Chapter 49 A light kiss, and another light kiss.
Upon hearing this, Chen Hao immediately became agitated, glaring at him and saying, "You'll spout any nonsense you want to protect yourself! I'll cut your tongue out!"
The woman screamed in fright and shrank back into the corner. She cried and dared not look at Chen Hao, much less at anyone else.
She was filled with regret. If only she had taken advantage of Chen Hao's orders to stop the people earlier, she would have run away and avoided all this suffering!
Tang Suichen's eyes were sinister, and Pei Yumin was getting more and more impatient. Their gazes fell on Tang Yi at the same time, making him shiver in the middle of summer and feel a chill down his back.
Now that things have come to this, he knows he can no longer act as a peacemaker; his priority is to protect himself!
Tang Yi turned to look at Chen Hao, and instantly felt as if he were being pricked by thorns, the pressure of his gaze almost making it hard to breathe: "Tell the truth!"
Chen Hao looked up at him, pleading for help with his eyes, but it was too late no matter what he did.
Tang Yi didn't speak up for him, and Chen Hao became increasingly flustered. Finally, he crawled forward a few steps and grabbed Tang Yi's pants: "Godfather, you can't abandon me! I did all this because of you!"
Chen Hao used to be a simple-minded and reckless man, but after following Tang Yi, he became more shrewd. He realized that Tang Yi didn't want to take care of him anymore, but at this point, Tang Yi was the only person he could rely on. So, no matter what, he had to drag Tang Yi down with him and become one of his own, otherwise his fate would only be worse!
Chen Hao said, "Godfather, you know I only like women. When I go out, I only hang out with women. I'm not interested in men!"
Tang Yi hurriedly said, "Then why did you provoke..." He didn't know how to address Lu Shangyan, and the words circled around in his mouth before coming out as, "What are you doing with Young Master Pei's sweetheart! I think you're drunk and don't know your place, you're seeing things!"
Tang Yi tried to ingratiate himself, but Pei Yumin didn't buy it at all and continued to stare coldly at Chen Hao on the ground.
Tang Yi was completely disheartened: "If Young Master Pei wants to vent his anger, then you'll just have to suffer it!"
Upon hearing this, Chen Hao was furious. He had already been beaten quite a bit and knew how these two were capable of. If they did it again, he would be finished!
He grabbed Tang Yi's leg, desperately trying to stop him from leaving: "Godfather! Godfather, you can't leave!"
"I only wanted to lure him upstairs because he was pretty, to drug him, and then save him for you! I did it for you, to make you happy! You can't just abandon me!"
Pei Yumin's anger, which had just subsided a little, flared up again, even more intensely than before!
He looked at Tang Yi, Chen Hao's words had pierced his heart completely, and his expression was ferocious: "Enjoying yourself?"
Tang Yi immediately reached out and slapped Chen Hao hard twice: "How dare you say such vulgar things!"
Chen Hao was in excruciating pain, but he dared not relax at all: "I was wrong, godfather, I said the wrong thing."
"But my filial piety towards you is genuine; you can't abandon me!"
His face was covered in tears, sweat, and blood. His gaze swept over Pei Yumin without lingering, and in the end, he still chose Lu Shangyan, who seemed the easiest to bully. Looking at him, he said, word by word, "I know I was wrong. I apologize to you all. I will definitely be a good person in the future."
"I promise I will never appear in front of you again. I was blind this time and truly had no intention of offending you!"
Seeing his reaction, Lu Shangyan softened and nudged Pei Yumin with his elbow, but Pei Yumin simply grabbed his hand and did not accept his hint.
He knew that Chen Hao was a fool who became arrogant and disdainful of everyone after achieving success overnight. If he let him off this time, Chen Hao would soon forget the pain and might come back to bite him again sometime in the future. He wasn't afraid, but he couldn't let Lu Shangyan take that risk.
