Marrying the Male Lead’s Disabled Uncle – Chapter 22

From that day on, a little fox appeared on Yan Han’s shoulder. Sometimes well-behaved, sometimes mischievous, and sometimes acting haughty, the little fox had endless fun playing with the tiny figure beside it.

Pei Lang had noticed it multiple times, and each time, he couldn’t help but glance at Yan Han a few extra times.

This cold and imposing old man… is he actually this soft-hearted?

He spoiled the fox endlessly—either playing with it or cradling it in his arms. But since the fox wasn’t exactly small, trying to hold both the tiny figure and the fox at the same time made for an amusingly absurd sight.

A few days after the previous incident, Pei Ziqing called Pei Lang, asking him what he had done. Apparently, Yan Xiuyuan had been busy with company affairs and hadn’t reached out to him lately. Pei Ziqing also casually inquired when Pei Lang had learned martial arts and why he had never mentioned it before.

Pei Lang, of course, gave no answers and ended the call without saying much.

One thing was certain: after that encounter, his conflict with the male lead, Yan Xiuyuan, had escalated into full-blown hostility.

After releasing several songs on the music platform, Pei Lang made a considerable sum of money in just half a month. As soon as the funds came in, he dressed up and went out to find the largest pet store in the city.

Seeing how Yan Han played with the little fox in his inner world every day but couldn’t actually touch or hold it in reality, Pei Lang found it a bit pitiful. So, as a token of gratitude, he decided to get Yan Han a gift.

Foxes came in various breeds, but remembering Yan Han’s preference, Pei Lang found a beautiful red fox with stunning fur. Just as he was discussing the purchase with the shop owner, his phone rang—it was Yan Han’s personal number.

“Where are you?” Yan Han’s voice came through the line.

“I’m outside. Is there something you need, Mr. Yan?”

“Yan Xiuyuan is looking for you. Stay where you are. Don’t move. Send me your location—I’ll come to you.”

Hearing that Yan Xiuyuan was after him, Pei Lang didn’t hesitate to share his location.

Since Yan Han was coming, Pei Lang figured he might as well let him pick out the fox himself. Finding a seat, he decided to wait and put his purchase on hold for now.

Yan Han arrived quickly. The moment he stepped into the pet store, his brows furrowed deeply, and his expression instantly darkened.

“Come with me.”

His voice left no room for negotiation. He didn’t want to stay there even a second longer.

Even though the pet shop was well-maintained, the sheer number of animals inside inevitably gave rise to a mixture of scents. Yan Han was particularly sensitive to smells, so the moment he stepped inside, the overwhelming mix of odors assaulted his senses, making him extremely uncomfortable.

His displeasure was evident, and his commanding tone left Pei Lang with no choice but to obediently follow him out.

Once outside in the fresh air, Yan Han’s expression eased slightly. “What were you doing in there?”

“I wanted to buy you a gift.”

“A gift?”

Pei Lang nodded, then glanced back at the pet store. “You like foxes, don’t you? I just saw a really beautiful red one, so I thought I’d give it to you as a thank-you present.”

Yan Han immediately caught onto the key point and asked seriously, “How do you know I like pets? And why specifically foxes?”

Pei Lang reacted quickly. Without hesitation, he calmly responded, “I heard you talking in your sleep.”

“Oh.”

Yan Han didn’t doubt him, and Pei Lang let out a quiet sigh of relief.

“I don’t like keeping foxes. They bite, they smell, and they’re impossible to tame.”

“…Huh?”

Pei Lang was momentarily speechless.

Foxes were canines, and it was true that they could bite. Unlike dogs, though, they were notoriously difficult to domesticate and had a naturally strong odor—even removing their scent glands wouldn’t entirely eliminate the issue.

But… Yan Han clearly likes them! Otherwise, why would there be a little fox on his shoulder?

Judging by the look on Yan Han’s face when he entered the pet shop and how he spoke just now, he didn’t seem to be lying. After a moment of thought, Pei Lang came to a realization.

Yan Han liked foxes—just not real foxes.

In other words, he preferred virtual pets. Whether it was imagining one in his mind or raising a digital fox online, that was how he indulged in his fondness without dealing with the real-life hassles—like strong smells and taming difficulties.

With that in mind, Pei Lang didn’t dwell on the topic further. Instead, he asked, “Then what does Mr. Yan like?”

Yan Han’s tone remained indifferent. “Everything you can afford, I already have. And the things I truly want… you can’t give me.”

His words were blunt, but Pei Lang couldn’t deny that they were true.

