When the people in the room heard Bai Mao’s words, their reactions were identical.
Every single face was frozen in shock and disbelief. The sight of them, all wearing the same stupefied expression, was almost comical. Not one of them even noticed the persistent sound of the doorbell.
Bian Xiu rose to her feet unconsciously. Her lips trembled as she spoke, not even sparing a thought for Bai Mao’s tone, his attitude or the implications behind his words.
“Bai Mao, do you even realize what you’re saying?”
“Of course.” Bai Mao gave a soft laugh.
“Who! Who was it?!”
Bai Jiahui sucked in a deep breath and slammed his fist down on the armrest, his voice nearly erupting in a roar.
He felt like he was on the verge of a heart attack.
Losing Bai Mao’s “first time” had already slashed his value in half.
And now, to learn it had been squandered on some nameless nobody without the Bai family reaping a single shred of benefit, it was intolerable!
Naturally, Bai Jiahui didn’t believe Bai Mao could have drawn in anyone of true importance.
Men of power and status had seen every trick in the book when it came to social climbing; they avoided such entanglements for fear of scandal.
They weren’t so easily duped. That was why someone like Yu Wantian, known for indulging whoever came his way had been their chosen target.
With Yu’s personality, perhaps he could still stomach Bai Mao. After all, even they had to admit Bai Mao was undeniably attractive.
But no matter what, what the Bai family could extract from him now would never match what had once been promised!
Everything they had meticulously planned had been thrown into chaos by Bai Mao. How could Bai Jiahui possibly remain calm?
The thought of pouring in even more cost, perhaps even having to push Bai Sheng into the fray, nearly made his lungs burst with rage.
“Oh? So now you know how to get worked up? Now you’re asking me who it was? Yet earlier, weren’t you all so calm? You barely needed three words to insist the one who touched me was Yu Wantian as though you’d been hiding under the bed watching the whole thing!”
Bai Mao spread his hands in mock helplessness. “But you’re right about one thing. What else can I do? Naturally, I should go find the true culprit and make him take responsibility.”
“No!”
“Bai Mao, don’t be reckless!”
Bai Jiahui’s and Bai Jing’s voices overlapped, rising in alarm.
Bai Mao’s lips curved into a bitter smile. “Oh, so if it’s Young Master Yu, then it’s fine. But if it’s someone else, suddenly I mustn’t act rashly? Don’t you people know Yu’s reputation in Beicheng? And you call that ‘living a good life’ for me?”
His expression hardened, voice dropping to a chill.
“In truth, all you’ve ever considered is your own profit.”
In their eyes, Bai Mao was not a person.
He was a chess piece, a pawn to be moved for the sake of advantage.
Bai Jiahui’s hand shook as he pointed a trembling finger at Bai Mao. “You!!?”
Seeing his father too furious to form words, Bai Jing hurried forward, patting his back in an attempt at soothing.
“Father, don’t get angry. Let me talk to my Second Brother.”
Bai Jiahui exhaled through his nose with a sharp, heavy snort.
Bai Mao’s eyes widened slightly in feigned surprise. “What’s this? You can’t even stand to hear the truth?”
“Bai Mao.”
Bai Jing’s voice carried a note of reprimand.
His expression had smoothed into cold composure, his bearing already holding a faint trace of the future head of the family.
He took two measured steps toward Bai Mao, intending to show a sign of closeness so he could persuade him better.
But the memory of last night of being struck hard across the face, flashed in his mind, and with it came a flicker of fear.
Bai Mao was unpredictable. He didn’t play by any rules.
Last night’s slap had been full force, the fire burning across his cheek proof of it. Bai Mao had shown not the slightest mercy. Against someone like him, Bai Jing couldn’t simply follow convention.
In the end, he stopped at a cautious distance.
Appealing to reason, he said earnestly, “Second Brother, you shouldn’t blame Father and Mother for this. That’s simply the way of the business world. Go ask around, what family in our circle marries purely for love? They’re all alliances. Do you think those people don’t yearn for freedom in love as well? Of course they do. But as children of business dynasties, we all bear a sense of responsibility. We understand that for the sake of our family’s strength and prosperity, we must sacrifice, contribute, and endure. Only then can the family grow.”
“And it isn’t just you. We all must sacrifice. Take me for example. As a child, I never once set foot in an amusement park, because I knew my duty was to become the future head of the Bai family. I had to devote myself to learning how to manage the company, day and night, though my own interests lay elsewhere.”
Bai Jing’s voice swelled with passion. “All things considered, following Young Master Yu would indeed allow you to live well. You’d have money without end. You’d receive the best offers, be able to join any film or drama crew you wished, even bring your own investment. Directors, producers, leading actors, anyone who saw you would treat you with respect, yielding three steps out of courtesy. Bai Mao!?!”
