Chapter 35 An Enraged Man wrapped his arm around her waist and sat her down with one arm around her…
Forced to raise her head, Yu Tang and the leaning Yu Chaoxian locked eyes, and his impeccably handsome face suddenly loomed large before her. She didn't even glance at the cold pistol on his chin immediately; her gaze was caught off guard by his dark eyes.
The black muzzle of the gun was pressed against her chin, then moved away from her face, preventing what might have happened next.
Yu Tang's body trembled, the unique chill of the pistol shooting up her spine, abruptly jolting her awake from her previous idyllic reverie.
The man was both extremely dangerous and extremely charming, arriving without appearing weary from his journey. A faint smile played on his lips, his posture utterly languid, yet he always exuded a terrifyingly oppressive aura.
"You...you're back." Yu Tang's voice trembled. No one could remain unmoved when a gun was pointed at them. The small movement in her throat caused the gun barrel to sink slightly into her soft skin.
"Stop talking nonsense, you're not blind." He was already standing right in front of her.
Ah, what's that saying again? You have to be careful not to raise an ungrateful pet. Other people's pets wag their tails excitedly when they see their owners come home, and they'll even jump into their owners' arms to get some affection.
The one he keeps, let alone jumping into his arms and wagging its tail, even had a weaker smile than when she was eating cake with someone earlier. And that first-aid kit—even if she knew how to bandage, surely she wouldn't just let any man bandage her?
First it was Yu Yanting, and now this bastard is here.
It's only been a few days since he last saw him, and he's already forgotten all about his nephew. Sure enough, he's not exactly well-behaved, but he's as talented at driving people crazy as ever. Yu Chaoxian is starting to wonder if he's been too kind to Yu Tang, letting him get away with eating cake with some random guy and even trying to sully his reputation behind his back.
Yu Tang just can't be left to her own devices; if she's left alone, she'll run off to some scoundrel's arms.
Liang Jiaqi frowned as he looked at the man who had suddenly appeared. The oppressive aura emanating from the man was so strong that it made cold sweat instantly break out on his back.
"Who are you?" Liang Jiaqi took a half step forward, his voice filled with wariness.
Yu Chaoxian didn't even glance at Liang Jiaqi, let alone pay attention to him. With a push of his arms, he trapped Yu Tang between the bench and himself.
As the shadows fell, he leaned down close to the girl's pale face. "Yu Tang, if you don't want him to die, make him get out of here. I told you to stay home and do your homework, what's the meaning of you coming out here?"
Yu Tang clearly noticed that Yu Chaoxian's aura suddenly dropped. Not wanting to leave Liang Jiaqi with the impression that her family was impolite, and also for Liang Jiaqi's safety, she quickly got up and went to Yu Chaoxian's side in a flattering manner. As a result, she was immediately pulled to Yu Chaoxian's side, and she stumbled and bumped into his hard chest.
She wasn't trying to run away, so why was he grabbing her so hard? Yu Tang was dissatisfied but held it in.
"I listened to you, I finished writing before I came out," she whispered in defense, then quickly turned to Liang Jiaqi, "Thank you for the cake today, you can go back now, he's my family, I'm safe, don't worry."
Yu Chaoxian glanced down at his cuffs. Yu Tang's small hand was gripping his cufflinks tightly, so tightly that he could hardly pull his hand away. Actually, Yu Tang was afraid that he might choke him if he got upset, so she thought this way she could hold his hand down at any time.
Liang Jiaqi saw that Yu Tang's expression was normal, and she didn't seem to have been bullied. Even if Yu Tang was a little scared, it was the kind of fear a child has of an adult, the kind of fear that comes from sneaking out or not doing homework and being afraid of being scolded, rather than real fear.
He secretly breathed a sigh of relief; perhaps he had overthought things. Asking a girl out late at night was indeed inappropriate, and it was understandable that this family member who had suddenly appeared was angry. But… what was the relationship between this man and Yu Tang? Judging by his young age, was he also her older brother?
Liang Jiaqi's gaze swept between the two. Yu Tang's eyes were not strange, but what was strange was the way this man looked at Yu Tang. It didn't look like the way he looked at family members.
The man casually put his arm around Yu Tang's shoulder, but the emotions surging in his smiling eyes were definitely not those of an older brother. It was an almost instinctive, undisguised...possessiveness?
Or was it just his imagination?
