Zheng Yixu’s mind instantly raced through various melodramatic clichés like being a substitute, a mistress ascending to a main role, and snatching away love.

It’s normal for the original owner to have a boyfriend, right? It’s unrealistic to expect that the original owner had no boyfriend before meeting Zhao Louqin. The key point is that, according to Sun Ai, Zhao Louqin developed feelings for the original owner while they were already in a relationship and continued to wait quietly…

But this doesn’t make sense. Wasn’t Zhao Louqin supposed to like Lin Ninghua?

Why is Sun Ai now saying that Zhao Louqin liked him?

However, since the original owner and Lin Ninghua were good friends, it’s possible that Sun Ai mistook Lin Ninghua for him. After all, Sun Ai is an outsider, and there’s a good chance of misinformation.

After some thought, Zheng Yixu decided he should probe further.

“Miss Sun, do you know Mr. Lin Ninghua?” Zheng Yixu clasped his hands together and adjusted his posture, asking with a serious tone.

Sun Ai was taken aback and, seeing Zheng Yixu’s “serious” expression, worried that she might have said something wrong. She couldn’t help but recall events from over a decade ago. At that time, Zheng Yixu and Lin Ninghua had a dramatic fallout, while Zhao Louqin was always lurking in the background, ready to seize the opportunity. Eventually, Zhao Louqin surprised both Lin Ninghua and her by marrying Zheng Yixu and even had a child.

However, even so, it doesn’t mean Zheng Yixu has really forgotten his past feelings for Lin Ninghua. Mentioning Lin Ninghua might have touched a nerve, otherwise, why would Zheng Yixu ask about him? It seems he hasn’t forgotten his old flame after all.

Sun Ai suddenly felt a surge of anger.

She had loved Zhao Louqin for so long and even had the courage to confess her feelings, only to watch Zhao Louqin stubbornly fall for Zheng Yixu. On the third year after Zhao Louqin’s marriage, she finally gave up, married her current husband, and had a lovely daughter. She thought she had moved on, but seeing Zheng Yixu’s behavior of “coveting what’s in the pot while looking at what’s in the bowl” inevitably reignited her anger!

The anger stemmed from years of resentment, now uncontrollably flaring up.

Sun Ai struggled to control her frustration, genuinely puzzled about what Zhao Louqin saw in Zheng Yixu.

“Oh, Mr. Lin? I’ve heard he’s doing quite well now, but it seems he hasn’t forgotten his old flame,” she said. “Yes, he’s still thinking about you. It must make you feel quite pleased, doesn’t it? Even after all these years, being able to make two men compete for your affection is truly enviable.”

Sun Ai’s words were deliberately provocative. She might not be able to be with Zhao Louqin, but she could still vent her frustration on his behalf. She wanted to show him what kind of person the one he liked truly was.

This was probably what people meant by “if you can’t have it, you won’t let others have it either.”

Sun Ai felt like covering her face; she didn’t like behaving this way, but she couldn’t help it. Everything was going well until she had to see Zheng Yixu now. Moreover, seeing the boy who resembled Zhao Louqin only further provoked her emotions.

Life has only a few decades, and she’s liked Zhao Louqin for nearly twenty years.

So, let her be a little selfish.

Damn, it’s exactly as she suspected!

Zheng Yixu’s mind was racing with a flurry of thoughts. Even an outsider knew that Lin Ninghua couldn’t forget Zhao Louqin, confirming his suspicions! It’s possible that even if the original owner had a boyfriend at the time, Zhao Louqin might have deliberately pursued him to spite Lin Ninghua. After all, not everyone can resist Zhao Louqin’s allure, especially when he’s affectionate, married, and raising a child with you—he seemed like a perfect husband candidate.

Unfortunately, all of this is based on the premise that Zhao Louqin loves Lin Ninghua.

Moreover, after many years, Lin Ninghua is trying to make a comeback while Zheng Yixu is still struggling with memory loss.

This all feels so familiar.

Zhao Louqin and Lin Ninghua are the epitome of a tumultuous true love, and Zheng Yixu feels like the pitiful pawn. Now, the pawn has been reborn and occupies this body… This is probably the direction of the story.

