TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 25

No one could tell if Wen Chenxi actually gave Ji Zhiyuan a beating, but the two of them returned from the restroom together. Ji Zhiyuan looked a little aggrieved and indignant but obediently followed Wen Chenxi’s lead in calling Uncle Liu and Uncle Zhuang by their respective titles.

Uncle Liu and Old Zhuang both said, “Calling us ‘Old Bro’ already shows a lot of respect. We really can’t live up to being called ‘Uncle.’”

Uncle Liu, in particular, felt very self-conscious about it.

He was just running a rural farmhouse restaurant to make money. In his eyes, these three big bosses were his customers, and having them call him “Old Bro” already made him feel incredibly honored. After all, he had heard rumors that these people were worth more than hundreds of millions—how could he possibly compare?

Old Zhuang, on the other hand, was much calmer. He simply felt these young men were overly polite but didn’t overthink it.

After all, the world he lived in before he transmigrated was a primitive one. Everyone he encountered there was straightforward and focused only on getting enough to eat.

He whispered to Zhuang Yanyu, “Xiao Shiyi, your friend is really, really great.”

Even though he’d already said this countless times before.

Zhuang Yanyu patiently replied in a low voice, “Yes, well-matched.”

They had lunch at Uncle Liu’s house. At the enthusiastic invitation of Wen Chenxi and the others, Zhuang Yanyu’s father brought over the prepared chicken and other dishes to eat together.

During the meal, Old Zhuang kept thanking Wen Chenxi for taking care of Zhuang Yanyu and for giving him such generous bonuses.

Wen Chenxi, however, praised, “It’s because Xiao Yu is capable and outstanding. He deserves it.”

Hearing this, Old Zhuang was even happier than if someone had complimented him. He kept offering Wen Chenxi drinks made with herbal-infused wine.

Uncle Liu, listening on the side, was surprised and asked, “Xiao Yu is that good? He even gets bonuses at work?”

Uncle Liu had only heard about scholarships in school, not bonuses at work. He distinctly remembered Zhuang Yanyu wasn’t particularly exceptional in his studies and didn’t go to a prestigious university either.

Shaking his head, Uncle Liu thought perhaps his memory had gotten fuzzy with age. All he vaguely recalled was that Xiao Zhuang’s grades were average to above average.

Old Zhuang proudly declared, “Of course! My Xiao Shiyi has been smart since he was little. I’m planning to use the money he sends home to buy a house.”

Naturally, Old Zhuang didn’t mention that he was planning to pitch in as well. His pride for his son was written all over his face.

Uncle Liu, both envious and happy for his neighbor, remarked, “Old Zhuang, your son has really made it. Soon you’ll be living a comfortable life, no more waking up early to work in the fields.”

Old Zhuang’s face radiated pride.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Yanyu quietly focused on eating. Whenever someone talked, he just chewed, counted to thirty bites, and then swallowed.

Ji Zhiyuan quickly chimed in, “I heard too, Old Zhuang—no, Zhuang Shu. Xiao Zhuang’s bonus is just the start. There’ll be a lot more profit sharing later. He could easily buy a house outright.”

Wen Chenxi elbowed him.

Ji Zhiyuan slammed down his cup, protesting indignantly, “What now? I didn’t say anything wrong!”

Wen Chenxi replied calmly, “Stop calling him ‘little brother.’ Don’t take advantage of people.”

Ji Zhiyuan retorted, “Xiao Zhuang is younger than us. What’s wrong with calling him ‘little brother’?”

Old Zhuang laughed heartily, “He’s right, he’s right, no problem at all.”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

Pulling Ji Zhiyuan up, Wen Chenxi said warmly, “Zhuang Shu, Liu Shu, excuse us for a moment. We’ll step out to the restroom.”

Ji Zhiyuan, looking alarmed, tried to refuse, but Wen Chenxi dragged him away without giving him a chance to resist.

Old Zhuang looked worried, “What’s wrong with them…?”

Li Xi quickly smoothed things over, “Don’t worry, Uncles. They’ve grown up together and have always been like this. It’s just like in school when friends would always go to the bathroom together.”

