After Marrying Bigshot Vegetable Boss - Chapter 20

The news of Yu Lan bringing Chu Wang to attend the group meeting for the first time quickly spread within the circle.

 

Whether they were present or not, everyone who knew the Chu family or had some connection with them was discussing this event. They said that Chu Wang’s newlywed wife visited the company, made a bold declaration of sovereignty in the lobby, and then announced the firing of a high-ranking executive in the conference room without any warning.

 

Many people found this hard to believe, as the pre-wedding rumors suggested that Yu Lan was just a disliked pawn used to ward off bad luck. They thought he had likely begged to attend the meeting with Chu Wang, and the group’s delicate balance had been maintained for a long time. How could he possibly come in and announce such a decision in front of so many senior executives?

 

Setting aside whether he had the authority, even if he did, this was far too audacious!

 

Therefore, even though attendees of the meeting confirmed this event and it was recorded in the meeting minutes, those who were not present still believed it was a publicity stunt. They thought it was a move to stabilize the unrest caused by Chu Wang’s coma and reassure everyone that he was merely recovering from illness and not in a vegetative state with a slim chance of waking up.

 

But soon, an internal company announcement proved them wrong.

 

The title read, “Regarding Changes in Company Senior Personnel.”

 

“Therefore, it has been decided to relieve Chen Lin of all his duties within the group…”

 

Yu Lan sat in the chair while Chu Wang, like a diligent Chinese teacher, read the announcement word by word, guiding Yu Lan to log into the company intranet under Chu Wang’s account and send out this notice.

 

After completing the task under Chu Wang’s guidance, Yu Lan looked up at Chu Wang, who had his arms crossed, and asked, “Mr. Chu, did I really send it out?”

 

Chu Wang nodded casually.

 

“This is just a notice. Being able to log into this account already says a lot. Find some time to visit the company and stamp it in my office to make it official.”

 

Yu Lan was about to speak when Chu Wang continued, “Zhang Yan will help you explain it to my mother. At worst…”

 

Chu Wang paused, swallowing back the words “at worst, you can tell Xiyun what you told Zhang Yan.”

 

He still hadn’t found a suitable opportunity to explain to Yu Lan what he could see.

 

“Anyway, you don’t need to worry about it,” he said.

 

Yu Lan wasn’t worried, but he did feel that things were going a bit too smoothly. Even without fully explaining the situation to Chu Wang, Chu Wang had allowed him to log into the company account and confirm to everyone that Yu Lan’s words at the meeting were not empty talk.

 

Are you really such an accommodating villain?

 

Yu Lan had no psychological burden when taking advantage of Chu Wang’s audacity, but now that Chu Wang was so accommodating, he felt something was off.

 

“Mr. Chu,” Yu Lan thought for a moment and asked, “is there anything you want me to do for you?”

 

Yu Lan had received many benefits recently and, although he was enjoying it, he occasionally wondered if changes might occur.

 

Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Chu Wang frowned and asked, “Are you leaving?”

 

Yu Lan was taken aback, “Leaving where?”

 

Chu Wang realized his overreaction and lowered his gaze, saying, “Nothing.”

 

Perhaps he felt that what he could offer Yu Lan wasn’t enough to keep him around.

 

Chu Wang tended to think about the worst-case scenarios: being trapped here forever, never waking up, the group collapsing because of his issues…

 

So, unconsciously, he also wondered what would happen if Yu Lan, the only person he could communicate with now, left.

 

But Chu Wang wasn’t someone who would wallow in despair over the worst-case scenarios. He could still move forward without hesitation after considering these consequences.

 

He just didn’t have an answer yet, or he wasn’t ready.

 

This was what made him feel uneasy.

 

“No need.” He finally looked up again, seeing the confusion in Yu Lan’s eyes, and said, “Just do what you want.”

 

—

 

The Chu family remained calm, but the announcement slapped those who doubted or slandered them.

 

—Weren’t they saying it was just a powerless pawn causing a scene? How did it end up with someone actually being kicked out of the company?!

 

Most people knew that, given Chu Wang’s style before the incident, if it weren’t for a very close relationship, this little pawn couldn’t have achieved this.

 

Therefore, some people believed that without Chu Wang’s personal stamp, it didn’t prove anything. They thought Yu Lan, living under the same roof as Chu Wang, had stolen the information and sent it out himself.

