The Maybach slowly pulled up in front of the five-star hotel, and the service staff, with sharp eyes, quickly moved forward to help open the rear door.

A pair of long legs in suit trousers stepped out first, followed by a cold-faced man. He was wearing a black shirt that outlined the firm muscles underneath the fabric.

Standing outside the car, the man gestured to the staff to retrieve something from the trunk, then walked around to the other side and personally opened the door, bending slightly with his hand resting on it.

Sitting inside the car, Yun Pei turned to look at him, not in a hurry to move. He asked, “This is a celebration banquet for the film crew. Wouldn’t it be inappropriate for me to attend?” He had originally thought that the other person just wanted to have dinner with him. It was only when they were near the location that he realized what kind of event they were actually attending.

Qin Mingyuan didn’t immediately extend his hand to help him out, maintaining his half-bent posture. He replied, “You were part of the crew as well.” Yun Pei, who had served as a hand double, pursed his lips but didn’t voice his thoughts.

“You agreed to be the hand double before because you didn’t want Yun Yuexian to be upset, right?” Qin Mingyuan raised his eyebrows slightly. “Do you think he’ll be happy to see you today?” Yun Pei felt slightly swayed. Even though he didn’t want to see the other person, he wouldn’t mind causing a little trouble for him and getting a free meal out of it. It was a pretty good deal.

Noticing that Yun Pei no longer seemed resistant, the service staff came over with a wheelchair. Qin Mingyuan reached out and gently lifted him out of the car.

Since Qin Mingyuan had mentioned earlier that they would be eating at a high-end restaurant, Yun Pei had dressed a bit more formally than usual, wearing a white shirt with beige casual pants. The shirt was tucked neatly into his trousers, fully showing off his slender waistline, which Qin Mingyuan could almost encircle with one hand.

After settling him into the wheelchair, Qin Mingyuan retrieved a jacket from the back seat and draped it over the wheelchair’s backrest. “If it’s cold inside with the air conditioning, put this on.” He knew they wouldn’t adjust the room temperature just for one person in this kind of setting, so he prepared accordingly.

His consistent thoughtfulness softened Yun Pei’s expression, and he quickly lowered his gaze, murmuring, “Mm.”

Qin Mingyuan glanced at his watch. Dinner was scheduled for 7:30, and it was already 7:20, so they’d arrive just on time.

The driver drove the car away, and the two of them entered the revolving door. The temperature inside the hotel lobby was much cooler compared to the outside, though they hadn’t been inside long enough for it to feel cold yet.

In the elevator, a staff member was on hand to press the floor buttons. The banquet was being held in a private room on the third floor, and Zhou Yang had already sent the room number to Qin Mingyuan’s phone.

“Hold the elevator.”

Just before the doors closed, someone called out. The staff member pressed the open button, and a young man jogged over. Upon seeing them, he was momentarily stunned. “President Qin, Teacher Si?” Upon hearing his name, Qin Mingyuan stared at the young man’s face, recalling him from somewhere deep in his memory. It was Xiao Chen, an assistant he had met on set before.

Qin Mingyuan glanced behind him and, sure enough, saw Director Li Lin walking over at a leisurely pace, hands behind his back.

Xiao Chen was a bit surprised to see them but didn’t rush to speak. Instead, he let the director enter the elevator first, and only after the doors closed did he formally greet them. He also tactfully reminded his somewhat oblivious director about who they were.

Director Li Lin nodded, exuding his usual quiet authority, and his gaze lingered a little longer on Yun Pei. “I remember you.”

Yun Pei was taken aback, not expecting the director to recall a mere hand double like himself. He politely greeted him, figuring that it was probably his wheelchair that had left a lasting impression.

The way the director spoke made it seem as though Qin Mingyuan had been sidelined, which made Xiao Chen feel a bit awkward. He quickly tried to smooth things over. “President Qin, it’s such an honor for us that you took time out of your busy schedule to attend the celebration banquet.” Qin Mingyuan responded with a casual glance, maintaining a cooler demeanor than even Director Li Lin.

