—Yan Xun left with the cat again.
But now he had come back on his own and even said… he wanted to come back and coax him.
This was probably something Chu Tingyun never even dared to dream of.
However, Chu Tingyun would not agree with the description of being a “parent hiding in the car, crying their eyes out.”
He certainly did not cry, nor would he ever cry.
When he was young, his mother’s strict education and harsh training had long made him forget what it meant to cry.
Moreover, shedding tears represented weakness and incompetence, and he would never allow himself to be labeled that way.
But for some reason, at this moment, Chu Tingyun suddenly felt his eyes sting, and his throat began to tighten and feel dry.
He instinctively wanted to turn his head away to hide his expression, but his face was being held in Yan Xun’s hands, making it impossible to move.
“I am not crying.”
In the end, Chu Tingyun could only refute this way in Yan Xun’s hands.
In fact, his expression was well-managed. Aside from his eyes being a little moist and slightly red, there were no other abnormalities.
“Alright.”
Yan Xun didn’t argue with him and instead said,
“Maybe I saw it wrong.”
“……”
With those words, all the cover-ups and excuses Chu Tingyun had spent so much time thinking of suddenly became useless.
Before he could think of what to say next, his lips suddenly felt warm.
Chu Tingyun received a kiss.
It was just a soft, moist touch on his lips.
It was a kiss without any lust, filled with tenderness, comfort, and affection—a simple kiss.
“Then I’m not here to coax you.”
Yan Xun said.
“I’m just here to kiss you.”
“……”
Chu Tingyun was speechless.
At this moment, looking at Yan Xun, only one thought remained in his mind.
That this slow-acting poison that rots one from the inside… is just too sweet.
So, when the young man let go of him, he couldn’t help but grab the back of Yan Xun’s head and kiss him deeply in return.
In a daze, Chu Tingyun suddenly remembered a time when Yan Xun also smiled at him so tenderly.
After all, the other person was a good person. From a distance, he seemed cold, but when you got closer, you’d realize just how warm he really was.
Chu Tingyun was well aware of this, or else he wouldn’t have been so captivated and obsessed with this person.
But later, there were so many conflicts, disagreements, quarrels, and hurts between them, and gradually, Yan Xun turned into a block of ice.
“Mm…”
The young man panted slightly, pushing him away,
“Alright, Chu Tingyun, don’t you need to rush to the company?”
The company?
To hell with the company.
Chu Tingyun immediately wanted to skip work.
He was feeling better, feeling alive again, and even wished he could strip his little husband naked and have another passionate round.
To hell with it.
At this moment, an inappropriate thought even popped into his head.
Something like, “To die under a peony blossom, even as a ghost, one would be amorous.”
But at that moment, Yan Xun had already helped him tidy up his clothes.
“Hurry and go, come back early tonight, and we’ll have dinner together.”
“……”
Chu Tingyun paused for a moment, then reluctantly nodded.
“Alright.”
Yan Xun got out of the car, but suddenly remembered something and turned back to ask,
“Chu Tingyun, is there anything else you want to say to me?”
“……”
It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that at that moment, Chu Tingyun’s heart skipped a beat. He stared closely at Yan Xun’s face, trying to find some clues.
But the other’s expression was normal, and there was even a faint, gentle smile at the corners of his lips.
“…No, nothing.”
When Chu Tingyun said this denial, he felt a slight numbness all over his body.
“Oh, then I’ll go back now.”
Yan Xun nodded and left without any sign of abnormality.
This time, he didn’t come back.
Chu Tingyun waited in the parking lot for a while, confirmed that he wouldn’t return, and then drove to the company.
But halfway there, the more he thought about it, the more anxious he became. He couldn’t help but immediately pull over, quickly take out his phone, and check the location.
On the map, the small blue dot quietly rested in the position of their home.
“……”
Chu Tingyun finally let out a breath.
Maybe he was overthinking it.
He calmed down on the roadside for a while and only started driving to the company again when he no longer felt so anxious.
Meanwhile, Yan Xun returned home.
In fact, he had already noticed that Chu Tingyun was acting strangely today. Such a strong emotional reaction couldn’t have been just because of the cat’s rejection.
There must have been significant conflicts and issues between them in the past.
That’s why the other party had been avoiding telling him about the past and only picked the good things to talk about.
Yan Xun wasn’t stupid, nor was he a fool.
Mainly, these loophole-ridden lies were just… too easy to see through.
However, Yan Xun didn’t want to force everything out of Chu Tingyun right now.
