After Marrying Bigshot Vegetable Boss - Chapter 38

Yu Ling was completely frozen.

 

But showing any other reaction would seem even more deliberate, so he could only force himself to hold his position, unable to look up at Song Sijue.

 

A brief, unspoken awkwardness filled the space.

 

However, it was Song Sijue who spoke up first, giving Yu Ling an out. “Xiao Ling, it’s also my fault. I should have realized that you were so uncomfortable and not kept asking you.”

 

Yu Ling had already stopped crying and nodded in agreement, pretending that this was indeed the case.

 

After a while, when Yu Ling felt the atmosphere had softened a bit, he was about to lift his head to pretend nothing had happened and change the topic. “Sijue Gege…”

 

But when he looked up, he saw Song Sijue lost in thought, as if pondering something.

 

Hearing his voice, Song Sijue snapped back to reality. “Hmm?”

 

Yu Ling had planned to say: “…Nothing.”

 

Something must have happened to Song Sijue today for him to be so distracted.

 

However, Yu Ling thought that only company matters could make Song Sijue so troubled—he had just returned, and he seemed to care about him now and then. It couldn’t be that someone suddenly appeared and made him fall in love at first sight, right?!

 

But company matters are significant too.

 

Yu Ling pondered, given what he knew over the past few days, that Song Sijue had some influence and authority at headquarters. If there were indeed problems with the company’s domestic projects, how could he help the Yu family?

 

The more he thought, the more anxious he became.

 

Yet, Song Sijue didn’t bring it up, and he couldn’t ask too directly.

 

Yu Ling steadied his expression and stood up, though his smile was still somewhat forced. “Sijue Gege, I remembered there’s something at home. I should head back now.”

 

Song Sijue looked at him, somewhat apologetic. “Xiao Ling, I…”

 

“It’s okay,” Yu Ling thought his apology was for the earlier rejection, and felt a bit better. He forced a smile. “I understand.”

 

Huh?

 

Understand what?

 

Song Sijue felt he might have misunderstood something, but this wasn’t something he could discuss with Yu Ling, so he simply nodded. “Alright then.”

 

They parted ways, each with their own concerns. However, Yu Ling seemed noticeably comforted after Song Sijue’s words.

 

Song Sijue must have had something on his mind today, Yu Ling thought, but given his final attitude, he still felt somewhat reassured.

 

He knew Song Sijue would have a charity auction in a few days. Everyone knew that the charity was just a pretext; the real purpose was networking.

 

Although the Yu family hadn’t received an invitation in the past two years due to their declining situation… As long as Song Sijue went, there would still be hope.

 

Yu Ling sighed, his sweet smile from earlier fading as he quickly walked away.

 

As for Yu Lan, he returned with a head full of confusion.

 

He felt that if he wanted to change his fate in the world of the book, it would inevitably lead to some plot reversals and changes in the relevant scenarios and characters.

 

But even if Yu Ling was vastly different from the book’s description, why did the protagonist fall apart as soon as he appeared?!

 

He should be busy making up with his beloved childhood sweetheart, but instead, he came to talk about all this!

 

However, Yu Ling never failed to disappoint him, still going all out to portray himself in a negative light.

 

Well, Yu Lan thought lightly, this way, no matter what his ending becomes, his guilt would be somewhat lessened.

 

After all, he wasn’t someone of true virtue; his upbringing had long taught him that enduring and tolerating while being bullied was nonsense. Instead of suffering in silence, it was better to confront and retaliate immediately.

 

Dignity and face are things only the upper class needs. With no family to care for him, his biggest wish was to live peacefully and be with those who truly cared about him. Yu Lan never considered anything beyond that.

 

…However, today’s events still exceeded his plans.

 

Yu Lan hadn’t fully processed his thoughts and kept his head down when he pushed open the door to his room.

 

But perhaps because he had finally returned to a familiar place, he seemed to relax somewhat as he closed the door, took a deep breath, and walked to the treatment bed.

 

Unbeknownst to him, Chu Wang had been pacing alone in the room for a long time.

 

Chu Wang had once thought he had become accustomed to such time passing indifferently, as day and night made no difference to him.

 

But not anymore.

 

Chu Wang didn’t want to admit it, but he had memorized Yu Lan’s class schedule, including when classes were heavy or light. Along with Yu Lan’s occasional complaints, he even remembered which teachers had bad tempers and which ones liked to call names.

 

Realizing this, Chu Wang chuckled at himself. He hadn’t expected that after so many years away from school, his connection to it would be because of this.

 

Therefore, he naturally knew today that Yu Lan only had two classes in the afternoon. Even accounting for travel time, he should be able to see him soon.

 

Chu Wang had been lying in bed for a year now, calculating such things.

