Futile Devices Scans

Lin Yi was born in autumn, at the moment when the leaves first began to turn yellow.

The northern solar terms arrived with precision. Just after the Beginning of Autumn, the morning and evening winds already carried a chill.

Autumn came early on Chuanyue Mountain. Sitting in the villa halfway up the mountain, one could see the first stroke of autumn color that had just fallen.

Zhou Ruo An, however, was too lazy to look into the distance. He sat beneath the patio umbrella and glanced at the young man lingering around Lin Yi.

Dark-skinned, vigorous, with an amiable smile—it was Huang San.

“This villa’s pretty nice.” Bai Ban walked into the shade beneath the umbrella carrying a freshly grilled chicken drumstick, dragged over a chair, and sat beside Zhou Ruo An. “It’s just that the decor… kind of hurts the eyes.”

The villa had been bought by Lin Yi. It sat halfway up the mountain, complete with a courtyard and swimming pool, but the beds were still covered with gaudy floral sheets.

Zhou Ruo An did not object either, allowing Lin Yi to decorate the high-end villa into a clamorous village club.

Today was Lin Yi’s birthday. For the past twenty-four years, his birthdays had been lonely and quiet, so Zhou Ruo An had invited quite a few people over today to make things lively.

Looking farther away, Zhou Ruo An saw two graceful figures. Beside the fence, amid the shadows cast by the cotton rose hibiscus, Third Miss was clinging step for step to Xu Yi Han.

Xu Yi Han was wearing a dark-blue silk suit today. The collar of her blouse was slightly open, revealing a section of collarbone and making the line of her jaw appear even cleaner and sharper. Xu Yi Han’s beauty was not ostentatious. There was no deliberately softened charm in her features; every movement of hers carried ease and composure.

Third Miss was talkative, and Xu Yi Han only listened quietly. Occasionally, when Xu Yi Han moved from one patch of flower-shadow to another, Third Miss would inevitably follow right after her, sticking to her like a tail.

Zhou Ruo An had seen Third Miss’s indifference and had seen her self-destructive cruelty. He had thought he had seen through this woman named Xia Cong Xue, yet he had not known she also had such a shameless, clingy side.

Zhou Ruo An could not bear to keep looking. His gaze shifted and landed on Huang San, who had come uninvited.

He wore a neatly ironed white shirt and moved busily through the crowd, pouring wine and serving tea with such familiarity that he seemed almost like the host here. Zhou Ruo An narrowed his eyes and watched as the man handed a glass of iced beer to Lin Yi. When he left, the gaze stuck to Lin Yi was deep and lingering, like the “drooling” look Third Miss had when looking at Xu Yi Han.

“Have you heard?” After Bai Ban finished gnawing on the chicken drumstick, he leaned his head closer to Zhou Ruo An. “My brother…”

His mouth was greasy, so Zhou Ruo An quietly shifted half an inch to the side. “Speak properly.”

Bai Ban lowered his voice. “Did you know? My brother and Huang San are almost official.”

Zhou Ruo An looked back at Bai Ban and asked with a smile, “How did you know?”

Bai Ban stretched out two fingers side by side, pointed at his own eyes, then pointed at the two people across from them. “I can see it. Look at how much tacit understanding they have, how harmonious they are.”

Zhou Ruo An lit a cigarette, held it in his mouth, and gave an “mm.” “They are quite in sync. Oh, right…” he asked, “What’s Huang San’s name again?”

“Huang Bin.”

“Huang Bin? The bin in both literary and martial ability?”

Bai Ban had dropped out even earlier than Lin Yi. He thought for a moment, then grinned. “The bin in male guest—as in, ‘Welcome to Red Romance, two male guests this way.’ That bin.”

Zhou Ruo An laughed softly twice, cigarette between his lips, and lifted his chin toward the two people not far away. “You think they’re a good match?”

“I do.” Bai Ban wiped his mouth. “Huang Bin is honest, hardworking, and uncomplaining. As long as my brother gives him a task, he’ll risk his life to complete it. Besides, he’s deeply devoted to my brother. Sometimes even I feel moved watching him.”

Bai Ban dragged his chair a little closer to Zhou Ruo An and lowered his voice even further. “I plan to give the two of them a push today and help them pierce through that layer of window paper.”

