Going Home

The Wei Family's old estate was enormous, and the servants' building where Shi Yuan and Wei Zelin lived was the most secluded of all. Since Shi Yuan had been deliberately avoiding him lately, he hadn't run into Wei Zexuan. He had no idea whether Wei Zexuan had vented his anger by having someone threaten him and then beating him up, or whether he had moved on to tormenting someone else.

You Gui had landed a job at Magic Cube Technology in S City. Apparently, it was one of the biggest companies around, ranking among the top fifty nationwide. Best of all, it wasn't a family business, but an internet technology company that had risen over the past decade. The wildly popular Magic Sound Video was its flagship product.

It also had all kinds of spin-off products. The first wave of viral internet celebrities had all been cultivated by Magic Sound Video. They had since branched out on their own, and some had even entered show business and acted in movies.

Magic Cube Technology had a hand in all sorts of industries, and its assets were a mystery. After building it into a powerhouse, its legal representative had immediately handed it over to professional managers. He was an extremely mysterious tycoon.

Even You Gui hadn't expected things to go so smoothly. After all, she didn't have much experience, and Magic Cube Technology was notorious for its strict hiring standards.

"You know, Shi Yuan, our office is gorgeous! The interior is so much fun, and it looks incredibly futuristic." You Gui made an exaggerated gesture on the other end of the video call.

She made Shi Yuan laugh.

You Gui's pretty face was especially radiant today, as though she had shed some burden. She seemed wonderfully relaxed, and even her eyes shone with ease and vitality.

She went on, "My coworkers are nothing like the people at the Wei Corporation, either. They practically breeze through the halls. Especially our general manager-he always looks stern and gets things done at lightning speed. Whenever I run into him at work, I'm too scared to talk to him."

You Gui hadn't been an outgoing person before, yet now she was even joking with Shi Yuan.

Hearing the liveliness in her voice, Shi Yuan was happy for her. It hadn't even been a month since they had last parted, but You Gui had visibly changed after starting her job in S City. The melancholy that had always lingered on her face was gradually giving way to smiles.

"Are all your coworkers that serious, too? Are they easy to get along with?"

Shi Yuan could hardly be blamed for being sensitive. In the novel, You Gui seemed to attract hostility wherever he went, and barely anyone around him was a decent person. His coworkers at the Wei Corporation were especially bad. Dressed in sharp suits and looking perfectly respectable, they all played the understanding big sister or caring big brother, but they were actually the ones who hurt him most. Those veteran employees had played the biggest part in what had happened to him at the Wei Family Manor last time.

You Gui heard the concern in his words, and warmth filled her heart.

"Don't worry. I mean they're really focused when they're working, and they're all very efficient. But they're nice people. Fangfang, who sits across from me, shares fruit and snacks with me every day. I even have people to eat with at the cafeteria now."

An indulgent smile spread across Shi Yuan's face. "That's good," he said, relieved.

This was good. She hadn't yet suffered through the ordeals that came later in the original novel, so she wasn't overly guarded or closed off. At most, she was introverted.

She was still young. She couldn't go through the rest of her life without making friends just because of past misfortunes. Shi Yuan was genuinely happy for her.

While they were chatting happily, a soft melody rang out, and the video window showing You Gui automatically shrank on Shi Yuan's phone.

"Old Man calling"

It was Shi's Father.

"Gui, I have a call to take. Let's talk later."

After ending the video call with You Gui, Shi Yuan grumbled inwardly, Why is he calling me?

Shi Yuan stared at the vibrating phone. Only when it stopped ringing and began a second time did he reluctantly answer.

Apparently, this wasn't just a passing whim. He probably couldn't dodge it.

"Dad."

"What took you so long to answer?" Shi's Father's voice sounded somewhat impatient.

By the time Shi Yuan decided to answer, he had already prepared his excuse.

"I was in the shower. I didn't hear it."

He could hear someone quietly soothing Shi's Father in the background, and Shi's Father's voice turned kindly again.

"Yuanyuan, you've been married for a while now. Why haven't you come home to see your mom and dad?"

Sounding slightly puzzled, Shi Yuan said, "Huh? I just went to the cemetery to visit my mom's grave a few days ago. She told me in a dream that she liked green peonies, so I bought her a huge bouquet!"

The soft murmurs of reassurance abruptly stopped. Shi Yuan could even hear two people breathing heavily on the other end. Clearly, they were furious.

Shi Yuan's eyes curved, and the corners of his mouth rose in a silent smile.

A full two minutes passed before the people on the other end calmed down.

"You and your jokes. I meant your Aunt Hou. If you don't want to call her Mom, that's fine. I won't force you. How about this? Tomorrow's the weekend. Bring Zelin home for dinner tomorrow evening."

Shi Yuan certainly didn't want to go. More than four months had passed since Wei Zelin had picked him up from the hospital, and Shi's Father hadn't contacted him once during that time.

Now he was suddenly asking him to come home, and to bring Wei Zelin? It certainly wasn't to strengthen their father-son bond. Chances were, nothing good would come of it. He would have to be an idiot to indulge him.

Imitating the original owner's disdainful tone, Shi Yuan said, "No. I'm busy. Why bring him up? Are you seriously treating him as your son-in-law?"

