Chapter 53

He clearly recognized every single word, so why couldn’t he understand them when they were put together?

Guan Zifan felt like his brain had been punched, going blank instantly. “Say that again?”

Yu Xi couldn’t possibly repeat it a second time. He shrank into the sofa, extremely irritable.

Guan Zifan pressed forward. “Didn’t you say you dated someone in high school?”

“Ah.” Yu Xi hugged a nearby pillow and blocked his face with it. “Yeah.”

Guan Zifan pulled the pillow away. “I remember you said you two broke up later, and she went abroad?”

Yu Xi felt utterly hopeless. “Yeah.”

Guan Zifan was shocked. “You never said your ex was a guy!”

Dating was normal. And Yu Xi hadn’t started dating until he was eighteen, so it wasn’t puppy love. But he worried someone with ulterior motives might dig up that past relationship, stitch together some chat records, and turn it into so-called “solid proof,” splashing a huge bucket of dirty water on him.

Guan Zifan had prepared for every possible scenario. No matter what emergency arose, he was confident he could handle it—even if an ex showed up with a kid claiming it was Yu Xi’s, he could stay calm.

But Yu Xi had just dropped a massive bomb on him.

Guan Zifan: “Weren’t you both Alphas back then? How did you even date?!”

Yu Xi: “We were gay.”

Guan Zifan: “…”

His expression shifted from shock to despair, and he slumped onto the sofa.

It was over.

All his contingency plans were for nothing. If Young Master Yi really wanted to make trouble for them, he had no power to fight back.

Exes meeting again often sparked jealousy, and now they were still doing CP promotions together…

No, with Yi Chen’s status, he could’ve easily refused this collaboration, but Yi Chen had been so cooperative…

Guan Zifan, the eternal single mom solo king, believed people’s hearts were inherently dark. “He hasn’t been looking for your weaknesses this whole time, has he?”

Yu Xi recalled what Geng Shang Lou had said, his tone heavy. “Very possible.”

Guan Zifan probed cautiously. “Was your breakup… peaceful?”

Yu Xi closed his eyes. “Not really.”

Guan Zifan: “…”

Guan Zifan: “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”

Yu Xi: “How was I supposed to tell you?”

“You could’ve said, and I wouldn’t have…”

Yu Xi gave up. “Wouldn’t have what? Sold CP? Isn’t selling CP decided by the boss?”

Guan Zifan: “…”

Both of them slumped on the sofa together.

At that moment, the door opened again. Xiao Chen rushed in carrying an invitation and a set of formal attire. “Yu Ge, Guan Ge!”

He bounced over to them. “The banquet time is set. D·A·Y sent over the suits!”

There was a charity gala recently, inviting many celebrities. The event would be open to the public. The time hadn’t been confirmed until now, so Xiao Chen had grabbed the invitation and hurried straight to Yu Xi’s place.

Yu Xi hadn’t wanted to go, but the host was a friend of the boss, so he had to give face.

Xiao Chen excitedly pulled out the suit. “This is haute couture from the brand daddy. Two sets: one for you, Yu Ge, and one for Yi Chen. Couple outfits! Uh, no, promo outfits!”

Yu Xi: “…”

Guan Zifan: “…”

Meanwhile, Liu Yun handed the invitation to Yi Chen. “Charity gala. You’re invited.”

“Ah.”

Yi Chen wasn’t keen on these galas. Half was for charity, half pure schmoozing—exhausting.

Liu Yun continued, “D·A·Y provided haute couture.”

Yi Chen glanced up.

The design was as impeccable as ever, with a low-key elegance. But he had zero interest in the event. “Help me decline.”

Liu Yun wasn’t surprised. “I figured you wouldn’t go. Too many people, bound to spark some rumors. Shame about the suit, though. Yu Xi has a matching one—looks like couple wear. But I heard his side agreed to go, gotta give face.”

As Liu Yun reached to contact the assistant to return the couture to the brand, Yi Chen: “!”

“I suddenly think attending a gala like this once wouldn’t be bad.” Yi Chen stopped Liu Yun and gently took the suit from her hands, admiring it closely with a sigh. “This outfit is really nice.”

Liu Yun: “?”

The gala was set for three days later.

The hall featured a red carpet photo session, where invited guests went all out to shine.

Yu Xi and Yi Chen faced off in the makeup room.

“Why are you here?” Given Yu Xi’s understanding of Yi Chen, he usually skipped galas with a social component.

Yi Chen admired the suit on Yu Xi, his tone casual. “Isn’t it normal to attend once in a while?”

Yu Xi: “…”

He stared at Yi Chen, at a loss for words.

The D·A·Y designs had great vibe. The designer used accessories to maximize their figures’ advantages while highlighting the brand’s style. Standing together in matching outfits, they exuded an indescribable ambiguity.

“Have to walk together?” Yu Xi frowned.

“What else?” Yi Chen shrugged. “Brand demands it. Do we have a choice?”

“It’ll spark discussions.”

“Isn’t that the point?” Yi Chen said. “No way around it.”

