Chapter 95: Ye Zeqian
Over these years, the fathers-in-law Li Dong had met, to exaggerate slightly, if not a thousand, then several hundred.
Round it up and you might as well call it a billion.
At first, Ye Zeqian was worried this wouldn’t go well. He figured his father’s pickiness had been genetically passed down to him.
So he hovered nearby to eavesdrop. How was his dad getting along with his partner?
“Zeqian was pampered from the start,” Father Ye was saying. “His mother and I spoiled him. He’s got plenty of little flaws, but he’s not a bad kid.”
Unexpectedly, he instead heard his dad airing his shortcomings behind his back, Ye Zeqian saw red.
“Dad?” He stepped out from behind the display shelf, face dark. “What are you and Chaoyan talking about? I want to hear it too.”
“Your temper,” Father Ye answered without blinking. His straightforwardness impressed Li Dong.
“It’s perfectly fine.” Ye Zeqian sat down beside his partner, then stood again almost at once, because Bai Xuan appeared. Both men rose, one to introduce himself, the other to offer greetings.
“Sit, sit, there’s no need to be so formal.”
At her first look at the fabled Xu heir, Bai Xuan’s eyes lit up. He was extraordinarily handsome.
Standing next to her son, he outshone him in several respects, especially socially, where Zeqian could not keep up even on his best day.
“Please have a seat too,” Li Dong said with an easy smile. “We were just talking about Zeqian.”
“Not yet. You keep chatting, I still need to finish up in the kitchen,” Bai Xuan replied. She’d only unknotted her apron and come out to be polite.
As she turned to go, one thought slipped out: what exactly did this man see in her son?
Anyone who’s brought a partner home for dinner knows the drill. It’s a negotiation on multiple fronts, and it’s exhausting.
However, Li Dong felt fine. He even had a few drinks with Father Ye at the table, and in the end quite naturally stayed the night.
“My parents really like you,” Ye Zeqian said, honestly surprised but happy. He came over with a throw to tuck over Li Dong.
“No need. I’m getting up to shower,” Li Dong said. Of course they liked him, his chief talent was being impossible to dislike.
“Did you actually drink too much?” Ye Zeqian frowned. Had that fragile act he put on in front of his parents been fake?
Of course. No in-laws wanted a son-in-law who partied hard. Looking wholesome put them at ease.
That night, between the alcohol and the fact that it was the second day after their first time together, Li Dong didn’t push anything. He gave Ye Zeqian a slow kiss and said, “First night at your place. Let’s be proper. Good night.”
When the meaning landed, Ye Zeqian felt both shy and annoyed.
He thumped Li Dong’s shoulder with a fist. “Why do I feel like you’ve weathered a thousand sails?”
The longer they were together, the stronger the sense grew, this man had lived a lot of life before him.
Li Dong hummed, eyes closing. “If you prefer seeing for yourself, you’re welcome to check my circle.”
He was so frank that it made Ye Zeqian feel guilty for doubting. Chalk it up to insecurity and nerves, his dad hadn’t been wrong about his “many little flaws.”
Li Dong was soon snoring softly, but sleep didn’t come so easily to Ye Zeqian.
He turned his engagement ring between his fingers, stared at Li Dong’s face, stared at both of their rings, then did something else: he linked their hands and took a photo for his Moments.
Ye Zeqian: [Photo] Spent an hour picking engagement rings. Very satisfied.
Two pampered young masters’ hands, both long-fingered and elegant.
Five minutes later, Gao Zhen called in a blaze: “Ye Zeqian, married? Congratulations.” What else could this be but a slap to his face, finding someone better and flash marrying him!
The call connected because of a slip of the finger. The moment he heard Gao Zhen’s voice, Ye Zeqian stepped out so he wouldn’t wake Li Dong, and so there’d be no misunderstandings.
“Thanks. Yes, we’re married,” he said.
“How long will that last? A year? Two?” Gao Zhen sneered. “No, using years might be overestimating you. Or overestimating Xu Chaoyan.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ye Zeqian raised a brow.
“It means wishing you a good parting.”
“You’ve got the magnanimity of a teaspoon.” He hung up without hesitation.
Back under the covers, the warmth by his partner’s side smoothed out whatever ripples that call had stirred.
That Gao Zhen saw the ring photo so quickly was no surprise. They had mutual friends.
If Ye Zeqian had married someone on his own level, maybe Gao would have stomached it. At least then people wouldn’t be saying President Xu outclassed him by nine streets and that he was kicked by Ye Zeqian, losing face to grandma’s house.
Gao, deep down, refused to admit that Xu outclassed him at all. Aside from family background, he wasn’t inferior in anything.
In the morning, Li Dong woke to a new, unfamiliar message: “Young Master Xu, I’m Ye Zeqian’s ex, Gao Zhen. If you’re a man, meet me at XX Range at 3 this afternoon.”
