After I Died, My Childhood Friend Became Daddy - Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Good Bro! Save Me, Ranran.

Coming out of the orphanage, Fang Ran still felt like he hadn’t had enough. He tugged at Huo Yan and asked, “Don’t you think Auntie Zhao was especially nice to me today?”

Huo Yan seemed to chuckle. “Of course. Everyone likes you.”

“No, Auntie Zhao wasn’t like this before,” Fang Ran said. “Do you remember that time she was handing out candy for the New Year? Because I didn’t know how to say auspicious greetings, she gave me half as much candy. I cried as soon as I got back to the room. Later, it was you who helped me get it back.”

Huo Yan pinched his ear. “You only act tough with me in the dorm; when you’re bullied outside, you come back and take your frustrations out on me.”

Fang Ran gave him a pleasing smile. “I’m just ‘nest-brave’ (tough only at home).”

Huo Yan curled his lips.

Nest-brave.

He liked that term.

He and Ranran were meant to sleep in the same “nest” (bed), after all.

“Fine,” Huo Yan said. “In the nest, you can do whatever you want.”

Fang Ran: “…”

How did a perfectly normal sentence sound so strange coming out of Huo Yan’s mouth?

He clumsily changed the subject. “Um… are we going back?”

“Not yet.”

Huo Yan opened the car door for him. “I’ll take you to the mall to walk around. I’ll buy you a phone and some other electronics.”

“A phone?” Fang Ran never had a phone while he was in school. It was only after time-traveling that he saw Huo Yan had one. Sometimes when Huo Yan replied to messages, Fang Ran would lean over to look; Huo Yan never hid it from him, even giving him the phone to play with directly.

In truth, Huo Yan could have easily had someone buy one and deliver it, but he selfishly didn’t want to do that. He wanted to keep Fang Ran trapped in his villa, without contact with the outside world or other people.

However, it seemed that would be difficult now. Fang Ran wasn’t a canary; he wouldn’t stay put obediently.

He wanted to see the world outside.

It didn’t matter. Huo Yan would simply build the world Fang Ran wanted to see for him.

“Besides a phone, there are computers, watches, tablets… we’ll buy whatever you like and bring it home.”

Fang Ran was both excited and a bit hesitant. “Just a phone is enough. Don’t waste too much.”

Huo Yan smiled. He leaned back, his hand resting lightly and happening to touch the back of Fang Ran’s neck, squeezing it casually like one might pick up a small animal.

“Ranran, it’s been ten years. If I still couldn’t let you live however you want, wouldn’t I be quite the failure?”

“Everything I have is yours.”

That last sentence felt a bit too heavy.

Fang Ran’s eyes widened slightly as he looked at Huo Yan, feeling a bit lost. “No need…”

But the next second, Huo Yan laughed and patted Fang Ran’s shoulder. “Did you forget you used to always drag me along saying that good brothers should share both trials and fortunes? What, it’s not okay for me to ask you to spend my money now?”

The man’s tone was natural, sounding exactly like a real “bro,” with no hint of ambiguity at all.

Fang Ran felt his previous awkwardness was just being overly sensitive.

He smiled along with crinkled eyes and patted his chest. “Leave the spending to me.”

The car stopped. Fang Ran turned his head to look outside. “Wow, this mall is huge.”

The moment he turned his head, the smile on Huo Yan’s face faded. His dark gaze, like a clump of ink that couldn’t be thinned, landed on Fang Ran.

Liar.

He didn’t want to be “brothers” with Fang Ran at all.

…

AQ was a mall that had opened just last year, following a high-end route with international luxury brands. Most importantly, this mall was under the Huo Corporation.

The manager had received notice long ago and was waiting eagerly at the entrance. He had only had the honor of meeting President Huo once, back when the mall opened, but President Huo had only stayed long enough to cut the ribbon before leaving.

