Chapter 4

Chapter 4

There’s a Chinese idiom that describes human self-sabotage: digging one’s own tomb (literally: “digging one's own grave”).

Tian Ruan felt like he had already scooped up the first handful of dirt for his grave, and Yu Jingmo was his Luoyang shovel (a specialized archaeological tool)—one wrong move, and he’d be shoveled straight into the pit, turned into a grave.

“Who does he like?” Yu Jingmo glanced at Yu Shang, his expression unreadable.

Yu Shang, unusually composed for his age, replied, “I don’t have anyone.”

Yu Jingmo effortlessly gripped Tian Ruan’s entire slender shoulder with one hand. “I’m talking to your stepfather.”

Yu Shang: “…”

Tian Ruan’s spine went cold, but his muscles were too stiff to pull away. Not daring to face Yu Jingmo, he twisted his head to stare at the cake instead. “I was just talking nonsense.”

Yu Jingmo: “So you’re making up lies about our son dating someone?”

Tian Ruan: “…”

The use of “our” was way too intimate.

And where was the slander? In the original story, the protagonist couple’s romance was intense, dramatic, and all-consuming—but right now, none of that was happening yet. At most, the main characters had barely met.

“What are you zoning out for? Can’t come up with a lie?” Yu Jingmo turned Tian Ruan’s face toward him, his fingers sinking into the young man’s soft, snow-white cheeks, leaving indentations.

Forced to tilt his head up, Tian Ruan found Yu Jingmo’s fingers clamping his jaw like a vise, making his rosy lips pout slightly. His dark brown eyes glared at the man in front of him, a mix of embarrassment and irritation.

After a tense moment, Yu Jingmo released him, lowering his jet-black eyes. “Is this all you’re eating?”

“?”

“Eat some real food. There’s no late-night snack at home.”

“Oh.” Tian Ruan glanced around as servers filed in, serving dishes at each table.

The portions were small though elegant. Aside from the younger guests, most attendees were more interested in the drinks, chatting and laughing as they stood or sat.

Yu Jingmo raised a hand, and seven or eight servers stood ready nearby. He casually picked three dishes and a soup for Tian Ruan—stir-fried seasonal greens, blanched asparagus, baby cabbage in premium broth, and winter melon and pork ball soup.

Tian Ruan’s mouth watered as he eyed the glazed, fatty slab of braised pork on a server’s tray.

Yu Ti peeked over. “Uncle [Jingmo], this is way too bland.”

Yu Jingmo: “No rich food at night. You won't digest it well.”

Tian Ruan: “I can digest it.”

A server placed the braised pork in front of Yu Ti, who grinned and said, “Uncle [Jingmo], have a bite.”

Just as Tian Ruan was about to say thanks, Yu Jingmo’s cold voice cut in: “No.”

“Why not?” Tian Ruan protested, glaring up at him.

Yu Jingmo looked down at him. “Because I’m your legal husband—your co-guardian.”

“…”

“Yu Shang, watch him,” Yu Jingmo said.

Yu Shang reluctantly grunted in acknowledgment.

Yu Jingmo walked off to continue discussions with his business partners.

The three looked at each other, the atmosphere somewhat tense. Yu Jingmo was a man of his word—both Yu Shang and Yu Ti knew this well. Crossing him never ended well.

Yu Ti quietly pushed the braised pork aside, eventually picking it up and carrying it to her family's table. "Here, Uncle—dig in!" she said cheerfully.

Tian Ruan hesitated, '...'

Yu Shang, however, stayed behind, obediently following his father’s orders by watching Tian Ruan eat.

Tian Ruan wasn’t complaining about the food—it was far better than what he got at the school cafeteria—but the feeling of being controlled made him uneasy.

Meanwhile, Yu Jingmo’s gaze drifted toward them. Seeing Tian Ruan eating like a docile little cat, he felt a flicker of satisfaction.

"One of the executives spoke up, "Mr. Yu?"

Yu Jingmo refocused and smiled. "Apologies. We were discussing investments in African hydro projects—I believe it’s an opportunity to open doors in international business."

The business moguls were discussing deals worth billions when a stylish man with a perm approached them, nervously wringing his hands. "Mr. Yu, some of the clothes in the changing room ended up on the ground outside the hotel, and others got tangled up..."

Yu Jingmo replied succinctly, "Contact my assistant. Accounting will cover it."

The man’s face lit up. "Got it!" Those clothes were worth tens of thousands each—he couldn’t afford the loss.

