Shen Yuan looked like he’d just heard something utterly unbelievable. His eyes widened in shock. “What did you just say?!”
Qiao Hailou hugged him, and while he was still stunned, planted a kiss on his cheek. With an amused, helpless tone, he repeated, “I said… Wang Ziqin likes you, you little dummy.”
Shen Yuan pointed at his own nose, disgusted. “He likes me? He likes me so much he can bully me? He likes me so much he makes me stay up late doing his homework? Laughs at me with others like I’m some kind of dog??? How the hell is that liking me?! Don’t give me these disgusting little jokes—I feel like throwing up just thinking about it.”
Qiao Hailou couldn’t help laughing at the string of complaints and relaxed, kissing him again. “One more kiss… oh, you really are my little darling.”
Shen Yuan finally snapped out of it and pushed his head away. “Kiss what kiss? Who said you could? Gross. I’m not your darling—stop calling me that. Ugh.”
Qiao Hailou, unfazed, smiled warmly. “Wang Ziqin’s way of liking someone is probably like some boys in elementary school—you remember, when you were in class, there’d always be those mischievous kids? They’d do little pranks to get the attention of the girl they liked—pull her pigtails, flip her skirt, trip her. Liking someone… means teasing them.”
“Really?” Shen Yuan had seen situations like that, but he still couldn’t imagine it applying to Wang Ziqin and himself. It just didn’t feel right. “Even if that’s true, he still kissed other girls in front of me! Could someone really act like that in front of someone they like? One time, after midnight, he even asked me to go to an adult store to buy condoms and lube and bring them to his hotel! The hotel didn’t have what he wanted, so I had to run to multiple stores. At one, I almost got dragged into a hair salon by some lady. If he liked me, could he really do something so thoughtless?”
Qiao Hailou thought Wang Ziqin probably hadn’t been ready to admit liking a guy yet. Seeing Shen Yuan’s disgust and reluctance, he didn’t feel the need to force him to accept anything he disliked. “Then if you don’t believe it, you don’t have to.”
“What do you mean, ‘if I don’t believe it, I don’t have to’?” Shen Yuan huffed. “I think if you like someone, you should treat them well. You can’t just keep bullying them. I don’t see that as liking someone at all.”
Qiao Hailou smiled and nodded. “Right, you’re right. If you like someone, you treat them well—just like I treat you.”
Shen Yuan blushed. He habitually retorted: “You only… only…”
He stopped halfway. The more he thought about it, the harder it was to claim Qiao Hailou treated him badly. Qiao Hailou helped him switch jobs, avenged him when Wang Ziqin bullied him, guided him with homework, listened to his complaints, even talked trash with him—basically giving him whatever he wanted. Claiming Qiao Hailou treated him badly would be heartless.
After a moment, Shen Yuan muttered awkwardly, “You… you’re actually pretty good to me.”
Qiao Hailou paused, then laughed. “Really? You little ungrateful brat, finally realize your uncle Qiao treats you well, huh?”
Shen Yuan mumbled, “I didn’t not know… I just don’t usually say it. What, you expect me to be grateful all the time? I’m not doing that.”
In truth, Shen Yuan still had some doubts about what Qiao Hailou had done regarding Shen Xuanwen. He didn’t believe his previous threats had removed all worries. The thousand-plus yuan he gave Shen Xuanwen should have been spent by now, but he hadn’t come back. Shen Yuan didn’t ask either—Qiao Hailou always handled things thoroughly before telling him, so he wouldn’t worry.
No matter what, dealing with Shen Xuanwen was easy for Qiao Hailou.
That day, Shen Xuanwen had asked Shen Yuan for fifteen hundred yuan, spent it all on “stuff,” and had been out of cash for a while, miserable. He planned to ask Shen Yuan for more after finishing this batch—Shen Yuan had money, and a few hundred or thousand was nothing to him.
As soon as Shen Xuanwen got new supplies and got home, he was busted by the police mid-use, caught red-handed. It was his second arrest. The quantities weren’t large, but he was sent to rehab. At least he wasn’t starving, but it was like living death.
He had been addicted for almost ten years. After Shen Yuan was taken by his mother’s side when he was six, Shen Xuanwen’s life grew even wilder. In his thirties, he still had charm and knew how to please women. Even after being dumped by wealthy women, he could easily hook up with the next.
He wasn’t stupid—he knew drugs were harmful and never tried them willingly. But once, trying to manipulate a rich woman, she turned the tables and got him addicted. The cravings were unbearable, and he lacked the willpower to resist. He’d do anything she demanded, even undress and crawl like a dog. That woman was cruel but clever—he avoided hospitalization, showing some wits. Later, as he aged, he lost charm and strength. Even flattery couldn’t save him; he was thrown out mercilessly.
By his forties, he was penniless, living on the streets.
When a person’s reduced to that, food becomes a priority, nothing else matters. He couldn’t even face his reflection in shop windows. His once-handsome face was gone.
Now, all he cared about was surviving another day, willing to do anything for it.
Rehab was like hell, but at least there was food. He met others like him—scumbags who could reminisce, complain, and share sources for supplies. He even learned where to get cheaper goods for when he left.
Even after this lesson, he didn’t truly reflect. He talked a good game, but wasted time, thinking, “No money? Fine. I’ll get it from my son when I leave—he’s got plenty.”
Though they hadn’t met in years, he knew his son—Shen Yuan—feared him.
Even though Shen Yuan had said all sorts of things about suing him, he still feared him, fidgeting when scared. Shen Yuan wouldn’t tell Li Chen; Li Chen would handle it. That man was ruthless beneath his civilized exterior. If Shen Yuan had gone with him when that woman died, things could’ve been far worse.
Qiao Hailou quietly resolved to deal with Shen Xuanwen himself. Shen Yuan only needed to focus on school and living happily.
Recently, Shen Yuan had been staying at Qiao Hailou’s house even on weekends to help him.
That day, his uncle invited him home for dinner. Shen Yuan thought it had been a while—he should go.
Li Lin was the first to open the door, complaining: “You actually came back?”
Shen Yuan smiled. “I had to. Someone saved my life, after all.”
Li Lin, dripping with jealousy: “You don’t need to babysit him so closely. Are you really that obsessed with Qiao Hailou?”
Wow, Li Lin still remembered his idolization of Qiao Hailou! Mentioned in front of his uncle, Shen Yuan blushed in embarrassment.
Li Chen walked over. “Alright, kid. Your brother’s helping you out—that’s good. Don’t say these things at home, and definitely not outside.”
It wasn’t dinner time yet, but the family sat together watching TV.
Shen Yuan hadn’t been home in two months. Feeling a little ungrateful, he chatted with his uncle and brother to break the ice.
Eventually, Li Chen casually said, “I heard Qiao Hailou’s injuries are almost healed. You won’t need to keep running over there, right?”