Xia Xiaotang had gone to the bathroom, but a long time had passed, and she hadn’t returned.
Qi Yue was beginning to get worried when his phone rang. It was Xiaotang calling.
“Isn’t Xiaotang going to the bathroom? Why is she calling me?”
Mo Ming frowned. “Answer it quickly. Something might have happened.”
Qi Yue hurriedly answered the call, and Xiaotang’s angry, tearful voice came through immediately, “Yue-ge, come out! Someone’s bullying me!”
“Shit!” Qi Yue sprang up from his seat and rushed out of the private room like the wind, speaking urgently into the phone, “Don’t worry, I’m coming right now.”
Realizing something had gone wrong, Mo Ming immediately set down his chopsticks and tapped Xiao Song’s arm. “Let’s go check it out.”
In the hallway, Xia Xiaotang was furiously holding onto a young man, refusing to let him leave. She was both yelling at him fiercely and crying as tears streamed down her face. Qi Yue quickly stepped forward, positioning himself protectively in front of Xiaotang, glaring at the man, “What the hell is going on?”
“She’s the one holding onto me, and you’re asking me what’s going on?” the man sneered. “Trying to pull a scam on me or what?”
“Yue-ge, he touched my butt!” Xia Xiaotang, now feeling she had someone to rely on, clutched Qi Yue’s shirt and said, “And… and he even squeezed it.”
According to Xiaotang, she had just left the bathroom and was heading back to the private room when the man walked past her. Not only did he intentionally bump into her with his shoulder, but he also grabbed her butt with quite a bit of force.
The guy looked to be around twenty, not particularly handsome but dressed in a trendy fashion, with the kind of cocky attitude that suggested he hadn’t yet faced the harsh realities of life.
“You really think you’re some kind of goddess?” the man sneered at Xiaotang. “You say I touched you? Got any proof? Maybe I should check if there’s a handprint on your butt before…”
He didn’t get to finish before Qi Yue’s fist landed on his face.
Qi Yue had been working out for years, with a tall and muscular build. His punch knocked the man to the ground, sending blood spurting from his nose.
Worried that they might get into serious trouble, Xiaotang quickly pulled back the enraged Qi Yue, who was about to kick the guy. “Stop! If you injure or kill him, we’ll be in deep trouble too.”
Qi Yue spat on the ground in the man’s direction, pointing at him and snarling, “Just for what you said, I’ll beat you up every time I see you.”
At that moment, Mo Ming and Xiao Song arrived at the scene.
“What’s going on? What happened?” Xiao Song asked.
Qi Yue was wiping Xiaotang’s tears as he quickly explained, “That bastard harassed Xiaotang. I’ve already taught him a lesson.”
Mo Ming glanced at the young man slowly getting up from the floor, then looked up at the ceiling in the hallway.
Fortunately, there were security cameras.
The man, holding his battered face, got to his feet. His forehead veins bulged angrily, but seeing Qi Yue’s imposing figure, he didn’t dare to retort. As he watched the group about to leave, he suddenly spotted Shen Xixi, who had just come out of the bathroom after touching up her makeup. Immediately, he called out, “Sis, come here quick!”
Shen Xixi hurried over.
The young man was Shen Xixi’s cousin, Shen Qian. He was only nineteen and was a small-time internet celebrity. Now that he saw his cousin successfully entering the entertainment industry, he was determined to break into it as well.
Shen Xixi and Shen Qian had grown up together, and she treated him like a little brother. She had even promised her uncle she would help him out. Tonight, she had brought him along to this gathering.
As she walked over, Shen Xixi hadn’t yet grasped the situation. But the moment she saw Mo Ming standing slightly behind Qi Yue, she froze.
She hadn’t expected to see Mo Ming here…
“Sis, they hit me! Look at my face!” Shen Qian said, his eyes red as he stood next to Shen Xixi.
