After Transmigrating into a Book, I Turned the Straight Bigshot Gay (BL) - Chapter 21

The 17th fell on a Sunday. Mr. Yan had no outdoor arrangements and was generally planned to stay in his study to handle official business. This meant that Xie Yunshen and Old Five could take the opportunity to slip away.

At 8:00 AM, Xie Yunshen and Yi Wuyi gathered in the Yan family dining room as usual. On the newspaper laid out on the side table, there was news regarding Yang Zhongxu’s treatment today. Xie Yunshen picked up the paper, glanced at Yang Zhongxu’s large headshot, and stuffed it into the trash can.

At the dining table, Third Uncle was still in his wheelchair. As soon as the two walked in, he greeted them: “Little Xie, Little Wu, come sit with us.”

Just then, Yan Shizhou also happened to come downstairs. Xie Yunshen glanced at Yan Shizhou, then back at Third Uncle, appearing somewhat overwhelmed: “Really? Third Uncle, can Old Five and I actually sit here?”

Third Uncle realized something was off and smiled: “Of course.”

Yan Shizhou stood at the bottom of the stairs, sensing a storm approaching, yet he still let out a cold snort.

Xie Yunshen acted as if he were startled by the snort, his face showing a mix of bitterness and forced open-mindedness: “Forget it, Third Uncle. The Third Young Master once said that not just any servant is allowed to sit at the table and eat.”

Yan Shizhou was immediately rendered speechless: “Xie Yunshen, what on earth are you pretending for?!”

Yan Shiqi sat nearby, watching Xie Yunshen’s exquisite acting. Third Madam looked surprised. Third Uncle’s expression instantly changed; he looked at Yi Wuyi as if to verify the truth of the statement.

Yi Wuyi lowered his gaze and remained silent.

Without even turning his head, Third Uncle shouted in a deep voice: “Yan Shizhou!”

Yan Shizhou walked over to Third Uncle, his face—beautiful yet filled with world-weariness—staring at Yi Wuyi. Xie Yunshen found it fascinating; today he had intentionally provoked trouble to humble the Third Young Master’s arrogance, but even though Yan Shizhou knew who the culprit was, he insisted on glaring at Yi Wuyi.

“Yan Shizhou, go stand in the ancestral hall. Look at your grandfather’s memorial tablet, look at the Yan family rules. Don’t come out until three sticks of incense have burned down.”

Yan Shizhou countered: “I’ll kneel instead. What’s the use of standing?”

Third Uncle was provoked into a laugh: “Fine, fine. Go kneel. Uncle Zhao, help keep an eye on him. No, he is not allowed to get up until noon.” The butler acknowledged the command.

Yan Shiqi stood up and pushed Third Uncle toward the table.

Third Uncle sat in his wheelchair and sighed emotionally: “When his grandfather was alive, he was superstitious about Feng Shui and horoscopes. He always felt Shizhou was a ‘lucky star.’ Even if he is a lucky star, the old man never considered that by spoiling him, he was ruining the child’s future…”

He looked at Yan Shiqi: “Fortunately, the Yan family still has you and Shiying. Your grandfather always relied on the Top Star Sect’s prophecies and acted arbitrarily. The marriage of the eldest son of the main branch in every generation was the handiwork of the Top Star Sect. Not only that, for the sake of their so-called Feng Shui star charts, half of the Yan family’s annual profits had to be offered to them…”

Xie Yunshen and Yi Wuyi exchanged a glance.

Before Yan Shiqi became the Head, half of the profits went to the Sect—Xie Yunshen knew this. In fact, all Five Families were treated similarly. However, the bit about the Sect controlling the eldest son’s marriage was entirely new to him.

At this point, Third Madam spoke: “Shiqi, your Third Uncle’s leg has been getting worse lately. The doctor said… he’s afraid it might come to amputation. He’s not even fifty yet.”

A furrow appeared between Yan Shiqi’s brows: “How did it suddenly reach this point…?”

