“They must be here to discuss the farm,” Huangfu Yuchen said as he stuffed a grape into Yan Ge’s mouth. It was now November, and grapes were long gone, but these were picked from Yan Ge’s space—they were plump and enticingly purple.
Yan Ge had already made up his mind. “Let’s talk, it’s better to clear things up at once.”
“Alright.” Huangfu Yuchen kissed his head. However he narrowed his eyes in thought, both Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan were driven by their self-interest. Would they easily let Yan Ge off the hook? Unlikely. So, his retaliation should continue.
The two lingered on the high tower for a while, and Yan Jiaqiang called Yan Ge’s phone.
“Where are you now?”
“Go to Private Room No. 1 at Dongnuan Pavilion. Yu Chen and I will be there soon.” Yan Ge stood up after speaking and stretched lazily.
“I’m here for you.” Huangfu Yuchen wrapped his arms around Yan Ge from behind, kissing his cheek. “Let’s go.”
The two took the sightseeing elevator downstairs, heading towards Dongnuan Pavilion shoulder to shoulder. A small monkey was eating an apple on an apple tree and with a light leap, it landed on Yan Ge’s shoulder, turned its head to look at him, and playfully scratched its head as it made chattering sounds…
Yan Ge patted its head and casually placed it back on the tree.
Passing tourists looked on with surprise but the farm’s staff in the orchard didn’t find it unusual. Having spent some time on the farm, they had already noticed that the two bosses had a strong connection with animals, and the animals on the farm liked to be around them. The only difference was that the second boss, Mr. Huangfu, appeared stern, so timid animals wouldn’t dare approach him.
Huangfu Yuchen plucked a bright red apple from the tree and handed it to Yan Ge.
Yan Ge didn’t eat it; he held it and played with it in his hands.
The two reached Dongnuan Pavilion at a leisurely pace.
Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan watched them approach coldly.
Yan Jiaqiang calmly surveyed Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. To be honest, his second son was good in all aspects, be it appearance or personality. However, there was that “fate affecting the fortune of the Yan family business.” For the greater good, he had to let go of his second son. Often, he watched him stumble and fall without extending a hand to help, but his second son had a good nature and was always smiling, with a sense of tolerance in his eyes. Now, Yan Ge has changed. Though he still wore a smile most of the time, there was an added edge to his demeanor. Perhaps his patience and tolerance had finally run dry, causing him to become somewhat distant from his parents. He seemed to have let go of something, no longer holding any expectations. This version of Yan Ge was somewhat difficult for Yan Jiaqiang to comprehend.
His gaze then shifted to Huangfu Yuchen. This man was even more enigmatic, like a pond of water, unfathomable. He was like a sword yet to be unsheathed, but no scabbard could contain his sharpness. How could a person who established such a massive farm in just three short months be an ordinary individual?
Du Rulan stared intently at Yan Ge, her face showing displeasure and her eyes were filled with anger that seemed ready to erupt. After a moment, she shot a resentful look at Huangfu Yuchen. If it weren’t for him, Yan Ge wouldn’t treat them like this.
Yan Ge seemed oblivious to their scrutiny and walked in naturally.
Huangfu Yuchen closed the door to the private room and cast a soundproofing spell. He walked over to Yan Ge and sat down.
“Why did you suddenly come to find me?” Yan Ge poured tea into four cups, his tone very polite.
Yan Jiaqiang spoke slowly and deliberately, “Yan Ge, you must be aware of the existence of Emerald Villa. You are humiliating your father by establishing this farm. What were you thinking?”
“Father?” Yan Ge looked into his eyes and asked in a calm tone, “Do you still consider yourselves my father and mother? Do you treat me as your son?”
Yan Jiaqiang frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
Du Rulan stood up, her voice agitated. “Don’t treat you as a son? What else do you want? Do we need to work like slaves for you before you consider us your parents?”
Yan Ge didn’t even look at her, still gazing at Yan Jiaqiang as he replied evenly, “I know about the incident with the fortune teller you sought.”
Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan’s faces changed simultaneously. They subconsciously exchanged a glance and then looked at Yan Ge. When they met his clear gaze, they felt a bit guilty and looked away.
