Are All You Straight Guys Like This Chapter 97

A gust of wind blew past, carrying fine drizzle that sliced across exposed skin like needle pricks.

Ye Ran snapped back to himself, his gaze gradually clearing.

Scenes from the café replayed in his mind as if projected on a screen. Viewing it all from a detached third-person angle, he seemed to catch a faint trace of shame and avoidance on Cheng Jiaming’s enraged face at a certain moment.

Ye Ran slowly narrowed his eyes.

He took out his phone and walked toward the bus stop under the drizzling rain. There were few pedestrians, raindrops tapping out delicate sounds in the puddles. Yet he was unusually calm. As soon as An Yu picked up, he went straight to the point: “Ah Yu, help me check on Cheng Jiaming.”

An Yu’s loud, shocked voice burst through the speaker: “What? That dog— cough —that b*stard again? What did he do now?”

Ye Ran didn’t answer. He only said, “Just a suspicion. I met with him today. He acted very strange.”

On the other end, An Yu immediately heard the implications in his tone. After a few seconds, he finally spoke again, gritting his teeth: “Okay. Give me one day. His schedule is easy to track. I’ll go talk to Ah Ming.”

Ah Ming was the “Beijing Gay Contacts”—also known as Beijing’s gossip guru. Whether it was gossip from North America or Europe’s study-abroad circles, he knew everything down to the details.

An Yu, being fiery and impulsive, hung up without hesitation and started investigating Cheng Jiaming immediately.

Ye Ran held his phone, lowering his eyes.

…He hoped he was wrong.

In his memory, Cheng Jiaming had always been a bright, sunny boy who loved to laugh. But now it seemed his impression of him had been skewed all along.

There were very few cars on the road in the rain.

A horn sounded beside him. He instinctively turned his head and saw a black Bentley slowly stopping at his side.

Raindrops darkened the car’s surface like splashed ink.

Ye Ran was still dazed when the rear window slid down, revealing Shen Shi’s face.

“Get in.” Shen Shi’s gaze swept over Ye Ran’s rain-soaked clothes and pant legs, his brows drawing together slightly.

Ye Ran’s face was pale. He was already fair-skinned, and the cold wind made him even whiter. His hoodie clung to his thin back, making him look like a stray cat drenched in the rain.

He had no idea what he looked like in Shen Shi’s eyes. He quickly folded up his umbrella, shook off the rain from his clothes, and got into the car. Warm air washed over him immediately, the soft hum of the AC made it feel like he had stepped from winter straight into spring.

A warm towel was placed beside him. Ye Ran took it from Shen Shi and wiped his face.

After he put it down, Shen Shi handed him a cup of hot milk tea.

Red bean milk tea.

As he pushed the straw in, a rich milky aroma drifted out. The tea must have been simmered; it wasn’t overly sweet or heavy. After two sips, the cold, bloodless color on Ye Ran’s face finally eased.

He didn’t ask why Shen Shi’s car had milk tea prepared.

Back at the Ye house, whenever he made milk tea, Shen Shi always finished it. One cup each, just enough for a small pot.

As expected, not even a domineering CEO could resist milk tea.

Ye Ran swallowed the sweet red beans. The car had already started moving again. The rain kept the speed slow, and many pedestrians on the road were bent over from the wind. The windows were slowly covered in streaky rain patterns. Ye Ran withdrew his gaze as Shen Shi asked calmly, “Why didn’t you let Old Li drive you?”

Old Li was the driver Shen Shi had used since Haicheng.

Ever since Ye Ran and Cheng Jiaming’s engagement announcement, Old Li no longer accompanied Shen Shi. He was assigned to the Ye family instead, serving Ye Ran and his parents. Now the person driving was always Xu Wen. Xu Wen, who now received both his assistant salary and Old Li’s salary, felt a mix of emotions and secretly thought his driver’s license was worth every bit of effort.

Ye Ran was puzzled. “Uncle Li?”

He thought of how Old Li had been so idle lately that he spent every day helping in the Ye family’s backyard garden. After a moment of hesitation, he asked tactfully, “Is Uncle Li… not feeling well lately?”

Shen Shi lifted his gaze slightly. His fingertips paused on the report he was reading. His dark eyes settled on Ye Ran as the latter continued innocently, “It seems like he doesn’t have anything to do.”

Had he offended Shen Shi and been demoted?

Ye Ran couldn’t figure it out. He took another sip of milk tea.

Shen Shi stayed silent. The phone on the small table lit up. He glanced at it. It was a panicked message from Old Li.

Old Li: [Sir, I wasn’t watching carefully. The young master went out alone and took a taxi.]

Old Li: [I’ll go get him now.]

Shen Shi replied: [No need. I’ll take him back.]

Old Li: [The young master is with you?]

Old Li: [Okay, okay.]

It was already late, near noon. Xu Wen drove toward a private restaurant in the south of the city. Ye Ran didn’t object. Shen Shi’s tastes were almost identical to his, both disliked spicy food and preferred light dishes with a hint of sweetness or vinegar.

The restaurant felt very familiar.

It wasn’t until after they finished eating and Shen Shi sent him home that Ye Ran realized the food Shen Shi used to bring back, before Chen Ma moved to Beijing, had always tasted exactly like this.

He stood in the living room in a daze and saw Chen Ma returning with bags of fresh vegetables, smiling.

Chen Ma’s heart ached when she saw him. “Oh my, young master, how could you go out in this cold wearing only a hoodie? I’ll make fish soup tonight. You and the young master both need to nourish yourselves.”

