡¯t cared that his brother had finallye home. He hadn¡¯t seemed to care about how Xiao Yuanmu had lived in the past or how he would fare in the future. The two of them had rarely done anything together. Since Xiao Baicong hadn¡¯t interacted with the protagonist very much, he naturally hadn¡¯t had many scenes. Most of Xiao Baicong¡¯s scenes had been towards the end of the book. Actually, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if it counted as the end as the author had simply stopped writing after that chapter. He could only guess that it was the end, because Xiao Yuanmu had already stabilized his position as the Xiao Family¡¯s sessor. In the final chapter, Xiao Baicong had been unexpectedly kidnapped, and Xiao Yuanmu had gone to save him. However, he was a step toote. The kidnapped Xiao Baicong had had his legs broken by his kidnappers. Even with the best treatment that the current level of medicine had to offer, his legs could not be healed. The best choice had been amputation. The book had ended with the doctor informing the Xiao Family that Xiao Baicong could only choose amputation. Thest line talked about how Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mother could not handle this news and had fainted with a wail. After that, there had been no more updates. Because of Xiao Baicong¡¯s identity and because he had been the supporting character with the most scenes at the end, Song Xuanhe had a very deep impression of him. When he had heard about Xiao Baicong from Xiao Ranyun, a weird feeling had risen in his heart. He involuntarily turned to nce at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu was looking down with an unclear emotion in his eyes. His lips were slightly pursed as if he was deep in thought. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. He didn¡¯t know if it was just his imagination or if the light was too bright here, but he thought that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯splexion had gotten worse. Song Xuanhe called out Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s name. When he saw the other look up looking the same as before, his heart calmed down. He asked, ¡°Do you want to drink anything? I¡¯ll get it for you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu refused. ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Drink a little bit of something,¡± Xiao Shenglin said, ¡°I remember that you haven¡¯t drank anything since you met up with us. It¡¯d be good to at least wet your lips.¡± When he had heard this, Song Xuanhe noticed that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips were very pale. After having carefully examined the other¡¯s face, he realized that the other¡¯s temples seemed a bit wet. Song Xuanhe reached out. As he felt the other¡¯s damp temples, he also felt how cold the other¡¯s face was. He unconsciously pressed his hand against Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s forehead. When he felt that the other¡¯s temperature seemed normal, he said, ¡°Do you not feel well? You¡¯ve broken out into a cold sweat. I¡¯ll take you to the hospital.¡± Xiao Yuanmu brushed his hand away indifferently. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Xiao Shenglin had also noticed the thinyer of cold sweat on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s forehead. He was also worried now. But because Xiao Yuanmu insisted that he was fine, he couldn¡¯t butt in. He could only look at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what to do. It was winter right now, and the temperature inside was just right. There was no reason why Xiao Yuanmu would be sweating. Furthermore, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s skin was cold. No matter how you looked at him, it didn¡¯t look like he was feeling hot. He then recalled how Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand had also felt a bit too cold when they had been downstairs at the banquet hall. When he thought of this, Song Xuanhe went to touch Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand that had been on the other¡¯sp. After feeling the other¡¯s chilly hand, his expression changed, and he stood up at once. In a tone that could not be refused, he said, ¡°I¡¯m going to ask someone to bring a thermometer. If your temperature is abnormal, you¡¯re going to the hospital.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really fine.¡± Xiao Yuanmu moved his hand away, his eyebrows knitting slightly. He exined calmly, ¡°I just haven¡¯t been sleeping enough, because I¡¯ve been staying up at night thesest few days.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Nan came back after putting in his order. He just so happened to have heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯sst sentence. ¡°I reserved a room downstairs. If you haven¡¯t been sleeping enough, you can rest there. I¡¯ll have someone send you some foodter.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and replied to Zhou Nan first. ¡°Sorry to trouble you.¡± He then got up and said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°I¡¯ll go rest on my own. You stay here.¡± He then nodded to Xiao Ranyun and Xiao Shenglin before leaving. Shortly after Xiao Yuanmu had exited the ss room, which seemed to be suspended in midair, Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He told Xiao Shenglin and them, ¡°I¡¯ll go with him,¡± before he chased after the other. Zhou Nan looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s back and sighed. ¡°Song Er really fell hard this time.¡± * Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t walk very quickly. A momentter, Song Xuanhe found him with the hotel¡¯s manager who was leading the way to the room. Song Xuanhe quickly caught up with them. He was about to say something when he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression turn slightly cold. The other practically ordered him, ¡°Don¡¯t follow me.¡± ¡°I just wanted to make sure you were okay.¡± Actually, when he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s straight back and steady steps, Song Xuanhe thought that there probably wasn¡¯t anything majorly wrong with Xiao Yuanmu. He was even more certain that the other probably just needed some rest when he heard that the other¡¯s voice was as cool as usual. However, despite that, it was a fact that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t feeling very well right now. Therefore, Song Xuanhe followed after him and gave him an exnation in a rare disy of patience. ¡°Wait until we take your temperature. If your body is fine, I¡¯ll go back up. Rx. I won¡¯t disturb your rest.¡± But, Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t grateful in the least. He stopped walking, and his voice turned even colder. ¡°I already told you, I want to rest on my own. You don¡¯t need toe with me.¡± Song Xuanhe also paused. He looked up into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s frosty eyes. He was about to say something more, but he pressed his lips back together upon seeing the cold sweat on the other¡¯s forehead. He stood in ce, using his actions to tell the other that he would not leave. At this moment, the manager tried to mediate. ¡°The room Zhou shaoye reserved is very spacious. Including the two main bedrooms, there are ten rooms total. If Song shaoye and Mr. Xiao wish to have your respective private spaces, you will not disturb each other.¡± Xiao Yuanmu started walking again. The only thing he said after entering one of the bedrooms was, ¡°Take whatever room you want, but don¡¯t enter mine.¡± When he heard the door in front of him lock, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt likeughing in anger. He kicked a chest by his foot and then turned to enter the neighbouring master bedroom. He found a random chair to sit on and started ying on his phone. With a cold expression, he pledged to stop meddling with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s affairs. In any case, they wouldn¡¯t be in contact once the other returned to the Xiao Family anyway. Who knew how long he had yed on his phone for, but eventually the suite¡¯s butler knocked on the outside door and brought food in. Song Xuanhe ate a bit and was about to call for someone to clear it up. But in the end, he clicked his tongue and resigned himself to knock on the other bedroom¡¯s door. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, time to eat.¡± There was no response. Song Xuanhe knocked a bit harder, but he couldn¡¯t hear anything from the other side even after two minutes. Suddenly, a bad feeling arose in his chest. He stopped knocking and started to bang on the door. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu! Are you okay?! Xiao Yuanmu?!¡± His pounding was very loud, but the hotel¡¯s sturdy wooden door didn¡¯t budge. There were no movements on the other side either. Song Xuanhe suppressed the panic in his chest. He calmly called for the butler to get the key and then quickly said to the System£º¡¾Help me check Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s situation right away. Tell me what¡¯s happening.¡¿ The System hesitated£º¡¾I can¡¯t scan him whenever I want to anymore¡­. ¡¿ ¡¾My three chances.¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was calm, and his voice was very steady£º¡¾I want to use one of them now.¡¿ ¡¾Think it over carefully. Those three chances were given to you for the purpose of saving your life in a life-or-death situation. Xiao Yuanmu is the protagonist. Nothing major will happen to him. Are you sure that you want to use one of your chances on him?¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was terrible. He said£º¡¾Yes. Do it now.¡¿ The System hadn¡¯t responded yet when the door was pushed open from the inside. Xiao Yuanmu looked more-or-less the same as when he had entered the room. He looked at Song Xuanhe coldly and said in a heavy voice, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes widened slightly. The butler had alsoe back with the key. However, upon seeing the situation, he bowed and withdrew. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s thin lips were tightly pursed. There was an anger on his face from having been disturbed. However, he didn¡¯t speak. ¡°If you¡¯re fine, then¡­¡± Song Xuanhe recalled how the other hadn¡¯t opened the door no matter how hard he had knocked. The concern on his face turned to ice. He suppressed his anger and said, ¡°I won¡¯t bother¡­.¡± Before he could finish though, he suddenly felt his body grow heavier. Xiao Yuanmu had fallen against him. Eve: Worried SXH is so cute. My poor babies and theirmunication issues aw. I¡¯m also clearly biased because all I could think was MuMu! Don¡¯t be mean to my He bao! Kara: Aiya, these two! My blood pressure! Just be honest with each other!! They worry me so much! I do love how SXH is starting to reach out to XYM though. He is starting to C A R E!!! ¦Ò(¨R¦Å¨Qo) I also hope MuMu is okay. (¡ä£»§¥£»£à) Chapter 62: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°Xiao¡­What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He subconsciously raised his hands to hold up Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s slipping body. His left handnded on the other¡¯s waist while his right hand pressed against the other¡¯s head. But upon touching Xiao Yuanmu, he discovered that both the other¡¯s forehead and back were drenched with cold sweat. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were tightly shut, and his lips were deathly pale. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Song Xuanhe patted the other gently on the face. The sensation beneath his palm was ice-cold. When he saw the other¡¯s eyshes tremble slightly, he promptly said, ¡°Where does it hurt? I¡¯ll help you to your bed and call the doctor over. Bear with it for a bit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes opened slightly. Even though he was feeling weak, the cold in his eyes hadn¡¯t lessened in the least. In fact, it was even chillier than normal. It was like something had sent ripples across a sereneke, only for theke to be suddenly encased in ayer of ice and snow. Beneath that ice was endless vignce and darkness. ¡°No need.¡± His voice was calm. He brushed off Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand that had been on his waist and slowly straightened his back. Aside from the dark, icy gaze in his eyes and his overly pale face, you wouldn¡¯t have thought that he had copsed just now. There were no signs of him feeling ufortable anywhere either. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that Xiao Yuanmu had just fallen against him and that he had touched the other¡¯s cold, wet forehead with his fingertips just now, Song Xuanhe would have been deceived by this serene act. ¡°You¡¯re not feeling well. But, it doesn¡¯t seem like you have a fever.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze shifted from the other¡¯s tense jaw to his frosty eyes. He calmly said, ¡°You nearly fainted just now. We have to call the doctor.¡± The chill in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes intensified with every word Song Xuanhe uttered. His voice was even colder than before, but there was also a trace of hoarseness from hisck of strength. He spoke in a halting manner, ¡°I. Said. There¡¯s. No. Need.¡± He lifted his chin. With his gaze slightly lowered towards Song Xuanhe, the frigid, stifling aura around him could no longer be repressed. In a very oppressing voice, he said, ¡°Leave now. Don¡¯t appear in front of me again until tomorrow morning.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t budge. He simply pulled out his phone and made a call. Xiao Yuanmu raised his hand, wanting to p the phone out of the other¡¯s hand. His tone was stern. ¡°Did you not hear what I just said?¡± ¡°I heard you.¡± Song Xuanhe avoided him. As he noticed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s increasingly paling face, he barked back coldly, ¡°Who said that I have to listen to you?¡± This interlude didn¡¯t affect his actions either. His call went through to the hotel¡¯s emergency line right away. He was about to tell the butler to bring a doctor over right away, but Xiao Yuanmu took the phone from him. His cold fingers trembled slightly as they brushed against Song Xuanhe¡¯s. ¡°Song Xuanhe¡­.¡± It looked like stealing the phone from him had taken up thest of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s energy. He suddenly staggered back. He couldn¡¯t help but cover his stomach with his hand. His pale lips pressed into a straight line, and a sickly pallor slowly took over hisplexion. Despite this, his back didn¡¯t dip down at all, remaining as ram-rod straight as ever. He was determined not to show any weakness. One hand was on his stomach while the other was tightly holding onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone. Although his fingers were clenched so hard that they had turned white, his tone was still as calm as ever. He even added another statement, ¡°My stomach is unwell. It¡¯s chronic. I¡¯ll be fine after resting for a while. Don¡¯t bother me.¡± Song Xuanhe continued to stare at him. The System had told him about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s situation just now: his irregr work/rest schedule and his consecutive all-nightersbined into a low-grade fever. His exhaustion and emotional fluctuations had resulted in stress-induced stomach cramps. Song Xuanhe had never had stomach cramps before. However, he had suffered from alcoholic gastritis because of excessive drinking before. He remembered the asional sharp, twisting pain and that difficult-to-endure sensation of feeling bloated and achy. Back then, there had been a forty-something-year-old man in the same emergency room as him. That man had also been experiencing extreme stomach cramps. He had been curled up on the bed, trembling and howling. He had alternated between shouting and vomiting. It had seemed like he would faint from the pain at any time. Song Xuanhe had always been afraid of pain ever since he had been young. He had remembered being so shocked by that patient that his own pain had seemed to subside. He had then asked the doctor, ¡°What is wrong with him? Is there something wrong with his organs?¡± The doctor had only nced at him calmly and replied, ¡°Severe stomach cramps.¡± ¡°Do they hurt?¡± ¡°Are you hurting right now?¡± The doctor asked him. Song Xuanhe naturally nodded. The doctor thenughed. ¡°They hurt ten times as much as you¡¯re hurting right now.¡± From that day on, Song Xuanhe hadpletely changed his messy lifestyle. He had eaten three meals a day at fixed times and had stopped drinking heavily. The tragic image of that stomach cramp patient had been firmly etched into his brain. Looking at the seemingly calm Xiao Yuanmu right now, Song Xuanhe¡¯s hanging hand suddenly twitched. All of a sudden, his chest hurt. What kind of frightening pain had Xiao Yuanmu gone through to be able to remain calm andposed when enduring pain that would make anyone else roll around, shout, and cry? Meanwhile, he didn¡¯t act any differently. How many difficulties had he ovee to be able to maintain such a strong, indifferent facade at all times? Even when he was in so much pain that he had broken out into a cold sweat, he wasn¡¯t willing to let anyone see even a hint of weakness. Suddenly, Song Xuanhe understood why Xiao Yuanmu had been rejecting his help. At the same time, he found himself incapable of breaking the other¡¯s hard shell. He didn¡¯t want to cause the other to bleed just to settle his own heart. Song Xuanhe took a step back. He nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was currently as white as a nk piece of paper, before looking away. He pretended to believe the other. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Go back and rest in your room. But, I¡¯m going to put a bowl of congee and some water in your room. After all, the kitchen worked hard to make it. You won¡¯t refuse this, right?¡± Xiao Yuanmu watched him for a moment. Actually, he didn¡¯t want anyone to disturb him at this time. He didn¡¯t want any other breathing being inside the suite. But, he knew how stubborn Song Xuanhe could be. Furthermore, he couldn¡¯t hold on for much longer. ¡°Bring it in and leave.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then immediately went to bring the congee over onto the bedside table in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s room. He also brought in a thermos of hot water. Afterwards, he nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who had been standing at the door with a hand over his stomach the whole time. He pursed his lips slightly. ¡°I won¡¯t bother you anymore. Rest.¡± As soon as he saw Song Xuanhe considerately close his door, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back, which he had been forcing to stay straight, bent over. Hand over his stomach, he slipped to the floor. The cold sweat on his forehead was dripping down and falling onto his ck suit pants, disappearing without a trace. A long time passed before the pain finally subsided a bit. There were no sounds of movement outside. Xiao Yuanmu shifted from his position on the ground¡ªcurled up with his arms around his stomach¡ªand locked the door. He then grabbed onto the door¡¯s copper handle and slowly stood up. He had already been doing his best to straighten his back, but the pain emanating from his stomach forced him to bend over again. After reaching the bed, he let go and allowed himself to fall heavily onto the mattress. Before closing his eyes, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze had shifted from the congee and thermos to the wall. He then stared at the wall for a moment as he waited for the dusky colours in front of him to disappear. He then shut his eyes and tried to endure the familiar pain. A slightly cold smile appeared on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips. This was¡­the most profound gift that his biological family had given him. As the pain increased, a trickle of blood fell from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips as he bit on them even harder. However, his mind was clearer than ever before. He had felt like things had constantly been out of his control after his second rebirth. But with the return of this chronic illness from his previous life, it felt like control was gradually returning to him. The hesitation and infatuation he felt were also being slowly driven out. The Xiao Family. That was his ultimate goal. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t return to his room. He stayed in the living room, perpetually ready to react if anything else were to happen to Xiao Yuanmu. The System saw that Song Xuanhe was silent and that there was a never-before-seenplicated expression on the other¡¯s face. It couldn¡¯t help but say£º¡¾Even if you had brought him to the hospital, there isn¡¯t any way for them to treat stress-induced stomach cramps. They would only be able to help dull the pain. Besides, it¡¯s just a low-grade fever. You don¡¯t have to worry. ¡¿ Song Xuanhe knew this. If it hadn¡¯t been because he understood this, he would have never let Xiao Yuanmu go back into that room on his own. It was just that he had suddenly thought of something. Would Xiao Yuanmu truly be happy if he went back to the Xiao Family? From the contents of the book, he knew that Xiao Yuanmu was crafty and skilled. Regardless of whether it was with business or the Xiao Family, he was able to handle it all with skill and ease. But¡­had he been happy? Song Xuanhe had never thought about this before. The readers of the book had probably never thought of this before either. Xiao Yuanmu in the book had found his biological parents, taken back his noble identity, taken revenge on the people who had offended him before, and had be the Xiao Family Head who everyone looked up to in the end. When he had read all of this in the book, Song Xuanhe had naturally thought that Xiao Yuanmu must have been happy. As an orphan, he should have been happy to finally be with his parents again. As someone who used to be on the bottom rungs of society, he should have been happy that he had be the sessor of a massive corporation. He should have been happy to personally take revenge on all of his enemies¡­. But, the author had never said whether or not Xiao Yuanmu had been happy. All he had said was that, after Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn, he hade to possess everything mortals yearned for. Anything and everything that humans would scrabble madly for were easily attainable for him. Everything he had oncecked was now made up with the best of the best. That had been why Song Xuanhe and the other readers had thought Xiao Yuanmu had been happy. But if he had been happy, why had Xiao Yuanmu still been so gloomy and cold even in the story¡¯ste stages? Had it really been the things Song Xuanhe had done prior to his rebirth that had made him permanently cold? Song Xuanhe covered his eyes. When the light disappeared, he felt like he could hear the muffled moans from Xiao Yuanmu through the walls as he endured the pain. They were weak and faintly audible¡ªlike he was an injured cub that had been forced back into a corner by the darkness, only to be helpless as the darkness¡¯s vines continued tosh out and take away itsst breath. ¡¾Song Xuanhe!¡¿ The System¡¯s voice suddenly rang in his head, drawing Song Xuanhe out of his thoughts. ¡¾What¡¯s wrong?¡¿ ¡¾What were you thinking about just now?¡¿For the first time, the System¡¯s tone was solemn. It said£º¡¾Abnormalities had suddenly appeared in the data pertaining to thepletion progress status for this world¡¯s central mission. This means that you suddenly had had an intense desire to destroy a crucial part of the plot. If you don¡¯t control your thoughts and actually end up doing something like that, the main System will immediately sense it. At that time, your mission would be forcefully terminated. In that case, because you would be judged as having had made the most grave of vitions, you won¡¯t even be given the chance to live out the rest of your life in your original body. Your soul would immediately be destroyed on the spot.¡¿ The System said£º¡¾Song Xuanhe, do not act presumptuously. Do not treat your life like it¡¯s a joke.¡¿ Song Xuanhe quietly listened to the System. He didn¡¯t lift the hand over his eyes, but he had already opened his eyes. Light from the chandelier above him trickled in through the cracks between his fingers, but for some reason, it currently reminded him of darkness. It felt like the light was turning him blind. ¡¾Song Xuanhe?¡¿The System called his name again, this time with concern in its voice£º¡¾Please think this through. Think about it, the plot regarding Xiao Yuanmu causing your tragic death with his words won¡¯t happen anymore. All you have to do is quietly stay in this world for another year and a half, and then, you¡¯ll be able to return to your original world with a healthy body! Don¡¯t make a mistake because of a moment of impulsiveness!¡¿ Make a mistake? Song Xuanheughed. The System was really worrying too much. He was not such a chivalrous person who would speak out against any and all injustices he saw. If he had been someone like that, he would never have agreed to the System¡¯s proposition to begin with. He wouldn¡¯t have overlooked all those things that had happened to Xiao Yuanmu because of the plot either, let alone have helped instigate them. From beginning to end, he had the least rights to sympathize or want to help Xiao Yuanmu. ¡¾Song Xuanhe?¡¿ When it heard Song Xuanhe¡¯sughter, the System felt flustered. Every time Song Xuanheughed like this, it was because he wasn¡¯t in a good mood. This didn¡¯t mean that he really intended to go against the plot, did it? ¡¾Song¡­.¡¿ Song Xuanhe interrupted the System and coldly said£º¡¾Don¡¯t worry. What you¡¯re worried about will never happen.¡¿ ¡¾Really?¡¿The System didn¡¯t feel very reassured. ¡¾Really.¡¿Song Xuanhe dropped his hand that had been covering his eyes, and he smiled£º¡¾Don¡¯t worry.¡¿ The System was only half-convinced. It still wanted to add one more thing£º¡¾Your parents¡¯ and your best friend¡¯s grave are all on that side. Don¡¯t¡­.¡¿ ¡¾Shut up!¡¿ Song Xuanhe suddenly stood up. For the first time, an icy, dark expression had appeared on his face. His fists were clenched tightly, and there was an extreme chill repressed in his low voice£º¡¾Z48, watch what you say. Don¡¯t ever mention something you shouldn¡¯t in front of me again.¡¿ It was the first time that Song Xuanhe had called the System by its original name. It was also the first time that it had ever seen such a terrifying expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face before. For a moment, it had been frozen stiff. Its data told it that it would be best for it to not speak right now. But for some reason, when it looked at Song Xuanhe, it was suddenly reminded of Xiao Yuanmu. Song Xuanhe¡¯s current expression was very simr to how Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression had been just now. The System cautiously said£º¡¾I understand.¡¿ Song Xuanhe stared into thin air with that cold gaze for a moment. A long timeter, he sat back down. He then grabbed a pillow and lied down on the sofa. His long, curled eyshes fluttered shut, wiping clean the fierce glint in his eyes. Everything went quiet. The next time he woke up, it was because of his cellphone¡¯s ringtone. There was no contact name, but the number seemed faintly familiar. Song Xuanhe nced at the already-darkened sky. He then looked at the tightly shut bedroom door. Slowly, he picked up the call. There was a trace of hoarseness in his voice from having just woken up. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s me, Lu Chao.¡± Lu Chao¡¯s voice was very quiet, and there was a strange lilt to his voice. ¡°Thanks to Er shao, that brother of mine has been brought back. Because you said that you had a favourable opinion of him, my father has cautiously settled him down in a master bedroom on the second floor and is preparing to invite you over for a meal. Er shao, will you do us the honour?¡± When he heard Lu Chao¡¯s voice, Song Xuanhe had been about to hang up. But when he heard what the other was talking about, he chuckled. ¡°There¡¯s no need to have that meal. The Lu Family has done well. I will make sure to have a few words with those supplier uncles. If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be hanging up.¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe!¡± Lu Chao¡¯s voice suddenly rose, echoing into Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear through the receiver. He couldn¡¯t help but bring the phone further away from his face. ¡°In any case, we were once good friends. You know that I hate that illegitimate brother of mine the most. You know that what I hate the most is the fact that his whore of a mother had destroyed my family. And yet, you had requested for my family to bring him back and recognize him as one of our own. Do you know that because of this, Lu Yue¡¯s hooker of a mother had dared to demand for a position in my Lu Family? My mother had been so angry that she had nearly tried to kill herself by jumping out of the building!¡± Song Xuanhe brought the phone back to his ear. He was in a bad mood right now and wanted some entertainment. Therefore, he said, ¡°And?¡± ¡°And what?!¡± There was a hint of hysteria in Lu Chao¡¯s suppressed voice. ¡°My father actually allowed that whore into our home. My grandparents, who had always been against this, gave their silent approval. Because my mother hadn¡¯t allowed it, my father threatened to send her to a mental hospital!¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe, you knew what would happen if Lu Yue was brought back! My mother treated you so well! Are you even human?!¡± Lu Chao denounced him over and over. Every sentence was filled with a difficult-to-suppress loathing. It sounded like he wanted to skin him alive through the phone. ¡°Is that it?¡± One of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands hung over the sofa¡¯s armrest, absentmindedly fiddling with the pages of a magazine on the coffee table. His tone was that of utter indifference as if he disdained Lu Chao for being so boring. ¡°Song Xuanhe, I¡¯ll make sure you pay for this!¡± Lu Chao was so angry that he couldn¡¯t speak anymore. After that final deration, he hung up. Song Xuanhe threw his phone onto the sofa and picked up the magazine he had been fiddling with. He started flipping through it, bored out of his mind. ¡ª¡ªImmensely rich, hidden families around the world, who don¡¯t show up in wealth rankings: the people who really constitute the crazy rich. The headline was pretty boring, but Song Xuanhe still continued reading. The Eight Great Families areprised of eight separate formidable families from all over the world. They include Germany¡¯s Hoffman Family, Canada¡¯s Guan Family, Japan¡¯s Yuan Family¡­. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows and went directly to the Xiao Family description. The Xiao Family is a powerful family whose origins can be traced back to ancient China. It is currently one of the major eight families. Since the 1980s, the Xiao Family has invested in the steel and railway industries. They have also entered the field of investment and banking. Even now, no one knows exactly just how much wealth the Xiao Family has amassed. Not only are they at the top of the pyramid, but also no one elsees even remotely close to them. The Xiao Family puts great emphasis on the education of their children and on privacy. Before a member of the Xiao Familyes of age, there will be little information about them. After having be an adult, members of the Xiao Family will appear at the forefront of one of the many industries the Xiao Family is involved in. Because of this, the matter of where the Xiao Family is based has be an even greater mystery. No one knows where they are settled¡­. After he had failed to find anything interesting while skimming through these two paragraphs, Song Xuanhe threw the magazine to the side, still bored. He then simply stared off into space, thinking about who knows what. Gradually, he fell asleep. By the time he had woken up again, it was already morning. Incidentally, the butler also appeared at this time. Even when he saw that Song Xuanhe had slept on the couch without having changed his clothes, his expression didn¡¯t change. After instructing the kitchen to prepare breakfast, the butler respectfully asked, ¡°Song shaoye, do you have any special instructions for breakfast?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the tightly shut door and spoke in a quiet voice. ¡°Prepare something light. It¡¯d be best if it was something a person with an upset stomach could eat. If it¡¯s avable, I would prefer it to be sweet congee.¡± The butler nodded and left to ry the instructions to the kitchen respectfully. Song Xuanhe went into his room to take a shower and change clothes. Uponing out, he knocked on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s door exactly three times. The door opened very quickly. Xiao Yuanmu was still dressed in yesterday¡¯s clothes, but hisplexion had improved greatly. He nced at Song Xuanhe and then said, ¡°I¡¯lle out after I take a shower.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He had been about to respond, but Xiao Yuanmu shut the door on him. He stared at the closed wooden door in front of him, the corner of his lips rising. He then turned around and made a beeline for the dining room. The butler was very quick. Shortly after, servers came by carrying the ordered items to the dining table. When he saw that only Song Xuanhe was at the table, he asked, ¡°Should Idle the sweet congee out or ce it on the side?¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t fond of eating sweet things in the morning. He looked at the exquisitely patterned porcin bowl and said, ¡°Leave it on the side. We¡¯ll serve ourselves when we want to eat it.¡± The butler nodded and then bowed. When the servers had finished cing all the dishes on the table, he said, ¡°If you have any other instructions, I will be at the door.¡± Song Xuanhe made a soft sound of acknowledgement. He had been about to ask what food would be good for one¡¯s stomach when he saw the waiter turn to face the dining room entrance. ¡°Mr. Xiao, good morning.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded back calmly and sat down in the seat opposite of Song Xuanhe. When he saw the food on the table, the gaze in his eyes changed slightly. He then looked up to watch Song Xuanhe, who had his head lowered as he drank his congee. Noticing the other¡¯s gaze, Song Xuanhe put his spoon down and asked in a cold voice, ¡°What?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away. After what had happenedst night, he no longer held back the cold aura around him. However, his eyes had regained their usual tranquility. He said, ¡°I will hand in my resignation letter today.¡± Song Xuanhe mixed the congee with his spoon. There didn¡¯t seem to be any emotion in his voice. ¡°You told me that yesterday.¡± ¡°And, I¡¯ll be moving out of your apartment.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, a sliver of surprise on his face. However, Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t read the emotion in his eyes. ¡°Are we breaking up?¡± Xiao Yuanmu met with his gaze. He had already made his decisionst night. However, he was hesitant to give an affirmative answer to this question. He suddenly thought about the cold congee and lukewarm water that he had seen on his bedside table this morning as well as the warmth the water had brought him as it had slid down his throat and into his stomach. Once they part, they may never see each other again. He didn¡¯t want to have someone who could influence his emotions around him either. But, there was no reason to end things in a hurry. It would be fine as long as he dealt with all of this before he entered the Xiao Family. Xiao Yuanmu looked away and said, ¡°I¡¯m just going to move out, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is, you¡¯re going to quit and move out, but you still want us to be a couple?¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head, his voice a bit strange, an indecipherable meaning in his words. ¡°Why do you think that I¡¯ll still be willing to keep dating you even after you quit my family¡¯spany and move out of my apartment?¡±
Eve: Oddly enough, things actually get sweeter after they ¡®breakup.¡¯ So don¡¯t worry~ But along with the sweetness there will still be some angst. Kara: Dang. You tell him He bao! We don¡¯t need any indecisive men in our lives! Nothing but the best for our baby! Hmph! <(£à^¡ä)> Chapter 63: Look at Him, He’s So Handsome Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Xiao Yuanmu handed in his resignation letter the day he had said he would. Because of Song Xuanhe¡¯s orders, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s resignation was processed very quickly. Less than two hourster, his resignation had been approved. Because the new hires had been working with Xiao Yuanmu this whole time, he was able to skip having to teach and easily handed over his work to someone else. In the venture investment division¡¯s break room, Song Xuanhe leaned against the counter with his arms folded and cast a sidelong nce towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°When are you going to move your things out?¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°When you¡¯re off work.¡± ¡°Forget it.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his hand and twirled his car keys around his finger. ¡°Let¡¯s move your things now. I can skip work.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. He looked at Song Xuanhe quietly, eyes slightly lidded. The angle of the lighting here seemed to soften his indifferent features, giving off an illusion that he was looking at Song Xuanhe with deep affection. However, as soon as he parted his lips, his cold voice split that illusion in half. ¡°We haven¡¯t broken up yet.¡± That¡¯s right; they still haven¡¯t broken up yet. Or rather, Xiao Yuanmu was unterally refusing to break up. When they had still been at the hotel this morning, Song Xuanhe had asked him, ¡°Why do you think that I¡¯ll be willing to keep dating you even after you quit my family¡¯spany and move out of my apartment?¡± At that time, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyebrows had knitted together slightly. Those unreadable eyes had examined Song Xuanhe inch by inch as if he had really been pondering over this. Or, perhaps he had been wondering whether he should waste time exining this to Song Xuanhe. In the end, Xiao Yuanmu had chosen to spend a bit more time on this. He had ced his spoon down. When he looked down, his eyes also had changed. His cool, refreshing voice had be hoarse and deep. It had sounded like there was a smile mixed into his speech. But in reality, he had been very calm as if he had been aggressively advancing his argument over a conference table. ¡°Getting together was up to you. Breaking up is up to me. That¡¯s only fair.¡± Song Xuanhe had been shocked. He hadn¡¯t thought that Xiao Yuanmu would say something that sounded both usatory and shameless. Because of his shock, his eyes had widened. He had asked, ¡°Are you joking?¡± Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been joking. After taking in the other¡¯s astonished look, he had said in an insipid tone, ¡°What do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe had said, ¡°You must be joking. We¡¯re breaking up, not getting a divorce. If I want to break up, you have no right to refuse.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t refute him. He had only given him a meaningful look before replying, ¡°You know well whether or not we were actually dating before. Since the start and progression of our rtionship has been illogical and fake, then the ending of this rtionship can be the same.¡± Song Xuanhe had felt his guard rise as the other had looked at him with his piercing gaze. Although he had alreadypleted most of his scenes already, he still needed to stay in this world for more than a year¡¯s time. If Xiao Yuanmu realized anything or continued to concern himself with him, his life would not be easy in the future. Moreover, since Xiao Yuanmu was going to leave the Song Group very soon and even move out of his apartment, that meant that the probability that they would see each other in the future again would be close to zero. There was no reason to argue for an oral agreement over breaking up. Xiao Yuanmu was right. They both knew that they were not like normal lovers when they were together. In the future, when they didn¡¯t live together, it would be even less likely for them to seem like genuine boyfriends. The adaptable Song Xiao Shaoye had weighed the pros and cons of his choice in a blink of an eye. He had then raised his chin in an apathetic but haughty manner. ¡°Fine.¡± Song Xiao Shaoye, who had already thought that the two of them had nothing to do with each other anymore, widened his eyes in surprise when he heard Xiao Yuanmu say that they hadn¡¯t broken up yet. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that we had already broken up. I¡¯m saying I¡¯m willing to skip work to help you move. Shouldn¡¯t loving boyfriends make sacrifices for each other? It can¡¯t be that you think we¡¯re not a loving couple?¡± After he had said this, Song Xuanhe beamed at Xiao Yuanmu. He thought that he¡¯d be able to disgust Xiao Yuanmu for sure with this reply. When Xiao Yuanmu saw those seemingly innocent, lidded eyes that held a mischievous glint that could not be hidden, the light in his own eyes flickered, and they abruptly curved into a smile. He nted his hands onto the counter and brought his face close to the other¡¯s. It looked like there was affection swirling in his gleaming eyes. His long, straightshes looked like glinting swords. He was extremely attractive but also seemed as sharp as a de. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but shrink back. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Song Xuanhe looked calm, even ncing at the work area outside as part of his facade. ¡°We¡¯re at work.¡± ¡°A loving couple can¡¯t hold themselves back even if they¡¯re at work.¡± Song Xuanhe had no choice but to admit that Xiao Yuanmu had a pair of devastatingly charming eyes. He was like a siren, lounging on a rock in the sea. As long as he wished for it, with a simple gaze, he could make a vignt sailor fall so hard that he would be willing to offer his life to the other. Before he had met Xiao Yuanmu, he had never believed that someone could change their temperament by just changing the look in their eyes. He hadn¡¯t thought that even actors could do that. A person¡¯s charisma relied on all their facial features. If you got rid of the eyebrows, it would be hard for an average person to convey emotions with just their eyes. But right now, Song Xuanhe changed his mind. But, he didn¡¯t feel enticed at all. In his memories, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes had been free of vulgarity and utterly serene. He would hide his emotions deep beneath the pond that was his eyes. No one could see through them. They were iparably dangerous. Song Xuanhe backed up slightly, keeping his calm. After getting up this morning, he had discovered that Xiao Yuanmu had seemed to have changed. Maybe it had been because Song Xuanhe had seen a side of him that he hadn¡¯t wanted anyone else to see. Maybe that was why Xiao Yuanmu felt more dangerous to him today. The other was like a trapped beast, who no longer pretended to be calm. The beast was slowly revealing its true nature and eyeing him, its prey, in an attempt to find his weakness. It was like the beast was pondering over where it should strike. ¡°But, they wouldn¡¯t do it in the break room where people mighte in.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart trembled. He reached out to push against Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chest. When he saw that the other had backed away, he sighed in relief inwardly. But, he didn¡¯t show any of this on his face. He raised his keys again and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. I¡¯ll help you move.¡± Regardless of anything else, he¡¯d just focus on getting Xiao Yuanmu out of his apartment first. Considering how busy Xiao Yuanmu had been recently, it looked like the other would be too busy to take so much as a step out of his home for a long time. It¡¯d be hard to say whether they would actually see each other again. As for whether the other would cause trouble for him, by the time Xiao Yuanmu returned to the Xiao Family, he would probably have no energy to pay him any more attention. By the time he did have the time and energy to care about him, Song Xuanhe would already be back in his own world. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took half a step back, and his expression became indifferent again. His eyes were once again tranquil like a still pond. If it hadn¡¯t been because he had seen it for himself just now, Song Xuanhe would never have expected that such a seductive, enticing expression could have ever been on that cold, ascetic face. The apartment was situated very close to thepany. When the two of them had reached the entrance of the apartment, the movingpany they had contacted was already waiting for them there. When they saw Song Xuanhe, one of them said, ¡°Mr. Song, our movers are already all here. Where is the address of the new home?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu nced at him coolly and then said, ¡°You¡¯re thoroughly prepared.¡± ¡°We only need two people.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the movingpany employee and then pointed to another apartment building just a garden away. He said in a t voice, ¡°The 39th floor.¡± The mover turned and said hesitantly, ¡°Are you saying that you¡¯re just moving to the same floor but in that building?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. A bad feeling had arisen in Song Xuanhe¡¯s chest as soon as he had seen Xiao Yuanmu point at the building next to his. Now, that premonition hade true. He then said in a snarky tone, ¡°So, you¡¯re going to Building 6? Won¡¯t we see each other if we open our balconies¡¯ curtains?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him coolly but didn¡¯t respond. This neighbourhood was made up of vis and high-rise apartments. The vi district was on the east side, and the high-rises were on the west side. However, because it catered to high-end clientele, regardless of whether it was the vis or the apartments, the facilities and environment were both outstanding. The apartment buildings were also not built too closely together to save money either. There were only two apartment buildings per row, and there was a ratherrge garden and fountain between each pair of high-rises. Because each tenant owned a whole floor, they had two balconies. One of the balconies faced the garden, which by extension, meant it faced the other building¡¯s balcony. Although they were not close together, if both people in each building were to step out onto their respective balconies, they would be able to see each other. Moreover, because Song Xuanhe preferred minimalist design, and he never had a neighbour in the opposing building before, he had never thought about covering up his balcony. The sunlight would simply shine into the room. If someone were to use binocrs, they would be able to see his living room very clearly from the balcony of the opposite apartment. However, Xiao Yuanmu would never use binocrs to spy on him. When he thought of this, Song Xuanhe rxed. The mover noticed that the two of them didn¡¯t seem to be in the type of rtionship he had thought. Neither of them mentioned when they would be moving either. He could only cautiously ask, ¡°Mr. Song, then¡­when should we move?¡± ¡°Right now.¡± He then turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You¡¯re fine with that, right?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± After having packed up all of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s things, Song Xuanhe realized that the other had a pitiful amount of stuff in the apartment. If you didn¡¯t include his workputer, it would have been enough for a single mover to just help carry his suitcase. There was no need to involve a movingpany at all. The boss of the movingpany also noticed this. He nervously said, ¡°How about¡­we charge you for the number of employees that actually worked this time?¡± When Song Xuanhe had hired them, he had offered fifty thousand. The movingpany had thought that it would be arge-scale move in which the entire apartment would be emptied. Therefore, they sent a small team. They hadn¡¯t expected that only two people would be needed. All they had carried was a suitcase and aputer. They had rode one elevator down only to ride another up. It had been extremely easy. If the movingpany epted that much money for such easy work, they¡¯d feel guilty. ¡°Forget it,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°We¡¯ve wasted your time by making you bring so many people. I¡¯ll pay what I promised.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard this, he nced at Song Xuanhe but looked away before the other looked over. After the movers had left, Song Xuanhe took a look around Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ash grey modern apartment that was even emptier than his. His mood suddenly improved, and he said, ¡°Since the move is over, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Are you doing anything tonight?¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even think and replied, ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°I have ns with Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin,¡± Song Xuanhe lied without batting an eye, ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°When you next have time,e visit the Director with me at the orphanage.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe very happily agreed. This was because an idea had popped into his head when he heard Xiao Yuanmu say this. He finally understood why Xiao Yuanmu was unwilling to break up with him despite clearly not liking him: he had been afraid that the Director would worry. He had nearly forgotten that Xiao Yuanmu currently had a soft spot. This meant that he would not be as vicious and unrestrained as he had been in the book. This also meant that the only reason they were still together was because of the orphanage director. All he had to do was stay in this fake rtionship and go see the Director with Xiao Yuanmu for a short period of time, and then, he¡¯d get to return home peacefully. It was definitely worth it. * The next morning after work, Song Xuanhe followed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s directions to a car with an unfamiliar te. He had been about to knock on the window when it slid down and revealed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. ¡°Sit in the front.¡± Song Xuanhe sat in the passenger seat. He looked around this obviously new car and asked in a feigned shocked voice, ¡°You said that you had bought the apartment with the money you had earned from ying with stocks. Did you buy this car with that money too?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at him, the corner of his lips rising slightly. The smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. It was like he wasughing at Song Xuanhe¡¯s bad acting. Song Xuanhe shrugged. But, he was genuinely curious. ¡°How much did you make?¡± ¡°Three hundred million.¡± ¡°Three¡­.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°Hahaha, impressive.¡± Truly worthy of being the protagonist of this world. He had been able to earn such arge sum of money so easily. He remembered that Xiao Yuanmu had only invested about five million yuan in the book. For him to be able to make that into three hundred million in such a short amount of time¡­he was more impressive than a Wall Street broker. Neither of them spoke on their way to the orphanage. It was probably because Xiao Yuanmu had already informed the Director that they wereing over that the Director was waiting for them at the gate. When she saw them climb out of the car and walk over, she gave them a kind, gentle smile. ¡°You¡¯re both working men. You can juste over on the weekend. There¡¯s no need toe over after work. You must be tired, ah.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not tired.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled faintly and went over to support the Director by the arm. The Director held Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand on her other side. She beamed at him. ¡°Yuanmu, child, you forgot Xuanhe. Is he usually like this?¡± Herst question was obviously directed at Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted towards the other man¡¯s direction. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. The yellow glow cast by the setting sun on his pale face made him look especially lovable and warm. ¡°It¡¯s because he saw you, Granny. If it wasn¡¯t because he is faster than me, I would havee to help you.¡± The Director¡¯s smile deepened. She turned to Xiao Yuanmu on her left and said, ¡°Our Xuanhe is really sensible and filial. Yuanmu, you have to treat him well. If Xuanhe ever tells Granny you¡¯re not treating him well, Granny will scold you for him.¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected that the Director would say this. The smile on his face turned stiff. Xiao Yuanmu noticed this. Originally, he wasn¡¯t going to reply, but when he had seen the other¡¯s unwilling expression, he said, ¡°Okay.¡± The Director then turned back to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Xuanhe, ah, Yuanmu isn¡¯t very talkative, but he¡¯s got a warm heart despite his cold face. You should know that the best. If he ever makes you unhappy in the future, please forgive him.¡± A warm heart despite his cold face. Song Xuanheughed. His heart is colder than his face. With both the Director and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gazes on him, Song Xuanhe smiled warmly. ¡°I will forgive him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± The Director walked back into the orphanage, holding both their hands. They ended up in the centre of a crowd of rather young children. She smiled. ¡°You two, help me watch these kids while I go check to see if dinner is ready.¡± The children had already eaten dinner. The dinner the Director was referring to had been prepared solely for Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe. Now, she left, leaving behind Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu in an awkward deadlock. Everything was quiet around them. When they had just arrived, the children had still been noisy and lively. Why had everything gone quiet? A thin child tugged on Song Xuanhe¡¯s sleeve. When he saw Song Xuanhe look down, he raised his head timidly. ¡°Gege, are you going to y here?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the bony little children, who had all gathered by his legs, in the area farthest away from Xiao Yuanmu. He finally asked the question that had popped into his head since his second visit. ¡°What did you do to make these kids so afraid of you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat on a nearby bench. He didn¡¯t even look at Song Xuanhe. He gazed into the distance. Song Xuanhe followed the other¡¯s gaze, but Xiao Yuanmu then looked back at him. He said in a t voice, ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Gege¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe looked down again at the skinny little kid and crouched down. ¡°How old are you?¡± ¡°Six years old.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. Because of the other¡¯s weak, frail appearance, he had thought that he was only four or five years old. Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°He has a congenital heart disease. He develops more slowly than typical children.¡± When the boy heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, he cowered towards Song Xuanhe, frightened. He wrapped his arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck as if afraid that upon Xiao Yuanmu uttering another word, he would eat him. Xiao Yuanmu looked away again, his eyes slightly hooded. His lips were pressed into a t line. There was a trace of self-deprecation on his lips. ¡°Gege¡­¡± the boy rested his head on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder and whispered, ¡°Is Yuanmu gege really scary?¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously nced at Xiao Yuanmu, who was once again looking into the distance. He didn¡¯t seem to have heard the boy¡¯s words. ¡°He¡¯s super scary.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded solemnly. The other children, who were listening in, shivered. They got a little closer to Song Xuanhe. ¡°But, Yuanmu gege is only scary because he needs to protect you guys and the Director,¡± Song Xuanhe continued, ¡°If he wasn¡¯t scary, then the orphanage would be shut down by bad people, and you guys would be left without a home.¡± The boy blinked and then cautiously nced at Xiao Yuanmu. When he saw the other look over, he cowered back. In a trembling voice, he said, ¡°Really? But, Liang gege said that Yuanmu gege is really really bad. He said that Yuanmu gege would bully kids and that he had even killed a puppy.¡± Song Xuanhe paused while rubbing the boy¡¯s head. The smile on his face didn¡¯t change. ¡°Who¡¯s Liang gege? Where is he?¡± ¡°He has already left the orphanage,¡± a girl said, ¡°Liang gege used to take care of us. Yuanmu gege wanted to go to university, and Director Granny only had enough money to send one person there. So, Liang gege couldn¡¯t go to university. Therefore, he left. He said that he had to go make money.¡± ¡°Is that what Liang gege said?¡± The kids all nodded. ¡°Mn!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips pursed slightly, and his smile disappeared. ¡°He was lying.¡± The children all widened their eyes. Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu went to university on a schrship. The school paid for him to attend, so he didn¡¯t use Director Granny¡¯s money. Therefore, the reason Liang gege didn¡¯t go to university has nothing to do with Xiao Yuanmu.¡± When a slightly older girl heard this, she puffed out her cheeks. ¡°You¡¯re the liar! I saw that dead dog! It was so pitiful. Yuanmu gege had been the one holding it, and it had also been him who had killed it! And, Liang gege couldn¡¯t go to university because of Yuanmu gege! You¡¯re a big liar!¡± After saying that, the girl picked up a rock and threw it at Song Xuanhe. The boy with the congenital heart disease was still in Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms. If he were to dodge, that rock would scare the child when it hit him. It normally wouldn¡¯t matter if a typical child were to be frightened, but Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know how serious this child¡¯s condition was. He didn¡¯t want to take the risk. Song Xuanhe changed positions, protecting the boy in his arms. He raised a hand to cover the back of the boy¡¯s head. That rock isn¡¯t small. It will probably leave a bruise that willst a few days. I can only hope that the girl isn¡¯t too strong. As the rock throttled through the sky, that was the only thought in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind. But, the rock never hit him. It made no sound either. Song Xuanhe lifted his head, frowning, and saw that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand was in front of his head. He had caught the rock. ¡°Apologize.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the girl coldly. He didn¡¯t hold back the chill around him at all. His tone was terrifyingly icy. ¡°Apologize in three seconds, or this rock will smash against your head.¡± The girl was so frightened that her eyes turned red. The other kids also ran away in fear. Song Xuanhe stood up. He was a bit surprised at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s terrifyingly cold expression. However, when his gazended on the other¡¯s injured hand, his jaw tensed. ¡°Let¡¯s go treat your wound.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t move. It looked like there was a storm gathering in his eyes. He raised the hand holding the stone and said in a frigid voice, ¡°Yourst second.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry!¡± The girl screamed, scared out of her wits. After saying that, she made a run for it, afraid that Xiao Yuanmu would really hit her with that rock. Song Xuanhe put down the boy in his arms and then picked the rock out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand, tossing it to the side. With pursed lips, he said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him an insipid nce, pulled his hand back, and then left. Song Xuanhe was about to run after him, but the boy with the congenital heart disease hugged his leg. There was a flush on his face, perhaps from the fright he had suffered just now. Quietly, he said, ¡°Gege.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe looked in the direction that Xiao Yuanmu had headed in and squatted down. ¡°I believe that Yuanmu gege is a good person.¡± The boy blinked. ¡°Gege is also a good person, and Director Granny is a good person too.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He then smiled. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to call your Yuanmu gege and Director Granny good people, but we¡¯ve only met for the first time. How do you know I¡¯m a good person?¡± ¡°You are one.¡± The boy looked at him stubbornly. He then wrapped his arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck and whispered, ¡°I want to tell you a secret.¡± ¡°What secret?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Yuanmu gege didn¡¯t kill that puppy.¡± The boy whispered into his ears. ¡°Liang gege had been the one to kill the puppy. I saw it. He did it, because Yuanmu gege liked the puppy.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fixed onto the boy. Although he believed that Xiao Yuanmu would never do something as senseless as killing a dog, when he had heard this boy tell him something like that, which would seem very cruel to a child his age, in this hushed, calm, childish voice, he didn¡¯t know why, but he felt ufortable. The boy let go of Song Xuanhe. He then said in a timid voice, ¡°But, no one believed Yuanmu gege, because he had been covered in a lot of blood that day the dog had died.¡± He sounded like the oue had been expected.
Eve: First, Iughed at the mental image of XYM watching SXH with a pair of binocrs. As amusing as that would be, I¡¯m sure Mumu would use more efficient means of ¡®surveince.¡¯ And then I felt soft for SXH being good with kids and defending Mumu. And then I felt sad for Mumu T^T Also, friendly reminder not to post spoilers in thements because we don¡¯t have a way of hiding them. Please respect the fact that some people might not want to read spoilers. You can discuss spoilers in the discord channel instead. Chapter 64: And Then I Wanted to Kiss Him Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you k for the kofi!
The infirmary was really simple and crude. It looked like it also functioned as a small book room. On one side, there were three yellow, peeling wooden bookshelves filled with books. On the other side, there was a curtain. Behind that curtain was a medicine cab. That side was the infirmary. Song Xuanhe stood at the door, his gaze on the man who was sitting next to the window. The other¡¯s expression was insipid, and he was currently carelessly treating his wound. After pouring disinfectant onto his wound, he didn¡¯t even wipe off the excess. He also didn¡¯t wrap up his wound afterwards and just left it exposed. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to put gauze over that?¡± Song Xuanhe tried to hold himself back, but he couldn¡¯t stop himself from speaking up in the end. Xiao Yuanmu looked up at him, his gaze falling onto the other¡¯s slightly furrowed brows. Suddenly, he blinked and asked, ¡°Do you think I killed that dog?¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. The boy¡¯s words just now once again appeared in his mind. In the past, he had only ever interacted with the Director, who was always kind and amicable, as well as Yuanyuan, who was always lively and cheerful. That was why he had subconsciously thought that the orphanage was actually a warm and harmonious ce despite the fact that the orphans didn¡¯t have rtives here. But, the rock that had been thrown at him and that boy¡¯s calm, matter-of-course tone had made him realize just what kind of environment Xiao Yuanmu had grown up in was like. The still young Xiao Yuanmu holding a puppy in his hands, the corpse of the puppy after it had been murdered, the blood on Xiao Yuanmu, the vignt and suspicious gazes of the surrounding people¡ªSong Xuanhe was able to clearly picture each and every one of these scenes. These images had then fused together with the cold Xiao Yuanmu in front of him. The faint traces of the setting sun¡¯s rays could not illuminate Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pitch-ck eyes. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He felt an odd sense of deja vu. The moment the sun hadpletely set behind the mountain, he turned on the light switch beside him. The infirmary lit up, and Song Xuanhe asked Xiao Yuanmu in return, ¡°Do you like dogs?¡± Xiao Yuanmu squinted, blinded by the sudden light. When he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s question, he regarded the other meaningfully. The moment his eyes met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s pure ones, he suddenly understood what the other was thinking. He didn¡¯t know why, but he found this situation a bit funny. Therefore, he chuckled. ¡°Do you believe me?¡± He then continued, ¡°Why?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked, a puzzled look inside his eyes. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that I believed you. I just asked you if you liked dogs or not.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s smile onlysted for a second before his expression cooled down again. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, forget it.¡± Song Xuanhe shrugged his shoulders, appearing disappointed. He then walked outside and brought in a whining puppy. ¡°I picked him up for you to take care of. I have no interest in raising pets. Since you don¡¯t like dogs, I¡¯ll take him back.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t look at Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. His gaze was on the little ears that were flopped over the other¡¯s wrists. He then looked away. ¡°Take him back then.¡± ¡°How about I give him to the orphanage¡¯s kids?¡± Song Xuanhe suggested, ¡°I think that those kids seem to like puppies.¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was cold. He rejected that proposal at once. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Why not?¡± The puppy raised his head, resting his chin on Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms. He barked in his sweet little puppy voice while examining Xiao Yuanmu curiously with his ck eyes. Xiao Yuanmu frowned. He walked over to Song Xuanhe but ignored the puppy. In a t voice, he said, ¡°He won¡¯t survive for more than a week if he¡¯s left here.¡± Song Xuanhe stiffened. He didn¡¯t ask why. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took a step out of the infirmary first. He said, ¡°It¡¯s time for dinner.¡± ¡°What about the dog?¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously looked down at the little brown puppy, which was the size of his palm. After leaving the recreation area earlier, he had made his way to the infirmary after Xiao Yuanmu. It had been at that time he had heard whininging from the other side of the wall. Out of curiosity, he had made a detour to go see what was making the sound. He hadn¡¯t expected to find a little puppy there. At that moment, an idea had popped into his mind. He knew very well what kind of person Xiao Yuanmu was. Usually, if other people got too close to him, the other¡¯s expression would get uglier. Therefore, he was even less likely to ever hold something he didn¡¯t like. When that boy had said that Xiao Yuanmu had been holding that puppy, Song Xuanhe realized that Xiao Yuanmu probably liked dogs. Or at least, he had liked the dog in his arms back then. Therefore, when he had seen this dog, Song Xuanhe had thought that he should gift this puppy to Xiao Yuanmu as thanks. It was best to give someone something they liked. Xiao Yuanmu had saved him from a bloody ident after all. He couldn¡¯t just thank him and leave it at that. Moreover, he really did want to sound Xiao Yuanmu out. After all, no matter how you looked at him, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem like the type to like pets. In Song Xuanhe¡¯s opinion, people who liked to take care of pets were people who were full of love and a sense of responsibility. Xiao Yuanmu could just barely be described with thetter, but the former had nothing to do with the Xiao Yuanmu he knew at all. But despite conducting this experiment, Song Xuanhe still couldn¡¯t tell if Xiao Yuanmu liked dogs or if he had only liked that one dog in particr. As he thought of this, Song Xuanhe thought that it would be best to not give Xiao Yuanmu this puppy in the end. He answered his own question. ¡°I¡¯ll take him home tonight, and then, I¡¯ll have someone take him to an adoption centre tomorrow.¡± Xiao Yuanmu incidentally met eyes with the puppy in Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms that was wagging his tongue. The puppy sniffed the air and then barked excitedly: ¡°Woof!¡± When they had arrived at the dining room, the Director asked about the puppy in Song Xuanhe¡¯sp. When she heard that he had picked the puppy up, sheughed and pet the puppy¡¯s head. ¡°Then, you need to take good care of him. He seems to like you a lot.¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly taken aback. He looked down at the puppy that had buried itself into his clothes, tail wagging. He wasn¡¯t really fond of pets. But right now, when he saw that palm-sized, chubby furball of a puppy vivaciously run around in hisp, he couldn¡¯t help but find him cute. His eyes curved into a slight smile. He thought that maybe it wouldn¡¯t be bad to take the puppy home. Although he¡¯d never raised a pet before, it would be easy to find someone to care for him. Just as Song Xuanhe had been thinking this, he suddenly felt something warm against his thigh and crotch. When a cold breeze blew through, goosebumps broke out on the surface of his skin. The scent of urine also wafted into his nose. This all caused Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile to instantly turn ashen. Noticing that Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression seemed off, the Director asked in a concerned voice, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Wuwuwu¡­.¡± The puppy seemed to have sensed that he had done something wrong. He no longer ran around recklessly. Instead, he trembled as he pawed towards the dry, clean side of Song Xuanhe¡¯s clothes as if wanting to avoid the wet spot. However, he wasn¡¯t a very steady walker yet. He tottered as he walked, and his hind legs would asionally slip. The still wet part of him would asionally rub against Song Xuanhe¡¯s suit pants and leave marks. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression turned even darker. He loved cleanliness since he had been young. No matter what it had been, he had never been willing to touch anything dirty. Now, the puppy had peed on his pants. Instantly, this event had managed to dash all thoughts of raising a dog. He was indeed not suited to take care of pets. ¡°Woof!¡± There had been some rm in that bark. The puppy had fallen off of hisp while he had been distracted. He reached out, wanting to catch the puppy, but another pair of hands beat him to it. Xiao Yuanmu still had no expression on his face, but his voice had turned a bit cold. ¡°What are you thinking?¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. ¡°My pants are wet. If someone didn¡¯t know about what had happened just now, they¡¯d think I peed my pants¡­. How could I not be angry?¡± Xiao Yuanmu brought the puppy towards him, but Song Xuanhe stood up abruptly, avoiding the dog. He took a step back. ¡°Don¡¯t give him to me. You hold him. There¡¯s a pool of pee on my pants¡­How can I hold him?¡± ¡°Are you afraid that he¡¯ll pee on you again?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, a hint of teasing in his smile. ¡°Who cares if I¡¯m scared or not?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s bottom half was wet, and the part that was wet was a very awkward area. He was in a bad mood now. However, even if he was unhappy, he wouldn¡¯t take it out on the puppy. Right now, all he wanted to do was change clothes. The Director had also noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s pants. It was already winter right now. In order to conserve electricity, the orphanage didn¡¯t have any heating turned on in the dining hall. They only used a thick curtain to block the door. It was rather cold inside the room at the moment. Concerned, she said, ¡°Xiao Song, this won¡¯t do. You¡¯ll freeze. Yuanmu still has clothes in his room. Go change into something of his.¡± As soon as she had spoken, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expressions changed. Song Xuanhe was startled. ¡°No need, Director. I¡¯ll go back home and change. There¡¯s no need to borrow his clothes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t wanted Song Xuanhe to wear his clothes. In some regards, he was a bit of a germaphobe. But when he had seen how unwilling Song Xuanhe was to wear his clothes, he suddenly felt like forcing Song Xuanhe into wearing his clothes. ¡°Even without traffic, it¡¯ll take you half an hour to get home. And if there¡¯s traffic, it¡¯ll take an hour and a half.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was calm as if he was just discussing what he thought would be the best course of action. ¡°It would be better for you to change into something of mine.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± The Director agreed, ¡°You¡¯ll definitely catch a cold if you wear wet pants for more than an hour.¡± Song Xuanhe also didn¡¯t want to wear pants covered in¡­wet stains. After having considered his options, he eventually chose to wear Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s clothes. Once again, they returned to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tiny, cramped bedroom. Xiao Yuanmu pulled out a pair of pants from his wardrobe and threw it over to Song Xuanhe. He then continued to rummage through his clothes. Song Xuanhe caught the pants and then frowned. ¡°What are you looking for?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stood up straight and asked him in a t voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t your underwear also wet?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡­. His underwear was indeed wet, but he absolutely could not ept wearing another man¡¯s underwear! ¡°Are you nning on not wearing any?¡± Xiao Yuanmu tossed him a pair of dark-coloured underwear, his gaze falling onto a certain part of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lower half. The corner of his lips suddenly curled up, and he summarized, ¡°Not that it¡¯ll make a difference whether you wear it or not.¡± This was a provocation that no one would be able to take lying down! Song Xuanhe barked out a derisiveugh. He then snarked back, ¡°Has anyone ever told you not to project onto others? Just by looking at your underwear, I can tell that yours is small, so it probably doesn¡¯t matter whether you wear it or not. But, you must be delusional to think that I¡¯m the same.¡± After having said this, he raised his chin and folded his arms, putting on an appearance of disdain. A few secondster, Xiao Yuanmu chuckled. His bottomless eyes were dark, and his voice was hoarse. ¡°Didn¡¯t you find out how big I am during our first week together?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils shook. He suddenly remembered the time he had been forced by the System to attempt to ¡°forcefully sleep¡± with Xiao Yuanmu, only to have ended up being pressed down onto the other¡¯sp. At the same time, he had felt his scalp go numb. Likewise, a sense of danger abruptly emerged within him now. Xiao Yuanmu pressed in close. ¡°Or, do you want to see it for yourself again? To see if what you just said is true or not?¡±
Eve: HAHAHAHAHA. SXH are you a child. Chapter 65: He’s My Good Friend Tranted by Eve Apologies for thete release. Looks like the scheduler is malfunctioning. Thank you k, e & kitty for the kofi! As Xiao Yuanmu came closer, Song Xuanhe discreetly shifted backwards. However, he was only able to back up another two centimetres. However, he suddenly recalled that Xiao Yuanmu was a bottom, so even if the other were to do anything, Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t lose out. There was nothing to be afraid of. Song Xuanhe stopped leaning backwards and straightened his back. He kept his arms crossed and raised a brow to calmly say, ¡°There¡¯s no need to check. Regardless, I won¡¯t wear someone else¡¯s underwear. Can you go outside? I want to change my pants.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had originally been nning on just giving Song Xuanhe a bit of a scare. Furthermore, the reason he had walked over was to exit the room in the first ce so that Song Xuanhe could change. But when he saw how the other wasn¡¯t startled at all and was instead putting on some fearless expression for some baffling reason, he changed his mind. ¡°It¡¯s cold outside.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stopped moving. He leaned against the wall and looked down towards Song Xuanhe. ¡°Just change like this.¡± ¡°Change while you¡¯re still here?¡± Upon noticing how calm Xiao Yuanmu looked, Song Xuanhe immediately changed his tune. They were both guys. What was there to be afraid of? He slowly undid his belt, the corner of his lips rising. ¡°Okay. If you want to look, then look.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression remained indifferent. He caught every single one of Song Xuanhe¡¯s actions. He watched as the other¡¯s slender fingers deftly unbuckled his belt. The other¡¯s pale fingers were curled as they slowly pulled out the ck belt from the loops of his pants, the ck a stark contrast against his fair skin. He then watched as Song Xuanhe pulled down the zipper. Then, a pair of long, straight legs appeared before his eyes. There was also that wet, thin cloth that held his¡­. Xiao Yuanmu looked away discreetly. His lips were already involuntarily pressed into a straight line.. His ears were also unexpectedly flushed. Actually, he had seen many naked bodies in hisst life. Those people had approached him with all sorts of motives and had used all sorts of methods to try to get with him. They would sneak into his room or orchestrate some kind of ¡®coincidence¡¯ that would allow him to see their perfect, alluring bodies. But regardless of who hade, all of their bodies had been the same to him. He had never been moved, let alone had he ever developed any urges. asionally, he would even feel disgust towards their actions. But just now, all he had seen was a pair of legs and that cloth-covered area, and that was enough to make his heart thump violently. His breath had also turned heavy. Xiao Yuanmu had discreetly looked away to adjust his breathing. Half a secondter, his breath had already gone back to normal. It was just that his throat felt a bit ufortable. It felt dry, but also like he wanted to cough. It was like this was the residual effects of the abnormal breathing just now. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ears. His lips curled up softly. He kicked his wet pants to the side, appearing unhurried. He then picked up the pair of pants on the bed and shook it out. The sound of the pants whipping through the air echoed through the room but Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes didn¡¯t so much as tremble. It seemed like he wasn¡¯t affected at all. When he noticed that Xiao Yuanmu seemed to show no reaction, Song Xuanhe felt his interest wane. There was no heating in this room. The cold wind seeped through the door¡¯s cracks, causing him to break out into goosebumps. Therefore, he stopped with the unnecessary actions and quickly put on that pair of pants. Song Xuanhe fastened his belt. When he started to put on his shoes, he discovered that the pants were a bit too long for him. Xiao Yuanmu had already looked up by the time Song Xuanhe had finished putting on the new pair of pants. Looking down, he noticed that Song Xuanhe was looking at the trousers that were slightly long on him. He said, ¡°It¡¯s too long for you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Song Xuanhe had already expected this. But it was still longer on him than expected. It astonished him because he was a designer who could approximate measurements just by looking at it. This was the first time he had guessed wrongly. He felt a bit annoyed. He squatted down to roll the cuffs of a bit, thereby giving this simple pair of jeans into a more trendy look. Paired with his shoes and top, it looked pretty good. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted away from Song Xuanhe. He stood up, a pensive look hidden in his eyes. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The two of them left the room. The ce Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s bedroom was situated was a bungalow. There was a bit of distance between it and the orphanage¡¯s main building. It was already dark out but there were a few streetlights to illuminate their way. The light was faint and cast a sinister glow to the overgrown flora on the sides of the path. A cold breeze blew over, causing a ¡®wuwu¡¯ sound toe from somewhere. Raindrops apanied the sound as they fell onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. Song Xuanhe froze and subtly shifted closer towards Xiao Yuanmu. When he noticed the other¡¯s gaze on him, he feigned calmness. ¡°Looks like it¡¯s going to rain. I can¡¯t get sick. I have work tomorrow. Block the rain for me.¡± He acted like he expected that Xiao Yuanmu would be willing to block the rain for him. Suddenly, the image of the Song Xuanhe from hisst two worlds¡ªthe one who really deserved a beating¡ªovepped with him. ¡°It¡¯s not raining right now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away and quickened his pace. Only after he managed to draw a distance between himself and Song Xuanhe did he resume his original pace. The wind blew heavily again, causing the flowers and nts to whip around with the gale. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression turned rigid. He chased after Xiao Yuanmu and stuck closely to the other¡¯s side. ¡°It¡¯s going to rain for sure. Otherwise, where would this water being from?¡± When he felt Song Xuanhe stick close to him¡ª intentionally or otherwise¡ª the corner of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips rose slightly. He said in a t voice, ¡°Who said that just because there are airborne droplets of water, it will rain?¡± ¡°What else could it be?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at him. ¡°Condensation from an air conditioning unit? A droplet from someone¡¯sundry that¡¯s hanging outside?¡± ¡°Maybe.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cool voice was interrupted by the wind. It sounded especially deep and hoarse by the time the wind settled down. ¡°There¡¯s also another possibility.¡± ¡°What?¡± Song Xuanhe asked. Right now, he really needed someone to distract him. It didn¡¯t matter what the other said, so long as he spoke. ¡°All you know is that what touched you was a liquid. But can you be sure that it¡¯s water? Maybe it¡¯s¡ª¡± Xiao Yuanmu stopped walking. He gazed at the ground in front of them. His previously calm expression changed slightly. It seemed like he had seen something. Song Xuanhe had had his eyes on Xiao Yuanmu the whole time. When he saw the other¡¯s expression change, he felt nervous. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t dare turn his head. He asked, ¡°Why did you stop?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak but hisplexion gradually turned ugly. They were close to a streetlight so Song Xuanhe could clearly make out the other¡¯s tensed jaw and pursed lips. ¡°What did you see?¡± Song Xuanhe swallowed. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, if you¡¯re purposely trying to scare me, I swear to god I¡¯m going to hit you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak. He took a step back, heading closer towards the streetlight. Song Xuanhe was able to see his expression even more clearly now. However, he was already terribly nervous because of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s series of actions just now. When he saw the other take a step back, he had no time to pay attention to the other¡¯s expression. He promptly took a step back too. Maybe he was just imagining things, but suddenly, the wind felt even colder than before. Moreover, it felt like he could hear the whistling of the wind even more clearly now. It suddenly sounded like something was shuffling against the floor. Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart caught in his throat. He turned his head, following Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. But contrary to his expectations, there was nothing there. There wasn¡¯t a terrifying scene like he had imagined. Immediately, he calmed down. He decided that Xiao Yuanmu must have been purposely scaring him because he had found out about his fear of ghosts at some unknown point in time. ¡°What are you ying at here?¡± Song Xuanhe had been scared out of his wits. Now that he thought Xiao Yuanmu had been purposely scaring him, he was furious. He took a step closer to Xiao Yuanmu, who was already very close to him, but the other shouted at him. ¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Xiao Yuanmu must have seen that he had turned his head just now. With Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s IQ, there was no way he would continue acting. So, did that mean that there really was something there and he had missed it? Since he knew that it wasn¡¯t the terrifying scene he had been expecting, Song Xuanhe turned around again without any fear. This time, he noticed that there was a coiled up snake on the ground. It was a thin one, with ck and red markings. It looked venomous. However, even venomous snakes would have to hibernate in cold weather like this. Even if it came out of hibernation, it would probably be very weak. Most people wouldn¡¯t be afraid of it. Song Xuanhe was about to walk over to it. ¡°That snake probably came out of hibernation to find something to eat. It¡¯s probably still sleeping. Let¡¯s just go around it.¡± He took one step before he quickly realized that Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t moved with him. Song Xuanhe turned around to look at him and unexpectedly saw that the other¡¯s face was deathly pale. Suddenly, he understood. A mischievous smile abruptly emerged on his face. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, are you afraid of snakes?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips were tightly pursed. His face was white as a sheet of paper and his limbs had gone rigid. Right now, he couldn¡¯t control his body. It had already been two lifetimes, but when he saw that snake, it felt like he had been thrown back in time to that night. That night, he had been shut in a pitch-ck room. All he had been able to hear was the rustling sound of some things slithering over, slowly approaching him, slowly surrounding him. Those ice-cold scales had slithered against his legs and wrapped around his wrists and neck. He hadn¡¯t known how many little snakes had been in that room that night or whether he would be able to get out alive. He had felt sharp fangs pierce his skin. The snake around his wrist had also slithered up to his shoulder to hiss in his ear. The snake around his neck had then slowly tightened around him and the scent of blood in the air¡ªlikely from the wounds on his legs¡ªhad thickened. Coldness, fear, darkness¡­the snake around his neck had constantly tightened around him and it had gradually be difficult to breathe¡ª ¡°Xiao Yuanmu? Are you okay?¡± Seeing that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t reacting and that hisplexion seemed to worsen with the second, Song Xuanhe finally realized that something was wrong. When he saw that the other¡¯s hands were trembling, a preposterous thought popped up in his mind as he linked this to the other¡¯s behaviour upon seeing that snake. He hesitated for a second before reaching out to hold the other¡¯s hand. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu? That snake¡¯s already dead! I¡¯ll go throw it away right now! Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯m here, so you don¡¯t have to be scared. I¡¯ll help you get rid of it right away.¡± After Song Xuanhe said this, he let go and prepared to walk over to dispose of the snake. But as soon as he let go, a hand grabbed onto his own. He turned around and happened to meet with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. Those eyes¡­were enveloped in darkness, utter despair and pain. Xiao Yuanmu held Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand tightly. His voice was pained and raspy. ¡°Don¡¯t go.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. As he spoke, he kept his eyes on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. ¡°I¡¯m not going anywhere. I¡¯m just going to help you get rid of that¡­thing.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t go anywhere. Trust me.¡± Song Xuanhe promised. Song Xuanhe¡¯s warmth slowly transmitted through to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s palm. Gradually, colour returned to his face. However, he only held Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand all the tighter. It was like he wanted to suck up all of the other¡¯s warmth. ¡°Song Xuanhe.¡± Xiao Yuanmu returned to normal very quickly. When he spoke, he had already calmed down. Nheless, there was still a hint of rasp in his voice, but at least it wasn¡¯t as hoarse as before. He said, ¡°You¡¯re the only person in this world that knows that I¡¯m afraid of snakes.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow when he saw that the other seemed to have gone back to normal and was even in the mood to joke around. ¡°So, are you going to silence me so that no one will ever know your weakness?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pitch-ck eyes were pinned on him. It looked like there was a dark and ineffable whirlpool whirling within those eyes. ¡°You have to pay a price for the information you¡¯ve gained.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. He pointed at the snake. ¡°Are you sure you want to speak to me like this before that thing is taken care of?¡± The author has something to say: One husband, who¡¯s afraid of snakes, and the other husband, who is afraid of ghosts, ckmail each other after obtaining incriminating intelligence on the other. GET¡Ì Eve: While my heart aches for Mumu who had to endure such a traumatic experience, SXH being scared of ghosts and SXH telling Mumu he doesn¡¯t have to be scared cause he¡¯s here is the cutest and sweetest thing I¡¯ve read in a while ToT Chapter 66: Looking for a Boyfriend Tranted by Eve The night was dark and the wind was strong. The hostile atmosphere vanished at once. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. Faced with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes, that had gone from holding concern for him to holding a look of schadenfreude, he didn¡¯t know why, but he felt a bit angry, as well as a bit of something else. The image of that snake shed through his mind and he pressed his lips into a straight line. He kept his voice low. ¡°What do you n on doing?¡± ¡°Depends on how sincere you are.¡± Song Xuanhe gave a good show of what it meant to ¡®take advantage of someone in a crisis.¡¯ He said, ¡°I was originally nning on saving you free-of-charge but then you went and threatened me. It was really hurtful. Therefore, now you have to pay a price if you want me to deal with it.¡± ¡°What price?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow slightly. Suddenly, an idea popped in his mind. He smiled. ¡°For example, make a vow right now. Say that you can never fully repay me for saving your life. That in the future, you will never refuse to help me, your saviour, with any of my troubles and that you will never make trouble for me. In the future, you must treat me with the respect I deserve as your saviour.¡± The light in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes glinted and he smiled. ¡°You want that?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly what I want.¡± ¡°Then let me tell you something.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at the area behind Song Xuanhe, the smile on his face deepening. He whispered into Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear. ¡°I just saw a white silhouette float past you from behind. Do you want to go take a look?¡± The hot airing out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips turned cold when it reached Song Xuanhe. The wind howled once again behind him and Song Xuanhe felt his scalp go numb. However, he continued to feign calmness. ¡°Don¡¯t lie to me. I already know that you¡¯re afraid of snakes but I¡¯m not afraid¡ª¡± Suddenly, something touched Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder. He immediately stopped talking and then tried to jump onto Xiao Yuanmu at the speed of light. His arms were tightly looped around the other¡¯s neck and his voice now trembled. ¡°¡­What¡¯s behind me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu held Song Xuanhe calmly. He looked at the vine that had whipped to the other side along with the wind and smiled. ¡°Does this count as me saving your life?¡± The wind picked up again and the vine continued to sway with it. It once again touched Song Xuanhe gently. Song Xuanhe nearly choked Xiao Yuanmu to death. He wrapped his legs firmly around the other¡¯s waist and his face turned deathly white. ¡°Yes, yes, yes! Tell me what¡¯s behind me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his voice. ¡°Do you really want to know?¡± Terrifying scenes shed through his mind. Song Xuanhe pressed himself tightly against Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°¡­No.¡± ¡°I can help you get rid of what¡¯s behind you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°But you¡¯ll have to pay a price in return.¡± This was a prime example of the so-called saying, ¡®fortunes rise and fall.¡¯ One¡¯s fortunes always swings back and forth like a pendulum. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s matter-of-course tone made Song Xuanhe gnash his teeth. Actually, he was pretty sure that there was nothing scary behind him. But he had too great a psychological shadow. Even if it was very unlikely that there was something frightening behind him, he didn¡¯t dare look behind him. The words were forced through his teeth. ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°That thing¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll throw it away!¡± ¡°What about the thing about you being my saviour?¡± ¡°We¡¯re even!¡± Who knew if it was because he was scared or angry, but Song Xuanhe was shaking slightly. The smile in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes deepened but his voice remained calm. ¡°The words, ¡®we¡¯re even¡¯ shouldn¡¯t be used between lovers.¡± Song Xuanhe grit his teeth. ¡°What do you want then?¡± Xiao Yuanmu had his arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s waist. A dark light flitted through his eyes and his lips softly curled up. ¡°Haven¡¯t thought of it yet. I¡¯ll tell youter.¡± Song Xuanhe jumped off of Xiao Yuanmu. Thest of his fear had disappeared after Xiao Yuanmu had changed the subject. He said, ¡°Then forget it. You go get rid of that snake yourself.¡± The wind picked up again. Xiao Yuanmu looked behind Song Xuanhe and thetter once again felt something thump against him. His firm expression changed in an instant. He said, ¡°I¡¯ll get rid of the snake so you help me get rid of that thing behind me¡­okay?¡± Xiao Yuanmu slipped his arm off of Song Xuanhe¡¯s waist. He didn¡¯t speak. Suddenly, a great idea popped into Song Xuanhe¡¯s brain. ¡°I¡¯ll agree to your condition, but I also have a condition. You can only request something of me after two years has passed. How about it?¡± In any case, Xiao Yuanmu would go back to the Xiao Family soon and then he himself would return to his original world. He wouldn¡¯t lose out by agreeing to this. Xiao Yuanmu nced at his watch and discovered that it was already gettingte. Therefore, he didn¡¯t continue to tease Song Xuanhe. He snapped the vine and threw it into the bushes. ¡°Remember, you owe me one favour two years from now.¡± Although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actions had been really quick, Song Xuanhe had still seen the vine in his hands. When he turned his head, he also saw that there were other branches covered in short vines about a metre away from him. There was no way he wouldn¡¯t understand what had happened. But even if he understood now, he didn¡¯t say anything about it. All he did was run over and grab that seven-inch snake. When he was about to throw it, he purposely picked it up so that the snake¡¯s tail would streak across Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s field of view. After seeing the other¡¯s expression change, Song Xuanhe felt satisfied and went to throw the snake far away. The wind had stopped but this dark, long path seemed to have no end. Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu and walked over. ¡°Are your hands cold?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him and then went to hold his hand tightly. By the time they made it back to the dining room, both of them had slightly odd expressions on their faces. The Director didn¡¯t look at their expressions. Her gaze swept over their entwined hands and she beamed at them, wrinkles forming at the outer corners of her eyes. ¡°Come in quickly. It must be really cold outside. I just brought the dishes into the kitchen to heat up. Sit down and I¡¯ll bring them out.¡± After sitting down, Song Xuanhe tried to pull his hand out but failed. He used his eyes to point in the Director¡¯s direction, hinting at Xiao Yuanmu to let go. Xiao Yuanmu thus let go. He then looked at him. ¡°Abandoning one¡¯s benefactor upon achieving your goal?¡± Song Xuanhe recalled what had just happened and sneered. ¡°Are you talking about yourself?¡± The two of them met eyes. When they recalled the other¡¯s sorry state just now, they couldn¡¯t help butugh now that they were sitting in the warm dining room. Both of them had smiles on their faces. The Director carried the dishes over. She paused when she saw their smiles. She then softened her steps. Reheated food didn¡¯t taste very good but because these two big men ¡®narrowly escaped death,¡¯ they both hadrger appetites than normal. Shortly after, the dishes on the table were swept clean. The Director smiled as she watched them finish the food. She asked, ¡°Do you want more? I can cook up some more for you.¡± Song Xuanhe ced his chopsticks down. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m already full.¡± Xiao Yuanmu also put down his chopsticks. With a gentle tone, he said, ¡°Granny, you don¡¯t have to go to so much trouble.¡± The Director smiled. ¡°How could cooking for you two be considered trouble? Granny is happy to do it. But it is gettingte. It rained a bit just now too. The weather report says that a big storm is approaching. It¡¯s quite a drive back. You two should leave early.¡± As soon as she finished speaking, thunder rumbled from outside the door. Two secondster, the wind kicked up wildly and rain bucketed down. The Director walked over to the window. When she saw how heavy the rain was, she sounded concerned. ¡°The rain¡¯s too heavy. It¡¯s too dangerous for your two to drive back. How about you two wait a bit longer and head back when it lightens up?¡± They then waited for half an hour but the rain showed no signs of lightening. In contrast, they ended up seeing news that there had been an ident on the road they would have to take back. The news report had said that the heavy rain was making it difficult for emergency services so it would likely take two hours before the road would be cleared. The Director had also heard it. When she saw the number of casualties, she let out a ¡®how terrible¡¯. However, when she looked at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, who were right here perfectly intact, she sighed. ¡°Fortunately the two of you hadn¡¯t risked driving back in the rain.¡± Song Xuanhe also felt fortunate. Everyone drove more slowly on rainy days. Calcting the time, he figured that if they had left back then, they would have been on that road at the time of the ident. Even if they didn¡¯t be one of the casualties, they would have still ended up stuck in traffic for two to three hours. But it was almost ten o¡¯clock now. If it would take two hours to clear the road, that meant that it wouldn¡¯t be clear until midnight. That meant that they wouldn¡¯t be able to get home until a bit past one. ¡°You should sleep here,¡± The Director said, ¡°Yuanmu¡¯s clothes are still here and I¡¯ve already prepared toiletries for the two of you. Sleep in Yuanmu¡¯s room tonight and go back in the morning. It¡¯ll be toote if you were to go back tonight. If the rain doesn¡¯t stop, it¡¯ll be very dangerous.¡± When he thought about how cramped Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s bed was, Song Xuanhe subconsciously wanted to refuse. But before he could speak, Xiao Yuanmu agreed. ¡°Okay.¡± The Director sighed in relief. ¡°Then you two should head over right away. The rain won¡¯t get any lighter for a while so it would be better for you two to wash up and go to bed earlier.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°We¡¯ll wait for you. Let¡¯s go together after you finish checking the rooms.¡± The Director was already old. It would not be safe for her to return on her own in such heavy rain. When Song Xuanhe heard Xiao Yuanmu speak, he also nodded. ¡°Director, we¡¯ll wait for you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re such good boys.¡± The Director said with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll go check on the children beforeing back.¡± The Director left very quickly. When the Director mentioned the children just now, Song Xuanhe once again recalled what had happened this evening. He looked up at Xiao Yuanmu and just so happened to meet his gaze. He was startled and blurted out, ¡°Were you bullied as a kid?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was silent for a moment. He then asked curiously, ¡°What makes you think that?¡± ¡°The girl from before. And that snake.¡± ¡°No,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a cool voice, ¡°The orphanage is indeed different from a typical school but it wasn¡¯t as scary as you think. That girl was only one of many children. She doesn¡¯t represent the entire orphanage.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know why but he really didn¡¯t want to see Song Xuanhe look at him with sympathy. He said, ¡°I was good-looking and very smart as a kid. There were many people who had wanted to adopt me. That¡¯s why the kids were hostile towards me. But that didn¡¯t mean that I was bullied. No one has ever been able to bully me.¡± Then, his tone changed slightly as he looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°That is, except for you.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his mouth, wanting to ask, ¡®when did I ever bully you?¡¯ But as soon as he was about to say it, he remembered how he had threatened Xiao Yuanmu on his first day in this world. He couldn¡¯t help but feel embarrassed. But for the sake of making sure Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t use this against him in the future, he quibbled, ¡°Don¡¯t they say that boys bully the ones they like? It¡¯s not ¡®bullying¡¯ when ites to boyfriends. It¡¯s called ¡®adding a little fun into the rtionship.¡¯¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes circled over Song Xuanhe¡¯s guilty expression. Suddenly, his lips curled into a smile. With a meaningful tone, he said, ¡°I hope that you remember what you said just now in the future.¡± Eve: Omg them bickering over the snake and vine scene and then HOLDING HANDS on their way back ah ah ah. So cuteeeeeee. Chapter 67: Found a Handsome Man Tranted by Eve
Song Xuanhe objected. He and Xiao Yuanmu had no future together. There was no need to remember his words. Fortunately, the Director just so happened to return at this time. Song Xuanhe thus stood up and said, ¡°Director, you¡¯re back.¡± The Director had hurried over here because she had noticed that the rain seemed to have lightened up. She wanted to take advantage of the lighter rain and head over to their lodging right away. Therefore, she didn¡¯te back into the room. ¡°The rain is lighter now. Let¡¯s head over right away.¡± Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had no objections. Song Xuanhe supported the Director as she walked in the front and Xiao Yuanmu trailed behind them with the puppy in his arms. The party of three humans and one dog walked along the dark, quiet path. The rain pitter-pattered around them and the puppy asionally whined. Because of this, it was no longer as terrifying as it had been before. Although the Director was old, she was still very nimble on her feet. She was even more dexterous and graceful on her feet than the two men. In less than ten minutes, they reached the two-storied building where the orphanage employees and teachers lived. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s room was the most innermost room on the second floor. It was next to the Director¡¯s room. Thus, the three of them climbed up the stairs one after another. When she reached her door, the Director smiled and said, ¡°The bathroom has everything you need. You two were soaked by the rain just now. It would be best if you two showered and warmed up your bodies before going to bed.¡± ¡°We know. Granny, you should go to bed early.¡± The Director made a sound of acknowledgement and then reminded them of a few more things before entering her room. Song Xuanhe turned around to look at the door that was on the wall perpendicr to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s room. He pushed the door open and walked in. Inside was a cramped but clean washroom. He was surprised. ¡°Is thismunal?¡± Xiao Yuanmu thought that he was disdaining it for being shabby so he didn¡¯t answer. He then heard Song Xuanhe say, ¡°The Director also got soaked by the rain just now. How about we let her go first?¡± When he didn¡¯t hear Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s reply, Song Xuanhe shut the door and turned around. ¡°Or does the Director have a bathroom in her room?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, a trace of warmth permeating through his cool, refreshing voice. ¡°She¡¯s used to showering in the main building after dinner. Don¡¯t worry. Granny will boil a pot of hot water for herself.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was always a bit more gentle than usual when he was at the orphanage. But the fact that he was giving Song Xuanhe an exnation out of his own ord was new. Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu, a bit astonished. But he didn¡¯t say anything else. Xiao Yuanmu opened the door to his room. After letting Song Xuanhe in, he brought the puppy to a corner of his room and then used some of his clothes to make a little padded area for him. He looked up and said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°There are clothes in the wardrobe you can change into. Grab whatever you want and go take a shower.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t do that. Instead, he watched with keen interest as Xiao Yuanmu helped dry the puppy¡¯s fur. The rain had been too strong just now. Furthermore, the wind had blown in all directions. Not only had the humans gotten soaked, but the puppy had ended up wet too. Butpared to them, the puppy was only a little wet. The puppy seemed to understand who it was that truly liked him and would treat him well. As Xiao Yuanmu wiped him dry, he barked in his sweet puppy voice and wagged his tail quickly. He would also asionally lick Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯m the one who picked him up.¡± Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue. ¡°Who would have expected that he would only repay me, his benefactor, by peeing on me? Meanwhile, he wags his tail at you and licks your hand.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gently petted the puppy¡¯s head. His tone was still gentle, void of its usual frost. His voice sounded even more refreshing and pure against the sound of the torrential rain. ¡°Animals are different from humans. They can tell who¡¯s a good person and who¡¯s a bad person. They may not necessarily hold a grudge against bad people, but if someone is kind to them, they will remember it for the rest of their lives.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lowered eyes thoughtfully. The corner of his lips rose. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to like dogs.¡± Xiao Yuanmu ced the dried puppy onto the soft clothes and stood up. He looked at Song Xuanhe and said in a t tone, ¡°Sometimes, dogs are more likeable than humans.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard this, he nodded in agreement. With a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, he said, ¡°Of course. Otherwise, where would we have gotten the term ¡®worse than a beast?¡¯¡± With this, he decided to stop their chat there. He casually grabbed an outfit from the wardrobe and said, ¡°I¡¯ll go wash up.¡± It was only under the hot spray of the shower that Song Xuanhe finally felt the chill dissipate from his body. ¡¾I didn¡¯t expect that the big shot would have had such a tragic childhood.¡¿ The System¡¯s voice suddenly sounded while Song Xuanhe was washing his hair. Even though it was familiar, it still startled Song Xuanhe to suddenly hear a voice in his head while his body was in such a rxed state. But after the surprise passed, he felt regret. He could have asked the System what had been behind him during that episode with Xiao Yuanmu on that path. He had been too scared at the time to think straight. The System had known that Xiao Yuanmu was digging a pit for him but it hadn¡¯t taken the initiative to tell him that. It frequently called him ¡®brother¡¯ but it looks like its feelings of camaraderie were quite superficial. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hide his thoughts from the System. When the System heard this, it felt wronged and exined £º¡¾I had gone to look up what had happened to the big shot during his childhood so I hadn¡¯t been paying attention to what was happening on your side. I had been shocked at the time. I didn¡¯t expect that this world¡¯s protagonist would have gone through so much in his childhood. Do you know why he¡¯s afraid of snakes?¡¿ Song Xuanhe paused while washing his hair. The shampoo fell into his eyes so he wiped it away. In a t tone, he said£º¡¾No. And I don¡¯t want to know.¡¿ The System was taken aback. It had thought that Song Xuanhe would definitely want to know why. It couldn¡¯t help but ask£º¡¾Why not?¡¿ ¡¾No reason.¡¿Song Xuanhe tilted his head up and let the water hit his forehead. Some of it then flowed down the back of his head while the rest of it trickled down his eyshes. When his hair was fully rinsed of all suds, he said £º¡¾I don¡¯t need to get any more involved with Xiao Yuanmu. We humans have a saying: ¡®curiosity killed the cat.¡¯ It¡¯s the same with me and Xiao Yuanmu. Nothing good wille out of me finding out more about him.¡¿ The System fell silent when it heard this. After some time, it asked£º¡¾Because he threatened you after you found out about his fear of snakes?¡¿ ¡¾No.¡¿ Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He wasn¡¯t blind. He naturally didn¡¯t think that Xiao Yuanmu had really been threatening him back then. At least, the threat hadn¡¯t held any negative emotions. But it wasn¡¯t necessarily friendly either. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pitch-ck eyes back then had seemed to emit light. It had been both scorching and stunning. If he were to describe them, he would say that the other had looked like he was a wanderer in the desert who had finally caught sight of an oasis¡ªit was frenzied, scorching, and full of a desire to possess. Song Xuanhe could understand how Xiao Yuanmu must have felt. Some people would choose to silence people who came across the secret they wanted to keep hidden, because they were afraid that they wouldn¡¯t be able to control that person. But there were others that would react differently in the same situation. These people would feel excited. Bearing a secret on your own is lonesome and hard to bear. Even if it¡¯s a difficult-to-ovee psychological shadow, control freaks won¡¯t allow it to be their weak point. Instead of trying to hide it, they would much rather thoroughly rid themselves of this fear and ovee it. Therefore, if someone were to find out about their secret, then they would definitely try to think of a way to get full control over this person. They would then make them into their most special person. There were many kinds of special people. For example, friends, family members, or even lovers. But regardless of the rtionship status, one thing they all have inmon was that these control freaks were extremely controlling of their special people. Furthermore, they demanded to be the closest person to them. He and Xiao Yuanmu were not at that stage yet. That was why he didn¡¯t want to find out anything more about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s past. People will subconsciously open their hearts to people they share a secret with, or to people who know of their secrets. And he didn¡¯t need Xiao Yuanmu to open his heart to him. This was because he knew that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s past would cause him to waver. The System didn¡¯t understand. When it saw that Song Xuanhe was done bathing, it asked£º¡¾So what¡¯s the reason?¡¿ Song Xuanhe put on the change of clothes. His expression was frightfully cold£º¡¾I already told you, it¡¯s because I don¡¯t want to know too much about his past. Nothing good wille out of it. In contrast, knowing too much will only bring misfortune.¡¿ The System didn¡¯t speak again. Song Xuanhe pushed the door open and stood in the cold air for a while. After he started to shiver, he knocked on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s door and walked in. Xiao Yuanmu was currently on the phone. When he saw Song Xuanhe walk in, he hung up. He took pause when he noticed the other¡¯s pale lips and asked, ¡°Are you feeling unwell?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe dried his hair with the towel and avoided Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. ¡°Go wash up. It¡¯s gettingte.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard this, he stared at Song Xuanhe for a bit. But all he could see was the shifting white towel. His eyes darkened slightly and his voice regained its usual chill. ¡°That¡¯s my towel. I only have one.¡± Song Xuanhe stopped wiping his hair and threw it at the other. He then lifted the covers off the bed and sat down. ¡°I didn¡¯t know. It¡¯s a bit wet now. Sorry.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened even more. His gaze flitted around Song Xuanhe¡¯s cold and obviously distant expression. His tone was unreadable. ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve apologized to me.¡± ¡°I should apologize to you.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother with his still damp hair and curled up under the sheets. He said, ¡°You were nice enough to shelter me at your expense. So I should obviously apologize to you.¡± His tone was really matter-of-fact and polite. There was none of the usual bossy, spoiled rich kid undertones. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know why, but a strange fire lit up in his chest. He threw the towel onto the bed and bent over to pinch Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin. He said, ¡°We¡¯re dating so you don¡¯t owe me anything for letting you stay. But as for my expense, I really have been losing out.¡± After he said this, Xiao Yuanmu pressed his lips against Song Xuanhe¡¯s. The moment he stuck his tongue into the other¡¯s mouth, he also reached into Song Xuanhe¡¯s clothes. Unlike his overbearing kiss, his hands moved very gently across Song Xuanhe¡¯s smooth skin in a heedless manner. Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He then immediately began to struggle. Although he wasn¡¯t as strong as Xiao Yuanmu, they were both men. In a short amount of time, he was able to break free of the other¡¯s hold. Xiao Yuanmu stood up straight and peered down onto him. He said in a cool tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t this normal between lovers? Haven¡¯t I been losing out on our arrangement because we haven¡¯t been doing this?¡± Song Xuanhe had been caught unprepared by that kiss. He was left even more stunned upon hearing these illogical words uttered in a matter-of-fact tone. Xiao Yuanmu leaned over again under Song Xuanhe¡¯s guarded gaze. When their eyes met, he smiled. ¡°Since I¡¯ve incurred a loss because of you, shouldn¡¯t you apologize and¡­make it up to me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu put his emphasis on thest five words, his voice sounding deep and hoarse, like he was enticing Song Xuanhe to give him a satisfactory response.
Eve: Excuse me, I¡¯ll be over here blushing while rolling around in my bed squealing. Chapter 68: He’s Got Long Legs and He’s Good-Looking Tranted by Eve
Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes, his expression that of disdain. However, his body was much more honest as it shrunk back towards the other side of the bed. He then raised his chin and said, ¡°Thew says that only married partners have an obligation to one another. Boyfriends don¡¯t. Besides, the things you mentioned you were losing out on¡ªhow is it just my fault? It takes two to tango. How about you reflect on yourself a bit more?¡± He then calmly burrowed back into the sheets, only revealing his smooth forehead and a pair of eyes. Because his mouth was underneath the nket, it sounded muffled. ¡°I¡¯m tired. Go shower.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him for two seconds and then abruptly came forward. Song Xuanhe was startled into pulling the nket over his head. He inwardly prepared himself to get beaten up beyond recognition. However, Xiao Yuanmu only rubbed his head before letting him go. ¡°The hairdryer is in the desk¡¯s drawer. Dry your hair before sleeping.¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly taken aback. For a moment, he felt guilty for having thought Xiao Yuanmu was going to do something to him. But just as he started to feel a bit guilty over suspecting the other¡¯s good intentions, he heard Xiao Yuanmu say, ¡°Don¡¯t make my pillow wet.¡± When he heard this, not only was Song Xuanhe not mad, he even felt relieved. If Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s personality were to suddenly change, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to sleep tonight. Xiao Yuanmu watched as the other went to pull open the drawer. His gaze fell on the other¡¯s clothes that were slightly raised, revealing a pale, tight waist. His eyes darkened slightly and he grabbed a change of clothes before leaving the room. Song Xuanhe turned on the hairdryer and dried his hair upon hearing Xiao Yuanmu leave. His hair was really short and had already been mostly dry so he was done in a short amount of time. When he ced the hairdryer back in the drawer, Song Xuanhe noticed a jade pendant in the corner of the drawer. The jade pendant was translucent and exquisite. He was able to tell that it was an extraordinary object with one nce. He stopped himself just as he was about to close the drawer. Because of his good sight, he was able to make out the engraved character despite the shadows: Xiao. As expected. Song Xuanhe only paused for a second before he calmly closed the drawer. The System wasn¡¯t willing to let him sleep in peace. It said£º¡¾That was the jade pendant given to every scion of the Xiao Family when they¡¯re born as a token of their identity! Xiao Yuanmu obviously knew about this pendant. Why did he say that he was named after a tree when Xiao Nan asked about hisst namest time?!¡¿ Song Xuanhe shut his eyes and his eyshes didn¡¯t even flutter upon hearing this. He had no intention of responding. The System continued£º¡¾It can¡¯t be that the big shot already knows about his family background and just doesn¡¯t want to be found by the Xiao Family?! ¡¿ ¡¾That¡¯s probably not the case.¡¿The System answered its own question£º¡¾You humans love glory and wealth. Moreover, it¡¯s his biological parents. If he had found out about his own identity, even if he didn¡¯t go looking for them, he¡¯d at least investigate it. There is no way he would just stay here in the orphanage and do nothing. He probably doesn¡¯t know who he is.¡¿ ¡¾You¡¯re so noisy.¡¿Song Xuanhe flipped over, back against the door£º¡¾Shut up. I want to sleep.¡¿ ¡¾Are you really not curious? Not even a little bit?¡¿The System asked£º¡¾If Xiao Yuanmu knows about his family, no matter what you do, as long as he¡¯s unwilling to return, you¡¯ll fail your mission.¡¿ When Song Xuanhe heard this, he opened his eyes and coldly thought£º¡¾So what if Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t want to acknowledge them as family? As long as the Xiao Family wants him to, he has neither the right nor power to refuse.¡¿ ¡¾You¡­.¡¿The System hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanhe to say such a thing. It didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. A whileter, it said£º¡¾So what you¡¯re saying is that it¡¯s possible that Xiao Yuanmu already knows who he is?¡¿ Song Xuanhe closed his eyes again and remained silent. ¡¾Tell me!¡¿The System¡¯s boorish voice made Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyelid twitch£º¡¾Brother¡­.¡¿ ¡¾I don¡¯t know.¡¿Song Xuanhe was afraid that the System would keep talking so he cut it off before it could speak£º¡¾I¡¯m not a mind reader. How can I know what he¡¯s thinking? Moreover, even if he knew about this pendant¡¯s meaning, he wouldn¡¯t connect it to the Xiao Family. After all, a poor kid from an orphanage probably wouldn¡¯t know about the Xiao Family.¡¿ The System analyzed Song Xuanhe¡¯s words and thought that he was right. Every world had its own rules, and every level within each world had their own set as well. What the beings at each level knew differed. The eight major families were legendary existences even to the average rich family in this world, to the point where there was a lot of debate over which eight families constituted the eight. Even business magazines found it difficult to differentiate between fact and fiction in their reports, let alone Xiao Yuanmu. When Song Xuanhe saw that he had managed to dupe the System with his words, his lips that were hidden beneath the nket curled into a smile. He didn¡¯t know if Xiao Yuanmu knew that he was a member of the Xiao Family, one of the major eight families before. However, Song Xuanhe was pretty certain Xiao Yuanmu had figured out the truth about his family after having met Xiao Nan. In hisst life, or rather, the Xiao Yuanmu in the book, had never encountered Xiao Nan prior to going back to the Xiao Family. But this didn¡¯t mean that he had never met anyone else from the Xiao Family or that he hadn¡¯t incidentallye into contact with Xiao Family people. It was very possible that he had already figured out his identity even before the Xiao couple had recognized him. There were three possible reasons that would exin why he didn¡¯t go looking for the Xiao Family after having figured out his identity. The first possibility was that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t want to go back to the Xiao Family. The second possibility was that he had a bigger n in mind. For example, he may be building up his power so that he¡¯ll be in a more advantageous position upon returning to the Xiao Family. As for the third possibility, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotions were hard to read. His thoughts were even more obscure. Maybe he was just in a bad mood and was toozy to go search for them. It was just that, regardless of which possibility was true, it further reinforced the idea that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s thoughts were deep and unfathomable. He was very good at scheming and waiting patiently. The type of person Song Xuanhe was least willing to interact with was precisely this kind of person. Song Xuanhe tugged the nket down a bit and was nning on ridding his mind of thoughts so he could sleep. However, he didn¡¯t know why, but the image of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s terrified expression in front of the snake tonight emerged in his brain. It wasn¡¯t just that. Xiao Yuanmu cooking for him, buying him congee¡ªthe way he had stood up tall even when he was in unbearable pain¡­all sorts of images appeared before his eyes. Before he fell asleep, one thought emerged in his mind: He has a huge mental scar and he had to grow up in a ce that gave him no sense of security. Even if his thoughts are unfathomable, I get why. When Xiao Yuanmu walked in, he saw Song Xuanhe already asleep. He shut the door very quietly and then made a ¡®sit¡¯ gesture to the puppy that was wagging its tail frantically and attempting to run towards him. When he saw the puppy cleverly sit down, he quietly walked further into the room. He didn¡¯t sit down. Instead, he crouched down next to the bed and stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s face that looked younger when he was asleep. His eyes slowly grew darker. He gently touched the other¡¯s curledshes with his index fingers. When he saw those eyshes tremble, he shifted his finger to the other¡¯s bridge in an unhurried fashion before tracing it down to his lips. He caressed Song Xuanhe¡¯s soft lips and watched as they reddened under his ministrations. It was only when Song Xuanhe, who was deep asleep, withdrew ufortably that he came back to himself. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes regained their rity but he didn¡¯t take his hand away. He could still feel the softness against his fingers and couldn¡¯t help but rub them two more times. Only then did he take his hand away. The image of Song Xuanhe acting tough just now appeared in his mind. He chuckled quickly, voice hoarse. ¡°Looks like I really¡­.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t finish his sentence and stood up. He deftly lifted the covers and then sat on top of the bed. After turning off the light, he reached into the covers and warmed up his own hands. He then reached over to grab Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands, entwining each of his fingers in the cracks between his own. When he felt that same warmth he had felt earlier this evening while they had been on that path, he smiled. He only had two secrets. In hisst life, no one had known about either of them. But right now, both had been exposed to Song Xuanhe. There had been two times where he hadn¡¯t wanted anyone to see him in his sorriest state. And both times, Song Xuanhe had barged into the darkness that held him. In the beginning, he had only felt embarrassed and angry. He hadn¡¯t wanted to let the other see his weak side. But today, when the other had grabbed his hand and said those words, Xiao Yuanmu had suddenly thought that maybe this was Heaven¡¯s Will. Heaven¡¯s Will had allowed him to be reborn once again. Heaven¡¯s Will had let Song Xuanhe see him in such miserable states. Heaven¡¯s Will had allowed light to crash into his darkness-filled world. If he didn¡¯t grab hold of Song Xuanhe, then he¡¯d be betraying Heaven¡¯s favour. As he thought this, an unprecedented feeling of peace and content filled Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chest. This was something he had never sought before. However, now that he had it, he would hold it tightly in the palms of his hand and would never let go. Song Xuanhe seemed to be ufortable in his sleep. He tried to pull his hand out of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. When he failed, he let out a groan. Giving up, he simply turned over, his back now facing Xiao Yuanmu. He only left that one hand behind him and simply let Xiao Yuanmu hold it. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t let go of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. He ced their entwined hands in front of Song Xuanhe so that his arm was now slung over the other¡¯s waist. He then pulled the other backwards so that Song Xuanheid nestled in his embrace. The familiar scent of body wash wafted over. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened. His gaze fell on the nape of Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck. The rainstorm still raged outside. Very little moonlight managed to make its way through the room¡¯s window so the room was very dark. But Xiao Yuanmu could clearly make out the back of Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck. His skin was fair and smooth. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed and he pressed his lips against the other¡¯s nape. But just touching like this didn¡¯t feel enough. He couldn¡¯t help but want a taste. He continued to pepper Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck with kisses until the other shifted his head forward in difort. Only then did he stop and pull the other back against him. He murmured, ¡°One day¡­.¡± His voice was so quiet it sounded inaudible. It was covered up by the sound of the rain outside and disappeared into the air. Xiao Yuanmu inhaled the scent of the person in his arms. It was the same light scent as his own. He then tightened his arms, satisfied. Before he shut his eyes, for some reason, the image of their second meeting suddenly appeared in his mind. It had also taken ce in the orphanage. Song Xuanhe had suddenly jumped onto him and kissed him in front of the Director. He had then quickly jumped off of him, a guilty look on his face.. Back then, it had felt like his brain had exploded. All he had felt was disbelief. He hadn¡¯t been able to say anything back then because of the shame and shock. His heart had been racing in his chest and his entire back and neck had heated up. At that time, he had thought that it had been because he had been angry over someone sneak-attacking him like that so he had ignored how his heart had throbbed. Their beginning in this life waspletely different from that of hisst life. A different beginning led to a different ending. Since Song Xuanhe had been responsible for affecting him like that at the start, then it was only logical that he had to take responsibility for it. It was just that the current Xiao Family was not a suitable ce for him.
The author has something to say: After the big shot acknowledges his feelings, he¡¯ll follow the book¡¯s plot. But it looks like you guys won¡¯t miss him because my son Xuan also won¡¯t miss him. Hahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Eve: Mumu has fully epted his feelings. And Mumu won¡¯t give us (or Xuanhe) a chance to miss him hahahaha. Chapter 69: He’s Got a Good Body and Abs Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°Xiao ge, I¡¯ve already looked through the documents Louis sent over. I think that it would be fine to cooperate with the Grier Group, but there are still some details that require¡­.¡± Snow fell gently outside the windows. Yang Jie poured some piping hot, brewed tea into a small redware cup before gently pushing it over to Xiao Yuanmu. When he noticed that the other didn¡¯t move, he looked up. He saw the other ncing outside at the snowyndscape with a pensive look on his face. Yang Jie¡¯s hand paused in the air. He then lowered his gaze and said, ¡°Xiao ge, it¡¯s Old Mr. Song¡¯s birthday today. Song er shao will probably head home right after work. He likely won¡¯te looking for you. You needn¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold face turned to face him. His eyes were icier than the frost that was dusted over the nts outside. In contrast, his tone was much more mild. ¡°It¡¯s none of your business, Wang Dong.¡± Yang Jie¡¯s pupils shook. A whileter, he continued, ¡°That Song er shao doesn¡¯t like you nor cares about you. If he did care about you, he would have at least told you about the birthday banquet today. But, he¡­.¡± ¡°Wang Dong.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice sounded indifferent, but there was a warning within it. Yang Jie pursed his lips. His birth name was Yang Jie, but he loathed his alcoholic, abusive father. When that had happened to his motherst time, he had changed his name. But, because people were used to calling him by his birth name¡ªand because Xiao Yuanmu had said that it would be more appropriate to call him by this name for now and change itter after they had left¡ªXiao Yuanmu had been calling him Yang Jie all this time. It was only when he was angry that he would call him Wang Dong. Prior to this moment, the only other time Xiao Yuanmu had ever called him Wang Dong had also been because of Song Xuanhe. The first time had happened on a Wednesday two weeks ago. It had rained hard the night before. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s car had been parked at the orphanage¡¯s gate and had ended up getting crushed under a tree. Therefore, Yang Jie had gone to pick him up. At that time, Song Xuanhe had also been there. The atmosphere between them had been strange. Yang Jie didn¡¯t like Song Xuanhe, so he didn¡¯t ask about it. But when he had seen Song Xuanhe¡¯s cold expression, he couldn¡¯t help but feel unhappy. Therefore, after sending Song Xuanhe back to his office, he hadn¡¯t been able to stop himself from saying, ¡°Xiao ge, you¡¯re going to leave soon. When will you break up with him?¡± Xiao Yuanmu had been watching Song Xuanhe walk into the Song Group¡¯s building. He had then looked away and answered in a t voice, ¡°Does me leaving have anything to do with whether I break up with him or not?¡± Yang Jie had been taken aback. When he had finally understood what the other was saying, he had been startled. He hadn¡¯t been able to stop himself from blurting out his thoughts. ¡°Xiao ge! Are you saying that you still want to be with Song Xuanhe even after leaving the country?! He¡¯s a fickle yboy! He might cheat on you. Moreover, even if he doesn¡¯t cheat, I doubt he¡¯d be willing to maintain a long-distance rtionship with you!¡± Originally, there had still been a bit of a smile on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. At that moment though, it had beenpletely reced with ice. But, Yang Jie was his loyal subordinate, who had followed him throughout two lifetimes. Therefore, his tone had still been very serene. ¡°It¡¯s fine if you don¡¯t like him, but I don¡¯t want to hear you speak ill of him behind his back again. I¡¯ll overlook it this time. There better not be a next time.¡± If it had been Yang Jie from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s previous life, who had understood Xiao Yuanmu extremely well, he would have shut up upon hearing these words. However, the current Yang Jie did not have that kind of tacit understanding with Xiao Yuanmu. Moreover, ever since he had found out about how Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had gotten together, he had loathed Song Xuanhe, this rich kid who liked to use his power to bully people. It had made him disapprove of their rtionship even more. ¡°Xiao ge, he has never given you a pleasant expression any time I have seen him. In the past, he used his family background to force you to be with him. But now, with your current identity, you don¡¯t have to be held back by him. Besides, even if you like him, he doesn¡¯t like you, ah. I can tell just by looking at the expression he had on when he was with you this morning!¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold look had eased up when he had heard Yang Jie mention Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression that morning. His lips had even curled up into a smile. They had just ¡°helped¡± each other out with a very typical issue men faced in the mornings. He hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to get so mad. When he recalled that ashen expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face when the other had gotten out of bed to wash his hands, the smile in his eyes deepened. ¡°It¡¯s not your ce to talk about our rtionship.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mood had improved after thinking about this, and his tone had also eased up. Therefore, Yang Jie had mistakenly thought that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t really care. Thus, he continued speaking his thoughts, ¡°Xiao ge, I think that Song Xuanhe isn¡¯t worthy of you. He¡¯s nothing but a good-for-nothing rich second-generation living under his ancestors¡¯ shade. He can¡¯t bepared to you at all. He¡¯s unworthy of you in every aspect. Furthermore, a long-distance rtionship is hard to maintain. He doesn¡¯t even seem to like you at all. When the timees¡­.¡± ¡°Wang Dong.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had looked up. There had been a frosty chill repressed in his eyes. Even through the rear view mirror, Yang Jie had been able to feel the cold. ¡°I won¡¯t warn you a third time. Don¡¯t meddle in our affairs.¡± The tone of the man in the back seat had been very mild and had even sounded refreshingly pleasant. But, it had made Yang Jie¡¯s back go cold. He had gripped the steering wheel tight and had replied in a quiet voice, ¡°I understand.¡± At that time, Yang Jie had decided that he would not meddle anymore. But, Song Xuanhe was really too much. He and Xiao Yuanmu were clearly lovers. It was one thing for him to not invite Xiao Yuanmu to Old Mr. Song, Song Yansong¡¯s birthday banquet, but how could he not even tell him about it? Song Xuanhe clearly didn¡¯t take Xiao ge seriously. Yang Jie just didn¡¯t get it. There were people in this world who looked gentle, noble, and easy-to-interact with but actually had hearts colder than ice. Meanwhile, there were people who looked aloof and hard-to-approach but were actually more soft-hearted than anyone else. Song Xuanhe was the former whereas Xiao Yuanmu was thetter. In this rtionship, the only person who would be hurt was Xiao Yuanmu. Not only was Xiao Yuanmu Yang Jie¡¯s saviour, but he was also the person who he admired and nned to follow for the rest of his life. He didn¡¯t want to see him fall for someone like Song Xuanhe, who was nothing but a good-for-nothing, cold-hearted rich kid. Yang Jie finished his own cup of hot tea and then turned to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Xiao ge, I know that you don¡¯t like it when I talk about Song er shao, but this is just how it is. I don¡¯t want to speak ill of him, but think about thest two weeks. You¡¯ve been so busy that you don¡¯t even have time to eat lunch, but you still squeeze out time to make dinner and eat with him. But, what about him? Is he grateful? Not only does he note, but he also goes to hang out with his friends. He has so many people by his side. He doesn¡¯t need you to care about him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the redware cup in his hand. There was a stark contrast between the dark colour of the cup and his fair fingers. ced on this table within this antique-styled pavilion, the image of his fingers around the cup made for a shockingly beautiful sight. He didn¡¯t look up. He didn¡¯t seem angry either. He said in a t tone, ¡°And?¡± Feeling encouraged, Yang Jie continued to persuade him. ¡°Xiao ge, he¡¯s not even willing to give you any sort of official title. Why must you like him? With your qualifications, you can choose anyone else. Why must you insist on falling for someone as heartless as Song Xuanhe?¡± ¡°Are you done?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, his eyes calm. Yang Jie didn¡¯t know why, but the other¡¯s gaze made him feel like he was in imminent danger. ¡°If you¡¯re done, let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu put his cup down and stood up. When he noticed that Yang Jie was still sitting in his seat, motionless, he peered down at the other. ¡°Things should not be attempted more than three times. I¡¯ve already reminded you twice before this not to stick your hands in our rtionship. I don¡¯t want to have to remind you a fourth time.¡± Yang Jie was taken aback. Panic clenched his heart. He parted his lips, wanting to say something, but Xiao Yuanmu had already left the pavilion and walked into the snow. His voice was immeasurably cold as if it was stained with the frost and snow. ¡°I¡¯ll give you five million. That should be enough to ensure that you and your mother will be able to livefortably from now on. Don¡¯te looking for me again.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s legs were long, and his steps were quick. Very soon, his silhouette was about to disappear behind the rock garden as he turned the corner. Yang Jie stared at his back in a daze. A cold breeze blew against him, and he abruptly came back to himself. He didn¡¯t even have time to throw on his coat as he dashed after Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Xiao ge!¡± Yang Jie had never worshipped someone as much as he did Xiao Yuanmu. He also knew that there wouldn¡¯t be a second person. He had already decided to be Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s right-hand man for the rest of his life. He didn¡¯t want to stop now. ¡°Xiao ge, I was wrong! I promise there won¡¯t be a next time!¡± Yang Jie sprinted. He increased his speed when he caught sight of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s figure. When he had identally bumped into someone, he could only give them a rushed apology. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± He caught up with Xiao Yuanmu and stood in front of him, cutting off the other¡¯s path. There was regret and pleading in his voice. ¡°I know I was wrong, really. Xiao ge, I promise never to talk about your rtionship with Song Xuanhe again. Please don¡¯t abandon me.¡± Yang Jie really regretted it. He shouldn¡¯t have spoken ill about Song Xuanhe. No matter what Song Xuanhe was like, he was the person Xiao ge liked. No one was allowed to get in-between their feelings. It was only to be expected that Xiao ge would be angry. If someone had called the person he liked into question, he¡¯d also get angry. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t speak, but he didn¡¯t walk around him either. He only looked at him coldly. Yang Jie sighed in relief when he saw this. ¡°What¡¯s going on between you two is your own business. You¡¯re boyfriends. Regardless of what happens, it¡¯s up to the two of you to resolve it yourselves. I will never mention anything I shouldn¡¯t again. From now on, when I see him¡­.¡± ¡°Yo!¡± Before Yang Jie could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a voice that seemed to carry a smile. ¡°I was wondering why you looked so familiar? Turns out it¡¯s my cousin¡¯s little boyfriend. What? Did he not take you to the old sir¡¯s birthday, because he was too ashamed to show you off in public?¡± Song Jiabao walked over with a smile on his face. He had been full of rage when someone had bumped into him. He hadn¡¯t expected that that person would be with Song Xuanhe¡¯s boyfriend though. Furthermore, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t around. This was a chance bestowed to him by the Heavens! When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t going to respond, he pushed Yang Jie aside and walked over to face him. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face that was even more perfect and otherworldly than the snow, amidst the winter scenery, he couldn¡¯t help but feel like his breath had been taken away for a moment. When he spoke again, his tone had changed. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve taken a good look at you, I have to say you¡¯ve got a nice face. Otherwise, there would have been no way you would have been able to infatuate that cousin of mine otherwise. You had even seduced Boss Sun on the cruise and made him spare no expense when asking Song Er for you. How about you dump Song Er and get together with me? I promise to take you to the old sir¡¯s banquet and let you walk in with great fanfare. How about it?¡± Yang Jie¡¯s fists had already been tightly clenched when he had heard Song Jiabao¡¯s first sentence. But, he had forced himself to endure it when he had seen Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. When he had heard Song Jiabao¡¯ster words, he could no longer bear it. He sent a kick towards the other¡¯s abdomen, causing the other to fall head-first into the snow. He then said in a cold voice, ¡°Who do you think you are to actually dare speak to Xiao ge like that?¡± Song Jiabao had never expected for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people toy a hand on him. When he crawled back up, shock was written all over his face. His expression twisted, and he gnashed his teeth. ¡°Do you know who I am? I¡¯m going to go to Old Mr. Song¡¯s banquet and tell everyone what just happened! Forget walking through the Song Family¡¯s doors. You¡¯ll never be able to stay in the Capital again!¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll make sure you can¡¯t go to the Song Family banquet!¡± Yang Jie advanced again. Song Jiabao was prepared this time, but he was no match for Yang Jie, who had received special training. When he was kicked to the ground again, he once again threatened them. He said that he¡¯de after their lives tomorrow for daring to do this to him today. But under Yang Jie¡¯s merciless kicks, he could only curl up on the ground in the end and beg for mercy. Xiao Yuanmu had been watching on the sidelines the whole time. When he saw that it was about time to stop, he raised a hand to put an end to this. Under Yang Jie¡¯s confused stare, he said in a t voice, ¡°People might pass byter. Take him to the parking lot. Remember, don¡¯t kill him.¡± Song Jiabao raised his head, incredulous. When he met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotionless, ice-cold gaze, he felt his back go cold. Btedly, he felt fear bubble up in his chest.
The author has something to say: I don¡¯t know if this POV change will catch you guys off guard. But, we can¡¯t let Xiao Yuanmu disappear for a long time after they break up. Therefore, we¡¯ll be getting two POVs for some time. I wrote this chapter in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s POV to help you guys get ustomed to it. Theater: Song Xuanhe: Even if you beat me to death, I won¡¯t sleep in the same bed as Xiao Yuanmu again! Luckily, I had been able to hold it in, so he hadn¡¯t realized that I had been lying about having erectile dysfunction! Some timeter: Xiao Yuanmu: So, you weren¡¯t lying to me. Song Xuanhe: !!! A man¡¯s first time doesn¡¯t count!!!
Eve: Omg the morning ¡®issue¡¯ that men have¡­¡¯helping each other out¡¯¡­.Mumu really moves fast. *blushes* Also, violence is never the answer, friends. Except when you¡¯re dealing with a fictional arse like this who deserves no pity imo. Kara: Ahhhh! I¡¯m back! Real life kicked me in the face, so I disappeared for a week. But, I¡¯m back and missed my babies!!! And, wow, I¡¯m excited toe back to Mumu¡¯s POV! His thoughts and actions have always been more difficult to understand since we¡¯re always viewing him through SXH¡¯s eyes, so this is a nice surprise! o(¨R?¨Qo) Chapter 70: Found a Handsome Man Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Yansong¡¯s birthday banquet was grand and prestigious. The attendees were all wealthy and respectable people. By six o¡¯clock that evening, the hotel¡¯s entrance was already filled with luxurious cars. Song Xuanhe and Song Xuanlin stood at the entrance to greet the guests. Originally, Song Guochao had also been present, but he had left after receiving a phone call. Song Xuanlin would chat with the arriving people in his usual steady manner. He would then call for someone else to escort the guest in before casting his gaze onto the next arrival. He said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°If you¡¯re bored, you can go in with Wei Chen when he arrives.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, but he didn¡¯t turn to look at Song Xuanlin. He smiled at the passing people before replying to the other in a hushed voice, ¡°What should I do if Song Guochaoes to make trouble for me?¡± Song Xuanlin responded with a simple and concise sentence, ¡°He won¡¯t if Wei Chen is around.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled as he shook hands with and greeted a middle-aged couple. ¡°Mr. Yang, Mrs. Yang, thank you so much foring to celebrate Grandfather¡¯s birthday with us.¡± Song Xuanlin then came forward to ept their gift and chatted with the Yang couple before having someone else lead them into the hotel. Just as the couple had moved on, Wei Chen appeared. Song Xuanlin nodded. ¡°Wei shao.¡± Wei Chen greeted him in return. He then said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected for you to obediently stand here and wee guests. I thought that I¡¯d have to look for you in this crowded banquet hall.¡± Song Xuanhe curled his lips into a smile. ¡°How could I let Wei shao search for me? My father had specifically arranged for me to wait for Wei shao. I promised Father that I would make you feel at home.¡± ¡°Father?¡± Wei Chenughed, understanding what Song Xuanhe was getting at. He handed his gift over to Song Xuanlin¡¯s personal assistant and then pointed to the banquet hall. Towards Song Xuanlin, he said, ¡°Song da shao, can I borrow your brother to guide me around this ce? I¡¯m terrified of unfamiliar ces.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Wei Chen and saw that the other looked veryposed. There was an unrestrained unruliness in those sharp, jet-ck eyes of his. He didn¡¯t seem to find his own words out-of-sorts at all. When he noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze, he even smiled at him. He looked very rxed. Song Xuanlin had also been stunned by the other¡¯s shamelessness. However, he had always been mentally strong. He had only paused for half a second before nodding calmly. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, indeed, you should have someone with you. Xuanhe, help familiarize Wei shao with the banquet hall. Just make sure to go to Grandpa before the banquet starts.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have to trouble you, ge.¡± Song Xuanhe waved at Song Xuanlin with a grin on his face. He then nimbly turned around and left with Wei Chen. When they had managed to get a distance away, Wei Chen leaned towards Song Xuanhe and asked in a hushed voice, ¡°You¡¯re not even going to thank me after I have saved you from your suffering?¡± Song Xuanhe casually grabbed two sses of champagne and handed one over to him. As they walked, he said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid of unfamiliar surroundings? Shouldn¡¯t you be the one thanking me for apanying you, Wei shao?¡± Wei Chen raised a brow and smiled. He didn¡¯t continue with this topic. Instead, he asked, ¡°Where¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°You¡¯re looking for him?¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head towards Wei Chen. ¡°I¡¯ll give you the address. If you leave now, you can probably catch him.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Wei Chen took a sip of his champagne and grinned. ¡°Keep on pretending.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled without a word. Shortly after Song Xuanhe and Wei Chen had left, Song Guochao had rushed over. He frowned upon seeing that only Song Xuanlin was there. ¡°Where¡¯s Song Xuanhe?¡± ¡°Wei shao has arrived, so he¡¯s apanying him.¡± Song Xuanlin took in Song Guochao¡¯s expression and asked, ¡°Father, is something the matter?¡± ¡°Of course there is! That brat¡­.¡± Song Guochao gritted his teeth but stopped halfway through his sentence. When he saw new guests approaching, he concealed his anger and didn¡¯t bother finishing his sentence. ¡°I¡¯ll stay here. You tell Song Xuanhe to wait for me in the lounge upstairs. I have something to ask him.¡± Song Xuanlin calmly greeted the arriving guests. After they had left, he said, ¡°Wei shao said that he had some business with him just now. They will probably be together tonight. If it¡¯s nothing important, you should wait until Grandpa¡¯s banquet is over.¡± ¡°How could it not be important?¡± Seeing that there were no guests around, Song Guochao¡¯s expression sank. He said, ¡°Your cousin was beaten up. Both his legs have been broken. Do you know who did it?¡± Song Xuanlin furrowed his brows. A strange light flitted through his eyes, but there was no worry in his tone. ¡°Song Jiabao¡¯s legs were broken by someone?¡± ¡°Not just that! He nearly lost his life too! If it hadn¡¯t been for the person who noticed him in time, he might have frozen to death in that parking lot!¡± Song Guochao¡¯s expression was fierce as he said this. Although Song Jiabao was his nephew, Song Guochao was someone who didn¡¯t even really care about his own sons, let alone a nephew. If anyone else had been the culprit, he would have at most just helped to investigate who had a grudge against Song Jiabao and whether it had something to do with the Song Family. He would then have acted ording to that person¡¯s identity. But, the person who had beaten Song Jiabao up had unexpectedly been Song Xuanhe¡¯s lover who he had been keeping! It was preposterous! A thing that couldn¡¯t even be shown in public had actually dared to beat up a member of his Song Family! Who knew if this had been orchestrated by Song Xuanhe or if Xiao Yuanmu had decided to use his status as Song Xuanhe¡¯s lover to intimidate Song Jiabao!? Regardless of which it was, Song Guochao felt like his authority was being provoked. He couldn¡¯t do anything to Song Xuanhe, but he could deal with that boyfriend of his with just a word. Song Xuanlin noticed Song Guochao¡¯s expression, but his own remained expressionless. He only reminded the other in a t voice, ¡°Father, there are guests.¡± Song Guochao immediately broke out into a smile and chatted with the guests. After the guests had left, his expression became heavy again. This time, before Song Xuanlin could ask, he said, ¡°The person who beat your cousin up was Xiao Yuanmu, that boyfriend Song Xuanhe has been keeping outside. Simply audacious. He doesn¡¯t take our Song Family seriously at all. I had thought your brother was just ying with him, so I didn¡¯t meddle. But this time, I have to teach him a lesson.¡± Song Xuanlin¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He simply asked, ¡°Father, what do you n on doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll make him understand his ce, and then, make him kneel in apology to your cousin.¡± Song Guochao sounded like he could just see the helpless and ugly look that would be on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face after he suppressed Xiao Yuanmu. Because of that, his tone improved. ¡°At the very least, he needs to know his ce. Even if Song Xuanhe doesn¡¯t inherit thepany, he can¡¯t decide his own marriage. It would be good for his little boyfriend to understand that. If we were to offend his future inws because of his little lover, our Song Group would suffer badly.¡± Song Xuanlin finally looked at Song Guochao when he heard this. There was a bit of doubt in his tone. ¡°You¡¯re saying that Xuanhe won¡¯t inherit thepany?¡± Seeing that Song Xuanlin had finally shown a bit of a reaction, a feeling of pride flickered through Song Guochao¡¯s heart. He had gone so far as to forget himself in front of his son just because he was angry over Song Jiabao¡¯s matters. The reason he had been saying so much in front of Song Xuanlin was because of this. Since he himself had no hopes of inheriting thepany, then thepany could only fall into Song Xuanlin¡¯s hands. If it were to be handed over to Song Xuanhe, then Song Guochao¡¯ster years would really be full of despair. ¡°The old man hasn¡¯t made his decision yet, so it¡¯s hard to say.¡± Song Guochao smiled and nodded at the guests, continuing to speak with Song Xuanlin in a quiet voice. ¡°But now that this has happened with Song Jiabao, we have a chance.¡± Song Xuanlin paused as he looked at Song Guochao, who looked like he was devising strategies on the battlefield right now. He then turned away again and said in an insipid voice, ¡°Father, it is up to Grandpa as to who thepany will go to. I don¡¯t need any chances.¡± He checked the time and then continued, ¡°Most of the guests should have already arrived. I¡¯ll be heading in first. Father, there¡¯s a bit of dust on your sleeve. You should wash it off before entering.¡± Song Guochao, who had just been really confident, was stunned as he stared after Song Xuanlin¡¯s back. It took him a moment to react. Song Xuanhe had no idea as to what had just urred between Song Guochao and Song Xuanlin. But, he still was currently shocked anyways. This was because Zhou Nan had told him that Lu Chao had died in a street race yesterday at dawn. ¡°Are you for real?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pleased expression changed as he chatted with Zhou Nan. There was a bit of doubt in his eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Zhou Nan also sighed. He thought about how, although Song Xuanhe and Lu Chao had already fallen out, they used to be close. Therefore, he said, ¡°The Lu Family will probably release news about this tomorrow. They¡¯ll probably start preparations for Lu Chao¡¯s funeral then. You¡­Are you going to go?¡± ¡°Why would he go?¡± Of the three people, only Wei Chen still had on a rxed expression as he sat on an armchair. In a casual tone, he said, ¡°Song Er and Lu Chao are neither friends nor family. What, should he go to the funeral to join in on the liveliness?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯splicated emotions disappeared into the air with Wei Chen¡¯s interruption. He nced at Wei Chen before turning to look at Zhou Nan again. ¡°Do you know why he went street racing?¡± ¡°Hasn¡¯t he always had this kind of hobby?¡± Zhou Nan hadn¡¯t been close to Lu Chao. He had only paid attention when someone had mentioned it, because he knew that Lu Chao and Song Xuanhe used to be close. Therefore, when he talked about it now, he was able to remainpletely unaffected as a spectator. ¡°It seems like he had gone to a highway in the mountains on the outskirts of town. Didn¡¯t it rain really hard half a month ago? The rainfall had caused andslide on the mountain, which had ended up blocking the road. It had only been recently cleared. Because not many people take that road, the railings haven¡¯t been installed yet. They just closed it off with some yellow tape. Who would have expected that they would go over there to race?¡± Wei Chen paid attention to Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression before continuing off where Zhou Nan had stopped. ¡°I also went to look at that highway a few days ago. Although there aren¡¯t any railings, it still shouldn¡¯t be a problem if you¡¯re driving normally. They would only have fallen off the cliff if they had been doing some tricks on purpose while racing.¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at Wei Chen. When he noticed that the other¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, he looked away. However, his slightly pursed lips did rx. He knew that Wei Chen had said this because he knew about what had happened between him and Lu Chao in the past. The other didn¡¯t want him to feel responsible. But, Wei Chen was obviously overthinking things. Song Xuanhe was no saint. The original host had died an even more tragic death than Lu Chao had in the book. Furthermore, it was Lu Chao¡¯s own fault. Even if Lu Chao had decided to go racing, because he had felt unhappy about Song Xuanhe bringing Lu Yue back into the Lu Family, at least it had been a decent death. Song Xuanhe already knew about Lu Chao¡¯s secret machinations. Even if Lu Chao hadn¡¯t died, Song Xuanhe would not have allowed him to live a good life. What he had been thinking about just now was that, with Lu Chao¡¯s death, the future would only be even harder to predict. He had to make preparations and changes now. However, there was one thing Song Xuanhe could confirm. Zhou Rong would certainly me Lu Chao¡¯s death on him. Furthermore, his method of revenge would be even more difficult-to-predict and intense than it had been in the book. Therefore, the consequences of Lu Chao¡¯s death have be an even thornier problem. Chapter 71: Looking for a Boyfriend Tranted by Eve
Thank you Terin for the kofi
When their conversation ended, the banquet formally began. As the host, Song Xuanhe naturally could not sit down with Wei Chen and Zhou Nan. He had to first go meet with Song Yansong. Before Song Xuanhe could knock on the lounge, someone pushed the door open from the other side. When Song Xuanlin saw Song Xuanhe, he paused for a moment before speaking in a lowered voice. ¡°Father¡¯s inside.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand paused in mid-air and he raised a brow. It wasn¡¯t odd for Song Guochao to be inside. There must be a reason why Song Xuanlin had given him a heads-up. He nodded gently and then stuck his head in to look inside. Upon finding Song Yansong, he smiled. ¡°Grandpa, everything¡¯s ready downstairs. I came to escort you down.¡± Song Guochao whipped his head around. His dark expression confirmed Song Xuanhe¡¯s conjecture. Indeed, an issue had cropped up. Song Yansong had also noticed Song Guochao¡¯s expression. He waved Song Guochao, who had reached out to support him, away and stood up. In a heavy tone, he said, ¡°Regardless of what has happened, mind your expression. Don¡¯t make a farce of my Song Family.¡± As he was saying this, he walked over to the door. When he saw Song Xuanhe, who had peeked his head in, he gently tapped the other¡¯s head. His tone softened. ¡°What are you looking at? Where did you run off to y?¡± ¡°Wei Chen said that he¡¯s afraid of unfamiliar ces so I kept himpany.¡± Song Xuanhe beamed at him. Looking at his smiling, flippant expression, Song Yansong couldn¡¯t help but re at him. ¡°How could I not know what that youngster from the Wei Family is like?¡± ¡°Grandpa,¡± Song Xuanlin said, ¡°I¡¯m the one who told Xuanhe to apany Wei shao.¡± Song Yansong nced at Song Xuanlin and then nodded. He raised his hand towards Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Help me walk over.¡± Just then, Li Nianan, who had left the madams¡¯ circle, once again opened the lounge room door. When she saw Song Guochao, her smile faded slightly but she still looped her arm around his. Song Xuanhe and Song Xuanlin walked on either side of Song Yansong while Song Guochao and Li Nianan trailed behind them. With their arms linked with the other members of the family, they made for a very harmonious image. As the three generations of Song walked over to the main table, all the guests stood up, their congrattions never-ending. The banquet proceeded normally, with everyoneworking and clinking sses. The only thing that shocked everyone was that, after dinner, the Song Family proimed that there had been a change in the management of shares in the Song Group¡ªSong Xuanlin had been promoted to President and Li Nianan and Song Guochao¡¯s shares that ounted for 20% of all shares had been transferred to Song Xuanhe. When Song Yansong finished speaking, everyone beneath the stage immediately began to discuss this. Song Xuanlin¡¯s promotion was subtle whereas Song Xuanhe had acquired a high proportion of shares. The guests really couldn¡¯t tell who would be the one to seed the Song Group. Based on their current posts, it seemed like Song Xuanlin was undoubtedly going to be the one to take over the Song Group. However, while the title of President sounded good, he was still just an employee of thepany. The entity that had true authority and influence was the Board of Directors. Song Xuanhe held twenty percent of the shares himself. On the Board of Directors, only his grandfather, Song Yansong, had more say than he did. If one were to base it on this, then the likelihood of Song Xuanhe inheriting that Song Group rose. Song Xuanhe was very resourceful. During the toasting portion of the banquet, he ran over to Zhou Nan¡¯s table. After hearing the news just now, the other people at the table would asionally look at Song Xuanhe. Zhou Nan also widened his eyes and looked at Song Xuanhe weirdly. ¡°It can¡¯t be¡­your grandfather isn¡¯t nning on giving the Song Group to you, is he?¡± ¡°My brother is the President,¡± Song Xuanhe said in a casual tone, ¡°Why would he give it to me?¡± ¡°He¡¯s just the President¡­¡± Zhou Nan lowered his voice. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s not talk about this now.¡± Wei Chen turned his head to the side and nced at Song Guochao, whose expression was extremely ugly. He then clinked his ss with Song Xuanhe. ¡°Congrattions.¡± Song Xuanhe knew what Wei Chen was congratting him over. He smiled and downed his ss. The other people at the table had been watching them. When they couldn¡¯t hear about what they wanted from the three of them, they looked away. However, their ears were still pricked. Zhou Nan chuckled when he saw this and he changed the topic. ¡°I heard that Film Emperor Xue went to shoot a film overseas?¡± ¡°You seem to care a lot about Xue Mian?¡± Song Xuanhe knew that there were a lot of people listening in on their conversation. Therefore, he looked at Zhou Nan and yed along. ¡°Why would I care about him?¡± Zhou Nan rolled his eyes. ¡°I¡¯m paying attention to him on your behalf. Who doesn¡¯t know that he¡­is interested. I think that this is weird. Xue Mian isn¡¯t easy to deal with. I¡¯ve seen plenty of people like him. People like him will use everything they have to get what they want. They will never let go until they get it. It¡¯s way too fishy that he¡¯s left the country without a word. I heard that he¡¯s going to be shooting that movie for two years.¡± ¡°What¡¯s odd about that?¡± Song Xuanhe said, unconcerned, ¡°He¡¯s an actor. All actors want to go international. He obviously went abroad for that.¡± ¡°Tsk.¡± Zhou Nan looked like he thought Song Xuanhe just didn¡¯t get it. He carefully exined, ¡°Xue Mian is no ordinary actor. He doesn¡¯t need to rely on acting to make money either. Didn¡¯t you see? Qian Ping liked him so much but he still didn¡¯t darey his hands on him. That means that he has a good background. If he really wanted to go international, his family could make that happen for him. The fact that he¡¯s gone overseas¡ªhe definitely knows something we don¡¯t. I think it has to do with Yuanmu. I heard that Yuanmu quit the Song Group. Did he say where he¡¯s going to go?¡± Song Xuanhe looked pensive. A few secondster, he chuckled. ¡°So that¡¯s what it is.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Zhou Nan asked curiously. ¡°Is it any of your business?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him, ¡°You¡¯re so curious. What, did you fall for Xue Mian?¡± ¡°I¡¯d fall for you before I fell for Xue Mian, okay?¡± After Zhou Nan said this, he suddenly turned to look at the front of the room. There was schadenfreude in his tone. ¡°You¡¯re dad¡¯sing over. He doesn¡¯t look too happy.¡± Song Guochao was extremely unhappy. Song Xuanhe had noticed this as soon as he had entered the lounge earlier today. But when he found out the reason why he was unhappy after being led back to the lounge, Song Xuanhe became ecstatic. ¡°What¡¯s with that look on your face?¡± Upon seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile, Song Guochao was so angry he pointed his finger so close to the other¡¯s face he nearly poked his nose. ¡°Look at that boyfriend of yours. He actually dared to beat up your cousin! He was even so ruthless. Did you know, Jiabao had nearly frozen to death after being left in the parking lot by him?!¡± Song Xuanhe had not known that, so he only blinked his eyes innocently. In a very sincere tone, he asked, ¡°So did he die?¡± ¡°You!¡± Song Guochao said ¡®you¡¯ for a long time but couldn¡¯t follow up with anything. This was not the time nor ce for this right now. Even if he was furious, he had to subdue his rage. He sucked in a deep breath and said, ¡°Your grandpa already knows about this. Just you wait and see how he deals with you.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t use me like this,¡± Song Xuanhe said innocently, ¡°First of all, putting aside whether or not Song Jiabao froze to death, do you even have proof that it had been Xiao Yuanmu who had beaten him up? There are so many people who want to beat him up. You can¡¯t just use Xiao Yuanmu like this. Maybe he¡¯s just using me or Xiao Yuanmu just because. After all, Xiao Yuanmu is my boyfriend.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll obviously find proof.¡± Song Guochao had originally wanted to retort but he changed his words when he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯sst sentence. ¡°I called you over to tell you that the family will never approve of you being with Xiao Yuanmu after such a thing has urred. That kind of man isn¡¯t worthy of entering my Song Family.¡± Song Guochao had a lofty, disdaining expression as he said this, as if even mentioning Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s name was sphemous towards the Song Family and himself. His tone was full of his dislike for the younger man. Song Xuanhe wanted tough. So he did. Before Song Guochao could speak, Song Xuanhe beamed at him. ¡°Since it¡¯s like that, I hope that you will forever maintain that stance of yours. If you were to one day change your mind, I¡¯ll look down on you.¡± Song Guochao had no idea why Song Xuanhe wasughing. When he heard this, he sneered. ¡°Unless you break off ties with the family, you will have no control over your marriage and I will never change my mind.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded earnestly. ¡°I hope that you remember the words you said today.¡± Song Guochao smiled insincerely. ¡°Obviously I¡¯ll remember what I said. What you have to do now is to take that boyfriend of yours to the hospital to apologize and make it up to your uncle. I don¡¯t care how your boyfriend does it. He can kneel or he can ask to be punished. You must obtain your uncle¡¯s forgiveness. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for sticking my hand into this.¡± ¡°I still stick by what I said. If you want him to admit to it, first you must present evidence. Regardless of whether it¡¯s a witness or physical evidence, you can¡¯t just base this usation over Song Jiabao¡¯s words.¡± ¡°Just you wait.¡± Song Guochao looked at Song Xuanhe coldly and then left the lounge. As soon as the door shut, the System asked£º¡¾Do you think Xiao Yuanmu beat up Song Jiabao?¡¿ ¡¾Of course.¡¿Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hesitate. He then pulled his phone out and dialed that familiar number. Very quickly, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice trickled in through the other side. ¡°Is the banquet over?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He didn¡¯t ask how Xiao Yuanmu knew about the banquet. Instead, he got straight to the point. ¡°Did you beat up Song Jiabao?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± He admitted to it very straightforwardly, without any hesitation. ¡°Did you leave behind any evidence?¡± Song Xuanhe walked over to the sofa. ¡°I heard that you left him in the parking lot. Will the parking lot camera be an issue?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was silent for a moment. He thenughed. ¡°Are you worried about me?¡± ¡°Not just about you. I¡¯m worried for myself too,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Song Guochao wants me to take you over to Song Jiabao¡¯s family and apologize. His original words were: He can kneel or he can ask to be punished. You must obtain your uncle¡¯s forgiveness. Otherwise, don¡¯t me me for sticking my hand into this.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was low. ¡°The security cameras in the parking lot just so happened to have been broken at the time. When Song Xuanhe heard this, his lips curled up. ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious. What did Song Jiabao do to make you beat him half to death?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was silent. A momentter, his refreshingly cool voice quietly came through the receiver. ¡°He said things I didn¡¯t want to hear.¡± Song Xuanhe knew just how good at enduring Xiao Yuanmu was. Xiao Yuanmu had never shown any signs of anger before despite all the terrible things Song Jiabao had said in the past. Even if Song Jiabao had crossed a line, at most, Xiao Yuanmu would give him a cold nce. He had always acted like he didn¡¯t care. He was indeed curious. Just what could Song Jiabao have said to provoke Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s anger? As he thought this, Song Xuanhe decided to ask again, ¡°What did he say?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°You want to know?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± To make it seem like he wasn¡¯t just finding joy in someone else¡¯s misfortune, Song Xuanhe found a reason to justify himself with. ¡°So I know what not to say to avoid angering you and reduce the odds that we¡¯ll have a fight.¡± ¡°He said that you didn¡¯t take me to today¡¯s banquet because you n on breaking up with me one day. He said you didn¡¯t bring me because you don¡¯t need the Song Family to acknowledge me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was quiet and rxed. Through the phone, there was a metallic-like chill to it. ¡°Was he right?¡±
Eve: SGC really gonna eat his words one day and I can¡¯t wait to see it. Chapter 72: Found a Handsome Guy Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Kofi Supporter and uhimgood for the kofi!
¡°It¡¯s half-right.¡± Xiao Yuanmu made a quiet sound of acknowledgement, his tone rising at the end as he hinted for Song Xuanhe to continue. ¡°The reason I hadn¡¯t told you about the banquet has nothing to do with us breaking up. I just thought that there was no reason for you toe. You know about the rtionship between Song Guochao and I. You¡¯d have only ended up in a difficult situation if I were to have brought you.¡± ¡°Then, will we break up?¡± There was a quiet sound outside. The door to the lounge opened, and Song Xuanhe smiled at the arriving person before looking away. He continued to lean against the sofa in anguid manner and made an ambiguous statement. ¡°Can¡¯t say. Even in marriage, there¡¯s a possibility of divorce.¡± Song Xuanlin paused while walking towards the window. He nced at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice Song Xuanlin¡¯s gaze. He shifted the conversation back to the original question. ¡°Therefore, what he had said was half-right. As for the other half, I think that it¡¯s up to me to decide who I want to be with. I don¡¯t need the Song Family¡¯s acknowledgement.¡± Xiao Yuanmu chuckled quietly. A momentter, he said, ¡°Got it.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t ask what he had ¡°gotten¡± from that. Instead, he said, ¡°You¡¯ve been really busytely. You looked like you¡¯d gotten thinnerst time I saw you. If you¡¯re too busy, I won¡¯t go eat at your ce anymore. We¡¯ll talk about it again when you¡¯re less busy.¡± A soft word came over from the other end. ¡°Okay.¡± Seeing that Song Xuanlin wasing over, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I have something else to attend to. I¡¯ll be hanging up now.¡± ¡°Ge, you haven¡¯t gone back yet?¡± Putting his phone down, Song Xuanhe continued toze on the sofa under Song Xuanlin¡¯s disapproving gaze. Padding the back of his head with his hands, he smiled at Song Xuanlin in a carefree manner. ¡°Or, were you looking for me?¡± ¡°Is Xiao Yuanmu really behind what had happened to Song Jiabao?¡± Song Xuanlin walked over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side. He frowned at his younger brother¡¯s posture before looking away. ¡°If it really is him, Song Jiabao will not let this go. It would be best for him to leave the Capital and rest somewhere else for now.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°To avoid Song Jiabao?¡± ¡°Grandpa doesn¡¯t approve of your rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu to begin with. Nothing good wille out of this for either you or your boyfriend if this matter were to blow up. Laying low is the best option right now. Don¡¯t make Grandpa hate him in exchange for a moment of pride. It will be hard to patch things upter.¡± Song Xuanhe straightened up, shocked. He asked, ¡°Ge, are you worried about me?¡± Song Xuanlin furrowed his brows. He looked at Song Xuanhe and said in a in voice, ¡°You are my younger brother.¡± ¡­¡­ After he had hung up the phone, Xiao Yuanmu ced his hand on the railing. He stared into the dark apartment across from him. A chilly breeze blew over, causing his eyshes to flutter. He then cast his eyes down, hiding the emotions in his eyes. Yang Jie hade out of the study and stretched. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu standing on the balcony, he walked over to him while saying, ¡°Xiao ge, Louis told me to tell you to meet with him. He¡¯s found something from his investigation. It seems like Srpele¡¯s real boss has a lot of influence. Also, about the hacker we haven¡¯t been able to contact for the longest time¡­¡± ¡°Xiao ge?¡± Yang Jie¡¯s steps suddenly stopped. He stood two metres away from Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu extinguished the cigarette in his hand, his gaze cool. When he saw Yang Jie frown, he said in an emotionless voice, ¡°You were right.¡± ¡°Right about what¡­?¡± Yang Jie was confused. After thinking about it, he became even more puzzled. ¡°Srpele¡¯s real boss? Weren¡¯t you the one who brought that up?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away. He didn¡¯t exin himself and simply walked past Yang Jie. * Eight-thirty in the morning, Yang Jie knocked on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment door with breakfast in hand. After two knocks, the door opened. When he saw the neatly-dressed man in front of him, whose hair was still dripping wet, Yang Jie frowned. ¡°Xiao ge, did you stay up all night again?¡± Xiao Yuanmu dried his hair with a towel as he turned around and gave a quiet sound of acknowledgement. ¡°You¡¯d be less busy if you went to America.¡± Yang Jie put on some house slippers and ced the breakfast on the table. He looked at the wide-open ss door leading to the balcony. He stopped walking and pursed his lips. Upon thinking about his goal today, he didn¡¯t say anything else about that in the end. ¡°I brought congee and noodles. They¡¯re definitely not as good as the ones you make, but you should at least eat a bit.¡± Yang Jie pulled the food out of the bags, eyes downcast, as he casually said, ¡°I saw Er Shao¡¯s car leaving as I entered the building. He¡¯s probably already eaten.¡± Xiao Yuanmu threw his towel onto the sofa and sat on a chair in the dining room. His voice was cold. ¡°Let¡¯s eat.¡± Yang Jie didn¡¯t say anything else. He sat down across from Xiao Yuanmu and ate his breakfast quietly. After breakfast, Yang Jie went to grab his notebook that he had left behindst night. He headed into the study while flipping through it. ¡°Xiao ge, I managed to contact that hacker. You were right. He¡¯s not willing to work for apany. He hung up the phone right after picking up. But, I did send him the software you gave me. I¡¯ll continue with the follow-up.¡± The two of them were used to switching into work mode right after eating. Xiao Yuanmu sat at his desk and began reading the documents in his hands while listening to Yang Jie. He then said, ¡°There¡¯s no rush.¡± ¡°Louis is probably resting right now.¡± Yang Jie nced at his watch. ¡°ording to his time zone, he should have already left thepany and had dinner by now. We can have a teleconference with him in a bit and discuss¡­.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xiao Yuanmu interrupted Yang Jie. ¡°He just left thepany. Let him rest today.¡± ¡°But, the negotiations with Srpele will begin the day after tomorrow. Time is tight. We don¡¯t know what cards Srpele may have in their hands. If Louis rests¡­.¡± Yang Jie fell silent. He knew very well how busy all of them had been these days. Among the three of them, Louis, who was operating on a thirteen-hour time difference, was actually the busiest of the three. Because their days and nights were opposite, Louis would have to lead theirpany¡¯s executives during the day while teleconferencing with Yang Jie and Xiao Yuanmu at night. He had not been able to rest for a long time. For the sake of amodating the time differences and their pressing cooperative projects, Xiao Yuanmu had only been sleeping one or two hours a day for several nights in a row. Because Yang Jie had to go home and take care of his mother, he was at least able to rest for a few hours every night. He was probably the one who had it the easiest right now. ¡°Then, we¡¯ll let him rest.¡± Although Yang Jie was still worried about the negotiation, he stillughed. ¡°A few days ago, he wasining about not having time to go out on dates. He¡¯ll probably be ecstatic today.¡± ¡°Since Louis won¡¯t be present, I¡¯ll cote the meeting material and do my best to send it over to Louis before he goes to work. After he¡¯s looked over it, we¡¯ll discuss. And about today¡¯s trading day, the stocks you have previously bought¡­.¡± Yang Jie then reported the day¡¯s agenda and included his own summary as per usual. He then ced his notebook down and looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Time ticked on, but he didn¡¯t hear Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice. Yang Jie saw that Xiao Yuanmu was still looking down at the document in his hands. His long, straight eyshes hid the emotions in his eyes, but his tense jaw seemed to emit a feeling of loneliness and coldness. ¡°Xiao ge?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up. His eyes were serene and clear now, making it seem like what Yang Jie had seen just now had only been an illusion. He said calmly, ¡°You don¡¯t need to cote the materials. I¡¯ll personally attend the negotiations with Srpele.¡± Yang Jie was taken aback at first. Afterwards, he widened his eyes in disbelief. He couldn¡¯t hide the look of delight on his face. ¡°Really? You¡¯re going to personally go? Then, will we be heading to America now? Should we leave today or tomorrow?¡± ¡°Tonight after midnight.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at his pristine phone screen. ¡°Arrange for a flight after midnight. I have something to do after six. I¡¯ll meet you at the airport.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that a bit too rushed?¡± Yang Jie began canceling the things he had nned for tonight and said, ¡°The negotiations aren¡¯t until the day after tomorrow. We can head to the airport tomorrow morning and still make it.¡± ¡°Book the first flight after midnight.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was mild but left no room for argument. Yang Jie simply nodded. He started to look up flights. Upon finding the earliest one, he said, ¡°There¡¯s one at 1:50 am. It¡¯s the earliest flight from Y City. There¡¯s three spots left in business ss.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand tightened around his pen. He looked down and said, ¡°Let¡¯s do that one.¡± Yang Jie promptly bought the tickets. When he saw that it went through, heughed, feeling relieved. He looked up and said, ¡°Luckily, we¡¯ve already got our passports done. Otherwise¡­.¡± Midway through his sentence, Yang Jie suddenly thought of Song Xuanhe. His lips opened and closed as he hesitated. In the end, he still asked, ¡°Xiao ge, have you told Song shao yet?¡± Xiao Yuanmu ced his fountain pen down. He turned to Yang Jie as if asking for his advice, ¡°How should I tell him?¡± So, he didn¡¯t tell him yet. Yang Jie touched his nose. He hesitated. ¡°Although I¡¯ve never dated before¡ªthis is just my opinion¡ªI think that if my boyfriend were to tell me that he was going to leave just after midnight that same day, I¡¯d be really mad.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away, the corner of his lips rising slightly. His voice was faint, nearly inaudible. ¡°I hope that he gets mad.¡± Yang Jie didn¡¯t hear what he had said. He craned his head over and asked, ¡°What did you say?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t respond. His gaze fell back onto the documents. When Yang Jie saw this, he didn¡¯t ask anything more. He just suddenly felt a bit sympathetic towards Song Xuanhe. Regardless of what prejudice he may have against him, no one would feel good to find out that their partner would be suddenly leaving them. But, they could no longer put off moving to America. Moreover, it would be good for Xiao ge and Song Xuanhe to be separated for a while. After Xiao ge had met other people, and they had spent more time apart, maybe Xiao ge¡¯s feelings for Song Xuanhe would gradually grow fainter. In any case, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like Xiao ge. When the time came, they¡¯d be able to naturally break up. When he thought of this, he added, ¡°Since things have already been settled, maybe you should exin it to him. Maybe he¡¯ll understand?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was fixed on some point on his desk. There was a hint of a smile in his voice, but his eyes were dark and unreadable. ¡°Rather than angry, he might even be overjoyed to hear this.¡±
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: Baby, you truly get me.
Eve: Mumu¡¯s finally leaving. Do not fret. Oddly enough, I actually found it to get sweeter after this. Kara: These two frustrate me to no end, but all that frustration is worth it, because from what I¡¯ve sneakily read ahead, they are indeed so sweet after this. (*¡äÆH`*) So, look forward to their future dog food, my fellow readers!! Chapter 73: V-Line and Peach Blossom Eyes Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Kofi Supporter for the kofi!
