Chapter 74: It’s Normal for the Leader to Have Concubines
Ye Zhile was furious. The defensive line in his heart seemed to snap suddenly. He gave Ruan Chenxin a fierce push. “Who gave you permission to enter Dudu’s room?! Get out! Get out of the Leader’s Manor!”
Ruan Chenxin was pushed back a step. He instinctively pushed back. “By what right?! This isn’t your house alone. Brother Shuohan hasn’t told me to leave, so why are you telling me to leave?!”
Ye Zhile’s body was weak, and he couldn’t control himself as he fell backward. Fortunately, Ji Shuohan, who had heard Dudu’s cries, arrived in time to catch him. Ye Zhile pulled himself from his arms and pointed at Ruan Chenxin, shouting to Ji Shuohan: “Make him leave immediately! Right now!”
“Calm down first.” Ji Shuohan saw Ye Zhile was pale, his body swaying, and even shaking with anger. He was afraid the person would faint on the spot. But the tensed nerve Ye Zhile had held for so many days had snapped; he didn’t want to endure anymore!
“I told you to make him leave! Immediately, right now!” Ye Zhile gritted his teeth, staring fiercely at Ji Shuohan.
“Brother Shuohan…” Ruan Chenxin originally wanted to act pitiful, but one cold glance from Ji Shuohan silenced him instantly.
Ji Shuohan comforted Ye Zhile, “I’ll have him leave right away. Don’t worry.”
Hearing this, Ye Zhile seemed like a deflated balloon. His body went limp, his eyes went dark, and he fainted.
“Ye Zhile!” Ji Shuohan hurriedly caught him, pulling him into his arms.
After a few months, Ye Zhile was lying in the hospital again. The doctor who had examined him before looked at his state with frustration. But mindful of Ji Shuohan’s status, he said, “He lacks your pheromones, and his health was already poor. Don’t let him be stimulated again.”
After the doctor spoke, he sighed helplessly and left.
Ji Shuohan sat by the bed and took a deep breath, feeling a sense of guilt toward Ye Zhile.
Ye Zhile woke up the next day. He was all too familiar with the hospital, so he knew immediately he had been admitted again.
“Awake?” Ji Shuohan stood up when he saw him wake.
Ye Zhile ignored him, not giving him a single glance. He sat up, pulled back the blanket, and wanted to get out of bed. Ji Shuohan grabbed his arm. “Where are you going?”
Ye Zhile struggled, letting out a cry of pain. “What are you doing?!”
Ji Shuohan quickly let go. “Sorry.”
Ye Zhile got out of bed on his own, putting on his shoes to leave. Ji Shuohan blocked the door. “The doctor said you need to stay for observation.”
“No need.” Ye Zhile’s eyes were clean and clear like they had been washed, yet he looked at Ji Shuohan stubbornly. Ji Shuohan said helplessly, “If you are still angry, I apologize to you.”
Ye Zhile’s lips moved, but in the end, he said nothing. What was he still expecting? Expecting the man before him to know his own mistakes? Expecting that a trace of love still remained?
Ye Zhile felt despair. He said softly, “I want to go back. I don’t want to be in the hospital. I miss Dudu.”
The youth’s eyes were pure, and looking at them made one’s heart soften. Ji Shuohan wanted to step forward and hug him, but Ye Zhile backed away.
Ji Shuohan lowered his hand. “Let’s go.”
Ruan Chenxin had already been sent away. As for where he was sent, Ye Zhile didn’t ask. When he returned home, he stayed with Dudu. Looking at the small bump on Dudu’s head that hadn’t faded yet, the more he looked, the more his heart ached. Before long, his eyes were red.
Ji Shuohan could only sit aside. Ye Zhile was unwilling to talk to him, nor would he let him touch Dudu.
After coaxing Dudu to sleep, Ye Zhile finally came out of Dudu’s room. He turned to go back to his own room. Ji Shuohan grabbed his hand. “You need pheromones.”
