TWSITAOCP Chapter 65

Yan Xiu glanced at Yu Sui, his expression unreadable.

Yu Sui’s heart pounded.

They were having a family meeting when they were suddenly greeted by this group of people. What they had been discussing earlier was temporarily forgotten.

Yuan Yu helped with the gifts. As Yu Jingyuan led the group towards the living room, she quietly tugged at Yu Zhen’s sleeve: “Zhenzhen, didn’t your Aunt Tang and Uncle Yan bring a bit too much this time?”

Actually, it was more than just a bit too much. The quantity was far beyond what one would expect from a New Year’s visit.

Yu Zhen was busy calling Aunt Sun and the others back, patting Yuan Yu’s hand while answering the phone: “It’s alright. It’s what they should do.”

“…”

Gifts during holidays should always be reciprocated in kind, otherwise the disparity between the two sides would feel like a loss of face. Yuan Yu shook her head, feeling she couldn’t be hasty and was about to follow them when Yu Zhen pulled her back.

“It’s really nothing,” Yu Zhen said.

The Yu family, which had been in chaos for several days, finally welcomed its first guests of the New Year.

Yu Sui remained leaning against the tea shelf, with his head down, and staring at his phone. He hadn’t moved closer since the greeting with his family.

Yan Xiu, surprisingly, sat down with his parents to listen to Yu Jingyuan and the others talk.

Yu Sui heard every word, hearing Yan Xiu discuss the development trends of that certain thing with his elders, and what they were saying about the market.

The young master slumped his head listlessly, tapping his phone screen for a long time, until the chat messages from the past few days were no longer visible, before finally taking pity and letting it go.

Yu Jingyuan’s attention wasn’t even on the conversation. Although Yu Sui was standing behind him, he still saw his youngest son staring intently at his phone in the reflection of the window.

Yu Sui noticed this too, moved to a spot where his father couldn’t see him, and went to stand somewhere else.

He looked up at Yan Xiu.

That guy’s phone was sometimes on silent, but it’s usually on vibrate. It’s probably vibrating in his pocket right now, but he just can’t bring himself to look at it.

Even though Yu Jingyuan disliked being disturbed at this time, he didn’t show the slightest impropriety. The maid was called that evening, and Fu Lai’s chef was hired to cook a lavish meal, but they still couldn’t understand why this family had suddenly arrived.

Although both families had their own agendas, they still sat down and chatted warmly, reminiscing about old times to prevent the meal from becoming awkward.

After two rounds of toasts and polite conversation, Yu Jingyuan suddenly remembered that the boy opposite him was actually the same age as his youngest son.

Back then, the two children didn’t know each other, like two troublemakers clashing. Neither liked the other much, and their interaction was entirely due to encouragement from their elders.

In the blink of an eye, their relationship had blossomed from playful bickering to friendly banter.

Thinking of this, Yu Jingyuan’s thoughts abruptly stopped. A subconscious pause crossed his mind, and he asked, “When does Xiao Xiu plan to go back and properly help Lao Yan?”

“No rush,” Tang Ying said. “He has his own things to do.”

As she spoke, Tang Ying raised an eyebrow: “Xiao Xiu will be holding his own art exhibition in Yandu around next year. Remember to come and support him.”

Now, all eyes at the table naturally turned to Yan Xiu.

Yuan Yu had also pondered art a long time ago, but had never persisted. And to this day, she could only draw stick figures.

She liked Yan Xiu and smiled, saying, “Aren’t you very busy? You need to rest well. You’re still young. No need to push your body too hard.”

Yu Sui sat opposite Yan Xiu, echoing Yuan Yu’s words, “Yes.”

Then, casually, she asked, “Are you feeling a bit feverish?”

Everyone’s gaze turned to him again. A quick glance revealed a small cut on the corner of Yan Xiu’s mouth.

Yan Xiu lightly touched it, “It’s not from being busy.”

“Then what is it?” Yu Si, sitting nearby, asked casually.

Yan Xiu: “From being anxious.”

Some people disappear without a word, only having Yang Feiwen play the game of being out of contact for more than eight hours before reporting back—probably deliberately trying to drive someone crazy with anxiety.

Yan Xiu rushed back to Yandu that very day.

 

Once he arrived in Yandu, he stopped his impulsive actions, and went back home, unable to bear disrupting Yu Sui’s long-planned scheme.

Yu Sui abruptly shifted his gaze and lightly scratched his ear.

Yu Si suddenly frowned and sat up straight.

Sure enough, after everyone had eaten and drunk their fill, the conversation suddenly centered on Yu Sui. Tang Ying couldn’t stop talking about Yu Sui, first showing concern for him from head to toe, then praising him from head to toe.

This wasn’t uncommon when the two families met, but this year was different. The Yu family, on the sensitive line, sensed something unusual.

The Yan’s even gave up the lion’s share of the profits from a large deal, saying, “From now on, we’re all family. This is just a small token of our appreciation.”

Yu Jingyuan had said this before.

His business practice of always competing for the lion’s share in collaborations was flawed, but he was also a man of many friends. When it came to the interests of a powerful family like the Yan family, he was fair and generous.

Yu Jingyuan had already told Yan Ying’s father, “From now on, we’re all family, don’t make these excuses.”

What else didn’t he understand? That night, everything suddenly became clear.

Yu Jingyuan clutched his heart, feeling like he was about to have another episode.

Yu Sui was kept at home until after the Lunar New Year before being allowed to leave.

Their father, torn between his decision and the long-unsigned contract, stayed home, ultimately deciding against signing it. However, he drafted a new agreement and had Yu Si deliver it.

Yu Sui snatched the contract from Yu Si and went to Yan’s house.

