The recent calm wasn’t because Ruan Chengjie suddenly grew a conscience or because Ke Mingxuan scored a decisive victory. Rather, it was because every spring during Lunar New Year, all members of the Ruan family were required to return to the ancestral home in the capital to visit the esteemed Elder Ruan, Ruan Hongsheng—the founder of Huarui. During that time, Ruan Chengjie was too busy scheming and competing with his uncles, brothers, and cousins within the family to have time to bother Jiu’an.

Now that the holiday was over and Ruan Chengjie was back, no one could predict what that lunatic would do next.

Fang Rui called on behalf of the entire second-generation circle, hoping to mediate a reconciliation between the Ke and Ruan families. After all, if He Sheng and Huarui kept fighting like this, the inevitable outcome would be mutual destruction, leaving neither side unscathed. Considering the deep and tangled relationships among the families, whether as friends or stakeholders with shared interests, this was a result no one wanted to see.

For Ke Mingxuan, the stakes went beyond his personal interests. The bigger headache was figuring out how to answer to both the Ke and Feng families. Although He Sheng was his own creation, built from the ground up to its current scale, it wouldn’t have achieved such success in the business world without the powerful family background and extensive connections backing him. If the company ran into trouble, never mind what Old Master Feng might think—he wouldn’t even get past Commander Ke. Fang Rui had a point. Ke Mingxuan wasn’t ready to let Bian Yiqiu face the Ke and Feng families just yet. The best option was to reconcile.

Ke Mingxuan didn’t hide anything from Bian Yiqiu—there was no way to hide something like this anyway. However, when relaying the situation to Bian Yiqiu, he didn’t lay out the stakes so clearly. As for Commander Ke and Old Master Feng, he didn’t mention them at all. He simply said that several families had business dealings with both He Sheng and Huarui, and they wanted to play peacemakers to smooth things over.

After listening, Bian Yiqiu didn’t offer any opinions, nor did he melodramatically declare, “This is my problem, you don’t need to interfere—I can handle it myself.” Because, clearly, he couldn’t handle this on his own. He had always been someone who knew his limits—no diamond tools, no porcelain work. Besides, he didn’t feel guilty about Ke Mingxuan stepping in. At the end of the day, he was still the victim here.

With practiced precision, he deftly extracted a perfect piece of crab leg meat. This time, instead of eating it himself, he placed it on the plate in front of Ke Mingxuan. Then he pulled a napkin to wipe his hands and said, “Alaskan king crab—best enjoyed while it’s hot.”

And so, the two of them seriously focused on eating the crab.

Ke Mingxuan had initially worried that this guy would blow up the moment he found out about the plan to reconcile with Ruan Chengjie. To his surprise, Bian Yiqiu remained so calm that it made Ke Mingxuan reevaluate him.

As long as he didn’t stir up trouble, Ke Mingxuan was confident he could handle whatever came next, no matter how things unfolded.

After finishing the meal, Bian Yiqiu mimicked Young Master Ke’s earlier actions, brewing a fresh pot of tea. He took a couple of sips before suddenly asking, “Ke Mingxuan, why are my photos in Ruan Chengjie’s hands?”

The abrupt question caught Ke Mingxuan completely off guard. His hand paused mid-motion as he drank his tea, and he raised his eyes to look at Bian Yiqiu.

Bian Yiqiu sat across from him, locking eyes without blinking. His expression was calm, showing no signs of anger, but it was clear he wasn’t going to let this slide easily.

Ke Mingxuan had actually answered this question once before, claiming he was the one who sent the photos. At the time, Bian Yiqiu, blinded by his raging fury, didn’t stop to question the truth of that statement. But over the past few days, after calming down and thinking everything through, he realized there was something very suspicious about Ke Mingxuan’s answer.

They had known each other for over half a year now. While he couldn’t say he understood Ke Mingxuan inside out, judging by Young Master Ke’s usual arrogant behavior, it didn’t seem likely he’d be the type to share his possessions with anyone else. And who said a casual hookup didn’t count as a possession? For someone as proud as Ke Mingxuan, it was unthinkable. Even Bian Yiqiu himself wouldn’t let one of his flings sleep with someone else—at least not before he completely lost interest in them.

