ARBRMW : Chapter 68

The Mo and Si families have been close for generations, sharing a strong bond. From kindergarten through middle school, Mo Hang and Si Ye were classmates. Mo Hang was one of Si Ye’s few close friends. When Si Ye was twelve, he was kidnapped and sent abroad for treatment, which caused their separation. However, Mo Hang would visit Si Ye abroad every summer and winter vacation. Mo Hang was always a lively child, known for his hyperactivity and inability to sit still, but he was also the most loyal friend.

 

Although Xiang Xiuhe was also their classmate, he wasn’t around for long. The three were in middle school together, but Si Ye didn’t even finish the first year before going abroad. Therefore, he wasn’t very familiar with Xiang Xiuhe. When Si Ye returned to the country, Mo Hang introduced Xiang Xiuhe to him, but he couldn’t quite remember him from their childhood. The memories from when he was twelve were too distant, and Xiang Xiuhe had not been significant enough to remember. However, since Mo Hang and Xiang Xiuhe were good friends, Si Ye accepted Xiang Xiuhe into their circle. Still, he never expected to find a photo of Xiang Xiuhe from his teenage years hidden in Mo Hang’s book. Could Mo Hang like Xiang Xiuhe?

 

This would explain why Mo Hang always treated Xiang Xiuhe so well and why he was so insistent on retrieving the book. It wasn’t about the book at all; it was about the photo inside. Mo Hang had never mentioned this to Si Ye, and Si Ye decided not to pursue the matter further. He put the photo back in the book, pretending he had seen nothing.

 

Meanwhile, Chen Xu met with Lawyer Cai. When Cai heard that Chen Xu was willing to inherit the estate, he smiled warmly. “Your grandfather can finally rest in peace.”

 

Chen Xu didn’t quite understand why Cai said that. Without this inheritance, he could still manage just fine on his own. Following Cai, they went through the formalities. Chen Xu’s grandfather had left him ten percent of Chen Corporation’s shares and a villa. Coincidentally, the villa was not far from University A. Cai handed him the keys and a small box.

 

After thanking Cai, Chen Xu went to the villa his grandfather left him. It was a two-story villa, not very large, more like a small mansion. There was a small garden at the entrance, and the interior was very clean, likely maintained regularly by someone arranged by Cai. 

 

Entering the villa, Chen Xu felt a sudden wave of sadness. He sat on a swing and opened the small box. Inside was a letter.

 

“To my grandson Xiao Xu: You should be in college by the time you receive this letter. I’ve left you a property. If you ever have nowhere to go, you can stay there.”

 

The letter from his grandfather was very brief, but Chen Xu could feel the deep affection through the simple words. His grandfather had indeed loved him, worrying about how Chen Yue and his wife treated him and even preparing a place for him once he reached adulthood.

 

Chen Xu clutched the letter, tears welling in his eyes. Beneath the letter was a gold lock, the kind worn by small children around their necks. Chen Xu picked it up and examined it, wondering if it was something he wore as a child. Why had his grandfather kept it?

 

He put the gold lock away and wandered around the house for a while before returning to the Si family home in the evening. The sense of security given by his grandfather’s preparation for him made Chen Xu feel much more at ease as he prepared to confront Si Ye.

 

Back at the Si residence, Butler Zhong informed him that they had a guest. When he reached the third floor, Chen Xu heard Si Ye talking to someone.

 

“You still don’t understand my feelings?”

 

“Of course, I do. I just can’t figure out why it’s him. He’s still so young.” The other voice sounded familiar to Chen Xu, but he couldn’t place it. It was probably one of Si Ye’s friends.

 

Si Ye’s voice was low. “I’ve waited too long for him. Only by having him can I feel at ease.”

 

“Si Ye, he’s only eighteen. Don’t tell me you have a thing for kids?” 

 

“I can make an appointment with a brain specialist for you,” Si Ye replied coldly.

 

Chen Xu stopped outside the door, suddenly realizing they were talking about him. What did Si Ye mean by his words?

 

His mind raced with scattered thoughts, trying to find a thread to connect them, but it remained elusive.

 

Hearing the two inside shift to talking about other trivial matters, Chen Xu walked in nonchalantly.

 

It was Mo Hang, Si Ye’s friend. Chen Xu remembered him as the best man at their wedding and the owner of an entertainment company.

 

“Uncle Mo,” Chen Xu greeted out of habit.

 

Mo Hang almost choked on his drink. “Cough, cough… just call me by my name, it’s fine.”

