Qin Hai and Zhao Xin Xin’s wedding banquet was scheduled for 6:58 PM. As a member of F4, Qin Hai made sure the Liu Xing Hua Yuan crew had a table right next to the main one. This way, the four groomsmen and four bridesmaids could sit together without needing to mix with others. It was a rare and lively gathering, so the photo-loving bridesmaids certainly didn’t miss the opportunity. Even before the banquet began, Meng Meng had already pulled everyone together for numerous photos. When they finally settled down for the meal, she was the first to post:
Meng Meng Meng Jian Yi Tiao Chuan V: Here’s the most handsome groomsmen team and the most beautiful bridesmaids team! 【Photos*9】
Lv Suo Yi: Aaaah, love you, Meng Meng! Yun Fei da da, Tiao Tiao da da, and Chai Su tai tai, I adore you all!
Bu Zhi Pi Juan: Where’s the promised video of the welcoming party?!!
Zai Lai Yi Bei Jiu: Out of 9 photos, in every single one Zhao Zhao and Shi Ye Luan are standing together. What’s the probability that this positioning is just a coincidence?
Ju Zi Shi Wo De Zui Ai: @Yue Si Wen Xue Wang When will your male and female idol groups make their debut?
Feng Huang Bu Yu: Both the groomsmen and bridesmaids look amazing! The third photo with Chai Su da da’s expression cracked me up!
Yun Fei V replied to Zai Lai Yi Bei Jiu: Let me ask @Shi Ye Luan to solve this math problem for you 【Side-eye】
Tian Gai scrolled through Weibo and couldn’t help but grumble, “You see, they’re mentioning our Shi Ye Luan now, but why didn’t they seize the opportunity this morning during the welcoming? That question was way too easy for him!”
Tiao Tiao laughed, “Tian Gai, why are you being so petty? Is it because the Tian Zhao CP fans can’t compete with Ye Gong Zi CP fans, so you’re getting a bit salty?”
As she said this, Tiao Tiao glanced at Ye Luan, afraid he might be offended. After all, none of them knew him well in real life. Ye Da Shen had been famous for a long time and was known to be rather aloof online, so the girls had been cautious when designing the games, making sure not to go too far. As for Zhao Yi Jia’s option, well, that was a little bit of their own private agenda. But who would have thought Qin Hai would choose A without even hearing the full question? It must’ve been fate.
Ye Luan’s lips curled slightly as he said, “Oh? I don’t quite understand these things. Do Zhao Zhao and I have a lot of CP fans? What do they say?”
Hearing this, Zhao Yi Jia shot a helpless look at Ye Luan, his ears turning red; Shi Shui Hu Li tried to suppress a laugh by drinking water; and Tian Gai almost rolled his eyes. He was impressed by how Ye Luan never missed a chance to play along with the CP. I mean, who wouldn’t want to hear their CP fans praising how well they and their partner match right in front of them?
Sure enough, Tiao Tiao, feeling encouraged, began to explain excitedly, “Well, everyone thinks the interactions between you and Zhao Zhao are really cute and sweet, so they paired you up as a CP. Your CP name is ‘Ye Gong Zi.’” Then, as if suddenly realizing something, she added cautiously, “I hope you’re not upset, Shi Ye Luan. There’s no malice behind it…”
Ye Luan smiled warmly, “Of course, I don’t mind. Zhao Zhao and I are indeed very close. I’m flattered that everyone likes us so much. It seems I’ll need to interact with Zhao Zhao more on Weibo from now on.”
The bridesmaids squealed quietly in delight.
As the wedding banquet was about to officially start, Qin Hai came over to chat with them for a bit. Before leaving, he patted Tian Gai on the shoulder and said, “Xue Song is coming over later. I’ve arranged for him to sit next to you.”
Tian Gai was startled, “Xue Song is coming too?”
Qin Hai replied, “He’s my editor-in-charge. Did you forget? Alright, I’ll be heading back. Make sure you all enjoy the meal, and the drinks are all on the table!”
As soon as Qin Hai left, Tian Gai immediately became deflated. Seeing this, Zhao Yi Jia grew curious, “I remember Hu Li said that Xue Song is your editor too. Are you really that afraid of him?”
