Recently, Zhou Ruo An’s fortunes had risen dramatically. Once dismissed as nothing more than a useless playboy, he had transformed into a powerful figure holding real authority.
In circles where people trampled the lowly and flattered the powerful, the first change Zhou Ruo An noticed was the increase in drinking engagements.
Invitations from influential figures arrived one after another, while fair-weather friends surrounded him from all sides. Zhou Ruo An attended every drinking party he was expected to attend and gave everyone the respect they expected. He handled social obligations with polish and tact, and as a result, no one could accuse him of arrogance or of forgetting old friendships.
After another evening drowned in alcohol and noise, Zhou Ruo An finished his final drink. By the time he excused himself and left, he was already slightly intoxicated.
Ren Yu accompanied him throughout the evening. Only after Zhou Ruo An had finished saying his goodbyes and the elevator chimed open did he lean closer to the mildly drunk young man and lower his voice.
“Zhou Zhe wants to see you. He’s been waiting all night.”
Zhou Ruo An found Zhou Zhe standing beside his car. The man was still dressed in the same plain clothing as always, but the proud arrogance he once carried was gone. When he saw Zhou Ruo An, he even forced out a flattering smile and hurried forward.
“Fourth Brother, did you drink too much?” he asked with concern. “I had the cook at home prepare some hangover soup. It’s been kept warm. Would you like a bowl?”
Ever since gaining power, Zhou Ruo An had deliberately kept Zhou Zhe at arm’s length. Training a dog required both kindness and punishment. Recently, he had intentionally shown a little favor to Zhou Bin, disrupting the delicate balance that had existed between Zhou Zhe and Zhou Bin for years. As expected, Zhou Zhe could no longer sit still and had come running over, wagging his tail in an attempt to curry favor.
Zhou Ruo An waved a hand.
“Second Brother really is more thoughtful than most people. But I’ve already got a stomach full of alcohol. There’s no room left for soup. I appreciate the thought, though. Thanks.”
As he spoke, his gaze swept casually toward Ren Yu.
Understanding immediately, Ren Yu stepped forward and opened the car door, clearly inviting Zhou Ruo An to get in.
Seeing this, Zhou Zhe grew anxious and quickly moved to block the door.
“Fourth Brother is still angry with me, isn’t he? Your Second Brother is just stubborn. Sometimes I get fixated on things. When I kept verifying your identity, it wasn’t because I meant any harm. I just wanted an answer. I’m the sort of person who won’t give up until I see the Yellow River.”
The corner of Zhou Ruo An’s mouth lifted slightly into a mocking smile.
“So, have you finally given up now? If not, you’re welcome to drag me off for another test.”
Guilt filled Zhou Zhe’s face as his tone became even more humble.
“Fourth Brother, please forgive me. From now on, I’m your man. You know I have some abilities. Whatever you need done in the future, I’ll be at your service, following your lead.”
Zhou Ruo An said nothing. He simply stared coldly at Zhou Zhe until the man grew visibly uncomfortable. Then he chuckled softly and stepped forward, affectionately brushing away a speck of nonexistent dust from Zhou Zhe’s clothing.
His voice suddenly softened.
“Second Brother is smart and capable. I’ve always respected you. The problem was that you treated me as an enemy. If I hadn’t fought back, I would’ve been the one left with no way out. Honestly, you’ve been worrying too much. My ambitions aren’t focused on the Third Branch. Your real enemy isn’t me—it’s…”
Though he left the sentence unfinished, everyone understood what remained unsaid.
There was only one name.
Zhou Bin.
“Now that the misunderstanding between us has been cleared up, I’m still on your side, Second Brother. After all, working with smart people is far easier than keeping company with fools.”
Zhou Ruo An lightly patted Zhou Zhe’s shoulder.
“I’ll take that hangover soup with me. The alcohol’s starting to hit me now.” Upon hearing this, Ren Yu immediately took the container of soup from Zhou Zhe.
