9: go home

The dinner party dispersed quickly, ending shortly after it began, but everyone left full—not just with food, but with juicy gossip. Everyone was eager to get home and share the "tea" they had packed up with others.

Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe followed behind Zhuoyue as quiet as mice. Seeing the parking lot right before them, Zhuohua finally plucked up his courage: "Older Female Cousin, can we go home tomorrow instead? Look, I haven't even brought my gifts yet, and it's so late; going back suddenly would be such a bother to everyone."

"It's only just past seven, how is that late?" Zhuoyue flatly refused Zhuohua. "We're not in a hurry for the gifts either."

"But, I'm not ready yet." Zhuohua pleaded, refusing to give up. "Sister, give me a chance~"

Looking at the pitiful gaze of this younger brother she hadn't seen in five years, Zhuoyue's heart softened. His acting skills had improved quite fast; didn't people usually become more mature the more they played e-sports? Why did it feel like this brother had played away both his IQ and his public image?

"Fine, one more day won't hurt. Tomorrow afternoon, the whole family will be waiting for you two at the old residence."

Zhuohua's eyes lit up immediately. "Okay, okay! Tomorrow afternoon at five, we'll be back on time."

With that, Zhuohua grabbed Yan Qinghe and vanished from Zhuoyue's sight at lightning speed.

This trick is great. No wonder Wang Yi can survive An Rongxuan's wrath every time he messes up. My teammates are all experts; it's just a bit embarrassing.

But staying alive is more important.

Sheng Xufeng had some matters to settle with the club, so he came out a bit late. Just as he was about to leave, he saw Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe approaching hand-in-hand.

He stared at their joined hands. Only then did Zhuohua realize that in his rush to escape, they hadn't let go of each other.

Zhuohua let go awkwardly.

"Um, we're still going back to my place tonight."

Sheng Xufeng roughly guessed that Zhuoyue must have let them off the hook. "Get in the car."

As the car drove out of the parking lot, Sheng Xufeng asked somewhat hesitantly, "Are you two... staying together tonight?"

Zhuohua immediately said, "No, no! Just drop us off at my place. Qinghe's car is downstairs; he'll drive back himself. We're not staying together."

You're already married, yet you're emphasizing that you're not staying together? Isn't that ridiculous? Sheng Xufeng was quite speechless, but he didn't dare say it out loud.

Hearing Zhuohua call him "Qinghe," Yan Qinghe couldn't help but let the corners of his mouth curl up. He lowered his head and rubbed his fingers, as if still reminiscing about the warmth from earlier.

"Right, I have to head back later," Yan Qinghe said cooperatively.

Sheng Xufeng drove. The roads near the suburbs were fine, but the further in they went, the more congested the traffic became.

While waiting at a red light, Sheng Xufeng turned back to ask the two in the back seat: "Since you're really married, are you having a wedding?"

Zhuohua hadn't thought about this question and couldn't answer for a moment.

Yan Qinghe glanced at the person sitting beside him. "We are. I'll invite you to be a groomsman when the time comes."

Hearing this, Zhuohua felt strangely embarrassed, yet also a tiny bit touched and expectant. He turned his head to look out the window, pretending he wasn't there.

Seeing Zhuohua's reaction, Sheng Xufeng roughly understood. He had a good sense of boundaries and didn't press further, instead changing the subject. "Then will I be Zhuohua's groomsman or yours?"

Yan Qinghe continued to answer, "That depends on the schedule; nothing is settled yet."

"Oh, well remember to notify me in advance once it's set. I need to prepare properly."

Zhuohua, still pretending to be absent, felt a sense of unreality while listening to the other two discuss his wedding. Although he had agreed to the marriage very decisively, the truth was he had never actually thought about what being married was like or what it meant. He was still living in his happy, free, single days.

This shift in status was important, but it wasn't something that could be switched instantly. Zhuohua thought for a while and felt a strange sensation. He couldn't say if it was good or bad, but he didn't push himself; he'd cross that bridge when he came to it. The most important thing right now was going home tomorrow.

He was afraid.

And nervous.

And a little bit homesick. The closer he got, the more timid he felt.

Despite the evening rush hour, they dawdled their way to the destination around eight o'clock.

By the time the car stopped downstairs at the apartment complex, the sky had already darkened. Under Zhuohua's cold glare, Sheng Xufeng suppressed his desire for gossip and left with a mock-whimper.

Only Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe were left standing downstairs.

The cicadas chirped rhythmically. Zhuohua recalled his strange emotions from earlier and felt somewhat awkward. After a moment of silence, Yan Qinghe spoke up: "I won't go up. Tomorrow afternoon, I'll come pick you up."

Zhuohua nodded. He watched Yan Qinghe's car drive away before slowly heading upstairs.

Zhuohua didn't sleep well that night. His dreams were filled with his family one moment and Yan Qinghe the next. Fortunately, despite dreaming all night, he was still relatively energetic.

Zhuohua spent the whole morning wrapping gifts for his family. After thinking it over, he drove out to buy some high-end health supplements. He felt that the things he bought the day before were too few to save his life.

When Yan Qinghe came to pick him up, he was slightly shocked by the pile of gifts. Zhuohua rubbed his nose awkwardly and said, "This is all a reflection of how much I missed my family."

Well said. If you missed them so much, why didn't I see you contact them at all in these five years? Yan Qinghe was speechless, but a moment's thought revealed Zhuohua's true intentions.