“…Huh?”
Bai Mao blinked, a blank look on his face. “Why are you shouting my name?”
“I just said all of that…” Bai Jing stared at him.
Bai Mao widened his innocent eyes, blinking twice. After two seconds of silent staring, he suddenly made a show of realization.
“Oh, oh! You mean that part about people yielding three steps? What is this, some kind of story about Kong Rong giving up the bigger pear?”
“…”
Bai Jing’s face turned red with fury.
He had spoken from the heart, passionately and at length yet Bai Mao hadn’t listened to a single word! How could anyone be so rude, so infuriatingly dismissive?!
His blood surged hot in his veins. Words of scolding were no longer enough to vent the fire in his chest, he even had the urge to punch Bai Mao himself.
But Bai Jing had always prided himself on being a refined, cultured gentleman. He was the Bai family’s heir apparent, unlike Bai Mao, that reckless brute.
How could he stoop to fighting? He had to restrain himself, grit his teeth, and briefly repeat the key points of his reasoning.
“Oh, that’s what you were talking about? Well then, why don’t you take this duty and this blessing yourself? Would you like that?”
Bai Mao gave a sharp little laugh, running his gaze up and down Bai Jing with open mockery.
“You’re not bad-looking yourself. Why not go and recommend yourself for Yu’s bed? With Young Master Yu’s appetite for all comers, he might just agree. That way, you too could say you’ve made a noble sacrifice for the Bai family. I’d say that’s a fine idea.”
“You!!”
Bai Jing’s voice was icy. “Everyone has their role to play. My responsibility is to become the next family head.”
“Oh, a family head.” Bai Mao dug into his ear, voice full of disdain. “And as a beneficiary of privilege, you think you’re qualified to tell those who must sacrifice how they should behave?”
Bai Jing’s brow furrowed. His temper flared.
“Do you mean to say I’ve made no sacrifices? I told you, I never even went to an amusement park as a child!”
“Wow,” Bai Mao exclaimed dramatically, his bright starry eyes brimming with false sympathy. “I get it now. I only lost a leg, but you…… you lost love itself!”
Bai Jing: “???”
What was that supposed to mean?
What legs? What love? What did either of those have to do with their conversation? He had never once said he wanted Bai Mao’s leg! And what nonsense about love? what kind of twisted joke was this?
Why did it sound so wrong, so insulting?
Bai Jing’s frown deepened.
“I can’t reason with you. This is like playing a lute to a cow. I won’t waste my breath any further. In any case, what happened last night, we’ll pretend it never happened. From this day forward, it must never be mentioned again…. ”
“Exactly. Nothing happened last night!” Bai Jiahui slammed down the verdict, firm and absolute.
Bian Xiu softened her tone, her words coaxing. “Bai Mao, I know you’ve just gone through the most painful trial of your life. Your mood is bound to be dark, and you can’t help losing your temper. But think carefully, we are your parents, your own flesh and blood. How could we ever harm you? You said yourself, if you simply pretend nothing happened, no one will know you were… Well, we’ll agree to that. Now, think hard, was there anyone else who saw what happened yesterday?”
Bai Mao’s long, thick lashes lowered, shadowing his gaze.
After so many years as an orphan, when the Bai family finally came to claim him, his parents’ coldness had struck him as odd.
But even so, the simple joy of finally having a family had been enough to cover every small crack and flaw.
He had even written about this happiness in letters to his “long-legged benefactor,” the one who had sponsored his education.
He had looked forward to a new life, filled with laughter, warmth, and family affection.
Never had he imagined that what awaited him instead was selfishness, calculation, and a chorus of voices chanting over and over again!
“It’s for your own good.”
Bai Mao already understood what the Bai family was scheming.
They simply wanted to cover up what had happened last night, then once again push him into Young Master Yu’s hands, squeezing out as much benefit as possible.
He didn’t bother answering Bian Xiu’s question. Instead, he lazily replied, “Oh? Pretend it never happened? Sure, that works.”
Then, almost mockingly, he added with a drawl,
“By the way… the doorbell’s been ringing for a while now. Are you all going deaf? No one is planning to answer it?”
As if to echo his words, the doorbell chimed again, crisp and loud.
The tense atmosphere shifted slightly; it was like a tiny break in the suffocating pressure.
Everyone in the room froze, their minds spinning with calculations, reevaluating their next move. For a moment, no one spoke.
Bian Xiu finally glanced at Aunt Chen. The woman, who had been so lost in the dramatic confrontation that she had forgotten her duties, startled as if waking from a dream and hurried over to open the door.
“Excuse me, may I ask who you are…. ”
“Yu Xiangchen”
A deep, magnetic voice came from the entrance.