Moreover, even if Tang Suichen and he try to keep the news from spreading, some people will still find out about what happened today. If those who want to deliberately annoy him find out that he let the people who bullied Lu Shangyan off so easily, there will probably be even more bastards coming after Lu Shangyan to annoy the two of them in the future!
So from the very beginning, he wanted to nip all possibilities in the bud.
After Chen Hao finished speaking, the scene fell into dead silence. He didn't know how to beg for mercy or how to appease Tang Yi, who had also been dragged into the mess, still refused to say a word in his defense.
He was sweating more and more, feeling increasingly weak, and even his breathing became shallow.
Finally, Tang Suichen spoke first, wanting only to tell the woman squatting beside him: "Tell me, what exactly happened?"
No matter what, Tang Yi was relying on his "second uncle" and the Tang family's name, which is why the people around him dared to act so recklessly. This matter was somewhat related to him, and he had to see it through to the end.
Otherwise, who knows, some distant third uncle or distant second aunt might pop up tomorrow!
The woman was already terrified. She squatted there with her eyes wide open, trying her best to minimize her presence and play dead, afraid of getting into trouble again.
Upon being suddenly mentioned, she immediately crawled over, trembling, but after glancing at Tang Yi and then at Tang Suichen, she dared not utter a single word.
She was afraid she would say the wrong thing.
Of everyone present, only she was ignored and had no powerful backing!
Song Yuxin maintained a businesslike attitude: "Explain everything clearly, and this matter will have nothing to do with you."
The woman grasped at a straw and hurriedly said to him, "It was Chen Hao. When Pei Shao's people came to deliver the things to him, he was in a good mood and, seeing that he was handsome, he had those kinds of thoughts."
Pei Yumin interrupted her coldly: "He has a name, his surname is Lu."
The woman trembled even more violently, nodded repeatedly, and continued, "He originally didn't play with men, but he told me that he saw his godfather playing with both men and women, and he also wanted to know what it was like to play with a man. He felt that he didn't dislike Young Master Lu, so he wanted to try it out with him. So he hid his watch and tried to frame Young Master Lu for stealing his things."
"Then let me go downstairs and try to persuade Young Master Lu to go upstairs to help look for him, and take the opportunity to keep him here to do that kind of thing."
After she finished speaking, she was completely exhausted and collapsed onto the floor.
Chen Hao turned his bloodied face, glared at her, and raised his voice threateningly, "Say it again?! What exactly happened back then?! Don't slander me!"
The woman was so frightened by his appearance that she screamed repeatedly and fainted.
Song Yuxin sighed softly, took out his phone and sent a message. Soon, someone came in and carried the woman away.
Chen Hao quickly asked, "Where are you taking her? Murder is a crime!"
He was also reminding them not to kill him!
Tang Suichen smiled wickedly: "Don't worry, I won't kill her." He squatted down: "But you might be a different story."
"You just said you wanted us to kneel down and kowtow to you to apologize, and that you would also carve words on our bodies and make us run around the school together?"
Chen Hao said, "I was just talking nonsense, I would never do that!"
Tang Suichen snorted coldly: "I don't believe it."
"How about this, you kneel down in front of him and kowtow a few times, and I'll spare your life, how about that? Isn't that a good deal?"
He certainly wouldn't actually kill anyone, but Chen Hao, who had been driven to the brink, dared not resist and had no room for doubt.
He immediately took a few steps back and began to kowtow and admit his mistake in the direction of Lu Shangyan.
Lu Shangyan couldn't bear to watch any of this. Just as he was about to speak, Pei Yumin covered his eyes. Then he heard Pei Yumin say, "He's in your hands now."
Tang Suichen knew many people and had many ways to torment others, so he immediately nodded and said, "But in exchange, you should take good care of me, your 'second uncle'."
Tang Yi had originally resolved this matter and was no longer involved! But unexpectedly, he ended up getting entangled with Pei Yumin, who was even more difficult to deal with!
