‘Sitting on pins and needles,’ this phrase perfectly captured Zhou Jun’s state of mind at that very moment. The tension between Yong Jin and his elder brother crackled in the air as they exchanged fierce glares. Zhou Jun sat awkwardly between them, glancing left and right, and suddenly felt that his earlier comment about having a wife was foolishly pathetic.

Zhou Yan looked at his foolish younger brother, who was seated next to Yong Jin, with a bruised face, wearing clothes that clearly didn’t belong to him and his expression darkened even more. Zhou Jun, sensing the atmosphere, subtly shifted in his seat, moving a bit further away from Yong Jin.

The most at ease in the room was none other than General Yong, who was in his own territory. He picked up his porcelain cup, took a sip of tea, and leisurely said, “Mr. Zhou, for some matters, considering Jun Jun’s sake, I certainly won’t hesitate to help.”

Zhou Yan’s expression was tense and unpredictable, and after awkwardly thanking Yong Jin, he stated that he would take his useless younger brother to the hospital for a check-up and wouldn’t continue to bother General Yong at the mansion.

As the two were getting up to leave, General Yong spoke again, saying, “Mr. Zhou, you should know who was behind Jun Jun’s situation.” Zhou Jun was taken aback and looked at his brother. Zhou Yan turned back to look but didn’t meet Zhou Jun’s gaze, instead addressing Major General Yong: “There’s no need for you to worry, General.” Zhou Yan reached out to grab Zhou Jun’s wrist but was surprised to feel him push back.

Seeing the look on his brother’s face, filled with grievance and a hint of suspicion, Zhou Yan frowned and sternly said, “We’ll talk about it later!” But before they could get back home, Zhou Jun wore a serious expression in the car and repeatedly asked, “What’s going on?” His brother remained silent, clearly unwilling to clarify the situation.

Zhou Jun sighed and said, “Elder Brother, I don’t know why Yong Jin is always hovering around me all day long. If I don’t watch out, I might end up being used as a pawn by someone one of these days. Just look at…” Before he could finish his sentence, Zhou Yan slapped him on the head. Zhou Jun exaggeratedly exclaimed, “Are you really my brother? I’m covered in injuries, and you still hit me!”

Zhou Yan forced a smile that didn’t reach his eyes and said, “I’m not your brother. Go acknowledge Yong Jin as your brother instead. ‘Jun Jun’? You two seem to have a good relationship.” Zhou Jun immediately straightened up and replied, “No, no, no! I only have you as my brother. How can Yong Jin compare to you?”

Seemingly unwilling to joke with him, Zhou Yan remained silent for a long time before speaking. “Yong Jin wants to suppress the family business. A month ago, I caught wind of something at the docks, so I made preparations in advance. He lost quite a few men in the process, so do you really think he has good intentions towards the Zhou family, or even towards you?”

Zhou Jun had already suspected that something shady was going on but wasn’t clear on the details. Now, hearing Zhou Yan’s words, he tentatively asked, “Is it about the opium trade?”

Zhou Yan snorted coldly. “Now that Yong Jin has just taken control of some military power, he wants to clean things up from the inside out. Which soldier doesn’t smoke opium these days? He thinks he can manage the people below him and also cut off the source. It’s not as easy as he thinks. Besides, the higher-ups have always turned a blind eye to this; he’s just being overly nosy.”

Hearing this, Zhou Jun felt a strange discomfort. He looked at Zhou Yan and said, “Brother, opium is a harmful substance. Have you ever thought about why the British are selling it here while they don’t use it themselves?”

Zhou Yan stared ahead as the car rocked gently, his face etched with persistent worry, and it seemed like he hadn’t smiled in a long time. He showed no restraint in expressing his solemnity towards Zhou Jun. Zhou Yan said, “In this vast Zhou family, relying solely on the old business is not enough to sustain us. Ever since the foreigners brought in their convenient, attractive, trendy, and interesting products, the common people no longer want the old things. Our silk, wine, and other businesses are declining year by year. I cannot… I cannot let the Zhou family fall into ruin under my watch.”

Zhou Jun had never cared about the family matters, so he had no idea that their situation was becoming increasingly dire. He remained the same careless young master until he heard his brother sighed, “I know very well that opium is a harmful substance, but the Zhou family and your sister-in-law depend on me for protection. I have to protect them as best as I can.”