The manager only remembered that the photographer had tried several times that day, finally gathering the courage to ask President Huo if he could smile. President Huo had only looked up indifferently at the photographer, who immediately shut his mouth, lowered his head, and just kept clicking the shutter.

Hearing that President Huo was coming, he had asked in advance if the mall should be cleared. However, President Huo refused, saying only that he was taking a “little kid” from his family out to relax today, and clearing the mall would make it boring.

Little kid?

A younger relative of the Huo family?

Until he saw the car stop, the manager jogged over to open the door. But Huo Yan got out first and raised a hand to signal him not to bother. The manager paused, then watched with his own eyes as President Huo personally circled to the other side to open the door, even reaching out to block the top of the doorframe so the passenger wouldn’t hit their head.

The person who got out of the car wasn’t a child; he looked like a student around eighteen or nineteen, with large eyes, chirping away as he talked to President Huo.

President Huo was much taller than him. To accommodate him, he even leaned down slightly, responding to him with a smile.

He was a completely different person from the President Huo who came to cut the ribbon.

The manager hesitated before stepping forward. “President Huo…”

“We’ll buy some electronics first, then go upstairs for clothes,” Huo Yan said. After speaking, he looked down and asked Fang Ran, “Is that okay?”

Fang Ran nodded.

Immediately after, Huo Yan naturally took Fang Ran’s hand and led him inside.

The manager watched from the side, stunned for a moment, then hurried to catch up after falling back two steps.

Entering the store, the clerk laid out several of the latest phone and computer models. Fang Ran didn’t understand these things, so he thought for a moment and asked, “A-Yan, do they have the same one as your phone?”

Hearing this form of address, the manager’s eyelid twitched.

Huo Yan took out his phone, the smile in his eyes deepening. “Of course that’s fine, though mine is last year’s model.”

A man doesn’t have particularly high requirements for electronics; changing phones too frequently is actually inconvenient.

Fang Ran shook his head. “It doesn’t matter.”

Huo Yan had them find a phone of the same model, but chose it in white. Placed next to Huo Yan’s phone, one black and one white, they looked like a “couple’s set.”

This greatly satisfied the possessiveness in the man’s heart. If the location hadn’t been wrong, he would have even wanted to pick Fang Ran up and give him a good kiss.

How can he be so obedient?

Fang Ran waved the phone toward Huo Yan. “Bro-style set!”

Huo Yan: “…”

The smile that had just curled up fell right back down.

He really never wanted to hear the word “bro” again for the rest of his life.

Huo Yan bought a whole bunch of the newest electronics in the store and had them sent directly to the house. He then continued to lead Fang Ran by the hand to the upper floors.

“We have clothes at home; I can’t even wear them all,” Fang Ran mumbled. “You’re such a spendthrift.”

Huo Yan squeezed his palm. “I’m the spendthrift? Then why don’t you manage the household for me? I’ll have someone transfer all my assets to your name.”

Before Fang Ran could speak, the manager nearby nearly tripped over his own feet.

He couldn’t even imagine how massive a sum President Huo’s assets would be, and he was just handing it over to someone so casually?

But the youth actually rejected it outright.

“I don’t want it!” Fang Ran refused. “You’re doing a fine job managing the money. When we were little, if I had five yuan in my pocket, I had to hand it over to you.”

Huo Yan laughed. “That was because you were sneaking off to buy candy and ended up ruining your teeth.”

The two of them bickered all the way, mostly Fang Ran talking while Huo Yan occasionally responded with a smile.

Fang Ran said he didn’t want to buy clothes, but unable to win against Huo Yan, they still entered several stores. Huo Yan had excellent taste; with just a glance, he knew which clothes suited Fang Ran and had people take them down for him to change into.

Coming out of the fitting room, Fang Ran tugged at his collar, feeling a bit awkward. “Is this too formal?”

He was wearing a suit-like outfit. Fang Ran usually wore school uniforms most of the time; jumping straight to a suit made him feel uncomfortable all over.

“It’s very good. It fits.”

