MMLDU Chapter 18

The next day, Pei Lang gave the dean his response, agreeing to perform for the children at the orphanage but with the condition of keeping his involvement confidential.

Time quickly flew by. It was now the day before Children’s Day. After giving Yan Han a massage, Pei Lang nestled into the sofa, scrolling through his phone. The lights were off and the bluish glow of the screen illuminated his face, casting shadows that accentuated his striking features with an indescribable allure.

Yan Han, who already had trouble sleeping, could only rest well with Pei Lang nearby. Even the faint light from Pei Lang’s phone was enough to disturb his sleep.

Half an hour passed. It was already midnight, yet Pei Lang showed no signs of going to bed. For some reason, Yan Han couldn’t stop focusing on this. Eventually, he couldn’t hold back any longer. “What are you doing?”

Yan Han’s sinister voice broke the stillness in the pitch-black, silent night. Startled, Pei Lang shifted his position and replied, “Just playing on my phone.”

In reality, he was looking up maps to check the exact location of the orphanage, what time he should set out tomorrow, and whether there were any shops nearby. He wanted to bring some gifts for the children.

“Sleep!” Yan Han commanded, leaving no room for argument. Pei Lang had almost finished his research, so he reluctantly put down his phone. “Oh.”

With that, the only source of light disappeared into the darkness.

It was late. Pei Lang was already feeling drowsy. Within minutes of putting down his phone, he drifted into a half-asleep state. But Yan Han suddenly spoke, pulling him back from the brink of slumber. “If you’re going out tomorrow, I can have someone take you.”

Yan Han assumed Pei Lang had been up late scrolling through his phone because he was worried about being caught by Yan Xiuyuan if he ventured out tomorrow. After pondering for a long time, Yan Han decided to offer his help. Why had he hesitated? Because he couldn’t find a logical reason for it—he just didn’t want Pei Lang to face any threats from Yan Xiuyuan.

Of course, Yan Han didn’t think he needed to justify his actions. With his status, he did whatever he wanted and no one would dare to question him.

“Why is Mr. Yan suddenly offering to help me?” Pei Lang turned over. His voice was soft and languid, carrying a seductive laziness. It was a gentle murmur yet crisp and clear.

For no apparent reason, Yan Han’s heart began pounding like a drum, the sound loud only to his own ears. He had never been this out of control before. His expression darkened and his words came out curt and edged with irritation. “Helping you comes with a price.”

“Yes, yes, I know Mr. Yan is a businessman. There’s no such thing as a free lunch,” Pei Lang replied with a faint smile. Having spent this time with Yan Han, he no longer found him intimidating, even when Yan Han spoke coldly. “But there’s no need for that tomorrow. Didn’t you say I can go out if I want? I trust you.”

Pei Lang trusted him, simply because Yan Han had said so.

It wasn’t that Pei Lang was gullible; he knew Yan Han had no reason to deceive him. Besides… even if he went out, he would take care of himself.

In the darkness, Yan Han’s eyes felt warm and his Adam’s apple bobbed twice. The fire in his chest, stirred by Pei Lang’s words of trust, gradually settled, disappearing as quietly as it had risen. “It’s late. Sleep.”

The next morning, Pei Lang got up at the same time as Yan Han. Having planned out his route, he skipped the delicious breakfast Aunt Lin had prepared, dressed up, and left with his guitar slung over his back, wearing a mask and sunglasses.

Pei Lang usually dressed casually while staying at the villa. But today, he was dressed up, radiating such brilliance that even the morning sunlight slanting between the skyscrapers seemed to dim in comparison. Wearing a white shirt, black pants, and a youthful hairstyle, with a guitar slung across his back, he exuded an intense artistic vibe. His broad shoulders, straight back, slim waist, and long legs formed a golden body proportion. Even without seeing his face, just his silhouette was enough to spark the imagination—let alone his unique charm.

As he stepped out of the villa district, he ran into Su Jia, who had come to pick up Yan Han for work. Su Jia rolled down the car window and, after repeatedly confirming, finally spoke. “Pei Lang!?”

“Good morning~” Pei Lang took off his sunglasses.

Su Jia scanned him up and down, unable to hide the amazement and admiration in his eyes. But realizing that Pei Lang was all dressed up so early in the morning, his face immediately darkened. “You just can’t sit still, huh? Going out to seduce another man?”

Pei Lang had finally stayed quiet for a few days. Su Jia had started to change his opinion of him, thinking he had turned over a new leaf. But alas, some things never change.

Pei Lang didn’t bother explaining. His fox-like, enchanting eyes glanced over with a playful squint. Su Jia shuddered slightly, suddenly feeling tense. His glare turned fierce, but his mock-threatening posture was laughably childish.

Pei Lang’s lips curled into a wider smile. “That’s right. You’ve always said I was trying to seduce Mr. Yan. Since Mr. Yan is so cold and lacks any sense of romance, I have no choice but to change my target.”

Su Jia, ever protective of his boss, wasn’t pleased that Pei Lang had “given up” on seducing Yan Han. Instead, he became even angrier. He was frustrated that Pei Lang was wasting such a good-looking appearance on shameless antics. “Can’t you be more devoted? Sure, the boss is… a bit difficult, but there’s no better man in the world than him. You… you—”

He wanted to lecture Pei Lang and make him see sense but realized he didn’t have the authority to judge someone else’s actions. The words caught in his throat and his face turned red with suppressed frustration.

