Even though it was supposed to be a celebration banquet for the film crew, the spotlight seemed to have shifted entirely to the Yun brothers.

However, Director Li Lin remained indifferent, leaning back in his chair in a comfortable position, uninterested and unconcerned with the current situation.

“Alright, alright, since everyone is here, let’s start eating,” the producer stepped in at the right moment to diffuse the tension, gesturing towards the other table. “Xiao Chen, go ask the waiters to start serving the food.”

Xiao Chen responded quickly, got up, and went out to handle it.

The atmosphere instantly relaxed, and the group was just about to laugh and chat to brush off the previous awkwardness, but someone was clearly not willing to let it go.

“Young Master Yun certainly knows how to throw his weight around,” Liang Zichen said with a smile, but his tone was sharp as he held Yun Yuexian’s hand under the table. “Bullying your younger brother at home isn’t enough; you have to do it out here too?”

The last time Yun Yuexian got hurt, Liang Zichen had gone to visit him and learned that his head injury had been caused by Yun Pei. He had heard bits and pieces about the Yun family’s affairs.

But in his opinion, the adults were the ones at fault, and Yun Yuexian was innocent. Yun Pei had no reason to take his anger out on his younger brother, especially since these events had occurred so many years ago. Clinging to old grudges seemed pointless.

Though they weren’t full siblings, they shared the same father. Even if they couldn’t get along perfectly, there was no need to constantly target Yun Yuexian like this.

“Not as impressive as Young Master Liang,” Qin Mingyuan looked at him, his eyes cold as they swept over Yun Yuexian beside him. “You even meddle in other people’s family matters.”

As soon as the two locked eyes, everyone else at the table shrank back like quails, not daring to make a sound. Both the Qin and Liang families were forces no one wanted to provoke. It was best to just be invisible.

Yun Pei turned to look at Qin Mingyuan, who had stood up for him, pursing his lips slightly.

Liang Zichen chuckled in response, though his eyes darkened. He opened his mouth to say something more, but Yun Yuexian tugged at his sleeve.

“Brother Zichen, please don’t argue with President Qin because of me. If your mother finds out, she’ll be upset again.” Yun Yuexian looked at him with concern.

Hearing this, Liang Zichen grew even more frustrated. After the previous scandal, his mother had scolded him and told him to avoid getting too close to Yun Yuexian outside of promoting the film. She also warned him not to cross Qin Mingyuan, implying that they were no longer on the same level.

He had obediently followed her instructions, but deep down, he was unhappy. In A City, the Liang family and the Qin family were considered equals. Even if they did clash, he didn’t believe the Qin family would completely dominate them. Why should he back down?

He patted Yun Yuexian’s hand in reassurance and then, not backing down, stared directly at Qin Mingyuan. “It seems to me that President Qin is quite eager to manage other people’s family affairs too.”

It was clear he was intent on butting heads with him. Qin Mingyuan narrowed his eyes, about to respond when the person beside him spoke first.

“Mr. Liang,” Yun Pei sat straight in his wheelchair, his posture dignified, “My brother and I will resolve our family matters at home. You don’t need to—”

“Young Master Yun,” Liang Zichen interrupted, still smiling as he cut him off, “It’s basic courtesy not to butt into other people’s conversations.”

He felt obliged to respect the Qin family, but the Yun family was insignificant to him.

Yun Yuexian’s lips curled into a smile. Yun Pei had tried to embarrass him, but look at who was the one embarrassed now.

Qin Mingyuan frowned, his body, which had been leaning back, straightening slightly. But before he could speak, a hand rested on his forearm, stopping him.

Yun Pei’s expression remained unchanged, unaffected by the public rebuke. In fact, he even smiled slightly and nodded. “You’re absolutely right, Mr. Liang. It’s basic courtesy not to interrupt others’ conversations. So, may I ask, isn’t it basic decency not to meddle in other people’s family affairs?”

On the surface, it seemed like he was criticizing Liang Zichen for interfering in their family matters, but the true meaning behind his words was clear to everyone.

Liang Zichen’s face darkened, realizing the underlying message of Yun Pei’s words.