“That young master,” she continued nagging, “back in Haicheng he was never this busy. Since coming to Beijing, I barely see his shadow. You kids never know how to take care of yourselves. When you’re old, you’ll suffer for it.”

Her warm chatter echoed through the Ye house, which had been silent for as long as Ye Ran could remember. At some point, this empty home had filled with human warmth.

He suddenly felt dazed.

…Father and Mother Shen often visited relatives. Aside from dinner, Shen Shi ate all his meals at the company.

So… who exactly had Chen Ma been sent here to take care of?

…

The car left the Ye house.

Rain lashed against the windows, the scenery blurring by.

Xu Wen was sleepy after the meal but forced himself to concentrate on driving.

In the backseat, Shen Shi didn’t rest. He held a report in an opaque file folder, frowning as he read. At some point, he must have seen something displeasing. His expression darkened as he picked up a pen and began making notes.

Xu Wen quietly withdrew his gaze and sighed inwardly.

The news that Shen Shi would host a banquet at Huating on Saturday night spread like a storm across Beijing.

Many CEOs suspected they’d heard wrong. Ever since coming to Beijing, Shen Shi had stayed outside the city’s economic circles, almost as if he were only visiting relatives, or perhaps avoiding attention.

The Shen Corporation was a giant. Every company wanted a partnership, even a small piece of the cake. But Shen Shi was impenetrable, more evasive than even the most seasoned businessmen, giving nothing away.

Now, finally, a sliver of hope.

Beijing’s entire financial world was focused on Saturday night at Huating.

Including the ambitious Cheng family.

…

Ye Ran knew nothing about the business world.

Ever since Cheng Jiaming’s investment, problems at the Ye family seemed to vanish. The company appeared back on track. Shareholders and managers who used to seek him out stopped doing so. For nearly a month, he barely heard any news about the company.

Yet online, endless praise for Ye Corp’s “conscientious domestic brand” flooded every platform. Reading the comments made it clear that Cheng Jiaming’s investment had indeed revived the Ye family.

So when he learned that Cheng Jiaming had been overly close with a woman, Ye Ran’s mind went blank.

An Yu’s living room.

A steaming cup of black tea sat on the table, sweetened with sugar cubes. The sweetness steadied his heartbeat.

An Yu was furious. If Ye Ran weren’t here, he would have rushed out with a machete to slaughter that b*stard Cheng Jiaming.

“F*ck! I knew that b*stard wasn’t a good person! Acting all affectionate in front of you, but actually two-timing, plugging into anything with legs! It makes me sick! I hope he dies in some woman’s bed one day! If not, I’ll cut off his d*ck myself and chop it into chicken feed!”

Ye Ran’s faint anger turned into helpless amusement. He tugged at An Yu’s arm, telling him to stop jumping on the sofa before he hurt himself.

An Yu allowed himself to be pulled down but was still fuming. “Ranran, you’re not angry?”

“Of course I’m angry.” Ye Ran nodded. His expression cooled. His fingertips turned white around the cup. Calmly, he asked, “Are you sure they’re meeting this Saturday night?”

“Confirmed. Saturday night. Shenghua Hotel. I even know the room number. Ah Ming said Cheng Jiaming drunkenly confessed it one night.” An Yu instantly understood what Ye Ran intended to do. His eyes lit up. He cracked his knuckles. “F*ck, you’re going to catch them? Take me! Take me! I’ve hated that b*stard for ages! I’m gonna kick his d*ck into dust!”

Ye Ran didn’t deny it. He simply hummed in agreement.

He watched the tea trembling slightly in the cup. The bright, sunny smile he remembered from Cheng Jiaming’s face seemed to fade. Ever since the Ye family’s downfall, that face had worn a layer of unfamiliarity.

What did this engagement even mean in Cheng Jiaming’s eyes?

Ye Ran didn’t understand how someone could show such fiery, passionate affection, only to betray so easily, so simply.

Love truly wasn’t a good thing.

He thought—

His mother nearly died to give birth to him because of love.

His father clung to the company year after year because of love, rarely seeing him at all.

His grandmother tried everything to make up for him, yet always showed faint hints of blame without realizing it.

He had grown up alone. The only constant by his side was An Yu. In university, Cheng Jiaming had pursued him with overwhelming passion, which frightened him. It felt like a heavy shackle he couldn’t understand. So he avoided Cheng Jiaming, afraid of being burned and falling into something irreversible.

The only thing he loved sincerely was art, painting and color.

Watching a beautiful image take shape under his hands felt like witnessing a new life being born.

But now, he seemed to have ruined that too.

If Ye Corp fell, what would he say to his father when he woke up?

When he first said he wanted to study art, his father agreed without hesitation. Would he regret it once he regained consciousness?

Ye Ran stared blankly into space. His mind was a chaotic mess. He didn’t even know how he made it back home.

It was already past eight. Rain still battered the windows. Shen Shi had not returned.

From the kitchen came the sound of dishes being washed, the steady rush of water. The living room glowed with warm yellow light. Chen Ma didn’t turn around as she called out loudly, “Young master, you were out so long. I’ve made rock sugar pear soup. Go have a bowl.”

The pear soup was crystal clear.

Ye Ran held the bowl and slowly drank it in the living room. Knowing he didn’t like overly sweet food, Chen Ma had only added a few pieces of sugar. Warmth spread through his whole body.

