“My head hurts so much.

Guan Ciyan’s body is so hard, with not much muscle around his shoulders. His bones hit Jian Yang’s forehead. Jian Yang reaches out to grab him, but halfway through, he loses strength and ends up pressed against Guan Ciyan’s chest… Really, seeing it a hundred times isn’t as good as touching it.

So hard, so big.

Jian Yang’s intuitive feeling.

“Behave.” Guan Ciyan pinches Jian Yang’s waist and pulls him off himself. He sees that Jian Yang’s eyes have deflated a bit, but the redness on his neck is still there, and his face looks terribly pale, as if he might die at any moment. He casually grabbed a coat and wrapped it around Jian Yang, pulling him into his arms as he walked out.

Jian Yang woke up, still not understanding what was going on, feeling groggy. “Where are we going, sir?”

His legs felt like noodles.

Guan Ciyan looked at him, expression displeased, like he was angry, but not just angry. With a cold voice, he said, “Going to eat hotpot.”

Jian Yang lowered his head in shame.

It wasn’t intentional. His body was worse than he imagined. He had prepared for a cold, but didn’t expect it to almost take half of his life.

Flipped—

“Do you want to walk or be carried?” Guan Ciyan directly asked.

Jian Yang was still processing that sentence when Guan Ciyan immediately picked him up and carried him down the stairs. He was tall with long legs, his limbs a bit longer than usual. His hands wrapped around Jian Yang’s waist, still with some extra room, pressing against his stomach. “Don’t move.”

“Sir, be careful.”

This was going downstairs! Though Guan Ciyan was stable in his arms, Jian Yang still felt unsafe with his feet off the ground. Jian Yang tightened his grip around Guan Ciyan’s neck, pressing closer, feeling Guan Ciyan’s strong chest muscles more clearly. He remembered the day they returned from the Guan family’s old house, when he entered Guan Ciyan’s room without a shirt, and Guan Ciyan was bare-chested… At that time, he only thought his physique was good, but now, those superior muscle shapes were only separated from him by two layers of clothes, and they were exchanging body heat.

How did he train to have this body?

Jian Yang’s mind was all muddled, yet he still had the thought of comparing their bodies. He even had the wild idea that if Guan Ciyan could manage his body in the future, that would be great.

“Sir, the car is ready.” Zhang Bo was waiting for them in the lobby. Jian Yang wanted to greet Zhang Bo, but Guan Ciyan carried him straight past Zhang Bo. He didn’t even have time to say anything.

What kind of beast strength does he have? Isn’t he tired?

They went straight out, and Jian Yang was stuffed into the back seat of the car. Guan Ciyan sat in beside him, and Zhang Bo closed the door.

“You don’t need to go.” Guan Ciyan said.

Zhang Bo hesitated, “Sir, are you going alone?”

Jian Yang noticed their strange expressions and wanted to ask Guan Ciyan where they were going but didn’t dare to. The moment he opened his mouth, his throat was as if he swallowed two liang of plant ash, hoarse to the point that Guan Ciyan would be even more upset.

Guan Ciyan pressed Jian Yang’s head on his shoulder, “If you’re uncomfortable, just sleep.”

Jian Yang opened his eyes, looking at Guan Ciyan’s sharp jawline. The angles were distinct, and it was no different from before, but it gave him a feeling of a change, as if Guan Ciyan was genuinely worried about him.

“Don’t sleep?” Guan Ciyan lowered his eyes.

Jian Yang immediately closed his eyes.

He still hadn’t figured out what was happening today, but it seemed like Guan Ciyan really cared about him being sick.

His head felt like there was a drill buzzing inside, and leaning against Guan Ciyan’s shoulder, he felt drowsy. The car seemed to leave the main road, the vehicle swayed, and the buzz in his head seemed to break, continuing intermittently with the car’s movements. He unconsciously wrapped his arms around Guan Ciyan’s waist, trying to steady himself.

In his drowsiness, he felt Guan Ciyan’s arm around his neck, making him more comfortable.

It smells so good, Jian Yang thought. Their body wash is the same, isn’t it? But why does Guan Ciyan smell better? It wasn’t perfume, but it smelled very clean, fresh, and had a warmth to it. In the late autumn season, it made him want to get closer.

