Read Novel Full Chapter 34
Chapter 34
After receiving Song Linchu’s phone call, his uncle, Song Jinnian, came down to pick him up. On seeing him, Song Jinnian exclaimed joyfully, “How come you’re here so early? You usually arrive in the afternoon!”
The trip would take 8 hours by train and it was still before noon. It would take his uncle more than half an hour to reach their house from the train station so according to the train schedule, it was quite unreasonable to arrive at this time.
Song Linchu didn’t want them to know he had taken a plane, so he replied vaguely, “I departed early.”
“Oh,” Song Jinnian didn’t suspect anything and said, “We have time for lunch. Let’s go upstairs.”
Song Linchu’s cousin, Song Linfeng, has made a fortune selling products on Taobao over the past few years, and now owns a large four-bedroom, two-living room, and three-bathroom house.
Song Jinnian opened the door and let him in. The sound of children playing and laughing came from inside the house; it was Song Linfeng’s eldest son and youngest daughter.
Just as they entered, Song Linchu’s aunt brought a dish to the table. Feeling a bit shy, Song Linchu greeted her, “Auntie.”
Auntie laughed and said, “Ah, Linchu is here. Come on, come on, wash your hands and have lunch.”
…
Song Linchu immediately suspected he had entered the wrong house. His aunt had never been fond of him and her attitude towards him had always been cold. Today, however, she was unusually enthusiastic.
He didn’t know why she was being so friendly and stood there awkwardly. His uncle patted him on the shoulder and said, “Go wash up and eat. I’ve put your luggage in the guest room.”
“No need,” Song Linchu hurriedly said, “I’ll be leaving this afternoon.”
“Why are you in such a hurry to leave? Stay for a few days. It’s not New Year’s yet.”
“Exactly,” Auntie said, “Your uncle will be celebrating his 50th birthday the day after tomorrow, so you should at least wait until the celebration is over before going back.”
In their hometown, the celebration of a 50th birthday was not necessarily held on the actual day, but rather on an auspicious date.
His uncle had not mentioned the birthday celebration to him before, otherwise he would have just returned the day after tomorrow to attend the banquet and wouldn’t have to stay at their house.
Now that things have progressed to this point, Song Linchu could not say anything more and could only agree.
His cousin did not come back for lunch, so only Uncle and Auntie, along with the two young children, were there. Auntie was overly enthusiastic today, making Song Linchu very uncomfortable.
It wasn’t until the afternoon that the mystery was finally solved.
His uncle was going to his cousin’s company to help package and ship items.
Auntie stayed at home to look after the two children, while her natal sister-in-law came to visit, along with her daughter. Surprisingly, Auntie tried to set up her daughter, Ling Ruoxuan, with him.
Ling Ruoxuan was five years older than Song Linchu and was a teacher at a high school in the city. She was very beautiful, and according to conventional wisdom, she was very eligible for marriage.
However, due to the fact that the his aunt’s nephew died unexpectedly two years ago, leaving behind only a daughter who needed a husband to marry into the family…
Whoever came up with this idea was truly a genius.
The more Song Linchu was looked upon by his aunt-in-law, the more satisfied she seemed to be. He was so handsome, and had a good temperament.
She smiled and said, “We have already bought a wedding house in this neighborhood, which is currently under renovation. We also have a car, so the two of you only need to repay the house loan, which is 3000 yuan per month. It’s quite easy.”
His aunt agreed, “Just think, as soon as you graduate, you can become a successful person with a house, car, and partner. It’s so much better than struggling for twenty years.”
His aunt in law added, “Anyway, you are alone, whether you marry into the family or not, it won’t affect you. It’s just that the child won’t have your surname. In today’s society, many children take their mother’s surname.”
His aunt-in-law added, “If you have two sons, the younger one can also have your surname.”
Song Linchu, who couldn’t find a chance to interject, thought to himself, ‘What the heck is going on!’
