ARBRMW : Chapter 89

When Lin Penghan and his son Lin Yirun visited Si Ye, Chen Xu was still sound asleep in the bedroom on the third floor.

“I wonder what brings Uncle Lin and your son here?” Si Ye had tea served, but Lin Penghan’s eyes roamed around, seemingly searching for someone.

Lin Yirun nudged his father with his elbow, reminding him to focus on the matter at hand.

“Apologies for the unannounced visit, but the matter is urgent, and we had no choice but to come,” Lin Penghan, a refined businessman, despite his advanced age, still exuded an elegant demeanor. One could easily imagine that, like his son Lin Yirun, he too was a heartthrob in his younger days.

Unlike his father, Lin Yirun, who was the same age as Si Ye, spoke more casually. 

“To be frank, our visit today concerns your husband.”

Si Ye frowned, recalling that his secretary, Jiang, mentioned the Lin family investigating Chen Xu.

“My husband is still in school. He shouldn’t have any connection to the Lin family,” Si Ye replied.

Lin Penghan licked his lips nervously, clenching his fists. “My mother passed away when you were young, so you might not remember her.”

He took an old photo from his bag and handed it to Si Ye. Upon seeing the photo, Si Ye’s brows furrowed deeply. 

The photo was of Lin Penghan’s mother, Lin Laoyezi’s (Old master ) wife, Zhuang Qiongyin, in her youth. Zhuang Qiongyin was a true beauty, which was why Lin Laoyezi had fallen in love at first sight. More importantly, Zhuang Qiongyin bore a striking resemblance to Chen Xu, though Chen Xu’s features were sharper and less feminine.

With such similar appearances, it was hard not to draw a connection between the two.

“My mother brought my two-year-old brother along when she went shopping during a business trip to A City. He suddenly had a high fever, and she took him to a nearby hospital, where he disappeared,” Lin Yirun explained.

The pieces seemed to fall into place. Si Ye was internally shocked. He had never expected Chen Xu’s family, whom he couldn’t trace, to turn out to be the Lin family.

“I have never heard of this incident,” Si Ye said, genuinely surprised. He had never heard that Lin Penghan had another son besides Lin Yirun.

Lin Penghan smiled bitterly. “After the child disappeared, your aunt Zhuo blamed herself and suffered from depression. To avoid distressing her, we kept the matter quiet, but we never stopped searching for him in secret.”

No wonder Zhuo Shunan’s health had always been poor. She frequently needed to go abroad for rest and had ceased creating new designs. It wasn’t just about supporting her husband; it was the result of losing her younger son and falling into depression.

“That’s why she couldn’t take her eyes off Chen Xu when she saw him that day,” Si Ye realized. Chen Xu’s resemblance to Zhuang Qiongyin, and the matching age, made it hard not to ignite hope in Zhuo Shunan.

“Are you sure Chen Xu is the child you’ve been looking for?” Si Ye knew from experience that appearances could be deceiving.

“We’re not certain yet,” Lin Penghan admitted. “We’ve investigated Chen Xu a bit. I apologize for that and hope you can understand our urgency.”

Si Ye didn’t blame them. If Chen Xu was indeed their lost son, he would welcome it. The Lin family was far better than the Zhen family, not just in terms of background but also in terms of affection. The trauma inflicted by Zhen Yue’s family on Chen Xu could be healed by his true relatives.

“We found out that Old Master Chen brought home a two-year-old boy on June 1st. No one knew where the child came from. That was the day my son went missing,” Lin Penghan said, his eyes reddening.

From the fragments of information, it seemed highly likely that Chen Xu was their lost son. They had rushed to A City as soon as they got the news, eager to confirm it.

Si Ye asked his butler, Uncle Zhong, to fetch some documents from his study, instructing him to be quiet so as not to wake Chen Xu.

“Yes, sir.” Uncle Zhong, admiring the deep affection between his master and Chen Xu, couldn’t help but smile inwardly.

However, Lin Penghan and Lin Yirun felt a mix of awkwardness and complexity. If Chen Xu was indeed their lost son, it would mean Si Ye was their son-in-law. Given Si Ye’s status, he could be considered equal to Lin Laoyezi. The relationships were getting complicated.

Soon, Uncle Zhong returned with a document folder. Si Ye pulled out a photo. “Did uncle Lin’s son get lost in this hospital?”

Lin Penghan and Lin Yirun leaned in, their eyes widening in surprise and emotion. “Yes, that’s the hospital. How did you…?”

