Qiao Hailou received an update from the person assigned to keep tabs on Shen Xuanwen:
“Shen Xuanwen got out of rehab three days ago. He rented a place short-term. A few people have been visiting him—he’s been playing cards with them every day. If I remember right, they’re people he met in rehab. He went back to his hometown once to ask for money. Since then, he’s been keeping a low profile. No other moves so far…”
Drug addicts never truly reform. In Qiao Hailou’s view, Shen Xuanwen was bound to relapse—it was only a matter of time. When that happened, he’d report him again and have him locked up. Rack it up enough times and it would count as repeated offenses, which meant harsher punishment.
Qiao Hailou said, “Alright. Keep watching him. The moment he does anything illegal, send him back in.”
The other party agreed. The job wasn’t exactly hard, but it was painfully boring. With the New Year approaching, he wanted a couple days off too. From the looks of it, Shen Xuanwen did little besides playing cards to scrape together meal money. No idea how this guy had offended the boss badly enough to be watched so closely.
Qiao Hailou himself had been swamped lately and didn’t have time to personally worry about Shen Xuanwen.
Shen Yuan had asked him to wait until after the national college entrance exam in June before making their marriage public. But things like the wedding couldn’t wait that long to start preparing—starting early meant they wouldn’t be scrambling later.
There was also the surgery Shen Yuan wanted. Qiao Hailou had been quietly looking into doctors. Since it wasn’t something to publicize, everything had to be done discreetly. Over the years, Shen Yuan had gathered information on several hospitals and renowned specialists. Qiao Hailou, meanwhile, hired people overseas to investigate and compare the surgeons’ success rates. In the end, they settled on one doctor and already booked an appointment for after the New Year to go in for a consultation.
Qiao Hailou was more than a little annoyed. He and Shen Yuan were already legally married. He’d thought he could happily move Shen Yuan into his place and live together. But after coming back, Shen Yuan was still staying at the Li household—because his troublesome younger brother was on break too and kept clamoring to see his brother. Shen Yuan couldn’t not go home. If he didn’t stay there, the truth would slip out.
Right now, everyone in the Li family except Li Lin knew that Shen Yuan had already married Qiao Hailou.
Qiao Hailou had a husband now, yet because of one kid, he still came home every night to an empty bed, sleeping alone under cold blankets. With zero sympathy, he complained, “Tch, who cares about all that? What does his exams have to do with whether you’re dating me or not? Using that to threaten you—what a childish little brat.”
“He’s just a kid,” Shen Yuan said, trying to reason with him. “Can’t you give him some leeway? It’s kind of like those couples who are already emotionally done with each other—no matter how badly they want a divorce, they’ll still wait until the kid finishes the college entrance exam before officially splitting up.”
Qiao Hailou laughed in disbelief. “What nonsense are you talking about? How can you compare it to divorce? Take that back.”
“I’m just making an analogy,” Shen Yuan said. “Uncle Qiao, what’s wrong? Are you really that unable to stand being lonely?”
Qiao Hailou replied righteously, “So what if I am? We’re newlyweds. This is exactly when we should be inseparable, glued to each other from morning till night—that’s only natural. Don’t you think your brother clings to you way too much? He’s not a little kid anymore, always tagging along, ‘Brother this, brother that.’ You spoil him too much.”
Shen Yuan laughed. “Uncle Qiao, what’s gotten into you? You’re actually jealous of a kid? That’s not a great look.”
He even put in a good word for Li Lin. “Don’t hold it against him. He’s a kind-hearted kid. When I first came to the Li family, he took me out to play, shared his toys and snacks with me—he treated me really well. Back when I lived with my maternal grandfather, my cousin bullied me all the time. Compared to that, Li Lin was practically a little angel. Even a single meal is worth remembering forever. He treated me that well—I have to remember it.”
