Lei Huan gritted his teeth, but because Bai Shuijin was under Wang Huanxiu’s protection, he had no choice but to swallow his resentment. It was stifling.
Wang Huanxiu was someone he couldn’t afford to offend. At a previous charity gala, Lei Huan had attempted to curry favor with him, but Wang had remained indifferent even suggesting that Lei Huan should consider a career change.
He had remarked that Lei Huan might have a more promising future in a circus than in investing. That icy, mocking tone had left Lei Huan’s hands and feet cold.
Now, Lei Huan’s flame of arrogance had dwindled into a flickering candlelight, swaying in the wind and ready to be extinguished with a single breath. He remembered his parents’ warning: never provoke someone as influential as Wang Huanxiu, lest you offend him and end up not even knowing how you died.
His cards were still frozen, and he had just been jabbed by a golf club; Lei Huan felt his heart, liver, and lungs were all on fire with rage. Yet, under Wang Huanxiu’s gaze, he could only slink away like a beaten dog.
Before leaving, he didn’t forget to plaster a forced smile on his face, hoping to leave a good impression or at least ensure the man didn’t hold a grudge. “President Wang, things were a bit chaotic just now; perhaps I really did just lunge into it. My apologies. I have some business to attend to, so I’ll be heading out. Enjoy your game.”
The moment the words were out, he didn’t stay a second longer, turning on his heel and bolting.
Bai Shuijin stood behind Wang Huanxiu and whispered in his ear, “Hubby-bro, is your zodiac sign the Dog?”
Wang Huanxiu gave him a look. “Why are you asking that?”
“Because he seemed so terrified of being chased away by you.”
“…”
It wasn’t surprising that Lei Huan feared Wang Huanxiu; after all, he was the leader of a family of villains. It was only natural for others to be afraid.
The group returned to the VIP room. Given how chaotic the scene had been, Lei Liming’s gaze kept drifting toward Bai Shuijin to see if he had been hurt.
Sensing the stare, Bai Shuijin turned his head. The sudden eye contact gave Lei Liming a jolt; he quickly looked away and asked stiffly, “You weren’t injured just now, were you?”
He glanced at the youth once more before looking away again.
Bai Shuijin gave a cheeky grin, his eyes curving into adorable crescents. “Of course not.” He had always been agile at hiding.
Lei Liming felt a surge of relief. He wanted to say something more, but Bai Shuijin had already skipped over to Wang Huanxiu’s side.
A shadow appeared in Wang Huanxiu’s peripheral vision. One look at Bai Shuijin’s pouting mouth and Wang knew exactly what kind of nonsense was about to come out. He didn’t care if Bai Shuijin was hurt especially since his “suet jade” skin didn’t have a single scratch.
Wang Huanxiu’s gaze didn’t linger on him. However, Bai Shuijin was determined to file his “complaint.”
“Hubby-bro, I’m injured.”
“Where?”
“Psychological trauma.”
“Oh.”
Bai Shuijin wasn’t satisfied. “Hubby-bro, don’t you feel bad for me?”
It was a capital offense. To say words of minus twenty degrees with a body temperature of thirty degrees… Bai Shuijin’s fluffy head swayed back and forth before him.
“I feel bad,” Wang Huanxiu answered casually. Then, remembering Bai Shuijin’s relentless pestering skills, he added expressionlessly, “I’m heartbroken to death.”
Bai Shuijin beamed. “Then Hubby-bro…” His voice became a bit coy.
Wang Huanxiu: “What?”
“When you die, can I have your estate?”
“…”
Bai Shuijin was only joking, but Wang Huanxiu was an unpredictable major villain. The thoughts of a villain are hard to guess, so Bai Shuijin felt it was better to explain. He lightly patted the man’s shoulder. “Hubby-bro, I’m kidding. Don’t take it seriously.”
As the provider of his gold card balance, Bai Shuijin couldn’t bear for Wang Huanxiu to die not to mention the man was his legal husband and family.
Making such jokes with family is wrong, Bai Shuijin reflected deeply, deciding not to say such things again. His height was a bit lacking compared to Wang Huanxiu he was nearly a head shorter. He looked up, his eyes filled with sincere comfort. Don’t be mad~
Wang Huanxiu stared at him for a few seconds. “It’s fine. I’ve already taken it to heart.”
Bai Shuijin: “…”
Clutching his golf club, Bai Shuijin reflected on the two hours of lessons he’d taken while Wang Huanxiu was away. He was no longer the same Bai Shuijin from two hours ago. He was a brand-new person.
Now was the perfect time to show off his golf skills and distract the man. He remembered his promise to give Wang Huanxiu a “huge surprise”; now was his moment to perform.
“Hubby-bro, watch me play golf.”
Wang Huanxiu sat down casually. Bai Shuijin looked back at every third step, like a little squirrel, making sure the man was actually watching him. Once he confirmed the gaze was on him, he walked to the tee.
Wang Huanxiu observed that Bai Shuijin seemed to constantly crave the attention of others. No matter when, as long as they were together, he would constantly call out to him, making him pay attention, listen to his talk, or accompany him in doing things. The moment his gaze left him, the youth would start acting up and causing trouble.
