Chapter 108 – Face
The sofa in the suburban villa wasn’t very large. It was just right for the three of them, but now with six more people, Lin Ganzhi had to move a few chairs down from upstairs. However, while the idea was Lin Ganzhi’s, the ones who actually did the moving were Yan Shengping and Uncle Yan.
As Lin Ganzhi was making tea, enduring his sore waist, he suddenly felt a hard slap on his lower back.
“Oof!” This time, Lin Ganzhi cried out in pain, but he managed to stifle it halfway through. In a room full of people, there was only one person who would do something so childish. Lin Ganzhi, holding back tears, put down the teacup, turned around, and wiped the grimace off his face. Summoning his basic acting skills, he forced a smile. “Wenren, what are you doing?”
Wenren Yi smiled slyly. “Long time no see, just saying hello. Ganzhi, where are the backflips you promised me?”
!!!
Just hearing that made Lin Ganzhi’s waist ache even more. Now, that choice resurfaced once again: face or substance, which was more important?
Lin Ganzhi endured the pain and grabbed Wenren Yi’s hand, which was about to cause more trouble. “Next time. The elders are watching this time! I… I’m not that good at them.”
Wenren Yi waved her hand and said, “Don’t worry. With how much my grandma adores you, she’d applaud even if you just rolled around on the floor and called it a talent. Otherwise, why do you think we came back on the second day of the New Year? It was because she found out about the recent situation with you and your partner’s family and couldn’t stop worrying. That’s why my dad decided to come back to the country early.”
Hearing this, Lin Ganzhi felt a little touched. Taking advantage of this moment, Wenren Yi’s mischievous hand pinched Lin Ganzhi’s waist again, causing him to suck in a sharp breath of cold air.
“You’ve got some meat on your waist now. Looks like the New Year’s food was pretty good! Have you decided? I think the living room is big enough~” Wenren Yi said, not letting up.
Damn! Despicable!
Lin Ganzhi had almost made it through the day with his act, but if he kept this up, his old waist really wouldn’t survive.
“Sorry, Ganzhi twisted his waist this morning when he came downstairs. How about I do a flip for you instead? I used to practice this when I was younger,” a deep voice belonging to Yan Shengping sounded from behind them.
Wenren Yi stiffly turned her head. She saw Yan Shengping giving her a formal smile, but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. Not only did it not feel warm, but it was also rather chilling. Coupled with Yan Shengping’s innate powerful aura being released at that moment, Wenren Yi actually felt as if she were being stared at by her second uncle.
“Oh, is that so? Ganzhi, you really are something. Why didn’t you say so earlier? Come on, let’s go chat with Grandma. I’ll help you bring this tea over,” Wenren Yi said, picking up the tray and quickly making her escape, not wanting to linger in front of Yan Shengping for a second longer.
Lin Ganzhi finally let out a sigh of relief. The moment his body went limp, he was caught and held by Yan Shengping.
“That scared me to death,” Lin Ganzhi said, his tone carrying a hint of coquettishness he himself didn’t notice.
“Silly. How could you forget to even make up an excuse? Weren’t you pretty good at finding excuses when you were lying to me before?” Yan Shengping gently kissed the top of Lin Ganzhi’s hair.
Lin Ganzhi wasn’t having it. “That excuse is only effective when you say it. If I said it, she would definitely tease me. It’s all your fault!”
Leaning against Yan Shengping’s chest, Lin Ganzhi could feel it vibrating rhythmically. A light chuckle sounded from above his head. “Yes, it’s all my fault.”
Lin Ganzhi, who had been on the verge of getting annoyed again, inexplicably calmed down after hearing those words. Why had Yan Shengping been so compliant with him lately? It was strange… strangely unfamiliar.
However, he didn’t dislike it.
When the two went out again, Uncle Yan was already in a heated conversation with the Wenren family. When it came to entertaining guests, Uncle Yan’s professional skills were top-notch. Plus, as Yan Shengping’s elder for so many years, the three seniors were very interested in the stories he told about the past. Uncle Yan instantly became the star of the show… the elderly star!
Seeing Lin Ganzhi come over, Grandma Li subconsciously reached out to take his hand. “Ganzhi, come, let Grandma have a look at you.”
Lin Ganzhi obediently went over, and Yan Shengping followed, sitting on a chair beside them.
“Hello, I’m the second son of the Wenren family, Yi-yi’s second uncle. I’ve often heard her mention you,” Wenren Lin said, extending his hand in a friendly manner.
Yan Shengping politely shook his hand and replied, “Mr. Wenren, a pleasure. I’ve heard much about you.”
Wenren Lin smiled, but his eyes couldn’t help but size up Yan Shengping. “It’s all just rumors. I’m just an ordinary businessman. But I really admire you. Starting from scratch twice—it’s rare to see a young person with your kind of courage and perseverance these days. Like my older brother, if you need any help, feel free to contact us anytime. This is my business card.” Wenren Lin took a gilt-edged business card from his pocket.
Yan Shengping took it and said another “thank you,” his attitude neither servile nor overbearing. It was hard to tell what he was thinking from his expression; he kept it well hidden.
At the very least, Wenren Lin, who had been an old fox for over a decade, couldn’t figure him out for the time being.
