So it was Hua Jian, that little bastard, who had told on him!

Because Xie Zhiyan was still making a fool of himself at home by throwing a tantrum at Hua Jian, his two older brothers from the Xie Family treated Hua Jian very gently.

Even Madam Hua's expression wasn't quite so icy anymore.

Sure enough, Hua Jian only looked so outstanding thanks to Xie Zhiyan.

The Xie Family had no rule against talking during meals.

Although the head of the Xie Family was a man of letters, he was very talkative. He spent the entire meal nagging Xie Zhiyan.

He went from criticizing the way Xie Zhiyan spent lavishly on his band to the fact that he had skipped so many classes that even the dean had called home.

Then there was Xie Zhiyan's garish hair color, his ridiculous clothes, and so on.

The two older brothers from the Xie Family hadn't told him that Xie Zhiyan wanted to sell his shares. Otherwise, nobody would have needed to eat; listening to him talk would have filled them up.

Xie Zhiwei set down his chopsticks with measured force. "Dad, you haven't been home in ages. Now that you're back, spend some proper time with Auntie. You never bothered with these things when Zhi Yan was little. He's grown up now and has a mind of his own. Even if you wanted to control him, you probably couldn't. Why make trouble for yourself?"

Xie Father abruptly fell silent. His face flushed, but he knew his eldest son was right.

His first wife had died when Xie Zhiyan was very young.

Back then, he had been busy romancing all sorts of women. Naturally, he'd had no time to grow close to Xie Zhiyan.

Xie Zhiyan ate without a word, while Madam Hua remained composed. Hua Jian, however, glanced back and forth, feeling as though there might be some juicy drama to watch.

After speaking, Xie Zhiwei looked at Third Brother and Hua Jian and couldn't help sighing.

If only their personalities could balance each other out.

One was too rambunctious, and the other was too quiet.

Still, the quiet one had become more interesting lately.

"The Xie Corporation and Bo are collaborating on a project. It'll be our top priority for the next three years. Next month is the Bo Family patriarch's seventieth birthday banquet, and the whole family will be attending. Third Brother, you're moving back home starting now. Stay away from those bad influences."

Xie Zhiyan, who had been acting as though none of this concerned him, exploded at that. "No way! I'm doing perfectly fine living on my own. I'm not moving back home."

[Exactly! Isn't making Xie Zhiyan move home practically a death sentence? How's he supposed to run around being Shu Yao's simp if he lives here?]

As soon as his inner voice rang out, everyone's expression changed except Xie Father's.

Madam Hua tightened her grip on her chopsticks and looked up at the boy across from her.

He was clearly still dressed the same way, yet Madam Hua felt that her gloomy, inarticulate son had changed.

"If you don't want to move home, leave your cards here, just like Xiao Jian."

"Zhi Tan! How can you say that too? I'm your own brother! He's just dead weight-"

Xie Zhitan said unhappily, "Zhi Yan, where are your manners?"

[He's absolutely right. That's why Zhi Tan is the best! I'm dead weight, and he still gives me spending money! I'm cheering him on today too!]

Madam Hua's expression turned peculiar. When had Hua Jian become so close to the two older brothers?

[Besides, I earned that spending money myself. If I hadn't told Zhi Tan that Xie Zhiyan fought Tan Xilin over Shu Yao, Shu Yao probably would've sunk his claws into him too.]

Xie Zhitan spared him a distracted glance. When he turned back to speak to Xie Zhiyan, he found that his younger brother had already erupted like a cannonball.

Fine. Just great!

So it was Hua Jian, that little bastard, who had told on him!

Xie Zhiyan's chest shook with anger. "You won't let me sell my own shares, and nothing I do ever pleases you! Have you forgotten that I'm your real brother? Hua Jian is just the baggage this woman brought into the family!"

Xie Zhitan's expression turned completely cold. Without his smile, every trace of gentleness vanished from his face.

