Can I still be saved? [Transmigration] - Chapter 29

When they returned, it was already dark.

The roof light on the black Mercedes G-Class cast a cold white beam of light.

Fu Hanzhou leaned against the car window and closed his eyes to rest.

His features were stunningly attractive, but hidden in the darkness, his expression appeared cold and indifferent.

Like mist swirling in the distance, intangible and elusive, it made him feel unreal.

Thinking of the scene of Xiao Kujiao smoking in the alley, Su Yunjing had a complicated feeling.

Su Yunjing didn’t smoke, and he wasn’t against smoking in general but seeing Fu Hanzhou smoke made it hard for him to accept.

The deepest impression the little cool cub had left on Su Yunjing was how obedient he used to be.

When Su Yunjing teased him in the past, he would even call him “gege” in a soft, sweet voice.

Such a cute little guy, and now he has started smoking.

Su Yunjing hesitated for a while, then finally broke the silence in the car. “What about that 3,000-word self-reflection?”

“Not writing it,” Fu Hanzhou replied bluntly.

Su Yunjing was momentarily choked by his direct response.

After a pause, he sighed. “Even if the punishment is a bit harsh this time, we were wrong for having a hotpot in school.”

Fu Hanzhou looked calm. “Oh.”

Su Yunjing: “…”

That “oh” was meaningful.

It was just like him before they had a hotpot. He knew that didn’t allow the fire and it was against the rules, but still went ahead and did it.

The same goes for Fu Hanzhou’s “oh”.

He knows he was wrong, but he’s still not writing that self-reflection.

Fine.

Su Yunjing was left speechless.

Because he didn’t write the essay, Fu Hanzhou was called in alone by Yuan Liang.

Su Yunjing didn’t know what the school did to punish him. After coming back from the Dean’s office, Fu Hanzhou didn’t say a word.

The punishment was to write a 3,000-word self-reflection, cleaning the old science building for a month. And the school confiscated the alcohol burner and both stainless steel pots.

Only then did the matter finally pass.

Even someone like Tang Wei was quiet for a few days after that.

Fu Hanzhou was still the same—lazy, disinterested in everything.

Their relationship seemed closer now.

But when Su Yunjing thought about it, it wasn’t actually that close, not like when they were kids.

The little cool cub just accepted his kindness without much reaction. If Su Yunjing didn’t actively reach out, it wouldn’t make a difference to him.

Still, unlike before, when Fu Hanzhou would openly resist him, this time he accepted it. That, to Su Yunjing, was already a big improvement.

He was satisfied with the current situation.

Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun’s relationship remained stable. Their wedding preparations were gradually moving forward.

Wen Yanlai was planning to leave the entertainment industry. Over the years, she had invested in several businesses, and even if she left acting, her income was still impressive.

Recently, she had been busy promoting a movie and wasn’t home much.

In just twelve days, she toured 19 major cities and 17 universities to promote the film.

Despite the high intensity, Wen Yanlai pushed through it.

Only after finishing the main tour did she fly home.

On Friday night, she knocked on Su Yunjing’s door.

She opened the door to see thick stacks of workbooks on the desk, with Su Yunjing writing away intensely.

The desk lamp cast a long shadow of him across the room.

Wen Yanlai glanced down at the books. “You have this much homework?”

“I’m preparing for the college entrance exam next year, so I bought extra books.” Su Yunjing closed two comprehensive science workbooks for first-year students.

Actually, they were for Fu Hanzhou.

Su Yunjing had been doing tons of practice problems for first-year subjects, trying to compile a basic test for little Cool Beauty.

Only by identifying Fu Hanzhou’s weak points could he tutor him effectively.

Su Yunjing was burning the midnight oil, hoping to get into a good university with Fu Hanzhou.

But his movie queen aunt said.

“If you truly like studying, then it’s fine to study hard. But if you’re only doing it to get a good score, go to a good university, and get a good job after graduation…”

“I don’t think it’s necessary.”

Su Yunjing was stunned by her word ‘not necessary’, and his pupils dilated in disbelief.

Wen Yanlai, tall and elegant with her hair simply tied up. She stands casually, with an elegant and outstanding temperament, like an ink painting with appropriate shades.

Her expression was calm, and her voice soft. “You don’t even have to take the college entrance exam. I know people abroad who can get you into a school there.”

“Or you could do something you’re really interested in, even if it’s in the arts. Don’t worry about money, I’ve already set some aside for you.”

At that moment, Su Yunjing clearly realized something.

Wen Yanlai truly treated Wen Ci like her own son.

The kind of son who inherits everything when she’s gone.

Sudden wealth rained down on Su Yunjing, leaving him dazed.

