Early in the morning.
The house cleaners discovered that, true to form, the Eldest Young Master had spent the first night of his marriage sleeping in the study.
Everyone in the Yan family knew that the Eldest Young Master liked a man named Lin Yi, and for Lin Yi’s sake, he did not hesitate to fall out with his parents.
This matter was kept hidden from the Jiang family, and they dared not let Jiang Yun see even the slightest trace of it.
The domestic workers only exchanged silent glances, sympathizing with Jiang Yun, who had been given the cold shoulder by the Eldest Young Master on his wedding night.
Under their sympathetic gazes, Jiang Yun walked down to the dining room on the ground floor.
This garden villa located in the center of City A was the bridal chamber prepared by the Yan family for him and Yan Hang, but the housekeeper, driver, chef, cleaning aunt, and gardener were all personnel personally arranged by Yan Hang’s mother.
In recent years, Yan’s father had been in poor health, and Yan’s mother accompanied him to recuperate at the Yan family’s old residence in the suburbs.
Therefore, apart from him and Yan Hang, the second son, Yan Chi, also currently lived here.
On the long dining table covered with a pristine white tablecloth, a nutritious and lavish breakfast for three was already laid out.
Under the attendance of the housekeeper, Uncle Zhao, Jiang Yun calmly enjoyed his sumptuous breakfast.
The sound of footsteps running hurriedly down the stairs came from above, followed immediately by an unruly and vigorous young boy’s voice:
“Uncle Zhao, who is this person?”
Hearing this voice, the fingertips of Jiang Yun, who was holding his chopsticks, turned slightly pale.
Yan Chi, the young master of the Yan family, the notorious arrogant scion in high-society circles, was now just sixteen years old and a high school sophomore.
Jiang Yun had no siblings. In his past life, upon meeting Yan Chi, who was five years younger than him, he immediately felt a sense of kinship and treated him like a younger brother to care for and guide.
During his five years in the Yan family, Yan Chi was also the one to whom he had dedicated the most emotion and patience.
Yet what was the result?
When Yan’s father suddenly passed away, Yan Chi stepped forward to testify against him, framing him for causing Yan’s father’s death. This plunged him into a quagmire of public opinion, saddling him with the infamous reputation of coveting the Yan family’s property and murdering his elders.
The child he had patiently and painstakingly taught ended up biting back like an ungrateful wolf, leaving him bleeding and battered.
“So it’s my older brother’s newly married ‘little sister-in-law’.”
Yan Chi walked up to the dining table and looked down condescendingly at Jiang Yun, his words and expression filled with youthful flippancy and arrogance.
Jiang Yun glanced at him, his clear eyes mixed with a coldness that a teenager could not understand.
Yan Chi’s heart tightened inexplicably, but his rebellious nature provoked even greater malice. He deliberately leaned in close to Jiang Yun and asked provocatively, “Little sister-in-law, does my brother like you? Has he slept with you? You didn’t end up spending the night in an empty room, did you?”
Although Jiang Yun was a man, his facial features were handsome and refined, and his skin was fair and tender.
Up close, one could see the soft peach fuzz on his skin tinged with pink and the collarbone faintly visible below his slender neck, possessing an unique charm and pure elegance different from boys his age.
A playful impulse surged in Yan Chi. Lawlessly and arrogantly, he grabbed Jiang Yun’s shirt collar and chuckled, “Little sister-in-law, let me see if you and my brother consummated your marriage yet?”
With that, he forcefully pulled open the collar of Jiang Yun’s upper garment.
Jiang Yun suddenly raised his hand and slapped Yan Chi right across his mocking face. A crisp, loud sound of a slap echoed through the dining room, startling the housekeeper and domestic workers inside.
“S-Second Young Master…”
Recovering his senses, the housekeeper rushed over in a panic to pull back Yan Chi, whose body was unsteady from the blow.
Yan Chi was stunned by the slap, clutching half of his face in disbelief: “You, you dare hit me!”
Furious beyond measure, he violently shoved the housekeeper away and stepped forward, trying to grab Jiang Yun: “Jiang Yun! What kind of thing are you, daring to hit me?”
What kind of thing are you, daring to boss me around either?
My brother doesn’t even like you; clinging shamelessly to our house like this, how cheap can you be?
Who needs you to meddle, get lost!
…
In his past life, facing such an Yan Chi, he actually believed that as long as he patiently guided him, Yan Chi would eventually understand his good intentions.
That’s right, he really was dirt cheap.
Before Yan Chi could touch him, Jiang Yun stood up, raised his hand, and delivered another heavy slap across Yan Chi’s angry face.
