Chapter 28: Young Feudal Scion

“Reward?”

“What reward?”

He had just agreed to date him, and now he was asking for a reward. Tan Xueci pursed his damp red lips and blinked helplessly. He felt as if He Xunye was asking him for a million dollars and then telling him to cook a meal on top of it.

The evil spirit, however, seemed to have taken a keen interest in this “dating” business. He pinched Tan Xueci’s cheek and asked, “What are people supposed to do when they date?”

Tan Xueci was even more at a loss. If his husband—the one who had played him right into a hospital bed—didn’t know, how could he?

He Sui had taken him out before, but it was always to nightclubs or lounges. He Sui would go off to drink with others while Tan Xueci hid in a corner of the booth to wait. People were always trying to touch his bottom there; he didn’t like it at all.

He Sui did take him for a drive once. It seemed he had argued with A-Yan and was in a foul mood, so he took him to the seaside for half an hour.

“Hubby,” Tan Xueci grabbed He Xunye’s sleeve and tested the waters in a small voice, “Can we go for a drive tonight?”

He wasn’t much of a decision-maker and never spoke up about what he wanted. He was afraid of being rejected or seen as a nuisance; he was even afraid of being mocked.

But with this husband from his “hallucinations,” his courage had grown quite a bit. At least he could muster the nerve to ask if they could.

Tan Xueci tilted his small face up, watching He Xunye nervously. He had just finished a bout of crying, so his eyes were still rimmed with red and his lashes were damp, making him look pitiable.

“A drive?” He Xunye paused. It was such a small request for a “boyfriend”—if he were human, anyway. But it wasn’t impossible. He Xunye said gently, “Baby, go film your scenes first. Meet Hubby at the parking lot later.”

Tan Xueci felt a surge of joy. He hadn’t expected his husband to actually have a car. Since He Xunye appeared and disappeared so mysteriously, he had assumed the man relied entirely on teleportation.

The crew had already found a new second male lead: another artist under Lu Qi named Jin Chen.

Jin Chen had debuted in a boy band, serving as the leader in his early years. Their group had been stuck in limbo—not quite famous, but not entirely unknown—just waiting for a big break.

A powerful figure had taken a liking to Jin Chen, and the other members of the group drugged him and sent him to a hotel.

Fortunately, Jin Chen had the constitution of someone who could survive being dropped into a primeval forest. He managed to fight through the drug’s effects and escaped the hotel, saving his virtue.

He had a falling out with his bandmates, paid his way out of his contract, and switched careers to acting.

His acting wasn’t as good as Tan Xueci’s, and after a few years, he still hadn’t made a name for himself, mostly playing supporting roles. His status wasn’t actually high enough for this production, but with people constantly dying and many actors finding the set “unlucky,” they couldn’t find a suitable replacement quickly. The chance finally fell to him.

Lu Qi only had two artists: Jin Chen and Tan Xueci. Their relationship was terrible—or rather, Jin Chen unilaterally loathed him because he was extremely homophobic, and Tan Xueci was gay.

The first time they met, Tan Xueci had been talking to He Sui in a clingy manner. Jin Chen had let out a cold snort, and every time he saw Tan Xueci afterward, he wore a stony, paralyzed expression.

Tan Xueci didn’t know the reason, nor was he angry. With his supreme lack of perceptiveness, he actually thought Jin Chen was pitiful.

This was because he had seen people online saying Jin Chen had “facial paralysis acting.” He figured there must be something wrong with Jin Chen’s face.

Consequently, every time they met, Tan Xueci would look at Jin Chen with pity and comfort him softly: “It’s okay. I believe you can definitely be cured.”

Jin Chen: “…”

Lu Qi called Jin Chen “Monkey Number Two,” but he didn’t dare provoke him because Jin Chen’s fists were rock-solid.

When Lu Qi first took Jin Chen on, he had tried to find him a benefactor. Knowing Jin Chen was homophobic and had psychological trauma, Lu Qi had thoughtfully found him a female boss. The result? Lu Qi was sent flying by a slap that nearly sent him to meet his ancestors.