How should he even respond to that?

Wen Yanlai’s words also indirectly confirmed that pursuing art is expensive.

True art doesn’t compromise with the market, so it burns through money without earning much.

After a few moments of mental lag, Su Yunjing quietly replied, “Still, I want to study. I don’t want to go abroad. I think China’s pretty great.”

Wen Yanlai was open-minded. “If that’s what you want, then do it your way.”

Su Yunjing wanted to thank her, but was afraid “thank you” sounded too distant, so he stayed silent.

When he didn’t say anything, Wen Yanlai also didn’t speak further.

The atmosphere instantly became awkward, the air thick with silence.

Feeling uncomfortable, Su Yunjing tried to busy himself with organizing his books, pretending to be focused.

Just as he was wracking his brain for something to say, Wen Yanlai spoke again.

“Your Uncle Shen and I are getting married soon. Do you have any thoughts about that?”

Su Yunjing didn’t expect her to ask and looked up in surprise, seeing her serious expression.

He quickly gathered himself and sat up straight. “No objections at all. As long as you’re happy, I fully support it.”

Wen Yanlai’s lips curled slightly. “If you’re free tomorrow, let’s have lunch together.”

“With Uncle Shen?” he asked hesitantly.

“Just the two of us,” Wen Yanlai said.

Su Yunjing knew she wanted to bond with him, so he nodded. “Okay.”

“Then rest early.”

After she left, Su Yunjing finally exhaled.

It’s not that he didn’t want to get close to Wen Yanlai, it’s just that it’s always awkward to get along with her.

He couldn’t quite explain why, except that her celebrity aura was just too overwhelming.

Wen Yanlai said it was just lunch, but she took Su Yunjing out early in the morning.

First they went to the mall and started a crazy shopping spree.

The seasons were about to change, so she bought him a full set of clothes for the new season.

Head to toe, everything replaced. Just like that, she spent nearly ten thousand.

“Wrap up everything he tried on,” Wen Yanlai handed a card to the saleswoman.

Su Yunjing had just changed back into his own clothes and heard this as he walked out of the fitting room.

He quickly said, “Aunt, I really don’t need this many.”

The brand was high-end, even a single hoodie cost two or three thousand.

The total cost of all his seasonal clothes didn’t add up to the price of one of these hoodies.

The saleswoman glanced at Wen Yanlai for confirmation.

“Wrap it all up. Everything looked great,” Wen Yanlai made the final call.

The saleswoman beamed, asked her coworker to help bag the clothes, and led Wen Yanlai to the counter.

“We gave you a 92% member discount. The total is fifteen thousand six hundred,” the saleswoman said sweetly, swiping the card through the POS machine. “Ms. Wen, please enter your PIN here.”

Su Yunjing’s heart ached with the thought of paying fifteen grand for just a few outfits.

While Wen Yanlai entered her PIN, the saleswoman discreetly avoided looking, letting her gaze fall on handsome Su Yunjing instead.

“Ms. Wen, your nephew really resembles you. I guess nephews do take after their aunts.”

Wen Yanlai’s slender fingertips paused slightly.

The POS quickly printed the receipt.

The saleswoman handed the card back with both hands. “Here you go, Ms. Wen.”

“Thank you,” Wen Yanlai replied casually.

After shopping at Supreme, she took Su Yunjing to a digital experience store.

Clearly, she’d done her research, teenagers around seventeen or eighteen loved to play cool stuff.

Like basketball, skateboarding, or gaming consoles.

Inside the store, Su Yunjing spotted a PSP Go. The nostalgia hit him hard.

Back in the day, owning a PSP Go was his dream.

Now, though, none of the gaming consoles interested him anymore.

It was just like the four-wheel-drive car Lu Tao had given him once. It sparked memories, but no desire to play.

He picked up the PSP Go for a moment, then set it back down.

Turning to Wen Yanlai, he asked, “Can I get a phone instead of a console?”

“Sure,” Wen Yanlai told the clerk, “Give him the latest smartphone.”

“No need for the latest. A Nokia will do,” Su Yunjing added with a smile. “As long as it has Tetris.”

The phone was for Fu Hanzhou.

The one he gave before had been broken. Uncle Wu said the little cool cub still hadn’t replaced it, so Su Yunjing wanted to get him a new one.

A phone was important, it was how people stayed connected.

….

After having lunch and watching a movie with Wen Yanlai, it was already three o’clock in the afternoon when he got home.

Wen Yanlai had to do some work after a phone call, so she dropped him off.

Su Yunjing carried all the bags upstairs. After putting the clothes away, he grabbed the new phone and the test papers he had stayed up writing for days, and went to knock on the little cool cub’s door.