 

But Chu Wang waited from five to six, then from six until dark. He even stayed by the window, looking at the gate for a while, but he didn’t see the person he was hoping to see.

 

Later, he overheard from the butler and others that the person seemed to have gone out and wouldn’t be back for dinner.

 

Well, making friends at school is a good thing.

 

Chu Wang thought expressionlessly—

 

But thoughts aside, he kept looking at the door.

 

Why wasn’t he back yet?

 

Had he made new friends? Was he safe? Would he be taken advantage of…? Forget it, Yu Lan probably wouldn’t let himself be mistreated.

 

When Yu Lan finally sauntered in and Chu Wang finally saw his figure…

 

Chu Wang, who had been hanging around on the ceiling for hours, immediately stood up.

 

He shouldn’t be so excited about this.

 

He thought.

 

Chu Wang tried to convince himself that having feelings for someone was quite normal.

 

And he had always been composed and steady. Was it because his soul was floating now that he was becoming unstable and unsettled?

 

It shouldn’t be like this.

 

Chu Wang reasoned with himself, trying to stay calm.

 

Then, the next moment, a little curly-haired youth walked in.

 

Chu Wang’s expressionless face floated from the window and then moved to the bedside.

 

“Mr. Chu,” Yu Lan, unaware of anything, called out as usual, “I’m back.”

 

From his perspective, Chu Wang appeared in the room, but today his expression seemed to have a subtle difference from usual. “Hmm.”

 

Yu Lan noticed the change but couldn’t pinpoint what was different, so he curiously looked at Chu Wang a few more times and called out, “Mr. Chu?”

 

“……Hmm.” Chu Wang remained responsive as always.

 

“Did something happen at home today?” Yu Lan asked.

 

“No, everything is fine.” Chu Wang’s tone was still calm.

 

Yu Lan thought he might have overreacted. Just as he was about to speak, Chu Wang spoke again. “The sunset today was quite beautiful; the clouds were special.”

 

Chu Wang had never discussed scenery with Yu Lan before, which made Yu Lan pause.

 

“If you had seen it, you would have liked it.” Chu Wang added with an expressionless face.

 

Yu Lan tried to understand the implication behind Chu Wang’s words. “Mr. Chu…?”

 

After ten seconds, he seemed to have an epiphany. “Oh! I get it! You want me to take you to see it!”

 

Chu Wang’s eyes were expressionless: “……”

 

Very close, very close.

 

“That’s easy!” Yu Lan said, about to go find the wheelchair. “Shall I take you out now?”

 

Chu Wang: “……No.”

 

“It’s too late now; we can go another day.” Yu Lan said, still a bit reluctant. “This afternoon, maybe.”

 

“It’s okay, Mr. Chu!” Yu Lan patted his chest. “Just let me know when you want to go, and I’ll come back to find you even if I skip class!”

 

Chu Wang: “………………”

 

But perhaps Yu Lan’s last words had some effect. Chu Wang’s mood went through a rollercoaster but finally returned to a slightly higher position. “……It’s fine.”

 

Chu Wang, usually decisive, was feeling quite pent up. After waiting and waiting, he could only ask casually, “Did anything happen at school today?”

 

Implication: Why did you come back so late?

 

“Today, Zhong Jiale asked me out for dinner,” Yu Lan said.

 

Chu Wang’s brows twitched but he knew his younger brother well enough. “Did his parents book another restaurant for him?”

 

“Hey! Mr. Chu, how did you know?” Yu Lan exclaimed. “That’s exactly what happened! It’s a couple’s restaurant!”

 

Chu Wang also felt his emotions were a bit strange, considering Yu Lan didn’t actually need to report to him.

 

But still, but still…

 

“Hmm.” Chu Wang felt his expression returned to normal. He casually said, “Did you come back together?”

 

It was better that Chu Wang didn’t bring it up; as soon as he did, Yu Lan’s strong urge to complain flared up again. He immediately shook his head. “No, no, he left first. But someone else came…”

 

Yu Lan remembered how Chu Wang had firmly said, “He must have ulterior motives,” last time and wasn’t sure how to start. He hesitated and looked at Chu Wang with some unease. “Mr. Chu, do you remember the person I mentioned I met while standing up for Li Shu…”

 

“That guy?” Chu Wang’s voice immediately turned cold as he finished Yu Lan’s sentence for him.

 

Yu Lan was surprised that Chu Wang remembered so clearly and nodded.

 

“How come he’s still hanging around?” Chu Wang frowned and looked a bit tense. “Is he bothering you?”

 

“It’s not exactly bothering…” Yu Lan wasn’t sure how to explain but didn’t want to hide it from Chu Wang. He decided to recount the situation from start to finish.

 

He briefly described the person’s identity and what had happened today.

