Husband, Let Your Husband Treat Your Illness - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Kyoto, Japan

Kyoto in winter holds a serenity deeper than usual. After a few dustings of light snow, the city is draped in silver, appearing far more solemn and dignified. In contrast to this outward gravity, the houses lining the streets glow with a dim, warm light, brimming with the festive joy of the New Year. People dressed in kimono carry expressions of excitement, for even though it isn’t a major festival day, the word “bustle” is written all over their faces. Along the roadsides, the snow has yet to melt, and Japanese children can be seen having snowball fights and building snowmen of all shapes and sizes. Despite the cold, the crowds at major tourist attractions remain undiminished—winter in Kyoto is clearly its own brand of magnetism.

Convenience stores stay open, and the large shopping malls are brightly lit. Yet, when the throngs of people emerge from the malls and vanish into the vastness of Kyoto, the city suddenly falls silent again. This is the duality of Kyoto: sometimes desolate, sometimes prosperous, offering endless room for imagination and freedom.

Inside, a man with an exquisite face sits. One look at him tells you he has used countless skincare products to cultivate a complexion as delicate as a woman’s. He possesses “peach blossom” phoenix eyes rippling with charm—and long lashes that seem to stir a breeze with every blink. A loosely tied bathrobe takes on a unique elegance on his frame. His slender fingers hold a glass filled with a fine vintage he has cherished for years; he sips it slowly, savoring the endless aftertaste. Prone to feeling the cold, he had a fireplace installed when he bought this house, making the entire space as warm as spring. The scene is one of absolute silence and aesthetic perfection until a sudden ringtone shatters the peace.

“Hello, who is this?” the man asks, his voice carrying a hint of curiosity mixed with impatience.

“Who is this? I am your dearest Mother!” An Yue, on the other end of the line, is doing her best to restrain her temper.

Watching the thin flakes of snow begin to flutter outside again, the man swirls the liquid in his glass. A playful, elegant arc curves at the corner of his lips. “Mom? Is there something you need?”

“You have the nerve to ask? How many years has it been since you came home?”

“Isn’t it just three years?” The man thinks for a moment; it really has been three years since he left home. Time flies.

“Just three years? Do you have a conscience? Ye Mo, do you have any idea what kind of life your father has been living these past three years? Your eldest, second, and third uncles have all washed their hands of the business. Your father is the only one left toiling away at the company. Why can’t you spare a thought for him?” An Yue is reaching her breaking point.

“Mom, Dad is still in his prime. He’s not at retirement age yet; he has to work, doesn’t he?”

“You little brat! If you don’t come home this year, your grandfather is going to take the whole family to Japan to spend the New Year with you!”

“Let them come. If they show up, I can just leave. I was thinking of heading to Sweden for the New Year anyway.” Hearing this, Ye Mo remains unfazed.

“Don’t think it’ll be that easy. Your grandfather said that no Ye family property, hotel, or asset worldwide is permitted to let you stay the night!” The old man had long ago issued the order to force this boy back, employing every means necessary.

Through the floor-to-ceiling window, Ye Mo watches the children playing and chasing each other on the street. For a moment, he forgets he is on the phone with his mother, his mind drifting into a nostalgic haze of his own childhood.

“Hello? Hello! Ye Mo, say something! Where did you go? You little brat!”

“I’m listening. If I can’t stay at the family properties, I can just buy another house. My current income is entirely independent of the Ye family. Economic sanctions won’t work on me.” Years ago, Ye Mo had separated his business from the family, which is why he dares to defy them now.

“You… you’re going to be the death of me! Look at your three older brothers—they’re all married. You’re still single. Can’t you bring a girl home this New Year?”

Finally, the real topic. This was the reason Ye Mo fled home three years ago. Back then, the old man had placed a woman in his room without a word of warning. Ye Mo had long since forgotten her name, but as someone with a lifelong “mental and physical germaphobia,” he had left home in a fit of rage.

“Finally reached the main point, haven’t we, Mother?” Ye Mo remarks.

An Yue pats her heart. Every conversation with this “ancestor” is a rollercoaster ride. It’s always like this, without exception. However, remembering what Ye Mo went through as a child, her heart softens. “Mo, you aren’t young anymore. You’ll be twenty-six this New Year. I just want someone to be there for you.”

“Mom, I’ll handle my own affairs. I really couldn’t stand it when Grandpa pulled that stunt last time.” Ye Mo finally voices his grievance. It wouldn’t have been a big deal, but the old man had backed him into a corner.