Tang Yi's legs trembled even more violently. This time, he couldn't hold on any longer and collapsed into a chair next to him: "Young Master Pei, you just heard what that woman said. I know nothing about this matter, and it really has nothing to do with me."
"I promise I won't say a word after I get out today, so please let this old man go."
Tang Suichen said, "Don't try to act tough in front of me because you're old. I'm not buying it!"
"You've been using our family name to swindle and defraud people. I'm not letting this go!"
But it's not really a good idea for him to come forward, since there are still a few relatives who are useful to their family. If those people find out, they might start making veiled accusations against them.
He didn't want to hear such annoying things during his newlywed days, so it was most appropriate to leave this matter to Pei Yumin, since no one dared to speak ill of Pei Yumin.
Tang Yi's face turned pale: "I'll stay far away from now on, okay?"
Pei Yumin said, "It's too late."
"Lu Shangyan was able to walk back then because you answered Chen Hao's call, which gave him the courage to stop him."
Tang Yi explained, "I didn't know that it was Young Master Lu who was being stopped."
Pei Yumin was too lazy to waste words with him. The smell of blood was getting stronger and stronger, and he also noticed that Lu Shangyan's eyelashes were trembling more and more violently, and his body was tense.
They must be feeling unwell.
He grabbed Lu Shangyan's arm, said no more, and led him away from there.
As soon as he went outside, Lu Shangyan took several deep breaths. Finally, he couldn't hold it in any longer and quickly ran outside to a flower bed where he vomited.
Pei Yumin ran back to get him a bottle of water, opened it, and handed it to him so he could rinse his mouth.
It took Lu Shangyan a while to calm down: "Isn't it a bit too heavy?"
Pei Yumin didn't reply to him, but asked instead, "Something happened, why didn't you call me? I only found out from Tang Suichen."
Li Xiaorui made that phone call to Song Yuxin, and he also sent the message to Song Yuxin.
Lu Shangyan sighed almost imperceptibly: "I thought I could handle it. If I couldn't, I would call the police. Anyway, I didn't steal anything. At worst, I would just pay him some medical expenses."
Pei Yumin was a little angry, but he didn't dare to vent his anger on Lu Shangyan. In the end, he could only spin around in place a few times, hands on his hips and head tilted, forcing himself to calm down: "Look at Chen Hao, does he look like he's afraid of the police? Even if the police come, so what? Tang Yi will get him out of here soon!"
"This time it was because he brought a woman. What if it happens next time? If he wants to cause you trouble again, he can bring more people. Can you still beat him? Even if you can beat him once, can you hide from him forever?"
Lu Shangyan licked his dry lips: "No, it won't happen."
"What do you mean 'can't'?" Pei Yumin shuddered at the thought of Lu Shangyan getting involved with these thugs and almost being dragged upstairs: "Have you forgotten how that Chen Shuo treated you back in the bar?"
Lu Shangyan also felt wronged: "I didn't think that much at the time. I thought that when he came to see me next time, you would be by my side."
"Since you knew I existed, you should have notified me immediately!" He paced around twice more, growing increasingly agitated. "If I had arrived a moment later, and if Tang Yi had found you with his men first, what would you have done?"
"You should know your physical condition better than I do. It's better to have one less person know about this than one more. I haven't even told Tang Suichen. If that kind of person finds out you're pregnant, you'll never have a peaceful life!"
His hands were shaking the whole way here, and he ran several red lights. He was also angry with himself for having to hold that stupid meeting today and for not picking up Lu Shangyan earlier than usual!
Lu Shangyan's nose stung, and his eyes turned red: "I know, I didn't let him touch my stomach."
Pei Yumin got even angrier when he saw him arguing back, and grabbed a handful of his hair: "Just because he can't touch me once or twice doesn't mean he can't touch me forever."
Lu Shangyan pouted, unable to hold back any longer. His lips trembled, and a tear fell onto the back of his hand: "I don't want to be bothered by this kind of rotten person all the time."
He twitched his nose and took a deep breath: "Why are you getting angry at me? I've been trying so hard to solve the problem."