Qiao Hailou almost blurted out, Is your brother more important, or am I? But he swallowed it back down. He couldn’t be that petty. Instead, he said, “You remember every single kindness other people show you and make sure to repay it. But when it comes to me treating you well, I get the feeling you don’t remember at all.”
Shen Yuan flushed, feeling guilty, and coaxed him softly. “I do remember. How could I not? Uncle Qiao, you’re good to me—I remember all of it…”
Qiao Hailou was just about to jab back at him when Shen Yuan added, perfectly earnest, “Otherwise why would I marry you? Of course it’s because you’re good to me. You’re the best person to me in the world.”
In an instant, Qiao Hailou’s heart—normally impervious to fire and water—melted completely.
Shen Yuan went on, “Senior year winter break is really short. Uncle already hired him a tutor to prep for the college entrance exam. Just be patient and wait a couple more days, okay? Tomorrow I’ll think up an excuse and sneak out to see you, alright, Uncle Qiao?”
Qiao Hailou felt that Shen Yuan was a sly little fox. And yet he was utterly helpless against him. Shen Yuan only had to coax him a little, and his heart softened. You couldn’t rush things—fine, he’d endure it.
What a sweet kind of trouble.
Reluctantly, Qiao Hailou hung up the call with Shen Yuan. Looking around, he felt his place was far too cold and impersonal. When Shen Yuan eventually moved in, he’d let him redecorate however he liked… or maybe they should just buy a new place as their marital home? He’d ask him tomorrow where he wanted to buy. Too bad even if they bought one, they wouldn’t live there long—Shen Yuan would be going abroad to study soon. Buy it anyway. It wasn’t like the money mattered.
As he was thinking, a new message alert sounded. He glanced at it casually—it was a text from an unfamiliar number:
“Xiao Hai, I heard from someone that you got married. After all these years, you finally let go… Knowing you’re doing well now puts my mind at ease. Wishing you both a lifetime together, growing old side by side.”
Qiao Hailou froze for a moment. It was a strange number, no name attached—but he knew immediately who it was from.
Rui Xia.
No one else ever called him “Xiao Hai.”
They hadn’t been in contact for years. Why send a congratulatory message now? How did Rui Xia know he was married? And how did he even get his phone number? Qiao Hailou stared at the screen for a moment. Since the message was polite and well-meaning, should he reply?
Just then, a new WeChat message from Shen Yuan popped up, bossy as ever:
“Uncle Qiao, I’m coming to see you tomorrow night. I want sweet soup—the one you made before. Make a pot for me.”
Qiao Hailou smiled and replied:
“Okay. I’ll make it for you.”
After replying to Shen Yuan, Qiao Hailou switched back to the SMS screen and deleted Rui Xia’s message outright.
No reply. What was there to reply to? It would only bring unnecessary trouble.
His little husband was such a drama queen and so petty. Forget replying—if Shen Yuan ever found out that an ex had sent such an ambiguously sentimental message, he’d definitely make a fuss.
Meanwhile, Shen Xuanwen had the nagging feeling that someone was watching him. He wasn’t stupid. After testing the waters a bit, he confirmed that he really was being followed.
He assumed it was the police investigating drug-related matters. He didn’t even know who Qiao Hailou was, so it never crossed his mind that it could be him. Fortunately, he’d made a few like-minded “friends.” Under the pretext of playing mahjong, he had them run errands to find out where Shen Yuan was now.
As expected—at the Li house.
After some thought, Shen Xuanwen decided to go see Shen Yuan first and talk it out. If Shen Yuan obediently gave him money, there’d be no need to take risks. If not, he’d figure something else out. Even if the police were tailing him, going to see his own son wasn’t illegal, right?
He tidied himself up and went straight to the Li house, demanding to see Shen Yuan. To be fair, a few months of rehab had improved his complexion a lot. He looked somewhat human now, not like a walking corpse. When Li Chen saw it was him, there was no way he’d open the door. He immediately ordered, “Get lost.”