After being “comforted” by Tan Xueci, Jin Chen had spent months in acting classes. He was at least capable of filming an idol drama now.

Tonight, they filmed a scene where the male lead confesses to the female lead. The villain played by Tan Xueci eavesdropped on the confession. Although the female lead didn’t agree, she blushed, and he knew she had fallen for someone else.

In an instant, his pale, weak face turned dark. Hiding in a dark crevice of the classroom, he stared intently at the leads.

Tan Xueci excelled at these cold “face-turning” shots. His gradually gloomy, damp gaze through the lens was enough to make anyone’s skin crawl. He played it so well it was as if a mask had been peeled off his face.

Tan Xueci usually got his shots in one take, but He Biansheng kept calling “cut” tonight, making him reshoot constantly. One moment the hair was wrong, the next the shadow was wrong.

The other actors looked at each other; they could all see it was targeted.

Initially, He Biansheng hadn’t planned on hiring Tan Xueci. He was just a small-time actor who had only done one horror film. Although he had been popular for a while due to his looks, he wasn’t yet on the director’s radar.

Someone had privately recommended Tan Xueci, insisting he be in the cast. Only then did He Biansheng contact his manager.

He had seemed fine and was good-looking, so the director hadn’t complained. Who knew it would lead to so much trouble? Perhaps the rumors about the Tan family were true.

While filming tonight, he kept seeing strange, long, thin shadows. But whenever he turned around, there was only the dark hallway.

What if Tan Xueci really was the one drawing them here?

If there were no problems, why would He Xunye marry him?

He Biansheng didn’t dare kick Tan Xueci out directly, so he could only resort to petty tactics in hopes that Tan Xueci would leave on his own.

Tan Xueci filmed seventy or eighty takes for a single shot. By the end, he wasn’t in a good state, but his looks had a kind of extreme, cold beauty. This gloom and exhaustion actually made the shot more fitting.

He Biansheng squinted, finally letting him go with a wave of his hand. “This take works.”

Tan Xueci’s legs were soft; he could finally leave.

He Biansheng snorted. He had the typical body of a middle-aged man—a large belly from the unavoidable drinking, smoking, and late nights that came with being a director. When stressed, he couldn’t help but overeat.

He had shared a large meal with the assistant director before coming to the set, and his face was flushed with health.

After finishing work, he felt he had gained a bit more weight. Stress-induced weight gain was the curse of middle-aged men.

When Meng Zhi finished work, her cheeks were still red. She didn’t leave with Wen Yaochuan, but instead followed Tan Xueci.

“Xiao Ci,” Meng Zhi was the same age as Tan Xueci and called him by his nickname like the others. In her school uniform with her ponytail swaying under the night lights, she looked no different from a high school girl. Her eyes sparkled like stars. “I think Teacher Wen is such a good person.”

She didn’t dare tell anyone else; she only dared tell Tan Xueci privately because he looked so gentle and harmless.

Tan Xueci blinked and listened to her quietly.

In his previous horror film, his character died three through three minutes in. He didn’t have many scenes or much contact with other actors. Excluding those brief encounters, Meng Zhi was the first girl he had really interacted with in his life.

It wasn’t hard to understand why she would have feelings for Wen Yaochuan. He was handsome and had an excellent reputation. Unlike some stars who were “clean” on the outside but wild in private, his integrity was known throughout the industry. He seemed only interested in his career. It wasn’t an exaggeration to say he was the dream of countless fans.

Spending every day together recently, including many hugs and kiss scenes, it was impossible for a student like Meng Zhi to completely separate acting from reality.

Furthermore, Wen Yaochuan had saved her a few days ago.

The police investigation concluded that Zhai Fang had contracted a prion disease, leading to mental instability and strange behavior. This news wasn’t made public; they simply said Zhai Fang died of an illness.

The police didn’t say how he contracted it, but Meng Zhi had heard that eating human flesh could cause it, and she was terrified.

