Become the Sickly Villain in the Novel - Chapter 34

Li Yan’s expression was serious.

He was earnestly telling Mo Chuan not to approach Li Nuo.

Although this wasn’t the best place for a conversation, if things weren’t made clear here, Mo Chuan would surely continue pestering his brother.

“We just want to live our lives peacefully, without interference from others. So, please don’t get close to my brother anymore.”

“What kind of reasoning is that? I haven’t done anything wrong. Li Nuo himself hasn’t said anything, has he?”

Mo Chuan squinted his eyes in response.

He then recalled yesterday, when Li Nuo had said that they came from two different worlds and it would be best to stay distant.

His expression stiffened slightly—No, no, that didn’t count.

He would make Li Nuo change his mind.

Li Yan raised his voice slightly, “That’s because my brother has lost his memory and has become easily trusting.”

“So what? You never guarded against me before, but now you’re telling me to stay away?”

Mo Chuan’s face darkened as he sat up straight, looking directly at Li Yan.

“Yes, because it’s been hard for my brother to become a little happier, and I don’t want that to be ruined by your momentary amusement.”

Li Yan’s reason for not wanting Mo Chuan near was clear: “You only follow your curiosity, and once you’ve had enough fun, you discard people. That’s your pattern.”

Mo Chuan had always acted this way—once he found things boring, he would leave, regardless of how others pleaded.

Li Yan feared that Li Nuo would end up being treated the same way.

Mo Chuan denied this, “Don’t make it sound like I’m some kind of scumbag. In fact, I’ve never had any intimate contact with those people, right? The most was holding hands. I made it clear from the start that I wouldn’t be in a relationship. Since they agreed, is it my fault if they became greedy afterward?”

“But you haven’t told my brother this, have you?”

“That?” Mo Chuan spread his hands dismissively. “Li Nuo knows. We talked about it yesterday.”

“?”

Ignoring Li Yan’s confusion, Mo Chuan continued with a mocking tone, “Secretary Li, I think you’re mistaken about something. Li Nuo is an independent person with his own mind. You don’t share a brain with him. Even as family, you don’t have the right to control who he associates with.”

Li Yan fell silent, but Mo Chuan didn’t stop mocking him.

“He’s the same age as you. He just has amnesia, not dementia. You know that, don’t you?”

“Enough.” Qin Xu, who had come over to the table, said.

His voice further deepened the already heavy atmosphere. The intensity between the group had grown so palpable that people sitting nearby had quietly moved to other tables.

A tense silence surrounded the table.

Secretary Yang had long gotten used to this cold atmosphere. While the two were talking earlier, he was leisurely playing with his phone on the side.

However, now that Qin Xu had intervened, he felt it was time to act as well.

“Alright, let’s head to the company first. Director Mo, are you staying behind? The three of us will leave first. Oh, and let’s take the trash with us.”

He began stacking the snack trays, getting ready to throw them away.

Unexpectedly, things took an unforeseen turn.

“No, you stay, too.”

“Director Qin? You’re not going to work?” Secretary Yang asked, puzzled.

“I’ve finished my work. Besides, a team lunch can’t just end with a meal and coffee, can it?”

Secretary Yang mumbled a few words and put down the tray. “So, are we…”

“Wait here.”

Secretary Yang glanced over at the bar and understood.

“Alright, Li Yan, you’ve been working hard for a long time too. You can finish tomorrow. Let’s enjoy ourselves this afternoon.”

He persuaded Li Yan to sit down.

With Mo Chuan, who had no intention of leaving, the four of them remained seated.

At the bar, Li Nuo glanced over at them. None of the four had moved, just sitting there.

Midway through, Secretary Yang went to the bar and ordered four more coffees.

“Aren’t you guys going to work?”

Yuesen Group was a massive company with countless subsidiaries, so there was always a lot to do.

Especially for Qin Xu, who had poured his heart into the company—he was known as a workaholic.

The novel describes many scenes where he pulled his team into overtime work.

