From that day on, Yan Han always had a little fox perched on his shoulder. The fox was sometimes obedient, sometimes mischievous, and occasionally a bit prideful. It played endlessly with the little chibi, clearly enjoying itself.
Pei Lang had seen it several times. Every time, he couldn’t help but glance at Yan Han a few more times.
This cold and stoic man… was his heart really this soft? In his inner world, he pampered the fox to the extreme. If he wasn’t playing with it, he was holding it in his arms. But the fox wasn’t exactly small. Watching the little chibi struggling to hug it made for a scene that was both comical and adorable.
After that day, Pei Ziqing called once. He asked what Pei Lang had done because Yan Xiuyuan, who had been preoccupied with company matters lately, hadn’t come looking for him. He also subtly inquired about when Pei Lang had learned martial arts, as he had no idea about it.
Pei Lang, of course, didn’t answer a single one of his questions. He didn’t say much and hung up directly. One thing was certain, though—after that incident, he and the male protagonist Yan Xiuyuan were officially and thoroughly at odds.
After releasing a few songs on a singing platform, Pei Lang earned a decent amount of money within half a month. As soon as he got paid, he dressed up and went out to the city’s largest pet store to pick out a pet. Seeing Yan Han play with the little fox in his inner world every day but unable to touch or hold it in reality was truly pitiful. So, Pei Lang decided to give Yan Han a gift as a token of gratitude.
There were several types of foxes available. Pei Lang, keeping Yan Han’s preferences in mind, chose a red fox with beautiful fur and a gentle temperament. While he was discussing the details with the store owner, he received a call. The number on the screen was Yan Han’s personal phone.
“Where are you?” Yan Han asked.
“Out and about. Is there something you need, Mr. Yan?”
“Yan Xiuyuan is looking for you. Stay where you are and don’t move. Tell me your location. I’ll come find you.”
The moment Pei Lang heard Yan Xiuyuan was looking for him, he gave the address without a second thought.
Since Yan Han was coming, Pei Lang decided to let him choose for himself. He found a place to sit and stopped discussing the purchase of a fox with the shop owner.
Yan Han arrived quickly. The moment he stepped into the pet shop, his brows furrowed deeply, and his expression turned dark.
“Come with me,” he commanded directly upon finding Pei Lang, not wanting to stay a second longer.
Although the pet shop was well-cleaned, the sheer number of animals inevitably resulted in a mix of odors. Yan Han, being particularly sensitive to smells, found it unbearable as the various unpleasant scents rushed into his nose.
Faced with Yan Han’s commanding tone and sour mood, Pei Lang obediently followed him outside. Only after taking in the fresh air did Yan Han’s expression improve slightly. “What were you doing in there?”
“I wanted to buy you a gift.”
“A gift?”
Pei Lang nodded and glanced at the pet shop behind him. “You like foxes, don’t you? I just saw a red one in there. It was beautiful, so I thought I’d get it for you as a thank-you gift.”
Yan Han zeroed in on the key point, his tone serious. “How do you know I like pets? And foxes, no less!?”
Pei Lang blurted out the first excuse that came to mind without thinking. Then, feigning calm, he explained, “I overheard you talking in your sleep.”
“Oh.” Yan Han didn’t doubt him. Pei Lang let out a quiet sigh of relief. “I don’t like keeping foxes as pets. They bite, they smell, and they can’t really be tamed.”
Uh…
Foxes, as members of the canine family, do indeed bite. Unlike dogs, they’re not easily domesticated, and their odor can be quite strong—even removing their glands doesn’t improve it much.
But Yan Han clearly liked foxes. Otherwise, why would a little fox always be on his shoulder?
Recalling Yan Han’s reaction when entering the pet shop and his earlier words, Pei Lang thought it over carefully and came to a realization.
Yan Han did like foxes, but not real pet foxes. In other words, he preferred cloud pet ownership—imagining a fox in his mind or raising a virtual one online. This way, he could indulge his preferences without worrying about heavy smells or the myriad other issues that came with real pets.
“Since that’s the case, what does Mr. Yan like?” Pei Lang asked, deciding not to dwell on the issue further.