After setting the bowl down, his tense thoughts softened little by little. Just as he was about to head upstairs, he caught sight of a small brocade box on the coffee table.

A familiar black box, casually placed, not formal or ceremonious.

Chen Ma came out of the kitchen and exclaimed when she saw it. She slapped her forehead. “Oh dear, I almost forgot. The young master came home briefly. He grabbed something and left again. He told me to give this to you, said it’s just a small trinket for you to play with.”

Since the day they met, the little boxes Shen Shi had given him could already fill a drawer.

Ye Ran felt a headache coming on. He sighed helplessly. “Got it.”

He took the box upstairs. Only the warm lamp by the entrance was on.

In his plush slippers, Ye Ran fell heavily onto the bed. The events of the day pressed on him like weights. He set the brocade box beside his pillow and fell asleep from exhaustion.

In his dream, he seemed to cry again.

Someone sat by the bed. The shadow fell over him. As in many dreams before, that person gently wiped his tears.

He thought he heard a man’s weary yet gentle voice, touching his slightly reddened eyelids and whispering, “…Soon.”

Time passed in a blur.

Saturday night arrived in the blink of an eye.

Shen Shi’s banquet at Huating was scheduled for eight. No one dared to be late. Everyone arrived early, only to encounter a problem, the grand crystal chandeliers in the hall wouldn’t light. There was an electrical fault.

The early guests sat in the lobby and glanced at the smaller banquet halls, each quietly calculating.

If they moved to a smaller hall, people at their level wouldn’t be able to squeeze in. They’d likely have to leave exactly the way they came.

The more they thought about it, the angrier they became. A few CEOs glanced at the well-dressed Cheng family nearby. Their eyes swept over the family of three before someone asked strangely, “Chairman Cheng, why didn’t you bring your younger son today?”

Everyone knew about Cheng Jiaming’s relationship with the Ye family. The Cheng family, who usually acted as if everyone else were beneath them, now looked uncomfortable. Father Cheng was annoyed that Cheng Jiaming had been missing all day, but in public, he would never admit it.

“That brat, I assigned him some work. He’s already old enough. It’s time he trained in the company. What would we do if he had to shoulder bigger responsibilities in the future?”

As soon as those words were spoken, several executives choked up, impatient with this attitude.

“Do they really think they’re connected to the Shen family now?” someone muttered. “I’ve heard that President Shen has never even met them.”

“Don’t say that. For all we know, Cheng Jiaming might manage to get linked to the Shen family in the future. I just don’t know why he didn’t come tonight. Isn’t this disrespectful to President Shen?”

“Ridiculous. A second-generation rich kid trying to connect himself to the Shen family…”

Father Cheng and Mother Cheng’s faces both darkened. They could clearly hear the mockery in the others’ tones.

Ever since they eagerly went to Shen Corporation a few days ago to ask for a collaboration, only to not even make it past the front gate, the Cheng family’s reputation in the circle had plummeted. Many people now seemed to finally understand that the Cheng family was the Cheng family, and the Shen family was the Shen family.

These days, the Chengs had been keeping their heads down, terrified of upsetting Shen Shi. The Cheng family was just a family business with no real power; after several failed negotiation attempts, they were already teetering on the edge of losses.

They came to the banquet today hoping to take the opportunity to approach Ye Ran and forge some connections.

It didn’t matter if they couldn’t speak to Shen Shi. Ye Ran would eventually become family with them. Yet the one who should have come the most, Cheng Jiaming, had been in a terrible mood lately. He would get angry at home for no reason and storm out, slamming the door behind him.

Mother Cheng had been too busy trying to please the Shen family to bother with him. When today arrived, she realized Cheng Jiaming was nowhere to be found. His phone was off, and he wasn’t replying to messages.

“That brat better not come home tonight,” Father Cheng ground out through clenched teeth. “Or I’ll beat him half to death with a belt!”

Mother Cheng stayed silent, not daring to provoke her furious husband.

Gradually, more and more guests arrived. Unable to enter the banquet hall, everyone was in a bad mood. The manager of Huating Hotel was dripping with sweat as he repeatedly bowed and apologized to the executives. In front of everyone, he made a phone call to Shen Shi.

No one knew what was said on the other end, but the manager looked troubled, as if trying to explain something. In the end, he only forced a bitter smile and hung up. Facing the anxious executives, he said, “President Shen is very dissatisfied with our work. He feels the other banquet halls are too small and prone to mistakes.

“President Shen has now decided to host tonight’s banquet at Shenghua Hotel next door… Ladies and gentlemen, this is entirely Huating’s fault. Next time you hold an event here, you’ll receive fifty percent off and one reservation-free booking.”

The rising wave of irritation was instantly smoothed over.

Some executives, afraid they might be asked to leave, instantly brightened. Others, who didn’t care much about such details, also nodded. Shenghua Hotel was right next door, nearly identical in class to Huating. Their grand hall was certainly more upscale than the small one. All they cared about was the atmosphere.

By the time they arrived at Shenghua, the clock was nearing 8:30 p.m.

Under everyone’s attention, a sleek black Bentley pulled up quietly.

The car also parked in the outdoor lot.

Xu Wen took a deep breath. Thinking about what would happen tonight, he couldn’t help but glance at the rearview mirror. In the mirror, Shen Shi dressed in an impeccably tailored suit was fastening his cufflink with one hand. His gaze was cool, his presence steady, like a gathering storm ready to break into a fierce downpour.

