The sudden kiss had left Song Yi bewildered, and with Gu Xingchuan’s abrupt display of aggression, he was completely confused about what was happening between the two of them. After hesitating for a moment, he said, “You’re not in a good state today. You should rest well tonight.”

Shen Li forced a slight smile, his expression downcast. “I understand. I’ll wait until you have time.”

Feeling a pang of sympathy, Song Yi pulled out a pen gift box and handed it to Shen Li. “You mentioned wanting to practice your calligraphy, so I picked this out for you.”

Shen Li took the pen box, gripping it tightly in his hands, and sniffed. “Thank you.”

Song Yi gently ruffled his hair, treating him like a child. “You don’t need to thank me. It’s your birthday today. Just forget what happened and enjoy the cake when you go back in, okay?”

Shen Li nodded earnestly, gazing up at him. “I got it.”

Gu Xingchuan rolled his eyes, feeling nauseated. The way Song Yi spoke to omegas was so overly sweet that it made him cringe. It was as if he wanted to cradle the other person in his hands; he completely changed when he talked to them, almost like he owed them money.

After Shen Li had taken a few steps, Gu Xingchuan suddenly remembered something. He turned to Song Yi and said, “Wait for me for five minutes. I need to ask Shen Li something.”

Shen Li’s shoulders trembled slightly as he looked at Gu Xingchuan with wide, expressive eyes.

“Don’t worry; I won’t hit you,” Gu Xingchuan said, tilting his chin toward a nearby secluded corridor. He just wanted to clarify a few things.

Shen Li hesitated for a moment, casting a pitiful glance at Song Yi. Song Yi looked concerned as well and patted Gu Xingchuan on the back. “What do you want with him?”

“Am I going to eat him?” Gu Xingchuan scoffed, slipping his hands into his pockets as he walked over.

Shen Li hesitated for a moment but then followed.

Song Yi’s mind was a jumble. First, he didn’t quite understand the relationship between Gu Xingchuan and Shen Li, and second, there was the kiss from earlier.

He had always felt a lingering attachment to Shen Li, believing him to be his ideal partner. However, after Shen Li had kissed him, signaling for him to make a move, he found himself wanting to retreat instead.

This left Song Yi feeling disoriented. Although he was generally casual about relationships—his previous partners often held a grudge against him—his feelings for Shen Li were genuine. Shen Li had once been there for him when he needed support, and he had never harbored any insincere intentions toward him. He had even considered marrying Shen Li at one point.

Now, in this complicated situation, he found it hard to make sense of things. Perhaps it was Shen Li’s disappearance and his hesitation that made him hesitant to take the next step.

Shaking his head, Song Yi pulled out his car keys from the pocket of his suit jacket, deciding not to wait for Gu Xingchuan any longer. He needed time to calm down and think through this tangled web of emotions.

The underground parking lot was filled with cars, and it was peak hours for vehicles entering and exiting at night. As he drove out, he turned on the sound system to play some soothing music.

As he maneuvered around the parking gate, he caught a glimpse in the rearview mirror of a Land Rover following him. The driver seemed to be swerving as if they had been drinking.

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