This left Xiao Chen feeling even more embarrassed. He then shifted the conversation to Yun Pei. “I didn’t expect to see Teacher Si again. Have you seen the comments online? A lot of people are praising how beautiful your hands are.”

Though Yun Pei hadn’t paid much attention to the comments, he had noticed some discussions under his video, and his account had gained quite a few new followers. He wasn’t too concerned, though, and simply nodded in acknowledgment.

The atmosphere grew a bit awkward again, and Xiao Chen internally cried out for help. Why was he stuck in an elevator with three people who barely spoke? It was impossible to hold a conversation!

Fortunately, they soon reached the floor. As the doors opened, Xiao Chen exhaled in relief, thankful to finally leave the suffocating elevator.

He politely gestured for the three of them to exit first and followed behind. When he looked up, he saw the two men in front having a brief conversation. Qin Mingyuan asked Yun Pei if he was cold, and the latter shook his head.

The exchange was short, but the atmosphere between them felt noticeably different. The cold tension from earlier seemed to melt away, and somehow, Qin Mingyuan’s usually expressionless face even appeared gentle, while the person in the wheelchair seemed particularly docile.

Xiao Chen couldn’t help but feel indignant. They definitely weren’t like this a moment ago!

“Xiao Chen, which private room is it?” Director Li Lin, who had been walking ahead, called out impatiently when he noticed his assistant lagging behind.

“Coming, coming, I’ll lead the way.” Xiao Chen, snapped back to attention, quickly jogged over to catch up with his director, who rarely cared about anything other than his films.

They were among the last to arrive, practically walking in right on time. The private room was quite spacious, with two large round tables.

By the time they entered, the tables were almost full, with only a few empty seats. At a glance, the main cast and the producers were seated at one table, while supporting actors and key crew members were seated at the other.

The gathering wasn’t too large—certainly much smaller than the typical banquet where dozens of tables might be set up. It was more of a simple meal, reflecting Director Li Lin’s personal style, as he wasn’t fond of flashy events.

At the main table, the seat of honor was clearly reserved for Director Li Lin, with the producer seated to his right and the male lead, Liang Zichen, on his left. Traditionally, the female lead would sit next to the male lead, or at least the second or third male lead would be seated nearby. However, Yun Yuexian, the fourth male lead, had claimed that spot, while the female lead sat beside the producer.

Before they arrived, the group had been chatting casually. When the door opened, all eyes turned towards them. Seeing Director Li Lin enter first, most people stood to greet him.

When Qin Mingyuan followed, even the two investors, who had been sitting back and relaxing, stood up with a bit of excitement on their faces. Clearly, they hadn’t expected him to actually come.

“President Qin, please, sit here.” The producer enthusiastically stepped aside, offering his seat to Qin Mingyuan.

Although Qin Mingyuan’s investment in the film wasn’t significant—almost like it was for fun—his status and influence were undeniable, and no one dared to treat him casually.

While everyone was focused on Qin Mingyuan’s entrance, Yun Yuexian’s expression shifted. A smile briefly appeared on his face, only to vanish when he saw the person in the wheelchair following behind. His mood instantly soured. What’s he doing here?!

“What’s wrong?” Liang Zichen, who had been observing Qin Mingyuan, noticed Yun Yuexian’s expression and leaned in slightly to ask.

Yun Yuexian forced a smile and shook his head. “It’s nothing, I’m just a little surprised that my older brother showed up.”

Seeing that Yun Yuexian didn’t seem concerned about Qin Mingyuan, Liang Zichen’s expression softened slightly. He glanced at the young man in the wheelchair and said dismissively, “It’s fine, with so many people here, he won’t give you any trouble. Besides, I’m here, I won’t let him bully you.”

Hearing this, Yun Yuexian shyly nodded, then lowered his eyes in disappointment. “If only my brother liked me a little more. It’s my fault for not being good enough.”

“It’s not your fault.” Liang Zichen patted his shoulder reassuringly. “It’s his fault for being so narrow-minded.”

Though Yun Yuexian kept his head down, his lips curled up slightly in a faint smile.

