Chapter 57
That night, He Zhen and Yu Chen sat huddled together on the carpet, sorted out all the evidence, and sent it to Lin He along with one final message.
[If you’re willing to go to school with Zhang Xiao and admit your mistake, I’ll wait until Monday night. Otherwise, I’ll submit the evidence to the school and reserve the right to pursue compensation for damage to my reputation.]
After finishing everything, Yu Chen felt incomparably relaxed. Stretching lazily, he leaned against the sofa, wrapped in a blanket and twisting himself into a little caterpillar.
But when he thought of Old Master He’s condition, he said with some concern, “Boss, Grandpa really can’t keep working anymore, can he? I heard the doctor say it several times.”
He Zhen was worried about that too. “Lately, He Heng has been trying to persuade him to temporarily hand the group over to the board of directors.”
Yu Chen did not understand much about business. “Grandpa probably isn’t at ease with that, right? In TV dramas, doesn’t the board always try to seize power and stuff? Grandpa is probably worried that by the time he hands the group over to you in the future, it’ll be full of corrupt parasites inside.”
Hearing that, He Zhen lowered his eyes and smiled. “Yu Chencheng, I didn’t expect you to understand quite a bit.”
“Well, of course. Our theoretical foundation is solid.” Thinking back, Yu Chen felt like it had been a long time since he had read any novels. “Out of ten novels I read, seven are about business wars. All kinds of scheming, stock manipulation, dirty tricks—there’s a whole pile of them.”
“And in reality, business warfare is just stealing each other’s company seals?” He Zhen was unusually in the mood to joke. Leaning against Yu Chen, he rested his chin on top of Yu Chen’s head. “But if Grandpa insists on continuing to work, the doctor said his body will completely collapse very soon.”
“So we have to persuade him.” Yu Chen silently counted in his head. “In about six years, you’ll graduate from university.”
“Six years…”
A trace of worry settled between He Zhen’s brows. “By then, Grandpa will already be eighty.”
“That is kind of a long time. Mainly because if you go abroad for university, you won’t be able to take care of company matters too.” Although Yu Chen felt Lin He was pitiful, it was because of this whole matter serving as a trigger that Old Master He’s condition had worsened. Even if Lin He dared to admit his mistake, Yu Chen still could not forgive the harm that one lie had caused the He family.
“Next week the doctors from overseas are coming back to consult on Grandpa’s case. Let’s see what treatment plan they suggest.”
Old Master He’s heart was already showing signs of failure, with a mortality rate no lower than that of a malignant tumor.
Ever since his grandfather’s condition began worsening, He Zhen had been thinking about one thing.
Should he give up MIT?
He would spend four years in university, unable to remain by Old Master He’s side. There was no way he could feel at peace.
But Old Master He’s expectations for him were too heavy, and He Zhen did not dare turn that thought into reality.
“Tomorrow, I’ll take you to see Grandpa.” He Zhen took Yu Chen’s hand. “Let Grandpa know that you’re the little hero behind all of this.”
“I’m actually… not that outstanding.” With reddened cheeks, Yu Chen put on a reserved front. “At most, I’d say I’m just moderately excellent.”
He Zhen laughed. The two of them lay down side by side and chatted idly for a while.
The next morning, the two of them went to the hospital to visit Old Master He.
He Zhen told him everything about how Yu Chen had gotten hold of the detailed evidence.
Li Huan was in the room changing the flowers. When he heard it, surprise showed in his eyes, followed by a proud smile.
“Chencheng said that only by getting hard evidence could they shut down all those rumors. The chat records contain Lin He’s motive and the entire discussion process of how they planned the cheating. Please don’t worry.”
Yu Chen smiled and gestured animatedly. “One of these days, I’m definitely going to stand outside Class Three with a banner and give those boys who spread rumors a piece of my mind!”
Old Master He listened with great satisfaction and beckoned lightly to Yu Chen.
When Yu Chen leaned over, Old Master He took his hand and gave it a gentle pat. “Chencheng, thank you for caring so much about Xiao Zhen’s matter. Things like gathering evidence should have been left to me.”
“What are you saying?” Yu Chen lifted his brows proudly. “Boss’s business is my business. And this time, it wasn’t just me—Xiao Yu and the others helped too.”
“You’re all good children, careful-minded and full of loyalty.”
Old Master He then remembered the last time Yu Chen had found the source of the poisoning. After thinking for a moment, he said, “Chencheng, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”
Yu Chen smiled. “Go ahead. I’ll definitely agree.”
A kind, loving smile appeared on Old Master He’s aged face. “You and Xiao Zhen grew up together and are just like real brothers. With you by Xiao Zhen’s side, I always feel strangely at ease. If you ask me, you’re a little lucky star. Without you, how could Xiao Zhen possibly have grown up this cheerful and healthy?”
