Si Ye ate some liquid food and soon fell into a deep sleep. Fortunately, what happened last night occurred in the middle of the night, and not many people knew about it. Chen Xu instructed Uncle Zhong to keep the matter under wraps, especially not to let Si Wanping know, otherwise, she would undoubtedly seize this opportunity and create who knows how many troubles.
Mo Hang found out about this incident two days later from Xiang Xiuhe’s lawyer, who asked him to help plead with Si Ye. Xiang Xiuhe didn’t want to go to jail. According to Xiang Xiuhe, he saw that Si Ye was drunk and wanted to take advantage of the situation to be with him, as a way to commemorate his many years of liking Si Ye. Si Ye didn’t reject him, but unexpectedly, Chen Xu suddenly appeared and almost beat him to death. When Mo Hang saw the video Xiang Xiuhe had recorded, showing his bruised and swollen face, he knew that Chen Xu had indeed been very heavy-handed.
Mo Hang was both angry and heartbroken. Seeing Xiang Xiuhe’s injured face, especially the bandage wrapped around his forehead, made him look even more like a victim. He bought a bouquet of flowers and went to the hospital to visit Si Ye, but Chen Xu blocked him at the door. “I’m sorry, Mr. Mo. Uncle Si is resting and it’s inconvenient for him to see visitors.”
Seeing Chen Xu’s righteous stance, with a cold and arrogant attitude that made him uncomfortable, Mo Hang said, “I knew him before you were even born. What right do you have to stand here and make decisions for him?” In Mo Hang’s eyes, no matter how much Si Ye doted on Chen Xu, he was just a plaything, dependent on Si Ye for survival. He had been polite to Chen Xu not because of Chen Xu himself but because he was Si Ye’s spouse.
Chen Xu didn’t back down at all, not intimidated by Mo Hang, his eyes cold as stars. “Of course, I have the right. I’m his legal spouse, his family. What are you? You brought Xiang Xiuhe here, you were the one who arranged for Si Ye to drink, and you like Xiang Xiuhe so much. Who knows if last night’s incident was a setup between you and Xiang Xiuhe.”
Mo Hang clenched his fists in fury. “You’re simply spouting nonsense! How could I ever do such a thing to Si Ye?!”
“Really? I don’t think so. I told you Si Ye is not feeling well and can’t see visitors, yet you insist on barging in. You came today for Xiang Xiuhe, didn’t you?” Chen Xu’s gaze was as sharp as a sword, piercing into Mo Hang’s heart.
Mo Hang’s face immediately showed a guilty and panicked expression.
Chen Xu snorted coldly, unsurprised. “If you still consider Si Ye a friend, then please leave.”
Mo Hang clenched his fists, his face showing inner conflict. He seemed unwilling to give up but also worried about what to do if Si Ye really needed rest, as Chen Xu said.
Seeing his hesitation, Chen Xu’s eyes grew even colder. “Meeting him won’t help. Xiang Xiuhe should take responsibility for what he did. He’s not a child who needs you to clean up his mess, and the victim is not obliged to forgive him.”
Chen Xu’s words made Mo Hang frown in confusion. “What happened to Si Ye?”
Chen Xu couldn’t help but laugh. Even at this point, Mo Hang was still being used by Xiang Xiuhe without realizing it. He didn’t know what to say.
“I don’t know what Xiang Xiuhe told you, but what he did last night was so despicable that he will never be able to wash it clean. He was afraid of not being able to get Si Ye, so he gave him several times the usual dosage of drugs. If I had been a bit later, you really would never have seen Si Ye again.” Chen Xu’s words caused Mo Hang to back away in a panic.
“No… it’s not possible!” Mo Hang couldn’t believe Xiang Xiuhe could be so malicious. Xiang Xiuhe loved Si Ye so much, how could he do something that would endanger Si Ye’s life?
“Believe it or not, if you still have any conscience, don’t bother Si Ye with this matter again. Xiang Xiuhe’s prison time is set.” Chen Xu’s dark eyes made Mo Hang feel a sudden panic. He stumbled and ran away in a daze.
