Looking at the chat history, Xia Shule had been too embarrassed to ask before. Other people had been discussing it, and Yan Zhiyi had never brought it up.
But now that they had asked Yan Zhiyi, Xia Shule felt comfortable asking too. Yan Zhiyi was the only person he felt comfortable asking about this.
Xia Shule's voice drifted over from beside him. "Who's Wen Yuzhi?"
He was so much younger than Yan Zhiyi, and he had met him so late in life. His past, his youth, everything he had been through, the hardships he had endured, the relationships he had had-Xia Shule knew none of it.
Yan Zhiyi barely looked at the phone. He gave it a glance before handing it back.
He took his time answering, putting Xia Shule's question first. Before speaking, he glanced at Lu Mingwen, who looked away.
"He was a classmate in high school. We weren't close. He..."
Lu Mingwen suddenly spoke up. "He liked Yan. He threatened suicide over him lots of times and ended up in the hospital over and over."
"Ah!" Xia Shule sucked in a breath. Threatened suicide!? In high school? He turned to Yan Zhiyi and said something none of them had expected. "...Were you scared back then?"
Yan Zhiyi had been even younger then than Xia Shule was now.
Beside them, Yin Xian looked utterly composed. "I think I suddenly get why Yan likes Lele."
Lai Jiangtian looked clueless. "Why?"
Yin Xian gave him a huge eye roll. "...Just get out of here!"
Yan Zhiyi laughed. "I wasn't scared. Other people were."
Even if Wen Yuzhi had actually died in front of him back then, he would not have reacted. At most, he would have called the police.
"Oh-"
Yin Xian said, "So, Yan? Are we letting Wen Yuzhi come? You're the one involved. Your call."
Yan Zhiyi thought for a moment. He really did not care, but someone like Wen Yuzhi was far too unpredictable.
Although the whole thing had happened over ten years ago, it was better to be safe. Mostly, he was afraid Xia Shule might get hurt. His wrist still had not healed completely. He could not risk any more danger.
"No."
"Got it." Lai Jiangtian took the order.
He kept trying to phrase his reply on his phone, but in the end, he could not put together even a few words. With no other choice, he finally gave in and asked Yin Xian for help. He swore this would be the only time.
"Hey..." He patted Yin Xian. "My emotional intelligence isn't up to this. Help me reply!"
A wicked grin appeared on Yin Xian's face at that. He took the phone, silently thinking, You're the one who trusted me. Don't blame me.
Lai Jiangtian: Yan said no. Don't come.
Looking at the message on his phone, Lai Jiangtian felt his vision go black. "..."
I asked you because I was too embarrassed to say it outright and couldn't think of anything else. And you... You didn't even say sorry.
He turned to look at Yin Xian, sorely tempted to strangle him. Who's with me, guys?
Wen Yuzhi did not reply for a long time. He had probably been left speechless too, unsure what to say. Or he was angry. Or hurt.
In any case, no reply came from him.
That evening, everyone headed home, well fed and satisfied, looking forward to the wedding tomorrow.
Each of them had something on his mind.
Lu Mingwen was miserable. His heart had been broken before he had even started dating...
Lai Jiangtian decided to have a fight with Yin Xian once they got back. Yin Xian, meanwhile, looked pleased with himself for having pulled off his mischief.
Song Jing'an bought a little cake on the way home to take back to Yu Song. He just did not know whether Yu Song would still be angry when he saw it.
Less than ten minutes after getting into the car, Xia Shule fell asleep. Perhaps Yan Zhiyi drove so smoothly that he always felt drowsy.
He still had not woken when they reached the Yan Residence. Only when Yan Zhiyi carried him onto the sofa did he slowly stir. As soon as he opened his eyes and saw Yan Zhiyi about to get up, Xia Shule instinctively grabbed his clothes, refusing to let him leave.
That unconscious reliance was the most touching of all.
So Yan Zhiyi sat on the sofa, and the two of them stayed there, waiting for Xia Shule to wake up properly.
He kept staring blankly until a chime from his phone brought Xia Shule back to his senses.
He opened it to take a look.
Xiang Lin: I'm so nervous. You're the one getting married, but I'm too nervous to sleep! Is Jiang Gechen coming tomorrow too? He actually called to ask if there was some hidden story behind your wedding. Doesn't he know I can't stand him!?
"Pfft!" Xia Shule burst out laughing, no longer sleepy.
Hearing his laughter, Yan Zhiyi turned to look too. Xia Shule and his buddy were discussing someone his buddy could not stand.
Le Shuxia: Is he brain-dead? What hidden story could there be behind a wedding? Does he think someone set me up?
Xiang Lin: Exactly! What's that idiot thinking? He's so lost in his imaginary world that he can't get out. How did I never realize he was this far gone?
Xiang Lin: Oh, right. He's bringing Song Dimu. Well... if you don't want to see him, I can block him for you.
Le Shuxia: I gave Song Dimu an invitation. Jiang Gechen probably doesn't know. He's planning to bring him as his date.
Xiang Lin: That works too. If Jiang Gechen knew you gave Song Dimu an invitation, wouldn't he be so furious his face twisted?
Xiang Lin: When did you two get close?
Le Shuxia: Didn't I tell you he signed with Shengshi? I ran into him afterward. Someone was bullying him, so I helped him. Turns out he's a people pleaser. I only helped him once, and he wiped the slate clean on everything that happened before.
Xiang Lin: Oh~ I see. He really does sound like a bit of a people pleaser. No wonder he could put up with Jiang Gechen for so long...
Xiang Lin: Nobody else could... Oh, right. Except you.
Le Shuxia: ...
Like all of Xia Shule's other friends, Xiang Lin was the type to jump straight into the fray the moment it started. It did not necessarily mean they truly hated anyone (though Xiang Lin truly did hate Jiang Gechen).
If Xia Shule liked someone, they were willing to accept him. If Xia Shule disliked someone, they rejected him.
If Xia Shule got into a fight with someone, they all jumped in instantly. No hesitation, straight into the fray.
They were young. Loyalty to their buddies came first.
Upstairs, the Yan Family Old Master was secretly peeking from the top of the stairs. The two boys were sitting so close together. Would they sneak a kiss in a moment?
The two got up, ready to go upstairs to bed. The Yan Family Old Master hid in a corner and watched them enter the same room.
They had meant to go to sleep, but after what Xiang Lin had said, Xia Shule seemed to be getting nervous too. He tugged Yan Zhiyi along, saying they should run through the proceedings one more time. This was his wedding. He wanted it to be as perfect as possible.
That was how the two of them had ended up in the same room.
But if the Yan Family Old Master had stayed there a little longer, or come out for a stroll in the middle of the night, he would have seen Yan Zhiyi return to his own room next door.
He did not see it, though, and spent the whole night happy for nothing.
Perhaps it was the nervous atmosphere, but Xia Shule, who loved sleeping in, actually woke on his own at five.
The makeup artist was not even due until six.
Yan Zhiyi was nervous too, though a little less so than Xia Shule. He knew Xia Shule was nervous. If he showed his own nerves, Xia Shule would only panic more.
At half past five, Yan Zhiyi had intended to sneak a look at Xia Shule. Instead, the moment he entered, he found himself locking eyes with a disheveled Xia Shule sitting on the bed.