[Urban] Hidden Sin (Complete) - 16-18

The 72nd Love Triangle:

Lian Yu found it all so troublesome.

She got up at six in the morning, heated up some leftovers from yesterday, and by the time she finished eating, it was already past six-thirty. By the time she left home and reached the bus stop, it was usually around six-forty, followed by an hour-long bus ride to school. She

barely had time to sit down before the bell rang for class.

She was quite helpless about this; her living conditions were better, but the time cost was much higher. She had protested to Xue Jin several times, but to no avail.

The girl was very frustrated and finally had to accept her fate.

After the first class, the students became active, gathering in twos and threes to discuss the chemistry tests they had just received

. This was yesterday's quiz; the teacher had worked very hard, spending the whole evening grading them. During class, the teacher had told the students to discuss it after class to avoid disrupting classroom discipline.

Lian Yu looked at her score: 102.

This score was not bad, an improvement from last time, thanks to Xue Jin's careful and thorough help over the weekend.

Lian Yu smiled and glanced at her deskmate out of the corner of her eye: the other girl's test paper was folded in half, only visible to the person directly in front of her. Observing her classmate's expression, she seemed unhappy.

Noticing the girl's gaze, her deskmate turned to meet her: "What was your score?"

"And you? Mine's over 100." Lian Yu's chemistry test score was just above 100, placing her in the top 10 even in the elite class.

But their high school was a third-rate one; their scores could never compare to those of average or top schools.

"Really? You were secretly studying, weren't you? You only got 88 on the last test, not even passing." Her deskmate's tone was slightly sarcastic.

"Yeah, that's right. How can I improve my scores if I don't study? What was your score?" Lian Yu asked again, confident that the other girl's score was definitely lower than hers.

Her deskmate sighed, noticing the activity around them. Seeing they were all busy with their own things, she unfolded her test paper for her: "..."

95 points! Lian Yu felt a little happy; her deskmate had always been good at chemistry, and she rarely had the chance to surpass her.

"You did very well. Didn't the teacher say the questions were a bit difficult this time, and only 12 people passed?" Lian Yu wanted to comfort her, but the words that came out sounded a little awkward.

Her deskmate glared at her, and Lian Yu awkwardly stuck out her tongue: "I didn't mean anything by it. I'll try harder next time."

"I'm in a bad mood. I clearly studied hard, how come I couldn't even beat you?" The girl was genuinely disappointed: every point was a student's lifeline.

"Uh..." Lian Yu blinked her big eyes, unsure what to say.

"Don't be upset. It's just a small test, it doesn't mean anything. You didn't do well this time, just do better next time." This time, Lian Yu's words seemed more reasonable.

"That's true, but I'm still in a bad mood. What do you suggest?" Her deskmate stared at her pitifully.

"..." Lian Yu had a bad feeling.

"Tell me, tell me! Aren't you my good friend? I'm so sad, and you don't even have a shred of sympathy!" Her deskmate angrily shook her arm.

"What do you want me to say?" Lian Yu was completely bewildered.

"Buy me ice cream!" the girl pleaded, her eyes filled with a hopeful smile.

"Ah, that's it! No problem. We'll go to the convenience store during the next break." Lian Yu breathed a sigh of relief; how much does an ice cream cost?

Her deskmate shook her head, leaning close to her ear and coaxing, "Not the convenience store's, but the 'Ice and Fire' ice cream from that ice cream shop near the school."

Lian Yu's heart clenched immediately: that shop had only recently opened, but it was very popular; everyone who had tried it said it was delicious, but it was indeed expensive.

"Are you taking me for a fool?" the girl blurted out without thinking.

Her deskmate paused, her smile freezing on her lips, lingering for a long time before silently releasing her arm. "How can you be so stingy? Your uncle drives to pick you up every day, and you won't even spend this little bit of money."

Lian Yu lowered her head, sullen. Her deskmate was good in every way, except she liked to take advantage of her. Borrowing pens and erasers was one thing, but sometimes she wouldn't even return her borrowed reference books.

Occasionally, when they went out together, she always insisted on paying. Even if she had money, she should still contribute fairly. She had never asked her deskmate to buy her anything, so why was the other girl so generous?

Lian Yu couldn't understand. She was very careful with money, afraid of leaving a bad impression, but what could she do with such a greedy deskmate?

Maybe she didn't mean any harm, but this behavior was wrong. Lian Yu looked at the chemistry test paper in her hand, unable to feel happy at all.

Just then, a figure darted over: "Hey, Lian Yu, you did well on the test this time!"

The girl looked up and saw Guo Jia standing smiling beside her desk. Because of her bad mood, she only gave a simple "oh."

Her deskmate, looking displeased, glanced at her test paper and angrily turned away.

Guo Jia had deliberately come over to check the girl's score. Seeing the awkward atmosphere between the two, and the boy's inexplicable gaze lingering between them, she asked,

"Hehe, what's wrong between you two?" After hesitating for a moment, Guo Jia finally spoke.

Lian Yu remained silent, but her deskmate turned to look at Guo Jia: "Her test score was higher than mine. I asked her to treat me to ice cream, but she was stingy and unwilling, saying I was taking advantage of her. Fine, don't treat me then, why say such nasty things?"

Lian Yu's eyes widened in anger, and she glared at her: "You're so picky. High-end ice cream, you shouldn't have even mentioned treating me."

Despite being furious inside, the girl didn't argue, intending to distance herself from her in the future.

"Oh~!" Guo Jia smiled, lowering his voice, and said, "It's just ice cream, how about I treat you?" Upon hearing this,

both girls froze. Guo Jia wasn't usually very generous; he was a good student and often took advantage of others. Offering to treat them was a first, especially to two girls. Luckily

, the classroom was noisy enough for anyone to hear him, otherwise… Guo Jia would have been in for a hefty bill.

Lian Yu and her deskmate exchanged glances, then the eager-to-eat-ice-cream deskmate asked, "Really? Guo Jia, you have to keep your word!"

Hearing this, the girl felt embarrassed: You, all you think about is food.

"Never mind, that's not a good idea!" Lian Yu tried to decline; she didn't want to take advantage of a boy.

“It’s not a bad idea. We can walk together during lunch break, and I’ll treat you to lunch.” Guo Jia tried to keep his gaze fixed on his deskmate, because if he stared at Lian Yu, his heart would involuntarily race.

Before Lian Yu could say anything, her deskmate had already agreed, his cheeks slightly flushed.

After school at noon, Lian Yu had an urge to run away. She wasn’t good at socializing, especially with boys. Besides, she sensed that her deskmate seemed to have a crush on Guo Jia. If she went, wouldn’t she be a third wheel?

“Let’s go, hurry up and pack up! What are you standing there for?!” Her deskmate was very quick. After packing up, he glanced at Guo Jia behind him and then turned back to urge Lian Yu.

The two friends, who had been at each other’s throats just a few hours ago, were now talking and chatting away, both very straightforward. Lian Yu thought to herself, that’s just her deskmate’s personality—she gets angry quickly, but she gets over it even faster. Why should she take it so seriously?

"Okay, okay." The girl's tone was a little impatient, as she didn't really want to go.

When most of the other students had left, Guo Jia finally strolled over from behind. He walked ahead, gesturing for them to follow with his eyes; his demeanor was very dashing, leaving the girls mesmerized.

"Have you noticed? Guo Jia is actually quite handsome," her deskmate whispered, linking her arm with his.

"Yeah." Lian Yu wasn't interested in handsome guys her age right now; her mind was completely focused on Xue Jin. Something must have happened recently, something she couldn't quite figure out.

She was currently living a very difficult life, and she couldn't see her brother Cheng, so she had no time to pay attention to Guo Jia.

"Besides, he's a good student; he'll definitely get into university in the future," her deskmate added, seeing her lack of enthusiasm.

Lian Yu remained noncommittal; it didn't concern her much.

The three of them, one in front and two behind, left the school gate. Guo Jia then stopped, seemingly waiting for them.

"What do you want to eat? Flatbread? Spicy hot pot? Rice bowl? Or ramen?" Guo Jia looked around; there weren't many decent restaurants, but that was fine, it saved money.

The two girls exchanged a glance and said in unison, "Whatever you want."

Guo Jia smiled, hands in his pockets, and walked towards a dumpling restaurant: the storefront wasn't big, but it was decent enough.

Inside, the proprietress found them a clean table.

The two girls were too shy to order anything, so they ended up ordering two large plates of dumplings: pork and cilantro, and chives and egg.

At the table, the three chatted and laughed. Guo Jia told some funny stories about his classmates, making the girls happy. Whenever his eyes met Lian Yu's, he felt a little awkward, but he was much more relaxed with the other girl.

Soon, the dumplings arrived. They put some soy sauce and rice vinegar in small dishes and began to eat.

The girls ate with the boys rather delicately, especially Lian Yu's deskmate, who usually had a huge appetite, but today even her chopsticks looked awkward: as if she couldn't stretch those two wooden sticks.

"Lian Yu, has the teacher talked to you recently?" Guo Jia asked while eating.

The girl was stunned for a moment, then realized, "I've been studying very hard lately, the teacher hasn't talked to me."

"Well, actually, the homeroom teacher is a good person, just a bit sharp-tongued." Guo Jia was a boy, and also playful, so he had been criticized and educated by the homeroom teacher many times, but being a boy, he was thick-skinned.

"She's more than just sharp-tongued?! She..." Lian Yu was a little agitated, but immediately realized she had lost her composure: What was wrong with her? How could the top student who was so close to the homeroom teacher be talking badly about her?

For a moment, the boys and her deskmate all looked at her, and the atmosphere at the table became a little strange.

The dumplings were ordered by Guo Jia and her deskmate, and they tasted okay, but Lian Yu didn't eat much at noon.

"Why do you always eat chives and eggs? Eat some meat!" Guo Jia observed the girl, displeased, and picked up a dumpling filled with meat and cilantro.

Lian Yu frowned. She had recently watched TV and heard that many snack shops liked to buy inferior pork to make dumpling fillings for their customers.

"Thank you." Lian Yu reluctantly put the dumpling to her mouth and ate it in small bites.

After finally swallowing it, she saw Guo Jia about to put another one in her bowl. In the blink of an eye, the dumpling floated into her bowl.

"Eat more, you're too thin." After the boy said this, he immediately felt two displeased gazes directed at him—the gazes of a third party filled with jealousy and anger.

Lian Yu also sensed something was wrong, but she just lowered her head and silently ate her dumpling.

Guo Jia knew his behavior was somewhat ambiguous, but he couldn't control himself. After the girl ate the second dumpling, he pretended to put another one in Lian Yu's bowl, which the girl couldn't handle.

"No, no! I don't like meat, you eat it." After saying that, Lian Yu added: her deskmate likes meat.

"Who doesn't like meat? Don't be so polite with me, you're my guests." As she spoke, the dumpling fell onto Lian Yu's plate again.

The girl forced herself to finish the third dumpling, then quickly grabbed a napkin from the side and wiped her mouth.

"I'm full, you guys eat slowly." As Lian Yu spoke, she noticed her deskmate's expression, which was even worse than when they had argued earlier.

The girl sighed inwardly: Who did I offend? Why Guo Jia?

Thinking this, she looked up and met the boy's gaze. The two of them awkwardly looked away and quickly lowered their heads. Now Lian Yu had a guess in her mind: Could it be that Guo Jia had a crush on her?

She thought back to when she first transferred to his class in the second year of junior high. His behavior towards her didn't seem like that, but what did his current actions mean?

Lian Yu was slow to react to other people's feelings for her, but she was remarkably persistent and unwavering in her feelings for Brother Cheng.

The three of them ate the meal, each lost in their own thoughts. After Guo Jia paid the bill, she suggested going for ice cream. Her deskmate, who had initially seemed very interested, now appeared indifferent.

Just as Guo Jia took out her money to buy a one-yuan stick of mung bean soup, her deskmate suddenly exclaimed, "I want a 'hot and cold' ice cream!"

Lian Yu glared at her sheepishly, thinking, "That's enough, don't go too far."

Guo Jia paused for a moment, then smiled and agreed. The group arrived at a nearby ice cream shop. As soon as the waiter brought the menu, her deskmate snatched it.

She pointed randomly at the menu, then added in a very condescending manner, "Three more bottles of Sprite, please."

Lian Yu felt like his stomach was about to burst from all the cold drinks. He'd ordered too much, and he couldn't return it; throwing it away would be a waste of resources and money. His deskmate, on the other hand, was clutching his stomach in a sorry state, his face pale, even his lips bloodless. Only Guo Jia seemed relatively normal. But

when it came time to pay the bill, his expression changed: they had just finished eating, and they'd already eaten another 100 yuan of his money. Since treating the girls to dinner, Guo Jia had become increasingly close to Lian Yu, always wanting to be at the front, and he'd developed a bad habit: kicking the girls' chairs. That day, after morning exercises, the students gradually returned to the classroom. Guo Jia and his deskmate were almost the last to wander in. He stopped in front of Lian Yu's desk, and his deskmate gave him a mischievous look before returning to his seat. "Lian Yu, is your MP3 player new?" The girl, who was listening to music, quickly looked up and nodded. The MP3 player was a small perk from Xue Jin's company. "Looks pretty good, let me see." Lian Yu wasn't good at refusing people, so she reached out and took the earphones, handing the MP3 player to him. At this moment, Lian Yu's deskmate looked up from his book and glared at Guo Jia: "Class is about to start, and you're still blocking the aisle. It's inconvenient for other students to move around." The girl didn't care much about what happened last time, but she would occasionally tease Guo Jia. The boy smiled at her and tilted his head, saying, "I'm willing, you mind your own business." The deskmate's face turned red with anger at his words, and he said in a high-pitched voice, "Who cares about you? Who cares about you? You're just an eyesore." Lian Yu sat between the two of them, feeling quite helpless. However, this time, Guo Jia ignored his deskmate and just looked down at the player, fiddling with it with a very amused expression. "It has quite a lot of functions, it must be expensive, right?" Guo Jia asked the girl as he put the earphones into his own ear canal. "Someone gave it to me, I don't know how much it cost." Lian Yu was a little anxious; class was about to start, why wasn't he back yet?

Guo Jia didn't say anything, looking down at the songs, then suddenly looked up at her and said, "Can I borrow your MP3 player for a class?"

"You...you want to listen to a class?" Lian Yu was taken aback.

"Yes, I sit in the back, the teacher won't notice." Guo Jia winked at her, a smile playing on his lips, looking like he needed something.

"..." Lian Yu thought for a moment, too embarrassed to refuse him: "Okay then, take it, but be careful of the teacher."

"It's okay, if it gets confiscated, I'll buy you a new one." Saying this, the boy took off the MP3 player's earphones, put them in his pocket, and walked to his seat.

Her deskmate turned around and looked at her strangely.

"What's wrong?" Lian Yu was confused by her gaze.

"Are you and Guo Jia dating?" Her deskmate's gaze was intriguing: three parts jealousy, two parts anger, and five parts indifference.

Lian Yu was startled: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

"Tch..." Her deskmate narrowed her eyes and retorted in a low voice, "I'm not talking nonsense. Everyone says Guo Jia has a crush on you. Haven't you seen him always hanging around you during breaks?"

Lian Yu was speechless. She looked at her deskmate with a slight unease: Did her classmates really think that way about her and Guo Jia? Dating? Lian Yu was instantly furious, feeling slandered.

Early romance wasn't something to be proud of in her mind, especially in this relatively simple school where it was widely condemned.

Lian Yu's heart pounded with anxiety. She snapped at her deskmate, "That doesn't prove anything! I lent him something, we're friends, is that wrong?"

Her deskmate glanced at her out of the corner of her eye: "That's not just what I said, everyone's saying it."

Lian Yu felt a surge of frustration and helplessness. She instinctively turned around, her eyes meeting Guo Jia's. Feeling inexplicably guilty, she quickly turned away.

She was confused and realized something was wrong, but how could she tell Guo Jia? He hadn't confessed his feelings, there was just some ambiguity between them, but that ambiguity wasn't allowed.

Ring ring ring—the school bell rang throughout the school, and the teacher entered the classroom as it rang.

"Good morning, students!" the homeroom teacher's clear voice rang out.

"Good morning, teacher!" everyone stood up and greeted her.

"Sit down, let's begin class. Class representative, where did we leave off last time?" The homeroom teacher was an experienced teacher, but sometimes she could be careless.

"Teacher, we've reached page 121..."

The homeroom teacher opened the book. She was very familiar with the curriculum; she could cover each lesson fluently with just a glance. She turned to the blackboard and wrote today's lesson topic.

Lian Yu listened, occasionally glancing back at Guo Jia while the teacher turned to write on the blackboard. She saw Guo Jia with her book open, standing upright in front of her. From her seat, she couldn't see what Guo Jia was doing.

After a while, the teacher suddenly sharpened her gaze and shot straight to the back row.