“What is it?” Shen Shi asked without lifting his head.

Xu Wen said, “Are you sure we’re not having Young Master Ye come too?”

He really didn’t understand Shen Shi. When dealing with Cheng Jiaming, he was ruthless and precise. Now that the outcome was within reach, he kept Ye Ran safely protected at the Ye residence, not letting him witness any of it.

Shen Shi paused. His expression dimmed. His long lashes lowered, hiding the depth of his eyes, making it impossible to tell what he was thinking. But his tone was calm as he said, “No need.”

Ye Ran only needed to know what kind of person Cheng Jiaming was. That was enough.

The rest, he would handle.

He had already sent Father Shen and Mother Shen abroad. Ye Ran should still be obediently drawing on the second floor.

He stood alone at the center of the storm he had created, calmly waiting for those with ulterior motives to pay the price they deserved.

—He would make the Cheng family fall as hard as he had lifted them.

The car door opened. Shen Shi stepped out slowly. Xu Wen held up a black umbrella, silently following him as he walked toward the venue, each step heavy and steady.

Thunder rumbled as dark clouds rolled overhead.

Just before entering the brightly lit hall, raindrops drummed against the umbrella. The scene before him was dazzling and lively under the lights.

Several executives approached with smiles and wine glasses in hand.

It felt like a grand, flourishing painting, while the storm was kept outside the doors. Shen Shi’s broad, firm shoulders now carried the honor of two companies. He lowered his gaze, his pale, slender fingers holding a wine glass. As always, his thoughts were unreadable as he spoke softly with the surrounding executives.

“Eh… President Shen? President Shen?” The pleasant conversation was suddenly interrupted. The executive speaking with him, an older man, frowned, displeased, and looked toward the ingratiatingly smiling Father and Mother Cheng.

“President Shen, well, if we had known Huating would have such issues tonight, we would’ve helped you find a proper hall for the banquet.”

Father Cheng smiled politely. Gone was the enthusiasm he’d shown in the past when trying to cozy up to Shen Shi. Now he was cautious, terrified that Shen Shi would ignore him again and stomp his dignity into the ground.

Being turned away at the door of Shen Corporation recently had been humiliating beyond belief. In the following days, the Cheng family lost two investments. In the capital, the major corporations always controlled the trends. Now that Shen Shi was acting like this, who didn’t understand exactly what the Cheng family amounted to?

The companies the Chengs had previously provoked finally found their chance and spent days crushing them with pressure. Father Cheng suffered terribly but had no choice but to swallow it down and attend Shen Shi’s banquet in hopes of salvaging something.

Shen Shi took a sip of wine. He didn’t look at Father Cheng, his tone unreadable: “Look for you?”

The hall gradually quieted.

Even the volume of the waltz lowered.

Everyone’s attention shifted, intentionally or not, toward the scene.

Mother Cheng, seeing her husband get a response, quickly plastered on a bright smile. As if she could already see the Chengs rising again, she rushed forward with Cheng Jialang, listening eagerly.

But Father Cheng froze. He didn’t know if he was imagining it, but he thought he heard mockery in Shen Shi’s words.

“Yes…” he finally said. “Our family often eats at Shenghua. We know it quite well.”

One executive couldn’t hold it in. “Know it well? Know what? Which dishes are tasty?”

Soft laughter rippled through the crowd.

Father Cheng’s face burned. Swallowing the humiliation, he forced out, “My wife’s cooking is unrivaled. If there’s a chance in the future, I hope President Shen can bring Ranran to our home as guests. I guarantee you’ll both be pleased.”

Mother Cheng’s eyelid twitched. Quickly stepping forward, since Cheng Jiaming wasn’t here and Cheng Jialang couldn’t speak up, she said, smiling, “Speaking of which, we haven’t seen Ranran lately. Has he been too busy and forgotten all about his engagement?”

Whispers suddenly stopped.

No matter what, Ye Ran was still their future in-law. Even if the Shen family was ignoring the Chengs now, once the engagement was set, they couldn’t just watch them fall apart.

The Chengs sensed the shift in atmosphere, and their mood brightened.

As long as Cheng Jiaming and Ye Ran still had that engagement tie, no one could touch them.

Shenghua’s hall wasn’t much larger than Hua Court’s. The layout was nearly identical.

A castle-like hall connected to the second and third floors, with a grand staircase spiraling downward and a massive oil painting hanging above the central platform. The carved European windows fluttered under the cold wind.

“Rumble—”

A sudden thunderclap cracked across the sky. A massive bolt of lightning seemed to split heaven and earth.

Torrential rain crashed down. Raindrops the size of beans shrouded everything in mist.

With a soft “tap,” Shen Shi leisurely set down his wine glass. As if bored of the Chengs constantly invoking Ye Ran’s name, his dark eyes lifted slightly as he said, “He’s probably not as busy as you.”

Father Cheng’s smile froze.

Shen Shi added, “I heard the Chengs secured several deals recently. Sounds like you’re busy. Doesn’t look like business is bad.”

Cold sweat broke across Father Cheng’s back. His eyelids twitched violently. He was terrified.

…They had only secured two deals these past days.

Both deals were ones that must never be spoken of. He hadn’t told anyone. Not Mother Cheng. Not Cheng Jialang.

Shen Shi… how did Shen Shi know?

He shuddered. His face drained of color. He looked like he’d seen a ghost.