It was obvious that his aunt and aunt-in-law saw him as someone who had no parents or family, and since he had good personal qualities, he was a good fit for marrying into their family. They were eagerly trying to matchmake them.
Just as Song Linchu was about to confess that he liked men, Ling Ruoxuan, who had been silent all this while, suddenly spoke up and said, “Let’s chat alone.”
His aunt said, “Alright, there’s no point in us talking any further. They have to like each other themselves.”
Song Linchu decided to hold back what he wanted to say. Since he had the opportunity to talk privately with Ling Ruoxuan, he didn’t want to argue with them anymore.
“How about we go for a walk?” Ling Ruoxuan asked Song Linchu.
“Okay,” Song Linchu replied.
Song Linchu put on his coat, scarf, and gloves and left the house with Ling Ruoxuan. This place was truly in the north, much colder than the coastal cities. The green belt of the neighborhood was covered in a thick layer of snow, and every breath they took produced white vapor.
But today, the sun was shining, and there were still quite a few people walking in the neighborhood.
“Are you scared?” Ling Ruoxuan spoke first.
Song Linchu was stunned for a moment, then replied, “A little.”
Ling Ruoxuan laughed, “I guessed so. You looked so confused and cute just now, especially with your blank expression.”
Song Linchu: “…”
How was he supposed to respond to that? Was he the only cute and naïve one in the whole production team?!
Song Linchu chuckled dryly.
Ling Ruoxuan continued, “Actually, you have a significant other, don’t you?”
Surprised, Song Linchu asked, “How did you know?”
Ling Ruoxuan proudly snorted, “Don’t forget my profession. I’ve caught many students in puppy love before. I can tell at a glance who’s in love. No one can hide from my eyes.”
Ling Ruoxuan pointed to her eyes.
Song Linchu: “…”
He couldn’t help but laugh and say, “Your words make me nervous.”
With a teacher like her, how miserable must her students in early relationships be?
Ling Ruoxuan chuckled, “I also know that your significant other is the handsome guy on your lock screen—let me be clear, I accidentally saw it, I didn’t intentionally spy on your screen.”
???
Song Linchu was genuinely scared by her sharp intuition, and couldn’t help but grip his phone tightly.
He couldn’t help but ask, “How can you be sure that he’s my significant other and not just my idol or a randomly chosen handsome guy wallpaper?”
Ling Ruoxuan smiled mysteriously, “It’s a woman’s intuition.”
“…” That seemed reasonable.
However, Ling Ruoxuan’s words did make him feel relieved. It was good that she understood, so he didn’t have to go through the trouble of rejecting her.
Song Linchu really wasn’t good at rejecting others, especially girls.
Ling Ruoxuan kicked a small rock under her foot and suddenly asked, “How about pretending to be my significant other and hiding it from my mom for the New Year? We’ll break up right after the New Year, no strings attached!”
As she spoke, Ling Ruoxuan winked at him, “It’s the peak season for blind dates during the New Year, you know.”
Song Linchu wasn’t at the age where he was pressured to get married, and he didn’t have parents to urge him either.
But he also knew that the New Year was the peak season for marriage pressure, which had almost become a characteristic of China.
“Sorry,” Song Linchu politely refused, “my partner wouldn’t be happy.”
If Tan Yue found out about this, he might do something crazy.
Besides, putting himself in Tan Yue’s shoes, if he pretended to be someone’s significant other for a month, even if they weren’t actually together, he would be infuriated.
Yes, he was also a jealous person.
“Ah, well then,” Ling Ruoxuan responded readily, not wanting to dwell on it. “It seems like I won’t have any peace this year either.”
Song Linchu appreciated her ability to handle the situation with grace and smiled. “You’re so outstanding, you’ll find a suitable partner quickly.”
Ling Ruoxuan smiled in return. “I’ll borrow your good wishes then.”
