Lan Xi had been going to the villa for seven days straight. His textbooks had already advanced from Grade 1 Chinese, Volume 2 to Grade 2 Chinese, Volume 2.
When he tried to go out again today, the doctor and caretaker had staked out his room early and blocked him right at the hotel-room door. “Young Master, you can’t go out today. Second Young Master’s flight arrives this afternoon.”
By now, Lan Xi could understand most of what people said. But he thought, What does Second Young Master’s flight arriving have to do with me?
Lan Xi pushed the doctor aside and walked out.
The doctor Wen Ming had hired for Lan Xi was forty-three this year, still in the prime of his life. He also worked out regularly. After all, if you didn’t stay fit, a violent confrontation with a patient or their family could very well be the end of you. He had always considered himself built like a tower compared with Young Master Wen.
Young Master Wen knocked that tower over.
Even as the doctor hit the floor, he still hadn’t quite processed what had happened. Lan Xi took two steps away, then turned back to look at him. In Lan Xi’s eyes, the doctor could clearly read: How did you fall over from one little push?
The doctor: “…”
If even someone as sturdy as the doctor had gone down, how would the caretaker dare stop him? She could only watch helplessly as Lan Xi walked away.
Once Lan Xi was completely out of sight, the two immediately pulled out their phones. One called Wen Ming to complain; the other called Wen Yue.
Yesterday, Lan Xi had learned another new trick from some of the hotel’s other guests. He folded one of the hotel napkins into a flower.
Then he gave the napkin flower to Fu Hui.
Fu Hui found it novel too. He accepted it and turned it around twice in his hand. “Where did you learn this?” Lan Xi didn’t answer, and Fu Hui was already used to that. He reached out and opened the gate.
Lan Xi had never heard the saying that momentum is strongest on the first charge, weakens on the second, and is exhausted by the third. The moment the gate opened, he unwaveringly threw himself toward Fu Hui yet again.
Elio’s Notes: 一鼓作气，再而衰，三而竭 is a classical saying from the Zuo Zhuan: morale is strongest at the first drumbeat, weakens at the second, and is exhausted at the third. Here, the joke is that Lan Xi keeps repeating the same seduction tactic no matter how many times it fails.
Today, Fu Hui caught him around the waist.
So slender.
Fu Hui’s eyelid twitched faintly.
For a moment, even the bodyguard failed to react. He stared in surprise as Fu Hui half-embraced Lan Xi and steadied him.
Lan Xi was ecstatic. He felt his chances of finally sleeping with the seraph today were excellent. Without thinking, he took Fu Hui’s hand and led him inside with him. Fu Hui really didn’t pull away.
The sunlight at nine thirty in the morning was just right, bathing the living room in shimmering gold. Once Lan Xi had settled onto the sofa, he turned and stared at Fu Hui, thinking that the man looked especially good today.
“Look at the book, not me.” Fu Hui turned his head back toward the textbook.
After teaching Lan Xi characters for a while as usual, the bodyguard emerged carrying a plate of taro-and-custard cake. Lan Xi immediately abandoned the pen in his hand and picked up the little silver spoon instead.
Fu Hui deliberately got up as though he were about to leave. Seeing this, Lan Xi hurriedly scooped up a spoonful of cake and offered Fu Hui the very first bite. It wasn’t as though he cared about swallowing the seraph’s saliva anyway.
Fu Hui froze.
He lowered his eyes to Lan Xi and said, “Now this is rare. I’m stealing food straight from a tiger’s mouth.”
Even the bodyguard couldn’t help laughing. For Lan Xi to give Sir the first bite really was rare.
Lan Xi was already secretly salivating. Irritated by Fu Hui’s dawdling, he simply pressed the little silver spoon against Fu Hui’s lips.
Fu Hui raised an eyebrow, but opened his mouth anyway.
Fu Hui had barely swallowed the bite, without even having time to properly taste it, when Lan Xi yanked the spoon back and started eating the cake himself.