Thinking this, Jian Yang nudged his head slightly, finding a comfortable position. On the edge of deep sleep, a voice seemed to come from a distant place, fragmented and unclear.

He heard Guan Ciyan’s voice falter, saying, “Yes.”

Who could make Guan Ciyan uncomfortable? Jian Yang, on the verge of falling asleep, felt a struggle in his consciousness. The voice around him gradually became clearer.

Guan Ciyan was answering a phone call, and the voice on the other end was from Old Master Guan. Old Master Guan sighed, his tone full of regret, “Since you’re the one who brought Wen Ye out of retirement, you should host this comeback banquet. Make it grand, let people know that Wen Ye and Fuyu are a strong partnership, creating expectations. Also, prove to everyone that this is the Guan family’s entertainment company, the Fuyu Hall, which holds influence not only domestically but also internationally.”

Guan Ciyan listened, and after Old Master Guan finished, he replied simply, “Okay.”

Old Master Guan wasn’t in a hurry. He said, “Let Jing Yu also participate in this project. Arrange a suitable role for him.”

“He’s already out.” Guan Ciyan’s tone didn’t change, but Jian Yang sensed the air around him had lowered in pressure.

“They are family.” Old Master Guan hung up without giving Guan Ciyan a chance to refuse.

Jian Yang, already feeling unwell, became angry hearing this. His chest hurt, and he tried to shout, “Crazy.”

Guan Ciyan tapped his head, “Sleep.”

“If it was Wen Ye being taken away by Guan Jingyu, would Old Master Guan say such things about family?” Jian Yang looked up at Guan Ciyan.

Guan Ciyan looked down, his face brushing against Jian Yang’s forehead. The warmth from his golden eyes, still irritated, seemed to shine against his sickly face, as if a pearl had just been cleaned.

“He wouldn’t care about you. Don’t be fooled by him.” Jian Yang grumbled, recalling how Old Master Guan pretended to support the uncle and nephew rivalry while secretly favoring Guan Jingyu, wanting to take half of everything from Guan Ciyan. He’d call it “family.” But when it came to Guan Jingyu’s things, he’d blame Guan Ciyan, saying things like, “Even a kid does better than you, what use are you?”

After a few instances of this, Jian Yang almost tore the book in anger.

“Don’t soften just because he’s your father, sir.” Jian Yang’s throat hurt, his voice unpleasant, pulling on the fabric of Guan Ciyan’s clothes, speaking earnestly, “He’s not good to you, don’t mind him. You’re so capable; even without the Guan family’s support, you’d still do well, right, sir?”

Guan Ciyan’s gaze darkened, pressing against Jian Yang’s face, as if lost in thought. He joked, “You really don’t want Guan Jingyu anymore?”

Jian Yang panicked, “Sir!”

“Okay, okay,” Guan Ciyan covered Jian Yang’s eyes with his hand, “Sleep, I’ll handle it.”

Jian Yang figured that Guan Ciyan wasn’t someone to take things lying down, so he kept quiet and rested. But his mind wouldn’t stop. Was Old Master Guan crazy? Even if he didn’t like Guan Ciyan’s mother, Guan Ciyan was his own son. How could he be so biased, pushing his younger son to the brink of death without remorse?

No, something’s wrong. With Old Master Guan’s character, if he really hated Guan Ciyan’s mother and thought she was of low status, how could Guan Ciyan even exist? Could he have been forced upon by Guan Ciyan’s mother? Ridiculous! He had it all twisted and was pushing the blame onto Guan Ciyan and his mother.

What a rotten cucumber!

Suddenly, Jian Yang sat up, took out his phone, and sent a message to Guan Jingyu:

“I heard Wen Ye was taken away by Guan Ciyan first? What’s going on? I risked my life giving you Wen Ye’s address!”

After sending the message, Jian Yang proudly waved his phone in front of Guan Ciyan, “Watch me make him mad.”

Guan Ciyan smiled and looked at Jian Yang, “Does it matter?”

“How is this meaningless? It’s so frustrating!” Jian Yang was too agitated, coughing several times, then spoke intermittently, “He can’t get through to my phone, right? Let’s leave him for ten minutes.”

Jian Yang suddenly remembered something and asked, “Sir, are you monitoring my phone? The Jian family and Guan Ciyan can’t get in touch with me.”

