After Marrying Bigshot Vegetable Boss - Chapter 60

A night of good dreams.

 

The next day, Yu Lan was woken up by someone calling his name, intermittently.

 

—It was actually Chu Wang.

 

Yu Lan opened his eyes blankly, seemingly not fully awake.

 

Why was he here?

 

Shouldn’t he be in treatment?

 

Had his leg healed?

 

His sleep-deprived brain couldn’t process this. It wasn’t until Chu Wang waved a hand in front of his eyes that he finally snapped out of it and murmured, “Oh.”

 

He remembered that he did sleep with Chu Wang last night.

 

Fragmented memories slowly resurfaced, finally landing on the moment when he was too sleepy and drowsily asked for a kiss.

 

Yu Lan: “…”

 

The good news was that Chu Wang didn’t seem to react to that. The bad news was that he said, “Yu Lan, you’re going to be late for school.”

 

Yu Lan: “…………”

 

How should he put it? The connection between these two sentences felt oddly appropriate yet inexplicable.

 

“Didn’t you say yesterday that today is my birthday?” For the first time in his life, Yu Lan experienced the feeling of wanting to stay in bed and skip school, which was quite novel. He lay in bed, not wanting to get up. “Who goes to class on their birthday?”

 

“Then I’ll request a leave of absence for you from your counselor.” Chu Wang seemed quite flexible, “What’s the reason? Taking care of your sick husband—”

 

“Got it, got it! I’ll get up now!” Yu Lan sat up with a face full of frustration. Chu Wang had already brought his clothes, so he sourly put them on.

 

“I don’t have anything planned this morning anyway.” Chu Wang helped him button a button and said, “I was planning to go to the company, but I can drop you off at school on the way.”

 

“…” Yu Lan raised an eyebrow at him.

 

Although their routes weren’t exactly the opposite, they certainly weren’t on the way.

 

Normally, he would outright refuse, but now he seemed to have a different thought. A voice in his head said it wasn’t that he didn’t want to be with Chu Wang.

 

Chu Wang clearly knew this too and was just seeking Yu Lan’s opinion.

 

“It’s my birthday after all.” His expression was calm, as if he were just commenting on the nice weather. “Isn’t it normal to pick up the birthday boy for school?”

 

Both were making excuses for their own thoughts. Yu Lan was very satisfied with this reason and nodded heavily, agreeing, “I think you’re right.”

 

The bit of morning grumpiness vanished. Yu Lan and Chu Wang quickly dressed and grabbed a few bites of breakfast before getting into the car.

 

Before getting in, Chu Wang told the driver their itinerary, “First, take him to school, then head to the company.”

 

Though the driver was very professional, Yu Lan felt he paused a bit before complying.

 

Once the door closed, Yu Lan pulled up the divider with the front seat, leaving just him and Chu Wang in the back. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he said, “Isn’t this a bit much?”

 

A grown man getting dropped off for school like this seemed a bit over the top.

 

“Is it?” Chu Wang looked completely calm, not seeing anything wrong with it. “Isn’t it on the way?”

 

Yu Lan nodded again, “Yes, it’s on the way.”

 

“I wonder what it’ll be like at school,” Yu Lan wasn’t worried but talked about his classmates. “They seem pretty protective of me.”

 

“That’s good.” Chu Wang casually squeezed Yu Lan’s hand.

 

“Don’t worry about your brother.” His tone was calm, “The Yu family has a lot on their plate right now and won’t bother you.”

 

“As for the rumors he’s spreading at school…”

 

“It doesn’t matter, many people saw it.” Yu Lan said carelessly, purposely smiling at Chu Wang, “But some rumors aren’t entirely wrong. One version says you fell head over heels for me when you woke up and insisted on being with me—”

 

This rumor existed but wasn’t as exaggerated as Yu Lan described.

 

Yu Lan exaggerated it to see Chu Wang’s reaction.

 

Unexpectedly, Chu Wang just chuckled, “Isn’t that about right?”

 

Yu Lan was momentarily speechless, envious of Chu Wang’s straightforwardness. He changed the subject, “How’s your leg today?”

 

“I tried walking a bit before you got up. It seems a bit better than yesterday.” Chu Wang replied honestly, “I’ll try to stop using the wheelchair soon so I can pick you up from school.”

