Chapter 232: Ke Yuan

The man looked at Su Yu blocking his path, his hand twitching, itching to push her aside right then and there!

But he didn't dare!

The company had already suffered heavy losses; he couldn't afford to offend the Su Family's precious darling!

"Uncle, I just wanted to remind you that you've got cake on your bottom."

The man's face darkened further as he strode quickly toward the lounge.

"So rude, not even a thank you!"

Lin Junzhi, who had been standing nearby all along, accidentally let out a laugh.

"Huh? Are you that older sister from the hospital?"

Su Yu remembered who Lin Junzhi was! She had run into Lin Junzhi when she went to mock Qin Yuanjun and took photos of him and Guan Xianxian with her camera.

"Yes, it's me. Nice to meet you! You should call me Auntie. I'm friends with your Auntie Mingmeng."

Lin Junzhi crouched down and extended her hand, treating Su Yu with great respect.

Su Yu placed her chubby little hand in Lin Junzhi's and gave it a shake. "Hello, Auntie! You're so gentle!"

"Thank you!"

It was Lin Junzhi's first time hearing someone's first impression of her be "gentle." Faced with such an adorable child, Lin Junzhi asked in a soft, coaxing tone, "How come you came to get cake all by yourself?"

"Daddy is talking to other people, and my tummy is hungry."

Today Su Yu had been using both her brain and her hands and feet, burning lots of energy and getting hungry fast. She had originally wanted to eat a little cake to treat herself, but after seeing that scene with spit flying everywhere, her appetite vanished instantly.

She planned to go find her uncle and have him order her some Chinese food. Hot food was better — tasty, freshly cooked, and soothing for the stomach.

"I'm going to find my uncle. Do you want to come with me?"

Su Yu tilted her little head. If she weren't hungry, she'd be happy to play with the pretty auntie, but her tummy was already starting to rebel!

Lin Junzhi was a bit worried. "Do you know where your uncle is?"

"I know!"

Su Yu headed in a clear direction. She took cheerful little steps, following Wulongcha, walking all the way to a corner, and tugged on Su Xi's hem.

Lin Junzhi watched Su Yu find her family, then left with peace of mind.

"Uncle, I'm hungry!"

Su Xi, who had been chatting with Ke Yuan, heard the familiar childish voice and looked down. He stared at Su Yu without saying a word.

"What's wrong?"

【Why is Uncle looking at me like that?】

Su Yu rubbed her tummy.

【Did Uncle not hear me clearly? Should I tell him again — I'm hungry?】

"Let me order food for you first."

After ordering, Su Xi asked Su Yu, "You came to find me — did you tell your dad?"

"No!"

Su Yu recounted everything about leaving Su Yi's side as clearly as if she were writing a diary entry. Su Xi had a headache. His younger brother was way too unreliable when it came to watching a child. Fortunately, Su Yu was a smart kid. If she were an ordinary three-year-old, she could've been abducted at some point and Su Yi wouldn't even know.

Ke Yuan, standing to the side, twitched his lips after hearing all that. "They're still this shameless!"

Before high school, Ke Yuan had been a spirited young master who loved to have fun. It wasn't until his family met with misfortune that he saw the true colors of most people who kicked them while they were down, with only a small few treating him the same as before. After his family recovered, he resolutely chose to join the military. He had enjoyed his family's protection before high school; after entering university, he needed to work hard and strive — at the very least, to ensure that those who had devoted themselves to the family and shielded him from the storms would have something to rely on in their old age.

Su Yu looked up. "Hello, Uncle!"

【Wow, this is that uncle ranked number one on the handsome men's list. In person, he looks even fiercer than in his photos!】

Su Xi's gaze swept over Ke Yuan's face. Fierce? Not really!

Ke Yuan noticed Su Xi's appraising look and felt a bit baffled.

"Hello, little one!"

Su Yu hid herself behind Su Xi, dodging Ke Yuan's gaze while mumbling, "Uncle, hungry, food!"

"Almost ready!"

Su Xi picked Su Yu up and set her on a nearby sofa to sit.

"Can you eat some fruit first?"

"No!"

Su Yu shook her head, and Su Xi understood. Su Yu was just hungry, not hungry enough to lose her reason.

"Then wait a bit."

Ke Yuan saw that Su Xi needed to tend to the child and wanted to take his leave. "I'll head out first."

"Wait a moment. You haven't eaten either. Sit down and have some food together. I ordered your portion too."

"No need."

Ke Yuan had just noticed Su Yu's actions. She was probably quite afraid of him.

Su Xi noticed Ke Yuan's gaze. "She's not afraid of you. I'm asking this uncle to stay for dinner. Do you have any objections?"

