The Gloomy Overseas Student Rewards His Hubby With Some Thirst Traps - Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Yu Yan-shuang got out of the car with Zoe and arrived at an extremely high-end restaurant. It reminded him of the elite social gatherings he used to attend back when he was still part of the Yu family.

Looking up at the floor-to-ceiling windows on the fifth floor, the people inside were dressed magnificently, adorned in a seemingly endless parade of high-fashion labels and custom gowns. In contrast, Yu Yan-shuang was dressed simply and elegantly, but the quality of his clothes ensured no one would look down on him.

Zoe naturally tucked her arm into his, saying with a smile, “Actually, I originally hoped the man pretending to be my boyfriend would look a bit more… destitute. But you’re too handsome; I’d much rather you stay this beautiful.”

Yu Yan-shuang noticed that Zoe seemed even more indifferent than he was, wearing a very simple black knee-length slip dress that didn’t even fit properly.

“Then maybe I should—”

“No need. Just stay like this. Later, your attitude needs to be a bit worse. You can’t be as well-behaved as when you’re talking to me,” Zoe whispered into his ear.

Yu Yan-shuang instinctively tried to pull away, but since she was holding his arm, he could only tilt his head slightly. His ears turned completely red. He lowered his eyelashes awkwardly and agreed, “Don’t worry. When I start scolding people, they call me a ‘toxic flamer’.”

“A flamer?” Zoe asked, genuinely interested.

As Yu Yan-shuang began explaining the Chinese internet slang, he didn’t notice his phone vibrating continuously in his pocket. He asked curiously, “Does disappointing your parents like this actually help?”

Zoe found him fascinating. “Interesting—two words can express so much.” She then explained, “If my parents are disappointed in my boyfriend, they might be more accepting when I eventually end up with a girl.”

Their natural, intimate interaction and the way they chatted so happily were all captured by the occupant of the Lincoln following the Ferrari. Naturally, it was Seine.

Seine checked his schedule and realized that his assistant had reminded him at noon: his mother wanted him to attend this banquet tonight. Between his father arranging blind dates in the morning and his mother’s proactive planning an hour later, it was a pincer movement.

This wasn’t really a “banquet” but a daily social gathering. These boring meetups happened every day—exchanging information while young heirs flirted. Seine greeted the restaurant manager and entered through a private internal passage.

…

On the elevator, looking through the glass at the architecture of Chicago’s West Side, Yu Yan-shuang took a deep breath and dialed his expression to “maximum arrogance.”

Seeing his sudden change in demeanor, Zoe couldn’t help but giggle.

So, when the elevator doors opened on the fifth floor, Zoe’s parents saw a cold-faced Chinese man, while their daughter was clinging to his arm like a lovestruck girl, leaning in with a beaming smile. At first sight, their brows furrowed.

Zoe led Yu Yan-shuang through the crowd, greeting peers as they went. From a distance, Yu Yan-shuang saw a middle-aged couple frowning at him. Whenever someone else passed by, they would smile, toast, and greet them, only to turn back and scowl at him the moment the others left.

Yu Yan-shuang guessed easily: These must be Zoe’s parents. They looked very conservative—the father’s suit and the mother’s gown were both styled after the last century, showing very little skin.

When the four finally met, Zoe’s father waited for a greeting. Instead, Yu Yan-shuang gave him a cold glance and then looked back at Zoe. Zoe smiled innocently at her parents.

“Zoe, who is this? And why are you dressed like that? Can’t you show a bit of ladylike decorum?” Finally, Zoe’s father lost his patience. He patted his pristine suit as if expressing his disgust toward Yu Yan-shuang to his face.

His voice wasn’t quiet. The surrounding people looked over, eager for gossip. They didn’t seem surprised to see Zoe being scolded, suggesting they were used to her father’s lack of regard for public face.

Zoe leaned her head on Yu Yan-shuang’s shoulder. Since they were roughly the same height, she had to lean quite a bit, making it look like she was hanging off him.

“This is my new boyfriend. Didn’t you forbid me from premarital sex? He’s a traditional Chinese man—conservative and cute,” Zoe said playfully.

Her father sternly pulled her away from Yu Yan-shuang and looked at him warily. “When did your family come to America? What industries do you have here? Where do you study?”

“I got into an American university through my own hard work to pursue my dreams!” Yu Yan-shuang said with cold pride. “Are you some kind of nouveau riche? Please don’t insult me with money.”

Back in the day, Yu Yan-shuang had seen too many “Phoenix Men” trying to latch onto the Yu family’s cousins; he had mastered that specific mix of inferiority and arrogance. With his hair slightly long, his chin tilted up, and a refusal to look anyone in the eye, his exquisite features gave him an androgynous, haughty charm.