"Then I'll go first." Liang Jiaqi finally chose to back down, not wanting Yu Tang to be caught in the middle. As he turned around, he heard the sound of fabric rubbing against each other behind him.
Yu Tang tried to turn back to say goodbye, but was pulled even closer into his arms. Yu Chaoxian was getting impatient; Yu Tang's eyes were still looking at someone else.
Liang Jiaqi hadn't walked far when he looked back and saw two figures, one tall and one short, walking towards the car.
The man was tall and had long strides. He gripped Yu Tang's wrist, and the slender Yu Tang couldn't keep up with him at all. She was pulled and stumbled forward.
Just as she was about to fall, the man's arm reached out in time and caught Yu Tang as she was about to fall.
Liang Jiaqi frowned. Calling them family was a stretch...
Mickey came over and stopped Liang Jiaqi, who was about to take another step forward. What followed was Yu Chaoxian's family matter, and it was not for outsiders to interfere.
Liang Jiaqi left, and Mickey walked towards Chen Diao, who was standing by a car, too afraid to approach. The boss had told Chen Diao to keep an eye on the house before leaving, but it had almost been burgled. He patted Chen Diao on the shoulder sympathetically, wondering how someone could have gotten themselves into such a mess.
Ah Jin didn't understand why Brother Tiao's face was so pale; it wasn't cold today. However, compared to Chen Tiao's expression, Ah Jin was clearly more concerned about what was happening in the car.
Inside the car, Yu Chaoxian's dark eyes stared at Liang Jiaqi walking away in the rearview mirror, his mind replaying the scene of Liang Jiaqi capturing the criminals.
Ordinary people wouldn't use such a grappling technique, grabbing and pinching with their hands.
His posture was precise and efficient, swiftly pinning the person to the ground with their hands behind their back, without any unnecessary or useless movements—a classic sign of mercenary training.
"Fool." The man's thin lips curled into a cold, mocking laugh.
Chen Diao thought he was being insulted. In fact, Chen Diao knew he was finished too. The boss only wanted to find out what Liang Jiaqi was up to through Yu Tang, but he wanted Yu Tang to be with someone else from now on. Was he going to be sidelined by the boss from now on?
Liang Jiaqi, hiding in the shadows, didn't go far. He took out his phone and made an encrypted call.
"...I originally thought Chen Diao was the mastermind, which is why I took the initiative to contact the girl he was protecting that afternoon. After spending a few days with her, I found that she knew nothing about her family's business, so there was no need to involve her. However, now I suspect that Chen Diao is just someone who helps out on the outside, and the real mastermind is this man who appeared today...I'll try to create opportunities to contact him."
The person on the other end of the phone calmly analyzed: "Michael, the girl's smartwatch still has the locator you put there. We can't let this lead die out. We're not trying to hurt her, we're just trying to find out who took over Li Xiang's company. Whether it's Chen Diao or the man you just mentioned, they're all inextricably linked to this girl. We need to make the most of the existing leads, otherwise all the previous leads will be cut off."
Liang Jiaqi, or rather Michael, was powerless to hang up the phone from the moment he placed the locator in Yu Tang's smartwatch at the pet hospital. Their relationship had never been pure, or perhaps it never was.
He's just a useless person who exploits other people's feelings, whether it's friendship or...
Michael hugged the clothes in his arms tightly; they still had a faint fragrance and a sweet, sugary smell, but a gust of wind blew them away quickly, and Michael felt a pang of disappointment.
Dark clouds obscured the moon outside the car, casting a shadow over the interior. Yu Tang was forced to look up, her eyes fixed on Yu Chaoxian, who was closing in on her. The girl's heart pounded in her throat; she sensed that Yu Chaoxian was angry, but she wasn't quite sure.
Is it really worth getting so angry just because she ran away?
Yu Chaoxian forced Yu Tang into the car, and the door slammed shut. Yu Tang's heart skipped a beat. She had sneaked out against his curfew; that must be what had angered him.
Being alone with someone will definitely get you punished.
Yu Tang turned and opened the other car door, casually calling out to the outside: "Mickey, Chen Diao, and A Jin haven't gotten in yet. One is driving and one is in the passenger seat. There's still room to squeeze in the back!"
"You remember each one so clearly." Yu Chaoxian grabbed Yu Tang by the back of her collar without any mercy and pulled her back, locking the car door.
Chen Diao, standing outside the car, swallowed hard and said to Mickey in a trembling voice, "You drive the boss back. I suddenly remembered that I didn't bring in the clothes on the balcony."
