CHAPTER 39: 036 SPRING NIGHTS ARE SHORT

Qin Zhuan had been smart and studious since childhood, with few other interests; consequently, during his school years, even the teachers and classmates would secretly call him a bookworm behind his back. He was handsome and excelled academically. Although he was a bit reserved, there were countless girls who were enamored with him. He didn’t know how many love letters had been secretly stuffed into his desk, but the young Qin Zhuan had long since given his heart to a girl. He turned a blind eye to those adoring looks and would hand the love letters over to the teachers, which made the schoolgirls both love and hate him.

In college, he chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and majored in Business Management, topping his class every year. He graduated with honors and was recommended for further studies at one of the best universities abroad. However, for the sake of Ji Lanyi, he resolutely gave up this opportunity and chose to stay and became a butler at the Ji Family, arguably underusing his talents, but he was content with his choice.

Originally misunderstood by Ji Lanyi and driven out of the Ji Family Manor in a fit of rage by Ji Huaixi, he felt utterly desolate, even contemplating ending his life. It was Ji Huaixi who had people secretly find him, as it turned out Ji Huaixi believed he would not do such a thing. It was also for Lanyi’s sake that he had no choice but to resort to such a scheme. Ji Huaixi even secretly compensated him with shares of the Ji’s corporation. Knowing that his presence had brought trouble to Lanyi’s marriage, he completely disappeared from her life thereafter.

Over the years, he deliberately avoided everything related to the Ji Family. He started from scratch, from doing sales to step by step building his own company with sweat and diligence. It had evolved from a small company with just three people to a pharmaceutical group with hundreds of employees. Although it was nothing compared to the Ji’s corporation, it was the result of his own efforts. Currently, he was negotiating several partnerships, with a promising outlook for development.

His daily life was a back and forth between the company and his home, and apart from necessary socializing, his life was as dull as an old monk’s. On countless sleepless nights, he would lie in bed tossing and turning, his longing painful like a sharp knife dissecting him in the darkness; it hurt him terribly.

The girl he had secretly loved since he was twelve had grown up with him from adolescence to adulthood. She had long been an inseparable attachment in the depths of his heart.

However, at that moment, looking at the face that so closely resembled Ji Lanyi’s, he felt a bit dazed.

Lanyi’s daughter had shown intelligence beyond her years from a young age. The first time he saw the little girl, he liked her instantly—so beautiful, so adorable. He thought, that must be how Lanyi looked as a child, a soft bundle with a sweet milky fragrance and the cleanest, clearest eyes...

Now that Lanyi had disappeared, he could not let her children suffer any harm. He had to protect Yun Ya and Yun Miao for her.

With his resolve set, he reached out and gently touched the tops of Yun Ya and Yun Miao’s heads, gently smiling and saying, "Whatever you want to do, Uncle will always support you unconditionally."

——

On the ride home, Jiang Li didn’t ask anything. While Yun Ya and Qin Zhuan were in the living room, he sat in the dining room sipping tea, not quite hearing what they talked about.

In truth, he was very curious, curious about the relationship between Yun Ya and that man, curious what Yun Ya wanted from him. Yet if Yun Ya chose not to speak, he decided not to ask. This student, despite her young age, had some pretty big ideas.

When they arrived at the gates of the Ji Family Manor, Yun Ya, pulling Yun Miao along, got out of the car and waved at Jiang Li, sweetly smiling and saying, "Thank you for today, Teacher Jiang. Goodbye."

Watching Yun Ya lead Yun Miao away into the distance, he shook his head with a laugh and turned the car to leave Panshan Road.

When they got home, the living room was empty; well, it was late, so everyone had probably gone to rest. Even if she and Yun Miao died out there, no one would care.

As soon as she stepped into her room, Ji Die hurried over anxiously, grabbing Yun Ya and asking urgently, "How did it go? Did you see Big Brother Qin?"

Yun Ya subconsciously frowned, and remembering something, Ji Die quickly let go.

The Young Miss had changed a lot recently. Except for Yun Miao, even Ji Die, who had taken care of her since she was a child, seemed unable to get close to her anymore.

"I saw Uncle Qin." Yun Ya felt very uncomfortable where Ji Die had touched her, as if ants were crawling on her skin, and she had an urgent impulse to rush under the faucet and wash it away.

Her expression was somewhat contorted, as if she were trying hard to endure something, but Ji Die, immersed in her surprise, did not notice.

"Really? Little Miss, you really saw Big Brother Qin? Is he doing well now?" Ji Die asked in rapid succession, her eyes brimming with hope.

