Yun Pei ended up going out with Qin Mingyuan. When they stepped out, the fans who had come to visit the set were still there, and seeing people coming out, they stirred excitedly.

However, when they realized it wasn’t their idol, they calmed down again. A few sharp-eyed fans recognized Qin Mingyuan as the handsome man who had gone in earlier. They whispered among themselves, and one of them even boldly raised a DSLR camera to take a photo. But as soon as they were met with a cold stare, they sheepishly put the camera down.

Yun Pei wasn’t very comfortable in such crowded situations, especially since many of the girls’ gazes were lingering on his legs. Although there was no malice, just pure curiosity and pity, which he had long since grown used to, the sheer number of onlookers made him a little irritable.

Qin Mingyuan, noticing Yun Pei’s discomfort, gave a warning glance at the fan trying to take a photo. Glancing sideways, he saw that Yun Pei’s expression hadn’t changed, but his fingers gripping the wheelchair’s armrest had tensed slightly.

Qin Mingyuan took a step forward, his tall frame moving in front of Yun Pei, blocking some of the curious gazes.

Yun Pei looked up and stared at Qin Mingyuan’s broad back for a couple of seconds, then lightly pressed his lips together and lowered his gaze.

They walked silently through the path the girls had made for them, Qin Mingyuan’s commanding presence keeping them quiet. None of them dared to speak.

Once the two had gone far enough, the girls let out a collective breath. One patted her chest, “That guy is so handsome, but he looks so cold, and his eyes were scary.”

“I swear, when he looked at me, I thought I was going to die!” Her friend exaggerated, leaning against her.

“But didn’t you notice how he was shielding that guy in the wheelchair? He kept standing in front of him!”

“Really? You’re reading too much into it. They both seemed pretty aloof.”

“You don’t get it. You can’t judge everything by appearances.”

“Alright, enough gossiping. Let’s check out the photos we took of our Liang Zichen!”

…

As they approached the parking area, Yun Pei spoke first, “Let’s use my car. It’ll be more convenient, and my driver is here.”

Qin Mingyuan stopped in his tracks and looked back at him, “No need for a car. There should be plenty of places to eat nearby.”

Yun Pei gave him a strange look, unsure whether Qin Mingyuan was unfamiliar with the area or had some other reason.

Near the school, the restaurants mainly catered to students, so there weren’t any fancy restaurants—just snack stalls and small eateries. Given Qin Mingyuan’s status, Yun Pei assumed he wouldn’t be interested in such places.

But since Yun Pei had never been to this area himself, he couldn’t argue. Maybe there was a high-end restaurant somewhere, after all.

To Yun Pei’s surprise, they ended up in a noodle shop, a place completely out of sync with the sophisticated aura Qin Mingyuan exuded.

Qin Mingyuan, dressed in his immaculate suit, sat in the small, crowded shop as if it were the most natural thing in the world. Despite it not being a mealtime rush, there were still plenty of people around, many sneaking glances at him. He remained utterly unfazed, even casually asking Yun Pei what he wanted to eat.

After they placed their orders, Qin Mingyuan noticed Yun Pei still staring at him and raised an eyebrow, “What is it?”

Seeing how comfortable Qin Mingyuan seemed, Yun Pei shook his head, “Nothing, I just didn’t expect President Qin to eat in a place like this.”

Qin Mingyuan wasn’t particularly moved by the comment, responding flatly, “I used to eat at places like this a lot during university.”

His grandfather wasn’t constantly strict with him. During his college years, Qin Mingyuan had more freedom than usual. As long as he kept his academic performance up, his grandfather loosened the reins on other aspects of his life.

“Or does Young Master Yun think it’s too much of a slight to be brought here for a meal?” Qin Mingyuan teased, looking at Yun Pei’s composed face.

“No, it’s fine.” Yun Pei shook his head again. In fact, compared to Qin Mingyuan, he was the one who had never visited such places before.

After the car accident, Yun Pei had become more withdrawn. His teenage pride had made him unwilling to face the looks of pity he thought others were giving him. He always felt like everyone was secretly mocking him.

