At the Chu family’s mansion, Mrs. Chu walked out of Chu Yuanxùn’s room with a hint of melancholy on her face.
She wasn’t sure why, but she always felt a certain distance between herself and her child. However, she wasn’t in a hurry, she still had plenty of time to get to know him…
“Aunt, you don’t look too well. Are you alright?” Jiang Xianchen stepped forward to support her back to her room.
“I’m fine, just haven’t been sleeping well lately.” Mrs. Chu waved her hand dismissively, then took out her phone and handed it to Jiang Xianchen. “A’Chen, I want to watch a variety show. Can you teach me how?”
Jiang Xianchen was obviously taken aback. “A show?”
“Yes, Tongtong… It seems she joined an online variety show. I saw her promoting it on her social media, and I got a little curious.”
In Mrs. Chu’s perception, artists like Zheng Wan, who were deeply immersed in traditional Chinese culture and classical music, wouldn’t normally lower themselves to appear on such programs. Yet, she had let her own daughter participate.
What’s more, something about it caught her attention. The face of a man in the group photo kept lingering in her mind.
“Alright.” Jiang Xianchen agreed.
In fact, he had already investigated Jian Wantong, read a few overseas reports about her, but the available photos weren’t detailed. On a whim, he had even watched two episodes of her show. The latest episode had just been released, and his attention was quickly drawn to a man named Chu Yuanxun.
If this had been half a month ago, just hearing the name ‘Chu Yuanxun’ would have been enough to alarm the Chu family. But now, the lost child of the Chu family had already been found.
Mrs. Chu wasn’t interested in the other guests, so she started watching from episode seven. Jiang Xianchen patiently explained things to her as she watched.
“She actually went on a dating show? What a shame, I was originally planning to…” Mrs. Chu sighed. “But this kid… he seems pretty nice.”
She reached out and lightly touched the screen where Chu Yuanxun appeared. After a pause, she added, “His name… it’s a very good name too.”
Jiang Xianchen unexpectedly chuckled. “I heard some inside information—this Xiao Chu didn’t confess in the end. They didn’t end up together.”
“Really? Is the boy out of his mind?” Mrs. Chu found it hard to believe, but her mood seemed to lighten a little.
Jiang Xianchen didn’t comment. He felt that these shows must have scripts; they’d naturally arrange things in the most engaging way.
After a while, seeing Mrs. Chu was quite engrossed in the show, he suggested she watch it in the downstairs living room, where it would be easier on her eyes.
Jian Shiyu was in a hurry to leave. Wan Tong had initially wanted to see him off, but since his friend happened to be passing by to pick him up, she only walked him downstairs.
However, as she was about to head back upstairs, she spotted a familiar face coming in from outside.
“Jian Wantong!” Yuan Qingqing was just as shocked. Could it be that this shameless woman was already living with Chu Yuanxun?
“Qingqing.” Wan Tong greeted her casually.
At the last gathering, Yuan Qingqing had mentioned that she had recently moved to this area, but she hadn’t known that Wan Tong was living with Chu Yuanxun.
“You… why are you here?”
“I live here too.” Wan Tong smiled as they entered the elevator together.
When Yuan Qingqing pressed the button for the sixth floor, Wan Tong only then pressed the button for the fifth.
“You’re living with Yuanxun?” Yuan Qingqing’s smile stiffened.
Wan Tong put a finger to her lips and playfully hushed her, but didn’t answer.
However, Yuan Qingqing immediately understood—they were definitely living together!
“I just moved in. Why don’t we all have a meal together tomorrow?”
“Sure, I’ll talk to A’Xun about it later.”
Just as Wan Tong finished speaking, the elevator doors opened.
Chu Yuanxun was already waiting at the entrance. When he saw her, he smiled slightly and reached out his hand.
Wan Tong waved at Yuan Qingqing before stepping out and holding Chu Yuanxun’s hand.
Yuan Qingqing gritted her teeth but maintained a smile as she watched them. Only when the elevator doors closed did her expression darken.
She had been too preoccupied with the Chu family’s affairs lately and had clearly missed out on a lot. But now, she had all the time in the world to compete with Jian Wantong.
She quickly reviewed the plot in her mind. Jian Wantong wasn’t supposed to have simply appeared out of nowhere, she was supposed to have died from an illness. So why was she alive and well now? Could the butterfly effect really be this powerful?
Chu Yuanxun was constantly trending on social media, which actually worried her.
Although she had successfully helped an impostor enter the Chu family, that person was ultimately a fake. If the Chu family ever turned their attention to Chu Yuanxun, who knew if they would start questioning things?
As soon as she stepped out of the elevator, Yuan Qingqing received a phone call. Seeing the caller ID, her expression immediately became serious. She quickly entered her apartment before answering.
“What is it?”
“I can’t get you that much money right now. I just got into the Chu family, I can’t ask for it so soon.” The man’s voice on the other end was low.
