After the Fake Young Master Ran Away with His Child, the Villain Went Crazy - Chapter 11

After Jing Ruan returned to the Jing residence and woke from his afternoon nap, his teacher had already arrived right on time, ready to give Jing Ruan his lesson.

Jing Ruan prepared his notebook and pen. He flipped through the crooked, uneven handwriting in his notebook and thought of what Yan Yi He had said—that he had to like him.

Lu Yu tapped the blackboard with his pointer, signaling for Young Master Jing to come back to his senses. He was about to begin the lesson.

“Teacher Lu, what is it like to like someone?”

Lu Yu thought for a few seconds before answering Jing Ruan’s question.

“When you truly understand what I’m teaching and are willing to do it, you’ll know.”

Jing Ruan was not surprised by this answer. Yan Yi He had said something similar before too. He had said that once Jing Ruan liked him, he would no longer find the lessons boring.

“Then Teacher Lu, have you ever liked anyone?”

Jing Ruan pressed him.

Lu Yu smiled, the corners of his eyes lifting as if he had heard an interesting topic. He walked over, braced both hands on the desk, and lowered his head to look at this student who had not the slightest bit of talent.

“Young Master Jing, in this life, I will only ever like myself.”

“Because I don’t care about anyone, I can be your teacher. Otherwise, the one sitting down there as a student would be me.”

Jing Ruan was first startled by Teacher Lu’s words, then thought of another question and asked him,

“Then if a teacher who doesn’t like anyone teaches a student who doesn’t like anyone, can the teaching still succeed?”

No one had ever asked Lu Yu this question before. After all, he had always been victorious in every battle. Only by standing as an observer could one see the beginning and end of feelings clearly. A person standing inside the mountains could not see the full shape and veins of the mountains.

“Let’s try and see. If I really teach you well enough to graduate, maybe my value will increase a hundredfold.”

Lu Yu raised a brow as he said this.

Jing Ruan gave Teacher Lu a thumbs-up.

“Let’s work hard together!”

Jing Ruan cheered himself on.

After the afternoon lesson ended, Yan Jin called him and invited him out for dinner, saying he had something to discuss with him.

Jing Ruan agreed and went.

The place Yan Jin chose was a café. From outside the glass door, Jing Ruan saw Yan Jin and Tao Wan looking very intimate, especially when Yan Jin lifted Tao Wan’s right hand and lightly kissed the back of it.

Jing Ruan walked in through the café entrance.

After he entered, Tao Wan asked Jing Ruan what he wanted to drink. She even listed all the drinks here that might suit Jing Ruan’s tastes. In the end, Jing Ruan chose hot milk.

“How have you been lately? Has Yan Yi He been treating you well?”

Yan Jin was the one who asked this.

Jing Ruan thought that Yan Yi He had never treated him badly when it came to material things. Yan Yi He often had people send things over to him, and the steward said those things were all priceless treasures.

“He treats me very well. He’s given me a lot of things.”

Jing Ruan answered.

“Then are you happy staying by his side?”

Tao Wan pushed the hot milk the server had brought over in front of Jing Ruan, then asked this question.

“I’m happy.”

Jing Ruan thought that having someone to play with him naturally made him happy.

It was just that Yan Yi He was very busy. Most of the time, the two of them contacted each other through video calls. Every day, they would chat a little through video about ordinary things. Most of the time, Yan Yi He asked questions, and Jing Ruan answered.

Having someone ask after him and talk to him every day naturally made Jing Ruan happy. It gave him the feeling of having drifted for a long time before suddenly finding a place where he could stop and take shelter from the wind and rain.

After Tao Wan and Yan Jin asked Jing Ruan a little about his recent situation, Yan Jin finally stated the purpose of his visit today. He asked Jing Ruan whether he had said good things about him in front of Yan Yi He. Otherwise, why would Yan Yi He suddenly think of using him?

Jing Ruan had a good impression of Yan Jin and Tao Wan, so he did not stay silent the way he had before. Instead, he told them everything he knew.

“I didn’t say good things about you. It was Mr. Yan’s own decision. When he was discussing matters with those people, I was crouching under the desk and hiding. He suddenly brought it up himself.”

Yan Jin knew Jing Ruan did not know how to lie, so after hearing this, he turned to look at Tao Wan. Their hands were clasped together under the table, comforting each other.

“Brother Yan, do you need me to help ask?”

Jing Ruan lowered his head and drank a large mouthful of milk, licking away the milk stains around his lips. He saw that Yan Jin and Tao Wan across from him looked as though they were facing a great enemy.

“Forget it. There’s no need for you to ask. If you ask, won’t Yan Yi He know that we came to see you? If he knows, it won’t be good for you either.”