He called Fu Hanzhou’s name from outside.

The response was still those same two words: “Not here.”

Su Yunjing was a little annoyed but amused. He leaned in and listened for sounds inside.

Maybe the soundproofing was too good, he heard nothing.

With no choice, he started revealing the “surprise gift” himself.

“I heard from Uncle Wu that your phone broke. I picked this up while we were at the mall. It even comes with Tetris.”

The bait worked. A moment later, the door opened slightly from the inside.

The room seemed to have curtains drawn, and the light was very dim.

Fu Hanzhou’s beautiful face was half-shrouded in shadow, and his dark eyes unreadable.

Su Yunjing froze, then almost laughed.

Fu Hanzhou only opened a tiny gap. Su Yunjing could see only half his face.

What was this? Some kind of secret agent rendezvous?

Was he supposed to give a password before being let in?

“I got you a phone.” Su Yunjing pushed the box through the crack.

Fu Hanzhou didn’t say anything. He glanced at the Nokia box.

His beautiful phoenix eyes squinted slightly, and the ends of his eyes were as sharp as the sting of a wasp’s tail.

It looked like he was inspecting it or maybe just giving it a casual glance.

Su Yunjing noticed something was off. Just as he was about to ask, Fu Hanzhou took the phone.

“Oh, and this too.” Su Yunjing hurriedly shoved the four test papers through the crack.

Fu Hanzhou glanced at the pages, filled with dense problems.

The handwriting was loose and flowing, messy at first glance, but actually neat and well-formed on closer inspection.

He leaned forward slightly to see better.

His face emerged from the shadows.

Su Yunjing saw that his delicate eyebrows were slightly raised.

Fu Hanzhou asked, “What’s this?”

“Test papers,” Su Yunjing explained.

Of course, Fu Hanzhou knew they were test papers. Fu Hanzhou was not blind. What he meant was…

“Why are you giving them to me?”

“So you can do them,” Su Yunjing patiently replied. “I went through all the basic problems from the first and second year of high school. Do them when you’re free.”

“If you can’t answer something, just skip it. I mainly want to figure out what kinds of problems you struggle with.”

Once he knew, he could start focused tutoring.

Seeing that Su Yunjing was trying to help, Fu Hanzhou coldly handed the test papers back. “I don’t need them.”

Su Yunjing acted like he was holding a hot potato and immediately pushed them back. “Don’t worry. If I tutor you, we’ll balance work and rest. I won’t make you study 24/7.”

He reasoned sincerely, “There’s still a year left until the college entrance exam. If we work hard, maybe we can get into a good university.”

Realistically, with Fu Hanzhou’s family background, he’d have money to spend for a lifetime even if he never worked.

Wen Yanlai wasn’t as rich as Shen Nianyun, but from what she said, she had saved enough for Su Yunjing to live comfortably for life.

If it had been before, Su Yunjing might have just lazed around.

Who didn’t dream of a carefree life traveling the world?

But now, he wasn’t alone.

With someone by your side, you naturally wanted to move forward.

If Fu Hanzhou was a twisted obsessive, Su Yunjing’s goal would be to help him get better.

If Fu Hanzhou just lacked motivation, Su Yunjing wanted to drag him forward with him.

In short, Su Yunjing had already included Fu Hanzhou in every stage of his future.

He expressed his thoughts naturally: “It’d be great if we could get into Beijing University together. If not, Nanhua or any 985 or 211 university would be fine too.”

He revealed without any concealment that their university life would be tied together.

Fu Hanzhou narrowed his eyes, his gaze was extremely deep.

In Su Yunjing’s straight male mind, the two of them were bound together.

Without Fu Hanzhou, Su Yunjing wouldn’t have survived.

So if he had a future, Fu Hanzhou would be in it.

Seeing that Fu Hanzhou wasn’t responding, Su Yunjing looked up at him.

At some point, Fu Hanzhou had blended back into the shadows, his face unclear, making it difficult to see his expression.

Only those pitch-black eyes stood out, the narrow corners of his eyes ere sharp like blades.

Something seemed to be churning behind them.

Before Su Yunjing could get a better look, Fu Hanzhou lowered his gaze.

All emotion vanished in an instant, like it had never been there.

After all of Su Yunjing’s passionate talk, Fu Hanzhou only gave a flat “Oh.”

Then he closed the door.

…Huh?

Wait, what?

Su Yunjing stared at the shut door in confusion.

They were having a good conversation, so why slam the door now?

Helpless, Su Yunjing spoke through the door. “Anyway, just do the questions. If there’s anything you don’t understand, come ask me.”

Fu Hanzhou said nothing.

