Sponsored chapter (4/5)
There was a moment of silence at the dormitory door.
Lu Huan appeared to be frozen in place. His long eyelashes drooped, concealing the expression in his eyes. Only the subtle movement of his Adam’s apple breaking the stillness could be observed.
Noticing his lack of response, Yu Baihan took a step closer. The fluffy ears nearly brushed against Lu Huan’s eyelids as he playfully remarked, “Why the surprise?”
Suddenly, a voice echoed from the far end of the corridor, “Damn, it’s not a ghost; it’s a demon—”
Lu Huan’s fluttering eyelashes suggested he had returned to the present moment. He reached out and gently pushed the person inside.
Yu Baihan stumbled backward into the dormitory as Lu Huan followed him. The tall figure squeezed into the confined space, blocking the view of the outside world.
As Lu Huan entered, he shut the dormitory door behind him with a firm bang.
The two stood facing each other in the narrow space.
In the quiet room, their breaths seemed to be the only sound.
Noticing Lu Huan’s silence, Yu Baihan playfully shook his ears again, revealing two tiny canine teeth between his upturned lips. “What’s the matter? I see you’re quite surprised…”
In the silence, it felt like you could hear each other’s heartbeats.
Observing Lu Huan’s continued silence, Yu Baihan playfully wiggled his ears again, and two small, pointed canine teeth peeked out from his curled lips. “Do you like the gift?”
The faint jingling of the bells sounded in the background.
Lu Huan clenched his fingers at his sides for a few moments. Then, he raised his hand abruptly and pinched the cat ears atop Yu Baihan’s head, silencing the bell’s jingling.
His deep gaze bore into Yu Baihan’s eyes. After a while, his tightly pressed lips relaxed, and he said, “…too noisy.”
Yu Baihan deduced, “You don’t like the bells.”
But even so, he seems to like the cat ears.
The hand that had rested on Yu Baihan’s head shifted. Unfortunately, the cat ears couldn’t convey the sense of touch, and Yu Baihan was unsure what Lu Huan was doing. Just as he was about to look up, the hand withdrew.
Lu Huan slid his hands back into his trouser pockets and inquired in an even tone, “Where did you buy it?”
Yu Baihan responded, “At the school gift shop.”
Could there really be so much interest? It seemed that everyone wanted to get the details from him.
Hands still tucked into his pockets, Lu Huan gazed down at him with an enigmatic and somber expression.
Yu Baihan looked at Lu Huan, then back at the cat ears on the table, and swiftly removed them. “Since you seem to like them so much, I’ll reluctantly give them to you.”
His tone carried a hint of reluctance, but his actions were straightforward.
It was as if he couldn’t wait to place those ears on top of Lu Huan’s head.
“I’m just not sure if they’ll fit properly…”
Snap! A hand abruptly landed on his forehead, gently pressing the ears back into place.
Yu Baihan’s eyes widened in surprise.
Lu Huan’s palm settled on the top of his head. “No need.”
His slender fingers grazed through Yu Baihan’s soft hair, displaying a restrained strength as he slowly combed them back.
Lu Huan peered down at him. “You wear them.”
…
The car still sat idle outside the school premises. Yu Baihan was in the midst of packing his backpack and luggage, preparing to head home with Lu Huan.
His back was turned to Lu Huan as he tugged at his backpack straps, and the cat ears perched on his head continued to produce a faint jingling sound.
Suddenly, Lu Huan’s voice sounded from behind, “Sun Yiqing saw them too?”
Yu Baihan turned around to face Lu Huan. “Yeah, he was helping with the staff. Isn’t that a good thing?”
Credit where credit is due, Sun Yiqing deserves some recognition for his assistance!
Lu Huan remained silent for a moment. Yu Baihan understood that this was just how their classmate Lu operated. If he liked something, he wouldn’t necessarily express it openly.
With his backpack securely on his back and his luggage in hand, Yu Baihan headed toward the door. “Shall we go?”
As they passed by each other, a hand suddenly extended, reaching for the luggage in Yu Baihan’s grasp.
Yu Baihan was taken aback. “Are you offering to help me carry this?”
So proactive, especially when he hadn’t yet utilized his assertive approach.