She had thought she’d seen a ghost and was scared to death. Wen Yaochuan had walked her all the way to her room and stood by the door with her until he was sure Zhai Fang hadn’t followed.

Tan Xueci didn’t feel much toward Wen Yaochuan. He just thought the man’s “mental illness” might be quite serious, but other than that, he couldn’t find any fault.

Besides, he was around the same age as He Xunye.

Tan Xueci nodded and said slowly, “This one is also good.” The master had said men should look for someone older.

Just as Tan Xueci finished speaking, he felt a light poke on the back of his head. He swayed forward and back slightly, covered the few strands of black hair that had popped up, and turned around—but saw nothing.

There was only the silent corridor of the school at night.

“W-What’s wrong?” Meng Zhi was startled by his sudden turn and grabbed his arm. “Teacher Tan?”

Tan Xueci also felt creeped out. He linked arms with Meng Zhi and they stealthily headed downstairs.

Once down, Tan Xueci ran toward the parking lot. The few strands of black hair on the back of his head were like a cat’s tail that couldn’t be caught. Lu Qi called out from behind, but almost couldn’t stop him.

“Why are you running?” Lu Qi asked. “I’ll take you back to the hotel.”

Tan Xueci wanted to say he was looking for his husband, but remembered Lu Qi couldn’t see him. He sputtered for a while before shaking his head, indicating he didn’t need a ride tonight.

It’s impossible to explain things to you people who don’t have a husband.

Tan Xueci ran to the parking lot. He Xunye had driven a black Cullinan there; under the night sky, its body was dark and sleek, with a cold, sharp texture.

He didn’t understand car logos. He crashed right into He Xunye’s arms, grabbing the man’s waist and bumping him against the car door.

He looked at He Xunye timidly at first. Seeing that he wasn’t angry and even seemed to be smiling—implying the bump hadn’t hurt—Tan Xueci hung himself around He Xunye’s neck and called out clingily, “Hubby.”

“So happy to see Hubby?” He Xunye seemed to let out a low laugh, his large hand resting on Tan Xueci’s waist as he leaned down to nuzzle the tip of his nose.

This feeling was a bit strange. He hadn’t married or dated while he was alive, yet after death, he was being clung to and called “Hubby” all day, with someone burrowing into his arms at every opportunity.

He actually thought Tan Xueci called him that a bit too much—day in and day out. But if he told him to change the name, Tan Xueci would probably start crying with misty eyes, sobbing and clutching the man’s fingers until his nose turned red.

Tan Xueci had likely fallen for him. He was so easy to trick.

“Hubby,” Tan Xueci looked up at He Xunye expectantly and burrowed into his coat, pressing against his chest. His black hair rubbed against the ghost’s cold chin, and his voice was soft enough to draw water. “Where are we going?”

He was so dependent on He Xunye that it seemed he would follow him even if the road ahead led to hell.

“First, I’m taking you to eat,” He Xunye said.

“Oh.” Tan Xueci agreed obediently. Only then did he remember he hadn’t eaten dinner.

It was already past 10:00 PM. Beijing’s car lights were still flowing like a river. He Xunye parked the car outside a Western restaurant that looked brightly lit and high-end.

Tan Xueci got out of the car feeling flustered. He didn’t dare go in. Although the Tan family was wealthy, it had nothing to do with him. He rarely visited such places and felt timid just looking at them.

“Baby, go inside first, okay?” He Xunye’s gaze swept over his tense little face. He brushed a finger against his cheek and then held Tan Xueci’s shoulders, speaking very gently. “A table has been reserved, and a few dishes have been ordered.”

“Baby just needs to tell the server your name, and someone will lead you over. Then you can see if there’s anything else you want to eat and order more. Hubby will come find you after parking the car.”

His tone was no different from coaxing a child, like holding his hand and teaching him how to walk.

Tan Xueci felt his husband must be a good teacher at school too. He shouldn’t think he lacked professional ethics just because he liked watching people wear maid outfits.