“My brother’s son went missing seventeen years ago in that same hospital,” Si Ye explained. “Third Uncle Lin should be familiar with this case.”

Lin Penghan and his son exchanged bewildered looks, astonished by the coincidence.

Si Ye recounted the information he had gathered from Old Master Chen’s driver, and the Lin father and son became even more convinced. “Yes, he must be our Xiao Ze.”

Lin Penghan’s eyes filled with tears as he grasped Lin Yirun’s hand. “Seventeen years… I thought we had no hope left. Thank heavens we found him.”

Lin Yirun patted his father’s back to calm him. “Dad, don’t get too excited.”

“Director Si, would it be possible to conduct a paternity test?” Lin Penghan asked.

Si Ye agreed but added, “Let’s not tell Chen Xu for now. Once we’re sure, I’ll let him know.”

Though Lin Penghan and Lin Yirun were already convinced, they understood Si Ye’s protective stance. “Alright.”

“I’ll arrange it,” Si Ye assured them.

Although they longed to see Chen Xu, they knew their unannounced visit was already quite intrusive. They didn’t want to scare Chen Xu, so they reluctantly returned to their hotel.

After the Lin family left, Si Ye returned to the third floor, feeling conflicted about how to break the news to Chen Xu. Chen Xu didn’t know he wasn’t the biological child of Chen Yue and his wife. Despite their mistreatment, he had called them parents for years. Telling him he wasn’t related by blood would be a heavy blow, especially considering his deep respect for Old Master Chen.

Chen Xu was woken up by a tickling sensation. He groggily opened his eyes, feeling kisses being planted on his face.

“Uncle Si…” He pushed the head away, his voice still sleepy.

“Sweetheart, it’s time to get up. The sun is high,” Si Ye said, ruffling Chen Xu’s soft black hair and kissing his temple.

Reluctantly, Chen Xu opened his eyes and snuggled into Si Ye’s arms for a few more minutes before waking up fully.

As he was about to get out of bed, he realized he wasn’t wearing any clothes. His arms, neck, and chest were covered in love bites from the previous night.

Blushing, Chen Xu said, “Why didn’t you dress me?”

Si Ye propped himself up on the bed and kissed Chen Xu’s chin. “You didn’t want to wear anything.”

Memories of the night before came flooding back, and Chen Xu remembered that Si Ye was telling the truth. He had refused to wear clothes, clinging to a similarly naked Si Ye and falling asleep like a little piglet.

“Remember now?” Si Ye teased, seeing Chen Xu’s cheeks turn red.

Chen Xu didn’t like wearing clothes while cuddling with Si Ye. He felt it created a barrier. When he was rational, he would never act this way, but the previous night had left him in a daze, clinging to Si Ye like someone with skin hunger.

Had they not exhausted themselves the previous night, Si Ye might have woken Chen Xu up for more.

“I’m hungry,” Chen Xu quickly changed the subject. Si Ye ruffled his hair and went to get him some clothes.

It was a hot summer day, and Chen Xu preferred wearing t-shirts, unlike Si Ye, who was always impeccably dressed in suits, even at home.

After lunch, Chen Xu walked around the house and then remembered the flowers Si Ye had given him were still on the cabinet. He went back to the bedroom to arrange them.

Si Ye, who didn’t go to the office that day, was busy handling some work in his study.

After arranging the flowers, Chen Xu lay down on the lounge chair on the balcony to read a book. Before long, he fell asleep again.

When he woke up, he found himself inside the house. Checking the time, he realized he had taken a one-hour nap.

“Where’s Uncle Si?” Chen Xu went downstairs to look for him, asking the servants when he didn’t see him.

“He’s by the pool,” a servant replied.

Chen Xu walked towards the pool, shielding his eyes from the glaring sun. 

The house had a large swimming pool near the villa used for hosting parties. As he walked through the garden, he saw a lithe figure swimming in the pool.

Wearing flip-flops, his toes gleaming red in the sun, highlighting his pale feet, Chen Xu called out, “Uncle Si.”

Squatting by the pool, he waited for Si Ye to swim over and break the surface, flashing him a smile.

Si Ye emerged from the water, catching an unexpected glimpse of Chen Xu’s delicate collarbones and the red marks on his chest from the previous night’s teasing. The sunlight turned his black hair and long eyelashes golden, his porcelain skin glowing like ivory.

Drops of water rolled off Si Ye’s lashes, reflecting his deep, abyss-like eyes. Suddenly, he pulled Chen Xu into the water.

Caught off guard, Chen Xu choked on the water, coughing violently.

Before he could curse, Si Ye grabbed the back of his head and kissed him fiercely.