Huo Yan knelt halfway and naturally helped him tidy his pant legs. “There will be many formal occasions in the future; you have to get used to it.”

Huh?

What does that mean?

What did formal occasions have to do with him?

But before Fang Ran could ask, Huo Yan had already turned and instructed the staff to wrap the clothes up.

After a tour of the mall, Fang Ran didn’t even dare to count how many things they had bought. He even felt that Huo Yan had a sense of “revenge spending.”

…

Dinner was eaten out.

Fang Ran wanted hot pot, and there happened to be one on the top floor of the mall. Huo Yan wanted to find a high-end restaurant, but Fang Ran found it too much trouble and dragged him straight into the shop.

Steam rose, and the spicy aroma hit them.

The shop was crowded and noisy. Huo Yan hadn’t eaten in such an environment for a long time. He hated crowded places; they made his already unstable emotions even more irritable and prone to anger.

But sitting with Fang Ran, that worry seemed to vanish. Huo Yan’s eyes could only see Fang Ran, and his ears could only hear Fang Ran speaking.

He placed a slice of cooked fatty beef onto the plate in front of Fang Ran. “Eat slowly, it’s hot.”

Fang Ran nodded, his gaze looking past Huo Yan as if he were watching something interesting.

Huo Yan frowned almost imperceptibly.

The mood that had just calmed down felt as if it were becoming agitated again.

He loathed the feeling of Ranran’s attention not being on him.

“Fang Ran.” The man’s tone grew heavier. “Eat properly. Don’t look around.”

His tone was like disciplining a child.

Fang Ran finally withdrew his gaze and blinked. He leaned forward, lowering his voice slightly as if sharing a secret.

“A-Yan, the table behind us is a pair of boys. I just saw them lean together and kiss on the mouth.”

After all, he had just been “disciplined” by Huo Yan this morning.

This time, Fang Ran had the foresight to ask in advance, “Can good bros kiss on the mouth now too?”

It seemed the changes in these ten years were truly significant.

Huo Yan gripped his chopsticks slightly tighter and said vaguely, “Those with a particularly good relationship do.”

Fang Ran’s mouth fell open slightly.

The man quickly added, “Sit back. Don’t discuss others behind their backs.”

Like a good boy, Fang Ran immediately sat up straight. “Sorry.”

After two seconds, he couldn’t help but say, “This isn’t good, though.”

Huo Yan felt as if a stone were wedged in his heart. He looked up slightly, his voice turning a bit cold. “What’s not good about it?”

Fang Ran whispered, “Kissing on the mouth isn’t appropriate. Even good bros shouldn’t be like that.”

Huo Yan said no more, but his gaze lingered on Fang Ran’s lips for two seconds longer, then his lips curled into a half-smile.

…

After playing outside all day, on the way back at night, Fang Ran fell asleep in the car. Even though the space inside the car was large, Huo Yan insisted on holding him in his arms.

The interior of the car was dim. Fang Ran slept deeply, his breathing rhythmic.

If he were to wake up at this time, he would see what kind of dark gaze his “good bro” was using to stare at him.

Huo Yan raised his hand slightly, his fingertip touching Fang Ran’s lips. He didn’t dare use force, only touching them lightly.

In his heart, he thought wickedly:

Kissing is no good?

What’s not good about it.

Sooner or later, I’ll kiss this mouth of yours until it’s raw.

From morning till night, you can’t say a single pleasant word.

But in the next instant, Huo Yan held him tightly again, lowering his head slightly to touch his forehead against Fang Ran’s, as if filled with infinite pity and love.

Hi Ranran.

Only eighteen, Ranran is so vivid and alive.

Huo Yan felt he needed to take his medicine again.

It was as if he were being torn into two people: one who didn’t know how to love Fang Ran any more, wanting to give him the best of everything in the world. He would agree to whatever Fang Ran said, whatever Fang Ran wanted to do was fine if he wanted his heart, he’d carve it out; if he wanted his life, he’d give it. As long as Ranran didn’t leave him, anything was fine.