Mickey didn't think it was a big deal that Yu Tang was going on a date with a guy, so he said to Chen Diao, "Are you sure you'll have a chance to change clothes tomorrow?"
Chen Diao was probably too weak to drive, so A Jin drove him home.
Yu Tang shivered from the cold inside the car.
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming back?" Yu Tang asked dryly, trying to start the conversation.
“Yu Tang,” Yu Chaoxian sneered, “I said you don’t need to do anything with your eyes.”
“Dig, dig.” Yu Tang remembered his words.
The man tapped his fingertip on her watch phone: "Check the message. When was it sent?"
Yu Tang completely forgot to check the message. She glanced at her watch and realized she was doomed. Around eight o'clock, Yu Chaoxian had sent her a message asking if she was hungry or sleepy. Counting the time, that was the time she left home to meet Liang Jiaqi, followed by eating cake and catching a thief; how could she have noticed the message?
But Yu Chaoxian clearly told her he wouldn't be back for another two days. Could he have suddenly returned just to find out if she was home? But Yu Chaoxian isn't that kind of person.
"I didn't mean to not check the messages... It's just that there's something wrong with this watch; it's delayed in receiving messages." Although Yu Tang felt that Yu Chaoxian didn't need to be angry—it was just that she came back a little late—she actually pursed her lips nervously and didn't dare to say another word.
Yu Chaoxian noticed her biting her lip and deliberately scolded her, "You really want to kiss me here?"
"What?" That was the first thing he said when he came back. Yu Tang had no idea where he got the idea.
Yu Chaoxian placed the gun in his hand on Yu Tang's lap. Yu Tang didn't dare to move, watching as he stretched out his fingers to wipe her lips.
"How old are you? You kiss someone over a lousy cake, and you throw yourself into their arms after only knowing them for a few days, huh?" The girl's lips were a little swollen from his rubbing.
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Yu Tang felt uncomfortable with these words and naturally had to refute them. She waved away Yu Chaoxian's hand and said, "Besides, what business is it of yours who I'm close to? We've only lived together for a little over half a month. If you really think about it, Liang Jiaqi has spent a day more with me than you have."
Yu Tang was also angry. She shrank back to the car window, refusing to talk to anyone anymore, and the gun fell to the ground with her movement. She had been looking forward to his return, but now that Yu Chaoxian was throwing a tantrum at her for no reason, Yu Tang didn't want to see him at all, let alone talk to him.
It's just that I'll be home a little late, is it really that big of a deal?
"You think I don't spend enough time with you?" Yu Chaoxian laughed angrily. Fine, fine, so this is how you treat people who don't know their place and side with outsiders.
Yu Tang remained facing the car window, not understanding how Yu Chaoxian had come to this conclusion. Coupled with her current menstrual period, she was even more irritable and wanted to pull her legs back, not wanting to touch Yu Chaoxian at all.
Yu Chaoxian instinctively grabbed the ankle that was resting on the seat.
Her ankles were slender and her skin was as delicate as ever; a man could easily hold them in one hand.
As a result, Yu Tang was not afraid of him and kicked him in the knee.
Yu Chaoxian, who had been kicked, was stunned for a moment, and she actually pulled her ankle away. Yu Tang ignored him completely, which annoyed Yu Chaoxian greatly. She was gentle and obedient to others with a smile on her face, but she was angry and cold towards him: "Yu Tang, I haven't even said I'm angry yet, what are you angry about?"
Yu Tang said irritably, "My legs hurt!"
Yu Chaoxian looked down at her legs and saw red marks on her fair calves where he had gripped her. He then looked at her wrist, where he had just squeezed her, and saw that the red marks had not yet faded.
He was so weak that he didn't use much strength at all.
The drive back was silent. Mickey, who was driving, was so quiet he was like a wisp of air. He really didn't understand. His boss wasn't usually such a petty person. He could even turn hostility into friendship with enemies. Why was he so calculating and angry about Yu Tang's matter?
Yu Tang gradually calmed down, realizing that Yu Chaoxian's anger might stem from worry. She shouldn't have talked back to him. After all, he was now in charge of the Yu family. If she really angered him and was kicked out, without any survival skills, she might even have trouble putting food on the table.
She looked down at her hands clasped together on her knees, thinking of her brother lying unconscious in the hospital bed. If her brother were still conscious, she wouldn't have to live a life dependent on others.
