Xu Ye never asked about the cause and result of that accident. He vaguely felt that those people were coming for him, but he didn’t know what he had done to provoke those people to kill him.
His master had been very busy during this period, but despite this, he often stayed with him at home, and sometimes even meetings were held at home. Xu Ye had an intuition that the things Chu Yu was dealing with were related to the accident and that things were far more complicated and troublesome than he imagined. So he was not in a hurry to explore the truth because he knew that Chu Yu would definitely give him an answer.
The days he spent leisurely at home were also quite fulfilling. In addition to reading boring economic and legal books, Xu Ye also learnt cooking skills from Uncle Ye. Yesterday, accidentally shattered the celadon bowl that Chu Yu had acquired through a high-priced auction. Uncle Ye and the kitchen assistant were so frightened that their faces turned pale. The three of them studied for a long time and couldn’t glue it back together. Finally, Xu Ye confessed and was punished by kneeling for an hour.
On Thursday morning, he was following the steps on the computer to learn how to bake cookies when the doorbell rang. It was Chu Xuan who came, and there were more than a dozen well-trained black-clad attendants standing outside the door.
Before xiao Xun could finish his sentence, “Third Young Master, why are you here?” the other party had already turned to Xu Ye and said coldly, “Follow me.”
“Third Young Master!” Xiao Xun stopped him in a deep voice, “I can’t let you take him away until I receive a direct order from the Second Young Master.”
Chu Xuan raised an eyebrow, his eyes narrowing into a playful expression, “Can you stop me?”
The atmosphere suddenly became tense. Eight bodyguards who stayed outside the house jumped in from the window and protected Xu Ye in the centre. And more than ten men in black outside the door also approached the house.
Chu Xuan raised his hand to stop their actions and looked at Xiao Xun calmly, “If I haven’t received orders, I won’t come to snatch someone from Second Brother’s territory. You should already know who has the authority to give me orders. I must take him away today. As for whether things get physical, that’s for you to consider.”
Silence spread. Butler Xiao, who had always been calm, looked a little pale at the moment. The Second Young Master had been unable to be contacted since just now. Once Xu Ye was taken away from here, it would be difficult to predict what would happen. However, he couldn’t disobey the person who gave the order…
“I’ll go with you.” Xu Ye, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke.
“Young Master Xu!” Xiao Xun was shocked.
“It’s okay.” He rubbed his hands covered with sticky dough on his apron and smiled at Chu Xuan, “Please wait a moment. I have to wash my hands and change my clothes. It wouldn’t be presentable to go out like this.”
The car was speeding on the straight road, getting further and further away from the centre of K City. This road was very familiar to Xu Ye; it was the direction to Donglin.
“Why aren’t you asking any questions?” Chu Xuan, who was sitting next to him, said calmly.
Xu Ye raised the corner of his lips, “Even if I ask, you may not necessarily answer. Rather than making both sides awkward, it’s better not to ask anything. In the end, we’ll find out anyway.”
The man looked at him for a while and said, “You are different from before.”
“For the better, or for the worse?” Xu Ye turned his face sideways.
Chu Xuan was stared at by his deep, dark eyes, and for some reason, a wave of restlessness surged in his heart. He turned away without speaking.
The car stopped at the gate of a manor.
Xu Ye followed Chu Xuan through the intricate Chinese-style garden, walking along the ornate corridor towards the main residence. Everywhere they looked, there were beautifully designed rockeries and clear ponds, lush trees, and blooming flowers. The black-clad bodyguards within the estate respectfully stepped aside in silence as they approached.
There was a bitter smell of traditional Chinese medicine in the large reception room. The sunlight filtered in through the open wooden lattice window, casting a layer of soft light on the intricately carved mahogany furniture. The man sitting on the main seat held a white porcelain bowl in his hand, frowned slightly, and drank the black concoction in one gulp.
“Father.” Chu Xuan, abandoning his usual aloof demeanour, straightened his posture and talk in a low voice, “I brought him here.”
