Lu Zizhen really knew his son well.
Lately, Lu Zhuonian seemed to have entered a rebellious phase, characterized mainly by one thing: not listening to advice.
He had to go against everything.
After Chen Zemian said he would stop persuading him to study abroad, Lu Zhuonian agreed to go. After Chen Zemian promised to go out less in the future, Lu Zhuonian no longer restricted his movements.
On the way back to Shengfu Huating from the Lu residence, he even bought two cups of Starle Ice, adding raspberry syrup to both—
Three pumps each!
Chen Zemian was a little alarmed. He pushed one of the cups toward Lu Zhuonian and said, “I can only drink one. My stomach isn’t great—I can’t handle too much.”
Lu Zhuonian raised his hand and gently wiped the corner of Chen Zemian’s mouth, brushing away the mocha cream sauce with his thumb. “I was wrong before. I won’t try to control you so much anymore.”
Chen Zemian grabbed his sleeve. “Don’t.”
If Lu Zhuonian hadn’t cared about him, he might’ve been hospitalized with a gastric perforation by now. He was really bad at taking care of himself. He needed someone to help regulate him.
But, of course, not just anyone could do that. If the person trying to control him lacked discipline and authority, Chen Zemian wouldn’t listen at all—he might even argue or fight back.
Clutching the cuff of his shirt, Chen Zemian muttered, “My self-control is awful. If you stop caring, I’ll eat myself to death.”
“But I went too far,” Lu Zhuonian said, lowering his gaze to Chen Zemian’s slender fingers, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly. “Not letting you eat what you like, sending a driver to follow you, pretending to be sick just to stop you from going out… Aren’t you mad?”
Chen Zemian honestly didn’t think it was a big deal.
Except for the faking-illness part, which was admittedly a bit much, the rest was clearly for his own good.
“You should stop pretending to be sick,” Chen Zemian said. “I was wondering why the more I treated you, the more frequent your ‘episodes’ became.”
Lu Zhuonian suddenly grabbed his wrist and said, “Sometimes… I honestly can’t tell if I’m having a real episode or if I just want you.”
Startled, Chen Zemian slapped a hand over Lu Zhuonian’s mouth, eyes wide. “We’re still on the street. What nonsense are you talking about?”
Lu Zhuonian’s lips were pressed against his palm. There was a faint scent of mocha cocoa in his breath.
“I’m leaving to study abroad at the end of August,” he said. “There’s still more than three months.”
Chen Zemian curled his fingers slightly. “What are you trying to say?”
“The package has arrived,” Lu Zhuonian replied.
They didn’t say what the package was, but both of them knew.
A strange sense of panic rose in Chen Zemian. As if burned, he pulled his hand back, dragged Lu Zhuonian into the car, and only after closing the door did he say, “No. We just did it twice the day before yesterday.”
Lu Zhuonian sat sideways in the driver’s seat, his dark eyes fixed on him. “That was your two times. And then you fell asleep.”
Chen Zemian had no comeback. He had left Lu Zhuonian midway through a session and passed out.
Lu Zhuonian called his name hoarsely. “Chen Zemian, that night you promised me the cat ears and the little bells. Aren’t you going to pay me back?”
“I will,” Chen Zemian muttered. He pulled his hoodie up, folded his arms, and curled up in the passenger seat. “Let’s just go home.”
Lu Zhuonian’s lips curved slightly, a barely visible smile in his eyes. He started the car and drove them back to Shengfu Huating.
Time to pay the debt.
The cat ears were pink.
The small toys from the upscale boutique were delicately made. Though the fur was artificial, it felt nice to the touch. The design was adorable—plush, large, and soft.
They fit just right on the head.
Rather than erotic, they were more on the cute side—like something used for anime cosplay.
Chen Zemian looked left and right in the mirror. He didn’t think this pair of ears could possibly turn Lu Zhuonian on.
He was still fully dressed, and even if he weren’t, it wouldn’t make much difference.
Maybe it was because there was no bell?
He picked up a small bell and clipped it onto one of the cat ears.
It had zero “finishing touch” effect. Not only did it lack any seductive power, it even looked a little ridiculous.