All the editors at Yue Si use plant names as their aliases. For example, Zhao Yi Jia’s editor is named “Shui Shan”, a meticulous young lady who works very well with him, so he couldn’t understand the dynamic between Tian Gai and Xue Song. In fact, for a renowned author like Tian Gai, if he truly had any dissatisfaction with his editor, he could simply request a replacement from the company.
Hearing Zhao Yi Jia’s question, Tian Gai puffed up his chest and declared loudly, “Are you kidding? Me, afraid of Xue Song? Let me tell you, even if Xue Song were standing right in front of me, I would say—”
Everyone around the table watched him boast, amused, but Chai Su, sitting across from him, noticed Xue Song approaching and quickly coughed twice to warn Tian Gai.
Tian Gai paused for a moment, then continued, “That he’s really a great guy.”
The group burst into laughter, and everyone started greeting Xue Song all at once—
“Xue Song Ge!”
“Xie Ge, sit here!”
“Hello, Xue Song!”
“Long time no see, Xie Zong.”
Xue Song responded with a smile to each greeting. He placed his jacket on the seat beside Tian Gai and casually glanced at Tian Gai’s hand, commenting, “I didn’t know you were so protective of your nails.”
Tian Gai retorted nonchalantly, “Of course! Let’s schedule a manicure session together sometime, with Hu Li—we can all go!”
Shi Shui Hu Li immediately rejected the idea, “No way, not happening, count me out.”
The group laughed again, and just then, the lights dimmed, signaling the official start of the banquet.
Under the brief cover of darkness and the solemn, sacred music, Ye Luan quietly took Zhao Yi Jia’s hand. Zhao Yi Jia turned to look at him, and Ye Luan whispered, “Let’s borrow this music, and I’ll dedicate it to my beloved.”
Zhao Yi Jia chuckled, his fingers gently brushing against Ye Luan’s palm before tightening their hold.
The meal was incredibly enjoyable. With everyone at the table being from the same circle, Yun Fei joked that the wedding banquet felt like a year-end party. With the atmosphere so relaxed, the men at the table—except for Shi Shui Hu Li, who didn’t drink due to allergies—had all started drinking. By the end of the evening, the bridesmaids, who had plans to go out the next day, had already left after saying their goodbyes. Zhao Yi Jia was still somewhat clear-headed but felt dizzy; Tian Gai seemed okay too, though he kept talking non-stop; only Ye Luan and Xue Song remained composed, casually chatting and clinking glasses, occasionally looking after those around them.
The atmosphere was harmonious until Tian Gai suddenly slapped the table, exclaiming, “I want to dedicate a song to the bride and groom!”
Shi Shui Hu Li, startled, wondered if he was drunk, “Tian Gai, are you alright? The event’s almost over—no need to sing.”
Tian Gai shook his head, “I have to sing. Just wait, and remember to applaud me.” With that, he headed toward the stage where the sound engineer was.
Seeing that he was walking steadily, Shi Shui Hu Li let him go.
In no time, Tian Gai was on stage with a microphone. After a quick “testing, testing” he loudly declared, “Today is my brother Qin Hai’s big day, and I’m extremely happy. I want to dedicate a song to him.”
Qin Hai, busy toasting guests, raised his glass in acknowledgment when he heard Tian Gai’s announcement.
Ye Luan watched Tian Gai in confusion, “He seems fine—I thought he was drunk.”
Xue Song, watching the stage, remained silent.
Tian Gai signaled the sound engineer, and when the familiar intro played, everyone in the room was stunned as he began to sing—
“We~ soldiers~ are a different breed~ because we all wear~ simple military uniforms~”
Where did this retired soldier come from?!
Shi Shui Hu Li was laughing so hard, “What’s going on? Is he drunk or what?!”
Ye Luan couldn’t stop laughing either, gently patting Zhao Yi Jia’s back as he said, “Did Tian Gai serve in the military? Qin Hai didn’t either, right?”
Xue Song, who seemed to have expected this, was calmly recording Tian Gai’s performance with his phone, “Tian Gai’s characters have served in the military.”