Xu Ye’s heart skipped a beat. Even though he had made a rough guess on the road, he still felt nervous when he saw the real person. After all, this man was a renowned underworld figure, a wealthy legend in the business world, and Chu Yu’s father. The man, who had a dominating reputation, didn’t emanate the sinister and ruthless aura Xu Ye had imagined. Instead, he was lean and elegant. But when he raised his eyes, the sharpness contained in those bright eyes with a sense of oppression made people unconsciously hold their breath in awe. This kind of imposing presence, not born of anger but sheer authority, was crafted through the trials of time, and it exuded from his very essence, impossible to replicate.
The empty bowl in his hand was taken over by the attendant servant, and Chu Guangye glanced at Xu Ye lightly.
“Hello, Mr. Chu, I’m Xu Ye.” As someone younger, he should naturally take the initiative to greet him.
“Sit down.” The man’s hair was dyed grey with time. He was wearing linen Chinese clothes. There was no emotion or anger on his thin face. He asked, “How long have you been with my second son?”
He sat down on the mahogany chair next to Chu Xuan and answered honestly, “More than three months.”
“What do you think of him?”
Xu Ye looked slightly red and replied, “…very good.”
“So after you get Donglin’s land, you still don’t plan to leave him?” In Chu Guangye’s eyes, there were surges of hidden turmoil.
Xu Ye was startled, with a wry smile on his lips, “Mr. Chu knows the character of the second young master very well. If I approached him with that kind of motive, I’m afraid I wouldn’t have the chance to sit here and meet you today.” He paused, his long eyelashes drooped slightly, “I’ve put in a lot of effort to secure the Donglin project. The Second Young Master’s decision to invest wasn’t solely based on our personal relationship. From the current perspective, the project is progressing smoothly. I can’t guarantee what the financial situation will be like after the grand opening next spring, but I’m confident that Golden Eagle’s investment won’t go to waste. As for the relationship between us…” He pursed his lips and said softly, “As absurd as it may sound, I love him. You are his father, and I would very much like to have your permission.”
This was said very sincerely. Chu Xuan, who was sitting next to him, looked at him silently, with a bit of surprise in his eyes. He didn’t expect Xu Ye to be so calm in front of the old man.
In fact, the person involved was already so nervous that even his fingers were cold. He sat stiffly on the chair, his heart beating as if he was overspeeding.
Chu Guangye looked at him for a while and said, “What if I don’t allow it?”
Xu Ye was stunned, tightened his fingers, and raised his face with determination, “I will not leave Chu Yu until he lets me go.”
As if hearing something interesting, Chu Guangye smiled and said, “Young man, you need to understand one thing. If I don’t agree, the Second won’t have the ability to keep you.”
The strong sense of oppression in that gaze made Xu Ye shiver. He knew this wasn’t a bluff. After Chu Guangye started the Black Eagle Society and successfully cleaned it up, he left all business matters to his three sons, and he lived in seclusion and seldom took any action. However, what he saw and heard when he entered this mansion made Xu Ye feel that the old man Chu was the one who really controlled everything. No one could challenge his authority.
“I’m not the old-fashioned, stubborn man you think I am. It doesn’t matter what Chu Yu likes to do or whether his bed partner is a man or a woman. Your relationship is your business, and I won’t interfere. Life is short, and I never waste time on trivial matters.” He looked at Xu Ye, who was completely stunned and continued, “Originally, I didn’t need to meet you, but the Second did something that crossed the line, and I need to teach him a lesson.” He made a gesture, and not long after, two black-clothed bodyguards pushed the door in, and then a figure walked in.
When he saw clearly the figure, Xu Ye could no longer sit still; he stood up suddenly, but Chu Xuan grabbed him and warned him in a low voice, “Sit down obediently. This is not a place where you can do whatever you want.”
He sat down stiffly, his eyes tremblingly falling on the whip-scarred Chu Yu, and he felt as if his heart was being tightened. The white shirt was torn out by the whip, and red marks were faintly revealed, which must have been broken skin and blood.
Chu Yu, who was kneeling in the middle of the room, also saw him. His pupils shrank suddenly, and he looked at his father with steaming anger in his eyes. His voice sounded like ice, “He has nothing to do with this matter.”
