“Right.” The director put away his phone and said, “President Ruan has invited you to dinner. He specifically instructed me to make sure to invite you along and give him face.”
“Hold on a moment.” Yu Xi said, “I need to check my schedule with my manager.”
Privately, it didn’t matter—friends inviting him out for a meal, he’d go if he had time.
But in work situations, dinners with collaborators or people with vested interests couldn’t be attended casually. Even a simple meal implied intentions like deepening cooperation, which might lead to misunderstandings from others.
Social niceties were such a hassle. Whether to participate or not, whether the relationship was close or distant—different degrees and boundaries led to different consequences. It gave him a headache.
Fortunately, Guan Zifan was an expert at this. He always handled these matters.
Yu Xi briefly explained the situation to Guan Zifan, who replied, “Ruan Yan Shan personally inviting you to dinner? You can go. Treat it as networking. He’s an investor in the production, after all. You know what to talk about and what to avoid, right?”
“Mm.” Yu Xi hung up the phone and accepted the invitation. “Let’s go, Director.”
–
Meanwhile, Yi Chen was having dinner with Luo Qin.
They were at a Chinese restaurant with screen dividers forming private booths for strong privacy.
The dishes hadn’t arrived yet when Luo Qin first placed two takeout bags on the table.
His outfit was punk as always: ear studs, lip ring, Martin boots studded with rivets. “I called you here today because there’s something I want you to help me with.”
With that, he unzipped his bag.
And pulled out… women’s clothing.
All sorts of little dresses, lined up in front of Yi Chen, along with fake hairpieces in various styles.
Yi Chen: “?”
Yi Chen: “What are you doing?”
Yi Chen: “Do you have a cross-dressing fetish? Want me to help hide it?”
“What are you talking about?” Luo Qin nearly rolled his eyes. “These are for my sister!”
Luo Qin, Doctor Luo, the ultimate sis-con.
If his sister said west, he wouldn’t go east. If she said she wanted little dresses for her birthday, he could fill an entire closet for her.
“Her birthday’s coming up.” Luo Qin said. “I prepared a tiny gift for her.”
Yi Chen pointed at the pile of dresses forming a small mountain. “This is tiny?”
Luo Qin: “A billion-tiny.”
Luo Qin: “Hold onto them for me for a few days. I’ll pick them up later.”
Luo Qin began stuffing the little dresses back into the bag one by one.
Yi Chen asked, “Why not just ship them straight to my place? Don’t you have my address?”
Luo Qin: “Who knows which of your addresses to ship to?”
Yi Chen: “.”
Luo Qin continued, “Besides, who knows where you’ll fly off to work on delivery day? What if no one’s there to receive them? These are all limited editions—hard to get.”
As he tucked the hairpieces into a compartment, Luo Qin added, “This meal’s on me. Consider it storage fees.”
“Why the hairpieces too?”
“Different outfits need different hairstyles, of course. I got real-hair fakes—top quality.”
Soon, the server began bringing out the dishes one after another.
The restaurant had a great ambiance, and the food was top-notch. The two ate while chatting idly, occasionally checking their phones. Suddenly, Luo Qin burst out laughing. “You made a bet with Yu Xi? Loser dresses in drag?”
#PiaoLiangZuichunLipReadingAnalysis#, #YuXiYiChenBet#, #YuXiDrag# were trending high on the charts.
[Hahahahahahaha thank you Piao Liang Zuichun Teacher!]
[OMG drag drag drag drag!!]
[Even if Yi Chen kinda maybe sorta weaseled out at the end, Fish Fish Teacher, a loss is a loss!]
[Was that Yi Chen weaseling? That was the light of justice!]
Luo Qin scrolled through some top V Blog posts with great interest, laughing heartily. “What are you guys thinking hahahaha? Actual drag? When’s the payoff? I’m camping for first dibs.”
“Eat your food.” Yi Chen didn’t even look up. “No drag show for you.”
Luo Qin: “.”
Midway through, Yi Chen stepped out to take a call. When he returned, he noticed a nearby booth door half-open—not particularly noteworthy, but a glance revealed Yu Xi inside.
