The way Zhan Cheng spoke really wasn't very pleasant to hear. Yu Hekun wasn't angry, but he couldn't help asking, "Am I really so unworthy of being liked?"
Zhan Cheng was left speechless. Yu Hekun was indeed worthy of being liked—handsome, from a wealthy family, capable, and an anomaly in their circle of rich second-generation heirs who didn't fool around.
He really should be liked by many people. But whether it was because Yu Hekun had a somewhat cold appearance or because there was something about his inherent disposition, from childhood to adulthood, Yu Hekun truly hadn't had much luck in love.
The few he did have were all gold-diggers who attached themselves for money and ran off after being intimidated by Zhan Cheng. Yu Hekun himself had liked a Huo Jiaoyue, but because of a certain reason...
Thinking of this, Zhan Cheng couldn't help but sneak a glance at Yu Mingzhong. Yu Mingzhong met his gaze, looked at Yu Hekun again, and suddenly said, "Huo Jiaoyue has returned to the country."
As soon as the words fell, Yu Hekun whipped his head around to look at Yu Mingzhong. Yu Mingzhong put on his glasses and said to Yu Hekun, "On the same flight as me."
Yu Hekun sat up straight from his seat, his face visibly darkening. The two brothers hadn't always interacted this way. Although Yu Mingzhong was mostly busy with work and didn't have much time for Yu Hekun, Yu Hekun had always liked following his older brother, often clinging to him.
But back then, because of Huo Jiaoyue, things had become very unpleasant between the two brothers. Regarding this matter, Zhan Cheng didn't dare say anything either.
"I'm going back first," Yu Hekun said, standing up. He directly snatched his phone from Zhan Cheng's hand and walked straight towards the door.
Yu Mingzhong also stood up, following behind Yu Hekun, his voice unhurried as he said, "It was a chance encounter. All these years abroad, I've never contacted her."
Yu Hekun stood at the door, turning to look at Yu Mingzhong. "Why are you telling me this?"
Yu Mingzhong pressed his lips together, somewhat helpless. He had always felt very guilty about this matter, especially when facing Yu Hekun in this state, bristling with defensiveness. He didn't know how to handle it. He had explained the past events not just once or twice, but Yu Hekun still held onto the grudge.
After speaking, Yu Hekun turned, opened the door, and left. Yu Mingzhong glanced at Zhan Cheng and said, "I'll leave the matter of the cruise ship lifeguard to you. I'll go back with Hekun first."
Zhan Cheng immediately nodded. "Oh, okay. Brother, you should go quickly. With you home to keep him in check, that vixen might behave a little more."
A faint smile appeared on Yu Mingzhong's face. He nodded and followed behind Yu Hekun.
At the elevator, Yu Hekun had already pressed the close button. Yu Mingzhong quickened his pace, reaching out to block the doors just in time. The elevator reopened, and he gave Yu Hekun a helpless smile, straightened his clothes, and stepped inside.
The two brothers were silent in the elevator. It descended all the way to the underground parking garage, which was empty at this hour. After exiting the elevator, Yu Hekun walked very quickly again. Yu Mingzhong had to speed up, grabbing his arm just as he reached the car.
"Xiao Kun," Yu Mingzhong called out to stop him.
Yu Hekun's hand was on the car door. He stood for a moment, then finally turned his head. "Why did you come back? I told you not to."
Yu Mingzhong almost never showed the kind of helpless yet doting expression he had for Yu Hekun in front of outsiders. "You were the one who called and asked me to come back. You said, 'Brother, I've gotten someone killed. Come back and help me.'"
Yu Mingzhong adjusted his glasses. "Have you forgotten so quickly?"
Yu Hekun shook off his hand. "Stop being disgusting. I said you didn't need to come back. Why didn't you listen?"
Yu Hekun sneered. "You're still as willful as ever, just like Mom and Dad. Back then, when I said don't go, you still left. Now I say don't come back, and you still come back anyway."
Seeming to think it was pointless, Yu Hekun let out a light, disdainful snort and pulled open the car door. "But even if you're back, don't meddle in my affairs. I can handle my own things. It's been that way all these years."