"Xie Zhiyan, you're getting more and more incapable of seeing sense!"

Utterly confused, Xie Father asked, "What shares are you selling?"

Xie Zhiwei said, "Third Brother, come upstairs with me."

Xie Zhiyan shouted in agitation, "I'm not going! Give me back my shares! Since you don't see me as your brother, I'm cutting ties with you right now! I'm starting a company for Shu Yao! Stay out of my business!"

[What an idiot. How does Xie Zhiyan not understand that Shu Yao doesn't even count him as a suitor?]

[Shu Yao sleeps with Cui Zhao, carefully sweet-talks Qin Ci, and romances Lu Zexi. Even Tan Xilin ranks higher than him. At most, he's an ATM!]

[And now he wants to cut ties with his own brothers over a man like Shu Yao?]

[I bet it was because he was so clueless, and Zhi Wei was too busy dealing with the company going bankrupt, that they had no choice but to send him to a psychiatric hospital. Otherwise, Shu Yao's other suitors would've killed him long ago!]

"Cough, cough, cough, cough!"

Just as the three brothers listened to Hua Jian's thoughts in shock and fury, Madam Hua suddenly burst into a violent coughing fit.

"Ying Rou, are you all right? Someone, bring Madam some water!"

Looking worried, Xie Father stood and patted Madam Hua's back.

Madam Hua coughed until her face flushed. She couldn't believe what she had just heard.

The Xie Family was going bankrupt? What was going on? What had happened? What?

With that interruption, all the courage Xie Zhiyan had worked up vanished at once.

Xie Zhiwei reacted swiftly and dragged him upstairs.

Meanwhile, worried about Madam Hua, Xie Father insisted that she go rest.

In the blink of an eye, only Hua Jian and Xie Zhitan remained in the dining room.

Xie Zhitan gave an almost imperceptible sigh. "Have you finished eating, Xiao Jian?"

Hua Jian nodded. "I'm done, Zhi Tan."

"Good. When you go back to school later, have the family driver take you."

With that, he prepared to head upstairs too.

[Oh, right.]

[Should I tell Zhi Tan that Qin Ci got injured racing?]

Xie Zhitan's steps halted.

[When Qin Ci was injured, Shu Yao only offered words of concern. He didn't actually do anything.]

[Yet Qin Ci was still moved like a complete idiot. If Zhi Tan visits Qin Ci too, will Qin Ci remember that kindness later and go easier on him?]

Xie Zhitan turned his head to glance at him. Hua Jian had his back to him and kept tapping the tabletop, seemingly deeply troubled.

[Ugh. Logically speaking, how could Zhi Tan, with his IQ of 180, lose to someone with a negative IQ like Qin Ci? This world is full of bugs.]

Having finished his lament, Hua Jian prepared to leave. But when he turned around, he found Xie Zhitan standing not far away, staring steadily at him. His heart jolted.

"Zhi Tan? What are you standing here for?"

Xie Zhitan lowered his eyes and smiled. "You told me you added Qin Ci on WeChat after we met him at that private restaurant last time, didn't you? He hasn't given you any trouble since, has he?"

"No, Zhi Tan. I haven't seen him since then."

"That's good." Xie Zhitan's expression became serious. "We were in too much of a hurry last time, so I didn't get a chance to tell you more. Qin Ci is volatile. His father's generation holds far too much power, and he has both money and influence, with little regard for the law. Stay away from him."

Hua Jian: ...

"Got it, Zhi Tan."

[This feels a bit like listening to Zhi Tan give a lecture.]

Hearing that, Xie Zhitan had an idea. "Come find me at the business school on Monday morning. I'll get you a Class Attendance Pass."

Hua Jian froze. "Zhi Tan, I'm an art student. I won't understand your lectures. Besides, I don't know how to write papers either. Won't the other students mind if I just show up to listen?"

Xie Zhitan's expression was calm. "You're my brother. Who would dare object?"