Shen Xixi turned to look at Qi Yue and Xiaotang, about to say something, but her gaze shifted to Mo Ming’s calm expression instead. With a mocking smile, she said, “Xiao Mo-ge, you just let your friends bully people like this?”
Mo Ming replied indifferently, “My friends haven’t called the police yet, so they’ve been very restrained.”
Xiao Song stifled a laugh but said nothing.
Qi Yue snorted in anger. “Bully him? This idiot groped my girlfriend, and I didn’t break his hand. I was already being nice.”
“I didn’t do it! That girl deliberately bumped into me. I think she was trying to take advantage of me.” Shen Qian said confidently. “Look at her, she’s not even attractive. Am I blind that I’d touch her?”
Qi Yue rolled up his sleeves, ready to punch Shen Qian again, but Shen Xixi stepped between them, raising her chin defiantly. “What? You want to hit someone again? You think you can just hit people when you’re in the wrong? Go ahead, try it!”
Qi Yue, seeing how close she was, scowled, “Back off, damn it.”
Shen Xixi’s face turned red with rage. She suddenly raised her hand and slapped Qi Yue across the face. “Watch your mouth!”
Qi Yue was caught off guard by the slap, and a scratch mark appeared on his cheek where her nails had cut him. He hadn’t expected this woman to hit him, and now he was both stunned and furious, his fists clenched tightly at his sides.
“What? You want to hit a woman now? Go on, hit me. I dare you.” Shen Xixi taunted, practically shoving her face into his, “If you hit me, I’ll make sure…”
Smack!
Xiaotang pushed Qi Yue aside and swung her hand with all her might, slapping Shen Xixi hard across her perfectly made-up face, knocking her back into Shen Qian, who barely caught her.
“He doesn’t hit women, but I do!” Xiaotang, with tears still hanging on her lashes, glared fiercely. “If I don’t tear you apart today, I’ll take your last name!”
Qi Yue quickly grabbed Xiaotang by the waist from behind. “Calm down, babe. Her nails are long—what if she scratches you? We’ve already made our point.”
Shen Xixi’s face was swollen and red on one side, and no amount of makeup could hide her embarrassment. She was furious as she shouted toward the partially open door of the private room, “Yang Guan, get out here! Your woman’s been hit!”
The scene in the hallway was only six or seven meters from where Yang Guan, Wen Ci, and the others were gathered. Shen Xixi’s loud, hysterical shout quickly drew Yang Guan out of the room, with the others following curiously behind.
Shen Xixi’s outburst had also caught the attention of others in the hallway, with people from nearby rooms poking their heads out to see what was going on.
Meanwhile, at the far end of the hallway, Han ShaoZhou and Zhao Cheng were smoking on the small balcony. When they turned around, they saw a crowd gathered further down the corridor.
“What’s going on?” Zhao Cheng blew out a smoke ring. “I think I heard Xiao Yang’s girlfriend yelling something.”
From a distance, Han ShaoZhou could vaguely make out a familiar face in the crowd. As he squinted to get a better look, that figure was quickly obscured by others. Frowning, he flicked his cigarette into the trash can by the wall and started walking toward the crowd.
“Hey, Old Han, wait for me.” Zhao Cheng tossed his cigarette and hurried after him.
At that moment, Yang Guan was standing next to Shen Xixi, his heart aching as he saw the red handprint on her face. Just as he was about to lose his temper, he suddenly noticed Mo Ming.
Mo Ming’s pale face glowed under the light, strikingly beautiful and easily recognizable in the crowd. Yang Guan instantly recognized him as Han-ge’s lover—or rather, his former lover.
Yang Guan stared at Mo Ming in a daze as Shen Xixi cried to the others who had come out, “They’re framing Xiao Qian and hitting people.”
Shen Xixi and Shen Qian both had swollen faces, clearly showing they’d been on the receiving end of some blows.