Fu Hui: “…”
He pulled out a tissue and wiped his mouth. Through the tissue, his fingers rested against his own lips and rubbed them lightly, while his gaze settled on Lan Xi’s full lips.
After staring for a moment, Fu Hui suddenly felt that he was being absurd.
“You should go back early today.” Fu Hui gestured for the bodyguard to call Xiao Dong.
Lan Xi bit down on the silver spoon and froze. I even gave him the first bite of my cake! How come I still don’t get to sleep with him today?
Seeing that his expression had changed, the bodyguard hurriedly explained, “Sir has something to do later.”
Why does he have so many things to do every single day? Lan Xi complained silently.
He didn’t like hearing that, so he pretended not to understand. One hand was still holding the silver spoon, while the other quietly wound itself around Fu Hui’s arm. He was plainly trying to hold on and prevent him from leaving.
Fu Hui looked down and asked calmly, “What do you want?”
I want to sleep with you. Lan Xi ground his teeth.
Fu Hui had no idea what Lan Xi was thinking, but he could see the reluctance in his eyes and the faint puffing of his cheeks. He patted the back of Lan Xi’s neck and suddenly said something seemingly unrelated. “When are you going to make it all the way to Grade 12 Chinese, Compulsory Volume 2?”
Lan Xi: ?
What’s that?
Seeing his confusion, Fu Hui pointed to the textbook in front of him. “You still have twenty books to go.”
Lan Xi: “…”
Why is there so much to learn in Heaven?
Do I have to finish twenty more books before I’m allowed to sleep with a seraph?
Lan Xi was extremely displeased, but he had only just made a major breakthrough today and didn’t want to ruin it. He would be back tomorrow anyway. Maybe tomorrow he would finally get a kiss. And once they were kissing, he could use just a tiny bit of succubus technique and trick Fu Hui straight into bed.
Perfect!
Lan Xi finally, slowly, released his grip.
Not long after the bodyguard finished the call, Xiao Dong arrived drenched in sweat to collect him.
The timing was perfect, and Xiao Dong secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The manager had only just told him that Second Young Master Wen would arrive that afternoon… Once they got back, Xiao Dong would have to carefully warn Young Master not to let anything slip. No mentioning the villa. No mentioning Mr. Fu.
Fu Hui really did have something to do today; he had merely moved it forward a little. Xiao Dong had barely taken Lan Xi away when Fu Hui headed out as well.
They didn’t take a car. Fu Hui led the bodyguard deeper into the mountain forest, passed a large cemetery, and eventually stopped before an exceptionally simple gravestone.
Fu Hui sat in front of the grave for half an hour.
“Let’s go.”
It was still fairly early. Remembering their routine from previous years, the bodyguard hesitated before asking, “Sir, are we returning to Jing City tomorrow?”
Fu Hui didn’t answer. He walked slowly through the mountains for quite a while before quietly saying, “Ask Xiao Dong tomorrow whether he’d be willing to take his sister to Jing City and choose a professional facility for her treatment.”
The bodyguard immediately answered, “Yes, Sir!”
It’s rare for there to be someone I don’t dislike, Fu Hui thought.
There were very few interesting things in this world.
He had already gotten bored of the card games he had been playing lately too.
The moment Lan Xi entered his hotel room, someone grabbed him.
Wen Ming practically draped his entire body over Lan Xi’s shoulders, almost enveloping him in his arms.
Lan Xi thought about it. This counted as someone throwing himself into his arms, so he didn’t struggle.
“Where did you go?” Wen Ming asked with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Oh. His flight arrived—so he came here to find me.
Judging by his tone, this probably wasn’t anything good. Only then did Lan Xi start moving his arms and legs, trying to break free.
But several bodyguards immediately surrounded him. Some grabbed his arms, others his legs, and together they lifted him straight off the ground.
The scarf on Lan Xi’s head slipped to the floor.
His waterfall of long hair tumbled down over his shoulders.