The kiss was intense, leaving Chen Xu breathless and dizzy.

Even in the cool water, the heat in his body didn’t dissipate. Chen Xu clung to Si Ye, responding to his kiss.

“Not…outside…” Chen Xu trembled, trying to stop Si Ye’s wandering hands.

“No one will come here,” Si Ye’s husky voice whispered, kissing Chen Xu’s Adam’s apple. The servants knew better than to disturb Si Ye while he was swimming. They had the place to themselves, but the thought of doing it outside still made Chen Xu uneasy.

This was too bold—doing it outside.

Chen Xu’s heart pounded as if it would burst from his chest. His white t-shirt clung to his body, soaked and transparent, revealing his form. Si Ye dipped his head to taste the red marks.

Chen Xu’s wide-legged shorts made it easy for Si Ye to slip his hand in, something he had wanted to do since Chen Xu’s birthday.

Chen Xu’s eyes welled up with tears as Si Ye teased him, his eyelashes trembling, making him look fragile and beautiful, arousing the urge to bully him further, to see him cry and hear him whimper.

The scorching sun burned their skin, but Chen Xu’s inner fire was hotter than the summer sun.

Feeling the water lapping against the pool walls, warmed by the sun, Chen Xu’s slender back arched like a bow, his body trembling.

…

Wrapped in a large bathrobe, Si Ye carried the exhausted Chen Xu back to their room. Chen Xu curled up in his arms, sleeping soundly, his cheeks still flushed pink, clearly worn out.

Uncle Zhong quickly averted his eyes, not daring to look.

When Chen Xu finally woke up for dinner, he recalled their activities in the pool and blushed. “Have someone change the water.”

“It’s already done,” Si Ye said, kissing Chen Xu’s forehead with a smile.

Relieved, Chen Xu didn’t want to see the pool or his shorts for a while.

The enjoyable weekend passed quickly. After two days of shameless indulgence, Chen Xu felt like he would die if he didn’t get back to school. 

A rekindled flame is terrifying. Despite his young body, he was worn out from barely leaving the bed for two days. Fortunately, he recovered quickly and could attend school in good condition.

It seemed the drug Xiang Xiuhe gave him hadn’t affected Si Ye’s performance in that aspect.

“Oh, it looks like Xu-ge had a good weekend. You look refreshed, well taken care of,” Tang Zhen teased, poking Chen Xu’s face. “Your skin looks even better!”

Chen Xu sighed, “Sister, Can you stop being so perverted?”

Tang Zhen gave Chen Xu a teasing look. “Having a husband is great. I want one too.”

“You don’t know; your husband came to pick you up from school the other day. That night, the forum was buzzing. A weekend passed, and the hype didn’t die down; it only grew hotter.” Tang Zhen showed his phone to Chen Xu before the teacher arrived.

Eight out of ten posts discussed Chen Xu and his husband, with many writing fanfiction about them.

“What does ABO mean?” Chen Xu was puzzled. Why did it say he was pregnant?

Tang Zhen enthusiastically explained the concept. Chen Xu was bewildered. “Why can omega get pregnant?”

“Because that’s how the setting works,” Tang Zhen said, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

Chen Xu scrolled down, accidentally seeing a fanfic where he was pregnant and running away with a baby.

Scrolling further, he found out that he and Si Ye had engaged in pregnancy-related activities. His eyes almost popped out.

“Why do they have to involve pregnant men? Don’t they consider the baby’s feelings?”

“This one’s really hot!” Tang Zhen praised the ABO fic, seemingly oblivious to the oddity of recommending it to one of the story’s protagonists.

Chen Xu looked at him like he was a pervert. “No, thanks. I’m not interested in men getting pregnant.”

“At first, I couldn’t accept it either, but I got hooked after a while,” Tang Zhen admitted, then pulled out a different fic from his collection.

“Check this one out, ‘My Little Wife Who Ran Away 999 Times.’ It’s great. You’re forced into a marriage but keep trying to escape, only to be caught and punished by your husband each time. It’s so nosebleed-inducing!”

Chen Xu was speechless.

“That one’s good too, ‘My Mafia Husband.’ It’s so tragic. I cried through half a pack of tissues. You and your husband go on the run from his enemies, only to find out you’re an undercover cop. It’s heartbreaking.” Tang Zhen wiped away real tears.

Chen Xu didn’t know what to say. Luckily, the teacher arrived, and the bell rang, saving him from more of Tang Zhen’s fanfic summaries.