He had avoided school for a long time, studying at home with private tutors. It wasn’t until his senior year of high school that he returned to campus, but even then, he didn’t stay in the dorms, with all his meals sent from home. He’d always kept to himself.

His father was obsessed with maintaining appearances, and although everyone likely already knew the truth, he refused to publicly admit his affair. Yun Yuexian remained the “stepson,” and Huo Lijuan maintained the image of a kind and gentle stepmother.

Over the years, they had only made small, petty moves against Yun Pei. His daily life had never been lacking. In the early years, a nutritionist was even hired to plan his meals. He had never had the chance to eat in places like this.

It was quite odd to think about sitting in this modest noodle shop with his half-brother’s “pursuer”—none other than Qin Mingyuan, the president of Qin Corporation, whose casual decisions could involve billions.

The food arrived, steaming hot, as a young waitress brought over two bowls—a three-flavored noodle soup and a beef noodle soup. The dishes were served in bubbling clay pots.

The waitress, a young girl, possibly a student from the nearby school working part-time, blushed as she discreetly glanced at Qin Mingyuan. She even made an extra trip to bring them chopsticks and spoons, which customers usually helped themselves to from a sterilizing cabinet.

Yun Pei noticed her actions and turned his gaze to Qin Mingyuan’s face. He had to admit, it was the kind of face that would make any young girl blush. However, the cold indifference of his expression made him seem unapproachable. If he were just a little warmer, perhaps the girl might have mustered the courage to ask for his number.

For some reason, Yun Pei suddenly recalled the brief smile he had seen on Qin Mingyuan’s face outside the hospital and thought that if he smiled more like that, many admirers might not be so hesitant.

The stare directed at him was so obvious that Qin Mingyuan paused from stirring his noodles and looked up. “Am I more interesting than the food?”

Yun Pei snapped out of it, realizing he had been staring for too long. Feeling a bit embarrassed, he decided to pretend he hadn’t heard and picked up his chopsticks, using eating as an excuse to avoid answering.

However…

The clay pot noodles had just been served, and he ended up burning his mouth by taking a bite too quickly. Qin Mingyuan, seeing him lower his head to cover his mouth, reached out to call for water, while casually pulling a napkin from the dispenser on the table and handing it over, “Were you that hungry?”

Yun Pei was too busy dealing with the burning sensation to care if Qin Mingyuan was teasing him. He took the napkin and wiped his mouth, wincing slightly as he moved his still-tingling tongue, glaring at Qin Mingyuan as if blaming him for this misfortune.

The burn had made his eyes water slightly, and with his naturally round eyes and dark pupils, his gaze, though intended to be angry, looked more pitiful than anything else. Qin Mingyuan’s fingers twitched as he thought Yun Pei looked more pleasing like this than with his usual cold demeanor.

The waitress quickly brought over the water, and Qin Mingyuan handed it to Yun Pei, opening the bottle before placing it in front of him. “Have some water. It’ll help.”

Yun Pei took the water bottle and drank a little, not swallowing immediately, but holding it in his mouth to cool down his tongue. Unaware, he puffed out his cheeks like a hamster storing food, which Qin Mingyuan found unexpectedly adorable.

Once Yun Pei had finished drinking and resumed his usual calm expression, Qin Mingyuan averted his gaze, thinking to himself that despite Yun Pei’s attempts to act mature, the 24-year-old was still just a kid, hiding behind a cold front and losing a bit of vitality in the process.

Having learned his lesson, Yun Pei was more careful after that, cooling down the noodles in his bowl before eating. Aside from the earlier mishap, the food was quite good.

After a few bites, Qin Mingyuan broke the silence. “I’m curious—why did you choose the name Si Yu? It sounds like a woman’s name.”

Yun Pei paused, his eyes lowering slightly as he replied indifferently, “My mother’s name was Luo Yuqing.”

Qin Mingyuan understood and didn’t press further. Instead, he asked, “You initially refused, so why did you later agree to be a hand double?”