“I’ve come to the Bai residence to pick someone up.”
Aunt Chen blinked, stunned.
Yu Xiangchen?
That name… she had heard it before, whispered with awe by the master of the house. He was said to be even more formidable than Young Master Yu.
And now, such a figure was standing at the Bai family’s very doorstep?
Aunt Chen’s expression immediately transformed. She broke into a respectful smile, hurriedly stepping aside, “Please, please come in.”
She remembered how the doorbell had been ringing for so long without anyone answering, and a twinge of embarrassment crossed her face.
Not knowing how to explain, she stammered, “I…. I apologize, earlier we…” She trailed off helplessly, sneaking a glance at Yu Xiangchen.
“It’s fine,” he said flatly.
The tall, striking man stepped inside, crossing the threshold. His sharp gaze swept across the room in one motion, landing unerringly on the little white rabbit who had slammed headfirst into the tree last night, standing alone in the living room, helpless and cornered.
Those wide, round eyes, the slightly parted lips, the surprise etched across his face, he looked just like everyone else, utterly stunned.
Bai Mao really was stunned.
He instinctively pulled out his phone, glancing down at the chat history between them.
Bai Mao: Mr. Yu, I don’t have a car. It’s inconvenient for me to go over. Could you send a driver to pick me up from the Bai residence?
Patron: All right. Leaving now.
Wasn’t the one supposed to come… the driver?
Why on earth was Yu Xiangchen himself here???
As though he had read Bai Mao’s mind, Yu Xiangchen lowered his gaze and said, calm and concise, “I happened to be free. It’s on my way.”
While he spoke, Bian Xiu finally reacted, hastily smoothing her expression into a welcoming smile as she approached.
She looked at Yu Xiangchen, her demeanor gentle, almost maternal, “Maomao, aren’t you going to introduce us to your… friend?”
Bai Jiahui’s eyes flickered with a sudden gleam of excitement. He strode over with an equally polite smile, extending his hand to Yu Xiangchen. The two men exchanged a handshake.
As for Bai Jing, disbelief spread across his face. He stared at Yu Xiangchen and blurted out, “How could it be you……”
But before he could finish, Bian Xiu cut him off with a sharp look.
Yu Xiangchen.
This was a name that thundered through the business world, known to every corner. His achievements could fill three days and nights of conversation without end.
The subsidiaries under his name spanned every industry imaginable, renowned both domestically and abroad.
The Yu family was indeed an old and powerful clan, but it was Yu Xiangchen who had propelled them to their current heights.
At just twenty-eight years old, he was already one of the youngest and most brilliant entrepreneurs in the entire nation, a figure every household in Beicheng and beyond wanted to curry favor with.
And the Bai family?
With their current level, they didn’t even have the qualifications to be in his orbit.
So how could Yu Xiangchen appear here, in person, to pick up Bai Mao of all people?
Unless… unless the truth behind Bai Mao’s “injuries,” those marks on his body
Lightning struck in every mind present. Their eyes went wide with realization.
If Bai Mao’s “first time” had truly been given to Yu Xiangchen, then compared to handing it over to Yu Wantian… this wasn’t just profitable.
It was a windfall. A massive stroke of fortune!
Faces lit up with unconcealed joy.
The air in the Bai household instantly turned jubilant, brimming with energy.
Of course, such things couldn’t be openly discussed in front of Yu Xiangchen. So they waited until Bai Mao had gone upstairs, fetched his luggage, and were preparing to leave with him. Then, Bai Jiahui hurriedly tugged him back.
He smiled obsequiously, “Mr. Yu, just a moment, we’d like to have a quick word with Maomao.”
Yu Xiangchen’s gaze flickered briefly toward Bai Mao, resting on him for only a second. Then he nodded lightly and stepped outside first.
The moment the door shut, Bai Jiahui bent close, lowering his voice, his eyes burning with urgency.
“Bai Mao… was your first time truly with Yu Xiangchen?”
Bai Mao raised an eyebrow, “And what if it was?”
Bian Xiu broke into a relieved laugh, “Oh, child, why didn’t you say so earlier? You nearly worried your father and me to death.”
“Exactly!”
For the first time, Bai Jiahui’s expression softened into something that resembled paternal affection. His tone even warmed as he glanced proudly at Bai Jing.
“To be honest, out of the three brothers, Bai Mao, you’re the smartest, the most farsighted. I said so the moment you were born, your face showed blessings. And look, isn’t this proof of that fortune?”
Bai Jing, still a little dazed, murmured, “Yes…”
Watching the family switch masks so fast, Bai Mao almost burst out laughing.
Grinning, he teased, “But wait, didn’t we just agree? That we’d pretend nothing happened last night? Shouldn’t I go clarify everything with Mr. Yu now?”
