At last, Liu Luanzhou spoke plainly. "Xiaoyu, you're still young. It's easy to misjudge people. That Yu Tan… he's too complicated. You'd do well to stay clear of him."
To call Yu Tan "complicated" was already an understatement. Though Liu often sparred with Yu Tan directly, he had never been one to speak ill of another behind their back. Yet even he could not hide his concern.
"Complicated?" Xiaoyu repeated. His expression tightened. "Brother Liu, are you saying Yu Tan is a bad person?"
"You could put it that way. In short, don't get too close. It'll only harm you."
Hu Xiaoyu's delicate features drew taut. Unhappiness flared in his eyes.
He answered with quiet conviction: "Brother Liu, Yu Tan is wonderful. You may think what you like, but as long as I am here, I won't allow anyone to speak against him."
Liu Luanzhou: "…"
For a moment he was at a loss. What spell had Yu Tan woven around this boy, that he would defend him so fiercely?
He wanted to press further, but Xiaoyu had already turned and walked away, his slender back straight with resolve.
Liu stood alone in the courtyard for a long while. There's still time, he told himself. Perhaps in a few days, Yu Tan will tire of him.
Still—he had never seen anyone shield Yu Tan with such unshakable faith. It was… strangely compelling.
Meanwhile, back at the Yu estate, in the quiet study on the second floor—
Yu Tan leaned lazily in his chair, a faint grin tugging at his lips. So now I'm wonderful?
What a foolish little thing.
At the Hu residence—
Once Liu Luanzhou departed with Li Yu, no one could force Hu Xiaoyu to forgive.
As soon as the guests were gone, Father Hu's temper exploded. He hurled a porcelain cup against the floor, shards scattering across the polished wood.
For Hu Xiaoyu's disappearance, for contradicting Mother Hu before guests, for refusing to give Li Yu face—all of it stoked his fury.
The Hu and Li families were tied through countless business ventures. Were they truly to risk so much over petty quarrels between juniors?
Yet amidst his anger, one thought soothed him: Liu Luanzhou seemed to value Jia Jia. If only that connection could be secured…
A fragment of porcelain skidded across the floor, grazing Xiaoyu's ankle. He stepped back, brushing aside Mother Hu's startled concern. "If there's nothing else, I'll be leaving."
Father Hu's voice thundered. "Where do you think you're going? This is your home!"
Hu Xiaoyu shook his head. "It was. Not anymore."
He had inherited the original's body and should have accepted his family. But with parents like these, distance was survival.
"Ungrateful child!" Father Hu roared. "Without the Hu family, you are nothing!"
Mother Hu tried for a gentler tone. "Jia Jia, your father only wants what's best for you. Your cards are frozen—how will you eat, how will you dress if you leave?"
"And what about Granny Cui?" Father Hu added venomously. "Can you afford her nursing home fees?"
Granny Cui—she had raised the original boy. After his abduction and abandonment, it was Granny Cui who had taken him in and given him a home. He had dropped out of school to care for her, and later, when Liu Luanzhou brought him back to the Hus, the family had promised to provide for her.
But soon enough, she had become their bargaining chip—a leash to keep him obedient.
A faint green glimmer flickered in Hu Xiaoyu's fox-like eyes. He crushed the urge to fling Father Hu against the wall and instead said coldly, "I have a salary now. I can support myself—and Granny Cui."
Then he turned on his heel and strode away, rage seething inside him. All he wanted was to see Yu Tan, to bury himself in warmth until the fire in his chest eased.
Mother Hu tried to stop him.
"Let him go!" Father Hu bellowed. "If he leaves now, he'll never come back!"
In the car outside, Ah Jiu was resting with his eyes closed when a knock startled him awake.
Hu Xiaoyu climbed in wordlessly, his usual sparkle dimmed.
Through the rearview mirror, Ah Jiu saw the boy curled into himself in silence. Was he… hurt?
He had seen Liu Luanzhou and Li Yu leave earlier. Had something happened?
Just as he was about to ask, Xiaoyu murmured, "I'm fine. Just tired."
Ah Jiu frowned but said nothing. He simply pressed harder on the gas, speeding him home.
But Hu Xiaoyu wasn't tired. And he wasn't wounded.
He was furious. Furious at the original's fate, furious at the cruelty he could not erase. His anger burned so hot he dared not shift back to his true form. All he could do was curl up tight and force himself to digest it.
Half an hour later, they reached the Yu estate.
Xiaoyu stepped out and spotted Yu Tan beneath a tree, seated at a stone table with a book in hand.
When Yu Tan looked up and saw him, he lifted a hand in lazy summons.
Xiaoyu trudged over, lips pressed in a pout. "Yu Tan, can you give me a hug?"
Yu Tan recalled the words he'd overheard earlier and hesitated before rejecting him flatly. "No."
The next moment, a soft head of hair buried itself against his neck.
The sharp-featured man stiffened. "Let go!"
"No," Xiaoyu mumbled.
"…Tch."
Well, at least this fool didn't embarrass me in front of Liu Luanzhou, Yu Tan thought darkly.
Still, his hand rose almost of its own accord, patting the boy's back—once, twice. "Useless."
And yet, even as he muttered, another thought crept in—
So soft. And… unexpectedly nice to hold.