*[By then, the Yu Family would definitely be brought down, and Yu Zeqi would definitely be locked up, playing out that whole he runs, they chase, he can't escape routine with those three dumbasses...*
*ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh... It's really hard not to sigh, huh? Still, I get it. Uncle Yu Yang really wasn't decent about this... But, well, you can't blame him entirely.]*
Shang Shujue's thoughts grew wilder and wilder, mixing truth with fiction, a thousand ideas swirling through his head. Everyone who heard his inner voice felt the corners of their mouths twitch. Seriously, dude, we never would've guessed you were like this. How was your imagination this rich?
*[Zhang Yunyi was so smart. Once she confirmed she was pregnant, she would've made sure she was safe. Faking a corpse would've been a piece of cake...*
*Huh? In that case, if his biological mother really does come back from the dead later, wouldn't that explain it?]*
Everyone: Explain what? ∑(´△｀)?!
*[She faked her death, changed her name, returned to her homeland, and kept dedicating herself to biological science...*
Then she discovered some perverts were harassing her son and immediately showed up with a national defense army big brother to face-slap them and crush the scum...
*Then throw in "The aloof military big sister insists on marrying me," or "The domineering military big brother loves me fiercely!" Hehehe... I think Yu Zeqi would suit these scripts pretty well...]*
Yu Zeqi: ...O_o?
Yu Yang: Uh, well...
Yun Qishan: ...?
Everyone: ∑(´△｀)?! Huh? What even was this?!
A vein throbbed at Yun Qishan's temple. This little brat! He raised a hand and gripped Shang Shujue's shoulder.
"Xiao Jue, go take care of your own things. You've met Xiao Qi now, so help your uncle look after him here from now on. Go on."
"Huh? Oh, okay, I'll go, then. Talk things through properly. Don't get too worked up."
Shang Shujue had been imagining the novel's plot after Yu Zeqi met a military big brother or big sister. Only when his shoulder was patted did he realize he'd gotten too absorbed. Coming back to himself, he heard his uncle sending him away. He didn't give it much thought and simply left.
*[What did you say? As long as an important turning point in someone's life changes, they won't be controlled by the plot afterward?*
*So Zhang Yunyi really did die of illness? ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh, what a shame to lose someone so accomplished.*
*Still, she really was a good mother. What Yu Zeqi grows into from here is up to him.]*
Once Shang Shujue stepped out of the office, his inner voice rang out again. Only after hearing this did everyone confirm that most of his earlier thoughts had been his imagination. They could only discard the dross and keep the essence.
"What we heard just now was my nephew's..."
Only after making sure Shang Shujue was far away did Yun Qishan bring up what had just happened. But as he tried to mention Shang Shujue's inner voice, his throat caught, and a suffocating sensation washed over him.
He instantly suppressed the urge to say those words, his brows tightly furrowed. "What exactly is going on?"
Yu Yang noticed this too and said nothing more. He turned his gaze to Yu Zeqi, his eyes steeped in a deep sense of having wronged him. Yu Zeqi felt his gaze but didn't respond, merely looking at his phone, a little awkward.
Yu Yang had no choice but to help explain. He told Yun Qishan and Yu Yang about the changes in Shang Shujue and everything that had happened. After learning about it, the two fell silent for a long time.
Apart from those present, no one knew exactly what had been said or done in the office that day after Shang Shujue left.
After leaving the office, Shang Shujue was about to head out of the training camp to buy breakfast. But just as he reached the entrance, he saw Song Yanqing leaning against a Cullinan.
Song Yanqing's hair had been styled into a lightly parted, textured fringe with a seventy-thirty part, which made him look quite young.
He wore a blue shirt with the collar not fully buttoned. Whenever the wind blew, his collarbones showed beneath it, along with a small black mole below his left collarbone.
His shirt sleeves were rolled up above his wrists, revealing full, powerful forearm muscles. Blue veins extended from his forearms across his slender hands with their well-defined knuckles.
The shirt hugged his broad shoulders and narrow waist. His expensive belt, bearing a brand logo, was fastened meticulously, with a pair of slim-fitting black suit trousers beneath it.
His leather shoes slid up and down against the step beside his feet, occasionally revealing their red soles. Taken as a whole, he was really a little too polished, utterly flashy.
Song Yanqing held breakfast in one hand, while his other hand seemed poised to make a call. He hesitated for a long time before seemingly making up his mind.
Shang Shujue was wondering what this guy was doing here so early in the morning when his phone rang. He looked down. Wasn't it that flashy big idiot beside the car?
Shang Shujue raised his eyebrows slightly and hung up. He strode over to Song Yanqing and, before a disappointed expression could appear on his face, slapped a hand onto his shoulder and leaned against him.
"What are you doing? Coming over so early to spread some warmth? Who's that for? Call me big brother, and I'll take it inside for you."
Song Yanqing caught a scent unique to Shang Shujue. It was like camellias, or night-blooming cereus, or perhaps something between the two. It smelled wonderful.
He glanced sideways, noticing Shang Shujue's pale, slender fingers draped casually over his shoulder and against his chest. His gaze inadvertently passed over those fingers and caught a glimpse of pink beneath Shang Shujue's V-neck. Whatever crossed his mind, his earlobes instantly reddened.
"It's for you, as thanks for buying me medicine yesterday. I went to see a doctor myself. The doctor said I was recovering well."
"..."
The teasing smile instantly froze on Shang Shujue's face, his expression turning complicated. He even lowered the hand resting on Song Yanqing's shoulder, feeling uncharacteristically embarrassed.
"Ahem... I'm just beautiful and kindhearted. I didn't expect you to take it so seriously and even buy me breakfast. Nice, you've saved me the cost of breakfast."
Shang Shujue didn't refuse Song Yanqing's kindness. He took the breakfast and looked inside, only to find that everything was food he liked. Raising his brows, he teased him, half joking and half serious.
"Oh~ I didn't expect you to remember what I like eating. You haven't secretly been crushing on me behind my back, have you? That's perfectly normal, though. After all, I'm beautiful, kindhearted, and loved by everyone. Hahaha..."
Shang Shujue laughed as he picked up a custard bun and cheerfully took a huge bite. His eyes curved with his smile, making him look just like a bright little sun, his whole body radiating powerful vitality.
Looking at him so full of life and energy, Song Yanqing thought of his death. As if compelled by some unseen force, he reached out to cup Shang Shujue's face and answered while his cheeks were stuffed with bun:
"Yes, I really do li-"
"Pfft-cough, cough, cough..."
Before Song Yanqing could finish, the choking Shang Shujue sprayed his face with bun. Shang Shujue was too busy coughing to hear a single word Song Yanqing said.
"Have some water."
Startled, Song Yanqing couldn't worry about that anymore. He hurriedly took a bottle of mineral water from the car, unscrewed it, and handed it to him, stroking his back to help him catch his breath.
[Fuck, that bastard Song Yanqing. I nearly choked to death. Was he trying to choke me to death with a bun? Does this guy hold that much of a grudge? Holy shit... I'm the one who choked. What's he crying for?!]
Shang Shujue finally caught his breath, only to look up and find Song Yanqing's eyes brimming with tears, giving him a fright. He was the one suffering here! What the hell was this bastard crying about?!