Chapter 40#
Playboy (10)#
Old Master Rong repeated the words he had just spoken: “What do you mean by that?”
If before this his tone had been more puzzled than accusatory, now this sentence carried more of a warning edge, cautioning Lu Yi not to speak nonsense or spout reckless words.
Lu Yi was not the least bit intimidated by Old Master Rong’s warning: “I mean exactly what I said. Your grandson, Li Tang, and I are the same—both of us harbor intense romantic feelings between men for your biological son, Rong Huan.”
Even while exposing Li Tang’s secret, he did not forget to express his own devotion.
“Nonsense! The two of them are simply a normal uncle-and-nephew relationship.”
Old Master Rong said this, yet under Lu Yi’s gaze, he began to waver.
“Rong Huan treats Li Tang normally indeed, but what about Li Tang? Whose nephew would lie sick in bed just because his little uncle found a boyfriend?” Lu Yi reminded him tactfully. “Whether I’m talking nonsense or not, you know best, don’t you, old sir?”
Old Master Rong fell silent. Li Tang had adored his little uncle Rong Huan since childhood—even more than he adored his own father. Moreover, when Li Tang had come out, it happened to be on the same day of the year as Rong Huan’s own coming out.
Not thinking about it in that direction was fine, but the more he thought about it, the more chilling the implications became.
Though he was shaken, he did not relent in his words: “Li Tang won’t do, and you won’t do either.”
Lu Yi did not continue arguing about whether he could or couldn’t. After all, whether his man was capable was something only Rong Huan needed to know.
The conversation ended on a sour note. After Old Master Rong left, Lu Yi immediately called Rong Huan and tattled to his younger boyfriend. He wasn’t the kind of person to keep things bottled up inside. Since the old man had done such a classless thing behind the scenes, Lu Yi had no intention of covering for him.
Sure enough, upon learning what his father had done, Rong Huan appeared very angry. Some things couldn’t be explained clearly over the phone, so he simply arranged to meet Lu Yi in person to discuss it face to face.
Now, Lu Yi was still a student who hadn’t graduated, and the Rong family’s influence in the area was not insignificant. Rong Huan was worried about him: “My dad is pretty stubborn. Right now, my only concern is that he’ll use your graduation as leverage against you.”
After all, Mr. Rong had always been a ruthless man—ruthless not only to outsiders but also to himself and to his own children.
He wasn’t too worried about what his father might do to him, but he was worried about Lu Yi.
“If it really comes to that, you could pretend to agree to the old man’s conditions first. We’ll play the long game.”
They could continue seeing each other in secret. After all, Mr. Rong was his father, not a worm in his stomach—he couldn’t keep someone watching Lu Yi every moment, could he?
Lu Yi shook his head. “Falling in love is an open and aboveboard affair. I don’t want things between us to end up feeling like we’re sneaking around/ having an affair.”
Rong Huan didn’t want that either, but he couldn’t think of a better solution at the moment: “Otherwise, worst case, I’ll threaten to kill myself.”
Lu Yi lightly slapped the back of his boyfriend’s hand. “What are you thinking nonsense about? If you ever hurt yourself, we’ll break up immediately.”
He didn’t want Rong Huan to suffer for his sake. Whether it was letting his boyfriend make a sacrifice or making one himself, it would be a double injury to two people in love.
“Then what do we do?” Rong Huan couldn’t come up with a better plan. “I couldn’t stand by and watch my dad come after you either.”
He couldn’t help but feel some regret over choosing the path of music. “If only I were like my older brother—holding real power, then I’d have a say.”
He had never thought about inheriting the family business before, but now he couldn’t help feeling some regret. If he had enough strength, he could stand up to his father and wouldn’t have dragged Lu Yi into this to get hurt.
Lu Yi ruffled his soft hair. “Don’t overthink it. I’ll handle these small problems myself.”
He added, “By the way, I forgot to tell you—when your dad came to see me earlier, I told him that Li Tang likes you.”
Rong Huan was taken aback. “Then what was my dad’s reaction?”
“Your father looked very incredulous. By now, he should be back home verifying it. I think, compared to me, a rather ordinary boyfriend, the fact that his nephew has fallen for his uncle will trouble him much more.”
Even if they were only uncle and nephew in name without blood relation, legally their family relationship still existed. If word got out, Mr. Rong, who cared so much about the family’s reputation, would never be able to bear it.
“That’s right. How did I not think of that?” He should have diverted the trouble to Li Tang earlier. If his father knew this was true, he would probably be even firmer in keeping him and Li Tang apart.
Without comparison, there is no harm. Although Lu Yi came from an ordinary family, he was still better than Li Tang.
Unfortunately, the timing was a bit off now. If he had first said that if his father wouldn’t agree, he’d be with Li Tang, the old man might have actually given in. But now that Lu Yi had spilled the beans himself, using that tactic would be far less effective.
Lu Yi asked Rong Huan with a smile: “But you’re Li Tang’s little uncle. You’ve doted on him since he was a child. Why are you suddenly so heartless now?”
Rong Huan glared at him. “How can you still be in the mood to laugh at a time like this! How should I know? I’ve always just seen him as a younger generation—that’s all it’s ever been.”
The affection he had for that child had long been worn away by the boy’s drama in the hospital and then suddenly alerting the old man, catching him completely off guard, among other things.
He sighed. “This won’t work, that won’t work either. Do you have any good ideas?”
Lu Yi said, “I do have an idea, but I don’t know if you’d be willing.”
“What idea?”
“I’m thinking about going abroad first, finishing my studies, and then coming back.”
“That’s just agreeing to what my dad said.” Rong Huan frowned. “The amount my dad offered was way too little—one million. That’s barely enough for your tuition. I could give you that money myself.”
“No, I’m not planning to agree to his terms. What I’m thinking is—you come with me. But I’ve been wondering if you could adapt to the environment abroad. You know I don’t have any important family or friends back in China either.”
He did have family, but his stepmother and worthless father didn’t care about him. Now having them was about the same as not having them.
Knowing that Lu Yi wasn’t planning to run off alone, Rong Huan felt relieved. “What’s there to worry about? I spent a long time living abroad before.”
Back when he was at odds with his father the worst, he went abroad with his older brother’s help. Language and everything else weren’t a problem. If Lu Yi accompanied him, it wouldn’t be an issue at all.
He laughed. “Are you inviting me? Inviting me to run away with you?”
Lu Yi laughed too and extended his hand. “Yes, I, Lu Yi, solemnly ask Mr. Rong Huan: Are you willing to run away with me?”
Rong Huan answered without hesitation: “I do.”