 

But regardless of the outcome, at least the Chu family and the group’s headquarters hadn’t come out to refute the rumor. This only suggested…

 

This so-called wife was bold and used Chu Wang’s name to act domineeringly, or he had reached some agreement with the Chu family. Otherwise, why hadn’t he been kicked out yet?!

 

Do they really think Chu Wang won’t wake up?

 

However, apart from Chu Wang himself, the Yu family, who just heard the news, had been in a low mood all day.

 

Yu Ling carefully observed Liang Zhiyu’s expression, walked over, and poured a cup of tea, “Mom, would you like some snacks? I can…”

 

“Xiaoling.” Liang Zhiyu pursed her lips deeply, remaining silent for a moment before asking, “Didn’t you tell me last time that he wasn’t well-regarded in the Chu family?”

 

How could it be that Yu Lan was now able to push Chu Wang to the company?!

 

Even going to the company was astonishing, let alone making decisions publicly!

 

Was this something a so-called “pawn” could have the authority to do?!

 

Yu Ling was bewildered. Ever since the last incident, the name Yu Lan kept ringing in his ears.

 

He had thought that after Yu Lan left, he would have some peace and be able to live well with his family. But now…

 

“Mom,” he began urgently, “I really saw him pushing Chu Wang downstairs, with no one else helping.”

 

“I truly don’t know why this is happening…”

 

Liang Zhiyu took a deep breath, calming her emotions as she said, “I understand, Xiaoling, it’s not your fault… But are you sure you didn’t see it wrong?”

 

Faced with this question, Yu Ling, already feeling guilty and unwilling to admit that Yu Lan had gone back to school and that he had run into him once at a clothing store, pursed his lips and said, “No, Mom… And that day, didn’t they bully me?”

 

Knowing when he could garner the most sympathy from Liang Zhiyu, Yu Ling softened his voice to evoke pity and to stop her from pursuing the matter further.

 

However, Liang Zhiyu seemed preoccupied with this issue for the first time, not immediately turning to comfort him. Instead, she suddenly realized something: “Right, Xiaoling, how can we keep quiet about being bullied?”

 

“Didn’t you say last time that Yu Lan poured water on himself and falsely accused you?”

 

Yu Ling’s expression stiffened, but thinking that Liang Zhiyu was standing up for him, he relaxed and nodded, “Yes.”

 

Liang Zhiyu’s fingers lightly curled and tapped the table, “No, this won’t do.”

 

She finally looked at Yu Ling again, “We need to get justice for you, don’t we?”

 

She patted Yu Ling’s hand, “The Chu family is so big, how could they tolerate someone who just entered the family being so arrogant? And if it happened in the garden, shouldn’t there be surveillance?”

 

Yu Ling was stunned, “Mom…”

 

“Xiaoling, didn’t you fail to give the money I asked you to give last time?” Liang Zhiyu pondered, “Here’s what you do: go to the Chu family and tell them the truth. You have the moral high ground in this matter. Once they check the surveillance, everyone will know the truth. If they see his true colors, who would protect him?”

 

Liang Zhiyu paused, “Also, as I mentioned, your father will be returning next month, and there will be business dealings… The amount on that card was one million, right? I’ll add some more. You can take this opportunity to give it to Yu Lan, so he can recognize his place and stop targeting us out of spite.”

 

“After all, we are the real family.”

 

After saying this, Liang Zhiyu smiled at Yu Ling, “Xiaoling, you are the most sensible and should understand your mother’s feelings.”

 

“This way, the Chu family won’t misunderstand you, and he will see his position clearly,” she held Yu Ling’s hand, “This is a beneficial act, isn’t it?”

 

“I noticed that Mrs. Xi will return from her business trip tomorrow, and it’s the weekend. That would be the perfect time for you to go.” Liang Zhiyu had even picked the timing for him.

 

Yu Ling’s mind was buzzing, but he felt that Liang Zhiyu made sense.

 

How could this be?

 

Wasn’t Yu Lan always expressionless, never communicating with anyone?

 

How could he…

 

Right, he remembered that day in the clothing store, Yu Lan pulling out a black card without blinking. Chu Wang was in a coma; how could he have given it to him?