Huangfu Yuchen chimed in, not mincing words. “Perhaps Xiao Ge and I should be grateful that the fortune teller didn’t say he would harm you, otherwise, who knows if Xiao Ge would even exist now?” This was something Yan Ge couldn’t say, but Huangfu Yuchen could.
Du Rulan’s face turned pale, and her volume rose as she stared at Huangfu Yuchen. She spoke as if she was addressing her husband’s murderer. “What are you saying? Are you implying that Jiaqiang and I would harm our own son?”
“I never said that.” Huangfu Yuchen looked at her with a half-smile, his gaze as if he were looking at a clown.
Only now did Yan Ge’s gaze fall on Du Rulan. “Do you know that the jade you got from the fortune teller holds a deadly array? And that I would die if I wore it for a full forty-nine days?”
Du Rulan was taken aback and blurted out, “Impossible! It’s just suppressing malevolent energy—”
Yan Jiaqiang turned his head abruptly, looking at her. “Suppressing malevolent energy?”
“Suppressing malevolent energy?” Yan Ge chuckled lightly. “That’s no longer important. What’s important is that from now on, I won’t bother you, and you don’t need to come find me.”
“Yan Ge!” Yan Jiaqiang’s voice grew stern.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled and calmly said, “Mr. Yan, there’s no need to pay attention to Xiao Ge, right? Don’t you have three sons?”
Du Rulan was surprised and fell silent.
She didn’t catch the implied meaning in Huangfu Yuchen’s words, she just suddenly thought that it wouldn’t be bad to sever the parent-child relationship with Yan Ge. She could use his being with another man as an excuse. “You have a beautiful fantasy. We raised you, yet this is how you repay us? If you don’t want us to come looking for you, you should immediately transfer ownership of the farm to your father.”
Yan Ge laughed heartily, “Madam Yan, have you misunderstood something? I’m the big boss outwardly for the farm, but it was Yuchen who funded it. Have you forgotten that my properties and company were given to you? Where would I get so much money to run a farm?”
Du Rulan didn’t listen to his explanation at all. She only knew that saving the Emerald Villa was the most important thing now. “I don’t care. If you can’t do it, we’ll let the outside world understand how unfilial you are!”
Yan Ge laughed even harder, nearly doubling over.
Yan Jiaqiang also couldn’t help but look at Du Rulan in disbelief, thinking she had gone mad.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled, calculating how to give Du Rulan a lesson.
After laughing enough, Yan Ge spoke. “As you wish. Yuchen and I aren’t short on money. It doesn’t even matter if the farm doesn’t have a single guest. It would be far quieter for us.”
Du Rulan was momentarily stunned, at a loss for words.
Huangfu Yuchen added a jab, “In fact, I set up this farm for Xiao Ge to play with.”
“You, you’re crazy!” Du Rulan stared at Huangfu Yuchen in disbelief. The farm she envied was nothing more than a plaything Huangfu Yuchen gave Yan Ge! It left her feeling both angry and pained.
Yan Jiaqiang remained silent for a while before speaking again. “Yan Ge, must it come to this?”
Yan Ge smiled faintly and without even looking at him, said: “You raised me; that’s a fact. I will save your lives if you and Madam Du ever fall into a life-threatening situation.”
Du Rulan scornfully retorted, “That’s easy for you to say! Even if we were really in danger, what could you possibly do?”
Yan Jiaqiang’s head throbbed from her sharp voice. He stood up and looked at Yan Ge with a complex expression for a while. “I admit I’ve wronged you, I don’t deny that. But if given a second chance, I’m afraid I’d make the same choice.”
Yan Ge smiled indifferently. “Is that so?”
“I’m leaving.” Yan Jiaqiang sighed, opened the door and left the room.
Du Rulan was completely baffled by his actions. Weren’t they here to confront and reprimand Yan Ge? What is going on now?
She quickly chased after him, “Husband! Husband!”
Huangfu Yuchen mocked as he watched their departing figures. “Quite the pair of oddballs.”
Yan Ge burst into laughter and patted his shoulder. “Yo! You’ve got an extensive vocabulary!”