Su Yunjing waited a while, then returned to his room with a head full of question marks.

Right now, the little cool cub’s thoughts were harder to grasp than a needle at the bottom of the sea.

Recently, Wen Yanlai had been busy again and didn’t have time to continue strengthening her bond with her nephew.

Su Yunjing was actually fine with it, feeling more relaxed.

The little cool cub was still the same as before, sleeping in the morning, playing Tetris on his handheld console in the afternoon.

His laid-back, leisurely attitude gave Su Yunjing a bit of a headache.

He had no idea if Fu Hanzhou had taken anything he said to heart that day.

Still, holding onto hope that maybe Fu Hanzhou was secretly doing the test papers at night, Su Yunjing didn’t push him to study.

A few days passed in a flash, and Fu Hanzhou still hadn’t turned in a single paper.

On their way home one day, Su Yunjing couldn’t hold it in anymore. “Did you do the test papers?”

Fu Hanzhou was slouched in the back seat. He hadn’t moved much since getting in, like he’d fallen asleep.

His long black hair fell loosely over his shoulders. His features had a delicate, genderless beauty.

Hearing Su Yunjing’s question, his eyes shifted slightly under his thin eyelids, but he didn’t open them.

He let out a vague “Mm.”

Su Yunjing was confused. He didn’t know if that “mm” meant he had done them or if it was the kind of evasive, noncommittal “mm” guys used to dodge uncomfortable questions.

He asked again, “What did you say?”

“Mm.”

“…”

Damn, what does that even mean?!

Su Yunjing gave up on this guessing game and asked directly, “Did you do the papers or not? Just say it, yes or no!”

Finally, Fu Hanzhou opened his beautiful phoenix eyes. “Hm?”

Su Yunjing’s mouth twitched. Somehow, he still didn’t lose his temper and resisted the urge to throw his backpack at Fu Hanzhou’s face.

Why did it feel like a little cool cub had gotten worse?

….

That night, both Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun were home. It was rare for them to have a proper dinner together.

Seeing that Wen Yanlai didn’t look well, Shen Nianyun asked with concern, “Didn’t the film promotions end? Why are you still so busy?”

Wen Yanlai gave a faint smile. “A lot of things piled up recently, but it’s almost done.”

Shen Nianyun was in the tech industry. He had some vague connection to entertainment but wasn’t an insider, so he didn’t pry further.

Su Yunjing, thinking about how he relied on Wen Yanlai for everything, felt a little guilty seeing how tired she looked.

He knew he couldn’t help with anything, so he quietly served her a bowl of soup.

Wen Yanlai’s mood seemed to improve a little. She lowered her head and drank slowly.

Fu Hanzhou looked up and glanced at the two of them.

After dinner, Su Yunjing decided to personally check Fu Hanzhou’s ‘progress’.

So when Fu Hanzhou left the dining room, Su Yunjing followed him upstairs.

But Fu Hanzhou entered the room, ignored Su Yunjing behind him, and closed the door right in front of his face.

Hey!

Su Yunjing knocked on the door with his fist.

A cold voice came from inside, “I’m not here.”

Su Yunjing: “…”

….

Everyone knew Su Yunjing had a great temper.

But lately, after getting repeatedly stonewalled by the little cool cub’s rebellious attitude, even he was starting to lose patience.

In the past, when the little guy was all prickles and thorns, at least he knew how to avoid them.

Su Yunjing can also tell from his expression what he likes and dislikes.

Now he had no idea what Fu Hanzhou was thinking.

It felt like punching a pillow. No feedback. No resistance, and Su Yunjing didn’t know how to change his tactics.

If seventeen-year-old Fu Hanzhou was already this difficult, what would twenty-seven-year-old him be like?

Su Yunjing was so irritated he barely spoke to Fu Hanzhou the next day.

During computer class in the afternoon, the last student to enter, Li Xueyang, walked up to Su Yunjing and said, “Someone’s looking for you outside.”

Su Yunjing glanced at the classroom door but didn’t see anyone. “Outside where?”

The computer lab wasn’t in the same building as their classroom, so he had no idea what outside Li Xueyang was talking about.

Li Xueyang looked annoyed and snapped, “Why so many questions? Why don’t you go out and look? You will know.”

He said it so loudly that Fu Hanzhou, who sat next to Su Yunjing, lifted his eyelids slightly.

His long, phoenix eyes curled up at the corners, extending outward in a sharp arc.

Li Xueyang seemed stung by that glance. His calves tensed, and he looked away guiltily.

“At the school gate,” he muttered, avoiding eye contact.

Su Yunjing: “…”

He looked at Li Xueyang with deep skepticism. “With your communication skills, I’d advise you to never take on messenger duties again.”