Pei Lang couldn’t help but chuckle. “Sorry, I can’t compare to you. Secretly pining for Mr. Yan for so long, you’re clearly much more devoted than I am.”

This topic was not going to blow over anytime soon!

Su Jia became even angrier. Despite having explained it before, he roared, “I told you I don’t like the boss!”

“Ah, yes, yes~ I won’t tease you anymore. I have things to do, so I’ll leave first. Go find your beloved.” Having had his fill of fun, Pei Lang’s cheeks ached from laughing. He raised a hand to rub his face, put his sunglasses back on, and left.

Su Jia had never won an argument against Pei Lang, always ending up furious and frustrated. Sitting in the car, he cursed his own clumsy tongue and lamented not being better at arguing.

Time wasn’t on his side for complaints, though—Yan Han was still waiting for him. He quickly collected himself and prepared to pick up his boss.

After leaving the villa, Pei Lang rented a car and headed straight for the city where the orphanage was located. The city was quite far; leaving at 8 a.m., he didn’t arrive until around 11 a.m. The dean had given him a phone number, asking him to call upon arrival so they could meet.

Once he reached the town, Pei Lang didn’t contact the dean immediately. Instead, he spent some time shopping, buying many items. Only after finishing his errands did he call the dean.

He bought so much that he couldn’t carry it all alone, so he had to wait in front of the shop.

Today was Children’s Day, and schools had organized various performances. In the distance, he could hear the sound of children singing, which brought back memories of his own childhood. On this day, his father used to take time off work to celebrate with him, giving him a break from martial arts practice. Those were long-gone days, yet after so many years, he never imagined he’d experience another Children’s Day, even if he wasn’t the main focus this time. The feeling was strange but somewhat heartwarming.

Standing at the shop entrance while fully disguised, Pei Lang still attracted many stares. Among the crowd, he was unmistakably the most eye-catching figure.

Occasionally, bold young girls mustered up the courage to ask for his contact information, but Pei Lang politely declined. His muffled voice through the mask made it hard to hear clearly, but the girls weren’t disappointed when they couldn’t get his details. They simply thanked him graciously and walked away.

From a distance, Su Jia, sitting in a car, spotted Pei Lang with his sharp eyes. “Boss, that looks like Pei Lang.”

Though the city wasn’t particularly bustling, it boasted beautiful scenery, a slow pace of life, and clean streets lined with lush willow trees. The noonday sun shone down from above, its rays filtering through the willow leaves to cast dappled shadows on the road.

This city often welcomed visitors for vacations, sightseeing, or business dealings. Yan Han was here for business. Sitting in the back seat with his eyes closed, he was resting when Su Jia’s words caught his attention. Opening his eyes, a flicker of surprise flashed through them as he followed Su Jia’s gaze—and sure enough, it was Pei Lang.

Pei Lang had changed a lot. His hairstyle, demeanor, clothing, and even personality were vastly different from before. Today, with his entire appearance concealed, even if he were someone universally recognized online, no one would connect this version of him to his former identity.

The only reason Yan Han and Su Jia recognized him was because Pei Lang lived in their villa. They saw him daily and knew he was going out today. It only took a glance to confirm.

Yan Han quietly observed as Pei Lang answered a call and exchanged a few words before a middle-aged woman approached him. After a brief conversation, the two began loading items into a car and left together.

Su Jia’s eyes widened. “Boss, he said he wanted to switch targets for seduction, but I didn’t expect he wouldn’t even spare a middle-aged woman!”

He muttered indignantly, sounding like a disappointed parent.

“Look into her background,” Yan Han instructed. Su Jia, who had been venting without any real intent, was stunned that his boss took it seriously.

Recently, Yan Han has been acting unusually. But as a subordinate, Su Jia could only follow orders. He immediately called someone to investigate.

Unaware his movements had been exposed, Pei Lang followed the dean to the orphanage. The dean, a kind and gentle woman, had hesitated to recognize Pei Lang at first. If it weren’t for him calling her while searching for her, she wouldn’t have connected the man before her to the self-proclaimed “uncle” from the internet.

“I didn’t expect you to be so young. I wasn’t sure it was you until I heard your voice,” the dean said as she drove. The orphanage wasn’t far, just a few minutes away.

“When everything was blowing up online, this was the only way I could think of to stop it.” Pei Lang hadn’t expected to be recognized so soon. At the time, his only goal was to quell the public frenzy. He hadn’t intended to reveal his identity—it was merely a way to earn some extra money during his fitness and martial arts training. Had it not been for the dean’s sincerity and the charitable nature of the cause, he wouldn’t have shown up so easily. “Do the kids know I’m an uncle?”

“Yes, yes. The kids love you. They’ve seen your videos and know you’re an ‘uncle’,” the dean replied honestly, causing Pei Lang to frown.

“This isn’t what I had in mind. They’ll be disappointed.” Pei Lang didn’t mind deceiving others in general, but the children likely imagined a kind, fatherly figure. Appearing like this, though younger and more energetic, was far from what they’d been hoping for.

“They won’t be. The children adore your voice,” the dean reassured him. “What you look like doesn’t matter. As long as it’s your voice, they’ll be thrilled.”

Her words provided some comfort to Pei Lang.

Soon, they arrived at the orphanage. Carrying the items inside with the dean, Pei Lang was greeted by twenty or so children, all dressed in brand-new clothes. They waited eagerly, their timid yet pure eyes filled with anticipation—they knew the dean had gone to pick someone up.

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