Among the group that had come out, besides Yang Guan and Wen Ci, the others weren’t particularly close to Shen Xixi and Shen Qian. They only knew them from casual group chats, but given Yang Guan and Wen Ci’s presence, some of them were willing to step in to help.
“Did you hit them?” A man stepped forward, glaring at Qi Yue, and nodded toward Shen Xixi and Shen Qian. “Apologize to them.”
Xiaotang immediately stepped in front of Qi Yue, raising her head defiantly. “I hit them. Whoever acts like trash deserves to be hit!”
Qi Yue pulled Xiaotang behind him and said coldly, “I hit them. Your friend harassed my girlfriend. That punch was light.”
The man frowned at this, turning to look at Shen Xixi and Shen Qian. Shen Xixi quickly said, “They’re trying to frame us! They ganged up on us before you all came out.”
With the truth unclear, everyone naturally took sides. The man turned back to Qi Yue and said, “Don’t say we’re ganging up on you. I’m giving you a chance—apologize to Shen Xixi and her brother.”
Qi Yue laughed coldly. “Apologize? How about we fight it out? I’ll take on all of you by myself.”
Xiaotang, seeing the crowd of people in front of them, knew they wouldn’t win in a scuffle. She tugged on Qi Yue’s arm, saying, “Yue-ge, let’s not argue with them. Let’s go back to our room.”
Shen Xixi, hearing this, immediately said, “So you’re backing down now, huh? You were all high and mighty before. You think you can just walk away after framing and hitting people? Dream on! Apologize!”
Qi Yue was about to respond when Mo Ming stepped beside him, pressing down on his arm, and calmly said to Shen Xixi’s group, “Let’s call the police.”
His voice was soft but cool, and it instantly quieted the scene. All eyes turned to Mo Ming.
Some people in the crowd recognized Mo Ming and began whispering.
Mo Ming looked at Shen Qian with a blank expression and said, “There’s a security camera on the ceiling about four meters to your left. At that angle and distance, it should have clearly recorded everything you did to my friend.”
As soon as Mo Ming finished speaking, everyone instinctively looked up at the small dome camera. The man who had initially stepped in to help Shen Xixi frowned slightly, looking somewhat impatient.
This small altercation didn’t warrant involving the police.
Shen Qian’s face paled, and he tugged on Shen Xixi’s sleeve, whispering, “Sis, we can’t call the police.”
Shen Xixi immediately understood that Shen Qian was in the wrong. Her heart sank. Both of them were on the verge of breaking into the entertainment industry and couldn’t afford any negative press. Looking at Mo Ming’s calm demeanor, she bit her lip, hesitating for a few seconds before forcing a smile.
“Xiao Mo-ge seems different tonight. When you were with Han-ge, I never saw you so eager to show off.” Shen Xixi said with a sarcastic tone, tilting her head in mock curiosity. “Did Han-ge give you the courage?”
Mo Ming ignored her and continued to focus on Shen Qian, his voice low but clear enough for everyone to hear. “The criminal law clearly outlines the charges and penalties for sexual harassment. I hope you can find a good lawyer.”
The atmosphere grew even more tense.
What had started as a minor conflict had suddenly escalated to potential criminal charges. The man who had been ready to stand up for Shen Xixi fell silent, not because he was scared, but because he realized that if Shen Qian was indeed at fault, he was just being used as a pawn.
Shen Xixi’s face turned even darker. This knockoff, whom Han ShaoZhou had dumped, wasn’t planning to give her any leeway. The last time she’d seen this man, he’d been meek and timid. But now…
Shen Qian suddenly blurted out, “I just had too much to drink and accidentally bumped into her. It was an accident! And I got punched for it. Even Sis got hit.”
Yang Guan naturally felt the need to stand up for his girlfriend and coldly said to Mo Ming, “I remember your name is Mo Ming, right? We knew each other when you were with Han-ge. Do you really need to be so unforgiving?”