Since they both weren’t interested in each other, they didn’t continue their conversation. Song Linchu thought about going back and explaining things to the elders.
However, Ling Ruoxuan said, “If we go back together, they’ll definitely say, ‘Oh, just chat and get to know each other first. There’s no such thing as no interest from the beginning in a relationship. Relationships are all built through conversation.’ So, for safety’s sake, I’ll leave first.”
Song Linchu was amused by her perfectly convincing tone and replied, “Alright then, bye.”
“Bye,” Ling Ruoxuan took a few steps before turning back. “Oh, let’s get our story straight. I’ll say that I had a student who wasn’t feeling well and I rushed back to check on them. Don’t give us away, okay?”
Song Linchu agreed, “Sure.”
He watched Ling Ruoxuan leave the compound and let out a sigh of relief. Unable to resist, he took out his phone and shared the bizarre encounter he had with Tang Yue.
Little Songlin: [Gege, QvQ someone is asking me to be her husband!]
He wasn’t sure if Tang Yue was just idle, but he received a reply quickly.
Tang Yue: [?]
Little Songlin: [The woman has great conditions, a house, a car, and she’s a high school teacher. She’s also beautiful. Usually, someone like her can only match up with a civil servant around here.]
Little Songlin: [What does this mean?]
Song Linchu was about to add that it meant his market was good, implying that a certain straight steel man should cherish him.
However, Tan Yue typed faster than him in the cold wind.
Tan Yue: [It means you’re suited to be a little white face.]
*A term in Chinese referring to a young man who uses his good looks to seduce older, wealthy women and live off their money.
Song Linchu: [???]
Ah, ah, ah, ah!
My forty-meter-long sword, bring it to me quickly. He had to kill this dog man today!
Song Linchu gritted his teeth as he typed.
Little Songlin: [Alright, then I’ll go be a little white face.]
Tan Yue: [(image) (image)]
Tan Yue: [Cheng Bin did a good job on his year-end summary.]
What does that have to do with me!
Although Song Linchu thought this, his hand involuntarily clicked on the two images.
Then he was dumbfounded.
The images were screenshots of an Excel file, one of which marked various properties in Haikou City and other cities, including the capital city, while the other listed many luxury cars.
The name marked as the owner the images was “Tan Yue”.
Song Linchu: …?!
Is Tan Yue actually in real estate and wholesale of luxury cars!
As a poor guy, Song Linchu was dazzled, but a smile unconsciously appeared on his face.
This straight steel man was obviously hinting that he had more houses and cars, so…
Little Songlin: [I think I’m more suited to be a son than a little white face.]
Little Songlin: [The kind that could inherit the family business.]
Little Songlin: [What do you think, Dad…]
Tan Yue: […]
Song Linchu looked at the three dots the old man sent him and laughed inwardly.
Serves you right for being sarcastic!
On the other side, in the luxurious president’s office…
Tan Yue put down his phone, minimized the investment plan on his computer expressionlessly, and opened a web page.
He pondered for a moment with a cold expression before his slender fingers tapped a line of words on the black keyboard: How to make it obvious that a man is married with just one glance?
The all-knowing Baidu quickly recommended the best answer: a wedding ring.
Baidu said: A wedding ring is a ring that lovers give to each other when they get married. It is worn on the ring finger of both parties as a public symbol of being married.
Tan Yue touched his empty ring finger and picked up the internal telephone.
——————-
Song Linchu turned for a while and found it too cold, so he went back to his aunt’s house and explained everything to them directly.
Upon hearing this, his aunt and her family were both regretful and heartbroken. Especially his aunt’s sister-in-law, who truly liked Song Linchu.
This child looked obedient and easy to get along with, attended a prestigious university, and was so outstanding that he was definitely a promising talent.
However, her daughter had already run away, and there was nothing she could do no matter how heartbroken she felt. She had to give up.
At night, Song Linchu’s uncle, cousin, and cousin in law who were busy until past one in the morning returned.
