Husband, Let Your Husband Treat Your Illness - Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Just as Ye Mo stepped out of the airport, still waiting for his luggage at the carousel, he received a collective “greeting” from his brothers. “Oh? Our little Young Master Ye is finally willing to return from abroad? It seems Fourth Aunt’s phone call actually worked,” teased Ye Huan, the third-born of the Ye cousins.

“I say, Third Brother, if you have this much free time, why don’t you spend it looking after your dear wife? Since you’ve only been married a short while, I’m sure you wouldn’t want to be sent to manage the family’s business in Africa. I recall our hotel group was short of a manager or two; I think you could use the exercise.” Before Ye Mo could even admire the scenery of his motherland, someone had already dared to walk right into his crosshairs. Impressive.

“You have no brotherly love! Can’t I just show some concern?” This kid was impossible to talk to in one word and he’d explode. Threatening him with Africa? How did he end up with a brother like this?

“Third Brother, I actually do have something I need your ‘concern’ with. How did my mother get my contact information in Japan?” Ye Mo was a man of his word; he had told his mother he would settle scores with whoever leaked his info, and he was starting the moment he touched down. It just so happened the culprit had delivered himself to the door. Ye Mo had suspected his dear Third Brother all along and was just looking for him.

“Little brother, that had nothing to do with me! I never told the Fourth Aunt.” How could he admit it? Admitting it would be asking for misery.

“Third Brother, I only gave my Japanese number to you and Big Brother. Big Brother is almost never in the country, so it couldn’t have been him.”

“How should I know?” Ye Huan continued to play stubbornly.

“I’ll let it slide this time. But if you ever give my number to my mom or dad again, start packing for Africa.” With that, Ye Mo hung up without a shred of sentiment.

“That brat… just wait for the show tonight.” Despite being hung up on, Ye Huan wasn’t annoyed. Instead, a mysterious smile played on his lips. It had been a long time since he’d seen the kid get put in his place though in this family, it was never clear who would end up being the one “dealt with.”

Ye Mo collected his luggage and walked out of the airport. The wind whistled, whipping against his exquisite face and forcing him to bury himself deeper into his newly purchased down jacket. Passersby looked at him as if he were a freak; in weather that was a mild 5 or 6 degrees Celsius, this seemingly fit man was dressed as if it were 20 or 30 below zero. Ye Mo didn’t care. He simply had no defense against the cold; his only solution was to layer up.

He hailed a taxi and loaded his bags. As the scenery blurred past the window, he drew closer to the home he both loved and loathed. Recalling the conversation with his Third Brother, he let out a cold smirk. Since Third Brother had taken over Third Uncle’s work and was so “busy” yet still found time to meddle in Ye Mo’s affairs, he clearly wasn’t busy enough. Ye Mo happened to have an undeveloped project on hand he’d let Third Brother handle it.

When the taxi pulled up, Ye Mo hesitated. He sat in the car for a long time, unsure whether to get out or keep sitting. The driver looked at the young man and chuckled. “What? Did you make your parents angry?”

“No.”

“Then you’re at the front door. Why not go in?” the driver asked.

“Master, I’m sitting here and your meter is running. I won’t short-change you.” Just as Ye Mo was about to pay and get out, someone suddenly appeared. “Master, could you move the car a bit?” Ye Mo stepped out and immediately saw the family’s resident troublemaker.

“Yo, little brother! Home already?” Ye Huan laughed boisterously.

“Third Brother, isn’t the company busy? Coming home so early… Aren’t you afraid Grandpa will tear you apart?” Even though the old man had retired, he wouldn’t stand to see the Ye family business languish.

“I’m here because Grandpa summoned everyone. I must say, you have quite the reputation. You come home alone, and everyone has to drop their work to welcome you. You’ve got quite the face, Fourth Young Master Ye.” Though Ye Huan spoke casually, he couldn’t hide the smirk at the corner of his mouth.

“Since you have time to watch me, you should worry about yourself instead.” As Ye Mo spoke, the smile on Ye Huan’s face slowly froze.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Ye Huan was startled. I’ve only just run into this little ancestor and I’ve already provoked him?

“I have a project regarding the construction of a shipping company in Africa. It’s a collaborative plan from my mother’s side of the family. You know my dad and I don’t like managing shipping, but Third Uncle… he quite likes it, doesn’t he?”

“Ye Mo! You can’t do this to me!”

Ignoring Ye Huan’s wails behind him, Ye Mo walked straight into the house.

“Welcome home, Master Mo!” the servants said in unison. The sudden chorus startled him. He really had to admire his eldest aunt, Fang Yi; she was indeed a master of education to have trained a household of people in their sixties and seventies into such a disciplined unit.

