179. How Can You Be so Shameless?

Yan squinted his eyes. “I know about what happened between you two. You took advantage of his inexperience when it came to emotions. You fooled him for years. I was going to let bygones be bygones since YouRan didn’t want to bother with it anymore. I didn’t think you’d dare to bother him while I’m away. You even hurt him. He Yuan, this will not be the end.”

He Yuan’s heart dropped. Yan knew! And to think he’d been so careful, afraid that Yan would find out. Yes, YouRan had clung onto the man’s leg. He would’ve told Yan about this matter. One, it’d wash the blame off YouRan. Two, it’d garner YouRan some sympathy. With how things were going, it’s highly unlikely this matter would end well for He Yuan.

“Is that what he told you?” He Yuan couldn’t resist spitefully saying. “People who fall in love really have dumbed-down minds. Do you really think I fooled him? With my status, I can have any kind of lover I want. Why would I need to lie? He offered himself up because he knew who I am! Only a naïve brat like you would treasure a ragged thing like him.”

YouRan’s face had finally regained some semblance of a healthy flush but He Yuan’s words dashed it all away. YouRan was so angry that his entire body was trembling as he stuttered, “You’re lying…! How can you be so shameless…?”

Yan hurriedly patted YouRan on the chest to help him catch his breath. As he did so, he coldly chuckled and shot at He Yuan, “Lover? It’s not hard for you to find a lover but you have to pretend to be the best husband ever twenty-four hours a day. Look for a lover? Aren’t you afraid she’d cause the roof of your house to blow up? Anyone else might believe you, but me? Do you think I wouldn’t know all about you and your capabilities? Well? Panicking, are you? You want to cause a rift between us? Do you think he told me about this? I don’t mind telling you, but I looked up everything. He didn’t say a single word. Before YiHan’s engagement party, he didn’t even know your real name.”

Yan looked down to find YouRan looking rather upset. “I didn’t mean to investigate you,” he hurriedly explained. “It’s just… After I became your neighbour…. You know, I’m a fan. I just wanted to know a little more about you. Then, I found out about this. Don’t be angry. I’ll explain everything to you later, okay? I definitely didn’t have another motive.”

He Yuan had never thought there was anything bad about YouRan’s profession. He even found it great. The man would be typing away at home all day long. He rarely left the apartment. That dramatically reduced the chance of the man discovering he’d been lied to. To He Yuan’s surprise, his books had found a fan with such great status and power. The two men even became neighbours by some odd luck! Were the gods toying with him?

Yan, on the other hand, felt like he hadn’t done enough to provoke He Yuan. “Why do you think YiHan and the others are so close to him?” Yan said, adding more fuel to the fire. “It’s because YiHan is also his fan. Oh, there’s also Pei-Pei. When they found out I’d become YouRan’s neighbour, they nearly went crazy with joy. If they ever have time, they’d lounge around here. They didn’t want to leave at all. Yes, it seriously affected my bonding time with YouRan.”

He Yuan opened his mouth but was interrupted by Yan before he even said a word. “You don’t need to try and bad-mouth him to me,” Yan said. “I know everything about this matter. I know so much more about it than he does.”

He Yuan’s lips were trembling as he asked through gritted teeth, “So you plan on telling your aunt about this?”

“Should I not tell her?” Yan said with raised eyebrows. “Who would’ve thought a member of the Yan family would be fooled into marrying a gay, cheating man? I think she has the right to know about this.”

He Yuan looked at YouRan as he replied to Yan, “You should know that once Miao knows of his existence, she won’t stop until he’s dead. He can’t continue on being a writer then.”

Yan’s arms around YouRan tightened. “That’s none of your concern,” he calmly said. “If I can’t even protect my lover, I’m not fit to be part of the Yan family.”

He Yuan smirked. “Yan Miao is also part of the Yan family. She’s also your elder. Even if she’s not much older, she still belongs to an older generation. She is the youngest daughter of old Mr Yan. She’s the only daughter he has, the daughter he’d doted on for years. If she kicks up a fuss, even you would be powerless.”

Yan’s lips perked up into a smile. “If my status isn’t enough, what if the Bai and Mu families are involved? YiHan is also a diehard fan of YouRan. He knows about this too. You know how he’s treated in the Bai family. It would only be a request to protect a man. I believe Uncle Bai wouldn’t say no. Furthermore, he had just gotten engaged with Mr Mu. Everyone in the city knows what Mr Mu thinks of him. What YiHan thinks equals what Mr Mu thinks. Privately, Mr Mu even jokes about being the family of a fan.

“Of course, there’s Pei-Pei. Do you think that, with so many of us, YouRan can’t be shielded from harm?”

He Yuan gulped. Still, he persisted. “Stop trying to glorify him. He’s only an author you guys like. Would the Bai and Mu families make an enemy of the Yan family over him? This is no game.”

Yan coldly smiled. “Don’t believe me? Let’s see just how important YouRan is to YiHan.” As he said so, he dug out his phone to call YiHan. He even put the call on speakerphone.