Song Linchu had already gone to bed, but he heard them outside and came out in his pajamas to greet his cousin and cousin in law.
His cousin-in-law responded coldly and went straight back to her room without saying much.
Song Linchu’s cousin, Song Linfeng, had a good relationship with him when he was young, and he felt a little awkward now. “She’s been a bit tired lately and doesn’t want to talk to anyone. Don’t take it to heart,” he said.
Song Linchu smiled and replied, “It’s all right.”
He knew that his cousin-in-law wasn’t targeting him specifically. She was hostile towards everyone in their hometown, except for his uncle, aunt, and cousin. She even treated Song Linfeng’s sister with the same attitude.
“I’ve been too busy lately to entertain you,” his cousin said as he sat down at the tea table. “Come on, it’s been a long time since we’ve seen each other. Let’s chat over tea.”
Song Linchu was about to walk over when his cousin-in-law came out of the room again and said, “Why are you still brewing tea and chatting at this hour? Don’t you realize how late it is? You have to get up early tomorrow to handle customer service. I won’t wake up.”
His cousin touched his nose in embarrassment. “Don’t I have to wait for you to finish your shower?” he asked.
His cousin-in-law raised her voice, “Can’t you use the bathroom outside? Oh, I see, you’re waiting for me to finish my shower, and then you’ll say there’s no hot water and that you have to wait for it, and then you’ll end up talking until two or three in the morning without sleeping! I’ll try waking you up to take care of customer service tomorrow, and you’ll just pretend to be dead.”
His cousin was about to say something, but Song Linchu quickly spoke up, “Cousin, you should rest first. We can talk when we have time.”
“Okay, sorry about that,” Song Linfeng said helplessly as he smiled at Song Linchu. “We’ll talk at my father’s birthday banquet.”
Song Linchu agreed.
Song Linfeng run a Taobao women’s clothing business. During the New Year period, the country experienced a large-scale warm-up and enjoyed a month of warm weather. However, the temperature suddenly dropped again, returning to the harsh winter conditions. Combined with the year-end rush, their cotton coat business was booming, and the staff they hired were not enough. Song Linfeng had to help with packaging and shipping, reportedly working late into the night every day.
The next day, his aunt suggested that Song Linchu also help with packaging. Song Linchu thought that since he had nothing else to do, he did not refuse.
Originally, his uncle was firmly opposed to this, but after being glared at by his aunt, he could only apologize to Song Linchu with a smile.
Song Linchu didn’t think much of it. After all, it was only for one day, and he would leave the next day. It was more awkward for him to stay at home with his aunt staring at him.
His cousin’s office was located on the fourth and fifth floors of a residential building, with the fourth floor used for packaging and shipping, and the fifth floor as the office for customer service, operations, and graphic design employees.
Packaging was a very tiring job, especially since the cotton clothes they sell are large and can expand, so they need to be patiently deflated and stuffed into the express bags. Although Song Linchu cannot be called pampered, he rarely needs to do any work at school, and after helping out for a day, he deeply admired those who did this every day.
At 10 p.m., after Song Linchu finished packing one of the parcels and set his phone on the table, it suddenly buzzed with a video call request from Tan Yue.
This was Tan Yue taking the initiative to call him without any hints or requests from him. Song Linchu looked at the pile of cotton clothes waiting to be packed and the name “Tan Yue” flashing on the screen, but he couldn’t resist the temptation of the older man. He picked up his phone and walked to the fire escape to answer the call.
The screen flickered and Tan Yue’s cold and stern face appeared on the screen. He must have just finished work and was sitting in a speeding car, still wearing his suit. He probably attended an important event today, as he was wearing a tie, but now the tie was loose and hanging lazily around his neck. He had also undone the top two buttons of his shirt, looking disheveled yet charming.
Song Linchu felt a pang in his heart and wondered…
“Why do you look like that?” Tan Yue’s indifferent voice came through the earpiece.
