Chapter 42

Ruan Miao fell into a deep, dreamless sleep with his deep confusion.

The next morning, Ruan Miao rarely wanted to sleep in. Normally, he woke up at 5 AM for school, but he wanted to enjoy a rare chance to relax during the New Year holidays.

Unfortunately, someone wouldn't let him rest.

The loud banging on the door almost gave Ruan Miao a nervous breakdown. He knew without guessing it was definitely He Shanglu.

Dragging himself out of bed, he opened the door, looking pale. "Se...cond brother..."

He Shanglu greeted him energetically, "Morning!"

Ruan Miao, having been well-fed by the He family, had visibly gained some weight. His round, rosy cheeks were promptly pinched by He Shanglu, who urged him, "Get up, you lazy pig!"

"What for?" Ruan Miao pushed away He Shanglu's hand from his cheek. "It's only 8 AM."

"Taking you out to play," He Shanglu said excitedly. "We agreed last night, remember? Hurry up!"

Ruan Miao felt like crying, "I didn't say I wanted to go. You go by yourself."

"No way." He Shanglu tapped his forehead. "You have ten minutes to get ready, or I'll beat you up."

Watching He Shanglu proudly walk downstairs, Ruan Miao, still in his pajamas, stared after him for a long time before reluctantly getting dressed and ready on time.

"Why so early today?" He Shangye, the busy one, was predictably the first up again, sipping his usual coffee.

Ruan Miao grumbled, "Second brother insists on taking me out."

He Shangye put down his magazine, nodded knowingly, "You do need to go out and relax. Staying at home studying all the time isn't good. I'll transfer you some money. Buy whatever you like."

Ruan Miao: "..."

Lately, his big brother would give him money for no reason.

"And big brother, don't drink so much coffee every day. It's not good for your health," Ruan Miao added, "I have plenty of money now, no need to give me more."

During their visit to the old house, the elders had given him some money too, albeit begrudgingly. He had saved up a few thousand yuan, making his pockets quite full.

"No worries," He Shangye said calmly. "It's always good to have some extra."

Su Wen had said that kids like Miao Miao, with their well-behaved nature, wouldn't boldly ask for pocket money like Shanglu. So, it was better to proactively give him money frequently, with a policy of minimal interference, frequent actions, and regular financial support.

Indeed, he did it again.

Actually, Ruan Miao felt a bit uneasy about He Shangye's sudden kindness. He felt like he hadn't done anything to deserve it and felt guilty about accepting it.

"Don't overthink it. Just take it," He Shangye said, seeing his thoughts. "I know what kind of person you are. If I think you deserve it, then you do."

Ruan Miao was touched. "Don't worry, big brother. I'll study hard and repay you in the future!"

He Shangye patted his head without saying anything.

Watching this touching brotherly scene, He Shanglu rolled his eyes without expression.

After breakfast, He Shanglu dragged Ruan Miao out. He Shangye, sitting on the sofa, reminded them, "Come back early. Don't stay out too late."

"Take care of Miao Miao, Shanglu."

"Got it!" He Shanglu muttered, tossing Ruan Miao into the car and instructing the driver to leave the He family villa.

They drove through the bustling city for over half an hour before arriving at their destination. When Ruan Miao got out of the car, he realized they were at a racing track. Looking around, he saw winding tracks everywhere.

"Come on, I'll show you something exciting!" He Shanglu, excited, grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him in, ignoring Ruan Miao's resistance.

He had arranged to meet some friends here, and when they reached the hall, five or six teenagers were already waiting. Judging by their colorful hair and rebellious demeanor, it was clear they were a rowdy bunch, including Ye Ling.

"Wow, you really brought your little rabbit?" Ye Ling raised an eyebrow, looking cocky.

"Shut up," He Shanglu snorted. "I lost to you last time because I was careless. This time, I'll crush you!"

The group seemed to be regulars here, and the receptionist quickly prepared helmets and gear for everyone, including Ruan Miao. He Shanglu took him to the changing room, where Ruan Miao tried to resist.

"Second brother, I don't want to do this. Can I just watch from the stands? I haven't even ridden an electric scooter before..."

"Where's your courage!" He Shanglu flicked his forehead. "What kind of man doesn't play with cars? Besides, it's just go-karting. You won't get hurt."

Reluctantly, Ruan Miao changed clothes and was then dragged outside by He Shanglu, who led him to a go-kart. The track was the largest in the country, with top-notch facilities and ample security.

But Ruan Miao was still scared.

"Get going!" He Shanglu pushed his back. "Act like a man, stop dawdling."