It’s neither supernatural suspense nor naïve sweet romance, but a genuine “pawn reborn” narrative!

He was indeed too naïve, only now realizing the direction of his rebirth after such a long time.

In the end, it was all due to not inheriting the original owner’s memories. If he had inherited those memories from the start, he could have formulated a strategy immediately. Instead, the plot has progressed so far, and only now does he realize he’s been following the wrong script!

Zheng Yixu couldn’t help but show some emotion on his face, which only deepened Sun Ai’s disdain. Clearly, this person was indifferent to Zhao Louqin’s years of feelings and even intended to reignite old flames!

“Mr. Zheng, although I’m reluctant to interfere in your matters, happiness is something you need to fight for yourself,” Sun Ai’s gaze darkened, hinting that Zheng Yixu should quickly pursue Lin Ninghua and leave Zhao Louqin. Once Zhao Louqin was out of the picture, there would surely be someone even better waiting.

“Yes, I understand. Thank you for letting me know.” This was clearly encouraging him to divorce. Indeed, women seem to be much more perceptive in these matters, and he was still too inexperienced. How could he, a newcomer to society, compete with the two seasoned “foxes” like Zhao Louqin and Lin Ninghua?

The only comfort Zheng Yixu could find was probably Zhao Jiusi.

Although the trope of having a genius child with a love-hate couple is quite clichéd, he could still try to make the best of it with Zhao Jiusi.

“Not at all. This is my new number since I just returned. If you need any help, feel free to reach out,” Sun Ai wrote down her newly acquired phone number. She had originally intended to give it to Xiao Yao, but she decided to buy another one later.

“Thank you.” Zheng Yixu noted down the phone number, pleasantly surprised that even a parent-teacher meeting could lead to acquiring a helpful contact.

Though it was an unexpected misunderstanding, both parties agreed on the matter of divorce, which was a relief.

After finishing their conversation, they parted ways, ending on a friendly handshake.

Sun Ai turned around, scanning the area as if she felt someone was watching her. Was it just her imagination?

Meanwhile, on the other side…

Lin Ninghua was politely seen off by Zheng Yixu and Zhao Louqin. Her mood wasn’t exactly great, but it wasn’t too bad either. At least now she had a solid reason to invite Yixu next time!

Zhao Louqin would surely be wary of her, making it difficult to get close to Zheng Yixu again. However, that didn’t mean she was without options.

Right now, Zhao Louqin could only keep Zheng Yixu confined at home due to his memory loss. But the company was still Yixu’s.

Lin Ninghua considered this and made several calls to the chief editors of financial newspapers.

“Editor Li, hello, this is Lin Ninghua. I was wondering if you have time for dinner tonight?”

Lin Ninghua spoke confidently on the phone. Naturally, the response was positive, and the others were just as agreeable.

Lin Ninghua had her own plans. She intended to have them write a special report on Zheng Yixu, launching a significant public relations campaign to promote his return to the company. This way, even if Yixu was currently suffering from memory loss, he would be compelled to return to the company.

Previously, Zhao Louqin used Zheng Yixu’s unhealed injury as an excuse to confine him in the villa, preventing him from interacting with others. Even the Zheng family had been warned by Zhao Louqin not to visit him. This made Lin Ninghua’s situation quite tricky. No matter how capable she was, she couldn’t just go to the villa and speak to Yixu directly, as it would only leave a bad impression on him.

Now that Zheng Yixu was like a blank slate with no memories, they could reshape his image and reintroduce themselves to him. Even if one day Yixu regained his memory, there would still be a chance to compete. If it meant facing his anger later, Lin Ninghua was prepared to accept it. After waiting for over a decade and thinking there was no hope left, Zheng Yixu’s amnesia had unexpectedly brought a new opportunity.

If interfering in others’ marriages is wrong now, wasn’t Zhao Louqin also interfering in Lin Ninghua’s relationship with Zheng Yixu back then? It was just a case of “an eye for an eye.” Lin Ninghua felt no remorse toward Zhao Louqin. If it weren’t for Zhao Louqin’s constant scheming and sowing discord, Yixu would never have left her so easily.