After driving Mo Hang away, Chen Xu returned to the hospital room, took the change of clothes brought by Uncle Zhong, and went to take a shower. Si Ye was still asleep, his brows tightly knit, seeming to be in pain even in his dreams.
Hot water poured over Chen Xu’s body as he closed his eyes and thought about what the doctor had told him. If Si Ye’s condition in that aspect really didn’t improve, it wouldn’t matter; he could still help. More than that, he was worried about the psychological impact this incident would have on Si Ye. Chen Xu knew very well how strong Si Ye’s self-esteem was. Even in front of him, Si Ye rarely showed vulnerability, as if he would never be tired and always strong.
After taking a shower and drying his hair, Si Ye had woken up at some point and was quietly watching him from the bed. “Do you want some water?” Chen Xu had gotten used to taking care of Si Ye over the past two days. He poured a cup of warm water, placed a straw in it, and handed it to Si Ye’s lips.
Si Ye drank a few sips. “That’s enough.”
“Are you hungry?” Chen Xu put the cup aside and asked softly.
“Not hungry.” Si Ye’s gaze never left Chen Xu’s face. Noticing his gaze, Chen Xu asked gently, “Bored?”
“No.” Si Ye patted the spot beside him, indicating for Chen Xu to lie down.
Si Ye was in a VIP room with a bed the size of an ordinary double bed. It was a bit cramped for two men, but since both Si Ye and Chen Xu were not particularly burly, it was manageable. Chen Xu, slender and thin, lay down and nestled into Si Ye’s arms.
Smelling the familiar scent of Si Ye, Chen Xu closed his eyes in peace. He hadn’t slept well these past two days. Even though there was another bed, he would wake up several times during the night to check on Si Ye. With his already pale complexion, the dark circles under his eyes were particularly noticeable.
Si Ye kissed his forehead and said, “Go home tonight. Go to class tomorrow.”
Chen Xu’s eyes opened wide. He grabbed Si Ye’s shirt. “I’ve already taken leave.”
“It’s not good to rest here. Go home and rest, then go to class tomorrow. I’m fine. I’ll be out of the hospital in a few days.” Si Ye patiently persuaded him.
Chen Xu stubbornly pursed his lips without speaking, using silence to resist Si Ye.
“Good boy, be good, okay?” Si Ye pinched the back of Chen Xu’s neck, and Chen Xu, sulking, pressed his head against Si Ye’s chest.
“No.”
Si Ye laughed and kissed the top of Chen Xu’s head. “You’re being spoiled again.”
Chen Xu looked up with his beautiful peach blossom eyes fixed on Si Ye. “Is it working?”
Being stared at like this, Si Ye’s heart softened, and he hugged Chen Xu tighter. Helplessly, he said, “It works.”
Chen Xu happily stretched his neck to kiss Si Ye’s lips. Si Ye, having no choice, let him sleep in his arms during the day to catch up on rest.
When the nurse came in to check Si Ye’s temperature, she saw Chen Xu sleeping in Si Ye’s arms, and Si Ye gazing tenderly at Chen Xu’s face. She couldn’t help but blush. Such a beautiful scene, it was like a classic movie composition.
Moreover, the usually stoic and feared Si Ye was so gentle with a young man. The nurse became even more convinced that this Chen Xu must be Si Ye’s true love.
She cautiously said, “Director Si…”
Si Ye gave her a sharp look, and the nurse shivered. Indeed, his gentleness was exclusive to Mr. Chen.
She raised the thermometer gun in her hand, and Si Ye nodded slightly. The nurse sighed in relief and quickly took Si Ye’s temperature, confirming it was normal before tiptoeing out.
“Phew—what a scare.” The nurse patted her chest.
Her colleague laughed. “Is Director Si that scary? When I went in this morning, Director Si was quite nice.”
“Yes, when I went in yesterday to give him an IV, I was so nervous I accidentally messed up once. I was scared to death, but Director Si didn’t say anything, nor did he ask the director to fire me. It was Mr. Chen who looked at me a bit fiercely.” Another nurse rubbed the goosebumps on her arms.