Tan Xueci mustered his courage, nodded obediently, and went in alone. By the time he sat down at the table, his palms were drenched in sweat and his fingers trembled as he held the menu.

He Xunye had already ordered a lot, and since every dish here cost hundreds or even thousands of yuan, he felt his husband might be a bit of a spendthrift.

Fortunately, he was an actor. If he acted well, he could earn a lot of money in the future.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to support his husband.

In the end, Tan Xueci only asked for two strawberry-filled mochi. They were cheap and pretty little treats.

When the server gave him the cutlery, Tan Xueci looked up and saw He Xunye walking over. He quickly said, “Hello, my hus—no, my boyfriend is here too. Could I have another set, please?”

“…” The server felt a bit strange. No one had come in from outside, and Tan Xueci had only booked for one person. However, she maintained her smile and gave him another set. “Enjoy your meal with your boyfriend.”

Tan Xueci thanked her softly. He was restless; most of the food here was Western or seafood, which he didn’t know how to handle.

At family banquets, his parents would complain that he was timid and couldn’t be presented in public—and he really was.

Once, while out eating with He Sui and Tan Yanning, Tan Yanning had ordered a large crab for him. When it was served, no one helped him with it. He didn’t know how to handle it and stared at it blankly for a while. Tan Yanning asked considerately, “Second Brother, don’t you like crab?”

Tan Xueci’s cold, white fingers were thinner than the crab claws. Perspiration began to form on his nose, and his pale cheeks flushed with embarrassment. After struggling for a long time, he hadn’t even managed to remove a leg and had splattered soup all over himself like a helpless fool.

The server hurried over to wipe him down. Tan Yanning gave her an apologetic look and said, “Sorry, this is my brother…”

He pointed to his head. The server understood, assumed Tan Xueci had intellectual issues, and spoke to him in a tone used for coaxing a fool. She even placed a towel on his lap for fear he would soil his trousers.

She meant well, but her kindness was being manipulated by Tan Yanning. The kinder she was, the more embarrassed Tan Xueci became. People nearby were looking over, and he clearly heard someone mocking him. By the end of the meal, he couldn’t even lift his head.

When Tan Yanning later asked if he wanted to go out to eat with He Sui, he didn’t dare go with them.

Looking at the crab in front of him, Tan Xueci became embarrassed again. He Xunye had been staring at his face and, seemingly realizing something, asked: “Do you need Hubby to help you?”

Tan Xueci didn’t want to look like a fool in front of He Xunye either, but he really didn’t know how. Just as he was panicking, his hand was held. He Xunye walked over, stood behind him, and said, “How about Hubby teaches you? Xiao Xue is so smart; you’ll learn after seeing it once.”

He Xunye held his hand and taught him how to dismantle the crab, resting his chin on top of Tan Xueci’s head. Whenever Tan Xueci cracked a small leg, He Xunye would nuzzle the top of his head and praise him for being amazing.

Dizzy from the praise, Tan Xueci managed to extract a complete piece of crab roe, unlike before when he would poke it into a mess. He carefully held up the shell for He Xunye.

“Baby, you eat it.” The ghost’s breath was cold. Though he said that, he didn’t let go of Tan Xueci’s hand.

Tan Xueci’s white ear tips flushed red. He felt as if He Xunye had been stroking his hand the entire time. Standing behind him, he couldn’t see He Xunye’s expression; he could only feel the man’s cold, long fingers interlacing with his, kneading them in his palm.

It felt like being entangled by something damp and cold that he couldn’t shake off. His lashes trembled, and he inexplicably felt a bit frightened.

Furthermore, He Xunye was so tall that when he circled him in his arms like this, he couldn’t escape at all.

Because He Xunye’s gaze was glued to his face and he kept holding his hand to teach him, Tan Xueci’s entire face was flushed by the time he finally finished the meal—redder than the little crab that had just been served.

Tan Xueci’s stomach was round. There were a few lobsters and one strawberry mochi left, so he ran to find the server to pack them up.