He Yuan face went stark pale. Yan really had the guts to call Bai YiHan! The man wasn’t bluffing. He Yuan thought this matter was a well-kept secret. So many people knew!

The call was soon answered. “Yan?” came Bai YiHan’s voice from the other end of the call. “What is it?”

Yan immediately answered, “While we were away, He Yuan barged into YouRan’s home and injured him. He’s still here. YouRan is quite badly injured. He also fainted just now. Come and help me get YouRan to the hospital.”

YiHan’s voice instantly rose to a high-pitch shriek, “What did you say? Aaah! That makes me so angry! Don’t worry! I’ll be there soon!”

YiHan’s words were followed by a series of loud bangs and clattering. Something had fallen to the ground.

“What happened?” came the deep voice of Mu JingYuan.

“He Yuan barged into Nan Shan’s home and beat him up,” said YiHan’s panicked voice. “Yan says he’s badly hurt. I must get there now!”

“Don’t worry just yet,” JingYuan replied in a louder voice. “I’ll go with you. Yan is there now. They’ll be fine.”

Then, as if YiHan just realised he hadn’t hung up yet, he asked into the phone, “Yan, how’s the situation now? Are Nan Shan’s injuries severe? Has He Yuan ran off already?” His voice came in harsh pants as though he was walking briskly.

The expression on Yan’s face softened. He smiled at He Yuan, who had turned a ghastly pale shade, and calmly answered, “You don’t need to rush. He Yuan is still here. YouRan said he was merely suffocated. He’s fine now but he should go for a thorough check at the hospital. There’s a big bruise on his jaw. I don’t know if there are any other wounds on him.”

Quick footsteps can be heard from the other end of the call, as if YiHan was running. “What?” YiHan huffed out. “Nearly suffocated? That’s no big deal? My god! That’s murder! We must get him to the hospital now! Don’t worry. JingYuan and I will be there soon. Right. How is Nan Shan holding up? Did He Yuan agitate him?”

“He’s definitely angry but I’m here,” Yan steadily replied. “He’s safe now. He looks okay. You guys don’t need to race over here. Drive carefully.”

There was a loud bang from YiHan’s end as he closed the door. “Aaaargh!” YiHan hoarsely shouted. “I’m just so angry! We were so careful, but he still found a way to sneak in! I’m going to strangle him to death! Wait there. Don’t let him run away! We’ll be there right away!”

The call was ended then. Yan waved his phone. “Guaranteed to be authentic. You should’ve recognised Bai YiHan and Mu JingYuan’s voices, right? They’ll be here soon. Well? Do you still think we’re playing around?”

“How can it be?” He Yuan mumbled. “This…”

Yan’s gaze went cold. “Of course, someone like you wouldn’t understand it. If one sees some random stranger in need, there would be a passionate fellow who would help them. Furthermore, YouRan isn’t just the author we like. He is also their friend and my lover. You trespassed his home, insulted him and you nearly killed him. Isn’t it normal for them to worry and for me to be angry?

“He Yuan, no matter how much of a coward I can be, I could never have let this be. As I’ve said, this is not the end.”

He Yuan stuttered, “How can you not care about your aunt…”

“Hah! Are you a fool?” said Yan. “When she knows of the ugly side of your two-timing face, it’d be a question whether she still wants you or not. What do I have to worry about?”

The other man’s hands clawed at the floor. “Even if she doesn’t want me, she would still be angry. If this matter blows up until everyone knows, it’d be bad for YouRan too, right? Can he still be a writer then?”

Yan hesitated. Still, he insisted, “He is mine. He doesn’t need to do anything. Do you think I can’t afford to feed and clothe him?”

“Even if you’re okay with it, he wouldn’t be,” He Yuan hurriedly said. He could see Yan’s resolve wavering. “When I gave him money before, he wouldn’t accept a single cent. He’s not interested in anything but writing his stories. If he can’t continue on this path, it’d be a drastic blow to him. Do you really not mind?”

Yan looked down at YouRan. He sneakily winked at the man in his arms before looking up and glumly said, “With our protection, my aunt might not be able to kick up a fuss.”

Noticing the change in expression, He Yuan hurriedly said, “But it’s still very much a possibility, isn’t it? What if? If the situation gets out of control and news spreads, YouRan’s reputation would definitely take a hit.”

Yan glance at YouRan before smirking. “You would be concerned about the state of his reputation?”

“What will happen to him has nothing to do with me,” said He Yuan. “All I care about is if Miao would find out about this. I swear, I don’t have any other lovers. From now on, I will be doubly good to Miao. We already have two kids. How could we split up so easily? Her knowledge of this would benefit no one at all! Is there a need for everyone to suffer?

“But if you don’t say anything, I, Miao and our two kids would remain as the happy family everyone envies. Your aunt would live out a happy life. If a secret is locked away and left to rot, then we can absolutely think of it as having never existed before! And I swear, from now on, I will never ever visit YouRan again. Even if we meet by coincidence, I will take the long way round to avoid him. How about it?”