Guan Ciyan casually admitted it, his gaze fixed on Jian Yang’s face, observing if he was angry. “When you first came, shouldn’t I be cautious?”

“That’s true, better not cancel it, it’s so annoying,” Jian Yang was quite happy. He had cleared the matter, proving that Guan Ciyan already trusted him to some extent. He probably wouldn’t be scheming against him anymore.

“That’s about it, I’ll give him a call.”

Guan Jingyu immediately picked up, “Yang Yang, why was Guan Ciyan also at Wen Ye’s when we went to see him? Did you tell him we were going?”

“Cough, cough, cough,” Jian Yang’s throat was really itchy, his voice hoarse. “Guan Jingyu, you still suspect me? I did my best to get you in front of Wen Ye, it’s your own incompetence, and you’re blaming me?”

Guan Jingyu never expected that Jian Yang could gain Guan Ciyan’s trust and even receive extra attention from him. The two of them could even team up. Upon hearing Jian Yang cough, he automatically explained Jian Yang’s disappearance over the past couple of days, “You’re sick, Yang Yang, what happened? Did Guan Ciyan bully you?”

Guan Ciyan raised an eyebrow, looking at Jian Yang, signaling him to continue. His face clearly said: I want to see how you explain this.

Jian Yang confidently answered, “Exactly! He almost killed me when he saw us together. What now?”

“Yang Yang,” Guan Jingyu was anxious, “I’m sorry, sorry, give me some time, hold on a bit longer. Grandpa has agreed to let me join the project. Help me find out what my uncle’s plans are next, I will definitely regain the initiative.”

Regain? Was it ever yours to begin with?

“Ah,” Jian Yang sighed, “This is the only way, after all, it’s Guan Ciyan. It’s normal that you’re not as good as him. He can uphold the family business without Grandpa’s help. Jingyu, don’t lose heart. Guan Ciyan is no ordinary person. You need to calm down and see your own shortcomings. If things don’t work out, just don’t fight with him, okay? If you’re obedient, Uncle Guan Ciyan will give you money to spend. If he’s in a good mood, maybe even more.”

Guan Jingyu on the other side was silent. “Yang Yang, you think I’m not as good as him?”

Jian Yang exaggeratedly said, “I didn’t mean it like that.”

And quickly hung up the phone, not giving Guan Jingyu a chance to speak.

He proudly lifted his face, a blush spreading across his cheeks, rubbing his eyes. “For the next two months, Guan Jingyu will be reflecting on where he’s lacking compared to you. Haha, I’m amazing.”

Guan Ciyan held his hand down and gently pressed him back onto his shoulder, “Childish. No more rubbing, sleep now, the itching will stop once you fall asleep.”

The doctor had told Jian Yang not to rub his eyes because his hands were infected with bacteria. Jian Yang endured the itch and closed his eyes to try and fall asleep. His mind kept turning over the old man’s words, and the more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He hummed and tightened his grip on Guan Ciyan’s clothes.

Guan Ciyan, who had been looking out the window, felt an itch at his waist. He looked down and saw Jian Yang almost wrinkling his shirt as he held onto him tightly. Such a small person, but with a big temper. Guan Ciyan gently pulled him into his arms, letting him lean on his chest for comfort.

Guan Ciyan looked at the crown of Jian Yang’s head, a smile unconsciously curling at the corner of his mouth. This little thing really holds grudges, remembering the time he was hit at the old mansion. He was so straightforward—if he went out, who knows how many losses he might face.

He had to keep an eye on him. He was a big troublemaker. Guan Ciyan labeled Jian Yang, but inside, he had no impatience about dealing with the trouble. Last night, while showering, he asked himself if he was being too kind to Jian Yang. The answer was obvious—he shouldn’t be this way, kindness wouldn’t make a good soldier.

But when it came to Jian Yang’s little temper, he thought it wasn’t such a big deal. It wasn’t like he was incapable of handling it.

Jian Yang didn’t know that Guan Ciyan had been thinking so much. He leaned on his firm, elastic chest and soon fell asleep, even forgetting his anger.

“Jian Yang, no more sleeping.” Guan Ciyan patted his face.

Jian Yang sleepily opened his eyes, finally remembering to ask, “Where are we?”

“Get out of the car first,” Guan Ciyan helped him out of the car.

“Ah, so soft.” Jian Yang couldn’t stand on his legs.

