Chapter 33: Discovered
In a high-end, tailored white shirt paired with neatly cut black trousers, the young Master Ruan turned around. His dark eyes were pure and his small face was pale, looking the picture of innocent harmlessness.
Did that sentence really come from him?
Ruan Zhimian reached out and gently wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes. “He’an-gege didn’t tell you? You probably don’t know yet… He’an-gege wanted to hit me yesterday…”
This was the mall most frequented by Huajiang’s wealthy, and it was a hub for gossip.
If Ruan Zhimian said this, it would spread in no time.
Mrs. Han’s face turned unsightly. She had specifically come to corner Ruan Zhimian for this very reason. “Our He’an wouldn’t do that. Is there some misunderstanding?”
She didn’t believe the Shi family would let Shi He harass an engaged Beta. But before she could say it, Ruan Zhimian cut her off.
Ruan Zhimian looked down, his shoulders trembling. “I don’t want to see him.”
Teng Yu reached out and put an arm around Ruan Zhimian’s shoulder, immediately sneering, “Our Mianmian used to like Han He’an and had too many filters on him to see what kind of person he really was.”
“Thanks for the kindness, Auntie, but these are for gifts. Besides, we aren’t that close. You don’t need to pay for us.”
A perfect tag-team performance.
Teng Yu pulled out his wallet and stepped out of the VIP room first. “I’ll pay. Wrap each one separately.”
Ruan Zhimian looked downcast, his misty eyes lowered, making anyone who saw him feel a pang of sympathy.
When he reached the door, he suddenly turned back and said softly, “Auntie, even if we don’t become family, we’ve known each other for many years. We’ll always be friends.”
“I don’t know why He’an-gege has suddenly become so prone to losing his temper with me lately. Or has he always been this way, and I just never noticed?”
Ruan Zhimian was deliberately keeping things ambiguous.
If he pushed the Han family too far, people without a bottom line like them might do something drastic to him.
Give them some slack, then keep them dangling.
Ruan Zhimian laid half a step, and Mrs. Han immediately climbed up, completely unaware that she was stepping over an abyss.
“He’an has had some trouble with the company lately. I’ll give him a talking-to when I get back.”
Teng Yu was worried and called Ruan Zhimian from outside. Ruan Zhimian nodded obediently. “I understand, Auntie. I won’t blame him.”
Mrs. Han watched Ruan Zhimian and Teng Yu leave with a fake smile, feeling quite confident. “Talking to me so much—he still likes He’an after all. I need to think this through. I have to make sure Ruan Zhimian stays on the hook.”
…
Shortly after the afternoon began, Ruan Zhimian went to Light Bio-tech, a company under Ruan Corp that produced and sold contact lenses and related products. It was highly popular among the younger generation.
The latest product was launching tomorrow, but the model for the new lenses was in a car accident this morning. Ruan Zhimian had come to help out as a temporary replacement.
Ruan Xubai personally drove Ruan Zhimian to the shoot. As soon as he stepped out of the car, he was taken to get his makeup done. The makeup artist first applied eye drops for him. “Young Master Ruan, close your eyes and rest for a moment.”
The set was bustling, with everyone busy with their respective tasks.
Ruan Zhimian’s eyes were very beautiful, and since he’d been getting enough sleep lately, he was in great condition.
Ruan Xubai stood outside, asking the manager, “How is the model who was in the accident?”
“Just out of surgery. They’re in the ICU.”
“Once they move to a general ward, find a caregiver to look after them.”
Ruan Xubai opened the advertisement and checked it carefully. This video would be deployed across all channels starting tomorrow. “The launch is tomorrow; there can’t be any delays. Once the new product is online, everyone gets a break.”
Unlike Ruan Jiarong, Ruan Xubai was still young and mostly handled fragmented business segments. Light Bio-tech had been acquired by Ruan Corp and built up by Ruan Xubai.
The spokesperson for the fifth-generation lenses was the hottest idol group of the moment, costing a fortune.
“Don’t worry, we’ll see it through.”
Half an hour later, Ruan Zhimian put on the light blue lenses for the shoot.
He sat before the lens, and the camera equipment slowly zoomed in.
—Click.
After five consecutive retakes, Ruan Zhimian removed the lenses for the final time.
He lay back in the chair and closed his eyes.
“Mianmian.”
“Ge.”
Ruan Xubai sat behind Ruan Zhimian and massaged his temples. “I don’t have time to see you home. The driver is downstairs.”
“Ge, you need to rest more.”
Ruan Zhimian wanted to say many things, but he was leaving soon.
Ruan Xubai was a very good brother. He was glad to have such a family.
The cold-featured Alpha lowered his head and pulled out a tissue, his movements a bit hurried. “Mianmian, do your eyes feel uncomfortable?”
Ruan Zhimian wiped away his tears and said in a nasal voice, “No. It’s because you’re too good to me.”
“I love you, Ge.”
Ruan Xubai ruffled his hair and said softly and warmly, “I love you too, Mianmian. My mom is coming back to the country next week. She’s brought so many things for you and keeps saying how much she misses you.”
The “little cat” wagged its tail. “I love Auntie.”
A helpless, fond sigh followed. “Mianmian, we all just want you to be healthy and happy. Nothing else matters.”
…
Ruan Xubai saw Ruan Zhimian downstairs and closed the car door for him.
Ruan Zhimian looked back, leaning against the glass. Only after Ruan Xubai’s figure vanished in the distance did he sniffle.
Once you’ve known warmth, it’s hard to let go.
“Qiuqiu, what was the Ruan family’s ending?”
Qiuqiu manifested. The little system had been sad every day lately too, but finally, there was something it could help with. It was very proactive: “After Ruan Zhimian’s death, the Ruan family wasn’t mentioned in the manga again. However, not long after his death, Han He’an suddenly became a major figure in Huajiang.”
“Stay away from the Han family to solve the biggest problem.”
As long as the Ruan and Han families didn’t marry, the Ruan family wouldn’t become a blood-bag for the Hans, and it would be impossible for Han He’an to use their influence to climb up.
Ruan Zhimian lowered his head and opened the new group chat Teng Yu had added him to. Most of the people inside were Huajiang’s idle second-generation rich kids, a few of whom Ruan Zhimian recognized.
[Did you hear? Ruan Zhimian is breaking off the engagement with Han He’an.]
[Apparently, Han He’an has violent tendencies.]
[I just heard it from Young Master Teng. I already told my parents to sell off their Han Corp stocks immediately, or we’ll lose everything.]
[I really don’t get people who kiss Alpha ass. Did a Beta eat your family’s rice?]
[We think that in this group, but others might not. Some people can’t achieve anything in their life, so they think differentiating into an Alpha makes them invincible.]
The news only needed to spread.
Mission accomplished.
Ruan Zhimian’s eyes were sore, and he prepared to close them to rest for a bit.
His phone rang again. It was a call from Shi He.
“Shi He, is something wrong?”
The voice on the other end was cold, carrying a sense of solemnity. “I have something to ask you.”
“Go ahead.”
“The school’s air conditioning was being serviced today. Your locker wasn’t closed properly, and it opened on its own.”
“Ruan Zhimian, I saw a lot of dresses. Can you explain? Why are they identical to the ones I bought for my boyfriend?”
Ruan Zhimian’s phone slipped from his hand and fell onto the carpet.
His entire body froze.
Recommended Reads