It was Feng Tong¡¯s birthday today. Although Song Xuanhe was puzzled over why Feng Tong had decided to celebrate his birthday in China, he admired the other and always wanted to spend more time with him. Therefore, he didn¡¯t hesitate to attend upon receiving the invitation. The restaurant that the celebration was being held at was very close to Song Xuanhe¡¯spany building. So, after work, he headed straight over. When he had arrived, aside from Zhou Nan, there were also a few unfamiliar people already there. Song Xuanhe nodded in greeting to those who had looked over at him. He then sat down next to Zhou Nan. ¡°Where¡¯s Feng Tong?¡± Zhou Nan had been ying on his phone. He didn¡¯t even look up. ¡°Feng Tong went to get his girlfriend. Lin zi seems to be busy, so he¡¯lle byter.¡± ¡°Hi.¡± Someone else had thene over with a smile. ¡°Tong ge mentioned you before. I¡¯ve heard that although you¡¯ve never had any formal education, your skill is on par with independent designers, who have already set up their brands. It¡¯s rare to hear Tong ge have such a high opinion of someone. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve always wanted to meet you. Didn¡¯t think I¡¯d really get to see you.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled back politely. ¡°I also really appreciate his work. At the very least, I can¡¯tpare to Feng Tong when ites to cut and coordination.¡± The person who had been speaking with him was taken aback by this and hadn¡¯t known how to respond for a moment. Song Xuanhe had basically just admitted that he was incredible. Did he really think that it was only with regards to cut and coordination that he couldn¡¯tpare to Feng Tong? The other people who had been paying attention to this side also looked over. Their gazes fell onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s handsome face. When they saw his calm aura and his polite-but-distant expression, they had alle up with their own verdicts. Only someone with real ability would be able to have such aposed aura. Designers naturally had their own way of scrutinizing others. Song Xuanhe¡¯s suit was professional, but because he had unbuttoned his cor, he was able to add a rxed,nguid air to it. Although the cufflinks on his shirt were small, they were still stylish and noticeable. They went well with the colour of his cor. Every detail of his outfit was just right. There were plenty of small details that caused their eyes to light up once they had noticed them while still being appropriate for the asion. Regardless of whether or not he was an outstanding designer, this outfit at least proved that he was well-versed in coordination for fashion and had a very refined aesthetic. Several people exchanged nces before approaching him as well. Someone else said, ¡°Feng Tong says that you¡¯ve got a godly skill when ites to colours. I really want to know just how good you are to get him to praise you like that. If you have the time, I¡¯d love to discuss it with you some other time.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and clinked sses with that person. Seeing how amiable Song Xuanhe was, the others also came on over. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t chatted with fellow designers in a really long time. By the time Feng Tong hade in, there was a rxed smile on his face. ¡°Sorry for making you all wait so long.¡± Feng Tong was holding hands with a short-haired, elegant woman. After apologizing, he introduced her with a smile. ¡°This is my girlfriend, Ren Yi.¡± Ren Yi gave them all an easy-mannered smile. ¡°Sorry. I had bumped into a high school ssmate, so we ended up arrivingte. You guys can all call me Yiyi.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Ren Yi before nodding to Feng Tong. Ren Yi had greeted everyone and then introduced the person next to her. Her expression was gentle and soft, but she didn¡¯t sound like she was particrly close to this person. ¡°This is my high school ssmate. He¡¯s also a designer. That¡¯s why I invited him here. I hope that you guys won¡¯t mind.¡± It was Feng Tong¡¯s birthday. Even if someone here had minded the fact that Feng Tong¡¯s girlfriend had brought a guest, who also happened to be a designer, they wouldn¡¯t have said it out loud. Only Song Xuanhe had raised a brow when he saw who it was. A sliver of intrigue had appeared in his eyes. However, before that person looked over, he looked away. ¡°It is a bit abrupt to add a guest for dinner so suddenly. I¡¯m really sorry about this.¡± The man behind Ren Yi walked out. He was pretty and spoke in a sincere tone. ¡°I¡¯ve always just really admired Feng shixiong. But, I¡¯ve never had the chance to bump into him at school. I had only realized how close Feng shixiong was after bumping into Ren Yi. When I had heard that the finest designers in the field would be attending this dinner tonight, I didn¡¯t want to miss out on this opportunity. That¡¯s why I had so shamelessly followed along.¡± The man¡¯s words were sincere, and he was even discreetly praising the people here. Because of this, the guests, who had been a bit displeased with this sudden turn of events, didn¡¯t bother to haggle over this. Instead, someone from the group smiled and said, ¡°We¡¯re all in the same profession, how is that shameless? Besides, it¡¯s Feng Tong¡¯s birthday today. As long as he¡¯s okay with it, anyone cane.¡± ¡°It¡¯s already gettingte.¡± Feng Tong interrupted. He pulled a seat out for Ren Yi and then said, ¡°Let¡¯s take our seats.¡± Because the private room they were in had been set up for the exact number of people attending, Feng Tong had to ask a waiter to bring in one more chair. Everyone on the sofa stood up. Zhou Nan had also put his phone away. When he had reached his seat, he asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Is Lin zi still not here yet?¡± Song Xuanhe had yet to respond when he heard Zhou Nan make a sound of surprise. He was looking past Song Xuanhe at the neer. He raised a brow, ¡°Isn¡¯t this the guy who wanted to buy the cufflinks you had won on the cruise? Why is he here?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s voice hadn¡¯t been loud, but aside from the sound of chairs moving, there were no other noises. So, when everyone heard him say this, they all looked over at him. Only Feng Tong¡¯s shocked gaze was on the neer. Zhou Nan didn¡¯t pay attention to everyone else¡¯s gaze. He looked at Song Xuanhe, puzzled. ¡°Is he not? Or, did you just forget? Or, am I mistaken?¡± Song Xuanhe had yet to speak when Jiang Deyi spoke up. ¡°Zhou shao is right. I¡¯m really sorry about what had happenedst time. If it weren¡¯t because of how important those cufflinks are to me, I would have never made such an impolite request. From how protective Song shao was of those cufflinks, I know that Song shaoye must be keeping Master McPhail¡¯s cufflinks in pristine condition in his collection. I should apologize to you again.¡± Jiang Deyi stood up and bowed to Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t move. He just raised a brow casually, silently watching Jiang Deyi with a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Although Jiang Deyi had joined in abruptly, he had sounded very sincere in his speech and apology just now. Everyone else had already gotten over it. Of course, they were still a bit more partial towards Song Xuanhe, who had arrived earlier, as they had already chatted with him and had also started to ept him into their group. It was just that Jiang Deyi¡¯s words just now swayed them a bit. A nobleman did not take what another loved. Song Xuanhe was the one who had won the cufflinks. Even if they were important to Jiang Deyi, there was no reason Song Xuanhe had to give them to him. But, Jiang Deyi had not managed to get the cufflinks and had even solemnly apologized. His apology had sounded really earnest. For Song Xuanhe to not ept his apology made him seem narrow-minded to others. Most of the people here were designers. Regardless of whether they were fashion designers or jewelry designers, their ultimate goal was to have the people who admired them genuinely love their designs. There were many ways to show that love. Their favourite method was for the person to wear their designs, ideally paired with other designs they¡¯d made. Before designers had reached a certain level or rather before they nned on retiring,pared to clients who would purchase their designs as part of a collection, they much preferred clients who bought their clothes or jewellery to wear. What was the point in buying it if you weren¡¯t going to wear it? Furthermore, if their client wore it well, then it would also end up as free publicity for them. Everyone here knew that if Song Xuanhe really liked McPhail¡¯s cufflinks, he would wear them daily rather than hide them away in his collection. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t pay any attention to the thoughts of the other guests. In contrast, Zhou Nan was really displeased with Jiang Deyi¡¯s words. He didn¡¯t know about the particrities of designers, but he had felt the change in the atmosphere. He knew that Jiang Deyi¡¯s words had contained some kind of hidden meaning. ¡°Mr. Jiang.¡± Zhou Nan looked at Jiang Deyi, lips curled, ¡°Last time, you and Hayden Schroder had missed the auction, because the two of you had something else to attend to. Why isn¡¯t he with you now?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s expression changed slightly. Before he could open his mouth, he heard someone else gasp, ¡°Hayden Schroder? The Schroder Family¡¯s Hayden Schroder?¡± ¡°Is there another Schroder?¡± Zhou Nan shrugged. ¡°I think Zhou shao has misunderstood something. Mr. Schroder and I had just been nning on attending the auction together. But, I had missed the auction because of a family matter,¡± Jiang Deyi said calmly, ¡°I know that your and Song shao¡¯s impression of me must not be good because of what had happenedst time. If the two of you do not want me here, I can leave.¡± Everyone¡¯s gaze shifted towards Song Xuanhe. Jiang Deyi had already said this much. For Song Xuanhe to remain quiet would make him seem unreasonable. However, once again, before Song Xuanhe could speak, a waiter knocked on the door and brought in the dishes, thereby breaking up the silence. Feng Tong nced at Jiang Deyi and then said to the others, ¡°Xuanhe was the one to suggest this ce. I heard that the food is good. Everyone should give it a try. The matter with the cufflinks has already passed. If Mr. Jiang still has some issues about it, you can speak to Xuanhe after dinner. Okay?¡± As the birthday star, Feng Tong¡¯s words seemed impartial. However, it was obvious who he sided with when listening to how he had addressed the two people. Jiang Deyi forced a smile. ¡°Of course. I have dampened everyone¡¯s spirits. Sorry.¡± As soon as he had finished speaking, Xiao Shenglin had walked through the door that the waiter was about to close. He had incidentally heard thosest few words. When he had walked in, he saw Song Xuanhe looking in his direction, chin propped up on his hand. On his cuffs were a pair of familiar cufflinks. He couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Sorry for beingte. I just happened to hear that you were talking about cufflinks. Are you guys talking about the McPhail cufflinks Xuanhe¡¯s wearing today that he had won on the cruise?¡± The McPhail cufflinks he had won on the cruise¡­they were currently on Song Xuanhe¡¯s cuffs? The atmosphere became a bit strange again. Everyone¡¯s gaze fell onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s cufflinks, the look in their eyes strange. If there hadn¡¯t been a second pair of McPhail cufflinks on that cruise, then the ones on his cuffs right now should be the ones Jiang Deyi had mentioned. However, hadn¡¯t he said that these cufflinks were very important to him? Why hadn¡¯t he noticed them despite the fact that they were right in front of him this whole time?
Eve: My favourite kind of face-pping is when MC doesn¡¯t have to do anything and the idiots dig their own graves. Chapter 74: An Eight-Pack and Long Legs Tranted by Eve
Thank you Maria Jean Shanks for the kofi
Jiang Deyi could no longer keep up his smile. Never in a million years would he have expected that the cuff links on Song Xuanhe¡¯s cuffs today were McPhail¡¯s. When he recalled Song Xuanhe¡¯s insincere smile, Jiang Deyi tightened his hold around the napkin on hisp. Song Xuanhe had probably beenughing at him for not recognizing those cufflinks despite the fact he had said that they were very important to him. Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t know about the covert happenings that had taken ce prior to his arrival. He walked over to his spot. When he didn¡¯t hear anyone speak, he felt a bit awkward. With a gentle smile, he asked, ¡°Was I wrong?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s expression changed. He cast his gaze over to Song Xuanhe at once. Song Xuanhe knew what Jiang Deyi was thinking just by looking at his expression. Actually, he hadn¡¯t thought of anything when he had first seen Jiang Deyi. After all, regardless of whether it was in his original world or this world, there were many people who didn¡¯t like him, as well as people he didn¡¯t like. He¡¯d end up wasting a lot of time and energy if he were to pay attention to every single one of them. It had just been that, even if he hadn¡¯t had any ns on provoking Jiang Deyi, Jiang Deyi had taken the initiative to provoke him. When he heard Jiang Deyi¡¯s covert challenge, Song Xuanhe¡¯s first reaction was tough. He had then wanted to see when the other would notice his cufflinks. He hadn¡¯t expected for the other to ignore it the whole time. He had only reacted when Xiao Shenglin had spoken up. What was even funnier was that, when Xiao Shenglin suspected he had been mistaken, Jiang Deyi had really believed him. He hoped that this pair of cufflinks weren¡¯t the one by McPhail so that he would be able to break free of this embarrassing predicament. It was just unfortunate that he was fated to be disappointed. Chin still propped up on his hand, Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°You¡¯re right. It¡¯s this pair.¡± Upon hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s admission, everyone turned to look at Jiang Deyi. ¡®Important¡¯ to him? Yeah right. It was one thing for him not to recognize it despite it being waved right in front of his eyes, but he had actually tried to deride Song Xuanhe for collecting it. Everyone now understood why he had said what he had just now. When Feng Tong looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s cufflinks, he smiled andplimented him. ¡°These cufflinks suit your shirt very well.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Are youplimenting yourself?¡± The shirt he was wearing today was from the brand under Feng Tong¡¯s teacher¡¯s name. But everyone here knew that the shirt¡¯s cut and innovative design were done by Feng Tong on his own. Feng Tong¡¯s teacher had never tried to keep this a secret. That was why Feng Tong was rising so quickly in the design world. ¡°Of course not,¡± Feng Tong said with a smile, ¡°I¡¯m grateful to you for giving me inspiration.¡± ¡°I had also been inspired when I had firstid eyes on these cufflinks. That¡¯s why I had bought them.¡± Song Xuanhe stroked the cufflinks and smiled. ¡°Master McPhail¡¯s designs are unique and creative. If I ever get the chance, I¡¯d like to visit him. I¡¯d probably be blessed with inspiration if I were to have a chance to converse with him.¡± The male designer who had spoken to Song Xuanhe as soon as he had arrived looked at him weirdly when he heard this. Seeing this, Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± That person didn¡¯t respond. Instead, he asked, ¡°Do you not know?¡± If that person hadn¡¯t been looking at him, Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t have known that he was talking to him. This question hade out-of-the-blue. Even if he knew that the question was addressed to him, he had no idea what the male designer was referring to. The confusion was tant on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. ¡°Know about what?¡± ¡°Those cufflinks,¡± The male designer said while pointing at Song Xuanhe¡¯s sleeve, ¡°Were designed by Master McPhail in celebration of his twentieth anniversary. Not just that, they also hold a special meaning to him. He has privately said before that whoever ends up with them will be allowed to participate in one of his tea parties.¡± ¡°Everyone knows that although Master McPhail is a jewellery designer, people from all areas of the design world participate in his tea parties, from architects tondscape designers. Experts from all fields gather together at Master McPhail¡¯s annual tea party and socialize, in hopes of finding inspiration. Naturally, great fashion designers will also be present.¡± After saying this, the male designer looked at Jiang Deyi, whose expression had taken a turn for the worse. With a mocking tone, he said, ¡°It¡¯s obvious as to why these cuff links are important to Mr. Jiang Deyi.¡± ¡°Master McPhail¡¯s tea party?¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected to be given such a pleasant surprise. But after reflecting on it, he realized that he should have seen thising. Back then, when he had been participating in that auction, he had wondered why the price had been climbing so high. However, he didn¡¯tck money. And secondly, you could not put a price on a designer¡¯s inspiration. These cufflinks had given him inspiration. Therefore, he had continued to raise the price until he had won them. That had also been why he had been unwilling to sell the cufflinks no matter how high a price Jiang Deyi had offered. For him to gain a ticket to a gathering of great masters for just five hundred thousand was a great deal. It wasn¡¯t just Song Xuanhe. The other people in this room who weren¡¯t jewellery designers also hadn¡¯t heard of this before. If they had known, they would have paid any price to get their hands on those cufflinks. What one could learn at a tea party where the world¡¯s top designers gathered could not be bought with money. Nheless, these cufflinks already had an owner. No matter how much they wanted this chance, they would not try to buy it from him now. It was just that everyone now had a different opinion of Jiang Deyi. Song Xuanhe¡¯s shocked expression hadn¡¯t been faked. It was obvious that he really hadn¡¯t known about this. Actually, although it wasn¡¯t necessarily bad of Jiang Deyi to withhold this information while trying to benefit from Song Xuanhe¡¯s ignorance, it was despicable for him to try to nder Song Xuanhe after he had failed. Song Xuanhe broke the silence. He genuinely thanked the male designer. ¡°I had never heard about this before. This must be insider information. I¡¯m really grateful to you for telling me about this.¡± The male designer shook his head. His expression softened. ¡°No need for thanks.¡± ¡°Since this matter has been resolved, let¡¯s eat.¡± Feng Tong smiled. ¡°The food¡¯s getting cold.¡± Aside from Jiang Deyi, who had shamelessly stayed despite being exposed, everyone thoroughly enjoyed themselves. After the meal, Feng Tong and Ren Yi went off on a date. Although everyone was a bit reluctant to part, they exchanged contact information and left. Song Xuanhe, Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin had decided to find a bar to rx at so they hadn¡¯t split up. What they hadn¡¯t expected was that Jiang Deyi, who had just walked off in the opposite direction, would suddenly turn around and stop them. Or rather, stop Song Xuanhe. Jiang Deyi said, ¡°Song shaoye, I want to talk to you,¡± Song Xuanhe paused. ¡°About what?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s gaze was on Song Xuanhe¡¯s sleeves. ¡°Master McPhail¡¯s cufflinks¡ªI¡¯m willing to pay you a million and two hundred thousand yuan for them. This is everything I have saved up. I really need the chance to attend Master McPhail¡¯s tea party. I know that you¡¯re not a designer so Master McPhail¡¯s tea party doesn¡¯t mean anything to you. Therefore, I hope that you¡¯ll be willing to sell them to me.¡± Song Xuanhe had always thought that his skin was thick. He had also thought Zhou Nan and Wei Chen were rather shameless. But it wasn¡¯t until he had met Jiang Deyi that he had learned what shamelessness really looked like. He was nothingpared to Jiang Deyi when it came to shamelessness. Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Do you think I¡¯ll sell them to you?¡± ¡°I think that it¡¯s a worthwhile deal to sell something you don¡¯t need to someone who does,¡± Jiang Deyi said, ¡°Although there was that misunderstanding between us in the past, I believe that you¡¯re not the type to miss out on a profitable deal.¡± Zhou Nan gave him a thumbs up. ¡°Impressive! Trying to talk money with Song Er!¡± ¡°Indeed, I¡¯m not the type to miss out on a good deal,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°But I don¡¯t reallyck money and it just so happens that I don¡¯t like you. Therefore, I don¡¯t n on selling them to you.¡± ¡°You should know that I¡¯m with Hayden Schroder.¡± Jiang Deyi said in a dark voice, ¡°Although you¡¯re in China and the Schroder Family¡¯s hands can¡¯t reach you here, but¡­.¡± ¡°But what?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, the smile not reaching his eyes. ¡°But they can still threaten me?¡± ¡°Are you really not afraid of the Schroder Family¡¯s retaliation?¡± ¡°He has no reason to worry about that.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s brows furrowed as he cut off Jiang Deyi. He looked displeased. ¡°We¡¯re busy. Please move aside.¡± Hearing Xiao Shenglin speak up, Jiang Deyi grit his teeth. He still wanted to continue but he still moved to the side in the end. While walking to the parking lot, Song Xuanheughed and then teased, ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you angry. I used to think you couldn¡¯t get angry.¡± ¡°What kind of person would be incapable of getting angry?¡± Xiao Shenglinughed in spite of himself. ¡°It¡¯s just rare for me¡± Song Xuanhe frowned when he saw Xiao Shenglin¡¯s expression. ¡°There¡¯s something off about you today. This kind of thing wouldn¡¯t usually anger you.¡± The smile on Xiao Shenglin¡¯s face grew fainter. When Zhou Nan heard this, he was about to say something but changed his words when he saw who wasing towards them. He couldn¡¯t help but poke Song Xuanhe, who was currently looking at Xiao Shenglin. In a hushed voice he said, ¡°Your man¡¯s here.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He turned to look over and, as expected, he saw Xiao Yuanmu walking towards them. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze swept over Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin, eyes pausing on Xiao Shenglin. He then turned to look at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Do you have time? I have something to discuss with you.¡± ¡°What?¡± Xiao Shenglin sighed in relief. He smiled gently. ¡°Since you¡¯re busy, let¡¯s meet up another time. Zhou Nan and I¡¯ll head out first.¡± After Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin left, Song Xuanhe walked towards Xiao Yuanmu. He stopped in front of the other and asked, ¡°How did you know I was here? And aren¡¯t you really busy? How do you have time toe looking for me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu peered down at him and said in a cool voice, ¡°If I didn¡¯te to see you, would you havee to see me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t want to bother you, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe walked with him side-by-side. His voice was casual. ¡°You look like you¡¯ve gotten thinner. Are you staying up all-night again?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°Remember to eat your meals on time.¡± Song Xuanhe reminded him as friends would. ¡°Regardless of anything else, your health is most important.¡± Looking at the snow-covered branches and the ground that had been rendered into a slushy mess by the pedestrians, Xiao Yuanmu grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand and led him down an empty alleyway. Song Xuanhe let him hold his hand. He didn¡¯t ask about the alley and silently followed along. A momentter, he asked, ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stopped walking. He turned to face Song Xuanhe, his gaze passing over him to look at the footprints they had left in the snow. The wind seemed to carry his cool voice away, making it difficult to grasp. ¡°Do you even care?¡±
Eve: I love how you can feel the subtle differences in their interactions. Like SXH had also been perceptive of XYM, but now he¡¯s voicing it. He reads him so well. And there¡¯s also how SXH seems to have just epted this level of skinship with XYM. Chapter 75: You’re My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara The alley didn¡¯t have any lights, but some light being reflected off the snow was enough to brighten up their surroundings. Song Xuanhe evaded the question. ¡°You really seem like you¡¯re in a bad mood.¡± He then looked up. ¡°Why?¡± Behind Xiao Yuanmu was the dark alley. Above him was a faint, yellow light filtering out of an old window. His pupils were jet-ck, and his gaze fell onto the reflective snow behind Song Xuanhe. His lips were slightly pursed, and his jaw was tensed. He didn¡¯t say a word. His cold aura paired with this kind of surrounding made him look lonely and dejected somehow. Suddenly, Song Xuanhe realized something. Manyplicated emotions bubbled in his chest. But in the end, he simply broke the silence with augh. ¡°Have you eaten dinner yet?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes trembled slightly. When his gaze locked onto Song Xuanhe, whose eyes only seemed to hold him in this moment, the look in his own eyes changed slightly. He said in a t voice, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go eat.¡± Song Xuanhe came in a bit closer, putting Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ice-cold hands into his coat¡¯s pockets. He asked, ¡°What do you want to eat?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked away. ¡°Haven¡¯t you already eaten?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes returned to see Song Xuanhe¡¯s now-lowered ones. He finally said, ¡°Let¡¯s go to Jinji.¡± Song Xuanhe paused and then agreed. Nights in the city were always very lively. Even though it was a weekday today and already past eight, there were still lines and people taking numbers at most restaurants. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu only discovered that Jinji was crammed full of people when they had arrived. If they wanted to eat, they¡¯d have to wait at least half an hour. Song Xuanhe was dressed in a suit. He was like a luxurious car parked on the street¡ªhe looked very out-of-ce standing outside a hundred-year-old restaurant like this. Furthermore, Xiao Yuanmu, who was wearing an indifferent expression on his face, also seemed ipatible with the surrounding lively, raucous crowd. Even when sitting down onto the stool that was much too short for his long legs, it was difficult to suppress his cold aura and shockingly good looks. asionally, people would either boldly or secretly cast their gazes over. Even the guests who had been leaving the restaurant couldn¡¯t help but turn back to take a look. Xiao Yuanmu was calm despite themotion,pletely unaffected. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe felt ufortable for some reason. So, he pulled his phone out and swiped at it casually. He saw that Zhou Nan had sent him several voice messages. It was noisy in here, so Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to bother with opening them. He just wrote back: Whatever you have to say, write it instead. Who knew what Zhou Nan was doing right now, but his reply came back very quickly. There really seems to be something wrong with Lin zi. It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen him drink so much. He usually only takes a few sips. I think that he¡¯s going to get drunk tonight. Song Xuanhe had something else on his mind though. Although his eyes were reading Zhou Nan¡¯s text, he didn¡¯t actually process any of the words. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone, and his already dark eyes grew even darker. In contrast, there were no audible emotions in his voice. It was cool as always. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Zhou Nan,¡± Song Xuanhe replied casually. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice had pulled him back to the present situation. He finally understood the words on his screen, and his brows furrowed slightly. ¡°They¡¯re at a bar.¡± As he had spoken, Zhou Nan once again sent another text: F*ck, Lin zi¡¯s drunk. If you¡¯re free,e help me talk to him! Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers shifted to the keyboard. He was about to type a response when he heard Xiao Yuanmu ask, ¡°Are you going to go there?¡± His fingers paused, and then, he sent a short message back: I¡¯m busy, won¡¯t be able to make it. Xiao Yuanmu looked away. His gaze was downcast, and Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t tell what he was thinking about. Minutes ticked on by. The people before them had gradually all made their way inside. Song Xuanhe continued to y on his phone, bored out of his mind, but he was perpetually paying attention to Xiao Yuanmu through his peripheral vision. The other¡¯s eyshes were downcast, and his sculpture-like profile had a bit of an unhealthy pallor. However, his lips were rosy. Contrasted with his pale visage, they seemed even more beautiful. But, the surrounding lively atmosphere only made him look all the more lonely. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t stop himself from calling the other¡¯s name. Xiao Yuanmu looked up slightly. When he met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes, he didn¡¯t say a thing. He only stared at him calmly. Song Xuanhe suddenly didn¡¯t know what to say. He looked away, eyes falling back onto his phone as he made idle conversation. ¡°What kind of congee do you want?¡± ¡°Seafood congee.¡± Song Xuanhe paused his swiping. A momentter, he tapped his phone awake after the screen had dimmed. His own eyes were lowered as he said, ¡°I also want that.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Staring at the app icons on the screen, Song Xuanhe feigned nonchnce. ¡°Is work slowing down now?¡± When he hadn¡¯t heard a reply after a while, Song Xuanhe looked up and met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ck eyes. He was slightly taken aback and looked away discreetly. His expression was still rxed though. ¡°Are you done?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand tightened around his phone. He couldn¡¯t help but scratch at the side of his cellphone. Nails against the fine, long frame, his lips pursed unconsciously. ¡°Then, what do you n on doing now?¡± ¡°Number five hundred and twenty!¡± Not hearing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response, Song Xuanhe looked up and was prepared to ask again. However, he heard a youngdy yell again, ¡°Is number five hundred and twenty here?!¡± ¡°What¡¯s our number?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at it: ¡°520.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stood up. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± The youngdy¡¯s eyes lit up when she saw the two of them walk over together. ¡°Are you guests number five hundred and twenty?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and handed the slip of paper over to her. After having confirmed this, the youngdy covered her mouth and giggled. ¡°You two must be lovers? Because our restaurant''s bosses got together on January 16th, every year on this day, the guests who draw that number will get a free meal. However, if the guests who drew the number happen to be a couple, they have to kiss to get the free meal.¡± The youngdy had a crafty smile on her face as she said this. She looked very cute with that wicked smile on her face, which still had a bit of baby fat. Song Xuanhe raised a brow and said, ¡°Why can¡¯t we just eat if we¡¯re a couple? You¡¯re treating couples differently from single people.¡± ¡°Well, duh,¡± The youngdy smiled, ¡°We have to take care of our single folks. You two make such a handsome and outstanding couple. You should help make things a bit more fair for the single people.¡± People were already listening in on this conversation. Someone in the lineughed and teased, ¡°You¡¯re the one not making this fair, you¡¯re just forcing us to eat dog food!¡± But, a lot of people had started to cheer them on. ¡°It¡¯s a free meal, ah, brother! Give him a kiss!¡± ¡°Kiss, kiss!¡± ¡°You¡¯re both so good-looking. What¡¯s there to be embarrassed about?¡± The youngdy noticed that the two men in front of her remained motionless. She pouted, ¡°If you don¡¯t kiss, you¡¯ll have to pay the full price.¡± Song Xuanhe had no intentions of kissing Xiao Yuanmu in front of all these people. He had parted his lips, about to tell her that he was fine paying the full price, but was cut off by the youngdy. ¡°Our restaurant has been open for a hundred years. It has already been eight years since the third boss has taken over. All sixteen couples have kissed. Even if you don¡¯t care about the price, based on this¡­.¡± The youngdy¡¯s eyes widened midway through her sentence at the sight in front of her. Everything had fallen silent outside. A momentter though came an eruption of cheers. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand was pressed against the back of Song Xuanhe¡¯s head. His cold but soft lips were tightly pressed against the other¡¯s. Amidst the cheers, he had pried open Song Xuanhe¡¯s teeth. The spectators all cheered them on happily as if they weren¡¯t currently outside a restaurant but rather at someone¡¯s wedding. Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand twitched before he looped one arm around Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s neck and ced his other against the other¡¯s head, pulling him towards himself. Without any hesitation, he stuck his tongue into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mouth. Lips and tongues intertwined; he wasn¡¯t passive in the least. The two of them kissed for a long time. More and more people hade to join in on the fun. Some people had even started to record them. Others had even called their besties with excited shrieks. Someone¡¯s voice broke as they excitedly said, ¡°Two extremely handsome guys! This is a once-in-a-thousand-year encounter! It¡¯s enough candy tost me ten years!¡± Under the excited female shrieks and other cheers, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu finally separated. When their eyes met, they could both see some unprecedented emotion in the other¡¯s eyes. They stared at each other for a moment. A whileter, Song Xuanhe was the first to react. He looked away, embarrassed, and cast his gaze towards the youngdy, who was covering her face. ¡°Is this enough?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The girl nodded at once. Excited, she said, ¡°Not only that, but we¡¯ll also give you guys a membership card charged with five hundred and twenty yuan! May your love be always blissful and evesting!¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± A hint of a smile suddenly appeared in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold eyes when he heard her blessing. Even if it had just been a hint, it was enough to thaw the ice in his eyes. The youngdy was stunned seeing this. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t notice the youngdy¡¯s expression. He took the gift card from her and asked, ¡°Can we go in now?¡± ¡°O-of course!¡± The youngdy promptly led the way. But after just two steps, she couldn¡¯t help but turn around. Unexpectedly, she just so happened to see that the two men¡¯s hands were intertwined. Theirced fingers were so good-looking that she found it hard to look away. Song Xuanhe let Xiao Yuanmu hold his hand. He had just taken a step before he noticed the youngdy¡¯s dazed expression. He paused and teased, ¡°Are our seats in the aisle?¡± ¡°O-of course not!¡± The youngdy came back to herself at once. Her face flushed as she exined, ¡°It¡¯s not my fault. I was stunned ¡®cause you two are the most well-suited couple that I¡¯ve ever seen before.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand tightened around Song Xuanhe¡¯s. Song Xuanhe had also paused, the smile in his eyes dimming. His tone, however, was still the same. ¡°Is that so? How old are you to make such a im?¡± ¡°I¡¯m telling the truth!¡± The youngdy continued to lead the way, not daring to look back at them this time. Although her voice was quiet, it was confident. ¡°I¡¯m sixteen! Although I haven¡¯t seen many couples, you are indeed the most well-suited couple I¡¯ve ever seen. Of course, that¡¯s only because my father and dad don¡¯t count ¡®cause they¡¯re already married. They¡¯re even more well-suited than you two are. But, you guys are just like them. I can tell just by looking at you.¡± After having passed through the main hall, they walked down a corridor. She pushed open the door to a private room and then turned around with a smile. ¡°This is the room specifically for guests with the number, 520. I¡¯ll bring you the menu in a bit. Please sit first.¡± When they sat down, the youngdy giggled and closed the door, skipping away. Song Xuanhe looked away, covering up the sh of emotion in his eyes. He met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pitch-ck eyes before looking away again. With a smile, he said, ¡°Children these days are interesting.¡± Eve: He bao is so weak to Mumu¡¯s affection¡­Somebody seemed to be unnecessarily into that kiss hahaha. Kara: Ki¡­Kiss!!! And a French one at that, hehehe, this chapter makes me so happy! My babies, please continue to get even closer!! ¦Ò(¨R¦Å¨Qo) Chapter 76: Looking for a Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Just as Song Xuanhe had spoken, the youngdy knocked on the door. She handed a menu to Song Xuanhe with a pout. ¡°I heard you talking about me!¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything bad.¡± ¡°You said that I¡¯m a kid. That means you don¡¯t believe me.¡± The girl huffed. She then passed a menu to Xiao Yuanmu and asked him, ¡°Da Gege, you think I¡¯m right, don¡¯t you? Do you believe me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu epted the menu, nced at Song Xuanhe, and then said in a cool¡ªnot cold¡ªvoice, ¡°I believe you.¡± When she heard this, the youngdy looked back at Song Xuanhe, clearly pleased. She raised her chin as if she was showing off. When she saw Song Xuanhe had only raised a brow at her silently, she snorted and turned back to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°My dad says that my predictions are the best! A couple who I had blessed when I was ten got married two yearster. They had even asked me to be their flower girl! My dad also said that the gaze directed to someone you really love is different than the ones towards others. Gege, the way you look at this big brother is just like how Father looks at Dad! I would never mistake it!¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at her curiously. ¡°Gaze? ¡°Yup!¡± The youngdy nodded earnestly. ¡°It¡¯s the gaze of someone in love!¡± Song Xuanhe froze, cup at his lips. He subconsciously nced at Xiao Yuanmu, but Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t looking at him. So, he replied to the girl, ¡°If your prediction reallyes true, we¡¯ll invite you to be our flower girl when we get married.¡± ¡°No thanks!¡± The youngdy refused decisively. When she saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression of surprise, she exined, ¡°I¡¯m already sixteen. I can¡¯t be a flower girl anymore. I can only be a bridesmaid. But, I can¡¯t be your bridesmaid. I have two best friends. I have to be their bridesmaid when they get married. Dad said that one shouldn¡¯t attempt to do something more than three times. I also have heard that a girl who has been a bridesmaid many times won¡¯t ever get married herself. Therefore, I can¡¯t be your bridesmaid.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help himself fromughing, looking at the youngdy¡¯s serious expression. ¡°You¡¯re looking really far into the future despite how young you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not young!¡± The youngdy pouted. ¡°I can get married in two years!¡± She then looked at Song Xuanhe with glimmering eyes, ¡°Gege, when will you two get married?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind nked. He just realized that the marriagews of this world were different from his own world¡¯sws. Here, everyone could marry at eighteen. It was just that few people actually got married that early, whether it was because of education or because they and their families were more open-minded. Most people waited until they were at least twenty eight. That was why he had forgotten about this even though he had learned it from the original host¡¯s memories. Moreover, he and Xiao Yuanmu both knew that they weren¡¯t actual lovers. They would naturally never mention such a thing. Upon not receiving an answer, the youngdy pondered over this. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t wearing rings, so you¡¯re not engaged yet. If you¡¯re not engaged, that means marriage is still really far away. Gege, just when will you get married?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°The fact that we¡¯re not wearing rings means that we¡¯re a long way from getting married?¡± The youngdy nodded. ¡°Yes. And, my dad said that couples aren¡¯t certain about each other yet if they don¡¯t have rings. But, my dad also said that you can¡¯t judge whether someone loves someone else solely on whether they are wearing rings. Love can only be seen from a person¡¯s actions and gazes. Therefore, even if you two don¡¯t have rings, you¡¯ll definitely be happy together.¡± ¡°Right, Da Gege, what do you want to eat? Our restaurant¡¯s Sea King congee is good.¡± The youngdy switched topics very quickly. She had already started to rmend dishes in a blink of an eye. ¡°All the ingredients are brought in fresh from the source. We never use ingredients from the previous day. There¡¯s only enough ingredients left right now to make one serving of the Sea King congee. If you want it, I¡¯ll immediately go to the kitchen and tell Dad!¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze shifted over to Song Xuanhe, who was lost in thought. He paused and then handed the menu over to the youngdy. ¡°Two seafood congees.¡± The youngdy blinked. ¡°That¡¯s it? There¡¯s a lot of yummy food here.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said calmly, ¡°No need.¡± ¡°Then, do you want it in two pots, or do you want the regr portion in bowls?¡± ¡°Bowls.¡± The youngdy scrunched up her nose in confusion. She turned to Song Xuanhe and tried to persuade him. ¡°Xiao Gege, do you two really just want two bowls of seafood congee? You guys can order anything today. As long as it¡¯s on the menu, and we still have the ingredients for it, you can order it. If you don¡¯t eat, it¡¯ll be such a waste!¡± It was the first time Song Xuanhe had ever seen someone try so hard to give things away for free. However, there was something else that he was more concerned about. ¡°Why is he Da Gege, but I¡¯m Xiao Gege? Do I look younger than him?¡± ¡°No.¡± The youngdy looked at Xiao Yuanmu and said shyly, ¡°It¡¯s because this big brother is an ultra-handsome man who you only see once in a thousand years. Although you¡¯re also really handsome,pared to Da Gege, you¡¯re at most someone who you¡¯d see once in a hundred years. So, you¡¯re a handsome guy while he¡¯s a super handsome guy. The super handsome guy is Da Gege, and the handsome guy is Xiao Gege.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled while handing over the mostly filled teapot to the youngdy. ¡°You can go fill this up now.¡± The young girl pouted as she took the teapot. ¡°Petty.¡± The talkative youngdy left. As the door closed, it dampened the noise from outside. Everything was quiet again. The silence stretched across the room. Xiao Yuanmu sat there, seeming to have no intention of speaking. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why, but before he could even think about it, he blurted out, ¡°Actually, I wanted to eat your cooking.¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe purse his lips as if vexed with himself after having said that, some of the dark fog in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s originally gloomy eyes seemed to disperse. ¡°I¡¯ll make you something as ate-night snackter.¡± ¡°Today?¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously turned to nce at the clock on his phone. It was already nearing ten o¡¯clock now. Thus, he shook his head, ¡°Not today. I¡¯ll probably be too full to eat any more after we have the congee.¡± ¡°Egg noodles in tomato sauce.¡± Seeing Song Xuanhe looking over, Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Except for the one I make, you¡¯ve stopped eating anyone else¡¯s.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression froze. He hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Yuanmu to know this. After he had tasted Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ridiculously delicious noodles, he started to think that what he had thought was good before was actually difficult-to-eat now. Therefore, ever since meeting Xiao Yuanmu, he had indeed stopped eating that dish anywhere else. Furthermore, if he hadn¡¯t guessed incorrectly, Xiao Yuanmu would leave really soon. That meant that today might just be thest day he¡¯d ever get to eat Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s egg noodles in tomato sauce. Song Xuanhe smiled and nodded. ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have less congee.¡± Jinji¡¯s congee had always been known for its delicious and exquisite taste. Because of this, the serving size wasn¡¯t big. For young and vigorous men like them, who were prone to hunger easily, even if they had been full, it¡¯d be easy for them to finish this as well. Moreover, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t eaten a lot during the dinner earlier anyway. After having finished the congee, he was about seventy-percent full. After the meal, they headed back to the apartments. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t visited Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment in a long time. Actually, after Xiao Yuanmu had moved, Song Xuanhe had only gone over twice. The first time had been the day after he had helped Xiao Yuanmu move¡ªthey had had dinner together. The second time had been when he had bumped into Xiao Yuanmu, who had been on a morning run. After chatting for a bit, he had somehow ended up heading over to the other¡¯s ce to eat noodles. From then on, he subconsciously avoided going out during the time when Xiao Yuanmu would go out for his morning runs. Even when Xiao Yuanmu would asionally send him a message and ask if he wanted to have dinner together, Song Xuanhe woulde up with an excuse to avoid him. Tonight was the third time he had evere over. It was just that, this time, Song Xuanhe could faintly perceive that there was something different about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment. But when he swept a look over the familiar living room and dining room, which were decorated in a very cold manner, he didn¡¯t notice anything different. The feeling of knowing that something was off but being unable to grasp onto it made him feel antsy. It had taken them half an hour to get back from Jinji. It was already eleven o¡¯clock now. Xiao Yuanmu took off his coat and rolled up his sleeves. ¡°Wait a bit for me.¡± Song Xuanhe had been thinking about what was different about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment. When he had heard the other speak, he looked over at the other on instinct. His gaze fell onto Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back, taking in his wide shoulders and tight waist. When he saw the other pull the fridge door open, he called out, ¡°We just had congee. Let¡¯s rest a bit first.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. He nced at the time on his watch, and his jaw tensed slightly. The light in his eyes flickered, but he still headed over to the living room in the end. The two of them sat across from each other. Neither spoke. But, both of them could tell that there was something different about the other today. Message after message was being sent to Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone. Song Xuanhe nced down at them, avoiding Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. But, he was only staring at them. He wasn¡¯t actually able to process any of the words. The seconds continued to tick by. Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger unconsciously pressed and swiped through several apps¡ªfrom his messaging app to the search engine. He opened and closed one app after another, aimlessly scrolling through each one. Atst, he opened up his browser and saw his search history from a long time ago¡ªhow do guys do it with each other? Many memories that he had already forgotten rushed back to him in this instant. It was like they were shing past his eyes. He watched as every interaction between himself and Xiao Yuanmu reyed in his head. He watched as Xiao Yuanmu had gradually changed. He watched as the other had be cold and dark. And, he watched as the other had knocked down his own defenses to let Song Xuanhe in. But, he shouldn¡¯t enter Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s world. Because, this was not his world. He was destined to eventually go back to his own. Song Xuanhe was the first to raise his head. His lips curled up slightly as if he had suddenly recalled something. He asked, ¡°What did you want to talk to me about?¡± ¡°I have to go to America for some time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ck eyes fixed onto Song Xuanhe. ¡°For at least half a year.¡± Song Xuanhe looked down. He sighed. As expected. He suppressed the baffling,plicated emotion that had started to well up within him and started to think about how someone would act upon finding out that their boyfriend suddenly needed to leave the country. However, he didn¡¯t have any clue on how to respond. So, he only blinked and asked, ¡°So, you¡¯re breaking up with me?¡± Before Xiao Yuanmu could continue, Song Xuanhe immediately followed with, ¡°Alright. I agree.¡±
Eve: Tense chapter next chapter hehehe. Also I feel bad for both of them. Mumu is obvious. But it¡¯s not easy for Xuanhe either. He doesn¡¯t want to get any closer because he knows that it¡¯ll only be more painful for the both of them. But he already cares. Kara: Ugh, I¡¯m sad!! ?o¡¤(? ????????? )?o¡¤? Xuanhe is already attached to this world and the people in it, but he¡¯s still trying to keep a distance, because he¡¯s never forgotten that he has to leave at some point. He bao, you¡¯re not leaving ever!! Not if I have anything to say about it! Hmph! (?+?`¦Ø?¡ä) Chapter 77: Icy-Cold Serious Expression Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Miimaas for the kofi!
Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were dark, and his tone was unreadable. ¡°You agree?¡± ¡°I agree.¡± Song Xuanhe seemed to have not noticed the other¡¯s dark expression. He said in a casual tone, ¡°I¡¯ve never been one to do long-distance rtionships. You¡¯re also so busy, and it¡¯s not like either of us went into this rtionship thinking it¡¯d be real. Things will get back on the right track if we break up now.¡± ¡°Back on the right track.¡± Xiao Yuanmu repeated hisst few words, lips suddenly rising into an arc. Derision was written all over his face. ¡°If us breaking up is ¡®getting back on the right track,¡¯ then what was I to you when we first got together?¡± Xiao Yuanmu got up and walked closer to Song Xuanhe. His eyes were cold like a bottomless abyss. There was also a sinister gloominess constrained within them. His voice was cold as winter¡¯s frost. ¡°A substitute?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t panic when he saw Xiao Yuanmu walk over. He returned the other¡¯s gaze calmly. But when he heard the word, ¡°substitute,¡± he was still inevitably taken aback. He frowned. ¡°What substitute?¡± ¡°The reason you had used the Director to threaten me to date you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu moved in closer, hands falling onto the back of the sofa behind Song Xuanhe. After trapping him, he continued in a low, frigid voice, ¡°The reason you had wanted to act like a couple with me even though you don¡¯t like me. The reason why you have never tried to do anything with me even after we had moved in together.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ck pupils were trained on Song Xuanhe, catching every single change in his expression. His lips curled into a ridiculing arc. ¡°Am I right?¡± ¡°I have no idea what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows were furrowed tightly. He had already anticipated how Xiao Yuanmu would react when he had said that he wanted to break up. That had been why he didn¡¯t panic upon sensing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s anger. But when he had heard the other randomly mention a ¡°substitute¡± and saw the serious, dark look in his eyes, he knew that things were heading in an unexpected direction. ¡°What substitute?¡± Although he had a faint, bad premonition, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel afraid at all for some reason. Instead, he simply met Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes with his own pure, innocent ones. ¡°Exin.¡± Those pure eyes would make one unwittingly lower their guard and trust his every word. Even if you knew that he was clearly lying, you wouldn¡¯t be able to help but try to find an excuse for him. You¡¯d rather lie to yourself than to cause disappointment to appear in his eyes. Howe he hadn¡¯t noticed that Song Xuanhe had such good-looking eyes in his previous two lives? They were so good-looking that he was even willing to deceive himself now. ¡°Heh.¡± Xiao Yuanmuughed coldly. He wasn¡¯tughing at Song Xuanhe but at himself. Even though he knew that nine out of ten things Song Xuanhe said were false, he was still willing to believe that what he said was true. The words Song Jiani had said to him at Xiao Nan¡¯s banquet echoed in his ears. ¡°Do you actually think Xuanhe gege likes you? The person he likes isn¡¯t you but someone else. You¡¯re nothing but a substitute!¡± ¡°Have you never wondered why Xuanhe gege wants to be with you or why he would threaten you with the Director but never formally introduce you to everyone else after you had gotten together?¡± Song Jiani had smiled as she raised her ss of champagne. She had looked pleased with herself like she was looking at some ignorant soul. Quietly, she had continued, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, you two haven¡¯t slept with each other yet, have you? You don¡¯t have to trust me. Of course, you are free to go investigate this. Find out who Xuanhe gege is the happiest with and who he cares for the most.¡± ¡°Or, just watch Xuanhe gege when he talks to others. I have never seen Xuanhe gege smile at you as happily as he does with the person he likes.¡± ¡°Someone told me that you¡¯re using me as a substitute for Xiao Shenglin.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was fixed onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s. He asked, ¡°Was she right?¡± ¡°Impossible!¡± If Xiao Yuanmu had mentioned anyone else, Song Xuanhe might have hesitated and wondered whether the original host had been capable of doing such a scummy thing. However, the person he had mentioned was Xiao Shenglin. Although Xiao Yuanmu and Xiao Shenglin both had the surname ¡°Xiao,¡± and Xiao Shenglin was indeed a member of a rted branch family, their appearances and personalities werepletely different. There was no way either of them could be a substitute for the other. ¡°What, you believed her just ¡®cause she said it?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t cover up just how ridiculous he found this to be. ¡°Think about it yourself, how are you and Xiao Shenglin simr? You guys aren¡¯t alike at all!¡± Song Xuanhe had thought that Xiao Yuanmu would have been swayed when he heard this or at least doubt himself. But, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was currently unexpectedly calm. He only quietly made a ¡°mn¡± sound before asking, ¡°Who do you think I¡¯m like then?¡± ¡°No one.¡± Song Xuanhe pushed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face further away and looked off to the side. ¡°Don¡¯t listen to nonsense. I had just wanted to be with you back then because you are good-looking.¡± Xiao Yuanmu let go and left without a word. A momentter, he came out of the bedroom with two pictures. He handed them over to Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe picked one up. It was Xiao Yuanmu dressed in undergraduate graduation robes at the gates of his university. Although the Xiao Yuanmu in the image had a distant look in his eyes, they also still had the purity and brightness of youth. This made Song Xuanhe suddenly recall the first time they had met as well as the other¡¯s bright eyes from when Song Xuanhe had saved him at the pool. Although he was still Xiao Yuanmu after his rebirth, very few people would instantly think he was the same just by looking at this photo. Their auras werepletely different. Song Xuanhe subconsciously nced at the current Xiao Yuanmu. In the past, Song Xuanhe had felt like there wasn¡¯t much of a difference between the pre-rebirth and post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu. However, looking at him now, he discovered that there was actually a big difference. To put it another way, this post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu had gradually changed. This change hadn¡¯t taken ce overnight. It had happened over a long period of time. This was why Song Xuanhe had been so slow to pick up on it. It hadn¡¯t been until the matter with Sun Jinren that he had realized that Xiao Yuanmu had been reborn in advance. After having seen this photo, he also realized that he hadn¡¯t been able to read Xiao Yuanmu the same way he had with his pre-rebirth self in a long time. The current Xiao Yuanmu was unfathomable. It was just¡­. Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger twitched on his leg. Regardless of which Xiao Yuanmu it was, he would always make him feel conflicted and afraid. It was probably because he had understood the pre-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu, who had been distant and cold but also weak. And also, because he had seen how the strong post-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu really liked dogs. And also, because he had seen how deathly pale Xiao Yuanmu had gotten after having seen that snake before. He knew Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s weakness, preferences, and how much pain and darkness were beneath his strong exterior. Unwittingly, he hade topletely understand him. Thest person he had known this well had been his best friend, who had told Song Xuanhe to continue living on happily just before he had died. Xiao Yuanmu was the second person, but their rtionship, regardless of what form it took, was not destined tost long. Speaking of which, it seemed like, regardless of which world he was in, the people he cared about would always leave him. Everyone else would be incidental. It was only Xiao Yuanmu who was foreordained to leave him. Since that was the case, he had all the more reason to make sure this was settled now. From now on, Xiao Yuanmu would have a promising future ahead of him. There would be many people who loved him. After Song Xuanhe left this world, Xiao Yuanmu would naturally be able to begin anew. Song Xuanhe stared at the second photo. His pupils constricted slightly. He then smiled. It seemed like things wouldn¡¯t have to wait until he left. From today on, it looked like he and Xiao Yuanmu would bepletely over. The person in the second photo was someone Song Xuanhe was very familiar with: Xiao Shenglin during his school days. If you were to just look at these two people in these photos and not think of what they were like in real life now, Song Xuanhe had to admit that Xiao Shenglin, who had also been wearing a graduation gown and had a cold expression on his face, looked really alike to the distant pre-rebirth Xiao Yuanmu. Just byparing these two photos, you¡¯d also realize that their features and face shape were quite simr as well. The current Xiao Shenglin was gentle and refined. His features were soft and elegant. Meanwhile, the current Xiao Yuanmu was cold and indifferent. His features were even frostier and sharper than before. Therefore, no one thought they looked alike. But of course, this was on the premise that no one saw these two particr photos. After having seen these two photos, Song Xuanhe naturally couldn¡¯t lie with his eyes open. Even if he did, Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t believe him. Song Xuanhe ced the photos onto the coffee table and turned to meet Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. He smiled and asked, ¡°Are you trying to use these two photos to prove that I¡¯ve been using you as Xiao Shenglin¡¯s substitute?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s legs were crossed as he sat on the armchair. He had been waiting with cold eyes ever since Song Xuanhe hadid eyes on those photos. His fingers had been tapping against the armrest rhythmically. When he had heard Song Xuanhe speak up, the tapping stopped. He looked up. ¡°Were you?¡± ¡°If I said no, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold but firm tone startled Song Xuanhe. He peered into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s jet-ck eyes. There were countlessplicated emotions hidden in his bottomless eyes. Song Xuanhe discovered that he suddenly couldn¡¯t utter the words that were already in his mouth. Song Xuanhe regarded him, a heedless smile in those clear eyes of his. It looked like there were no emotions in his eyes. ¡°And, what if I said yes?¡± A moment of silenceter, Xiao Yuanmu moved his hand to his leg. He pursed his lips slightly, his cool voice tense with some kind of emotion. ¡°I hope that you¡¯ll say no.¡± Song Xuanhe looked down and asked again, ¡°If I said yes, would you believe me?¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe break eye contact, something quickly flickered through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ck eyes. His pursed lips curled up slightly. There was some kind of alluring tone and hidden danger constrained within his voice. ¡°Whatever you say, I will believe it.¡±
Eve: Guesses on what He bao will say??? Also, again, I cry because SXH clearly cares about XYM (HE EVEN SAID HE¡¯S 1 of the 2 PEOPLE HE¡¯S EVER REALLY CARED ABOUT TO THIS EXTENT). And the part where he muses about how everyone he cares about leaves him (INCLUDING HIS PARENTS) I¡ª- Kara: inhales¡ª (©¿?§¥?)©¿áê©ß©¥©ß WHY DO WE HAVE TO PLAY THESE KIND OF MINDGAMES, HUH, MY PRECIOUS AND BEAUTIFUL SONS??? WHY???? YOUR MOM IS TIRED!! I JUST WANT MY SONS TO BE HAPPY AND IN LOVE!! ??(?¡ä§¥`?)?? Mom demands sweetnesster, otherwise I don¡¯t know how more I can take. My heart is hurting¡­ _:(¡ä?`¡¹ ¡Ï):_ ¡­ Chapter 78: [Locked] Tranted by Eve
Eve: This isn¡¯t a chapter title. The chapter was locked so I had to find it on a pirate site which didn¡¯t have the chapter title. Trigger warning: Dubious consent (Well, more than usual since some of those kisses before were also dubcon) And thank you buggy for the kofi~
Song Xuanhe blinked and then shifted his gaze away. ¡°We were talking about you leaving the country and us breaking up. Since we¡¯ve already broken up, there¡¯s no reason to talk about whether or not you were a substitute.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Song Xuanhe then looked back down at the two photos. Although he had wanted to say ¡°yes¡± and tell Xiao Yuanmu that he was Xiao Shenglin¡¯s substitute, he didn¡¯t want to drag Xiao Shenglin into his and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s affairs. Moreover, Xiao Shenglin really hadn¡¯t been a factor in his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu. Therefore, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°But since you wanted an answer, I¡¯ll give you one: no. Xiao Shenglin has nothing to do with my rtionship with you. I only see him as a friend.¡± Xiao Yuanmu examined Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression carefully. The arc of his smile deepened. ¡°I believe you.¡± ¡°Now that we¡¯ve cleared things up.¡± Song Xuanhe threw the photos onto the table and raised a brow. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. How about making the noodles now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. He then got up and raised Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin. He nted a kiss on the other¡¯s lips before leaving. ¡¾Did the original host like Xiao Shenglin?¡¿Song Xuanhe asked in his mind£º¡¾Why don¡¯t I have any memories of this?¡¿ ¡¾I don¡¯t know, ah!¡¿The System was also confused. ¡¾I can confirm that you have the original Song Xuanhe¡¯splete memory. Oh, but, it¡¯s possible that the main god had muddled the memories it had deemed useless.¡¿ ¡¾What do you mean?¡¿ The two pictures just now had really hit Song Xuanhe hard. Xiao Shenglin had always been gentle, courteous, and amiable ever since he had met him. The original host hadn¡¯t had many memories rted to Xiao Shenglin, and his impression of the other had also been really ordinary. That had been why Song Xuanhe had only chatted with Xiao Shenglin briefly when they had met for the first time and hadn¡¯t carefullybed through his memories. When he had heard the System say this now, Song Xuanhe felt his heart thud. A bad feeling arose in his chest. The System confirmed his conjecture£º¡¾Like¡­if the main god decided that a certain memory will be useless to the mission or may even influence the mission, it might remove any feelings that the original host might have had regarding that particr memory. Although the memory you had received isplete, you won¡¯t be able to feel what the original host had been feeling during that memory. Without the emotions, the memories will feel a bit off.¡¿ ¡¾A bit off?¡¿Song Xuanhe repeated these de-emphasizing words. He didn¡¯t know if he was angry or vexed. However, when he thought about the situation he was in right now, he quickly calmed down £º¡¾In any case, it¡¯s over now. Tell me now if there¡¯s anything you¡¯re still hiding from me or if there¡¯s any other issues with my memories.¡¿ ¡¾There¡¯s nothing else.¡¿ ¡¾Really?¡¿ ¡¾Really!¡¿The System said£º¡¾But anyway, what do you n on doing with the big shot? Except for when his emotions are fluctuating violently, I can¡¯t urately determine his emotions anymore. I can¡¯t offer you any more help. You¡¯re on your own.¡¿ As if the System had ever given him any help before. Song Xuanhe was already used to how useless the System was£º¡¾It¡¯s enough for you to not drag me down.¡¿ ¡¾The big shot is done cooking!¡¿The System had been monitoring the movements of the other person in the apartment. It promptly said£º¡¾I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s a wise idea to break up with the big shot. In any case, you two won¡¯t even be on the same continent. It doesn¡¯t matter whether you two break up or not. I checked Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotional fluctuation values when you had mentioned breaking up. They were unprecedentedly high, high enough that even I had been able to detect them. Therefore, I think that it¡¯d be best if you just went along with him for now. Oh, the big shot¡¯sing over. Brother, take care.¡¿ A second before Xiao Yuanmu had stepped back into the living room, Song Xuanhe looked up. At the moment Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze met Song Xuanhe¡¯s, a strange emotion suddenly arose in his chest. Before he could mull over it, Song Xuanhe stood up. ¡°Are the noodles done?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, and Song Xuanhe walked over to him. It had been half a month since Song Xuanhe hadst eaten Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s noodles in egg and tomato sauce. Song Xuanhe concentrated on meticulously savouring the dish¡¯s taste and temporarily threw the matter of breaking up into the back of his mind. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been nning on eating. However, after watching Song Xuanhe eat, he had also unwittingly ended up eating a bowl. ¡°Thank you for the noodles. They were really delicious.¡± Song Xuanhe ced his chopsticks down. He wanted to raise the matter of Xiao Yuanmu leaving again. He thought it over for a moment and then asked, ¡°When are you going to America?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was clearing the table. When he heard this, he paused and lowered his gaze. ¡°Very soon.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips and didn¡¯t ask further. Everything went quiet. Song Xuanhe sat in the dining room, motionless. When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu had finished tidying up, he stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s gettingte. I¡¯ll be heading back now.¡± ¡°In three hours.¡± Song Xuanhe was caught off guard. ¡°What¡¯s in three hours?¡± ¡°When I¡¯m going to America.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes widened slightly. ¡°In the AM?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. An indistinct, baffling anger bubbled up inside Song Xuanhe¡¯s chest. However, it onlysted a second before he managed to quell it. He said in a calm voice, ¡°I still have to go to work tomorrow. I won¡¯t be seeing you off. Let¡¯s meet again if we have the chance.¡± After saying that, he headed towards the door. As he was putting on his shoes, he remembered that he left his cell on the sofa. He was about to take his shoes back off to get it but noticed that Xiao Yuanmu had already brought it over. Song Xuanhe reached out a hand: ¡°Thank you.¡± ¡°Are you angry?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand that was holding his cell phone hung by his side. He didn¡¯t move to give it back. There was an imperceptible upward arc of his lips and a hint of anticipation in his chilly voice that he probably didn¡¯t even notice himself. ¡°Why would I be angry?¡± Song Xuanhe folded his arms. ¡°We¡¯ve already broken up. Let¡¯s part on good terms. I wouldn¡¯t bother getting angry at an ex.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t agree to us breaking up.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s smile ttened, and his eyes darkened. Song Xuanhe grinned. ¡°I thought we had alreadye to an agreement.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him for a few seconds. When he saw that the other didn¡¯t intend to expand on that, he smiled in anger. ¡°You were the one to start this back then. Now, you¡¯re also the one to end it. The one who started it has also ended it. Very good.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow but remained silent. Xiao Yuanmu closed in on Song Xuanhe and spoke in an even tone. ¡°But, I really do regret not having fulfilled my obligations as your boyfriend. Before we finalize this agreement, I should carry out my duties at least once.¡± When there was only half a step between them, a sense of danger climbed up along Song Xuanhe¡¯s spine. He took a discreet step back, but he didn¡¯t show any timidity. ¡°What do you want to do?¡± In the span of one breath, Xiao Yuanmu had managed to grab hold of Song Xuanhe¡¯s wrists. Before the other could react, Xiao Yuanmu had already pressed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands against the wall with one hand. With his other hand, he undid the buttons on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shirt. He peered down at the shorter man, his voice so quiet that it sounded like a murmur. ¡°I have a duty to do what lovers do with you.¡± It wasn¡¯t until a cold breeze, which hade through the opened balcony door, swept over his bare abdomen that Song Xuanhe btedly realized what was happening. He had forgotten to resist in his shock. He only stared at Xiao Yuanmu dumbly as he thought, What can Xiao Yuanmu do if he can¡¯t get me hard? Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t give him much time to think. He closed his eyes and pressed his lips against Song Xuanhe¡¯s. He sucked on Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips for a moment before sticking his tongue into the other¡¯s mouth. The hand that had just undid the other¡¯s buttons drifted downwards, and he pulled down Song Xuanhe¡¯s pants with deft fingers. He then straightforwardly grabbed onto Song Xuanhe down there. Song Xuanhe jolted. His hands that were now trapped behind him began to squirm. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips shifted to his earlobe, and he used his teeth to nip at it gently. He then used his tongue to lick at it, causing Song Xuanhe to shiver. For the first time, Song Xuanhe realized that his ears were this sensitive. All of his strength drained from his body in an instant. In contrast, little Xuanhe slowly lifted his head. Xiao Yuanmu chuckled quietly, but his hand around little Xuanhe didn¡¯t stop. Feeling the other¡¯s tense body and his attempts to struggle out of his hold, he spoke in a low, hushed voice, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you before that I¡¯ll check¡­?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t¡­push it..¡± Song Xuanhe sucked in a deep breath. He turned his face away, trying to avoid Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s kisses on his neck. He gritted his teeth. ¡°Even if I had lied to you...¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand sped up, and Song Xuanhe¡¯s body went soft. His ears buzzed. A momentter, he reacted, body going stiff. ¡°Looks like¡­you didn¡¯t lie to me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chuckle echoed in his ears. Song Xuanhe gnashed his teeth. He was about to say something when his whole body tensed up again. His eyes widened in disbelief¡ªXiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand had moved to his behind. ¡­¡­ The afterglow had yet to wear off. The balcony door was also still open, and the chilly wind had entered the warm living room. The faint scent that came ¡°after the deed¡± circted the room with the breeze as it warmed up. Song Xuanhe, who was sitting on the sofa, only had on an unbuttoned white shirt. His face was still flushed, and he was currently ring at Xiao Yuanmu, who was putting on a simrly styled ck shirt. He gnashed his teeth and then squeezed his words out from between his teeth in a hoarse voice. ¡°Just you wait!¡± Xiao Yuanmu stuck the cufflinks he had taken off of Song Xuanhe¡¯s shirt into his neatly arranged cuffs. He calmly put them in ce before fastening them. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was obviously in a good mood. The smile on his face was gentle like never before. His eyes no longer held any coldness. Instead, there was affection within them. He walked over to Song Xuanhe and peered down at him. A few secondster, he rubbed the other¡¯s swollen, red lips with the pads of his finger. The love in his peach blossom eyes deepened, and there was a rasp to his chilly voice. It was clear that he still wanted more. ¡°But, I won¡¯t let you off so easily next time.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his hand, wanting to punch Xiao Yuanmu in the nose. However, his arms were sore as if he had been holding up steel beams for two hours. Actually, that was about right. When Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand had shifted to his behind, he hadn¡¯t noticed it at first. It hadn¡¯t been until the other had almost stuck a finger in that he realized what the other had wanted to do. At that point, he had started to struggle intensely. But, Xiao Yuanmu had his weak spot¡ªthat area was every man¡¯s weak spot¡ªin his hand. With just a flick of his wrist, he was able to drain all of Song Xuanhe¡¯s strength. The only thing to be happy about was that Xiao Yuanmu fortunately had only had one hand avable. He couldn¡¯t do anything to him. In the end, they had ended up ¡°helping¡± each other out¡­. During their mutual help session, Song Xuanhe hadpletely forgotten about his fear of losing his virginity. Instead, he had felt humiliated! He admitted that he lost to Xiao Yuanmu when it came to the physical aspects of it, but the difference in their endurance also had been too much! The only thought that was left in his head had been: I need to wash myself of this shame and redeem my lost glory. A score of four to zero. Song Xuanhe was certain that it must be an issue with the original host and not him. It might have been because Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s smile was too irritating or because the crisis of losing his virginity had onlysted a second, but the attack on his self-esteem had ovee the fear. Song Xuanhe had basically forgotten all about breaking up as he blurted out nonsense. ¡°Just you wait, I¡¯ll let you know just who won¡¯t be letting off who.¡±
The author has something to say: Today again, Xuan baby thinks that he will one day gain the upper hand. Big shot Xiao will be temporarily offline. It will be a very short absence. Therefore, I decided to give all you big shots a little treat in advance (we live in a strict and harmonious society right now. To avoid getting this chapter locked, please don¡¯t mention any non-harmonious words, including cars, smut, etc. Otherwise, I¡¯ll have to simplify it to one simple sentence. Yingyingying.)
Eve: I lowkey kind of wanted SXH to say yes because I do love dogblood HAHA. But this is better for their rtionship so I¡¯m still happy. Anyway, that¡¯s really as close to a steamy scene as we¡¯ll ever get hahaha. Curse the censorship crabs!!! Even this ended up locked!!! Chapter 79: Nevertheless, My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Xiao Yuanmu left. He left behind the key to his apartment and his jade pendant. At that time, Song Xuanhe had been getting dressed. Xiao Yuanmu had pulled his suitcase over and had grabbed his hand just as he had been doing up his belt. Before Song Xuanhe could get angry, he had put the jade pendant¡ªwhich had a really ugly, manually woven rope around it¡ªaround his wrist. He said in a cool voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to buy a ring. Although this jade pendant isn¡¯t much, I can only use it in ce of a ring for now.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell onto the jade pendant around his wrist. His eyes circled the engraved ¡°Xiao¡± character. The moment he had heard Xiao Yuanmu speak, he was stunned. His pupils then constricted slightly. Without any hesitation, he tried to take it off. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t tell him, but he already knew what this jade pendant meant to the Xiao Family. In the book, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t ever given this jade pendant away. Even if he were to give it away in the future, it should have been to one of his seven pursuers. It absolutely could not be given to Song Xuanhe. ¡°If you take it off, we¡¯ll finish what we started earlier.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was t, but there was a hidden, dark light in his pitch-ck, difficult-to-read eyes. It was like he was really looking forward to seeing Song Xuanhe take off that jade pendant. He reminded Song Xuanhe, ¡°I can also take another flight.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He very awkwardly modified his actions to pretend that he was just carefully examining the jade pendant. When his eyes fell on the Xiao character again, he pretended to ask in a casual voice, ¡°This jade pendant looks expensive. It even has yourst name engraved on it. It must be really important to you.¡± In the book, the reason the Xiao Family had so quickly recognized Xiao Yuanmu and publicized his identity had been because of this jade pendant. This jade pendant was prepared for every member of the Xiao Family before they were even born. If Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t have this pendant, it would definitely be harder for him to be recognized. ¡°It¡¯s important.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised his hand and shed one of the cufflinks before Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°It has the same meaning as your cufflinks.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°What meaning?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°They both take the ce of rings.¡± Song Xuanhe let go of the pendant. Xiao Yuanmu chuckled quietly and then came forward to wrap his arms around Song Xuanhe. He rested his chin on the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Let me hold you for a second.¡± Two minutester, he let go of Song Xuanhe when the doorbell rang. There was a trace of rasp in his cool voice. ¡°I¡¯m leaving now.¡± Yang Jie had been taken aback when he walked in and saw Song Xuanhe. He nodded at the other in greeting and then took the seemingly light suitcase from Xiao Yuanmu. Tactfully, he waited outside. Xiao Yuanmu nted a kiss on the corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips. ¡°Wait for me.¡± Song Xuanhe watched as the two of them entered the elevator. He then went to stand on the balcony. He saw as the lights of the car at the bottom of the building turned on, and the car slowly drove out of his view. He then turned around to leave as well. The moment he had turned around, Song Xuanhe received a text from an unknown number: It was Xiao ge¡¯s birthday yesterday. He seems really happy. I had thought that you didn¡¯t care about him and thus wouldn¡¯t prepare a gift for him. Looks like I was wrong. My attitude towards you hasn¡¯t been good in the past. I¡¯m sorry. Also, thank you. Song Xuanhe fell into a daze. His gaze drifted to the date and time on his phone¡¯s screen: 1:02, January 17th. So, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s birthday was on January 16th. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze drifted from the screen to the jade pendant tied around his wrist. It then shifted to his cuffs, which were now loose since the cufflinks had been taken away. The present Yang Jie had mentioned was probably referring to the cufflinks Xiao Yuanmu had taken away. He didn¡¯t know how he felt. Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue, meaning indistinct. He then quietly said, ¡°What kind of present is this¡­.¡± He didn¡¯t take Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment key. However, he also didn¡¯t take off the jade pendant the entire way back to his apartment. * Time slowly passed. The thin snow on the ground had yet to melt as more snow came falling down. Goose-feather-sized clumps of snow swirled in the sky. There was a gentle, easy piano melody broadcasting throughout the cafe. Through the high-up French windows, although you couldn¡¯t see the crowd of people on the ground level clearly, you could still feel the festive Lunar New Year holiday spirit from the crowd. Song Xuanhe flipped through a magazine, bored out of his mind. Page after page, his eyes didn¡¯t stay on any one page for more than a second. It looked like he was lost in his thoughts or simply nking out. The waiter¡¯s quiet greeting wasn¡¯t loud even in the quiet cafe. However, Song Xuanhe still looked up when he had heard the sound. When he saw who hade, his lips curled up. ¡°Zhou Nan said that something¡¯s been off about youtely. He said that I had to call you out to straighten things out. Looks like he hadn¡¯t been making a fuss over nothing.¡± The slight smile on Xiao Shenglin¡¯s face deepened. In a gentle voice, he said, ¡°He¡¯s too nervous about all of this. It¡¯s just a bit of a minor issue with the family. Didn¡¯t think he¡¯d call you out even today on the day before Lunar New Year¡¯s Eve.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just the day before New Year¡¯s Eve, that¡¯s all.¡± Song Xuanhe leaned back against his chair, his gaze on Xiao Shenglin. The smile on his face grew weaker. ¡°Is it serious?¡± Xiao Shenglin was taken aback. He then shook his head,ughing quietly. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing. I can deal with it myself. You¡¯re my friend. If I needed help, I¡¯d definitely ask you.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never seen you with dark circles before.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°You¡¯d have had to stay upte for at least half a month for those to form. Xiao Yuanmu had worked through so many nights for so long, and he¡¯s never gotten dark circles before. He just lost some weight.¡± ¡°It¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve heard you mention Xiao Yuanmu of your own ord.¡± Xiao Shenglin smiled. He then looked at the other worriedly. ¡°I heard that he went to work in America. You two¡­.¡± ¡°Mn. He left half a month ago.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He spoke in a casual tone. ¡°Song Guochao found out the next morning. He had nearly put up a banner to express his happiness at thepany. But when he came back to himself, his spirits fell. He started to worry that I¡¯d start to suddenly put my everything into work now that I no longer have a boyfriend to distract me. That¡¯s probably why I had ended up encountering that male model a few days ago. I¡¯ve never talked to him before, but he had my number.¡± Xiao Shenglin frowned. He opened his mouth but didn¡¯t say anything in the end. It wasn¡¯t his ce to talk about his friend¡¯s elders. Therefore, he changed the subject. ¡°Feng Tong contacted me this morning. He said that you haven¡¯t replied to his email. He wanted me to remind you to look at it.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and said, ¡°I¡¯ll look at it when I get back. I heard that he¡¯s nning on establishing his own studio?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xiao Shenglin said, ¡°He¡¯sing back this time for the sake of setting up his own studio. He wants to establish his own original brand and wants to team up with you.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°There must be thousands of people willing to work under him. I¡¯ve never shown him any of my finished products. I¡¯m really happy that he¡¯s thought of me.¡± When Xiao Shenglin heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s implicit refusal, he smiled. ¡°You should talk to Feng Tong about this. He¡¯s always admired your skill. He even thinks that you¡¯re more talented than he is. You¡¯re undervaluing yourself like this.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. Without any modesty, he grinned. ¡°I¡¯m obviously good. I just don¡¯t intend to join someone else¡¯s studio for the time being. But, I will give him my reply myself. Thanks.¡± Xiao Shenglin took a sip of hot chocte. ¡°We¡¯re friends. You don¡¯t have to thank me.¡± Song Xuanhe sat up straight, his gaze on his own mug. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen you drink something this sweet.¡± ¡°I wanted to drink something sweet, because it¡¯s cold.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes narrowed. When he recalled when Xiao Shenglin¡¯s car ident was supposed to take ce in the original timeline, he felt his heart grow heavy. However, his emotions were not reflected on his face. ¡°Zhou Nan said that there¡¯s no one at your ce, so he¡¯s going to stay with you after spending New Year¡¯s Eve at home. Can I join?¡± ¡°I obviously don¡¯t mind. But, your family¡­.¡± ¡°Song Guochao and I hate each other. He¡¯ll obviously have a better New Year¡¯s if I¡¯m not at home.¡± Song Xuanhe knew what the other had wanted to say. ¡°As long as you don¡¯t mind, it¡¯s all good.¡± Xiao Shenglin: ¡°Then, I¡¯ll have them tidy up a room for you when I get back.¡± The snow outside the window came to a gradual stop. The snowy paradise outside looked especially pure. Song Xuanhe gazed out the window and sighed. ¡°I didn¡¯t think a year would pass by so quickly.¡± ¡°Time has always been short.¡± Xiao Shenglin smiled, eyes downcast. ¡°But, a lot more has happened this year than usual.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Xuanhe looked back at him. When he recalled how Lu Chao¡¯s funeral had taken ce a few days ago, he said in a t voice, ¡°Some people were left happy while others left sad.¡± Xiao Shenglin had also thought of the same thing. ¡°Lu Jiaming has ferreted Lu Yue out. There¡¯s also more to this story. I heard that someone who had been racing with Lu Chao during the ident had been bribed to spike Lu Chao¡¯s drink. But, there isn¡¯t any evidence of this im yet. I don¡¯t know how the Lu Family is going to deal with this.¡± ¡°How else can they deal with it?¡± Song Xuanheughed. There were no unnecessary emotions in his voice. ¡°The Lu Family has two sons. One has died. Even if they know that it had been the surviving son who had caused the other¡¯s death, they can¡¯t kick him out and leave themselves without an heir. Furthermore, Lu Yue and his mother are ruthless. The Lu Family matron position will probably be taken over by someone new soon.¡± Xiao Shenglin nodded. His lips then curled into a smile. ¡°Anyway, this has nothing to do with us. Zhou Nan said that we should go snowboarding on White Mountain on the eighth day of the new year. He said we might as well stay at his vi for a few days too. Do you have work? If not,e hang out with us.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, it doesn¡¯t have anything to do with us.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He then replied to thetter topic. ¡°The Song Group does reopen on the eighth day after New Year¡¯s, but that¡¯s none of my business. I¡¯ll go with you guys.¡± ¡°Oh, one more thing¡­¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s smile thinned. ¡°Ranran will be going with us to White Mountain. But, she probably won¡¯t be staying with us. I¡¯m just telling you in advance.¡± Song Xuanhe was surprised. ¡°On the eighth day of the new year?¡± Xiao Shenglin nodded. ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that also Xiao Baicong¡¯sing-of-age banquet¡ª¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly furrowed his brows. ¡°Is Uncle Xiao not going? Don¡¯t all members of the Xiao Family have to go?¡± ¡°Uncle Xiao is suspended from his duties for the time being.¡± Everyone had heard of this rumourtely, so Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t hide this from Song Xuanhe. He straightforwardly told him, ¡°So, Uncle mighte to China to stay for a bit. Coincidentally, Ranran¡¯s on vacation as well. So, she¡¯s probably going toe with us.¡± A sh of understanding flickered through Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. It seemed like this was why Xiao Shenglin had been so busy and why his spirits had been so low as ofte. It was just that¡­Xiao Shenglin¡¯s ident was also supposed to ur around this time as well. Then¡­had his ident just been an ident in the novel, or was it rted to this? Seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s pensive expression, Xiao Shenglin asked, ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, appearing casual. ¡°I just suddenly thought of the Lu Family again. So much has happened near the end of this year. Even a small family like the Lu Family had ended up with a death from all the scheming and fighting. It¡¯s not that strange for Uncle Xiao to be temporarily suspended from his duties. It¡¯s just that the person behind this probably still has things up their sleeve. It¡¯s probably a good thing that Uncle Xiao will be resting for now.¡± Xiao Shenglin was taken back for a moment. A trace of something seemed to sh through his eyes.
Eve: Noo, not Shenglin~ also, thank you to everyone who leave kindments~ Even if I don¡¯t reply, I appreciate it when I see your guys¡¯ ¡°thank yous¡± and love for this novel You guys help power me through tranting~ ?? Kara: insert shockedpikachu.gif¡­. Shenglin is supposed to die in an ident?? Chapter 80: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe had originally nned on heading over to Xiao Shenglin¡¯s home right after Lunar New Year¡¯s, but things hadn¡¯t gone as he had wished. ¡ª¡ªThe morning of Lunar New Year¡¯s Day, Song Jiabao, whose wounds had yet to fully heal, had followed his parents to visit the Song Family. He had told everyone about how Xiao Yuanmu had beaten him up. And then, Song Xuanhe had beaten him up again in front of everyone. That was why he had been dyed. Back then, Song Jiabao¡¯s parents had just finished paying their respects, so they had started to worm into Song Guochao and Li Nianan¡¯s good graces. Song Xuanlin had been on the phone giving his New Year¡¯s greetings, and Song Xuanhe had been sitting with Old Mr. Song. Because he had gotten upte, he had missed breakfast. That was why he had been eating some light refreshments, which had been specifically prepared for him. The atmosphere had originally been pleasant. But, who knew what Song Jiabao had suddenly thought of? With his broken arm in a cast, he had turned to look at Song Xuanhe. His tone was light and speech slow. There was self-me and grievance threaded through his words. ¡°Xuanhe, I¡¯m so sorry. I¡¯ve always wanted to apologize to you face-to-face. I hadn¡¯t paid attention to my words in the past and ended up offending Mr. Xiao. Although I¡¯ve already paid no small price for this, I still feel guilty, especially after I had heard that Mr. Xiao and you have broken up. My guilt had grown exponentially upon receiving the news, and I had wanted to apologize to you immediately. But, the doctor had forced me to rest. That¡¯s why things had been pushed back until now. You won¡¯t me me, right?¡± ¡°Why would he me you?¡± Song Xuanhe had just eaten a bit of his bacon sandwich and had yet to swallow when he heard Song Guochao speak, ¡°We didn¡¯t approve of a man like Xiao Yuanmu to start with. It was your cousin who had been stubborn in liking him. It¡¯s a good thing that they¡¯ve broken up. Furthermore, Xiao Yuanmu had been ruthless towards you despite knowing that you are Song Xuanhe¡¯s cousin. Just based on that, you can tell that he¡¯s got a bad character. He doesn¡¯t take my Song Family seriously. Song Xuanhe is the one who should be apologizing to you. Why should a victim apologize to his assant? Now that you¡¯ve mentioned it, Uncle will get justice for you. I will make him apologize to you in front of everyone here.¡± ¡°No, no, no, Uncle, I was the one in the wrong. How could I let Xuanhe apologize to me?¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s face was filled with fear. However, when he turned to Song Xuanhe, one could see a look of hatred and self-satisfaction in his eyes. He nced at Old Mr. Song with his peripheral vision, his expression changing slightly. He whispered, ¡°Xuanhe, I¡¯m so¡ª¡± ¡°What are you apologizing to him for?!¡± Song Guochao interrupted. ¡°He¡¯s been spoiled rotten. That¡¯s why, even though he¡¯s already so big, he doesn¡¯t understand that he has to apologize after doing something wrong. It¡¯s perfect. This is an opportunity for him to learn to respect his elders. He has to change after making a mistake.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Song Jiabao nced at Song Xuanhe cautiously. He looked like he wanted to say something more but was hesitating like he was afraid of him. ¡°There are no ¡®buts.¡¯ Uncle will back you up. You, quickly apologize to him.¡± Thetter sentence had been directed towards Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look up. He quietly continued to eat his food in an elegant manner. When the auntie brought over a hand towel, he had smiled and gave her his thanks as if Song Jiabao and Song Guochao¡¯s conversation had nothing to do with him. ¡°Hurry up and apologize!¡± Song Guochao smacked the table as he shouted. Song Xuanhe still didn¡¯t look up. After finishing off thest bite of his pastry, he unhurriedly put down his butter knife. He wiped his lips clean with poise. He then smiled and said, ¡°Since Jiabao has apologized to me with so much sincerity, I¡¯ll ept it. After all, you came over on New Year¡¯s Day. I shouldn¡¯t haggle with you over what had happenedst year. I just hope that you will watch your words in the future. Although our Song Family is influential, arge tree will attract trouble. One day, someone else might disregard our family and make you regret¡ª¡± ¡°What are you saying?!¡± Song Guochao interrupted Song Xuanhe. He carefully nced at Old Mr. Song¡¯s face from his peripheral. When he saw that the other didn¡¯t seem angry, he sighed in relief. His expression then grew heavy. ¡°I told you to apologize, not that your cousin has apologized to you!¡± ¡°Father.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up at Song Guochao, the smile on his face fading. His eyes were calm and filled with indifference. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this is between Xiao Yuanmu and Cousin. Even if someone else were to get involved, that someone can only be me. Xiao Yuanmu, Cousin, and I¡ªall of us think that it was Cousin¡¯s fault. Since the three people involved all agree, why must you insist that it was my fault?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s look of confusion was just right. His drooping eyes were filled with innocence and a faint trace of disappointment as if he had no idea why Song Guochao was butting in and insisting he apologize. He also looked upset that his father wasn¡¯t able to tell who was in the right and who was in the wrong. After he had said this, the expressions of Song Jiabao¡¯s parents, who had been silent all this time, changed slightly. A trace of discontent also appeared on Old Mr. Song¡¯s expressionless face. ¡°You did something wrong, so you should obviously apologize. Xiao Yuanmu and Jiabao¡¯s fight arose because of you.¡± Song Guochao clearly knew who Old Mr. Song¡¯s displeasure was directed towards. After all, the old man was always biased towards Song Xuanhe. However, he still continued on. ¡°You should know why your cousin is apologizing to you. You cannot treat your rtives like this just because you are the Song Family¡¯s sessor. Furthermore, if you treat Jiabao, who you have grown up with, like this, how will you be able to treat your employees and co-workers well in the future? Will you be able to manage thepany properly?¡± Thetter half of Song Guochao¡¯s words had been what he had been intending to mention all along. He had been nning on leaving this for the end to give the old man some time to ponder over it. But, he hadn¡¯t expected for Song Xuanhe to twist things like this. If he had let Song Xuanhe continue to justify himself, he would probably have been able topletely wipe himself clean of this matter. Therefore, he had decided to immediately say what he had wanted to say. ¡°I have already told you that I don¡¯t n on inheriting thepany. This matter¡­.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Song Yansong, who had been silent up until now, interrupted Song Xuanhe. He cast a chilly gaze towards Song Guochao, displeasure seeping into his even tone. ¡°The matter between Song Jiabao and Xuanhe¡¯s ex-boyfriend is just a conflict between the younger generation. It doesn¡¯t matter who was right. Resolving it is up to them. What are you, an elder, meddling for?¡± Song Jiabao and Song Guochao¡¯s expressions changed at the same time. Song Jiabao¡¯s father promptly chuckled and tried to smooth things over. ¡°That¡¯s right. It¡¯s just a scuffle between children. Boys, they will always end up with a few bruises. Jiabao came over to apologize today. Come, Jiabao, quickly apologize to your cousin.¡± Song Jiabao nced at his father, but his father had been busy appraising Old Mr. Song¡¯s expression. When Song Jiabao¡¯s father saw that Old Mr. Song had a heavy expression on and remained silent, he gritted his teeth and turned to give Song Jiabao a signal with his eyes. ¡°Apologize!¡± Old Mr. Song¡¯s words had turned the tables on the situation in an instant. Right now, the person who was in the most awkward position wasn¡¯t actually Song Jiabao but rather Song Guochao, who had pressured Song Xuanhe to apologize. If Song Jiabao were to really apologize to Song Xuanhe in front of everyone right now, it would be no different than a vicious p to his face. ¡°Dad¡¯s right. Children should resolve their own matters.¡± Song Guochao looked at Song Xuanhe with a forced smile. ¡°Xuanhe didn¡¯t have to apologize earlier either. Let¡¯s just let the matter go. It¡¯s not lucky for us to bicker aboutst year¡¯s matters on New Year¡¯s Day.¡± ¡°Father is right.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°We really shouldn¡¯t talk about this today. Besides, Cousin has already apologized to me, and I have already epted it. Let¡¯s let this go.¡± Song Guochao had been surprised when he had heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s first sentence. When he had heard what came after, his smile froze over. He hadn¡¯t wanted Song Jiabao to have ¡°apologized.¡± But, Song Xuanhe, this scoundrel, insisted on opposing him. Based on this, he knew that if Song Xuanhe really were to seed thepany, then he¡¯d be forced to walk with his tail between his legs for the rest of his life in this home. No matter how Song Guochao thought about it, he knew Song Xuanhe absolutely could not inherit the Song Family. A cold glint flickered through his eyes. He cast his gaze away. For the first time, he didn¡¯t get angry over Song Xuanhe¡¯s words. No one noticed the vicious light in Song Guochao¡¯s eyes. Song Jiabao was currently being pressured to apologize. He was already in his twenties. He couldn¡¯t put down his pride. Although he had said that he had wanted to apologize in the beginning, he was now silent. Song Xuanhe was in no rush. He calmly waited for him to speak. Song Jiabao gnashed his teeth. His gaze shifted from his parents¡¯ faces to Song Yansong¡¯s stern expression. He then took in how Song Xuanhe was waiting for him to speak. His teeth nearly cracked from how hard he was grinding them. It wasn¡¯t until Song Yansong looked over that he finally spoke up. ¡°This was all a misunderstanding. I really should apologize. But, there¡¯s something I want to say to Xuanhe first. Let¡¯s go to the garden.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Song Jiabao was nning. When he saw how the other looked like he was forcing himself to bear with the humiliation, he raised a brow, spirits high. He nced at his watch. ¡°Sure. But, I have an appointmentter, so let¡¯s make this quick.¡± Song Jiabao and Song Xuanhe walked to the little garden outside. It had snowed heavily several days in a row. Therefore, except for the twenty-or-so-metre-long greenhouse, everything else was covered in white. Snowkes fell onto their cors, causing the two who had just stepped up to take back their leg. Song Xuanhe went to stand by the French windows, arms crossed. ¡°Let¡¯s talk here?¡± Song Jiabao took a step outside and then looked at Song Xuanhe with a dark expression. When he saw the other¡¯s indolent, calm attitude, his gaze became even more sinister. However, it seemed like he had suddenly thought of something after Song Xuanhe had spoken. Heughed and took a few steps closer to Song Xuanhe. With a hushed voice, he said, ¡°Speaking of which, I should thank you. Xiao Yuanmu came from an orphanage, so he can¡¯t be anything good. Who knows how many people he¡¯s sold himself to before you? Only you would treat him like he¡¯s something precious.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and looked at the time. He raised a brow. ¡°And?¡± It was like Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t take anything he said or did seriously, like the other was high up in the clouds while he was in the mud. Song Jiabao¡¯s expression twisted for a moment, but it was quickly reced by a smile. ¡°I¡¯ve always wondered why that man had been able to catch your heart. I had someone look into something, and I really did discover something. If you want to know, I¡¯ll tell you for free. How about it?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded in a carefree manner. He pointed at his watch and then turned around. ¡°Looks like you don¡¯t n on apologizing. That¡¯s fine. I¡¯ll tell Grandpa and them that you¡¯ve already given me a sincere apology. I¡¯m in a rush, so, Cousin, you should¡­.¡± ¡°Do you really not want to know?¡± Song Jiabao looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s back and spoke in a frigid tone, ¡°In any case, I¡¯m a good person, so I¡¯ll share it with you. Speaking of which, you should thank me for helping you teach the man who threw you away a lesson.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps halted. He chuckled but didn¡¯t look back. But, Song Jiabao seemed to have been provoked by his chuckle. He abruptly raised his voice and said, ¡°You should have seen it. That ex-boyfriend of yours, who always looks like he doesn¡¯t take anyone seriously¡­you should have seen what he looked like being shut in a room full of snakes. He had looked so innocent, pitiful, and helpless as if anyone could go in and f*ck¡­.¡± Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a st of wind against his face. A fist mmed into Song Jiabao¡¯s chin. A secondter, his knee and stomach suffered heavy blows. After he had fallen onto the ground, Song Xuanhe shoved his knee against Song Jiabao¡¯s stomach. Song Xuanhe watched as the other struggled to get free while dry-heaving. But, he didn¡¯t stop. Punch after punchnded on Song Jiabao¡¯s body. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were bloodshot, and he gave him no mercy. His voice was terrifyingly cold. ¡°If anything happens to Xiao Yuanmu, I¡¯ll make your life a living hell.¡±
The author has something to say: Today¡¯s Xuan baby is really badass! Xiao Yuanmu: I just knew you loved me. Song Xuanhe: Xiao Yuanmu is being protected by me. Anyone who dares to touch him, I will mess you up!
Eve: Someone hold me back imma bout to join SXH in kicking scum ass. Kara: holds Eve back Don¡¯t worry! He bao¡¯s got this! Kick his ass, baby! (?¨R?¨Q)? Chapter 81: Found a Handsome Guy Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Thank you Tess for the kofi ??
People who woulde to visit you for New Year¡¯s would always go on and on, making small talk and exchanging blessings. Even if the other person didn¡¯t speak, they would put on a one-man show and talk for half a day by themselves. Song Xuanlin¡¯s gaze was slightly lowered, and he asionally made a polite response. Discreetly, his eyes would wander around aimlessly as he took in his surroundings from the corners of his eyes. His gaze shifted from the dust in the air that was currently visible due to the sun¡¯s rays to Song Jiabao¡¯s father¡¯s raised shirt cor. They were still chatting over on that side. Song Xuanlin gave a quiet response before turning around, intending to head outside for a breath of fresh air. He took a step back and turned his head around, the rest of his body trailing after. His torso and the hand holding his cell phone had only shifted halfway when he suddenly paused. At the same time, his brows furrowed. His eyes had fallen onto a scene not too far away from him. He could still hear the voice of the person who he had been talking to just now as well as the conversation on the sofa behind him. ¡°Jiabao had found himself a girlfriendst year, but neither his mother nor I believe that she¡¯s a good fit for him. When ites to choosing a wife, young men like him aren¡¯t thoughtful enough. They only realize how important it is to marry someone of equal status when they¡¯re older. Speaking of which, Xuanlin is already so big. Has he brought a girl home yet? If he¡¯s single, my wife and I can help him look around to see if there are any suitable women.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no hurry.¡± There was a trace of a smile in Li Nianan¡¯s voice. ¡°He¡¯s not that old yet. Nowadays, getting married at thirty is still considered early. We won¡¯t rush him.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t do.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father said, ¡°Men need to first establish their families before establishing their careers. Even Xuanhe¡¯s had a few boyfriends already. And yet, Xuanlin hasn¡¯t even had one.¡± The conversation from the sofa clearly transmitted through the air and into Song Xuanlin¡¯s ears. Song Xuanlin had listened to it quietly, his gaze still focused on the sight in front of him. His frown intensified. ¡°He bao is young and likes to have fun.¡± Li Nianan¡¯s tone was very doting. ¡°That child has been spoiled rotten by us since childhood. What he had said regarding Jiabao really wasn¡¯t nice. I hope you won¡¯t hold it against that child.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s motherughed. ¡°Our Jiabao felt guilty towards him. That¡¯s why he had rushed over here as soon as he had recovered a bit to apologize. Speaking of which, I wonder what they¡¯re talking about outside. They¡¯re still not back yet¡­Should I go take a look¡­?¡± ¡°Boys.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father interrupted his wife. ¡°They don¡¯t tend to hold grudges against each other after a fight. Besides, they have grown up together. And, they¡¯re cousins. It¡¯s normal for them to talk a bit longer after making up. You¡¯ll only disturb them if you were to head over.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, hahahahaha.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s mother covered her mouth andughed. As he listened to the conversation, Song Xuanlin¡¯s lips had curled up lightly. Soon after, he soundlessly coughed into his fist, and he fixed his expression. ¡°It¡¯s a bit cold today.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s mother said in a concerned tone after she had stoppedughing. ¡°It¡¯s snowing hard outside too. I wonder if they¡¯ll get cold, being out there.¡± Li Nianan beamed. ¡°You¡¯re right. If you¡¯re worried, we can go look for them.¡± ¡°You two don¡¯t need to go.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father smiled and stood up. ¡°You two continue chatting. I just so happen to want to have a smoke. I¡¯ll go see how they are on the way.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father turned around as he had said those words. He had just taken a step when he felt a hand press down on his shoulder, pushing his butt back onto the sofa. He was startled. ¡°Xuanlin, you¡­.¡± ¡°Uncle.¡± Song Xuanlin fixed Song Jiabao¡¯s father¡¯s cor. ¡°Your cor is dishevelled.¡± Li Nianan was also slightly surprised. When she saw Song Jiabao¡¯s mother look over, she smiled. ¡°This child has always been obsessed with cleanliness and tidiness since he was young. He can¡¯t stand it if anything is even slightly out-of-ce. Sorry for that.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father finally came back to himself. He felt ttered and overwhelmed by favour. He¡¯d always really liked his eldest nephew. He was far superior to Song Jiabao, whether it was with regards to his personality or his aplishments, let alone Song Xuanhe. Therefore, he had always thought, ¡°How good would it be if Song Xuanlin was my son?¡± Or, he would also think that life would have been better if he had been born Song Yansong¡¯s son. It was just that Song Xuanlin was too precocious and polite. He didn¡¯t tend to act close to them, even though they were rtives. He even addressed him less intimately than Song Xuanhe did. Song Xuanlin¡¯s intimate act today delighted him, and a smile bloomed on his face. ¡°What is there to be sorry about?¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father said with a smile, ¡°Xuanlin has such a steady personality. I¡¯m lucky that he had noticed it and even helped me fix it. Otherwise, my friends would have made fun of me if I were to go see themter like that.¡± He turned to Song Xuanlin. ¡°Thank you, Xuanlin.¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Uncle.¡± Song Xuanlin nced at the window through the corner of his eye. After nodding, he sat beside Song Jiabao¡¯s father. He had just sat down and had been about to say something when he heard the sound of something hitting the window facing the garden. Everyone in the living room furrowed their brows and turned to look at the window. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Song Guochao stood up at once. As soon as he had, he saw Song Jiabao pressed against the window, face bloodied from the beating Song Xuanhe had given him. He promptly roared, ¡°Song Xuanhe! What are you doing?!¡± Song Yansong had been resting his eyes. When he had heard Song Guochao¡¯s shout, he slowly opened his eyes. At this moment, Song Jiabao¡¯s parents had already dashed over to the window. Panicked, they tried to open the locked window. Because they were too flustered, they couldn¡¯t open it despite trying several times. The Song Residence¡¯s soundproofing was excellent. Even the window facing the garden had been soundproofed. However, Song Xuanhe had very quickly calmed down after having flown into a fit of rage earlier. He had also asked the System to keep a constant eye on the movements inside the house. Therefore, the System had warned Song Xuanhe as soon as Song Xuanlin had discovered him. It was just that he had still been in a foul mood, so he had had no intention of stopping. However, Song Xuanlin¡¯s actions had surprised him and caused his anger to lessen. In addition, he had already beaten Song Jiabao¡¯s face so badly that there was nothing else to ruin. Song Xuanhe had even trampled on Song Jiabao¡¯s arm that was still in a cast. Currently, Song Jiabao was slumped over, motionless. He couldn¡¯t even speak. All that came out of him were moans of pain. Therefore, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel like hitting him anymore. Thus, he had picked Song Jiabao up and thrusted him against the ss in an attempt to call everyone¡¯s attention. ¡¾Brother¡­.¡¿The System gulped, seeming very human-like£º¡¾What are you doing? You beat someone up and even want to make it known to everyone¡­.And¡­you were so ruthless¡­.¡¿ Looking at Song Xuanhe¡¯s cold, tranquil expression, the System stopped midway through its words. It didn¡¯t know why, but it felt like it was seeing the image of someone else on Song Xuanhe right now¡ªsomeone really familiar. However, it was currently busy looking up thews of this country as well as making predictions as to how the Song Family would handle this. It didn¡¯t have any spare data to analyze who Song Xuanhe seemed like right now. However, even without analyzing anything, it did know one thing. Its file for Song Xuanhe seemed to be terribly wrong. In its records, Song Xuanhe had a C-rank in terms of how dangerous he was. It was just a bit higher than an average person¡¯s D+. In contrast, the protagonist, Xiao Yuanmu, was S-ranked. But now, it looked like it would have to re-analyze Song Xuanhe¡¯s ranking. ¡¾I¡¯ve detected that¡­Song Jiabao has three broken ribs, a serious head injury, and twenty-one contusions. Of his contusions, the bruises on his abdominal area are the most serious. However, it doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯s suffering from internal bleeding. On the other hand, his arm is broken again. With the current state of this world¡¯s medicine, he will likely suffer after-effects even after recovery, because he suffered another serious injury before he had even healed fully. ording to what I know, the punishment in this country for assault is¡­. ¡¿ ¡¾Enough.¡¿ Song Xuanhe interrupted the System and let go of Song Jiabao, who was already incapable of speech. He simply stood there and stared at the people inside, who had finally managed to open the ss door. ¡¾You can¡¯t go to prison!¡¿The System said, panicked£º¡¾If you go to jail, then your mission will be deemed a failure. If that happens, you¡¯ll¡­.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze flitted towards Song Xuanlin, who was standing in front of Song Jiabao¡¯s agitated mother¡ªeither intentionally or not¡ª with a slight knit in his eyebrows. His eyes then shifted to Li Nianan, who was walking towards him with a worried look on her face. He then looked at Song Yansong, who was walking towards him with steady steps and an imposing expression. He asked in a calm voice£º¡¾Did you not look at my history before choosing me to transmigrate into this book?¡¿ The System didn¡¯t even pause when faced with Song Xuanhe¡¯s sudden question that didn¡¯t seem to have anything to do with the present circumstances. It replied£º¡¾Systems cannot invade their hosts¡¯ privacy. This is the first rule that Systems must abide by. Even if we have to analyze our hosts for the sake of the mission, we will only look into what has happened within thest year. We will never overstep boundaries. If the main System were to detect that we have breached this rule, we would be destroyed.¡¿ Worried that Song Xuanhe would misunderstand something, the System added£º¡¾I would never look into your past from your original world or your memories. That¡¯s why I have no clue as to what might have happened to you prior to entering this world.¡¿ Song Jiabao was supported by his mother. He was curled up, groans spilling out of his lips. His mother shrieked, screaming for someone to call the doctor. When Song Xuanlin had stood up, a servant, who had been keeping out of the way, promptly called for the Song Family¡¯s private doctor. Song Guochao red at Song Xuanhe. Aside from anger, there was also a concealed delight within his expression. Only Song Yansong showed no expression. He only looked at Song Xuanhe silently. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyelids were half-lowered, and his lips discreetly curled into a smile. He said to the System in his mind£º¡¾No right to look into that, huh¡­that¡¯s okay. All you have to know is that I¡¯ll be fine.¡¿ ¡¾Why are you so sure?¡¿The System examined the emotional fluctuations of everyone at the scene, calcting the probability that they would call the police and send Song Xuanhe to jail. It felt like its processor was starting to heat up from how quickly it was working. ¡¾Because¡­.¡¿Song Xuanhe hid his bloodied hand behind him. When he saw that Song Yansong furrowed his brows slightly and pursed his lips, he continued in a calm, serene tone£º¡¾Because, thest person I had fought with still lies in the hospital unconscious to this day. But when you had found me, I was still fine, wasn¡¯t I?¡¿ After he had spoken to the System, Song Xuanhe looked up at Song Yansong and said, ¡°I will take full responsibility for this.¡± When Song Guochao had heard this, he spoke up at once. ¡°Of course you will! Even if he¡¯s your cousin, you can¡¯t¡­.¡± ¡°Shut up.¡± Song Yansong first gave Song Guochao an insipid nce before speaking to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Regardless of what issue you have between you two, you should not have beaten your cousin up like this. Apologize immediately!¡± Li Nianan had wanted to walk over to Song Xuanhe. Hearing this though, she paused. Song Guochao widened his eyes in disbelief. Song Jiabao¡¯s parents were both silent, a tense look on both of their faces. Song Xuanhe nced at Song Guochao and then curled his lips up into a derisive grin. He then turned to face Song Jiabao, bowing slightly. There was an apologetic look on his face. ¡°So sorry.¡± It looked like Song Xuanhe was bowing to everyone else. Only Song Jiabao shrunk back in fear. He didn¡¯t dare look into Song Xuanhe¡¯s pure, limpid eyes that seemed to be filled with apology. Only he knew just how terrifying the owner of those eyes was. When Song Xuanhe had brandished his fists with bloodshot eyes, Song Jiabao had originally been happy over infuriating the other. But a secondter, Song Xuanhe had seemed to regain his calm. Despite that, the other hadn¡¯t stopped. He had only beaten him more ruthlessly. Song Xuanhe had hit him in the most painful of ces. Song Jiabao hadn¡¯t been able to cry out¡ªhe had only been able to emit muffled groans. He had only been able to curl up in an attempt to protect himself. He had then watched helplessly as the other had trampled over his bandaged arm and broke it again. However, not even the bone-piercing pain had filled him with as much horror as Song Xuanhe¡¯s clear eyes did. Neither Song Jiabao¡¯s pained moans nor the blood on Song Xuanhe¡¯s fists had affected those eyes. Just what kind of person could continue looking so serene and pure even when they had been tormenting someone like this? Song Jiabao understood very clearly that the Song Xuanhe he had known in the past wasn¡¯t the other¡¯s true self. Song Xuanhe was abnormal. He was like a devil. No. Song Xuanhe was a devil. Song Jiabao shrunk further into his mother¡¯s arms, unable to make a sound as his teeth chattered. His deathly pale face showcased his fear. Song Xuanhe slowly blinked his eyes and said, ¡°Looks like Cousin isn¡¯t willing to forgive. Since that¡¯s the case, I will take full responsibility. Regardless of whether you want to call the police or make mepensate you, I will ept it.¡± When Song Jiabao heard this, his eyes had lit up. He wouldn¡¯t have to be afraid if Song Xuanhe ended up in jail¡­. But just as he was thinking this, he met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes that were just as innocent and pure as they had been while beating him up. He couldn¡¯t help but shiver violently. No! There was no way the Song Family would let Song Xuanhe go to prison! In the future, if Song Xuanhe was to get revenge on him over this, he might even kill him! Song Xuanhe would definitely kill him! Song Jiabao¡¯s fear intensified, and he started to cough, wanting to speak up. His mother promptly stopped him. ¡°Jiabao, don¡¯t speak, don¡¯t move. Wait until the doctor gets here. Be good. Listen to Mom.¡± ¡°Call what police?¡± Song Yansong¡¯s icy, stern gaze fell onto Song Jiabao¡¯s parents, pausing on Song Jiabao¡¯s mother¡¯s face for a few seconds. He then said, ¡°The family physician will arrive soon. There is no need to make such a big fuss over a familial quarrel. Today is New Year¡¯s Day. There¡¯s no reason to have the policee here.¡± When she had heard this, Song Jiabao¡¯s mother froze. She turned to look at her husband. Song Jiabao¡¯s father gnashed his teeth but forced himself to agree. ¡°Right. It¡¯s just a little fight between children. There¡¯s no need to involve the police. We¡¯re all family here. There¡¯s no need to raise such a fuss.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s stern gaze then fell onto Song Xuanhe. He chided him in a heavy voice. ¡°Apologize to your Cousin again! If you cannot obtain his forgiveness, get lost! There will be no need for you to spend New Year¡¯s here!¡± The System was surprised by how, although Song Yansong had sounded angry, there was no substantial criticism in his words at all£º¡¾Do you humans not follow thew? You could be charged with assault for what you had done to Song Jiabao. And, why aren¡¯t Song Jiabao¡¯s parents demanding justice for him?¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t respond to the System. He only leaned down towards Song Jiabao again. Softly, he said, ¡°Cousin, sorry.¡± Song Jiabao trembled. He dry-heaved a few times before he was able to force out a few words. ¡°I, cough, I forgive¡­you!¡± ¡°The doctor¡¯s here!¡± The servant had returned but didn¡¯t enter the garden. Instead, she had stood to the side and raised her voice to alert her masters. Behind her was the doctor, who had rushed over here. When Song Yansong saw the doctor, he paused. He then looked at Song Xuanlin, who had been the one to order the servant to call for the doctor. He then nodded. ¡°The doctor¡¯s here. Let him examine Jiabao.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow in surprise when he saw the doctor. However, he didn¡¯t say anything. Song Jiabao¡¯s parents let go of Song Jiabao. Rather than how this matter would be dealt with, they were more concerned about their son. The doctor squatted down to examine Song Jiabao. Every time he had pressed down on Song Jiabao¡¯s body, he would ask the other how it felt. What he got in return were increasingly shrill screams from Song Jiabao. In the end, the doctor furrowed his brows and concluded, ¡°He¡¯s got contusions all over his body, but there¡¯s no internal bleeding. His left arm and hand are likely broken. He will need to be examined at the hospital for a more precise diagnosis. I suggest that you immediately take him to the hospital.¡± Upon hearing this, Song Jiabao¡¯s parents were rmed. Their faces were covered in concern and distress for their child. There were also traces of resentment and indignation that they failed to conceal. Song Xuanhe naturally knew who that resentment and indignation was directed towards. However, he simply lowered his gaze serenely. He then watched as the servants lifted Song Jiabao into the car. The reason they were using a car instead of an ambnce was because Song Jiabao¡¯s parents tactfully thought that it would be inauspicious of them to let an ambncee to the door on New Year¡¯s Day. The car slowly drove away. Once again, the servants went back to their work in perfect order. Song Guochao¡¯s face was dark, and it looked like he was still unresigned and wanted to say something. Song Yansong swept a cool eye towards Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Follow me to the study.¡± Standing in the study, facing the old man sitting behind the desk in front of him, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt like this scene was all too familiar to him. It was like he had gone several years into the past. Back then, he had sent a ssmate who had insulted his parents to the ICU. He had heard that the ssmate¡¯s situation had been dangerous and that he had been constantly on the verge of death. Meanwhile, he, who had been the one to nearly send the other to his death, was on the brink of being sent to prison at any time. But, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t cared about any of that. He hadn¡¯t minded paying with his life. He didn¡¯t regret beating up that person at all, and he wasn¡¯t afraid of whatever thew had decided to punish him with. However, his grandfather had decisively and quickly dealt with everything. His grandfather had first forced him to apologize to the ssmate, who was still unconscious, and his parents. He had then given the ssmate¡¯s parents a huge sum aspensation. Furthermore, he had given them two cooperation contracts that his investment team had predicted would bring huge returns. Like this, his grandfather had settled the matter. Back then, Song Xuanhe had felt a little bit of regret. He had originally thought that his grandfather hadn¡¯t cared about him. He had thought that he would finally get to be with his parents again. But, he hadn¡¯t expected for things to take such a turn. He hadn¡¯t expected to learn first-hand just how effective wealth and power were. It had made him nauseous. He had remembered how his grandfather, who had always been calm, had mmed his hands down on the table and scolded him for not making something more of himself. He had berated him for letting down his parents and had told him just how much the Song Family had sacrificed on his behalf. He had then asked him why couldn¡¯t he be more like his cousin. His cousin had been raised by his aunt just like he had been, so why was there such a difference between them? Back then, Song Xuanhe had only sneered. He had said, ¡°I¡¯m going to race at Liang Mountain tomorrow. If you regret helping me, just set up an ident. Make sure no one will figure out that something¡¯s off, and don¡¯t leave any evidence. If something happens to me, you won¡¯t have to hand over those contracts.¡± What he had gotten in response was an ink b to the head. His forehead had quickly been covered in blood. The seventeen-year-old him had really been juvenile and ridiculous. Thinking back on it again though, Song Xuanhe still didn¡¯t regret making sure that that person would never be able to speak again. The only thing that upset him about it was having let down his parents. He hadn¡¯t grown up into the kind of man they would have wanted. Instead, he had be a bad child, who would cause them to frown if they were to ever see him again. From that day on, Song Xuanhe had started to fear death. He had be afraid of seeing his deceased parents, afraid that they¡¯d be disappointed in him. He hadn¡¯t known what he would do if his parents weren¡¯t willing to see him. It had seemed like, regardless of whether it was in life or death, there was nowhere for him to go. ¡°Song Xuanhe, do you know what you have done wrong?¡± Song Yansong¡¯s voice pulled Song Xuanhe back to reality. He blinked his eyes, a bit in a daze still. He then lowered his gaze. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Then tell me, what did you do wrong?¡± Song Yansong looked at Song Xuanhe, paying attention to his every expression. His gaze was solemn. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes were so calm that they looked like they had frozen in ce. There was a sliver of remorse in his soft voice. ¡°I shouldn¡¯t have been so impulsive. I shouldn¡¯t have hit Song Jiabao.¡± ¡°And?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t think about the losses the family would incur because of this,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry for letting you and Mother down.¡± Song Yansong didn¡¯t respond. His eyes fell onto the other¡¯s lowered gaze. He was silent for a long time before he sighed. There was a hint of exhaustion on this usually hale and hearty old man¡¯s face. ¡°Regardless of how you usually are, Grandpa knows that you¡¯re not actually this reckless. You indeed had gone too far with Song Jiabao, but your mistake is that you didn¡¯t think about the consequences before acting. You have a million ways to teach Song Jiabao a lesson, and yet, you choose the most impulsive one. Even that ex-boyfriend of yours did better than you did today.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, a sliver of astonishment in his eyes. ¡°Although I don¡¯t support you being with that child, he is indeed talented. Grandpa knows better than you what Song Jiabao is like. An impulsive decision may only seem to be a momentary action, but the consequences you will pay for this action may follow you for a lifetime.¡± ¡°Likewise, even if you¡¯re unwilling to seed thepany now, you might regret that decision in the future.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s stern expression had eased up a little when he said this. A hint of kindness appeared on his harsh, thin face. ¡°This matter is settled already, but you must carefully consider things before making decisions in the future. Regardless of whether you take over thepany or not, do not let impulsiveness blind you.¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously nodded. Song Yansong stretched out his hand. ¡°Go, ba. From today on, you will be confined to this house for one week. You are only allowed to leave on the eighth day of the new year.¡± As soon as he had exited the study, Song Xuanhe saw Song Xuanlin, who was waiting outside. Song Xuanlin nodded at him when he saw that the other¡¯s expression seemed normal. He said, ¡°Follow me.¡± Song Xuanhe froze for a second before following after. They walked to the balcony on the second floor. Song Xuanlin got right to the point. ¡°Why did you beat Song Jiabao?¡± ¡°He did something to make me mad.¡± Song Xuanhe leaned against the door and asked in a t voice, ¡°You saw me beating him up. Why did you help me?¡± Song Xuanlin turned around. He had furrowed his brows for a second before letting them smooth out. It was just that there was still a sliver of unhappiness in his tone. ¡°I promised Mother that I would take care of you.¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly taken aback. He then chuckled. ¡°What if you hadn¡¯t promised her?¡± ¡°You¡¯re my younger brother,¡± Song Xuanlin said in a t voice, ¡°Although you¡¯re not my ideal younger brother, you¡¯re still my brother.¡±
The author has something to say: Xuan baby wasn¡¯t a good kid. He¡¯s still not a particrly good person. Don¡¯t follow his example! You should follow the rules. Of course, if the situation calls for it, you should protect yourself! (Serious face)
Eve: I picked up a new project. It¡¯s called Embers and it¡¯s a sweet school (with some angst) novel about two boys falling in love and changing for the better because of it. Lots of squealing and rolling around in bed kind of fluff. It¡¯s kind of theplete opposite to RMLE because Embers¡¯ MC and ML are all about that goodmunication and trust haha. MC and ML are not perfect but they will grow~ Chapter 82: An Icy Serious Expression Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara A week passed by quickly. On the morning of the eighth day of the new year, Song Xuanhe drove up to White Mountain. Zhou Nan¡¯s ce was a hot spring vi constructed on the top of a slightly shorter mountain next to White Mountain. There were cable cars that connected the two mountains. Therefore, when Song Xuanhe had arrived at the room that had been prepared for him, he gave his car keys to the butler. He then changed clothes and headed to the cable cars to meet up with his friends. ¡°Xuanhe gege!¡± Xiao Ranyun was leaning out of the window of the cliff-side tea pavilion. Her smile was radiant. It looked like she was much happier than she had been thest time they had met. She wore puffy, purple skiing clothes, and her ponytail swayed in the wind as she shouted, ¡°Over here, over here! Xuanhe gege, we¡¯re over here!¡± Song Xuanhe waved back. Because of the heavy snow, the shuttle bus could not pass through the mountain road. Under a vi employee¡¯s guidance, he took another path. It took him ten minutes to reach the top of the twenty-or-so-metre-tall arched cliff. That was also where the tea pavilion and cable cars were located. ¡°Xuanhe gege, we¡¯ve been waiting for you!¡± Xiao Ranyun giggled as she ran over to tug on Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm. She dragged him over to the cable cars. ¡°Thest time I went skiing wasst month. I can¡¯t wait to have fun! Hurry up!¡± Song Xuanheughed in spite of himself. It seemed like not having to participate in Xiao Baicong¡¯sing-of-age banquet had made Xiao Ranyun ecstatic. Although she had always been lively and easy-mannered, she hadn¡¯t been cheerful to this degree before. ¡°Miss, do you have to be this excited?¡± Zhou Nan was sitting inside the pavilion, ying poker. He ced his cards down when he saw the two of them enter. In azy tone, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask us to tow you while skiing if you end up using up all your energy now.¡± ¡°Then, I¡¯ll y with a sled.¡± Xiao Ranyun¡¯s head bobbed as she put on her gloves. She rushed them to move faster. ¡°Hurry up!¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue, but there was helplessness in his voice. He turned to an employee, who had been waiting for instructions, and said, ¡°Everyone¡¯s here.¡± The employee opened up a cable car. When everyone had entered, he carefully closed the door and indicated for the person in the control room to start it. Song Xuanhe had driven for a very long time and so early in the morning. So, he rested his tired eyes as soon as he had entered the cable car. Seeing this, Xiao Ranyun lowered her voice as she chatted with Xiao Shenglin. You could tell that she was excited and happy from her tone. Zhou Nan took a sip of wine andughed. ¡°Are you really that happy about not having to go to Xiao Baicong¡¯s birthday party?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Xiao Ranyun turned around to look at him. ¡°You know, every time I have to go to the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence, I end up feeling depressed for a whole month.¡± Xiao Shenglin corrected her. ¡°Ranran, you can¡¯t use ¡®depressed¡¯ like that.¡± When she had heard this, Xiao Ranyun paid him no mind as she waved a hand. ¡°I end up feeling annoyed and mncholic for a month. Whenever that happens, even my assistant says that I have to take care of myself. Besides, there are already so many rules that I have to follow at home, and yet, there are somehow even more at the main residence. Just staying there is enough to make you feel stifled. I don¡¯t want to go there at all.¡± Xiao Shenglin nced at her. When he thought about how they were in a cable car right now and thus away from any prying ears, he didn¡¯t say anything else. Not hearing Xiao Shenglin¡¯s reply, Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes curved into a smile. ¡°Gege, you also dislike the main residence. Although you¡¯ve only gone there once, I remember that you hade back with a fever. Didn¡¯t that feverst half a month? It was probably a physical manifestation of your loathing!¡± ¡°Xiao Ranyun!¡± Xiao Shenglin startled Xiao Ranyun when he had suddenly raised his voice. Even Song Xuanhe, who had been resting his eyes, and Zhou Nan, who had been ying games on his phone, looked up. They saw Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes redden. ¡°Sorry.¡± Xiao Shenglin had also been taken aback by his abrupt loss of control. When he saw Xiao Ranyun¡¯s red eyes, he immediately apologized. ¡°Gege shouldn¡¯t have raised his voice. Sorry.¡± Xiao Ranyun shook her head. She pursed her lips, something on her mind. In the end, she lowered her gaze and remained silent. Silence befell the cable car. Although this cable car was a means of transportation, its other important function was to let you see the scenery outside. Therefore, it moved really slowly. Furthermore, the distance between the two mountains wasn¡¯t short. The cable car hadn¡¯t even travelled a fourth of the way yet. If this silence were to continue until their destination, it mightst longer than twenty minutes. It was just that, no one knew what to say. Song Xuanhe simply didn¡¯t know how to coax girls. Furthermore, although his rtionship with Xiao Shenglin was good, he couldn¡¯t speak without knowing why the other was angry. Xiao Shenglin felt guilty over this. He doted on Xiao Ranyun like a little sister since they had been young. Usually, unless the circumstances called for it, he would never say anything harsh. At most, he¡¯d just warn her a bit. But now, he had exploded and scared her. He didn¡¯t know how to coax her. Moreover, Xiao Ranyun¡¯s words had aroused memories from long ago, memories he didn¡¯t want to think about. He needed some time to regte his emotions. As such, the task of easing the atmosphere fell onto Zhou Nan. He was the same as Song Xuanhe. Although he didn¡¯t know why his friend had suddenly blown up, after being friends for so many years, he knew what kind of person Xiao Shenglin was, and he trusted him very much. Therefore, even though he didn¡¯t know the reason why, he would never ask his friend about something that he clearly didn¡¯t want to talk about. It was just that he had really been startled just now. His brain nked out, and he couldn¡¯t figure out what to say for a moment. So, the silence continued. Xiao Ranyun leaned against the cable car, her gaze lowered as she took in the scenery outside. Her slightly trembling eyshes seemed to ry her unease. Song Xuanhe looked away and gave Zhou Nan a signal with his eyes. Zhou Nan got what he meant but shrugged his shoulders helplessly. But midway through the action, he seemed to suddenly think of something. He squinted his eyes and coughed once before asking Song Xuanhe, ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d spend New Year¡¯s Day with Lin zi and me? Why did you onlye today?¡± Xiao Ranyun shifted. Her ear turned towards their direction. Song Xuanhe instantly knew that Zhou Nan was nning on using him to ease the atmosphere. He raised his leg in azy manner and casually kicked Zhou Nan¡¯s foot. He then crossed his legs and answered, ¡°I was grounded.¡± ¡°You¡¯re this old and still getting grounded? And, on New Year¡¯s Day too. Why?¡± Zhou Nan looked surprised but also like he was getting a kick out of this. He stared at him, passionately waiting to hear some new gossip. It was obvious that, even if it hadn¡¯t been for what had happened just now, he would have asked about this anyway. ¡°Are you that happy hearing that I got grounded?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Zhou Nan shoved a ss of champagne into Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands. He then picked up his own ss to toast him. ¡°Brother, how about entertaining us all with your pain?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s words made himugh. He said, ¡°I beat up Song Jiabao and sent him to the hospital. Grandpa grounded me for a week.¡± Zhou Nan was genuinely surprised. He widened his eyes slightly and ced his champagne ss back onto the table. He turned his head to the side and pricked his ears, fully ready to listen to the whole story. ¡°I did hear that Song Jiabao had been admitted to the hospital. But, they had said that it was because he had broken his arm again after falling down the stairs at night. I just knew it was a lie. But, Song Er, what did Song Jiabao, that idiot, do to offend you?¡± When she saw how much Zhou Nan wanted to know, Xiao Ranyun also unwittingly turned to look at Song Xuanhe, a curious look on her face. Song Xuanhe shut his eyes and said, ¡°Guess.¡± ¡°How could I possibly guess it?!¡± Only getting half of the gossip was just the worst. Zhou Nan felt extremely unwell. He stuck his head close to Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Don¡¯t leave me hanging. Song Jiabao has provoked you so many times before. Even when he provoked Xiao Yuanmu, you¡¯d never gotten angry for real. Just what did he do this time?¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes tremble, Zhou Nan recoiled back, a shocked look on his face. ¡°No way, is it because of Xiao Yuanmu? Didn¡¯t you guys break up already?¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes. ¡°Who said I did it for Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Xiao Ranyun blinked. Her voice was silvery and melodious. ¡°Xuanhe gege, when Zhou Nan gege had mentioned Yuanmu gege just now, your eyshes trembled.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Even Ranran saw it. Micro-expressions, you know.¡± Zhou Nan observed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression and tactfully left it at that. He then changed the topic and started discussing what they should do during the next few days. Song Xuanhe smiled slightly as he listened to Zhou Nan speak. Xiao Ranyun also asionally chimed in. The atmosphere once again became lively. The cable car slowly continued to move forward. Before they knew it, they were already two-thirds of the way there. Zhou Nan had yet to finish drawing up their itinerary, because Xiao Ranyun had rejected the spa, afternoon tea, and hot spring activities Zhou Nan had arranged for her. She insisted on being with them. She even wanted to mountain-climb with them. ¡°The things we men will be doing will be pretty dangerous. You¡¯re a girl, why insist oning with us?¡± Zhou Nan didn¡¯t understand. ¡°The snowy mountain¡¯s cold. You were already shivering this morning when we first came out. If youe along, you¡¯ll have to spend the night on the mountain. Are you going to be able to handle that?¡± ¡°I can handle it,¡± Xiao Ranyun said, ¡°I was a member of the mountain climbing club in high school. Although I¡¯ve never done rock climbing before, a snowy mountain like this should be easy for me. Moreover, I was just cold ¡®cause I had just flown in from a tropical country! I¡¯ll have limatized by the time we start climbing!¡± When Xiao Shenglin heard this, he backed her up in a gentle voice. ¡°Ranran was indeed in her high school¡¯s mountain climbing club. Her school¡¯s club has a bit of a reputation. They¡¯ve gone on many international trips. It¡¯ll be fine for her toe along.¡± ¡°But, what about rock climbing¡­.?¡± ¡°Zhou Nan gege!¡± Xiao Ranyun puffed out her cheeks and seriously said, ¡°Although I¡¯m a girl, and my physical strength isn¡¯t as good as yours, my willpower is stronger than anyone else¡¯s! I always make sure to think over my decisions carefully before making them. If you keep on questioning me, I¡¯ll start wondering whether you¡¯re just sexist.¡± Zhou Nan was taken aback by her serious tone. He then shook his head. ¡°I only arranged those activities for you, because a lot of girls I know don¡¯t like doing the stuff we¡¯re going to do. I don¡¯t hold any prejudiced ideas against women. If you really want to go with us, you¡¯re absolutely wee.¡± Xiao Ranyun turned to look at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°Come if you want.¡± With everyone¡¯s acknowledgement, Xiao Ranyun smiled. A secondter, her smile fell, and she suddenly became dejected. ¡°It would have been good if Dad could havee too.¡± Xiao Shenglin ruffled her hair but didn¡¯t say anything. Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan also knew about what was happening with Xiao Nan. Therefore, they also remained silent. Xiao Ranyun mumbled, ¡°But, it¡¯s fine like this. The main residence might be thrown into chaos this year¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes quivered again. He turned to look at Xiao Ranyun, but she didn¡¯t expand on what she had said. Instead, she once again looked out the window with keen interest. ¡­¡­ The four of them had just spent an hour skiing and were about to have lunch. As they passed by a racing course, they heard a cry of rm. The other guests also turned to look towards the source of the voice. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin exchanged nces before walking over. After climbing up a steep incline, they saw a man lying by the trees, his eyes shut. Next to him was a panicked middle-ageddy, hollering for help. She had been the one who had cried out earlier. When she saw them, she promptly asked, ¡°Are either of you doctors? My husband has asthma. He suddenly fainted just now. Can you save him?¡± Song Xuanhe looked around them and asked, ¡°Where¡¯s the instructor?¡± ¡°The instructor went to call for a doctor!¡± Thedy hugged the man, seemingly afraid that he¡¯d be too cold. Her tone also gradually turned calm. ¡°If you can, could you please help me go ask them to make an announcement asking if there are any doctors amongst the guests here? It might take a long time before the instructor is able to bring back a doctor from the first-aid area.¡± Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin exchanged nces upon hearing this. Even Zhou Nan and Xiao Ranyun looked perplexed. This was a high-ss ski resort. The guests were all rich and influential people. There were instructors situated everywhere to help prevent idents from urring, and the medical team was amply staffed. Even if a doctor hadn¡¯te over yet, they shouldn¡¯t take very long to arrive. Moreover, an ordinary person would prefer the ski resort¡¯s medical team over a stranger. Although they were confused, they didn¡¯t say anything about it as someone else¡¯s life was currently on the line. Zhou Nan furrowed his brows and pondered for a few seconds before saying, ¡°I think I saw someone I know just now. He¡¯s a doctor. If I haven¡¯t mistaken him for someone else, I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Zhou Nan quickly skied away. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin also stepped forward to help. Meanwhile, Xiao Ranyunforted the tremblingdy with a gentle voice and calm expression. Other guests had also rushed over. When they saw what was happening, they all offered their help. There were some questioning murmurs about why the medical team was being so slow. About five or six minutester, the doctor still had yet toe. An instructor who hade over had made a call but was only told that the team was still on the way. The middle-aged woman, who was holding onto Xiao Ranyun, paled more and more. Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows. Although the unconscious person was dressed in thick clothes, he was lying down, motionless. There was no way to really protect him from the snowy mountain¡¯s frigid winds. ¡°A doctor¡¯s here!¡± Zhou Nan had quickly skied back over. Next to him was a man wearing goggles. Everyone¡¯s gazes turned towards Zhou Nan. The man beside him took off his goggles and walked over to the unconscious man. He squatted down and started to examine him. Song Xuanhe raised a brow when he saw the other person¡¯s face. Zhou Nan followed after the man and asked, ¡°Yu Yan, can you help him?¡± Yu Yan avoided Zhou Nan. In a t voice, he simply said, ¡°The patient has asthma. Everyone, give him space. Don¡¯t surround him. Hello. Have you brought his inhaler with you?¡± When thedy had seen Yu Yan¡¯s seemingly professional examination, she sighed in relief. But upon hearing his question, she gritted her teeth and shook her head. ¡°No.¡± Yu Yan frowned. ¡°Is it on him?¡± Thedy pursed her lips tightly. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe had been backing up when he heard this. He paused. Zhou Nan whispered, ¡°He has asthma but didn¡¯t bring his inhaler? Does he want to die?¡± Xiao Shenglin shot him a look to shut him up. Xiao Ranyun blinked at Zhou Nan. Everyone waited for Yu Yan¡¯s diagnosis. By the time Yu Yan had made his diagnosis, the instructor had finally brought the medical team over. The medical team was huge, and they had also brought a stretcher with them. They came over and thanked Yu Yan for his ¡°enthusiastic help.¡± They then lifted the guest up with intentions of taking him back to the infirmary. Thedy was holding onto the end of the stretcher, her face pale but calm. ¡°This doctor is my husband¡¯s presiding physician¡¯s friend. He understands my husband¡¯s condition well. I want him to be involved in the treatment.¡± The medical team was taken aback. Thedy looked at Yu Yan, a pleading look in her eyes. Yu Yan furrowed his brows slightly. Song Xuanhe and the others also just so happened to notice her expression. They couldn¡¯t help but look at each other. ¡°Madam, saving your husband¡¯s life is our greatest priority right now. Please trust us. We are professionals. We will do our best to save your husband. Although this doctor may be your husband¡¯s presiding physician¡¯s friend, he is not the presiding physician. Our team has a tacit understanding. Adding a member will mess up our rhythm. I hope that you will put your husband¡¯s life first.¡± As soon as that person had said that, everyone turned to look at thedy. However, she was insistent. ¡°My husband¡¯s illness is special. It is not a typical case. I will be more reassured if there was someone who understood his condition by his side. I hope that you will understand the caution that a wife has for her husband¡¯s life and safety.¡± One had mentioned ¡°life¡± while the other had mentioned ¡°life and safety.¡± It had only been two additional words, but the meaning hadpletely changed. At this moment, Song Xuanhe and co. had realized that something was fishy. Even the guests who had arrivedter had realized that there was something abnormal about this. ¡°Alright,¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°I hold some shares in this ski resort¡ªmy family¡¯s ski resort. That means I have the right to get involved. A guest¡¯s safety is extremely important. A guest¡¯s requests and concerns are also very important. It¡¯s fine if your team isn¡¯t used to working with outsiders. Just let Yu Yan be present. After all, he¡¯s a specialist in respiratory medicine. I¡¯ll be more reassured if he were to be there.¡± The shareholder had spoken. The medical team would naturally not refuse. Several people lifted the stretcher up, and Yu Yan got onto the bus after them. Only the instructor¡¯s¡ªwho had brought the medical team over¡ª expression changed. Zhou Nan ruffled his own hair, feeling agitated, as he watched the people leave. He clicked his tongue. ¡°What¡¯s going on now? Let¡¯s go. It¡¯s none of our business. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Song Xuanhe and the rest of them didn¡¯t discuss what had happened just now. Although they had realized that something fishy was going on, it wasn¡¯t like they could resolve it. First of all, they had no proof. Second of all, they weren¡¯t righteous warriors. Furthermore, it was obvious from the way thedy had been purposefully hiding something that this wasn¡¯t something outsiders could meddle in. Zhou Nan¡¯s exclusive private room had already had White Mountain¡¯s local delicacies prepared. Song Xuanhe wiped his hands clean with a wet towel and then handed it over to the waiter. He then paused and turned to Zhou Nan. ¡°Did you say that Yu Yan specialized in respiratory medicine?¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Zhou Nan raised a brow in astonishment. ¡°Not really.¡± Song Xuanhe recalled the first time he had met Yu Yan, and his lips twitched. ¡°He was the doctor who had treated me a while back. I had always thought that he was a surgeon.¡± ¡°He sometimes dabbles in surgery. Well, to be more precise, he covers his friends¡¯ shifts.¡± Zhou Nan smiled. ¡°His medical knowledge is ample andprehensive. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°I believe that.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the t, wooden design of his chopsticks. In a t voice, he said, ¡°When I had beaten up Song Jiabaost time, he had been covering for our usual doctor, so he had been the one toe to my ce.¡± ¡°On Lunar New Year¡¯s Day?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Song Xuanhe nodded. Zhou Nan seemed to have suddenly recalled something and burst out intoughter. ¡°No wonder he was busy that day. He went to deal with your family.¡± When he had heard Zhou Nan¡¯s ambiguous words, Song Xuanhe seemed to sense something. ¡°You¡¯re close?¡± ¡°I guess,¡± Zhou Nan said casually, ¡°My first love. Would you consider that close?¡± Song Xuanhe paused, his expression turning a bit enigmatic. ¡°Were you guys on and off? Did you guys go to the same high school?¡± Zhou Nan looked shocked. ¡°How did you know?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression turned even more strange. He had had his suspicions, but he had now confirmed Yu Yan¡¯s identity: he was one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s seven pursuers. He was the future Xiao Family physician. When he had seen the other¡¯s name at the hospital in the past, although Song Xuanhe had wondered about it, it had onlysted a moment. After all, there were many people who had the same name in this world. He had thought that he probably wouldn¡¯t bump into one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s future pursuers so easily. Moreover, Yu Yan was supposed to appear in theter half of the story. The ce he would appear at wasn¡¯t supposed to be China, either. It was supposed to be America. Furthermore, the only thing Song Xuanhe had known about Yu Yan¡ªaside from the fact that he would be Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s family doctor in the future¡ªwas that he had used to work at arge hospital in China and had ended up leaving his native country for some reason. One of the spected reasons he had left the country had been the ex-boyfriend with whom he had been on and off. The reason why this spection existed was because, in theter half of the book, Xiao Yuanmu had been injured because of a rivalpany¡¯s trap. At that time, Xiao Yuanmu had been suspicious that someone in the Xiao Family had also been involved. Therefore, he had been in a dark mood. At that time, Yu Yan had vaguely talked about his ex-boyfriend tofort Xiao Yuanmu. He had said, ¡°Even I am still able to believe that there are genuinely good people out there, despite having such a heartless ex. Don¡¯t start to doubt everyone in this world because of something as small as this.¡± When Song Xuanhe had first read that, he hadn¡¯t known if Yu Yan¡¯s words had been true, because the author hadn¡¯t written about it in detail. The way it had been written had been dry. Furthermore, it had been Yu Yan, who had always been quiet and taciturn, that had said this. No matter how you looked at it, it seemed like he had made it up to console Xiao Yuanmu. ¡ª¡ªAfter all, the book¡¯s protagonist, Xiao Yuanmu, hadn¡¯t believed it either. Song Xuanhe had never expected that the Doctor Yu who he had met a long time ago was actually one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pursuers, Yu Yan. Furthermore, Yu Yan had been telling the truth. What was even more surprising was that Yu Yan¡¯s ¡°heartless ex¡± was actually Zhou Nan. The author has something to say: Zhou Nan: Destiny, too wonderful for words. Eve: *side eyes Zhou Nan* Looks like you¡¯re going to need a wingman of your own my dude. Kara: (£»?§Õ?) Zhou Nan¡­my dude, what did you do that was bad enough for you to bebeled as the ¡°heartless ex?¡± You better not hurt Yu Yan in this life, otherwise you¡¯ll be meeting my good friends: right fist and left fist. (??_?)? Chapter 83: Quiet and Doesn’t Smile Much Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara ¡°Wait, that¡¯s strange. Very few people know that Yu Yan and I have dated. Where did you hear about this from?¡± Song Xuanhe gave him a perfunctory answer. ¡°I could tell that you two must have had something going on from your expression just now. Besides, everyone knows that you¡¯ve been on and off with your first love. How could I not put things together?¡± ¡°Is that so¡­.?¡± Zhou Nan picked up some food with his chopsticks. He ate a few bites and then suddenly turned to look at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Do you think he¡¯ll get back together with me if I ask him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe had answered very decisively. Zhou Nan had nearly believed him. However, this thought had onlysted a second before the light in his eyes slowly dimmed. ¡°You don¡¯t even know him. How would you know whether or not he¡¯d agree?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Song Xuanhe declined toment and continued to eat calmly. ¡°You know, ever since you and Xiao Yuanmu broke up, you¡¯ve be more and more like him.¡± Zhou Nan stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s tranquil profile. ¡°You¡¯re bing more and more expressionless, saying less, and¡­.¡± ¡°And what?¡± Zhou Nan shook his head and said, ¡°I also think that¡ª¡± ¡°Xuanhe.¡± Xiao Shenglin, who had juste back from answering a call, interrupted Zhou Nan. ¡°Feng Tong¡¯s going toe over in a bit. He said that he has something to talk to you about. Do you want to see him?¡± Song Xuanhe pondered over it and then nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go get him in a bit.¡± Zhou Nan dropped the topic after having been interrupted by Xiao Shenglin. After lunch, Song Xuanhe received Feng Tong¡¯s call and went to wait for him in the tea room. Two knocks sounded against the door. Song Xuanhe told the person on the other side toe in. Feng Tong was then brought in by a waiter. Feng Tong took off his coat and smiled. ¡°This mountain¡¯s not bad. I almost couldn¡¯t stop myself from doing a round of skiing whileing here.¡± Song Xuanhe handed him a cup of brewed tea and grinned back. ¡°You can try it out after we¡¯re done with tea unless you have any other ns this afternoon.¡± ¡°Does convincing you to work with me count?¡± ¡°Then, I guess you should just go ski.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. His smile then dropped, a serious expression recing it. ¡°I¡¯m really sorry, but I don¡¯t have any intention of joining any studio at present. Aside from the fact that I¡¯m still with the Song Group, there are also a few other reasons why. I hope you can understand.¡± Feng Tongughed. He didn¡¯t reply to his words. Instead, he said, ¡°Do you remember Jiang Deyi, who came to my birthday get-togetherst time?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, indicating for Feng Tong to continue. ¡°When he had heard that I was going to open up a studio, he sent me an email. Attached was a rmendation letter from his teacher. He wants to be one of the creators for my studio.¡± Feng Tong could see that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look angry or seemed to care. He continued, ¡°I don¡¯t resonate with his designs very much, so I had refused.¡± ¡°However, Iter received an email from his teacher. His teacher stressed Jiang Deyi¡¯s current value. He outlined his worth, aside from histent designing potential, and asked me topromise¡­.¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m not someone who likes topromise, I¡¯m still quite a cautious person. Therefore, I had looked him up and unexpectedly made a discovery.¡± Feng Tong¡¯s gaze became meaningful. ¡°His oil painting was recently bought at an auction for two hundred thousand American dors. For a new painter, who doesn¡¯t even specialize in oil painting but rather design, this buying price is something to think about. But, what I was more interested in was the person who had bought his painting.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned imperceptibly, faced with Feng Tong¡¯s hinting expression. To tell the truth, he had no interest in who had bought the painting. Furthermore, he preferred when people got straight to the point most of the time, especially when it came to his friends. Feng Tong¡¯s attempt at keeping things suspenseful hadn¡¯t roused his interest at all. In contrast, it had even made him lose his patience a bit. Feng Tong noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. He then directly said, ¡°The person who had bought Jiang Deyi¡¯s oil painting was the president of an Americanpany that has recently sprung up. He¡¯s Chinesest name Xiao, first name Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils trembled slightly, but there was no change in his expression. He said in an indifferent tone, ¡°And?¡± ¡°And, I heard that President Xiao had gifted the painting to the chairman of apany that he had acquiredtely. He had said to that chairman, ¡®Since you don¡¯t understand how to appreciate the finer things or how to run apany, then I¡¯ll acquire thispany you can¡¯t run. In return, I¡¯ll give you a painting that you¡¯re sure to enjoy. Everything shall be in its proper ce.¡¯¡± Feng Tong raised a brow. ¡°Hisst sentence was probably the greatest insult that could possibly be made about Jiang Deyi¡¯s art.¡± Song Xuanhe pressed the slightly raised corner of his lips back down and asked in a casual tone, ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°Because Mr. Jiang Deyi is now pestering RE¡¯s President Xiao, he¡¯s hell-bent on making him acknowledge his art¡¯s worth. Therefore, RE has ended up offending the person behind him, Hayden Schroder, the Schroder Family¡¯s sessor. What¡¯s more important, however, is that my studio is currently looking for an appropriate partner. Unless I can find a reasonable excuse to refuse Jiang Deyi, I¡¯ll be forced to ept him.¡± ¡°I think that you can help me resolve this crisis by joining me as my business partner.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, surprised. ¡°Business partner?¡± Feng Tong raised a brow. ¡°Didn¡¯t I already tell you? I want to start up a joint studio. I want to see if two different styles will end up developing separately or if they will be able to go hand-in-hand. As a young man, who¡¯s not even in his thirty, even if this flops, I believe that I can take it. Mr. Song, are you willing to open up new horizons with me?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips pursed slightly. He took a sip of his hot tea. The fragrance of tea filled his mouth as he savoured the sweet aftertaste. He then said, ¡°Give me two days to think it over.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Feng Tong finished his own cup of tea and teased him. ¡°I have to say, your technique in brewing tea is really mediocre.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled knowingly as he stood up. ¡°I hope that your skill in skiing isn¡¯t like my tea-brewing skills.¡± * Two dayster. Song Xuanhe and Feng Tong met up again and signed a detailed studio cooperation contract. Feng Tong reached a hand out. ¡°To our happy cooperation.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and grabbed his hand. ¡°Likewise.¡± Feng Tong had already madeprehensive preparations for the studio. After they had signed the contract, he brought Song Xuanhe over to the studio for a tour. He also introduced him to a few other designers. One of them was someone Song Xuanhe had met at Feng Tong¡¯s birthday. ¡°We meet again, Mr. Song. From now on, we¡¯ll be working together.¡± After having exchanged pleasantries, they all went to a restaurant Feng Tong had reserved for a chance to familiarize themselves with each other before the studio¡¯s formal opening. Everyone present was a designer, so the topics of their conversation were naturally rted to design. However, as they had been chatting, the conversation somehow led to the topic of Jiang Deyi¡¯s oil painting that had been sold at a high price. They had also talked about how, before he could even be pleased with himself for a few days, he had been publicly insulted. Some people found it interesting, treating it as a joke and enjoying it as gossip. But, there were also people who thought that the person who had bought the painting had taken things too far. ¡°That RE president is too arrogant. Although Jiang Deyi wasn¡¯t an oil painting major, and that painting isn¡¯t worth such a high price, an artist only holds an exhibition or puts their art up for auction to show off their work. If he hadn¡¯t liked it, he didn¡¯t have to buy it. There was no reason to buy it and then say such things. He was just humiliating him.¡± ¡°I disagree,¡± Someone refuted, ¡°Jiang Deyi obviously overestimates his worth and is trying to prohibit someone else¡¯s freedom of speech. Besides, it isn¡¯t like RE¡¯s president had broadcasted this around the world or said it on some television program. He had said this in private. It¡¯s not like there¡¯s anything wrong with him purchasing it and then gifting it away. One person gets the money, and the other gets the goods. Since RE¡¯s president is the painting¡¯s official owner now, it¡¯s up to him to decide how he wants to evaluate it or what he says when he gives it away. How can this be considered humiliating him?¡± ¡°But, his words were spread around. Everyone knows about it now. Jiang Deyi¡¯s drawing is a joke in those circles now. He¡¯s also being excluded from the design world. Don¡¯t you think RE¡¯s president, who was the one to cause this to happen, should take responsibility for this?¡± ¡°Why should he take responsibility?¡± The designer, who had disagreed earlier, looked confused. ¡°What, is it his fault that someone else had spread this around? Is he not even allowed to say his own opinion?¡± When the other designer couldn¡¯t talk back, he pursed his lips and turned to Feng Tong. He asked, ¡°Feng ge, what do you think?¡± Feng Tong paused while picking up food with his chopsticks. He passed the question onto Song Xuanhe. ¡°I¡¯m eating. What do you think, Xuanhe?¡± That designer then looked towards Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe faked a smile at Feng Tong and said, ¡°I don¡¯t have any opinion about this. What someone else says or does is their own business. I can¡¯t say anything without knowing the details of what had happened.¡± When he had said this, the two designers, who had been arguing, btedly realized that it wasn¡¯t appropriate to debate this topic here. Thus, they dropped the topic. After they all had a ss of wine, they changed the subject. A woman in the corner, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly raised her head. ¡°Do you guys know Xiao Baicong of the Xiao Family?¡± When they had heard this name, many people turned to look at her. ¡°What about him?¡± There were also people who were confused. One person asked, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of him. Who¡¯s that?¡± ¡°The Xiao Family, one of the major eight financial groups!¡± Another person turned to face the person who had asked the question and exined, ¡°It¡¯s rumoured that Xiao Baicong is the only sessor of the Xiao Family. However, the Xiao Family has always kept a very tight lid on any information regarding the next generation. What information is avable is also very fuzzy. Therefore, we don¡¯t really know what¡¯s true or not. Nevertheless, Xiao Baicong is definitely a member of the Xiao Family. He is one of the few members of the Xiao Family¡¯s main branch who have been exposed publicly.¡± ¡°Eight major financial groups?¡± The person who had asked the question eximed in wonder. He then asked, ¡°I have heard about the eight major financial groups while studying in S Country. Some people have said that one of them resides in S Country, but I¡¯ve never looked into it. Kaitlyn, didn¡¯t you go to the same school as me? Why do you know so much?¡± The girl who had brought this topic up was the one named Kaitlyn. ¡°I went to the same university as you but went to the same high school as Xiao Baicong. Back then, he was only fourteen but was already in hisst year of high school. He had skipped four grades. That¡¯s why he was extremely famous amongst us. Some Caucasians would bully people of colour at the school, but despite the fact that Xiao Baicong had been the youngest of us, no one had ever dared to bully him. Therefore, we were always interested in rumours about him.¡± ¡°I just heard from one of my high school ssmates that today is Xiao Baicong¡¯sing-of-age ceremony. My ssmate sent a picture to me. I could only gasp in amazement. Take a look.¡± Kaitlyn¡¯s phone was passed around the table. One after another came gasps of surprise. When the phone reached Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands, he paused. His gaze fell onto the picture. The first was of a tall, ancient-styled castle. Kaitlyn saying she could only gasp in amazement was very appropriate. This was because the castle was indeed difficult-to-describe. If you had to try, you could only say that it didn¡¯t seem real or that it didn¡¯t look like a structure of this era. People who could get this far in design pretty much always came from fairly well-off families. There were even some second- or third-generations here. There were even people of notable lineages. However, this kind of solemn, dignified structure was rarely seen even for them. There was nock of castles in the modern era. Regardless of whether they were open for tours, because of the proliferation of the inte, even if it was forbidden to take pictures inside, you¡¯d still be able to see their exteriors if you looked them up. But in Song Xuanhe¡¯s memories, not even the public royal castle or manors felt as historical as this castle did. They didn¡¯t have as intense of a dignified and elegant air either. He didn¡¯t know why, but he suddenly recalled Xiao Ranyun¡¯s repulsion for the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence and how she had described it as ¡°stifling.¡± Then, he recalled how Xiao Yuanmu would spend the next ten or twenty years¡­or maybe even forty, fifty, or sixty years in this castle. His heart involuntarily started to feel heavy. It was painful like he felt distressed on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s behalf. Sadness overflowed out of Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart. He subconsciously swiped at the screen. He quickly nced over the next few pictures before passing the phone over to the next person. After everyone had looked at the photos, the person who had asked about Xiao Baicong in the beginning pensively said, ¡°This castle looks really old. It¡¯s probably at least several hundreds of years old. But for some reason, I feel like the mountain behind it looks a bit familiar.¡± Someoneughed upon hearing this. ¡°You can differentiate between mountains?¡± ¡°I honestly feel like it looks familiar. It¡¯s not exactly the mountain itself that feels familiar but the surrounding vegetation. You should know, my father researches nts. Therefore, I¡¯m pretty sensitive when ites to them. One time, when I was skiing with my friends, we had gotten lost. We had wandered around for half a day, and I think we had ended up there. I had examined the vegetation out of habit and also because I had thought it¡¯d help us find out a way back. That¡¯s why I feel like these nts seem familiar. Although two mountains might look the same, it¡¯s impossible for the surrounding nts to be the same¡­.¡± ¡°Alright, alright. I don¡¯t think it¡¯s weird for two mountains to have the same kind of vegetation. I think that as long as the terrain and climate¡¯s close enough, simr nts will grow.¡± ¡°No, I¡¯m sure. I¡¯m really familiar with that mountain. Especially those electrical lines in the middle of the mountain¡¯s forest. Back then, I had wondered what they were for. Originally, I had thought that I had stumbled onto a military base or some secretboratory. But looking at it now, it might have been the Xiao Family¡­.¡± ¡°Stop!¡± Someone held up their hand in a ¡°stop¡± gesture and interrupted him. ¡°Where did you see it then?¡± ¡°S Country,¡± He said, ¡°I had gone skiing with my friends when I had been in my second year of university.¡± ¡°As everyone knows, the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence is in America.¡± The person who had made the gesture refuted. ¡°Although this has never been confirmed, it¡¯s likely right. Therefore, your guess is probably wrong.¡± The person who had made the im hesitated and then looked at the others. When they saw the other people nod in agreement, he hung his head, disappointed. ¡°And, here I thought that I had inadvertently stumbled onto some big secret.¡± ¡°You¡¯re more likely to have won the lottery.¡± After teasing each other, the topic passed just like that. Song Xuanhe quietly ate his food. He didn¡¯t take the conversation just now seriously. Although other people wouldn¡¯t be able to know this, he had been a reader of the original novel. He knew that the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence was situated in America. Furthermore, Xiao Yuanmu had never gone to S Country in the book. So, this person¡¯s guess was just a guess. Their meal ended as they chatted. Few people had actually eaten a lot during this feast. Only Song Xuanhe had earnestly tasted every dish from start to finish. As they left, someone teasingly said, ¡°I was so busy chatting just now, I didn¡¯t get to eat much. But, I can tell that the food here is good based on how Mr. Song¡¯s chopsticks had been constantly on the move. if I had known, I would have taken a few more bites.¡± Feng Tongughed. ¡°If you want, I can ask them to make a few things for you to take home.¡± ¡°No need. I¡¯ll try it next time.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled but remained silent. Everyone went their separate ways after the meal had finished. Feng Tong and Song Xuanhe hade together, and their cars were parked nearby each other as well. As they made their way over, Feng Tong said, ¡°Sorry. Ke Zhu¡¯s words just now were rather thoughtless.¡± Song Xuanhe twirled the keys in his hand. His car beeped as the doors unlocked. He said, ¡°It¡¯s fine. It¡¯s to be expected. When my workes out, he won¡¯t be able to talk anymore.¡± When he had heard this, Feng Tong smiled. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be so confident. I had thought that I¡¯d have tofort you a bit.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his car door and sat inside. ¡°Nheless, thanks for yourfort.¡± Feng Tong waved at him and opened the door to his own car. Song Xuanhe shut his door, and the world went quiet again. He had already expected for this to happen when he had decided to cooperate with Feng Tong. Therefore, he wasn¡¯t angry at people discreetly excluding him and provoking him. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t like that person had really been provoking him. At most, it could be considered a future coborator sounding him out a bit. He had already made preparations for this. Naturally, he was able to face this calmly. It was just that, for some reason, he felt tired. He just wanted to go somewhere quiet, where he could be alone as quickly as possible. Song Xuanhe reversed his car out of the garage. His gaze swept over the streets that were bustling like it was still the middle of the day. His gaze didn¡¯t stop anywhere, and he eventually refocused on the road in front of him, concentrating on driving. He didn¡¯t y any music either. There was only silence. However, Song Xuanhe felt himself gradually rx. His slightly pursed lips hooked up slightly. But when he heard his ringtone go off, the slightly raised lips pulled t once again. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be bothered to put on his bluetooth earpiece. Moreover, he didn¡¯t want to answer an unknown number. Therefore, he didn¡¯t pick up. But, the person on the other end didn¡¯t give up. His phone hadn¡¯t even been quiet for a second when it started up again. The noise just kept going on and on. Song Xuanhe had even hung up a few times before he started to get annoyed. He finally had no choice but to put on his earpiece and pick up. Displeased, his voice came out cold. ¡°Who is it?¡± ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± The voice from the other end was cool but sounded deep and maic through the receiver. Song Xuanhe paused for a moment while turning the steering wheel. He frowned at the car that grazed his own. He then refocused himself on turning onto the main road. He had yet to respond when he heard the other side say, ¡°I¡¯m also not in a good mood.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Without thinking, he blurted this word out. Song Xuanhe himself was stunned at this. However, after he hade back to himself, he concentrated on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice. He really did want to know why Xiao Yuanmu was unhappy. When Xiao Yuanmu had been with him, it had been rare for his emotions to fluctuate dramatically. The most intense his emotions had ever gotten had been when the other had suffered from stomach cramps. He had heard that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cramps had been triggered by his emotions. But even then, Xiao Yuanmu had never mentioned whether he had been in a good mood or not. Hearing Xiao Yuanmu talk about his feelings now, Song Xuanhe really did feel curious. ¡°There are many reasons.¡± Separated by the receiver¡ªseparated by the Pacific Ocean¡ªXiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression rxed. His cool voice was low. Through the phone, Song Xuanhe could almost feel his gloomy mood. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t say anything after that. His light breath transmitted through the call. Song Xuanhe continued to drive, and his original agitation over his phone¡¯s ringtone settled down. Some time passed, and Xiao Yuanmu finally spoke up again. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you called me even once?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips rose slightly. As his eyes curved into a smile, his lower eyelids plumped up slightly. ¡°Are you unhappy because I didn¡¯t contact you?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fifty-percent the reason why.¡± Xiao Yuanmu seemed to be thinking about something. A secondter, he said in a t voice, ¡°I also bought a painting a few days ago but gave it away ¡®cause it was so ugly.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile deepened. He made a soft sound of acknowledgement but didn¡¯t reply. His silence encouraged Xiao Yuanmu to continue. ¡°Do you miss me?¡± Song Xuanhe nearly mmed onto the brakes. After much difficulty, he steadied himself. In an unpleasant tone, he said, ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice grew heavy. He reminded the other, ¡°We haven¡¯t broken up.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll each stick with our own versions.¡± Song Xuanhe grinned. ¡°Since we can¡¯t see each other anyway, let¡¯s each just act in ordance to what we think our current rtionship status is.¡± ¡°Would you ever date anyone but me?¡± ¡°Who knows?¡± Xiao Yuanmu chuckled quietly. His voice was low but certain. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow but didn¡¯t deny it. When he didn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe refute his im, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mood improved a lot. ¡°I have a meeting at seven today. We¡¯re going to be talking about a new energy supply. Among thepanies, there are three that are secretly applying pressure, wanting to monopolize it¡­.¡± It was probably because Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know what to talk about, but he just calmly talked about what he had been doingtely. It was the most he had ever said in all the time Song Xuanhe had known him. It was rare for Song Xuanhe to not feel even a hint of impatience. He quietly listened to the other. Although he had already reached his apartment¡¯s parking lot, he didn¡¯t exit his car. He simply sat there until the other had finished speaking. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t have much to say. There was only so much rted to work to talk about. Even if this was the longest he had ever spoken, it had onlysted less than five minutes. In the end, Xiao Yuanmu asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What about you?¡± All that Song Xuanhe got back in return was the sound of gentle breathing. Song Xuanhe leaned back against his chair, a hand resting on his forehead. He smiled. ¡°Me too.¡± Eve: Soft casual fluff. Honestly, their phone calls are some of my favourite parts of their rtionship. LOL Kara: Aww, Mumu being a pouty baby about Xuanhe not calling is cute! Hehehe, their phone call was so nice. I love that tacit understanding they have where they don¡¯t even need to verbalize everything.£¨*¡¯?¡¯ÈË£© Chapter 84: Nevertheless, My Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara The weather in the Capital was the best in May. It was neither hot nor cold, and the skies were clear. Furthermore, there was a week-long holiday starting on May 10th. The majority of people would choose to go travelling during this time. However, while others had already nned out their holidays, Song Xuanhe was busy, constantly on the move. He had barely even had any time to eat. Song Xuanhe had kept his joint studio business with Feng Tong a secret from the Song Family this whole time. During the day, he would work at the Song Company. After work, he¡¯d work at the studio. This kind of schedule had started in February and had been going on for three months now. It seemed like it would persist for the foreseeable future. Although it seemed like there was still ample time to prepare for September¡¯s Fall Fashion Week, a team that had just gotten together needed time to get used to working as a unit. Moreover, everyone was still young. Therefore, it was inevitable that there would be some bumps along the way. On top of that, Song Xuanhe had yet to find a suitable model. This only added to his hectic work schedule. In April, when ¡°Fortune¡± had released their list of the top 500 USpanies, a new dark horse attracted a small proportion of the people¡¯s attention. However, Song Xuanhe, who had no interest in finance, hadn¡¯t noticed its rise until May 16th. On that day, ¡°Year 2066¡¯s Top 100 Most Valuable Brands¡± was published, and REpany had ranked fifty-five on that list. This caused the whole world to stir. There was no way Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t have heard about such sensational news. He had found out about it, because a magazine interview had been leaked onto the inte. Although there were no photos, the interview had exposed the new energypany¡¯s president¡¯s identity¡ªXiao Yuanmu, an orphan who had grown up in China, a man who possessed a sensitive nose when it came to finance, and a graduate from China¡¯s top university. Thus, there had been a period of time in which everyone and their mom woulde to Song Xuanhe and inquire about Xiao Yuanmu. REpany had been establishedst September. In less than half a year, they had sessfully started to sell stocks. In ten months, they had entered ¡°Fortune¡¯s¡± list and managed to rank 55th on a marketing research list of toppanies in the world. It was so incredible that it left people bbergasted. The Song Family had had the most intense reaction. Aside from Song Guochao, even Song Xuanlin hadn¡¯t been able to resist giving Song Xuanhe a call and ask him whether or not RE¡¯s president was really Xiao Yuanmu. When Song Xuanlin¡¯s call hade in, Song Xuanhe was in the studio. He put the call on speaker, hands still tailoring the articles in his hands. He gave the same answer he had given to a million people a million times before. ¡°I don¡¯t know. ¡°Thepany was foundedst September. Xiao Yuanmu had still been in China. It¡¯s probably not him.¡± ¡°There are so many people with the same name as him. Besides, the magazine is in English. If we look at it in Chinese, maybe the characters are different. I can¡¯t confirm whether it¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu or not. ¡°I already told you, we broke up. Obviously we¡¯re not in touch anymore. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that it isn¡¯t him. I just said that I can¡¯t confirm whether it¡¯s him or not. ¡°Ge, I¡¯m busy. I¡¯m going to hang up.¡± Song Xuanhe ced his tools down. Before the next call coulde in, he turned his phone off. He then continued to work in peace. There were still going to be some modelsing in to audition at five. He had no time to deal with this. Feng Tong knocked on the door. When he heard Song Xuanhe tell him toe in, he quickly entered and shut the door behind him, thereby blocking the view of other people in the studio. ¡°I have a feeling that we won¡¯t have to worry about the big magazines noting to our fashion show during September¡¯s Fashion Week.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother looking up. He gave the other a half-assed sound of acknowledgement. It was obvious that he hadn¡¯t been listening. Feng Tongughed when he saw this. He had only been nning on teasing Song Xuanhe a little bit as the reason he had actuallye over hadn¡¯t been for this. Therefore, he quickly changed the subject and began to discuss what materials he would be using this season. The two of them would always end uppletely immersed whenever they talked about work. They hadn¡¯t paid any attention to time at all. In the end, they had only stopped when they heard someone knock. Song Xuanhe called for them to enter and checked the time. He then raised his hand to let Feng Tong see the time as well. Six twenty-seven. Nearly an hour and a half had passed since the time Song Xuanhe was supposed to meet with the models. The person who had knocked earlier stuck his head in cautiously. ¡°Songoshi, a model left, because they still had other things to do. How about holding the audition now¡­?¡± ¡°Who left?¡± Song Xuanhe asked while picking up the documents regarding the audition. The person gave him a name quietly. It had been the most appropriate model amongst the ones who hade. He was also the most expensive and experienced one. It was normal for a model who already had a bit of fame to have a bit of a temper towards no-name designers. In this industry, it wasn¡¯t just designers who would pick their models, but models would also pick their designers. It was only when a designer was at the top of the field that they would be the one doing more of the choosing. Right now, Song Xuanhe was a nameless newbie with neither a known background nor education from a famed school. Feng Tong turned to Song Xuanhe and apologized. ¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t keep track of time. I made you miss that audition.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head. ¡°I¡¯ve seen videos of him on the runway and hisp card. His aura doesn¡¯t suit my designs. Have the others go to the changing room. I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Thest two sentences were directed at the guy at the door. That person hesitated for a moment before acquiescing. He then shut the door. There was concern hidden in Feng Tong¡¯s eyes. ¡°Do you really think that Nics isn¡¯t suitable for your designs?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe knew what Feng Tong and the front desk assistant were thinking. They undoubtedly thought that Nichs had been the best choice out of all the models who were willing to work with him and that Song Xuanhe had only said this to maintain his dignity. But, what had happened happened. He had thought that Nichs fit his clothes when he had seen hisp card. However, thep card was nothing inparison to the videos he had seen. After all, when the time came, he would have to rely on his skills on the walkway, not on his skills in front of a camera. Nichs didn¡¯t even have a tenth of the aura he had on hisp card when on the runway. When Song Xuanhe had seen hisp card, he had thought that Nichs just barely qualified to wear his clothes. But in the video, his aura had decreased drastically. Therefore, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like him at all. He had been nning on at least meeting him in person before making his decision though. As such, he didn¡¯t find it that much of a pity that he had already left. Feng Tong knew that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t the type to pretend to be brave. When he had heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply, he trusted that the other truly felt that way. But because of that, Feng Tong grew even more concerned. ¡°Xuanhe, I know that the current models are not quite up to par for you yet, but I promise you that this will change once we debut. Right now, you should consider lowering your standards. After all, September is nearing.¡± Song Xuanhe stood up with the documents. He smiled and patted Feng Tong on the shoulder. He said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I know what I¡¯m doing.¡± ¡­¡­ Meanwhile, there were still five other models waiting in the runway¡¯s changing room. Most of them were new people who had just debuted. Therefore, they didn¡¯t show any intense looks of dissatisfaction despite having waited this long. However, there were still a few people who couldn¡¯t quite cover up the impatience on their faces. Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze quickly swept over every single person. Very quickly, he was able toe up with their measurements. He chose a few clothes and handed them over to the five models. ¡°Try these on.¡± The five people exchanged nces. When they saw Song Xuanhe walk over to the sofa in front of the runway, looking like he had no intention of speaking any more, they hesitantly entered the changing stalls. The moment one model had pulled open the curtain and was about to step out, Song Xuanhe looked up. He supported his chin up with one hand while holding onto a pen with the other. In a t voice, he said, ¡°The one in changing room 3, youe out first. The order will be 3, 5, 1, 4, 2.¡± The person who had just taken a step out withdrew his foot. The model in the middle room then pulled their curtain open and walked out. Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin raised slightly as he sized up the person from the bottom-up. He frankly examined the other, but his aura was overlynguid and calm. Even though he was just sitting there, his serious, focused expression seemed particrly sexy. ¡°Are you feeling hot?¡± Song Xuanhe dropped his hand that had been holding up his chin. He sat up and looked at this foremost model. ¡°Or, are you too nervous?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not feeling hot.¡± The model raised his hand before lowering it again upon realizing where he was right now. He lowered his gaze and quietly said, ¡°It¡¯s my first audition though, so I¡¯m rather nervous.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. His gaze shifted from the other¡¯s awkward hand to the documents in hisp. ¡°Your name is Shi Qi, and you¡¯re seventeen years old. You¡¯re currently in your second year of high school. Are you sure that you¡¯ll be able to take time off school to fly to Y Country with us?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Shi Qi¡¯s eyes lit up. His lips subconsciously drew into a smile, shing two tiger teeth. ¡°I will definitely be able to get time off!¡± Song Xuanhe looked at him again. Seeing the other¡¯s ears flushing, he looked away before nodding. ¡°Number five.¡± Shi Qi, who was still standing on the runway, was taken aback. Instantly, his ecstatic mood fell. He parted his lips, wanting to say something. But in the end, he simply got off the runway and went to wait patiently on the side. The other models came out one after another. No matter who Song Xuanhe looked at, his expression had remained the same. When the models were nervously waiting for the results, Song Xuanhe slowly said, ¡°Zhang Yang¡¯s hand movements were too stiff while walking. William should practice more in front of the mirror. Shi Qi needs a lot more experience walking down the runway. You forgot to pose at the end. That¡¯s a big mistake¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe mercilessly exposed each person¡¯s ws. As their expressions turned more and more embarrassed and unresigned, he dered, ¡°Shi Qi will be participating in the next round on the fifteenth of the next month. Everyone else, thank you for participating in the audition.¡± The expressions of the models aside from Shi Qi turned ugly. It was probably because Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression had been too calm the whole time, even when mentioning their faults. His serene appearance had caused these hot-blooded young models to feel rather dissatisfied. One of them couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°May I ask why Shi Qi was the only one of us five to make it? From what I know, he debuted thetest. He¡¯s only been working for three months. You also said that hecks experience and made a big mistake on the runway. Why did he make it while we four were eliminated?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Shi Qi when he heard this. Upon seeing his nervous expression, he asked, ¡°Why do you think you rose above the rest?¡± Shi Qi was startled. He licked his lips nervously. ¡°I like these clothes. I like every single detail of them while wearing them. I-I think maybe that¡¯s the reason why¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. He then looked at the model who had questioned him. ¡°Shi Qicks experience, but he understands and likes the clothes he wears. On the runway, your priority is to showcase the clothes on your body. But, you guys don¡¯t even understand the clothes you have to show off. How can you get the people in the audience to like the clothes? Of course, that¡¯s not the reason why I chose him though.¡± ¡°Then why?¡± Shi Qi widened his eyes, anticipating the answer. Song Xuanhe nced at him. He was about to answer when he changed his words. ¡°The result has already been decided. Everyone can leave.¡± The other people who had been furious upon hearing Song Xuanhe say that they didn¡¯t understand clothes calmed down. When they heard this, they turned to leave without any more questions. When they reached the door, one person said, ¡°He thinks that he¡¯s famous and actually dares to snub us? There are so many new designers making their debut at Fashion Week every year, and only one makes a ssh every few years. And, it¡¯s September¡¯s Fashion Week to boot. I can just tell that he¡¯s probably going to fail based on his eye for talent. It¡¯s too bad. Fengoshi will probably be dragged down by him.¡± The person who had been speaking hadn¡¯t quieted his voice. The door hadn¡¯t yet closed either, so Song Xuanhe had heard every single word. When Shi Qi had heard these words, he looked at Song Xuanhe helplessly as if wanting to see if the other was angry. Upon noticing Shi Qi¡¯s gaze, Song Xuanhe turned towards him and ended up meeting his eyes. Shi Qi immediately took a step back, startled. His face flushed all the way to his ears. He didn¡¯t dare say a thing. Song Xuanhe frowned. He looked the other up and down. Perhaps it was because his gaze was too obvious, but Shi Qi¡¯s face slowly returned to normal. He then started to pale as Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows knitted tighter and tighter. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t interacted with adolescent boys in a long time. He really didn¡¯t know what this seventeen-year-old was thinking about. He also started wondering if it had really been that long since he had graduated. Maybe that was why he couldn¡¯t remember whether or not the seventeen-year-olds he had known were this easily startled or were so quick to blush. ¡°I¡­I wanted to ask you¡­¡± Shi Qi met Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze nervously, his gaze shifting around before settling on the other. He pursed his lips and finally blurted out, ¡°Why did you choose me?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at his expression. ¡°Because of your current expression.¡± When he had heard this, Shi Qi went ¡°ah,¡± dazed. Song Xuanhe pulled the door open and said in a t voice, ¡°You don¡¯t have to wait until the audition on the fifteenth. Come here tomorrow for training. You need work on your walking, bearing, and expressions. Didn¡¯t you feel like proving them wrong when you had heard them say my eye for people was bad? As long as you can meet my demands, you¡¯ll make them swallow their words when your reputation explodes in four months.¡± After he said this, he turned around and left without looking back. Shi Qi stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s increasingly distant figure. It was unknown what he was thinking about, but his eyes grew increasingly bright. When Song Xuanhe had disappeared from his line of sight, he turned around, covered his lips, andughed. Those brilliant eyes on his bashful, pretty face were eye-catching. * Song Xuanhe had just entered his office when Zhou Nan¡ªwho hade out of nowhere¡ªstopped him. He started toin, ¡°Da ge, why¡¯d you turn off your phone?! Do you know that your dad, your brother, Auntie, my parents, and everyone who knows me and you have all been calling me?! Do you know what my afternoon¡¯s been like? It was so hard to get Yu Yan to even meet with me today. I had wanted to chat with him and ask him to get back together with me. But, everything was ruined by those people calling me for you! Yu Yan probably thought that my exes were calling me. How am I supposed to exin things to him?!¡± ¡°Tell me, Song Er, tell me.¡± Zhou Nan epted the juice the assistant had brought over and took a sip. ¡°Tell me, how great a crime it is to disrupt someone else¡¯s love life!?¡± Song Xuanhe ced the documents in his hands onto the desk. He bent over to grab the phone on the sofa and had been about to turn it on when Zhou Nan stopped him. ¡°Don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a heads-up. It wasn¡¯t just me, even Lin zi and the others who frequently meet up with us were bombarded with calls. They were all asking about Xiao Yuanmu. If you turn on your phone, you¡¯re gonna be swamped by those people.¡± Just as Zhou Nan had said this, Zhou Nan¡¯s phone started to ring. He nced at the caller ID and then showed it to Song Xuanhe. He made a gesture towards him before answering the call. ¡°Hei, Uncle, yes, this is Zhou Nan.¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe, ah, yeah, he¡¯s my friend. I don¡¯t know where he is right now. We¡¯re friends, not conjoined twins.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not joking around. I really don¡¯t know about RE¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu. I can¡¯t find him either, how can I ask him, ah? Alright, I¡¯ll send out a mass text when I find out. Oops, I mean I¡¯ll text just you. Right. Bye, Uncle.¡± After hanging up, Zhou Nan silenced his phone and threw it down. He sighed. ¡°You better give me that bottle of Bordeaux. Send it to me tomorrow.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°You came here for my wine?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°I also wantpensation for you ruining my date.¡± Song Xuanhe gave him an askance nce. Zhou Nan shook his head and sighed. ¡°I think that you¡¯ll probably have to go home today. Your dad called my dad today, telling him to tell me to find you as soon as possible. I have tried to keep things vague for as long as possible. If you don¡¯t go home, you won¡¯t be able to keep this studio hidden for much longer.¡± ¡°Got it.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze paused on his own phone screen as it started up. He waited until the home screen came up. However, although his phone usually started up quickly, this time, it took a long time for it to switch to the home screen. He had to wait nearly half a minute. Song Xuanhe saw red notification bubbles on every single one of his messaging apps. Zhou Nan stretched his neck to peer at his screen and couldn¡¯t help butugh, taking pleasure in Song Xuanhe¡¯s misery. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t bother with him. He casually started to delete all the apps. However, before he could press ¡°confirm,¡± an iing call came. The number was one Song Xuanhe was very familiar with. It was the home phone of the Song Residence. The only person who would use this number to call him was Song Yansong. ¡°Grandpa?¡± When Song Yansong had heard the call go through, he nced at Song Guochao and Song Jiabao¡¯s family next to him. He then looked away and calmly asked, ¡°Where are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at my friend¡¯s studio right now. What¡¯s up?¡± Song Xuanhe asked despite clearly knowing what the other wanted. ¡°Everyone¡¯s worried about you after you shut your phone off all day. We also wanted to ask you about Xiao Yuanmu. If nothing¡¯s wrong with your friend¡¯s studio,e home for dinner.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe looked at the time. It was already past seven. The Song Family typically ate dinner at six fifteen. It looked like Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany had really caused huge ripples within the Song Family. ¡°It¡¯s not just the Song Family,¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°Everyone in our circles¡­it¡¯s not just China. I think the whole world has their eyes on him. Your ex-boyfriend¡¯s taking the world by storm.¡± Song Xuanhe side-eyed him. ¡°How do you know it¡¯s him?¡± ¡°It¡¯s obviously him. Who else would it be?¡± Zhou Nan said. ¡°Anyone who knew him would be able to guess that it¡¯s him. What do you n on telling your family? This is unprecedented. He¡¯s got a monopoly on this newly researched energy source. Every family..no, every country wants a slice of this pie. You¡¯ve got an advantage as his ex. As long as you help the Song Group get a piece of this, even if you don¡¯t want to inherit the Group, you¡¯ll have it.¡± He knew that Zhou Nan was warning him out of concern. Song Xuanhe patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Zhou Nan wrapped an arm around his and asked, ¡°Say, how does it feel to find out that your ex achieved meteoric sess after breaking up with you?¡± ¡°How about you tell me how it feels to have to win back the ex you threw away?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him from the side, picked up his car keys from the desk, and headed outside. ¡°It hurts, but I¡¯m also happy.¡± Zhou Nan chased after him while whistling. ¡°What about you?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I don¡¯t feel anything.¡± ¡°Acting dumb.¡± Zhou Nan stretched his waist as he continued in a casual tone, ¡°Tell me. Maybe one day he¡¯ll mention having an ex who had riled him up. At that time, people willugh at you for being so blind. Perhaps I could help say a few words on your behalf.¡± ¡°How?¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but smile. ¡°Would anyone want to interview you?¡± ¡°You¡¯re too much, ah, Song Er!¡± Zhou Nan heckled. He still didn¡¯t look serious at all. ¡°Tell me. I¡¯m dying to know how you feel about an ex. I¡¯ve been trying to get Yu Yan back for so long with no sess. I feel like I don¡¯t know him anymore after having been apart for so long. Give me some tips, so I can get back into a rtionship.¡± Song Xuanhe paused and said, ¡°If you don¡¯t really like him, don¡¯t bother him.¡± ¡°F*ck, you¡¯re the one saying this?¡± Zhou Nan widened his eyes in shock. He didn¡¯te back to himself for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until he was met with a spray of exhaust fumes to the face that he snapped out of it. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Has the sun risen from the west? Is Xiao Yuanmu some kind of supernatural entity? Don¡¯t tell me you suddenly realized you loved him after you had broken up.¡± The author has something to say: The economic ranking and anything that seems to sh with reality were made up by me. But Fortune magazine and the top 100 most valuablepanies worldwide list does indeed exist. If you¡¯re interested, you can look it up. Anything that seems unrealistic, just pretend it¡¯s a made-up setting that¡¯s different from reality. Kara: Heh. Xuanhe¡¯s not the one who realized he loves the other after ¡°breaking up,¡± Zhou Nan. (ìáo ÆHoìá) Eve: Hi everyone, not a major announcement or anything but I thought I should let you guys know that I¡¯m going to be restricting myself from looking atments on this novel for a bit, which means that I might bete in replying to questions. If there¡¯s an urgentment or question, feel free to ping me on discord. I¡¯ve always struggled with very bad anxiety and negativity only exacerbates it. I understand that everyone is entitled to their own opinions and don¡¯t want to censor anyone. I also understand that thesements are not an attack on myself. But knowing this in my brain isn¡¯t the same as knowing it with my heart. Every negativement about the story and characters I love affects me on a normal day, let alone on a day where my mental health is at its lowest. I know there are countless of kindments and I thank you all for leaving me such encouraging words. But a single negativement can severely diminish my joy and will to trante. So I thought that it would be best if I just didn¡¯t read any for some time. I might catch up onments on this novel once a week or at some other frequency, but I definitely won¡¯t be reading them every day anymore. I started to trante to share the novels I love with other fans who love them the same and I want to continue to do that. So I hope that this break will help me find that love again. To anyone who read this far, thanks for supporting me and this novel. Updates will continue as per usual. Chapter 85: Looking for Friends Tranted by Eve