This time, he used all his strength, making his wrist ache from the impact.
Yan Chi’s tall frame was nearly knocked off balance by the blow. Holding his stinging cheek, he flew into a rage:
“He hit me again, didn’t you all see it?”
“So what if he’s married to my brother? My brother doesn’t like him at all.”
“Let go of me! I’m going to beat him to death!!”
…
Yes, Yan Hang loved someone else.
From the very first day he entered the Yan family, Yan Chi had constantly reminded him of this, mocking him every time they argued for throwing himself shamelessly at Yan Hang, yet he never suspected a thing.
He truly had been too foolish.
“Second Young Master! Second Young Master, calm down.”
The housekeeper and domestic workers panicked, holding back the enraged Second Young Master as they shouted, “Quick, go call the Eldest Young Master!”
“What is going on?”
Called downstairs by the auntie, Yan Hang saw the chaotic dining room, frowned, and asked in a deep voice, “What happened?”
The housekeeper looked awkwardly at Jiang Yun: “Eldest Young Master, Young Master Jiang…”
With his face bearing the marks of two slaps, Yan Chi pointed at Jiang Yun and said angrily, “Brother, Jiang Yun actually hit me, and he hit me in the face!”
Finding it hard to believe that Jiang Yun would hit someone, Yan Hang asked in a low voice, “You hit him? What is going on here?”
Jiang Yun adjusted his collar and said calmly and indifferently, “He pulled open my clothes, wanting to see if you had fucked me last night.”
Yan Hang choked on a breath, turned his gaze to the housekeeper, and silently asked if it were true.
Although it wasn’t as explicit as Jiang Yun described, the Second Young Master’s words and actions just now were indeed flippant.
The housekeeper had no choice but to nod.
Yan Chi was self-righteous: “We’re both guys, what’s wrong with me taking a look?”
“Asshole!”
Yan Hang rebuked and stopped Yan Chi in a deep voice, instructing the housekeeper, “Uncle Zhao, send him to school.”
The housekeeper replied, “Ah, yes, yes! Second Young Master, let’s go quickly, don’t be late.”
“On what grounds! Is this matter of him hitting me just going to be dropped? Even Mom and Dad have never hit me!”
Yan Hang: “If you don’t want to get beaten again, get your ass to school. Uncle Zhao, take him away immediately.”
“No, let go of me, this isn’t over…”
The housekeeper and domestic workers coaxed and pleaded with the utterly unconvinced Second Young Master as they led him out the door.
“Wait.”
Jiang Yun suddenly stopped them, saying coldly, “This matter is indeed not over yet. The Second Young Master hasn’t apologized to me.”
Yan Chi: !!!
“Damn it, you hit me, and you still want me to apologize!”
Jiang Yun said, “Speaking frivolously to an elder brother and threatening to beat me to death is this the Yan family upbringing? Or are you saying that anyone in this family can just yank open my clothes for a look?”
Yan Hang frowned deeply upon hearing this. Jiang Yun was his person; being treated frivolously was a slap to his own face. Even if it was his own younger brother, it wouldn’t do.
“Yan Chi, apologize to Jiang Yun.”
Yan Chi was incredulous: “Ha! Brother, I’m the one who got hit.”
“Apologize.”
Yan Hang said flatly, his face dark.
Everyone in the Yan family knew that the quieter the Eldest Young Master was, the more terrifying he became. The housekeeper and domestic workers fell silent in tension.
Yan Chi was still afraid of his eldest brother. Despite his grievance and resentment, he stiffened his neck and snorted, “…Sorry.”
With that, he glared at Jiang Yun and stomped off angrily, swinging his school bag.
On the very first morning of the Eldest Young Master’s marriage, the Yan family was already turned upside down. The housekeeper and domestic workers took the hint, fell silent, and earnestly went about their respective tasks.
At the dining table, Yan Hang sized up Jiang Yun seriously for the first time.
Looking at this boy who had shown his sharp edge without reservation the moment he arrived at the Yan family, he gained a new understanding of him.
After he said he wouldn’t like him, Jiang Yun accepted it immediately, neither sleeping with him nor making a fuss.
Yet deep down, he was also someone not to be trifled with.
Yan Hang lowered his gaze to his meal and said slowly, “Yan Chi has been spoiled rotten by my parents. He’s always this boorish and doesn’t target just you.”
Jiang Yun: “I won’t bicker with a kid, but if I may speak frankly, he lacks upbringing.”
…Upbringing.
Yan Hang always felt like Jiang Yun was cursing him.
