Zhao Cheng was so shocked that he couldn’t close his mouth, instinctively wanting to ask for more details, but Cai Zhao interrupted him, “Xiao Yang, you really care about your Brother Han, huh?”
Yang Guan grinned sheepishly, “Brother Han has always been my idol.”
“So, you brought your little girlfriend here in advance to get recognized by Shao?” Cai Zhao asked.
“No, no, I just wanted to show Xixi around,” Yang Guan said, holding his girlfriend’s hand. “She just entered the entertainment industry, and I don’t want her to suffer. I’m hoping everyone can do me a favor and look after Xixi…”
“What kind of face do you have?” Zhao Cheng smiled, but his words were far from polite. “Maybe after you marry this Xixi girl, everyone might help out for the sake of your grandfather. But don’t expect them to stick around like the last ones, who left after getting what they wanted.”
Everyone knew about Yang Guan’s countless failed relationships, and Zhao Cheng and the others were all aware of it. This short, ordinary-looking guy with money but no brains and no backbone wasn’t someone any ambitious woman would look at twice. The only ones interested in him were either just as love-struck or had something to gain.
After being dumped so many times, Yang Guan hadn’t learned a thing, and Zhao Cheng was too tired to keep talking sense into him.
Yang Guan was visibly upset and poured himself a drink, muttering, “Well, I’ll talk to Brother Han when he gets here, not you, Brother Zhao.”
Zhao Cheng laughed in frustration and sat down next to Yang Guan, patting his shoulder. He nodded toward the other side of the room, “Xiao Yang, do you know who that is over there?”
Yang Guan lifted his gaze, “Who?”
“That’s Old Han’s little lover of three years,” Zhao Cheng said, lowering his voice but making sure the woman next to Yang Guan could hear. “Old Han treasures him. He even specifically told us to take good care of him, afraid that he might suffer the slightest bit.”
Yang Guan was stunned, and beside him, Shen Xixi also looked over in surprise.
Mo Ming, who had just taken advantage of the distraction to sneak in a couple more drinks, was now sitting with a rosy face, chatting politely with Qin You, completely unaware of the conversation happening across the room.
“Are you kidding, Brother Zhao? How could that be? I’ve never heard of it,” Yang Guan said in disbelief.
“Does Old Han need to report everything to you?” Zhao Cheng’s gaze drifted past Yang Guan, landing meaningfully on Shen Xixi’s face as he whispered, “If you’re smart, you’ll avoid mentioning irrelevant people tonight. And if you’re trying to make connections, you might as well stop. No matter how much you twist things, it won’t get you anywhere.”
Shen Xixi didn’t fully catch what Zhao Cheng was saying, still thoughtfully watching Mo Ming on the other side.
He was very young, undeniably good-looking, but dressed plainly. She hadn’t paid much attention when she first came in, but now that she looked closely at that face…
“Brother Han doesn’t know Wen Ci is divorced yet, does he?” Yang Guan suddenly whispered. “If he finds out, do you think he’ll…”
“Shut up,” Zhao Cheng cut him off. “Whatever Old Han’s feelings toward Wen Ci are now, he has someone by his side at the moment. Don’t ruin the mood tonight.”
Deep down, Zhao Cheng couldn’t help but wonder too. If Wen Ci was really divorced, given how obsessed Han Shao Zhou used to be with him, there was a good seventy to eighty percent chance he’d pursue Wen Ci again.
Mo Ming had always been a stand-in for Wen Ci in Han Shao Zhou’s life. Kept hidden for three years before finally being brought out, Mo Ming hadn’t received any special treatment work-wise. Comparing how Han Shao Zhou had almost offered the entire Han family’s fortune as a bride price to marry Wen Ci, the difference was like night and day.
Zhao Cheng returned to his seat, unable to stop himself from casting a sympathetic glance at Mo Ming.
Just when his benefactor started paying attention to him, the benefactor’s first love returned to being single—it was pitiful.
But at least let this poor guy enjoy his birthday tonight.
Yang Guan gently patted his girlfriend’s hand and whispered, “Don’t worry, baby. Brother Han will look out for me.”
Shen Xixi forced a smile, but her gaze remained fixed on Mo Ming.
Mo Ming, taking advantage of Qin You turning to chat with Jiang He, continued sipping his fruity drink—still delicious.
“By the way, Mo Ming, what do you do?” Shen Xixi suddenly asked with a smile.
“Mo Ming is an actor, just finished working on Old Cai’s new drama,” Zhao Cheng answered for him, half-jokingly. “What, Miss Shen, didn’t you do your homework on Director Cai before coming here? Not very sincere if you’re trying to make connections.”
Yang Guan defended his girlfriend, “Brother Zhao, why are you being so snarky?”
“Am I? No, not at all,” Zhao Cheng shrugged.
Ignoring Zhao Cheng, Yang Guan turned to Mo Ming, “So you’re an actor, Mo Ming? Perfect. Xixi is too. You’re signed with Brother Han’s Xingci, right? Once Xixi joins, I hope you can look out for her—we’re all family.”
Mo Ming wasn’t used to such directness. “I…”
“Thank you, Brother Mo,” Shen Xixi quickly interjected, her tone suddenly much more familiar.
“Miss Shen, you can just call me Mo Ming,” he said, frowning slightly. “Honestly, I’m not that involved with Xingci…”
“I felt a sense of familiarity when I first saw you, Brother Mo,” Shen Xixi interrupted again, blinking her eyes. “Now I realize you really look like my cousin Wen Wen.”
Yang Guan, who hadn’t had much interaction with Wen Ci and wasn’t familiar with him, was startled by his girlfriend’s comment. “No way, Xixi.”