 

Hearing Mo Hang call him “little brother’s wife” made Chen Xu blush. Si Ye shot Mo Hang a glare. “Just call him by his name.”

 

Feeling a bit awkward, Chen Xu hesitated but settled on a neutral term, “Mr. Mo.”

 

Mo Hang sighed. “That sounds too formal, but if that’s what you’re comfortable with, go ahead.”

 

The term “little brother’s wife” made Chen Xu’s ears turn red.

 

Mo Hang stayed for dinner and then left. Back in their room, Si Ye still had some work to finish, so Chen Xu went to take a bath first.

 

After drying his hair, Chen Xu sat on the sofa with a professional book. Around eleven o’clock, Si Ye finished his work and came into the bedroom. He leaned in to kiss Chen Xu, but Chen Xu turned his head away.

 

“What’s wrong?” Si Ye had worried that Chen Xu might be upset about him coming home late, but during dinner, Chen Xu had acted normally and hadn’t avoided his affections, so Si Ye thought everything was fine.

 

Chen Xu closed his book and looked directly at Si Ye, his dark eyes shimmering. “Aren’t you going to explain where you were all day yesterday?”

 

Realizing Chen Xu was upset about yesterday, Si Ye felt relieved. He sat next to Chen Xu. “I was with Mo Hang. We had a few drinks, and I came back late. I didn’t want to disturb you, so I slept in the guest room.”

 

Hearing Si Ye’s explanation, Chen Xu’s heart sank further. Without Xiang Xiuhe’s WeChat post, he might have believed him. He wasn’t someone who would interfere with Si Ye’s social life, but he wouldn’t accept being played for a fool either.

 

Chen Xu’s eyes turned cold. He set down his book and sat up straight. Si Ye, sensing the seriousness, stood up to give him space.

 

“Did you really just drink with Mr. Mo?” Chen Xu asked, his gaze fixed on Si Ye.

 

Si Ye felt a pang of guilt under Chen Xu’s intense gaze. “I really was with Mo Hang. If you don’t believe me, you can call him.”

 

“Mr. Mo is your close friend. His word isn’t reliable,” Chen Xu replied with a cold smile.

 

Si Ye frowned, about to argue, but Chen Xu interrupted him. “I asked you before what our relationship is, but you never gave me an answer.”

 

Si Ye opened his mouth to speak, but Chen Xu cut him off again. “I thought your affection for me was the answer, but now it seems I misunderstood.”

 

Chen Xu clasped his hands together, tightening his fingers. He raised his head, his dark eyes piercing Si Ye’s. “Si Ye, what is our relationship?”

 

“Legally married,” Si Ye answered instinctively.

 

Chen Xu pursed his lips and lowered his eyes. “I’m not talking about that. Our marriage is fake.”

 

Si Ye grabbed Chen Xu’s hand, his expression serious. “But my desire to spend my life with you is real.”

 

This made Chen Xu’s heart skip a beat. Looking into Si Ye’s sincere eyes, Chen Xu began to doubt his own suspicions. Maybe Si Ye was just a good actor.

 

Chen Xu tried to pull his hand back, but Si Ye held on tight. “I don’t know what you’ve misunderstood, but my love for you is real, my wish to spend my life with you is real. You can’t just decide I’m guilty without telling me what I’ve done.”

 

Si Ye’s eyes were filled with genuine love and fear. Chen Xu had never seen fear in Si Ye’s eyes before. It made him stop trying to pull his hand away.

 

“Is there someone else in your heart?” Chen Xu asked, his voice trembling.

 

Si Ye frowned, interlocking their fingers. “I’ve only ever loved one person, and that’s you.”

 

“I don’t know where you heard those rumors, but I’ve only ever been moved by you. Even my first kiss was taken by you.” Si Ye looked at Chen Xu.

 

Chen Xu blushed and protested, “You took my first kiss.”

 

Si Ye smiled at the memory, making Chen Xu’s heart race. Si Ye was incredibly handsome, and his smile was especially charming.

 

“Maybe you forgot because you were drunk that night,” Si Ye said, looking up at Chen Xu from his crouched position, catching Chen Xu’s evasive gaze.

 

Chen Xu’s eyes widened. What had he done while drunk that Si Ye hadn’t told him about? No wonder Si Ye’s attitude changed so suddenly after that night.

 

“What did I do?” Chen Xu swallowed nervously, feeling like he was being slowly tortured.

 

Si Ye chuckled softly. “You asked for a birthday present.”

 

“What did I ask for?” Si Ye’s teasing made Chen Xu anxious.

 

“Me.”

