The café had two floors, with a total of seventy-two seats.
Excluding Xia Yan’s reservation, there were sixty-nine remaining. Each seat could accommodate at least two people, some even four or five… There were around two hundred guests present. Only a few people, about seven or eight, actually took action; the rest just whispered from the sidelines.
Following the live broadcast, these fans had come for Xia Yan.
Xia Yan was a special figure in the industry, with more and more passionate male fans than female fans.
The Beaufort menswear he endorsed sold exceptionally well, demonstrating the strong purchasing power of his fans. According to an online joke, people wouldn’t dare call him their spouse if he didn’t have at least a hundred million.
The dark environment had brought out the darker side of humanity.
Among hundreds of fans, as soon as one extreme fan acted out, it naturally incited others with similar feelings, fueled by the dim environment and the ‘lawless’ mentality, to release their jealousy and anger towards Tu Xi.
Too many people at the scene, too noisy, and those involved blended in, making it hard to see their faces or remember their appearances.
Though not many people were involved, it could turn into a mob scene if left unchecked.
With only himself, Tu Xi, and two cameramen on their side, Xia Yan knew they couldn’t protect Tu Xi if it came to a fight. He could only use mocking to wake up the crowd to prevent a serious incident.
The scene was eerily silent.
Xia Yan, however, seemed unaffected. He turned to the stunned waiter and loudly said, “It’s too dark here. Turn on the main lights.”
“Oh… okay.”
The waiter returned to reality and turned on the main lights with a click.
The bright white light dispelled the murky yellow, clearly illuminating everyone’s expressions. Those holding objects instinctively hid them behind their backs.
Xia Yan was almost the same height as Tu Xi. Standing in front of him, his not-very-broad back still gave a damn sense of security.
He looked down.
The floor was a mess—broken teacups, plates, and fruit trays, with sharp edges scattered in the corners. The pink roses he had given to Tu Xi were also stained, with brown coffee dripping from the petals to the floor.
Xia Yan’s gaze swept over the crowd.
In the darkness, those people could justify their actions with ‘love,’ covering their vile behavior; but in the bright light, they avoided eye contact.
Xia Yan couldn’t find all those who threw things.
But it didn’t matter.
He would deal with the ones who stood out.
The first person who threw at Tu Xi was a tall, muscular young man, almost 1.9 meters tall, with tanned skin, indicating frequent exercise.
“…”
Xia Yan’s mouth twitched slightly: [System, can you give me some superhuman strength?]
[……] 999: [Sorry, this system doesn’t have that feature.]
Xia Yan: [……] Fine, I’ll go in anyway.
He scanned the surroundings and then glanced at the cameras. Having made a mistake, the large man was now nervously glancing at him, and with the live broadcast ongoing, he probably wouldn’t dare to retaliate.
Xia Yan walked towards the large man, and the crowd parted to make way.
“Xia Yan,” the large man said in a low voice. He had a very youthful face, probably around eighteen or nineteen years old—an age prone to impulsiveness and reckless devotion.
Xia Yan coldly looked at him: “Are you an adult?”
“Seventeen.”
“……” Xia Yan was shocked but kept his composure. “Even if you’re underage, you should be responsible for your actions, right?”
Who would dare to refute in front of their idol?
Even though he had just been mocked, the young man couldn’t bring himself to be angry in front of Xia Yan. He obediently nodded, quickly transforming from a wild wolf into a tame dog.
Xia Yan nodded:
“Apologize.”
“I’m sorry.”
“To whom?” The youth stepped aside to reveal Tu Xi behind him.
“……”
The young man’s mouth opened and closed repeatedly. He looked around, everyone avoiding his gaze, and finally turned to the increasingly impatient youth. In a low voice, he said to Tu Xi, “I’m sorry.”
“What did you do wrong? Be clear about it.”
Once the first line was opened, it became easier. The young man said, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have thrown coffee on you or used a cup to hit you…”
When he said this, he glanced at Xia Yan’s expression. Seeing him frown, he panicked and took Xia Yan’s unfinished coffee, holding it out to Tu Xi with both hands. “Would you… would you like to throw it back at me? I won’t retaliate.”
Tu Xi looked at him expressionlessly, took the coffee, and placed it back on the table under the discreet gaze of the crowd. “Don’t touch Yan Yan’s things.”
The young man mumbled, “Sorry.”
After saying this, Tu Xi did not look at him again, his gaze fixed on the youth.
In fact, everyone was looking at the youth.
Xia Yan: “…”
With things turning out this way, they could no longer stay at the café. However, the damaged items needed compensation. Xia Yan turned to the young man, noticing his expensive clothes, watch, and shoes, indicating he was likely another wealthy young master.
“You’ll pay for the damages.”
The young man didn’t immediately understand. “Huh?”
“I don’t know who threw what, but one must own up to their actions. Step forward and apologize, compensate for the damages. As for the parts no one claims…” He elongated his tone, “It should be okay for you, the instigator, to handle it, right?”
“No problem, I’ll cover everything.”
The tableware wasn’t worth much; even if everything were added up, it would be at most a couple of thousand yuan, less than the cost of his coat.
Xia Yan’s voice was no longer lazily indifferent but carried a chilling authority. People looked at each other, wanting to apologize but afraid of the unusual stares.
Everyone had a herd mentality. Without a leader, the rest shrank back in fear.
Xia Yan didn’t want to waste more time with them.
He looked at the camera and said, “Today’s date is over. Our shooting is also complete, right?”