“All right, then.”

Seeing that he could not help, Jing Ruan felt a little regretful.

The three of them changed places to have dinner. After they finished eating and were about to leave, Jing Ruan called out to them.

“Brother Yan, Sister Tao Wan, when you’re not busy, can I invite you out for meals?”

Jing Ruan could never find them. Every time, he had to wait for them to contact him. Jing Ruan did not like this. He thought friends should meet whenever they had free time.

Yan Jin knew Jing Ruan had called them several times, but they had never answered. After all, Jing Ruan did not have anything urgent. Most of the time, he was only inviting them out to play.

In the adult world, time had to serve a purpose.

Yan Jin suddenly felt that they were being somewhat unfair to Jing Ruan. When they needed to use him, they contacted him. When they did not need to use him, they set him aside.

“Jing Ruan, getting close to us won’t bring you any benefits. Do you know Yan Qian? He’s one of Yan Yi He’s trusted confidants. He and I don’t get along.”

“If you get close to me, I’m afraid he’ll aim his spear at you.”

Yan Jin explained his behavior, though he did not know whether Jing Ruan would understand what he was saying.

After Jing Ruan heard Yan Jin’s explanation, that bit of sourness in his heart suddenly disappeared. So it was not because they found him annoying.

“It’s all right. I’ll call Mr. Yan right now and ask him if I can interact with you. As long as he agrees, the others definitely won’t dare go against his meaning.”

Jing Ruan took out his phone and quickly called Yan Yi He.

The phone rang for only a few seconds before it connected.

Jing Ruan had the habit of turning on speakerphone when making calls, so Yan Jin and Tao Wan heard the entire call clearly from beginning to end. Jing Ruan asked directly, asking Yan Yi He whether he could interact with Yan Jin and the others.

Yan Yi He only replied with one sentence from the other end of the phone.

I won’t interfere with your friendships.

Hearing this reply, Jing Ruan cheered, said thank you, Mr. Yan, and hung up the phone.

Yan Jin heard this answer, then thought of Yan Yi He’s gentle tone over the phone. It was truly difficult for him to imagine that Yan Yi He, who stood high above everyone else in outsiders’ eyes, was this gentle in private.

The way he treated Jing Ruan really seemed like he was coaxing and pampering him.

Tao Wan did not say anything at the side. She only smiled, happy for Jing Ruan.

From then on, whenever Jing Ruan called Yan Jin and Tao Wan again, as long as they had time, they would answer. They only chatted about things with little substance. Most of the time, Jing Ruan shared some new things, such as what Yan Yi He had given him, or what he had eaten that day.

Jing Ruan liked calling Tao Wan the most, because Tao Wan was always gentle and warm. Sometimes, she would also discipline him with a few words, telling him to focus more on studying and earning money, saying that only relying on oneself was real.

Jing Ruan took her words to heart. He went to find the steward and asked him to invite back the teachers who had previously taught him academic courses. He wanted to study seriously.

That day, Jing Ruan was brought by Yan Yi He to his manor.

Yan Yi He was sparring with four bodyguards. The four bodyguards surrounded and attacked him alone, and Yan Yi He held a slight upper hand against all four. He could not subdue all four of them, but the four of them could not get close to him either.

Seeing Jing Ruan arrive, Yan Yi He stopped.

The servants waiting at the side quickly stepped forward to bring a towel and water. Yan Yi He took a towel and walked toward Jing Ruan.

The two walked back. The place Yan Yi He lived was located at the very center of the manor, and it was also the largest villa in the entire estate. Inside, there were over a hundred servants alone.

“Mr. Yan, you’re really amazing. You can fight four people at once.”

Jing Ruan thought that with Yan Yi He’s skills, even in his original world, it would not be difficult for him to earn a living.

After Yan Yi He finished wiping off his sweat, he draped the towel over his shoulder.

“Why did you suddenly think of studying lately?”

Yan Yi He often video called Jing Ruan. Sometimes, he saw Jing Ruan doing elementary-school-level coursework. At first, he thought Jing Ruan was only interested on a whim, but this had continued for several days, so he asked.

“Sister Tao Wan said people have to rely on themselves. She said learning more is never wrong, so I asked the steward to arrange for my previous teachers to come back and keep teaching me.”

Before Jing Ruan finished speaking, Yan Yi He, who was walking in front, suddenly stopped.

Yan Yi He reached out and pinched Jing Ruan’s chin.

He made him lift his head and look at him.

“Jing Ruan, whose person are you?”

Yan Yi He narrowed his eyes slightly, his tone carrying coldness.

Jing Ruan had been interacting with Yan Yi He for some time, but he had never seen Yan Yi He like this before. He was terrified inside, but he still had to answer the question.