Praised like that, Yu Chen smiled shyly with crescent eyes.
Li Huan walked over to Yu Chen’s side. Since Yu Chen was being praised, he felt gratified too.
But he guessed Old Master He was about to say something important.
“Chencheng, the fact that you and our family came to know each other means we were fated. How about I formally take you in as my god-grandson?”
“Ah!” Yu Chen instinctively glanced at He Zhen, surprise and uncertainty mixed in his smile, then turned to look at Li Huan helplessly.
Li Huan lifted a hand and rubbed Yu Chen’s head. “Chencheng, Grandpa is asking you a question.”
Flattered and overwhelmed, Yu Chen curved his eyes into little moons and scratched his head. “Sure. I already thought of you as family anyway.”
“Good. Then from now on, you’ll be my youngest grandson.” Old Master He held on to Yu Chen’s hand and murmured, “Once my health gets better, I’ll have He Heng arrange a formal recognition banquet. We’ll invite all our relatives and friends and let—”
“Grandpa.” Concealing the complexity in his expression, He Zhen forced a smile. “I understand how much you care about Yu Chen. But your health is still too weak right now. Let’s leave this matter for later. What matters most in recognizing Chencheng as your god-grandson is that your hearts are connected.”
“Xiao Zhen’s right.” Li Huan’s brows relaxed, and he smiled gently. “You should focus on recovering first. Everything else can wait.”
“Alright then.” Old Master He looked at Yu Chen lovingly. “Grandpa is in the hospital, so I can’t give you a gift right away. Wait a little longer, and Grandpa will prepare you a grand present.”
Yu Chen’s lips curled up. “Thank you, Grandpa.”
Old Master He was in a rare good mood. “Alright, you two go study. Come see me again when you have time.”
Lately Old Master He did not have much energy and needed to rest quietly during the day. He Zhen, being sensible, led Yu Chen out and told him they would come back to see him again in the evening.
Watching the two boys’ backs, Old Master He smiled at Li Huan. “Tell me, how did those two end up with such a good relationship? Their personalities are so different.”
Li Huan adjusted the pillow behind Old Master He’s head. “Because both children are kind-hearted and upright.”
Old Master He nodded in agreement and lay down with Li Huan’s help.
Outside the hospital, Yu Chen’s wrist was still held by He Zhen, while his mind was in a complete muddle. He was actually quite happy that Old Master He had accepted him as a god-grandson. It meant that he and He Zhen had truly become family.
But on the other hand, if the two of them really ended up making their feelings clear to Old Master He in the future…
With knitted brows, Yu Chen looked conflicted, smiling one second and worrying the next.
“Actually, I’m pretty happy Grandpa said that. Even though there are some inconveniences, overall the advantages outweigh the drawbacks.”
He Zhen spoke openly about what he was thinking.
Sitting on the steps, Yu Chen asked softly, “Why?”
“In case I’m ever not by your side, Grandpa will take care of you with all his heart.” He Zhen was willing to do everything he could to help Yu Chen secure a place in the international biology competition, but he could not guarantee that there would be no accidents.
It was said that last year, of the fifty students who participated in the international competition, only five were picked by the top three Ivy League schools. The chances were not high.
“Boss, you don’t have to worry about me.” Guessing what He Zhen was thinking, Yu Chen sounded very optimistic. “Even if I stay in China for university, I’ll still have Dad and my friends. I won’t be wronged or suffer.”
He Zhen said, “Mm. Our safety net is still getting direct-admission spots to the domestic top three universities.”
“Boss? You think I’m that impressive?” Even someone as shameless as Yu Chen felt his face heat up at those words.
“Of course you are. Our all-powerful Fat Chencheng.” He Zhen lifted a hand and poked Yu Chen’s cheek. “You’ve gotten thinner.”
“Compared to before, I really have.” Yu Chen’s brows relaxed. “By the way, did Lin He reply to you?”
“No. Let’s wait and see.” He Zhen was not in a hurry.
Maybe Lin He would not reply at all. They would just have to see what happened tomorrow.
“But if that’s the case, then tomorrow those people will definitely—” Yu Chen looked worried, his face scrunching up into a little bun. “If they dare make a fuss, I’ll beat them up.”
“With those little fists of yours, who are you going to beat?” He Zhen took Yu Chen’s hands and tucked them into his own pocket. “Don’t worry. I won’t care about what they say. Grandpa was right—if someone’s goal is to become the manager of a group, they must have a strong inner core.”
“Then I’ll still walk beside you carrying a stick.” Yu Chen laughed at himself after saying it. “Oh right, two days ago the homeroom teacher asked everyone to sign up for the debate competition. They said if we win the school championship, we’ll compete with other schools, and if we get the chance, we can even enter the national high school debate competition.”