 

Chen Xu was stunned. “What?”

 

Si Ye laughed. “You said you wanted me.”

 

“That’s impossible!” Chen Xu exclaimed, his face turning bright red.

 

Si Ye didn’t let him off easily. “You asked for me, twice. Then you kissed me. The next day, you didn’t remember a thing.”

 

“Chen Xu, you’re such a little heartbreaker.”

 

Chen Xu blushed even more, his ears turning as red as rubies. He had no memory of this at all. He knew he had a tendency to black out when drunk but had no idea he’d behaved so boldly.

 

No wonder Si Ye’s attitude had changed overnight. It turned out he had taken the initiative to kiss Si Ye while drunk, then forgotten everything the next day.

 

He averted his gaze, trying to change the topic. “Then why were you so cold to me before?”

 

Faced with this question, Si Ye hesitated. He didn’t want to tell Chen Xu about his true parentage, fearing it would hurt him more. Si Ye was afraid that revealing the truth about Chen Xu not being Chen Yue and his wife’s biological child would cause even more pain.

 

“Can’t you tell me?” Chen Xu asked, his eyes downcast. Si Ye claimed to love him, but his actions and secrecy made Chen Xu uneasy. How could he trust Si Ye when he kept things hidden?

 

Si Ye squeezed Chen Xu’s hand, making a solemn promise. “I can’t tell you about that, but I swear I’ve never done anything to betray you. My heart belongs only to you.”

 

Chen Xu couldn’t understand what could be so serious that it would cause Si Ye to act coldly but then revert to his old self once things changed. The only significant change had been Si Yi Chen’s arrest and Tao Min Zhi being sent to a nursing home. Could Si Ye’s coldness have been related to them?

 

No matter how hard Chen Xu tried, he couldn’t figure it out. He didn’t want to be with Si Ye without understanding everything, even though they both had feelings for each other.

 

“But Tong Jiaxi told me you have a white moonlight in your heart,” Chen Xu said, staring at Si Ye’s face, trying to read his reaction.

 

Si Ye frowned. “Isn’t that you?”

 

Chen Xu tried to pull his hand back again, but Si Ye held on. “Don’t try to sweet-talk your way out of this.”

 

“It’s really you,” Si Ye insisted. He wasn’t lying. In his previous life, he had always kept an eye on Chen Xu, believing Chen Xu liked girls and was close to Guan Qingqing. He had only watched from a distance. By the time he realized Guan Qingqing was just a friend and Chen Xu had never been in a relationship, it was too late. Chen Xu had already been killed by Si Yi Chen.

 

To Si Ye, Chen Xu was the purest and brightest part of his life, irreplaceable.

 

“I’m only eighteen. How long have you had feelings for me?” Chen Xu asked, still not convinced. In the past, Si Ye had treated him no differently from Tong Jiaxi or Sun Wei Ang. If Chen Xu had really been his white moonlight, why had Si Ye gone so long without seeing him?

 

“I don’t know when it started. Love doesn’t always have a clear beginning,” Si Ye said, looking into Chen Xu’s eyes. “And you shouldn’t trust Tong Jiaxi. He’s full of lies and has always been mean to you.”

 

Chen Xu pursed his lips, his lashes trembling slightly. After a moment, he looked up at Si Ye. “I don’t want to believe it, but it seems true. You said you were with Mr. Mo, but why did Xiang Xiuhe’s WeChat post show the keychain I gave you?”

 

“Why was there an old photo of Xiang Xiuhe in your book? Why were you recording him at the annual meeting?”

 

Chen Xu’s pent-up doubts poured out. He wanted to understand before deciding.

 

Si Ye felt a wave of frustration and anger toward Mo Hang. If Chen Xu wasn’t the type to ask and clarify, these misunderstandings could have cost him dearly.

 

Si Ye’s face darkened. If Mo Hang had stirred this misunderstanding, it was time to set things straight.

 

Si Ye hugged Chen Xu tightly. “Baby, I can explain everything. Let’s sit down and talk. I promise I’m just friends with Xiang Xiuhe.”

 

Chen Xu turned his head away, avoiding Si Ye’s kiss. “We need to talk first. No touching.”

 

Si Ye reluctantly let go, thinking Chen Xu was adorably stubborn and realizing his position in the relationship was fragile.

 

“I went to Xiang Xiuhe’s place this morning because Mo Hang asked me to. Mo Hang was abroad for the holidays, and he heard Xiang Xiuhe had a high fever and was alone. He asked me to take some food and medicine to check on him. Mo Hang was flying back that night.”