Guan Ciyan told him to lean on him, his tone serious, “We can’t hug here.”

Jian Yang: “…I didn’t ask you to hug me.”

Guan Ciyan helped Jian Yang into a courtyard. The yard looked old, with green leafy vegetables planted in front of the house and two high racks dividing it into over twenty layers. Each layer was filled with herbs drying on sieves. It looked like a massive, open-air herbal pharmacy.

Jian Yang pinched his nose, “Can this food be eaten? It smells like it’s been soaked in medicine.”

Guan Ciyan led Jian Yang further inside, looking quite familiar with the place but maintaining a polite attitude. Jian Yang gave him a suspicious glance. As they entered, Guan Ciyan’s usual arrogant and imposing presence seemed to fade, and he walked steadily, step by step, slow and firm, eyes fixed ahead.

A half-grown child came out from behind the house, wearing a padded jacket. When he saw Guan Ciyan from a distance, he smiled and bounced over, “Sir, you’re here!”

Guan Ciyan patted the child’s head and took out two candies to give him, “Has your master woken up from his nap?”

“I don’t know.” The child shook his head, unwrapped the candy, and popped it into his mouth. “I’ll go check for you.”

“Go ahead.” Guan Ciyan patted the child’s head.

Jian Yang touched his own head. It turned out that Guan Ciyan’s habit of patting people’s heads came from here—he would pat anyone shorter than him.

“Sir, master is awake.” The child clung to the door of the main house, shouting to Guan Ciyan.

Guan Ciyan was about to step forward when the child shouted again, “Told you to get lost.”

Jian Yang: “Huh??!!”

“Who is it? Dare to tell Guan Ciyan to leave.”

“I’ll burn your little courtyard down.”

Jian Yang turned to look at Guan Ciyan’s expression, and he wasn’t angry at all. Guan Ciyan politely said to the little child, “Tell your master that his medical skills are superb, and he does good deeds. If he’s unwilling, forget it, I’ll personally bring the Sandan to him.”

“Alright, you wait.” The child ran inside again.

Jian Yang was shocked, “How did the Sandan end up here?”

The wine was brewed using a technique passed down over hundreds of years, only produced in a small town on the southwestern border due to its unique geographical climate and material conditions, which create special fermentation enzymes. Without the town’s water, climate, and soil, the wine could not be brewed. The geographical area is limited, the process is complicated, and it can only be produced by hand. This wine became a national banquet-level delicacy. Occasionally, some would flow into the market, but they were mostly for collection. For Guan Ciyan to get this wine was not difficult, but in his circle, foreign wine was popular, and Sandan was precious but didn’t suit their foreign tastes. Guan Ciyan hadn’t collected this wine, so how could he have obtained it in a day?

Guan Ciyan wiped the sweat from Jian Yang’s forehead. “Where do you feel uncomfortable? Tell Su Lao about it later, including your eyes.”

Jian Yang blinked, thinking, Is it for my eyes?

“Master wants you to bring in the wine, sir.” The little child shouted from the door.

Guan Ciyan held Jian Yang’s hand and led him inside. The room was dimly lit, with few modern appliances. Everywhere there were medical books and handwritten copies. A wooden table and a grand chair were placed by the window. An elderly man in Tang Dynasty clothing sat in the chair, wearing round glasses with a hooked nose and sunken cheeks, looking elderly yet full of vitality.

He quickly walked a few steps and stood before Jian Yang. “Stick out your tongue.”

Jian Yang glanced at Guan Ciyan and then stuck out his tongue.

“Hand.”

Jian Yang rolled up his sleeve.

Su Lao pinched Jian Yang’s wrist, looked up at the ceiling, and held it for three minutes. Suddenly, he let go and pushed Jian Yang out. “Go, go, go, always giving me trouble.”

Jian Yang was already unsteady on his feet. When pushed so suddenly, he almost fell to the ground, but luckily, Guan Ciyan caught him.

“One trouble is not enough, now you’ve found me a new one!” Su Lao grumbled.

Jian Yang, pushed again and continuously being disliked, got irritated. “Your skills aren’t good, and you’re blaming the patient. Do you have any medical ethics?”

The old man stood there, staring at Jian Yang.

Jian Yang looked at Guan Ciyan, still unconvinced. “Sir, say something!”