Yi Chen’s steps halted.
He recognized the people at the table: Chasing Shadows crew staff. And beside Yu Xi sat Ruan Yan Shan.
This didn’t look like a work dinner. The booth’s atmosphere was relaxed. A server brought red wine, and Ruan Yan Shan poured a glass for Yu Xi. The two chatted and laughed, seeming quite compatible.
“Tch.” Yi Chen’s brows furrowed tightly.
He knew the Geng Group’s secrets, so he also knew Ruan Yan Shan’s true colors. On the surface, a refined gentleman, warm and approachable—but in reality, a soft-rice scum who deceived in marriage and love. Once he had a wife and kid, he couldn’t hold back, constantly keeping men on the side.
This time, Ruan Yan Shan seemed to have a new target.
He lost all appetite.
Yi Chen didn’t return to his seat. He sent Luo Qin the address and told him to head there directly, then packed up the little dresses.
Luo Qin: [Ancestral grandpa, where you off to now?]
Yi Chen: [Emergency.]
With those two words, Yi Chen vanished from the chat.
Without work talk or business exchanges, Yu Xi’s dinner wrapped up quickly. The director and other staff drove off to the parking lot on their own. Ruan Yan Shan and Yu Xi, waiting for their drivers, headed toward another exit.
Yi Chen spotted Yu Xi.
Yu Xi looked somewhat spirited, but Yi Chen knew it was an act.
His steps wobbled slightly.
As he descended a step, Yu Xi slipped, stumbling. Ruan Yan Shan steadied him.
—This would have been perfectly normal if Ruan Yan Shan had just gripped his shoulder or pulled his arm.
But Ruan Yan Shan wrapped one arm around Yu Xi’s shoulder while deliberately pressing his arm against Yu Xi’s, large expanses of skin making contact.
Yu Xi’s brow twitched.
Fuck.
This idiot really had issues.
Actually, even at the table, Yu Xi had sensed something off with Ruan Yan Shan.
On the surface, he seemed breezy and polite to everyone, but he paid excessive attention to Yu Xi.
For example, asking which dish he wanted, always staring straight into his eyes while speaking, slipping in somewhat personal questions during chat.
To others, it might seem polite and intimate. But to Yu Xi, this politeness and intimacy felt like a constant threat to strip away his “purity,” making him deeply uncomfortable.
So he found an excuse to end the dinner.
Before leaving, Ruan Yan Shan had the server pour wine and invited everyone to toast.
Reasonable enough—no way to refuse outright.
After that glass, Yu Xi felt off immediately.
His body heated up, head spun, unsteady.
Not the discomfort of precursor heat, but like a hand squeezing his brain—dazed and foggy. He could clearly feel his consciousness slipping away bit by bit, yet utterly powerless to stop it.
Yu Xi’s alcohol tolerance was average. He’d only had that final glass all night.
But Ruan Yan Shan hadn’t even touched his. Where had he tampered?
Scum. Definitely experienced, done this more than once. Fast-acting, potent, traceless.
Damn.
Yu Xi shifted away slightly and bit his lower lip.
The pain sharpened his mind a bit.
He couldn’t afford to lose clarity.
If he truly blacked out, Yu Xi feared his muscles would take over and beat the toucher senseless.
It had happened before. Someone tampered with his water while he was sick and on meds. The conflict knocked him out quick. When he came to, a bruised and swollen man lay beside him, beaten unconscious.
The culprit was a magazine shareholder who’d spiked the water to sabotage Yu Xi for his own star’s cover shoot. But when Yu Xi passed out, the guy got ideas.
The moment he touched Yu Xi, Yu Xi flipped without opening his eyes, yelling “My purity!” “Don’t touch me!” “Ruin my purity, die!”, and pummeled him.
Guan Zifan suppressed the incident. The shareholder, in the wrong, didn’t dare make noise and avoided Yu Xi ever after.
That was purity!! Purity!!!