Yan Han lacked for nothing. Meanwhile, Pei Lang was practically broke—he really couldn’t afford anything extravagant.

Poverty had robbed him of his right to argue.

Touching his nose awkwardly, Pei Lang wisely chose to remain silent. As he trailed behind Yan Han, he caught a glimpse of the little man on Yan Han’s shoulder joyfully hugging the fox, the two of them playing around energetically.

To be honest, even as someone who had transmigrated into this world, Pei Lang still couldn’t quite figure out what went on inside Yan Han’s head.

Suddenly, Yan Han spoke again. “Save my phone number.”

“Oh, okay.”

Pei Lang took out his phone and pulled up the number that had just called him. As he was about to save it, he paused for a moment—then smirked mischievously and gave it a rather creative contact name.

Big Brother Sanmen.

After finishing, he couldn’t help but feel amused by his own joke. But his moment of entertainment didn’t last long, as his gaze suddenly landed on a familiar figure in the distance—Yan Xiuyuan.

Yan Xiuyuan had come prepared. Not only did he bring a group of bodyguards, but he also wore an imposing expression, exuding an air of dominance. However, he clearly hadn’t expected his crippled uncle to be here as well.

Pei Lang watched with his own eyes as Yan Xiuyuan’s face twisted in a mix of reluctance and surprise.

“Uncle?” Yan Xiuyuan’s tone was filled with disbelief. “Why are you two together?”

The moment he spotted Yan Han, the arrogance in his posture visibly receded. He immediately restrained himself.

Yan Xiuyuan hated being caught by his uncle—especially because if he was, he’d probably be sent straight back to the company to work overtime. No matter what, Yan Han was still his elder, and at the very least, he had to show him some basic respect.

The last time they met, Yan Xiuyuan had assumed that his uncle had merely been meddling to spite him. But this time… was it really just a coincidence?

“Shopping.” Yan Han’s tone was as flat as ever, making Yan Xiuyuan grit his teeth in frustration.

“Do you two know each other?” Yan Xiuyuan asked tentatively.

Yan Han remained silent, while Pei Lang simply flashed a careless smile.

Yan Xiuyuan felt his chest tighten in frustration. He was already irritated, but Pei Lang’s smug attitude made him even more annoyed. He took a deep breath and spoke through gritted teeth, “Uncle, I have some personal grievances to settle with him. Please don’t interfere today.”

Yan Han remained calm. His eyes were icy as he asked, “And what if I say no?”

Yan Xiuyuan was domineering, but Yan Han was even more so. Under the pressure of both power and family ties, Yan Xiuyuan didn’t dare to openly challenge him. All he could do was glare fiercely at Pei Lang.

“Uncle, what do you mean by this?”

Yan Han didn’t bother explaining. He had always been a man of few words—what he said, he meant. He was absolutely serious about opposing Yan Xiuyuan on this matter.

Yan Xiuyuan’s expression darkened. “Uncle, do you even know what kind of person he is? Do you know how despicable and disgusting the things he did to harass me were? Is it really worth going against me for an outsider?”

Logically speaking, that was a reasonable argument. Even Pei Lang himself had to admit that. And yet, inexplicably, he still felt confident that Yan Han would protect him. He had no idea where this confidence came from.

Sure enough, Yan Han remained indifferent. Instead of being swayed by Yan Xiuyuan’s words, he even shot him a sharp, knife-like gaze.

Yan Xiuyuan felt an unexplainable chill run down his spine and decided to take a step back. “Uncle, if you insist on protecting him, I won’t make things difficult for you. As long as he apologizes to Ziqing, I’ll let this matter go.”

Yan Xiuyuan truly believed he was being magnanimous. Compared to what Pei Lang had done—provoking him time and time again—if not for Yan Han’s interference, breaking Pei Lang’s arms and legs would have been letting him off easy.

Yan Han turned to Pei Lang. “Do you want to apologize?”

Pei Lang shook his head decisively. “No, I don’t.”

Then, without missing a beat, he added, “But, if it means I won’t have to keep dealing with a rabid dog, I can apologize—on the condition that you also publicly apologize to me.”

Despite the gentle smile on his face, there was an unmistakable sharpness in Pei Lang’s eyes. His tone remained light, but the message was clear—he wasn’t someone to be bullied. This wasn’t about relying on Yan Han’s support. It was simply that he refused to back down so easily.

Yan Xiuyuan frowned. He could tell that Pei Lang had changed, but instead of curiosity, he felt only rage.

“Why should I apologize? Ziqing and I are the victims here!”

“Mm~ Want me to play the recording for you?”

