MMLDU Chapter 41

The interaction among the three was baffling to others, and no one had caught that fleeting moment when Pei Lang addressed someone as “Father”.

At this moment, the banquet had yet to begin. Yan Han had been called to the study by his father for a private discussion, leaving Pei Lang with nothing to do. He decided to take a stroll in the villa’s garden. The elder Mr. Yan enjoyed peace and quiet, so the expansive old residence was maintained by only a few people. Pei Lang wandered leisurely, pausing now and then to admire the blooming flowers and lush greenery.

Earlier in the main hall, his appearance with Yan Han had drawn curious and astonished gazes. Yet, despite their questions, no one dared to voice them. Now, with Pei Lang alone, someone seized the opportunity to approach him.

The first to come forward were his biological father and stepmother.

“You ungrateful brat! You’ve got the nerve to show up here? Do you think the Yan family is a place you can just waltz into? This is such a big event. I purposely didn’t inform you, yet you still have the gall to come uninvited!” His father stormed over in a rage, launching into a tirade without a preamble. Beside him stood his stepmother, her eyes brimming with malice.

Pei Lang smiled serenely, lowering his head to gently inhale the fragrance of a nearby flower. Beneath the starry sky, with the simple moonlight, the air was filled with the scent of flowers. The villa was aglow with brilliant lights. Such a pleasant night was now sullied by the presence of these two.

“I came here with Yan Han,” Pei Lang said, his tone light. “If my presence displeases you, feel free to take it up with him or inform Old Master Yan.”

“You wretch! Today is Pei Ziqing’s engagement banquet. If you dare pull any stunts, I won’t let you off!” his stepmother snapped venomously, convinced Pei Lang had come specifically to sabotage the engagement. After all, his infamous scandal of seducing his brother-in-law was common knowledge.

Pei Lang couldn’t help but laugh aloud. “Auntie, don’t get so worked up. It’s not like I’m here to compete with you for anything. But you’re over fifty, with a face full of wrinkles. Getting angry only makes the foundation on your face crack like a poorly plastered wall. It peels off in chunks—how ugly and frightening.”

“In such a grand setting, imagine if it falls into the food during dinner. How embarrassing would that be?” His innocent tone carried cutting words, deliberately designed to infuriate. He studied his stepmother’s face earnestly. Although he had exaggerated, her makeup did indeed look unnaturally pale. And what woman wouldn’t care about her appearance?

The woman trembled with fury, clenching her teeth as she raised her hand to strike Pei Lang. “You’re spouting nonsense! You’ve always been the one to disgrace us. A wretch like you isn’t even worth a single toe of my son’s!”

“I’m not here to compete with a gorilla,” Pei Lang said innocently, firmly grasping the woman’s wrist to prevent her slap from landing.

The older man, who was well aware of Pei Lang’s capabilities, quickly stepped in to steady the woman and glared at Pei Lang, his mustache twitching with anger. “Once Ziqing marries Xiuyuan, he’ll be part of the Yan family. He’s someone you can’t compare to. I heard you’ve joined a film crew. From now on, you’re no longer my son. You’re old enough to fend for yourself. As for Ziqing and our matters, they’re none of your concern after tonight.”

They assumed Pei Lang was clinging to false hope and had somehow manipulated Yan Han into bringing him here. By severing ties, they believed they could rid themselves of this disgraceful son.

“Nothing would please me more,” Pei Lang replied, a smile lingering on his face, though it carried a chilling edge.

Such a father wasn’t worth having. If the original owner of this body were still alive, he surely wouldn’t want to acknowledge this man either. “But let me give you a word of advice: keep an eye on Pei Ziqing and make sure he doesn’t provoke me.”

“You—” The older man was so infuriated by Pei Lang’s unyielding attitude that his blood pressure spiked, nearly causing him to lose his balance.

“You’re guests in the Yan family, as am I. Some words and actions should have their limits. After all, what you’ve done isn’t exactly honorable.” Pei Lang, his mood for enjoying the scenery ruined, left them with these parting words before striding away.

Not long after, Pei Ziqing hurried over and saw his parents fuming. His heart ached. He looked as if he might cry. “Dad, Mom, did Brother say harsh things to you again?”