“There’s one more focused shoot,” the photographer said quietly.
“We’re taking the day off.” Xia Yan said decisively.
With coffee seeping into clothes and sticking to the skin, and the need to handle online issues, he didn’t want Tu Xi to face strange looks at the villa.
After speaking, Xia Yan didn’t care whether the director agreed or not. He grabbed Tu Xi’s hand and addressed the crowd, “We don’t have time to listen to your individual apologies. If you want to apologize, do it on Weibo or in a video. Though we won’t forgive you…”
The crowd’s eyes dimmed, and no one dared to speak.
“As for the rest,” he pulled out Wang Dazhuang’s business card and gave it to the waiter, “If no one pays, call my manager. I’ll have him handle it.”
The tall young man said quietly, “I’ll pay, Xia Yan.”
He looked at the youth, hoping for a response, but Xia Yan didn’t look back, pulling Tu Xi toward the exit. The cameramen’s request to continue shooting was also refused.
In just ten minutes, so much had happened.
The viewers in the live broadcast room didn’t dare to breathe.
【Oh my god, Xia Yan knew Tu Xi was following him and deliberately went to the bar… Is this mutual pursuit?】
【My husband is so cool. The person he’s protecting must be very happy. I’m so jealous.】
【The café people are such extreme fans. They even attacked people.】
…
The photographer stood outside the café, and the camera captured the interior through the glass, showing a group of people queuing up to settle the damages.
—
Minghua Hotel, 21st floor, Presidential Suite.
The warm water soothed his tired body. The youth squeezed two pumps of shower gel, absentmindedly creating bubbles. He wondered why Tu Xi’s following had been discovered.
Could it be Chu Zizhe?
But if he wanted to say something, he would have done so earlier, no need to wait so long.
Unable to guess, he felt frustrated.
The youth turned off the showerhead, dried his hair and water stains with a towel, and put on the hotel-provided bathrobe and disposable underwear.
— His original clothes were too dirty to wear.
He thought he was quick, but Tu Xi was even faster. The living room’s main light was off, and a dim night lamp was on.
Red wine was poured into a high glass, emitting a faint wine aroma.
Pink roses were in the center, their delicate petals covered with water droplets.
Xia Yan was surprised. “You brought the flowers?”
Tu Xi chuckled softly, “After more than half a year, I finally received Yan Yan’s flowers. They’re so precious, how could I bear to leave them behind?”
When Xia Yan first pursued Tu Xi, he frequently sent flowers and gifts.
But once he had won him over, he stopped sending anything.
Like a man who stops baiting once the fish is caught.
Xia Yan, slightly embarrassed, sat across from the man, took a sip of red wine, and let the rich flavor spread on his tongue, unsure what to say.
Eventually, Tu Xi spoke first.
“When did you know I sent someone to follow you?”
“Didn’t I say? I knew all along.”
“Don’t lie.” Tu Xi finished his glass of wine and poured himself another half glass.
Xia Yan also took a gulp, pushed the glass to the center, and Tu Xi poured more wine for him. “Probably five days ago.”
“The day the earthquake left?”
“Mm.”
“Who told you? Zhao Wenxiu?”
“How do you know him?”
Tu Xi continued drinking, “Because he’s been investigating me recently, but since you didn’t seem to notice, I thought I wasn’t discovered.”
“…”
“Am I selfish?” Tu Xi’s face flushed slightly, his gaze hazy, “I like you, but with so many people around you, I’m afraid you might leave me someday. So I used this despicable method. It’s only natural to be called a pervert.”
He spoke, belittling himself word by word.
Xia Yan couldn’t help but counter, “It’s not that bad, is it?”
“Really?” Tu Xi, perhaps drunk, suddenly leaned closer and grasped Xia Yan’s hands, looking up at him like a little puppy, “Am I really not that bad?”
“Of course.” Xia Yan thought momentarily, maintaining his persona, and said in a high-and-mighty tone, “At least your loyal love for me is worth acknowledging.”
“Then do you love me?”
“……”
Xia Yan didn’t know how to answer.
Fortunately, Tu Xi didn’t press further. He poured another glass of wine, consuming half of the bottle, and poured a glass for Xia Yan as well.
“Shall we drink together?”
Xia Yan, accustomed to socializing in bars, was not afraid of alcohol. “Sure.”
After consuming a bottle of red wine, their faces turned red, but their minds were clear. At some point, they found themselves sitting close together, their heads resting against each other.
“Yan Yan.”
“Hmm?”
The man lowered his head and kissed the youth’s lips.
Excessive alcohol made one languid, but moderate alcohol stirred impulses. Lips touched, breaths mingled, and they were like symbiotic beings, relying on each other.
The dim light, the quiet hotel, the slightly intoxicating wine.
The man and the youth lay close together, their heads touching, with a faint fragrance lingering near their noses. He gently kissed the youth’s forehead. “Is it okay, Yan Yan?”
“……”
“Or,” he extended his tone with a low chuckle, “…is Yan Yan scared again?”
Xia Yan’s eyes widened.
He was the scum gong! How could he be scared!!!
“Who’s scared of who! Come on!”
They embraced and kissed like any ordinary couple.
Xia Yan vaguely recalled what he had read, his fingers grasping at the man’s collar as he clumsily kissed the corner of his lips. Just as he was about to continue, a sudden dizzy spell overcame him.
He lay back on the bed, staring at the white ceiling.
The odd sensation became apparent.
And then—
He was ‘eaten.’