This job takes actual talent. You need to be able to get a message across clearly.

Li Xueyang’s face darkened, but he didn’t dare talk back.

Su Yunjing didn’t know many people in the capital, so he had no clue who’d be waiting at the gate.

He asked the computer teacher for a few minutes off and jogged toward the front gate.

There, he saw a stranger.

Confused, he approached and asked through the metal fence, “Were you looking for me?”

The man was holding a photo. He looked at Su Yunjing, then back at the picture.

Once he confirmed the match, he spoke. “You’re Wen Ci, right? Mind stepping out for a chat?”

Su Yunjing was cautious. “If you’ve got something to say, just say it here.”

“It’s not me who wants to talk to you. Just wait a second.” The man made a phone call.

After a quick conversation, he handed the phone to Su Yunjing.

Su Yunjing hesitated but accepted it. He held the phone to his ear.

“Hello? This is Wen Ci. What’s this about?”

There were several heavy coughs from the other end. After coughing for a long time, he spoke, “Wen Yanlai may not have told you about me, but I am your biological father.”

“Wen Yanlai may never have mentioned me… but I’m your biological father.”

Su Yunjing: “…”

Such a bloody opening?

When Su Yunjing drifted back into the computer room, half the class was already over.

The teacher waved at him to sit down. He returned to his seat.

Their school’s computer classes usually only had a short lecture in the first half, with the second half left for practice.

After wrapping up the last bit of explanation, the teacher said, “That student who just came in, find someone you’re close with to teach you how to use the software.”

Su Yunjing nodded.

But after the teacher left, he opened the browser and started searching for “Xu Hongwen.”

That was the name of the man who had just claimed to be his father.

Like Wen Yanlai, Xu Hongwen was also an actor.

A nationally recognized first-class performer, vice chairman of the Drama Association, and a professor at the Huaxia Drama Academy.

He hadn’t acted in many TV shows, but each one was an epic and magnificent production like ‘Empire Dynasty’.

The two movies he starred in were official anniversary tribute films—one for the 40th anniversary of the nation, the other for the 50th.

In addition, he also led two very famous star classes.

One of those classes had produced a grand slam Best Actress, two movie queens, and one movie emperor.

That grand slam winner was Wen Yanlai.

Su Yunjing looked at Xu Hongwen’s photo, feeling deeply conflicted.

So the original Wen Ci wasn’t really Wen Yanlai’s nephew, but mother and son.

No wonder it always felt a bit off between them. So this was why.

Calculating the age, Wen Yanlai would have been about twenty, when she gave birth to Wen Ci and a college junior.

She had fallen for her teacher, Xu Hongwen. After giving birth, maybe to protect her career or reputation, she handed the child over to her brother to raise.

All these years, Wen Yanlai must’ve been wracked with guilt.

That’s why she was always so anxious and awkward around him.

Su Yunjing hadn’t expected his current identity to come with such a dramatic backstory.

It seemed Xu Hongwen now wanted to officially acknowledge him.

But Wen Yanlai hadn’t said a word about it. Maybe she was planning to but was afraid he couldn’t handle it.

The late summer sunlight wasn’t harsh.

Golden rays filtered through dense leaves, scattering into countless strands of light, pouring in through the window and casting dappled shadows across the handsome young man’s body.

In that shifting light and shadow, Su Yunjing’s brows were tightly furrowed. He looked troubled.

Fu Hanzhou glanced at his computer screen.

Su Yunjing had something on his mind and spent the whole afternoon in a daze.

Wen Yanlai was a public figure. If her relationship with him got exposed, it would undoubtedly cause a massive stir.

Especially since Xu Hongwen was already married.

The gossip columns often praised him and his wife for their college romance, how they’d dated for years after graduation before finally marrying.

They’d been married for over twenty years.The couple loved each other and were considered a model couple in the industry.

They also had two kids.

A daughter doing a PhD abroad and a son studying directing at the Drama Academy.

Just last year, Xu Hongwen had given an interview thanking his wife for standing by him all these years, acting like the perfect husband.

Now the perfect image had completely shattered. The existence of a teenage illegitimate son was undeniable.

Xu Hongwen had clearly cheated during his marriage. And Wen Yanlai…

Su Yunjing didn’t know what had really happened back then. He couldn’t jump to conclusions, nor did he want to judge.

What troubled him was what to do next. Should he pretend not to know and wait for Wen Yanlai to bring it up? Or should he go talk to her?

She had been staying home these past few days and didn’t seem to know that Xu Hongwen had already contacted him.

Xu Hongwen bypassed her and came straight to him, which probably meant that Wen Yanlai didn’t agree to let him interfere in Wen Ci’s life.

