Chapter 29
The manor Lu Heng mentioned was in the countryside on the outskirts of Jin City. Chi Suinian had never been there before, so he followed the navigation the entire way.
Early in the morning, the roads were packed, with traffic congesting all the routes in and out of the city. It wasn’t until they left the urban area and entered the suburbs that the space around them finally felt more open.
Chi Suinian hadn’t driven for fun in a long time. The rural roads were wide, with few cars and even fewer pedestrians. And since he was driving his dream car, he couldn’t help but feel the itch to test its speed, gradually pressing down on the accelerator.
“You’re driving this fast?” As soon as his foot pressed slightly down, Lu Zhiyue, who had been reading documents in the passenger seat, sharply lifted his head.
“If you’re scared, don’t come along.” Chi Suinian didn’t even turn his head.
Lu Zhiyue glanced at him but said nothing.
Yet, Chi Suinian could tell something was off. Taking a quick glance beside him, he saw Lu Zhiyue sitting there quietly, not saying a word or picking a fight as usual. But when he turned his face, his complexion looked a little pale.
Chi Suinian pressed his lips together, turned back to the road, and held back for a while before finally asking, “You feeling unwell?”
“Yeah.” Lu Zhiyue rubbed his temples. “A little carsick.”
Chi Suinian frowned. He genuinely had no idea Lu Zhiyue had this issue. “You get carsick and still insist on coming? Got too used to living the good life, now you just have to suffer?”
“It’s a long way, and the place is pretty remote. I wouldn’t feel at ease if you went alone…” Lu Zhiyue paused, his face looking even paler.
Chi Suinian was momentarily stunned. He was so used to Lu Zhiyue always nitpicking him that hearing something so serious—filled with actual concern—caught him off guard.
Holding his breath for a second, he finally snapped out of it, gritting his teeth. “Who asked you to come? If you pass out, it’s your own fault.”
Despite his harsh words, his foot eased off the pedal, and the car’s speed dropped by half. He even rolled down the windows.
Lu Zhiyue raised an eyebrow in confusion.
Chi Suinian kept his eyes on the road, his lips pressed into a straight, tense line. “What are you looking at? Can’t I get some fresh air?”
Lu Zhiyue was momentarily startled before breaking into a quiet laugh. “Thanks.”
Chi Suinian turned his face away.
Thank my ass.
Weakling.
To accommodate his carsick passenger, Chi Suinian, for the first time ever, drove his Porsche like a bicycle.
A trip that should’ve taken an hour and a half ended up taking three. By the time they reached the manor, it was almost noon.
Lu Heng had messaged half an hour ago, telling him which restaurant to head to once he arrived.
After parking, Chi Suinian glanced at the passenger seat and saw that someone still looked pale—clearly still feeling sick.
“We here?” Lu Zhiyue opened his eyes, his expression still slightly strained as he looked around.
“Yeah.” Chi Suinian pursed his lips. “Get out.”
The parking lot outside the manor was spacious. Since it wasn’t a holiday, there weren’t many guests—just a dozen or so cars scattered around. Chi Suinian immediately noticed a vending machine standing in a corner.
He closed the car door, hesitated for a moment, then quickly walked over.
“Where are you going?” Lu Zhiyue asked from behind him.
Chi Suinian didn’t answer. A few steps later, he was standing in front of the vending machine. Only when a bottle of something tart-sounding clunked down did he snap back to his senses.
He had just bought a drink to help with Lu Zhiyue’s carsickness.
…Had he lost his mind?
Staring at the bottle in his hand, he froze, unmoving for a long time.
Seeing him standing there stupidly in the sun, not moving, Lu Zhiyue grew curious and walked over.
As he got closer and saw the bottle in Chi Suinian’s hand, he raised an eyebrow and smirked. “For me?”
“In your dreams.” Chi Suinian snapped back like a startled animal, bristling instantly. “If you want one, buy it yourself. This one’s for me.”
With that, he twisted the cap off and took a big gulp.
The moment the icy liquid hit his mouth, Chi Suinian froze slightly. The next second, his eyes widened.
…So sour!
It tasted like a combination of lemon, orange, tangerine, and grapefruit—all their sourness mixed together into one overwhelming explosion.
Who the hell was this drink even made for?
“Is it good?” Lu Zhiyue asked.
Chi Suinian struggled to swallow, feeling the sourness travel from his mouth all the way to his stomach. Still, he refused to back down. “…It’s good.”