“These specified poses…”

The D.A.Y Art Director had mandated red carpet poses—mostly normal, but a few too intimate. Yu Xi tried negotiating to tweak them, but Yi Chen just deferred the decision.

“I don’t like them either, but we have to follow, right?” Yi Chen feigned helplessness. “It’s not up to us. What can we do but cooperate?”

Yu Xi: “…”

No choice, had to follow, no room to maneuver—Young Master Yi clearly wanted no part in handling it.

“Wow! Teacher Yu Xi, Teacher Yi Chen, didn’t expect you’d both come!”

The makeup room door opened, and Wu Zhiqi and Fu Le walked in.

They represented the Weekend Go Where team at the charity gala.

Seeing their outfits, Wu Zhiqi was stunned. “So gorgeous!! Oh my god, you two match perfectly! Change the venue, and you could hold a wedding! Brand daddy nailed it!”

Yi Chen smiled, clearly delighted. “Really?”

Yu Xi forced a smile. “Really…”

“Absolutely!” Wu Zhiqi was sincere and about to say more when a staffer entered. “Teacher Yu Xi, Teacher Yi Chen, you’re up!”

“Go on, go on.” Wu Zhiqi grinned. “Can’t wait for your photos.”

Between the makeup room and red carpet was a long corridor. The previous group hadn’t finished, so they waited at the bottom of the steps.

The corridor lights were off. Yu Xi and Yi Chen stood together.

Outside was chaos: flashing lights everywhere, the host hyping the crowd, guests signing walls, posing, answering reporters. Guests had mastered dodging traps; cheeky reporters’ pitfalls got humorous deflections, drawing laughs and keeping the vibe harmonious.

The outer buzz made the corridor feel eerily quiet.

After a long silence, Yi Chen spoke first. “Feeling better?”

Yu Xi pursed his lips. “No.”

Yi Chen tilted his head toward Yu Xi.

Maybe from rushing out earlier, or Yi Chen’s OCD flaring up, Yu Xi’s tie was slightly off.

He reached out, straightened Yu Xi’s tie, centering the knot perfectly. “You’ve been so wrapped up thinking about me, you’ve forgotten to be sad. That’s good. Worrying over someone worthwhile isn’t a waste of time.”

Yu Xi raised his hand too, pinching Yi Chen’s tie knot, and smiled. “I hope you don’t pat yourself on the back like that.”

“Is that so?” Yi Chen stared straight at Yu Xi. “You weren’t thinking about me?”

Yu Xi met his gaze without flinching. “I was.”

Yi Chen raised a brow.

Yu Xi swatted his hand away. “It’s time to end our promo partnership.”

Soon, the previous group finished, and it was their turn on stage.

The brand’s poses were very ambiguous. Yu Xi took a deep breath, steeling himself. But beside him, Yi Chen showed no burden. He grabbed Yu Xi’s tie, yanking him forward. Yu Xi stumbled, leaning in and taking a small step to steady himself.

The brand only required one to hold the other’s tie and gaze— this mishap brought their noses together, lips a hair’s breadth apart, almost but not quite touching.

The crowd: “!!!”

Flashes erupted nonstop.

Yi Chen raised a brow. “You won’t take the initiative, so I have to, huh.”

“Ha? Who said I won’t?”

Yu Xi’s competitive streak flared. He grabbed Yi Chen in return, shoving him onto the photo sofa. Circling behind, he gripped Yi Chen’s tie from above and yanked upward.

“Feeling it now?” Yi Chen leaned into him cooperatively, hooking his neck and pulling him down, lips brushing his ear. “We’re heading for the hot search again, you and me.”

Breath curled at his ear, voice like a feather over the tip. Yu Xi froze for a split second. Then Yi Chen’s voice whispered along his ear again: “Instead of always dodging me, why not face it head-on, Teacher Yu Xi.”

Yi Chen released him. Yu Xi leaned back naturally. Yi Chen half-rose, leaning on the sofa back, arm around his waist. They shifted to a leaning pose together, flashes hitting their faces amid screams blending into the roar.

The photo session ended quickly. Reporters were primed.

They fielded work questions, mentions of The Boundless. Yu Xi and Yi Chen answered one by one. Of course, some reporters stirred trouble.

“Teacher Yu Xi, Teacher Yu Xi.” A young guy in black-rimmed glasses waved frantically, voice booming. “What’s the scar on the back of your neck gland from?!”

The gland—whether Alpha or Omega—was deeply private. Yu Xi’s secondary differentiation wasn’t public, so everyone assumed he was Alpha. Alphas couldn’t be marked, but couples often played around there.

Yu Xi usually wore a pheromone blocker patch, but shoots sometimes required bare skin. Sharp eyes had spotted the mark.

No one had asked before, but this reporter clearly wanted dirt.

Yu Xi’s expression faltered.

He glanced at the culprit beside him, but Yi Chen averted his eyes innocently, smiling at the reporters below, refusing to take blame.

Yu Xi sneered coldly. His hand snuck to Yi Chen’s back, pinching his waist hard and twisting. “Dog bite.”