 

Yu Lan looked at him, “Why are you so insistent on picking me up from school?”

 

“You said it yourself, I fell head over heels and can’t bear to be apart from you, so I came as soon as I could.” Chu Wang’s answer was smooth and uninterrupted.

 

“You’re so cheesy,” Yu Lan marveled.

 

Their casual conversation continued until they reached the school. The driver stopped the car and told them, “We’re here.”

 

“The butler isn’t here today, so don’t get out of the car,” Yu Lan said to Chu Wang while holding the rear door handle.

 

“Alright, I’ll come back when your class is over.” Chu Wang agreed.

 

“Are you really going to pick me up after class?” Yu Lan thought he was joking, “I’ll be fine. No one will say anything to me at school.”

 

“I know.” Chu Wang said calmly, “But since I can’t stand up yet, I’ll feel uneasy if you’re not around.”

 

This time he didn’t find any excuses, just quietly said, “So I want to spend more time with you.”

 

Yu Lan was about to get out but paused at these words.

 

If he were more romantic, he would have immediately asked for leave, claiming his class was over for the day.

 

Especially considering Chu Wang now seemed… a bit clingy?

 

Thinking of this word, he paused for a moment.

 

Chu Wang and clingy didn’t go together in a sentence, yet now it seemed to describe him perfectly.

 

Feeling it was surreal, Yu Lan couldn’t resist stepping back, leaning in, and smiling at Chu Wang in his customized wheelchair.

 

He felt that if the driver weren’t present or if Chu Wang were more mobile, he would have opened the door for a kiss.

 

Too much, too much!

 

Just thinking about it made Yu Lan feel embarrassed about the imagined scenario.

 

He could act like this, but Chu Wang was a mature man—how could he be even more intense than him?

 

Fortunately, Chu Wang only reached out and gently ruffled his hair, saying, “Hurry up and go.”

 

“I really do want to pick you up after class,” Chu Wang said, “I’ve booked a restaurant for dinner tonight.”

 

Even though this was the simplest kind of contact and there had been more excessive interactions yesterday, Yu Lan still felt his ears burning. He nodded distractedly, “Oh.”

 

After Yu Lan left, the car remained stationary, and then the windows rolled up as it slowly drove away.

 

At the school, the car had already attracted attention as soon as it entered the gate.

 

The previous incident had caused quite a stir among the students, and Yu Ling’s absence from class today only added to the drama.

 

Some who had been skeptical the day before now found it unbelievable that even class attendance required a drop-off!

 

Morning discussions in group chats and forums became lively.

 

Many were from the same chat groups where Yu Ling had spread rumors.

 

“Someone’s got the scoop, I wasn’t wrong.”

 

“Heaven knows what I’ve seen!”

 

“Yeah, yeah, it’s just someone getting driven to school. What’s the big deal?”

 

“And did you guys see the husband in the car? Maybe it’s just a chauffeur drop-off.”

 

“While you guys are concerned about that, I’m the only one who cares about who stole my sweet life as a rich second-generation heir.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

“Indeed.”

 

“But it should be true, right? The car stopped at the gate for a few minutes?”

 

“A business tycoon immersed in sending his lucky wife to school right after waking up, the headlines of public accounts can’t compete with you guys.”

 

Some questioned, and evidence was quickly posted. Within two minutes, a blurry photo was shared.

 

“But the person inside patted his head! Isn’t that an intimate interaction?”

 

“Blurry but believable.”

 

“I think I taste a hint of sweetness, I’m not normal, I’ll admit.”

 

“Yeah! There’s no way to avoid it; being a nanny is as simple as breathing.”

 

“So who stole my life as a pampered rich kid with money and love?!”

 

The discussion about Yu Lan led to the frequent mention of the other person as well.

 

“So what’s going on? I really don’t understand you rich families. Is it illegal to clarify things?”

 

“One of them is probably a bastard child, isn’t it obvious?”

 

“Yeah, Yu Lan calls him ‘brother,’ so he’s probably the eldest young master.”

 

“How exciting! I want to see it!”

 

“Don’t you guys read the news? This morning’s economic headlines just reported that their company seems to have issues, owing a lot of money and probably having to auction off many assets to pay it off.”

 

“Ah? Wasn’t he doing quite well before?”