Because he had confirmed that they must have married out of love in the beginning, perhaps there was some conflict that happened afterward.
As long as that premise was there, Yan Xun was willing to work hard to repair the cracks between them.
After all, conflicts in a family are normal; maintaining family relationships requires effort.
As an adopted child, Yan Xun had spent most of his life doing this, so he found it manageable.
Initially, he even planned to call his senior sister to ask about the past, at least to confirm whether they really had a relationship back then.
But Yan Xun couldn’t find his senior sister’s phone number.
He didn’t have her on WeChat, and while he did have a contact on QQ, she hadn’t been online for a long time. Yan Xun sent her many messages, but she never replied.
He considered directly asking Chu Tingyun for his senior sister’s number but then decided against it.
Obviously, the other party cared a lot about his previous relationship; otherwise, he wouldn’t have specifically had Yan Xun catch the bouquet at the senior sister’s wedding.
Moreover, the relationship between Chu Tingyun and the Jiang family seemed to be extremely strained, almost to the point of mutual hostility.
It would be better not to deliberately step on landmines, poke at sore spots, or affect family harmony.
After all, it had been many years, and maybe not bringing it up again was for the best.
So, it’s better to take things slowly…
Yan Xun let out a gentle breath.
For the next few days, everything seemed to return to the routine of a normal family life—
Chu Tingyun worked from nine to five, while Yan Xun stayed at home to “review,” quickly picking up the work knowledge and skills he used to have.
He couldn’t just stay at home “living off of someone else”; although Chu Tingyun was quite willing to let him do so.
Besides work, Chu Tingyun also started to play the role of a cat dad.
Bathing, trimming nails, and giving medicine—all these unpleasant things were done by Yan Xun himself. On the other hand, feeding, giving snacks, and playing with toys were all left for Chu Tingyun.
Soon, the cat’s attitude toward Chu Tingyun changed significantly.
It was no longer fierce; when it saw a can being opened, it would meow and rub against the man’s trouser leg.
Having never raised any pets before, Chu Tingyun was extremely surprised by this rapid change.
“It’s a simple principle.”
Yan Xun squatted beside him, explaining,
“You see, if every time the cat interacts with you, it experiences something it likes and feels happy being with you, it will naturally want to be with you and gradually like you.”
“On the contrary, if every interaction makes it feel controlled, pressured, fearful, or hurt, it will definitely want to escape.”
“……”
Chu Tingyun suddenly glanced at Yan Xun.
For some reason, he felt that Yan Xun wasn’t just talking about the cat.
But then, it also seemed like he was being too sensitive, thinking Yan Xun always had a hidden meaning because of his guilty conscience.
“Mm, okay.”
In the end, Chu Tingyun said nothing, just nodded.
Ding dong—
It was the sound of a WeChat message notification on Yan Xun’s phone.
The young man stood up to check his phone.
Who would be sending him a message?
Chu Tingyun instantly became alert and stood up as well, pretending to ask casually:
“Who is it?”
“Lin Ran,” Yan Xun answered naturally.
Chu Tingyun couldn’t help but want to come over and see what they were talking about. Yan Xun sensed his intention and turned around to look at him.
“What’s up?”
“…Nothing.”
To make his words more convincing, Chu Tingyun deliberately turned his head to the other side.
Yan Xun didn’t think much of it and said directly:
“Lin Ran has been in the capital recently. It’s been a while since we met, so I want to have a meal with him and ask about my mom’s situation.”
Since the last time he saw Lin Ran, Yan Xun had sent him messages and made phone calls, but Lin Ran hadn’t replied on WeChat, and his phone was off.
Lin Ran explained that, due to a recent surge in telecom fraud, his mother believed in all of them, so he simply shut off her phone.
Only then did Yan Xun feel relieved.
However, he still wanted to meet Lin Ran in person and ask how he’s been these past few years.
But the news that the two would be meeting made Chu Tingyun’s heart skip a beat.
Because he didn’t know how much Yan Xun had told Lin Ran about the divorce. Given that Lin Ran gave Yan Xun the demolition compensation from the old house for the divorce, they would inevitably bring it up when they met.
And then…
And then it wouldn’t be possible to hide it anymore.
“No way!”
This instinctive denial came out of Chu Tingyun’s mouth out of habit.
Yan Xun was stunned and turned around to look at him, a bit surprised.
“Chu Tingyun… what did you just say?”
Chu Tingyun suddenly froze.
[Be patient, don’t be harsh with him…]
[If every interaction makes him feel controlled, he’ll definitely want to run away.]