Yu Hekun closed the door. Yu Mingzhong opened the rear door and got in as well. Before the driver started the car, Yu Hekun added, "Don't think bringing someone back gives you the right to tell me what to do."
Yu Mingzhong sighed. "I said it was just a coincidence."
"Then why did you have to tell me?" Yu Hekun's attitude was somewhat aggressive. "What does it matter to me whether she comes back or not? Why did you have to tell me?"
Yu Mingzhong thought to himself, You've been blinded by a fake. I just wanted you to see what a real gem looks like, so you'd know what's true and what's false.
But he didn't dare say that out loud. He simply fell silent. After his outburst, Yu Hekun also felt he had been overly agitated. He huffed angrily, turned to look out the window, and said nothing more.
The car moved smoothly through the traffic. An unspoken, unfamiliar atmosphere filled the interior. Yu Mingzhong actually felt a bit uncomfortable inside. He had practically raised Yu Hekun himself. His brother used to be so attached to him. In the end, it was because he hadn't listened to his wishes back then, prioritizing business and letting the bond between brothers grow this cold.
Since Yu Hekun wasn't speaking, the good-natured Yu Mingzhong tried to make conversation. "Mom and Dad are doing well. They've always wanted you to go stay with them for a while. They miss you a lot."
Yu Hekun didn't interrupt what Yu Mingzhong was saying, but hearing that his parents missed him a lot didn't stir any emotion in his heart.
He still didn't respond. This near-indifferent sense of estrangement wasn't formed overnight. Yu Mingzhong knew this too, so after seeing Yu Hekun's reaction, he also stopped talking.
Although Yu Hekun and Yu Mingzhong were brothers, their personalities were completely different. In fact, among the four members of their family, only Yu Hekun's personality was somewhat distinct from the others.
They were focused on their careers and had rather thin emotional needs. If it weren't for that tearful phone call from Yu Hekun, Yu Mingzhong wouldn't have returned from abroad. He was a thorough workaholic, with very little entertainment outside of work. His demand for emotional connection was so low that people in the company secretly said he was emotionally cold behind his back.
But Yu Hekun was different. His heart was as sensitive as a young girl's. Although he had never let the family down in the business world, his emotional needs were very intense. When they were younger, there was even a period when Yu Mingzhong felt burdened by Yu Hekun's personality.
But now, being a bit older, Yu Mingzhong's competitive drive had faded somewhat. Occasionally, outside of work, he would want to see Yu Hekun. It's just that every time he called, if his younger brother was in a good mood, he'd throw a couple of sarcastic remarks; if he was in a bad mood, he simply wouldn't answer.
Yu Mingzhong had always known how to coax Yu Hekun. In truth, Yu Hekun was quite easy to placate, but Yu Mingzhong simply didn't have the energy for it. The distance between them was vast, and business overseas was developing exceptionally well, with no immediate plans to return to China. So, even though he thought about mending their relationship, he never actually took action.
As the car turned into the villa driveway, Yu Mingzhong gathered his thoughts. Returning to the Yu family home, he didn't feel the slightest bit unfamiliar. Even the plants in the garden seemed unchanged.
A pang of guilt rose again in Yu Mingzhong's heart. He glanced sideways at Yu Hekun, knowing his brother was soft-hearted beneath a tough exterior. While Yu Hekun talked about drawing a clear line and refused to go abroad, he had quietly kept the Yu home exactly as it was, as if no one had ever been missing from this house.
After getting out of the car, Yu Hekun noticed the villa lights were off and sighed softly. He had messaged Jian You from the car, and she said she had gone to bed first.
Yu Hekun thought it was just as well. He didn't want Jian You to meet his brother.
He didn't head inside with Yu Mingzhong right away. Instead, he stood in the garden and suddenly spoke, "I don't want to keep Julie and the others anymore. Since you're back this time, figure out a way to take them all away. If you don't, I really will sell them all off."
Yu Hekun's expression was cold, his eyes resolute. "Sell them all to a dog meat restaurant."