Hearing this, and with Li Xi mentioning their childhood bond, the uncles didn’t think much of it.

Still, Uncle Liu mused with some concern, “Didn’t they just go to the bathroom? And it hasn’t even been thirty minutes. Could it be… kidney deficiency?”

“Pfft—” Li Xi almost spat out his drink, coughing violently. “Cough, cough, cough!”

Uncle Liu quickly patted his back. “Don’t be embarrassed. We’re all men here. I’m just speaking from experience and treating you like family. You young folks sit in the office all day; it’s no wonder. You may not feel it now, but as you get older, you’ll regret it.”

Then Uncle Liu turned to Old Zhuang, “Old Zhuang, bring some of your sun-dried medicinal herbs tonight. I’ll make something nourishing for these boys.”

Old Zhuang nodded enthusiastically, “Sure, sure.”

Li Xi held his head in his hands, looking utterly exasperated.

When Wen Chenxi and Ji Zhiyuan returned from the restroom, they were greeted by two elders watching them with deep concern and Li Xi avoiding their gazes with a guilty look.

Wen Chenxi: “?”

Confused, Wen Chenxi leaned down and quietly asked Zhuang Yanyu, who was calmly eating, “What did they say just now?”

Zhuang Yanyu, never one to hide anything from his friends—except for his origins—honestly replied, “They said you guys aren’t in good health and might have kidney deficiency.”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

Ji Zhiyuan, unknowingly labeled as kidney deficient, looked even more aggrieved.

The meal left the three bosses feeling awkward and out of sorts, unable to voice their frustrations.

After all, they couldn’t exactly go up to Uncle Liu and Old Zhuang and explain: There’s no misunderstanding. We’re perfectly fine, thank you.

The mere thought of trying to clarify left them suffocated.

So, they silently buried themselves in their food. Even Ji Zhiyuan, who had been so lively earlier, suddenly turned low-key, afraid that speaking up again might lead to another trip to the restroom and further accusations of kidney issues.

After the meal, Uncle Liu went to clean up while Old Zhuang prepared fruit for them to take back to the city, likely filling another big sack.

Zhuang Yanyu offered to help, but Old Zhuang waved him off, telling them to enjoy themselves and not get in the way.

Relieved to escape his kidney deficiency label, Ji Zhiyuan grabbed fishing gear, a sunhat, and a folding chair, heading to the riverbank to fish.

Still remembering Zhuang Yanyu’s luck, he thoughtfully brought a specialized fishing rod for big catches and solemnly instructed, “Xiao Zhuang… No, I’ll just call you by your name.

Zhuang Yanyu accepted the fishing rod. “Okay.”

It seemed like Zhuang Yanyu naturally carried some kind of luck when it came to fishing. Not long after starting, he caught his first fish. Although it wasn’t very big, it was a good start to the afternoon and drew envious looks.

Ji Zhiyuan glanced at Zhuang Yanyu’s position. He was sitting on Zhuang Yanyu’s right side, while Wen Chenxi was on his left, with Zhuang Yanyu in the middle.

Ji Zhiyuan noticed that he was downstream from Zhuang Yanyu and figured all the fish upstream were being drawn to him, leaving nothing for himself to catch.

He immediately reeled in his line, picked up his stool, and moved about 10 meters upstream, determined to stay far enough away so Zhuang Yanyu wouldn’t absorb all his luck.

Li Xi shook his head, exasperated. “Running so far? Truly a fishing fanatic.”

Li Xi dragged his stool over closer to Zhuang Yanyu. “Hey, Xiao Zhuang, are you sure you’ve never fished before?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “No, never.”

Li Xi chuckled. “Never gone fishing in the river as a kid? You grew up around here, so you must’ve gone swimming in the river a lot, right?”

Zhuang Yanyu’s voice turned evasive. “I don’t know how to swim.”

After all, he didn’t actually grow up here.

Choosing an adult body was more about convenience. He was here to relax and retire, not to spend over 20 years studying in school as a child. If he’d started as a kid, Old Zhuang would’ve had to take care of him, leaving no time to focus on farming. An adult body was simply the better choice.

