After The Honest Person Was Discovered For Simultaneously Pursuing Three People - Chapter 57

Chapter 57: My Dearest Darling

The Baiyunhe Lake Villa has been very lively these past two days. Tao Ning can’t leave the room, but he greets everyone who comes in. He listens carefully to everyone’s voice, but none of them match the mechanical voice he heard last night.

The response “Yes” feels like a layer of shadow. Tao Ning is uneasy. Someone is the same as him? What does “the same” mean? And what does it mean to be “set up”?

These questions and answers form an unsolvable puzzle. Tao Ning has no choice but to put his thoughts aside and continue his mission, but Song Yucong seems to be very busy and only appears during mealtimes.

His face doesn’t look very good then. He sits next to Tao Ning and neither moves his fork and knife nor speaks. He just stares at Tao Ning, and Tao Ning stares back.

Tao Ning thinks for a moment and leans over to give him a kiss.

As expected, Song Yucong lets out a soft snort, his pride and joy completely unable to be hidden. He aggressively stabs a piece of broccoli in an attempt to hide his feelings. “You think you can get me to agree by trying to please me like this? Impossible.”

Agree to what? Tao Ning is a little confused, but he nods in agreement anyway. Song Yucong snorts again, then glares at him viciously. “Who taught you these tricks to seduce people?”

“…”

Tao Ning feels a bit helpless. He lets these words go in one ear and out the other.

Song Yucong wants to say more to Tao Ning, but a servant comes in and whispers a few words to him. Song Yucong’s face instantly turns ugly. He looks at Tao Ning, who is eating his meal in small bites, and the rage in his heart calms down a little. “You have to eat all of this. Not a single bite can be left. I’ll have someone watch you… Many people will be coming to the villa these next few days. You are not allowed to go out.”

You never let me out anyway.

Tao Ning refutes him in his mind but nods anyway. Before Song Yucong leaves, he really does call two or three people to surround him. The servants look at him eagerly. Every time he takes a bite of food, the servants praise him:

“Young Master Tao took another bite. So good!”

“You need to eat more to be healthier, as strong as an ox, so you won’t get sick anymore.”

“Young Master Tao, look at this sea cucumber and vegetable porridge. The Second Young Master had the nutritionist slow-cook it with a rare white jade ginseng. Please try it…”

Being coaxed to eat like a three or four-year-old child, Tao Ning originally didn’t want to eat anymore, but he felt embarrassed to let them down, so he ate until his stomach was round.

The servants sigh in relief. They have fulfilled their duty.

Tao Ning feels sleepy after eating so much, but he doesn’t want to sleep yet. He wants to wait for Song Yucong to come back. A-Yun occasionally comes to see him. He finds Tao Ning bored, leaning against the window, with one hand turning a book and the other resting his small face on his elbow. His clear brown eyes occasionally peek outside the window. Half-eaten medicine and warm water are placed next to him.

Two servants are guarding him, one on each side.

A-Yun hears a servant trying to persuade him:

“Young Master Tao, if you eat the rest of the medicine in one go, you can go to sleep…”

“I’m sorry, I don’t want to sleep yet. I will eat the medicine.” The young man, leaning against the window, sounds very sincere, but he doesn’t move. This is a moment of a teenager’s sudden rebellion and playfulness.

The scene in front of him makes A-Yun a little dazed. He remembers when he first met Tao Ning two months ago.

Back then, Tao Ning was thin and wore old, faded clothes. His canvas shoes were clean, but there was a small hole in the heel, which showed his family’s financial hardship. He also carried a backpack as tall as half his body and held a bundle in each hand.

He looked very pathetic.

Tao Ning smiled shyly, looking nervous and embarrassed. His big, sparkling eyes were hidden behind dull glasses. He looked both clueless and rustic. A-Yun heard faint whispers of mockery around them, but only when he got closer did he realize that Tao Ning was full of youthful vitality. His back was tall and straight, as bright and graceful as a spring willow.

He said, “My name is Tao Ning.”

The Tao Ning from back then had a hint of insecurity and shyness, but now, more than two months later, Tao Ning’s insecurity is gone. What remains is the youthful spirit that A-Yun admires, and even more, a certain “preciousness” that makes it hard to approach him.

The clothes Tao Ning is wearing now are made of the finest silk from Jiangnan. They are soft, delicate, and very light. They are not stuffy at all in the summer. His once-dry, curly hair is now black and smooth. It’s clear that he has been carefully pampered.

