Hu Xiaoyu left, and Yu Tan did not chase after him.
It wasn't that he couldn't, but that he dared not.
He could not accept, nor dare he accept, the wariness and distrust reflected in those fox-like eyes. There was no trace of the past attachment or trust that once existed between them.
Yu Tan neither spoke to stop him, nor did A-Jiu, standing at the door, dare to take any action.
The soundproofing of the private room was good, so A-Jiu had no idea how things had gone between the boss and Hu Xiaoyu after he stepped out.
His gaze unwittingly lingered on the footprints on Yu Tan's pants.
Alright, now he understood.
He had once only admired Yu Tan, but now there was another person.
Looking at this, it seemed like Hu Xiaoyu had just beat up the boss and then casually walked out, leaving the beaten boss looking somewhat disheveled.
A-Jiu muttered to himself, "Boss, there are spare clothes in the car..."
Upon seeing Yu Tan raise his hand to dismiss the suggestion, A-Jiu knew it was time to fetch the clean clothes.
As he went to grab the clothes, A-Jiu's mind wandered a bit.
He had seen things more clearly earlier. Not only were there marks on the boss's pants, but his cheekbones were also bruised.
Last time it was a slap mark, but now his face was bruised, and his pants were ruined. Who knew what would happen next?
But one thing was certain: the cold and ruthless boss seemed to have a hidden "wife-governed" side.
In the past, if anyone had told him that his boss was "wife-governed," A-Jiu would have sent them to the psychiatric hospital, but now… it seemed that the "wife-governed" boss wasn't so bad after all.
Compared to half a year ago when he looked like a dried-up log, Yu Tan was now in much better health, and his demeanor was more lively.
It seemed that everything had changed since Hu Xiaoyu appeared.
Hu Xiaoyu was truly a lucky charm, A-Jiu thought to himself. As for the recent conflict between the boss and Hu Xiaoyu, he wasn't worried.
Judging by how things were now, with the boss being beaten and scolded, and the way Hu Xiaoyu was still so dependent on him, they would eventually reconcile and be close again. No need to hurry.
A-Jiu brought the clean clothes to Yu Tan, who began changing.
But just as he was about to throw away the soiled pants, Yu Tan stopped him.
A-Jiu watched as Yu Tan stared at the footprints on his pants, then gently touched the mark, and finally folded the pants neatly, placing them in a bag.
This was more careful than when he signed multi-million contracts.
Yu Tan folded the pants and looked at A-Jiu. "Put them in my room. Don't touch them."
It had been half a month, and today was the closest the little one had ever come to him.
He hadn't received much in his life, especially not from anyone as important as Hu Xiaoyu. Even this dirty pair of pants, he couldn't bring himself to throw away.
It was both cherished and a reminder for him to reflect—he had to keep them.
A-Jiu didn't think his boss was joking, so he responded seriously, "Understood, Boss."
Yu Tan washed his face in the bathroom. His pale skin made the bruise on his cheek even more prominent, and after washing, it only made him look more unappealing.
He stared at the man in the mirror for a while, muttering to himself, "I'm really useless."
After criticizing himself, he started thinking about something else, like how Hu Xiaoyu knew about Xu Feng.
He had a vague idea, considering that at the club, Liu Luanzhou had also been there.
Yu Tan dried his face, then called out, "Find out Liu Luanzhou's recent whereabouts, and also investigate Hu's family... figure out what Xiaoyu said to them."
He admitted his mistakes, but the matter of keeping that little one in his territory would never change. If anyone else tried to interfere or take advantage, they'd have to deal with him.
A-Jiu acknowledged the order, then added, "Boss, we've just received news that Li Yu wants to see you."
Yu Tan, his thoughts still on Hu Xiaoyu, became slightly gentler but then lifted his gaze and coldly said, "I won't see him."
His recent quarrel with Hu Xiaoyu was one thing, but when someone else had wronged him, he wouldn't let it slide.
