In the afternoon, with nothing much to do, Yu Yan felt too lazy to return to his own office and spent the whole afternoon curled up on the sofa in Shen Yuming’s office, watching a variety show.

The first episode of Lu Yan and Jian Ran’s variety show, Hello, Friend, premiered last night, but he had been too busy to watch it at the time.

After the premiere, He Zhiyu and Song Yunjing immediately reposted promotional content, and Jian Ran even interacted with them on Weibo.

Hello, Friend quickly trended on several hot topics, and the audience’s feedback was quite positive. While there were occasional dissenting voices, they were quickly drowned out by fans.

With the release of Twenty Years and Hello, Friend, Jian Ran’s fan base experienced explosive growth, though most of the new fans were shippers of him and Lu Yan as a CP.

Half an hour after the end of office hours, Shen Yuchen finally finished his meeting and returned to his office. Yu Yan promptly turned off his tablet.

“Chen-ge, are you done for the day?”

“Mm.” Shen Yuming put down the items in his hands and loosened the strap of his watch. “Are we going home, or eating first?”

Yu Yan leaned closer. “It’s still early. How about we grab something to eat first, then do something fun—something younger people enjoy?”

Shen Yuming raised an eyebrow. “Like what?”

“Racing. How about you take me for a couple of laps?” Yu Yan looked at him with a flattering smile. “I don’t have a license.”

Shen Yuming gave him a sidelong glance, his tone lifting slightly. “Not scared anymore?”

“We can go on the slow track. I want to desensitize myself.”

“Desensitize?”

Shen Yuchen’s tone carried a trace of surprise, as though he hadn’t expected Yu Yan to have something he needed to overcome.

Yu Yan nodded. “I had a car accident before, and now I’m a bit afraid of driving. He Zhiyu suggested I try desensitization.”

“I haven’t noticed you having any adverse reactions while riding in cars.” Shen Yuming put on his coat, gesturing for Yu Yan to follow him. He thought to himself, One dares to suggest, the other dares to try.

Yu Yan quickly explained, “That’s because I’m not holding the wheel, so I’m not as nervous.”

“You don’t seem like someone who needs desensitization.” Shen Yuming stopped in front of the elevator.

Yu Yan sensibly pressed the elevator button and casually asked, “Then what do you think I’m like?”

“You seem like someone who doesn’t want to take responsibility.” Shen Yuming’s voice was low and raspy, his dark eyes sweeping over Yu Yan briefly before quickly looking away as he stepped into the elevator first.

At first, Yu Yan thought he was being accused of being a heartless playboy, but this was an angle he had never considered before.

He wasn’t resistant to riding in cars, nor did he think about the accident while in one. However, the thought of holding the steering wheel made his heart tremble.

A bit slow to react, Yu Yan mulled over the words in his mind, unknowingly following Shen Yuming into the car and sitting in the passenger seat.

Yu Yan defended himself, “I had a bad reaction the last time He Zhiyu drove fast.”

“You also got anxious watching skydiving videos this afternoon. It’s not about the car accident—it’s the speed itself that makes your heart race.” Shen Yuming stated plainly, not delving further into the reasons.

“Are we going?”

Yu Yan snapped back to reality. “Go where?”

“The club.”

After thinking for a moment, Yu Yan nodded. “Let’s go.”

At the club, Shen Yuchen changed into a black-and-gold leather racing suit, the muscles in his legs subtly outlined, clearly showing their definition.

His slender fingers casually brushed the strands of hair from his forehead to the top of his head. Slowly, he put on a pair of black leather gloves, tightened the straps, and fastened the buckles.

The soft click felt like a heavy hit to Yu Yan’s heart.

Shen Yuming suddenly raised his head, his deep black eyes holding a trace of unnoticeable amusement.

For a moment, Yu Yan felt like he had been caught doing something he shouldn’t. Clearing his throat, he fumbled to grab his own gloves, hurriedly put them on, and donned his helmet, hiding his embarrassment in the darkness.