He hadn’t dared speak much when he came in, but now he could express his needs normally.

After he left, the gentle smile on He Xunye’s face slowly vanished. His complexion was pale and blue-white, and his eyes were almost pure black as he watched the direction Tan Xueci had gone.

He knew Tan Xueci wasn’t stupid—he just hadn’t been taught. But he didn’t plan on teaching him too much. If he taught him too much, he would go off and talk to others like he just did.

When Tan Xueci’s lips were slightly parted as he babbled to others, the tip of his rosy tongue was visible.

It made him really want to twist Tan Xueci’s tongue off.

The dishes Tan Xueci ordered tonight were expensive, and he had come to eat alone, supposedly driving a Cullinan.

The manager took him for a VIP client and was diligently helping him carry the bags and his coat. Tan Xueci hadn’t been treated like this before; in his fluster, he didn’t watch where he was going and almost tripped.

The manager caught his wrist. When he looked up, the seat opposite Tan Xueci—which had been empty a moment ago—was now occupied by a tall, upright figure. The man was in a black suit, looking cold, solemn, and exceptionally handsome.

But perhaps his lips were too red, giving him a dense ghostly aura that immediately made one feel he wasn’t human.

The manager inexplicably shivered. He rubbed his eyes and looked up again; the man was gone.

He suddenly remembered Tan Xueci had been saying he came with his boyfriend.

A ghost.

The manager hurriedly let go of Tan Xueci’s hand.

Tan Xueci looked up in confusion.

The manager was drenched in cold sweat but maintained his professionalism, politely seeing Tan Xueci to the car. As he turned around, he heard a polite, low, cold voice whisper in his ear:

“Thank you.”

It was a man’s voice.

Or perhaps a male ghost’s.

The manager left in a cold sweat.

Tan Xueci was dazed. To be honest, he didn’t know if he was having a hallucination or dreaming. Had he gone to the set today, or was he so ill he didn’t know what he was doing? Perhaps he was tied up in a straitjacket in a mental hospital.

His hand was held by He Xunye. He looked up at him occasionally. He Xunye had held his hand for a long time tonight; his hand felt strange, as if it had been licked all over. It made his scalp tingle, and he didn’t know where the feeling was trying to escape to.

“Hu—Hubby,” Tan Xueci tugged at He Xunye’s coat, his eyes misty. His red lips parted as he whispered, “I think I’m a bit strange.”

“What’s wrong?” He Xunye stopped to ask.

Tan Xueci looked up dizzily. “My body feels uncomfortable.”

“Baby,” He Xunye’s dark eyes were deep and murky, like those of a predator waiting for a lamb to fall into a trap. He coached him patiently: “You have to tell me exactly where it’s uncomfortable. Otherwise, how can Hubby help you?”

Tan Xueci couldn’t explain. The man’s body temperature was icy, but his gaze was thick and dark like black flames, burning from his palm all the way into his body, making him feel so hot.

He gripped the man’s suit jacket, his eyes involuntarily falling on the man’s thin red lips. He Xunye often smiled at him, but he inexplicably felt the man wasn’t actually good-tempered—like the silent, snow-covered mountains he would dream of during nightmares.

Tan Xueci suddenly felt a bit dissatisfied. He was already so hot, so why was He Xunye still ice-cold to the touch?

Feeling a bit aggrieved, he hugged He Xunye’s waist and whispered, “Hubby, don’t you like me?”

Don’t you call me Baby? Why don’t you like your own baby anymore?

Cars passed through the parking lot from time to time. He Sui had just finished a meal with others when he saw Tan Xueci standing by a car, talking to the air and swaying occasionally.

It was as if he were talking to someone.

He Sui froze.

He’d been thinking about Tan Xueci ever since seeing him on the school bus that day. After all, none of the other lovers around him were as beautiful as Tan Xueci; that face was a joy to have by his side.