Could this be the influence of the cat ears?
Lu Huan lowered his head and unzipped the luggage bag. Then, he reached toward the top of Yu Baihan’s head, removing the pair of cat ears and tucking them into his pocket.
A subtle smirk tugged at the corners of his lips as he remarked, “I’d rather not have another video of myself circulating on the campus website.”
Yu Baihan finally caught on: Ah, image management.
He watched as Lu Huan re-zipped the luggage bag. He was about to volunteer to carry the luggage himself when Lu Huan switched the bag to his other hand, effortlessly hoisting it onto his shoulder as he strolled toward the door.
Well then.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations 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.
Te Djltjc vlvc’a gfrlra, ajxlcu lc atf rmfcf klat j rfcrf bo rjalrojmalbc. Lf kjr wbgf atjc tjqqs ab fcpbs atf ybsoglfcv qglnlifufr bo tlr kgbcufv Ojb Xbcu.
—
Ktf akb fzlafv atf vbgwlabgs yelivlcu jcv ragbiifv abkjgvr atf rmtbbi ujaf.
Qlat ybat tjcvr ogff, Te Djltjc tjv tlr tfjv yeglfv lc tlr qtbcf, mjrejiis wfcalbclcu, “Ds atf kjs, P fnfc abbx j qlmaegf.”
Lu Huan cast a sidelong glance at him.
“Maomao’s.” Yu Baihan chuckled as he looked up at Lu Huan. “I didn’t share it on Moments, but how about sending it to Senior Lu?”
But Lu Huan remained silent, although the Adam’s apple in his throat visibly bobbed, revealing an underlying tension. The side angle accentuated this subtle movement.
No response was considered tacit consent.
Yu Baihan tapped away on his phone and sent the photo to Lu Huan.
After he finished, a soft “hmm” of acknowledgment came from Lu Huan’s side.
Yu Baihan pocketed his phone, satisfied that he got the message.
Lu Huan’s Maybach was parked on the side of the road outside the school gate.
Although the Maybach appeared understated, it still garnered the attention of many passersby.
Yu Baihan, following Lu Huan, couldn’t help but admire, “You’re very smart.”
If they had arrived wearing cat ears, it wouldn’t have just resulted in some precious video material on the campus network. It might have even earned them a spot on social news networks.
Lu Huan responded with a nonchalant “huh,” opened the back seat door, and stowed away the luggage.
Yu Baihan peered inside but didn’t spot Fan Lin. “Isn’t Fan Lin seeing you off today?”
“He’s occupied with other tasks.” Lu Huan casually headed towards the driver’s seat. “Get in the car.”
Yu Baihan moved from the rear door to the passenger seat. “Oh, okay.”
…
Upon their return to Lu’s residence, the savory aroma of food greeted them as soon as they entered the house.
Lu Huan strode into the living room and settled his luggage on the couch. Uncle Feng, ever the dutiful butler, offered to carry the bags upstairs, but Lu Huan declined with a quick glance, saying, “No need.”
With that settled, he summoned Yu Baihan to join him for a meal.
Following Lu Huan, Yu Baihan washed his hands and sat down at the dining table, which was adorned with an array of dishes.
Uncle Feng stood nearby, watching the two of them share a meal after their prolonged separation, his face radiating a sense of relief.
However, Yu Baihan felt that something was amiss. Halfway through his meal, he looked up and couldn’t help but wonder if there was a hint of guilt mixed with Uncle Feng’s relief.
Dinner was consumed under the watchful eye of the elderly butler.
After the meal, Yu Baihan carried his luggage and school bag upstairs, with Lu Huan following closely behind.
Upon arriving at the doorway of Lu Huan’s bedroom, Yu Baihan suddenly paused, turned around to face Lu Huan, and inquired, “Should we leave the cat ears here or in my room?”
Since the cat ears were a gift for Lu Huan, he felt it was only right to ask for his preference.
Lu Huan also halted, his gaze lingering on the luggage for a moment before responding, “It doesn’t matter.”
With that response, Yu Baihan figured he could make the choice himself.
He carried the luggage to his room and then retrieved the cat ears. “I’ll keep them.”