At lunch, Chen Xu noticed that Tang Zhen, Zhu Yaoyuan, and Qin Yuzhen were all looking at him with curious eyes.

“What’s up?” Chen Xu put down his chopsticks.

Before Qin Yuzhen could speak, Zhu Yaoyuan said, “Chen Xu, your life is too tragic. You get married into a rich family, tortured by an evil mother-in-law, then pushed down the stairs by a sister-in-law and lose your baby.”

“And you finally marry an imperial general, only to be captured as a spy by the royal family when he goes off to war,” Qin Yuzhen added.

Chen Xu was speechless.

It was clear Zhu Yaoyuan read a typical rich family drama while Qin Yuzhen preferred futuristic space operas. Kudos to the fanfic writers for coming up with so many stories in just two days.

“Aren’t you straight?” Chen Xu asked Zhu Yaoyuan, puzzled why a straight guy would read fanfics about him and Si Ye.

“Qin Yuzhen and Tang Zhen recommended them. I thought they were good, so I read them,” Zhu Yaoyuan said nonchalantly, not seeing any conflict between his orientation and reading BL fanfics.

“Okay, but just so you know, I’m a man, and I can’t get pregnant. Si Ye doesn’t have a sister either,” Chen Xu said, exasperated.

“Won’t you encounter any rich family drama?” Zhu Yao worried about Chen Xu’s life after reading those dog-blood fanfics.

“No,” Chen Xu said calmly, taking a sip of his soup. “Anyone who bullies me gets taken down.”

The trio shuddered, silently continuing their meal. Xu-ge was always the one doing the bullying.

On the way back to the dorm, Tang Zhen suddenly yelled, “Holy crap!!!”

“What?”

“Your husband’s name is Si Ye?!” Tang Zhen asked, stunned.

“Yes, why?” Chen Xu replied, puzzled by Tang Zhen’s reaction.

Tang Zhen lowered his voice, leaning closer to Chen Xu. “The chairman of Si Corporation, Si Ye?”

“Mm.” Chen Xu realized Tang Zhen had figured out that his husband was the one sponsoring his hometown.

Tang Zhen’s eyes widened like saucers. “Did you tell him about my village’s situation?”

“I just informed his secretary. That’s all I did. Si Corporation does charity work every year, and your village met their criteria,” Chen Xu explained honestly.

Tears welled up in Tang Zhen’s eyes. “Thank you. Don’t downplay it. Without you, Si Corporation wouldn’t even know about my village. My sister and the children wouldn’t have a chance to go to school.”

“It was a small thing for me. Don’t worry about it,” Chen Xu reassured him.

Shaking his head, Tang Zhen said, “It might be a small thing to you, but you could have chosen not to do it. Thank you, from my whole village.”

“No, really, it’s nothing…”

“To thank you, I’ll give you my first kiss,” Tang Zhen said, leaning in.

Chen Xu pushed his face away. “No thanks. Save it for your future boyfriend.”

“You’re so heartless. My first kiss, saved for nineteen years,” Tang Zhen joked as they walked.

After some playful banter, Tang Zhen sincerely thanked Chen Xu. “Thank you.”

“Are you planning to join Si Corporation after graduation?” Tang Zhen’s goal was to work at Si Corporation to repay Si Ye for helping his village.

“That hasn’t changed,” he said.

“I won’t.” Chen Xu had originally planned to join Si Corporation to help Si Ye, but as his knowledge and horizons expanded, he realized that putting all his eggs in one basket wasn’t wise. If Si Corporation ever faced trouble, they would both be in deep water. It was better for him to have his own business. If something happened, he could support Si Ye.

Chen Xu was confident in his abilities and, with Si Ye’s support, knew it would be easier for him than for others to start his own business. At nineteen, he had plenty of time and opportunities to achieve his dreams.

“I thought you’d want to stay with your husband, sharing an office or something,” Tang Zhen teased.

Thinking of Si Ye’s spacious office with its panoramic view of A City’s skyline, Chen Xu’s ears turned red. Imagining being pinned against the glass…

“Cough…” Chen Xu scolded himself for getting distracted.

“Don’t worry. I have my own plans,” Chen Xu said, thinking about his previous ambition to start his own fashion brand.

He planned to put that into action this summer.

The week at school went smoothly, and by the end of it, Si Ye had the results of the paternity test.

The Lin father and son had been eagerly awaiting the results. Zhuo Shunan, who had been bedridden due to illness and stress from the Zhuo family’s accusations, was constantly asking about the progress. She had become even more fragile, making Lin Penghan more anxious.

Today, they would finally get an answer.

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