Even saints can make mistakes. Why should Lin Ninghua be condemned to the depths for one mistake while others remain unpunished?

The company is Zheng Yixu’s life’s work. No matter how clueless Zhao Louqin is, he knows he can’t stop Yixu from going back to the company. There are many loyal people within the company. Otherwise, if Yixu regains his memory or if any internal issues arise, Zhao Louqin will likely have to turn to his older brother for help.

Thinking of Zhao Louqin’s older brother, Lin Ninghua couldn’t help but frown.

Zhao Louqin, having been in the entertainment industry for so long, knows nothing about the business world. As soon as Yi Xu goes to the company, he can directly go to the company under the guise of cooperation. With such a leverage, why wouldn’t he take advantage of it? However, if Zhao Louqin’s elder brother intervenes, things would get more complicated. This must be guarded against!

That bastard Zhao Louqin has occupied Yi Xu for so many years, relying on nothing but his face and his elder brother!

Heh, it’s said that up until now, Zhao Louqin hasn’t let Yi Xu go to the Zhao family. Is he afraid that Yi Xu might discover something there? This, indeed, can be used to his advantage.

By the way, it seems that several directors want to approach me for investment in their films. I can designate Zhao Louqin as the lead actor, and naturally, there will be people helping me keep him occupied. Hmph, it works out for him; the film expenses can serve as his breakup fee for taking care of Yi Xu all these years!

Lin Ninghua finished handling things and was in a very good mood.

He saw the photo frame on his desk, which held a picture of his younger self and Zheng Yixu.

Lin Ninghua couldn’t help but smile. This photo was taken when they graduated from high school, the same day they established their relationship. Even though they were wearing those dorky school uniforms, they still looked especially harmonious.

Both of them were smiling like fools, yet filled with hope and happiness for the future. It was wonderful, though unfortunately, he had lost that feeling for a while.

What is his will always be his. Even after so many years, he can still get it back!

Lin Ninghua caressed the photo frame, his expression one of determined confidence.

“Father, are you available now?” came a knock at the door. It was Lin Chumao.

“Yes,” Lin Ninghua replied, placing the photo frame back in its original spot, his face returning to an expressionless state.

When Lin Chumao came in, he got straight to the point, “Father, I just discovered something very interesting…”

Meanwhile, Zhao Louqin felt a chill down his spine.

“Yi Xu must be talking about me behind my back,” Zhao Louqin thought happily. It was only 7 p.m. now, and the parent-teacher meeting should be over. Jiusi and Yi Xu were probably dining at some restaurant, enjoying themselves while discussing the parent-teacher meeting and the interesting things that happened at Jiusi’s school.

He also wanted to attend the parent-teacher meeting! He scratched the wall in frustration.

Back in middle school, Zhao Louqin had installed a surveillance device on Zheng Yixu, recording the entire parent-teacher meeting. When Zhao Louqin saw the homeroom teacher constantly praising his child and noticed the envious and jealous looks of the other parents, he felt immensely proud.

Just watching the footage made him feel so honored; experiencing it in person must be even better than winning an acting award.

As a parent, the happiest thing is having your child surpass you.

Zhao Jiusi is undoubtedly such a child, making his parents proud!

Unfortunately, even though Yi Xu has lost his memory, he is still difficult to deal with. No matter how advanced the surveillance device is, it isn’t invisible. Every time Yi Xu goes out, he thoroughly checks himself from head to toe, making it impossible to monitor him.

It’s a bit depressing to think about.

“Sigh.” Zhao Louqin looked down at the greens on his plate, finding them increasingly tasteless. He felt truly foolish. Why did he have to oppose his elder brother and join the entertainment industry? Because of that, he now couldn’t even casually go out to eat with Yi Xu and Jiusi, for fear of being followed by paparazzi. If that happened, not only would they certainly make the headlines, but there would also be posts like “Film Emperor Zhao Louqin Takes Family Out, Yi Xu’s Cold Expression Sparks Rumors of a Relationship Rift,” “Stunning Young Boy: Exposing the Film Emperor Zhao Louqin’s Children Over the Years,” or “Zhao Jiusi’s Profile: Top Student and Son of the Film Emperor”—posts that would be both loved and hated by the public.

