Minran had returned.
Chu Yunhan made time to pick him up personally at the airport.
A travel-weary Min Ran emerged from the VIP passage wearing oversized sunglasses and a dark brown leather jacket, flanked by two capable-looking bodyguards. Upon spotting him, he strode over and hugged him tightly, “Ge, I’m back.”
Chu Yunhan rubbed his head and said, “Tsk, I haven’t seen you for so long. Why do you seem to be taller than me?”
Minran took off his glasses, tilted his head and smiled, showing his sharp tiger teeth, “That’s right, now you can’t call me ‘Shorty’ anymore.”
Since childhood, Minran had loved to follow Chu Yunhan around like a little tail, and their bond was exceptionally close. Even now, having grown into the third young master of the Chu family responsible for strategising, he still inadvertently reverted to his childhood demeanour in front of his elder brother. The two got in the car, chatting and laughing along the way. After a while, Minran’s cell phone rang. He glanced at the number but didn’t answer it.
Chu Yunhan found it odd and asked, “Why didn’t you answer?”
“I’m too lazy to answer. It must be all nonsense.”
Suddenly, Chu Yunhan understood. The call was likely from Shen Mo. He wanted to ask Minran how he planned to deal with that person but felt it was meddling, so he hesitated for a moment.
“If you want to ask, just ask. Why are you hesitant? You were never like this before.” Minran leaned on the back seat with an unhappy look on his face, “You’re making it awkward.”
He smiled, “I’m afraid you’ll find me annoying if I ask. Since you know what I want to ask, can’t you take the initiative to explain it?”
“It’s my fault, huh?” Minran raised his hands in surrender, “Okay, okay, I confess. I hooked up with Shen Mo.”
Chu Yunhan didn’t expect that he would admit it so bluntly and use such a direct word as ‘hook up’ without any modification. His eyes widened, and he couldn’t speak for a long time.
“Scared you?” Seeing his reaction, Chu Minran felt a little apologetic, “I thought Chen ge told you.”
“He mentioned it, but… when you put it like that, I felt a bit…” He sighed, “I feel like a pig ate the cabbage I grew with so much hard work.”
“Haha.” Minran laughed, “Maybe that’s what the Shen family thinks too.”
“Does the Shen family know about your relationship?” he asked in surprise.
“They didn’t at first.” Minran paused, his eyes softened and helpless, “But that idiot announced at the family banquet that he wanted to marry me.”
Chu Yunhan’s eyes almost bulged out, and he looked at his younger brother in shock.
“Yep, the Shen family’s faces looked just like yours at that time.” Chu Minran curled his lips, “He managed to stand out among the Shen family heirs after so much effort, and before he even secured his position, he went ahead and made a decision like that without consulting anyone. Even I wasn’t prepared. Now, a pack of dogs is after him, targeting him for being gay. I can’t be bothered. He made the mess so he can clean it up himself.”
“Then what do you plan to do in the future?”
“We’ll go our separate ways and stay out of each other’s sight.” Minran stretched and changed the subject, “Alright, I’ve explained myself. Now it’s your turn, ge.”
“What’s there for me to explain?”
“Any exciting romantic developments while I was away?”
Chu Yunhan hesitated for a moment, the words on the tip of his tongue but unable to come out. He decided to wait a little longer and replied, “No.”
Minran tilted his head and looked at him for a while, then smiled, “Alright, I guess gege been pretty lonely while I was gone. Has Chen ge been keeping such a tight leash on you that you couldn’t go out and have some fun?”
“…No. I’ve just had a lot of work on my plate, so I haven’t had the time or energy for anything else.”
“Tsk, Chen ge is as focused as a monk. Now that you have become straight-laced too. You two don’t plan to live like this for the rest of your life, right?”
This hit a nerve with Chu Yunhan. His face flushed slightly as he said, “Enough, focus on your own Shen Mo and stop worrying about us.”
Chu Minran curled his lips and changed the subject, “Okay, okay, I won’t worry about it. Right now, all I want is Aunt Wang’s Egg Drop Fish Soup. The stuff they made in J City was an insult to mandarin fish—it tasted awful.”
