“Sir, Young Master Si Lin hasn’t been attending classes lately,” Uncle Zhong said, deeply troubled. He had advised Si Lin several times, but since Si Ye seemed to ignore him, Si Lin indulged himself in various distractions, paying no heed to Uncle Zhong’s advice and even thinking Uncle Zhong was meddling too much.
Si Ye put down the documents in his hand. “Has he been out with Sun Pangfei again?”
“Yes, the staff at Villa No. 5 said Young Master Si Lin hasn’t returned home for several nights,” Uncle Zhong’s face showed worry. It had been a hard effort for Sir to bring Young Master Si Lin back, but why was he behaving like this?
After a moment of silence, Si Ye still considered that this was the only bloodline left from his brother and sister-in-law. “Call him and tell him to come back.”
“Yes.” Uncle Zhong walked out, stopped, and then said, “Sir, Young Master Si Lin is still young. He needs more guidance from you.”
Si Ye’s gaze darkened at Uncle Zhong’s words. “I understand, Uncle Zhong.”
Uncle Zhong bowed slightly and quietly closed the study door behind him.
Si Ye was indeed very angry with Si Lin, so much so that he didn’t want to deal with him anymore. If Si Lin wanted to play, let him play. There was no need for Si Ye to be the bad guy.
Would Si Lin change? Si Ye wasn’t sure. From the moment he first saw the child, he had no good impression of him. Si Lin was too calculating, his intentions clear in his eyes.
The Fan family might have lived poorly, but they never mistreated Si Lin. How did Si Lin develop such a character?
Si Ye had never experienced normal familial affection. He didn’t know how to interact with Si Lin, especially given Si Lin’s inappropriate feelings for Chen Xu. This only increased Si Ye’s distaste for him. Rationally, he knew he should nurture Si Lin for his brother and sister-in-law’s sake, but emotionally, he didn’t want to engage with him.
After inheriting his parents’ wealth, Si Lin became even wilder, itching to spend money every day. Those classmates who once looked down on him now fawned over him. Si Lin reveled in this, flaunting his wealth, enjoying fine food and drink, and playing the role of a wealthy young master.
The class belle, who used to ignore him, now approached him willingly. But Si Lin had lost interest in women. Smiling and talking to her, he inwardly scorned her as a hypocrite.
“Lin-ge, did you see how Li Jie acted? If you told her to sleep with you, she wouldn’t refuse. I thought she was pure,” a sleazy friend suggested, “There’s a hotel nearby. Want me to get you some condoms?”
“No need. I’m not interested in her,” Si Lin replied, not just uninterested in Li Jie but in women altogether.
“You’re the best, Lin-ge. After seeing so many rich girls, how could you fancy a village girl?” His friends flattered him, and though he wasn’t drunk, their flattery intoxicated him.
Just as he was about to speak, his phone rang.
“I’ll take this call,” Si Lin stood up, stepping outside to answer it. The call was from the Si family. Who could be looking for him?
“Uncle Si is looking for me?!” Si Lin’s limbs went weak at Uncle Zhong’s words. Wasn’t Si Ye ignoring him? Why the sudden call?
Terrified, Si Lin hastily agreed and ran out, settling the bill quickly. Si Ye might break his legs.
By the time he got home, it was already late. He hoped Si Ye had gone to bed and didn’t bother looking for him.
“Quite bold,” Si Ye remarked, waiting in the living room of Villa No. 5.
“Un… Uncle…” Si Lin reeked of alcohol and perfume, afraid to get closer to Si Ye, fearing he’d smell it.
No need to come closer; Si Ye could already tell where he had been.
“How many days have you missed class?” Si Ye’s voice was calm, but to Si Lin, it felt like an icy dagger. His shoulders trembled, and he dared not answer.
“Do you think your grades are so good that studying is unnecessary?”
“Or do you think after spending all the money your parents left you, I’ll cover for you?”
Though Si Lin didn’t dare speak, he did think that way. After all, Si Ye was his uncle. His older cousin said Si Lin was now Si Ye’s only family. Si Ye wasn’t close to any other relatives, so he’d have to rely on Si Lin in the future. Shouldn’t he treat him well?
“I’m telling you now, I won’t. If you want a better life in the Si family, you have to earn it yourself,” Si Ye said coldly.
“But… but you spent a lot of money on Chen Xu,” Si Lin retorted instinctively. His older cousin had told him Si Ye bought expensive earrings, watches, and even gave a lot of money to Chen Xu.
