What a perfect assist

But the instant that thought surfaced, Yu Qingchuan hurriedly snuffed it out.

If he offered himself to Brother Yi, that would be repaying kindness with cruelty, pure and simple.

If he and Brother Yi walked down the street together in the future, passersby would definitely point at them and say Lu Shiyi had only settled for him for his money.

Imagining that scene, Yu Qingchuan couldn't hold back a snort of laughter. Then, as though someone had pressed his laugh button, he collapsed laughing beside Lu Shiyi, his warm breath spilling over the side of Lu Shiyi's neck.

That small patch of skin on the handsome, sleeping man's neck began to flush faintly red, but the oblivious Yu Qingchuan didn't notice.

Listening to Yu Qingchuan's happy laughter, Lu Shiyi desperately wanted to know what he was laughing about. It was so infectious that he wanted to laugh along.

Only after he had laughed his fill did Yu Qingchuan straighten up and turn to look at Lu Shiyi. The man's features were simply exquisite: deep-set eyes, thick lashes, and a nose so high and straight it could serve as a slide.

Yu Qingchuan almost regretted not having studied sculpture. Otherwise, he could have sculpted Brother Yi.

"Brother Yi, how much would it cost to keep you?" Yu Qingchuan whispered, secretly indulging in some shameless talk.

Lu Shiyi: "..."

This little rascal.

Fine. Once I wake up, I'll give him a number. Hopefully, Yu Qingchuan won't get scared off.

Yu Qingchuan's gaze lingered on Lu Shiyi's face for quite a while before he finally looked away and went back to work. He had basically finished drawing his first batch of commissions. Once he touched up a few details, he could collect the remaining payments. Then he would be one wealthy fish!

The thought that he might be able to keep Brother Yi someday filled Yu Qingchuan with motivation.

After submitting his work, he saw that it was still early and got out of bed to do his weight-loss aerobics. When his stomach began to rumble, he took a lightning-fast shower, rushed out, and hurriedly climbed into Lu Shiyi's bed.

"Good night, Brother Yi. Tomorrow will be another day of losing weight, drawing, and looking after you!"

Amused again, Lu Shiyi answered in his heart, Tomorrow will be another day of keeping you company while you lose weight and draw, and letting you look after me.

Meanwhile, Yu Chenyi's dinner with Liang Xingyao had also ended. Yu Chenyi saw him to his car and watched the luxurious, ostentatious Rolls-Royce drive away, the expression on his face gradually cooling.

Yu Qingluo pressed his lips together and stepped forward. "Dad, shall we go home?"

"Mm." Yu Chenyi nodded and had the driver bring the car around, then went home with Yu Qingluo.

Su Ningyue had indeed been keeping an eye on Yu Qingchuan since he left. When she learned that he had gone to the Yu Corporation Private Hospital to care for Lu Shiyi, who was in a vegetative state, she truly couldn't make sense of it-especially after hearing that Yu Qingchuan even slept there at night.

If she hadn't known that Yu Qingchuan and Lu Shiyi had never met before, she would have assumed that those two were the couple.

Did Yu Qingchuan really love everything connected to his boyfriend so much that he would even care for his brother so attentively?

Unable to figure it out, Su Ningyue could only keep watching.

She didn't dare make it too obvious, either. After all, she had always cultivated the image of a gentle, kind stepmother who gave the children the utmost respect and care.

Still, Su Ningyue kept feeling that something was wrong, but she had no way to get to the bottom of it.

It left her feeling rather frustrated.

Just then, the butler came over to tell her that Yu Chenyi was home. Su Ningyue immediately adopted a gentle expression and went out to greet him.

The early autumn evening breeze carried a chill. Dressed in only a thin, long-sleeved dress, Su Ningyue looked soft and demure under the lights, inviting tenderness.

"You're home, darling." Su Ningyue smiled at the sight of Yu Chenyi and took his arm, leading him into the living room to sit down. She had a servant bring him water and asked softly, "Did everything go smoothly tonight?"

"It was all right." Yu Chenyi's expression was indifferent. "There's something I need to discuss with you. Xingyi wants Qingchuan to take charge of this project, and they're very firm about it. This project is important to the Yu Corporation's transformation, so I had no choice but to agree. I'll arrange another project for Qingluo later."

Su Ningyue's expression stiffened for a moment. What?

I've already driven Yu Qingchuan away. Why is he coming back?

I was too softhearted back then, only damaging his kidneys. I should have been more ruthless and given Yu Qingchuan heart disease-something so severe he couldn't even work normally.

But regrets were useless now. Su Ningyue could only think of another way.

What if I exposed his kidney problems?

All sorts of thoughts churned through Su Ningyue's mind, but she smiled and said, "Qingchuan has always been a clever child. I just wonder how he caught Mr. Liang's eye."

"It has nothing to do with his abilities. It's only because he's dating Lu Shiming." Yu Chenyi frowned, his tone unpleasant. "He's never had anything to do with business, and Liang Xingyao is a sly little fox. If he gets swindled, he might even help the man count the money."

Yu Chenyi had a truly poor impression of Yu Qingchuan. The only reason he hadn't interfered with him dating another man was that he still had Qingluo. Yet now Yu Qingchuan was using his boyfriend to put pressure on him instead.

How had he failed to notice before that his eldest son was so capable of manipulating people? He had actually managed to win Lu Shiming over.

And he was so ugly, too.

Yu Chenyi's head ached. He had heard that some people had a fetish for ugliness, but now he had truly seen it for himself.

Su Ningyue's nails dug into her palms. If Yu Qingchuan really used this opportunity to establish himself in the Yu Corporation, wouldn't all her years of scheming have been for nothing?

No. Absolutely not.

The crux of the matter was that Yu Qingchuan had gained this opportunity through his romantic relationship with Lu Shiming. The simplest solution, then, was to ruin their relationship.

How should I go about it? Su Ningyue wondered.

Suddenly, she remembered how Yu Qingchuan was caring for Lu Shiyi. Why not twist that a little?

Then I'll find out what Lu Shiming likes and find someone suitable to slip in while he's vulnerable.

In an instant, Su Ningyue had worked out her entire plan.

"Why don't we invite Qingchuan home and give him some proper advice? We're his parents, and we've raised him for all these years. No matter how blinded by love he is, he won't lose sight of that. Besides, I've really been missing him these past few days," Su Ningyue said with a smile.

Yu Chenyi remembered that Yu Qingchuan had already asked to meet him. Could this have been what he wanted to discuss?

Had he known, he would have made time to see him that afternoon. That would have been better than being caught off guard by Liang Xingyao tonight.

"All right. Make some dishes he likes, and I'll tell him to come home." After saying that, Yu Chenyi felt rather tired. Su Ningyue noticed and quickly said, "I'll run you a bath. Go have a soak."

"Mm."

While Yu Chenyi was soaking in the bath, Su Ningyue went out and found Yu Qingluo. Looking at her accomplished, handsome son, she said, "If your brother takes charge of this project and it succeeds, he'll get a great deal of credit. All the work you've done at the Yu Corporation lately will be eclipsed in an instant. Qingluo, do you understand how serious this is?"

Yu Qingluo nodded slightly. "I do."

"I don't have a powerful family to support and protect you. We can only rely on ourselves." Su Ningyue sighed. "Your brother now has a boyfriend who cares deeply for him, but I don't think the two of them are really a good match. You would be far more suitable."

Yu Qingluo's heart lurched.