Unexpected Misfortunes and Uninvited Guests

[System 748: Host! Your Green Tea Value! It’s rising!]

[Jian Ye: Holy crap, I swear I didn’t plan this! My head still hurts!]

[System 748: I know, I know. Perhaps Host is just one of those people… blessed by the heavens?]

[Jian Ye: Well, thank you, heavens!]

He wasn’t sure if it was his own misfortune-prone constitution or simply a clash with the Protagonist Gong, but the last time he’d gotten hurt, this Young Master Yi had also been present.

Jian Ye had no desire to delve into such metaphysical matters. The only thing he knew for certain was that this large golden trophy was no flimsy creation. It was solid, like a steelyard weight, the kind of trophy that could genuinely kill someone if it struck them.

Each of these trophies represented Yi Siyu’s accolades, and their sheer weight was not something an ordinary person could withstand.

Someone with Jian Ye’s delicate constitution was especially ill-suited to bear such a burden.

Not screaming in agony was his last shred of dignity and self-restraint!

“Let me see the injury,” Yi Siyu said, his face cold with worry as he looked down at the boy crouching on the floor.

He gently took Jian Ye’s wrist, carefully moving the boy’s hand away from his forehead.

The wound was not large, and Yi Siyu could tell at a glance that it wouldn’t leave a scar. Yet, seeing the boy in such pain that tears welled in his eyes, Yi Siyu’s heart felt as though it had been struck by a heavy hammer.

“I’m sorry. I should have helped you steady the trophy. I…”

Jian Ye interrupted him, “It’s not your fault, Siyu-gege. I’m just used to being unlucky.”

“Xiaoyu, what was that sound just now?” Yi Sizhe and the others had heard a muffled thud from downstairs.

The soundproofing in each room of the Yi family mansion was quite good. For a noise to be audible under such circumstances indicated that something very heavy had fallen upstairs.

Yi Siyuan followed closely behind his elder brother. The moment they entered the room, they witnessed a peculiar scene.

Their younger brother, Yi Siyu, stood with a grim expression, holding a trophy in one hand, while his other hand was pulling at the red-eyed boy on the floor. The boy’s forehead was already broken, and he looked somewhat disheveled, as if he had been severely bullied.

It wasn’t surprising that they jumped to conclusions; they had heard some rather unsavory rumors before.

Rumors about Jian Ye. They claimed the young master of the Jian family was a troublesome child who had even attempted suicide at home, possessing a terrible temper and a penchant for causing chaos.

‘Could it be that this child was merely faking it downstairs? And now, in this room, after revealing his true nature, he touched Xiaoyu’s raw nerve, and Xiaoyu, unable to control himself, just…’

In an instant, the two brothers sprang into action. One rushed to embrace Yi Siyu, while the other snatched the trophy from his hand and tossed it aside.

Elder Brother Yi Sizhe exclaimed, “Xiaoyu, calm down!”

Second Brother Yi Siyuan added, “If there’s a disagreement, you can talk it out. Why resort to violence so suddenly?”

Jian Ye froze. “…”

Yi Siyu stared blankly. “?”

Realizing the misunderstanding, Jian Ye immediately tried to explain. “No, Siyu-gege, he…”

“Xiaoyu, no matter how angry a man of the Yi family gets, he shouldn’t hit his wife.”

“That’s right, Xiaoyu. Domestic violence should never be associated with you.”

As the two brothers earnestly lectured him, the family doctor arrived.

A vein throbbed on Yi Siyu’s forehead, but he managed to control his temper. “Please move aside. Don’t block the doorway.”

Turning around, the brothers saw the family doctor and instantly fell silent. Then, seeing their younger brother’s disinclined expression, they realized they must have been momentarily foolish to jump to such an absurd conclusion.

The family doctor, carrying a medical kit, began examining, disinfecting, and bandaging the young boy’s wound.

Meanwhile, Yi Siyu carefully placed the trophy back in its original spot, setting it down with a deliberate firmness. His hand practically radiated anger, making the trophy seem to tremble.

If the two brothers still didn’t understand the situation, they truly would be idiots.

“Xiaoyu, I’m sorry… my elder brother and I misunderstood,” Yi Siyuan said, then turned to his elder brother. “Big brother, it’s one thing for me to be foolish, but why did you join in?”

Yi Sizhe replied, “You infected me.”

“Pfft.” Jian Ye couldn’t hold back a laugh, then, thinking it inappropriate, quickly apologized in a hushed voice.

