Uncertain, So Keep Pretending

Yu An's voice was a little low. He Li'an wasn't sure he had heard him correctly, so he asked again, "What did you say?"

"I said, forget it." Yu An leaned back in his wheelchair, his tone languid.

For a moment, He Li'an couldn't quite make out the emotion in Yu An's words.

But one thing was certain: Yu An had rejected him again.

This was the second time today.

After a few seconds of silence, He Li'an finally asked, "Why?"

"I don't like waiting." There was faint irritation in Yu An's voice.

That year, when his parents had taken his younger sister on a trip, they had told him to wait for them to come back.

He had waited year after year, going from longing and anticipation to utter despair.

They had never returned.

So...

Waiting was the most meaningless thing in the world.

He Li'an didn't think much of it, assuming Yu An was simply fickle like a child.

After leaving the school infirmary, He Li'an crouched in front of Yu An and asked, "Should I notify your family to pick you up, or should I take you home?"

"No one's at my house." Here, he didn't even have a home.

He Li'an seemed to think of something, and his gaze softened further. "Is there anyone else who can take care of you?"

Yu An frowned in confusion. "You don't want to take care of me?"

He had been hurt because of He Li'an. He thought He Li'an should take care of him.

Though He Li'an was innocent too, Yu An was determined to cling to him anyway.

At that thought, he suddenly understood why he had been transported into this novel.

Probably because he was just as uncivilized as those people who had stepped on him before and never apologized.

No one had ever questioned He Li'an like that.

Yu An's tone wasn't sharp. Instead, his excessive calmness made him sound utterly justified. After meeting those clear, innocent eyes for a moment, He Li'an actually felt a little guilty.

"I do."

"Then let's go."

"Go where?"

"To your house."

"..."

"Wow~"

Sitting in his wheelchair, Yu An looked up at the enormous, luxurious crystal chandelier on the ceiling and exclaimed, "That's such a big light."

It was so big that if it fell, it could probably crush ten of him to death.

"Is it that big?" He Li'an copied him and looked up at the chandelier. "Doesn't your house have one like this?"

There wasn't any malice in his tone. He was simply curious.

The house Yu An had lived in before hadn't actually been small.

But compared to He Li'an's home, it was completely insignificant.

Remembering his earlier guess, he said solemnly, "No. My living room is too big, so we have three chandeliers. They're a little smaller than yours."

"Three?" He Li'an sounded somewhat confused, but then seemed to convince himself. "Your living room really is very big."

Did he believe him?

Then did that mean he could have a huge house that could fit three chandeliers?

Uncertain. Better keep pretending.

Yu An cleared his throat and said modestly, "It's all right, I guess."

As he spoke, he watched He Li'an.

He Li'an's expression remained gentle, and he didn't seem to doubt him.

"Young Master."

A man approached them.

He looked to be around thirty. His suit and hair were immaculate; even the curve of the folds in his bow tie was perfectly even. He appeared elegant and composed.

He Li'an nodded slightly and told Yu An in a low voice, "This is my butler, Zhu Wen."

Then he looked at the butler. "Zhu Wen, this is my junior, Yu An. He'll be staying at my house to recover from his injuries for a while."

"Young Master Yu An." Zhu Wen bowed respectfully to Yu An, his shoulders, back, and legs held perfectly straight to form a standard ninety-degree angle.

Yu An stared at Zhu Wen in amazement, wondering whether he had an invisible ruler strapped to his back.

He was someone with intense focus, and that applied when he looked at people too.

Even He Li'an noticed that he had been staring at Zhu Wen, but Zhu Wen didn't so much as blink. He merely asked He Li'an respectfully about his lunch preferences, displaying exemplary professionalism.

"Young Master, should lunch be prepared according to your usual preferences?"

He Li'an didn't answer. Instead, he bent down and asked Yu An, "What do you want to eat?"

Without hesitation, Yu An made his request. "Meat, vegetables, and rice. For fruit after the meal, I want something low in sugar."

He Li'an straightened and looked at Zhu Wen. "Prepare it according to his request."

"Very well." Zhu Wen tilted his head slightly and instructed the maid behind him, "Go prepare it."

After the maid left, Zhu Wen said, "I'll prepare a guest room for Young Master Yu An."

Before leaving, Zhu Wen glanced at Yu An again.

There was no emotion in that glance, but Yu An sensed hostility.

Zhu Wen had an issue with him.

Before lunch was ready, He Li'an took Yu An around the house.

After all, Yu An would be recovering at his home for some time. As the host, it was necessary for him to familiarize his guest with the place.

The He residence was huge. Farther in, there were several separate houses, and behind them lay vast lawns and woods. Yu An had no idea what they were for.

He Li'an explained, "That's an orchard Zhu Wen had people plant. When we have time, I'll drive you over there."

The lawn sloped downward, hiding the orchard beyond it from view.

An orchard. Driving there. Inside the house.

Yu An felt that his previous claim about a house with three chandeliers had been far too conservative.

He should have just said he lived in a castle.

Just then, Zhu Wen came looking for them.

"Young Master, Young Master Yu An, lunch is ready."

After saying that, he stepped forward to help push Yu An's wheelchair.

Yu An maneuvered his electric wheelchair aside himself and rejected him flatly. "No need."

Zhu Wen's expression stiffened slightly. "My apologies. I overstepped."

Yu An silently looked at Zhu Wen for two seconds before turning to smile at He Li'an. "Senior He, can you push me back?"

There were several turns on the way back, and he couldn't be bothered to control the wheelchair himself.

Zhu Wen had an issue with him. Yu An was afraid Zhu Wen would take the chance to retaliate.

People's hearts could be very wicked.

But He Li'an wasn't wicked.

"Of course." He Li'an came over without hesitation and helped push his wheelchair.

"Young Master..." Zhu Wen wanted to say something else, but He Li'an shot him a warning look, and he fell silent.

Lunch was lavish.

The dishes covered half of the two-meter-wide dining table.

Zhu Wen led the servants as they set the table. He knew He Li'an's dietary preferences and skillfully arranged his meal, when Yu An's voice came from beside him. "No."

He Li'an turned to look as well.

Each time a servant reached their chopsticks toward a dish, Yu An repeated only those two words: "No."

Zhu Wen frowned, but considering He Li'an's attitude toward Yu An, he said nothing and first checked He Li'an's expression.

Yu An was thin. Seated before the long table, he looked small and frail, with a pale, sickly face. The way he frowned and said no wasn't irritating at all; instead, it made people feel sorry for him.

He Li'an sighed inwardly. Sure enough, he was a picky child.

He raised a hand, signaling for the servants to leave.

Only then did he ask Yu An, "What's wrong? None of this suits your taste?"