Our Entire Family Has Secrets [Transmigrated] - Chapter 38
Yuan Bozhu didn’t know how things had developed to this point.
He and Qin Rui were sitting in a whiskey bar that was open during the day on a Saturday afternoon.
The time was so odd that there was no one else in the bar except for them.
It was like they had rented the place out. Qin Rui dragged him to the bar, where an entire row of bottles was lined up in front of them.
Yuan Bozhu told him, “I don’t drink.”
As someone who had practiced asceticism in the past, he had abstained from alcohol and lust.
Even after being in this world for eighteen years, Yuan Bozhu had never touched alcohol.
Yuan Jilang believed that alcohol would erode a person’s will, so he strictly prohibited drinking at home.
When Yuan Qifeng came home reeking of alcohol once, he nearly got kicked out by Yuan Jilang. Being the only child of his parents, Yuan Bozhu had never touched alcohol since he was young. The only impression he had of alcohol was probably sweet rice wine balls.
Qin Rui waved his hand grandly, “These are all for me. If you want something, just tell the manager.”
The bartender, who was mixing drinks, winked at Yuan Bozhu.
Yuan Bozhu only ordered a glass of ice water.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Qin Rui down three glasses in quick succession.
It was astonishing.
Yuan Bozhu thought it might be the events at the Sitongxing Media Company that had shocked him so much.
But then again, it shouldn’t be that surprising.
Just earlier, when Qin Rui called the police, he had been quite calm in front of them.
He had told the police what Yuan Bozhu had taught him, saying that some young people were trapped in the large conference room upstairs.
When the police asked him for details, he wasn’t nervous at all and described the ghostly happenings at the company in great detail, portraying himself and Yuan Bozhu as innocent bystanders who had accidentally encountered something sinister.
He even claimed that the company was unclean.
Of course, the police didn’t believe in ghosts and went to check the surveillance footage, which turned out to be broken.
Qin Rui, standing by, said, “See, I told you it’s haunted. We need a monk to exorcise the spirits.”
In the end, Qin Rui successfully convinced the police to let him go with his talent for making up stories.
“Ah!” Qin Rui took his fifth drink, burped, and sighed heavily.
Yuan Bozhu looked at him.
He thought Qin Rui would ask him about his “superpowers,” but he didn’t.
Qin Rui was sadly wiping his nose with a tissue, mumbling, “I didn’t pass the interview. Damn it, it was because they chose me for the money. It’s so frustrating.”
Yuan Bozhu realized that Qin Rui’s shock from the superpower revelation might not have been as great as his disappointment from failing the interview.
Qin Rui had just turned eighteen recently, but ever since he could freely enter bars, he had been drinking almost every week.
He would go on drinking, getting tipsy, and then muttering to himself about having nothing but money or bragging about how impressive it was to have money.
Suddenly, he slammed the table and said to Yuan Bozhu as if he had just had a revelation, “No wonder, no wonder!”
“What?” Yuan Bozhu swatted his outstretched hand away.
Qin Rui looked around mysteriously at the bartender and, waiting until the bartender was out of earshot, leaned closer to Yuan Bozhu and whispered, “No wonder you don’t make friends at school.”
Yuan Bozhu thought that Qin Rui wouldn’t ask him any questions even if he were drunk.
But it seemed that this was what caught his attention.
However, even if Qin Rui didn’t ask, he would surely be pondering it.
He should also understand now that Yuan Bozhu’s reluctance to interact with others was to keep his secret from being discovered.
“You’re so awesome; you must look down on those little brats and think you’re too good to be friends with them!” Qin Rui concluded confidently.
Yuan Bozhu opened his mouth but said nothing in the end. This was the first time Yuan Bozhu had been seen using his powers by someone outside his immediate circle.
The reason he had come with Qin Rui was to prevent Qin Rui from figuring things out, getting scared, and going to the police to explain everything again.
Yuan Bozhu didn’t have this experience, but he was prepared—if necessary, he would have to silence Qin Rui by using a spell, take him somewhere secluded, and either negotiate, threaten, or even remove Qin Rui’s memory altogether to prevent him from revealing Yuan Bozhu’s secret.
This would render Qin Rui useless, but if Qin Rui dared to expose Yuan Bozhu’s secret, Yuan Bozhu would have no choice but to resort to such drastic measures.
After preparing mentally for a long time, Yuan Bozhu found that Qin Rui didn’t ask any questions at all. Yuan Bozhu coldly asked, “Do you have any questions?”
Qin Rui, with drunken, bleary eyes, looked at him, suddenly exclaimed, “Yes, yes, yes!”
Yuan Bozhu furrowed his brows and looked back at him, waiting for Qin Rui’s inquiry.