"Guo Jia, you answer this question." Many students looked back, and Guo Jia hesitated for a moment before slowly standing up from behind her book.

"Teacher, what did you say?" Guo Jia asked confidently.

This immediately caused a small commotion. Many students chuckled secretly, while Guo Jia's deskmate immediately nudged him and pointed to a certain exercise.

The teacher's face was grim. He composed himself, not lashing out, and as the boy flipped through his book looking for the question, he kindly reminded him, "Page 123, question 2."

After a flurry of activity, Guo Jia finally found it and, after careful reading, quickly answered the question: "Choose B."

"Right? Class?" As he asked, the teacher strode down from the podium. Lian Yu suddenly had a bad feeling.

"Yes!" everyone chorused in affirmation.

The teacher stopped beside Guo Jia, glared at him, and reached into his desk, easily pulling out a small device—an MP3 player playing music.

When the homeroom teacher's gaze returned to Guo Jia's face, his previous composure was gone; his cheeks were slightly flushed, and he looked embarrassed, perhaps with something else in mind.

"Class, everyone should learn from Guo Jia. He can answer questions correctly even while listening to an MP3 player in class—what a genius!" Before the words were finished, some students burst into laughter.

Guo Jia heard the sarcasm in her voice, his face flushed with shame, and his head slowly drooped.

"Alright, don't say I'll keep the thread for you. Come to my office after class." The teacher's expression hardened, her gaze sweeping across the classroom like a fishing net, and the students immediately fell silent.

After class, as Guo Jia walked past Lian Yu, he tossed out an "I'm sorry" and hurried away. Lian Yu felt terrible, unsure what to say.

Did she blame him? Not really. Did she pity him? A little bit.

This wasn't the first time Guo Jia had come to the homeroom teacher, but this time was different. This good student usually got criticized for his grades, but now it was for classroom discipline.

The teachers in the same room as the homeroom teacher all looked at him when he came in: "Isn't this Guo Jia? What did you do wrong this time?"

Guo Jia scratched his head, took the MP3 player out of his pocket without saying a word, and slammed it on the table, saying, "You dare to listen to an MP3 player in my class? Tell me, how outrageous is that?"

The teachers all smiled knowingly. There weren't many mischievous students, but even those few were enough to keep them in check; each of them had plenty of experience.

Guo Jia stood there, motionless, while the homeroom teacher was hunched over his desk, looking at a teaching research document.

After a while, the bell rang, and the other teachers, who had classes to attend to, left with their textbooks, leaving only the homeroom teacher and Guo Jia in the office.

The teacher put down his book and turned to Guo Jia, saying, "Go and close the door."

The boy quickly complied; he needed to be polite now to get lenient treatment. The MP3 player wasn't his; if the teacher confiscated it, how would he explain it to Lian Yu?

"Stand still. What's with this MP3 player?" The teacher didn't criticize him first; the question surprised the boy.

"Uh, I just bought it recently. I downloaded some songs, and I couldn't resist listening to them during class." Guo Jia smiled respectfully at the teacher.

"Really? What songs are they?" The teacher turned on the MP3 player and looked through the songs.

"..." Guo Jia thought for a moment, recalling a few he had heard: "Jay Chou's, Angela Chang's... Invisible Wings." Because boys often read their classmates' entertainment newsletters, he knew a bit about singers, but they sang so many songs, and he had listened to so many, but he couldn't name every single one.

"Anything else?" The homeroom teacher looked down and fiddled with the little gadget in his hand: it was a square, pink MP3 player, like a large eraser, and most importantly, it had a delicate chain on one side with a decorative dolphin attached to it.

"And, and... and Rene Liu's 'Later'..." Guo Jia thought for a long time before remembering.

The homeroom teacher put down the MP3 player, looking at him with a disapproving expression: "Just tell me, roughly how many songs are on that MP3 player?"

Guo Jia was taken aback. What did the teacher mean? He looked at the pretty player and suddenly realized: the color and design of the player were completely feminine. How come he hadn't noticed?

This realization caused fine beads of sweat to appear on the boy's forehead: "About ten or so songs?"

The teacher raised an eyelid, frowned, and looked at him somewhat casually: "Whose MP3 player is this?"

Guo Jia's mind went blank for half a second, and he felt cold sweat breaking out in his palms: teenage boys and girls are very sensitive and strong-willed, and they don't want anyone to find out even the smallest secret, especially teachers and parents.

"This MP3 player isn't mine, it's my cousin's," Guo Jia said hastily.

"Oh, really? What's your cousin's name? Is she also from our school?" the teacher continued to press.

"No, no, she's from the Municipal Experimental School. Her name is xx." Guo Jia did have a cousin, and she did go to the Municipal Experimental School, but the name wasn't quite right.

Guo Jia didn't know why he lied, but he did.

"Alright, tell your cousin to come over when she has time, and tell her to come and get the MP3 player herself." The homeroom teacher said, throwing the MP3 player into the drawer.

"T-Teacher..." Guo Jia finally understood; she never intended to give him the player in the first place.

"Don't say anything more. This is your first offense, so I'll let you off this time. Now go back to class immediately." After saying that, the teacher took the materials she had just been looking at.

Actually, the homeroom teacher had initially suspected that the MP3 player belonged to a female student in the class, but now she couldn't help but feel a little disappointed: teachers can be quite perverted sometimes, and she just likes to lecture people.

"T-Teacher... please don't do this, this MP3 player isn't mine, please give it back to me, I promise I won't do it again." Guo Jia was so anxious he was almost stomping his feet.

"Get out, go to class, don't delay your studies." The teacher turned her chair around, completely turning her back to him.

Guo Jia's heart sank. He knew that nothing he said would make a difference. He glanced at the homeroom teacher's back one last time, then turned and left.

Watching the boy walk into the classroom dejectedly, Lian Yu understood perfectly: he wasn't going to get the MP3 player back.

When Guo Jia passed by her, he gave her an apologetic look. Because there was a teacher in class, he couldn't say anything, so this was the only way he could express himself.

Lian Yu smiled at him.

Actually, she hadn't paid for the device; it was a gift. If it was gone, it was gone. If her uncle asked, she'd just tell him she'd lost it accidentally.

After school, Lian Yu and her deskmate walked out of the classroom. Guo Jia caught up from behind.

"Lian Yu and I have something to talk about. You go first, okay?" The boy glanced at Lian Yu's deskmate, who was quite perceptive: she knew what they were going to talk about.

After the girl left, Guo Jia looked at Lian Yu and smiled apologetically: "I'm sorry, the teacher wouldn't give me the MP3 player. I'll buy you a new one in a few days."

"No need. I didn't really like listening to it anyway. It's okay if it's gone." Lian Yu was still somewhat excited about the device, having only had it for a few days, but she didn't want the boy to compensate her.

"How can I do that? I have to pay for it. It's all my fault." Guo Jia was getting anxious.

“Really, it’s not necessary. It’s not worth much, why are you so fussy? Aren’t we still friends?” Lian Yu patiently persuaded him: Even though he said it wasn’t worth much, it was still 100 or 200 yuan.

“Whether it’s valuable or not, I’ll give you one back. I don’t want to owe anyone.” The boy’s pride was at play; if people knew he was acting this way, they would definitely gossip.

Lian Yu understood his feelings and considered for a moment before saying, “Okay then, just buy one.”

Guo Jia immediately beamed, “What color do you like? Still pink? What shape would you like?”

Lian Yu’s long eyelashes fluttered, and a smile spread across her lips, “Anything is fine.”

As the sun began to set, the sunlight slanted across the girl’s face, bathing her in a golden glow. Her long, fluttering eyelashes were made even more beautiful: at that moment, the girl looked as pure as an angel.

"What's wrong? Is there something around my eyes?" Lian Yu felt uncomfortable under his gaze and subconsciously rubbed her skin with the back of her hand.

"Uh, no, nothing, I just think you've gotten fairer." Guo Jia instantly remembered the girl's sallow face from before.

"Oh, really?" Lian Yu was happy to be complimented. She couldn't help but touch her face; her skin seemed much smoother. She was no longer the ugly duckling, but she wasn't a swan either.

Xue Jin parked his car on the side of the road and happened to see Lian Yu come out, followed by a boy. The two of them were alone together, talking about something, and seemed quite intimate.

Xue Jin's expression changed. He hadn't said he would pick her up today; it was a spur-of-the-moment decision. Bai Sisi wasn't home, and he had to take good care of his son, so it was difficult for him to find time to see the girl every day.

As time passed, the man's expression worsened, and finally, he couldn't resist taking out his phone and dialing the girl's number: "Xiaoyu, it's time to go home."

Lian Yu sensed something was wrong with his tone and quickly looked around. She easily spotted Xue Jin's car. She hung up, hurriedly said goodbye to Guo Jia, and ran towards the Audi.

Xue Jin opened the car door, let the little girl in, and then started the engine. The car smoothly drove away.

Lian Yu placed her small hands neatly on her knees, slightly turned her head, and looked over: the uncle's profile was perfect, but what didn't match it was the aura he exuded.

The girl had spent some time with Xue Jin and knew what he looked like when he was angry, just like now. Lian Yu felt a pang of sadness, knowing she might have offended him.

The girl shifted uncomfortably, trying to find a more comfortable position. Just then, the man spoke: "Who was that boy just now?"

Lian Yu was startled; it was indeed the one from earlier. "My classmate, Guo Jia."

"What did you say to him?" Xue Jin's tone was icy, his expression stern and serious.

"Nothing much, just casual conversation." Lian Yu thought of her MP3 player, realizing she couldn't talk about this today.

"Casual conversation? What did you and him have to talk about?" Xue Jin abruptly turned his face, his gaze sharp as a knife, almost cutting the little girl's skin.

Lian Yu stiffened, silently lowering her head. "I'm sorry, he contacted me. We didn't talk much, just about things that happened at school."

"I don't want to hear that." Xue Jin turned his face away, his gaze fixed on the rear of the car in front.

"I'm sorry, I won't talk to him again next time." Lian Yu knew what the man wanted to hear, so she obediently agreed.

Xue Jin didn't say anything, just drove. After a while, his imposing aura softened considerably.

"Xiaoyu, let me hire a tutor for you." Xue Jin's tone wasn't a question, but a statement.

The girl looked up, puzzled.

"I've been busy lately, so it might be difficult to take care of your studies. How about I hire a graduate student to tutor you on weekends?" Xue Jin had a big case to work on, and he was constantly running between his home and the girl's place, which was quite exhausting. That's why he decided to hire a tutor for her.

Lian Yu didn't offer any opinion, but quietly nodded.

"Uncle, you said you'd take me to see my brother?" Lian Yu dreaded hearing him say he was busy.

"Uh, I know, I'll try my best to arrange it," Xue Jin replied absentmindedly.

Lian Yu felt uneasy. She feared that all her hopes would be in vain, but she was powerless to change it; her fate was entirely in the man's hands.

Xue Jin gripped the steering wheel with his right hand and took a box out of his left pocket.

"What's this?" Lian Yu took it, not in a hurry to open it, but looked up at the man for an answer.

"Take a look, and you'll know," Xue Jin gestured for her to do it.

Lian Yu felt the item wasn't very heavy, and judging from the packaging, it was probably jewelry or something similar. However, when she opened the gift box, she was still pleasantly surprised.

It was a bracelet, a bright green, with a smooth and rounded texture, very eye-catching.

"Is it for me?" Looking at the size, the little girl asked excitedly. She loved bracelets; her grandmother had given her a silver bracelet when she was little, which she had treasured until now, but now it was too small for her.

Xue Jin nodded: this bracelet, after Bai Sisi found it last time, had been in his office drawer. He had only found it today while rummaging through things—it was originally a gift for the girl.

"Put it on quickly, let me see if it's pretty," Xue Jin said, pleased to see her happy, feeling the money was well spent.

"Okay," the little girl replied, carefully slipping the bracelet onto her wrist.

Lian Yu's frame was slender; the bracelet slipped down to just enough space for her little finger. Its emerald green color accentuated her snow-white skin, making it appear even more dazzling, like a pearl.

"How is it? How is it?" Lian Yu proudly raised her wrist slightly, dangling it at the man's gaze.

"Hmm, not bad, very beautiful." Xue Jin grabbed her wrist firmly with his left hand, then brought it to his lips, gently nibbling at her five delicate fingers.

Her skin felt warm and slightly itchy. As the girl froze, the man gently took her little finger into his mouth and began to suck on it.

Lian Yu stiffened, a jolt of electricity running through her fingertips, causing her to struggle and pull her hand back.

"Comfortable, isn't it?" Xue Jin turned back, grinning mischievously.

"Don't you have any hygiene? You're so annoying." Lian Yu covered her slightly reddened little finger with her hand, feeling an indescribable shame: in broad daylight, with so many cars around, he treated her like this.

"Where haven't I eaten before? Are you shy about this?" Xue Jin felt the girl's glare pierce him as soon as he said that.

The homeroom teacher called the girl in for a talk.

When the girl entered the office and saw the MP3 player on the desk, she was startled.

"Is this Lian Yu's?" the teacher asked her directly. The homeroom teacher had mentioned confiscating Guo Jia's MP3 player while chatting with other subject teachers.

The subject teachers thought it looked familiar; it resembled the one Lian Yu had listened to that day. The girl

lowered her head, not daring to look the teacher in the eye: in reality, she didn't want to betray Lian Yu.

"Yes or no? You're a good student, and I trust you. I hope you can tell the truth." The homeroom teacher used a psychological tactic.

The girl thought for a moment, then nodded hesitantly.

"Do you think Lian Yu and Guo Jia are very close?" the homeroom teacher continued.

The two often chatted and laughed in front of the girl, which made her very uncomfortable—it was someone she liked, yet he was being so attentive to another girl.

"Hmm," she muttered softly.

"Are they dating?" the homeroom teacher pressed further.

"Ah...no, I don't think so?" The girl's confidence faltered; in her mind, the two were far too intimate.

This only fueled the teacher's suspicion. Her eyes gleamed as she stared intently at her: "No? Does Guo Jia always hang around your place?"

The girl nodded helplessly.

"What do the other students think?" the teacher asked from a different angle.

"Uh...the other students' reactions aren't very positive." Her deskmate also felt they were going too far. Guo Jia was always talking to Lian Yu, and she often had to keep an eye on them, which made her feel embarrassed and jealous.

"Hmm, I understand. You can go back now." The homeroom teacher shifted her gaze elsewhere, looking thoughtful.

The girl breathed a sigh of relief, but as she turned around, she heard the teacher's warning: "Don't let anyone else know about what I did to you today."

Xue Jin and Lian Yu were both surprised to see the homeroom teacher approaching, especially Lian Yu, who had a bad feeling, as if something was about to happen.

"Hello, you must be Lian Yu's uncle. I'm her homeroom teacher."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the homeroom teacher asked for Xue Jin's phone number and politely said, "If you're not busy, would you like to sit down and chat sometime?"

Xue Jin immediately understood her intention and readily agreed with a smile.

A few days later, the homeroom teacher indeed called Xue Jin. The man generously offered to treat the teacher to dinner, and the woman made a token refusal but politely accepted.

Xue Jin chose an elegant Western restaurant, and after ordering, the two began to chat.

The teacher inquired briefly about Xue Jin's family and work, expressing great respect upon learning that he worked in a government department.

Xue Jin then politely praised the teacher's profession, and eventually, the conversation turned to Lian Yu.

Xue Jin initially thought the teacher was calling him out because of the girl's studies, but unexpectedly, the topic turned to puppy love: "Recently, Lian Yu has been getting very close to a boy in our class, which is having a bad influence on the other students."

The teacher looked troubled. Xue Jin listened calmly and casually asked, "Is his name Guo Jia?"

The homeroom teacher put down her coffee in surprise: "How did you know?"

Xue Jin pursed his lips and then replied, "I've seen that boy twice. Once he was talking to Lian Yu outside the school gate, and the other time he chased after her to return her pencil case that she had left in the classroom."

The second time, Xue Jin was also angry, but he didn't yell at the girl.

"Yes, it's Guo Jia. Actually, he's a good kid, but Lian Yu and he are both still young. Their studies should be the priority! It would be a pity if they didn't get into a better high school," the teacher said earnestly.

"Teacher, don't worry, I'll handle this," Xue Jin said calmly, but his words carried weight.

Seeing that he was also an outsider, the homeroom teacher didn't say much and enjoyed a sumptuous dinner. Before leaving, Xue Jin gave the teacher a red envelope, which she declined, but eventually accepted.

The next day, Xue Jin was working overtime in his office when his phone rang.

"Hello!" The man looked at the caller ID on the screen and paused, surprised: the girl rarely called him first.

"Uncle, it's me." Lian Yu's voice came from the other end of the line.

Xue Jin put down his pen, stood up from behind his desk, and slowly walked to the sofa.