“Look how generous your uncle is to his little lover. Yet, you, his closest family, don’t get the same treatment.”
Despite his feelings for Chen Xu, Sun Pangfei’s words stung him.
“He is my partner. It’s natural for me to spend money on him.” Si Ye’s eyes were dangerous as he warned, “Stop hanging out with Sun Pangfei. If you believe everything he says, let me tell you, if I die, Chen Xu will be my sole legal heir. You are my nephew, not my son.”
These words hit Si Lin like a sledgehammer, leaving him stunned.
Indeed, Si Ye was his uncle, not his father. Why was he jealous of Chen Xu?
Could it be that his older cousin was wrong?
Si Lin was confined at home again, returning to his routine of studying and doing assignments. This time, his phone was confiscated, leaving him so bored he resorted to counting ants in the yard.
Chen Xu advanced to the finals of the design competition, which required him to go to the capital.
With his birthday approaching, Si Ye worried that the competition might make him miss Chen Xu’s birthday.
“It won’t. I’ve checked the schedule. There’s plenty of time,” Chen Xu reassured him. Last year’s birthday party was unforgettable for Si Ye, but Chen Xu had almost forgotten it. This year, he had to remember it clearly.
“I’ll go with you,” Si Ye hugged his waist, looking up at him.
Chen Xu, held firmly by Si Ye, rubbed his face, “You’re so busy, and the competition lasts over a week. Besides, family members aren’t allowed. You’d just be stuck in the hotel, bored.”
“But I worry,” Si Ye said, resting his face against Chen Xu’s stomach.
“What’s there to worry about? I’ve been there before…” Chen Xu began to say, forgetting for a moment that he hadn’t been to the capital in this life.
Realizing his slip, he felt a pang of fear, but oddly, Si Ye didn’t question him. Why?
Si Ye knew Chen Xu was also reborn, so he didn’t find Chen Xu’s words odd. Only when he sensed Chen Xu’s nervousness did he remember Chen Xu didn’t know he was also reborn.
Smiling, Si Ye wondered how Chen Xu would react if he found out they both were reborn. Would he be angry that Si Ye hadn’t told him?
By May, the weather was already hot. Chen Xu needed over a week off, which his advisor was reluctant to grant. But learning Chen Xu was participating in a prestigious design competition, the advisor panicked.
“Chen Xu, you’re not planning to change majors, are you?” the advisor asked cautiously.
Chen Xu shook his head. “No, fashion design is just a personal interest.”
The advisor sighed in relief, admiring Chen Xu’s talent. He was not only good-looking and wealthy but also incredibly smart and talented.
He truly was favored by the creator, while ordinary people like them were just random specks of mud.
Si Ye wanted to fly Chen Xu there privately, but Chen Xu had already bought a plane ticket, refusing Si Ye’s offer. Flying privately required applying for a flight path, which was a hassle. Commercial flights were more convenient.
“I’ll drop you off and come back,” Si Ye said, taking Chen Xu’s suitcase.
“It’s too much trouble. You’ll be exhausted,” Chen Xu said, feeling it unnecessary for Si Ye to worry so much.
“I’m not tired. If other kids have someone seeing them off, my kid should too.” Si Ye patted his head.
Touched by Si Ye’s gentle gaze, Chen Xu’s heart warmed. “Thank you, Si Uncle.”
Si Ye kissed his ear. “You’re welcome.”
When they arrived at the capital’s airport, a car from the hotel was already waiting.
“Is this also a Si family business?” Chen Xu asked curiously.
“Half and half,” Si Ye buckled his seatbelt, explaining, “The Lin family invested in it too.”
“The capital is mainly the Lin family’s domain.”
Chen Xu nodded thoughtfully. It was only one in the afternoon, and although they had eaten on the plane, it wasn’t much. After arriving at the hotel, Si Ye ordered lunch to be delivered to their room.
“Take a nap. We’ll go out in the afternoon,” Si Ye kissed Chen Xu’s lips.
Rubbing Si Ye’s face, Chen Xu, sleepy, said, “You should sleep too.”
“I have some work to do. You sleep first,” Si Ye coaxed him gently until he fell asleep.
Si Ye opened his laptop and worked in the outer room.
After half an hour, Chen Xu woke up, put on his slippers, and went to find Si Ye. Seeing him working with his back to him, Chen Xu rubbed his eyes and slipped his arms under Si Ye’s, sitting on his lap.