 

“Xiaoling, Xiaoling?” Liang Zhiyu called out, seeing him dazed, “What’s wrong? If you don’t want to, it’s okay…”

 

“I want to, Mom.” Yu Ling snapped back to reality, showing Liang Zhiyu a sweet smile, “I’m happy to help you.”

 

—

 

The next day, Yu Lan had no classes and remembered there were some items he needed to buy. He sent a message to Zhong Jiale, found a location, and went to a nearby mall.

 

He thoroughly enjoyed the joy of shopping at a supermarket, considering it more delightful than visiting an amusement park—though he had only been to an amusement park once before Aunt Liu passed away.

 

Unlike in his previous world, where he didn’t even need a cart and could pick a few favorite items to take away, now he could select the largest shopping cart as soon as he entered and leisurely push it around, enjoying his time.

 

As for his husband left at home—

 

Chu Wang had been staring blankly out the window for half an hour.

 

Yu Lan seemed to have made new friends. He woke up in the morning, happily washed up, sent a few messages, and then went out, telling the butler he was going out for a stroll and would be back soon.

 

But the problem was—

 

Yu Lan didn’t turn on his phone!

 

After last night, Chu Wang watched the young man sleeping soundly in the big bed, and with his meticulous analysis and various conjectures, he thought he could have a good talk with Yu Lan about the relevant issues.

 

For example, regarding warding off bad luck, he wondered if Yu Lan would get bored staying by his side. If Yu Lan wanted to do something else, he would support him.

 

Chu Wang even thought that if Yu Lan was interested in his business, it wouldn’t be impossible to start preparing now, like gradually getting involved in the group and studying abroad after graduating from undergraduate studies…

 

In short, he listed a thousand possibilities and a thousand and one conditions, hoping to keep Yu Lan from feeling bored while staying by his side.

 

Another thing was that he needed to find a way to let Yu Lan know that, although he couldn’t speak sometimes, he could still see.

 

For a moment, Chu Wang pondered why he was worried about Yu Lan getting bored of him, but he quickly concluded that Yu Lan was still too young, and it was normal to seek novelty. If material things couldn’t keep him, Chu Wang himself seemed boring. If Yu Lan left, he wouldn’t be able to communicate with anyone else.

 

To Yu Lan, Chu Wang might just be a dull ghost, which made him feel a bit of a crisis for the first time.

 

But to Chu Wang, Yu Lan was novel, interesting, and had a charming wit that wasn’t annoying. Sometimes he was like a fawn, and when he slept, he resembled a fluffy kitten.

 

Having never owned a pet and with a poor repertoire of related metaphors, this was how Chu Wang thought.

 

So, why didn’t Yu Lan turn on his phone this morning?

 

Did he have to wait until the next care time?

 

Was he already finding him boring?

 

Just as Chu Wang was beginning his third round of thoughts, he suddenly heard some noise at the door.

 

He floated to the floor-to-ceiling window in the inner room, where he could see a bit of the yard outside.

 

A somewhat familiar person was standing at the door, talking to the butler, seemingly trying to come in.

 

Chu Wang recognized him as he got closer; it appeared to be Yu Lan’s brother, Yu Ling.

 

Chu Wang set aside all his previous thoughts at that moment, wishing he could poke his head out and float outside to eavesdrop on what Yu Ling wanted.

 

Fortunately, as Yu Ling entered the hall, Chu Wang could hear his intentions.

 

Yu Ling said, “I want to see Xiaolan.”

 

“Mom brought him a little gift… Is he not here? I’ll wait for him here then.”

 

The butler, who wasn’t there last time and had heard that the whole family liked Yu Lan recently, assumed Yu Ling had a good relationship with him and let him in to rest.

 

Chu Wang floated silently towards the door.

 

But the door blocked him from continuing.

 

He could only hover in mid-air as usual.

 

However, as a soul, his senses were still sharp enough to roughly hear what Yu Ling was saying.

 

Bringing a gift was definitely an excuse.

 

Sure enough, Yu Ling spoke again, “By the way, Uncle, I have another favor to ask.”

 

“The last time I was here, chatting with Xiaolan in the garden, I seemed to have lost a bracelet… It was a precious gift from my mother, and after thinking about it for a long time, I believe I lost it then.”