“The rules are always determined by the stronger party. Until you’ve fully matured, everything is decided by me.” Chu Guangye took a sip of tea leisurely, “After receiving thirty lashes, do you now know where you went wrong?”
Chu Yu lowered his eyes, “Calling the Dark agents without your consent. Taking the risk of touching those old guys without adequate preparation. A miscalculation that escalated the situation.”
“That’s all?” Chu Guangye smiled, “Go on, ten lashes.”
Watching the bodyguard wielding a soft black whip without hesitation towards Chu Yu’s back, Xu Ye couldn’t help but want to plead, only to hear Chu Xuan say in a deep voice, “In the Chu family’s rules, pleading intensifies the punishment. Do you want the Second Brother to be hurt even more severely?”
Chu Yu forced himself to endure the pain and remained silent, keeping his eyes on Xu Ye as if to reassure him. Watching the man who had always walked ahead steadfastly, shielding him from wind and rain, the man he looked up to, now kneeling quietly and enduring the lashes, each strike felt like a blow to his own heart for Xu Ye. He bit his lip tightly, his eyes reddening.
After ten lashes, Chu Guangye asked, “Do you understand now?”
The whip used for this kind of punishment was wrapped with black gold wire. It was thin and heavy, and it hurt terribly when it hit the body. Chu Yu panted lightly and said, “Understood. I wasn’t ruthless enough. I had too many concerns about those old folks, gave Song Wanhua the opportunity to gather support and form factions.”
“You still have to be beaten to learn quickly.” Chu Guangye raised the corner of his lips, looked at his second son kneeling on the ground and said, “Figure out the next steps on your own. If your actions are not smooth and cause instability in the entire Golden Eagle, I won’t hesitate to abandon you and use you as a target.”
“I understand, father.” Chu Yu stood up, and a bodyguard in black immediately put a clean coat on him.
“As for your weakness, leave it with me for the time being.” After Chu Guangye finished speaking, he stood up and left.
Xu Ye looked at the injuries on his body, stretched out his hand, but did not dare to touch it. There was a bitterness in his throat that would not go away, and he asked softly, “Does it hurt?”
Seeing the worry in the other person’s eyes, Chu Yu couldn’t help but smile. “It hurts, but…” He pointed his index finger at Xu Ye’s lips and said, “If someone could comfort me, maybe it wouldn’t hurt as much.”
Xu Ye’s face turned slightly red, and he raised his neck and kissed the slightly curved thin lips. He took the initiative to open his mouth and wrap it around the man’s tongue, letting the other person sweep every inch of his warm mouth. It was a familiar scent that made him feel at ease.
The sunlight shone in from the window, forming rays of light that were within reach, illuminating the tiny rolling dust particles in the air.
The room was charmingly cosy and warm.
A slight cough broke the kiss between the two. Xu Ye took half a step back as if his tail had been stepped on, blushing in embarrassment.
How could he ignore the big man beside him…
“Second brother.” Chu Xuan said bravely, “It was the old man who ordered me to bring Xu Ye here.”
Chu Yu glanced at him, “I will settle this account with you slowly when I have time.”
“…I’ll get you some ointment.” He quickly disappeared.
Xu Ye couldn’t help but laugh, “Why is the Third Young Master so afraid of you?”
“Because I often beat him when I was young.” Chu Yu sat down on the stone bench in the yard, and Xu Ye sat next to him, watching the koi fish swimming slowly in the pond. The man raised his hand and touched his head, “Are you scared to come here alone?”
“It was a bit overwhelming at first, but then I saw you…well, I felt a lot more at ease.”
“The old man likes you very much.” Chu Yu looked at his expression full of disbelief and smiled, “Otherwise, he wouldn’t allow you to stay.”
“Allow me to stay?” Xu Ye was confused and looked at the man with flashing eyes. The phrase ‘As for your weakness, leave it with me for the time being’ suddenly flashed through his mind, and he was stunned.
The wind passed between the two of them, blowing up the dark coat on the man’s body, and there was a unique gentleness in his deep voice.
“Xu Ye, my only weakness is you.”
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