"Will he steal my food?"

"No!"

"Then I have no objections!"

【If he doesn't steal my food, what does it matter to me? The banquet is hosted by my family, but it's not like I have the final say here anyway.】

"Why are you hiding from Uncle? Are you very scared of Uncle?"

"Uncle gives me the same feeling as when you're about to spank me!"

【I'm not scared, but I don't like being spanked either! Especially when I'm hungry — I really don't want to run!】

Ke Yuan looked at Su Xi in surprise. You spank kids?

Su Xi rubbed Su Yu's hair and said, "When have you ever not deserved it? I never really did anything to you!"

The thunder is loud, but the rain is just a few drops!

Hmph!

【You're an adult, so you guys are always the most reasonable!】

A server brought three bowls of noodles over; Su Yu looked at the small bowl in front of her, then at the large bowls on Su Xi's and Ke Yuan's side, feeling indignant, "Why is mine so little?"

【Did big uncle forget my appetite?】

Without waiting for Ke Yuan to voluntarily swap his portion for Su Yu, Su Xi calmly said, "If it's not enough, we can add more!"

Then that's fine.

Su Yu happily ate the noodles while Su Xi, beside her, lifted the vegetables and meatballs, let them cool, judged the temperature by sight as usual, and then gave them to Su Yu to eat.

Ke Yuan ate two large bowls of noodles with full concentration, and, watching Su Xi prepare a napkin to wipe Su Yu's mouth, sighed, "You've changed a lot."

Even though Su Xi has no children now, that demeanor is that of a mature father.

"Having another kid in your life will also change you. What are you and Yan Ranran planning? Still dragging it out?"

Su Yu smelled the scent of melon and didn't even mind Su Xi stuffing fruit into her mouth. She absolutely loves watching melodramatic romance dramas!

This is the real-life version!

Wulongcha also perched beside a plate of watermelon on the table, pretending to eat the watermelon for fun! It can look up information online, but it doesn't know the person's thoughts!

Su Yu had a brainwave, recalling who Yan Ranran was—ranked third on the beauty list, a little white rabbit! Su Yu examined Ke Yuan's appearance and temperament more closely; the novel indeed has that kind of pairing.

"Hmm, the family's stance is, if I don't like it, don't force it."

The Yan family's background is neither particularly good nor bad. Back then, Ke Yuan was willing to start from the bottom for his clan, and the elders, feeling sorry for him, let him choose a wife he liked. As long as character is fine, lineage and such aren't issues!

Su Xi got to the point, "You don't like it?"

Ke Yuan was a bit dazed; at first he liked her. Yan Ranran is very delicate and cute, giving him a sense of trust; in modern slang, she provides him with abundant emotional value. She likes everything he gives, and sweetly calls him "Brother Yuan".

At the time, it just felt they were a match made in heaven! He thought about confirming the relationship, but Yan Ranran would always shyly run away.

Until he decided to enlist, they still hadn't confirmed their relationship.

When did he notice his feelings for Yan Ranran had changed?

He remembered it was a day when relatives visited. He was injured then, didn't want his family to worry, so he gave his slot to another comrade who already had a family.

The comrade was very happy!

But when the comrade's wife, who was holding a one-year-old child, came to visit, she brought bad news to the comrade.

She wants a divorce!

They were shocked while looking at the fresh one-year-old infant!

One should know that when the comrade was pregnant, she supported and understood his missions. How could the child have grown, and as the comrade was about to change careers, she now wants a divorce?

A professional took the two aside for counseling; when the comrade returned, they finally learned the reason for the divorce.

The comrade's wife got along poorly with his parents. When her due date approached, she wanted to hire a postpartum caregiver, but his parents refused. Their family only has this one son; if the wife hires a caregiver, the parents can't show favoritism, and another future daughter‑in‑law would also need a similarly priced caregiver. The household simply doesn't have that much money. Moreover, the parents aren't that old, are energetic, and can easily help with the child.

However, the comrade's wife has her own money and is willing to pay, but she dislikes the older generation's postpartum and child‑rearing methods. She can order the caregiver to follow her preferences, but she can't command her mother‑in‑law.

The comrade's parents think the cost of a caregiver also belongs to their son. If the daughter‑in‑law spends it all, when the son is discharged, how will the family get by? The older the child, the more money it needs!

The comrade's parents not only thought so themselves, but also made a fuss about it publicly.

The comrade's hometown is a small county town with countless winding relatives. Those people are gossipy; the story reached the comrade's wife's family and got twisted. Her parents were furious and scolded their daughter harshly. If she weren't pregnant, they'd have wanted to beat her up.

