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IROAWTMTFL Chapter 24

Are You Reluctant Or Worried I’ll Trouble Him?

Ke Mingcheng, who was initially not quite sober, startled himself and quickly realized what he had just said. His best friend’s fake husband had been admitted to the hospital, and he had inquired whether it was from drinking too much. He didn’t know how to find a remedy.

“What did you say?” After the painful lessons of the past two days, Zhuang Yiyun believed he knew the real Yan Yan well enough. However, it seemed he still didn’t know everything; his old classmate had kept something from him. “Have you seen him?”

“Didn’t you bring him over last time? Are you losing your memory?”

“I meant have you seen him somewhere else? Where were you drinking with him the night before yesterday?”

“I didn’t drink with him. Even if your husband is fake, why would I drink with him? Don’t make baseless accusations.”

“Oh. Let me rephrase that. Where did you see him drinking?”

Ke Mingcheng placed his phone on the table, deciding to distance himself from it. Old Zhuang was not only serious but also remarkably perceptive, it seems he possessed a fair amount of information about the fake husband.

It wasn’t that Ke Mingcheng was being disloyal, he only hoped Yan Yan wouldn’t scold him once he found out, as he had done his best not to tell Zhuang Yiyun last time.

“Uh… there’s a new place on Chenfei Road.”

There was a brief silence on the other end of the phone. Just when Ke Mingcheng thought Zhuang Yiyun was going to hang up, he suddenly asked, “Is he popular there?”

Ke Mingcheng’s interest was piqued instantly. Something was up! The obedient “fake husband” was out drinking at a bar, and Zhuang’s immediate question was about his popularity?

“What do you think? When he’s there, people line up to treat him like a king?” Ke Mingcheng picked up his phone again. “Old Zhuang, you said it wasn’t important and didn’t matter a few days ago. What’s going on?”

“He’s not hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, but his excessive drinking is related. He said a lot of people invited him to drink.”

Ke Mingcheng thought about it. Whether it was at Liye the other day or at the new Silver Moon bar the night before yesterday, many people indeed wanted to buy Yan Yan drinks. But he wasn’t one to easily accept those offers; he wasn’t willing to drink just anyone’s drink. So the question Old Zhuang asked wasn’t entirely off the mark.

“Yes, so what? Are you monitoring his drinking habits even in this fake marriage of yours?”

Zhuang Yiyun immediately recalled Yan Yan’s words. Yan Yan had said the same thing, claiming he had no right or qualifications to interfere. And what he said was true, he had never lacked admirers. Zhuang Yiyun pursed his lips and remained silent, and Ke Mingcheng didn’t press him, patiently waiting for his response.

Ke Mingcheng finished a glass of warm water, but Zhuang Yiyun still hadn’t said a word. The key was that he clearly wanted to continue talking. With the phone still connected, there was silence on the line, making it seem like a couple listening to each other’s breathing. Ke Mingcheng had known him for so many years, but he was always amused by his stubbornness.

“If I had known you cared so much, I would’ve helped earlier the day before yesterday.”

“He’s still in school… What do you mean by helping?”

Old Zhuang even emphasized that the person was still in school. Why didn’t he say it was something a good Samaritan would do? Since when had Zhuang Yiyun become a philanthropist caring for students? Ke Mingcheng wanted to laugh but held it back to avoid provoking him.

“He had quite a number of drinks the night before. He’s quite good at causing trouble. He downed a bottle of white wine and nearly half a bottle of Black Ace. I’ve never seen someone so reckless. While people offered to buy him cocktails and imported liquors, he goes ahead and orders a bottle of Maotai. If I hadn’t stepped in, he might have finished that bottle of Black Ace too.”

“Although I’d like to see how jealous you can get, I won’t deceive you. He didn’t accept any drinks from others, it was just an unfortunate coincidence. There was a young boy about sixteen or seventeen years old who got pressured into drinking, and he couldn’t stand by, so he got into a drink off with some wealthy kids. His tolerance is good and he drank quite a bit. I initially didn’t want to get involved, especially since you seem like you don’t care.”

“So, what do you think happened next?”

After asking this, Ke Mingcheng went silent even though he could continue speaking. He waited until Zhuang Yiyun asked, “What happened?” before continuing.

Zhuang Yiyun, who had almost no curiosity about gossip, managed to ask this question, revealing his concern about it . However, given his friend’s stubbornness… Ke Mingcheng suddenly felt sorry for Yan Yan, who had Zhuang Yiyun as his partner.