Si Ye, surprised, looked at the sleepy treasure in his arms. The treasure, still a bit dazed, instinctively hugged his neck and kissed him.
Si Ye turned his head away, whispering, “I’m in a video conference.”
Chen Xu’s drowsiness vanished in an instant, his face flushing from his neck to his ears. He practically flew out of Si Ye’s lap, running back to his room like he was practicing parkour.
With the door closing, Si Ye couldn’t help but chuckle, eyes full of indulgent amusement.
On the other side of the video conference, the senior executives were stunned. The usually stern Chairman Si was smiling so warmly. Was it going to rain red today?
After that day, rumors began circulating in the company about the boss’s spouse.
The boss’s spouse was a master at acting cute!
The boss’s spouse was a little darling!
Chairman Si doted on his spouse beyond measure!
Unaware of the spreading rumors, Chen Xu walked ahead, ears still red. Si Ye tried to hold his hand, but Chen Xu shook him off.
“Xiao Xu…” Si Ye’s voice held a hint of laughter, making the already angry Chen Xu ignore him even more.
Having lived two lives, it was the first time he felt so embarrassed. He wanted to find a hole to hide in.
“Don’t be mad. They won’t talk. I promise,” Si Ye hurried to console him, finding Chen Xu’s embarrassed and angry look extremely cute. But he couldn’t let his little friend stay mad for long.
Chen Xu stopped, looking up with suspicion. “Really?”
“Really. Don’t be mad,” Si Ye pulled him into his arms, ruffling his hair.
Holding onto Si Ye’s sleeve, Chen Xu whispered, “Sorry, I wasn’t mad at you.”
“It’s me being stupid.”
Chen Xu’s apologetic look was endearing. Si Ye kissed his forehead. “You’re not stupid at all. You’re very cute. I like it a lot.”
Chen Xu’s heart bloomed with joy again, snuggling into Si Ye’s embrace.
Due to his work, Si Ye often visited the capital and was familiar with the place. He took Chen Xu to several interesting spots. In his previous life, Chen Xu had studied in the capital but rarely went out except for fieldwork and classes. The places Si Ye took him were new to him.
Walking together, they drew many glances. Unhappy with the attention, Chen Xu bought two hats, which helped a bit. But even without seeing their faces, their figures and aura attracted frequent looks.
Chen Xu had a laid-back attitude towards tourism. He considered seeing a place once as having been there. In contrast, Si Ye, older by a generation, followed behind, taking photos with his phone. At first, Chen Xu didn’t notice, but upon seeing Si Ye taking pictures, he was curious and asked to see them.
“Did you study photography? These are great,” Chen Xu remarked, not out of love blindness, but Si Ye’s photos were genuinely good.
“I took a photography class briefly while studying abroad. You have a good camera presence, very professional,” Si Ye said, slightly surprised by Chen Xu’s ability to present his best side effortlessly.
“My classmate’s sister runs a clothing store. I was her store model,” Chen Xu shared. He used to always show his obedient side to Si Ye, but as their relationship deepened, he began to reveal more of his true self, wanting to walk through life together honestly.
Si Ye was a bit surprised, asking, “Were you very short on money?”
He remembered that all the children in the Si family had allowances, including those fostered like Chen Xu, who was never a big spender. Why would he need to work?
Seeing Si Ye’s confused look, Chen Xu explained, “I wasn’t short on money. I just wanted to gain more life experiences, which helps find inspiration for my creations.”
Si Ye sighed in relief, realizing Chen Xu wasn’t the type to suffer losses.
Reborn when Chen Xu was only fifteen, Si Ye had silently watched over him, trying not to interfere too much in his social circle while secretly smoothing his path. He needed to change not only Chen Xu’s future but his own, so he worked hard to free himself from Tao Minzhi’s control, removing her influence and allies.
Only free from Tao Minzhi could he openly protect Chen Xu.
He watched the young Chen Xu grow, feeling he was both the same and different until the day of Chen Xu’s eighteenth birthday party when his Chen Xu truly returned.
“Was going to an ordinary high school part of your life experience?” Si Ye had never understood why Chen Xu, with his excellent grades, attended a regular high school, assuming he disliked the atmosphere of the elite school and wanted to stay away from Si Yichen.
Chen Xu shook his head. “That was an accident.”
“I didn’t tell you?” he asked, puzzled.
“No,” Si Ye replied.
