Tearing into a scumbag: on his knees, begging to get back together

Ning Shiyan did not go to greet him, but Second Uncle stood up.

Second Uncle took the newcomer's hand and led him inside, smiling as he brought him before Ning Grandfather. "Dad, this is Gu Xiguang, the man I told you about. He's a highly skilled technical specialist who returned from abroad. He's the one who secured our collaboration with the Li family."

Ning Grandfather wearily lifted his eyelids and sighed.

He had wanted to recruit Gu Xiguang to the head office, which was why he had asked Second Uncle to invite him. But after what had just happened, he was in no mood for it. He waved a hand. "Sit wherever you like."

Second Uncle nodded with a smile.

Ning Shiyan kept his head down, trying to make himself invisible. Unfortunately, Gu Xiguang spotted him immediately. He strode over, smiled, and pointed to the seat beside him. "May I sit here?"

Knowing he could not avoid him, Ning Shiyan could only raise his head and answer, "Ah... sure."

[What kind of VIP viewing seat is this?!]

[The leading lady, the leading man, and the second male lead of this drama are all sitting in a row right in front of me!]

Ning Shile bobbed his head, his delight plain to see.

Gu Xiguang still looked somewhat feminine, with smooth skin, soft features, and affectionate, alluring eyes. Paired with his slightly curly chestnut hair, he looked a little mixed-race.

Ning Shiyan lowered his voice and nudged Gu Xiguang with his elbow. "You're working at our company? Why didn't you tell me?"

Gu Xiguang lowered his eyes. "I wanted to surprise you."

Ning Shiyan glanced at Gu Xiguang and bumped against him coyly.

Gu Xiguang chuckled softly.

[You came with one husband and one wife as your factory settings, huh?]

Ning Shile curled his lip. He could not stand these cheating scumbags. Would it kill them to stay faithful and love just one person?

[Your actual girlfriend is sitting right there, and you're flirting with someone beside her!]

Indignant, Ning Shile moved his arm and accidentally knocked the fork off his plate.

He bent down and reached under the table to retrieve it, only to get blindsided by an unforgettable scene.

Ning Shiyan and Gu Xiguang were actually fooling around under the table!

Ning Shiyan had hooked his leg around Gu Xiguang's, gently teasing the man's calf with his leather-shod foot.

His wandering fingers were also reaching toward the top of the man's thigh.

As though unable to bear the teasing, Gu Xiguang caught Ning Shiyan's hand to stop him.

Ning Shiyan gave two coy, halfhearted pushes. The man immediately tightened his grip, and Ning Shiyan began tracing circles on his palm with his fingertips.

[Help!!!]

Ning Shile abruptly sat upright, screaming inwardly.

[People are flirting under the table!!!]

[You bastards, I'm calling the police to have you arrested!!!]

What? What?? Flirting under the table?

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother widened their eyes slightly and exchanged a look.

Then Zheng Mother pursed her lips, coughed lightly, and deliberately knocked her fork off with her arm.

Feigning surprise, she first exclaimed, "Oh dear!" Then she turned to Ning Shile. "How careless of me!"

Immediately afterward, Zheng Mother bent down to pick up her fork.

She took a quick peek. The two men beneath the table were still entwined as though no one else existed.

Zheng Mother straightened at once and frantically signaled to Zheng Father with her eyes.

Zheng Father quickly glanced at Ning Shile, cleared his throat, and then dropped his own fork onto the floor with a clatter.

"Oh dear." Zheng Father's sudden broadcaster's voice nearly made Ning Shile wrench his back. He continued with impeccable enunciation, "How careless of me, too."

With that, he also ducked beneath the table.

[???]

Puzzled, Ning Shile paused, then turned to Zheng Ye.

[Is dropping your fork before dinner a Zheng Family tradition?]

[Does that mean Zheng Ye is next?]

Zheng Ye remained composed under pressure.

This was not his family's tradition. He would not drop his fork.

Ning Shile reached over and very helpfully placed Zheng Ye's fork beneath his arm.

Looking rather pleased with himself, he gazed at Zheng Ye with sparkling eyes.

[OK, you can knock it off now~]

Zheng Ye: "..."

He did not move a muscle.

Three minutes later, under the watchful eyes of Zheng Father, Zheng Mother, and Ning Shile, Zheng Ye sighed and resigned himself to knocking his fork onto the floor.

He did not want to watch the drama.

Where other people flirted was their business, not his. He was not curious in the slightest.

Clinging to his last shred of stubbornness, Zheng Ye closed his eyes as he bent down.

After feeling around for his fork, just as he was about to straighten, Zheng Ye hesitated, then secretly opened one eye.

Yep. Definitely flirting.

Zheng Ye came away satisfied.

The two men stayed glued together throughout the entire meal.

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother were still bewildered. Ning Shiyan and Gu Xiguang were practically pressed against each other, so why had his actual girlfriend, Park Mingni, not reacted? Even the most oblivious person should have noticed by now, right?

[It's almost time. The real show is about to start!]

No sooner had Ning Shile's inner voice fallen silent than Park Mingni gave a light cough. She set her phone face down and turned to Ning Shiyan. "Didn't you say you had something important to announce today?"

Ning Shiyan panicked a little at her words.