Zhou Ruo An grew interested. “How are you going to push them?”

Bai Ban thought about it for a while, and in the end, only gave a vague answer. “Act according to the situation.”

Zhou Ruo An stood up and patted him twice on the shoulder. “Good luck.”

After saying this, he walked out from beneath the shade of the umbrella and made a gesture toward Uncle Zhong not far away.

……

Before long, a three-tier cake was slowly pushed out. Just as the long cake knife was lifted, Bai Ban suggested opening the presents first. He lightly bumped Huang Bin beside him with his shoulder. “You go first.”

“Brother Lin, happy birthday.” Huang Bin opened the box in his hands. Inside lay a dark-blue silk tie. The workmanship was exquisite, and one could tell at a glance that it was expensive.

Lin Yi was not very good at handling such occasions. He accepted the gift and only said lightly, “Thanks.”

As the gift was handed over, the distance between the two of them narrowed. At precisely this moment, Bai Ban suddenly squeezed in hard, and his elbow “accidentally” bumped Huang Bin’s waist. Caught off guard, Huang Bin tilted forward, and his lips landed heavily on Lin Yi’s cheek.

The air instantly froze.

Third Miss and Xu Yi Han both turned to look at Zhou Ruo An. The faint smile on the latter’s face slowly vanished, and a layer of coldness surfaced in his eyes.

Bai Ban was still adding fuel to the fire. “Huang Bin, why don’t you just give my brother a kiss as his birthday present?”

Before his words had even finished, he saw Zhou Ruo An slowly stand up and take the long cake knife from Uncle Zhong’s hand.

“I can’t wait to eat cake.” He smiled as he said it. The next moment, the long knife chopped down violently, splitting the three-tier cake in half from the middle. Cream collapsed, and fruit rolled off.

Zhou Ruo An turned his wrist. The tip of the knife scooped up a piece of cake, and he lightly brought it before Lin Yi. He bent down and murmured, “Eat cake, birthday boy.”

Lin Yi stared into Zhou Ruo An’s eyes and was silent for a long while before slowly moving closer to the tip of the knife.

Just as he was about to taste the sweetness on the blade, Zhou Ruo An loosened his fingers and tossed the cake knife away. He picked up a square handkerchief and, while wiping the cream from his hands, said to Third Miss standing to the side, “Cong Xia, go to the innermost bedroom on the second floor and bring me the veil in the cabinet.”

Third Miss was clearly stunned. She subconsciously glanced at Xu Yi Han beside her, and after the other woman nodded once, Third Miss quickly composed herself and hurried toward the villa.

In less than half a minute, she returned holding a snow-white veil.

“Give it to General Manager Lin.” Zhou Ruo An lifted his chin carelessly.

Third Miss timidly handed the veil to Lin Yi. This white veil had once been soiled in an unspeakable way, but now it had been washed spotless, glowing with a pearly sheen beneath the sunlight.

Lin Yi lowered his eyes and stared at it for a moment. Suddenly, the corners of his lips curved, revealing a helpless smile.

He took the veil and, under everyone’s shocked gazes, raised his hands and put it on his own head.

The snow-white gauze fell along both sides of his sharply defined face, making those deep eyes appear even more soul-stirring.

Lin Yi slowly walked toward Zhou Ruo An. Bracing both hands on the armrests of the chair, he leaned down and drew close until the tips of their noses nearly touched and their breaths intertwined.

“Call me husband.” Zhou Ruo An tilted his head up slightly and demanded in a flat voice.

Lin Yi lifted a hand to cup his cheek. Under the gazes of all the guests present, he called out in a low, clear voice, “Husband.”

The man’s voice was unbelievably gentle, yet carried an unquestionable certainty. Zhou Ruo An laughed softly. His slender fingers clenched Lin Yi’s collar, and he abruptly pulled him down. “Since you’re this obedient… then I’ll give you a kiss as your birthday present.”

He tilted his head slightly and, amid the sound of everyone sharply inhaling, kissed those thin lips.

With a clatter, the tie in Huang Bin’s hand slipped to the ground, and Bai Ban beside him directly collapsed into his chair… utterly dumbfounded.

……

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