Chapter 43: Rumors
He slowly got up, intending to leave, but when he reached the door, he paused and thought for a moment. In the end, he went back and moved Bai Zhouyun onto the bed in the lounge at the back. He helped him take off his clothes and tucked him in properly. After all, he was a guest, and the proper courtesies still had to be observed.
He also carefully checked the spot where he had struck Bai Zhouyun and found no obvious marks. It seemed that the reason he had passed out so easily was related to how much alcohol he had drunk.
The escort boy left without any worries.
After opening the door, he instructed the attendant outside, “Mr. Bai got drunk and fell asleep. When he wakes up, please go in and take care of him.”
“Understood, thank you.”
Helping out afterward meant receiving a generous tip. Though the amount meant nothing to Bai Zhouyun, for the attendants working in Floating Colors, it was quite a considerable income.
This young man was fairly popular in Floating Colors. On several occasions, he had secretly helped some of the poorest people living the hardest lives there.
As a result, he had earned the goodwill of many.
Only after dying once had Nan Yu finally understood the principles of dealing with people.
Someone like Bai Zhouyun, however, probably wouldn't understand them even if he died once.
News that Bai Zhouyun had openly entered Floating Colors through the front entrance quickly began spreading in private circles. Later, someone even added the details of what happened afterward.
“I heard Bai Zhouyun went to Floating Colors and even hired an escort! They stayed inside together for several hours! Isn't he such trash? He's already engaged to Nan Yu, yet he still has no self-restraint!”
“Oh my god, where did you get that outdated news? I have the latest version. Apparently, when the escort came out, he said Mr. Bai had fallen asleep and even specially told the attendant to go inside and take good care of him before leaving!”
Everyone present sucked in a breath of cold air.
For a moment, no one spoke.
Only after a while did someone ask uncertainly,
“So... he's the bottom?”
“Pfft—”
“Who knows? Anyway, that's what I heard. An attendant just happened to overhear that conversation, so it can't be wrong. If you want to know more, I can have someone bring that escort over right now and let him tell you personally.”
“No, no, that's too troublesome. Whether it's true or not, we already know. Everyone else must know too by now, right?”
“Including the Nan family?”
“......”
The room immediately fell silent.
Eventually, someone changed the topic, and everyone followed suit, no longer discussing the matter.
In fact, not much time had passed. Bai Zhouyun was still sleeping soundly inside a private room at Floating Colors and had yet to wake up.
Even the escort boy himself hadn't expected things to develop like this.
For Bai Zhouyun, this was an earth-shattering scandal.
After learning of the situation, he immediately packed up all his belongings, bought the earliest available ticket, and left Capital Star.
Because he usually loved gossip like this, by the time the rumors spread, he had already left. He fled exceptionally fast.
By the time Bai Zhouyun woke up, the passenger spacecraft he was riding would probably already have entered warp.
Bai Zhouyun slept groggily. For some reason, he vaguely felt himself being moved around. It sounded as though many people were talking nearby, their whispers making so much noise that he couldn't sleep peacefully.
After a while, things became quiet again.
He had no idea how much time had passed when suddenly he heard an angry roar.
“Why are you carrying him? Throw him on the ground!”
Bai Zhouyun was heavily dumped onto the floor.
Feeling uncomfortable, he grunted twice. Then he simply rolled over and continued sleeping on the ground.
Old Master Bai was furious beyond words.
He personally brought over a bucket of water and poured it over Bai Zhouyun, who reeked of alcohol.
Bai Zhouyun was an Ability User after all. If even this couldn't wake him...
He shuddered violently and abruptly opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was Old Master Bai tossing the empty bucket aside.
“G-Grandpa?”
He turned over and tried to stand up, but Old Master Bai, seated on the sofa, shouted sternly,
“Kneel!”
Bai Zhouyun trembled in fear but obediently remained kneeling.
Fortunately, he hadn't actually stood up. Otherwise, after being startled like that and dropping to his knees, they probably would have hurt terribly.
At this moment, he still had no idea what had happened.
Hadn't he simply gone to Floating Colors and drunk some wine?
He had only gotten drunk and slept. It wasn't a big deal, was it?
In the past, no matter how much he drank there, his grandfather had never cared.
What was going on now?
Seeing Bai Zhouyun's confused expression, Old Master Bai knew he still knew nothing.
He casually pointed at one of the people nearby.
“You. Explain to him what's happening outside.”
The person who was called upon showed no emotion and calmly recited the rumors circulating outside as though reading from a book.
At first, Bai Zhouyun didn't care.
He had gone to Floating Colors, drunk some alcohol, hired an escort—nothing serious.
But as the explanation continued, the more he listened, the more ridiculous it sounded.
What kind of nonsense was this?
“Grandpa, none of that is true! I didn't do anything! He was just an escort. After I got drunk, he left!”
Old Master Bai glared fiercely.
“You think I don't know that? If you'd really done something that shameful, you wouldn't even be able to enter the gates of the Bai family estate right now!”
“My good reputation, built over a lifetime, is about to be ruined by you!”
Bai Zhouyun no longer dared say a word.
He was afraid that if he opened his mouth, his grandfather would beat him.
Right now, all he wanted was for his parents to come back quickly.
With them around, they would definitely stop his grandfather.
Old Master Bai actually had no intention of doing anything to his useless grandson.
The matter had already reached this point. Going out to explain things now would only make people who hadn't believed the rumors start believing them.
After all, if it weren't true, why would they be in such a hurry to explain?
They might end up losing more than they gained.
“For this period of time, stay at home properly. You're not allowed to go anywhere. Every day, you must contact Xiao Yu at least twice, and every single time you must sincerely apologize. Other people don't matter, but you absolutely must explain everything clearly to that child!”
“I already told you to restrain yourself during this period. Yet you're really impressive, huh? Treating my words like the wind in your ears. Did you really think that because I usually spoil you, I'd let you do whatever you want when it actually mattered?”
At this point, Bai Zhouyun no longer felt any reluctance.
If someone gave him another chance now, he would immediately run to Nan Yu, hug his leg, and beg for forgiveness.
But—
Old Master Bai snorted.
“Still dissatisfied inside? Think I'm meddling too much? If you weren't my biological grandson, I wouldn't even bother looking at you, much less disciplining you. Come on, just say one sentence—tell me that you don't need me to care about you. From now on, I won't interfere anymore.”
Bai Zhouyun trembled violently.
How could he possibly dare say such a thing?
Even if Old Master Bai truly meant it, he wouldn't dare.
Because if his grandfather really stopped caring about him, then he would truly be finished.
Old Master Bai waved his hand.
“Go back to your room. Until school starts, unless Nan Yu comes looking for you and invites you out, you'll stay at home. If you dare step outside even one step, I'll break your legs!”
Thus, Bai Zhouyun was tragically placed under house arrest.