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Shen Yuan liked to think he was a reasonable person. He liked to think that he was steady, focused, even nice, sometimes. He liked to think a lot of things that he knew that, maybe, a little bit, weren’t exactly the most true, and that was, well, it was what it was. He was the sibling of four that was the most useless, the least needed, and the one kept out of sight out of mind. It didn’t need to be stated to be true.
It stung.
Sure, his parents loved him, maybe, but he couldn’t remember the last time he’d been hugged, not by them, his geges, or even his meimei. He didn’t know if they’d ever said it. The only one he had ever heard the words from was his meimei, and that had been before he’d turned ten.
A lot could change in seven years. He hoped that hadn’t, but he honestly couldn’t be sure. After all, his meimei visited his little apartment, a gift when he’d gotten into college over a year early, more and more rarely as she waded through the intricacies of high school herself. Or maybe their parents discouraged her from wasting her time after he’d failed to last more than a semester in school due to health reasons.
It wasn’t even his fault, honestly! He had to have inherited all this from somewhere! It wasn’t his fault that he was sensitive to half the foods in China, most that weren’t from China, and had allergies to airborne things on top of it all! He was a bad mix! His pedigree was strange! Sure, his brothers didn’t have his health problems, and he wasn’t pointing fingers here, but it wasn’t like his Da-ge didn’t have other health issues! He was an albino! His parents should have taken that as a warning! But no, Er-ge was fine so little A-Yuan was supposed to be fine too. Da-ge was supposed to be the anomaly of the family and the rest of them, expensive because of the fines paid to even keep them, should have been worth it!
The fact he hadn’t seen his parents since he’d failed out of that first semester of college because he’d missed a major test clearly told him his parents did not, in fact, think he was worth it. It wasn’t even fair! If this was ancient China he wouldn’t even be considered an adult! Hell, he wasn’t even considered an adult now! He didn’t turn eighteen for two more months!
But no, his parents had shoved him out the door to fend for himself at the first opportunity, his Er-ge was all set to take over the family business because he was the only boy that they liked, and his Da-ge had escaped to the countryside to be a scholar the moment he’d gotten the chance. His poor little Meimei was the only still living at home, and he didn’t envy her the full brunt of matchmaking that their parents were surely laying at her feet for politics and business reasons.
At least she was young enough to pretend to not understand what they were doing yet. They never would have believed if it he’d been in her position! He was very observant, after all, and he would have spotted someone with those kind of intentions a mile off. He’d had girlfriends, and while he’d kissed a couple, it wasn’t anything impressive. Nothing dramatic enough to bring them home to meet his parents. Or go on any dates. Okay, so the kisses had been what made them girlfriends, and it was a bit sudden both times, but the point was that there hadn’t been anything to it, really, no intrigue.
Thus, he obviously knew what he was on about. He had experience. His parents would never get anywhere with matchmaking like that with him! Not that they were trying. He wasn’t exactly a good marriage prospect. Pretty instead of handsome, allergic to way too many things, and a college dropout? He was a mess. Maybe, he could re-enroll in next semester classes and give it another go. His parents would let him, encourage him even!
Cheered by the thought, Shen Yuan fished through his fridge for something to snack on and then made his way over to his computer, nudging one of his figures more firmly onto the shelf on his way. He wished he’d been able to get more than the sparse handful he had, but his parents, while wealthy, were also strict. If he couldn’t account for every penny spent every month in a way they found satisfactory, they’d tighten the purse strings! They definitely didn’t approve of toys. He’d had to make a very careful case for them being collectibles and an investment instead.
It had been awful, but it was what it was. That’s just how his life had been the last year that he’d been out of the house, after all. It was still better than the oppressive atmosphere in his childhood home so he’d just take what he could get!
Putting his little plate of snacks beside himself, he leaned in and booted up his computer. Doubtlessly, a new chapter of Proud Immortal Demon Way would be waiting for him. It was honestly the only thing that made some days worth it, though today was shaping up to be a good day. Maybe he should do a full reread? No, he was definitely going to do a reread. If he timed it right, he’d be able to get through decent blocks of it between the new chapter updates! It was perfect!
If it happened to pass otherwise quiet hours, well, that’s what reading was for! Obviously!
He was really only doing what any well-bred young man with horrible genetics was supposed to do and retiring to read and do art. Not that he was much of an artist, admittedly, but with his Da-ge? He knew enough. So, he’d read, he’d comment on new chapters as they came out, and in a few days he’d be all refreshed on the whole story!
It was a perfect plan and absolutely nothing weird could go wrong with it.