Yan Xiuyuan stiffened. “What recording?”

“The one where you admitted to hiring someone to fabricate evidence and spread rumors about me.”

Yan Xiuyuan’s face immediately darkened.

Pei Lang’s voice remained calm, even casual. “Look, even if I did something wrong before, I’ve already faced the consequences. I was blacklisted across the internet, detained—I think that’s punishment enough. As for Pei Ziqing, I’ve already left the Pei family, giving him exactly what he wanted. He always wanted to monopolize the Pei family’s resources, and now, he finally can.”

The original owner of this body had made mistakes, but he had paid for them—twice over. Pei Lang didn’t feel he owed them anything.

Yan Xiuyuan’s mind replayed the conversation he had with Pei Lang before. He had admitted over the phone that he’d hired people to manipulate evidence. At the time, he hadn’t even considered the possibility that Pei Lang might record it—because, in his mind, Pei Lang had always been a fool, someone who wouldn’t dare fight back.

Who would have thought that Pei Lang had actually saved evidence?

Yan Xiuyuan’s expression grew ugly.

Pei Lang clicked his tongue. “Tsk, tsk, tsk. Young people these days—so impulsive, so easily swayed by emotions. Here, let me teach you a technique.”

Yan Xiuyuan’s fists clenched tightly, his face turning pale with fury. He didn’t dare to lash out at his uncle, so he could only stand there, breathing heavily, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

Pei Lang’s tone remained as sincere as ever. “Every night before bed, try listening to the Great Compassion Mantra. It’s known to cleanse the soul. If you stick with it for a month, I guarantee you’ll feel much more at peace.”

On the surface, it sounded like genuine advice. In reality, Pei Lang was cursing him in the most indirect yet cutting way possible.

Yan Xiuyuan was so enraged he nearly exploded on the spot.

“Uncle, did you hear that? He’s completely vicious! He even dares to curse the Yan family! You can’t still want to protect him after this, right?”

Yan Xiuyuan tried his best to control his emotions. But Pei Lang—Pei Lang’s current demeanor was even more infuriating than before.

Before, Pei Lang had been easy to deal with—reckless, foolish, prone to making mistakes. But now? Now, he was calm, articulate, and knew exactly how to get under his skin without ever saying anything outright offensive.

He was insufferable! Pretentious! Hypocritical!

Yan Han, however, merely nodded and said flatly, “Yes. I saw. Very cute.”

Pei Lang: “???”

He was stunned for a moment, wondering if he had misheard.

Yan Xiuyuan: “…?? What!?”

Yan Xiuyuan looked like he had just swallowed a fly. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at Yan Han. “Uncle… you’re serious?”

Yan Han was completely unbothered.

In an instant, Yan Xiuyuan’s shock turned into sneering mockery. His lips curled up in a cold, derisive smile. “Ah, so this is the kind of thing my uncle likes. No wonder he’s been interfering so much. Turns out he’s your man.”

His words dripped with sarcasm.

“Everyone online knows he’s the one I discarded. Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at if you take him out in public?” Yan Xiuyuan chuckled, folding his arms across his chest. “Well, I suppose it’s rare for my uncle to finally take an interest in someone. As his nephew, I should offer my blessings.”

All the anger he had built up over the past few days suddenly disappeared.

Because really, what could be funnier than a cripple marrying a disgraced man?

“Oh, and Pei Lang,” Yan Xiuyuan continued, his voice dripping with mockery, “my uncle isn’t very mobile, so I guess you’ll have to work extra hard to take care of him in the future. But hey, you’ve got the experience, and your skills aren’t bad, right? Shouldn’t be too difficult for you to serve him properly.”

It was a blatant jab at Yan Han’s disability.

Pei Lang could hear it—how could Yan Han not?

For the first time, Pei Lang felt a pang of guilt. Yan Han had gotten dragged into this mess all because of him.

Yan Xiuyuan’s smug, taunting smile was dazzlingly hateful.

Pei Lang turned to glance at Yan Han.

Yet, despite the cruel words, Yan Han didn’t even bat an eye. His expression remained calm, indifferent—as if he hadn’t heard a single thing.

In the end, it was only Yan Xiuyuan talking to himself, sneering and laughing like a clown performing a one-man act.

“Let’s go.”

Yan Han’s voice was cool and unwavering.

Without another word, he turned his wheelchair and left, Pei Lang following close behind.

Watching them go, Pei Lang finally understood why the uncle and nephew were so estranged.

It had nothing to do with circumstances.

It was entirely because of Yan Xiuyuan’s character.