“The things you can afford, I already have. The things I want, you can’t afford.”
Pei Lang had to admit that the idea of him wanting to buy a gift had indeed pleased Yan Han.
However, to maintain his overbearing CEO persona, Yan Han couldn’t help but deliver this brutally honest line.
It stung. Pei Lang was indeed broke right now and couldn’t afford anything fancy. Besides, Yan Han lacked nothing when it came to material possessions.
Feeling the weight of poverty limiting his voice, Pei Lang touched his nose awkwardly and kept silent. He trailed behind Yan Han, glancing down to see the animated duo on Yan Han’s shoulder—a little chibi and a fox playing happily. The little chibi was hugging and petting the fox with glee.
Honestly, even with the little chibi’s existence, Pei Lang still couldn’t figure out what went on in Yan Han’s mind.
“Save my number,” Yan Han said abruptly.
“Oh, oh, okay!” Pei Lang quickly pulled out his phone, found the number from earlier, and created a new contact. He paused at the name field, thinking for a moment, then entered something playfully dramatic.
Big Bro of the Three Gates1 (三门大哥) Pei Lang’s creative and cheeky way of labeling Yan Han as someone with an imposing, larger-than-life presence, mixed with an air of mockery or respect..
After saving the contact, Pei Lang couldn’t help but smirk at his own little act of mischief. But his smirk didn’t last long—because the next moment, he saw Yan Xiuyuan.
Yan Xiuyuan had come prepared, bringing along a group of bodyguards. However, he hadn’t expected his disabled uncle, Yan Han, to also be present. Pei Lang could clearly see the mix of unwillingness and shock on Yan Xiuyuan’s face.
“Uncle, what are you doing here together?”
Yan Xiuyuan’s entrance was imposing, his group of bodyguards exuding an aura of intimidation. But the moment he saw Yan Han, his demeanor changed completely. He immediately reined in his arrogance, not daring to act out. After all, he didn’t want to risk being dragged back to the company for overtime again.
No matter what, Yan Xiuyuan was still Yan Han’s junior. At least on the surface, he had to show respect.
The last time, he had thought his uncle was deliberately siding with Pei Lang to oppose him. But this time… was it just a coincidence?
“Shopping,” Yan Han replied in his usual flat, emotionless tone, a response so straightforward that it made Yan Xiuyuan grit his teeth in frustration.
“You know each other?” Yan Xiuyuan asked tentatively. Yan Han remained silent, while Pei Lang, oblivious to the tension, smiled at him. Yan Xiuyuan felt a mix of frustration and irritation in his chest—it was suffocating and unpleasant. “Uncle, I have some personal grievances to settle with him. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interfere this time.”
“And if I say no?”
Yan Xiuyuan was domineering, but Yan Han was even more so. With the weight of authority and family ties pressing down on him, Yan Xiuyuan could only glare at Pei Lang with barely concealed anger. “Uncle, what’s the meaning of this?”
Yan Han didn’t bother explaining. His word was law, and he never joked about such matters. He was serious about opposing Yan Xiuyuan.
“Uncle, do you even know him? Do you know how disgusting and low his tactics were when he harassed me? Going against me for an outsider—it’s not worth it!”
It made sense. Pei Lang thought so too. But inexplicably, he felt confident that Yan Han would protect him, though he had no idea where this confidence came from.
Yan Han remained unmoved, his gaze toward Yan Xiuyuan now carrying a sharp edge as if laced with blades.
Yan Xiuyuan shuddered and reluctantly backed down. “Uncle, if you insist on protecting him, I won’t make things difficult. But he has to apologize to Ziqing, and I’ll let everything else go.”
Simply apologizing and letting Pei Lang off the hook—Yan Xiuyuan considered himself remarkably generous. Compared to the repeated provocations from this wretch, sparing his limbs was already a bargain.
Yan Han tilted his head slightly toward Pei Lang. “Do you want to apologize?”
Pei Lang shook his head earnestly. “No, I don’t.” Then his tone shifted dramatically. “But, to avoid being hounded by a rabid dog, I could apologize—on the condition that you also publicly apologize to me.”