“It’s all thanks to your excellent tutoring.” Huangfu Yuchen stood up, hugging Yan Ge. “Come on, let’s go to the vegetable garden and pick some vegetables for hot pot tonight.”
Yan Ge’s eyes lit up. “Okay, go grab a basket.”
The two of them strolled to the vegetable garden, where spinach, mustard greens, bok choy, and other vegetables were thriving.
The staff in the garden saw them from afar, and were not surprised by their presence. These two bosses were the most unique ones they had seen and heard of. Neither employed an overbearing demeanor, which made working under them a relaxed experience.
Ji Chang hurriedly walked over from a distant path.
“Mr. Yan, Mr. Huangfu.”
“What’s the matter?” Yan Ge knocked the dirt off the root of a bok choy before placing it into the basket.
Ji Chang glanced at the mud on their pant legs and shoe soles. Even though it wasn’t the first time he had seen this, he still felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. After a moment, he answered, “A few ‘important figures’ have arrived outside the estate, and it seems they are not friendly.”
“Oh?” Yan Ge raised an eyebrow. The so-called “important figures” referred to cultivators, while the estate’s true esteemed guests were referred to as “VIPs.”
Huangfu Yuchen, who was picking spinach beside them, didn’t even bat an eye. Yan Ge liked spinach, so he had to pick more, or there wouldn’t be enough to eat.
Yan Ge’s spiritual sense swept through the estate’s entrance, then he bent down and pulled out a radish with a grin, “Let’s not disturb them for now. Maybe they’re just trying to appear fierce? Mr. Ji, don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Ji Chang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Mr. Yan’s character was still as amusing as ever. He hadn’t felt that way when they had first met. However, Yan Ge’s words put his mind at ease. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, “Let me help.”
Huangfu Yuchen shot him a sidelong glance and said coldly, “We husbands are here for our own amusement. What are you joining in for?”
“Um…” Ji Chang awkwardly scratched his head. “Then I won’t disturb you.”
With that, he quickly walked away.
Yan Ge chuckled inwardly. Once Ji Chang was far enough, he turned to Huangfu Yuchen and said, “Tone it down a bit. Don’t accidentally make him bent.”
“I’m just kindly reminding him, so he doesn’t make bigger mistakes in the future.” Huangfu Yuchen justified himself.
Yan Ge tore off a cabbage leaf and playfully slapped it onto Huangfu Yuchen’s face. He then looked at the two full baskets they had gathered. “These should be enough, right?”
“Let’s go.” Huangfu Yuchen picked up both baskets. “We’ll head back through the orchard and pick some fruit on the way.”
After picking the fruits, the two returned to their residence on the mountain’s small courtyard. As they prepared hot pot, they used their spiritual sense to check on the three cultivators who had entered the farm earlier—
After the three finished eating, they requested to stay in the hotel for a month. Upon being rejected, their expressions turned sour and their attitudes became domineering.
Yan Ge picked up three apples he had just plucked and inconspicuously threw them.
The three were hit by the apples and were stunned for a moment. They looked around, but did not find anything. Their expressions immediately changed as they seemed to think of something.
The hotel manager was also puzzled but didn’t think too much of it. He assumed someone was playing a prank.
Seeing the hostility in the eyes of the three, Yan Ge nodded. “Great timing—chickens have come to our doorstep. What better way to deter monkeys than to kill a chicken?”
Huangfu Yuchen stirred the boiling hot pot with a ladle. “Baby, will you go, or should I?”
Yan Ge glanced into the pot. “I’ll go. It’ll be time to eat by the time I’m back. Also, add some more noodles for me.” Before the words even settled, he had disappeared.
These three were relatively young, around thirty years old each. The one leading was named Wu Meng, towering in stature and built like a wall. People who knew him were aware that he was stubborn and had a fiery temper. Once he made up his mind about something, whether right or wrong, he wouldn’t give up without being taught a lesson.
Standing on his left was Li Yue, also an unreasonable person. If it weren’t for his exceptional talent, he wouldn’t have been accepted as a disciple by the Mimeng Mountain sect leader.