It was clear that Third Madam was mentioning this euphemistically, hoping that Yan Shiqi, as the Head, would use the family’s influence to invite Lin Jin. But Yan Shiqi knew about Lin Jin’s hostility toward him and the Yan family. Lin Jin’s refusal to treat Third Uncle was precisely because of that grudge. If Yan Shiqi went personally, it would likely backfire. Therefore, he couldn’t give her a definitive answer.

He was about to speak, but Third Uncle told Third Madam: “Don’t talk about these things at the table.” He was clearly weary of his own ailment.

Xie Yunshen chimed in: “Actually…”

At that moment, the normally quiet Third Madam finally snapped at Third Uncle: “Do you think I enjoy talking about this?! Do you think I want to broadcast this? Who am I doing this for?!”

Third Uncle replied: “I don’t care about it!”

“But I do!”

“I’m sorry!!!” Xie Yunshen’s forceful apology silenced the room.

Taking advantage of the pause, Xie Yunshen quickly seized the initiative: “I forgot to mention yesterday… he has already agreed to treat Third Uncle.”

Everyone stared at him.

“Next week, Third Uncle can go to Zhongzhou Hospital to find Lin Jin,” Xie Yunshen added.

“Little Xie, what did you say?” Third Uncle asked, somewhat incredulous.

Xie Yunshen didn’t want to take the credit, fearing he couldn’t explain the details, so he looked at Yan Shiqi: “Mr. Yan has been worried about you and ordered me to make sure I invited Mr. Lin. I was too tired yesterday, so I forgot to tell you.”

Upon hearing this, Third Madam immediately looked at Yan Shiqi with shame: “Shiqi…”

Third Uncle also looked at Yan Shiqi: “You must have put in a lot of effort for this. Did Lin Jin make things difficult for the family?”

Yan Shiqi remained silent for a moment: “I didn’t put in much effort.”

“That’s good then.” Although Third Uncle claimed not to care, a glimmer of hope appeared in his eyes after hearing Xie Yunshen’s words, and he even ate a few more bites of food.

After breakfast, Yan Shiqi took Xie Yunshen into the study alone. Yan Shiqi walked ahead: “Speak.”

Xie Yunshen had his excuse ready: “Because I had a fight with him before, we developed a rapport, so he agreed to treat Third Uncle.” A one-sided “rapport” between a reader and a protagonist.

“A rapport deep enough to do this after just one fight?”

“Yes, mutual respect between experts…”

Yan Shiqi walked to his desk and gestured for him to sit: “You’re just giving away such a huge credit?”

Xie Yunshen didn’t sit; he just leaned in: “It’s not giving it away. Actually, I have a small request.”

Yan Shiqi said: “To hold you like a raccoon again?”

Xie Yunshen: “…No.”

Just then, a phone rang sharply in the study. It was a very antique, bronze-colored telephone on the bookshelf. Usually, Yan Shiqi only used the black landline on his desk. Xie Yunshen had always assumed the bronze one was just a decoration; he hadn’t expected it actually worked.

Yan Shiqi stared at the ringing bronze phone, his gaze suddenly becoming deep and lethal. The other side was persistent. Xie Yunshen moved to answer it, but Yan Shiqi suddenly pinned his hand down.

Xie Yunshen was startled by the heavy, sinking pressure of his grip, as if this one phone call would lead to eternal damnation, and Yan Shiqi was pulling him back from the edge.

Yan Shiqi slowly let go and picked up the receiver himself. Xie Yunshen couldn’t hear the voice on the other end, but he saw the bridge of Yan Shiqi’s nose tighten. When the call finally ended, Yan Shiqi remained silent for a long time before putting the receiver back.

“Mr. Yan, what’s wrong?” Xie Yunshen asked, worried.

Yan Shiqi’s gaze softened, and his expression returned to normal: “Where were we?”

“…The raccoon?”

“What I meant was, Old Five and I would like to request a day off.”