Combined with his story of “hard work” (which implied poverty) and his expensive clothes, he looked exactly like a beautiful “sugar baby.”

His arrogant opening nearly gave Zoe’s father a stroke. The man glared at Zoe and hissed, “Are you being with this person just to spite me? Why does our family have a shameless girl like you? Is sleeping on the streets with a poor boy the result you want?”

Zoe shot back angrily, “You burst into my debutante ball and slapped the girl I was dancing with so hard she almost went blind. You should have known then that I would never be your puppet again. I’ll be the shame of this family if I want to!”

“The whole school says you’re with that girl! Have you no shame? How can a woman be with a woman? That girl is a demon, shamelessly seducing you!” Her father’s voice rose an octave.

“That was just a rumor; she’s just a friend. You still don’t think you’re the problem. Fine—then I’m going to marry him!” Zoe pointed at Yu Yan-shuang.

Yu Yan-shuang was stunned. Wait, I’m just playing the boyfriend—how did we get to marriage?

Realizing Zoe was trying to provoke her father, Yu Yan-shuang played along. “That’s right. We’re getting married. Unless you give me $1 million, then I’ll leave your daughter.”

Since the situation had evolved beyond the original deal, he figured he might as well earn some extra cash using his “intelligence.” This statement nearly made Zoe’s father raise his hand to strike him.

Just then, the onlookers, who were eavesdropping for entertainment, suddenly gasped. They stood up and moved toward the area behind them. The moment Yu Yan-shuang heard someone whisper Seine’s name, he looked toward the crowd.

It was indeed Seine.

As he descended the spiral staircase, the crowd flocked toward him. The moment Seine appeared, his eyes locked onto Yu Yan-shuang. Across the noisy room, their gazes met.

The first time they met, Yu Yan-shuang was going down the stairs while Seine was being ushered up. This time, it was almost the opposite—except there was no one blocking Seine’s path.

As people greeted Seine with wine and cigars, he ignored them all. His gaze remained fixed solely on Yu Yan-shuang.

Everyone present was sharp; they followed Seine’s line of sight toward Yu Yan-shuang. Since Seine’s mother chose the venue, most guests were Evangelical Christians, like Zoe’s parents. They detested homosexuality and were horrifyingly conservative. As the most famous family of believers, the Baths were the pinnacle of piety. No one thought Seine was staring at a boy; they all assumed he was looking at Zoe.

Zoe’s father thought the same. He made a snap decision: “Forget that marriage nonsense. Now, Zoe, take a glass and go to Seine! I brought you here because Seine’s mother is looking for a daughter-in-law!”

Yu Yan-shuang immediately cut in: “I said $1 million before, but the price just went up. Your daughter is being eyed by a ‘Golden Groom’—it’s $2 million now, and I’ll break up with her. Pay me now!”

He looked at Zoe and blinked, tracing the number “55” on her arm, hoping she’d understand they’d split the take. “Otherwise, I’ll kiss her right now in front of Seine!”

Zoe had been fuming at her father, but Yu Yan-shuang’s antics made her stifle a laugh.

“You! Zoe, you’re still laughing? Can’t you see this man only wants your money?” her father raged. “Being with Seine is the kind of life you won’t regret when you’re old!”

“Yu, how much longer are you going to pretend you don’t know me?” Seine’s voice was heavy, his face dark. He finally couldn’t hold back.

Seeing Yu Yan-shuang touch another girl’s hand and trace something on it right in front of him had sent Seine into a silent fury.

The crowd was bewildered. “Yu” was a Chinese surname, and the only Chinese person there was the boy next to Zoe. Was he pretending not to know Seine? People always scrambled to connect with Seine; this realization made everyone stare at Yu Yan-shuang.

Yu Yan-shuang frowned. He was annoyed. Why did Seine have to say hello? He was seconds away from making $1 million!

Zoe’s father suddenly “realized”: Yu Yan-shuang must be someone Seine favors!

He thought, ‘Of course Seine wouldn’t pick my daughter given her behavior.’ He remembered that the Rodney family was being replaced. A year ago, no one respected the Rodneys, but because Seine provided resources and guidance, they became elites. Is this boy the new candidate? He’s even being rude to Seine—does he actually have that much talent? Was the money demand just a test for me?

Regretting his earlier attitude, Zoe’s father grabbed Yu Yan-shuang and Zoe and pushed them toward Seine. He laughed, “Mr. Seine, good evening. Were you calling for my son-in-law?”

Yu Yan-shuang: “…?”

Seine, having received no greeting from Yu, unpleasantly reached out and grabbed the back of Yu Yan-shuang’s neck, lifting him toward himself like a kitten. With one move, he brushed off Zoe and her father. Then, his hand slid from Yu’s shoulder to his arm, gripping it firmly.