When he walked out, Lu Zhuonian laughed the moment he saw him.
Annoyed, Chen Zemian pulled at the cat ears. “What are you laughing at?”
“Come here,” Lu Zhuonian said.
Chen Zemian walked over.
Lu Zhuonian reached up and took off the little black bells from the ears. “What are these things you bought?”
“I don’t know,” Chen Zemian replied. “Who has the guts to make a choice with this stuff? I just added every recommended item to the cart.”
Lu Zhuonian turned the bell over in his fingers. “This… shouldn’t be clipped onto the cat ears.”
A flicker of confusion passed through Chen Zemian’s eyes. “Then where should it go?”
Lu Zhuonian leaned in and whispered a few words in his ear.
Chen Zemian’s pupils instantly dilated. Like a startled cat, he jumped back, tore off the headband, and threw it at him. “What is this?! I’m not playing anymore!”
Lu Zhuonian burst out laughing. He plucked off another bell and tossed it aside. “Come on, I’m not playing that either. I thought you meant the kind of bell that hangs from a kitten’s neck. Who knew you’d buy this?”
Chen Zemian glanced at him and muttered, “You didn’t even react, so why bother playing at all?”
Lu Zhuonian stifled a chuckle with his fist. “Alright, fine. No games. Do you want to go out tonight? Kesong invited us to the bar.”
Chen Zemian leapt over. “Can I drink?”
Lu Zhuonian considered. “Depends on your performance.”
“I can perform really well,” Chen Zemian declared, putting the cat ears back on.
Lu Zhuonian took them off again. “That’s not the performance I meant. If we go once now, you’ll be too lazy to leave the house afterward.”
That gave Chen Zemian pause. It was true—he might work hard to please Lu Zhuonian just to earn a night out, but if he was too exhausted to move afterward, what was the point?
“So what is the performance?” he asked.
“Kesong knows I’ve decided to study abroad,” Lu Zhuonian said. “He also submitted an application for next semester. He’s inviting you to the bar tonight to get you drunk and convince you to go with him.”
Realization dawned on Chen Zemian. “Ah, no wonder he wants to go drinking.”
He and Xiao Kesong were clearly a pair of soulmates. Their methods of persuasion were exactly the same.
Every time Chen Zemian wanted to pry information from him, Xiao Kesong would drag him to a bar and try to get him drunk.
Lu Zhuonian straightened Chen Zemian’s collar. “Stay sober tonight. Don’t promise anything rash. Got it?”
Chen Zemian sat on the sofa, fiddling absently with the fuzzy cat ears. “Don’t be so hard on yourself. Your dad’s just thinking long-term. Maybe he’s afraid we’re too close, and it’ll affect your plans.”
“He knows I’m sick,” Lu Zhuonian said quietly. “He’s afraid you’re just being deceived right now—afraid that one day you’ll realize it and leave, and I’ll become even worse.”
Chen Zemian’s pupils trembled. Flustered, he asked, “Wait, how does he know about us—about the treatment? Did you tell him? When?”
Lu Zhuonian was silent for a few seconds. “Do I really need to tell him? He has eyes.”
Chen Zemian racked his brain, thinking back to their time at the Lu residence. “Did I mess up? I thought I acted pretty normal. We didn’t even touch much in front of him.”
“My dad has a brain,” Lu Zhuonian said dryly. “Do I need to do anything in front of him for him to notice?”
Chen Zemian, flustered, only caught part of the sentence and gasped, horrified, “We can’t do it in front of your dad!”
Lu Zhuonian let out a long breath and pushed his head. “Just get ready and go out with Xiao Kesong. Don’t talk to me.”
And sure enough—Lu Zhuonian was right.
That night at the bar, after two rounds of drinks, Xiao Kesong finally brought up the subject of studying abroad.
To convince Chen Zemian, he didn’t hesitate to make himself sound pitiful.
A little tipsy, he clung to Chen Zemian and refused to let go. “How am I supposed to survive if you don’t come to the U.S. with me? My English is worse than the kids in bilingual kindergarten! I was going to hire a translator, but my dad says I have to work and study at the same time. He’s only giving me 200,000 yuan a year for living expenses!”