Now, during a workday, they were just sitting in a café?

“Haha, it’s because there’s a team lunch today. We’ve been busy for a long time and need a break.” Secretary Yang awkwardly scratched his head and laughed. “Li Nuo, why don’t you join us this afternoon? Li Yan is here too.”

After all, his trip to the bar was to persuade him.

“With you guys?” Li Nuo glanced over at the seats. Qin Xu and Mo Chuan were the same as before, but for some reason, Li Yan’s back looked somewhat depressed.

Li Nuo nodded. “Alright, if you don’t mind.”

At 3:00 PM, his shift ended.

Li Nuo packed his things and walked toward the group. Their presence was attracting more attention than usual, and he felt like people were staring holes into him.

He was relieved to finally be able to leave.

As soon as Li Nuo approached, Secretary Yang sprang up from his seat. Truth be told, he had been the most stressed sitting there.

“Go, go, go, let’s start the lunch.”

Once outside, Li Yan exhaled deeply, managing to control his dark expression.

Damn Mo Chuan.

Walking beside him, Li Nuo lightly nudged his arm.

“What’s wrong? You don’t look too good.”

“Nothing,” Li Yan forced a smile. “Are you feeling okay, brother?”

“I’m fine now. Look,” Li Nuo raised his wrist to show his watch, “Everything’s back to normal.”

The heart rate displayed had returned to a steady rhythm.

“Brother.”

“Hm?”

“You really don’t need to come with us. Even though it’s a team lunch, it’s just a meal.”

Li Nuo had followed along because Li Yan seemed a bit off in the café. Now that he thought about it, this was a company lunch—wouldn’t it be awkward for him to go?

“That’s true, but you…”

Before Li Yan could finish, Secretary Yang, who had been eavesdropping, cut him off.

“What are you saying? The more, the merrier for a team lunch. It should be lively,” Secretary Yang waved his hand. “Don’t listen to your brother’s nonsense.”

He was joking—there was no way he could let Li Nuo leave now, not with those two bosses obviously wanting him around.

Besides, he was dying to see how Mo Chuan and Qin Xu’s expressions would change. The serious look Mo Chuan had worn earlier was a rare sight.

As for Li Yan’s concern that Mo Chuan might just be toying with Li Nuo, Secretary Yang was convinced it wouldn’t happen. He swore on his status as a married man.

Watching Secretary Yang pull Li Nuo along, Li Yan was left in distress.

He didn’t want Li Nuo to get further entangled with the two directors, but it had been so long since he had gone out with his brother. He was torn.

However, Secretary Yang also seemed unwilling to let his brother leave.

Since that was the case, he could only watch carefully.

He quickly caught up to Li Nuo ahead.

“Let’s go together. I’m just worried you’ll be tired from standing and working all day, brother.”

“I’m alright. It’s a workday, so the crowd isn’t too bad. If it were a weekend, I’d probably be too exhausted to come out with you.”

Li Nuo tugged at his collar. After being in the air-conditioned café, stepping out into the scorching sun felt unbearable.

The 3 p.m. sun was truly relentless.

Perhaps they hadn’t yet decided on a destination, as Secretary Yang was busy searching on his phone, while Qin Xu and Mo Chuan, despite wearing suits, didn’t seem bothered by the heat and were chatting.

Li Nuo quietly moved closer to Li Yan, “By the way, what happened earlier? The atmosphere between you all was pretty tense.”

Although he couldn’t hear what they were talking about from the bar area, he could sense the heavy mood, especially when Qin Xu spoke at the end, radiating cold air like a human air conditioner.

“…Just some work-related matters. You know how busy the company has been lately, and Director Mo hasn’t been showing up much.”

“Oh, I see.”

That was true. Yesterday as well, Mo Chuan had stayed with him until late.

He was definitely neglecting his work a bit.

While the brothers were talking, the two directors were also engaged in their own conversation, and Secretary Yang had made a decision on the next destination.

The question was how to get there.

There were two cars, but five people.

How should they split up?