Pei Yumin's heart was gripped tightly. She raised her hand and punched herself hard, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. She then pulled Lu Shangyan into her arms and said, "I'm sorry, I was too scared. I don't know why you're always unwilling to let me help you solve your problems."
"Chen Shuo, Dong Shufan, and all those scumbag relatives of yours, I've dealt with each of them very well, haven't I?"
"Why are you still unwilling to contact me immediately? I'm really afraid that if I'm a step late, you'll suffer more."
When he returned to Chong County with Lu Shangyan, he learned too much about Lu Shangyan's past. During that time, he would wake up in terror from nightmares, dreaming of little Lu Shangyan being dragged into an alley by stray dogs, or dreaming that Lu Shangyan hadn't met him and had been deceived by Chen Shuo and Dong Shufan, or dreaming that Lu Shangyan was constantly exploited by his relatives, walking thinly down the street, and never standing up again after arriving home...
He had far too many nightmares like this, and he always regretted why he hadn't confessed to Lu Shangyan immediately after falling for him. Perhaps Lu Shangyan would have suffered much less that way.
But there aren't that many "what ifs".
So he wanted to treat Lu Shangyan better in the future, help him solve all his problems, and let him be as safe and happy as other children, making up for the comfort he had never experienced.
But he still messed it up.
Lu Shangyan had been avoiding him for some time, and he had tried to find out the reason many times, both openly and secretly.
Even today, when Lu Shangyan was blocked there for so long, Chen Hao called for help, but the first person he contacted wasn't him, but Song Yuxin, whom he had barely spoken to.
He could understand that Lu Shangyan wanted to protect his self-esteem. He preferred to borrow money from Song Yuxin and bear the burden alone rather than tell him about his difficulties.
But back in Chong County, hadn't Lu Shangyan gradually become more willing to talk to him?
So why is it that now that I'm in a relationship, I'm even less willing to express myself?
Then what's the point of him being her boyfriend?
He sighed, gently kissed the top of Lu Shangyan's head, and said again, "I'm sorry, I was just too hasty. I wanted you to rely on me more."
Lu Shangyan scrunched up his face to barely keep himself from crying too loudly: "I'm so scared."
Pei Yumin comforted him, saying, "It's alright, it's all resolved." He added that the man was still frightened by what had just happened.
"Let's go home first, you take a shower, get a good night's sleep, and we'll have a proper talk tomorrow morning, okay?"
Lu Shangyan raised his hand and hugged him tightly, not letting him leave: "Pei Yumin, I always rely on you."
"Before you appeared, I could handle everything very well, but after meeting you, I became someone else. I can't even solve a very small problem."
“When you’re at home, you cook and do laundry for me. I told you I would give you the money for the groceries, but in the end you spent it all on me, and even gave me more.”
"Just like you said, Chen Shuo, Dong Shufan, and my uncle and aunt, including those two tonight, every time I try to solve things on my own, it doesn't end the problem, but instead causes even bigger trouble. I always need your help."
"I don't want to be like this, always causing you trouble. I don't want to be a burden to you."
He bit his lower lip hard, tasting the blood, but still couldn't control his sobs.
He could only stop, gasp for breath, and it took him a long time before he could finally speak.
He then slowly said, word by word, "What can I do for you? It seems like there's nothing I can do. You're so capable, I can never be your support. I don't know what meaning my existence has for you."
At this moment, Pei Yumin finally understood what Lu Shangyan meant by "wanting to be needed".
Pei Yumin hugged him and said sorry over and over again.
Lu Shangyan had no parents, no one to teach him how to grow up, and he stumbled and fell all by himself. What he learned from his uncles and aunts was that only those who could bring benefits and be needed were qualified to be kept by their side.
After his parents passed away, he received compensation for the two houses, which allowed him to stay at his three aunts' houses for a few days at a time, preventing him from becoming an unwanted child.