A moment later, Lu Huan’s voice came from behind, “Why? Are you waiting for an auspicious day to display them?”
Yu Baihan turned to look at Lu Huan’s expressionless face and couldn’t help but feel a pang of happiness in his heart. It was quite clear to him that their classmate Lu was indeed in love.
After stowing away the luggage, he retrieved the cat ears, teasingly handed them to Lu Huan, and said, “Here, take them!”
Lu Huan, amidst the faint jingling of bells, stared down at him and inquired, “What are you doing?”
Yu Baihan adopted a determined stance and proceeded to gently pry open Lu Huan’s slender fingers one by one. “Just take them. There’s no need for courtesy when your … companion has given them to you!”
Lu Huan took a deep breath and called out, “Si Baihan.”
Yu Baihan looked up, intrigued.
As their eyes locked in silence, Lu Huan finally turned and entered his bedroom, forcefully closing the door behind him with a resounding “bang”!
—
Over the course of the weekend, Yu Baihan refrained from attending school, opting instead to stay at home with Lu Huan.
They’d tidied up the terrace just outside the living room, adding a small square table next to the coffee table. Lu Huan was engrossed in reading on his tablet at the coffee table, while Yu Baihan sat at the square table, engrossed in his own book.
The two of them remained engaged in their individual pursuits, with only the gentle rustling of leaves in the courtyard breaking the tranquility.
Lu Huan’s gaze occasionally drifted from his tablet to Yu Baihan. The latter’s fair face was basked in sunlight, and his eyelashes fluttered now and then as he remained deeply absorbed in his reading.
Sensing Lu Huan’s watchful eyes, Yu Baihan eventually turned around to face him. Their eyes met, and Lu Huan’s fingers danced lightly on his tablet. He then heard Yu Baihan speak, his eyes filled with exasperation, “Could you please focus on your own work instead of constantly peering at me?”
Lu Huan remained composed, “…”
His tone remained even as he replied, “I was merely checking to see if you were enjoying your favorite sport.”
Yu Baihan shot him a quizzical look, “Favorite sport? What are you talking about?”
Lu Huan parted his lips and said, “Table tennis.”
Yu Baihan paused for a moment before putting down his book. He stood up, looking at the water feature outside.
Noticing the teapot and snacks arranged neatly on the coffee table in front of Lu Huan, he moved closer. As he reached for a snack with one hand, he leaned casually against Lu Huan’s arm with his shoulder. However, in the warm home attire of summer, both of them were wearing short sleeves, and their skin brushed together momentarily. Lu Huan subtly shifted away, withdrawing his arm.
Yu Baihan, losing his balance, leaned forward, inadvertently knocking two bags of snacks off the plate, causing them to scatter!
Regaining his equilibrium, he turned to face the culprit and queried with exaggerated patience, “What’s the deal, Student Lu? Are you trying to play tricks on me? Feeling mischievous today?”
Lu Huan glanced at him, remaining seated. “It’s too hot.”
Yu Baihan felt as if he was retaliating with the same argument. “Well, then you should be ‘cooking.'”
Lu Huan, unresponsive, merely gazed at him impassively. “Your call.”
Yu Baihan decided to momentarily abandon his attempt to decide who felt warmer to the touch, and instead retrieved his phone from the table. Glancing at the caller ID, he saw Si Wei’s name, and he gestured for Lu Huan to be silent by pressing a finger to his lips. With that gesture made, he promptly answered the phone with a soft, “Shh.”
He placed a fingertip lightly on his upper lip to quiet the call and found himself connected to Si Wei. “Third brother.”
Si Wei’s voice on the other end sounded irritable. “Why didn’t you reply to my WeChat messages?”
Yu Baihan fell silent for a moment.
He had largely transitioned to using his new account, but he still switched back to his old account every so often to ward off potential troublemakers.
He had last checked the old account around noon today, so just two hours had elapsed. It appeared that Si Wei was genuinely distressed.
The last time Si Wei had been so anxious and jumped over the wall, it had been when he’d been fervently criticizing his own brother.
Yu Baihan replied softly, “It’s the weekend today, and I want to spend time with my husband…I thought you would understand.”
