Chapter 60

Su Yunzhe would never actually kidnap Duan Yang’s mother, especially since the matter had nothing to do with his own mother.

His mother had witnessed his father’s car accident three years ago and, having been deeply affected, her mental state was never the same.

As a result, Duan Yang had full control over the holding company under his mother’s name.

“It’s actually nothing too big,” Su Yunzhe explained. “I found out that the holding company under his name is suspected of illegal financing, and the evidence is clear. The regulatory authorities have probably already gone to investigate his company.”

The holding company under Duan Yang’s name was originally a gift from his maternal grandfather to his mother. After his mother’s mental decline three years ago, the company was basically in Duan Yang’s hands. However, he hadn’t paid much attention to it because, compared to running a business for profit, he preferred basking in the limelight. Besides, he had the Duan family enterprise to inherit, which was far more valuable than that small company.

But now, the Duan family enterprise was no longer his.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, someone named Ling Sicheng appeared, claiming to be the son of his late uncle, and Old Master Duan insisted on passing the Duan family business to Ling Sicheng.

Since then, Duan Yang had been doing everything he could to please Duan Songtao, even going as far as marrying Shen Yan to win favor with Old Master Duan, hoping that the old man would change his mind.

On the other hand, he had been seeking other ways.

Eventually, realizing that flattering the old man was futile, Duan Yang turned to the idea of a hostile takeover. But the holding company he controlled didn’t have enough capital for such an endeavor.

So, he resorted to illegal means to raise funds.

Unfortunately, Su Yunzhe caught wind of it and reported it to the regulatory authorities just in time.

So, the phone call before the trial wasn’t made by Su Yunzhe, but likely a subordinate of Duan Yang who had informed him that the company was under investigation.

If illegal financing is confirmed, it’s not just a matter of whether Duan Yang will end up in jail—selling off the company to pay his debts wouldn’t even be enough.

In other words, he would end up with nothing and still face imprisonment.

At this point, Duan Yang’s usual composure had clearly faltered.

After hearing the story, Shen Yan shook his head and sighed, “This plot is different from the one in the book! At this rate, Su Yunzhe, you’re the real male lead, not Duan Yang. How do you know about all this? I almost feel sorry for him. Who does he think he’s messing with? Going up against our Su Yunzhe is like asking for trouble!”

“You feel sorry for him?” Su Yunzhe reached out to pinch Shen Yan’s face.

Shen Yan puffed his cheeks and glared back at him, holding the fruit plate and chewing with gusto. He mumbled through a mouthful, “I’m just saying, you’re so amazing, solving problems without even lifting a finger. You guys aren’t even on the same level.”

Su Yunzhe grinned, raising an eyebrow smugly, “Oh, so you’ve realized how handsome your husband is?”

Shen Yan almost said something sarcastic, but he ended up smiling, nodding. “Hmm! How about tomorrow we go get our marriage certificate?”

Su Yunzhe froze, staring at him in shock, speechless.

Shen Yan immediately realized that he had caught him off guard.

But seeing Su Yunzhe like that, Shen Yan couldn’t help but want to burst out laughing. However, he deliberately suppressed it, pulling a long face and feigning disappointment. “If you don’t want to, never mind. Forget I said anything.” With that, he threw down the fruit plate and walked away.

Su Yunzhe snapped out of his daze and quickly caught up, pulling Shen Yan into his arms. “Who said I didn’t want to? I’m just so happy right now! You just popped the question out of nowhere, and I wasn’t ready for it. I’m just overwhelmed.”

Shen Yan had been pretending to be mad, but when Su Yunzhe nuzzled his neck, he couldn’t hold back his laughter. “You don’t even know how silly you looked just now. I should’ve filmed it.”

Su Yunzhe kissed his neck gently and whispered in his ear, “There are even sillier things you’ll see from me. You’ll get used to it.”

Shen Yan froze slightly, a warm, sweet feeling spreading in his chest.

Su Yunzhe always claimed he couldn’t say sweet things, but Shen Yan knew he was lying. He was good at it—maybe even better than most.

Because of Shen Yan’s sudden proposal, the night took on a soft and sweet atmosphere. Unfortunately… Shen Yan was pregnant.

The undeniable truth of it always made things less than perfect, and even as Su Yunzhe held Shen Yan to sleep, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret, gently rubbing Shen Yan’s belly, almost as if venting his frustration onto the unborn child.

Shen Yan smacked his hand away and turned over, distancing himself from him.

Su Yunzhe, being shameless, followed and hugged him again. Then, he suddenly sat up with a realization. “Wait a minute!”

Shen Yan thought it was something serious and scrambled to sit up. “What’s wrong?”

Su Yunzhe looked at him with an accusatory glare, “Yan Yan, isn’t it supposed to be me who proposes to you?”

He had already ordered the ring and was having someone plan the proposal. He had been worried that if he did it the traditional way, Shen Yan might think it was too clichéd, so he wanted to plan something special.

But instead of that, Shen Yan had proposed during dinner, and he’d agreed without hesitation?

This wasn’t how he imagined it!

“Besides, shouldn’t it be the guy… I mean, the ‘old top’ who proposes?”

Shen Yan rolled his eyes silently, grabbing the blanket and lying down. He muttered, “Tomorrow we’ll go get the certificate. You don’t have to come if you don’t want to. I’m going to sleep!”

So, Su Yunzhe’s special proposal was abandoned, but even though he was a bit disappointed, getting the marriage certificate was more urgent.