"Is something wrong, Xiao Yu?" The man's voice was indifferent, revealing no emotion.

"Are you coming today?" Lian Yu stood outside the gift shop, casually watching the people and cars passing by, feeling a little nervous.

"...Not sure, what's wrong?" Xue Jin sat down on the sofa, reached for the strong tea his assistant had brewed, and took a sip: it tasted a little weak.

"It's like this, a classmate is having a birthday party and invited me to celebrate with them." Lian Yu finished explaining in one breath.

Xue Jin was silent for a few seconds, then asked softly, "Is it a boy or a girl?"

Lian Yu hesitated for a moment, then told him very confidently that it was a girl. The girl thought he would agree, but unexpectedly...

"Don't go. Come eat with me today. How was the Hunan food last time? Jin Sanxiang?" Xue Jin said, putting down his teacup and reaching for a cigarette case on the coffee table.

Lian Yu was slightly taken aback, feeling quite dejected. This was the first time a classmate had invited her to a birthday party. "Okay, I know. Should I go now?"

"Yeah, go ahead. Take a taxi, be careful on the road." Xue Jin hung up the phone, got up, went to his desk, and dialed the internal line—he needed coffee.

Lian Yu put away her phone and turned around to walk a few steps: her deskmate was standing there waiting for her with two gift boxes.

"How did it go?" Her deskmate noticed that she seemed a little unhappy and guessed that the party might be canceled.

Lian Yu shook her head listlessly. "I've already bought the gifts. Can you give them to Guo Jia for me?"

"Oh, he'll be very disappointed?" The girl said this with a hint of schadenfreude.

“I can’t help it, please tell him I’m sorry for me.” Guo Jia told her the day before yesterday that her birthday was today, and she even bought her an MP3 player on the same day.

“Okay then.” The classmate feigned regret.

After breaking up with her, Lian Yu took a taxi to the restaurant. Pushing open the large revolving door, Lian Yu was surprised to see Xue Jin: he was sitting in the corner of the restaurant against the wall, but the man didn’t notice the girl—he was looking down at the table, his expression a little blank, and Lian Yu intuitively felt that he was unhappy.

Coffee was indeed very refreshing, which greatly improved Xue Jin’s work efficiency. This restaurant was not far from his workplace, so he arrived a little early.

“Hey, I’m here.” Lian Yu deliberately smiled and jogged over.

“Oh, you’re even slower than me, what would you like to eat?” Xue Jin raised his eyelids to look at her, his mood not very high.

"Whatever." Lian Yu wasn't a picky eater. She'd had plenty of fancy meals lately and wasn't craving meat as much. Eating a two-yuan bowl of fried rice noodles with her tablemate and having a fancy Western meal with Xue Jin were the same to her; the former seemed more comfortable.

Xue Jin ordered three dishes. The restaurant was quick, and the food arrived shortly. The two ate in silence. Usually, the man led the conversation, and his silence made the atmosphere heavy.

Suddenly, the girl's phone rang.

Xue Jin glanced at her casually while picking

at his food. Lian Yu looked at the caller ID; it was Guo Jia calling. A sudden panic gripped her. She looked at Xue Jin fearfully, and seeing he wasn't paying attention, she breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"Why didn't you answer?" The phone kept ringing, seemingly persistent. Xue Jin stared at Lian Yu with a questioning gaze.

The girl stiffened and reluctantly pressed the green button.

"Hello!" The girl's tone was somewhat stiff, with a deliberate sense of distance.

"Lian Yu, it's me, Guo Jia..." The boy was interrupted by the girl halfway through his sentence: "Sorry, I'm busy right now. Can I call you back later?"

Then, without waiting for a reply, she decisively hung up the phone.

"Who called?" Xue Jin asked her calmly.

"A classmate, the one celebrating her birthday. I said I couldn't go, and she seemed unhappy and annoyed." Lian Yu's cheeks flushed slightly as she explained quickly.

Xue Jin didn't say anything and continued eating with his head down.

Stepping out of the restaurant, the autumn wind was blowing, and withered yellow leaves were everywhere, swirling and dancing in the air. It was already December—winter had arrived. Although City A wasn't particularly cold, people's hearts were still affected by the season, a chill seeping into their hearts.

Xue Jin drove around Renmin Avenue, enjoying the breeze, before finally turning towards home.

Entering the room, Xue Jin took off his suit jacket while telling Lian Yu to take a shower. Then, he climbed into bed wearing only his boxer shorts.

Xue Jin knew Lian Yu was lying. A female classmate's birthday? Probably a boy? Recalling what his homeroom teacher had told him, anger surged through him, but he didn't immediately lash out.

After showering, Lian Yu, wearing pajamas and with her hair wrapped in a towel, walked into the living room. She saw Xue Jin watching TV, but his aura was icy.

Xue Jin didn't move, his eyes fixed on the TV, and said, "Your phone has been ringing."

Lian Yu's hand, gripping the towel, paused. A bad feeling rose in her heart. She quickly went to the computer desk and picked up her phone: there were four or five incoming calls, all from Guo Jia.

Lian Yu glanced at Xue Jin, seeing he didn't move, still in the same position: had he actually looked through her phone?

The girl hesitated for a moment, then decided to call back: She and Guo Jia had nothing going on, she kept repeating this to herself.

"It was my classmate calling," Lian Yu consciously explained to Xue Jin.

Xue Jin didn't speak, nor did he look at the girl. He suddenly got up from the bed and went straight to the bathroom. As he brushed past the girl, Lian Yu couldn't help but shiver: she was afraid of him. The call

was quickly answered: "Hello, is this Guo Jia?" Lian Yu asked softly.

"It's me, Lian Yu? Why did it take you so long to answer?" Guo Jia's tone wasn't very friendly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't hear your call earlier." Lian Yu wasn't lying, but Xue Jin often used this excuse.

"Really? Where are you now?"

"Outside, something came up. I'm sorry I couldn't attend your birthday party." Lian Yu was genuinely apologetic.

"What happened? Was it that urgent?" Guo Jia questioned, somewhat angrily.

"Something came up at the last minute, it was urgent. I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to." Lian Yu explained again.

"Really?" Guo Jia's tone was disappointed: "Couldn't you have come over? Without you, this birthday..." Guo Jia had drunk a little, her head was a bit swollen, and she impulsively wanted to confess her feelings.

"I'm sorry! I really can't go. How about next birthday? I'll definitely come next time it's your birthday." Lian Yu's heart skipped a beat, and she interrupted him at the right moment.

There was a moment of silence on the other end of the phone, and then Guo Jia's next words made Lian Yu a little sad: "Lian Yu, do you know? What I want most is for you to be with me for my birthday."

The girl was a little sentimental; she really didn't want to hurt him.

"I'm sorry, next time! Don't be angry, okay?" Lian Yu's comfort was weak.

Suddenly, there was some noise on the other end of the phone, and then the voice changed: "Hey, Lian Yu, are you really not coming? It's a lot of fun here. We're going to go to karaoke later."

A group of people were eating, and their next plan was to go to the karaoke room.

"Really? You guys should drink less and not stay out too late..." Lian Yu told her tablemate a few words, and then hung up the phone.

Lian Yu hated the current situation. Guo Jia liked her, that was probably true, but this was trouble, she knew it better than anyone else. As she was lost in thought, she turned around and saw Xue Jin standing coldly behind her.

"Who was that on the phone just now?" Xue Jin's gaze was sharp, his tone carrying the weight of a thousand years of hardship.

"It was...it was my classmate..." Faced with Xue Jin's aggressive gaze, Lian Yu chose to confess honestly, "Guo Jia."

"Is today his birthday?" Xue Jin raised an eyebrow, moving closer to her. Lian Yu nodded and backed away, eventually having to hide behind the dimly lit balcony.

Xue Jin followed, grabbing her arm.

Lian Yu groaned, feeling an unusually strong grip on her arm, causing her to furrow her brow in pain. His expression was obscured by the shadows.

"Uncle, it hurts, it hurts!" the girl cried, as Xue Jin slowly pulled her out of the balcony.

"You know it hurts, and you still lied? What did I tell you? I hate being lied to the most." Xue Jin's expression was icy, and even his tone was chilling.

"I, I didn't mean to." Xue Jin pulled the curtains shut, dragging her to the bedside. Then, with a swift movement, he threw the girl's body backward onto the bed.

Lian Yu jumped up from the bed. Seeing Xue Jin's wicked smile, a hint of evil in his eyes, she felt a chill run down her spine, her legs going weak.

"Just because it wasn't intentional doesn't mean nothing happened. You little bitch, your methods of seducing men are getting more and more sophisticated." With that, Xue Jin jumped onto the bed, trying to grab the little girl's wrist.

Lian Yu was confused by his words, but she didn't want to sit and wait for her fate, so she shrank back, immediately hitting the wall behind her. She was so scared she was about to cry.

"Uncle, uncle, I didn't seduce anyone!" Lian Yu was terrified when he lunged at her, instinctively hugging herself and trembling.

Xue Jin didn't speak, his eyes filled with anger. He grabbed the girl's slender wrist and used his strong hand to firmly hold it in place. Lian Yu tried to hide her arm behind her back, but his strength was too great, causing her wrist to ache, forcing her to cry out, "It hurts so much, let me go!"

"You seduced me, and then you went to seduce a little boy. How slutty are you? Huh? Is his penis as big as mine?" As he spoke, Xue Jin sneered, dragging the girl towards the bed. 06-04 Chapter Seventy-Four: A Ruthless Thrust. What

's wrong with him? Why does he soften when the little girl cries and makes a fuss? He wasn't like this before. Before he could even teach her a lesson, the two of them were already happily in bed. Xue Jin clicked his tongue inwardly, feeling a mix of emotions.

Lian Yu's nakedness was completely different from Xue Jin's. She wrapped herself entirely in the double quilt, completely covered, but it still didn't seem enough. Her body pressed tightly against the wall, almost as if she wanted to hide outside.

She blinked her big eyes, looking listless, her eyes barely moving, her mind in turmoil: How could she be so shameless? It was clearly the man's fault, yet she felt so good being touched by him!

Each lost in their own thoughts, Xue Jin, being an adult with a more mature mind, decided to give up on what he couldn't understand. So he got out of bed and went to the bathroom to shower.

When he returned, he found Lian Yu still in the same position: lying facing the wall, seemingly unwilling to talk to anyone.

Xue Jin pulled a bathrobe from the closet, casually put it on, turned and went to the kitchen, boiled some water: some for tea, and poured the rest into a basin.

Hearing his busy movements, Lian Yu simply closed her eyes, intending to take a nap.

She had only dozed off for a short while when she heard a man's voice beside her: "Xiaoyu, get up and wash up, then go back to sleep."

He hadn't mentioned it, and she hadn't even noticed, but now that he said it, the girl realized she was covered in sweat. A slight thought crossed her mind, and she turned over.

Xue Jin was half-squatting by the bed, wringing out a wet towel.

Lian Yu hesitated for a moment, then obediently sidled up to the bed, shyly offering to do it herself. Xue Jin ignored her and went straight for the blanket.

After a not-so-intense tug-of-war, Lian Yu gave in, but she still wrapped the blanket tightly around her upper body. When her legs were spread apart, something felt wrong; a sharp pain shot through her lower body.

"Ouch~~" Hearing the girl's exclamation, Xue Jin glanced at her. Seeing her lower her head in embarrassment, he didn't say anything, then lowered his gaze, scrutinizing her private parts… After a few glances,

Xue Jin frowned slightly and carefully wiped away the stains with the towel.

"Your homeroom teacher spoke to me yesterday," Xue Jin said casually, without even looking up.

"..." Lian Yu paused, tightening the double blanket around herself, and cautiously asked, "What did she say?"

The girl instinctively felt the teacher hadn't said anything good.

"She talked to me about your early romance," Xue Jin said lightly, revealing no emotion.

Before she finished speaking, Lian Yu remembered Xue Jin's unusual behavior today and hurriedly protested, "I didn't! She's framing me!"

Lian Yu felt her blood rushing to her head, wanting to rush to the teacher's house immediately and confront her: Do you have any evidence? Why are you framing me?

Xue Jin tilted her head, looking at her with an unfriendly expression as her eyes burned red with anger, tears welling up.

"No? What about the MP3 player I gave you?" Xue Jin coldly pressed.

Lian Yu was speechless for a moment, but quickly shouted at him, "It's not what you think at all! We're just ordinary classmates!"

"Reason doesn't lie in raising your voice. Why are you yelling at me?" Xue Jin was already in a bad mood, and seeing the girl's unreasonable behavior reignited his anger.

Lian Yu's eyes were filled with grievance and accusation. She pouted and started crying again.

"Why are you crying? Did the teacher wrong you? All you do is cry. Why doesn't she wrong others? Or did you and that boy go too far?!" Xue Jin felt breathless at the thought.

"That's..." Lian Yu was furious. She hadn't done anything wrong, and she was determined to argue her case.

"Shut up! Try arguing again!" Xue Jin's eyes flashed with malice, as if he was about to slap her if she said another word.

Lian Yu bit her lip, feeling the pain, but she didn't argue. She knew Xue Jin dared to hit her, and at that moment, she really wanted to spit on his smug face.

Seeing her indignant expression, Xue Jin threw the towel into the basin, picked it up, and turned to leave.

When the man came back in, he saw Lian Yu leaning against the bed, pouting as she watched TV, looking somewhat unhappy. Xue Jin followed her, half-leaning against the headboard.

He reached for the teapot on the bedside table, poured himself a small cup of green tea, habitually blew on it twice, and then swallowed most of it from the rim.

He watched TV and drank tea, but his thoughts drifted: should he change the little girl's school, preferably an all-girls school, so there might be less trouble?

Xue Jin was lost in thought when he heard the girl's soft voice: "I want some too."

Lian Yu was sore all over from the man's antics, having used up a lot of energy, and was now parched, but the man didn't seem to notice, which made Lian Yu feel helpless.

Xue Jin subconsciously offered his teacup, but Lian Yu glanced at it and quickly turned away, saying, "No, I want a new one."

The man looked at her with a half-smile, "There are no new ones, only old ones."

Lian Yu turned back, rolled her eyes at him, and muttered, "I'll make it myself."

As she spoke, the girl tried to get up, but Xue Jin shamelessly blocked her way. They stood there awkwardly for a moment, and Lian Yu angrily clutched the blanket.

"You, what do you want to do?" she cried, wanting to bite him.

Xue Jin smiled, took a sip of tea, and suddenly rolled over, pinning her down. In her surprise, fragrant tea flowed through his warm lips into her mouth.

Perhaps due to the incorrect position, Lian Yu choked, her face turning red. Xue Jin kindly released her, and seeing her coughing uncontrollably, quickly pulled out a tissue and handed it to her.

"This is what happens when you disobey. If you dare to flirt with men again, you won't be so lucky today," Xue Jin threatened the girl half-jokingly, though he was still bothered by the incident.

Hearing this, Lian Yu coughed even more violently, tears welling up in her eyes.

The Seventy-Fifth Farm Trip: Bai

Sisi finally returned home.

She stayed at her parents' home for a month, becoming much plumper and fairer-skinned during that time. She wasn't idle either, continuing her carefree and flirtatious ways—meeting with Lao Song several times and meeting a handsome young man.

After returning home, she and Xue Jin didn't have any major conflicts, living a respectful but distant life.

During this time, she figured many things out: it seemed unrealistic to expect Xue Jin to only have her as his wife, especially since their child was already quite grown up. Did she really want a divorce? She couldn't bear to part with her husband, yet she couldn't abandon her assets. She had worked so hard, every penny of which was hard-earned, and she didn't want to let him take advantage of her. After all, she earned more money than her husband, and dividing the assets equally would put her at a disadvantage.

Therefore, she decided to turn a blind eye, willing to compromise as long as Xue Jin didn't go too far.

At first, Xue Jin was cautious. If work wasn't too busy, he would leave early to pick up the girl, and they would eat together and not return home too late. But after a few days, the man began to relax. Seeing that his wife wasn't controlling him much, he became increasingly arrogant.

No matter how outrageous things got, they wouldn't stay out overnight, yet even sleeping together, they were like lovers in the same bed.

One day, Xue Jin was handling official business in his office when the phone rang. He reached for his phone on the desk and saw the caller ID—Ding Bu.

"Hello!" Xue Jin got up from behind his desk, stretching as he went to the fish tank.

The tank was large, containing five Flowerhorn cichlids. These fish looked strange, inherently cruel, even killing their own kind, yet their owner loved them dearly.

Xue Jin had originally bought ten; they were about an inch long when he bought them, but now they were the size of a palm. The law of survival of the fittest is common in nature; the remaining five were very strong. The man watched the fish chasing and biting each other, thoroughly enjoying himself. He couldn't resist scooping a few lively loaches from another small tank—the Flowerhorn cichlids' food.