The comrade's wife simply isn't accustomed to the older generation's postpartum rules: no bathing, no green vegetables, must eat chicken broth, eggs, pork knuckles—pure meat; no ventilation, no air‑conditioning, and so on.

The comrade's parents think it's for the daughter‑in‑law's good, but the wife is being driven crazy!

When the comrade talked on the phone with his wife, whatever she said, the comrade would discuss it with his parents, and it always ended up with his wife being blamed jointly by both sets of parents.

The comrade's wife doesn't want to live like this anymore.

She feels unwell, but no one cares about her thoughts!

She can endure the loneliness of a single person bearing family duties and raising a child alone, but cannot tolerate the whole family's hostility!

She has been diagnosed with mild depression, yet her family doesn't care!

The comrade ultimately agreed to the divorce. He feared his wife's depression would worsen.

Since then, Ke Yuan began contemplating life after marriage. He talked about this with Yan Ranran many times, but it was only his side speaking; after hearing him, Yan Ranran would change the subject.

Ke Yuan didn't know her thoughts, but he understood his parents' temperament. Yan Ranran's style of replying would never mesh with his parents' straightforward, rule‑enforcing nature. Since he'll be in this line of work long term, the people he'll spend the most time with besides his wife will inevitably be his parents.

After thinking it through, Ke Yuan told Yan Ranran his thoughts. She remained vague, inexplicably giving Ke Yuan a feeling of mental fatigue.

She still visits the Ke Family under the pretense of friendship; when she talks about him she is shy, but he can no longer summon the feelings he once had.

Between them, he wants to decisively cut off the relationship, but Yan Ranran neither says it's over nor that it continues; whenever she sees him, she still clings and acts cute, leaving everyone—including him—unclear about their status.

A while ago, his parents thought Su Xi had married and had children, so they began urging him to settle down, saying that once he establishes a career he should start a family. If he doesn't like Yan Ranran, he should find someone he does like.

After Ke Yuan finished speaking, he felt much more relaxed.

【Emotional matters have to be judged by the parties involved!】

Wulongcha decided that next time it researches emotional topics, it must be more cautious; just looking at the data almost caused it to crash!

【What's wrong? Is there a misunderstanding between Yan Ranran and Ke Yuan?】

【Yes, the information I found made me think Yan Ranran was cheating, but actually they aren't a couple. She just wants to please their family.】

【No, Wulongcha, your words are odd. You previously thought Yan Ranran was cheating, meaning she was with someone else?】

【Yeah, the insider info and some people's comments all say Ke Yuan is Yan Ranran's boyfriend. She has an unannounced boyfriend—doesn't that mean cheating?】

Su Yu chomped on the watermelon, "How should I ask Ke Yuan about this?"

"The rumor says you're Yan Ranran's boyfriend. If you want to date another girl, sort this out first, or the other girl will be labeled a homewrecker."

Ke Yuan frowned; he had clarified, but the outside world always assumes they're in a conflict.

"I can't clarify; no one believes me."

Su Xi offered another somewhat unscrupulous plan, "How about you spread that Yan Ranran has a boyfriend, even though it's none of your business?"

Ke Yuan instantly sat up straight, his eyes dangerously fixed on Su Xi, "Say that again, what does she have?"

【Whoa, can't he let go of Yan Ranran?】

Su Yu's eyes glittered; could it be jealousy?

【When I heard him say he'd cut ties with Yan Ranran, I thought he was a decent person. Now, with this reaction, I start to doubt—did he really clear things up with Yan Ranran? If he did, why is he angry upon hearing Yan Ranran has a boyfriend? He shouldn't be happy; Yan Ranran having a boyfriend shouldn't affect the reputation of his future girlfriend, right?】

"She has an undisclosed boyfriend."

"How do you know?"

Ke Yuan didn't fully believe it. Yan Ranran is very warm‑hearted, but the ambiguous lover is only him.

"I looked it up."

Ke Yuan lowered his gaze, unsure what he was thinking.

"If you still have feelings, go after them; after all, everyone in the circle assumes you two are a couple."

Su Xi suddenly sensed Ke Yuan's emotional fatigue. He shouldn't have brought this up. Now Ke Yuan is like this—one moment saying they're unsuitable to form a family and need to cut off feelings, the next getting angry because Yan Ranran has a boyfriend, which inexplicably makes Su Xi feel a surge of irritation!

What exactly are you trying to do?

Thanks, babies, for the votes~

Good night, babies~ This chapter is four thousand words~ Usually I post a chapter that's four thousand words; two chapters are two thousand words + two thousand words