TuxedoTranslations

Chapter 29

Zhuang Yanyu, Qin Yiyuan, and Zhou Quan spent 20 days upgrading the port’s software and hardware systems. They took their time to avoid disrupting operations and causing cargo pileups—otherwise, the project could have been done in a week.

By the end of the project, Zhou felt like he’d truly become a professional intelligent building engineer and had no desire to return to tech support.

Standing on an elevated platform with his hard hat on, Zhou watched the containers below being sorted and transported in an orderly manner under the system’s control. A surge of pride filled his chest.

Gazing at the scene like a commander surveying his army, he declared boldly, “Now this is work! This is what we men should be doing! This—this is my empire!”

Over the walkie-talkie, Zhuang simply said, “Time to go.”

Zhou instantly turned obsequious. “Coming, coming! Be right down!”

Scrambling down, Zhou joined Zhuang and Qin, asking, “Are we heading back to the company now?”

Zhuang raised an eyebrow. “You want to stay?”

“No, no,” Zhou chuckled sheepishly. “It’s just that this was my first time working on an engineering project like this. Even though it took a while, I feel like I’ve learned so much.”

The thought of returning to tech support—endless hours at a computer, debugging or writing manuals day after day—made him feel like his brain was already turning to mush.

He’s someone with aspirations.

Qin Yiyuan chuckled. “It’s only been less than a month, not that long. The groundwork for the technical systems was already in place. Without that foundation, we’d have to follow the construction site from the very start. Some projects take six months or a year, and we’ve even had colleagues stay on projects for two or three years.”

Zhou Quan’s eyes widened. “You have to stay at the site for that long?”

“Not continuously,” Qin explained. “Construction is done in phases. For example, we’ll be there during the initial setup for positioning, then return later to oversee the next phase, like wiring.”

He turned to Zhuang Yanyu. “Speaking of which, Xiaoyu, isn’t the project with H City Port Group yours? I heard they’re about to start construction.”

The core program for the project was Zhuang’s intellectual property. The company hadn’t purchased it outright and instead shared revenue with him.

To prevent leaks of the program, Zhuang had to oversee the implementation personally.

As expected, Zhuang nodded. “Yes, I’ll need to go.”

Though he wasn’t thrilled about traveling for work, Zhuang thought about how this would earn money for his “brother,” and the thought made it worthwhile.

He’d walk through fire and brimstone for his brother—what was a simple business trip in comparison?

The only downside was that he wouldn’t get to see his brother daily like he did now.

Although he no longer worked at the company, he stayed at Wen Chenxi’s place every night, and Wen often picked him up from work.

Qin Yiyuan asked, “Can I apply to join you on the project in H City?”

Zhuang looked at him quizzically. “You want to go?”

Qin smiled. “We worked well together this time, didn’t we? Plus, I’ve already got a solid grasp of the basics of the program. If you bring someone you don’t know, you’ll have to train them all over again. Isn’t that troublesome?”

Zhuang thought about it and agreed. “Sure. I’ll speak with Supervisor Xu.”

Qin smiled in relief.

On the side, Zhou Quan looked tempted. He glanced at Zhuang and then at Qin but hesitated to speak.

After all, he wasn’t an official member of the engineering department. It was justifiable for him to help with local projects, but asking to join a team in H City felt like overstepping.

How could they bring someone from tech support instead of an engineering team member?

So Zhou kept quiet.

It was just before 5 p.m. when they left the port. Qin Yiyuan suggested, “We’ve been working hard. How about a nice meal together?”

As usual, Zhuang was about to decline when Zhou chimed in eagerly, “Let’s go! It’s been ages since the three of us ate together. Now that the project’s done, it’s the perfect time!”

He turned to Zhuang. “Zhuang-ge, join us, okay?”

Zhuang hesitated for a few seconds.

His social circle at work was admittedly overdue for some maintenance…

After all, people only had so much energy. Balancing friendships and workplace interactions wasn’t easy.

Why couldn’t he just have one friend?

Back when he used to “travel between worlds,” he only bonded with one host at a time.

Feeling a bit deflated, Zhuang said, “Okay.”

