Lin Can stared at Qi Yuan, not saying a word.

It was Song Xiao who got scolded with veiled insults, his expression as ugly as a pot bottom just burned in the countryside. “Qi Shao, you should know what kind of relationship Lin Can has with Ran Yang…”

“I know, of course I know,” Qi Yuan shot him a sidelong glance, a smile that was more like a smirk playing on his lips. He still remembered the threats Song Xiao had made against Lin Can earlier. “But Lin Can is mine now. I don’t care about any ex-husband or whatever.”

Was Lin Can some kind of male fairy reincarnated? How could he make Qi Yuan say such things?

Song Xiao’s gaze towards Lin Can shifted from disdain to wariness. “Lin Can, you…”

Ran Yang gently tugged at his sleeve, signaling him to stop talking, and then turned to Qi Yuan. “President Qi, can I have a few words with Lin Can?”

Qi Yuan paused, taking a moment to size up the handsome man in the white suit before him from bottom to top, then slowly nodded. “Of course.”

“Lin Can?” Ran Yang called again, his voice carrying a hint of soft, pitiful sharpness that pricked at Qi Yuan’s ears.

What a flirtatious act, who was he trying to impress?!

Lin Can slightly pursed his lips and followed Ran Yang into the small booth of the private room.

It had been a month since they last met, and Ran Yang had lost the previous pallor he had. Perhaps the burden on his heart had lifted, and with the best variety show invitation from the country, he looked much healthier and more vibrant.

In contrast, Lin Can had shed his earlier restlessness and flamboyance. His black hair was now obedient and silent, and just a glance at him could evoke fondness.

They had both changed a lot.

Ran Yang sighed a little. “I didn’t expect your benefactor to be President Qi. How did you two meet?”

Lin Can thought for a moment. “It was introduced by Yu Jishu.”

“Oh, him.” Upon hearing that name, even the gentle Ran Yang couldn’t help but smirk with a hint of mockery. “I heard he recently offended some people he shouldn’t have. Several contracts he had lined up fell through, and now no one dares to associate with him. If he introduced you to President Qi, then he’s half your benefactor. Did you help him?”

“…” Thinking of the things Yu Jishu had done, Lin Can silently closed his mouth.

Ran Yang didn’t seem surprised by his silence and continued, “I came to find you, partly to return this to you.”

He placed a box on the table beside Lin Can.

“This is a gift that Lin Xun bought for me online, meant for his new sister-in-law. Since I’m no longer his sister-in-law, it should go back to its rightful owner. Please help me return it to him.”

Lin Can opened the box, revealing a green Guanyin pendant.

Men wear Guanyin, women wear Buddha; Lin Xun had clearly done his homework. Although he could only afford the cheapest materials, this was undoubtedly Lin Xun’s best intention.

Ran Yang clearly understood this too, which was why he went through so much trouble, even fearing that Lin Can might find it too shabby and unnecessary, so he had to call him out to discuss it.

Lin Can gently stroked the Guanyin statue, carefully putting it away, and said to Ran Yang, “I’ll take it to him.”

Seeing Lin Can’s serious demeanor, Ran Yang finally felt a weight lift off his heart. “That’s good.”

“I was going to ask why you wanted to help me clarify things, but then I thought, with President Qi around, this matter is really nothing. Asking too much would just make me look silly.”

As he spoke, Ran Yang seemed to chuckle softly, his round eyes filled with complexity. “Just take care of yourself. After participating in this variety show, we’ll truly be strangers.”

Lin Can initially felt indifferent, but upon hearing the words “variety show,” a hint of melancholy arose in his heart.

What a joke! Just a month after their divorce, they were both going to participate in a dating variety show, and with someone else by their side. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how dramatic that would be.

After being honest and simple for twenty years, now he had to play a role in such a controversial script because of Qi Yuan’s arrangements. Lin Can couldn’t feel good about it at all. After leaving the small booth, he didn’t want to engage with Qi Yuan, using the excuse of going to the bathroom to seek some quiet.

Before he even had a chance to wash his hands, Qi Yuan found him.

He had never wanted Lin Can and Ran Yang, this pair of star-crossed lovers, to be alone together. Seeing Lin Can come out looking gloomy only made him more displeased.

What was going on? They were divorced, yet they were still acting like they were gazing into each other’s tear-filled eyes?

Even he, the benefactor, was being ignored. It seemed Lin Can had truly forgotten his own situation!

“What were you two talking about?” Qi Yuan refused to admit how much he actually cared, asking as if it were just casual conversation.

“Seeing how you both can’t even smile after coming out, I can’t help but wonder—are you thinking that I broke you two apart?”

Lin Can felt exhausted and didn’t want to say much, just shook his head and softly replied, “It’s nothing.”

“Nothing?” Qi Yuan snorted. “Then why do you look at me like I’m your enemy? If someone didn’t know better, they’d think I forcibly took a good man from his family.”

Lin Can looked up, his thin lips pressed tightly together, the corners of his eyes drooping. He indeed lacked the usual warmth.

Then he glanced at Qi Yuan, who was right next to him, desperately seeking an answer, looking quite impatient.

If he didn’t get a clear response, he was sure to blow this place up today.

Lin Can sighed. “I’m angry.”

“Angry?”

“Angry at you.”

With that, Lin Can no longer hid his feelings. He turned to face Qi Yuan, his light-colored pupils carrying a hint of helpless accusation. “Why did you arrange things this way? Is it fun?”

“I…”

If Lin Can hadn’t asked that question about whether it was fun, Qi Yuan could have continued to argue that Lin Can and Ran Yang’s ambiguous relationship was the problem, and that he was only trying to help Lin Can recognize his own identity.

