Qin Mingyuan had no prospects of returning for the time being, so he decided to stop dwelling on those annoying issues and fully immersed himself in his work. Aside from the changes in the people around him, he couldn’t feel any difference from his life before in his busyness.

It wasn’t until the day before Yun Yuexian’s birthday party that he remembered the occasion, prompted only when Zhou Yang hesitantly mentioned that maybe he should pick out a gift.

Since he wasn’t the original body’s owner, he naturally didn’t care much about it, waving his hand dismissively for Zhou Yang to just buy something random, as he was only going to make a token appearance.

At the time, Zhou Yang left with a puzzled expression, which Qin Mingyuan ignored. He had planned to create the illusion that he was gradually becoming tired of Yun Yuexian, in order to fully detach from the main characters’ storyline later on.

The original body was willing to be the devoted and considerate fool, but he certainly was not.

On the afternoon of the party, Qin Mingyuan was still at the office when Yun Yuexian called him, asking what time he would likely arrive and mentioning that he hadn’t replied to her messages, hoping that calling him wasn’t a disturbance.

Qin Mingyuan rarely checked his phone aside from necessary contacts, having only delved into the original owner’s messages a few days prior and hadn’t bothered much since. Moreover, he had set Yun Yuexian to ‘do not disturb’, so of course, he didn’t receive any notifications.

He wouldn’t exactly respond that way, though; he made an excuse about being busy at work and told her he would try to arrive before the party started.

After receiving his answer and chatting a bit more, Yun Yuexian ended the call, not wanting to take up too much of his time. In his dealings with the original owner, Yun Yuexian had always been rather reserved, whether that was to maintain distance or just for show, Qin Mingyuan didn’t bother to judge.

Finishing his work for the day in the evening, Qin Mingyuan went home to change into a more formal suit and headed to the Yun family’s villa on time for the party.

The villa complex where the Yun family lived was considered a wealthy area in A City, but that was only relative to the average person. The scale and privacy of the area couldn’t compare to the real elite mansion districts.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the complex, Qin Mingyuan saw numerous luxury cars entering, almost too many to keep track of.

Just the Yun family, just Yun Yuexian—a birthday party like this couldn’t possibly warrant such attendance on its own. Not everyone, at least, but a significant portion was definitely there for him.

Qin Mingyuan watched indifferently from his car window, inwardly sneering. The Yun family was certainly leveraging the original owner’s reputation to boost their own standing.

After today’s party, the Yun family might gain some recognition within A City’s upper-class circles.

The driver smoothly parked in front of a brightly lit villa. As Qin Mingyuan stepped out of the car, he was immediately greeted.

“President Qin, what a coincidence to run into you here.”

The man, slightly overweight and balding, was dressed in a business suit with a young, well-proportioned woman hanging on his arm, looking like his daughter. Qin Mingyuan eyed the man approaching him with a smile, unsure if he was someone the original owner knew, and nodded in response without walking away.

“It’s so hard to get a moment with you. There was a project I wanted to discuss with you but never got the chance.” The man spoke while extending his hand for a shake.

Oh, apparently they didn’t know each other. Glancing at the offered hand, Qin Mingyuan had no intention of shaking it.

“Brother Mingyuan!”

Before he could refuse verbally, a clear voice saved him from the awkward situation. He turned expressionlessly toward the voice.

Yun Yuexian, dressed in a tidy white suit, his hair neatly styled and smiling brightly, jogged out from the villa.

He seemed to favor white, and it indeed suited him well, resembling an innocent young master, likely drawing the favor of many.

Very adept at using his advantages, Qin Mingyuan thought to himself.

“It’s quite cold outside, why don’t you come in?” Yun Yuexian stopped in front of him, rubbing his hands together and then greeting the man beside him, “Hello, Uncle Li.”

The middle-aged man smiled warmly, wished him a happy birthday, and mentioned that he had carefully prepared a gift for him.

Yun Yuexian thanked him with a smile and led Qin Mingyuan inside.

“President Li, is President Qin really interested in this young master of the Yun family?” The woman who had been silent out of politeness earlier spoke up once they were out of sight.

“What else could it be? With those recent projects, how could the Yun family have landed them on their own? The fact that President Qin personally showed up to this birthday party—when so many desire just a moment of his time—clearly shows interest in the young master,” the middle-aged man scoffed cynically, “Yun Yuexian really has some tricks.”

“Is he aiming to become Mrs. Qin then?” the woman asked, a bit enviously, as she saw no difference between herself and Yun Yuexian, both climbing the social ladder through men, yet Yun Yuexian had the skill to hook someone handsome and wealthy.

“That’s not certain. These wealthy circles are deep and murky. Who knows if Qin Mingyuan is just momentarily infatuated? Plus, even if he truly likes him, the difference in family backgrounds may prevent it from happening,” he continued with a sneer, “And our young master Yun is rather aloof, reportedly focusing on his acting career and not dating for now.”

The woman chuckled, “The young master seems naive but knows how to play hard to get. Looks like President Qin is completely hooked.”

More cars arrived, and they didn’t speak further, opting to head inside as it was cold. They adjusted their clothes and entered.