Qin, who had braced himself for rejection, was taken aback. “Xiaoyu… did you just agree?”

“Yes.”

Qin’s guarded heart warmed unexpectedly. “Alright, let’s see what’s good to eat.”

He opened a food app to search for nearby restaurants.

Zhou peeked over. “How about Sichuan hotpot? That sounds great!”

“Xiaoyu doesn’t eat spicy food,” Qin replied.

“Oh, right. Then how about dry pot bullfrog?”

“Xiaoyu doesn’t eat bullfrog, and it’s greasy. He prefers lighter food.”

“Fine, what about pickled fish?”

“Xiaoyu doesn’t… actually, Xiaoyu, do you eat fish?” Qin asked, turning to him.

Zhuang, engrossed in texting Wen Chenxi, looked up at the question. “I eat fish, but not sour ones.”

After some deliberation, they decided on a popular bistro known for its seafood and steamed fish options.

Since Qin was driving, he ushered the group into the car and headed to their destination.

On the way, Qin tried to keep the conversation going. Zhou was chatty, but Zhuang stayed quiet, focused on his phone.

Through the rearview mirror, Qin noticed Zhuang’s lips curling slightly into a faint smile.

Qin blinked in surprise, quickly composing himself as he refocused on driving.

He’d rarely seen Zhuang smile before. Normally, Zhuang maintained a polite but distant demeanor that felt inexplicably detached.

But that smile just now carried a warmth and intimacy he hadn’t expected.

Was it with a girlfriend?

Zhou, who had also noticed, asked, “Zhuang-ge, who are you chatting with?”

“Just my brother,” Zhuang replied without looking up.

“Oh, I see!” Zhou’s tone was filled with understanding. “Got it, got it, hehe.”

Zhuang felt Zhou’s laughter was a bit odd but couldn’t pinpoint why.

Qin, on the other hand, was puzzled. “Your brother?”

He knew Zhuang had a “good brother” he often mentioned. Whenever Zhuang had free time, he’d either be messaging or calling this brother.

Qin found it strange. Did people really have that much to talk about with a sibling?

Moreover, Zhuang never missed a chance—whether during work breaks or idle moments—to send a message.

Resting and eating were no exceptions—his phone was never out of his hand.

Even after work, it was often one of his so-called “brothers” who came to pick him up.

At first, Qin Yiyuan thought this “brother” just happened to be passing by. But the more he thought about it, the stranger it seemed.

He’d heard Zhou Quan mention before that Zhuang Yanyu was staying at his “brother’s” place. If that was the case, then aside from work, they were practically together all the time.

Could they really be brothers? Or was this a boyfriend?

But Zhuang Yanyu was obviously so… straight.

Tentatively, Qin Yiyuan asked, “Xiao Yu, do you have someone you’re dating?”

Zhuang Yanyu replied, “No.”

Hearing this, Qin Yiyuan chuckled to himself. Clearly, he had been overthinking.

With Zhuang Yanyu’s personality, it seemed unlikely he would lie. If he said he didn’t have a partner, then he probably didn’t.

But Zhou Quan was stunned. “Brother Zhuang, your ‘brother’… isn’t he the one?”

Zhuang Yanyu frowned. “The one what?”

“Isn’t he your boyfriend?”

Zhuang Yanyu looked even more confused. “A brother is just a brother. What does that have to do with a boyfriend?”

After a pause, he added, “I’m not a girl. Why would he be my boyfriend?”

Zhou Quan was speechless.

Then why are you two sleeping together every night?

And when I asked to be your ‘brother,’ you said you didn’t have the energy to deal with me. What’s going on here?

Zhou Quan was overwhelmed. Am I the one with the dirty mind? Why would I think of it like that?

Meanwhile, Qin Yiyuan wore an expression of “I knew it.”

He thought, based on his previous interactions with Zhuang Yanyu, the guy was as straight as they came—how could he possibly have a boyfriend? Hearing Zhuang Yanyu confirm it in person only solidified his belief.

Still, if he couldn’t be a boyfriend, they could always be good friends.

The three of them had dinner at a roadside eatery that night.

