You Win

After dinner at the Chu Household, Jiang Yun held Xia Yu's hand as she saw him out, lovingly reminding him, "If they bully you at home or make you feel wronged, come tell Auntie Jiang. I'll stand up for you, understand?"

Xia Yu nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Auntie Jiang."

"Such a good boy."

Standing nearby, Chu Lan practically rolled his eyes into the heavens. It would be good enough if Xia Yu did not bully anyone.

"What kind of expression is that?" Chu Yuan sternly gave him a kick. "Look after Xiaoyu. He just came back to the country, so take him out and show him around."

Chu Lan was unwilling. "How would I have time to take him out? We're recording a show next week, I'm busy. He's a grown man—does he need someone to take him out to play? It's not like he's a three-year-old."

"You little—"

"Uncle Chu, if Brother is busy, then let him be busy." Xia Yu was exceptionally understanding. "His career comes first."

Jiang Yun gave a scornful laugh. "He runs around everywhere with those teammates of his every day, attracting a bunch of little girls to chase after them. What kind of proper career is that?"

"Mom! I'm seriously pursuing my dream in the entertainment industry. How is that not a career?"

"Hehe. Prancing around onstage, twitching your eyes, humping the floor—is that proper?"

Chu Lan laughed in exasperation. "What do you know? Those are dance moves. A wink!"

"Oh. Improper."

"You! I can't be bothered talking to you!"

Xia Yu smiled. "Brother's group is really popular right now. I often saw huge billboards for their group even in the United States."

Chu Lan proudly raised his chin. "Of course. We're a world-class top idol boy group. What did you think?"

"Brother is amazing."

"Hehehe..."

Jiang Yun patted the back of Xia Yu's hand with a loving expression. "Are you interested, Xiaoyu? Do you want to give it a try too? You're so good-looking, you'd definitely be even more popular than them. Once you become a big star, Auntie Jiang will go support you."

Chu Lan was stunned. "Mom! You just said this wasn't a proper career! Now you're talking about becoming a big star and supporting him!"

"Shut up. Xiaoyu is different from you little punks who dye your hair every color under the sun."

"..." So this was what double standards looked like when taken to perfection.

Xia Yu shook his head. "I won't get involved."

"If you don't want to, then you don't have to."

"Then I'll head back first. Bye, Auntie Jiang. Bye, Uncle Chu."

Jiang Yun waved. "Bye-bye. You can come over anytime."

"Got it."

Chu Yuan kicked Chu Lan again when he saw him standing there motionlessly. "Go walk Xiaoyu home."

Covering his butt, Chu Lan reluctantly followed. "It's right next door. What's there to walk him home for? It's not like he can get lost..."

Beep!

As the two walked side by side down the road, a piercing horn suddenly sounded behind them.

Chu Lan frowned and tugged Xia Yu's arm, switching places with him so that Xia Yu walked on the inside.

Beep! Beep!

The horn blared even more aggressively.

"What the hell is wrong with that car? Isn't this road wide enough for it to pass? Honking like crazy in the middle of the night and disturbing everyone."

Xia Yu stopped walking and said calmly, "You should go back. You don't need to walk me home."

The Xia Household villa was just around the corner, so he had indeed been walked home. Chu Lan hurriedly nodded. "Okay, I'm heading back. Bye!"

He turned around with unparalleled smoothness.

As he passed the black Hummer, he cast a somewhat displeased glance inside. Instead, he met a pair of black, icy eyes. A chill rose in his heart without warning, and he immediately looked away, hurrying back home.

The car stopped in front of Xia Yu. Chi Yan lowered the rear window and said coldly, "Get in."

This time, Xia Yu was very cooperative. He opened the back door and got in.

"Good evening, Young Master."

"Mmph... mmph..."

Chi Yi had replaced the driver, while Chi Er sat in the passenger seat with tape over his mouth.

The chill around Chi Yan did not lessen at all during the ride, while Xia Yu acted as though he felt nothing and did not say a word.

After returning to the hotel suite, Chi Yi and Chi Er did not dare follow them inside. They stood guard outside like door gods.

Chi Yan sat on the sofa and lit a cigarette, his tone cold. "Tomorrow morning, you're coming back to the United States with me."

Xia Yu stood with his head lowered. "I'm not going back."

"I'm informing you, not asking for your opinion."

"You have no right to control me."

Bang! He kicked over the small coffee table in front of him, his eyes filled with cold menace. "You said I have no right?!"

Xia Yu seemed frightened. He trembled slightly and took two steps back, but remained stubborn. "You don't."

Chi Yan's anger flared. "Xia Yu! Stop deliberately provoking me!"

"I'm not." He slowly raised his head, his peach blossom eyes brimming with tears. "I don't want to see you right now. I need to be alone for a while."

"And by being alone, you mean getting all lovey-dovey with another man?!"

"The best way to heal from emotional wounds is to start another relationship. Besides, he isn't some other man. He's my childhood friend—we grew up together."

"Bullshit!" In twenty-eight years of life, it was the first time Chi Yan had cursed.

"..."

"Can't you put your mind toward something proper? All you think about is romance. Did you grow nothing but a lovesick brain? Are men really that great?!"

"..."

"Speak!"

Xia Yu pressed his lips together. "There's nothing to say. I'm going home."

"Stop! You're sleeping here tonight, and tomorrow you're returning to the United States with me!"

Xia Yu turned a deaf ear and turned to open the door.

Just as his hand touched the doorknob, a cold gust of force swept over from behind. The next second, his entire body was pinned against the wall. The back of his head struck it, and pain made him suck in a breath. Fuck!

Chi Yan gripped his shoulder blade hard and gritted out, "Do you have to force me to lose my temper?"

Xia Yu's face went pale. "It hurts..."

Chi Yan sneered, grabbed his arm, and dragged him toward the bedroom. "Be good and listen. Don't make yourself suffer."

After forcibly throwing him into the bedroom, he blocked the doorway. "Tomorrow morning, I'll have someone bring your cat along too. Stop throwing a tantrum."

Xia Yu fell onto the bed. He stared at Chi Yan with reddened eyes for a long while before tears began to fall in heavy drops. "Chi Yan, don't go too far."

Chi Yan's heart clenched for a moment, and he instinctively softened his tone. "I'm doing this for your own good. You're still young. You don't understand anything..."

"You hit me. I hate you."

"I didn't hit you." He sighed and stepped forward in regret, touching Xia Yu's head. "I lost control just now. I apologize, but you have to come back to the United States with me tomorrow morning."

Xia Yu looked up at him pitifully, his tear-filled eyes hazy as he held Chi Yan's wrist.

Chi Yan's heart instantly softened. "Xiaxia, be good."

The next second, Xia Yu yanked hard on his wrist, flipped over, pinned his head down, and pressed him beneath himself in a grappling hold.

Chi Yan froze for two seconds. Once he came to his senses, his face darkened. He reached back with his free hand, intending to throw the person on his back off.

Xia Yu's gaze turned fierce. He grabbed the ashtray from the bedside table and smashed it down on Chi Yan's head.

Chi Yan's vision went black, and he instantly lost consciousness. Even in the final second before closing his eyes, he had never expected Xia Yu to strike him so brutally.