He looked at his brother, feeling a lump of cotton in his throat, a mix of sadness and regret swelling inside him. Emotionally, he called out, “Brother,” feeling the tears welling up in his eyes. Zhou Yan looked at him with a half-smile and said, “That’s why I told you to stay away from him. Did you listen?”

Zhou Jun fell silent at this point. He realized that if Yong Jin wanted to come looking for him, there was nothing he could do to stop it. He hadn’t thought it through at all. Being a powerless and carefree young master, it wouldn’t matter much if Yong Jin were to pursue him. Zhou Jun could only say, “Brother, I’ll do my best not to drag the family down.”

Zhou Yan didn’t expect much from him either. “Just be honest and don’t cause any trouble. If it really comes to that, I’ll send you abroad.” Zhou Jun had only returned to the country for less than two years; there was no way he would want to leave again. His brother closed his eyes and leaned back in the seat to rest. Zhou Jun felt uneasy again. Despite their conversation, he still didn’t know who exactly was ambushing him today.

From Yong Jin’s words, it was clear that he was acquainted with Zhou Jun’s brother. Thinking about Yong Jin and the recent lesson his brother had given him about life, the young master felt a wave of guilt and couldn’t afford to think about romantic matters. Moreover, after the performance Yong Jin had put on in front of his brother today, Zhou Jun wasn’t foolish enough not to understand that he was merely a pawn being used by Yong Jin to pressure the Zhou family.

Feeling anxious inside, Zhou Jun propped his chin on his hand and stared out the car window, but he couldn’t focus on anything outside. Instead of taking him to the hospital, Zhou Yan brought him back to the apartment, planning to have a private doctor come over soon. Zhou Jun leaned against the car door and insisted he didn’t need it; he really wasn’t badly injured. He just needed to retrieve his German gun, which he had lost for self-defense, and he planned to get another one from the Zhou family when he had the chance.

When he returned home, the housemaid was quite alarmed by the injuries on him and fussed over it for a while. She steamed several eggs for him and advised him on how to care for his wounds. Zhou Jun rolled an egg over his face while looking at his reflection in the mirror, thinking that if his face was damaged, he wouldn’t be able to go out on dates anymore.

So, he instructed the housemaid to tell anyone who called that he wasn’t home and that his return date was uncertain.

After spending a few leisurely days at home, he noticed that by Friday, Yong Jin still hadn’t called him, leading him to think that his movie date with Yong Jin was likely going to fall through.

Zhou Jun didn’t feel particularly lost; perhaps he was just somewhat disappointed by Yong Jin’s actions. It was all just a game, and those who took it seriously ended up losing. Yong Jin was like the peach blossom pastry that Zhou Jun loved—delicious but potentially harmful. Even if he longed for its sweet taste, he would fear the consequences of indulging again.

Sighing, Zhou Jun thought about the cold-hearted General Yong while biting down hard on a piece of chocolate. He sat barefoot, his feet swinging aimlessly over the arm of the sofa while savoring the sweetness in his mouth. The cool green gemstone dangling at his ankle tapped against his skin, reminiscent of someone’s fingers lightly tapping above.

In a daze, Zhou Jun fell asleep on the sofa, sinking into a deep slumber. He had no idea what he dreamed about, but when he finally opened his eyes, the sky was dark, and a soft lamp lit up the room. As he slowly came to, still feeling groggy, Zhou Jun curled up on the sofa before stretching out and yawning.

After making a soft, sleepy noise, he finally pushed himself up. The sudden movement startled him, and he nearly rolled off the sofa.

Across from him, a figure lounged in a single armchair, holding a book. He was dressed in a crisp military uniform, and a long whip rested on the small table beside him, next to an almost empty box of chocolates.

It was just like the horror movie he had watched recently, where a husband sneaks into his wife’s room at night, strangles her with a rope while she sleeps, and then tosses her into a well. Cold sweat dripped down his back as his heart raced, and he pressed his hand to his chest, stammering as he asked Yong Jin how he got there.

Yong Jin set the book aside and, noticing Zhou Jun’s fearful expression, spoke in a soothing tone: “Mr. Zhou, there’s no need to be alarmed. I was concerned when you were late for our meeting, worried you might have had another accident like last time. That’s why I decided to come by.”

Zhou Jun swallowed hard, unsure what had gotten into him. “Earlier, you called me Jun Jun in front of my brother, and now it’s Mr. Zhou?”

Yong Jin seemed taken aback for a moment before his brows lifted in a playful smile as he softly replied, “I was wrong, Jun Jun.”