Shen Xuanwen shamelessly replied, “You tell me to get lost and I’m supposed to? I’m not here for you—I’m here for my son. A father seeing his son is perfectly justified. What’s it got to do with you? Tell Shen Yuan to come out and talk to me.”
Li Chen said coldly, “Shen Yuan doesn’t have time to talk to you. Please leave.”
Shen Xuanwen couldn’t be bothered with him. He raised his voice and shouted, “Shen Yuan! Shen Yuan! Get down here right now!!”
Li Chen called community security and had Shen Xuanwen driven off.
At that moment, Shen Xuanwen yelled, “Shen Yuan, I’m your real father! Acknowledging outsiders as your parents is betraying your roots! This ‘dad’ of yours treats you like a son—but does he know your secret? If you don’t come down right now, I’ll shout it out in public and let everyone know! Let’s see if you still have any dignity!”
Shen Yuan could no longer play dead.
He had no choice but to go downstairs. Just then, security arrived and nearly dragged Shen Xuanwen away—it was only because Shen Yuan stopped them that they didn’t.
Li Chen didn’t understand what Shen Xuanwen meant by his threat and said to Shen Yuan, “Go back inside. Uncle will drive him away.”
Shen Xuanwen, seeing his trick work, grew smug and continued, “You make me leave, and I’ll spill everything right now.”
Seeing that disgusting, malicious expression on his face, Shen Yuan hated him so much his teeth ached. He took a deep breath and said to Li Chen, “Uncle, it’s fine. I’ll just say a few words to him here. Please go back inside first. I’ll come back as soon as I’m done.”
Li Chen was worried. “Are you sure you’ll be okay?”
“I’m sure,” Shen Yuan said. “This is right outside our house. What can he do? Just watch from inside.”
Once everyone else had stepped aside, Shen Yuan’s expression darkened. “You’re here for money again, aren’t you?”
Shen Xuanwen grinned at him. “Just like my good son. I didn’t even have to say it—you already know what Daddy wants.”
Furious, Shen Yuan snapped, “You stopped being my guardian a long time ago. You barely raised me at all. Don’t call yourself my dad—it makes me sick.”
Shen Xuanwen didn’t care. “Tsk tsk, what an unfilial son. Just like your mother… Forget it, I won’t argue with you. You know why I’m here. Hand it over.”
His eyes gleamed greedily. “One hundred thousand. The prize money from that competition of yours. Not much, right? If you don’t give it to me, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I’ll expose your secret and let everyone know you’re a freak.”
Shen Yuan had expected him to come asking for money, so he’d brought some cash downstairs—but he hadn’t expected such an outrageous demand.
Someone as stingy as Shen Yuan would never be willing to part with that much. Feeling utterly wronged, he glared at him. “One hundred thousand? You must be dreaming.”
Without another word, Shen Xuanwen shouted, “President Li—”
Shen Yuan panicked and cut him off. “Fine! I’ll give it to you, okay? But I don’t have that much on me right now. I’ll give you part of it first, alright?”
Reluctantly, Shen Yuan pulled out three thousand yuan.
Shen Xuanwen sneered. “Only three thousand? When are you giving me the rest? Just transfer it directly to my bank card.”
Grinding his teeth, Shen Yuan agreed, swallowing his anger. “Fine. I’ll transfer it to you in the next couple days, okay?”
Shen Xuanwen relaxed. “That’s more like my good son. Hahaha. Daddy will come back to see you next time.”
Shen Yuan stared darkly at his retreating figure. Even long after he left, the anger still hadn’t dissipated.
Transfer it? Transfer my ass.
As soon as Shen Xuanwen was gone, Shen Yuan turned around and immediately called Qiao Hailou to complain. “Uncle Qiao, someone bullied me!”
No joke—he was absolutely not going to just endure it.
He had Qiao Hailou backing him now.
That old rogue had married him—so he was responsible for protecting him. Otherwise, what was he even good for?