 

“This bracelet is very important to me. Could you check the footage from that day and let me look for it in the garden?”

 

The butler found this strange, “Mr. Yu, why don’t you wait a moment while I ask the people who have been cleaning the yard these past few days if they’ve seen it?”

 

Yu Ling knew he couldn’t rush, so he nodded, “Okay.”

 

The butler didn’t understand what was going on, but Chu Wang, trapped in the room, instantly did.

 

He probably wanted to use the excuse of checking the footage to find something to blackmail Yu Lan or achieve some other purpose.

 

The butler, thinking Yu Ling was an esteemed guest, didn’t want him to wait too long, “Mr. Yu, what kind of bracelet is it?”

 

Seeing the butler cooperating, Yu Ling described the bracelet’s style and casually asked, “By the way, when will Mrs. Xi return? My mom also brought a gift for her and asked me to deliver it.”

 

The butler thought for a moment, “She should be back later today. Would you like to check the yard again to see if it’s still there?”

 

Chu Wang could no longer hear Yu Ling’s voice, but he could hear the butler asking others if they had seen Yu Ling’s belongings before.

 

Meanwhile, Yu Lan still hadn’t returned.

 

Chu Wang thought, Yu Ling must have planned to find an excuse to make the incident where he was falsely accused public once Xi Yun came back. This would mean that Yu Lan’s previous actions would be scrutinized again, and maybe…

 

It was best not to let Yu Ling have the opportunity to release the footage.

 

Chu Wang could only think of the worst-case scenario. If others saw the footage, even if Yu Lan’s image was reversed in Xi Yun’s mind…

 

It didn’t matter; he would find a way to persuade her to let Yu Lan stay. If Xi Yun couldn’t accept it, he could let Yu Lan buy a new house. But in that case, he wouldn’t be able to see him every day…

 

No, he had to make Xi Yun trust Yu Lan, not Yu Ling.

 

However, as a floating soul, Chu Wang couldn’t interact with this world. Except for being seen and heard by Yu Lan, he could do nothing else.

 

He had already thought of a hundred ways to remedy the situation if Yu Lan was discovered. He heard the butler asking the servants about the footage and the noise from the first and second floors.

 

But no one could hear him.

 

Chu Wang frowned.

 

Just as he began to think of other methods, he finally heard a familiar voice on the first floor—

 

“Uncle Butler, I’m back!”

 

–

 

Yu Lan returned with bags of items. He hadn’t finished shopping, but when he checked his phone and saw it was time to take Chu Wang out for sunbathing, he stopped his shopping spree and took a cab home.

 

After setting down his things, he heard the butler say, “Just in time, Xiaoyu, it seems your brother is here? He’s in the garden, saying he lost something…”

 

Yu Lan frowned, “My brother?”

 

Yu Ling?

 

It couldn’t be anything good.

 

Even though he knew Yu Ling was probably here to cause trouble again, there was something more important now. Yu Lan nodded, “Got it, Uncle. I’ll go upstairs first and bring Mr. Chu down. I still need to take him for a walk and some sun today.”

 

As Yu Lan went upstairs, he wondered why Yu Ling had come.

 

Saying he lost something was definitely an excuse. Could it be that yesterday’s incident made Liang Zhiyu think of a new plan?

 

In any case, he had to inform Chu Wang first.

 

After all, he still needed to take him downstairs.

 

Thinking this, Yu Lan walked to the bed.

 

The vegetative man lay there quietly with his eyes closed, as if all this had nothing to do with him.

 

But as Yu Lan’s fingertips just touched Chu Wang’s slightly cool hand, he heard a voice, steady as usual but different in some way—

 

“Yu Lan,” Chu Wang called his name, his tone concise, “Listen to me. Go to the monitoring room now.”

 

“Your brother is here, trying to check the footage of you watering the garden last time.”

 

He gave a string of numbers: “This is the password. Or you can directly tell Zhang Yan to hack the records from that day.”

 

Yu Lan didn’t react immediately when he heard the first sentence. As he listened, he suddenly understood.

 

However, just as he was about to nod, he felt something was wrong…

 

Slowly, very slowly, Yu Lan turned his head to look at Chu Wang on the wall.

 

“Mr. Chu…”

 

“You… knew?”