After saying this, he finally started walking towards the villa. But Yu Mingzhong grabbed his arm again, speaking apologetically, "Xiao Kun, I've actually talked with Mom and Dad more than once. In another year or so, the business will gradually shift back to China. Mom and Dad are getting older, and then our whole family can be together."
Yu Hekun looked at Yu Mingzhong with an indescribable expression. After a moment, he asked softly, "Yu Mingzhong, do you still think I'm a child?"
"Do you still think I'm that kid who, if you weren't home after school, would always throw a fit demanding you send the driver to pick me up?"
This time, Yu Hekun didn't seem particularly agitated, speaking calmly, "It's been almost ten years. Have you forgotten I've long outgrown that age?"
Yu Mingzhong pressed his lips together, not speaking. The look on his face betrayed a hint of agitation—a rare sight for him. He was almost always steady and reserved, unflappable in any situation.
But before Yu Hekun, before this brother who no longer threw tantrums or stomped his feet, he felt at a loss.
Neither spoke further. After a moment, they tacitly moved past the topic. Yu Mingzhong was closer to the door, so he turned and opened it first, stepping inside.
Yu Hekun followed closely behind.
The house was dark. Normally, the lights would be on. After opening the door, Yu Mingzhong turned his head and asked Yu Hekun in a low voice, "Isn't Aunt Yun here? Why are the lights off?"
Even someone as composed as Yu Mingzhong let out a short, startled cry. A pair of arms wrapped tightly around his waist, a soft body pressed against him, and a fragrance wafted into his nostrils.
"Darling, you're back!" Jian You, holding a remote, switched on the lights. Clinging to the person who had just entered, she cooed, "Surprise! I didn't go to sleep, I've been waiting for—"
She looked up, and her smile slowly faded.
She didn't know the person in her arms.
This man was handsome, with a good figure. His features were gentle, his temperament refined. Even his startled "Ah!" wasn't a shrill scream. Jian You, holding him, looked up into his slightly widened eyes behind his glasses, and couldn't help but feel a flash of admiration.
Such captivating eyes.
But she quickly let go because a familiar roar sounded from behind the man. "Let go of him!"
Jian You released him as if electrocuted, stepping back several paces. Remembering something, she crossed her arms in front of herself. For the sake of her "seduction" plot, she was dressed very scantily—her nightgown was barely thicker than garlic skin, hinting at everything it supposedly covered. In her own words, it was the kind of sleepwear better left unworn.
Then, a suit jacket carrying Yu Hekun's fresh scent was flung over her head. Jian You reacted quickly, slipping the jacket on in a few movements. She then spread her arms and hugged Yu Hekun's waist, who had already stepped in front of her. Hiding behind him like a little quail, she whimpered, "Who is that, Brother Kun? He scared me to death!"
Yu Hekun gritted his teeth, growling, "Who told you to dress like that?!"
Jian You sounded quite aggrieved, burying her face in his shirt, her warm breath seeping through the fabric onto his back. "I wanted to give you a surprise..."
There was no surprise, only shock. Yu Hekun wanted to tell this embarrassing creature to go upstairs, but what she wore was far too revealing. If she turned and went up in front of Yu Mingzhong, it would be no different from running naked.
So, he could only frown, trying his best to shield her completely with his body, and said to Yu Mingzhong, "You go upstairs first."
Yu Mingzhong didn't comment, his gaze meeting Jian You's as she peeked out from behind Yu Hekun's side. He raised an eyebrow slightly, then unhurriedly finished changing the shoe he had only half-removed earlier. He then walked around the two of them and went straight upstairs.
Jian You's small hands hugged Yu Hekun, giving his waist a pinch. "Was that your brother just now? He scared me to death. Why didn't you warn me? So awkward."
Wrapped in the oversized suit jacket, Jian You moved from behind Yu Hekun to in front of him, burying herself in his chest to complain.
Yu Hekun looked down at her, a vein throbbing at his temple. Since Jian You came back, he hadn't once raised his voice at her, as if afraid of scaring her. But now he truly couldn't help it, his inner tyrant surfacing again. "What the hell are you wearing?!"