The neon lights flashed past the car window, reflecting the sadness in her eyes. Yu Tang quietly took a deep breath, deciding to soften her stance first, and pondered how to ease the atmosphere later. Perhaps she could be free once she got into university and moved out. This thought made her feel a little better, but for some reason, a strange soreness welled up in her chest.
Yu Chaoxian glanced at the round back of her head. Sighing? What did she have to sigh about?
As soon as the car came to a stop, Yu Chaoxian pushed open the door and got out. In her haste, Yu Tang reached out to grab him, not noticing what her fingers caught on, and Yu Chaoxian was actually pulled back to a stop.
Yu Chaoxian turned to look at her, his gaze falling on her slender, fair hand. The girl's delicate wrist was dazzlingly white under the light. Yu Tang then followed his gaze and realized that she was holding onto his belt.
Yu Chaoxian frowned, his expression turning even more unpleasant.
Mickey, who had been with Yu Chaoxian for years, rarely saw such dramatic changes in his expression—whether happy or angry—but he had witnessed them all in one night. This aunt was amazing; she managed to analyze every single expression on her eldest son's face in one night.
"Who taught you all this?" Yu Chaoxian was even angrier than when he arrived, and directly pulled Yu Tang's hand away.
Yu Tang had no idea what he meant. What did he mean by "who taught her"? Taught her what? She just accidentally tugged his belt, and he was getting angry about that?
She looked at Mickey, bewildered, wanting to ask what Yu Chaoxian meant. Mickey didn't know what to say, because when they went out for social events, women always tried to tug at the boss's belt.
Mickey coughed twice, avoiding Yu Tang's confused gaze.
Unable to get an answer, Yu Tang clutched the coat, cigarettes, lighter, and a gun that Yu Chaoxian had thrown in the car.
Remembering how Yu Chaoxian always mocked her for not wearing shoes and waiting for someone to carry her, she wanted to ask Yu Chaoxian, "Who picks up my things every time I lose something?"
Mickey had to return to base after dropping the person off at home. Seeing that he was about to leave, Yu Tang wanted to ask him if he wanted some water.
Mickey reminded her, "The eldest brother rushed to catch a flight overnight and hasn't had dinner yet."
Yu Tang returned to the living room and searched everywhere but couldn't find Yu Chaoxian.
The sound of a lighter coming from the second floor seemed like a signal.
Yu Chaoxian looked down, a cigarette dangling from his lips. On the table, cigarettes, a lighter, and a gun were neatly arranged in a row, and on the sofa were folded coats—it was obvious who had put them there.
Yu Tang was wearing slippers this time, not barefoot. Yu Chaoxian sneered, not knowing whether to praise her for being smart or stupid.
Yu Tang heard the sound and looked up to find him. In the white smoke, the man's slender fingers unbuttoned the black shirt one by one.
Seeing him undress as if no one else was around, his well-defined muscles slowly becoming fully visible to Yu Tang, she quickly looked away and asked, "Are you hungry? Do you want some instant noodles?"
The housekeeper isn't home at this time. She's not very good at cooking, but she can cook instant noodles.
Yu Chaoxian sneered: "What, you didn't get enough cake? That wild boy couldn't even spare enough food for you?"
What nonsense are you spouting? Yu Chaoxian has been saying inexplicable things ever since we were in the car.
Yu Tang frowned: "Why are you meddling in other people's business? I'm asking if you're hungry."
The mention of "others" seemed to quell the anger in Yu Chaoxian's chest. He bit his cigarette butt and commanded Yu Tang as if it were the most natural thing in the world, "Then hurry up, who do you want to starve to death?"
Yu Tang had asked him unnecessary questions, but since she had already asked, she wouldn't argue or get angry with him. "Then you rest and wait for me for a while. It will be ready soon."
Yu Tang casually tied her hair up, washed her hands first, and then spun around like a top, going back and forth between the refrigerator and the sink.
Yu Chaoxian turned around and went to the bathroom, taking a shower according to the time.
How long can a bowl of instant noodles last?
At most, ten minutes.
The sound of running water in the bathroom stopped. Yu Chaoxian casually picked up a towel to dry his hair, put on a bathrobe, and came downstairs, tying his belt as he went. Yu Tang heard the sound of him coming downstairs, turned her head and looked up. Yu Chaoxian was tying his bathrobe, his upper body was loose, and his abs were clearly visible. Yu Tang quickly turned her eyes away and pretended to be washing vegetables seriously.