Mother Cheng, oblivious with her back to him, smiled and said, “What deals? Business has been terrible. He can barely eat, he’s losing weight, we—”

“Shut up!” Father Cheng suddenly snapped. Everyone jumped, glaring at him displeased.

It was the first time Mother Cheng had been humiliated by her husband in public. Her eyes widened. She was about to get angry, then forced it down. She wanted to glare at him, but Father Cheng had already bent down, trembling, and said humbly, almost fearfully, “President Shen… Our Cheng family is just a small business. How could we secure big contracts?”

Even the onlooking executives found him pitifully unseemly.

He was a chairman, yet bowing and scraping like a servant.

Several executives grew impatient, pushing the Chengs aside and turning back to Shen Shi with interest.

Shen Shi seemed unconcerned with the Cheng family. He toyed idly with his wine glass. In the corner of his vision, Father Cheng’s legs shook uncontrollably. He couldn’t straighten up, desperately tugging Mother Cheng to leave.

Mother Cheng nearly exploded. “Leave? Why leave? What did we come here for? Today we must finalize the engagement with President Shen. If we don’t get an answer, I won’t let it go. Our Cheng family gave the Ye family so much money. If not for our Jiaming’s kindness, their Ye family—”

“We’re not proceeding…” Her words were cut off. She finally realized something was wrong. Father Cheng was drenched in sweat. His pupils were bloodshot with fear. “We’re not proceeding. We’re leaving. We must go. Right now.”

“Dad, what’s wrong?” Even Cheng Jialang sensed something was off.

Father Cheng nodded repeatedly, clutching his chest as if struggling to breathe. After a moment, swallowing hard, he rasped, “Home. We’re going home. Jialang, tomorrow I’ll buy plane tickets. You, your mother, and your brother go abroad for a few days. I…”

His mouth was dry. His voice trembled.

Cheng Jialang rushed to hand him a glass of water. Father Cheng drank it in one gulp. Sweat glued his graying hair to his skin. He looked as if he’d aged ten years in an instant. He squeezed Jialang’s hand tightly. “Take care of… your mother and brother. I…”

Before he could finish, through the shifting crowd, in the warm and elegant hall filled with waltz music, he met Shen Shi’s casually indifferent gaze. It was a fleeting glance, calm, cold, as if looking at a pebble by the roadside, before drifting away.

Father Cheng felt something inside him collapse.

His mind went blank as he desperately replayed all his recent actions. Every step had seemed flawless. The Ye Corporation was such a small company, their monthly profits less than a fraction of Cheng Company’s. But because they were on the verge of bankruptcy, they had loopholes he could exploit.

Shen Shi… why?

A chill washed over him. It felt as if everything he had done had been silently watched by a pair of cold, godlike eyes. The terror made him dizzy. He suddenly understood why Shen Shi had let the Chengs flaunt their fake connections.

…He wanted the Cheng family utterly ruined.

The higher he let them climb, the harder he would make them fall.

At this moment, suffocating under despair, he finally understood how terrifying Shen Shi truly was.

He would fix his gaze firmly, relentlessly, on a target. And when the time was right, he would seize that person by the throat and crush them completely.

…

Suddenly, noise erupted from the entrance.

The doors were pushed open.

A gust of wind and rain swept in, soaking the heavy wool carpet and sending a freezing chill across everyone’s skin.

A woman turned around impatiently, about to complain then fell silent.

Several police officers stepped in from the storm. The crowd parted for them like the Red Sea. The middle-aged officer in front displayed his badge, ignoring the worried stares, and walked straight toward Father Cheng, who slumped weakly in the corner.

“Cheng Anbang. Cheng Jialang. Chen Ru. Come with us.”

Mother Cheng, confused, shrieked as an officer grabbed her arm. “What are you doing? What are you doing? On what grounds are you arresting us?!”

Cheng Jialang shielded his parents, face tense. “I accuse you of unlawful enforcement!”

The officers were expressionless. One said coldly, “The three of you are legal representatives of Cheng Foods and bear joint liability. You are suspected of manipulating company funds, tax evasion, large-scale money laundering, assisting others in money laundering, and maliciously spreading false rumors that drove other companies to the brink of bankruptcy. Stop resisting and come with us.”

A collective gasp swept through the crowd.

Everyone in this industry had skirted the gray areas of the law before, but each person had a bottom line that must never be crossed.

The Cheng family’s exposed crimes were shocking.

Mother Cheng tried to resist again. But when she glanced at Father Cheng’s collapsed, hollowed-out expression as if he had aged another ten years, her heart skipped. She knew too well what he looked like when guilty. Her shrill voice died instantly.

Terror swallowed her whole. She lunged at him, beating him hysterically. “What did you do? What did you do?! Money laundering? Malicious attacks? What did you do?!”

Cheng Jialang’s face had turned deathly pale. He stood there like a clown under everyone’s gaze, unable to move, only muttering weakly, “Is there some misunderstanding…”

The surrounding crowd watched coldly as Mother Cheng lost her mind and pummeled Father Cheng. Growing up under strict discipline, Cheng Jialang had no backbone. At such a moment, aside from mumbling a few helpless words, he couldn’t do anything.

Father Cheng trembled violently. His heart had been weak for years, and though he felt unwell, he somehow managed to endure.

…What was there to be thankful for?

Should he be thankful that he had favored his elder son and indulged his younger son, but hadn’t listed Cheng Jiaming as a legal representative?

