Part 2
Jiang Zhaosheng weakly argued.
“Because you can’t be trusted. Can you clean up your own romantic debts (taohua zhai) out there?”
Under the table, Qin Yichuan deeply agreedâ
Exactly. Look at that blonde man, and that green-tea-like youth… Jiang Zhaosheng can never clean up those romantic entanglements.
As expected of the daughter. Her aura was even stronger than her father’s… Wait?! Daughter?
Qin Yichuan gripped Jiang Zhaoshengâs ankle in dissatisfaction.
Jiang Zhaosheng wanted to kick this idiot out from under the table. He forced a smile and explained to his daughter on the screen:
“Wanwan, Daddy will handle it. You don’t need to worry about these things. As for Shang… your classmate, don’t bother him as much.”
“I know, I know,” Jiang Wan mumbled. “So when are you coming to see me? I miss you.”
“Soon. I’ll go after I finish this busy period,” Jiang Zhaosheng soothed in a gentle voice.
“Youâve been out of contact for nearly forty-eight hours. Youâd better give me a reasonable explanation when we meet.”
Just as Jiang Zhaosheng was about to make an excuseâthe door lock gave a light “beep” sound. Someone had used a code to enter directly.
The door was pushed open, and Shang Yanâs figure appeared at the entrance. The wound on his neck was hidden by a turtleneck, and he was wearing a finely tailored casual suit, his aura much more composed than his peers.
Shang Yan was carrying an exquisite paper bag. Seeing Jiang Zhaosheng on a video call, his face immediately showed a polite, elegant, and slightly apologetic smile.
On the other end of the video, Jiang Wan asked in surprise:
“Who’s there?”
Jiang Zhaoshengâs scalp felt numb.
“Shang Yan? Why are you at my house?”
Shang Yan closed the door calmly and smiled at Jiang Wan on the screen, his tone familiar and natural:
“Jiang Wan, Uncle Jiang helped me deal with some school business before. I came to deliver a thank-you gift.”
“I was passing by a dessert shop and remembered you asked me to check if he was eating properly.”
His gaze swept across the living room as if unintentionally, slowly landing on that transparent glass coffee table. His line of sight met exactly with the tall man curled up underneath.
Shang Yanâs eyebrow twitched almost imperceptibly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. He deliberately drew out his words, his gaze locked onto the area under the table:
“Hmm? Jiang Wan, under your living room coffee table, it seems…”
Jiang Zhaoshengâs expression changed.
“No wonder sheâs worried about you and insisted I, her classmate, help her ‘check in’.”
He absolutely couldn’t let Jiang Wan know about this wounded man in the house. Jiang Zhaosheng suddenly turned his head to look at Shang Yan, his gaze a mix of a warning and an imperceptible plea, silently mouthing:
Don’t you dare say it.
Meeting his gaze, the corners of Shang Yanâs mouth curled into a knowing, somewhat malicious arc.
“What do you mean? What’s wrong with our coffee table?”
Naturally, Shang Yan wouldn’t expose all this in front of Jiang Wan, but that didn’t stop him from enjoying the panic of Jiang Zhaosheng needing a favor from him right now.
He took a step forward and naturally turned his body, blocking any angle from which the phone camera might catch the coffee table.
“I saw wrong. It was probably just a trick of the light.”
Then he reached outâhe didn’t touch the man, but placed the gift box on the table and quietly rested his arm behind Jiang Zhaosheng for support.
“A souvenir. Jiang Wan said you love this particular dessert.”
Jiang Zhaoshengâs body was stiff, yet he didn’t dare appear too tense in front of Jiang Wan. He could only smile at Shang Yan:
“…Thank you. Youâre too kind, classmate.”
All of this was seen clearly by Qin Yichuan under the table.
Even in such a pathetic situation, the look he gave Shang Yan was full of ridicule: Heh, just an idiot using the daughter’s reflected glory to act all powerful.
Jiang Zhaosheng felt every second like a year while maintaining a smile for Jiang Wan. Fortunately, someone called out to her on the other end, and she hung up in a hurry.
“Don’t go finding any shady people…” she commanded on that end.
“Yes, okay, Master.”
Jiang Zhaosheng didn’t care what they thought anymore, nodding like a chick pecking at grain.
Shang Yan raised his eyebrows in surprise.
After the video call ended, Jiang Zhaosheng immediately brushed off the arm behind him and stood up abruptly, creating distance.
Covering his face, Jiang Zhaosheng took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to throw everyone out.