"Xue Jin, it's me, Ding Bu. I have some good news for you today." Having opened a new company, Ding Bu's office location had changed, but it remained in the same area.

The man raised an eyebrow, placed the loaches into the fish tank, and almost instantly, the small lives perished. The ferocity of Flowerhorn fish was well-known.

"Speak!" Xue Jin's heart stirred, a slight smile appearing on his lips.

"We've secured the bid for the Southern New City project. I think the company will definitely win tomorrow's bidding meeting." Xue Jin had chosen the project; the relationships involved were complex, and how it was operated was something Ding Bu couldn't fathom. He only needed to execute.

Ding Bu wasn't a good decision-maker, but he was undoubtedly a loyal partner.

"Hmm, that's good. We'll have a celebration party after the contract is signed." Xue Jin was very happy. He had used many connections to secure this project, but it also came at a price.

"Hehe, I really didn't expect to win such a big case so quickly." Ding Bu was also very excited.

"Old classmate, you've made the right choice following me. The benefits will be endless, trust me." Xue Jin was full of confidence. This time, thanks to Director Liang's strong support, he was determined to secure this big fish.

"Yeah, I knew you were capable." Ding Bu was impressed. After a hearty laugh, he continued, "How about we grab a drink tonight?"

Xue Jin, having admired his catch, turned and sat down on the sofa. He picked up a cherry from the fruit plate, took a bite, chewed it slowly, and mumbled, "Not today, I have something to do."

"Really? Then another day." Ding Bu said nonchalantly: It's always good to get together with friends, no rush.

"Hmm, nothing else?" Xue Jin thought the cherries were red and big, and tasted pretty good, so he picked up a few more and put them in his mouth.

"Nothing!"

"Okay, I'm hanging up now." Xue Jin hung up and let out a long sigh: The beginning is always the hardest; the new company's first deal was a success.

He sat comfortably on the sofa, envisioning the future. Everything seemed bright and full of opportunities. While brimming with confidence, the man couldn't help but think of Lian Yu, and the promise he had made to her…

Xue Jin, feeling guilty, was initially reluctant to let the siblings meet, but since he had already promised, dragging it out wasn't a solution. Besides, even if they met, nothing might go wrong.

The man pondered for a while, finally picking up his phone: he harbored a small hope—if he handled things carefully, perhaps Lian Jun would accept him in the future.

Intimidated by Xue Jin's tyranny, Lian Yu had recently been deliberately avoiding Guo Jia.

As soon as class ended, she would drag her deskmate to the playground, and after school, she would rush out of the classroom. After several days, the two had barely spoken.

Her deskmate noticed the girl's unusual behavior, knowing full well what was going on, but said nothing. In fact, she was happy to see them go their separate ways; that way, perhaps she would have a chance to win the boy's heart.

That day, the lunch break bell rang and the teacher had just left when the classroom began to buzz with noise. The students, all 14 or 15-year-old boys and girls, were at an age where they were growing and easily hungry, so they rushed to the lunch area.

Lian Yu, holding her deskmate's hand, finally managed to leave the classroom.

"What do you want to eat?" the girl asked as they walked.

"Are you treating? Let's have a boxed lunch then, I'm not picky," her deskmate joked, half-jokingly.

"..." Lian Yu turned and glared at her: Here we go again, does she have to take advantage of everyone?

Her deskmate, with an unusually thick skin, smiled at her as if nothing had happened.

"Really want a boxed lunch? Which one?" The two stood at the school gate, looking around, scanning all the small shops in front of the gate: the good ones were crowded, and the bad ones were inedible.

"Let's go over there!" her deskmate pointed into the distance.

"Where?" Lian Yu looked in the direction she indicated: a grocery store, a stationery store, but it seemed there were no restaurants.

"Let's walk a little further, there seems to be a newly opened restaurant around the corner." Her deskmate had seen it by chance on her way to school that morning and wanted to try it.

"Okay, let's go." Lian Yu had no objections; they had plenty of time during lunch break.

They walked for a short while and arrived at the restaurant her deskmate had mentioned

. The sign was still quite new, indicating it had just opened. After they went inside, a waiter enthusiastically brought them menus. "Order whatever you like!" The waiter was neatly dressed and looked very comfortable, which made Lian Yu look forward to the restaurant's food.

"You order," the girl politely offered, pushing the menu towards her deskmate, but the other didn't take it, just staring blankly behind her.

Lian Yu looked at her, puzzled, then turned around.

"Hi, what a coincidence, you're eating here!" Guo Jia walked over, greeting them with a smile, and sat down in the chair next to the girl.

Lian Yu looked at him in surprise, momentarily speechless.

"May I sit here?" Guo Jia looked at them.

"You're already seated, why ask? It's pointless." His deskmate, seeing him sitting next to the girl, felt awkward and spoke with a barb.

"..." Guo Jia shrugged slightly and smiled noncommittally.

"You haven't ordered yet, have you? It's my treat today, order whatever you like." Before Guo Jia finished speaking, the gloom on his deskmate's face vanished, replaced by a smile.

"Okay, you said it, so I won't be polite." He then began studying the menu.

Lian Yu felt uneasy, her head spinning. She was utterly speechless about her deskmate. She really didn't want to tell anyone she knew her if they were walking down the street—it would be too embarrassing.

"Final exams are coming up, how's your preparation going?" Guo Jia casually asked.

"Uh, not bad," Lian Yu replied simply, not wanting to say much.

"Sigh, I wonder how difficult the tests are. Your English seems to have improved quite a bit?" Guo Jia continued, trying to find a topic.

"It's alright," Lian Yu replied absentmindedly.

...

Guo Jia continued talking to the girl, but Lian Yu only responded with "uh-huh" or "ah," even her deskmate across from her couldn't stand it anymore.

"Does your tongue hurt? It's so tiring to listen to you talk," her deskmate retorted. Lian Yu's cheeks flushed at her words.

"Can I have a mouth ulcer?" Lian Yu glared at her, thinking, "You're really nosy."

Guo Jia looked dejected: Ever since Lian Yu missed her birthday party, she seemed to have become increasingly cold towards her. What was wrong?

Her deskmate curled her lip, made a disdainful expression, and then ordered food.

Perhaps out of sympathy or admiration for Guo Jia, the girl at the table mainly chatted with the boys during the meal, occasionally letting out a silvery laugh.

Guo Jia, however, maintained a lukewarm expression, though she would smile occasionally.

Lian Yu just felt awkward; she didn't want to talk to Guo Jia, it was an instinctive avoidance, and she made it very obvious, which undoubtedly hurt the boy's pride.

After paying the bill, Guo Jia asked the girl at the table to leave first, wanting to talk to Lian Yu alone. The girl

at the table glanced at them, feeling uneasy, but seeing that Lian Yu didn't object, she had no choice but to return to school alone.

"Why have you been ignoring me lately?" Guo Jia turned and stared at the girl's face.

"..." Lian Yu's eyelids drooped, remaining silent.

"Did I do something wrong?" Guo Jia continued to press, "On my birthday, I drank too much, did I say something that hurt you?"

Lian Yu shook her head.

"Then why have you been avoiding me lately?" Guo Jia's originally low voice involuntarily rose slightly.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to, but we’re getting too close, people will gossip.” Lian Yu took a deep breath, fiddling with her fingers as she answered hesitantly.

Guo Jia was taken aback, his eyes flashing with anger: “Gossip? Who’s gossiping?” He

didn’t know if she was angry at Lian Yu or at the gossip.

“Many people. The teacher called my parents, and my family is very angry. If we continue like this, everyone will be unhappy.” Lian Yu’s voice was devoid of emotion.

Guo Jia’s breath hitched; the girl’s words had clearly surprised him: “Are you serious? The teacher called your parents?”

Lian Yu nodded, slightly raising her head. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that the boy’s face looked unwell and couldn’t help but comfort him: “Guo Jia, I know you’re a good person. We’re still friends. Don’t be sad, okay?”

The boy gritted his teeth, completely bewildered as to why things had turned out this way: he just wanted to get closer to the girl he liked, and now even saying a few words was being criticized?

"That's how it is. I'm sorry for causing everyone trouble." Lian Yu didn't know where she went wrong, but she felt she should say something.

"It's not your fault. Maybe I'm the one who's wrong. I understand. Don't worry, I'll be more careful in the future." Guo Jia's gaze was somewhat dazed. First love is beautiful, but it's also the easiest to be hurt by.

Lian Yu pursed her lips, looked up at him, and stood up at the same time: "I'm leaving. You should go back to school too."

After saying that, Lian Yu hurriedly left the restaurant. Guo Jia sat there for a while before getting up, but he didn't go back to his class. Instead, he boarded the bus in front of the school gate...

The labor camp was a special place.

There were herds of cattle and sheep, green grasslands, and even the clouds in the sky were unusually white. In short, compared to prison, the labor camp was definitely a paradise for prisoners. But getting a place there was not easy. Only some special people whose sentences were about to end were eligible to apply, but whether the leaders approved it or not depended on your luck.

During the busy farming season, most prisoners went to the fields to farm. The rest of the time, herds of cattle and sheep were their companions.

The farm's prison cells were rows of earthen houses, seven or eight in total, none of them very large, about 30 or 40 square meters. The layout was extremely simple, with only bedrooms and a kitchen. The bedrooms, besides a kang (heated brick bed) and a few quilts, were completely empty; the kitchen consisted of just a stove, without even proper cabinets. Bowls and chopsticks were mostly left outside, covered with a cloth. The outer walls were earthen, about a person's height and as thick as a brick.

Chen Lin had been there for less than a month, but he had already subdued all the prisoners in his cell. He was the prison tyrant; no one dared to defy him.

Yesterday, his brother sent him good wine, food, cigarettes, and a few sets of clothes, so Chen Lin treated the cell warden to a drink—Chen Lin was arrogant and ruthless, looked down upon by ordinary prisoners, and only the cell warden was somewhat worthy of his attention.

The next morning, because of his drunkenness, he slept exceptionally soundly, refusing to wake up even when the sun was high in the sky, but none of the prisoners in his cell dared to wake him.

Everyone else had gone out to work, leaving only him in the room of the three people living there.

He was sound asleep when suddenly there was a knock at the door. In his drowsy state, he sensed someone entering, and a thought immediately struck him: prisoners on the same floor of a prison rarely shared rooms, so he had given the cell block some good cigarettes yesterday, hoping to get that little bitch transferred to his cell.

Chen Lin felt a surge of excitement, his mind racing, completely free of sleepiness. He yawned, opened his eyes, and the first thing he saw was Lian Jun's profile.

The young man's skin was very pale, almost sickly, but his handsome profile was still pleasing to the eye. This made Chen Lin's heart flutter, and he squinted, his hand unconsciously reaching into his crotch.

Chen Lin was shirtless. He'd been a frequent fighter in his younger days, and had also been regularly "stretching his muscles," making him incredibly strong and muscular. Now, he was only wearing a pair of loose boxer shorts. His morning erection, combined with the sight of Lian Jun aroused, caused his long penis to peek out from the side.

As Chen Lin watched Lian Jun pack his things, he pulled his own large member out of his underwear.

The room was tiny; aside from the large kang (heated brick bed), the remaining space was pitifully small. It was hard for Lian Jun not to notice his actions; often, a turn of his head would reveal his wolfish gaze.

Lian Jun tried to keep his back to him, quickly gathering his things before turning to leave—being stared at by a man here was very uncomfortable.

"Stop! Did I say you could leave?" Chen Lin rubbed his eyes, sat up, and shouted at Lian Jun.

Lian Jun pursed his lips tightly, his feet pausing in mid-air. He and Chen Lin had arrived in the same prison van, and from that moment he knew his future would be difficult. So he tried to avoid Chen Lin, doing everything with others to prevent him from causing trouble.

But this morning, the warden suddenly moved him to a different spot, and to make matters worse, he was still assigned to live with Chen Lin. Although he strongly refused, the outcome remained the same.

"Don't you know the rules? I'm the boss here. Shouldn't you greet me?" Chen Lin sat cross-legged, his bald head gleaming, clearly a troublesome character.

Lian Jun was somewhat intimidated; after all, he had always been well-behaved and was wary of bullies like Chen Lin.

"Boss!" He hesitated for a moment, and just as Chen Lin was about to explode again, he reluctantly turned around, head drooping, and called out.

"Hmm!" Chen Lin snorted coldly.

"Go fetch me some water to wash my face!" Chen Lin looked at him with an imperious air, his chin slightly raised.

Lian Jun knew Chen Lin was picking a fight again. If he didn't comply, Chen Lin might beat him up. Everyone else was out working, and if he got beaten up, no one would know. He'd just have to suffer in silence. Even if they did know, what could they do? Who wasn't afraid of Chen Lin, this 'desperate criminal'?

In Lian Jun's eyes, gangsters were all bad guys. Why was he in jail? Because he was forced into it by thugs demanding protection money.

But he was about to go to work. If Chen Lin didn't go, someone else could do the work for him. Could he manage? Just as Lian Jun was in a dilemma, Chen Lin suddenly jumped off the kang (

a heated brick bed). Before Lian Jun could react, Chen Lin was already in front of him. Then, a dull pain shot through his left shoulder, and he stumbled, almost falling. Luckily, he grabbed the wall in time to regain his balance.

"I'm talking to you, you bastard! Are you mute?" Chen Lin was a dark-skinned, tall, and strong young man, at least a head taller than Lian Jun. The way he looked down at the man was quite intimidating.

Lian Jun gritted his teeth and glared at him angrily. "I'll go get you some."

He turned around, but as soon as he took a step, he was suddenly shoved in the buttocks. The unexpected attack startled him, and he jumped up.

"What are you doing?" Lian Jun shouted at Chen Lin, both surprised and angry.

"Heh heh, why are you acting like a woman? So delicate and tender-skinned, I just touch you and you scream. Are you going to yell 'molestation'?" Chen Lin's eyes were piercing, almost staring into the young man's flesh.

Lian Jun was panting heavily, feeling nauseous, but he didn't react. He felt he had indeed been harassed, but he wasn't a girl; he had to endure it. Otherwise, who knew what else might happen? Chen Lin was a lunatic.

"The water's ready. I've put it here for you." Lian Jun filled a half-full bowl of water and placed it on the stool in the room.

Chen Lin stretched lazily. Already tall and strong, his arms could almost touch the ceiling, making him look even more like a giant. Lian Jun felt that if Chen Lin slapped him, he could be sent flying out the window. A wave of sadness washed over him; the horrible beatings Chen Lin had inflicted on him in prison were still vivid in his mind.

The man lazily walked over, glanced at the water, and frowned. "Why so little water? How can I wash my face? Is the well dry?" What

a big face! Half a basin isn't enough? Lian Jun was furious, but he didn't question him. He simply swallowed his anger, took the basin away, and filled it with more water.

"That's more like it," Chen Lin chuckled nonchalantly, then bent down, scooped up the water, splashed it on his face, and shouted, "Refreshing! But not as refreshing as sex!"

As he said this, his face was still wet. He turned to stare at Lian Jun, licking his lips with a malicious grin.

Lian Jun immediately shuddered, goosebumps crawling all over his body. He didn't dare look at him, cursing Chen Lin in his heart: "Fuck your mother, you pervert!"

Chen Lin quickly cleaned his face, wiping it with a towel. Lian Jun's voice came from beside him: "Boss, can I go to work now? If I don't go, I won't get lunch."

Chen Lin nodded, and Lian Jun breathed a sigh of relief, fleeing quickly as if granted a pardon.

Chen Lin watched his retreating figure, his eyes flashing with excitement mixed with malice. He sneered, draped the towel over the thin rope, turned around, took a toothbrush, soap, and enamel mug from the windowsill, then went outside and squatted in front of the flower bed, brushing his teeth with the water stored in the iron bucket in front of the door—he was a hygienic person, and even living on a desolate farm, he always made sure to keep himself clean and tidy.

After brushing his teeth, Chen Lin went back to his room to change his clothes. Although the labor camp was mostly filled with prisoners, they didn't wear prison uniforms; they received specially issued clothes from above. Of course, some were sent in by relatives, but whether or not they could get in depended on their family's connections.

Chen Lin wore a bright yellow tank top and knee-length shorts, both contrasting sharply with his dark skin, making him stand out.

He strolled leisurely to the grazing area: the grass was lush, and prisoners were tending to their cattle or sheep.

"Hey, Lian Jun, which area?" He first entered area A, where two men were on duty.

"Ah, boss, that kid seems to be heading towards area C." One of them greeted him respectfully, pulling a cigarette from his pocket and offering it to him.

"You're something else, kid! You've got some skills." Cigarettes were a luxury here, and Chen Lin accepted with a smile.

The other person nodded repeatedly in goodwill. Chen Lin lowered his head, brought the cigarette close to the flame of the lighter, then exhaled smoke, frowning slightly: this cigarette doesn't taste very good.