Ye Zhile pushed his hand away and said coldly, “Just give me a little. No need for a mark.”
Ji Shuohan originally only wanted to give a little, afraid Ye Zhile couldn’t handle it. He didn’t expect Ye Zhile’s body to be so fragile that he couldn’t even handle a little. Seeing the person groan and show a pained expression, he hurriedly pulled him into his arms and withdrew the pheromones, preventing him from falling.
Ye Zhile recovered for a moment, pulled away from Ji Shuohan’s arms, and went back to his room.
The warmth in his arms lasted only a moment before turning cold. Ji Shuohan reached out his hand, yet he didn’t know what he was trying to grasp.
At the Ji family banquet, Ji Shuohan arrived on time with Ye Zhile and Dudu. The Ji family had many concubines and servants. The vast Ji Estate covered a large area. For convenience, Ji Shouren had the servants set the banquet in the main hall.
Ji Shuohan and Ye Zhile went straight to the hall for the meal. Seeing Dudu in Ji Shuohan’s arms, Ji Shouren was overjoyed. “Come, let Grandpa hold you.”
Ji Shuohan handed Dudu to Ji Shouren. Seeing Dudu was fair and tender, Ji Shouren liked him more the more he looked. “This is the future successor to the Leader’s position.”
At these words, some concubines’ expressions changed. Guan Meihan was extremely proud. “Naturally. The Leader’s child will of course succeed the position.”
Ye Zhile stepped forward to greet them. Ji Shouren smiled. “Sit down. You’ve lost a lot of weight. When your mother and I went to the hospital to see you, you were still isolated in the sterile room, so we didn’t see you.”
“Thank you, Father and Mother, for your concern,” Ye Zhile smiled. He had lost a lot of weight. His small face used to have some meat—not fat, but his cheeks would puff out when he smiled, making him look pure and cute. Now that he was thin, he had a strong sense of fragility.
“We’re family; no need to be so polite,” Ji Shouren said. He then asked Ji Shuohan, “How is your health? Have you had a follow-up?”
“I’m going in a couple of days,” Ji Shuohan said.
“That’s good.” Ji Shouren gestured. “Eat. It’s not often the whole family eats together.”
Ye Zhile sat beside Ji Shuohan, eating silently while listening to the conversation. It was mostly small talk, with children being pulled out for comparison. Eventually, the Second Concubine brought the topic around to Ye Zhile.
“It’s not quite right for the Leader to have only one spouse,” the Second Concubine said to Ye Zhile with a smile. “It’s only normal for the Leader to have three wives and four concubines. Don’t be too against it.”
Ye Zhile smiled stiffly and didn’t answer. He looked at Ji Shuohan, hoping the Supreme Leader would help him out. However, Ji Shuohan was dazing, thinking about what the “sterile room isolation” was all about.
“Shuohan, that Miss Shen has admired you since she was a child. You should give it some serious thought.” The Second Concubine smiled broadly. “I see that Miss Shen is sincere and well-educated. If you marry her, she will surely be a great help to you.”
Everyone at the table was teasing. Ji Shuohan was absentminded. He said, “We’ll talk about it later.”
Ye Zhile’s hands and feet went cold. With a shake of his hand, he knocked over his soup bowl. Seeing everyone look over, he said embarrassedly, “Sorry.”
“It’s fine, it’s fine,” Ji Shouren ordered. “Hurry and clean it up for Lele.”
“What’s wrong?” Ji Shuohan saw the people beside him were in a flurry, looking very hurried. He grabbed Ye Zhile’s wrist. “Are you okay?”
Ye Zhile acted as if he had been burned, hurriedly shaking off his hand. Seeing eyes looking toward him, he forced a smile. “I’m fine.”
Translator’s Note: “Three wives and four concubines” (三妻四妾) is a traditional saying about polygamy. The Second Concubine is being very pushy! Ji Shuohan’s “talk about it later” (以後再說吧) is a non-committal answer that feels like a betrayal to Lele, who expected a firm refusal.
Recommended Reads