Enduring the discomfort, he wickedly thought of dragging Lu Zhiyue down with him. “It helps with carsickness. Try it.”
From his angle, Lu Zhiyue could see the way Chi Suinian’s throat moved uncomfortably.
Chi Suinian was actually terrible at lying. His expressions were too vivid, his little movements too obvious—it was impossible not to suspect him.
But his lips looked soft and glistening from the drink, and suddenly, Lu Zhiyue was curious about how it tasted.
His throat moved slightly as he leaned in. Before Chi Suinian could react, he brushed a kiss against his lips.
“…You.” Chi Suinian was so shocked he stammered. “You f*cking—”
Before the incoming punch could land, Lu Zhiyue straightened up and, like an old rogue, licked his lips. With a grin, he said, “Mm. Tastes good.”
The open space around them made Chi Suinian feel like he had just streaked naked in public. He nearly crushed the drink bottle in his hand. “Who the hell let you kiss me?!”
Lu Zhiyue blinked innocently. “I can’t?”
He tilted his head. “You seemed to like it a lot last night. You even took the initiative—”
Chi Suinian nearly exploded, raising his voice in embarrassment. “Shut up! Say one more word about last night, and I’ll f*cking kill you!”
Chi Suinian didn’t have much experience when it came to bedroom matters. Last night, with just a bit of provocation from Lu Zhiyue, he had completely lost control. His mind had gone blank, letting Lu Zhiyue take the lead entirely, moving with him—
He had no memory of whether Lu Zhiyue had kissed him or not. He didn’t dare to think about it. But the fact that this bastard was bringing it up in front of him made his ears burn.
It was too damn hot out here.
He threw the drink into the trash, his expression dark as he stormed toward the manor.
As they passed by the car, Lu Zhiyue lazily asked, “Not bringing your luggage?”
Chi Suinian halted, annoyed, and turned back to grab his suitcase from the trunk.
Just then, a group of men walked out from the shade of the trees beside the villa. They looked like they had just returned from hiking, still dressed in professional gear.
The leader spotted the flashy silver supercar in the parking lot and clicked his tongue. “Hey, it’s that car from this morning. Didn’t expect it to be here for a vacation, too.”
A companion asked, “You know the owner?”
“No, but I recognize the car. Saw it leaving the city earlier—wasn’t even going faster than a bicycle. Such a waste of a good car.”
As they passed the parking lot, the leader couldn’t resist taking another look. After all, men had a natural love for cars and watches.
Unexpectedly, he spotted someone familiar.
“Lu Zhiyue?”
Both sides locked eyes, equally stunned.
Chi Suinian’s expression instantly turned cold.
.
“It’s really you! What a coincidence to run into you here.” The man looked surprised, his tone carrying an unmistakable excitement. “We haven’t seen each other since graduation, right? You never spoke in the class group all these years, so everyone thought you had gone abroad.”
A few hiking enthusiasts gathered around the sports car, catching up with old acquaintances. Everyone’s attention was focused on Lu Zhiyue, while Chi Suinian was completely ignored.
Only one person among them frowned and stared at Chi Suinian for a while. He found him familiar but couldn’t recall where he had seen him before.
“Are you here for the class reunion? A lot of our old classmates showed up today. If the girls knew you were here, they’d be thrilled! I still remember back in sophomore year…”
“You guys are hosting a class reunion here?” Lu Zhiyue interrupted, his brows slightly furrowed.
“Yeah, we planned it last month.” The man looked at him suspiciously. “You didn’t know? Then you’re here for…?”
Lu Zhiyue glanced at the person beside him and said, “On vacation.”
Only then did the man notice Chi Suinian standing next to him. The handsome young man had delicate, well-defined features, but his expression was icy. He carried an air of elegance, and his facial features sparked a vague sense of familiarity. “I see… and this is?”
Chi Suinian looked at the group in front of him. More than ten years had passed, but they hadn’t changed much. Their features still carried traces of the arrogance from their school days.
Some people had run rampant in the school, yet years later, they had completely forgotten the faces of those they bullied.
Still living freely and happily.
“Ah! I remember now!” Someone in the group suddenly exclaimed. “You’re Chi Suinian!”
“Who?”
“Chi… something… Do any of you recognize him?”
“Doesn’t ring a bell. Was he from our school? What class?”
“Class 7. He was Lu Zhiyue’s old rival—the two of them were at each other’s throats for three years.”
“Oh…”
“…It’s him.”
“How did he end up with Lu Zhiyue?”