Suddenly saddled with extra classes for no apparent reason, Hua Jian felt more bitter than if he'd eaten a bitter melon.

As Xie Zhitan went upstairs, he took out his phone and glanced at it.

He opened his chat history with Qin Ci and saw that their last exchange was still the one arranging dinner at the private restaurant.

Expressionless, Xie Zhitan typed a few words on his phone and hit send.

That evening, UP was packed and buzzing with voices.

A wealthy young heir was celebrating his birthday and had booked out UP.

They all moved in the same circles, so Shu Yao and Shu Yan had both received invitations.

Shu Yan stared coldly at the entrance. Beside him, Feng Qian tried to coax him in a low voice. "Yan, don't be angry anymore. I'll teach Shu Yao a proper lesson tonight and get even for you."

Shu Yan glared at him. "Don't meddle. Qin Ci might come today. If you piss him off, you can go die on your own."

Feng Qian's expression soured. He and Shu Yan had known each other since childhood.

Shu Yan had once been the Shu Family's pampered young master, and Feng Qian hadn't dared say a thing. But when the truth about Shu Yan's parentage came out, Feng Qian had been ecstatic, thinking he finally had a chance.

Who could have known that the Shu Family wouldn't abandon Shu Yan? And to preserve his position, Shu Yan had even resorted to flattering and seducing those genuinely powerful young heirs.

Tan Xilin and Qin Ci were both among them.

Outside the bar, Shu Yao said to Qin Ci worriedly, "Are you really all right? I told you I could come on my own. You've only just left the hospital. You should be resting."

Standing beside them, Jiang Yueming said with a grin, "Don't worry, Young Master Shu. Young Master Qin is in great shape. Besides, Xue Pan and I are both here today."

Shu Yao forced a small smile.

Although Qin Ci's name was very useful, Shu Yao still didn't want to be labeled as belonging to someone so soon.

Especially since Qin Ci seemed to like him so much on the surface, yet absolutely refused to let him defy him.

The four of them entered UP together, and a wave of alcohol fumes, cigarette smoke, and decadent music washed over them.

Xue Pan discreetly surveyed his surroundings. When he spotted a certain figure, his gaze stopped.

Just then, Qin Ci suddenly said, "I left my phone in the car. Xue Pan, go get it for me."

Xue Pan came back to his senses immediately. "Yes, Young Master Qin."

He took the car keys and headed outside. Preoccupied with his thoughts, he didn't hear the footsteps coming toward him as he rounded a corner.

"Ugh, fuck! Who the hell isn't watching where they're going?"

A man collided squarely with him. Startled, Xue Pan looked down and saw a man standing facing the wall, clutching his nose.

"I'm terribly sorry, sir. Are you all right?"

He instinctively stepped forward. The man covered half his face, his beautiful eyes brimming with involuntary tears from the pain.

The man glared viciously at him, making Xue Pan pause.

"Are you fucking blind? Fuck, your bones are hard! Bo Lin, take a look. Is my nose broken?"

Lu Zexi pitifully leaned his face toward Bo Lin.

Only then did Xue Pan notice another man standing nearby with a cool expression.

The man took a step back in distaste. "It's not broken. Let's go."

He never looked at Xue Pan once.

Xue Pan apologized again. "I'm really sorry. I-"

Lu Zexi's nose ached and stung. He impatiently raised his eyes to glare at Xue Pan again. "Get lost."

Xue Pan flared up. "You!"

Lu Zexi paid him no attention at all. He walked past Xue Pan, still muttering a few curses.

Xue Pan took a deep breath and held himself back. Judging by their clothes and appearance, neither of these men was someone he could afford to offend.

Bo Lin rounded the corner and started up the stairs. Without warning, a burst of cheering came from the bar counter a short distance away downstairs.

His lashes fluttered. As he reached the final step, he turned.

And with that, he caught sight of the radiant man behind the bar out of the corner of his eye.