 

However, he didn’t mention the detail about Song Sijue talking about the ring, as it was too embarrassing. He only said, “Anyway, he might have some misunderstandings about me, but I managed to fend him off by saying I was married!”

 

“……” Chu Wang’s expression softened a bit. “Hmm.”

 

This didn’t stop him from having a strong opinion about this person. “You said he’s what? An agent for Lianmai’s China region?”

 

“Yes.” Yu Lan wasn’t very familiar with these things and repeated what Zhong Jiale had told him in the afternoon. “I don’t really understand; Zhong Jiale found out about it.”

 

“But I remember Sister Zhang Yan mentioned once that he might be looking to… work with us?”

 

When Chu Wang heard “us,” his previously grim expression softened slightly, but his tone remained cold. “What cooperation? They’re not indispensable.”

 

He almost wanted to say, “Hurry up and tell Zhang Yan not to deal with them.”

 

Yu Lan felt Chu Wang’s reaction was a bit excessive. “Will this have any impact…”

 

“Impact?” Chu Wang’s eyes showed a hint of disdain typical of someone in a superior position. “They’re the ones seeking cooperation. Do they really think we’re desperate for this?”

 

“Besides, he should have other projects back in the country. If this falls through, someone with skills will just find the next opportunity.” Chu Wang said coldly.

 

After saying this, he suddenly extracted a key piece of information from Yu Lan’s summary. “Wait a minute.”

 

“He’s your former fiancé?”

 

Yu Lan didn’t expect Chu Wang to care about this and nodded. “Yes.”

 

“But the annulment was a long time ago. This is the first time I’ve met him…”

 

Chu Wang sneered but didn’t say anything further.

 

Was it disgust or… relief?

 

Yu Lan was startled by the thought of relief.

 

Chu Wang couldn’t possibly be relieved; it had nothing to do with him.

 

But today’s Chu Wang seemed different from usual.

 

Based on Yu Lan’s experience over the past month, Chu Wang seemed to be displaying more distinct emotions today.

 

In the past, Chu Wang had always been calm and composed, even in matters like firing Chen Lin, which was treated as casually as checking the weather. But now Yu Lan could sense some displeasure from Chu Wang. He couldn’t tell if it was because of past issues with the company or something else.

 

It couldn’t possibly…

 

He had a vague idea but dismissed it before it fully formed.

 

Chu Wang was a prodigy, and he was just a student who hadn’t seen much of the world, had exposed his true self in front of him, and was a bit vindictive.

 

It was pure fantasy.

 

However, over the next few days, Yu Lan observed that Chu Wang seemed to have a strong dislike for the character Song Sijue.

 

For three consecutive days, after Yu Lan returned from school, Chu Wang would either directly or casually ask if Song Sijue had come to see him.

 

Yu Lan shook his head. “He probably just had a sudden impulse that day…”

 

“There’s no such thing as a sudden impulse.” Chu Wang scoffed dismissively. “Anyway, be careful over the next few days.”

 

Yu Lan, having read the original novel, guessed that the main character would be very busy dealing with work since returning to the country.

 

Every time he thought about this, he recalled the recently quiet Yu Ling.

 

He had secretly asked Zhang Yan and learned that the Yu family was exploring projects in other fields, likely seeking new investments to alleviate their current difficulties.

 

Yu Lan never considered himself a good person. Therefore, he suddenly said to Chu Wang, “Mr. Chu.”

 

“If, I mean if.”

 

He knew that he shouldn’t be making such requests to Chu Wang in his current position and that he was clueless about company operations. It was best not to interfere.

 

But since Chu Wang had even dismissed high-level executives, Yu Lan said, “If Liang Zhiyu comes to me or Zhang Yan for investment help… Can I tell her to refuse?”

 

He had a hunch that if Chu Wang didn’t want to work with Song Sijue’s company, then Song Sijue might not be able to help Yu Ling.

 

After all, even though he had some influence, he wasn’t the ultimate decision-maker.

 

He just didn’t want to see Yu Ling exploit others or bully people he had never met.

 

To put it bluntly, he wasn’t a saint, and he didn’t want Yu Ling to have it easy.

 

He knew his request might seem capricious or unreasonable to Chu Wang and tried to explain: “I…”

 

“Do as you please.” Chu Wang responded simply, “It’s up to you.”

 

His tone was casual, as if such matters were natural to him. “If you’re unhappy, let Zhang Yan apply pressure. Bankruptcy will come even faster.”

 

Yu Lan didn’t expect Chu Wang to be so straightforward, even offering advice. “…There’s no need to be so deliberate!”

 

Chu Wang glanced at him. “Do whatever you want.”

 

It was as if he was saying, “Eat whatever you want.”