 

Chen Xu was surprised. “Mo Hang and Xiang Xiuhe?”

 

“We were classmates. When I went abroad, they stayed together in the same middle school, high school, and even university. Mo Hang introduced Xiang Xiuhe to his first acting job,” Si Ye explained, throwing Mo Hang under the bus. If it weren’t for Mo Hang, Chen Xu wouldn’t have misunderstood.

 

Chen Xu’s expression grew complex, realizing there was more to the story between the three of them.

 

“Why didn’t you just tell me? Why hide it?” Chen Xu asked. If Si Ye had been honest, Chen Xu wouldn’t have let his imagination run wild.

 

“I thought you were mad about me coming home late. I didn’t realize you cared about where I was in the morning,” Si Ye admitted. He and Chen Xu had been on different wavelengths.

 

Chen Xu had been upset about Si Ye secretly visiting Xiang Xiuhe’s place. Si Ye had only considered his lateness and didn’t think visiting a friend needed to be mentioned, especially as he didn’t see Xiang Xiuhe as anything more than a friend.

 

“Then why didn’t you answer my call?” Chen Xu asked. He had tried calling Si Ye, but he never answered, which made him even angrier when he saw the keychain in Xiang Xiuhe’s WeChat post.

 

“You called me?” Si Ye checked his missed calls, but there were none from Chen Xu.

 

Chen Xu was puzzled. He clearly remembered calling.

 

Si Ye reflected and realized his phone had been left unattended on Xiang Xiuhe’s coffee table when he was heating the porridge.

 

At that time, only he and Xiang Xiuhe had been there, and Xiang Xiuhe’s illness hadn’t been severe. If it weren’t, Mo Hang wouldn’t have been comfortable drinking with Si Ye that night.

 

He suspected Xiang Xiuhe might have secretly blocked Chen Xu. But why would Xiang Xiuhe do that? What could he gain?

 

“I’ll handle it,” Si Ye promised, gripping Chen Xu’s hand. “At the annual meeting, I was recording Xiang Xiuhe for Mo Hang. He was abroad and couldn’t attend.”

 

Chen Xu’s head was full of questions. “Could the photo also belong to Mr. Mo?”

 

Si Ye smiled. “It is his. That book was left with me by him. He asked me to find it recently, and today he came to retrieve it. I found the photo inside only when I got the book. Was it Tong Jiaxi who told you about this?”

 

Chen Xu nodded. “He said you often read that book and it contained a photo of your white moonlight.”

 

Si Ye’s dark eyes flashed with anger. Tong Jiaxi again. He had already expelled him from the Si family, yet he still stirred trouble.

 

“My white moonlight is you and no one else,” Si Ye said, hugging Chen Xu tightly. He spoke softly into Chen Xu’s ear.

 

Chen Xu’s heart pounded. He was glad he had sought clarity before making any rash decisions. He had almost ended things with Si Ye over misunderstandings.

 

“I’ve never been in a relationship before, so I don’t understand many things. But I believe that communication is crucial in any relationship. I hope you don’t treat me like a child and keep things from me. My mental resilience is stronger than you think. I am also a man. Though my abilities may be lacking now, I will grow to stand by your side and support you,” Chen Xu said, his voice steady.

 

His words moved Si Ye deeply. No one had ever told him they wanted to support him. He had always been the one others relied on.

 

Si Ye hugged Chen Xu tightly, inhaling his scent. His warm lips brushed against Chen Xu’s pale neck, causing Chen Xu to shiver from the tickling sensation. Si Ye lost control and bit down on Chen Xu’s tender neck.

 

Chen Xu clung to Si Ye, his back arching like a bow. His slim waist peeked from under his shirt, glowing white.

 

“Okay,” Si Ye whispered hoarsely, releasing Chen Xu’s neck.

 

The sting from the bite burned, not intensely, but enough to be felt. Chen Xu’s eyes misted, sparkling like stars in water.

 

Si Ye couldn’t resist kissing his reddened lips. Chen Xu leaned back, his waist held by Si Ye, their bodies close, like dancing a passionate tango.

 

“Am I your boyfriend now?” Si Ye asked, his lips brushing against Chen Xu’s.

 

Chen Xu’s legs felt weak, breathing heavily. Si Ye wouldn’t let him kiss unless he answered. Chen Xu pouted, his eyes red, like a broken wine glass spilling its content. “Si uncle…”

 

“Always so good at getting your way,” Si Ye said, realizing Chen Xu knew how to melt his defenses. He carried Chen Xu to the bed, giving in to his demands.