Zhou Ruo An got into the car. As the window slowly rose, he looked through the glass at Zhou Zhe. The man who usually burned incense, worshipped Buddha, and hid knives behind honeyed words now wore nothing but a fawning smile.
As the final gap in the window closed, Zhou Ruo An spoke calmly.
“Second Brother, Father has occupied the position of Third Branch Patriarch for decades. Maybe it’s time someone else took the seat so he can enjoy his retirement. If you have any ambitions in that direction, your younger brother can help you. After all, among our Third Branch, the only person truly capable of sitting in that chair is you.”
A subtle change flashed across Zhou Zhe’s face before it quickly returned to its usual ingratiating expression.
Zhou Ruo An said nothing more.
Closing the window completely, he told Ren Yu,
“Drive.”
The car slowly pulled away.
In the rearview mirror, Zhou Zhe’s figure gradually faded from sight.
Zhou Ruo An took out his phone and dialed Zhou Bin.
A hearty laugh came through the receiver. Zhou Ruo An smiled in response.
“That bottle from your collection really was excellent, Big Brother. I’m still dizzy from it. Chairman Zhang contacted you? Congratulations, Big Brother. Another beautiful deal for our Third Branch.”
Words of thanks flowed from Zhou Bin through the phone. Zhou Ruo An held the phone to his ear with a cold expression, though his voice remained warm.
“You’re too polite, Big Brother. All I did was make an introduction. The reason they agreed to work with you is because you’re capable. Besides, when I first returned to the Zhou family, you were the only one willing to take me under your wing. Now that I have some influence on the board, if I don’t help you, who should I help?”
His voice paused.
Zhou Ruo An glanced at Ren Yu behind the wheel, then at the container of hangover soup resting in the storage compartment.
Ren Yu immediately understood.
Deliberately raising his voice, he asked,
“Fourth Young Master, would you like some of the hangover soup that Second Young Master just brought over?”
The words carried clearly through the receiver.
On the other end, Zhou Bin instantly exploded.
Having expected exactly that, Zhou Ruo An held the phone away from his ear and replied,
“Maybe Second Brother noticed I’ve been entertaining guests too often lately, so he personally brought me some hangover soup. Unfortunately, I’m not really fond of the stuff. I suppose I’m wasting his good intentions.”
Recently, Zhou Bin and Zhou Zhe had been fighting fiercely. Zhou Bin was never particularly calculating, and the moment he heard that, he launched into a lengthy stream of curses over the phone.
Zhou Ruo An humored him with a few responses before finally losing patience and hanging up.
The car happened to stop at a red light.
Looking at Zhou Ruo An, Ren Yu could not help asking,
“Fourth Young Master, are you trying to make Zhou Bin and Zhou Zhe fight each other?”
Zhou Ruo An pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips. Looking through the window into the dense night, he let out a faint snort.
“When someone entrusts you with a task, you carry it out faithfully. I need those dogs biting each other so the brother down below can rest easier. Besides, if they waste all their energy fighting among themselves, I’ll have some peace and quiet.”
“The brother down below?”
Zhou Ruo An thought of Zhang Jin’s vividly painted face. He waved a hand and silently ended the conversation.
The countdown at the traffic light entered its final single digits.
Ren Yu started driving again.
Only then did Zhou Ruo An turn his attention back to him.
“You stayed with me all night. How come you didn’t have a drink or two?”
Keeping his eyes on the road, Ren Yu answered,
“I have to take a call from an American client at two in the morning. I need to stay clear-headed.”
Zhou Ruo An lowered the car window slightly.
The cool night breeze immediately rushed inside, dispersing some of the lingering smell of alcohol.
Bringing the cigarette to his lips, he took a shallow drag and joked,
“Assistant Ren works so hard that it makes me look like a pretty terrible boss.”
A faint smile appeared on Ren Yu’s lips.
“When I worked in the corporate office before, most of what I handled was paperwork. I rarely had the opportunity to participate directly in projects. Being able to follow Fourth Young Master and personally experience all these changes and battles in the business world is a rare opportunity. I treasure it.”