“Don’t!”
The abrupt contradiction made Bian Xiu’s smile falter, turning slightly stiff.
“Maomao, how could we treat this as if it never happened? You’ve suffered both physically and emotionally, someone has to take responsibility for that! Look, the marks on your neck haven’t even faded yet.”
“Pfft.”
Bai Mao suddenly laughed out loud.
His crescent-shaped eyes curved into a breathtaking smile as he swept his gaze mockingly across them.
“So… when you thought the person was Yu Wantian, you weren’t afraid of me whispering in his ear, and you treated me like dirt. But now…. ”
He deliberately slowed his tone, voice laced with ridicule.
“Now you’re not afraid of me whispering on the pillow, either?”
The Bai family’s faces all shifted at once, their expressions freezing.
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
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ChaptersChapter 1 · A Nightmare or Reality?Chapter 2 · Yu family’s BanquetChapter 3 · I know your Secret..Chapter 4 · Becoming A Stand-InChapter 5 · Real IntentionChapter 6 · Yu XiangchenChapter 7 · Moved into new houseChapter 8 · Why he’s so perfect?!Chapter 9 · Role stolenChapter 10 · Four Times a WeekChapter 11 · Wrong Message?Chapter 12 · Flower protectorChapter 13 · Study MaterialChapter 14 Part 1 · I don’t have that kind of worldly desireChapter 14 Part 2 · I don’t have that kind of worldly desireChapter 15 · Four thousand yuan has arrived in AlipayChapter 16 · In the River?Chapter 17 · Boss like him, People would ready to do OvertimeChapter 18 · Does Mr. Yu have two faces?!Chapter 19 · Now we can begin to express our gratitude.Chapter 20 · Split Personality!Chapter 21 · Mr. Yu is busy and may not have time to comeChapter 22 · Call duration: 0:12Chapter 23 · He’s not Worth itChapter 24 · Mr Yu on film setChapter 25 · You can consider me if you decided to leave Mr. YuChapter 26 · Big Sister has unique hobbyChapter 27 · Really? I’m actually the young master of the Bai family?Chapter 28 · Bai Sheng is Pitiful?Chapter 29 · Someone took a picture of themChapter 30 · Your little one is hereChapter 31 · Mr. Yu asked me if I had a stiff neckChapter 32 · The little lucky butterfly’s wings flutteredChapter 33 · Mr. Yu, you came here just once at the beginningChapter 34 · The door wasn’t lockedChapter 35 · You’re an adult nowChapter 36 · Are rooms still available by scrambling?Chapter 37 · I’m definitely going to watch this variety show!Chapter 38 · Who asked Bai Sheng for money to support Bai Mao?Chapter 39 · How many zeros are there?Chapter 40 · You have to be careful with your methodsChapter 41 · Let’s get MarriedChapter 42 · I’m obviously just coveting your body!Chapter 43 · Does what we’re doing count as Sneaking?Chapter 44 · You want to change rooms?Chapter 45 · Isn’t Bai Sheng’s scheming way too deep?Chapter 46 · Mr. Yu in front of me has become calm and composedChapter 47 · You care a lot about Yu Yutian?Chapter 48 · Bai Sheng has found someoneChapter 49 · How to fall in loveChapter 50 · Uncle Long LegsChapter 51 · Bai Mao, I’m a little scaredChapter 52 · I simply told them the truthChapter 53 · That was far too mercilessChapter 54 · Your fans mention it in your fan forumChapter 55 · In your dreamsChapter 56 · Hello, UncleChapter 57 · Verified account had repliedChapter 58 · Maomao, you don’t need to be afraid of themChapter 59 · What a headacheChapter 60 · It’s a bit… tragicChapter 61 · I’m waiting for you at homeChapter 62 · That’s just too much!Chapter 63 · Is this watch really that expensive?Chapter 64 · Tian CityChapter 65 · They’re easy to get along with.Chapter 66 · Want to have a relationship with marriage in mind?Chapter 67 · Is this the joy of being someone’s “little uncle”?Chapter 68 · Has the protagonist finally figured it out?Chapter 69 · I miss youChapter 70 · That whole family is something else.Chapter 71 · Then comfort meChapter 72 · What about sincerity?Chapter 73 · There’s also 10% of the company’s sharesChapter 74 · So called conservativeChapter 75 · I thought you’d be walking with a limpChapter 76 · They’ve been brainwashedChapter 77 · We got marriedChapter 78 · CongratulationsChapter 79 · You already knew it was me?Chapter 80 · You look very good in a shirtChapter 81 · Did you used to like Bai Sheng?Chapter 82 · I never liked himChapter 83 · Uncle is super niceChapter 84 · Extra 1Chapter 85 · Extra 2Chapter 86 · Extra 3