Pei Lang’s tone was gentle, his smile light, but it carried an unmistakable air of defiance. Even setting aside Yan Han’s support, Pei Lang alone wasn’t someone easy to trifle with.
Yan Xiuyuan frowned, sensing that Pei Lang had changed significantly. But more than that, he felt anger boiling within him. “Apologize for what? Ziqing and I were both victims!”
“Hmm~ Shall I play the recording for you?”
“What recording?”
“The one where you admitted to hiring people to doctor photos and spread rumors. Let’s be clear here—even if I made mistakes before, I’ve already paid the price for them. Blacklisted online, detained—I’d say we’re even now. As for Ziqing, I’ve already left the Pei family, completely fulfilling his dream of monopolizing it. Isn’t that what he always wanted?”
Yes, the original owner of Pei Lang’s body had done wrong, but they had paid for every misstep, and in spades. Pei Lang didn’t feel he owed them anything.
Hearing about the recording, Yan Xiuyuan suddenly remembered. He had admitted over the phone that he’d hired people to alter photos, thinking Pei Lang was too much of a fool to do anything about it. Who would’ve thought he’d recorded it?
Yan Xiuyuan’s expression darkened instantly.
“Tut-tut~ Young man, you’re far too impulsive. You let your emotions control you too easily. How about I teach you a little trick?”
Yan Xiuyuan’s face turned livid. He clenched his fists, itching to hit someone. But with his uncle present, he didn’t dare act out. His chest rose and fell sharply as he gritted his teeth, his breathing loud and uneven.
“You should try this: listen to the Great Compassion Mantra every night before bed. It has a purifying effect on the soul. Stick with it for a month, and I guarantee you’ll be a brand-new person,” Pei Lang suggested earnestly, as though genuinely offering Yan Xiuyuan advice. But in truth, his words were a veiled insult.
“Uncle, you heard that, right? This is how vile he is. He’s even cursing the Yan family! Surely, Uncle, you won’t keep protecting him?”
Following Pei Lang’s advice, Yan Xiuyuan really did try to control his emotions—but it was too much for him.
Pei Lang’s current demeanor was even more infuriating than before. In the past, he simply acted foolishly and was easy to deal with. Now, he had a sharp tongue cloaked in soft tones, delivering blows without a single vulgar word, yet enough to make people furious.
Fake! Hypocritical!
Yan Han nodded. “Yes, I saw. Very cute.”
Pei Lang: “???” He froze, wondering if he had misheard.
Yan Xiuyuan: “…???” Completely dumbfounded, he stared at Yan Han in disbelief. When he realized Yan Han wasn’t joking, his expression turned icy, a sneer forming on his face.
“So this is Uncle’s taste—how unique. No wonder you keep stepping in. Turns out, he’s yours. Everyone online knows he’s someone I tossed away. Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at if you take him out in public? But oh well, Uncle, it’s rare for you to meet someone you like. As your nephew, of course, I should offer my blessings.”
The anger Yan Xiuyuan had been holding onto these past few days vanished in an instant. What could be more satisfying than seeing a cripple take in a reject?
“Oh, right, Pei Lang,” Yan Xiuyuan continued, his tone mocking, “Uncle isn’t very mobile, so you’ll have to take good care of him from now on. You’ve got the experience and the skills—taking care of him shouldn’t be too hard for you, right?”
The insult was obvious, targeting Yan Han’s disability. Pei Lang could hear it clearly, and so could Yan Han.
For a moment, Pei Lang felt a pang of guilt. Because of him, Yan Han had become the target of Yan Xiuyuan’s mockery. It didn’t sit well with him.
Yan Xiuyuan’s sneer was unbearable. Pei Lang glanced at Yan Han, who remained expressionless, his gaze steady, not even blinking at the harsh words. It was as if everything Yan Xiuyuan said was a one-man show—a clown performing alone in his delusion.
“Let’s go.”
Yan Han didn’t spare Yan Xiuyuan another glance as he led Pei Lang away. At that moment, Pei Lang finally understood why the uncle and nephew had such a poor relationship. It was all because Yan Xiuyuan’s character was rotten to the core.
LMAO Yan Han complimenting Pei Lang “very cute” out of nowhere 😆