Talking about Chen Xu, a nurse lowered her voice and said, “From the way the director treats Mr. Chen, I think Mr. Chen might be Director Si’s boyfriend. Maybe he’ll marry into the Si family.”
“No way, I think Mr. Chen is more likely to be Director Si’s heir. Didn’t you see how he acted when talking to Secretary Jiang? Just like a mini Director Si.”
The nurse who had just gone in to take Si Ye’s temperature leaned over and whispered, “Do you know why I was so nervous just now?”
“Why?” The nurses shook their heads. “Wasn’t it because Director Si or Mr. Chen looked too stern?”
The nurse shook her head with a profound look. “When I went in just now, Mr. Chen was asleep in
Director Si’s arms. I wanted to ask Director Si to take his temperature. If looks could kill, I would have been dead from Director Si’s gaze.”
The other nurses were dumbfounded. “Oh my god, that’s too much! So worried about waking up his little boyfriend.”
What Si Ye and Chen Xu didn’t know was that during their stay in the hospital, several nurses had been shipping them hard. Unable to talk about it outside due to patient privacy, they created a small group chat to share the sweetness.
Nurse Liu: Big boss vomited after breakfast today, and the little sweetheart’s eyes were red with worry.
Nurse Zhang: Ahhh! Eating candy first thing in the morning is great.
Nurse Wu: Big boss secretly handled some work today. The little sweetheart turned his back on him in a huff and hasn’t calmed down yet.
Nurse Qian: Even their fights are sweet.
Nurse Zhang: The little sweetheart is diligently doing homework today. Big boss wanted to help, but the little sweetheart coolly said he could do it all himself. Turns out, our little sweetheart is really young.
Nurse Liu: I forbid you to call our little sweetheart young! With such a high nose bridge, he can’t be small!
Nurse Wu: Hmm… compelling evidence.
Nurse Qian: That sneaky rascal of a boss, I saw him stealing a kiss from the sleeping little sweetheart!
Happy days always seem short, and the nurses’ sugar rush lasted a week until Si Ye was discharged.
So that day, Chen Xu inexplicably received the nurses’ blessings. They sincerely wished him and Si Ye happiness.
“Th… thank you.” Although Chen Xu didn’t understand why they suddenly blessed him and Si Ye, he gladly accepted the well-wishes.
Chen Xu took Si Ye home, but as soon as they walked through the door, Si Lin almost sent the just-discharged Si Ye back to the hospital.
“He doesn’t treat me like his nephew at all! More like an enemy!”
“What right does he have to treat me this way? Is the Si family his alone? I don’t believe my parents didn’t leave me any inheritance. I can’t even afford to treat people to a meal. I heard from others that he wants to keep my parents’ inheritance for himself. I didn’t believe it before, but I was so stupid!”
Si Lin was angrily yelling at Uncle Zhong, who kept trying to calm him down. “Young Master Si Lin, how can you say that? If Mr. Si hears this when he comes back, it will break his heart. Don’t you know Mr. Si never gave up looking for you all these years? He’s strict with you for your own good.”
“Hah, for my own good? Watching me stay in the station for a week is for my own good? I don’t need that kind of good. He never wanted to find me, just putting on a show.”
Si Lin’s words grew increasingly outrageous, making Si Ye and Chen Xu, who were standing outside, both frown deeply.
Si Ye really hadn’t expected Si Lin to think this way about him. Though he didn’t particularly like Si Lin, he had tried his best to teach him. If he only wanted to put on a show, he could have let Si Lin be a spoiled brat. It would have been much easier than finding time to supervise his studies amidst his busy schedule.
He could afford to raise even ten Si Lins, but he remembered this was his brother’s only child and promised Tao Minzhi to hand over the company to Si Lin when he was found.
In the end, his good intentions were taken for granted. It seemed he had been meddling unnecessarily.
“You really are stupid.” Before Si Ye could speak, Chen Xu couldn’t listen any longer.
Why should Si Ye take the blame for things that weren’t his fault? Si Ye didn’t owe Si Lin anything. If Si Ye were truly ruthless, he could have made Si Lin disappear quietly, and no one would have come to claim the company. But Si Ye didn’t. He always remembered the promise he made to Tao Minzhi, no matter how unreasonable it was.
