Resting his forehead against the edge of the table, Ming Qi let out a long sigh.
His brain was somehow even dirtier than the filling inside the bun.
The breakfast he usually loved instantly lost all flavor. He pushed the plate aside decisively and went back into the bathroom to wash his face again. The icy water made him shiver all over—so cold, so cold—and that sensation forcefully kicked the phrase “If you’re going to look, then look properly” out of his head, successfully taking over his thoughts.
Ming Qi felt satisfied.
He picked up his phone again and opened Yu Qinzhou’s chat.
In the short time since, Yu Qinzhou had sent another message. This time, Ming Qi was smarter—he long-pressed the voice message and chose to convert it to text instead:
Do you want me to bring you breakfast?
The first message had reminded him not to forget the necessary documents. The second asked if he needed breakfast.
Yu Qinzhou was unbelievably considerate.
77.: No need to trouble you, Mr. Yu. I’ve already prepared breakfast /cute
Yu Qinzhou replied with a simple “Okay,” then added: Looking forward to seeing you, Mr. Ming.
Ming Qi rubbed the corner of his eye, feeling a little awkward. Just reading that sentence, it almost sounded like they were a sweet couple who had finally made it after years of being in love.
There was no way he could bring himself to reply me too.
So he just sent a cute sticker to muddle through.
Fortunately, Yu Qinzhou didn’t tease him further.
Ming Qi set his phone down and went to change. Most of his wardrobe consisted of casual clothes, but thinking about the seriousness of the occasion, he ultimately chose a three-piece suit. Since he was afraid of the cold, he wrapped himself in a long white down coat that reached his ankles. After turning in front of the mirror a couple of times, satisfied, he headed out.
It was a rare clear day in the middle of winter. Pulling up a black face mask, Ming Qi called a car while walking toward the entrance of his residential complex. The ride would arrive in five minutes, so he stood by the security booth to wait.
The security guard, a man in his fifties with a son and daughter, loved playing matchmaker every time he saw Ming Qi. “Long time no see, Mr. Ming! I just got back from my eight-day holiday—haven’t even wished you a Happy New Year yet.”
Most of Ming Qi’s face was hidden behind the mask, but his eyes curved into a smile. “Happy New Year, Uncle.”
The guard grinned. “Since it’s the new year, your family hasn’t been pressuring you to get married? I’ve got a nephew—”
Ming Qi thought to himself: Here it comes.
But today, he was fearless. Before the man could continue, he blurted out, “No need this year—I’m heading to the Civil Affairs Bureau right now.”
The guard’s sentence veered off track. “—was just born this year.”
Ming Qi replied solemnly, “Congratulations.”
Guard: “…”
For a moment, silence fell between them.
Holding back laughter, Ming Qi lowered his gaze and pretended to scroll on his phone. Thankfully, the taxi arrived right on time. As he got into the car, he waved goodbye to the guard.
The vehicle sped off—followed closely by a worn silver van from the roadside.
Sitting in the passenger seat, the paparazzo surnamed He rubbed his hands together, his eyes gleaming. “I knew it. Going to the C-brand counter that late yesterday to buy sapphire cufflinks—something’s definitely up today. Follow him. We finally got a chance—don’t screw this up.”
The car headed north.
The van driver was highly skilled. Even on the crowded streets of the capital, he managed to keep up without losing sight of the taxi. After turning at an intersection, he remarked, “Looks like it’s slowing down.”
As soon as he said it, the taxi pulled over.
He glanced toward the street—and the large sign reading Central District Civil Affairs Bureau came into view.
Paparazzo He: “…?”
This was… kind of unbelievable.
But right before their eyes, the young man with a backpack got out of the car, politely thanked the driver, and walked straight toward the entrance of the Civil Affairs Bureau—without looking back.
Paparazzo He: “Holy—?”
This was real?
His eyes widened in shock as he exchanged a look with the driver, seeing the same disbelief reflected there. Then he snapped his jaw shut and suddenly broke into a grin.
The agent for Fang Qing had said that even without real dirt, they could just make something up—but their studio’s new boss had been generous, handing out hefty bonuses right after taking over. From the bottom of his heart, He didn’t want to risk getting fired by going against him.
So if there was real material—then all the better.
Excitement lit up his eyes. Cracking his knuckles, he pushed open the door and followed.
Having been married, divorced, and now preparing for a second marriage, He was extremely familiar with the Civil Affairs Bureau. With practiced ease, he grabbed a number from the staff, then scanned the room from beneath the brim of his hat—quickly spotting Ming Qi in a corner.
He walked over and sat down across from Ming Qi, but Ming Qi kept his head lowered, focused on his phone, completely unaware.
Ming Qi was messaging Yu Qinzhou.
He had arrived at the Civil Affairs Bureau earlier than they had agreed, so he let Yu Qinzhou know that if he got there, he could just come straight in. After sending the message, Ming Qi held his phone, listening to the quiet murmurs of couples around him. The faint nervousness that had surfaced last night now solidified, his heart beating noticeably faster.
He tried to calm himself, but his gaze couldn’t focus on the screen at all. In the end, he lifted his head and idly observed the couples waiting in the hall—until he noticed a man sitting alone in the corner, just like him.