Suddenly, Qin Rui turned serious, grabbed Yuan Bozhu’s hand—though it was immediately pulled away—and said, “Yuan Ge, we’ve been through so much together, right? As your good brother, I’ll keep your secret for you. So… when you go back to school, don’t tell anyone that I failed the interview, okay?”
Yuan Bozhu blinked, genuinely confused by Qin Rui’s question. After a moment, seeing Qin Rui’s pleading look, Yuan Bozhu, either relieved or resigned, sighed and said, “Alright.”
[10:14 AM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Yuan, I’m so hungry.
[10:14 AM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Oh no, I seem to be out of money for food qaq
[12:49 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: [Image attached]
[12:49 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Hehe, luckily, there’s some stock in the fridge. Long live chocolate! [Throwing tile.jpg]
[13:32 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: The teacher called me about my missed exam… Yuan, do you want to hear some news?
[14:40 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: A-Zhu, I’ll come find you.
Yuan Bozhu took the heavily intoxicated Qin Rui back to his luxurious villa.
For the ninth time, Qin Rui drunkenly clung to his leg and swore, “Yuan Ge, from now on, you’re my brother, and my money is your money! Keep your own money for yourself!”
For the fifth time, he grabbed his clothes and shouted, “Yuan Ge, let’s conquer the world together! You use your superpowers, I’ll provide the money, and we’ll be unstoppable!”
For the third time, he knelt on the ground and cried, “…Wuwuwu, why do I only have money? Can’t I have some other use? Wuwuwu…”
In the end, Yuan Bozhu, feeling helpless, used a spell to put Qin Rui to sleep and left him with the house’s several servants. By the time he got home, it was already afternoon. The day had been almost completely consumed.
Yuan Bozhu was thinking of going back to rest, but it seemed like another misfortune was about to strike. He saw Lin Shuanghuai sitting by the flower bed downstairs in the neighborhood.
Fortunately, he managed to back away in time.
Lin Shuanghuai did not see him.
But why was Lin Shuanghuai here?
Yuan Bozhu’s first instinct was to pull out his phone, but he hesitated and put it back.
Since last night, he hadn’t looked at Lin Shuanghuai’s messages.
His lips felt uncomfortably dry.
Yuan Bozhu turned to a nearby supermarket to buy a bottle of water.
Then he sat on a bench outside, zoning out.
If he didn’t see it, he could pretend not to know.
If he saw it but avoided it in time, he could also pretend not to know.
Yes, this was in line with Yuan Bozhu’s usual principles.
He avoided Lin Shuanghuai just as he avoided others.
There was nothing special about it.
When the phone rang, Yuan Bozhu was staring at the skyline, propping his forehead with his hand.
His usually straight and indifferent lips tightened for a moment.
He then realized that Lin Shuanghuai didn’t have his phone number.
When he answered, he found it was Yuan Wanjiao.
Her voice sounded tired, as if she had just woken up.
“Little brother, are you home?”
Yuan Bozhu replied, “Almost.”
“Hmm, that’s good.” She said, then paused for a moment, as if coughing while covering the receiver, and added, “Don’t wander around outside, listen to your sister.”
Yuan Bozhu’s gaze fell in a certain direction, seeming to be in a daze, but actually, he was concentrating on listening to Yuan Wanjiao’s voice.
Sea breeze.
The sound of rising tides.
Occasional seagull cries.
Yuan Wanjiao must have just come out of the Spider Domain.
“Let’s have hot pot tonight. Since Yuan Qifeng is not around, we can have something good.”
Yuan Bozhu was silent for a moment and then said, “Alright.”
[3:03 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Yuan, I’m downstairs at your place [Jumping.jpg]
[3:03 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: I’ll wait until 3:30. If you don’t reply, I’ll come knock on the door, okay?
[3:31 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Let’s make it 4:00 then! [Spinning.jpg]
[4:01 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Okay, I was just kidding. I didn’t go to your place, hehe~
[4:03 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: Actually, I found a part-time job. The boss said to come for an interview after 6. It’s my first time finding a job on my own, so I’m a bit nervous. I wanted to ask if you could come with me.
[5:21 PM]
[Lin Shuanghuai]: I’m going to the interview now! Wish me luck.
After ending the call with Yuan Wanjiao, Yuan Bozhu inadvertently saw the string of unread messages. He initially planned to continue ignoring them but was suddenly drawn to the last message.
An interview?
For what? Where?
His expression darkened, and he stood up from his chair. He quickly walked out of the intersection. By the time he reached the bottom of the apartment building, Lin Shuanghuai was no longer in sight.
At that moment, many unsettling thoughts came rushing in.