Furthermore, he had received a message from Wen Yaochuan tonight. They were friends, but only to the extent of sharing an occasional meal; they weren’t particularly close. Wen Yaochuan had sent him a photo of Tan Xueci.

In the photo, Tan Xueci was splattered with black blood. He was already pale and weak, but He Sui felt he had become even more sorrowful after being forced to marry He Xunye. It made his heart skip a beat.

He Sui replied to Wen Yaochuan.

He Sui: What do you mean?

Wen Yaochuan: Nothing. Your boyfriend is being bullied on set. This director has always looked down on him. You should know?

He Sui didn’t reply again, and Wen Yaochuan didn’t say anything either. He Sui’s cold face was full of irritation. Who knew he would see Tan Xueci leaning against a strange car and smiling as soon as he stepped out from dinner? That smile was beautiful, just like the one he’d seen on the school bus that day. Tan Xueci was talking to the silent parking lot alone, likely only hearing his own echo.

A dense wave of guilt filled He Sui’s heart.

He didn’t love Tan Xueci, but the boy really hadn’t done anything wrong, yet they had arranged for him to marry a dead man.

The way the He family practiced their superstitious rituals was enough to scare anyone. That was why he couldn’t bear to let Tan Xueci go.

Tan Xueci must be even more terrified, right?

After all, he was so timid and obedient; he wouldn’t dare say anything if he were bullied, and he probably wouldn’t dare mention his fear.

Was he getting sicker?

He Sui didn’t control his steps and walked toward the Cullinan, calling out, “Tan Xueci.”

Tan Xueci was still covering He Xunye’s hand. He was incredibly hot and wanted He Xunye to be hot with him. When his name was suddenly called, his scalp tightened.

He thought it was a wandering ghost that had jumped out from somewhere, calling his name to hook his soul.

He’d heard before that you shouldn’t turn around if someone calls your name at night, or your soul would be lost. But instinct made him turn slightly, and it turned out to be He Sui.

Tan Xueci: “…”

He’s worse than a ghost.

Tan Xueci was breaking out in a sweat.

What was going on? He had just started dating his husband and now he’d suddenly run into his ex-boyfriend.

He Xunye leaned against the car door, his smile faint. He seemed to have no intention of speaking.

Tan Xueci swallowed nervously.

“Fine,” He Sui said, as if he had made some sort of decision. “Let’s reconcile. I’m not angry with you anymore. If you want to follow me, you can. Just don’t be like this.”

He didn’t want to drive Tan Xueci completely insane.

Tan Xueci: “…”

Tan Xueci: ???

Tan Xueci was sweating profusely. Brother Lu wanted him to study, but he actually didn’t like it, so he would secretly watch other videos during lessons. He had seen a very bad man once.

He already had a Pinru, yet he still flirted with an Ellie—and that Ellie even wore Pinru’s clothes.

He wasn’t a bad man like Shixian.

“I know you must have missed me a lot lately,” He Sui saw Tan Xueci’s pale little face and thought he looked very nervous. He must be shy because they hadn’t seen each other in so long. He couldn’t help but soften his tone. “Actually, I’ve missed you a bit too. I even had hallucinations a few days ago and saw you sitting on a school bus at night. Isn’t that strange?”

Of course it was strange.

How could running into a ghost not be strange?

Tan Xueci’s heart thumped. He couldn’t help but speak up to stop him. “You… you should stop talking.”

Otherwise, he felt something very bad would happen.

“Actually, we haven’t broken up,” He Sui comforted him. “I didn’t say I wanted to break up. You haven’t been sleeping well lately, have you? It’s no wonder in that ghost of a place, the He family home. I heard you were being bullied on set? Do you want to come and stay at a hotel with me tonight?”

He didn’t love Tan Xueci, but seeing the boy driven this insane, he couldn’t bear it. Didn’t Tan Xueci want to date him? It was no big deal to keep him by his side; after all, he didn’t have a chance to be with the person he truly loved anyway.

He’d consider it an act of charity.

Tan Xueci: “…”

Shut your mouth. Keep talking, why don’t you.