Gu Xiguang did not know he had a girlfriend, which was precisely why he had been afraid to speak to Park Mingni all this time.

When Ning Shiyan remained silent, Second Uncle grew anxious and hurriedly spoke up. "That's right, Yanyan! Come on!"

Second Aunt also urged him on with a smile, frantically signaling with her eyes as she pointed at Park Mingni. "Weren't you planning to... do something in front of your grandfather? Go on!"

[I know you're anxious, but hold your horses.]

[Your son's boyfriend is sitting right beside him!]

Ning Shiyan's eyes darted away. He did not even dare look at Second Uncle or Second Aunt, and his words came out vague and hesitant. "How about, ahem... another day?"

"What do you mean, another day?" Second Aunt could no longer contain herself. "I've already arranged for everyone to cheer you on!"

Even after she finished speaking, Ning Shiyan showed no sign of moving.

Second Aunt decided to go all the way and simply spilled everything. "Mingni, our Yanyan wanted to propose to you today. He's been preparing for ages. He's probably just a little ner—"

Before Second Aunt could finish, Ning Shiyan completely panicked. He stood and shouted, "I didn't!"

His abruptly raised voice startled everyone.

Yet Gu Xiguang, who was drinking tea beside him, did not react at all. Holding his teacup, he let a flicker of cunning pass through his eyes, but quickly concealed it.

Then Gu Xiguang set his cup down with a bang and looked up at Ning Shiyan. "Shiyan, you're proposing to someone else?"

"No, I'm not!" Ning Shiyan denied it repeatedly. Meeting Gu Xiguang's gaze, even his voice trembled. "I'm not! You have to believe me!"

[You might survive heaven's punishment, but there's no surviving the trouble you bring on yourself~]

[Gu Xiguang won't believe you! He and Park Mingni are best friends!]

What!?

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother drew a sharp breath. Those two were best friends, too!?

What on earth was going on? How did this drama keep getting more explosive?!

[At first, Gu Xiguang really did get plastic surgery and transition because he wanted to get back together with Ning Shiyan. But after they got together, he discovered some seriously criminal things Ning Shiyan had done!]

[After meeting Gu Xiguang, that playboy Ning Shiyan actually fell for him! He became completely lovesick.]

Ning Shile recalled the original novel's plot.

[The destructive power of a playboy turned hopeless romantic is no joke. After falling for Gu Xiguang, Ning Shiyan changed his phone passcode and all his other account passwords to Gu Xiguang's birthday.]

[That was how Gu Xiguang discovered a huge number of explicit videos and photos of women on Ning Shiyan's phone. All of them were of his former girlfriends!]

[And they were all taken without their knowledge!]

What!??

Zheng Father and Zheng Mother clenched their fists, their blood pressure soaring as they inwardly condemned Ning Shiyan's depravity.

Even Zheng Ye, who did not enjoy gossip, gave a rare nod of agreement.

Scum.

[While recording the evidence, Gu Xiguang found secretly taken images of Park Mingni in a private folder!]

[Mingni wasn't actually exposed in them. The picture was a screenshot of a chat.]

[It showed Ning Shiyan bragging to his buddies in a group chat, saying this woman was top-tier and he'd have her within three days.]

[That was the moment Gu Xiguang decided to take revenge.]

"Believe you?" Gu Xiguang gave Park Mingni a brief, indifferent glance before looking away. "How can I believe you? You've disappointed me so much."

That single glance was more than Ning Shiyan could bear. He grabbed Gu Xiguang to explain, but Gu Xiguang shook off his hand.

Ning Shiyan began losing control. He did not want to lose Gu Xiguang, and in the end, he actually dropped to his knees before him with a thud!

Everyone: "!!!"

Even Ning Shile was startled by the sight. The novel had described Ning Shiyan kneeling before Gu Xiguang, but the written word "kneeling" could not remotely match the impact of seeing it in person!

"What are you doing? Have you lost your mind, Ning Shiyan?!" Second Uncle slammed the table and shot to his feet. Kneeling before another man in public was utterly humiliating!

He rushed over to pull Ning Shiyan up, his chest heaving with rage. "You disgrace! What exactly is your relationship with Gu Xiguang?!"

Seeing that the truth was already out, Ning Shiyan threw caution to the wind and confessed directly to Second Uncle. "Gu Xiguang and I are lovers!"

An uproar erupted around them.

"What...?" Second Uncle froze in confusion. He looked at Ning Shiyan, then at Gu Xiguang. Then, as though he had found an outlet for his anger, he turned and shoved Gu Xiguang hard, pointing viciously at him. "You! You seduced my son! And to think I trusted you!"

Gu Xiguang staggered half a step from the shove. He first straightened his clothes in silence, then raised his eyes to Ning Shiyan and asked, "Was I the one who seduced you?"

"No, you weren't!" Ning Shiyan immediately denied it. He rushed forward and stood in front of Gu Xiguang. "I was the one who wanted to be with Xiguang! I love him! I love him! I can't live without him—!"

"You bastard!" Second Uncle cut him off sharply and delivered a solid slap across Ning Shiyan's face.

Smack—!

Second Uncle had not held back at all. Angry, raised red finger marks instantly appeared on Ning Shiyan's face.

Ning Shile covered his eyes. [!]

[Help, I can't watch anymore!!]