Chà Chà Novel

Su Nuo didn’t tell Fu Baihan about that conversation. The little one who loved to act cute with him, show off, and ask to be praised and coaxed would, when it came to truly protecting him, do it quietly.

When Fu Baihan finished work and came back to the bedroom, he found the kid already sound asleep. He kissed his forehead, turned off the light, got into bed, and pulled him into his arms. Good night, little treasure.

The other bedroom in the apartment had become all but useless lately. Su Nuo had grown used to sharing a bed with him, and Fu Baihan had discovered the charm of a small home.

With only the two of them living there, like a newlywed couple, the place was slowly filling up with the feel of real life.

A certain richest man mused leisurely that villas, manors and castles couldn’t compare to a home where calling out once got an answer from his little treasure.

Fu · Versailles · Without · Knowing It · Baihan.

Su Nuo had arranged a time with Xi Zhou and waited for him to come pick him up. Fu Baihan was busy with a new project and couldn’t play little assistant for now; besides, he trusted Su Nuo in Xi Zhou’s hands.

In the elevator, Xi Zhou complained, “Why do you live so far away? Don’t you think this apartment is tiny?”

It had taken almost two hours to drive over from the Xi residence, and Xi Zhou declared he had endured far too much.

Su Nuo patted his shoulder. “Good thing it’s just the two of us in this elevator.”

Xi Zhou was puzzled. “Why?”

“If the neighbors heard you, wouldn’t they beat you up on the spot?” Su Nuo shot him a sideways look. “Do you have any idea how expensive property is here?”

And he called it small. A real young master of the “let them eat cake” variety.

In the middle of the capital’s business district, and a duplex at that — in a sense, everyone who lived here was a success story.

Besides, this development belonged to the Fu Group. Absolutely flawless, thank you very much!

Although Xi Zhou was always grumbling about being jealous of Su Nuo, as the only son of the Xi family, his standard of living was beyond what most people could imagine.

The Xi family would never hand the business to him, but he was still the least provoke-able heir in the circles of old wealth. If his parents hadn’t been strict about his studies instead of parking him at some elite private school to coast, Su Nuo might never have had the chance to become his friend.

Xi Zhou had an older sister, a powerhouse who had already joined the company in a senior role and was thriving. He, on the other hand, wanted nothing but photography. His parents had objected and pressured him, but in the end they gave in.

Fine, whatever, it wasn’t as if there was no one to inherit.

They were a little old-fashioned at heart and had hoped their son would take over the family business, but the boy just wasn’t cut out for it, and their daughter was so capable — they couldn’t gamble the family fortune just to let their son practice.

The reason the Fu and Xi families had amassed such staggering wealth was, above all, clear-headedness.

Heirs and all that — the most capable takes the seat. If the family truly couldn’t raise one, they’d hire professional managers. Either way, no spendthrift would ever get a chance to touch real power.

Xi Zhou didn’t see anything wrong with that. His sister never shorted him on money, and he got to chase his dream freely. Perfect, really.

One look at his dad, balding in middle age, said it all: running a company was no easy job.

Xi Zhou’s stance: Don’t look at me. I don’t want to get stronger, and I definitely don’t want to go bald.

Without the Fu family’s genes for thick hair, he had to start protecting his early!

“I’ve never had neighbors in the same building.” Xi Zhou slung an arm over Su Nuo’s shoulder. “Kiddo, look at you. You’re with him and still living a hard life.”

Su Nuo: “……” No need to wait for the neighbors. I’ll beat you up myself right now.

Getting hit, Xi Zhou pouted but didn’t dare hit back — not because he couldn’t win, but because he was afraid of making him cry.

“I like it this way! My brother is so good-looking, I’d happily support him myself!” Su Nuo said fiercely.

Xi Zhou froze. “……”

Well, well. So this kid is shallow and only cares about looks!

At the photo studio, after introductions with the staff, Su Nuo was taken off to change and get styled.

Xi Zhou’s senior from school was in charge of the magazine cover. Giving Xi Zhou this opportunity wasn’t only out of loyalty between classmates — she also wanted to ride a bit of He Yun’s buzz.

Su Nuo didn’t feel it himself, but he was already pretty popular by now, no longer some nameless little performer.

The person in charge felt a twinge of regret. If they could have gotten Wei Sinian, a cover of the two of them together would surely have sold like crazy, right?

As a closet “Sweetener” CP fan, she kept up the polished, serious look of a city professional on the outside, while the little fangirl inside her was already jumping up and down screaming.

They had originally planned to send an invitation to Wei Sinian’s team, but Xi Zhou refused, making it clear that this cover was for Su Nuo alone, so they dropped it.

Everyone knew what kind of standing the Xi family had.

At first some had let their imaginations run wild, wondering if Xi Zhou and Su Nuo had some unspeakable relationship. But seeing how openly they showed up together and how naturally they got along, they looked more like straight-guy brothers.

The person in charge asked Xi Zhou curiously, “So what’s your relationship with Nuonuo?”

Xi Zhou said smugly, “I’m his dad.”

Su Nuo, who had forgotten something and was coming out of the dressing room, heard that and immediately kicked him. “Xi Zhou, haven’t you been beaten enough?”