Li Xi was surprised. “Then you must’ve been a well-behaved kid! I was such a troublemaker growing up. My parents constantly had their hands full with me. Ask Old Wen; I used to skip class and show up at his place all the time.”

Wen Chenxi’s lips curled slightly. “It’s true. Li Xi used to skip class a lot.”

Zhuang Yanyu shook his head. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

Li Xi appeared calm and composed, unlike the lively Ji Zhiyuan. He was more reserved and had a modest demeanor.

But Zhuang Yanyu was more curious about his close friend. “What about you?”

Wen Chenxi raised a brow. “Me?”

Zhuang Yanyu nodded. “Mm-hmm. Did you ever skip class?”

Before Wen Chenxi could respond, Li Xi laughed. “Not him. Wen Chenxi was always so mature and obedient. He was the model student every teacher loved, always competing in academic contests.”

Zhuang Yanyu’s faint dimple appeared as he smiled softly. “Sounds impressive.”

Wen Chenxi said, “I bet you were a great student too.”

Zhuang Yanyu dodged the compliment. “I was average, really.”

Li Xi grinned knowingly. “Don’t be modest. You’re incredible. That system you built for Old Wen’s company? I hear even coastal cities are lining up to collaborate with Azure Technologies because of it.”

Then, with a teasing glint in his eye, Li Xi joked, “But seriously, you signed a profit-sharing deal with him? Aren’t you afraid Old Wen might take the technology and run? What if he doesn’t share the profits?”

Wen Chenxi shot him a glance but stayed quiet.

Zhuang Yanyu simply said, “He wouldn’t.”

The system was a gift for Wen Chenxi anyway. Profit-sharing or not didn’t matter to him.

Wen Chenxi asked, “What if I did take it? What would you do then? Li Xi isn’t wrong; you should be more cautious.”

Zhuang Yanyu repeated calmly, “You wouldn’t.”

Li Xi chuckled. “You trust him that much? Old Wen’s a businessman, you know.”

Wen Chenxi chimed in, “Do you really trust me that much?”

Zhuang Yanyu nodded. “Yes. I trust you.”

But truthfully, Zhuang Yanyu felt a bit guilty after saying it.

It wasn’t so much about trusting Wen Chenxi as it was trusting the data.

Wen Chenxi had been selected through an intricate matching algorithm from Zhuang Yanyu’s past life. He trusted the data behind the results.

Even in the worst-case scenario—if the algorithm somehow miscalculated, and he realized after spending time together that Wen Chenxi wasn’t trustworthy—Zhuang Yanyu wouldn’t worry.

With his skills, he could easily hack into Azure Technologies, wipe out everything that belonged to him, and leave nothing behind.

But that was a last resort.

So far, their time together had only proven how well-matched they were. What began as trust in data had evolved into personal conviction: his close friend was genuinely incredible.

Still, Wen Chenxi had no idea about these contingency plans.

To everyone else, Zhuang Yanyu was just a poor kid from the countryside with only an elderly father. Despite his humble life, he’d offered his full-hearted trust and sincerity to Wen Chenxi.

Who wouldn’t call that love?

But… it wasn’t.

Wen Chenxi felt a swirl of complicated emotions as he watched Zhuang Yanyu’s profile in silence.

That simple statement—“I trust you”—softened something deep within him, like a soothing balm.

Li Xi turned to Wen Chenxi, about to tell him to take good care of Zhuang Yanyu, but when he saw Wen Chenxi’s expression, the words caught in his throat.

After over a decade of friendship, he’d never seen Wen Chenxi look like this.

His glasses muted the cold sharpness of his features, giving him a refined, restrained air. But behind the lenses, his eyes held a mix of emotions—complex, tender, and indescribably gentle.

He seemed to be looking at a treasured artifact, one he cherished deeply. He wanted to touch it gently but was afraid his hands might accidentally leave a mark on it.

Li Xi’s voice abruptly stopped.

He recalled his friend’s uncharacteristic insistence on reciprocating after Zhuang Yanyu brought them fruit, as well as his stubborn decision to address Old Zhuang as “Uncle” instead of following Ji Zhiyuan’s casual “Old Bro.”