After much hesitation, Su Yunjing decided to wait until after her wedding with Shen Nianyun before bringing it up.

He didn’t want to ruin her mood as she was about to marry.

Lately, Su Yunjing hasn’t been as cheerful. He also hadn’t been chasing Fu Hanzhou to make him study like he did a few days ago.

Fu Hanzhou was still the same, his routine unchanged.

He slept in the mornings, played games in the afternoons, or stared out the window in boredom.

That was how he spent his days.

Su Yunjing looked at Fu Hanzhou’s retired-grandpa lifestyle and couldn’t help feeling bored on his behalf.

“Wasting time like this, do you even find that enjoyable?” Su Yunjing asked seriously.

Fu Hanzhou’s wandering gaze finally had some focus. He lifted his eyelids slightly to glance at Su Yunjing.

Just when it seemed like he might say something, he gave another one of his vague, indifferent “Mm~”.

Su Yunjing: “…”

Case closed.

Whenever the little cool cub replied with this kind of “Mm~~,” it meant he didn’t want to answer at all.

At only seventeen, his ability to dodge questions like a seasoned heartbroken was already master-level.

Su Yunjing was honestly impressed.

What had happened in the past ten years that turned a sweet, clueless little cool cub into this?

Damn.

His heart actually hurt a little.

….

Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun’s wedding was set for October 8.

It was Wen Yanlai’s birthday, and also happened to be the last day of the school break.

The wedding wasn’t grand, just a small event with close family and friends. Around twenty people total.

Shen Nianyun arranged for two spacious private jets to fly guests directly to a scenic and private island for the wedding.

Wen Yanlai came to the island a week in advance to prepare for the wedding.

Two days before the ceremony, Shen Nianyun brought Su Yunjing and Fu Hanzhou to the island.

There was no elaborate process, no flower girls tossing petals, no bridesmaids or groomsmen.

The ones handing over the rings to the couple were Su Yunjing and Fu Hanzhou.

It was Su Yunjing’s first time on a private jet and on a private island. Naturally, he was a little excited.

His room had a small balcony with a view of the entire island.

Bright red phoenix flowers bloomed all over, vivid like tongues of flame, setting the island ablaze with color.

Fu Hanzhou’s room was next door, and it had the same kind of balcony.

Su Yunjing leaned over the railing and called out to his neighbor.

After several tries, Fu Hanzhou lazily stepped out.

He had a white earbud in one ear, wearing a fitted loungewear set that showed off his tall, lean figure.

His pale, slender neck had smooth, flowing lines.

Fu Hanzhou looked as unbothered and unmotivated as always. His face clearly said, “What do you want? Get to the point.”

The two balconies were only ten centimeters apart.

Su Yunjing leaned on the railing and looked at the ever-sleepy Fu Hanzhou. “Look at the blue skies, white clouds. What beautiful scenery. Wanna go for a walk?”

Fu Hanzhou replied coolly, “No.”

Exactly the answer Su Yunjing expected. “You’re not sleeping well at night because you sleep too much during the day. Your schedule’s all over the place, and you don’t exercise.”

“If we start jogging in the morning together, I bet you’ll sleep better.”

Fu Hanzhou glanced sideways at him.

Behind him was a stretch of ocean. The water changed from light blue to sea blue to deep navy in smooth, rich layers.

It looked like a detailed oil painting.

Framed in the same picture was Su Yunjing, his clean-cut appearance matching the sky and sea perfectly.

Su Yunjing somehow managed to talk a little cool cub into going for a walk.

They walked barefoot along the soft white beach. The fine sand slipped between their toes—cool, soft, and pleasant.

Fu Hanzhou didn’t say a word, trailing behind Su Yunjing. His long black hair fluttered in the breeze.

The raised fine sand swirled around his slender ankles.

He still wore that lazy expression, like he’d just escaped from a retirement home.

Su Yunjing thought he seriously lacked youthful energy.

He turned and scooped up some seawater, splashing it at Fu Hanzhou.

A small part of Fu Hanzhou’s shirt got wet, soaking into a darker shade.

But all he did was give Su Yunjing a sidelong glance, his expression calm, barely reacting.

The cold indifference made Su Yunjing feel like an idiot, acting childishly on his own.

Su Yunjing: Damn.

Su Yunjing’s feet were wet, and the more he stepped on the sand, the more sand accumulated.

Getting cheeky, he stomped right on Fu Hanzhou’s foot, then ran off laughing.

Fu Hanzhou ignored him.

Su Yunjing washed the sand off at the shore, then came back and stomped on his foot again.

