Chapter 18 “Cut it off cleanly.”

Jiang Chen held the tea with both hands, smiling and praising, “Little Duan is sensible, knowing to consider his brother.”

Duan Zhuxian nodded slightly: “It’s what I should do.”

Jiang Yao looked at the brotherly scene in front of him, and he was dumbfounded.

That’s not what I meant at all!

Even if we can’t be friends, after all these years of rivalry, is there really not even a bit of tacit understanding between us?

Jiang Yao refused to believe it, and threw a questioning look, only to meet Duan Zhuxian’s indifferent expression as if saying “I don’t understand what you’re trying to convey.”

He grinded his back teeth.

Great.

There really isn’t any at all.

Jiang Chen on the side had already started to sip the tea. After drinking half a cup of green tea, he kept praising, “What a good tea, really, I didn’t expect that Little Duan is not only promising in the business field, but also proficient in tea art.”

Duan Zhuxian responded indifferently, “You flatter me.”

Jiang Yao squinted his eyes, and his gaze on Duan Zhuxian becoming more probing.

He simply didn’t believe that Duan Zhuxian didn’t want to send his brother away.

Nor did he believe that Duan Zhuxian lacked a dignified means to achieve this end.

Regarding someone’s consistent hypocrisy, he believed that he saw it very clearly. After pondering, he attributed Duan Zhuxian’s abnormal behavior to a provocation of his acting skills.

It quite reasonable.

But the situation was a bit out of control.

He felt it was necessary to curb someone’s excessive desire to win.

After Jiang Chen went out for a walk, Jiang Yao followed Duan Zhuxian to the staircase and directly pointed out.

“Mr. Duan, your acting was too much just now.”

Duan Zhuxian stopped, turned around, and looked at the young man who was a few centimeters shorter than him.

Jiang Yao’s face showed a hint of displeasure. When he spoke, his sharp jawline unintentionally lifted slightly, pulling out a delicate and beautiful neck line with a bit of arrogance, revealing his picky temperament without any cover.

The two looked at each other for a few seconds, and suddenly Duan Zhuxian sighed inaudibly, “It was you who wanted me to treat you with respect, and it was also you who disliked me treating your brother as a family member.”

Jiang Yao raised his eyebrows, “So what?”

“So,” Duan Zhuxian paused, hid his smile in his eyes, and stared at Jiang Yao’s slightly mocking and provocative eyes, “What exactly should I do to satisfy you?”

The little sting in his words had barely sharpened before being flattened by Duan Zhuxian’s sentence, and catching Jiang Yao off guard, causing him to let out a surprised “Ah,” sounding somewhat muffled.

In his impression, Duan Zhuxian was always calm and composed, as if no matter what happened between them, it could not provoke Duan Zhuxian’s emotions.

Even if Duan Zhuxian actually never softened his mouth against him, he occasionally used some damaging tricks.

This has become the fuse that has stimulated him to hold on to Duan Zhuxian for so many years, making him extremely eager to see Duan Zhuxian helpless and at a loss after being defeated.

But just now, it seemed like Duan Zhuxian was… at a loss with him?

It was too abnormal that Jiang Yao’s brain was a bit overloaded, and a slow voice fell in his ears unexpectedly, “Jiang Yao, you are quite difficult to serve.”

After Duan Zhuxian finished speaking, he took a step with his long legs and went upstairs.

Leaving Jiang Yao smashed in place by this sentence.

If you have any opinions, feel free to express them!

Why do you have to say this kind of personal attack that makes people get goosebumps?

Jiang Yao stared at the corner where Duan Zhuxian’s figure disappeared, loudly reprimanding in his heart, but the whole person was still trapped in Duan Zhuxian’s last helpless expression, and he unable to snap out of it for a long while.

*

After all, Jiang Chen is not a person who lacks a sense of responsibility. He can’t really ignore his father-in-law’s newly listed company, even though he is still in a cold war with his wife.