“I don’t care. I need money now. Whatever you can get, you better give it to me first. As for the Chu family, just keep playing your role well. As long as you don’t make any mistakes, no one will suspect anything.”
Yuan Qingqing’s tone was urgent. She had spent a lot of money recently and was feeling the pinch.
“Alright. I’ll give you everything I have.” Chu Yuanxùn gritted his teeth. “But you still haven’t told me where that person is…”
“That’s none of your business. Just know that he won’t interfere with you.” Yuan Qingqing hung up immediately after speaking.
On the other end of the line, Chu Yuanxùn put down his phone, grabbed his crutch, and struggled to get up.
Hearing noises from the living room, he slowly made his way over.
From a distance, he saw the figures of Mrs. Chu and Jiang Xianchen.
He frowned slightly, feeling a bit displeased. Jiang Xianchen had been fostered in the Chu family since childhood, but he was not truly a member of the Chu family. Yet, Mrs. Chu seemed particularly close to him.
Deliberately making some noise, he drew Mrs. Chu’s attention from the TV program she was watching.
“A’Xùn, why did you come down by yourself? You should be more careful,” she said with concern.
Before Mrs. Chu could move, Jiang Xianchen had already swiftly stepped onto the stairs, brushing past Chu Yuanxùn.
Chu Yuanxùn’s face showed a hint of shy embarrassment. He was just about to say something when his eyes suddenly caught a close-up on the television screen, a strikingly handsome face. His gaze flickered in panic, as if pricked by something sharp, and he blinked twice hastily. “Mom, I’m fine. I just wanted to get some fresh air.”
“Ah, then let me take a walk with you in the garden,” Madam Chu offered, her attention already straying from the television.
Chu Yuanxùn nodded, maintaining a smile, but his mind was in complete turmoil.
After barely ten minutes, he excused himself to return to his room. The moment he shut the door, he almost trembled as he reached for his phone and opened a video app.
That person, he had found him.
It was Chu Yuanxun, wasn’t it? He was so close to him.
Yuan Qingqing had shown such open admiration for Chu Yuanxun on the program. Why had she then pushed him to take Chu Yuanxun’s place in returning to the wealthy family? Was this all part of some scheme?
The more Chu Yuanxùn thought about it, the more unsettled he became. Wealth, status, affection, everything was within his grasp. But he feared, more than anything, that it was all just a dream.
Late at night, Yuan Qingqing was startled awake by a phone call.
Chu Yuanxùn’s voice was hoarse, as if he had been up all night. His tone carried an interrogative edge. “Yuan Qingqing, does Jian Wantong know about this?”
“Why are you asking?” Yuan Qingqing immediately grew alert.
“She knows Mrs. Chu. They even had afternoon tea together.”
Chu Yuanxun’s words sent a chill down Yuan Qingqing’s spine, banishing any trace of sleepiness.
The next day, Mrs. Chu arranged to meet Wan Tong, giving Wan Tong an easy excuse to turn down Yuan Qingqing’s invitation.
She wasn’t comfortable leaving Chu Yuanxun alone, she didn’t even feel at ease letting him be by himself. Who knew what Yuan Qingqing was plotting?
Since Chu Yuanxun had to return to B University during the day and was only free in the evening, Wan Tong suggested, “I have an afternoon tea appointment, but I can come find you after. How about that?”
Chu Yuanxun, looking sleep-deprived, lazily sipped his soybean milk with half-lidded eyes, murmuring a noncommittal “Mhm” through his nose.
“Couldn’t sleep without Xiaoyu around?” Wan Tong asked.
She had gone to bed early the night before and had no idea when Chu Yuanxun had turned in.
Finishing his drink in one go, Chu Yuanxun released the straw and replied, “Couldn’t sleep.”
“Why not?”
He paused for a moment before lifting his gaze to hers. His thin lips moved slightly. “Thinking of you.”
Wan Tong: “…”
“I’m just across the hall from you. What’s there to think about?” she said helplessly, pushing her own soybean milk toward him. “It’s too thick. I don’t like it. You can have it.”
Chu Yuanxun took the cup, biting down on the straw she had used. His amber eyes gleamed with an almost enchanting light. “I can’t see you, so I miss you.”
Wan Tong rested her chin on one hand, pinching his chin lightly with her fingers. “Your sweet talk is getting better and better.”
She smiled mischievously, like a cat that had just stolen a treat. Her eyes shimmered, and her lips, tinged a delicate cherry pink, seemed to be silently inviting him closer.
Chu Yuanxun leaned in, pressing his lips gently to hers.
A faintly suggestive sound filled the air. He lingered for a moment before pulling back slightly, his straight nose still touching hers. Their breaths intertwined, warm and heavy.
“Sweet?” he asked in a husky voice, not waiting for an answer.