Song Linchu lowered his head to look at his appearance. He was wearing a black apron with sleeves to prevent the dust from packaging bags from dirtying his clothes.
“Hey, isn’t it super cool?” Song Linchu asked.
Tan Yue uttered four words: “Didn’t notice at all.”
Song Linchu didn’t want to argue with him and asked, “Gege, do you have something to tell me? You’re not already missing me on the second day of separation, are you?”
Tan Yue replied, “You didn’t reply to my messages, I was wondering if you got kidnapped.”
“…I’m not surprised that you would say that,” Song Linchu rolled his eyes silently and said, “Well, I’m still here, disappointed?”
Tan Yue was momentarily choked by his words.
For a minute, Song Linchu laughed, and the earpiece was filled with his laughter. The young man on the screen tilted his head, revealing a perfect jawline and elegant neck, with a faint smile at the corners of his eyes and eyebrows.
Tan Yue curled his fingertips and the curve of his lips softened involuntarily.
They laughed like fools for a minute, and Song Linchu finally stopped, stretched lazily, but his waist was bent from the whole day of work, and he couldn’t help but let out a “hiss”.
“What’s wrong?” Tan Yue asked.
“My back hurts,” Song Linchu held his waist. “I’ve been packing parcels all day, my back is about to break.”
“What parcels?” Tan Yue asked unhappily.
“For my cousin who does Taobao, business is particularly good lately, and they’re short-staffed. I’m free anyway, so I came to help,” Song Linchu said.
Tan Yue furrowed his brow and said, “This is not your responsibility, they can hire people if they’re short-staffed, there’s no need for you to help.”
Song Linchu didn’t care and said, “I’m free anyway, and it’s the end of the year, not easy to find people.”
Tan Yue coldly snorted, “There are no employees that can’t be recruited, only bosses who don’t want to pay.”
Song Linchu: …
“You are rich and you are right,” he said.
“I’m just here to help for a day. After my uncle’s birthday tomorrow, I’ll go back to my hometown,” Song Linchu said.
Upon hearing this, Tan Yue’s face cleared up slightly.
In his opinion, there was no need for Song Linchu to go back to his hometown at all.
However, since he had said he wanted to go back to pay his respects to his parents’ graves and to see his kind aunt who had been good to him, and also to repay the money he had borrowed from her for several years, Tan Yue couldn’t stop him.
Tan Yue said, “Leave after the birthday banquet tomorrow. Let Cheng Bin know in advance which hotel you’ll be staying at, and he will arrange for someone to pick you up.”
Tan Yue’s impression of Song Linchu’s uncle’s family had already deteriorated to the extreme. They arranged for him to go on a blind date and work for free.
Who knows what kind of trouble will arise if he doesn’t leave quickly.
Song Linchu felt that he must be somewhat masochistic, he actually enjoyed the feeling of being controlled and having everything arranged by an older man.
He smiled and said, “Okay, I’ll bring my luggage to the hotel tomorrow.”
Tan Yue was finally satisfied.
Just then, they heard the sharp voice of his cousin-in-law calling his name, and even Tan Yue could hear it.
Tan Yue’s eyebrows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again. “Who’s calling you?”
“It’s my cousin-in-law. She probably has something urgent to tell me. I’ll hang up first and talk later. Gege, you’re tired too. Go back and rest. Bye!” said Song Linchu as he was about to end the video call, but was stopped by Tan Yue.
Tan Yue heard the woman call out “Song Linchu” again in a cold and unfriendly tone and said, “Don’t hang up. Let me hear what she has to say.”
Song Linchu hurriedly said, “She’s just like that, very impatient. Gege, don’t worry. There won’t be any problems.”
But Tan Yue said, “But I’m worried.”
“…”
Tan Yue said, “I’m also a member of your family. There’s nothing that I can’t listen to.”