Walking into the living room, Ye Mo found the entire family sitting on the sofas, staring at him in unison except for Ye Huan, who was still trailing behind, dazed. “Grandpa, Dad, Mom, Eldest Uncle, Eldest Aunt, Second Uncle, Second Aunt, Third Uncle, Third Aunt.” That was one sofa. “Big Brother, Second Brother, Eldest Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, Third Sister-in-law.” Another sofa. Ye Huan slunk in after him and took a seat.

“Let’s eat first,” the old man commanded. No one dared to argue. Dinner was stifling. The old man didn’t say a word, so no one else dared to speak. Even An Yue Ye Mo’s mother, who usually started cursing the moment she saw him, was on her best behavior, acting every bit the refined lady.

After dinner, the hierarchy resumed. On three premium leather sofas, the old man sat alone on one. The second generation took another, and the third generation took the last. Ye Mo was placed in the center on a mahogany chair, looking very much like a prisoner under interrogation.

“Ye Mo, how old are you this year?” The old man didn’t beat around the bush; his first sentence went straight to the heart of the matter.

“Twenty-six, Grandpa.”

“When do you plan on finding a partner?!”

“Grandpa, I’m still young. Why would I look for a partner? I have no such plans.”

“Don’t give me that. When I was your age, your Second Uncle was already walking. And you have no plans?”

“If I haven’t met anyone good, should I just pick anyone? Aren’t you afraid I’d have one at home and a dozen on the side?”

“You wouldn’t dare. I’d break your legs.”

“Grandpa, you can control things at home, but you can’t reach me abroad.”

“So, you’re saying you have a partner abroad?”

“No!”

“Then stop talking nonsense.”

“Grandpa, we’re just talking. Don’t get angry. What if your blood pressure spikes?”

“You brat, what are you saying?” Before the old man could respond, Ye Mo’s mother was the first to jump in, displeased.

“I’m just concerned for Grandpa’s health. I wouldn’t want him to pass away so soon; I haven’t finished playing with him yet.” From the brat’s tone, it sounded as though the old man’s aging bones existed solely for his amusement. The old man was fuming but maintained his gentlemanly poise. “Ye Mo, just give me a straight answer. When can you settle this matter?”

“I don’t know!” Ye Mo truly didn’t. If fate arrived, he might meet someone tomorrow and stay with them for life. If fate didn’t come, no amount of praying to ancestors would help.

“Within this year! If you aren’t married by the end of the year, I’ll find you a man!” The old man was so flustered he blurted out something that even stunned himself. The rest of the Ye family was shocked. Since when did the old man become so progressive that he could accept a man?

“You said it yourself. I’ll be waiting for my male ‘wife’ then.” Ye Mo’s reply struck the room like lightning. It meant the little ancestor had no intention of making a move this year.

“Hmph! Not necessarily a wife. Maybe a son-in-law!” The other Ye family members blushed, yet the old man said it without batting an eye.

“Hmph! Whatever you say. Oh, by the way, Third Uncle, I sent a proposal to your office. You might want to take a look.” He cast a look of “sympathy” toward Ye Huan.

“I’m going upstairs. You all can finish talking to him.” With that, the old man huffed off to bed.

With the patriarch gone, the second and third generations became lively, setting their sights on the subject who hadn’t been home in three years.

“You all chat; I’m leaving.” Sensing the tide turning, the little ancestor prepared to slip away.

“Where are you going? you little rascal! Get back here and explain yourself,” his mother roared from behind, but it was useless. This little ancestor feared no one.

“I’m going to the villa I bought a few years ago! There are too many people here.” Ye Mo climbed into his car as he spoke.

“Is that place even habitable? It hasn’t been cleaned in years!” An Yue shouted at her escaping son.

“Mom, my properties are cleaned regularly. I’m not like you a lot, living so ‘roughly’.” Ye Mo glanced at his mother, wondering if she was truly a refined lady. Did she not even know about scheduled cleaning?

Before An Yue could get another word out, Ye Mo sped away, leaving the group at the door to inhale his exhaust fumes. “Fourth Sister-in-law, you better start arranging Mo’s marriage quickly, or do you really want a man for a daughter-in-law?” asked Eldest Aunt Fang Yi. “Exactly!” the other sisters-in-law chimed in.

“As long as he can find someone, I’ll be satisfied. Man or woman, just get this kid off my hands.” It seemed even his own mother was truly desperate this time.

The culprit of all this chaos was currently cruising down the road, unaware that at the same time, in the same city, an identical scene was playing out in a completely different household.