Especially that face, as if meticulously carved by Nüwa, is more beautiful and captivating than before. In natural light, his skin is fair and translucent, as clear as a pearl, and the touch of crimson on his lips can easily attract everyone’s attention.

A-Yun quickly looks away, his eyes falling on the soft carpet. The Second Young Master’s room is now covered in goose-down blankets, so thick that even if he falls, he won’t scrape his skin. The temperature in the room is always comfortable, and all the sharp corners of the furniture, thousands of them, are wrapped in foam pads.

It is said that the Second Young Master found them jarring, so he had them covered. But A-Yun naturally doesn’t believe this reason. He knows it’s all for Tao Ning.

Tao Ning is barefoot and doesn’t feel the cold at all, as if he is not afraid of it.

But A-Yun knows he is afraid of bitterness. He suppresses all his inappropriate thoughts and walks over, saying, “I’ll do it.”

In the past, these servants would never have paid him any attention, but they are smart. They can see that the Second Young Master cares very much about this guest from the countryside, and the servant who is specially assigned to take care of the guest is A-Yun, whom they used to look down on. But times have changed, and the servants’ attitudes change with their masters’. Without a word, they hand over the task of “coaxing Tao Ning to eat, take his medicine, and sleep” to A-Yun.

Tao Ning turns a page in his book. When he sees A-Yun, he quickly jumps off the windowsill. “A-Yun, you’re here?”

A-Yun picks up his medicine. “Young Master Tao, if you don’t take your medicine soon, the water will be cold.”

“It’s not that I don’t want to.” Tao Ning makes an excuse. “I want to wait for the water to cool down before drinking it. Some medicines don’t have a sugar coating, and they are very bitter with hot water.” He whispers his helplessness to A-Yun. “I wanted to get some cold water, but they wouldn’t let me. They said they were afraid my stomach would hurt, but how can I be that weak?”

“I even said it was okay, but they said it was Song Yucong’s order… I really have no choice with him.”

Who has no choice with whom?

A-Yun doesn’t know whether to laugh or cry. He doesn’t expose the fact that Tao Ning had a stomachache from eating too much last time. Instead, he coaxes him. “Yes, yes, yes. Let’s wait for the water to cool down a bit.” He sees that Tao Ning is very interested in what’s going on outside, so he says, “Young Master Tao, why don’t you take your medicine first, and I’ll tell you what’s happening outside.”

Tao Ning becomes interested. Song Yucong doesn’t allow him to go out or tell him what’s happening outside, which makes Tao Ning very bored. He also doesn’t have anyone to contact on the phone, so he has read the workbooks two or three times over and completed all the games in Song Yucong’s room.

It can be said that he is unrivaled.

Now that something new is finally here, Tao Ning is successfully distracted. He also uses the hot water as an excuse and drinks it in three sips, then blinks his eyes at A-Yun.

A-Yun’s heart softens when he sees him. He first praises Tao Ning for taking his medicine obediently, then whispers, “Master Song came back a while ago, but he seemed to be in a bad mood. He threw a huge tantrum and fired many people. I don’t know what happened, I just know that many important guests have been arriving these past few days. The First Young Master and the Second Young Master are both busy entertaining guests… So the Second Young Master might not have much time to spend with you because of this. But I heard from the servants that the Second Young Master hasn’t eaten in the restaurant. He must have saved his appetite to eat with you.”

Tao Ning is stunned. “…Oh.”

A-Yun also says with a bit of a selfish motive, “There will be a banquet at the villa tomorrow evening. All the servants will be decorating the venue, and the Second Young Master will also be very busy. You can sneak out… I’ll take you to the back garden to see the new peonies.” He hopes Tao Ning can be a little freer and happier instead of being the Second Young Master’s canary in a cage, even though sneaking out for a little bit is useless.

Tao Ning agrees because he also wants to go out for a while. He hasn’t had a good look at the villa and its grounds yet. He’s always been very interested in the fountain with the swans. It’s said that there are also white cranes at the villa, and he’s also very interested in them.

If Song Yucong gets angry… Tao Ning thinks, he’ll just kiss him twice.

In the evening, Song Yucong doesn’t come back to have dinner with him. After Tao Ning finishes eating, a servant brings a suit. When it’s unfolded, it turns out to be a pure white suit.

“Young Master Tao, please put on this suit. The Second Young Master has ordered me to take you to the top floor.”