Chen Lin handed the cigarette to the other person, gently patting his shoulder: "Alright, I have things to do. Work hard, don't slack off. Keep this cigarette for yourself."

After saying that, the man turned and walked away.

Lian Jun lay on the lush green grass under the tree, surrounded by herds of cows and sheep: they were grazing leisurely, requiring almost no special attention from him.

He squinted, looking through the gaps in the trees at the dappled shadows, the sunlight filtering through, feeling comfortable on his face—prisoners living in prison rarely had real contact with nature, so now he deeply loved the sunlight, the air, and the green grass.

This pleasant feeling slowly intoxicated him, so much so that he almost fell asleep. Just as he was half-asleep, he suddenly heard footsteps approaching.

A bad premonition crept into Lian Jun's mind, instantly snapping him awake. Opening his eyes, he saw Chen Lin looking down at him. Although he couldn't see Chen Lin's expression, Lian Jun's muscles tensed.

He looked at him somewhat helplessly, then instinctively searched for his other companion—the man at the other end of the flock, sitting on the grass and watching them.

Lian Jun relaxed slightly, only to see Chen Lin lie down beside him.

"You know how to enjoy yourself, huh? Very comfortable," Chen Lin said, putting his arm behind his head and letting out a loud whistle.

Lian Jun ignored him, but his nerves were on edge—they were so close he could smell the man's soap.

"You smell good?!" A gentle breeze blew by, and Chen Lin leaned closer.

Lian Jun immediately sat up, his heart pounding.

"What's wrong? Did you think I was going to kiss you?" Chen Lin also sat up straight, looking at him with a half-smile.

"Don't talk nonsense like that, aren't you disgusting?" Lian Jun finally couldn't take it anymore. He felt uncomfortable whenever he saw him, even just from a distance. The man's presence was very strong, and now that he was so close, he was going crazy—he was sexually interested in him, and he might make a move at any moment.

"Disgusting? No, I'm normal. Everyone has desires and enjoys sex, it's just that I prefer the ass of pretty boys." As he spoke, Chen Lin grabbed Lian Jun's wrist—he knew he would try to escape, so he acted first.

"You pervert, let go of me!" Lian Jun's face flushed red. He was no longer ignorant; prison had taught him many things, and the most unacceptable thing for him was the release of desire between men.

"Uh, or if you prefer, a more polite way of saying it, how about anal sex?" Chen Lin gripped his wrist tightly, and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn't break free.

Seeing the young man's ashen face and futile resistance, he found it quite amusing.

"You're crazy! Let me go, let me go... It hurts... It hurts..." The more Lian Jun struggled and yelled, the harder the man's grip tightened, almost unbearably so.

Perhaps from the intense struggle, Lian Jun's eyes were slightly red, adding a touch of allure to his handsome, fair face. Who says male beauty isn't captivating?

Chen Lin laughed, flicking Lian Jun's arm, and Lian Jun fell onto the grass. He immediately felt a weight on him as Chen Lin pressed down on him.

"Huff... Ah..." Lian Jun felt as if his internal organs had shifted: "You, you're crushing me to death!"

Lian Jun wasn't very fleshy, and Chen Lin was a huge guy; he couldn't bear that weight, and the rest of his words were practically screams.

"Hehe, really? How about a different way to die?" he said, deliberately bouncing his body up and down.

Lian Jun was bound tightly by Chen Lin's large hands and feet, completely unable to move. With each sway, he felt like he was about to be flattened, and he painfully closed his eyes. But that wasn't the worst part; Chen Lin's erect penis was rubbing against his thigh.

Lian Jun felt a surge of fear and nausea. Chen Lin, this pervert, was in heat, but he was truly powerless. At that moment, Lian Jun even hated his own weakness.

[N words omitted] In his personal journal,

Lian Jun, in his delirium, felt something astringent flowing into his esophagus. Instinctively, he knew what it was, and tears streamed uncontrollably down his face.

When Chen Lin released him, Lian Jun collapsed like a lifeless doll, his body limp and lifeless—

Seventy-Sixth Perverted Desire.

The sun was high in the sky, the air was hot, the leaves and grass drooped, looking almost lifeless, and the cattle and sheep, having eaten their fill, lazily rested in the shade.

Lian Jun lay blankly on the grass, his eyes closed, his mind a jumble, as if he were thinking about many things, yet also as if nothing at all.

"Lian Jun!" A familiar voice called to him; it was his companion calling him.

He slightly opened his eyelids, only then feeling the dryness and pain in the corners of his eyes. He wouldn't admit he had cried, but what was that salty taste in his mouth?

Footsteps approached, and the man ran over, bending down to stare at him.

"What's wrong? I thought you were asleep?" His companion, who had been herding with him, looked somewhat uneasy; after all, he had witnessed everything that had happened.

"What is it?" Lian Jun uttered these two words in a hoarse voice.

"Well, it's almost noon, let's go back for lunch." The man rested his hands on his knees, waiting for his reply.

"I'm not hungry, you go back yourself, I'll stay here and watch the sheep." Lian Jun closed his eyes, looking very tired, clearly not wanting to say anything more.

The man looked at him, hesitated for a moment, "Do you want me to bring you some food?"

Chen Lin was a ruthless character, everyone was afraid of him, and Lian Jun had been humiliated by him today, he must be feeling terrible, his companions could only sympathize with him.

"Thank you, no need to trouble yourself, I'm really not hungry." Lian Jun shook his head impatiently, hoping he would leave quickly, he just wanted to be alone now.

"Okay, then, I'm leaving." His companion gave him a helpless look, turned and left.

After having his fun, Chen Lin left without saying a word.

Life on the labor camp was leisurely, but also very boring. Everyone here had almost no concept of time. When Chen Lin was outside, besides eating, drinking and having fun, he would also do some serious things. From the initial irritability and anxiety, he gradually adapted, and most importantly, he knew in his heart that this kind of life was about to end.

In just six months, by the end of the year, he would be released, and he would be a hero again.

He walked for a while in his straw sandals, his eyes fixed on the livestock pen ahead, and a thought struck him: how long had it been since he'd eaten meat? Fresh pork!

In prison, meat was almost nonexistent; at the farm

, they only ate dumplings during festivals. He smacked his lips, feeling the taste in his mouth was utterly bland. Chen Lin smiled and slowly approached the pigpen. It was a little past 10 a.m., and the feeder had already finished feeding the animals and was probably resting. He looked around; indeed, no one was there.

The pigpen wall was low, only reaching his waist. The man easily leaped into the pen—pigs are rather lazy animals; in this heat, most were sleeping, and they weren't too afraid of people entering, since people had contact with them every day.

The pigpen was large, divided into simple partitioned pens, housing forty or fifty pigs.

Chen Lin tiptoed around the pigsty, a problem troubling him: the pigs were either too big or too small. How could he possibly move those burly 100-200 jin (50-100 kg) piglets? Carry them? The smaller ones—piglets weighing 10-20 jin (5-10 kg) wouldn't yield much meat even after slaughter.

Chen Lin eventually gave up, jumping out of the pigpen, quite disappointed, intending to return to his cell to rest. Just as he turned a corner, he suddenly saw a large white rabbit with long ears hopping towards him. He paused, then grinned, a wicked thought forming in his mind.

No pork? Rabbit meat wouldn't be bad. Thinking this, he casually walked over to the rabbit—it was very fat, and perhaps because it was so fat, it seemed a little dazed.

Seizing the opportunity, Chen Lin suddenly reached out and pounced. The rabbit instinctively tried to escape, but it was a fraction too slow; the man grabbed its long ears.

Chen Lin chuckled twice, picked up the large rabbit—the little creature kicked its hind legs incessantly, struggling desperately, its white whiskers trembling slightly with fear, looking quite pitiful.

"Uh, not bad, really plump. Lucky you today." Chen Lin grabbed the rabbit by the ears and scooped it into his arms, cradling it like a child. Having done something thief, he made a quick dash away.

This farm was a fenced-off, enclosed area, so small animals rarely got in. This rabbit's presence in the vicinity meant it was most likely a pet.

Chen Lin carried the rabbit straight to the kitchen: it was almost noon, and the chef should be cooking.

Pushing open the door, he saw the thin chef, wearing a white coat, chopping vegetables on the cutting board. Hearing the door open, he turned around and saw the man carrying a rabbit in.

"Where did you get this?" Although the chef was thin, his cooking skills were quite good. He paused for a moment, then smiled at Chen Lin, understanding the situation.

"I found it," Chen Lin said matter-of-factly, but with a hint of smugness on his face. Clearly, this wasn't believable. He leaned closer, looked at the cabbage on the cutting board, and made a disgusted face. "This again for lunch?"

"Potato and cabbage soup!" the cook replied listlessly; he was tired of making it too.

"What about rice? Not steamed buns again, is it?" Chen Lin's voice was almost desperate.

"Yes, you guessed right, haha." The kitchen staff chuckled good-naturedly, then turned to the rabbit in Chen Lin's hand. "Want to treat yourself to something better?"

Chen Lin placed the rabbit on the stove, but still held its ears, afraid it would escape. "Do you know how to cook it?"

"Yes."

"How can I make it taste better?" Chen Lin's mouth watered as he thought about it. He'd eaten all sorts of delicacies outside, a rabbit was nothing to him, but times had changed; this little thing was a rare treat.

"Braised, steamed, stewed," the kitchen staff suggested several methods.

"Master, you can do it as you see fit. I'll give you a bowl when it's done. Make it delicious, and add plenty of oil." Chen Lin had a good relationship with the chef, who often gave him special treatment.

For example…

"Xiao Guo, brother, look, let's make some fried pancakes for lunch!" Chen Lin looked at the steamer basket emitting wisps of white steam and couldn't help but feel disgusted.

"Fried pancakes? That uses a lot of oil." The chef picked up the rabbit and stopped in front of a dirty bucket. With swift, deft movements, he slashed the rabbit, and bloody liquid spurted out instantly.

"Just a few, no, a dozen." Chen Lin followed with a grin.

"That's too much trouble. You're always causing me trouble." Xiao Guo glanced at him, picked up the rabbit, hung it on a hook under the tree in front of the door, and began to skin the rabbit with a sharp knife.

Chen Lin knew he had agreed as soon as he heard this, but he wasn't satisfied. Watching him busy at work, he continued, "Do you still have the lard from the last pig slaughter?"

The chef paused, his hands moving slightly, thinking to himself that this kid was both greedy and cunning: "Yes, you're always eyeing the best food."

Chen Lin chuckled, shamelessly saying, "Even if I'm eyeing it, someone has to cook it for me. I've met a good person, here..." He reached into his shorts.

"Uh..." He felt something was wrong as soon as he touched his pocket. Why was it empty? He frowned, somewhat disbelievingly turning the entire pocket inside out—it was completely empty.

"What's wrong? What are you taking out?" Xiao Guo saw him like this, and assumed he had lost something.

"My, my cigarettes?" Chen Lin looked up and immediately thought of Lian Jun. He must have dropped them during the scuffle with that kid. Those were the Furongwang cigarettes his brother had given him: good ones.

"Where did you leave them? Think carefully." Xiao Guo was very skilled; he quickly peeled off the rabbit skin, then filled a basin with water and put the rabbit in.

"What's there to think about? It's gone." Chen Lin regained his composure and said nonchalantly.

The cook didn't say anything, washed the rabbit, cut it into chunks, soaked it in water, then added lard to the pot, preheated it, added scallions, ginger, and garlic, and finally put the meat in the pot, covered it, and started a fire.

Chen Lin had nothing to do, so he excitedly gathered around the stove. Occasionally, when Xiao Guo was too busy, he would reluctantly help him add fuel to the fire.

Chen Lin walked into the dining room: it was called a dining room, but it was actually just an empty room with a few large tables and long benches, each seating two people at a time.

At lunchtime, the prisoners all returned to eat, and the tables were full, with only two empty seats: one long bench was empty, which was usually reserved by Chen Lin, and no one dared to sit with him; the other seat was obviously Lian Jun's.

Everyone held their breath when Chen Lin entered. One of the more obsequious individuals rushed over to greet him, "Boss, the food's ready! Why did you take so long?"

Chen Lin didn't even glance at him, standing arrogantly with his hands behind his back, expressionlessly surveying the crowd before asking directly, "Where's Lian Jun?"

"..." The man hesitated for a moment, then shook his head, "I don't know. Little X, he's in a group with Lian Jun."

The man whose name was called stood up tremblingly, looking at Chen Lin and honestly replying, "Maybe he's still in Zone C. He wasn't feeling well today and didn't come back for dinner."

Chen Lin lowered his eyes, thought for a few seconds, then turned and walked out.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief as he left, thinking that Lian Jun was probably in trouble: everyone present had received special treatment from Chen Lin, except for Lian Jun.

But what they didn't know was that Lian Jun had already been dealt with by Chen Lin long ago, and now... he might not be having an easier time than them, perhaps even worse.

Lian Jun had fallen asleep in deep sorrow when he suddenly felt someone kicking him. His mind still foggy, he turned over in disgust and irritation, trying to escape the disturbance.

Around noon, the weather grew even hotter. Chen Lin took off his vest, which Lian Jun had soiled, and came out wearing only shorts. He carried a large bowl, looking at Lian Jun with a slightly annoyed expression—in this scorching heat, he had walked from the cell to here, almost drenched in sweat. He had eaten his fill, and instead of resting in his room, he was running around. What was he thinking?

"Get up!" Chen Lin shouted, his voice not loud, but clearly displeased.

Lian Jun frowned, thinking he was dreaming, but suddenly felt a kick on his butt: "Are you fucking getting up or not? If you don't get up, I'm going to beat you up."

The words were crystal clear in his ears, and Lian Jun's heart sank. At the same time, his eyes snapped open! Chen Lin had already circled around and was now facing him.

"Finally awake. Stop lying on the floor, get up and eat." The man said, lifting the cloth covering the large bowl and placing it on the ground.

Lian Jun didn't move, glancing sideways at it, and was quite surprised: greasy flatbread and half a bowl of meat—what kind of meat? It didn't look like pork; was it chicken?

Thinking this, Lian Jun propped himself up and sat up. He looked at the bowl, then at Chen Lin, utterly puzzled as to why the man would bring him this.

"Eat up, what are you standing there for?" Chen Lin pulled a pair of chopsticks from his pocket and handed them to him.

This gesture of goodwill made Lian Jun somewhat flustered, but looking at Chen Lin's face, he immediately remembered what had happened that morning—he had eaten the man's semen. That stuff was filthy, and a wave of stomach acid surged up.

"Oh… ugh…" Lian Jun turned his head away and dry heaved.

Seeing his reaction, Chen Lin's expression worsened. He shoved the chopsticks into his hand, laughing and cursing, "Are you pregnant? You ate my semen, and now you're pregnant?"

Lian Jun's face flushed instantly at the malicious teasing, and he vomited even more violently, though nothing came out. Feeling slightly better, he turned and glared fiercely at Chen Lin.

"Get away from me, I don't want to see you." Lian Jun placed the chopsticks on the large bowl, ignoring the food.

Chen Lin was now enraged. His face turned ashen, and he squinted at Lian Jun, looking dangerous and terrifying. He sneered twice, "Don't push your luck. Who do you think you are? You're just a slut."

Insulted by his words, Lian Jun's blood boiled. Without thinking, he shoved Chen Lin. Chen Lin was squatting down talking to him, and the unexpected shove nearly made him fall. He managed to brace himself with his hands to avoid a humiliating blunder.

Chen Lin paused, then instead of being angry, he smiled, but the smile was twisted.

The moment Lian Jun made his move, he regretted it. Who was Chen Lin? He had suffered at his hands before, and angering him wouldn't end well. But should he cower? Even then, the other party probably wouldn't let him off the hook.

His heart pounded with fear. Lian Jun instinctively backed away, watching Chen Lin approach. Terrified, he crawled backward on all fours. Chen Lin watched him from behind, finding it amusing.

"Scared? If you're scared, then fucking behave yourself." Lian Jun reached a tree and leaned against the trunk to stand up.

He puffed out his cheeks, gathering his strength, and glared at Chen Lin.

"Are you going to eat or not?" Chen Lin decided to give Lian Jun a way out; after all, it would be a waste to waste his good intentions.

Looking at him, Lian Jun thought of his semen. Even the most delicious food was now impossible to swallow. That semen was like poison, wreaking havoc in his stomach, making him feel like vomiting again.

"Not going to eat, huh?" Chen Lin's words were soft, but the threat was chilling.

Before he finished speaking, Chen Lin took a step forward, grabbed Lian Jun by the hair as he tried to escape, and forcefully pulled him down, then slowly dragged him to the large bowl.

"Ugh... let go..." Lian Jun felt a sharp pain in his scalp, as if his skull was about to be ripped open. He couldn't struggle, as that would only invite the man's merciless retaliation, so he had no choice but to helplessly follow Chen Lin's rhythm and crawl on the ground.