Zhuang Yiyun wanted to show he lacked curiosity, but he was very curious. Ke Mingcheng wanted to see how long this man could remain stubborn.

“It’s not that extraordinary. Someone spiked his drink.”

“Did he drink it?”

Ke Mingcheng’s lips curled up, and he managed to stifle his laughter. He cleared his throat and said, “Of course not. Regardless of whether your marriage is fake or real, I wouldn’t stand by if I saw your man being bullied.”

‘Your man..’ Zhuang Yiyun’s heart skipped a beat, but he didn’t say anything.

“ I happened to be there that day, otherwise, who knows what might have happened. Yan Yan is kind-hearted. Even to someone he doesn’t know, he was willing to help. But in unfamiliar territory, it’s better to be cautious.”

“Thanks.”

Zhuang Yiyun now knew that Yan Yan had lied to him before. It wasn’t about offering drinks; he was helping someone. But he’d rather be misunderstood than reveal the truth. Why?

Before he could figure it out, Ke Mingcheng on the other end said, “A simple ‘thank you’ isn’t enough. When I tried to take him back from the crowd and give him a ride home, he refused to get in my car and even scratched me. So, should I settle this score with you or with him?”

“Me.”

“No, I want to settle it with him. You, a saw-mouthed bitter gourd, are boring, but the boy is more interesting. Give me his WeChat.”

*Saw-mouthed bitter gourd means someone who is not good at talking or speaks very little.

“What do you want to do?”

“Yo, why so fierce? Are you reluctant or worried I’ll trouble him?”

“Why would he scratch you for no reason? It must be something you did. What did you do?”

Ke Mingcheng wanted to laugh. Hearing Zhuang Yiyun’s matter-of-fact tone and his blatant protection, he couldn’t help but find it amusing. He was also naïve last time and had actually believed when he said ‘it wasn’t important’.

“I’m here for you but all I get is ‘it must be something you did’ from you? Fine, I did something. At the time, he was clinging to my car door, insisting I go back to the office to work overtime. When I refused and tried to make him get in the car, he got angry. I let him in the car, but he wouldn’t go, and when I went to help him, he scratched me. He sternly warned me not to have any ulterior motives and said he only has one gege. Why did he get mad because I won’t go back to work, Brother Zhuang?”

Zhuang Yiyun: …It was indeed his fault; Yan Yan had drunk too much, saw his boss, and thought his boss was out drinking while he was still working overtime. So, he got angry and scratched his boss. Why was he so cute?

Zhuang Yiyun shook his head to dispel this thought. The little liar was quite devious, how could he be cute?

“I said give me his WeChat, or I’ll ask someone else.”

“Ask who?”

“I saw several people from your team added him on WeChat that day. Zhong Lu was one of them. If not from him, then someone else. I’m sure I’ll find out.”

Feeling threatened and not wanting the “Dr. Zhuang’s husband forced Vice president Ke to work overtime” incident to spread, he acquiesced.

“I’ll send it to you later.”

As the conversation in the observation room between the nurse and Yan Yan continued, Zhuang Yiyun hung up the phone. When he entered the room, the nurse had just finished changing the bandages. He and Yan Yan locked eyes, and both felt a subtle embarrassment.

“Is it still painful?”

Yan Yan shook his head.

“For now, you can only have some plain congee. I’ll go buy it for you.”

“Okay.” Yan Yan turned his head away, not wanting to dwell on why he could only have plain congee.

Zhuang Yiyun went to buy breakfast, and Yan Yan played with his phone while waiting. It didn’t take long for him to receive a friend request with no verification message. The WeChat username was Ke Mingcheng.

He accepted the request, and soon, a message arrived.

Ke Mingcheng: [Old Zhuang called me a few minutes ago and asked about what happened the day before yesterday. I didn’t tell him you called me a “dog man’s fox friend.” How do you plan to thank me?]

Yan Yan: [[Rolling eyes at you, feel it for yourself]]

Yan Yan: [Well, thanks to Vice President Ke for not exposing me. But before we go any further, why did he contact you to inquire about the incident the other day?]

Ke Mingcheng: [You two really look like a married couple, you’re both quite perceptive.]

Yan Yan: [Just praise me without adding anything else, or don’t praise at all. Don’t try to act clever.]

Ke Mingcheng: [Noted.]

Yan Yan didn’t respond further, and the one-sided pleasantries between them ended. However, it didn’t take long before Ke Mingcheng messaged again.