During the meal, Zhou Quan, likely feeling guilty toward Zhuang Yanyu or frustrated about missing the business trip to H City, drank excessively. No one could stop him.

Drunk, he clung to Zhuang Yanyu’s leg, crying and wailing. One moment it was, “Brother Zhuang, don’t abandon me,” the next it was, “When you get rich, don’t forget about me.” Finally, he pitifully asked, “Why won’t you let me be your brother? Am I not good enough? Is his… hic… bigger than mine?”

Zhou Quan meant to say “his age” because an older person might be more dependable. But a sudden hiccup swallowed those words.

Zhuang Yanyu, initially at a loss with Zhou Quan clinging to him, suddenly became alert. “How would I know if you’re bigger than him?”

Then, frowning, he warned, “My brother says adults don’t compare stuff like that.”

Zhou Quan, tipsy and muddled, didn’t quite catch the meaning. He mumbled, “Oh, right, right, nobody wants to be that big…”

Who wouldn’t want to be a few years younger?

Zhuang Yanyu’s frown deepened.

Why does this contradict the data I’ve collected?

According to his data, men often wanted to be “bigger” and even lied about it sometimes.

Why was Zhou Quan saying nobody wanted that?

For a moment, Zhuang Yanyu wondered if there was an error in his data. Zhou Quan had more life experience, so he should know more.

But the data didn’t lie.

Zhuang Yanyu became torn, stuck between trusting his data or Zhou Quan’s supposed expertise. His mild obsessive tendencies made this dilemma agonizing.

Meanwhile, Qin Yiyuan, listening to their exchange, quickly realized they were talking about entirely different things.

Amused, he said, “Xiao Yu, don’t listen to his drunken nonsense. He’s not talking about what you think he is.”

But then Qin Yiyuan froze, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Wait… your ‘brother’ actually talked to you about this? And even compared?”

In their circles, that would be an obvious signal—a blatant flirtation to “try and see if the sizes are compatible.”

Zhuang Yanyu pursed his lips. “I asked to compare.”

Qin Yiyuan was dumbfounded.

What kind of straight guy compares that with his ‘brother’?

Looking at Zhuang Yanyu, the poster child for oblivious straightness, Qin Yiyuan hesitated for a long time before concluding that it must just be a lack of boundaries typical of straight men. Their jokes sometimes came off as gayer than actual gay people.

As dinner wrapped up, Wen Chenxi messaged that he had arrived.

Zhuang Yanyu immediately stood up. “My brother’s here to pick me up. I’ll head out first.”

Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan both offered, “We’ll walk you out.”

They were too curious about what Zhuang Yanyu’s “brother” was like to pass up the chance.

Zhuang Yanyu didn’t mind.

The eatery was roadside, surrounded by other similar establishments, with cars parked all along the street. Those who couldn’t find a spot nearby parked at a lot about 200 meters away, visible in the dim light.

In the shadowy lot, they saw a tall figure leaning casually against a car, as if waiting for someone.

While Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan were still scanning for “suspicious targets,” Zhuang Yanyu immediately recognized Wen Chenxi. “I’ll be going now. See you later.”

He headed toward the lot.

Qin Yiyuan wanted to follow but remembered they hadn’t paid the bill. They couldn’t leave yet.

They had no choice but to crane their necks for a better view.

The distant lights faintly illuminated the tall figure of a man, though his face was obscured.

He was exceptionally tall, and whether it was due to the night or something else, his entire being seemed shrouded in a cold, aloof aura—a presence so intimidating it deterred strangers from approaching.

Qin Yiyuan could clearly see someone who initially wanted to ask for the man’s contact information stop mid-step, frightened off by his unapproachable demeanor.

Until Zhuang Yanyu walked closer.

The man had been waiting for him. When he saw Zhuang Yanyu approach, he reached out, intending to pat his head.

To his surprise, Zhuang Yanyu leaned into the gesture, wrapping his arms around the man and resting his head on his shoulder.

The man’s outstretched hand stiffened momentarily before settling on Zhuang Yanyu’s back, giving it a light pat.

They held the embrace for a moment before parting and getting into the car, one after the other.

At the roadside eatery, Qin Yiyuan and Zhou Quan, witnessing this scene, were wide-eyed.