Cramming at the last minute, locking the stable door after the horse has bolted, sharpening the spear right before the battle—all these applied to him.

Yan Qinghe and Zhuohua moved the things downstairs together. It even took them two trips. He didn't know where Zhuohua got this habit of trying to solve problems by throwing money at them.

There definitely won't be any good outcomes for me tonight, Zhuohua thought, constantly praying for time to slow down. But obviously, on an afternoon without traffic jams, his wish could not be fulfilled. Even though it was a bit far, Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe arrived at the Yan Family main residence just before five.

As the car drove into the familiar courtyard, Zhuohua suddenly realized that he had really been gone for five years. Time didn't seem to have affected the grandeur of the Yan Family main residence, but it had left its mark on the trees in the garden. This contradictory feeling caused Zhuohua to momentarily lose his sense of time.

Before he could ponder the true meaning of life and time in his magical mental realm, the car stopped at the door. As soon as they got out, the old butler waiting at the entrance came forward to greet them.

After five years, Butler Ye still looked as capable as ever, appearing as if he didn't even have any more white hair.

"Uncle Ye, long time no see." Zhuohua smiled and greeted the old butler who had watched him grow up.

"Ah, long time no see. Young Master Zhuohua has grown so much taller and thinner; I almost didn't recognize you." Uncle Ye's eyes reddened slightly. "Quickly, go inside. The Madam and the others have been waiting for you for a long time."

At Zhuohua's signal, Uncle Ye directed the household maids and bodyguards to move the "mountain" of items Zhuohua had brought back into the house.

Taking a deep breath, Zhuohua finally plucked up the courage to enter the house with Yan Qinghe.

Entering the living room, all his relatives were sitting on the sofas waiting for them. His mother, Jiang Fuyue, sat right in the center.

Looking at his mother's familiar face, the emotions Zhuohua had been hiding for so long finally surged out.

His voice trembled with a hint of a sob as he called out, "Mom, I'm back."

Mother Yan immediately stepped forward and held Zhuohua's arms. She looked at him carefully and couldn't help but shed tears as well.

"You've grown up, you've grown up..."

Zhuoyang, who was sitting behind, hurried forward to hold his mother. "He's already back, don't be sad." He comforted his mother in a low voice, then shot Zhuohua a glare before gradually softening his expression. He said to Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe, "Come and sit down."

There were indeed seats left for Zhuohua and Yan Qinghe, but they were directly opposite the sofa. On the large sofa in front sat everyone else in a row, and on the coffee table lay the family rules brought out from the ancestral hall.

A standard setup for a joint trial. Looking at that small stool, Zhuohua hesitated for a long time, not daring to sit down.

Wasn't this just a heartwarming family reunion scene a moment ago? How did the scene change so instantly?

Seeing that Zhuohua hadn't sat down for a while, Zhuoyi, the eldest of the younger generation, stood up and walked over. "Don't be afraid. You should be brave enough to face the consequences of your actions, right?" As he spoke, he pressed Zhuohua down into the seat. Then he pulled Yan Qinghe, who had been standing aside looking worried, to another small stool at the edge of the sofa and pressed him down as well before returning to his own seat.

The terrifying interrogation began.

Uncle Yan Jincheng was the first to launch an attack. "Zhuohua, do you remember what you said before you left? How often you would call, how often you would come home, and when you would return after paying back the money? Do you still remember?"

Of course I remember, but do you think I dare to say it?

Zhuohua gritted his teeth to bolster his courage and tremulously spoke the excuse he had spent a long time fabricating before bed last night.

"I was just... just busy! Every day I was busy with training..."

The second brother, Zhuoyan, sneered upon hearing this. "Is that so? But I saw you quite often happily live-streaming and chatting with fans."

The scene fell into a sudden silence.

Uncle had taken the initiative to interrogate Zhuohua not because of his status in the family (since he had no status at all), but to save this foolish child who had committed a major blunder. He had originally planned to ask the questions and, as soon as Zhuohua bowed his head and admitted his mistake, he would generously forgive him on behalf of everyone and then turn around to help mediate for Zhuohua.

He never expected that this stupid nephew would come up with such a pathetic excuse and even get exposed on the spot. How am I supposed to save you, my foolish child!

Uncle covered his face, attempting to say something more to ease the atmosphere.

But Zhuoyang didn't give him the chance. No one had fought Uncle for this task last night, which was actually a way of giving Zhuohua a chance. After all, Uncle usually doted on this junior the most, and his intention in making this request was too obvious. But he also hadn't expected that such a simple setup would be ruined like this by Zhuohua.

Zhuoyang's anger flared up instantly. He interrupted what his Uncle was about to say. "It seems some people just won't learn until they're beaten!"

Zhuoyan added fuel to the fire from the side. "Exactly, Big Brother. Look at him, he doesn't look repentant at all. He definitely needs a good lesson."

Zhuoyang glanced at Zhuoyan, clearly seeing his intention, but said nothing. He stood up and picked up the family rules from the table.

The Yan Family's family rules were embodied in a heavy wooden ruler. It was said to have been specially bought a hundred years ago to discipline descendants, intended for use by the teachers in the family school. Later, as it was used more often, it gradually became the symbol of the family rules.

Zhuoyang walked behind Zhuohua with the wooden ruler. "I'll give you one more chance. Answer again."