Ke Mingcheng: [Regarding your plan in Liye, do you want to consider implementing it?]

Yan Yan: [?]

Ke Mingcheng: [I’ve worked hard to raise this cold child Zhuang Yiyun. Now I have only one dream left, to see the iron tree bloom.]

Yan Yan: [[Took a screenshot]]

Yan Yan: [[Forwarded]]

Ke Mingcheng: […]

Ke Mingcheng locked his phone screen and placed it on the car’s dashboard. Interesting. He decided that next time he went drinking, he’d invite Yan Yan.

Zhuang Yiyun soon returned with breakfast, and not only breakfast, but he also brought mouthwash and wet wipes from the convenience store. Despite taking good care of him, Zhuang Yiyun refused to say anything pleasant, and Yan Yan couldn’t help but feel irritated by his demeanor, so he decided to order him around.

“If you don’t help me with the IV bottle, how am I supposed to go to the bathroom?”

Zhuang Yiyun got up and took his IV bottle, holding it up.

“If you don’t help me open it, how am I supposed to rinse my mouth?”

Zhuang Yiyun took it from him and easily twisted it open. Although he didn’t understand why a grown man like him couldn’t open it, he remained silent.

Yan Yan didn’t feel embarrassed at all for claiming he couldn’t open it. After all, he was hooked up to an IV, and his hand was sore. He continued to boss Zhuang Yiyun around, saying, “I can’t eat the congee by myself; you feed me.”

However, this statement created an awkward moment between them. Feeding someone was an intimate action, and Yan Yan’s words sounded somewhat coquettish. The two had just gone through a “quarrel,” and it was unclear whether they had reconciled or not. They didn’t seem suitable for this kind of interaction.

The way people interact with each other always affects both parties, whether they admit it or not. While Zhuang Yiyun had grown accustomed to Yan Yan’s thoughtfulness, Yan Yan had grown accustomed to acting cute, to the point where he accidentally let it slip.

Words spoken couldn’t be unsaid. Brave as he was, Yan Yan refused to give in, his eyes gesturing toward the bowl of congee with an expression that said, “I won’t eat unless you feed me.”

The two were in a stalemate for a moment, and in the end, Zhuang Yiyun reluctantly picked up the spoon and began to feed him. He had no experience, and his technique was quite clumsy. He didn’t know how to blow on the congee to cool it down, so he nearly scalded Yan Yan. Additionally, he didn’t pay attention to the angle, and the plastic spoon’s edge scratched Yan Yan’s lips multiple times.

Most importantly, Zhuang Yiyun had gone a night without grooming himself, and his chin had developed a layer of stubble. Each time he approached Yan Yan, he exuded a cold and intense hormonal scent, almost making it hard for Yan Yan to move away.

Ah! If he could turn back time, Yan Yan would never have suffered through this just to prove a point.

At noon, Yan Yan’s IV drip was finished, and the doctor checked his condition, finding no major issues. The doctor then prescribed some medication for him to take at home. As they left the hospital, both of them sat in the car, and Zhuang Yiyun, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly said, “I’ve thought it over. You don’t like the throw pillow not because of the color, I didn’t understand what you meant so I didn’t realize you were sensitive about your height.”

“Even though I believe that data should always be accurate, I can deceive myself from now on that you’re 182 centimeters tall.”

Yan Yan: “…” Can you just be quiet if you have nothing to say!

“So, don’t drink cold milk at night anymore, and from now on…”

Yan Yan: “From now on, I’m done listening!”

Zhuang Yiyun: “From now on, I’ll warm it up for you.”

Yan Yan’s next words were stopped in their tracks. Ahh! This dog man didn’t fight fair. He was revealing his insecurities on one hand and sugarcoating it on the other.

They rode in silence for the rest of the journey. When they entered the elevator, an invisible line divided them on either side, and they almost collided when exiting the elevator. It was as if the man’s inexplicable and childish competitiveness had suddenly been activated.

Zhuang Yiyun had long legs and easily outpaced Yan Yan. So Yan Yan resorted to cheats: “Ouch, it hurts.”

“What’s wrong?”

Yan Yan quickly ran out when Zhuang Yiyun came over. He was about to turn around and tease him for being naïve when he saw a woman standing at the entrance to their apartment building. She was elegant and graceful, radiating an aura of nobility and coldness.

“Auntie Zhuang?”

Following the sound, Zhuang Yiyun emerged from the narrow elevator lobby. In this confined space, the mother and son locked eyes, and both quickly wore cold expressions.

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