Chapter 25

Ruan Zhen’s whole body trembled.

He had thought that in this abnormal world, he and Song Shuling were probably the only two people who could be considered normal. But now, his thoughts had changed, and he felt that Song Shuling must have his own quirks.

He almost voiced his thoughts but decided against it.

After all, he was riding in Song Shuling’s car.

Ruan Zhen was naturally laid-back, preferring to sit rather than walk, and to lie down rather than sit. Now, with Song Shuling driving in front, he was sitting in the back seat, eyes closed, dozing off.

If only there was a blanket nearby, he could drape it over himself and be comfortable.

Song Shuling’s gaze quickly swept over the rearview mirror. “Cold?”

Ruan Zhen straightened up a bit. “Not really.”

The car’s air conditioning was set to a comfortable temperature, and he didn’t feel cold. It was just a habit—like when he was a child and would pull the curtains over himself to stay warm when he was sleepy. He always felt the urge to cover himself with something when he was drowsy.

Besides, he was a bit sore now.

The marks on his wrists from the restraints, the scrape on his lip from the scuffle, and the sting from the chili oil on the baozi at the breakfast shop all reminded him of the night’s events.

But compared to the injuries of the two Song family members, Ruan Zhen felt much better.

The car slowly pulled over to the side of the road.

Song Shuling unbuckled his seatbelt and took off his suit jacket, turning around to hand it to Ruan Zhen without a word. “Use it.”

Ruan Zhen hesitated, not taking it.

Song Shuling finally turned to look at him, his face expressionless, as if it was no big deal.

But Ruan Zhen was taken aback.

Earlier, when he had used a blanket in the car, the driver had warned him that their master didn’t like others touching his things and that they would have to throw it away. Now, this was Song Shuling’s own jacket, fresh off his body, perhaps still warm!

Ruan Zhen didn’t beat around the bush. “Third Lord, you don’t like others touching your things, right?”

Song Shuling replied calmly, “Didn’t you say we’re family? How can you be considered an outsider?”

With that, he extended the jacket again. “We have another half hour. Get some rest.”

As he twisted to look back, his shirt stretched, revealing a lean and muscular physique, exuding a strong, masculine aura.

Ruan Zhen took the jacket and said, “Thanks.”

Since the other person was already abnormal, it didn’t matter whether he used the jacket or not.

He draped the black suit jacket over himself, adjusted his position, and, enveloped in a faint woody scent, he drifted off to sleep, feeling unusually at ease.

Ruan Zhen was awakened by the parrot.

The white bird perched on his chest, hopped a few times, and started squawking, “Caw caw!”

The sound was hoarse and unpleasant.

Ruan Zhen, still groggy, instinctively flinched. “Ugh…”

The parrot, displeased with his reaction, flapped its wings and landed on Ruan Zhen’s shoulder, gently pecking his nose.

At the same time, a man’s voice came from nearby.

“Time to get up. We’re here.”

Ruan Zhen immediately woke up, sitting up quickly, only to clutch his head in pain.

He had moved too fast and hit his head.

The parrot flew out, leaving a mocking squawk behind. “Caw!”

Outside, Song Shuling covered his mouth and coughed lightly. “Are you okay?”

Ruan Zhen glared at him as he got out of the car. “You’re laughing!”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are!”

“Fine, if you say so,” Song Shuling caught the jacket that was about to slip off and casually draped it over his elbow. He closed the car door for Ruan Zhen. “Let’s go. I’ll take you to rest.”

It was the same place as before. Ruan Zhen gave Song Shuling a half-smile. “Still the second floor?”

The room with the listening devices and the two-way mirror where he had stayed before.

Song Shuling paused, glancing at him. “I have some fish here. Do you want to see them?”

Ruan Zhen showed interest. “What kind of fish?”

They entered the hallway, and Song Shuling led him to the fish tank. “Tropical fish. They’re very colorful.”

Ruan Zhen nodded. “Sure, let’s take a look… By the way, am I staying on the second floor again?”

There was a moment of silence.

Song Shuling gave in. “Sorry.”

But Ruan Zhen didn’t respond, instead walking over to the deep blue wall.

A massive fish tank took up the entire wall, creating a translucent, dreamlike atmosphere. The colorful fish swam quietly, like a surreal dream.

Ruan Zhen stood in front of the tank, pressing his palm against the glass, feeling the coolness.

Song Shuling watched him from behind.

Ruan Zhen’s lip was slightly swollen and red, his clothes unchanged from the night before, and he hadn’t had a good rest. But his eyes were focused and gentle, bright and clear.

Song Shuling realized that Ruan Zhen was a resilient person.

He was like a stubborn weed, content to grow on barren rock, blooming small flowers.

He didn’t envy the eagles soaring in the sky or the whales riding the waves. It seemed that as long as the wind blew and the leaves rustled, he was happy to share his joy with the sand around him.

As long as he was with his family, the people he cared about, he was content.

Song Shuling looked away and adjusted the room temperature.