Before the song ended, Tian Gai already had a fan. Among the wedding guests were friends of Qin Hai’s father, one of whom was a retired soldier. When he heard the song, he was moved to tears. Grabbing Qin Hai, he reminisced about his days in the army and marveled at how a young man knew and sang this song. He insisted that Qin Hai introduce them. So, a young man in his twenties and a middle-aged retired soldier in his fifties quickly bonded, standing shoulder to shoulder to finish singing “We Are Soldiers” together. The wedding banquet concluded with the resounding spirit of a military anthem.
Tian Gai was genuinely on a high and truly drunk. After the banquet ended, Shi Shui Hu Li pulled out two room keys and handed them to Xue Song, “I have to visit some relatives tonight, so I canceled the room we stayed in last night. Qin Hai said his new room is available, so you two can stay there. The other key is Zhao Zhao’s. Xue Song Ge, I’ll leave Tian Gai in your care.”
After Hu Li left, Xue Song and Ye Luan took Tian Gai and Zhao Yi Jia back to their rooms. Zhao Yi Jia kept his eyes closed, feeling dizzy and foggy; meanwhile, Tian Gai sang all the way back, leaving Xue Song wishing he had a towel to stuff in his mouth.
Ye Luan gently placed Zhao Yi Jia on the bed, carefully changed his clothes, then poured a glass of water and set it on the nightstand. He spoke softly, “Zhao Zhao, are you feeling uncomfortable? Do you want some water?”
Perhaps due to the alcohol, Zhao Yi Jia’s eyes were slightly red. Hearing Ye Luan’s words, he squinted slightly, as if trying to recognize something. Ye Luan patiently waited for a while before Zhao Yi Jia slowly spoke, “Actually, I only drank a little, but now I’m so dizzy I can’t even see you clearly.”
Ye Luan leaned down and hugged him, “If you can’t see me, just hold onto me.”
Zhao Yi Jia, still in a daze, murmured, “You smell so good—did you wear cologne today?”
Ye Luan sniffed, “No, you don’t seem to like the smell of cologne, so I haven’t worn any in a long time.”
Zhao Yi Jia’s eyelashes fluttered, “Why are you so…”
Ye Luan didn’t catch the last part, “So what?”
Zhao Yi Jia suddenly laughed, “I figured out what the scent is.”
Ye Luan continued the conversation, “What is it?”
Zhao Yi Jia answered seriously, “Pheromones. It’s what we talked about during that reading game.”
Ye Luan chuckled, “What are pheromones?”
Zhao Yi Jia slowly closed his eyes and whispered, “They mean Zhao Yi Jia wants to make love with Ye Luan.”
Who in this world could resist such an invitation from the person they love? Even the always composed Ye Luan lost his control and eagerly joined Zhao Yi Jia in this beautiful night.
While Zhao Yi Jia and Ye Luan were basking in the warmth of their bed, Xue Song was having a much tougher time in the other room.
As soon as Xue Song entered, he was startled by the room’s decor: bright red bedding, heart-shaped pillows, a pair of towel-folded swans, and rose petals scattered all around. He suddenly remembered that this room had been decorated as the bridal suite. Meanwhile, Tian Gai, finally exhausted from singing, was now fast asleep, leaning against Xue Song like a log. Sighing deeply, Xue Song exerted all his strength to change Tian Gai’s clothes before tossing him onto the bed.
The only silver lining was that Tian Gai had good manners when drunk—he didn’t throw up or babble nonsense, just sang. His drunkenness was quite “environmentally friendly” though a bit of a noise nuisance. After a three-hour drive to attend the wedding, followed by sweating profusely while taking care of Tian Gai, Xue Song was exhausted. He planned to relax with a bath, but upon entering the bathroom, he found the bathtub filled with rose petals. Feeling utterly drained, he didn’t even have the energy to remove the petals, so he took a quick shower and went straight to bed.
The next morning, Xue Song woke up to find Tian Gai sitting at the bedside, staring at him. Tian Gai looked like he had just showered, his hair still dripping wet, and he wore an expression that suggested he had something to say but was hesitant to speak.
Xue Song asked, “What’s up?”
Tian Gai said in a low voice, “I think I drank too much last night… Did I do anything inappropriate?”
Xue Song got out of bed and walked into the bathroom, leisurely squeezing toothpaste onto his brush. “It wasn’t too bad—you did sing a song for Qin Hai.”
