BTMDY Extra 17

The last class on Friday always felt impossibly hard to sit through.

 

The crisp sound of the bell barely faded before Lin Wangye packed his bag at lightning speed.

 

As the homeroom teacher of Class 3-1 stepped out of the classroom, he bolted right after.

 

A close friend caught up to him at the classroom door, shouting,

 

“Xiao Lin! Wanna hit the internet cafe and play some games?”

 

“Nope!”

 

Before he even finished speaking, the boy had already vanished at the stairwell.

 

His youthful energy swept across the campus like a gust of fresh, lively wind.

 

At their usual spot, Lin Wangye found his private car parked by the curb, slipped in, and the first thing he did was pull out his phone from his pocket, plug it into the charger, and anxiously wait for enough battery to turn it on. Once it had enough juice, he hurriedly opened his contacts—but just before dialing, he hung up.

 

It was only six in the evening, and in Sigwell, it was still dark.

 

Despite his impatience, Lin Wangye hesitated for a long time and ultimately decided not to call. Instead, he pulled his report card out of his backpack, snapped a super clear photo, and sent it in a WeChat chat window.

 

[MiracleXiaoLin: [Photo]]

 

[MiracleXiaoLin: Look at the improvement!]

 

[MiracleXiaoLin: Scored a whole 68 in math! 68! Almost passing!]

 

Better not disturb him while he’s resting.

 

Anyway, once he wakes up, he’ll see it right away!

 

After sending the messages, Lin Wangye folded the report card back into his bag and held his phone like he wanted to talk to the person he’d been thinking about all day immediately.

 

But the other side of the ocean was too far, and the time difference of over ten hours was just too long.

 

Scientific research shows that people usually start forming real memories at around age six—anything before that tends to fade easily.

 

When Shi Yuan went abroad, Lin Wangye was only five.

 

So the memories of that time were blurry. From the moment he started forming deep impressions of the world around him, Shi Yuan was already overseas.

 

Yet, to Lin Wangye, Shi Yuan’s presence has always been intensely real.

 

Throughout his life, Shi Yuan never missed a moment of Lin Wangye’s growth. Despite being thousands of miles apart, their audio and video calls never stopped.

 

Lin Wangye felt like a digital pet living inside Shi Yuan’s phone.

 

Whenever Shi Yuan had free time, he’d spend it caring, buying the things Lin Wangye liked, listening to whatever he wanted to say. He watched him grow day by day, from a bright, innocent child into a confident, ambitious teen.

 

But for Lin Wangye, emotions grew more complicated as he got older.

 

He was no stranger to Shi Yuan’s face; he saw him often in magazines, on designer websites, and in video calls.

 

Yet, the memory of this person’s real existence remained just a vague silhouette in his mind. The unseen, untouchable signals carried the weight of ten years of dependence.

 

The only constant was that they had always been an indispensable part of each other’s lives.

 

Lin Wangye held Shi Yuan in a deeply important place in his heart.

 

He could feel it more and more clearly now — this feeling wasn’t the simple kind you’d have for a father.

 

The answer had been bubbling up as he grew older, but every time he reached for it, he stopped short.

 

It was like writing the right answer on the wrong question. In order to hide that weird, hard‑to‑explain result, he scribbled over it again and again, pretending nothing was there, too scared to find out what it really meant.

 

Wang Xiaoshuai was a driver hired especially by Lin Shen. He didn’t normally serve Mr. Lin himself — his only job was to pick up and drop off young Master Lin from school.

 

Sometimes, after school, Lin Wangye had his own plans — hanging out with friends, going to the internet cafe. When that happened, Wang Xiaoshuai could basically clock out and go home to his wife and kid. Once the young master was done having fun, he’d call, and Wang Xiaoshuai would drive out to pick him up again.

 

On paper, he was officially listed as a driver under the Lin Group.

 

He got a paycheck big enough to support his family, plus full benefits from the company.

 

For someone who’d only graduated middle school, worked as an internet cafe admin, and never even gone to college, this kind of life was honestly pretty great.

 

People around him envied his luck, and of course Wang Xiaoshuai knew exactly how lucky he was.

 

Who would’ve thought that the kid who used to chain‑smoke the cheapest cigarettes while pulling all‑nighters in internet cafes would someday turn out to be the boss of a huge listed company?

 

Back then, he and Lin Shen weren’t even that close.

 

They just got to know each other bit by bit — sometimes he’d make instant noodles for him and personally deliver them, that was about it.

 

When Lin Shen came to him all serious and told him to go get a driver’s license, even Wang Xiaoshuai himself didn’t see it coming, let alone anyone else.