Zhou Quan, already a little tipsy, nearly thought he was hallucinating.

“Brother Zhuang and his brother… really have a great relationship, haha…” Zhou Quan rubbed his eyes and could only conclude this much.

Qin Yiyuan, on the other hand, was speechless.

He glanced again at the car disappearing into the distance, perplexed.

He had genuinely believed Zhuang Yanyu to be a textbook straight guy.

But… would a straight man be this affectionate with another man? Hugging like that? For so long?

And then he thought about it—would a straight guy really be glued to his phone 24/7, constantly chatting with his “brother”?

Qin Yiyuan’s emotions were a whirlwind.

–

In the car.

Zhuang Yanyu leaned lazily against Wen Chenxi, feeling completely at ease now that he was back with his brother.

Wen Chenxi poked his cheek and asked, “Who paid the bill tonight?”

Zhuang Yanyu shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Wen Chenxi raised an eyebrow. “You’ve never treated anyone to a meal?”

Zhuang Yanyu paused. Indeed, he hadn’t.

Instinctively, he pulled out his phone and did a quick search. After collecting relevant data, he realized it wasn’t fair to let someone else pay every time. Splitting the bill was best.

“I got it. I’ll treat them next time.”

He felt he’d learned a valuable life tip.

Wen Chenxi said, “No need to wait for next time. You can still pay this time. You can transfer through WeChat or Alipay. However…”

Taking out his phone, Wen Chenxi added, “If you transfer through WeChat, they might not accept it. If you have their phone numbers, you can use Alipay instead—it deposits directly.”

Before he finished speaking, Zhuang Yanyu’s Alipay notification pinged.

Wen Chenxi had linked both Zhuang Yanyu’s Alipay and WeChat accounts to his family payment card.

With a soft smile, Wen Chenxi said, “Let’s just say I treated them, as a reward for how hard you’ve worked recently.”

Zhuang Yanyu frowned. “I have money.”

He wanted Wen Chenxi to unlink the accounts.

Anticipating this, Wen Chenxi replied matter-of-factly, “Look at the limit—it’s only 20,000. It’s not a big deal.”

Zhuang Yanyu checked and, seeing the low limit, decided to let it go.

Wen Chenxi gently smoothed Zhuang Yanyu’s messy hair. “You want to help me make money, and I want to help you spend it. Don’t refuse me next time, or…”

He delivered his ultimate weapon: “Or you won’t be a good brother anymore.”

As expected, Zhuang Yanyu immediately straightened up. “I won’t refuse. You’re right. Good brothers should think of each other.”

Wen Chenxi felt a tinge of frustration but knew this was the only way to indulge his “fish” by buying things for him.

“Exactly,” he said calmly.

Seeing that Wen Chenxi wasn’t upset, Zhuang Yanyu relaxed, vowing not to reject his brother’s offers in the future.

–

After a few days at work, Supervisor Xu informed Zhuang Yanyu about the construction progress at the H City dock. In about two weeks, they’d be heading there for onsite assistance.

When Lao Zhuang heard about his upcoming trip, he said, “I’m planning to buy an apartment in the city with your money. If you’re free this weekend, go take a look at some properties.”

Zhuang Yanyu never interfered with Lao Zhuang’s decisions. Since his father had already decided, he replied, “Okay, I’ll look this weekend.”

Lao Zhuang reminded him, “Remember to pick a place close to your workplace—it’ll be convenient.”

“Got it.”

When Wen Chenxi learned about the apartment purchase, his first thought was: Does this fish even have enough money?

He tentatively asked, “Is your dad borrowing money?”

“No, he said he’d use my money to buy it.”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

After some calculations, Wen Chenxi realized the problem.

The 400,000 yuan talent incentive Zhuang Yanyu received was already mostly spent, leaving only around 100,000 yuan.

The quarterly earnings from the QZD program hadn’t been distributed yet.

In reality, Zhuang Yanyu had only sent about 100,000 yuan home so far.

And with just that, he expected to buy a place near the company?

Wen Chenxi fell silent, unsure how to tell Zhuang Yanyu that 100,000 yuan might only buy him a bathroom.