Wen Ming’s gaze flickered as he remembered watching Lan Xi approach step by step through the floor-to-ceiling window a moment ago. Why is he dressed like a girl? Wen Ming had almost failed to recognize him at first glance.
Wen Ming rubbed his temple and gestured for the bodyguards to put Lan Xi on the bed.
Does he want to sleep with me?
That’s fine too.
Puzzled, Lan Xi stopped struggling.
“Where did you go? Answer me first.”
So much nagging. Lan Xi wrinkled his nose, his entire expression radiating noncooperation.
Unable to get an answer, Wen Ming became angry again. “What did I tell you before I left? Don’t run around. Don’t cause trouble. Is that really so difficult?”
To Lan Xi, he looked exactly like a fire-breathing dragon.
After hesitating, Lan Xi finally spoke. “Didn’t… cause.”
I only want to sleep with every seraph I can find. What did I do wrong?
Hearing his answer, Wen Ming froze.
Had he heard correctly?
Wen Lan was speaking normally now? Well, not entirely normally. But at least he had finally stopped speaking that incomprehensible alien language.
“Then where did you go? Speak!”
“Read… books.”
“…” Wen Ming laughed from sheer anger. “Do I look like I believe that? Since when have you ever seriously read a book?”
Lan Xi: “…”
When I don’t talk, he insists I talk. When I do talk, he doesn’t believe me.
So difficult to please.
Lan Xi rolled his eyes at him.
Wen Ming: “…”
Realizing he wasn’t going to get anything useful out of Lan Xi, Wen Ming turned away with a dark expression and asked, “Where’s the hotel employee who takes him out every day?”
The moment Xiao Dong heard that, he knew disaster had struck and turned to run.
But how could he possibly get away?
The bodyguards caught him in a few moves and dragged him inside as well.
Seeing how furtive he looked, Wen Ming became even more convinced that Lan Xi couldn’t stay at this hotel. He coldly asked Xiao Dong, “You tell me. What have you been taking him out to do every day?”
Xiao Dong stammered, “S-sometimes picking tea… sometimes r-reading. Really…” He hurriedly retrieved the Grade 1 Chinese, Volume 1 textbook that Lan Xi had swiped and showed it to Wen Ming. “Really. Young Master reads this book all the time.”
Wen Ming: “…………”
“Am I the crazy one, or are all of you?”
Wen Ming couldn’t be bothered talking to them any longer. He was afraid his lungs would explode from rage right there. He waved a hand. “Forget it. Get Wen Lan dressed. We’re leaving now.”
The bodyguards acknowledged the order and stepped forward to change Lan Xi’s clothes.
And by “clothes,” Wen Ming meant a straitjacket.
After the doctor’s complaint call, Wen Ming had learned that people experiencing psychiatric episodes could sometimes become extremely strong. That was exactly what he was guarding against. He had brought several bodyguards and specifically prepared the straitjacket.
A few minutes later.
Lan Xi, trussed up like a rice dumpling: ?
If you don’t want to sleep with me, you could’ve just said so!
…
Choosing an appropriate psychiatric hospital wasn’t easy either.
Wen Ming wanted Wen Lan to finally settle down, but he didn’t want him to live a life worse than death inside a psychiatric hospital.
Unfortunately, most psychiatric hospitals seemed perfectly capable of making life feel worse than death.
On the way back, he called Wen Yue and asked for his elder brother’s opinion.
Wen Yue asked, “What did the hotel staff say?”
At the mention of that, Wen Ming’s expression became complicated. “The Wen Lan they describe… is very strange.”
“Mm?”
“They say Wen Lan is obedient every day, very quiet, and barely speaks. They say he’s beautiful and likable.”
“…”
After a brief speechless pause, Wen Yue continued, “What about what the doctor said? Did you get to the bottom of that?”
At this, Wen Ming became even more lost for words. “I asked. They said he leaves early every morning to go read books. I don’t believe it anyway.”