“Then I wasn’t petty enough. I should have reported Si Yichen,” Chen Xu said, recalling the unpleasant memory. “The night before my entrance exams, Si Yichen drugged my milk. I woke up in the afternoon, rushing to the exam hall but wasn’t allowed in.”
Raising two fingers, he said, “I missed two exams. I barely got into any high school. I was lucky.”
“However, it was a blessing in disguise. I didn’t have to see Si Yichen all the time, and I didn’t like ‘Sheng Jia’ anyway. It wasn’t for me.”
Si Ye had never known about this. When he was reborn, Chen Xu had already started school and never mentioned it to anyone because he knew no one would help him. Si Yichen was Si Ye’s heir, and no one dared oppose him.
“I wish I could drag Si Yichen out and beat him,” Si Ye said, hugging Chen Xu, feeling guilty for not getting rid of Si Yichen sooner.
But with Tao Minzhi protecting Si Yichen, he couldn’t just kick him out without first neutralizing her.
He hadn’t realized how much trouble Si Yichen had caused Chen Xu behind his back.
Si Ye always thought Si Yichen’s hostility towards Chen Xu started after mistaking him for Si Lin. It turned out it had been brewing for much longer.
Chen Xu patted Si Ye’s back, comforting him, “I already beat him.”
“You did?” Si Ye was surprised. He thought Chen Xu avoided causing trouble.
“Yeah, more than once,” Chen Xu grinned.
Si Ye, astonished, then smiled, holding his hand tightly. “You should have called me.”
Hand in hand, they walked down the street, neon lights stretching their shadows until they merged into one.
Si Ye stayed with Chen Xu in the hotel for one night before flying back to A City the next morning for a meeting.
The design competition finals garnered media attention. Participants had seven days to design and create their works, a challenging task.
To ensure fairness, the competition was held in a closed environment, and participants had to surrender their phones.
“Are you also here for the competition?” A blonde man with blue eyes clapped Chen Xu on the shoulder, speaking in a perfect northern accent.
With his handsome face, the combination seemed odd.
“Yes,” Chen Xu replied coldly, dodging his hand.
He recognized the man, Duan Barnett, who won third place in the last competition with his bold colors and fantastical designs. A social butterfly, Duan was more famous than the winners.
Chen Xu disliked people who were overly familiar.
“Wow, minors can compete?” Duan’s eyes widened in exaggerated surprise.
Ignoring him, Chen Xu signed in.
The staff at the sign-in desk were also surprised by his youth.
“Please show your ID,” they said, ensuring he wasn’t a contestant’s younger brother causing trouble.
Chen Xu handed over his ID, and the staff, verifying his identity, returned it, asking him to sign in.
“I’ll show you to your dorm,” a staff member offered to carry his luggage, but Chen Xu declined politely, “No need, thank you.”
After he left, the staff began whispering.
“He looks too young.”
“He’s so good-looking, better than the current idols!”
“He could live off his looks, but he chooses to rely on talent!”
“Never heard of him before. He might be a nobody who gets eliminated quickly.”
“Yeah, too bad. But a pretty boy’s tears would be nice to see.”
“Enough, that’s creepy. But who wouldn’t want to see it?”
To protect participants’ privacy, the dorms were single rooms. A staff member led him to his room and handed him the key.
“Thank you,” Chen Xu said politely, taking the key. The staff blushed and waved, “No problem. Let us know if you need anything.”
After the staff left, Chen Xu opened the door and wheeled his suitcase in. As he was about to enter, the door next to his opened, and a young man in his twenties glared at him. “What are you looking at?”
Ignoring him, Chen Xu entered his room and shut the door.
“Fuck! Acting all high and mighty!” the young man cursed outside.
Soon, Chen Xu heard his footsteps fading down the corridor.
He didn’t remember this person, likely an unknown competitor.
Unpacking, he knew Si Ye was still on the plane. Resting for a bit, he was interrupted by the organizers collecting phones. He quickly sent Si Ye a message, informing him he couldn’t contact him for a while and not to worry.
Just as his phone turned off, a message from Tang Zhen came through. Unable to read it, Chen Xu dismissed it as probably unimportant, something about how fun the capital was.
Little did he know, Tang Zhen was anxiously waiting for his reply. The school forum had exploded with rumors about Chen Xu not being a rich heir but a kept man, accompanied by several intimate photos of him with a man.
Rain : New schedule, 1 chapter from monday to friday ?
Keep me fueled with caffeine! Support me on Ko-fi! ?~(????)
Discover more from Shy shy shy
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
