He Yudong, knowing he was unwelcome, shamelessly lingered in the Chen household until dinner, even waiting for Chen Qiusu to return.
“Cousin?” Chen Qiusu had spent a long day at the hospital and returned after dark.
“Why so late? I thought you’d come back with Yang Shao.” Worried that He Yudong might bully Yang Tao, Chen’s mother had instructed Yang Shao to take the child upstairs to play. “Li Jie, call Yang Shao and the child down for dinner.”
Having spent the day running around, Yang Tao was starving. If He Yudong hadn’t been around, he would’ve been downstairs munching on snacks while watching the parent-child day videos with his grandparents and great-grandmother.
He Yudong found a spot at the table. “Qiusu, aren’t you your own boss? Don’t you know how to slack off? Working late into the night—what mischief have you been up to?”
“Stop talking nonsense,” Chen’s mother snapped. She disliked He Yudong and wouldn’t have let him in if he weren’t part of the extended family.
Chen Qiusu paused briefly but continued eating in silence. He couldn’t exactly share what he’d been doing at the hospital.
Seeing no response, He Yudong turned to Chen Shiliang. “Uncle, a friend of mine has a business idea that’s guaranteed to make money. Could you invest a little?”
He Yudong had been idling away since graduating from college, mingling with bad company. Whenever he lost money gambling, he’d ask his father for more or turn to the Chen family. Each time, he’d claim it was for a business venture, but everyone knew the truth.
“Do you even look like someone cut out for business?”
He Yudong didn’t take kindly to that remark. After all, wasn’t Chen Qiushu relying on the family’s legacy? Without the foundation laid by the Chen ancestors, how much better off would he really be?
“How am I not cut out for business? I just lack the startup capital. If I had it, I’d definitely be no worse than Qiushu.”
Countless funds had already been given to him, all of which disappeared without a trace. No one had ever seen any results. It was only because he was family that anyone cared to deal with him. Otherwise, who would bother?
Chen Shiliang couldn’t be bothered to argue further. “Talk to Qiushu. He’s in charge. If he agrees to give you money, I’ll have nothing more to say.”
The only thing He Yudong excelled at was being shameless. He turned his gaze directly to Chen Qiushu, who could feel his stare even with his eyes lowered.
“How about this? Come work at the company. I’ll pay you a manager’s salary every month.”
He Yudong pouted, clearly dissatisfied with the offer. “What good is a salary of ten or twenty thousand? That’s not even enough to feed me.”
What a pig. Ten or twenty thousand not enough for food? Yang Shao, who had been silently eating, couldn’t help but curse in his heart.
Meanwhile, little Yang Tao was struggling to reach a drumstick on the far side of the table. He glanced pleadingly at his grandmother, who immediately understood and had the drumstick moved closer to him.
Content with his prize, Yang Tao spoke up, “Uncle, you eat too much. My dad and I only spend 800 yuan a month on food.”
Yang Shao often did the budgeting while Yang Tao listened in. The 800 yuan even included milk expenses. Yang Tao didn’t quite grasp the value of ten thousand yuan, but he knew it was far more than 800.
Normally, Yang Shao would have shushed the boy, but this time he pretended not to hear and continued eating.
He Yudong was visibly embarrassed and stammered after a long pause, “That’s different. I spend more than 800 on a single meal. Eating isn’t just about filling your stomach; it’s about quality of life.”
Yang Tao didn’t understand the concept of “quality of life.” If eating wasn’t about filling your stomach, then why eat at all?
Though the Chen family was wealthy, Chen Qiushu’s parents weren’t indulgent or wasteful. Picking up on Yang Tao’s words, Chen Shiliang reprimanded He Yudong, “Listen to yourself. You’re worse than a five-year-old.”
But He Yudong didn’t feel any shame; instead, he seemed proud. “I didn’t have Yang Tao’s luck—five years of hardship, and suddenly a lifetime of luxury.”
Before Yang Shao could even react, he suddenly heard Chen Qiushu raise his voice. “Cousin!”
Everyone was caught off guard. The usually mild-mannered Chen Qiushu was angry. He Yudong froze for a moment, his smile stiffening, but quickly reverted to his nonchalant demeanor. “What’s the matter? I was just joking.”
“Don’t speak carelessly in front of the child,” Chen Qiushu said firmly, his expression cold.
Already displeased, Chen Shiliang took the opportunity to issue a subtle ultimatum. “Finish eating and leave soon. It’s cold out, and driving late isn’t safe.”
The atmosphere grew awkward. With even his uncle failing to defend him, He Yudong finally realized he was no longer welcome and left shortly thereafter.
Yang Tao, unaffected by the tension, eagerly shared a video with everyone the moment He Yudong departed. However, Yang Shao was too exhausted to muster any enthusiasm. Even the video of Chen Qiushu dancing couldn’t capture his attention. All he wanted was to rest.
When he went upstairs, he was surprised to see Chen Qiushu waiting for him by the bedroom door.
“Don’t take my cousin’s words to heart. He’s always been like that—careless and thoughtless with his words.”
Compared to He Yudong, Chen Qiushu was certainly more composed and well-mannered. Though Yang Shao had been angry earlier, the Chen family’s reactions were even stronger than his own.
