Chapter 159: Maintenance

At that moment, Yu Tingyun looked again at Ling Wu, who was sitting upright directly in front of him. The other party's expression was clear and detached, and even the gaze cast over was clean and frank. Yu Tingyun's movements suddenly froze, and he realized something in a daze... Then, whose leg was this?

The tip of his shoe was still inside the pant leg of an "unknown person."

Yu Shixue glanced at him, his expression so cold it could chip, as if saying, are you trying to die?

Yu Tingyun retracted his leg sheepishly, having the illusion that he had touched a tiger's backside. He guiltily brushed his fingertip against the tip of his nose, then looked elsewhere.

Ling Wu was clearly oblivious to what had happened under the table, but he keenly sensed that the two people's expressions were off, and he was a bit puzzled.

What is wrong with these two?

The bullet comments drifted by:

【I'm not just saying this, but what kind of experience is it to try and secretly hook the side character's leg, only to hook a grumpy older brother instead?】

【Yu Shixue's expression looks like he's having a miserable life.】

【Look at how awkward our Golden-Haired Lion King is... Hahaha.】

【Yu Shixue (staring): Want to die?】

【Yu Shixue: Bad luck!】

【Yu Tingyun (rolling eyes): Unlucky!】

【(Super loud) Side character, stay away from them! Your leg must not be near them, they have ulterior motives for you!!!】

Ling Wu stared at the bullet comments in silence, only quietly pulling his leg back and placing it in the gap under the chair.

This meal felt like a "last meal before execution," and the three of them ate in silence, feeling gloomy...

In the car, the driver sat in the driver's seat, and Ling Wu sat in the middle of the back row, separating Yu Shixue and Yu Tingyun.

Jin Shaoyu was recuperating at the Jin Family Old Residence. Ling Wu had sent him a message earlier saying he was coming home today. Before the phone screen had even gone dark, a reply from Jin Shaoyu appeared in the chat box—a cat-head animated sticker. As the kitten blinked, the words "Waiting for you" appeared on the image.

Ling Wu gave a light laugh, using his finger to scroll through the stickers on the side. After searching for a long time, he finally sent an image of two kittens bumping paws.

Very heartwarming.

Yu Shixue noticed the smile on Ling Wu's cheeks; the corners of his lips were curved upward, and his eyes were exceptionally bright. He was used to the other party's distant and reserved demeanor and rarely saw such an outward display of emotion.

Yu Shixue: "What's wrong?"

Ling Wu's slender fingers were still resting on the phone keyboard: "Shao Yu said he's coming out to pick us up."

"Us?" Yu Tingyun spoke up abruptly: "Brother Ling Wu, did you greet Brother Shao Yu and tell him we were coming too?"

Ling Wu: "Mm, I told him. He hasn't replied to the message yet."

Because Yu Shixue had greeted Jin Liangjin in advance, someone at the gate specifically let them through, and the Yu Family car drove directly into the Jin Family Old Residence.

Gu Xin pushed Jin Shaoyu's wheelchair to the courtyard. Jin Shaoyu's leg was almost healed. It was autumn, and he was wearing a black, slim-fit turtleneck sweater, which made his physique look robust and well-defined. His gaze followed the car that drove into the courtyard, and his usually arrogant brows and eyes were softened by the wind.

"Gu Xin, push me over."

Gu Xin: "Yes."

The car door opened, and Jin Shaoyu put on his perfect, gentle smile of a good young man. Then, after seeing that it was Yu Shixue who stepped out, his smile stiffened on his face and petrified in the wind. His attitude did a 360-degree turn, and his gaze was like a stabbing knife: "Why is it you?!"

"Where is my brother?"

"Ah, that," Yu Shixue said lazily: "We ate at home at noon, and then I brought Ling Wu back, and stopped by to see you."

Noon! At home! Eating?!

What kind of meal is that!

Jin Shaoyu opened his phone and saw an unread message from the contact labeled "Brother":

-05: Shao Yu, I'm coming back with Yu Shixue and the others.

In the time it took for the two to speak, Ling Wu and Yu Tingyun got out of the car from the other side. Jin Shaoyu saw Ling Wu's figure, glared viciously at Yu Shixue, and lowered his voice: "I'll settle the score with you later!"

Then, being pushed over by Gu Xin, he called out affectionately: "Brother! You're finally back!"

"Did you forget there's still a younger brother at home?"

Gu Xin witnessed Jin Shaoyu's expression change twice with his own eyes. Hearing the tone that sounded suspiciously like coquettish complaining, he was struck dumb, his eye twitching as if he were watching a horror movie.

The key is... are you sure the Eldest Young Master really falls for this?

Just as Ling Wu walked to the side of the wheelchair, Jin Shaoyu pulled the hand under his sleeve, then looked at the two uninvited guests, Yu Shixue and Yu Tingyun, his tone very dissatisfied: "Brother, why did you come back with them?"

Ling Wu touched his forehead with the back of his hand and asked: "Are you cold?"