“They must be here to discuss the farm,” Huangfu Yuchen said as he stuffed a grape into Yan Ge’s mouth. It was now November, and grapes were long gone, but these were picked from Yan Ge’s space—they were plump and enticingly purple.
Yan Ge had already made up his mind. “Let’s talk, it’s better to clear things up at once.”
“Alright.” Huangfu Yuchen kissed his head. However he narrowed his eyes in thought, both Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan were driven by their self-interest. Would they easily let Yan Ge off the hook? Unlikely. So, his retaliation should continue.
The two lingered on the high tower for a while, and Yan Jiaqiang called Yan Ge’s phone.
“Where are you now?”
“Go to Private Room No. 1 at Dongnuan Pavilion. Yu Chen and I will be there soon.” Yan Ge stood up after speaking and stretched lazily.
“I’m here for you.” Huangfu Yuchen wrapped his arms around Yan Ge from behind, kissing his cheek. “Let’s go.”
The two took the sightseeing elevator downstairs, heading towards Dongnuan Pavilion shoulder to shoulder. A small monkey was eating an apple on an apple tree and with a light leap, it landed on Yan Ge’s shoulder, turned its head to look at him, and playfully scratched its head as it made chattering sounds…
Yan Ge patted its head and casually placed it back on the tree.
Passing tourists looked on with surprise but the farm’s staff in the orchard didn’t find it unusual. Having spent some time on the farm, they had already noticed that the two bosses had a strong connection with animals, and the animals on the farm liked to be around them. The only difference was that the second boss, Mr. Huangfu, appeared stern, so timid animals wouldn’t dare approach him.
Huangfu Yuchen plucked a bright red apple from the tree and handed it to Yan Ge.
Yan Ge didn’t eat it; he held it and played with it in his hands.
The two reached Dongnuan Pavilion at a leisurely pace.
Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan watched them approach coldly.
Yan Jiaqiang calmly surveyed Yan Ge and Huangfu Yuchen. To be honest, his second son was good in all aspects, be it appearance or personality. However, there was that “fate affecting the fortune of the Yan family business.” For the greater good, he had to let go of his second son. Often, he watched him stumble and fall without extending a hand to help, but his second son had a good nature and was always smiling, with a sense of tolerance in his eyes. Now, Yan Ge has changed. Though he still wore a smile most of the time, there was an added edge to his demeanor. Perhaps his patience and tolerance had finally run dry, causing him to become somewhat distant from his parents. He seemed to have let go of something, no longer holding any expectations. This version of Yan Ge was somewhat difficult for Yan Jiaqiang to comprehend.
His gaze then shifted to Huangfu Yuchen. This man was even more enigmatic, like a pond of water, unfathomable. He was like a sword yet to be unsheathed, but no scabbard could contain his sharpness. How could a person who established such a massive farm in just three short months be an ordinary individual?
Du Rulan stared intently at Yan Ge, her face showing displeasure and her eyes were filled with anger that seemed ready to erupt. After a moment, she shot a resentful look at Huangfu Yuchen. If it weren’t for him, Yan Ge wouldn’t treat them like this.
Yan Ge seemed oblivious to their scrutiny and walked in naturally.
Huangfu Yuchen closed the door to the private room and cast a soundproofing spell. He walked over to Yan Ge and sat down.
“Why did you suddenly come to find me?” Yan Ge poured tea into four cups, his tone very polite.
Yan Jiaqiang spoke slowly and deliberately, “Yan Ge, you must be aware of the existence of Emerald Villa. You are humiliating your father by establishing this farm. What were you thinking?”
“Father?” Yan Ge looked into his eyes and asked in a calm tone, “Do you still consider yourselves my father and mother? Do you treat me as your son?”
Yan Jiaqiang frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
Du Rulan stood up, her voice agitated. “Don’t treat you as a son? What else do you want? Do we need to work like slaves for you before you consider us your parents?”
Yan Ge didn’t even look at her, still gazing at Yan Jiaqiang as he replied evenly, “I know about the incident with the fortune teller you sought.”
Yan Jiaqiang and Du Rulan’s faces changed simultaneously. They subconsciously exchanged a glance and then looked at Yan Ge. When they met his clear gaze, they felt a bit guilty and looked away.
