Chapter 65: “He Has No White Moonlight.”

The New Year arrived in the blink of an eye.

On New Year’s Eve, Jiang Yao first took Duan Zhuxian to his own home for a reunion dinner. His brother Jiang Chen and his sister-in-law were also there, and each of the four younger ones received a big red envelope filled with love.

In the afternoon, the two headed to the Duan family’s ancestral home.

The century-old mansion, situated halfway up a mountain, exuded the same dark, somber aura that Jiang Yao remembered.

Two rows of red lanterns hung along the way, with fluttering red ribbons tied to the bare branches, seemingly making a show for the festival. But instead of bringing a festive atmosphere, it all seemed to cover the place with an illusory celebration, making the underlying coldness even more apparent.

Sitting side by side in the car, Duan Zhuxian patted Jiang Yao’s tense back, “Relax, there’s no need to be so nervous.”

Jiang Yao abruptly relaxed his brow, “Who’s nervous?”

He was indeed a bit anxious, but not because he was afraid of anyone. He was worried that when the Duan family surrounded Duan Zhuxian, he might not be able to control his temper. Listening to Old Qin’s stories was one thing, but seeing it with his own eyes would be another.

Duan Zhuxian said, “You’re nervous about me, afraid I’ll be mistreated here.”

The deep-seated thought was unexpectedly exposed, leaving Jiang Yao stunned.

Duan Zhuxian had clearly noticed it all along but deliberately held back without revealing it.

Jiang Yao’s ears turned a bit red, but he no longer tried to hide it: “Yeah, I’ve heard the Duan family is full of ruthless people who eat others alive. I’m afraid you’ll become their target.”

Duan Zhuxian raised an eyebrow, “Little cabbage^[1]小白菜(xiǎobáicài) = Little cabbage, The “Little Cabbage” here refers to the character in the folk song “Little Cabbage” from the Hebei region of China. She is a poor … Continue reading?”

Although it wasn’t a particularly flattering term, coming from Jiang Yao, it sounded inexplicably endearing.

He nodded, “Then today, I’ll be a little cabbage, hiding behind you, the lush and sturdy tree.”

Duan Zhuxian’s teasing instantly dispelled Jiang Yao’s tension. Jiang Yao crossed his arms and lifted his chin slightly, “No problem. I’ll shield you from the wind and rain, and you focus on growing strong.”

Duan Zhuxian smiled; for the first time in his life, he felt the comfort of having a “support.”

Passing through the black iron gate, the car stopped, and the two of them followed the butler towards a small garden on the east side.

They arrived relatively late, and as they entered the house, a large group of people turned to look at them.

The first to act was Duan Song. He immediately stood up to greet Duan Zhuxian and Jiang Yao, wearing a kind smile that made him look no different from an ordinary family’s head.

Seeing this, other relatives started praising Duan Song, complimenting his excellent upbringing for raising such an outstanding son, and subtly suggesting that their own children should learn from Duan Zhuxian.

Duan Song waved his hand modestly, saying, “Oh, it’s nothing,” then turned to his second son, who was sitting in the middle of the sofa, and said, “Feiyi, move over there and give your seat to your brother.”

Upon hearing this, He Lu’s expression briefly turned sour.

Duan Zhuxian raised his hand to make a stopping gesture and led Jiang Yao to sit on the two chairs at the far side. He greeted the elders present with grace and decorum, truly appearing as a refined and polite young man.

Soon, the corner where they were seated became the focal point of everyone’s gaze, while Duan Feiyi’s so-called central position turned into an overlooked dead spot.

Jiang Yao was unfamiliar with everyone, so he made a brief greeting before sitting down. He seemingly casually looked at his phone while discreetly observing everyone’s expressions.

To be honest, the scene was completely different from what he had imagined, but it made sense. After all, Duan Zhuxian was one of the current decision-makers at Hua Yan. Even among the elders present, few wielded more actual power than him. Those who had survived in such a treacherous family were all shrewd individuals and naturally wouldn’t dare to act rashly in front of him.

