Chapter 126: Beast
Early the next morning, Ruan Yu opened her eyes to find Teng Yi already awake, lying beside her on his side, gazing at her tenderly.
"Morning," he murmured, leaning in to kiss her forehead as she stirred.
Ruan Yu yawned, her eyes curving into crescents as she snuggled closer against him. Teng Yi wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against his chest. Drawn by her scent, he trailed kisses along her hairline, her earlobe, the curve of her neck...
Even after a whole night of kissing, he still couldn’t get enough. It was as if her skin was laced with some intoxicating drug that had him addicted.
His teasing sent shivers down her spine, and the last remnants of sleep vanished instantly.
Resting her head on his arm, she stared blankly at the white ceiling, feeling oddly hollow inside.
"Starting today, I’m officially unemployed," Ruan Yu said.
"What? Regretting it already?"
"Not regret, just... a little lost."
Teng Yi understood that feeling. Stepping out of a familiar environment or comfort zone always brought unease, but once she pushed through this transition, everything would fall into place.
"Lost about what? The great host Ruan Yu has nowhere to go?"
She tilted her head up to look at him. "What if I really have nowhere to go?"The bar’s short of a boss’s wife." Interested?"
"No."
In one swift motion, he flipped her beneath him, invading her defenses before she could react.
Ruan Yu let out a muffled whimper, her nails digging into his back. Even when she scratched hard enough to hurt, he didn’t relent—only claimed her more fiercely. Just as she was about to break, his voice, low and rough, brushed against her ear:
"Little fish, whether you want to or not... you’re doing it."
"..."
And just like that, the beautiful morning was wasted in bed.
After finally getting up, they went downstairs for breakfast.
Exhausted from the night’s activities, Ruan Yu felt ravenous enough to eat an entire cow. She ordered a bowl of seafood noodles, a basket of vegetarian shaomai, a cup of soy milk, and a hard-boiled egg, devouring everything like a starved animal.
"Slow down. No one’s fighting you for it."
"I’m hungry," she mumbled, not even looking up.
Teng Yi watched her cheeks puffing out adorably and couldn’t resist snapping a photo with his phone.
"Don’t take pictures! I’m a public figure—I have an image to maintain."
"I won’t share it. Keeping it for myself."
"What’s the point of keeping it?"
"Future parenting material," Teng Yi said, pocketing his phone. "As a cautionary tale."
Ruan Yu: "..."
She glared at him, but he only grinned wider.
"Any other plans for now?" Teng Yi asked.
"Nothing at the moment."
"Then on our way back, let’s stop by Sanmenxia to visit Grandpa," he suggested.
Ruan Yu froze.
"Why suddenly think of Grandpa?"
"It’s not sudden. I’ve always remembered."
Teng Yi had never forgotten his promise to Grandpa when leaving Sanmenxia—that he’d return to visit whenever he could. But over the years, life had thrown too much at him, leaving no room to fulfill that vow.
Now that he was back and reunited with Ruan Yu, the first thing he wanted was to see Grandpa, explain his absence, and ask for forgiveness.
"Grandpa... passed away."
"..."
This time, it was Teng Yi’s turn to freeze.
"Three years ago. Heart failure," Ruan Yu said softly, setting down her chopsticks. The sorrow in her eyes was unmistakable.
A storm of emotions surged through Teng Yi’s chest.He reached out and took Ruan Yu's hand.
So all these years, it wasn’t just him who had lost loved ones and struggled—she had too.
"Ruan Yu, I'm sorry. I didn’t know about Grandpa..."
Ruan Yu shook her head. "Even I didn’t know he was sick. How could you have known? It’s my fault. When I was studying, I was too busy with school, and when I started working, I was too busy with my job. I never spent enough time with him. In the end, he left this world all alone."
As she spoke, tears began to fall.
Teng Yi reached out to wipe them away, then pulled her into his arms.
"I know the pain of losing someone you love, and I know that no matter who it is or how much comfort they offer, that pain never really lessens. After Ms. Shen Bing passed, I kept thinking—maybe relationships between family members are also a matter of fate. To walk part of life’s journey together, to support and accompany each other, is already a gift from destiny. We can’t be too greedy. The departed are gone, and the only thing the living can do is live well, so they don’t have to worry about us from above."
Ruan Yu nodded. "Then, are we still going back?"
"Yes."
No matter what, Teng Yi had to return. He wanted his grandfather to know that he was back in the country, that he was with Ruan Yu now, and that he would stay by her side from now on. His grandfather could rest easy.
--?--
After leaving Xiancheng, Ruan Yu and Teng Yi made a detour to Sanmenxia to pay their respects to her grandfather.
With all the back-and-forth, it was already 9 p.m. by the time they returned to Liaocheng. After getting off the highway, Teng Yi wanted to take Ruan Yu home first so she could rest, but halfway there, he received a call from Rui Shu.
Rui Shu said Teng Hao had gotten into a fight and was now injured and hospitalized. She urged them to come to the hospital immediately.
The news shattered both of them.
A fight?
How could he have fought someone while in a wheelchair?
Teng Yi hung up, his expression grim, and without another word, turned the car around and sped toward the hospital.