As though he had anticipated Shi Yuan's refusal, Shi's Father said casually, "I've retrieved all your mother's jewelry from the bank. It was originally meant for your future wife. You and Zelin are both men, so neither of you can wear it anyway. Since you won't come home, I'll just give it to your aunt."

It wasn't his stuff to begin with. Shi Yuan didn't care who he gave it to.

"Whatever. Give it to whoever you want."

Shi's Father clearly hadn't expected him to refuse, and his voice grew urgent. "You don't even want your mother's belongings?"

...Her belongings.

The casual expression on Shi Yuan's face froze. Those words suddenly struck a chord, piercing his indifference.

"Shi Yuan, you're still young. You haven't even graduated. What if you squander your parents' inheritance? By the time you graduate and come home, you won't even have enough money to get married!"

"I'm your own uncle. Would I cheat you? I'll keep everything safe for you and give it back when you find someone and get married."

"Yuanyuan, your uncle is right. Your cousin is our only daughter, and your uncle truly sees you as his own son. Are you really afraid we won't give it back? Come to the notary's office with me now. All you have to do is sign your name. Then I'll take you home, away from this sad place."

"Yuanyuan, you mustn't believe a single word those two say. We'll stay right here at home. We aren't going anywhere. This is your house. Why should you leave?

"You don't have to be scared of living here, either. I'll come stay with you. Your cousin's wife just had a baby, and children bring plenty of warmth and life. Once our whole family moves in, it'll be even livelier than when your parents were here!"

Back then, Shi Yuan had fallen out with almost every relative he had. The moment he received the compensation money and property, he had drawn up a will stipulating that if anything happened to him, it would all be donated.

Who would've thought I'd actually die and end up in the world of a novel? he thought bitterly.

An inheritance...

Yes. When his parents died, hadn't the things they left him been exactly what he had fought so desperately to protect?

The things the original owner's mother left behind...

If I can, I'll get them back for "Shi Yuan."

Whatever the case, he was still a child of the Shi Family on the surface, and he couldn't sever those ties anytime soon. If he dodged this visit, Shi's Father would simply try again. He might as well go and see what trick he was planning. Surely he wouldn't marry his son off a second time?

"I'll ask if he's free tomorrow before deciding whether we're coming."

Shi Yuan said coldly, "Whatever you're planning to sell me out for this time, if you dare let that little starlet touch anything my mother left me, I promise you'll regret it!"

After ending the unpleasant call, Shi Yuan no longer felt like studying. His thoughts kept returning to the visit to the Shi Family.

Wei Zelin returned later that day. As soon as he entered, he found Shi Yuan waiting by the door.

"What's wrong? Need something?"

Shi Yuan found it a little hard to ask. "My dad told me to bring you home for dinner."

"Okay. When?"

To his surprise, Wei Zelin agreed without any hesitation.

"Are you free tomorrow evening?" Shi Yuan asked, somewhat taken aback.

"Yes, but you'll have to wait until I finish work."

"Sure. I'll wait outside the company for you."

Having invited Wei Zelin far more easily than expected, Shi Yuan went to bed early.

But Shi Yuan didn't have a single pleasant dream that night. He spent the whole night fighting with his vicious relatives, and in the end, a middle-aged man with a blurred face and Shi's Father's voice showed up to cause trouble, too.

He sat up wearily and checked his phone. It was only five in the morning.

He wouldn't be able to fall asleep again anyway, so Shi Yuan got up, quietly washed, and prepared to study for a while. The exam was next Monday. He knew he wasn't stupid-he had ranked third in his city on the college entrance exam back then. With half a year of diligent study on top of that, he should be fine. Still, he was meticulous by nature and never dared relax before reaching his goal.

When Wei Zelin got up to wash, he found Shi Yuan studying again, just as expected. Shi Yuan held a pen printed with a little brown bear in his other hand, occasionally underlining a passage or jotting down a few words.

His profile looked gentle and delicate in the morning light. Even the fine down on his face seemed dusted with gold, making him look pure and almost holy.

Wei Zelin stood still, silently watching him. Only when the alarm on the phone beside Shi Yuan went off did he promptly turn and close the bathroom door.

Shi Yuan came back to himself amid the soft piano music. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of the door that had just closed. He turned off the alarm. Two hours had passed without him noticing.

After Wei Zelin finished washing, Shi Yuan went in to wash his face again. The cold water jolted him awake, clearing much of the fog that had settled over his head from studying.

After breakfast, Wei Zelin went to work on time as usual. He looked like a downtrodden pushover without an ounce of ambition, content with the status quo.

Shi Yuan admired his patience and settled down to prepare for his interview.

At noon, he went downstairs for a quick bite, then changed into a white short-sleeved shirt and beige cropped pants. As usual, he took the bus, planning to wait for Wei Zelin to finish work at the café beside the Wei Corporation.

The café's air-conditioning was strong. The instant he pushed open the door, the cool air collided with the wave of heat from a passing car, making Shi Yuan shiver.

"Wasn't that Wei Zelin's car? Wasn't he at the office? Why was he coming back from outside?"

He was a little puzzled, but didn't dwell on it.