“I know you like to eat it, so I’ve already asked the kitchen to prepare it.” From Minran’s words just now, Chu Yunhan already understood the general outline of the matter. What surprised him was that the relationship between the two had reached such an extent. Shen Mo was naturally sincere to Minran; otherwise, he wouldn’t have proposed without hesitation in the midst of a crisis. As for Minran, when the matter was made to public, his first concern wasn’t himself but Shen Mo, fearing that the latter’s unstable position would come under attack. Leaving J City was likely a decision to avoid becoming a burden to Shen Mo.
Their situation left Chu Yunhan feeling both emotional and a little envious. If only he had understood Chu Yichen’s feelings from the beginning and treated him well, perhaps things wouldn’t have reached the point where Yichen was so gravely injured, left with scars all over his body.
He wanted to tell Minran about it, but he didn’t know where to start. His story with Yichen was long and gruelling, something he needed time to prepare himself to share.
The two of them arrived home just in time for dinner, and Chu Yichen had also just returned from the company. The three of them sat down and chatted as they ate. Normally, Chu Yunhan and Chu Yichen, in their honeymoon phase relationship, were quite affectionate at home—stealing kisses and hugs without much care. But now, with a third person present, Chu Yunhan felt restrained. When Chu Yichen casually placed a small bowl of peeled shrimp in front of him, Chu Yunhan’s face flushed bright red, as embarrassed as a monkey’s ass. He quickly cast an awkward glance at Minran and said, “I can do it myself.”
Chu Yichen said nothing, wiped his hands with a towel, and continued eating.
Minran swallowed the ribs in his mouth and said, “Ge, do you still remember Zhang Xiaoman?”
Chu Yunhan paused and said, “I don’t remember.”
“You chased her back then. Didn’t you guys still date for a while?”
“Uh, did I?” Chu Yunhan sneaked a glance at the man sitting next to him, whose expression was as composed as ever. Vaguely, he replied, “I think there might’ve been someone like that. Why do you ask?”
“I met her at a banquet in J City a while ago. I didn’t expect that she was actually Liang Dong’s illegitimate daughter. Last year, after General Liang’s wife passed away, her mother was officially recognised. She asked me for your phone number.”
“You… didn’t give it to her, right?” Chu Yunhan’s face fell.
“I did. She was drinking and reminiscing about your past together, tearful and looking like she still hadn’t moved on. I remember you once said she was beautiful, classy, and your ideal type. As your younger brother, of course, I had to help pave the way for you. I even invited her to visit K City.”
Chu Yunhan choked and looked at Chu Yichen in a panic. The man turned his face sideways and glanced at him lightly. Instantly, Chu Yunhan felt a chill run down his spine and an ache, almost phantom-like, on his rear. His past escapades had left him with countless unresolved ‘debts’. Just a few days ago, at a social event, he had run into someone from his past who’d gazed at him longingly and tried to strike up a conversation. Chu Yichen had given him a similarly brief glance at the time. The result? His rear had been sore for three days straight. This time, with Minran practically inviting someone into their home, Chu Yunhan could already foresee his dire fate—this time, his rear might not survive unscathed.
Chu Yunhan glared at Minran angrily and said, “Who told you to meddle in other people’s business?”
Minran said with a smile, “Looks like gege’s taste has changed. What’s your type now? I’ll help you find someone.”
“No need.” He blushed slightly, “You don’t need to worry about my affairs.”
“Okay,” Minran said with a chuckle. Then he suggested, “I haven’t returned for a long time, but I want to enjoy the night in K City. Let’s go out and play together later?”
By ‘enjoy’, Minran naturally meant drinking and partying. And when it came to that, there was no such thing as quietly sipping drinks together—it always involved company. The company would either be sultry beauties or charming MB, and physical contact was inevitable. In the past, Chu Yunhan would’ve agreed without hesitation. But now that he had someone, he couldn’t ignore his partner’s feelings. Torn between his younger brother and his lover, he didn’t know how to respond.
“Hei Yu.” At this time, Chu Yichen spoke, “Go and get ready. We will go to Lihao to sit down later.”