Jiusi doesn’t like being watched by others, which is completely unlike himself. When Jiusi gets angry, he can go three months without speaking to him. Because of this, every time he attends a banquet, while other celebrities show off their children, he can only silently pretend to be aloof, smiling but saying nothing.

God knows he also wants to share parenting tips!

My child is way better than yours, no contest. What’s an 80% score? My son is the top student in the best high school, and if he keeps it up, he can secure a spot in the highest-ranking university directly, do you even know that?

Moreover, my son is naturally good-looking and incredibly adorable. Your photoshopped, beautified kids’ pictures can’t even compare to my son.

My son is simply amazing. He even has a super cute hobby, is obedient and considerate, and there’s no need to worry about any rebellious phase at all.

Unfortunately, Zhao Louqin can’t say any of this and can only keep it to himself.

Even though his Weibo is filled with fans pleading for photos and the name of Zhao Louqin’s son, rolling around and acting cute without any limits, Zhao Louqin has done an excellent job of maintaining Zhao Jiusi’s mystery!

The more he thinks about it, the more Zhao Louqin feels that he was really out of his mind back then, sobbing.

Zhao Louqin wiped away his nonexistent tears and put the barely touched greens into the fridge. At times like this, he wanted to eat something sweet to ease his inner frustration. Unfortunately, that’s not possible now—he’s in a critical period of pursuing Yi Xu, and eating sweets would easily lead to weight gain, making it harder to seduce him.

Without a good appearance or a fit body, what does he have to seduce Yi Xu into bed? Zhao Louqin is quite self-aware. With Yi Xu having lost his memory, lacking looks means relying on supposed inner qualities will take a very long time! Moreover, there’s also the shameless Lin Ninghua keeping a close watch!

Damn it, how could this guy still not give up after all these years?

So, he just has to endure for now, sigh.

Zhao Louqin sighed deeply, his brows furrowed so intensely that it seemed like something serious had happened. At that moment, his phone began vibrating incessantly.

Oh, he must have set his phone to vibrate earlier.

If he had known, he would have put it on silent; didn’t anyone see that he was feeling down? Such a mood killer!

Zhao Louqin checked his phone and was startled.

Over twenty missed calls and nearly a hundred text messages—do phone calls not cost anything? How could so many come in at once?

“Ahhh! Ancestor, you finally answered the phone!” A frantic, almost wailing voice came through.

Zhao Louqin instinctively held the phone away from his ear. After a moment, when the noise subsided, he put the phone back to his ear. “What is it? Do you know you’re disturbing my peaceful night?”

The caller was Zhao Louqin’s agent. However, Zhao Louqin is well-known for not lacking money these days, so he hasn’t set up a studio or joined any company. His agent only handles his Weibo, manages a few advertisements, and occasionally arranges film roles. His life is quite carefree.

In other words, it had been a long time since he had seen his agent so flustered.

“It’s only 7 p.m.; don’t tell me you’re already asleep. You must be joking!” The agent’s voice came through in another burst of shouting. “Get on Weibo and see what’s happening right now!”

“Calm down,” Zhao Louqin muttered to himself. Holding the phone in one hand and sticking the other hand in his pants pocket, he slowly went upstairs.

As soon as he opened his computer and logged into Weibo, he nearly got overwhelmed.

How many people are following him?

Although there are always many, this seems like an extraordinary amount.

Could it be because it’s the weekend or some holiday today?

“…Have you opened it?”

“Yes, I’ve opened it. Why are there so many people?” Zhao Louqin asked.

“Heh, it’s not just on Weibo. Congratulations, you’re also on the headlines. Posts on forums have already built dozens of threads in just a short time. This indirectly proves that your popularity is still very high. Tremble in awe,” the agent replied.

“…Why are you being so sarcastic?” Zhao Louqin asked, exasperated. He had recently turned down a lot of work, but work and a partner are not comparable. Work can be resumed, but if Zheng Yixu leaves, Zhao Louqin’s chances are gone; if he does get involved, it might only be in a tragic role.

“Take a good look yourself. I’ll send you two URLs. Bye.”