If it were just Si Yu, he might have assumed it was a matter of money, but since it was Yun Pei, it was clearly not about the payment. The Yun family, while not exactly a top-tier household, wouldn’t be lacking the small amount a hand double would earn.

Yun Pei stopped again, this time raising his head to look directly at Qin Mingyuan. “To annoy Yun Yuexian.”

Simply put, Yun Yuexian genuinely loved acting. Being cast in Director Li Lin’s film had excited him for quite some time. Seeing Yun Pei on set would no doubt cause him some stress.

The straightforward answer caught Qin Mingyuan off guard for a moment, his brow raising slightly. This shy plant certainly had its thorns.

“Aren’t you here to visit Yun Yuexian? Does having lunch with me not cause any issues?” Yun Pei asked after taking a sip of water, his eyes still on Qin Mingyuan.

“I’m not here to visit him,” Qin Mingyuan replied, meeting Yun Pei’s gaze. “I’m here to visit you.”

For a brief moment, there was silence, though it wasn’t noticeable amidst the noisy restaurant.

Seeing Yun Pei’s silence, Qin Mingyuan, satisfied with his effect, continued in a good mood, “To be precise, I’m here to visit Si Yu. That painting made me curious.”

Yun Pei fell quiet again, then asked, “Why did you buy that painting?”

From his perspective, it wasn’t a particularly good piece, neither in technique nor in concept. The work was a reflection of his deeply negative emotions at the time. That’s why he submitted it to the exhibit, not expecting it to sell—just wanting to stop looking at it.

Comparing that painting to his current works, no one would believe they came from the same person.

“I just found it interesting,” Qin Mingyuan said, stirring the noodles in his bowl before picking out a piece of beef. “I was curious about the mindset of the artist who created it.”

What he didn’t say was that he had seen some of himself in that painting.

Growing up with his grandfather, Qin Mingyuan often felt like an outsider whenever he visited home. Hearing the laughter downstairs, he felt like the spacious and bright room around him was engulfed in darkness, with the light from the window always just out of reach.

Perhaps it was that sense of resonance that led him to buy the painting.

At the time, he didn’t know that Si Yu was actually Yun Pei, so he couldn’t be sure if the painting conveyed what he thought. It might just as well have represented what the gallery staff had said.

For reasons he couldn’t quite explain, he had an urgent desire to confirm it, which was why he made time to come here today.

When Qin Mingyuan saw Yun Pei in the art classroom earlier, he knew he had been right. The painting wasn’t about light after darkness, but about the darkest corner of the human heart.

“A thousand people will see a thousand different Hamlets,” Yun Pei didn’t give a direct answer, instead offering a vague response. “What you see is what it is.”

Realizing that Yun Pei wasn’t interested in discussing it further, and already feeling confident in his own understanding, Qin Mingyuan didn’t press the issue and nodded, continuing to eat.

Before he could finish his noodles, his phone rang. It was his assistant calling. He gestured to Yun Pei, stood up, and walked to the restaurant’s entrance to take the call.

Yun Pei’s gaze followed him as Qin Mingyuan stood tall in the doorway, the sunlight casting a soft glow around him, softening the sharp lines of his cold profile.

For once, he didn’t seem so unapproachable.

When Qin Mingyuan ended the call, Yun Pei lowered his gaze and resumed eating his noodles.

“I have a sudden work issue to attend to, so I’ll need to leave. Will you be alright on your own?” Qin Mingyuan asked politely as he returned from the phone call.

One of their partners was making an unexpected trip, and tomorrow’s meeting had been rescheduled for this afternoon. If he hurried back now, he could make it in time.

Work had always been Qin Mingyuan’s priority, and with his curiosity satisfied, there was no reason to miss the meeting.

Yun Pei paused, putting down his chopsticks and looking up at him. He nodded. “Safe travels, President Qin.”

Without any further words, Qin Mingyuan nodded his farewell and headed to the front desk to settle the bill.

