Even Ten Scumbags Wouldn't Be Enough for Him to Toy With

Tao Zhiyan usually had plenty of little facial expressions.

After all, he was a butler and had to stay serious most of the time. So whenever he couldn't resist making a snarky remark, he would unconsciously arch a brow, purse his lips, or narrow his eyes.

But now, Tao Zhiyan stood completely frozen. His eyes were round with shock, his mouth slightly open, making him look rather dazed.

Feng Ze couldn't help chuckling.

At that laugh, Tao Zhiyan suddenly snapped out of it.

Wait, had he just been flirted with by the character he'd written again??

Damn it! This was intolerable!

Tao Zhiyan decided to lay his cards on the table. "Then would you help me, Eldest Young Master?"

"With Bai Ruan?" Feng Ze asked.

Tao Zhiyan nodded.

If Feng Ze could help with Bai Ruan's situation, things would be much easier.

Feng Ze wasn't particularly interested in meddling in other people's business. "Depends on my mood," he replied casually.

Tao Zhiyan, however, took that to mean there was room for negotiation. He raised a hand and confidently made an OK sign.

From that day onward, Feng Ze received two greetings every morning without fail.

[Peach: Good morning~ It's cloudy today, with a temperature of 17 degrees. There's a big temperature difference between day and night, so remember to bring a jacket! /rose/rose/rose]

[Peach: Wishing you a wonderful mood today too~~~ /heart/heart/heart]

Besides those, he also received a special notification for an anonymous feed post.

[Anonymous: I can't with this. The Second Young Master has locked his little stand-in in the room again! It's been three whole weeks!!

I just don't get it. Don't you domineering CEOs have jobs to go to?

The Second Young Master stays in his room every day and only comes out at mealtimes. He dishes up the food, then takes it upstairs.

Another day of hating that lunatic!!]

His chat messages and feed posts were like two completely different people.

Feng Ze found their little mole rather amusing.

Tao Zhiyan saw absolutely nothing wrong with sending Feng Ze those two messages.

A weather forecast and warm wishes-how thoughtful!

The feed post, though, was a misunderstanding. Tao Zhiyan had thought he was hiding it from Feng Ze, not notifying him to take a look.

After posting it, Tao Zhiyan sighed.

Feng Yan must have confiscated Bai Ruan's phone. For more than half a month, Tao Zhiyan hadn't received a single message from him.

He had no idea whether Bai Ruan could win Feng Yan over.

What if he failed to win Feng Yan over and got bullied instead...?

At that thought, Tao Zhiyan tossed his phone aside and buried his head in his pillow.

If he still couldn't see Bai Ruan in another couple of days, he would just take him away.

Revenge could wait.

But to his surprise, early the next morning, Tao Zhiyan heard Bai Ruan calling him outside his room.

"Butler Tao," Bai Ruan said, knocking on his door. "Are you asleep?"

At first, Tao Zhiyan thought he was hearing things. Once he realized it wasn't a dream, his eyes flew open, and he got out of bed to pull the door open.

Bai Ruan stood perfectly fine in the doorway, even smiling with narrowed eyes when he saw him.

After more than half a month apart, Bai Ruan had lost a little weight, but otherwise hadn't changed much.

His little curls had grown longer, hanging over his forehead and poking at his eyes. Bai Ruan brushed his bangs aside and smiled at Tao Zhiyan.

"Ruanruan!" Feng Yan called from downstairs. "Coming down for breakfast?"

"I'll take you to get your hair cut afterward."

"Okay, give me a minute," Bai Ruan answered. Then he gave Tao Zhiyan a playful wink and whispered, "Bro, the plan's going smoothly!"

Their plan was to make Feng Yan truly unable to live without Bai Ruan, make him fall in love with him, and then disappear completely.

Tao Zhiyan nodded. "As long as you're okay."

"I'm fine~"

"Ruanruan!" No sooner had Bai Ruan spoken than Feng Yan called again from downstairs, as though even one second with Bai Ruan out of his sight made him anxious. "Are you done yet?"

"All done. Coming." Bai Ruan waved at Tao Zhiyan, then turned and ran downstairs.

Feng Yan's attitude had changed so much that Tao Zhiyan hardly recognized him.

Tao Zhiyan closed the door, washed up in his room, changed, and went out.

Bai Ruan and Feng Yan were eating breakfast.

Feng Yan's eyes seemed glued to Bai Ruan the whole time. He kept watching him as though Bai Ruan might vanish if he so much as blinked.

Eventually, Bai Ruan couldn't take it anymore. "Is there something on my face?" he asked irritably.

"No." Feng Yan had completely lost his former arrogance. He looked at Bai Ruan and, after a long silence, asked tentatively, "Can I come with you to get your hair cut?"

"No need," Bai Ruan replied.

"..." Feng Yan hesitated, then finally asked, "Then can I take you to campus after your haircut?"