Ye Chen looked quite miserable when he heard the news. “I’ll transfer you some money once you get there.”
Xiao Kesong shook his head. “Money is secondary. The real issue is that there’ll be no one to talk to over there. I’ll suffocate from loneliness.”
Chen Zemian said, “I’ll come visit you.”
Seeing that Chen Zemian was still relatively sober, Xiao Kesong poured him another glass of wine. “Chen Zemian, am I good to you?”
Chen Zemian raised his glass. “Good, good. Young Master Xiao is the best. But my game just launched, and the typical life cycle of a mobile game is only six to twelve months. I really can’t leave right now.”
Xiao Kesong said sadly, “By the time your game’s been online for over a year, I’ll probably be back.”
Chen Zemian offered comfort. “I promise I’ll visit you. And don’t worry about living expenses—I’ve already converted the money you gave me into shares and invested it in Peace Battlefield. I originally planned to surprise you at the end of the year, but if you’re short on funds abroad, I’ll ask the accountant to issue monthly dividends to you.”
Hearing this, both Xiao Kesong and Ye Chen were momentarily stunned.
The popularity of Peace Battlefield was well-known. Yet Chen Zemian had never once mentioned converting Xiao Kesong’s money into shares, nor had there been any formal agreement. To put it bluntly, whether the money was invested and how much was entirely up to Chen Zemian’s discretion.
He hadn’t used the investment to curry favor when he made the decision, nor had he changed his mind once the game became a hit. He mentioned it now only because Xiao Kesong brought up needing money—saying it as casually as if he were commenting on the weather.
Xiao Kesong couldn’t even remember how much he’d given Chen Zemian. But he did know what Peace Battlefield shares were worth now.
“This is too much.”
Sobering up a bit, Xiao Kesong said, “You didn’t lack funding when you made the game. Why include my share?”
Chen Zemian replied nonchalantly, “I tried to return the money, but you refused. So I could only convert it into shares.”
Ye Chen did a quick mental calculation and said to Xiao Kesong, “You’re never going to be short on money again.”
Xiao Kesong was stunned. “Really? That much?”
Chen Zemian clinked glasses with him again. “When I first came here, I didn’t even have a penny. My phone was lost too. It was you who gave me twenty thousand yuan so I could survive. Even the money for my first game came from you. Xiao Shao, you’re my benefactor. I’ll never forget what you did for me.”
Xiao Kesong was deeply moved. “Chen Zemian, I knew I didn’t misjudge you. Your heart’s stronger than anything else. Forget the dividends. You worked hard to make that game—I didn’t help much. I can’t take your money.”
Chen Zemian smiled. “Back then, I also said I’d repay you. Do you remember what you told me?”
Xiao Kesong frowned. “What did I say?”
Chen Zemian replied, “You said, ‘What’s given away can’t be taken back. If you don’t want it, throw it out.’ So I’m saying the same now. If you don’t want the shares, just throw them away. I won’t take them back.”
At that point, Xiao Kesong didn’t know how to refuse anymore and turned to look at Ye Chen.
Chen Zemian also looked at Ye Chen.
Both were clearly waiting for him to say something.
But Ye Chen didn’t want to get involved in such a petty dispute. Glancing at his phone, he said to Chen Zemian, “Zhuonian is here to pick you up.”
“Then I’ll head out first,” said Chen Zemian, rising a bit unsteadily. He took a deep breath, tried to steady himself, then patted Xiao Kesong on the shoulder. “Don’t be stubborn. It takes money to live well overseas. Bring more with you—I’ve got plenty for you to spend.”
Xiao Kesong walked him out of the bar. Seeing the sleek Fengshen parked at the entrance, he suddenly wrapped an arm around Chen Zemian’s shoulder and whispered, “Did you give shares to anyone else?”
Chen Zemian answered, “A few investment firms. Why?”
“I mean anyone else like us,” Xiao Kesong pressed. “You didn’t give any to Zhuonian or Ye Chen, right? Just me?”
Chen Zemian couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s right.”
Delighted, Xiao Kesong threw himself on Chen Zemian. “I knew we were best friends!”
“He’s my best friend.”