Zhou Ruo An turned his head and gazed quietly out the window. Streetlights streaked backward one after another, their dim yellow glow illuminating his silent profile.
After a while, he suddenly spoke.
His voice carried a trace of uncertainty.
“If one day I fall, will you regret ever following me?”
“No.”
The answer came without the slightest hesitation.
“In the past year, I’ve grown more than I did in four years sitting in an office.”
Ren Yu thought of how he had helped set a trap for Zhou Bin, personally locked Lin Yi inside a warehouse, and later ended up handcuffed to a heating pipe for half a night. All those experiences flashed through his mind.
The corner of his mouth lifted slightly.
“And it’s been pretty exciting.”
Zhou Ruo An laughed around his cigarette.
“Almost getting yourself killed counts as exciting? Bullshit.”
Ren Yu spared him a glance, assuming the question had simply been brought on by drunken melancholy.
Trying to reassure him, he said,
“Fourth Young Master, you’re at the height of your success right now. You’ve stepped over everyone in the Third Branch. You’ve already won. How could you possibly fall?”
Zhou Ruo An remained silent for a long time.
Then he pointed toward the right.
“I’ve been drinking all night. My stomach’s empty now. Turn right and find somewhere to get something to eat.”
Ren Yu switched on the right turn signal.
“Where do you want to go?”
The answer slipped out before Zhou Ruo An could stop himself.
“Go to your husb—”
The words had barely left his mouth before he lightly slapped himself.
Changing course immediately, he said,
“Go to Fu Chun Shen’s Japanese restaurant and get a bowl of noodles.”
Ren Yu slowed the car.
“You can get noodles somewhere else too.”
Zhou Ruo An leaned back against his seat and closed his eyes, pretending to be a clueless fool. “Are you the boss, or am I the boss? We’re going there.”
…
Zhou Ruo An slurped up a mouthful of udon. Before he could even taste it, his phone received a message.
Opening it, he discovered that it was from Fu Chun Shen, who was standing behind the counter only half a meter away from him:
Ren Yu has been staring at me for one minute and twenty seconds. He likes me. No doubt about it.
Amid the steam rising from the noodles, Zhou Ruo An lifted his eyes and glanced at Ren Yu, who was sitting beside him only thirty centimeters away. The man was indeed staring at Fu Chun Shen behind the counter. His gaze slowly traveled over the man’s upright figure before lingering briefly on a particularly firm and well-rounded area.
Had Ren Yu bent?
Zhou Ruo An was homophobic. Quietly, he shifted his chair farther away, putting more distance between himself and Ren Yu. Unable to suppress his curiosity, he leaned over and whispered,
“What are you looking at?”
Ever since Fu Chun Shen had started pursuing Ren Yu, his sexuality was hardly a secret. Leaning toward Zhou Ruo An’s ear, Ren Yu whispered,
“I’ve been reading a few gay novels lately. Someone like Fu Chun Shen is definitely the cold, elite bottom type.”
Zhou Ruo An was eager to learn and always asked questions when he didn’t understand.
“What’s a bottom?”
For the first time, Ren Yu seemed a little embarrassed.
“It means…” He glanced at Fu Chun Shen’s backside again. “The books say that people like him, who think highly of themselves and love putting on airs, usually end up being forced and crying while…”
“Fuck.”
Zhou Ruo An instantly thought of his own experiences. He shoved Ren Yu’s head away.
“Get lost. I’m straight. I don’t want to hear this.”
Tapping the counter a few times, he called out to Fu Chun Shen, who had his back turned while preparing food.
“It’s only been a month. You’ve already made it to head chef?”
Fu Chun Shen turned around and set a plate of sashimi in front of Ren Yu.
“Not head chef. I only help out with simple tasks that don’t require much skill.”
His gaze settled on Ren Yu. After looking him over from head to toe, he finally asked,
“What does General Manager Zhou want with me?”