He didn’t return to Yu family that day. Tang Ying and Lao Yan had gone to visit Yan Xiu’s third aunt for the New Year and weren’t home that evening.

Without elders around, the young master’s arrogance surfaced. He clung to Yan Xiu, showering him with kisses and coaxing, preventing him from bringing up the old grievances.

Yan Xiu turned off the water dispenser, then made a cup of warm water, before handing it to Yu Sui. Having grown accustomed to this man’s temper, he had gradually learned to only bring up the old grievances periodically, figuring he had a long memory and would always find a way to get his revenge.

“When did you tell your parents?” Yu Sui, oblivious to the fact that he’d been embarrassed by the question for a while, was still bothered by it. “I haven’t dared to reply to Aunt Tang’s messages lately.”

“Right after graduation.” Yan Xiu went to guest room, pulling a set of bedding from the closet, and tossed it onto the bed. “I didn’t tell you because I was afraid you wouldn’t dare reply.

At the time, Yu Sui hadn’t thought much of it. Since it was cold lately, adding or removing layers didn’t really matter.

 

Until that night, when Yan Xiu made him climb into bed, he made a makeshift bed on the carpet next to him. And no matter how much he pulled, Yu Sui wouldn’t get on. The young master sat cross-legged on the bed, completely bewildered.

“Really not coming up?” Yu Sui pointed at him.

Yan Xiu: “No.”

Yu Sui pretended to change his clothes and go back: “Then I’ll go to sleep.”

But Yan Xiu had anticipated this, carrying the bedsheets with the implication that if Yu Sui dared to move, he’d make his bed and sleep by the door.

There was a heater next to the bed. If he slept like that by the door all night, he’d be lucky to catch a cold the next day.

Yu Sui rolled up his pillow and thought for a moment, then rolled onto the floor and clung tightly to Yan Xiu, his head pressed against his waist.

Yan Xiu remained unmoved, pulling Yu Sui’s hands away one by one.

This guy wouldn’t stay still clinging to him for long. Within two seconds, Yan Xiu heard the young master say in a muffled voice against his waist, “Nobody at home talks to me, are you going to ignore me too?”

“…Who asked for this?” Even knowing it was a lie, Yan Xiu’s heart still tightened.

Yan Xiu pursed his lips and closed his eyes briefly, his hand tracing Yu Sui’s chin and pressing against his cheek: “You’re not allowed to touch your phone while facing the wall?”

“No, nothing with internet access is allowed. You can’t play anything except reading.”

Yu Sui, his face close to Yan Xiu’s palm, turned and lightly pecked him, his hand, which had been hooking on the edge of Yan Xiu’s pajama pants, suddenly slid down, acting like a rogue.

Yan Xiu bent down and grabbed his wrist, remaining silent for two seconds. The lingering romantic feelings hadn’t subsided, but he was so angry he gritted his teeth. He simply picked up the young master and pushed him onto the bed.

In a way, Yu Sui had managed to coax Yan Xiu back to bed, preventing him from pitifully staying under the bed.

After staying at Lao Yan’s house for one night, he returned to find his father looking utterly exhausted.

Everyone in the family was on holiday for the New Year, and none of them were asleep. They were all sitting on the sofa watching last year’s Spring Festival Gala.

The lies Yu Sui told Yan Xiu were half true and half false. Yu Liao and Yu Si genuinely ignored him, Yu Zhen was still the same as always, and Yuan Yu, being more easygoing, had slept well and woken up feeling better, only asking him about more trivial matters concerning the future with a troubled expression.

Yu Jingyuan called Yu Sui into the study—this time not for self-reflection, but in a proper, well-deserved study that Yu Jingyuan had recently renovated.

He pushed the accounts in his hand in front of Yu Sui, remained silent for a long while, and said, “Tell Dad what you think. You’ve grown up so much, and I’ve hardly ever heard your thoughts.”

Yu Sui flipped through the accounts quickly. They contained the little tricks he had played over the years.

Actually, these petty things of his were nothing to Yu Jingyuan, but Yu Jingyuan had never placed any expectations on him in this regard, so much so that it took him a long time to realize that he had been tricked by Yu Sui.

Perhaps the Yu family paved a bright and honorable path for Yu Sui from the moment he was born. Along the way, Yu Sui suddenly realized he didn’t want to walk that path, so he painstakingly concealed his shortcomings and feigned incompetence, using the laziest method to find another, more honorable path.

He thought Yu Sui was the most indecisive person in their family, but Yu Sui personally gave him the most profound lesson.

Yu Sui glanced at Yu Jingyuan after skimming.

Yu Jingyuan then threw him another problem.

It was a problem Yu Jingyuan had encountered repeatedly during his business trips over the years: the Yu family’s catering business was stable in the market, but its advertising was always inadequate, causing them considerable losses over the years.

Yu Sui quickly reviewed past advertising examples and spotted the problem. The PR department was always staffed by old people, with fixed mindsets and unwilling to use new ideas.

Yu Jingyuan had actually wanted to replace them for a long time, but those people were all connected, distant relatives of his family.

“Replace it with the Yan family.” Yu Sui’s eyelids twitched slightly.

Yu Jingyuan pulled back the document: “Replace it with Xiao Xiu?”

“Yes.” Yu Sui’s expression was natural. “Supporting your daughter-in-law, what can your uncle and the others say?”

His reason, at first glance, was hard to argue with. Yu Jingyuan was speechless for a long time, a little annoyed. He waved Yu Sui away, wanting to avoid seeing him: “Don’t hang around in front of me.”

Yu Sui reached the study door, but was stopped again: “Wait a minute.”

Yu Sui turned his head: “What is it?”

“…” Yu Jingyuan asked with a pained expression, “Did you tell your Uncle Yan that you’re having New Year’s Eve dinner at home this year?”