Love Under the Distant Stars

Chapter 34

Ouyang Tianyu stared blankly at the magnificent Green Jade Manor before him, a bitter feeling welling up inside him. This was his home, but it had been almost a year since he left home after being severely beaten by his father, and he hadn't set foot in the capital, let alone returned. Compared to a year ago, it seemed that nothing had changed here...

Originally, Ouyang Tianyu planned to appear on his elder brother's wedding day, as that would be in line with his playboy "nature." However, the situation is different now. Shen Jie told him that Lei Shuangxue's purpose in marrying Ouyang Tianyun was not pure. She not only wanted to become the eldest daughter-in-law of the Ouyang family, but also tried to steal the Ouyang family's heirloom—the Void Dragon Sword. Therefore, Shen Jie asked him to go home early, make arrangements, and meet her.

"Third Young Master, you're back?" Steward Fang, who was about to go out on business, saw Ouyang Tianyu standing outside the manor and looked surprised. He seemed very puzzled by the appearance of the Third Young Master, who hadn't been home for a long time. "Why don't you come in?"

"Oh. Butler Fang." Upon seeing the visitor, Ouyang Tianyu abandoned his pensive gaze and immediately adopted his playboy persona. "I've been waiting for you!"

"Wait for me?" Butler Fang was confused. What was wrong with the Third Young Master?

"Let's talk in private." Ouyang Tianyu pulled Butler Fang aside and asked, "My father isn't angry anymore, is he?"

"Is the master angry?" He understood. So the Third Young Master was afraid to come in because of this! Butler Fang shook his head with a smile.

"Butler Fang—tell me, is my father still angry? He beat me so badly last time, I'm really afraid of him." It was all that vixen Shen Jie's bad advice that caused him to get beaten black and blue by his friend, and then get a severe beating from his father when he got home. And what about that vixen? She's off living a carefree life in her own time. Ouyang Tianyu thought to himself with dissatisfaction. But after not seeing her for over a month, he missed her terribly.

"Third Young Master, don't worry, Master isn't angry anymore." Butler Fang sighed. He had watched these four young masters and ladies grow up and knew that although the Third Young Master was a womanizer and loved to cause trouble, he wasn't a bad person at heart; he just wasn't willing to settle down yet.

"Really?" He didn't believe it!

"Of course it's true. Third Young Master, although Master doesn't say it, this old servant can tell that he still cares about you. Just go inside and apologize to Master later, and everything will be fine." Butler Fang smiled encouragingly at Ouyang Tianyu.

"I understand, Butler Fang. Thank you!" Ouyang Tianyu smiled sincerely.

"You're too kind, Third Young Master. I didn't do anything special," said Steward Fang, seemingly remembering something. "Oh, I have other matters to attend to. Please come in, Third Young Master."

"Hmm." Ouyang Tianyu stepped into Green Jade Manor.

Emerging from the study, Ouyang Tianyu wanted to visit his mother, so he headed towards her residence, Yuxuan. He hadn't been home for a year, and when he'd seen his father in the study, he noticed his father's temples seemed to have turned gray even more. He knew his father had worried sick about his "unfilial son." He desperately wanted to tell his father that he was actually a law-abiding citizen, to stop his father's anxieties, but he couldn't. Perhaps he would never be able to reveal his other identity, and it seemed his family would have to worry about his pretense for the rest of their lives. Just like this time he returned, he still had to portray himself as a playboy, and even more so… He truly felt helpless.

When he reached the stream, he saw a man standing under a willow tree. "Second Brother—" he called out.

"Tianyu, you've finally come home." Ouyang Tianji looked at his younger brother, whom he hadn't seen for a year, and a look of joy appeared on his face. But he knew in his heart that his dear little brother had come home because he had run out of money.

"I heard that my elder brother is getting married again. How could I, as his younger brother, not come back?" Ouyang Tianyu leaned against a tree trunk, reaching out to pluck a thin willow branch and playing with it in his hand.

"Stop making excuses for me. Don't I know your personality? If you weren't broke, would you have come back so early? I'm already lucky to see you with two women on either side of your brother's wedding when it's almost over." Ouyang Tianji "knew very well" about his younger brother's personality.

"Wow, Second Brother, you really know me!" Ouyang Tianyu pretended to be so moved that he was about to cry. Since someone was making excuses for him, he would just go along with his second brother's words. Anyway, he was a playboy and a spendthrift, so it didn't matter which "crime" he was accused of. His second brother really "understood" him!

"Tianyu! You've had enough fun. It's time to settle down and come home to help us manage the family business." Ouyang Tianyu patiently persuaded his younger brother, hoping he could stop his dissolute ways.

"Second brother, I'm not in the mood for that. Besides, you and eldest brother can handle things at home." Managing the family business? He doesn't have time for that. The backlog of cases at the "Six Doors" is enough to keep him busy for a long time.