Two people in one car, and the other three in another?

When Secretary Yang voiced this suggestion, Li Yan immediately agreed, “I’ll go with my brother, and Director Qin in one car. Secretary Yang and Director Mo in the other.”

Secretary Yang quickly rejected this, “Uh—Well, even though I’ve known him for a while… You know, I’m kind of afraid Director Mo might bully me.”

He whispered the last part.

“Then everyone together, but someone has to sit next to Director Qin.”

“I won’t! Absolutely not!”

“Then what do we do? Secretary Yang, how about you drive?”

Let Secretary Yang drive, Li Nuo sit in the front passenger seat, and I’ll sit in the back with Director Qin.

Ideally, they would put Mo Chuan and Qin Xu together, but that would never happen.

After standing outside the café for a while, the heat was becoming unbearable.

Finishing his conversation about company matters, Mo Chuan walked over and asked, “What are you guys talking about? Isn’t it hot out here?”

“We’ve decided on a destination. We were just discussing how to get there,” Secretary Yang answered.

“How to get there? We have cars, right? I drove here as well.”

“Yeah, it’s just the seating arrangement…”

“Why is that even a question? Here’s what we’ll do.”

……………

Secretary Yang hadn’t held the steering wheel for a while. Sitting alone in the car, he sighed in satisfaction. “It should’ve been like this from the start. If I had to sit in the middle of those four, I’d suffocate.”

Secretary Yang first drove away Li Yan’s car, and the four walked towards Mo Chuan’s car.

Mo Chuan opened the front passenger door first and grabbed Li Nuo’s arm.

“Huh?”

With a swift tug, he directed Li Nuo into the front passenger seat.

“You two can get in the back.”

With a thud, he closed the door and got into the driver’s seat, starting the car.

Li Yan sighed audibly, opening the back door for Qin Xu.

Once the two were settled in, Mo Chuan asked, “Where to?”

Li Yan sent over the location Secretary Yang had chosen.

Mo Chuan searched it and raised an eyebrow, “An amusement park? Is Secretary Yang a kid?”

Who picks an amusement park for a team lunch?

Mo Chuan muttered his complaint under his breath, then dialed Secretary Yang’s number.

When Li Nuo’s eyes lit up, “Amusement park? You guys go to places like that for team lunches? That sounds fun!”

Upon hearing a curious tone nearby, Mo Chuan immediately hung up his call and even declined Secretary Yang’s incoming call.

“Uh—Was I too excited?” Li Nuo awkwardly scratched his ear, feeling out of place as the only one reacting so enthusiastically.

Li Yan quickly reassured him, “Not at all, brother. I’m looking forward to it too.”

“……”

The atmosphere in the car remained awkward, so Mo Chuan chimed in, “We’ve been doing this lately for team lunches. It’s a nice way to relax.”

Seeing Mo Chuan easily go along with it, Qin Xu’s lips twitched.

Before stepping on the gas, Mo Chuan glanced over, “You haven’t been out much, have you?”

Li Nuo sat there, startled as a hand reached over, and Mo Chuan’s face leaned in so close that he could feel his breath.

Click—The sound of the seatbelt locking in place. “You should fasten your seatbelt.”

Li Yan nearly exploded. If Mo Chuan hadn’t pulled away right after securing the belt, he might have lost his temper.

“Thank you.” Li Nuo checked his seatbelt. It was the first time someone had ever helped him fasten it.

When Mo Chuan leaned in, Li Nuo caught a faint scent.

Unlike the sharp, bitter cologne that Qin Xu wore, there was a faint sweetness.

In the car, most of the time, it was the sound of Li Nuo and Mo Chuan chatting.

“So, did you see them? Kangaroos?”

“Yeah, I did, and I almost got punched by one.”

“Whoa, that’s scary!”

“Haha, but it was still a great trip.”

No matter what Mo Chuan said, Li Nuo would always respond, while the two people in the back listened in a relaxed and amused manner.

The atmosphere in the car was much better than Secretary Yang had anticipated.