Meanwhile, Yun Yuexian, who had been quietly enjoying the spectacle, paled. He realized he had been subtly warned and quickly wrapped his arms around Liang Zichen’s, exclaiming, “Brother Zichen, that’s enough. Today is supposed to be a celebration of our box office success. My brother was just teasing me earlier. Don’t take it seriously. We always joke around like that.”

His family background was no secret in high society. Everyone knew about it, but no one discussed it publicly. The rich didn’t care about such things—most of them had mistresses. However, if this gossip spread in the entertainment industry, it would be a disaster for him.

Right now, Yun Yuexian’s career was on the rise thanks to the success of the film, but if this kind of rumor got out, his rivals would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to smear him.

The public had a biased view of illegitimate children, and they wouldn’t listen to his explanations. If that happened, his reputation would be ruined, and it would be even harder for him to climb to the top.

Seeing the pleading look in Yun Yuexian’s eyes, Liang Zichen sighed. Though frustrated, he felt a pang of pity for him—it wasn’t Yun Yuexian’s fault after all.

When the two of them fell silent, Yun Pei finally withdrew his gaze, only to find himself locking eyes with Qin Mingyuan. He blinked, a bit puzzled. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Qin Mingyuan shook his head, his tongue briefly running over his molars. He just found it quite charming—Yun Pei, the delicate Mimosa with his thorns raised, looking ready to sting anyone who came close. It made him want to tease him, especially when those sharp leaves softened again, as they did now. Yun Pei looked at him with gentle eyes, completely devoid of aggression. It made him… want to bully him a little.

Just then, Xiao Chen returned, pushing the door open fully to let the waiters in with the dishes, breaking the tense atmosphere.

The aroma of the food filled the room, relaxing everyone. The guests clinked glasses and the mood gradually lightened.

Even though Qin Mingyuan was seated at the lower end of the table, his presence made it feel like he was in the seat of honor. Several actors took the opportunity to toast the director and, with some courage, even approached Qin Mingyuan to offer him a drink.

Perhaps because he was in a good mood, Qin Mingyuan responded to most of them, lightly clinking glasses with each. He only took a sip of wine each time, but the fact that he acknowledged them was enough to make them feel honored, so they happily drank the rest themselves.

The female lead of the movie also came over to toast him. She was a popular young actress with a good reputation in the industry, known for her talent and a solid fan base. This was her first time starring in a film, as she had previously focused on television dramas.

After toasting Qin Mingyuan, she hesitated for a moment before looking at Yun Pei. “Teacher Si, may I toast you as well?”

Yun Pei, who had been quietly eating, looked surprised. He glanced back at her but, not wanting to be impolite, picked up the glass in front of him. “Can I drink juice instead?”

Knowing that he didn’t drink alcohol, the female lead didn’t mind. She lowered her glass to his level, clinked it, and took a sip of wine. “It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

After she left, Yun Pei was still feeling a bit confused.

He was just a hand double, and his family’s business wasn’t particularly large. Even though he was sitting next to the Qin Corporation’s president, most people wouldn’t pay attention to him. Despite their apparent closeness, who would go out of their way to befriend him when the real power player was right there?

Qin Mingyuan swirled the red wine in his glass and glanced at him. “She’s the female lead in the movie, but the character pairing that’s gotten the most attention is between Yun Yuexian and the male lead. During promotions, he interacted with Liang Zichen the most.”

Yun Pei immediately understood. Most of the actors in Director Li Lin’s films weren’t there for the paycheck; they were there to add prestige to their resumes and push their careers forward.

But now, the spotlight had been stolen by the fourth male lead, Yun Yuexian. While her popularity had increased, it was nowhere near what she had expected. There was no way she wasn’t feeling resentful, so when Yun Pei threw a few barbs at Yun Yuexian, she probably felt like she got some revenge through him.

After several rounds of drinks, Qin Mingyuan decided he had had enough. He set down his glass. “I’m going to the restroom. You’ll be okay by yourself?”

Yun Pei nodded. “Go ahead.”

After Qin Mingyuan left, Yun Pei rubbed his chilled fingertips together and put on the light jacket that had been draped over the back of his chair.