To Gao, the guy looked like a coddled heir who had nothing going for him except pedigree.
Li Dong replied in a great mood: “Sure. I’ll be there.” A shooting range? That was a pillow handed to a dozing man, exactly what he wanted.
This matter, he didn’t plan to tell Ye Zeqian.
Every world had its own way of living. In this one, Li Dong just wanted to play the simple rich heir.
At noon, Ye Zeqian asked his friend Zhang Buzhuo to lunch.
Naturally, Li Dong came along.
When he arrived holding Ye Zeqian’s hand, Zhang Buzuo stared. He’d met Li Dong before, but this was the first time he’d felt the full weight of the man’s presence.
“Zeqian, sit,” Li Dong said after a brief hello to Zhang Buzuo, pulling out a chair.
“Thanks.” In front of his friend, a little of that newlywed glow slipped onto Ye Zeqian’s face. “Haven’t seen you in days. What’ve you been up to?”
“The usual,” Zhang Buzuo said, sipping his tea.
“Entertaining society ladies?” Ye Zeqian teased.
“Cough.” Zhang nearly sprayed his tea and didn’t dare look at Li Dong.
“Buzhuo’s a socialite slayer,” Ye Zeqian said.
“Haha.” Li Dong gave Zhang Buzuo a quick once-over. Handsome, seductive, very much a type many women liked.
“Shut it,” Zhang Buzuo groaned. This meal was doing a number on him. He’d meant to help Ye save face, yet Ye Zeqian was the one spilling his own secrets. What was he supposed to do?
“Mr. Zhang, did you choose wellness because you like health or because you like the socialites?” Li Dong propped his chin on a hand and blinked at him.
“Hahaha,” Ye Zeqian said. “Process of elimination says he doesn’t care about health.”
“Mr. Xu…” Zhang Buzuo wanted to slam his forehead into the table and end this meeting. “Believe it or not, I have zero interest in socialites. They’re old enough to be my mom…”
Truly. No interest!
Li Dong noticed something else. With his best friend, Ye Zeqian was as giddy as a kid.
“Are you in the office this afternoon?” Ye Zeqian asked.
“No, I’ve got an errand.” Li Dong spoke, then realized Zhang Buzuo was staring at him. Once caught, Zhang Buzuo calmly looked away.
“Alright, go ahead. I’ll have Buzhuo take me back,” Ye Zeqian said, not prying. It was a workday, after all. Most likely a work errand.
“Thanks, Mr. Zhang. I’ll head out first,” Li Dong said, standing and taking his jacket.
“He’s lying,” Zhang Buzuo said.
Ye Zeqian turned, his expression sharpening.
“What do you mean?” The other hadn’t said what the errand was. How could Zhang Buzuo tell he was lying?
“He’s hiding something from you,” Zhang Buzuo said. “I can’t claim to know what kind of man he is, but I can say this much, you can’t outplay him.” Just like now, if he wanted to do something, Ye Zeqian would be the last to know.
“Let’s go,” Ye said. “We’re following him.”
Yesterday the man had said, see for yourself. Fine, then he’d see what the truth looked like.
“You sure?” Zhang asked. If President Xu noticed, even if nothing was wrong to begin with, there would be trouble by the end.
“Yeah.” Ye’s voice was low. “If he blames me for not trusting him, I’ll take that. What I can’t take is being kept in the dark.”
“You could just call and ask.” Zhang immediately regretted bringing it up.
“No. I want to see.” Ye Zeqian fell into stubbornness.
Any more arguing and they’d lose him. The two of them headed out at once, first to the garage.
Luckily, Li Dong wasn’t in a rush and was driving at a relaxed pace.
A car tailed him and he didn’t notice. He wasn’t familiar with Zhang Buzuo’s license plate anyway.
For this “duel,” Gao Zhen only invited his own buddies, not anyone close to Ye Zeqian.
If he won, his friends would sing his praises and restore his pride. That was guaranteed.
If he lost, impossible, unless something one-in-ten-thousand happened, they’d still cover for him.
From Gao’s perspective, this was a sure thing.
“The shooting range?” This group of wealthy, idle young masters of course knew this was A City’s famous niche entertainment venue.
There was a range, stables, an ice rink, etc. The clientele were people with names, faces, and taste.
At least there wouldn’t be anything shady going on here.
“Your man’s the real deal,” Zhang Buzuo said lightly when he saw the entrance. “Coming here to play.”
“He always was,” Ye replied. “Let’s get out.”
If the other party had nothing to hide, then he would go and apologize properly.
They got out and, as if they knew the place, followed the man ahead into the range.
“So it is the range. He’s playing big,” Zhang Buzuo murmured. He thought Li Dong would go horseback riding.
“He never told me he liked shooting,” Ye muttered.
0 Comments