“I’m yours.”

“Then why is it that after I had you study those lessons for so long, there hasn’t been the slightest progress, yet you have the mind to study other things instead?”

Yan Yi He released his hand, turned, and walked away.

Jing Ruan knew Yan Yi He was angry. He hurriedly chased after him all the way, following him until they reached the door of Yan Yi He’s room. Yan Yi He entered the room, and Jing Ruan was shut outside.

Jing Ruan was at a loss. He paced back and forth at the door, not knowing what he should do. He had no experience dealing with this kind of situation.

The sky gradually darkened. The people in the villa had not received Mr. Yan’s instructions, so everyone treated Jing Ruan like air and went about their own business.

Jing Ruan was both hungry and afraid.

“I was wrong, Mr. Yan. When I go back, I’ll tell the steward I won’t study academics anymore. I’ll only listen seriously to Teacher Chen’s lessons.”

Jing Ruan apologized over and over outside the bedroom door.

In the end, his throat grew hoarse from speaking, and his voice became smaller and smaller.

Who knew how long had passed before Jing Ruan fell asleep outside the door. When he woke at dawn, Yan Yi He’s bedroom door still had not opened. Jing Ruan was unbearably hungry, so he slipped downstairs by himself, wanting to find something to eat in the kitchen.

The servants had not received instructions to prepare food for Jing Ruan, but they also would not stop Jing Ruan from looking for food. So Jing Ruan found some cold ready-to-eat food in the kitchen. He stood by the counter, holding chopsticks and eating by himself.

The food had been kept in the fresh-storage room. Jing Ruan had not eaten anything from the previous afternoon until now. His stomach had been hungry for too long, and he ate both urgently and quickly. But because he suddenly ate cold food, his stomach began to ache faintly when he was only halfway through.

Jing Ruan could not bear to waste food, so he forced himself to finish it. By the time he finished eating, he was already in so much pain that cold sweat covered his forehead. He crouched down, too weak to move, curling up on the floor.

Jing Ruan did not know how long he hurt. The servants entering and leaving the kitchen all treated Jing Ruan as if he were invisible, turning a blind eye to his pleas for help.

Jing Ruan lay on the floor with no dignity at all. He felt as though he had returned to that previous world, back to when he had stolen food, been caught, beaten, and thrown into a street corner.

Jing Ruan had begged every passerby for help, but in that world, everyone could barely protect themselves. No one had any extra kindness to save him.

Every time, Jing Ruan thought he would not survive.

Just as Jing Ruan was about to faint, through his blurred vision, he saw someone walking toward him. Jing Ruan stretched his hand toward him, asking him for help.

Yan Yi He crouched down and looked at Jing Ruan, who had collapsed on the floor, pale-faced and miserable. He had none of his usual spirit. He was barely breathing, almost about to die from the pain.

As for Jing Ruan’s situation, Yan Yi He had seen it all clearly through the surveillance cameras, whether it was yesterday or now.

Yan Yi He reached out and stroked Jing Ruan’s hair.

In a gentle voice, he asked him,

“Jing Ruan, will you be obedient from now on?”

“I’ll be obedient.”

Like someone clutching at a life-saving straw, Jing Ruan wanted to grab Yan Yi He’s hand, but he did not have much strength. His hand slid down, and in the end, he only caught the corner of Yan Yi He’s pajama top.

After Yan Yi He heard Jing Ruan’s answer, he did not help him up right away. Instead, he stared at Jing Ruan’s wretched state for a while.

Jing Ruan did not know what the person in front of him was thinking. He burst out with the last of his strength and grabbed Yan Yi He’s right hand.

Yan Yi He’s hand was warm.

But this person’s heart was cold.

Jing Ruan begged in a low voice, saying he was wrong.

Only then did Yan Yi He reach out and pick up the person curled on the floor. Holding him, he walked out of the kitchen.

When he reached the hall, he suddenly turned and said one sentence.

“Replace everyone working in the kitchen.”

After saying this, Yan Yi He continued walking with Jing Ruan in his arms.

Not long after that sentence was spoken, one of the servants working in the hall went outside to pass on the order. Soon, more than ten bodyguards came in through the main doors and went straight into the kitchen, escorting out every single person who worked there.

When the kitchen servants suddenly heard this news, some of them could not hold back and cried on the spot. They had clearly only been trying to figure out Mr. Yan’s wishes and act accordingly.

The bodyguards paid no attention to any of this. They simply took the people away. Those unwilling to leave were forcibly taken away. All of them knew this was an undeserved disaster.

But Yan Yi He was the sky over this place.

No one dared disobey his orders.