The group casually reminisced about the past, their unpleasant memories long buried. Someone even greeted him with a laugh. “Long time no see! You’ve really grown into a good-looking guy…”
“Ye Xu, wasn’t he in your class? You don’t remember him?” Someone nudged the man at the front.
Ye Xu suddenly snapped out of his daze, but he could no longer smile.
He remembered now—Chi Suinian. The small and frail transfer student who had joined their class in middle school. Fair-skinned, delicate, almost like a girl, and always withdrawn, sitting silently in the corner of the classroom, observing everyone with cold eyes.
Teenagers tend to reject those who are different, and Chi Suinian, an outsider, was the perfect target.
Back then, Ye Xu always felt that Chi Suinian was eerie, almost ghost-like. So, he frequently played pranks on him in class. At first, it was just harmless mischief, but one time, he placed a bucket of water on the classroom door. When Chi Suinian walked in, unsuspecting, the water drenched him completely.
It was a scorching summer. The students all wore their thin white T-shirts as their summer uniforms. The wet fabric clung to his skin, turning slightly transparent, revealing a body covered in scars.
With just one glance, Ye Xu was so shocked that his blood ran cold.
From that moment on, he became even more convinced that Chi Suinian was an anomaly.
And his methods of exclusion grew even harsher.
It had been too long, and many details had faded from his memory. He only vaguely remembered that he had played some pranks on the young man in front of him.
But pranks—every class had them. Just jokes, nothing worth remembering for so long.
Thinking of this, he chuckled and said, “Long time no see. Everything in the past was just a misunderstanding. We finally get to reunite as classmates, so let bygones be bygones. I’ll drink three glasses later as an apology.”
After saying this, he turned to Lu Zhiyue and smiled. “It’s almost noon, and we’ve booked a private room for a gathering. The more, the merrier. You and Suinian should come along.”
“No.” Lu Zhiyue’s face was expressionless.
Ye Xu was stunned. “Why not?”
“We have something to do.”
“What could be more important than our old classmates gathering? Besides, we’re all friends here—” Ye Xu was still talking when someone beside him suddenly tugged at his sleeve with a panicked expression, as if they had just remembered something.
“…Stop talking.”
Ye Xu frowned. “What? Why are you pulling me?”
That person whispered, “Just stop talking. Let’s go.”
Ye Xu couldn’t understand it at all and still wanted to say more, but Chi Suinian was already done listening.
Annoyed, he slammed the trunk shut with a loud bang, making everyone jump.
“Are you an idiot? Can’t you tell that we don’t welcome you?”
“You…” Ye Xu was momentarily stunned, then his face darkened with anger. “What did you just say?”
Chi Suinian was impatient. “I told you to get lost. Do you understand?”
“You…” Ye Xu was furious. He had been living smoothly all these years and had never suffered such humiliation. He immediately stepped forward.
But before he could do anything, the people around him grabbed him with flailing hands.
To his surprise, Lu Zhiyue also stepped forward at the same time, blocking the space between him and Chi Suinian.
“Lu Zhiyue?”
Weren’t these two mortal enemies?
Lu Zhiyue ignored him, bent down to pick up the suitcase, and reached out to hold Chi Suinian’s hand. “Let’s go.”
Chi Suinian, with a cold expression, dodged him.
What was up with Lu Zhiyue? Even in front of so many people, he dared to touch him?
“You guys…” Ye Xu gaped. “You guys…”
Chi Suinian turned his head, waiting for him to spit out whatever nonsense he had in mind.
Ye Xu struggled for a long time before finally managing a complete sentence:
“…How did you two end up together?”
“…”
Chi Suinian didn’t want to explain his mess of a relationship with Lu Zhiyue. He simply shot Ye Xu a cold glance and walked away without a word.
Ye Xu hadn’t been sincere about inviting them in the first place, so he wasn’t too bothered when Chi Suinian left. He turned back to Lu Zhiyue and said, “It’s actually better that he’s not coming. Back in school, he was always a loner. No wonder he got beaten up so badly—he totally deserved it… Never mind, let’s not talk about him. Lu Zhiyue, are you coming? Lots of old classmates are there, and you—”
He was about to say more when he suddenly fell silent.
Because Lu Zhiyue’s voice turned cold as he cut him off, his gaze chillingly dark.
“If I hear you slandering him again, I’ll make sure you experience what it feels like to be covered in wounds.”
Ye Xu blinked, his throat suddenly dry. “Wait, Lu Zhiyue… You’re… protecting him?”