The paparazzo hadn’t expected their eyes to meet. His heart skipped a beat, but years in the trade had trained him to stay composed under pressure. He cleared his throat and offered a friendly smile. “Your partner isn’t here yet?”
Ming Qi nodded. “He said he went to pick something up. What about yours?”
Without missing a beat, the paparazzo replied, “First day back at work—traffic’s bad. Got stuck on the road.”
He wanted to coax more information out of Ming Qi, but Ming Qi’s eyes suddenly lit up. He raised a hand and waved toward the entrance. The paparazzo followed his gaze—and immediately saw the man walking in.
Yu Qinzhou was dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit, with a matching wool overcoat. The cut accentuated his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and upright posture—at a glance, he looked like a runway model.
The paparazzo let out a silent damn in his head. Ming Qi might not be a big name, but he sure had good taste.
This guy was seriously handsome.
Way better than those so-called “young idols” or “mature actors” in the industry.
While he was still marveling, Yu Qinzhou had already taken a seat beside Ming Qi. A familiar woody scent drifted over. Ming Qi nervously curled his fingers and tried to make conversation. “There are still six couples ahead of us.”
Yu Qinzhou gave a soft hum. “No rush.”
Ming Qi opened his mouth to protest in a small voice, “I’m not in a rush.”
Yu Qinzhou’s gaze flicked over his tense, pale knuckles and his overly serious expression. He lowered his eyes slightly and chuckled. “But you’re very nervous.”
Ming Qi: “…”
Being so bluntly called out made him both embarrassed and unable to resist sneaking a glance at Yu Qinzhou’s expression. Compared to him, Yu Qinzhou was completely composed—every small movement carried an effortless elegance and ease.
Well, of course. Yu Qinzhou had seen far bigger situations than this.
“Want some candy?”
Yu Qinzhou slipped a hand into his coat pocket, and when he pulled it out, a milk candy rested between his long fingers.
Before Ming Qi could respond, he had already placed it in his palm.
Ming Qi examined the candy closely, his eyes lighting up. Even his voice became less stiff. “This one’s really good. I used to love it.”
“Is that so? Looks like I got lucky—picked the right thing.”
With the candy in his mouth and Yu Qinzhou’s calm, measured voice in his ear, Ming Qi felt the tension that had been hanging over him finally loosen a little.
But the paparazzo across from them was anything but relaxed.
With one leg crossed over the other and his body leaning against the armrest, he pretended to scroll on his phone while secretly recording. As he filmed their interaction, he quietly speculated about Yu Qinzhou’s identity.
He hadn’t missed the watch peeking out from under Yu Qinzhou’s sleeve.
He had just learned about it recently—a top-tier luxury watch, starting at eight million.
While he was still deep in thought, Yu Qinzhou and Ming Qi stood up. The paparazzo’s heart jolted, and he quickly switched his screen from the recording to a news page, then watched them leave.
Once they disappeared around the corner, he immediately sent the video to his studio group chat:
Guys, we’ve got something big!
…
Ming Qi took the form from the staff member. Seeing his name printed on it, he quietly took a deep breath, then removed his thick down coat. Straightening his back, he followed the staff’s instructions and stood shoulder to shoulder with Yu Qinzhou, facing the camera.
As an actor who was supposed to be used to cameras, Ming Qi realized for the first time just how stiff he could look.
Yu Qinzhou seemed to notice his returning nerves. His fingers lightly brushed against Ming Qi’s hand resting in front of his abdomen. Ming Qi didn’t dare look down, but when he felt the subtle touch, his fingers opened—and another milk candy appeared in his palm.
Using candy to comfort him… even at a moment like this.
He almost laughed.
Click.
The photo was taken.
Ming Qi snapped back to his senses. “Wait—I wasn’t ready.”
The staff member chuckled. “Why not take a look first?”
Ming Qi hurried over. When he saw the photo, he froze.
It wasn’t what he had imagined at all.
In the picture, he and Yu Qinzhou sat side by side. Yu Qinzhou’s brows held a faint smile, the red mole at the corner of his eye making his features striking. And instead of looking stiff, Ming Qi leaned slightly toward him, his bright, delicate face softened with a gentle, affectionate gaze. The overall effect was natural—perfectly matched.
“Pretty good, right? I’ve been photographing couples for decades—my skills are top-notch,” the staff member said with a grin. “Alright, next you just wait to get your certificate.”
When the red marriage certificate was handed to Yu Qinzhou, his phone chimed.
Min Zhengyue: Bro, let me tell you something funny—I just saw a guy who looks exactly like you registering a marriage with that small-time actor Ming Qi I mentioned before.
Min Zhengyue: [image]
Yu Qinzhou narrowed his eyes slightly, staring at the screenshot for a moment. Then he suddenly recalled the man in the baseball cap who had been sitting across from them earlier. A faint, unreadable smile curved his lips. He opened the marriage certificate, took a photo, and sent it over.
Two minutes later, Min Zhengyue called. As soon as the line connected, the other man howled:
“Yu-ge, your account’s been hacked!!!”