During the New Year, Yu Yan and his family were busy visiting temples to pay respects to Buddha, meeting relatives, and attending to various tasks. It wasn’t until the sixth day of the lunar new year that things finally quieted down.

On that day, Yu Lin and Jiang Mo went out to have tea with old friends. They originally planned to take the brothers along, but Yu Yan found an excuse to decline.

Yu Yan was sprawled on the carpet in front of the sofa, holding a game controller and competing with He Zhiyu.

Four hours earlier, when he discovered that this online game could be played with friends, he immediately invited He Zhiyu to join him.

As one game ended, Yu Chen came downstairs, wearing a dark gray cashmere coat and a scarf he had knitted himself.

“Bro, heading out for something?” Yu Yan casually asked.

Yu Chen glanced at his watch and said, “Just changed clothes. You’re coming with me.”

“Where to?”

“A gathering with some friends.”

Yu Yan remained motionless, his tongue pressing against the roof of his mouth as the words of refusal swirled in his mind but were ultimately swallowed.

“Is Shen Ge also going?”

Yu Chen frowned slightly. “Yes.”

“Alright, wait for me a moment.”

Yu Yan exited the game, turned off the TV, went upstairs to change, and got ready to leave—all in just five minutes.

As he came back downstairs, his hat was on backward, with a few loose threads sticking up on top.

The gathering spot was once again at Fang Chi’s bar. This time, Fang Chi’s business venture was successful, and business was booming during the New Year.

The lucky cat statue had been moved to a more prominent location, and a wealth god statue had been added nearby. The wealth god gleamed brightly, covered with a red cloth to keep off dust.

The lively atmosphere was the appeal of such gatherings, so they didn’t book a private room. Instead, they sat in a booth near the bar and chatted casually.

As soon as Fang Chi arrived, he hooked an arm around Yu Yan’s shoulder. “Xiao Yan, how’s my setup? Hey, let me tell you, ever since I put up this wealth god statue, business has been great! Everyone who passes by comes to pay their respects.”

Just as he finished speaking, Yu Yan noticed a young woman pass by, clasp her hands together devoutly, and bow to the statue.

“It’s pretty good. Makes me want to bow too,” Yu Yan said.

“Exactly! Nobody can resist the wealth god,” Fang Chi said smugly.

Heeding Yu Chen’s previous warning, Fang Chi didn’t offer Yu Yan any strong drinks this time. Instead, he had the bartender mix a sweet cocktail for him.

Yu Yan’s eyes flickered as he leaned closer and asked in a low voice, “Did you consult Chen Ge before putting up this wealth god?”

“Hell no! I sent him dozens of messages, and he didn’t reply to a single one!” Fang Chi shot Shen Yuming a glare before quickly averting his eyes. “You hang out; I’ll have someone bring over some champagne.”

While the group played dice games, Yu Yan sat in a corner, idly scrolling through his phone. He also took the chance to reply to He Zhiyu’s messages, explaining that he didn’t mean to ditch him during their gaming session.

Yu Chen sat next to him, with Shen Yuchen on the other side. The two had been chatting for nearly twenty minutes, seemingly discussing business matters.

Yu Yan caught a few key phrases like “project taken” and “collaboration stalled,” which immediately made him sit up straight, pretending to listen casually.

After Yu Chen’s engagement party, the family had replaced several housekeepers, and Yu Yan thought the problems had been resolved. But why did it sound like things were getting worse?

During this time, Qi Mo hadn’t contacted him. Could it be that Qi Mo found another way to infiltrate Chaoxing?

This couldn’t go on. He couldn’t just sit idly by.

After hesitating for a moment, Yu Yan sent a few messages to Qi Mo, politely asking when they could meet.

He had sent similar messages before, but Qi Mo, knowing Yu Yan’s intentions to collect supplies for charity, would usually just arrange for a vehicle to deliver the items without meeting in person.

This time, Qi Mo’s response came after a few minutes, rejecting the meeting with an obviously colder tone.

The last incident involving drugging had nearly exposed their situation, so Qi Mo’s attitude was understandable. Still, Yu Yan patiently chatted with him for a while before finally bringing up his main point: his New Year’s gift was shares in Chaoxing.

After sending the message, Qi Mo went silent for a few minutes before a barrage of texts came through like an explosion.

[Qi Mo: That’s great news! How many shares? Does Yu Chen have any?]
[Qi Mo: What’s your next step?]
[Qi Mo: When are you free? Let’s meet up.]
[Qi Mo: Those shares are important to you. Don’t sign any shareholding trust agreements.]

…

Message after message popped up, but this time it was Yu Yan’s turn to play it cool. He casually made up an excuse to decline.

Locking his phone, turning on silent mode, and setting it aside—all done in one swift motion.

After about ten more minutes, Yu Chen was finally called away by Xi Yuan, and Yu Yan quietly shifted over to occupy his seat.

Shen Yuming glanced up slightly but didn’t react otherwise.

Shen Yuchen typically wore dark-colored clothing and disliked jewelry, usually only wearing a low-key watch.

Perhaps in the spirit of the New Year, today he had a rare pair of ruby cufflinks, which stood out strikingly. They gleamed with his movements, drawing attention.

The pigeon-blood red rubies made his fair hands look as delicate as white jade, the slight protrusion of his wrist bone moving subtly.

“Yu Yan—”

“Eh?” Yu Yan snapped back to his senses and subtly adjusted his sitting posture to cover up his nervousness.