Lin Shuanghuai was a rare kind of awakened being, with a bloodline coveted even by the Spider Domain.
The energy field of a rare type cannot be easily detected by ordinary people, but the necromancers’ spiritual power is unique, and they might accidentally stumble upon it.
What would they do if they discovered Lin Shuanghuai’s bloodline? Is Lin Shuanghuai capable of resisting?
Yuan Bozhu’s face was darker than ever. He couldn’t really answer why he had refused to check Lin Shuanghuai’s messages from last night until just now. But it was clearly not the time to find answers.
[5:35 PM]
[Yuan Bozhu]: Where are you?
Lin Shuanghuai stood straight in front of the coffee shop.
He was carrying a backpack that originally only had a book to pass the time, but when he saw a new branch of a chain bookstore next door, he couldn’t resist going in and buying a few more books with the balance on his book card.
Now his backpack was heavy.
It was a struggle to carry, but he refused to go inside and wait.
Lin Shuanghuai fidgeted with the straps of his backpack and craned his neck to look at the intersection.
He thought Yuan Bozhu would either take the bus or walk, since the coffee shop was only 1.5 kilometers from Yuan Bozhu’s home.
Last time, Yuan Bozhu walked two kilometers home, so this distance shouldn’t be too urgent.
Then a taxi stopped right in front of him.
Lin Shuanghuai saw Yuan Bozhu get out of the car, still with his usual expressionless face, but Lin Shuanghuai felt he could sense something else.
Like impatience, running out of patience.
Lin Shuanghuai thought, this is bad.
Yuan Bozhu must think that all my messages were really annoying and is here to reprimand me.
“Are you interviewing for a barista position?” Yuan Bozhu came up to him, looking at him and then at the new coffee shop beside them. His face showed a new expression.
Doubt.
Lin Shuanghuai felt a jolt of unease, rubbed his nose, and said quietly, “The boss said no experience is needed, he’ll train me himself. The daily wage looks pretty high… Actually, I don’t really know. It’s my first time finding a part-time job.”
It was strange; Lin Shuanghuai’s calm and relaxed demeanor around others always seemed to falter in front of Yuan Bozhu.
“Let’s go,” Yuan Bozhu said, not making things difficult for him.
Lin Shuanghuai nervously turned around, just about to open the door, when he suddenly felt his backpack lighten.
Yuan Bozhu had lifted it.
He instinctively raised his hand, allowing Yuan Bozhu to take the backpack.
In the moment he was stunned, Yuan Bozhu had already opened the door.
Seeing him lost in thought, Yuan Bozhu called out, “Aren’t you coming?”
“Yes, coming.”
Lin Shuanghuai felt his mouth go dry and wanted to lick his lips.
Then he realized something.
Yuan Bozhu was wearing new clothes.
The ones Lin Shuanghuai had picked out: a gray tie-dye denim jacket from the fall collection.
Though it was supposed to be the simplest style in the collection, Yuan Bozhu wore it with a refinement that made it look even better than on the model.
Lin Shuanghuai watched him for a long time, feeling like a feather was gently scratching his heart.
There was a soft, tickling sensation spreading through him.
He licked his lips and followed Yuan Bozhu inside with a light step.
“Xiao Zhu!”
Pei Jinwang’s eyes lit up when he saw Yuan Bozhu. He almost leaped over the bar, excitedly rushing to hug Yuan Bozhu.
Yuan Bozhu avoided him coldly.
Yuan Bozhu frowned and asked, “Your store?”
Although Pei Jinwang had mentioned opening a store before, Yuan Bozhu didn’t expect it to happen so soon, or by coincidence.
He looked around the shop.
Since the “Open” sign hadn’t been hung up and the main lights were off, the place looked somewhat deserted.
However, the decor was complete, and Pei Jinwang’s aesthetic was quite good.
The warm, minimalist style made the place look more “expensive” than the previous café they worked at.
Pei Jinwang was surprised.
“What? Didn’t you see my post on social media and come to celebrate my new store opening?!”
Yuan Bozhu said, “No.”
Pei Jinwang’s expression shifted several times before he asked, “Then why are you here to have coffee?”
From behind Yuan Bozhu, Lin Shuanghuai peeked out and said quietly, “Hello, I’m here for an interview.”
Pei Jinwang looked at Yuan Bozhu and then at Lin Shuanghuai, smiling, “Xiao Zhu, if you wanted to recommend someone, you should have said so earlier. I have other interviews scheduled today—what a coincidence—”
“Boss.”
Lin Shuanghuai stepped forward with a smile, took out his phone, and showed a chat screen, saying, “The person you scheduled an interview with is me.”