“Why is my home like a shelter, stuffed with all kinds of ‘surprises’?”
Jiang Zhaosheng first looked at Samuel, who had just strolled back from the balcony.
Samuel raised both hands in a gesture of surrender, a placating smile on his face:
“Baby, don’t be angry. I came with your permission.”
Jiang Zhaosheng rubbed his temples and then turned his gaze toward Lin Xuan, who had quietly emerged from the bathroom.
Holding the cat, Lin Xuan spoke in a low, shy voice: “Jiang-laoshi, I came to deliver the cat. You said youâd be busy these few days and asked me to help look after it… and, there are some ‘professional’ matters I wanted to inform you about.”
Thinking of the rumors on the forum and seeing the legendary “blonde home-wrecker,” Lin Xuanâs voice grew quieter as he spoke, clearly realizing he had come at an inopportune time.
Finally, Jiang Zhaoshengâs gaze fell on Qin Yichuan, who had just crawled out from under the coffee table.
Qin Yichuanâs hair was a mess, his expensive suit was wrinkled beyond recognition, and his face still bore fresh palm marks and blood trails. He looked incredibly bedraggled.
But the moment he met Jiang Zhaoshengâs gaze, he immediately straightened his back, trying to regain some of his aura:
“Why are you looking at me? I was dragged back here by you.”
Jiang Zhaosheng: “…”
“Who is he?” Shang Yanâs voice cut in, bone-chillingly cold.
He ignored Samuel and Lin Xuan, locking his gaze onto Qin Yichuan with unmasked hostility.
“Does Jiang Wan know youâre hiding such a ‘filthy thing’ in the house?”
Shang Yan wanted to retaliate against him. It wasn’t because of how much disdain Qin Yichuan had shown in his gaze from under the table, but because Jiang Zhaosheng himself hadn’t realized that his body language clearly expressedâthe living thing in this room he trusted most, besides the cat, was this bedraggled “uninvited guest.”
The others could wait; this idiot’s connection with Jiang Zhaosheng was deeper than he had imagined.
Qin Yichuan sneered, meeting Shang Yanâs gaze and retorting sharply:
“A thing? Thatâs still better than some base Alpha who invites himself over and plays tricks using someone elseâs daughterâs name.”
“What did you say?”
“What, don’t understand human speech?”
The cat in Lin Xuanâs arms gave an uneasy “meow.” Samuel carefully observed Jiang Zhaoshengâs expression; in his heart, he wanted nothing more than for the two of them to fight, though his face remained serious as he showed disapproval.
“Enough. This isn’t a dog cafe.”
Jiang Zhaosheng raised his hand and snapped his fingers:
“Could I trouble you two to stop barking?”
Shang Yan and Qin Yichuan both reigned in their energy, but the gazes they directed at each other remained cold and hostile.
Jiang Zhaosheng pressed his throbbing temples, quickly making a decision.
“Lin Xuan,” he first looked at the student. “Leave the cat. Ask your questions another day. Go home now.”
As if receiving a grand pardon, Lin Xuan quickly put down the cat, whispered “Goodbye, Jiang-laoshi,” and fled the scene.
Next, he looked at Samuel: “I’m sorry, I can’t talk with you for now. Could I ask you to leave first? I’ll contact you later.”
“Of course. Get some rest, Zhaozhao.”
Samuel bowed to him, spared the other two Alphas a meaningful glance, and obediently walked toward the door.
Finally, only Jiang Zhaosheng, Shang Yan, and Qin Yichuan remained in the living room.
Jiang Zhaosheng looked at Qin Yichuan, who was bruised and battered yet still glaring at Shang Yan like a fighting cock. He felt his temples throbbing painfully. He pointed toward the bathroom, his tone brook no argument:
“You. Go in there and clean yourself up. You are not allowed to come out without my permission.”
How long is “without permission”… his skin will prune if he soaks for too long; what a buzzkill.
Qin Yichuan wanted to argue, but under Jiang Zhaoshengâs cold gaze, he eventually swallowed his words. He gave Shang Yan a fierce glare and shuffled toward the bathroom, looking back every three steps.
Now, only Jiang Zhaosheng and Shang Yan were left.
Shang Yan watched him leisurely, seemingly waiting for an explanation, or… more.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Zhaosheng pulled him to the door, yanked it open, and gave him the most direct order to leave: “You leave too.”
Shang Yan raised an eyebrow. “Throw me out after using me? Jiang Zhaosheng, have you forgotten what just happened…”
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