Inside, the villa’s hall had been cleared of unnecessary furniture, creating a large open space with several neatly covered long tables on the side, displaying an array of exquisite foods and desserts.

“Brother Mingyuan, would you like to grab something to eat first?” Yun Yuexian led him inside and pointed to the tables.

Feeling the gazes from all directions, Qin Mingyuan felt somewhat irritable, casually handing over the small gift bag he was carrying and shaking his head in refusal. He always disliked attending such gatherings.

Yun Yuexian accepted the gift he had given, a well-known brand’s newly released watch that Zhou Yang had picked out, but he didn’t hurry to open it, instead offering a sweet thank you.

The watch had been chosen by Zhou Yang, who had rambled about its design philosophy, involving stars and beauty, none of which Qin Mingyuan had listened to.

“President Qin!”

Before Yun Yuexian could say more, they were interrupted, turning to see his parents coming over.

“Sorry for the trouble, President Qin. We have so many guests that we had to ask Xiao Xian to greet you,” Yun Hao Wei approached with a jovial slap on Qin Mingyuan’s arm.

Qin Mingyuan surveyed the middle-aged man speaking to him, average in build and slightly plump, looking still handsome in his fifties, likely a looker in his youth.

The woman beside him had her hair up, wearing a sapphire off-shoulder gown with a mink stole, exuding elegance. She was strikingly beautiful and somewhat familiar, likely Yun Yuexian’s mother.

A waiter brought over some drinks, and Yun Hao Wei handed a champagne glass to him, smiling, “Treat this place like your own home, President Qin. Let us know if you need anything.”

Taking the glass, Qin Mingyuan moved his eyebrows noncommittally, “You’re too polite, Mr. Yun.”

“Let’s not stand on ceremony then. I’ll take the liberty of calling you Mingyuan, and you can just call me uncle. You and Xiao Xian are close; let’s not be strangers,” Yun Hao Wei slapped his arm warmly.

Qin Mingyuan glanced at the spot he had been slapped and sipped his champagne, appreciating the man’s ability to climb the social ladder. Watching their exchange, Huo Li Juan finally spoke, “I’ve heard Xiao Xian mention you often, but this is our first meeting. You truly are a distinguished young man. I hear your parents are abroad most of the year. You should come over for dinner sometime; I’ll cook for you.”

“That’s quite a treat for Brother Mingyuan; my mom’s cooking is amazing!” Yun Yuexian chimed in, winking at him.

Such a happy family of three, Qin Mingyuan thought, swirling his champagne nonchalantly.

As the conversations stirred around him, others began to approach, ostensibly to wish Yun Yuexian a happy birthday, though the topics quickly shifted towards Qin Mingyuan.

The Yun couple, claiming to be close to him, helped him fend off many of them, much to Qin Mingyuan’s relief, allowing him to remain uninvolved as they leveraged his name for connections and potential collaborations, which were none of his concern.

Wealthy gatherings, no matter the pretext, were essentially networking events for business opportunities.

This lengthy social interaction ended when a waiter informed them that the party was about to officially start, with Yun Yuexian needing to prepare for a piano performance and the Yun couple for a brief speech.

As they walked away, without their mediation, Qin Mingyuan seemed even less approachable. A few braved a conversation but were defeated by his indifference, retreating with their drinks in chagrin.

“President Qin.”

The calm didn’t last long; a voice beside him broke the quiet. Qin Mingyuan glanced sideways to see a young man in his twenties, an unfamiliar face yet oddly reminiscent in style and demeanor to Yun Yuexian. He didn’t speak, merely swirled the red wine in his glass, recently fetched from a waiter.

“You might not recognize me, but I’ve acted with Yuexian before. I hope I’m not bothering you,” the young man said with a nervous smile, gripping his glass tightly.

Qin Mingyuan narrowed his eyes, recognizing the source of familiarity—it was Yun Yuexian, in both attire and the now-present smile.

Naturally, the host had invited a few industry peers, hoping to use the occasion to touch base with the wealthy elite. This actor was clearly among those seeking an invitation to advance his career.

Tapping his finger against the glass stem, Qin Mingyuan scoffed internally. Although he didn’t like Yun Yuexian, the main character of this story undoubtedly had his merits, and mere imitations appeared clumsy and laughable.

Moreover, if he had no interest in the real deal, why would he entertain a counterfeit?

Withdrawing his gaze, he took a sip of wine, ignoring the young man’s attempt to engage him.

Feeling the awkwardness but unwilling to leave it at that, the young man edged closer, making his intentions clear, “I’ve actually admired you for a long time, President Qin. You’re young and successful, and I…”

With an impatient click of his tongue, Qin Mingyuan cut him off, causing the young man to shut his mouth as if startled.

“Go away,” Qin Mingyuan said unceremoniously, his patience already worn thin.

Realizing that persistence would only offend further, the young actor quickly bowed and hurried away.

Meanwhile, the lights in the banquet hall dimmed, and the sound of smooth piano playing began, with the spotlight focused on the center stage, surrounded by a crowd too dense to see clearly.

Qin Mingyuan had no interest in joining the throng. He planned to find a quiet corner to smoke and leave as soon as the event concluded.

With the entire first floor crowded, he headed toward the stairs, betting that the private rooms on the second floor would be free from the various motives below.