Bai Ruan refused again. "No need. Haven't you been away from the office for ages? Go to work. I can manage on my own."

Feng Yan answered immediately. "Work isn't as important as you. I want to go with you."

Bai Ruan answered just as quickly. "I don't want you to."

Feng Yan opened his mouth, his fingers curling slightly. Although unhappy, he didn't dare protest. "..."

Tao Zhiyan was nearly stunned by the scene, his head full of question marks.

Wait, what had happened in those three weeks? How had their attitudes completely reversed?

Hadn't Feng Yan been telling Bai Ruan to drop out before? Why was he not only dropping that demand now, but even offering to drive Bai Ruan to campus?

Was this still the same scumbag?

How had he turned into such a devoted puppy?

Bai Ruan now had complete control in their relationship.

He no longer deliberately tried to please Feng Yan or worried that Feng Yan would leave him. Now, he loved only himself.

Feng Yan peeled all the shrimp, then pushed them in front of Bai Ruan.

Bai Ruan didn't even glance at them. He took a tissue and wiped his mouth. "I'm done eating."

Then Bai Ruan picked up the books on the sofa and stood.

Feng Yan stood with him. "You only have one class this afternoon, right? It's such a long trip. Let me pick you up afterward?"

"No need. I'm going to the library."

"Then I'll wait outside for you until you-"

"Feng Yan," Bai Ruan suddenly interrupted. He looked back at Feng Yan with a slight frown. "Don't you think you're being annoying?"

The words left Feng Yan speechless, rooted to the spot.

He was over six feet tall, yet at that moment he looked like a child who had done something wrong, lips pressed tight without a word.

Tao Zhiyan was dumbfounded.

Wait, how had that once insufferably arrogant player become so pathetic?

What on earth had he missed???

Bai Ruan ignored Feng Yan entirely and went to change his shoes, textbooks in his arms.

Feng Yan held himself back again and again, but eventually stepped forward and asked cautiously, "Then... Ruanruan, you really won't leave me, right?"

Bai Ruan was clearly impatient. He pulled his shoes on properly, then looked at Feng Yan with knitted brows, as though saying, You're so noisy.

Of course Feng Yan knew Bai Ruan was annoyed, but he desperately wanted an answer.

He truly couldn't live without Bai Ruan. He really couldn't...

The man's eyes reddened, and even his usually cold, haughty voice trembled. He looked at Bai Ruan, desperate for an answer. "Bai Ruan, you won't leave me, right?"

Bai Ruan looked at Feng Yan expressionlessly. After a long moment, he said coldly, "You keep asking these things every day. You're really annoying."

Then he pulled the front door open without looking back.

Feng Yan stood there, looking slightly dazed. An aching bitterness welled up from his heart. Having Bai Ruan right before his eyes yet being unable to hold on to him felt suffocating.

The man slowly lowered his head, quiet and helpless.

"Mm." Bai Ruan suddenly responded just as he was about to leave.

Feng Yan jerked his head up, his eyes brightening, his fingers lightly closing.

That "mm"-was he saying he wouldn't leave him?

"I thought about it," Bai Ruan said without turning around, though his tone softened a little. "It does seem pretty far. If you want to pick me up, go ahead."

Feng Yan visibly lit up at those words. Unable to hold himself back any longer, he stepped forward.

He gave Bai Ruan a careful, gentle hug, the corners of his mouth lifting into a broad smile. "Okay. I'll pick you up."

Now Tao Zhiyan understood why Feng Yan had changed so much.

Those few remarks from Bai Ruan sent Feng Yan's emotions soaring and plunging like a roller coaster. Of course he was hooked!

Well, well, well. Bai Ruan had mastered his lessons.

Tao Zhiyan felt reassured.

Now, even ten Feng Yans wouldn't be enough for him to toy with!

As he was thinking that, his phone suddenly chimed.

Tao Zhiyan lit up the screen and discovered that Feng Ze, who had never initiated a conversation with him, had actually sent him a message.

[Feng: ?]

*?*

Tao Zhiyan didn't understand.

What did ? mean?

Rather confused, Tao Zhiyan replied in kind:

[Peach: ?]

The other side displayed [Typing...] for five minutes before a new message finally arrived.

[Feng: Haven't you forgotten something today?]

Tao Zhiyan was even more confused.

[Peach: .]

[Peach: Forgotten what?]

The other side displayed [Typing...] for ten minutes. In the end, the indicator disappeared without another message.

The exchange left Tao Zhiyan baffled.

But a domineering CEO's mind was a mystery. Who knew what they were thinking?

Tao Zhiyan didn't ask again.

With all his employers out of the house that day, Tao Zhiyan was utterly at ease. He spent the entire day doing nothing but snacking and catching up on sleep.

Then, toward evening, his phone chimed a few more times.

Several messages sat quietly on the screen.

[Feng: It rained today.]

[Feng: You didn't send me the weather forecast.]

[Feng: No wonderful mood.]