 

According to Lin Shen, his kid was about to start elementary school, and he didn’t trust anyone else with the job.

 

Wang Xiaoshuai had always been clear‑eyed about himself. He knew his family background was nothing special, he wasn’t smart at school, not even good at games. Nothing about him really stood out. In his twenty‑something years of life, he’d been ordinary to the point of invisible.

 

What he didn’t realize was that, for Lin Shen back then, honesty and sincerity were unbeatable.

 

For Wang Xiaoshuai, Mr. Lin showing up in his life was like a lifeline in a snowstorm. Without a second thought, he went and got his driver’s license, then spent more than a year practicing hard. By the time Lin Wangye started elementary school, Wang Xiaoshuai was already the one driving him back and forth.

 

His income became stable, his life finally settled into a good rhythm.

 

He’d been dating his girlfriend for a few years, and her family finally said yes; they got married happily.

 

Knowing full well that Lin Shen was his big benefactor, Wang Xiaoshuai gave back by working diligently all these years — always on call, always willing to help even with things beyond his job description.

 

Now, glancing into the rearview mirror at Lin Wangye’s excited face as he clutched his phone, Wang Xiaoshuai couldn’t help but grin and ask casually,

 

“What’s got you so happy, Xiao Lin?”

 

“I scored sixty‑eight in math! Just a teeny bit away from passing — a teeny bit! I had to tell Uncle Shi right away!” Lin Wangye’s face lit up as he held his thumb and forefinger apart like a sesame seed to show the distance, then leaned forward toward the front seat. “Uncle Wang, you mustn’t tell my dad, okay?”

 

“Hm? Why not?” Wang Xiaoshuai asked.

 

Lin Wangye instantly pulled a face like a Sichuan opera mask change. “I got over a hundred in Chinese and English, but only sixty‑eight in math. All these years my dad’s gone through like eight hundred math tutors… He suspected all the tutors but never suspected me. If he finds out I’m still not passing even with a grad student from a top school, he’ll definitely think I’m useless!”

 

Hearing him say that, Wang Xiaoshuai couldn’t help but laugh.

 

“You’re pretty good at sharing the good news but keeping the bad to yourself. You really pick who to tell carefully.”

 

“You absolutely can’t tell him! He’s so busy — as long as no one tells him, he doesn’t have to worry!” Lin Wangye kept repeating. Then his lips curved into a smile: “Even a five‑point improvement counts as progress. If Uncle Shi knew, he’d definitely praise me!”

 

Wang Xiaoshuai saw through it all. “There’s never a time Mr. Shi doesn’t praise you. Even if it looked like a step back, he’d just say the test was too hard and blame the school.”

 

He imitated Shi Yuan’s voice as he spoke.

 

“It’s definitely not Xiao Lin’s fault. Xiao Lin is the best.”

 

Lin Wangye often called Shi Yuan in the car, and Wang Xiaoshuai had heard him enough to mimic the tone perfectly.

 

Even just hearing it as an imitation, Lin Wangye felt his cheeks flush a little, and his smile deepened.

 

“Haha… yeah, that actually sounds about right.”

 

The Lin residence was close to the school. Chatting casually, the car soon pulled into the gated community. Wang Xiaoshuai braked at the gate and unlocked the car.

 

“Bye, Uncle Wang,” Lin Wangye said as he opened the door and hopped out, swinging his backpack over his shoulder. He jogged to the front door, pressed his fingerprint to unlock it, and changed into slippers while calling out, “I’m home!”

 

His father worked a lot, so Lin Wangye hadn’t seen him often growing up.

 

During kindergarten and elementary school, his aunt had taken care of him.

 

But in the past couple of years, his aunt got divorced and wanted to focus on her own career. Not too interested in business, she returned to the entertainment industry to try building something from scratch.

 

The industry had changed rapidly, though, and starting over wasn’t easy.

 

Now his aunt was busy again, so at home it was just Lin Wangye and the housekeeper. Still, he kept the habit of announcing his return: “I’m home,” and never broke it.

 

If his father happened to be home, he’d know Wangye had returned from school.

 

Even though neither his father nor his aunt were around, Lin Wangye still got a response from Auntie Sun, the housekeeper. She appeared from the second floor, walking down the stairs:

 

“Xiao Lin, what do you want for dinner?”

 

“Anything’s fine!” Lin Wangye ran upstairs. As he brushed past Auntie Sun, he asked, “Auntie, is my dad home?”

 

“Not back yet.”

 

“Alright, I’ll head to my room. Just bring dinner there when it’s ready.”

 

“Okay.”