He tilted his head down, his grey eyes cold enough to make one shiver. “Yu, you’re only eighteen, and you’re already thinking about marriage and children?”

Yu Yan-shuang still wanted to whisper to the father that being a “son-in-law” cost extra, but he’d been snatched away. Angry that his payday was ruined, he glared at Seine. “Can’t I be precocious?!”

The corner of Seine’s mouth curled. He leaned in, whispering almost into Yu’s ear: “Precocious? Can you even… perform?”

This was a direct challenge to his pride. Yu Yan-shuang snapped, “Fine! I’ll show you! I’m marrying Zoe! Zoe, will you marry me?” He winked at her.

He was thinking: I’ll be a live-in husband. Zoe can be with whoever she wants; it’ll be a contract marriage. The more he thought about it, the more he loved the idea. He could use her father’s influence to return to China and show up the Yu family!

Buddha bless me, is this my true ending? A ‘Tale of the Son-in-Law’! He couldn’t stop himself from smiling.

Zoe’s gaze fell on Seine’s fingers, which were practically sinking into the soft flesh of Yu Yan-shuang’s arm. This man’s possessiveness over this Chinese boy is that strong? She looked at Seine with newfound curiosity. She had no intention of marrying him or anyone her father chose. Rumor had it the Bath family was horrifyingly stiff; Seine was probably the type who only enjoyed missionary. Life would be zero fun. Such a stiff person must have zero technique.

“Of course I will,” Zoe said without hesitation. Even if they actually married, this Chinese sweetheart was so cute and spoke so well.

The crowd’s instinct for hype took over. People began shouting “Wow” and offering congratulations, coming forward to toast the “couple.”

Seine watched coldly as Yu Yan-shuang accepted the drinks and started drinking happily. He didn’t stop a single one. Let him get drunk. Maybe he’ll be more accepting of what I’m about to do if he’s intoxicated.

After watching Yu Yan-shuang down nearly ten glasses without showing a hint of drunkenness—looking genuinely happy as a “groom-to-be”—Seine’s face darkened further. At the same time, he worried Yu’s stomach would hurt from the alcohol.

“Enough. Who said they’re getting married? Yu is a bright student I’ve taken an interest in. I plan to mentor him. He’s only eighteen—hardly the age for legal marriage,” Seine said coldly.

The well-wishers froze, wine glasses suspended mid-air.

Seine took the glass from Yu Yan-shuang’s hand. “How old are you? In America, you aren’t allowed to drink at your age!”

Yu Yan-shuang was fuming. His money was gone, and his “Son-in-law” dream was crushed. He hissed, “Seine! What the hell are you doing? Don’t forget, you’re just my slave! You can’t control me!”

The others couldn’t hear him, but they were shocked by his visible attitude toward Seine. Zoe’s father felt even more regretful. Someone who can treat Seine like that without being punished… no wonder he was so arrogant with me. This boy really has the capital to be prideful! He tried to speak, but a cold glare from Seine silenced him.

Seine looked at Yu Yan-shuang, who was trying to shake him off. He couldn’t suppress his rage any longer. He hadn’t wanted to embarrass Yu in public, but if he stayed “considerate,” the boy might actually get engaged right here.

Though Seine had investigated Zoe immediately after sending the video and knew Yu was just pretending, seeing him chat so happily with a girl made it impossible to stay a gentleman.

He leaned close to Yu’s ear and whispered, “My little master, have you not seen the message I sent? Look at it. Now.”

“I don’t have time! Can’t you see I’m busy?” Yu Yan-shuang snapped. “Can’t you just say it to my face?”

Seine took a deep breath, staring at Yu for several seconds before letting out a sharp laugh. He pulled out his phone, opened the video he had sent, and played it right in front of Yu Yan-shuang.

He watched Yu’s beautiful face turn from surprise to disbelief, then to a fury directed at him with those black eyes. Yu Yan-shuang also saw the last two texts, identical to ones he had once sent.

His voice trembled. “You… you installed a camera in the bathroom? When? Are you… threatening me?!”

Seine gently stroked Yu Yan-shuang’s head. Finally, those black eyes held nothing but him. Even if it was fear, it made Seine immensely happy.

He raised an eyebrow. “Obviously, I am threatening you. Now, are you willing to come to the hotel with me quietly?”

“I’m not going…” Yu Yan-shuang glared. “You really were faking it. You’re a treacherous American snake!”

Seine chuckled, his voice dropping to a ruthless whisper: “Fine. Since you can’t wait to get to the hotel, I’ll clear the room and have sex with you right here.”