"Besides, someone comes in, and you hug them without even looking? What if it was the driver? Or a bodyguard?"
Jian You hunched her shoulders, looking like she'd done something wrong. After his outburst, Yu Hekun felt a twinge of regret, watching her expression closely.
Jian You, like a kitten rejected by its owner, leaned weakly, pitifully, and helplessly against Yu Hekun's chest. "I don't just hug anyone! I saw your car come back. How was I supposed to know your brother would be with you? Don't be so mean to me."
After saying this, she felt thoroughly disgusted with herself. But Yu Hekun seemed to eat it up, his anger deflating instantly. He cleared his throat and said, "My brother is back. He won't be staying more than a couple of days. Be on your best behavior these next few days. No more wearing this kind of ridiculous stuff. Just stay away from him, that's all."
If this were a normal couple, the girlfriend would probably feel hurt by Yu Hekun's words. Why should she have to tiptoe around just because his family is visiting? Was she that disgraceful? Someone with stronger self-esteem might even start overthinking it.
But Jian Youyou was different. She had no self-esteem, at least not in this illusory dream world. And she had a very precise understanding of her own position, one that had never changed: she was kept by Yu Hekun as a substitute for the female lead. She was just a cheap knock-off, similar in appearance only.
What does a knock-off need with convincing jealousy? All she needed to do was play the vicious supporting female character who, unable to win the male lead's love, resorts to foolish methods to persecute the female lead before their love blazes fiercely, and then in the end, walk away lonely and forlorn with a huge sum of money.
When the time came, she just needed to "grieve in secret" while clutching the icy eight-figure sum in her bank account to complete her mission perfectly.
Her storyline only lasted until about one-third of the plot. As for how the male and female leads would later engage in their torturous, deep love, it had nothing to do with her.
So she nodded very obediently and said dutifully, "I'll be very good. But you have to promise me one condition."
A little willful and a bit of bargaining was harmless. Jian Youyou looked at Yu Hekun eagerly. Her brother's arrival had nothing to do with her; she just wanted to follow the plot.
"What is it?" Yu Hekun asked, using his suit jacket to wrap her up completely and pulling her towards the staircase as he walked.
Leaning against him, boneless as if being carried up the stairs, Jian Youyou clung to the edge of the jacket and said, "I want to sleep with you tonight."
Yu Hekun almost missed his step and refused immediately, "No."
Jian Youyou bit her finger, putting on a pitiful, dejected look. "Why not?"
Yu Hekun gave her a complicated look but didn't explain, just repeated, "No."
Jian Youyou pouted and lowered her head, not saying anything more. But she had no intention of giving up. She had already decided that after the next plot point concluded, she might as well take cash home directly. Many things didn't circulate between the two worlds, but money was indistinguishable. The Book had also promised that as long as she completed the mission, anything she could bring back to the real world would be real.
So even if the cash really differed from the real world, the Book would convert it for her. Under her bed, if she lifted it up, there was plenty of space to hide lots of things. If she wanted to take wool home, she had to shear it from the sheep itself. Yu Hekun, this big fat sheep, was right in front of her. To shear him, she had to get close to do it properly.
So Jian Youyou dragged her feet, taking very slow steps, hanging onto Yu Hekun like a piece of bark stuck to a tree. "The night is so long. I'm so scared sleeping alone."
Yu Hekun dragged her along. What she wore was already too little, and with him using more force, the already inadequate nightgown became even more revealing. Yu Hekun had to stop to let the nightgown fall back into place. His eyes were going blind.
"You always slept alone before, slept like a log. Never saw you scared," Yu Hekun glared at Jian Youyou. "Stop messing around, go back to your room."
But Jian Youyou acted spoiled. As Yu Hekun dragged her, she went limp, her limbs offering no support, and her slippers tumbled down to the first floor.
"Brother Kun, slow down, my shoe fell off," Jian Youyou said seriously. "The floor is so cold. Go get it for me."
Yu Hekun set her down on the stairs and actually went down to pick up the shoe. Jian Youyou took the opportunity to take off the suit jacket tangled around her and draped it over the railing. When Yu Hekun picked up the shoe and looked up, she called to him, "Brother Kun, I dressed up specially for you today. Won't you even look at me?"