He kept doing it, dashing away every time like a kid pulling pranks.

The fourth time, Fu Hanzhou finally reacted, quickly stepping back and grabbing Su Yunjing’s arm, twisting behind his back.

Caught red-handed, Su Yunjing didn’t get angry. He laughed.

“See? You should move more. Just based on how we walk, someone might think I’m your grandkid, and you’re the grandpa strolling the beach.”

Fu Hanzhou: “…”

Fu Hanzhou let go of Su Yunjing without any expression.

Su Yunjing shook out his arms and walked beside him, still nagging.

“You’re only seventeen but act like you’re eighty. Keep this up, and you’ll have osteoporosis before twenty.”

The sun dipped toward the sea, casting golden light over the waves.

Ripples shimmered like silk.

The glow reflected in Fu Hanzhou’s eyes, too bright to see through, making it impossible to guess what emotions were hiding inside.

After their walk, they returned to the villa and saw the wedding planner in the living room confirming the final procedures with Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun.

Since the ceremony involved Su Yunjing and Fu Hanzhou handing over the rings, they were called over to go through the rehearsal too.

Their role was simple. Just handing the ring to Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun.

The process was straightforward, and Su Yunjing memorized it immediately.

The next day, guests arrived in two groups by private jet. Among them were Wen Ci’s (original host’s) grandparents.

Su Yunjing spent the whole day helping  entertain relatives and friends, and had barely had a moment to himself.

In the evening was the pre-wedding party. Su Yunjing wore a formal suit and followed Wen Yanlai to hand out welcome gifts.

Fortunately, the guest list was small and full of old friends.

Wen Yanlai used the opportunity to formally introduce Su Yunjing to them.

Knowing he had worked hard all day, she let him leave early to rest once the gifts were handed out.

Back in his room, Su Yunjing casually loosened his tie and relaxed his shoulders.

The hair that was fixed with hairspray also lazily fell down a few strands, covering the smooth forehead.

Stretching his sore muscles, he walked onto the balcony.

The room next door was already dark. The sheer white curtains fluttered in the night breeze.

The balconies were only ten centimeters apart. Su Yunjing supported himself on the terrace with one hand and easily stepped over.

Su Yunjing was so busy that he never left the ground that day,while the little cool cub stayed in the room comfortably, like a daughter from a noble family and never showed up.

Su Yunjing jumped to Fu Hanzhou’s terrace and lifted a corner of the curtain to see if he was asleep.

The room was dim, with no lights on. Only a small red glow flickered faintly in the dark.

As the curtain shifted, light spilled into the room, piercing the darkness.

Fu Hanzhou was leaning against the wall, a cigarette dangling from his lips.

The dim glow of the cigarette reflected in his pitch-black eyes, was immediately absorbed, leaving only darkness with no end in sight.

Su Yunjing had expected him to be awake. Seeing him smoking again, he silently sighed.

“You eat dinner yet?” Su Yunjing didn’t enter. He stood on the balcony and tossed in a sandwich and a bottle of yogurt to Full Hanzhou.

“Don’t smoke too much. Sleep early,” he reminded him. “And don’t forget to close the balcony door before bed. It gets really cold here at night.”

Fu Hanzhou looked at him without replying.

“I’m going to bed,” Su Yunjing said, yawning before hopping back to his own room.

After Su Yunjing left, Fu Hanzhou remained in his original posture without moving.

He didn’t get up until the cigarette in his mouth burned out to the filter. Then he threw the cigarette butt and the yogurt sandwich Su Yunjing gave him into the trash can together.

…

The next day, Fu Hanzhou was nowhere to be found.

They had eaten a quick breakfast that morning, but once everyone headed to the chapel, Su Yunjing couldn’t find him anywhere.

Even the wedding planner started panicking.

The wedding march had already begun, and after the vows, the rings were up next.

But one of the ring bearers was missing!

“I’ll go look for him,” Su Yunjing offered.

But the planner checked the time and shook her head. “No time. We’ll have to change the flow. When they finish their vows, you carry both rings over.”

Su Yunjing sighed. That was all they could do.

Fu Hanzhou hadn’t shown any signs of disliking Wen Yanlai as a stepmother before. Why would he disappear at such a key moment?

Luckily, it wasn’t a disaster. If he’d taken the rings with him, it would’ve been worse.

Just as Su Yunjing was mentally relieved, the hall suddenly became noisy.

He stood outside, confused, and looked toward the auditorium.

The hall has a large LED display.

Most people would put photos of the bride and groom meeting and getting to know each other, or warm and romantic pictures of flowers and balloons when they get married.

Wen Yanlai didn’t want to be so fancy, so he asked the planner to put a simple and elegant picture.