Chu Yunhan blinked in surprise. Minran’s smile deepened as he remarked, “Chen ge, I thought you didn’t like those kinds of places.”
The man smiled and said, “It’s a rare occasion.”
The Lihao Club, 10th floor, Room 1003.
Of all the rooms, they just had to book this one.
Chu Yunhan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The moment he stepped inside, he was reminded of the time he knelt on one knee by the coffee table, massaging someone’s legs—a pitiful and ridiculous memory.
With Chu Yichen present, everything was naturally arranged to perfection. The drinks, the food, musicians, singers for accompaniment, attentive servers, and even Luo Ning personally brought in the entertainment. A row of stunningly dressed women and a row of handsome young men stood in formation, ready for anyone to choose.
“It’s from the eldest to youngest in order. Eldest brother, you go first.” Minran tilted his head and looked at him.
Chu Yunhan looked at Chu Yichen awkwardly, but the man smiled faintly and said, “Yes, you first, ge.”
Being called ‘ge’ made him tremble all over and get goosebumps. Now, he began to regret not telling the truth to Minran from the beginning. At this moment, he was simply riding a tiger. Helplessly, he pointed at a girl standing on the far side and said, “Her.”
The girl had a pure appearance, a full chest, and a delicate smile as she said, “Hello, boss, my name is Huang Ying.” She then gracefully sat next to him. According to the usual routine, he would have embraced her and started drinking, but now with Chu Yichen sitting beside him, he sat upright, not daring to even let his hands wander, holding his cup and staring straight ahead at the small stage.
Chu Yichen and Minran both chose MB, who dutifully catered to them. The lights dimmed, and the musicians began to play a French song. The girl who sang had a smoky voice and sang the song hoarsely and lowly.
“Come on, let’s play cards,” Minran said, half holding the handsome MB in his arms.
“What game?” Yichen asked.
“Old Maid. Whoever ends up with the Joker loses, and whoever has the King wins. The loser has to do whatever the winner asks. How about that?”
Chu Yichen, “Okay.”
Seeing that they were both interested, Chu Yunhan said, “I have no objection.”
So the three people started playing. Naturally, the attendants were tasked with drawing cards. Following Chu Yunhan’s instructions, Huang Ying drew the leftmost card from Minran’s MB’s hand. She turned it around to show him—it was the Joker. Chu Yunhan desperately signaled to Chu Yichen with his eyes to draw from Minran next.
He knew the King was in Minran’s hand. If he lost, who knew what mischief his younger brother would come up with? It was better for Chu Yichen to lose—Minran wouldn’t dare push his luck with him. But to his dismay, Chu Yichen misread his signals and instructed his attendant to draw a different card. The result? Chu Yunhan lost. He glared at Chu Yichen furiously.
“It’s the first round, so I won’t make it too difficult. Let’s keep it simple,” Minran said with a playful smile. Just when Chu Yunhan breathed a sigh of relief, he heard him say, “The king ordered that the loser kiss this lovely Miss Huang Ying.”
Chu Yunhan was stunned and looked at him with wide eyes.
It was indeed a simple punishment. In the past, he wouldn’t have hesitated to kiss one of the girls who accompanied him while drinking. But now… He glanced nervously at Chu Yichen.
The man looked at him calmly as if he were watching from the sidelines.
“I, that…”
“Eldest brother, you’re not thinking of backing out, are you?” Minran cut him off before he could speak.
Chu Yunhan’s eyes moved from Chu Yichen to Huang Ying, then back to Minran, and said, “Can’t you change it to another one?”
He meant ‘change the punishment’, but Minran misinterpreted it as ‘change the person’ and said very generously, “Okay, you can pick whatever you like.”
Chu Yunhan couldn’t laugh or cry. If he kissed that girl today, he probably wouldn’t be able to get out of bed tomorrow. The only plan for now…
With a resigned sigh, he said, “Clear the room.”
As soon as the eldest young master gave the order, the attendants and servers obediently left. The room was now empty except for the three brothers and a few personal bodyguards.