 

Back in his room, Lin Wangye pulled out a chair and sat at his desk. The first thing he did was plug his phone back in to continue charging, then checked WeChat — still no reply.

 

With Sigwell’s time difference and Uncle Shi’s usual schedule, he probably wouldn’t wake up for at least another hour.

 

An hour…

 

Not nearly enough to finish his weekend homework.

 

Thinking that, Lin Wangye decisively tossed his backpack aside, opened his computer, logged into his game account, and invited a few friends to make a full five‑player team to start gaming.

 

Coincidentally, just as the second round ended and the results screen popped up, the phone on his desk lit up with a ‘ding.’

 

Seeing who had sent the message, Lin Wangye immediately said a quick hello into the microphone, exited the game room at lightning speed, and grabbed his phone. His eyes sparkled like stars.

 

[Rounded up, that counts as passing]

 

[So impressive! Next time you’re aiming for a perfect score, right?]

 

Lin Wangye was only in the third year of middle school. The questions would only get harder, and scoring full marks in math was probably impossible in his lifetime.

 

Even with all the effort he could muster, this time he’d only improved by five points.

 

But reading the words on the screen, he couldn’t help but feel encouraged. In that instant, even a mere five-point improvement seemed amazing.

 

Once he confirmed that the other person was awake, he didn’t hesitate and placed a video call.

 

The call was answered almost immediately. At first, the screen was too dark to see anything clearly. Lin Wangye squinted, trying to make out shapes in the dim black, and then suddenly warm yellow light flooded the screen.

 

The camera rotated, adjusting the angle, revealing the face Lin Wangye had been thinking about constantly.

 

Shi Yuan had obviously just woken up. When he picked up, he was still lying in bed and had just switched on the bedside lamp. He rubbed his eyes, his voice low and lazy with a hint of hoarseness:

 

“Good evening, genius of math and science.”

 

Even though it was barely light in Sigwell, he instinctively converted it to domestic time.

 

The relaxed posture of someone just waking up looked so different from how seriously he studied and worked during the day.

 

Lin Wangye stared at him, feeling heat rush to his cheeks.

 

Luckily, it didn’t show much on camera. He set the phone down, propped his chin on his hand, and said:

 

“Good morning, Uncle Shi. When are you coming back? Tomorrow or the day after?”

 

A smile appeared on Shi Yuan’s face, tinged with mild exasperation.

 

“If I’d known, I wouldn’t have told you my plan to return so early. I should’ve just surprised you the day I actually came back, saved you from staring at the clock and pestering me every day.”

 

Shi Yuan had gone abroad to study when Lin Wangye was just five. He had been deepening his studies in Sigwell ever since, without coming home once.

 

His official explanation was the long travel time — it took too much time to go back and forth, so he couldn’t spare the days. But Lin Wangye always felt that no matter how busy someone was, a few days could always be found.

 

Not coming back felt more like avoidance, like he didn’t want to return.

 

When Lin Wangye grew older and more perceptive, he subtly asked his aunt why he’d never met Shi Yuan’s family or heard him mention them. Lin Qianqian only told him not to overthink it and never to bring it up.

 

Over time, Lin Wangye began to form his own guesses.

 

So he kept silent, never mentioning it.

 

Shi Yuan had completed advanced studies at world-renowned institutions and was doing well professionally overseas. Lin Wangye had worried he might never come back.

 

Not long ago, he finally learned that Shi Yuan had decided to return to China. It was like a dream come true.

 

He spent every day eagerly awaiting it — it was weird if he wasn’t anxious.

 

“So… when exactly are you coming back?”

 

The more Lin Wangye thought about it, the more restless he became. He asked hurriedly: “Have you bought the plane ticket yet? If not, I can help book it!”

 

Shi Yuan thought for a moment. Worried that giving a specific date might change last minute and disappoint Lin Wangye, he could only answer vaguely:

 

“Can’t say for sure. Being abroad all these years, wrapping up things takes a bit longer than I expected… maybe a few more days.”

 

Lin Wangye was practically clawing at his chest in impatience. “One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten days! Just pick one!”

 

“Alright.”

 

Shi Yuan completely understood Lin Wangye’s feelings.

 

After all, he was just as eager to see how tall and heavy the little bundle he used to carry around, stumbling with every step, had grown now.

 

He knew Lin Wangye just wanted something to look forward to. After quickly calculating the unfinished tasks on his plate, he finally said:

 

“Seven days. At the latest, no more than seven days.”

 

The number was just right for Lin Wangye.

 

The next couple of days were Saturday and Sunday. Even the flight from Sigwell to China would take almost a full day, which was clearly too rushed for Shi Yuan.