Tan Xueci’s palms were drenched in cold sweat. He hadn’t seen He Sui talk this much during their three months together.

The more he was told not to talk, the more he talked.

“No…” Tan Xueci hurriedly refused. “I’m not going.”

“Why?” He Sui’s face darkened. He had said so many soft words—it was rare for him to coax someone. Tan Xueci was being a bit ungrateful. “Are you still sulking because of my youngest uncle? I know you didn’t want to marry a dead man, but I didn’t have a choice at the time.”

He took a step forward, seemingly too lazy to waste more words, and reached out to grab Tan Xueci’s wrist.

“Wait—” Tan Xueci hurriedly dodged. “Wait a minute!”

He Sui was impatient. “What now?”

Tan Xueci wanted to say he already had another boyfriend, but meeting He Sui’s dark, cold, foul face, he was startled. Without thinking, he blurted out: “You smell so bad.”

“…” He Sui’s gaze was dark. “What did you say?”

He Sui’s face turned even fouler. He must be crazy to have come looking for Tan Xueci. Dating him was enough to shorten one’s life. Heh, he felt marrying a dead ghost was a perfect fit for Tan Xueci.

After all, the other person didn’t have any life left to shorten.

With deep-seated rage in his eyes, He Sui didn’t bother with Tan Xueci again. He turned around with a cold face and left.

Tan Xueci let out a small sigh of relief. Obedient as a quail, he got into the car with He Xunye. The man’s cold white wrist was resting on the steering wheel. He suddenly asked: “You’ve stayed in a hotel with him?”

Tan Xueci was stunned by the question, and his ears immediately turned crimson.

He Xunye’s question was very blunt—he was essentially asking if he and He Sui had slept together. In reality, they had almost done it, but he had made He Sui angry that day, so it hadn’t happened.

The Tan family didn’t allow homosexuality because it couldn’t produce children.

Actually, Tan Shangli wasn’t the biological son of Mr. and Mrs. Tan. They hadn’t had a child for a long time after marriage. A friend of Mr. Tan’s went bankrupt, and the whole family either jumped off a building or committed suicide. It was a tragic affair, leaving only Tan Shangli behind.

Tan Shangli lived in relatives’ homes for a long time. He received an elite education and had been steady, cold, and aloof since childhood. He didn’t get along with the playboys around him. After his family’s downfall, he not only lived under others’ roofs but also suffered countless slights and retaliation.

Until Mr. and Mrs. Tan adopted him.

Mr. Tan had sought out a fortune-teller who said the couple was destined to be childless. To break this, they had to adopt a child. If that child was destined to have brothers, he would bring them offspring.

They treated Tan Shangli very well and even sent him back to his original school. Less than a year after adopting him, Mrs. Tan really did become pregnant.

Tan Shangli was very grateful to them and treated them as his biological parents. He was protective of the family and wouldn’t allow anyone to hurt them. Consequently, he hated Tan Xueci.

He hadn’t wanted to divorce his first wife, but out of gratitude—and because Mrs. Tan kept insisting on a grandchild—he finally divorced.

Tan Yanning was the same. When He Sui confessed to him, he frowned and said: “There’s no possibility for us. I want to marry and have children, He Sui. You can’t give birth.”

Saying such a thing was already quite harsh. He Sui was full of resentment, so he went to see Tan Xueci that night. Seeing Tan Xueci’s soft cheeks, his heart softened too.

Why not just forget it? Why chase after Tan Yanning when Tan Xueci was clearly more gentle and obedient?

The lights in the car were dim. Seeing Tan Xueci’s snowy collarbones, and that cold, beautiful face, his heart unexpectedly moved, and he wanted to do it with Tan Xueci in the car.

From then on, he would treat Tan Xueci as his real boyfriend, date him properly, and cut off all his other lovers.

Tan Xueci was stunned. After Lu Qi had taken him to see that forbidden pig, he had returned and shown him some educational videos, telling him that if someone touched his bottom, he shouldn’t poke it up to let them touch.