Song Xuanhe had just driven his car past the metal gates when he sensed the tense air in the Song Residence. Zhang Chao, who had been waiting for him at the main entrance this whole time, ran over to his car right away. Song Xuanhe lowered his window and Zhang Chao jogged alongside the still-moving car. ¡°Er shao, you¡¯ve received many calls from our business partners on your work cell phone today. Some of the callers included President Yang of Earth and President Li of Zhongsi¡ªthetter of which the Song Group is already discussing the possibility of cooperation with. David from Kirby has also called in. He wants to continue discussing the case fromst time, the one that we have yet to reach a conclusion on despite already having undergone two rounds of discussion. Among these¡­.¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Song Xuanhe stepped on the brake and pressed his index finger to his lips. He slung his other arm outside the window and leaned back against the car seat. He shut his eyes and said in a t voice, ¡°Let me rest for a moment.¡± Zhang Chao was taken aback. At this moment, he noticed the dark circles under Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes and decided to shut his slightly parted lips. The garage was silent for a moment. Five or six minutester, Zhang Chao¡¯s phone started to ring. His ringtone sounded especially jarring within the quiet and spacious garage. He covered his phone and headed outside, flustered. After finding his way outside, he picked up the phone. ¡°Hello, Mr. Song.¡± ¡°Er shao will be up soon. He still has a few things to sort out. President Yang of Earth and President Li of Zhongsi have both called in today¡­. ¡°Yes, we have also received news from Kirby, with whom we had yet to sessfully wrap up negotiations. Yes sir. I will remind Ershao to immediately head inside when he is done.¡± After hanging up, Zhang Chao exhaled. He cautiously walked back into the garage with light steps. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d be one to lie, Assistant Zhang.¡± Anguid voice that seemed to hold a hint of amusement echoed through the garage. Zhang Chao¡¯s steps paused. He turned to see Song Xuanhe leaning against the car nearest to the garage¡¯s exit. There was a small smile on his face. ¡°I didn¡¯t lie. Everything I said was true. Ershao, have you not been sleeping well these days?¡± Zhang Chao examined Song Xuanhe¡¯splexion, voice turning solemn, ¡°For thest few months, you¡¯ve been telling me that you were going to get together with friends every day after work. But¡­while I know that you must be feeling frustrated or disappointed¡ªalthough you¡¯re still young now¡ªyou still can¡¯t indulge in that kind of thing too often. Otherwise, when you¡¯re older you¡¯ll¡ª¡± The smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face froze and his expression changed a few times. In the end, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from chuckling. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± The solemn expression on Zhang Chao¡¯s face eased up and the corner of his lips raised slightly. ¡°Ershao, don¡¯t worry too much about Mr. Xiao. The Chairman will not disregard your wishes and force you to do something you do not want to do.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Did you think that I was feeling nervous just now?¡± Zhang Chao shook his head, a serious, earnest expression on his face. However, the tone he used made it sound like he was coaxing a child. ¡°Of course not. How could Ershao be nervous?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not the one who¡¯s nervous.¡± Song Xuanhe threw his car key to Zhang Chao. When he saw the other look like he wanted to speak up, he made a shush gesture with his hand. His smile was ostentatiously confident. ¡°You¡¯ll understand in a moment.¡± Zhang Chao¡¯s steps halted for a moment. He stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s straight back and thought, Ershao has finally grown up. He smiled, gratified, before following Song Xuanhe from behind. They walked over to the door of the Song Family¡¯s main residence. Zhang Chao made it over in quick strides and helped Song Xuanhe open the door. The door creaked open and the sound of conversation on the other side paused. Everyone turned to look towards the opened door. Song Xuanhe walked in, his gaze sweeping over theplicated expressions on everyone¡¯s faces. He smiled. ¡°Why are you all standing around the entrance? Weren¡¯t we going to eat?¡± Li Nianan was currently ordering the servants to prepare the table. When she saw that Song Xuanhe had returned, she smiled. However, when she made her way to him, her brows knitted. ¡°It¡¯s only been two weeks since Ist saw you. How did you lose so much weight? Is work tiring you out too much?¡± ¡°Mrs. Zhang.¡± Li Nianan tugged Song Xuanhe inside by the hand while speaking. ¡°Quickly bring out a bowl of congee to help pad He bao¡¯s stomach.¡± ¡°We¡¯re about to have dinner, why would he need to pad his stomach?¡± Song Guochao frowned at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Tell me, what does REpany, that was on Fortune and the other world ranking, have to do with Xiao Yuanmu? Is Xiao Yuanmu RE¡¯s President? Also, did you already know¡­.¡± ¡°Also what?¡± Li Nianan interrupted. ¡°Can¡¯t you see how tired your son is? Can¡¯t you talk about something like this after dinner?¡± ¡°What do you mean, ¡®something like this?¡¯¡± Song Guochao¡¯s face darkened. ¡°Do you know just how important the energy source in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand is? If we¡¯rete by even a second, we might lose out on an opportunity worth billions of¡­.¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Song Yansong stood up and spoke in a t voice, ¡°Let¡¯s eat first. We¡¯ll discuss the rest after dinner.¡± ¡°Dad¡­¡± Song Guochao noticed Song Yansong¡¯s gaze. He swallowed back down the words he was about to say and simply followed the older man into the dining room. Except for Song Xuanhe, who had not tasted the Song Family kitchen¡¯s meals in a long time, and Li Nianan who was fully concentrated on putting food in Song Xuanhe¡¯s bowl, the other six people didn¡¯t eat much and were absentminded the entire dinner. After the dinner ended, the servants cleared the table. The tes of food had barely been touched. Song Yansong stood up and said, ¡°Xuanhe,e with me to the study.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and walked over to support Song Yansong as he walked. Song Guochao also came over and said, ¡°Dad, I¡¯lle with you.¡± Song Yansong nced at Song Jiabao¡¯s father, who had been standing to the side. He then told Song Guochao, ¡°No need. The rest of you can wait down here.¡± Song Guochao still wanted to insist on following along. However, Li Nianan grabbed his arm. She only let go after Song Xuanhe and Song Yansong had gone upstairs. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Song Guochao flung off Li Nianan¡¯s hold. ¡°Let go of me!¡± Li Nianan loosened her hold at once. She said in an insipid tone, ¡°Dad has something to say to Xuanhe right now. There¡¯s no point in you joining in. Moreover, regardless of whether Xiao Yuanmu is the President of RE, he and Xuanhe have already broken up. Have you forgotten about how you were the one who had been most vehemently against them being together? You had also been the happiest one after they had broken up.¡± Song Guochao flushed in shame, being told off like this in front of Song Jiabao¡¯s family and others. He roared, ¡°What do you know? I¡¯m doing this for the sake of thepany. A useless woman like you can¡¯t do anything except go shopping or beautify yourself. You can¡¯t even look after a child. What are you doing, trying to meddle in the family¡¯s affairs now? Song Xuanhe was spoiled rotten by you!¡± Li Nianan had pulled on Song Guochao¡¯s arm earlier with intentions of helping him save face. Old Mr. Song always meant what he said. Even she knew that this matter was of great importance despite the fact that she wasn¡¯t in the business. Since the old man wanted to talk to her youngest son alone, that meant that he did not want anyone else present. If she hadn¡¯t pulled Song Guochao back, he would have been even more embarrassed upon being forced to walk down the stairs with his tail between his legster. However, she hadn¡¯t expected for him to say such things to her. ¡°That¡¯s right. I spoiled my son rotten. He¡¯s my son and my son alone. He has nothing to do with you.¡± Li Nianan wasn¡¯t angry. She only looked at him with a derisive look in her eyes. She said, ¡°I raised both sons single-handedly. Regardless of whether they grew up well or spoiled, it was all because of me. Since that¡¯s the case, you better not meddle in their affairs. I don¡¯t care whether the ¡®Xiao Yuanmu¡¯ you guys talk about is He bao¡¯s ex or not. No one is allowed to force He bao to do anything he doesn¡¯t want to do!¡± Li Nianan raised her voice for once. Herst sentence rang especially clearly throughout the house. After she said this, silence befell the living room. Even though they were separated by the entrance hall and greenhouse, the servants who were currently cleaning up the dining room also heard it. They cautiously quieted their own movements, afraid of getting implicated in their master and mistress¡¯ quarrel. Song Xuanhe, who had already entered the study, didn¡¯t know about the argument that was happening downstairs. He calmly weed the old man¡¯s sharp, examining gaze. ¡°Did you really not know about Xiao Yuanmu founding RE?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Song Xuanhe remainedposed. ¡°Grandpa, you should know how my rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu started. If he had that much power back then, he would have never acquiesced to my threats.¡± Song Yansong¡¯s moustache shook slightly. For once, he directed a displeased look in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction. ¡°I¡¯ve already had someone look into him. I have confirmed that it is indeed the Xiao Yuanmu you know. He didn¡¯t bother to hide information about him. I believe that those old fellows won¡¯t be any slower than we are. They probably already know about Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded calmly. He looked very innocent and lovable. ¡°They want to work with Xiao Yuanmu.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Song Yansong picked up a fountain pen that had been lying down on the centre of an opened book and sighed. His look of displeasure had onlysted for a second before he regained his serious expression. ¡°The rtionship between Xiao Yuanmu and you wasn¡¯t a secret, either. No matter what they want to do, you are their closest channel for information. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany was foundedst September. The two of you had still been together then. Even if you say that you don¡¯t know anything, those people will still try to use you as a point of breakthrough.¡± Song Yansong closed the book on his desk and said, ¡°But what¡¯s important right now isn¡¯t any of this. Tell me, just what is the rtionship between you and Xiao Yuanmu right now?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked, looking like he didn¡¯t understand the question. ¡°The resource in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hands is too enticing. Not only do people within that industry want to cooperate with him, even entire countries want to get in on it. Moreover, the fact that he had been bold enough to release personal information despite possessing this resource means that he is confident with whatever power he has behind him. When people realize that they cannot do anything to him, they will understand that currying favour with him will be the quickest and most convenient method to get their hands on it.¡± Song Yansong looked at Song Xuanhe in the eye and said, ¡°We have no way of hiding the fact that the two of you have broken up. Grandpa is worried that people will try to exploit you.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback for a moment. And this time, the dazed expression was real. From what he knew about Song Yansong, the other put the group¡¯s interest first, the family¡¯s interest second, and personal interestst. Looking at the original book, this trait of his was evident just by looking at how the original Song Xuanhe had been exiled from the Song Family. But now, the old man Song Xuanhe had always been on guard against, was using a concerned tone to say ¡®Grandpa is worried that people will try to exploit you.¡¯ And yet, in the past, he had always thought that the people who most wanted to exploit him would be Song Yansong and Song Guochao. One was for the sake of the group and family, whereas one was for the sake of personal interest. Although they had different ideas, their goals were the same. Therefore, Song Xuanhe had already made preparations for every possibility. However, he hadn¡¯t prepared for this. Song Yansong interpreted his startled expression as one of fear. He couldn¡¯t help but furrow his brows. The worry waspletely swept off his face and his expression became stern and imposing. ¡°Everyone must take responsibility for their actions. What you did to Xiao Yuanmu led to today¡¯s circumstances. You have no other choice but to face it head-on.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. When he saw the strict expression that was nearly identical to that of his real paternal grandfather, the conflicted feelings inside him lessened. Seeing the wrinkles in the old man¡¯s forehead deepening because of his silence, he smiled. ¡°Grandpa, don¡¯t worry. Xiao Yuanmu won¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Song Yansong, who knew about what Song Xuanhe had done, didn¡¯t believe him. There was an examining look in his eyes. ¡°How can you be sure?¡± ¡°Regardless of how we got together, we had dated for so long. Besides, we broke up on good terms.¡± Song Xuanhe used his deceiving face to make a confident and earnest expression. He didn¡¯t feel guilty at all for lying. He continued, ¡°I know him. He would never do anything to me.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s sure expression made Song Yansong hesitate. When he recalled the things his investigation had turned up, a few ideas shed through his brain. However, he didn¡¯t reveal any of that on his face. He simply stood up and said, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, you can go out. They¡¯re still waiting for us downstairs.¡± After exiting the study, Song Xuanhe first headed to his room to take a shower. After he changed his clothes, he headed downstairs feeling refreshed. The people who had been downstairs earlier were still there. The only person who had disappeared off to somewhere unknown was Song Xuanlin. The tips of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hair were still wet. He was still ruffling his hair, trying to dry it with his hands, when he saw everyone on the sofas turn to look towards him. He paused on the staircase and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s sote. Uncle, Auntie, you¡¯re not going home yet?¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father smiled. ¡°We lost track of the time while chatting with your father. What did you talk about with the old sir?¡± ¡°Nothing much.¡± Song Xuanhe pushed the hair that had fallen against his forehead backwards. He said in a casual tone, ¡°We just talked about my love life.¡± ¡°That¡¯s indeed important.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s fatherughed. ¡°You¡¯re so big now. It is indeed time that the old sir starts to worry about that. I remember that you were dating RE¡¯s president. How are the two of you now? Do you intend to get married?¡± ¡°Does Uncle not know?¡± Song Xuanhe walked over to sit next to Li Nianan. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu and I broke up already.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father¡¯s smile changed slightly. His expression grew stiff. ¡°So you¡¯re saying that your ex-boyfriend, Xiao Yuanmu, really is RE¡¯s president?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. He had just showered so his eyshes were still a bit damp, making him look all the younger and innocent. ¡°He¡¯s the one Cousin talked badly about, the one he said was selling his body.¡± ¡°When did I ever talk badly about him¡­.¡± When Song Jiabao saw Song Xuanhe turn in his direction, the psychological shadow left after the other had beaten him until he hadn¡¯t been able to make a sound, quickly enveloped him. Song Jiabao¡¯s voice grew increasingly weak. Although the doctor had said that this wouldn¡¯t affect him in his daily life, his left hand that usually felt normal, suddenly started to ache, as if the residual effects the doctor had mentioned had red up. ¡°Don¡¯t take what young people say in the height of anger while arguing seriously.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father¡¯s stiffened expression didn¡¯t ease up. However, he still tried to force a smile out. ¡°You¡¯re all same-aged friends. Fighting will only help improve your rtionship. Your cousin and Xiao Yuanmu just had a bit of an argument. If you intervene, it¡¯ll resolve itself very quickly.¡± ¡°Uncle, I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t help out with this. Everyone knows that Xiao Yuanmu and I have already broken up. How could I possibly be of any help?¡± ¡°But you two used to date.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father said, ¡°Don¡¯t you young people break up and get back together frequently? I think the two of you make a good match. You¡¯ll naturally be able to get back together once you clear up this matter between the two of you.¡± When he heard this, Song Xuanhe raised a brow, astonished. He then turned to Song Guochao. Song Guochao noticed his gaze. With an angry expression on his face, he said, ¡°Your mother says that I have no right to meddle in your business. Who you¡¯re with doesn¡¯t concern me in the least.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I feel relieved then. I had originally been afraid that you¡¯d force me to get back together with Xiao Yuanmu.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t n on getting back together with him?¡± Song Jiabao looked up. He shrunk back when he met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. However, he still said, ¡°But you even did that for him¡­¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head, a confused look on his face. ¡°What did I do?¡± Song Jiabao curled up. ¡°Nothing.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s mother furrowed her brows in discontent. ¡°Xuanhe, Jiabao is your cousin. Why are you scaring him?¡± ¡°Did I?¡± The confusion deepened. ¡°I just asked him a question. Was that enough to scare him? I guess I should avoid Cousin when I see him from now on.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t scare him. Don¡¯t listen to your aunt¡¯s nonsense.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father gave his wife a look and then slid over towards Song Xuanhe. With a smile, he said, ¡°Xuanhe ah, you know that Uncle¡¯spany makes air conditioners. The new energy source RE has is extremely important to Uncle¡¯spany. Uncle knows that the two of you have broken up but isn¡¯t there an old saying that says that love will linger after a night together? There must still be feelings between the two of you. How about you help refer Uncle to Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Song Xuanhe was shocked by Song Jiabao¡¯s father¡¯s ¡®love will linger after a night together.¡¯ First of all, there was the issue of whether he and Xiao Yuanmu ever ¡®spent a night together.¡¯ Even if they had, this saying wouldn¡¯t apply to them in any case. It was probably because the look of expression of refusal on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face was too obvious but Song Jiabao¡¯s father immediately followed up, earnestly trying to persuade him. ¡°It¡¯s not just Uncle. If the medical research team the Song Group has recently invested in can get a business agreement with RE, it will be able to quickly upy a spot in the medical robots industry. And there¡¯s much more too. You can¡¯t ignore the Group¡¯s future just because of your feelings right now.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Uncle, it¡¯s no use even if you persuade me. Xiao Yuanmu and I will not get back together. I can¡¯t help you.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t care whether or not you get back together with him,¡± Song Guochao said. ¡°But we must get a cooperation agreement with RE. As a member of the Song Group, there is no room for discussion.¡± Li Nianan grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand and then turned to talk to Song Guochao. ¡°I already said that no one can force my son to do anything he doesn¡¯t want to do.¡± ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m doing this for my own sake? It¡¯s for the wholepany¡ªthe whole family.¡± Song Guochao said with a darkened expression. ¡°It¡¯s not just us. Everyone knows just how valuable RE is right now. Because of this, if the Song Group is able to grab a cooperation agreement, it will benefit us greatly. Let¡¯s put aside everything else for now. If we get this, our stocks will rise dramatically. Song Xuanhe holds twenty percent of thepay¡¯s shares. He also has an advantage others do not. Why can¡¯t he make a sacrifice for thepany?¡± ¡°Why should he have to?¡± Li Nianan said coldly. ¡°If you want to cooperate with RE, go negotiate yourself. Don¡¯t drag my son into this.¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± ¡°Father.¡± Song Xuanlin walked in from outside and interrupted Song Guochao. His gaze paused on Song Xuanhe, who was sitting next to Li Nianan. ¡°I was just informed that the American government is currently proactivelymunicating with RE. As for whether the new energy source will be monopolized by the government or if it¡¯s simply a cooperation agreement, we¡¯ll find out tomorrow.¡± If the American government monopolized it, it wouldn¡¯t matter what Song Xuanhe said. It would all be useless. Song Guochao shut his mouth, nced at Song Xuanhe and then looked away. He then stood up to leave. Song Jiabao¡¯s father furrowed his brows but forced out a smile upon turning to Song Xuanhe again. ¡°Xuanhe, how about you give Uncle Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s contact information? After all, there was that misunderstanding between him and your cousinst time. Uncle wants to personally call him to clear up this misunderstanding.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Song Jiabao¡¯s father. Song Jiabao¡¯s father asked, ¡°Do you have it?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Xuanhe seemed to think of something. His lips curled into a smile and he began to read off a number. Song Jiabao¡¯s father promptly recorded it. He then called the number. When the dial tone sounded, he got up and headed outside. Song Xuanlin walked over to Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°I have something to discuss with you.¡± Song Xuanhe had already expected that Song Xuanlin would talk to him. Actually, since Song Xuanlin had said ¡®you¡¯re my younger brother¡¯ to him, he had started to chat with him more. Back then, the reason he had immediately moved back to his apartment downtown after New Year¡¯s was partially because it was more convenient while working at the studio. But mostly, it had been because he had wanted to avoid Song Xuanlin¡¯s conversations. However, it looked like there was no avoiding it this time. Song Xuanhe stood up and followed after Song Xuanlin. The two of them walked over to the garden within the ss greenhouse and sat down on the sofa in the centre. Song Xuanhe looked at Song Xuanlin, waiting for the other to speak. But after a few minutes, Song Xuanlin still didn¡¯t seem to have any intentions of opening his mouth. Or rather, it was like he had yet to figure out how to word what he wanted to say. The temperature on May nights wasfortable. None of the four doors of the greenhouse were closed. A refreshing, cool breeze blew in gently from outside and Song Xuanhe rested his eyes, feeling rxed. He waited for Song Xuanlin to say what he wanted. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. He had nearly fallen asleep when he heard Song Xuanlin speak up. The other¡¯s t voice echoed through the air. ¡°Do you want to inherit thepany?¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes. He looked at Song Xuanlin¡¯s slightly pursed lips and asked, ¡°This is what you wanted to ask?¡± It was probably because Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was too rxed and not serious, but it didn¡¯t match this serious topic at all. Song Xuanlin frowned and said, ¡°I know that the rtionship between you and Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t as bad as everyone else thinks it was. If you want to inherit thepany, he will be a great asset to you.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Why are you so sure he¡¯d help me?¡± ¡°He likes you and you like him,¡± Song Xuanlin said in a cool voice. ¡°It¡¯s normal for people who like each other to help one another out.¡±
Eve: Hehehehe. Big Brother knows what¡¯s up. Also SGC smh. He¡¯s so shameless. I want to hit him. If this was an ancient world he¡¯d prob try to straightforwardly marry SXH off to Mumu. Chapter 86: Found a Handsome Guy Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Xiao Yuanmu had been in a meeting when the call from China hade in. He had been discussing the direction they were going to be taking with regards to their future business acquisitions and cooperation agreements with thepany shareholders and executives. On top of that, they were also discussing the agreement letter that the American government had sent over. This had been an extremely important meeting. The secretary had knocked on the conference room door with the phone in hand. The meeting had alreadysted almost five hours. The current topic was the next acquisition. The debate was heated, everyone adamant on their own opinion. The debate had been going on forever. When they had heard the knock on the door, everyone in the conference room straightened up and ceased their debate as they all turned to look at the blonde secretary as she walked in. Even the man at the head of the table, who hadn¡¯t spoken since this topic had been raised, cast his gaze towards her. Everyone in the room thought, ¡°Tragic. This sexy secretary will likely be the fifth one to be fired by Mu.¡± The graceful woman walked over to Xiao Yuanmu. She turned slightly to the side, revealing her eye-catching, impressive cleavage. She came in close and whispered into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ear. The people in the room then saw the eyes of their typically expressionless ¡°Supreme Commander¡± light up. This subtle change would have been hard to notice on an average person. However, when it came to Xiao Yuanmu, who usually hid his emotions well, even the slightest change like this was noticeable and shocking. After all, this man had always seemed unfazed by everything in the past. Even while they had all been arguing, he had remained unruffled as if everything was still in the palm of his hand. The people sitting at the table wanted to know what the secretary had said to their Supreme Commander ¡ªthis was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s nickname amongst thepany executives¡ªreally badly. Actually, RE had been jointly founded by Xiao Yuanmu and Louis. They were technically on equal standing. However, Xiao Yuanmu had the most shares within thepany. Furthermore, he had a dictatorship-like style, and his methods were ruthless and decisive. He would frequently, single-handedly veto their proposals that many of them had approved of. Moreover, Louis followed his orders without anyints. Therefore, in the beginning, everyone had privately given him the nickname, ¡°Dictator.¡± But as time went on, ¡°Dictator¡± was mentioned less and less. This was because time and time again, they would see that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s decision had been the correct one without exception. Every proposal he epted would be sessful. Every proposal he rejected would not turn out well, thus proving that his decision had been correct. Over and over, they had witnessed his ability to make miraculously precise judgements. Under his leadership, in less than one year, RE had risen to heights that countlesspanies wouldn¡¯t be able to reach even after ten years. RE¡¯s most expensive R&D team for the new energy source had been single-handedly cultivated by him. He had even suggested ideas that had garnered the amazement and respect of the research team. He had been crucial in the development of this new energy extraction method. The people, who had been firmly against the research and development of this new energy source and had thought that this was a big waste of money, all shut up once RE¡¯s market value had shot up by more than a hundred million dors after the new energy source had been announced. From then on, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s nickname of ¡°Dictator¡± had unwittingly be ¡°Supreme Commander.¡± No one knew who had been the first person to mention ¡°Supreme Commander¡± as a nickname first. But after everyone had ruminated over it, they realized that this nickname suited Xiao Yuanmu very well. Therefore, the usage of this nickname had spread out widely. Compared to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s astonishingly precise judgement ability or his dictatorship-style leadership that would asionally arouseints, what people gossiped about the most were actually his eyes. They always seemed perpetually calm and seemed like they could see through you. Sixty percent of RE¡¯s executives and shareholders were white men. ck and Asian men made up the rest of them. To the Caucasians and African Americans, it was rare for them to see the Asian male build as sexy. Furthermore,pared to Western beauty standards, Asians preferred a more humble approach. Their humble, gentle auras weren¡¯t much in terms of offensive ability. They were typically far from imposing. Moreover, the people sitting here were all well-known figures in the business. The confidence of sessful figures like this was typically high. Of the Asians they had encountered in the business world, no matter how formidable their auras were, they could only be considered their equals at most. Of course, this only applied to the people in the business world and didn¡¯t include military people or those with special identities. This had nothing to do with racism. It was just a widespread,mon belief that people had based on what they¡¯d seen. It was like when one saw a tall, sturdy man fighting a skinny, feeble man. One¡¯s first instinct would be to bet on the tall, sturdy guy. This was the natural assumption that one would make if they didn¡¯t know anything else about the twobatants. But when it came to Xiao Yuanmu, the other¡¯s aura was genuinely intense. It wasn¡¯t because of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s height. It came from the powerful, calm aura that emitted out of him and made them want to trust him. This kind of feeling was really hard to describe, but it did help bring them together. No matter how firm they were in their own beliefs or how fierce the debates became, they would all acquiesce that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s final decision would be the best course of action. They wholeheartedly trusted his judgement. Therefore, even if this was a partnership raised by the American government itself, none of the RE executives dared to rudely and impetuously raise the topic. Instead, they had all calmly continued to discuss the main topic for today¡ªtheir future acquisitions. Honestly, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯sck of expression upon hearing about the government¡¯s proposal had calmed them down from their originally vignt, excited, and nervous states. They had regained theirposure, because he had kept his. However! Xiao Yuanmu, who hadn¡¯t even blinked upon receiving the government¡¯s partnership request, had actually reacted to whatever the secretary had said! How could they not be curious?! Moreover, as soon as the secretary had finished, Xiao Yuanmu stood up. He said to the rest of the attendees, ¡°Let¡¯s take a half-hour break. We¡¯ll continue after having some food.¡± After he had said this, he took the phone from the secretary and rushed out. This was an unprecedented situation! As the sounds of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s footsteps grew faint, everyone¡¯s scorching gazes turned towards the only two people who would know about what had just happened¡ªLouis and Yang Jie. ¡°I have to give my darling a call.¡± Louis stood upzily and stretched. He then headed outside with his phone. ¡°See youter.¡± Yang Jie also stood up. He naturally knew who Xiao Yuanmu had paused the meeting for. However, he didn¡¯t want to tell these people at all. He quickly left the conference room without saying a word. The people remaining in the room, who just knew that there was something to gossip about here but weren¡¯t able to hear about it, were heartbroken. After leaving the conference room, Xiao Yuanmu entered his own office with his phone. The other side had already hung up because of the dy. Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu dialed back. Only two people had this number. One person was the Director. The other was Song Xuanhe. The Director had always been economical. She would never make a long-distance call of her own ord. Even when he was the one making the call, she would end the call short. Therefore, it likely wasn¡¯t the Director. Furthermore, he had chatted with the Director within thest two days. As such, the probability that it was her decreased even more. That was why, without even thinking, Xiao Yuanmu knew who had been calling him. As he listened to the dial tone, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips slowly curled up into a smile. His serene eyes seemed to glow. There was a hint of anticipation and joy in his eyes. Xiao Yuanmu walked towards the French windows. After taking a few steps, he suddenly thought that the quiet, nearly inaudible sounds of his leather shoes against the carpet could affect how clearly he would hear the other person¡¯s voice when it came through. Thus, he stopped walking and simply froze in ce. His lowered eyelids concealed his bright eyes as the light from the other high-rises shone through the window and illuminated his softened features. The call had yet to go through. Xiao Yuanmu stood in ce, quietly waiting. Since Fortune had released their list, Xiao Yuanmu had been waiting for Song Xuanhe¡¯s call. Song Xuanhe had indeed called him that same day. However, the other hadn¡¯t seemed to know about the announcement. He had only chatted with him quickly before hanging up. He knew that Song Xuanhe was busy. Furthermore, Xiao Yuanmu himself was also swamped. Therefore, he hadn¡¯t called the other back to tell him about it. Later on, after the worldwide ranking list had been published, Xiao Yuanmu heard news that Song Xuanhe had heard about it. As such, he had started to anticipate the other¡¯s call again. But no matter how long he waited, Song Xuanhe never called him, even after the magazine interview had been leaked online. Xiao Yuanmu was a bit angry. There was also an indistinct sense of frustration. Despite that, he hadn¡¯t called Song Xuanhe first. He knew that this was extremely juvenile of him and that rationally speaking, this would benefit him in no way. However, he still couldn¡¯t help himself from doing this. Before he had left China and Song Xuanhe, he had thought that his feelings for Song Xuanhe had been uncontroble because of the influence of his memories. He had thought that these feelings would disappear after they separated. He had even drawn a line between his pre-rebirth self and his current self. He had thought that it was only his pre-rebirth self who had liked Song Xuanhe. Meanwhile, his post-rebirth self simply felt goodwill towards Song Xuanhe because of the influence his memories had on him. However, not even the daily onught of increasingly intense work in America could stop his longing for Song Xuanhe from growing. Sometimes, that longing would influence his thoughts. He would suddenly recall their every interaction while in the middle of work. Some of the memories were from before his rebirth while others were after. They constantly rooted themselves into his brain and would interrupt him during work whenever they could. He couldn¡¯t help but reminisce. No matter how he had tried to force himself to think rationally or force himself to try and focus on work, they would always appear whenever his concentration slipped. Xiao Yuanmu knew that Song Xuanhe was not beneficial to his future ns at all. Actually, his presence might even mess up his ns. That was why his reasoning had tried to forcibly sever his feelings for the other all this time. But, all of this hade to an end on the tenth day after Lunar New Year. On that day, Xiao Yuanmu had suffered stomach cramps again for the second time since his rebirth. Back then, his new energy source had attracted too much attention. Several branch families of the eight major financial groups had also contacted him. As expected, the Xiao Family had also sent someone. Xiao Yuanmu had a faint memory of the person who hade from the Xiao Family. Therefore, he had dealt with the other with ease. He had not given them any promises. Actually, he hadn¡¯t expressed his inclinations at all. It had probably been because he had been too calm, but the Xiao Family representative had started to get anxious. He had worked extra hard to highlight and exin the benefits the Xiao Family could bring him. When he had seen that Xiao Yuanmu had remained unmoved, he had tried to awe him with the Xiao Family¡¯s wealth. He had mentioned that the Xiao Family¡¯s sessor, Xiao Baicong¡¯sing-of-age ceremony was supposed to take ce soon. He had talked about how Xiao Baicong was intelligent and wise from a young age and that he would surely take the Xiao Family to higher heights. He had also said that the future was in the hands of the youth and that if Xiao Yuanmu were to cooperate with the Xiao Family, he would have a chance to work with this proud son of Heaven. Xiao Yuanmu had still refrained from expressing an opinion. He cool-headedly and politely sent the Xiao Family representative away. He hadn¡¯t made any mistakes in his work afterwards either. He had continued to work overtime deep into the night before leaving thepany that day. After washing up, he had held a short meeting with Louis before heading to bed. But on the next day, after having received another call from that Xiao Family representative, who had once again mentioned Xiao Baicong¡¯s ceremony, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s stomach cramps returned. In the beginning, it had only been a slight ache. To a normal person, it might have been considered an excruciating pain, but because it hadn¡¯t affected his ability to work, it had only been considered a ¡°slight ache.¡± Therefore, he had continued to work as usual and had even headed a meeting thatsted two consecutive hours. After he had returned to his spacious and empty office, however, the memories of his interactions with Song Xuanhe in his equally empty and spacious apartment in China, which also had French windows, had suddenly appeared in his mind. The image of Song Xuanhe tilting his head up as he looked at him appeared in his mind. His expression of confusion a moment prior had changed. Song Xuanhe had obviously appearedpletely harmless while sitting on the sofa, but now, he was looking at him with an indifferent expression as if he was just a yer ying a game. He had asked him, ¡°Do you not know your ce?¡± His voice in his memories had been cold and full of loathing. He had asked back, ¡°What does someone in my ce have to do?¡± Song Xuanhe had then stood up, putting on airs. He had tried to act suggestive as he tilted Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chin up. ¡°What do you think? Wait for me in the room after washing up.¡± He had acted very imposing while standing in front of the sofa. However, the sight of him escaping after having said this had made it seem a bit like he had run away flustered. Back then, he had thought that Song er shaoye wasn¡¯t as fickle as rumoured. After all, what kind of yboy would be able to say such a thing with such pure eyes devoid of any and all lust? But he had also thought, so what? Regardless, he would one day pay back Song Xuanhe for all the humiliation he had given him. Back to the present, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips had pursed slightly. He had then turned around and headed for the sofa in his office. After he had sat down, the image of Song Xuanhe jumping into the pool and swimming towards him clearly had started to rey in his mind. The other was obviously a weak swimmer¡ªXiao Yuanmu had even seen fear in the other¡¯s eyes¡ªbut, Song Xuanhe had still swam towards him without any hesitation. He had then reached out and¡­. He had still remembered it as if it had happened yesterday. As Xiao Yuanmu re-lived his memories, his stomach cramps had suddenly intensified. He hadn¡¯t been able to help himself from curling up. All the while, his gaze had been fixed onto the phone on the coffee table. Xiao Yuanmu had known that he should and could endure the pain. However, he still hadn¡¯t been able to stop himself from calling Song Xuanhe. It was probably because talking had helped distract him, but when he had heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice and chatted with him, Xiao Yuanmu had felt like his cramps had stopped hurting so much. Song Xuanhe had worked faster than his pain suppressors ever did. It had made him reluctant to hang up. Instead, he had started to talk about his life. In the end, he had asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Are you feeling better now?¡± Song Xuanhe had asked back, ¡°What about you?¡± Although they had been separated by the Pacific Ocean, and their voices were distorted by the phone, they had both been able to sense that the other had been a bit different from usual. This had never happened to Xiao Yuanmu before. At that moment, Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been able to tell what he was feeling. All he had felt was the longing in his chest and the racing of his heart. At that moment, he had be certain that he had truly fallen in love with Song Xuanhe. It was also at that moment that he had realized that his stomach had stopped hurting. During lunch that day, for the first time, Xiao Yuanmu had tossed Xiao Baicong and his work to the back of his head. Instead, he had thought about everything between Song Xuanhe and himself. He once again meticulously perused his pre-rebirth memories. After that, he had realized just how stupid he had been to forcibly suppress these memories and his feelings. Back then, he had forgotten that, regardless of whether his pre-rebirth self¡¯s experiences were different from his, they were, from beginning to end, the same person. Therefore, he was bound to also fall in love with the person his pre-rebirth self had loved. Louis had said, ¡°Love was the most greedy and unbridled emotion there was.¡± Once you got a taste, you would start to want more and more. Your reasoning would fail against all sorts of baffling, trivial matters. Xiao Yuanmu had originally thought that only the first one could possibly be true. But now, when no one picked up his call, he realized that he actually agreed with the second sentence he had once scoffed at. His rational side told him that Song Xuanhe was probably busy. After all, he had just called him. Although it had been a different number than the one he usually used, this at least meant that he cared about him. Song Xuanhe had finally called him after he had heard the news about him. But, there were a lot of other things that affected Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rationality. He couldn¡¯t help but think that if Song Xuanhe really cared about him, shouldn¡¯t he have tried calling again after the first call had failed? Or even if he didn¡¯t, shouldn¡¯t he have kept his phone near him so that he could pick up as soon as Xiao Yuanmu returned his call? When Xiao Yuanmu dialed the number again, his lips slowly started to purse as he listened to the seemingly endless dial tone. When it cut off again, his eyes filled with darkness. His lips were drawn into a tight line. He dialed the number a third time. Again, no one picked up. Who knew how many times he had tried it, but no one had answered until ten minutes passed. ¡°Hello? Is this President Xiao?¡± Originally, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression had improved upon hearing the call connect. But upon hearing this unfamiliar voice, his face sunk once more. There were dregs of ice embedded in his inwardly angry voice. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Are you President Xiao? RE¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father asked, ecstatic. When Song Xuanhe had so casually given him this number, Song Jiabao¡¯s father had made several calls, but no one had picked up. When he had thought about Song Xuanhe¡¯s meaningful smile upon giving him this number, he had thought that this number was likely fake. He had thought that Song Xuanhe, that brat, must have tricked him. After all, everyone knew how popr RE¡¯s president was right now. How could he give him Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s number just like that? Moreover, Song Xuanhe had said that they had already broken up. He probably didn¡¯t even have Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s American number. Song Jiabao¡¯s father had gotten increasingly more infuriated the more he had thought about it. He had thrown his phone onto a chair and gone looking for Song Xuanhe. He hadn¡¯t expected to overhear the Song brothers¡¯ conversation by ident. When he had seen how confident Song Xuanlin had been about the love between Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, Song Jiabao¡¯s father had wavered. He didn¡¯t trust Song Xuanhe, but Song Xuanlin had always been steady. He would rarely talk about anything he wasn¡¯t sure of. Usually, there was a high chance that anything he said was true. If that was the case, he absolutely could not offend Song Xuanhe right now. That was what Song Jiabao¡¯s father had thought. Nevertheless, he hadn¡¯t left. After all, he was really interested in the topic Song Xuanlin had raised. Song Xuanhe had both Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s assistance and the old sir¡¯s favour. If he wanted to inherit the Song Family, it would be very easy for him. But in this family, except for the old sir, no one wanted Song Xuanhe to be the one to inherit the business. Moreover, Song Jiabao and Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have a good rtionship. If Song Xuanhe were to take over, it would not benefit Song Jiabao and his family at all. Therefore, he had pricked his ears and eavesdropped while hidden behind a tree. He had then heard Song Xuanhe firmly express that he had no intention of seeding thepany. Song Xuanhe had then asked Song Xuanlin about his view on the Song Family. Song Jiabao¡¯s father had wanted to hear more. However, Li Nianan had been walking in their direction. He had no choice but to leave from the other side. When he returned to the pool, he had grabbed his phone only to find out that he had more than ten missed calls. All the calls came from the number Song Xuanhe had given him. He had just missed the most recent call by a hair. Song Jiabao¡¯s father had hesitated for a moment. Before he could decide whether to trust that the number from Song Xuanhe had been true, another call came in. He had promptly picked it up and cautiously asked if the other was Xiao Yuanmu. When he had heard the cold, young voice on the other end, he had realized that Song Xuanhe might have really given him the right number. ¡°Don¡¯t make me ask a second time. Who are you, and how did you get this number?¡± ¡°My name is Song Guohua. I¡¯m Song Xuanhe¡¯s uncle.¡± Song Jiabao¡¯s father said in a ttering voice. ¡°President Xiao is young and promising. I wanted to give you a call and get acquainted. I got this number from Xuanhe. After all, we¡¯re family. When he heard that mypany really wanted to form a partnership with yours, he gave this number to me. He said that he wanted to let us talk about partnering over your new energy source.¡± When he thought about how Song Xuanhe actually hadn¡¯t called him and had instead given his number to someone else, frost formed over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. However, his voice was still very calm. ¡°You¡¯re Song Jiabao¡¯s father?¡± Song Guohua¡¯s expression changed slightly. He stammered for a while before saying, ¡°Yes. It¡¯s all because my son isn¡¯t sensible. He had offended President Xiao in the past. I apologize on his behalf. I willpensate you however you wish.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll agree to anything?¡± The chill in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes was freezing. He walked over to the French windows and gazed down at the cars on the street that looked like insects from where he was, three hundred metres up in the air. His voice was t without any hint of emotion. However, when Song Guohua had heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s question, he didn¡¯t know why, but he shivered despite the fact that it was already May. He swallowed before saying, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to let bygones be bygones and partner with mypany, I will do my best to fulfill any condition.¡± Who knew what he had thought of, but Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then there is one thing you can help me with.¡±
Eve: Thank you to everyone for the sweet messages. I tried to respond back to all your warm, encouragingments individually (I¡¯m sure those with a CG ount have already gotten the notifs. If you don¡¯t have a CG , I¡¯m not sure if you get notifications when Iment but I did respond I promise!). I had been apprehensive in posting thatment but I¡¯m blown away by the amount of understanding, empathy, and kindness there is in thismunity. As others have told me, I should learn to just ignore negativements. So I¡¯ll work on that. Rather than focus on negativity, I¡¯d rather enjoy this novel with you lovely readers who try to keep things positive~ Checking thements more infrequently helped a lot so I will continue to check once or twice a week on this novel~ Chapter 87: Expressionless, A Heavy Expression Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°What do you need help with, President Xiao? I will do anything you need.¡± Song Guohua had not expected to be able to hop onto Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ship so easily. He was so excited that he started to shake slightly. There was also a tremor in his voice as he spoke. Xiao Yuanmu gazed into the distance, taking in the sight of the congested traffic beneath him. There was an obscure look in his eyes. He didn¡¯t speak for a long time. Despite not hearing anything from the other side, Song Guohua didn¡¯t dare to urge Xiao Yuanmu to speak. He lightened his breath and cautiously waited for an answer. Someone then knocked on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s door. Xiao Yuanmu looked away from the window and told the person toe in without hanging up. Yang Jie pushed the door open. When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu was currently holding his phone, a sh of understanding flickered through his eyes. ¡°There are ten minutes until the break is up. Xiao ge, do you want to eat something or maybe dy the meeting a bit longer? ¡°No need,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°The meeting will reconvene on time.¡± Yang Jie nodded. He looked at the phone in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand hesitantly. He had been about to say something else, but the phone in his own pocket started to ring. When Yang Jie pulled the phone out and nced at it, his mind nked. He then looked at Xiao Yuanmu as if he had something to say. Noticing Yang Jie¡¯s expression, Xiao Yuanmu thought that the other had something serious to tell him. Therefore, he hung up the phone and asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°This call¡­¡± Yang Jie raised his phone and directed the screen towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°It¡¯s from Song shao.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. He turned his face slightly towards the window again and said, ¡°Take it.¡± Yang Jie paused for a few seconds before answering the call on speaker. ¡°Hello? Song shao.¡± Song Xuanhe, who had just been saved by Li Nianan from Song Xuanlin¡¯s grasp, was in a fairly good mood. You could hear it in his voice. ¡°Yang Jie, where are you right now?¡± ¡°I¡¯m at Xiao¡­¡± Yang Jie saw the expression Xiao Yuanmu directed towards him and changed what he was going to say. ¡°I¡¯m in the meeting room, arranging the documents for the uing meeting.¡± ¡°Do you know where Xiao Yuanmu is now?¡± Yang Jie nced at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression again. Seeing that the other didn¡¯t turn to look at him, he told the truth. ¡°President Xiao is in his office.¡± ¡°Is he busy?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly. Yang Jie thus said, ¡°Very busy. President Xiao worked overtimest night and didn¡¯t even go home. He had to hold a shareholder meeting early in the morning too. The meeting hadsted five hours before he got a break¡­.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue. He then lied without blinking, ¡°No wonder he didn¡¯t pick up my call just now. He¡¯s probably fallen asleep at the office.¡± Yang Jie looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu took two steps towards him and indicated for Yang Jie to continue. ¡°President Xiao is probably still awake. Do you want me to find him for you?¡± Yang Jie didn¡¯t know what else to say. He just wanted to end the call as soon as possible. ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± Song Xuanhe lied down on his bed, exhalingfortably. ¡°Tell him congrattions for me. With regards to yourpany¡¯s ranking. I¡¯m going to sleep now. Bye.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had raised his hand, about to take the phone, when he heard the call end. Faced with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s frosty gaze, Yang Jie handed the phone over and asked, ¡°President Xiao, how about calling back?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s finger twitched. In the end, he stuck the phone back into his pocket and said in an insipid voice, ¡°No. Go tell everyone that the meeting will continue.¡± * The next morning, when Song Xuanhe headed downstairs, he discovered that Song Jiabao¡¯s family actually hadn¡¯t left. ¡°Xuanhe, ah.¡± Song Guohua walked over to Song Xuanhe and smiled. ¡°Uncle called President Xiao yesterday. He¡¯s already agreed to cooperate with me. But, Uncle still needs you to help out. We¡¯re a family. So, you¡¯ll help Uncle, right?¡± Song Xuanhe had been sleep-deprived for thest few months. Although he had slept a full eight hoursst night, one night wouldn¡¯t be enough to clear his sleep debt. Therefore, although he had been woken up by his rm, Song Xuanhe was still half-asleep. He would have skipped work at the Song Group to sleep all day if it had been a weekday. However, today was the weekend, so he had to go to the studio. Right now, as Song Guohua was talking to him, the words went in one ear and out the other. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care about what the other was saying at all. He didn¡¯t n on answering the other either. When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s indifferent expression, the smile on Song Guohua¡¯s face froze. He then continued, ¡°Did you not sleep wellst night? You young people shouldn¡¯t stay up sote. Otherwise, you¡¯ll suffer when you¡¯re older.¡± Song Xuanhe perfunctorily nodded his head before sitting down at his seat. Song Xuanlin took in his sluggish appearance. He poured a cup of freshly squeezed juice and said, ¡°Drink it.¡± Song Xuanhe epted it and took a few sips. The iced juice was cold and helped to wake him up. ¡°Xuanhe, what about the thing Uncle had said to you just now¡­?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. He was still half-awake and was also still grumpy from having just woken up. ¡°What does Xiao Yuanmu working with you have to do with me?¡± ¡°Xuanhe, that¡¯s not right,¡± Song Guohua¡¯s wife said, ¡°We¡¯re a family. It¡¯s only expected that you should help your uncle out.¡± Song Xuanhe casually stirred the congee in the bowl. He took a few mouthfuls and then ced his spoon down. ¡°I already told you, there¡¯s nothing between Xiao Yuanmu and I now. But, I know him. Song Jiabao has offended him pretty heavily. I¡¯m actually quite surprised he agreed so easily.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I need you to act as a go-between,¡± Song Guohua said, ¡°Uncle¡¯spany is one of the Song Group¡¯s business partners. It¡¯ll do the Song Group a lot of good if Uncle¡¯spany does well. Besides, everything in the past was just a misunderstanding. It¡¯ll be fine once the misunderstanding has been cleared up.¡± Song Xuanheughed when he had heard this. He raised his chin and pointed to Song Jiabao. With a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes, he said, ¡°You should ask him how many times he¡¯s offended Xiao Yuanmu and whether it¡¯s something a single apology can resolve.¡± Song Guohua looked at Song Jiabao. Although Song Jiabao was afraid of Song Xuanhe, there were a lot of people around, so he believed that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t beat him up here. Therefore, he spoke in a rather confident tone, ¡°The matter between Xiao Yuanmu and I was nothing but a little scuffle. Since you two used to be together, it shouldn¡¯t be too much to ask you to help clear things up with him.¡± ¡°Look, Jiabao said it was just a little scuffle. President Xiao probably doesn¡¯t mind it either.¡± Song Guohua smiled, ¡°How about you help us speak to him?¡± Song Yansong and Song Guochao came downstairs together at this time. Song Guochao just so happened to hear this. ¡°Your uncle is your senior. You¡¯re not even willing to help him out with something as small as this?¡± Song Xuanhe lost his appetite. He ced his spoon down and pulled his phone out to make a call. When Song Guohua saw the contact name, his expression turned into one of apprehension. ¡°Xuanhe, what are you doing?¡± ¡°I¡¯m helping you ask if he minds, ah.¡± Song Xuanhe put the call on speakerphone. As they listened to the ringing tone, he said in a t voice, ¡°Uncle and Father want me to ask my ex-boyfriend about what had happened between him and Cousin. If I don¡¯t do it, I¡¯ll be used of not respecting my elders and not caring about my family. Obviously, I should help you out.¡± When Song Guohua heard this, he had wanted to say something. But before he could respond, the call had been picked up. ¡°Is there something you need?¡± When they heard the icy, impatient tone, which obviously didn¡¯t sound like someone getting a call from their lover, the expression of the majority of people in the room changed slightly. Song Guohua¡¯s expression changed the most drastically. ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe swept his gaze over the other people¡¯s expressions with keen interest. He smiled. ¡°I¡¯m calling you, because I have a question for you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu, who had waited a whole day for Song Xuanhe to call back, paused. His voice was calm and distant. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do you remember that cousin of mine? Song Jiabao?¡± When Xiao Yuanmu had heard Song Xuanhe mention someone else after having finally called him after so long, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice grew colder. ¡°Yes. What about him?¡± ¡°He wants to apologize to you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes flitted over to the nervous Song Jiabao. ¡°He hopes that you¡¯ll forgive him and not hold what had happened in the past against him. He also hopes that you¡¯ll agree to cooperate with his family¡¯spany. What do you think? Will you forgive and work with him?¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his gaze. He didn¡¯t respond right away. There was quite a bit of background noiseing from the other side of the phone. asionally, he could also make out the faint clink of cups and tes. He didn¡¯t even have to ask. He knew that Song Xuanhe had put him on speakerphone. It was about eight in the morning in China right now. Song Guohua must have seen Song Xuanhe yesterday to have been able to give Xiao Yuanmu a call. Furthermore, they must have met at the Song Residence. Therefore, Song Xuanhe must be currently sitting in the Song Residence¡¯s dining room. There was also a high probability that Song Jiabao¡¯s family was also present. This was probably the reason Song Xuanhe had called him. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up into a cold arc. If it hadn¡¯t been for Song Jiabao and his family, Song Xuanhe probably wouldn¡¯t have thought to call him. In less than half a second, Xiao Yuanmu had been able to guess Song Xuanhe¡¯s present situation and thoughts. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know this. He simply waited for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s reply with a calm expression. ¡°In what capacity are you asking me this?¡± When Song Xuanhe noticed Song Guohua¡¯s gaze on him, he smiled and said, ¡°As a member of the Song Family. My uncle¡¯s nephew. My cousin¡¯s cousin.¡± ¡°RE¡¯s already decided to team up with Haig. We have also decided that we will not be partnering with any other air-conditioning manufacturers.¡± Song Guohua was majorly disappointed. He looked away from Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe raised a brow and asked, ¡°Then, what about the misunderstanding with my cousin? Do you forgive him?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no misunderstanding between us.¡± Xiao Yuanmu knew about Song Xuanhe¡¯s rtionship with Song Jiabao¡¯s family. He also knew that the other had called him, because he had wanted him to personally reject Song Guohua. However, even though he was angry about this, he still couldn¡¯t help but do as Song Xuanhe wanted. ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe heard what Xiao Yuanmu was implying. Meanwhile, it was obvious that Song Jiabao¡¯s family didn¡¯t get it as they looked visibly relieved. Regardless, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t nice enough to warn them. ¡°That¡¯s it. I¡¯ll be hanging up now.¡± A dark light shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, and he pursed his thin lips. Song Xuanhe had just been about to hang up when he suddenly recalled something. He said, ¡°Right, congrattions on the sess of your new energy source research.¡± It had just been a short sentence, but it was enough to make Xiao Yuanmu smile. He made a soft sound of acknowledgment. However, when Song Xuanhe decisively hung up right after, his curled lips once again ttened. ¡°Is there anything else, Uncle?¡± Song Xuanhe stood up as he spoke, ¡°I¡¯m busy, so I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± He had just taken a few steps when he suddenly paused. He turned to look at Song Jiabao, a wicked smile in his eyes. ¡°Oh yeah, Cousin, I forgot to tell you, but Xiao Yuanmu knows about the thing with Boss Sun.¡± Song Jiabao froze while cutting the food on his te. His expression changed at once, and he turned to look at Song Xuanhe. However, Song Xuanhe had already left the room and could not be seen. * By the time Song Xuanhe had reached the studio, Shi Qi was already waiting for him. He stood off to the side, looking ufortable. He watched as the designers darted here and there, busy with their own work. When he finally saw Song Xuanhe walk in, he acted like a baby chick that had finally found its parents. He looked excited and dependent on Song Xuanhe. ¡°Song !¡± Song Xuanhe had originally been nning on going around the other to reach his office. He turned his head and was met with a pair of sparkling eyes. ¡°Song , you¡¯re here. I have already told my manager about training with you. He agreed.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°Come in with me.¡± Shi Qi followed Song Xuanhe into his office. After closing the door, Song Xuanhe crossed his arms and asked, ¡°Are you nervous when meeting strangers?¡± Shi Qi was taken aback. He licked his lips rather nervously and looked down. ¡°I¡¯m always like this in unfamiliar ces.¡± ¡°You¡¯re afraid of strangers and are ufortable in unfamiliar ces but still want to be a model?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, tone not at all gentle. ¡°Did your manager not tell you that you¡¯re not going to be able to mix in within these circles with a disposition like that?¡± Shi Qi pressed his lips into a straight line. He didn¡¯t answer. Song Xuanhe felt like he was bullying a small child, seeing the silent, guilty expression on that youthful face. But then again, when he thought about Shi Qi¡¯s age, he realized that the other was indeed still a kid. Nheless, Song ershao had never been one to feel ashamed over bullying small children. His words were as sharp as before. ¡°If you¡¯re not good with unfamiliar people and ces, then you¡¯re not suited for this field. You¡¯re in high school right now. It¡¯s better for you to go back and focus on your studies.¡± ¡°I like modelling.¡± Shi Qi abruptly raised his head. He met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes before quickly looking away. ¡°I will work hard to regte my nervousness¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe sat down on the sofa and gazed up at the other. He said in a t voice, ¡°You¡¯re so nervous in front of me right now. I find it really hard to believe that you won¡¯t mess up because of stage fright on the runway.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Shi Qi looked at Song Xuanhe. His voice wasn¡¯t loud, but it was firm. ¡°As long as I¡¯m on the runway, I won¡¯t feel nervous.¡± ¡°So, you want me to take a gamble and keep you on the off-chance you¡¯ll calm down on the runway?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Do you think you¡¯re worth gambling my debut show over?¡± ¡°You said I could do it yesterday.¡± Shi Qi frowned. ¡°You chose me out of the five of us. That means that you think I can do it, right?¡± ¡°No. I just chose the best out of the bunch.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was that of indifference. ¡°However, today, I feel like you aren¡¯t such a good choice after all.¡± ¡°You won¡¯t regret it.¡± Shi Qi took a step forward. He then paused when he met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. He said in a clear voice, ¡°I¡¯m a good choice.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Keep up that imposing manner. Remember how that feels. If I see you cowering at the entrance of the studio again tomorrow morning, you won¡¯t need toe back.¡± Shi Qi was taken aback. He said, ¡°Then, I¡­.¡± ¡°You can leave for now.¡± Song Xuanhe stood up, opened the door, and said, ¡°Come back at the same time tomorrow. It¡¯ll be yourst chance.¡± Shi Qi didn¡¯t move. He didn¡¯t dare to let the expression on his face change. He was so nervous that his jaw tensed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what kind of expression I was making. I don¡¯t know how to find this feeling again.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s not the one you have on now.¡± Song Xuanhe grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him out the door. ¡°Whether you can find that feeling again by tomorrow or not has nothing to do with me.¡± He didn¡¯t hesitate to shut Shi Qi outside. Song Xuanhe then turned around and threw himself into his work. He didn¡¯t know how much time had passed. Some timeter, Feng Tong knocked on his door. Only then did Song Xuanhee out of his work. ¡°There¡¯s a modeling in for an audition this afternoon.¡± Feng Tong walked in and shut the door. ¡°He has ample experience. He¡¯s done a few international shows for luxurious brands. I¡¯ve seen him at a show once. He¡¯s got a good aura.¡± Song Xuanhe was interested. ¡°Why did hee to me?¡± ¡°He disappeared for three months after hisst show. Not even his manager could contact him.¡± Feng Tong said, ¡°Seems like he had offended the editor-in-chief of some domestic magazine when he vited their contract. He was originally supposed to reach the B-list uponing back to the country, but because of this matter, basically no one wants him. That¡¯s why he hase here to try his luck.¡± Song Xuanhe directly said, ¡°I don¡¯t like people who don¡¯t honour their contractual obligations.¡± Feng Tong smiled and sat down next to him. ¡°I know. But although I¡¯ve only seen him once, I think that he¡¯s not that kind of person. I also think that his aura really suits your designs. That¡¯s why I want to give him a chance. In any case, you haven¡¯t found a model yet. Why not let him audition?¡± ¡°When is heing?¡± When Feng Tong heard Song Xuanhe ask this, he knew that the other had agreed. Therefore, he smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s already here. But, we¡¯re currently on our lunch break. So, he¡¯s been waiting outside.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded slowly. He didn¡¯t tell the other to have the model enter. He just said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I suppose I¡¯ll just wait until it¡¯s time for his audition to make my decision.¡± Feng Tong knew what Song Xuanhe was thinking. Feng Tong had only said all that, because he thought that the other was a rather good model. But in the end, Song Xuanhe was his business partner. He would not say anything more on the model¡¯s behalf. It was now up to the model¡¯s own capabilities. The two of them discussed the show¡¯s decorations after having lunch. They had already decided on the venue: an old church. Regardless of whether it was the spectator¡¯s angle or the decorations, they had to carefully consider their options. Aside from the show venue¡¯s decorations, they also had to discuss the backstage area, the makeup artists, the lighting, etc. They had chatted for a full two hours but had not been able toe up with a conclusive decision to any of these issues. Unfortunately, albeit trivial, they had to do it themselves. This was why Song Xuanhe and Feng Tong had been so busy. At around two in the afternoon, someone else knocked on Song Xuanhe¡¯s door. Feng Tong nced at the time and stood up. He said, ¡°Lunch is over. Looks like it¡¯s time for the audition.¡± Song Xuanhe also stood up. He had a lot to do this afternoon, so it would be best if he could get the audition over with quickly. ¡°You can head straight over to the changing rooms.¡± Feng Tong left the office with Song Xuanhe while saying this. ¡°I¡¯ll go call him over.¡± Song Xuanhe had no objections. He turned to head towards the changing rooms. He sat down on the sofa, where he had sat yesterday, and waited for the model Feng Tong had mentioned. Two minutester, a knock came from the door. ¡°Come in.¡± The gray-ss door rimmed with a ck, artsy, metal frame was pushed open. A tall man exuding an aloof aura walked in. When Song Xuanhe saw who hade, he raised his brows in surprise. ¡°It¡¯s you?¡± ¡°Song shao?¡± The person who had walked in paused. He had faint frown lines, which added a cold, sinister air to him, making him feel very hard-to-approach. Song Xuanhe sized him up, an interested smile on his lips. He walked over to the man and stuck his hand out. ¡°Long time no see.¡± The man hesitated before reaching out with his own hand, his jaw tense. Song Xuanhe shook his hand and then let go. ¡°I didn¡¯t think that you¡¯d be the one to audition, Yu Zhong. I had thought that we¡¯d never see each other again.¡± Yu Zhong replied in a t voice. ¡°I did too.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and went back to sit on the sofa. As he made his way back over, he said, ¡°The changing stalls are over there. The clothes are inside. I don¡¯t have to tell you what to do after you change, right?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yu Zhong handed the paper bag in his hands to Song Xuanhe and then headed into one of the changing rooms. Song Xuanhe was curious about what had happened since they hadst met. Although the young man from back then had been haughty, he had also been loyal and decisive. Now, he was cold and seemed cynical. However, Song Xuanhe had to admit that Yu Zhong¡¯s current temperament suited his designs very well. Yu Zhong changed very quickly. A short momentter, he pulled the curtain of the changing stall open and walked out. He wasn¡¯t wearing any shoes. He walked across the runway barefooted, wearing a pure-white, linen trench coat. The clothes looked like they had been tailored to his measurements. Every single seam seemed to be perfectly in line. The coat swayed against his calves as he walked in a smooth and steady pace. The totem design embroidered on the cor in the same colour as the trench coat could be faintly seen under the changing room¡¯s lights. This was a casual-style trench coat. However, the person wearing it had on a cold and indifferent expression the whole time. His frown lines also added a bit of a wicked air to it. The model¡¯s aura was like pure ck. Contrasted with the pure white clothes, it made one unable to look away. Yu Zhong was the first person to ever properly interpret Song Xuanhe¡¯s clothes. Furthermore, the current article he had on was still an unfinished piece. Song Xuanhe could almost imagine just how dazzling Yu Zhong would be on the runway wearing thepeted version. ¡°The clothes on that rack over there, from left to right.¡± Song Xuanhe pointed and said, ¡°Try each piece on.¡± Yu Zhong was surprised but didn¡¯tment. He did as Song Xuanhe said. After picking up the clothes, he went to model each one. After seeing Yu Zhong model all the clothes, Song Xuanhe had confirmed that Yu Zhong was indeed the most suitable person to wear his designs. Although he wasn¡¯tpletely what he wanted, the other was seventy percent there. It had already exceeded Song Xuanhe¡¯s expectations. Therefore, after the other had finished modelling all the clothes, he directly said, ¡°We¡¯ll sign the contract today. You¡¯ll fly to Y Country in September. Is that fine with you?¡± Yu Zhong was silent for a moment. He then said, ¡°You must have heard about how I had vited a contract.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°And?¡± Yu Zhong: ¡°You still trust me?¡± ¡°I do.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, his tone casual. However, there was a sliver of scrutiny in his eyes. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t dare to fail to honour mine, would you?¡± Yu Zhong¡¯s lips twitched. It seemed like he had wanted to say something. But in the end, he only said, ¡°I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t worry. Besides, I can¡¯t afford to pay the penalty that woulde with viting a contract with one of the Song Group¡¯s sessors.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, appearing carefree. He called someone over to prepare the contract. While the contract was being formted, he suddenly remembered the boy Yu Zhong had protected before. He asked, ¡°Right, where did that model who you were on good terms with go?¡± Yu Zhong¡¯s hand twitched. He said in a t voice, ¡°He¡¯s doing very well now. He¡¯s working abroad.¡± Chapter 88: A Pair of Ice-Cold Eyes Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
The passage of time and Song Xuanhe¡¯s unwillingness to talk about it caused everyone¡¯s interest in RE, the newest ck horse, to gradually decline. Except for Song Guohua, who had refused to give up and would asionally contact Song Xuanhe to ask him to act as a go-between, Song Xuanhe almost never heard anyone ask him about Xiao Yuanmu again. In the end, even Song Guohua gave up after hearing about what Song Jiabao had done to Xiao Yuanmu. Everything before, he had been able to minimize by calling them little scuffles. However, he had heard about the matter with Sun Jinren before. Initially, he had thought that what had happened to Sun Jinren had been his own problem. Therefore, when Sun Jinren¡¯spany had changed hands, he hadn¡¯t thought much about it. Now that he heard that his son had been involved, he couldn¡¯t help but shiver. Even though it didn¡¯t seem like thepany that had acquired Sun Jinren¡¯spany had anything to do with RE, he still felt like Xiao Yuanmu must have had something to do with it. For a while, not only did he stop trying to get Song Xuanhe to mediate between them, but ¡°Xiao Yuanmu¡± himself had also be a taboo topic for him. If the person behind the acquisition of Sun Jinren¡¯spany had really been Xiao Yuanmu, then that just proved that the other could use vicious methods and would not even think twice in employing them. As such, Song Guohua didn¡¯t even have to think to know that there was no way Xiao Yuanmu would form a partnership with him. And because Song Jiabao had been involved in the matter with Sun Jinren, Xiao Yuanmu might even take revenge on hispany. The only thing Song Guohua could rejoice in had been the fact that, although Xiao Yuanmu was currently a bit sessful in America, his reach would unlikely be able to reach China. Furthermore, he had a powerful backer behind him. The Song Group also would back him up. Although he was wary of Xiao Yuanmu, he hadn¡¯t thought that the other would dare to act against him. It was just that Song Guohua¡¯s confidence didn¡¯tst very long. All of a sudden, a particr piece of news smashed against his head, causing him to feel so dizzy that he felt like he was seeing stars. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu is a member of the Xiao Family?!¡± The moment he had agreed to Zhou Nan¡¯s invitation to go drinking, Song Xuanhe knew that there would be no avoiding this question. Yesterday, the Xiao Family had announced that they had found their long-lost eldest son all of a sudden. Song Xuanhe had just managed to get his peace back. When the news hade out though, the people looking for him to ask about Xiao Yuanmu were even more frenzied than they had been when the news that Xiao Yuanmu was the president of RE hade out. Not only did Song Xuanhe have to keep his phone turned off, but he also couldn¡¯t even return to his apartment. He had no choice but to stay at a hotel for a few days to avoid all those people, who would use any means to get to him. Song Xuanhe felt like this was the plot¡¯s revenge for him and Xiao Yuanmu not following the storyline of mutual torment. Even though Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t next to him, he was unable to free himself of him. ¡°F*ck, isn¡¯t this too fantastical?¡± Zhou Nan looked incredulous. ¡°I had just turned off my phone and stayed at the hospital for two days. As soon as I came out, I heard about this. I had thought that I was being pranked. Song Xiao Er, is this for real?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t look up. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°It¡¯s really real?¡± Zhou Nan was astonished. ¡°I had never expected that Xiao Yuanmu would suddenly be rted to Xiao Ranyun. Ranyun seemed to like him a lot. She had been saddened by your breakup for a long time. I had never expected that they¡¯d share such a connection.¡± ¡°But Song Er, you really lost out.¡± Zhou Nan had been stifled thesest two days. As soon as he had been freed, he couldn¡¯t stop talking. He sighed and patted Song Xuanhe on the shoulder, a sad look on his face. ¡°Your ex¡¯s career soared after you two broke up. Those tabloids are going to mock you for being as blind as a bat. The poor boy suddenly transformed into the sessor of a financial group. Those reporters are probably ecstatic right now, thinking about how they should go about talking crap about you. I, myself, can¡¯t even think of what to say.¡± When he didn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe reply, Zhou Nan bumped him with his shoulder. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany was founded in September. Did you really not know about it?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t.¡± ¡°Alright. That fellow even hid this from you. It wouldn¡¯t have made a difference if you had stayed together.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue and then sighed. ¡°In the past, I had believed in the rumours about how twisted the start of your rtionship had been. But when I had seen you dive into the water without any regard for your own life to save him that time, I knew that the rumours were fake. It¡¯s good enough that the two of you broke off on good terms. He¡¯s in America, and you¡¯re in China. And, who knows where the Xiao Family is situated? It¡¯s unlikely that you¡¯ll see each other again. Don¡¯t worry about this, bro.¡± Song Xuanhe took a sip of his drink and quietly said, ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true.¡± Zhou Nan hadn¡¯t heard what he had said clearly. He was taken back for a second before he shifted closer. ¡°What¡¯s not necessarily true?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t feel like responding. He clinked his ss of vodka against Zhou Nan¡¯s ss that was currently sitting on the table. The melodious ring diverted Zhou Nan¡¯s attention. Zhou Nan lifted his ss up and sipped it. ¡°If you¡¯re unhappy, drink more. Ge will drink with you.¡± ¡°nning on taking advantage of me?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Zhou Nan bumped sses with him and then changed the topic. ¡°I heard that Xiao Baicong of the Xiao Family is pretty impressive. Xiao Baicong probably won¡¯t be able to ept Xiao Yuanmu suddenly entering the family, even if they¡¯re biological brothers. Oh, but RE¡¯s in hot demand right now. The Xiao Family has a lot of investments in the energy industry. Hispany will probably help him in the contest for the Xiao Family¡¯s sessor position.¡± Song Xuanhe thought it over. Zhou Nan was right, if he were to look at the original plot. In the original story, Xiao Yuanmu had indeed relied on hispany to stabilize his footing in the Xiao Family. But, the thing was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany in the original plot had only been an investmentpany. It had nothing to do with new energy source research before. Although in the book, he had started to invest in it, the research hadn¡¯te into fruition until thete stage of the plot. It had also been because this new energy source had appeared that Xiao Yuanmu had been able to finally stabilize his position as the Xiao Family head. Before this, Song Xuanhe had been too busy with his work to pay attention to the discrepancies between Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s current progress and the plot. Furthermore, he wasn¡¯t too clear about the specifics of thetter portion of the story either. He had only flipped through the plot again after recently hearing the system say that Xiao Yuanmu had been taking too long to get noticed by the Xiao Family and that this would affect the missionpletion rate. After flipping through the text, he had realized that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s current progress had deviated greatly from the plot. The nature of hispany waspletely different. For a moment, Song Xuanhe had been unable to find where things had gone wrong. Although Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t gone to work for other investment firms, he had still won the lottery as ordained by the plot. He had thought that these little differences would only cause slight deviations from the story. After Xiao Yuanmu had left, because Song Xuanhe knew that the other had still ended up going to America, and he subconsciously didn¡¯t want to hear about the other,bined with how busy he had been with the studio, he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Xiao Yuanmu. He hadn¡¯t expected for such a huge change to appear during this time. He had only realized this when it came time for Xiao Yuanmu to be acknowledged by the Xiao Family. When Song Xuanhe realized that he had overlooked this, he had also realized that something was fishy. The slight deviations in the beginning may have been coincidental, but there was no way he wouldn¡¯t start to get suspicious over the bigger and bigger deviations that were now urring. The System had once said that the major events in the plot could not be changed. Reality had indeed proved this. Although many idents had happened, the general direction of the plot had never changed. Although Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany type and the new energy source research weren¡¯t considered a major part of the plot, these deviations would very likely influence the general direction of the plot. However, the news that the Xiao Family had found their long-lost eldest son had suppressed Song Xuanhe¡¯s suspicions. The timing of the Xiao Family¡¯s announcement coincided with when Xiao Yuanmu was supposed to meet the Xiao Family. There was no difference at all. It was just that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why, but he still felt like something was fishy. But even when he pondered over it, he couldn¡¯t figure out just what was wrong. The only thing he could do was conclude that, although his appearance had disrupted the main plot line, the consequences were not serious. After having discussed it with the System, the System could only tell him: ¡¾I have not detected any signs of the plot copsing. However, there is indeed a huge discrepancy between Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actions and what was written in the plot. I¡¯ve already reported this to the main System.¡¿ The main System replied very quickly. There were only three words: No abnormalities detected. Upon getting this response, Song Xuanhe stopped thinking about this. Just like the System had said, Song Xuanhe already had nothing to do with the plot. All he had to do now was go through thest scene where Xiao Yuanmu would hear from someone else about him being at a certain auction he would need to attend before his death. After that, he would just have to leave this world at an appropriate time. His date of departure was getting closer and closer. Looking at the dates now, he could see that there was less than a year until then. Song Xuanhe took another sip of his drink. He could feel the burn in his throat as he clutched the ss tighter in his hand. ¡°But, it does look like a win-win situation for Xiao Yuanmu and the Xiao Family to find each other now. Xiao Yuanmu currently needs a backer if he wants to protect the new energy source in his hands. Furthermore, the new energy source will rake in huge profit for the Xiao Family. Thinking about it like this¡­maybe it¡¯s the Xiao Family that actually benefits the most. Not only did they find their long-lost son, but they also got apany that has a bright future ahead of it. What do you think, Song Er, do you think Xiao Yuanmu will merge hispany with the Xiao Group?¡± After finishing his winding speech, Zhou Nan nced at Song Xuanhe through his peripheral vision. When he saw the other with his eyes downcast, he frowned in concern. He pretended to not notice anything and changed the topic. ¡°Right, have I told you about my progress with Yu Yan? I went to his clinic, because I had a cough. As expected, after staying in the hospital for two days, things have changed. He¡¯s being nicer to me these days¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhou Nan was taken aback. ¡°What?¡± Song Xuanhe had also been startled by the word he had blurted out. When he had heard Zhou Nan¡¯s voice, however, he repeated himself. ¡°He won¡¯t merge hispany with the Xiao Group.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes quivered. In the plot, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany had merged with the Xiao Group. But for some reason, he was certain that the other wouldn¡¯t do the same this time. Was it because thepany type was different? Song Xuanhe mulled over this. An investmentpany that could be handed over at any time was obviously different from a new energy source researchpany that enjoyed a monopoly over said energy source. It wasn¡¯t that he understood Xiao Yuanmu; it was that he knew just how shrewd the other was. With that in mind, there was no way the other would hand such an easy money-maker over to the Xiao Family. Zhou Nan nodded hesitantly. He then tried to sound Song Xuanhe out. ¡°Now that you¡¯ve said that, I also don¡¯t think that it¡¯s likely that Xiao Yuanmu will hand hispany over to the Xiao Family. But you know, you really understand Xiao Yuanmu. You two¡­.¡± ¡°He and I, there¡¯s no ¡®you two.¡¯¡± Song Xuanhe felt like he had probably drank a bit too much. He suddenly felt distracted like his thoughts were a mess. He stood up and said, ¡°Drink on your own. I¡¯m going to head back.¡± Staring after Song Xuanhe as he disappeared into the crowd, Zhou Nan shook his head. Perplexed, he said, ¡°It can¡¯t be that my words came true¡­.¡±
The author has something to say: Zhou Nan: An ¡°I only realized I loved you after losing you¡± y is actually unfolding before my eyes! Chapter 89: Don’t Want Him to be my Boyfriend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°Xiao ge, here are today¡¯s documents.¡± As soon as Xiao Yuanmu had walked into his office, Yang Jie handed him the day¡¯s documents as per usual. The newest secretary was currently following Xiao Yuanmu from behind and giving him an overview of today¡¯s agenda. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu had stopped, he also promptly stopped in his tracks and paused his report. He thought about the advice his seniors had given him: the first rule a secretary had to abide by was to not get too close to the ¡°Supreme Commander.¡± This was also the reason why his predecessor had been fired. Xiao Yuanmu opened up therge brown envelope Yang Jie had handed over to him. As he pulled the thin papers out, a photo also slipped out. He frowned. The secretary behind him promptly walked over to pick up the photo. After handing the photo back to Xiao Yuanmu, he retreated. His actions had been efficient and nimble. ¡°This is¡­¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, ¡°Yu Zhong?¡± Yang Jie took half a step closer to take a nce at the photo. He didn¡¯t recognize the man in the photo. But when he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, he could tell that the other did not like him. Furthermore, for some reason, Yang Jie felt like the clothes the man was wearing looked familiar. ¡°His background report is also included.¡± Yang Jie said, ¡°We also have the results from Shi Qi¡¯s investigation now. His real name is Li Shiqi. He¡¯s currently in his second year of high school. Both of his parents are professors. He was recruited by his manager to start modelling. His background is very simple. He poses no threat to Song Ershao.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and replied in a t voice, ¡°Tell Song Xuanhe¡¯s protection team that they absolutely must not make any mistakes.¡± If he hadn¡¯t remembered incorrectly, the Song Xuanhe in his previous life had been tricked into doing drugs around this time. It was just a pity that he hadn¡¯t paid much attention to Song Xuanhe¡¯s matters in hisst life. Therefore, he didn¡¯t know the exact timing in which this would ur. ¡°Understood.¡± In the beginning, when Xiao Yuanmu first dispatched the team to protect Song Xuanhe, Yang Jie had felt both astonished and curious. After all, the Song Family was influential and powerful. Who would ever try to do something to the Song Family¡¯s youngest young master? However, after so much time had passed, he was used to it now. However, he did think that Xiao ge was mostly researching every unfamiliar person around Song Xuanhe out of selfish concerns. Nheless, the team by Song Xuanhe¡¯s side was capable of protecting him during emergency situations. ¡°Then, should we also do a detailed investigation into Yu Zhong?¡± Yang Jie asked. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was on the Song Xuanhe in the photo, who seemed to be speaking to Yu Zhong. The light in his eyes darkened. ¡°Look into the details about his contract vition and how he managed to make his way to Song Xuanhe.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Yang Jie took half a step back and used his eyes to indicate to the new male secretary to continue reporting today¡¯s agenda. The male secretary was very quick-witted. He promptly continued to talk about the agenda. After finishing his report, he hesitated for a few seconds. But in the end, he still said, ¡°Mr. Xiao, Mrs. Xiao has asked me about your private schedule for today. She wishes to meet with you during your lunch break. I have yet to give her a reply. How would you like me to respond?¡± Xiao Yuanmu ced the documents in his drawer. Yang Jie said, ¡°Mr. Xiao is meeting Mr. Smith at lunch. Did you forget about this, Joe?¡± Joe nodded, acknowledging his slip-up. ¡°I see. I seem to have overlooked that. I will immediately apologize to Mrs. Xiao.¡± ¡°Tell Ralph that we¡¯ll hold the meeting at ten,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°You can leave now.¡± When the secretary shut the office door, Yang Jie spoke up, ¡°This new secretary is a lot better than the ones before.¡± Xiao Yuanmu skimmed through his emails. ¡°Take him off probation and make him full-time in one week.¡± ¡°One week?¡± Yang Jie was shocked. Although the probation period could indeed be adjusted by the boss, thepany had a tacit agreement that it shouldst three months. None of the secretaries before had managed to make it through the whole three months. The one who hadsted the longest had been the one who had just gotten fired. That secretary hadsted half a month under probation but had still been let go after identally falling against Xiao Yuanmu. Joe was the first male secretary they¡¯d employed. He was also someone Xiao Yuanmu had personally chosen while sifting through resumes. Yang Jie had never expected that this man would be RE¡¯s first tenured secretary after only a few days. Nheless, his shock had onlysted two seconds. Yang Jie quickly regained his calm. ¡°Got it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu finished reading his emails. When he noticed that Yang Jie was still here, he couldn¡¯t help but look up. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Xiao ge¡­¡± Yang Jie seemed hesitant. Xiao Yuanmu looked away and opened up a file. ¡°What?¡± ¡°¡­The editor-in-chief of F&E wants to interview you. She said that she wanted to ask about your private life. I was nning on refusing her.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused his writing. A dot of ink was left on the pure white, A4-sized paper. He said, ¡°Arrange it for tomorrow.¡± Yang Jie was taken aback. ¡°You¡¯re going to do it?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°At this time¡­?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up. His voice was t and calm. ¡°What do you want to say?¡± Yang Jie parted his lips. He couldn¡¯t help but recall the chaos and incredulity that had resulted when someone from the Xiao Family hade to RE not too long ago, demanding Xiao Yuanmu undergo a paternity/maternity test. He also remembered the glee and excitement of the Xiao Family couple from when the results hade out. Not only had the couple been happy, but Yang Jie had also been happy on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s behalf about finding his biological parents. But¡­Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm and estrangement towards the Xiao couple had caused his joy to cool down. People who don¡¯t know Xiao Yuanmu very well would think that he was an overly cold and aloof person. However, Yang Jie, who had gotten a new lease on life after having met Xiao Yuanmu, thought that Xiao Yuanmu simply hid his kindness and gentleness too deeply. It was precisely because Xiao Yuanmu had saved him that Yang Jie practically had blind faith and worship towards Xiao Yuanmu. He believed that there had to be a reason for why Xiao Yuanmu treated the Xiao Family so coldly. It was just that, when he thought about how he would see the disappointed expression on Mrs. Xiao¡¯s face every day when she couldn¡¯t see him, he couldn¡¯t help but feel ufortable. He was afraid that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s coldness would inevitably push away the parents who had been lost then found. He was afraid that the other woulde to regret this in the future. ¡°Xiao ge.¡± Yang Jie furrowed his brows, conflicted. His lips opened and shut, no sounding out for a moment. But in the end, he still asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you willing to get involved with the Xiao Family?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t look up. His voice was t. ¡°A week ago, I had a meal with the Xiao couple. Did you forget?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t mean that.¡± Yang Jie shut his mouth after saying this. When he saw that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem inclined to respond, he said, ¡°I mean, why aren¡¯t you willing to go back to the Xiao Family? Mrs. Xiaoes by every day, just wanting to see your face. She really hopes that you¡¯ll go back and live with them. But, you¡­.¡± A dark light shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lowered gaze. When he looked up and saw Yang Jie¡¯s concerned expression, he ced his fountain pen down. He interlocked his fingers and ced his hands over hisp. Voice calm, he said, ¡°Why do you think the Xiao Family is trying to take me back in such a high-profile manner right now?¡± Yang Jie nked slightly upon hearing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s question. He pondered over this question for half a minute before saying, ¡°The Xiao Family had only noticed you because of RE¡¯s sess. They had probably investigated you after seeing your interviews. It likely had been then that they realized that you might be their long-lost son. That was why they hade to see you and confirm your identity.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t move. He continued to look at Yang Jie quietly, waiting for the other to continue. Yang Jie pursed his lips and added, ¡°Then, the results had confirmed your identity. Back then, the prime motivation for investigating you had probably been because they wanted to partner with RE. Therefore, although they were happy and excited, they also saw this as an opportunity. That was why they had released the information that they had ¡®found you,¡¯ even though they had yet to formally take you back and meet with the other Xiao Family members. They wanted to use this to warn off otherpanies that had been preparing to reach out to RE.¡± ¡°At the same time, they hope that RE will merge with their group. They want to take in our research group¡­¡± Yang Jie¡¯s voice grew quieter and quieter. Eventually, he stopped talking. ¡°However.¡± Yang Jie turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°I think that, although they may have made that announcement with their own profit in mind, Mr. and Mrs. Xiao¡¯s feelings for you seem sincere¡­.¡± Under Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze, Yang Jie¡¯s voice once again quieted. Just as he thought that Xiao Yuanmu would disapprove of his words, Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I do think that they¡¯re being sincere.¡± Yang Jie: ¡°Then, why won¡¯t you meet with Mrs. Xiao?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down, his long, straight eyshes covering up the chill in his eyes. His voice was cold and indifferent. ¡°Before the Xiao Family formally announces my identity, it is inappropriate for me to be in too much contact with members of the Xiao Family. You should know this. I also have an adult younger brother with whom I share both parents with.¡± Yang Jie didn¡¯t get what having a younger brother had to do with why Xiao Yuanmu shouldn¡¯t be in touch with the Xiao Family. He asked, ¡°What does all that have to do with your younger brother?¡± ¡°It obviously involves him.¡± A blond man walked into the office, snapping his fingers. He said, ¡°Yang, do you really not know? Looks like our number one assistant needs to improve his thinking. Xiao¡¯s younger brother is the rightful heir to the Xiao Family. That grandioseing-of-age ceremony had practically announced his position as the sole sessor of the Xiao Group. As such, now that the Xiao Family has found Xiao, his younger brother will probably be pushed back in the line for session.¡± ¡°Louis.¡± Yang Jie frowned. ¡°I¡¯ve told you many times before. Knock on the door beforeing in.¡± Louis casually found a sofa to sit on. There was a rxed expression on his face. He looked like he was in his own home. ¡°Rx a bit, Yang. I¡¯m in Xiao¡¯s office right now, not yours.¡± Yang Jie directed a disdainful look in his direction. When he recalled how Song Xuanhe had also made himself at home in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment in the past, he couldn¡¯t help but quietly roast: ¡°You and Song Xuanhe would probably have some things inmon.¡± Louis¡¯s ears were sharp. He raised a brow. ¡°Who¡¯s Song Xuanhe? Is he as handsome as me?¡± Yang Jie rolled his eyes. When Xiao Yuanmu thought of Song Xuanhe, the frost dissipated from his eyes, and the arc of his lips softened. ¡°He¡¯s better-looking than you.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Louis shrugged and joked, ¡°There does not exist a man more handsome and sexier than me. Even you just barely manage to be my equal. Xiao, is that Song Xuanhe better-looking and sexier than you?¡± Who knew what he was thinking about, but Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled into a slight smile. He made a soft sound of agreement. Louis was so shocked that his jaw dropped. He shouted, ¡°Oh my god! Unless there¡¯s something wrong with my eyes, I swear to god that your ears are red!¡±
Eve: ( ?¡ã ?? ?¡ã) What are you thinking about, Mumu? (I think I know hehehehe.) Chapter 90: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
The news that Xiao Yuanmu had been found by the Xiao Family took the upper circles of the Capital by storm. Everyone lost their minds the moment his first private interview had been released. The storm circled around the Song Family, cing them at the centre of it all. ¡°Mr. Xiao, how have you attained such sess at such a young age? Aside from talent and hard work, were you also given emotional support?¡± Zhou Nan held his phone up. He lowered his voice and read the answer: ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°The interviewer¡¯s question was that long, and he replied only with one word. Even in English, it¡¯s just one word.¡± Zhou Nanughed as he looked towards the others. He said to Xiao Shenglin, ¡°Looks like Xiao Yuanmu still doesn¡¯t speak much even in America.¡± Xiao Shenglin smiled before casting a worried look towards Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhezed back on the sofa, reading a fashion magazine, as if he didn¡¯t care about what they were discussing at all. ¡°Then, will you tell us a bit about where this emotional support came from? From what I know¡ªexcuse me if I say anything offensive, but we heard that you had been raised at an orphanage in China before the Xiao Family found you. Did that supporte from your orphanage¡¯s director?¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu: The Director is like family to me,¡± Zhou Nan teased, ¡°Look at that, he¡¯s making progress with the length of his sentences. Oh, but just you wait. It improves drasticallyter on in this interview. I¡¯ll read it out loud for you.¡± ¡°Mr. Xiao, are you implying that there is someone who isn¡¯t family supporting you?¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu then said ¡®yes.¡¯ Herees the important part.¡± Zhou Nan sat up straight. He cleared his voice while reading the bilingual report of the interview. ¡°The journalist asked: Can you tell us a bit about them? Even if it¡¯s just about the current status of your rtionship with them.¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu replied: I have a boyfriend. We¡¯ve been together for nearly two years now. Although we¡¯re in a long-distance rtionship right now, we¡¯re doing really well. We trust and love each other. He¡¯s very supportive of my work¡ªpfft, hahahahahahahahaha, I can¡¯t keep reading this. Did the magazine make this up?¡± Zhou Nan was syed out on the ground,ughing as he grasped his phone in one hand. As heughed, he continued to try to speak in between gasps for air. ¡°What the hell is with this mutual trust and love part? Hahahahahaha! I can¡¯t help butugh while reading this, hahahahahahahaha¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him dryly. He rolled his eyes and then looked away. Zhou Nan crawled up and flopped onto the sofa that Song Xuanhe was sitting on. He asked with a smile, ¡°Song Er, didn¡¯t you say that the two of you had broken up?¡± ¡°Piss off.¡± Song Xuanhe shoved his face away. ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like the two of you have broken up.¡± Zhou Nan sat beside him, forcing him to shift over. ¡°And, here I was watching my words, so as to avoid hurting your heartbroken heart. Turns out, you were deceiving us all along.¡± ¡°It¡¯s up to you whether you believe me or not.¡± Song Xuanhe kicked at him. He then sat up and fixed his shirt that had risen a bit. There was a sound of impatience in his voice as if he had been sleeping, and someone had just woken him up. ¡°If you¡¯re done reading, go away. Dad wants to sleep.¡± ¡°Dear Dad, tell me, just what¡¯s going on between you and Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Zhou Nan hugged Song Xuanhe¡¯s leg, blinking his peach blossom eyes. He made his voice higher, ¡°Daddy, tell me~¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hold back as he kicked Zhou Nan off the sofa this time. With no expression on his face, he said, ¡°Scram. Dad doesn¡¯t have such a sissy son like you.¡± ¡°But really, Song Er, just what¡¯s going on with you and Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Zhou Nan went over to sit with Xiao Shenglin, his expression turning serious. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s making much more news now that he¡¯s a Xiao Family memberpared to when he was only known as RE¡¯s founder. Now, it looks like he wants to let everyone know that you¡¯re his boyfriend. You¡¯re not going to be able to avoid this issue.¡± Xiao Shenglin also spoke up, ¡°Xuanhe, did you really break up with Mr. Xiao?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe ruffled his hair, agitated. He then added, ¡°Well, I think we broke up. He doesn¡¯t agree.¡± ¡°What the heck?¡± Zhou Nan raised a brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you two have reached an agreement?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not like we were married. Isn¡¯t it a break up once one person has decided they want to break up?¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. ¡°What, should we have signed an agreement?¡± ¡°Honestly, yeah,¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°Even if you were to say now that you two have already broken up, who¡¯d believe you? Forget about other people, do you think Old Mr. Song and Song Guochao will believe it?¡± Xiao Shenglin nodded. ¡°Zhou Nan¡¯s right. That magazine¡¯s interview has bound you and Xiao Yuanmu together. No matter what you say now, no one is going to believe you.¡± ¡°But then again, it doesn¡¯t matter whether other people believe you or not.¡± Zhou Nanughed, ¡°In any case, no one dares to offend you now.¡± ¡°Tsk, what kind of fate is this?¡± Zhou Nan looked at Xiao Shenglin. ¡°Lin zi is rted to Xiao Yuanmu. I hadn¡¯t expected that no one would realize that the two of you were actually long-lost rtives despite seeing each other so frequently.¡± Xiao Shenglin had on a faint smile. Something seemed to sh through his eyes, but he didn¡¯t say anything in the end. Zhou Nan also knew that the other was still worried about Xiao Ranyun and her father, who had been summoned back to the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence. Comforting the other, he said, ¡°Xiao Ranyun is so smart. Besides, Xiao Yuanmu is also there now. Nothing will happen to her. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Shenglin shook his head and quietly said, ¡°The Xiao Family is much moreplicated than you think.¡± ¡°Norge and influential family is simple,¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°Even if the Xiao Family¡¯splicated, it¡¯s not like it¡¯s some war zone. Besides, it¡¯s not like Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t know Xiao Ranyun. Even if he doesn¡¯t see her as a sister, he¡¯ll protect her because of Song Er.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know if Xiao Yuanmu will be able to get a stable footing within the Xiao Family.¡± There was a hint of deprecation andmentation in Xiao Shenglin¡¯s voice. ¡°The Xiao Family is both the most traditional and the most innovative family I¡¯ve ever seen in my life. They don¡¯t just abide by Chinese customs. The Xiao Family immigrated many years ago. Not only do they still have the ancient Eastern superior-subordinate system in ce, but they also possess the West¡¯s free thinking. However, to the servants who have served the Xiao Family for many generations, freedom is only something their masters can possess. Furthermore, there is a difference in ranking between their masters¡¯ main branch and branch families. There¡¯s a lot ofplicated issues with their values and ideas. All I can say is that Xiao Yuanmu entering the Xiao Family is more-or-less equivalent to entering a war zone.¡± Song Xuanhe recalled Xiao Baicong, who Xiao Ranyun had mentioned in the past. He frowned imperceptibly and asked, ¡°Does it have to do with Xiao Baicong?¡± Xiao Shenglin was shocked by Song Xuanhe¡¯s sharpness. He nodded. ¡°As I¡¯ve just said, the Xiao Family abides by the old rules. Therefore, every child born into the Xiao Family will have servants¡ªI guess it¡¯s more appropriate to call them subordinates now¡ª assigned to them at birth. The number and quality of subordinates are different depending on the person they¡¯re for. From this, you can see that there¡¯s not much difference between the Xiao Family and ancient influential families from the past in some respects.¡± Zhou Nan coughed. ¡°I recall that Xiao Ranyun usually has a personal assistant, a tutor, and two bodyguards with her¡­.Xiao Ranyun is a member of a branch family. That means that Xiao Baicong must have many more people around him.¡± ¡°At least thirty,¡± Xiao Shenglin said in a t voice, ¡°Maybe more than fifty.¡± Zhou Nan widened his eyes in astonishment. Even Song Xuanhe found this hard to believe. Xiao Shenglin knew what they were thinking just by looking at their expressions. He said, ¡°Xiao Baicong was the only child of the main branch until now. ording to the rules, after his birth, twelve people would have been chosen to begin training to be his trusted aides so that they could assist him in any and all possible ways in the future. Depending on the direction he decides to taketer on, as he grows up, the number of his subordinates will expand as well. There should have been another draft when he had been six and sixteen. I remember that when he was sixteen, they had chosen for him two personal assistants and two ssmates to attend school with him. The subordinates who had been drafted to support him and help expand their business in different industries had already numbered twenty-eight at that time as well. Fifteen of them had already enteredpanies under the Xiao Group. Although they had started at the bottom, after so many years of experience, their capabilities now are nothing to look down on. What¡¯s most important is that the people by Xiao Baicong¡¯s side are steadfastly loyal to him. Furthermore, they share amon interest. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s appearance is a threat to these people.¡± ¡°Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu isn¡¯t only facing against Xiao Baicong but his thirty plus subordinates as well. There are also the branch family members who support Xiao Baicong as the sessor of the Xiao Family. What do you think? Isn¡¯t this the same as walking into a war zone?¡± Zhou Nan was silent for a long time before he said, ¡°F*ck.¡± ¡°Is this really something happening in the modern age?¡± Zhou Nan mulled over Xiao Shenglin¡¯s words. It still felt unreal. ¡°Would America, which values humanitarianism, freedom, and equality, really tolerate the Xiao Family¡¯s enforced social ranking like this?¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference in social ss everywhere in the world,¡± Xiao Shenglin said, ¡°Besides, the eight major financial groups are tempting even to you. Do you think that those people who have relied on the Xiao Family since ancient times to get to where they are now would be willing to let go of such a big tree like the Xiao Family? They¡¯re not just Xiao Baicong¡¯s subordinates¡ªthey also sharemon interests. If Xiao Baicong takes over the Xiao Family, his subordinates would be split up to take over the executive levels of the Xiao Group¡¯s variouspanies. No one would think of them as the Xiao Family¡¯s servants. They would only know that they are the leaders of all sorts of industries. Aside from those from the eight major families, those ¡®servants¡¯ would actually be above everyone else, us included.¡± After digesting Xiao Shenglin¡¯s words, Song Xuanhe recalled the myriad of difficulties and hostility that Xiao Yuanmu had experienced in the Xiao Family in the book. The author¡¯s written description of the Xiao Family had been lessprehensive than Xiao Shenglin¡¯s speech had been just now. Or rather, the author had simply glossed over theplicated details of the Xiao Family¡¯s rtionships. Instead, the author had focused on writing about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s battles in the business world. Back when he had read the book, he had thought that the people in the Xiao Group¡¯spanies fighting against Xiao Yuanmu had been taking things too far. After all, who the Xiao Family head was didn¡¯t seem to affect their positions. Furthermore, it had been obvious that Xiao Yuanmu was much more capable than Xiao Baicong. He had felt like their blind support of Xiao Baicong, who hadn¡¯t seemed particrly ambitious, was too abnormal. But now, he realized that those people had probably been Xiao Baicong¡¯s people. If that was the case, then had Xiao Baicong, who had been the first Xiao Family member Xiao Yuanmu had been willing to open up his heart to, really been as innocent and void of ambition as he had seemed?
Eve: RIP SXH. No one¡¯s going to believe you now. Mumu is a schemerrrrrr. While I¡¯m sure some selfish motives probably did drive his decision, I guess it also benefits SXH. Especially because Mumu is worried about the coerced drug usage incident. Chapter 91: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Two pieces of shocking news shook the upper social circles of the Capital, and both of them had to do with the Song Group. All of a sudden, the Song Family, whose influence had been declining in thest few years, was pushed straight into the limelight. The first piece of news came out shortly after the news that the Xiao Family had found their long-lost eldest son hade out. It was said that this eldest son was dating the second son of the Song Family, Song Xuanhe. The two of them were very much in love and had only reluctantly decided to be apart, because Xiao Yuanmu had to go establish hispany abroad. Therefore, when Xiao Yuanmu had said that he was dating Song Xuanhe during the first interview he had ever epted as the eldest son of the Xiao Family, everyone in the upper circles of the Capital began to re-evaluate the Song Family¡¯s status. This was especially because Xiao Yuanmu, who didn¡¯t usually speak much, had expressed his appreciation and admiration for his boyfriend many times. It felt like he had been purposely shoving PDA down their throats. The second piece of news was deeply connected to the first piece. However, it had a heavier effect on the Song Family than the first had. The Xiao Family had already formally announced the time and date of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wee back banquet. They had also sent invitations to the most influential families in the world and families with whom they had close ties to. Only three families in China¡¯s Capital received an invite: one was the Guan Family¡ªwith whom they were connected to by family; one was the usually lowkey Zhang Family, and one was the Song Family, who outwardly seemed to have no ce amongst the eight major financial groups. People in the circles had all been shocked upon hearing that the Song Family had been invited. Although Xiao Yuanmu had revealed his rtionship with Song Xuanhe during that formal interview, it still didn¡¯t have much to do with the rest of the Xiao Family. Even though no one knew much about the eight major financial groups, there was one thing they knew well¡ªthe Xiao Family head had never been gay. The fact that the Xiao Family had sent an invitation to the Song Family was indeed something to mull over. This was a public deration that they approved of their long-lost son¡¯s boyfriend. They were also discreetly saying that there was no hope for Xiao Yuanmu to seed the Xiao Family. Everyone had their own thoughts and conjectures. As the centre of this storm, many waves also billowed within the Song Family. When the Song Family had heard about Xiao Yuanmu being the long-lost son of the Xiao Family, the Song Family had mostly felt shocked and at a loss. After all, Song Xuanhe had called Xiao Yuanmu in front of their faces in the past. The two of them had been cold to each other and hadn¡¯t acted like a couple at all. Since they had already broken up, even if they wanted to use this rtionship for their own benefit, they couldn¡¯t. Therefore, except for Song Guochao, whose expression got worse with eaching day, only Song Jiabao, who became increasingly more afraid as the days passed, cared about the sudden change in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s identity. Everyone else had already been shocked by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany. As such, they weren¡¯t as surprised to hear this new piece of information. It wasn¡¯t until the magazine that featured Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s interview went on sale within the country that things started picking back up within the Song Family. After all, the Xiao Family¡¯s eldest son being Song Xuanhe¡¯s ex-boyfriend waspletely different from the Xiao Family¡¯s eldest son being his current boyfriend. With thetter, there were far more opportunities waiting to be exploited. This made it difficult for even Song Yansong to sit still. He couldn¡¯t help but drag Song Xuanhe home to question him. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t change his story. He still insisted that he and Xiao Yuanmu had already broken up, that they no longer had anything to do with each other. At this point, it was no longer just Song Guochao who didn¡¯t believe him. Even Song Yansong and Li Nianan doubted whether he was telling the truth or not. After all, they all knew about what had happened between him and Xiao Yuanmu at the beginning of their rtionship. If it wasn¡¯t because they truly liked each other and were still together, why would Xiao Yuanmu publicly announce that they were dating in such a prolific magazine interview at such a crucial moment in time? But, what could they do if Song Xuanhe refused to acknowledge it? Even Li Nianan and Song Xuanlin had separately pulled Song Xuanhe aside into one-on-one conversations to confirm. Li Nianan had asked him if he was worried that the family would be against their rtionship. She had also asked if Song Guochao¡¯s words had made him reluctant to speak and be honest to the family about his boyfriend. She hadforted him, saying that if this was the case, he didn¡¯t need to worry. Song Guochao would never be against him and Xiao Yuanmu being together under such circumstances. Song Xuanlin was different. Today, he asked Song Xuanhe whether he wasn¡¯t willing to let others know about his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu, because he felt self-inferior and was afraid of losing the other. Or, he was refusing to acknowledge their rtionship, because he was worried that thepany would exploit it. He said that if it were the former, Song Xuanhe had nothing to worry about. He then praised Song Xuanhe a few times. In the end, he told Song Xuanhe with an earnest expression that, although he wascking in many areas, he was worthy of being with anyone he wanted to be with. At this moment, Song Xuanhe just felt strange andpletely baffled. However, he didn¡¯t perceive any malice. All he could do was thank the other man, not knowing whether tough or cry. Song Xuanlin looked obviously unused to being thanked by Song Xuanhe. He was silent for a long time. After some time, he sighed softly and said, ¡°I know that I¡¯m not a good older brother.¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head, astonished. Song Xuanlin¡¯s face was slightly raised as he took in the moonlight above them. The silvery-white light illuminated his profile. For once, there was a trace of frustration and dejection,monly seen on young people, on his usually inflexible and steady face. ¡°Actually, I had never really wanted a younger brother.¡± Song Xuanlin turned to nce at him before looking back at the sky. He continued in a t voice. ¡°You were also far from my ideal younger brother at birth. As you grew up, I felt more and more estranged from you. Therefore, I started to keep a certain distance from you. That¡¯s why I¡¯d never thought about what I should have been doing as an older brother. All I knew was that I should seed thepany. Meanwhile, all you had needed to do was live your life the way you wanted.¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at him. Song Xuanlin¡¯s eyes seemed to be a bit out-of-focus as if he was looking at a road to the future, void of any and all signs. ¡°But, the person Grandpa wants to inherit thepany isn¡¯t me. To tell the truth, I¡¯d felt jealous of you. I¡¯d even felt angry. Back then, I had wondered, how could I¡ª someone who had given up on having fun with other kids my age for the sake of learning how to take over thepany¡ªlose to the affection Grandpa had developed towards you while raising you?¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe has never wanted to inherit thepany.¡± Song Xuanhe met Song Xuanlin¡¯s eyes full-on. His voice was cool. ¡°All he had ever wanted was a big brother.¡± Song Xuanlin was immersed in his thoughts. He didn¡¯t notice Song Xuanhe¡¯s third-person appetion. When he had heard thatst sentence, he was taken aback. He then quietly said, ¡°I know. I only found this out recently.¡± ¡°So what? Do you still want to ask me whether I want to take over thepany or not?¡± Song Xuanhe thought about their conversationst time that had been interrupted by Li Nianan. He also thought of all those times in the past where Song Xuanlin had looked like he wanted to say something, only to end up uttering something meaningless. Song Xuanlin was silent for a while. Song Xuanhe tilted his head, gaze clear and limpid. ¡°Why do you keep asking me if I want thepany? If I said that I wanted thepany, would you give it to me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Song Xuanlin shook his head. ¡°I just wanted to confirm that you really don¡¯t want it.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then¡­¡± And then, I¡¯d get rid of my desire to free myself of this heavy burden that is the inheritance of our family¡¯spany. I¡¯d give up on finding my life¡¯s passion andpletely dedicate my everything to developing thepany. I¡¯d make sure that you would never have anything to fear, even when faced with Xiao Yuanmu, who had built up RE from scratch. I¡¯d make up for all those years I had failed you as an older brother. Song Xuanlin wanted to say all of this, but none of the words would leave his mouth. He and Song Xuanhe had opposite personalities. Song Xuanlin was guarded and had many misgivings. Regardless of whether it was his real emotions or not, he didn¡¯t really want to share them. He had hypnotized himself in an effort to get rid of any emotions that would affect his studying, work, or personal interactions. He had told himself that they weren¡¯t important. Who knew if it was because the hypnosis had been too effective or if it had just been too long¡ªhe really did think that they weren¡¯t important now. All of a sudden, Song Xuanlin recalled a memory from a long time ago. Back then, Song Xuanhe had been seven or eight years old. He had always had a lovable appearance. Even when he had acted naughty, it had been hard to criticize him. At that time, aside from Song Guochao, who had rarelye home, no one could resist him¡ªeven the helper aunty couldn¡¯t help but give him some snacks when she saw his chubby cheeks. In this particr memory, Song Xuanlin had been rushing to leave the house in order to get to his teacher¡¯s ce for a make-up ss. Because he had been afraid of getting stuck in traffic, he had been moving quickly. As soon as he had reached the door, he bumped into Song Xuanhe, who had been wearing a sailor-style shirt and a pair of overalls, as he rounded the corner. The iplete model ne in the other¡¯s hand fell to the ground and shattered into pieces. Song Xuanlin had frozen back then, feeling helpless. He had thought that Song Xuanhe would cry. After all, in his mind at the time, his younger brother was willful and unbridled. However, Song Xuanhe had only blinked his ck eyes and sat down on the ground cross-legged. One hand gathered the pieces on the other ground while his other hand wrapped around his leg. He looked up and said, ¡°Ge, my ne¡¯s broken. It was so hard for me to build it. You broke it, so I want you to help me build it back together now.¡± Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t remember exactly what he had said. All he remembered was that he hadn¡¯t agreed. In the end, he had left in a hurry in order to make it to his teacher¡¯s ss on time. If this memory hadn¡¯t been stimted by the outside world, it would have probably hidden itself in the depths of Song Xuanlin¡¯s mind, never to be unearthed again. But recently, one morning, the servants had opened up Song Xuanhe¡¯s room to clean. Song Xuanlin had been passing by at that time and had inadvertently caught a glimpse of the shattered model ne in the ss disy case. There were also many familiar and unfamiliar objects inside the case. It wasn¡¯t until the servants had asked Song Xuanlin if anything was wrong that he had suddenly remembered that everything in that case were presents he had given to Song Xuanhe before. Even he had forgotten about these things. And yet, his younger brother still treasured them, carefully collecting them. At that moment, Song Xuanlin hadn¡¯t known what the feeling in his chest had been. It was also at that moment that he had subconsciously begun to observe Song Xuanhe more. He even wanted to interact with the other more. Unfortunately, Song Xuanhe had begun to avoid him. He was never able to see that expression he wanted to see on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face during their conversations again. Song Xuanlin said: ¡°From now on, I¡¯ll learn how to be a big brother.¡±
Eve: Aw. Again, the og host did some awful things, but who knows if things would have changed if his childhood hadn¡¯t been so dogshit? Can¡¯t help but feel sad for him. Happy Christmas Eve to those who celebrate Christmas and Happy Holidays (bted or early) to those who celebrate other holidays around this time! Chapter 92: Salute and Hold Hands Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe was taken aback for a moment. He couldn¡¯t help but turn to seriously size up Song Xuanlin. When he saw the other¡¯s face, however, his mind nked. Song Xuanlin¡¯s lips were slightly curled up, unprecedentedly rxed. It was like he had finally said the words that had been hidden in his heart all these years, or like after much hesitation, he¡¯d finally taken his first step onto the path he¡¯d wanted to take. It was like a heavy load had been lifted from his mind. ¡°But, ¡®I¡¯ don¡¯t need a big brother anymore.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell down before he looked away. When Song Xuanlin looked at him, he kept his own gaze directed forward. His lips were slightly pursed as he quietly said, ¡°A question suddenly popped up in my mind.¡± ¡°Tell me.¡± ¡°You should know that Xiao Yuanmu and I didn¡¯t get together because we liked each other. We started dating because I used the orphanage to threaten him. Afterwards¡­.what if the situation between Xiao Yuanmu and I hadn¡¯t turned out like it did? What if I had forced him and bullied him, making him hate me to the bone? What if Xiao Yuanmu had dered that I was the person he loathed the most after his return to the Xiao Family? What would you have done then?¡± Song Xuanlin¡¯s rxed expression faded. His gaze grew heavy. ¡°You think that I¡¯m saying these things to you because of the Xiao Family?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t respond to the question. He simply repeated his own. ¡°What would you have done?¡± Song Xuanlin stared at him for a few seconds. He then cast his gaze away and said, ¡°If you had done that¡ªbullying and forcing someone¡ªit doesn¡¯t matter who it is. I would not approve of your actions.¡± ¡°Would you have opposed it?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at him. ¡°Would you have stopped me?¡± Song Xuanlin opened his mouth, but no words came out. If he hadn¡¯t suddenly developed this feeling of responsibility as an older brother, and his impression of Song Xuanhe had still been as mild as it used to be, would he have stopped Song Xuanhe upon seeing him do something that he thought was wrong? Song Xuanlin wanted to say yes. However, when he thought about how they used to keep out of each other¡¯s business, he knew that the answer was no. Song Xuanhe had always been unreasonable. He had caused a lot of trouble throughout his lifetime. However, nothing major had ever happened. Therefore, even though the rest of the Song Family was infuriated over this, they had never steeled their hearts and disciplined him. This had caused Song Xuanhe to be increasingly rebellious over the years. And the more rebellious he became, the less likely he was to listen to others. In the past, he might have said a word or two upon seeing something like that. However, ever since he and Song Xuanhe had had a big fight during Song Xuanhe¡¯s teen years, he had stopped meddling in his younger brother¡¯s life. As long as it hadn¡¯t been anything that the Song Family couldn¡¯t handle, he hadn¡¯t been willing to waste his energy on it. To tell the truth, Song Xuanlin had seen many acts of someone ¡°forcing another person¡± after bing an adult. But, he had only ever thought that it was just some roley that couples got up to whenever people his age had brought it up. This was because he had thought that no one would ever break thew, just because they were interested in someone. At most, they would use their identity or wealth to awe and entice the other party. After all, even people like them feared thew. Therefore, the rich second-generation had thought that the people who ¡°seeded¡± in ¡°forcing someone to be with them¡± were actually engaged in consensual roley, or the other party had simply been ying hard-to-get. Although some people looked down on this, no one would meddle in someone else¡¯s affairs. Song Xuanlin had thought that Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe¡¯s rtionship was like this. If Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t had his current aplishments and identity, Song Xuanlin believed that even if Song Xuanhe had done shameful things to Xiao Yuanmu, the Song Family wouldn¡¯t have interfered at all. At most, they would have just given him a warning. After all, they would have thought that Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t have been able to cause any big waves. But if it had been as Song Xuanhe had said¡ªif Xiao Yuanmu had his current identity and a grudge against Song Xuanhe and the Song Family¡­what would Song Xuanlin have dome to Song Xuanhe? An image appeared in Song Xuanlin¡¯s mind. Thinking about how he had thought and done things in the past, he came to a conclusion: he would have temporarily abandoned Song Xuanhe and protected the Song Family instead. It wouldn¡¯t have just been him either. Song Xuanlin believed that even their grandfather, who usually loved Song Xuanhe dearly, would have made the same decision. It was like he had said to Song Xuanhe in the past. Song Xuanhe should take responsibility for his own actions. If he was to one day bring disaster upon the Song Family, the only person who would be willing to give up everything to save him would be their mother. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t, would you?¡± Song Xuanhe shrugged, his tone indolent but covertly piercing. ¡°You told me before. If something happened to me, the only person who would give up anything to save me would be Mother.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Song Xuanlin admitted calmly, ¡°ording to what you said, I think that I would have temporarily abandoned you.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Temporarily?¡± ¡°First, I would have pacified the Xiao Family¡¯s rage and diverted everyone¡¯s gaze away from the Song Family. When everything was over, I would havee to take you home.¡± ¡°What if I couldn¡¯t go home?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°The Xiao Family¡¯s rage¡ªthere are many people who want to get closer to the Xiao Family or even just throw stones at me while I¡¯m down. If you had chased me out of the Song Family, and I lost myst bit of support, do you really think that I could survive all those people targeting me until you could take me home?¡± ¡°Obviously.¡± Song Xuanlin sounded sure of it. ¡°Even if you were driven away, it¡¯s not like we would have cut off your resources. Moreover, even if people had wanted to kick you while you¡¯re down, they wouldn¡¯t have actually dared to hurt you. At most, they¡¯d hurt you psychologically. However, you would have deserved that. It would probably have been a good thing for you to suffer a bit outside and learn your lesson beforeing home.¡± Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t hesitate and appeared confident. This made Song Xuanhe fall silent. In the past, he had felt a bit conflicted when it came to Song Xuanlin, who had never involved himself in the original host¡¯s life or death, and the Song Family. ording to what the System had said, it was because he had the original host¡¯s memories. Therefore, he couldn¡¯t remain objective when judging how big of a part the Song Family had yed in the original host¡¯s death. Now that he¡¯d heard what Song Xuanlin had said, he realized that there was nothing wrong with the Song Family¡¯s, and in particr, Song Xuanlin¡¯s methods. They didn¡¯t know and would never have expected that Lu Chao and Zhou Rong would inject the original host with a highly addictive drug. And, they definitely wouldn¡¯t have expected that the original host, who had a weak willpower, would walk straight towards his death because of his drug addiction. If it hadn¡¯t been for Zhou Rong and them, perhaps the original host¡¯s fate would have turned out the way Song Xuanlin had predicted. He would probably have learned from his suffering outside. ¡°But, that kind of stuff won¡¯t ever happen,¡± Song Xuanlin said, ¡°You¡¯re not as terrible as I had previously thought. You¡¯re also not the kind of person who wouldpletely disregard someone else¡¯s opinions. This means that you and Xiao Yuanmu would never really fall out like that. Therefore, what you had said will nevere true.¡± Song Xuanhe was pulled out of his thoughts. When he heard what the other had said, he couldn¡¯t help butugh. Theplicated emotion that had just bubbled up in his chest was washed away. He stood up and patted Song Xuanlin on the shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m going to head in first.¡± Song Xuanlin looked up, staring after the other. All he saw was the image of the other¡¯s back illuminated beneath the light. * Song Xuanhe had wanted to head straight back to his apartment. Unfortunately, when he reached the living room, he encountered Song Guochao, who was holding something in his hand. He didn¡¯t have any intention of acknowledging the other. He nced at the older man and was prepared to brush past him. However, Song Guochao called his name. For once, there was glee on his face, which had been perpetually dark as ofte. There was also aplicated emotion in his expression. ¡°I received an invitation just now.¡± Song Guochao looked at Song Xuanhe. He still felt some disbelief and shock as he recalled the contents of the invitation. ¡°It¡¯s from the Xiao Family.¡± Song Xuanhe paused, a bad premonition springing up in his chest. As expected, his bad premonition came true a secondter. ¡°They¡¯ve invited our family to their banquet in America,¡± Song Guochao said, ¡°Aside from us, the Guan Family and Zhang Family have also been invited. It will take ce on July 25th. Make sure you¡¯re ready. You¡¯lle with your mother and I on that day.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t have time.¡± ¡°Hold it!¡± Song Guochao grabbed hold of Song Xuanhe. He then forced himself to remain calm, telling himself that he couldn¡¯t get angry. It was important to cate Song Xuanhe right now. Therefore, Song Guochao tried his best to ease up his tone. ¡°This invitation is directed to you. If you don¡¯t go, how can your mother and I attend?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at him. When he saw a rare pleasant expression on Song Guochao¡¯s face, he said in a t voice, ¡°If you want to go, go by yourself. I¡¯m not going.¡± ¡°You have to go.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expressionless face made Song Guochao¡¯s vow to remain calm copse. His face darkened. ¡°You have no right to refuse. You have no right to refuse to attend the Xiao Family¡¯s banquet. I¡¯m telling you, Song Xuanhe, don¡¯t think that you can do whatever you want, just because Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s behind you¡­.¡± ¡°Father.¡± Song Xuanlin, who had been a few steps behind Song Xuanhe, walked in and interrupted Song Guochao. He nced at Song Xuanhe, his tone sounding baffled. ¡°Uncle brought Jiabao over.¡± Song Guochao frowned. He didn¡¯t know why Song Guohua and his son hade over at such a time. In any case, they couldn¡¯t leave their rtives outside. He red at Song Xuanhe and then gave the nearby servants an order. ¡°Let them in.¡± Shortly after, Song Guohua and Song Jiabao walked in. When Song Xuanhe saw Song Jiabao, he realized why Song Xuanlin had on that expression just now. ¡°Uncle.¡± Song Jiabao greeted Song Guochao and then bit his lips as he walked over to Song Xuanhe. The rod on his back was very eye-catching. Song Jiabao pulled the rod out and held it in front of Song Xuanhe. Who knew if it was out of reluctance or shame, but his voice trembled. ¡°Xuanhe, in the past, I offended bothMr. Xiao and you far too much. If you are discontent with me, please vent it onto me now. I hope that with this, you won¡¯t hold what had happened in the past over me.¡± Song Xuanhe was contemting taking the rod and testing it out. However, Song Xuanlin responded on his behalf. He walked over and stood in front of Song Xuanhe. ¡°Jiabao, you¡¯re a year older than Xuanhe. What¡¯s a bit of bickering? There¡¯s no reason to let a younger cousin chide you. Don¡¯t make such a joke.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a joke.¡± Song Guohua took the rod out of Song Jiabao¡¯s hands, wanting to shove it into Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands. He said, ¡°Jiabao is in the wrong. It¡¯s only right for him to apologize after doing bad things. This has nothing to do with whether or not we¡¯re family. Xuanhe, hit him as much as you want. You can stop once you¡¯ve finished venting your rage.¡± Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t stand down, however. He didn¡¯t let Song Xuanhe take the rod either. In a low voice, he said, ¡°Even if Jiabao wants to apologize, it¡¯s not Xuanhe who he should be apologizing to. The person he offended isn¡¯t Xuanhe.¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t Xiao Yuanmu and Xuanhe a family? If one of them forgives Jiabao, the other person naturally will not mind.¡± Song Guohuaughed dryly. ¡°Xuanhe, Jiabao is your cousin, regardless of what¡¯s happened. Although you two don¡¯t usually get along, your rtionship isn¡¯t so bad that you¡¯d hold a grudge, right? How about you help Jiabao reconcile with Mr. Xiao? We¡¯ll all be one big family once you and Mr. Xiao get married anyway. Wouldn¡¯t it be better to resolve any conflicts we may have now?¡± At this moment, Song Xuanhe realized just what Song Guohua was nning. When he recalled all the harassment he¡¯d been suffering recently, thest tiny vestige of his patience disappeared. He pulled his phone out and said, ¡°You want to resolve their conflict? Speak to him yourself.¡±
Eve: Three thoughts. One, these rtives are so annoying. So shameless, changing their tunes like this. Two, Xuanlin trying to be a good big bro I cri. Three, SXH always tattling to Mumu cracks me up. Kara: The audacity of these rtives never fails to surprise me. SMH!! But, it¡¯s so nice to see how SXHes to terms with dealing with the original host¡¯s memories and feelings. I genuinely love seeing how SXH and XYM¡¯s individual growth allow them to positively develop their rtionship together. ?(????) Chapter 93: Smiling and Nodding Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
At the entrance to the penthouse apartment, which was situated in a garden in Y City¡¯s downtown, Xiao Yuanmu looked at the madam who stood two steps away from him. Her clothes were elegant, and she had a refined aura. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone was t and estranged as he spoke, ¡°How can I help you?¡± Mrs. Xiao held her purse tightly in her hands, feeling ill-at-ease. Her well-maintained, pale, and tender fingertips pressed tightly against the petite jewels embedded on her purse¡¯s border and turned slightly white from the pressure. Her usual elegant poise was nowhere to be seen, and her eyes were slightly red. Her eldest son, who had been lost and then found, had been ¡°busy¡± for so long. She already realized how he felt towards the Xiao Family, herself, and his father. He didn¡¯t feel close to them at all. He didn¡¯t seem to like them very much. He even seemed to be on guard against them. This knowledge upset Mrs. Xiao so much that she would wake up crying in the middle of the night. But no matter how many times she was given the cold shoulder, she couldn¡¯t help but want to get a little closer to her eldest son, who she hadn¡¯t seen for over twenty years. Mrs. Xiao cautiously sized Xiao Yuanmu up. Xiao Yuanmu looked very alike to her younger brother who had died young. The moment she hadid eyes on Xiao Yuanmu, she had known that he was her son. There was no one except for her eldest son who could possibly look so much alike to her deceased younger brother. Faced with Mrs. Xiao¡¯s fervent gaze, Xiao Yuanmu remained calm. A flicker of impatience shed through his eyes. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed once, and he asked again, ¡°Mrs. Xiao, how can I help you?¡± Mrs. Xiao was pulled out of her thoughts by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice. Her fingers, which were already slightly white from how tightly she was holding her purse, turned even whiter. However, she still forced herself to smile. ¡°Yuanmu, I¡¯m your mom. You don¡¯t have to address me so distantly.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, but he didn¡¯t change his words. For the third time, he asked, ¡°How may I help you?¡± ¡°I heard that you didn¡¯t eat breakfast this morning.¡± Mrs. Xiao bent down slightly and lifted up the basket that was on the ground beside her. She held it in front of Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°You¡¯re so busy at work every day. Your body won¡¯t be able to take it if you don¡¯t eat breakfast. Therefore, Mom made some food and came to deliver it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell on the exquisitely woven basket as she spoke. He then looked back at her face. When he saw the anticipation in her eyes, he epted the basket. ¡°Thank you.¡± A delighted expression graced Mrs. Xiao¡¯s face upon seeing him ept it. Her smile became much more rxed. Her tone also became a lot smoother. ¡°You might want to heat up the congee inside. How about Mom heats it up for you while you go wash up?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Xiao Yuanmu declined in a t voice, ¡°I have something to do right now. I¡¯ll just eat a bit quickly.¡± ¡°Now that won¡¯t do.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s pretty brows scrunched up slightly. ¡°Cold food is bad for your stomach.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine, Mrs. Xiao.¡± Louis, who could feel Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze flicker over to him a few times, felt the hairs on his arm stand up. He took a step forward and smiled. ¡°We, young people, like to eat cold food. Since you¡¯ve managed to give it to him, how about I see you out?¡± Mrs. Xiao nced at Louis, who had brought her over. She then looked at Xiao Yuanmu, whose expression hadn¡¯t changed all this time. She seemed like she was hoping for him to say something. ¡°Louis.¡± Under Mrs. Xiao¡¯s gaze, Xiao Yuanmu finally parted his lips. ¡°See Mrs. Xiao out.¡± Louis nodded at once. He hadn¡¯t been able to refuse when Mrs. Xiao had asked him to bring her to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s home because of the rtionship between his own father and the Xiao Family. Therefore, he had originally felt very nervous. Now that he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s stormy expression, that sense of unease only intensified. He would immediately take away Mrs. Xiao from there and hoped that Xiao Yuanmu would be merciful when he came for himter. ¡°Mrs. Xiao, this way.¡± Louis pressed the elevator button and very chivalrously held the elevator door open for her. His face was covered by a smile. Mrs. Xiao nodded gracefully. She smiled at Xiao Yuanmu and said, ¡°Then, Mom wille see you again tomorrow.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to do that,¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at Louis and said, ¡°I can make my own breakfast.¡± Mrs. Xiao paused. Her smile stiffened. ¡°Then next time, Mom will¡­.¡± Before she could finish, she was interrupted by someone¡¯s ringtone. She had been slightly taken aback. Soon after though, a look of glee emerged within her eyes. She hadn¡¯t finished what she was going to say, but Xiao Yuanmu had an iing call. This meant that she could stay for a little bit longer. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t notice Mrs. Xiao¡¯s expression. All of his attention had been pulled towards the familiar ringtone of the phone sitting in his living room. ¡°Go pick up the call.¡± Mrs. Xiao smiled understandingly. ¡°Mom will wait for you here.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. He then quickly walked over to the phoneying on the sofa. When he saw the familiar contact name, a smile shed through his eyes. He picked up the call and quietly said, ¡°Give me one second.¡± He then turned around and headed back to the door. ¡°I have something very important to handle right now. You¡­.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. Mom¡¯s free. Mom will wait until you¡¯re done to speak with you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at Louis. Louis actually really wanted to hear Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s phone call. Ever since he had found out about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s boyfriend from Yang Jie, he had been very curious. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s excited expression just now, he knew that the person calling had to be his rumoured lover. However, no matter how much he wanted to hear this piece of gossip, his desire couldn¡¯t win over his fear of Xiao Yuanmu. His eyebrows drooped slightly in disappointment. He then beamed at Mrs. Xiao. ¡°Mrs. Xiao, I¡ª¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to see me out.¡± Mrs. Xiao stared at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s figure, which had already headed inside, a bit nervously. She was torn between leaving out of politeness and ignoring courtesy to stay. In the end, the temptation of getting to stay with her son for a bit longer won out. She gave Louis a gentle and elegant smile. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for him here. Louis, if you have something else to do, you can leave first.¡± ¡°No, no, no, it¡¯s my honour to serve you.¡± If he left Mrs. Xiao by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s door all alone, Xiao Yuanmu would probably skin him alive once he was done with his call. Louis smiled bitterly. ¡°I¡¯ll wait with you.¡± When Mrs. Xiao had heard this, her smile became much more sincere. ¡°Thank you.¡± On the other side, Xiao Yuanmu, who had left Louis to deal with Mrs. Xiao, walked into his room. He stood by the French windows and stared down at the garden and river below. When he heard the quiet breathing noisesing from the other side, a small smile seeped out of his eyes. ¡°Okay. You can speak now. Why did you call me at this time?¡± It was probably about eight o¡¯clock at night in the Capital right now. Song Xuanhe rarely called him at such a time. That was why Xiao Yuanmu had been so pleasantly surprised upon receiving this call. When Song Xuanhe heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cool voice, the jittery feeling he had eased up a lot. He nced at Song Jiabao and them before looking away. ¡°There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about.¡± Xiao Yuanmu leaned against the transparent ss, rxed. His gaze softened. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. His lips then pressed into a straight line upon seeing Song Jiabao and his family¡¯s pleading gazes. Lowering his gaze, he asked, ¡°Have you been busy?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at his watch and then at the huge pile of documents on his desk. With a straight face, he said, ¡°I¡¯ve been really free thesest two days and got to rest a bit.¡± Song Xuanhe had something else on his mind, so he didn¡¯t notice Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone. He only gave the other a quiet ¡°mn.¡± He then nced at Song Jiabao, whose face was white as a sheet of paper, and then went upstairs. ¡°What¡¯s with that interview?¡± Song Xuanhe asked while walking upstairs. When the Song Family members heard his question, they all craned their necks, trying to eavesdrop on their conversation. However, Song Xuanhe was too quick. He took four-five steps at a time. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared. A secondter, they heard the sound of a door closing. Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Which interview?¡± After shutting his door, Song Xuanhe went to sit down. ¡°How many interviews have you done?¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned around and headed towards therge bed in the centre of his room. ¡°One.¡± Song Xuanhe rested his legs on his coffee table. ¡°Then, which one do you think I¡¯m referring to?¡± ¡°What part of the interview are you asking about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat down on the bed and ced his phone beside him after turning on speaker mode. He changed out of his home wear and put on a cored shirt. His slender fingers fiddled with his cuffs, and there was heedlessness effused in his tone. Song Xuanhe listened to the rustling noises and noticed that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice sounded farther away than before. He paused and then asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Changing clothes.¡± Song Xuanhe put his legs back down. He pressed down on the edge of the coffee table closest to him, causing the hind legs of the table to lift up into the air. He then pushed the table a bit further away from him. He then asked, ¡°You¡¯re changing clothes while talking to me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was mild. ¡°Louis is waiting for me outside. I can¡¯t see him in my pyjamas.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow but didn¡¯t continue to ask about this. He went back to the main topic. ¡°So, what was that interview all about? We¡¯ve already broken up. Why did you say that we¡¯re together?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused while buttoning his cuffs. In a t voice, he said, ¡°You said that we could believe in our own version of events regarding our rtionship. You think that we¡¯ve already broken up, but I believe that we haven¡¯t. I just said what I believe. If you don¡¯t agree with me, then by all means, you can publicly announce your stance.¡± Song Xuanhe paused his action of slowly pushing the coffee table away. His mind nked for a few seconds before his eye twitched. ¡°Who would believe me now if I said that we¡¯ve already broken up?¡± When Xiao Yuanmu had heard the suppressed anger in Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice, he smiled as he finished fastening his cuffs. His smile caused the end of his sentence to sound a bit husky. ¡°That¡¯s your problem.¡± Song Xuanhe was a bit astonished by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s shamelessness. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t say anything. He felt like a donkey must have kicked him in the head just now for him to have given up his chance of directly freeing himself of Song Jiabao and his family over that hint of surprised delight in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, which had been so slight that he might have just imagined it. When he had first heard Xiao Yuanmu speak, he had thought that the other sounded very tired. That was why Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t wanted to bring it up. He hadn¡¯t wanted to make the other unhappy so early in the morning. Song Xuanhe finally shoved the table far away with one kick, and his foot fell to the ground. He didn¡¯t know why, but when he imagined the other¡¯s eyes curved and filled with happiness upon hearing the smile in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, the unhappiness he had felt just now disappeared. He didn¡¯t like having his emotions influenced by Xiao Yuanmu like this. Therefore, he pursed his lips and asked in a constrained voice, ¡°Then, what¡¯s with the invitation?¡± The smile in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes froze. His jaw then tightened. ¡°The Xiao Family sent it to you?¡± Song Xuanhe was slightly surprised. ¡°You didn¡¯t know about it?¡± Xiao Yuanmu gazed at the door. His voice, which had originally held a smile, grew cold. ¡°Don¡¯te.¡±
Eve: Xuanhe ah, you¡¯ve already started to fall. You care and he affects you so~ Chapter 94: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°Mr. Song! Ai ya, I finally get to see you!¡± A stout, middle-aged man carrying a ss of white wine came forward. He smiled and said, ¡°I¡¯d been meaning to have Mr. Zhou introduce us all this time, but everyone¡¯s been so busy. I didn¡¯t think that we¡¯d bump into each other today!¡± Even though he was already a middle-aged man, Song Guochao took good care of his body. Right now, with a smile on his face, he looked cultured and refined. ¡°It¡¯s my fault that we haven¡¯t been able to meet until now. Allow me to dedicate this toast to you, Mr. Huang.¡± Mr. Huang waved his hand. He then downed his ss of white wine before Song Guochao could drink his own. ¡°No need. It is my honour to meet you today. There¡¯s no need for you to toast to me.¡± ¡°Old Huang¡¯s right. It¡¯s our honour to be with you today. Come, everyone! Here¡¯s to Mr. Song!¡± Several people came over. One person smiled at Song Guochao, a ss of wine in hand: ¡°Mr. Song, drink up!¡± Song Guochao epted the ss and smiled back. ¡°Let¡¯s drink together casually. No need to toast me.¡± After a few rounds of drinks, the group of middle-aged men, who had been politely distant a moment ago, were now calling each other ¡°brothers.¡± They were no longer as careful with their words as they had been in the beginning. One of the men said, ¡°Song ge, ah, I really envy the fact that you have two good sons. Look at my sons. I¡¯m ready to light incense and thank the Buddha if they manage to not worry me for just one day.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Someone else chimed in, ¡°Your older son has a steady personality while your younger son is clever. One guards thepany while the other helps the family expand. If I had children like that¡­just imagining it is enough to make me smile.¡± ¡°Exactly. I don¡¯t even dare imagine what the Xiao Family¡¯s banquet will be like. When the timees, Old Song, you¡¯ll have toe back and tell us about it. Share with us what that world is like. In the future, remember us when you¡¯re looking for business partners, ah.¡± ¡°Returning to the previous topic, Old Song really taught his two sons well. Old Song, how about you give us some advice? I still have time to guide my youngest son.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s smile froze upon hearing these words. The conversation made him recall how his rtionship with Song Xuanhe was not at all like how they thought it was. A few days ago, Song Xuanhe had even moved out and clearly expressed that he absolutely would not attend the Xiao Family¡¯s banquet. ¡°Old Song, why are you so quiet?¡± Mr. Huangughed, ¡°Come on, tell me quickly how I should raise my son. Teach us your ways.¡± Mr. Huang had only recently moved his business to the Capital. He didn¡¯t know about what had happened with regards to the Song Family a few months ago. Therefore, he had no clue that Song Xuanhe and Song Guochao had a strained rtionship. He had simply said this, because he thought that the other would feel good if he heard his son being praised. After all, if it was him, hearing someone elsepliment his son definitely would have made him happy. That was why he had done his utmost to praise Song Xuanhe and Song Xuanlin. He wanted to use this as a chance to get closer to Song Guochao. However, even if Mr. Huang didn¡¯t know about the rtionship between the Song Family members, the others did. In the beginning, they had also praised Song Xuanhe with Mr. Huang, because they had wanted to see if the rtionship between Song Xuanhe and Song Guochao was really as terrible as rumoured. That¡¯s why no one had stopped him. Song Guochao¡¯s current expression gave them the answer. ¡°Ai ya, we came out here to rx and drink. What are we talking about our kids for? Old Huang, you shouldn¡¯t have done that. Come on, have another drink.¡± Mr. Huang had been a businessman for many years. He realized he had misspoken upon seeing Song Guochao¡¯s evidently unhappy expression. Therefore, he immediately grabbed onto the opportunity to get out of this predicament. ¡°Right, it¡¯s my fault. I¡¯ll drink this ss in punishment.¡± The other peopleughed and then changed the subject. They chatted about the stock market and golf. Every topic revolved around Song Guochao, causing his mood to improve. The smile on his face was genuine. ¡°It¡¯s no fun if we just drink here. How about we go somewhere else to have some fun? I reserved a ce for us to do some karaoke downstairs. Let¡¯s go loosen up there.¡± The party headed downstairs. As soon as they exited the elevator, someone asked, ¡°Hey, isn¡¯t that Xuanhe? Old Song, isn¡¯t that your son? Who¡¯s that next to him?¡± Song Guochao paused. When he saw that it was indeed Song Xuanhe, his good mood disappeared, and the smile on his face faded. ¡°It looks like¡­he¡¯s with Song Dongjia¡¯s daughter. I think her name¡¯s Song Jiani.¡± Someone seemed to recognize them. That person said in a surprised voice, ¡°I had heard that Song ershao and Song Dongjia¡¯s daughter were on good terms. Didn¡¯t expect it to be true.¡± The other people exchanged nces. For a moment, they all stood there in ce. Song Guochao hadn¡¯t noticed Song Jiani in the beginning. But now that he had seen her, his originally unhappy expression turned even uglier. It wasn¡¯t anything out of the ordinary for a girl and guy to have a meal alone or sing karaoke together. However, both Song Xuanhe and Song Jiani¡¯s families had enthusiastically tried to get them together in the past. Most of the people here knew about this. What should he do if news of their rendezvous got to the Xiao Family? ¡°Mr. Song, since we¡¯ve bumped into them, do you want to say hi? It looks like they¡¯re about to¡­.¡± The person who was speaking stopped halfway. His expression changed subtly. Song Guochao realized that something was wrong. He nced over, and immediately, his face darkened. Song Jiani and Song Xuanhe were hugging¡ªor rather, Song Jiani was unterally holding onto Song Xuanhe and refusing to let go. However much Song Guochao had once wanted to get Song Xuanhe and Song Jiani together was however much he wanted to split them apart now. Song Xuanhe still had yet to notice that they were looking at him. As soon as he had left his studio, he had been stopped by Song Jiani. She had threatened to tell the Song Family about the studio if he wouldn¡¯t have a meal with her. She had also said that she had something really important to tell him. Originally, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t wanted to pay her any attention. However, when he thought about how the drug incident with Zhou Rong was supposed toe up soon, he figured that he might be able to get some clues from Song Jiani. As such, he chose to go with her. Unfortunately, all Song Jiani had done was tell him how much she liked him and recount her past with the original host. She didn¡¯t mention anything serious. Song Xuanhe¡¯s patience had then run out, and he had tried to leave after paying the bill. But before he could make it very far, Song Jiani had wrapped her arms around him. ¡°Let go.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was lowered. ¡°Right now.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t let go!¡± Song Jiani¡¯s eyes were red as she said, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t like you at all! If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have gone to America. Xuanhe, only I love you. Only I will never leave you. We were so good. Why did you suddenly fall for him and start to hate me? Like me instead, okay?¡± ¡°No thanks.¡± Song Xuanhe wanted to pry her fingers off of his arm. However, she tightened her hold, her knuckles turning white. If he used any more strength, he would hurt her. Although he didn¡¯t like Song Jiani, he also didn¡¯t want to hurt a girl. So, all he could do was make his expression colder. ¡°I¡¯ll say it again, let go of me. If you don¡¯t let go, I¡¯ll have to use force.¡± A group of middle-aged men walked over. A man said, ¡°Xuanhe, ah, what are you guys¡­.?¡± Song Jiani had originally wanted to say something. But when she saw Song Guochao, she immediately let go of Song Xuanhe. ¡°Uncle Song.¡± Song Guochao forced himself to smile as he greeted Song Jiani. He then turned to look at Song Xuanhe, his voice lowering slightly. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Song Jiani had finally let go. Song Xuanhe took two steps away from her and then looked towards Song Guochao. For once, he didn¡¯t give him an unpleasant look. ¡°Did you need something?¡± ¡°What kind of question is that?¡± Song Guochao nced at the people with him and angrily demanded, ¡°What kind of attitude is this? Do I have to have a reason to look for you?¡± ¡°Uncle, that wasn¡¯t what Xuanhe meant. He just hadn¡¯t expected to see you here.¡± Song Jiani tried to mediate. The other people watched the situation unfold. Everyone¡¯s gaze turned even more pensive as they exchanged nces. Everyone knew about Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. But right now, Song Jiani was acting like a girlfriend defending her boyfriend. Song Guochao also thought that. His expression turned even uglier. However, he couldn¡¯t get angry at a girl in front of everyone. He could only say to Song Xuanhe, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going home? It¡¯s sote already. Come home with me right now.¡± Song Xuanhe had no clue what was going on in Song Guochao¡¯s head right now for him to want to go back with him. He turned to look at Song Guochao and noticed that the other was looking at Song Jiani with a slightly guarded look. At that moment, he understood what was going on. Heughed. ¡°I still have something to discuss with Song Jiani. If you want to go home, go on your own.¡± Song Jiani looked up, a delighted expression on her face. She had been about to say something, but Song Xuanhe already started to walk away. She quickly chased after him. ¡°You!¡± Song Guochao had wanted to reach out and grab onto Song Xuanhe. However, there were too many people there. He couldn¡¯t bear to do something so embarrassing. All he could do was quietly curse, ¡°Absolutely disgraceful.¡± The other people acted like they didn¡¯t notice how indifferent Song Xuanhe had been to Song Guochao and like they hadn¡¯t heard what Song Guochao had said. They all chatted jovially. Someone eventually said, ¡°Let¡¯s go. If the kid wants to y, let him. Let¡¯s go sing.¡± Song Guochao knew that he would probably turn into a joke if he were to leave now. He forced himself to smile. ¡°Kids these days are so rebellious. Let¡¯s go.¡± * Hearing the sound of footsteps behind him, Song Xuanhe turned around and raised a hand, indicating for Song Jiani to freeze in ce. He then said, ¡°Whatever you have to say, you can say it here.¡± ¡°I¡­Do you really like Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Song Jiani stood two metres away from Song Xuanhe. ¡°Did you really never have feelings for me?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were cold, and his voice was full of indifference. ¡°I¡¯ve never liked you. Furthermore, I hate being pestered.¡± Faced with Song Xuanhe¡¯s undisguised impatience and coldness, Song Jiani bit down on her lip. Half a secondter, Song Xuanhe still hadn¡¯t heard Song Jiani¡¯s reply. Therefore, he turned around and said, ¡°If there¡¯s nothing else, I¡¯ll be leaving.¡± ¡°Wait¡­¡± Song Jiani took a step forward but paused. She then asked, ¡°What¡¯s so good about Xiao Yuanmu? I don¡¯t think you really like him. I won¡¯t believe it unless you tell me¡­that you would choose Xiao Yuanmu over your own life.¡± He didn¡¯t answer her. Staring after his departing figure, Song Jiani¡¯s eyes reddened again. The hands hanging by her sides tightened into fists. Her lips turned white from how hard she had been biting them. In the end, she took a deep breath and shouted, ¡°Zhou Rong wants to hurt you! That¡¯s what I wanted to tell you today!¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He uttered a thanks before leaving. Back in the car, the System asked£º¡¾Did youe see Song Jiani, because you had heard Zhou Nan say that Song Jiani had been the original host¡¯s only friend when he had been at his unhappiest?¡¿ Song Xuanhe acted like he didn¡¯t hear the System¡¯s question and started the car. The System kept talking to itself£º¡¾Your danger level is really hard to judge¡­. Well, at least the mission is more or less done. When the Xiao Family banquet ends, you¡¯ll havepleted all the scenes that were directly described in the book. Right, why do you think Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t want you to go to the banquet?¡¿ Song Xuanhe finally spoke up, ¡°I didn¡¯t n on going to begin with.¡± ¡¾But, your emotional fluctuations told me that you had been angry when he told you not toe over the phone. If you weren¡¯t nning on going, why would you be angry? That¡¯s why I think that you actually¡­.¡¿ ¡°Shut up.¡±
Eve: Aww, Xuanhe. Mumu has his reasons, don¡¯t be upset. Chapter 95: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Although Song Xuanhe already knew that Zhou Rong was going toe looking for him, he hadn¡¯t expected him toe so soon. Yesterday, Song Jiani had just warned him to be careful of Zhou Rong. Today, Zhou Rong called that morning. When his phone rang, Song Xuanhe acted like he hadn¡¯t seen the contact name. He picked up the call and spoke into the receiver in thenguid tone of someone who had yet topletely wake up. ¡°Who is it?¡± The other person paused for a moment beforeughing. ¡°Brother, I only left for half a year. You already deleted me as a contact?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was tinged with impatience. ¡°Your name.¡± The bright voice darkened, but it still held a smile. ¡°It¡¯s me, Zhou Rong.¡± Song Xuanhe rubbed his eyes that were teary from his yawn, his face void of expression. His voice was t. ¡°Zhou Rong?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯sugh came through the phone. His voice then lowered slightly. ¡°After spending some time outside, I came back to discover that so many things had changed. And Chao er¡­I hadn¡¯t expected to be unable to find people I know aftering back. I can only look for you to have a drink with. Are you free tonight? Let¡¯s go drinking.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe agreed, sounding happy. However, there was no expression on his face as he said this. ¡°Pick a ce and let me know when.¡± ¡°A good friend.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯sugh was bright. ¡°I only have you in the Capital now. We¡¯re not going home until we¡¯re drunk tonight.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Remember to send me the location.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe yawned again. He then headed downstairs, looking exhausted. He searched his kitchen for a moment and discovered that there were only fruits and a few drinks in his fridge. The drinks had been bought when Xiao Yuanmu had still lived here. Song Xuanhe casually nced at the interior of his fridge before grabbing an apple. He washed it and then took a bite. He then sat down at the table, slowly waiting for his brain to wake up. A few minutester, his mind finally cleared up. However, before he could think about how to deal with Zhou Rong, the image of Xiao Yuanmu sitting in front of him and eating in an unhurried manner appeared in his head. Xiao Yuanmu ate in the way that you would expect from him, based on his personality. He didn¡¯t show any expression and ate at an unhurried pace. Song Xuanhe had never been able to tell whether the other thought something was delicious or not from his face. It was almost like the other¡¯s chopsticks had a measuring function: every time he picked up food, it was always more-or-less the same amount. Back then, Song Xuanhe would asionally think about how he had heard that chefs don¡¯t like to eat the food they cooked. That was because they would feel full just from the process of cooking. He had wondered if Xiao Yuanmu was also like this. Otherwise, why would Xiao Yuanmu always eat so little? Furthermore, Xiao Yuanmu always liked to watch him eat when he himself was done eating as if, as the chef, watching the other eat would satisfy him. But, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t believe that Xiao Yuanmu was the type to be satisfied by just that. After all, from what he knew, Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t the type of person to feel aplished upon seeing other people feel content. Back then, he had been curious to figure out what differences there were between the book Xiao Yuanmu and his real self. The curiosity had led him to gradually pay attention to each and every one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s actions, from his posture while eating to how he looked while working or reading. As he had observed the other, he slowly and unwittingly discovered many little habits that other people would have had difficulty noticing. For example, Xiao Yuanmu hated fish. He even hated cooking fish. Every time he cooked fish, he would stand about three centimetres further away from the counter than usual. Furthermore, he never ate the fish dishes he made. However, he really liked to eat vegetables. It didn¡¯t matter what vegetable it was¡ªhe would even eat bitter melon with gusto. He would usually eat a few more bites of vegetablespared to meat. Another example was that Xiao Yuanmu had a habit of gently rubbing a finger over a book¡¯s page when he read. The slower the action was, the more interested he was in the book. His eyes also lit up when he was happy. It would look like his eyes were full of stars. Even if he didn¡¯t smile, Song Xuanhe would be able to tell that he was really happy. Also, for some baffling reason, he was really disliked by small animals. Meanwhile, he really liked them. He had even brought the puppy Song Xuanhe had picked up at the orphanage gate with him to America. Another example was that his jaw would tense when he was unhappy. When he was angry, his Adam¡¯s apple would bob slightly. When he was losing his patience, his fingers would tap against something. When he was sad, he would ignore other people. And¡­he would go through hell to keep up appearances. Even if he wasn¡¯t feeling well to the point of breaking out into a cold sweat, he would not reveal any of it to outsiders. It was only after Xiao Yuanmu had left that Song Xuanhe had suddenly realized how well he actually understood Xiao Yuanmu. ¡¾You¡¯re going to see Zhou Rong!¡¿The System¡¯s voice suddenly chimed£º¡¾Actually, you don¡¯t have to follow the plot for this kind of thing. You canpletely avoid it. You can invite him out some other time. As long as you two meet, it will be consideredpleted.¡¿ Song Xuanhe had eaten half of his apple. He raised a brow, surprised. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve heard you try to persuade me to not follow the plot.¡± ¡¾You¡¯re my host. I¡¯ll obviously think about your safety.¡¿The System said£º¡¾Besides, your mission is almost done. There¡¯s no need to take such a risk.¡¿ ¡°Zhou Rong¡¯s been thinking of me all this time. It¡¯ll be dangerous if I don¡¯t go.¡± Song Xuanhe finished his apple and tossed the core into the trash. ¡°Besides, I want myst days in this world to be carefree. I won¡¯t feel assured unless I deal with him first.¡± The System still felt worried£º¡¾Since you have finished the main storyline mission, my main consciousness has gone into hibernation. I won¡¯t be able to save you.¡¿ ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine.¡± * It was currently the end of June. July was just around the corner. There were more and more people on the streets now. Girls, who didn¡¯t fear the cold, also started to wear shorts and short skirts. Song Xuanhe walked down the street at a leisurely pace. He paused when he saw someone waving at him at the corner. He then waved back half-heartedly. ¡°You look like you don¡¯t want to see me,¡± Guan Zhi said, arms folded, ¡°Did you forget that you said that you¡¯d take me out to eat? I even finally got toe back to China for school break. Are you nning on going back on your word?¡± ¡°If I was going to go back on my word, would I havee out?¡± Song Xuanhe had already decided to meet up with Zhou Rong after stopping by his studio. However, he had received a call from Guan Zhi as soon as he headed out the door. At first, when he had heard the other say that he was in China and wanted him to take him to eat at the alleys, he had wanted to hang up. But, Guan Zhi had heard about his studio from somewhere and hade to wait for him at the entrance. To prevent the Song Family from finding out about his studio before Fashion Week, Song Xuanhe had no choice but to reluctantly agree. ¡°Then, what¡¯s with your expression?¡± Guan Zhi snorted. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go with me, I¡¯ll go with someone else. There¡¯s a lot of people who want to go with me. Do you think that I can¡¯t do without you?¡± Song Xuanhe rubbed the other¡¯s head. He then pulled him forward. ¡°Let¡¯s go, shorty.¡± Guan Zhi was taken aback. Soon after, he leapt forward, wanting to smack Song Xuanhe on the head in a fit of shame and rage. However, the other dodged him. He then said, ¡°That granny makes food on the spot. She doesn¡¯t have a lot of energy. If we¡¯re toote, there won¡¯t be any left. Hurry up.¡± ¡°Who are you calling short?!¡± Guan Zhi chased after him. ¡°I¡¯m still growing. It won¡¯t even take a year. In a few months, I¡¯ll be taller than you.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Mn, still growing at neen years old. You¡¯re growing up so fast.¡± Guan Zhi paused and then pounced onto Song Xuanhe, wanting to hit him. Song Xuanhe grabbed his fist and smiled. ¡°The granny¡¯s stand is over there. There¡¯s only a few bowls of her tofu pudding left. Hurry up, or you¡¯ll be toote.¡± Guan Zhi looked over and saw that there was indeed still a line there. He threw Song Xuanhe off and quickly headed towards the back of the line. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t been lying. The granny made the tofu pudding fresh every day. The sauce and toppings were also limited. By the time they went over, there were only four bowls left. It also just so happened that there were three people in front of Guan Zhi. He would be able to buy thest one. However, when it came to his turn, the kindly granny said, ¡°Young man, I¡¯m out of tofu pudding for today. Come back tomorrow. Granny will save you a bowl.¡± Guan Zhi could smell the thick scent of tofu pudding. He stared at thest bowl on the stand and said, ¡°Granny, there¡¯s still one bowl there.¡± ¡°That bowl is for my husband,¡± The granny said, ¡°Every day, I keep thest bowl for him. It must be your first time here. The regrs all know this.¡± Guan Zhi turned to look at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe shrugged. ¡°I didn¡¯t know either.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Guan Zhi turned around, disappointed. ¡°Thank you, I¡¯lle back tomorrow.¡± The granny smiled and hollered for them toe back. She handed two cups of soy milk to them. ¡°Have this soy milk. Granny will make sure to leave a bowl for you tomorrow.¡± Guan Zhi epted it and gave her his thanks. The disappointment on his face lessened a lot. As soon as he tasted the rich, fragrant soy milk, he felt happy. Song Xuanheughed upon seeing how quickly his expression had changed. He thought that the other was indeed still a kid. He then looked at his watch and said, ¡°I took you to eat tofu pudding as I promised. I have something to do now, so I¡¯ll be heading out first.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Guan Zhi tugged on him. When he saw Song Xuanhe turn his head around, he parted his lips. However, no words came out for a long time. In the end, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t get to eat the tofu pudding, so it doesn¡¯t count. You have to eat with me every day after work instead to fulfill your promise.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes and threw off his hold. ¡°You know where this ce is. You cane by yourself tomorrow.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not the same.¡± Guan Zhi followed after him. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s other stuff too. You said that you¡¯d take me to eat everything.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He turned to look at the other, a probing gaze in his eyes. ¡°You keep pestering me. Do you like me or something?¡± Guan Zhi froze. His cheeks then flushed, and it looked like steam would soone out of his ears. He raised his voice: ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯d like you!¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and nodded. ¡°Then, don¡¯t follow me. Otherwise, I¡¯ll think that you like me.¡± Guan Zhi gritted his teeth as he watched Song Xuanhe disappear into the crowd. His expression shifted a few times before he ultimately decided to chase after him.