“Even those in the wrong can be relentless. My friend has every right to stand their ground.” Mo Ming replied calmly.
In the soft yellow light of the hallway, Mo Ming’s cheeks looked almost unnaturally smooth, with a fine layer of fuzz catching the light, giving his face a delicate golden glow. From any angle, his beauty was striking, but his cold eyes gave that beauty a sharp edge.
“You…” Yang Guan was at a loss for words.
Mo Ming pulled out his phone, unlocked the screen, and opened the dialer.
Shen Qian’s face turned pale. Realizing that his promising future could be ruined over something so trivial, the alcohol-fueled courage surged within him. He rushed forward and snatched Mo Ming’s phone out of his hand.
“Fuck! Is this really necessary?” Shen Qian shouted at Mo Ming. “Call the cops, my ass! Who do you think you are? You’re just Han-ge’s leftover plaything, and you dare to…”
“Xiao Qian!”
Wen Ci’s stern voice cut Shen Qian off as he stepped out of the crowd.
Shen Xixi quickly rushed over to hold Wen Ci’s arm, whispering, “Cousin, this is the Mo Ming I told you about—the one with a lot of tricks up his sleeve…”
Wen Ci ignored her and walked up to Shen Qian, holding out his hand. “Give me the phone.”
Reluctantly, Shen Qian handed over the phone, whining softly, “I didn’t mean to. And they hit me and Sis…”
Wen Ci took the phone, turned, and handed it back to Mo Ming, speaking softly and kindly, “I apologize. This might have been a misunderstanding. Xiao Qian and Xixi have already learned their lesson. I hope Mr. Mo can be lenient.”
“Leniency is something to consider only when the other party acknowledges their mistakes.” Mo Ming replied, meeting Wen Ci’s gaze. “And whether or not to be lenient isn’t for a bystander to decide.”
Wen Ci’s expression cooled slightly, but he maintained his friendly tone. “It seems Mr. Mo is a very principled person, but isn’t it a bit harsh to ruin someone’s reputation and future over such a small mistake?”
“People are ruined every moment in this world. Why should a pervert be an exception?”
Wen Ci was momentarily stunned, taking another look at the young man in front of him… Mo Ming was around the same height as him, but much more attractive than the photos he’d seen online. His full lips, delicate nose, and long, thick lashes that curled upward gave his eyes an innocent look, especially with the blue and white fleece sweater he was wearing, making him appear both beautiful and well-behaved, like a diligent student in class.
However…
Wen Ci began to understand what Shen Xixi had meant when she said Mo Ming was “cunning.” and why this person had been able to stay by Han ShaoZhou’s side for three years.
With a face like that, smiling or acting innocent would be hard for any man who liked guys to resist.
Mo Ming turned away and softly asked Xiaotang, “What do you want to do, Xiaotang?”
Both Xiaotang and Qi Yue were taken aback. They had been stunned to see Wen Ci involved in this, never expecting this mess to drag in such a superstar.
Xiaotang looked at Wen Ci’s seemingly sincere and friendly expression, then at the crowd of people on the other side. She stammered a bit before saying, “At least make them apologize.”
Mo Ming moved to stand beside Xiaotang, but when he looked up, he caught sight of Han ShaoZhou standing in the crowd, and he froze for a moment.
Han ShaoZhou stared back at Mo Ming, his expression a mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief… like he was looking at a stranger. Zhao Cheng, standing beside him, had almost the same look, his gaze locked on Mo Ming in stunned disbelief.
“Han-ge.” Shen Xixi suddenly noticed Han ShaoZhou and, as if seeing a savior, quickly said, “Say something, please. They started it and now want to call the police.”
But Han ShaoZhou wasn’t listening to Shen Xixi. His eyes were solely focused on Mo Ming.
Three years—he’d been with Mo Ming for three years, and he had never seen him like this. The timid, gentle little guy who always spoke so softly was suddenly so… sharp.
