Chapter 2

In a daze, Cheng Yu heard a burst of noisy shouting. Anger flared in his heart. During the final years he had been in charge of C&C Jewelry, he had wielded power and earned a fearsome reputation. Employees, subordinates, and business partners alike wouldn't dare raise their voices in front of him. Even later, after Cheng Shao had locked him away in a sanatorium, the staff had been too wary to make a fuss around him, especially as his illness worsened and his moods grew unpredictable. Cheng Yu had long grown accustomed to quiet, particularly when he was resting.

But now, the noise outside pounded at Cheng Yu's head, leaving him unable to sleep. He abruptly opened his eyes and roared, "Shut up, all of you!"

The panicked crowd, who had been shouting for help, jumped at Cheng Yu's angry bellow. The air fell silent for a few seconds, then the noise came crashing back, even louder than before. "Hurry and save him! Someone's fallen into the water!"

Cheng Yu stared in shock at the enormous fishpond before him and the people running around, calling for help. His mind went blank.

He froze, then heard someone shout, "Call 120! Call President Pei's secretary! The young master of the Pei Family has fallen into the water!"

The young master of the Pei Family? Pei Yan?

Cheng Yu's shocked pupils suddenly contracted. Before his mind could catch up, his body had already leaped into the water on instinct, searching desperately for Pei Yan.

The noisy crowd fell silent again, then cries for help erupted even louder. "Oh no! The young master of the Cheng Family jumped into the water too!"

Cheng Yu opened his eyes wide in the murky fishpond, desperately searching for Pei Yan. After Pei Yan died, Cheng Yu had suffered the loss of his maternal grandparents in quick succession, and Chen Lingyun had promptly sent him abroad. At just seventeen, Cheng Yu had found himself in a completely unfamiliar place, unable to speak the language and still in shock. He was also hounded by rumors that he had caused three deaths. He began giving up on himself, sinking into drinking, street racing, and extreme sports. Diving had been the first dangerous thrill he chose.

So, unlike the other villagers and lifeguards who had gone into the water, Cheng Yu searched the fishpond three times and quickly found Pei Yan, who had been knocked unconscious by a rock. He hooked an arm around the unconscious Pei Yan and struggled toward the surface. The moment he broke through the water, he was completely spent.

"Found him! We found him!" The nearby lifeguards immediately swam over and took Pei Yan from him.

Cheng Yu struggled to shore, pushed through the people gathered around Pei Yan, and dropped to one knee. He performed CPR and mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in one smooth sequence. The unconscious Pei Yan suddenly made a sound and spat out several mouthfuls of water. Cheng Yu felt greatly relieved and was about to stand when a large hand pressed down on his lower back. Pei Yan hadn't even opened his eyes, yet he was already being shamelessly obnoxious. "...You stole my first kiss. You have to take responsibility for me~"

Chapter 2

Yanjing First People's Hospital.

A crowd had gathered outside the emergency examination room, anxiously watching the doctors examine Pei Yan. He was the son of Pei Zhennan, chairman of Pei Mining, C&C Jewelry's biggest supplier of raw materials. He had joined the two Cheng brothers for C&C Jewelry's team-building event, and if anything happened to him, they would never be able to answer for it.

Cheng Yu stood outside the outpatient building, his head bowed as he called his maternal grandparents. "...No one's hurt. Pei Yan is awake too... He's having some tests done at the hospital. Just stay home. Don't come over, whatever you do. Mom will handle everything..."

As he spoke, the hurried sound of footsteps approached. Cheng Yu looked up and immediately spotted Cheng Kaiyun and his wife, surrounded by a group of subordinates. He was in a suit, gentle and refined; she was impeccably made up and intimidating. The people he remembered as long-dead, their images faded and pale in his memory, had suddenly appeared before him, vividly alive. Cheng Yu unconsciously tightened his grip on his phone. His mind was still a blank when Chen Lingyun strode up to him in eight-centimeter heels and, without a word, raised her hand and slapped him—

"Smack!"

The crisp sound echoed outside the outpatient building. The noisy crowd fell silent, and passersby—medical staff, patients, and their families—turned to look, some openly, others furtively.

Cheng Yu turned his head to the side, ran his tongue along the inside of his cheek, and rubbed the back of his right hand against the burning, swollen skin on his left cheek. Chen Lingyun's sharp scolding rang in his ears again. "...How did I end up with a troublemaker who's always getting into fights? It hasn't even been that long, and the moment I took my eyes off you, you caused such a huge mess. If anything happens to Pei Yan, how am I supposed to face your Uncle Pei?"

"All right, all right!" Cheng Kaiyun hadn't managed to stop his wife from striking their younger son. So many people were passing by; there might even be reporters rushing over after hearing about the incident. "We're in public. At least spare the boy some dignity. Whatever you want to say, we can talk about it at home."

Cheng Shao, who had followed their parents, pushed through the crowd and stepped in front of Cheng Yu. Turning his head, he asked, "Which room is Pei Yan in? Take us to see him."

After a pause, Cheng Shao added, "Uncle Pei is on his way too."

At that, Chen Lingyun's expression softened a little. She snapped at Cheng Yu, "What are you standing there for?"

Cheng Yu said nothing. He simply turned and led them to the emergency examination room. Watching him walk ahead, Chen Lingyun fumed. "Just look at him. He's clearly refusing to admit he's wrong, and he probably resents me too. He caused such a huge mess, and now I'm not even allowed to say anything?"

Cheng Kaiyun could only sigh inwardly and hurry to soothe his wife. "Of course you can. I think A-Yu knows he was wrong but is too embarrassed to say so, which is why he's staying quiet. Boys are like that—they have their pride."

Chen Lingyun snorted. "He has pride? If he did, he wouldn't have scored only 500 on his final exams, ranking tenth from the bottom in his class. I don't think he has any pride at all. He's just a pig who doesn't care if he gets scalded."

Cheng Kaiyun scratched his eyebrow, at a loss for how to persuade her. Those two, mother and son, really were like sworn enemies by nature.

Chen Lingyun vented without restraint, but the moment she entered the examination room, her expression turned radiant. Seeing Pei Yan sitting on the hospital bed while the doctor examined him, she asked gently, "Yan, how are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"