"Eat or not?" Chen Lin shouted.

Lian Jun's head was pressed very low, about a fist's distance from the bowl. His hair was disheveled, and his face was flushed red with anger and agitation.

"No, I won't eat." His stubbornness flared up: the greasy meat looked disgusting no matter how he looked at it.

"Fuck your mother, you really are an ungrateful wretch." With that, Chen Lin forcefully pressed Lian Jun's head into the bowl.

Lian Jun instinctively closed his eyes and pursed his lips, not wanting to touch the meat at all, but his handsome face was now covered in grease.

"Hmph... Huff..." Lian Jun gasped for breath, his nose filled with the smell of meat, which made him extremely uncomfortable. He then violently turned his head away and began to struggle desperately. Chen Lin sneered inwardly, and his large hand also exerted force, accurately grabbing Lian Jun's right hand that was trying to fight back, and twisting it hard.

"Ugh...it hurts..." Lian Jun cried out in pain, unable to move. He felt his arm was ruined and thought to himself, "This guy is really ruthless. What kind of dirty trick is this?"

Chen Lin had been fighting since he was a child. He was notoriously fierce, specializing in underhanded tactics. He would aim for the eyes, the lower body, or

the throat. Most people would find it difficult to fight him, and coupled with his strong physique, he was almost invincible. Seeing that Lian Jun was behaving himself, he suddenly pounced on him, pressing hard on his back. How could Lian Jun's small body withstand his weight? He fell to the ground with a thud.

Chen Lin didn't stop there. He struck Lian Jun's ribs twice with his elbow, making him scream in pain. Only then did Chen Lin reluctantly stop.

He released Lian Jun's arm, turned him over, and then straddled his waist. Lian Jun didn't resist at all during this series of actions, only groaning softly in pain.

"You're just a jerk, you need to be disciplined, do you admit it or not? Still going to act tough with me?" Chen Lin grabbed Lian Jun's chin with one hand and lightly patted his cheek with the other.

"Ugh... humph..." Lian Jun was already stunned by the beating, his mind blankly thinking that his ribs must be broken.

Seeing that he didn't answer, Chen Lin raised his hand and slapped him hard across the face. Seeing the trickle of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, he showed no sympathy and continued to press, "Fuck your mother, you fucking talk."

Lian Jun's thoughts finally returned to reality. He was still young, he didn't want to be beaten to death by a man, and besides, he had a younger sister waiting for him outside, didn't he?

The young man used all his strength to barely squeeze out a few words: "I, I admit it."

"You motherfucker, you dare to act tough with me? You're just a fucking whore, and you dare to hit me? I'm still angry, what do you say we do about it?" Seeing that the other party was half dead, Chen Lin's arrogance grew even stronger.

"Fuck your mother, your mother's a whore." Lian Jun's pride secretly rose again. After cursing, his heart trembled. He thought the man would continue to beat him, but... the other man stared at him without changing his expression.

"Okay, you son of a bitch, you're really a fucking gem." Chen Lin chuckled, a vicious smile appearing on his lips: "Today I'll let both of your mouths have their fill of meat. You don't eat meat? Then I'll let you taste the flavor of a mature man."

Lian Jun felt like he'd been struck by lightning, a chill running down his spine—he was going to rape me!

?????? (N words omitted here, see personal account for

details) After the incident, Lian Jun became a lifeless doll again. If he had five parts of life left after the oral sex, now he only had one part left, almost barely breathing.

Chen Lin lay contentedly on the grass, his arms outstretched. Suddenly, he touched something. He felt it with his fingertips—it seemed to be a cigarette box?

He quickly grabbed it and looked at it, then couldn't help but laugh. It really was a Furongwang cigarette.

He put a cigarette in his mouth, pulled out a lighter from his shorts, lit it with a snap, took two deep drags, and then exhaled the smoke into the air.

Neither of them spoke, and Chen Lin showed no sign of leaving. After finishing his cigarette, he stood up, looked at Lian Jun who was crying with his eyes closed, and sneered, "You're not a woman, why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying!" Lian Jun wanted to yell at him, but his voice was very low.

"Is that so?" Chen Lin moved closer, wiped the corner of his eye with his finger, and put the tears into his mouth: "Not crying? What is this?"

Lian Jun finally broke down, and he burst into tears.

Chen Lin raised an eyebrow, picked at his ear with his right hand, and looked annoyed: "Alright, you really are a woman. Come on, little lady, I'll carry you to wash up."

Saying that, he bent down and picked up Lian Jun: the other party seemed very sad, so sad that he didn't even have the strength to resist.

Chen Lin carried him for 100 meters to a stream, then placed him on the grass. He looked around, then turned back to retrieve his underwear and rubbed it in the stream.

Holding the wet underwear, he began thrusting against Lian Jun's genitals: the movements weren't too gentle, but certainly not too rough. Seeing the bloodied mess at the other's anus, he frowned. After

cleaning the mess, he inserted his fingers into Lian Jun's anus.

"Ah..." Lian Jun cried out in pain, looking up at him.

"There's some semen inside you that needs to be removed, otherwise you'll have diarrhea and a fever tomorrow or the day after," Chen Lin explained, continuing his actions.

Lian Jun gritted his teeth and endured it, feeling utterly disgusted.

After a while, Chen Lin finally stopped: "Alright, you're injured. I'll get some anti-inflammatory medicine from the doctor when we get back."

Lian Jun didn't even look at him, only weeping bitterly.

“Baby, don’t cry, it’ll be fine in a few days. From now on, you’ll be with me, and

I’ll guarantee you’ll never have to worry about food or clothing.” Chen Lin whispered in Lian Jun’s ear—he was bisexual, able to get an erection with both men and women, and he used the same tricks he used to pick up young girls on Lian Jun. Before he finished speaking, a slap suddenly flew across his face. While Lian Jun was stunned by

the blow, he angrily said, “You’re dreaming.” “Damn it, you slut, the scar hasn’t even healed yet, and you’ve already forgotten the pain. See how I deal with you.” With that, the man’s anger flared, and he pounced on Lian Jun…

From then on, Lian Jun and Chen Lin began a game of chase and fight.

Chen Lin was fascinated by his body, and his vigorous desires caused Lian Jun unbearable suffering, often making him cry and scream before Chen Lin would stop.

Lian Jun was under a lot of pressure. He applied for a transfer, but there was no news.

He wasn't gay; he was a normal man. Although he'd never been in a relationship, he didn't want to be entangled with a thug all the time, so he was in great pain. He didn't want to have a man's thing stuck in his ass, but eventually, he got used to it a little. It only took about three months from initial disgust to acceptance.

Of course, Chen Lin usually took good care of Lian Jun, always thinking of him when there was something good to eat or drink, and not letting him do any work. But Lian Jun disagreed and still went to work with the others. After a while, others would definitely notice something was amiss, which troubled Lian Jun greatly, while Chen Lin was very proud, sometimes even calling him "wife" in public.

In these absurd days, Lian Jun missed his sister constantly. He really hoped to get out of there soon, otherwise he would be driven crazy. But why didn't his sister come to see him? June 4th, Chapter Seventy-Seven: Visiting. At the end

of December, the weather in City A was a bit chilly. It was no longer possible to wear just a shirt and trousers—at least warm sweaters and trousers were needed underneath to keep warm.

Lian Yu happily followed Xue Jin into the store. The store was large, three floors, and offered a wide variety of goods.

Xue Jin mainly pushed the shopping cart, the little girl following beside him with a smile on her face, looking very well-behaved. Xue Jin turned to look at her: "Have you decided what to buy?"

Lian Yu thought for a moment, then blinked her big eyes and said, "I want to buy anything my brother can use."

Xue Jin looked at her noncommittally, saying nothing.

The two first bought some food in the food section: roast duck, pig's trotters, pickles, and some drinks and snacks.

"That's enough, stop pretending. Let's go look at the clothing section." Xue Jin frowned slightly when he saw that the things the girl was carrying were all expensive, and she was carrying more than one item at a time, usually three or four.

Lian Yu was a little annoyed, but didn't say anything. She put down the nuts she was holding and followed the man up the escalator.

From underwear to sweaters, Lian Yu bought several sets. Then she was a little troubled—what else could she buy for her brother?

Xue Jin, who had been quietly pushing the cart, saw her helpless look and couldn't help but kindly offer some advice: "You can buy clothes and shoes, but they should all be lightweight."

Lian Yu looked at him, puzzled: her brother was serving his sentence at a farm, and while in prison, these things couldn't be sent; the guards would return them.

"Do as I say."

Lian Yu pursed her lips and headed straight for the shoe section.

The two shopped for almost an hour. Xue Jin grew tired of pushing the cart, and seeing it full, he told Lian Yu it was time to pay.

The little girl was reluctant, feeling she should buy something else, but couldn't think of anything, so she gave up and went straight to the checkout.

Just as Xue Jin took out his wallet to pay, a familiar voice rang in his ears.

"Hey, Xue Jin." The man turned around and saw Ding Bu's slightly chubby face, accompanied by a woman—in her thirties, dressed very well.

"Oh, it's you two, shopping too." Xue Jin greeted them casually, seemingly oblivious to Ding Bu's mischievous glint in his eyes and his lover's curious gaze.

"Yes, my husband Ding finally had some free time, so I dragged him here shopping. He'd barely been here a few minutes before he started complaining about wanting to leave. I just couldn't do anything about it." The woman said, glancing at Xue Jin's shopping cart and then turning back to glare at Ding Bu.

Ding Bu paid no attention to her thoughts, his eyes fixed intently on the little girl, making Lian Yu hide behind Xue Jin, which greatly displeased the man.

"Is that so? Ding Bu is just like that. Sister-in-law, don't be too insistent, haha!" Hearing the cashier's price, Xue Jin readily pulled out a few bills and handed them over.

"Who's this little girl?" Ding Bu asked Xue Jin with interest.

"A relative of mine. Didn't she borrow your house last time? It's for her to stay in for school." Xue Jin knew he'd been exposed, but they were all family, so he wasn't afraid, and a smug feeling arose within him.

The two stared at each other for a moment. Ding Bu immediately caught Xue Jin's smug, boastful gaze, and then understood, yet remained utterly confused—was this for real? This girl was pretty, but she hadn't fully matured yet. Had Xue Jin really made a move?

Then Ding Bu became curious about Lian Yu's background. Xue Jin said she was a relative—wasn't that incest? His words couldn't be trusted.

"Hey buddy, when are we going out for a drink? I need to talk to you about something." Ding Bu smiled slightly, leaning closer. Although he spoke to Xue Jin, his gaze lingered on the young girl.

"Hmm, sure, I'll call you. I might not be able to make time lately." Xue Jin deliberately whetted his appetite; he knew exactly what he meant.

"No, no, no! We haven't gotten together in ages! You have to make time for your buddy!" Ding Bu exclaimed dramatically.

Xue Jin raised an eyebrow and pursed his lips: They saw each other at least once a week; how could it have been so long?

“Okay, I’ll call you when I get back.”

Ding Bu paused, Xue Jin’s expression was serious, not joking: “You really have something to do? Where are you going?”

“To see a friend, I’ll talk to you in detail when I get back, I’m leaving now.” Xue Jin couldn’t explain it clearly in a short time, so he ended the conversation decisively.

“Okay, I understand, I’ll wait for your call.” Ding Bu smiled slightly, watching the two leave: one tall and one short, they looked so mismatched, Xue Jin was getting more and more strange…

The next day, both of them got up very early. Xue Jin prepared breakfast for his family and then drove to Lian Yu’s building.

The little girl had two bags in her hands: one for clothes and the other for food. She excitedly carried her things and sat in the back seat.

“How did you sleep?” Xue Jin saw that she was in good spirits, but had dark circles under her eyes, so he couldn’t help but ask with concern.

Hearing him say that, Lian Yu couldn't help but yawn. She covered her mouth shyly, saying, "It's okay."

Actually, Lian Yu had tossed and turned for most of the night, extremely excited, her brain constantly working, thinking about many things, her mind filled with thoughts of her brother. Finally, reason told her she had to sleep, so she got up to check the time. She should have just looked; it was already 3 AM! Dawn would be in an hour!

Checking the time is the worst thing you can do when you have insomnia. The girl forced herself to sleep, but it backfired. She only dozed off briefly when the room started to brighten.

Then, she was woken up by Xue Jin's phone call.

"You said you were okay? You're practically a national treasure now," Xue Jin said, annoyed at her lie.

"..." Lian Yu subconsciously stuck out her pink tongue, making Xue Jin pause in surprise. The little girl wouldn't usually do something so cute; it seemed she was just too happy today.

"Xiao Yu, tear off all the clothing tags." Xue Jin had also slept poorly the night before, thinking about many things.

“Ah…” Lian Yu looked at Xue Jin through the rearview mirror, puzzled.

“The price tags are on them. If we buy your brother clothes that are too expensive, he’ll overthink it,” Xue Jin explained slowly.

Lian Yu thought it made a lot of sense: her brother didn’t know she was being kept by someone. If he did, he would definitely be very angry. Xue Jin was so much older than her; selling his body would be despised.

Her brother would think she was suffering outside, and she had bought so many expensive things; he would definitely be suspicious. What would she say then?

Thinking this, Lian Yu quickly got to work and soon tore off the tags from the clothes. Xue Jin glanced at the rearview mirror, slowly parked the car on the side of the road, opened the door, and went to the trunk.

When he got back into the car, he had a blanket and a cushion in his hand.

“The road is still long, about four hours to the farm. You should sleep for a while. I’ll wake you up when we get there,” Xue Jin said, tossing the blanket to Lian Yu.

"Ah, thank you." Lian Yu felt a warmth in her heart. Everyone longs for care and affection, and Xue Jin's thoughtfulness touched her.

Xue Jin's lips curved into a charming smile as he turned to start the engine, looking at the little girl nestled in the back leather seat with an indescribable sense of satisfaction.

The drive was smooth, and Xue Jin stopped the car again when they crossed a large river: the river was wide and long, and several fishermen were selling fish at the bridgehead.

Lian Yu, now awake and full of energy, jumped out of the car and followed Xue Jin.

"Master, how much are these fish?" City people are fascinated by things from the countryside: they're green and all-natural, representing pollution-free health.

Xue Jin wore brown fleece trousers and a light blue collarless shirt, and carried sunglasses he had just taken off his face. Stepping out of the luxurious black A6, he exuded an air of authority—either an official or a wealthy businessman.

"Five yuan a pound for crucian carp, four yuan for silver carp... just caught this morning, boss, want some?" Xue Jin found a fisherman nearby, an old man with dark, earthy skin and deep-set eyes, looking simple and aged.

Xue Jin squatted down, glanced at the fish briefly: they were fresh and alive, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Ten pounds of crucian carp, and five more pounds of small silver fish." Whenever Xue Jin went to another county, whether for business or personal reasons, he always wanted to eat some local produce.

Hearing that he wanted so much, the fisherman's face lit up with a smile. He scooped a ladleful of fish from the basin, put it in a plastic bag, picked up his pole, and gave him the full weight.

Lian Yu knew that this was probably for her brother too, so she took the bag full of fish herself.

Xue Jin expressionlessly pulled out his wallet and tossed a hundred-yuan bill to the fishermen's family: "Keep the change."

"Ah..." The fishermen were stunned for a moment, then a chrysanthemum-like smile appeared on their faces as they nodded and thanked Xue Jin profusely. The other fishermen, however, just watched numbly: after all, they hadn't actually made the sale.

"Where is this place?" After settling the bill, Xue Jin didn't leave immediately but inquired about the location.

“XX Village, YY Bridge,” the fisherman answered enthusiastically.

“Hmm, how far is it to Qinghe Farm?”

“About 100 kilometers.” The fisherman knew the place; everyone within a hundred miles knew it was a labor camp.

Xue Jin nodded, thanked him, and then turned to walk towards the car parked nearby. Lian Yu followed him, carrying the fish bag with some difficulty.

During the fish purchase, Xue Jin didn't say a word to Lian Yu, as if they didn't know each other. The girl felt a surge of disdain. Her uncle was good at putting on an act; he certainly looked respectable and decent, but actually…

Lian Yu's dissatisfaction subsided slightly as she looked up. In fact, she reminded herself every now and then that Xue Jin was a bad guy and that she would have to leave him one day.

“What are you thinking about? Don't get water on the car,” Xue Jin reminded her, noticing her lost in thought.

“Uh…” Lian Yu quickly looked down: the plastic bag didn't just contain fish; it also contained some water so the fish would live longer and taste fresher.

"No, I'll be careful." Lian Yu straightened the bag; it would be a real hassle if it spilled.

Xue Jin glanced at her deeply in the rearview mirror, then put on his sunglasses, started the car, and that glance sent a shiver down the girl's spine. Did her uncle know she was secretly cursing him?