“Huh?!” Pei Jinwang was initially surprised, then overjoyed. “What a coincidence! You’re Xiao Zhu’s friend? Then I’ll just give you a direct pass; no need for an interview. Come, come, let’s sign the contract!”
As he spoke, he reached out to grab Lin Shuanghuai’s hand, looking very affectionate. Yuan Bozhu, however, stopped him from taking Lin Shuanghuai away.
“First, the interview,” Yuan Bozhu said, glancing at Lin Shuanghuai and then at Pei Jinwang. “He doesn’t know how to make coffee.”
“I know about that,” Pei Jinwang said generously, “It’s fine. I’ll teach him!”
“…”
Yuan Bozhu doubted his own ears.
Pei Jinwang, who couldn’t even make the simplest heart-shaped latte art, was going to teach Lin Shuanghuai how to make coffee?
“I’d like to give it a try.”
Lin Shuanghuai thought Yuan Bozhu’s silence was due to doubts about whether he could learn.
So, he eagerly volunteered, asking timidly and sincerely, “Is that alright, Xiao Zhu?”
Five minutes later.
Lin Shuanghuai, who was searching for his first part-time job and had never made coffee before, was taken to the bar by Pei Jinwang, who was making his first attempt at being a boss and teaching someone to make coffee.
Both of them seemed eager to start, sleeves rolled up—one ready to teach, the other ready to learn.
Yuan Bozhu placed the heavy backpack on the counter, leaned against it, and stared at them expressionlessly.
“Look at this coffee machine worth over 200,000 yuan,” Pei Jinwang began demonstrating the operation to Lin Shuanghuai.
“First, we grind the coffee using this powder bowl… Oh, by the way, you know the types of coffee, right? Like, you know what a latte is, what a mocha is, and what espresso is?”
Lin Shuanghuai nodded, his eyes full of eagerness, attentiveness, and focus. Pei Jinwang had never been looked at so sincerely before and immediately felt a sense of being a mentor.
“Alright, come here. I’ll teach you how to grind and extract. First of all, the coarseness of the coffee grounds will affect the extraction of the coffee.”
This sounded quite authoritative. Yuan Bozhu thought that Pei Jinwang had secretly brushed up on his coffee-making skills.
However, a few minutes later, Pei Jinwang was flustered and struggling in front of the coffee machine.
“Ugh, why is this thing so hot? This broken coffee machine is so different from the one I used before! Xiao Lin, quick, help me—no, no, don’t touch that knob!”
Lin Shuanghuai hadn’t even touched anything yet and was already startled by Pei Jinwang, standing there bewildered, unsure whether to help or not.
Seeing that the coffee cup seemed about to overflow, he instinctively reached out to help.
But before his hand could touch it, Yuan Bozhu stopped him.
“Hot.”
Yuan Bozhu took a heat-resistant glove from the side and handed it to him. “Wear this.”
Lin Shuanghuai nodded and put on the gloves obediently.
Pei Jinwang had been fiddling with the machine for a while, muttering to himself, “Is there something wrong with this machine? Why isn’t the coffee coming out?”
Yuan Bozhu gave him a silent glance.
“The grind is too fine; it’s not extracting properly.”
Pei Jinwang wasn’t ready to give up. “But isn’t espresso supposed to be finely ground?”
“You need to get the right grind size. Yours is too fine.”
Afterward, Yuan Bozhu kicked Pei Jinwang out of the operation area.
“What now? Finding a barista is so hard, and I’m in a hurry to open. Sigh, suddenly it feels like life is getting tough!”
Pei Jinwang began scrolling through his recruitment ads on his phone.
“Look, here are a few baristas, and they all want free meals and accommodation. What a joke. This is a university town—how can I provide them with meals and housing?”
With the boss pacing anxiously up front, Lin Shuanghuai, though not having done anything wrong, still felt like he hadn’t been of much help.
He felt a bit disheartened.
Of course, his disappointment might also be because he was worried about not getting this part-time job and where he would find lunch tomorrow.
At that moment, he suddenly heard Yuan Bozhu quietly ask, “Do you want to learn?”
Lin Shuanghuai looked up at Yuan Bozhu, seemingly not understanding the question at first.
But he quickly came to his senses and nodded vigorously.
Yuan Bozhu moved beside him and said, “I’ll teach you.”
His voice was as low and deep as usual, even somewhat indifferent.
But Lin Shuanghuai felt a sudden rise in temperature.
It felt as though he was melting from the heat.
Author’s Note:
Back: He’s going to teach me how to make coffee.
If I round it off, he doesn’t dislike me.
If I round it off, he really loves me.
If I round it off, we’ll have our wedding tomorrow.
Yuan: Hmm?