“Alright. I’ll take a look.”
“Oh, and the homeroom teacher believes you were framed. He even comforted me and gave me chocolate.”
“Was the chocolate good?” He Zhen looked at Yu Chen’s round black eyes and teased, “The moment food comes up, you get excited.”
“brother~ when am I that exaggerated?” In a deliberately weird tone, Yu Chen leaned against He Zhen. “From now on, you’re my real big brother.”
He Zhen smiled. “Asking for a beating.”
The next day, He Zhen went to school as usual. Although the rumors were still there, he ignored them completely and went through his classes and meals as if everything were normal.
Seeing that He Zhen’s condition seemed alright, Xiao Yu teased Yu Chen, “Fat Chencheng, look at He Zhen, all radiant and glowing. Anyone who didn’t know better would think something good happened.”
Yu Chen knew Xiao Yu’s mouth was always vicious, so he replied cheerfully, “Of course. We’re just waiting for his name to be cleared today.”
He Zhen knew Xiao Yu had helped a great deal, so he said to everyone, “Thank you all for caring so much about my matter. Tonight I’m treating everyone to dinner.”
Fang Jingrao was doing homework. Hearing that, he grinned foolishly. “That’s great. We can all get together.”
He Zhi’an was asking Lin Jiashu what he wanted for his birthday gift. The moment he heard He Zhen was treating, he hurriedly added, “Jiashu can’t eat spicy food lately, so let’s rule out Sichuan food and hotpot.”
Xiao Yu smiled knowingly. “Since when did He Zhi’an get this considerate?”
He Zhi’an’s ears immediately heated up, and he pretended not to understand.
Lin Jiashu, who had been reading, lifted his eyes gently. “No need to accommodate me. I probably can’t make it tonight. I’m going on a date with my boyfriend.”
He Zhi’an’s expression slowly froze.
Lin Jiashu actually had a boyfriend?
He Zhen had already noticed long ago that He Zhi’an liked Lin Jiashu, but since He Zhi’an had never said anything to him, he had acted as though he did not know.
“Chencheng, what do you want to eat?”
Yu Chen waggled his brows at Xiao Yu. “The great hero gets to decide.”
Xiao Yu, suddenly being praised so highly, could not hide the satisfaction in his expression at all.
“Good one, Fat Chencheng. At least my doting on you wasn’t wasted.”
To be fair, Xiao Yu really had done quite a lot in He Zhen’s matter, and Yu Chen was very grateful.
The group was still discussing what to eat when the homeroom teacher hurried over and called out, “He Zhen! To the principal’s office!”
He Zhen and Yu Chen exchanged a quiet look.
What was meant to come had finally arrived.
After He Zhen left, the class immediately started buzzing again.
Since both He Zhen and Lin He had come to school today, everyone was extremely curious about how this whole matter would ultimately end.
Inside the principal’s office, Lin He sat on the sofa with his head lowered. Beside him, Zhang Xiao had already confessed everything, including how Lin He had bribed another classmate, Lin Li, in preparation for cheating on the English exam.
But from beginning to end, Lin He did not say a single word. He looked much thinner, his lips dry, cracked, and pale, like a completely different person from before.
His fingers clutched tightly at his school uniform, and his shoulders trembled almost imperceptibly.
“Lin He, He Zhen is here now too. Are you still not going to speak?”
Lin He kept his head down and his lips tightly pressed together.
“He Zhen, I already know about their joint cheating. I’ve also seen the relevant chat records. You’ve suffered an injustice because of this.”
He Zhen’s indifferent gaze shifted away from Lin He. “How do you intend to handle it?”
The principal pushed up his glasses and tried to reason with him. “We’ll make the investigation results known to the whole school. Their attitude in admitting their mistakes is passable, but they will definitely receive disciplinary marks. As for the lawsuit…”
“Since the facts have now been clarified, we can forget the lawsuit.” He Zhen glanced at Zhang Xiao, whose face was full of guilt. “Zhang Xiao’s parent is ill, so there’s no need to let this spread further to his family.”
Zhang Xiao looked at He Zhen gratefully, regretting his own actions all the more.
Hearing that, the principal was surprised. At first, he had worried He Zhen would refuse to let the matter rest and severely punish the people who had framed him.
“Alright. Don’t worry.”
“And Lin He…”
He Zhen’s voice remained calm. “Lin He, do you have anything you want to say to me?”
Suddenly being called out, Lin He clenched his fists hard, as if struggling inside.
But in the end, he said nothing.
He felt that he no longer had any face left to face his classmates or teachers. The tiny bit of self-respect he still had had already been trampled to pieces.