The road ahead was difficult to navigate, with unpaved dirt tracks that kicked up dust, turning the beautiful A6 into a gray, muddy mess. Some of the smaller roads were also bumpy and uneven. Fortunately, Xue Jin was steady and had good driving skills, managing to get through safely.

But the man couldn't help but glare at Lian Yu with a hint of reproach: Xue Jin loved his car. The original Toyota 4500 had been driven quite carefully by the driver, and there hadn't been any damage when he left. Now that it was his turn to drive the A6 himself, he was even more careful. It was a new car, and he was afraid it would suffer any 'injustice'. Now that it had been driven on such a rough road, how could he not feel sorry for it?

He secretly resolved that this would be the last time; he wouldn't come back.

Lian Yu also noticed the terrible road conditions, the ride was incredibly bumpy, and several times she was almost afraid Xue Jin would overturn the car or break down on the road. But in the end, Xue Jin still managed to leave that area.

Around one o'clock in the afternoon, the two finally saw the sign for Qinghe Farm, standing on a large expanse of wasteland, surrounded by high-voltage power lines and barbed wire. There were two small houses in front of the gate, where imposing soldiers stood with their guns.

Actually, the security at the farm wasn't as tight as in a prison, but most of the inmates here were about to be released, so no one tried to escape. You know, if you really escaped and got caught, the punishment was severe, and nobody was foolish enough to take that risk.

Xue Jin got out of the car first, leaving Lian Yu to wait inside.

He stepped forward, explained his purpose to the soldier, and told him he was looking for a minor leader. The driver, already wary upon seeing Xue Jin's license plate, didn't hesitate and rushed into the small room.

The soldier, who had gone to make a phone call, returned with a respectful salute, and the car was quickly allowed to pass.

Xue Jin's car meandered across the wasteland, occasionally spotting crops of varying heights, herds of cattle and sheep, and even prisoners grazing nearby, all looking on with curiosity.

Lian Yu's heart pounded; she was naturally happy, yet also a little nervous, having not seen her brother for so long—half a year? It seemed not, but at least three months.

In the distance, she saw a row of earthen houses, the prisoners' cells, Xue Jin's destination. As they approached, she saw someone waiting there.

Xue Jin stopped the car, having previously instructed Lian Yu not to get out. He opened the door, shook hands with the person who had come to greet him, and then the two entered the courtyard.

Lian Yu anxiously stared at the courtyard gate, wanting to jump out of the carriage to see what was going on, but ultimately suppressed his inner turmoil.

"Hehe, was the journey smooth?" The dormitory supervisor had received orders from above to treat Xue Jin well, so he warmly invited him to his office.

It was called an office, but it was really just a mud house, though it was fairly well-furnished, with basic appliances and office supplies.

The supervisor poured tea for Xue Jin and then sat down opposite the man—the table was a simple solid wood square table, and he sat on a hard, long wooden bench.

Xue Jin shifted uncomfortably; now that he held a high position, his health was naturally more precious.

"It's alright." Xue Jin was thirsty; he had been busy traveling and hadn't drunk much water. He picked up his teacup and gulped down a large mouthful.

"Haven't eaten yet? I've had my men prepare lunch; I hope Director Xue will do me the honor!" The supervisor had never seen such a high-ranking official before, and his face was full of respect.

"We need to eat, but there's no rush. Let's take care of business first." Xue Jin wasn't there for a meal; he felt slightly uneasy, so he wanted to get Lian Jun's matter sorted out first.

"Alright, alright, he's on his way, he'll be there soon..."

After coming out, Xue Jin briefly spoke to Lian Yu in the car, telling her to be careful with her words. Lian Yu understood what he meant; he was afraid she might be careless and give herself away.

Lian Yu nodded knowingly. Xue Jin then asked her to come out—he had brought all those large and small bags, and also some fish to add to the kitchen's dishes. The two of them went together to the office Xue Jin had just visited.

The dormitory supervisor was no longer there. Xue Jin left Lian Yu alone and turned to leave as well.

Lian Yu walked to the table, placed the things she was carrying at her feet, and then slowly sat down on the stool directly opposite the door, staring intently at the doorway—outside that open door was the person she missed. The footsteps outside the

insomnia cell grew closer and closer, finally reaching the doorway. Lian Yu could no longer sit still. She jumped up from her chair, turned her head, and stared wide-eyed— Lian Jun had finished lunch and was herding sheep, but what should have been a leisurely task had become less pleasant—Chen Lin was following him, constantly bothering him, which annoyed him greatly. However, Chen Lin was tall and strong, and he was no match for him physically, so he had to swallow his anger. When his companions arrived and told him that his sister had come to see him, he was both surprised and delighted. He leaped up from the grass, ignoring Chen Lin's questions behind him, and rushed straight to the cell. Reaching the door, Lian Jun stopped, brushing the dust and grass off his clothes. If there had been a mirror nearby, he would have certainly tidied himself up. With a creak, the door opened, and the siblings' eyes met. "Xiaoyu, you've finally come to see your brother! I've missed you so much!" Lian Jun took a few big steps forward and hugged his sister tightly. His eyes were red, and he was so excited he almost cried—it had been so long since he'd seen her. It felt like forever. He was doing alright with his food and lodging here, but he was always bothered by Chen Lin, and he was worried that his sister, a girl alone, might be bullied. But now that he saw her in person—Lian Jun wanted to take a good look at the girl, so he gently pushed her away from his arms and lowered his head to examine her face closely. His sister was much fairer and seemed to have grown taller. Her face was full and cute, and the slight baby fat he remembered was gone. Her cheeks were more defined, becoming a perfect oval face. "Brother, I missed you too." Lian Yu noticed that her brother seemed to have lost weight. His face was thinner, his brow bones more prominent, and his eyes were somewhat sunken, but he seemed even more handsome. Lian Yu felt a pang of sadness—her brother must have suffered a lot of grievances here. Before coming here, the girl told herself to be strong and never shed tears in front of her brother, but when she actually saw her family, she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness in her eyes.

She sniffled, tears streaming down her face. At first, it was just silent sobbing, but eventually, a muffled choke came from her throat.

"Silly girl, why are you crying? You missed me, and now that you've seen me, you should be happy." Lian Jun gently wiped away the girl's tears, but she seemed genuinely heartbroken, tears falling one after another, keeping him busy.

Lian Jun sighed—seeing his sister perfectly healthy, his heart, which had just relaxed slightly, tightened again: his sister was still young, just a child.

Lian Jun put his arm around her shoulder, and they sat down together on the long bench.

"I'll go get you some tissues. Don't cry anymore, or your brother will feel bad too." Lian Jun forced a smile, turned around, and went to the other end of the room to get a tissue box.

Although the farm was desolate, the civil servants who worked there received very good treatment, almost the same as others, only the houses and desks were a bit old.

"Here, wipe it off quickly, you're all covered in grime." Lian Jun pulled out a few tissues and handed them over. Hearing this, Lian Yu's distress eased slightly, and she smiled a little.

"Is your vacation coming up soon?" Lian Jun asked, glancing at the girl's clothes—a light-colored casual outfit with a hooded top.

Lian Jun was quite certain his sister didn't own clothes like that.

"No, there are still two months left." Lian Yu folded the tissues into a square and wiped her face haphazardly.

"Really?" Lian Jun noticed a row of English letters on the front of the top. Although he wasn't very well-educated and didn't understand their meaning, he knew it was the brand name.

"Xiao Yu, where did you buy this outfit? It's very pretty." Lian Jun asked casually.

"I bought it at the store, brother..." Mentioning this, Lian Yu became very excited, quickly standing up from her chair and opening a bag at her feet.

Lian Jun hadn't paid much attention to the other things beside the table, but now he saw the little girl holding out a pile of clothes.

"Brother, this is what I brought for you. Do you like it?" Lian Yu smiled, placing the clothes on the table, then picking out one or two pieces that she thought were nice, and holding them up against him.

"Hmm, hmm, not bad. Brother is fair-skinned, so you look good in anything." Lian Yu was admiring herself, completely unaware that her brother seemed uninterested.

Looking at the clothes in front of him, Lian Jun was filled with doubt: the clothes were all new, at least seven or eight pieces. How could his sister have money to spend?

He then looked at another bag on the ground, which must also contain things bought for him.

"Xiao Yu, what's in there?" Lian Jun pointed to the ground.

"Uh, it's all food." As she spoke, Lian Yu squatted down, opened the bag, and stepped aside so her brother could see the food inside.

"I bought these yesterday. I didn't know what you liked to eat, so I brought a lot." Lian Yu smiled happily.

Lian Jun rubbed the fabric of the clothes with his hand—the texture was soft and quite nice. He then looked at the cooked food and snacks in the bag, his mind going blank for a moment.

His thoughts were somewhat disconnected. In his mind, cooked food and snacks were luxuries, rarely bought by the brother and sister, ultimately because these things were expensive and impractical—yes, they were poor, an undeniable fact.

"This must have cost a lot of money, right?" Lian Jun asked sullenly. The initial joy of their meeting was overshadowed by these unexpected items; his mind was now filled with doubt and confusion.

Actually, Xue Jin initially disagreed with the little girl bringing things, but Lian Yu was determined to make sure her brother was comfortable, her face darkening like the bottom of a pot, and she wouldn't eat, only cry.

Xue Jin eventually had no choice but to agree. Sometimes, when the little one got willful, he really couldn't do anything: he had promised her to visit her brother, he couldn't let her come feeling sad, could he?!

"..." Lian Yu was stunned for a moment, but quickly recovered. She used a smile to hide her slight guilt and unease, saying lightly, "Uncle Xue bought all of these."

Lian Yu couldn't lie, because she had no better reason.

Lian Jun's mouth dropped open in astonishment: Xue Jin? He and his sister were already so close. Yes, he had hoped that she would take care of Lian Yu when she had time, but weren't these gifts a bit too much of a favor?

"How can you be so inconsiderate? How can you just take things from others like that?" Lian Jun was very angry, scolding his sister coldly.

Lian Yu felt wronged: What's wrong with these things? He was hogging them; he should have spent the money to make her brother's life better. Why shouldn't she take them? But a little girl shouldn't say these things.

"He insisted on buying them; I couldn't stop him," Lian Yu muttered, her head down.

Seeing her unhappy, Lian Jun suppressed his anger: The things are already bought; are we going to return them? Besides, his sister had finally come to the farm; did he have to make her unhappy?

“Xiaoyu, your brother isn’t here with you, so you need to be more sensible. You’re so old now, don’t worry your brother, okay?” Lian Jun said earnestly. “Director Xue is a good person, but he’s an outsider after all. You can’t take his things anymore. What do you like? I’ll buy it for you when I go out, okay?”

Lian Yu nodded outwardly, but

inwardly she was very resentful. “That’s more like it, like a good child.” Lian Jun was helpless: their parents left early, and his sister was a well-behaved child who almost never made mistakes, but if she really had any problems, he really didn’t know how to effectively guide and educate her.

Everyone has self-respect, and seeing her hanging her head, Lian Jun thought the matter would just pass and didn’t dwell on it.

“How did you get here?” Lian Jun changed the subject.

“Uncle Xue drove me here.” Lian Yu lifted her eyelids and turned her head to look at Lian Jun.

“Ah… really? Where is he?” Lian Jun’s heart skipped a beat, and he was thinking about how he should thank him properly. Also—

Lian Yu shook her head.

Lian Jun thought for a moment and felt this was an opportunity. He quickly stood up: "Xiao Yu, stay here, I'll be back in a bit."

After inquiring around, Lian Jun unexpectedly found Xue Jin in the kitchen: the cook was tending the fire, and Xue Jin had rolled up his sleeves and was chopping scallions and ginger on the cutting board.

Smoke was billowing from the pot, and a bowl on the stove contained cleaned crucian carp.

Lian Jun could also cook, and seeing this, he understood that Xue Jin was personally cooking the crucian carp. He couldn't help but be surprised: such an elegant and handsome man could actually cook? And judging from his knife skills, even Lian Jun was impressed.

Seeing the young man enter, Xue Jin put down his work and walked over calmly: "Hehe, Lian Jun, we meet again!"

"Hehe, Director Xue, hello, hello, I really didn't expect..." Lian Jun smiled and extended his hand to shake hands with him.

"Didn't expect me to cook? It's just a hobby!" When Xue Jin brought the fish over, he told the cook how to cook it, but the cook seemed to have never done it that way before, so he hesitated.

Seeing his reaction, and glancing at the simple kitchen, Xue Jin reluctantly decided to cook himself.

Lian Jun didn't deny it, nodding slightly. Xue Jin knew he had something to say to him, so he turned back and gave the cook a few instructions before the two left.

They didn't go back to the office, but instead strolled leisurely out the main gate. Lian Jun sincerely thanked Xue Jin for his care of his sister and himself.

"Director Xue, if it weren't for you, I really wouldn't have had the chance to come here. The grass is lush and green, the sun is shining brightly—it's a hundred times better than prison. It's a good place,"

Xue Jin thought to himself with a cold smile, but outwardly remained calm and gentle.

“Lian Jun, you’re not suited to prison. This place suits you better. I’m just doing my job, don’t take it too seriously.”

The young man suddenly stopped, gazing into the distance. “Do you think I’m suitable?”

Grassy fields and grazing sheep—this place was desolate yet beautiful. If he could, Lian Jun would indeed want to serve his sentence here. But this was paradise, and so were the devils.

Can humanity be twisted? The answer is yes.

Living in this world, one encounters all sorts of problems, and Lian Jun was just an ordinary person. He feared succumbing to some depraved game.

He wasn’t gay, yet he was experiencing another man’s sexual prowess. It seemed few in the world had such an experience.

As a man, to be beneath another man, moaning in pleasure—it was tragic, yet helpless. At least for Lian Jun, he felt a deep-seated aversion, so he wanted to escape.

Xue Jin, being as clever as he was, sensed the hidden meaning in Lian Jun's words and asked, "What's wrong? You seem dissatisfied with life here?"

Lian Jun turned to look at him. "If I could, I wish I had never been here."

Xue Jin paused for a moment, then realized that Chen Lin must have taken advantage of Lian Jun. Xue Jin wasn't particularly interested in such a romantic affair, but he was vaguely intrigued.

"Do you want to leave?"

Lian Jun, thinking there was hope, nodded emphatically.

Xue Jin immediately feigned distress, his brows furrowed, hands in his pockets. "Can I know why?"

Xue Jin knew he shouldn't ask, but his wicked nature got the better of him; he wanted to see Lian Jun's sorrowful expression. Sure enough, the other man's brows furrowed deeply, his lips pressed into a thin line.

After a moment, Xue Jin knew he wouldn't get an answer and gave up.

"Lian Jun, I really want to help you, but I'm no longer the prison warden!" Xue Jin said weakly.

Hearing this, Lian Jun's heart sank. He abruptly looked up: Xue Jin sounded dejected; perhaps he had been demoted?

"Really?" He was disappointed, but didn't ask Xue Jin for details, afraid of embarrassing him.

"Yes, I'm very sorry, I'm afraid I can't help you, but I'll try my best to take good care of Lian Yu."

"Thank you." Lian Jun cheered and smiled.

The conversation ended there. Lian Jun felt it was time to go back, so the two of them retraced their steps and returned to the cell. The cook had already prepared the meal.

Lian Jun and the cell warden ate with the two guests, and then the two siblings said their reluctant goodbyes. Xue Jin then led Lian Yu on their way home.

That night, Lian Jun couldn't sleep; he tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Chen Lin woke up in the middle of the night and saw Lian Jun staring at the ceiling, seemingly lost in thought. He then crawled into Lian Jun's bed. Lian Jun, who was annoyed by Chen Lin, started wrestling with him. Their playful tussle woke the other two on the same bed, but neither dared to utter a sound.

In the end, Lian Jun gave in.

The two, panting, embraced, Chen Lin's arm around Lian Jun's waist and his manhood in his other hand.

"You're such a jerk, why are you running away?" Chen Lin said, forcefully pulling on Lian Jun's groin, causing him to groan in pain.

"Get lost, go back to your own bed, you're disgusting." Lian Jun was furious. He couldn't even get a moment's peace in the middle of the night; everyone would be talking about him tomorrow morning. Chen Lin didn't care; he was easily embarrassed.

"Damn, how am I disgusting? We've been sleeping together for almost half a year, and you still complain?" Chen Lin chuckled maliciously in his ear.

"I'll complain about you for the rest of my life."

As soon as he finished speaking, Lian Jun wanted to bite his tongue off.

"What did you say? You want to spend your whole life with me?" Chen Lin was being utterly unreasonable; how could he miss the chance to mock him?

Lian Jun's face was flushed, and if it weren't nighttime, it would have been clearly visible.

