Chapter 41: Running the Moment You See Me, Without Even Greeting
The next day, Ye Ran didn’t go find Xu Huiyang until after he finished breakfast.
The first moment Xu Huiyang saw him, he felt he was being very strange. The clothes on his body were clearly oversized.
“Is there a new fashion trend this year? How come I didn’t know?”
Ye Ran: “My child, there are many things you don’t know. Learn slowly.”
“What’s the first activity we’re doing today?”
Xu Huiyang pouted. “Picking up my brother at the pier.”
What was meant to come eventually arrived. He looked quite pitiful; anyone who didn’t know better would think Xu Zhaoli was a tiger that could eat him in a second.
Ye Ran chuckled. “I’ll go with you.”
This time, two cars went to the pier.
The manager explained that many people were coming, so one car wouldn’t be enough to seat them all.
It was a bit foggy today. The sea was covered in a misty haze; objects nearby were visible, but everything far away was completely obscured.
Xu Huiyang transformed into a “Brother-waiting Stone,” standing perfectly straight, waiting and waiting and waiting.
Ye Ran found a large stone bench, sat down, crossed his legs, and started munching on an apple.
After waiting for about ten minutes, he finally saw the shadow of a boat in the misty sea.
“It’s here, it’s here…”
Ye Ran looked over. The hotel manager and several other departments stood in a row. Their posture was as if they were welcoming the Retired Emperor.
Thinking about it, it made sense; after all, two bosses were arriving at the same time.
Xu Huiyang stared at the boat for a while, then turned around to shove Ye Ran. “Is there something wrong with my eyes? Why do I see someone on the boat as big as a crab, sliding back and forth on the deck?”
Ye Ran: “???”
What kind of abstract nonsense was this? A person as big as a crab?
Had a crab attained immortality and taken human form?!
Ye Ran stopped munching his apple and stood up to look at the “crab spirit” Xu Huiyang mentioned.
There was indeed something on the deckāquite a large thingāsliding back and forth.
It wasn’t until the boat docked closer that Ye Ran finally saw clearly. It wasn’t a crab; it was a person sitting on a suitcase, their two feet sliding back and forth on the ground for fun.
After seeing the person clearly, Ye Ran spat out two words: “Infantile.”
Seeing Ye Ran, Chi Youchu immediately waved at him.
Ye Ran didn’t know how Chi Youchu had managed to get onto this boat. He really did manage to “descend from the sky.”
Once the boat was steady, Chi Youchu took his suitcase and prepared to disembark. It was then that Ye Ran realized there was another person standing behind Chi Youchu.
After his gaze collided with that person’s, the expression on Ye Ranās face gradually froze.
The half-eaten apple core in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.
Xu Huiyang cast a glance at him, his eyes seemingly saying: See, the tables have turned.
Chi Youchu ran off the boat in a few steps and patted the shoulder of the person who was still in a daze. “Hmph, how about it? I told you I could come and catch you. Believe it now?”
The person didn’t react at all, remaining motionless.
Chi Youchu had gone through quite a lot of effort to get Chi Yuheng to bring him to the island to find Ye Ran. And this was the reaction Ye Ran gave him?
He waved a “scissors” hand gesture in front of Ye Ranās eyes. “No way? Are you so happy that I’m here that you’ve gone dumb? Can you hear me? Look at how many fingers I’m holding up!”
In the past, Ye Ran would definitely have slapped his hand away and cursed, “You’re the one who’s a ‘2’!”
But right now, a certain someone was in no mood for that; his brain was a mess.
He had only been gone for one day, and Chi Yuheng had followed him. He looked like he was here to apprehend him.
But that wasn’t right. He had reported his plans before leaving; he hadn’t run away from home.
Was it because he didn’t reply to his message yesterday?
That was the only thing Ye Ran could think of. But he couldn’t be blamed for that; he was truly a bit tired from playing yesterday. He had intended to reply after getting into bed, but whether it was because the bed was too comfortable or Chi Yuhengās brand of pajamas was too cozy, it gave him an exceptional sense of security. His head had barely touched the pillow before he fell asleep.
Several plans flashed through his mind. The most reliable one was to pretend to be transparent and run away before Chi Yuheng saw him.
When the time came, he would just say he was tired from playing and had been sleeping in the hotel, so he didn’t see him.
Chi Youchu saw the dazed person finally react, but it wasn’t to greet him; instead, he gave him the back of his head.
“Hey, hey, hey, where are you going…”
Ye Ran had only run two steps when a gentle yet steady voice came from behind him. “What are you running for?”
With that single sentence, Ye Ran was frozen in place as if someone had pressed the pause button.
Besides Chi Youchu, three more people got off the boat.
Chi Yuheng, Xu Huiyangās brother Xu Zhaoli, and Chi Yuhengās most unreliable friend, Pei Si.
Chi Yuheng walked at the very front. The hotel manager and senior executives respectfully called out, “President Chi.”
At this moment, Ye Ran finally understood. It turned out that the investment partner Xu Zhaoli mentioned was Chi Yuheng.