The parrot perched on his shoulder, tilting its head and looking at its owner with beady eyes.

When they had stopped the car, Song Shuling hadn’t wanted to wake Ruan Zhen abruptly but couldn’t let him sleep in an uncomfortable position. He couldn’t just pick him up, given their relationship, so he had whistled to call the parrot, Ball, from inside the house.

“You go wake him up,” Song Shuling had said, stroking Ball’s feathers. “Be gentle, don’t make too much noise.”

The parrot didn’t understand, but once they were inside, it felt free to be noisy. It flew from Song Shuling’s shoulder, gliding over the large fish tank, and landed on its swing.

Ruan Zhen followed its gaze and smiled. “So cute.”

The swing, made of smooth and glossy pear wood, hung from the ceiling, swaying with the parrot’s movements.

Song Shuling stood beside him. “Yeah, I made it.”

“Do you like small animals?”

“Sort of,” Song Shuling replied, his attention drawn to the colorful fish in the tank. “When you raise them, you naturally develop a bond.”

Ruan Zhen looked away and changed the subject. “I remember, you weren’t raised in the Song family.”

“Right, my mother passed away a few years after I was born, and I was raised by an aunt in another city.”

The soft blue light cast a gentle glow on Song Shuling’s handsome face.

“Are you thinking that I don’t seem to have a close relationship with my nephews?”

Song Shuling glanced at him. “I have a responsibility.”

He still held the jacket over his arm, his posture straight and tall, but Ruan Zhen could sense the suppressed frustration and subtle sadness when he mentioned his nephews.

“The events that happened were unexpected, and I’m… sorry.”

Ruan Zhen’s hand was still pressed against the tank, warming a small patch of the glass.

“I had an avoidance mentality and shirked my responsibilities as an elder. I didn’t expect them to turn out the way they did. I can’t deny my part in it.”

“You can’t blame yourself,” Ruan Zhen shook his head. “You’re not much older than Song Chunfeng, and you rarely communicate.”

“But I am their uncle,” Song Shuling also pressed his hand against the tank, repeating, “I have a responsibility.”

As their provider, his power and wealth had given them the confidence to act recklessly. Young men with money in a bustling city are bound to face countless temptations and vices. With a father who was promiscuous, the sons naturally followed suit. As long as they didn’t cross the line, their behavior was considered trivial.

Ruan Zhen was silent for a moment.

“I came with you today partly to avoid trouble,” he turned to face Song Shuling. “I don’t know what else Third Young Master and Fourth Young Master might do, so…”

“I’ve taken care of it with your grandfather,” Song Shuling quickly responded. “Don’t worry. Qiuguang is under investigation for leaking business secrets, and I’ll have someone keep an eye on Dongbai. They won’t be able to do much.”

Ruan Zhen’s eyes widened.

“So now, can you give me a clear answer?”

Song Shuling looked at him intently. “You and my Eldest Brother, you haven’t… legally or emotionally, you have no relationship, right?”

The large room was silent except for the creaking of the swing.

But a bird’s toy could only make so much noise. No matter how hard it tried, it couldn’t mask the increasing heartbeat.

Ruan Zhen stared at him, then smiled. “I don’t understand what you mean, Third Lord.”

Song Shuling’s Adam’s apple moved. “What?”

Ruan Zhen crossed his arms behind his back, feeling the small red string and the marks beneath it. His eyes turned cold. “Are you just attracted to me, or do you have other motives?”

They were adults, no need to beat around the bush.

But Song Shuling hadn’t expected such a direct response and quickly looked away. “…No.”

It wasn’t clear whether he was denying the attraction or the ulterior motives.

Ruan Zhen continued to smile. “Since it’s just the two of us now, it’s better to be clear. Otherwise, outside, you might have to call me Sister-in-law.”

A hint of red appeared on his ears.

This man couldn’t handle teasing.

But he found it amusing.

Ruan Zhen deliberately drew out his words. “Was it when you watched me through the two-way mirror that you started to have thoughts… Isn’t that just attraction?”

He was straightforward about it.

Song Shuling immediately denied it. “No!”

He seemed eager to clear his name, looking at Ruan Zhen with a flustered expression. “I just thought you two…”

He suddenly stopped.

When he saw the chain, Song Shuling’s eyes had widened.

A person who had never been in a relationship was emotionally affected.

Good heavens.

Eldest Brother was quite the player despite his age.

Third Master Song, priding himself on his integrity, didn’t continue watching. He lit a cigarette, eyes lowered, waiting for Ruan Zhen to finish his shower while pondering his true identity.

“Speak up,” Ruan Zhen pressed. “What did you think when you saw us?”

Song Shuling, a tall and imposing figure, seemed to lose some of his authority in the face of his guilt. He stuttered.

“I thought… I thought…”

He thought for a while before continuing. “The lock was of good quality.”

His eyes were firm, as if he was about to give a thumbs up.

Ruan Zhen: “…”

He retorted without hesitation. “Are you okay?”

He was seriously ill.