Suddenly, Zhuang Yanyu asked, “Isn’t the company moving to the new building at the end of the year?”

“Yes, in the CBD district,” Wen Chenxi replied.

“Then I’ll buy a place nearby,” Zhuang Yanyu decided.

Wen Chenxi: “…”

With the property prices in that area… 100,000 yuan wouldn’t even cover a bathroom.

Wen Chenxi thought it over. Since Lao Zhuang asked Zhuang Yanyu to look at houses, he likely had saved some money and planned to borrow the rest to cobble together a down payment. He wanted Zhuang Yanyu to check out properties.

Zhuang Yanyu probably didn’t know about the borrowing part—Lao Zhuang never burdened him with such pressures.

After a moment of silence, Wen Chenxi suddenly took out a card and handed it to Zhuang Yanyu.

Zhuang Yanyu looked at him, puzzled. “What’s this?”

“It’s for buying a house near the business district,” Wen Chenxi explained. “Properties there are expensive, and you need to pass asset verification to even view them. This card is for you to use.”

“I have money,” Zhuang Yanyu replied earnestly. “A lot.”

Wen Chenxi retorted, “More than me?”

Zhuang Yanyu paused. “Oh.”

Indeed, he didn’t.

“Don’t refuse,” Wen Chenxi reminded him.

“Okay.”

After all, refusing would make him a bad brother.

Sensing Zhuang Yanyu’s reluctance, Wen Chenxi quickly added, “Since the company is moving, I’m also planning to buy a place nearby. If you’re buying, get a bigger one, and I can stay with you.”

He conveniently left out the fact that he already owned property in the area.

Zhuang Yanyu’s eyes lit up instantly, and his mood shifted. “Alright, I’ll make sure to choose carefully.”

Buying a house for himself was one thing, but buying a house to share with his brother? That was entirely different.

He accepted the card and decided to go house-hunting that weekend.

When he told Lao Zhuang about it, Lao Zhuang initially felt it was inappropriate, but Wen Chenxi assured him, “This is part of the talent reward program for outstanding employees. Xiao Yu is one of our best.”

Lao Zhuang, now convinced, said, “Oh, so all outstanding employees get this?”

Wen Chenxi nodded calmly. “Yes, Xiao Yu has earned the company a lot of money.”

This wasn’t an exaggeration—Zhuang Yanyu really had brought in significant revenue.

Wen Chenxi had long wanted to support him financially, but the “steel beam” (as he affectionately referred to Zhuang Yanyu) always refused. Now that the opportunity had finally arisen, he wasn’t going to miss it.

Lao Zhuang, recalling stories of people receiving houses as rewards for national or corporate achievements, found nothing amiss. He even thanked Wen Chenxi warmly, “Thank you for looking after our Xiao Yu.”

“It’s what friends do,” Wen Chenxi replied.

Lao Zhuang felt even more satisfied, silently marveling at how perfectly matched Wen Chenxi was with Xiao Yu.

–

That weekend, Wen Chenxi accompanied Zhuang Yanyu to look at properties.

With substantial funds at their disposal, they only viewed top-tier homes. Under Wen Chenxi’s guidance, they purchased a spacious 300-square-meter apartment, far exceeding Lao Zhuang’s original budget.

However, Wen Chenxi was careful not to disclose too much to Lao Zhuang, only mentioning that the price was “around ten million.”

Lao Zhuang didn’t question it and happily invited Wen Chenxi, “Next Saturday is Xiao Yu’s birthday. Would you and your friends like to join us?”

Wen Chenxi was momentarily taken aback. Xiao Yu’s birthday is coming up?

He quickly recalled the date on Zhuang Yanyu’s résumé—it really was next Saturday. He had assumed, given Lao Zhuang’s traditional ways, that Xiao Yu celebrated according to the lunar calendar.

Without hesitation, Wen Chenxi agreed. “We’ll come.”

Lao Zhuang smiled. “Great. I’ll be waiting for you all at home.”

After hanging up, Lao Zhuang secretly called Zhuang Yanyu to ask, “Xiao Yu, your birthday is coming up. What would you like as a gift?”

