UNCLTRD chapter 12

Thinking back to how Chen Qiusu had abruptly left the fast-food restaurant earlier, Yang Shao wondered if something had happened in his family. After all, wealthy families often had their share of complications. To avoid getting caught up in the Chen family drama, Yang Shao intended to take Yang Tao and move aside with him.

But Yang Tao had other ideas. Misunderstanding the old woman’s question as directed at him, he unexpectedly answered in his nasal, post-crying voice, “I just have a headache. I’m fine…”

With his still-sniffling tone and puffy face, Yang Tao’s answer only made him seem more pitiful. Confronted by the large crowd, he buried himself further into Chen Qiusu’s embrace.

The little boy’s tearful voice, tinged with innocence, sounded pitiful. The Chen family hadn’t had a new addition in years. If not for fearing disappointment, Grandma would have already taken the child into her arms for a hug.

With so many people around, it was clearly not the place to talk. Chen Qiusu’s mother glanced at him, then at Yang Shao, and said, “Let’s go upstairs to talk.”

Yang Shao thought: What does this have to do with me? But before he could react, Chen Qiusu gave him a glance and started walking away—with Yang Tao still in his arms! Was he really going to kidnap his son in broad daylight?

Inside the hospital room, all unrelated people were asked to wait outside. Even He Yudong, who had hoped to eavesdrop on the drama, wasn’t allowed in. He pressed his ear against the door but couldn’t hear a thing thanks to the hospital’s excellent soundproofing.

“Explain this. Whose child is this?” Now that the crowd had dispersed, Chen Qiusu’s mother regained her usual composure, speaking with an air of authority.

Yang Tao was placed on the floor. He immediately hid behind Chen Qiusu, clutching his leg. The little boy decided to answer the question himself: “I’m Daddy’s child.”

This child was so close to Chen Qiusu that the question seemed redundant. But the purpose was to confirm what they already suspected.

Yang Shao quickly pulled Yang Tao to his side. What kind of nonsense is this kid spouting? No one even asked him! He forced a nervous smile at Chen Qiusu’s mother. “Kids… ha… they talk a lot sometimes…”

He then shot a pleading look at Chen Qiusu, as if to say, What the hell is going on? Say something!

At that moment, a ridiculous and daring thought crossed Chen Qiusu’s mind. His mother and grandmother clearly believed Yang Tao was his child. He didn’t know why they had come to that conclusion, but he was tempted to let them continue believing it.

Chen Qiusu’s mother’s gaze shifted between him and Yang Shao. “You’ve been refusing to go on blind dates. Is it because of…”

So, he had been going on blind dates? Despite his polished appearance and successful career, even someone like him had trouble finding a match? Was he just too picky? Sure, his family background gave him an advantage, but with his demanding personality, who would want to marry him?

But what did that have to do with him and Yang Tao? Could they just let him and his son leave already? The questions were flying over Yang Shao’s head, and the tense atmosphere in the room made him even more uncomfortable.

Then, he heard Chen Qiusu say, “Yes.”

What does he mean, ‘Yes’? What kind of cryptic nonsense was this?

Chen Qiusu’s mother now looked at Yang Shao with even more complexity. Her son had always been steady and reliable. How could he have fathered a child out of wedlock and kept it a secret for so long? She couldn’t help but scrutinize this ordinary beta in front of her, looking for answers.

“How old is the child?”

Yang Tao, afraid of missing his chance to shine, raised his hand. “I’m five years old.”

Five years old? That would mean this happened around the time Chen Qiusu had just returned from studying abroad. For so many years, the family had no idea, leaving this father and son to live namelessly outside.

Chen Qiusu’s mother was heartbroken. “How could you do this? The Chen family is a prominent family. If word gets out, won’t we become a laughingstock?”

The beta didn’t seem to come from a wealthy family, leading Chen Qiusu’s mother to speculate that her son might have kept quiet, fearing the family wouldn’t accept an ordinary beta. But knowing her son, he wouldn’t leave his child and the child’s parent to fend for themselves. What was the real story here?

“Do you think your parents are so heartless that they’d force you to marry someone you don’t like? Marriage is a serious and sacred commitment. What you’re doing now—being together but unclear about your relationship—is childish.”

Yang Shao’s head was spinning. Even if he was slow, he could tell what was going on. The Chen family thought he and Chen Qiusu were a couple—and that Yang Tao was their child.

While this was technically true, how had they found out? Did Chen Qiusu know?

He glanced at Chen Qiusu’s side profile. The man stood tall and straight, his jawline tense and sharp. That resolute stance seemed to affirm to his family that Yang Tao was indeed his child.

“This is absurd! The child is already five years old!” Grandma scolded Chen Qiusu, but her eyes were smiling. “You have to get married! It’s a must. The Chen family doesn’t abandon its own!”

Chen Qiusu and Yang Shao spoke at the same time.

“Okay.”
“No way!”

The two exchanged a glance, and Yang Shao nearly lost it. What the hell is going on? Someone explain this to me!*

But before he could say more, Chen Qiusu firmly grabbed his wrist. The pressure of his grip seemed to signal him to stay quiet.

