This fleeting thought passed through Duan Yang’s mind but was quickly dismissed. How could anyone look this much alike? As far as he knew, Shen Yan had no siblings except Shen Jiaqi. After Shen Yan’s escape, the housekeeper reported a missing dress and wig, and surveillance footage showed a woman’s figure leaving. Now, three days later, here in this same venue, Duan Yang had come across a woman who bore an uncanny resemblance to Shen Yan. The idea that this wasn’t Shen Yan in disguise? Only a fool would believe that!
A flicker of anger flashed in Duan Yang’s eyes, but just as he was about to lash out, he noticed several eyes on him—curious, skeptical, all speculating about his relationship with this woman.
In an instant, his anger vanished, replaced by a calm, almost indifferent smile. “Apologies, I’ve mistaken you for someone else. Sorry to bother you,” he said politely before turning to leave.
However, Shen Yan didn’t miss the warning glance Duan Yang threw his way as he turned. It was clear Duan Yang had already identified him and was simply biding his time to settle the score later.
Shen Yan had expected this. Duan Yang wasn’t an idiot—there was no way he could be easily fooled. But Shen Yan wasn’t too worried. In a public setting like this, there was no way Duan Yang would dare strip him down to verify his identity.
Even if Duan Yang had the intention, he wouldn’t have the nerve to act on it. Shen Yan’s earlier outburst had drawn the attention of the entire venue, and now, all eyes were on them. In this kind of environment, Duan Yang wouldn’t even dare exchange too many words with him, let alone physically verify anything. The headlines tomorrow could very well be something along the lines of “Duan Yang’s Mysterious Girlfriend” or “Famed Actor Caught Flirting with Fan.”
Duan Yang, with his carefully cultivated image and reputation, would never risk that.
Shen Yan, fully playing his part, waved dramatically at Duan Yang’s retreating figure. “Duan Yang, I really am a big fan! Can I get an autograph?”
Duan Yang didn’t respond, his pace quickening as if afraid Shen Yan might actually chase after him.
So full of himself, Shen Yan mentally snorted. Then, just as he was about to sit back down and continue eating, he caught sight of a pair of amused eyes. Su Yunzhe had been standing not far behind him, watching the entire exchange.
Shen Yan froze, immediately recalling the connection between Su Yunzhe and Duan Yang, and then his own earlier declaration of admiration for Duan Yang. Feeling guilty, Shen Yan hurriedly opened his mouth to explain to his “sugar daddy,” but Su Yunzhe was already stepping closer. Leaning in near his ear, Su Yunzhe whispered teasingly, “Come on, I’ll take you to get that autograph.”
Before Shen Yan could react, Su Yunzhe had already taken his hand and was leading him toward Duan Yang.
Shen Yan felt a tickle in his ear from Su Yunzhe’s whisper. He scratched it reflexively and glanced sideways at the man beside him. Su Yunzhe’s lips were curved in a smile, his eyes twinkling with amusement, as if thoroughly enjoying the moment.
But Shen Yan couldn’t shake the feeling that something was off—there was a hint of mischief, maybe even a trap, hidden beneath that smile.
Objectively speaking, Su Yunzhe was incredibly handsome when he smiled. His dark, obsidian-like eyes seemed to sparkle, as if stars were twinkling within them, making it hard not to smile along with him.
Yet Shen Yan couldn’t forget how indifferent Su Yunzhe had been when proposing the whole “sponsorship” arrangement, as if discussing the price of fruit. Now, seeing him suddenly smiling so warmly and enthusiastically offering to help get an autograph, Shen Yan felt a shiver of unease.
This guy must really think I like Duan Yang and probably hates me by association, right?
Even though Su Yunzhe was smiling on the surface, Shen Yan was convinced he was secretly plotting some sort of revenge.
In the original novel, it had been described that Su Yunzhe was a man with a dark and vengeful personality. He was known for being ruthless, holding grudges, and taking revenge without mercy. There was even an incident where someone accidentally offended him and was pushed to such despair that they eventually jumped to their death.
Just thinking about that sent a chill down Shen Yan’s spine, causing him to subtly inch away from Su Yunzhe. It was only then that he realized his hand was still being held by the man.
Su Yunzhe’s grip wasn’t tight, but his hand was larger, enveloping Shen Yan’s comfortably. His thumb lightly, almost imperceptibly, traced the outline of Shen Yan’s fingers, moving from one to the next as if studying them.
The motion was gentle, like he was toying with something delicate and amusing. It tickled, and Shen Yan instinctively wanted to shake his hand free, but ultimately, he didn’t dare.
He couldn’t!
It wasn’t just that Su Yunzhe was difficult to deal with; he was also Shen Yan’s current benefactor. How could he risk offending him?
Fine, I’ll tolerate it.
But seriously, what was up with this “sugar daddy”? Holding hands was one thing, but fiddling with his fingers—what was that about? Did Shen Yan’s hands remind him of walnuts or something, making him feel the urge to give them a good rub?
By now, Duan Yang had spotted them approaching and came forward to greet them with a smile. “President Su, it’s been a while.”
His gaze naturally fell on Shen Yan as he added with polite curiosity, “And this is?”
Duan Yang’s expression was flawless, as if it really was his first time meeting Shen Yan.
Shen Yan remembered that in the original book, it was mentioned many times how talented Duan Yang was at acting. He was described as a rare exception in the entertainment industry, someone who could have easily coasted by on his looks but had instead risen to prominence based on his skills alone.
Shen Yan was initially skeptical, but seeing Duan Yang’s calm demeanor, he started to believe it a little.
Su Yunzhe’s rare smile had already faded. After exchanging pleasantries with Duan Yang, he pulled Shen Yan over to introduce him, “Shen Yan, one of your fans. Hurry up and get an autograph, or he might burst into tears.”