“I don’t really want anything,” Zhuang Yanyu replied honestly.

“Think about it. There must be something you like,” Lao Zhuang urged.

Zhuang Yanyu shook his head. “I don’t have anything in mind right now.”

Lao Zhuang grew anxious. “Nothing at all? Think harder—what do you like the most?”

This was Xiao Yu’s first birthday since coming into their lives. Lao Zhuang didn’t just want to be present; he wanted to give him the most memorable celebration and his favorite gift.

Perhaps it was a habit carried over from his days as a “system,” but Lao Zhuang was fixated on finding the optimal solution: the most thorough data, the highest efficiency, and the best gift.

After some thought, Zhuang Yanyu replied, “I like Dad and Ah Xi the most.”

Lao Zhuang sighed. “Those are people, not things…”

“Mm.”

Lao Zhuang sighed again. “Alright, I’ll think of something.”

Zhuang Yanyu wanted to tell him any gift would be fine, but since Lao Zhuang was even more stubborn than he was, he decided to let him handle it.

Meanwhile, Wen Chenxi was also pondering what to give Xiao Yu.

However, before he could decide, Uncle Zhou, who had dined with them previously, arrived in City A.

Upon learning this, Wen Chenxi’s father called him, “Uncle Zhou will be in City A on Friday. On Saturday, he’s planning to collect goods, but since your brother is unavailable, you should accompany him.”

“But I have plans on Saturday,” Wen Chenxi frowned.

“Then discuss with Uncle Zhou and see if he can reschedule,” his father suggested.

“Alright.”

Wen Chenxi quickly contacted Uncle Zhou, explaining his conflict due to a friend’s birthday.

Uncle Zhou, knowing Wen Chenxi well, teased, “Is it the same friend you rushed home to see during dinner last time?”

Wen Chenxi didn’t deny it. “Yes.”

Uncle Zhou laughed. “Don’t worry about it. My friend is also busy on Saturday, so we rescheduled for Sunday. I can handle it myself.”

Wen Chenxi let out a breath of relief and said quietly, “It’s okay. I’ll go with you.”

Uncle Zhou replied, “Alright, I’ll send you the address on Sunday.”

A week passed in the blink of an eye, and it was finally Saturday—the birthday.

Ji Zhiyuan, having been mercifully removed from Wen Chenxi’s blacklist, was present, with Li Xi driving this time.

During the car ride, Ji Zhiyuan kept complaining to Li Xi, “All I did was bring up some of his embarrassing moments, and he blacklisted me for an entire month!”

Li Xi chuckled. “Well, that’s what you get for being tactless.”

Who wouldn’t block someone who brought up their embarrassing stories in front of someone important to them?

Li Xi had considered telling Ji Zhiyuan about the relationship between Wen Chenxi and Zhuang Yanyu, but after some thought, he realized Zhuang Yanyu seemed completely indifferent to Wen Chenxi. It wasn’t clear if he was straight or otherwise.

If he told Ji Zhiyuan, the latter would certainly keep the secret for the sake of their friendship. But Li Xi knew him too well—while Ji Zhiyuan wouldn’t spill the beans, he’d definitely become overly curious about the two.

He’d start observing them, studying how men dated men, wondering what made Zhuang Yanyu so special that he captured his brother’s attention…

With Ji Zhiyuan’s eccentric methods of “observation,” even a normal person would begin to question if there was something wrong with themselves. To avoid startling Zhuang Yanyu, he had decided to keep things under wraps.

Thanks to Ji Zhiyuan’s chatter, the ride was lively with conversation and laughter.

When they arrived at Zhuang Yanyu’s house, the first thing they noticed was a luxury car parked at the entrance.

Ji Zhiyuan circled the car, exclaiming, “Oh, I have one of these! Four million or so. Xiao Yu, do you have other rich relatives?”

Zhuang Yanyu, having only been here a few months, naturally didn’t know. He shook his head. “No idea.”

Wen Chenxi, on the other hand, found the car strangely familiar.

When they entered the yard, they saw Lao Zhuang brewing tea while Uncle Liu was in the kitchen cooking. Sitting with his back to the door was a man in his fifties.

