The Flower Of The High Mountain Is Pregnant With The Son Of The Sand Sculpture Ceo Chapter 14

Chapter 14: A Pathetic Lie

Lu Shangyan lowered the car window, letting the air blow in and scatter across his face. He took several deep breaths before he started to feel a little better.

But regarding Pei Yumin’s question just now, he remained silent, offering no further response.

It was only when the surroundings quieted down again that Pei Yumin realized his possessiveness had acted up, and he had spoken too harshly.

To Lu Shangyan, he was currently just a roommate who existed to help split the rent. He had absolutely no standing to interfere with Lu Shangyan’s private affairs.

This was his mistake.

So, he pretended nothing had happened, stiffly stretched his lips into a standard fake smile, and spoke in a rigid tone, like a deliberately emotional radio announcer from the last century: “Does your stomach still hurt? Should I take you directly to the hospital for a check-up?”

Lu Shangyan watched the streetlights flash past outside the car window and slowly shook his head: “It doesn’t hurt anymore.”

Pei Yumin glanced at him several times, distracted, and seeing no sign of discomfort on his face, he temporarily shelved the idea of forcing him to the hospital.

Besides, he needed to be mindful of Lu Shangyan’s mood right now. He had to be extra obedient, lest he be swept out the door.

Lu Shangyan was truly exhausted. As soon as they got home, he burrowed into his room, drew the curtains, pulled the blanket over his head, and fell into a deep sleep.

Pei Yumin stood by the door listening for a long time. Initially, he stood, then he pressed his ear against the door, and finally, he plastered his entire body against it. Only after ensuring he couldn’t hear a single sound did he turn and sit on the sofa, ready to rush over the moment Lu Shangyan stirred.

By the time Tang Suichen called, he had already fantasized for the nth time about Lu Shangyan lying on the bed alone, coughing up blood, his weak cries for help unable to penetrate the door, causing him to suffer greatly because he couldn’t hear.

When the phone rang, he was startled into a cold sweat by the imagined scene. He answered the call and immediately blurted out: “What do you think is the probability that I’ll be kicked out if I sneak into Shangyan’s room while he’s asleep?”

Tang Suichen had intended to ask how the matters concerning Lu Lin and Chen Shuo were being handled, and if there was anything else he needed help with. Instead, he encountered someone who was clearly having a nervous breakdown.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and answered truthfully: “One hundred percent.”

Pei Yumin: “I won’t be kicked out…”

Tang Suichen: “You will definitely be kicked out…”

Their voices sounded simultaneously and then quickly faded. Pei Yumin lowered his voice to defend himself: “Impossible! I went into his room two days ago, and he didn’t kick me out.”

Tang Suichen’s tone was surprised: “I didn’t realize you were so bold and secretly passionate in private! Tell me, what did you do while he was asleep?”

He had clearly gotten the wrong idea.

But Pei Yumin hadn’t thought that far: “Watched him sleep.”

Tang Suichen had sat up straight, ready to listen intently, but this answer instantly turned him back into a caterpillar. He wrapped himself in his blanket on the bed, deciding he didn’t want to delve into a “different kind of life” with his long-time friend, or they might not even remain friends in the end.

The serious matter was more important: “Lu Lin’s mother has been brought over. She’s staying in a hotel now. The old man is so scared he doesn’t dare leave the house. He keeps asking everyone he sees if his son committed a crime, saying if they need money to bail him out, they should go find Lu Shangyan.”

Pei Yumin gritted his teeth. Lu Shangyan was able to walk into Z University with his acceptance letter thanks to the 1,500 yuan “reimbursement fee” he paid to each of the three families every month.

The three aunts and uncles combined cost him 4,500 yuan a month, even without eating or drinking.

No wonder Lu Shangyan practically lived at his part-time jobs! Even after earning so much money, he still complained about the few-yuan slippers that were about to split open!

He worked hard for a month while maintaining his grades. To climb out of that man-eating mire to where he was now, he must have shed several layers of skin! If it were anyone else, they would have probably cut ties with that family long ago.

But why did Lu Shangyan continue to endure it?

Pei Yumin ran a hand through his hair, unable to figure it out: “That entire family is shameless!”

Tang Suichen said: “I have a way to get the money back for you.”

Pei Yumin was afraid Lu Shangyan would be angry if he found out. After all, Lu Shangyan had endured it for so long, meaning he definitely didn’t want to completely sever ties with those people. He had his reasons.

But then he thought, this was Tang Suichen doing it, what did it have to do with Pei Yumin? It was more important for Lu Shangyan to have an easier time: “Don’t let Lu Shangyan know.”

“You can trust me to handle things,” Tang Suichen chuckled. “Lu Lin wants to do business? I’ll give him a proper lesson.”

After hanging up, Pei Yumin sent a text message to Qi Min:

[Go find my mother and tell her I’ve been bullied. I can’t eat or drink, and I’ve collapsed in bed, completely demoralized.]

[Say that I didn’t want to worry them so I kept quiet, and that you couldn’t stand it anymore and decided to tell her. Remember, you must make it sound very emotional and vivid!]

Qi Min: [Understood, CEO Pei.]

Qi Min: …A pathetic lie. Who would believe that?

But Madam Yuan actually believed it.

Her heart immediately started racing, tears streamed down her face, and she stopped looking at the ledger. She grabbed her bag and drove off to find Old Pei to back up their son.