“I… I mean…”
Chu Tingyun hadn’t thought of a good excuse to stop Yan Xun from meeting Lin Ran.
“No way?”
Yan Xun frowned and looked at him, asking, “Chu Tingyun, do you not want me to go, or are you forbidding me to go?”
“…”
They had argued too many times over similar matters. Chu Tingyun knew he couldn’t stop it. If he tried to force it like before, it would only lead to the same result.
So this time, Chu Tingyun made a different choice. He said—
“I mean… I want to go too.”
“You want to go?”
Yan Xun was very surprised. He had actually planned to ask Chu Tingyun if he wanted to go, but he hadn’t expected him to bring it up on his own.
He thought for a moment and nodded.
“Alright, I’ll let Lin Ran know.”
And so, the matter was settled.
That evening, the meeting place for dinner was a hot pot restaurant chosen by Lin Ran.
The two brothers grew up in the South, so they naturally liked spicy food. Yan Xun originally wanted to change to Chinese cuisine because Chu Tingyun didn’t seem to handle spicy food well.
“I can handle it!”
President Chu was very stubborn.
“…Alright, we’ll order a double-flavored hot pot then.”
That was what Yan Xun originally thought.
But when they arrived, Lin Ran had already ordered—
A pot full of red oil with countless bright red chili peppers floating on top.
As soon as he saw it, Chu Tingyun knew this was a trap, but this kind of trick was too weak. President Chu wasn’t afraid at all.
He was eight years older than Yan Xun and even five years older than Lin Ran, Yan Xun’s brother. Not to mention his experience and insight.
In Chu Tingyun’s eyes, the other was just a young kid.
Yan Xun frowned and said to Lin Ran.
“How about we change it to a double-flavored pot? This is too spicy, and I’ve been feeling a bit heated lately, so I can’t eat anything too spicy.”
“…”
Lin Ran glanced at him, feeling as if his love-struck younger brother was siding with an outsider.
Clearly, the younger brother who had been insisting on a divorce not long ago had now reconciled with this man as if nothing had happened.
So, this pot base was just a test. The moment Yan Xun suggested changing it and used himself as an excuse, Lin Ran was convinced—
His brother wasn’t getting divorced.
Tsk.
“Fine, let’s change it.”
Lin Ran didn’t refuse to change the pot base.
He had actually planned to leave the capital and return to Nancheng as soon as possible, preferably keeping things with Yan Xun at a distance, only exchanging phone calls during the holidays at most.
But Yan Xun insisted on meeting him. Lin Ran originally wanted to refuse, but he was afraid Yan Xun would chase him all the way to Nancheng, so he agreed in the end. He just didn’t expect Yan Xun to bring Chu Tingyun along.
At this point, Yan Xun briefly introduced them to each other, and both sides were rather indifferent.
It was the kind of “Oh, so you’re the guy” feeling.
Lin Ran didn’t have a good impression of this man, even though he was Jing Shu’s brother. He and Chu Tingyun had never met before; all he knew came from Yan Xun’s descriptions.
A rich family’s CEO, handsome and wealthy, but also arrogant, conceited, and unsociable.
Three years ago, who knows what tricks he used to make his brother fall head over heels, rushing into marriage right after graduation.
And during the divorce, Chu Tingyun insisted on keeping the cat to mess with people, forcing Yan Xun to drink himself into a stupor and call him miserably late at night.
Likewise, Chu Tingyun naturally didn’t have a good impression of Lin Ran either. In his eyes, this so-called foster brother treated Yan Xun terribly and was always asking him for money.
Back then, when Yan Xun was heavily in debt, he still had to find ways to send living expenses to his brother abroad…
In short, neither of them liked the other.
Thus, Yan Xun sat between Lin Ran on his left and Chu Tingyun on his right. The atmosphere in the private room became a bit subtle.
Yan Xun had always wanted to find an appropriate opportunity to talk to Lin Ran in person about the car accident and memory loss. However, at the beginning of the conversation, Yan Xun didn’t directly bring up this topic but instead asked about Lin Ran’s future plans.
“Lin Ran, are you planning to stay in Nancheng permanently? Working over there?”
“Yes, I got a job as an editor at a publishing house.”
Lin Ran paused and said,
“I booked a flight at 2 AM. I’ll pack up and leave right after dinner.”
“So soon?”
Yan Xun was surprised,
“What about Mom? Is her eye getting better? If you’re busy with work, I can bring her to the capital for a check-up or something.”