By the time they arrived, Rui Shu was just stepping out of the doctor’s office with the test results.
"What happened?" Teng Yi grabbed Rui Shu.
"I don’t know either. When he left today, he told me he had a dinner to attend. I was surprised—he usually hates social gatherings. I wondered who could’ve convinced him to go."
"Who?"
"I asked, but he wouldn’t say. He left with a dark expression, which was really unusual. Then, in the evening, I got a call saying he’d gotten into a fight and was in the hospital."
"Who did he fight?"
"Zhou Xu, the heir of Jingtai Group."
"Zhou Xu?"
The name was unfamiliar to Teng Yi, but Ruan Yu recognized it—Teng Hao had mentioned it when he told her about Yun Shen.
"Zhou Xu is Yun Shen’s current boyfriend. I heard they’re about to get engaged," Ruan Yu said.
Teng Yi and Ruan Yu exchanged a glance, and both immediately understood.
So, it was for Yun Shen.
Six years ago, Teng Hao had fought for her.
Six years later, he was still fighting for her.
Fate twists and turns, rises and falls—everything is predestined.
The three of them entered the ward together.
Teng Hao sat on the hospital bed, a bruise on his lip, scratches on his face, and his arm in a cast. When he saw Teng Yi and the others, he averted his gaze.
"You little punk!" Teng Yi strode over and gripped the back of Teng Hao’s neck.
Teng Hao stayed silent, bracing for a scolding, but instead, Teng Yi said, "You little punk—you didn’t even call me for the fight!"
The tension in his expression eased slightly.Teng Yi looked Teng Hao up and down. "Are you hurt anywhere else?"
"No."
"Why were you fighting?"
He stayed silent again.
Ruan Yu stepped forward and gave Teng Yi a meaningful glance.
Teng Yi moved aside.
"Teng Hao, was it because of Yun Shen?" Ruan Yu asked softly.
Still, he didn't respond.
Ruan Yu put an arm around his shoulder. "Silly boy, I know you're hurting inside. But if you don't talk to us about Yun Shen, who else can you talk to? Of course, we also wish the best for you and Yun Shen."
"..."
"Teng Hao."
"That bastard doesn't deserve Yun Shen," Teng Hao finally spoke, his voice laced with anger.
Originally, Teng Hao hadn't planned to attend tonight's gathering. It was only after hearing that Zhou Xu from Jingtai would be present that he changed his mind and agreed to go.
He thought that since Zhou Xu was Yun Shen's boyfriend, perhaps she would come along too. Despite repeatedly reminding himself that their connection had reached its perfect conclusion after that one night at the concert, he couldn't help but miss her and yearn for any chance to see her again.
Unfortunately, Zhou Xu came alone—Yun Shen was nowhere to be seen by his side.
Upon meeting again, Zhou Xu was just as courteous as the first time they had met. Whether speaking to Teng Hao or others at the table, his manners were impeccable. But after a few drinks, that hypocritical mask began to slip.
At first, he started telling crude jokes to the young waitress, scaring her off. Then he began smoking openly, filling the private room with thick smoke, ignoring all attempts to dissuade him. Later, as the conversation continued, someone mentioned Yun Shen, and everyone praised her beauty—that was when he lost his temper.
"Don't bring up that woman. She always gives me that dead-faced look. Beautiful? What's the point of beauty? No matter how pretty she is, she's still just a mute! I might as well tell you—if her father hadn't promised 40% of Haike Group's shares as her dowry, I wouldn't even marry her! Who knows if any kids we have will end up little mutes too? Hmph, if that happens, it’ll ruin my descendants' genes..."
Teng Hao immediately hurled the cup beside him. The loud crash silenced everyone in the room.
Bastard!
So it wasn’t love that made him accept Yun Shen despite her condition—it was Haike’s shares, the Ren family’s money!
Bastard!
Even if he only cared about the shares and the money, how could he humiliate the woman who was about to become his fiancée with such words in public?
Teng Hao’s heart felt like it was being torn apart.
Yun Shen was someone he cherished so deeply that he had forced himself to bless her happiness—how could this bastard dare to insult her like this?
Zhou Xu, nearly hit by the cup, froze for a few seconds before his fury erupted.
"What the hell? Are you trying to kill me?"
He lunged at Teng Hao, and despite the others trying to hold him back, the two quickly ended up in a brawl.One was tall and sturdy, while the other sat in a wheelchair—the disparity in strength seemed obvious. But when it came to a real fight, Zhou Xu was all show. Compared to Teng Hao, who worked out regularly, that bastard was no match in terms of strength. He could only claw and scratch like a woman. In the end, seeing he was clearly outmatched, he simply pushed over Teng Hao’s wheelchair. Only when Teng Hao was down and unable to get up did he start throwing punches and kicks, barely saving some face.
"Don’t worry, I’ve already had someone contact Uncle Sun. I’ll make sure you get justice for this," Teng Yi said from the side.
"I don’t care. I didn’t lose this fight. But Yun Shen… no matter what, Yun Shen can’t be with someone like that."
Yes, even if she wasn’t with him, it didn’t matter—but she absolutely couldn’t be with someone like that.
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