Lu Zhiyue’s face remained calm, but his voice carried a bone-chilling threat. “Do I need to repeat myself?”
Ye Xu was at a complete loss for words. He swallowed hard and stiffly nodded.
Only then did Lu Zhiyue turn and leave, striding after Chi Suinian.
It wasn’t until the two of them had disappeared beyond the villa gates that Ye Xu finally let out a long breath, his face flushed with frustration.
“Damn…”
·
Chi Suinian’s mood had been completely ruined by Ye Xu and his group. He remained silent the entire way, his expression dark.
By the time he arrived at the private room, his face was still stormy.
“You’re finally here. Took you so long—did you walk all the way?” Lu Heng noticed his expression and paused. “What’s wrong? Who pissed you off?”
Although he asked, he had a good guess. Aside from that troublemaker who loved provoking tigers, there was no second option.
“I’m not pissed. I just ran into Ye Xu at the entrance. He’s annoying,” Chi Suinian said, picking up a wine glass and taking a sip.
Lu Heng was surprised. “Ye Xu?”
“Who?!” Tang Jin almost jumped out of his seat. “You ran into that bastard Ye Xu? Damn it, where is he? I’ll knock his head off.”
Chi Suinian glanced at his legs. “In your wheelchair?”
“Suinian, don’t underestimate me. I’m actually great at fighting—I just don’t bother most of the time. But Ye Xu, that scumbag? I can’t stand him.” Tang Jin gritted his teeth, rubbing his fists.
“I swear, I’ll beat him so bad even his parents won’t recognize him!”
Chi Suinian let out a laugh.
Tang Jin got nervous. “What?”
“Nothing,” Chi Suinian felt a warmth in his heart. “I’ve already paid him back for everything he did back then. I just find him irritating—no need to dwell on it.”
Back when he had transferred schools, he had been timid and full of self-doubt, which made him an easy target. But after the first semester ended, he had undergone surgery over the summer to remove his scars. When he returned, he made sure Ye Xu paid for everything—tenfold.
He had suffered more than enough back then, but there was nothing left to get revenge for.
“Sigh… If only Tang Jin and I had transferred earlier, we could’ve stopped those scumbags from bullying you.” Lu Heng sighed. “Well, whatever. It’s in the past now—let’s move on.”
He clapped his hands, calling the waiter to serve the food. “Perfect timing! I just placed the order—all your favorites.”
“Yeah, yeah. And after we eat, we should go out!” Tang Jin’s eyes lit up. “There’s a new combat shooting range in the villa—it’s like real-life CS. I really wanna try it!”
“You should sit this one out.” Lu Heng smirked. “Unless you want your legs to be permanently crippled.”
“Tch, can’t I just watch?” Tang Jin huffed.
“Fine, fine…”
“I asked the staff earlier, and that place is full of dust. I’d recommend not wearing formal clothes—” Tang Jin’s eyes suddenly locked onto something. “Wait, Suinian, where’s your luggage?”
Lu Heng also noticed. “You’re not staying here?”
“I am.” Chi Suinian took a bite of his ribs. “My luggage is with Lu Zhiyue.”
“…”
“…Where?” Tang Jin and Lu Heng asked in unison.
“You brought Lu Zhiyue too?”
Chi Suinian frowned. “Why are you two so jumpy?”
They almost scared him.
Tang Jin hesitated for a moment. “You came with Lu Zhiyue?”
“Yeah.” Chi Suinian kept eating. “He gets carsick, so he drove slowly. Just arrived.”
Tang Jin didn’t know what to say.
His friend was a little too naïve.
With Lu Zhiyue’s background and experience, he had survived countless dangers and schemes. He might not be bulletproof, but he was definitely tough as steel.
Yet somehow, he always managed to act weak enough to fool Chi Suinian.
Last time, he faked being drunk. This time, he faked being carsick. And every single time, Chi Suinian fell for it.
If this continued, he’d be completely devoured by Lu Zhiyue sooner or later.
·
After finishing their meal, the three left the private room.
The moment Tang Jin stepped outside, he started tapping away on his phone. “Xu Qing is here too. You’ve got yourself a little fanboy, man. He told me to let him know as soon as you arrived. Perfect timing—we can team up with him for a game. I’ll just sit in the control room and watch.”
Hearing Xu Qing’s name, Chi Suinian suddenly recalled Lu Zhiyue’s new definition of a “green tea” from last night. He asked, “Do you guys think… Xu Qing is a green tea?”