Chen Xu knew Si Ye’s thoughts. Tao Minzhi had told him that if Si Jinwen hadn’t died and Si Lin hadn’t gone missing, the Si family would never have been led by him. Everything he enjoyed now was stolen. After finding Si Lin, it was only right to give everything back.
Si Ye probably thought the same way, but Chen Xu didn’t agree. There were no “ifs” in life. The reality was that Si Jinwen was dead, Si Lin was missing, and it was Si Ye who single-handedly turned things around, leading the struggling Si family to prosperity. The family’s success was due to Si Ye, not the deceased Si Jinwen or the missing Si Lin, nor Tao Minzhi, who only caused trouble for Si Ye. Si Ye owed nothing to the Si family.
In fact, the family owed Si Ye a great deal. Without him, they wouldn’t be living so comfortably.
Si Lin never expected that Si Ye and Chen Xu were just outside, hearing everything clearly.
“Un… Uncle…”
Si Lin thought he had the courage to confront Si Ye, but when he saw him, he realized he was trembling and couldn’t look him in the eye.
He had heard from his cousin that the Si family was rightfully his, and that Si Ye had stolen it. He couldn’t believe such a big thing, but he did suspect that Si Ye had kept his parents’ inheritance for himself. Since returning to the Si family, he hadn’t seen a penny of it. Si Ye always dismissed him, telling him to study as if doing so would really make a difference.
When others were quickly bailed out, he was left in the station for a week, suffering. He thought it was Si Ye’s revenge. When Uncle Zhong told him to apologize to Si Ye, his anger and suspicion erupted. To his shock, Si Ye and Chen Xu were outside, hearing everything.
“After your parents died, your grandmother put all their inheritance away. If you want to inherit it, I’ll have the lawyer come by tomorrow.” Si Ye’s face showed no emotion, making Si Lin even more afraid.
He hung his head, mind blank. Si Ye meant he never touched his parents’ inheritance?
Si Ye then told the complicated-looking Uncle Zhong, “Have someone clean up Villa No. 5 and let him move there.”
Villa No. 5 used to be where Tao Minzhi lived. After she was sent to the nursing home, it became vacant, so it was suitable for Si Lin.
Unexpected joy hit Si Lin. He could live alone in a villa?
Wasn’t Si Ye angry? Why was he being so nice all of a sudden? Did he wake up to his senses because of my scolding?
Si Lin didn’t realize the implications of moving out of the main house. Instead, he reveled in the joy of not being under Si Ye’s watch anymore.
Chen Xu helped Si Ye upstairs, passing by Si Lin with cold eyes. “I had you stay in the station for a week. If you have complaints, direct them at me. Si Ye doesn’t owe you anything.”
“You’re an adult, always relying on others to clean up your messes. Aren’t you ashamed?”
Chen Xu’s disdain and sarcasm plunged Si Lin into a deep abyss. He stood stunned for over ten seconds, then turned to look at Chen Xu’s retreating figure, filled with disbelief.
How could it be? How could the gentle Chen Xu do such a thing? How could he have left me in the station for a week?
Chen Xu’s slender but straight back made Si Lin realize he would never match up to Chen Xu.
Si Lin was left feeling panicked and humiliated, unable to lift his head after being scorned by the person he liked.
Helping Si Ye back to the bedroom, Chen Xu tucked him in, his face dark with anger.
Si Ye touched his face. “Don’t be angry.”
Chen Xu, sulking, rubbed his face against Si Ye’s palm. “How could you have such a stupid nephew?”
“I’m wondering the same. Did my brother and sister-in-law’s genes mutate? How did Si Lin turn out this dumb?” Si Ye’s hand slid from his jaw to his ear, gently rubbing his soft earlobe.
“Forget it, let’s not talk about him. It makes me angry.” Chen Xu buried his face in Si Ye’s chest. Si Ye couldn’t help but laugh, pushing aside his bangs to kiss his pale forehead.
