With everything more or less settled and the New Year approaching, Lu Shiming, who had always loved a lively gathering and was especially fond of Yu Qingchuan, resorted to fake tears to get Yu Qingchuan to celebrate with them.
Unable to resist Lu Shiming, Yu Qingchuan agreed. But when he brought it up with Yu Chenyi, Yu Chenyi fell silent for a while before finally agreeing.
Yu Qingchuan felt guilty again. Yu Chenyi had changed a great deal and was now divorced. If Yu Qingchuan didn't keep him company, he would spend the New Year alone.
Lu Shiyi came up with the perfect solution: the four of them could celebrate together.
"Don't worry. We'll get along just fine," Lu Shiyi offered, unable to bear seeing Yu Qingchuan so torn. "It's only one evening."
Only then did Yu Qingchuan brighten, rubbing himself against Lu Shiyi like a kitten.
He could hardly wait to tell Yu Chenyi the good news, but to his surprise, Yu Chenyi fell even more silent.
Still, Yu Chenyi had truly experienced what loneliness felt like over the past few days, so he agreed as well.
Over the next few days, Yu Qingchuan was anything but idle. He accompanied Yu Chenyi to several dinners and drinking gatherings, leaving him utterly exhausted.
By the time he got home each evening, he barely had time to touch his beloved paintbrushes.
Lu Shiyi quietly made up his mind. He had promised that, with him, Yu Qingchuan would always be free to do what he loved. So he found a moment to tell Liang Xingyao about his plan to work at the Yu Corporation.
Liang Xingyao looked stunned. He had been imagining all the ways he could coast through the coming year, only to be struck by a bolt from the blue.