Eve: Xuanhe, you don¡¯t just casually know someone THAT well and not feel something for them. Also Guan Zhi is so cute, don¡¯t bully him Xuanhe hahaha. Kara: He bao, my son, you noticed he doesn¡¯t like fish, because he stands 3cm further away from the kitchen counter. BUT, YOU REFUSE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOU HAVE FEELINGS FOR HIM??!!?!?! (?? ?¡ä§¥`?)?áê©ß©¥©ß Every time we have an introspection chapter, it hurts me more than anything else. _:(¡ä?`¡¹ ¡Ï):_ Chapter 96: Found a Good Friend Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even bother to go back and get his car. In order to make it in time to his appointment with Zhou Rong, he called a taxi and gave the driver the address Zhou Rong had sent him. Song Xuanhe raised a brow upon seeing the address. Zhou Rong was good at choosing locations. A remote, high-ss club was indeed the perfect choice for this meeting. It wouldn¡¯t have made Song Xuanhe suspicious, and it was hidden from the public, which meant that they wouldn¡¯t be disturbed. ¡°Er shao!¡± An upright-looking young man quickly walked over. His steps were full of vigour and happiness, and there was a smile full of excitement on his face as if he really was reuniting with a friend he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. Song Xuanhe met him halfway and extended a hand. Their chests bumped in greeting. Song Xuanhe then smiled and asked, ¡°What took you so long toe back?¡± ¡°My family wouldn¡¯t let me leave.¡± Zhou Rong patted his shoulder. He then raised a brow in surprise. In a teasing voice, he said, ¡°Looks like you¡¯ve been working out since I had been gone.¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe moved his shoulders. Before the other could react, he hooked his leg behind Zhou Rong¡¯s left leg and threw him onto the ground. Under Zhou Rong¡¯s guarded and shocked gaze, Song Xuanhe bent down slightly with a hand out. He pulled the other back up and chuckled. ¡°Have I improved?¡± ¡°At a godly pace.¡± Zhou Rong stood up with Song Xuanhe¡¯s help. He then looked down as he patted the dust off of his clothes. He smiled back. ¡°I can¡¯t knock you down on my own.¡± Song Xuanhe also helped him pat the dust off. ¡°I only know a few moves. It only worked this time because I caught you off-guard.¡± Zhou Rong wrapped an arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulders, beaming. ¡°Let¡¯s go in. You agreed to spend tonight with me. We¡¯re not going home ¡®til we¡¯re drunk off our asses.¡± ¡°How are you still single after all this time?¡± Song Xuanhe turned around, avoiding the other¡¯s touch in a casual manner. He asked, ¡°You¡¯ve been living there for half a year now, but we¡¯ve never seen you bring back a girl. I thought that you must have gotten yourself a girlfriend by now.¡± ¡°I have to follow my dad every day. Where would I find the time to get a girl?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s expression changed slightly as he said, ¡°Now, you, I recently heard that the Xiao Family¡¯s eldest son, who¡¯s been doing well as ofte, is your boyfriend?¡± ¡°Ex.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile ttened. ¡°You broke up?¡± Zhou Rong pressed down on the elevator button. He then took a step back so that he and Song Xuanhe were standing shoulder-to-shoulder. ¡°But, I heard that you were serious about him. That it was because of him that you fought with Chao zi. When I had heard this, I thought that you definitely had to be serious about him to have fought with a long-time friend like that.¡± ¡°It hadn¡¯t really been a fight.¡± Song Xuanhe walked into the elevator and spoke in a casual tone. ¡°Lu Chao teamed up with Song Jiani to screw me over. I¡¯ve always known that he liked Song Jiani, but we¡¯d been friends for so long. If it had been any other time, I would have turned a blind eye. But, Xiao Yuanmu was different. Besides, he had almost killed him. I was actually so disappointed in him.¡± Zhou Rong paused imperceptibly on his way into the elevator. He then continued to walk in as if nothing had happened. He stared at the closing door and said: ¡°I didn¡¯t know that.¡± ¡°That¡¯s only to be expected.¡± Song Xuanhe sighed quietly. ¡°After all, Lu Chao¡¯s already¡­.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s fist tightened beside him. But before Song Xuanhe could notice it, he let go. He looked down, his voice sounding downcast. ¡°That¡¯s right. The three of us and Song Jiani grew up together. Who would have thought that things would turn out like this?¡± Song Xuanhe leaned against the elevator¡¯s ss wall. He looked down at the artificial oasis beneath them. The sunlight outside pierced through the transparent ss and shone against his face. It was difficult to discern the expression on his face. ¡°People indeed change easily.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s eye twitched slightly. He subconsciously turned to look at Song Xuanhe. However, he couldn¡¯t make out the expression on the other¡¯s face, because the sun was behind him. All he saw was the other¡¯s slightly curled lips. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Xuanhe walked out of the sunlight and stepped out of the elevator. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Zhou Rong came back to himself. With a smile, he followed after Song Xuanhe. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot. I should have met up with you when I had returned in the past. They say that you can notice changes in another person after just three days of separation. I feel like I don¡¯t even know you anymore.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He turned to look at Zhou Rong, who was about the same height as him, calmly. All of a sudden, heughed. ¡°Actually, I also feel like I don¡¯t know you very much anymore too.¡± Zhou Rong stood a step away from Song Xuanhe. When he had heard this, something flickered through his eyes. His expression was indiscernible. ¡°How so?¡± ¡°You¡¯re darker now. You look different.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled as he pointed at the door in front of them. ¡°Is this the room you booked?¡± Zhou Rong looked up at the stylish sign. He thenughed a bit nervously as he swiped his card. ¡°I hadn¡¯t even realized we arrived, because I was so engrossed in our conversation. Let¡¯s go in. I specifically had them give us the best wine they have here. Drink to your heart¡¯s delight. No need to be polite with me.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He then walked in, a smile still painted on his face. Zhou Rong¡¯s gaze paused on the back of the other¡¯s head for a few seconds. He then walked in and closed the door behind him. Song Xuanhe discreetly surveyed the room. He then went to sit near the bar. He pulled a bottle of wine out of the ice bucket and wiped it dry with a towel. He then read the foreign words written on the bottle with the help of the sunlight streaming in through the windows. He then turned around and smiled: ¡°Didn¡¯t expect you to be this generous. This is expensive.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do it for anyone else. But for treating you, I obviously have to do at least this much.¡± Zhou Rong walked over and took the wine out of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands. With practiced ease, he poured the wine into a ss nearby. He then handed the ss over to Song Xuanhe: ¡°Try it.¡± ¡¾The wine is safe.¡¿ Song Xuanhe epted the ss and sniffed it. He then downed it in one go: ¡°Not bad.¡± ¡°Obviously. I paid good money for this.¡± Zhou Rong poured himself a ss and then went to sit down on the sofa. He said, ¡°I had originally nned on giving you this bottle of wine for your birthday. But in any case, it¡¯s not that different letting you drink it now.¡± Song Xuanhe went to sit down on the arm chair, a refilled ss in his hand, and crossed his legs. He looked very much like a profligate son of the rich. His smile wasnguid. ¡°That won¡¯t do. You have to give me a better bottle of wine for my birthday.¡± ¡°I won this at an auction in the ck market.¡± Zhou Rong pointed to the bottle of wine that he had casually ced to the side. ¡°It cost a lot of money, and my dad even beat me because of it. I had been waiting to surprise you with it. Waiting until the three of us could drink it together. I hadn¡¯t expected that things would stay the same, but the people would change. That¡¯s why I brought this with me to give to you tonight. This way, at least the person I had bought the wine for will have drank it. After all, who knows what will happen in the future?¡± Song Xuanhe finished his ss and poured himself another. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± There was a moment of silence. Zhou Rong looked down at the ss in his hand. In a quiet voice, he said, ¡°If Chao zi was still here, it wouldn¡¯t be this quiet. You like liveliness but not as much as him. He loved to do anything and everything. He used to call up everyone and anyone to his get-togethers. The three of us could never talk alone. I had thought that we wouldn¡¯t sit together in a room and have a proper chat like we used to in school until we were old. I had never thought that this day woulde so soon.¡± ¡°Song Er, Er shao, why did Chao zi die?¡± Zhou Rong looked up, his eyes a little red. ¡°Didn¡¯t we promise to be friends for the rest of our lives? We¡¯re still alive, so how could he have left us first?¡± Song Xuanhe propped his chin up with his hand. His gaze was calm, but it looked unfocused. He said in a t voice, ¡°You said it earlier. Things stay the same, but people change. The world is unpredictable.¡± Zhou Rong was taken aback for a moment. He then nodded. ¡°Right¡­Things stay the same, but people change, and the world is unpredictable. Things stay the same, but people change¡­.and the world is unpredictable.¡± Song Xuanhe reached out to knock sses with him. ¡°It¡¯s okay.¡± Zhou Rong finished his ss and then refilled both his and Song Xuanhe¡¯s. As he poured the wine out, he asked, ¡°Who do you think is the happiest that Chao zi¡¯s dead?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze swept over his seemingly expressionless face. ¡°Who?¡± ¡°Probably Lu Yue,¡± Zhou Rong said, ¡°He had lived outside for so many years. He learned a lot from that mom of his. Now that Chao zi¡¯s dead, the Lu Family only has him and his mom. Don¡¯t you think he¡¯s happy?¡± Before Song Xuanhe could reply, Zhou Rong continued: ¡°Aside from Lu Yue, who else do you think is happy?¡± ¡¾Careful. His emotions are fluctuating like crazy.¡¿ Song Xuanhe leaned back discreetly. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°How do you not know?¡± Zhou Rong looked up with a smile. ¡°It¡¯s so obvious¡­.¡± Thump, thump, thump¡­. Zhou Rong furrowed his brows. He looked at the door, which the thumps hade from. Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Maybe it¡¯s a server bringing in a fruit tray.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t order any fruit.¡± ¡°I did.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°How can you not have fruit with wine?¡± Zhou Rong nced at him. He then turned around, swiped his card, and opened the door. Song Xuanhe followed after him. When he saw the person on the other side, he paused. ¡°Song Jiani, what are you doing here?¡± Song Jiani nced at Zhou Rong. She then walked over and tugged at Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. She blinked and said, ¡°Xuanhe gege, Auntie told me to get you. You have to go home for dinner today, remember?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s expression changed slightly. He smiled at Song Jiani and peered into her eyes. ¡°What¡¯s this? The two of you¡­.¡± Song Jiani avoided Zhou Rong¡¯s gaze. She shifted closer to Song Xuanhe and hugged his arm. ¡°Don¡¯t you know that I¡¯ve always liked Xuanhe gege? Auntie wanted me to get him, so I obviously have to take him away.¡± As she had said this, Song Jiani pulled on Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm, wanting to leave. Zhou Rong held onto Song Xuanhe and said to Song Jiani: ¡°Xuanhe and I promised not to go home until we¡¯re drunk. What are you here for? What, do you want to join us too?¡± Song Jiani looked at Song Xuanhe. Her fingers dug into his flesh. ¡°Xuanhe gege, you can drink any time. But, you have to go home today. Otherwise, Auntie won¡¯t like me anymore. Come with me, okay?¡± ¡°What if I don¡¯t let you take him away?¡± Zhou Rong grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s other arm. He narrowed his eyes as he said to Song Jiani, ¡°You shouldn¡¯t involve yourself in matters between men, you know.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s face paled. She bit down on her lip nervously, but her grip on Song Xuanhe was tight. ¡°I¡¯m not gonna participate. In any case, Xuanhe gege has to leave with me now. Auntie has already called me several times, urging us toe back. If I don¡¯t bring him back, Uncle and Auntie Song¡¯s impression of me will worsen. Zhou Rong, can¡¯t you drink some other time?¡± ¡°We haven¡¯t seen each other for so long. I want to drink tonight,¡± Zhou Rong said, ¡°You go back and speak to Auntie Song tonight. I¡¯ll apologize to her tomorrow.¡± Song Jiani turned to look at Song Xuanhe, expression flickering. A momentter, with a slightly trembling voice, she said, ¡°I¡¯m not leaving.¡± Zhou Rong stared at her for a moment. Suddenly, heughed. ¡°If you¡¯re not willing to leave,e in and drink with us then.¡±
Eve: Things gonna go down soon. And as annoying as Jiani had been, looks like at least her feelings are sincere. Kara: When Eve says ¡°Things are gonna go down soon,¡± she means from here on, almost every chapter is going to be a punch to the face. ¡Æ(???¡¨) (¡ä£»¦Ø£»`) Chapter 97: Blink and Hold Hands Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
¡°Auntie really said that you had toe back with me.¡± Song Jiani looked up at Song Xuanhe. Her reddened eyes were especially prominent against her deathly pale face. ¡°Xuanhe gege, trust me.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled off Song Jiani¡¯s tight hold on his arm. He said in a t voice, ¡°I do. But, I already promised Zhou Rong to drink with him today. Go back and tell my mom that I¡¯lle back a bitter tonight.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Zhou Rong smiled. ¡°Er shao and I have ns. Besides, it isn¡¯t very appropriate for you to drink with us, considering you¡¯re a girl. You should head back first.¡± ¡°No way. Xuanhe gege, you have to leave with me right now.¡± Song Jiani held onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers, her own trembling slightly. She held them so tightly that he felt like his fingers were about to snap. Song Jiani looked at Song Xuanhe with her red eyes, a sobbing tone to her voice as she spoke, ¡°Xuanhe gege, as long as you leave with me today, I won¡¯t bother you ever again, okay?¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly, and Zhou Rong¡¯s gaze darkened a bit. Thetter¡¯s voice gained a few degrees of ridicule. ¡°Jiani, you haven¡¯t even married into the Song Family, and you already want to manage Xuanhe? Are you nning on bing a strict wife?¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled his fingers out of her grasp. In a meaningful tone, he said, ¡°I know what I¡¯m doing. Don¡¯t worry about me. Go back and let my mom know I¡¯ll bete. She won¡¯t me you.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s eyshes trembled. She subconsciously looked up to meet with Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. When she saw his face, although his eyebrows were slightly furrowed, there was no impatience in his eyes, her originally reddened eyes immediately teared up. She then threw herself into Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms under his and Zhou Rong¡¯s astonished gazes. ¡°Zhou Rong wants to hurt you.¡± A barely audible sob entered Song Xuanhe¡¯s ears, making his hand freeze in midair. He then patted her on the back. Zhou Rong felt like he had heard someone speak just now, so he turned to look at Song Xuanhe. However, Song Xuanhe only had on a helpless and impatient look as he gestured at him with his chin and pointed to the person in his arms. The misgivings in Zhou Rong¡¯s eyes disappeared. He smiled. ¡°She¡¯s even crying now. How about you go back with her?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯vest seen each other though. I promised not to leave before we¡¯re drunk.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe patted Song Jiani on the shoulder. ¡°I know what you¡¯re worried about. Don¡¯t worry. My mom knows what I¡¯m like. She won¡¯t me you. I¡¯ll call for someone to take you back.¡± Song Jiani hugged Song Xuanhe. She shook her head, face still buried in his chest. Her voice was muffled: ¡°I won¡¯t leave unless you leave too.¡± When Zhou Rong heard this, he said, ¡°She¡¯s cried so much, let¡¯s just let her stay. In any case, she isn¡¯t much of a bother.¡± ¡°Why would she stay while we drink?¡± Song Xuanhe pulled Song Jiani off of him. When he noticed that her makeup was ruined from her tears, his lips twitched. He pulled out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to her. He clicked his tongue. ¡°Your makeup is ruined. So ugly. Hurry up and head back.¡± Song Jiani stared nkly at the handkerchief Song Xuanhe had handed to her. She remembered that Song Xuanhe had once said in disdain that a manly man like him would never do something as girly as carry a handkerchief with him during one of their etiquette sses in high school. So, why did he have one now? However, before she could think much about it, she fully processed Song Xuanhe¡¯s words: ¡°Your makeup is ruined. So ugly.¡± Song Jiani immediately forgot about everything else. She promptly pulled out apact mirror to check her makeup. She saw that her makeup had indeed started to streak. Because of this, her deathly pale face regained some colour, and she used the handkerchief to wipe off the streaks of makeup around her eyes. ¡°If you¡¯re going to fix your makeup, go to the bathroom.¡± Song Xuanhe pointed. ¡°When you¡¯re done, go home.¡± Song Jiani paused. She then clenched the handkerchief tightly. She turned her face away so that Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t see her face. In a quiet voice, she said, ¡°Unless you leave with me, I won¡¯t go.¡± ¡°She won¡¯t leave even when her makeup¡¯s been ruined.¡± Zhou Rongughed, ¡°Just let her stay.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. His gaze swept over Song Jiani¡¯s faintly visible earlobe. He suppressed theplicated expression in his eyes and spoke in a t tone, ¡°If you want to stay, then stay. But, don¡¯t meddle in what we¡¯re doing.¡± Zhou Rong opened the door, his smile bright. ¡°Come in.¡± Song Jiani nced at Zhou Rong and then walked in with her eyes on the ground. The atmosphere became strange after the three of them had sat down. There was a faint scent of wine in the air, making the odd atmosphere even weirder. ¡°Jiani, the wine over there has low alcohol content,¡± Zhou Rong said, ¡°You can choose one on your own.¡± Song Jiani didn¡¯t even look towards the wine. She said, ¡°I¡¯m not drinking.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not drinking, what was the point ining here? To sit here and stare at each other?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate for her to drink with us,¡± Song Xuanhe said ndly, ¡°Just let her sit here. We¡¯ll drink on our own.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s gaze swept over Song Jiani. He then poured a ss each for himself and Song Xuanhe. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s continue.¡± ¡°Right, what were we talking about just now?¡± Carrying the sses over, Zhou Rong asked, ¡°Did I tell you that aside from us two, someone else is also going toe over?¡± Song Xuanhe looked up, his eyes travelling over to Zhou Rong. He swirled the ss of wine in his hand and said, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Guess I forgot.¡± Song Jiani, however, widened her eyes in surprise. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that it was just going to be you and Xuanhe gege? Why is there another personing?¡± Zhou Rong said with a smile on his lips: ¡°Originally, it was just going to be just us two. But, someone else insisted oning along when he had heard about it. He said that he had something to discuss with Er shao. I thought that, since everyone was friends, I might as well let hime.¡± ¡°Who is it?¡± Song Jiani¡¯s eyes were fixed onto Zhou Rong, her voice a bit sharp. Zhou Rong kept them in suspense. ¡°You¡¯ll know when you see him.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s expression changed slightly, faced with Zhou Rong¡¯s bright and upright smile. She suddenly stood up and pulled on Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm. ¡°I only agreed to stay here with you, because you said that it was just going to be you and Xuanhe gege. I didn¡¯t think that there would be others too. I don¡¯t like hanging out with strangers. Xuanhe gege, let¡¯s leave.¡± ¡°They¡¯re not a stranger.¡± Zhou Rong raised a hand to stop Song Jiani. ¡°Actually, you also know him. You know him quite well.¡± Song Jiani: ¡°Even so, I don¡¯t want to drink with him. What, you nning on stopping me?¡± Zhou Rong raised a brow. ¡°You¡¯ve also called Xuanhe ¡®Xuanhe gege¡¯ since we¡¯d been young. And, you¡¯ve always been soft around him. Meanwhile, you call the rest of us by name and raise your temper towards us. You¡¯re unlikable no matter how I look at you. I really don¡¯t get why Lu Chao liked you.¡± Song Jiani subconsciously shifted her gaze to Song Xuanhe. When she saw that he still had no expression on his face, her eyes dimmed. She then said to Zhou Rong, ¡°How would I know why he liked me? In any case, I didn¡¯t like him.¡± When Zhou Rong heard this, his smile dropped at once. His gaze cooled down too. ¡°But, he liked you so much. He did so many things for your sake. Because of you, he changed.¡± ¡°But, I had never asked him to do those things for me!¡± Song Jiani quickly turned to look at Song Xuanhe in apprehension after saying that. She exined, ¡°Xuanhe gege, as soon as I had found out that Lu Chao liked me, I told him that I would never like him. There¡¯s nothing between us.¡± ¡°You had never asked him to do things for you? Hahahahahaha¡­.¡± Zhou Rongughed. His gaze was sinister as he stared at Song Jiani. ¡°That¡¯s right. You hadn¡¯t asked him, but he had still been very happy to do those things for you. That was why he had tried to teach the eldest young master of the Xiao Family a lesson. He had fallen out with Song Xuanhe for your sake. And, what had that gotten him? Other people had thrown stones at him after he had lost the Song Family¡¯s protection. In the end, even Lu Yue had been brought back home. Finally, he had senselessly lost his life.¡± ¡°Everything¡­¡± Zhou Rong took a step forward and lowered his head towards Song Jiani¡¯s. ¡°¡­Was for you, Song Jiani. You killed Lu Chao.¡± Song Jiani trembled upon being looked at like this by Zhou Rong. She parted her lips, wanting to say something, but nothing came out because of her fear. She could only subconsciously take a step back. After this one step, she felt someone pull her behind them. Song Xuanhe obstructed Zhou Rong¡¯s view of Song Jiani. His face had lost all of the carefree, casual air that it had had on before. ¡°Lu Chao died while street-racing. It has nothing to do with Song Jiani.¡± ¡°Nothing to do with her?¡± Zhou Rong looked up and met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. It seemed like he had suddenly thought of something. He made an ¡°oh¡± sound and then sneered. ¡°I almost forgot. Actually, the main culprit behind all of this isn¡¯t Song Jiani but you.¡± After saying this, Zhou Rong watched Song Xuanhe¡¯s face carefully. He wanted to see the expression he¡¯d been anticipating. However, Song Xuanhe seemed unmoved. He didn¡¯t even look surprised. Instead, he raised a brow in interest. ¡°So what? Do you n on taking revenge for Lu Chao?¡± When he thought about how he and Lu Chao had promised to drink together when he came back to China thest time they had seen each other, Zhou Rong clenched his fists. He had just been about to say something when he heard Song Xuanhe speak again: ¡°With what identity?¡± Zhou Rong was taken aback. The sinister light in his eyes disappeared and was reced with confusion. But before he could work through what the other had meant on his own, he heard Song Xuanhe continue: ¡°As Lu Chao¡¯s long-time secret admirer?¡± Zhou Rong was shocked. He stared at Song Xuanhe, stunned, and asked, ¡°How did you know?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, a hint of ridicule in his voice. ¡°You said that Song Jiani had changed Lu Chao, that Lu Chao had done a lot of things he shouldn¡¯t have for her sake. Hadn¡¯t you actually been talking about yourself?¡± ¡°Song Jiani used Lu Chao. I¡­.¡± ¡°Did you think that he hadn¡¯t known about your feelings?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes widened slightly. His eyes were pure and limpid like that of an infant. However, his words made Zhou Rong furious. ¡°He had known. Not only had he known, but he had also been disgusted by it. He had been so disgusted that he had wanted to break off all rtions with you.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Zhou Rong shouted. He threw a punch at Song Xuanhe: ¡°Shut up!¡± Song Xuanhe pushed Song Jiani onto the couch. He then dodged to the side, avoiding Zhou Rong¡¯s fist. However, he was slightly too slow, and the other¡¯s fist grazed the corner of his lips. Song Xuanhe wiped at his mouth casually before throwing his own punch back. The two of them were entangled in a fight. Song Jiani was so scared that her face turned white. When she saw Zhou Rong stick out his leg, wanting to trip Song Xuanhe, she screamed: ¡°Xuanhe gege, watch out!¡± Song Xuanhe had originally been prepared to dodge Zhou Rong¡¯s leg. However, Song Jiani¡¯s shout startled him, and he ended up falling onto the ground. Just as Zhou Rong¡¯s fist was about to m into Song Xuanhe¡¯s face, Song Xuanhe rolled away. He also thought:¡¾I just knew that things would be a hundred times more annoying with Song Jiani here.¡¿ The System£º¡¾My data tells me that if you hadn¡¯t pushed Song Jiani onto the sofa, you would have had a 95% chance of subduing Zhou Rong. Furthermore, even if you hadn¡¯t pushed her out of the way, the probability that Zhou Rong would have hit Song Jiani was only 8.56%. You didn¡¯t need to push her away at all. ¡¿ Song Xuanhe kicked Zhou Rong, who had pounced towards him, and replied£º¡¾What are you trying to say?¡¿ ¡¾What I want to say is that I had updated your file after you had beaten up Song Jiabao. Just now, I have updated it again. Your danger rating has been downgraded from S to C.¡¿ ¡¾What does that mean?¡¿ ¡¾It means¡­.¡¿ The System was confused. Its data couldn¡¯t tell it what the rating actually meant. It just seemed to prove something. However, it would take more data and time for it to analyze this. However, just as it had been about to collect more data, it suddenly perceived a new heat fluctuation£º¡¾Hurry up! I sense someoneing!¡¿
The author has something to say: Song Xuanhe: What does that mean? Xiao Yuanmu: It means that you¡¯re cute.
Eve: Omg that author¡¯s theatre hahaha. Chapter 98: Laugh and Hug Tranted by Eve Edited by Kara
Song Xuanhe flipped over upon hearing the System¡¯s warning and quickly subdued Zhou Rong. Zhou Rong didn¡¯t bother hiding his surprise. There was even a hint of a smile on his face. ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought that you¡¯d improve so much since Ist saw you. Alright, let me go. I was too riled up just now. I¡¯ve calmed down.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Actually, since the moment he hadid eyes on Zhou Rong, he realized that the original host¡¯s wretched ending had been no coincidence. Zhou Rong was not someone the original host couldpete with. Putting aside the original host¡¯s physical strength, there was no way he would have been able topete with Zhou Rong in terms of intelligence and schemes. After speaking with Zhou Rong for thest half-hour, Song Xuanhe was even more sure that Zhou Rong was an enigmatic and difficult-to-predict person. If it wasn¡¯t because he had fallen in love with Lu Chao and done all these stupid things, a man who didn¡¯t show his emotions on his face like this would have been an outstanding figure. Love was the most rotten variable that Song Xuanhe had seen ever since arriving in this world. Regardless of whether it was Lu Chao, Song Jiani, Zhou Rong, or even Zhou Nan and Yu Yan¡ªthey had all done things in the name of love, and most of them weren¡¯t good things. Zhou Rong softened his voice. ¡°When I had heard you say that Lu Chao had known that I liked him, I had gotten too riled up. But, he¡¯s already dead. Even if I get riled up now, I can¡¯t afford to lose another friend. Xuanhe, forgive me?¡± Song Xuanhe gazed down and saw the other¡¯s lonely expression. His expression flickered. However, before he could say anything, he heard Song Jiani shout: ¡°Xuanhe gege, don¡¯t believe him! He¡¯s been nning on hurting you all this time! He wants to take revenge for Lu Chao!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He retorted back, ¡°How would I get revenge on him? You seem so certain as if you can read my mind. Tell me, what am I nning on doing? And, how do you know what I¡¯m going to do? Maybe it¡¯s because¡­you want to hurt Song Xuanhe, so you were hoping we could work together?¡± Song Jiani¡¯s expression changed. She subconsciously nced at Song Xuanhe. She parted her lips, wanting to exin herself, but the words became stuck in her throat when she saw Zhou Rong¡¯s covert, ridiculing gaze. She couldn¡¯t say a thing. ¡°I thought that it was weird that you had insisted on following Xuanhe and I to drink for some baffling reason. You had never liked to hang out with Lu Chao and I when we were young. You would rarely make an appearance when the few of us got together to drink. And yet, here you are today,¡± Zhou Rong said, ¡°Besides, why did you get so nervous when I had said that someone else wasing? Could it be that you had already made ns and are afraid that they would be ruined if someone else were toe? I think that you¡¯re more suspicious than I am. I think that you want to hurt Xuanhe, because your love has turned into hatred.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s every word tread all over everything Song Jiani had done. In the blink of an eye, he was able to dispel Song Xuanhe¡¯s suspicion of him and instead cast doubt on Song Jiani. Although thest sentence seemed unlikely, if you really thought about it carefully, it did seem in line with Song Jiani¡¯s personality and thus seemed very usible. With this, he was able to nt a difficult-to-remove thorn in Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart. If Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t read the original novel and didn¡¯t know what would happen, or rather¡ªif it had been the original host standing in his ce¡ªhe might have been tricked by Zhou Rong¡¯s words. After all, Song Jiani had indeed caused irreversible damage to the original host in the book, because her love had turned into hatred. Therefore, although it didn¡¯t sound possible, it was actually very possible. ¡¾After analyzing the data, I¡¯ve discovered that Zhou Rong¡¯s danger rating has increased to B+. Be careful.¡¿ ¡°I didn¡¯t¡­.¡± Song Jiani really wanted to refute this usation. However, what Zhou Rong had said was indeed what she had wanted to do in the past. Therefore, there was a hint of helplessness and guilt in her voice. ¡°Xuanhe gege, trust me. I really don¡¯t want to hurt you.¡± ¡°Look Song Xuanhe in the eyes and tell him that you¡¯ve never nned on hurting him.¡± Zhou Rong smiled. ¡°You didn¡¯t even dare to look him in the eyes just now. Your guilty tone proves that what I had said is right.¡± Song Jiani bit down on her lip. She looked into Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes nervously. However, she couldn¡¯t say a thing. Her face continued to pale. ¡°Xuanhe gege¡­believe me¡­I really¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his chin and interrupted Song Jiani. He said to her, ¡°Save it for now. Take off your belt.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s eyes reddened when she heard the first sentence. But when she had heard the second one, she was taken aback. Slowly, her face flushed. ¡°My belt? Take it off¡­?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°Take it off and throw it to me.¡± Song Jiani had yet to process this when Zhou Rong¡¯s expression changed. ¡°We¡¯ve been friends for so long. But, you¡¯re choosing to trust Song Jiani over me?¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I trust her?¡± Song Xuanhe used his leg to drag the belt Song Jiani had thrown over towards himself. He said in a t voice, ¡°She likes me. You liked Lu Chao. You nearly went crazy after I had mentioned Lu Chao earlier. It¡¯s easy to see who¡¯s more likely to want to hurt me.¡± ¡°You¡­.¡± ¡¾They¡¯re here!¡¿ Knock, knock, knock. The System¡¯s voice echoed in his mind at the same time the person outside knocked on the door. The three people inside the room all cast their gazes towards the door. No one spoke. The knocking continued outside. Song Jiani nced at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Xuanhe gege, what should we do?¡± Song Xuanhe quickly bound Zhou Rong¡¯s hands, tying them behind his back. In a hushed voice, he asked, ¡°Where is it?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s calm expression changed slightly. He struggled to get up. ¡°What?¡± ¡°The thing you were going to use to hurt me.¡± Song Xuanhe kicked the bend of his knee, forcing the other to kneel back down. ¡°It should be inside this room.¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s expression finally cracked. His calm expression was no more. He fixed a sinister re onto Song Xuanhe. ¡°You knew? You knew what I was going to do to you and still dared toe.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He ordered Song Jiani: ¡°Search the room. See if there¡¯s a syringe somewhere.¡± Song Jiani subconsciously nodded. A secondter, after she had fully processed what she had heard, her eyes widened in shock. ¡°A syringe? Zhou Rong, what were you nning on doing?!¡± Knock, knock, knock¡ª The knocking got increasingly louder. It seemed like the person outside was getting concerned. Zhou Rong parted his lips, wanting to speak. Song Xuanhe, however, covered the other¡¯s mouth before he could. He turned to look at Song Jiani: ¡°You say something.¡± Song Jiani pursed her lips. She raised her voice. ¡°Who is it?¡± The knocking stopped. A man¡¯s voice came through. ¡°Hello, Miss. I heard a crash earlier, so I decided toe take a look. Do you require any assistance?¡± Song Jiani was taken aback. She didn¡¯t need Song Xuanhe¡¯s instructions this time and simply said, ¡°No. I just identally knocked a bottle of wine over. I¡¯ll pay for the damagester.¡± ¡°Alright¡ª¡± They then heard the voice get further away. Song Jiani had just been about to speak after sighing in relief, but she saw Song Xuanhe raise a hand. ¡¾Is the person still there?¡¿ The System had just been about to tell Song Xuanhe that the person outside had stopped after walking only a few steps away. It hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe to beat it to the chase. It couldn¡¯t help but ask£º¡¾How did you know?¡¿ ¡¾The soundproofing in private clubs is better than the soundproofing in prison visiting rooms.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾That was a lousy excuse.¡¿ ¡¾The person is still outside waiting. But because you finished the main mission, my functions are limited, so I can¡¯t get a read on who it is or what he¡¯s brought.¡¿ ¡¾So, the drug might not be on Zhou Rong. It might be with the person outside.¡¿ ¡¾That¡¯s right.¡¿ Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly. When Song Jiani saw this, she quietly asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Song Xuanhe examined the belt he had tied around Zhou Rong. He then flipped Zhou Rong over and searched him. As expected, he didn¡¯t find anything. ¡°Xuanhe gege¡­are you looking for the syringe? How did you know that Zhou Rong brought a syringe?¡± Song Jiani asked hesitantly. When Zhou Rong heard this, he also looked at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe continued to search the sofa and wine cab as he spoke, ¡°I have my ways.¡± Five minutester, they still came up with nothing. The System once again spoke up and said that the person wasing closer once again. Indeed, another knock sounded. Through the door, a muffled voice said, ¡°I am a waiter. The fruit te you ordered is here. Will you please open the door?¡± When Song Xuanhe had heard the voice, he narrowed his eyes slightly. A thought shed through his mind. Before anyone could respond, the person outside raised their voice. ¡°Please open the door!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows smoothed out. He grabbed a bottle of wine and then walked over to the door. He then said to Song Jiani, ¡°Open the door.¡± Song Jiani saw the bottle in Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands. She bit on her lip nervously and then walked over to grab the room card sitting on the table. She then walked to the door and opened it. The door opened with a beep, and light from the corridor filtered into the room. A person appeared before Song Jiani. The neer sighed in relief upon seeing Song Jiani standing there. His gaze then fell onto Zhou Rong, who was tied up. He walked in and asked, ¡°What¡¯s happening? Why is Zhou Rong¡ªah¡ª¡± The bottle of wine was smashed onto the back of this person¡¯s head. The ss bottle shattered into pieces, and red wine sttered all over. Blood and screams were evoked. Song Xuanhe kicked the person in the back. The person stumbled a few steps before he fell down, his head smacking onto the coffee table. His bloody head became even more unbearable to look at. ¡°And here, I had thought that I had beaten fear into you. I hadn¡¯t thought that you wouldn¡¯t learn.¡± Song Xuanhe picked Song Jiabao up by the cor and threw him onto the ground. He then pressed a sharp ss shard from the bottle against Song Jiabao¡¯s arm. Song Xuanhe looked down at him and said, ¡°Since you don¡¯t want this arm, I¡¯ll ruin it for you, okay?¡± Song Jiabao looked at Song Xuanhe in horror. The pain from his head made him unable to speak for a moment. Nevertheless, the threat of losing his arm helped force the words out. ¡°No! I was wrong! Xuanhe, I¡¯m your cousin. Forgive me?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze shifted slightly. He pressed down with the ss shard, drawing a fresh line of blood. The fear on Song Jiabao¡¯s face intensified. He begged for mercy with a trembling voice. ¡°I was wrong! There won¡¯t be a next time, Xuanhe¡ªgo die!¡± The moment he saw a strange smile appear on Song Jiabao¡¯s face, a shriek also sounded in his ear. ¡°Xuanhe gege!¡± Song Xuanhe abruptly turned his head. Zhou Rong had undone his bindings at some unknown point in time and was currently pouncing at him with a syringe in hand.
Eve: Getting real tired of SJB. Kara: Xuanhe, my son! You¡¯re too cool!! o(¨R?¨Qo) You should have grabbed two bottles though so that you could smash the other into Zhou Rong¡¯s ugly face! Hmph! Want to hurt our He bao? I¡¯ll show you!! (????¦Ø??)? Chapter 99: You’re My Good Friend Tranted by Eve
Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils constricted, and he tried to dodge to the side. Unfortunately, Song Jiabao had grabbed his arms and was holding onto him tightly, preventing him from moving. The tip of the syringe was aimed at Song Xuanhe¡¯s exposed arm. Zhou Rong paused before reaching over to pinch Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin. He gazed down at Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°You knew that I was going to teach you a lesson but you still chose toe. The reason why you feigned civility with me for so long was to buy time, right?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s head was in Zhou Rong¡¯s control. Breathing was a little difficult with how Zhou Rong had tilted his head upwards. Nevertheless, his mind was very clear. He said, ¡°You know that I know what you want to do, but you¡¯re still willing to stay.¡± ¡°Why wouldn¡¯t I stay?¡± Zhou Rong asked. He thenughed. ¡°You know that I have a syringe, but do you know what this syringe is filled with?¡± Song Jiabao asked in rm, ¡°He knew that we were going to hurt him?! What are you waiting for?! Stab him!¡± Zhou Rong nced at the flustered Song Jiabao. His smile didn¡¯t change. ¡°What are you panicking over? Even if his peoplee, will they be able to get any evidence? I¡¯ve obviously cleaned my tracks.¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe, Song Ershao,¡± Zhou Rong tightened his hold, ¡°My good friend, guess what this syringe holds?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you a hint. What do syringes usually hold? Medicine? Maybe. But medicine is for treatment purposes. It wouldn¡¯t make sense for it to appear here. Then¡­how about¡­a virus? Blood containing a virus? Or how about¡­a new, colourless, scentless, undetectable drug?¡± As soon as Zhou Rong said this, Song Jiani¡¯s face turned deathly pale. When Zhou Rong hade back to ask her to team up with him in hurting Song Xuanhe, she had been a bit tempted. However, it hadn¡¯t been because she had wanted to take revenge on Song Xuanhe. She had wanted to take advantage of his crisis to be his saviour, to make him understand just how much she liked him so that he would fall for her. But after that meeting, she started to suffer from a reurring dream. In that dream, she had asked Zhou Rong what he was going to do to Song Xuanhe. Zhou Rong had had a strange smile on his face as he told her that she¡¯d find out when the time came. Then, she had invited Song Xuanhe out and had teamed up with Zhou Rong to trap him in that room. Zhou Rong had then taken advantage of herpse in attention to spike Song Xuanhe¡¯s drink with copious amounts of some hallucinogen. Song Xuanhe had been fine the next day. But some timeter, he started to show depressive symptoms. One day, Zhou Rong and Lu Chao¡ªwho was supposed to be dead¡ªtook Song Xuanhe to a bar. There, Song Xuanhe had told the two men that he didn¡¯t remember what had happened that night. However, what he did know was that he hadn¡¯t been able to get hard since. Zhou Rong and Lu Chao had consoled Song Xuanhe before telling him that they had something that would help get him back to normal. The Song Xuanhe in her dream had tried it. It was only afterwards that he found out it was a drug. The Song Jiani in her dream had tried all sorts of methods to help Song Xuanhe go clean but the drug was the type to cause addiction with just one use. There was no way for him to quit. Furthermore, that drug was extremely rare and expensive. Even she couldn¡¯t take on that financial burden. The Song jiani in her dream could only watch as Song Xuanhe had taken step after step towards the dark abyss. In the end, because of Lu Chao and Zhou Rong¡¯s machinations, the Song Xuanhe in her dream had died without a fully-intact corpse. Song Jiani had woken up in fear countless times, clothes soaked by cold sweat. In the end, she had decided to call Song Xuanhe. It was just that she had no way of telling him what she had seen because it had all been a dream. Furthermore, she knew how good his rtionship with Zhou Rong was. Song Xuanhe had been closer to Zhou Rong than he had been with Lu Chao before Zhou Rong had left the Capital. She had been afraid that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t believe her. She had only been able to tell him that Zhou Rong nned on hurting him. Afterwards, she had assigned people to track Zhou Rong, to prevent him from doing anything to Song Xuanhe. That had been why she had been able to rush over as soon as she had found out that Song Xuanhe and Zhou Rong had appeared in one ce together. It was precisely because of this dream that Song Jiani had felt terrified upon hearing Song Xuanhe say that Zhou Rong had brought a syringe with him. In her dream, Zhou Rong and Lu Chao had used this syringe while Song Xuanhe had been drunk to give him the drug! Song Jiani originally still had a faint hope that her dream was just a dream, that none of this was real, even when Song Xuanhe had said that Zhou Rong had brought a syringe with him. After all, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t been drugged with a hallucinogenic. It was probably a coincidence, right? But when she heard Zhou Rong say that it was a ¡®new, colourless, scentless, undetectable drug¡¯¡ªthe exact same words she had heard in her dream¡ªthe hope waspletely extinguished. It was definitely a drug. It was the same drug she had seen in her dreams. It was a new drug that caused irreversible addiction after taking it just once. Song Jiani¡¯s face was pale as a sheet of paper. The sight of the syringe being less than a centimetre away from Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm was terrifying. ¡°Zhou Rong!¡± Song Jiani shrieked as she watched the syringe slowly approach Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm. ¡°If you dare do anything to Xuanhe gege, I¡¯ll make you regret it! I¡¯ll make your whole family regret it!¡± Zhou Rong paused. He turned to look at Song Jiani, his smile turning cold. His sinister eyes held a chilly glint in them as shot daggers towards Song Jiani¡¯s face. Zhou Rong slowly stood up and walked over to Song Jiani. ¡°Lu Chao died because of you. You love Song Xuanhe so much, you should also die for him.¡± Song Jiani subconsciously took a step back. She stared at Zhou Rong¡¯s syringe nervously. She was so afraid, she shook all over. Despite this, she continued to stand up tall. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, I¡¯ve already told my family that I¡¯ll be here. If anything happens to me, you and your family will be ruined. There¡¯s also Xuanhe gege. Both the Song Family and I will never let you off!¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Zhou Rong shook his head. ¡°Did you think I¡¯d be afraid of that after deciding to do this? Besides, if they can¡¯t find proof that I did it, what can your families do to me?¡± ¡°That syringe holds a new drug, right?¡± Song Jiani said, ¡°Since Xuanhe gege knew that you were going to bring this syringe, don¡¯t you think that he would have already known what it would hold? He knew. Not only him¡ªI know what¡¯s in it too! We know where you got it from as well! If you dare try anything, not only will our families not let you off, the police won¡¯t let you off for bringing this drug into our country, either. The people that gave you these drugs also won¡¯t let you go since you could possibly incriminate them!¡± Song Jiani¡¯s words were powerful and resonating but she actually felt very guilty inside. She had no idea where Zhou Rong had gotten his drug from. She had never expected that Zhou Rong would really bring the newest drug with him into the country like he had in her dream. It was just unfortunate that she hadn¡¯t found out about the drug¡¯s origin within that dream. It was very rare within China. That¡¯s why Song Jiani had wanted to make a gamble. Since everything had unfolded as it had in her dream thus far, she wanted to use what she knew to make Zhou Rong hesitate. She wanted to make sure he wouldn¡¯t dare to make any rash decisions. Since Xuanhe gege knew about the syringe, which meant that he was prepared for this. However long she could drag this out, she would drag it out. When Zhou Rong heard this, his expression changed as expected. He said, ¡°Where did you hear about this?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t need to know that. All you have to know is that I know everything!¡± Song Jiani felt relieved when she saw Zhou Rong¡¯s expression change. ¡°As long as you let Xuanhe gege go, we won¡¯t hold this against you.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s calm and quick wit had surprised Song Xuanhe in the beginning. That was, until she said herst line. ¡°You¡¯ve reminded me of something.¡± Zhou Rong didn¡¯t conceal the ruthless light in his eyes anymore. He took a step closer to Song Jiani, whose back bumped into a wall as she took a step back. ¡°You guys know too much. I can¡¯t let you two leave here.¡± As expected. Song Xuanhe sighed inwardly. With a sudden burst of energy, he grabbed a shard of ss beside him and shed Song Jiabao¡¯s wrist while the other was distracted by Song Jiani¡¯s words. Blood dripped down Song Jiabao¡¯s wrist and he howled in pain. This scream attracted Zhou Rong¡¯s attention just as he had been prepared to grab Song Jiani. When Zhou Rong¡¯s eyes fell on Song Jiabao¡¯s bloody arm, he looked back up and made to dodge Song Xuanhe¡¯s ambush. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t dare stop after seeing his attack fail. He took advantage of Zhou Rong¡¯s evasion to shove Song Jiani away. ¡°Run! Go call for help!¡± Song Jiani stumbled a few steps from the force of his push. After steadying herself, she said, ¡°No, I won¡¯t. Xuanhe gege, there¡¯s two people here. I won¡¯t leave you here alone¡ªah!¡± Song Jiabao had climbed up and grabbed hold of Song Jiani. Although he was injured, he was still stronger than Song Jiani, so she couldn¡¯t throw him off. Moreover, Song Jiabao had heard their conversation just now. He knew that if he were to let Song Jiani escape, he and Zhou Rong would be done for. Song Xuanhe dodged Zhou Rong, who had pounced over at him while waving the syringe in his hand. If it weren¡¯t because things were so dangerous right now, he would swear. The System sighed£º¡¾You¡¯re in a really disadvantageous position right now.¡¿ Obviously. If it were just him against the two of them, Song Xuanhe still had a chance at winning because Song Jiabao was injured. But Song Jiabao had captured Song Jiani and Zhou Rong¡¯s syringe could plunge into his skin at any moment. Song Xuanhe had to worry about Song Jiani while staying out of Zhou Rong¡¯s attack range. The possibility of sessfully making it out of here was low. If he couldn¡¯t win, he could only try to buy time. Song Xuanhe tried to calcte how much time had passed. He had already told Zhou Nan that he would send him a message every half an hour. If he didn¡¯t, Zhou Nan would call the police. It had already been about forty minutes since he hadst sent a message. This meant that Zhou Nan must have already called the police. Zhou Nan had his location so he would have sent that over as well. This club was at least twelve minutes away from the closest police station. Therefore, he had to hold on for at least five more minutes. If the police didn¡¯t show up in the next five minutes, he would have to figure out a way to save himself. Zhou Rong faced off with Song Xuanhe. Neither of them made the first move. However, it was obvious that Zhou Rong was more anxious. He knew that Song Xuanhe was buying for time. If Song Xuanhe¡¯s people came, he would have no more opportunities to take revenge for Lu Chao. His eyes darkened. A secondter, he walked over to Song Jiabao. He pulled Song Jiani over to himself and aimed the tip of the needle at her neck. He then said to Song Xuanhe: ¡°If you take a single step closer, I¡¯ll stab her right in the neck.¡± Song Xuanhe, who had just been about to take a step forward, paused. He ced his foot back down. Seeing that Song Xuanhe seemed to care about Song Jiani, a dark glint shed through Zhou Rong¡¯s eyes. He then smiled. ¡°I never expected that you would actually care for Song Jiani. You obviously don¡¯t like her. So why do you seem so nervous? Or maybe, you actually do like her a little bit?¡± Song Xuanhe parted his lips. He wanted to say something but Zhou Rong didn¡¯t give him the chance. ¡°Well, it¡¯s not like I care whether you like her or not. You guys were right. This is indeed a drug. Furthermore, I only have this one syringe on me. Therefore, I cannot waste it. Song Xuanhe, you have two choices.¡± ¡°One, I¡¯ll inject this drug into Song Jiani¡¯s neck. Or two, you wille over and I¡¯ll inject it into yours. What do you choose?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s hands clenched into fists. He stared at Zhou Rong, his gaze freezing cold. However, his tone was calm. ¡°How about I give you a multiple choice question? Who do you think participated in the orchestration of Lu Chao¡¯s death aside from Lu Yue? Choice one, your father. Choice two, your father and Lu Chao¡¯s father together. Which one do you think it is?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s pupils constricted. With a shout, he pounced over: ¡°I¡¯m going to kill you!¡±
Eve: And the tense situation continues. Chapter 100: Looking for a Friend Tranted by Eve
Song Xuanhe gave Song Jiani a sign with his eyes as he dodged Zhou Rong. However, Song Jiani was put into a state of shock after hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s words. For a moment, she was in no frame of mind to pay any attention to his gaze. It wasn¡¯t just her, either. Even Song Jiabao, who had her bound, had a look of incredulity on his face. ¡°You¡¯re angry, but not the least bit surprised. It¡¯s because you already knew, right?¡± Song Xuanhe continued to provoke Zhou Rong as he evaded the other¡¯s attacks that were blinded by rage. ¡°You knew who the people behind Lu Chao¡¯s death were but you were unwilling to ept the truth. That¡¯s why you came to me and tried to use me as a scapegoat. You tricked yourself into thinking that you would be able to get your revenge and vent your hatred onto me.¡± Song Xuanhe dodged to the side, avoiding a punch Zhou Rong had thrown at him. His eyes were curved into a smile and his voice was mellow. ¡°Do you think Lu Chao, who¡¯s down in the underworld, would want you to take revenge for him? Another question¡ª is what you feel for him even love?¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Zhou Rong threw the syringe out of his hand. He then grabbed a bottle of wine and swung it towards Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe subconsciously moved backwards upon seeing this. However, although Zhou Rong was furious, his anger had not clouded his thoughts. Soon after, he realized what Song Xuanhe was trying to do. As soon as he realized it, he went to pick up the syringe. As expected, Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. Zhou Rong spoke in a tone that dripped with hatred, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter who was involved in facilitating Lu Chao¡¯s death. You are the real perpetrator behind this. If it wasn¡¯t because you had embarrassed him publicly, if it wasn¡¯t because you had asked for Lu Yue to be brought back, Chao zi would never have died. Therefore, as long as you die, I know that Chao zi will thank me.¡± Song Xuanhe stood before him, face-to-face. There was a bit of a distance between them. They were both looking for an opportunity to put an end to the deadlock they were in. Zhou Rong watched every flicker of emotion on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. The hatred in his eyes nearly spilled out of his eye sockets. Then, he suddenly smiled. He said, ¡°I almost forgot. You¡¯re not the only one I can take revenge on. It¡¯s the same if I were to take revenge on Song Jiani. If we really think about it, Song Jiani is the one to me.¡± ¡°If it wasn¡¯t because Chao zi liked her, none of this would have ever happened. If she didn¡¯t like you, none of this would have ever happened. I used to think that you didn¡¯t care about her. But now it looks like she¡¯s somewhat useful. It does make sense. When you were young, you didn¡¯t pay attention to anyone but Song Jiani. Why did I think she wasn¡¯t important to you? ¡°Tell me, Song Xuanhe. If Song Jiani were to end up with a life-long addiction because of you, would you me yourself and regret your actions? How long would you feel this regret? Would you regret it for the rest of your life?¡± Zhou Rong¡¯s smile grew as he said this. He walked over to Song Jiani. He ignored her iling arms, eyes glowing as he looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Time will tell.¡± ¡°You¡¯re a man. What¡¯s the point of doing this to a girl?¡± Song Xuanhe took a step forward but stopped when he saw Zhou Rong bring the needle closer to Song Jiani¡¯s arm. ¡°I was the person who caused Lu Chao¡¯s death. If you want revenge,e at me. Why take it out on outsiders?¡± ¡°Song Jiani isn¡¯t an outsider.¡± Zhou Rong remained unmoved. He even patted Song Jiani¡¯s arm. He carefully looked for her vein as he said in a casual tone, ¡°A femme fatale. I get it now. Hey, Song Xuanhe, maybe you¡¯ll thank me for not injecting this into you when you¡¯re enjoying life with the eldest young master of the Xiao Family in the future.¡± As he said this, he stabbed the needle into Song Jiani¡¯s arm with no hesitation. Song Jiabao restrained Song Jiani and the liquid inside the syringe gradually entered her veins. Song Xuanhe had wanted to stop this but Song Jiani¡¯s gaze made him pause. Her eyes were red as she said, ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± When Zhou Rong saw that the liquid in the syringe had disappeared, the smile on his face grew even brighter. He looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°How about it? Are you happy that someone took your ce?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the person who had suddenly appeared at the door and smiled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯m ecstatic. Because I know that you¡¯re going to be really unhappy really soon.¡± Zhou Rong was taken aback. Before he could react, he heard Song Jiabao scream in pain. Before he could turn to see what was going on, he was restrained, the syringe in his hand tumbling onto the ground. Because the floor was carpeted, it didn¡¯t make a sound as it fell. Song Jiani¡¯s body slumped over. She covered the area of injection with a hand, frozen in shock. Her face was deathly pale. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Guan Zhi walked in, kicking Zhou Rong, who had turned to look at him. He then said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°Instead of eating with me, you came to fight with these guys?¡± ¡°You followed me?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Guan Zhi and then looked at Wei Chen, who was directing the bodyguards. ¡°When did you meet up with him?¡± Wei Chen was leaning against the wall, a cigarette between his lips. When he heard Song Xuanhe speak, his lips curled into a smile. ¡°And here I thought Er shao would pretend like he didn¡¯t see me.¡± ¡°When I saw someone bring a box in, I had thought that you were doing some kind of illegal deal. Although I¡¯m not a Chinese citizen, I couldn¡¯t sit back and watch this happen. Besides, you owe me a meal. That¡¯s why I called Wei Chen over.¡± Guan Zhi pouted. He didn¡¯t really want to talk about Wei Chen. Song Xuanhe ignored Wei Chen¡¯s words. He replied to Guan Zhi: ¡°In other words, you¡¯ve been following me since we split.¡± Guan Zhi blinked, his tender face appearing extremely innocent. ¡°You said that you had something important to do so I wanted to see if it was really more important than eating with me. ¡°Now that I¡¯ve seen what you¡¯ve been up to, I think that you might as well have stayed with me.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him before walking over to Song Jiani. He squatted down. He had been about to reach out to help her up when he paused. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Song Jiani shook her head and sobbed. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I¡­don¡¯t feel any different right now. I heard that people would hallucinate or experience a high when taking drugs. But I don¡¯t feel anything right now. Is it because the new drug is just that impressive?¡± After taking in Song Jiani¡¯s tear-streaked face that was filled with despair, Song Xuanhe fell silent. Just as he was about to speak up, he heard Zhou Rong say, ¡°This drug is extremely slow-acting but it¡¯s really effective. Trust me, you¡¯ll fall in love with it in a bit.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s despair deepened. She hugged her legs and started to cry. Song Xuanhe turned around and punched Zhou Rong in the face. When he saw the proud look in the other¡¯s eyes after spitting out a mouthful of blood, Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips twitched. He then turned to look at Song Jiabao. ¡°Except for the fact that I beat you up once, it¡¯s not like there¡¯s a particr deep grudge between us,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Why do you keep making trouble for me? You even risked going to prison to team up with Zhou Rong.¡± Song Jiabao had already given up all hope upon seeing Guan Zhi and Wei Chen. When he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s words and Song Jiani¡¯s sobs, a sense of aplishment from having gotten revenge emerged in his chest. His tumultuous mind regained some semnce of calm. ¡°We won¡¯t end up in prison. You¡¯re wrong to think we will. Let me tell you, even if the policee, it¡¯s useless. This syringe is special. The syringe will clean itself if there¡¯s less than 0.5 ml of liquid inside of it. You won¡¯t find any traces of it in the syringe. Even if you send it to ab, nothing will be discovered. You have no way of sending us to prison.¡± ¡°You said that we have no grudge between us?¡± Song Jiabao sneered, ¡°Since you were born, everyone around you has adored you and praised you. Everything good has always been taken by you. I want to know why. If you were as outstanding as Xuanlin ge, I wouldn¡¯t care, but the only thing you have going for you is that you were lucky enough to be born into a good family. You can¡¯t do anything. So why must I be beneath you? Why is it that even the person I like likes you?¡± ¡°I orchestrated the Sun Jinren thing because Mr. Song has promised that he would set-up Song Jiani and me if I was able to sessfullyplete my task.¡± Song Jiabao looked at Song Jiani who was curled up, crying. He grit his teeth, ¡°But she¡¯s never looked at me, not even once. She¡¯s always revolved around you. Even if you disdain her, she won¡¯t give up. When we were young, I gave her a piece of candy. She had smiled at me, so I had thought that she liked me. But a secondter, she turned around and gave it to you. It¡¯s the same even after we¡¯ve grown up. Tell me, why do you think I hate you?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know how to describe what he felt upon meeting Song Jiabao¡¯s expression that was filled with hatred. Based on what Zhou Rong and Song Jiabao had just said, Song Xuanhe summarized the following: Except for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s influence, everything that had happened to the original host near the end of the book had been because of Song Jiani. Even the System was shocked for a second£º¡¾So Song Jiabao also likes Song Jiani! Just how good-looking is Song Jiani in human standards?¡¿ Song Xuanhe was quiet for a moment. He then turned back around to face Song Jiani. He patted her on the shoulder, doing a pretty awful job atforting her. When Song Jiani looked up at him with a face full of tears, he frowned. He couldn¡¯t help but admit that Song Jiani¡¯s appearance and temperament was indeed top-ss. Even after crying so hard, she didn¡¯t look ugly at all. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Song Jiani sobbed but didn¡¯t speak. Guan Zhi had watched this the whole time. He asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with her? What¡¯s that thing on the ground?¡± Song Jiani¡¯s sobs grew louder and her body began to shake. Song Xuanhe parted his lips, about to reply. However, before he could speak, the door was once again pushed open. Zhou Nan walked in with a bunch of people. When he saw Guan Zhi, Wei Chen and the room full of bodyguards, he was startled. ¡°Did Ie toote or too early?¡± When Song Xuanhe saw the other¡¯s sweaty forehead and nervous expression, he swallowed down the words he was about to say. Instead, he said, ¡°The situation has been dealt with.¡± Zhou Nan sighed in relief. ¡°What about the drug? Where did you put it? I brought the major crime unit. They¡¯ll take it back and look into it.¡± Zhou Rong sneered when he heard this. He was about to speak when he heard Song Xuanhe say: ¡°It¡¯s in the box by the door.¡± Everyone in the room was taken aback. Even Song Jiani stopped crying. She looked up at Song Xuanhe, stunned. Song Xuanhe picked up the box that had been haphazardly thrown to one side. He pressed down on the seemingly empty box and a smallpartment suddenly appeared. A syringe emerged before everyone¡¯s eyes. Zhou Rong¡¯s sneer froze on his face. A secondter, he seemed to realize what had happened. His eyeballs nearly popped out of his sockets. ¡°Impossible!¡± Song Jiani¡¯s expression was nk. She wiped her tears and asked in a hoarse voice, ¡°Isn¡¯t there only one syringe?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and handed the box over to the police officers behind Zhou Nan. He smiled at her, ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Song Jiani was filled with hope. In a tone of disbelief she said, ¡°Then the one from earlier¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe spat out two words: ¡°Was fake.¡±
Eve: Finally the Zhou Rong plot line is wrapping up. Phew~ But SXH, regardless of everything, not very nice of you to put SJN through this emotional turmoil. But then again, he did try to get her out of it so it is kind of still her own fault. But she was also trying to help him¡­ah dilemmas. Chapter 101: Found a Little Friend Tranted by Eve
Zhou Rong and Song Jiabao were both led away as they screamed ¡®impossible.¡¯ The only people left in the room were Song Xuanhe and co., still stuck in a deadlock. Song Jiani suddenly started to sob loudly. Her loud wailing waspletely different from her previous delicate cries. It was resounding like never before. She cried while wiping her tears. In a short amount of time, the makeup she had fixed was once again ruined. But this time, she didn¡¯t care about it. The joy from finding out that she was fine made her incapable of thinking of anything else. Guan Zhi was stupefied. He walked over to Song Xuanhe and whispered, ¡°What¡¯s with her?¡± ¡°She thought that she had been injected with a drug,¡± Song Xuanhe exined in an insipid voice. Guan Zhi paused and then looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°So it was fake? She didn¡¯t know?¡± ¡°She didn¡¯t before.¡± Zhou Nan had also heard what Song Xuanhe had said. He knew about what had happened. Furthermore,pared to Guan Zhi and Wei Chen, who had never interacted with Song Jiani before, Zhou Nan had frequently appeared at the same parties and banquets as Song Jiani in the past. They were close enough to greet each other whenever they met. Therefore, he scolded Song Xuanhe a bit indignantly. ¡°Liking you is probably the worst thing to ever happen to Song Jiani.¡± Guan Zhi didn¡¯t know what had happened. He just didn¡¯t want to listen to this irritating crying anymore. ¡°Why is she crying even though she knows she¡¯s fine?¡± ¡°Imagine you rushed in to save the person you liked in a moment of impulsiveness and you got hurt because of it. It¡¯s fine if they simply didn¡¯t need your help. In that case, even if you were hurt, you probably wouldn¡¯t mind it all that much. Now, imagine if the person you liked knew that what hurt you couldn¡¯t actually cause any damage. However, he didn¡¯t tell you that. He watched as you were ovee with fear and sadness without a care. Only when everything ended, did he say, ¡®oh yeah, I forgot to tell you that you¡¯re fine¡¯. Would you feel angry? Would you feel upset?¡± Guan Zhi furrowed his brows for a moment and thought about it. He then shook his head. ¡°Why would I be upset? Isn¡¯t it a good thing that I¡¯m okay?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and patted Guan Zhi on the shoulder approvingly. Guan Zhi was even more dumbfounded. He looked at Song Xuanhe, who was smiling, and then nced at Zhou Nan, whose expression was difficult-to-describe. He didn¡¯t know why the words he had said had elicited two entirely different responses. ¡°Of course she¡¯d be upset.¡± Wei Chen walked over. ¡°She¡¯s not upset over encountering danger, but because she¡¯s realized that the person she likes doesn¡¯t care about her at all.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing in this world that can cause more despair and sadness than that.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s sobs paused. For a moment, silence befell the room. Everyone turned to look at her. They saw her wipe her tears away and stand up. She had cried hard just now so her breathing had yet to return to normal. Even though the tears had stopped, her chest still heaved as she took in shuddering breaths. However, her pretty eyes no longer held as much pain as they had in the beginning. ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s voice was terribly hoarse and there was still a sobbing quality to her voice. ¡°Song Xuanhe, I no longer like you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze was calm as he watched her quietly. He waited for her to finish. Song Jiani pulled out a handkerchief from her pocket carefully and gently dabbed at her running makeup. There were no mirrors here so she had no idea what she looked like at present. But even so, she didn¡¯t feel any panic or shame towards ruined makeup like she had before. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve been able to clearly see that you will never like me.¡± Song Jiani gripped her handkerchief tightly. ¡°Furthermore, you¡¯ve really changed. You¡¯re no longer the Xuanhe gege I liked. Therefore, I won¡¯t like you anymore. You¡¯ve changed¡­you¡¯ve be so much like Xiao Yuanmu.¡± ¡°Since Xiao Yuanmu left you, you¡¯ve be increasingly like him.¡± Song Jiani¡¯s lips twitched. She smiled, but it was more heartbreaking than if she were to cry. ¡°I heard that people-in-love will be more alike as time goes on. But I¡¯ve always lied to myself. I always told myself that there was no way you liked Xiao Yuanmu. I still remember how you once told me that the type of person you hated the most was the cold, silent type. You had said that you liked girls like me the most. I had never expected that you would change so much. The type you liked became the type you hated, and the type you hated became the type you liked.¡± ¡°But now, I¡¯ve really given up on you.¡± Song Jiani sucked in a deep breath. She threw the handkerchief at Song Xuanhe¡¯s feet and said, ¡°You know, a lot of people like me. I¡¯ll definitely find someone better than you!¡± When Zhou Nan saw Song Jiani pass Song Xuanhe with her head held high as she left, he shook his head. ¡°I feel like I got to know Song Jiani for the first time today. She¡¯s be a lot cuter.¡± ¡°Do you regret it?¡± Zhou Nan wrapped an arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You know, she¡¯s not bad for you. You¡¯re really not going to consider her?¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes and yanked Zhou Nan off of him. ¡°I¡¯d only hurt her by considering her.¡± Zhou Nan thought about it and then clicked his tongue. In a whisper, he said, ¡°Looks like you do have a bit of a conscience, Song Er.¡± Song Xuanhe walked over to Wei Chen and whispered, ¡°Let¡¯s talk.¡± Wei Chen raised a brow and then followed him out the room. Song Xuanhe walked over to the end of the hall. He looked at the tropical nts outside the french windows. In a t voice, he said, ¡°Why did Guan Zhie back to China?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asking him this?¡± Wei Chen stood next to him. His gaze fell on Song Xuanhe for a moment before he looked away. His low voice was slightly hoarse. ¡°Song Xuanhe, howe I didn¡¯t realize you were such a source of cmity? You¡¯re even able to enchant people into dying for you without anyints.¡± Song Xuanhe contemted over hisst sentence. ¡°What were you and Xiao Yuanmu talking about when I bumped into youst time? Medical robots?¡± Wei Chen¡¯s smile froze. He stared at Song Xuanhe silently. Song Xuanhe turned to meet his eyes. In a mild voice, he said, ¡°Yourpany was just established. There¡¯s a branch here and one abroad. Although HQ is here, most of your technology and supportes from overseas. If I¡¯m not mistaken, the person behind the overseas branch is Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Aside from the asional footstep down the hall, it was nearly silent. Some timeter, Wei Chen smiled. In a tone pregnant with meaning, he said, ¡°You¡¯re smarter than I give you credit for, Song Xuanhe.¡± Song Xuanhe pretended to not see the interest in his eyes. He brought them back to the main topic: ¡°Why did Guan Zhie to China?¡± ¡°You shouldn¡¯t be asking me this.¡± Wei Chen didn¡¯t give anything away with his response. He had an unruly smile on and appeared unconcerned. ¡°Then I¡¯ll guess why.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze flitted past Wei Chen¡¯s face andnded on the bodyguards standing silently outside the private room a few metres away from them. His eyesight was really good. He could make out their mediocre, average faces that were so in they were easy to forget. ¡°Those bodyguards,¡± Song Xuanhe said as he turned back to Wei Chen, ¡°Aren¡¯t the ones that usually follow you. They¡¯re all Asian. But it¡¯s obvious that they¡¯re not with Guan Zhi either. They¡¯re neither yours nor Guan Zhi¡¯s, but they just so happened to appear in my room. Who do they belong to?¡± Wei Chen raised his brows, the smile on his face deepening. He nearly nodded. ¡°Who do you think they belong to?¡± Song Xuanhe gave him an askance nce. Suddenly, he broke out into a smile. ¡°You don¡¯t like Xiao Yuanmu very much do you. Right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Wei Chen said. ¡°You¡¯re the one I like. You know that.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard Wei Chen say this, he narrowed his eyes. A cold light suddenly appeared in his eyes. Thest time Song Xuanhe had seen Wei Chen had been at the banquet the Song Group had hostedst week. Back then, the Song Family had just received the Xiao Family¡¯s invitation. The cocktail party that time had been unprecedentedly grand. Many directors and head ofpanies who used to only asionally attend, or who would never have personally appeared before, had flocked over. The Wei Family had been no exception. Back then, Song Xuanhe had been tasked with entertaining Wei Chen again. However, this time was unlike all the other times in the past, during which he had been ignored by the guests. This time, everywhere he went, Song Xuanhe was stopped by someone. Regardless of whether they were tactful or sharp, what they wanted to know could be summarized by the following: ¡°How are you and Xiao Yuanmu doing?¡±, ¡°Did the Xiao Family really invite you to their banquet¡± and ¡°Will Xiao Yuanmu inherit the Xiao Family?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s answer had always been: ¡°We¡¯ve broken up¡±, ¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± and ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Those people hadn¡¯t let him go despite his answers. However, Wei Chen, who had also been forced to stop because he was with him, hadn¡¯t lost his patience. He had watched with keen interest as Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile had gotten increasingly stiffer. When he saw the first hint of impatience appear in Song Xuanhe¡¯s face, he had said, ¡°I have a way to get them to shut up. Want to give it a try?¡± Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t thought too hard about it and had agreed. As a result, the next time someone stopped them, before the person could speak, Wei Chen had grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s wrist. He had then said, ¡°Mr. Song has already broken up with Mr. Xiao. I¡¯m currently pursuing Mr. Song. I hope that everyone will give us some personal space.¡± After that, no one stopped Song Xuanhe again. It was just that, since that day on, the people who stopped Song Xuanhe to ask him about Xiao Yuanmu now inquired about an additional topic: ¡°Did you really break up with Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°Are you really with Wei Chen now?¡± Now, every time Song Xuanhe saw Wei Chen, he would feel his fists itch. Upon seeing the vein in Song Xuanhe¡¯s forehead throb, Wei Chen chuckled. ¡°Song Jiani was right about one thing. Since Xiao Yuanmu left, you¡¯ve be increasingly like him. You¡¯re so cool-headed it makes others feel sad. Your appearance right now is a lot better.¡± Song Xuanhe had already gotten his answer. He simply sneered at Wei Chen before turning around to head back into the private room. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Guan Zhi and Zhou Nan had been chatting about, but they were now huddled close together, arms over each other¡¯s shoulders. They parted when they saw Song Xuanhee back in. Both of them had wide smiles on their faces. Zhou Nan said, ¡°Come on, how about we go have a grand celebration at Magnificent to celebrate you escaping disaster?¡± Magnificent was a restaurant, despite how much it didn¡¯t sound like one. The dishes and drinks were all hand-crafted by the owner. It was guaranteed to be delicious. Furthermore, only one word could describe the price: expensive. Expensive enough to raise one¡¯s hackles.
Eve: Thank you juree, Pommyth, Mo, somebody and Bolshv for the kofis <3 Apologies for thete thank yous. This month has been overwhelming IRL. Lowkey ship SXH with WC because seeing SXH annoyed is a guilty pleasure. Chapter 102: A Serious Face, A Really Solemn Expression trantor: Eve editor: Kara ¡°Song Er!¡± Zhou Nan chased after him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders, a bright smile on his face. ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy, it¡¯s just one meal.¡± Guan Zhi also followed after them. He reminded Song Xuanhe, ¡°You still owe me a meal. Don¡¯t forget.¡± Song Xuanhe stopped walking and turned to face Guan Zhi. His eyes swept over the other¡¯s youthful face. ¡°Answer my question, and then, I¡¯ll treat you.¡± Guan Zhi: ¡°What¡¯s your question?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Why did youe to China?¡± ¡°To eat.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes and turned back around to leave. ¡°Did he believe me?¡± Guan Zhi asked Zhou Nan. Zhou Nan shrugged. ¡°Probably not.¡± ¡°Why doesn¡¯t he believe me?¡± Guan Zhi frowned. He caught up to Song Xuanhe quickly and said, ¡°I came back to China, because you promised to treat me to a meal. Are you going to go back on your word?¡± By the time they had reached the elevator, Wei Chen had also caught up. He just so happened to hear Guan Zhi¡¯s question. With a smile, he said, ¡°I can confirm that he really only came back to eat with you.¡± ¡°But, you can ask him who had reminded him of that promise.¡± Song Xuanhe stepped into the elevator after it had opened. He then nced at Guan Zhi. Although Guan Zhi was blunt, he was not slow-witted. He immediately realized why Song Xuanhe had asked that question just now. Completely unburdened, he decided to sell Xiao Yuanmu out. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu told me toe. His noodles are really yummy. He promised that he¡¯d make me noodles again if I visited China for a few days.¡± As soon as he spoke, everyone else¡¯s expressions changed. Young master Guan, who wasn¡¯t very familiar with the breadth and depth of the Chinesenguage, furrowed his brows. He thought that Song Xuanhe wanted to renege on his promise. He snorted. ¡°You already promised to treat me. Are you backing out now?¡± Song Xuanhe coughed once before pressing down on a button in the elevator. He said to Zhou Nan, ¡°Why didn¡¯t anyone select a level?¡± ¡°How about B2?¡± Zhou Nan came back to himself. He grinned. ¡°My car¡¯s in the parking lot. Since you¡¯re treating us, I¡¯ll drive you, free-of-charge.¡± Faced with Guan Zhi¡¯s pure gaze, for the first time, Song Xuanhe felt he was unable to refuse. He could only nod. ¡°Fine.¡± Guan Zhi couldn¡¯t hide his emotions. When he had heard Song Xuanhe agree, he smiled in relief. He then turned to look at Wei Chen: ¡°We¡¯re going out to eat. You go back on your own.¡± Wei Chen nced at Song Xuanhe. Lips curled into a smile, he nted a hand on Guan Zhi¡¯s head. ¡°How can you speak to your cousin like this? You had even called me Gege earlier when you came to ask me for help. And yet, you won¡¯t even let me tag along for this meal.¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe¡¯s the one treating us. He¡¯s the host, and I¡¯m just a guest. I don¡¯t have the authority to invite you.¡± Wei Chen then looked over at Song Xuanhe. Guan Zhi also turned to face him. Even Zhou Nan cast his gaze in his direction, evidently wanting to join in on the fun. Three pairs of eyes fell onto him. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even bat an eye as he said in a t voice, ¡°You cane, but you¡¯re paying for yourself.¡± Wei Chen looked him up-and-down, a smile that didn¡¯t reach his eyes stered on his face. ¡°Sure.¡± As soon as they had reached the parking lot, Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone started to ring. When he saw the caller ID, he paused. He then signalled for Zhou Nan and the others to head to the car first. Neither Zhou Nan nor Guan Zhi thought much of this. They headed straight to the car. Only Wei Chen¡¯s eyes paused on Song Xuanhe for a moment. When Song Xuanhe looked up upon sensing his gaze, Wei Chen slowly looked away. He then left, a casual air to his stride. Song Xuanhe looked away from him. His eyes fell onto the hand of his watch. ¡°Why are you calling me at this time?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s slightly hoarse, chilly voice sounded from the other side: ¡°My evening meeting just ended. I recalled that you would probably be having dinner now. What are you eating?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t eaten yet.¡± Since Xiao Yuanmu had told Song Xuanhe not to go to the Xiao Family banquet, things had gotten weird between them. Their rtionship wasn¡¯t cold, but they didn¡¯t feel close either. They were enveloped in a baffling, faintly discernible atmosphere. ¡°Oh?¡± Xiao Yuanmu got up. He ignored the two people behind him and headed for the window. As he stared down at the quiet, dark streets of Y City and listened to the faint breathinging from the receiver, his lips curled into a shallow arc. ¡°You¡¯re usually done eating by now. Did something happen?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Guan Zhi, who was retracting the roof of Zhou Nan¡¯s convertible while chatting with thetter. He then looked away, a smile forming on his lips. ¡°I encountered someone I wasn¡¯t expecting to see. I promised to treat him to a meal. We¡¯re about to eat now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked: ¡°Guan Zhi? I recall that he flew to China today.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile deepened. ¡°Wei Chen.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes narrowed, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared. However, his tone didn¡¯t change. ¡°How did you end up bumping into him?¡± A crafty light shed through Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. A hint of irreverence appeared on his lips, reflecting how pleased with himself he currently felt. ¡°Didn¡¯t I just tell you? I owe him a meal. Isn¡¯t it normal to see the person you¡¯re going to eat with?¡± ¡°Why didn¡¯t I know that you owed him a meal?¡± Recalling the news he had received a few days ago, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips pursed slightly. His eyes darkened, and his voice grew several degrees raspier. ¡°You¡¯re not in China right now,¡± Song Xuanhe said in anguid tone, ¡°Isn¡¯t it normal for you to not know?¡± The moonlight traversed through the dark city and cast a faint light through the French windows. Xiao Yuanmu tensed, and the darkness in his eyes dissipated. His eyes shifted up towards the almost-full moon. The moonlight reflected in his eyes was bright, but when he looked down, that light disappeared. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and his voice grew light. ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± ¡°But, the reason I had met up with Wei Chen was indeed Guan Zhi.¡± Song Xuanhe changed the topic. ¡°Guan Zhi said that you had bribed him toe to China with a bowl of noodles. Why?¡± ¡°The Xiao Family is working together with the Guan Family. Guan Zhi frequentlyes looking for me. But, I¡¯m too busy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu denied having bribed Guan Zhi. He also skilfully skipped over the important details and focused on the trivial ones. He didn¡¯t talk about his motive for sending Guan Zhi to China. Instead, he had said that the Xiao Family and the Guan Family were working together and that hispany was also involved. In a few words, he was able to rid himself of the responsibility. ¡°What¡¯s with the noodles?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Was it because you found him too troublesome? You enticed him intoing to China with a bowl of noodles in exchange for a few days of peace?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s reply was curt and confident. ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanheughed. He knew that it was impossible to hear what he actually wanted from Xiao Yuanmu. Therefore, he didn¡¯t bother saying anything else. ¡°They¡¯re still waiting for me. I¡¯m going to hang up first.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze darkened. His chin that had been slightly raised slowly lowered. His gaze was still on the clear but faint moonlight on the ground. He made a soft sound of acknowledgement but didn¡¯t hang up. Listening to the quiet breathing from the other side, Song Xuanhe froze just as he had been about to hang up. He knew that if he didn¡¯t hang up, Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t either. It was always like this. No matter how busy Xiao Yuanmu was, he would never be the first to hang up. A few secondster, he could still hear the quiet breaths from the other side. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes quivered slightly. He had just been about to say something when a knock came from his door. Yang Jie had juste back. When Yang Jie saw Xiao Yuanmu look at him, he silently waved the phone in his hand. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pupils constricted slightly. His gaze that had just softened became frigid once more. His previously lowered eyshes once again rose. They now resembled unsheathed swords and carried a chill with them. At the same time, Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice came through the other end: ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Two words. And then, silence. He had hung up. This was the first time Yang Jie had ever seen Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mood improve after a phone call. He turned to nce at Louis with a surprised look in his eyes. Louis had also noticed this abnormality. He immediately sobered up from his tired state. Written all over his face was a desire to listen for gossip. He looked like one of those aunties on the neighbourhoodmittee. ¡°Xiao, did you hear some good news?¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned around, casting the moonlight behind him. However, the moonlight continued to chase after him, illuminating his profile with its soft light. It shone down on his high brows and long, slender eyshes. Under this fragmented light, one could see affection in those eyes. It looked like they held a deep, endless love within them. Louis was taken aback for a second. When he had snapped out of it, he sucked in a deep breath. If he wasn¡¯t 100% certain that he was straight, he might have been enchanted by Xiao Yuanmu just now. For a moment, he had even thought that Xiao Yuanmu might just be just a bit sexier than he was. ¡°Yeah.¡± By a bit, he meant just a teeny-tiny-super-little bit. At most, it was only by 0.00000001% or something like that¡­. Louis had been in a daze. But when he had heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response, he raised his head in an abrupt motion. He was in disbelief. Xiao had answered his question? Ever since Louis had found out about Song Xuanhe, he was extremely curious. He wanted to know just what kind of person could make Xiao Yuanmu fall in love with them. Just how talented could he be? If it hadn¡¯t been because Xiao Yuanmu had warned him not to do it, he wouldn¡¯t have been able to help himself from investigating Song Xuanhe privately. Nheless, Xiao Yuanmu had never sated his curiosity. Forget the documents that the bodyguards in China sent over, Xiao Yuanmu had never spoken about anything rted to Song Xuanhe at all, let alone had he ever answered one of Louis¡¯s questions. If Xiao Yuanmu was a Western dragon, Song Xuanhe was like his precious treasure that he had deeply hidden away. If Xiao Yuanmu was an Eastern dragon, Song Xuanhe was like his reverse scale. Forget about touching him, just mentioning him would get you killed. Therefore, Louis was so moved at this moment that he nearly cried from how moved he felt upon hearing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s short, single-word response. He felt like he had finally been allowed into the cave Xiao Yuanmu was guarding, like he was finally allowed into the group of those permitted to look at what he cherished the most. He felt like he was finally allowed to know about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s personal life like Yang Jie. He could finally water his curiosity that had been barren for so long. Louis parted his lips. He had just been about to ask for more details, but when Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze swept over, he immediately shut his mouth. He could tell that everything just now was an illusion. Yang Jie nced at Louis, rolled his eyes, and then looked away. He walked over to hand the other phone to Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu epted the phone and quietly listened to the report. Two minutester, after the person had finished speaking, he asked, ¡°Is Zhou Rong at the police station right now?¡± The person on the other end said in a respectful tone, ¡°Yes. It was what Mr. Song wanted.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was on the floor. He held back the dense darkness within his eyes, and the temperature of his originally chilly voice dropped several degrees. ¡°Since that¡¯s what he wants, do as he wishes. ¡°However, I hope that those two will be sentenced to go to rehab before being sent to prison.¡± There were no emotions within that cool voice, but the person on the other end felt the cold nheless. It felt like his scalp had frozen over. All of the hair on his body stood up on end. However, the feeling had onlysted a moment. Very quickly, he was able toe back to himself. ¡°Understood.¡±
Eve: Ruins the mood a bit but at the part where neither of them hung up, all I could imagine was a crack version of XYM and SXH going ¡®no you hang up first, no you~¡¯ Announcement: Hi everyone. This has been on my mind for a very long time and it¡¯s been a long timeing. I¡¯ve been struggling with my mental health for a long time and it¡¯s finally hit the lowest point. So I¡¯ve decided to stop tranting. What does this mean for RMLE? Nothing really. I have almost finished tranting the novel and xiin (who I am extremely grateful to) has agreed to help edit and post the rest of the chapters. The end wille one way or another. You might still see notes from me at the end of the chapter (they¡¯re from when I first tranted the chapter) but I won¡¯t be monitoring discord orments anymore. I don¡¯t know if I¡¯lle back to tranting ever. But for the near future, I will be seeking help and try to take care of myself. Thank you everyone for all of your support until now. I hope that you will continue to give that love and support to xiin and Kara, and to Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. It has been such a joy to have tranted this story. Goodbye, Eve Kara: I sincerely hope you recover and feel better soon, Eve! Thank you for being such a wonderful trantor, bringing us so many amazing projects, and choosing me to be one of your editors! It¡¯s been so much fun and an absolute st. I will miss Eve like Mumu misses He bao. QAQ Thank you as well to xiin for helping out and taking over! Please continue to cheer us on, fellow readers! <3 xiin: *hugs Eve* i¡¯m ¡­ just going to be a transparent nobody who posts (& kinda edits) the chapters Eve has already finished. if she¡¯s not back when her stockpile runs out, i¡¯ll be finishing off the trantion~ updates will continue 3x a week like before, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Chapter 103: Big Eyes, Really Cute trantor: Eve editor: kara Song Xuanhe was woken up by the soft sound of his rm and the ringing of his phone. Before he was able to vent his anger from having been woken up, he received some news from Song Xuanlin: Song Jiabao had been sent to rehab. The fog cleared from his brain, and he sat up. His voice was a little hoarse. ¡°Rehab? Why not prison?¡± ¡°The police suspect Song Jiabao and Zhou Rong of dealing and using. This morning, Song Jiabao and Zhou Rong showed symptoms of using. However, they had been in the detention centre sincest night. No one else entered. Although the police don¡¯t know what kind of drug it is to have such a longtency period, it¡¯s already been confirmed that they took drugs.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows gradually furrowed as he listened to Song Xuanlin¡¯s steady voice. Even ignoring the fact that it was impossible for Zhou Rong and Song Jiabao to have dealt and used drugs considering their family circumstances, it was still really weird for them to have a drug addiction. Song Xuanhe had assigned someone to keep an eye on Zhou Rong ever since thetter had secretlye back to the country. He had observed every single one of Zhou Rong¡¯s actions leading up to this event. Therefore, he knew quite a bit about Zhou Rong. Back then, the person who had watched Zhou Rong had not reported any issues. Zhou Rong had rarely left his hotel. Aside from asionally going out to eat, he had spent the rest of his time at the hotel reading, working out, or resting. His schedule had been very regr, and he had stuck to it strictly. Based on this, Song Xuanhe could tell that Zhou Rong was a very prudent and self-disciplined person. The probability that someone like this would do drugs was close to zero. But, Song Xuanlin wouldn¡¯t take a shot in the dark. His new sources were also reliable. So, Song Xuanhe trusted him. That meant that it was very suspicious for the two of them to suddenly show symptoms of drug use. Moreover, Song Xuanhe clearly remembered that Zhou Rong had only had one dose of that new drug. He was certain of it. Back then, his contact had discovered that Zhou Rong had brought back a fountain pen box with him. Inside that box had been the new drug. After that, the contact had checked many times whether Zhou Rong had any other doses on him. After Song Xuanhe had gotten an identical box made¡ªthe only difference being that this one had a secretpartment¡ªhe had made sure to confirm this fact once more. It was precisely because of this that Song Xuanhe had been able to deal with Zhou Rong so easily. It was because he knew that Zhou Rong hadn¡¯t had any other trump cards. So, where did these new dosese from? It couldn¡¯t be the one that the police had taken as evidence, could it? But in any case, it didn¡¯t concern him any longer. Song Xuanhe only mulled over this for a few seconds before his furrowed eyebrows smoothed out. He yawned and thenid back down. He sighed a bit absent-mindedly, ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought they did drugs.¡± Song Xuanlin was silent for a moment. He then said, ¡°Uncle and Aunt are at the main residence. They¡¯re downstairs. They¡¯re saying that you told someone to send Song Jiabao in. They think that it was your fault Song Jiabao became addicted.¡± Song Xuanhe chuckled. In a rxed tone, he said, ¡°Song Jiabao had teamed up with Zhou Rong to try and force me to take drugs yesterday. Wei shao, Guan shao, and Zhou Nan brought a team of officers toe save me. Aren¡¯t they afraid of me going to testify against them because of their wrongful usations?¡± Song Xuanlin knew that Song Xuanhe would never do something like that. When he heard the other de-escte the matter like this, his brows furrowed. ¡°Song Jiabao tried to force you to take drugs?¡± ¡°¡®Take¡¯ isn¡¯t quite the right word for it,¡± Song Xuanhe said with a smile, ¡°There was a syringe involved. I heard that just one use will cause a lifetime addiction.¡± Song Xuanlin¡¯s expression darkened. The cries downstairs intermittently echoed in his ear. He opened the door and said, ¡°Don¡¯te home for the next two days. Don¡¯te to the office either. I¡¯ll contact you again once I¡¯ve settled everything.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at his home screen for a moment. He then chuckled. ¡°What¡¯s with Song Xuanlin?¡± The System spoke up£º¡¾ording to my analysis of what he had said before about wanting to be a good big brother, there is a seventy-percent chance that he wants to resolve this for you.¡¿ Song Xuanhe pulled his covers over his chin and shut his eyes as he mumbled: ¡°Whatever floats his boat.¡± * ¡°Mr. Xiao, Mr. Zhang has already arrived. Would you like for me to escort him to your office?¡± Joe kept a one-metre distance between himself and Xiao Yuanmu. He spoke quickly while handing the meeting notes over to Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly but didn¡¯t stop walking. In a t voice, he said, ¡°If Yang Jiees over, tell him to head straight to my office.¡± ¡°Even if Mr. Zhang is present?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joe nodded. He quickly instructed a nearby assistant and only finished upon reaching Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s office. He opened the door for Xiao Yuanmu and then said, ¡°Mr. Xiao, the Xiao Family banquet takes ce at seven o¡¯clock this evening. Mrs. Xiao has reminded the secretary division once again. She wishes for us to remind you of this.¡± Xiao Yuanmu made a sound of acknowledgement. He then nodded to Zhang Siwei, who was walking over. They then entered the office together. Joe stared at the closed door for two seconds before heading back to the secretary division. The other secretaries perked up upon seeing him. ¡°Joe, did you tell Mr. Xiao about the dinner tonight?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joe smiled good-naturedly. ¡°Mr. Xiao has already given his answer. He will attend on time.¡± The secretary who had asked the question sighed in relief. ¡°Mrs. Xiao has called three times today. I haven¡¯t been able to give her a clear response all this time. Now, I can finally give her an answer. But in any case, she¡¯s got a really good temperament.¡± The other secretaries agreed. They all praised Mrs. Xiao, who had visited thepany a few times, quite a bit. A few minutester, they started to gossip about the Xiao Family. One person said, ¡°Mrs. Xiao is so easy to get along with. So, why is Xiao so cold? He seems to have some prejudice against the Xiao Family.¡± ¡°The Supreme Commander¡¯s always cold. I¡¯ve never seen him not cold. He¡¯s pr opposites with Louis. One¡¯s happy all the time while the other is aloof all the time. It¡¯s his personality that¡¯s the problem.¡± ¡°He doesn¡¯t have any prejudiced views,¡± Someone else chimed in, ¡°Xiao just doesn¡¯t show his feelings on his face very much. Joe, you spend the most time with him. Have you ever seen him smile?¡± When Joe recalled the expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face after those phone calls, he smiled. ¡°Yeah.¡± The other person was shocked. ¡°When? He didn¡¯t smile even when we seeded in the acquisitionst time. And yet, all the new female employees like him. I had thought that the girls of our country liked funny, sunshine-like guys. I had never expected them to fall for the boss¡¯s appearance.¡± ¡°Appearance tops everything,¡± An intern of East Asian descent said, ¡°The people from our country believe that good looks are a talent in itself. Mr. Xiao¡¯s talent is maxed out in that case.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The person who had just spoken suddenly put on a mysterious expression. His voice became hushed. ¡°Mr. Zhang¡¯s beening to thepany a lot these days. He always stays in Xiao¡¯s office for a long time every time too. He spends the most time in Xiao¡¯s office after Louis and Yang. Even more than Joe. Moreover, Xiao¡¯s never showed interest in girls. Chinese celebrities and new designers all havee looking for Xiao. They were all men. Do you think Xiao and Mr. Zhang are¡­.?¡± That profound expression and the trailing sentence inevitably caused people to ponder over this. Joe frowned and was about to speak up when he heard a voice speak up from behind him. ¡°Ladies and gentlemen, this isn¡¯t the lounge. It¡¯s also still work hours. If you want to gossip, choose a different location and time. Most importantly, remember to invite me.¡± Louis winked at the blonde girl sitting closest to him. He then waved his hand and entered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s office whileughing. ¡°Hi.¡± Louis interrupted the two men¡¯s conversation. With a chuckle, he said, ¡°Guess what I just heard outside?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold, serious expression had not yet disappeared from his face. He didn¡¯t look up as he tapped on the leather couch. Zhang Siwei was flipping through the documents in his hand. He didn¡¯t look at Louis at all either. ¡°The two of you always look so solemn whenever you talk.¡± Louis shrugged. ¡°If the people outside saw this, they definitely wouldn¡¯t think that there was a spark between you two anymore.¡± Zhang Siwei looked up and pushed his gold-rimmed sses up. In a t voice, he asked, ¡°What spark?¡± ¡°You and Xiao.¡± Louis sat down next to Zhang Siwei. His smile was bright and warm. ¡°They said that you spend more time in Xiao¡¯s office than Joe. And that, maybe you¡¯re Xiao¡¯s secret lover.¡± Zhang Siwei¡¯s gaze shifted back down. He had absolutely no interest in this topic, so he went back to ignoring Louis. ¡°But, they were partly right.¡± Louis smiled. ¡°You¡¯re not Xiao¡¯s secret lover, but you are the nanny of Xiao¡¯s secret lover. One who even Song, who¡¯s all the way in China, knows.¡± Xiao Yuanmu finally looked up. ¡°Are you certain that Zhou Rong had met with the Schroder Family in the South?¡± Zhang Siwei nodded and said, ¡°Yes. He¡¯s also been in contact with Jiang Deyi. I think that he must have gotten in contact with the Schroder Family through Jiang Deyi.¡± Louis had no idea what they were talking about. However, he did know of the Schroder Family. Therefore, he forced his way into the conversation. ¡°Are you talking about the Schroder Family that works under the Hoffman Family? The one that smuggles drugs?¡± A flicker of surprise shed through Zhang Siwei¡¯s eyes. He frowned and asked Louis: ¡°How do you know the Schroder Family is involved in drug trafficking?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not all I know. I also know that they manufacture drugs as well. Up to sixty percent of the new drugs on the markete from them. A cousin of mine identally used something else while smoking marijuana. The drug hade from the Schroder Family. Back then, my cousin¡¯s dad had gone straight to the Hoffman Family. I still have the contact information of the Schroder Family¡¯s heir. His name was¡­Hayden, I believe?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened. He said, ¡°The Hoffman Family will be attending the Xiao Family banquet.¡± ¡°Not just that.¡± Louis smiled. ¡°I came to tell you something. Jung Hoffman himself has expressed interest in cooperating with us. I believe that you¡¯ll get to meet him soon.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard this name, he stopped his tapping. Aplicated light shed through his eyes.
The author has something to say: Seven of the ¡®pursuers¡¯ have already appeared. Can you all guess who they are?
Eve: I think that Zhang Siwei is an entirely different character than Assistant Zhang, in case anyone is wondering. As the trantor I should know for certain but it¡¯s midterms, it¡¯s been a long time since I read this and I¡¯m brain dead LMAO. From ctrl+Fing, it seems like they are different. xiin: *digs frantically* where¡¯s the promised sugar? what¡¯s all this intrigue! Chapter 104: Found a Little Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara As the time for the Xiao Family banquet approached, another fight broke out within the Song Family. There were two reasons for it. Firstly, Song Xuanhe refused to attend the Xiao Family banquet. There was also the matter regarding Song Jiabao having been admitted into rehab. Song Guohua and his wife were adamant that Song Xuanhe had tricked Song Jiabao into doing drugs. They demanded to be allowed toe along to the Xiao Family banquet aspensation. Song Guochao, who had originally been on their side, denouncing Song Xuanhe, immediately changed his tune. He did not approve of bringing Song Guohua and his wife along. His exact words were: ¡°The Xiao Family invitation is addressed to Song Yansong and his immediate family. Only his direct descendants are invited. It wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to bring rtives with us. The other attendees would jeer at us for trying to climb up the socialdder via the Xiao Family and for bringing our whole family along while at it. It would be an unsightly event. Who will I me when the Song name is inevitably ruined?¡± Song Guohua was no pushover though. He had said in response, ¡°Everyone knows who the true recipient is. The person they all want to see is Song Xuanhe. He had hurt Jiabao so terribly. Shouldn¡¯t youpensate us? If you don¡¯t let use to the Xiao Family banquet, I¡¯ll make this matter public. Let¡¯s see if the Xiao Family will let Song Xuanhe marry in then.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not up to you whether Song Xuanhe gets to marry into the Xiao Family.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s expression was dark. ¡°All I know is that no one brings their poor rtives along to banquets. I¡¯m not going to embarrass myself like that.¡± ¡°I¡¯m a poor rtive?!¡± Song Guohua¡¯s sore spot had been poked. His face was flushed from anger. ¡°You¡¯re even worse than me. You have no redeeming qualities whatsoever. If it hadn¡¯t been because you just so happened to have been born into a good family and fathered two good sons, you¡¯d never have the right to criticize me!¡± ¡°You! You!¡± Song Guohua usually praised Song Guochao. He had never spoken to him like this before. Infuriated, Song Guochao had pointed at Song Guohua, repeatedly saying ¡°you¡± for a while. In the end, he finally managed to squeeze out: ¡°Preposterous!¡± Song Xuanhe was sipping on his tea in a rxed manner. He listened as the two of them tore off each other¡¯sst semnce of dignity, enjoying the gossip with keen interest. Li Nianan also was sitting there quietly. She wasn¡¯t the least affected by her husband and rtive¡¯s quarrel. Song Yansong had gone to another country to recuperate for thest few days because of a heart issue. He had also expressed that he would not be attending the Xiao Family banquet because of his ailing health. With no one overseeing the family, Song Guochao had be increasingly rxed. His tone and actions now had an arrogant air to them. Song Guohua didn¡¯t hold back either, frequently visiting the Song residence. The matter concerning Song Jiabao had caused him to be depressed for some time. No one had expected for him to pick himself back up. It was probably because he realized that his son was ruined, so he had to do everything he could to get something out of all this. Fortunately, Song Xuanhe and Song Xuanlin were rarely at the Song Residence. Li Nianan was also doing well. Aside from going out with her friends and going to beauty appointments, she would asionally do some charity work. She was rarely at home. Therefore, the three of them weren¡¯t affected at all. This family get-together was about the Xiao Family¡¯s invitation. Song Guochao was demanding that Song Xuanhe go to the banquet in America. However, it was to no avail. Even if he had stomped his foot in anger, all he got was Song Guohua¡¯s demand to bring him along. ¡¾You humans are strange. Song Guochao had been so against you being with Xiao Yuanmu in the past, hadn¡¯t he? Now, just because Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s richer, Song Guochao changed his mind and wants you two together.¡¿ ¡¾He¡¯s not just richer. He¡¯s got power and status too.¡¿Song Xuanhe reminded him in a teasing tone. ¡¾Are you going to attend the banquet?¡¿ Song Xuanhe£º¡¾What do you think?¡¿ The System£º¡¾The data says that you won¡¯t.¡¿ Li Nianan¡¯s voice chimed in at the same time as the System. ¡°Xuanhe, what¡¯s going on between you and Xiao Xiao? Did you guys break up or not?¡± ¡°We broke up.¡± Song Xuanhe paused and then added, ¡°But, we¡¯re still in contact.¡± The System¡¯s voice echoed in his head again£º¡¾I¡¯ve noticed that you treat Li Nianan differently from the rest of the Song Family. Why? Is it because herst name is Li?¡¿ Li Nianan¡¯s brows furrowed. She lowered her voice: ¡°Do you still like him?¡± Song Xuanhe parted his lips and then pursed them. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lie.¡± Li Nianan smiled. ¡°But, if you¡¯re not willing to go, you don¡¯t have to go. Don¡¯t listen to your dad.¡± ¡¾She¡¯s right. My data says that your goodwill towards Xiao Yuanmu is higher than that of even Li Nianan. You like Li Nianan, which means that you must like Xiao Yuanmu too.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. He told the System to shut up and then spoke to Li Nianan: ¡°I want to resign.¡± Li Nianan was taken aback. She looked at Song Xuanhe. Coincidentally, Song Guochao and Song Guohua just so happened to fall silent at the same time. Everyone had heard what he had said. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°I want to take a break,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°To explore.¡± Li Nianan frowned. She seemed to want to say something but hesitated. Before she could say anything, she heard Song Guochao say: ¡°You¡¯re young. It¡¯s the perfect time to work on your career. What break? I haven¡¯t even retired yet, and you want to take a break? I won¡¯t allow it.¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t surprised that Song Guochao was against this. However much Song Guochao once had wanted to push him out of thepany was now how much he wanted him to stay. If he were to quit, the rumours outside would multiply like rabbits. People would think that Song Xuanhe¡¯s rtionship with Song Guochao had crumbled. Connecting this to what people thought of his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu, people would think that the rtionship between the Song Family and Xiao Family was broken. This would negatively affect Song Guochao¡¯s status. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t need Song Guochao¡¯s permission. He looked at Li Nianan. Actually, he¡¯d been entertaining this idea ever since he had agreed to team up with Feng Tong. He nned on exploring this world after resigning from the Song Group for the next few months. He got the most inspiration when he was free. It was very likely that he would only be able to participate in this one Fashion Week. He wanted to do his best. Li Nianan pulled on Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. Who knew what she was thinking of, but her eyes were filled with concern. For a moment, she didn¡¯t speak. Song Guochao knew that he couldn¡¯t persuade Song Xuanhe. He cast Song Guohua away and walked over to Li Nianan. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that you¡¯d take care of your son? He doesn¡¯t even want to bother with thepany anymore. Are you going to do anything about it?¡± ¡°Of course I will.¡± Upon hearing this, Song Guochao sighed in relief. However, a secondter, he heard Li Nianan say: ¡°You promised that you wouldn¡¯t meddle in Xuanhe¡¯s affairs. You promised. I¡¯ll take full responsibility for this. There¡¯s no need for you to get involved.¡± As she had said this, she pulled Song Xuanhe to his feet. ¡°Come with Mom to the garden.¡± Song Guochao watched as mother and son disappeared with a dark expression on his face. Song Guohua snickered. ¡°You were born into a good family, but your dad doesn¡¯t like you. Your son¡¯s good, but he doesn¡¯t care about you. And, here I thought your life was better than mine.¡± Song Guohua didn¡¯t stay long after mocking him. As he made his way to the main entrance, he said, ¡°You know what people will say if Song Xuanhe quits. If I make it public that he had tricked his cousin into using drugs, not only will your status fall, but also the Song Group¡¯s stocks will copse. Think it over. Your son isn¡¯t willing to go, but I am. I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Li Nianan pulled Song Xuanhe over to the pavilion near the greenhouse. After the servants served some tea, they withdrew nimbly. Li Nianan then cast aplicated gaze at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Tell me, did something happen between you and Xiao Yuanmu? Are you heartbroken? Is that why you want to leave?¡± Song Xuanhe had just taken a sip of tea. When he heard what Li Nianan had said, he started to choke. After a long time, his coughing finally eased up. He looked at Li Nianan with a baffled expression. ¡°What does my desire to go travelling have to do with Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to hide it from me.¡± Li Nianan gave him a ¡°I know how you really feel, there¡¯s no need to pretend¡± look. Her tone was sincere. ¡°You¡¯re my son. How could I not know how you feel? You two clearly hadn¡¯t broken up in the past, but you keep insisting the two of you have. Now, the Xiao Family sent us an invitation, but you refuse to go. If you didn¡¯t fight with Xiao Xiao, what else could it be? Mom knows that you must be angry for a reason. I don¡¯t doubt that Xiao Yuanmu has done something to make you unhappy. But, you¡¯re already an adult. If you¡¯re not happy, you need to think of a way to fix it. You can¡¯t avoid the issue like this.¡± Li Nianan¡¯s evident ¡°There¡¯s no way this would ever be my son¡¯s fault¡± tone made Song Xuanhe feel caught betweenughter and tears. He then recalled theplicated emotion and concern in Li Nianan¡¯s eyes just now. Only then did he realize that Li Nianan thought that he wanted to leave the Song Group because he and Xiao Yuanmu had fought. ¡°We didn¡¯t fight.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe felt puzzled. He didn¡¯t know how to describe his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu. He couldn¡¯t tell her the real reason he wanted to leave either. After mulling over this for a while, he told her a partial truth instead. ¡°A friend of mine started a fashion studio recently. I want to go look for inspiration.¡± Li Nianan was surprised. However, the cause of her surprise was not what Song Xuanhe had thought it was. ¡°You opened it for Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Before Song Xuanhe could reply, the concern in Li Nianan¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°I found an open sketchbook in your room in the past. There were many portraits inside. I could tell who it was at first nce. After those, there were many designs. At that time, I realized¡­you were really in love. And then, there was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s interview¡­. He had said that he wished to be able to wear clothes personally designed by his beloved. Did you decide to open a fashion studio because of this?¡± Zhou Nan had read Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s interview in several different styles. Song Xuanhe had felt ufortable hearing it. He never actually read the interview in full, so he hadn¡¯t known about that part. Furthermore, if they were to look at the timeline, he had opened his studio before Xiao Yuanmu had done his interview. Even if one was to involve Xiao Yuanmu, one could only say that Xiao Yuanmu had said what he had because Song Xuanhe had opened a studio and not the other way around. However, he was certain that Li Nianan wouldn¡¯t believe him no matter how he tried to exin it to her. He also didn¡¯t want to debate with her whether his studio opening or Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words hade first. Because, that was meaningless. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression wasplicated. For the first time, he didn¡¯t know what he should refute or even how to go about refuting. But, Song Xuanhe¡¯s silence only made Li Nianan misunderstand more. She thought that Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was one of embarrassment and sadness. Therefore, she tried to persuade him. ¡°He bao, listen to Mom. Communication is the most important thing in a rtionship. Since you like Xiao Yuanmu, and Xiao Yuanmu likes you, you two should cherish your feelings for each other. Don¡¯t do something you will regret because of a moment of anger or a small conflict like this¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe interrupted Li Nianan and tried to change the topic. ¡°Don¡¯t you want to know when I learned how to draw?¡± ¡°When?¡± Li Nianan frowned. ¡°Oh, but that¡¯s not important. What¡¯s important is that you¡¯re a big boy now. You shouldn¡¯t run away from your problems. You should try to resolve them.¡± Song Xuanhe:¡­. ¡¾Do conversations between you humans go like this all the time? ¡¿The System asked£º¡¾I feel like you¡¯re on different channels, talking about entirely different things.¡¿ Song Xuanhe also had no clue as to how Li Nianan decided that his wanting to leave the Song Group had something to do with his rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu. He also had no clue as to what made Li Nianan think that he and Xiao Yuanmu had an issue to resolve. Before Song Xuanhe could think of a way to fix this conversation and clear things up, Li Nianan decisively decided to help him resolve his ¡°problem.¡± ¡°Call Xiao Yuanmu right now. Clear things up with him. Mom will listen.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°¡­We really aren¡¯t fighting.¡± Li Nianan interrupted him and firmly said, ¡°If you want to quit, you have to make this call.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips andpromised. ¡°What should I say?¡± ¡°Tell him how you feel about him. It¡¯s easy for issues to crop up in long-distance rtionships. But as long as one knows that their partner loves them, any and all issues are easy to resolve. Trust Mom. Most problems can be solved by telling your significant other that you love them.¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu and I don¡¯t¡­¡± love each other. Song Xuanhe kept up his stiff smile. ¡°We¡¯re fine. You¡¯re overthinking things.¡± ¡°Then, call him right now.¡± Li Nianan softened her voice. ¡°Be good. Don¡¯t worry Mom. It doesn¡¯t matter what it¡¯s like between you two. Just let Mom know how it¡¯s going, okay?¡± ¡¾My data cannot figure out what the topic of your conversation just now has to do with you calling Xiao Yuanmu. I had predicted sixty-four different possible endings to this conversation. However, this was not one of them.¡¿ Song Xuanhe dialed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s number while coldly saying£º¡¾Looks like you need to update your data.¡¿ It was a bit past ten in the morning in America right now. Xiao Yuanmu would typically be in a meeting at this time. Therefore, Song Xuanhe rarely called him at this time of day. As Song Xuanhe called, he secretly hoped that Xiao Yuanmu was in a meeting right now and thus wouldn¡¯t pick up. However, a few secondster into the call, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chilly voice came through, ¡°Why are you calling me at such a time?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak. He turned to look at Li Nianan with a helpless look in his eyes. Li Nianan gave him an encouraging smile and quietly said, ¡°Tell him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu furrowed his brows when he didn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe speak. He waved his hand, indicating to Joe not to speak. Joe, thus, waited there quietly. Another few seconds passed, but still, he didn¡¯t hear Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice. There was only the sound of quiet breathing. Xiao Yuanmu asked again, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe felt unprecedentedly awkward while under Li Nianan¡¯s gaze. For a moment, he didn¡¯t know what to say. Therefore, he randomly picked something to open with: ¡°There¡¯s something I want to talk to you about¡­.¡± Although he had opened with this, he didn¡¯t actually know what to talk about. Therefore, he fell silent once more. Song Xuanhe had never hummed and hawed like this before. It made Xiao Yuanmu imagine all sorts of possible scenarios. His first thought was that maybe Song Xuanhe was calling with regards to the Xiao Family banquet the day after tomorrow. He had undergone considerable consideration before deciding that it would be best to not let Song Xuanhee. That was why he had said that to him before. He really did want to see Song Xuanhe, more than anyone else. But, it wasn¡¯t a good time for that. However, it wasn¡¯t something he could exin to Song Xuanhe easily. Song Jiabao and Zhou Rong had also been sent to rehab. Could their families havee to make trouble for Song Xuanhe? Xiao Yuanmu very quickly dismissed that thought. He knew that Song Xuanhe would never let such insignificant people affect him. Maybe it had to do with Wei Chen? Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s grip tightened around his phone. When he had found out that Zhou Rong had returned to China, he had assigned some subordinates to watch over him. But, he himself was abroad. Although he had hired capable people, it still hadn¡¯t been as efficient as it would have been if he had been in the country. Although the people who had been tailing Zhou Rong had been on him the whole time, there had still been some things they hadn¡¯t been able to find out. The people Zhang Siwei had hired afterwards did a better job. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t even known when Song Xuanhe had found out about Zhou Rong¡¯s schemes or switched out the drug in his hands. Furthermore, the people he had sent to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side had only been tasked with ensuring his personal safety. Unless a stranger appeared, or he got into some life-threatening situation, these people would not report any details regarding Song Xuanhe to him. Therefore, by the time he had found out that Song Xuanhe and Zhou Rong had been in contact, it was already toote. At that time, he hadn¡¯t been able to contact Zhang Siwei either. He also couldn¡¯t head over there himself. All he had been able to do was tell Guan Zhi to go to China. The people who protected Guan Zhi in secret were much more capable than the people he had assigned to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side. Like this, Song Xuanhe would be much safer. But, he had never expected for Song Xuanhe to throw off Guan Zhi to go meet with Zhou Rong. The people at Song Xuanhe¡¯s side had already linked up with the Guan Family bodyguards. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s actions threw a wrench in their ns. At that time, they had floundered. Furthermore, the club was members only. Although Guan Zhi had a high status, he still needed to be verified. They hadn¡¯t been able to enter right away. In the end, because Guan Zhi had heard that Song Xuanhe might have been in danger, he had called Wei Chen for help to avoid wasting time. Luckily, they had all made it out alive more scared than hurt. Wei Chen¡¯s appearance had beenpletely unexpected. However, without a doubt, he had protected Song Xuanhe. When Xiao Yuanmu recalled how Guan Zhi had mentioned that Song Xuanhe seemed to treat Wei Chen differently from others, his gaze darkened. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know that all sorts of crazy thoughts had flickered through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mind while he had been silent for thesest few minutes. While he had been thinking about what to say, he heard Xiao Yuanmu ask, ¡°Has Wei Chene to see youtely?¡± ¡°No,¡± Song Xuanhe replied subconsciously. He then asked, ¡°Why are you suddenly bringing him up?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± The chill and gloom that had surrounded Xiao Yuanmu dissipated. He calmly redirected the conversation back to Song Xuanhe. ¡°What did you need me for?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice a thing. When he had heard this question, he couldn¡¯t help but turn to nce at Li Nianan again. Li Nianan was smiling at him. She had no intention of speaking. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± Song Xuanhe tried to make small talk. ¡°Flipping through some documents.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. In the past, if he had asked what Xiao Yuanmu was doing, the other would have given him a short description of his work. Although he wouldn¡¯t have revealed anything important, he wouldn¡¯t have given him such a perfunctory answer either. This made him curious as to what Xiao Yuanmu was looking at. However, even if he was curious, he knew that he shouldn¡¯t overstep that line. Therefore, he simply said, ¡°If you¡¯re busy, I won¡¯t¡­.¡± He stopped mid-sentence upon feeling Li Nianan¡¯s gaze on him. ¡°I won¡¯t say too much. To put it shortly¡­¡± Song Xuanhe changed what he was going to say. An idea popped up in his mind. ¡°I want to quit the Song Group. What do you think about that?¡± Li Nianan stared at Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu was a bit surprised. But shortly after, he remembered that Song Xuanhe had opened up a studio. He said, ¡°Because, the studio¡¯s been keeping you too busy?¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips slightly, and his voice softened slightly. ¡°I just want to wander around. Find some inspiration.¡± Xiao Yuanmu frowned. He was silent for a while. He then said, ¡°Where do you want to go?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. Everywhere, I guess,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I might go to America. If you have time, maybe we can meet.¡± The finger hanging at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side twitched. His furrowed brows rxed, and his jaw tensed slightly. ¡°When?¡± Song Xuanheughed. He shifted his gaze away from Li Nianan¡¯s. ¡°Maybe in two months.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too long.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. With a smile, he said, ¡°Maybe I¡¯lle sooner.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down and sighed quietly. Underneath his sigh, in a barely audible voice, he said, ¡°I miss you so much.¡± Song Xuanhe froze. The smile on his face slowly faded. He didn¡¯t respond. Li Nianan mouthed a few words at him. Song Xuanhe looked away and pretended not to see her. When Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hear a response, the disappointment in his eyes only appeared briefly before disappearing. He said, ¡°I can¡¯t wait for October.¡± Something shed through Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°Me too.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly. However, something he thought of quickly pulled it back down. ¡°But, your model¡¯s not particrly good.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and then nced at Li Nianan. With a hushed voice, he said, ¡°How do you know what my model¡¯s like? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever told you who they are.¡± ¡°Zhou Nan gave Xiao Ranyun photos of your model. She sent them over to me.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t believe this one bit. In a leisurely tone, he said, ¡°I think they¡¯re alright. The clothes suit him well.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°That¡¯s just because they haven¡¯t been on someone better yet.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t seen anyone else who suits those clothes more than he does.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°If that person does exist, I¡¯d pray that he¡¯d agree to be my personal model.¡± ¡°As long as that¡¯s what you want, it¡¯ll definitely happen.¡± When Song Xuanhe pictured what Xiao Yuanmu would look like wearing the clothes he had designed, his eyes twinkled. Song Xuanhe left the greenhouse and walked over to the centre of the garden. He chuckled quietly. ¡°When Fashion Week¡¯s over, I¡¯ll send you the outfits.¡± Xiao Yuanmu agreed. He then fell silent. The silence continued for a while. Song Xuanhe had just been about to hang up when he noticed that Li Nianan was still looking at him. She once again mouthed him a message. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe looked away from her as he suddenly broke the silence. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s loweredshes quivered. ¡°Hm?¡± ¡°I miss you a little bit too.¡± Everyone in the conference room saw their boss smile for the first time. All of their eyes widened in shock.