Wen Chenxi’s gaze fell on the man’s back, and the sense of familiarity grew stronger.

Lao Zhuang spotted them first and greeted them warmly, “Xiao Shi! You’re back! Come, have a seat.”

The man turned around. He had been smiling, but the moment he saw Wen Chenxi, he froze. “Chenxi?”

Wen Chenxi also paused. “Uncle Zhou.”

Lao Zhuang was surprised. “You two know each other?”

Uncle Zhou laughed. “Of course. I’m an old friend of his father.”

And not just an old friend.

Lao Zhuang beamed. “Xiao Wen is the generous boss I told you about! The one who gifted my son a large house worth nearly ten million! It’s in that… uh, Wutong Junfu estate or something?”

Having not been to the city in over a decade, Lao Zhuang wasn’t too familiar with these things.

Uncle Zhou clicked his tongue. That estate’s homes started at fifty million. Ten million? What an understatement.

Ji Zhiyuan and Li Xi also recognized Uncle Zhou and quickly greeted him.

“Uncle Zhou, what brings you here?”

Uncle Zhou replied, “I’m here to collect medicinal herbs. I arrived in City A yesterday. Lao Zhuang mentioned his kid’s birthday was today and invited me to join the celebration before heading out tomorrow, so I came.”

Ji Zhiyuan was shocked. “You mean the herbs you collect annually? Aren’t they incredibly expensive? You mentioned before that the plant could only survive in Southeast Asia and that countless organizations and research institutes had failed to cultivate it. Yet someone here successfully transplanted it…”

Apparently, purchasing these herbs cost millions annually.

Though millions were nothing to these wealthy individuals, Uncle Zhou’s family had been buying these herbs for nearly a decade, spending at least a few million each year.

Everyone turned to look at Zhuang Yanyu, then at the rundown yard, and back to Zhuang Yanyu again.

Zhuang Yanyu: “?”

Wen Chenxi: “…”

So, the “fish” had been telling the truth—he really wasn’t short on money.

Wen Chenxi felt slightly awkward, remembering how he’d thought Zhuang Yanyu couldn’t even afford to renovate his family home.

The atmosphere grew a bit tense.

Uncle Zhou’s gaze fell on Zhuang Yanyu, then shifted to Wen Chenxi. With a knowing smile, he said, “So the friend you mentioned celebrating today is Lao Zhuang’s son?”

Wen Chenxi: “…Yes.”

Uncle Zhou’s smile deepened.

Ah, hiding it, were you? Well, now that I’ve discovered it, I’ll make sure to tell your parents.

Lao Zhuang suddenly clapped his hands. “Oh, right! Xiao Shi, I prepared a big surprise for you! You’re going to love your gift!”

Zhuang Yanyu, ever polite, asked eagerly, “What is it?”

Lao Zhuang dashed inside and came out carrying an enormous two-meter-long body pillow.

It was custom-made, with a photo printed on each side.

When everyone saw the photos, there was a collective silence.

It was… Wen Chenxi’s photo.

Zhuang Yanyu: “Wow.”

Ji Zhiyuan: “What the—”

For the first time, Zhuang Yanyu seemed genuinely astonished. He let out a rare “Wow,” clearly overwhelmed.

He ran over, caressing the pillow and the printed image with delight.

Lao Zhuang proudly explained, “You said your favorite people are Dad and Xiao Wen, so I found Xiao Wen’s photos online and made this. Now you can hug him every night while you sleep. Do you like it?”

Zhuang Yanyu’s voice grew louder, “I love it so much!”

Ji Zhiyuan circled the body pillow twice, exclaiming, “Awesome! Uncle Zhuang, this gift is so cool! I want to get one made for myself too.”

The others: “…”

Wait, hold on—this is a body pillow, meant for hugging while sleeping…

And it’s printed with Wen Chenxi’s photos…

Are we sure this is even appropriate?

Neither father nor son seems to think anything is off?

–

Author’s Note:

PS—
Ji Zhiyuan: What’s the problem?
Zhuang Yanyu: Yeah, I see no issue.
Comrade Lao Zhuang: It’s obviously an amazing surprise!

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