As long as there was still even one member of the Cheng family outside, as long as… as long as Cheng Jiaming still had even the slightest connection with Ye Ran, as long as Cheng Jiaming could keep Ye Ran on his side then even if he went in, Mother Cheng and Cheng Jialang would still have a chance to escape.

Cheng Jiaming knew nothing… In the entire Cheng family, only Cheng Jiaming was innocent.

The collapse of the Ye Group was his doing. The rumors online were also spread by hired internet trolls he paid for. He only wanted to use Ye Group’s hollow shell to launder a bit of money for spending, to borrow Ye Group’s account books to get closer to the heads of several major corporations and help them launder a little money as well—

He never meant to bring down the Ye Group.

After Shen Shi came to the capital, he never did any of those things again. Once he learned that Shen Shi had ties to the Ye family, he was nearly scared out of his wits. Fortunately, Cheng Jiaming ended up getting involved with Ye Ran, which finally put him completely at ease.

That bunch of useless fools at Ye Group…

How on earth did they discover the discrepancies in the accounts?

He had bribed Sun Guohai, that useless, good-for-nothing drunk. With the Cheng family injecting large sums of money, no one should have been able to see any problems in Ye Group’s books… it shouldn’t have been possible.

So how was it exposed?

How, exactly…?

Father Cheng’s lips trembled. Like an aged wolf, emaciated to nothing but bones, he was hauled up by the wrist by expressionless police officers. His mind shook violently, sweat pouring down him. He couldn’t think of anything at all. All he could hear was Mother Cheng still screaming and throwing a hysterical fit, and Cheng Jialang’s helpless murmuring.

Yet at this moment, the only person on his mind was Cheng Jiaming.

Jiaming had never wronged the Ye family.

Jiaming was still a great benefactor to them… Back then, when Cheng Jiaming suddenly injected funds into Ye Group, it nearly scared him into thinking everything had been exposed. But by a twist of fate, it had instead pushed things in his favor.

And it was precisely because of this that he hadn’t strongly opposed Cheng Jiaming’s engagement to Ye Ran.

Amid a crowd of complicated, mocking, gloating, and panicked gazes, the Cheng family members were dragged away by the police like hyenas with their teeth pulled, howling madly. The banquet hall’s carpet was soaked and stained, filthy over a wide area.

As they passed through the vast central hall, from far away he suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Ye Ran! If you dare leave here today, tomorrow the Cheng Group will withdraw its investment from the Ye Group! Without me, your Ye Group would’ve gone bankrupt long ago!”

The arrogant, furious voice suddenly rang out from a staircase that should have been sealed off.

Amid the crowd, the usually indifferent Shen Shi, who had been casually sipping red wine, suddenly lifted his head, his expression changing abruptly!

He slammed down his glass, red wine spilling over the rim and soaking the tablecloth. On the smooth surface of the glass reflected the figure striding away.

How could Ye Ran be here?

Shen Shi’s emotions were a chaotic mix of anger and shock.

Ever since he realized that Father Cheng had been using Ye Ran and Cheng Jiaming’s engagement as a pretext to gradually encroach upon the Ye family’s power, he knew just how devastating this revelation would be for Ye Ran.

If Ye Ran learned the whole truth, he would only silently endure the guilt of nearly sending the Ye family into a trap, numbing himself and quietly accumulating all his emotions, digesting them alone as always.

To divert Ye Ran’s attention, Shen Shi had bluntly pushed Cheng Jiaming in front of him. At least Cheng Jiaming was relatively clean regarding the Ye family matter. Even if Ye Ran decided to investigate Cheng Jiaming, he wouldn’t discover the Cheng family’s disgusting secret dealings.

The so-called “lesson” was merely an excuse Shen Shi gave to justify his own jealousy.

He tolerated Ye Ran’s trust in Cheng Jiaming while planning for Cheng Jiaming to reveal his true colors in front of Ye Ran. With Cheng Jiaming as a buffer, any careless revelation of the Cheng family’s schemes would slightly reduce Ye Ran’s guilt.

The Cheng family was duplicitous, one way in front of people, another behind their backs. Shen Shi even knew what tone and words to use to comfort Ye Ran.

But he never imagined that these two events would coincidentally happen at the same moment!

Xu Wen, who had just put down his walkie-talkie at the front door, also abruptly lifted his head. Everyone in the hall simultaneously looked up, unable to believe their eyes—

Outside the square, ornate European-style windows of the banquet hall, a terrifying thunderclap rang out.

“Boom—!”

A jagged lightning bolt split the sky, cutting the world in two.

On the staircase, which should have been blocked due to the first-floor banquet, four figures suddenly appeared. Two young men in hoodies led the way, followed by a man and woman draped in bathrobes.

They were marked by traces of absurdity. Cheng Jiaming flew into a rage, his shame, panic, and fear from being caught in the act instantly transforming into anger and hatred that Ye Ran could remain calm despite witnessing the situation.

Who did Ye Ran think he was?

Even witnessing an affair didn’t stir the slightest emotion in him!

The atmosphere among the four was tense, and no one noticed that the hall below was hosting an event attended by the city’s upper class.

Crystal lights on the first-floor chandelier flickered dazzlingly.

Blinded by rage, Cheng Jiaming refused to look elsewhere. He raced after Ye Ran, finally catching up at the stair landing, exposing himself fully to the crowd.

He was in a bathrobe, a glaring hickey on his neck. The woman beside him had long hair, casually lifted, revealing even more chaotic marks.