“What song?”
“We Are Soldiers.”
When Xue Song finished washing his face and came out, Tian Gai was sitting there in shock. Finding it amusing, Xue Song added, “You even had a duet with a friend of Qin Hai’s father, who’s a retired soldier. Oh, and you two exchanged phone numbers.”
“What?” Tian Gai couldn’t believe his ears. He quickly checked his contacts and, sure enough, found a new entry—Retired Uncle Zhao Jian Guo.
Xue Song then pulled out his phone and played the video he recorded last night, which captured Tian Gai’s passionate performance: “We~ soldiers~ are a different breed~”
Tian Gai groaned, covering his face with his hands, “Xue Song Ge, let’s make a deal. Delete it, okay?”
Xue Song shook his head, “Don’t think I don’t know you were about to badmouth me last night.”
“You’re a company vice president—so powerful. Why argue with someone like me?”
Seeing Tian Gai’s wet hair still dripping, Xue Song couldn’t stand it any longer. He grabbed a large towel and threw it over Tian Gai’s head. “Being a VP doesn’t help when a certain author orders me around and then talks trash.”
Realizing he had no leverage, Tian Gai quickly backed down, “Xie Qing~”
Xue Song paused for a moment. He looked at Tian Gai and said something with a meaning that wasn’t entirely clear, “You rarely call me by my name.”
Sensing an opening, Tian Gai pushed his luck, “Xie Qing~ Xie Qing~” As soon as the words left his mouth, he jumped up and snatched Xue Song’s phone.
Xue Song, startled, shouted, “Hey—”
He quickly chased after Tian Gai to get it back, but Tian Gai wouldn’t let go. The two ended up wrestling all over the room. The struggle became so intense that at one point, Tian Gai almost ran out the door, only to be dragged back by Xue Song for another round of tussling. Neither of them noticed that just minutes earlier, Qin Hai had sent a WeChat message saying he was on his way over—
“Huh? The door’s open. Tian Gai, Xue Song, I’m here to take you to break—whoa?!”
The scene that greeted them was a floor covered in rose petals, with Tian Gai hanging off Xue Song, their bathrobes loose and revealing—one’s shoulder was exposed, the other’s chest.
It was a rather provocative sight.
Xue Song calmly took his phone back, adjusted his robe, and greeted the group. Qin Hai laughed, “What were you two up to? Come on, let’s go have breakfast!”
Tian Gai angrily protested, “Hai Ge, make him delete my blackmail material!”
Zhao Yi Jia, curious, asked, “What blackmail material?” He had missed Tian Gai’s singing performance last night because he was too dazed.
Ye Luan chuckled, “Just ask Xue Song to show you, and you’ll understand.”
Shi Shui Hu Li added, “Zhao Er, I’m telling you, it’s really something special. You’ll see Tian Gai in a whole new light after watching it.”
As the group bantered, Xue Song, the keeper of the “blackmail material” didn’t join in. He stood by the window, making a phone call, his brow furrowed. After a while, he ended the call and walked over, looking at Tian Gai. “When are you going to finish Fanpai Gonglue Zhinan?”
Tian Gai replied, “It’ll be soon. If I stick to daily updates, we won’t need the full week to reveal each author.”
Xue Song nodded, “Alright, let’s wrap it up quickly.”
Tian Gai was puzzled, “What’s going on?”
“Last night, Meng Meng uploaded a short video of you guys figuring out the ‘Duan Ru Xing’ riddle. The readers have pretty much guessed who the five authors are. Although she deleted the video later, it was too late. Plus, some marketing accounts have already started.”
Tian Gai didn’t seem to mind, “So what if they’ve figured it out? We’ll keep doing what we’re doing.”
Xue Song shook his head, “No, you guys need to start making some plans.”
“Huh?”
“Half a month from now, Yue Si will hold an ‘N Fen Zhi Yi’ press conference at the convention center. At that time—”
Xue Song’s gaze swept across Qin Hai, Ye Luan, Zhao Yi Jia, and Shi Shui Hu Li, before finally landing on Tian Gai. He casually adjusted the watch on his left wrist, then slowly smiled:
“Yan Hua Liao Luan, center stage debut.”
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