Chapter 144! n55! W!

(I sincerely apologize for the recent updates being off due to poor health, watching the Asian Games, and the blow of Monthly Pass dropping out of the top 50. I’m trying to explode five Chapters today, hoping to boost the update morale and continue working hard in the latter part of the month! Also, I hope those with votes will support more.)

Because the Zhang Family is quite polite to him, especially Yang Yun who is very enthusiastic, Liu Yuyang did not realize he was unwelcome, even when he said his farewells, everyone just exchanged simple pleasantries. He thought it was because of Li Yan being there that the mood was not harmonious; it was Li Yan causing the discomfort!

Since Li Yan had already caused trouble, Liu Yuyang could hardly leave the platinum diamond ring as a birthday gift. But he couldn’t give Li Yan too many chances either. Although he hadn’t investigated or didn’t know Li Yan’s situation, he guessed Li Yan was a subordinate in Zhang Yurong’s company, pursuing her through sycophancy, perhaps even cozying up to Zhang Tianyi.

Wanting to cause Li Yan some inconvenience, he maintained his demeanor, acting like he had hit it off with Li Yan, and smilingly proposed: "Where are you staying, Brother Li? Let’s go together! It’s hard to call a car here, I’ll drop you off!"

Liu Yuyang, since realizing Li Yan was a rival in love, although unable to gather more information immediately, remained outwardly enthusiastic, while secretly observing Li Yan’s attire and behavior, to analyze his identity. From these details, he concluded Li Yan was not a wealthy person. Otherwise, how could he be so casually dressed at Zhang Yurong’s birthday dinner at the Zhang Family? Seeing him arrive with Zhang Yurong, it’s likely he didn’t have a car of his own and caught a ride with her.

Liu Yuyang wanted to win Zhang Yurong’s favor, and now that he had encountered a competitor, he couldn’t give Li Yan more chances to associate with her. If he didn’t lead him away, what if Li Yan shamelessly stayed overnight here? Even a guest room wouldn’t be suitable; if Yurong drove him home, it would be giving him far too much benefit...

Holding such thoughts, he enthusiastically proposed in front of everyone.

Others didn’t know what Liu Yuyang was thinking, but because of Li Yan and Zhang Yurong’s identity, it wasn’t appropriate to speak directly, so they glanced at him and then Li Yan. In fact, since Liu Yuyang arrived, Zhang Tianyi and his wife repeatedly suggested politely for him to leave but were refrained from openly ordering him away due to his father’s association. But Liu Yuyang felt good about himself, completely unaware, insistently waiting to surprise Yurong.

Normally, Li Yan and Yurong should stay overnight or leave together. That’s why when Liu Yuyang said his farewells, no one sincerely tried to keep him, once he left, there was no more issue. Yang Yun might sigh at Liu Yuyang’s excellence, but the remaining were all their own people.

Unexpectedly, he proposed this. Zhang Tianyi and his wife, having always been discrete, couldn’t easily let Li Yan stay without Yurong explicitly saying so.

And Zhang Yurong looked at Li Yan, hesitating to speak. She felt putting Li Yan in such a position might hurt his pride a bit, but if she exposed things, it would bring a lot of trouble.

Li Yan saw everyone staring at him and understood Liu Yuyang’s intent, he smiled and said, "I and Brother Yuyang hit it off, let’s go together! Yurong, you’re usually so busy, today being your birthday, you should spend more time with your parents. The elders should rest more, I’ll head back first!"

"Great, great."

Zhang Tianyi and his wife quietly marveled at Li Yan’s sensibility, willing to endure being undervalued to avoid troubling Yurong, even calling her parents ’Mom and Dad’, which was a clever play on words, addressing them as ’Yurong’s parents’ while also calling them ’mom and dad’, and later using ’the elders’ instead of ’uncle and aunt’. Everyone could understand this, though Liu Yuyang wouldn’t know.

Zhang Yurong gently bit her lip, nodded.

Originally, she wanted to say "I’ll drive you home", allowing her not to travel with Liu Yuyang and instead with Li Yan. But hearing Li Yan’s words reminded her of his theory from the morning about children’s birthdays also being the mother’s hardship days, recalling how painful it was for her mother to give birth twenty-five years ago. Every year, her parents celebrated for her without considering her mother’s suffering, sometimes feeling bored and willful. Upon hearing Li Yan’s words, she wanted to make amends, deciding not to go home tonight.

...

Amongst them, just a few simple words and exchange of glances led to different understandings. Apart from the youthful Jiang Xueyin, who didn’t grasp the situation, Liu Yuyang hadn’t considered all these nuances, becoming more pleased as Li Yan agreed.

They were the juniors, their departure did not necessitate Zhang Tianyi and his wife seeing them off; Zhang Yurong and Jiang Xueyin only escorted them to the door.

Liu Yuyang saw Li Yan truly tagging along to the garage, inwardly sneered, truly living off a woman, without a bit of shame!

"Wait a moment, I’ll drive the car out first." Naturally, the unfamiliar luxury car in the garage was Liu Yuyang’s.