He roughly placed the helmet on Ruan Miao's head, got him strapped in, and showed him the accelerator, brake, and steering.

"You don't need to go fast your first time. Just complete the time. Watch out for obstacles, don't just rush forward, and remember to turn. If anyone tries to block you, I'll kick them off the track!"

Ruan Miao nervously memorized everything, trying to retain it.

Meanwhile, Ye Ling started taunting again, prompting He Shanglu to curse and quickly drive off, disappearing from sight.

Ruan Miao's phone rang. He took his hands off the wheel to answer; it was Jian Fanyu.

Upon hearing that Ruan Miao was at the race track, Jian Fanyu was clearly surprised.

"I'll be there soon."

He hung up, leaving Ruan Miao puzzled.

Why was Jian Fanyu coming?

Still in a daze, Ruan Miao was jolted back to reality when He Shanglu completed his second lap and yelled at him, "Why aren't you moving yet? Laying an egg?"

Snapped back to focus, Ruan Miao carefully pressed the accelerator. As the kart moved, his heart raced—it was his first time driving.

The track was winding and challenging for a beginner. Ruan Miao, being cautious, barely pressed the accelerator and moved slowly, constantly looking around to avoid collisions.

Spectators on the stands noticed a kart struggling along and started jeering and laughing at him.

Ruan Miao had no time to care about the mocking. He couldn't find the rhythm, almost crashing into obstacles several times.

Someone did try to cut him off. Turning his head, he saw Ye Ling grinning menacingly.

"Scaredy-cat," Ye Ling mocked, slowing down to scare Ruan Miao by pretending to crash into him.

Terrified, Ruan Miao fumbled and accidentally pressed the wrong pedal, speeding up and crashing into an obstacle, with a tire hitting his helmet. Fortunately, he was protected.

Ye Ling laughed without a hint of sympathy.

Furious, He Shanglu crashed into him. "You bastard!"

Ye Ling sped away, and the staff helped Ruan Miao back on the track. Despite his anger, Ruan Miao continued slowly, just aiming to finish the half-hour session without wasting money.

After completing a lap, half an hour was nearly up. The staff pulled Ruan Miao out of the kart, and he quickly ran off, bumping into some people by the stands.

"Hi," Xi Li greeted him with a smile. "We meet again."

Ruan Miao was startled, "Hello."

"How are you feeling?" Jian Fanyu's voice came from beside him, and Ruan Miao realized that Jian Fanyu was there too.

"Not great." This kind of extreme sport wasn't to his liking; he'd much rather stay at home and read books.

Jian Fanyu nodded. "I didn't think it would suit you."

Ruan Miao noticed a young man standing nearby, someone who seemed around He Shangye's age. He looked somewhat similar to Xi Li but had more rugged features. Despite his casual attire, he exuded a sense of nobility.

"This is Xi Sheng, the future head of the Xi family," Jian Fanyu explained quietly. "Just greet him politely."

Hearing that this was Xi Li's older brother, Ruan Miao quickly said, "Hello, Brother Xi."

Xi Sheng nodded slightly at him, his gaze returning to the track, seemingly focused on something.

"Your second brother is coming out too," Jian Fanyu indicated.

Sure enough, He Shanglu appeared, looking pleased with himself and holding his helmet. "I gave Ye Ling a good thrashing, so you don't have to worry about him anymore!"

Ruan Miao felt relieved as Ye Ling had been quite annoying.

Before he could thank him, Brother Xi spoke first.

"Well done."

He Shanglu's face soured when he noticed Xi Sheng. "Who invited you here?"

"Why can't I be here?" Xi Sheng crossed his arms, a slight smile on his face. "Don't forget, this is my family's business."

He Shanglu rolled his eyes again. "You're bad luck."

Xi Sheng turned to Ruan Miao, still smiling. "Do you want to play some more?"

"He won't be playing," Jian Fanyu answered for him. "I'll take him to sit for a bit. You all continue."

Before He Shanglu could curse, Jian Fanyu exchanged a look with Xi Sheng and led Ruan Miao away from the stands.

"Are you sure it's okay? Second brother seems angry." Ruan Miao was worried, looking back frequently.

Jian Fanyu explained, "Don't worry. Those two have a complicated relationship. You can't do anything about it."

"They almost had a marriage arrangement."

As a keen observer of gossip, Ruan Miao sensed a juicy story.

(TL:I've been racking my brain trying to find out who Su Wen is and turns out he is the doctor who treated mc and also a family advisor for He shangye💀.)