The relatives chatted casually around Duan Zhuxian, practically wearing “hypocrisy” on their faces.

At this moment, He Lu, who was serving tea and water, suddenly spoke up, “It’s been almost two months since Zhuxian and Xiao Jiang got married. When are you planning to go on your honeymoon?”

As soon as her soft voice fell, another voice came from afar, “Sister-in-law, you’re as concerned about the kids as always.”

Jiang Yao’s eyebrows twitched as he looked up from his phone. And a smiling man in his sixties approached and sat opposite them.

He Lu smiled, “Children are a lifelong responsibility. Naturally, we have always to consider them.”

Jiang Yao nearly gagged at her words.

The man looked at Duan Zhuxian and Jiang Yao and continued, “It’s the holiday season now, and I happen to have invested in a resort on a small island in the Southern Hemisphere. Why not—”

“Who is this?” Jiang Yao lazily interrupted, putting away his phone.

Duan Zhuxian introduced calmly, “Second Uncle.”

The Duan family’s Second Uncle smiled, “I attended your wedding with Zhuxian. You should remember me.”

Jiang Yao smiled apologetically, “I didn’t recognize you at first. You don’t really look like the rest of the Duan family.”

The smile on the Second Uncle’s face froze a bit.

He was a child adopted by Elder Duan for charity show purposes, and endured years of exclusion and humiliation. After decades of effort, he finally secured a place in the Duan family and was most sensitive about his origins being brought up.

Under the various gazes of the people around, the Second Uncle’s face tingled slightly with embarrassment, but he maintained a magnanimous demeanor as an elder and continued, “What do you think of my suggestion? The island has complete facilities, beautiful scenery, and consistently good weather for half a month. I think we should seize the day.”

Jiang Yao smirked, “Second Uncle seems more eager than we are.”

He looked directly at the Second Uncle and He Lu, making them both feel a bit uneasy under his unrestrained gaze.

Jiang Yao remained outwardly calm but inwardly sneered.

After the New Year, Hua Yan had an important project to bid for, and Elder Duan intended for Duan Zhuxian to take charge. Trying to persuade Duan Zhuxian to go on a honeymoon at such a critical moment was a blatant ploy. Anyone could see the ulterior motives, and they expected Duan Zhuxian to fall for such a transparent trick?

Jiang Yao was about to refuse on Duan Zhuxian’s behalf when Duan Zhuxian suddenly spoke, “Hmm, we should consider it.”

Jiang Yao was taken aback, “?”

He reached under the coffee table and grabbed Duan Zhuxian’s hand, shaking it firmly as a reminder. However, Duan Zhuxian clasped his hand in return, interlocking their fingers and pressing them against his thigh.

Duan Zhuxian, taking a sip of tea, and continued leisurely, “However, the Southern Hemisphere is too far, and travel would be inconvenient. Let’s plan it for Yuan City instead.”

Yuan City was Duan Zhuxian’s mother’s hometown. It was a place full of blooming flowers and spring-like seasons all year round. However, it was a taboo for many in the Duan family, as countless people had directly or indirectly persecuted her there.

As soon as this was mentioned, the entire living room fell silent for a moment, with only Duan Zhuxian sipping his tea as if nothing had happened.

Jiang Yao glanced up and saw that Duan Song and He Lu indeed had slight changes in their expressions, especially Duan Song, whose hawk-like eyes were fixed on Duan Zhuxian. There was a moment when he looked like he wanted to explode but held back for the sake of appearances, fearing that Duan Zhuxian might say something even more incriminating.

Jiang Yao felt both satisfied and increasingly annoyed by these people.

After sensing the tension, someone quickly changed the subject.

Using the cover of the new conversation, Jiang Yao leaned into Duan Zhuxian’s ear and whispered, “Are you stupid? Your stepmother and Second Uncle are in cahoots. They want to get you out of the way so they can mess around at the company. Don’t you want the project opportunity you’ve worked so hard for?”