 

Yu Ling had a grim face, scrolling through messages on his phone with an expressionless face. He hadn’t had a drop of water since yesterday afternoon, his eyes were dark, and his lips were chapped.

 

A “click” sound made him flinch, and he suddenly looked toward the door.

 

Liang Zhiyu also looked unhappy, standing next to a man with a suitcase.

 

Yu Ling’s face was ashen, but more than that, he looked at the people in front of him in confusion, his dry lips barely moving, “Dad…?”

 

Yu Hong’s expression was serious, and he didn’t immediately respond but instead turned angrily to the woman beside him, “This is your good son?”

 

Liang Zhiyu seemed a bit scared, trying to explain, “No, it wasn’t supposed to be like this…”

 

She paused, as if finding a way, and suddenly shifted all the blame to Yu Ling, “There was room for negotiation. You know I’m not good with management. I was hoping he could help out, but instead, he…”

 

Yu Ling’s heart sank. Liang Zhiyu indeed stopped protecting him and stopped explaining on his behalf.

 

But now he didn’t know how to explain either.

 

Yu Hong glanced at Liang Zhiyu and then at Yu Ling, his expression a mix of anger and incredulity, “I told you before I went abroad that there might be risks. I said if things succeeded, we could talk. I didn’t expect you…”

 

Indeed, the Yu family’s business was largely built by Yu Hong himself, and Liang Zhiyu wasn’t from a prestigious family. Achieving their current status was not easy, and the lack of a strong foundation made them susceptible to collapse from internal issues.

 

“Where’s that child?” Yu Hong asked grimly.

 

Liang Zhiyu looked embarrassed. This issue occurred after Yu Hong went abroad, and although Yu Hong wanted to return immediately upon hearing the news, his business was at a critical point, making it impossible to return. Meanwhile, Liang Zhiyu and Yu Ling kept telling him how terrible the other person was. Over time, Yu Hong had neglected his family, so he hadn’t returned.

 

“He just got married a while ago,” Liang Zhiyu said quietly.

 

She then briefly explained Yu Lan and Chu Wang’s situation.

 

Of course, she skipped the scene she saw at their home yesterday and just wanted to quickly explain herself, “Mrs. Xi came to us, thinking she could do us a favor by helping the Chu family. I agreed because it was for our benefit.”

 

“But now that Chu Wang is awake, why is it like this when we come back?” Yu Hong was almost at his wit’s end, not knowing what to do. “Things weren’t this bad before. I thought returning would resolve it, but instead, I found a bigger mess?!”

 

Liang Zhiyu shook her head, “I didn’t know the Chu family would be so heartless. I went to ask them for help, even a little, but they refused, even for Xiao Lan’s sake—”

 

“His sake?” Yu Hong clearly found the name unfamiliar but wasn’t foolish. He finally understood from Liang Zhiyu’s words, “Are you saying that he’s been having a hard time here, but has been thriving with the Chu family?”

 

Liang Zhiyu couldn’t answer each question and could only apologize and explain, “Husband, it’s not like you think. Initially, Xiao Lan might have been adapting to the new environment and didn’t speak much, looking gloomy. I told Yu Ling to take good care of him. After all, he had been in the welfare home for years, so it was normal to not be used to it.”

 

“But what happened in the end?” Liang Zhiyu had lost patience, “He said one thing to me but did the opposite, which led to…”

 

“Is this the time to discuss this?” Yu Ling’s expression became strange, “Mom?”

 

Liang Zhiyu felt a sudden chill and shivered. Frowning, she said, “What are you trying to do now, playing the pitiful card? You didn’t fulfill any of your promises. I even gave you money to pass on to Xiaolan. If you had done that, our family wouldn’t be in this state!”

 

“Weren’t you the one who said our feelings were stronger than flesh and blood? Didn’t you say I was your only child? You called me your favorite, praised me for being obedient and sensible. How come now you’re denying everything?”

 

Yu Ling’s eyes were bloodshot, his face full of disbelief—this time, it was not an act, but an eruption of accumulated disappointment.

 

“Yes, I am not your biological child, but haven’t I always obeyed you? You told me what to like, and I didn’t dare to like anything else. When you brought Xiaolan back home, I sensed you weren’t happy, so I tried to act according to your mood.”