A-Jiu replied, "Understood, Boss."
He silently cursed Li Yu. The last time, the boss had told him to let Li Yu go, to mind his own business. Yet now, Li Yu dared to cause trouble again, buying fake online support to mock Hu Xiaoyu's education and spreading ridiculous rumors after Hu Xiaoyu left the Yu household.
Now, it seemed Li Yu deserved whatever was coming for him.
Later in the evening, Yu Tan invited Shi Jingyang out for drinks.
Though it was framed as drinking, it felt more like seeking advice.
Hu Xiaoyu was furious, and Yu Tan truly wanted to win him back, but he had no idea how to do it.
He had never had to comfort anyone before. To him, "comfort" was akin to showing weakness, something like a beast exposing its belly—he never saw that as anything but a death wish.
But with the little one, he couldn't do that anymore.
When Hu Xiaoyu cared for him, he did so wholeheartedly, but now, when he was angry, he wouldn't even speak to him.
Yu Tan genuinely wanted to apologize, but without his usual clever methods, he felt clumsy and awkward.
He thought about it and realized Shi Jingyang might have more experience in these matters.
At that moment, Yu Tan let go of his pride, his ego, and everything else that once mattered.
His world felt barren, and it had taken him so long to find someone like Hu Xiaoyu—someone alive, someone who didn't fear him, who didn't hate him, and who even liked him. He couldn't afford to lose him.
But what if he loses him?
Yu Tan didn't dare to think further, nor would he accept it.
Of course, he didn't share all these thoughts with Shi Jingyang. He only mentioned the two main conflicts between him and Hu Xiaoyu: bringing a model into the house and using Xu Feng to make Hu Xiaoyu dislike the entertainment industry.
Shi Jingyang replied, "..."
He had done similar things before, using one lover to provoke another. It was fun to watch, seeing both sides squabble like idiots.
But those were just playthings—people who didn't matter, who would even disown their ancestors for money.
But was Hu Xiaoyu the same?
He could just as easily become a rich heir. Even without money, his face alone was enough to make people submit to his will.
Seeing someone like him fall for Yu Tan, only to be used and manipulated by such vile people, made Shi Jingyang rethink things.
He briefly put himself in Yu Tan's shoes and thought maybe Yu Tan had been wronged.
Of course, he had no idea that the "wronged" Yu Tan was not just angry but had suffered physical harm at the hands of Hu Xiaoyu.
Later, Hu Xiaoyu heard arguments early in the morning, and it seemed his name was mentioned.
He opened the door and saw Li Yu and Xin Shibai arguing.
Seeing Hu Xiaoyu step out, Li Yu exploded, shoving Xin Shibai aside and charging at Hu Xiaoyu.
He came to fight, to do whatever it took to make Hu Xiaoyu miserable.
In terms of height, Hu Xiaoyu was about the same as Li Yu, but Hu Xiaoyu's slender frame made him seem even more delicate.
Xin Shibai steadied himself by the sofa and saw Li Yu raise his hand, his heart leaping into his throat. "Xiaoyu, move!"
Others didn't expect Li Yu to get physical. They rushed in, trying to stop him, but it was too late.
Then, everyone saw Hu Xiaoyu, skinny but graceful, effortlessly grab Li Yu's wrist, pushing him aside with ease.
Li Yu landed with a thud, looking quite pitiful, his tailbone taking the brunt of the fall.
To Hu Xiaoyu, Li Yu was no more than a moth, easily flicked away.
But while he was flicked away, he was still a persistent nuisance.
He looked at Xin Shibai. "What did you say earlier?"
It had been too chaotic earlier, with too many voices. He hadn't heard clearly.
Xin Shibai nervously replied, "...Xiaoyu... good morning?"
Hu Xiaoyu nodded. "Good morning."
Everyone was stunned. It was no wonder the studio didn't hire bodyguards—they clearly didn't need any.
Hu Xiaoyu turned to the fallen Li Yu. "What do you want now?"