The person who could use that boat was also him. No wonder Chi Youchu could come whenever he wanted.
Ye Ran couldn’t think of anywhere in Jing City that wasn’t under Chi Yuhengās industry.
While he was still thinking, the man had already stopped in front of him, raising a hand to pat his head. “One day without seeing you, and you run the moment you see me, without even greeting me.”
Ye Ran wanted to say, Could you not pat my head in front of so many people? It’s fine to do it at home.
Similarly, with so many people here, it wasn’t easy for Ye Ran to explode and say, “Chi Yuheng, stay away from me.”
He still had to give the great CEO Chi some face at the appropriate time and behave well. If he caused trouble later, he might be able to earn some leniency.
He particularly restrained his loud, boisterous voice. His voice lightened by half a pitch, like a freshly brewed peach oolongācarrying a bit of soft, sweet clarity.
“Yuheng Ge.”
Only Chi Yuheng himself knew how comfortable that voice was to hear.
It was also because of Ye Ranās greeting that the heads of various hotel departments realized his relationship with Chi Yuheng.
Initially, they thought Ye Ran was just a friend of President Xuās brother. Some had even questioned why such a distant connection should be given such a good room, one that other guests couldn’t get even if they paid.
But the manager said it was an instruction from above; that best suite could only be given to Ye Ran.
Now they finally understood. It turned out Ye Ran wasn’t just a simple friend of Xu Huiyang; he was their President Chiās most pampered little young master.
Chi Youchu was almost stunned watching from the side.
That usually serious and upright person had now become so gentle, and the one who usually “exploded” had OOCād into a well-behaved boy.
Wait, are these two for real?
Chi Youchu forced his way in. “Brother, why are you patting his head? I’m your brother too, why aren’t you patting mine?”
Chi Yuheng: “…”
Ye Ran: “…”
To be honest, with Chi Youchu coming in to ruin the atmosphere, both of them wanted to smack his head off.
Chi Yuheng symbolically raised his hand to pat Chi Youchuās head as well, though the force was different. Afterward, it drew a loud protest: “Stop rubbing it! It’s almost a chicken coop now!”
Xu Huiyang followed obediently behind Xu Zhaoli, and Ye Ran greeted them.
There was one person left. Ye Ran had seen him in Chi Yuhengās graduation photo before and knew he was Chi Yuhengās friend.
Pei Siās eyes lit up the moment he saw Ye Ran. So this was the rumored future wife of Chi Yuheng.
Not only were his physique and face impeccable, but even his hairāblack with a few strands of bleached redāhad a few hairs occasionally blown up by the wind. Such a cute head made one really want to pat it.
The four of them shared a dormitory, and currently, they were all bachelors. They used to guess that the one who would finally find a wife would definitely not be Chi Yuheng; who would like that usual ice-block face of his?
Yet now, he was actually the one with the most hope.
Pei Si felt the excitement of finally meeting his “brotherās wife.” His voice when he came up to greet him rose by a few pitches, “Little friend, I am your Pei Si Ge.”
Ye Ran: “…”
Little friend?
Chi Yuheng had used such a term for him, but hearing it from someone else, Ye Ran felt an indescribable awkwardness.
He looked at Chi Yuheng, his eyes seeking an answer. “Where am I ‘little’?”
Chi Yuheng returned a certain gaze. “Nowhere is ‘little’.”
Afterward, he cast a displeased glance at Pei Si. Ye Ran had only called him “Yuheng Ge” and hadn’t even called him “Gege.” Why should Pei Si get one more word than him?
Although Ye Ran politely called him “Pei Si Ge” in the end.
But Pei Si always felt the way Chi Yuheng and Ye Ran looked at him was very strange. How to describe it? Like a couple looking at a mental patient.
But it didn’t matter. He hadn’t come with Chi Yuheng just to be his wingman; he was very ambitious and wanted to strive for a share in the subsequent development of the island.
The two Chi brothers and Ye Ran took one car, while Pei Si and the Xu brothers took the other.
Chi Youchu wanted to sit in the back with Ye Ran as soon as he got in, but he was hauled to the passenger seat by Chi Yuheng.
Chi Youchu, who had finally caught Ye Ran but hadn’t had a chance to show off, protested, “Why won’t you let me sit in the back?”
Chi Yuheng threw three words at him: “Too crowded.”
Chi Youchu: “…”
Where was it crowded? If Chi Yuheng sat in the passenger seat, it wouldn’t be crowded at all. Besides, the back row was so spacious; even if the three of them sat together, they would fit!
Translator’s Note:
In Chinese, calling someone a “2” (äŗ – ĆØr) is slang for being stupid, silly, or a “doofus.”
Also, “OOC” stands for “Out of Character.” It’s common internet slang in China (and globally) used when someone acts in a way that contradicts their usual personality.
And “Yuheng Ge” vs “Gege”? Calling someone “Ge” (Brother) is a polite honorific, but “Gege” is much more intimate and sweet. No wonder Chi Yuheng is jealous!
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