It turned out that all these peculiar behaviors stemmed from a heart that had already been claimed.

Perhaps noticing Li Xi’s sudden silence, Wen Chenxi snapped out of his thoughts and asked, “What?”

Li Xi replied with a mischievous smile, “Oh, nothing.”

Wen Chenxi gave a small nod.

Li Xi, now as if privy to a delightful little secret, alternated glances between Wen Chenxi and Zhuang Yanyu, chuckling to himself as if he had uncovered some hidden truth.

The day was overcast, with little sun. Beside the shaded riverside in the lazy afternoon, a gentle breeze stirred Zhuang Yanyu’s hair, making him look even more relaxed.

Meanwhile, Ji Zhiyuan, who had gone upstream to fish, returned empty-handed. On the contrary, Zhuang Yanyu, despite being so laid-back he was nearly dozing off, had reeled in one catch after another.

Ji Zhiyuan, frustrated by his lack of results, stared at Zhuang Yanyu’s full basket of fish and muttered sourly, “Xiao Yu, why must you make it so hard on us fish?”

Zhuang Yanyu blinked, confused.

Wen Chenxi smiled and gestured toward the fish in the basket, then at Zhuang Yanyu himself. “Fish. Yu.”

Zhuang Yanyu fell silent.

But the more elusive the prize, the more people desire it. Ji Zhiyuan decided to tough it out, vowing not to leave until he caught something.

Zhuang Yanyu, on the other hand, had caught plenty and decided not to fish anymore. Worrying they might not finish everything that evening, Li Xi and Wen Chenxi stopped as well. Feeling idle, Li Xi suggested Zhuang Yanyu take them to Old Zhuang’s orchard to pick some fruit.

When they returned, Ji Zhiyuan was still by the riverside, slumped in defeat, staring blankly at the water’s surface as if hoping for a miracle.

Li Xi called out, “Caught anything yet?”

“Nothing…” Ji Zhiyuan muttered weakly, only to suddenly leap up. “Xiao Yu! Xiao Yu! Come here quick!”

Zhuang Yanyu walked over, puzzled.

“Lend me your hand to touch for luck—just a little bit! Just a fingertip! You have no idea how bad my luck is. Or you could just touch my fishing rod; maybe that’ll summon a fish!” Ji Zhiyuan pleaded.

Before Zhuang Yanyu could respond, Wen Chenxi stepped in and smacked Ji Zhiyuan’s hand away, his expression unreadable. “Don’t touch him. Did you ask for his permission first?”

Ji Zhiyuan looked aggrieved. “I just wanted to borrow a bit of luck…”

His voice trailed off as he suddenly remembered the source of his tarnished reputation in the entertainment industry.

People said he was flirtatious and indiscriminate, constantly playing the field. The truth was his lack of boundaries—rooted in his lifelong streak of terrible luck—had led him to latch onto anyone with good fortune, hoping to rub off a bit of theirs.

There had even been a time when he impulsively touched a female celebrity’s hand during a shoot, startling her. Though it had only been a two-second touch, his intensity had unnerved her so much that she kept avoiding him afterward, which snowballed into rumors of his supposed playboy nature.

But those who knew Ji Zhiyuan understood he wasn’t flirting—he was looking at her like she was a living talisman!

Now, after Wen Chenxi’s sharp rebuke, Ji Zhiyuan carefully asked, “Xiao Yu, can I just borrow a touch? Just a fingertip! Please, your luck is too good!”

Zhuang Yanyu decisively refused. “No.”

After rejecting him, he turned and placed his hand firmly into Wen Chenxi’s palm, urging, “Ah Xi, you touch it quick. Don’t let him steal my luck!”

He then glared at Ji Zhiyuan like a thief caught in the act, his expression wary.

Ji Zhiyuan stood there, utterly dumbfounded, as if struck by lightning.

—

Author’s Note:

The fiercely protective Zhuang Yanyu: “No one but my best bro can take my good fortune.”

Wen Chenxi: “Be honest, were you the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Needle in your past life? The one even the Dragon King couldn’t bend? (smiles)”

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