While he was close to his uncle, it wasn’t the same as being family. Yang Shao had learned to solve his own problems without relying on others. The unconditional support he’d witnessed today was a foreign experience, one he hadn’t expected but deeply appreciated—especially for Yang Tao.
While there might have been occasional unpleasantness at the kindergarten, Chen Qiushu never brought his frustrations home. Within hours, he was calm enough to speak with Yang Shao rationally. It was a quality Yang Shao greatly admired—one that made living with Chen Qiushu remarkably stress-free.
“Why would I care about his nonsense? He’s full of it anyway,” Yang Shao replied. Then, after a pause, he added, “Your family’s patience with him is impressive.”
This spoke volumes about the Chen family’s upbringing, which clearly shaped Chen Qiushu’s temperament.
“My cousin was raised by my aunt. After she passed away, he didn’t get along with his father, so my dad took him in. He stayed with us until I returned from studying abroad. Back then, he seemed afraid of me and moved out not long after.”
Yang Shao’s attention caught on a particular phrase: “studying abroad.” That was the period when he and Chen Qiushu had first met. “You returned from abroad?”
“Honestly… at the time, I thought you were someone my cousin had sent over… But later, I realized neither of you knew each other.”
From Chen Qiushu’s hesitant tone, Yang Shao sensed an unusual nervousness. Why bring this up now?
“So? If your cousin had sent me, that would justify what you did to me?”
Chen Qiushu looked stunned, caught off guard. “That’s not what I meant. I just… I still don’t understand why I…”
As if Yang Shao could understand it either. If anyone should feel wronged, it was him.
Sensing Yang Shao’s disbelief, Chen Qiushu tried to explain, “It was near my heat, but it wasn’t that serious… I’d even taken a suppressant…”
“Then you must’ve been drugged.”
Yang Shao was speculating, but in a place like a bar, it wasn’t far-fetched. Chen Qiushu, seemingly desperate to assert his innocence, declared he wasn’t that kind of person. But if drugs weren’t involved, what other explanation was there?
“Why were you at the bar, then?” Yang Shao asked.
If Chen Qiushu was truly as principled as he claimed, why go to such a place?
“My cousin invited me. I had just returned from abroad, and my parents were worried I’d feel stifled at home, so they asked my cousin to take me out. He invited a bunch of people, but they all left early.”
Yang Shao couldn’t help but suspect that He Yudong might have drugged Chen Qiusu, given his unreliable behavior. “In places like bars, anything offered to you—be it drinks or food—isn’t safe. Did you eat or drink anything?” he asked.
Chen Qiusu admitted that he had indeed drunk a beverage handed to him by one of his cousin’s friends, though he couldn’t recall exactly who it was.
Seeing Chen Qiusu’s expression, Yang Shao felt his suspicions were likely correct. Over the past few days of getting to know him, Yang Shao had come to understand that Chen Qiusu was someone who was principled and behaved politely. There might have been a misunderstanding between them.
But what did that matter? Even if Chen Qiusu was also a victim, what happened couldn’t be undone, and it had resulted in irreversible consequences. Yang Shao himself preferred to avoid confronting the issue directly. What could he say to Chen Qiusu? That it was okay? That would be ridiculous. There was no need for Chen Qiusu to explain so much either.
For Chen Qiusu, the explanation stemmed from a desire to salvage the terrible impression left by their absurd first meeting. He knew it was futile, but he still tried awkwardly to justify himself.
Yang Shao’s indifferent response didn’t surprise him; it was just as he had expected—dismissed as an excuse.
Chen Qiusu dropped the topic stiffly and changed the subject. “Your arm needs a follow-up, right? Once Uncle and Aunt leave, let’s go to the hospital for a checkup.”
Yang Shao was puzzled as to why he had to wait until Uncle and Aunt left. He gave a confused “Mm?”
“I noticed they haven’t expressed concern about your arm, so I’m guessing you haven’t told them. Since you don’t want to worry them, it’s better to wait until they’re gone to take care of it,” Chen Qiusu explained.
It was true—Yang Shao hadn’t mentioned it to them. It was just a minor issue, but Chen Qiusu had noticed nonetheless. His attention to detail was impressive. If they had met under more ordinary circumstances, Yang Shao was sure he would have a favorable impression of him.
…..
Yang Tao, on the other hand, had exhausted all his energy at the parent-child event earlier. Halfway through watching the video, he was already dozing off. His grandfather carried him upstairs for a bath, which briefly woke him up, and he eagerly went to find Yang Shao to snuggle.
“Daddy, can you and Uncle Chen sleep with me tonight?” Yang Tao asked sweetly.
Yang Shao was exasperated. Grabbing Yang Tao’s pillow, he shoved the boy out of his room. “Go sleep with your Uncle Chen. I want to sleep alone,” he said.
With the door to his room shutting behind him, Yang Tao stood in the hallway, clutching his pillow in confusion. He knocked on the door a few times but received no response from his dad. Left with no choice, he headed to Chen Qiusu’s door instead.
“Uncle Chen, daddy kicked me out,” he said pitifully when the door opened.
