Upheaval

When Jiang Yi reappeared at the doorway of Su Ran’s room, both Su Ran and Ye Qiao looked up, startled by the intense aura Jiang Yi emanated, his features almost twisted with emotion. In a flurry, Jiang Yi threw the drawings he was holding at Ye Qiao, scattering them. Ye Qiao dodged to the side, his cheek nicked by the paper edges.

In that instant, Su Ran received a notification from the system, “Plot locked. Congratulations, host, for completing the mission in this world.”

Su Ran was momentarily taken aback. “That’s it?”

“Plot lock means the basic completion is done. No further developments will affect the end of the plot,” System 555 explained.

Su Ran realized that whatever he did next, the story would proceed to its predetermined conclusion. He glanced at the drawings scattered around him; each one depicted him in various expressions—smiling, sad, content, lively—each emotion intricately captured, with constantly changing backgrounds. Hundreds of papers, all of him. It was unsettling.

Picking up one of the drawings, Su Ran found an image of himself as if he were a piece of art, by a washing machine, his shirt halfway off, by a waterfall, laughing as he wrung out his clothes…

While Su Ran was still processing this, Jiang Yi had already charged at Ye Qiao, and a scuffle ensued. Su Ran rushed to break it up, and soon after, Jiang Yi’s parents also hurried out and intervened.

“Stop fighting! What in the world is going on with you two!” they exclaimed amid the chaos.

With the elders’ intervention, the fight quickly subsided. Jiang Yi, looking utterly drained and furious, glared at Ye Qiao, “You… you beast!”

Ye Qiao, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth, smirked, “I might be a beast, but not as much as you.”

Breathing heavily, Jiang Yi then turned his scornful gaze on Su Ran, sneering, “Su Ran, you must’ve hooked up with Ye Qiao a long time ago. No wonder you never looked back, no matter how much I pleaded. You found a new catch!”

Jiang Yi’s parents were confused by the ordeal, but when they looked at the drawings scattered on the floor, realization dawned, and they stared accusingly at Su Ran.

Su Ran understood Jiang Yi’s implication. He had expected something like this, given how Jiang Yi had spoken about him before. But this time, Su Ran didn’t plan on explaining himself. To him, Jiang Yi was now nothing; his heart had turned cold, and there was no reason to endure further humiliation. Even the meek can only take so much.

With the plot already locked, what did he have to fear? Venting felt right.

“So what if it’s true?” Su Ran challenged Jiang Yi directly.

Even Ye Qiao was surprised by his boldness, and so was Jiang Yi, who couldn’t believe the normally reserved Su Ran had just admitted it so plainly.

“Ye Qiao is younger, more talented, and takes care of me better than you ever did. He’s always there for me. What’s so surprising about me choosing him over you?” Su Ran’s voice was soft yet firm.

Ye Qiao, grinning, slung an arm around Su Ran’s shoulders, “Right, bro. You really didn’t care enough. Ran Ran suffered a lot with you. I comforted him whenever you weren’t around.”

Jiang Yi stared at them, feeling a sense of madness overtaking him.

He stepped forward, swinging Ye Qiao aside and gripping Su Ran’s shoulders, his voice almost neurotic, “That’s not true, Su Ran. Tell me it’s not true! You’re just trying to upset me, right? Right?”

Su Ran, bewildered by Jiang Yi’s flip from his own accusations to disbelief, retorted, “Ye Qiao is right, I like him a lot. He’s much better than you.”

Jiang Yi, unable to accept it, seemed on the verge of tears, “No… don’t say that…”

Jiang Yi’s parents, now catching up, were too shocked to accept what was happening.

“Su Ran… this is too much! How could you do this! You’re having an affair!” Jiang’s father stuttered angrily.

“That’s disgraceful! Do you realize you’re cheating!” his mother added.

Su Ran faced them expressionlessly, “If we’re talking about shamelessness, your son takes the crown. He not only brought a subordinate into his bed but flaunted it in front of me. And you two old folks accepted gifts from his mistress, yet scolded me in her presence, didn’t you?”

With nothing left to lose, Su Ran let loose, no longer holding back. He had no future ties with this family, so why should he restrain himself?

Jiang’s mother, pointing a trembling finger at Su Ran, was speechless, her hand clutching her chest as if she might faint.

Su Ran continued, “And you might not know, but your son and I never registered our marriage. He only staged a wedding to shut you up, so there’s no such thing as cheating. By that standard, Jiang Yi’s morals are still intact, aren’t they?”

Jiang Yi collapsed emotionally, and his parents turned pale, pointing at him, “You… you foolish child!”

As the scene descended into complete chaos, Su Ran grabbed Ye Qiao and walked out. Jiang Yi tried to stop them but was shoved aside by Su Ran, finally getting some vindication.

Once outside Jiang Yi’s home, Su Ran breathed a sigh of relief, the malice fading from his face, returning to his non-confrontational demeanor. He felt as if a great weight had been lifted off his chest.

Ye Qiao, despite his injured face, couldn’t help but beam, hugging Su Ran, “Brother Ran Ran, that felt amazing!”

Su Ran patted his back, having always known somehow that Ye Qiao would stand by him. “Sorry for using you as a shield just now,” he apologized.

Ye Qiao, gripping Su Ran’s arms earnestly, confessed, “I only wish what you said was true.”

“What?” Su Ran was taken aback.

Under the dim light of the hallway, which brightened as Ye Qiao spoke again, he looked intently at Su Ran, “Brother Ran Ran, Jiang Yi was right… I’ve had feelings for you for a long time.”

Su Ran instinctively avoided Ye Qiao’s intense gaze, unprepared for the sincerity that took him by surprise. He had suspected as much upon seeing the drawings, but hearing it confirmed was still a shock.

“So… about the apartment…” Su Ran’s first thought was the property he still had in Ye Qiao’s name, but now…

“That was meant to be a gift for you, but I feared you wouldn’t accept it,” Ye Qiao explained, seeing Su Ran’s incredulous look, his grip tightening, “I admit I’ve been scheming, but please, accept it. I meant everything I said about wanting you to have a home…”

As Su Ran processed this revelation, the door beside them opened, and He Zhiwen stepped out, eyeing Ye Qiao before resting a gentle gaze on Su Ran, “Is everything cleared up? Why haven’t you come home yet?”

Home. It sounded like their home.

Su Ran was utterly stunned, suddenly realizing his earlier feelings might have been true.

In that moment, his entire worldview felt upended.