Ming Qi’s first reaction was confusion.
In the dim light, the film’s glow flickered. His bewildered gaze landed on the man, catching faint glimpses of those deep, dark eyes—unlike the usual casual indifference.
Ming Qi asked curiously, “Why would I abandon you?”
Yu Qinchou glanced toward the camera hidden in the darkness, still trying to find the best angle. He lowered his gaze slightly and let out a silent laugh.
Then, softly, he said, “They said you ran off with your junior.”
[??]
[Confirmed. Yu Qinchou is a professional tattletale.]
[If you’ve got the guts, turn on the lights before reporting.]
Ming Qi realized it a beat later and sighed helplessly.
“They just love drama. Why do you believe everything they say?”
Yu Qinchou replied, “If it were a senior, I might not believe it.”
That “junior” from Hengfeng University had shown up before. The overly sweet “senior” he kept calling out still echoed unpleasantly in Yu Qinchou’s mind.
Even though he knew Ming Qi wasn’t the type to fall for that, he still felt unhappy.
Ming Qi pinched his face, then suddenly laughed, remembering Yu Qinchou throwing tens of thousands into that livestream.
“He’s only contacting me about tomorrow’s school anniversary at Jing City No. 1 High School.”
The school’s centennial anniversary had trended two weeks earlier, after alumni were invited and a young entrepreneur accidentally leaked the news during an interview, sending the event viral before it even began.
Ming Qi’s livestream with Hengfeng had been seen by his former homeroom teacher, who invited him to attend. He agreed—but the filming schedule overlapped with the show.
“So the program team said they’ll split into two groups. One will film your work, the other will go with me to school.”
“As for filming at your workplace, Meng-ge already coordinated with the school. They agreed—it’s free publicity.”
“Baby, it’s Sunday tomorrow,” Yu Qinchou raised an eyebrow. “Even capitalists can’t make employees work on Sundays.”
Ming Qi: “……”
Right.
After thinking for a moment, he said, “Then they’ll film you at home working.”
Yu Qinchou: “If I close the study door, are they going to film the door?”
Even though the image wasn’t clear, the livestream audience could still hear everything.
[We refuse!]
[We don’t want the door, we want the person!]
[What’s so good about a door!]
[Can’t you just go together?]
When Ming Qi asked “Then what do we do?”, Yu Qinchou gave a reply identical to the chat’s demands.
He leaned into Ming Qi’s neck, warm breath brushing over skin.
“Do I have to work? Can’t I go with you to experience the charm of a century-old school?”
Even in the dim room, Ming Qi still felt his breath hitch slightly.
“…Then I’ll ask the program team how to arrange it.”
“Okay.”
Having resolved the “junior incident,” Yu Qinchou stayed in the audiovisual room instead of returning to the study. He sat beside Ming Qi watching old films directed by Ming Yun.
For viewers, it might seem simple, even dull—but it wasn’t boring.
When the light brightened, they saw two closely seated figures. When it dimmed, they still heard soft conversations.
Most of the time, Ming Qi was the one speaking—telling childhood stories.
Sharp-eyed fans quickly picked up fragments of information, but it didn’t spread further.
[This room is worlds apart from Red Sugar]
[Laughing, this is so warm while the other side is about to fight]
[Every CP has its own flavor: Zhouqi natural, Red Sugar chaotic, Little Rose dramatic, Sunset awkward—it’s all here]
[So wholesome I’m crying. I used to worry Yu Qinchou would treat Ming Qi badly… now I just want to bow to him]
[Who said Yu Qinchou is cold and ruthless? He’s so gentle only with Ming Qi]
[And he tattles lol]
[That’s not tattling, that’s acting pitiful to get attention]
Within hours, multiple related hashtags surged on the trending list.
Some claimed Yu Qinchou was “two different people before and after Ming Qi.”
Even alleged Yu Corporation employees chimed in:
“He’s not like this at work / smile”
The CEO account Xi Yixiu even liked that post.
By afternoon, the individual interview began.
A female director surnamed Liu arrived at Xijing Bay.
She glanced around curiously. “Butler Qin, do you ever say things like ‘it’s been a long time since I’ve seen the young master smile’?”
Qin Jing replied flatly, “Director Liu, please read less CEO fiction. Mr. Yu actually smiles quite often.”
Just… not the same kind of smile.
Yu Qinchou entered the tea room first.
The camera briefly scanned the corner of the room: a spacious space, wooden furniture, shelves lined with decorative vases—luxury items whose prices were immediately identified by viewers.
“Sit,” Yu Qinchou said, pouring tea with long fingers.
Elegant, restrained, effortlessly refined.
Director Liu raised her cup. “Everyone, this is the tea personally poured by Yu Dong. I’ll drink first.”
[Director knows how to stir trouble lol]
[Even just pouring tea he looks like this… ridiculous]
[His fingers are too nice… Ming Qi hehehe]
The interview began.
“First question—how did you and Ming Qi meet?”
Yu Qinchou smiled faintly.
“Not quite what you imagine.”
“In the streets of Country C many years ago, I met a lost little boy.”
A memory long buried began to surface.
A child, small and lost among unfamiliar faces. A young Yu Qinchou, standing at a crossroads of his own loneliness, hesitating before stepping forward.
He bought a candied hawthorn skewer from a passing vendor and handed it to the boy.
The child cried.
So he bought a second, then a third—until the sixth.
Only then did the tears stop.
The boy chose a strawberry skewer carefully and thanked him.
They sat quietly on a bench by a flower bed, eating together.
“Did he finish them all?” the director asked.
“No,” Yu Qinchou laughed softly. “I did. After the first strawberry one, he said his teeth hurt—and insisted he couldn’t waste food.”
Later, when Ming Qi cried again saying his family didn’t want him anymore, Yu Qinchou told him his family would come soon.
And indeed, after five skewers, Ming Yun’s parents found him.
And just like that, the child disappeared back into the world.
Yu Qinchou thought it was just a small episode in a long life.
Until years later, on a path at Jing City No. 1 High School, fate echoed back—and he met Ming Qi again.