Huangfu Yuchen chimed in, not mincing words. “Perhaps Xiao Ge and I should be grateful that the fortune teller didn’t say he would harm you, otherwise, who knows if Xiao Ge would even exist now?” This was something Yan Ge couldn’t say, but Huangfu Yuchen could.
Du Rulan’s face turned pale, and her volume rose as she stared at Huangfu Yuchen. She spoke as if she was addressing her husband’s murderer. “What are you saying? Are you implying that Jiaqiang and I would harm our own son?”
“I never said that.” Huangfu Yuchen looked at her with a half-smile, his gaze as if he were looking at a clown.
Only now did Yan Ge’s gaze fall on Du Rulan. “Do you know that the jade you got from the fortune teller holds a deadly array? And that I would die if I wore it for a full forty-nine days?”
Du Rulan was taken aback and blurted out, “Impossible! It’s just suppressing malevolent energy—”
Yan Jiaqiang turned his head abruptly, looking at her. “Suppressing malevolent energy?”
“Suppressing malevolent energy?” Yan Ge chuckled lightly. “That’s no longer important. What’s important is that from now on, I won’t bother you, and you don’t need to come find me.”
“Yan Ge!” Yan Jiaqiang’s voice grew stern.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled and calmly said, “Mr. Yan, there’s no need to pay attention to Xiao Ge, right? Don’t you have three sons?”
Du Rulan was surprised and fell silent.
She didn’t catch the implied meaning in Huangfu Yuchen’s words, she just suddenly thought that it wouldn’t be bad to sever the parent-child relationship with Yan Ge. She could use his being with another man as an excuse. “You have a beautiful fantasy. We raised you, yet this is how you repay us? If you don’t want us to come looking for you, you should immediately transfer ownership of the farm to your father.”
Yan Ge laughed heartily, “Madam Yan, have you misunderstood something? I’m the big boss outwardly for the farm, but it was Yuchen who funded it. Have you forgotten that my properties and company were given to you? Where would I get so much money to run a farm?”
Du Rulan didn’t listen to his explanation at all. She only knew that saving the Emerald Villa was the most important thing now. “I don’t care. If you can’t do it, we’ll let the outside world understand how unfilial you are!”
Yan Ge laughed even harder, nearly doubling over.
Yan Jiaqiang also couldn’t help but look at Du Rulan in disbelief, thinking she had gone mad.
Huangfu Yuchen smiled, calculating how to give Du Rulan a lesson.
After laughing enough, Yan Ge spoke. “As you wish. Yuchen and I aren’t short on money. It doesn’t even matter if the farm doesn’t have a single guest. It would be far quieter for us.”
Du Rulan was momentarily stunned, at a loss for words.
Huangfu Yuchen added a jab, “In fact, I set up this farm for Xiao Ge to play with.”
“You, you’re crazy!” Du Rulan stared at Huangfu Yuchen in disbelief. The farm she envied was nothing more than a plaything Huangfu Yuchen gave Yan Ge! It left her feeling both angry and pained.
Yan Jiaqiang remained silent for a while before speaking again. “Yan Ge, must it come to this?”
Yan Ge smiled faintly and without even looking at him, said: “You raised me; that’s a fact. I will save your lives if you and Madam Du ever fall into a life-threatening situation.”
Du Rulan scornfully retorted, “That’s easy for you to say! Even if we were really in danger, what could you possibly do?”
Yan Jiaqiang’s head throbbed from her sharp voice. He stood up and looked at Yan Ge with a complex expression for a while. “I admit I’ve wronged you, I don’t deny that. But if given a second chance, I’m afraid I’d make the same choice.”
Yan Ge smiled indifferently. “Is that so?”
“I’m leaving.” Yan Jiaqiang sighed, opened the door and left the room.
Du Rulan was completely baffled by his actions. Weren’t they here to confront and reprimand Yan Ge? What is going on now?
She quickly chased after him, “Husband! Husband!”
Huangfu Yuchen mocked as he watched their departing figures. “Quite the pair of oddballs.”
Yan Ge burst into laughter and patted his shoulder. “Yo! You’ve got an extensive vocabulary!”