Tilting his head slightly, he cupped the back of her neck with his palm and captured her lips again just as they parted slightly in surprise.
The sound of their heartbeats and breaths filled the space between them, the air around them heating rapidly.
Breakfast ended like this. Wantong, covering her slightly swollen lips, hurriedly fled the apartment.
If she stayed any longer, neither of them would be leaving the house today…
It was the same café as last time, but what surprised Wan Tong was that Mrs. Chu had brought someone along, Chu Yuanxùn.
His right leg was still in a cast, with a crutch placed beside him. He looked to be in good spirits, and as he sat by the window with sunlight streaming over him, he appeared refined and handsome.
Noticing Wan Tong observing Chu Yuanxùn, Mrs. Chu quickly introduced him. “Tongtong, let me introduce you. This is my son, Chu Yuanxùn. He’s a bit older than you.”
With a poised smile, Wan Tong introduced herself in return, her graceful demeanor making Mrs. Chu all the more satisfied.
In truth, she hadn’t initially planned to bring A’Xùn today. But when he mentioned wanting to go out for a bit, she thought this was a great opportunity to introduce him to Tongtong.
Who knew? Maybe something would come of it.
More importantly, she wanted to confirm something first, did Tongtong already have a boyfriend?
And well… if Tongtong did but wasn’t too serious about it yet, A’Xùn might still have a chance.
“Hello, Miss Jian,” Chu Yuanxùn greeted calmly, though the hands resting on his knees clenched tightly, his whole body rigid with tension.
His background wasn’t great, and girls from good families usually wanted nothing to do with him. He had little experience interacting with them. Jian Wantong was dazzling. Ever since the first time he had seen her at the hospital, her image had been burned into his mind.
Now, in such close proximity, he couldn’t help feeling nervous, even inferior.
He understood Mrs. Chu’s intentions. She wanted him to get to know Jian Wantong, perhaps even hoped for a match between them…
As long as he remained in the Chu family, he would find a way to claim this woman for himself.
The mere thought of it made his blood surge with a primal hunger. The idea of pinning her beneath him, of making her his, filled him with an intoxicating sense of power.
Wan Tong was chatting with Mrs. Chu, but she was also keeping an eye on the counterfeit1‘s expression. That was how she sensitively caught the lewd glint in his eyes.
Disgust surged within her. She hadn’t expected someone with such a modest and refined appearance to harbor such shameless thoughts.
Under the table, she discreetly tapped on her phone.
In a certain research lab at B University, Chu Yuanxun’s phone suddenly buzzed a few times, drawing surprised glances from the two professors across from him.
It was the first time A’Xun’s phone had ever rung in the lab.
What’s more, he immediately put down his documents and focused on his phone screen.
The two professors exchanged knowing smiles but didn’t rush to ask questions.
They knew he had joined some ridiculous dating show, perhaps he had an unexpected breakthrough?
Well, that wasn’t a bad thing. A’Xun was at the age where a little romance was due.
However, when they observed Chu Yuanxun’s expression, they couldn’t discern anything unusual.
He narrowed his eyes at the phone screen, his long black lashes quivering slightly, concealing a hint of dangerous intent.
Tongtong : [A’Xun, Aunt Chu brought her son over.]
Tongtong : [He keeps staring at me. I don’t like it.]
Tongtong : [A’Xun, Aunt Chu seems to want to match me with her son.]
“Professor, I’d like to take a leave of absence,” Chu Yuanxun said, gripping his phone as he stood up.
“Go ahead, hurry up,” one of them replied.
“…” Chu Yuanxun glanced at the two grinning men, pursed his lips, and turned to leave.
Wan Tong had been looking for an opportunity for Chu Yuanxun and Mrs. Chu to meet, but she wasn’t in a rush.
She had messaged Chu Yuanxun merely to vent, not expecting that he wouldn’t reply. He was probably busy.
When Mrs. Chu tentatively asked if she had a boyfriend, Wan Tong nodded and softly added, “But it needs to be kept a secret.”
Mrs. Chu looked a little regretful but still asked, “Is it that Xiao Chu?”
“Mm, quite the coincidence. He’s also surnamed Chu,” Wan Tong said, glancing at Chu Yuanxùn with a smile. “And his name is somewhat similar to Mr. Chu’s, too.”
Madam Chu chuckled. “It seems like you really have a connection with our Chu family, Tongtong.”
Chu Yuanxùn, well-practiced in composure, didn’t let any emotions show on his face, though inwardly, he was already restless.
About ten minutes later, just as Wan Tong was about to find an excuse to leave, Mrs. Chu suddenly looked past her with a surprised expression. “Oh? It’s him…”
Wan Tong turned her head and caught sight of Chu Yuanxun striding toward her.
- the term used here is “山寨货” (shānzhài huò), a Chinese term that refers to counterfeit or imitation products that are often of lower quality than the original brand-name items. ↩︎