“Nonsense! That’s slander!”
Lin Yao scoffed dismissively. “Recordings can be faked. I’m my dad’s only flesh-and-blood son. Who do you think he’ll believe—you or me?”
Shen Leyuan listened intently, as if his full attention was on him. His eyes darkened, and he snatched the phone with lightning speed, smashing it to the ground.
Crack! The screen shattered into pieces.
Shen Leyuan looked up. The young man raised a brow at him, lips curving into a delighted arc. His fiery red hair blazed under the light, radiating the flamboyant smugness unique to youth.
The two stared at each other for a long moment. The curve on Lin Yao’s lips gradually faded, growing more and more forced.
“Fuck!” he grumbled. “You got a backup?”
Shen Leyuan regarded him leisurely, neither confirming nor denying. “Guess.”
Lin Yao’s face turned pitch black. “What do you want? Money’s fine, but no stealing my wife!”
Who wants to steal your man? Shen Leyuan rolled his eyes and turned away.
When he turned back, he wore that gentle teacher’s smile again, speaking softly. “As your family tutor, what I want is for you all to study properly without letting romance affect your grades.”
Lin Yao sneered. “Nice words. You’re still after my wife.”
Shen Leyuan replied, “First off, I’m a firm single guy. Second, Little Deer is an independent, unmarried individual—not your wife.”
Lin Yao didn’t buy it. “Then why are you in my wife’s room?”
Shen Leyuan shot back lightly, “Sorry, I can’t recognize the word ‘wife’ in your sentence. Please rephrase.”
Lin Yao: “You fucking—”
Shen Leyuan: “No profanity here.”
Lin Yao, undaunted: “You—”
“Students who swear get me calling their parents,” Shen Leyuan met his blazing eyes with a smile. “For real. I might even go upstairs right now and shout for them.”
Lin Yao’s face twisted unpleasantly. He finally reined himself in a bit, grudgingly asking, “You say you’re single, so why are you in Little Deer’s room?”
“He fell asleep in my room,” Shen Leyuan frowned. “Don’t see me as a rival. If I were interested in Little Deer, we’d be sharing the bed.”
Lin Yao eyed him suspiciously. Real or fake?
Would the old man allow that?
Wait… the old man letting someone stay in Little Deer’s room is already weird enough!
Shen Leyuan flashed a professional smile. “It’s almost dawn. I have class tomorrow. Please don’t disturb my rest, okay?”
“No way. Why should you get to sleep here?” Lin Yao’s jealousy flared.
Tsk, the way he says it. If I don’t sleep here, who does? You? Then spend half the night pouring your heart out to Little Deer’s bedding, clothes, and personal stuff, doing all sorts of unspeakable things?
Shen Leyuan suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and kept up the fake smile.
Lin Yao’s heart crawled under that smile. Reluctantly, he muttered, “The old man doesn’t know I snuck back.”
Shen Leyuan thought for a moment and pointed to the wardrobe. “There’s a cooling mat and thin blanket inside. I’ll crank the AC. You take the floor tonight?”
Some people scream spoiled young master. They can’t even lay a floor mat right.
After Lin Yao’s third clumsy adjustment of the mat with a sour face, Shen Leyuan sighed, got out of bed to help.
But as soon as his feet touched the floor, the young man’s movements turned nimble. He strode to the bed in big steps, dove under the covers, and smugly raised a brow at him. “Nightie-night~”
“Mm, good night.”
Shen Leyuan grabbed a pillow from beside him, laid out the mat, and lay down.
Lin Yao’s smug grin froze. He silently lay back without a word. After a long pause, he mouthed a soundless curse: Damn…
Did I get possessed? Why was I so childish just now?
Shen Leyuan paid no mind to the redhead’s turbulent thoughts. He focused on something else.
【Hey, you there? You there??】
He pulled out an old phone and messaged the bodyguard: 【Did you hear all that just now? Tell your boss?】
Red-face replied quickly: 【You snitching?】
Should I or not…
Shen Leyuan glanced over to meet a pair of fierce eyes. Lin Yao glared. “What’re you grinning at? Gonna let me sleep or not?”
Tsk tsk, such a shitty temper. Believe I won’t tattle to your parents?
Shen Leyuan shook his head and replied to Red-face: 【Not planning to for now… Can you keep it secret for me?】
【Why】
【I’ll be teaching him eventually. Need to ease tensions between us. Snitching to Mr. Lin on day one isn’t great for future lessons… But if it’s inconvenient, tell him by all means.】
Lin Yuan stared at his phone for a long time before replying flatly: 【No inconvenience.】
The other side bubbled back: 【Great!】
A moment later, another message: 【Bro, what’s your young master’s temper like?】
Lin Yuan frowned and typed two words: 【Idiot】
【Hahahahaha, you’re hilarious. So, know why Mr. Lin sent him abroad?】
【Too stupid. Eyesore.】
“Pfft—” This guy’s humor is next level. Shen Leyuan checked the time, stifling a laugh to end it: 【It’s late. Won’t bother you. Rest up, night.】
Use and toss?
Lin Yuan stared at the screen, gaze lingering on those smiling eyes and brows. He flipped the phone face-down on the desk, no reply.
He switched the main screen back to Little Deer’s feed. The boy was like a hamster tumbling into a granary, eagerly rummaging through drawers, piling the teacher’s personal items on the bed.
Once the pile was big enough, he buried himself in it like a nestling bird.
On the adjacent screen, Lin Yao was in a similar state.
The thin summer blanket was light and comfy, carrying a faint fresh scent. Lying on his beloved Little Deer’s bed, he drifted into thoughts of their past, present, and endless future together. In the heat of emotion, he clutched the edge and sniffed.