What was the most basic thing in entertainment? Purity! All kinds of purity!
Song Xuan tried rumor-mongering to ruin his purity—live-stream confrontation.
Fu Le tried framing to ruin his purity—live-stream smackdown, no mercy.
Ruan Yan Shan now wanted to touch and ruin his purity?! Die!
Yu Xi frantically suppressed his surging temper and muscle twitches.
He decided to give Ruan Yan Shan three sentences’ worth of chances.
“Thanks, President Ruan.” Yu Xi said. “I’m heading back.”
First sentence.
Ruan Yan Shan showed no sign of letting go, saying softly, “My driver’s almost here. Let me take you back.”
His fingers brushed Yu Xi’s hand back.
Veins bulged on his arm.
Consciousness sank another notch; muscles tensed another notch.
“No need.” Yu Xi pulled his hand free. “I’m fine.”
Second sentence.
“How could you be fine?” Ruan Yan Shan stepped closer with a smile. “You don’t look well.”
Consciousness threatened to slip further. Yu Xi took a deep breath, endured. Forearm muscles taut, fist clenched then released—afraid one slip would unleash a punch.
Yu Xi: “I’m perfectly fine, really.”
Third sentence.
Ruan Yan Shan didn’t notice Yu Xi holding back.
Tense arm, trembling muscles, deep breaths—Ruan Yan Shan read them as nervousness and fear.
This wasn’t his first time.
How to describe it?
He was too fond of beautiful exteriors, always sparking an urge to defile.
He relished their fear, their terror, their limp softness as consciousness faded—and especially the next day, their horrified realization upon waking.
He watched Yu Xi: heaving chest, desperate struggle to stay alert, shaking arms, rigid shoulders. He greedily absorbed every detail. Any hint of fear or panic delighted him.
He leaned in closer, reaching to grasp Yu Xi’s wrist.
Yu Xi’s vision blackened, consciousness crumbled. He couldn’t hold back anymore—wrist twisting back—
“Isn’t President Ruan worrying a bit too much?” It was Yi Chen’s voice.
He walked toward Yu Xi and, before Ruan Yan Shan could touch him, grabbed Yu Xi’s forearm and pulled him into his embrace.
A faint pomelo mint scent enveloped his nose.
Yu Xi was a bit dazed.
Yi Chen was here too?
Why?
But Yu Xi couldn’t think much. Brain foggy, body going limp, he leaned on Yi Chen and gripped his arm.
Yi Chen: “.”
Hand, hand, hand—it’s gonna break!!!!
Yu Xi’s muscle memory kicked in. Fingers unconsciously clamped down hard, nails digging deep into skin.
Yi Chen kept smiling. “Yu Xi already said he doesn’t need your help.”
“Is that so?”
Ruan Yan Shan was displeased.
The Yu Xi who’d endured so fiercely, fighting to stay conscious, dropped all defenses the instant Yi Chen appeared, melting trustingly into his arms.
“Aren’t you the one worrying excessively?” Ruan Yan Shan smiled back. “No one mentioned you before you showed up?”
Fingers still digging, knuckles trembling from force. Yi Chen struggled to stay calm. “I’m saving you.”
No punch thrown, yet the hand was nearly crushed.
If a real swing landed… who knew if Ruan Yan Shan’s facial implants could hold.
Ruan Yan Shan didn’t argue further with Yi Chen.
No matter. Plenty of opportunities. Ruan Yan Shan said, “Then I’ll trouble our Teacher Yi Chen to safely escort Yu Xi back. Don’t let any accidents happen.”
“I’ll take those auspicious words.” Yi Chen watched Ruan Yan Shan head to his car, open the door, and get in.
Scum.
Drove here himself, yet pretended to wait for a driver just to linger with Yu Xi.
Through the car window, Yi Chen and Ruan Yan Shan locked eyes.
—Only after Ruan Yan Shan’s car started and vanished from sight did Yi Chen’s expression crack bit by bit.
Hand hand hand hand haaa!!!!
Bruised! Bruised!
Ow ow ow it hurts so much!!!!