Yu Hekun had just stepped onto the first stair. He looked up at Jian Youyou standing near the second floor. From this angle, he instantly averted his gaze, his ears and neck flushing red. Holding a slipper in one hand, he coughed twice. His other hand grabbed his tie, pulling it down a bit. He felt somewhat short of breath.
"Hurry up and put your clothes on. There are other people in the house. How can you be so shameless?" Yu Hekun hissed at her in a low voice, quickly walking to her side. He didn't even bother putting her shoes on. Grabbing the jacket that was slipping down the railing, and taking advantage of the height difference—him on the lower step, her on the higher one—he hooked his arm around her waist, pulled her towards himself, pressed her against his shoulder, and hoisted her up directly. He wrapped the jacket around her lower body and strode straight towards the second floor.
He was quite strong after all.
He was a man, huh. Fragile he might be, but when he was fine, dealing with a little thing like Jian Youyou was more than enough.
Jian Youyou let out an "aiyoyo" as she was hoisted up, head down, not daring to move recklessly anymore, but her mouth still wouldn't quit. "Good Brother Kun, don't you miss me? We're a lone man and a lone woman. Who would we be letting down if we didn't set something on fire?"
Smack! Yu Hekun, unable to bear it any longer, slapped Jian Youyou's butt through the suit jacket.
Jian Youyou let out a light gasp, knowing today's plan was a bust. She turned into a noodle, both ends drooping softly over Yu Hekun's shoulders, and fell silent.
She wasn't bothered by being slapped, but Yu Hekun's face flushed red all the way to the crown of his head. He felt as if he were still running a fever like yesterday, urgently needing to cool down.
He strode to the door of Jian Youyou's room, turned the knob directly, walked in, and kicked the door shut with his foot. Jian Youyou was thrown onto her bed, bouncing up a bit. It didn't hurt; it was even kind of fun.
Yu Hekun stood by the bed, pulled the quilt and directly wrapped Jian Youyou up in it. Only then did he wipe his face with his hand and said "ferociously," "You behave yourself!"
Wrapped up like a silkworm chrysalis, Jian Youyou blinked at Yu Hekun, bent her body, and rolled on the bed like a caterpillar. "Look at me like this. How could I not behave?"
Yu Hekun took off his tie, wound it around his hand a couple of times, and said to Jian Youyou, "No more of this nonsense, understand?"
Jian Youyou nodded obediently, thinking to herself, I won't do it, I won't. Next time, I'll just go for a direct night assault. That'll be quicker.
Yu Hekun pointed a finger at her sternly once more, then turned to leave. But just as he turned, Jian Youyou lifted the quilt in one move, preparing to struggle one more time. She grabbed his belt from behind and pulled hard. Snap! It sounded like the belt broke.
What kind of thing is this? So flimsy.
Jian Youyou looked at Yu Hekun, who had been pulled onto his back on the bed, dazed for a moment before hurriedly pressing a hand to his waist. She laughed unkindly, pounced in front of him and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Brother Kun, good Brother Kun, stay with me a little longer. It's still early."
“Are you crazy?” Yu Hekun sat up. “If you keep this up, I’ll twist your head off!”
He started talking tough again. Jian Youyou didn't care. She simply half-knelt, wrapped her arms around his waist from behind, and pulled him towards the quilt with force.
Because both hands were busy holding his belt, Yu Hekun, being dragged onto the bed...
When Jian Youyou wrapped him up in the quilt, he was like a thoroughly cooked prawn, lying on his side pressing his belt, red all through.
His face buried in the pillow, he muffledly shouted from his mouth, "Don't be like this... I'm really angry!"
Go ahead and be angry. What else can you do besides talking about killing people?
She had long seen through Yu Hekun's clam-like nature. Once the shell was pried open and the soft flesh inside was seen, was she afraid he'd spit out a pearl to kill her?
She simply wrapped the half-dangling belt around Yu Hekun's wrist a couple of times and tied it tight.