After waiting a moment, He Zhen looked at Lin He and said, “I won’t forgive you, because the harm you caused me and my family cannot be undone. But at school, I also won’t do anything to you. I only hope that after graduation, we never meet again. Because I can’t promise that by then, I still won’t choose to settle this score.”
Lin He closed his eyes and bowed his head deeply.
That afternoon, the whole school received an official notice about the cheating case that had caused such a huge uproar. If He Zhen had not stopped him, Yu Chen would already have gone to stand outside Class Three and provoke the boys who had been gossiping that day.
Now that the truth was finally out, the classmates could openly discuss it, and they all comforted He Zhen, telling him not to bother himself with Lin He anymore.
After school, He Zhen took everyone to a nearby restaurant for dinner. Lin Jiashu’s boyfriend had something come up at the last minute, so he was able to join the group after all.
Xiao Yu wanted Thai food, so they went to a Thai restaurant that was very famous in Hai City.
When they ate, everyone sat along a semi-enclosed sofa arrangement. Naturally, Yu Chen sat right next to He Zhen. And He Zhi’an, who was usually very attentive toward Lin Jiashu, unusually squeezed in next to Yu Chen instead and seemed lifeless the entire time.
“The green curry is delicious.”
Now that He Zhen’s name had finally been cleared, Yu Chen was happier than anyone. Hugging his rice bowl, he devoured three bowls in one go, eating twice as much as Lin Jiashu.
As He Zhen wiped the curry from the corner of Yu Chen’s mouth, his phone suddenly rang.
The number belonged to Zhang Xiao.
Since He Zhen had not told anyone about helping Zhang Xiao’s mother, he went outside specifically to answer it.
Holding a lemon tea, Lin Jiashu quietly looked over at He Zhi’an.
Naturally, he knew exactly why He Zhi’an was feeling down.
“Hello, the table next to yours has sent over some green papaya salad and curry crab for you.”
Xiao Yu stretched his neck out curiously and discovered that the next table seemed to be a group of university students who had just gotten out of class. Their table was piled with theoretical textbooks.
That whole table was laughing. The boy sitting in the middle, who was being teased by everyone else, was incredibly handsome, with strikingly deep, elegant features—more attractive than a celebrity.
Xiao Yu quickly said to the others, “Look, there’s a handsome guy.”
Fang Jingrao looked over curiously. “Why did he send us dishes?”
“Probably because he has ulterior motives.” Lin Jiashu smiled faintly.
Sure enough, not long after, the boy who had sent them the dishes walked over.
“You’re students from Hongwen, right?”
His voice was warm, low, and very pleasant to hear.
Xiao Yu nodded. “Mm, we’re second-year students.”
The boy smiled, and his gaze landed on Yu Chen, who was still eating with his head down. “May I ask where you bought the charm on your schoolbag?”
Yu Chen wiped the corner of his mouth and smiled as he lifted up the charm. “This one? I made it myself.”
Back then, when he had made a handmade koi fish charm for He Zhen, he had a lot of materials left over, so he had casually shaped a chubby little panda for himself too.
“So cute.” The boy’s voice remained gentle. “Can I add your WeChat and ask you for a DIY tutorial?”
The moment he said that, everyone at the table instantly understood.
Resting his chin on one hand, Xiao Yu lightly poked Yu Chen and whispered into his ear, “I think this guy has his eye on you.”
Yu Chen himself could also vaguely feel that, though he did not quite dare be sure.
With an apologetic smile, he said, “There are lots of tutorials online. I just searched randomly too, so sorry, I can’t give you one.”
The boy nodded regretfully. “Alright.”
After he returned to his own table, his friends all seemed to be calling him useless. Several of them were even egging him on.
Yu Chen pulled his thoughts back and ordered another bowl of rice, devoting himself wholeheartedly to eating.
By then, He Zhen had come back too. No sooner had he sat down than Xiao Yu started embellishing the story for him about how an unbelievably handsome guy had just come over to ask Yu Chen for his WeChat.
At the end, Xiao Yu even asked cheerfully, “Guess whether Fat Chencheng added him or not?”
He Zhen tilted his head to glance at Yu Chen, then looked over at that boy.
He was indeed pretty good-looking.
“He didn’t add him.”
Completely at ease, He Zhen picked up a crab claw and started shelling the crab for Yu Chen.
Xiao Yu lifted a brow. “How are you that confident?”
He Zhen gave him a calm look. “Mm. I’m confident.”
The others were all secretly laughing, Xiao Yu especially.
Yu Chen kept his head lowered over his rice, so embarrassed even his ears had turned red.
Then suddenly, he set down his bowl and said in a sour tone, “I don’t even have a boyfriend, so how do you know I didn’t add him?”