Yu Chaoxian strode into the kitchen and saw that the high school student had just poured water into the pot, and the water hadn't even boiled yet.
There were quite a few side dishes prepared on the side, all neatly cut.
Yu Tang turned around to wash the vegetables, but was startled by Yu Chaoxian's sudden appearance. She almost dropped the vegetables in her hand. How come this person walks so silently? He was just on the stairs a moment ago.
"What's there to be guilty about?" Yu Chaoxian said lazily.
Yu Tang glanced at his abs; his belt was already fastened.
"I didn't see it!" After saying that, she ignored him and focused on cooking instant noodles.
"What are you looking at?" Yu Chaoxian raised an eyebrow as he watched her cook noodles.
Yu Tang didn't know if he was asking a question he already knew the answer to. He had clearly seen her peeking out on the stairs earlier.
"Is a fully cooked egg okay?" Yu Tang doesn't like soft-boiled eggs.
Yu Chaoxian leaned against the door, watching her frantically trying to do something, and said, "Whatever."
Yu Tang simply cooked the noodles according to her own taste, since it was her own idea to eat it and she also cooked Yu Chaoxian's portion as well.
Yu Chaoxian could tell she was hungry; his eyes looked at her the same way he did when he was waiting for the food.
She didn't change her clothes when she got back, just simply tied an apron around her neck. They'd been so focused on arguing in the park and in the car that Yu Chaoxian hadn't really looked at Yu Tang properly. Yu Tang had also started wearing hoodies, a black one paired with a white skirt that fell a little below her knees.
The sweatshirt was loose, and the apron's drawstring was tied tightly, perfectly outlining her waist.
Yu Tang bent down to count the side dishes, carefully arranging them in order. The kitchen light was a warm, orange glow, shining directly above Yu Tang and illuminating her entire being.
Her eyelashes were long and curled, fluttering slightly, and warm light fell on her dark pupils, like scattered gold dust. Her long hair, past her shoulders, was tied in a low ponytail, partially obscuring the back of her fair neck, with a few stray strands falling down, brushing against her neck.
Yu Tang felt a little itchy and rubbed it with the back of her hand.
Yu Chaoxian went over first and casually brushed her stray hairs behind her ear.
He didn't speak either, and I don't know when it started, but he also started to look around with his eyes, just like Yu Tang.
Yu Tang felt uneasy under his gaze, but she didn't dare to say anything: "Yu Chaoxian, what's the meaning of this? What are you looking at now with those eyes darting around?" Fortunately, she quickly came to her senses and picked up a slice of fried luncheon meat, handing it to him. "Hungry? You can have something to eat first."
In the past, when Yu Tang came to the kitchen to find Yu Yanting, it was actually because she was hungry, and Yu Yanting would give her a piece of the cooked food first. Yu Tang naturally assumed that Yu Chaoxian came to the kitchen because he was hungry, since Mickey had just said that he hadn't eaten dinner yet.
Yu Chaoxian glanced at her, a cigarette still dangling from his mouth. Hadn't he just smoked one? Without a second thought, Yu Tang snatched the cigarette from his mouth and shoved the luncheon meat into it.
Yu Tang suddenly experienced the joys of being an elder. She felt a small sense of accomplishment when the younger generation enjoyed her cooking. Yu Tang's gaze towards Yu Chaoxian softened with affection.
The dough is already in the pan; now we just need to wait two more minutes before adding the vegetables.
The cigarette was taken away, but Yu Chaoxian wasn't angry. He had never been controlled by anyone, nor did anyone dare to, except for the fearless Yu Tang. When others came to him, they always wanted something from him, whether it was money or protection. He gave, and they accepted, which was equivalent to a contractual relationship, making it difficult for them to betray him easily.
"Yu Tang," he called her.
"Hmm?" Yu Tang responded casually, her attention focused on the gradually boiling water.
"What do you want?" Seeing that she didn't look up, he tugged at a stray strand of her hair.
Yu Tang's gaze finally shifted from the small pot to Yu Chaoxian, and she heard him ask her this question for the first time. Yu Chaoxian suddenly asked her what she wanted, and she was genuinely unsure what to ask for, feeling somewhat lost.
As Yu Chaoxian walked towards her step by step, she subconsciously retreated step by step until she reached the pool, where she had nowhere left to go.
The man put his arm around her waist and carried her to sit on the edge of the pool.
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