Eve: I¡¯m soft. SXH¡¯s ¡°I miss you too.¡± Kara: I¨C clenches fist¨CWhy are they so cute? The ending was so soft. I cry. I only love (1) couple, and they¡¯re not even official. ( ¡ä????¦Ø????` ) xiin: I FOUND A WHOLE CHAPTER OF SUGAR wooohoo~ Chapter 105: Looking for a Boyfriend trantor: Eve editor: kara ¡°Did he just smile?¡± Louis walked over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side quickly. The half-eaten chocte bar he had been secretly snacking on was still in his hand. He draped an arm over Yang Jie¡¯s shoulders, a shocked expression on his face. ¡°Did Xiao really smile just now?¡± Yang Jie nced at him. Under Louis¡¯s dazzled expression, he nodded calmly. ¡°OMG!¡± Louis walked closer towards Xiao Yuanmu, sized up the other¡¯s lips, which still held a faint smile, and murmured, ¡°Is Song Xuanhe some kind of god? I have to meet him.¡± ¡°It¡¯d be best if you didn¡¯t.¡± Yang Jie followed after him andmented with an expressionless face. Louis was puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± Yang Jie turned around and spoke to Joe, who was currently checking the agenda. ¡°Is Hoffmaning over today?¡± Joe responded to his question while mentally organizing the meeting minutes. ¡°Yes. If Mr. Hoffman doesn¡¯t get stuck in traffic, he should arrive within ten minutes.¡± Speak of the devil, and the devil shalle. Just as Joe had finished speaking, a secretary knocked on the door and quietly said, ¡°Mr. Hoffman¡¯s car has already arrived downstairs. However, his bodyguards are unwilling to wait downstairs. They insist oning up here with him. ¡°He has several people with him. ¡°Mr. Hoffman has brought seven people in total with him, including his bodyguards.¡± Joe nodded and walked over to pass on the message to Xiao Yuanmu. When Louis heard this, he said, ¡°As expected from a member of the Hoffman family. What arge squad he¡¯s brought with him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu only nodded slightly and gave the following instructions: ¡°It¡¯s fine. Let his subordinatese up with him. Brew Mr. Hoffman a cup of instant coffee as well.¡± Joe paused. Surprised, he asked, ¡°Excuse me?¡± ¡°Do as you were told.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was cool. He had no intention of exining himself. Joe headed to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s office and went to prepare the coffee. Louis asked, ¡°Are you nning on teaming up with Hoffman? Won¡¯t this instant coffee cause his bodyguards to explode? After all, his bodyguards are likely from his mother¡¯s side.¡± Yang Jie was also worried. However, he had blind faith in Xiao Yuanmu. He thought that the other had his reasons for everything he did. Therefore, he was greatly displeased by Louis¡¯s doubt. ¡°Xiao ge must have his reasons.¡± Reality would prove Yang Jie to be correct. Xiao Yuanmu did indeed have a reason for doing this. When Hoffman drank that cup of coffee, his face turned green. ¡°Cough¡­¡± Hoffman forced down the mouthful of coffee. A sliver of fierceness appeared on his grave face. He quickly but politely ced the cup back down onto the coffee table. With an elegant voice, he said, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected Mr. Xiao to have such a unique way of entertaining his guests.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was cool. ¡°What are you referring to in particr?¡± It was extremely rude to publicly criticize one¡¯s host for their refreshments. Naturally, Hoffman, who had always been strict with himself, would not say such a thing out loud. He had no choice but to bear with the shoddy taste in his mouth that seemed like it would linger for days. But, he could hint at his meaning. ¡°Everything.¡± Xiao Yuanmu remained calm andposed. He acted like he missed the other¡¯s implicit message. His lips curled up. ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± Louis whispered to Yang Jie. ¡°I believe that Xiao has his reasons. He hates Hoffman.¡± It was the first time Yang Jie had seen Xiao Yuanmu treat a guest like this. He cleared his throat and acted like he hadn¡¯t heard the conversation between Xiao Yuanmu and Hoffman just now. He chose to remain silent. ¡°Mr. Xiao, our time is extremely precious. You¡¯re Chinese. You Chinese people have an old saying: ¡®Open the door and see the mountain.¡¯ Therefore, I¡¯ll get right to it. I would like to obtain a monopoly of RE¡¯s new energy source in D Country. Of course, I¡¯llpensate you appropriately. I¡¯vee in good faith with sincere intentions of being business partners with you. This is the contract. Have a look.¡± Hoffman was proficient in manynguages. He spoke Chinese as if it was his mother tongue. His cold voice and slightly off intonation made him sound a bit simr to Xiao Yuanmu. However, the more he spoke, the less alike they became. Xiao Yuanmu was aloof and cold to the bone. Hoffman had been born with a noble and unapproachable air. The difference between them was striking. Joe epted the contract and brought it over to Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu waved a hand, a cold expression on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t sense any sincerity from the Hoffman Family.¡± Hoffman¡¯s expression also cooled down. ¡°This has nothing to do with my family. I decided on it on my own.¡± ¡°The Hoffman Family doesn¡¯t want to partake in the monopoly of this new energy source in D Country?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, his long, straightshes pointing in Hoffman¡¯s direction. A streak of ridicule shed through his pitch-ck, chilly eyes. There was a sharp glint to them. Hoffman met Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. There was an oppressive light in his own eyes. ¡°I had thought that Mr. Xiao¡¯s RE had nothing to do with the Xiao Family. But, it seems like I am wrong.¡± ¡°Mr. Hoffman, you are right.¡± Before Xiao Yuanmu could speak, Yang Jie had already spoken up, no expression on his face. ¡°Mr. Xiao had started thispany up from nothing. He has never received any help from the Xiao Family. RE is his and his only. It has nothing to do with the Xiao Family.¡± A cold light flickered through Hoffman¡¯s eyes. He didn¡¯t look at Yang Jie. He instead asked Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Is this how your subordinates act?¡± The air grew tense. Louisughed. ¡°Hoffman, this is America, not D Country. We aren¡¯t too strict with our rules. You¡¯vee to America for business before. You should know this.¡± When Hoffman saw the smile on Louis¡¯s face, the cold from Hoffman¡¯s face rescinded slightly. However, his tone was still unfriendly. ¡°Why do you think that I am not being sincere? Or rather, why don¡¯t you think the Hoffman Family is sincere? I¡¯d like an exnation.¡± ¡°Mr. Hoffman, is the Hoffman Family involved with the Schroder Family?¡± Yang Jie asked. Hoffman finally turned to look at Yang Jie. His gaze was stifling, and his voice was frosty. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Did you know that the Schroder Family had invented a new drug recently?¡± Hoffman¡¯s expression changed slightly. A cold light flickered through his eyes. ¡°The Schroder Family has said that they had abandoned the Southeast Asian route two months ago. I think there¡¯s a misunderstanding here.¡± ¡®The Southeast Asian route¡¯ was another way to describe a drug-smuggling route. ¡°However, ording to what I know, Schroder¡¯s new drug has already reached China.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Hoffman was certain. ¡°The Hoffman Family has ceased all involvement in the smuggling business since two years ago. All of our previous routes have been dissolved. While the Schroder Family has dealt drugs behind our back in the past¡ªas Mr. Louis should know, the Hoffman Family had already punished the Schroder Family. I don¡¯t think they would have the gall to do such a thing again.¡± Louis looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu raised his hand, and Yang Jie went to grab something. Hoffman slowly epted the box Yang Jie brought over. When he saw the syringe inside, his expression changed, and a cold light appeared. ¡°This is from the Schroder Family¡¯sbs.¡± Louis raised a hand and pointed to the sky. ¡°This is evidence.¡± Hoffman closed the box back up and handed it over to the person behind him. He examined Xiao Yuanmu thoughtfully. ¡°Indeed, this syringe belongs to the Schroder Family, but I still need to inspect the contents. There¡¯s one thing I don¡¯t understand, however. Even if the Schroder Family is still manufacturing drugs, what does that have to do with our partnership?¡± ¡°There¡¯s obviously a connection,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°The Schroder Family¡¯s actions make me highly suspect of the Hoffman Family¡¯s¡ªand in particr, Mr. Hoffman¡¯s ability to see the big picture. Although the Schroder Family is a minor group, they are still one of your subsidiaries. Not only will I connect their actions to the Hoffman Family, but other people will also do the same. Moreover, it makes me doubt your sincerity with regards to your intent to partner with RE.¡± Hoffman¡¯s gaze grew frigid. He got up. ¡°Although Mr. Xiao is not telling the truth, I will still give you a satisfactory reply.¡± Xiao Yuanmu also got up. He shook Hoffman¡¯s hand before pulling his hand back quickly. ¡°Take care.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t say that today¡¯s meeting was a pleasant one.¡± Hoffman¡¯s expression was grave and stern. ¡°But, I look forward to our next meeting.¡± After Hoffman¡¯s party had left, Yang Jie went to stand next to Xiao Yuanmu, a guilty expression on his face. ¡°Xiao ge, sorry. I shouldn¡¯t have interrupted.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was one of indifference. He was still looking in the direction that Hoffman had gone, a pensive look in his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Yang Jie furrowed his brows and said, ¡°The Xiao Family banquet is tomorrow. You¡¯ll see Mr. Hoffman again there. The other members of the Hoffman Family will also be present. If he were to mention the partnership again, you¡­.¡± ¡°He won¡¯t.¡± Yang Jie turned to look at Louis¡¯s grinning face. Louis batted his eyes and asked, ¡°Want to bet?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yang Jie looked away. Concern appeared in his eyes. ¡°Xiao ge, if Hoffman looks into the drug, he¡¯ll discover Mr. Song. He¡¯ll probably realize why you refused to cooperate with him. Wouldn¡¯t that put Mr. Song in danger?¡± ¡°No.¡± Yang Jie turned to look at Louis again. ¡°Trust me. There¡¯s no need to make a bet over this. Jung Hoffman¡¯s a smart man. He wouldn¡¯t do something that stupid.¡± ¡°What do you think he¡¯ll do then?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not him, how would I know?¡± Louis said, ¡°But, what I do know is that what you¡¯re worried about won¡¯t happen. The people who should be worried are the Schroder Family, who had transported the drug into China, and the two who had tried to hurt Xiao¡¯s boyfriend with it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°He has a name.¡± Louis raised a brow. Who knew what he recalled, but his voice took on a teasing tone. ¡°What did Mr. Song say to you earlier? I¡¯ve never seen you smile like that before¡­. You looked head-over-heels.¡± When Yang Jie had heard this, his ears also pricked up. To tell the truth, although he¡¯d seen Xiao Yuanmu smile a few times before, that had only ever been in private. He had never seen the other smile like that in front of so many other people before. When Xiao Yuanmu recalled what Song Xuanhe had said in a tone that suggested he had pent-up grievances, he smiled again. Light seemed to radiate from his eyes. ¡°Just what did he say?¡± Louis was even more curious upon seeing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. ¡°Did he tell you he loves you? No, right? It¡¯s normal for lovers to tell each other ¡®I love you.¡¯ That probably wouldn¡¯t make your eyes light up like this.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at Louis. There was now a look of confusion in his jet-ck eyes. He asked in an uncertain tone, ¡°Is it normal for couples to tell each other ¡®I love you?¡¯¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Louis nodded. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression though, he hesitated for a second before widening his eyes and saying, ¡°Have you guys never said it before?!¡± Eve: It would be weird for them to have said it given theirplicated rtionship. I do love this fake rtionship to real rtionship trope. Was always one of my favourite fanfiction tropes. Kara: *evilughs* Hahaha, I love Mumu¡¯s petty side. He really said: I won¡¯t work with anyone who tries to harm my boyfriend, hmph! <(£à^¡ä)> I also love seeing his more innocent side as he learns how to properly love SXH. ?(????) xiin: *holds the tiny piece of fluff like a treasure* ahhhh it¡¯s so adorable that Mumu¡¯s all confused about what a normal rtionship should be like >///< Chapter 106: Found a Boyfriend trantor: Eve editor: kara On a certain ind in the Pacific Ocean, private airnesnded in an endless stream. It was the liveliest day this ind had ever experienced since its formation. A dignified middle-aged man swept a gaze over the two young men beside the Xiao Family¡¯s madam. His eyes fell on Xiao Yuanmu, and a small smile appeared in his eyes. ¡°You must be Yuanmu.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded politely. ¡°Mr. Guan.¡± Guan Xiongpai patted him on the shoulder. ¡°You can call me Uncle Guan like Baicong does. Guan Zhi mentioned you before. I had never expected you to be Old Xiao¡¯s son. What a coincidence.¡± ¡°Dad, when did I ever talk about him?¡± Guan Zhi snorted from behind him. ¡°I never did that.¡± Guan Xiongpai¡¯s dignified expression broke slightly. He red at his son. ¡°Didn¡¯t you mention Yuanmu after you hade back from seeing your cousin in the Capital?¡± Guan Zhi raised a brow. ¡°I had mentioned Zhou Nan from the Zhou Family and Song Xuanhe from the Song Family. When did I ever mention Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Guan Xiongpai coughed. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu, his expression unchanging. ¡°Thank you for taking care of Guan Zhi when he was in China. We¡¯ve troubled you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at Guan Zhi and then looked away. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, Uncle Guan.¡± Guan Zhi looked over when he felt Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze on him. He had just been about to ask if Song Xuanhe woulde when he just so happened to notice Xiao Yuanmu was now speaking to the patriarch of the Xiao Family, who also happened to be his father. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s head was slightly lowered, and his dark eyes were tranquil and deep. His lips were slightly pursed, and he would asionally say a few things. He looked calm and harmless. But for some reason, Guan Zhi ended up swallowing his words. He then looked away. After the small talk, the Xiao Family patriarch had the butler take the Guan Family inside. As their figures grew distant, it also grew quiet around the Xiao Family. Xiao Baicong asked, ¡°Song Xuanhe¡­is he your boyfriend? Is he going toe today?¡± When Mrs. Xiao heard this familiar name, her expression changed slightly. She turned to look in the direction the Guan Family had disappeared to. A few secondster, she shifted her gaze to Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes fell onto Xiao Baicong¡¯s curious face. A few secondster, he said in a chilly voice, ¡°No.¡± Mrs. Xiao was taken aback. She asked, ¡°We sent the Song Family an invitation. Why isn¡¯t heing?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was serene. ¡°I don¡¯t want him to.¡± Xiao Baicong smiled brightly. ¡°And, here I thought you really liked that Chinese person named Song Xuanhe. Guess you don¡¯t.¡± Xiao Lin¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly. He warned him in a t voice, ¡°Baicong.¡± Xiao Baicong¡¯s expression changed slightly. He pouted. ¡°I was wrong, Father. When I found out that Ge liked someone, I had really wanted to see who that person was. I¡¯ve been looking forward to this banquet a lot. I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Xiao Lin looked away. He nced at his eldest son with his peripheral vision and saw that the other was still calm and unaffected as he had always been since the beginning. Aplicated expression appeared in his eyes. The butler brought the Guan Family to a specially prepared lounge. Shortly after, the butler returned to where the Xiao Family was. ¡°Sir, Madam, the Hoffman Family has arrived.¡± Xiao Lin nodded and looked at the private jet that had just arrived. ¡°Yuanmu, I heard that Jung Hoffman visited yourpany yesterday.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± ¡°He wants to partner with you?¡± ¡°He wants a monopoly of the new energy source in D Country.¡± Theplicated expression in Xiao Lin¡¯s eyes disappeared. He shook his head, a difficult-to-read smile appearing on his lips. ¡°He¡¯s asking for a lot.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the Hoffman Family, who had already hopped onto the shuttle bus. His tone was extremely t. ¡°If he manages to fulfill my request, I will agree to the partnership.¡± Xiao Lin turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°What request?¡± ¡°A personal one,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°It has nothing to do with thepany.¡± Xiao Lin regarded Xiao Yuanmu pensively. His gaze then shifted to the shuttle bus that was getting increasingly closer. He pursed his lips and remained silent. When Mrs. Xiao saw this, a sliver of worry emerged in her eyes. It might be because he had suffered a lot while growing up, but her eldest son kept them at a distance ever sinceing back to them. Even though today was avish banquet held for the sake of formally weing him home, he seemed as unfeeling as ever. He didn¡¯t look excited nor happy. Moreover, his apathetic attitude was even more evident when he was interacting with her husband and youngest son. She didn¡¯t know if it was because they were all men, but he treated them even more coldly than he did her. The difference was minute¡ªneither her husband nor youngest son had picked up on it¡ªbut perhaps it was the connection between mother and son that allowed her to perceive the indifference Xiao Yuanmu had for the family. It was like he didn¡¯t care about whether or not he had them, like he didn¡¯t need them. She even felt like her eldest son actually preferred to be alone. That was why she wanted to see Song Xuanhe so much. She wanted to see what the only person in this world who was able to make Xiao Yuanmu feel concern and love was like. She wanted to learn more about her eldest son from the lips of his beloved. She wanted to be involved with Song Xuanhe so that she could get closer to her own son through him. Most importantly, she wanted to know if Song Xuanhe was really worthy of being cherished by her eldest son like this. Therefore, she had fought with her husband. She had disregarded the rule that the Xiao Family patriarch must not have a partner of the same sex and had stubbornly mailed out that invitation to the Song Family. She hadn¡¯t expected that even after all that trouble, Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t being. Mrs. Xiao¡¯s smile faded slightly. Worry and fatigue appeared in her eyes. It had already been some time since they had found Xiao Yuanmu. She had tried all sorts of methods to get closer to him, but they had all failed. Except for Song Xuanhe, she didn¡¯t know what else to do. ¡°I¡¯m very happy that you coulde to tonight¡¯s banquet, Mr. Hoffman.¡± The Hoffman patriarch shook hands and hugged Xiao Lin. He then looked at Xiao Yuanmu. He stuck a hand out and greeted him in D Country¡¯s officialnguage. ¡°You¡¯re Xiao Yuanmu, the Xiao Family¡¯s long-lost eldest son, right? It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu met his gaze. He calmly shook his hand and spoke in an unhurried tone using D Country¡¯snguage. ¡°The pleasure is mine, Mr. Hoffman.¡± The Hoffman patriarch paused. He then smiled. ¡°I¡¯ve prepared a gift for our first meeting. I hope you¡¯ll like it.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± The Hoffman patriarch shifted his gaze back to Xiao Lin. In Chinese, he said, ¡°Your son, he¡¯s excellent.¡± Xiao Lin was also shocked upon finding out Xiao Yuanmu could speak D Country¡¯s officialnguage. He had never heard the other speak it before. There were also no records of him having ever learned D Country¡¯snguage before either. But when he thought about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s photographic memory and outstanding learning ability, he didn¡¯t think much of it. He simply smiled. ¡°Mr. Jung is also an exemry young man.¡± The Hoffman patriarch nodded proudly. ¡°Although he¡¯s got the family behind him, hispany¡¯s progress has exceeded my expectations. But, he¡¯s still no match for your esteemed son. Young Mr. Xiao¡¯s RE has grown rapidly. His research in that new energy source has been a great contribution to the world as well. Compared to him, Jung has a lot of room for growth.¡± Jung stretched a hand out towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°I apologize for what had happened in the past. It was the Hoffman Family¡¯s fault for failing to provide adequate supervision. But, I have already promised you that I will conduct a thorough investigation, and the results will be out very soon. I hope that we will have the chance to work together after this matter hase to an end.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, his tone both polite and distant. ¡°If there is a chance.¡± A profound expression appeared on Jung¡¯s stern face. He nodded. When the butler came to lead them in, he whispered an address into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ear as he passed him by. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He followed the other with his eyes. The Hoffman Family¡¯s arrival meant that seven out of the eight major financial groups were now present. The Xiao Family was now only waiting for the James Family. Soon after, the James Family had arrived. They consisted of a tall Caucasian man and aparatively petite East Asian woman. The two of them walked over hand-in-hand. After greeting Mrs. Xiao and Xiao Lin, the East Asian woman smiled. ¡°You must be Yuanmu?¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow. The people from the other seven families had all called him ¡°Mr. Xiao¡± or his full name. This was the first time someone had addressed him so familiarly. However, although he was wondering about this, it didn¡¯t slow down his reaction at all. He nodded courteously. ¡°Hello, Mrs. James.¡± Mrs. James gave him a graceful smile and hugged him. ¡°I¡¯m Chinese. My Chinese name is Li Nianran. I¡¯ve heard about you. I¡¯m really happy to meet you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused and then politely returned the hug. ¡°I¡¯m also happy to see you.¡± Mrs. James let go and then smiled at Mrs. Xiao. ¡°Both your sons have majestic and dignified bearings. You¡¯re very fortunate.¡± Mrs. Xiao had been astonished to see Xiao Yuanmu return Mrs. James¡¯s hug. It took her a few seconds to respond to Mrs. James¡¯sment. ¡°Thank you.¡± Mrs. James¡¯s smile was sweet. She chatted with Mrs. Xiao a bit before looping her arm around her husband¡¯s arm and walking inside. All of the important guests had arrived. The Xiao Family banquet had also begun without a hitch. After Xiao Lin had made a formal promation of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s identity, he brought him along to introduce him to the guests. Xiao Lin introduced Xiao Yuanmu to all of the people he had nned on introducing him to before saying, ¡°Go see your mother. She has people she wants you to meet as well.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Lin took in his son¡¯s handsome face. He became lost in thought for a moment. He raised his hand, paused for a moment, and then patted the other on the shoulder. ¡°Go. Since you¡¯vee home, spend some more time with your mother.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. He nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll go find Mother.¡± The banquet hall was huge, but it was easy to find Mrs. Xiao. Xiao Yuanmu made a beeline for her when he noticed her. But midway through his trek, his gaze was attracted by the people chatting by the ss dome. The people who were chatting had also noticed him. Mrs. James waved him over. Xiao Yuanmu paused and then headed in their direction. ¡°Mrs. James, Auntie Song.¡± Mrs. James¡¯s smile grew deeper. She said, ¡°We were just talking about you. Who would have thought you¡¯de over?¡± Li Nianan sized Xiao Yuanmu up. When she saw that he was more-or-less the same as when she hadst seen him, she smiled. ¡°Long time no see.¡± Kara: Ah¡­could this be leading to a meeting of the inws? (¡ã o¡ã)! Also, I kind of feel bad for Mama Xiao¡­she just wants to get along with her son, then again, you didn¡¯t even bother looking for him all this time. (©V¦Å©V¡¡) xiin: maybe there¡¯s more behind the scenes that we don¡¯t see yet¡­ also, what is up with the chapter titles @[email protected] Chapter 107: Good-Looking and Has Long Legs trantor: Eve editor: kara Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly and said, ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to have you here, Auntie Song.¡± Li Nianan nodded. ¡°Congrattions on finding your birth parents. I¡¯m also so happy that yourpany¡¯s been so sessful. Xuanhe¡¯s happy for you as well. Allow me to congratte you on his behalf.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice warmed up quite a bit upon hearing Li Nianan mention Song Xuanhe. ¡°How is he doing?¡± Li Nianan smiled. ¡°He told you, didn¡¯t he? He¡¯s been making a fuss about quitting thepany, but the rest of the family doesn¡¯t agree. So, they¡¯re treating it like he¡¯s just taking a vacation. That child¡¯s still young. He wants to go out into the world and do things. He makes the people around him worry. When you¡¯re together, keep an eye on him. It must be a pain to be with him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu showed no expression on his face, but his voice was calm and certain. ¡°I¡¯ve never found it to be a bother.¡± Li Nianan was slightly taken aback. It wasn¡¯t until her younger sister, who was beside her, chuckled that she came back to herself. She alsoughed. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± Li Nianan looked up, her smile fading as she asked, ¡°Why did you suddenly decide toe to America? Are you two still together or not?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°What did Xuanhe say?¡± ¡°Him?¡± Li Nianan shook her head. ¡°He said that you two broke up. In the beginning, we believed him. But then, I found out that you two still keep in touch. There was also that interview of yours. So, just what¡¯s going on between you two?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyelids lowered slightly, and his voice became quiet. ¡°The decision toe to America was rushed. He was angry with me when I told him. That¡¯s why he wanted to break up.¡± Li Nianan looked like she finally understood what was going on. ¡°That exins why he changed so dramatically, almost like he has be an entirely different person.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, light flickering through his eyes. When Li Nianan saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, she smiled. ¡°I get it now. He¡¯s stubborn as a mule, that one. He refuses to yield. He probably didn¡¯t want toe today because he¡¯s still busy throwing a fit. Don¡¯t take it to heart.¡± There were many eyes on Xiao Yuanmu today, because he was the star of tonight¡¯s banquet. Some of them had seen his sudden change in direction upon seeing the two women. They had also seen the way he had stopped to chat with them for some time. One of the guests couldn¡¯t help but ask the person next to him, ¡°Anderson, do you know who that is next to Young Mr. Xiao?¡± ¡°Which Young Mr. Xiao?¡± Anderson followed the other¡¯s gaze. ¡°Ah, the star of today¡¯s banquet. I recognize one of the women with him. That¡¯s George James¡¯s wife.¡± ¡°Is she the one who¡¯s currently speaking with Young Mr. Xiao?¡± ¡°No,¡± Anderson observed the scene for a moment before admitting in a puzzled tone, ¡°I don¡¯t recognize the woman next to Mrs. James. She¡¯spletely unfamiliar to me. I¡¯ve never seen her before. Who is she?¡± The person who had raised the question was also befuddled. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen her before either. Is she part of a new family?¡± ¡°As if.¡± Anderson shook his head whileughing. ¡°Not just anyone can attend today¡¯s banquet. Besides, she must be quite the figure to make Young Mr. Xiao personally head over to her.¡± Many of the guests were having simr conversations throughout the hall. They all were wondering who this person was. Song Guochao, who had just returned after warning Song Guohua outside, had just so happened to listen in on this particr conversation. He hadn¡¯t even had time yet to bask in his delight of being surrounded by these finance world big shots. ¡°Excuse me.¡± Song Guochao shed a gentlemanly and kind smile. ¡°I couldn¡¯t help but overhear your conversation. I know who she is.¡± The two people who had been in the middle of a conversation turned to look at Song Guochao. Once again, they did not recognize him. They exchanged nces. The tall, lean, blond-haired man then asked, ¡°You know who she is?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Guochao took a half-step closer to the two people. ¡°Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Song Guochao. I¡¯m one of the vice presidents of China¡¯s Song Group. The woman who is currently speaking to Young Mr. Xiao is my wife.¡± China¡¯s Song Group? They¡¯d never heard of thispany before. However, when they thought of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s interview, a faint conjecture welled up in their minds. The tall and lean Caucasian man who had spoken smiled faintly. ¡°Mr. Song, my name is Anderson. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± The Asian man beside him also introduced himself. ¡°I¡¯m Han. Nice to meet you.¡± ¡°The pleasure is mine, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Han.¡± Pride welled up in Song Guochao¡¯s heart upon being able to get acquainted with these legendary figures who he had only ever heard of before this. Even so, he did his best to maintain his refined and reserved smile. Han smiled back at him. ¡°Young Mr. Xiao has been busy since the start of the banquet. We haven¡¯t had a chance to speak to him yet. If you don¡¯t mind, would you be willing to introduce us to him?¡± The smile on Song Guochao¡¯s face froze. He turned to look at the grinning Li Nianan and thought, even if unpleasant things had urred between them in the past, Xiao Yuanmu probably wouldn¡¯t embarrass him in public because of his feelings for Song Xuanhe. Furthermore, Li Nianan was also present. This was also Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s first banquet since returning to the Xiao Family. He probably wouldn¡¯t do anything that would cause people to gossip about him. With all that in mind, Song Guochao led the two men over to Xiao Yuanmu with his heart at ease. ¡°Sorry to interrupt.¡± Li Nianan was interrupted halfway through her sentence. Her gaze flitted over Xiao Yuanmu andnded on Song Guochao behind him. She frowned. Xiao Yuanmu also turned around. His gaze flickered over Song Guochao and the two people behind him. He nodded. ¡°Mr. Song, Mr. Han, Mr. Anderson.¡± Anderson and Han were surprised that Xiao Yuanmu had recognized them and even knew them by name. Han asked, ¡°You know us?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was calm, and he didn¡¯t gloss over this half-heartedly. ¡°I had learned a lot from Mr. Han¡¯s revolutionary article on investment in Finance. I had also learned about Mr. Anderson¡¯s legendary acquisition¡ªhow the market value of the MFD technology you had purchased had increased a hundred-fold in a mere five years. My professor¡¯s frequently spoken of you both as exceptional models.¡± Anderson and Han exchanged nces. They could see both admiration and a bit of fear in each other¡¯s eyes. The things he had mentioned were not what outsiders would consider their greatest aplishments. However, they were what they themselves were most proud of. Firstly, Xiao Yuanmu had been able to match their faces to their names. He was then able to praise them for what they cared about the most with a normal tone of voice. They couldn¡¯t help but develop a sense of goodwill towards him. Anderson and Han both sighed over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s exceptional memory and outstanding ability to read people. His future would be bright considering his impressive status and young age. They both thought that, although the Xiao Family¡¯s Xiao Baicong was also an excellent young man, he was nothingpared to the long-lost eldest son, Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You¡¯re incredible,¡± Han said with sincerity, ¡°I had been curious about you ever since I saw you appear in Fortune. Mypany had also been researching new energy sources, but no matter how we analyzed it, the results always suggested that we would need to discover a new element. My research team had told me that there was practically no chance of that new element appearing in this world and that we would not be able to create it artificially with our current resources. I had never expected that RE would be able to achieve what we had thought to be impossible. I had wanted to meet you ever since then. Now that I¡¯ve seen you, I understand why you were able to do it.¡± Anderson smiled and added, ¡°Han¡¯s right. I had also been curious about you. That¡¯s why, when Mr. Song said he knew you, I had asked him to introduce us to you. I hope we didn¡¯t interrupt anything.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Of course not. We were just finishing. I need to head over to my mother now. It¡¯s been my honour to speak with Mr. Anderson and Mr. Han.¡± When Song Guochao saw that Xiao Yuanmu had ignored him this whole time, he couldn¡¯t help but interject: ¡°Yuanmu, Uncle and Auntie are both very grateful for your invitation. Congrattions on finding your family.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. His gaze fell onto Song Guochao¡¯s smiling face. His tone was cold, ¡°Thank you, Mr. Song.¡± When Song Guochao saw that Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t treating him any different, he sighed in relief inwardly. The smile on his face became rxed. ¡°I¡¯ve wanted to speak to you all this time. If you¡¯re free,e speak to your Aunt and myself. We can talk about the partnership between ourpanies.¡± As he spoke, he stuck out his hand, wanting to pat Xiao Yuanmu on the shoulder in an intimate manner. Xiao Yuanmu evaded his touch. His pitch-ck eyes zoned in on Song Guochao. There were no emotions in his eyes, but there was a slight chill in his voice. ¡°Mr. Song, I don¡¯t remember ever mentioning partnering with the Song Group.¡± Song Guochao¡¯s grin froze. Anderson and Han exchanged nces, and their expressions changed slightly. Only Mrs. James frowned in confusion. She looked at Li Nianan with concern, but Li Nianan only squeezed her hand in reassurance. She then nced at Song Guochao, a silent smile on her lips. Suddenly, everything went silent. Song Guochao felt like everyone¡¯s gaze was on him. He felt like everyone must beughing at him, ridiculing him for trying to use the Xiao Family to climb up the socialdder. But, he knew that he couldn¡¯t let this continue. Otherwise, he would end up as aughingstock in these circles. He would lose all dignity. ¡°Hahaha,¡± Song Guochaoughed dryly, ¡°Uncle was only joking with you. There¡¯s no need to talk about that today. We can talk about working together another time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned to look Song Guochao in the eye. ¡°Mr. Song, if the Song Group wishes to partner up with RE or the Xiao Group, you may present us with a proposal as per standard regtions. This is my assistant¡¯s business card. If the proposal goes through, he will contact you. At that time, we can talk.¡± ¡°Auntie, Mrs. James, Mr. Anderson, Mr. Han, I will be taking my leave.¡± Anderson and Han exchanged nces again upon hearing the distinct differences between how Xiao Yuanmu addressed the people he was close to versus the people he was unfamiliar with. They then looked at Song Guochao, the smile in their eyes fading. Eve: Take that shitty Father Song. Kara: Heck yeah, read it and weep, Song Guochao, you dirty piece of¡ª ͹?Òæ?)͹ xiin: in case you guys missed it in thest chapter, lilian exined the chapter titles: It¡¯s a reference to a Chinese nursery rhyme/song: ÕÒѽÕÒѽÕÒÅóÓÑ ÕÒµ½Ò»¸öºÃÅóÓÑ ¾´¸öÀñѽÎÕÎÕÊÖ Ð¦ÎûÎûѽµãµãÍ· ÄãÊÇÎҵĺÃÅóÓÑ Looking looking looking for a friend/ Found a good friend/ Take a salute, shake hands/ Laugh happily, nod head/ You are my good friend The version that I know is four lines (line 1, 2, 3, 5) instead of five lines. The author is just following this 5 lines x 7 characters format from the first chapter to thest chapter of this novel. If you want, you can sing all the chapter titles from beginning to end! Chapter 108: An Eight-Pack and a Nice Body trantor: Eve editors: kara When Xiao Yuanmu finally found Mrs. Xiao, she was conversing with two other madams of simr age. Upon seeing Xiao Yuanmue over, the smile on her face deepened, and she walked over to wee him. Beaming, she pulled him over by the hand. ¡°You¡¯re here. Come over quickly.¡± ¡°Let Mom introduce you. This is Auntie Zhao, and this is Auntie Qian. They¡¯re good friends of mine.¡± Xiao Yuanmu discreetly pulled his hand back and nodded. ¡°Auntie Zhao, Auntie Qian.¡± Auntie Zhao smiled as she handed him a simple but exquisite wooden box. ¡°This is a gift for you.¡± Auntie Qian also pulled out a delicate embroidered pouch that seemed to contain something hefty. There was a metallic ng when she offered it to him. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t ept it immediately. Mrs. Xiao said, ¡°Take it. Treat it as a bteding-of-age gift. They gave your younger brother gifts when he had turned eighteen. You both deserve to have a share. This is what you deserve.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Auntie Zhao said, ¡°We had given you a jade pendant and a lock of longevity when you had been born too. They¡¯re still locked up in a drawer within your room. Don¡¯t treat us like strangers.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze changed slightly. He thanked them and then epted the gifts. He handed the gifts to Yang Jie shortly after. Mrs. Qian smiled and asked, ¡°I heard you have someone you like. Where is he?¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s smile faded. Before Xiao Yuanmu could speak, she said, ¡°That child has something going on, so he couldn¡¯t make it.¡± Mrs. Zhao said, ¡°What could be so important? What a pity.¡± Mrs. Xiao smiled and changed the subject. ¡°Your father had said that you would be here quickly. Why did you onlye now?¡± ¡°I encountered Mrs. James and Auntie Song,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°So, I stopped to greet them.¡± The two madams were surprised. Mrs. Zhao said, ¡°I know Mrs. James, but who is this Mrs. Song? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve heard of her before.¡± Mrs. Xiao had also been puzzled at first but quickly snapped out of it when she heard Xiao Yuanmu call her. Her smile froze, and she skirted around the topic. ¡°Mrs. James really likes you. I should go see her.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly. He looked down and kept silent. When Mrs. Zhao and Mrs. Qian had heard Mrs. Xiao say this, they didn¡¯t pursue the issue any further. They simply exchanged nces before tacitly changing the subject. ¡°Yuanmu, ah,¡± Mrs. Zhao recalled what they had been talking about prior to his arrival and spoke up in a soft voice, ¡°I heard that you live in your own apartment now. The Xiao Family has several properties in Y City. Although your parents and brother don¡¯t usually live there, they still asionally pop on by. You had been separated from your family for so long. You should treasure the time you have together now.¡± Mrs. Xiao nodded upon hearing this. ¡°The house is close to yourpany. Move in with us when you have time.¡± Before Xiao Yuanmu could respond, Xiao Baicong walked out from the crowd. He wore a dark, fitted suit and had on a Jacquard-woven, blue-green silk tie. It gave him the liveliness of a youth and the steady temperament of a man. There was a smile on his slightly juvenile face. He had a noble air to him. He had just so happened to overhear their conversation. He smiled and said, ¡°Ge, are you moving in with us? I can help you tidy up a room. But, shouldn¡¯t we head to the main house first?¡± Mrs. Xiao, who had looked a bit nervous just now, rxed upon seeing him arrive. She grabbed the hand of her eldest son and spoke in an annoyed tone, ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you toe over a while ago? Where did you go off to?¡± Xiao Baicong smiled at her. ¡°My friends were over there, so I went to chat with them. Ze Yu and Wei Yang were going toe over with me, but we had bumped into some ssmates who we haven¡¯t seen in a while. They ditched me at once. That¡¯s why I ended uping here alone.¡± Ze Yu and Wei Yang were Mrs. Zhao and Mrs. Qian¡¯s children respectively. When they had heard him mention their children, their smiles deepened. Auntie Zhao said, ¡°Baicong¡¯s the only sensible one amongst them. Ze Yu should learn from you.¡± Xiao Baicong¡¯s smile was warm like the sun. ¡°If it weren¡¯t because my mom and brother are here, I would have also been dragged away by them.¡± Mrs. Xiao red at him in feigned annoyance. ¡°I told you to introduce your older brother to your friends. And yet, you went off to y for so long.¡± ¡°I was scared that my brother would scare them off with how cold he looks. That¡¯s why I had warned them in advance.¡± Xiao Baicong smiled at Xiao Yuanmu and asked, ¡°My brother wouldn¡¯t me me, would he?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was chilly andpletely without ripples. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Like I thought.¡± Xiao Baicong walked over to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Ge, I¡¯ll introduce you to my friends.¡± Xiao Yuanmu declined coolly. ¡°No need.¡± Mrs. Xiao, Mrs. Qian, and Mrs. Zhao were all taken aback. Xiao Baicong¡¯s smile grew fainter. ¡°Ge, are you upset at me foring sote?¡± ¡°I have a video conference at five o¡¯clock.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s almost time. I have to prepare for the meeting.¡± ¡°This child.¡± Mrs. Xiao heaved a sigh of relief. ¡°Why are you working today too? Can¡¯t you push it off?¡± ¡°No,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t tone, ¡°This partnership is extremely important with regards to thepany¡¯s future development. This meeting was nned prior to this banquet, and changing the date now would be inappropriate.¡± Mrs. Xiao sighed, but there was still a smile on her face. ¡°Then off you go. Remember toe back when you¡¯re done. Let your brother introduce you to others your age. Make some friends.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and then bid farewell to the other madams. He then nced at Xiao Baicong before telling Mrs. Xiao, ¡°I¡¯ll be going now.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with Ge,¡± Xiao Baicong said with a smile, ¡°I left something in my room, so I might as well go now to get it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s tone was very doting as she spoke to her youngest son. ¡°Don¡¯t disturb your brother¡¯s work.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Xiao Baicong beamed at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Ge, let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze paused on Xiao Baicong for two seconds. He then turned around and left. Xiao Baicong waved to their mother and then followed after Xiao Yuanmu with a grin on his face. ¡°Ge.¡± Although Xiao Baicong was five years younger than Xiao Yuanmu, he was nearly the same height. He quickly caught up to Xiao Yuanmu and turned to look at the other¡¯s profile. ¡°Are you really going to move in with us?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze remained straight ahead. Coolly, he said, ¡°No.¡± Xiao Baicong¡¯s smile didn¡¯t change, but his gaze paused on the other for a second. ¡°Why not? Because, you¡¯re not used to us yet? But, we¡¯re a family. You¡¯ll get used to it after some time. And, we can get closer.¡± ¡°I¡¯m too busy.¡± ¡°The house isn¡¯t far from yourpany,¡± Xiao Baicong said, ¡°There¡¯s a chauffeur who can take you to and from work. It won¡¯t waste any time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at him silently. Xiao Baicong continued to smile as if he didn¡¯t mind Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s coldness towards him. He acted like a littleckey who adored his older brother. Once again, he changed the subject, seemingly intent on making Xiao Yuanmu talk more. ¡°I had gone to China with the family tutor once when I was ten years old and learning about world history. Back then, I had found it boring. Is China fun?¡± Yang Jie: ¡°Not at all.¡± Xiao Baicong stood still and turned to look at Yang Jie. His brows furrowed. ¡°I was asking my brother. What are you interrupting us for?¡± ¡°He¡¯s right.¡± Xiao Yuanmu also stopped walking. In a t voice, he said, ¡°I have work to do. Go get what you came up here for.¡± Xiao Baicong pursed his lips and looked at Xiao Yuanmu with a wronged look in his eyes. ¡°Do you dislike me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Xiao Baicong was taken aback. Incredulity filled his eyes. He didn¡¯t think that the other would be so frank and answer so quickly. ¡°Can I go in now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised his chin slightly, indicating for Xiao Baicong to make way. Xiao Baicong looked at Xiao Yuanmu and Yang Jie behind him. He frowned. ¡°Why do you dislike me?¡± ¡°No reason.¡± Xiao Yuanmu opened the door. As he was walking into the room, he paused and turned to look at Xiao Baicong. His pitch-ck eyes seemed bottomless, and there was a freezing bite to his gaze. ¡°Just like you.¡± The door shut in Xiao Baicong¡¯s face. He stood there in ce for a long time before he broke out intoughter. In a tone pregnant with meaning, he said, ¡°Smarter than I had given him credit for.¡± After closing the door, Yang Jie had pricked his ears to listen for any movements outside. When he had only heard silence, he was puzzled. ¡°Xiao ge, even if you don¡¯t like your younger brother, you shouldn¡¯t be so¡­blunt about it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu remained silent and casually found a sofa to sit on. He pulled out his phone and dialed the number belonging to the person who was constantly on his mind. Yang Jie hadn¡¯t yet noticed that he had made the call. He continued: ¡°And if my memory serves me correctly, there¡¯s no meeting today. Did youe up because you are tired or¡ª¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± A familiar voice suddenly echoed through the air. When Yang Jie took a few steps over, he saw a face he hadn¡¯t seen for a long time. Yang Jie paused. He looked like he had expected this but was also surprised at the same time. His gaze was veryplicated. When Xiao Yuanmu saw the person on the other side of the video call, he smiled faintly. He loosened his tie and said in a low, hoarse voice, ¡°Did you just wake up?¡± Song Xuanhe had been woken up by his ringtone. His messy hair fell over his forehead, and his eyes were half-opened. There was ayer of water over his hazy eyes. He was theplete opposite of the man with sharp features on the other side of the call. His tone was full of impatience. ¡°It¡¯s so early, what do you want?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were drawn to the expanse of exposed skin on Song Xuanhe¡¯s chest from where his buttons hade undone. He quickly averted his eyes and then looked up at Yang Jie. He turned the screen away from the other¡¯s view. ¡°I had bumped into Auntie just now.¡± Song Xuanhe had stayed at the studio until five in the morning before going homest night. His eyelids were still drooping, and it took a lot of effort to open his eyes. Sunlight reflected off of his eyes. His irises were lighter than usual. ¡°And?¡± After that one word, he shut his eyes. His tone was filled with annoyance as if asking, Why did you wake me up for something like that? ¡°She had asked me when we were going to get married.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eye twitched. He opened them at once. ¡°What?¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled. ¡°Awake yet?¡± The author has something to say: Yang Jie: Mrs. Song never said that. Eve: It would be funny if Yang Jie had actually said that out loud. xiin: A Mumu who likes to troll Xuanhe is so cute~ Chapter 109: Found a Boyfriend trantor: Eve editor: kara When Song Xuanhe heard those two words, he knew that Xiao Yuanmu had only been joking. However, the shock he had suffered just now did manage to chase the sleep away. Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu with a chilly expression. Without any hesitation, he reached out to press the ¡°end call¡± button. Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°You don¡¯t have to look into Zhou Rong¡¯s case.¡± Song Xuanhe paused, and his eyes narrowed slightly. Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°I will handle it. You don¡¯t have to bother yourself with it.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°What did you find out?¡± ¡°A lot of things,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a mild voice, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you everything once it¡¯s all over.¡± Eyes still narrowed, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°This is my business. You have to give me a reason why I shouldn¡¯t look into it. Or at least, tell me who the mastermind behind all of this is.¡± ¡°The Hoffman Family¡¯s involved.¡± Xiao Yuanmu furrowed his eyes slightly, and his tone became much graver. ¡°You¡¯ll only put yourself in danger by getting involved. Leave it be. Be good.¡± When he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯sst two words, he raised a brow. His lips parted, but he didn¡¯t retort. He simply looked away. ¡°Are you in a bad mood?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Yang Jie, who was standing off to the side, was taken aback. His gaze was on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s profile. Although he couldn¡¯t read the other¡¯s face, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips were raised up slightly higher than normal. He then looked away, his own lips pulling into a straight line. All of a sudden, he realized why Xiao ge liked Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know that there was someone else in the room. When he had heard the other admit to being in a bad mood, he shed a look of keen interest. ¡°Tell me why. Might make my day.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was sitting upright, one hand holding his phone up while the other rested on his leg. He observed Song Xuanhe on the other end for a moment. ¡°You might not necessarily feel happy when you hear it.¡± ¡°Try me.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. His cold expression from having been woken up warmed up a bit, and a small smile graced his face. ¡°I feel like anything that makes you unhappy will probably make me very happy.¡± ¡°Xiao¡ªmy mother,¡± Xiao Yuanmu examined Song Xuanhe with his pitch-ck eyes as he spoke in his low, chilly voice, ¡°She¡¯s really interested in you. She was so disappointed when you didn¡¯te.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile froze. He asked, ¡°What does this have to do with your bad mood?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried she¡¯ll go looking for you.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s pursed lips, his tone softened. ¡°Or that she¡¯ll seek out Auntie Song and ask her about us.¡± ¡°What is there to say about us?¡± Song Xuanhe was skeptical. ¡°Even if she asked my mom, she wouldn¡¯t be able to find out all that much.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled and nodded. There was a raspyugh in his voice. ¡°Maybe.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at the other man with squinted eyes for a moment. Just as he pushed the ¡°end call¡± button, their eyes suddenly met. Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°You¡­.¡± His phone was very sensitive though. Before he could finish his sentence, the call ended. This was the first time they had ever video-chatted. They had alwaysmunicated via phone call in the past. That was why Yang Jie didn¡¯t know that Song Xuanhe had always hung up so abruptly. When he saw how Song Xuanhe had hung up without a word, he couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in shock. Ever since he had started to work for Xiao Yuanmu, whether it was when they had been working covertly in the Capital or while RE was making tremendous progress, he had only ever seen Xiao Yuanmu being the one to hang up on any call first. This was the first time he had ever seen someone hang up on Xiao Yuanmu. The other person had even done it so suddenly. He hadn¡¯t wasted any time. ¡°Xiao ge¡­¡± Yang Jie cautiously tried to discern Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. Unfortunately, he wasn¡¯t Song Xuanhe. Only Song Xuanhe was able to read his emotions. Therefore, even though he had observed the other for a few seconds, he still wasn¡¯t able to tell how the other felt. All he could do wasfort him hesitantly. ¡°Maybe Song Er¡¯s hand slipped. Maybe it wasn¡¯t on purpose.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was already used to Song Xuanhe hanging up on him whenever he felt like it. His bad mood had already improved a lot after their phone call. When he had heard Yang Jie say this, a sliver of a smile shed through his eyes. ¡°No, he did it on purpose.¡± Yang Jie choked. He wanted to say something else but couldn¡¯t think of anything. All he could do was lick his lips and stand there silently. Xiao Yuanmu got up and handed his phone over to Yang Jie for safe-keeping. He fixed his tie and said, ¡°Let¡¯s head downstairs.¡± Yang Jie hesitated briefly upon recalling the fact that Song Xuanhe had said that Xiao Yuanmu was in a bad mood. But when he saw Xiao Yuanmu heading towards the door, he still followed after him with a downcast gaze. Before they made it out of the room, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s phone rang. It wasn¡¯t the default ringtone. It was a really weird sound. Xiao Yuanmu paused and turned to look at Yang Jie. Yang Jie pulled the phone out and looked at the contact name. He then looked up at Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°It¡¯s Song shao.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes lit up. He epted the phone and epted the video call request. Song Xuanhe¡¯s face once again appeared on the screen. ¡°Sorry,¡± Song Xuanhe said with an innocent expression, ¡°My finger slipped, and I hung up by ident.¡± Yang Jie: ¡­. Yang Jie nced at Xiao Yuanmu and tactfully returned to his ce in the corner of the room. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly, and he sat back down onto the sofa. He gave a quiet sound of acknowledgement and simply waited for Song Xuanhe to say what he had to say. Obviously, he didn¡¯t believe Song Xuanhe when he had said that his finger had slipped. He also knew that Song Xuanhe would never call him unless he needed something. But, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t speak for a long time. As time passed, his brows gradually furrowed. There was a hint of displeasure in his brows. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s finger curled up slightly from its spot on his leg. He shifted slightly and calmly opened up the conversation. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Song Xuanhe carefully examined Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression. His rich and mellow voice was very soft. ¡°I want to confirm something. Move the phone downwards. I want to see the entirety of your upper body.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. Something shed through his eyes, but he still did as he was told. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes followed the length of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tie downwards. His gaze fell onto a button of the other¡¯s suit jacket for a second before it continued to lower. In the end, his eyes focused on the hand that was a few centimetres beneath that particr button. Xiao Yuanmu noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze. He shifted his legs from their crossed position, but his gaze remained serene. ¡°What are you looking at?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Are you alone right now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at Yang Jie, who stood not far from him. He raised a brow slightly but didn¡¯t say anything. Song Xuanhe thought this meant he was alone. His unhappy expression deepened, and there was a shred of anger and worry, which he didn¡¯t even notice himself, in his voice. ¡°Is your stomach hurting right now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes quivered slightly, and his hold on the phone tightened. His expression didn¡¯t change. ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Yang Jie looked up abruptly and cast his gaze over at Xiao Yuanmu. He parted his lips, wanting to say something, but ultimately decided to stay quiet. The way Xiao Yuanmu had evaded the question by asking one of his own made Song Xuanhe certain that he was right. He then asked back, ¡°So, is your stomach hurting right now or not?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. Still calm andposed, he said, ¡°No.¡± Upon hearing this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s face tensed up. The iing sunlight illuminated his fair skin making it appear nearly translucent and frigid. ¡°Did you know that whenever your stomach hurts, your voice will be lower than normal? Your lips will also subconsciously press into a straight line when you speak. You also have the habit of cing your hand near your abdominal area.¡± For the first time, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm mask cracked. A sliver of fear appeared in his eyes. This was the first time anyone had been able to so urately perceive his emotions and his physical condition. If it had been anyone but Song Xuanhe, or if it had been someone from his previous world, he would have likely been on guard against them. He might have even tried to think of a way to make this person disappear. But, the person who knew him so well was Song Xuanhe¡ªthe current Song Xuanhe. He was different. Xiao Yuanmu knew very well that Song Xuanhe was special to him. But, he didn¡¯t know how to put theplicated feelings he had for him into words. He didn¡¯t only feel happy and rxed around him, he also felt negative emotions as well. But regardless of whether the feelings were positive or negative, he didn¡¯t want to give up any of them. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Xiao Yuanmu was thinking about. All he saw was the other with his eyes downcast. Actually, he didn¡¯t know why he was so angry over Xiao Yuanmu feeling unwell. It didn¡¯t feel like he was purely angry at Xiao Yuanmu either. There was something else as well. This other thing made him feel agitated and annoyed. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression and tone grew even colder. His interrogative tone was like aser beam as it fired time and time again. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to the hospital if you¡¯re feeling unwell? Why haven¡¯t you told someone? Do you care that much about how others perceive you? Is it more important than your health?¡± Yang Jie turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu, who was sitting on the sofa, as Song Xuanhe¡¯s words echoed throughout the room. He saw Xiao Yuanmu sitting there in silent acquiescence, eyes lowered. Yang Jie felt helpless. He didn¡¯t know if he should be shocked over how aggressive Song Xuanhe was being towards Xiao Yuanmu or me himself for failing to notice his boss was feeling unwell despite being his assistant. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu,¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Do you not care about your body?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pupils shook slightly. He raised his eyes to meet Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. One could not see the bottom of his jet-ck eyes. It looked like there was both a millennium-old cier and a suppressed, bubbling volcano hidden within their depths. His voice was quiet and hoarse. There was a trace of urgency in his voice. ¡°Do you like me?¡± Thepletely irrelevant question caused Song Xuanhe¡¯s anger to dissipate. Confusion appeared in his eyes. Just as he was wondering whether he had heard wrongly, Xiao Yuanmu repeated his question with a different word: ¡°Do you love me?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s befuddlement was written all over his face: ¡°What?¡± Something flickered through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, and his hoarse voice regained some of its chill. ¡°Nothing. Louis said that people in love should tell each other that they love them. We never did that. That¡¯s why I wanted to ask you about it.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips twitched. His fury hadpletely disappeared after being asked such a question in such a nonsensical way. But, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t let it drop. He asked again, ¡°Do you love me?¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He raised a hand to ruffle his dishevelled hair. ¡°I¡¯mte. I have to head to the studio. I¡¯m going to hang up.¡± The screen darkened, and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly¡­but only for a moment. Shortly after, they were once again pressed into a straight line. Yang Jie took a step forward and asked in a concerned voice, ¡°Xiao ge, is your stomach really hurting?¡± Xiao Yuanmu finally dropped the phone into his pocket. He then got up and headed for the door for a second time. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± It wasn¡¯t that it wasn¡¯t hurting. He just felt like it wasn¡¯t anything to worry about. Yang Jie paused. His hand clenched, but he still followed after the other man. He knew that no one but Song Xuanhe would be able to persuade Xiao Yuanmu. And just now, Song Ershao, who had always been overbearing and willful in his mind, had just hung up in a panic when faced with the question that no man in a rtionship could avoid. Yang Jie suddenly realized that the saying, ¡°Every item has its weakness,¡± was absolutely true. The author has something to say: The big shot is number one when ites to changing the topic and fighting to survive. But when ites to running away, no one can beat my son Xuan! Eve: Xuanhe being worried and angry over Mumu warmed my heart. And then I died at how he panicked over the love question. It wasn¡¯t a no~~~ Chapter 110: Looking for a Boyfriend trantor: Eve editor: xiin Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t care that his resignation had been turned into a vacation. After handing over his work, he called Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin to meet up. ¡°Impressive, Song Er.¡± After listening to Song Xuanhe, Zhou Nan clinked sses with him and said, ¡°Can¡¯t believe your dad and grandfather agreed to let you go on vacation at a time like this. A long one, too. What did you say to get them to agree? Teach me your ways.¡± Song Xuanhe waspletely rxed after leaving his job. He leaned back against the couch, crossed his legs, and took a sip of beer. He was all smiles, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t be able to do it.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lucky I¡¯m nice.¡± Zhou Nan kicked him. He was still curious though, and scooted over to ask, ¡°Honestly, tell me the truth. My old man¡¯s been ordering me around like I¡¯m a mule. I¡¯m scared that he has illegitimate children out there who want to get rid of me by working me to the bone.¡± Xiao Shenglin said in a t voice, ¡°Like your dad would even bother with you anymore if had illegitimate children.¡± When he heard this, Zhou Nan clicked his tongue and turned to look at Xiao Shenglin. ¡°Lin zi, you¡¯ve really changed. You weren¡¯t like this in the past. You used to be so gentle and warm. You¡¯re just like Song Er now, with that vicious tongue of yours.¡± He then turned to Song Er and sized the other up with scrunched brows for a while. Shaking his head, he said, ¡°You too, Song Er. You¡¯ve also changed. Ever since Xiao Yuanmu left, you¡¯ve be so much like him. You¡¯re frighteningly cold. I almost started to believe that silence was infectious. Now, you¡¯re back to normal, but I don¡¯t know if I should be relieved or worried.¡± Song Xuanhe stared at him wordlessly as hezed back onto the sofa, waiting for the other to continue. Zhou Nan raised a hand and pointed to Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. ¡°That¡¯s it! That insufferably arrogant, ridiculing smirk! You used to make that face all that time. But since Xiao Yuanmu left, you stopped making it. It was like you were suffering from facial paralysis all this time. I even went to ask Yu Yan for medical advice. I thought you had gotten some kind of disease and hadn¡¯t gone to seek help.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his leg, deeming it beneath himself to respond to thisment. Turning to face Xiao Shenglin, he said, ¡°Uncle Xiao¡¯s back from his summons to the Xiao Family. Did you hear anything from him?¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s faint smile disappeared. ¡°The Xiao Family situation isplicated. Originally, they had decided to transfer him to the main branch, but then, they decided against it. They decided that it wouldn¡¯t be pragmatic to transfer him back to his old position right away, so they gave him a new post. He had be the manager of a factory in Southeast Asia and was only able toe back now because he said that he wanted to take a break, considering his advanced age.¡± Song Xuanhe dropped his leg and sat up straighter. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is¡­.¡± ¡°The Xiao Family¡¯s a huge mess right now,¡± Xiao Shenglin said. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s return messed up the divisions of the Xiao Family branches. He¡¯s not ipetent or without any footing¡ªhe has RE. Anyone with eyes can see how capable he is. No matter how outstanding Xiao Baicong had been in school or during his internships, Xiao Yuanmu still outshines him, considering how he had built up such a hugepany from scratch. Uncle doesn¡¯t want to partake in this kind of power struggle, so he¡¯s been trying to run away from it. But Xiao Yuanmu¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. His lips curled up in to a smile and he crossed his legs again. ¡°You should know just how capable he is. We don¡¯t have to worry about him.¡± Zhou Nan sighed. ¡°The more people there are, the more disputes there are. Deciding who will seed the Xiao Family is akin to deciding who would seed the Emperor¡¯s throne in ancient times. There¡¯s scheming everywhere and someone might even die if they¡¯re not careful. It¡¯s good that Uncle Xiao¡¯s escaped. And Xiao Ranyun¡ªshe should avoid going to the main residence as well. But Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t have it easy. He¡¯s got to deal with so much shit after going home. He might as well have never gone back.¡± ¡°He has no say in whether or not he gets to go back once the Xiao Family¡¯s discovered him.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s voice was cold. He looked down at the ss in his hands. Gentle clinks of the ice cubes could be heard as he swayed the ss gently. ¡°There¡¯s only one path Xiao Yuanmu can take if he wants to live a good life.¡± Zhou Nan frowned. ¡°Don¡¯t you think you¡¯re exaggerating things a little too much? In any case, he¡¯s still the Xiao Family patriarch and his legal wife¡¯s biological son. They even did DNA testing. It¡¯s not like he¡¯ll die if he doesn¡¯t take over.¡± ¡°If he didn¡¯t have RE, maybe.¡± Xiao Shenglin looked up. There was an unprecedented chill and darkness in his eyes. ¡°RE is both his footing in the Xiao Family and the sharp de that will kill him if he were to fail in taking over the family.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that too¡­.¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s voice lowered. After a moment of silence, he kicked the desk. ¡°Fuck, why did Xiao Yuanmu go back then?!¡± The atmosphere grew heavy. The singer on the stage nearby was singing softly. Her voice was gentle, but it could not lighten up the atmosphere. Song Xuanhe, who was the closest to Xiao Yuanmu out of the three of them, was the most rxed. He quietly sipped on his alcohol and sized Xiao Shenglin up from the corner of his eye. Under the dim lighting, Xiao Shenglin sat there with no expression on his face. ¡¾Xiao Shenglin¡¯s mood is fluctuating a lot. He might be thinking about something negative.¡¿ The System¡¯s voice echoed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind, but Song Xuanhe paid it no heed. He was thinking of something else. He remembered seeing Xiao Shenglin when he was in school from a photo in the past. He had appeared cold, proud, aloof, reserved and justpletely different from how he usually was. But the current Xiao Shenglin was simr to the Xiao Shenglin in that photo. The gaze he had whenever he mentioned the Xiao Family was raised was just like this. Just what happened to make him change so dramatically? Song Xuanhe was very curious. He also thought that Xiao Shenglin¡¯s change in personality would likely have something to do with his ¡®idental¡¯ death by car crash in the near future. He had dyed his travelling ns because he wanted to prevent Xiao Shenglin¡¯s death, but he didn¡¯t know what was causing Xiao Shenglin¡¯s intense emotional fluctuations. It made him feel uneasy. He felt like Xiao Shenglin¡¯s death had something to do with the Xiao Family. ¡°Lin zi.¡± Zhou Nan poured a ss of wine and handed it over to Xiao Shenglin before pouring himself a ss. He then said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking of right now, but I can tell you¡¯re not in a good mood. As your friend, I¡¯m worried about you. That¡¯s why I was so worked up. I didn¡¯t mean to speak against you. Let me dedicate this ss in apology.¡± Xiao Shenglin looked up. Song Xuanhe pressed Zhou Nan¡¯s hand down. ¡°Why are you drinking? When aren¡¯t you worked up? Besides, you were talking about Xiao Yuanmu just now. What are you apologizing to Lin zi for? You should be apologizing to me.¡± Zhou Nan paused and then a smile erupted on his face. He handed the ss he had pushed over to Xiao Shenglin to Song Xuanhe. His movements were a bit careless and some of it spilled out. ¡°That¡¯s right. I was just a bit too jealous and depressed that you¡¯re able to go out and y while I can¡¯t. Well, it doesn¡¯t matter who I apologize to. We¡¯re all friends here. Come, drink up.¡± Song Xuanhe shook the ss in front of Xiao Shenglin¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s drink together.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s hand tightened, but a smile graced his face. He gave Song Xuanhe a grateful look, grabbed a bottle of beer at random and clinked sses with the other two. ¡°Let¡¯s drink.¡± After that drink, everyone rxed again. Zhou Nan¡¯s face was flushed as he drank ss after ss. His face was red, and he whispered into Song Xuanhe¡¯s ears, ¡°What do you think is up with Yu Yan? He¡¯s willing to see me one moment, but will refuse to meet with me in the next. He¡¯ll treat me nicely and then treat me like I¡¯m the gue a secondter. What did I do wrong? People say that women are unreadable, but I think Yu Yan¡¯s even harder to read. He¡¯s more unfathomable than the Marianas trench. I can¡¯t get a read on him at all.¡± Song Xuanhe pushed Zhou Nan¡¯s head away from him and said with a cold voice, ¡°Go to the hospital and ask him yourself. How would I know?¡± ¡°Lin zi.¡± When he failed to get an answer, Zhou Nan changed targets and headed over to Xiao Shenglin. ¡°What do you think? What¡¯s Yu Yan thinking?¡± Xiao Shenglin was pouring out a new wine the bartender had just brought over. He downed his drink, gaze downcast as he sat there silently. When Zhou Nan pushed him, his body swayed. There was a nk look in his eyes. Zhou Nan had a good alcohol tolerance and was just pretending to be drunk. Since no one paid any attention to him, he decided to stop with the facade. Xiao Shenglin¡¯s appearance had surprised him though, and he pointed to the other man, asking Song Xuanhe, ¡°It can¡¯t be that he¡¯s drunk?¡± Song Xuanhe had noticed that Xiao Shenglin had drunk a lot. He didn¡¯t ask too much about it, because he knew the other was in a bad mood. In the past, Xiao Shenglin had always restrained himself while drinking. Even if Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan were drunk, he would still be sober. This was the first time he had ever seen Xiao Shenglin drunk. Xiao Shenglin¡¯s body swayed for a while before setting back in ce. He then poured himself another ss and drank quietly, as if he didn¡¯t notice what was happening around him at all. Zhou Nan was concerned. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him like this before. Will something happen if we let him keep drinking like this?¡± ¡°What would happen?¡± Song Xuanhe sipped on his own drink and said in a milk voice, ¡°At worst, he¡¯ll have to go to the ER to get his stomach pumped. Let him drink.¡± ¡°Pump¡­¡± Zhou Nan licked his lips. A thought shed through his mind and his eyes lit up. ¡°Right, let¡¯s just let him get it out of his system. I¡¯ll call up Yu Yan to help out when we go to the hospital.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes and didn¡¯t respond. ¡°Song Er.¡± Zhou Nan once again scurried over and asked, ¡°How long are you going on vacation for? I had a ssmate who went travelling right after high school. His family didn¡¯t agree, so he worked while travelling. He¡¯s basically visited and travelled the world. But it took him three or four years to do that. You¡¯re not going to be away for that long, are you?¡± Song Xuanhe saw that Zhou Nan didn¡¯t want to separate from him for that long. He paused while grabbing his drink, then put it back down on the table and looked away. ¡°Who knows? It¡¯s hard to say.¡± Zhou Nan was rather tipsy and couldn¡¯t read Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone. He ced a hand on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°That won¡¯t do. You have toe back for my birthday. If you don¡¯te back, I¡¯ll grab you the next time you return to the Capital and send you off to Xiao Yuanmu. He¡¯ll discipline you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s reluctance to part waspletely swept away by that statement. He shoved the other away. ¡°Scram.¡± Zhou Nan giggled and then suddenly fell into low spirits. ¡°I feel like we¡¯ve all changed¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He turned to look at him. ¡°It was so good in the past.¡± Zhou Nan stared at the table full of empty sses, eyes zed over. ¡°I remember how you always had that derisive smirk on your face. You¡¯d make fun of anyone you saw. The day you threw Lu Chao in the pool is especially clear in my mind. It was so awesome. At that moment, I thought that you had finally wised up. I thought that it would be hard for you to enter our circle, so I dragged you around with me. I never thought that I¡¯d actually get along with you. ¡°There¡¯s also Lin zi. I¡¯ve known him since we were young. Although he¡¯s studied abroad for several years, we were really close. And then you came. You became one of us. The three of us got along so well. Whether we were drinking, boasting¡ªwhatever we did, it was always a good time. But now, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s left, you¡¯ve changed, Lin zi¡¯s changed, and Yu Yan and I¡­damn it, let¡¯s drink!¡± Song Xuanhe bumped sses with him. His gaze shifted to Xiao Shenglin, who was still drinking solemnly in the corner with his eyes down. After Zhou Nan finished off the alcohol on the table, he hollered for someone to bring more over. ¡°Drink! We¡¯re not going home until we¡¯re shitfaced. No one¡¯s allowed to go until they¡¯re drunk.¡± Song Xuanhe had always controlled himself when he drank. But when he heard Zhou Nan say this, he couldn¡¯t help but drink a few more sses than normal. Xiao Shenglin continued to drink without restraint. Although it was slow, he never stopped. ¡°Song Er, tell me something,¡± Zhou Nan said with red eyes, hand grabbing onto Song Xuanhe, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Xiao Yuanmu? You never seemed to be interested in travelling before, yet as soon as the Xiao banquet ended, you decided to travel. Did something happen that we didn¡¯t know about? Did Xiao Yuanmu do something to you? Tell me and I¡¯ll fly to America and beat him up.¡± Song Xuanhe was thinking about something so he absentmindedly gave him a sound of acknowledgement. When he came back to himself, he saw Zhou Nan m his hands on the table and stand up. He shouted, ¡°I just knew that Xiao Yuanmu was no good!¡± The music in the quiet bar was soft and easy. His shout caused most of the guests to look over. Amongst them, there was a group of guests dressed in very ordinary clothes. They exchanged nces, then one of them coughed and asked, ¡°Should we report this?¡± Someone replied: ¡°Probably.¡± Someone else pondered over this and then said, ¡°I guess it¡¯s a security issue?¡± ¡°Well, it does pertain to the security of their rtionship,¡± An average looking man confirmed. ¡°I think Mr. Xiao would like to know about this.¡± The people exchanged nces and then nodded at each other. Song Xuanhe¡¯s group had no idea that this conversation was going on. When Song Xuanhe saw Zhou Nan going crazy, he pulled him down. He had absentmindedly agreed earlier, but when he processed what the other had said, he asked with a perplexed expression: ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say Xiao Yuanmu hurt you?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s expression was nk. He wanted to stand up. ¡°I¡¯ll teach him a lesson for you.¡± ¡°As if you¡¯d be able to.¡± Song Xuanhe kept pressing down on the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Stop acting like a crazy drunk. I know what your tolerance is.¡± Zhou Nan had vented his feelings. He pouted and said, ¡°I can¡¯t get drunk, so why can¡¯t I pretend?¡± Song Xuanhe looked away. He didn¡¯t want to watch the other pout. In a voice filled with disdain, he said, ¡°Do it outside. Noone will care outside.¡± Zhou Nan shrugged and spread his palms out. He snuggled into the sofa, well-behaved. He let his excited, tipsy brain calm down. After Zhou Nan shut up, everything quieted back down, and Song Xuanhe leaned back against the sofa. A few secondster, Xiao Shenglin, who had been drinking quietly this whole time, suddenly looked up. ¡°I never want to go back to the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence again.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. He put down his arm that had been holding up his chin and straightened up. He exchanged nces with the befuddled Zhou Nan before they both turned to look at Xiao Shenglin. Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t have Asian glow. Sitting there quietly, he looked no different than usual. If it wasn¡¯t because his gaze was unfocused, no one would be able to tell that he was drunk. He continued: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to the main residence. Never again.¡± Zhou Nan blinked and then turned to Song Xuanhe. He whispered, ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Song Xuanhe told the other to shut up with his gaze. He then cast his gaze back onto Xiao Shenglin. ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s eyes were nk. It took him a while to process Song Xuanhe¡¯s question. ¡°I don¡¯t like it there.¡± Song Xuanhe asked again, ¡°Why?¡± Xiao Shenglin looked perplexed. His eyebrows then slowly gathered together, as if he was recalling some memory. It looked like he was trying to formte his response. He was silent for some time. ¡°Song Er.¡± Zhou Nan shoved Song Xuanhe, voice lowered and a frown on his face. ¡°What are you doing? You trying to wriggle it out of him?¡± Song Xuanhe watched Xiao Shenglin¡¯s expression tightly. He whispered back, ¡°I have my reasons. Don¡¯t get involved.¡± ¡°No way!¡± Zhou Nan raised his voice a bit. He observed Xiao Shenglin¡¯s expression. When he saw that the other didn¡¯t react, he lowered his voice again. ¡°Lin zi probably has his reasons for not sharing this with us. You n on taking advantage of his drunken state to get it out of him?¡± Song Xuanhe ignored him and said again, ¡°Xiao Shenglin, tell me why.¡± It was probably because he heard his name but Xiao Shenglin reacted more quickly this time. His brows were furrowed tightly. ¡°Because¡­.¡± ¡°Song Er!¡± Zhou Nan stood up and lowered his head to speak to Song Xuanhe. ¡°What the hell are you doing? If he doesn¡¯t want to tell us, why force him? Can¡¯t you control your curiosity?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s loud voice had caused Xiao Shenglin to stop talking. Song Xuanhe was a bit angry because Zhou Nan¡¯s interruption had prevented him from hearing Xiao Shenglin¡¯s response. His voice cooled down. ¡°I have my reasons. Don¡¯t meddle.¡± ¡°What reason?¡± Zhou Nan asked. ¡°What reason could there be to justify forcing someone to say something they don¡¯t want to say?¡± Song Xuanhe was about to respond when he noticed the hurt in Zhou Nan¡¯s tense eyes. He pursed his lips and then lowered his voice a bit more. ¡°I¡¯m doing this for Lin zi¡¯s sake. If you trust me, don¡¯t ask anything more.¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s lowered gaze, Zhou Nan calmed down. The alcohol had rushed to his brain just now. He had known Song Xuanhe for a long time. Although he hadn¡¯t thought much of the other man in the past, they had indeed be good friends. He absolutely trusted him. It was just¡­ he didn¡¯t know why, but he felt like something had changed since Xiao Yuanmu had left the Capital. Especially when he looked at Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin, who were now entangled in the Xiao Family¡¯s mess. He felt like something was dragging the two of them into the Xiao Family¡¯s circles where people tore each other apart for power and benefits. He was their friend, but was powerless to help them. He couldn¡¯t do anything but watch on the sidelines. ¡°Of course I trust you.¡± Zhou Nan sat back down, both fists clenched tightly. He rubbed his face with both hands. ¡°I just¡­drank too much.¡± Song Xuanhe patted him on the shoulder and whispered, ¡°I know.¡± Zhou Nan nodded, his face still covered. He didn¡¯t say anything else. Afterforting Zhou Nan, Song Xuanhe once again turned his attention to Xiao Shenglin. He softened his tone. ¡°Xiao Shenglin, why don¡¯t you like the Xiao Family? Why won¡¯t you return?¡± Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t respond. He was staring at the melted ice cubes in his otherwise empty ss. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what he was thinking about. Song Xuanhe pursed his lips and repeated his question. This time, Xiao Shenglin looked up. He didn¡¯t respond though. All he did was stare at Song Xuanhe quietly. Song Xuanhe frowned. He was about to ask again when he saw Zhou Nan look up. Zhou Nan nced at Song Xuanhe and then went to sit next to Xiao Shenglin. He quietly said, ¡°Lin zi, can you tell me a secret? Why don¡¯t you like the Xiao Family?¡± Only then did Xiao Shenglin respond. His brows that had just rxed scrunched up once more. Something shed through his eyes. He then said, ¡°After the eldest young master of the Xiao Family disappeared, the Xiao patriarch and his wife searched all over the world. But when they came up with nothing after two years, everyone told them that Xiao Yuanmu had likely already died. They had no choice but to give up¡­.¡± Zhou Nan turned to meet eyes with Song Xuanhe. They were confused. What did Xiao Yuanmu have to do with why Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t want to go back to the Xiao Family? Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t notice their eye contact. He slowly continued, ¡°The Xiao Family couldn¡¯t be without a sessor. So, the patriarch and his wife decided to have another child once their emotions stabilized. But they hadn¡¯t been able to get pregnant even after another two years, and someone suggested that they should choose a child from a branch family. The patriarch and his wife didn¡¯t agree at the start, but eventually, they caved under the pressure and gave in. ¡°Everyone knew that it was no coincedence that the eldest young master had gone missing. The most suspicious branch was my great uncle¡¯s. But the person who had raised the suggestion had proposed that they chose a child from my great uncle¡¯s side. Everyone else had agreed. Although the patriarch and his wife weren¡¯t happy, they had no choice. They ended up choosing me, a child who was already in China and was rted to my great uncle but had no contact with him.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. Zhou Nan was equally as shocked. They were so shocked that they didn¡¯t even think to look at each other. Both of their gazes were stuck on Xiao Shenglin as they carefully listened to his words. ¡°Mom had a weak body. She was no match for Great Uncle and the rest of the Xiao Family. I had no choice but to leave with them. At that time, I was nearly six years old. I was old enough to understand what was going on. So I wasn¡¯t willing to leave my mom. Even after arriving at the main residence, I always acted up. Every day, I would cause a fuss. ¡°The servants who took care of me had been really afraid that I would upset the patriarch and his wife. That¡¯s why they would frequently lock me up in my room. I would only be allowed out when the patriarch and his wife wanted to see me. On my sixth birthday, many children came to the main residence. They were all children of the branch families who hade to live there temporarily while I celebrated my birthday. The matriarch had held my hand and fed me cake. She had then sent me off to y with the other children, but the other kids knew that I wasn¡¯t the biological child of the patriarch and his wife, so they liked to bully me. ¡°They did so many things¡­.In the end, I stopped talking.¡± Xiao Shenglin looked conflicted. ¡°One day, someone tricked me into going into a cave in the mountains behind the castle. That person then left, leaving me there for two days.¡± ¡°I had no water or food. The cave was really dark and the sound of the wind blowing through the cave had been extremely frightening. Eventually, I decided to try to find my way back. Halfway, the search group finally managed to find me. When I woke up, I wanted to tell the matriarch that I wanted to go home. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to overhear the servants talking. They said that I was lucky to survive. But then again, maybe I was better off dead. They said that no one earnestly tried to find me after I disappeared. They said that the Xiao Family rtives wished that I was dead. Someone said that maybe my disappearance wasn¡¯t just a childish prank. Maybe there was another reason. ¡°I was so afraid. I¡¯d chosen a hiding spot at random.¡± Xiao Shenglin¡¯s voice grew fainter. ¡°I overheard the matriarch¡¯s servants speaking. They said that the matriarch had been a bit worried in the beginning, but had then also thought that it was a good thing. She¡¯d said, it would be wonderful if I wasn¡¯t able toe back on my own. That maybe I would give up on going back to my mom and would decide to treat the matriarch better. ¡°I had been terrified. That night, I suffered a high fever.¡± Xiao Shenglinughed. ¡°My fever was so high I nearly died. Out of fear, I kept calling for my mom. So they sent me back. Who would have expected that I would recover after being sent home.¡± Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe could not conceal their shock at the end of his story. They even forgot to wonder how Xiao Shenglin was able to tell such a coherent story despite being ¡®drunk¡¯. It took them a while toe back to themselves. ¡°The Xiao Family is inhumane, how could they treat a child so cruelly?¡± Zhou Nan gritted his teeth. ¡°They act like the child they stole isn¡¯t a living, breathing human. Like the child¡¯s life or death is up to them to decide.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips tightly and remained silent. He was trying to figure out if this story had anything to do with Xiao Shenglin¡¯s future death. Before he could find a connection, another thought popped up in his mind. He looked up to face Xiao Shenglin. As expected, there was no trace of being drunk on his face. Noticing Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, Xiao Shenglin smiled. ¡°Thank you. If it weren¡¯t for you two, I would have kept this cooped up inside me for the rest of my life. Not even my mom knows what happened to me while I was at the main residence. I feel a lot better after getting this off my chest.¡± Eve: My heart hurts for XSL. That¡¯s such a terrible experience to go through as a child. And ZN being soft over their friendship makes me sad. Change also makes me sad. Nostalgia is bittersweet when you think of what used to be. xiin: here, have some stabby knives~ Chapter 111: Found a Handsome Man trantor: Eve editor: xiin On the way back, Song Xuanhe thought about what Xiao Shenglin had said. If Xiao Shenglin¡¯s death had something to do with his adoption by the Xiao couple when he was young, then why didn¡¯t they get rid of Xiao Shenglin back then? So much time had already passed. Why wait until now? Besides, it wasmon for siblings to target each other, or for a son to cause his father¡¯s death even in moderately rich families. Even if news were to get out that this had happened in the Xiao Family, nothing would happen. No one would think or do anything just because of something like this. After all, the more people there were, the more disputes there would be. Even the most upright families had their secrets. As long as the Xiao Family didn¡¯t fall, no one would hold it against them even if Xiao Shenglin had died because of this. So, why had the Xiao Family waited so long to deal with Xiao Shenglin? Was it because something had changed, or because of a certain person? Song Xuanhe suddenly thought of Xiao Yuanmu. It would make sense if they wanted to kill Xiao Shenglin to cover up the fact that they had tried to use him as a substitute for Xiao Yuanmu. That would also exin why they waited so long to deal with him. It was just that Song Xuanhe still felt like something was off. ¡°Ershao, we¡¯ve arrived.¡± Zhang Chao stopped the car and opened the door for Song Xuanhe. He observed the other¡¯s gaze. He felt relieved upon seeing that although Song Xuanhe was bathed in the scent of alcohol, he seemed quite sober. Song Xuanhe snapped out of his thoughts and got out of his car. When he noticed that Zhang Chao was still following him even when he reached the elevator, he paused and turned around. ¡°You can go home. I can head up myself.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll leave after brewing you some hangover tea.¡± Zhang Chao said, ¡°Otherwise, you¡¯ll have a terrible headache tomorrow morning.¡± Song Xuanhe wanted to say that he doesn¡¯t get headaches. But soon after, he remembered that this wasn¡¯t his original body. After a moment of silence, he entered the elevator. Back in his apartment, Song Xuanhe made a beeline for his sofa. Heid down on it, hugging a pillow to his chest. Although he had drank a lot just now, because he had taken note of the alcohol content of each drink and hadn¡¯t mixed drinks, he felt fairly sober. Nevertheless, he still felt some after effects. He was terribly sleepy and had no energy left. Zhang Chao headed to the kitchen as soon as he walked through the doors. After brewing the hangover tea, he brought it over only to discover that Song Xuanhe was already asleep on the couch. He ced the tea down and went to grab a nket to cover Song Xuanhe with. As he was doing so, he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone ring. Song Xuanhe was startled awake. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw Zhang Chao standing beside him with a nket in hand. He rubbed his eyes, took a sip of the tea on the table and said, ¡°You can go home.¡± ¡°Alright. You should head to bed.¡± Zhang Chao nodded. He bent down to ce the nket on the other sofa. While straightening up, he seemed to recall something. Aplicated light shed through his eyes. ¡°Ershao, can I ask you a question?¡± Song Xuanhe was reaching for his phone at the moment. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Do you¡­really not want to inherit the Song Family?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up and saw ¡®what a pity¡¯ written in Zhang Chao¡¯s eyes. Earnestly, he said, ¡°Zhang ge, I know that you want me to take it over, but I¡¯m not interested in that. You know, I only want to do what I like. So you don¡¯t have to ask me this again. You don¡¯t have to sound me out on Grandpa¡¯s behalf either.¡± Zhang Chao froze. Meeting with Song Xuanhe¡¯s limpid, clear eyes, he sighed softly. ¡°Shaoye, you¡¯ve grown up.¡± ¡°Sorry.¡± Zhang Chao forced a smile. ¡°I won¡¯t do it again.¡± Song Xuanhe epted the call. He shook his head and said to Zhang Chao, ¡°I know that you¡¯re doing this for my sake.¡± Zhang Chao nodded softly. He then hesitated. It looked like there was something he wanted to say. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice his expression. He chatted with Xiao Shenglin, who had called to make sure he had made it home safe. Only after hanging up did he realize that Zhang Chao was still here. ¡°Zhang ge, is there anything else you want to talk about?¡± ¡°How long do you n to go travelling for?¡± Zhang Chao had mulled over this for a while before finally spitting this out. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Did Grandpa put you up to this?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhang Chao said, ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel uneasy hearing that you want to go off on your own. It feels like¡­I don¡¯t want to say it. I don¡¯t want to jinx it. Maybe it¡¯s because I¡¯m used to being by your side. So being away from you makes me nervous.¡± Song Xuanhe was curious now. ¡°What does it feel like?¡± Zhang Chao frowned. ¡°Ershao, I watched you grow up. There are some things that would be inappropriate for me to say but I won¡¯t be able to feel at ease unless I say it. So I need to ask you this.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°When I helped you check your bank ount, I noticed that you donated arge sum of money to charity. You also donated a huge amount to orphanages in the outskirts of town. I don¡¯t mean to tell you how you should or shouldn¡¯t spend money. It¡¯s just that you did this so out of the blue. And¡­I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯ve been looking into extreme sportstely. At first, I didn¡¯t think much of it, but you¡¯ve also started to look into the country of Arang.¡± ¡¾Your assistant isn¡¯t going to figure out what you¡¯re trying to do, is he?¡¿The System said, shocked. Song Xuanhe raised a brow and remainedposed. ¡°I was just reading about them. What do you want to say?¡± ¡°Arang¡¯s one of the most war-torn countries at present. All flights heading towards that country have been cancelled until further notice. It worries me that you are looking into it.¡± ¡°Ershao,¡± Zhang Chao said, ¡°Your financial and research activities are worrying me. I feel like¡­you won¡¯t being back.¡± Zhang Chao¡¯s voice was nearly inaudible by the time he reached hisst sentence. He watched Song Xuanhe with an extremely earnest expression, as if he was a parent who could sense that his teenager was having dangerous thoughts. He seemed to be bracing himself. It was the first time Song Xuanhe realized that Zhang Chao was this perceptive. Actually, the reason he had looked up the country of Arang was really in preparation for his disappearance. Many people disappeared in Arang every year. The organization and troops of that country was messy, and if he were to disappear there, the Song Family and Xiao Yuanmu would have a difficult time finding him. He had researched this ce because he had decided that it would be the best ce to stage his disappearance. He never expected Zhang Chao to find out. ¡¾Your method of leaving has been blocked.¡¿The System said£º¡¾Zhang Chao knows that you were looking into Arang. If you were to disappear there, they will think youmitted suicide.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t need the System to remind him of that. He knew that this n had to be discarded. However, what was important right now was dispelling Zhang Chao¡¯s suspicions. ¡°Zhange ge, you¡¯re overthinking things.¡± Song Xuanhe looked like he was bemused by this conversation. He chuckled. ¡°I donated because I felt like I did a lot of bad things. You should know why I want to donate to orphanages. As for extreme sports, I¡¯m young. I yearn for freedom and thrills. Regarding Arang, I¡¯m interested in this country because they have a unique method of dying cloths. They also have a special, ancient hand-weaving technique. You know that I¡¯m running a studio. It¡¯s obviously for work.¡± What he said made sense. Gradually, Zhang Chao¡¯s doubts faded away. Zhang Chao thought that this exnation was very reasonable. But somewhere deep inside, he still felt like something was off. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it so he had no choice but to put it aside for now. ¡°Arang¡¯s weaving style and colour dying method is likely Arabian in origin. I¡¯ll help you look for other ces that might practice it.¡± Song Xuanhe genuinely said, ¡°Thanks, Zhang ge.¡± ¡°No need for thanks.¡± Zhang Chao sighed inwardly, faced with Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile. ¡°Ershao, you¡¯re bing more and more mature.¡± There was a wistful and gratified tone in his voice. Song Xuanhe smiled. Zhang Chao had originally wanted to add something, but Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone started to ring again. He shut his mouth and then changed his words. ¡°Go to bed early. I¡¯ll take my leave.¡± ¡°Have a safe trip.¡± After Zhang Chao left, Song Xuanhe epted the video call request. He raised a brow when he saw Xiao Yuanmu appear on the screen. ¡°It¡¯s two in the morning over here. You really know how to pick a good time to call.¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s cheeks that were rosy from the alcohol and thought of the information he had heard, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°Why haven¡¯t you gone to bed yet?¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°You know why. Why bother asking?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly but he remained calm. ¡°I heard something just now. I thought that you might like to know. That¡¯s why I called to check if you were asleep yet.¡± ¡°At two in the morning?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s raised brow was full of doubt. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°Fine, tell me,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s rted to Xiao Shenglin,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a cool voice. ¡°You¡¯re good friends with him, if I recall correctly.¡± ¡°You say that like I¡¯m closer to him than you are.¡± Song Xuanhe piled his pillows onto the sofa and curled up against them. He covered himself with the nket and said, ¡°You and him are technically cousins.¡± ¡°Really distant cousins.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was indifferent. He paused for a moment before adding, ¡°But then again, I guess he¡¯s my brother on paper.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed. He frowned. ¡°Because he was adopted by your parents?¡± Surprise shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. ¡°He told you?¡± ¡°He was drunk just now and let it slip.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was just asking this off-handedly. He didn¡¯t care whether Song Xuanhe already knew this or not. He was just a bit saddened that this meant that their conversation would likely be shorter than anticipated. Therefore, he added a question. ¡°What did he say?¡± Song Xuanhe told Xiao Yuanmu what Xiao Shenglin had told him. Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°That matches what I heard. It¡¯s a bit more detailed.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He hesitated for a moment and then asked, ¡°Do you think that Xiao Family will do something to Xiao Shenglin because of this?¡± Xiao Yuanmu muttered to himself for a while. ¡°No.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°If you didn¡¯t go back, then maybe he would be fine. But now that you¡¯re back, don¡¯t you think your parents might want to do something to him to prevent you from finding out about that? Maybe they¡¯re afraid you¡¯ll hold this against them.¡± Something streaked across Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes but he still negated the possibility. ¡°Xiao Lin wouldn¡¯t do something like that. The price outweighs the benefits. There¡¯s also too much risk involved. He isn¡¯t that dumb.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes trembled. He pursed his lips. ¡°You don¡¯t seem to like the Xiao Family very much.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Xiao Yuanmu admitted easily. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t ask why. After a moment of silence, he went back to the previous topic. ¡°Who do you think would try and target Xiao Shenglin?¡± Xiao Yuanmu finally picked up on Song Xuanhe¡¯s worry. ¡°Why do you think Xiao Shenglin is in danger?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what to say. He gave a vague response: ¡°Intuition.¡± Xiao Yuanmu squinted his eyes and his expression darkened. ¡°Your intuition¡¯s attuned to him?¡± ¡°It is to you too,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Like when your stomach hurts. I can tell really quickly when that happens.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression lightened up. He held the phone a bit further away from him. ¡°If anyone in the Xiao Family really wanted to hurt him, it¡¯d be Xiao Baicong.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°Why?¡± Why was Xiao Baicong involved? ¡°Because of me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said ndly, ¡°Xiao Baicong¡¯s people were the ones to leak this information to me.¡± ¡°To piss you off?¡± ¡°Probably,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°There could be another reason. Like you said, maybe they want to pin Xiao Shenglin¡¯s ¡®ident¡¯ on me.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand. ¡°Would people believe that? And what would they gain by pinning it on you? What, would there be people gunning for your life because of this?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t believe that that would be the case. Although this world liked to preach that all humans were made equal, that wasn¡¯tpletely true. Differences in social ranks have existed throughout time. There was no equality between people of vastly differing social status. For example, the differences between Xiao Yuanmu prior to Xiao Yuanmu returning the Xiao Family, and Song Xuanhe. Another example was Xiao Yuanmu, the eldest young master of the Xiao family versus Xiao Shenglin, who was just a distant member of the n. If Xiao Yuanmu really did want to do anything to Xiao Shenglin after hearing about this incident, no one in the Xiao Family would oppose him. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was calm but there was ice in his eyes. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°However, people will talk if the new head of the family was a vengeful person who wouldn¡¯t let go of a failed substitute. Moreover, if I wouldn¡¯t even let off Xiao Shenglin, with whom I had no longer had any conflicts of interest, after I seeded the family, would I let go of Xiao Baicong, who used to be the Xiao Family sessor?¡± After Xiao Yuanmu exined this in a t voice, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows slowly scrunched up. Partly because Xiao Shenglin was in more danger than he had expected. Partly because Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem to view himself as a member of the Xiao Family at all. In the novel, although Xiao Yuanmu had found it difficult to ept his biological parents who had appeared so suddenly, he had slowly opened up his heart. He cared the most about his younger brother, Xiao Baicong. Although he didn¡¯t show it, the author¡¯s descriptions made it clear that Xiao Yuanmu treated Xiao Baicong differently from the rest of the family. For example, Xiao Yuanmu would choose birthday presents that suited the other¡¯s tastes. As another example, he would speak in longer sentences when it was to Xiao Baicong. Also, he would never refuse Xiao Baicong¡¯s requests even if he acted like he wasn¡¯t all that willing¡­. in any case, the Xiao Yuanmu from the book had been quite close to Xiao Baicong. He was practically a doting older brother. Xiao Yuanmu grew up in an orphanage. Even if he usually appeared indifferent, when faced with his cheerful, sunshine-like biological brother, he couldn¡¯t help but treat him differently. Song Xuanhe felt like something fishy was going on. ording to the novel, even if Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯tpletely epted him as his younger brother yet, he should still be closer to Xiao Baicong than to anyone else. But it was obvious that Xiao Yuanmu had no intentions of doting on Xiao Baicong at all. It even seemed like he loathed. What went wrong? Song Xuanhe felt like something was off, but he couldn¡¯t figure it out. He could only let it go. He then changed gears and focused on the matter at hand. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, if anything were to happen to Xiao Shenglin, it¡¯s because Xiao Shenglin¡¯s trying to frame you.¡± ¡°Xiao Baicong is the most probable perpetrator.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, ¡°But Xiao Shenglin¡¯s branch is also suspicious.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded slowly. He mulled over how probable Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s idea was. Suddenly, he froze and frowned. ¡°Xiao Shenglin¡¯s branch¡ªthat¡¯s the one that¡¯s headed by his great uncle, right? They support Xiao Baicong?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at him, a sliver of shock shing through his eyes. ¡°They haven¡¯t dered a stance yet.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows furrowed more deeply. ¡°They would never side with you. They were the most likely culprits behind your disappearance. There¡¯s no way they would side with you now that you¡¯re back.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, silently agreeing with Song Xuanhe¡¯s words. Song Xuanhe felt like this issue was getting more and more thorny. If it was just the Xiao patriarch who wanted to get rid of Xiao Shenglin, things would be easily solved. After all, Xiao Yuanmu was around. But if Xiao Shenglin was dragged into the power struggle between Xiao Yuanmu and Xiao Baicong, things got much trickier. ¡°This¡­¡± Song Xuanhe rubbed his temples. ¡°¡­Is so annoying.¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°Do you care that much about Xiao Shenglin?¡± ¡°Bullshit,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°He¡¯s my friend.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him. Song Xuanhe paused. He then looked down to the ground. ¡°You can protect yourself.¡± ¡°If I were in danger¡­.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice had quieted a lot. He had wanted to say that he hoped that Song Xuanhe would care about him more than Xiao Shenglin if he were in danger. But when he thought about how many times he had escaped death in his previous life, and the one time he didn¡¯t, he suddenly couldn¡¯t continue. If he was really in danger, he hoped that Song Xuanhe would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with him through it. But at the same time, he didn¡¯t want to involve Song Xuanhe. He wanted to keep the other safe. The two sides shed intensely. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t tell if he would rather Song Xuanhe stayed with him forever or if he would prefer that Song Xuanhe was able to lead a happy life with or without him. ¡°If you were in danger what?¡± Song Xuanhe had originally wanted to dodge the question. But when he heard the other stop, his feelings changed. He wanted to know the rest of the utterance. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression changed slightly. He concealed the darkness in his eyes and suppressed the rasp in his voice. ¡°What would you do?¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly went quiet. He looked away. ¡°It¡¯s never happened. How would I know?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze flitted over to the other¡¯s fair, plump earlobe. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed and the darkness dissipated from his eyes. He chuckled quietly. ¡°True.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard that deep rumbleing from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chest, he couldn¡¯t help but purse his lips tightly. For a moment, no one spoke. Some timeter, Song Xuanhe felt that ticklish feeling in his chest travel upwards. He then yawned deeply. Tears formed at the corner of his eyes. Immediately, he said, ¡°I¡¯m tired. I¡¯m going to hang up.¡± ¡°Wait.¡± Song Xuanhe had nearly pressed down on the screen. He felt it was a bit of a pity he had been too slow in hanging up just now when he saw that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face was still here. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Looking at Song Xuanhe, who was curled up on the sofa surrounded by pillows, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze darkened. He recalled how Song Xuanhe had looked a long time ago when he had been the one sitting while the other had been standing in front of him. He couldn¡¯t help but wonder, what if he hadn¡¯t held back after Song Xuanhe¡¯s teasing? What if he had f*cked him on the bed right there? Where would they be now? ¡­Xiao Yuanmu widened his legs slightly before crossing them. He then shifted his phone slightly up and coughed. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re on vacation. Where do you n on going?¡± Song Xuanhe tilted his head. There was a meaningful tone to his voice. ¡°Where did you hear that from? I just told Zhou Nan and them that. It¡¯s unlikely that Xiao Shenglin immediately conveyed this to Xiao Ranyun after hearing this from me and that she had also immediately forwarded this information to you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t bat an eye. ¡°Mrs. Song told me.¡± Song Xuanhe paused, eyes widening slightly. ¡°Who?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Auntie Song.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°When did she tell you that? How did she tell you that?¡± ¡°This morning. Right after you finished handling all the procedures.¡± Xiao Yuanmu even passed on Li Nianan¡¯s reminder. ¡°Auntie Song said that she hopes that I¡¯ll keep in contact with you. And that she hopes that I¡¯ll convince you to not run around the globe.¡± ¡°And?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Just that? Also, when did you get her contact information?¡± ¡°Auntie Song asked Mrs. James to give it to me.¡± Seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s tense expression, a smile appeared in the depths of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He spoke in an innocent tone with that chilly voice of his. ¡°Auntie Song probably wants to be able to check in our rtionship whenever she wants. After all, you¡¯ve got a bad rep.¡± ¡°What bad rep?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were wide open and he raised his melodious voice. Because he had drunk, his voice was a bit hoarse. ¡°And we¡¯re not in a rtionship.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled silently. He looked at Song Xuanhe like he was a boyfriend that liked to make trouble for no reason. Song Xuanhe broke out into goosebumps as soon as that nauseating thought appeared in his mind. Face taut, he said, ¡°Don¡¯t talk to her for no reason. Ignore her calls and texts.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Song Xuanhe was surprised that Xiao Yuanmu agreed so easily. Nheless, the other¡¯s response did cause him to let out a breath of relief. But the relief onlysted a second. He then heard Xiao Yuanmu continue: ¡°If you answer my question with a satisfactory answer, that is.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s random question from before suddenly popped up his mind. He observed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression guardedly before changing his mind. ¡°Forget it. Talk to her if you want.¡± He then hung up without a word. The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: I don¡¯t have a lot of tricks but at least the ones I have are useful. xiin: Mumu¡¯s all like, ¡®I know you¡¯re running around in circles avoiding the topic of how much you care about me, and I¡¯ll let you do it for now¡­ because it¡¯s fun to watch :)¡¯ Chapter 112: Neat Abs and a V-Line trantor: Eve editor: kara Because he didn¡¯t know when exactly Xiao Shenglin¡¯s car ident would ur, Song Xuanhe had no choice but to find a bit of time to call and ask where the other was going every day. Within a few days, it wasn¡¯t just Xiao Shenglin who had started to feel like something was off. Even Zhou Nan had realized that there was something going on. During one of these times of Song Xuanhe calling Xiao Shenglin to ¡°check in,¡± Zhou Nan, who was next to Xiao Shenglin, couldn¡¯t help himself from snatching the phone. ¡°Song Er, the hell are you doing? Every time I meet up with Lin zi, you call him. If I didn¡¯t know that you were with Xiao Yuanmu, I¡¯d think you were nning on dating Lin zi.¡± Despite the teasing, Song Xuanhe knew that Zhou Nan could perceive that something was wrong. He had always been smart. Furthermore, there had also been that incidentst time where Song Xuanhe had forced Xiao Shenglin to talk about his issue with the Xiao Family. ¡°We¡¯re at Ruyi Pavilion. If you have nothing to do,e join us for a meal.¡± Song Xuanhe was in the middle of a design, so he didn¡¯t really want to leave. However, he knew that Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin were suspicious of his actions. He had to give them an exnation, or Zhou Nan woulde after him some time today to ask him about it. In any case, being disturbed was inevitable. He might as well take the initiative. Ruyi Pavilion was a bit far away from Song Xuanhe¡¯s apartment. It was almost noon now, so the traffic was quite bad. He had been stuck in traffic for nearly half an hour, and Zhou Nan had already called him twice to hurry him along. Song Xuanhe also felt helpless. Once again, his phone rang. Song Xuanhe answered it: ¡°I haven¡¯t moved at all. You keep calling me every ten minutes. It¡¯s annoying.¡± The other side was silent for a few seconds. Shortly after, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chilly voice came through the other end: ¡°It¡¯s me.¡± Song Xuanhe paused and then raised a brow. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be asleep by now?¡± ¡°Louis was injured while street racing. I just got back from the hospital.¡± Song Xuanhe knew Louis. He would asionally hear the other¡¯s voice through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s phone. Therefore, he inquired politely about the other¡¯s condition. ¡°Is he okay?¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t voice, ¡°He scraped his arm a bit. He wants to take two months off.¡± ¡°Clever guy,¡± Song Xuanhe praised him, ¡°Did you give it to him?¡± ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°Must suck for him to be business partners with you.¡± Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue. He thenmented, ¡°It¡¯s one thing for you to work over time. Don¡¯t force others to do it with you. He can¡¯t even get any time off despite being injured. How tragic.¡± Xiao Yuanmu listened to Song Xuanhe quietly until he had finished. He then said, ¡°I gave it to him.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even pause. He continued speaking without feeling any embarrassment. ¡°He wants two months off just for a scraped arm. What an unreliable guy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu chuckled. His voice then grew heavy. ¡°Louis¡¯s ident wasn¡¯t an ident.¡± ¡°What?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile faded. ¡°Is it rted to the Xiao Family?¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him a quiet sound of agreement. Song Xuanhe frowned and said, ¡°It can¡¯t be Xiao Baicong, right? He¡¯s only eighteen. How ruthless.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu had heard Song Xuanhe suspect Xiao Baicong right away, the darkness in his eyes lightened. His lips curled up slightly. ¡°You trust me this much?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Xiao Yuanmu was getting at. Xiao Yuanmu continued quietly, ¡°You¡¯ve never even met Xiao Baicong. Based solely on what I¡¯ve said, you¡¯ve already decided to unconditionally stand by my side. I¡¯m¡­really happy.¡± The low ¡°really happy¡± echoed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s ears. The vibrations from the other¡¯s voice seemed to bring a current with them as they pierced through his eardrums. Song Xuanhe subconsciously moved his phone away from his ear and coughed quietly. He wanted to exin himself. ¡°I¡­.¡± ¡ª¡ªBeep beep beep. The driver of the car behind him stuck his head out the window and shouted, ¡°Hey buddy, are you going to move or what?!¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He stepped down on the elerator and continued driving. By the time he responded, he had already formted an excuse. ¡°I don¡¯t know anything about the Xiao Family. Aside from the head and his wife, I¡¯ve only ever heard you mention Xiao Baicong. That¡¯s why I thought of him when you had told me that something had happened to Louis.¡± Xiao Yuanmu knew that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t admit to this. His smile deepened, and he didn¡¯t pursue it any further. He got back onto the main topic. ¡°I¡¯ve got some information. Xiao Baicong dispatched some of his people to China in thest few days. I don¡¯t know why, but I thought it¡¯d be best to give you a heads-up.¡± ¡°In thest few days?¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly felt uneasy. ¡°Do you know the exact time?¡± ¡°Three days ago,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°His subordinates arepletely loyal to him, which is why it took me so long to get news of this. But, this information is absolutely trustworthy.¡± ¡°Three days ago¡­¡± Song Xuanhe muttered. ¡°Do you think this is rted to Xiao Shenglin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± When Song Xuanhe had told him about Xiao Shenglin, Xiao Yuanmu had thought that the probability of Xiao Baicong going to such troubles in order to frame him was very low. But when he had heard that Xiao Baicong had sent his people to China, his intuition told him that it was because of Xiao Shenglin. His intuition had always been spot-on. But, he didn¡¯t want to tell Song Xuanhe this, because his only ¡°proof¡± was his gut feeling. This was because Song Xuanhe was more important to him than Xiao Shenglin. That was why he had first contacted Zhang Siwei to add people to Song Xuanhe¡¯s security detail as soon as he had received the information. If Xiao Baicong dared to do anything to Song Xuanhe, Xiao Yuanmu would ensure that the other suffered a fate worse than the one he had in his previous life. However, there was no reason to tell Song Xuanhe any of this. ¡°If he¡¯s targeting Xiao Shenglin, then Xiao Shenglin¡¯s in danger. I¡¯m going to hang up.¡± Song Xuanhe pressed on the gas pedal with furrowed brows. Before hanging up, he pursed his lips and quietly said, ¡°You be careful too.¡± Song Xuanhe had already hung up, but Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t immediately pull the phone away from his ear. Some timeter, he chuckled softly. The raised corners of his eyes were overflowing with affection. After passing the most congested part of the road, traffic became much better. Less than fifteen minutester, Song Xuanhe arrived at his destination. Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin had been waiting for him for nearly an hour. They were starving, especially Zhou Nan. With a hand on his stomach, he said, ¡°And, here I was wondering if I¡¯d be eating dinner with you instead of lunch.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was heavy. He didn¡¯t reply to Zhou Nan¡¯sment. Xiao Shenglin noticed that his expression wasn¡¯t good. He frowned slightly. ¡°What happened?¡± Song Xuanhe took in Xiao Shenglin¡¯s characteristic, gentle expression. His lips pressed into a line. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu called me while I was stuck in traffic.¡± Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t understand what that had to do with anything, but he still nodded. He listened to him earnestly. ¡°Xiao Baicong dispatched his people toe here.¡± Song Xuanhe got straight to the point. ¡°I think he¡¯s going to do something to you.¡± Zhou Nan was baffled. ¡°What do you mean? Isn¡¯t Xiao Baicong Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s younger brother? Why would hee looking for Xiao Shenglin?¡± Xiao Shenglin seemed to read something from Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. His soft expression changed. ¡°What do you know?¡± Song Xuanhe stared at the ground, mind whirling. A few secondster, he gave them an ount of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s conjecture. He hid the fact that he was the one to raise the question first. He let them believe that it was Xiao Yuanmu, who had first held suspicions that someone wanted to hurt Xiao Shenglin. Xiao Shenglin¡¯s expression turned grave. He was quiet for a moment. ¡°No wonder. I¡¯ve felt like someone¡¯s been watching metely, but nothing ever came up when I tried to look into it. Turns out they¡¯re Xiao Family people.¡± Zhou Nan was shocked. ¡°You¡¯re being followed? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Xiao Shenglin shook his head. ¡°When Xuanhe had asked me about the Xiao Family, I had sensed that something was wrong. I had started to feel suspicious. But nothing had happened, that is, until two days ago. Suddenly, I was being followed. Xuanhe¡¯s also been calling me every day to confirm my location and safety. At that point, I had more-or-less guessed that something was going on. I was originally nning on asking Xuanhe what he knew today.¡± Zhou Nan looked at Song Xuanhe and then punched him in the chest. ¡°We¡¯re all buddies. Why didn¡¯t you tell us about something this serious before?¡± ¡°He wasn¡¯t sure until now,¡± Xiao Shenglin said, ¡°It¡¯s normal for him not to tell us.¡± Zhou Nan had actually been just trying to lighten up the atmosphere. He didn¡¯t really me Song Xuanhe. That¡¯s why he didn¡¯t continue down this line of conversation after hearing Xiao Shenglin try to mediate the situation. However, his expression still grew heavy. Upon seeing Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan¡¯s worried expressions, Xiao Shenglinughed. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. We know what¡¯s going on now. We can prevent anything from happening now.¡± ¡°How can we not worry when Xiao Baicong sent his people here?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s brows furrowed deeply. He was indignant. ¡°What the hell is going on with the Xiao Family? They¡¯re crazy. Why do they have to use others¡¯ lives as their stepping stones in their own power struggle? It¡¯s like a damn pce drama.¡± Song Xuanhe was also frowning. Xiao Baicong¡¯s people had already arrived, but he still didn¡¯t know what they were nning to do to Xiao Shenglin. His arrival had already changed many things in this world. If Xiao Baicong¡¯s n had changed too, then they wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything but wait and see. ¡°What do you think Xiao Baicong is going to do?¡± Despite being the party involved, Xiao Shenglin was the calmest out of the three of them. When he had heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s question, he muttered under his breath for a while before shaking his head. ¡°It¡¯s extremely easy for the Xiao Family to quietly kill someone off without alerting authorities. I can¡¯t imagine what method they would use. But if it¡¯s Xiao Baicong, he doesn¡¯t have that much authority yet. He will do his best to create a logical pretense for my death. That means that a car ident is the most likely method he¡¯ll use.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up at once. Xiao Shenglin was a bit startled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Suppressing the emotions swirling in his eyes, Song Xuanhe shook his head. ¡°Aside from that, is there anything else?¡± Xiao Shenglin thought about it. ¡°If he wants to frame Xiao Yuanmu, an ¡®idental death¡¯ during a break and entry is possible as well.¡± Zhou Nan said, ¡°Xiao Baicong¡¯s people probably won¡¯t be Chinese, right? There has to be records of their arrival. I¡¯ll send someone to look into that.¡± Xiao Shenglin stopped him. ¡°There¡¯s no time for that. Not even Xiao Yuanmu can verify who Xiao Baicong¡¯s subordinates are. It¡¯ll be like finding a needle in a haystack for you. Besides, it¡¯s not a guarantee that they are using their real identities.¡± ¡°Is the Xiao Family a financial group or a mafia organization?¡± Zhou Nan joked despite the sombre air. ¡°There¡¯s no way he got an assassin group involved, right?¡± When they heard this, both Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin looked up at the same time, identical conjectures emerging in their minds. Eve: XSL my baby. Mama Eve will bang a metal club over anyone who tries to hurt you. Kara: I heard someone was threatening one of my sons!! Where are they?! LET ME AT THEM!! I¡¯ll show them what happens when you mess with our kids! (? ??_??)? xiin: happy chinese new year~ Chapter 113: Long and Straight Eyelashes and a Tall Nose Bridge trantor: Eve editor: kara No one had expected for Xiao Shenglin¡¯s disaster to arrive so soon. Because the method most likely to be used by Xiao Baicong was a staged car ident, Xiao Shenglin didn¡¯t drive his car back after their meal. He instead sat in the backseat of Song Xuanhe¡¯s car. Zhou Nan had originally ridden in Xiao Shenglin¡¯s car, so he also joined them. Ruyi Pavilion was a quiet escape within a bustling city. There weren¡¯t any residences or parks near the restaurant. There were tall trees on either side of the road leading out of the area. A little further away was a construction area, so there weren¡¯t many people around. The straight segment of the road was short, but it was very close to a winding road. It would be very easy for an ident to ur here. Their target was Xiao Shenglin. They would probably prefer to keep things low-key, so they probably wouldn¡¯t do anything with Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan also on board. But with danger imminent, it was inevitable that the three of them would still be nervous despite their calm analysis. Song Xuanhe was extremely vignt against any cars that might appear from the winding road. After having driven for a long time on the t road, they gradually made their way onto a main road, and the traffic also increased. The three people in the car slowly rxed. ¡°It should be fine now.¡± Like Song Xuanhe, Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin also thought that Xiao Baicong¡¯s people wouldn¡¯t make a move in such a crowded ce. If a car ident was to ur here, many other vehicles would likely be implicated as well. It would attract a lot of attention. That was definitely not something Xiao Baicong would want. As the tension subsided, they began to make guesses on whether the people following Xiao Shenglin were Xiao Baicong¡¯s people or an organization he hired. In the beginning, they had thought that they were Xiao Baicong¡¯s people. But after Zhou Nan¡¯s joke, they felt like it was more likely that he had hired some outside people to get the job done. It would be safer, more discreet, and easier to frame Xiao Yuanmu that way, after all. If this was the case, Xiao Shenglin was in more danger than Song Xuanhe had initially thought. Although it seemed like assassins were no longer a part of their world, they knew that they still existed. They were not covert, mysterious, lithe martial arts masters like in novels either. They were international criminals. These kinds of people had no hope for tomorrow. They were the type to live in the moment. Their methods were cruel and hard-to-predict. They would do the work they were paid to do without any misgivings of any possible consequences. They were insane. If Xiao Baicong had found such people, Xiao Shenglin¡¯s survival rate would be abysmally low. Luckily, Song Xuanhe knew that Xiao Shenglin was supposed to die in a discreet car ident. But at the same time, because he knew about this, he had been more inclined to think that Xiao Baicong had sent his own subordinates. ¡°It¡¯s fortunate that we¡¯re in China. Xiao Baicong is wary of the local authorities. Besides, he hasn¡¯t seeded the Xiao Family. He can¡¯t act too recklessly.¡± Zhou Nan frowned. It wasn¡¯t clear whether he wasforting his friends or himself. Xiao Shenglin pulled his lips into a straight line. Although there was concern in his eyes, a gentle smile quickly formed on his lips when he saw how nervous his friends were. ¡°You guys said it¡ªthey wouldn¡¯t do anything at a time like this. So, you guys can r¡ª¡± Screech¡ª Everything felt like it was happening in slow motion. The light had turned green for just one second. Song Xuanhe watched as the cars in front of them were forced into reckless turns, because a car driving on the street perpendicr to theirs had charged into the intersection despite the red light. The sound of cars crashing into the back of other cars echoed through the air. Their car also just happened to m into the back of the one in front of them. The force of impact was heavy. Song Xuanhe¡¯s head was three centimetres from the steering wheel before his seat belt stopped him from going any more forward. The force of recoil snapped him back against his seat forcefully, and he hit his head. His head was spinning. Zhou Nan¡¯s situation was simr to his. Although he was startled, he wasn¡¯t injured. Only Xiao Shenglin was hurt. He had mmed into the back of Zhou Nan¡¯s seat, because he wasn¡¯t wearing his seat belt. He groaned. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe turned back to look at him at the same time. Xiao Shenglin had a hand over his head, and he shook his head. He looked out at all of the other drivers, who had rushed out of their cars to discuss the situation with the owner of the car that had sped through the red light, and then forced out a smile. ¡°I wonder if this was nned or an actual ident.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the person who had run the red light and squinted. His voice rxed. There was also a hidden meaning in his voice that neither Zhou Nan nor Xiao Shenglin understood. ¡°This was likely nned. But, the n seems to have been interrupted.¡± Zhou Nan didn¡¯t understand. He followed Song Xuanhe and Xiao Shenglin¡¯s gazes. All he saw were ordinary-looking men waving their fists at each other. They were all shouting. Nothing fishy seemed to be going on. He turned to Song Xuanhe and asked, ¡°What do you mean?¡± Xiao Shenglin surveyed the area and discovered something. He hesitantly asked, ¡°The car that ran the red light¡­did it actually save us?¡± Zhou Nan was taken aback, but Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°The car that car had hit looked like it was about to head east on Shaoxi Road. But the moment it had been about to enter the road, the driver had made an abrupt turn. Their car had then started to head towards us as if they had lost control and were trying to brake. From the angle they had beening at us, they would have been able topletely dodge the car in front of us while crashing directly into us.¡± Zhou Nan listened to Song Xuanhe¡¯s exnation and shifted his gaze onto that car. He had been facing Xiao Shenglin and chatting with him when the ident had urred, so he hadn¡¯t noticed that this particr car had diverged from its original path. When he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s ount and noticed the wrecked front of that car, he btedly rejoiced. If it hadn¡¯t been for the car that had suddenly run the red light, they would have been hit. The cars behind them wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop in time either. Hit by cars on both sides, even if they hadn¡¯t died immediately, they would have suffered serious injuries. When he thought of this, Zhou Nan felt sorry for the driver of the car that had run the red light, who was currently apologizing to everyone else. He said, ¡°That guy saved us. We can¡¯t watch him get beat up. Let¡¯s help him out.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head. He pointed to the indignant men waving their fists in front of them. ¡°Do you think they look ready to beat him up?¡± Zhou Nan stared at the scene for a while. The driver who was apologizing seemed to be saying something to the rest of them. The other drivers also seemed to be directing their anger towards a different person. ¡°I¡¯ll go take a look.¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brow and opened the door. He squeezed out from behind the air bags and headed over to the group of people. ¡°Are you trying to die? Why did you head towards us even though you saw that there were cars there? If it hadn¡¯t been for this guy taking one for the team, several of us would have died. Can you afford topensate all of us for that?!¡± ¡°F*ck, even if you want to kill yourself, can¡¯t you do it in a secluded area? What, did you want to take us all down with you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. Did you escape from a mental institution? F*cking psychopath.¡± The driver who was responsible for the ident was being criticized by the people around him. However, he only hung his head silently as if he was mute. But when Song Xuanhe walked over, the expression of the driver of the car that had run the red light changed slightly. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you speaking?¡± Someone shoved the silent driver but found that he couldn¡¯t get the other to budge. The person who had shoved the driver found it strange, and the fury in his chest red stronger. He became even more determined to teach the driver a lesson. This time, he used two hands. Song Xuanhe infiltrated the group and tapped on the shoulder of one of the men who were cursing. ¡°Hey man, can you tell me what¡¯s going on? My car¡¯s in the back. We were suddenly pancaked by the cars in front and behind us. I only just came back to myself after the airbags had popped out.¡± The man who he was speaking to was furious. He turned his head and was about to take his anger out on the person who had tapped on his shoulder but pushed it down when he saw the handsome Song Xuanhe smiling at him. He furrowed his brows and said in a cold voice, ¡°The mute dude in front of us went crazy. He suddenly rushed over in our direction while driving through the intersection. If it hadn¡¯t been because this guy had blocked him, you might not have had the chance toe back to yourself.¡± Song Xuanhe pretended to be shocked. ¡°He¡¯s mute?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He hasn¡¯t said a word this whole time. He¡¯s hung his head since we dragged him out of his car. If it hadn¡¯t been because the guy who had crashed into him had a hold on him, he would have already run away. We haven¡¯t even gotten a good look at his face yet.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded pensively. ¡°I see. I wonder if he¡¯s not willing to raise his head because he¡¯s afraid of exposing his identity. Or, maybe I¡¯m thinking too much.¡± ¡°Why would he be afraid of exposing his identity?¡± The people around Song Xuanhe were curious. Song Xuanhe blinked. His handsome face emitted a pure aura, and his outfit, consisting of a white t-shirt and jeans, made him look like a student. ¡°Isn¡¯t that what happens on TV? The culprit¡¯s an escaped convict, so they don¡¯t want to let anyone see their face, fearing that they¡¯ll be recognized.¡± As soon as he had said this, the person who had hung his head this whole time suddenly looked up. There was a vicious light in his eyes as he red at Song Xuanhe. With everyone¡¯s eyes on Song Xuanhe, he pretended to be startled. ¡°Did I guess right?¡± Song Xuanhe had said this in a very off-handed tone. His youthful appearance had also made people think that he had just been joking. But when the driver had suddenly looked up, people couldn¡¯t help but start to grow suspicious. Song Xuanhe had already deduced that this person was unlikely to be one of Xiao Baicong¡¯s people from his behaviour. Xiao Baicong¡¯s subordinates would have taken the initiative to take responsibility for the ident and would have done everything they could to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. They wouldn¡¯t have tried to escape like this man in front of him or hang their head silently once their escape had failed. He was probably biding his time and waiting for a chance to slip off. His original n had probably been to run away during the chaos as well. It was just that the car that had run the red light had ruined his ns. This all pointed towards their other conjecture. That was why he had tried to sound the other out. He had never expected to actually get anything out of this. Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart sank. Shortly after, he sighed in relief though. If this person was alone, it would be easy to deal with him. All he had to do was bring this guy to the cops. The police would be able to figure out his identity. They wouldn¡¯t have to worry about whates next either. The person Song Xuanhe had talked to earlier stood the closest to him, so he had also noticed the driver¡¯s re. His face paled and took a step behind Song Xuanhe. He then whispered, ¡°W-why do I feel like he¡¯s not looking at us but behind us?¡± Song Xuanhe froze and then whipped around. Before he could turn around fully though, the sound of metal shing and Zhou Nan¡¯s abrupt shout informed him of what had happened. ¡°Lin zi¡ª!¡± By the time Song Xuanhe managed to turn around, Xiao Shenglin was already lying in a pool of blood. Eve: xiin: +1 Chapter 114: He’s My Boyfriend trantor: Eve editor: kara The car that had hit Xiao Shenglin backed up quickly. It stopped at a spot not too far away from the man before it revved its engine and headed back in his direction as if the car intended on hitting him again. Screams erupted all around. Song Xuanhe broke out into a sprint but was quickly restrained by the driver who had been restraining the man who had had his head down earlier. ¡°You can¡¯t go over there! It¡¯s dangerous!¡± Zhou Nan stared at Xiao Shenglin, who was lying on the ground, with great rm. He btedly looked up after hearing the screams. His pupils constricted. His body was slower than his mind. Subconsciously though, he moved to stand in front of Xiao Shenglin. However, Xiao Shenglin was still awake. He used all of his remaining strength to push Zhou Nan away. ¡°Lin zi¡ª¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s voice dripped with despair. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe was struggling with all his might against the person restraining him. ¡°Piss off!¡± ¡°Song shaoye, you cannot go over there.¡± Song Xuanhe had some training inbat. The person holding him down could not restrain him on his own now that Song Xuanhe was worked up. Several other people immediately jumped out of the car behind them to assist. It took threerge men to hold him down. At the same time, the sirens of an ambnce and police cars red through the air. They sounded like cracks of thunder striking through the air as they covered everyone¡¯s panicked screams. Nevertheless, none of those vehicles would be able to stop the car that was currently hurtling towards Xiao Shenglin again. The screaming people also realized that the car had a target. They stopped panicking. Instead, they all focused on one spot. Some people had faces full of fear while others covered their eyes. Those two or three seconds felt like they were countless slow-motion angles of the same shot converging towards one spot¡ªthat spot being Xiao Shenglin, who was lying in a pool of blood, and the car that was getting increasingly closer to him. Bang¡ª Screech¡ª The sounds of an intense collision and tires streaking against the ground echoed through the air. Most people had closed their eyes, unwilling to witness the tragic scene. This group didn¡¯t include Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan. They had both seen another car speed over from the side. It had crashed into the car that had been racing towards Xiao Shenglin and pushed it into the greenery beside the road, causing it to hit a tall tree. The driver of the car that had tried to kill Xiao Shenglin seemed to be heavily injured. He had fainted. Everything was silent for two seconds. Song Xuanhe broke free of the people holding onto him and charged towards Xiao Shenglin. The ambnce also just arrived, and the nurses and doctor rushed out. They followed after Song Xuanhe with a stretcher. Zhou Nan walked over to the car that had crashed into a tree and pulled the driver out. With bloodshot eyes, he rained down a flurry of fists onto the driver¡¯s body. Song Xuanhe heaved a sigh of relief when the doctor had told him that Xiao Shenglin was not in life-threatening danger. He then pursed his lips upon seeing Zhou Nan¡¯s actions. He walked over and pulled on the other man. ¡°Let go of me. I¡¯m going to f*cking beat this b*stard to death!¡± ¡°The ambnce is about to leave,¡± Song Xuanhe said in a quiet, heavy voice, ¡°I promise I won¡¯t let him get away. Leave with the ambnce. I¡¯ll head overter.¡± Zhou Nan froze. Finally, he regained his calm. He clenched his fists and lowered his head. There was a sobbing quality to his voice. ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± The ambnce whizzed them away after that. Song Xuanhe regarded the driver still on the ground coldly. He had just raised his left leg when another medical professional rushed over to him. Song Xuanhe sucked in a deep breath and addressed the police officer who had tagged along with the medical professional. ¡°This is an international criminal. Their goal today was murder. Keep your eyes on him.¡± The police officer had just been about to ask about Zhou Nan beating this person up. He was taken aback upon hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s words though. ¡°How do you know that?¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°You can look into the traffic ident earlier. He had an aplice as well, but his aplice already made a run for it.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe walked over to the SUV that had crashed into the other car to stop it. There was a bit of a dent in its hood, but the owner of the car seemed fine. He was holding a bag of ice that the doctor had given him to his head. He watched as Song Xuanhe came over while leaning against his car. ¡°Hey, hey, buddy!¡± The police officer had chased after Song Xuanhe. ¡°This was a really bad car ident. We¡¯ll need your cooperation for the investigation.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. When the owner of the SUV saw that Song Xuanhe was being pestered, he walked over to him. ¡°I¡¯m busy,¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the people who had restrained him earlier and said, ¡°Those people were the ones who had crashed into the original perpetrator¡¯s car. Just ask them if you need to take down a testimony.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t do that.¡± The young police officer had on an upright expression. He was very persistent. ¡°You have toe along as well. The person who had crashed into that car has toe make a statement as well.¡± The person the young police officer was talking about walked over. Another police officer, who had been busy with managing the situation, also rushed over. The new officer swept a gaze over the group and then smiled at the owner of the car. ¡°Mr. Wei, I¡¯ve already spoken to the bureau chief. There is no need for you to busy yourself with the investigation as a victim. You can go home and rest.¡± Wei Chen lowered the bag of ice from his head. There was an unruly smile on his face. He spoke to the police officer, but his eyes were on Song Xuanhe. ¡°My friend here is injured. I think he¡¯s in dire need of treatment. I was wondering if we could postpone having him make his statement until he¡¯s better.¡± When the young officer had heard this, he paused before chiming in: ¡°There aren¡¯t any wounds on him¡­.¡± ¡°Of course, of course!¡± The young officer¡¯s superior officer red at him as he interrupted his words. ¡°There¡¯s no hurry. This gentleman cane in any time. Take your time in recuperating.¡± The young officer was dragged away by his superior. Despite the distance, Song Xuanhe could hear him getting chastised. Song Xuanhe then turned to look at Wei Chen. His taut expression finally rxed. In a wholeheartedly earnest voice, he said, ¡°Thank you.¡± Wei Chen threw his bag of ice into the other¡¯s hands. ¡°Xiao Shenglin¡¯s also my friend. What are you thanking me for?¡± Song Xuanhe just looked at him, a hint of a mocking smile on his lips. Wei Chen was silent for a moment. He then pointed at the bag of ice. ¡°Fine. Only you and Zhou Nan are his friends, okay? Are you happy now? You don¡¯t distinguish between your enemy and yourself when fighting, do you? You had even managed to hit yourself in the face.¡± Song Xuanhe handed the bag of ice back to him, a serious expression on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t need it. In any case, I really am grateful to you.¡± Wei Chen pondered over this for a second before responding, ¡°Then, treat me to a meal.¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe looking at him, Wei Chen raised a brow. ¡°What, were you nning on dropping it with a verbal thanks?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pursed lips rxed. A smile finally appeared in his eyes, which had been chilly all this time. ¡°You choose the ce.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Wei Chen pointed to his car. ¡°You probably want to go to the hospital now, right? We can still drive my car. I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Song Xuanhe was indeed in a hurry to head to the hospital, so he didn¡¯t shirk away the offer. He did nce at the car that had just gotten into a bad crash with hesitation. The SUV didn¡¯t seem to be badly damaged though. ¡°Are you sure I won¡¯t end up injured for a second time?¡± Wei Chen clicked his tongue and smiled. ¡°A second time? Was there even a first?¡± Song Xuanhe opened the passenger side door and looked over at him coolly. ¡°Weren¡¯t you the one to say it?¡± Wei Chen looked at the man who had already taken a seat in his car. He licked his chapped lips and suddenly chuckled. He stood there in ce for a few seconds before walking over. As soon as Song Xuanhe had sat down in Wei Chen¡¯s car, he noticed that it was different from normal cars. He examined the interior and asked, ¡°Where did you get your car modded?¡± ¡°I did it myself.¡± Wei Chen turned the car on. ¡°How is it?¡± ¡°Not bad.¡± When he recalled how badly the cars had crashed into each other, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt tempted to get his modded too. But, he knew that he wouldn¡¯t have the time to use it as he would be leaving this world soon. Therefore, he just said, ¡°You must have changed the entire body of this car, right? How much time did it take?¡± ¡°Half a year,¡± Wei Chen replied with a smile, ¡°My dad thought that I was cking off because of this and dragged me into the medical robots business. If it hadn¡¯t been for that, I would still be at the garage. He won¡¯t let me do it for a living, even though it¡¯s my dream job, so I can only do it as a hobby. Even so, it¡¯s not bad.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°You¡¯ve got good skills.¡± Wei Chen raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s rare to hear youpliment me. And, here I thought you¡¯d never be able to find a single good point about me.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled silently. ¡°I still remember the first time you saw me. You had been extraordinarily dissatisfied with me,¡± Wei Chen continued, ¡°You didn¡¯t even want me topensate you. I had been wondering whether I had offended you in the past. But, nothing ever came to mind. Song Er, have I ever offended you?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe replied very definitively. ¡°Then, why did you dislike me at first nce? I still remember how you looked yelling at me to call the ambnce amid the torrential rain.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him from the corner of his eyes. ¡°Would you act kindly to the person who just ran over your boyfriend?¡± As soon as his words had slipped out of his mouth, both Song Xuanhe and Wei Chen were taken aback. After a moment of silence, Wei Chen asked, ¡°What¡¯s going on between you and Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s nerves had be taut from the entire sequence of events just now. The words he had blurted out threw his mind into an even bigger mess. He shut his eyes while trying to calm himself down. ¡°Don¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°What would I know?¡± Wei Chen acted dumb. ¡°We¡¯ve barely seen each other since Xiao Yuanmu had left. You had even paid back my kindness from the banquetst time by avoiding me. Same thing with the Zhou Rong matterter. You¡¯d never thanked me until today after I saved Xiao Shenglin. I¡¯m even less likely to learn about anything from Xiao Yuanmu. We don¡¯t really know each other. Now that we¡¯re halfway across the ocean from each other, it¡¯s even less likely we¡¯d be in contact.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you be in contact with him considering you¡¯re working on the medical robots project together?¡± Despite hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s certain tone, Wei Chen still acted unperturbed. His tone was that of utter innocence. ¡°My business partners are all listed on mypany¡¯s Baike page. Xiao Yuanmu isn¡¯t one of them.¡± A derisive smile graced Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips when he had heard this. He didn¡¯tment any further. They drove in silence for some time. Wei Chen¡¯s smile gradually faded. ¡°I heard that you¡¯re taking a long vacation.¡± Song Xuanhe exhaled through his nose, making something that sounded like a sound of acknowledgement. ¡°Have you thought about where you¡¯re going to go?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°I heard that you had ns.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes. In a tone of impatience, he said, ¡°Sounds like you¡¯ve looked into a lot of things. What, did you grow a few more ears, or are the people around you wagging their tongues too much?¡± Wei Chen paused and then broke out intoughter. Song Xuanhe narrowed his eyes at him. Wei Chen said, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that your temper¡¯s particrly worse when ites to me.¡± ¡°And, that makes you happy?¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± Wei Chen¡¯s smile was unrestrained, making him look a bit like a ruffian. ¡°It means that I¡¯m special to you, in a way.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze paused on his smile for a few seconds. It made him think of the first time he had met Wei Chen. The other¡¯s skin had always been thick. Upon reaching the hospital, Song Xuanhe quickly went to find Xiao Shenglin¡¯s operation room. He sighed in relief when he saw Zhou Nan, who was covered in bandages. The fact that Zhou Nan had agreed to be treated and looked calm meant that Xiao Shenglin¡¯s injuries weren¡¯t that bad. As soon as they walked over, Zhou Nan called out to them. His voice sounded hoarse. He told Song Xuanhe, ¡°The doctor said that Lin zi will be fine. Although he¡¯s broken some bones, his organs are fine.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s heart finally rxed. With a calm expression, he said, ¡°That driver¡¯s injuries are probably worse than Lin zi¡¯s. I don¡¯t know how he¡¯s doing right now. His aplice already ran away. The probability of tracking him down is slim. But, Lin zi will probably be safe now considering how big this ident has be.¡± Anger appeared on Zhou Nan¡¯s face when he heard about those two drivers. Teeth gnashed, he said, ¡°I want to kill Xiao Baicong.¡± Shock flitted through Wei Chen¡¯s eyes, but he tactfully chose to remain silent. Song Xuanhe patted Zhou Nan¡¯s shoulder and said, ¡°He¡¯s definitely going to pay for this.¡± After Zhou Nan had finished venting his anger, he looked at Wei Chen. ¡°Hey, thanks for today. I know you don¡¯t need any formalities. In the future, if you ever need anything, we will do anything we can to help you.¡± Wei Chen looked at Song Xuanhe, his gaze pregnant with meaning. ¡°Anything? Does that include you, Xuanhe?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Of course. How do you want me to repay you?¡± Wei Chen smiled upon seeing Song Xuanhe agree so easily. He then turned to Zhou Nan: ¡°Xuanhe and I have already discussed this. He¡¯ll be treating me to a meal. That will be enough.¡± Zhou Nan frowned. ¡°How could that be enough? A single meal¡­.?¡± ¡°Even if it had been someone else, I would have done the same thing. Besides, although Xiao Shenglin and I aren¡¯t close friends, I couldn¡¯t watch him get run over and not do anything about it.¡± Wei Chen knocked his fist against Zhou Nan¡¯s shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s fine. There¡¯s no need to think so much between friends.¡± Zhou Nan nodded. His eyes were still red. ¡°I can¡¯t let Song Er treat you on his own. When Lin zi recovers, the three of us will treat you together.¡± Wei Chen¡¯s smile froze. His voice was very stiff. ¡°There¡¯s no need to go to so much trouble.¡± ¡°It¡¯s only right!¡± Zhou Nan persisted. ¡°The one you saved is Lin zi. Even if Song Er and I don¡¯t treat you, Lin zi should.¡± ¡°The three of you can treat me to a meal separately,¡± Wei Chen said, ¡°Separately.¡± Zhou Nan was perplexed. He was going to ask why when he realized that what Wei Chen said made sense. Three separate meals did sound more sincere than one. He had always thought that Wei Chen was like those young masters from the innermost circles of thepounds, the ones who looked amiable but were actually distant and arrogant. After speaking to him just now though, he realized that he had misunderstood the other. Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Did the doctor say how long the operation willst?¡± ¡°No,¡± Zhou Nan replied, ¡°But, the doctor had said that it wasn¡¯t anything serious when he hade out earlier.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He had been about to ask something else when his phone started to ring. The caller ID and the memory of the people who had restrained him earlier caused him to shove his phone back into his pocket with pursed lips. However, because he didn¡¯t pick up, his phone continued to ring incessantly. The caller kept calling, again and again. Zhou Nan couldn¡¯t keep quiet anymore: ¡°Who is it?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips were pulled into a straight line. In a t voice, he said, ¡°My father.¡± Zhou Nan nodded and didn¡¯t ask anything else upon hearing this. It was normal for Song Xuanhe to ignore Song Guochao¡¯s calls. He then turned to continue his conversation with Wei Chen. ¡°If we think about it, Lin zi isn¡¯t the only person you¡¯ve saved. You also saved Song Er during that episode with Zhou Rong. I had been stuck in traffic. If it hadn¡¯t been because you had managed to get there in time, Song Er might not have been able to stand here today. You¡¯ve saved two of us. We can be considered brothers now.¡± Wei Chen raised his brow at Zhou Nan as he listened to Song Xuanhe¡¯s endless ringtone. ¡°I¡¯ve always considered us friends.¡± ¡°We¡¯re not just friends.¡± Zhou Nan wrapped an arm around Wei Chen¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We¡¯re brethren now.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone was still going on. Zhou Nan turned to face him. ¡°Your dad¡¯s persistent. His patience is really something. My dad usually gives up after two tries.¡± Wei Chen also looked at Song Xuanhe, his lips curling up. ¡°It¡¯s bad to make noise inside a hospital. How about turning your phone off?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him before telling Zhou Nan: ¡°I¡¯m going to take this call.¡± He then walked away with his cell phone in hand. Zhou Nan was a bit taken aback. Staring at Song Xuanhe¡¯s back, he said, ¡°That¡¯s weird. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen Song Er answer his dad¡¯s call. Looks like the reason he didn¡¯t pick up my calls in the past was because I didn¡¯t call him enough times.¡± Wei Chen¡¯s smile had faded a lot. His voice was now t. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter how many times you call if he doesn¡¯t want to answer your call.¡± ¡­¡­ After walking over to a quiet corner, Song Xuanhe epted the call. Voice cool, he asked, ¡°What do you want?¡± ¡°Are you okay?¡± Song Xuanhe guffawed. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± This time, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t y along. His chilly voice was tense. If you listened carefully, you could hear a sliver of anger and worry in his voice. ¡°You couldn¡¯t do anything to help under such circumstances. In that case, shouldn¡¯t you try and protect yourself instead?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He had a good control over his tone. ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected for the Xiao Family¡¯s eldest young master to have such speedy information channels. You¡¯re tens of thousands of miles away, and yet, you are able to find out about the car ident that had just happened here less than two hours ago. Even if it¡¯s real-time reporting, there should still be some kind of dy. Moreover, I didn¡¯t notice any reporters earlier. And yet, Eldest Young Master Xiao somehow knows about this already. It¡¯s clear to see how concerned you are with my safety.¡± Song Xuanhe had emphasized thatst sentence heavily. None of the sarcasm was lost as it transferred over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ears. ¡°Song Xuanhe.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s fists tightened. ¡°I don¡¯t think my men did anything wrong.¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were full of ice as he chuckled. ¡°How could your subordinates be in the wrong? They weren¡¯t in the wrong when you had nted them by my side to watch my every move. They weren¡¯t in the wrong when they are reporting to you at all times. How could they be wrong when they had stopped me from saving my friend in the name of protecting me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell onto the ground. The dark, heavy, oppressive aura around him caused Louis, who had just walked into the room to usher him back into the meeting he had adjourned, to be taken aback. Louis took a step back and asked Yang Jie, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± Yang Jie had also just arrived, but he knew more than Louis did. This was because the people in China had reported to him before he had made the decision to interrupt the meeting and inform Xiao Yuanmu of the news. It was just that he had thought that Xiao Yuanmu was only worried. That was why he had called Louis over. He had thought that his and Louis¡¯s presence would help Xiao Yuanmu rx. Needless to say, things were unfolding differently from what he had imagined. Yang Jie had not seen Xiao Yuanmu reveal his emotions like this in a long time. ¡°Let¡¯s leave,¡± Yang Jie whispered to Louis, ¡°We should wait outside.¡± Louis also knew that it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate to stay here any longer. He followed Yang Jie out of the room as quietly as they had entered it and closed the door to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s office. After hearing nothing but silence for a long while, Song Xuanhe sucked in a deep breath. Fury and an extremelyplicated emotion he had suppressed for a long time rumbled in his chest. Cool-headed, he said, ¡°I don¡¯t want to talk to you right now. I¡¯ll be¡ª¡± ¡°My stomach hurts¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe paused, mind nking. He parted his lips, but no words came out. ¡°I don¡¯t know when it started,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a mild voice, ¡°But, whenever I get nervous, disgusted, or reject something, my stomach will start to hurt. I¡¯ve always been able to bear with it. But just now, between the time I had heard the news to the moment I heard your voice, I couldn¡¯t do it. I couldn¡¯t bear it.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers slowly tightened around his phone. He didn¡¯t know why, but his eyes started to sting. It was baffling. ¡°The pain went away as soon as I had heard your voice.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his head slightly and looked at the hand that wasid over his stomach. ¡°But when I heard what you had said just now, it started to hurt again.¡± ¡°Song Xuanhe.¡± Xiao Yuanmu pursed his pale lips, hand pressing down harder on his stomach that was churning with pain. It was the first time he had found his stomach cramps to be unbearable. ¡°I¡¯m afraid of something happening to you.¡± When he had heard the word ¡°afraid¡± spoken in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hoarse voice, Song Xuanhe¡¯s grip tightened so hard that his veins began to bulge out from his skin. His eyes that had only stung a bit now turned red. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed, and he sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Nothing will happen to me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled upwards. ¡°But, I don¡¯t want to take any chances, no matter how slim they are.¡± ¡°I always have a feeling¡­¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand continued to press down tighter on his stomach. His waist bent slightly, but one could not pick up anything from his voice, aside from the hoarseness. ¡°¡­That you¡¯ll disappear from my life at any time. Song Xuanhe, can you promise me that you¡¯ll never leave me?¡± Song Xuanhe opened his mouth, the corner of his lips pulling up slightly into a smile. He gazed off towards an arbitrary point in the distance. ¡°We were talking about you sending people to follow me. Xiao Yuanmu, your ability to change the topic keeps improving.¡± ¡°Do you love me?¡± Song Xuanhe could no longer hear any of the chilly tones Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice originally had had. His voice was now extremely quiet and raspy. Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Where are you right now? Are you in excruciating pain? Where¡¯s Yang Jie?¡± ¡°Thepany.¡± A flicker of disappointment shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His slightly bent waist straightened up as he answered Song Xuanhe¡¯s questions one after another. ¡°It doesn¡¯t hurt anymore. Yang Jie¡¯s in a meeting.¡± ¡°Tell your secretary to bring you medicine immediately or to take you to a hospital.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no point.¡± The pain in his stomach had already subsided greatly. It was to a level that he was used to now. Xiao Yuanmu walked over to the window and looked far into the distance. His voice was still hoarse. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?¡± ¡ª¡°Don¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?¡± These words circled in Song Xuanhe¡¯s head. The chilly, younger version and the older, hoarse version merged together. One version was a young, inexperienced Xiao Yuanmu who pretended to be cold. The other version was a more mature version who tended to feign calmness. Both their voices and faces fused so that the first Xiao Yuanmu he had met and the current one ovepped. Song Xuanhe felt like he could see the image of Xiao Yuanmu looking down with pursed lips. He leaned against the wall. His voice was light but earnest. ¡°Okay.¡± He didn¡¯t know if he was replying to the man on the other end or the young man from a long time ago. Eve: One: Zhou Nan cockblocking Wei Chen and Wei Chen¡¯s reaction cracked me up. Two, the tense conversation between SXH and XYM broke my heart and then warmed it up. Kara: Excuse me as I cry over my two babies being so sweet even when they¡¯re technically arguing. ( ¡ä????¦Ø????` ) I just love them so much! (¥Î§¥`)?©b?¡£ Chapter 115: Looking for a Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara When Song Xuanhe returned to the operating room, Zhou Nan looked up at him and said, ¡°This is the first time you¡¯ve talked to your father for this long. I didn¡¯t hear what you were talking about. You guys couldn¡¯t have been arguing for twenty-something minutes, right?¡± Theplicated expression hidden in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes waspletely swept away by Zhou Nan¡¯s words. He rolled his eyes at the other man. ¡°None of your business.¡± The expression of Wei Chen, who had inadvertently caught a glimpse of the caller ID when Song Xuanhe had pulled his phone out, changed slightly. He leaned against the wall, head lowered. It was unknown as to what he was thinking about. While Wei Chen was lost in thought, Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe quibbled with each other to ease the tension. Like this, time passed slowly. It was about eight o¡¯clock in the evening when the tightly shut operating room door finally opened. Zhou Nan stood up abruptly. Song Xuanhe also followed behind nervously. They asked the doctor how Xiao Shenglin was doing. The doctor knew Zhou Nan personally, so his tone was more familiar than if he were to be speaking about a typical patient. ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Your friend¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll be up and about after resting for several months. He¡¯s a lucky one. Three of his broken ribs had nearly punctured his lungs. He nearly escaped death.¡± ¡°That he did.¡± Zhou Nanpletely rxed. He smiled. ¡°But really, thank you. I¡¯ll treat you to a meal another day.¡± ¡°Sure. I¡¯ll call Yu Yan as well.¡± The doctor gave Zhou Nan a knowing look before greeting Song Xuanhe and Wei Chen politely. He then left. On the way to the sick room, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I hadn¡¯t expected you to get in with Dr. Yu¡¯s colleagues just by hanging out in the hospital.¡± ¡°That¡¯s just the way it is.¡± Zhou Nan raised a brow proudly. ¡°Oh, but that guy just now was Yu Yan¡¯s university ssmate. We had met before this. He was already my spy when they had been in university.¡± Song Xuanhe had lost to Zhou Nan¡¯s shameless act of treating his shamelessness as something to glorify. He kept quiet the rest of the way. Xiao Shenglin was still unconscious from the anaesthesia. Xiao Nan had also arrived with his people at this time. When he saw Song Xuanhe and them, he nodded hastily. He didn¡¯t even have time to chat with them. When Xiao Nan saw that Xiao Shenglin was more or less fine, he sighed in relief. He had heard about this matter on the way here. After exiting the room, he said to Song Xuanhe and friends: ¡°I know about everything that has happened today. I cannot express the extent of my gratitude to Zhou shao, Song shao, and Mr. Wei for helping Shenglin in words.¡± After having thanked them, he got straight to the point. ¡°This was a premeditated murder attempt. I want to know what you guys know as Shenglin¡¯s friends. Can you tell me in detail what had happened at the scene of the ident?¡± Zhou Nan nodded; he had been about to speak when he remembered Wei Chen was still there. For a moment, he hesitated. Realizing this, Wei Chen tactfully said goodbye. ¡°My family¡¯s called me a few times, so I should be heading back. Uncle Xiao, see you next time. Zhou shao, Xuanhe, remember to treat me next time.¡± After Wei Chen had left, Zhou Nan began to tell Xiao Nan about their conjectures from before the ident now that there was no one else in the room aside from them. However, he did hide the fact that they thought that Xiao Baicong was behind this. After all, they didn¡¯t have any concrete proof. They could entertain the guess or let Xiao Shenglin speak about it, but it wasn¡¯t appropriate for the two of them, who were outsiders, to say it out loud. Even if they didn¡¯t say it, Xiao Nan, who was familiar with the Xiao Family¡¯s circumstances, was able to draw the same conclusion anyway. His expression was heavy. ¡°Shenglin has already left the Xiao Family for so many years now. And yet, the Xiao Family is unwilling to let go of him. This has to do with Xiao Yuanmu and Xiao Baicong, considering how it¡¯d happened now at such a critical moment.¡± Zhou Nan subconsciously turned to look at Song Xuanhe. At this moment, Xiao Nan also seemed to recall Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. However, he had no intention of changing his words. He furrowed his brows and said, ¡°This is definitely not something Xiao Yuanmu or Xiao Baicong¡¯s subordinates would carry out. They would never implicate unrted parties. This is going to be difficult to investigate.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°What are you going to do if you find out who the perpetrator is?¡± Xiao Nan looked up and gave Song Xuanhe a probing gaze. ¡°Who are you asking this for?¡± Song Xuanhe remained calm as he replied, ¡°No one. I just want to know if you¡¯re able to do anything to either of the Xiao Family sessors if it turns out that one of them is behind this.¡± His words were not exactly polite, but Xiao Nan wasn¡¯t angry. He said, ¡°I¡¯ve been a part of the Xiao Family for many years. Although I¡¯m not particrly influential amongst the branches, I still have my connections. I don¡¯t have the ability to do anything myself. But once I have confirmed who the perpetrator is, I can leak the information to someone else. There will naturally be someone who will take revenge for Shenglin.¡± Upon hearing this, Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes widened in shock. ¡°Uncle Xiao, you¡¯re nning to blow this matter up, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Shenglin is still a member of the Xiao Family,¡± Xiao Nan replied expressionlessly, ¡°No matter how worthless his life is to the Xiao Family, it isn¡¯t something that can be taken during a power struggle between other members of the Xiao Family.¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that I¡¯ll expose you to Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Xiao Nan examined him for a long time. His expression then rxed. ¡°The fact that you¡¯re sitting here is proof enough that Xiao Yuanmu is not behind this.¡± Before Song Xuanhe could reply, Xiao Nan added: ¡°Outsiders aren¡¯t sure about the rtionship between you two¡ªthere¡¯s a lot of guesses out there¡ªbut, I have a clearer picture than most. Although I¡¯m not around the main residence, I do keep up with the news from there. Xiao Yuanmu fought with Xiao Lin over you. He had also said that he would never have a marriage of convenience for the sake of the Xiao Family¡¯s benefit. Everyone in the Xiao Family has heard of this. If the two of you aren¡¯t really together, he would never be so resolute, considering that personality of his.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback upon hearing Xiao Nan¡¯s words. Xiao Yuanmu never mentioned either thing¡ªwhether it was the fact that he had fought with his father or that he had sworn to never have a marriage of convenience. Song Xuanhe had never heard of any rumours either. At the very least, he and Xiao Yuanmu still weren¡¯t actually lovers at present. At least, Xiao Yuanmu knew that Song Xuanhe considered them to be exes. So, it wasn¡¯t like what Xiao Nan had said¡ªthat Xiao Yuanmu had only had the courage to do those things because he was secure in their rtionship. Xiao Yuanmu had decided to do those things despite the uncertain circumstances. Just as Xiao Nan had said, this wasn¡¯t like Xiao Yuanmu at all. The novel description of Xiao Yuanmu and the real Xiao Yuanmu had many differences. However, the fact that he was cold, dark, petty, and intent on getting to the bottom of everything was true in both. The fact that he abided by the principle of confidently maximizing all profits was also the same. This wasn¡¯t just due to his personality¡ªit was partly due to the circumstances in which he had grown up in. It was like how survivors of an earthquake would develop a conditioned reflex of searching for escape routes or optimal ces to hide upon arriving at an unfamiliar ce. Xiao Yuanmu would never allow himself to be in the disadvantaged position. He was absolutely unwilling to reveal his weak side to other people. Before doing anything, every time without fail, he would first confirm that this action would benefit him. Only after ascertaining that this action would bring in a bountiful harvest would he decide to go with it. What Xiao Yuanmu considered to be benefits was not limited to wealth or power¡ªthey might also include the upper advantage in rtionships. Although Song Xuanhe knew that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hate him to the bone like the version in the book had¡ªhe could even sense that the other truly liked him to some extent¡ªhe also knew that Xiao Yuanmu was a rigid stickler to adhering to his bottom line. Xiao Yuanmu was persistent in preventing others from seeing the parts of him that he wanted to keep hidden. He was also the type to require the upper hand. Otherwise, he would feel insecure. Song Xuanhe had never expected that a Xiao Yuanmu like this would give up so many potential benefits and offend Xiao Lin, who was capable of influencing his future, under such uncertain circumstances. And, he had done this all for the sake of ensuring that there would be no obstacles to their rtionship should they get back together, even if he had no idea whether or not they would be a real couple. This version of Xiao Yuanmu was unfamiliar but also made sense. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why he felt like it made sense to him after oveing the shock of it all. Clearly, this went against everything he knew about Xiao Yuanmu. And yet, he was able to easily ept this Xiao Yuanmu and his actions that werepletely unlike him. It was like his knowledge of Xiao Yuanmu was flesh-deep, like he knew that the reason behind the other¡¯s actions was due to someplicated elements that were not usually visible from the surface. In other words, it was like Song Xuanhe could see through Xiao Yuanmu, like he could see more than what other people could see. He could see the things Xiao Yuanmu wanted to keep hidden from the world. Song Xuanhe was actually more baffled by how easily he had epted the fact that Xiao Yuanmu had done these things than he was about Xiao Yuanmu having done these things. This was the first time he had realized he truly understood another person. Humans were the mostplicated beings in this world. No one could say with utter confidence that they thoroughly knew someone, because the majority of people in this world didn¡¯t even know themselves, let alone another person. Song Xuanhe was the same. Sometimes, he would find himself shocked over his own thoughts. However, he had never wanted to understand himself all that deeply. Needless to say, his desire to understand someone else to that degree was even lower. That was why he had never tried to figure out anyone else¡¯s secrets. He had never wanted to hear gossip about anyone else and would rarely try to guess another person¡¯s thoughts. He had only ever wanted to follow his own ideas and thoughts. He thought that, if he found someone interesting, he¡¯d interact with them more. If he wasn¡¯t interested in them, he¡¯d pull some distance between them. It was as simple as that. He had stuck to this principle even when it hade to his best friend, Zhou Yunyang, in his original world. Even after Zhou Yunyang had passed away, he still didn¡¯t feel like he understood the other. At least, he had never expected his best friend to be so stupid as to end up dying because he had chosen to ce his trust in someone else so easily. If he had understood Zhou Yunyang, he would have stopped the other from bing friends with that unreliable-looking ¡°new friend¡± of his. He would not have had to watch helplessly as the other had shut his eyes for thest time. The other had even remembered to tell him to take care as he had shut his eyes. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected for the other to do that either. He didn¡¯t understand himself, let alone any other person in this world. Except that, today, he had suddenly realized that he did know one person through and through. He understood this person more than he understood himself. This realization sent Song Xuanhe into a rare panic. It also forced him to gain a better understanding of himself. He had to figure out just what Xiao Yuanmu was to him. Eve: SXH is finally starting to have his awakening. Chapter 116: Found a Little Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara After confirming that Xiao Shenglin would be fine, Song Xuanhe randomly purchased the earliest flight out of the country. He didn¡¯t tell a single soul¡ªhe just left two notes. Song Xuanhe had found someone to casually hand one over to Song Xuanlin at the entrance of the Song Group building, and the other was left in his apartment downtown. Song Xuanlin had thought that it was a prank when he had first received the note. It hadn¡¯t been until the other ignored all his calls, and he had discovered the identical note in the other¡¯s empty apartment, had he realized something was off. Song Xuanlin had then returned to the Song Residence with fury and concern in his chest. However, he managed to hide it from Li Nianan. He had told her that Song Xuanhe had told him about his departure beforehand to avoid having her worry too much. Zhou Nan and them were different. They had only realized that something weird was going on after their calls failed to go through several days in a row. They had visited Feng Tong¡¯s studio first, but Feng Tong had said that he hadn¡¯t seen Song Xuanhe for a long time already. Because Song Xuanhe had already finished his designs, he had stopped dropping by the studio for a while now. He had already told Feng Tong that he would be on leave for a while even before Xiao Shenglin¡¯s ident. Song Xuanhe had said that he¡¯d be back for the Fashion Week in October, but that was it. Feng Tong had then told them as much. However, Zhou Nan had still been concerned. He had headed to Song Xuanhe¡¯s apartment. He knew where the other¡¯s spare key was and had managed to get in. After entering, he had walked around his friend¡¯s empty living room before discovering the memo taped onto the French windows. All that had been written on it was: I went out to have fun. Don¡¯te looking for me. Simple and concise. It was heartless enough to instill rage into someone. Zhou Nan had been so angry that he had kicked the windows. However, because the windows were so sturdy, all that came out of that was crippling pain in his foot. Zhou Nan had hopped on one foot for a long time before the pain had subsided. But once the pain had disappeared, the anger boiled once more. He had yelled: I must have been really freaking stupid to worry about you! ¡­¡­ Song Xuanhe, who was now several thousands of kilometers away, was walking around and taking several pictures from good angles with the camera in his hand. He politely rejected an unfamiliar girl attempting to hit on him, giving off a distant feeling. He then took a bite out of the sandwich he had bought after debarking from his flight. As soon as the morsel of food had entered his mouth, he frowned. Before he could swallow, he sneezed, and the mouthful of food spurted out. It attracted many gazes from the travellers around him. The girl who had been hitting on him had originally wanted to continue. However, after witnessing that scene, she left after hesitating for a few seconds. Song Xuanhe wiped his mouth and then picked up the sandwich that had identally fallen onto his clothes and the floor. After tidying himself up, he muttered to himself with a raised brow. ¡°Luckily, I¡¯m standing far away. Otherwise, I would have sullied one of the seven great wonders of the world.¡± ¡¾And, here I thought you had done that on purpose.¡¿The System said, sounding used to having such things ur£º¡¾You¡¯ve been using simr methods to get rid of the guys and girls who have been pestering you thesest few days, after all.¡¿ Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾You¡¯ve collected so many books and resources about humans. Have you never heard of this saying?¡¿ The System was curious£º¡¾What saying?¡¿ ¡¾There are three things that are impossible to hide: coughs, poverty, and love.¡¿Song Xuanhe put his camera away and continued on his way£º¡¾Sneezes are the same.¡¿ The System was silent for a moment£º¡¾I¡¯ve heard another human saying that says that someone is cursing or scolding you whenever you sneeze. Which one do you think it is?¡¿ ¡¾Someone¡¯s missing me.¡¿Song Xuanhe smiled£º¡¾Zhou Nan¡¯s probably realized that I¡¯ve left the country by now. He probably misses me.¡¿ This time, the System was quiet for a long time£º¡¾I think he¡¯s probably cursing you out instead.¡¿ Song Xuanhe went to grab a cup of coffee. He found a random ce to sit down before looking over the pictures he had taken today. There was a shallow smile gracing his lips£º¡¾Doesn¡¯t he have to miss me to curse me out?¡¿ The System fell silent again. For thest half-month, during their journey from a small country in Europe to this current country, Song Xuanhe had shown him what it meant to have skin thicker than a city wall. The System thought that Song Xuanhe had probably been a bit wary of his personality settings in China. That was why he had only disyed a fraction of his ability even when against Wei Chen or Zhou Nan and them. Nevertheless, it couldn¡¯t help but retort Song Xuanhe¡¯s words£º¡¾If love can¡¯t be hidden, does that mean Xiao Yuanmu did those things because he loves you?¡¿ Song Xuanhe took a moment to think about it. Before he could respond, the System continued£º¡¾In which case, is the fact that you threw off his men proof of your rejection of his love? Proof that you don¡¯t love him?¡¿ ¡¾Why is an AI like you talking about love?¡¿Song Xuanhe got up. He picked up his luggage, which only contained a few outfits, and continued in a t voice£º¡¾Even if AI sounds like love in Chinese, it¡¯s not like you can fall in love.¡¿ The System had already gotten used to Song Xuanhe¡¯s attacks after spending all this time with him alone. Furthermore, as a system, aside from feeling like its main chip was overheating a bit, it didn¡¯t feel angry like humans would. Therefore, it was really good at adapting. It continued to ask in a very sincere tone£º¡¾So, do you like him or not? My analysis tells me that the reason you had bought a ne ticket after returning from the hospital is because you want to escape reality. You don¡¯t want to face it.¡¿ ¡¾Face what?¡¿ The System choked. Sullenly, it said£º¡¾I don¡¯t know.¡¿ Song Xuanhe hailed a taxi, told the driver the name of a hotel, and then rested his eyes£º¡¾Shut up if you don¡¯t know.¡¿ The System closed its mouth, feeling wronged. It started to calcte how much longer it would have to be with Song Xuanhe. It couldn¡¯t wait to part ways with this ill-tempered host who disliked it. But after realizing that there was only half a year left, it suddenly felt like Song Xuanhe¡¯s temper wasn¡¯t that bad. Regardless, it wouldn¡¯t be speaking to Song Xuanhe again today. After checking in, Song Xuanhe handed his luggage over to the room¡¯s manager and then took his camera to the streets with him to search for food. However, rather than finding food, he ended up finding a familiar face. Song Xuanhe turned around expressionlessly and took another road upon seeing the bright-eyed young man waving at him. When Guan Zhi saw that Song Xuanhe had pretended to not have seen him, he cursed Xiao Yuanmu angrily. He then ran after the other. It took him a while before he caught up to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Why did you run away from me?¡± Song Xuanhe shot back: ¡°Why did you chase after me?¡± Although there was a lot wrong with this question, Guan Zhi couldn¡¯te up with aeback. After being met with silence, Song Xuanhe added, ¡°Why are you here?¡± Guan Zhi¡¯s gaze shifted away. ¡°I¡¯m on break, so I came out to have fun.¡± ¡°Are you constantly on break or something?¡± Song Xuanheughed. Guan Zhi felt unhappy upon hearing the derision in Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice. He snorted. ¡°We have a lot of vacation time at my school. Jealous?¡± Song Xuanhe simply raised a brow silently. Guan Zhi¡¯s cheeks puffed up in anger, but he didn¡¯t know what else to say. The silencested a long time. In the end, Song Xuanhe was the one to break it. ¡°Fine. If you want to follow me, go ahead. Just don¡¯t cause me any trouble.¡± ¡°How would I cause you trouble? You¡¯re looking down on me a little too much.