Meanwhile, Qin Mingyuan paid no attention to their conversation. He politely declined the producer’s enthusiastic offer and instead chose to sit with Yun Pei near the door.

Director Li Lin wasted no time taking the seat at the head of the table, and everyone else followed suit.

It was only then that the attention of the other attendees turned to Yun Pei. They were all curious about who this person was, whom President Qin had brought along. Discreet glances were exchanged as they tried to figure it out.

If he were a lover, his looks were decent, but nothing particularly stunning in an industry filled with beautiful people. Plus, he was in a wheelchair.

But if he were a friend, what kind of friend could warrant the attention of the Qin Corporation’s president and be brought to a crew banquet?

Driven by curiosity, one of the investors tentatively asked, “President Qin, may I ask who this is beside you…?”

Before Qin Mingyuan could respond, Xiao Chen, who hadn’t yet seated himself at the other table, tactfully introduced him. “This is Teacher Si, a talented artist and the hand double for the fourth male lead, Bai You, in the movie. I’m sure you’ve all seen his work.”

A hand double? Everyone’s thoughts grew more complicated. It seemed too insignificant to merit an invitation to the banquet.

But, uncertain of Yun Pei’s relationship with Qin Mingyuan, no one dared to show any disrespect. Instead, they all offered polite welcomes, with the more tactful ones throwing in a few compliments.

“I said while watching the movie, this hand double was chosen well—beautiful hands, and the paintings were great too.”

“Exactly. Isn’t there a whole online thread of people asking for the hand double’s info?”

Yun Pei responded with a simple “thank you.” He knew that their friendliness was more out of consideration for Qin Mingyuan than any real interest in him. It didn’t matter, though—he had no intention of making friends with them.

“Yes, I remember when I saw Teacher Si on set. I thought his hands were really beautiful,” Yun Yuexian chimed in with a somewhat embarrassed smile. “I even secretly observed him painting, hoping to learn a thing or two to use during filming. Having such an accomplished artist as my hand double makes me feel a bit ashamed.”

As soon as Yun Yuexian spoke, Yun Pei fixed his gaze on him, staring at him intently.

At first, Yun Yuexian smiled back, but when Yun Pei didn’t look away for a long while, a bad feeling began to creep into his mind. Sure enough, the next moment, Yun Pei spoke.

“Are you pretending not to know me, little brother?” Yun Pei leaned casually on the armrests of his wheelchair, his gaze calmly fixed on Yun Yuexian.

His words directly revealed their relationship, nearly causing Yun Yuexian to lose his composure. His smile faltered, becoming stiff.

The two investors at the table raised their eyebrows and exchanged glances. They had met Young Master Yun Yuexian at a few events with his father, but they had never seen Yun Family’s eldest son, though they had heard rumors about his leg injury.

Seeing Yun Pei and Qin Mingyuan enter together had already sparked some suspicions, especially given the incident at the auction. The elite circles had no secrets.

This was shaping up to be quite an interesting evening.

For the actors and crew who weren’t in the know, Yun Pei’s words merely piqued their curiosity, and they began glancing back and forth between the two.

“Brother…” Yun Yuexian called out softly, looking a bit flustered. “You said you didn’t want everyone to know about our relationship, so… I’m sorry.” He looked so innocent, making it seem like it was his fault for concealing their relationship, turning the blame onto himself. Yun Pei stared at him coldly, as if he were watching a clown perform.

Qin Mingyuan looked on, amused, as Yun Pei, who usually curled up like a sensitive Mimosa plant, now bristled with thorns, ready to prick the other person. It was cute—he wanted to pinch Yun Pei’s earlobe and see if he’d shrink back.

As Yun Yuexian’s voice fell, the room grew silent. Yun Pei didn’t respond, leaving him hanging awkwardly, and the tension in the room was palpable.

Yun Yuexian knew Yun Pei was doing it on purpose. He inwardly sneered but outwardly looked pitiful, as if afraid of his brother, his eyes turning red as he lowered his head in an attempt to hide his emotions.

He knew everyone’s eyes were on them now, and with his pitiful appearance, people would start to make their own assumptions. He didn’t need to say anything—they’d come to their own conclusions.