“If you don’t believe me, pull up a picture of my cousin and compare it yourself,” Shen Xixi said, turning to Zhao Cheng with a smile. “Brother Zhao, you were all close friends with my cousin, Wen Wen. You must have noticed it too, right? Don’t they look so much alike?”
“Not really. Maybe because they’re both good-looking,” Zhao Cheng said with a forced smile. The slight resemblance between Mo Ming and Wen Ci wasn’t nearly enough to justify Shen Xixi’s exaggerated tone.
“Brother Mo,” Shen Xixi continued, turning to Mo Ming with an expression of curiosity, “Has Brother Han ever told you that you look a lot like my cousin Wen Wen?”
Mo Ming seriously thought about it for a few seconds, then gently shook his head. Han Shao Zhou had indeed never mentioned it… though he knew himself.
“Oh my, Brother Han never told you?” Shen Xixi gasped, covering her mouth in mock surprise. “You’ve been together for so long, and he never mentioned my cousin Wen Ci?”
“No.”
“How did you and Brother Han meet?”
“At a bar.”
“A bar? Don’t tell me Brother Han had a few too many and mistook you for someone else,” Shen Xixi joked.
Mo Ming nodded, “He was a bit…”
“Stop!” Zhao Cheng couldn’t take it anymore. He had never seen anyone so clueless. “Do you just answer anything people ask?”
Mo Ming looked at Zhao Cheng, still a bit puzzled… Everything he said was true, and there wasn’t anything that couldn’t be shared.
“Xiao Yang, your girlfriend sure can talk,” Zhao Cheng said coldly. “Why don’t we just hand the gathering over to her tonight?”
Yang Guan smiled awkwardly, “Xixi is just a bit lively.”
Ignoring Zhao Cheng, Shen Xixi poured herself a drink and held it in her hand… Earlier, she had been worried that Han Shao Zhou had really moved on from Wen Ci, but now she was relieved.
Han Shao Zhou had found a lover who bore a slight resemblance to Wen Ci. He must be obsessed with Wen Ci to the point of madness. Now that Wen Ci was single again, when he returned to Chuanghai, Han Shao Zhou would probably be tripping over himself to get back with him. He would likely even try to win her over too, given how generous Han Shao Zhou had been to all of Wen Ci’s relatives during his pursuit. Unfortunately, she had been too naive back then and missed the chance to capitalize on that.
But it wasn’t too late now…
“You might want to consider this young lady for your next project,” Qin You said to Cai Zhao with a slight smile. “She’s got some talent.”
Cai Zhao chuckled, “Hmm, maybe.”
Jiang He and Zhao Cheng exchanged amused glances but said nothing. Yang Guan’s eyes lit up with excitement, “Yes, yes, Xixi has a lot of potential. She… ow!”
Yang Guan’s words were cut short by a sharp pinch from Shen Xixi, who discreetly squeezed his arm, leaving him wincing in pain.
Zhao Cheng was just about to find an excuse to get Yang Guan and his actress girlfriend out of there when Qin You received a call from Han Shao Zhou.
“What?” Qin You’s expression suddenly turned serious. “Are you okay?… That’s good. I’ll let everyone know. Which hospital are you at?… Okay… I understand.”
Qin You hung up, grabbed his coat from the chair beside him, and announced to the group, “Shao had an accident on the way here. He’s got some injuries and is at *** Hospital right now.”
“Shit, is it serious?”
Everyone stood up in alarm.
“He said it’s just some minor injuries. He sounded fine, so it shouldn’t be anything too bad,” Qin You said. “Let’s go check on him.”
“Alright.”
They all moved quickly, weaving around the sofas and tables as they headed for the exit. Mo Ming finished off the last sip of his drink, savoring the taste as he followed the group out.
As they were about to leave, Zhao Cheng turned and pointed at Yang Guan and Shen Xixi, who were about to follow, “You two don’t need to come. The drinks are all on Old Han tonight. Drink up or head home.”
“We’re worried about Brother Han too,” Shen Xixi muttered under her breath. “Why can’t we go?”
Zhao Cheng’s expression darkened, “Who do you think you are to follow us? Does Old Han even know who you are?”
“My cousin is Han…”
“Wait until he actually is,” Zhao Cheng interrupted, turning away without another word.
Shen Xixi’s face turned green with anger, and Yang Guan, seeing her distress, tried to console her, “Don’t be mad, don’t be mad. We’ll go on our own.”
The group left the bar, and Zhao Cheng squeezed into Cai Zhao’s car, calling for a driver. Qin You and Jiang He had their own drivers.
Qin You had intended to have Mo Ming ride with him, but Mo Ming had driven himself and was already on his phone arranging for a driver.
On the way to the hospital, Mo Ming rolled down the window slightly to let the wind blow through, trying to clear his head as the alcohol started to take effect, leaving him feeling a bit dizzy.
As Mo Ming drifted into a foggy daze, the distant night sky over the river suddenly erupted in a burst of fireworks, accompanied by a series of loud booms.
The fireworks shot up like meteors, dazzling as they exploded.
The haze from the alcohol quickly faded, and Mo Ming leaned out the window, staring at the brilliant display, momentarily forgetting everything.
“Driver, make a U-turn and head to *River Square,” Mo Ming instructed the driver.
The fireworks show was being held on three large ships in the middle of the river, and the square was packed with people. Mo Ming had to push his way through the crowd to reach the railing.
Though the show was nearing its end, he still caught the last of the spectacular display.
The night wind was cool, the fireworks were stunning, and the deafening noise seemed to create a quiet backdrop. Mo Ming watched the sky light up, the starlight reflecting in his dark eyes.
“Happy birthday…” Mo Ming whispered, his eyes glistening with tears as he murmured softly, “Another year, and I still think of you…”
Be my Patron~
✨Be a part of the story – support my translations✨
✨✨Advance chapter at Patreon✨✨