Lu Zhuonian appeared out of nowhere behind them, pulling Xiao Kesong off Chen Zemian and casually pushing him into Ye Chen’s arms. “You two can call a driver. Let’s go.”
Ye Chen half-carried the flailing and cursing Xiao Kesong, shooting Lu Zhuonian a helpless look.
Lu Zhuonian ignored it. He pinched Chen Zemian’s chin, tilting his face for inspection. “How much did you drink?”
Chen Zemian’s eyes were clear and bright, his expression lucid. “Just a small half glass.”
Lu Zhuonian looked mildly pleased—until Ye Chen decided to sabotage him.
Ye Chen said, “It was a small half bottle.”
Chen Zemian turned to stare at him in horror. “Ye Shao?!”
Xiao Kesong switched his insults from Lu Zhuonian to Ye Chen, calling him a traitor who’d betrayed the masses.
Ye Chen dragged him away without a word.
Now abandoned by his only ally, Chen Zemian found himself utterly alone.
He looked up at the night sky, sighing dramatically. “The stars are so bright tonight.”
“That’s the bar sign,” Lu Zhuonian said flatly, opening the car door and pushing him inside. “You’re drunk. Stop looking around. We’re going home.”
Chen Zemian sat in the passenger seat, fumbling with his seatbelt. He spoke softly, guilty, “It really was just a tiny half bottle… not as bad as it sounds.”
Lu Zhuonian smiled and said nothing.
*****
Forty minutes later, in the master bedroom of the villa.
Lu Zhuonian flicked the cat ears on Chen Zemian’s head, picked up the bell from the pillow, and whispered, “It’s just a very small bell—not as exaggerated as you think.”
The bell swayed gently, its vibrations sending a flush to Chen Zemian’s ears.
He clutched at Lu Zhuonian and pleaded, “I’m wrong, I’m wrong, I’m sorry—no more, the bell really won’t work.”
Lu Zhuonian lowered his gaze, studying him for a few seconds.
Chen Zemian was flushed, freshly bathed, his pajamas half-open. His collarbone, neck, and chest were flushed red—like a wine-soaked rose, vivid and too beautiful to look away from.
“So you do know the bell doesn’t work,” Lu Zhuonian muttered, averting his gaze. His thumb brushed over Chen Zemian’s lips. “Seems you’re not so drunk after all.”
Not only was Chen Zemian not drunk—he had clearly picked up on the signal.
He lifted his gaze to meet Lu Zhuonian’s, then leaned down voluntarily.
Lu Zhuonian chuckled and cupped his face. “No, not tonight. I’m not sick.”
Chen Zemian quickly offered a compromise. “Then let me make up for the other night.”
Lu Zhuonian removed the cat ears and gently patted his cheek. “Really, no. Sleep.”
“I can’t,” Chen Zemian murmured, rubbing against him.
Lu Zhuonian couldn’t help laughing again. “Why are you wearing cat ears like that? Are you seducing yourself?”
Chen Zemian grumbled under his breath, “I don’t know what was in that health soup earlier… I drank it before bed and ended up like this. I’m burning up.”
“You drank wine and got excited—why blame the soup?” Lu Zhuonian sniffed the lingering herbal scent. “I drank that soup too. It’s calming and soothing.”
Chen Zemian fell silent, unsure how to explain.
This time, Master Lu was actually wrong. Though their soups shared the same main ingredients, the additional herbs were very different.
Lu Zhuonian’s version was meant to reduce internal heat. Chen Zemian’s, however, was for tonifying yang.
Lu Zizhen, convinced that Chen Zemian was physically weak, had ordered the chef to supplement his diet. Whether the chef misheard “nourish kidneys” or just decided not to let expensive herbs go to waste, the pot had ended up filled with strong tonics—deer antler, seahorse, and more.
As a result, Chen Zemian’s qi and blood surged, his whole body brimming with restless energy he couldn’t dissipate.
Good medicine has strong effects. After rolling around the house without finding relief, he began to suspect that his “needs threshold” had been raised thanks to their frequent mutual indulgence.
After hesitating for exactly 0.3 seconds, he put on the cat ears—and went straight to Lu Zhuonian for help.
*****
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Author: LazyHermitGal
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