Wen Yue didn’t say whether he believed it or not. He remained silent on the other end for quite a while before asking, “So during this stay, he hasn’t offended anyone?”
Wen Ming wasn’t entirely sure, but based on everything he knew, he answered, “Not so far.”
“Bring him back first and we’ll decide afterward. The situation with Mr. Fu has calmed down anyway,” Wen Yue decided.
“Okay.”
After hesitating for a moment, Wen Ming added, “I heard him speak today. He’s… still not very fluent, but he sounded like a normal person.”
“Bring him back first. We’ll talk then.”
Wen Yue ended the call.
His feelings were complicated.
If Wen Lan were completely insane, neither of them would feel even a moment of guilt about abandoning him.
But he just had to be getting better.
Morning sunlight spilled into the room.
Lan Xi opened his eyes and, for a moment, had no idea where he was.
He rolled around on the bed like a silkworm cocoon. Soft mattress. Familiar room. Oh. This is the house where those two brothers live!
He wriggled twice, trying to sit up, only for a large hand to reach in from the side and press him back down.
Lan Xi turned toward the owner of the hand and met a pair of dark, gloomy eyes. He shifted his gaze slightly and met another pair that were cold and exhausted.
What are they doing? Are they going to put me on trial? Lan Xi wriggled again.
Wen Yue and Wen Ming had been sitting beside the bed waiting for him to wake. They watched him open his eyes and immediately roll around on the bed once. …He seemed remarkably lively. For a moment, both brothers had extremely complicated feelings.
Wen Yue suppressed the emotions churning inside him and held Lan Xi firmly in place. “Can you understand what we’re saying now? If you understand, nod.”
Lan Xi nodded.
Wen Yue’s tone darkened as well. “I don’t care whether you plan to behave obediently or pretend to be stupid from now on. In any case, behave yourself and stop going around causing trouble.”
He paused. “You’re a living person. We can’t keep you tied up for the rest of your life. You can go out, but every time you leave, you have to report where you’re going and what you’re doing.”
Clearly, this was the conclusion the brothers had spent the entire night discussing.
Once Wen Yue finished, Wen Ming took out a tablet, opened a video, and handed it to Lan Xi.
The footage had been recorded inside a psychiatric hospital.
A patient was repeatedly slamming his head into a wall, his head covered in blood.
Several doctors rushed over and injected him with a sedative.
Lan Xi: ?
Wen Yue watched his reaction before continuing, “If you cause trouble again someday… this is where you’ll spend the rest of your life.”
Lan Xi blinked. The gruesome scene didn’t make him feel frightened or nauseated.
Then the camera turned and swept across the psychiatric hospital cafeteria. The patients inside stared blankly as they mechanically used silicone spoons to scoop mushy food from their trays and feed themselves.
That looks like shit!!!
Lan Xi: Ugh.
I’m not going to this place! I wouldn’t go even if I died ten thousand times!
Lan Xi even started twisting his head, trying to increase the distance between himself and the tablet.
Wen Ming: “…” Why do I feel like Wen Lan is more afraid of the psychiatric hospital’s cafeteria food?
“Understand everything?” Wen Yue asked again.
Lan Xi nodded several times in rapid succession.
Wen Yue stared at him for several seconds before bending down and beginning to remove the straitjacket.
It had been fastened very tightly. As soon as part of it came loose, red pressure marks were visible underneath.
Wen Yue’s movements paused, and his temple began throbbing.
Still expressionless, he continued by removing the bite block strapped over Lan Xi’s face to stop him from biting his tongue.
As soon as the restraint strap came away, two deep red marks across his face came into view.
…Even his lips had been pressed until marks remained, like a flower that had been crushed hard beneath someone’s fingers.
Wen Yue turned his face slightly away and stopped staring.
At last, the straitjacket was completely removed.
Lan Xi clenched his knuckles and immediately punched him.
Nine in the morning.
Fu Hui’s bodyguard went out twice.
When he finally returned, his face was stiff. “Sir, Miss A-Lan didn’t come today.”
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