ARBRMW : Chapter 53

“Come to the study. I have something to discuss with you,” the Sun family patriarch said, completely disregarding any sense of propriety as he issued a direct order to Si Ye.

Chen Xu instinctively clenched his fists. Tao Minzhi mostly stayed in Villa No. 5, and it had been a long time since Chen Xu had heard anyone speak to Si Ye in such a disrespectful tone. Even though the Sun patriarch was an elder, Chen Xu felt he was taking advantage of his age, and it annoyed him.

Si Ye, holding Chen Xu’s hand, followed the patriarch toward the study. The patriarch turned around and saw Si Ye still holding Chen Xu’s hand. He frowned, displeased. “Why are you bringing him along? Do you think the Sun family would mistreat him?”

He glared at Chen Xu and said, “You’re not a child anymore, nor are you a little girl. Why are you so clingy? Don’t you have any sense of manliness?”

Before Chen Xu could react, Si Ye’s expression darkened. “It seems the patriarch isn’t welcoming us. We’ve delivered our gift and wished you a long and prosperous life. We’ll take our leave now.”

Si Ye turned to leave without hesitation, completely ignoring the patriarch’s stunned and shocked expression.

“Si Ye! Stop right there!” the patriarch shouted after regaining his composure. He couldn’t let Si Ye leave like this. Most of the guests at his birthday celebration were there because of Si Ye.

But Si Ye ignored him, striding out with Chen Xu in tow.

“What’s going on?”

“What happened? Why does Mr. Si look so upset?”

“Did the Sun patriarch offend Mr. Si?”

“The patriarch really overestimates himself. Si Ye has always treated him with respect as an elder, but he seems to think he’s Si Ye’s father. Now that he’s angered Si Ye, I wonder how the Sun family will handle this.”

“Si Ye just got here. Why is he leaving already? Today is my father’s big day. He’s been looking forward to your visit. You can’t leave now. We were hoping to share a few drinks with you later,” Sun Dekang quickly stepped in to stop Si Ye. As the saying goes, you don’t hit a smiling face. Sun Dekang, having spent years in the business world, knew when to humble himself.

The patriarch caught up, leaning heavily on his cane and panting. Sun Dekang quickly pulled him aside, warning him not to say anything rash. It was clear that Si Ye’s attitude had changed this time. Using Sun Keting as leverage wouldn’t work forever.

“I’m an old man. Can’t I even scold a teenager?” the patriarch said, feeling justified. In his eyes, Chen Xu was just a kid, and even if he weren’t involved with Si Ye, the patriarch believed he had every right to lecture him on proper behavior.

Moreover, he wasn’t wrong. This Chen Xu, only eighteen, had already climbed into Si Ye’s bed, bewitching him to the point where he rejected perfectly good women and instead married a boy who was only good-looking.

The patriarch thought he was in the right and expected Si Ye to reflect on his words. However, Si Ye’s response left him speechless.

“Yes,” Si Ye said, looking down at the patriarch with icy eyes.

The patriarch’s eyes widened, his throat tightening.

Si Ye’s voice was sharp and cold. “My people don’t tolerate even the slightest bit of disrespect. If he’s done something wrong, I’ll be the one to teach him. Outsiders have no right to comment.”

As soon as Si Ye finished speaking, the room fell into silence. The patriarch’s face turned red with humiliation. He was an old man, half-buried in the grave, yet he was being publicly shamed by a younger man.

The patriarch wanted to tell Si Ye to take his little fox spirit and leave, but he remembered that the Sun family still relied on Si Ye. Moreover, they needed Si Ye’s connections to find that child.

After a suffocating silence, the patriarch finally lowered his head. “I was wrong this time. I shouldn’t have meddled.”

He turned to Chen Xu and said, “You’re Chen Xu, right?”

Chen Xu, who had been standing silently, nodded.

The patriarch bowed his head slightly and said, “I was wrong earlier. I’m an old fool. Please don’t take it to heart.”

Chen Xu didn’t feel any lighter after this apology. While the patriarch was apologizing to him, it was clear to everyone that he was doing so under Si Ye’s pressure. For an elder to lower himself and apologize to a teenager would surely cause a stir if it got out. Si Ye would be vilified online.

“Patriarch Sun, you’re too kind. As a junior, if I’ve done anything wrong, your guidance is for my benefit. However, even when scolding a dog, one must consider its owner. You accused me without understanding the situation. Since Si Ye and I are married, we are one. Your words reflected poorly on him, and his temper flared. Please forgive him,” Chen Xu said with a polite smile, exuding grace and composure. In an instant, the youthful naivety around him dissipated.

Chen Xu’s words left the patriarch speechless. He had thought Chen Xu was just an eighteen-year-old kid, but now he realized the boy was not so easy to deal with.

Those who had initially thought Si Ye was overreacting now understood that the patriarch had disrespected Si Ye first, provoking his anger.

Sun Dekang quickly stepped in to smooth things over, whispering to Si Ye that they had stumbled upon some information about that child and the patriarch wanted to discuss it. This was what kept Si Ye from leaving.

Before following the patriarch to the study, Si Ye wrapped an arm around Chen Xu’s waist and leaned down to whisper in his ear, “Say my name again.”

Chen Xu’s ears turned red instantly. He had only called Si Ye by his name earlier out of necessity, as it would be inappropriate to call him “Uncle” in public now that they were married.

He pressed his lips together, refusing to speak. Si Ye chuckled softly in his ear. “I’ll let you off for now, but I want to hear you say my name when we get home.”

As Si Ye straightened up, his lips brushed against Chen Xu’s burning ear, sending a shiver down Chen Xu’s spine.