“Alright, enough arguing.” Zhao Cheng was quicker to recover, clapping his hands as he stepped forward to mediate. He smiled at Xiaotang and Qi Yue, “You guys are friends of Mo Ming, right? I’m a friend of his too. How about we settle this as a favor? Is anyone hurt? I can take you to the hospital.”
Xiaotang, seeing someone as influential as Han ShaoZhou involved, realized the situation wasn’t in their favor. She was just a small-time theater actor, and it would be dangerous to go up against these people.
“No, it’s fine. We don’t want to press charges. Let’s just leave it at that.”
She grabbed Qi Yue by the arm with one hand and pulled Mo Ming with the other, whispering, “Let’s go, let’s just go back. We’ve already hit them back.”
Xiao Song glanced at Wen Ci, then at Han ShaoZhou, a deep sense of dissatisfaction flashing in his eyes. He quickly turned and followed his friends.
“Alright, let’s all go back.” Zhao Cheng said, trying to disperse the crowd.
Shen Xixi clung to Wen Ci’s arm, sobbing softly, her hand covering the side of her face. “My face is ruined, and they just get to leave like that?”
Wen Ci gently moved her hand away and said coldly, “You and Xiao Qian put me in a very embarrassing position just now.”
“It’s that Mo guy who’s being unreasonable, not us.” Shen Xixi choked out.
“Don’t talk to me about being unreasonable.” Wen Ci said sternly. He then glanced over at Han ShaoZhou, who was still staring at where Mo Ming had left, only seeing his back.
Wen Ci pressed his lips together tightly and returned to the private room.
Han ShaoZhou stood in place, his thoughts in chaos.
He suddenly remembered that night on the chaotic film set, where a figure stood in the cold evening breeze—sharp and unfamiliar, just like Mo Ming had been moments ago. He didn’t even fully grasp what had just happened. His thoughts and focus had been entirely centered on Mo Ming.
As Han ShaoZhou took a step to follow Mo Ming, Mo Ming suddenly turned back and looked at him.
It was a brief, indifferent glance, so cold and detached that it barely lasted two seconds before it shifted away, like a blade that silently sliced into his heart.
Han ShaoZhou was stunned.
Mo Ming had never looked at him like that before. There wasn’t a trace of warmth in that gaze—completely nonchalant, as if he didn’t care at all…
“Let it go, Old Han.” Zhao Cheng patted Han ShaoZhou on the shoulder. In this crowded hallway, he didn’t think it was the right place to say much, so he just added, “Tonight’s supposed to be about welcoming Wen Ci back. Let’s head back to the room; everyone’s waiting.”
Even as Mo Ming disappeared into a private room at the end of the hallway, Han ShaoZhou continued to stare in that direction. That cold, indifferent glance lingered in his mind, fueling a fire in his chest.
What was that look supposed to mean?
How could he look at me like that?
Back in the private room, Han ShaoZhou was still trying to collect himself. That single glance from Mo Ming felt like a spark that had ignited a fuse in his chest, the fire slowly creeping toward an inevitable explosion…
Shen Xixi was still sniffling, “No one has ever hit me before, not even my mom…”
“We should’ve called the police earlier.” Yang Guan said, his heart aching for her. “They were the ones who started the fight. Why should we be afraid of them?”
“Shen Qian, did you really harass that girl?” someone at the table asked.
“No, I just had a bit too much to drink and accidentally bumped into her.” Now that it was all over, he was trying to muddy the waters.
“Then why were you scared when they mentioned calling the police?” Zhao Cheng asked.
“Well… Sis and I are both about to debut. If the police got involved, and someone here misunderstood and spread rumors online, it could be really bad for us. Being in the entertainment industry, we’re most afraid of things like that. I wouldn’t have let them off so easily if I wasn’t worried about that.”
“Exactly! And didn’t you see that we got hit too?” Shen Xixi looked at Zhao Cheng. “Cheng-ge, you can’t just side with them because you used to be friends with Mo Ming.”