 

The living room of the Yu family was a mess. The three people who were supposed to be like family were now at each other’s throats, like a poorly staged farce.

 

“Which promise did you keep?” Liang Zhiyu shrieked. “You comforted me before, saying that the Song family’s child would help us. Now, he’s packing up and leaving, and what have you done?”

 

“Oh, it’s not that you haven’t done anything; you’ve just failed at everything. You took on the management, used them to bolster your image, took a cut from the project funds, donated or gave away the rest! Now, what good are those donations? Who can help us now?”

 

Liang Zhiyu’s face grew redder with each accusation.

 

“And don’t think I don’t know what you did at school—” Her eyes, now devoid of maternal affection, were full of resentment for her mistakes that might ruin her life as a wealthy wife. “Yu Ling, don’t you know what you’ve done?”

 

Yu Ling suddenly felt fear and didn’t want her to continue.

 

“Mom, I was wrong, I know I was wrong. I will fix this, I will make amends. I will do anything. Please don’t expose it, don’t abandon me…”

 

He had a premonition that if Liang Zhiyu truly learned about his actions at school, he might lose everything.

 

“I’m still your good child. It was my fault before. Please bring my brother back. I promise I won’t compete with him for anything. If you don’t believe me, we can live separately, but… but I’m still your child. You’ve raised me all these years!”

 

However, Yu Hong seemed annoyed, raised his eyes, and gestured to Liang Zhiyu, saying, “Let’s hear it.”

 

Yu Ling’s expression turned terrified. He even wanted to stand up to stop them but his legs, cold and weak from kneeling all night, couldn’t support him and gave way again.

 

“You embezzled company money, gave yourself false prestige, but what kind of friends did you make? Did you send them to bully others, and not just once or twice?”

 

Yu Ling’s head throbbed in pain, his teeth chattering, but he couldn’t help but ask, “Who told you that?”

 

Could it be Song Sijue?

 

But Song Sijue was about to leave, and Yu Ling knew his schedule, so it was unlikely he had any contact with Liang Zhiyu.

 

“Then it must be—”

 

“If Xiaolan hadn’t been present, who knows what would have happened next!” Liang Zhiyu almost accused. “Yu Ling, even if we solved those problems and got through this tough time, what about this?”

 

“I really did treat you like my own child,” Liang Zhiyu seemed to calm down slightly after saying this, her expression softening a bit. She looked at Yu Hong before continuing, “But I can’t imagine that my beloved child would be someone who bullies other children.”

 

“Xiao Ling,” she finally used his nickname, though in a strained tone, not knowing if she was performing for Yu Hong or if she really felt that way. “Mom is really disappointed.”

 

“So if, I’m saying if,” Yu Ling’s face was pale, his lips trembling, “if the person who married Chu Wang was me—”

 

But he couldn’t finish the sentence.

 

Because there was no “if.”

 

He knew very well that even if it were to happen again, he would still fear the new family members and would try even harder to please Liang Zhiyu to avoid being sent away.

 

He cared deeply about the label of being Yu family’s only child, even trying to maintain it desperately, holding on tightly despite being battered, trying to keep up appearances.

 

But Liang Zhiyu heard him and still said, “That should be good.”

 

“After all, Xiaolan wouldn’t have embezzled so much money or hurt others,” Liang Zhiyu sighed, then asked in a confused tone, “How did it turn out like this?”

 

Yu Ling looked at her expression and found it suddenly laughable.

 

Liang Zhiyu didn’t understand his change in expression and thought he might be pleading, so her voice softened a bit. “But this time really…”

 

“Do you think I don’t know, Mom?” Yu Ling looked up at her and said, “I knew a long time ago. I’m not your biological child.”

 

“But I didn’t care back then. It was okay as long as I could receive your love and everything the Yu family gave me. As long as I did well, I could get it.”

 

“And in fact, I did get it, didn’t I?” Yu Ling said, “—if he hadn’t appeared.”

 

If Xiaolan hadn’t appeared, Song Sijue wouldn’t have called off the engagement, and the Yu family’s crisis would have been averted; if Xiaolan hadn’t appeared, none of this would be happening, and he could still…

 

“Not necessarily.” Yu Hong, after watching the farce for a long time, found it laughable and was thoroughly disappointed. “Even if Xiaolan hadn’t appeared, you might still have ended up marrying into the Chu family.”