"Then, pick out a few sets suitable for my wife’s measurements."

The man grinned from ear to ear. "Don’t worry, Mr. Yu. I’ll make sure they’re perfect."

A middle-aged CEO chuckled. "Mr. Yu spoils his partner."

Yu Jingmo didn’t bother responding. He had simply noticed how sparse Tian Yuan’s luggage was when he arrived and decided to prepare more clothes for him. Calling it 'doting' was a stretch—he still hadn’t mastered the art of flattery in business circles.

...

The reception dragged on till ten, with guests gradually dispersing. The Yu family’s table had long been cleared.

Yu Jingmo ushered Tian Ruan into the limo, sinking back, eyes shut.

Tian Ruan asked, "Are you tired?"

Yu Jingmo opened his eyes to look at him.

Tian Ruan feigned nonchalance. "If you’re tired, you should rest early when we get back."

Yu Jingmo called his bluff instantly. "What you really mean is, 'Don’t mess around with me'?"

Tian Ruan hesitated, '...'

"What exactly do you think I’d do to you?"

Tian Ruan forced out an awkward compliment. "Of course, Mr. Yu isn’t the type to fool around."

The driver choked back a laugh—laughing would cost him his job.

Yu Jingmo countered calmly, "Are *you* the type to fool around?"

Tian Ruan tensed up. "Of course not."

Yu Jingmo: "That's good."

Tian Ruan felt a chill down his spine as he desperately tried to recall the original plot. Yu Jingmo had indeed never touched Tian Yuan, treating him with cold indifference—marrying him was merely like bringing home a trophy spouse for outsiders to admire.

Because of this, Tian Yuan grew dissatisfied and sought excitement elsewhere. Drinking and fighting were minor issues, but the money he lost from gambling on mahjong alone amounted to millions. Yu Jingmo covered all of it, never depriving Tian Yuan materially.

A marriage with money but no love was doomed to collapse, eventually falling apart completely.

When Tian Ruan read this, he thought to himself that if it were him, he wouldn’t yearn for Yu Jingmo’s love—wasn’t money enough? He could study, travel, and improve himself. Yet Tian Yuan chose the worst path, perishing young in the cutthroat world of the elite.

"Hah..." Tian Ruan sighed.

Yu Jingmo: "So young, yet sighing like this?"

Tian Ruan straightened his back. "I’m so young, yet already married." He glanced at Yu Jingmo, nearly pasting five big words on his forehead: *old cow eating tender grass.*

Yu Jingmo remained unfazed. "Hmm."

Tian Ruan’s metaphorical punch landed on thin air.

Half an hour later, the car entered a luxury hillside villa enclave.

Su City was located on flat terrain, with few plots of land nestled between mountains and water, especially within the urban area—every square foot was prime real estate. Yet the Yu family occupied the most prime position on this small hillside: a private compound.

From the compound, one could enjoy commanding mountain vistas above and overlook the villa district and a portion of the city below—a clear marker of the Yus’ clout.

Two cars drove into the compound’s parking area one after another. Tian Ruan climbed out of the back seat and spotted Yu Shang emerging from the car behind. Yu Shang approached and said to Yu Jingmo, "Dad, I’m heading to bed first."

Yu Jingmo: "Go ahead."

Yu Shang didn’t enter the main house but instead went to a detached guesthouse, slightly shorter than the main residence.

The original story mentioned that Yu Shang was only adopted by Yu Jingmo at the age of ten. One was a workaholic, the other a student—aside from dinner, they hardly ever saw each other. Even as Yu Shang grew up, their father-son relationship remained perfunctory.

Watching Yu Shang enter the guesthouse, Tian Ruan thought that living so far apart was likely one of the reasons their bond never deepened.

"Come here." Yu Jingmo walked briskly into the main house.

Tian Ruan hesitated for two seconds. Unable to grasp the situation, he didn’t dare run now and reluctantly followed.

This compound was one of the properties Yu Jingmo acquired after taking control of the Yu family. Whenever he was in the country and not traveling for business, he stayed here. As a result, the compound carried a sense of lived-in comfort.

A butler and a small staff—not an excessive number—managed the household with orderly efficiency.

As soon as Tian Ruan stepped inside, he spotted a pair of festive double-happiness paper cuttings. A middle-aged maid beamed at him. "Best wishes for the newlyweds, may you remain united heart and soul."

Tian Ruan was flabbergasted—was *Madam* referring to him?

Yu Jingmo: "Ask Old Wang for red envelopes."