“By the way, may I borrow your restroom? I came here directly, as I was in a rush to get back to the country,” Wenren Lin asked.
Yan Shengping paused for a moment, then stood up and pointed Wenren Lin in a direction, his eyes gradually deepening.
“Yan Shengping! Grandma Li brought us gifts, and yours is a scarf!” Lin Ganzhi bounced over and wrapped the blue scarf around Yan Shengping’s neck. He himself was already wearing a red one.
“Oh, they look very suitable on you two,” Grandma Li said, smiling lovingly at them.
Receiving the gift, Lin Ganzhi smiled sincerely. Infected by him, Yan Shengping also let out a faint, genuine smile.
Afterward, Wenren Yi came over and told Lin Ganzhi that her grandmother had specially hired a designer for the scarves. It wasn’t just the two of them; every junior in the Wenren family got one. Grandma Li had personally overseen the design and production process. Although she didn’t say it, this gesture showed that she already considered them semi-family.
After dinner, Lin Ganzhi and Yan Shengping went out together to see the Wenren family off. This time, the farewell wasn’t so reluctant, because the Wenren family had now officially returned to the country. Except for some overseas businesses that Wenren Lin occasionally needed to go back to manage, the family would basically be staying in the city. It was only a two-hour drive away.
At this moment, Lin Ganzhi truly felt that his life was exceptionally perfect. Once Yan Shengping finished his business, he would propose that they go traveling together, adding one more person to his old plans.
“Yan Shengping?” As Lin Ganzhi was about to go back inside, he noticed that Yan Shengping was still standing there. He called out once, but there was no response.
“Shengping?” Lin Ganzhi moved closer and saw Yan Shengping looking down, lost in thought. “Um, Brother Shengping?”
Lin Ganzhi couldn’t suppress his mischievous heart and called out in a lowered voice. Lin Ganzhi’s usual speaking voice was quite normal, but when he lowered it, it became a bit soft and sticky, like beaten rice cake. Only this time, before Lin Ganzhi could finish his teasing and run, Yan Shengping pinched both of his cheeks.
He looked at Lin Ganzhi with great interest and said, “Say it again.”
Lin Ganzhi played dumb. “Yan Shengping?”
Yan Shengping shook his head and patiently instructed, “The last two words.”
Lin Ganzhi played dead. He felt that the whole thing just now was a trap, specifically designed to trick an honest person like him! Now, his ardent heart felt an unprecedented chill. He was heartbroken!
Yan Shengping kneaded Lin Ganzhi’s face into the shape of a woodpecker’s beak, then planted a kiss on the fleshy ‘beak’. He didn’t care at all that they were still in the courtyard and that Uncle Yan could come out at any moment!
Lin Ganzhi’s face instantly turned red, and he wanted to break free from Yan Shengping’s demonic clutches.
But Yan Shengping held him firmly by the waist and then offered him a sweet incentive. “Say it, and I’ll give you a manor, the kind with a big lawn and statues.” This description came from Lin Ganzhi’s own mouth, mentioned one night before bed.
It had to be said, Lin Ganzhi was tempted.
He hadn’t wanted it when Wenren Yi offered it to him because he felt it was beyond the scope of friendship, and they weren’t that familiar at the time. But Yan Shengping was different; he was his true family. His money-grubbing nature was reawakened at this moment.
As the snow melted, in a small courtyard in the suburbs, a little foolish fox obediently called out to a big fox, “Brother Shengping.”
The great fox Yan was satisfied, and the little fox Lin was equally satisfied.
For the first time, CEO Yan felt that it was truly good to be rich.
Over the next two days, Lin Ganzhi and Yan Shengping took gifts to visit the Wenren family. His body also recovered a lot. As soon as he felt better, his heart that yearned for freedom could no longer be suppressed. Coincidentally, Lu Xi called him at this time with a plea for help.
“Ganzhi, I have a dying wish. I don’t know if you can fulfill it for me,” Lu Xi sobbed on the phone, his breaths catching.
Lin Ganzhi’s face was cold. “I can’t.” It didn’t sound like anything good.
Then, Lu Xi on the other end of the line started crying even louder.
Later, he learned over the phone that Lu Xi had been mercilessly thrown into a film crew by his older brother on the third day of the New Year. He was playing a supporting role with few scenes, a puppet emperor who just needed to be a pretty face. But his brother couldn’t possibly be that nice and do something so decent. The role was fine, but the director had a particularly bad temper and zero tolerance for flaws. He was most contemptuous of connections hires like Lu Xi. It was only after his brother guaranteed the director that he could scold him as much as he wanted, even scold him to tears, that the director reluctantly took Lu Xi in.
And today was the fifth day of the New Year.
Lu Xi said that now when he slept at night, he would dream of that director scolding him. He felt his spirit was about to break down, and he might just not wake up one day.
Lin Ganzhi ignored Lu Xi’s exaggerations and, with his remaining humanity, agreed to his request.
Of course, he would never tell anyone that he was just fed up with Yan Shengping, who now disregarded day and night, bullying him at every opportunity, to the point where there wasn’t a single patch of unblemished skin on his neck!
Rejecting Yan Shengping’s offer to accompany him, Lin Ganzhi made three dishes and a soup and then hurriedly slipped out the door.