“You know his temperament. He only did it so you’d find a good place to belong sooner.”

“By the way, Mom, how did you find out I was in Japan? And how did you get my number?” Ye Mo’s train of thought jumps suddenly, catching An Yue off guard.

“Never mind that! Just tell me: are you coming back for New Year or not!” This boy had always hated privacy intrusions. If he found out who leaked the info, he’d surely make them pay. Out of a sense of “underworld honor,” An Yue couldn’t betray her source.

“If you won’t say, I’ll find out for myself. There are only so many people with my contact info and address. I’ll check them one by one.” Now that he was abroad, these people were getting bolder, doing exactly what they knew he disliked.

“Don’t change the subject! Are you coming back?!”

“I am. When did I say I wasn’t?” In truth, Ye Mo had already bought his plane ticket. He was simply teasing his mother because she called.

“Oh, you brat! You spent all this time messing with me?” An Yue is fuming. She stands with one foot on the sofa like a mob boss from an old movie.

“Mom, this ‘brat’ is your son. You share the responsibility.” Ye Mo retorts effortlessly.

“You foul-mouthed little… listen to me, your grandfather seems dead set this time. He’s got over a dozen eligible young ladies lined up at home!”

“Is Grandpa crazy? Since when did he become so open-minded? If he’s that anxious, he can have them himself,” Ye Mo says.

“Shut up! Don’t talk about your grandfather like that. I think he’s truly desperate. He even said that if you don’t find a suitable partner this year, he’ll find a male partner for you!”

“Fine by me, as long as you all can accept it. I have no objections.” Ye Mo has adopted a “broken jar” attitude of total resignation.

“Don’t act so relaxed. Humph, I’d like to see who would actually want you.”

“Alright, if that’s all, I’m hanging up. Once I’m back, I’ll deal with whoever leaked my number to you.” Before An Yue can get another word in, the line goes dead, and the phone is switched off. Nevertheless, she is happy the boy is coming home. She forgets the significance of his final warning, a lapse that would eventually lead to Ye Huan and Ye Pei working as doormen at their own hotel for three days as punishment.

Ye Mo simply didn’t want to spend such a beautiful day listening to his mother’s nagging. Outside, the snow falls heavier now, drifting like paper scraps in the wind, turning the scenery into a dreamscape. As he looks at the silver world, he mulls over his mother’s words: a male partner. Surprisingly, even though he knows they are joking, Ye Mo finds himself intrigued. He stretches, rising from his lounge chair. He is reluctant to leave this city he loves; if not for his grandfather’s traditional views, he would have moved the entire Ye family business to Japan.

The Ye family is a peculiar clan. Ever since the grandfather’s era, they have held an absolute, undisputed position in the business world. Back then, the old man single-handedly crushed and acquired several industry giants one by one. Today, the Ye family stands alone at the top.

One word from the old man could make the markets tremble. Now retired, he has handed the reins to his four sons. However, the four brothers aren’t particularly interested in the original core business. Instead, they expanded outward into food, hotels, real estate, finance, shipping, medicine, education, and manufacturing. Each brother manages a different sector, essentially running four mini-companies within the Ye Building. They even have four identical departments for different modules, and each has become a leader in their respective field, a legendary feat in the business world.

Now, three of the four brothers have stepped back, handing things over to their sons. Only the poor fourth son remains, working tirelessly because his own son, Ye Mo, is drifting abroad.

But the Ye family is different from other dynasties. While other families fall into infighting as they grow, the Ye brothers remain incredibly close. Even in their fifties and sixties, they are thick as thieves. Most “infuriatingly,” they don’t care much for money; as long as it’s enough, they’d rather be “hands-off” bosses. They also have a few children, exactly one son each. The eldest’s son is Ye Xi, the second’s is Ye Pei, the third’s is Ye Huan, and the youngest is the one who just finished bickering with his mother: Ye Mo.

Ye Mo has been the family’s darling since childhood, spoiled to the heavens. He is the only one who doesn’t “work” while he claims to manage his own business, he mostly leaves it to senior managers and merely gives orders. He lives a life of leisure.

Three years have passed. Without the grandfather’s ultimatum, he likely would have settled in Japan forever. The old man’s only wish is to see his grandsons married and hold his great-grandchildren. Since the other “stock” has been “sold off,” leaving only this one “Buddha” left, he is determined to clear this inventory by the end of the year.

Ye Mo is beyond reluctant, but he knows if he doesn’t return, he won’t find peace even in Japan. And so, he prepares to face the music.