 

Like King You of Zhou lighting the signal fire, he said, “As long as you’re happy.”

 

Yu Lan shuddered at the comparison, thinking that in this analogy, he was becoming Bao Si.

 

Despite his shock from the analogy, he felt an inexplicable sense of joy.

 

It seemed Chu Wang could tolerate everything Yu Lan did. Even when Yu Lan twisted the truth in front of him, Chu Wang was concerned with how to keep his lies from being exposed; when Yu Lan whimsically said, “I don’t want to deal with them,” Chu Wang could easily respond with, “Then let them go bankrupt.”

 

Yu Lan’s thoughts momentarily froze.

 

This was it—he really was becoming Bao Si.

 

But this fleeting sense of guilt quickly dissolved. After all, Yu Ling wasn’t a sovereign.

 

Caring too much about others would only make himself unhappy.

 

He was just an insignificant pawn; it was more important for him to be comfortable.

 

Yu Lan looked up and smiled at Chu Wang. “Thank you, Mr. Chu.”

 

Chu Wang, indeed, seemed dazed by the smile, unconsciously glancing at his own body lying on the treatment bed.

 

One soul began to resent its own shell.

 

Why isn’t it waking up?

 

Yu Lan maintained his excitement all the way until the charity auction that night.

 

According to the procedure, guests could enter early, and after the auction ended, there was a social after-party for the elite. Most attendees were not there for the auction but for this social event.

 

Xi Jun was away on a business trip but was still worried that Yu Lan might feel lost alone. Therefore, he specifically asked Zhang Yan to come and take them to the event.

 

Zhang Yan had prepared early and arrived at the villa by noon to wait for them.

 

Yu Lan was a bit excited. It was his first time attending such an event. He had no interest in the subsequent cocktail party, but joining the excitement seemed nice.

 

He helped Chu Wang into a suit that matched his own and sincerely complimented, “Mr. Chu, you’ll look very handsome in this once you wake up!”

 

Chu Wang silently turned his head and glanced at his own body without saying anything.

 

Yu Lan said it casually, not expecting Chu Wang to respond. He had already moved on to the next topic, “Look!”

 

He proudly picked out the tie he had chosen earlier. “Mr. Chu, I invite you to witness the birth of an excellent bow tie.”

 

Perhaps his visible excitement affected Chu Wang, whose gaze softened noticeably. “Alright.”

 

As Yu Lan finished preparing both of them and was about to push the wheelchair out of the room, Chu Wang suddenly called out to him, “Yu Lan.”

 

“Yes, Mr. Chu?”

 

Chu Wang’s voice seemed unchanged, but the words he spoke were different:

 

“Hug me.”

 

His tone was so natural that Yu Lan, after a moment of surprise, thought he might have misunderstood.

 

“Hold it a bit longer, so you can see me outside.” Indeed, Chu Wang added an explanation.

 

“Oh, oh, oh.” Yu Lan nodded, suppressing the brief moment of heart flutter, and said, “I understand.”

 

For some reason, neither of them spoke further at that moment, and the silence was enveloped by a different kind of atmosphere.

 

Yu Lan reassured himself that he was overthinking, took a step closer, and said, “Alright.”

 

Chu Wang looked down at him, his expression hard to read but still focused.

 

At some point, Chu Wang was unsure if he had seen a subtle change in Yu Lan’s expression.

 

He didn’t want Yu Lan to freeze up and ultimately added the so-called “explanation.”

 

Whenever Chu Wang did such things, there was always a thought in his mind wanting to stop him, saying “This shouldn’t be,” “It’s not right,” “You can’t do this.”

 

But every time he saw Yu Lan’s face again, more impulsive thoughts would surge, making him speak out.

 

He had more to say.

 

He wanted to say these things without adding explanations, to say directly that Yu Lan should just be himself and not worry about him too much.

 

However, Chu Wang was currently just a weightless soul, unable to do anything beyond speaking.

 

So he still had to add an explanation after requesting a hug.

 

Awkward and ridiculous.

 

Chu Wang had never liked anyone before and didn’t know how well he was performing.

 

He didn’t know when he would wake up, feeling the first pangs of anxiety but also an unprecedented excitement.

 

But it was alright. 

 

Yu Lan came to him with his most natural smile and slowly bent down.

 

He heard Yu Lan call his name and ask, “Okay, how about we hug for five minutes?”

 

Then Yu Lan came closer, wrapping his slender arms around him, resting his chin, and entwining his legs.

 

In a tight, seemingly life-dependent embrace, he held Chu Wang’s unresponsive, unaware body.

 

As Yu Lan turned his back, out of sight, Chu Wang’s soul gently extended its hands.

 

Though unable to touch, as long as Yu Lan was willing to indulge in the moment, it felt like a real embrace.