Contract Couple – CH10

Chapter 10

Long Yu pondered, “I’ve heard about your situation with Luo Yi from Jing Yao.”

Zhuo Yifan immediately fumed: “That stupid idiot! He made my master suffer like this—why would my master even mention him?”

Long Yu raised an eyebrow: “But from what I heard, you were the one who reported them first.”

Zhuo Yifan protested, “I only reported Luo Yi, not my master!”

Long Yu said, “Since your businesses are tied together, targeting Jing Yao like this doesn’t help. He had to leave in such a mess—you bear a lot of responsibility.”

Zhuo Yifan was still sulking and unwilling to accept it, opening his mouth to argue, when Long Yu said, “He cares about you and doesn’t want you to get hurt.”

His tone was calm, almost like a simple statement. Hearing it, Zhuo Yifan felt uneasy. He also knew he was partly in the wrong, so he sat quietly, not saying a word. If anyone had always protected him without expecting anything in return, it was his master, Fang Jing Yao—his real master.

Long Yu tapped his fingers on the armrest of the wooden chair a few times, each tap neither too hard nor too soft, then suddenly said, “I’m surrounded by medical professionals. I know a bit about human bones and muscle structure, but it’s nothing compared to the artistic sense in your drawings.”

Zhuo Yifan didn’t know where this was going and replied half-heartedly, “Actually, there are some commonalities…”

Long Yu continued, “I have a friend who’s a forensic doctor, very skilled in mechanical injury assessment, and he also studies handwriting a bit as a hobby. He has a good relationship with the criminal investigation team. If you need to verify marks or traces, even though he hasn’t dealt with storyboard overlays or panels before, he can help from another perspective.” He squinted at Zhuo Yifan. “After verification, the responsible party can be clearly identified. Since you want to take legal action, you need to figure everything out thoroughly. Nothing can be left out—that’s the only way to send an effective lawyer’s notice.”

Zhuo Yifan swallowed nervously, looking at Dr. Long with a sense of unfamiliarity. “Dr. Long… you mean?”

“Since you’re going to court, it’s more appropriate for the victim to take the role. I think Jing Yao is more suitable than you,” Long Yu said. His expression toward outsiders was cold and detached, polite yet distant, with even a faint chill in his words. “You and Luo Yi probably didn’t treat this as an important matter, right? Forgive my frankness, but if I were handling this, you’d both already be at the courthouse, talking seriously.”

Zhuo Yifan squirmed uncomfortably under his cold gaze, inching his seat back and averting his eyes slightly.

“Jing Yao protects you, so of course I won’t make things hard for you,” Long Yu adjusted the metal frame of his glasses and said coldly. “But you’re not a child anymore—you should know some basic legal knowledge.”

Dr. Long proceeded to give Zhuo Yifan a serious legal briefing. His voice was calm, but each regulation he listed was scarier than the last. Zhuo Yifan broke out in a cold sweat, feeling like he’d have to bring his drawing board to the police station just to finish the work. After all the warnings and intimidation, he didn’t dare act out anymore. Especially after hearing the losses his master had suffered, he almost cried. “What should I do? I really didn’t mean to make it this big! I just sent a lawyer’s notice to Luo Yi… why is my master also held liable?”

Long Yu said, “Your lawyer’s notice had some issues. How about this—you organize all your materials and send them to me. I’ll take a look.”

Zhuo Yifan cautiously replied, “Okay! I’ll organize them tonight and send them to you.”

For some reason, Zhuo Yifan felt that this was Long Yu’s true intention. He seemed quiet, but every word hit the point. Zhuo Yifan always believed that anyone who could help him against Luo Yi was a friend. Looking at Dr. Long—rational and capable—he was like the perfect support. After chatting for a while, Zhuo Yifan revealed everything he knew, feeling both respect and admiration for Dr. Long growing rapidly.

After finishing the serious matters, Long Yu tapped on the table and gently offered a small suggestion: “As an adult, the first thing you should do is avoid causing trouble for others. Don’t you think?”

Zhuo Yifan, used to being a wild boy, was slightly confused. Despite his delicate appearance, he had always been straightforward. “Ah?”

Long Yu looked at him coldly. “Adults shouldn’t invade others’ private space. I think it’s better if you stay at a hotel.”

Zhuo Yifan blinked, dumbfounded. “Ah?”

He had lived with his master for three or four years—since when was that considered invading private space?

Long Yu loosened his tie, a little impatient, thinking he still needed to communicate seriously with this slightly naive kid.

When Fang Jing Yao returned, he saw Zhuo Yifan almost pressed against the wall like a frightened cat. Upon seeing him, he immediately jumped up, tears streaming, calling, “Master!”

Fang Jing Yao was startled. “What’s going on?”

Zhuo Yifan sobbed, “Master, you’ve worked so hard… I… I’ll be a good, filial student from now on!”

Fang Jing Yao tapped his forehead, pushing him back a bit, then turned and laughed at Long Yu. “What did you say to him that made this silly kid so touched?”

Long Yu grabbed his jacket, stood up, and ruffled Fang Jing Yao’s hair. “Nothing. Just explained basic etiquette for adults. Let’s go; I’ll take you both back.”

The car drove to Fang Jing Yao’s neighborhood. At the intersection, Zhuo Yifan spontaneously grabbed his luggage. “Master, I won’t bother you. I’ll stay at a hotel instead.”

Fang Jing Yao was surprised. When did this clingy kid become so sensible? He glanced at Long Yu, whose eyes behind his glasses looked clear and focused solely on him. Fang Jing Yao felt a sudden urge to kiss him. Zhuo Yifan had already gotten out to carry his luggage, so Fang Jing Yao checked his back in the rearview, unbuckled his seatbelt, and leaned forward to kiss Long Yu. “I’ll help him check in, then come back. Wait for me.”

Long Yu hooked his hand around the back of Fang Jing Yao’s head, deepening the kiss. “Let him wait a moment.”

Click here to download the full novel. (EPUB & PDF)