PDGUT - 42

Throughout the entire scene, Chen Xi had been glaring at Yu Tian with an expression akin to seeing a ghost.

Clearly, she wasn’t giving up either.

In a sweet and delicate voice tinged with vulnerability, Chen Xi began: “Brother Yanming, I was wondering if I could stay at your place for a few more days. I’ve recently submitted my resume, and several companies nearby have invited me for interviews. My home is too far from these places, and with all the traffic jams lately, I’m afraid I might be late for the interviews if I keep commuting…”

“Actually, I didn’t really want to impose. I only mentioned it casually to Uncle Yan this morning, but he was so enthusiastic that he insisted I ask you. He said it would be convenient for me to stay near the companies since we’ll soon be family anyway. He also mentioned that you often let your colleagues stay over when they need a place, and that you have a guest room specifically for that purpose. He assured me you wouldn’t mind…”

Chen Xi slipped in a compliment before casually glancing at Yu Tian: “To be honest, I felt a bit awkward about asking at first. Last night was a special situation, after all.”

“But since Yu Tian is staying over too, I’m sure Brother Yanming won’t refuse me, right?” Chen Xi lowered her head and smiled softly. “After all, Uncle Yan and my mother are already discussing our engagement. We’ll truly be family soon. I don’t think I need to be overly formal. Plus, I really do want you to be my brother. Even Uncle Yan said that if I keep refusing out of politeness, he’d feel hurt.”

Does she really just want him as a brother?

It’s clear from Chen Xi’s tone that she doesn’t just want Yanming as a brother—she wants to marry him!

But…

Yanming didn’t refute Chen Xi’s words.

It seemed that Uncle Yan was indeed close to finalizing an engagement with Chen Xi’s mother.

When middle-aged or elderly people remarry, they’re usually looking for companionship in their later years. At this stage in life, they know what they want and how to choose a suitable partner. With age catching up, they can’t afford to waste time, so the process from dating to engagement and marriage can sometimes move even faster than it does for younger couples.

After Uncle Yan and Yu Tian’s mother broke up, both quickly found new partners.

Unfortunately, Yu Tian’s mother had chosen poorly and hadn’t ended up with a happy outcome. On the other hand, Yan Wenhua had found someone compatible and was preparing to embrace his second chance at love. Deep down, Yu Tian genuinely wished them happiness.

Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to feel completely happy.

Especially not after Yanming silently approved Chen Xi’s request to stay over. At that moment, Yu Tian’s sense of loss and melancholy reached their peak.

No matter how unfriendly or hostile Chen Xi was toward her, the undeniable truth was that Chen Xi would become Yanming’s family—not her. Despite spending so much time around Yanming, Yu Tian and he shared nothing beyond an acquaintance and alumni relationship.

She felt不甘心 (unwilling to accept),委屈 (wronged), and an indescribable, intense jealousy.

It was like eating a dessert drenched in lemon juice but forgetting to add sugar—nothing remained but biting sourness.

Perhaps Yanming was simply kind-hearted.

That was why he could be so patient with his patients, thinking to give Xiao Ling the richer meal prepared by Chen Xi’s mother.

And perhaps someone like Yanming was naturally receptive to the goodwill and admiration directed at him. That’s why letting Yu Tian feed him wasn’t a big deal, and allowing Chen Xi, who might soon become his stepsister, to stay at his home felt perfectly reasonable.

Having received Yanming’s tacit approval, Chen Xi quickly recovered from the earlier disappointment of seeing Yu Tian feed Yanming. Her eyes lit up again with fiery determination, and she began chatting enthusiastically and sweetly with Yanming.

Yu Tian felt angry.

But she wasn’t sure why.

Chen Xi was boldly pursuing her potential stepbrother, and Yanming was kindly treating his future stepsister. Neither of them was wrong.

The problem lay with her.

At that moment, Yu Tian finally realized that her feelings for Yanming were different.

Because every night she basked in the cold yet radiant moonlight, because every night she gazed up at the moon, and because she had been moving forward under its glow, she had developed an inappropriate sense of possessiveness over it.

Yu Tian thought she could claim the moon.

But the moon hangs high above, belonging to everyone yet no one.

The instant she realized she liked Yanming, the world hadn’t changed at all.

The cafeteria was still noisy, the air conditioning continued to hum steadily, and the sunlight filtered through the swaying leaves outside the window. The honking of cars stuck in traffic at the hospital entrance echoed faintly in the distance, blending into the background noise of this hot workday.

But inside Yu Tian’s heart, a storm raged.

She shot two sharp glares at Yanming.

It was hard to accept that she had developed such inappropriate feelings for him.

Using the excuse of needing to take a call, Yu Tian practically fled the cafeteria in embarrassment.

She needed to calm down and figure out a plan.

The moon was indeed high above, but if she wanted it so badly, she had to try. She had to find a way to reach for what she desired.

As soon as Yu Tian left, Chen Xi nearly lost control and burst into triumphant laughter.

She had been utterly shocked by Yu Tian’s audacity—how dare she try to feed Yanming! And even worse, Yanming had actually eaten it!