 

And by Monday, Lin Wangye would have to go back to school.

 

Seven days later would fall on the next Friday, a day without classes, giving them plenty of time to savor the joy of reunion.

 

Lin Wangye was over the moon, nodding repeatedly: “Okay! Then book the flight and tell me immediately — I’ll go to the airport to pick you up!”

 

“Alright, alright.”

 

Shi Yuan watched the boy’s happy expression on the phone, his voice full of affection:

 

“The apartment you bought in China — I’ve had people clean it every week. I’ve bought all the essentials I could think of. When you get back, you can move right in!”

 

Hearing this, Lin Wangye felt a mix of excitement and anxious anticipation — everything was ready, and yet he still had to wait.

 

He looked at Shi Yuan on the screen, frowning slightly, pouting.

 

Shi Yuan asked gently, “I’m coming back next week. Why the sudden frown?”

 

“I’m not unhappy,” Lin Wangye said, staring at him through the screen. His nose tingled unexpectedly, and he spoke softly:

 

“I just… really miss you. I want to see you soon. I’m always alone at home, and I want you there with me. I want someone to come to my parent-teacher meetings, to hear the teachers praise me…”

 

The lighting in the room was good, and Shi Yuan could clearly see the faint redness under the boy’s eyes.

 

He stayed silent for a moment, then softened his voice even more:

 

“Sweetheart, it’s not that your dad doesn’t want to be with you or doesn’t want to attend your meetings. He’s just really busy. Try to understand him a bit more, okay? When I’m back, I’ll be with you often. Alright?”

 

Lin Wangye understood this perfectly. He didn’t blame his father.

 

But in front of someone he depended on, he couldn’t help feeling a little wronged.

 

He knew if he said these things to his father, it would make him feel awkward, like the boy was being unreasonable. So he said it to someone else, asking for a bit more love.

 

“Will you really be with me often?” Lin Wangye asked quietly, seeking reassurance.

 

“Really,” Shi Yuan said. “I promise.”

 

Hearing this, Lin Wangye finally smiled again. After a moment, he spoke once more:

 

“Then… can I ask you to promise one more thing?”

 

Shi Yuan: “Hmm, tell me.”

 

“Don’t tell my dad that I only scored sixty‑eight in math…”

 

The two of them chatted about all sorts of things for a long time. They didn’t hang up even while brushing their teeth or eating, until Shi Yuan had to get busy. Only then did Lin Wangye reluctantly end the call.

 

He lay on his bed, saving the schedule for next Friday in his phone’s calendar. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, he sat up, got out of bed, and walked to the corner of the room, looking up at an inconspicuous pencil mark.

 

Next to the horizontal line were the numbers ‘186.’

 

Lin Wangye grabbed a pencil from his desk, stood close to the wall, and drew a line above his head. He then measured the distance to the ‘186’ mark with his eyes, frowning in frustration.

 

“Why am I so far behind Uncle Shi? Where did Dad’s one‑eighty tall genes go…”

 

Muttering to himself, he returned to his desk and sat down.

 

Seeing that he still had plenty of time and a pencil in hand, he pulled a test paper from his backpack and finished one question with ease. Then he remembered there were still two full days of the weekend left.

 

So he tossed the pencil aside and launched his game client.

 

At the same time, a land auction was taking place in Ningchang City.

 

Most plots were now sold online, but for certain high-profile areas, onsite auctions with public bidding were still held to avoid issues with network delays or verification processes.

 

The Lin Group had already shifted focus to e‑commerce platforms.

 

But the largest of the original family businesses, Linhong Trade City, was still standing. Its location benefited from rapid local economic growth, and being the only large trade center in the area, business remained strong.

 

The plot up for auction was right across from Linhong Trade City.

 

If someone else acquired it, they’d most likely open a competing trade center and take a share of the market.

 

This would obviously impact Linhong Trade City, so Lin Shen’s goal was to secure it and develop it into the Linhong Commercial Zone — keeping the profits in-house.

 

Of course, winning the plot wouldn’t be easy.

 

Everyone present was a notable figure in Ningchang City and knew exactly why Lin Shen was there. Each had their own plans and agendas, carefully observing Lin Shen’s expression as the auctioneer led the bidding.

 

Having fought in the business world for years, Lin Shen wasn’t about to let anyone read his mind through his expression.

 

He had his psychological limit for the plot. If the price exceeded that limit, taking it would be a loss — better to let someone else have it.

 

Across the street, face to face with competitors, it was a test of skill to win clients.

 

For Lin Shen, it was simple: bid if the price was acceptable, walk away if it exceeded his limit. Nothing complicated.