He was almost furious with embarrassment: "Get the hell out of here! Go to

hell! Who wants to spend their whole life with you?" Lian Jun rarely swore before, but thanks to Chen Lin, he was now practically swearing all the time.

"Hehe, hitting is a sign of affection, scolding is a sign of love. I love hearing you swear, so fierce and slutty, it makes my heart itch!" Chen Lin was a complete scoundrel, having Lian Jun completely under his thumb.

"Damn it!" Lian Jun rolled his eyes in anger.

After a while, Chen Lin remembered what had happened today: "I heard your sister came to see you? And that Xue Jin, Director Xue?"

Lian Jun remained silent, tacitly agreeing .

"Speaking of which, that Xue Jin was practically our matchmaker."

"Get lost! If Xue Jin knew you were such a scumbag, he definitely wouldn't have let me come to the farm with you." Lian Jun retorted.

"You think so?" Chen Lin cursed Lian Jun inwardly, mistaking a bad guy for a loving mother.

"Yeah, Xue Jin is taking care of my sister now. He's a good guy. He even brought me a lot of things when he came today." Lian Jun was grateful to Xue Jin, so he kept praising him.

"Oh~~" Chen Lin had been out in the world for a long time and knew the wickedness of people. He was very suspicious of Lian Jun's words and his tone was amused.

Back then, Chen Lin had heard that this young man, Lian Jun, was sent down from above.

"Your sister is very pretty, isn't she?"

Lian Jun replied proudly, "Of course, my sister is almost 15. She's gotten fairer now and is very pretty."

Chen Lin gave a somewhat cold laugh, which sounded malicious: "Is that so? Be careful, that kid Xue Jin might eat your little sister."

Without thinking, Lian Jun elbowed him directly. Amid Chen Lin's cry of pain, he retorted in a low voice, "You're a bad guy. Do you think all men in the world are like you?"

"Damn, you're really ruthless. You're not only ruthless, but also extremely stupid." Chen Lin touched his chest, which hurt a little.

"Don't be fooled by some people's seemingly respectable appearances. They're actually worse than us behind our backs. You'd better tell your sister to be careful," Chen Lin grumbled.

Lian Jun's heart skipped a beat, a strange feeling creeping into his chest—

before he could think further, Chen Lin rolled over and pinned him down, his breath coming in erotic murmurs: "You hurt me, don't expect me to let you off easily."

"Ah..." Lian Jun cried out in humiliation as his underwear was pulled down—this night, some people were destined to have sleepless nights. The trip to the farm,

the seventy-ninth quarrel

, went smoothly and without incident—Xue Jin was pleased, thinking that the brother and sister were both so innocent. He felt no guilt whatsoever, enjoying the little girl's beautiful body with a clear conscience.

That day, Bai Sisi had a headache, so she returned home from the shop before 3 PM.

She took out her keys, opened the door, tossed her handbag onto the sofa, found some painkillers, poured herself a glass of water, and quickly took the pills.

Bai Sisi was exhausted and suffered from headaches—as the saying goes, a headache isn't a disease, but it can be excruciating; only those who have experienced it truly understand the suffering.

Bai Sisi sat on the sofa for a while, feeling much better.

She stood up, intending to go back to her room to rest. Upon entering the bedroom, she saw the storage box where she usually kept dirty clothes—it contained two pairs of Xue Jin's trousers and a sweater.

They weren't there yesterday; he must have changed them this morning.

Bai Sisi leaned against the wall, frowning as she looked at them: Xue Jin was still the same as always; he definitely had another woman. But she was, after all, his wife. She had already tolerated it all; why couldn't she be more forgiving?

Bai Sisi pouted, thinking to herself that few men don't cheat. As long as it wasn't too outrageous, she wouldn't make a scene. Besides, if things really came down to it, she might not come out on top.

Thinking about this, Bai Sisi felt extremely annoyed at her carelessness. How could she have let Xue Jin discover the evidence of her infidelity? Otherwise, the situation would have been much more favorable to her.

Women are sometimes like that, seemingly fickle, but everyone is selfish.

Bai Sisi bent down, picked up the dirty clothes, and went straight to the bathroom—the washing machine was in the corner. Bai Sisi rummaged through the pockets of the man's sweater, but found nothing. She then reached into the pocket of his trousers and touched something hard. Judging from its shape and texture, it seemed to be a key.

The woman took it out and, sure enough, there were two keys tied together with a thin rubber band.

Bai Sisi immediately realized something was wrong. The rubber band was red, the kind little girls often use to tie their hair. Looking at the keys… she quickly pulled out her own set from her purse and compared them, discovering that they weren't the ones from home at all.

Anger surged to her head, and Bai Sisi angrily threw the keys away, carving a small dent in the high-end mahogany floor.

It's said that women are sensitive, but often, a woman's intuition is accurate: Bai Sisi believed these were the keys to Xue Jin's mistress's house, and indeed they were.

Sitting on the sofa, the woman grew angrier with each passing thought: she could pretend not to see Xue Jin's infidelity, but she couldn't afford to be caught red-handed, and these keys of unknown origin were truly irritating and suspicious.

Bai Sisi's headache, which had just subsided, was now showing signs of flaring up again. She suppressed her anger, picked up the keys, and turned to go into the bedroom

. Night fell, and Xue Jin drove into the apartment complex.

He turned off the engine and sat in the car, looking up at the third-floor window—the light was on. Although the curtains obscured the view inside, he knew the little girl was there. A

warm feeling welled up in Xue Jin's heart, and a slight smile played on his lips as he stepped out of the car.

He was in a good mood today. He had just finished a celebration party; the civil engineering project in the Southern New City had finally been secured. A group of employees had gone to eat first, then to karaoke, and were only just arriving now.

Xue Jin had participated as Ding Bu's friend; after all, many people didn't know that he was the real boss behind the new company.

He hadn't called Lian Yu beforehand, and wondered if she would be surprised to see him.

Xue Jin stood in front of the building entrance, reaching into his pocket for the security door key. He searched both pockets thoroughly but couldn't find it. He frowned slightly, wondering where the key had gone.

Could he have accidentally dropped it, or perhaps he hadn't taken it with him when he changed clothes that morning?

Xue Jin racked his brains, but couldn't figure it out, so he gave up and pressed the call button on the security door.

Lian Yu was lying in bed watching TV when she suddenly heard the phone ring. She was startled, then immediately reacted, slipping on her slippers and going to the door.

"Hello?" Lian Yu reached for the intercom hanging on the wall.

"It's me, Xiaoyu, open the door." Xue Jin's voice came from the other end of the receiver.

Lian Yu wasn't surprised at all. Who else could it be but Xue Jin at this hour? This wasn't the first time Xue Jin had visited in the middle of the night.

After a click, the door opened, and Xue Jin walked into the stairwell and quickly climbed to the third floor.

Xue Jin gently knocked on the door, and the little girl quickly came out to greet him.

"Uncle, you didn't bring your keys?" Lian Yu prepared slippers and placed them beside his feet, then put his leather shoes on the shoe rack.

"Hmm, I don't know where I put them." Xue Jin usually opened the door himself with his key.

The two went into the bedroom one after the other. Xue Jin watched the TV series that was still playing and raised an eyebrow slightly: "What's on?"

"An idol drama, you wouldn't know even if I told you." Whenever Xue Jin came here, he usually tuned in to the news channel and never had any interest in the 8 pm leisure programs.

Xue Jin smiled slightly, took off his suit jacket, revealing a purple V-neck pullover underneath.

"You know me so well!" Xue Jin sat on the bed—the white and red floral duvet cover looked rather comical, and the little figure on the bed was exceptionally cute.

He approached, reeking of alcohol, which made Lian Yu turn her face away in disgust. She glanced at the TV out of the corner of her eye and muttered softly, "You've been drinking again!"

"Yeah, I did, but not much." Seeing that she was sensitive to the smell of alcohol, Xue Jin reluctantly kissed her cheek before collapsing onto the pillow.

Xue Jin stared at the white ceiling, his vision beginning to blur.

"Baby, I want to sleep for a while, will you sleep with me for a while?" Xue Jin asked indistinctly, his eyes half-closed.

Lian Yu pursed her lips, seeing him close his eyes and remain motionless. After a while, just when the girl thought he had fallen asleep, she suddenly heard a shout, which startled her.

"Come here, don't make me angry!"

The little girl stiffened, her eyes wide with anger, but in the end, she reluctantly moved closer.

Xue Jin, with his eyes closed, pulled her into his arms, and heard the little thing complain, "I want to watch TV, how can I watch it like this?"

"Too much trouble, turn the TV volume down." Xue Jin muttered as he rolled the little girl off him—from the inside of the bed to the outside.

Lian Yu was just about to adjust her position to find a comfortable spot to continue watching her drama when the man suddenly turned her face towards him.

Xue Jin pinched her chin, kissed her, rubbed his rough stubble against her pink cheeks, and finally stuck his tongue into her mouth and swirled it around. Lian Yu hated the taste of alcohol on Xue Jin's breath, but due to the disparity in strength, she could only frown and passively endure it.

When Xue Jin released her, the little girl's eyes were wet, showing how uncomfortable and tormented she had been.

Xue Jin acted as if nothing had happened, releasing her and sprawling out on the bed. Soon, he started snoring. Lian Yu was now quite immune to men's snoring; at least he wouldn't stay and disturb her at night.

Time ticked by, and an hour later, seeing the clock on the wall past 11 PM, Lian Yu couldn't help but yawn—time to shower and go to bed.

Lian Yu rarely went to bed this late before, but since being with Xue Jin, her sleep schedule had been completely disrupted, because the man could come whenever he wanted.

Lian Yu deliberately made a loud noise getting out of bed, but the man was completely unaffected and continued sleeping soundly.

The little girl glared at him helplessly, turned and went into the bathroom, turned on the shower, carefully adjusted the water temperature, and took off her pajamas…

Ten minutes later, Lian Yu changed into her pajamas and went into the bedroom.

She sat on the edge of the bed, looking at Xue Jin—thick eyebrows, narrow eyes, and a bluish beard!

This was a man, Lian Yu thought: He seemed somewhat different from her brother and Brother Cheng, at least in what way, she couldn't quite put her finger on it.

She picked up a towel and dried her wet hair, glancing at the clock on the wall, thinking she really should rest.

"Uncle, Uncle!" Lian Yu placed the towel on the bedside table, leaned down, and whispered in the man's ear.

Disturbed, Xue Jin frowned in annoyance, turned over, intending to continue his sweet dream, but he didn't get his wish; Lian Yu's little hand playfully pinched his nose.

"Ugh, hmph!" Xue Jin let out a difficult breath, then suddenly opened his eyes.

Lian Yu was startled and quickly withdrew her hand, guiltily shifting her gaze to the television.

"What did you do? Just now?" Xue Jin wasn't buying it. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and glared at her disapprovingly—she was getting more and more outrageous.

"No, nothing." Lian Yu turned her head, looking at him innocently.

Xue Jin frowned, looking displeased, but didn't pursue the matter further. He then closed his eyes again, preparing to drift off to sleep.

"Uncle, Uncle!" Lian Yu saw him like this and quickly shook his arm.

"What?" Xue Jin pried open his eyes a crack and asked impatiently.

"It's getting late, shouldn't you go back?" Lian Yu reminded him timidly.

Xue Jin glared at her, pulling the thin blanket piled to the side over himself. He huffed, "I'm not leaving today, I'm sleeping here."

Seeing his anger, Lian Yu didn't dare say anything more, only muttering softly, "That's not what I meant!"

Lian Yu got out of bed, turned off the TV and lights, and climbed back into bed.

Before she could even settle down, Xue Jin's phone rang, but the man showed no intention of answering. Lian Yu thought for a moment, then couldn't help but nudge him.

Xue Jin still didn't move.

"Uncle, your phone!" Lian Yu rarely spent the night with Xue Jin; she still preferred to monopolize the large bed, feeling comfortable and at ease.

"Get it for me!" Xue Jin muttered.

Lian Yu threw back the blanket, jumped out of bed, rummaged through Xue Jin's clothes, found his phone, and handed it to him.

"Hello!" Xue Jin knew in his heart that this call was definitely from his wife.

"Where are you? When are you coming back?" Bai Sisi's voice was calm and unwavering, revealing no emotion.

"I'm out drinking, I'll be leaving soon." Xue Jin's previously listless voice suddenly became steady and strong, as if he really wasn't dozing in bed.

"Okay, then come back quickly, I have something to tell you."

Xue Jin suddenly opened his eyes, his mind racing. He instinctively knew something had happened and couldn't help but ask, "What is it?"

"It's hard to explain over the phone, you'll know when you get back." After Bai Sisi finished speaking, she hung up the line without giving him a chance to speak.

Xue Jin held the phone, staring blankly for a while, then instructed Lian Yu, "Go turn on the lights."

After the room was lit, Xue Jin got out of bed, hurriedly put on his suit jacket, and kissed the girl's cheek at the door: "I have to go, you get some sleep."

"Goodnight!" Lian Yu nodded and said goodbye to him.

Xue Jin got into the car, gripped the steering wheel with his left hand, and drove the Audi out of the residential area, merging into the main traffic lanes—it was late at night, and there weren't many cars on the road, only the neon lights on the roadside were particularly eye-catching.

When he encountered a red light, Xue Jin stepped on the brake, reached into his pocket, and pulled out a cigarette. He needed to think!

Twenty minutes later, Xue Jin pushed open the door to his bedroom. Bai Sisi, wearing pajamas, had a cigarette between her fingers. In the dim light, the flickering red embers looked rather eerie.

"Why didn't you turn on the light?" As he spoke, Xue Jin had already pressed the switch on the wall.

Soft, orange light instantly filled the room, and Bai Sisi's expressionless face seemed to come alive again.

"You're back so late today? Who did you go out to eat with?" Bai Sisi was quite certain that Xue Jin had gone to see his mistress, because when she called him, it was very quiet on the other end—so quiet that she could feel the girl's presence.

"Ding Bu and the others," Xue Jin replied rather indifferently, turning around to take off his clothes and hang them in the closet.

"Really? After dinner?"

Xue Jin's eyes sharpened, realizing Bai Sisi had come prepared. He sat gently on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong with you? Why are you asking such pointless questions again?"

Bai Sisi didn't answer, instead exhaling a puff of smoke into the air with a melancholy expression.

"Did you lose something?" she finally spoke as Xue Jin was about to get up.

Xue Jin was prepared; he didn't answer directly but instead asked, "What thing?"

Bai Sisi snorted coldly, took out the key she had found from the bedside table beside her, and threw it in front of Xue Jin. "I found this in your pocket."

Xue Jin stood up abruptly, accusing her, "You went through my things without permission? You're very disrespectful to me."

What does it mean to accuse someone first? Xue Jin was a classic example of someone who could argue even when they were in the wrong.

"I don't have time to rummage through your things. I just happened to be helping you with your laundry when I found it." Bai Sisi's hands trembled with anger. "You cheated, so be it. Please clean up your mess so I don't feel so upset."

Xue Jin didn't expect her to say that. He was stunned for a moment, but immediately denied it. "I didn't cheat. Don't overthink it. This key belongs to my workplace."

Bai Sisi instinctively felt that he was making excuses and yelled, "Are you trying to fool a three-year-old? This key has red ribbons on it. It must be your little bitch's."

Xue Jin was immediately caught red-handed, but he refused to admit it. "The red ribbons were given to me by a female colleague. Can you please stop accusing me like this?"

Bai Sisi truly understood what kind of person Xue Jin was: stubborn as a mule. What could she do about it? Indeed, she couldn't do anything about it, but the more she thought about it, the angrier she became. What woman couldn't stand her husband, with whom she shared a bed, always lying to her?

"Divorce! We're getting a divorce tomorrow!" Bai Sisi hated Xue Jin to death. She grabbed a pillow from the side and threw it at him without thinking.

Xue Jin caught it quickly, not buying Bai Sisi's act: "Divorce is fine, but the son is mine."

Bai Sisi almost vomited blood, shouting, "Why should he be yours? I gave birth to him! You've got the guts to make that little vixen give you one too!"

Xue Jin was speechless for a moment. Just then, he heard a noise at the door and quickly recovered: "You're really being ridiculous. I can't be bothered to talk to you."

And so it ended. The man then took the pillow and went to the living room.

He happened to see his son standing in the bathroom, seemingly lost in thought.

"Not asleep yet?" Xue Jin sat on the sofa and asked gently.

"Yeah, you woke me up," the boy said, yawning, his voice muffled.

Feeling guilty, Xue Jin quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, your mother and I are fine, go to sleep."

"Dad, don't sleep on the sofa tonight, come with me." Xue Jin looked at his son with surprise and relief. For a moment, he almost had the illusion that his son had grown up.

But then, he heard a barely audible sigh: "If you really divorce Mom, I won't go with anyone. I want to leave this city on my own."

Xue Jin's heart sank to the bottom.

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