Yan Shiqi placed his fingers on the desk, his eyes scrutinizing, his lips pressed thin: “You and Old Five…”

“Stop! Old Five and I are as straight as a rod of iron!” Xie Yunshen interrupted quickly.

Ultimately, Yan Shiqi agreed and didn’t press them for their destination. As Xie Yunshen reached the door, he turned back: “Promise me, stay in the manor today. Don’t go anywhere.”

That phone call had been too eerie.

Yan Shiqi sat on the sofa, holding a book, and looked up at him. As the door closed, Xie Yunshen felt like a parent going off to work, reminding the child at home not to run around.

Zhongzhou Hospital.

The entrance was swamped with various official and social media outlets. Most were stuck outside for the hype, with only a few authoritative media allowed inside the treatment room. Building 13 was heavily guarded with hidden sentries; most people in the corridors weren’t actual patients.

Before the treatment began, a reporter stood outside the room: “Mr. Yang Zhongxu has dedicated his life to charity. His cancer treatment is under global scrutiny… Many celebrities from the Southern Province have come to visit.”

Among these celebrities were Shangguan Hong of the Top Star Sect, the heads of the Zhu, Bai, Chen, and Huang families. Of the Five Families, only the Yan family was absent.

The treatment room was spacious and quiet, a stark contrast to the bustle outside. Lin Jin stood in the inner therapy room, separated by a glass door, feeling a bit stunned by the scene. Yang Zhongxu sat there like an emperor as people stepped forward one by one to offer “small gifts”—each a priceless treasure.

Lin Jin had to believe Xie Yunshen now; if a Sect Elder could reach this level, how terrifying must the Sect Leader be?

Inside, Yang Zhongxu scanned the crowd and didn’t see anyone from the Yan family. “A-Hong, what happened?”

Shangguan Hong leaned in and whispered: “Since you’ve been unwell, I haven’t had the chance to tell you. Yan Shiqi has insisted on betraying our Sect. Since taking over, he has cut off all offerings.”

Yang Zhongxu remained unfazed, nodding kindly to the crowd while whispering a command only Shangguan Hong could hear: “Leave two seeds. As for the rest… kill them as they should be killed.”

“I understand.”

Then, the treatment began, and the media started the live stream. The comments section was flooded with blessings: [Hope Mr. Yang gets well soon!] [How many people in Country A have his charitable spirit?] [The old man looks like he’ll live to a hundred!]

As Lin Jin took Yang Zhongxu’s pulse, he scanned the surroundings. Outside the room, it was all Top Star Sect men. He thought: That fellow Xie Yunshen definitely won’t dare to come.

Across the skybridge in Building 15, Xie Yunshen stood by a window wearing a medical mask. He scrolled through the comments and shivered: “Old Five, don’t look. These comments will disgust you into infertility.”

“I couldn’t look even if I wanted to.” Yi Wuyi sat in a wheelchair with a blanket over his legs, one arm in a sling and his neck in a brace, staring at the sky. Xie Yunshen had spent a lot of effort to disguise him so as not to arouse suspicion.

Yi Wuyi asked: “Is the hoodie guy here?”

“No. It’s Shangguan Hong with Qing Ao and another master, plus others I don’t recognize.”

Xie Yunshen watched for a moment, then suddenly said: “I’ve changed my mind.”

“What?”

“I want to wait until Lin Jin finishes this stage of treatment and proves Yang Zhongxu’s condition is improving before we strike.”

“Why?”

“Don’t let the ‘charity’ fool you; a man of such immense wealth and cruelty is terrified of death. Think about it—he was dying of terminal cancer, and then a Divine Doctor appears and saves him, allowing him to keep enjoying his riches and power. At that moment, what would hit him the hardest?”

Yi Wuyi thought for a second and then praised him: “You’re so vicious. You shouldn’t be a bodyguard; you should be in my line of work.”

“Old Five, your vocabulary isn’t very ‘circulatory’.” Xie Yunshen mimicked him.