¡± For the next few days, Guan Zhi proved that Song Xuanhe really had underestimated him. Although the other was only eighteen years old, he was good at scheduling. When he had found out that the reason Song Xuanhe was touring the world was because he wanted to collect local cultural material, he gave him an introduction to the beautiful ces he had visited throughout his lifetime so far. Song Xuanhe actually gained a lot from that. The overall structure of this world was more-or-less the same as Song Xuanhe¡¯s old one. However, the development and history of each country was rather different. A slight deviation was capable of changing history. Therefore, Song Xuanhe had found himself overwhelmed by the novel, never-before-seen objects and sights of this world in just a short two months. Guan Zhi followed him from Egypt to Moro (TN: Again, the author doesn¡¯t use the actual terms but they seem pretty close). As he saw more and more of Song Xuanhe¡¯s impactful photos that were capable of capturing the uniqueness of each sight, his early shock and appreciation turned into admiration. The two of them spent the entire journey bantering and helping each other out. In Egypt, both their wallets had been stolen. In Moro, they had fallen victim to an attempted robbery outside a pub. As the trip continued on, Song Xuanhe and Guan Zhi had gotten a lot closer. When it was time to part, both of them were reluctant. ¡°I¡¯ll be there at your show in Y City. My mom and sister will being with me. Oh, but I have to go back to school after the show. I won¡¯t be able to keep hanging out with you after that.¡± Standing at the entrance to the airport located in the country¡¯s capital, Guan Zhi looked upset. He said, ¡°You better remember to send me pictures of the delicious things you eat after. I¡¯ll have my butler send people over to buy it for me. You better not forget. I¡¯ll join you again once school¡¯s out.¡± Song Xuanhe took in the reluctant expression on this little spy¡¯s face. The little spy should have split with him at the Casanca Mohammed V International Airport, but he had insisted on flying with him to China¡¯s capital before transferring flights. In the end, Song Xuanhe rubbed the other¡¯s head, heart softening. ¡°Go back.¡± Guan Zhi pouted at him. ¡°You have to promise me that you¡¯ll let mee along with you next time first.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then pointed with his chin. ¡°Your cousin¡¯se to pick you up.¡± Guan Zhi¡¯s face had brightened up upon seeing Song Xuanhe nod. But when he saw Wei Chen behind himself, his lips turned downwards again. ¡°I didn¡¯t tell him to pick me up. Besides, it¡¯s not like he needs to go to Canada right now. It¡¯s probably a coincidence.¡± In contrast, Wei Chen, who was making a beeline towards them, made it clear that this was no coincidence. Upon reaching them, Wei Chen didn¡¯t even so much as nce at Guan Zhi. He smiled at Song Xuanhe, although it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°I had thought that you had run away to avoid treating me.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled back. ¡°I have some time before I need to go to America. It¡¯s yours if you want it.¡± Wei Chen looked at Song Xuanhe, surprised. ¡°I feel like your temperament has improved after all this time away.¡± Guan Zhi interrupted them. ¡°That¡¯s ¡®cause he had vented all his temper onto me. No duh, he¡¯s in a better mood now.¡± After having spent so much time getting insulted by Song Xuanhe, Guan xiao shaoye, who had only ever snorted in response while holding in his anger, had finally learned how to talk back. Wei Chen nced at Guan Zhi profoundly after hearing Guan Zhi say that. ¡°Looks like both of you have benefited from this trip.¡± Guan Zhi shrugged. Once again, he reminded Song Xuanhe that he had to get in contact with him the next time he nned to go on a trip before leaving. He didn¡¯t even say goodbye to Wei Chen. Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°What did you do to make him hate you so much?¡± Wei Chen rubbed his chin and thought about it for a long time. ¡°Does me spilling water on his bed in order to make him think he had wet his bed count?¡± Song Xuanhe gave him a thumbs up. After exiting the airport, Song Xuanhe suddenly came to a stop. He asked, ¡°What are you doing here at the airport?¡± Wei Chen spun his keys around his finger. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that your time is mine to do as I please?¡± ¡°You really want me to treat you to a meal now?¡± Wei Chen raised a brow. ¡°What, you have other ns?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe recalled the weekly emails he had gotten from Zhou Nan that were filled with angry exmation marks and warnings that he better let the other know when he was back in the country right away. He then shrugged. ¡°I¡¯m hungry. Let¡¯s eat.¡± Wei Chen picked a ce near the airport. It was less than a twenty-minute drive. Because Guan Zhi had messaged him in advance, Wei Chen already had a reservation. When Song Xuanhe saw this, heughed. Quietly, he muttered, ¡°Looks like he¡¯s a triple agent.¡± Wei Chen had been speaking to the waiter, so he hadn¡¯t heard Song Xuanhe clearly. He asked, ¡°What did you say just now?¡± There was an implicit message hidden underneath his words. ¡°I said, the rtionship between you and Guan Zhi isn¡¯t as bad as you say it is.¡± Wei Chen understood what he was talking about right away. His lips curled up. ¡°Probably because I had always told people that the wet spot was actually just water that had been identally spilled whenever people had thought he had wet his bed.¡± Song Xuanhe was quiet for a while before nodding. Once again, he gave Wei Chen another thumbs up. He and Wei Chen were equally matched in a battle of wit. But when it came to evil tricks, Wei Chen was undoubtedly superior. The System didn¡¯t agree£º¡¾Did you forget about the time you had tricked Guan Zhi into eating bugs?¡¿ Song Xuanhe pretended to not hear that. Wei Chen changed the subject. They were now talking about this ce¡¯s signature dish. Wei Chen seemed difficult-to-approach to a lot of people. But in reality, when he really wanted to get close to someone else, he was very attentive. Paired with his vast amount of knowledge, he was able to easily pinpoint his target¡¯s likes and preferences. At least, Song Xuanhe felt like Wei Chen was a lot more pleasing to his eyes after their conversation. After talking about photography for a long while, Wei Chen seemed to have suddenly recalled something. He asked, ¡°Do you remember Xue Mian?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°What about him?¡± ¡°He¡¯s doing well in America. I heard that he¡¯s already done with that film of his. He seemed to be contemting whether to stay in America or go back.¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t really interested, so he simply nodded in silence. Wei Chen wasn¡¯t surprised by Song Xuanhe¡¯sck of interest in gossip. However, he still continued down this line of conversation. ¡°I heard that he frequently visits RE¡¯s headquarters.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He turned to look at Wei Chen. ¡°What are you trying to say?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Wei Chen smiled as he noticed the impatience in Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows. ¡°I just wanted to confirm something.¡± Song Xuanhe looked away and concentrated on the delicious food on the table. Some timeter, Wei Chen spoke up again. ¡°Do you know Bai Mo? He¡¯s been looking for you recently.¡± Song Xuanhe paused again when he had heard this name that he hadn¡¯t heard for a long time. He asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Sounds like he wants to discuss something with you on behalf of his friend?¡± Wei Chen¡¯s lips were curled up. ¡°His friend¡¯s a designer. I heard that he got into an ident recently. His hands are ruined.¡± Song Xuanhe put his chopsticks down. ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Jiang Deyi.¡± Wei Chen tapped against the table. ¡°He had appeared in Chinast month. His hands were already ruined by then. But, no one had known who he was, so no one had cared about what had happened to him. However, Bai Mo had let out that it was because of you¡ªbecause of what had happened on the cruise in the past. Even people who hadn¡¯t been on the cruise know a little of what had happened then. Your brother had even met with Bai Mo because of this.¡± ¡°I¡¯m curious,¡± Wei Chen said, an intrigued smile on his lips, ¡°How many familiar faces have you bumped into since you had started travelling?¡± After hearing about Song Xuanlin¡¯s meeting with Bai Mo, Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows gradually knitted together. ¡°What did they talk about?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. What I do know is that after that, Bai Mo stopped insisting that you were the one who had hurt Jiang Deyi¡¯s hands,¡± Wei Chen reminded him with a bit of derisive tone, ¡°Although the Bai Family¡¯s nothing much, Bai Mo¡¯s an expert inmunication. If he¡¯sing for you, that means others are too.¡± Song Xuanhe knew that the derision was actually pointed towards Bai Mo. He also understood what the other really meant by ¡°an expert inmunication.¡± However, he didn¡¯t really get what the other was getting at exactly. ¡°Who¡¯s behind him?¡± ¡°Someone from the Zhang Family.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. ¡°Zhang Siwei?¡± Wei Chen was surprised. ¡°You know Zhang Siwei?¡± ¡°No.¡± Zhang Siwei was one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pursuers ording to the book. The man was working abroad all this time, so Song Xuanhe had never met him. It was just that, when he had heard that it was someone from the Zhang Family, he had subconsciously thought of him. ¡°It¡¯s not Zhang Siwei,¡± Wei Chen said, ¡°He¡¯s not that dumb. It¡¯s his younger cousin, Zhang Simu.¡± This name¡­sounded both unfamiliar and familiar. Song Xuanhebed through his memories for this name. He even had the System look through the novel, but nothing came up. Therefore, he had no choice but to give up. ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of this person before.¡± ¡°He went to the same high school as Bai Mo. They are each other¡¯s first loves.¡± Wei Chen said, ¡°Though they¡¯re no longer together, they¡¯re still friends.¡± ¡°Friends¡± had been spoken in a way that made it sound like ¡°f*ck buddies.¡± (TN: Friends in Chinese is ¡®pengyou¡¯ and sex buddies is ¡®paoyou¡¯.) Song Xuanhe nodded and thanked Wei Chen for the heads-up. Actually, Wei Chen didn¡¯t take Bai Mo seriously. He thought that it would be enough to just give Song Xuanhe a warning. That was why he didn¡¯t say much more about that and simply went back to talking about design and photography. Both of them had enjoyed their meal together. After they had finished eating, Wei Chen drove Song Xuanhe back to the other¡¯s apartment. Before Song Xuanhe got off, he asked, ¡°No one¡¯s been in your apartment for two months. Are you sure you don¡¯t want to stay at my ce for the night?¡± Song Xuanhe waved a hand: ¡°I¡¯m heading up.¡± It wasn¡¯t until Song Xuanhe¡¯s figure had disappeared from Wei Chen¡¯s sight that he drove away. The next morning, Song Xuanhe was woken up by a pounding on his door. Mind hazy, he pulled his covers over his head. Even after waiting for a long time, he could still hear the ¡°thump, thump¡± on the door, so he had no choice but to throw his nket off. With a face of exhaustion and impatience, he walked out. Upon seeing Zhou Nan banging on his door looking like a resentful, angry wife, his drowsiness finally faded away. ¡±You¡¯re already inside. Why the heck are you knocking?¡± ¡°How would I know whether there¡¯s someone inside or not?¡± Zhou Nan replied back in a snarky tone, ¡°This is just routine for me. I hadn¡¯t expected to see a pair of shoes here. What if a gangster had broken in? Isn¡¯t it safer to stand at the door, so I can make a run for it at any time?¡± ¡°You think a gangster would let you run away with how arrogant you are?¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes. He then went to pour himself some water. Sipping on his water, he waited for the rest of his drowsiness to leave. ¡°Why did youe over so early?¡± ¡°You had left for two months without saying a thing. You never picked up your phone either. And, the first thing you say to me is ¡®Why did youe over so early?¡¯ Seriously?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brain was still muddled. His reaction was a bit dulled. He ignored the fury on the other¡¯s face and nodded. ¡°Mn. I asked you why you havee over so early.¡± Zhou Nanughed out of anger. He ced the bag in his hand onto the table and said, ¡°I toiled to grab you breakfast.¡± While setting breakfast out, Zhou Nan also ridiculed the other. ¡°It¡¯s one thing for you to leave for two months, but you never called back to tell us that you were safe or to tell us what it was like where you were. What, did you save all your words for Xiao Yuanmu? Even if you value love over your friends, you can¡¯t be like this. At this rate, when you get married, are you gonna¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe took a sip of soy milk and said in a t voice, ¡°I didn¡¯t contact Xiao Yuanmu either.¡± Zhou Nan froze. For a moment, his expression went nk. He then said in an astonished tone, ¡°You didn¡¯t talk to Xiao Yuanmu all this time?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°F*ck!¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue and shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t feel that bad anymore. Xiao Yuanmu has it way worse than me.¡± Aftermenting over that, Zhou Nan asked, ¡°Did you tell Xiao Yuanmu before you left?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk.¡± Zhou Nan suddenly felt calm. He didn¡¯t forget to sigh deeply in feigned despair while actually taking pleasure from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s misfortune. ¡°How tragic, unfathomably tragic! Not even ¡®tragic¡¯ is enough to describe this!¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him before pointing at the chair in front of him. ¡°Either sit here and eat or shut up and stay standing.¡± Zhou Nan was about to continue when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes narrow. He then sat down at once and ced a soup dumpling onto a small te. ¡°I don¡¯t feel bad for him. Compared to being unable to contact you, having to face you is worse.¡± Song Xuanhe ignored him, but Zhou Nan didn¡¯t stop talking. He started to make small talk. ¡°Did you really not contact Xiao Yuanmu? No way, right? There¡¯s no way he wouldn¡¯t try to find you after two months of failing to get in touch. It¡¯s easy for the Xiao Family to find someone. You didn¡¯t live incognito either.¡± ¡°Not even eating can get you to shut up?¡± ¡°I¡¯m really curious,¡± Zhou Nan stretched his head over and spoke in a hushed voice, ¡°Tell me the truth¡ªjust what¡¯s going on between you two?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him through the corner of his eye and remained silent. Zhou Nan continued on. ¡°I had thought that you¡¯ve been lying to me all this time considering what Uncle Xiao had said in Lin zi¡¯s hospital room and that interview. But now that I think about it, it doesn¡¯t feel like you are lying.¡± ¡°But if that¡¯s the case¡­¡± Zhou Nan frowned, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean that you wanted to break up, but Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t agree? Are you both stubbornly sticking to your own version of events, because you are stuck in a deadlock? But, Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t seem like the type to pester someone to death once they mention breaking up. So, what¡¯s going on? You guys seem like you¡¯re still dating but also like you¡¯ve already broken up. Not even couples who marry, divorce, and then remarry are as difficult as you two.¡± ¡°Oh, but if you two are together, I¡¯d have gone crazy with anger if I had been Xiao Yuanmu with how you had disappeared for two months. I¡¯d be constantly looking out for news on you. I¡¯d call you as soon as you were back in the country, if I couldn¡¯t be there in person. Right, has Xiao Yuanmu called you yet?¡± ¡°Are you that curious about my personal affairs?¡± Zhou Nan nodded. There was a strong desire to find out on his face. ¡°I don¡¯t¡­.¡± Before he could say ¡°want to tell you,¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s phone rang. The familiar contact name appeared on his screen. When Zhou Nan saw this, his eyes lit up. He looked like an excited neighbourhood auntie at the prospect of overhearing some good gossip. Eve: Guan Zhi is so cute I can¡¯t. Poor baby being bullied by WC and SXH hahaha. Feel bad for XYM too but SXH will being around soonish. (I know, I keep saying this. But really¡­probably¡­soonish¡­.there aren¡¯t that many chapters left anyway) Chapter 117: A Serious Expression, A Chubby Face trantor: Eve editor: xiin Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t give him a chance. He turned his phone to silent. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Zhou Nan took a bite of his bun. He widened his eyes, trying to give Song Xuanhe a reproaching re, but he could not hide the schadenfreude from his eyes. ¡°It¡¯s one thing to treat me like this, but you even ignore Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calls?¡± ¡°Did youe over to my ce this early in the morning just to gossip?¡± Song Xuanhe looked up. Who knew if the impatient look in his brows was from being woken up or from what Zhou Nan had said? In any case, it was directed towards Zhou Nan. Zhou Nan shrugged and tactfully changed the subject. ¡°You¡¯ve been away for so long and are leaving for America in two days. I had to drag you out for some drinks.¡± ¡°I¡¯m leaving tomorrow,¡± Song Xuanhe corrected him. He then put down his chopsticks and got up. ¡°Give me a second.¡± ¡°Tomorrow?¡± Zhou Nan was surprised. ¡°Isn¡¯t your show a week from now? Why are you leaving tomorrow?¡± The only reply he got was the sound of Song Xuanhe¡¯s door closing. Ten minutester, Song Xuanhe came out fully dressed. ¡°Can we visit the Song Group first?¡± ¡°Are you being a good boy?¡± Zhou Nan teased. ¡°Are you going to report to your dad?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to see my brother.¡± Song Xuanhe walked a few steps before asking Zhou Nan, ¡°Did you hear about what Bai Mo said?¡± ¡°You know about that?¡± Zhou Nan frowned. ¡°No one believed the nonsense he uttered. Don¡¯t worry about it. He seems to have grown a brain and stopped speaking rubbish.¡± ¡°Are Jiang Deyi¡¯s hands really ruined?¡± Zhou Nan was taken aback. ¡°Yeah¡­well, kind of.¡± Song Xuanhe gave him a look. Zhou Nan said in a wronged tone, ¡°How would I know whether he¡¯s really crippled or not? He doesn¡¯t appear in public often. Also, the only time he was seen, his hands were wrapped up. I can¡¯t tell if it¡¯s crippled or not unless he unwraps it.¡± ¡°Ah, but he¡¯s also a designer. It would probably be really hard to work if you lost use of your hands.¡± Zhou Nan shook his head and sighed. ¡°Who knows what kind of person that youngster offended? Although he wasn¡¯t likeable, my feelings when I saw his hands wereplicated. What kind of deep grudge would cause someone to ruin another person¡¯s hands? That¡¯s a bit too ruthless.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. His phone once again started to vibrate in his pocket. ¡°Are we going or not?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue. ¡°Why did your patience get shorter after your trip¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s car followed after Zhou Nan¡¯s. Inside the quiet car, Song Xuanhe tapped against his steering wheel, lips pursed. ¡¾I noticed that your emotions index is really low and keeps on falling. I¡¯ve never seen numbers like this before. Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡¿After a prolonged absence, the System¡¯s boorish voice came back online. It sounded a lot livelier than before. Song Xuanhe stopped tapping against the wheel. ¡°Nothing.¡± The System asked£º¡¾You don¡¯t usually tap against the steering wheel. From the humans I¡¯ve observed, the person who taps against things the most is Xiao Yuanmu. Is the decrease in your emotions index rted to this action?¡¿ ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe expressed his loss of patience with a single word. ¡¾Wei Chen doesn¡¯t know you as well as Zhou Nan does.¡¿The System said£º¡¾Wei Chen said that your temperament got better but that wasn¡¯t true at all. Zhou Nan said that your temper got worse. The data suggests that Zhou Nan was correct.¡¿ Song Xuanhe: ¡°Shut up.¡± ¡¾Look, the fluctuations in your emotions prove that my data is urate. Moreover¡­.¡¿Upon noticing that Song Xuanhe¡¯s emotions index had fallen so low it was on the eve of falling below the emotionally stable line, the System shut up. Zhou Nan and Song Xuanhe both got out of their cars upon reaching their destination. Zhou Nan eyed Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression that was no different from the one he had when he had gotten into the car. With a smile, he said, ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Afraid that Lin ge will force you to stay at thepany and prohibit you from leaving?¡± Song Xuanhe walked into the Song Group¡¯s building and gave him a perfunctory reply. ¡°Afraid of bumping into Song Guochao.¡± Zhou Nan retracted his leg when he imagined what would happen if Song Xuanhe and Song Guochao met. ¡°I¡¯ll wait for you in the car. It¡¯s been so long since you and Lin ge have seen each other. I should give you two some space to catch up.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. Zhou Nan nimbly hopped down the steps and then hit his own chest with a fist. He looked earnest. ¡°I¡¯m going with you.¡± ¡­¡­ Song Xuanlin had just so happened to wrap up a meeting by the time Song Xuanhe arrived at his office. He was shocked for a moment but quickly came back to himself. He waved his secretary away. ¡°Finally willing toe back?¡± Song Xuanlin sat down in front of Song Xuanhe and pulled out his tea set. While preparing the tea, he said, ¡°Tell me, what did you do? Seems like you had so much fun you even forgot to give us a call to tell us you were safe and sound.¡± Song Xuanhe avoided talking about the important parts and spoke of the trivial things instead. ¡°I have pictures. I¡¯ll send them to youter.¡± Song Xuanlin looked up but he didn¡¯t persist in his questions. He just said, ¡°Why did youe to see me? To tell me you¡¯re fine or to report to thepany?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask you about Bai Mo.¡± Song Xuanhe deliberately pretended to miss Song Xuanlin¡¯s hinting. ¡°I¡¯m going to America tomorrow, so it¡¯s too much of a hassle to find Bai Mo before then. I heard that you¡¯ve spoken to him already. That¡¯s why I came to see you.¡± Song Xuanlin furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°It¡¯s already been settled. You didn¡¯t have to go out of your way toe here.¡± ¡°Ge,¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Are Jiang Deyi¡¯s hands really crippled?¡± Song Xuanlin hesitated and then replied: ¡°Yes. But it has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°Zhou Rong¡¯s drug hade from him and Hayden Schroder.¡± Song Xuanhe said tly. ¡°Although the fact that he was crippled has nothing to do with me, the perpetrator behind it does, am I right?¡± Song Xuanlin looked down. His manner whilst pouring the tea was lithe and silent. One could hear the ice in his voice, however. ¡°He only has himself to me. It has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°What about Hayden Schroder?¡± Realizing that he would not be getting an answer, Song Xuanhe asked another question. ¡°What happened to Hayden Schroder?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Song Xuanlin pushed a cup of tea over to him, his voice mellow and rich. ¡°Have a taste.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t pick up the cup. His brows knitted. Since he had heard about Jiang Deyi from Wei Chen, he had initially guessed that the perpetrator was Xiao Yuanmu. But because he didn¡¯t want to believe it, his suspicions had fallen on Song Xuanlin upon hearing that he had spoken to Bai Mo. After all, the person who had orchestrated Lu Chao¡¯s miserable death in the original novel had most likely been Song Xuanlin. It was very likely that he might have done something to Jiang Deyi when he found out that Jiang Deyi had given Zhou Rong the drug. Song Xuanhe¡¯s reasoning had some ground. The Xiao Yuanmu in the novel had already taken over the Xiao Family by this point. He was too busy developing the Xiao empire while dodging bullets left and right. He also would never help take revenge for someone he hated to the bone for so long. Therefore, if he excluded Xiao Yuanmu, the most likely perpetrator who also had the ability to take revenge for the original host could only be Song Xuanlin. Moreover, Song Xuanhe knew that although Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t dote on the original host¡ªhe could even be said to be rather indifferent¡ªhe had a strong sense of responsibility for the original host. He would never allow an outsider to humiliate him. This strong sense of responsibility would likely have resulted in guilt after the original host¡¯s death. It was normal for him to use Lu Chao¡¯s life to atone for his guilt. This sense of responsibility could also be seen as him defending the original host despite knowing that he was in the wrong. Therefore, the possibility that he would teach Jiang Deyi a lesson upon hearing that the other was the source of Zhou Rong¡¯s drug was very high. It was just that¡­when he heard that Song Xuanlin didn¡¯t have any news on Hayden Schroder, Song Xuanhe knew that the person behind this was not him. ¡°Do you have any information on the Schroder Family?¡± Song Xuanlin looked at Song Xuanhe surprised. He was silent for two seconds before deciding to tell the truth. ¡°The situation in the Schroder Family has been turbulent as ofte. The information I have isn¡¯t very clear.¡± ¡°What did you hear?¡± Song Xuanlin shook his head. ¡°If you want to know, you should ask Xiao Yuanmu. He should have a very clear picture of what¡¯s happening.¡± ¡°Furthermore, Mother¡¯s been worried because you haven¡¯t contacted the family for more than two months. We had no choice but to ask Xiao Yuanmu whether you were safe or not. Don¡¯t be so headstrong next time. Since you were able to keep in contact with Xiao Yuanmu, you could at the very least call Mother to let her feel at ease.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his mouth before mping his lips back down. A long timeter, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t contact him.¡± Song Xuanlin frowned. ¡°How did he have information on you, then?¡± ¡°He was probably making things up.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I went out to loosen up, so I didn¡¯t want to talk to anyone. You guys don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± Who would have expected for Song Xuanlin¡¯s expression to grow heavy when he heard that he didn¡¯t contact Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°How can we not worry if no one¡¯s able to get in touch with you?¡± Song Xuanhe spoke in an innocent tone. ¡°Didn¡¯t Ie back in one piece? Isn¡¯t it normal to forget to call home when you¡¯re having too much fun? Oh yeah, I¡¯m going to continue travelling after the fashion week¡¯s over. If I remember to call you, I will. If not, don¡¯t worry about it. Anyways, you guys will get used to it eventually.¡± Song Xuanlin¡¯s brows furrowed even deeper upon hearing his rhetorical facies. ¡°I won¡¯t help you hide this from Mother next time.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and got up. ¡°We¡¯ll talk about it when the timees. Zhou Nan¡¯s still waiting for me downstairs. I¡¯ll be heading out first.¡± After stepping out of Song Xuanlin¡¯s office, the smile disappeared from Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. The System suddenly spoke up£º¡¾Are you still intent on returning to your world while in Arang when the timees?¡¿ Song Xuanhe walked into the elevator. He didn¡¯t respond. ¡¾Didn¡¯t Assistant Zhang discover that you were searching up Arang?¡¿The System said £º¡¾Or do you have another ce in mind?¡¿ Song Xuanhe replied tly£º¡¾The country of Gollum.¡¿ The System was quiet for a while£º¡¾Have you ever thought about what your family, friends, and Xiao Yuanmu will do after you disappear?¡¿ ¡¾They¡¯re the friends and family of the original host.¡¿The elevator door opened and Song Xuanhe walked out. As he made his way to the exit, he spoke in a mild voice£º¡¾I have my own friends and family.¡¿ ¡¾But they¡¯re not around anymore.¡¿The System replied£º¡¾Even if you leave, there¡¯s no way of separating your soul from the original host¡¯s body. Therefore, you¡¯re already the Song Xuanhe of this world in principle. Why not stay?¡¿ Song Xuanhe stopped walking. His gaze fell on Zhou Nan, who looked bored out of his mind. His lips curled up slightly before ttening down. A difficult-to-read emotion appeared in Song Xuanhe¡¯s limpid eyes.¡¾There is a reason I have to go back. In contrast, there is no reason for why I must stay.¡¿ Eve: My heart aches. He clearly cares about his friends and family (and Mumu) or this world. But the onest thing he¡¯s holding onto from his original world is preventing him from epting it. This also reminds me of the fact that most MCs in transmigrator stories are orphan for a reason. Imagine having to make a choice between your old and new lives. Chapter 118: Hella Cute When He Smiles trantor: Eve editor: xiin Because Xiao Shenglin had yet to make a full recovery, Zhou Nan chose a vegetarian restaurant. The vegetarian restaurant was located inside a Suzhou style garden. The garden was not very big but it had a bridge, running water, a rock garden and potted nts. Every detail was exquisite, and it was like thendscape changed with every step he took. Song Xuanhe was rather surprised; he had lived in the Capital for so long, but he had never been aware that such a ce existed. Zhou Nan was in no mood to admire the scenery. He was curious, ¡°What did you talk to your brother about? You didn¡¯t fight, right? But if you weren¡¯t fighting, why did you talk for so long? Your conversations usually end really quickly.¡± ¡°Says who?¡± ¡°You¡¯re like that all the time. Remember when I went to the Song Group looking for you? You were talking to Lin ge while standing at the elevator. Lin ge asked you if you¡¯ve eaten, you said ¡®no¡¯ and then you two just stared at each other silently. I nearly went mad withughter from watching that.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes before picking up his pace. Zhou Nan chased after him and walked shoulder-to-shoulder with him. He turned to smile. ¡°Did your brother tell you just what happened with Bai Mo? I¡¯m really curious. Tell me.¡± Song Xuanhe stopped walking. Zhou Nan did the same and said, ¡°Come on, you¡¯re not even willing to satisfy my curiosity over something as trifling as this? Why¡¯d you be so ruthless after your trip¡­.¡± ¡°¡­Hm?¡± Zhou Nan turned his head and looked straight ahead. He dragged the word ¡®trip¡¯, the tone gradually changing to a question. He then looked at Song Xuanhe pensively. ¡°Looks like enemies meet on a narrow road, huh?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him and looked at the person who had arrived in front of them. Bai Mo smiled. ¡°Song Ershao, Zhou shao, long time no see.¡± Zhou Nan raised a brow. There was ridicule in his brows as he smiled. ¡°Indeed, long time no see. However, we¡¯ve heard a lot about you.¡± Bai Mo¡¯s smile changed. His gaze focused onto Song Xuanhe. ¡°I heard that Ershao¡¯s suddenly developed an interest in fashion design, and that you¡¯ll be presenting your work at the uing fashion work. I¡¯m looking forward to it. I hope you seed.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze shifted from Bai Mo to Jiang Deyi behind him. His lips curled up. ¡°Thanks.¡± Bai Mo blinked, then asked, ¡°Did you twoe to eat? I¡¯ve never seen you here before.¡± ¡°It¡¯s our first time here,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Because our friend is injured, he needs to eat lighter food. Bai shaoye, did you alsoe for the same reason?¡± Jiang Deyi, whose head had been hung low all this time, grew rigid. He raised his eyes slightly to nce at Bai Mo before looking back down. Bai Mo grinned back. ¡°I¡¯m vegetarian, so I¡¯m a regr here. But that can be considered one of the reasons why we came here.¡± Song Xuanhe feigned seriousness before suddenly breaking out into a smile. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I should treat you two to a pot of tea.¡± Bai Mo was taken aback, and Jiang Deyi also looked up quickly. Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°When I heard that Mr. Jiang¡¯s injury had something to do with me, although I¡¯ve only found this out recently, I¡¯ve been curious to know why people have been saying this. Now that I¡¯ve seen the victim and the person who has been spreading this information, I have to treat you to a meal. Can you satisfy my curiosity as the main character in these rumours?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s bandaged hands shook. The smile on Bai Mo¡¯s face also faded quite a bit. However, his expression was still one of innocence. ¡°This was my fault. Deyi is a friend from abroad. It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen him after I¡¯vee back to China. When I heard that he wanted to work at Mr. Feng Tong¡¯s studio, I was pleasantly delighted, but Mr. Feng Tong then chose to work with you. Inevitably, I was disappointed. Then, I heard about the disagreements between you two and saw that my friend was injured. That¡¯s why, when others asked, I couldn¡¯t help but mention you. I never expected my casual mention to be twisted by others. This matter has made me realize how scary rumours can be.¡± ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is that you¡¯ve never insinuated that Song Er was behind Mr. Jiang Deyi¡¯s injury?¡± Bai Mo nodded. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± He then gave Song Xuanhe an ashamed look. ¡°Nevertheless, I still want to apologize to you. After all, if I hadn¡¯t mentioned your name, such a rumour would never have spread. Please ept my apology.¡± Regardless of who was in the wrong, as long as you apologized first, the other party would be looked down on if they refused to ept your apology. Zhou Nan frowned upon hearing Bai Mo¡¯s words. He was about to interject when Song Xuanhe cut him off. ¡°Since Bai shao did it unintentionally, I obviously won¡¯t hold this against you. But there is another reason for why I want to treat you to a pot of tea.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Bai Mo replied with a smile, ¡°Deyi and I have an appointment to get to so we can¡¯t stay for long. Furthermore, Ershao and Zhou shao came hereto eat. I would feel extremely guilty if I were to dy your meal. If you have any questions, you can ask them now. If we know the answer, we will do our best to reply.¡± This was a public ce. What Song Xuanhe wanted to know was definitely not something that would be considered small talk. So it wouldn¡¯t be appropriate for Song Xuanhe to talk about something serious. In other words, Bai Mo was tactfully refusing him. Who would have expected that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t care that they were in a public ce? The other had a smile in his limpid eyes and his tone was filled with sincerity. ¡°Mr. Jiang Deyi and Mr. Hayden are close. I just wanted to ask Mr. Jiang Deyi about how Mr. Hayden has beentely. I talked to Mr. Hayden quite a bit during our first meeting on the cruise and had a very good time speaking to him. It felt like we had been friends for years. Every time I think about it, I always wish to have another chat with him, but I haven¡¯t heard anything about him as ofte. That¡¯s why I wanted to ask Mr. Jiang Deyi about him.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Bai Mo and Jiang Deyi¡¯s expressions that had beplicated, even Zhou Nan thought that Song Xuanhe was extremely shameless for saying what he did. Everyone here knew exactly what had happened on the cruise. Song Xuanhe and Hayden¡ªif it wasn¡¯t because they were concerned with their images, they would have gotten into a physical fight instead of engaging in a war of words. And yet, Song Xuanhe had the audacity to say that he had a good time speaking with Hayden, that they were like old friends, and that he wanted to chat with him again? Zhou Nan thought that, if Hayden Schroder were to hear this, he would probably ignore the fact that this was a public ce and get violent instantly. Bai Mo was astonished by Song Xuanhe¡¯s ability to utter nonsense without batting an eye. However, he couldn¡¯t fault anything Song Xuanhe said. It wasn¡¯t like he could question his rtionship with Hayden Schroder in public. Moreover, it wasn¡¯t like Song Xuanhe had asked an inappropriate question. It was just that Bai Mo didn¡¯t want to reply to this question at all. However, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t so much as glimpse at Bai Mo. His gaze was on Jiang Deyi the whole time. He probed, ¡°Mr. Jiang?¡± Who knew if it was out of anger or whatever, but Jiang Deyi shook all over. A long timeter, he squeezed three words out from between his teeth in a trembling voice: ¡°He¡¯s doing great.¡± ¡°Then, does he have any ns on visiting China soon?¡± Song Xuanhe continued to ask, ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see him again and chat.¡± Jiang Deyi froze. He finally looked up and met Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°You stole everything from me and made me like this. What else do you want? What do you want to do to Hayden? He¡¯s already¡ªjust what do you want?!¡± Ah, turns out Jiang Deyi was angry. Song Xuanhe and Zhou Nan came to the same conclusion upon meeting this pair of bloodshot eyes that were filled with hatred. Song Xuanhe looked like he was confused by Jiang Deyi¡¯s sudden outburst. He said in an innocent voice: ¡°Mr. Jiang, I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about? What do you mean, I stole everything from you? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever done anything to you?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s face was filled with resentment. ¡°Feng Tong¡¯s studio! I had invested two years of blood and sweat, and exhausted all my connections to get that opportunity. It was a sure thing until you stepped in! And yet, you dare say you didn¡¯t steal anything from me? There¡¯s also the cufflinks and the Xiao Group¡¯s eldest young master! You only dated him because you knew he was the Xiao Group¡¯s young master. How could a person like you ever truly like anyone? The Xiao Group¡¯s eldest young master only fell for you because he was tricked by that innocent facade of yours. Just you wait¨Ca person like you will never get a happy ending! The Xiao Group¡¯s eldest young master will throw you away one day!¡± The smile finally fell from Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. He raised a brow, a sliver of derision in his brows. ¡°Like how Hayden Schroder threw you away?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s furious expression became nk, then twisted. ¡°Who said Hayden threw me away? It¡¯s because you ruined him and made him lose his position as sessor. You crippled him. It¡¯s all your fault! Song Xuanhe, you¡¯re going to suffer from karmic retribution!¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Zhou Rong¡¯s thing came from you, didn¡¯t it? You used your connection with Hayden Schroder to get something from the Schroder Family, and then acted as the middle man and gave it to Zhou Rong. You gained quite a profit from that too, didn¡¯t you?¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s expression changed. Panic and surprise nearly spilled out from his eyes. ¡°What thing? What nonsense are you spouting?¡± ¡°If my guess isn¡¯t wrong,¡± Song Xuanhe pretended like he didn¡¯t see the guilt in Jiang Deyi¡¯s eyes and continued, ¡°You obtained that thing from Hayden Schroder with the excuse of getting revenge on me. That¡¯s why you were only able to give him one syringe. But after you found out how much money you could make, so you couldn¡¯t help yourself from finding other buyers. You just never expected that this would be the reason Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people would be able to find you. They caught all of you.¡± ¡°No!¡± Jiang Deyi¡¯s expression was extremely ugly. His eyes were full of misgivings as he stared at Song Xuanhe. Jiang Deyi was certain that there was no way Song Xuanhe would know about this. Before he had fainted, he had heard Xiao Yuanmu tell his people not to tell Song Xuanhe about this. If Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t tell him, then how could Song Xuanhe know? The more Jiang Deyi thought about this, the more afraid he got. He didn¡¯t say a thing and Song Xuanhe had already guessed most of what had happened. Moreover, he was so calm despite knowing the truth. This reminded him of Xiao Yuanmu when the other had been interrogating him. Underneath the ripple-less appearance was a serenity that caused one to shiver uncontrobly. ¡°Therefore,¡± Song Xuanhe bent down slightly, meeting Jiang Deyi right in the eye. His tone was filled with ridicule. ¡°Everything that happened to you was of your own making. Everything that happened to Hayden Schroder was because of you.¡± When he saw Jiang Deyi¡¯s face turn deathly pale, Song Xuanhe straightened up and smiled. ¡°So, the one who deserves a miserable ending and karmic retribution is you.¡± Eve: JDY, bye bye. xiin: Fierce~ Chapter 119: He’s My Little Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara After watching Jiang Deyi, who was so angry that he was twitching, and Bai Mo, whose smile was rigid, leave, Zhou Nan asked, ¡°Zhou Rong¡¯s drug came from the Schroder family? Wait, how do you know that it had been sold by Jiang Deyi? And, was Jiang Deyi¡¯s injury caused by Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Zhou Nan had a lot of questions, but Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t hear a single word. His eyes were downcast, and there was a pensive look in his eyes. Actually, when he had found out that this matter was rted to the Hoffman Family, Song Xuanhe had been curious. The Hoffman Family had umted its wealth from war. Theirpany was the most influential manufacturers of weapons in the world. Regardless of whether it was a privatepany or a country, no one was usually willing to offend the Hoffman Family. A family like them does notck influence nor wealth. They would never engage in drug trafficking. That was why he knew that it must have been done by a subordinate family. When he thought of this, there was naturally only one candidate in mind. The only subordinate n that followed the Hoffman Family that he knew of was the Schroder Family. Many people knew exactly what kind of drugs the Schroder Family came up with. However, drug trafficking was not prohibited in every country. The Schroder Family would even sell some of their drugs as ¡°medication.¡± In this way, they were able to bring in huge sums of profit. It wasn¡¯t just the Schroder Family doing this either. That was why, even though everyone knew about it, it didn¡¯t affect the Schroder Family all that much. But recently, most countries had begun to crack down on drugs. Although the number of people using didn¡¯t decrease, and the Schroder Family¡¯s business wasn¡¯t all that affected, the rapidly increasing legal danger had split the Schroder Family into two divisions. One side wanted to continue their business in the drug industry while the other side wanted to rid themselves of it. The two sides were fighting. As a result, the Schroder Family had not created any new drugs for a long time. Therefore, after a never-before-seen drug had arrived on the market, Song Xuanhe thought that it had very likelye from the Schroder Family considering their data. It was just that he hadn¡¯t had any idea how Zhou Rong had managed to get connections with the Schroder Family. That was until he hade back to China and Wei Chen had told him about what Bai Mo had said and that Jiang Deyi was injured. Jiang Deyi¡¯s injury was very enigmatic. Moreover, he and Jiang Deyi had had disagreements in the past. If Zhou Rong had known about this and had tried to convince Jiang Deyi to be his means to buy the new drug, Jiang Deyi would have definitely been tempted. Furthermore, Zhou Rong had also gotten the drug from the Schroder Family in the book. This meant that, regardless of what his rtionship with Jiang Deyi was like, Jiang Deyi had been tempted to use this method to make money for a long time now. Jiang Deyi had no choice but to rely on Hayden Schroder if he had wanted to get the drugs. Furthermore, the Schroder Family was subordinate to the Hoffman Family. Everything made sense once all these clues were all linked up. It was just that, even if he was mostly sure, he still wanted to confirm this with Xiao Shenglin. Unexpectedly, he had been able to get the truth out of Jiang Deyi when they had bumped into him and Bai Mo. However, contrary to expectations, this knowledge only made it feel like something heavy was pressing down on his chest. It made him realize once again just how deep Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s feelings for him were. It made him realize how much Xiao Yuanmu had paid for him on his behalf without him knowing. It made him gain a deeper understanding of just how warm and meticulous the other man was under his icy, dark exterior. Song Xuanhe recalled every change he had witnessed in Xiao Yuanmu since their first meeting. He also contrasted them with the changes in himself. He thought about how he had felt guarded against Xiao Yuanmu in the beginning. Gradually, that feeling had morphed into a difficult-to-understand trust in the other man. To this day, he still felt like this change inside himself was fantastical. Everything made him suddenly recall the words his mother had left with him just before her death. Although he had been young, because his father had died earlier, he already knew what death meant. Therefore, he had been unable to control his fear. He had held onto his mother¡¯s weak, icy fingers and pleaded, pleaded for her to not leave him, pleaded for her to take him with her. He had begged her to love him for the rest of his life, the way she had every night before he had gone to bed. He had been afraid of being left alone from that day on. A young child could not hide his feelings. His helplessness and fear had filled his cries. His cries had been heart-wrenching. No one had been able to coax him. In the end, his voice had be so hoarse that he hadn¡¯t been able to speak anymore. And yet, he had continued to beg his mother not to die. But, she hadn¡¯t been able to promise him that. All she had been able to do was keep a smile on her face and hold his hand. She had quietly and gently told him, ¡°Darling, don¡¯t be afraid. One day, someone else will appear. They will love you more than Mommy and Daddy do. That person will be by your side forever. They will protect you on Mommy and Daddy¡¯s behalf. You will trust that person like you do us. You will love that person like you do us. Therefore, you have to promise me that you will grow up into a strong man before you meet that person. Promise me that you¡¯ll be a very good person. That will ensure that you will be able to meet that person.¡± Song Xuanhe had cried and shook his head. He had continued to cry so hard that his throat hurt so much and felt like it would split apart in the next second. He had sobbed, yelling for his mother to not leave, that he didn¡¯t want to meet that person. All he had wanted was for his parents to be with him. His mother had continued to smile at him. With a soft, gentle voice, she had continued, ¡°Mommy and Daddy will protect you until you meet that person. Before that, Darling, promise me that you¡¯ll be a man, a man who lives with no regrets like you had promised on your sixth birthday. Okay?¡± Song Xuanhe would forever remember the smile on his mother¡¯s face along with the reluctance and sorrow in her eyes at that moment. When he had been young, he hadn¡¯t understood the helplessness and sadness his mother had felt. After growing up, he finally understood after a long period of being muddleheaded. That was why he had changed himself. He did not want to let down his parents. But, so much time had passed, and he still had never met the person who he would love and trust the same way he had his parents. Song Xuanhe had thought that he would never meet that person. Even so, he had never been upset. Frankly, he had never even looked forward to it. He had always thought that it would be very difficult for him to truly fall in love with someone. But now that that person had finally appeared, Song Xuanhe hurt. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s voice interrupted Song Xuanhe¡¯s thoughts. Song Xuanhe looked up and met with the worry in Zhou Nan¡¯s eyes. Zhou Nan carefully examined Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression. A few secondster, he cautiously said, ¡°I thought you were about to cry just now.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. Suddenly, his nose stung. He looked away. ¡°I¡¯m super upset over Jiang Deyi¡¯s injury.¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s worried expression grew rigid. He then rolled his eyes. ¡°Save your crocodile tears. I thought you had encountered some life-changing difficulty. I didn¡¯t even dare to breathe from how scared I was. I didn¡¯t even dare to open the door all this time. I thought you would suddenly break out into tears. Actually, now that I think about it, I kind of want to see that.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him and then pushed the door open. ¡°You even snivel when engaged in a fight. You want to hear someone cry? It¡¯ll be faster if you let me beat you up than wait for me to cry.¡± When he saw that Song Xuanhe was still in the mood to talk back, Zhou Nan finally set down his concern. He wrapped an arm around Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder and beamed at him. ¡°Alright, alright, we¡¯re bothw-abiding, cultured, young men. Forget about fighting. If we really fight, and you cry, I¡¯m going to record it.¡± ¡°Piss off.¡± Song Xuanhe pushed him off, a smile on his face as he cursed at Zhou Nan. Xiao Shenglin, who had been waiting in the private room for a long time, stood up. ¡°I heard voices at the door and was just about to check. As expected, it¡¯s you guys.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all Song Er.¡± Zhou Nan let himself be pushed and simply moved over to pull a nearby chair out. After sitting down, he said, ¡°I went to pick him up at his ce, but he had so many errands to run. He was even mean to me. After being mean to me, he went to remind everyone of his existence at the Song Group. We bumped into Bai Mo and Jiang Deyi at the entrance just now too. He pissed them off so much that they nearly fainted from anger. After so many detours, I¡¯m starving.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell them to serve the food at once.¡± Zhou Nan¡¯s gaze shifted over to the person next to Xiao Shenglin. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Xiao Ranyun? You¡¯re not even greeting us after not seeing us for so long.¡± Xiao Ranyun sweetly called out ¡°Zhou Nan gege¡± and then hesitantly looked at Song Xuanhe. In a quiet, shy voice, she said, ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should call you Xuanhe gege or Gefu....¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. Zhou Nan smacked the table and roared withughter. ¡°You should obviously call him Gefu. If you don¡¯t call him that, Xiao Yuanmu will be displeased when he hears about it.¡± Xiao Ranyun thought this seemed reasonable. She smiled sweetly and called out: ¡°Hi, Gefu.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips twitched. Before he could speak, Zhou Nan cut in. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give her a gift tomemorate your new status? Xiao Ranyun, don¡¯t let him off. This fellow¡¯s rich as hell. He just came back from abroad as well. Who knows how many good things he¡¯s brought back? Quickly, make him give you a gift.¡± ¡°When did I be rich as hell?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Zhou Nan, raising a brow. Zhou Nan: ¡°You¡¯re obviously rich. You¡¯re the one who has the most stocks in apany out of all of us. It¡¯s almost the end of the year, which means payday. If you¡¯re not rich as hell, who is? If I don¡¯t screw you over, who should I screw over?¡± Song Xuanhe kicked Zhou Nan¡¯s chair as a silent warning to shut up. He then turned to the girl, who was usually easy-going and lively. At present, she had a shy, expectant look on her face. He suppressed his irritation and said, ¡°Your cousin and I¡­we haven¡¯t formally confirmed our rtionship. It¡¯s not appropriate for you to change how you address me right now. Just call me the same way you used to call me.¡± Xiao Ranyun¡¯s smile morphed into one of disappointment. She carefully looked at Song Xuanhe and quietly asked, ¡°Ge¡ªXuanhe gege, do you not like my cousin? Why?¡± Song Xuanhe licked his chapped lips. His Adam¡¯s apple bobbed a few times. He didn¡¯t know what to say. The disappointment in Xiao Ranyun¡¯s eyes deepened. ¡°Yuanmu gege really likes you. Before Yuanmu gege came back, you also liked him a lot. Why don¡¯t you like him now? Is it because he¡¯s in America while you¡¯re in China? Because, you¡¯re really far apart?¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips and was going to respond, but Xiao Ranyun continued to speak. ¡°But, Yuanmu gege has already decided to transfer RE¡¯s HQ to China. You two can be together when the timees. Xuanhe gege, don¡¯t dislike Yuanmu gege. He really loves you.¡± ¡°He¡¯s going to transfer RE¡¯s HQ to China?¡± Song Xuanhe had yet to recover from his shock and reply when Zhou Nan shouted: ¡°Has Xiao Yuanmu gone crazy?!¡± Eve: Xuanhe recalling his parents made me sad. Poor baby. Chapter 120: Looking for a Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara Right up until the fashion show, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t toss the words Xiao Ranyun had said a week ago from his head¡ªthat ¡°Yuanmu gege¡± had decided to move RE¡¯s HQ to China. In the beginning, RE had just been an investmentpany. After it had discovered the new energy source, it had be an energypany. Now, because it had acquired arge number of otherpanies, it was now considered a transnational corporation that was involved in many different industries. However, its greatest asset was its new energy source. Every country had a high demand for this new energy source. That meant that it would be easier for Xiao Yuanmu,pared to other people, to invest in any country of his choosing. The only thing was moving hispany¡¯s HQ was different from opening a subsidiary branch. It involved many factors¡ªincluding each country¡¯s current state and their policies. Xiao Yuanmu had never made a decision without careful consideration. Currently, regardless of whether it was in terms of its policies or state of affairs, America was the most appropriate country for RE¡¯s future development at present as it would give it the most freedom. That was why his decision to found it in America at the beginning had been such a wise choice. But now, the decision to move the heart of hispany to China was not necessarily a smart idea. This wasn¡¯t to say that China wasn¡¯t good¡ªSong Xuanhe thought that China might even be the fastest developing country in the next ten years, at which point it would be a good idea for RE to invest in it¡ªbut, it was definitely not the most suitable ce for RE at present. Even Zhou Nan, who had been wide-eyed in shock, and Xiao Ranyun, whose eyes were filled with grievances, knew this fact well. There was no way Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know this when Xiao Ranyun, an eighteen-year-old girl, was fully aware of it. That was why Song Xuanhe had no choice but to realize that he was the main reason for why Xiao Yuanmu was nning to move RE¡¯s HQ to China. It had been a week since he had found this out. Song Xuanhe had arrived in Y City now. He had considered calling Xiao Yuanmu or picking up the other¡¯s calls countless times¡­but for some reason, hesitation would arise as soon as he was about to press down on the buttons. Suddenly, he didn¡¯t know how to face Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Xuanhe?¡± Feng Tong patted Song Xuanhe, who was lost in his thoughts. When the other lifted his head, Feng Tong smiled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Nervous?¡± Song Xuanhe came back to the present and smiled back. ¡°I was just thinking if there¡¯s anything to alter with regards to today¡¯s designs.¡± ¡°The show starts in three hours.¡± Feng Tongughed. ¡°Even if you think of anything, there won¡¯t be enough time. I came to call you over to take a look at the stage. The show¡¯s director has already made all the arrangements for the dress rehearsal.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He followed after Feng Tong for a bit before suddenly turning around to dump his cellphone onto the desk behind him. He met with Feng Tong¡¯s inquisitive eyes and exined, ¡°I don¡¯t want my phone to ring and disrupt the dress rehearsal.¡± Feng Tong also pulled his phone out and ced it on the desk. ¡°Thanks for reminding me. My phone¡¯s been going off all morning. Although it¡¯s on silent mode, I can¡¯t help but nce at it still. But, we should concentrate on the dress rehearsal instead.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled slightly. He then left the lounge with Feng Tong side-by-side. Song Xuanhe and Feng Tong had invited a very renowned show director in the modelling industry to work the show. The show director had set up the runway exactly in the way Song Xuanhe and Feng Tong had imagined, leaving them extremely satisfied. Song Xuanhe and Feng Tong were quite at ease after watching the dress rehearsal. As long as the actual show went more-or-less as well as this, there wouldn¡¯t be an issue. The two of them returned to the lounge. As soon as they had entered, an assistant knocked on the door. ¡°Song ge, someone wants to interview you before the show. It¡¯s the editor-in-chief of PO Magazine. Do you want to ept it?¡± Song Xuanhe was surprised. ¡°An interview for me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± The assistant confirmed, ¡°Do you want to ept it?¡± Song Xuanhe had yet to reply when Feng Tong sped him on the shoulder. With a grin, he said, ¡°Take it. The editor-in-chief of PO rarely asks any hard-hitting questions. If she asks about the designs of the other designers under us, just give her an ambiguous answer. Aside from that, I doubt she¡¯ll ask anything sensitive. Besides, this interview will give us great exposure if this show goes well.¡± Feng Tong had already said all of this which made it difficult for Song Xuanhe to refuse. He, thus, followed the assistant out. The editor-in-chief of PO was a tall, lithe, fashionable, and sessful-looking woman. She sized Song Xuanhe up as soon as sheid eyes on him. When she noticed his calm appearance, she extended a hand with a smile. ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Lisa. I¡¯m d you decided to ept this interview.¡± Song Xuanhe shook her hand briefly. The smile on his lips was polite but distant. ¡°It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lisa.¡± Lisa was sitting on a stool, legs crossed. She was leaning forward slightly, a voice recorder and a notebook in each hand. She grinned at him. ¡°I¡¯ve heard of you for quite a while now, Mr. Song. Didn¡¯t expect that you¡¯d be this sexy and handsome in person. No wonder you¡¯re Mr. Xiao¡¯s boyfriend.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly, but his lips curled up calmly. ¡°Thanks.¡± Lisa smiled. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s get right into it. Mr. Song, would you mind telling us if you¡¯re confident about your debut today? Do you think the show will be sessful?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Song Xuanhe said with a smile. Lisa paused for a second before her grin widened. ¡°Are you confident about your debut, or are you certain of the show¡¯s sess?¡± ¡°Both.¡± ¡°Your confidence is really attractive.¡± Lisa pushed a strand of hair behind her ear and then tilted her head. ¡°Can you tell me what your inspiration for your debut designs were? For example, many designers have a muse, or they get inspiration upon discovering something beautiful. What category do you fall under?¡± ¡°Both,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°In the beginning, the inspiration hade from a person. Afterwards, the changes in details and the adjustment in the cuts hade from a bout of sudden inspiration.¡± ¡°Your inspiration hade from a person in the beginning?¡± Lisa caught on to the important part of his statement, the smile on her face growing more brilliant. ¡°Can you tell us who your muse was?¡± ¡°Sorry, I can¡¯t.¡± Lisa¡¯s smile froze when met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s decisive refusal, but she quickly snapped out of it. She shuffled in a bit closer and whispered, ¡°You really can¡¯t? I think that the readers are really interested in who the source of your inspiration is.¡± ¡°I think that it¡¯s enough that they are interested in my products.¡± Song Xuanhe was still smiling, and his voice was gentle. There were no faults to pick out. However, Lisa felt like dealing with him was harder than dealing with the celebrities she usually interviewed even with their PR departments. Thest time she had felt this way was when she had interviewed Xiao Yuanmu a few months ago. When she thought of this, she said, ¡°As expected from Mr. Xiao¡¯s lover. Although your tones are different, your answers are very simr. You¡¯re both curt and straight to the point. If I didn¡¯t already have experience interviewing Mr. Xiao, I¡¯d probably have messed up the interview and ended up a flustered mess.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. The smile on his face faded as he gazed into Lisa¡¯s eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t recall Xiao Yuanmu ever having epted interviews from any fashion magazines. When did you have the opportunity to interview him?¡± Lisa smiled as she exined, ¡°I used to be the editor-in-chief of an economics magazine. I only transferred over to PO two months ago. Mr. Xiao was thest person I had interviewed at the economics magazine. Meanwhile, Mr. Song, you¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve interviewed since I transferred to PO. This feels like something tomemorate. If possible, I hope that you¡¯ll invite me to your wedding. I will definitely write up a perfect description of your wedding.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips curled up, but he didn¡¯t continue with that line of conversation. He asked instead, ¡°Who told you to interview me?¡± When he saw Lisa¡¯s expression change imperceptibly, Song Xuanhe added, ¡°Or rather, who helped connect you to both Xiao Yuanmu and I?¡± Lisaughed. ¡°I¡¯m an editor. Interviewing is my work. You and Mr. Xiao are the hottest couple since six months ago. More people are paying attention to you than they are to any couple in the entertainment industry. It¡¯s no surprise that I¡¯d try my best to get a chance to interview you two.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change. He continued to watch her with a mild gaze in his eyes. ¡°I know. So, tell me, who gave you this opportunity?¡± Lisa sat up straight. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was not outright threatening nor furious, but she felt a heavy pressure emitting from his calm eyes. It felt like he could see through her. Her smile didn¡¯t drop. ¡°I contacted a lot of my friends and previous coworkers for this chance. If Mr. Song wants to know who was the person who had managed to get me this opportunity in the end, all I can say is that it was a friend of mine. I can¡¯t tell you anything more. Sorry, but it would go against my principles as a reporter.¡± Song Xuanhe gave her an insipid nce before getting up. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think that there¡¯s nothing left for us to talk about. The interview shall end here.¡± Lisa was taken aback. She also stood up. Upon seeing Song Xuanhe head to the exit, she started to chase after him. But after taking two steps, she saw that the door had been opened by a handsome, blond-haired, blue-eyed man. The man gave Song Xuanhe a radiant smile and extended a hand. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Louis. I heard that you wanted to enquire about me just now. I¡¯ve also been curious about you, but Xiao¡¯s never let youe visit us in America. He forbade me froming to see you or look into you as well. This was the only way we could meet.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell onto Louis¡¯s slender, clean fingers. He smiled. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mr. Louis. Looks like your hand¡¯s recovered after your two months off.¡± At first, Louis was taken aback. He then turned to re behind him with anger and shock. ¡°Xiao, you told Song that I had needed time off because I had been injured, but you didn¡¯t tell him that you had dragged me back to the office after just five days at the hospital?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes widened at once. Louis opened the door wide, and Xiao Yuanmu appeared in front of Song Xuanhe. The moment their eyes met, Song Xuanhe could see the suppressed storm in the other¡¯s pitch-ck eyes. The other¡¯s voice was very heavy. ¡°I found you at home. In addition, there¡¯s no reason why I should tell my lover about you.¡± ¡°Now, if you don¡¯t mind, can you give us some space? We have something to discuss alone.¡± Eve: My heart actually sped up when Xiao Yuanmu appeared LMAO. Kara: Same!! My heart almost stopped! Mumu, you¡¯re going to give He bao and I heart attacks! I know you couldn¡¯t wait anymore, but please have mercy on SXH! (ÈË*¡ä§¥£à*) Chapter 121: Found a Good Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara Louis and Lisa left tactfully. They were also considerate enough to close the door behind them. Click. With that, the moderate-sized room once again resumed its quiet. However, the sound-proofing of this room wasn¡¯t very good, so they could still hear the sounds of shuffling and conversations in a variety ofnguages through the thin door from time to time, which made the silence within this room even more evident. Xiao Yuanmu stood by the door, and didn¡¯te any closer. Song Xuanhe also remained standing where he was. The two of them stared into each other¡¯s eyes quietly. Neither spoke; neither broke eye contact. It had nearly been a year since they had seen each other in person. Both Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu suppressed their turbulent emotions beneath their calm exteriors. Xiao Yuanmu had changed drastically. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t been able to sense it over the phone before, but he could feel it now, standing in front of the other man. The Xiao Yuanmu from ten months ago gave off an aloof, tranquil impression. The current Xiao Yuanmu seemed unfathomable. Ten months ago, Song Xuanhe had been able to read the other¡¯s emotions. But now, he couldn¡¯t even tell whether Xiao Yuanmu was happy or not. Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand twitched as he finally looked away. ¡°Why are you here?¡± Xiao Yuanmu continued to stare at him. His chilly voice was heavy and carried a raspy quality to it. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you pick up my calls?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils trembled slightly. He then looked up to meet Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. ¡°You should know why.¡± ¡°I want to hear it from you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu walked over to Song Xuanhe. His handcrafted leather shoes let out soft thumps as they met with the floor. In less than two steps, he stood less than half a metre away from Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe had no choice but to raise his chin slightly now that they stood closer together. His lips were pursed slightly. ¡°You were the one who told Guan Zhi to follow me.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s reply was straight to the point. Song Xuanhe, who had thought that the other would not admit this, was taken aback. ¡°Are you angry at me for having asked Guan Zhi to check up on you?¡± Song Xuanhe subconsciously replied with a ¡°no.¡± ¡°Then, why are you upset?¡± ¡°Because¡­.¡± The words were at his lips, but he couldn¡¯t utter them out loud. Naturally, Guan Zhi hadn¡¯t been why he had refused to pick up Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calls. Although he didn¡¯t like the fact that Xiao Yuanmu had sent people to tail him, he knew what Xiao Yuanmu was like. That was why, even if he was a bit unhappy with it, it didn¡¯t really matter since he could just throw the other¡¯s subordinates off. It didn¡¯t really anger him. If he had been angry, he should have been angry a long time ago, when he had first found out that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people had been following him. He wouldn¡¯t have waited until now to let his anger re. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t tell Xiao Yuanmu the real reason he hadn¡¯t picked up the other¡¯s calls. ¡°No reason,¡± Song Xuanhe looked away and spoke in a cool voice, ¡°I just didn¡¯t want to answer.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curved up upon seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s expressionless face. His gaze fell onto Song Xuanhe¡¯s slightly pink ears, and his fingers twitched. He then followed his heart¡¯s desire and touched Song Xuanhe¡¯s ear, caressing the exquisite, plump earlobe between his index finger and thumb. Song Xuanhe froze before widening his eyes and pping at the other¡¯s hand. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t let go. He instead squeezed a bit tighter, and his eyes met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s unkind ones. ¡°When you lie, your ears turn red.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils shook slightly. He then pulled the other¡¯s hand off and retorted in a calm voice, ¡°My ears are red cause it¡¯s hot. Your ears are also red. Why¡¯s that?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Because, I saw you.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression nked as if he hadn¡¯t understood what the other had just said. Therefore, Xiao Yuanmu repeated himself in a mild tone: ¡°They¡¯re red, because I saw you.¡± Despite this, his current expression was not of someone who had finally gotten to see the person he¡¯d been missing after a long time apart. Song Xuanhe suddenly felt like the ear that Xiao Yuanmu had touched was on fire. The fire spread from his ear to his throat and eyes. Even his lips felt dry. Song Xuanhe licked his lips and looked away. He didn¡¯t know what to say. The calm atmosphere had taken a weird turn. It felt like someone had turned up the thermostat. Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind whirled. His lips pulled into a straight line. Ultimately, he managed to raise another subject. ¡°I heard that you are nning to move RE¡¯s headquarters to China.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Now that they were talking about something serious, Song Xuanhe sighed in relief. He wanted to drag this conversation on, so he added: ¡°RE¡¯s prospects are better in America than in China. Even if you want to expand to China, you can just set up another branch here¡ªyou don¡¯t have to move your headquarters. Alternatively, you can push your ns to move your headquarters five years into the future. That would be the most profitable decision for you.¡± ¡°Do you like America?¡± Song Xuanhe instinctively sensed danger upon hearing this seemingly random question. His eyshes trembled slightly, and he raised a brow as he regarded Xiao Yuanmu guardedly. He deliberated a while before giving an ambiguous answer. ¡°I don¡¯t love it, but I don¡¯t hate it either.¡± ¡°What about China?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows stayed raised. ¡°It¡¯s about the same.¡± ¡°What about me?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I said¡­.¡± His lips pursed. He could see a smile in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. Their gazes were interlocked now. Xiao Yuanmu took a step forward and wrapped his arms around Song Xuanhe, his chin pressing down onto the other¡¯s shoulder. His whisper shook Song Xuanhe to the core: ¡°I missed you so much.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s body grew rigid. His hands awkwardly rose and fell several times. A long timeter, he simply settled on making a ¡°mn¡± sound. Right after, Song Xuanhe grew nervous. He was worried that Xiao Yuanmu would ask him if he missed him or not. He started to consider how he would respond. But, Xiao Yuanmu only seemed to want to hold him. He didn¡¯t say a thing. Song Xuanhe let Xiao Yuanmu hug him. He shut his eyes. A faint, cool scent filled his nose. Creak¡ª ¡°Oh!¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes snapped open and met Louis¡¯s grin. Louis held the door open with one hand and waved with the other. While he had sounded surprised, there was no remorse in his voice. ¡°Sorry to interrupt. Mr. Feng asked me to pass a word over to Mr. Song. There¡¯s less than twenty minutes until the start of the show. You should probably head over now.¡± Song Xuanhe let go of Xiao Yuanmu¡ªand, it was only in that moment that he realized that he had returned the hug at some unknown point in time. He took a panicked step back and then nodded at Louis. After thanking the other man, he left with hurried steps. Louis watched as Song Xuanhe left before shrugging and spreading his hands out. ¡°Friend, don¡¯t me me for interrupting you two. Oh, but I really am shocked. I had thought that the two of you would be locked in some more intense action considering how long you two had been apart. I had even specifically reminded the employees to avoid this room. I had never expected that¡­.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was frosty, and his pitch-ck eyes were dark. In a freezing tone, he said, ¡°What hadn¡¯t you expected?¡± ¡°I had never expected to see such a vibrant expression on your face.¡± Louis shook his head and sighed. ¡°Oh¡­I really should take a picture and then show everyone else at thepany what you look like angry. They think that nothing can affect you unless it¡¯s a phone call, that you can¡¯t smile or get angry.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him an icy re before walking over to the ce Song Xuanhe had been sitting during the interview. Louis walked over and sat opposite of him. He raised a brow. ¡°What? Were my tricks useful?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stroked the cup of coffee Song Xuanhe had taken a sip out of. He didn¡¯t respond. Louis smiled. ¡°I can tell that they worked. This is the culmination of my fifteen years of experience starting from whenI was ten. Although this amount of time isn¡¯t long enough to make me an expert, it¡¯s enough to give you some good pointers.¡± ¡°How many pointers have you tried?¡± Louis asked curiously. Xiao Yuanmu muttered to himself for a bit before answering in a t voice, ¡°Changing the subject, following the conventional form for conversations, and ending the topic when it¡¯s not working.¡± Louis shook his head. ¡°In such a short amount of time, you¡¯ve actually already used three strategies. Looks like Song hasn¡¯t fallen for youpletely yet. Ah, but the fact that he¡¯s able to treat you the same way he used to before your long separation proves that Song is a very persistent person, who¡¯s likely to be in it for the long run once he falls. Typically speaking, if a person like him falls in love, he¡¯ll hold onto that love stubbornly. But if he doesn¡¯t like you, it¡¯s extremely difficult to sway him. Luckily, he has some feelings for you. Right now, all you have to do is to appear in front of him as much as you can and deepen his feelings for you.¡± ¡°However, I don¡¯t approve of moving RE to China.¡± Louis suddenly changed the topic. ¡°Xiao, this isn¡¯t a decision you can make on your own. You know I hold just as much authority as you do. I will oppose any suggestions that offer no benefits to the development of thepany. I also believe that the biggest opposition to the transfer to China won¡¯t be from me but the Xiao Family.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down, his eyes on the already cold cup of coffee. ¡°I¡¯ve already made my choice.¡± Louis¡¯s smile dimmed. He knew what Xiao Yuanmu was implying. The other man was extremely obstinate whenever he made a decision. Nothing would change his mind. But, this was no trifling matter. He would not allow his friend and business partner to use thepany they had built up so painstakingly as a gimmick in his pursuit of another man. ¡°I don¡¯t agree,¡± Louis said with a serious tone, ¡°Unless you can convince me with a proper reason¡ªaside from the fact that it will help you with your love life¡ªI will oppose it to the end. I also believe that the rest of the executive team will be on my side.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t oppose this.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, his eyes revealing his inner calm. ¡°You won¡¯t either.¡± Louis frowned. ¡°I do absolutely oppose this. Xiao, I know that love is important. I know that Song means the world to you. I know just how much you love him and how much he loves you. But, the distance between you two won¡¯t necessarily affect your feelings for each other. It doesn¡¯t matter if you¡¯re in America or China, you¡¯re free to date. Even if he prefers China, he can take a private jet over every week. Moreover, he¡¯s a designer. Excuse my frankness, but as a designer, his prospects in China are nothingpared to¡­.¡± ¡°What did you just say?¡± Louis said, ¡°As a designer, his prospects in¡­.¡± ¡°Not that,¡± Xiao Yuanmu directly asked, ¡°Why do you think Song Xuanhe loves me?¡± Louis was perplexed. ¡°Do I need a reason? You can¡¯t hide the love in your eyes when you like someone.¡± When Louis saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes suddenly light up, he corrected himself at once: ¡°But I¡¯ve told you before, you probably love him way more than he loves you. But, you can¡¯t deepen his feelings for you just by staying in the same¡­Xiao! Where are you going?!¡± Eve: Silent hugs make me soft. Kara: From here on, every chapter is going to make me cry. Whether it¡¯s from sadness or joy is a surprise for you guys. (¡ä£»¦Ø£»`) xiin: they¡¯re so¡­ awkwardly cute. Chapter 122: Salute and Shake Hands trantor: Eve editor: xiin By the time Xiao Yuanmu caught up, the backstage area was already closed off. Non-staff members were not allowed to enter. The bodyguard could tell that Xiao Yuanmu was a wealthy person just by his aura. Therefore, he was polite while denying him ess and even asked, ¡°Sir, who do you want to speak to? Perhaps I can help you get in touch with them.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t want to disturb Song Xuanhe right now because he knew how important this show was to the other party. Therefore, he said, ¡°No need.¡± Louis had also caught up at this point. He so happened to catch sight of Xiao Yuanmu turning around. ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Louis asked, ¡°Are you not going to see Song?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and spoke tly, ¡°He needs to focus.¡± Louis walked back with him, a smile on his face. ¡°Let¡¯s go. The show¡¯s about to start. I was moved by the designs I saw in your office. I can¡¯t wait to see his products. I think that his designs suit me well. Actually, everything would look good on me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave him a mild nce and then spat out three cold words: ¡°Doesn¡¯t suit you.¡± ¡°Impossible.¡± Louis shook his head, a sliver of arrogance in his voice. ¡°Trust me. Very few designers would decline the chance to see their clothing on me. Song wouldn¡¯t be an exception.¡± Xiao Yuanmu quickened his pace and didn¡¯t bother casting the other party another look. Twenty minutes passed and the show formallymenced. All of the guests were already seated for the show. Some people were discussing the designs on the stage with hushed voices. There was undisguised admiration and praise for the style. Of course, many more people were focused on Xiao Yuanmu, Louis and Guan Zhi in the front row. There was no way the majority of these guests hade to a no-name designer¡¯s debut show for the sake of the designer. Their motives were obvious¨Cthey hade for a chance to get to know a few of these bigshots who were difficult to meet under normal circumstances. Xiao Yuanmu was one example. To their delighted surprise, aside from the designer¡¯s boyfriend, Xiao Yuanmu, and Guan Zhi, who was rumoured to be this designer¡¯s good friend, the sessor of the Hoffman and James¡¯ Families had also shown up. Representatives of four of the eight major financial groups had gathered at the debut show of a nameless designer. This was rare, even for a banquet of the highest level. The people here who hade to get connections were so worked up their faces had turned bright red. Even if they couldn¡¯t hold a conversation with these big shots, or even receive their business cards, being able to sit in the same ce and watch the same show as them was already something they could brag about in the future. While there were some people who were able to control their excitement, some people couldn¡¯t. One middle-aged man brought a pretty young man with him as they made their way through the neat aisles. They crowded into the front row, grins on their faces as they reached Xiao Yuanmu. The middle aged man greeted Xiao Yuanmu with an excited tone, ¡°Mr. Xiao, do you remember me? we met at a banquet back in the Capital.¡± The easygoing music that signalled that the start of the show would soon begin was already ying. The guests who knew of the rules had already settled down. The majority of those who weren¡¯t familiar with the rules had also lowered their voices. Therefore, this man¡¯s voice was especially clear. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze sank slightly. His eyes swept over the bashful smile on the young man¡¯s face, a sneer appearing in his eyes. He replied in a t voice, ¡°Mr. Bai, Bai Mo shaoye.¡± Mr. Bai nodded promptly, his smile growing all the more radiant. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect for Mr. Xiao to remember us. You were wronged at the banquet at our clubst time. I¡¯ve felt so guilty over that. Bai Mo also admires you greatly, so I¡¯ve been hoping to treat you to a meal as repentance. You¡¯re both young. It¡¯s easy for you young people to make friends. Mr. Xiao, how about it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that will be necessary.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone was rxed. As he lowered his voice, a sliver of coldness seeped into his voice. ¡°I don¡¯t like to share meals with those that don¡¯t know how to conduct themselves in public.¡± Mr. Bai was taken aback. The editor-in-chief of a fashion magazine who was sitting beside Xiao Yuanmu frowned. He whispered, ¡°Sir, the show is about to start. Please return to your seat. You¡¯re disturbing others.¡± When Bai Mo heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response, his smile had turned rigid. When he heard the displeased tone in the editor-in-chief¡¯s reminder, his face flushed even more. He promptly tugged on his father¡¯s sleeve and quietly said, ¡°Father, Song shaoye¡¯s show is about to start. We cane back to invite Mr. Xiao to a mealter.¡± Mr. Bai was a bit unresigned to this and red at the editor-in-chief before smiling tteringly at Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Yes, yes, yes, it is I who was negligent. We can talk after the show¡¯s over.¡± Bai Mo gave Xiao Yuanmu an apologetic smile. He came in close and whispered into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s ear, ¡°Sorry, it¡¯s my father¡¯s first time at a fashion show. I hope that you¡¯ll ept my apology on his behalf.¡± Xiao Yuanmu swept an expressionless gaze over Bai Mo¡¯s flushed face and took in the look in the other¡¯s eyes. While they weren¡¯t particrly good-looking, they looked pure and limpid. The corner of his lips rose. ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Bai Mo grinned at Xiao Yuanmu and then dragged his father away. ¡°Who was that?¡± Louis squeezed closer and whispered. ¡°He seems really interested in you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips were still curled upwards. ¡°Is that so?¡± Louis shrugged. ¡°I can see that you¡¯re also interested in him, albeit in a different way. I¡¯m going to have a moment of silence for that young man.¡± After saying that, he sat up straight. He watched the stage with an earnest appearance, but there was still a look of schadenfreude in the corner of his eyes. Perhaps the appearance of a rival-in-love would better the rtionship between Song and Xiao. He wondered if that would cause a conflict toe between them. Tut tut tut, he really looked forward to seeing what happened. The easygoing music gradually quieted down. The lights on the stage started to dim. They could now hear something that sounded like flowing water, like the sound spring water made while trickling into a stream. Mixed in was the steady rhythm of a drum beat. The models came into view as they walked to the rhythm of the drum, walking down the ck and blue runway. ¡°This¡­¡± After the first model left the stage, Louis couldn¡¯t help but lean over to Xiao Yuanmu again. He spoke at a level that only Xiao Yuanmu could hear. ¡°The model just now seemed kind of familiar. Is he a famous model in China? I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen him in any magazines. But the clothes look good on him. Song¡¯s good at picking models.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was already on the second model. He examined the model¡¯s clothing and then said, ¡°They¡¯d look better on me.¡± Louis paused. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm profile with aplicated gaze, then rolled his eyes before straightening up. After the show ended, Louis had no choice but to admit that more than half of the clothes he saw today probably would look better on Xiao Yuanmu than the models. It was true that the editor-in-chief had praised the show and that the other spectators had a good reaction to the clothes, but Louis, who had seen the original designs and the drawing of Xiao Yuanmu wearing thest suit of the show, couldn¡¯t help but think a bit differently. He thought that Song Xuanhe really had designed these clothes with Xiao Yuanmu in mind. Although every single piece was exceptional, the models had no way of bringing them out perfectly. That was the only thing Louis found regretful. The moment he saw Song Xuanhe, he told him of his thoughts. Song Xuanhe smiled and said, ¡°Thank you for your praise. But I think that the models all did a wonderful job.¡± Louis grinned back, his gaze falling on the model he had found familiar earlier. He asked, ¡°The first model also wore thest suit, right? What¡¯s his name? He seems familiar to me. I also think that after today, he¡¯s going to be receiving invitations from all sorts of famous brands.¡± Song Xuanhe followed Louis¡¯s gaze. When he saw Yu Zhong, his smile widened. He told Louis his name, ¡°Yu Zhong¡¯s my friend. If Mr. Louis has those kinds of connections, I¡¯d be happy to introduce the two of you.¡± Louis examined Yu Zhong, who already had his makeup removed. He then waved at the model. Afterwards, he told Song Xuanhe, ¡°He seems less familiar like this. But don¡¯t worry. I don¡¯t think he¡¯ll need my connections. Many people will be contacting his manager.¡± After Xiao Yuanmu finally managed to break free from the crowd of people trying to strike up a conversation with him using a myriad of excuses, he saw Song Xuanhe and Yu Zhong standing together with Louis. They seemed to be chatting very happily. He walked over to Song Xuanhe and straightened out the other¡¯s tie without batting an eye. With a mild voice, he said, ¡°Congrattions. Your debut was extremely sessful.¡± Although Song Xuanhe was surprised by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s sudden action, he didn¡¯t think much of it. He was indeed overjoyed by his sess today. He smiled at the other. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°Oh, but since these were designed for me,¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, eyes bearing into Song Xuanhe¡¯s, ¡°The clothes you promised me should reach me really soon, right?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe had prepared the clothes for Xiao Yuanmu a long time ago. Furthermore, he didn¡¯t know why, but the clothes he cut and tailored himself had all unwittingly ended up in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s size. When the models had tried on the clothes, a lot of them had found that the size was off. Even so, Song Xuanhe had not altered the original clothing. He had decided to make a second version of each piece for the models. The outfits the models wore at the show today would be kept at the studio. Most of them were only meant to show off his style, anyway. His ready-made collection would not be the same. They would reflect his style but would also be altered to be more suitable for everyday asions or special events. That meant that the clothes Song Xuanhe had kept for Xiao Yuanmu were one-of-a-kind. The show had just ended so many people were asking about getting custom-made orders for the pieces they saw today. Many designers would make several additional versions of the pieces that were disyed on the runway. Giving these high-end guests their clothes was also a form of publicity. However, when Song Xuanhe heard Feng Tong tell him that there were people who wanted to order his pieces, Song Xuanhe had declined without considering it. These clothes had been designed with Xiao Yuanmu in mind. That meant that it would be best if only he was allowed to wear them. Yu Zhong, who had heard Song Xuanhe decline making clothes for the guests, had pursed his lips. When Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze drifted over discreetly, he took a half-step back. With his body, he blocked Shi Qi, who had run over to speak to Song Xuanhe with excitement. Chapter 123: Grinning and Nodding trantor: Eve editor: xiin ¡°Song still hasn¡¯t given the clothes to you?¡± Feng Tong, who had just so happened to overhear what Xiao Yuanmu had said, walked over with a smile on his face. He sounded a bit surprised. ¡°The first versions of his clothing¡­. Or rather, all of the clothes on the stage today were not the first editions he had made. Every single piece he made had been in ordance to your measurements. They¡¯ve been ready for a long time now. I thought he had already given them to you.¡± The moment Feng Tong had opened his mouth, Song Xuanhe had wanted to stop him. But he thought that he would seem even more suspicious if he were to do that. Therefore, he remained silent. After Feng Tong finished speaking, he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes light up. Song Xuanhe replied in a mild tone: ¡°I made them in your size only because it was convenient. I didn¡¯t alter any of them afterwards. They probably don¡¯t look as good as the ones on the stage. If you don¡¯t like them¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll like them.¡± There was a shallow curve to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips. When he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze on him, the corner of his eyes also raised slightly. His long, straight eyshes didn¡¯t seem as sharp as they usually did. It was difficult for him to hide his joy. It was the first time Louis had seen Xiao Yuanmu show such a childish expression, like he was really happy but didn¡¯t want anyone to see it. His eyes widened in shock and he turned to look at Yang Jie, mouthing, ¡°This isn¡¯t the Xiao I know!¡± It was also rare for Yang Jie to see Xiao Yuanmu like this. But he wasn¡¯t so shocked he thought it was a miracle, like Louis. He remained very calm, almost Buddha-like¡­. As long as Xiao ge was with Song Xuanhe, anything could happen. Feng Tong realized that he had misspoken when he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply. He gave Song Xuanhe an apologetic look and then changed the topic. ¡°Gentleman, the banquet is about to start. Would you all be heading over with us?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded slightly as he grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. Song Xuanhe looked up at Song Xuanhe, taken back. He couldn¡¯t read any emotions in the other¡¯s eyes, as if the other thought that this was normal between them. ¡¾I don¡¯t have any information on Xiao Yuanmu anymore. I¡¯ve lost a lot of his data. But even without the data, I feel like he¡¯s different from how he had been in the past.¡¿ Before the System had spoken up, Song Xuanhe had also thought the same thing. Ten months ago, even when Xiao Yuanmu had wanted to hold his hand, the aura he gave off seemed to say ¡®I want to hold your hand, please don¡¯t refuse. Even if you do, I¡¯m still going to hold your hand.¡¯ But now, when Xiao Yuanmu held his hand, he acted like nothing had happened. If it wasn¡¯t because Song Xuanhe could feel how tightly the other¡¯s grip was, he would have thought that the other had identally grabbed hold of his hand while shaking out his own. It was just that, with Xiao Yuanmu acting like this, it would only make himself seem all the more unreasonable if he were to throw the other¡¯s hand off. Song Xuanhe looked down and stared at their interlocked fingers. He wondered what had changed, to make Xiao Yuanmu so¡­smooth. ¡¾You¡¯re not imagining things.¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes narrowed. He was forced to follow after Feng Tong with his hand in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. With no expression on your face, he said£º¡¾He¡¯s definitely different.¡¿ ¡¾Humans are such strange creatures.¡¿The Systemmented£º¡¾But time is even more strange. Time doesn¡¯t exist for us systems. But you humans have managed to put a unit of measurement on time. And because of that, you humans change unpredictably as time passes. We systems never experience unpredictable urrences. ¡¿ ¡¾Does that include your predictions of human decisions?¡¿Song Xuanhe asked. ¡¾Of course.¡¿The System said£º¡¾We analyze the data toe up with every possible choice a human may make. We then calcte the probability of each decision. Everything is predictable.¡¿ ¡¾Then can you predict¡­.¡¿ ¡°Mr. Xiao, you¡¯re finally here.¡± The party had arrived at the location of the banquet. Mr. Bai was standing not far from the entrance with Bai Mo. When they saw Song Xuanhe and them, Mr. Bai promptly dragged Bai Mo over to greet them. When he noticed Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s entwined fingers, he paused, before continuing with a grin on his face: ¡°Song shao, congrattions on the sess of your show. If it weren¡¯t because your clothes are better-suited for young people, I would buy a few myself. But they will definitely suit Bai Mo. I¡¯ve already put an order in for all the clothes that were featured in your show.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly, the corner of his lips rising a bit. He smiled back. ¡°Thank you, Mr. Bai.¡± ¡°No need to call me Mr. Bai.¡± Mr. Bai pretended to be upset. ¡°You and Mr. Xiao are both Bai Mo¡¯s friends. Call me Uncle Bai. Mr. Bai sounds too formal.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. The smile on his lips didn¡¯t reach his eyes as he turned to look at Bai Mo, who stood behind Mr. Bai. He didn¡¯t reply. Bai Mo looked at Xiao Yuanmu, his lips pursed. He saw that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was fixed on Song Xuanhe the whole time, so he tugged on his father¡¯s arm. ¡°Dad, I¡¯ve only met Song shao and Mr. Xiao a few times. We can¡¯t be considered friends.¡± ¡°You young people can be considered friends after just a few meetings. It¡¯s not like I said you were dating. What are you being so awkward for?¡± Mr. Baiughed, ¡°Besides, you young people are also reckless when ites to love. After meeting a few times, you¡¯ll start to say that you want to be with someone for the rest of your life out of impulse. Some people even forget all about the unhappy events in the past while lovesick. It must be even easier to make friends, right?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze darkened slightly. He was about to reply why he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chilly voice in his ear. ¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± ¡°Regardless of whether it¡¯s a friend or a lover, no one would choose to associate with someone without considering it rationally.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was cool and his tone was calm. But for some reason, Louis and the rest of them felt like there was a look of derision in his eyes. ¡°Secondly, Xuanhe has always been cautious when making friends. Not just anyone can be friends with him. I¡¯m the same.¡± As soon as Xiao Yuanmu spoke, the venue fell silent. Aside from the editor-in-chiefs of magazines and the models, the rest of the banquet¡¯s guests wasprised of a third of the world¡¯s most well-known figures. They hade for Xiao Yuanmu. Therefore, when Xiao Yuanmu arrived, it hadn¡¯t been just Mr. Bai who had noticed. They all had. It was just that Mr. Bai had been the quickest. When he dragged Bai Mo to chat with Xiao Yuanmu, it wasn¡¯t like they could go over and interrupt them. Furthermore, they didn¡¯t know Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s personality well. They wanted to figure out Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s discourse style while listening to their conversation. When they heard Xiao Yuanmu shoot the other down so ruthlessly, they all subconsciously closed their mouths, their gazes gathering on Mr. Bai. Mr. Bai, the centre of attention at present, stared at Xiao Yuanmu in shock. It was obvious that he hadn¡¯t expected Xiao Yuanmu to embarrass him like this in public. From what he knew, Xiao Yuanmu and his son had a good rtionship. Even if he joked a bit as an elder, Xiao Yuanmu shouldn¡¯t get angry. There was a reason why he thought this. Mr. Bai remembered that Xiao Yuanmu had treated everyone very indifferently before he had been found by the Xiao Family. Although he didn¡¯t pay much attention to the young man, he had seen how he and Song Xuanhe had interacted from afar. At that time, Xiao Yuanmu had not treated Song Xuanhe like one would treat their lover. Song Xuanhe had been the same. No one else would think much of it, but Mr. Bai was different. He has had many ex-wives and lovers. He had a lot of experience in the dating world. With one nce, he had been able to tell that Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t have a good rtionship. Meanwhile, Xiao Yuanmu treated Bai Mo differently. Back then, he had seen it clearly. The first time Xiao Yuanmu hadid eyes on Bai Mo, his expression had been different. Back then, Bai Mo had also helped Xiao Yuanmu out as well. Under these circumstances, Bai Mo would inevitably be special to Xiao Yuanmu. He had tested his theory before the show had started today as well. He had asked around before, inquiring about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s personality after the other had returned to the Xiao Family. He had heard that Xiao Yuanmu was even more aloof than before. Even when his seniors, who were both much older than him and had much more experience than he did, tried to talk to him, he treated them very coldly. In contrast, Xiao Yuanmu had been very patient with them when he had brought Bai Mo more. What did this mean? This meant that Bai Mo was special to Xiao Yuanmu! He had heard of Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship before. However, he had thought that it was just a casual rtionship kids tended to have. So when Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s identity was revealed, Mr. Bai thought that this was a perfect opportunity. He didn¡¯t know how much of their rtionship was real. But what he did know was that the fact that Song Xuanhe had forced Xiao Yuanmu to be with him in the beginning was true. One of his employees had grown up in the same orphanage as Xiao Yuanmu. Originally, he had only approached the young employee because he wanted to figure out how to approach Xiao Yuanmu. He didn¡¯t expect to find out that Song Xuanhe had threatened Xiao Yuanmu with the orphanage. The young employee had exined things very carefully. He had even recounted their conversation. He had also said that he had been standing outside, eavesdropping, which meant that there was no way he could be wrong. When Mr. Bai recalled what Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe¡¯s interactions had looked like, he believed the young employee. After carefully deliberating over this, a restless feeling started to emerge in his chest. If Xiao Yuanmu was still willing to be with Song Xuanhe despite what the other had done, why couldn¡¯t his son¡ªwho Xiao Yuanmu had a good impression of¡ªrece Song Xuanhe as the future spouse of the Xiao Family¡¯s head? As soon as this thought had popped up in his head, he had been unable to resist implementing it. When he thought of the glory the Song Family enjoyed at present, he couldn¡¯t stop himself from imagining how much honour the Bai Family would receive if Bai Mo and Xiao Yuanmu got married. The Bai Family¡¯s corporation would be able to grow extensively. The more he thought about it, the more he didn¡¯t want to let go of this opportunity. Therefore, he looked for a chance to bump into Xiao Yuanmu. As soon as he got it, he rushed on over to implement his n. It was just that, he had never expected that Xiao Yuanmu would publicly refute him without any mercy. ¡°Sorry.¡± Bai Mo came forward. It was probably out of shame and indignation, but both his eyes and cheeks were flushed. He nced at Song Xuanhe and then addressed Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Mr. Xiao, I hope you¡¯ll forgive him. He heard that we were in contact in China so he thought we were friends. It¡¯s my fault for not clearing things up with him. Let me apologize. I hope that you aren¡¯t angry.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger twitched, stopping Xiao Yuanmu from replying. He then smiled at Bai Mo and said, ¡°Bai shao, I¡¯ll ept your apology on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s behalf. But the banquet is about to start and everyone¡¯s waiting for us. Can you let us through?¡± The author has something to say: Xiao Yuanmu: Showed everyone who Song Xuanhe belonged to out of his own volition. Song Xuanhe: Was forced to show everyone who Xiao Yuanmu belonged to. Eve: ¡­Is¡­that¡­jealousy I smell¡­Song Xuanhe? Chapter 124: Found a Good Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara Aside from the small episode at the beginning, the celebratory banquet went off without a hitch. After the majority of the guests had left, Feng Tong grinned at Song Xuanhe, who was standing behind Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You should take a vacation. No need to rush back home.¡± He then nodded at Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Goodbye.¡± Following Feng Tong¡¯s departure, the only people left in the banquet hall, aside from the hotel¡¯s employees, who were cleaning up, were Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu. Louis and the rest had left midway during the banquet as they had other ns. ¡°Where are you staying?¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked. Song Xuanhe told him the name of the hotel he was staying at. Xiao Yuanmu chuckled. ¡°Are you avoiding me?¡± Although the hotel was very good, it was in a different district, which meant that it was far from both Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany and apartment. ¡°I need a quiet ce to find inspiration,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Since the banquet¡¯s over, you should head home. I should be going too.¡± ¡°I came with Louis and them,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said. Song Xuanhe raised a brow, and Xiao Yuanmu rified: ¡°They took the car. My phone¡¯s dead, so I can¡¯t call for anyone toe pick me up.¡± ¡°What a coincidence,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I don¡¯t have an international license, so I called for a cab. Since you don¡¯t have a ride, I¡¯ll have the driver take you back first. You live close by, so it won¡¯t take much time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him and asked, ¡°Do couples usually live apart after finally reuniting after a year-long absence?¡± ¡°No,¡± Song Xuanhe spread out his hands, ¡°But, it¡¯s normal for couples who have already broken up.¡± Xiao Yuanmu then said, ¡°Then, we¡¯ll do what¡¯s normal.¡± Song Xuanhe was a bit surprised by how fast Xiao Yuanmu had epted it this time. He didn¡¯t think too much of it as he followed the other out to the car. The driver was a Chinese man, but he didn¡¯t speak much. Not only was he not chatty nor enthusiastic over meeting apatriot, but also when Song Xuanhe had asked him to go to a different address, he only nodded. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment was very close to the hotel. In less than fifteen minutes, the car had arrived at the foot of the building. The driver opened the door for Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu got out but didn¡¯t step away from the car. Song Xuanhe had thought that he wanted to say goodbye, so he waved his hand. ¡°See ya.¡± Who would have expected that the driver woulde over to his side and open his door as he had said this? The driver quietly said, ¡°Mr. Song, please step out of the car.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. A bad premonition shed through his mind, but he still tried to exin things to the driver as he clung onto hisst sliver of hope. ¡°I want to go to the hotel I had mentioned while making the reservation. This is just a stop on the way. You can take me back now.¡± The driver didn¡¯t reply. He simply kept holding the door open as he stared at Song Xuanhe. The vein in Song Xuanhe¡¯s forehead throbbed. He then turned to face Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing outside. His smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes as he said, ¡°Is he one of yours?¡± ¡°The Xiao Family has been unstable as ofte,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said tly, ¡°I don¡¯t feel rest assured, letting an outsider receive you.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled in anger. ¡°So, you were misleading me just now? You said all that just to get into the same car as me? You had even said that we should do what normal people do.¡± ¡°Normal couples stay in the same ce. Didn¡¯t you agree?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up. The smile in his eyes waspletely undisguised. ¡°But, I said that we¡¯ve already broken up.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was still smiling¡ªthe smile even deepening as he said, ¡°You had also said that we should just act upon what we think is true.¡± Only then did Song Xuanhe understand what Xiao Yuanmu had meant. Xiao Yuanmu believed that they were still together. Therefore, he wanted to do what other couples typically did. Moreover, he didn¡¯t mind that Song Xuanhe acted like they had already broken up, because he had ways to force him to have no choice but to follow along. After having found out that the driver was one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people, Song Xuanhe knew that there was no way he¡¯d be able to go back to the hotel today. In any case, he was exhausted. He also knew that Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t be able to do anything to him even if they spent the night together. Therefore, Song Xuanhe finally got out of the car after side-eyeing Xiao Yuanmu. After ten months apart, Xiao Yuanmu hadpletely changed. Song Xuanhe was also very puzzled over who he had learned these tactics from! Louis, who was in a nearby apartment, arm wrapped around his girlfriend as they watched a movie, suddenly sneezed. ¡°Dear, are you okay?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Louis tightened his robe and smiled, ¡°It¡¯s probably because it¡¯s a bit chilly today.¡± * Song Xuanhe followed Xiao Yuanmu into the elevator, his arms crossed as he watched the elevator climb floor after floor. From the corner of his eye, he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s slightly raised lips, so he turned away. The elevator door opened. Tap, tap, tap¡­Something seemed to being closer. A fat Chinese Field Dog that reached Song Xuanhe¡¯s knees came running over, whimpering. His tail swung side to side, and it seemed like he wanted to pounce onto Xiao Yuanmu. When he saw Song Xuanhe, he barked at him. Song Xuanhe stared at the chubby dog, which was about to jump on them, in shock. After taking a moment to consider his words, he said, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this should be the puppy we had picked up at the orphanage, right? The one that was only the size of my palm? What do you feed him? Did you inject hormones into him?¡± Song Xuanhe emphasized the words: ¡°Only the size of my palm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just normal puppy chow.¡± Xiao Yuanmu bent down and rubbed the dog¡¯s head, the sliver of augh in his voice. ¡°But, he¡¯s good at finding the dog food. He¡¯s usually unable to jump onto chairs, but if it¡¯s for dog food, he manages to do it somehow. So as that kept going on, he ended up a bit chubby.¡± When Song Xuanhe heard him say ¡°a bit chubby,¡± his lips twitched. ¡°If you wash him, his fur won¡¯t be able to hide his fat.¡± ¡°Woof, woof, woof!¡± The dog didn¡¯t understand Song Xuanhe¡¯s ridicule, but he seemed to remember him. He ran over to Song Xuanhe and bumped his leg with his nose. He thenid down. It seemed like he wanted Song Xuanhe to rub his tummy. Song Xuanhe took a step back, his tone bing a bitplicated. ¡°Is he always this friendly?¡± ¡°Only to you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu pulled out a pair of slippers from the shoe rack. ¡°Xiao Huang (TN: Little Yellow) probably still remembers you.¡± Song Xuanhe changed his shoes. Under the dog¡¯s relentless probing and rubbing, Song Xuanhe gave in and rubbed his belly with disdain on his face. He murmured to the dog quietly: ¡°Only for a little bit.¡± He had only seen this little fat dog a few times. The longest time they had interacted with each other, the dog had peed on him¡ªthat had also been the first night they had met. At that time, the dog had been a skinny puppy. Nearly a year had passed, and the little puppy¡¯s weight had increased five-fold. There was no way this dog still remembered him. While Song Xuanhe had only nned to pet the little fatty¡ªwait no, Xiao Huang¡ª for a moment, the dog seemed to really like him. He followed after Song Xuanhe the whole time. He even ignored Xiao Yuanmu, who had gone to prepare a midnight snack. Song Xuanhe had never really liked animals. He was really irritated, being followed around everywhere by this little fat dog. He shouted to Xiao Yuanmu, who had gone somewhere unknown, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu! Hurry up and shoo your stupid dog away! I want to use the washroom!¡± Xiao Yuanmu appeared with a hot pot in his hands. He also had an apron tied around his waist. Song Xuanhe was taken aback by his appearance. A few secondster, he realized how he probably looked to the other. He was currently at the entrance to the washroom, both hands on the frame of the door. He was using his foot to nudge Xiao Huang outwards, but the little dog was robust and nimble. Song Xuanhe would nudge him a bit away, and a secondter, he would find another crevice to wiggle into. ¡°What kind of obsession is this?¡± He had been fighting with Xiao Huang for five minutes now. Song Xuanheughed out of anger. ¡°Does he usually follow you into the washroom?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell onto Xiao Huang, who was trying his best to squeeze into the bathroom, his little butt wiggling in the air. He then looked at Song Xuanhe, who was guarding the door and blocking the dog while also afraid of hurting the dog. A smile appeared in his eyes, but he hid it quickly. He said, ¡°It¡¯s probably because he¡­on you¡­so that¡¯s why he¡¯s so attached.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°¡­¡± ¡°Use a treat or something to lead him away.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. With a hushed voice, he said, ¡°He¡¯s so fat, there¡¯s no way he¡¯ll be able to resist the temptation. Go get what he likes to eat the most.¡± ¡°His favourite thing to eat is the dog food he just had.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was one of helplessness. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t believe his fake expression of helplessness. Xiao Yuanmu clearly looked like he was looking forward to the show. But, Song Xuanhe really needed to go to the bathroom right now. He didn¡¯t have the time to face-off with Xiao Yuanmu. All he could do was try to think of another way. ¡°What are you doing right now? You¡¯re making ate-night snack, right? Just by looking at how fat he is, I can tell that you aren¡¯t stingy with feeding him. Pour some in his bowl and lead him away from me.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard this, his expression changed a bit. When he didn¡¯t hear Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s response, Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°He can¡¯t eat human food.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand covered his mouth. He involuntarily let out a chuckle before he tried to cover it up with a cough. ¡°I¡¯m cooking egg in tomato sauce noodles. It¡¯s ate-night snack for you.¡± ¡°Woof!¡± Xiao Huang barked. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if he was refuting what he had said or backing Xiao Yuanmu up, but after that bark, the dog dove into the washroom during Song Xuanhe¡¯spse in attention. He then sat next to the toilet, his tail wagging as he looked at Song Xuanhe. It looked like he nned on watching him pee. Xiao Yuanmu nced at the kitchen: ¡°I¡¯m going to go cook the noodles.¡± He then left, not even looking back. Song Xuanhe, who had been nning on using a different washroom, didn¡¯t get a chance to speak up and ask where the other washrooms were. In the end, he could only helplessly relieve himself awkwardly under Xiao Huang¡¯s surveince. Afterwards, he and the dog¡ªone with a cold expression while the other appeared jubnt¡ªheaded into the dining room. Song Xuanhe sat down on a chair, and Xiao Huang nted himself down next to him, his tail wagging. Xiao Yuanmu carried the bowl of noodles over and ced it in front of Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°Just who is his owner? Also, why does he keep poking my leg with his nose? Does he want to pee on me again?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at Xiao Huang, who had been giving him the cold shoulder after having first seen Song Xuanhe. He then looked at the other man. As he was about to reply, he heard Song Xuanhe ask, ¡°Does he want to eat the noodles? Will he calm down after eating them? Should we just give him some?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared at him. Song Xuanhe broke eye contact and continued, ¡°It should be fine to let him eat some human food once in a while. It¡¯s not like you¡¯re gonna give it to him all the time.¡± ¡°He can¡¯t have that.¡± Xiao Yuanmu rejected the proposal coldly. His eyes then softened, ¡°Besides, the reason he¡¯s following you is because you are the one who had saved him.¡± The author has something to say: ¡ª¡ªMy Song Xuanhe, even if the dog is the cutest, fattest, silliest dog, you cannot be soft-hearted! You absolutely cannot pet the doggy! ¡ª¡ªOnce you do, you¡¯ll never be able to stop. Eve: SXH not being able to deal with the dog is so funny. Chapter 125: Looking for a Friend trantor: Eve editor: xiin Song Xuanhe looked down at Xiao Huang, who was sitting beside his chair. Xiao Huang looked up at him curiously, head tilted. The dog and human pair stared at each other for a few seconds before Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Do you remember me?¡± Xiao Huang¡¯s head tilted to the other side. His dark, watery eyes bored into Song Xuanhe as he barked. Song Xuanhe looked up and said to Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°He doesn¡¯t remember me. You were wrong.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chin rested on one of his hands. He watched as Song Xuanhe dug in quietly,pletely ignoring the little fat dog that was barking at him. A whileter, a dark light shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes as he spoke in a low voice: ¡°Can I ask you a question?¡± Song Xuanhe had just taken hisst bite of noodles and was now wiping his lips. After he heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, his gaze turned wary. Xiao Yuanmu found his expression amusing, and his lips rose before he pressed them back into a straight line. The hand that was holding up his chin dropped down, and his fingers curled up, tapping quietly against the table. Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Why did it seem like you knew something would happen to Xiao Shenglin?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers curled more tightly around his chopsticks. There was a sliver of confusion in his otherwise calm eyes. ¡°Why are you asking this all of a sudden?¡± ¡°Just curious.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly, but the smile didn¡¯t reach his pitch-ck eyes. ¡°I don¡¯t know why, but I feel like everything you predict always ends up happening.¡± ¡°How could that be possible?¡± Song Xuanheughed, incredulity in his eyes as he teased, ¡°Have you been watching too many dramas? Predicting the future¡­or maybe I should say that you¡¯ve been reading too many fairy tales.¡± Xiao Yuanmu caught every single minute change in Song Xuanhe¡¯s expressions. He lowered his gaze, concealing the dark light in his eyes. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t read any emotion from his voice: ¡°I also hope that I¡¯m just overthinking things.¡± ¡°Of course you are.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s grip tightened around the napkin but the smile on his face was unchanging. He said, ¡°Maybe there¡¯s been too much going on with the Xiao Family and the pressure¡¯s getting to you. Perhaps it¡¯s causing you to imagine things or have weird dreams.¡± ¡°You really get me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, the meaning in his tone unclear. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why, but he couldn¡¯t meet Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He knew that Xiao Yuanmu was very perceptive. If he were to do anything that betrayed any guilt, Xiao Yuanmu would pick up on it and might realize that something was up. That¡¯s why Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t avoid looking him in the eye. ¡°I guess I know you better than I thought.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that your eyes were lying to me.¡± Song Xuanhe grew nervous but he waited calmly for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s next words. Unexpectedly, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t borate. Intead, he stood up and said, ¡°It¡¯s alreadyte. We should get ready for bed.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lip twitched. In the end, he suppressed his desire to ask what Xiao Yuanmu meant and pretended to be unaffected as he followed Xiao Yuanmu out. The uneasiness in his heart gradually increased. The uneasiness continued to rise until he entered the main bedroom. ¡°Am I sleeping here?¡± Song Xuanhe stood at the door. Xiao Yuanmu turned around and nodded. Song Xuanhe: ¡°What about you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°I only have one bed.¡± The implication was clear. Song Xuanhe sneered, ¡°And you still brought me here?¡± ¡°Under normal circumstances, couples usually share a bed.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°You should have expected this when you tacitly agreed that we should act as other couples do.¡± ¡°I tacitly agreed that we had already broken up.¡± ¡°Then why did you go to your ex-boyfriend¡¯s apartment?¡± Song Xuanhe folded his arm. He went straight to the point: ¡°I¡¯ll sleep on the sofa. You sleep in your own room.¡± ¡°The sofa belongs to Xiao Huang.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said inly, ¡°If you want to sleep with him, go for it.¡± Song Xuanhe rolled his eyes and walked back to the living room. Indeed, he was met with the sight of Xiao Huang lying down peacefully on the sofa. When Xiao Huang saw him, he got very excited, standing up to bound over to him. Song Xuanhe faced off against Xiao Huang for some time before ultimately deciding to go back to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s room. Xiao Yuanmu had taken a shower and was wearing only a pair of pyjama bottoms. He was currently drying his hair, and his expression didn¡¯t change when he saw Song Xuanhe walk in. It seemed like he had predicted this oue. ¡°There¡¯s new towels and toothbrushes in the bathroom. The pair of pyjamas inside is also new. You can wear that.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then headed into the washroom. Song Xuanhe rarely thought much about decisions he had already made. Since he had decided to sleep on the same bed as Xiao Yuanmu, he wouldn¡¯t feel awkward about it. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s washroom was huge. There was a new Jacuzzi in front of the French Window. There were also books, newspapers and a tablet inside. Song Xuanhe looked around and thought, workaholic, before undressing. He then took a quick shower. After his shower, he walked over to the shelf and found folded clothes. Song Xuanhe thought that these were the new clothes Xiao Yuanmu had mentioned. After putting them on, he realized that it was perfectly his size. As he did up the buttons, he paused. The style and material were both his favourites. ¡¾Has Xiao Yuanmu sensed something?¡¿ Just as Song Xuanhe buttoned up thest button, the System said£º¡¾Did he ask you that because he¡¯s suspicious of you?¡¿ Song Xuanhe looked at his reflection. His cheeks were flushed from the shower just now. He started to dry his hair with a hairdryer and said£º¡¾Sensed what?¡¿ ¡¾That I can predict the future? Or that I have a system?¡¿ The System solemnly replied£º¡¾ording to my data, the probability that Xiao Yuanmu can figure out you have a system is practically zero. The concept of systems do not exist in his world.¡¿ ¡¾Then what are you worried about?¡¿ The System fell silent. As it watched Song Xuanhe heading out, it said£º¡¾I can sense that the influence you and Xiao Yuanmu have over each other is getting increasinglyrge. Aside from your emotional fluctuation indexes, there are also many other hidden values that are being affected. I¡¯m worried that you will change your mind. ¡¿ ¡¾Change my mind about what?¡¿It came to mind as soon as he asked his question£º¡¾I wouldn¡¯t change my mind that easily. Besides, don¡¯t you want me to stay in this world? I thought you¡¯d be happy if I were to change my mind.¡¿ ¡¾I am a System.¡¿The System stressed its identity£º¡¾I don¡¯t have feelings like you humans do. But the data I have on you from both worlds tell me that staying in this world is more beneficial towards you than returning to your own world.¡¿ ¡¾How so?¡¿ The System£º¡¾It involves many variables. There are some variables I can¡¯t mention to you¡ªand you probably wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you¡ªbut there is something I can say. Your emotions index will be much higher in the future if you were to stay in this world,pared to if you were to go back. It will be 36.76% greater.¡¿ Song Xuanhe raised a brow, as if shocked£º¡¾So I¡¯ll be happier if I stayed in this world.¡¿ ¡¾You could put it that way.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression grew cold.¡¾While you systems may be able to calcte emotion indexes, only I can decide whether or not I am happy.¡¿ Song Xuanhe then ignored the System. He opened the bathroom door. The moment he opened the door, the System asked him£º¡¾Do you really know whether or not you¡¯re happy?¡¿ Song Xuanhe paused. Under Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze, he calmly walked over to the other side of the bed and took a seat. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu turn to look at him, Song Xuanhe lifted a corner of the sheets and burrowed into the bed. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep now. Goodnight.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled the nket up to his ears. All that was visible was his fluffy hair that had just been dried. Xiao Yuanmu stared at the top of his head. He ced the book in his hands down, turned off the light and got under the nkets as well. The moonlight effortlessly trickled in through the French window overhead. The light scattered over therge but vacant room¡¯s floor. The soft light also enveloped the two people sleeping on separate sides of the bed. Xiao Yuanmu reached out. He tugged the nket over Song Xuanhe down a bit, and when Song Xuanhe turned around, Xiao Yuanmu pulled him into his arms. Song Xuanhe kicked him, his tone vicious. ¡°What are you doing? Let go of me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised a leg, pressing down on Song Xuanhe¡¯s foot that was about to kick him again. He wrapped his arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s waist and pressed his forehead against the other¡¯s. Peering into his eyes, he said, ¡°Are you that unhappy, having to share a bed with me?¡± ¡°I¡¯m even more unhappy with the fact that you¡¯re holding me.¡± Song Xuanhe struggled. However, because he hadn¡¯t worked out much aftering to this world, he couldn¡¯t break free. He simply red at him: ¡°Let go.¡± ¡°Then tell me why you¡¯ve been unhappy sinceing out of the washroom?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was deep and low. Filtered through the iridescent moonlight, Song Xuanhe thought that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice actually seemed warm. Song Xuanhe always felt awkward sleeping on an unfamiliar bed, but now that he was in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arm, he unexpectedly felt morefortable. Therefore, Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be bothered to keep moving around. He simply shut his eyes and stayed where he was. ¡°I¡¯m not unhappy.¡± ¡°You know me well.¡± Xiao Yuanmu spoke into his ear, ¡°Just like how I know you well.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes quivered. He then said, ¡°I don¡¯t understand you as well as you think I do.¡± ¡°But I understand you more than you think I do.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Song Xuanhe was intrigued. He rolled over so that he and Xiao Yuanmu were now face to face. He teased, ¡°Tell me, what am I thinking about right now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared into his limpid eyes. It felt like the moon had brought with it countless stars, and like everything was being filled into the other¡¯s smiling eyes. He could see his shadow reflected from between the stars. It was clear and vivid, and it infatuated him. Xiao Yuanmu stared at him silently. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes curved. ¡°No idea?¡± ¡°Since you can¡¯t tell what I¡¯m thinking, you can¡¯t say¡­mn.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s kiss came without warning. He touched the corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips lightly for just one second before nting a kiss on his eyelid. He felt the warm touch against his thin eyelids. Song Xuanhe squeezed his hand into a fist and then paused. A secondter, the warmth disappeared. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand wrapped around his fist and his chuckle echoed in the room. ¡°I think you want to hit me right now.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes and bore into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s smiling pair. He pulled his hand out and said expressionlessly: ¡°You¡¯re wrong. My fist was just itchy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t call him out. He kissed the corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s eye again, then peered into his eyes. He whispered, ¡°Sleep. Goodnight.¡± Song Xuanhe took in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s especially gentle expression under the moonlight. He pursed his lips and turned around so that his back now faced the other, then shut his eyes and fell asleep. * When Song Xuanhe woke up the next morning, Xiao Yuanmu was already absent from the apartment. There was a note on the headboard. It was in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s handwriting: Breakfast is on the table. If you need anything, call me. Or you cane to my office. Song Xuanhe cocked a brow up, then took the note down. He yawned before heading into the bathroom. After washing up, he felt a lot more awake. There were pan-fried dumplings, congee and orange juice on the dining table. Song Xuanhe heated some up and ate a bit, then tidied up and headed out. When he returned to his hotel, Song Xuanhe discovered that his roomcard had stopped working. Song Xuanhe went to inquire about this downstairs. Before he could say anything, he saw the manager rush out and apologize to him. ¡°I am extremely sorry, Mr. Song. Our staff were supposed to send your luggage to your apartment at ten o¡¯clock but because the bell boy identally dropped and broke your suitcase, so we had to clean up for a while. It is now on its way.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. Suddenly, a bad feeling arose. Before he could ask, the manager continued, ¡°Everything is our hotel¡¯s fault. We will do our utmost topensate you for your losses. To express our sincerest apologies, we will provide you with credit for thirty days stay at any of our executive suites in any of our hotels around the world. There is no expiration date on our offer. If you have any other requests, please let us know.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and suddenly asked, ¡°Who¡¯s your boss?¡± The manager seemed confused, he still replied, ¡°Mr. Louis Brown.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled but it didn¡¯t reach his eyes. ¡°Tell your boss that I don¡¯t need the room voucher. I just want him to lend me his apartment for a few days.¡± The manager was taken aback. He was about to respond when he saw Song Xuanhe leave without looking back. Elsewhere, Louis, who was having a rxed afternoon for once, suddenly got a call from a manager from one of the hotels under his family¡¯s name while he chatted with Yang Jie. When he recalled how Xiao Yuanmu had asked him for a favour for once, Louis paused his conversation with Yang Jie and entered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s office excitedly. ¡°If Yang Jie was in here, he¡¯d tell you to knock.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t even look up. Louis shrugged. ¡°Well, he¡¯s not in here. And you already said what he¡¯d say.¡± Xiao Yuanmu put down the thing in his hand and looked up. ¡°Do you need something?¡± ¡°I think Song woke up.¡± Louis opened up the bottle of red wine he¡¯d been eyeing for a long time now. He then poured out a ss before walking over to sit down on the sofa. He took a sip and said, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you give him a call?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze fell on the bottle of red wine he was originally going to give to Song Xuanhe but was now opened by Louis. When he recalled the matter he had asked the other for help with, he lowered his voice. ¡°If you have something to say, hurry up and spit it out.¡± ¡°The manager of his hotel gave me a call. I guess Song went to find him.¡± ¡°And then?¡± ¡°And then?¡± Louis paused. A few secondster, he coughed, ¡°Then I came straight to you¡­.¡± Before Xiao Yuanmu got up, Louis promptly called the manager of the hotel back. He turned it on speakerphone. An unfamiliar male voice came through: ¡°Mr. Brown.¡± Louis raised a brow at Xiao Yuanmu. He then spoke into the phone, ¡°It¡¯s me. What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°You asked us to cancel Mr. Song¡¯s reservation and to send his luggage to the apartment at Central Gardens. Because of a mishap, we were dyed. While we have managed to send the luggage over, Mr. Song came for a visit.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Louis picked up the phone, heading closer to Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He declined ourpensation.¡± This was within Louis¡¯s expectations. Xiao Yuanmu also didn¡¯t find this strange. Louis thus asked, ¡°Did he have any requests?¡± ¡°Yes, Mr. Brown.¡± The hotel manager said, ¡°Mr. Song said that he wishes for you to lend your apartment to him for a few days aspensation.¡± Louis: ¡­. Louis took a step back, told the manager that ¡®he got it¡¯ and then hung up. He stood three metres away from Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Maybe Song just doesn¡¯t like your apartment. I told you before, there¡¯s no signs of life in that huge apartment of yours. There¡¯s no reflection of your own style. He probably liked my style after seeing me yesterday. He¡¯s a designer, you know. Sometimes, style is even more important than some other things to them.¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°Like what other things?¡± Louis took a few steps back: ¡°Like love?¡± Before Xiao Yuanmu could look over to him, Louis flew out of the office. Xiao Yuanmu went back to his seat. Just as he picked up his phone, a call came in. It was an unfamiliar number, but he knew that this was Song Xuanhe¡¯s American number. As Song Xuanhe returned to the Central Gardens apartment, wanting to grab his luggage, he realized that he didn¡¯t have the card to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment and had no choice but to call the other party. Right now, Song Xuanhe was sitting on a chair inside the garden. An elderly person walking their dog passed by him, their German spaniel sniffing the air before barking at Song Xuanhe energetically. ¡°Woof woof!¡± It looked fierce. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He thought to himself that he really didn¡¯t like loud animals. He then looked away. Right then, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice came through the phone, ¡°Where are you?¡± Song Xuanhe was pulled back to the present by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice. ¡°In the gardens below your apartment. A dog¡¯s barking at me right now. I wonder if it¡¯s because the little fatty¡¯s smell is on me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow, suppressing the smile on his lips. ¡°I¡¯ve been really busytely and haven¡¯t had time to walk Xiao Huang. If you¡¯re free, can you walk him in the park? He hasn¡¯t been able to leave the apartment for some time now.¡± ¡°I¡¯m busy.¡± Song Xuanhe refused. He then said, ¡°I called you because I wanted to ask you why you cancelled my room without my permission.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sounded surprised. ¡°Your room was cancelled?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Do you think I¡¯d believe that you didn¡¯t know about this?¡± ¡°I just found out.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Louis told me five minutes ago.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Song Xuanhe spoke in a curious tone, though there was no expression on his face. ¡°He¡¯s your friend and business partner. Meanwhile, we¡¯ve only met once. Why would he cancel my room for me? I¡¯m so curious.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°You cane to thepany and ask him. He¡¯s in the office right now.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I¡¯m good.¡± ¡°Then how about taking Xiao Huang on a walk?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice softened, sounding guilty. ¡°I¡¯ve been so preupied with thepany and the Xiao Family that I haven¡¯t brought him out to y for more than a month now.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never walked a dog before.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I might blink and lose him.¡± When Xiao Yuanmu heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone soften, a sliver of a smile shed through his eyes. ¡°He¡¯s really good and he likes you a lot. You won¡¯t lose him.¡± Song Xuanhe made one morest-ditch struggle. ¡°If I lose him, it¡¯s not my fault.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll speak to the people downstairs. You should be able to head straight in. Xiao Huang¡¯s leash is on the small shelf by the entrance. If you can¡¯t find it, tell Xiao Huang you¡¯re going for a walk. He¡¯ll find it for you.¡± Song Xuanhe got up. ¡°Got it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu spoke to the building¡¯s people and Song Xuanhe was able to go upstairs with the doorman¡¯s help. As soon as he entered, he saw Xiao Huang pounce over enthusiastically. Xiao Huang ran circles around him. He seemed to want pets. Song Xuanhe recalled what Xiao Yuanmu had said. He doubted that this silly dog who looked like he had a low IQ would be able to find his leash. Therefore, he squatted down and said, ¡°If you can find your own dog food, you can eat some more.¡± Xiao Huang rolled around on the ground and twisted over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s side. With his nose, he booped Song Xuanhe¡¯s leg, hoping that he would rub his tummy. Song Xuanhe rubbed the dog¡¯s belly with disdain. He continued, ¡°You can eat as much as you want. I¡¯ll take you for a walk afterwards. But you have to find your food first.¡± Xiao Huang jumped up. He ran over to the entrance and grabbed his leash with his teeth. He then rushed back to Song Xuanhe, wagging his tail energetically. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Seems like the silly dog did know what it meant to take a walk. However, the second Song Xuanhe took the rope, Xiao Huang raced to the kitchen. He pushed a chair from the dining table to the cupboard with great motivation. He flopped around a few times before he managed to stand up onto the chair. He then pulled the cupboard open, and dragged a bag of dog food out, spilling the food out onto the ground. He even knew to close the cupboard before hoping down from the chair. Song Xuanhe was dumbstruck. Even when Xiao Huang brought the bag of dog food and his food bowl over to him, he was still stuck in his thoughts, wondering if it was because he hadn¡¯t been around dogs enough or if dogs got smarter the fatter they became. Xiao Huang barked at him before running off deeper into the apartment with his tail swishing. Song Xuanhe stood in ce, waiting to see what else the dog would bring. He then saw the dog stop halfway and bark at him again. After Xiao Huang ran back to bark at him some more, Song Xuanhe realized what the dog wanted. He followed the dog through the living room and into the room next to the master bedroom. Song Xuanhe knew that this was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s study. He stood in the entrance and didn¡¯t head inside. But Xiao Huang¡¯s barks were too happy. It sounded like there was something extremely tempting inside. ¡°Woof woof!¡± Xiao Huang ran out again and wagged his tail at Song Xuanhe. He then turned back towards the desk inside, his dark, watery eyes full of expectations. ¡°I don¡¯t think Xiao Yuanmu would put your snacks in his study.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Let¡¯s go take a walk.¡± Xiao Huang didn¡¯t seem to understand. He only continued to look at him helplessly. When he saw that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t moving, he ran over to the cab near the desk again. As he barked, he stared at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe felt helpless. He could only walk in. When he noticed the documents on the table, he looked away. His gaze was focused on the cupboard Xiao Huang had been trying to open with his paws. He opened it for him. ¡ª¡ªThere were several small bags inside. Thebels were all written in English. It looked like there were chicken sticks and beef jerky inside. They were all snacks for pets. Xiao Huang got excited. He started to whimper, acting cute, in hopes that Song Xuanhe would open one for him. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He opened a pack of jerky for the dog and fed him. He was about to close the drawer when he saw a familiar leather cover inside, underneath all the snacks. He was taken aback. If he wasn¡¯t mistaken, this was his sketchbook, which he had inexplicably lost in his own study. Aside from some designs, there were also many portraits of Xiao Yuanmu inside. It was just that¡­why was his missing sketchbook with Xiao Yuanmu? Chapter 126: Found a Handsome Guy trantor: Eve editor: xiin Song Xuanhe pulled out the sketchbook. As expected, there was a small ¡®s¡¯ on the lower right corner of the leather cover. He pulled out Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chair and sat down, flipping through the sketchbook, raising his brow as the familiar sketches appeared before his eyes. They were all his previous designs. One of them was the original design of the suit jacket from ¡°He & Feng¡¯s¡± debut show. Song Xuanhe still remembered what he¡¯d drawn in this sketchbook very clearly. He casually flipped through the sketchbook before closing it. It looked like Xiao Yuanmu had purposely brought this sketchbook with him to America. The biggest reason for that was probably because his sketches of Xiao Yuanmu were even better-looking than the model. As he thought this, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt like looking at the sketches of Xiao Yuanmu. In contrast to his colouring skills, sketches were his weak point. When it came to his sketches of Xiao Yuanmu, however, he was actually proud for once. Song Xuanhe flipped open the sketchbook once more, finding the sketches by memory. Contrary to his expectations, they weren¡¯t there. He frowned. He had used this sketchbook for a very long time. Even with his eyes closed, he would be able to find the page he was looking for them by touch. At most, he¡¯d be off by three pages. However, the four or five pages in front and behind the page were all nk. Had Xiao Yuanmu torn his sketches out? Song Xuanhe flipped a few pages towards the end of the sketchbook. As expected, he didn¡¯t find the sketches of Xiao Yuanmu. In the end, he closed the sketchbook and ced it back into the drawer. At his feet, Xiao Huang had already finished eating the beef jerky and was currently twisting his butt and wagging his tail. He would asionally nce at the drawer with yearning eyes and whimper quietly. He was good at acting spoiled. ¡°Don¡¯t eat anymore.¡± Song Xuanhe rubbed Xiao Huang¡¯s head, his tone sincere. ¡°You¡¯re already so fat. You should be thinking about losing weight.¡± Xiao Huang looked at him with a guileless look in his eyes. Song Xuanhe frowned and quietly said, ¡°You¡¯re the opposite of your owner.¡± Xiao Huang scratched at the cab and barked at Song Xuanhe. Song Xuanhe pretended not to understand. ¡°Let¡¯s go. Time to lose weight.¡± ¡°Wuwuwu¡­.¡± Xiao Huang leaned against the cab and looked at Song Xuanhe, begging with his eyes. The little chubby dog with short legs whimpered quietly but Song Xuanhe remained unmoved as he headed towards the door. He didn¡¯t forget to say: ¡°You really can¡¯t eat anymore. If you eat any more, you¡¯ll¡­.¡± Halfway through his sentence, Song Xuanhe came to an abrupt stop. He stared at the pictures hanging on the wall in front of him¡ªthere were his sketches of Xiao Yuanmu, as well as sketches of himself, done by some unknown artist. There were eight pairs in total. For every portrait of Xiao Yuanmu, there was a corresponding one of himself. They hung on the walls in frames. In one of his sketches, Xiao Yuanmu stood by a window, peering outside. In the corresponding sketch of himself, he was depicted having afternoon tea in a garden. He had drawn this particr sketch of Xiao Yuanmu after a sh of inspiration had hit him when he had seen Xiao Yuanmu looking out a window once. He had used the French window in his apartment as reference and then changed it to be a window that could be pushed open. The surrounding furniture was also based on his apartment, but they had all been altered. The only things left untouched were Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression and action. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe was certain he had never been to a garden like the one in the corresponding sketch of himself, but the table in the garden was vaguely familiar. Nevertheless, he couldn¡¯t quite put his finger on it at the moment. But in any case, that wasn¡¯t important. What was important was that he was looking towards a window in that sketch. It seemed like it was the same window as in the sketch of Xiao Yuanmu, It was obvious. Even if the two sketches weren¡¯t side by side, even if they were hung in different ces, Song Xuanhe believed that most people would be able to tell that the protagonists of these two sketches were looking at each other. The other six pairs were the same. Every drawing had its twin. Every scene contained elements of the scene in the corresponding picture. But it was also obvious that the artists were different people. As for who the other artist was, Song Xuanhe had a faint conjecture. ¡¾These were drawn by Xiao Yuanmu.¡¿The System said£º¡¾I can tell from the strokes and style.¡¿ ¡°I know.¡± Song Xuanhe took a few steps forward so that he could see the pictures more clearly. His gaze swept over each and every picture, and he smiled. ¡°He¡¯s a good learner. If my teacher were to see these, he¡¯d definitely call him gifted.¡± ¡°Woof woof woof!¡± Xiao Huang had probably realized that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t give in. Therefore, he settled for second best. Xiao Huang raced to the living room and brought back his leash, wanting Song Xuanhe to take him for a walk. Song Xuanhe was pulled out from his thoughts by the dog¡¯s barks. He nced at the paintings on the wall onest time before squatting down to do up the dog¡¯s leash. He then headed out the door with Xiao Huang. Xiao Huang really must not have gone out for quite some time. He grew excited as soon as they reached the garden, and his tail swished happily as he ran around. Song Xuanhe had no choice but to quicken his steps to keep up. Less than half an hourter, Song Xuanhe felt more tired than he did after a regr gym session. By the time Xiao Yuanmu called again, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Huang were already on their way back to the apartment. To be precise, Song Xuanhe was dragging the little chubby dog, who was lying on the ground, refusing to move, back to the apartment. ¡°What are you doing right now?¡± When Song Xuanhe heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, he was in the middle of pulling Xiao Huang up the stairs. He had already dragged the dog up a few floors. It felt like he was weight training. The only difference was that his ¡®weight¡¯ was twisting around, making noise and trying to escape. ¡°Trying to take your dog back home.¡± Song Xuanhe was in a foul mood. ¡°How do you usually take him home? While I was dragging him back, several people stopped to reproach me. They thought I was abusing him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu chuckled. ¡°Just tell him that we¡¯re going back to eat beef jerky. He¡¯ll follow you. The beef jerky is in the first drawer on the left in the cab of my study. You¡¯ll see it as soon as you open it. Song Xuanhe paused. He pulled Xiao Huang up thest step and said, ¡°He already went to your study and ate some before we headed out.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips pursed nervously when he heard that. He was about to speak when he heard Song Xuanhe ask, ¡°When did you take my sketchbook?¡± ¡°I identally took it while packing,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said. ¡°Is that so?¡± Song Xuanhe then changed the subject, ¡°What were you calling for?¡± ¡°I wanted to ask if you had eaten yet.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°If you don¡¯t want to go out, I can have Yang Jie bring you lunch. If you want to go out, you cane to the area around mypany. There are a lot of good restaurants nearby.¡± ¡°All of those restaurants require reservations,¡± Song Xuanhe replied. Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°You won¡¯t need one.¡± Song Xuanhe gave him the name of a restaurant that typically needed to be booked three months in advance. ¡°I¡¯ll have Yang Jie take care of it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hesitate to ask, ¡°When are youing over? Do you want me to pick you up?¡± It was only ten minutes by foot, while driving would take even longer due to traffic. Song Xuanhe thus asked, ¡°What, are you going to walk over to pick me up?¡± ¡°If that¡¯s what you want.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯lle over after bringing your dog home.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting.¡± Song Xuanhe brought Xiao Huang back, then filled his bowl the way Xiao Yuanmu had yesterday. He then changed his clothes and headed out the door. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany was very close to his apartment. Song Xuanhe walked at a leisurely pace for six to seven minutes, thinking that he would arrive early, but Xiao Yuanmu was unexpectedly already waiting for him downstairs. Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I thought that you would be the type to not waste a single minute in your work.¡± ¡°Waiting for you isn¡¯t a waste of time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu walked over to him, pushing a strand of hair away from Song Xuanhe¡¯s face. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Xuanhe stood in ce for two seconds. He then went over to walk side-by-side with Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You¡¯ve changed a lot in thest ten months.¡± ¡°Have I?¡± Xiao Yuanmu seemed intrigued. ¡°In what way?¡± ¡°You talk more now.¡± Song Xuanhe mentioned the most obvious part and then mentioned what had been on his mind all this time. ¡°You¡¯ve be a lot more¡­.¡± He racked his brain for the right adjective, but he couldn¡¯t bring himself to say it out loud under Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s curious gaze. Therefore, he just said, ¡°In any case, you¡¯re different now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Just because I talk more now?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not everything.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°For example, you would never say something like ¡®waiting for you isn¡¯t a waste of time¡¯ in the past.¡± Xiao Yuanmu furrowed his brows slightly. ¡°You don¡¯t like it?¡± ¡°Am I supposed to?¡± Song Xuanhe asked back. Xiao Yuanmu paused for a second, earnestly examining Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression for a moment. He then came to this conclusion: ¡°You do like it.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡­. ¡°What makes you think I like it?¡± As he said this, an idea popped into Song Xuanhe¡¯s head. ¡°Someone taught you this, right?¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned around and resumed his previous gait. He said, ¡°Why do you think someone taught me that line? Maybe I just felt like saying it.¡± ¡°What you¡¯re saying right now makes it obvious that you were taught this.¡± Song Xuanhe gazed at Song Xuanhe¡¯sposed profile and raised a brow. ¡°It¡¯s Louis, isn¡¯t it?¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°Why do you think it¡¯s him?¡± ¡°Who else would it be?¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°It¡¯s not like it would be Yang Jie.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°It¡¯s Louis.¡± Faced with Xiao Yuanmu, who sold out Louis so quickly, Song Xuanhe suddenly felt a bit sympathetic towards Louis. He asked, ¡°Is Louis your friend?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°He¡¯s just my business partner.¡± Once again, Song Xuanhe felt sympathy towards Louis for one second. ¡°I¡¯ve always thought that he was your friend.¡± Although the words he was saying were words of sympathy, there was an undertone of schadenfreude in his voice. ¡°I think he feels the same. Sounds like one party¡¯s more invested than the other. He¡¯ll probably be hurt if he were to hear you say this.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said tly, ¡°He has the same view as I do.¡± ¡°Then who do you consider a friend?¡± Song Xuanhe was suddenly curious. ¡°Yang Jie?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Then who is Yang Jie to you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°A business partner.¡± Song Xuanhe chuckled. ¡°Seems like everyone¡¯s a business partner to you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him. ¡°Not you.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He then pursed his lips and fell silent. ¡°When ites to our rtionship, one of us cares more than the other, too,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°But that won¡¯t negatively affect how we interact or our future together.¡± Eve: ¡®Smooth¡¯ XYM makes me want to cover my face in second-hand mortification. But the fact that he actually takes Louis¡¯ advice I¡ª xiin: XYM ¨C everyone is a business partner except for SXH Chapter 127: Round Eyes and Fair Skin trantor: Eve editor: kara On the way back after lunch, Xiao Yuanmu got a phone call. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t thought much of it at first, but when he had noticed the other¡¯s sinking gaze upon receiving it, he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xiao Yuanmu came closer and grabbed hold of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. Song Xuanhe raised a brow but didn¡¯t throw him off. The silence continued until they had reached the elevator of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment. There, Xiao Yuanmu said in a heavy tone: ¡°Something¡¯s happened to Xiao Lin.¡± Song Xuanhe mulled over this for a few seconds before he was able to associate the name, Xiao Lin, with the person. ¡°Your father? What happened to him?¡± He didn¡¯t know why, but he didn¡¯t have any favourable opinions of the Xiao Family. He was only inquiring out of politeness. ¡°He fell after being knocked over. Seems like he hit his head.¡± There was no concern in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice either. ¡°He¡¯s at the hospital right now.¡± ¡°You should go over then,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I¡¯ll take care of Xiao Huang.¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s fine.¡± The elevator door opened, and Xiao Yuanmu gave Song Xuanhe a profound look. ¡°It¡¯s not safe for you to stay here in Y City right now. I¡¯ll buy you a ne ticket. You should go back to China as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Song Xuanhe retorted back instinctively like a rebellious teen upon hearing what had sounded like amand. But when he saw the concern in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, he paused. ¡°I was nning on heading back soon anyway. I can buy my own ticket.¡± Xiao Yuanmu quietly said, ¡°Alright.¡± The two of them walked out of the elevator together. Song Xuanhe nced at the unopened suitcase sitting by the entrance and clicked his tongue. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t need to pack up.¡± Xiao Huang came running over after hearing them, barking happily. His tail wagged, and he circled around their feet, hopping every now and then. He was evidently free of any worries. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t expected that the slight deviations he had made would cause Xiao Lin¡¯s ident to ur earlier than it had had in his previous life. Although he didn¡¯t regret the things he had done, when he thought about how difficult it had been to reunite and spend time with Song Xuanhe, his eyes still dimmed. Xiao Yuanmu quietly said, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there.¡± Song Xuanhe paused while buying his ticket. He looked up, his gaze meeting Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ve already bought the ticket. My flight¡¯s in three hours.¡± Song Xuanhe looked away. ¡°You should hurry to the hospital. Regardless, he is your¡­.¡± ¡°I want to take you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s suitcase and turned his back to the other. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Song Xuanhe looked down at Xiao Huang, who was still looking at them jubntly. He squatted down and rubbed the dog¡¯s head. ¡°Eat less.¡± When Xiao Huang had excitedlyid down for him to rub his stomach, Song Xuanhe walked over to the elevator instead. Xiao Huang didn¡¯t understand what they were saying. Nevertheless, he knew that his owner was going to be leaving him alone whenever he entered that elevator. So, when he saw that the two of them were going to leave him after having juste back, he couldn¡¯t help but shamelessly dash into the elevator. He flopped onto Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg and whined. ¡°What should we do about him?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the dog, hanging onto Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg. ¡°He¡¯s heavy, isn¡¯t he?¡± Xiao Yuanmu bent down to carry Xiao Huang in his arms. ¡°We¡¯ll take him with us. I probably won¡¯t be able toe back home tonight. After sending you off, I¡¯ll have Louis take him for a few days.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and pressed the ¡°close¡± button. The two of them went to the car with Xiao Huang. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu sat in the front. Xiao Huang¡¯s snout poked through the space between their seats. asionally, he would turn his head to look at both of them and bark. He seemed very excited. Song Xuanhe¡¯s worry waspletely swept away by Xiao Huang. He rxed. ¡°Will Mr. Xiao¡¯s ident affect you?¡± ¡°Depends how serious it is.¡± Xiao Yuanmu rubbed Xiao Huang¡¯s head. He then dropped his hand. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if it had been on purpose or not, but the other¡¯s handnded on his own. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was focused in front of them. In a mild voice, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I hope he¡¯s fine.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think that things were as simple as Xiao Yuanmu made them seem. If this matter could be so easily resolved, Xiao Yuanmu would not be making him leave America. He frowned. ¡°What will happen if it¡¯s serious?¡± ¡°The Xiao Family will fall into anarchy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone was very mild. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know if he was imagining things, but it had sounded like there was a sliver of ridicule in his voice. ¡°The Xiao Family shouldn¡¯t fall into chaos just because something has happened to Xiao Lin,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°In any case, the Xiao Family is a huge family that has withstood the test of time. Aside from Mr. Xiao, there are many others in control. I don¡¯t think those people will let the Xiao Family get messy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze grew heavy. The corner of his lips rose when he heard what Song Xuanhe had said, derision on the curve of his lips. ¡°If I hadn¡¯te back, those people would not let the Xiao Family fall into chaos. But with me here, in their minds, the more chaotic the situation gets, the better.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. When he felt Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand start to leave his, he flipped his own hand over and locked their fingers together. Xiao Yuanmu turned to look at Song Xuanhe in astonishment, but Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were to the window. His lips were drawn into a straight line. ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± A smile bloomed on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. ¡°Mn. I won¡¯t worry.¡± The two of them held hands silently, but the atmosphere in the car wasn¡¯t awkward due to Xiao Huang¡¯s asional barks. Rather, it felt warm andforting. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body heat transferred over to him through the palms of their hands. Song Xuanhe watched the passing scenery, his mind a mess. Many things shed through his mind, but at the same time, it felt like he was thinking of nothing at all. It wasn¡¯t until he saw a pedestrian rushing down the street with a hand on his stomach that a coherent thought suddenly popped into his mind. ¡°Your stomach¡­¡± Song Xuanhe turned to ask, ¡°What¡¯s wrong with it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been like this for a really long time,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said inly, ¡°I don¡¯t remember what exactly caused it anymore.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. His intuition told him that Xiao Yuanmu was lying. While he wasn¡¯t the type to pry, for the first time, he really wanted to know the answer. ¡°When was the first time your stomach hurt? Did you see a doctor? What did the doctor say?¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember.¡± ¡°Did you not see a doctor?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu held Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand tightly and then let go, cing it back onto the steering wheel. His eyes were looking forward as he said, ¡°I had been too busy. I hadn¡¯t had the time.¡± ¡°Was it in high school?¡± Song Xuanhe guessed. He then thought that wasn¡¯t right. ¡°How old were you then?¡± ¡°It was a long, long time ago.¡± The car came to a steady stop as he said this. Xiao Yuanmu looked at Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°I don¡¯t remember why it started. It was too long ago. It¡¯s not really important either.¡± Song Xuanhe gazed deeply into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. His lips twitched, but in the end, he didn¡¯t ask anything else. He simply opened the car¡¯s door. Aside from Xiao Yuanmu himself, Song Xuanhe knew best just how excellent Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s memory was. Even if he were to inadvertently catch sight of an unfamiliar face, he would be able to remember that person. There was no way he would forget the cause of something this important. It was something that had affected his life all this time, after all. But, Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t ask about it if Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t want to talk about it. There were some things that were not appropriate to bring up. If Xiao Yuanmu wanted to avoid talking about it, it must be like a heavy wound to him. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to reopen that wound. But, it did baffle him. He knew how perseverant and strong Xiao Yuanmu was. There were very few people in this world who could affect him. If one really had to count, Song Xuanhe reckoned that only the director of the orphanage would be able to hurt Xiao Yuanmu. But, he didn¡¯t think the Director would ever do that. That was why he was curious. He wanted to know if there was someone else, who had appeared before the plot had started, who was as important to Xiao Yuanmu as the Director. Only someone that important would be able to hurt Xiao Yuanmu. But if such a person were to exist, why didn¡¯t Xiao Yuanmu ever mention that person? ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Xiao Yuanmu pulled Song Xuanhe¡¯s luggage over and came to stand in front of him. He interrupted Song Xuanhe¡¯s thoughts. Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. He couldn¡¯t read his emotions. His lips pulled into a straight line, and he looked away towards Xiao Huang, who was stered on the car window. ¡°Are you going to leave him here alone?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve already asked someone to watch him for me,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°He can¡¯t go into the airport. You should say goodbye here.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Goodbyes should be done face-to-face. Speaking to him through the window won¡¯t feel like saying goodbye.¡± ¡°What would it feel like?¡± ¡°Like I¡¯m visiting a prisoner.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was taken aback. He then grinned. His slender fingers knocked on the window Xiao Huang was lying on. ¡°They wouldn¡¯t leave a crack in the window at a prison.¡± When Song Xuanhe saw the gloom dissipate from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, Song Xuanhe also smiled. He stuck his hand through the crack in the window and touched Xiao Huang¡¯s paw. ¡°I had never liked pets. But, meeting you has made me change my mind. See ya, kiddo.¡± Xiao Huang barked at Song Xuanhe twice. Song Xuanhe pulled his hand back before he went to take his luggage from Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°You can give me my suitcase. I can head in myself. You should stay with him. Being left alone in an unfamiliar ce will scare him.¡± ¡°Being left alone in an unfamiliar ce is scary?¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t think much of this question. He took his luggage and said, ¡°Of course. That¡¯s why you should stay with him. I¡¯ll be going now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. Song Xuanhe turned to give him a confused look. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s grip tightened slightly before he let go. ¡°Give me a call once you reach the boarding area.¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°I¡¯ll reach there in like ten minutes. Why would I call you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ll be scared.¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He subconsciously asked, ¡°What would I be afraid of?¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you just say that being left alone in an unfamiliar ce is scary?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. He reacted a few secondster. ¡°I was talking about Xiao Huang, not me. He¡¯ll be afraid, because he¡¯s still young and because he¡¯s¡­an animal. A mature man like me won¡¯t be afraid.¡± ¡°It¡¯s possible.¡± When Song Xuanhe had heard how certain Xiao Yuanmu had sounded, he nearly spat out a retort. But after meeting Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze, he swallowed his words back down. But, it seemed like Xiao Yuanmu had only been casually saying this. He didn¡¯t continue to discuss this topic. He simply reminded Song Xuanhe: ¡°Remember to give me a call.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why, but he actually agreed to call the other in ten minutes. When he had arrived at the boarding area, he called Xiao Yuanmu right away. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± ¡°¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe once again thought that this was ridiculous. After letting the silence continue for a few seconds, he said, ¡°Then, I¡¯ll be hanging up.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± And just like that, he hung up. Song Xuanhe dropped the hand that was holding his phone. After about ten minutes, he suddenly felt sad. Eve: Aw, this chapter was so cute. And it seems like XYM keeping SXH close was because of other reasons (although his motive was likely still partially selfish). Looks like SXH knows how to miss Mumu now too. Kara: I love that they can have such cute banter now!! Thatst line is so cute too; I love imagining a little pouty SXH looking at his phone in the airport. Their rtionship¡¯s growth makes me so soft. ?(????) Ugh, not looking forward to the family drama that is being foreshadowed though. Chapter 128: Eyes Curved into a Smile, Extremely Cute trantor: Eve editor: kara After heading back to China, Song Xuanhe had participated in a few banquets. He had gotten together with Zhou Nan and Xiao Shenglin and also had had a meal with Wei Chen. In less than a week¡¯s time, he had already bought a ne ticket to leave China. Song Xuanhe always travelled rather aimlessly. A lot of the time, he would suddenly think of a city. When that would happen, he wouldn¡¯t even n his itinerary. He would simply buy a ne ticket for the next day and leave. Once, because of his willfulness, he had even wasted five days¡¯ time to change flights while on-route, because he had seen a photo of another city¡¯s scenery. He had travelled from the Southern Hemisphere to the Northern Hemisphere, from Asia to Europe to North America. He had gone bungee-jumping and parachuting in seek of thrills. Prompted by impulse, he had also run off to a small theatre to y with professionals even though he had only learned acting for five or six years as a child. He had even escaped to the Amazons to take pictures of panthers and look young Marsh Deers in the eye while in slovenly clothes. He had also visited highly rated Michelin-star restaurants in exquisite clothes. For the next three months, Song Xuanhe travelled seemingly non-stop. By the time he had realized that he hadn¡¯t contacted anyone in a really long time, he was already in X Country. Even if he wanted to contact his friends and family, he couldn¡¯t. ¡¾What are you doing here?¡¿The System was confused£º¡¾There¡¯s still two more months left until you¡¯re supposed to go home. Brother, you¡¯re not nning to live out thesest two months under gunfire, are you?¡¿ Song Xuanhe, who had not heard the System call him ¡°Brother¡± in a long time, suddenly felt kinship between them. For once, his tone was amicable£º¡¾I was telling the truth when I had said that I wanted to find unique materials and dyeing methods. I wasn¡¯t lying to Zhang Chao.¡¿ ¡¾But, it¡¯s really dangerous here. This is one of the most dangerous countries in this world.¡¿The System said in a grave tone£º¡¾Do you know how many people die here daily? The average number of deaths is 67 people a day! Everyone else wants to escape this ce. You¡¯re the only person in the world trying to get in.¡¿ Song Xuanhe knocked on the inn¡¯s door and raised a brow. ¡°This is a safety zone. There¡¯s nothing to fear.¡± ¡¾There¡¯s no such thing as a safety zone in a war-torn country.¡¿The System said£º¡¾ording to what I know, there was a gunfight here two days ago because of a turf war. Three people died, and fifteen were injured. You¡¯re not safe at all.¡¿ The inn¡¯s door opened a crack. Song Xuanhe smiled at the person and spoke in English. He introduced himself and told the person inside that a X Country citizen he had met on his journey had rmended this ce to him. The person on the other side of the door was a middle-aged man wearing a kind of headscarf. When he heard what Song Xuanhe had said, he was shocked. At first, he surveyed the outside surroundings vigntly. When he discovered that Song Xuanhe was alone, he looked at the smiling young man. He then cracked the door open a bit more, said something in his localnguage, and let Song Xuanhe in. Song Xuanhe thanked the man in the localnguage. The System was saying in his head: ¡¾I would rmend that you go home.¡¿ ¡°%^%&*^*(&*(&¡­¡­¡± The man brought Song Xuanhe to one of the rooms. He spoke in his localnguage. Song Xuanhe was able to understand a little bit, but he was mostly baffled. When the man noticed that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand him, he sighed in relief imperceptibly and switched to English. ¡°Why have youe here? You should know how dangerous the situation here is. If there is nothing urgent, I would suggest that you leave right away. The authorities here are extremely xenophobic. You¡¯re extremely eye-catching as an Asian. You¡¯ll be discovered and captured by tomorrow morning.¡± ¡¾Brother, you should really get out of here!¡¿The System said in Song Xuanhe¡¯s mind£º¡¾You can buy dyes anywhere! I told you before, this body is now your body. If you were to lose an arm or a leg, it won¡¯t regenerate when you return to your own world!¡¿ Song Xuanhe simply smiled at the man, ¡°I came to see Mr. Hashemi.¡± The man was taken aback. A whileter, he furrowed his brows and spoke in a queer tone. ¡°Mr. Hashemi left here with his family two days ago.¡± ¡°He left?¡± Song Xuanhe was stunned. He really had risked the danger of entering a warzone toe here to learn the local dyeing and weaving techniques. In the past, he had seen pictures of beautiful, splendid carpets from the Middle East. From then on, Song Xuanhe had started to look into the materials used to make those carpets. The dyes and beautiful dyeing techniques originated from X Country. X Country didn¡¯t exist in Song Xuanhe¡¯s original world, and it waspletely different from any country from his original world, regardless of whether it was in terms of culture or history. Even the localnguage wasn¡¯t standard Arabic. It was a local dialect which was very difficult to understand. Song Xuanhe had studied Arabic for a few months on his own while researching but still only understood a little bit. When he had been visiting R Country, he had been fortunate enough to bump into a merchant from X Country. That person had seen that Song Xuanhe had been looking for information regarding X Country. The two of them had hit it off, and Song Xuanhe had learned a lot about X Country that he couldn¡¯t have learned from books or the inte. X Country was currently very unstable. It was currently in the midst of a civil war. The situation was simr to a certain war-torn country in Song Xuanhe¡¯s original world. However, it wasn¡¯t really dangerous to other countries since it was a civil war with no outside involvement. Back then, Song Xuanhe had researched for nearly half a year for the sake of obtaining these dyes. Naturally, he was not the type to give up easily. Actually, he had mulled over whether or not he should take the risk toe throughout his entire journey, from the dangerous ins and forests to the peaceful, luxurious cities. Just as the System had said, it wasn¡¯t really worth it toe to a dangerous ce for the sake of a dyeing technique that could be found elsewhere. He had pondered over this issue for a very long time. But a few days ago, as he had stared at a tall clock tower that had struck noon in a za filled with fluttering doves, he had suddenly really wanted to go. As such, he had contacted the X Country merchant he had met in R Country and found out how to go to X Country. He had also found out who was the maker of the particr carpet he had seen and where he should go to find him. Afterwards, Song Xuanhe had headed out. The entire journey, the System had tried to persuade Song Xuanhe patiently of the dangers. It had tried to persuade him emotionally and rationally. It had even dug up shocking footage of gunfights between the two factions in X Country for the sake of persuading him. The guns and bullets were all real in the video. The humans who died had also once been real, living human beings. It had hoped that Song Xuanhe would shrink back. What it hadn¡¯t expected was that it would have no way of stopping Song Xuanhe. The System suddenly realized that, even though it had interacted with Song Xuanhe for almost two years now and had collected a lot of data on him, it still didn¡¯t really understand him. Song Xuanhe was usually cool-headed and rational. He even seemed to care about his safety and well-being more than most people did most of the time. But sometimes, he would do something crazy. The System didn¡¯t even have to run any analyses to know that this trifling matter wasn¡¯t worth risking one¡¯s life for. The System asionally wondered if Song Xuanhe simply didn¡¯t care whether he lived or died. Perhaps the other was even suicidal. Suddenly, the System suddenly recalled what Song Xuanhe had said once. He had said that there was a reason he had to go back to his original world while he had no reason to stay in this world. Back then, the System had thought that Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu understood each other well and had even fallen for each other. Was that not enough to make Song Xuanhe stay? But, it now seemed like neither Xiao Yuanmu nor itself really understood Song Xuanhe. The reason why Song Xuanhe wanted to go back to his original world so much might be because the people who understood him were there. Even if those people were no longer alive, he still wanted to go back to his own world. The first night in X Country, the System had asked the burning question on its mind£º¡¾Does the reason you have to go back to your original world have something to do with your parents? ¡¿ Song Xuanhe had been wondering if he should stay here and look for other people who were experts in these arts, considering the fact that the carpet maker he had been looking for had already left. His other option was to leave tomorrow morning. The System¡¯s voice had startled him out of his thoughts, which caused him to nk out for a few seconds. Even after having processed the question, he didn¡¯t respond for quite some time. Time slowly passed. Song Xuanhe closed his eyes, which held no emotion. The System knew that he wasn¡¯t sleeping, based off of his brain waves. It thought that he didn¡¯t want to respond. The System had been about to say that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t have to answer the question if he didn¡¯t want to when he saw the man open his eyes. There was a puzzled light in those limpid eyes, glistening under the moonlight. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± The System knew that Song Xuanhe was telling the truth. But, it didn¡¯t understand what this meant. Therefore, it honestly asked£º¡¾How could you not know? Didn¡¯t you say that you had a reason to go back?¡¿ Song Xuanhe blinked and asked, ¡°Did I say that?¡± The System was certain£º¡¾Yes.¡¿ ¡°I might have had a reason back then.¡± Song Xuanhe flipped over, his gaze traversing the moonlight flooding in from the window as he stared at the foreign-looking dome buildings outside. Who would have expected nighttime to seem so peaceful and safe here? In contrast, the days were filled with despair and fear. He had not expected it either. He had not expected that after having cut off contact with all the people in his life for three months to travel alone, he would find himself sitting in a bar at night and realizing that the rest of his life might y out the same way. Suddenly, he had felt overwhelming sadness at the thought that Li Nianan, Zhou Nan, Xiao Shenglin, and Xiao Yuanmu would disappear from his life. This abrupt sense of emptiness had made him want to do something. Subconsciously, he had wanted to dial Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s number. The second before he had pressed down on the call button, however, Song Xuanhe had heard the clock tower chime. At that moment, Song Xuanhe had made a bet with himself. If he was able to find Hashemi and return from X Country safe and sound, then he would stay in this world. If Hashemi wasn¡¯t there, or he ended up injured, then he would return to his original world. The System asked£º¡¾Do you have a reason now?¡¿ Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾Yes. Hashemi isn¡¯t here, so I¡¯ll choose to go back to my original world.¡¿ Eve: Iing angst alert. Not major angst, but definitely emotionally charged. I once read ament from someone who read MTL and didn¡¯t understand why SXH put himself in danger like this. Well, here¡¯s why. He¡¯s lost, he¡¯s uncertain, he¡¯s confused. He¡¯s torn between everything he¡¯s known and his potential happiness in a foreign ce. Remember, SXH lost his parents at a young age. He loves and misses them very much. Even if it¡¯s childish, he still feelsfort in looking at the sky in his original world, because his parents might be looking down at him. In contrast, his parents do not exist here. He wanted to leave it to fate, because this is a life-changing decision which can overwhelm even the best of us. Kara: MY SOOOOONNNNNN!!!! He bao, my sweet child!! ??o¡¤(? ????????? )?o¡¤? I both adore and detest these self-reflection chapters. All they do is hurt me, but I can¡¯t help but appreciate the way the author takes the time to really flesh out the characterization of our boys. Chapter 129: He’s His Little Friend trantor: Eve editor: xiin The next day, Song Xuanhe was woken up by the knocking on the door. The middle-aged man who had opened his door to him yesterday spoke in the local dialect for a while. It was only when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s nk expression that he realized that he should be using English. ¡°The army has suddenly decided to search everyone¡¯s homes to see if anyone¡¯s hiding people of the opposing faction. If you stay here, you¡¯ll implicate my entire family. You have to leave now!¡± Song Xuanhe had yet to snap out of his daze when the man brought in two women. Together, they swiftly gathered all of Song Xuanhe¡¯s belongings, then gave him a bit of food. ¡°Leave from the back door. Try to stay away from the military. If you bump into people in the military, don¡¯t fight them. Tell them you came to learn the art of dyeing from Mr. Hashemi. Perhaps they will believe you.¡± Not even the middle-aged man himself believed thest thing he said. He didn¡¯t believe that anyone would run over here for such a preposterous reason and endanger their life. Everyone here wanted to leave this ce. Therefore, although what Song Xuanhe had imed to be the purpose of his visit was the same as what his friend had told him, he still didn¡¯t believe it. Song Xuanhe could tell that the middle-aged man didn¡¯t believe him, but he didn¡¯t want to exin himself. He simply said, ¡°Could you tell me where the nearest bus stop is?¡± ¡°The bus doesn¡¯te every day!¡± The middle-aged man found a robe and headscarf that could cover Song Xuanhe. He gave Song Xuanhe the simplest and safest route he knew, then sighed. ¡°Foreigners appear there often. If you¡¯re lucky, perhaps you¡¯ll encounter an ambassador from your country. You¡¯ll be safe if that happens. Now hurry. Go.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He left a wad of cash and some food he had bought in the past before leaving from the back door. Even the System couldn¡¯t keep from making a sarcastic remark. ¡¾You probably didn¡¯t expect that you would have to run for your life when you ran over here yesterday.¡¿ ¡¾I did think of this.¡¿ Song Xuanhe walked down the virtually empty road. He recalled the route the middle-aged man had told him. He surveyed the area to figure out what the safest route would be. ¡¾Then do you regreting here?¡¿The System asked. Song Xuanhe paused£º¡¾Yes.¡¿ The System was surprised. It had always known just how obstinate Song Xuanhe could be. It also knew that Song Xuanhe rarely regretted his decisions. He had only blurted this question out because his microchip had overheated. Actually, its data had told it that there was an eighty seven percent chance Song Xuanhe would say that he didn¡¯t regreting here. The remaining 13% was due to uncontroble factors. Usually, if the disparity was this big, there was no need to even consider the other alternative. Under normal circumstances, it was almost certain that the higher probability oue would ur. But after meeting Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu, the System started to wonder if it really was a high level system. It also wondered if its data was really asprehensive as it had thought. Otherwise, why was its predictions inurate even when the probabilities were so high? The System was unresigned to this and continued to ask£º¡¾Why do you regreting here? You¡¯ve never regretted anything in the past.¡¿ Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He knew why he regretted it, but he wasn¡¯t going to tell the System why. After meeting with Song Xuanhe¡¯s silence, the System was about to continue interrogating him. However, it suddenly detected arge number of people heading towards and promptly said£º¡¾Someone¡¯sing! There¡¯s at least twenty people! There¡¯s somewhere you can hide fifty metres from here, but ording to their speed, you won¡¯t have the time to get there without them noticing you. There¡¯s nowhere for you to hide!¡¿ ¡¾Tell me what will happen.¡¿Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem panicked. He calmly asked£º¡¾Do they have guns on them?¡¿ ¡¾Yes! Everyone has one.¡¿ Song Xuanhe frowned. He pasted himself against the wall as he moved forward£º¡¾What do you think my chances of leaving X City are?¡¿ ¡¾Fifty percent,¡¿the System said. Half and half. It might as well not have said anything. Song Xuanhe shook his head. Even if he was in danger, he wasn¡¯t flustered. He didn¡¯t feel afraid, either. ¡¾Can you send me back to my world if I were to face life-threatening danger here?¡¿ ¡¾In theory, no,¡¿the System said,¡¾Moreover, you still have one more mission left. If you were to try and go back, you would be subjected to the main system¡¯s restrictions. In addition, you¡¯ve caught the main system¡¯s attention in the past. Even when your time is up, you might not be able to go back.¡¿ ¡¾That all depends on whether or not I¡¯m even still alive by that time.¡¿ Song Xuanhe stopped walking. He lifted both hands as he calmly took in the people in military uniforms closing in on him with guns raised. The leftmost person sized Song Xuanhe up. He came forward and tore Song Xuanhe¡¯s headscarf off. He then exchanged nces with apanion before speaking in English: ¡°Your identity.¡± Song Xuanhe gave him his passport. The others all had their guns pointed at Song Xuanhe. The person who took his passport examined it. ¡¾It would be wise to not attempt escape.¡¿As the System saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes glisten and unobtrusively size up the surrounding people, it said£º¡¾My analyses tells me that the probability of you escaping sessfully is practically zero.¡¿ ¡¾There¡¯s no need for any analyses.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾I already know that I have no chance of escape.¡¿ ¡¾Then what are you looking at them for?¡¿The System asked. ¡¾Know thyself, know thy enemy.¡¿Song Xuanhe said mildly,¡¾I have to figure out my current situation.¡¿ ¡¾Your current situation¡­¡¿The System paused. It followed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze and looked at someone hidden within the group of people dressed in military gear£º¡¾Isn¡¯t the first man in the second row to your right the person who was following you before?¡¿ Song Xuanhe smiled£º¡¾You finally noticed.¡¿ ¡¾That means that these people are¡­.¡¿ The System had yet to finish when the man who had taken Song Xuanhe¡¯s passport finished speaking to hispanions. In English, he now said, ¡°Mr. Song, we were assigned to your security detail by Mr. Xiao. Pleasee with us.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He took in the not-so-unfamiliar faces around him and said, ¡°Thank you for the trouble.