Just as it happened, Yan Xun recently quit his job, so he had some time. Although he didn’t have much money on him, he still had over 300,000 on a card that was with Chu Tingyun, more than enough for a check-up.
“She’s fine. You don’t need to worry.”
Lin Ran’s expression suddenly became unpleasant. He seemed to be very resistant to the topic, his tone a bit sharp.
“Just take care of your own business!”
“…Oh.”
Yan Xun was actually used to Lin Ran speaking like this, but Chu Tingyun couldn’t stand it.
Having been corrected by Yan Xun for several days, he restrained himself from responding harshly. Instead, he tried to follow Yan Xun’s lead and said in a relatively calm tone,
“I actually think it’s a good idea to bring her over. The elderly should have a thorough check-up at a big hospital. I know a few friends at the hospital who can arrange an appointment with a specialist.”
As soon as he said this, both people at the table turned to look at him.
Yan Xun’s expression was a bit surprised, but overall he seemed pleased and agreeable. Lin Ran, however, instantly got angry.
He slammed his chopsticks down with a “clack” and glared coldly at Chu Tingyun.
“That’s my mom! I don’t need you guys to worry about her.”
He emphasized the words “my” and “you guys.”
The implication clearly excluded Yan Xun as well.
“……”
Yan Xun looked at him, a bit stunned, not understanding why Lin Ran suddenly got so angry over what seemed like a good thing.
“Forget it.”
Lin Ran took a deep breath and suddenly stood up.
“Yan Xun, since you’re already married and don’t plan to divorce, just live your own life and stop interfering in mine.”
“It’s true that our family raised you for over ten years, but you’re not my parents’ biological child. You’ve already repaid what you owed, and nobody owes anyone anything anymore. There’s no need for further contact. Most importantly, I don’t want to have any contact with you.”
“……”
Yan Xun was stunned.
He came with the joy of reuniting with his family, and he specifically brought along his beloved spouse, hoping they could get along harmoniously.
But unexpectedly, before they even started eating, Lin Ran said such things.
He felt a bit lost and a bit sad.
“Why…?”
“Heh, why?”
Lin Ran sneered mockingly, as if he were finally going to say what he had been holding in for years.
“I’ve always hated you. Didn’t you ever notice after all these years?”
“The moment you showed up, half of my family’s affection was taken away. I became disabled, yet you remained healthy. My grades were mediocre, and you were always at the top. I barely managed to get into a second-tier university, while you were the city’s top scorer and went to the best university in the country.”
“Now I can only go back to my hometown and settle for a mediocre job. I can’t even get a decent match in a blind date, while you get to stay in the capital with a house, a car, and money, and marry into a wealthy family with a bright future ahead of you.”
“Yan Xun, why do you think I hate you?”
“……”
Yan Xun stared at him in shock, finally regaining his voice after a long moment.
“Have you always… thought this way, Lin Ran?”
“Yeah, always! I’ve always felt this way! I’ve never been able to speak nicely to you because of it, and I never truly considered you my brother.”
“Have you ever heard of a cuckoo occupying a magpie’s nest? That’s what you are in my eyes, a cuckoo! Got it?”
Lin Ran’s eyes were red, his emotions seemingly reaching a peak.
“Today’s dinner was just to make things clear, Yan Xun. If you really think our family has been good to you, then please stop contacting me from now on and don’t show up in front of me anymore!”
After saying this, he turned around, opened the door to the private room, and left just like that.
“……”
The entire room suddenly fell into a dead silence.
Even Chu Tingyun was surprised by Lin Ran’s sudden outburst. Originally, he thought this dinner would be about him having some friction with Lin Ran, but unexpectedly, it turned out to be a falling out between Yan Xun and him.
Or more accurately, Lin Ran unilaterally severed ties with Yan Xun.
But after the shock subsided, all of Chu Tingyun’s attention turned to Yan Xun.
“Yan Xun…”
“It’s okay.”
He stood up, his expression a bit dazed and helpless.
“I… I might need to go to the restroom.”
Chu Tingyun stood up, wanting to go with him, but Yan Xun pressed down on his shoulder.
“I want to go alone; it’s fine… I’ll be back soon.”
With that, he opened the door and walked out.
Not long after, Chu Tingyun also came out with a dark expression, but he didn’t follow Yan Xun. Instead, he went after Lin Ran, who had already left the restaurant.
Of course, he wasn’t trying to make Lin Ran stay. After all, from Chu Tingyun’s perspective, it was better for Yan Xun to sever ties with such a family that only took from him.