Crying? Seriously?!
Shen Yan silently rolled his eyes inwardly and raised his glass of red wine to greet Duan Yang. “Nice to meet you, Emperor Duan!”
His movements were reserved, and his smile was subtle, exuding a sense of decorum but also detachment, completely different from the excited fan he appeared to be earlier.
At this moment, Shen Yan had figured things out. Whatever Su Yunzhe was thinking, one thing was certain: his dislike for Duan Yang was real. As someone who depended on Su Yunzhe for his livelihood, could he dare show that he liked Duan Yang in front of his benefactor?
Of course not!
So, even when Shen Yan smiled at Duan Yang, he controlled the upward curve of his lips to no more than fifteen degrees, just enough to avoid seeming rude.
He was doing everything in his power to signal to his benefactor, “That stuff about liking Duan Yang earlier? All nonsense! I was lying!”
Duan Yang had no idea about the inner turmoil going on in Shen Yan’s mind, nor was he interested. What bothered him more was how Shen Yan had managed to cozy up to Su Yunzhe. And now, not only had he cozied up, but he was flaunting it right in front of him. What was this supposed to mean? Was he trying to provoke him?
Duan Yang felt a surge of anger, wishing he could drag Shen Yan away and give him a good beating, then lock him up so he wouldn’t have any more opportunities to stir up trouble. But outwardly, he kept his gentlemanly smile and clinked glasses with Shen Yan. “Nice to meet you, Miss Shen.”
After a few more polite exchanges, neither of them mentioned the autograph. Shen Yan didn’t want it, and Duan Yang wasn’t sure if Su Yunzhe’s comment had been a joke or not.
But Su Yunzhe was very enthusiastic, going so far as to ask the waiter for paper and a pen for Duan Yang to sign an autograph for Shen Yan. Then he insisted on taking a photo of Shen Yan and Duan Yang together as a keepsake.
Shen Yan couldn’t help but wonder if Su Yunzhe was up to something.
So, when Su Yunzhe let go of his hand to allow the photo with Duan Yang, Shen Yan instinctively grabbed it back, flashing a sweet and soft smile, “Why don’t you join us, President Su?”
Su Yunzhe raised an eyebrow at him, his deep eyes reflecting Shen Yan’s smiling face. His lips curled slightly into a barely noticeable smile, and he stood beside Shen Yan.
Clearly, this meant Su Yunzhe agreed to Shen Yan’s suggestion.
Shen Yan quietly sighed in relief and was about to let go of Su Yunzhe’s hand when he found it gripped again. Su Yunzhe resumed his odd habit of playing with his hands, but this time, instead of tracing his fingers, he began fiddling with Shen Yan’s fingertips.
Shen Yan’s nails were neatly trimmed and smooth, his fingertips soft and plump.
Su Yunzhe seemed to enjoy the texture, gently rubbing each one.
Shen Yan found it slightly ticklish but didn’t dare pull away, silently cursing Su Yunzhe’s peculiar behavior. What was with him? Was he hyperactive?
Fortunately, after a quick photo, a host came to invite Su Yunzhe on stage to give a speech, finally freeing Shen Yan’s hand.
He stretched a little and glanced down at the picture of him, Su Yunzhe, and Duan Yang. He stood in the middle, naturally leaning toward Su Yunzhe, leaving almost a person-sized gap between him and Duan Yang.
Shen Yan was pleased with the result and planned to show it to his benefactor later, subtly proving his loyalty.
Just then, Duan Yang’s cold voice sounded in his ear. “I’m warning you, don’t push your luck. Go home like a good girl tonight.”
Because Su Yunzhe was about to give a speech, the crowd that had been scattered before was now gathered in front of the stage, leaving Shen Yan and Duan Yang standing closer together.
So when Duan Yang leaned over to whisper, no one else could hear him.
Shen Yan raised his head in surprise and deliberately spoke louder, “What did you say?”
Given their proximity, Shen Yan could almost hear Duan Yang grinding his teeth. But as an award-winning actor, Duan Yang quickly recovered, smiling and shaking his head. “Nothing.”
Soon, Duan Yang was also invited on stage, leaving Shen Yan in the crowd with nothing to do.
Shen Yan squeezed through the crowd and returned to his corner to continue snacking, his mind buzzing with random thoughts. He was worried that Su Yunzhe might misunderstand and take it out on him, while also fretting over how troublesome Duan Yang was. He was so distracted that he didn’t notice Su Yunzhe finishing his speech and the crowd breaking into small groups to chat about him.
“Who’s that woman? Have you seen her before? What’s her relationship with President Su?”
“I haven’t seen her before. Could she be a newcomer?”
“I think she’s pretty tall. Maybe she’s a model.”
“That’s possible. Hey, did you see earlier? President Su was holding her hand the whole time. Could she be his girlfriend?”
“No way.”
“Why not? Have you ever seen President Su bring a date to an event before? And even if she’s not, they must be close. Come on, let’s go introduce ourselves. What if she’s the future boss’s wife?”
Before Shen Yan knew it, several unfamiliar people started approaching to toast him.
Shen Yan had a low alcohol tolerance, and after a few rounds, he felt he couldn’t take it anymore. Seizing an opportunity, he slipped out of the banquet hall.
Outside, there was a wide lawn. A stone path led through the grass to a small artificial lake, with willow trees growing along its edges. Benches were placed beneath the trees for people to rest.
Shen Yan followed the stone path, planning to sit on a bench and catch his breath. But when he got there, he found someone had beaten him to it.
Under the dim streetlights, he saw Su Yunzhe lounging lazily on the bench, a lit cigarette between his fingers.
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