He never intended to stay and not leave, it was just that he was used to bickering with Jiang Yao, so he deliberately contradicted him.

Seeing that Jiang Yao and the Duan family’s kid were unexpectedly all right, unlike him who was in a mess, he felt a bit relieved in his heart.

After all, Jiang Yao’s temper is much more stubborn than him. He was really worried that Jiang Yao would suffer in the hasty marriage.

On Sunday, after having breakfast, Jiang Yao personally drove Jiang Chen to the airport.

Standing in the bustling terminal, Jiang Yao handed the suitcase to Jiang Chen, straightened the wrinkles on Jiang Chen’s shoulder, and then put his hands back in his pockets.

“Go back and work hard, coax your wife well. This society demands too much of women, especially strong women like her. The pressure they bear is even greater. Think about our mom, and you’ll understand. Even if you really can’t empathize, don’t be too demanding.”

Jiang Yao’s eyebrows and eyes were serious, and he advised earnestly, making him seem more like a mature and stable elder brother.

Then he calmly added, “Also, don’t disturb the world of me and Duan Zhuxian in the future.”

After saying this, he almost got struck by his own lightning bolt.

But he is a person who always finishes what he starts. Since he has taken on the arduous task of his parents, he must give the task a perfect ending.

On the way back, it was close to noon. The thin gray clouds in the sky were brewing a light rain, and Jiang Yao drove slower than when he came.

The sports car drove into the owner’s exclusive road leading to the villa area in the north of the city. He switched to a string music album, his hands comfortably resting on the steering wheel, allowing the ringing rhythm and the surging autumn wind outside the window to slap on his face.

That relaxed feeling was as if he had disassembled a 360° face-slapping camera, and all the tension in his body had relaxed.

His brother had only been here for less than two days, but it was more tiring than completing a whole big project.

Indeed, it’s best for him and Duan Zhuxian to keep their disagreements.

Jiang Yao scoffed disdainfully and stepped on the accelerator, and chased the clouds on the horizon.

Anyway, he had sworn in front of the birthday cake when he was eighteen years old—

Forever and ever, he will not reconcile with Duan Zhuxian!

Forcing harmonious coexistence, I’m afraid even God would not agree.

After arriving home, Jiang Yao’s first task was to report the situation to his parents. The second thing was to move out of Duan Zhuxian’s bedroom.

Duan Zhuxian was in the room, fiddling with his tie and walking out of the cloakroom. Jiang Yao just happened to meet him.

Duan Zhuxian was probably going to attend some formal event next. His well-tailored dark blue suit wrapped around his tall and straight body. A full-textured gold cufflink was adorned at his wrist. His hair was neatly combed back, and when he lowered his head slightly, a few strands of hair hung loosely on his forehead.

He was undoubtedly a cultured scum.

That was Jiang Yao’s sharp internal critique.

“I came to get something, thank you for your cooperation these two days, you’ve worked hard.” Jiang Yao directly stated his purpose, his tone was flat, without sincerity.

Duan Zhuxian nodded, picked up his vibrating phone on the table, walked to the window with his back to him to send a message. He hadn’t finished by the time Jiang Yao had packed up and left.

That tall and slender figure with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, against the light, was inexplicably cold.

But Jiang Yao didn’t care much.

After all, he had been used to it for so many years.

A few minutes later, Jiang Yao appeared in Duan Zhuxian’s bedroom again.

“I think I left my pajamas here, I didn’t see them when I was packing just now.”

Jiang Yao stood at the door, speaking to the man who was already sitting on the sofa flipping through a financial magazine. The implication was to ask the other party to help recall where it was placed.

Duan Zhuxian didn’t even lift his head as he said: “Find it yourself.”

Jiang Yao’s heart skipped a beat, thinking to himself, good for you Duan Zhuxian, as soon as my brother leaves, you don’t even pretend anymore, do you?

So he was even more determined to find his pajamas.

He absolutely couldn’t let his pajamas end up in the territory of this ‘villain’!