¡± The Arabian person nodded and made a gesture to tell the others to drop their guns. He approached Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Please put on the headscarf and keep your head lowered. Do your best to avoid showing your face.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t ask anything. He did as that person said. Their party quietly made their way through the district filled with military and civilians. The Arabian person from before rxed after they got into the cars. He smiled at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Mr. Xiao, may I inquire as to why you came to X Country?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I came to see Mr. Hashemi. I wanted to learn his unique dyeing methods.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Arabian man smiled. ¡°Mr. Hashemi is renowned throughout X Country. Unfortunately, because his daughter fell sick, he brought his entire family out of the country as the medical facilities here are unsuitable for her. We were the ones who had escorted Mr. Hashemi out.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes lit up and he asked, ¡°Do you know where Mr. Hashemi is now?¡± ¡°All I know is that he went to America.¡± The man said, ¡°I don¡¯t know the details, however. But I do believe that you may be able to ask Mr. Xiao for help locating him. It should be easy for him to find Mr. Hashemi in America.¡± Song Xuanhe found this unbelievable. ¡°Thank you.¡± The extremely stern looking Arabian man was named Mohammed. He was very good at holding conversations. On the tottering journey, he asked Song Xuanhe about what he had seen during his travels and even spoke about his family abroad. He also expressed his concerns about the current situation. It was all very happy and rxed until the sand in front of them exploded. ¡°Protect Mr. Song!¡± Under the frenzied ¡®bang bang bang¡¯ of gunfire, Song Xuanhe was pressed down on his seat. Mohammed then opened the car door, sprayed the outside world with bullets, then turned to Song Xuanhe gravely. ¡°Do you know how to use a gun?¡± Song Xuanhe had already armed himself. When he heard this, he gave a quick ¡®yes¡¯. Mohammed quickly handed him a gun and then gave him two packs of ammo. He pointed at a small vige visible through the swirling sand. ¡°Try your best to run in that direction. We will protect you. Someone will take you back to America once you make it there.¡± There was no time for words under such circumstances. Song Xuanhe nodded, then crouched down. He followed after a few people, but after taking a few steps, they noticed that there were people on top of sandbags nearby. He yelled Mohammad¡¯s name and then shouted, ¡°Run!¡± Mohamed¡¯s reaction time was quick. Without even thinking, he started to run in the same direction as Song Xuanhe. Their party ran several tens of metres before the st from the explosion in the sand forced them onto the ground. The yellow, gritty sand was blown towards them. Everyone held their heads. Several secondster, when they collected themselves and turned to check out the situation, they were met with the sight of their off-road vehicles having been blown up. They were now on fire. ¡°Thank you.¡± Mohammed surveyed the area carefully and then got up. He asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head. The party continued onwards. The rest of the group distracted the militants and led the gunfire away from them. Because of this, Song Xuanhe¡¯s journey was not as difficult, but there was no way to rx. They vigntly continued onwards until they reached the vige. Just as they put down their guard, a stream of bullets came from in front of them. It seems like the opposing party had realized that Mohammad¡¯s group was doing their best to protect Song Xuanhe. Therefore, they all shot in his direction. Mohammad and his group moved to protect Song Xuanhe at once. Unfortunately, their actions confirmed the other party¡¯s suspicions. The attack on Song Xuanhe grew even more intense. Under the rain of bullets, Song Xuanhe dodged with the help of the System¡¯s directions. He relied on his nimble reflexes to avoid injury. Two minutester, several members of their party were injured. Countless people in the opposing faction were also wounded. Mohammad had also been shot in the arm. There was a temporary ceasefire at present, so Song Xuanhe turned to examine Mohammad¡¯s wound. His head had only turned a bit when he heard the System scream in his head: ¡¾Watch out!¡¿ The moment the bullets entered his body, Song Xuanhe felt like he saw someone pounce towards him. Eve: Aw, He bao got an ouchie. xiin: ¡­ i¡¯m not ashamed to admit that i was asking Eve about whether or not anyone died while editing this chapter¡­ Chapter 130: Looking for a Friend trantor: Eve editor: kara When Song Xuanhe woke up, he found himself lying on a bed in an infirmary. Before he had the time to examine the crude infirmary and figure out where this ce was, he noticed Xiao Yuanmu, who was lying by his hand, fast asleep. His long eyshes covered the dark circles under his eyes and trembled slightly whenever he breathed. He didn¡¯t seem to be sleeping soundly, but he seemed a little softer than when he was awake. The System¡¯s voice came through: ¡¾Your body¡¯s condition isn¡¯t looking good. You¡¯ve been shot in the thigh and abdomen. Luckily, because the bullet had gone straight through, the surgery was very sessful. Most importantly, the surgeon who Xiao Yuanmu had brought was one of the top 100 surgeons in the world. That was why the surgery went sessfully without anyplications despite the crude circumstances. ¡¿ His thigh and abdomen throbbed with pain. Song Xuanhe asked£º¡¾When did Xiao Yuanmu arrive?¡¿ ¡¾Fifteen hours ago.¡¿The System said£º¡¾But ording to what I know, he must have encountered many obstacles trying to fly directly here from America. Actually, he had firstnded in T Country and then took a car here. If we were to include the time it had taken to prepare for the trip, he probably hadn¡¯t slept for thirty-two hours.¡¿ ¡¾Furthermore,¡¿the System said£º¡¾Although there are no signs ofplications yet, the facilities here are unsuitable for your recovery. If you continue to stay here, there¡¯s a 96.67% chance that your wounds will be infected. You¡¯re in great danger.¡¿ ¡¾How dangerous?¡¿Song Xuanhe tilted his head to the side, peering down at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s sleeping visage. He sounded absent-minded like he didn¡¯t really care about his body¡¯s situation. ¡¾Extremely dangerous!¡¿The System said£º¡¾Let me remind you: regardless of whether you choose to go back to your original world or stay here, you only have this one body. If you were to lose the ability to walk in the future because of your infection, you will remain crippled even if you return to your original world.¡¿ ¡¾Is Mohammad okay?¡¿Song Xuanhe asked after a brief period of silence£º¡¾And, what about the rest of the people who had been protecting me?¡¿ The System didn¡¯t want to reply but still did so in the end£º¡¾They¡¯re fine.¡¿ It didn¡¯t want to leave things at that and added£º¡¾Your condition is the gravest.¡¿ ¡¾Don¡¯t worry.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾It doesn¡¯t really hurt.¡¿ ¡¾Who cares if you think it hurts or not?!¡¿The System shouted£º¡¾¡­Didn¡¯t you used to fear pain?¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze was focused on Xiao Yuanmu, and his response was perfunctory£º¡¾Mn.¡¿ ¡¾The anaesthesia has already worn off. Do you really not feel any pain?¡¿ Song Xuanhe seemed to think of something. The light in his eyes darkened for a second before the corner of his lips rose£º¡¾You¡¯re a system, so you probably don¡¯t know this, but a minor wound hurts more than a major wound.¡¿ ¡¾I am a system, so I can monitor your pain perception. My data is alsoprehensive.¡¿The System said£º¡¾There¡¯s no research that says a minor wound hurts more than a major wound. Therger the wound, the deeper the injury, the more painful¡­.¡¿ ¡¾Well, I guess it¡¯s just different for each person.¡¿When Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s long eyshes fluttering, he hushed£º¡¾Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s awake.¡¿ Indeed, a secondter, Xiao Yuanmu opened his eyes. ¡¾It¡¯s not like he can hear our conversation.¡¿Although it had said that, it still fell silent. Song Xuanhe smiled, ¡°You¡¯re awake?¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat up. A secondter, the drowsiness from his eyes dissipated, leaving behind a bright gaze. There was a biting chill constrained within his pitch-ck pupils, however. ¡°Do your injuries hurt?¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Song Xuanhe frowned, hisplexion paling. Still, he kept up his smile. ¡°They don¡¯t hurt much.¡± Xiao Yuanmu quickly got up. He left Song Xuanhe with a rushed ¡°Don¡¯t move¡± before leaving the room. Very quickly after, a doctor followed Xiao Yuanmu into the infirmary. The doctor lifted the nket off of Song Xuanhe and examined his wounds. In a solemn voice, he said, ¡°Mr. Song¡¯s wounds are showing beginning signs of inmmation. If possible, I would suggest transferring him to medical facilities in another city.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heavy gaze grew even heavier, but the cold gradually disappeared. He quietly discussed with the doctor. After the doctor left, Louis walked in less than thirty secondster. ¡°Hi!¡± Louis grinned at Song Xuanhe in greeting. ¡°We meet again.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°Louis.¡± ¡°X Country¡¯s government didn¡¯t let our nend here.¡± Louis pulled a chair over and sat down. ¡°You know what the situation here is like. If I were to describe it with a Chinese idiom, I¡¯d choose ¡®Every tree or bush is an enemy soldier.¡¯ (TN: Means to panic and treat everyone as an enemy) They don¡¯t even permit private jets. I think that the chances of our negotiations seeding are close to none. It might be better if we were to just drive to Y Country and take a flight from there.¡± ¡°No,¡± Xiao Yuanmu rejected his proposal, ¡°His body won¡¯t be able to take the jostling on the road. Driving is also much more dangerous.¡± ¡°But you know that even if Mohammad does everything he can to help us, he doesn¡¯t hold much authority. With your identity, you were able to enter the country safely. That doesn¡¯t mean that we¡¯ll be able to threaten them into bending their rules for us. You should know what the situation is like.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes in contemtion. Louis then turned to Song Xuanhe and teased, ¡°Oh great designer, did you reallye here to learn about dyeing cloth? Are you artistic folk all this crazy?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s temple throbbed. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression that had just eased up once again sunk. He cast a mild look towards Song Xuanhe before telling Louis: ¡°Can you give us some space? I would like to speak to him alone.¡± Louis didn¡¯t think anything of this. He smiled as he waved at Song Xuanhe. ¡°See youter.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his fist at Louis¡¯s back. ¡°Louis is right.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat down next to the bed. His gaze was lowered, pinned on the pale Song Xuanhe. He asked, ¡°Why did youe here?¡± ¡°Dyes.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at him with an innocent expression on his pale face. ¡°I had been researching this for a long time. I¡¯ve always been intrigued with the dyes here. I had just so happened to meet a merchant from X Country while in R Country, and he had given me information about Mr. Hashemi. So, I had decided toe take a look.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was low. There was a harsh rasp as he spoke. ¡°Did you know what kind of ce this is?¡± ¡°I hadn¡¯t thought it was this bad.¡± At this point, Song Xuanhe did feel some guilt and regret. ¡°Mohammad was hurt as well. Is he going to be okay?¡± ¡°No one¡¯s more hurt than you are.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was frosty, and there was concern hidden in his chilly eyes. ¡°Why don¡¯t you ask about your own condition?¡± ¡°The doctor already told me,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°The wounds might get inmed, but they might also be fine. Actually, you don¡¯t have to worry so much. I know my body best. Besides, you know how afraid I am of pain. If I was really suffering, I wouldn¡¯t be acting as calm as I am now.¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know if you fear pain or not,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Sometimes, I wonder if you care more about yourself or other people. Or rather, it feels like you don¡¯t care about anything at all.¡± After saying this, Xiao Yuanmu stood up and said in a t voice, ¡°I¡¯m going to discuss the matter regarding our flight with Louis. Rest.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips were slightly pursed. Xiao Yuanmu left, not looking back. ¡¾Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s right.¡¿The System said£º¡¾You act as if you don¡¯t even care about your own life. You didn¡¯t care about your body¡¯s condition after waking up. My data is telling me that your body is gradually deteriorating. Yourpromised immunitybined with the environment has raised your chances of infection to 99%. Furthermore, your temperature is rising. I would suggest that you let Xiao Yuanmu take you away from here as soon as possible.¡¿ ¡¾I hadn¡¯t thought he woulde.¡¿ After saying this, Song Xuanhe fell quiet. Had he really not thought that Xiao Yuanmu might rush to his side if something were to happen to him? ¡¾My data tells me that you¡¯re lying.¡¿The System said£º¡¾I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re thinking. The thought processes of you humans are extremelyplicated. You, especially, are much moreplicated than the vast majority of humans. Analyses based on my data cannot tell me why you had done what you did. I¡¯m even starting to get confused as to whether you want to stay or leave.¡¿ ¡¾You chose to stay here andplete your mission for a healthy body, right? You have that now. All you needed to do was wait two months, and you would be able to go back to your original world. But, your risk-taking behaviour contradicts your original intentions. After conducting all sorts of analyses, my only conclusion is that you actually want to stay here.¡¿ Song Xuanhe remained silent, so the System continued£º¡¾But even if that were true, it still doesn¡¯t exin your actions. So, I still don¡¯t get why you did that.¡¿ ¡°There are many things that humans do that are done without reason.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice was quiet and light. ¡°Often, humans don¡¯t even know what it is that they want.¡± The System£º¡¾Do you know what you want?¡¿ Song Xuanhe shut his eyes, his face as pale as the snow-white wall next to him. He was silent. ¡¾At times like these, it¡¯s often helpful to think of the opposite.¡¿The System said£º¡¾Do you know what you don¡¯t want? Or rather, what you fear?¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes trembled. He had been about to speak when his ears picked up the sound of gradually approaching footsteps. He opened his eyes. Xiao Yuanmu appeared at the door. He silently stared at Song Xuanhe¡¯s pale face. Their gazes met, but neither of them spoke. A few secondster, Xiao Yuanmu walked over. He bent down at the waist, his lips nting a short, soft kiss on Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips. ¡°Don¡¯t be scared, I¡¯m here.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. Instantly, the sting in his nose spread to his eyes, causing bitter tears to form. A secondter, the tears fell. He knew what he didn¡¯t want. He knew what he feared. He didn¡¯t want to be alone again. He was afraid that there would never be an existence like Xiao Yuanmu in his world again. But, he hadn¡¯t been able to free himself of the shackles around his heart. He had only been able to discharge his guilt through self-destructive means. Eve: An emotionally-charged chapter, that is going to be followed by another emotionally-charged chapter. The really squeezed my heart. Kara: A chapter that made me cry again, especially as I thought about my own dilemma. I really love RMLE and editing, but along with Eve, I¡¯ve been struggling with my own real life priorities and mental health amidst this really chaotic time we¡¯re in. And, I just hit a wall eventually. So, I¡¯ve decided to stop being an editor for now. It really breaks my heart to not be able to finish Eve and I¡¯sst project, but at the moment, it¡¯s just better for me to take a step back for a while. Hopefully, I¡¯ll find that spark to edit again ande back someday. But for now, I guess this is goodbye. It¡¯s been a st! Thanks for supporting our favorite couple all this time, and to Xiin, who will take RMLE to the end! <3 Chapter 131: Found a Good Friend trantor: Eve editors: xiin ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± This was the first time Xiao Yuanmu had seen Song Xuanhe cry. It was also the first time he had ever heard Song Xuanhe apologize to him. Although it had only been two teardrops that were quickly wiped away, even if the other still didn¡¯t want to tell him the truth yet despite the apology, the dark, gloomy feeling in his chest was swept away by heartache. The anger and harshness in his chest was reced with concern. Louis had once said, ¡°Once, when Yang was drunk, he described your rtionship with Song as ¡®one objects bests another object.¡¯ He said that, because of this, even if he didn¡¯t approve of your rtionship, he couldn¡¯t persuade you out of it. After I went home, I looked up what that idiom meant. The only thing I¡¯m not certain of, is who is whose weakness.¡± Now, he knew the answer. As long as it was what Song Xuanhe wanted, Xiao Yuanmu was willing to surrender his everything to him. And he was perfectly happy to do so. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe called out his name. The moment Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s clear eyes met his, Song Xuanhe lifted a hand and covered the other¡¯s eyes gently. He could feel the other man¡¯s long, straight eyshes tickling his palm. They brought with them an itchy, numb feeling. The feeling made a stark contrast to the pain in his abdomen as he forced himself into a sitting position. Unexpectedly, the feeling against his palm was somehow more intense and clear than the ache in his abdomen. Xiao Yuanmu, whose sight was suddenly obstructed, paused. He could feel the warmth emanating from Song Xuanhe¡¯s palm. He closed his eyes. Song Xuanhe¡¯s handid over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes as he took in the lines of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s straight nose and his perfect, slightly pale lips. He slowly came closer and their noses bumped together. He covered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips with his own. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mind nked. His eyes snapped open and his eyshes once again swept over Song Xuanhe¡¯s palm. At the same time, Song Xuanhe thrust his tongue into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mouth. He no longer wanted to think about anything else. All he wanted to do was stay in this position and quietly experience this kiss. Light gradually filtered through the cracks between the other¡¯ fingers. Their intertwined breaths in the space between their noses gradually parted and the moist, soft warm left his mouth. The heat slowly disappeared, leaving only a vestige of its warmth. Song Xuanhe stared into Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes and asked, ¡°Will you forgive me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu quietly said, ¡°Mn.¡± He then pressed his hand to the back of Song Xuanhe¡¯s head, pressing their lips together once more. This time, the kiss was much deeper. Their tongues and lips were locked together, the taste of the other filling their mouths. The heightened atmosphere continued to heat up. asionally, their breaths would cause the tiny dust particles in the air to shiver. Creak¡ª The sound of the door moving against the floor was especially noticeable in the quiet infirmary. The two of them immediately broke apart, both turning to look at the door. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ve interrupted something?¡± Louis and the doctor were at the door. Louis shrugged, appearing regretful, although there was no apology in his tone. ¡°Although I really want to apologize, I think that Song probably shouldn¡¯t do any intensive exercise. What do you think, Dr. Nathan?¡± Dr. Nathan smiled and nodded. ¡°As a doctor, I approve of what Mr. Louis has said. Furthermore, Mr. Song might have tore his wounds open with that position so I¡¯m going to have to take a look at him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s look of displeasure transformed. He turned around and was met with Song Xuanhe¡¯s face that was even paler now, contrasted with his bright red lips. ¡°Dr. Nathan.¡± Xiao Yuanmu shifted over, ¡°Please.¡± Dr. Nathan nodded and went over to pull Song Xuanhe¡¯s shirt up. When he saw the bloody gauze, his smile turned grave. ¡°Mr. Song, your condition is not looking good right now. There was only a sixty percent chance of infection at the time of surgery, but it looks like it has increased since then. I will require your cooperation in treatment.¡± Song Xuanhe leaned against the bed and nodded. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°I will take your temperature in a bit.¡± Dr. Nathan said, ¡°How do you feel right now?¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips and nced at Xiao Yuanmu. He could only tell the truth, faced with the other¡¯s concern. ¡°It hurts more now than when I first woke up. I originally thought it was just because the anaesthesia wore off. Is it already infected?¡± Dr. Nathan frowned. ¡°The anaesthesia should have worn off more than ten hours ago. It seems like you do have an infection. I will give you an antibiotic injection in a bit. We have to transfer you as soon as possible.¡± Louis said, ¡°I¡¯ve already contacted Hoffman. He¡¯s very interested in our proposal and has already agreed to help. Our flight shouldnd by the aircraft parking area near Mohammed and then in twenty minutes. We should prepare.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up. ¡°Rong Hoffman?¡± ¡°You know him?¡± Louis was surprised. He then said, ¡°Yes, Rong Hoffman, the Hoffman Family¡¯s sole sessor. If we disregard the authorities of other countries, the only people left capable of making both factions in X Country topromise are the people of the Hoffman n. However, the Hoffman Family hadn¡¯t wanted to get involved. Xiao had paid a lot¡­.¡± ¡°Louis.¡± Xiao Yuanmu gave Louis a cool nce before telling Song Xuanhe, ¡°Rest. We¡¯ll leave in a bit.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at Louis, who had shut his mouth tightly, and then turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Mn.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded at him and then left with Louis. Dr. Nathan smiled. ¡°Xiao cares about you a lot. This is the first time I¡¯ve seen him care about someone so much. He doesn¡¯t even show half as much care to his rtives.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Song Xuanhe looked away and asked, ¡°Dr. Nathan, how do you know Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t care about his family? Maybe he just doesn¡¯t show it on his face.¡± Dr. Nathan shook his head. ¡°A student of mine knows Mr. Xiao. He has taken a post in the Xiao Family recently. The other physicians who serve the Xiao Family have been making things hard on him. If Mr. Xiao¡¯s position in the Xiao Family was stable or the situation in the family was peaceful, that wouldn¡¯t have happened. Oh, he and I have been transferred to Mr. Xiao¡¯s side. When we get to Y City, you¡¯ll probably meet him. Song Xuanhe: ¡°Can you tell me about the Xiao Family?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Dr. Nathan said, ¡°What do you want to hear about?¡± ¡°Are Mr. and Mrs. Xiao kind to Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°Naturally. They treat Mr. Xiao very well.¡± Nathan¡¯s ¡®naturally¡¯ sounded very certain. But if you listened carefully, it was less certain than his ¡®of course¡¯ from earlier. ¡°What about his younger brother?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°There are only four masters in the Xiao Family. Since Mr. and Mrs. Xiao are nice to him, that means that the people causing trouble for your student have to be Xiao Baicong¡¯s people, right? Nathan shook his head. ¡°If you want to hear more about how Mr. Xiao is doing in the Xiao Family, I can tell you that. But you will have to inquire yourself in the future if you want to learn about their family¡¯s secrets.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. He suddenly asked, ¡°How is Mr. Xiao doing?¡± A sliver of surprise shed through Nelson¡¯s eyes but he covered it up very quickly. ¡°The patriarch is very healthy.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow but didn¡¯t ask anything else regarding that. Instead, he asked, ¡°Can you tell me about what you are allowed to talk about with regards to the Xiao Family?¡± ¡°I can only tell you about Mr. Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Dr. Nathan said, ¡°His body is doing well. Although he will asionally forget to rest, he exercises earnestly every day. Aside from¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe raised and interrupted Nathan. ¡°Can you tell me how Xiao Yuanmu is doing in the Xiao Family right now? This is very important to me.¡± Nathan paused and then bore into Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°Indeed, it is very important for you. But I cannot influence your thoughts with my own. You have to draw your own conclusions based on your own observations.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. In other words, this conversation was a waste of time. Nathan¡¯s lips were so guarded, it was like he was trained in the special forces or something. He couldn¡¯t get a single thing out of him. It was just¡­when he thought of Nathan¡¯s student, someone came to mind. Song Xuanhe looked up. ¡°Dr. Nathan, can I ask you a question? Is your student a Chinese man named Yu Yan?¡± Dr. Nathan looked shocked. ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Is he doing well?¡± Nathan was astonished. He didn¡¯t expect Song Xuanhe to ask this, so he was very honest. ¡°He¡¯s doing well. Are you friends?¡± ¡°He¡¯s a friend of a friend.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. He was about to ask something else when he noticed that Xiao Yuanmu was back. ¡°You know Yu Yan?¡± Song Xuanhe chuckled. ¡°Zhou Nan¡¯s first love.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t hide his surprise. ¡°Zhou Nan?¡± ¡°Mn. I think they dated in elementary school and high school.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. He had known from his previous life that Yu Yan had someone he liked. Yu Yan had even said that the reason why he didn¡¯t want to go back to China was because he didn¡¯t want to see his ex. When he did have to go back to the country, he even purposely spoke to him in what could be taken as an intimate manner by outsiders at the banquets they attended, all for the sake of preventing his ex from bothering him. He just didn¡¯t expect that rumours of him and Yu Yan potentially being involved would spread after that. People even started to say Yu Yan was one of the people courting him. Afterwards, when Yu Yan apologized to him, he also found out that the other¡¯s first love had also been at the banquet. He understood why the other did what he had. He just didn¡¯t expect that the world would be so small. Yu Yan¡¯s first love was unexpectedly Zhou Nan. Song Xuanhe was thinking about Yu Yan, whose heart had held deep pain for a long time until he finally fell in love with Xiao Yuanmu in the end of the novel. He sighed. ¡°First loves never end well.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him and Song Xuanhe added: ¡°At least it seems that way based on the people around me.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not your first love,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°So you don¡¯t have to worry.¡± Song Xuanhe fell silent for a moment. His gaze grew shifty and he didn¡¯t reply. Xiao Yuanmu recalled Yu Yan and Zhou Nan¡¯s ending in hisst life. While Yu Yan had acted like he had been avoiding Zhou Nan on the surface, he had always paid special attention to news of Zhou Nan. When he had found out that the Zhou Family had arranged a marriage for Zhou Nan, he had rushed back to China. Before Xiao Yuanmu had gotten into that car ident, he had received a call from Yu Yan. The other had been inviting him to attend their wedding. He had said that he wanted to introduce him to his partner. It seems like Zhou Nan and Yu Yan had gotten back together in the end. ¡°They will end up together in the end,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± Although Song Xuanhe was surprised at the other¡¯s certainty, he said, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about them.¡± ¡°I was talking about us.¡± Song Xuanhe was caught off guard for a moment. A few secondster, he processed what the other meant and replied, ¡°I¡¯m not worried about us either.¡± Eve: FINALLY. 131 chapters of slowburn and they are finally, officially together. Song Xuanhe¡¯s show of weakness and desperation in the first few paragraphs hurt, in a good way. He was finally able to break down his walls and show his vulnerable side. He¡¯s finally able to let himself go after his own happiness. Be happy, my babies. Chapter 132: Hold Hands and Kiss Him trantor: Eve editor: xiin Five dayster, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu finally made it back to Y City. Originally, they had nned to fly directly to Y City, but because Song Xuanhe¡¯s wounds were already infected, Dr. Nathan had proposed that they stop in Z Country, which neighboured X Country, so that they could stabilize his condition and allow him to recuperate a bit before heading back to Y City. Xiao Yuanmu had thus disregarded Song Xuanhe¡¯s protests and stopped their ne in Z Country. They had taken three days to ensure that his condition was stable before they continued on their way to Y City. At a municipal hospital in Y City. Dr. Nathan changed Song Xuanhe¡¯s dressings, then brought a person to see him. Song Xuanhe smiled at the neer. ¡°Long time no see, Dr. Yu.¡± ¡°Mr. Song.¡± Yu Yan nodded indifferently. ¡°I heard Teacher say that we¡¯re old friends, but from what I recall, we¡¯ve only met a few times.¡± ¡°But I am good friends with Zhou Nan.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Please, have a seat.¡± Yu Yan¡¯s expression changed slightly. He looked at Song Xuanhe for a moment before sitting down beside him. Dr. Nathan said that he had something to do and left with a smile. ¡°What did you need me for?¡± Song Xuanhe nced at the shut door. ¡°I know that you used to work at the Xiao residence. I wanted to ask you about the current situation.¡± ¡°I was only at the Xiao residence for one month.¡± Yu Yan said, ¡°I don¡¯t really know anything.¡± ¡°Were the people causing you trouble Xiao Baicong¡¯s people?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Xiao Family has several personal physicians. Each doctor is in charge of a different member, right?¡± ¡°I cannot answer your first question.¡± Yu Yan said, ¡°As for your second question, the Xiao Family has their own medical team and each doctor is in charge of their own specializations. They are not personal doctors to specific members of the Xiao Family.¡± ¡°But there are certain members each doctor is closer to.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Otherwise, why would they cause trouble for you?¡± ¡°That had nothing to do with the Xiao Family. It¡¯s just something that is inevitable in the workce.¡± Yu Yan said in a t voice, ¡°It¡¯s normal for those in the same profession to suppress each other in the name ofpetition.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Then why are you following just Xiao Yuanmu now?¡± ¡°Because Dr. Nathan is my teacher.¡± Yu Yan said, ¡°If you want to find out something about the Xiao Family, I¡¯d suggest you ask Mr. Xiao, rather than me. If he wants you to know, you will be able to hear about everything you want to hear. If he doesn¡¯t want you to know, then asking me is still useless. I know of your rtionship. If a couple has to hear about their partner from others, their rtionship will notst long.¡± Yu Yan¡¯s expression grew heavy as he said thest sentence. It was clear that something had popped up into his mind. Song Xuanhe knew Zhou Nan¡¯s personality. He also knew that Zhou Nan was the one in the wrong between them. As Zhou Nan¡¯s friend, he didn¡¯t want to poke at Yu Yan¡¯s sore spot either. Therefore, he changed the subject. ¡°Do you know how I can quicken my recovery? I also want to eat Sichaun poached fish slices in hot chili oil. Can I eat that right now?¡± ¡°I heard Teacher say that your body seems to be doing well. Since the wound has been treated, you should be able to go home soon. It won¡¯t need much time to heal. As for the fish, you should wait until the wounds have fully healed before eating it.¡± Yu Yan got up. ¡°If nothing else, I¡¯ll be heading out.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He then said, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu took my phone away. If it¡¯s convenient, could you tell Zhou Nan that I¡¯m in Y City? Oh, but don¡¯t tell him about my current condition. Thanks.¡± Yu Yan¡¯s steps paused. His lips were pursed and he wanted to refuse, but he swallowed it down when he saw Xiao Yuanmue in. He nodded at Xiao Yuanmu before leaving. ¡°You wanted to speak to Yu Yan?¡± Xiao Yuanmu walked over to Song Xuanhe and ced the congee he had cooked on the table. He opened the thermos¡¯ lid and said, ¡°The chicken congee you wanted to eat.¡± ¡°There¡¯s so little meat.¡± Song Xuanhe stirred it with his spoon. His gaze was lowered. ¡°I wanted to ask about how you were doing in the Xiao Family but he didn¡¯t tell me anything.¡± Xiao Yuanmu set the side dishes in front of Song Xuanhe¡¯s bowl of congee. ¡°You can ask me anything.¡± Song Xuanhe put his spoon down. ¡°How is your father¡­the Xiao patriarch¡­doing right now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still being treated.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat down on the other side of the table. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t read his tone. ¡°His doctor is very meticulous. His condition is good.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you have to visit him? You wasted a lot of time finding me in X Country.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up and saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze downcast, his eyes covered by hisshes. ¡°There¡¯s something I haven¡¯t told you yet because of your injuries.¡± ¡°What?¡± Song Xuanhe met Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze. ¡°Dr. Nathan says that you can leave the hospital tomorrow. I¡¯ve already ordered someone to tidy the apartment. You can move in with me tomorrow.¡± Song Xuanhe evaluated his expression. ¡°I was shot. Is it really possible to recover this quickly?¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t hit any organs or bones so it shouldn¡¯t take very long to recover from.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°Now that the infection has been taken care of, it will heal with time. Someone will be there to help change your dressings after you¡¯re discharged.¡± ¡°I think¡­.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you didn¡¯t like staying at the hospital?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at him. ¡°Or do you just not want to live with me?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it.¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. ¡°Okay. We¡¯ll leave tomorrow.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and quietly watched Song Xuanhe drink his congee. After Song Xuanhe finished his food, Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°When you¡¯re all better, I¡¯ll make anything you want to eat.¡± Song Xuanhe leaned against the pillow and looked up at Xiao Yuanmu. A thought suddenly popped up in his head and a sliver of mischievousness appeared in his eyes. ¡°Anything?¡± ¡°What do you want to eat? The light in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes flickered as he looped his arms around Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s neck. His gaze was on the other¡¯s lips, and there was a bit of naughtiness in the corner of his eyes. ¡°Guess.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes darkened and he leaned down to kiss him. In order to avoid opening up the other¡¯s wounds, he pressed down on Song Xuanhe, preventing him from moving as their lips intertwined. As he kissed Song Xuanhe, he murmured, ¡°Anything you want, you can have.¡± After they broke their kiss, Xiao Yuanmu turned on hisptop to do work, as he usually did. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe flipped through the photos he had taken. asionally, he would draw in his sketchbook when inspiration hit. But five minutester, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze flickered over and Song Xuanhe tactfully dropped his pencil and leaned back against his pillow. Because this had been going on for a few days now, Song Xuanhe¡¯s actions were very practiced. ¡°Don¡¯t move around.¡± Xiao Yuanmu reminded him coolly before continuing his own work. Song Xuanhe raised a brow. He grabbed the sketchbook in front of him and started sketching the image of Xiao Yuanmu working. Xiao Yuanmu looked up. Before he could speak, Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Just a quick sketch. Two minutes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t reopen your wounds.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lowered his head and continued to work as Song Xuanhe sketched. Looking back, he had done countless quick sketches of Xiao Yuanmu thesest few days in the hospital. None of the sketches were detailed, but they were infused with the other¡¯s essence. With one nce, anyone would be able to tell what he was doing or what he was feeling at the time. Louis had found Song Xuanhe¡¯s drawings very novel. He didn¡¯t only have quick sketches in his sketchbook. He also had drawings he had made while relying on his memories and imagination. The one thing that was consistent was that it always became extremely easy to read Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotions through Song Xuanhe¡¯s drawings. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t draw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expressions with meticulous care, but it was easy to read his emotions by looking at the drawings. It was a very magical experience. Clearly, the person in the drawings were all Xiao Yuanmu. Clearly, the bearing and actions of the person in the drawing were very alike to how Xiao Yuanmu usually was. But it wasn¡¯t the Xiao Yuanmu they usually saw. ¡ªIt was the Xiao Yuanmu in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. Simple, pure, crystal clear, unfathomable. Louis had asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°How are you able to read his emotions from that unchanging expression and expressionless eyes? Also, how are you able to trante that into your drawings? I suddenly feel like Xiao¡¯s super easy to read. Clearly, nothing¡¯s changed, but it feels like something¡¯s changed. Can you draw me? I really wonder what I look like in your eyes.¡± Song Xuanhe had wanted to agree because to him, it was practice all the same regardless of who he drew. But before he could reply, Xiao Yuanmu hade back and declined. Xiao Yuanmu had said, ¡°He¡¯s only allowed to draw me.¡± Louis had left in a huff and Song Xuanhe had continued to fill his sketchbook with more sketches of Xiao Yuanmu, under the other¡¯s disapproving watch. Xiao Yuanmu would asionally flip through his sketchbook and furrow his brows tightly. Sometimes, he would seem lost in thought. One time, Song Xuanhe had asked him, ¡°Why are you frowning at my drawing?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze had not left the drawing. Quietly, he had asked, ¡°What were you thinking while drawing this?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Song Xuanhe had said, ¡°I was just drawing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had then asked, ¡°Then what did you think I was thinking while you were drawing me?¡± ¡°Work?¡± Song Xuanhe guessed, ¡°Whether a case would be sessful, if someone¡¯s project was good or not, what the next step is going to be¡­.¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had interrupted Song Xuanhe with a mild voice. He had spread the sketchbook open in front of Xiao Yuanmu and pointed to the image of him typing. ¡°I was thinking of you.¡± Song Xuanhe had been taken aback. He didn¡¯t reply. Xiao Yuanmu had continued, ¡°You had been drawing for three minutes and fifteen seconds at that moment. I had been contemting whether or not I should remind you to stop.¡± Song Xuanhe had continued to keep his silence. Xiao Yuanmu had then flipped to another drawing. The man in that sketch had been looking at someone outside the picture. His features were sharp, but his expression wasn¡¯t¨C¨Cthere was even a sliver of softness within it. ¡°This was when you were acting like a spoiled child because you wanted to eat mango.¡± Song Xuanhe had coughed and asked with furrowed brows. ¡°When did I act like a spoiled child?¡± ¡°You said that your condition would worsen if you didn¡¯t get to eat mango.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had looked at him. ¡°Is that not acting like a spoiled child?¡± ¡°Were you thinking of me in this sketch as well?¡± Song Xuanhe had raised a brow and huffed. ¡°I had been thinking whether you would kiss me if I let you eat mango, like when you were trying to bribe me to let you eat chicken drumsticks.¡± Song Xuanhe had red, ¡°That was an ident!¡± At that time, he had just changed his dressings. When he had been on his phone, he hade across the image of someone else¡¯s chicken drumstick meal. Song Xuanhe had been forced to eat inly for some time at this point and he hadn¡¯t been able to help but drool over it. He had asked Xiao Yuanmu for it, but the other had said no without even considering it. The other had even mercilessly said, ¡°Not only can you not eat it today, you can¡¯t eat anything greasy or spicy until you fully recover. I¡¯ll be watching you.¡± Song Xuanhe had been under his tight watch for thest few days. He also had some things on his mind, so he had been suffering from pent-up frustration for a long time already. In a momentary fit, he had asked, ¡°Don¡¯t you have to go to work? It¡¯s not like you can stay here 24/7 and stop others from buying it for me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had cocked a brow. ¡°I have several people assigned here. No one would dare buy you anything I don¡¯t want them to.¡± Song Xuanhe had known that he couldn¡¯t win over him. He had then tugged on his nket, nning to lie down. Unfortunately, he had forgotten that he had the IV attached to his hand, and his hand immediately started to bleed as the needles on his arm shifted out of ce. Xiao Yuanmu had wanted to press down on his wound and call the doctor over. Unexpectedly, Song Xuanhe had been unsteady and his waist was injured. When Xiao Yuanmu tugged him, he toppled towards the other without resistance. As soon as he fell, Xiao Yuanmu had reached out to grab him. The two of them had thus identally bumped lips. It was just a touch, nothing else. Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t expected that Xiao Yuanmu would twist the situation and change it from an ident to him kissing him on purpose while trying to bribe him by being coquettish. Therefore, he had rolled his eyes. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t bribe you for just a drumstick.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had said, ¡°I will always think of you when you kiss me.¡± These words were nothing special and they sounded even more ascetic when spoken with his chilly voice. But for some reason, they had made his ears flush. He had stopped arguing with the other just like that. After that incident, every time Song Xuanhe drew, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words would echo in his mind: I¡¯m thinking of you. Back to the present, Song Xuanhe was lost in his thoughts. Without him realizing it, five minutes passed. Xiao Yuanmu looked up and saw that Song Xuanhe was staring off into space, thinking about something. His posture didn¡¯t seem like it was engaging his core muscles so he figured it wouldn¡¯t pull on his wound. But he still reminded the other: ¡°It¡¯s been five minutes.¡± Song Xuanhe abruptly snapped out of his daze, but he hadn¡¯t yet fully pulled himself out of his memories. Without thinking, he blurted out: ¡°Are you thinking about me right now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s typing paused. His fingers hovered over his keyboard. Song Xuanhe instantly realized what he had just said. He averted his gaze. ¡°You looked like you were thinking of me right now. But I think it would be better if you concentrated on your work. After all, I¡¯m sitting right here. You don¡¯t have to think about me so much.¡± ¡°Then what were you thinking about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu closed hisptop. He folded his hands and rested his chin on top of it as he gazed in Song Xuanhe¡¯s direction. There was a dark glint shing through his jet-ck eyes. ¡°What was I thinking about?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked, expression guileless. ¡°You know that I don¡¯t think of anything while drawing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu grinned. ¡°And here I thought you were thinking of me.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right in front of me,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°What would I need to think about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°So you¡¯re saying that you think of me when I¡¯m away?¡± Song Xuanhe had choked. He forced out, ¡°Sometimes.¡± ¡°When?¡± When he heard the interest in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, Song Xuanhe covered his wound and frowned. ¡°I¡¯m going to lie down for a bit. My wound hurts. Call me when it¡¯s time to eat.¡± As he said this, he put his sketchbook on the table and curled up under the nkets, closing his eyes. There was a smile in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He chuckled. ¡°Have a good nap.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t reply. He acted like he was already asleep. The warm air from the heater circted through the room, and the sound of Xiao Yuanmu typing could be heard. asionally, he would also catch a whiff of a cool scent. It was very faint, and easily missed. It was Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s scent. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were closed. He took in the nearly undetectable scent of disinfectant and listened to the nearby taps of the keyboard. It was like the air was bringing with it warmth andfortable satisfaction. The furrows in his brows unfurled and he gradually fell into a deep sleep. Close by, Xiao Yuanmu stopped typing. He slowly got up and walked over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s bedside. He watched the other for some time before cing a soft kiss on the corner of the other¡¯s lips, a smile on his own. He then returned to his stop and continued to work. Eve: Pure, unadulterated fluff. This is the sugar we all needed. This is the sugar we have waited for. It is so much sweeter after all that bitterness. xiin: sweet candy~ Chapter 133: His Little Cheeks Are Chubby trantor: Eve editor: xiin After Song Xuanhe was discharged, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s workce shifted from the hospital to the apartment. Louis had teased him several times before over this but Xiao Yuanmu had remained unmoved from beginning to end. Even when it came to the Xiao Family, unless it was really urgent, he wouldn¡¯t leave the apartment. One time, when Louis had once againe toin about his suffering, he had told Song Xuanhe: ¡°Dr. Nathan¡¯s already said that you¡¯re fine, that you can take care of yourself now. But Xiao still isn¡¯t willing toe to thepany to work. I bet it isn¡¯t 100% because he¡¯s worried about your body. I think he thinks you¡¯ll abandon him and go on another trip.¡± Song Xuanhe had been drawing at the time. When he had heard what Louis said, he paused. At that moment, he suddenly recalled the System¡¯s reminder two nights ago. Yourst scene is fifteen days away. There are forty six days until your departure from this world. ¡°But I don¡¯t think he has to worry.¡± Louis casually found a ce to sit down. ¡°There aren¡¯t that many countries as dangerous as X Country in this world. You only went there because you didn¡¯t know how dire the situation really was. Obviously, there isn¡¯t going to be a second time. I really don¡¯t know what he¡¯s worried about.¡± Louis¡¯ eyes suddenly widened as he said this. He looked like he had suddenly seen the truth. He turned to speak to Yang Jie furiously, ¡°Yang, do you think that this is because I took those days off for my hand injury? Is he using Song¡¯s injury as an excuse to work from home? And if I ask him about it, do you think he¡¯s going to use the excuse I used against me? And then he¡¯ll shift most of the work onto me so that I won¡¯t be able to rest even on the weekends!¡± Not even Louis believed himself. ¡°Song.¡± Louis said to Song Xuanhe in a grave tone. ¡°I sincerely wish to extend to you an invitation toe visit RE. If possible, please stay there for several days. I think that the architecture of our building will provide you with inspiration. I forgot to tell you this before, but ourpany¡¯s building¡­.¡± ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu came in with a bowl of noodles in his hand. He made a beeline to Song Xuanhe and ced the bowl down in front of him. In a fluid motion, he pulled the other¡¯s pen out of his hand and handed him a pair of chopsticks instead. ¡°The noodles you wanted to eat.¡± Song Xuanhe had gotten used to how Xiao Yuanmu would do anything he asked at once over thest few days. Therefore, he wasn¡¯t upset over having his pen confiscated. He simply grabbed the chopsticks and began to eat. Louis watched their seamless and familiar interaction with shock. He then asked Yang Jie, ¡°Do you think Xiao knows that we¡¯re still sitting right here?¡± Yang Jie was looking at Song Xuanhe, who was quietly eating his noodles on the bed, with aplicated gaze. He also looked at Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing beside him, looking at Song Xuanhe¡¯s sketch. He then looked away and quietly said, ¡°He just asked us what we were talking about.¡± Louis recalled hearing that. ¡°Oh yeah. He wouldn¡¯t ask us that if he didn¡¯t know we were here. But why did he only bring one bowl over even though he knows we¡¯re here?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was still on the sketch. He didn¡¯t look up as he said mildly, ¡°There¡¯s more in the kitchen. If you want to eat, get it yourself.¡± Louis raised his chin, intending to say that he didn¡¯t want to eat. But the image of Song Xuanhe eating made him hungry. The delicious aroma of food that wafted over also made him gulp. But Xiao Yuanmu ignoring him like this even though they were business partners really did hurt his self-esteem. Louis wanted to find someone to back him up. He turned to ask Yang Jie: ¡°Yang, we¡¯re not going to¡­Yang?¡± The ce where Yang Jie had been standing was empty. Song Xuanhe kindly informed him: ¡°When Xiao Yuanmu said that there was more in the kitchen, Yang Jie left.¡± Louis opened the door, stewing in his grief and indignation. He slunk away to the kitchen. A minuteter, they heard Louis¡¯s voice from downstairs: ¡°Yang, you rogue!¡± Song Xuanhe suppressed the smile on his lips and continued to eat his noodles. Xiao Yuanmu also hid his own grin. He asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you draw me today?¡± ¡°Because Xiao Huang really seems to like my drawings.¡± Song Xuanhe finished the rest of his noodles and ced his chopsticks down. ¡°So I decided to draw him one.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow and carefully examined the drawing. ¡°Didn¡¯t you make him a little too fat?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled the sketchbook towards him and took a look. ¡°I even modified his body a bit so that he wouldn¡¯t feel so self-conscious when looking at the portrait.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the chubby dog with short legs that looked like a ball. ¡°What did you change?¡± ¡°His fur.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°But to make sure that it was still realistic, I only made him look more groomed.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡­. ¡°Are you insinuating that Xiao Huang isn¡¯t going to like my drawing?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°He¡¯ll like it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu returned the sketchbook and said, ¡°I¡¯m going to visit the Xiao residence today. Yang Jie will stay here with you. Zhou Nan and them will being over in the afternoon. I¡¯lle back to make dinner.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°They can eat out.¡± Xiao Yuanmu chuckled. ¡°Okay.¡± After lunch, Xiao Yuanmu spoke to Yang Jie a bit before leaving with Louis. Now, there was only Song Xuanhe and Yang Jie left in the apartment. Things were really awkward for a moment. ¡°You¡­¡± Yang Jie stiffly averted his gaze, ¡°How¡¯s your injuries?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°A lot better.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± Yang Jie coughed. When he noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze on him, he pursed his lips. He thought about it, and then asked, ¡°Why did you go to X Country? It¡¯s really dangerous there.¡± ¡°I was looking for Hashemi.¡± Yang Jie nodded. He had heard a bit of what happened from Louis. Compared to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s anger and Louis¡¯ shock, Yang Jie had epted this reasonparatively easily. From what he knew, Song Xuanhe had always done as he wished, to the point where he would disregard his own safety and the opinions of others. It had been like this when the two of them had been in the same country, and the same when Song Xuanhe had gone to meet with Zhou Rong. Even on their first meeting, he had noticed this fact about the other man. It was precisely because of this that he had never approved of Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. Although he didn¡¯t know Xiao Yuanmu before he started dating Song Xuanhe, he inexplicably felt like he had known Xiao Yuanmu for a really long time despite only knowing him for a few days back then. In his time of need, he had thought that Xiao Yuanmu would definitely help him out. And that if that did happen, he would pledge his loyalty to this man for the rest of his life. Reality had eventually proven that true. As time passed and many things urred, he realized that he really did understand Xiao Yuanmu. Understanding someone was not always a matter of time. Back then, he had thought that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand Xiao Yuanmu at all. He hadn¡¯t known what Xiao Yuanmu had been doing at home after he had quit his job. He hadn¡¯t known how Xiao Yuanmu wouldn¡¯t cherish his own body, how he skipped meals. He hadn¡¯t known what Xiao Yuanmu had been doing for his sake. He hadn¡¯t known how much Xiao Yuanmu loved him¡­. Yang Jie had thought that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t deserve Xiao Yuanmu. Aside from his good background and his good looks, there was nothing about him that made him worthy of being with Xiao Yuanmu. If he were to really get into it, Song Xuanhe¡¯s looks didn¡¯t live up to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s either. But then again, since there were so few people that could match Xiao Yuanmu looks wise, Yang Jie had begrudgingly given Song Xuanhe that. But on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s birthday, after Song Xuanhe had gone to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment to see him off, Xiao Yuanmu had been in a good mood. At that moment, Yang Jie realized that perhaps Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t as bad as he had thought. This was because, in Yang Jie¡¯s eyes, Xiao Yuanmu was perfect in every aspect. That meant that there must be a reason for why such a good person like Xiao Yuanmu fell for Song Xuanhe. After that, he had followed Xiao Yuanmu to America. He had seen how Xiao Yuanmu had be increasingly cold due to Song Xuanhe¡¯s infrequent calls. He had also seen how Xiao Yuanmu would asionally be in high spirits when Song Xuanhe did call. He had seen how Xiao Yuanmu had be increasingly silent and expressionless. He had seen how Song Xuanhe only needed to give Xiao Yuanmu a single expression or word and he would be able to affect Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s words. He had seen how Song Xuanhe had sternly rebuked Xiao Yuanmu for not cherishing his body¡­. Yang Jie had suddenly realized that, as a bystander, he had no right to criticize Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. At that moment, Yang Jie had thought that Xiao Yuanmu had made a good choice. Perhaps Song Xuanhe was the only person in the world that was well-suited for him. Moreover, he had always thought that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t love Xiao Yuanmu. But actually, he had been wrong. After inadvertently seeing Song Xuanhe¡¯s portrait of Xiao Yuanmu, he had realized that Song Xuanhe loved Xiao Yuanmu just as much as Xiao Yuanmu loved Song Xuanhe. The two of them were made for each other. They would certainly grow old together. It was just that Song Xuanhe¡¯s daredevil personality was not suitable for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s current situation. He didn¡¯t want any idents to ur. ¡°Cough¡­are you into thrill-seeking?¡± Song Xuanhe had been about to continue his drawing when he suddenly heard Yang Jie speak up after a long moment of silence. It took his two seconds to react. ¡°Not really. Once in a while I might be carried away by a whim.¡± ¡°Have you ever thought about what would happen to your family, friends, and Xiao ge if anything were to happen to you?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly. He smiled, propping his chin up on one hand. ¡°The world will not stop turning just because one person dies. People are the same.¡± Yang Jie frowned and said, ¡°But they will be heartbroken and aggrieved.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded and then quietly said, ¡°Having to say goodbye to anyone will hurt.¡± ¡°Then are you still going to do those things in the future?¡± Yang Jie got straight to the point when he noticed that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to understand what he was saying. ¡°Do what?¡± ¡°Parachuting, bungee jumping, going to X Country for dyes.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help butugh. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Yang Jie¡¯s lips were pulled into a straight line. ¡°I hope that you can make up your mind. Xiao ge doesn¡¯t want anything to happen to you.¡± ¡°Have you ever heard of this saying?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s light or an unexpected ident¡ªwho knows which wille first?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Yang Jie looked away, his tone heavy. ¡°But I also know that even without you, your parents still have another son. Your friends have other friends. But if Xiao ge were to lose you, he would have no one left.¡± Eve: Ouch Yang Jie, thatst line hit me right in the feels. xiin: i hope you guys enjoyed the fluff while itsted¡­ Chapter 134: He’s My Little Boyfriend trantor: Eve editor: xiin After staying in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment for about a week, Song Xuanhe had mostly recovered. But Xiao Yuanmu seemed to have gotten ustomed to working from home. It didn¡¯t matter how often Louisined. Unless Song Xuanhe wanted to go out or it was absolutely necessary for work, he never left the apartment. This caused Louis to invite Song Xuanhe to visit thepany over and over again. It was difficult to decline his offer. Song Xuanhe was also a bit curious about RE. Therefore, when his injuries scabbed over, he went to RE with Xiao Yuanmu. Louis spread his arms open enthusiastically in RE¡¯s lobby. He shouted excitedly, ¡°Song, you¡¯re finally here!¡± Song Xuanhe paused and Xiao Yuanmu lifted an arm to block Louis. He looked at him coldly, ¡°What are you doing?¡± ¡°A weing hug.¡± Louis shrugged. ¡°Forget it. I know that you don¡¯t like me hugging Song. Whatever. Let¡¯s go upstairs. I¡¯ll take you around.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take him around,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said. ¡°You can go back to work.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to treat me like this.¡± Louis said, incredulous, ¡°We¡¯re both at thepany but you¡¯re going to make me work while you go on a date with your beloved?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand, brushed past Louis and ignored the shocked gazes from all around them as he led Song Xuanhe into the elevator. Song Xuanhe looked at Louis, who looked like he wanted to run into the elevator as well. He leaned against the wall. ¡°It wouldn¡¯t be good to trap him outside.¡± ¡°There¡¯s another elevator.¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I meant¡­¡± Song Xuanhe stopped midway. When he saw how Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t care in the least, he swallowed the rest of his sentence. ¡°Nevermind.¡± Xiao Yuanmu, however, pressed on. ¡°Do you want Louis to interrupt our date?¡± ¡°I just came to visit.¡± Song Xuanhe corrected, ¡°This isn¡¯t really a date.¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked him, ¡°Then what would be considered a date?¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback by this question. He mulled over it. He hadn¡¯t dated seriously in his previous world so he didn¡¯t have any experience. Meanwhile, when it came to the original host, aside from the innocent dates that consisted of watching movies and eating together during his school days, the rest of his dates included attending parties together. In Song Xuanhe¡¯s opinion, those didn¡¯t seem like dates. It was like they were just drinking buddies. What truly constituted a date? This question stumped Song Xuanhe. But he wouldn¡¯t let Xiao Yuanmu know that he had no dating experience. He pretended to consider the question before calmly saying, ¡°Watching movies, eating together, going on walks¡ªthose are all dates.¡± ¡°What kind of movie do you like?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°Ones like Star Trek.¡± ¡°What?¡± Song Xuanhe paused and then shook his head. ¡°I like sci-fi movies.¡± ¡°Sci-fi¡­.¡± The elevator door opened. Yang Jie was waiting on the other side. The first thing Xiao Yuanmu did was ask: ¡°Do you know if there are any new science fiction movies ying?¡± Yang Jie was stunned. He then shook his head hesitantly. ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded and pulled out his phone. Song Xuanhe followed after him, their fingers still entwined. Under the countless gazes of the executive staff, they headed over to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s office. Xiao Yuanmu finally finished his search after Song Xuanhe took a seat in the rest area. ¡°There aren¡¯t any science fiction movies airing right now, but¡­.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to watch a movie.¡± Song Xuanhe tugged Xiao Yuanmu down to sit with him. ¡°We can do anything on a date. It¡¯s fine as long as we¡¯re together. We can count today as a date.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips pursed. ¡°What¡¯s Star Trek?¡± ¡¾There¡¯s a sci-fi book in this world that¡¯s also called Star Trek.¡¿ The System¡¯s voice came in just in time. Song Xuanhe thus said, ¡°A book. I really like it.¡± Something shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. ¡°What do you want to eat for lunch.¡± ¡°Your home cooking.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled. ¡°Okay.¡± Joe knocked on the door. At first, he was taken aback from seeing Song Xuanhe. He had heard that Xiao Yuanmu had brought his boyfriend to work, but he had been skeptical. Although Xiao Yuanmu had rarelye to the office these days, he still attended all the mandatory meetings. Furthermore, he had just returned to the Xiao Family. It was reasonable for him toe less frequently to thepany since he had to visit thepanies under the Xiao Family as well. That¡¯s why he had never thought that Xiao Yuanmu was actually dating. He had thought that his coworkers had been joking when he overheard their conversation. Now that he had seen Song Xuanhe, he was astonished. ¡°This is Joe.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°My assistant.¡± Song Xuanhe got up and extended a hand, ¡°Hi.¡± ¡°My partner, Song Xuanhe.¡± Xiao Yuanmu introduced him. Joe finally came back to himself. He promptly shook Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. ¡°Nice to meet you, Mr. Song.¡± ¡°Were you looking for me?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Joe snapped out of his surprise and pushed his sses up. ¡°Mrs. Xiao just called. She didn¡¯t see you at your apartment and she wasn¡¯t able to catch you by phone so she asked me to tell you to call her back.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. ¡°Anything else.¡± ¡°Just a reminder that you have a meeting at ten. There is nothing else.¡± Joe was very tactful. After saying this, he finished with, ¡°If you don¡¯t have any instructions, I will take my leave.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Joe smiled at Song Xuanhe and then left. Two minutester, he came back and told Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Mrs. Xiao has called again. She sounded very anxious. She asks that you head to the Xiao residence as soon as possible. It seems like something¡¯s happened.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s brows furrowed. Song Xuanhe grabbed his hand. Joe waited a few seconds. When he noticed their solemn expressions, he tactfully left once more. ¡°Could something have happened to Mr. Xiao?¡± Song Xuanhe asked this after Joe left. ¡°Likely,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a mild tone. Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t you head over then? I can go back on my own.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I know what his condition is like. There shouldn¡¯t be any seriousplications right now. The doctor will resolve any issues he has. There¡¯s no need for me to head over.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Song Xuanhe frowned, ¡°What if something serious has really happened?¡± Even though he knew that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship with his family wasn¡¯t good, they were still the only living rtives he had in this world. If possible, Song Xuanhe hoped that there would be more people in this world who would care about and take care of Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Nothing will happen.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sounded very calm and certain. ¡°I know his body¡¯s condition very well.¡± When he saw Song Xuanhe was still frowning, Xiao Yuanmu shifted his hand that was currently in Song Xuanhe¡¯s. ¡°I¡¯ll give her a call.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. It seemed like the other party was very busy. No one picked up even after Xiao Yuanmu dialed the number three times. Just as Song Xuanhe thought that no one would pick up, a sob came through the receiver. ¡°Yuanmu, where are you? Your father¡¯s fainted and is currently in the operating room.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°I¡¯m at thepany.¡± ¡°Can youe to the hospital?¡± Mrs. Xiao sounded powerless. ¡°The doctor¡¯s aren¡¯t giving me a definitive answer. They wouldn¡¯t even guarantee that he would be fine. I¡¯m so worried about your father. Your brother is still at school so it¡¯ll take him half a day to get here. Can youe over first?¡± ¡°I have something important to attend to right now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned to look at Song Xuanhe, who had elbowed his arm. He paused and then said, ¡°I¡¯lle over once I wrap things up.¡± ¡°But¡­.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll send someone to pick up Xiao Baicong.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°He¡¯s probably on his way. When he arrives, I¡¯ll¡­.¡± ¡°No need!¡± Mrs. Xiao promptly interrupted him. A dark glint of derision shed through Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. A few secondster, Mrs. Xiao seemed to realize that she had rejected him too quickly. She exined, ¡°The butler is going to pick up Baicong. It¡¯s already conspicuous having the bodyguards and butler pick him up. If you go as well, you might get held up. You should juste on your own.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curled up slightly. ¡°I¡¯lle over once I¡¯m finished with things here.¡± This time, Mrs. Xiao didn¡¯t insist on himing earlier. She quickly agreed: ¡°Okay. Come once you¡¯re done with work.¡± After hanging up, Xiao Yuanmu put his phone away and said, ¡°I¡¯ll have lunch with you, take you home and then head over.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows had been furrowed ever since he had heard Mrs. Xiao¡¯s decisive refusal. After hearing her abrupt change in attitude, his lips pursed even more tightly. After hearing Xiao Yuanmu speak, he sucked in a deep breath. ¡°Let¡¯s watch a movie this afternoon. I suddenly want to see one.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused, his hand tightening around Song Xuanhe¡¯s. He then nodded. ¡°It¡¯ll be perfect.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°You can head over around the time Xiao Baicong is set to arrive.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes lit up, a smile appearing in his eyes. He nodded again. ¡°What movies are ying right now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu told him the titles that were currently airing. When he saw Song Xuanhe frown, he quickly skimmed over the descriptions and summarized it for him. He also told him the ratings for each movie. ¡°Let¡¯s watch a light-hearted one.¡± Song Xuanhe said decisively. ¡°Buy the tickets now. We¡¯ll go after eating.¡± Xiao Yuanmu wasted no time. He then took Song Xuanhe out of his office and brought him on a tour of the building. They started with the top floor. Xiao Yuanmu held Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. He spoke to Joe and then introduced Song Xuanhe to every member of the secretarial division. Song Xuanhe¡¯s memory wasn¡¯t as good as Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s, but it was still outstanding. He was able to match more than ten names to their person after Xiao Yuanmu said it once. As he said each of their names, he also came up with something kind to say to each and every one of them. Before the tour even started, Song Xuanhe had gained the favour of everyone in the secretarial division. One of the executives who had walked by had even said, ¡°Song, I fell in love with your designs. I didn¡¯t expect that you would also be such an interesting person. If possible, I¡¯d love to have dinner with you sometime.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze had darkened but he hadn¡¯t answered on Song Xuanhe¡¯s behalf. Song Xuanhe had smiled. ¡°Sorry, but I don¡¯t really like eating out. If you don¡¯t mind, you cane to our home. Xiao cooks very well.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had been taken aback. He had then seen Song Xuanhe turn to him. The other asked, ¡°Do you mind showing off your culinary skills?¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had replied very quickly. He suppressed the curl of his lips and told the executive, ¡°You are wee in our home any time.¡± Eve: THE DOMESTIC FLUFF. But also, things are going to get messy with the Xiao Family, it seems. Momma Xiao seems kind of sus. xiin: there¡¯s definitely weird things going on¡­ Chapter 135: Looking for a Boyfriend trantor: Eve After spilling dog food everywhere, Xiao Yuanmu brought Song Xuanhe to tour the other floors. It wasn¡¯t until they had made sure that every employee knew that their boss was currently in a rtionship and that their feelings for each other were deep, that the two of them made their way out of the building. They headed to a supermarket to do some grocery shopping together and then headed home. Xiao Huang weed them home as they changed into slippers. Xiao Yuanmu rolled up his sleeves and carried the groceries in. ¡°It¡¯ll take me around half an hour to make lunch. If you¡¯re really hungry, you can pad your stomach with some fruit.¡± Song Xuanhe made a sound of acknowledgement. He watched Xiao Yuanmu head into the kitchen. The other looked like he had thinned down. Without thinking, he called out, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s steps paused. He turned to look at him, indicating for the other to speak. Song Xuanhe walked over and took one of the bags from him. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The two of them entered the kitchen. Xiao Yuanmu took the ingredients out of the shopping bags. He ced the ingredients for today¡¯s meal on the counter and then stored the rest in the fridge. ¡°What should I do?¡± Song Xuanhe stood to the side and handed two tomatoes over to Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°We¡¯ll be using these tomatoes in a bit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu epted the tomatoes and then ced them back on the counter. Song Xuanhe cleared his throat. His eyes swept over the counter. He noticed that there were two cartons of eggs sitting on it. He said, ¡°You didn¡¯t put the eggs in the fridge yet. I¡¯ll put it away for you.¡± ¡°The eggs don¡¯t¡­¡± Gazing into Song Xuanhe¡¯s expectant eyes, Xiao Yuanmu paused. ¡°Thanks.¡± Finally, Song Xuanhe had found something to do. He earnestly ced each egg into the eggpartment of the fridge. Not only was it nice and neat, it was also arranged from big to small. After putting hte eggs away, he looked to Xiao Yuanmu again. ¡°Any other groceries you want me to put away?¡± ¡°N¡­¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced at the counter and then changed what he was going to say. ¡°You can leave out the beef and celery. Everything else can be put in the fridge.¡± Song Xuanhe busied himself with putting the groceries away. Xiao Yuanmu turned around after seeing the other in high spirits. He turned on the rice cooker and then started to deal with the beef. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe was done with the fridge. ¡°Anything else I can help with?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. ¡°Can you take two eggs out of the fridge for me?¡± Song Xuanhe immediately did as he was told. He asked, ¡°Do you want me to crack them open and put them into a bowl?¡± ¡°Sure. Grab two bowls and separate the egg whites from the yolk.¡± Song Xuanhe grabbed two small, translucent bowls from the cupboard. He then grabbed the eggs. Recalling what his mother used to do, he knocked the side of the egg against the side of the bowl gently. A crack formed around the middle of the egg. He smiled and then pulled the two halves apart. The egg empties out into the bowl, yolk and egg whites both. ¡°How are my egg cracking skills?¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned to look. He saw that the egg yolk was sitting in the middle of the egg whites and paused. ¡°Nice.¡± Song Xuanhe felt encouraged after being praised. He picked up the other egg and prepared to crack it open as well. Suddenly, a thought popped up in his mind. He paused and furrowed his brows. ¡°Did you tell me to separate the egg whites from the yolk earlier?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said calmly. ¡°The egg yolks and egg whites should stay together. I¡¯ll make eggs in tomato sauceter.¡± As he stared at the two bowls on the counter, Song Xuanhe felt like something was wrong. He mulled over it but couldn¡¯t figure out what was off. So he simply turned to ask Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Why did I grab two bowls then?¡± Xiao Yuanmu grabbed the unused bowl. ¡°I needed it for the beef.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the already cut beef that was being seasoned by Xiao Yuanmu. The baffling forgotten memory suddenly came back to him. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Can you take the asparagus and shrimp out from the fridge?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Song Xuanhe swallowed his words down and went to grab what Xiao Yuanmu had requested. Xiao Yuanmu thanked him. He then asked, ¡°Can you cut vegetables?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe recalled how his mother used to cut vegetables. ¡°It¡¯s really easy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised a brow and handed Song Xuanhe the asparagus. ¡°Can you wash the asparagus and then cut them into pieces of simr length?¡± Song Xuanhe washed the asparagus with cold water. He grabbed the other cutting board and carefully started to cut. Xiao Yuanmu nced at him. He watched as the other clumsily held the asparagus down and cut them bit by bit. After Song Xuanhe was done cutting the asparagus, Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°Can you grab the potatoes and onions from the fridge?¡± Song Xuanhe had just washed his hands. When he heard this, he turned around to get the ingredients. As he opened the fridge, he paused. ¡°You know, it seems like the stuff you¡¯re asking me to get are things I just put in.¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Even if it¡¯s only ten or so minutes, the fridge can help maintain its freshness. Is it tiring having to fetch all of this?¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. He handed Xiao Yuanmu the potatoes and onions and quietly asked, ¡°Anything else I can help with?¡± ¡°Can you help feed Xiao Huang his lunch?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He pulled the dog food from the cupboard and headed out of the kitchen. Xiao Huang, who was currently ying with his ball, ran over to him excitedly with the ball in his mouth when he saw Song Xuanhe. He wanted to y. Song Xuanhe rubbed his head and said, ¡°Eat first, yter.¡± After giving Xiao Huang his food, Song Xuanhe sat next to the dog and watched him eat. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice came from the kitchen: ¡°Can you taste this for me?¡± Song Xuanhe took a second before getting up and returning to the kitchen. Xiao Yuanmu was blowing on a piece of beef. He brought it over to Song Xuanhe¡¯s mouth and Song Xuanhe ate it. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s kiss then fell on his lips. He smiled. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°What are you thanking me for?¡± Song Xuanhe swallowed the meat. ¡°For helping me so much.¡± ¡°Did I really help?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°You originally only needed thirty minutes but it¡¯s already been half an hour and you¡¯re not done yet. And it¡¯s because I wasted your time.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t waste my time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned off the stove and spun around to face Song Xuanhe. He looked into his eyes earnestly. ¡°Because you¡¯re here, I feel happy while cooking for the first time. I purposely slowed down.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils trembled and the tips of his ears reddened. He looked away. ¡°Then why did you make me leave just now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°I was worried you were bored.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips. ¡°I wasn¡¯t bored.¡± ¡°Then will you help me the next time I cook?¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze shifted around. ¡°The beef tastes good. You can te it now.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled. He poured the beef out of the pan and handed it over to Song Xuanhe to carry out. Although there wasn¡¯t a tacit understanding between them, they still finished making lunch in forty minutes. Now, they sat in the dining room. Xiao Huang had already finished his meal. He was now drooling over the food on the table. He whined, acting spoiled. But the people at the table ignored him. ¡°Why are you so good at cooking?¡± Halfway through the meal, Song Xuanhe asked the question that had gued him all this time. ¡°I used to help out in the kitchen often as a kid.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Back then, there was an old man working at our orphanage. He was a pretty good cook., He really liked having me help out. Since I spent so much time in the kitchen, I naturally became a bit of a better cook than the average person.¡± ¡°When you were a kid?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. ¡°How old were you?¡± ¡°Four or five,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said. ¡°It was after thest couple to adopt me sent me back to the orphanage.¡± As Song Xuanhe recalled Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rough childhood, his grip around his chopsticks tightened. However, he acted unaffected. ¡°Were you adopted often as a kid?¡± ¡°Mn. Three couples.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said in a t tone, ¡°There was a male-male couple amongst them. The Director said that they treated me really well. It¡¯s just that they passed away in a car ident when I was two.¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What about the others?¡± ¡°They all had their own biological children in the end.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone was mild, very calm. Song Xuanhe made a soft sound of acknowledgement and then changed the topic. ¡°How long did you help out the old man in the kitchen? Looks like you were really patient as a kid. Most kids wouldn¡¯t be able to stay in the kitchen for very long.¡± ¡°Seven years.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Until the old man passed away.¡± Song Xuanhe was startled. ¡°He passed away?¡± ¡°When I was twelve.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked nostalgic. When he saw Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, he asked, ¡°He must have treated you really well, right?¡± ¡°The other children thought that they could sneak a bite or two if they helped out in the kitchen so they fought for the chance to go there. He epted everyone but was strict. Those that could not meet his requirements were punished.¡± A smile flitted over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face. ¡°The punishment was that you would have to learn and recite the recipes. If you couldn¡¯t you wouldn¡¯t be allowed to leave. Since my memory was good, I was able to stay.¡± Xiao Yuanmu spoke of the little matter very simply, but Song Xuanhe could hear how reminiscent he was of this old man. He could also tell that the old man must have adored him and taken good care of him. When Song Xuanhe saw the sliver of mncholy in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, he asked, ¡°Do you miss him?¡± ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes regained their serenity. ¡°I don¡¯t have any regrets. There¡¯s no need to miss him.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze fell on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm eyes that seemed to show no emotion. A whileter, he looked away. In a casual tone, he asked, ¡°What do you mean by not having any regrets?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t regret meeting him and we were able to part peacefully. So I have no regrets.¡± Song Xuanhe blinked. ¡°All farewells are peaceful. After all, regardless of whether or not it was peaceful at the time, time will eventually heal you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up, eyes bearing into Song Xuanhe¡¯s. His voice was cool like a babbling stream: ¡°There are some separations that will never heal, even with time.¡± Eve: The domestic flufffff my HEART. The way XYM was just¡­indulging in SXH because he liked having him around. And SXH was so cute with how proud and earnest he was while doing little things. Then thest conversation made my heart ache. Chapter 136: Found a Boyfriend trantor: Eve Ever since Xiao Yuanmu hade back from visiting Xiao Lin in the hospital, his expression had been a lot heavier. Except for Song Xuanhe, no one else noticed this change. However, those closest to him did sense that something was off. ¡°Song, I really want to praise you with the most beautiful of words.¡± Louis grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm, a look of gratitude in his eyes. ¡°Ever since you visited thepany, Xiao has started toe more frequently to work. The reason why he¡¯se to work every day for thest few days must be because you agreed toe with him. Your existence has decreased the amount of work I have to do by half. You are an angel. Most importantly, I can finally start going on dates again!¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and pulled his arm out. ¡°Congrattions.¡± ¡°It¡¯s all because of you!¡± After Louis gave his sincere thanks, he expressed his sympathies. ¡°But Xiao is really too clingy. You must be bored, having to stay at thepany with him every day.¡± ¡°Not at all.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°You forgot that I¡¯m busy with designing every day.¡± ¡°Even so,¡± Louis shook his head, ¡°It must be hard not having any personal space¡­oh! I just remembered that I have a lot of work to do! You and Xiao are a match made in heaven! I¡¯ll be taking my leave!¡± Louis uttered incoherently before rushing off without looking back. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t even need to turn around to figure out whose footsteps those were. Heughed. ¡°Why¡¯s Louis so afraid of you?¡± ¡°Probably because he can¡¯t afford to get his date cancelled today.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nced in the direction Louis had left in. He wrapped his arms around Song Xuanhe and rested his chin on the other¡¯s shoulder. ¡°He¡¯s been working here for so long. You¡¯re his business partner, not his boss. Give him a break. Otherwise, if he keeps working without rest, his productivity will decrease,¡± Song Xuanhe said. ¡°No need to worry about him.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t like Song Xuanhe talking about someone else this much. He wiggled his chin until Song Xuanhe¡¯s attention was back on him. ¡°Do you think that I¡¯m too clingy? Do you want personal space?¡± ¡°Honestly, I never expected that you would be this clingy.¡± Song Xuanhe felt Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arms tightened around him. He then continued, ¡°But I know why you¡¯re like this.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was quiet for a moment. He then let go of Song Xuanhe and quietly said, ¡°Xiao Lin¡¯s condition is worse than I had thought.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded softly as he quietly listened to Xiao Yuanmu speak. ¡°The Xiao Family has gotten messy in thest few days. The people following Xiao Baicong are gathering the support of the Xiao Family and the subsidiary families while figuring out how to attack RE. There are also a lot of people who are making the situation worse. I¡¯m worried that they¡¯ll try to hurt you with any means. That¡¯s why I¡¯m always at your side.¡± Song Xuanhe was stunned. He knew that the reason why Xiao Yuanmu was even more apprehensive regarding him was because of Xiao Lin. This was because the change in Xiao Yuanmu had urred after visiting Xiao Lin. But he didn¡¯t expect that the situation regarding the Xiao Family had already reached such extents, let alone that Xiao Yuanmu would give up the optimal opportunity to seize the right to session for his sake by staying at his side. ¡°Xiao Lin has been unwell for some time now. Some people have be restless after his prolonged absence. Although they can¡¯t really do anything, I¡¯m afraid they¡¯ll identally hurt you. Furthermore, Xiao Baicong acted out against Xiao Shenglin. Although it had been done very cleanly, I was still able to get dirt on him. I¡¯m afraid that he¡¯ll throw caution to the wind and do something to you in fear that I do or say something with that information.¡± As he thought of this possibility, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lowered voice became almost tangibly chilly. Song Xuanhe¡¯s arms tightened around him. ¡°I¡¯ll be fine,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry.¡± When Song Xuanhe saw that Xiao Yuanmu wanted to retort, Song Xuanhe interrupted him, his lips curled up. ¡°Besides, didn¡¯t you assign a team of four or five to tail me secretly? What¡¯s there to worry about?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s Adam¡¯s apple bobbed and he looked away. ¡°They¡¯re there to protect you.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow, ¡°Just like how those photos of me in the drawer of your study were taken to protect me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, his eyes lighting up slightly. They looked innocent and beautiful. ¡°Exactly.¡± Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but kiss him. Xiao Yuanmu lowered his head, wanting to deepen the kiss, but Song Xuanhe pushed him away slightly. ¡°There¡¯s still something you haven¡¯t said. Keep going.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s happy expression disappeared. He quietly said, ¡°I¡¯ll probably have to visit the main residence again in the next few days. Because of a few things, I can¡¯t take you. But it¡¯s too dangerous for you to return to China right now. That¡¯s why I was hoping you would be willing to live with Louis for a while. His identity will be enough to make those people hesitate before acting.¡± ¡°Will you be in danger?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked startled. A few secondster, his jaw tensed and he lowered his gaze. ¡°No.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying.¡± Song Xuanhe had never seen such an obvious guilty expression on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face before. He subconsciously knitted his brows. ¡°Where¡¯s the main residence?¡± If it¡¯s really dangerous, can you refrain from going?¡± Song Xuanhe knew that his words were too naive as soon as he said it. His lips pulled into a tight line. ¡°In S Country.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°I have no choice.¡± Upon hearing ¡®S Country¡¯, Song Xuanhe frowned. He felt like he had heard about this country before but he couldn¡¯t recall what it was at the moment. He shelved the memory he couldn¡¯t recall and asked the burning question on his mind. ¡°Is the Xiao Family¡¯s main residence safe?¡± ¡°The main residence¡­.¡± Xiao Yuanmu thought of the giant, antiquated castle. He thought of the elders who scrupulously abide by the old ways and the servants who were overly solemn and ridiculously over-qualified. He thought of how he had lived there alone in hisst life, how stifling it had been under the constant monitoring. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze darkened. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t decipher his tone. ¡°It is both the safest and most dangerous ce in the world.¡± Song Xuanhe suddenly recalled what Xiao Shenglin had said about Xiao Baicong and the Xiao Family. He asked, ¡°Your younger brother, Xiao Baicong¡­just how many people are under him? Will you be in danger? He grew up in the main residence in S country but it¡¯spletely foreign to you. You¡¯ll be at a disadvantage if you go to the main residence. Moreover, if everyone there is on his side, will you¡­.¡± ¡°I promise I won¡¯t be in any danger.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled when he saw the worry in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes. ¡°Most of Xiao Baicong¡¯s people have moved to America with him. There aren¡¯t many left in S country. Most of them are those in charge of managing his funds and room. The people who return to S Country with him will also be the people who take care of his daily needs. They won¡¯t pose much of a threat.¡± As Song Xuanhe heard Xiao Yuanmu confirm that Xiao Baicong had at least ten people by his side in this downyed fashion, he recalled Xiao Shenglin¡¯s exaggerated numbers. He couldn¡¯t conceal his curiosity. ¡°Do you know how many people Xiao Baicong has by his side?¡± ¡°What kind of people are you referring to?¡± ¡°The people on his side. The people who will fight with him. The people who will definitely fight with you over the right to session.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I know that there are at least fifty who make up the people who grew up with him, his assistant who takes care of his daily necessities, his bodyguards, his doctor, his fund managers¡­. If we have to include the people who will stand by his side while fighting for session, we would also have to include people from the Xiao Family and the subsidiary families. Aside from them, there are also the stockholders of thepanies under the Xiao Family name. It¡¯s very difficult to get a concrete number.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned at this. ¡°What about you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu mumbled to himself. It seemed like he was deep in thought. A few secondster, he said, ¡°I can count on one hand the number of people in the Xiao Family who would genuinely want to help me. Most of them will only help me if there is an equivalent exchange. Ideally, they would even prefer if they profited more than I did. If I were to count the number of people who were truly on my side, then I guess there¡¯s only three people.¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡­. This difference was like that of Heaven and earth. ¡°You¡­¡± Song Xuanhe licked his lips. With some difficulty, he asked, ¡°Where does your confidencee from?¡± In the book, Xiao Yuanmu had also experienced many trials and tribtions before seeding the Xiao Family. However, the Xiao Yuanmu in the book had had no confidence in winning. In the every beginning, he hadn¡¯t been willing to fight Xiao Baicong. It was just that the events that happenedter on forced him to have no choice but to take on that mantle. In contrast, for some reason, the current Xiao Yuanmu was confident that he would inherit the Xiao Family. He was also certain that he would not encounter any danger in the main residence. But when they looked at pure numbers, Xiao Baicong seemed like he would crush him. As the saying goes, two heads are better than one. Xiao Yuanmu has three people on his side, while Xiao Baicong probably has three hundred. It wasn¡¯t even like it was three against one. Xiao Baicong could make it thirty to one. How could he lose? As he thought of this, he paused. Song Xuanhe frowned. He remembered that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t have much ambition in the beginning, when he had just returned to the Xiao Family. He had been dragged into the fight for session by some members of the Xiao Family. Even after seeding the Xiao Family, he still wasn¡¯t all that ambitious. Most of the things he did had been inpensation to Xiao Yuanmu. He had even thought that, if Xiao Baicong wanted it, he would even be willing to hand over the position of patriarch to the other at a timely opportunity. But the current Xiao Yuanmu was determined to win. He was also filled with enmity towards Xiao Baicong. This was theplete opposite of the Xiao Yuanmu in the book. In the past, when he had thought of these things separately, they didn¡¯t seem strange. But now that he linked everything together, he realized that the current Xiao Yuanmu was very distinctly different from the Xiao Yuanmu in the book. Song Xuanhe looked up and his gaze met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. The light in his eyes flickered. Eve: We¡¯re finally finishing up the Xiao family arc. Woot woot. And we¡¯ll get to find out more about what happened in XYM¡¯s previous life. Chapter 137: Pale Skin and Big Eyes trantor: Eve editor: xiin ¡¾Didn¡¯t you realize that Xiao Yuanmu was really different from how he appeared in the book a long time ago?¡¿Looking at the time, Xiao Yuanmu had probably alreadynded on S Country¡¯s soil. However, Song Xuanhe was still lost in his thoughts. The System had finally be unable to hold itself back from saying£º¡¾You didn¡¯t find it noteworthy before. Why are you suddenly splitting hairs over this now?¡¿ ¡¾The differences could be exined by my appearance before.¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows were still slightly furrowed. He said£º¡¾But no matter how I think about it, I just can¡¯t think of how my existence would have changed his attitude towards the Xiao Family.¡¿ ¡¾The butterfly effect.¡¿The System said£º¡¾You changed too many things. I think that there is a high possibility that you were able to change his attitude towards them. Looking at the data, it doesn¡¯t seem surprising.¡¿ Song Xuanhe lowered his gaze, fiddling with the phone Xiao Yuanmu had left with him. Xiao Yuanmu had said that if he encountered an unsolvable issue and wasn¡¯t able to contact him, he could call the number in this phone. He had never turned the phone on. He also didn¡¯t know who the sole number in the phone belonged to. The only thing he knew is that the person on the other end would not be someone he knew. The moment Song Xuanhe had received this phone, he had realized this point. Aplicated and baffling emotion had then risen up in his heart. Even after Xiao Yuanmu had boarded his private jet and flown up into the skies, the feeling had not disappeared. ¡¾You¡¯re jealous.¡¿Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t concealed his thoughts. The System knew exactly what he was thinking about so it gave him an answer£º¡¾There are many reasons why someone may be jealous, but because I have scoured many movies and TV shows while conducting research, I cane up with rather urate conclusions. The reason why you¡¯re jealous is because you like Xiao Yuanmu. You are jealous of his unconditional trust in owner of that number.¡¿ ¡¾Is that so?¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger pressed down and the screen lit up. The dim light shone on his face, the light reflecting off his pupils. The System was certain£º¡¾Yes.¡¿ ¡¾What kind of movies and TV shows did you watch?¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s finger moved slightly and the screen turned dark again. He said in a mild voice£º¡¾Dogblood dramas that all aunties love?¡¿ The System fell silent for a moment before angrily saying£º¡¾¡­All television shows and movies have meaning! I will not allow you to insult them!¡¿ ¡¾Dogblood is a neutral term.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾I didn¡¯t insult them.¡¿ The System made a search£º¡¾You¡¯re lying. Dogblook is a negative term.¡¿ Song Xuanhe shrugged, tossing the phone onto the coffee table£º¡¾Is that so? Sorry, guess I remembered incorrectly.¡¿ The System choked. A few secondster, it said£º¡¾I had thought that you had be more easy to interact with ever since you moved in with Xiao Yuanmu. At least you didn¡¯t treat me like you do Zhou Nan¡ªalways abusing him with your poisonous tongue. I never expected that you were only nicer to Xiao Yuanmu. I¡¯m really d I didn¡¯t modify your file.¡¿ Song Xuanhe raised a brow£º¡¾Hey, you went overboard saying I have a poisonous tongue. You should apologize.¡¿ ¡¾Only if Zhou Nan apologizes first.¡¿The System said£º¡¾I learned that from him when I inadvertently overheard himining to Xiao Shenglin.¡¿ Song Xuanhe pulled his own phone out and called Zhou Nan, who hade over under the guise of visiting him but had run after Yu Yan after only three minutes. Zhou Nan answered very quickly. ¡°What¡¯s up? I¡¯m at the library with Yu Yan right now. The revolution is about to seed. Comrade, unless you have something urgent going on, can you contact meter?¡± Song Xuanhe:¡± The library is a sacred ce. you¡¯ve already desecrated it by sitting inside with the intentions of pursuing Yu Yan. You¡¯re even ying on your phone behind Yu Yan¡¯s back. Not only have you offended schrs and book lovers, I think the chances of the revolution seeding will only lower if Yu Yan catches you on the phone.¡± Zhou Nan clicked his tongue. ¡°How am I desecrating anything? All the books Yu Yan read are in Greek! All the books in this library are in Greek! How am I supposed to read them? What, should I learn Greek to pursue him? Besides¡­Yu Yan, wait no! I can exin. I didn¡¯t mean it like that¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe snickered as he heard this. ¡°I hope that you can seed within ten years.¡± The System£º¡¾¡­Do you think I have to apologize?¡¿ Song Xuanhe paused and then said£º¡¾I approve of your descriptor.¡¿ ¡¾It¡¯s not my descriptor.¡¿The System corrected£º¡¾It¡¯s the descriptor of Mr. Zhou Nan, who was once again harmed by you.¡¿ Song Xuanhe raised a brow but didn¡¯t reply. The System felt like something was wrong. It reviewed his conversation with Song Xuanhe from beginning to end but couldn¡¯t find what was off. All it could do was attempt deeper analyses. After the System fell silent, Song Xuanhe sighed in relief. He pulled his suitcase with him to the room Louis had prepared for him. He was only going to stay for two days so Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t brought a lot with him. He casually hung the few outfits he had packed and then stood in ce for two minutes. He then pulled out hisptop to send his new designs to Feng Tong. After sending the email, he realized that he had nothing to do. Aside from things rted to Xiao Yuanmu, he couldn¡¯t think of anything he wanted to do in Y City. ¡¾You can take pictures, draw more, go out shopping or go to a nice restaurant.¡¿The System reminded him£º¡¾That¡¯s what you did when you were alone.¡¿ But what once made him happy while alone didn¡¯t interest him anymore. ¡¾You can also¡­.¡¿ ¡°Song!¡± The door opened and then clicked shut. There was the sound of footsteps. Louis shouted his name, a smile in his voice. Song Xuanhe could hear him approaching his room. He shut hisptop and got up. He headed out of the room and found Louis standing downstairs, looking up at him. He had a ck phone in his hand. When he saw Song Xuanhee out, he lifted the phone up and asked, ¡°Is this your phone? You forgot to take it up with you.¡± The System stopped analyzing the earlier conversation. It knew what was strange! Song Xuanhe leaned against the railing and looked down, eyes flickering over the phone in Louis¡¯ hand. In a t voice, he said, ¡°It¡¯s Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. Nothing important. You can leave it there.¡± Louis nodded and ced the phone back down. He then said in an excited voice: ¡°I just received some news! You¡¯re going to be really happy when you hear it!¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t interested but he nodded along. ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°I remember Xiao mentioned that you gave him a pair of cufflinks! The cufflinks designed by Master McPhail!¡± Louis was worked up. ¡°Master McPhail¡¯s tea party will be in Y City this year! Aren¡¯t you excited?!¡± Song Xuanhe first drew a nk. The matter regarding the cufflinks, and the tea party he used to long for seemed like they had urred a long time ago. He couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit absentminded upon hearing Louis mention them. Back then, when his departure from this world had still been a long time away, he had once longed to attend McPhail¡¯s tea party. He had thought that it would make his time in this world worthwhile. But now that his departure was getting closer and closer, what once enticed him and made him excited was now shoved to the back of his mind. Everything seemed insignificant now. Louis hadn¡¯t expected Song Xuanhe¡¯s dazed expression. He had heard Xiao Yuanmu talking about Song Xuanhe¡¯s profession before. After bringing Song Xuanhe back from X Country, he had also realized just how enthusiastic the other was about his job. That¡¯s why he had wondered if all of this was due to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s machinations when he had heard this information. Master McPhail¡¯s home was in L City, E Country. Most of his annual tea parties were held in L city. Even if they were held overseas, they were typically held in M City, Y Country, or B City, F Country. The tea party being held in Y City, America, was unprecedented. The only reason for this that Louis could think of was that Xiao Yuanmu must have done something. After contacting Xiao Yuanmu, the other had confirmed that he had, in fact, had a hand in this. That¡¯s why he had skipped work to tell Song Xuanhe, who was likely in low spirits now that Xiao Yuanmu had left, this news as soon as he had heard it. He just didn¡¯t expect for Song Xuanhe to not look excited or happy. ¡°Song.¡± The smile on Louis¡¯ face faded and he worriedly asked, ¡°Are you okay?¡± ¡°Thank you for telling me this, Louis.¡± Song Xuanhe came back to himself and smiled. ¡°I¡¯m ecstatic.¡± Louis nodded subconsciously. He then told Song Xuanhe the time and location of the tea party. Afterwards, he added, ¡°It¡¯s almost time to eat. Do you want to eat at home or should we go out and find a ce? This is your first meal here. Do you want a grand weing banquet or a simple meal?¡± Song Xuanhe chuckled. ¡°I don¡¯t want to detract from the time you have for your dates. I can find something to eat on my own.¡± Louis: ¡°I already promised to eat with you until hees back. In return, he¡¯s promised to give me half a month off. For the sake of my vacation, please honour me with the opportunity to dine with you.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re going to get two weeks off because of this?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Louis smiled as he snapped his fingers. ¡°Where should we eat? Or do you prefer to eat at home?¡± Song Xuanhe: ¡°I can¡¯t cook.¡± ¡°What a coincidence, neither can I.¡± Louis shrugged, ¡°Looks like we have no choice but to go out.¡± Song Xuanhe returned to his room to change. Louis was already ready. As the approached the door, he asked, ¡°Do you need to take that cell phone with you?¡± Song Xuanhe paused. The System¡¯s voice echoed in his head£º¡¾I know why I felt like something was weird earlier! It¡¯s because you changed the topic after I exposed you for being jealous over the owner of the number in the pain! You humans are so sly! Deceiving systems is an outrageous act!¡¿ ¡¾You systems are capable of finding things weird? Maybe there¡¯s something wrong with your data orputer chips.¡¿Song Xuanhe¡¯s fingers moved. He calmly walked over to the living room and grabbed the phone, putting it in his pocket.£º¡¾I would suggest that you go get a checkup after this mission is over.¡¿ ¡¾How do you exin the fluctuations in your emotions then?¡¿The System said£º¡¾Tell me whether or not you¡¯re jealous. My data will tell me whether or not you¡¯re lying.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was t£º¡¾I¡¯m not jealous.¡¿ A few secondster, the System eximed in shock£º¡¾You¡¯re actually telling the truth!¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was mild. He really wasn¡¯t jealous. The reason for the fluctuation in his emotions was because he was surprised to realize that¡­while Xiao Yuanmu was very possessive and had a strong desire for control when it came to him, he felt the same towards the other. It was just that Xiao Yuanmu had always told him everything out of his own initiative. That¡¯s why he had never realized this in the past. It had been that unknown number that had evacuated the emotions he had hidden deeply inside of him. He didn¡¯t know what to do with this information. Eve: Soft, introspective He bao makes my heart soft. Looking back, he has had a lot of character development. The way he realized what once excited him no longer seemed important in the grand scheme of things made me pensive. It¡¯s interesting how his priorities have changed. Perhaps the most important thing to him now is simply spending time with Xiao Yuanmu, considering how limited the time they still have together is. Chapter 138: A Smile on His Face, Long Legs trantor: Eve editor: xiin Song Xuanhe had lived at Louis¡¯ ce for two days, but Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯te back yet like he had promised. They had even lost contact with him. Song Xuanhe had still been calm in the first twenty four hours of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s disappearance. He also hadn¡¯t asked Louis or Yang Jie for news of Xiao Yuanmu. That was because he had known that it would be futile. Forty eight hours since Xiao Yuanmu lost contact with them, Song Xuanhe was still calm. In contrast, Yang Jie fell into a panic. He went over to Louis¡¯ house to discuss Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s current whereabouts with Louis and Song Xuanhe in an attempt to receive constion. Seventy two hours after Xiao Yuanmu had lost contact with them, Song Xuanhe still seemed calm on the outside. At this point, Louis had already ordered his subordinates to head to S Country to inquire for information. Yang Jie had also dispatched Joe to try and see if he could get information about Xiao Yuanmu from Mrs. Xiao. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe was informed by the System that Xiao Yuanmu was safe and sound. Ny¡­the morning of the fourth day, Song Xuanhe found himself alone in Louis¡¯ apartment. Today, an unexpected guest arrived¡ªXiao Baicong. Song Xuanhe only nodded at him coolly before opening the door for the other to enter. Xiao Baicong had followed Song Xuanhe into the guest room. He sat down when Song Xuanhe gestured for him to do so, a perfect smile on his face. ¡°Mr. Song doesn¡¯t seem surprised by my visit.¡± His tone was alsopletely different from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. Xiao Baicong¡¯s tone was cultured and polite. He didn¡¯t seem like a boy who had juste of age. It was very clear that he had grown up in an enormous, strict family. He had a noble, gentle air to him. There was also a subdued arrogance that only a family that had remained powerful for over a hundred years could produce. He seemed easy to approach but he was actually watching everything with a disdainful gaze. This was very different from Xiao Yuanmu. This helped Song Xuanhe snap out of the daze he had been put in upon seeing Xiao Baicong¡¯s face, which was simr to how Xiao Yuanmu had looked when they had first met. Song Xuanhe smiled at him as he pointed to the tea leaves on the table. ¡°I heard that Xiao xiao shaoye only drinks tea and in water so I prepared some Iron Goddess tea in advance. Would you like to try it?¡± Xiao Baicong¡¯s gaze changed slightly when he heard Song Xuanhe¡¯s words and looked at y teapot that waspletely different from the rest of the northern European decor in this room. However, the smile remained on his face as he nodded, ¡°Yes, please.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled back as he focused on brewing the tea. He ignored how Xiao Baicong was sizing him up. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Mr. Song to know how to brew tea.¡± Xiao Baicong sniffed the cup of tea Song Xuanhe passed over. ¡°I thought that this was Mr. Song Xuanlin¡¯s hobby.¡± Song Xuanhe took a sip of his own cup and smiled back. ¡°He¡¯s my older brother. Even if I don¡¯t enjoy his hobby, it can¡¯t be helped that I¡¯ll be more familiar with it than the average person. Don¡¯t you agree, Xiao xiao shaoye?¡± Xiao Baicong nodded. With a grin, he spoke in a clear and bright voice, ¡°You¡¯re right, Mr. Song. When ites to brothers who have grown up together, even if they don¡¯t share the same hobbies, they can¡¯t help but be influenced by the other.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow when he heard this nomittal answer. He couldn¡¯t help but admit that the xiao Family seemed to have some good genes. Regardless of whether it was the inexperienced Xiao Yuanmu from two years ago or the young Xiao Baicong, they were both experts at speaking. One of them could KO you with a curt, decisive attack, while the other was tactful and unfathomable. Although they took different approaches, they were equally matched. ¡°The tea is lovely.¡± Xiao Baicong had only wet his lips before putting the tea cup down. He continued to smile at Song Xuanhe. ¡°Actually, I wanted to discuss something with Mr. Song while also taking the chance to inform you of something.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s legs were folded and his hands were gently ced on his leg. He nodded, ¡°Please, go ahead.¡± Xiao Baicong took in Song Xuanhe¡¯s casual,x posture and something flickered through his eyes. His expression, however, didn¡¯t change. ¡°Mr. Song, you haven¡¯t contacted your family in a long time, have you?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken,¡± Song Xuanhe seemed to be thinking about it, ¡°It has probably been about a week since Ist spoke to my family. Everyone has a different perception of time. If Xiao xiao shaoye considers this a long time, then I suppose you could say that.¡± Xiao Baicong smiled bashfully. ¡°Mr. Song¡ªno¡ªcan I call you Xuanhe ge? I recall that Ranyun calls you that. I feel like ¡®Mr. Song¡¯ sounds too distant. You can also call me Baicong.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to mind Xiao Baicong¡¯s abrupt change in topic. ¡°Sure.¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this, Xuanhe ge.¡± Xiao Baicong used his new form of address. Song Xuanhe nodded in response. ¡°I inadvertently heard some news from one of my servants. Apparently, the Song Family has encountered some issues as ofte. Although I had never met you before, I have always known about you. I know about your rtionship with my older brother too. That¡¯s why I sent people over to help out.¡± Xiao Baicong sounded a bit shy. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes darkened. ¡°But I didn¡¯t expect that my older brother would also send people, too. My subordinates bumped into Gege¡¯s subordinates and thought that they were going to hurt your family, so a little ident urred. Gege left home three days ago because of this altercation. You know, my father hasn¡¯t been doing welltely, so we all got together in S Country. At that time, he had left in quite the hurry. All I know is that he went back to China, but I don¡¯t know where exactly. I really don¡¯t know.¡± Xiao Baicong looked a bit worried. ¡°All our uncles are angry at him for his sudden departure. My parents are also worried about his safety. But my subordinates have heard no news about him. That¡¯s why I wanted to ask you if you knew anything about where my brother is.¡± Xiao Baicong gazed at Song Xuanhe with eyes simr to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s. His tone was anxious and sincere. ¡°This is really important to our family. Xuanhe ge, if you know anything, please tell me and my parents.¡± Song Xuanhe took in the other¡¯s pitch-ck eyes that were just like Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s peach blossom eyes. A sliver of ridicule flitted through his eyes. This child was only eighteen years old but he was a skilled actor and schemer. He was worthy of being the sole sessor of the Xiao Family prior to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s return. On this point, he differed greatly from Xiao Yuanmu. The Xiao Yuanmu in the past had never bothered with being tactful even when faced with difficult circumstances. He would never bend down orpromise even a little bit, even if it would only be temporary. Anyone who had seen Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s genuinely clean and pure eyes would remain unaffected when presented with the false goods in front of them. ¡°I¡¯m really worried about Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe furrowed his brows slightly and he unfolded his legs. There was a difficult-to-detect concern on his face. ¡°I haven¡¯t been able to contact him for two days now. I didn¡¯t know that something happened to my family. Now that I know, I will send someone to investigate things. If I hear anything regarding Xiao Yuanmu, I will definitely contact you.¡± ¡°Two days ago?¡± A light flickered quickly through his eyes. ¡°When? What did he say? Did he say where he was?¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head. ¡°He only said that he was safe. We then chatted about normal, everyday things. He didn¡¯t tell me that something had happened to my family or that he left S Country.¡± ¡°Did he say anything out-of-the-ordinary?¡± Xiao Baicong asked, ¡°Can you tell me the specifics of your conversation?¡± When Xiao Baicong saw Song Xuanhe narrow his eyes, he apologized. ¡°Sorry. I know that this is a very rude request. But my parents and I are really worried about him. The other family members are also concerned with how he left without a word and how he¡¯s disappeared without a word. Every clue is important to us.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded in understanding. ¡°No worries. I don¡¯t remember the specifics. The only thing I can remember clearly, which may perhaps be of help to you, is that he told me that he would have to dy his return. But he didn¡¯t tell me exactly how long he would be dyed.¡± ¡°Only that?¡± Xiao Baicong asked, ¡°And you lost contact with him afterwards?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Xiao Baicong¡¯s worry deepened. ¡°That means that something unexpected must have happened after he spoke with you. Otherwise, he would not go two days without contacting you, considering how he has a habit of calling you every day. It seems like things are trickier than I anticipated. It will be difficult to find him in a short amount of time.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. ¡°How did you know that we talk every day?¡± Xiao Baicong asked, ¡°Was I wrong? At home, I always saw Gege leave at the same time everyday to make a call. Once, I inadvertently overheard a bit and figured out that it was you on the other side. That¡¯s why I thought he must have been calling you each time.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re right.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and shrugged. ¡°He doesn¡¯t feel rest assured, leaving me alone in Y City. Maybe it¡¯s because there aren¡¯t any gunws here. He always has to check up on me to feel at ease.¡± Xiao Baicong said, ¡°He really loves you.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. Xiao Baicong then took a look at the time and got up. ¡°Xuanhe ge, it was a pleasure talking to you. But things are really busy at home right now. I have to leave. Thank you for your hospitality.¡± ¡°No problem.¡± Song Xuanhe saw Xiao Baicong off. ¡°I trust that we¡¯ll have many more opportunities to chat in the future.¡± Xiao Baicong smiled. ¡°Until then.¡± Song Xuanhe watched as Xiao Baicong climbed into his car. The expression in his eyes changed slightly as he whispered, ¡°Truly a cautious fellow.¡± ¡¾Did Xiao Baicong reallye to you for a chat?¡¿The System said£º¡¾You two don¡¯t seem close enough for that.¡¿ ¡¾He came to get information.¡¿Song Xuanhe closed the door and mildly said£º¡¾Too bad he¡¯s nothingpared to Xiao Yuanmu.¡¿ The System said£º¡¾You¡¯re worried that Xiao Yuanmu¡­someone¡¯se.¡¿ Song Xuanhe had yet to walk away from the entrance when the doorbell rung once more. He turned around to look at the person on the screen, surprise shing through his eyes when he saw who it was. Eve: Sneaky, sneaky little brother. xiin: updates will switch to 2x a week from next week because i need to start stocking up on chapters @[email protected] Chapter 139: Found a Boyfriend trantor: Eve ¡°Hello, Mrs. Xiao.¡± ¡°Hello.¡± The elegantly-dressed, poised madam on the other side of the door nodded slightly. Although she was already middle-aged, her skin was fair and well-maintained. There was a friendly smile on her face as she swept her eyes over Song Xuanhe. Her tone was gentle: ¡°May Ie in?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at the car that had already driven quite some distance away and then shifted his eyes back on the woman in front of him. ¡°Please,e in.¡± ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like the Yuanmu and your apartment.¡± Mrs. Xiao sat down and sized up the surroundings. With a smile, she said, ¡°I visited his apartment once. Although the conditions weren¡¯t too good, and it was a little cramped, he was still unwilling to move home. Now that I think about it, it was probably because he was waiting for you to move in with him.¡± Song Xuanhe gave her a small smile back but didn¡¯tment. He leaned down slightly and picked up the teacup Xiao Baicong had taken a sip from. After putting it away, he said, ¡°I didn¡¯t have time to tidy up after thest guest. I hope you¡¯ll excuse me.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± Mrs. Xiao shook her head softly. ¡°Sit down. There¡¯s no need to be so polite.¡± Song Xuanhe sat down. ¡°You are quite different from what I¡¯ve heard.¡± Mrs. Xiao said with a smile, ¡°I thought that we would meet at the wee banquet we held for Yuanmu. I didn¡¯t expect that you would be unable toe. In the end, we couldn¡¯t meet until now.¡± Song Xuanhe also kept up his smile. ¡°What did you expect me to be like?¡± ¡°Younger, more impulsive.¡± Mrs. Xiao replied, ¡°I had been worried about whether it was appropriate for Yuanmu and you to be together when I had heard those rumours. Seeing you now, I realized that I was worried for nothing.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled wordlessly. ¡°It¡¯s just that, I don¡¯t know if Xiao Song has heard about the matter regarding our family.¡± Mrs. Xiao asked. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu doesn¡¯t really talk to me about Xiao Family matters,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°We¡¯re just dating. We aren¡¯t at the stage where we feelfortable talking to each other about our families.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s smile grew slightly rigid. There was a probing gaze underneath her smile. ¡°You don¡¯t n on getting married?¡± ¡°Well, I don¡¯t have such ns at the moment,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I think Xiao Yuanmu feels the same. He wants to focus on his career right now. You know, although RE¡¯s developed very quickly, it¡¯s still a youngpany. It needs its owner to devote more energy into it to grow. Otherwise, it might topple over at any moment. Furthermore, I have my own career that I feel like I should focus on right now. Xiao Yuanmu and I have reached a consensus on this.¡± After giving his exnation, Song Xuanhe acted like he had just recalled what Mrs. Xiao had said earlier. He apologized. ¡°You asked me if I heard of the matter regarding your family. What in particr were you asking about?¡± Mrs. Xiao shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s nothing important.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled, ¡°I heard that Mrs. Xiao likes jasmine tea. Unfortunately, I only have Iron Goddess tea prepared. If you don¡¯t mind, I¡¯d love to prepare you a cup of tea.¡± Mrs. Xiao was taken aback, though she didn¡¯t show it. She remarked in a surprised tone, ¡°How did you know that I like to drink jasmine tea?¡± It was rare for members of the Xiao Family, who were very strict and saw themselves as an illustrious family in olden times, to reveal their real preferences to outsiders. That was why Mrs. Xiao was so shocked. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu told me.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes widened, befuddlement in his guileless, limpid eyes. ¡°Did I remember wrongly?¡± ¡°No¡­.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s gaze lowered, a smile in her eyes. Her voice wasn¡¯t as soft as it was earlier, but her smile seemed more genuine than before. ¡°I didn¡¯t know that he knew that I liked jasmine tea.¡± ¡°Of course he does.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Not only that, he also knows that although Mr. Xiao Lin likes to drink ck tea with milk, he can only do it behind your back because you don¡¯t like it. He also knows that Xiao Baicong likes to drink Iron Goddess tea. That¡¯s why there¡¯s always some at home. I brought this box of tea from our apartment.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s gaze followed Song Xuanhe¡¯s andnded on the Iron Goddess tea on the table. Her eyes got a little wet as she quietly said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know Yuanmu was so¡­attentive.¡± ¡°He¡¯s always like this,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°he quietly notes down the preferences of the people around him and silently gives and gives. But he never says anything about it. I used to fight with him often because of this. I thought that he didn¡¯t love me, that he didn¡¯t care about me. It wasn¡¯t untilter that I found out how much he had done for my sake.¡± Mrs. Xiao said, ¡°He¡¯s actually such a kindhearted and attentive child.¡± ¡°The reason why he shows the world a hard exterior is because of the environment he grew up in.¡± Song Xuanhe sighed softly, ¡°Actually, he¡¯s been really worried about you and Mr. Xiao. He just never voices his concerns out loud. But when he¡¯ll asionally talk about your preferences. That¡¯s how I know how much he treasures you.¡± ¡°I¡­didn¡¯t know that.¡± Mrs. Xiao tightened her hold over her purse and said, ¡°I always thought¡­I¡¯ve always thought that¡­.¡± ¡°Thought what?¡± Mrs. Xiao forced a smile and shook her head. ¡°Nothing. I just thought that he didn¡¯t care about us. I didn¡¯t expect him to be so attentive.¡± Song Xuanhe grinned and then changed the topic. ¡°Mrs. Xiao, I forgot to ask but, why did youe today?¡± ¡°I just wanted to see you.¡± Mrs. Xiao pulled herself together quickly and resumed her gentle, elegant appearance. ¡°I thought I¡¯d take the chance to ask you about something as well.¡± ¡°Regarding Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s whereabouts?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, ayer of concern filling her face. ¡°Yuanmu suddenly left the house three days ago. He didn¡¯t tell his father or me about it. Now, we can¡¯t get in touch with him. We¡¯re really worried.¡± ¡°¡±It seems like he¡¯s in China right now.¡± Song Xuanhe gazed at Mrs. Xiao, ¡°Mr. Xiao Baicong came for a visit earlier and asked me where Xiao Yuanmu was. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have a clue. I only found out that Xiao Yuanmu was in China after Xiao Baicong told me.¡± ¡°Congcong came over?¡± Mrs. Xiao was shocked. ¡°What did you two talk about?¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu. He spoke about his concern over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s disappearance most of the conversation.¡± ¡°He¡¯s always been like this.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s lips were curled into a smile. ¡°This child, he¡¯s always been kind, considerate and concerned for the people around him. You wouldn¡¯t believe how excited he was when he found out he had a big brother. Even if Yuanmu¡¯s return wasn¡¯t bene¡­.¡± ¡°Anyway, he¡¯s always been like that. He¡¯s always been optimistic and gentle.¡± When Mrs. Xiao spoke, Song Xuanhe could see the deep, motherly love and pride she had for Xiao Baicong. Her lips subconsciously curved into a soft, loving smile. ¡°It¡¯s because of this that his father and I were worried about how he would fare against reality or anything unfriendly. Although he¡¯s already proven that he is intelligent and capable of dealing with anything¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. The System said in his head: ¡¾Do you think Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mother knew that Xiao Baicong was here earlier or that she really only heard about this now?¡¿ ¡¾Analyze the data and figure it out yourself.¡¿Song Xuanhe said£º¡¾Doesn¡¯t your data tell you everything?¡¿ ¡¾I didn¡¯t collect any data on her. But even without any data, I believe that she must have known that Xiao Baicong was the previous guest. This is because I have data on Xiao Baicong¡¯s fleet, the speed of his fleet, and the speed limit of the streets. There is no way his fleet could havepletely disappeared out of sight prior to her arrival. His cars all belong to the Xiao Family. There¡¯s no way Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mother wouldn¡¯t recognize them.¡¿ ¡¾You¡¯re so smart.¡¿Song Xuanhe praised the system in a t voice. He then said£º¡¾What¡¯s even more likely is that she probably waited until Xiao Baicong¡¯s fleet of cars disappeared before pressing the down on the doorbell.¡¿ The System pondered this possibility£º¡¾That¡¯s very likely.¡¿ ¡°¡­Congcong is always worried about the people around him. Sometimes, he even forgets to think about himself or even care for himself. I remember when he was five years old, hispanion, Angus, told him that the servants would wake up early in the morning to make him breakfast. So he¡­.¡± Mothers were usually able to go on and on about their children. Mrs. Xiao was no exception. She told Song Xuanhe a lot of stories of when Xiao Baicong was a child. She then smiled. ¡°He¡¯s an angel sent to his father and I from Heaven.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and listened quietly. He didn¡¯t say anything from beginning to end. The smile gradually faded from her face. She sighed quietly. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity that it seems like Yuanmu doesn¡¯t seem to like him very much.¡± Song Xuanhe looked up. Mrs. Xiao sighed again when she noticed his gaze. ¡°Yuanmu is more suited to seed the family, regardless of whether it¡¯s in terms of personality or whatever. It¡¯s just that this must be difficult for Baicong to ept. It¡¯s been drilled into his head since he was young that he would inherit the family, that he had to sacrifice everything for the sake of the family. He has considered that Xiao Family to be his responsibility since he was a child. But after Yuanmu came back, he was willing to give it all up. Even if it meant things would turn out differently than he had pictured over a decade ago, he was still willing to do this. He¡¯s always been like this¡­.¡± Mrs. Xiao looked at Song Xuanhe. ¡°But even so, Yuanmu isn¡¯t willing to open up to him. I can see how concerned Baicong is of Yuanmu, and how much he wants to be closer to his older brother. Yuanmu, he¡­he grew up in that kind of environment. That is the fault of his father and I. We will do everything we can to make up for it. But Baicong shouldn¡¯t have to take a share of the me. He wasn¡¯t born yet. He¡¯s even willing to give the Xiao Family to Yuanmu aspensation¡­. Auntie knows how much Yuanmu likes you and how much he listens to you. Auntie hopes that you might try to convince him to try to get along with Congcong. Please?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s fist clenched tighter and tighter with every word Mrs. Xiao said. After Mrs. Xiao¡¯sst sentence, he could no longer hold himself back. Song Xuanhe stared right into Mrs. Xiao¡¯s eyes. ¡°I cannotment as to what kind of person Xiao Baicong is. However¡ªand I apologize in advance for my frankness¡ªit is ridiculous of Xiao Baicong to say that he¡¯s willing to ¡®give¡¯ the family to Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu is also your son. If he wasn¡¯t lost in the beginning, he would be the sole, legitimate sessor of the Xiao Family. He would be just like Xiao Baicong. He would be you and Mr. Xiao¡¯s beloved eldest son. He might have ended up like Xiao Baicong¡ªgenerous and willing to give everything to his friends. Because he wouldn¡¯tck anything.¡± ¡°Even though things haven¡¯t turned out like that, even if he¡¯s suffered countless trials and tribtions while growing up, he is still a warm, gentle person. In my eyes, being able to remain kind while growing up in a harsh environment is moremendable than a greenhouse flower¡¯s naive warmth.¡± ¡°I¡¯m really sorry.¡± Song Xuanhe got up, making it clear that he wanted to see her out, ¡°But I¡¯m afraid that I need some time alone.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s expression changed slightly. She was about to speak but she noticed that there was someone behind Song Xuanhe. Her face paled and she took a step forward. ¡°Yuanmu¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe whipped his head around, his eyes meeting with the tall man standing not far behind him. Eve: Truth be told, it¡¯s hard to me Mr. and Mrs. Xiao¡¯s tant favouritism. Even if Yuanmu is their son, it¡¯s only in name. He¡¯s basically a strangerpared to Baicong who she poured her everything in for eighteen years. BUT. For the same reason, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s appropriate for her to be so pushy in trying to get Yuanmu to open up to her. Even if they are biologically rted, he¡¯s a grown man and his decisions/personal space should be respected. Anyway, Mumu has his reasons for keeping his distance. Chapter 140: Looking for a Boyfriend trantor: Eve The second his eyes met with that pair of dark, clear eyes, the cold expression on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face froze. His gaze became a bit out-of-focus for a moment. When he realized that Xiao Yuanmu must have heard what he had just said, the tips of his ears flushed. Despite this, he maintained hisposure. He nodded slightly, as if he wasn¡¯t surprised by the other¡¯s appearance. His tone was extremely calm. ¡°You¡¯re back.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was fixed on Song Xuanhe. There was a myriad of emotions boiling in his eyes. It made Song Xuanhe want to look away. The second before he looked away, Xiao Yuanmu made his way over, wrapping his arms tightly around Song Xuanhe. Xiao Yuanmu rested his chin on his shoulder and then pasted his soft, icy lips against Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck. There was a raspy quality to his voice. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why, but Xiao Yuanmu gave off a weak and warm impression right now. Even though Song Xuanhe knew he was probably just imagining it, he still raised his hand and gently tousled the other¡¯s hair. Quietly, he replied with a ¡®mn.¡¯ Xiao Yuanmu held Song Xuanhe quietly, enjoying the heat emitting from the other¡¯s body. When he recalled the nightmare from three days ago that had made him unable to close his eyes again, he couldn¡¯t help but tighten his hold. ¡°Yuanmu¡­.¡± Mrs. Xiao stood to the side. It was the first time she had seen her eldest son show such a dependent and soft side to him. It made her forget her rm while throwing her into a sea of astonishment and bitterness. Her feelings for Xiao Yuanmu wereplicated. The first few years after Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s disappearance, she had searched for him like mad. Even if she knew that the likelihood of her son surviving after being led away from the family by those malicious, unknown people, she had not given up for a second. Butter on, Xiao Lin had adopted a child to console her. That child had been lovable and quiet, but she hadn¡¯t been able to ept him. She knew that it wasn¡¯t her son and she couldn¡¯t ept the fact that another child would get to enjoy everything that belonged to her missing son. That¡¯s why she had rejected the child so vehemently. The servants were very tactful. Gradually, they had stopped bringing the child in front of her. But even though the child wasn¡¯t in sight, he still reminded her constantly of her missing child. This only ended when she became pregnant with Xiao Baicong. Once more, a little life emerged within her, their hearts beating as one. After ten months, he was born. She was more experienced this time and even more careful with her second son after the disappearance of her first. She didn¡¯t let Xiao Baicong out of her sight. Later on, as Xiao Baicong slowly grew up, she dedicated all her energy and emotions to him. This distracted her, leaving her no time to wonder whether her eldest son was alive, and if he was alive, what kind of horrible life he might be leading. She never had the courage to think about these things. A little after that, she wiped all traces of her eldest son¡¯s existence from her home, from the pictures and videos of him to his little toys. She had everything stored away. Gradually, signs of her eldest son¡¯s existence disappeared while her youngest son grew up. She started to believe that she had only ever given birth to the little angel in front of her. She meticulously raised Xiao Baicong and watched him grow up to the young adult he was today. The fact that he was still filial and gentle even after growing up made her soft. She wanted to give him the best the world had to offer. If he wanted the Xiao Family, she would help him take on the pressure and the criticisms. She was willing to do anything to ensure that he lived his entire life happy. But very asionally, she would be lost in thought when looking at her youngest son. She would imagine what her eldest son might have looked like, whether he would be as outstanding as her youngest son, whether he had all his needs met. But as soon as these thoughts would form, she would block them from her mind. She would force herself to forget all these painful memories. She only hoped that their family of three could be happy like a normal family. But all this changed when she saw the young man, who looked like her deceased brother and shared the same eyes as her youngest son. She hadn¡¯t needed any tests. She had known that this was her child. She had known that this was her eldest son, who her younger brother had loved to hold and carry. Her younger brother had often smiled at Xiao Lin and said that the boy was ¡®just like his uncle¡¯, that he would definitely be like him and like him after he grew up. This was her eldest son. He had indeed be like her younger brother after growing up. Because of him, all of the memories she had tried to bury became unearthed. She remembered how her brother had apologized to her before his death, apologized to Xiao Yuanmu. Her brother had always med himself for Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s disappearance because, at that time, he had wanted to take Xiao Yuanmu to the park. And then, when he had gone upstairs to get something, a servant who had been tasked to look after Xiao Yuanmu had whisked him away. That matter didn¡¯t only gnaw on his heart, but on hers and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s as well. As Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s parents, even if they knew that they shouldn¡¯t me her younger brother¡ªno one could know that someone had infiltrated their residence and disguised themselves as the help¡ªit was still difficult for them to smile at him now that their son had gone missing. Her younger brother had died with guilt in his heart. This fact only made her all the more obsessed with finding her eldest son. It was the only light in her darkest times. ¡ª¡ªBut Xiao Baicong¡¯s birth had dispelled all that darkness. She was genuinely ecstatic to find Xiao Yuanmu. It wasn¡¯t just her wish, but the long, cherished wish of her younger brother as well. It was just that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were too cold. He was not the child she had imagined. Even though she tried so hard to get closer to him, even though she had done everything she could to exin that they all wanted to get closer to them, even if she wanted to do everything she could to make it up to him¡­she had never seen any warmth in his eyes. This was a highly ambitious child with a heart that would never warm up. That had been the conclusion Mrs. Xiao hade to after finding out Xiao Yuanmu had mercilessly gotten rid of the people she had specifically cultivated for Xiao Baicong in several of the Xiao Family¡¯srge corporations. As she watched the confident, warm smile on her youngest son gradually disappear; watched how he had to focus on school while having to stay upte to manage thepanies; watched how he lost weight and gained dark circles in his eyes; and finally listened to him ask her in a defeated voice, ¡°Mom, am I really inferior to Gege,¡± a sliver of discontent towards her eldest son rapidly formed in her heart. He already had RE. Everyone knew that he was extremely gifted in business. He already stood out in the crowd and had a ce in these circles. Even Xiao Lin and the majority of the Xiao Family inwardly shifted the title of ¡®sessor¡¯ over to him. He already had so much, why couldn¡¯t he give Congcong a little? Why couldn¡¯t he treat his younger brother a little better, to reassure her that even if her husband and herself were no longer around, Xiao Yuanmu would be able to take care of thepany and his younger brother? That¡¯s why she had looked for Song Xuanhe. She had hoped that he would help persuade Xiao Yuanmu, so that her heart could be rest assured. Actually, before Song Xuanhe had said his piece, she had never thought that she was in the wrong. She was a mother. She loved both her sons. Was there anything wrong with wanting them to get along and help each other out? Even though Xiao Baicong used to fight for the sessor title, he had already given up. So why was Xiao Yuanmu so cold to him? He even seemed indifferent at times. That was his younger brother. That was the closest person to him in the world aside from his parents. How could she stand by and allow their rtionship to remain cold like this? But Song Xuanhe¡¯s words had been like a p to the face. Xiao Baicong was wronged by having to give up the sessor position. Then was Xiao Yuanmu not wronged, having been forced to suffer in the outside world for thest twenty plus years? Xiao Baicong could honourably give up in the battle for session as her and Xiao Lin¡¯s son. Xiao Yuanmu was also their son. So why did she think that Xiao Baicong was conceding when Xiao Yuanmu rightfully won the position as sessor? Compared to Xiao Yuanmu, Xiao Baicong possesses so much more. So why did she think Xiao Yuanmu was wildly ambitious? After seeing the fury and pain for Xiao Yuanmu in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes, after seeing the trusting, weak appearance of Xiao Yuanmu while he embraced Song Xuanhe, he suddenly realized how ridiculous her words had been. She had been so wrong and so unreasonable. She was thoroughly biased towards her younger son. What right did she have to demand her eldest son to be as reliant and trusting towards her as her youngest son? She wasn¡¯t worthy of his trust or dependence at all. Now, her eldest son probably didn¡¯t even want to give her even the most basic of trust and kinship after hearing what she had said. But how could she give up on her eldest son after finally getting him back? Could she watch quietly while he treated her like she was a stranger? Of course not! She had to exin herself! ¡°Yuanmu¡­.¡± Mrs. Xiao reached out and grabbed onto one of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arms that were looped around Song Xuanhe¡¯s waist. She also shifted his head, that was leaning against Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck, so that he was now facing her. ¡°Mom didn¡¯t mean anything by that. Mom only wanted to talk to Mr. Song. I don¡¯t know how things got to that. Mom just wants you and your brother to get along¡­.¡± Mrs. Xiao¡¯s voice gradually weakened under Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s clear and tranquil gaze. ¡°I know, Mother.¡± Xiao Yuanmu lifted his chin off of Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder but his arms were still tightly wound around the other¡¯s waist. He continued to hold Song Xuanhe with a very dependent and possessive posture as he spoke to his mother. ¡°I know what you want to say. You don¡¯t need to apologize. I will not misunderstand. But I still have some things to attend to right now. Can Ie see you another day?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone was the same as always. Mrs. Xiao didn¡¯t know if it was because he really didn¡¯t mind her words just now or if didn¡¯t care because he had never let her into his heart. Unfortunately, she could not get an answer from his ripple-less eyes. Xiao Yuanmu was always calm andposed whenever he interacted with her¡ªor anyone for the matter. It was impossible to read the emotions in his eyes. It was only in front of the young man he was currently holding that he would be vibrant and alive. Something flickered through Mrs. Xiao¡¯s eyes as she quietly said, ¡°Okay, Mom will go back first. Your father and I have been very worried about you after not being able to contact you for thest few days. Come see us when you¡¯re free, okay?¡± Xiao Yuanmu said ¡®okay¡¯ and Mrs. Xiao quietly left. A second after the click of the door closing was heard, Xiao Yuanmu found Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips. His cold but soft lips covered Song Xuanhe¡¯s warm pair. There was a sense of urgency, passion and strength in his breath. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t resist him. And he didn¡¯t want to resist either. Song Xuanhe responded enthusiastically to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s kiss. His hands stroked the other¡¯s back, in what seemed likefort but also provocation. Xiao Yuanmu paused, before continuing with more intensity and recklessness than before. The temperature in the room gradually increased. Unwittingly, the two of them made their way from the living room to the bedroom, and from the bedroom to the bed. Song Xuanhe¡¯s shirt had already been discarded somewhere and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wicked hands were over his fair chest. His leather belt was also undone, revealing his underwear. Xiao Yuanmu was in a simr state. His jacket had disappeared at some unknown point in them and Song Xuanhe had ripped his t-shirt to pieces. Parts of it still hung from his shoulders while Song Xuanhe undid his belt. The two of them embraced impatiently. Except for the conversation they had in the beginning, no other words were exchanged. But for the first time, it felt like their hearts were linked. It felt like they knew what the other wanted to say, what the other desired. For the first time, they both wanted to be one with the other. Everything felt right¡­. The author has something to say: Shh! Eve: Yeah, this is gonna be glossed over, if anyone wants to write the smutty fanfiction, go for it. But yeah, Mumu and Mrs. Xiao, it¡¯s hard to pin the me on either person. Because we know Mumu¡¯s perspective, I am also biased towards him. As someone who has a strained andplicated rtionship with one parent, I am even more biased against the mother. She may have truly loved him and genuinely want to get close, but sometimes, the best thing you can do for someone is to let go. To give them the power to decide if and when they choose to open up their heart. And if they choose to never do that, the best thing you can do is ept it and hope for their happiness. Even if their happiness doesn¡¯t include you. Chapter 141: Found a Boyfriend trantor: Eve After taking thest step, Xiao Yuanmu was even clingier to Song Xuanhe than ever before. Not only was he clingy, he was also extremely corny. It was like he had finally put down thest of his concerns and taken down thest barrier. His eyes sparkled, glistening brighter than a desert¡¯s night sky. There was no need to guess just how much he loved the person he was looking at. Fortunately, Louis had only been forced to eat this dogfood for half a day. By noon the next day, Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanm uhad returned to their apartment downtown. They then blinded Xiao Huang and Yang Jie¡¯s eyes. Because Louis was allergic to animal fur, Yang Jie had been the one to take care of Xiao Huang. Although it was less than a week, Xiao Huang was extremely excited to be reunited with them. His tail wagged frantically as he jumped onto Song Xuanhe. He hugged Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s thigh, whining, while asionally turning to look at Song Xuanhe. He seemed wronged, like a child who wasining to his parents after having been punished to stand at the kindergarten. This made Yang Jie, who thought that he and Xiao Huang had been getting along well, really sad. What he didn¡¯t expect was that he would receive even more upsetting news afterwards. Yang Jie lived on the floor below. Although they lived very close and Yang Jie knew how good Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cooking was, Xiao Yuanmu had stopped cooking entirely after moving to Y City. That¡¯s why the only times Yang Jie had eaten his home cooking had been in the Capital and when Xiao Yuanmu had invited him to eat what he had cooked for Song Xuanhe. Today, Xiao Yuanmu unexpectedly invited him up to eat dinner. Yang Jie had been moved because he had thought that Xiao Yuanmu had wanted to thank him for taking car of Xiao Huang. He had just been about to decline when he saw Xiao Yuanmu smile at Song Xuanhe. In a voice softer than he had ever heard Xiao Yuanmu use, the other said, ¡°He bao likes it when its lively during a meal.¡± It wasn¡¯t just Yang Jie who had cringed, Song Xuanhe had as well. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what the heck had gotten into Xiao Yuanmu, but ever since this morning, he had suddenly started to call him ¡®He bao¡¯ like a sap. He had protested against this many times, expressing his dislike for the extraordinarily childish nickname. But even though Xiao Yuanmu would go ¡®okay okay¡¯ each time, the next time he used this nickname, he would look at him with his limpid, bright eyes. Paired with his long eyshes, he looked both alluring and innocent. It reminded Song Xuanhe of that night where he had ended up on the bottom during their tryst. The other had done him until he was so exhausted, he begged to be let go. At that time, Xiao Yuanmu had also used this pair of eyes that innately looked like they were filled with deep love, to gaze at him innocently. Meanwhile, his body was mercilessly acting like a beast. Song xiao shaoye had been peeved. Xiao Yuanmu had then used an extremely sweet and soft voice that would astound even outsiders to coax him for a very long time. He had done everything Song Xuanhe had asked him. In the end, Song shaoye¡¯s temper had left as quickly as it hade. Very quickly, he had be toozy to bother with it. It was just that his ears had continued to stay flushed for a long time. But what caught his attention this time wasn¡¯t the nickname¡ªSong Xuanhe wanted to know when he¡¯d ever said he liked it when a meal was lively! Song Xuanhe asked this after heading upstairs. Xiao Yuanmu answered really quickly, as if he didn¡¯t even need to think about it. ¡°Last month, before your wounds healed, I cooked congee and brought it to the hospital. You said that eating with people asionally would liven things up.¡± Song Xuanhe recalled that he really did say something like that. But the only reason he said that was to subtly tell Xiao Yuanmu to be less unsociable. He hoped that the other would get closer to Louis and Yang Jie. That way, he could be more at ease in the future. After Xiao Yuanmu brought this up, Song Xuanhe suddenly realized that it was getting very close to the date of his departure. When Xiao Yuanmu saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s startled expression, he only thought that the other had forgotten about this matter. He didn¡¯t think much of it. Xiao Yuanmu reached over to hug Song Xuanhe from behind, resting his chin on his shoulder. ¡°If you like it when there¡¯s a lot of people around, I can call Guan Zhi over next time. There¡¯s also Zhou Nan and Yu Yan. If Xiao Shenglin¡¯s in time, we can also invite him.¡± Song Xuanhe choked up with emotion. ¡°I thought you didn¡¯t like to cook.¡± ¡°You like it when I cook,¡± Xiao Yuanmu answered without hesitation. There was the hint of a doting smile in his chilly voice. ¡°If you like it, I¡¯ll like it.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes quivered. His eyes suddenly stung. Xiao Yuanmu in the book was a treacherous, dictatorial person. In real life, Xiao Yuanmu was stubborn, proud and egotistic. And yet, he was currently saying such shy, soft words into his ears: If you like it, I¡¯ll like it. But how could he ept the other¡¯s practically self-abased love with a clear conscience? Xiao Yuanmu finally realized that something was wrong as Song Xuanhe continued to maintain his silence. He lifted his head, cing his hand over Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder. He wanted to turn Song Xuanhe around to look at him, but the other unexpectedly beat him to it, turning around out of his own volition, blocking his lips. Xiao Yuanmu was taken aback for a moment before a smile flickered through his eyes. He closed his eyes and returned the kiss. They were both young, vigorous men who had just gotten a taste of sweetness. Even an idental touch was enough to stoke the fire inside them. A few minutester, they were panting, the reaction in their bodies evident. Xiao Yuanmu was the first toe back to himself. He pushed Song Xuanhe a bit away, rubbing the other¡¯s lips. His voice was very hoarse. ¡°We can¡¯t. Yang Jie¡¯s going to¡­.¡± Song Xuanhe cut him off with his lips. The reason why Xiao Yuanmu was able to snap out of it was because of his worry regarding Song Xuanhe¡¯s body. He was concerned that it would be bad for the other¡¯s body if they were to do it again after just doing itst night. Even though the fire inside him was re-lit, he forced himself to extinguish it. He kissed Song Xuanhe until his eyes turned ssy and then gently pushed him away. He was about to speak when he heard the grating sound of a chair scraping across the floor. Both of them snapped out of their passionate haze and turned to look in the direction of the sound. ¡ª¡ªYang Jie was currently kneeling, hands over Xiao Huang¡¯s eyes. The chubby dog didn¡¯t like this at all. In his struggle, he had bumped into the chair, causing it to move. Yang Jie looked even more embarrassed than they did. He averted his gaze, ears flushed, while trying to exin things in feigned calmness. ¡°Xiao Huang is still young. It¡¯s not appropriate for him to see you¡­.¡± Xiao Huang turned his head and ran over to Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu after he broke free during Yang Jie¡¯spse in attention. He bumped his nose and rubbed his body against their legs. He also barked in the direction of the cupboard that held his dogfood and snacks. He thenid down and showed his body. It was obvious what he wanted. Unfortunately, his cute act was met with defeat. For the first time, his owners ignored his tummy. One of his owners seemed to ¡®eat¡¯ his other owner¡¯s lips and then mumbled something he didn¡¯t understand into the other owner¡¯s ears. ¡±It¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to do it, but we did it twicest night. You almost got hurt. It would be better if you rested for the next two days.¡± Xiao Yuanmu persevered in exining himself. He then waited for Song Xuanhe to agree. In contrast to his expectations, Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression darkened and he grit his teeth. ¡°Shut up!¡± Song Xuanhe then went to their room upstairs, not looking back. Xiao Huang tottered after them. The sound of a door closing followed some time after. Meanwhile, the kitchen and living room was filled with silence. Xiao Yuanmu was quiet because he had seen Song Xuanhe¡¯s flushed ears. Yang Jie was quiet because he felt embarrassed from seeing the couple¡¯s intimacy. After putting the chair Xiao Huang had knocked into back in ce, Yang Jie stood in ce, waiting for Xiao Yuanmu to break the silence. But Xiao Yuanmu only stood there with a smile on his face, seemingly lost-in-thought. He clearly had no intentions of saying anything. Therefore, Yang Jie decided to break the silence himself. He thought about it for a while before deciding on an opening remark that wasn¡¯t too abrupt but also wasn¡¯t rted to the awkward incident just now. ¡°Xiao ge, what are we eating for dinner?¡± Xiao Yuanmu snapped out of his thoughts. ¡°Xuanhe likes spare ribs with garlic, lemon chicken and Longjing prawns. We bought these on the way back. I¡¯ll make a few more dishes in a bit¡­. What do you like to eat? He seems to really like to eat my seafood pastately. Are you okay with that?¡± Yang Jie: ¡­. Yang Jie opened his mouth but nothing came out. A few secondster, he forced out: ¡°I¡¯m allergic to seafood.¡± He knew that Xiao Yuanmu had a really good memory. Although he had only mentioned it off-handedly one time, Xiao Yuanmu had always remembered to avoid seafood when he invited him to eat. Unexpectedly, he actually forgot this time. Yang Jie saw Xiao Yuanmu nod. ¡°Ah, I forgot.¡± Yang Jie sucked in a deep breath. He tried toe up with an excuse for the Xiao ge he respected and looked up to. This must be the phenomenon in which one¡¯s IQ tends to lower when in love! It¡¯s definitely not because Xiao ge doesn¡¯t care about him! ¡°I want to eat¡­¡± Yang Jie thought about it, ¡°dumplings. I haven¡¯t had that for a long time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll make some.¡± Yang Jie smiled. See! Xiao ge cared about him! However, his happiness onlysted until it was time to eat. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say you wanted to eat sea urchin and white cabbage dumplings? The blue te has dumplings with white cabbage filling and the white te has sea urchin.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. He ate the two dumplings Xiao Yuanmu had put in his bowl. ¡°It¡¯s really good.¡± After getting a satisfactory response, Xiao Yuanmu turned to look at Yang Jie. ¡°You can¡¯t eat seafood so have the ones on the white te.¡± Yang Jie forced himself to smile. It¡¯s fine¡­at least Xiao ge remembered his seafood allergy this time. That was enough¡­. Eve: I always get emotional when SXH gets emotional over something soft SYM does or when he has a realization. And then¡­.RIP Yang Jie¡­.LOL XYM is actually a fool in love, sorry. xiin: i want to stab SXH every time he thinks about how he¡¯s leaving >: Chapter 142: Curled Lashes, Extremely Cute trantor: Eve It wasn¡¯t just Yang Jie and Louis who had been forced to watch their lovey-dovey behaviour. Even Zhou Nan, and the System were constantly made to watch this¡ªit even put up a mosaic most of the time. The System had wanted to speak up several times while watching Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu getting stickier and stickier with each other, but always stopped itself because it felt like it wasn¡¯t a good time. But when it saw that it was almost time to leave, even if it wanted to pretend like it didn¡¯t exist, it had no choice but to remind Song Xuanhe: ¡¾There¡¯s only forty five hours until it¡¯s time for you toplete your final mission. Considering how far the location of your mission is, I would suggest you leave now.¡¿ Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu had been in the middle of watching a movie when the System had spoken up. After Xiao Yuanmu heard that Song Xuanhe liked to watch science fiction movies, hepiled a list of all the science fiction movies in the world and sorted it by ratings. He then handed it over to Song Xuanhe to choose. Right now, they were watching the 69th movie on the list. It had a rating of 9.2. The movie was set in a time where humanity sessfully manages to break through the natural limits of their brains. As a result, civilization underwent rapid development. Out of boredom, someone invented a parallel world transmigration machine ording to the parallel worlds theory. However, the machine wasn¡¯t precise enough. This caused time and space to fall into a mess, leading to the series of events depicted in the movie. ¡°No matter where he is, I believe that he will be happy.¡± At the end of the movie, the protagonist stared out into space, murmuring to himself in self-constion. He was wishing the other protagonist happiness. It was also at this precise moment in time that the System¡¯s reminder came in. Song Xuanhe suddenly snapped out of the reverie he had been in while watching the movie. He turned to look at Xiao Yuanmu, who was asleep, his head leaning on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder. The other¡¯s long, straightshes softly fell over his eyes. Because he trusted Song Xuanhe fully, he slept very soundly. His lips were slightly raised, making him actually seem like a young man for once. ¡°No matter where he is, I believe that¡­¡± Song Xuanhe swept his finger over Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s nose and recited the movie¡¯s lines, ¡°He will be happy.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes trembled and he slowly opened his eyes. When he noticed Song Xuanhe¡¯s gaze, he smiled, moving in to ce a kiss on the other man¡¯s lips. ¡°Sorry I fell asleep. Was the movie good?¡± Song Xuanhe grinned back. ¡°It was really good.¡± ¡°Louis said that the movie was good.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sat up. The exhaustion under his eyes had decreased a bit from his short rest. He chuckled and told Song Xuanhe, ¡°Parallel worlds theory. Interesting.¡± ¡°Would you go to another world if they really existed?¡± Song Xuanhe asked casually. ¡°What about you?¡± Xiao Yuanmu asked instead of answering the question. Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly subconsciously. Before he hade up with an answer, he heard Xiao Yuanmu say, ¡°I¡¯ll go wherever you go.¡± ¡°Did you also learn this from Louis?¡± Song Xuanheughed. ¡°No.¡± Xiao Yuanmu rested his head on Song Xuanhe¡¯s leg, the smile evident in his eyes. ¡°Because everywhere is the same to me, as long as you¡¯re there.¡± Song Xuanhe covered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes and kissed him. After moving his hand away, he said, ¡°I have to head back to China tomorrow.¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Huang Cong¡¯s film is premiering. The one i invested in before. It¡¯s the one I chose after careful consideration. He¡¯s also been asking me toe back for some time now. So I finally decided to head back for a bit.¡± Xiao Yuanmu was silent for a few seconds. ¡°I don¡¯t want you to go back.¡± Song Xuanhe bushed his bangs aside, gaze focusing on Xiao Yuanmu in front of him. He didn¡¯t look away. ¡°I haven¡¯t gone back for a long time now. My brother¡¯s been urging me toe visit.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll go with you.¡± ¡°You just took over the Xiao Family. You barely have time to sleep.¡± When Song Xuanhe saw that Xiao Yuanmu was going to refute him, he added, ¡°I know that you wake up in the middle of the night to work.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looped his arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck and ced a kiss on his throat. ¡°Sorry. There¡¯s a lot to tackle right now.¡± ¡°While I¡¯m gone, make sure to take care of yourself.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Be good and listen to me. Wait for me toe back.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Yuanmu kept his arms around Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck and lowered his voice. ¡°In return, how about you be good and listen to me tonight¡­.¡± * Song Xuanhe used Huang Cong¡¯s premiere as an excuse to return to China. To prevent Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s followers who were tailing him from noticing that something was wrong, he attended the premiere. He sat in the audience, listening to Huang Cong, who seemed to be joking on the stage but was actually really nervous, while chatting with the System at the same time. It wasn¡¯t just Huang Cong who was nervous. Everyone here, including the actors, were nervous. After all, the subject matter portrayed in the film was not something that would typically be attractive to the masses. Furthermore, it was Huang Cong¡¯s own transformative work and the main actress was Liu Xu, who had been shut down by herpany for a year now. Except for the influence and fans Xue Mian brought with him after returning to the country, the movie didn¡¯t have much going for it. Huang Cong was anxious. The more worried he became, the more he wanted to find something to rx with. His eyes swept the venue andnded on Song Xuanhe, who hade to the premiere as soon as he had arrived in the country. He felt a bit relieved. Everyone knew of Song shao and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. Some people would do their best to give this movie publicity just to give Song Xuanhe face. Coincidentally, the host had just shifted the conversation over to Xue Mian. Huang Cong promptly shifted out of the camera¡¯s view and stuck out a hand to give his financial backer an eager greeting. Song Xuanhe was currently listening to the System tell him about the mission. He didn¡¯t notice Huang Cong¡¯s action, but Xue Mian, who had been watching his side attentively did. He raised his brow slightly, a small smile appearing on his lips. The host also noticed Xue Mian¡¯s gaze. She turned to follow his line of sight and saw the hazy appearance of the handsome young man under the dim light. Her eyes lit up. The host didn¡¯t recognize Song Xuanhe so she asked Xue Mian: ¡°Film Emperor Xue, is that your good friend? I noticed that your eyes have been on him all this time. Did your friende to support you?¡± When Xue Mian heard this, he gave a profound smile. ¡°I guess you could call us friends. But he didn¡¯te to support me. Mr. Song is thergest investor in this film.¡± ¡°Mr. Song?¡± The host was a reporter who had only entered the entertainment news business about a year ago. At that time, Song Xuanhe had already stopped appearing in entertainment news. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t recognize him. However, she had heard a senior reporter mention Song Xuanhe before. That senior had also seen the eldest young master of the Xiao Family, Xiao Yuanmu, before he had returned to the Xiao Family. Back then, he had already thought that Xiao Yuanmu looked familiar. It took that senior a long time before he realized that he looked a lot like Mrs. Xiao¡¯s younger brother, who he had interviewed twenty years ago. He had had a copy of a photo from the overseas interview. After digging it out andparing them, he realized that they were even more simr than he had thought. The senior had shown the photo to their editor-in-chief, thinking that it would make for a good headline. However, the editor-in-chief had thought that he was delusional. It was a terrible idea to try topare an orphan with no authority or power with the Xiao matriarch¡¯s beloved younger brother. If the Xiao Family didn¡¯t mind it, it would be fine. But if the Xiao Family took offense, even if they were to give up the entirepany inpensation, it still wouldn¡¯t be enough to quell the Xiao Family¡¯s anger. Just like that, the matter was swept under the rug. However, the host had a very deep impression of Xiao Yuanmu because of that photo. In contrast, she didn¡¯t have a strong impression of Song Xuanhe. That¡¯s why she didn¡¯t recognize him at first. Everyone knew about Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s rtionship. It didn¡¯t matter if one couldn¡¯t interview Xiao Yuanmu. As long as she could interview Song Xuanhe, the article would receive a lot of attention! The host¡¯s mind started to whirl as she imagined rising up in the world after getting a big scoop. She smiled at Xue Mian: ¡°Since Mr. Song is one of the investors and your friend, I wonder if he¡¯d be willing toe up on stage.¡± ¡°You¡¯d have to ask him.¡± Xue Mian smiled gently. The host¡¯s eyes lit up when he didn¡¯t reject her idea outright. She stood up with the microphone and headed over to Song Xuanhe. The System warned Song Xuanhe£º¡¾Someone¡¯sing over. A woman. She has a microphone with her.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t pay much attention to it. After all, it was an interview at the movie¡¯s premiere. Although he was an investor, the publicity activities had nothing to do with him. He didn¡¯t think that the host wasing to speak to him. Contrary to his expectations, the host stopped beside him a secondter and sat down in the empty space next to him. ¡°Mr. Song, I heard that you¡¯re an investor of this film and that this is the first film you¡¯ve invested in. Why did you choose to invest in this film?¡± Song Xuanhe turned to look at the host. He didn¡¯t look flustered at all. ¡°Because I knew that it would earn me money.¡± The broadcast room that had be a bit noisy after seeing the host descend the stage to speak to Song Xuanhe quieted down after hearing his words transmit through the speakers. Even Huang Cong¡¯s eyes widened in surprise. No one thought that the film would do well in the box office, including the movie¡¯s director and female lead. One of them had filmed this movie because he loved the script so much and the other did it because she couldn¡¯t be picky with her options after herpany shut her out. This film was her life-saving straw. Neither the director nor the main actress had high hopes for this film, let along the audience members. The host was also surprised by Song Xuanhe¡¯s reply but she maintained her smile. ¡°Looks like Mr. Song¡¯s confident about this film. Is it because you¡¯re good friends with Film Emperor Xue? Is it because you¡¯re supporting your friend that you¡¯re so confident?¡± Song Xuanhe was taken aback. He could count the number of encounters he and Xue Mian had on one hand. When did they be good friends?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not because of your friend?¡± The host continued to ask, ¡°Then why? Also, why did you decide to invest in movies? From what I know, the Song Family has never been involved in the entertainment industry. If it¡¯s not because of Film Emperor Xue¡­does it have something to do with your boyfriend, Xiao Yuanmu?¡± ¡°My ¡®no¡¯, I meant that I¡¯m not friends with Xue Mian. As for your other question, I don¡¯t think it¡¯s an appropriate question for a movie premiere.¡± The host was shocked by Song Xuanhe¡¯s frankness but quickly caught onto the explosivement he had made. She promptly asked, ¡°Why do you say that you and Film Emperor Xue aren¡¯t friends?¡± Did he need a reason for that? Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be bothered with replying to this question. Meanwhile, Xue Mian, who was still on stage, replied for him. He said, ¡°It¡¯s true that we¡¯re not friends. If I had to put abel on it, I¡¯d say that we¡¯re¡­rivals-in-love.¡± Eve: Rolling my eyes because Xue Mian still thinks he has a chance¡­man¡¯s confident enough to actually make a statement in public like this. I have second hand embarrassment and actually pity him. Chapter 143: Hypocrisy, Really Awkward trantor: Eve The people in the audience exchanged looks. Some people even shifted their heads closer together to whisper in astonished tones. The host didn¡¯t expect to hear a reply like this but she couldn¡¯t let the awkward silence continue out of professionalism. She smiled and pretended to be excited. ¡°Film Emperor Xue has always had a good sense of humour, as evident by what we¡¯ve seen today.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile didn¡¯t reach his eyes as he met Xue Mian¡¯s gaze. He could see the seriousness and provocation in the other¡¯s eyes. ¡°Song shao,¡± Xue Mian smiled, a deeper meaning hidden in his eyes, ¡°What do you think?¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. As expected of Film Emperor Xue, who had an outstanding family background and who only entered the entertainment industry for fun. If it were any other celebrity, he would take it as them trying to get more publicity by saying this. No celebrity would dared to gamble their careers over someone so out of their league. Even if the celebrity was brave enough to do it, theirpanies and managers would stop them. It was clear to see that Xue Mian was serious. However, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t angry. There was aplicated feeling in his heart. It was probably because Xue Mian was the only person who was deeply attached to Xiao Yuanmu, whether it was in the original novel or reality. As for the other pursuers, they could be split into two groups: either Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know whether they had met Xiao Yuanmu yet, or they were simply coworkers, pure friends or business partners. When Song Xuanhe thought of this, he became distracted. He couldn¡¯t help but ask the System£º¡¾Xiao Yuanmu has seven pursuers in the book. From what I¡¯ve seen so far, Xue Mian is the only one who¡¯s really tried to court him. The rest of them are definitely not interested in him. Forget Guan Zhi and Wei Chen, Yu Yan is entangled with Zhou Nan and shows absolutely no interest in Xiao Yuanmu. As for Hoffman and Zhang Siwei, they¡¯re just business partners. Who¡¯s thest one? Has he met Xiao Yuanmu yet?¡¿ The System said£º¡¾It¡¯s normal for your appearance to have changed many things. Everyone, including Xue Mian, fell for Xiao Yuanmu when he was single. You¡¯ve been with Xiao Yuanmu all this time. Even if you¡¯re not in the same country, everyone knows that you¡¯re together. Naturally, people aren¡¯t going to go after the boss who¡¯s already taken. As for thest person, he was actually the first one to meet Xiao Yuanmu. You¡¯ve also been in contact with him.¡¿ Song Xuanhe paused.¡¾What do you mean by that?¡¿ The host thought that Song Xuanhe was angry when he didn¡¯t respond to Xue Mian¡¯s question. Regardless of whether it was Film Emperor Xue, who everyone in the industry knew had a powerful background, or Song Xuanhe, who she couldn¡¯t afford to provoke even if he wasn¡¯t dating Xiao Yuanmu, she didn¡¯t dare to offend either one of them. All she could do was feign surprise as she shifted the topic. ¡°Song shao, it seems like you really didn¡¯te here for Film Emperor Xue¡¯s sake. It seems like our investor, Mr. Song, really believes that this movie will do well.¡± ¡°Hahahaha, right, right, right. He is very confident in this movie of mine. Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have decided to invest after seeing the script.¡± Huang Cong, who had realized that the atmosphere was odd for a while now, spoke up at once. He was the same as the host¡ªhe couldn¡¯t offend Xue Mian or Song Xuanhe. However, he was closer to Song Xuanhe, who he thought had a good eye for talent. Furthermore, there were few people who had more impressive backgrounds as Song Xuanhe. That¡¯s why he had decided to stand on Song Xuanhe¡¯s side if anything were to happen. It was clear, however, that the host was a quick-thinker and intended to skip over this. Being able to avoid offending both parties would be the best case scenario. Huang Cong¡¯s dark, round face had a smile on it as he tried to mediate the situation. ¡°You guys think that he¡¯s joking but he¡¯s been confident of my film for a long time. I wasn¡¯t confident at first. It was Song shao who gave me confidence.¡± ¡°I see!¡± After that incident, the host didn¡¯t dare ask too much about unrted things. She promptly followed along with Huang Cong¡¯s words: ¡°Mr. Song, can you tell us about your opinion of the movie?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°I already told you my opinion. I thought that this script had good prospects. I also believe in Director Huang¡¯s abilities. I am thus confident in the movie¡¯s box office performance.¡± ¡°Hahahahahaha, I used to think that Song shao was just joking. It seems like our film really will do well!¡± The host didn¡¯t dare to probe for more details. She promptly stood up and returned to the stage. She then asked Xue Mian, ¡°Film Emperor Xue, I remember that you¡¯ve been working overseas recently. Why did you return to China to ept this role?¡± Xue Mian¡¯s smile was gentle. ¡°Probably because Song shao and I are interested in the same things.¡± The venue fell silent. At this time, everyone could tell that Xue Mian hadn¡¯t been joking. But no one knew why he was brave enough to public ally announce that he liked another person¡¯s boyfriend. His earlier words could have been cut out or treated as a joke. But now that he¡¯s said this, hispany would have to pay a big price to cover it up. ¡ª¡ªThe media was willing to make up groundless rumours for attention. Now, they had proof. Even if the mainstream media outlets on scene were able to control this, it would be difficult to prevent other people from speaking or monitor other people¡¯s recordings. Furthermore, aside from the media outlets and investors, they had also invited other people into the audience. The people who constitute the audience were not ordinary people. They would not necessarily yield in the face of Xue Mian¡¯spany. To sum it up, everyone here thought Xue Mian had gone insane. Song Xuanhe, however, wasn¡¯t surprised that Xue Mian would say something like this. The first time Xue Mian had met Xiao Yuanmu, he had known that he was dating Song Xuanhe. He had not hidden his interest in Xiao Yuanmu despite that. After he went to America, he set up frequent encounters with the other man without any care of anyone¡¯s opinions. He did what he wanted. Xue Mian had also done a lot for the sake of winning Xiao Yuanmu in the book. One of which was leaving the entertainment world and going home to take over his family¡¯spany. He wanted to be able to help Xiao Yuanmu out. Xue Mian seemed like he was gentle, serene and easy to interact with. But actually, he was the type of person who would be undaunted by anything as long as it was for the sake of the person he liked. It was within Song Xuanhe¡¯s expectations for him to say such a thing in front of all these people and for him to eventually leave the entertainment industry. The host weighed her words carefully because she didn¡¯t know what Xue Mian wanted to do. Furthermore, she didn¡¯t know what Song Xuanhe, who had been silent all this time, was thinking. She was afraid of offending one of them if she were to identally say the wrong thing. Huang Cong was cursing Xue Mian inwardly, however, for not considering their current situation. When they had been filming, he had been passionate about the film and had been professional the whole time, not putting up any airs. He had also been really easy to get along with. Huang Cong had never expected that he would screw up so close to the end. Furthermore, did Xue Mian have any clue just who he was offending? Even without Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xuanhe¡¯s family was not any worse offpared to the Xue Family. Now, there was Xiao Yuanmu. Huang Cong had been able to see how much Xiao Yuanmu liked Song Xuanhe with one look the one time they had met. The two of them were in love but Xue Mian was insistent oning between them. When the big shot decided to shut out Xue Mian in anger, would his film still be able to air? As he thought of this, Huang Cong¡¯s determination to hug Song Xuanhe¡¯s thighs strengthened. He was about to speak up for Song Xuanhe when he heard Song Xuanhe say, ¡°I don¡¯t think that¡¯s the case.¡± Everyone except Xue Mian held their breath upon hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s unclear worlds. Some small reporters who had snuck in also pulled out their phones, intending to record this scene donw. They had already thought up of their headlines: A rich young master and a film emperor have a cat fight over this man?! It didn¡¯t matter whether their headline was in poor taste or not. As long as they paired it with photos of Song Xuanhe and Xue Mian, it would be a huge scoop. Just as they thought that Song Xiao Shaoye, who was rumoured to be extremely overbearing and arrogant, was about to tear into Film Emperor Xue, all they heard him say was, ¡°If our taste is simr, you should have worn clothes by my studio today. Would you be interested in epting an endorsement by my studio? I think that your aura would fit my new seasonal collection very well.¡± Huang Cong, who was waiting for the opportunity to help Song Xuanhe out: ¡­. The media who were secretly anticipating a big scoop: ¡­. Xue Mian, who was prepared to face Song Xuanhe¡¯s anger: ¡­ It was one thing for a fight to nearly break out at an official premiere, but why did it suddenly turn into a business deal? ¡°I¡­¡± Xue Mian opened his mouth. He really didn¡¯t expect for Song Xuanhe to not follow the rules ofmon sense. His ¡®I¡¯ trailed on for a few seconds but he couldn¡¯te up with an appropriate reply. His gaze towards Song Xuanhe becameplicated. About ten secondster, he continued, ¡°I can¡¯t make the decision on my own now. But I will mention it to mypany.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°We can talk then.¡± Everyone was stupefied when they saw that the two people, who had seemed to have their swords drawn, were really talking about work. The host, who had learned her lesson, reacted the quickest. She quickly shed a smile and said, ¡°Film Emperor Xue and Mr. Song both seem to love their jobs very much. But we¡¯re here today to talk about the movie that will be premiering. Let¡¯s return to the main topic¡­.¡± The host continued to speak while Xue Mian examined Song Xuanhe in the audience. He swallowed down his words and rescinded the emotion in his eyes as he replied to the host¡¯s questions. Everything returned to normal¡­. After the premiere, Song Xuanhe and Huang Cong chatted for a while. Xue Mian then walked over after the conversation started to die down. He raised his ss to Song Xuanhe and said, ¡°Song shao, let¡¯s talk.¡± Huang Cong nced at Xue Mian and then looked at Song Xuanhe. After seeing Song Xuanhe nodding, he tactfully left. ¡°About Xiao Yuanmu?¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t need to guess what Xue Mian wanted to say. He went straight to the point. ¡°Yes,¡± Xue Mian replied. ¡°I really like Xiao Yuanmu, more than I ever thought I could. Until the two of you marry, I will fight you fair and square.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. ¡°Fair and square? Can you even meet with him?¡± Xue Mian fell silent. An emotion Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t understand flickered through his eyes. ¡°I will be quitting the entertainment industry soon. My family¡¯spany has a cooperative agreement with a subsidiarypany under the Xiao Family. I will naturally have the chance to meet him in the future.¡± Eve: Once again, lighting a candle for Xue Mian¡­. You don¡¯t even stand a chance and are just wasting your time. Chapter 144: He’s My Boyfriend trantor: Eve Who would have thought that amongst all the plot points, Xue Mian¡ªwhether it was his feelings or his career¡ªremained never deviated. While heading over to the location of hisst mission, Song Xuanhe suddenly thought that there were a lot of things that were very interesting in this world. For example, his inexplicable arrival. Another example: the differences between Xiao Yuanmu in reality and in the book. Another thing that amazed him was how some things didn¡¯t change even when so many other things did. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help but feel confused. Actually, he had been confused ever since the first day he hade to this world. Just why did the System choose him? Was it really like the System had said? Because there was a problem with his body? Every minute, every second, someone died and someone is born. If that was really the case, Song Xuanhe thought that the System must have had many other choices. His condition wasn¡¯t the most urgent and it wasn¡¯t like he was the most appropriate choice to do the mission. That¡¯s why he had always thought that there must be a deeper reason for why the System had chosen him. It was just that, during his indirect attempts to attain information, he had realized that, while the System didn¡¯t seem very smart, it would not leak a single thing when it came to crucial topics. Now, it was already time for him toplete hisst mission. which wasn¡¯t important and not a part of the main story line. Song Xuanhe thought that if he didn¡¯t ask now, he would never find out what the real reason for his arrival was. Song Xuanhe¡¯s intuition told him that the reason he was chosen was very important to him. ¡¾Did all seven of the men really fall in love with Xiao Yuanmu in the book?¡¿Song Xuanhe suddenly asked. The System said£º¡¾In the book, they are all Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pursuers.¡¿ Song Xuanhe¡¯s steps didn¡¯t falter. He stared at the forest before him, no expression on his face. When he heard the System¡¯s reply, the light in his eyes changed£º¡¾Just pursuers?¡¿ The System was silent for a while. It asked£º¡¾Is there a difference between being a pursuer and falling in love?¡¿ Song Xuanhe replied£º¡¾Sometimes. If they like Xiao Yuanmu, they will want to be with Xiao Yuanmu no matter what. Meanwhile, there are many different kinds of ¡®pursuers¡¯. They may pursue him out of love or out of profit.¡¿ ¡¾Everything in the book is in ordance to the author¡¯s descriptions and settings.¡¿The System said£º¡¾I cannot differentiate the difference between love and pursuers. If you want to know, you¡¯ll have to analyze it yourself.