“I’m ready. Let’s go,” Yu Yan said mechanically.

Shen Yuming gave a soft “mm,” then slowly reached over to adjust Yu Yan’s helmet.

Shen Yuming chose a black sports car similar to the one in the video and took Yu Yan for a few laps around the slow track.

At first, the car moved very slowly, gradually picking up speed until, during the final stretch, Shen Yuming floored the gas pedal.

The sudden rush of force sent Yu Yan’s adrenaline soaring, his heart racing wildly as he tensed up in a defensive posture.

It wasn’t until the car stopped that he snapped back to his senses.

As Shen Yuchen had said, Yu Yan’s discomfort stemmed from the high speed. However, it was also the high speed that reminded him of the accident.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell whether this fear came from psychological trauma or physical reaction.

“Are you feeling unwell?” Shen Yuming removed his helmet, casually running a hand through his hair.

“No, I feel great. How about we go for another two laps?” Yu Yan blinked a few times.

The phone on the dashboard suddenly rang. Shen Yuming picked it up and glanced at it, his expression changing slightly.

“Next time.”

Yu Yan guessed that he probably had something urgent to attend to, so he didn’t mind and responded with a simple “Alright.”

Since Shen Yuming needed to go to the company, Yu Yan didn’t ask him to give him a ride home. Instead, he sat in the stands for a while. After Song Yunjing finished her scene, he gave her a call.

“Xiao Yan, are you at the set?” Song Yunjing seemed to be in a good mood, even humming a tune.

In the past, people would politely call him “Young Master,” but now that they were more familiar, everyone addressed him however they felt comfortable. Recently, a group of people in their chat group even nicknamed him a “cyber ATM.”

Yu Yan lounged lazily in his chair, watching a few cars compete on the track.

“No, there’s a public welfare documentary starting production in Rongcheng. Are you interested? Let me warn you first—the filming conditions will be tough, and there’s no pay.”

Honestly, he hoped that Song Yunjing would agree to join, as this would be a great opportunity to earn public favor.

But the filming location was quite remote, and she’d have to stay in a rural area for a few days with no compensation, so the decision ultimately rested with her.

“Of course, I want to go,” Song Yunjing immediately agreed. “When will the filming start?”

“Not until the weather warms up. The director of the local station made some requests and suggestions. I’ll send them to you later.”

This project was brought up to him by Jiang Mo last night. Over the years, Jiang Mo had been dedicated to public welfare and had even donated a significant sum to the Rongcheng Welfare Home. So, when Rongcheng decided to film a public welfare documentary, she was the first person they contacted, hoping she’d agree to an interview.

After learning the content of the documentary, Jiang Mo realized they still needed a main character. She mentioned it in passing, and the production team readily agreed.

“Alright, thanks, Young Master Yu.” Song Yunjing teased him. “Are you visiting the set in the next few days? Yang Chao keeps talking about you, waiting for you like you’re the moonlight in his life.”

Yu Yan chuckled softly. “What’s up with him? Short on money?”

“Not exactly. He just wants to show you how he’s spending the investment money and claim some credit.” Song Yunjing’s tone was lighthearted.

“Alright, I’ll drop by in a couple of days,” Yu Yan replied casually.

“There’s one more thing.” Song Yunjing hesitated and stopped mid-sentence, as if unsure whether to continue.

“What is it?”

“Wen Xia came to see me today.”

“Did she cause trouble for you?” Yu Yan frowned, suddenly sitting up straight.

He had no intention of suing Wen Xia or giving her a hard time. He thought it best to let things be, as Wen Xia’s current situation was already difficult enough.

But if Wen Xia had directed her anger at Song Yunjing because of him, he wouldn’t stand idly by.

“Not really. She wants to meet you,” Song Yunjing explained. “She said she wanted to apologize to you in person.”

Yu Yan sighed in relief. “No need for an apology.”

“That’s what I thought, too. But she started crying, and I felt bad, so I agreed to ask you. She seemed determined. If you don’t meet her, she’ll keep coming to the set to block me.”