“Wait for me here. Don’t wander off. If anyone dares to bully you, don’t hold back.”

Chen Xu nodded in agreement. Si Ye reached out and gently pinched Chen Xu’s soft, warm earlobe. “Good boy.”

Si Ye followed the patriarch upstairs, while Chen Xu wandered around the hall, picking up some food before finding a quiet spot to sit and eat.

About ten minutes later, a pretty girl walked up to him, arms crossed, and scrutinized him.

Chen Xu ignored her, continuing to eat. After five minutes, she grew impatient and said, “Can’t you see me?”

Chen Xu put down his fork and glanced up at her. His eyes were dark and bright, with a hint of allure that made her pause.

The girl was momentarily stunned, feeling a jolt from Chen Xu’s gaze.

“Hey, how did you manage to climb into Si Ye’s bed? I heard he never lets anyone get close,” the girl asked arrogantly.

Chen Xu, feeling a bit bored, casually replied, “Maybe because I’m good-looking.”

This answer left the girl speechless. She wanted to scold Chen Xu for being shameless, but when she looked at his face, she couldn’t deny that he was indeed very handsome—exceptionally so. Even though she disliked him, she couldn’t argue with his looks.

After a moment of silence, the girl said, “I’m Sun Fangya. If you hadn’t shown up, I would have been the one marrying Si Ye.”

Chen Xu didn’t take her words seriously. In his previous life, he and Si Ye had little interaction, and Si Ye hadn’t married her—or anyone else, for that matter.

Seeing Chen Xu remain unfazed, Sun Fangya stomped her foot in frustration. “I’m more suitable for Si Ye than you are.”

“Oh?” Chen Xu responded indifferently, giving her a once-over. “I don’t see it.”

Sun Fangya, determined to prove herself, said, “I’m a woman.” She believed this was her biggest advantage over Chen Xu, something he could never match.

Chen Xu remained unmoved. “Si Ye is infertile.”

Sun Fangya: “…”

“And same-sex marriage has been legal for a long time,” Chen Xu added, leaving Sun Fangya even more frustrated.

Sun Fangya tried again, “I’m a returnee from overseas.”

Chen Xu picked up a piece of honeydew melon with his fork and ate it. It was sweet. He’d have to let Si Ye try some later.

“Why are you comparing yourself to a national top scorer in the college entrance exams?” Chen Xu asked.

Sun Fangya stared at him in shock. She had been abroad and only returned for her grandfather’s birthday. She had heard about Si Ye’s marriage and was devastated. She had only known that Si Ye’s spouse was an eighteen-year-old boy but knew nothing else about Chen Xu, let alone that he was a top scorer.

After comparing herself to Chen Xu, Sun Fangya not only failed to outshine him but was thoroughly humiliated. She slunk away, wishing she could fly back overseas immediately. This was so embarrassing.

Chen Xu shook his head. This Miss Sun was more interesting than the rest of her family. After eating so much fruit, he felt the need to use the restroom. He got up, asked a staff member for directions, and headed out, glancing at his phone.

It was almost ten, and Chen Xu yawned, feeling sleepy.

After leaving the restroom, Chen Xu walked to the sink to wash his hands. As he looked up, he noticed a familiar figure standing next to him.

He studied the man’s face for a moment. The man didn’t seem annoyed and even smiled after turning off the faucet. “Do you need an autograph?”

“Or a photo?”

Hearing the man’s practiced question, Chen Xu finally recognized him—Xiang Xiuhe, Tang Zhen’s idol.

What a coincidence to run into him here.

“No need… but if it’s not too much trouble, could you sign one for me?” Chen Xu initially declined but then remembered Tang Zhen would probably love an autograph.

Xiang Xiuhe chuckled. “No trouble at all.”

Chen Xu patted his pockets but found no paper or pen. Xiang Xiuhe, understanding the situation, said, “Let’s ask the hotel staff at the front desk. They should have some.”

“Alright, thank you,” Chen Xu said with a slight nod.

“No problem. It’s rare to meet a fan of mine,” Xiang Xiuhe said amiably, without any airs of a big star.

“It’s not for me. My friend is your fan,” Chen Xu said bluntly.

Xiang Xiuhe was momentarily taken aback, then awkwardly rubbed his nose. “Guess I’m not that popular yet.”

“Not at all. I just don’t follow celebrities much,” Chen Xu said, getting a pen from the staff. The hotel also had a Polaroid camera, so Chen Xu took a photo of Xiang Xiuhe and asked him to sign it for Tang Zhen.

“Thank you,” Chen Xu said, accepting the signed photo.

“You’re welcome. Are you sure you don’t want one for yourself?” Xiang Xiuhe asked with a warm smile, making it hard for Chen Xu to refuse.

Seeing Chen Xu hesitate, Xiang Xiuhe laughed. “Just kidding. I never force anyone. Maybe next time we meet, you’ll like me a little more.”

His smile was charming, and it was no wonder he was a popular star. The gap between him and an ordinary person was vast, which explained Tang Zhen’s obsession.

“Xiao Xu.”

Chen Xu turned at the sound of his name. It was Si Ye. Had he finished talking with the patriarch?

“Uncle Si, are we leaving?” Chen Xu asked, feeling bored at the banquet. It was already past his usual bedtime, and he just wanted to go home, take a shower, and sleep.

“Tired?” Si Ye walked over and gently touched Chen Xu’s face, his eyes soft.

Chen Xu leaned forward slightly, his voice drowsy. “Not tired, just sleepy and bored.”

“Then let’s go home,” Si Ye said, taking Chen Xu’s hand. As they were about to leave, a familiar voice called out.

“Si Ye.”

Si Ye finally noticed the person next to Chen Xu. “Xiuhe?”

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