But Bai Shuijin himself wasn’t aware of this. Instead, he excitedly held his club, prepared to hit an “Armstrong Spiral Ball” for Wang Huanxiu.
This innate phenomenon of seeking attention was related to his experiences in his past life. Having no family and growing up watching others in happy homes, he had secretly observed and memorized those scenes with envy. In a family, proper parents or lovers provide full attention; this was something Bai Shuijin subconsciously wanted to possess.
The ball sat on the tee. Bai Shuijin, wearing white gloves, gripped the club. Though he was only 176cm tall, his proportions were excellent. His frame was lean with little muscle, but he had no physical flaws; his waist was flexible, his arm lines slightly tensed from nerves, and his neck was clean and slender.
After setting his direction, Bai Shuijin let out a slow breath and began his swing. Compared to his previous attempts, his motion was much sharper, creating a shoo! sound in the air.
As the club followed through, Bai Shuijin completed a beautiful pose, holding it for two seconds. His face was flushed with excitement as he turned to look at Wang Huanxiu with glowing eyes.
“Hubby-bro, how was that?”
Looking at the ball still sitting motionless on the tee, Wang Huanxiu: “…”
After two hours of practice, the ball remained as steady as a mountain.
“A ‘huge surprise’ indeed,” the man’s deep voice echoed. He looked at the fruit platter nearby, which was nearly half-empty. “You mean you ‘ate a huge amount,’ don’t you?”
“…”
Sometimes I really want to give you two ‘bonk-bonk’ punches. Truly, the words of an overbearing CEO always leave one choking.
They left the golf club at 4:00 PM. Looking at his “Jungler” Lei Liming who was seeing them off, Bai Shuijin waved his phone. “Let’s connect in the game if anything happens!”
Lei Liming gave a small nod.
After the two left, Jiang You and the others stayed to play a bit longer. Just as they sat down in the lounge, Jiang You heard Lei Liming let out an envious sigh.
“You were right. Huanxiu’s life really is quite good.”
Lei Liming looked at the game icon on his phone. Jiang You leaned back. “See? I told you.” That Bai Shuijin seemed like a lot of fun; having one at home must be incredibly lively.
Upon returning home, Bai Shuijin headed straight for the second-floor bathroom. Having been discharged today and then exercising, he needed a good soak. Under the warm water, he hummed happily like a pampered piglet.
Drying his hair as he emerged, he remembered the call he had dismissed at the hospital that morning. It had happened so suddenly; to turn off the ringtone that could have “ended his life,” he had hung up directly. Now, checking the missed call, he saw it was an unfamiliar number. He tentatively pressed the callback button.
The phone only rang a few times before someone picked up. Click.
Bai Shuijin greeted politely, “Hello.”
There was a silence on the other end for a few seconds.
“Hello? This is Bai Shuijin speaking,” he said again.
“Hello,” the person finally spoke, but without any pleasantries, they asked directly, “Why didn’t you return to school today? The counselor is looking for you.”
School?
Bai Shuijin recalled he was only twenty, similar to his age in his past life. In the book, he was indeed still in university, but because of his marriage to Wang Huanxiu, he had taken a marriage leave and hadn’t been back to class. Calculating the time, his leave balance had officially hit zero.
“Thank you. If you hadn’t said anything, I wouldn’t have remembered.” Bai Shuijin wanted to thank them for the reminder, but he didn’t know who they were. “And you are?”
Ji Cao knew the other wouldn’t remember him. “I’m your roommate, Ji Cao.”
Although they were roommates, Bai Shuijin rarely stayed in the dorms unless Pei Zhiheng was staying on campus. Only then would he miraculously return to the dorms to manufacture an “accidental encounter” the next morning. In two years of being roommates, they had spoken fewer than ten times. Even meeting on campus, they wouldn’t speak; they weren’t close. Furthermore, the original Bai Shuijin was a snob who felt his wealth made him superior a type of person Ji Cao disliked most.
But today, when Bai Shuijin was called out for being absent and sought by the counselor, Ji Cao had kindly made the call out of a sense of human decency. After all, Bai Shuijin had no friends; who else could he count on to contact him?
The next morning, after receiving the news about returning to school, Bai Shuijin appeared at the entryway at the same time as Wang Huanxiu. One must complete their studies properly, after all.
With the winter temperatures being low and holding the philosophy of “being kind to oneself in this life,” Bai Shuijin wrapped himself up tightly again. Wang Huanxiu watched as he put on a thick down jacket, layering it inside and out, plus a scarf and a hat, wrapping himself into a ball. Only a pair of agile eyes remained visible.
Dressed so heavily, his movements were naturally restricted; he radiated a sense of bluntness, looking like a clumsy bear.
Bai Shuijin noticed Wang Huanxiu was watching him. His face buried in the scarf, his voice came out muffled. “Hubby-bro, I’m going to school today.” He had a backpack on; he truly looked the part of a student.
He clumsily put on his shoes. If they were chased by a dog midway, he would definitely be the first to be caught.
Bai Shuijin stood steady, his exposed eyes blinking at the man. “I’m going to swim in the ocean of knowledge.”
Wang Huanxiu glanced at him. “Try not to drown.”
“…”
Bad man. I really want to strip off your clothes and see what those abs are made of.