If Ke Mingxuan had already lost interest in him when he sent those photos, why would he go out of his way to repeatedly warn him to stay away from Ruan Chengjie? He even used the word “jealousy” to make his point. Back then, Bian Yiqiu had completely misunderstood, thinking Ke Mingxuan liked Ruan Chengjie. But after everything that had happened, if he still couldn’t figure it out, he might as well not have a brain.

Ke Mingxuan liked him—there was no doubt about it. Even if it had only been a mild crush in the beginning, there was no reason for him to send his private photos to Ruan Chengjie. Yet Ke Mingxuan had openly admitted to being the one who sent them, leaving Bian Yiqiu baffled.

Even though their relationship was now crystal clear, this matter still felt like a thorn lodged in Bian Yiqiu’s throat. Every time he thought about it, a wave of irritation swept over him.

Bian Yiqiu hoped Ke Mingxuan would give him an explanation—any explanation. He had already considered countless possibilities: maybe the phone was lost, broken, or accidentally tampered with, or maybe during a drunken gathering, Ruan Chengjie had somehow gotten hold of it. As long as Ke Mingxuan gave him an answer, he’d believe it and let the matter go, never bringing it up again.

But Ke Mingxuan, after staring at him for a long moment, still didn’t offer any explanation. Instead, he said with sincere guilt, “It was my fault. What do I have to do for you to forgive me? Whatever you ask, I’ll do it.”

“Anything?” Bian Yiqiu raised an eyebrow. Seeing Ke Mingxuan nod, he smiled faintly and said, “Alright, then tonight you’re the bottom.”

“……” Young Master Ke was stunned. Just as he was wrestling with his thoughts, weighing the pros and cons, wondering if letting himself be the bottom would make Bian Yiqiu drop the issue of the photos, Bian Yiqiu suddenly slammed the table and burst into laughter.

“I was just joking,” Bian Yiqiu said. “I won’t make you bottom that way. If I’m going to fuck you, it’ll be in a way that makes you truly submit.”

Ke Mingxuan raised an eyebrow with a smirk. “Bian, you really have some guts.” And what he liked was this pride in Bian Yiqiu, one that remained unshaken no matter what setbacks or blows he faced.

“Sweet words won’t work,” Bian Yiqiu said, his smile fading. He looked at Ke Mingxuan with a seriousness he had never shown before. “Ke Mingxuan, I’m giving you one last chance. You really have nothing else to say about the photos?”

Ke Mingxuan suddenly felt a bit of pain in his jaw, possibly from biting down too hard on the crab shell. Bian Yiqiu was the kind of person who appeared foolish and careless on the surface, always joking around with no seriousness. But in reality, he was sharp, meticulous, and far more calculating than he let on. His mind was as deep and intricate as the Drake Passage, which was why he could command the respect of Jiu’an Group’s old guard—those who had once fought alongside Li Jiu through thick and thin.

Given Bian Yiqiu’s question, it seemed he was starting to doubt what Ke Mingxuan had said. However, the situation wasn’t the right moment for complications. Their relationship had changed, and he couldn’t afford to be careless now.

Lin Jiayan himself had little to worry about, but the relationship between the Lin and Ke families was something he had to consider. Although the two of them would eventually be together for the long haul, they couldn’t avoid clashing with their families sooner or later—but now wasn’t the time for that. He never fought an unprepared battle, and he still needed more time.

So, he simply replied, “Nothing.”

“Alright,” Bian Yiqiu nodded. “I’ll take your word for it, but you’d better not make me find out you’re lying.”

For the first time in his life, Ke Mingxuan felt a bit guilty. Fortunately, Bian Yiqiu didn’t look at him after saying that, instead lowering his head to tap on his phone, then handed it to him.

