He remembered that phone call in the afternoon. Chi Yan had mentioned he had slept with someone last night. You Xiaoqi thought Chi Yan was joking and didn’t take it seriously.

In You Xiaoqi’s impression, Chi Yan had so many admirers that they could circle Ningyang, but none had ever succeeded in winning him over.

With a face as handsome as Chi Yan’s, You Xiaoqi privately thought that no one was good enough to stand beside him. Chi Yan being single seemed better—it meant he could still take up some of Chi Yan’s time for himself.

There was a bit of selfishness in this.

Who would have thought that inviting Chi Yan to help out would result in discovering that the person Chi Yan had been with was actually his casual partner—and a recent one at that.

This was so absurd.

It took You Xiaoqi quite a while to fully process this information. He pursed his lips and swallowed.

“No way, Chi Yan, you and him… Did you really hook up yesterday?”

It didn’t seem right. Chi Yan had always said he didn’t do hookups because he didn’t feel they were safe. So, how had this happened?

It was surreal.

“You’re surprised? Then let me add another fact: Feng Min and I dated before. We went to the same university and studied the same major.”

It was Feng Min who brought up this topic. If he had acted as if they didn’t know each other from the start, things might have been better. Chi Yan looked at Feng Min’s unpleasant expression and smiled softly.

---

Author’s Note:
Second update—
Time to make the gong (top) suffer. Do you feel his suffering yet?
He’s about to have a wife and child ╯^╰.
And yet, you’re still single. Hahaha!

---

Twisted Thoughts

The already tense atmosphere suddenly grew colder.

The temperature in the room seemed to drop below zero, and with each breath, it felt like they were inhaling ice.

No one was stupid. The information Chi Yan had just revealed hinted at many hidden details.

Feng Min’s expression, meanwhile, was becoming so severe that some started worrying if he might silence them to keep these secrets from spreading.

Most people at the table had their own reasons for being there. After all, sitting at the same table as Xie Rong would give them a certain level of prestige. Who would have expected to overhear something so secretive?

Though few knew Feng Min’s true identity, the aura he projected made people uneasy. Some had already begun to regret attending the dinner, wishing they could have excused themselves before Chi Yan started speaking.

Now, there was no turning back. It was clear this meal wouldn’t be as enjoyable as they had hoped.

Chi Yan finished speaking and glanced at Feng Min, who remained silent but glared at him, his eyes heavy with the threat of anger.

Chi Yan wasn’t scared. He knew well that Feng Min, with his connections, could easily have his streaming platform shut down if he wanted to. It wouldn’t even be difficult for him to make it so that Chi Yan could no longer stay in Ningyang.

But Chi Yan wasn’t the type to suffer in silence. If someone messed with him, he retaliated right away—especially if that person was scum like Feng Min.

Feng Min had been the first person Chi Yan ever loved, and yet, he’d disappeared without even a proper goodbye. A simple breakup text was all it took to get rid of him, like dismissing a beggar.

Seeing Feng Min apologize earlier, Chi Yan suddenly had a realization: this ex-boyfriend of his probably wanted to rekindle their old flame.

How? Did he think that one casual hookup would be enough?

Chi Yan only wanted to pour more cold water on Feng Min, to show him clearly that there was no chance between them.

For a moment, the entire room fell silent. You could have heard a pin drop.

Before Chi Yan’s arrival, the atmosphere had been lively and harmonious. Now, it was stifling, and those who had been laughing just moments before were now sitting up straight, faces devoid of smiles. It was obvious they were worried about becoming collateral damage.

Chi Yan lowered his eyes and smiled, then glanced at You Xiaoqi beside him. His expression carried a hint of apology.

---

Chi Yan felt guilty towards You Xiaoqi. A perfectly good dinner had been ruined because of him.

“Sorry, I just remembered I have a livestream with my fans later for an hour. If I stay here any longer, I’m afraid people won’t enjoy their meal.”

Chi Yan apologized to You Xiaoqi as he stood up and poured himself another glass of juice.

“My apologies, but I have other things to attend to. Next time, if there’s a chance, I’d love to eat with you all again. Let me offer this toast in juice instead of wine to thank everyone.” Chi Yan smiled warmly, his voice light and pleasant. With a face that looked like it came straight out of a comic book, his demeanor was so charming that even if he left abruptly, people would forgive him.

No one could fault him.

In a bold gesture, Chi Yan downed the juice as if it were alcohol.

Setting the glass down, he cast a friendly glance around the room, pausing briefly when his gaze met Feng Min’s, though he said nothing.

Then, his gaze shifted to Xie Rong.

When You Xiaoqi had introduced the people at the table, Xie Rong had been the first name mentioned. It didn’t take much for Chi Yan to realize that Xie Rong was the one who had organized the dinner.

Seeing Chi Yan look his way, Xie Rong knew he was waiting for his response.

Though curious about what had happened between Chi Yan and Feng Min, Xie Rong knew tonight wasn’t the time to pry. He also knew Feng Min well enough to understand that anyone else daring to speak to him like that would have been thrown out by now.

Since Chi Yan was Feng Min’s ex, and Feng Min wasn’t stopping him, Xie Rong decided not to interfere either.

“Go ahead, take care of your business. We’ll get together another time,” Xie Rong replied.

Chi Yan gave him a polite smile.

He leaned towards You Xiaoqi, saying softly, “I’ll be off now.”

You Xiaoqi nodded, reminding him as he left, “Remember to send me a screenshot of your cab fare so I can reimburse you.”

Earlier, when Feng Min implied that he and Chi Yan had slept together, You Xiaoqi had felt a surge of anger. He liked Chi Yan, and if they weren’t such a bad match physically, he would have already made his move.