Jiang Yao was holding his breath, turning over and over to find something, and finally didn’t even let go of the gap in the bed. When he was kneeling on the carpet, he accidentally bumped into the bedside table, making a big noise.

Duan Zhuxian on the sofa slightly lifted his eyes, his gaze moved out from the stock data, fell on Jiang Yao’s thin and tough back, and then slid down along the lines of the shirt, section by section.

Jiang Yao was wearing a pair of white slim-fit pants. His slightly sagging waist was tightly cinched and refined by two diagonally hung belts of the same color series. As he looked into the gap in the bed, his round and perky buttocks were even more prominent.

From the perspective of the rear, it looked like a plump and juicy peach.

Duan Zhuxian sat upright on the large sofa, his gaze slowly traced to the gap in the middle, and stopped.

Jiang Yao was completely unaware that he was being watched. He was still inwardly criticizing Duan Zhuxian’s coldness that changed in a second. Just as he stood up, his phone in his pocket rang. It was Amy from the club calling.

He answered the phone with it sandwiched between his shoulder and ear. A coquettish voice came from the phone, “Why hasn’t Young Master Jiang been coming to play lately?”

Jiang Yao’s attention was all on finding his pajamas, and he perfunctorily said, “Busy.”

Amy obviously didn’t believe this reason. After all, Jiang Yao used to visit every now and then, especially when he was busy, he would squeeze out time to relax at the club.

She jokingly complained, “When Young Master Jiang is not here, my sisters can’t find a partner, and they are all quite restless.”

It’s their wallets that are restless, isn’t it?

Jiang Yao didn’t take it to heart.

However, he has indeed been focusing on work during this period, as if he was betting with someone, and he was a bit too desperate. In addition, he had to deal with the marriage alliance, and his entertainment time was sharply reduced. Amy’s words sparked a sudden craving for cards.

He put one hand in his pocket and joked with a half-smile, “Do you miss me that much?”

Amy hurriedly continued to lobby, “Yes, come on, take us flying. Oh, by the way, there is a male internet celebrity coming to the venue tonight. He has over ten million fans, and he is the Jerry you admire.”

The room was very quiet, and the coquettish voice from the phone leaked out, one string after another, floating in the air.

Several handsome faces flashed in Jiang Yao’s mind, but none of them matched. He guessed that he must have seen them by chance and praised their looks.

“Which Jerry? I only know a mouse named Jerry. I’ve seen too many handsome guys and can’t remember.”

He asked casually, and before he had time to hear the answer, the phone was suddenly pulled away from behind and the call was cut off.

Jiang Yao turned around abruptly and chased after the robber.

The other party directly raised the phone high as he pounced.

“Hey, give me back my phone!”

Jiang Yao jumped a few times, but unable snatch it, and almost fell into the robber’s arms.

He is 182 cm tall, and Duan Zhuxian is 188 cm. They are clearly both in the ranks of strong men, but it is this damn six centimeters that makes him always a little short.

Duan Zhuxian glanced at him, switched the phone to the other hand, and threw it on the sofa without hesitation.

Jiang Yao didn’t care about the question marks in his head and the anger rushing to his forehead. He rushed over to retrieve his phone from the gap in the pillow, confirmed that the call had been hung up, and then turned to glare at Duan Zhuxian.

“Are you sick?”

This person had been merely observing from the sidelines, treating him as if he were invisible. Why did he suddenly become intolerant of his phone calls?

“In the future, don’t always go to those unscrupulous places to mess around, and cut off cleanly with the warblers and swallows outside.”

Duan Zhuxian’s tone was solemn, his face expressionless. Paired with his elite appearance that was full of nobility, it fell into Jiang Yao’s eyes, full of the dictator and arrogance of the superior.

Jiang Yao raised his eyebrows, retorting without showing any weakness: “Mrs. Jiang(Duan Zhuxian) hasn’t even crossed the threshold yet, and you’re already starting to act like the rightful wife?”^[1]“江太太還沒過門呢” (Jiāng tàitài hái méi guò mén ne) = “Mrs. Jiang hasn’t even crossed the threshold yet”. The phrase “crossing the threshold” is a metaphor for getting … Continue reading

As the words fell, the air fell into silence without warning.