The word “spend time” carried a deeper meaning.
Beside him, Lu Huan tilted his head slightly, casting a penetrating gaze upon him.
Si Wei’s tone softened somewhat on the phone. “Forget it…I’ve been in the hospital for quite a while now. Why didn’t you ask about it? Why haven’t you come to see your third brother?”
Yu Baihan recalled the last time he’d seen Si Wei at the Huo residence and felt he had fulfilled his familial obligations.
He replied, “I didn’t know which hospital you were in.”
Si Wei didn’t press further, and after providing an address, he simply said, “Come by tomorrow afternoon. There’s something important I need to discuss with you in person.”
Yu Baihan acknowledged, “Okay.”
After ending the call, Yu Baihan set his phone aside. He made no effort to conceal anything from Lu Huan; Si Wei’s voice had been loud, and the entire conversation had been clearly audible to Lu Huan.
Lounging back in his chair, Lu Huan regarded Yu Baihan with an impassive expression. “Heading to the hospital?”
Yu Baihan corrected him with a touch of humor, “I’m going to a performance.”
He wasn’t sure what Si Wei had in store for him this time.
A wry smile played on the corners of Lu Huan’s lips. “Do you need me to accompany you?”
“No need,” Yu Baihan responded. After a brief pause, he turned to face Lu Huan, explaining, “Between us brothers, there are some things we need to discuss privately.”
Lu Huan inquired, “Really?”
Yu Baihan looked at him with an indulgent expression. “Save your jokes.”
The wind outside rustled the pages of the book spread out on the table. Yu Baihan lowered his head to smooth the pages. Then, he heard Lu Huan speak, “Shall I have Hua Wu drive you?”
“No need,” Yu Baihan replied. He leaned back in his chair, gazing at the lush courtyard, and smiled contentedly.
He didn’t disclose the full truth; the only card in his possession was Si Yanting’s. He had used Si Yanting’s card to pay the water bill. What else could he do?
Lu Huan observed him for a moment, then smiled. “Alright.”
He added, “But let Hua Wu accompany you.”
—
The following afternoon, Yu Baihan hailed a taxi to the address provided by Si Wei.
Hua Wu, following Lu Huan’s discreet instructions, discreetly trailed behind him.
Indeed, although Hua Wu appeared fair and delicate, his skills were top-notch. Yu Baihan felt reassured; Lu Huan’s thoughtfulness extended to assigning someone to protect him.
All those training sessions weren’t in vain.
The taxi journey took them to a private hospital, and upon arrival, Yu Baihan handed over a few hundred yuan in fare and promptly switched back to his old account to make the payment.
He entered the hospital and, with the guidance of a nurse, quickly located Si Wei’s VIP suite.
The VIP suite felt more like an upscale hotel.
Yu Baihan opened the door and entered. He traversed the living room and reached the inner room where Si Wei was resting.
Si Wei lay on the hospital bed, one leg encased in a plaster cast suspended above, and he exhibited signs of weariness following his second injury.
In the room, there were secretaries and nurses attending to him. Upon seeing Yu Baihan, Si Wei raised his hand and gestured for them to leave, “Please close the door.”
“Of course,” one of the nurses replied.
Once they exited, only Yu Baihan and Si Wei remained in the room.
Si Wei squinted at Yu Baihan. “It’s been a while; you seem to be doing well.”
Yu Baihan expressed sympathy, “Well, Third Brother, you’ve lost weight.”
Si Wei was instantly choked up, his chest constricted, and his injured leg seemed to ache even more.
“Enough!” He abruptly cut off Yu Baihan’s heartfelt condolences, suppressing the discomfort in his heart with irritation. After a brief pause, he lowered his voice again. “I’ve called you because I have something important to discuss.”
To the point; Yu Baihan liked that.
He inquired, “What’s the matter?”
At that moment, an unusual expression of concern crossed Si Wei’s face as he regarded Yu Baihan with a hint of affection, “In reality, after the Third Brother’s recent serious illness, I have come to realize that I have wronged you a lot in the past.”
Yu Baihan appeared slightly taken aback.
This emotional scene felt so intense; it was as if someone had yelled “action” to start a performance!