“It’s all thanks to your excellent tutoring.” Huangfu Yuchen stood up, hugging Yan Ge. “Come on, let’s go to the vegetable garden and pick some vegetables for hot pot tonight.”
Yan Ge’s eyes lit up. “Okay, go grab a basket.”
The two of them strolled to the vegetable garden, where spinach, mustard greens, bok choy, and other vegetables were thriving.
The staff in the garden saw them from afar, and were not surprised by their presence. These two bosses were the most unique ones they had seen and heard of. Neither employed an overbearing demeanor, which made working under them a relaxed experience.
Ji Chang hurriedly walked over from a distant path.
“Mr. Yan, Mr. Huangfu.”
“What’s the matter?” Yan Ge knocked the dirt off the root of a bok choy before placing it into the basket.
Ji Chang glanced at the mud on their pant legs and shoe soles. Even though it wasn’t the first time he had seen this, he still felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. After a moment, he answered, “A few ‘important figures’ have arrived outside the estate, and it seems they are not friendly.”
“Oh?” Yan Ge raised an eyebrow. The so-called “important figures” referred to cultivators, while the estate’s true esteemed guests were referred to as “VIPs.”
Huangfu Yuchen, who was picking spinach beside them, didn’t even bat an eye. Yan Ge liked spinach, so he had to pick more, or there wouldn’t be enough to eat.
Yan Ge’s spiritual sense swept through the estate’s entrance, then he bent down and pulled out a radish with a grin, “Let’s not disturb them for now. Maybe they’re just trying to appear fierce? Mr. Ji, don’t judge a book by its cover.”
Ji Chang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Mr. Yan’s character was still as amusing as ever. He hadn’t felt that way when they had first met. However, Yan Ge’s words put his mind at ease. Rolling up his sleeves, he said, “Let me help.”
Huangfu Yuchen shot him a sidelong glance and said coldly, “We husbands are here for our own amusement. What are you joining in for?”
“Um…” Ji Chang awkwardly scratched his head. “Then I won’t disturb you.”
With that, he quickly walked away.
Yan Ge chuckled inwardly. Once Ji Chang was far enough, he turned to Huangfu Yuchen and said, “Tone it down a bit. Don’t accidentally make him bent.”
“I’m just kindly reminding him, so he doesn’t make bigger mistakes in the future.” Huangfu Yuchen justified himself.
Yan Ge tore off a cabbage leaf and playfully slapped it onto Huangfu Yuchen’s face. He then looked at the two full baskets they had gathered. “These should be enough, right?”
“Let’s go.” Huangfu Yuchen picked up both baskets. “We’ll head back through the orchard and pick some fruit on the way.”
After picking the fruits, the two returned to their residence on the mountain’s small courtyard. As they prepared hot pot, they used their spiritual sense to check on the three cultivators who had entered the farm earlier—
After the three finished eating, they requested to stay in the hotel for a month. Upon being rejected, their expressions turned sour and their attitudes became domineering.
Yan Ge picked up three apples he had just plucked and inconspicuously threw them.
The three were hit by the apples and were stunned for a moment. They looked around, but did not find anything. Their expressions immediately changed as they seemed to think of something.
The hotel manager was also puzzled but didn’t think too much of it. He assumed someone was playing a prank.
Seeing the hostility in the eyes of the three, Yan Ge nodded. “Great timing—chickens have come to our doorstep. What better way to deter monkeys than to kill a chicken?”
Huangfu Yuchen stirred the boiling hot pot with a ladle. “Baby, will you go, or should I?”
Yan Ge glanced into the pot. “I’ll go. It’ll be time to eat by the time I’m back. Also, add some more noodles for me.” Before the words even settled, he had disappeared.
These three were relatively young, around thirty years old each. The one leading was named Wu Meng, towering in stature and built like a wall. People who knew him were aware that he was stubborn and had a fiery temper. Once he made up his mind about something, whether right or wrong, he wouldn’t give up without being taught a lesson.
Standing on his left was Li Yue, also an unreasonable person. If it weren’t for his exceptional talent, he wouldn’t have been accepted as a disciple by the Mimeng Mountain sect leader.