“Don’t call him your brother anymore!” Just hearing Pei Lang’s name made the older man seethe. “I’ve severed my father-son relationship with him. From now on, you’re not to address him as your brother. He’s no longer part of the Pei family. You’re my only son.”

Pei Ziqing’s face turned pale. He froze for a moment, his eyes welling up with tears. “Dad, since this is your decision, I’ll respect it. I’ll make sure to be a good son and take care of you and Mom.”

“Ah, raising him for over twenty years, and he turned out to be nothing but useless scrap metal—an ungrateful ingrate,” the older man sighed deeply, gripping Pei Ziqing’s hand tightly. “But you, Ziqing, you’re different—so smart and capable.”

“It’s all thanks to your excellent guidance, Father,” Pei Ziqing said modestly, his words clearly pleasing his father, who finally broke into a smile.

“And where’s Xiuyuan?” Noticing that Yan Xiuyuan, who was usually inseparable from Pei Ziqing, wasn’t around, the older man couldn’t help but ask.

“Uncle wanted to talk to him about something. I noticed Mom and Dad weren’t around, so I came out to find you,” Pei Ziqing explained as he led his parents back inside. “Mom, Dad, the banquet is about to start. Let’s head back.”

Meanwhile, Pei Lang, whose mood had been disturbed, strolled in a different direction and ended up by the artificial pond at the back.

The lighting around the pond was softer, adorned with romantic pathway lights. The gentle sound of flowing water in the quiet night seemed to soothe his earlier frustration, gradually carrying it away.

Leaning against the railing, he noticed the koi fish in the water swimming over and blowing bubbles. Finding it amusing, he leaned slightly over the railing, extended a hand, and tapped the water’s surface. Startled, the fish scattered in all directions.

Amused by this, Pei Lang’s lips curved upward, and a genuine smile appeared on his face.

The ripples caused by the fleeing fish distorted the reflection of the light on the water, which in turn danced across Pei Lang’s face. The fragmented shadows swayed gently over his features, making for a strikingly beautiful scene. This moment was coincidentally witnessed by Yan Xiuyuan, who happened to be passing by.

For a brief moment, Yan Xiuyuan felt his heart skip a beat, caught off guard by the fleeting sense of tranquility and beauty. So, this is what Pei Lang was like when he was alone—neither obsessively clinging nor sharp-tongued, but quietly at peace, an almost untouchable serenity.

The enchanting scene, however, was interrupted by the sound of Yan Xiuyuan’s phone ringing.

Pei Ziqing, unable to find him, had called.

Irritated by the interruption, Yan Xiuyuan ended the call after just one ring. But the sound had already caught Pei Lang’s attention. Pulling his hand back from the water with drops still clinging to his fingers, Pei Lang turned to look at him. Upon seeing Yan Xiuyuan, his brow furrowed slightly.

Pei Lang didn’t know how long Yan Xiuyuan had been standing there. He hadn’t made a sound. If it wasn’t for the phone ringing earlier, Pei Lang wouldn’t have realized he was even there.

Yan Xiuyuan’s expression wasn’t pleasant. “Are you and Yan Han really together?”

At that moment, it seemed like Yan Xiuyuan cared a lot about the answer.

Pei Lang was surprised by the question. It wasn’t an easy one to answer, so he deflected. “Do you always call him by name in private? That’s not very respectful, considering he’s your uncle.”

“Heh~” Yan Xiuyuan’s usual attitude resurfaced as he took a few steps closer to Pei Lang. “You’re here today because of me, aren’t you?”

“Though I hate to admit it… yes. If you weren’t getting engaged, I wouldn’t have come.” Yan Xiuyuan’s sudden shift in behavior made Pei Lang wary. “Congratulations, by the way. Wishing you and Pei Ziqing a lifetime of happiness together.”

In the past, Yan Xiuyuan would’ve felt satisfied and pleased to hear such words from Pei Lang. But today, they didn’t bring him the joy he had imagined. Instead… they made him angry.

This was someone who used to have eyes and a heart only for him, someone he had always dismissed.