Later, when he grew a little older, he would collect bottles and help others in exchange for food and money, so he could eat his fill.
Later, he wanted to go to university and give his uncle and aunt more money. He got the opportunity to go to school, and because of this money, his luggage was no longer thrown out when he went home for winter vacation.
Later, as a man, he became pregnant, gave himself up, risked being treated as an outcast, and gained his only real family.
He was always exchanging, always giving, using everything he had to get what he wanted.
That's why he panicked when Pei Yumin asked nothing of him. He was afraid that he wouldn't be needed, afraid that he couldn't give Pei Yumin anything, while Pei Yumin seemed to lack nothing. He was afraid that Pei Yumin would find in the future that he was dispensable, that his existence was meaningless, and that he would be abandoned again.
When he was very young, he couldn't afford to give money, so he was considered a burden by his aunt and would be kicked out.
Moreover, he had caused Pei Yumin so much trouble that he was already a burden to him.
“I thought that if I bought a house, you could move in with me and you wouldn’t need to rent a place outside, then I would be useful to you. But I suddenly realized that I can never afford the house you’ve had since birth. Even if I try my best, I may not be able to give you anything better.”
Pei Yumin buried his face in Lu Shangyan's shoulder, his body trembling violently. But he couldn't cry in front of Lu Shangyan now. He secretly wiped his tears on Lu Shangyan's shoulder and said in an unusually gentle tone, "I really like the little night light you gave me."
Lu Shangyan said, "But that lamp is actually very cheap; anyone can buy it for you."
Pei Yumin said, "They're different; the one you bought is the most beautiful."
"Only you would give me a ring, and I will only accept a ring from you."
“You have never been a burden to me. You are the family I have decided to spend my whole life with.”
“If it weren’t for you, after my parents left me, when I got old, I was afraid I would be kicked out by my relatives’ children. They would take over my company and my house, and I would die alone on the roadside with a small cane. But because of you, I’m not afraid anymore. You even made me a father. You are amazing and brave.”
Lu Shangyan's nose tingled again: "Really?"
Pei Yumin nodded: "Yes, have you forgotten? I told you a long time ago that I liked you a long time ago, and I only like you. I'm not lying to you."
“Or you can look at Tang Suichen. He changed the people around him so quickly. I’ve been friends with him for so long, but I never learned from him to find people to hang out with.”
"Besides, I'm almost thirty years old and I've never been in a relationship. You can ask my mom if you don't believe me. It's because I only like you."
Lu Shangyan listened very attentively and then asked him, "But what do you like about me? I'm not good at all."
Pei Yumin also asked him, "Does liking someone need a reason?"
Lu Shangyan's eyes were firm as he slowly nodded.
Pei Yumin realized that while liking someone might not need a reason, liking someone else definitely did.
He pushed Lu Shangyan's waist away a little, reached out to wipe away the tears on his face, and then fiddled with his sweat-dampened bangs several times, gathering all his hair behind his head, looking at his furrowed brows.
Then she looked down into his eyes and said sincerely, word by word, "Every time I finish cooking, you eat it all up, which makes it easier for me to wash the dishes. And you appreciate my cooking skills. I'm always very happy when I cook. Only you can provide me with such positive emotional value."
"Now I sleep with a nightlight on every night, and I have sweet dreams while I sleep. I wake up refreshed the next morning, and my work efficiency has improved a lot!"
"Also, every time I have a meeting, you can help me choose the most suitable clothes when I have decision-making difficulties, which reduces my worries about hair loss due to overworking my brain. Old Pei has been troubled by this problem for decades."
"More importantly, you saved my life three years ago. Compared to my life, everything I did for you was insignificant. So I've always thought that you must be an angel sent by God to save me, and you are my precious one."
Lu Shangyan gradually calmed down, and seeing that he was not speaking, he urged him anxiously, "How come I don't remember? How did I save you?"
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Author's Note: Pei Yumin: My wife, such a kind person! [crying][crying][crying][crying]
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