But now that picture has been replaced by two paternity tests.

One showed Su Yunjing and Wen Yanlai.

Their cumulative parentage index was 461,693.46. And the probability of parentage was 99.99%.

The second showed Su Yunjing and Xu Hongwen.

The cumulative index was 361,693.12. And Also 99.99%.

As soon as those documents appeared, the color drained from Wen Yanlai’s face. She instinctively turned to look at Su Yunjing, who stood at the doorway.

Everyone else in the room also turned to look at him.

Even the wedding planner was frozen, clearly unprepared for this level of chaos.

Su Yunjing wanted to die from embarrassment. Total social death ¹

This sudden twist completely derailed the ceremony.

Shen Nianyun had no idea Su Yunjing and Wen Yanlai were mother and son. His emotions were complex and subtle.

But this was when experience and maturity are reflected.

Shen Nianyun quickly composed himself and had someone take down the screen.

Seeing Wen Yanlai nearly collapse, he stepped forward to steady her.

Wen Yanlai had survived countless storms in showbiz. She’d never lost composure, even in the most humiliating moments.

But this was different.

This was her son.

She hadn’t publicly acknowledged Wen Ci all these years, not because she didn’t care, but because she didn’t know how to say it, and she wanted to protect him.

After all, that relationship was not glorious back then. If her affair with Xu Hongwen was exposed, Wen Ci would be labeled as an illegitimate child.

A teenager shouldn’t have to bear that.

Although Su Yunjing was in his twenties, he had never experienced such a thing.

After a moment of awkward silence, he realized the most uncomfortable person here wasn’t him but Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun.

Especially Wen Yanlai.

So he straightened up, walked toward her under everyone’s gaze, and hugged her gently.

“Congratulations on your marriage.”

That move made the scene feel dramatic and emotional but given the circumstances, nothing he did would’ve felt right anyway.

So screw it.

He just wanted to calm her down, to let her know he understood and that he didn’t blame her.

Even if she had been a mistress back then, it wasn’t his place to judge.

Everyone had the right to speak, except for him; he was just an outsider in this story.

Wen Yanlai’s eyes instantly turned red, but with so many people watching, she held herself together.

So did Shen Nianyun.

The wedding resumed.

Su Yunjing stood behind them, trying his best to act calm and unbothered.

After the vows, he stepped forward and handed them the rings.

Wen Yanlai and Shen Nianyun exchanged rings and  Su Yunjing took the empty ring box and left with his back straight.

He looked composed, but inside, he was a mess.

He had never been the center of attention like this in his life. This was simply embarrassment.

As he left the hall, finally breathing a sigh of relief, he suddenly spotted someone standing under a palm tree nearby. A long-haired teenager with a cold, distant expression.

Su Yunjing’s heart skipped a beat.

The brief lack of bl00d flow made his whole body numb, and his fingertips curled up unconsciously.

Just now, he had been too caught up in the chaos to think, who had leaked those two paternity reports?

Now, staring at Fu Hanzhou, a wild suspicion surfaced.

Was it him?

Su Yunjing pursed his lips and walked toward him.

The closer he got, the more unfamiliar Fu Hanzhou’s features felt.

Not in the literal sense, they’d been living together for weeks.

But at that moment, when he really looked at him, he felt like he didn’t recognize him at all.

A chill ran from the base of Su Yunjing’s spine straight up to his neck.

“You…”

As soon as he spoke, he realized his voice was hoarse. He cleared his throat and asked indirectly, “Where did you go just now?”

Fu Hanzhou didn’t answer. He just tossed something to him.

It was the Nokia phone that Su Yunjing had given him.

Su Yunjing looked at him, confused.

Fu Hanzhou’s gaze was distant and cold. “Get out of my house.”

There was no anger in his voice, but it hit Su Yunjing like a slap.

His expression froze in disbelief.

After a long pause, he slowly bent down and picked up the phone.

It was brand new, as if it had never been used, and the contact and text messages were empty.

Only then did he realize

Ever since he gave Fu Hanzhou the phone, he’d never actually seen him use it.

Su Yunjing had thought Fu Hanzhou, while not fully accepting him, had at least agreed to coexist peacefully.

Turns out… it was all wishful thinking.

Fu Hanzhou was still that same prickly, hostile little cool cub

It was just that ten years later, his thorns were not as obvious as before. He’d learned to lie low, wait and give a fatal blow at the critical moment.

No longer like before, when he’d just throw a dead rat at you and bare his malice out in the open.

So this whole time… had he just been putting on an act?

At that moment, Su Yunjing suddenly realized he might never have truly understood this person.

Or maybe…

He’d never understood him at all.