Duan Zhuxian turned his head and whispered back, “They’ve been doing a lot of shady things at the company. My people are gathering evidence, and we’re only missing the last piece. They’ve already noticed something. So, only if I’m not in Lingbei will they dare to destroy the evidence, revealing their hand.”

Jiang Yao was stunned, and thought that Duan Zhuxian hadn’t disappointed him. He was indeed cunning, but Jiang Yao liked that.

Duan Zhuxian’s voice suddenly carried a hint of laughter, “Baby, how much have you investigated about me?”

The warm breath in his ear made Jiang Yao’s face heat up instantly. This was the first time Duan Zhuxian had called him that outside the bedroom.

Jiang Yao hummed twice, unreasonably, “I’ve already investigated you. There’s no point in trying to settle scores with me.”

Duan Zhuxian’s smile became even more pronounced, and he said softly, “I’m actually very happy that you want to know more about me.”

Jiang Yao: “…”

Half an hour later, Elder Duan finally woke up. Using his cane, he came downstairs, and the Duan family members in the living room immediately rushed over, transforming into a harmonious group.

*

After dinner, Elder Duan called Duan Zhuxian aside for a private conversation.

Everyone else was green with envy at this sight.

Duan Song, though outwardly modest, felt increasingly wary of his eldest son, whose power was growing and becoming harder to control.

Jiang Yao draped his coat over his shoulders.

With Duan Zhuxian temporarily away, he felt no need to stay around. He chatted with a few of the younger members of the Duan family and, seeing the maids bringing out Spring Festival couplets personally written by a calligraphy master, he volunteered to put them up.

After stepping outside, the biting northern wind hit him head-on as evening set in.

The gathering clouds extinguished the last ray of daylight, and a dim light flickered on at the doorway.

The weather forecast said there would be heavy snow tonight.

Everything here seemed to be working against him.

But Jiang Yao would rather face the darkness than pretend to get along with that group of idiots inside.

He glanced at the scheming people inside the house and deliberately pasted the “Fu”^[2]Chinese New Year’s couplets, also known as “春联” (chūn lián), typically feature characters that express good wishes and auspicious phrases for the coming year. Some common … Continue reading character askew.

“May you always have this day, year after year, and be forever crushed by Duan Zhuxian. May good fortune never reach you.”

After finishing with the Spring Festival couplets, Jiang Yao walked to a windy spot to light a cigarette. Suddenly, he heard voices coming from a dark corner not far away. He listened for a few moments and realized it was Duan Feiyi talking with a cousin.

Duan Feiyi, speaking in a low voice, said, “Right now, most of Hua Yan is under my brother’s control. The projects that come our way are all garbage. If we cooperate to secure that government project and show some results to Grandpa, we might still have a chance.”

The cousin, lacking confidence, replied, “Can we really take on Duan Zhuxian? Besides, isn’t your mother always helping you scheme?”

Duan Feiyi said, “My mother isn’t a Duan by blood; she’s ultimately an outsider. She has some cleverness, but she’ll never accomplish anything significant.”

Jiang Yao couldn’t help but smirk at what he overheard.

Some people, when they’re being unruly, will even belittle their own mothers.

Jiang Yao lit a cigarette, and the sound of the lighter’s grinding wheel alerted the two conspirators.

The cousin reacted quickly. When he saw it was Jiang Yao, he hurriedly left with his head down.

Duan Feiyi, unable to leave in time, braced himself and said, “Why are you eavesdropping?”

Standing on the steps, Jiang Yao looked down at him, “Don’t worry, he probably doesn’t even consider you worth his attention.”

Duan Feiyi froze.

Duan Zhuxian had indeed never taken him seriously, whether it was when he bullied Duan Zhuxian wantonly because he had a mother, or later when Duan Zhuxian rose to prominence.

Hitting him right where it hurt, Duan Feiyi gritted his teeth and said, “You’re really on my brother’s side.”

Jiang Yao raised an eyebrow, “Otherwise, who else here is worth siding with?”