Chu Yunhan stood, walked over to Chu Yichen, and leaned down with one hand resting on the back of the sofa. His lips lightly brushed against the man’s cheek. He then turned to Minran and said, “Satisfied?”
Minran stared in surprise for a moment before breaking into a laugh. “I didn’t think you’d cave so quickly.”
“Do you think I can’t see through your little tricks? I’m your older brother.” He said, his face a little red, “I was just waiting for the right time to tell you, and here you are, jumping at the chance to mess with me.” He glanced at Chu Yichen and said, “And this one’s your accomplice.”
The man chuckled, “You’re blaming me for not drawing the Joker?”
Chu Yunhan raised his eyebrows.
Chu Yichen’s eyes were filled with softness, “Alright, my fault.”
“Okay, okay, I can’t bear to see you guys flirting with each other like this.” Minran got the answer he wanted and was in a good mood. He hooked Bai Yang’s neck, who was standing by the doo,r and said, “Little Bai Yang, it’s been a long time. Did you miss me?”
“Third Young Master…” Bai Yang was overwhelmed by him and did not dare to break away. He could only look at Chu Yunhan as if he was asking for help.
“Bai Yang is my man; don’t bully him.” Chu Yunhan sat down next to Chu Yichen and said while drinking.
“You two are so sweet to each other; why don’t you allow me to have some fun alone? Besides, how could I bully him?” Minran lifted Bai Yang’s chin frivolously and said, “Little Bai Yang, I miss you so much. Let me give you a kiss.”
Bai Yang’s face turned green as he dodged out of the way.
The joking atmosphere was interrupted when the door opened.
Hei Yu led a person in. When Chu Minran saw who it was, his expression darkened, and he frowned, “What are you doing here?”
Shen Mo, dressed in a long black coat, still carried the chill of the outdoors. With a serene and amiable smile, he replied, “I missed you, so I came.” This man exuded an air of elegance, refined and approachable, and his smile was undeniably captivating.
Minran’s eyes were slightly red, and he held Bai Yang’s hand without letting go, saying, “I’m having a good time; don’t come and spoil the fun.”
Shen Mo was not angry and said slowly, “Go on and have fun. I’ll stay with you.”
Minran stopped talking.
Upon seeing this, Chu Yichen whispered something to Hei Yu and said, “Let’s head somewhere else to sit together.”
A bright moon hung over the sea, like a silver plate suspended high in the sky, and stars dotted the celestial canvas, shimmering faintly, forming a silvery river across the sky.
The white yacht broke through the dark sea, moving slowly like a fish.
At the stern deck, Minran and Shen Mo stood with glasses of wine, speaking in hushed tones. On the uppermost flybridge deck, wrapped in a blanket, Chu Yunhan sat beside Chu Yichen, both gazing at the star-filled sky.
“Are you cold?” Chu Yichen asked.
He shook his head,
He sighed, “Minran, the devil incarnate, has been subdued this time. Shen Mo’s invulnerable good temper leaves him with nothing to do.”
“Shen Mo has a good temper only in front of him, but he is not very good to others.” Chu Yichen said.
Chu Yunhan took a sip of wine, suddenly thought of something, and asked, “Do we have any leverage over Shen Mo?”
“Why would we need leverage on him?”
“In case he bullies Minran?”
Chu Yichen laughed, “Do you think Minran will be the kind to be bullied by him?”
He curled his lips, “Only I am the type to let myself be bullied obediently.”
The man’s eyebrows softened; he stroked his hair with his hand and said, “I wouldn’t dare.”
A smile crept onto Chu Yunhan’s lips. He tilted his head to rest against Chu Yichen’s shoulder, nuzzling lightly. “I’m sleepy. Let’s go down and sleep, okay?”
“Okay.”
The most common word said was ‘okay’.
Because he’s his heart’s greatest treasure.
Support the author by buying the author’s works and/or giving some kisses here~
(It’s very easy to buy from myrics.com because they support Paypal payment in small amounts~)
We have a discord server for those who want to receive an update ping and various announcements~
Join here ^^
And please buy me some kofi if you like the translation~
Also leave some ratings if you like this series here~