No worries—he missed the proposal, but he could still plan a different kind of wedding.

Thinking that, he snuggled up to Shen Yan and slept soundly.

The next day, they didn’t prepare much and went to the civil affairs office quietly to get their certificate. Afterward, Su Yunzhe suddenly pulled out a platinum ring from somewhere and seriously placed it on Shen Yan’s finger. It was a simple design, engraved with their names.

Shen Yan’s hands were exceptionally beautiful, and Su Yunzhe had been captivated by them the moment they met. Now, seeing his name engraved on the ring, he felt a rush of warmth and happiness, unable to resist kissing the back of Shen Yan’s hand.

They were still standing on the steps outside the civil affairs office when Su Yunzhe kissed him. The tenderness in his expression, the unmistakable joy—it was contagious.

Shen Yan, caught off guard, reached up and embraced him, standing on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, “Hubby, please take good care of me!”

Su Yunzhe smiled, pulling him into a tight embrace.

This scene was captured by someone and posted online. The two of them hugging happily outside the civil affairs bureau, along with the image of Su Yunzhe kissing Shen Yan’s hand, quickly spread across social media. Netizens shared and re-shared these pictures, commenting that they radiated love and happiness.

Just the day before, the trending topic “Wishing the Su and Shen couple a lifetime of happiness” had topped the charts.

What was supposed to be a simple trip to get their marriage license had unexpectedly turned into a public spectacle, with the entire country now aware of their union. Moreover, Su Yunzhe’s grandparents and his cousin Su Muwei were among those who learned the news.

As they drove home, Su Yunzhe’s phone rang constantly. His grandparents were inviting them over for dinner, and Su Muwei was urging them to hurry and plan the wedding. Even Qin Mofeng, who had been out of touch for a while, called them up.

“Hey, that was fast! I just left, and you guys already have a marriage certificate?” Qin Mofeng greeted.

“Getting the certificate is nothing. In a few months, my kid will call you ‘Uncle,'” Su Yunzhe boasted proudly.

“Wait, what? Is this true?”

Qin Mofeng, unaware of Shen Yan’s pregnancy due to their lack of contact recently, was startled by the news.

“Absolutely true! You better get a gift ready for my kid,” Su Yunzhe teased.

“Of course! Your kid will be my godson. I can’t slack on that! But seriously, Su Yunzhe…” Qin Mofeng suddenly grew serious, the tone of his voice dropping, “I’m a little… well, I’m kind of envious. You’ve always been the smart one, but a total emotional idiot. Think of all the good girls you’ve missed. I honestly thought you’d end up alone, but now you meet Shen Yan, and in less than a year, you’re married with a kid on the way. What the heck? How is that fair? Here I am, almost thirty, still single and… well, you know…”

At first, he had been joking, but as he spoke, it seemed like it hit a nerve. His tone faltered, and he fell silent with a sigh.

Shen Yan glanced at Su Yunzhe, who shrugged and asked, “What’s the matter? Did I hit a nerve, and now you can’t handle it?”

“Shut up! I’m not the type to get upset over stuff like that,” Qin Mofeng retorted. “But seriously, I’ve already quit my job at the school, planning to go work in his hometown, and give it a long-term shot. But… he won’t even talk to me. He knows I went to his hometown for the holidays, but when he came to H City, he didn’t even give me a heads-up. It’s like he doesn’t want to see me at all. I’m starting to wonder if it’s even worth it.”

“How would you know if it’s not worth it if you don’t keep trying?” Su Yunzhe spoke unexpectedly seriously.

Qin Mofeng chuckled. “That’s actually a good point! Didn’t think you had such motivational words in you. Guess marriage really changes a person. Anyway, let me know when the wedding date is set. I’ll be the best man for you. Hang up.”

After Qin Mofeng hung up, Shen Yan couldn’t help but ask, “Do you think it was okay to say that to him? Honestly, I don’t think Brother Ling will ever forgive him. Don’t you think encouraging Qin Mofeng to keep pursuing him blindly is a bit harsh?”

Su Yunzhe turned to him with a smile. “You think I’d lead Qin Mofeng on?”

Shen Yan shook his head.

“Then there’s no problem, is there?” Su Yunzhe said confidently. “I wasn’t just speaking off the cuff. Ling Sicheng was really hurt by Qin Mofeng, and he’s a stubborn one, so it’s not easy for him to forgive. But he likes Qin Mofeng. He’s liked him since they were kids, and that kind of feeling doesn’t just disappear. When I talked to him last time, he got all emotional when I mentioned Qin Mofeng still thinking about his ‘Snow White’ from back then. That’s why I believe there’s still hope for them.”

Shen Yan didn’t know much about their history but could now piece things together. It seemed that they had met as children and both had lingering feelings for each other over the years. When they met again in high school, Ling Sicheng recognized Qin Mofeng, but Qin Mofeng had no idea he was the ‘Snow White’ from his childhood.

Shen Yan mused that maybe this was why Ling Sicheng had always seemed to pick on Qin Mofeng—it could have been a result of some unresolved emotions. However, after thinking it through, Shen Yan felt his thoughts becoming muddled and his drowsiness catching up to him. He gave up on trying to sort it out and decided to rest in the passenger seat.

By the time he woke up, they had arrived at the gate of Yucai High School, where they had promised to have lunch with Su Yunzhe’s grandparents.

To Shen Yan’s surprise, Su Muwei was there as well, and in an unexpected twist, Su Yingying, who rarely appeared, was with him too.

 

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