“Yeah.” Shen Qian added, gritting his teeth. “That Mo Ming guy is so full of himself. I’ll definitely find a way to get back at him.”
Bang!
Han ShaoZhou slammed his glass down on the table, and the entire room fell silent.
“Say that again.” Han ShaoZhou glared at Shen Qian, his dark eyes burning with a terrifying intensity. “How exactly do you plan to get back at him?”
Shen Qian gulped, his shoulders slumping as he suddenly remembered that Mo Ming used to be Han ShaoZhou’s lover. Even if Han ShaoZhou had moved on, Mo Ming had still once been with him. He must still care about him to some extent.
“I’m sorry, Han-ge, I-I didn’t mean it…”
Without warning, Han ShaoZhou picked up his empty glass and hurled it into the dish in front of Shen Qian, splattering him with soup. Shen Xixi, sitting nearby, got caught in the splash and shrieked, hiding in Yang Guan’s arms.
“Who the hell do you think you are?” Han ShaoZhou roared. “How dare you talk shit about Mo Ming!”
Shen Qian was so terrified he didn’t even dare wipe his face. He looked at Han ShaoZhou, his face growing paler by the second. “Han-ge, I-I…”
Everyone else at the table exchanged nervous glances, not daring to say a word. They all knew about Han ShaoZhou’s fiery temper from years ago. Back then, he only ever smiled at Wen Ci. He could turn on anyone else in an instant. He had mellowed out a bit in recent years, but clearly, that fire still burned within him.
“Who brought him here tonight?” Han ShaoZhou demanded, his voice low and menacing.
Shen Qian’s face turned white as he forced a trembling smile. “Han-ge, I-I’m Shen Qian… I introduced myself earlier…”
“Who the hell cares who you are? I’m asking who brought you here!” Han ShaoZhou snapped, turning to Zhao Cheng. “What kind of shitty gathering is this? How did someone like him get in?”
Zhao Cheng raised his hands in defense. “He wasn’t my guest. No one like him is even in our group.”
“Han-ge, Xiao Qian is my cousin.” Shen Xixi said cautiously. “I just brought him along to let him see what it’s like. He really wanted to meet you…”
Han ShaoZhou’s sharp gaze zeroed in on Shen Xixi, his words biting, “What the hell are you doing here tonight?”
Shen Xixi’s face froze. “Wha-what? I… I…”
“Are we even close? Why would you think you belong at a gathering like this?”
Shen Xixi was utterly embarrassed. She tugged lightly at Yang Guan’s sleeve under the table, and Yang Guan quickly spoke up, “Han-ge, I brought Xixi along. I…”
“Why did you bring her?”
Han ShaoZhou’s anger shifted to Yang Guan, the rage within him swelling with nowhere to go, his mind filled with the image of Mo Ming’s cold stare, pushing him closer to the edge.
“Was there anyone else who brought their partner tonight? Why bring her? What is this, a fucking dating event?”
“Han-ge, please don’t…” Shen Xixi stammered, trembling as she tried to explain, “I only came because of my cousin. I really wanted to make friends with everyone…”
At that moment, Wen Ci spoke softly, his gaze downcast. “Everyone came here tonight for me, but it seems things haven’t gone well. I apologize…”
Han ShaoZhou nearly ground his back teeth to dust. Seeing Wen Ci’s downcast expression, he swallowed the harsh words he was about to spit out. Instead, he abruptly stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the floor as he stormed out.
“Old Han, where are you going? Aren’t you going to eat?” Zhao Cheng called after him.
“Eat, my ass!” Han ShaoZhou shouted back without turning, a dark cloud of anger hanging over him. “I’m going home!”
He couldn’t wait another second!
He needed to find Mo Ming and demand an explanation for that cold, indifferent glance that had cut him to the core. What the hell did it mean?
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