The scene was unmistakable.

No need to overthink, it was clear what was happening:

Cheng Jiaming had cheated.

And had been caught red-handed.

The Cheng family—truly, rotten to the core.

Their faces shifted from suspicion to dead silence.

Unlike the stunned crowd, An Yu, just seconds earlier, was even angrier than Cheng Jiaming. He wanted to smash his phone on his face, but restrained himself, remembering he had recorded the chaos.

“You son of a b****, Cheng Jiaming! Do you really think the An family is dead? D*mn it, I’d never let the Ye family go bankrupt, even if I lost my shares! Who do you think you are? With your tiny d***, who would even like you? I could chop it up for the chickens and they still wouldn’t be full!”

Cheng Jiaming stomped in fury. “You—!”

An Yu continued, “D*mn it! I always knew you were no good back in school. Getting cocky now, playing double, huh? You don’t care about a thing, and neither will I! I feel disgusted just thinking about having had any contact with you. Don’t tell me I got AIDS. Ranran, did you two even check each other’s health reports? Luckily, no engagement yet, or it’d be a huge loss!”

Cheng Jiaming was furious, feeling as though a crowd of onlookers had appeared before his eyes.

He shook his head and glared at An Yu with clenched teeth.

Tonight, everything went wrong. He had been enjoying himself, but the hotel suddenly lost power. The room, supposed to be romantic, lost all charm. Annoyed, he opened the door to find the manager.

Just as he did, An Yu barged in like a firecracker. The power returned, and Ye Ran stood at the door, coldly observing him and the woman on the bed.

In that instant, Cheng Jiaming felt his blood freeze. Spinning and disoriented, the woman’s cries, An Yu’s scolding, and Ye Ran’s calm “Cancel the engagement” shattered all rational thought.

The entire city assumed they were engaged to the Ye family. A single word from Ye Ran could easily nullify it.

All of Cheng Jiaming’s explanations were swallowed. His blood-red eyes resembled a wild beast as he confronted Ye Ran. Before he could act, An Yu’s recording, a kick, and Ye Ran fleeing with him left him stunned.

Rage overtook him, he didn’t even think to chase. Then the previously weak woman caught up, crying at his ear, “What do we do, what do we do?”

What did Cheng Jiaming know to do!

A toy or a true love, he knew the difference.

He wanted to strangle the woman beside him. Without her, he would have been engaged to Ye Ran long ago, not in this predicament!

Rationality frayed as he saw Ye Ran descending smoothly toward the first floor, leaving the hotel. Thoughts of Father and Mother Cheng, Ye Ran’s face, and Shen Shi’s cold gaze intertwined. Completely irrational, he shouted: “Without our Cheng family, what are you Ye family?”

Finally, Ye Ran stopped.

He met Ye Ran’s extremely disappointed gaze. It was like a bucket of cold water. Panicked, speechless, Cheng Jiaming had no strength to reply.

Ye Ran stood quietly, upright, saying: “Then withdraw your investment.”

He said softly, “We owe each other nothing.”

Thunder roared outside, wind and rain engulfed the world.

Cheng Jiaming’s head throbbed. Eyes bloodshot, he stared at Ye Ran turning away, walking beside An Yu.

The burning rationality in him became impulsive, betrayed instincts. The long staircase seemed endless, leading to the hall bathed in crystal light.

He saw Ye Ran’s lean, neat figure, clothed lightly, black hair and slender neck delicate enough to snap.

He stepped forward, dizzy, and cruelly shoved Ye Ran’s shoulder.

Ye Ran could only belong to him.

If not…

The next second, screams erupted.

Ye Ran was hugged at the waist, pulled forward.

A dark figure struck; Cheng Jiaming couldn’t evade. A force smashed into his abdomen, pain spreading like a tidal wave. He was kicked flying, tumbling down the stairs, face pale, groaning.

“Ah…”

He looked up in agony, thinking he might die.

Crystal lights reflected in his red eyes, flickering. He saw Shen Shi’s furious, ruthless expression.

The man’s chest heaved, holding tightly the person in his arms, the other hand pressing Ye Ran’s hair to his shoulder. His gaze was cold, harsh, words ground through clenched teeth: “How dare you!”

Cheng Jiaming’s lips turned pale. Slowly, consciousness returned from fear and pain.

He saw Ye Ran obediently resting against Shen Shi, head pressed down, unable to look back.

Then, seeing An Yu recovering, his gaze fell on figures in the silent hall. It cleared suddenly, Father Cheng, held by police, pale and lifeless.

What… is happening?

Why were Father and Mother Cheng, and the eldest son, arrested?

Through the crowd, Father Cheng’s stooped back collapsed. He slumped to the ground, staring vacantly at Shen Shi, checking if Ye Ran was safe.

…Everything replayed.

Ye Ran, once helpless, had witnessed the fall of the Ye family and his father’s collapse.

Now, Shen Shi was repaying it through his children.

Cheng Jiaming and Cheng Jialang felt the fear and unease Ye Ran had once experienced.

It was more punishing than any revenge, it cut to the core.

Father Cheng felt every part of him ache as if poisoned.

His face turned white, eyes locked on the increasingly desperate Cheng Jiaming, finally seeing the same confusion and panic Ye Ran once had. He spat out black blood.

“…Dad?”

“Old Cheng!!!”

Trembling, he finally understood Shen Shi’s hidden plan.