Tao Ning remembers this. He nods and goes into the bedroom to change into the suit. Besides the tailor-made Academy-style school uniform, this is the second time he has worn such formal clothing. He comes out, pinching his sleeve. The well-fitted white suit and his long limbs make Tao Ning look like a noble little prince. The servant praises him, “Your beauty is unparalleled.”

Tao Ning’s cheeks flush, and he smiles shyly.

The servant gestures for him to follow. Tao Ning follows him out of the room. The way to the top floor is quiet, but Tao Ning carefully notices that there are vibrant roses along the way, just like the time he went to the rooftop at Oaksont.

His heart suddenly beats a little faster.

The servant leads him around a few corners. The top floor Song Yucong mentioned is not the highest floor of the main villa but the top of another white villa hidden behind the garden. He follows the servant up the spiral staircase built outside the villa. The night has already completely fallen. Because the Song family’s villa is surrounded by green hills and clear water, he can see the Milky Way when he looks up.

Tonight is a full moon.

Using the moonlight, Tao Ning walks up the stairs covered in rose petals and reaches the top floor. Just as he stands at the entrance of the top floor, a very soft piano melody suddenly begins. The gentle and lyrical rhythm makes him feel as if he is in the center of a rose garden.

He finally sees the person on the top floor. In front of a two-meter-high piano, Song Yucong is wearing a black tuxedo. The clear moonlight falls on him, and his deep features are covered in a thin veil of gentleness. Under his blue peacock jade cufflinks, his long, slender fingers rest on the piano keys. The notes flow like a stream from his long fingers, and the crisp sound echoes through the white birch wood and settles in Tao Ning’s heart.

The servant whispers to him, “…Today is actually the Second Young Master’s birthday… This piano piece is Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 in F minor, Op. 2… It’s a very special piece…”

Tao Ning knows that the Song family won’t celebrate Song Yucong’s birthday. Maybe those painful events happened on his birthday? The servant continues.

“The Second Young Master is a very talented pianist. He once performed at the Capital Hall, and tickets were impossible to get.”

“I guess the Second Young Master wants to play this especially for you.”

As the music becomes smoother and more joyful, before he knows it, only Tao Ning is left on the top floor, watching Song Yucong. He doesn’t have much musical talent and doesn’t understand the meaning behind this piano piece, but at this moment, he seems to understand Song Yucong.

The piece ends.

Song Yucong presses the last key, and he turns to look at Tao Ning, who is standing in the center of the red roses. He gets up, crosses his arms, and walks toward him in the moonlight.

“Hmph… bumpkin, how was my playing?”

His handsome and sharp features are filled with pride, but his expression says that if Tao Ning dares to say one wrong word, he’s dead.

“It was very beautiful.”

Tao Ning praises him sincerely. At this moment, the cold presence has unconsciously enveloped him. Song Yucong looks down at him from above, but he lowers his head, crosses his arms, and stares at his clear eyes. Hearing the praise, his earlobes turn red, and he grunts. “Then tell me what part was beautiful? If you can’t, you’re not allowed to leave.”

Tao Ning is stunned. When he looks up, he can not only see the full moon in the sky but also Song Yucong’s eyes, which are filled with a smile and affection.

He says blankly, “…It’s better than the sound of the moon.”

Looking at the person in front of him, who is both clueless and rustic, and occasionally incredibly stubborn, Song Yucong thinks that what this person said is even less to his liking. There have been several times when he was so angry he wanted to throw this person out, but in the end, he still walked through every part of the room, checking for any unsafe spots.

Song Yucong can’t help but cross his arms and says with a sneer, “What kind of nonsense is that… ” The next second, he is gently hugged. The sweet scent of lemons interrupts what he was about to say.

“Happy Birthday, Song Yucong. I wish you health and eternal happiness.”

He hears the person hugging him say this in a soft voice. Song Yucong is stunned. He is silent for a moment, then suddenly grabs Tao Ning’s chin and makes him look up at him. In those gem-like pupils, he sees that his own face is completely red.

Song Yucong is very angry. He directly blocks the red lips that always make his heart pound with his own. The cold scent invades his lips and tongue, and it intertwines with the sweet scent of lemons as if they have become one, inseparable.

Just as they are about to run out of breath, the hand gripping his waist loosens slightly. Then, Tao Ning hears Song Yucong’s eyes flicker. He stutters, which is rare for him. “Tao Ning… darling, be my person.”

He said it in Cantonese, words that were carefully chosen and repeated between his lips.