Tan Xueci more or less understood, but he lacked interest.

He didn’t really understand this meaningless mating behavior between men. Mating was for producing children to continue the bloodline; since men couldn’t give birth, what were they doing?

So he didn’t mind He Sui’s other lovers; instead, he was grateful for them, otherwise he would have been the one to have his bottom poked. But he hadn’t expected to eventually have it poked anyway.

But since He Sui said so, he didn’t refuse; a boyfriend wanting to do it seemed like a reasonable request.

Tan Xueci placed his fingers on his buttons and unfastened a few, revealing half of his shoulder. His skin was as cold and white as jade. He Sui was about to reach out and touch him.

Tan Xueci gave him a shy look and comforted him: “Don’t be sad. I don’t mind that you can’t have children.”

He spoke very considerately, as if he were tolerating the incompetence of a husband who couldn’t reproduce.

He Sui: “…”

He couldn’t even say such a thing if he were deliberately looking for trouble.

He Sui was so angry he laughed—he even laughed out loud.

Tan Yanning was one thing—after all, he was his “white moonlight.” What was Tan Xueci to actually look down on him for not being able to have children?!

He, a man, a young master of a wealthy family in Beijing, was actually being looked down upon for not being able to have children?!

His family was so wealthy, and even his parents hadn’t insisted he have a child. Did the Tan family have a throne to inherit?

He Sui simply couldn’t stand this family of “Feudal Old Scions” and “Feudal Young Scions.” It was like a bucket of cold water had been dumped over his head. All his interest vanished instantly. With a cold face and suppressed rage, he told Tan Xueci: “Get out.”

Tan Xueci trembled at the curse and looked up in confusion.

“Get out!”

Before Tan Xueci could even fasten his buttons, he was kicked out.

Tan Xueci lowered his head and twisted his fingers. To this day, he didn’t know what he’d done wrong. He’d said he didn’t mind He Sui being unable to have children, so why was He Sui still angry?

“Baby?” Seeing him spacing out, He Xunye’s gloomy peach-blossom eyes lowered, and he called out softly.

Tan Xueci snapped back to reality. He was very nervous from He Xunye’s questioning and didn’t know where to start explaining. He hurriedly said: “N-No hotel.”

The corners of He Xunye’s lips lifted slightly.

But then he heard Tan Xueci slowly add, “He said he wanted to do it in the car.”

Tan Xueci waited for a long time after speaking but didn’t hear He Xunye’s voice. When he looked up, he was startled.

He Xunye turned his head, his smile gone. Inside the dim car, the man’s complexion looked exceptionally pale—it was inexplicably creepy. The shadow of his sharp nose covered half of his face, and his eyes were filled with dense, ghostly darkness. A line of blood-red was gradually appearing in his inner canthus.

Tan Xueci asked in a tiny voice, “Hu—Hubby, what’s wrong?”

If I tell you, you get unhappy.

“And then?” He Xunye didn’t answer him. The man’s handsome, pale face was expressionless. He simply asked.

He Sui’s car was in the underground garage. With a cold face, he intended to take the elevator down. The elevator doors opened, and he had already stepped inside when the elevator car suddenly plummeted. With a loud crash, a cloud of dust was kicked up.

At the critical moment, He Sui propped himself against the nearby wall and leaned back a few steps, avoiding the fall. His heart was pounding with lingering fear, and he suddenly felt a burning heat in his chest. He hurriedly reached for it.

He had always worn a piece of white jade around his neck, carved with the image of the He family’s ancestral founder. Every descendant had one. It was usually used to ward off evil, and common small ghosts didn’t dare approach.

If one encountered a great disaster, it could only block it once in a lifetime.

He hadn’t believed in this stuff before, thinking it was tacky and didn’t want to wear it. He would often secretly take it off as a child, but after his father discovered it and broke a belt beating him, he never dared take it off again.

However, the jade was now shattered into pieces, its edges blackened.