"If I remember correctly, those three are scumbags famous in the circle for ganging up on innocent young guys."
Everyone gasped. Anyone who had entered the circle knew the names of those three demons. No matter how innocent someone was, he would have heard about their exploits.
The three of them liked to toy with young, beautiful boys and girls together. Whether their targets were willing or not, once they set their sights on someone, they would have them, even if it meant drugging them.
Throughout the process, they not only tortured their victims in turns and together, but also used all sorts of unimaginable implements, tying people up and subjecting them to inhuman torture...
"Xiaoxue, wh-what exactly do you mean?!"
Hearing those three names completely sobered Yu Zeqi up. He stared in disbelief at the friend before him, who had betrayed him and now seemed like a stranger.
Yu Zeqi finally believed it. No wonder Shang Shujue's inner voice had mentioned three people... So it was those three notorious pieces of trash. His stomach suddenly churned. It was utterly disgusting.
"No, I wasn't trying to hand you over to them! No, Yu Zeqi, listen to me explain."
"I don't know why those three scumbags would be at this banquet either! I really do think of you as my best friend!"
"I wasn't lying to you!"
Ren Xiaoxue finally panicked. Her plan was so close to succeeding. She couldn't let it fall apart now.
She had to find a way to make Yu Zeqi disappear from this world, then take his place as the Yu Family head's only child!
As Ren Xiaoxue thought this, a vicious gleam flashed through her eyes, but her expression only grew more pitiful. She even began shedding tears, looking as though she had suffered an enormous injustice.
"Ren Xiaoxue, I don't know what you're really thinking. Please stop crying. I won't forgive you. You've really disappointed me."
Ren Xiaoxue's behavior left Yu Zeqi utterly at a loss. He truly couldn't take it anymore. Every time something happened, she acted like this. He really didn't know what to do.
"Lady, stop crying. There's a vegetable leaf stuck to your teeth!"
Just as Yu Zeqi stood helplessly, unable to get away from Ren Xiaoxue, a voice suddenly came from the crowd. Ren Xiaoxue froze, even forgetting what expression to make.
Shang Shujue couldn't help glancing at the speaker. He was an honest-looking young man with regular features who radiated righteousness. Noticing Shang Shujue looking at him, he even gave a somewhat bashful, goofy smile.
*[Not bad, not bad. This silly kid has potential! What's his name? This guy... Zhou Zheng? Oho~ His name really is as upright as his looks.*
*Not bad at all! Quick, look up his gossip. If there's tea, I'm drinking it... What? I can only check three people's gossip a day? ε=(´ο｀*))) Sigh, fine, show me tomorrow, then.]*
Hearing his name, Zhou Zheng almost thought he had gossip of his own. As it turned out, he really did.
But they wouldn't be finding out today. He instantly sighed in relief, then turned to discover everyone looking at him.
Their expressions looked regretful, leaving him speechless as he rolled his eyes a little.
While Ren Xiaoxue was stunned, Yu Zeqi broke free of her and hid among the trainees. They tacitly surrounded him. By the time Ren Xiaoxue recovered, she had already lost her chance to grab him.
"The production team just announced intensive training for the theme song dance. If you take him away now, you'll have to pay an enormous breach-of-contract penalty. Are you sure?"
Shang Shujue pulled himself out of his conversation with Nuomi, walked up to Ren Xiaoxue, and showed her the intensive training notice Yu Yang had just posted in the group chat. With his brows slightly raised, he had Nuomi quietly draw back this world's luck and feed it back to Yu Zeqi.
Yu Zeqi should have been the next protagonist in "The Infertile Buddhist Scion of Beijing's Elite: His Wife Ran Away Pregnant."
He should have been blessed with luck and lasting good fortune. Yet the atmosphere in this crumbling world was so rotten that his luck had drained away and been absorbed by the morally bankrupt little piece of trash before him.
Shang Shujue's words made Ren Xiaoxue grit her teeth. She had only managed to climb her way up and attain her current position by sleeping with that fat pig at the company.
If she took Yu Zeqi away now and made him pay an enormous breach-of-contract penalty, he would definitely go berserk and hit people.
And she could forget about keeping this job, much less reaching the pinnacle of life. Now she could only try another approach.
Luckily, that idiot Yu Zeqi still doesn't know the truth about his own background. I still have room to maneuver. Yu Zeqi, if I can't get you today, there's always next time. Just you wait...
"Yu Zeqi, I'll tell the company boss exactly what happened today. You're already an artist under our company. Don't even think about going anywhere else. The boss won't let you leave."
Ren Xiaoxue stopped mentioning the banquet and dropped the act, revealing her true nature outright. After saying that, she left him behind and walked away, giving Shang Shujue a long look before she left.
Shang Shujue, oh, Shang Shujue. You're just a little plaything Young Master Su doesn't want, a pathetic little simp!
Hmph, I'll remember what happened today. Don't expect an easy time from now on either. I'll make you my devoted servant, my own little dog, only able to kneel and wag your tail as you beg for mercy!
"Kiddo, don't be sad. You may have lost one trashy friend, but you've gained a whole bunch of wonderful boys. They're all your friends. You're not alone, not alone!"
Shang Shujue had no idea what Ren Xiaoxue was thinking. Seeing her leave, he turned toward the pitiful-looking Yu Zeqi and walked over, pretending to pat his shoulder comfortingly while actually plucking out his hair.
"That's right, that's right. We'd really love to be friends with you too. You're so adorable, Yu Zeqi."
"Yu Zeqi, it's okay. You're bound to run into all kinds of scum as you grow up, men and women alike."
"Don't be sad. Let's go eat together in a bit."
Zhou Zheng and the others sneaked a glance at Shang Shujue plucking out hair, then pretended not to see. They chimed in with his words and also patted Yu Zeqi's shoulders to comfort him, creating more opportunities for Shang Shujue to pluck his hair.
Yu Zeqi, whose scalp felt tight and painful: ...Please, stop plucking. I'm going bald... I don't want to be a bald boy! ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚
"Thank you. Thank you all for comforting me. I feel much better." Yu Zeqi pretended not to see Shang Shujue plucking his hair and thanked him with a sincere expression.
"Young Master Shang, thank you so much for helping me. I never expected you to be nothing like the rumors. You're so kind."
Shang Shujue coughed twice and put away the small tuft of hair in his hand. "Ahem, don't mention it, don't mention it. Go eat, everyone. I've got something to do, so I'll head off."
As soon as Shang Shujue finished speaking, he turned and bolted. Before anyone could react, he was already gone. Looking in the direction he had left, Zhou Zheng couldn't help asking a question.
"How much hair did he grab just now? Was it enough?"
Yu Zeqi stared wide-eyed: ...What? Do you have to shave off all my hair and give it to him?! He grabbed a whole clump! I seriously can't with you. ˚‧º·(˚ ˃̣̣̥᷄⌓˂̣̣̥᷅ )‧º·˚