Duan Feiyi gritted his teeth, pretending to give advice, “I’ll say it again, my brother, on the surface, is kind and reasonable to everyone, but in reality, he doesn’t care about family ties. This marriage is just a tool for him to gain power. You should know, the original marriage arrangement was with me. He wasn’t interested initially, but one day, when he realized the benefits, he immediately intercepted it. When he’s done using this marriage, he might just kick you out.”

While Duan Feiyi continued his incessant chatter, Jiang Yao didn’t even look at him, instead blowing smoke rings in another direction. Finally, he said, “If I remember correctly, you’ve said these things before. If you’re going to sow discord, at least be strategic about it.”

Seeing that he couldn’t get under Jiang Yao’s skin, Duan Feiyi resorted to his old trick, “You probably think I’m being alarmist, but the only one he truly cares about and won’t touch is his unattainable first love, his ‘white moonlight.'”

Duan Feiyi had mentioned Duan Zhuxian’s “white moonlight” once before at the racetrack. Back then, Jiang Yao’s reaction was indifferent. But times had changed, and it was clear that Jiang Yao’s feelings for Duan Zhuxian had undergone a profound transformation.

As his words hung in the air, Jiang Yao finally directed his gaze back at him, as cold as his voice, “You’re mistaken. He has no ‘white moonlight.'”

“But I’ve seen his diary,” Duan Feiyi insisted. “And two years ago, when Grandpa wanted to set him up on a blind date, he said he already had someone he liked and was very firm about it. It seemed like it had to be that person.”

The wind tonight was violent, punching through the air and scattering the smoke rings. Jiang Yao stubbed out his cigarette and took a few steps towards Duan Feiyi.

“A diary? For you to shamelessly admit it, you must have stolen Duan Zhuxian’s personal belongings more than once.”

Duan Feiyi was caught off guard, and was pushed back against the wall. He was half a head shorter than Jiang Yao, and the impact of his back against the brick wall made him appear particularly disheveled.

He unconsciously raised his voice as he asked, “What do you intend to do?”

Jiang Yao grabbed Duan Feiyi by the collar, lifting him onto his tiptoes with one hand, and said with a cold and menacing voice, “Duan Zhuxian, as your elder brother, might give you some face. But I won’t.”

“What you’ve done to Duan Zhuxian in the past, I’ve kept track of every single thing. Aren’t you good friends with that idiot Li Ruizhi? You can go ask him in prison what happens when someone crosses me.”

Hearing this, Duan Feiyi’s hair stood on end.

He knew that when Li Ruizhi had tried to mess with Jiang Yao, bringing a large group of people with him, Jiang Yao had single-handedly beaten them to a pulp, leaving Li Ruizhi too embarrassed to show his face for days.

Duan Feiyi had assumed that Jiang Yao, in this setting at the family estate, would at least try to maintain a facade of civility, much like his seemingly gentlemanly elder brother. But he hadn’t expected Jiang Yao to be so brazen and aggressive.

Duan Feiyi’s voice trembled along with his legs, “This is my house. You… you better not do anything crazy.”

Just then, Jiang Yao’s phone vibrated in his pocket.

“Look at you, so scared,” Jiang Yao said, then released Duan Feiyi and pulled out his vibrating phone. “Get lost. I don’t have time to deal with you right now.”

Duan Feiyi, with wobbly legs, ran off without looking back.

After finishing a New Year’s greeting call from Chen Yiqi, Jiang Yao turned around and saw Duan Zhuxian walking towards him.

“Finished talking with your grandfather?”

“Yes, we discussed some company matters.”

Duan Zhuxian walked up to him and asked, “It’s already dark. What are you doing outside?”

Jiang Yao replied, “Just getting some fresh air.”

Duan Zhuxian nodded, “I’ll stay with you.”

They stood side by side in silence for a while before Jiang Yao suddenly said, “Duan Zhuxian, I have a question for you.”

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The picture of character 福 (fú) = Good fortune, Chinese New Year’s couplet