But Li Yan just agreed to leave with him, not intending to actually ride in his car, having driven himself here, with the car keys on him, he simply got into the adjacent car.

Seeing this, Liu Yuyang was startled. Reversing out, he noticed it was a new Lexus, not the Mercedes Zhang Yurong usually drove, partially understanding, perhaps this car was bought for Li Yan by Yurong?

Regarding Li Yan, Liu Yuyang felt disdain and a bit of envy. He didn’t need Zhang Yurong to buy him a car, but a woman willing to buy a car for a man undoubtedly indicates her high regard for him.

Leaving the Zhang Family, as they hadn’t accelerated yet, Liu Yuyang drove alongside Li Yan, wore a gentle smile, and said, "Brother Li, so you drove too. Just made a fool of myself earlier!"

"No need to trouble yourself then," Li Yan replied.

"Since we’re all friends of Yurong, and we two seem to hit it off right away, it’s still early, how about having a few drinks together?" Liu Yuyang invited with a smile.

Li Yan shook his head, "I don’t drink when I’m driving!"

"Seriously?" Even though Zhang Tianyi couldn’t drink and the dinner just now didn’t have any alcohol for fun, Liu Yuyang didn’t believe Li Yan would not drink just because he was driving. "Haha, we won’t drink much, just to give me some face!"

Among men, when someone says "give me some face," it means there’s no choice but to agree; refusing would be an offense. In such situations, most people agree.

Liu Yuyang also had this mindset; often it works as a kind of reverse psychology, but without being as offensive as reverse psychology, because it can also be playful. He just made this comment with such an attitude.

Unfortunately, Li Yan had no intention of joking with him and asked directly, "Why should I give you face?"

After saying this, he sped up and left the hillside villa area.

What the hell! Who do you think you are!

Liu Yuyang, seeing how nicely he had spoken to him, felt offended as Li Yan didn’t give him any face at all. Sitting in the car, he started cursing. Having held it in all night, he now had no one else around and could freely vent his anger.

Besides the cursing, Liu Yuyang also sped up his car to chase after Li Yan. Since he wouldn’t give him face, he no longer wanted to be gracious either.

Seeing Liu Yuyang’s car chasing after him from behind, Li Yan smirked a bit. Of course, he wouldn’t lead this rival back to his and Yurong’s place, and losing him wasn’t difficult.

This area didn’t have much traffic at this hour, and this road, while he didn’t drive it every day, he had roughly driven it seventy to eighty times back and forth this year. So Li Yan didn’t slow down, but leisurely took out a cigarette with one hand and lit it.

With Liu Yuyang speeding up to catch up from behind, unfamiliar with the road and worried about rear-ending the car in front, he naturally couldn’t be as calm as Li Yan who casually flicked ash out the window, which made him seethe with anger!

Does he not take me seriously?

Could it be this guy gets special attention from Yurong just because he’s a good driver? Could it be Yurong’s company driver?

Damn it, if he’s just a driver, that’ll be utterly humiliating!

Cursing inside, Liu Yuyang continued to speed up, trying to block Li Yan before they entered the busier roads and the highway ahead.

...

While Li Yan was smoking, his phone rang, but it wasn’t a call; it was a text message. He casually flicked the cigarette outside and took out his phone.

It was from Zhang Yurong. Maybe she knew he was driving and couldn’t take calls easily, so she texted; or perhaps because it was difficult to say over the phone. Without giving it much thought, he slowed down a bit and opened the text message.

"Sorry, I didn’t know this person would come to my house; he ruined the mood. I don’t have anything with him. Although I’ve known him for a long time, we haven’t interacted much."

Seeing the deliberate explanation in Yurong’s text, Li Yan smiled. He had trusted her all along, and after Zhang Tianyi’s explanation, he had no reason to suspect or doubt her. Though such a deliberate explanation might also be a cover-up, Li Yan was convinced Yurong just didn’t want him to misunderstand — she took him seriously! 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

To be taken seriously by her was certainly a reassuring and joyful thing, though the in-laws’ words were right; Liu Yuyang was indeed a threatening rival. Yurong hadn’t opened her heart to dating anyone before, but now she was somewhat in a relationship. If anything went wrong between them, this opportunistic third party could very easily take advantage. Hence, besides consolidating their relationship, he needed to counter any potential rival!

Thinking about this, he while driving, composed a message back to her, "!ｎ５５!Ｗ!"

Yurong was worried about Li Yan misunderstanding and feeling depressed, especially after seeing him leave. She was afraid he might drive his own car away, so shortly after he left, she thought of calling to explain. But due to safety concerns and the difficulty of explaining over the phone, she decided to text him instead.

She thought he might see it or reply after reaching home, but he responded quickly, only... what does this mean?

(Thanks to those who tipped on the 18th: JP^^, Yang Ming, Cavalry, harve10, Liushui, No Return, Hedgehog God, Depressed Man, Reader 101030230343789, CP Pampas) (To be continued, for more information, please log on to www.qidian.com, more Chapters available, support the author, support legal reading!)