Shen Yuming tilted his head slightly, his voice as deep and magnetic as ever. “Do you have something to say to me?”

Yu Yan took out a box from his pocket and handed it over. “Brother Shen, happy New Year.”

“For me?”

“Yeah, a New Year gift.”

Shen Yuming looked slightly surprised. Inside the box was a solid black watch, which felt heavy in his hand.

He had never worn this brand before, but he knew the price was roughly in the six-figure range. This would be the cheapest watch in his collection. However, knowing Yu Yan well, Shen Yuming understood that Yu Yan rarely made such large purchases—his only prior significant expense had been for charity.

The term “New Year gift” was unfamiliar to Shen Yuming, but he quickly caught on and smiled suddenly. “Is this a return gift for that set of clothes?”

Yu Yan hesitated for a moment before shaking his head. “No, it’s just a New Year gift.”

In truth, that was his intention. Since Shen Yuming had gifted him a set of clothes when he stayed over, Yu Yan felt obliged to give something in return.

However, gifting back something of equivalent value between friends could feel too formal. Using the excuse of a New Year gift felt more appropriate.

Shen Yuming, in a rather good mood, didn’t probe further. He took off the Patek Philippe on his wrist and replaced it with the black watch.

Yu Yan pursed his lips and smiled. He knew Shen Yuming wouldn’t reject it!

While Yu Yan went to the restroom, his seat was reclaimed by Yu Chen.

Shen Yuming’s brow furrowed slightly but said nothing. Rarely, he reached out to pour Yu Chen a drink and handed it to him personally.

“It’s a rare treat to have you pour me a drink,” Yu Chen said as he accepted the glass, his eyes catching sight of the watch on Shen Yuming’s wrist. “Your watch…”

“What’s wrong with it?” Shen Yuming asked nonchalantly, flexing his wrist as if unaware.

“I thought you only wore luxury watches. Why would you buy something from such a niche brand?”

Shen Yuming caught onto the key word. “Also?”

“Yeah, I have one too,” Yu Chen said, stretching out his hand. “Look, same brand. My brother gave it to me as a New Year gift.”

The smile on Shen Yuming’s face froze momentarily before vanishing completely.

He tugged his sleeve down, conveniently covering the watch.

Yu Yan returned from the restroom just then. Seeing his seat taken, he sat down on the other side of Shen Yuming.

In just a few minutes, Shen Yuming’s mood seemed to have taken a sharp turn, exuding a cold aura.

“What’s wrong?” Yu Yan asked instinctively.

Shen Yuming shook his head. “Nothing.”

Yu Yan softly replied with an “Oh.” Since Shen Yuming didn’t want to talk about it, he felt no need to press further.

The bar’s music was loud, with red and green lights flashing intermittently. The mix of strong liquor, leather, and perfume created a rich atmosphere.

Fang Chi even started dancing, swaying rhythmically to the beat.

But their little corner felt completely out of sync with the lively surroundings.

Yu Yan awkwardly started a conversation. “Brother Shen, have you watched Twenty Years yet?”

Since its premiere, Twenty Years had maintained high viewership and soaring ratings, receiving widespread praise online.

Although the drama hadn’t finished airing, Jian Ran had already gained over 200,000 followers, and even Song Yunjing’s fans had increased by tens of thousands. The hashtag “Seeing Injustice” remained a trending topic, topping searches for several days.

“No,” Shen Yuming replied indifferently.

That answer was expected—after all, no high-profile CEO would spend their days watching TV.

“The company gave me 20 million to invest earlier, and it should all be recouped, maybe even doubled.”

The statement was modest. By Yu Yan’s calculations, the return could easily be tenfold.

Due to the drama’s popularity, Jian Ran and Song Yunjing had received numerous endorsement offers and event invitations.

“Not bad,” Shen Yuming commented after a moment of thought, adding, “Good eye.”

“Since that’s the case, if I find another promising script, can I pitch for more investment, Mr. Shen?”

Yu Yan thought he had spoken in a humorous, lighthearted tone, even with a hint of a smile.

Shen Yuming, however, gave a concise reply. “Talk to President Li.”

Yu Yan understood—he was the problem.

Ever since his office had moved next to Shen Yuchen’s, Yu Yan had rarely been in contact with Li, the current person in charge of Xinghai. Most of the time, his assistant, Xiao Man, handled things for him.

The last investment deal had been personally brought to him for signing by Shen Yuchen’s assistant, Zhao Chi. But now, he was being told to go to Li for further discussions. The message was clear without needing to be spelled out.

Yu Yan let out a soft sigh. “Brother, are you in a bad mood?”

“No,” Shen Yuchen denied with a shake of his head.

Liar.

Yu Yan didn’t believe him for a second.

“Is it because you don’t like the watch I gave you?” he asked again.

Shen Yuchen hesitated for a moment before shaking his head.

Got it—it was definitely about the watch.

When Yu Yan bought the watch, he hadn’t paid much attention to the price; he simply thought it was suitable.

But he didn’t think the issue was the cost. After all, the scarf he had knitted was practically worthless, yet Shen Yuchen still wore it all the time.

It had to be the style—he must not have picked the kind Shen Yuchen liked.

What kind of watch did Shen Yuchen like?

Yu Yan drooped his head, clearly a bit deflated. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of something red—it was a red envelope.

Yu Yan froze for a moment, his dark eyes lighting up with surprise. “For me? New Year’s money?”

Shen Yuchen averted his gaze. “It’s a start-of-work bonus.”

After a brief pause, he added, “Everyone in the company gets one.”