If she hadn’t tested the waters by mentioning staying at Yanming’s place and receiving his immediate tacit approval, Chen Xi would’ve thought she was out of the game.

But now it seemed that Yanming might just be unable to resist certain tactics.

Men were all like that.

They liked sweet and delicate girls, the kind who knew how to play coy and act spoiled. Chen Xi fully understood this.

Since Yanming liked that type, and he tolerated Yu Tian’s overly cutesy behavior of feeding him, then surely she, with the advantage of being his future stepsister, had plenty of opportunities to outshine Yu Tian.

Chen Xi regained her confidence.

Now that she knew what Yanming liked, she could cater to his preferences. Feeding him wasn’t that hard—she, Chen Xi, could do it too!

So, the moment Yu Tian left, Chen Xi decided to seize the opportunity. She would walk her own path and leave Yu Tian with nowhere to go.

Picking up the communal chopsticks, she grabbed a piece of green pepper and held it up to Yanming’s mouth, her voice soft and sweet: “Brother Yanming, here’s the green pepper you like.”

However, instead of accepting it naturally, Yanming gave her a cold rejection.

“I don’t want to eat any more green peppers.”

Chen Xi understood—it made sense, given how many green peppers Yu Tian had fed him earlier!

Undeterred, she tried again, picking up a piece of pork liver: “Brother Yanming, how about some pork liver then? You’ve worked so hard from last night till now. It’ll help replenish your energy.”

“I don’t eat pork liver.”

“...”

Not everyone enjoyed animal organs. Perhaps she had overstepped.

Chen Xi was about to carefully consider what to feed Yanming next when he spoke first.

“Chen Xi, when are you leaving later?”

Chen Xi froze for a moment but quickly masked her surprise with a coy smile. “Brother Yanming, are you planning to send me back?”

“Yes.”

At least she still held more weight in Yanming’s heart than Yu Tian, since he hadn’t asked how Yu Tian planned to return.

Chen Xi’s heart fluttered slightly. Playing the part of the considerate one, she said, “There’s no need, Brother Yanming. I do have some clothes to pack, but I can manage on my own. There’s no reason to trouble you with driving me back and forth.”

“It’s not me driving you—it’s my father’s driver coming to pick you up.”

Yanming set down his chopsticks and looked at Chen Xi. “You don’t need to bring any clothes to change into.”

Chen Xi inwardly rejoiced but feigned innocence. “So, is Brother Yanming planning to take me shopping?”

Unfortunately, Yanming didn’t respond with the expected gentle smile. Instead, he raised his head, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“What are you thinking?” Yanming’s tone was calm, almost clinical, like he was listing pre-surgery instructions. “You don’t need to bring clothes because you’re not staying at my place.”

Chen Xi blinked, momentarily stunned, letting out a short “Ah.”

“There’s no rule that family members must live together. My father and I don’t live together either. Even if we become family in the future, I think it’s inappropriate for us to live under the same roof. Your boyfriend—or my girlfriend—might object.”

Chen Xi quickly clarified, “Brother Yanming, I don’t have a boyfriend. I’m single… and you—you’re single too, right? I remember Uncle Yan mentioning it and even asking me to help introduce you to suitable women…”

Yanming lowered his gaze. “Don’t sell yourself short. A boyfriend might come along in the next few months.”

“But I won’t!” Chen Xi insisted. “Even if I do, I’ll make sure he doesn’t mind our relationship. I…”

Before she could finish her subtle hint, Yanming cut her off—

“You might not have a boyfriend in the next few months, but I might have a girlfriend.”

His voice was icy. “Whether or not your future boyfriend minds has nothing to do with me, but my future girlfriend definitely will.”

Chen Xi wasn’t ready to give up. “But Uncle Yan said…”

“Chen Xi,” Yanming interrupted firmly, “my father is my father, and I am me. I’m not three years old—I don’t need him dictating my life. You staying at my place last night was an emergency, and I handled it out of courtesy and other reasons, but this isn’t how I usually operate.”

He looked at her squarely. “It’s inappropriate for you to continue staying at my place.”

“We’re not related by blood, and we barely know each other. At our age, there’s no reason for two single people of opposite genders to live together. If you find the interview locations too far, you can book a hotel near the companies or wake up earlier and commute from home.”

Chen Xi bristled, stubbornly protesting, “What about Yu Tian? Isn’t she staying over too?”

This time, Yanming didn’t even raise an eyebrow. “Because I’m very familiar with her.”

“…”

Chen Xi rarely faced such blunt rejection. Her eyes immediately reddened, and unable to maintain her composure, she bit back her tears, grabbed her bag, and stormed off in anger.

When Yu Tian returned, Chen Xi was already gone.

Though Chen Xi had crumbled emotionally, Yu Tian quickly pulled herself together after a brief period of reflection.

Never give up.

That was practically Yu Tian’s motto.

How could she know if she didn’t try?

Perhaps because of guilt, though she tried to remain rational and composed, Yu Tian couldn’t help feeling a little nervous.

Fortunately, as soon as she sat down, Yanming glanced at her and issued a succinct command—

“Green pepper.”

