Chapter 1236: GRINNING FOX

LUO YAN spotted the black SUV his father had driven them in. Without hesitation, he yanked open the passenger door, slid inside, and shut it firmly behind him. The moment he was safely hidden from view, all traces of his earlier distress vanished from his face. He pulled out his phone and quickly typed a message to Shen Ji Yun, informing the other that he was back in the car.

"Xiao Yan?"

His father's voice made Luo Yan freeze mid-motion. He turned toward the driver's seat, his heart pounding. In his hurry, he'd completely forgotten his father was here. Did he see the way his expression changed so fast?

With a nervous laugh, he managed, "Dad, hi..."

"Are you okay?" His father studied him with concern. "Your eyes are red. Did someone bully you? Where are Xiao Jin and the others?"

Luo Yan stared at the genuine worry on his father's face and almost laughed. Of course, his dad would focus on whether he'd been crying rather than questioning his sudden mood shift. Because Luo Yan's well-being was more important. Warmth filled him and he couldn't help hugging his father's arm.

"I'm okay, Dad. Nobody bullied me. Just putting on a bit of an act for the cameras," he said, offering a half truth. "Xiao Jin and the others would be here any minute now."

"Are you sure?" his father asked, his voice still held concern.

Luo Yan nodded. "Yes, Dad."

His father searched his face for a long moment, then seemed satisfied with what he saw. With a simple nod, he let the matter drop.

Luo Yan quickly seized the chance to steer the conversation away before his father could ask more about the 'acting for cameras' comment he said earlier. "Where's Brother and Jiao Jiao? Are they in his car?"

"I sent them ahead to the restaurant I booked to celebrate your win," his father answered. "I thought it would be good for them to spend more time together. After all, we still don't know where Jiao Jiao will go for college. If she chooses a university in another city or province, then it'll be hard for Ah Ren to see her. So as a supportive father, I'm giving Ah Ren a chance to make his presence more noticeable."

Luo Yan raised an eyebrow, barely holding back a smile. His father really was the most supportive person he knew. He'd always backed their decisions, offering guidance without forcing his opinions on them. Seeing him go out of his way to help Luo Ren was exactly the kind of thing he'd do. Even how he made sure Luo Jin and Su Yuqi sat together during lunch was typical of him.

The thought made him pause. Would his father still be this supportive when he found out about him and Shen Ji Yun?

As if on cue, the passenger door opened suddenly and Shen Ji Yun's worried face appeared.

"Yan Yan—!"

The other's hands were raised like he was about to hug him. Luo Yan froze for half a second before quickly putting his hand on Shen Ji Yun's shoulder instead.

"I'm fine, Brother Ji Yun," he said, while silently communicating with his eyes that his father was sitting right there in the driver's seat.

Thanks to their usual tacit understanding, Shen Ji Yun instantly grasped Luo Yan's silent message. He inhaled sharply, quickly composing his expression into something more neutral. With a slight nod to Luo Yan, his gaze lingered on the faint redness around his eyes, brows knitting briefly in concern. But when Luo Yan gave him a reassuring smile and gestured subtly toward the backseat, Shen Ji Yun could only acquiesce. He turned, opened the rear door, and slid into the backseat without another word.

Luo Yan quietly let out a sigh of relief. He had every intention of telling his father about his relationship with Shen Ji Yun. Eventually. But this wasn't the right time or place. Their earlier hug after winning could be excused as just celebration excitement. But if they hugged again now, right in front of his father, there was no way the older man wouldn't start suspecting something, other than friendship, was going on between them.

Less than a minute later, the rest of their team showed up and piled into the SUV. As soon as they were inside, all eyes turned to Luo Yan, checking to see if he was really okay.

"Xiao Yan, you okay?" Bai Ze asked, his voice laced with concern.

"Please tell me that was all an act," Luo Jin cut in, eyeing him critically.

Su Yuqi snorted before Luo Yan could respond. "Obviously it was an act, Ah Jin." She turned to Luo Yan with an approving smirk. "Nice work, by the way. You left those reporters totally speechless."

Luo Yan wasn't surprised Su Yuqi had figured out his plan right away. In some ways, they really were alike. "Well, I couldn't let them have all the fun."

"Alright kids, can someone explain what's going on here?" Luo Wei Tian cut in. He'd been wanting answers ever since Luo Yan showed up with tear tracks on his face.

Bai Ze jumped at the chance to explain everything to his uncle. He told the story with dramatic hand gestures and exaggerated expressions, making the reporters sound even worse than they actually were. Despite that, no one on the team bothered to correct him.

When he finished, Luo Wei Tian's face had darkened.

"Do you want me to handle this?"

"Thank you for offering, Uncle Wei Tian, but it's better to just leave it be," Shen Ji Yun said.

"Brother Ji Yun's right," Luo Yan agreed. And then added with a grin, "If we try to silence those reporters, it might just make things worse. And with my little act earlier, the public will probably take care of them for us, anyway."

Luo Wei Tian stared at his son's grin. The usual soft, rabbit-like innocence was completely absent now, replaced by something far more calculating. Like the sharp, satisfied look of a fox that had just outmaneuvered its prey.

The sight didn't worry him. If anything, it made him proud.

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