Little Deer’s scent…
…Right?
A certain smiling face suddenly popped into his mind. Lin Yao shuddered, remembering this bed had been slept in by that tutor. His face darkened abruptly, and he disgustedly kicked off the blanket.
“Damn it!” he cursed loudly.
“No profanity…” Shen Leyuan was already asleep. Half-dreaming, he heard it and mumbled indistinctly, “Or else—”
Or else what?
Lin Yao perked his ears, hearing only the deep, satisfied breaths of sleep.
“Tch,” he muttered under his breath. “Moron!”
He stayed awake all night until dawn.
Lin Yao got up irritably. The moron tutor next to him slept like the dead, face flushed. It grated on him extra hard.
“Hey,” Lin Yao sat on the bed’s edge and nudged him with his foot. “What time’s your class?”
No response.
Lin Yao frowned and nudged harder a few times. “It’s dawn. Get up and teach. Go wake Little Deer.”
Still nothing.
“Hey? Hey? You gonna sleep till—” He leaned closer, lightly patting Shen Leyuan’s flushed cheek. The burning heat startled him. “You’re feverish?!”
Lin Yao’s expression changed. He bolted up to call the doctor.
But his hand paused at the door. He sat back on the mat, grumbling, “I snuck back. Can’t expose myself for you. Someone’ll come when class starts…”
“Plus, you’re against me. Yesterday, just go back to the guest room and it’d be fine. Your own fault. Doctor a bit later won’t kill you… Anyway, I’m not going out!”
Lin Yao agonized for a full five minutes.
Five minutes later, the bodyguard knocked. Little Young Master wanted early class. Sensing something off, he rescued the delirious, feverish tutor.
In the wardrobe, Lin Yao muttered sourly to himself, “So eager for class. Never thought of your brother?”
Shen Leyuan came to after an hour on the IV drip. No wails from Little Deer felt off. Little fool didn’t think teacher was dying this time?
He looked up to see the big boss sitting nearby, expressionless.
…Better if Little Deer was howling at the bedside!
Ever since Lin Yuan grilled him on biases and first impressions, he’d been a bit scared of him—a guilty kind of fear. Seeing Lin Yuan reminded him of his cringey deeds, his hidden secrets.
The boss definitely noticed something. How much?
Don’t know. Don’t dare ask.
After an awkward staring contest, Shen Leyuan croaked dryly, “In my room… Little Deer’s room…”
Lin Yuan eyed him coolly. “Mm?”
Shen Leyuan felt the subtle killing intent, swallowed, and pivoted. “The playmate you’re providing Little Deer—is that your son?”
Lin Yuan countered, “See a young, fit guy and you pass out, huh?”
Shen Leyuan felt wronged. “No way!”
Lin Yuan sneered. “Injuries not healed, yet you give your bed to a strapping young punk. Never see you this considerate usually.”
All he does is insolence. Nothing but aggravating.
Shen Leyuan mumbled awkwardly, “Middle of the night, couldn’t exactly kick him out. And it’s so hot lately—floor for one night’s no big deal, right?”
Right, no big deal.
Lin Yuan thought calmly: Just a forty-degree fever.
Done talking to the aggravator, Lin Yuan left with a cold face. The bodyguard hesitated over. “Young Master’s still in Little Young Master’s room. Send breakfast?”
“No.” Lin Yuan’s face chilled further. “Lock the door. Deadbolt it.”
Bodyguard: “…Yes.”
Lin Yuan: “Shen Leyuan’s meds ready?”
“Ready.”
“Toss them. Get an old-school Chinese doc.”
…
While Shen Leyuan battled herbal medicine, Lin Yao smashed the window in a foul mood.
When someone locked it tight from outside, he knew he was busted. Couldn’t figure how, though. In the end, he blamed Shen Leyuan: Definitely that moron tutor!
Tutor said Little Deer slept in his room—Lin Yao assumed guest room.
But searching guest rooms yielded no trace of his heart’s desire. Instead, in the infirmary, he found the young man frowning over bitter medicine.
“Hey!” Lin Yao’s face was hostile.
Shen Leyuan blinked, then grinned. “Thanks for saving me this morning.”
He confirmed with Red-face—no snitching. Plus Lin Yao’s here despite saying he didn’t want dad knowing, and boss knows about the bed swap…
Conclusion: Lin Yao exposed himself to get me a doctor!
Kid’s got a good heart.
Lin Yao blinked at the bright smile, saying oddly, “Thanking me? You think I saved you?”
Of course! Aw, tsundere kid.
Shen Leyuan’s smile deepened. “Let’s reintroduce. I’m Shen Leyuan, Mr. Lin’s tutor for Little Deer. I’ll be yours too. Hope we get along.”
“Get along my ass.” Lin Yao scoffed. “You teaching me?”
“Teacher—!!!”
A Little Deer cannonballed in. “Wahhh, I heard you were dying.”
Familiar vibe. Shen Leyuan soothed him expertly. “How could that be? Teacher just has a little fever. Will be fine soon, then we’ll class together, okay?”
“Mm.” Little Deer rubbed his red eyes, finally spotting the other. “Eh? Brother!”
Lin Yao huffed lightly. “You still see your brother?”
Little Deer pounced into his arms, eyes sparkling. “Aaaahhh, brother, when’d you get back? Little Deer missed you so much! Brother, class with Little Deer, okay?”
Lin Yao: …
He stiffly turned to the sickly tutor.
What’d this tsundere fool just say?
Shen Leyuan smiled faintly, mimicking perfectly: “You teaching me?”