Yu Tian tucked her hair behind her ear and immediately placed a green pepper in front of Yanming’s mouth.

Apparently, Yanming had developed a recent fondness for green peppers, as he quickly polished off the entire dish.

Yu Tian suggested, “How about some pork liver to replenish your blood? You can’t just eat green peppers.”

With a fawning smile, she placed a piece of pork liver in Yanming’s bowl. He wasn’t picky and ate it naturally.

The atmosphere was pleasant, so Yu Tian cleared her throat and decided to broach the topic.

“Brother Yanming… thank you so much for my mother’s surgery. She’ll need to stay in the hospital for about a week before being discharged. During this time…”

Chen Xi had shamelessly planned to stay at Yanming’s place, and she clearly had feelings for him. After much deliberation, Yu Tian realized she couldn’t let Chen Xi monopolize Yanming’s attention. If she wanted to pursue him, she couldn’t afford to overlook any competition.

Otherwise, if Chen Xi stayed with Yanming for a week and they grew closer, how could she still aim for the moon? The moon would be gone—it’d fall into a ditch!

As long as she had the audacity to persevere…

Great achievements require flexibility.

Yanming remained calm. He looked at Yu Tian. “During this time… what?”

Yu Tian steeled herself and gathered the courage to say, “I’ve already reported Lao Dai to the police, and I’m working with a lawyer. By the time my mother is discharged, I plan to file a lawsuit. But Lao Dai knows the address of my studio, and before the legal process is complete, I’m afraid…”

Yanming responded methodically. “So, before the legal process is complete, you want to stay at my place?”

He set down his chopsticks and elegantly wiped his fingers with a wet napkin. “Yu Tian, legal processes take time. Compensation lawsuits can take three to six months if things go smoothly, or even one to two years if they drag on.”

“…”

Yu Tian felt a surge of frustration.

When Chen Xi had used such a clumsy excuse to stay at Yanming’s place earlier, he hadn’t said much—almost granting immediate approval!

At this point, Yu Tian decided to throw caution to the wind: “I don’t have much savings right now. My platform pays traffic and ad revenue monthly, and I won’t have funds until mid-next month. I only need to stay for about a week, until my mother is discharged.”

This was the truth.

Before her mother’s incident, Yu Tian had planned to focus on more lucrative and safer comedic science videos. However, she had instead diverted her energy to exposing unethical beauty clinics.

The video had garnered significant attention. After all, cases of blindness caused by hyaluronic acid injections were rare and shocking, and the risks of being trapped in cosmetic loans—leading to threats against personal safety and harassment of family members—were seldom exposed. Almost immediately after the video went live, it was widely shared, with many victims stepping forward to accuse shady beauty clinics, hoping public opinion would pressure them into resolving the issues.

Unfortunately, as Yanming had pointed out, these clinics weren’t pushovers. If they could sustain an entire upstream and downstream cosmetic loan and non-compliant plastic surgery industry chain, they certainly had connections.

Within half a day of Yu Tian’s video gaining traction, the clinic filed a defamation complaint. To avoid trouble, the platform temporarily suspended the video, requiring Yu Tian to edit certain captions to avoid potential legal disputes.

Dealing with these complaints consumed Yu Tian’s time, significantly diminishing the video’s reach and impact. As a result, her earnings for the next month would also be affected.

Fortunately, thanks to Yanming’s advice, Yu Tian had consulted a lawyer before posting the video, avoiding any legal loopholes the clinic could exploit. This was a small stroke of luck amidst the chaos, allowing her to avoid serious consequences—though the clinic still resorted to covert tactics like filing complaints and suppressing her content.

Still… the bottom line was, she was broke.

However, Yu Tian lacked experience in being shameless. When Yanming didn’t respond after her explanation, she began to waver.

“Forget it. If it’s inconvenient, I’ll stay at Qi Sihao’s place…”

“Why would you stay there?” Yanming, who had been silent moments ago, quickly interjected. “I didn’t say you couldn’t stay.”

He averted his gaze and added, “My place is close to the hospital, so it’ll be convenient for you to visit and care for your mother during the day.”

“Your mother is my patient. If anything happens, you can ask me directly.”

He glanced at Yu Tian this time. “Consider it payment for your hard work.”

After Yanming agreed, Yu Tian couldn’t resist teasing him: “So, is this because eating my cooking obligates you to repay me with this kind of ‘hard work fee’?”

“How much are a few meals worth?”

Yu Tian blinked. “Then what is this ‘hard work fee’ for?”

Yanming casually swept his gaze over her. “It’s for feeding me. That’s labor-intensive.”

“…”

Though Yanming had agreed, Yu Tian’s joy lasted only a few seconds.

Soon, she realized that the same treatment Chen Xi had received was now extended to her. Despite using an even clumsier excuse, Chen Xi had managed to stay at Yanming’s place.

Was it really that easy for him to agree because both she and Chen Xi called him “Brother”?

Did calling him “Brother” really work that well?

Did it work for anyone who tried it?

Yu Tian felt unhappy again.