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t need to analyze it. Actually, he suddenly understood everything the moment he asked the System the question. He had always found it strange. Even if the butterfly effect was in y, even if Xiao Yuanmu was different in real life, it was very difficult for these things to change whether someone will fall for someone. Even if changes urred, six people would notpletely give up on courting Xiao Yuanmu just because of him. He couldn¡¯t even see an inkling of attraction towards Xiao Yuanmu from these people. Since his appearance couldn¡¯t have made such a drastic change, the answer was obvious¡ªeven in the book, these people didn¡¯t like Xiao Yuanmu all that much. when Song Xuanhe had read the book, his mood hadn¡¯t been very good because he had just arrived in this world and found out about his body¡¯s condition. That¡¯s why he had only skipped to the important parts while reading the book. To the him in the past, the important parts were the early parts of the novel, when the original host appeared, and thetter half of the plot that involved the original host. He also considered the scenes revolving around Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s career to be important. Although the title of the novel, the President and His Seven Boyfriends, made it sound like it was an erotic romance novel, it was actually about the main character¡¯s career. Outside of his career, the Xiao Family and the disputes regarding the interests of other families took up arge portion of the novel. The scenes that had nothing to do with his career were only glossed over and the romance scenes were very roughly written. After all, there were seven pursuers. If the author were to write each one in detail, the author would have to write over a million words to describe just their interactions. Moreover, Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t interested in the protagonist¡¯s love life either. If it was a romance scene that didn¡¯t have to do with the main story line, he only skimmed over it. Even so, he remembered how most of the interactions Xiao Yuanmu had with his ¡®pursuers¡¯ were rted to his work. For example, Hoffman and Zhang Siwei¡ªthey were both Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s business partners. As such, the author¡¯s descriptions of the ¡®pursuers¡¯ method of ¡®pursuing¡¯ Xiao Yuanmu all had to do with mutually beneficial business agreements. Their ¡®dates¡¯ were the business dinners they had to talk about work. The ¡®romance¡¯ happened when they worked together to achieve the greatest profit. There was nothing else aside from that. If it wasn¡¯t because the author had written that they were pursuing Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xuanhe would honestly think that they were nothing more than business partners. As reality would have it, they were really just business partners. Zhang Siwei and Hoffman were most likely pursuing Xiao Yuanmu because they wanted to form a strong alliance. They probably wanted to help their family orpany gain an upper hand in negotiations. As for, Yu Yan might have decided to use Xiao Yuanmu as the best candidate after his heartbreak. During his hardest time, he might have thought that the best way to get over heartbreak was to find new love. Meanwhile, Song Xuanhe had a strong suspicion that Guan Zhi pursued Xiao Yuanmu because he couldn¡¯t find a better chef than Xiao Yuanmu. He probably just thought that he could eat Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s home-cooked food every day if they were to get married. After excluding these four people, there were three people left. In the beginning, Wei Chen probably started to pursue Xiao Yuanmu for the sake of a coboration. After all, the rtionship between Wei Chen and Xiao Yuanmu has always been strained. It was very unlikely for him to have been attracted to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s looks or personality. Xue Mian, in contrast, was a hardcore face con from beginning to start. That¡¯s why, unless Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face changed, Xue Mian¡¯s feelings for Xiao Yuanmu would not change. In the end, there was still one person left unounted for. Song Xuanhe tried to recall thest pursuer¡¯s name and frowned£º¡¾You said that I¡¯ve been in contact with Hao Ke but I don¡¯t have any impressions of him at all. When did I meet him? Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡¿ ¡¾I didn¡¯t know either back then.¡¿The System said£º¡¾Hao Ke used someone else¡¯s ount to speak to you. I only found out after I upgraded.¡¿ ¡¾When did I talk to him?¡¿Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t been in contact with many strangers who didn¡¯t have anything to do with the original host. There were only a few people who left a deep impression on him but none of them didn¡¯t seem like Hao Ke. Hao Ke was a hacker in the book. The book described him as 190 cm tall, slightly taller than Xiao Yuanmu. His skin was extremely fair because he rarely stepped out of his home. He was tall, skinny and had a cold aura. He was also quite handsome. Song Xuanhe sifted through his memories but couldn¡¯t find anyone that fit this description. If anything, his height alone would have made him very recognizable. After all, someone that stuck out among the crowd like that would cause one¡¯s gaze to linger for a few seconds. But he had never seen anyone who was 190 cms tall. ¡¾Have I really seen him before?¡¿Song Xuanhe was skeptical. The System said£º¡¾You¡¯ve been in contact.¡¿ They¡¯ve only been in contact¡­. Song Xuanhe was lost in thought. A few secondster, a thought shed through his mind. He was about to say something to Song Xuanhe when he heard a cold voice, devoid of any emotion, speak up: ¡°There are wild animals over there. If you don¡¯t want to die, don¡¯t go in.¡± His steps paused and he looked up to see a tall, thin young man with a mountain climbing backpack. He was standing only two steps away from him, peering down at him, lips slightly pursed. ¡°Then why are you going in?¡± Song Xuanhe sized up the other man¡¯s outfit. ¡°You look like you¡¯re about to go in, not like you¡¯re about to leave.¡± ¡°I am about to head in.¡± The tall, skinny young man said tly. ¡°Because I¡¯m capable of leaving alive.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and asked, ¡°How do you know I won¡¯t be able to make it out alive?¡± The young man¡¯s gaze swept over his body,nding on his fair, slender fingers that clearly have never done any hardbour. His hand looked like it had no strength. The young man then cocked his brow like Song Xuanhe did, the meaning in his look implicit. Song Xuanhe naturally understood the ridicule in the other¡¯s eyes but he didn¡¯t mind it. He smiled. ¡°I know that there are wild animals here. But the reason I came here was to see them.¡± The young man frowned. He didn¡¯t think that the other would downy this life-endangering activity after hearing his warning. However, it was already very kind of him to warn this stranger. If the weak young master wanted to go in, then even if he died, it had nothing to do with him. As he thought this, he gave the young master an insipid look before heading into the forest. Song Xuanhe stared at his back, brows furrowed as he quietly said, ¡°I was just thinking about a man who is 190 cms tall and I ended up bumping into a man who is 190 cms tall.¡± The System was about to respond when it saw Song Xuanhe tread into the forest. He headed straight for the forest¡¯s depths. The forest was verdant and lush. It was about noon but the foliage blocked most of the sun¡¯s rays, scattering the rest along the forest floor. The speckled light enhanced the vibrant colour of the fallen leaves. The book only mentioned that the original host appeared in a small wooden house in the depths of the forest. A passing hunter had caught his silhouette. That¡¯s why Song Xuanhe headed in that direction. Since it was still day time, Song Xuanhe only caught glimpses of a few small, scuttling creatures on his way to the small wooden house, since most of the beasts in this forest were nocturnal. It wasn¡¯t particrly dangerous at present. In the book, thest time the hunter say the original host was around night time. Actually, that had been the first day the original host¡¯s patron had abandoned him in the forest. The original host¡¯s legs had been broken as well. Probably because Lu Chao thought that it would be amusing, he ordered his people to put food inside the wooden house and around the house. He wanted to see if the original host that couldn¡¯t walk would sumb to crawling in search for food once he starved. The original host had lived alone in the wooden house for a month. Every day, he would only eat and drink miniscule amounts, just enough to continue living. At night, he would find it difficult to sleep because of the movements of the wild beasts outside. asionally, he would be tormented by the withdrawal symptoms from his addiction. After being tortured physically and mentally, he didn¡¯t dare to leave the wooden house. In the beginning, he probably hadn¡¯t realized that these people weren¡¯t just humiliating him. He had probably just thought that they wanted to see him in a wretched condition. It wasn¡¯t until his rations ran out and no one came to take him away, did he realize just how dangerous a situation he was in. That¡¯s why he had decided to leave the wooden house. However, at that time, the windows had already been boarded shut. As such, he was only able to use sound to determine whether or not there was danger outside. What he didn¡¯t expect, was that after he was able to open the door, it was already night time. The people did not hide food in ces that could be easily seen from the wooden house. The food they hid had also been meat, raw or cooked. The wild animals had started to scavenge the area around the wooden house after finding food in these premises in the past. In addition, the original host wasn¡¯t very mobile. He was malnourished and weakened from his addiction. He wasn¡¯t particrly quiet when he moved. The beasts already knew that there was prey inside the wooden house. It was just that the previous resident of this wooden house had been a gun-wielding hunter. The animals were smart, so they didn¡¯t choose to break in. Instead, they guarded the area tightly. In the end, they were rewarded with prey that was unable to struggle. Song Xuanhe stood in front of the wooden house¡¯s door, staring at the wooden steps. In the book, the original host had been dragged down these steps by the wild animals. ¡¾There are still three or four hours until the hunter will arrive.¡¿The System said£º¡¾You should go inside. This forest is a bit dangerous.¡¿ Song Xuanhe nced at the empty space around the wooden house and said in a mild tone£º¡¾What are you afraid of? It¡¯s not like I¡¯m on my own.¡¿ The System was taken aback. It then remembered that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people had been tailing Song Xuanhe the whole time. But when it thought of the original host¡¯s end, it still tried to persuade him£º¡¾Even so, it would probably be safer for you to be inside the house.¡¿ Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t n on dying now either. He also wanted to check out the wooden house anyway. He had just lifted a foot when he saw the tall, skinny young man from the forest¡¯s entrance heading deeper into the forest. Thinking of his reminder, Song Xuanhe mulled over it for a bit before chasing after the man. The young man turned his head in surprise upon hearing the sound of footsteps. He frowned when he saw Song Xuanhe run over. ¡°Is there something I can help you with?¡± ¡°You said it yourself, there are wild animals here,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I don¡¯t think you should wander around here.¡± The young man nced at him. ¡°I came here for the animals. Furthermore, this area isn¡¯t particrly deep. It¡¯s unlikely for wild beasts to appear here. If you stay here, you probably shouldn¡¯t encounter any danger. Just don¡¯t go any deeper.¡± After saying this, the young man started to leave. Song Xuanhe paused upon hearing this. ¡°Under what conditions would wild beastse over here?¡± The young man stopped walking and turned around. ¡°Unless there¡¯s nothing to eat in the deeper parts of the forest, or if there¡¯s something attracting them over here, it would be unlikely for them toe here.¡± He pointed at the wooden house behind Song Xuanhe. ¡°The area around the hunting cabin has animal repellent and traps. Therefore, animals don¡¯t like toe over here. Furthermore, there¡¯s less prey in the outskirts of the forest aspared to the inside of the forest. That¡¯s why it¡¯s so rare for them toe out here. You can stay here without any concerns. Don¡¯t go any deeper into the forest.¡± There was no need for the young man to give him such a detailed exnation. Song Xuanhe could see the kindness underneath the other¡¯s cold exterior. Therefore, he asked, ¡°Why are you going inside then? Aren¡¯t you afraid of the danger?¡± ¡°Because of a few reasons, I ended up taking care of a few lion cubs.¡± The young man responded coolly, ¡°They live here. I alwayse to see them every year, and usually live in this forest for some time as well.¡± Song Xuanhe was surprised. He suddenly recalled the passerby who had discovered the original host¡¯s body. The book had only mentioned the passerby in passing, but he now thought that it was very likely that the passerby was the young man before him. When he recalled that the passerby had been injured, Song Xuanhe reminded him: ¡°Although they used to be your pets, they¡¯re still wild animals. It¡¯d be best if you headed home.¡± The young man¡¯s gaze turned cold upon hearing this. ¡°Animals remember kindness and gratitude better than humans do. Anyway, since you know it¡¯s dangerous in there, don¡¯t go in.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned as he watched the other continue to head inside. He shouted, ¡°Hey.¡± The young man stopped once more. He looked at Song Xuanhe with a look of impatience. ¡°Take this.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled a gun out from his waistband. ¡°You should use this. Keep it for self-defense.¡± The young man was shocked at the small pistol in his hands. ¡°You have a gun?¡± ¡°It was for self-defense,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°now I¡¯m giving it to you. Remember to protect yourself.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± The young man asked. ¡°You said that there wasn¡¯t any danger out here,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave after taking a few pictures around here.¡± The young man gripped the holster of the gun tightly. He was quiet for a while, before he tried to hand it back to him. ¡°The cubs I raised wouldn¡¯t hurt me. I don¡¯t know how to use this either. You should keep it.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°I don¡¯t believe that someone who raised lions doesn¡¯t know how to use a gun.¡± The young man¡¯s expression turned rigid. ¡°I can¡¯t take your gun. Although the risk is lower out here, that doesn¡¯t mean it¡¯spletely safe. It would be better for you to keep the gun on you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s more dangerous inside.¡± Song Xuanhe said when he saw how persistent the other looked, ¡°Even if you can guarantee that your cubs aren¡¯t ingrates, there are actual wolves inside the forest. There are also other dangerous animals. Will you be safe from those animals?¡± After hearing Song Xuanhe say this, the young man hesitated. In the past, he had lived in this area for some time every year. But because of something that had happenedst year, he hadn¡¯te to visit. Therefore, he wasn¡¯t very certain about the situation in the forest right now. If he had a gun, he would indeed feel a lot more safe. ¡°Are you really going to stay in the outskirts of the forest to take pictures?¡± The young man mumbled to himself for a while, ¡°and that you¡¯ll leave before nightfall?¡± Song Xuanhe nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll stay with you,¡± The young man said, ¡°I¡¯ll go in after you leave.¡± ¡°The forest is more dangerous at night.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t consider himself to be a particrly good person. The reason he had handed a gun over to this stranger was only because he had a backup. Furthermore, he knew that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people were following him. Even if he wasn¡¯t a particrly good person, he couldn¡¯t watch unfeelingly as this person went in without any precautions, when he knew he was very likely the person who had discovered the original host¡¯s body and had gotten hurt. It was just that the young man seemed very persistent. It seems like he had no choice but topromise. ¡°How about you stay the night here and head inside in the morning?¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I¡¯ll leave at night. You can sleep in the wooden house.¡± The young man looked at the wooden house and agreed after contemting it. Taking pictures was nothing but an excuse toe here. Although he liked to take pictures, but there really wasn¡¯t much to take photos of in this forest. If he really wanted to take pictures of forests or jungles, he could have gone to the Amazon or the Daxing¡¯Anling mountain range in China. In any case, he wouldn¡¯t havee here. But he had already given this excuse and Xiao Yuanmu had probably already heard it. There were also people following him, so even if it was only an excuse, he had to act it out. Song Xuanhe held his camera up and strolled through the forest. The young man followed him around the forest, like a dedicated bodyguard. The dried branches and leaves Song Xuanhe stepped on crinkled with his steps. The young man¡¯s footsteps could be heard behind him as he followed after Song Xuanhe. ¡°You don¡¯t have to follow me.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t like it when other people stuck close to him, whether they were female or male. Xiao Yuanmu was the exception. ¡°There are snakes around here,¡± The young man said in a t voice, ¡°There was a venomous snake hanging on one of the trees you just passed by.¡± Song Xuanhe had noticed it. The System had warned him. ¡°I saw it.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I¡¯ll make sure to keep an eye out. Keep a few feet away from me. I feel like punching guys when they get too close to me.¡± The young man¡¯s mouth twitched and he took a step back. He exined, ¡°I¡¯m only following you because of this gun. I don¡¯t have any other intentions.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him. ¡°Then keep your distance.¡± The young man stood in ce, quietly watching him. A sliver of disdain shed through his eyes, as if saying that he didn¡¯t want to be close to the other man either. Song Xuanhe was satisfied with themon understanding between them. He then held the camera to his eye, turning around to find a good angle. Although taking pictures was an excuse, it was easy for someone like Song Xuanhe, who liked photography and was a designer, to find good pictures to take in a more primitive area like this forest. Very quickly, Song Xuanhe immersed himself in taking photos, ignoring the outside world and the passage of time. It wasn¡¯t until he heard the explosive sound of a gunshot that he came back to himself. He turned to look at the young man behind him. The young man¡¯s hand was raised, his finger pointing to an area on the ground half a metre away from Song Xuanhe¡¯s foot. There was a long, thick cobra dead on the floor, a bullet through its head. It looked like it would have been deadly while alive. ¡°Your marksmanship¡¯s pretty good.¡± Song Xuanhe praised the other calmly. ¡¾I warned you three times!¡¿The System sighed in relief£º¡¾You¡¯re lucky Hao Ke saw it. Otherwise, you¡¯d have been bitten. Even if Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s people came running, you might not have made it out alive.¡¿ Song Xuanhe looked up suddenly: ¡°Hao Ke?¡± The young man, who had been examining their surroundings, paused. His brows furrowed slowly and suspicion appeared in his eyes. ¡°How did you know my name?¡± ¡°Name?¡± There was a sliver of lingering fear in Song Xuanhe¡¯s limpid eyes. ¡°I said, it was really scary just now. Thank you, really.¡± (TN: Really scary = hao kepa pinyin wise. Different characters though.) Hao Ke responded expressionlessly. ¡°You didn¡¯t look very scared just now. You even praised my marksmanship.¡± ¡°It took me a moment to process,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°but I was just mentioning how afraid I was off-handedly. The main thing is that I¡¯m grateful to you.¡± Hao Ke was swayed by Song Xuanhe¡¯s act and started to doubt himself. He pursed his lips and then nced at his watch. ¡°It¡¯s already five o¡¯clock. It¡¯s night time now. You should leave the forest.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He was about to speak when he saw a person walk over, his body shrouded in cold air. When his eyes met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s chilly, furious eyes, he nodded and told the young man: ¡°The snakes in this forest are really scary. My boyfriend¡¯se. Thanks for saving me. I¡¯ll be leaving first.¡± After saying this, Song Xuanhe walked over to Xiao Yuanmu, ignored the other¡¯s cold expression and grabbed his head. He tried to drag the other towards the exit: ¡°Don¡¯t go over there.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stood in ce. There was a frigid light to his pitch-ck eyes. ¡°Song Xuanhe, do you gravitate towards dangerous areas? Even though you know that I¡¯ll worry about you, you don¡¯t care at all. Or were you just all talk when you said that you liked me? You don¡¯t n to stay with me for the long-term, do you?¡± Eve: The original host¡¯s death is so brutal. Even if he wasn¡¯t a good person, that¡¯s too much. Also, my heart hurts for Mumu. Chapter 145: Looking for a Friend trantor: Eve A day ago, when Xiao Yuanmu heard that Song Xuanhe had gone to Nan City, the dream he had while working in China a while back shed through his mind. The dream had been fuzzy but had startled him awake in the middle of the night. At that time, he had immediately changed his ns and headed straight back to America. Before he saw Song Xuanhe, he overheard the other¡¯s conversation with his mother. At that moment, all the fear and emptiness from the nightmare that had gued him during the ten plus hour flight despite his attempts to calm down and work, disappeared. Xiao Yuanmu had thought that, even if Song Xuanhe had really died in Nan City in his previous life, that had nothing to do with the Song Xuanhe of this life. Out of the two people who had caused his death in hisst life, one was dead while the other was in jail. As for Song Xuanhe¡¯s ¡®patron¡¯ who was under Lu Chao¡¯smand in thest life, he had never seen Song Xuanhe, let alone been in contact with him. Furthermore, the Song Xuanhe from this life and his previous life werepletely different entities. Thinking like that, Xiao Yuanmu had been able to calm down. However, the dread he had forced down re-emerged once more as soon as Song Xuanhe had mentioned that he wanted to go back to China. Rationally speaking, even if Song Xuanhe wanted to go to a jungle alone, he should be able toe out unharmed with the help of the people Xiao Yuanmu had assigned to his detail. Moreover, the reason why Song Xuanhe wanted toe back was to see his family and the movie he invested in. Neither of these things had anything to do with Nan City, so there was no reason for him to feel so uneasy over one dream. But no matter how rational he was usually, it was always difficult for him to think logically when it came to Song Xuanhe. He had even thought that his two rebirths were evidence that there was some kind of supernatural power that could not be exined with science. If that was the case, fate might not be utter nonsense. If fate wasn¡¯tpletely unfounded, then would that mean that Song Xuanhe would still end up walking down the same path he had in hisst life? This thought caused Xiao Yuanmu to panic. That day, he had told Yang Jie to contact Song Xuanhe¡¯s security detail. They had to be sure of Song Xuanhe¡¯s position and safety every second of the day. He needed to know Song Xuanhe¡¯s situation at all times. Yang Jie and the security team both found this order strange. Even Louis had asked him, ¡°Aren¡¯t you being a little too controlling?¡± He had even jokingly reminded him that a rtionship wouldn¡¯tst long if they didn¡¯t have their own alone time and privacy. But Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t worry about that. The premonitions he had were always very urate. The longer Song Xuanhe was away from him, the stronger the bad feeling in his chance was. Even if he knew that Song Xuanhe was safe and sound, and that it wasn¡¯t a good time for him to leave thepany or Xiao Family, he still couldn¡¯t sit still. He had to personally see Song Xuanhe safe to feel at ease. Immediately after, he had made the preparations for his trek to China. Because his departure had been so hasty, he had originally nned on doing his work on the ne. Contrary to expectations, he didn¡¯t know why but he had gotten very sleepy after getting on the ne, even though he hadn¡¯t felt tired. He had ended up sleeping ten hours and had not woken up until the ne had been about tond. As soon as he hadnded, he had found out that Song Xuanhe had gone to Nan City. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s fear only worsened after Yang Jie told him that Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t just gone to Nan City¡ªhe had gone to the forest in which he had died in hisst life. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t been able to describe how he had felt in that moment. Yang Jie¡¯s voice in hisst life echoed in his ear, telling him about Song Xuanhe¡¯s death as the image of the other man¡¯s death yed through his mind. Everything in front of him seemed unreal. It felt like he would see Song Xuanhe¡¯s dismembered corpse lying in front of him in the next second. Under Yang Jie and others¡¯ astonished gazes, Xiao Yuanmu had run countless red lights as he drove towards the forest. When he had seen Song Xuanhe¡¯s security detail waiting at the entrance to the forest and was told that everything was fine, his tight chest rxed slightly. That is, until he heard the gunshot. Xiao Yuanmu had darted into the forest the second he had heard the gunshot. The security detail hadn¡¯t expected for this to happen as they reported to Xiao Yuanmu either. They also rushed after Xiao Yuanmu, running straight into the depths of the forest. As soon as they entered the forest, they saw Song Xuanhe safe and sound. In contrast, Xiao da shaoye¡¯s face was white as a sheet. If they didn¡¯t know better, they would have thought that Xiao Yuanmu had been the one in the forest all this time. After they heard Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s furious rebuke, the security team all tactfully retreated. While they were at it, they led the young man who was holding Song Xuanhe¡¯s gun away as well. They wanted to avoid any innocent bystanders, including themselves, from being implicated when these two big shots started to fight. Song Xuanhe watched as the rest of the people disappeared, including Hao Ke. Despite being faced with Xiao Yuanmu, who was clearly in a bad mood, he felt relieved. He grabbed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wrist and tried to drag him over to the wooden house. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t move, however. He only watched Song Xuanhe coldly. Nevertheless, seeing that Song Xuanhe was standing in front of him safe and sound, not a hair out of ce, and was even able to grab onto his wrist and walk forward, the umted rage and concern halved. ¡°Don¡¯t be mad.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why Xiao Yuanmu had suddenly appeared here, or whether the other was angry because he had seen how he had nearly been bitten by a snake or something else. However, he could sense that Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s emotions were unstable. ¡°I came here because Feng Tong said that the scenery here¡¯s nice. It was just a moment of impulsiveness. The area around here has been developed so it¡¯s not that dangerous.¡± Song Xuanhe exined, ¡°Besides, I knew that you had people following me. Even if there was something in the forest, I also have a gun. I wouldn¡¯t have been in much danger.¡± Xiao Yuanmu remained silent, but he grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand back, tight enough to hurt. Song Xuanhe let him hold him. He took half a step forward and wrapped his arms around the other man. ¡°Don¡¯t be angry anymore, okay?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s jaw was tense but the chill had mostly dissipated from his eyes. He let go of Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand to hug him back. His voice was hoarse. ¡°Don¡¯t make me worry so much again.¡± ¡°A little forest like this doesn¡¯t pose any danger. What are you worried about?¡± Song Xuanheforted him, taking advantage of the fact that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t know what had happened in this forest. ¡°You know, there was a guy who came in at the same time I did. He wasn¡¯t just taking a stroll near the outskirts¡ªhe even nned to go deeper into the forest. Apparently, he raised a few cubs when he was younger and they¡¯re still there. He was going to visit his lions. Look, even he¡¯s okay. Nothing would have happened to me while taking a few photos outside.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was cold and heavy. ¡°Whether he¡¯s going into the forest to see the lions or feed them has nothing to do with me. You¡¯re not allowed toe here again. If I find out you came here again, I¡¯ll lock you up at home and ensure that you never take a step outside again.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow and nted a kiss on the other¡¯s lips. He smiled. ¡°Boss Xiao, I didn¡¯t know that you actually had a thing for captivity y.¡± Xiao Yuanmu ignored his joke, his eyes dark. ¡°If this happens again, we can do ¡®captivity y¡¯ for the rest of your life.¡± When Song Xuanhe locked eyes with Xiao Yuanmu, he saw the darkness and stubbornness described in the book. He could also see the other¡¯s uneasiness and concern. He chuckled, pressing his lips against Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s again as he spoke. ¡°Okay. If I¡¯m caught by you again, you can lock me up for the rest of my life.¡± Xiao Yuanmu pushed him away but grabbed his hand. He pulled him to the forest exit, walking withrge strides. In a heavy tone, he said, ¡°You better keep your word.¡± Song Xuanhe let him hold his hand, walking alongside the other with a grin on his face. The sun was already setting and it would soon be dark out. The light filtering through the cracks of the leaves and branches was weak now. Aside from the remaining splotches of sunlight, the forest waspletely dark. Although the wooden house was located in the outskirts of the forest, it was the innermost point of the outer area. It would take more than ten minutes to get out of the forest. Five minutes into Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s trek, the forest wentpletely dark around them. The darker the area, the more heightened one¡¯s hearing became. The insects chirped around them as the nts and branches swayed in the wind. Something darted through the bushes while something else climbed up the bark of some tree. There was the sound of quiet rustling in the leaves¡­. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s grip on Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand was tight. At the same time, they said: ¡°Don¡¯t be scared.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m here.¡± Song Xuanhe was afraid of the dark while Xiao Yuanmu was afraid of snakes. Both of them tried their best to remain calm as they walked through the forest. Nheless, they subconsciously got closer and closer. Song Xuanhe thought that his fear of the dark, which was amon fear, was nothing inparison to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s psychological shadow. Furthermore, he wasn¡¯t that scared since he had someone with him. That¡¯s why he wanted to say something to distract Xiao Yuanmu from his fear. As such, he asked, ¡°Why did you suddenlye to China? Aren¡¯t you busy with the Xiao Family?¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was chilly. Listening carefully, Song Xuanhe could hear a sliver of hoarseness. ¡°Xiao Nan¡¯s got the Xiao Family. Nothing should happen even if I leave for a few days.¡± ¡°How¡¯s Xiao Lin?¡± ¡°He¡¯s fine.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said mildly, ¡°He just needs to recover in peace. He should be able to live another ten years.¡± Song Xuanhe paused. He suddenly realized that Xiao Yuanmu was going to take over the Xiao Family a lot earlier than he had in the book. Therefore, he asked, ¡°Just what happened to him? Also, why did he agree to give the position of Family Head to you? Since he¡¯s healthy, shouldn¡¯t he take a few years to think about this before retiring?¡± ¡°Something unexpected happened.¡± Even if he knew that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t some greenhouse flower and could understand the cruel power struggles within a family and in business, Xiao Yuanmu still didn¡¯t want to let him know what he¡¯s done. Firstly, there were some things he couldn¡¯t exin. Secondly, he didn¡¯t want Song Xuanhe to develop any misgivings towards him. Xiao Yuanmu still remembered how afraid Song Xuanhe had been of him in the beginning. It wasn¡¯t until they had interacted more that the other¡¯s misgivings had gradually disappeared. He hadn¡¯t minded Song Xuanhe¡¯s guarded behaviour towards him, but there was no way he wouldn¡¯t mind it now. When he thought of this, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze changed slightly. ¡°When did you develop an interest in fashion design? I¡¯ve never heard you talk about it before.¡± ¡°Since I was really young.¡± Song Xuanhe responded quickly, as if they were talking about something very ordinary. There were no peculiarities in his tone. ¡°Not even my mom knew about this, so it¡¯s expected that you didn¡¯t either. I learned on my own, from books and the inte. I never expected that I would have some talent in this area.¡± Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t lying about this. In his original world, there had been a time when he had been very young where he had been interested in art. However, that hadn¡¯tsted long. Children¡¯s enthusiasm tended toe and leave very quickly. Later on, he became interested in other things. His mother had then passed away. Thus, it wasn¡¯t a lit to say that he didn¡¯t know that her son, who had given up on drawing, would one day fall in love with fashion design. The reason he had started to study fashion design was purely because he had been too much of a hooligan in his first two years of high school. His grades had been very poor and it would have been very hard to catch up quickly. Coincidentally, the art teacher had seen him drawing. The art teacher had badgered him into studying art, so he had agreed. He didn¡¯t expect that he woulde first in the art exam, beating the other art students who had studied for three to ten years while he had only studied for one year. He had even been epted by the best art school in the country. Later on, he encountered a teacher who appreciated his talents and the rest of his career had gone smoothly. He had already nned his career up to his thirty-fifth birthday. Who would have expected that his ns would change like this? Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pursed lips rose to a smile when he heard the unconcealed pride in Song Xuanhe¡¯s words. He then pressed his lips back to a straight line. ¡°Did you see Xiao Shenglin aftering back?¡± Song Xuanhe had been taken aback. He hadn¡¯t expected such a sudden change in subjects. However, his response came very quickly. ¡°No. It seems like he¡¯s been really busy as ofte. I don¡¯t know what he¡¯s been doing.¡± ¡°He¡¯s returned to the Xiao Family,¡± Xiao Yuanmu said insipidly, ¡°part of the Xiao Family belongs to him. Even if his mother didn¡¯t want it, it was still kept for him. As long as he wants it, it¡¯s his.¡± Song Xuanhe remained silent. He didn¡¯t really know what Xiao Shenglin had been doing these days. But he had heard from Zhou Nan that Xiao Shenglin had changed. He was no longer as gentle and smiled less now. He was a lot more aloof. Maybe that was his true personality, or maybe it was a change in personality from having his life yed with. However, Xiao Shenglin still treated his friends the same. ¡°speaking of which, Xiao Shenglin should thank you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°If it weren¡¯t because you knew something would happen, it would have been really hard for him to have survived.¡± In Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s memory, Xiao Baicong had killed Xiao Shenglin in an attempt to ensnare him. Back then, he hadn¡¯t had any interactions with Xiao Shenglin. Therefore, although he had attended the other¡¯s memorial service, he hadn¡¯t really cared. But since the other¡¯s death had something to do with him, he had wanted to prevent it from happening after his rebirth. He just never expected that he wasn¡¯t the only one who knew that this would happen. ¡°That¡­¡± Song Xuanhe lowered his gaze. ¡°You might not believe me, but I¡¯ve had a few dreams. They all felt so realistic. In the beginning, I had thought that they were nothing more than dreams. Butter on, the things in my dream came true. In one of my dreams, Xiao Shenglin died in a car ident. That¡¯s why I wanted to stop it from happening. I didn¡¯t expect that it was going toe true too.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s pupils trembled but it was hard to read his emotions in the darkness. ¡°Did you dream about anything else?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression changed slightly as he said, ¡°Yeah. I don¡¯t remember them very much though.¡± ¡°Anything about me?¡± Xiao Yuanmu was asking a question, but his tone sounded certain. Back then, he had been confused as to why Song Xuanhe had been guarded against him. If it were as Song Xuanhe had said, it would all make sense. If it were the him prior to rebirth, he wouldn¡¯t have believed Song Xuanhe. But after being reborn twice, he didn¡¯t see why Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t have prophetic dreams. This world could indeed be quite fantastical. It was just that, although Song Xuanhe¡¯s words would exin everything, there was still a shred of doubt in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s heart. He had a feeling that things weren¡¯t as they seemed. ¡°Yes,¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°I dreamt that we broke up. Because I forced you to be with me, you took revenge on me. So there was a period in which I didn¡¯t know how to face you.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sifted through his memories. There had indeed been a time in which Song Xuanhe had acted really awkwardly. But that had been before he had been reborn again. Afraid that Xiao Yuanmu would ask more questions, Song Xuanhe redirected the conversation: ¡°Do you have a good hold on the Xiao Family now?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xiao Yuanmu sounded rxed, but his voice lowered as he continued, ¡°Give me another year. After I¡¯m done dealing with the Xiao Family, I¡¯ll apany you wherever you want to go. In exchange, please don¡¯t make me worry during this year, okay?¡± Song Xuanhe stopped walking for a second. He felt the other¡¯s hold on his hand tighten just as he lifted his leg. His lips parted but nothing came out. A few secondster, he softly said, ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them walked out of the forest, their path illuminated by the moonlight. Yang Jie and the rest of them had been waiting outside for them for an hour now. When they saw the two of theme out, they were relieved. Yang Jie walked over to them. ¡°Mrs. Xiao called a few times earlier. I told her you weren¡¯t here and she told me to tell you to call back as soon as you could.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mood had risen greatly after hearing Song Xuanhe¡¯s promise. He epted the phone Yang Jie handed over to him and nodded. ¡°Prepare to head back to the hotel. We¡¯ll return to America tomorrow.¡± Yang Jie paused. He looked at Song Xuanhe, whose eyes were lowered and lost in thought. He asked hesitantly, ¡°will Song shao be travelling with us?¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned to look at Song Xuanhe, meeting the other¡¯s eyes. As soon as their gazes met, Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Okay, okay. I¡¯ll go back with you.¡± ¡°Mn.¡± Xiao Yuanmu replied softly, although it was unknown whether he was replying to Song Xuanhe or Yang Jie. The bodyguards who were assigned to Song Xuanhe¡¯s detail were stunned by the contrast between the man in front of him with the loving smile in his eyes and the chilly man from before. The bodyguards didn¡¯t know who Xiao Yuanmu had been responding to, but Yang Jie did. He took a step back and told the chauffeur to prepare to set off. He then turned to call Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe to board the car. Before the words left his mouth, however, he saw the young man the bodyguards had brought out from the forest out of the corner of his eyes. Yang Jie thus changed what he was going to say: ¡°Xiao ge, that person was the one who fired the shot just now. ording to him, he only fired the gun because there was a snake in the forest. He killed the snake to save Song shao, as thanks for giving him the gun.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s brows were furrowed. His gaze turned to the young man Yang Jie was pointing at. When he saw the man¡¯s appearance, there was a sliver of astonishment in his eyes. ¡°Hao Ke?¡± Hao Ke had no choice but to walk over when he saw Xiao Yuanmu look at him. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect that the person I saved was your boyfriend. If I had known, I wouldn¡¯t have saved him.¡± Song Xuanhe raised a brow. Hao Ke continued, ¡°But since I¡¯ve saved him, this gun is mine. I¡¯ll take it as my reward. If you guys don¡¯t have any other business here, please leave. You¡¯re disturbing the animals in the forest.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I gave you a code to crack. You still haven¡¯t given it to me. Now you¡¯re in a forest where you can¡¯t get a signal.¡± Hao Ke¡¯s expression turned even colder. ¡°I can get a signal anywhere I go. Don¡¯t worry. I¡¯ll finish the task you gave me as soon as possible. After that, we¡¯re even. Hacking into yourputer is the thing I regret the most. I will never do it again.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled. ¡°Just remember to give me what I want.¡± Song Xuanhe watched Hao Ke enter the forest without looking back. He then asked Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°You know him?¡± ¡°When I had been researching new energy sources, he had been paid to hack into myputer and steal my information.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said coolly, ¡°He¡¯s a brave one.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know how to feel after hearing the ridicule of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone. Thest pursuer, who had been obscure all this time, evidently didn¡¯t follow the plot either. Even if this was the original plot line, it was quite clear that he didn¡¯t really like Xiao Yuanmu. All in all, it seems like the only one of the pursuers who really liked Xiao Yuanmu was Xue Mian. Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°What do you think of Xue Mian?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused. He recalled what his subordinates had reported and happiness shed through his eyes. He suppressed the rising corner of his lips and maintained his solemn, upright demeanor. ¡°I don¡¯t think much of him. Even if I didn¡¯t have you, I would never fall for him.¡± ¡°What a pity,¡± Song Xuanhe clicked his tongue. Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was nothing like the jealous tone Xiao Yuanmu had been imagining. He wanted to deceive himself and believe that Song Xuanhe was finally jealous over him. His smile disappeared for real and he quietly asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°Why is it a pity?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity that he likes you so much.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to notice anything. He evenughed. However, he could sense Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s unhappiness as soon as theugh left his lips. Although he didn¡¯t know why the other was unhappy, his survival instinct made him add: ¡°But he doesn¡¯t like you as much as I do. So you can only like me.¡± The cold disappeared from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes. He grabbed Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand and said, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t like me all that much, I will only ever like you.¡± Eve: Thest two paragraphs aww. SUGAR. xiin: this is Eve¡¯sst tranted chapter¡­ as promised, i¡¯ll be finishing this off, but updates will be 1/week and sporadic until i settle on a regr day. (there¡¯ll be more releases than chapters since the uing chapters are all hugggge and filled with plot.) RL¡¯s been kicking my butt recently but i¡¯ll try my best~ Chapter 146.1: Found A Good Friend Yang Jie stood expressionlessly to the side, while the other bodyguards, who ¡®hadn¡¯t yet seen the world¡¯, all looked like they¡¯d bitten into something sour. He looked at them out of the corner of his eyes and briefly sneered at them in his heart, unable to help feeling a little proud. At the end of the day, those people still hadn¡¯t seen enough; he¡¯d been immune to this level of disys for a long time. At this time, the most correct attitude to take was to not disturb them. ¡°Brother Yang.¡± The driver came up to Yang Jie and spoke quietly, ¡°The car is ready, and the area nearby has already been checked for safety. There¡¯s no problem.¡± Yang Jie nodded but didn¡¯t move. The driver was puzzled and thought that he hadn¡¯t made things clear enough. He repeated himself again, adding, ¡°The sky¡¯s getting dark, and it¡¯s gettingte. You can call President Xiao and Mister Song to get into the car first.¡± Yang Jie frowned and was about to teach the driver to learn to look at the situation before he acted. However, the cell phone in his pocket rang before he could speak. He took it out and looked at it. It was the same phone call from before. ¡°Hello, Madame Xiao. This is Yang Jie.¡± Yang Jie lowered his voice and retreated back a few steps, patting the driver who was beside him and asking him to go and call for Xiao Yuanmu. The young driver nodded repeatedly, emphatically, then trotted over and interrupted Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s conversation, ¡°President Xiao, Brother Yang asked me to get you.¡± Yang Jie, who was talking with Madame Xiao, didn¡¯t know that he¡¯d been thoroughly betrayed. At this time, he¡¯d sensed that there was something off with Madame Xiao, who hadn¡¯t stopped calling. It could be that something had happened to the Xiao Family, or that something was the matter with Madame Xiao herself. No matter what the reason was, as an assistant to a boss who wasn¡¯t close to the family, he had to shoulder the burden of appeasing her. ¡°Madame Xiao, Brother Xiao still isn¡¯t here, but I think he¡¯ll be here soon.¡± Yang Jie spoke in a gentle tone, ¡°I¡¯ll let him know as soon as possible when I see him, and ask him to call you back.¡± Madame Xiao was unable to calm down from the other side of the call. Her voice wasn¡¯t as elegant and soft as it was before, and instead, she seemed to be trying her best to suppress something. Even so, she was able to maintain herposure and calm in front of outsiders, ¡°Alright. If you see Yuanmu, please tell him immediately and ask him to call me back. Tell him that it¡¯s a very urgent matter.¡± ¡°Okay, Madame Xiao, I understand.¡± Yang Jie replied quietly. He saw that Xiao Yuanmu wasing over when he lifted his gaze, and noiselessly pointed to his cell phone before making a hand gesture. Xiao Yuanmu nodded lightly, and Yang Jie made a surprised sound into the cell phone, ¡°Madame Xiao, I see President Xiaoing back! I¡¯ll give him the cell phone right away!¡± Yang Jie trotted over and handed the cell phone over to Xiao Yuanmu, then whispered quietly into his ear, ¡°It seems that there¡¯s something urgent.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression was calm as he epted the cell phone and called out lightly, ¡°Mother.¡± ¡°Yuanmu!¡± Madame Xiao lost the calm that she¡¯d maintained to outsiders when she heard her eldest son¡¯s voice. The crying sounds she¡¯d suppressed in her throat instantly poured out, and for a moment, it became difficult for her to speak. Xiao Yuanmu lowered his eyes and listened indifferently to her muffled crying. During this period, he offered neitherfort nor urging. He seemed to be offering patient, silentfort, but it was also like the indifference of a bystander. Seeing that Xiao Yuanmu had answered the phone, Yang Jie skillfully left the area and walked over to where he¡¯d been standing earlier. He saw that Song Xuanhe was speaking with the young driver who¡¯d wanted to call them over before, and it was unknown what was said, but hisughter was very cheerful and caused the driver to shylyugh in return. Yang Jie¡¯s mental rm bells rang as he watched the young driver look at Song Xuanhe with crystal bright eyes. Compared with the other people present, he had the most understanding of Song Xuanhe¡¯s charm. Although he didn¡¯t like Song Xuanhe much before, he couldn¡¯t deny that while this person wasn¡¯t as good looking inparison to Brother Xiao, he held a great attraction to both the same and opposite sex. He appeared handsome and gentle, with a pair of clear and clean eyes that were unable to hold any dirt. Just looking at him made people feel that he was friendly and easy to get along with, and it was easy for people to rx their guard around him. This meant that people would subconsciously rx their guard very quickly, and those who liked this type advanced forward wave after wave, filling the breach left by fallenrades. Likely due to how much he read normally, Song Xuanhe was able to speak with everyone, and was always able to casually find the topic that interested the other party the most. He wasn¡¯t a top beauty, but it was difficult to resist his charm after spending time with him. Xiao Yuanmu might love Song Xuanhe because of how long they¡¯d spent together andmon hardships, and perhaps it also had to do with Song Xuanhe¡¯s appearance and inexplicablyfortable temperament, but Yang Jie believed that more of it was due to feelings that had settled in over time. However, others liked Song Xuanhe because of his attractive outer appearance and his temperament, which was rarely seen in the average person. In other words, it was rted to the charm of his personality. Previously, Yang Jie had seen Song Xuanhe chatting with a young supervisor. It only took a short time for the young supervisor to forget that he was his immediate boss¡¯ lover, and his eyes would shine whenever he looked at Song Xuanhe. In short, Yang Jie had seen too many such gazes directed at Song Xuanhe from the people around him. He never could quite understand how Song Xuanhe had changed from a not quite famous dandy who nevertheless didn¡¯t have a good reputation to this kind of person who was clearly taken, yet could touch other people¡¯s hearts and even have them all say good things about him. However, it would really be wronging him to say that Song Xuanhe was deliberately exuding charm to seduce others. Even Yang Jie, who¡¯d been biased against him before, had to admit that Song Xuanhe really spoke to normal people in an ordinary manner. But, some people just felt that he was treating them differently. It was likely because his pair of eyes were too clean, and it always gave people the feeling that they were really all those pair of eyes saw when he looked at them. Sometimes, when Yang Jie spoke to Song Xuanhe, he would also find himself unable to help being attracted to him. asionally, when he saw that pair of eyes which only held his own appearance, he would understand Brother Xiao¡¯s vignce every time he saw Song Xuanhe talking andughing with others. However, he knew his own boss very well. Song Xuanhe was right no matter what he did, and if he did anything wrong, then it was because the people around him had corrupted him. Regarding this point, Yang Jie believed that Louis and Zhou Nan had deeply experienced Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s cold gaze. Now, Yang Jie felt that the driver was going to have the same deep experience if he didn¡¯t leave, while he absolutely didn¡¯t want to experience it for himself. ¡°Cough, cough cough.¡± When Song Xuanhe looked up, he saw Yang Jie standing to the side, covering his mouth with one hand, coughing even as he said, ¡°Young Master Song, I¡¯ve suddenly started coughing. You should stay further away from me so that I won¡¯t infect you.¡± The driver also noticed Yang Jie and his tone was puzzled as he said, ¡°Brother Yang, since you¡¯re coughing, you shouldn¡¯te over here.¡± Yang Jie paused for a moment, his temples throbbing briefly. He then took time to nce at Xiao Yuanmu, who was still on the phone, and said, ¡°My throat is itchy. Help me get a bottle of water from the car trunk. I want to talk a bit with Young Master Song.¡± Only then did the driver nod. He smiled shyly at Song Xuanhe before turning to leave. ¡°What?¡± Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows with a smile that wasn¡¯t quite a smile, ¡°What were you looking for me for?¡± ¡°Something might have happened with the Xiao Family.¡± Yang Jie spoke seriously. This wasn¡¯t an excuse he¡¯de up with casually. When he heard Madame Xiao¡¯s voice, he could tell that something had definitely happened in the Xiao Family. Additionally, since Xiao Yuanmu was a member of the Xiao Family and it¡¯s current temporary family head, he would have to involve himself in the midst of it. Earlier, he¡¯d thought about it for a while, unsure if he should speak to Song Xuanhe about it, but just now when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s cheerful smile, he¡¯d suddenly felt like he should tell him. If something had really happened, regardless of whether it was good or bad, Yang Jie felt that Brother Xiao would probably only be willing to, and would likely only think to share the news with Song Xuanhe. Since that was the case, it would be better for Brother Xiao if he knew a bit more. Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows when he heard this, thinking about the plot in his mind. He confirmed that nothing had happened in the Xiao Family prior to the original body owner¡¯s death and said, ¡°What happened?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not very clear.¡± Yang Jie shook his head, but his expression was a little tense as he said, ¡°I¡¯ve never heard such urgency in Madame Xiao¡¯s tone before. Although I haven¡¯t had much contact with her, that madame has always paid great attention to propriety. If it wasn¡¯t really urgent, it would be absolutely impossible for me to hear a hint of it.¡± Song Xuanhe also ced importance on this matter after hearing Yang Jie say this. Compared to Yang Jie, he had had even less contact with Madame Xiao. If he really counted, then there was only that one, not very pleasant, encounter. But he also acknowledged Yang Jie¡¯s words that a worldly madame like Madame Xiao would generally never show any performance that wascking in elegance and propriety to outsiders under most circumstances. Just like back then, when he¡¯d tried his best to restrain himself and barely kept from pointing a finger at Madame Xiao¡¯s nose and scolding her. His emotions had still brought out a lot of indignation and feeling of responsibility, but she¡¯d been as elegant and gentle as ever. The change in her expression had only happened after Xiao Yuanmu appeared, and even then, while it was perceptible, the change was extremely small. It could be seen from this that she still tried to control her emotions during such times. For a person who could exercise restraint in front of their own son to show emotions in front of outsiders, then it meant that something absolutely uncontroble had urred. Song Xuanhe was very curious about what it was that could make Madame Xiao go out of control. Additionally, there was clearly no major plotline rted to the Xiao Family at this point in time in the original plot. Was this difference because of the changes he¡¯d made? [ If it¡¯s really a big event, then it¡¯s definitely rted to you. ] The system said, [ Although you can¡¯t go so far as to affect the Xiao Family, you can still affect Xiao Yuanmu. Changes in Xiao Yuanmu will affect the Xiao Family, and since Xiao Yuanmu and the Xiao Family have changed, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if the plot has been moved forward or dyed, or even changed directly. ] After hearing the system¡¯s words, Song Xuanhe replied, [ If there¡¯s a change in the main plotline, it shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with me, right? ] [ It has nothing to do with you. ] The system was certain, [ Right now, your plot has already beenpleted. Today¡¯s plot in the Nan City forest was thest plot point. Although the hunter failed to arrive, Xiao Yuanmu, as the only protagonist who is controlled by the plot, is also the only one who canpletely change the plot without taking responsibility for it. He can be forgiven for disturbing any matter, and there¡¯s also a reasonable way to exin it. ] Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows, [ The son of destiny. ] Chapter 146.2: Found A Good Friend ¡°So, if Brother Xiao has something to doter, please take care of him.¡± Yang Jie saw that Song Xuanhe had fallen into thoughtfulness and said, ¡°I¡¯m not certain what¡¯s happened at the Xiao Family, but I¡¯m very d that you can apany him at this time.¡± Song Xuanhe lifted his gaze when he heard this, even as Yang Jie continued, ¡°Although I never liked you much, I also know that you¡¯re indeed the most suitable person for Brother Xiao. I don¡¯t know if what I¡¯ve said is wrong, or if I¡¯m overthinking things, but I still want to tell you that Brother Xiao has been on his own for many years. The one and only person he¡¯s ced in his heart is you, and the one and only person he likes and cherishes is you.¡± ¡°There may be many people who like you, and many people you like, and you have many friends, and many rtives, so you don¡¯t ce as much care on Brother Xiao as he does for you, but I still hope that you can be better to Brother Xiao, because he really likes you. We can all see it.¡± Yang Jie fell silent after saying this, looking at Song Xuanhe with aplex gaze. He seemed to be struggling in his heart for a long time before finally, he spoke again awkwardly, ¡°I also know that you like Brother Xiao, and I know that you two really match each other. But I just want to say, be better to him, and don¡¯t make him sad. Otherwise, I really will¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll what?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice sounded out from behind Yang Jie. Yang Jie was startled, immediately standing up straight and turning around. His face flushed when he saw Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Brother Xiao!¡± ¡°Enough.¡± Xiao Yuanmu came over and took Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand, casually returning the cell phone to Yang Jie. Heughed quietly, then said, ¡°Get ready to go.¡± Yang Jie felt a sense of relief, turning to run off. Song Xuanhe wanted tough at seeing his appearance of wanting to make fierce remarks one moment, then running way faster than a rabbit the next. However, the corners of his lips slowly fell as heughed, and he turned his gaze towards Xiao Yuanmu. It just happened that Xiao Yuanmu was also looking at him. Xiao Yuanmu smiled, then said, ¡°Yang Jie told you not to make me sad. What are you going to do?¡± ¡°What would make you sad?¡± Song Xuanhe asked. ¡°Nothing you do would make me sad.¡± Xiao Yuanmu pecked at the corner of his lips, thenughed quietly, ¡°Nothing.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyshes trembled, and he held onto his hand tightly. The smile at the corner of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mouth deepened at this. He squeezed his hand lightly and said, ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go back to the hotel and rest early. We¡¯ll go back to America tomorrow morning.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in a hurry, it¡¯ll be the same if we sleep on the ne.¡± Song Xuanhe thought about how Yang Jie had said that something must have happened in the Xiao Family just now and asked, ¡°What happened when Madame Xiao called you just now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu nodded, the smile in his eyes fading as he said lightly, ¡°It¡¯s nothing major. It won¡¯t dy our rest.¡± Song Xuanhe could tell from Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression that things weren¡¯t so simple, but he also knew that Xiao Yuanmu had his own ns. So, he didn¡¯t intend to refute him and instead lifted his legs to walk as he said, ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll go back and sleep earlier today.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was deep and hoarse as he whispered in a low voice into his ear, ¡°We can also sleep a bitter and rest properly on the ne tomorrow.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s throat tensed up. He shifted his gaze and met with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s bottomless ck eyes for a moment before looking away silently. The hand he was using to hold Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tightened slightly. The next morning, Song Xuanhe had to force himself to look presentable, dropping his chin and straightening his back as he entered Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s private ne. Then, under the watchful gazes and wee from the crew, he walked into the lounge and closed the door, only opening it again ten hourster. When Song Xuanhe came back out again, Xiao Yuanmu was in the midst of a video call with Louis, his back to Song Xuanhe. Louis, who was on the other end of the screen, was the first one to notice Song Xuanhe, and he smiled and said hi. ¡°Long time no see, Louis.¡± The corner of Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips held a smile as he returned the greeting. Louis spoke, ¡°Although it hasn¡¯t been that long, I always feel like it¡¯s been a long time since we met, Song. I still remember that time when you and Xiao made breakfast at my ce, but forgot that I also need to eat breakfast. I was really quite sad, but I still miss you, Song.¡± Song Xuanhe thought about that day and burst outughing. He asked, ¡°What are you guys talking about?¡± ¡°Work.¡± Xiao Yuanmu invited Song Xuanhe to sit down beside him and said lightly, ¡°And Xiao Baicong.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned, ¡°What¡¯s going on with Xiao Baicong now?¡± ¡°He¡¯s been kidnapped.¡± Louis answered first. He didn¡¯t try to conceal the gloating in his tone as he spoke, ¡°Xiao, you didn¡¯t tell Song about your younger brother being kidnapped? But, I do feel that the urgency of this matter is far, far less than how interesting it is.¡± ¡°Kidnapping?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes widened slightly. Wasn¡¯t this thest plot in the book before the author trashed the ending? Since when did the timeline be so chaotic? The system was also extremely surprised. It had never thought that this major event happening in the Xiao Family would be that Xiao Baicong was abducted. This should have happened two years after Song Xuanhe and the system left the world, and it hadn¡¯t expected it to have advanced so much. Although they didn¡¯t know the follow-up plot, this matter was still considered an important part of the story. Although Song Xuanhe¡¯s emergence in the plot had led to many deviations, the important plot lines had barely been affected. The system was very confused about why such an unexpected event would happen this time. ¡°Yes!¡± Louis said, ¡°It seems that Xiao really hasn¡¯t told you about it yet. In that case, ask Xiao.¡± Seeing Song Xuanhe looking at him, Xiao Yuanmu raised his hand and helped him tidy up his sleep-ruffled hair. He spoke faintly, ¡°Xiao Baicong was kidnapped at almost the same time as when I left America. The kidnappers only sent a message saying that it was someone that I had offended before, and that they would only release Xiao Baicong if I went to save him alone.¡± Song Xuanhe sneered, ¡°This matter is obviously targeting you. Is the Xiao Family really telling you to go?¡± ¡°It really is obvious.¡± Louis couldn¡¯t help interjecting, ¡°But there¡¯s also another obvious personality, which is¨C¨Cas long as the initiator of this matter is Xiao Yuanmu, then everything can also be exined clearly.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, but before it could form a full frown, his mind shed and his expression grew cold, ¡°The Xiao Family thinks that Xiao Yuanmu was the one who kidnapped Xiao Baicong?¡± ¡°Based on the time Xiao left America, and when Xiao Baicong was kidnapped, it seems very likely, doesn¡¯t it?¡± Louis shrugged his shoulders, ¡°And if Xiao goes alone, then Xiao Baicong can also im that Xiao nned it, because he would only be able to hide it from everyone if he went alone, isn¡¯t that so?¡± ¡°But once there¡¯s any kind of conspiracy behind this, as long as he goes alone, then it would seem like he was the one who did it even if it wasn¡¯t.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right!¡± Louis snapped his fingers and said, ¡°This is the problem we were discussing just now. In fact, we all know that although Xiao is nominally only temporarily in charge of the Xiao Family, he has already convinced most of the Xiao Family to support him in just over half a month of time. In this kind of situation, Xiao doesn¡¯t need to do anything to Xiao Baicong at all, because the Xiao Family will be his sooner orter, and Xiao Baicong doesn¡¯t have the ability to contend against him.¡± ¡°But now that Xiao Baicong has been kidnapped, everything that had already be clear has be unclear.¡± Song Xuanhe continued the thread of Louis¡¯s statements and spoke coldly, ¡°If something happens to Xiao Baicong, then the me can be ced on Xiao Yuanmu. How can the Xiao Family be reassured letting a person who won¡¯t even let off his own younger brother inherit the Xiao Family? Besides, he hadn¡¯t grown up in the Xiao Family and has lived outside for so many years.¡± ¡°Clever.¡± Louis said, ¡°This is the core question. Does the Xiao Family trust Xiao?¡± Both Louis, who was on the other end of the screen, and Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu at the same time. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand had been ced on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder, and when he saw him looking, he rubbed his fingers against the delicate skin of his neck. He said indifferently, ¡°Obviously, Xiao Baicong wouldn¡¯t have made such a move if the Xiao Family trusted me.¡± Song Xuanhe was stunned for a moment, then immediately reacted, ¡°Do you mean to say that Xiao Baicong¡¯s kidnapping was directed and acted out by himself?¡± ¡°Eighty percent likelihood.¡± Louis said. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was dark and deep, ¡°One hundred percent likely.¡± Song Xuanhe and Louis exchanged nces when they heard Xiao Yuanmu sound so certain. Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Did Xiao Baicong show any hints of it before?¡± He didn¡¯t believe that Xiao Yuanmu was someone who would target a person aimlessly. If Xiao Yuanmu was so certain about something in front of others, then it meant that the matter was something he¡¯d already confirmed. For him to say that Xiao Baicong had directed and acted out this kidnapping by himself proved that he at least had evidence of Xiao Baicong¡¯s involvement. To Song Xuanhe¡¯s surprise, Xiao Yuanmu replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, how do you know¡­¡± Song Xuanhe pursed his lips halfway through the sentence and changed his question, ¡°Then, what¡¯s your n?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips hooked briefly and he said to Song Xuanhe, ¡°Xiao Lin¡¯s body is recovering well, but it¡¯s not convenient for him to meet with people. I asked someone to send news to Xiao Baicong and make him think that I had deliberately concealed Xiao Lin¡¯s condition. He thinks that Xiao Lin is about to die, and once Xiao Lin really dies, things would progress following a foregone conclusion¡­¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t finish the rest of his words, but Song Xuanhe and Louis both understood. In order not to let the situation follow the foregone path, Xiao Baicong had to take risks and make it so that Xiao Yuanmu was thoroughly stripped of his title as the temporary head of the Xiao Family while Xiao Lin was still aware and sober. Only in this way could he still have hope of being the head of the Xiao Family. But Xiao Lin was too shrewd, and Madame Xiao wasn¡¯t stupid. This wasn¡¯t an easy matter to achieve. Xiao Baicong could only choose from the one option that would most likely make them lose their reason, which was himself. As the youngest son who¡¯d been held in the palm of Xiao Lin and Madame Xiao¡¯s hands like treasure for more than ten years, he naturally knew how much importance his parents attached to him. He even knew that his parents had once worried about the harm and loss of interests that would be caused by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s return. At this time, when the Xiao Family has been handed to Xiao Yuanmu, it would be the moment when his parents felt the most guilt towards him. If something happened to him at this time, and it was their eldest son, who was still under probation, who led to this ident, then the current trajectory would easily be broken. Chapter 147.1: Eyes Curved With A Smile, Extremely Cute Louis and Song Xuanhe¡¯s expressions grew solemn when they thought of this. Only Xiao Yuanmu still looked calm. Seeing their worried expressions, he even pulled up a smile and said, ¡°it¡¯s alright.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. How could it be alright? Xiao Baicong¡¯s move couldn¡¯t be considered brilliant, and it was easy to find loopholes in it if one thought about it deeply. However, Xiao Baicong wasn¡¯t the only one who was aware that even if Xiao Lin and his wife was aware of this point, they would never gamble with Xiao Baicong¡¯s safety. Song Xuanhe and the others knew it too. Once they chose to agree with the requirements of these so-called ¡®kidnappers¡¯ and let Xiao Yuanmu go in alone in exchange for Xiao Baicong, then the distance that had originally existed between them and Xiao Yuanmu would be exposed out into open, under the sun. Could a son who had obviously been removed from their orbit could really take care of his younger brother and manage Xiao Family without any hostilities or grudges? Once the seeds of this doubt was nted with Xiao Lin, who was the current head of the Xiao Family, then Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s position in the family would be very awkward. When that happened, Xiao Baicong would have achieved his goal. A son who wasn¡¯t weak and who could be trustedpletelypared with a son who was powerful but unpredictable. When the choice had to be made, many people would choose the former. Therefore, that was why Xiao Baicong¡¯s move couldn¡¯t be considered brilliant, but it was definitely the most effective way of dealing with Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu knew what Song Xuanhe and the others were worried about, but he didn¡¯t say much about it. He just curved his lips in a brief smile, rubbing his fingers along the skin of Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck, his gaze deep and bottomless. One hourter, their ne arrived in Y City. After getting off the ne, someone from the Xiao Family fame to take Xiao Yuanmu to the Xiao Family¡¯s residence in Y City. Because the situation was urgent, they didn¡¯t try to avoid Song Xuanhe and even brought him along with them. Madame Xiao¡¯s face was haggard. Her eyes grew red when she saw Xiao Yuanmu, and she opened her mouth, about to say something, then froze for a moment upon seeing Song Xuanhe behind him. She pulled up a smile and said, ¡°Xuanhe came, too. Take a seat and have a cup of tea first.¡± It was as though the previous quarrel had never happened at all. Song Xuanhe went with the flow and called out ¡®Aunt¡¯, then sat down and settled himself in calmly. After getting seated, he even smiled and said, ¡°Aunt, I¡¯m d to see you again.¡± Madame Xiao forced out a smile. It didn¡¯t have her previous elegance and indifference, but she still behaved appropriately ¡°I¡¯m d to see you, too.¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu used to always say that you liked flower tea.¡± Song Xuanhe took out a box of beautifully packaged tea canisters from his luggage and handed them over with a warm smile, ¡°So we brought some back for you this time when we came back to the country. I don¡¯t know if it suits your tastes.¡± Madame Xiao epted the canisters and handed it to the housekeeper who was attending to them from the side. She asked him to bring over a tea set so that they could make a cup of tea and give it a try. Song Xuanhe smiled slightly, one hand inteced with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s as they waited for the water to boil. Dried flowers bloomed into bright colors in the water, but they all remained silent throughout. Madame Xiao took a sip from the porcin cup, the scent of flowers entering her nose. She could tell that it was high quality tea as soon as it entered her mouth. The gloom lingering at the bottom of her heart dissipated slightly, and she thanked Song Xuanhe sincerely, ¡°It¡¯s very delicious. Thank you for choosing it.¡± ¡°Yuanmu picked it.¡± Song Xuanhe chuckled, ¡°He¡¯s been very busy, but because I went to the forest to collect inspiration, he came back to China in a hurry because he was afraid that something might happen to me. I heard that the routes had to be approved via an express channel, which made me feel a little guilty. Originally, I wanted to take him to rx around Nan City since it was rare for him to take a rest, but unexpectedly, time was very tight and I could only apany him to Nan City¡¯s tea gardens to pick tea. Many of the teas there are good, and he picked them all himself. However, because time was short, I only brought this box with me. Later, I¡¯ll have someone send you the rest.¡± There was a smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face as he spoke, and his words came at a leisurely pace. If this was any ordinary time, then this would definitely be afortable pace of conversation, but at this time, Madame Xiao¡¯s heart was filled with anxiety. Song Xuanhe speaking so slowly made her feel like her heart was being roasted over a fire again and again. She wanted to open her mouth to interrupt him several times, but her inherent upbringing meant that she could only choose to smile and listen even while anxiety burned her heart. Now, hearing that Song Xuanhe had finished speaking, Madame Xiao felt a moment of relief and picked up the thread of the conversation, ¡°You two are very thoughtful. This time, we were in a hurry to call Yuanmu back because something has happened at home. Aunt didn¡¯t mean to disturb your time together.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled like a fox, ¡°I know.¡± When Madame Xiao saw that Song Xuanhe seemed to be very agreeable, the vignce at the bottom of her eyes rxed slightly. She turned her head to say to Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Yuanmu, Mother has something to discuss with you. Can you go upstairs with Mother?¡± Xiao Yuanmu put aside the smile at the bottom of his eyes and nodded, his expression calm. He spoke to Song Xuanhe before getting up, ¡°The pastry chef here is good at making desserts.¡± Song Xuanhe watched as Xiao Yuanmu and Madame Xiao went upstairs, then smiled at the housekeeper to the side, ¡°I heard that your desserts are excellent. I wonder how your Napoleon is?¡± The housekeeper bowed slightly and said, ¡°Le Goff¡¯s Napoleon is very popr with Madame.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows. He was very interested, ¡°I wonder if I could have the honor of tasting it.¡± ¡°Of course.¡± The housekeeper left to order the pastry master to make the dessert, and the smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face faded. He sat downstairs alone, looking out at the carefully trimmed flowers and nts in the garden as he waited for Xiao Yuanmu to finish his discussion ande back downstairs. About half an hourter, Xiao Yuanmu and the others came back downstairs. Most of the anxiety in Madame Xiao¡¯s eyes had dissipated, and she even showed a real smile. It appeared that she was very satisfied with the results of their conversation. ¡°Have you finished your discussion?¡± Song Xuanhe was smiling as he asked Xiao Yuanmu this. ¡°It¡¯s finished.¡± Xiao Yuanmu came up to him, cing his hand on his shoulder as he suggested, ¡°We can leave now.¡± Madame Xiao was also smiling slightly, ¡°Xuanhe, I¡¯m sorry to have kept you waiting so long for us.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile showed no discontent at all. He then said, ¡°I¡¯ve always heard Yuanmu say that the Napoleon made by your French pasty chef here is very authentic, so I just took the liberty to ask the housekeeper for some dessert. I hope you don¡¯t mind, but it¡¯s also because I¡¯ve been looking forward to it all the time. After all, the wait time for delicious food is never too long.¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s smile changed slightly, ¡°Napoleon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t seem to have noticed the change in Madame Xiao¡¯s expression. He smiled, ¡°I¡¯m really looking forward to it now.¡± Madame Xiao looked at Xiao Yuanmu. She was justa bout to speak when she heard Song Xuanhe continue, ¡°You said that there was something urgent that you needed Yuanmu toe back for. Has the matter been solved now?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been solved.¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s smile faded slightly, ¡°Thank you for your concern.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled slightly, ¡°It¡¯s good that it¡¯s been resolved. Yuanmu was very anxious on the way back, but when I asked him what it was, he didn¡¯t want to tell me. He doesn¡¯t hide most of the things that happen in thepany from me, so I thought that it was likely something to do with the affairs of the Xiao Family. I was originally worried, but now I¡¯m relieved to hear that it¡¯s been dealt with.¡± Madame Xiao nodded, then turned to the housekeeper and said, ¡°Go to the kitchen and check.¡± The housekeeper nodded and turned to go. Song Xuanhe was still smiling, ¡°In fact, I¡¯m not in a hurry. I was a little agitated and unhappy due to some thingsst time we met, so I¡¯ve always wanted a chance to talk to you again.¡± ¡°Me as well.¡± Madame Xiao nced at Xiao Yuanmu, and the smile on her face faded a bit further. She seemed to be trying to exin herself as she said, ¡°What I saidst time didn¡¯t actually mean anything in particr, but I wasn¡¯t clear with how I expressed myself. As a mother, I¡¯m actually very happy that you protect Yuanmu like this.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was apologetic, ¡°I was too aggressive at the time. Later on, I kept feeling regret when thinking about how you are Yuanmu¡¯s mother. No matter what, you should be the one who loved him the most, and made the most ns for him. They all say that mothers are willing to give everything they can for the sake of protecting their children, so how could you treat him badly? I was impulsive to have said anything.¡± For some reason, although Song Xuanhe clearly looked sincere, and spoke in an earnest tone, Madame Xiao always had the feeling that he was implying something. When she thought about her younger son, the hand she had in herp clenched, and she looked subconsciously at Xiao Yuanmu. However, after seeing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm expression, she felt that she may have overthought it. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t know that Xiao Baicong had been kidnapped. After all, she¡¯d only told Xiao Yuanmu about it after he came back. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t be mocking her with this. With this thought, a trace of guilt crossed Madame Xiao¡¯s heart. Her eldest son and youngest son were naturally both in her heart. However, her youngest son was now in danger and needed her eldest son to take risks to save him. Even if she was unwilling as a mother, she still had to have her eldest son take this risk, and couldn¡¯t ignore her youngest son who was already facing a crisis due to the possible danger to him. What¡¯s more, her youngest son had only just be an adult and had been well protected by his family since childhood. He may not be well-rounded enough to deal with the kidnappers, and may already have suffered too much by now. He had to be rescued as soon as possible. If the worst happened and her eldest son was kidnapped, then at least he had lived alone outside for so many years, and knew how to deal with such things. He could protect himself, and then hold on until the Xiao Family could send people to save him. Everything had its own priorities. Even though Madame Xiao was very worried and unhappy, she felt that this was the best solution. While Madame Xiao was still thinking about this, the housekeeper had already returned from the kitchen. He whispered in her ear, ¡°It will take another hour or so.¡± Madame Xiao was stunned for a moment. Thinking about her younger son whose life and safety was in imminent danger, she couldn¡¯t help looking up at her eldest son and hoping he would say something. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t notice her gaze. He was still whispering something to Song Xuanhe. There was a trace of fatigue between his quiet eyebrows and eyes, but he was very serious. Madame Xiao was stunned by the sight. She suddenly recalled that when her eldest son had heard that her youngest son had been kidnapped and he needed to go save him, he hadn¡¯t hesitated to promise. He¡¯d only put forward one request, saying, ¡°Since the kidnappers are targeting me, it¡¯s difficult to ensure Xuanhe¡¯s safety. I must first send him to Louis, then go save Baicong.¡± At the time, she¡¯d wanted to refute. How could Song Xuanhe¡¯s safety be more important than his younger brother¡¯s? However, when she saw the determination at the bottom of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, she couldn¡¯t say a word. She knew without asking that in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes, family might be very important, but it became less important whenpared with Song Xuanhe. Xiao Baicong was his younger brother, and it already wasn¡¯t easy for him to agree to save him regardless of his own safety. Song Xuanhe was the person he loved, and it was a legitimate and reasonable requirement for him to only agree to do other things after ensuring his safety. However, it would take a lot of time to send him over to Louis before going to save Xiao Baicong, so Madame Xiao had said, ¡°It¡¯s also very safe here. Let him stay here, then.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had smiled and shook his head. There was a trace of helpless doting at the bottom of his gaze, ¡°He doesn¡¯t like staying in strange ces. If he¡¯s here, he¡¯ll feel very ufortable.¡± Was Song Xuanhe¡¯sfort more important than your younger brother¡¯s life and safety? This sentence had stuck in her throat, because she knew that if she asked, then there would really be nothing left of this mother and son rtionship between her and Xiao Yuanmu. Chapter 147.2: Eyes Curved With A Smile, Extremely Cute Now, looking at the the gentle and affectionate gaze that Xiao Yuanmu used on Song Xuanhe, Madame Xiao suddenly felt a deep sense of mncholy at the bottom of her heart. If her eldest son hadn¡¯t disappeared back then, how great would it be if he¡¯d grown up together with her younger son? An hour. Her younger son might be suffering during every minute and every second of this time. This hour could determine too many things. She couldn¡¯t imagine what her younger son might have to pay in return for this one hour waiting for dessert. ¡°Sorry.¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s expression was apologetic as she interrupted the conversation between the two. She spoke quietly, ¡°Doug just told me that our pastry chef Le Goff suffered some hand injuries when cutting the pastry. You might not be able to taste his craft today.¡± Song Xuanhe knew that Madame Xiao would be unable to hide her distress, but he hadn¡¯t expected that she would be so worried about Xiao Baicong that she would ignore basic etiquette as a host and directly use such a bad excuse to get rid of a guest. However, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t really wanted to eat the Napoleon to start with. It was just that making a Napoleon was rtively time-consuming, so he¡¯d deliberately used his choice to test the waters. Now that he¡¯d gotten the results of his test, he was also toozy to stay any longer. His tone was very understanding, ¡°In that case, please help me pass a message to Mr. Le Goff, wishing him a speedy recovery.¡± Madame Xiao nodded, ¡°I thank you in his stead.¡± Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu got up. Madame Xiao sent them outside and watched them leave. As soon as they got into the car, Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°So? Where is Xiao Baicong now?¡± Xiao Yuanmu named the province closest to Y City. Song Xuanhe¡¯s brows wrinkled, ¡°He¡¯s quite vignt.¡± ¡°When are you going?¡± Song Xuanhe continued. ¡°Immediately.¡± Xiao Yuanmu replied, ¡°I¡¯ll send you to Louis. Wait for me there.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think that Louis wants to see us right now.¡± He thought back to when they¡¯d been on the ne just earlier. Xiao Yuanmu had acted up for some unknown reason, and his hand, which had originally been touching his neck, suddenly hooked around him and pulled him over for a kiss. He¡¯dpletely forgotten that Louis was still on the other side of the ne. This on its own wasn¡¯t much, since Louis had grown up in an open country and was used to their shows of love. The key point was that Louis¡¯s girlfriend had pushed open the door ande in at that time. As soon as she went in, she saw him and Xiao Yuanmu kissing. At the time, Louis¡¯s girlfriend fell into a stunned trance, her expression turning very miraculous. No matter how Louis exined, she was unwilling to believe that Louis was really a straight man. Song Xuanhe couldn¡¯t help thinking when she thought of this. Xiao Yuanmu smiled as well. At the time, he¡¯d seen Song Xuanhe¡¯s damp eyes filled with worry, along with his frown despite having just woken up, and he¡¯d suddenly forgotten about their current situation. Although he didn¡¯t care if Louis would be blinded by their disy, he hadn¡¯t expected that this scene would be misunderstood by Louis¡¯s girlfriend, causing her to think that Louis was watching that kind of show. But by this time, Louis should have exined it to his girlfriend. When Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu arrived at Louis¡¯s house, they were both very concerned about this issue. So, Song Xuanhe very cordially asked about how he was doing. Louis rolled his eyes and said, ¡°I¡¯m single again because of you guys.¡± Song Xuanhe put up a sympathetic and patted him on the shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m very sorry.¡± Louis saw through his fake act, but he still opened the door to let them in. He didn¡¯t give this couple who had no sympathy for others another chance tough at him and said directly, ¡°Xiao, what¡¯s your n?¡± Xiao Yuanmu set aside his smile and spoke in a calm tone, ¡°I¡¯m going on my own.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s forehead wrinkled, and Louis also looked at him uprehendingly. ¡°I have a way to deal with Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Seeing the fury in Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes, Xiao Yuanmu exined himself, ¡°I have people by his side. Don¡¯t worry.¡± ¡°How many of your people?¡± Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Or do you mean to say that all of the people around him are yours. Since they¡¯re yours, just have them send him back directly and be done with it. If they¡¯re not all yours, then it shows that Xiao Baicong is still in charge over there. Will you be able to deal with so many people with the few that you have?¡± ¡°He won¡¯t do anything to me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu smiled despite seeing that Song Xuanhe was angry and said, ¡°Trust me. Nothing will happen to me for sure.¡± Song Xuanhe closed his mouth and didn¡¯t speak any further after seeing Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s determined expression. In fact, he knew how cautious Xiao Yuanmu was. If he said that he didn¡¯t have to worry, then it meant that he basically had 100% assurance that there wouldn¡¯t be any problems. But that didn¡¯t mean that there was no chance that nothing could go wrong. What if something went wrong? There were so many people around Xiao Baicong who hadmon interests with him. They would be willing to take risks for Xiao Baicong¡¯s sake for the sake of those interests alone. This situation had originally been directed and acted out by Xiao Family. If he only wanted to alienate Xiao Yuanmu from the Xiao Family, then it would already be one of the better scenarios. However, if he was nning to go double or quits and took this opportunity to eliminate trouble at the roots, would Xiao Family really be able to retreat safely? The Xiao Family only had two sons. Other than Xiao Yuanmu, there was only Xiao Baicong. Even if Xiao Baicong wasn¡¯tpletely clean of implication with this matter, Song Xuanhe could maliciously specte that Xiao Lin would clean up the situation for the sake of his younger son¡¯s future no matter how angry or bitterly disappointed he was because he would already have be the sessor to the Xiao Family. Since he would have already lost one son, he couldn¡¯t afford to lose all his sons. Even if Xiao Lin was unwilling to do such a thing, Madame Xiao would force him to do so. Xiao Baicong was naturally very clear on this. In this case, Xiao Baicong might really put all his eggs in one basket. No matter how careful Xiao Yuanmu was, Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t dare to make bets with Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s life. On the other hand, Louis really wanted to believe Xiao Yuanmu. He felt that since Xiao Yuanmu was so certain, he must have made full preparations. So, hepletely set down his concerns and smiled, ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll be here waiting for your good news.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the quiet and withdrawn Song Xuanhe and held his hand tight,forting him silently. Song Xuanhe raised his gaze. This was the first time Xiao Yuanmu had seen such a worried look in his eyes. It was like his eyes could only hold him, would only have him, and only care about him. He suddenly wanted to stay in this pair of clear eyes and look for a moment longer. ¡°Can you promise that nothing will happen to you?¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Xiao Yuanmu seriously, wanting to get his assurance again. ¡°I promise.¡± Xiao Yuanmu hugged him gently and avoided his gaze. He was afraid that if he looked again, the n that would happen in a while would no longer be carried out on time. He spoke very quietly, ¡°Trust me.¡± Song Xuanhe made a very light sound of acknowledgement and hugged Xiao Yuanmu back. Louis looked on from the side, then reminded them darkly, ¡°I¡¯ve just broken up.¡± ¡°Because of you guys, I broke up with my childhood girlfriend who I¡¯d just gotten back together with for less than two weeks, yet again. And she even thinks that there¡¯s something wrong with my character, thinking that I lied to her about my sexual. It might take me even longer to get back together with her again this time. Don¡¯t you guys feel any guilt?¡± ¡°If you guys know that this is my house, then I think you might not hug each other for so long¡­¡± Seeing that Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu showed no intention to move, Louis could only give up and try to attract their attention in other ways. He said seriously, ¡°Xiao, do you n to let Xiao Baicong direct and act out his own y and thene back safely just like that?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Xiao Yuanmu released Song Xuanhe. He paused for a moment, the shadow at the bottom of his gaze dispersing. Then, ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± ¡°What are you nning to do to him?¡± Louis was very curious and excited. Xiao Yuanmu spoke indifferently, ¡°Do to him what he nned to do to me.¡± Louis didn¡¯t understand what he meant, ¡°You¡¯re going to direct and act out your own kidnapping too? Then have him save you and expose him?¡± Louis felt that what he was saying sounded stupid halfway through and shook his head, ¡°No way.¡± The bottom of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes was like a stretch of darkness. Louis and the others naturally wouldn¡¯t know Xiao Baicong¡¯s ultimate goal, nor had he known in his previous life. Therefore, even if he¡¯d noticed something suspicious, he¡¯d still gone to save Xiao Yuanmu. It was just that a strangebination of circumstances had resulted in Xiao Baicong identally stepping into the trap set for him. In this life, he had made Xiao Lin¡¯s illness happen early, and Xiao Baicong had really been unable to sit still. He¡¯d moved this kidnapping drama that he¡¯d directed and acted out by himself to an earlier time, and the people Xiao Yuanmu had already bought to his side performed as expected, participating in Xiao Baicong¡¯s n without arousing any doubt. This was how he could so clearly know that Xiao Baicong¡¯s drama was no different this time from his previous life. Since that was the case, he would follow the trajectory from the previous life. However, this time, he would make it so that Xiao Baicong went from identally stepping into the trap he¡¯d set up for him, to having no choice but to step into it himself. He would also make all his ns happen in vain, so that he wouldpletely be unable to hold the position of Xiao Family head. ¡°What exactly is your n?¡± Louis was curious. Xiao Yuanmu only frowned, ¡°You¡¯ll know when the timees.¡± With that, he looked at his watch and got up, ¡°It¡¯s time to go ¡®save¡¯ Xiao Baicong.¡± When he saw that Song Xuanhe was looking at him, the shadow at the bottom of his gaze dispersed, and he showed a small smile. He bent over and spoke into his ear, ¡°Yesterday, I said that nothing you do would make me sad, except for one thing.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his gaze and met his eyes. Xiao Yuanmu continued quietly, ¡°I¡¯ll only be sad if you leave me.¡± The corners of his eyes tilted up slightly, and heforted him with his smile and determination, ¡°So, I won¡¯t make you sad.¡± xiin: Madame Xiao is really¡­ [fill in the nks here] Chapter 148.1: Black Hair and White Skin Xiao Yuanmu left alone. Song Xuanhe and Louis stayed at Louis¡¯ house to wait for news, but they hadn¡¯t waited long before Yang Jie also arrived. The three grown men looked at each other with dignified expressions on their faces. None of them had any intention of speaking and simply looked around. Some were thoughtful, while some were watching the slow passage of time. Song Xuanhe was talking to the system in his mind: [ Xiao Yuanmu will be safe, right? ] [ This plot has moved up ahead of time. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯s safe, but I can be certain that his life won¡¯t be in danger. ] The system said, [ After all, he¡¯s the protagonist. ] [ Of course I know that. ] Song Xuanhe said, [ I just want to ask if he¡¯ll get hurt. ] [ You should know this. ] The system said, [ Of course, if you don¡¯t know, then my data can tell you that if the number of people on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s side is equal to the number of people on Xiao Baicong¡¯s side, then he¡¯ll likely be able to retreat safely. If Xiao Yuanmu has less people than Xiao Baicong, but they are better equipped, then he¡¯ll also be able to retreat safely, however¡­ ] Song Xuanhe interrupted the system: [ This time, he¡¯s going in to save Xiao Baicong. At least, that¡¯s what it is on the surface. If Xiao Baicong wants to maintain this lie, then it won¡¯t be about the number of weapons, like you mentioned. ] { However, you¡¯ve just raised another possibility. ] The system said, [ Xiao Baicong wanting to kill everyone to keep them quiet. ] Aware of Song Xuanhe¡¯s emotional changes, the system quickly continued: [ But I¡¯m sure that Xiao Baicong has no way to kill Xiao Yuanmu. You know the reason. ] [ Do you have any way to let me see Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s current situation? ] Song Xuanhe asked. The system¡¯s answer was firm, [ No. ] This answer was within expectations. Song Xuanhe drank a sip of hot tea and fell silent. The clock pointed at 12 noon. It had been nearly three hours since Xiao Yuanmu left, while Song Xuanhe and the others remained almost motionless in the living room. No one mentioned anything about lunch. It wasn¡¯t until Louis looked at the time that his stomach rang out in a very punctual manner. ¡°My friends.¡± Louis pped his hands, drawing Song Xuanhe and Yang Jie¡¯s attention before continuing, ¡°I think we should eat something. What do you guys want to eat? I¡¯ll ask someone to send it over.¡± Yang Jie frowned, ¡°It¡¯s best not to let outsiders in and out of here at this time.¡± Louis was stunned for a moment, nced at Song Xuanhe and nodded. Then, he grew distressed, ¡°But we can¡¯t cook. What will we eat?¡± ¡°I can cook noodles.¡± Yang Jie said, ¡°It¡¯s just that the taste can only reach the level of filling up the stomach.¡± Louis was delighted, ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as there¡¯s something to eat.¡± Yang Jie nodded, then asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°What kind of noodles do you want to eat? I heard you like tomato and egg noodles. How about I cook that?¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head, ¡°Let¡¯s eat something else. Make something simple.¡± Yang Jie¡¯s mouth opened. He wanted to say that tomato and egg noodles were very simple, but when he saw Song Xuanhe¡¯s distracted expression, the words that were hovering at the edge of his lips were swallowed back down again. He nodded, ¡°In that case, we¡¯ll have meat sauce noodles.¡± Louis was delighted, ¡°I really like meat sauce noodles!¡± Yang Jie turned and went into the kitchen, while Louis went back to his original position and sat down again. Seeing that Song Xuanhe seemed to be thinking about something, he went back to sit beside him, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. In the time I¡¯ve known Xiao, he¡¯s done everything he said he would do. Since he said that he cane back safely, it means he wille back safely.¡± Song Xuanhe shook his head, ¡°Do you know that there¡¯s a saying in China?¡± ¡°What saying?¡± ¡°A dog will leap over a wall in desperation.¡± Song Xuanhe said. ¡°Right now, Xiao Baicong is very clear on how clumsy this kidnapping he¡¯d orchestrated is. However, he won¡¯t let such a clumsy act really appear in front of Xiao Lin. In order to cover up the fact that he made trouble over nothing, he can only pull Xiao Yuanmu into the water with him. Only when the kidnapping bes real, and his onlypetitor disappears, will he be able to rest easy.¡± Louis knew that Song Xuanhe was right. He¡¯d been worried about this earlier, but at this time, he couldn¡¯t give Song Xuanhe any extra pressure. He patted him on the shoulder and said, ¡°Xiao must also be very clear about this. He¡¯s definitely thought of countermeasures.¡± Of course Xiao Yuanmu knew. Song Xuanhe also knew that Xiao Yuanmu would definitely have made all the preparations he could think of. However, there were many things that were known but couldn¡¯t be changed. He was so worried about Xiao Yuanmu that he¡¯d wanted to rush out after Xiao Yuanmu the second he went out the door. He just wanted to personally ensure his safety, and personally be there by his side to deal with Xiao Baicong together. However, he couldn¡¯t. This excessive concern was so serious that he was unable to think rationally. This also left Song Xuanhe extremely flustered. There was a voice telling him from the bottom of his heart: Don¡¯t struggle. You¡¯re in love with Xiao Yuanmu. Stay here. You have nothing in that world, why do you have to insist on going back? This voice had started appearing a long time ago, and now, it was getting louder and louder. It was so loud that it was practically disturbing his thoughts, making him unable to think rationally. Louis looked at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression and could tell that he wouldn¡¯t be able tofort him. He could only silently pat him on the shoulder again, then keep himpany as they waited. Yang Jie came back out again with the noodles and looked puzzled for a moment when he saw the two of them sitting together side by side. Louis got up, epted a bowl of noodles, and handed it to Song Xuanhe. He smiled and said, ¡°Maybe Xiao will be back by the time we finish eating.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and said thanks, then quietly sat to the side to finish the noodles. By the time they finished their lunch and Yang Jie finished washing up the tableware, it was already 1PM. Xiao Yuanmu had been gone for nearly four hours. Louis took out a deck of cards, using them to help pass this time that was difficult to endure. Song Xuanhe and Yang Jie didn¡¯t refuse, because it was indeed easy to think about messy things when they sat there doing nothing. It was better to y cards and distract themselves instead. Three hours passed by as they yed. It was getting close to dinner time, but there was still no news from Xiao Yuanmu. He said before he left that he would contact them as soon as he rescued Xiao Baicong and left that ce. Four hours was enough time to travel from Y City to Xiao Baicong¡¯s location if he drove fast, and it would take five hours if he drove slowly. At this time, it had been seven hours since Xiao Yuanmu left. In other words, even if he¡¯d been driving slowly, Xiao Yuanmu should havee into contact with the kidnappers two hours ago. That two hours had passed without the problem being solved hinted that the situation may be moving towards the worst possible scenario. At this time, no one was in the mood to y cards anymore. The living room fell quiet once again. Ten minutester, Yang Jie¡¯s cell phone rang, and three pairs of eyes focused on the cell phone on the coffee table at the same time. Yang Jie looked at the number and told the other two, ¡°It¡¯s Madame Xiao.¡± Song Xuanhe and Louis both moved their gazes away simultaneously. Louisughed briefly, and his tone held sarcasm, ¡°That Madame finally can¡¯t hold her silence any longer.¡± Yang Jie didn¡¯t understand what he meant, and epted Madame Xiao¡¯s call from the living room. ¡°Hello, Madame Xiao, this is Yang Jie.¡± ¡°Have you heard any news from Yuanmu?¡± Madame Xiao asked, ¡°Has hee back?¡± ¡°No, Madame Xiao.¡± Yang Jie said, ¡°Brother Xiao has already been gone for seven and a half hours. At present, there¡¯s been no news.¡± ¡°Seven and a half hours¡­¡± Madame Xiao repeated these words in a murmur, then said, ¡°Remember to inform me as soon as possible when there¡¯s any news from him.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand, Madame Xiao.¡± Yang Jie replied lightly, ¡°Is there anything else?¡± ¡°No.¡± Madame Xiao didn¡¯t hang up for a long time. After about half a minute, she spoke again, ¡°Take good care of him when hees back.¡± Yang Jie¡¯s eyebrows twisted together in a frown, but his voice remained even, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± After he hung up the phone, Louis frowned, ¡°When will Xiaoe back?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was taut, and his eyes kept drifting out towards the yard. It was unknown how long it took, but a soft noise suddenly came from the yard, startling the three people waiting in the living room. Song Xuanhe reacted first, getting up and running to the door. Louis and Yang Jie followed, looking very excited. ¡°I¡¯m back.¡± Xiao Yuanmu opened both arms and pulled Song Xuanhe into his arms almost as soon as Song Xuanhe got the door open. The light scent of blood from his body drifted into Song Xuanhe¡¯s nose. ¡°Are you alright¡± Song Xuanhe pulled him inside and looked him up and dow. He only spoke after determining that there were no external injuries, ¡°Whose blood is it on your body?¡± ¡°Xiao Baicong¡¯s.¡± Xiao Yuanmu replied lightly, ¡°He¡¯s currently in my car.¡± Louis stretched out his head and looked outside. He couldn¡¯t see anything, and couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Xiao Baicong¡¯s people let you bring him out?¡± ¡°His men are all dead.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s tone of voice was very indifferent when he said this. There were no fluctuations at all. Yang Jie and Louis exchanged looks. Louis frowned, ¡°Has everything been cleaned up?¡± ¡°There was an internal dispute amongst the kidnappers caused by the uneven distribution of bounty.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°It¡¯s not within my scope of concern.¡± Louis raised his eyebrows, then shot him a thumbs up, ¡°Great.¡± Yang Jie was the only one who was worried, ¡°Brother Xiao, are you sure you haven¡¯t let any fish escape from the? Also, how are you going to deal with Xiao Baicong?¡± ¡°Call Madame Xiao.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Didn¡¯t she just say that we should call her when Xiao Yuanmues back?¡± ¡°Call an ambnce while you¡¯re at it.¡± Louisughed, ¡°Xiao, are your brother¡¯s injuries serious?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not too serious.¡± Xiao Yuanmu took off his blood stained coat and said, ¡°It¡¯s just that both legs are now useless.¡± Louis was stunned, then quipped, ¡°Xiao, Hoffman was right. You should cooperate with him. When the two of you talk about this kind of creepy thing, you both look like you don¡¯t care at all. It always gives me the feeling that you two must have something inmon.¡± The corner of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips ticked up briefly. He turned his head towards Song Xuanhe, putting his hands gently against both sides of his neck as he whispered, ¡°I promised you that I woulde back safely, so I will certainly achieve it.¡± ¡°You have a leg injury, too, right?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression wasn¡¯t very happy, ¡°Let me see it.¡± Xiao Yuanmu froze for a moment, while Louis and Yang Jie, who was in the midst of making a call, both looked over instantly. In fact, Xiao Yuanmu had hidden it very well. No one had discovered any trace of his injury from his behavior, and Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t, either. However, he¡¯d asked the system to scan Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s body just in case, and only then did he discover that Xiao Yuanmu had lied. ¡°It¡¯s really nothing.¡± The smile on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s face faded, and a trace of uneasiness appeared in the bottom of his eyes. ¡°Roll up your trouser legs.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at him coldly, ¡°I don¡¯t want to have to say it again a third time.¡± Xiao Yuanmu dropped his gaze and had no choice but to roll up the hem of his trousers. There was gauze wrapped around his lower leg, close to his ankle. It was a spot that could be covered by his pants, but blood was seeping through the thick gauze. There was no need to look further to know that the would definitely wasn¡¯t shallow. Xiao Yuanmu nced at Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression, and his slender eyshes drooped down as he exined gently, ¡°I¡¯ve already bandaged it.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at him lightly, then shifted his gaze to his lower leg, which had been bandaged very roughly. No emotion could be heard in his voice, ¡°Did you do this yourself, or did you hurt it identally?¡± Chapter 148.2: Black Hair and White Skin Xiao Yuanmu hesitated for a second, and Song Yuhe¡¯s gaze swept over. ¡°It was an ident.¡± He exined, ¡°When I left, I didn¡¯t notice that Xiao Baicong was still awake. He broke away from the people who were holding him and stabbed me with a dagger.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression grew colder, and Xiao Yuanmu used his eyes to express that Yang Jie should speak up. Yang Jie received Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze, but he didn¡¯t know what he should say. In fact, this was the first time he¡¯d seen Brother Xiao, who¡¯d always been aloof and cold and distant, act like this. It made him unable to react at all. Before he¡¯d always felt that even if Song Xuanhe seemed to be more domineering during ordinary times, Brother Xiao¡¯s character was also one that was very difficult to control. And now, Brother Xiao was even more delusive than before. So, he¡¯d thought that Brother Xiao was still the one who held the initiative between Song Xuanhe and Brother Xiao. Now, it seemed that he may have been wrong. I was just that, as an expert who¡¯d been single for more than 20 years, he could help single people solve the problem of being lonely, but he couldn¡¯t help Brother Xiao solve the problem of how to appease his boyfriend when his boyfriend was angry. So, Yang Jie¡¯s gaze turned to Louis. When it came to solving this problem, Louis, who¡¯d gotten together and separated from his childhood sweetheart no less than ten times, had the most say. Louis also felt that he had a lot to contribute. He¡¯d already seen Xiao Yuanmu sending Yang Jie a distress signal, so he raised his eyebrows, quickly bent down and pressed his leg, then covered up the spot above his ankle and looked like he was in pain. Xiao Yuanmu understood right way. He hurriedly frowned, then hissed gently. Song Xuanhe looked at him, his tone expressionless, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Nothing.¡± Xiao Yuanmu spoke lightly, ¡°It¡¯s just that the wound hurts a bit.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows, ¡°Your injury hurts?¡± ¡°A little.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s reply was very calm and steady, but his slightly pale lips and frowning eyebrows were perfect examples of his superb acting skills. Yang Jie signed in surprise, and he suddenly thought of a sentence he¡¯d seen before somewhere: Men in love could win Oscars. He hadn¡¯t understood what that meant before, but now as he watched Brother Xiao, he felt that he might get it now. It was just that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t deceived by Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s acting skills. Instead, hints of banter appeared at the bottom of his eyes, ¡°Since it hurts, why don¡¯t you hug your leg and jump a few times?¡± Xiao Yuanmu paused, then turned to look at Louis. Louis shrugged, not having expected Song Xuanhe to have noticed the small actions between himself and Xiao Yuanmu. Xiao Yuanmu could only return to more traditional methods. He put his head on Song Xuanhe¡¯s shoulder, dropping his voice and saying, ¡°I was wrong, don¡¯t be angry, okay?¡± The sentence ¡®Where do you think you were wrong¡¯ almost slipped out of his mouth, but Song Xuanhe suddenly thought about the temte for lovers¡¯ quarrels that circted on the inte just before he said it out loud. Generally, the boy would say that they were wrong, and the girl would ask him what he¡¯d done wrong. Then, the two of them would start quarreling. When Song Xuanhe thought about how he¡¯d almost slid into the female role in the temte, his expression grew even darker. ¡°Whether or not I stop being angry depends on your honesty.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at him coldly and indifferently, then said, ¡°When the ambncees, you¡¯ll go with Xiao Baicong and have your leg looked at.¡± The sound of the ambnce arriving could be heard outside the door as soon as he finished speaking. Song Xuanhe nced at Xiao Yuanmu. He saw that his longshes were drooping slightly, and he appeared rather cold and pitiful. His footsteps, which were heading outside, paused for a moment, and he held Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arm, thinking to himself: He definitely wasn¡¯t being soft-hearted. Xiao Yuanmu borrowed Song Xuanhe¡¯s strength to get up, and a little small appeared at the corners of his lips before immediately being pressed back down. He pursed his lips slightly then leaned against Song Xuanhe¡¯s body, letting him help himself outside. The doctor moved Xiao Yuanmu from the car into the ambnce, while Song Xuanhe and the others drove with Xiao Yuanmu to the private hospital. Not long after they entered the emergency room, Madame Xiao quickly arrived with the housekeeper that Song Xuanhe had met earlier. She looked relieved when she saw them. When Madame Xiao saw the wound on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg, she gasped and said to the doctor, ¡°Doctor, is my son¡¯s leg okay?¡± The private doctor didn¡¯t know who Madame Xiao was, but he knew that the other youth who¡¯d just entered the operating room was the patient in front of him¡¯s younger brother, so he said, ¡°His leg is alright. He¡¯ll recover after changing the dressing every day and resting for a period of time, but his younger brother isn¡¯t in good condition, and they may have to amputate his legs.¡± Madame Xiao was stunned for a moment. Her face remained nk for a few seconds before she raised her voice and said, ¡°His younger brother? Which younger brother?¡± After that, she didn¡¯t look at the doctor anymore and directly turned to Xiao Yuanmu and asked, ¡°The younger brother the doctor mentioned isn¡¯t your brother, right?¡± ¡°It¡¯s Xiao Baicong.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Those gangsters fought amongst themselves, and Xiao Baicong and I suffered some injuries during our escape. His injuries were more serious than mine, and both of his legs were crushed.¡± ¡°Crush¡­¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s vision turned white. She stepped back, holding the housekeeper¡¯s hand tight before managing to stand still. After finding her bnce, she trembled and asked, ¡°What are you talking about? Crushed?¡± ¡°Those people chased us with heavy cars. Baicong got on the car one step after me, and before he could get in, he was pulled off and his leg was crushed in the process of getting back in.¡± Xiao Yuanmu exined, ¡°Later, these people were chasing after us the whole time, and we missed the best time for treatment.¡± ¡°His leg is broken¡­¡± Madame Xiao murmured, her eyes growing red instantly, ¡°Both legs are broken, he must be in so much pain.¡± The housekeeper supported Madame Xiao with a worried expression on his face, but he still asked quietly, ¡°Should I tell the Mister right away?¡± ¡°No.¡± Madame Xiao straightened and tried topose her expression. She said, ¡°Wait until Baiconges out. Ah-Lin is in bad health right now. We¡¯ll tell him when the situation is stable.¡± ¡°Yes, Madame.¡± Song Xuanhe shifted his gaze to the doctor who was giving Xiao Yuanmu stitches and asked, ¡°His leg injury. Is there anything that needs to be paid attention to during this period?¡± The doctor finished treating Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s wound and got up, ¡°Be careful not to let the wound get wet, ande to the hospital to get the dressing changed regrly. If you feel that it¡¯s troublesome, you can also invite your private doctor toe to the hospital, and I¡¯ll speak with them about Mr. Xiao¡¯s condition so that he knows how to take care of him.¡± ¡°You can tell me directly.¡± Song Xuanhe said. The doctor was a little surprised. He looked at Xiao Yuanmu inquiringly. Xiao Yuanmu suppressed his smile and nodded, ¡°Listen to what he says.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him, then looked back to listen to the doctor¡¯s instructions. Madame Xiao had already been led away by the nurse and was keeping watch outside the operating room. The doctor also left after giving Song Xuanhe a set of instructions and precautions. At this time, there was only Xiao Yuanmu, Song Xuanhe, Louis, and Yang Jie in the ward. Louis said, ¡°It seems that Madame Xiao finds it difficult to ept the fact that Xiao Baicong may not be able to walk in the future.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and said, ¡°She doesn¡¯t know that Xiao Baicong can¡¯t walk in the future. She¡¯s currently just thinking about how Xiao Baicong¡¯s leg is broken.¡± ¡°With the current medical technology, treating Xiao Baicong¡¯s leg is an easy matter.¡± Yang Jie said, ¡°The Xiao Family is rich in resources and contacts. Maybe his leg will be better soon.¡± Louis joked, ¡°Yang, I recall that you used to be very friendly to Madame Xiao and Xiao Baicong. Why are you so¡­ unfriendly now?¡± ¡°I treat them well when they¡¯re good to Brother Xiao.¡± Yang Jie¡¯s face was expressionless, ¡°If they¡¯re bad to Brother Xiao, then Brother Xiao might as well not have these rtives.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s lips curved slightly when he heard this, but when he saw Song Xuanhe looking at him, he pursed his mouth again. Song Xuanhe looked him over indifferently, then shifted his gaze to the door. His tone was light, ¡°If Madame Xiao learns that Xiao Baicong can no longer stand up, will she be very sad?¡± ¡°Of course. That¡¯s her son.¡± Yang Jie couldn¡¯t ept this, ¡°In her heart, Xiao Baicong is much more important than Brother Xiao.¡± ¡°I¡¯m very curious.¡± Song Xuanhe was puzzled and asked, ¡°How exactly did you guys determine that Xiao Baicong¡¯s legs are no longer able to walk? This is the United States, and Yang Jie also said that the Xiao Family will be able to find the best medical resources for Xiao Baicong. Even if his legs are really irreparable, there are countless people who can help him stand up again in the future. Fitting him with artificial limbs is one possibility.¡± ¡°Xiao Baicong won¡¯t use prostheses.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°Even if he wants to, it will take at least a few years. He himself is also very clear on this. With such an obvious premise, his disability will cause him to abandon himself, making himpletely unable to stand back up again.¡± Louis nodded his agreement, ¡°Xiao Baicong is a very proud person. I¡¯ve met him many times, and he¡¯s very proud about everything rted to himself. This sudden loss of his legs will cause him to be in a slump for a long time. When the timees, Xiao will have already taken control over the Xiao Family. After he realizes that there¡¯s no hope for him, he¡¯ll likely really fall into depression.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t want to discuss this topic too much. He looked at Yang Jie and gestured for him to leave. Yang Jie understood, and casually made an excuse before taking Louis away with him. After they were both gone, there was only Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu left in the ward. Xiao Yuanmu asked, ¡°Will you think that I¡¯m a cruel person for doing this to my younger brother?¡± Song Xuanhe turned his head and met his gaze. After seeing the uneasiness at the bottom of his eyes, he pressed his lips together briefly, then approached him and whispered, ¡°You said you wouldn¡¯t be sad no matter what I did, and it¡¯s the same for me. I believe that you have your own reasons for every thing you do. Do whatever you think is right, and I will stand on your side.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyes were bright, ¡°Forever?¡± Song Xuanhe hugged him, resting his jaw on his shoulder. He said quietly, ¡°For as long as I live in this world.¡± xiin: ¡®for as long as I live in this world¡¯ ¡­ F* YOU SONG XUANHE Chapter 149.1: Found A Good Friend Ch149.1 - Found A Good Friend trantor: xiin Because he¡¯d only hurt his legs, Xiao Baicong¡¯s operation ended very quickly. It took less than two hours, and during this period, the doctor came out to ask Madame Xiao¡¯s opinion on whether or not Xiao Baicong should have an amputated. However, she didn¡¯t get any answer¨C¨Cbecause her mouth fell open, and she fainted. Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu stayed in the hospital ward until Yang Jie told them that Xiao Baicong¡¯s operation was over. At that time, Madame Xiao had also woken up. She was in a stunned daze as she sat in a chair in the ward, with her housekeeper keeping guard quietly by her side. The atmosphere around them was very solemn. ¡°Madame.¡± Seeing that Song Xuanhe and Xiao Yuanmu were heading over, the housekeeper called out gently, reminding the stunned Madame Xiao to raise her head. When she saw Xiao Yuanmu, who was standing nearby with Song Xuanhe, Madame Xiao suddenly covered her mouth, got up, and walked over to them quickly. She hugged Xiao Yuanmu and wept bitterly. After crying for a long time, she finally managed to choke out, ¡°Your little brother¡­ what will he do?¡± ¡°He¡¯s still so young, he¡¯s only reached adulthood and it¡¯s the best time for him to move around. He¡¯s lost his legs just like this, what can he do?¡± Madame Xiao held tightly to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arms, her eyes red. She no longer had her usual elegance and indifference, and she showed a mother¡¯s vulnerability without any concealment, ¡°Congcong is still so young, why were the kidnappers so cruel?¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked down at this woman whose make-up was still exquisite, but who no longer had anyposure. His eyes were calm and indifferent, showing no ripples. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sad?¡± Madame Xiao shook her head, then frowned at Xiao Yuanmu and asked, ¡°Your younger brother has be like this? Why aren¡¯t you sad?¡± Song Xuanhe frowned and raised his hand to move Madame Xiao away, but while she looked thin and weak, in fact, she was able to hold onto Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand with great strength. She held onto him tightly as she questioned him again. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you sad?¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t seem to feel the pain from her hold. His tone was very light, ¡°Keeping him alive was already a very difficult task.¡± ¡°Are you hoping that your brother won¡¯t even be able to stay alive?¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s eyes grew wide as she asked, ¡°That way, the Xiao Family will be yourspletely. Is that what you¡¯re thinking in your heart?¡± ¡°Zjvjwf!¡± Ktf tberfxffqfg tjv jigfjvs lcafggeqafv tfg yfobgf Vbcu Wejctf mbeiv rqfjx. ¡°P jqbibulhf obg atf wjvjwf, sbecu wjrafg.¡± Ktf tberfxffqfg ybkfv, ¡°Ktf aif sbecu wjrafg lr cbk lc yjv mbclbc, jcv atf wjvjwf¡¯r wbbv lrc¡¯a nfgs rajyif. Ktf wlrafg vbfrc¡¯a xcbk jybea atf ejalbc tfgf obg atf alwf yflcu, rb atf wjvjwf lr ecvfg fnfc wbgf qgfrregf. P tbqf sbe mjc ecvfgrajcv.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression remained unchanged. He nodded indifferently and said, ¡°Take care of the madame.¡± The housekeeper nodded respectfully, his face devoid of emotion as he helped Madame Xiao retreat a step. Madame Xiao also came back to her senses when she heard the housekeeper¡¯s clear but cold words. She looked up at Xiao Yuanmu anxiously, opening her mouth and wanting to exin, but she didn¡¯t know where to start. After starting and stopping a few times, her shoulders copsed heavily, and her voice sounded like she was holding back tears, ¡°Yuanmu, please forgive mom, your mom¡­ is just feeling too sad.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled Xiao Yuanmu behind him. He smiled superficially and said, ¡°Madame Xiao, I¡¯m sorry that your younger son has encountered such misfortune, but what you said to my lover makes me very unhappy. I can understand that you¡¯re too agitated, but I can¡¯t understand you questioning your eldest son because your younger son was injured. You even said such chilling words.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s mouth moved. She looked at Xiao Yuanmu with eyes that held guilt and pleading, ¡°Yuanmu¡­¡± ¡°Madame Xiao.¡± Song Xuanhe interrupted her again, ¡°I know that doing this is very impolite to you, but I don¡¯t want you to continue talking to Xiao Yuanmu anymore. Regardless of whether you mind or not, I¡¯m going to take him to the ward now because his leg has just been stitched up, and he needs to recover. Of course, if you still remember about this matter, then I¡¯m sure you wouldn¡¯t mind.¡± Song Xuanhe held Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s arm and turned to leave. He¡¯d only taken two steps when he paused, turned his head back, and said, ¡°Do you still remember what I said to you before?¡± Madame Xiao was staring at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back in a daze. At this time, her attention was pulled back by Song Xuanhe¡¯s voice. She blinked, her expression in a trance. Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyes were cold. He no longer looked at Madame Xiao and supported Xiao Yuanmu to leave. When they returned to their ward, Xiao Yuanmu reached out to hold Song Xuanhe¡¯s hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to live in the hospital. Can¡¯t I go back and recover?¡± ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled his hand away and said, ¡°It¡¯s already veryte now. We¡¯ll go back tomorrow morning and sleep here for today first.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t like hospitals.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at the bed he was sitting on, his voice clear, ¡°And this bed is too small.¡± Song Xuanhe sat down on another bed. He¡¯d already changed his clothes andy down,¡±You just have to fit in it for one night. We can go back tomorrow.¡± Xiao Yuanmu stared closely at Song Xuanhe¡¯s profile, then stated his request, ¡°I want to sleep with you.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Song Xuanhe nced at him and saw that his face was a little pale, and there was a trace of unhappiness in his dark eyes. His heart softened, and he frowned as he exined, ¡°Your bed is too small. You¡¯ll bump your wound if we sleep together.¡± ¡°Then, let¡¯s go back and sleep.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s too troublesome.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned and refused him again. Xiao Yuanmu clenched his mouth, his jaw tense. He was just about to speak again when someone knocked on their door. Yang Jie¡¯s voice sounded out, ¡°Brother Xiao, Young Master Song, you may have to get up.¡± Song Xuanhe moved the quilt aside, got up, and opened the door. he asked, ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± ¡°Xiao Baicong woke up.¡± Yang Jie¡¯s expression was a bitplicated. He continued, ¡°He learned that his legs had been amputated, and he can¡¯t ept it. The doctor can¡¯t even give him a tranquilizer, and also¡­ he said that Brother Xiao was the one to crush his legs.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows leapt up. Yang Jie continued, ¡°Madame Xiao wants Brother Xiao to go over there.¡± ¡°You tell her,¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression was cold, ¡°Xiao Yuanmu is injured and needs ot rest. If there¡¯s anything to talk about, we can do it tomorrow.¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t work.¡± Yang Jie frowned, then whispered, ¡°Madame Xiao isn¡¯t in a much better state than Xiao Baicong right now, and if this matter really reaches Mr. Xiao¡¯s ears, then things will be really bad for Brother Xiao. Right now¡­¡± ¡°Right now, Xiao Yuanmu needs to rest.¡± Song Xuanhe held the door. His expression was colder than the hospital lights, ¡°Tell her directly that Xiao Yuanmu is asleep.¡± ¡°How could he have fallen asleep!¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s voice sounded out sharply from the other side of the corridor. Her high-heeled shoes rang out with her steps, the crisp sound growing louder as she neared. They also emphasized her haggard and angry appearance. ¡°Mister Song, I think that this is our own family business. As Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mother, I want to ask him a few things. I hope that you can step aside.¡± This was the first time that Madame Xiao had shown a cold, almost oppressive expression towards outsiders. She¡¯d lost the elegance and softness of a well-breddy, and gained the courage of a mother. It was just that this trace of courage seemed ridiculous to Song Xuanhe. ¡°Mother.¡± Xiao Yuanmu had appeared behind Song Xuanhe at some unknown point in time. He pulled open the door that Song Xuanhe held with one hand, then put his other hand on Song Xuanhe¡¯s arm. He spoke calmly, ¡°You cane in. He can know anything there is to know about me and doesn¡¯t need to leave.¡± Madame Xiao looked at her eldest son, who obviously didn¡¯t look to be in good condition, and the anger at the bottom of her eyes dispersed slightly. She nodded, then walked into the ward after Xiao Yuanmu stepped aside. ¡°Your younger brother said that you were the one who caused his injury.¡± Madame Xiao got straight to the pint, ¡°I want to know if it¡¯s true.¡± Xiao Yuanmu dropped his gaze, his tone very calm, ¡°What did he say?¡± ¡°He said that at the time, you two had already run outside, and there was no one following you. However, when it was time to get into the car, you suddenly pushed him out, causing his legs to be crushed by the motorcycle that suddenly rushed out from behind. Then, he had totch on to the door and refuse to let go in order to not end up left behind.¡± Xiao Yuanmu raised his gaze. His emotions couldn¡¯t be read as he asked Madame Xiao very calmly, ¡°Do you believe it?¡± Madame Xiao was stunned for a moment. Back when her younger son wailed and told her what had happened, sobbing as he looked at his legs with beautiful, but empty eyes, she¡¯d naturally believed what he¡¯d said. Otherwise, she wouldn¡¯t have gotten so angry that she ordered Yang Jie to call Xiao Yuanmu over immediately, nor would she have charged over without waiting for him toe. But now, when she saw her older son¡¯s expression, she wasn¡¯t too sure. Madame Xiao didn¡¯t answer. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, and he remained calm, without showing even a trace of sadness over being questioned by his own mother. ¡°Then, what happened with Congcong¡¯s legs?¡± Chapter 149.2: Found A Good Friend ¡°Then, what happened with Congcong¡¯s legs?¡± Madame Xiao only opened her mouth to speak again about ten secondster. She looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm expression and seemed to want to find an answer from his emotionless eyes. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s gaze was heavy. He thought back to the scene from his previous life and said faintly, ¡°When I arrived at the factory, the people who kidnapped Xiao Baicong weren¡¯t the only ones there. There was another group of people. They started fighting, and Xiao Baicong was tied to one side, with very few people paying attention to him.¡± ¡±I snuck in to save Xiao Baicong, wanting to take him away, but was discovered on the way out. However, because there were two groups of people inside, the people who¡¯d kidnapped him couldn¡¯t spare anyone to chase us and we were able to run out.¡± Xiao Baicong said that he knew of a path where it would be more difficult for the people chasing us to catch us, so I followed him. Unexpectedly, there was an ambush set up there, and that was when I was caught and my leg injured.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his eyes to look at Xiao Yuanmu. For a moment, he couldn¡¯t tell if what he was saying was true or false. Even so, there was an extremely ufortable emotion at the bottom of his heart, and this difort wasn¡¯t for himself, but for Xiao Yuanmu, who was beside him. He couldn¡¯t help but stretch out his hand to hold Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s, twining their fingers together. Xiao Yuanmu looked down at Song Xuanhe and their sped hands. The shadows at the bottom of his eyes dispersed, showing a bit of warmth. It was just that when he lifted his eyes again, the warmth turned back into nothingness once more, leaving only a cold calm. ¡°Those people were Xiao Baicong¡¯s people.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at Madame Xiao, his voice clear and carrying no trace of personal emotion, ¡°The kidnapping had been nned out by Xiao Baicong himself.¡± Madame Xiao was stunned for two seconds, and then she denied, ¡°Impossible!¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t say anything else. He just looked at her quietly, making the words that surged up from her throat to argue for Xiao Baiconge to a stop at the edge of her mouth. She could only swallow them back down bit by bit, then say in a low whisper, ¡°Congcong has been a kind and considerate child since childhood. He would never do this. There must be some misunderstanding here. Yuanmu, you should know that you¡¯re already in charge of the Xiao Family. He doesn¡¯t need to do this.¡± ¡°He does.¡± There was a chill in Xiao Family¡¯s clear voice, ¡°You should also know clearly that it¡¯s because I took over the Xiao Family that he has even more reason to do this.¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s mouth opened, then closed. She¡¯d been rendered speechless. Xiao Yuanmu nced at her, then looked away and continued, ¡°However, he didn¡¯t expect that his people weren¡¯t as loyal to him as he thought. Other people had mixed in with his own, and the leader of those people was one of Xiao Baicong¡¯s subordinates¡¯ enemy. That person was the one who sent the two of us there.¡± ¡°Xiao Baicong said that I¡¯m now the current head of the Xiao Family. They could obtain more benefits in exchange for me. As long as they let him go, he wouldn¡¯t say anything.¡± Madame Xiao¡¯s expression trembled as Xiao Yuanmu continued, ¡°It was just that the man seemed to have some history with him, so they broke his legs, and then let us go.¡± ¡°Why did he let you gou?¡± Madame Xiao asked. ¡°Because that person knows Hoffman.¡± Xiao Yuanmu spoke faintly, ¡°I have a friendly rtionship with Hoffman.¡± Madame Xiao still couldn¡¯t believe that this was how everything happened. She said, ¡°He knew that you two were from the Xiao Family, and he even knew that you are the head of the Xiao Family. If he lets you go, then isn¡¯t he¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s not worried about this point.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked at Madame Xiao and said, ¡°Mother, he is very clear about who hurt my leg.¡± Madame Xiao was stunned and couldn¡¯t say a word. She understood what Xiao Yuanmu was leaving unspoken. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg had been hurt by Xiao Baicong¡¯s people, but those people hadn¡¯t offended Xiao Yuanmu, and they¡¯d even saved Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s life. If they had really killed the two sessors to the Xiao Family, they would definitely have to flee to the end of the world. However, at this time, they¡¯d let Xiao Yuanmu go because he¡¯d already started taking over the Xiao Family, and instead formed a good rtionship with Xiao Yuanmu. After all, those people knew that Xiao Baicong wouldn¡¯t be able to inherit the Xiao Family no matter what. ¡°If that¡¯s all you wanted to ask, then I¡¯ve finished saying what I have to say.¡± Madame Xiao looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s expression, which had remained indifferent from beginning to end, and heard hismand to leave. The shock, panic, and fear she¡¯d experienced over the past day suddenly surged back up again, making her feel both tired and very sad at the same time. Why was Xiao Yuanmu so indifferent to her? From the moment she¡¯d found him again until just now, she¡¯d done everything she could to make things up to him and shorten the distance between them. They¡¯d even given the Xiao Family back to him already, but he was still as indifferent towards her as he was to a stranger. She¡¯d tried to take countless steps towards him, but he was never willing to take a single step forward. In this kind of situation, what was wrong with her favoring her younger son, whom she¡¯d watched grow up from nothing but a tiny little bundle? In terms of time and emotion, her and her younger son were already closer to each other. This was just human nature. Now, her younger son, who she¡¯d always held in the palm of her hand, was ruined for life. He could no longer walk on his legs like normal people, and he had no way to show off the athletic ability he¡¯d always been so proud of anymore. He may never recover from this low point in his life, and when she thought about this possibility, thought of her bright and cheerful younger son bing gloomy and depressed in the future, she was so distressed that she couldn¡¯t breathe. Had she done something wrong? Even though her attitude had been wrong when she came to ask Xiao Yuanmu about Xiao Baicong, Xiao Baicong was her son. Which mother could calmly think everything over before asking questions when they saw their child in such a state? All she¡¯d done were things that any ordinary mother would do. Moreover, if Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯te back, then none of this would have happened. Madame Xiao¡¯s eyes were red. As she looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s indifferent expression, she asked, ¡°Ever since you came back, hve you ever regarded me as your mother, or regarded your father as your father, or your younger brother as your younger brother?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s long and slender eyshes swept down, covering half of his eyes. After a few seconds, he lifted them up again and looked straight at Madame Xiao. His gaze was like a sharp sword, holding a cold light. He replied, ¡°Yes.¡± Madame Xiao shook her head, ¡°I don¡¯t believe it. If you really treat us as a family, then it would be impossible for all of this to have happened. None of this would have happened.¡± Song Xuanhe squeezed his fingers around Xiao Yuanmu. The corners of his mouth were pressed down tightly, but he didn¡¯t speak. Xiao Yuanmu saw a glimpse of his expression out of the corner of his eyes and calmly returned his hold. He said faintly, ¡°I would like to rest now.¡± Madame Xiao got up, looked coldly at the Xiao Yuanmu and Song Xuanhe¡¯s twined fingers, and said, ¡°I¡¯ve wondered many times about whether you simply have no feelings, or just have no feelings for us. I even tried my best to recall what it was like before you left us. I wondered if you would smile, stick to me, and call me mother, and whether you would look forward to your fathering home every day.¡± ¡°I couldn¡¯t remember, but I know that it¡¯s not that you have no feelings. It¡¯s only that you have no feelings for me and your father.¡± Madame Xiao asked Xiao Yuanmu, ¡°Do you hate me and your father for not finding you earlier?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Sometimes, I really wish¡­¡± Madame Xiao stepped back, looked at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s calm expression, and said hoarsely, ¡°Sometimes I really wish, I think about how good it would be if we hadn¡¯t found you and brought you back.¡± Having said that, Madame Xiao turned and left without looking back. The door to the ward opened and closed, leaving behind a stretch of silence. Song Xuanhe held Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s hand and raised his gaze to look at his expression. Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s other hand covered his eyes. He rested his lower jaw against his shoulder, his clear voice a little hoarse, ¡°Don¡¯t look.¡± Song Xuanhe tightened his fingers again and nodded gently. His other hand wrapped around Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s waist, and he let the other hold him as he liked. ¡°What I said earlier is all true.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said. The hot air from his breath brushed against Song Xuanhe¡¯s neck. He shifted, and whispered, ¡°I know.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know.¡± Xiao Yuanmu chuckled lightly. The sound seemed to hold a mixture of many things, and it also seemed to be simple self-mockery. ¡°Well, can you tell me?¡± Song Xuanhe asked. ¡°When the time is right.¡± Xiao Yuanmu whispered, ¡°I¡¯ll tell you my biggest secret.¡± The arm Song Xuanhe had wrapped around him tightened slightly, and he made a quiet sound of acknowledgement. ¡°Would you be angry if I never told you about it?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s slightly hoarse voice rang out again. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe closed his eyes, his eyshes quivering as he said, ¡°Everyone has secrets that can¡¯t be told to others.¡± Xiao Yuanmu looked up and released Song Xuanhe. He focused on him and asked, ¡°You, too?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes again and met his dark eyes squarely. The emotion that was hidden deeply in the bottom of his eyes was indecipherable, or maybe there was nothing there at all, ¡°I have secrets, too.¡± ¡°Will you tell me when the time is right?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s pupils quivered, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corners of his lips, ¡°When it¡¯s time, you¡¯ll know.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s index fingernded on the edge of his eyebrow, sliding along the bone to brush across his eyshes before making its way along his cheekbone to the corner of his mouth. He rubbed gently and whispered, ¡°I¡¯m very curious.¡± ¡°More curious than sad?¡± Song Xuanhe blinked, a smile forming at the corners of his mouth. Xiao Yuanmu: ¡°Only curious.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be sad.¡± Song Xuanhe hugged him, kissing the corner of his lips. He whispered, ¡°But you can show your sadness in front of me.¡± Xiao Yuanmu shook his head and looked at him seriously, ¡°I¡¯m not sad.¡± He continued, ¡°I won¡¯t be sad as long as you¡¯re here.¡± xiin: i kinda wanna stab Madame Xiao and Song Xuanhe at the same time¡­ but i only have one knife. choices, choices. Chapter 150.1: Looking for a Friend It was as though Xiao Yuanmu had activated his love talk skills without any external instructions during his recuperation period. Every day when they got up, Song Xuanhe would always get a kiss the second after he opened his eyes. After that came Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice, which was somewhat hoarse after just waking up, ¡°I heard that the people who kiss good morning every day have the happiest days.¡± Xiao Yuanmu always ate less than Song Xuanhe. Recently, he ate even less because he had to watch what he ate due to his injury. Although he didn¡¯t eat much, he was still keen to cook despite his injured leg, and his favorite thing to do every day was to watch Song Xuanhe finish what he¡¯d cooked, then praise that it was delicious. At this time, he would say, ¡°I hope that I can cook for you for a lifetime.¡± Maybe it was because of his injury, but he had less work to deal with and slept earlier than usual. During this period of time, he would always go to sleep together with Song Xuanhe. Before they fell asleep, he would always look at Song Xuanhe with his beautiful eyes, then smile and say, ¡°It¡¯s really good to have you.¡± After a few days went by like this, Song Xuanhe started to suspect that Louis had given Xiao Yuanmu books to read, like ¡®love talk secrets¡¯, or ¡®how to please your partner¡¯, but he couldn¡¯t find them despite searching through the whole apartment. Just before Song Xuanhe started to doubt whether or not Xiao Yuanmu had changed personalities or been reborn again, Xiao Lin came to the United States from Country D. His health still wasn¡¯t very good, but no one could find any major problems with it when he appeared in front of outsiders. If it hadn¡¯t been for the system¡¯s reminder, then Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t have noticed his weakness at all. Xiao Lin came to Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s apartment alone, without Madame Xiao or any bodyguards around him. His usually solemn face was still serious, and his body was still full of momentum. He first greeted Song Xuanhe, saying, ¡°I¡¯ve heard about you for a long time, Mr. Song. If there¡¯s a chance in the future, then I hope we can talk.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and nodded, greeting him very politely and calling him uncle before going to wait downstairs. He¡¯d thought that Xiao Lin hade here specifically to talk to Xiao Yuanmu for a while. After all, many things had happened recently, including the amputation of his younger son¡¯s legs, the two brothers¡¯ insistence that the other had framed them, and Madame Xiao¡¯s sudden illness. However, Xiao Lin came back downstairs after less than fifteen minutes. He greeted Song Xuanhe again politely, then left. Song Xuanhe watched him enter the elevator, then immediately turned and went upstairs. Inside the study, Xiao Yuanmu was standing by the French window, his figure seeming cold and his back straight. He looked out the window, and it was like he was watching ants scurry on the ground, his gaze indifferent and calm. This was an expression that Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t seen in a long time. Or it could be said that Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t show this expression in front of him. Song Xuanhe stood at the entrance for over ten seconds but Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t respond, so he could only call out to him. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± In most cases, when the two of them were alone, Song Xuanhe would call Xiao Yuanmu by his full name, while Xiao Yuanmu addressed him by different names,pletely depending on his mood. Sometimes, he would call him Xuanhe, sometimes it was He Baby, but more often, he would just stare at him silently. This was often because one look was enough for Song Xuanhe to notice, and then the two of them could directly start talking while skipping any form of address. At this time, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s eyshes trembled when he heard Song Xuanhe calling him by his full name. The ck fog that shrouded his eyes receded slightly, and then his eyes focused on Song Xuanhe, who stood at the door with his back against the light. He paused for a moment, then asked, ¡°Why did youe up?¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice was a little hoarse, like someone who hadn¡¯t spoken for a long time suddenly speaking again. It was also like someone who¡¯d finally calmed down after choking for a long time, but his voice still leaked with his emotions. At almost the same time, Song Xuanhe discovered that Xiao Yuanmu was in a bad mood. He thought of Xiao Lin¡¯s expression as he left, and he couldn¡¯t help the worry from rising up from the bottom of his heart. He walked over to Xiao Yuanmu quickly, but he heard a voice ring out in his mind after he¡¯d only taken two steps: [ Don¡¯t go over there. ] Even before he could ask why, Song Xuanhe heard the system continue, [ At this time, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mood value is indeed really low, but there¡¯s no point in you going over there. It¡¯s true that you canfort him now, but what about fifteen dayster? Have you forgotten that you will be leaving him in fifteen days? Compared with his current mood fluctuations, I think that his mood fluctuations will be even more serious in a dozen or so days. At that time, you won¡¯t be able tofort him. Letting him get used to that now will help improve his immunity against it. ] Song Xuanhe¡¯s footsteps paused when he heard this, but he ignored the system and continued walking towards Xiao Yuanmu. ¡°Don¡¯te over here.¡± Xiao Yuanmu turned around, showing Song Xuanhe his back. His voice was a little heavy and hoarse. He continued, ¡°I want to be quiet for a moment.¡± This was the first time that Xiao Yuanmu had ever refused his approach. It left Song Xuanhe a bit stunned. The system¡¯s words hadn¡¯t stopped Song Xuanhe, but Xiao Yuanmu stopped him. ¡°What happened?¡± Song Xuanhe stood there frozen for a long time before asking this question softly. ¡°I just want to be quiet for a while.¡± Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t turn around, and there was a trace of fatigue in his voice as he spoke, ¡°Just let me be alone for a while, okay?¡± There was no way for Song Xuanhe to refuse when he heard this ¡®okay?¡¯. He nodded, then realized that Xiao Yuanmu couldn¡¯t see it and vocalized it. After speaking, Song Xuanhe stared at Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s back figure, looking forward to something in his heart. However, Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t move, and he didn¡¯t show the slightest intention of turning around at all. Song Xuanhe¡¯s slightly pursed lips tightened, and then he turned and walked out, step by step. He didn¡¯t know why, but he suddenly remembered a dream that kept repeating over these past few nights as he reached the door. In the dream, he still looked like a child. His parents had taken him out for a pic, and there had been a little girl who wanted to fly a kite with him. He¡¯d driven the little girl away and even made her cry. His mother hade over to ask him, ¡°Why did you drive that child away?¡± He¡¯d replied, ¡°I don¡¯t like her.¡± His mother had been disapproving, ¡°Didn¡¯t mom tell you to be nice to your friends?¡± He¡¯d clutched at a kite that was bigger and taller than he was, pursing his lips as he said, ¡°But she¡¯s not my friend. I don¡¯t know her.¡± ¡°Then you can treat her as a new friend that you¡¯ve just met.¡± His mother had smiled as she rubbed his hair. She asked curiously, ¡°But mom thinks that that little girl is very cute. Why don¡¯t you like her?¡± In the dream, he¡¯d pursed his lips again and replied loudly, ¡°I already have someone I like. Of course I can¡¯t like others.¡± His mother¡¯s expression had been very surprised, but there was a smile in her eyes, ¡°Can baby tell mom who you like?¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe would wake up every time he spoke Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s name. This was a dream, but in fact, it was also one of his few memories of his parents. The only difference between his memory and the dream was in the answer he¡¯d given after his mother asked him why he didn¡¯t like the little girl. In his memory, he¡¯d answered: Because he didn¡¯t want anyone else to y with his kite. He liked the kite very much. In the dream, his answer became ¡®Xiao Yuanmu¡¯. In the dream, his mother would immediately smile and say something after he answered, but at that time, he was about to wake up and couldn¡¯t hear anything clearly. So, over the past few days, Song Xuanhe had been thinking about what his mother would say to him if she knew that he was together with Xiao Yuanmu. He¡¯d thought about it for a long time, but couldn¡¯te up with anything because while his memory of his mother was deep, it had been too long ago. It was so long ago that he couldn¡¯t have the same kind of mutual understanding as other children, who had dozens of years of time with their parents. In his memories, his mother had always been gentle and kind, but when he grew up, he¡¯d learned that most mothers were gentle and kind in front of their children. The few memories he had weren¡¯t enough to allow him topletely piece together a person¡¯s character. So, he¡¯d returned to the house where he¡¯d lived with his parents for the first time when he was eighteen years old and found three diaries in his mother¡¯s room. One diary had been written by his parents when they fell in love, one was a pregnancy diary, and one was a record of his growth, made by his parents after he¡¯d been born. In the diary of his parents falling in love, they¡¯d written of their deep love, the roads they walked and the scenery they saw, and of their feelings for each other. His mother¡¯s pregnancy diary recorded everything from the surprise she¡¯d felt the moment she learned she was pregnant, to the moment before he was born. Each stroke of the pen showed how much she was looking forward to it, and the love she felt for the child in her belly. As for his growth diary, it was full of his parents¡¯ expectations for him. They had very little expectations for him, and it waspletely different from the expectations other childrens¡¯ parents had, which gave their children pressure. They hoped that he would be happy, kind, brave, never regret, and have the ability to love and be loved. Then, they hoped that he could go through and experience the roads and scenery they had seen when they fell in love for himself. More importantly, they wanted him to know how much they loved him. Song Xuanhe had somewhat forgotten how the 18 year old him had felt when he saw these things. However, he firmly remembered the day that he took these three diaries to his parents¡¯ cemetery and told them that he wouldn¡¯t let down their expectations. After he graduated from college, he would walk the same path and fulfil their wishes. ¨C¨CRevisit the same roads and scenery that his mother and father had travelled when they fell in love was his parents¡¯ expectation of him, and it was also a promise that Song Xuanhe had made when he reached adulthood. Thismitment had once been Song Xuanhe¡¯s belief, and it had supported him as he continued forward alone. Chapter 150.2: Looking for a Friend This was why Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t had any doubts that he would return to his own world at the beginning. But with the passage of time, what he¡¯d firmly believed in and insisted on holding onto began to shake. After that dream, he even started to think, would his parents be disappointed in him if he broke his promise to them? Or would they understand and bless him, because although he¡¯d failed to do thatst expectation they had of him, he¡¯d done the other one he¡¯d always thought that he might never be able to do¨C¨Chave the ability to love, and be loved. Song Xuanhe was very much at a loss. He didn¡¯t know whether ¡®revisiting the path his parents had travelled¡¯ was more in line with his parents¡¯ expectations, or ¡®the ability to love and be loved¡¯ was more important. These days, he¡¯d been struggling with these two choices all the time. However, when he saw the door, he suddenly remembered what his mother had said to him when he was a child. He¡¯d told his mother that he liked the kite very much, so he didn¡¯t want to share it with others. ¡°Since baby loves the kite so much, then will you take good care of it?¡± He naturally answered that he would. His mother grew serious, then said to him, ¡°Xuanhe, liking is a very serious and important thing. You can be interested in painting, and then put down your brush after a few days. You can be interested in model aircraft, then leave it on the shelf after a few days, but you can¡¯t say that you like it.¡± ¡°Liking something is an expression of your love for a person or a thing, which means that you¡¯re willing to give up many things to firmly protect the love you have. Are you willing to give up your model ne, tank, and car for this kite?¡± Perhaps he¡¯d been frightened by his mother¡¯s serious expression, but he thought for a long time and finally replied, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, you can¡¯t say that you like it. Baby, it¡¯s very normal for you not to know what love is now. Mom just wants to tell you that if one day you meet a love you¡¯re willing to give up a lot of things for, regardless of whether it¡¯s a person or a thing, you must stick to it. Because only when you stick to it can you get love.¡± ¡°You know what? Baby, if you can find the things or people you love, then you¡¯ll be a great person. Mom hopes that you can be such a person, but you don¡¯t need to look for it to satisfy mom¡¯s expectations, because it¡¯s your life.¡± This segment of memory was really long. It was so long that when Song Xuanhe finished recalling the entire memory, the speed at which his eyes grew red was a farcry from the speed at which he turned around. At this moment, he suddenly thought through some of the problems he¡¯d been struggling with before. Compared with wanting him to travel the roads that they had travelled through once again, his parents may want to see him find a lover who he could be with for his whole life more, because they always hoped that they could bravely decide on his own life, rather than fulfil their expectations for him. Xiao Yuanmu could hear the footsteps growing lighter, could hear that the study grew quieter with every breath, and the light at the bottom of his eyes grew dim. He suddenly remembered what Xiao Lin had asked him: ¡°You love Song Xuanhe. Does he love you?¡± ¡°Are you sure he loves you?¡± ¡°Even if you¡¯re sure, are you sure that you will be together forever?¡± ¡°There is no precedent for same-sex partners in the Xiao Family, nor will they make an exception for you. Those rtives still live by the old rules. In order to maintain old school tradition, they¡¯re willing to ignore or overlook many things. Can you guarantee that your persistence will protect your lover?¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, you¡¯re still too young. Do you think that because you can protect him for a while, you can protect him for a lifetime?¡± ¡°Once anything happens to you, Song Xuanhe, who has caused you to be unable to leave any direct descendants for the Xiao Family, will be the target of public criticism. I¡¯m very clear about the dispute between you and your brother. He failed due to his ipetence, but he¡¯s still part of the Xiao Family. To tell you the truth, I had expected this, so I¡¯m not disappointed that you treated him that way. However, you are digging out your heart and lungs for a man you aren¡¯t even sure really loves you, just stopping short of taking out your weakness and showing it to the world. This is what makes me really disappointed.¡± ¡°Xiao Yuanmu, I¡¯m your father. Even if we haven¡¯t spent much time getting along together, I understand you very well because you¡¯re very much like me. Ask yourself, do you really think Song Xuanhe loves you as much as you love him? If so, then why do you keep guard around him so carefully, as though you¡¯re afraid that he¡¯ll run away?¡± Xiao Lin¡¯s questions came one after another. Xiao Yuanmu didn¡¯t reply to any of them, but that didn¡¯t mean he didn¡¯t feel any fluctuations at the bottom of his heart. It wasn¡¯t because what Xiao Lin had said had made him feel that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t love him, but because he was afraid that he wouldn¡¯t be able to protect him. Xiao Yuanmu looked down at his trembling hand, and ck fog shrouded the bottom of his eyes, shadows covering up the light in his gaze. Xiao Lin had said many thing wrong, but he¡¯d been right about one thing¨C¨CIf anything happened to him, then Song Xuanhe would definitely be the target of public criticism. But even if so, he also¡­ The footsteps that were growing more distant suddenly stopped, and it was as though the pause button had been pressed against the mixed, gloomy ideas that drifted in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mind as he stood there in the quiet study. He put down his raised hand, his slender eyshes trembling slightly as he waited for some sort of sound that would restore all this back to its original track. It was unknown how long it took. Maybe it was a few seconds, or maybe a few minutes, or even longer, before Xiao Yuanmu heard footsteps moving over the wooden floor. The clicking shuffling sound made him hold his breath. ¡°Xiao Yuanmu.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s clear voice sounded out, and Xiao Yuanmu subconsciously stood up straighter. He continued, ¡°Did your father say something to you that made you a bit sad now?¡± The corners of Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s mouth pursed slightly. He shook the hand that hung by his side slightly, but didn¡¯t speak. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say that nothing I do would make you sad?¡± Song Xuanhe stepped closer, standing half a step away from Xiao Yuanmu. He looked at his back, ¡°If you want to be alone, but I don¡¯t want you to stay her on your own, will you be sad?¡± Xiao Yuanmu clenched his trembling hands into fists and replied in a hoarse voice, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Then, will you be unhappy or angry with me?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°What if I hug you?¡± Song Xuanhe stepped forward and hugged him from behind, ¡°Will you drive me away?¡± Xiao Yuanmu quivered and only answered a few secondster, ¡°No.¡± ¡°Not now, or never?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s chin pressed softly against his shoulder de. His chin shifted slightly as he spoke, and the tremor spread up along his spine, traveling everywhere along his blood and bones. ¡°¡­¡­ Forever.¡± Song Xuanheughed briefly, then hugged him tightly, ¡°In that case, just act like I don¡¯t exist and continue being alone.¡± The hand Xiao Yuanmu had by his side rose up a little, and then he let it drop again without a trace. After that, he let out a slight sound of acknowledgement. Song Xuanhe hugged him from behind just like that and remained quiet, saying nothing as he apanied him. Xiao Yuanmu stood by the window and suddenly discovered that looking down at the street below alone waspletely different from looking down at the street with someone hugging him from behind. The pedestrians moving back and forth changed from being noisy and messy to lively, and the old fountain in Central Park reflected the lights, appearing beautiful and warm. The Y City scene in front of him changed from boring and dull to being beautiful everywhere. Warm body temperature transmitted over from the person behind him, making Xiao Yuanmu feel very greedy. The shadow at the bottom of his heart was dispelled little by little, but he was reluctant to let Song Xuanhe go. He just wanted to maintain this position for as long as he could. There had never been a moment where Xiao Yuanmu could feel Song Xuanhe¡¯s love from him through the peace and quiet in front of him. Xiao Lin had asked him whether Song Xuanhe loved him back as much as he loved him. Xiao Yuanmu hadn¡¯t felt stung by his words because he¡¯d never felt that people could only be together if they felt the same amount of love. Whether he loved Song Xuanhe more, or Song Xuanhe loved him more had never been a problem, because it was enough for him to know that they loved each other. He would be greedy if he pursued more. Greed would nevere to a good ending. This was what Xiao Yuanmu had learned even before his first rebirth, and he wouldn¡¯t do worse than before after his second rebirth. However, from the moment Song Xuanhe hugged him, he suddenly felt that sometimes, there might be nothing wrong with being greedy. For example, right now, there was no need for anything to be said, yet he knew that Song Xuanhe loved him. Compared with Xiao Lin¡¯s assumptions that he used to fight psychological warfare with, thepanionship he felt at this moment was more important than anything else. It was just that he was suddenly not so certain about whether or not he could apany Song Xuanhe for as long as he wanted. Chapter 151.1: Found a Boyfriend Ch151.1 - Found a Boyfriend trantor: xiin Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s leg had almost healed on the day that Xiao Lin came to visit, and after he left, Xiao Yuanmu only needed to rest for a few more days before recoveringpletely. Once he was recovered, he quickly dove back into his work. It was probably because there had been too much of a backlog of work that had to be done from before, but between the work for RE and the work for the Xiao Family, Xiao Yuanmu became busier than ever before. Gone was the time he used to spend pasted together with Song Xuanhe, and most of the time, except for contacting him during lunch, the next time they met or contacted each other was after work. However, Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s off-work hours were very unstable. Sometimes, he would work overtime and onlye backte at night, and other times, he would sleep directly at thepany because he was too busy. Two days ago, Song Xuanhe had even gone to thepany to see Xiao Yuanmu because he wasn¡¯t used to Xiao Yuanmu suddenly bing so busy. However, as many matters started demanding his attention, he also no longer had any extra attention to spare on Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s affairs. Xiao Yuanmu wasn¡¯t the only one who had piles of work. He had too, and not only was it work, there was also his mother and grandfather who would call him every now and then to urge him to return home. Between drawing drafts for his designs that had to be finished soon, to dealing with the calls from Li Nianan and Grandfather Song, Song Xuanhe was also busier than ever before. As a result of both men¡¯s busy schedule and their inability to make their timing match up, they were hardly able to see traces of the other person around the house except for the dent in the pillow beside them when they opened their eyes in the morning. After being so busy for a few days, Feng Tong came looking for him. When Song Xuanhe saw him, he felt a moment of confusion and guilt, thinking that Feng Tong had personallye to find him because he hadn¡¯t sent the designs over to him yet. However, things were quite different from what he¡¯d thought. ¡°Are you ready?¡± Inside a coffee shop at the corner of the street, Feng Tong had set down his coffee and stood up with a smile to ask him this question even before Song Xuanhe could sit down. He didn¡¯t act like someone who hade to chase after his drafts, but rather like someone who was very excited about something. It was just that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Feng Tong was so happy about. He could only ask nkly, ¡°Ready for what?¡± ¡°Master McPhail¡¯s tea party.¡± Feng Tong finished speaking, then watched as Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression grew from vacant to dazed, and the smile on his face changed bit by bit until it became a mixture of surprise and helplessness, ¡°Don¡¯t you know? This time, Master McPhail¡¯s tea party will be held in Y City. You should¡¯ve gotten an invitation.¡± Song Xuanhe was first stunned for a few seconds, and then he recalled that Louis seemed to have told him about it and even given him an invitation. He¡¯d been very happy when he learned of this matter, but many things had happened after, which caused him to toss it to the back of his mind. By now, he¡¯d already forgotten where he¡¯d left the invitation. However, he still recalled the time on the invitation. Song Xuanhe was perfectly calm and collected as he replied, ¡°I know, it¡¯s at three o¡¯clock tomorrow afternoon.¡± Feng Tong sighed with relief when he heard this and smiled, ¡°I thought you¡¯d forgotten about such an important event.¡± Vbcu Wejctf: ¡°Yo mbegrf cba.¡± Mfcu Kbcu kjr gfilfnfv, jcv bcis atfc vlv tf atlcx bo jrxlcu tlw ab vbkc. Coafg Vbcu Wejctf rfaaifv lc, tf mbcalcefv, ¡°Ktf qfbqif jaafcvlcu atf afj qjgas atlr alwf rtbeiv yf atf rjwf jr jr yfobgf. Zs afjmtfg abbx wf bcmf, jcv vfmlvfv ab yglcu wf jujlc atlr alwf, rb kf mjc wffa ja Zjrafg ZmUtjli¡¯r tberf ktfc atf alwf mbwfr. Dea yfobgf atja, sbe cffv ab tjnf qgfqjgfv rbwf atlcur.¡± ¡°You should have already prepared it, right?¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and asked, ¡°I haven¡¯t heard about having to prepare anything.¡± ¡°I told you in the email that I sent you.¡± Feng Tong looked at him incredulously, ¡°You can¡¯t have gone for so long without seeing the email that I sent you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve been a little busy recently.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Zhou Nan came to the States, and hees to find me for all sorts of things every day. Also, he¡¯s been heartbroken recently. I don¡¯t know why, but he hates all electronic products, so I haven¡¯t been using myputer, email, or cell phone recently. You should know about this.¡± Feng Tong was skeptical, but he really hadn¡¯t been able to get in contact with Song Xuanhe through any electronic means ofmunication, which was why he¡¯d found a way to get someone to contact Yang Jie, then contacted Xiao Yuanmu through Yang Jie in order to notify Song Xuanhe by way of Xiao Yuanmu. With this in mind, Feng Tong was convinced again. ¡°What happened to Zhou Nan?¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression remained unchanged, ¡°He¡¯s lovelorn. He was in love with his first love, and this time, he wanted to get him back. Unexpectedly, they broke uppletely, and it might have been that they broke up through cell phone or e-mail, because now, he won¡¯t use any electronic devices and won¡¯t even allow me to use them, either.¡± Feng Tong frowned, ¡°That sucks.¡± Song Xuanhe nodded in agreement, and the two of them changed to talk about other topics. ¡°Do you remember Jiang Deyi?¡± Feng Tong asked him. ¡°Of course.¡± ¡°He¡¯s also going to Master McPhail¡¯s tea party.¡± Feng Tong said, ¡°Because his friend was invited, and he¡¯ll be bringing him to participate. I think you know his friend, his surname his Bai, and his name is Bai Mo.¡± Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows, ¡°Why did Bai Mo receive an invitation?¡± ¡°That, I don¡¯t know.¡± Feng Tong said, ¡°Also, I heard that Master McPhail has been in talks for cooperation with the heir of a jewelry tycoon from China recently. The heir may also be there this time.¡± Song Xuanhe looked at Feng Tong, his expression puzzled. Feng Tong spread his hands andughed, ¡°I just thought that you heirs might know each other, so I wanted to tell you ahead of time.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it¡¯s that simple.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled. ¡°Okay, then.¡± Feng Tong said, ¡°I heard that this heir yed around in the entertainment circles for a while and achieved great sess.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s eyebrows lifted, and he immediately thought of Xue Mian. Feng Tong said helplessly, ¡°I think you probably know who it is.¡± ¡°Thank you for your reminder.¡± Song Xuanheughed briefly, ¡°But earlier, what did you say needed to be prepared?¡± ¡°Your design book, of course.¡± Feng Tong said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to bring too much, just one or two designs. What one can get from Master McPhail¡¯s tea party depends on the participants¡¯ luck. As long as one of the masters sees your drawings and develops a liking for you, then you¡¯ll be¡­¡± Feng Tong stretched out two fingers and made a V symbol, then stood it upside down on the table like a pair of human legs. He raised his other hand to his forehead, and then the hand with the inverted V made a jumping action, flying up to step on the hand at his forehead in an instant. He raised his brows, ¡°Reaching the heavens in one step.¡± Song Xuanheughed briefly, ¡°You know as well as me that this is an almost impossible possibility, and I already have a teacher. I won¡¯t be anyone else¡¯s student.¡± Feng Tong shook his head, ¡°I can see from your designs that you must have had systematic training. Those who are not in the industry might believe you when you lie and say that you¡¯re just gifted, but for people like us, we can see your skills almost at a nce. Of course, we can also tell that you have a good teacher. However, you should know that a good teacher isn¡¯t only based on what they can teach you, but also what he can give you.¡± ¡°Your teacher may be great, and maybe they¡¯ve given you a lot of right things, but you have to admit that their position in the clothing industry can¡¯t bring you anything. Xuanhe, believe me, if you can gain the appreciation of some of the masters, your teacher would be proud of you.¡± Song Xuanhe burst outughing with a pfft sound, then shook his head, a brilliant smile on his face. Feng Tong could only look on in confusion. If that serious and narcissistic little old man knew that someone had said that his ¡®position in the clothing industry can¡¯t bring anything for his students¡¯, and ¡®he would be proud if his student was appreciated by other masters¡¯, he didn¡¯t know if it would be like when he wanted to ept him as an apprentice, but Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t agreed. Would he scurry around showing Feng Tong invitation letters from various designer brands and all sorts of awards that came from who knew where? He wondered if he would deliberately go and take part in various grand gatherings for designers in the fashion industry the way he¡¯d done before, pretending not to care, yet awkwardly fearing that Song Xuanhe wouldn¡¯t see that his position in the design industry wasn¡¯t insignificant. The corners of the smile on Song Xuanhe¡¯s face softened as he thought of that little old man. If there was anyone else in his original world that he thought of, then it would be that teacher of his who had tried his best to help create rtionships for him, and even put aside his ego to have his friends and opponents participate in his fashion design debut. Feng Tong was puzzled and asked Song Xuanhe, ¡°What are youughing at?¡± ¡°He wouldn¡¯t be proud.¡± Song Xuanheughed and said, ¡°On the contrary, he would stiffly tell me to never call him teacher again.¡± Feng Tong frowned as Song Xuanhe continued, ¡°Then, he would turn around and scold me for not having a conscience, telling me that he¡¯s already the best, and I¡¯ll never be able to find a better teacher than him.¡± When he thought of that scene, Song Xuanhe¡¯s smile grew gentle, and a few traces of sadness appeared in the bottom his eyes. [ Have you really decided to stay? ] The system asked. [ Xiao Yuanmu can¡¯t live without me. ] Song Xuanhe¡¯s lips curved. [ I believe that my parents would understand me, and they¡¯ve always had each other. My teacher also has other students other than me, while Xiao Yuanmu only has me. He¡¯s so pitiful that I can only stay by his side to apany him. ] The system fell silent for a few seconds, then said: [ I told you before that if you chose to stay, you can choose one item from the system store. After you really decide to stay on the day that you¡¯re set to leave, you can choose something then. ] Song Xuanhe frowned. He didn¡¯t recall whether or not the system had said that he could choose something from the system store before, but it wasn¡¯t toote to hear about it now. [ When the timees, we¡¯ll be saying goodbye forever. ] The system¡¯s voice was a little sad. Song Xuanhe was stunned for a moment when he thought about how this voice that had been with him in his mind would disappear in a few days, and a faint sense of mncholy appeared at the bottom of his heart. [ You¡¯re sad. ] The system said, [ I don¡¯t feel so bad seeing that you have feelings for me. ] [ Will systems be sad, too? ] Song Xuanhe asked, [ Don¡¯t you guys only have data? ] [ Are you looking down on data? ] The system replied, [ Can¡¯t I have sad data? ] Song Xuanhe fell silent for a while. The corners of his lips wanted to curve up in a smile, but he ultimately pursed his lips. Feng Tong watched Song Xuanhe¡¯s expression shift and thought that it was either because he was unhappy with him asking him to find another teacher, or because he felt bad for his own subpar teacher. He suddenly felt a little guilty. Chapter 151.2: Found a Boyfriend In any case, Song Xuanhe was still a child who¡¯d just graduated, and he was six or seven years younger than him. At this time in his life, it wasn¡¯t such a good thing for him to start considering such a practical problem, or even suggest that his teacher couldn¡¯t bring him any benefits. Additionally, when he thought of Song Xuanhe¡¯s family background and his boyfriend¡¯s family background, Feng Tong felt that maybe having a teacher who could help pave the way for him wasn¡¯t so important. A trace of apology floated across Feng Tong¡¯s face as he thought of this, and he said, ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t mean it that way. From your expression, I can see that you and your teacher have a deep rtionship. I didn¡¯t think of that when I said my earlier words to you, so I¡¯d like to apologize to you again, and also to your teacher. I¡¯m very sorry.¡± ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Song Xuanhe pulled out of his thoughts and smiled, ¡°I don¡¯t mind. I believe that my teacher won¡¯t mind, either.¡± His teacher really wouldn¡¯t mind. He would just snort coldly and scold Feng Tong for having eyes but being unable to see Mount Tai, then toss it to the back of his mind. That little old man looked serious, but in fact, his personality was no different from that of a child. He was very forgetful, and thest thing he liked to do was to focus on revenge. He felt that hatred would affect a person¡¯s view of beauty, and he rejected anything that would affect his aesthetic. ¡°He¡¯s a very jealous little old man.¡± Song Xuanheughed, ¡°So it¡¯s best to forget about the matter of finding other teachers.¡± Feng Tong nodded, and Song Xuanhe smiled briefly before continuing, ¡°However, I¡¯ll bring my design drafts. After all, the main purpose behind Master McPhail¡¯s tea party is to encouragemunication, is it not?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Feng Tong smiled as well, ¡°You can¡­¡± Feng Tong¡¯s words were interrupted by the ringing of Song Xuanhe¡¯s cell phone. He looked at the caller ID, and a smile appeared at the bottom of his eyes. He got up and said, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯ll be back after I answer this call.¡± Feng Tong nodded and watched as he left with a smile on his face, then shook his head in amusement. It was really very easy for love to change a person. Feng Tong still remembered how Song Xuanhe looked the first time they met, and he also remembered the changes that happened after Song Xuanhe broke up with Xiao Yuanmu. When he saw him now, he seemed very different from before. He was very much looking forward to seeing whether or not there would be even more surprises and inspiration in Song Xuanhe after he¡¯d experienced so many changes in emotion. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know what Feng Tong was thinking. At this time, the smile that he¡¯d had when he first answered the was already long gone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s voice came over the call, tired and apologetic, ¡°I have to go to Country F on short notice today. I¡¯ll be back to have dinner with you tomorrow evening.¡± Song Xuanhe looked out the window, took a deep breath and said, ¡°It¡¯s okay. I¡¯ll be having dinner with Feng Tongter. You don¡¯t have to worry about me.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xiao Yuanmu said, ¡°I miss you so much.¡± ¡°I miss you, too.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°Make sure you get some rest.¡± ¡°I know.¡± Xiao Yuanmu seemed to want tos ay something else, but Yang Jie¡¯s voice drifted over from the other side. He paused, then said, ¡°I have a meeting soon. See you tomorrow.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After hanging up, Song Xuanhe stood there for a while before turning around and re-entering the cafe. ¡°Finished?¡± Feng Tong smiled, ¡°I thought that you lovers would chat for a long time, so I¡¯ve just ordered a new round of dishes.¡± Song Xuanhe smiled and said, ¡°You can eat a few more rounds.¡± ¡°Do you have to go back earlier?¡± Feng Tong was very considerate as he said, ¡°If something hase up, you don¡¯t have to apany me for dinner at night. It¡¯s okay if we have dinner together tomorrow instead.¡± ¡°It¡¯s alright.¡± Song Xuanheughed briefly. Song Xuanhe ate together with Feng Tong, then went back to the apartment alone. Xiao Huang was waiting at home, and seeing that Song Xuanhe had returned, it wagged its tail and went around in circles around him excitedly before looking excitedly behind Song Xuanhe. When it saw that nother was there, the speed at which it wagged its tail also slowed down. Song Xuanhe rubbed its head and said, ¡°He¡¯ll be back tomorrow. Don¡¯t worry.¡± Xiao Huang whined a few times, then returned to the sofa with its favorite ball toy in its mouth. Ity there on its stomach, its head facing the door, waiting silently. Song Xuanhe read a book and apanied it for a while. When midnight came, he went back to the bedroom to sleep. He covered himself with the quilt and closed his eyes, then waited for sleep toe. However, he didn¡¯t feel any traces of sleepiness even by the time the sky started turning white. This was the first time Song Xuanhe had experienced insomnia aftering into this world. He¡¯d kept his eyes closed from beginning to end as night moved towards morning, but his brain remained very clear. The system was able to detect that Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t asleep, but it could tell that Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t want to talk to it. His mood hadn¡¯t fluctuated much, so it didn¡¯t speak up. After all, it would be leaving Song Xuanhe forever in ten days. It was a good thing to not talk to him so that he could get used to life without it. However, Song Xuanhe¡¯s silence onlysted until 6:36 in the morning. His voice sounded out abruptly in the empty and quiet room, ¡°Is Xiao Yuanmu hiding something from me?¡± The system didn¡¯t react at first because he hadn¡¯t been speaking inside his mind. It didn¡¯t answer until three secondster when it realized that it was the only one that Song Xuanhe might be speaking to. [ I don¡¯t know. ] ¡°Analyze it with your data.¡± Song Xuanhe opened his eyes and said, ¡°You have Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s information. Don¡¯t you think that his current behavior is very strange? He has never been like this before.¡± The system hesitated slightly: [ What do you mean by ¡®like this¡¯? ] ¡°Working overtime,ing homete or noting back at all, going on business trips. Even his calls with me are shorter than before.¡± Song Xuanhe listed everything out one by one. He frowned, ¡°My intuition tells me that he¡¯s hiding something from me.¡± The system didn¡¯t speak. Song Xuanhe asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you talking?¡± [ You said before that only women have a sixth sense. ] The system said: [ Howe you have one now? ] Song Xuanhe: ¡­¡­ ¡±This is something that people who are in a rtionship can easily develop. It¡¯s not called sixth sense, and it¡¯s just a type of intuition.¡± Song Xuanhe was expressionless as he continued, ¡°You¡¯ll have it too when you fall in love, but unfortunately, you may never get it.¡± When faced with this sudden attack, the system fell back on its superior speech database that ensured that it would never be left speechless. So, it said: [ I don¡¯t think that it¡¯s a sixth sense, it¡¯s wishful thinking. People who are in love are more likely to think messy thoughts about gains and losses. It¡¯s very normal. ] Song Xuanhe wasn¡¯t paying attention to what the system was saying. He was in the midst of thinking about Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s abnormal behavior over this period of time. At the beginning, Song Xuanhe hadn¡¯t noticed Xiao Yuanmu¡¯s abnormal behavior. After all, he did have a lot of work to do, and he was often so busy his feet barely touched the floor even without a backlog of work, not to mention after having rested for so long to recover. What made Song Xuanhe find the situation strange wasn¡¯t how busy Xiao Yuanmu, but his increasingly curt words. Xiao Yuanmu had never been a talkative person, and was even a bit silent in front of most people. However, he was even easier to talk to than Song Xuanhe when he was with Song Xuanhe, and especially after that period of continuous words of love from Xiao Yuanmu some time ago, it would be strange if Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t notice a difference as soon as he suddenly became less talkative. Song Xuanhe didn¡¯t know why Xiao Yuanmu would suddenly be less talkative, but he could feel that during this period where Xiao Yuanmu went out early and came backte, or didn¡¯t evene back, he was really hiding something from him. But he didn¡¯t know what Xiao Yuanmu was hiding. [ Why are you so certain that Xiao Yuanmu is hiding something from you? ] The system couldn¡¯t understand it, [ Maybe he¡¯s just working a lot. I can hack into all the systems in Xiao Yuanmu¡¯spany, and he indeed took his ne to fly to Country F that evening. He didn¡¯t lie to you. ] ¡°I¡¯m not saying that he¡¯s lying to me.¡± Song Xuanhe frowned. [ Then what is it? ] The system searched through its database for the contradictions and troubles between men and women who were in love, then asked: [ Do you think that he doesn¡¯t love you? ] ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe¡¯s tone was calm and firm, ¡°He can¡¯t possibly like anyone other than me, and it¡¯s impossible for him not to love me. ] [ Don¡¯t forget, ] The system reminded him, [ This is a world inside a book. In this book, Xiao Yuanmu has seven suitors. Although the author stopped updating, it does prove that the main character in this story has emotions. ] Song Xuanhe raised his eyebrows, ¡°I¡¯ve noticed a very strange problem.¡± [ About Xiao Yuanmu? ] ¡°About you.¡± Song Xuanhe said, ¡°When I was firm in my decision to leave this world and return to my own world, you always wanted me to stay in this world. After I chose to stay, you¡¯ve now started to belittle this world and hope that I¡¯ll return to my original world. ] [ I¡¯m not. ] The system denied, [ Don¡¯t wrong me. ] Song Xuanhe sneered, the meaning in the sound self-evident. The system fell silent for a few seconds, then admitted: [ Fine, I did do that, but it¡¯s just because I hope you¡¯ll make a decision you never regret. Once you decide, you¡¯ll no longer have the chance to change your mind again. ] [ Will you regret it if you chose to stay? ] The system asked. ¡°No.¡± Song Xuanhe got up and sat at the side of the bed, looking out the floor to ceiling window at the orange skyline that appeared between the clouds and blue sky. A warm yellow color was slowly spreading out, allowing light and warmth to prate through the ck and blue clouds, shining brightly. ¡°I never regret my decisions.¡± Song Xuanhe curved his lips. A faint light brushed over his curled eyshes and fell into his eyes through the gap between each eysh. The scattered light was brilliant as he smiled and said, ¡°He¡¯s worth it.¡± The system fell silent and apanied Song Xuanhe to watch the sun rise little by little. When the sunlight finally fell upon the earth, the system asked, [ What do you like about him? ] Song Xuanhe thought about for a while, then shook his head, ¡°Too many things, but it¡¯s hard to say. What I like most is probably that he can make me trust him unconditionally.¡± [ Since you trust him, why don¡¯t you ask him directly about what he¡¯s hiding from you? ] Song Xuanhe was stunned as the system continued, [ Since you trust him, and he trusts you very much, why don¡¯t you ask him directly about your suspicions? ] Song Xuanhe seemed to suddenly see the light. Xiao Yuanmu had said before that there was something he wanted to tell him. Could it be rted to his recent strange behavior? The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!