 

He followed the auctioneer’s rhythm, but his attention remained fixed on someone not far away.

 

The young man was sharply dressed, barely in his twenties. He didn’t participate in the bidding, sitting at a distance with a detached expression. Though physically present, he seemed almost outside the auction entirely.

 

Lin Shen paid special attention because he recognized a certain familiar aura in him.

 

At the same time, the young man was quietly observing him.

 

Lin Shen had never met him before. Since the auction didn’t disclose bidder names, he had no way of knowing who this person was.

 

All he could do was keep a mental note and investigate later.

 

Bit by bit, the bidding price edged closer to Lin Shen’s psychological limit. He joined the bidding step by step, maintaining a calm expression, and eventually called out his maximum number.

 

Very few people in all of Ningchang City could match that price.

 

Businessmen even calculated profit and loss with every breath they took.

 

Everyone else at the auction had a different stance than Lin Shen. This was commercial land — anyone acquiring it had to consider the already-established Linhong Trade City across the street, standing strong for years.

 

To confront Lin Shen head-on, they had to carefully weigh their own strength.

 

So Lin Shen set his psychological limit very strictly, in a range the Lin Group could accept but others would find difficult to reach.

 

For a long time, no one else stepped into the bidding. Yet Lin Shen didn’t relax. He noticed the person he’d been observing earlier suddenly tighten his fingers around the bidding paddle.

 

It was a tiny, almost imperceptible movement, yet Lin Shen’s heart skipped a beat.

 

Of course, he showed nothing on his face, pretending all was normal as he waited for the auctioneer’s countdown.

 

When the auction hammer finally fell, Lin Shen got what he wanted.

 

Many of the people there had dealt with him before. After a brief exchange of greetings, Lin Shen turned and saw the young man waiting nearby. As soon as he was free, the young man walked over and nodded politely.

 

“Congratulations, Mr. Lin.”

 

“Thank you.”

 

As the senior, Lin Shen simply nodded lightly in response and casually asked:

 

“You seem a bit unfamiliar. May I know your name?”

 

The young man smiled politely and extended his right hand: “No need for formalities. Lu — Lu Chengchen.”

 

“Oh, hello.”

 

The answer was somewhat unexpected, yet made sense.

 

For the first time in a long while, Lin Shen felt a surge of emotion, though his face remained impassive. He nodded slightly and shook the young man’s hand.

 

Turning to leave, he was suddenly called from behind:

 

“Mr. Lin…”

 

Lin Shen stopped and faced him, his gaze steady and composed as a seasoned authority, brushing away any hint of doubt.

 

The small movements he had made during the auction had been noticed.

 

Even knowing that this person was from the Lu family, Lin Shen immediately realized that Lu Chengchen was completely different from the person he was familiar with.

 

No matter how much someone tried to imitate, the calmness and detachment embedded in one’s bones could not be faked.

 

This young man was still too young to hide anything.

 

“You seemed to glance at me earlier,” Lu Chengchen said hesitantly, finally asking, “Did you want to say something to me?”

 

Lin Shen paused briefly, then shook his head.

 

“No. I just saw the shadow of an old acquaintance.”

 

Lu Chengchen clearly knew who Lin Shen meant. His initial question wasn’t even about that, but before he could decide whether to press the matter, Lin Shen spoke first.

 

“I have business to attend to. Excuse me.”

 

He didn’t give Lu Chengchen a chance to respond and turned to leave.

 

Watching his figure disappear down the corridor, Lu Chengchen remained standing, motionless for a long time.

 

He had long-standing confusion he couldn’t shake.

 

He didn’t understand why his uncle insisted on positioning Linhong as a benchmark competitor, even when it could dominate the market alone, attracting attention during every shopping festival and creating the current dual‑power, hostile scenario.

 

He also didn’t understand why the instructions for this auction were so explicit:

 

[If this plot isn’t for the Lin family, it can only go to the Lu family.]

 

[XXX is Lin Shen’s target limit. If he lets go, only then can you bid.]

 

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TL: Hi guys! As you know, BTMDY is getting close to the end. The fantasy-themed “what if” side stories the author mentioned at the end of the novel were released some time after the current side stories, so I couldn’t find the raws anywhere and will need to buy them myself. If anyone wants to help out, you can support me by buying me a coffee through the link below—no pressure at all! I’m just really thankful that you’ve been reading and sticking with me on this journey. Thank you so much 🫶

 

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Hello, everyone ヾ(＾∇＾). I hope you enjoyed the story! If you’re feeling generous, please buy me a coffee, share/comment on my translated works! Check out the link below for early chapters.  (๑>ᴗ<๑)