The jacket was a bit too big for him, looking slightly ill-fitting on his slim frame. Yun Yuexian’s gaze briefly swept over him, his eyes cold.

In the restroom, Qin Mingyuan emerged from the stall, standing in front of the mirror to straighten his shirt before turning on the faucet to wash his hands.

As he applied the soap, he noticed it had a strong floral scent, which he didn’t particularly like, so he quickly rinsed it off.

“Brother Mingyuan…”

Amid the sound of running water, a voice suddenly called out. Qin Mingyuan glanced up, meeting a pair of hesitant eyes in the mirror.

He lowered his gaze and continued washing his hands, remaining silent.

Seeing that he was being ignored, Yun Yuexian bit his lip. From the mirror, he could see Qin Mingyuan’s cold expression, but he didn’t move.

Only after Qin Mingyuan had thoroughly washed away the soap, leaving just a faint scent, did he turn off the faucet and grab a paper towel to dry his hands.

“Brother Mingyuan…”

As Qin Mingyuan tossed the used paper into the trash, Yun Yuexian called out to him again, his fingers clutching at his clothes, looking nervous.

Finally, Qin Mingyuan turned around, his gaze lowering to focus on Yun Yuexian’s face. “What do you want?”

His tone was indifferent, and Yun Yuexian tightened his grip on his clothes, looking up at him. “Brother Mingyuan, I just feel like there’s been some kind of misunderstanding between us. Lately, it seems like you’ve been avoiding me. You even blocked me…”

“There’s no misunderstanding.” Qin Mingyuan adjusted the cuff of his shirt, which had gotten slightly out of place while washing his hands. “I’m busy with work every day. I don’t have time to play your little games.”

His bluntness made Yun Yuexian’s face pale, and his eyes began to redden. “Are you… are you avoiding me because of Brother Zichen? There’s nothing between us. We’re just friends…”

“Yun Yuexian,” Qin Mingyuan interrupted him. “It doesn’t matter if there’s a misunderstanding or not. I’m telling you now—I’m not interested in you. Who you’re with or what your relationship is with them has nothing to do with me. Do you understand?”

Yun Yuexian stared at him in shock. “You… you’re not interested in me? But before, you clearly… did your feelings change so quickly?”

Qin Mingyuan put his hands in his pockets and shook his head. “I didn’t change. I was never interested in you to begin with.”

“That’s impossible!” Yun Yuexian’s voice rose, his panic evident. His lips trembled, and his eyes filled with unshed tears. “You’re saying this because you’re angry, right? I’ve been spending time with Brother Zichen for the movie’s promotion, but I don’t have feelings for him.”

Qin Mingyuan lifted his chin slightly, his eyes full of disdain. “What’s the point of telling me this? If you have something to say, why don’t you go tell Liang Zichen?”

Yun Yuexian froze, biting his lip. He realized that Qin Mingyuan had become much harder to deal with lately. Still, he lowered his head and began to cry softly. “Brother Mingyuan, you’re acting like this because of my brother, right? Did my brother… say something to you?”

How skilled he was at shifting the blame. Qin Mingyuan was starting to get impatient. He frowned. “What could he possibly say?”

“You know about my background…” Yun Yuexian lowered his head sadly. “He’s never liked me, no matter how hard I try to win him over. He still doesn’t like me. Even after what happened last time, I didn’t blame him. I just worry he might have said something to make you misunderstand. I really see you as a close friend, like a brother.”

As Yun Yuexian continued, Qin Mingyuan’s gaze grew colder. This person truly didn’t know when to stop.

When Yun Yuexian didn’t receive a response, he looked up, only to meet Qin Mingyuan’s icy stare. Startled, he instinctively took a step back. “Brother Mingyuan…”

“Yun Yuexian,” Qin Mingyuan spoke slowly, his voice full of warning. “It’s best if you stay away from me. Don’t appear in front of me again.”

With that, Qin Mingyuan walked past him, leaving the restroom without another word.

It wasn’t until Qin Mingyuan had left that Yun Yuexian seemed to snap out of it. Shivering slightly, his expression darkened, and he angrily kicked the sink. “Ungrateful bastard!”