The call ended abruptly, almost making Zhao Louqin consider firing his agent! But then he reconsidered; the agent had a tough job too.

As soon as the call ended, the text message alert came in.

There were two URLs: one for Weibo and one for a forum:

**XiaoMaoLovesFishV:** “Today, while eating out, I saw the film emperor Zhao Louqin’s partner, Zheng Yixu. He was seen being very close and chatting happily with a woman, as shown in the photo! As expected, high, rich, and handsome men are always popular with both genders! Zhao Louqin V Zheng Yixu and Sunshine have nothing to do with each other V. [Note: Weibo name forcefully changed by Zheng Yixu!]”

**Likes (2,135,763) Reposts (3,114,435) Comments (561,272)**

**[No More Love]:** “What the heck did I just see! Is there no true love left in the world? [Erkang gesture! Zhao Louqin V Zheng Yixu and Sunshine have nothing to do with each other V]”

**[The Bench is Mine, Don’t Steal It]:** “What can you do? They say it’s the seven-year itch, and now two seven-year cycles have passed. You understand. Zhao Louqin V Zheng Yixu and Sunshine have nothing to do with each other V”

**Gu Yanqiu V:** “Impossible, the photo must be fake! They are very affectionate with each other. Zhao Louqin V Zheng Yixu and Sunshine have nothing to do with each other V I love to slap faces V My younger brother can’t be a ‘shamate’ V Calm and composed V”

… [Thousands of comments omitted]

Zhao Louqin almost spat out a mouthful of blood!

The Weibo post was made three hours ago and had quickly climbed to the top of the homepage, being reposted and liked by countless people. The photo he posted was quite misleading; it clearly showed Zheng Yixu’s face, but the woman’s face was unclear. However, the way they appeared together did seem a bit suggestive.

Previously, Zhao Louqin was always the one being the center of attention, with gossip and scandals about him. no one dared to pull hair from Zheng Yixu’s tiger head, and if they did, it wasn’t through Weibo to gain attention. Therefore, Zheng Yixu’s image was exceptionally pristine.

However, everyone thinks highly of Zheng Yixu, and if something goes wrong, the backlash will be even more severe.

Moreover, there is real evidence.

Zhao Louqin calculated the timing; Zheng Yixu and this mysterious woman must have been dining together shortly after the parent-teacher meeting. In the past, Zhao Louqin would have dismissed such matters without a second thought—he knew what kind of person Zheng Yixu was. But now, Zhao Louqin is unsure.

Now that Zheng Yixu has lost all his memory and has no deep feelings for Zhao Louqin, and since Zheng Yixu was with Lin Ninghua when he was young, he didn’t have a choice. So, whether Zheng Yixu likes women or not remains uncertain.

No wonder the website was so slow when he logged in.

Actually, proving it is simple. He just needs to say that the woman is merely a friend and that they met during the parent-teacher meeting. However, being pushed to the homepage so quickly, Zhao Louqin would never believe it without some underlying trick.

Zhao Louqin looked at Weibo again and found numerous so-called “insiders” and public figures alleging that his relationship with Zheng Yixu was troubled, presenting various unfounded evidence and making it seem like the truth. As a result, the situation quickly escalated.

Additionally, under his Weibo posts, waves of people were lighting virtual candles for him.

The hashtag **#Help Zhao Louqin Light Candles#** is now trending. QAQ

He didn’t even need to check Zheng Yixu’s Weibo to know that there would be a lot of angry comments. He wondered how angry Yi Xu would be if he saw them.

Without delay, Zhao Louqin quickly posted a Weibo update:

**Zhao Louqin V:** “I know that person; she’s a good friend of Yi Xu’s (づ￣ 3￣)づ. If I were jealous just because they had a meal together, I’d be sour to death. Everyone, don’t worry, kisses! 😘”

After sending the post, Zhao Louqin didn’t bother checking the comments. He directly clicked on the other URL sent by his agent.

The URL led to the most famous 818 forum, and it was obvious that it was already a hot topic on the homepage. Seeing the click count and replies, Zhao Louqin felt a strong urge to just disappear.

**[Topic]:** “The Misfortunes of the Rich! Let’s 818 Celebrities Who Married Into Rich Families or Married Rich Heirs and Heiresses!”