From now on, he and Yan Xun would be each other’s family.
They would only have each other in the future.
The thought of this made Chu Tingyun’s heart burn slightly.
But before that—
“If you’re going to cut ties, make it clean.”
Lin Ran paused at this sentence and turned around to look at him.
“What do you mean?”
“Exactly what I said.”
Chu Tingyun sneered.
“The 3.6 million was your Lin family’s demolition compensation. It has nothing to do with Yan Xun. Leave an account number, and I’ll transfer it to you right now.”
The most important thing was that this was the money Yan Xun had borrowed from his family to get divorced. Chu Tingyun certainly didn’t want a single cent of it.
But he couldn’t directly return it to Yan Xun either, as it would reveal everything. Today’s incident was the perfect chance to give it back to Lin Ran.
“No need! That wasn’t a loan to him; it was something I returned to him.”
“Now we’re even.”
After saying that, Lin Ran didn’t linger any longer.
Since that was the case, Chu Tingyun didn’t pursue it further. He had to go back, afraid Yan Xun would come out of the restroom and not find him.
Meanwhile, in the restroom—
Yan Xun splashed cold water on his face and stood there for a long time before his mind slowly began to clear.
He had known that Lin Ran never liked him, but he hadn’t expected it to be this severe.
Recently, when they were in touch, Lin Ran’s tone seemed quite good. Yan Xun had thought that as they grew older, their relationship could improve…
Was it really going to be a complete break?
Would his family… just turn into strangers like this?
Lin Ran didn’t want him anymore.
Perhaps when Lin Ran said his mother’s phone was disconnected, it was a lie too.
Maybe they both didn’t want him anymore, which is why they never contacted him or met with him…
Countless cold droplets of water dripped from Yan Xun’s face, falling one by one into the sink.
Amidst the chaotic thoughts, Yan Xun suddenly heard a familiar voice.
“What a coincidence, Yan-ge?”
The way he was addressed quickly made Yan Xun realize who it was.
He closed his eyes, quickly pulled himself together, and looked up to see Jiang Yuheng standing behind him in the mirror.
The other still had a smiling face.
“Are you and my brother here for a meal too?”
Yan Xun was well aware of Chu Tingyun’s attitude toward this younger brother. After the recent bouquet-snatching incident, Yan Xun had also sensed the malice behind Jiang Yuheng’s smile.
He ignored Jiang Yuheng and turned to leave.
However, Jiang Yuheng suddenly stepped aside, blocking Yan Xun’s path.
“Yan-ge, I’m just here to give you a little piece of advice.”
Jiang Yuheng tilted his head and chuckled softly, saying:
“Don’t think that just because Chu Tingyun doesn’t know what you’ve done, he won’t find out. No matter how much he dislikes my mother, the Jiang family and the Chen family are in-laws who have been cooperating for over a decade.”
“He can’t… Not even my father would sever such an important connection for the Jiang family. Understand?”
“……”
Yan Xun, who had lost his memory, certainly didn’t understand.
He had no idea what Jiang Yuheng was talking about, and just after being told by Lin Ran that their relationship was severed, Yan Xun wasn’t in the mood to discuss anything with him.
“Move!”
The next moment, he expressionlessly shoved past Jiang Yuheng with his shoulder and left directly.
When he returned, Chu Tingyun was still waiting for him in the private room.
“This is still too spicy.”
The man looked at him, his tone unintentionally carrying a hint of a plea.
“Xunxun, can we go home to eat instead?”
“…Okay.”
Yan Xun responded softly.
The two of them left together, and the driver had already brought the car around to the entrance.
However, the car hadn’t been driving for long when Yan Xun, who had been looking out the window, suddenly seemed to notice something important.
“Stop the car!”
His voice was urgent.
“Stop the car!!”
The driver was confused but pulled over immediately.
“Yan Xun—”
Chu Tingyun couldn’t call out to him because Yan Xun had already gotten out of the car quickly and was running across the street.
Fortunately, it was a green light at that moment, so it was still safe.
Chu Tingyun looked closely and noticed that at the corner on the opposite side of the road, Lin Ran was having a heated argument with a woman in her fifties or sixties.
That woman was probably Yan Xun’s adoptive mother.
Without further thought, Chu Tingyun chased after him too.
Yan Xun didn’t hear clearly what they were arguing about; he just rushed over and grabbed Mother Lin.
“Mom…”
He was a bit emotional, also very happy, perhaps with a bit of the hurt he felt from the harsh words Lin Ran had thrown at him earlier.