 

Liang Zhiyu’s preference for wealth was not new to him.

 

But he used to think it was a minor issue, and he was willing to provide them with that lifestyle. However, now everything was in disarray.

 

“The house might be uninhabitable,” Yu Hong calmed down. “We need to liquidate assets. It’s uncertain if there will be anything left after selling.”

 

Liang Zhiyu couldn’t accept this outcome. However, now she could only instinctively look at Yu Ling.

 

But at this point, Yu Ling no longer sweetly called her “Mom” or gave any seemingly useful advice that actually pushed them both into a deeper abyss.

 

Yu Ling looked at her with eyes full of resentment, like two mutually loathing trapped beasts, with no trace of the past mother-child affection.

 

“What are you still waiting for?” Yu Hong said coldly. “Are you waiting for the court to come and seal everything?”

 

“Honey, there should still be a chance, right?” Liang Zhiyu wouldn’t give up. “I’ll try harder, find them again…”

 

“If it were useful, would you still be here?” Yu Hong knew better. “As for that child, if he’s doing well in the Chu family, then don’t bring him back. It’s better than facing this mess.”

 

Liang Zhiyu clutched her chest, breathing deeply. “There must be a way. Xiaolan mentioned this on the wedding day.”

 

“I’ll tell everyone now that he’s my biological child. Maybe…”

 

She hurriedly ran out, not even glancing back at them.

 

Yu Ling remained sitting on the floor.

 

He could argue with Liang Zhiyu, but found himself speechless when alone with Yu Hong.

 

Yu Hong was not a competent father. His visits home were rare, and he had always been somewhat distant and unemotional.

 

So Liang Zhiyu’s tactics didn’t work on him, especially now that he knew everything.

 

“Dad,” Yu Ling said, almost awkwardly.

 

Yu Hong didn’t respond.

 

Yu Ling, unable to cry, felt immense confusion, as if his soul had been drained.

 

He wanted to find Xiaolan, but he had no skills left. The few followers around him had started distancing themselves upon hearing the news, denying any past connections.

 

He had no doubt that even if he went elsewhere, those who only cared about money would still yield.

 

What was left for him?

 

He had thought he still had Song Sijue, but their relationship had soured.

 

Yes, Song Sijue…

 

He had said he would return to see him, and promised a birthday gift, but now nothing remained.

 

Yu Ling sat dejectedly when he suddenly saw the man in front of him move.

 

He felt weak, not wanting to move, and didn’t know what the man was doing.

 

But he saw the man place a suitcase on the ground, silently unzip it, and pull out a small box from a compartment.

 

“I don’t remember, but your birthday is around these days, right? Tomorrow? Or the day after?” Yu Hong’s voice was emotionless, as if he hadn’t just witnessed the argument with Liang Zhiyu.

 

“Actually, it shouldn’t be your birthday,” he seemed to realize something, knowing that the birthday person this week shouldn’t be Yu Ling.

 

But since it was already out, he threw the small box onto the floor.

 

“I bought this before returning home, thinking it might be your birthday.”

 

Yu Ling opened the box in front of him to reveal a watch.

 

“It seems your birthday won’t be happy, but I’m giving this to you anyway.”

 

Yu Ling looked at his relatively unfamiliar “father” with a cold expression. He heard him say, “But this thing can be sold for about a hundred thousand. Maybe it can cover some of the deficit.”

 

The man had other matters to attend to and left without staying any longer, leaving Yu Ling alone in the spacious living room.

 

The watch box lay at his feet, and Yu Ling remembered that although the man rarely came back, when he did, he would bring gifts for him and Liang Zhiyu.

 

More or less, light or heavy, there would always be something.

 

But now it seemed all of that was negated. Yu Ling even avoided going back to school, as if not returning would keep him from hearing any news related to himself.

 

Then his phone flashed and lit up.

 

“Unknown Number: Mr. Yu, your birthday should be in a couple of days, right? How do you want to celebrate? Will there be a birthday party this year?”

 

“By the way, I’m the vendor from your last event. If you come here again, I can give you an 80% discount this time.”

 

“Also, I found an error in the account last year where a bottle of wine was missing. The bill was 28,000. If you come this time, I won’t charge you for it. How does that sound?”