Hearing this, the servants swarmed over, pelting them with well-wishes like "a match made in heaven," "a hundred years of harmony," "harmony like qin and se," and even "may you have a child soon."

Yu Jingmo listened impassively, showing no reaction. But watching Tian Ruan’s expression shift from confusion to shock, then to sheer embarrassment—it was a riot of expressions. His mouth quirked. "Red envelopes for all."

"Thank you, Mr. Yu!"

"No words from you?" Yu Jingmo asked Tian Ruan.

Tian Ruan: "..." *I wanna curse.*

Yu Jingmo noticed his silence and remarked, "My wife is shy."

The servants broke into laughter.

Tian Ruan couldn't stand the "warm and fuzzy" atmosphere and turned away to glare at Yu Jingmo.

Understanding his discomfort, Yu Jingmo led him upstairs.

Tian Ruan had barely felt relieved to escape the newlywed congratulations when he hesitated at the door of the newlywed suite.

The bedroom was spacious, furnished with essentials like a bed and wardrobe, along with a small balcony. It also included a combined bathroom and study. Though lacking decorative items, the furnishings were all new, including the crystal chandelier on the ceiling—immaculate and gleaming.

The only decorative touch was the pair of pillows adorned with bright red mandarin duck pillowcases.

Yu Jingmo stepped inside and glanced back at Tian Ruan. "Come in."

Tian Ruan kept convincing himself with the original plot as he walked in, staring at each other in an awkward moment.

Yu Jingmo moved closer to him.

"What are you doing?" Tian Ruan immediately assumed a defensive posture, covering his chest.

Yu Jingmo arched an eyebrow. His sculpted handsomeness was accentuated by the sharp jawline under the crystal light, and his almond-shaped eyes seemed warm.

Tian Ruan came back to himself, his nose filled with the mingled scent of red wine and sandalwood that belonged to Yu Jingmo.

Yu Jingmo lowered his gaze to Tian Ruan's slender, snow-white wrist, which seemed even fairer than the mutton-fat jade beads on the bracelet. "...Keep this bracelet safe."

Tian Ruan nodded. "Oh."

"Rest well." Yu Jingmo started to leave.

"?" Tian Ruan asked, "Aren’t you sleeping here?"

Yu Jingmo tilted his head slightly from the doorway, his sharp profile like a classical statue. "Do you want me to sleep here?"

"No," Tian Ruan answered bluntly.

Amused by his honesty, Yu Jingmo said nothing more and closed the door behind him.

Tian Ruan let out a sigh of relief, then faced the ostentatious bed. Unable to bear it any longer, he pulled off the pillowcases, folded them neatly, and placed them on the nightstand.

As his fingers brushed the silky quilt, he hesitated. He was exhausted, and escaping required energy.

Maybe he'd sleep first and think later.

Tian Ruan headed to the bathroom, where he found new bathrobes and toiletries in the cabinet. He laid them out, took a fast shower, and emerged wrapped in the robe.

Opening the wardrobe, he saw a few old clothes inside—likely from the original body. He wouldn’t wear them.

...Wait, was he really the original body?

This question had been nagging in his mind all day. He needed to figure it out.

People might look alike, but not identical birthmarks—unless it was cloning.

Tian Ruan looked at the full-length mirror wedged between the wardrobe and the door. His face was exactly as he remembered. Had he transmigrated into Tian Yuan’s body, or had his own body replaced Tian Yuan’s existence?

He hoped it was the latter—it would save him a lot of awkwardness.

The only identifying mark on his body was that tiny mole on the tip of his buttocks... and conveniently, he wasn't wearing any underwear now...

Tian Ruan took a deep breath and stood before the full-length mirror. Slowly turning around, he lifted the bathrobe to reveal two pale, plump curves—

There, on the right cheek, a small mole stood out boldly.

His chest tightened with emotion—this was truly his own body, not Tian Yuan's. He had come to this world, replacing only Tian Yuan's identity, not his physical form.

Touching the mole, Tian Ruan was almost choked up. Heaven had pitied his untimely death and granted him this second life—he *had* to survive—no matter what!

Then—*click*—the door swung open.

Yu Jingmo stood there, holding a cup of warm milk. Their eyes met before Yu Jingmo's gaze unavoidably dropped—to the sight of those two pale, pert globes...

— —

— —

After a long silence, Yu Jingmo finally spoke, lips quirking. "'Enjoying the view?'"

***Download NovelToon to enjoy a better reading experience!***