These Yi family brothers were truly amusing, completely unlike the wealthy family life he had imagined. It was clear that both brothers doted on Yi Siyu. In such a loving family, he should be able to do many things he wished to do.

Jian Ye glanced around at the trophies, subtly pursing his lips.

Seeing the young boy amused, Yi Siyu’s mood relaxed slightly. He had genuinely been startled earlier, seeing the boy clutching his head and crouching on the ground. The image overlapped with the day he’d been bullied and huddled in a corner, like an injured stray dog licking its own wounds. He had almost given in to the urge to pull the boy into his arms and comfort him.

After the family doctor finished treating Jian Ye’s wound, he turned to Yi Siyu. “It’s not a major issue and won’t leave a scar. Just try to keep it dry for now.”

Yi Siyu nodded. “Thank you for your trouble.”

The family doctor said, “Then I’ll take my leave. Call me if anything else comes up.”

Jian Ye, trailing behind Yi Siyu, whispered, “Thank you.”

Yi Siyu saw the doctor out, then returned to face his two brothers.

The brothers’ eyes widened. ‘Had the rumors from outside influenced them? To actually think that Third Young Master was capable of domestic violence?’

Second Brother Yi Siyuan quickly made his escape, gleefully shouting, “May you two live a long and happy life together!” He nearly blurted out, “May you have many children soon,” but his younger brother’s dagger-like glare sent him scurrying away.

After the second brother left, the elder brother remained.

He said, “It’s good that there’s no conflict. You and Xiaoye should rest upstairs. Earlier, some guests arrived, and Mom and Dad went to the adjacent building to entertain them. I’ll go greet them now.”

Yi Siyu simply acknowledged with an, “Mm.”

‘No wonder only these two brothers came when they heard the noise,’ Jian Ye thought to himself. ‘Given Madam Yi’s enthusiastic personality, if I were injured, she would surely rush over to offer comfort.’

‘The fact that Yu Xinran and Yi Xiangcheng hadn’t appeared clearly meant they were no longer in this building.’ He once again marveled at the sheer size of the Yi family estate.

‘The Yi family masters live in the main building, and there’s even a dedicated annex for entertaining guests…’

As he was lost in thought, a gentle force turned his face. Jian Ye’s chin was delicately held by slender fingers, lifting it, and Yi Siyu’s impossibly handsome face suddenly loomed large before him.

The proximity was startling; the man’s breath brushed directly against his face, causing his eyelashes to flutter. He could detect the fresh, clean scent of sea salt in his breath, pleasant and not at all cloying.

This close-up encounter made Jian Ye feel as though the man was about to kiss his lips at any second. However, the man merely frowned, observing his forehead with intense seriousness. To get a clearer look, he even gently brushed aside Jian Ye’s soft bangs.

Jian Ye couldn’t fathom what was so fascinating about the wound, now covered by a bandage. He had intended to appear composed, but in the face of such beauty, he couldn’t help but show a hint of shyness. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he, like a puppy, ungracefully swallowed.

Yi Siyu pretended not to notice. After withdrawing his hand, he said, “This is your first time at my house, and something like this happened. I bear responsibility. Today, you can make any request of me, and I will fulfill it.”

This time, Jian Ye didn’t rush to refuse. Instead, he bit his lip, then nodded in agreement.

At the Yi family’s guest house.

If Jian Ye were here at this moment, he would undoubtedly curse aloud, “How unlucky!”

For the visitors to the Yi mansion today were none other than Yu Wei and his father, Yu Lin. They were very distant relatives of the Yu family.

When Yu Xinran was still an unmarried lady of the Yu family, she rarely saw Yu Lin throughout the year, as he was a distant cousin from a collateral branch. Therefore, there was even less to say about Yu Lin’s son, Yu Wei; he had no real connection to the three sons of the Yi family.

Perhaps their fathers’ generation had some interactions long ago, but by the time it reached the younger generation, communication was virtually nonexistent. They wouldn’t even recognize each other if they met on the street.

The purpose of this father-son duo’s visit to the Yi family couldn’t have been more obvious. The Yi family was a top-tier influential family in Yunjing, and countless people wished to climb their social ladder. Naturally, there would be distant relatives like Yu Lin, whose connections were tenuous at best, trying to gain entry.

Yu Wei’s family had only recently moved to Yunjing for development in the past two years. By loudly proclaiming themselves relatives of Madam Yi, they had managed to secure some decent business ventures and accumulate a degree of wealth.