Then, various images and details were posted.

The poster was a true professional, with a well-balanced tone and natural writing style, occasionally spicing it up with witty remarks. They skillfully wove past news into the post, making it exceptionally engaging—there was no way it wouldn’t be popular!

Most importantly, the poster included the stories of female celebrities who married into rich families, the achievements of their husbands, and instances of same-sex marriages like Zhao Louqin and Zheng Yixu’s. The post concluded with several points:

1. **Those who are wealthy and powerful but unattractive often have numerous scandals, with their scandal partners rarely being celebrities. The ones who end up with successful relationships are truly remarkable.**

• **Young and talented individuals like Zheng Yixu, who are handsome and have no scandals, are extremely rare, which seems unscientific. Therefore, this dining incident is quite reasonable, as it’s not ideal for a major company to lack an heir. No matter how capable Zhao Louqin is, he can’t have children.**

• **After the first seven-year itch has passed, if the second one hasn’t, life is rarely smooth. Therefore, this situation depends on Zhao Louqin’s methods. He might learn from the exemplary behavior of certain celebrities, who, despite their partners’ infidelities, quietly remain behind the scenes and eventually succeed in winning their partners back.**

The first two conclusions might have some validity, but the third is definitive, suggesting that Zhao Louqin and Zheng Yixu’s marriage is indeed facing problems, with a third party involved.

The poster was a master of advanced trolling, dragging the topic all over the place before finally getting to the point!

Zhao Louqin only glanced at the poster’s content and didn’t want to see anything else. He already knew what the replies would be.

“Damn it!”

Zhao Louqin muttered angrily.

What a mess!

Zhao Louqin absolutely wouldn’t admit that he was bothered by the so-called seven-year itch. It’s pitiful that he still has to deal with such issues when his son is already grown up.

Just as he finished looking at the forum, his phone started ringing off the hook.

“Zhao Ge, you need to trust Zheng Ge. Those people are just making stuff up!” Zhang Jianxin said urgently.

“Yeah, definitely.”

“Hahaha, you’ve been messing around, and now you’re getting pecked in the eye. Go reflect on it. I’ll send you a washboard!” This was the heartless Gu Yanqiu, reveling in Zhao Louqin’s misfortune. However, he did have faith in Zheng Yixu.

Next, various friends called, expressing their concern, mockery, or schadenfreude. None of them believed Zheng Yixu would cheat.

Finally, even his older brother Zhao Louxing called to express concern, leaving Zhao Louqin a bit surprised. Fortunately, Zhao Louqin was able to explain the situation to his brother calmly and at length, smoothing things over.

When Zheng Yixu and Zhao Jiusi returned, they saw Zhao Louqin looking unusually haggard and worn out.

After dining with Sun Ai, Zheng Yixu had a lot of time left and spent it happily with Zhao Jiusi, not knowing about the drama that had unfolded.

“Could it be that Zhao Louqin stayed home alone, watched some inappropriate videos, and overindulged because he didn’t go to the parent-teacher meeting with Zhao Jiusi? That would be disastrous.”

“Dad, are you… sick?” Zhao Jiusi asked cautiously. Although his father had been down before for missing parent-teacher meetings, it was usually brief, and he’d be energetic and refreshed the next morning. In contrast, now his dad seemed drained and lay in bed for most of the day.

“… Yeah, I didn’t take my medicine today.” Zhao Louqin weakly looked at his son and partner, “I’ve been through a lot today…”

Zheng Yixu: =0=

“Calls, Weibo, texts—it’s been nonstop bombardment, driving me crazy.” Before Zheng Yixu could jump to conclusions, Zhao Louqin added, “Since seven o’clock until now, it hasn’t stopped.”

It was already ten o’clock.

Zhao Jiusi and Zheng Yixu had just returned from watching a movie, which starred Zhao Louqin.

“What’s going on?” Zheng Yixu asked, his concern piqued by Zhao Louqin’s visibly poor condition. Otherwise, Zheng Yixu wouldn’t have paid much attention.

After all, Zheng Yixu had just confirmed that Zhao Louqin was entangled in a love-hate relationship with Lin Ninghua, while he himself was merely a small, insignificant player in the grand scheme.