It didn’t look like they were actually falling out and fighting; if anything, it showed how close they were, that they were used to treating each other this way.

Xi Zhou hooked an arm around Su Nuo’s neck and introduced him to his senior. “What I said earlier wasn’t the whole story. Actually, we’re childhood friends.”

“Ah… I see. Got it.”

To be childhood friends with the young master of the Xi family, Su Nuo surely came from no ordinary background.

Su Nuo knew Xi Zhou was deliberately backing him up, worried someone might look down on him, and it warmed his heart.

That was what friends were — people who put themselves in your shoes.

But that feeling of being touched vanished very quickly. Xi Zhou vividly demonstrated that besides warming your heart, friends could also totally screw you over.

Because after the shoot, Xi Zhou took Su Nuo to a class reunion — face to face with Yu Ning.

He should’ve seen it coming. With this guy back in the country, how could there not be a get-together?

Three years as high school classmates and only one semester since graduation — the bond hadn’t faded yet. The capital was full of universities, so many of their classmates were here.

Xi Zhou was popular too; one call and everyone answered. Getting a full table together was a breeze.

He whispered in Su Nuo’s ear, “I didn’t invite Yu Ning, but Wang Li is in the same class as him at uni, they keep in touch, and I couldn’t exactly tell him not to come.”

One glare from Su Nuo and he knew it was about Yu Ning. An explanation had to be given, but the guy was already here; after three years as classmates, they couldn’t just kick him out.

The thing was, this kid never let on why he’d fallen out with Yu Ning, leaving Xi Zhou stuck in the middle as the bitter, hapless go-between.

Yu Ning wasn’t close to Xi Zhou. He’d never come to a reunion just to welcome him home. He must have known Xi Zhou would bring Su Nuo, and set up this whole roundabout plan just to see him.

With the three of them all present, the most excited were the girls in the class. They’d long since shipped these three in every possible combination.

The best-looking boys in the whole school were all in their class — what joy! Not to mention that Su Nuo was a celebrity now.

Yu Ning poured Su Nuo a cola. “I went to see He Yun in theaters. You were great.”

You don’t hit a smiling face, and Su Nuo couldn’t throw a tantrum for no reason. Yu Ning had counted on him not doing anything in front of their classmates, which was exactly why he valued the reunion so much.

Su Nuo lowered his eyes. “Mm, thanks.”

Yu Ning’s smile was bitter. He had more or less guessed the truth: Su Nuo had been reborn with those memories too, which was why things were the way they were now.

Win him back? He knew Su Nuo’s temper too well to see any hope. After everything he’d done in his past life, Su Nuo still sitting here listening to him talk was an act of who knew how much restraint. Or perhaps Su Nuo already saw him as an irrelevant stranger, and that was why he could stay so calm.

If it was the former, he could still feel glad. If it was the latter, then basically nothing he did would matter.

Being angry at him meant Su Nuo still cared. If even the resentment was gone, they could only be strangers.

More than ten years of friendship, destroyed by his own hands.

Yu Ning couldn’t help drifting off, remembering Su Nuo back when they were deskmates — how he’d smile sweetly at him and bring him breakfast, pout and come to him for answers when he couldn’t solve a problem, always be on his team for basketball after class, and get teased as his little tail.

They had once had such beautiful times together… How could he accept that the boy he had hurt, the boy he loved, could only ever be a stranger from now on?

But what could he do if he didn’t accept it? Beg Su Nuo for forgiveness? He couldn’t even bring himself to say it.

However Su Nuo punished him, he deserved it. All he wanted was a chance to atone.

Would he ever get that chance?

Yu Ning felt the hand holding his cup trembling. Without Su Nuo, he could taste nothing in his life but sour bitterness.

In his past life, he had endured so many years of endless regret. In this life he could at least see him — see Su Nuo, alive and vivid. Just watching him like this should be enough.

“What are Yu Ning and Nuonuo whispering about?” a girl teased. In everyone else’s eyes, the two of them were still the best of friends. Su Nuo didn’t keep in touch with classmates much, after all, so they didn’t know about the changes since summer break.

Su Nuo spoke first. “Nothing. He said he saw He Yun. Have you guys seen it? You’ve gotta support me, right?”

Everyone immediately started heckling. “The big star didn’t even give us friends-and-family tickets, and now he has the nerve to ask~”

Su Nuo’s eyes curved with laughter. “My bad, my bad! Next time I’ll book out a whole theater for everyone. It was my first time, I didn’t know any better, okay?”

“Is acting in movies fun? Can’t believe our Nuonuo is a star already!”

“Yeah, yeah! Nuonuo, are you close with Best Actor Wei? I really want his autograph!”

“Nuonuo, do you still need an assistant to carry your bags?”

Yu Ning watched Su Nuo, surrounded by everyone and at the center of every conversation, and smiled from the bottom of his heart. This was how Su Nuo was always meant to be. No one could help liking him; no one could resist being won over by his radiance.

Xi Zhou suddenly noticed Yu Ning’s gaze, and something in his head clicked. That “lovesick, lingering” look — he couldn’t be imagining it, could he? So Yu Ning had feelings like that for Su Nuo!