“What do you mean?” Lu Heng, ever the straight guy, asked.
Tang Jin didn’t get it either. “Who did Xu Qing act like a green tea to?”
“No one,” Chi Suinian replied. “Aren’t we playing a game? Let’s go.”
“Yeah, I already booked it. Just tell Xu Qing to meet us there,” Lu Heng said, pushing his wheelchair forward. Then he suddenly added, “But we’re still short one player.”
“There are pro players for hire at the resort,” Tang Jin said with a grin. “They’re all top-tier, basically human aimbots. Guaranteed satisfaction.”
As they turned a corner and passed by a neighboring private room, they suddenly heard a burst of angry cursing.
“Fck, what the hell is Lu Zhiyue doing?” Ye Xu’s rough voice came through, full of irritation. “Why the fck is he protecting Chi Suinian? He even threatened me.”
Chi Suinian paused mid-step and stopped at the doorway, tilting his head slightly to listen.
“Yeah, aren’t those two sworn enemies? They fight every time they meet. Why would Lu Zhiyue defend him?”
“Could they have made up?”
“No way. You remember how they were back in school? If they made up, pigs could climb trees.”
“Then why…?”
“Maybe Chi Suinian has some dirt on Lu Zhiyue and has no choice but to back him up?”
“Doesn’t seem like it. Lu Zhiyue looked downright terrifying back there. The Lu family has been on the rise these past few years, and his words carry a lot of weight in our circle. We should probably steer clear of them in the future.”
“Yeah, better safe than sorry. Just stay away from them.”
Ye Xu seemed to take a swig of alcohol, his breathing turning heavier. “Why the fck should I just let it go? Does Lu Zhiyue really think he’s some big shot? Threatening me like that… One day, I’ll fcking end him.”
“Don’t. Lu Zhiyue looks scary as hell…”
“Yeah, and Chi Suinian isn’t easy to deal with either. I had a friend look into him—he’s one of Jin City’s most infamous rich second-gens. He’s into drinking, gambling, and womanizing, a total scumbag. Getting tangled up with a guy like that is beneath us.”
“Exactly, exactly…”
Then it was just a series of complaints, the same things repeated over and over, with no real substance.
Chi Suinian raised an eyebrow in mild surprise.
So after he left, Lu Zhiyue actually stood up for him?
And even threatened people?
…
Tsk. How childish.
Only kids resort to threats.
“What’s wrong? Why’d you stop?” Tang Jin and Lu Heng, who were trailing behind him down the stairs, hadn’t heard the conversation inside.
Chi Suinian snapped out of his thoughts. “Nothing.”
“Let’s head to the rooms. I booked three—yours is on the top floor, Suinian. The air is better up there. I’m staying on the floor below you,” Lu Heng said. “Tang Jin’s on the first floor. He’s disabled, so he has no choice.”
“Screw you, you’re the disabled one.”
As the two bickered, Tang Jin suddenly looked up and pointed forward. “Isn’t that Lu Zhiyue?”
Chi Suinian lifted his head.
Sure enough, Lu Zhiyue stood at the restaurant entrance, speaking with a resort staff member.
They were too far away to hear the conversation.
Lu Zhiyue soon noticed them, said a couple of things to the staff, and then grabbed his suitcase, walking over.
“Done eating?” Lu Zhiyue asked.
Chi Suinian frowned, about to say it was none of his business, but then he remembered what Ye Xu had said earlier. He gave a soft “Mhm,” paused, then added, “The food here is pretty good.”
Lu Zhiyue seemed slightly surprised before chuckling. “Where are you headed?”
Chi Suinian replied with strained patience, “Back to where we’re staying.”
“Perfect,” Lu Zhiyue said, a bit helplessly. “I just asked the resort manager, and they said all the rooms are fully booked. There are no vacancies left.”
Chi Suinian blinked. So?
Lu Zhiyue looked at him. “Can you take me in for a bit?”
“…”
Tang Jin and Lu Heng simultaneously curled their lips.
Could Lu Zhiyue have come up with a lamer excuse?
It wasn’t tourist season, and there were no holidays. The entire resort barely had any guests, dude. At least put some effort into your lies.
Did he seriously think Chi Suinian would fall for this?
Turns out, he really did.
Chi Suinian was silent for a long moment before replying impatiently, “Sleep on the floor. Don’t like it? Then leave.”
Tang Jin, Lu Heng: “???”
Bro, are you dumb?
poor chi suinian. bully deserves to be in hell