Ke Mingxuan glanced at him in confusion before reaching for the phone. But the next moment, he nearly choked on the tea he had just taken. He quickly put down the cup and opened the album to check those few photos, double-checking them. When he looked back up at Bian Yiqiu, he finally understood. “No wonder Ruan Chengjie won’t let go of you. You motherfucker…”

Ke Mingxuan racked his brain, but couldn’t find the right words to say. He remembered when he had found Bian Yiqiu at the winery, drugged and barely able to stand. In that condition, Bian Yiqiu still had the leisure to take nude photos of Ruan Chengjie. It was really something only someone extraordinary could pull off.

It was probably because Bian Yiqiu was too physically drained at the time to fully strip Ruan Chengjie, but the key areas were all exposed. His shirt was undone and spread open, while his pants were pulled down to his thighs. The photos of his face, chest, and lower body were especially clear. Although he wasn’t fully naked, the half-dressed, disheveled look, combined with the wall full of SM equipment behind him, made it even more striking.

Bian Yiqiu shrugged. “He has my photos, so of course, I had to leave a little memento too. Who would’ve known he’d be so rude? I wasn’t worried he’d expose them, but he’s acting like a mad dog, clinging on and refusing to let go.”

Ke Mingxuan shook his head. “In his eyes, you’re a gangster, and a few nude photos won’t threaten you. But he’s different. Putting aside the impact such a scandal would have on Huarui, his position in the Ruan family isn’t as solid as it appears. If these photos were to get exposed, it’s not just Huarui’s reputation that would suffer—he’d definitely lose his position as CEO. He’s stepped on a lot of people in the family to seize power, and if he falls from grace, he probably won’t even know how it happened.”

Bian Yiqiu thought to himself, Looks like he’s done too many shady things and now he’s scared.

“Then isn’t he afraid of pushing me too far? What if I expose his photos instead?”

Ke Mingxuan asked, “Would you?”

Bian Yiqiu didn’t answer, but the answer was obvious. If it were a few years ago, he would have made Ruan Chengjie pay, or perhaps even shoved that shard of glass into his carotid artery back then. But now, the responsibilities on his shoulders prevented him from acting impulsively. Since he didn’t kill him back then, there was no reason to burn bridges with Ruan now. Exposing the photos could certainly deal a fatal blow to Ruan Chengjie, but one Ruan Chengjie couldn’t shake Huarui’s foundation. The Ruan family was prosperous and could replace him with another CEO, still standing tall in the business world as a real estate giant. Meanwhile, Jiu’an Group, facing off against Huarui, might end up being completely devoured.

Bian Yiqiu had already figured out the key points. Ruan Chengjie wasn’t an idiot; he knew this too, which was why he was so confident in dealing with Jiu’an. First, he had completely lost face in front of Bian Yiqiu, unable to swallow that humiliation. Second, it was all to force out Bian Yiqiu’s trump cards. After all, while Bian Yiqiu might not care about a few nude photos, Ruan Chengjie certainly did. Bian Yiqiu had originally planned to use the photos to negotiate with Ruan Chengjie at the right time, but didn’t expect He Sheng to intervene suddenly.

“Tsk,” Bian Yiqiu picked up the teapot to pour tea, speaking without sincerity. “Maybe I will.”

Ke Mingxuan replied, “You won’t.”

“Don’t act like you understand me so well.”

“I don’t understand you enough, I just think you’re not stupid enough to go that far.”

Bian Yiqiu seriously thought for a moment—was he praising me, or insulting me?

“I’m praising you.”

“…How does he know what I’m thinking?”

“You’re wearing it on your face.”

“…”

Bian Yiqiu was genuinely stunned now.

Ke Mingxuan shook his phone. “If you wanted to expose those photos, they wouldn’t be in my hands right now.”

Bian Yiqiu picked up his teacup. “I’m just tired of him. To have some peace in the future, let’s put this matter to rest.”

The issue of you sending my photos out should end here, as should the conflict with Ruan Chengjie because of me. Let the past stay in the past. Right now, I just want to focus on having a good relationship.