“Tianyu…” Ouyang Tianji was about to start preaching to his younger brother again, but Ouyang Tianyu interrupted him: “Second brother, let’s talk about eldest brother’s matter first. I heard that the future sister-in-law looks a lot like the deceased sister-in-law. Is that true?” So similar that it would make eldest brother marry her? It’s just a conspiracy by Lei Family Fort. He wants to see what tricks Lei Shuangxue and Lei Jun can pull.

Speaking of their eldest son, Ouyang Tianji couldn't help but shake his head and sigh, his expression becoming solemn. "I don't know, I just heard it from the servants around my eldest brother. It seems that my sister-in-law's death has indeed caused my eldest brother great pain. For the past year or so, whenever my eldest brother sees a girl who resembles my sister-in-law even slightly, even just a resemblance, he will try every means to bring her into the manor. After 'playing' with her for a few days, he'll find her ugly and discard her, never to speak of her again." Can falling in love really make someone so crazy? He didn't understand... Perhaps it's just a different way of expressing love?

"How could this be?" Ouyang Tianyu asked in surprise. Was this still his steady older brother?

“Perhaps… my elder brother loves my sister-in-law too much.” Ouyang Tianji gazed at the small red fish in the stream, his handsome brows furrowing even more. “What I’m worried about now is that my elder brother will still treat Lei Shuangxue the same way, using her and then discarding her. When the news gets back to Lei Family Fortress, it’s no wonder Lei Batian will come to avenge his daughter.” It’s not that the Ouyang family is afraid of Lei Family Fortress, but in the martial arts world, having more friends means having fewer enemies. If Lei Batian finds out that his daughter has been wronged here, it’s no surprise that Lei Family Fortress will unite all the underworld figures to cause trouble at Green Jade Manor. Not only will the Ouyang family be ruined, but it will also likely trigger a fierce battle in the martial arts world.

Ouyang Tianyu lowered his head and remained silent. He knew what his second brother was worried about. He also knew that Lei Batian's true goal was to obtain the Void Dragon Sword and then unify the martial arts world. If what his second brother said happened, it would be perfect for Lei Batian. He could destroy Green Jade Manor and then "legitimately" take over all of Green Jade Manor's assets... Hmph! If that were the case, Lei Batian was being far too naive. As long as he was around, he would never let such a thing happen!

"Tianyu, I hope you'll behave yourself this time you're back, and don't cause any more trouble, understand?" Ouyang Tianji turned to his younger brother and said. Given the situation at home, he probably didn't have much time or energy to deal with the trouble his younger brother had gotten into.

"Understood, Second Brother."

The same warnings and the same responses have been repeated countless times by the Ouyang brothers, but when have they ever been effective? Ouyang Tianyu still causes trouble, and his elder brothers, Ouyang Tianyun and Ouyang Tianji, still clean up his messes behind his back.

"By the way, Second Brother, how is Mother?" Ouyang Tianyu asked, as they were born to the same mother.

"You still remember your mother? I thought you had long forgotten." This brat is really too unfilial. Ouyang Tianji gave his younger brother a cold sideways glance.

"Second Brother—" she said, drawing out the last syllable as if she were being coquettish.

"Do you know how worried we've been about you for the past year or so? Especially Mom, she hasn't been eating or sleeping well, wondering how you're doing out there. She's become so haggard..."

"I'll go take a look."

Before Ouyang Tianji could finish speaking, Tianyu had already vanished without a trace.

"Mother!" Ouyang Tianyu pushed open the door and went in, seeing his mother sewing clothes, and called out softly.

"Tianyu!" Madam Liu, the second wife of the Ouyang family, happily put down her clothes as soon as she saw her son return. "You're finally back! Are your injuries any better?"

“Much better.” Ouyang Tianyu walked to his mother’s side, knelt down, and rolled up his sleeves to show her.

When Liu saw the scars on her son's arm, she felt heartbroken and burst into tears. "Your father is too cruel. How could he beat you like this?"

"Mother, don't be sad, I'm not in pain anymore." Ouyang Tianyu reached out and wiped away his mother's tears. He was so selfish, he hadn't considered his mother's feelings.

"Come! Get up and sit here." Liu patted the empty seat next to her. "Let your mother take a good look at you."

Ouyang Tianyu sat down beside his mother as instructed, holding her hand. He deeply felt her emotions. "Mother! I'm sorry!"

"Tianyu, don't say sorry. You have your reasons for doing this, and I believe in you." No one knows a son better than his mother, and Liu believed in her son's character.

"Mother..." Ouyang Tianyu's eyes widened. Was his acting really that bad? Even his mother could see through it?

Seeing her son's expression, Liu chuckled and said, "Tianyu, you were born after I carried you for ten months. How could I not understand your nature? Although I don't know what you're doing, it's definitely not something bad."

"Mother, your son is unfilial." He really was unfilial.

“My child, loyalty and filial piety have always been difficult to reconcile. I won’t blame you, and I will be proud of you.” Liu hugged her son’s shoulder and encouraged him softly.

"Mother... thank you!" Ouyang Tianyu was grateful for his mother's understanding. He secretly vowed in his heart that he would never let his mother be ashamed.