About twenty minutes later, Pei Yumin received a call from Madam Yuan. Pei Yumin hung up three times in a row before taking a deep breath and answering, feigning weakness.

Madam Yuan’s worried voice came through: “Who bullied you, my dear son? It’s all your father’s fault for insisting you go to that branch company for training. In a small place like that, those people don’t know who you are, causing you to be ostracized and bullied!”

Old Pei had a headache: “He’s almost thirty, not three.”

Pei Yumin coughed a few times, his eyes red from holding it in, and then whispered: “Mom, don’t worry. Dad is right, I’m almost thirty. I need to learn to handle things myself.”

Old Pei sighed deeply: “Pei Yumin, can you stop pretending!”

Pei Yumin knew when to stop: “If I were the only one being bullied, I wouldn’t be so anxious. But the situation is different this time. Your daughter-in-law is being targeted. That person is slandering him at school every day, making him unable to study well or sleep well. He’s constantly on the verge of collapse and looks like he could have an accident at any moment.”

“I want to help him, but your daughter-in-law has been a top student since childhood—self-reliant and disciplined. He doesn’t like relying on others. I’m afraid helping him will burden him, so I’m in a dilemma and overthinking things.”

After speaking, he coughed weakly and hoarsely several times.

Madam Yuan was stunned. She raised her voice, worriedly saying: “Son, are you delirious from a fever? Didn’t you say you couldn’t do it? How could such an excellent girl be willing to be with you?”

Pei Yumin said: “It’s a son-in-law. Also, what do you mean I can’t do it? I can do it very well!”

Madam Yuan turned to Qi Min for confirmation, and Qi Min closed his eyes slightly and nodded.

Madam Yuan’s pupils involuntarily widened: “Son, you’re the bottom!”

Pei Yumin remembered that night at the hotel, Lu Shangyan had indeed actively sat on him and swayed at first.

He didn’t offer further explanation: “Don’t change the subject. Can you help? Those bastards are threatening your son-in-law with a knife to his throat!”

Old Pei clutched his chest: “Who is it?”

Pei Yumin exaggerated and embellished the story greatly. His acting was hundreds of times better than Qi Min’s. By the end, Madam Yuan was overcome with maternal love and wanted to personally bring Lu Shangyan home and nurture him back to health.

Amidst Madam Yuan’s weeping and Old Pei’s sighing, Pei Yumin said: “I can secretly deal with those people right now. Your son isn’t completely useless. So, Old Pei, I have a more important task for you, one that only someone with a bulging wallet like you can handle.”

Pei Yumin’s sudden 180-degree turn nearly caused Old Pei’s brain to cramp: “What kind of disreputable idea have you come up with now?”

–

Chen Shuo’s grounding period was extended again. Lu Shangyan hadn’t seen any sign of him at school for nearly a week.

The day Lu Lin was released, Lu Shangyan went to pick him up but didn’t see him. He called, but Lu Lin didn’t answer. Since that day, Lu Lin seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Lu Shangyan was nervous for two days until he received a call from an unknown number. It was Lu Lin, who said he was following a big boss to do big business, had lost his phone on the way, and had gotten a new SIM card. He had already earned a lot of money in a few days and no longer needed or cared about the fifty thousand yuan from Lu Shangyan. He told Lu Shangyan to wire the money to his mother instead.

Lu Shangyan naturally couldn’t wire it. If he really sent fifty thousand back, two more fifty thousands would be waiting for him. So, after hanging up, he immediately returned the money to Song Yuxin.

Lu Lin was arrogant and unskilled. Earning money through empty promises in such a short time, and an amount significantly higher than fifty thousand, surely meant the situation wasn’t simple. During the call, Lu Shangyan tried to kindly advise him, but Lu Lin cursed him back: “Making big money requires guts and connections! The big boss trusts me and values me, so he’s willing to take me along to get rich! Unlike you? A useless bum who only knows how to study and go to school. Raising you was pointless!”

Lu Shangyan didn’t dare to persuade him further. Coupled with the fact that he had passed the interview with Dong Shufan and gained another part-time job, he became even busier.

Fortunately, the debt weighing on him had been cleared, so even being busy didn’t feel like much.

The part-time job introduced by Xia Li was extended. When they worked as cashiers, the revenue was significantly higher than usual, so Shi Yu signed long-term contracts with those who were willing to continue helping.

The salary was slightly lower than when he was doing photography part-time, but this was already very good for Lu Shangyan. He needed to save up his tuition before the summer break, and having some left over would be best.

He wanted to go home for the summer this year, and he probably wouldn’t find any good jobs in their county town.

With this calculation, Lu Shangyan quickly signed the contract.

Afterward, Zhao Jian found out and laughed at him: “You didn’t even read the contract carefully? Aren’t you afraid there’s a clause requiring you to provide special services to big customers who buy clothes?”

Before Lu Shangyan could answer, Dong Shufan pushed the door open and walked in. After their eyes met, he stood beside Lu Shangyan, looking very familiar: “I heard you were still working part-time here a couple of days ago and wanted to come see you, but I had too many patients. I only managed to find time today.”

Zhao Jian smelled gossip. He drifted over, sucking on his milk tea straw, and openly stared at Dong Shufan for a while, then suddenly exclaimed: “The Player? Is that you, Little Chili Player?”