As he left the noodle shop, he glanced back for no particular reason. Yun Pei’s slim figure was mostly hidden by the back of his wheelchair as he sat alone at the table. The contrast between the lively atmosphere of the other tables and his solitary presence made him seem especially lonely.

Qin Mingyuan found himself thinking of the ending Yun Pei would meet in the novel, and he lowered his eyes in silence. If it were possible, maybe he could try to change something. Otherwise, wouldn’t this all be too dull?

After finishing his meal, Yun Pei returned alone and saw Yun Yuexian standing in front of the building. Without an assistant with him, Yun Yuexian turned to meet Yun Pei’s gaze, showing no surprise, and even shifted his stance to wait for Yun Pei to approach.

Yun Pei had no idea what Yun Yuexian was up to this time and stopped his wheelchair, staring at him impassively.

Yun Yuexian met his gaze and smiled, bending slightly as if to be more considerate. “Brother, where did you go earlier? I wanted to have lunch with you, but I couldn’t find you.”

He still had more scenes to shoot, so his makeup, giving him a slightly sickly look, hadn’t been removed yet, making him appear even more pitiful.

This half-brother had an undeniably good face, and Yun Pei had known that since they were kids. He also knew that Yun Yuexian was very good at using that face to act cute and innocent.

The first time Yun Pei met him, he had thought Yun Yuexian looked small and pitiful, like a helpless kitten, wide-eyed and timidly calling him “Brother,” as if afraid of being cast out.

It wasn’t until later, after suffering several losses because of that initial illusion, that Yun Pei realized he had been the foolish one.

Yun Pei remained silent, looking up at him from his wheelchair with cold eyes. His hands rested casually on the armrests, and his face remained emotionless. He wasn’t about to play along with any brotherly affection act. “What do you want?”

Yun Yuexian straightened up, clasping his hands behind his back, tilting his head slightly with a smile that seemed as innocent as ever. His eyes curved into little crescents, “Qin Mingyuan came to visit me on set today. I just wanted to make sure you understood that.”

“So what?” Yun Pei tapped his fingers lightly on the armrest. “Then why did he have lunch with me?”

Yun Yuexian’s smile faltered slightly but quickly returned. “It’s just a tactic. Don’t get too full of yourself.”

Yun Pei caught the brief shift in his expression and lowered his eyes, his long lashes casting shadows over his face. When he looked up again, his gaze was calm. “You’re right. I shouldn’t take it too seriously.”

He maneuvered his wheelchair to leave, but Yun Yuexian remained in his way. Yun Pei raised an eyebrow, signaling him to move.

“Men can be persistent about things they can’t have, no matter how high their status—whether they’re the head of the Qin family or not.” Yun Yuexian’s voice remained soft, his smile unwavering as he looked down at him.

Yun Pei understood the implication and wasn’t bothered. “Keep the fish on the line too long without reeling it in, and it might go bite someone else’s hook.”

Yun Yuexian’s smile finally dropped, his expression turning dark. He gritted his teeth, “Even so, it won’t be your hook, you cripple.”

Yun Pei leaned back in his wheelchair, his gaze mocking as if watching a clown, “Someone else’s, then.”

Seeming to realize he had lost control of his temper, Yun Yuexian took a deep breath and quickly returned to his harmless facade, changing the subject on his own. “Speaking of which, I didn’t expect you to step in as my hand double.”

He emphasized the word “double” and glanced at his own hands. “I guess my body is just too healthy to meet Director Li’s requirements. Sorry for the trouble, brother.”

Yun Pei had been subjected to such sarcasm from him many times, so he wasn’t bothered by it. He understood that the more Yun Yuexian smiled, the more frustrated he was inside. Without responding, Yun Pei wheeled past him.

Yun Yuexian stood there watching him leave, his eyes narrowing slightly before he let out a scoff.

He’s so scrawny and useless, who would ever want him? This was just Qin Mingyuan trying to get my attention, like that sudden distance he’s been keeping lately—it’s all just part of the game men play.