Gu Xin actually didn't see Ling Wu brush off Jin Shaoyu's hand.

Fine.

He really does fall for it.

"Not cold." Although Jin Shaoyu was very happy that Ling Wu took the initiative to care about him, he could also see that Ling Wu was deliberately avoiding the topic, so he asked again with a somewhat forceful attitude: "You haven't answered my question yet."

Yu Tingyun, who loved to watch the chaos, spoke up: "Of course it's because Brother Ling Wu came to my house to tutor me, and then we came over together."

After he finished speaking, he even hugged Ling Wu: "Right?"

Jin Shaoyu had known since he was a child that Yu Tingyun was a bad seed—deeply scheming, vicious, and a high-IQ genius. He was two years younger than them, but played harder than anyone else: smoking, drinking, street racing, eating, drinking, and having fun. He frequented all kinds of high-end entertainment venues and was used to scenes of debauchery, yet he wasn't promiscuous, and he spent his days playing the wolf in sheep's clothing.

"Damn it! Yu Tingyun, do you even need my brother to tutor you?!"

Jin Shaoyu wished he could tear off his sheep's clothing: "Brother, you don't know him. He finished university courses in middle school! He is not a simple character. I told you last time, stay away from them!"

Yu Shixue and Yu Tingyun, who were told this to their faces: "..."

Could you avoid them before saying things like that?

Yu Shixue said: "Shao Yu, it's hurtful to say things like that. The relationship between our two families is only close, not distant. How can you tell Ling Wu to stay away from us?"

"If nothing unexpected happened, Ling Wu and I could be considered childhood sweethearts."

"Exactly," Yu Tingyun crossed his arms, full of vitality: "Brother Shao Yu, didn't you say you liked me the most when we were little? Have you forgotten?"

Jin Shaoyu: "........"

6.

When did I ever say I liked you the most?

I want to beat you to death, damn it!

Look at that cheap look on your face; you've had this damn temperament since you were little!

【Jin Shaoyu: Saw the big package Yu Shixue and the small package Yu Tingyun at the courier station!】

【Young Master Jin only hates that he cannot stand up right now.】

【The evil younger brother is about to shatter.】

【Young Master Jin has quite the talent for Sichuan opera face-changing.】

【Jin Shaoyu: One slap for the woman, two slaps for the man, and for those who snatch my brother from me, it's the Xianglong Shiba Zhang!】

【These people are so noisy standing together!】

Ling Wu finally understood the deeper meaning behind what Yu Shixue said at the Yu Family dinner table—"Your brother Shao Yu has been injured for so long, yet I haven't seen you go to visit him."

These two people do not get along.

Seeing Jin Shaoyu open his lips, Ling Wu soothingly rubbed his soft hair with a hand, placed the beret on his head, and signaled for him to stay quiet: "Alright, it's autumn and the wind is strong, let's go inside before we talk."

Inside the living room.

Jin Liangjin was drinking hot tea, his long legs crossed casually, with Housekeeper He standing at his side; because Yu Shixue and the others were coming, Xiao Yu, Jin Bei, and Jin Yunchu were all sitting in the living room.

Seeing Ling Wu pushing Jin Shaoyu in, the expression on Xiao Yu's face was a bit unpleasant; she thought indignantly in her heart that if it weren't for that ingrate Jin Yunchu ruining her plans.

Ling Wu would have been disgraced long ago!

Her gaze immediately followed to Yu Shixue behind Ling Wu, her expression instantly turning hypocritical as she put on the airs of the lady of the house: "Shixue is here, come over and sit."

Yu Shixue was of legitimate birth and, deep down, looked down upon women like Xiao Yu who rose from being a mistress; his side profile was cold and stern, and he didn't even spare her a glance, greeting Jin Liangjin in the main seat: "Uncle."

Jin Liangjin responded.

Xiao Yu was completely ignored, and she couldn't save face.

Yu Tingyun walked out from behind Yu Shixue: "Uncle, we've come to disturb you again."

Jin Liangjin nodded: "You were all raised under my eyes, why talk about disturbing?"

He looked at Ling Wu, who was pushing the wheelchair, his eyes kind: "A-Wu, why didn't you tell Dad in advance when you came back? Your younger brother talks about you at home all day."

Ling Wu only told Jin Shaoyu about returning to the Jin Family; not telling Jin Liangjin was because he felt it was unnecessary—regardless of whether he said it or not, the other party would eventually know.

Jin Shaoyu defended him: "Isn't it enough that my brother told me? This is his home, he can return whenever he wants!"

"Who does he need to tell?"

The living room was silent for a few seconds.

Xiao Yu usually didn't dare to contradict Jin Liangjin's words; in the entire household, only Jin Shaoyu dared to talk back to Jin Liangjin. The way he so blatantly defended Ling Wu took on another meaning in Jin Liangjin's eyes; he narrowed his eyes, his gaze sweeping over the two of them with sharpness and pressure, his attitude very intriguing, and he took a sip of tea without saying anything.