After a long while, he still doesn’t get a response. Song Yucong finally dares to look into Tao Ning’s eyes, but those eyes are full of confusion. It’s clear that he didn’t understand, and he even has a look of anticipation for him to say it again.

Song Yucong: “…”

The romantic atmosphere instantly dissipates. He is so angry he could explode. He… he finally said something so sentimental, and this bumpkin didn’t even understand?!

He’s going to die of anger!

Song Yucong leaves with a dark face. Tao Ning jogs to keep up with him.

“…What’s wrong?”

He was fine just a moment ago. Why did he just leave? Did something happen?

“Don’t talk, and don’t follow me! Get out!”

“Oh… but there’s only one way out of here.”

“…”

That night, Tao Ning watches as Song Yucong throws a huge tantrum, smashing all the game consoles he has completed. Tao Ning feels his heart ache because he will have to start all over again, but he can’t do anything about it because he doesn’t even know why Song Yucong is angry.

He’s even more bewildered when Song Yucong, with a dark face, kicks him out of the bedroom that night and tells him to go sleep on the sofa. Tao Ning doesn’t have any objections because he can sleep anywhere. So he takes his soft blanket and goes to sleep on the sofa. Fortunately, the sofa is big and soft, and he sleeps soundly.

The next day, Tao Ning wakes up in Song Yucong’s bed.

Song Yucong is already dressed in his formal attire. He scoffs coldly, “Bumpkin, you have no shame. You sleepwalked into my bed again… I’ll throw you out one of these days.”

“Oh.”

“No one is allowed to give him a game console today!”

“Are we eating dinner together tonight?”

“…”

There is no response. Only when the man gets to the door does he let out a cold snort and say arrogantly, “Yes, we’re eating together. If you dare to touch your chopsticks first, you’re dead.”

Tao Ning’s eyes curve in a smile as he watches him leave. He turns his gaze to the window. A-Yun said there’s a very important banquet today. Song Yucong will probably be very tired, so he should wait for him to eat together.

He is also waiting for A-Yun to take him for a walk in the garden later.

The Baiyunhe Lake Villa is exceptionally lively. The kitchen is busy preparing for the banquet. Outside the iron gate engraved with rose patterns, countless bodyguards and servants gather, waiting for one luxury car after another to arrive. Standing in front of them is Song Heng, who greets them with a gentle smile.

Everyone who gets out of the luxury cars shakes his hand and congratulates him:

“First Young Master Song, oh no, I should call you Prosecutor Song now. Congratulations, congratulations. Young and promising!”

“Yes, he’s not even thirty and he’s already the provincial prosecutor. You can’t refuse a drink today, you have to drink to your heart’s content!”

“Prosecutor Song’s talent is at its peak. He is surely headed for great fortune in the future.”

“You all are too kind,” Song Heng says calmly and gently. “My father has already set up the banquet. We are just waiting for everyone to be seated. Please come in.”

Everyone follows the servants in with a smile, but the cars continue to arrive in a continuous stream. From the main gate to the entrance of the villa area, the traffic is endless.

The weather is hot. A servant next to Song Heng, seeing his hard work, says, “First Young Master, why don’t you let us take care of this? It seems everyone on the list has arrived. There’s no one important left to greet personally. Please go inside, or you might get a heatstroke.”

Song Heng’s expression doesn’t change, and there’s no sweat on his forehead. He says indifferently, “There is still one more person.”

The servants are shocked. They have checked the names dozens of times. They shouldn’t have missed anyone on the list. “This… who is this person?”

There’s no ripple of emotion in Song Heng’s eyes. Not until a low-key black Zeppelin arrives, followed by two BMWs. He wipes his hands with a damp towel without expression and looks up. “An arms dealer.”

The people in the BMWs get out first. They are uniformly dressed. A pair of white-gloved hands open the Zeppelin’s car door. A man over 1.9 meters tall steps out. He has black hair and black pants. The dress pants outline his straight, long legs, but he is not wearing leather shoes. Instead, he wears a pair of sneakers, which look out of place with his dress pants. The white shirt he is wearing is loosely tucked under a very powerful-looking waistline.

Even more jarring is the yellow toy-like lemon earring in his right ear.

A smile appears on the man’s wild and unruly face. He doesn’t extend his hand. He just says, “Zhao Jingqun.”

Song Heng places the damp towel on the tray, takes the invitation from the bodyguard behind the man, and says with a smile, “Song Heng.”

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