After a stalemate for a while, Duan Zhuxian’s thin lips spit out a sneer, “So you still remember that you are a man who is going to get married?”

His deep and sharp gaze was pressed under his eyebrows, but his mouth carried a tone of surprise, sounding both sarcastic and deserving a beating.

Jiang Yao couldn’t help it and laughed in anger.

In these few days when his brother was here, Duan Zhuxian had transformed into a gentleman, and his words often implied other meanings, making him almost forget what kind of person Duan Zhuxian was.

He was so upset that he wanted to die, he pulled over Duan Zhuxian’s suit collar, and reminded him as he approached, “Note, it’s going to be married, not already married.” 

Duan Zhuxian replied, “Exactly because we haven’t obtained the marriage certificate, in the eyes of others in the Duan family, we are still in the matchmaking phase, engaged in an unstable relationship, with opportunities for others to exploit at any time.”

Jiang Yao said, “What does it matter to them? You were the one who said that by marrying me, their sons and daughters would avoid a disaster. They should be too busy applauding to interfere.”

Duan Zhuxian said, “You think, if they don’t want to push their own children out for a marriage alliance, do they necessarily hope that our marriage alliance will proceed smoothly? From the moment the marriage alliance was settled, they have been watching in secret, just waiting for you and me to show flaws, so they can make trouble.”

Upon hearing this, Jiang Yao’s grip on Duan Zhuxian’s collar suddenly loosened, and he stepped back.

He had never lived in such a complex and large family and indeed he hadn’t thought things through that deeply.

Duan Zhuxian raised his hand to hold the wrist hanging in front of his chest, pulled the person back, and looked down at the peach blossom eyes that were burned red by anger. The six-centimeter height difference was even more obvious at this moment, as if he was condescending.

“When your brother came, I cooperated with you. Now, it’s time for you to reciprocate.”

As soon as the words fell, Jiang Yao was completely taken aback, his momentum suddenly dropped a bit, his eyes flickered, and soon only a thin layer of resentment was left on his face.

If he doesn’t go, he doesn’t go, why is he so fierce?

Of course, he knew that after marriage, he had to be more restrained. Since he had decided to contribute to the Jiang family, he had already prepared himself.

But someone’s thoughts are too impure!

It’s as if he was planning to do something that would disgrace the family.

“You’re overthinking it, Duan Zhuxian. I know what responsibilities I’m carrying now and what status I need to consider.”

Jiang Yao stood upright, his expression became serious, and his tone was not so aggressive.

Upon hearing this, Duan Zhuxian’s tense face relaxed a lot, especially when he heard the word “status”.

Jiang Yao continued, “Even if I go to entertainment venues, I will pay attention to the impact and won’t play without any concerns like before.”

As he finished speaking, the grip on his wrist suddenly tightened, causing Jiang Yao to hiss in pain.

“What do you mean by ‘like before’?” Duan Zhuxian asked.

Jiang Yao rolled his eyes, thinking that someone was quite cautious when it came to cooperation, wanting to grasp all the information. No wonder he entered the senior level of Huayan as soon as he returned from studying abroad. However, his mind was too impure, always thinking about that kind of thing.

Did he really seem that frivolous?

When he went to clubs, all he did was drink, dance, and sometimes gamble, occasionally entertaining those who tried to flirt with him to pass the time. He watched those social butterflies show off in front of him, only to leave in disappointment.

He had lived to the age of twenty-six without ever being in a relationship. The first time he slept with someone, it was with the bastard named Duan in front of him, and he ended up being the bottom.

But he was determined to confront Duan Zhuxian. He shook off Duan Zhuxian’s hand, and deliberately said ambiguously, “Who I play with and how I play, it seems to have nothing to do with Mr. Duan, right?”