Si Wei continued to elaborate but quickly got to the crux of the matter after a few sentences, “I know you’ve always been obedient to your big brother, but do you realize…”
He strategically paused for a moment, his gaze filled with sadness as he looked at Yu Baihan, “Your brother has been manipulating you all this time!”
Yu Baihan was taken aback: Well, you seem to be aware that it’s manipulation!
Si Wei seemed to think Yu Baihan was stunned and continued, “I know that it might be hard for you to accept this at first, but what Big Brother has done is wrong. He’s just trying to control you.”
“Xiao Han, don’t do anything for him anymore. Your third brother will help you break free from his influence.”
After delivering this speech, Si Wei picked up a business card from the bedside table. “Here’s the contact information for a psychiatrist. Take it and regain control of your life.”
Yu Baihan sat in silence, his lips slightly parted.
Well done, San’er. I knew I could count on you, but I didn’t expect such a brilliant performance.
After a while, he closed his mouth and reached for the business card with a nonchalant “hmm.”
Observing this, Si Wei wasn’t in a hurry. If Yu Baihan had agreed immediately, it would have seemed like the manipulative older brother’s “brainwashing” had succeeded.
“Alright, take your time to think it over.”
“Okay.” Yu Baihan didn’t want to linger any longer and turned to leave.
But just as he pressed the doorknob, Si Wei called out to him, “Xiao Han.”
Yu Baihan took a slight breath, thinking, ‘Is there no way to do this all at once?’
He turned back, “Third Brother.”
Si Wei lay on the bed, speaking tenderly, “Don’t be afraid; your third brother is here for you.”
“…” Yu Baihan responded sincerely this time, “Yes.”
Indeed. With you in the Si family, I feel reassured.
He pushed the door open and left, leaving the blessings of the Si family behind him.
—
He used Si Yanting’s money to hire a taxi and arrived at Lu’s residence in the evening.
The sun was setting, casting a warm, golden glow over the entire courtyard. The buildings’ balconies and tree branches cast long, graceful shadows in the fading light.
As he walked through the gate, Yu Baihan spotted Lu Huan standing on the terrace. The twilight illuminated Lu Huan’s figure, emphasizing his broad shoulders and erect posture. Sensing Yu Baihan’s presence, he turned to look at him.
The backlighting made it difficult to discern Lu Huan’s expression as they silently exchanged glances across the courtyard.
After a few moments, Yu Baihan remarked, “The last time I struck a pose like this was during our freshman orientation speech.”
Lu Huan remained silent.
A sudden breeze swept through the courtyard, causing a nearby tree to sway, and its branches blocked the waning sunlight behind.
As the light dimmed, Lu Huan’s somewhat troubled expression became visible to Yu Baihan.
Alright, no need to dwell on it.
Yu Baihan gave Lu Huan an affectionate look, turned, and walked towards the terrace, covering the remaining distance to Lu Huan in a few steps. “Was our classmate Lu waiting here for me on purpose?”
Lu Huan looked at him and replied, “Not intentionally, just coincidentally.”
Yu Baihan nodded, “Alright, whatever you say.”
Lu Huan pinched his forehead, feeling a slight twitch. “You went to see your dear third brother today. What did he say to you?”
Yu Baihan, upon hearing this, was astonished!
He retrieved the business card from his pocket and shared it with Lu Huan, “He gave me this.”
Lu Huan glanced down at the business card of a psychiatrist, his brows furrowing slightly, “Why did he give you this?”
“He asked me not to be influenced by my elder brother.”
Yu Baihan held the business card up and examined it closely. He was facing the setting sun, and the card seemed to be bathed in a golden glow.
That cunning brother of his…
Despite his limp, he was concerned enough to arrange a psychiatrist for him.
Yu Baihan tapped the business card lightly and then dusted it off. “Our third brother is truly considerate, he widened the road.”
Lu Huan remained silent.
The Si family are full of scums.. The original si baihan really had it rough. He’s surrounded by a bunch of manipulative pos
+1 both their families are non-recyclable trash
Glad Yu Baihan is no pushover. The Si family will get their comeuppance 😠
Thanks for the chapter 💞
This story is full of surprises 👏❤️