At that moment, Mother Lin, her face flushed from the argument, turned around and froze when she recognized Yan Xun’s face.
Lin Ran’s expression changed drastically; he hadn’t expected his mother to come to the capital, nor did he expect her to confront Yan Xun directly.
“Mom!”
He hurried forward to pull his mother away, but it was already too late.
Smack—
A crisp sound of a slap.
Yan Xun’s head snapped to the side from the blow, his mind buzzing; he didn’t quite register what had happened.
“Yan Xun! Our family raised you for over ten years! Ten years! We fed you well, paid for your education, but how could you… How could you even take the money for the house?”
Mother Lin was emotional; she clutched Yan Xun’s clothes tightly, her voice sharp as she questioned him.
“That house belongs to our Lin family; it’s your brother’s future security! How dare you… how dare you take that money?”
“Didn’t you get into the best university? Don’t you have a good job? You can easily earn hundreds of thousands or millions, and you’ve even snagged a rich second-generation heir. Xiao Chu has so much money. If you needed money, you should have asked him. Why…”
Chu Tingyun, who had rushed over and saw Yan Xun get slapped, immediately became enraged and reflexively wanted to rush over to strike back, but he was held back tightly by Yan Xun.
“No… Chu Tingyun, don’t lay a hand on her.”
“Mom—!”
At the same time, Lin Ran managed to tear her away from Yan Xun, pulling her back forcefully.
“Can you stop making a scene? How many times have I told you that money is what I gave; I voluntarily gave it to Yan Xun!”
Mother Lin turned her head and shrieked at him, “Even if you gave it, he shouldn’t have accepted it!”
Lin Ran felt utterly powerless.
“Why shouldn’t he? Back then, the money for my trip abroad and for my medical treatment, wasn’t it all given by Yan Xun? Now, it’s just being returned to him.”
“Why should it be returned?”
Those words provoked her even more, and the woman pointed at Yan Xun, almost roaring at Lin Ran.
“That money was what he owed you! He should have given it to you! If not for him, how would your father have…”
“Mom—!”
Lin Ran was furious to the extreme.
“Stop blaming everything on others!”
“…”
Yan Xun stood there in a daze. A slap wasn’t really a serious injury, but he felt like he couldn’t catch his breath.
It took him quite a while to make out the key points of their argument.
“What money…?”
“Chu Tingyun, what money is she talking about?”
Chu Tingyun didn’t know how to explain, but at this point, Yan Xun didn’t want to know the details.
“Give it back to her…”
“No matter what money it is, just give it all back to her!”
Yan Xun held onto Chu Tingyun’s sleeve tightly, his lips trembling uncontrollably.
“Don’t I still… have a card with you?”
“Whatever amount is in there, give it all back to her right now!”
Chu Tingyun clenched his fists repeatedly. Seeing Yan Xun in this state made his heart ache as if it was bleeding.
They’d been married for three years; no matter how intense their arguments got, they never laid a hand on each other.
A mere three million.
And it resulted in Yan Xun getting slapped.
At that moment, President Chu wanted nothing more than to go to the bank, withdraw three million in cash, and smash it in this woman’s face.
Unfortunately, he didn’t have that card on him today, so he wrote a five-million check.
Chu Tingyun tossed the check at her in disgust.
“Get lost, and don’t ever show up in front of Yan Xun again!”
The moment his mother clutched the check tightly, Lin Ran’s expression became indescribable.
Regret, anger, pain, guilt, humiliation…
But no matter what, this farce ended this way.
Chu Tingyun took Yan Xun back to the car. On the way, he had the driver stop at a convenience store to buy an ice pack. Then he held the silent Yan Xun in his arms and gently pressed the ice pack against his wound.
He didn’t say a word the entire way.
Chu Tingyun didn’t know how to comfort him; he could only hold him and use the ice pack to ease Yan Xun’s physical pain.
When they got home, Yan Xun walked in first, and Chu Tingyun went to get him a glass of water.
At that moment, Chu Tingyun suddenly felt someone hug him from behind. Yan Xun buried his face in the crook of his neck, remaining silent for a long time.
So, Chu Tingyun didn’t say anything either. He just let him hold him like that. It wasn’t until his legs started feeling a bit numb that he heard Yan Xun slowly speak.
He said—
“Chu Tingyun, from now on, I guess…”
“It’s just you for me.”
I’m so furious at Yan Xun’s family, specifically his mother. That woman…. How could she be so heartless. She raised him all those years only to treat him lile a complete stranger just for money. I’m very very angry