Zhou Ruo An didn’t bother arguing about Fu Chun Shen’s bad habit of addressing everyone except the person he was actually speaking to. Taking another bite of noodles, he gestured with his chopsticks.
“Tell Ren Yu my real identity.”
Only then did Fu Chun Shen properly look at Zhou Ruo An.
“You’re not hiding it anymore?”
“I never really planned to hide it. Telling him the truth now will give him time to make his own plans. No point letting him hang himself on my tree.”
The exchange left Ren Yu completely confused.
“Am I the ‘him’ you’re talking about? What are you two hiding from me?”
Zhou Ruo An continued eating his noodles.
After a moment’s thought, Fu Chun Shen said,
“Ren Yu, your direct supervisor, Zhou Ruo An, is not Zhou Jing Tao’s biological son. He’s an impostor.”
Ren Yu’s brows immediately knitted together.
“What? That’s impossible. Stop talking nonsense.”
Setting down his chopsticks, Zhou Ruo An wiped his mouth with a napkin. Resting an arm on the counter while leaning back against his stool, he spoke lazily.
“He’s telling the truth. I’m not some Zhou family heir. My dead friend was. I took his place and infiltrated the Zhou family. For the past year, I’ve been living on a tightrope. Someday I might take one wrong step and fall into a pit from which there’s no return.”
Lighting a cigarette, he looked through the drifting smoke. His gaze seemed both distant and heavy.
“I’m telling you because I want you to know the truth. Whether you stay or leave is your own decision. I won’t hold it against you either way. If you want out, while I still have some power, I can arrange a pretty decent position for you elsewhere.”
The faint melancholy in the air had barely begun to settle when Ren Yu suddenly slammed a hand down on the counter.
The bowl of noodles bounced slightly.
The unexpected outburst startled Zhou Ruo An.
Assistant Ren had always been measured and professional. Even when he acted arrogant in public, it was usually because Zhou Ruo An had instructed him to. But now he seemed genuinely furious, as though he wanted to tear someone apart.
Slowly, Zhou Ruo An placed a hand over his bowl of noodles, worried that it might be thrown in his face.
Fortunately, Ren Yu did not explode.
Instead, he grabbed his coat, picked up his briefcase, and immediately walked out.
Fu Chun Shen hurried after him. Before leaving, he looked back at the stunned Zhou Ruo An and said,
“Even I know your real identity. Yet your assistant, who’s followed you through life-and-death situations this whole time, didn’t. Do you think he has a right to be angry?”
Before the words had fully left his mouth, he had already chased after Ren Yu.
Stretching his ears to listen, Zhou Ruo An heard Ren Yu shouting outside.
“Fu Chun Shen, I don’t want to force you, and I don’t want to watch you cry. You and your cold, elite bottom nonsense can fuck off. I’m straight!”
In the late-night Japanese restaurant, aside from a chef who kept nodding off, only Zhou Ruo An remained.
With a cigarette between his lips, he leaned against the cool window and watched Ren Yu and Fu Chun Shen pulling each other around on the sidewalk outside.
Suddenly, he thought the two of them looked strangely compatible.
In public, they were both pretentious elites. Only when facing each other did they become genuinely lively and real. Life seemed to have more flavor because of it.
When the two finally left together, still tugging and arguing with each other, Zhou Ruo An suddenly found the night unbearably quiet.
Half a cigarette had gone to waste.
He crushed the remaining stub into the ashtray and took out his phone.
After sitting in silence for a long moment, he finally pressed the speed-dial button.
The call connected quickly.
But Lin Yi’s voice did not answer.
Instead, a healthy, energetic voice slid into Zhou Ruo An’s ear.
“Hello? Looking for Brother Lin? He’s taking a shower right now. If there’s anything you need, I can pass the message along.”
Zhou Ruo An picked up the half-smoked cigarette he had just extinguished and put it back between his lips.
“Who are you?”
“My surname’s Huang. Huang Yan.”
The slightly drunk young man bit down on the dead cigarette and let out a laugh.
“Fuck.”
Next
Futile Devices Scans 
Leave a comment