Zhao Louqin cast Zheng Yixu a look filled with sorrow, anger, helplessness, and yearning.

Hold on!

This is the wrong mood!

“Ahem, what’s actually going on?” Zheng Yixu asked, hoping for some clarity. “Is it that people discovered your affair with Lin Ninghua and are now urging you not to divorce?”

Zheng Yixu admitted to himself that he might be a bit cynical.

But thinking about Lin Ninghua’s and Zhao Louqin’s relationship, along with his own unknown past—whether as a mere passerby or a petty ex—left Zheng Yixu feeling overwhelmed.

“Take a look yourself,” Zhao Louqin said, swiping open the earlier explosive Weibo post and handing his phone to Zheng Yixu. “You’re being too careless.”

Zheng Yixu felt confused. What on earth had he done?

When Zheng Yixu took a closer look, he almost dropped the phone in shock—so expensive, it would be a shame to break it.

No, no, no, that’s not the point!

“This… this… this!” Zheng Yixu’s reaction was so intense that if he had a beard, it would be quivering with anger. Even without one, his current state was just as agitated.

“What is this? I just went out for a meal. This woman is a parent of one of Jiusi’s classmates; I’ve seen her a few times before, just catching up,” Zheng Yixu said, partly truthfully.

He wasn’t a celebrity, and nobody recognized him at the parent-teacher meeting. How did a simple meal turn into this? Plus, Sun Ai wasn’t even in the photo; he was the only one featured prominently!

Who is this person taking such sneaky photos? Do I have a grudge against them or something?

Clearly, it was just a normal catch-up, so why does it look so suggestive in the photos?

And what’s this nonsense about being “gender-inclusive”? Sun Ai already has a daughter, and he himself has a cute and impressive son.

He’s still very pure, okay?

“It’s all your fault!” Zheng Yixu said, passing the buck effortlessly. If it weren’t for Zhao Louqin’s career, why would he be targeted? He just wanted to quietly be a handsome guy.

“……” Zhao Louqin, who had been unfairly blamed, was speechless. “I’ve already posted a clarification on Weibo, but it’s likely to stay hot for a while.”

“I’ll clarify it too.” Zheng Yixu took out his phone and tried to log into Weibo, only to find it lagging severely. The rude comments were giving him a headache.

Zhao Jiusi looked at this and that, feeling quite bewildered.

The Weibo post Zhao Louqin had made earlier already had a lot of comments. While some people expressed their trust, many others were skeptical, believing that Zhao Louqin was just deceiving himself and putting on a brave face.

“Actually, it’s not impossible to clear things up,” Zhao Louqin said slowly. “I’ve seen this kind of situation often. Usually, the truth will come out on its own; sometimes saying nothing is the best approach.”

“……Heh.” Zheng Yixu didn’t believe it. The most convincing proof for clearing things up is, of course, time. Just wait a year or two, and things will naturally settle down.

“But the key issue is, after a year or two, I might actually be divorced from Zhao Louqin. By then, everyone will surely think it’s my fault. If the original self returns and wants to reconcile, it’ll be tough.”

“And there’s still Lin Ninghua to deal with. I can never forget that.”

“Yixu!”

“Hmm?”

Zheng Yixu looked up from his phone. Zhao Louqin, who usually spoke in a soft and gentle manner, called out his name directly this time. It was a bit unfamiliar for Zheng Yixu.

Mua~

Suddenly, something soft and warm pressed against him, very Q and bouncy, and quite pleasant.

Zheng Yixu instinctively extended his tongue to lick it. As someone who had never been in a relationship before, he was a bit taken aback.

Snap!

The sound made Zheng Yixu snap back to reality. He… he… he was kissed?

His first kiss—well, it wasn’t really his first kiss since the original self had had relationships, but it felt like his real first kiss!

Zhao Louqin smiled, shaking the phone with the photo of their kiss. His eyes were filled with affection.

Perfect. Save, send, upload!

The actions were clean and efficient, and the photo was quickly uploaded to Weibo.

Indeed, there’s no better way to slap back at those rumors than with this photo!