The contrasting attitudes confused the family. Why was their son willing, but this beta unwilling? Was their only heir being rejected?

“Grandma, Mom, I’ll talk to him alone,” Chen Qiusu said, pulling Yang Shao out of the room.

The two women didn’t follow. With Yang Tao still there, their attention was entirely on the child.

Ignoring the curious gazes of the people outside, Chen Qiusu dragged Yang Shao out of the hospital. Only inside the car could they talk freely.

“Get in the car.”

Yang Shao refused. “I’m not getting in! My son is still upstairs. I need to take him with me.”

“My mom and grandma won’t do anything to Yang Tao.”

After hesitating for a moment, Yang Shao finally got into the car. He had made up his mind. It didn’t matter how Chen Qiusu or his family viewed this. Yang Tao was his son. He would never let the Chen family take him away.

Whatever had happened between him and Chen Qiusu before was separate from this. Yang Tao was his child, the one he had raised with his own hands, and the Chen family had nothing to do with it.

“We’re going to make a deal.”

The word “deal” set Yang Shao off. “Don’t even think about it!”

Chen Qiusu understood why Yang Shao reacted so strongly. Even if he wanted to take responsibility, Yang Shao probably didn’t even like him. And if he didn’t, why would he agree to marry him?

Since it was a deal, Chen Qiusu decided to lay out the benefits clearly. “Hear me out first. This deal will benefit you in every way. Right now, you can’t work. Your mortgage is on the verge of default. You need money.”

“Yang Tao is still young. You need to spend more time with him. With your current job, you simply don’t have the conditions for that. Have you ever thought about switching to a more stable environment? If you had a shop, it’d be more convenient for you to take care of Yang Tao.”

This had always been Yang Shao’s dream: to save enough money to rent a shop. It didn’t need to be big—just enough to support him and Yang Tao. If something came up, he could simply close the door. He could open the shop whenever he wanted and would have plenty of time to pick Yang Tao up from school.

But so what? That didn’t mean he could sell Yang Tao to Chen Qiusu for money.

“Marry me. When the time is right, we can divorce. After the divorce, you’ll receive a significant amount of alimony, enough to provide a better living environment for you and Yang Tao.”

From what Yang Shao could gather, Chen Qiusu didn’t seem to have any intention of buying Yang Tao. Yang Shao remained silent, scrutinizing Chen Qiusu’s face.

Thinking that Yang Shao was considering his proposal, Chen Qiusu continued, “You’ll have more time to spend with Yang Tao as he grows up, and you won’t have to live this exhausting life anymore.”

This deal sounded tempting—too good to be true. All the benefits seemed to be on Yang Shao’s side. Such a windfall from the sky felt like a trap.

“And what about you? What do you get out of it? You’re calling this a partnership, so you must have something you want, right?” No way would it just be Yang Shao who benefited. Chen Qiusu wasn’t that selfless.

Lowering his gaze, Chen Qiusu seemed to contemplate for a moment. “What I want is peace of mind. I’ve been uneasy my whole life. My family is pressuring me to get married, but I don’t have any intention of doing so right now. I need a nominal marriage to give myself some peace and quiet.”

This explanation sounded convincing on the surface, but the more one thought about it, the less it held up.

Walking by the river often, one is bound to get their feet wet eventually. Staying around Chen Qiusu for too long would inevitably lead to the truth about Yang Tao being his son coming to light. Paper could not wrap fire, and Yang Shao didn’t want to take that risk.

“Like hell I’m going to go crazy with you! If you want a fake marriage, find someone else.”

Yang Shao reached for the door handle to get out, but Chen Qiusu locked the car doors. “Yang Shao, you should seriously consider my proposal. It won’t do you any harm. Just think of it as me making amends to you. You wouldn’t want Yang Tao, at such a young age, to constantly worry about the family’s finances, would you? Yang Tao is so sensible because the conditions you’ve given him are too harsh. Now that there’s an opportunity, why not seize it?”

Hearing Chen Qiusu’s words only made Yang Shao angrier. The poor conditions were all thanks to Chen Qiusu. Even if he took the alimony—demanding hundreds of thousands from him—it wouldn’t be undeserved. It was only what Chen Qiusu owed him!

Being poor was frustrating.

Yang Shao let go of the door handle and asked, “You said ‘when the time is right.’ When exactly is that?”

A month? Two months? A year? Two years? It couldn’t possibly be ten or twenty years, could it?

“At most a year. Once I find a suitable marriage candidate, our deal will be over.” His marriage had always been an afterthought, a mission to be completed with a purpose.

His grandmother’s attitude earlier was clear—she was delighted that Chen Qiusu had a child, even if it wasn’t legitimate.

“What if your family becomes very attached to Yang Tao? How will you explain things when we leave?”

One lie would require another to cover it up. While Chen Qiusu could foresee the consequences, he hadn’t yet thought of a solution.

“That’ll be my problem.”