Thinking of the Jiang family’s fine family traditions, and then looking at the elegant and noble temperament exuding from Jiang Yun’s every gesture, even when angry, he looked pleasing to the eye.
This was also the reason his mother wanted him to ally through marriage with the Jiang family.
“His personality is naturally like that even my parents can do nothing about him. He really is hard to teach, and our only requirement for him is that he doesn’t commit any heinous crimes.”
As Yan Hang spoke, he watched Jiang Yun dining with a cold expression opposite him, finding himself momentarily unable to look away.
Jiang Yun was handsome and clean, and his complexion looked somewhat cold because of his anger.
Like emerald bamboo shrouded in misty rain after an early spring shower, he made people unable to resist wanting to approach him, breathing in his clear yet heart-soothing aura.
They had met a few times before the wedding, but right now, Jiang Yun gave him a feeling as unfamiliar as if they were meeting for the first time.
Jiang Yun put down his soup spoon, his clear eyes meeting Yan Chi’s gaze.
Yan Hang hurriedly looked away.
Jiang Yun: “Didn’t you sleep well last night?”
Yan Hang: “What?”
Jiang Yun: “There are dark circles under your eyes. Is there no bed in the study?”
Yan Hang: “Uh… there’s a sofa.”
Jiang Yun: “Sleeping in the study long-term is no solution.”
Guarded, Yan Hang looked coldly at Jiang Yun.
Could Jiang Yun be taking the opportunity to propose sleeping in the same room, and agreeing to it last night was just playing hard to get?
Did Jiang Yun really still like him after all? What a hassle!
Jiang Yun suggested, “How about this? I’ll have the housekeeper tidy up a guest room for you. How about the guest room in the northeast corner on the third floor? It’s far away from me, and you’ll have peace and quiet.”
Yan Hang: …
“Fine, arrange it however you see fit.”
He awkwardly picked up a napkin to wipe his mouth, stood up, and left the dining room.
As he walked out the front door, he glanced back. In the distant dining room, that slender yet straight figure was elegantly wiping his hands.
He carried himself with pristine elegance, calm and poised.
After breakfast, Jiang Yun instructed the housekeeper to tidy up the guest room and had the domestic workers move all of Yan Hang’s clothes and belongings from the master bedroom to the third-floor guest room.
The Eldest Young Master was actually sleeping in the corner guest room?
The housekeeper was inwardly shocked, but he didn’t dare disobey, leading the domestic workers to silently follow Jiang Yun’s instructions.
On the first day the young master of the Jiang family arrived at the Yan family, he first gave the family’s little tyrant two slaps, and then chased the Eldest Young Master out of the master bedroom, banishing him to the most distant corner guest room in the villa.
Shouldn’t he report these matters to Madam?
Watching the docilely working housekeeper, Jiang Yun understood that Uncle Zhao was one of Madam Yan’s people, and anything happening in this house would be relayed to the ears of Madam and Mr. Yan.
He didn’t mind at all. Instead, he stood by the massive floor-to-ceiling windows, admiring the beautiful garden scenery outside.
The Yan family’s master bedroom was a room that only the masters of this house were qualified to live in.
In his past life, he had lived in the Yan family for five years, yet only spent the first night alone in this bedroom.
Afterward, he was arranged by Yan Hang into a guest room.
Clearly the legal master of this house in the eyes of the law, he had instead become a guest with an awkward status in the Yan family.
During those four years, every time he knocked on the master bedroom door with hopeful trepidation, he would always be met with grievances, leaving in disappointment and sadness.
In his previous life, this master bedroom that had once made him cower in hesitation now belonged to him.
Jiang Yun threw away all the rose decorations in the room and had the domestic workers pick a bunch of blooming spring wildflowers from the garden to place on the desk in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. He also placed a cup of freshly ground, aromatic coffee there, accompanied by a stack of exquisite and tempting desserts.
He sat down to the side, opened his computer and phone, pulled out an important document box, and checked through all the assets he currently owned.
Two large flat-screen apartments in the city center, a suburban villa, an eight-figure cash deposit, and a commercial building with a net profit of over a hundred thousand per month…
He was the only son of the Jiang family. Before the wedding, in order to secure him a position of sufficient standing in the Yan family, his parents had transferred almost all of the Jiang family’s assets to him.
Had he not blindly devoted himself to Yan Hang in his past life, the assets he currently owned would have allowed him and his parents to live a life of luxurious ease without worry.
After finishing checking his own assets, he calculated Yan Hang’s current net worth and the Yan family assets he held.
He needed to calculate in advance how much he would still be able to get after Yan Hang was stripped of his wealth and kicked out in the future.