Yan Xiuyuan was a complicated man. When Pei Lang was pursuing him, he scorned and humiliated him, using his name as a stepping stone to build a reputation for being deeply devoted and loyal. But now that Pei Lang no longer loved him and had moved on to someone else, he felt an inexplicable sense of frustration. Even if he didn’t want Pei Lang, even if he treated him poorly, it should’ve been his choice. How could someone else, especially someone he despised like his uncle, pick up what he had discarded?

It was deliberately making him unhappy.

Yan Han had taken Pei Lang in, polished him, and made him shine. And now, even Yan Xiuyuan couldn’t help but feel a twinge of interest.

“I don’t need your blessing!” Yan Xiuyuan growled. He didn’t dare make a move against Pei Lang—not because of Yan Han, but because he knew Pei Lang’s skills. He had experienced them firsthand. If they fought, he wasn’t confident he’d win. So, all he could do was vent his frustration through his words.

“What’s so good about him that you’re willing to follow him? Do you even know who he really is? His mother was my family’s cook, a lowly woman who seduced my grandfather after he got drunk. That’s how he came to exist. In the Yan family, he’s nothing more than the illegitimate son of a mistress, someone who doesn’t belong in polite society!”

Pei Lang had always known that the uncle-nephew relationship between Yan Han and Yan Xiuyuan was strained, but he hadn’t realized Yan Xiuyuan saw Yan Han in such a despicable light.

Yan Xiuyuan’s words were harsh. Pei Lang, feeling a pang of sympathy for Yan Han, retorted sharply. “Who taught you language comprehension? What do you mean by ‘mistress’? At that time, your grandmother had already passed, and your grandfather had remarried. Besides, do you really think your grandfather, a man who dominated the business world and had seen it all, would lose his heart just because of a little alcohol if there wasn’t mutual affection?”

Back when the old master fathered Yan Han, he was already in his forties. Yan Xiuyuan’s father, a grown man by then, had constantly looked down on and suppressed his younger brother, viewing him as a rival for the family fortune. This disdain was passed down to Yan Xiuyuan, who had never respected his younger uncle, despite being obligated to maintain a facade due to family ties and Yan Han’s intimidating abilities.

Moreover, no one chooses the circumstances of their birth. Yan Han hadn’t done anything wrong.

Yan Xiuyuan glared at Pei Lang, his anger simmering. “You’re actually defending him? He’s nothing more than a cripple. He received less than five percent of the Yan family’s assets, and that was only because my father pitied him enough not to kick him out. With a background like his, the Yan family has already done more than enough by raising him to adulthood.”

Pei Lang was truly enraged now, his tone turning cold and laced with sharpness. “Listen to yourself! No matter what, he’s still your elder and shares the Yan family blood. Do you really think your father has the authority to decide whether he stays or goes? What’s this—your father’s already the head of the Yan family before your grandfather’s even gone? I wonder how heartbroken your grandfather would be if he heard this.”

He couldn’t help but recall the time Yan Han had left the Yan family estate, only to drown his sorrows in alcohol afterward. Yan Han must have been deeply hurt here.

It seemed like only the old master truly cared about Yan Han, while everyone else treated him with ridicule and disdain. For someone as proud as Yan Han, his birth wasn’t his fault, yet it had become ammunition for the Yan family to belittle him. And his inability to stand a few years ago only emboldened their contempt.

To Pei Lang, the heroic image of Yan Xiuyuan had long since crumbled. Stripped of his protagonist aura, Yan Xiuyuan couldn’t even compare to Yan Han.

What right did he have to mock and judge Yan Han?

Pei Lang’s sharp tongue left Yan Xiuyuan speechless for a long moment, the fire in his eyes burning brighter with each passing second. But Pei Lang wasn’t intimidated. “You should be grateful that he’s currently unable to walk, because even sitting in a wheelchair, he outshines you in every way. You can’t even compare to a single strand of his hair. Strip away the Yan family name, and you’re nothing but a quick-tempered, mediocre stud horse.

“Times change. Your current smugness doesn’t guarantee future success. Even while sitting, he radiates brilliance. The day he stands again, you’ll be nothing more than a lab mouse in a glass cage, left at his mercy.”

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