The set Wen Xia was working on happened to be next to Star Source, so it would be extremely easy for her to approach.

In the end, Yu Yan agreed to meet Wen Xia—not because he feared being harassed or because of her tears, but because he wanted to understand why she did what she did.

They scheduled the meeting for the next day at 4 p.m., at a café near the set.

To avoid being secretly photographed by paparazzi, Yu Yan arrived at the café an hour early.

The café, located near the film base, was well-prepared for its clientele. It had excellent privacy measures—blinds that let in light but blocked cameras.

The staff were well-trained and didn’t react even when encountering celebrities.

Around 4 p.m., Wen Xia arrived with her assistant. The assistant tactfully moved to another area.

Wen Xia had removed her makeup, and her state was far worse than the last time they met. Her eyes were swollen, and even makeup couldn’t conceal it.

Her eyes lacked any spark, her demeanor was lifeless, and her every move exuded exhaustion.

Yu Yan tapped his fingers lightly on the table. “What would you like to drink?”

Although he didn’t intend to hold her accountable, his tone wasn’t particularly friendly.

Wen Xia ordered an Americano, her fingers lightly gripping the mug, as if hesitating to speak.

Yu Yan said nothing, casually scrolling through his phone and sending a few messages to Shen Yuchen. He had plenty of time to spare.

Eventually, Wen Xia couldn’t hold back anymore. “Young Master Yu—”

Yu Yan politely put down his phone. “Yes?”

“The incident online… I’m sorry. I acted impulsively and wrongfully blamed you. At the time, my boyfriend had just broken up with me, artists from the same company were stealing my resources, and my position in the company was precarious. That’s why I asked if you’d sign me. But…”

Wen Xia paused for a moment, her voice dropping significantly. “But you clearly said you weren’t planning to sign anyone else. So why did you later sign a newcomer and let He Zhiyu bring him into the crew?”

Yu Yan suddenly understood—the problem lay here.

The newcomer she referred to was Cao Yuanye, who was currently working with He Zhiyu on The Legend of Immortals, playing a minor role with limited screen time.

Wen Xia had also worked on the set of The Legend of Immortals, so it wouldn’t have been hard for her to find out.

“First, whoever I choose to sign is my decision, but I don’t sign people with moral issues.”

The words were blunt and merciless, just short of pointing at Wen Xia’s nose and scolding her.

“Second, the people I sign are all unknown small-time actors. With my current abilities and resources, I can only support them. You’re already a big star; I can’t help you and would only hinder your development. If you resent me because of this, I have nothing to say.”

“Third, those photos and materials weren’t something you could get your hands on alone. Someone must have instructed you from behind the scenes, right?”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wen Xia’s face turned pale. The secret she had been trying so hard to hide was exposed, and guilt was written all over her.

Whether Wen Xia truly didn’t know who was pulling the strings or simply refused to reveal it, she didn’t answer. She just kept her eyes lowered, staring intently at the latte art in her cup.

Yu Yan understood her silence. “Not every time will you be lucky enough to escape legal consequences. Take care of yourself.”

With that, Yu Yan had no desire to linger. He stood up and prepared to leave.

But after taking just a few steps, someone suddenly called out to him.

Wen Xia clutched her coffee cup tightly, her fingers turning white from the pressure, refusing to let go. “I’m sorry. I know I was wrong. But… can you not freeze me out?”

“Freeze you out?”

Yu Yan’s brows furrowed slightly with a hint of surprise. “I didn’t freeze you out.”

With that, he turned and left.

On the second floor of the café, Qi Mo stood leaning lightly against the railing with a cup of coffee in hand, silently watching Yu Yan leave the shop.

Next to him, a man of the same age wearing a gray coat glanced at Qi Mo with disdain. “You couldn’t even handle this?”

“No, it’s because—”

“It’s because you’re stupid.”

The man’s voice was soft but carried immense authority. With just one sentence, he pinned Qi Mo down, leaving him speechless.