He had thought Shen Shi was indifferent to Ye family’s decline, ignoring Cheng family, but everything was part of Shen Shi’s design.

Since returning to Beijing, this trap for the Cheng family had been set like an inescapable net.

…Retribution.

Father Cheng was too defeated to speak.

It was all retribution.

Now, it was Cheng family’s turn to taste the bitter fruit.

The banquet ended abruptly.

Before leaving, police apologized to Shen Shi, explaining they only got full evidence tonight. If they had known earlier, they would have waited until the end to make the arrests.

Two police cars now carried five suspects.

Cheng Jiaming was arrested for intentional injury and soliciting prostitution, along with the stranger woman. The entire Cheng family was effectively dismantled.

Ye Ran, standing apart with An Yu, looked pale. Only from him did he learn what Cheng Jiaming had tried to do. His gaze was calm but tinged with sadness.

Cheng Jiaming had been deceitfully passionate for so long. The mask had distorted who he truly was. Seeing him now, Ye Ran felt sorrow.

It was like a richly painted canvas tearing as the final tape was removed, exposing darkness beneath.

An Yu, sensing his complex emotions, gently squeezed Ye Ran’s hand.

Children who cry deserve candy.

Always hiding sorrow, he worried for Ye Ran’s safety.

Shen Shi, talking to police, seemed to sense something. Officers reassured him:

“The matter regarding Cheng Jiaming and the underage girl… we will investigate thoroughly, leaving no detail unchecked.”

“Yes, and his friends,” Shen Shi added simply, “there seems to be a secret route for these dealings. Investigate it; I’m leaving first.”

Police, impressed by Shen Shi’s sense of justice, left in the car with the suspects.

…

Conversation with An Yu stopped with Shen Shi’s arrival.

It was late, and everyone was exhausted after the chaotic evening.

Shen Shi approached to take Ye Ran home. An Yu felt at ease seeing him and nodded: “Okay, I’ll leave.”

The An family waved from afar.

Ye Ran: “Aunt An, we’re leaving too.”

Shen Shi nodded lightly.

Luxury cars gradually departed.

Xu Wen, having drunk tonight, rode with Old Li driving. He was informed about the arrests in the banquet hall and made room for Ye Ran and Shen Shi to converse privately.

The car was quiet.

Ye Ran lowered his eyes, thinking of the hotel scenes.

“What are you thinking?” Shen Shi asked, handing him a bottle of warm milk.

Ye Ran paused: “Thanks.”

Milk coated his mouth with a rich taste.

He watched the passing streets, then asked: “What happened to Uncle Cheng and the others?”

He had been protected by Shen Shi all evening, unaware of their arrest.

An Yu was also puzzled; friends of his hadn’t explained. He glanced at Shen Shi with caution.

Ye Ran’s intuition told him it was serious, prompting him to ask.

Shen Shi replied calmly: “Tax evasion. They were taken for investigation.”

“Oh.” Ye Ran nodded, indifferent.

Companies are often seized for tax evasion. He had little attachment to the Cheng family, and now their ties with Ye family were gone. Yet the past two months had been heavier than usual.

He sighed, lost in thought.

Rain began again, tapping the window. A family of three played outside, the boy laughing brightly.

He suddenly found himself wanting to visit Father Ye, who had gone to New Zealand with Shen Shi’s parents to recuperate. From childhood to adulthood, Father Ye had shown him little overt care, he was quiet, reserved, and not good with words. Yet whenever he felt wronged, Ye Ran would instinctively want to return to his parents’ side.

Inside the silent car, the faint sound of rain pattering against the window could just barely be heard.

Shen Shi lowered his gaze. In the stretch of silence, he heard Ye Ran say softly, “I want to go abroad for a while.”

The Ye Group was back on track. Father Ye’s condition was improving. He had finished his manuscript, and before the next assignment arrived, he had a few days of leave.

The capital was too small.

Over the next few days, gossip would surely be everywhere.

He just wanted to go somewhere quiet, somewhere undisturbed, and slowly sort through his emotions.

“Ranran.”

His drifting thoughts were pulled back.

The man’s calm, cool voice sounded beside his ear, making Ye Ran feel a little uneasy.

Ever since his first meeting with Shen Shi, he had always felt this same discomfort.

It made him unconsciously avoid Shen Shi, like a small animal building a nest to protect itself.

He turned his head. The car passed over an overpass, and the shadow beneath it swallowed the entire cabin in darkness. In that darkness, he heard Shen Shi say evenly, “I made you see clearly what kind of person Cheng Jiaming is, not so you could run away.”

His heartbeat suddenly quickened.

The darkness seemed endless.

The warmth he had deliberately suppressed, the sensation at his waist and the back of his head, felt startlingly vivid at this moment.

The quiet, restrained embrace of an adult man, carrying a warmth he did not quite understand, had once separated him from the chaotic noise of the crowd, granting him a brief moment of peace.

Ye Ran couldn’t help swallowing. Instinctively, obediently, he called out, “Older Brother Shen Shi…?”

The sixth sense of a prey animal caught the scent of danger. The moment the word left his mouth, a hand came up to his cheek. The man’s long, rough fingers, thin calluses brushing lightly, traced over the faint redness at the corner of his eye and wiped away the moisture there.

In the darkness, those deep, gentle eyes reflected his image clearly.

In them, Ye Ran saw himself, eyes half-closed, lashes trembling slightly.

Shen Shi said to him, “Ranran, you should understand what kind of person is worthy of marrying you.”