But after that question, Qi Yuan felt guilty, even starting to reflect on whether he had been too willful.

Lin Can didn’t expect any good answers from him, so he turned to wash his hands, intending to leave.

Qi Yuan, not even clear about his own feelings, instinctively reached out to pull him back. “Don’t be angry, can’t I make it up to you?”

This was the first time Lin Can had heard the word “compensation” from Qi Yuan. After all, compensation carried an apologetic nature. When had Qi Yuan ever apologized?

“Compensation?”

“Yes,” Qi Yuan stepped closer, holding Lin Can’s hand tightly. “I’ll give you whatever you want.”

Lin Can thought for a moment. “I don’t want to participate in this show anymore.”

“That’s not possible,” Qi Yuan shook his head. “The show is starting to live stream in a couple of days. If you don’t participate, where will I find a partner?”

Lin Can turned his head away, not saying anything.

Qi Yuan seemed to realize he was throwing a tantrum, his heart softening. His voice unconsciously became much gentler. “I can’t change the show’s situation, but you can suggest something else.”

Lin Can was currently filled with thoughts about the show, unable to think of anything else.

“If you can’t think of anything, just leave it for now. When you come up with something, I’ll agree to it.” As Qi Yuan spoke, he couldn’t help but find Lin Can’s puffed-up appearance adorable, leaning in closer until he was almost pressed against Lin Can.

“Once this matter is over, let’s talk about something else,” he whispered in Lin Can’s ear.

Lin Can felt the warmth of his breath and instinctively wanted to move away. “Something else? What else?”

Qi Yuan reached out and pulled the Guanyin pendant from Lin Can’s pocket.

“What is this? Is it a token of love from your ex-husband?” Upon seeing the true form of the pendant, dozens of scenarios of rekindled romance flashed through Qi Yuan’s mind, and his expression soured.

Lin Can had been absentmindedly fiddling with the item in his pocket since he left the small booth, clearly cherishing it.

“It’s not a token of love; it’s something Lin Xun gave to Ran Yang. Now Ran Yang asked me to return it to him,” Lin Can explained.

Qi Yuan was half-convinced, his narrow phoenix eyes squinting at Lin Can. “You’re not lying to me, are you?”

Lin Can had no choice but to pull up the chat history with Lin Xun.

Seeing the words “gift for sister-in-law,” a glimmer of light flashed in Qi Yuan’s eyes.

He said to Lin Can, “He said it was a gift for his sister-in-law, so can I wear it too?”

Lin Can frowned slightly, sensing something was off. “What are you planning?”

“Aren’t I also his sister-in-law?” Qi Yuan said, reaching to put the Guanyin pendant around his neck.

“Don’t mess around,” Lin Can said.

“I’m not messing around.”

Before Lin Can could protest further, Qi Yuan had already put the pendant around his neck. Although the material was cheap, the design was quite nice. On someone as imposing as Qi Yuan, it felt like its value had multiplied by hundreds.

“How does it look? Is it pretty?” Qi Yuan showed off.

Of course, it looked good. With Qi Yuan’s figure, face, and charm, even a hemp rope would be a fashion statement, and many would want to imitate it.

But…

“This isn’t mine; you should take it off and return it.”

“Why are you being so serious? Isn’t it pretty?” Qi Yuan chuckled lightly.

Lin Can felt his ears heat up from the laughter, lowering his eyelashes to avoid looking at Qi Yuan’s fair, delicate neck with its prominent collarbone.

Qi Yuan couldn’t stand this innocent reaction and immediately pulled Lin Can along to the next room.

Lin Can then realized there was a fairly large changing room inside the bathroom.

Before he could take a second look, Qi Yuan had pushed him onto the sofa against the wall.

The scene repeated itself, and Qi Yuan once again sat on Lin Can’s lap.

“Is it pretty? Me wearing this pendant, doesn’t it look better than your ex-husband?” Qi Yuan stretched his neck, urging Lin Can to look.

Lin Can shifted slightly but didn’t know what to do, so he raised his hand to block the space between them, trying to maintain some distance.

As for the lower half of his body, he could only lean back little by little…

Qi Yuan wouldn’t let him have his way, reaching out to wrap his arm around Lin Can’s neck. “Say something?”

The moment he wrapped his arm around Lin Can’s neck, Lin Can caught a whiff of the expensive perfume that he had never encountered before. It was subtle yet impossible to ignore, mysterious and low-key like the moist sandalwood on a rainy night, with a lingering aftertaste that left him dazed.

“Hello…”

With a “click,” it seemed someone had entered the bathroom next door.

Lin Can’s mind cleared up, and he straightened up, trying to push Qi Yuan away.

But Qi Yuan said, “I locked the changing room door; no one can come in.”

As soon as he finished speaking, he leaned in to kiss Lin Can.

Lin Can tilted his head back to cooperate, but his heart raced with anxiety. Even though Qi Yuan said the door was locked, he couldn’t help but glance towards it.

Qi Yuan raised his hand to cover Lin Can’s eyes. “Focus.”

Lin Can shook his head slightly, but he couldn’t shake it off, so he obediently felt the warmth of the person in front of him.

After their deep kiss in the car, Qi Yuan had clearly become addicted to this feeling. This time, the kiss lasted longer than before, and even when they had to part, Qi Yuan lingered on Lin Can, kissing his lips every few moments.

Lin Can was lost in thought when he suddenly realized they were facing a mirror.

In the mirror, Qi Yuan was sitting on his lap, arms wrapped around his neck, showering him with delicate kisses.

Lin Can’s hands naturally rested on Qi Yuan’s slim waist, lightly holding onto the slender figure before him.

They looked like a pair of lovers deeply in love, unable to suppress their feelings any longer.