Yun Ya gave her a strange look, not understanding why Ji Die became so irrational at the mention of Uncle Qin. Such irrationality greatly displeased Yun Ya; she preferred people who were calm, who could remain composed in any situation. Ji Die was clearly miles away from her standards.

"Uncle Qin is doing well," Yun Ya paused before adding, "Leaving the Ji Family was a relief for him; he’s living a good life now."

The moment she saw Uncle Qin, she hesitated for a second, wondering whether she should drag him into the vortex of her vengeance. In the end, reason overruled emotion; she needed Uncle Qin’s help.

"It’s good that he’s doing well," Ji Die sighed with relief, as if a great weight had been lifted.

Yun Ya looked at her with a complex expression and finally reminded her, "Aunt Die, Uncle Qin already has children."

Seeing Ji Die’s shock followed by a pained expression, Yun Ya emotionlessly led Yun Miao to clean up.

Uncle Qin had remained unmarried all his life for Ji Lanyi. She thought the man was foolish. Was it worth it to give so much for a woman who didn’t love him?

"She didn’t understand love, so she didn’t understand Qin Zhuan."

"But deep down, her hatred for Ji Lanyi deepened yet another layer."

"Qin Zhuan adopted a child from the orphanage, gave him his surname, and named him Qin Du. He is eight years old this year and is currently in elementary school. Before leaving, Qin Zhuan told her to let the two children meet when she had time; she did not object."

"She knew not much about Qin Zhuan’s past life; his business was mainly overseas at that time. There were rumors that he had an exceptionally outstanding successor, who must be his adopted son, Qin Du."

"No matter whether Qin Du is an adopted son, once he carries the surname Qin, he is from then on Uncle Qin’s own son, and Ji Die would have no future with a man as infatuated as Qin Zhuan."

"——"

"To celebrate the renaming of the Ji’s to Yun’s, and even more to introduce Yun Shu’s identity aboveboard to everyone, Yun Shen decided to hold a banquet at his home. He planned to invite some business partners from the marketplace and some aristocratic families from Jiangzhou, to help his mother naturally blend into high society."

"The Zhuang family was naturally also on the invitation list."

"When Zhuang Xiyue received the invitation, her eyebrows shot up, and she slammed it onto the table, ’They changed Ji’s to Yun’s, and now a mother pops up out of nowhere. Yun Shen really has a thick skin; I’ve never seen someone so despicable and shameless.’"

"Suddenly, she glared at Yan Nanmo, who was leisurely flipping through the newspaper on the sofa, ’You’re also not allowed to go, or else don’t even think about getting in my bed ever again.’"

"What a threat, really..."

"If she knew about the private deal he had made with Yun Shen, she might have thrown him out of the house. Women are so sentimental."

"Yan Nanmo’s thoughts whirled in an instant, putting down the newspaper and walking over to embrace Zhuang Xiyue, ’Whatever the wife says is right, if she says don’t go, then I won’t go.’"

"Yan Nanmo picked up the invitation carelessly and tossed it into the trash can, then leaned over to kiss Zhuang Xiyue’s neck."

"’Wife, look how well I listen to you, so tonight let’s just..."

"Zhuang Xiyue pushed his face away with her hand and frowned as she ran over to fish the invitation out of the trash can."

"’No, I have to go see for myself, I can’t let Yun Ya be bullied. There was Kang Jinse before, and now there’s a grandmother. God knows what Yun Ya’s life at home is like; I can’t rest assured without seeing it with my own eyes.’"

"Then, she hooked her lips into a cold smile, ’Go, of course I’ll go. I want to see just how thick-faced Yun Shen, that scumbag, can be, and just how blind Ji Lanyi must be to fall for such a phoenix man. Really, TM just thinking about it makes me so angry.’"

"Yan Song: ..."

"Her wife comes from a scholarly family, a standard lady of noble birth, who also curses when aggravated—but why is it so cute..."

"Yan Nanmo immediately stuck to her again, ’Wife, life is short in the spring night, why mention another man? Quickly console my wounded little heart..."

"’Ah... Yan Nanmo you jerk, let me down...’

"’Mmm...’

"A kiss directly sealed all her exclamations."

"At the slightly ajar door, two little heads stealthily retracted, muttering something under their breath."

"’Papa, Mama are fighting again, Gege is so scared...’

"With a sneer, ’Hehe... I don’t have such a dumb brother.’"

"Was that fighting? That was clearly brawling—didn’t you see they were already laying hands on each other?"

"Hey hey bad daddy, where are you putting your hand? How dare you compete with your son for milk? Have you no shame?"