But the other person was clamoring to be a bit more cruel to Fang Ran to lock Ranran up, strip him of his clothes, chain him to the bed, and turn him into his own personal possession.

Suddenly, a splitting headache arrived.

Huo Yan’s body shook slightly, his breathing heavy and ragged. He was afraid of waking Ranran and having him discover his pathetic state. Finally, he could only bend down and bury his face entirely in the crook of Fang Ran’s neck, breathing deeply and greedily like a drowning man.

Save me.

Ranran.

…

The next day, when Fang Ran came downstairs, Huo Yan was already in the kitchen cooking noodles. He wore a white set of loungewear today and looked very gentle, his expression peaceful. One couldn’t tell at all that he had suffered an “episode” last night.

“Where’s Liu Ma?” Fang Ran asked curiously. “Why are you cooking?”

“Liu Ma had something to do at home and took two days off. It just so happened I wanted to show off my skills to you. Ranran, please do me the honor of trying it.”

Huo Yan served the noodles. Fang Ran tried to take them, but he dodged. “Don’t touch it, it’s hot.”

Fang Ran followed behind him mumbling, “Then aren’t you afraid of the heat?”

Huo Yan showed him his hands. “I have calluses on my hands; it’s fine.”

Fang Ran knew that, of course.

After all, when Huo Yan had “helped” him, those calluses had been rubbing against him the whole time.

But…

“Do you do manual labor? How did you get calluses?”

“I spent two years abroad practicing with guns, and I learned a bit of combat. They were rubbed out then.”

Fang Ran was somewhat shocked. “Why?”

Huo Yan didn’t want to expose matters that were too dark to Fang Ran. He said casually, “Just for fun.”

“Alright, hurry and try my noodles.”

It was a very light vegetable noodle soup, but the taste was quite good. Fang Ran showed his appreciation by finishing the whole bowl.

Automatically, Fang Ran thought that since Huo Yan had cooked, he should be the one to wash the dishes. But he didn’t even get to clear the table; Huo Yan nimbly cleared everything, including Fang Ran’s, and threw them directly into the dishwasher.

“A-Yan, I have something I want to discuss with you.”

Fang Ran moved sluggishly to Huo Yan’s side.

Huo Yan’s intuition told him it wasn’t anything good.

He raised a hand and pressed his temple. “Can it wait a moment? I’m going upstairs to change my clothes.”

Ah?

He had to change his clothes just to listen?

No need to be so formal, surely.

But Fang Ran still nodded. “Okay, no rush.”

Huo Yan went to the study and took the medicine he hadn’t had time to take in the morning, swallowing a large handful of pills at once. After resting for a while, he changed his clothes and went downstairs.

Fang Ran was playing on his phone on the sofa and didn’t look up when he heard the sound, seemingly playing a game.

Huo Yan was suddenly dissatisfied, thinking that no wonder parents detested phones so much. Look at his perfectly good Ranran once he started playing on the phone, he wouldn’t even look at him.

He deliberately sat next to Fang Ran and reached out to pinch Fang Ran’s ear. Huo Yan knew Fang Ran was very sensitive there. Sure enough, after just two pinches, it turned red. Fang Ran raised his head and “rescued” his ear.

Fang Ran’s hair was naturally a bit wavy. If left untended, it would be a bit fluffy. Combined with his red ear-tips, he looked like a puppy from an anime, looking over with round eyes.

In an instant, Huo Yan’s heart softened completely. He thought he was making a mountain out of a molehill. His Ranran was so obedient, what kind of outrageous thing could he possibly say?

The man said gently, “What did you want to discuss with me?”

Fang Ran’s eyes were bright as he looked at him. “A-Yan, I’ve been thinking for a few days. I want to continue going to school. Is that okay?”

“…”

The softness in Huo Yan’s eyes faded bit by bit.

He went silent.

His chest rose and fell slightly.

I didn’t take enough medicine.