“Your hair’s getting long. It needs a trim.” Si Ye noticed his hair was starting to cover his eyes, and the back was long enough to tie up.
“Yeah, I’ve been meaning to get it cut but kept forgetting.” Chen Xu chatted absentmindedly with Si Ye.
With Si Ye home, Chen Xu’s leave had ended. The next day, he had to reluctantly go back to school. “I’ll come back tonight.”
“Don’t you have a dorm check tonight?” Si Ye asked, closing his book.
“Who cares.” Chen Xu said arrogantly.
To Si Ye, he was just an adorable little kitten, baring its fangs and claws.
Chen Xu shouldered his backpack and grabbed his coat, bidding Si Ye goodbye before heading out. Si Ye watched him leave, but after a while, he came back.
“Forgot something?” Si Ye asked.
“Yeah.” Chen Xu nodded, walking over. Just as Si Ye was about to ask what he forgot, Chen Xu kissed him on the lips.
“See… see you tonight.” Chen Xu’s ears turned red, and he stammered a bit, running off before Si Ye could react.
When he came to his senses, Si Ye couldn’t help but smile, his eyes sparkling.
His little one was just too cute.
Chen Xu’s week-long leave was known throughout A University, and the forums were filled with speculation. Some even said he took leave to get married.
Even Tang Zhen almost
believed it. After class, he approached Chen Xu, looking gossipy. “I heard you took leave to get married. Is it true? And you didn’t invite me to be your bridesmaid!”
No, and even if it were true, you’re the wrong gender for a bridesmaid, right?
For a moment, Chen Xu didn’t know what to refute first.
“No, I had some family matters.” Chen Xu didn’t elaborate, and Tang Zhen didn’t press further.
He patted his chest, relieved. “Good, my bridesmaid position is still available.”
Chen Xu: …
No, your bridesmaid position was never available.
Chen Xu didn’t have the heart to tell him the harsh truth.
They ran into Zhu Yaoyuan in the cafeteria, who was getting food for his girlfriend. With his hands full, he greeted them with a nod.
“Zhu Yaoyuan is so awful. You have no idea how I survived this week without you. He didn’t want me eating alone, so he made me eat with him and his girlfriend. Oh my god, I had to eat dog food every meal, facing a straight couple. It was torture.” Tang Zhen lamented, and sure enough, Zhu Yaoyuan invited them to sit together.
It was lunchtime peak, and finding seats was hard. Chen Xu didn’t mind, so he agreed.
As they walked over with their trays, Qin Yuzhen remarked, “You look like you’ve lost a lot of weight.”
Realizing she was being forward, Qin Yuzhen smiled apologetically. “Sorry.”
“It’s okay, I did lose some weight.” Chen Xu had lost about seven or eight pounds in a week. His already thin frame made his shoulder blades visible even through clothes. At night, he could faintly feel Si Ye’s concerned kisses on his back.
Tang Zhen had noticed Chen Xu’s weight loss at first glance but hadn’t dared to ask. Now that Qin Yuzhen brought it up, he quickly placed his chicken leg in Chen Xu’s bowl. “Eat more. I won’t allow you to be taller and thinner than me.”
Tang Zhen’s family situation had improved, and he had started eating better, no longer just eating greens and claiming it was for his figure.
“Yes, eat more.” Zhu Yaoyuan added his meat to Chen Xu’s bowl, and even Qin Yuzhen joined in.
“We haven’t touched our food yet. We waited for you guys to eat together.” Zhu Yaoyuan explained, worried Chen Xu might mind.
Chen Xu was momentarily stunned, feeling warmth spread through his heart.
“Thank you, but I can’t eat all this.”
“It’s okay, just eat what you can.” Zhu Yaoyuan offered them soup too.
Qin Yuzhen teased, “Someone might think you’re dating three people.”
“Yuzhen…” Zhu Yaoyuan looked at her pitifully.
Tang Zhen interjected, “Why call me? Original.”
Zhu Yaoyuan’s face twisted. “Sister, stop messing with me, please.”
Laughter erupted around the table, and even Chen Xu couldn’t help but smile.
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