Tang Chen glanced at the group chat.
Yep! This was the high-society group he had added!
And… it was all zeros!
Huh?
So ZWG’s King?
A “one”?
Or was it just a plain, simple 1, so unassuming it barely stood out?
For a moment, Tang Chen didn’t know whether to pity how difficult it was for his friends or… something else entirely.
Wait.
Tang Chen snapped back to reality.
That “King”!
Doesn’t he already have a girlfriend?
When he won last year, he publicly announced it—a fair-skinned, wealthy beauty, right?
Wait…
This… was even juicier!
Tang Chen’s mind raced.
No way!
Such explosive news!
How could he be the only one who knew?
He quickly pulled up Lin Yuhan’s WeChat, the contact he had saved earlier, and immediately sent this shocking news over!
Good friends share the gossip!
Lin Yuhan, who received the message, didn’t pay much attention. He was holding something in his hands, handing it over to Yin Chen.
“I made some snacks at home last night—ate a bit too much myself. Try it and see if you like it.”
“?”
Yin Chen frowned.
“Did you come all this way just to give me snacks?”
Wasn’t Lin Yuhan’s office on the other side of town? He’d have to double the commute just to deliver this.
“Hey, you already treated me to two meals. Tit for tat,” Lin Yuhan said casually. “I just started at my job, haven’t gotten paid yet, so I couldn’t afford to take you out. But I cook well, don’t worry. These are my specialty—guaranteed to be good.”
Is this what being friends looks like?
Yin Chen thought for a moment and had a realization.
He glanced at the container in his hands and nodded.
“Alright… I’ll take it then?”
“Yep, if you like it, I’ll make it again next time.”
Lin Yuhan smiled, then casually opened his phone.
“Huh? Tang Chen sent me a message… Is it about the house?”
Snap.
Lin Yuhan’s fingers slipped, and his phone fell to the floor.
Yin Chen reached to pick it up, only to see Lin Yuhan spring upright like a coiled spring.
“My—my ten thousand!”
Lin Yuhan scrambled to retrieve the phone, carefully examining it again and again before exhaling in relief.
Yin Chen couldn’t hide his curiosity.
“What did Tang Chen say that scared you so much?”
He had assumed only someone like Dongfang Wanyou could pull off something like this.
Lin Yuhan’s expression gradually stiffened.
The phone in his hand was growing hot.
Something was off.
Yin Chen’s curiosity deepened.
“Come on, you can’t tell me?”
How could he even begin to explain this kind of thing?
Lin Yuhan inwardly cursed Tang Chen for being so smug and wished he could tear him into eighteen pieces.
Ahhh! Why now, of all times!
If only Yin Chen hadn’t seen it!
He seemed… not want him to see?
The more he tried to hide it, the more Yin Chen wanted to look!
In a flash, Yin Chen snatched the phone away!
Yin Chen glanced at him.
Lin Yuhan was mortified.
Yin Chen froze.
Lin Yuhan wanted to crawl into a hole.
Yin Chen’s gaze gradually turned strange, fixed on Lin Yuhan.
“Anyway, I don’t know anything. Go talk to Tang Chen if it’s important. He’ll understand. I’m heading to work, see you later, let’s not meet up for now, bye!”
Embarrassment maxed out, Lin Yuhan snatched his phone back and sprinted off, not even looking back!
He immediately blocked Tang Chen!
…
The national team really missed out by not having an athlete like this.
Yin Chen watched Lin Yuhan’s retreating back and thought silently.
But come to think of it… why did Tang Chen even join a high-society group?
Yin Chen pondered, then gave up. No answer there.
But that ZWG King…
Yin Chen’s eyes flickered. He called Xie Liu. Some things were better prepared for in advance.
That evening, Yin Chen happily went to meet Zong Cheng for dinner.
Even better barbecue!
My happiness is leveling up again!
On the way, he buckled his seatbelt, curious.
“I could have come on my own. Why do you always pick me up?”
Really… was Zong Cheng being too polite?
Zong Cheng handed him a cup of hot cocoa.
“Warm your hands. It’s fine—if we each drive our own car to dinner, it wouldn’t feel the same.”
Hmm?
Makes sense, actually.
Yin Chen sipped the cocoa and frowned thoughtfully.
What was this? How could it taste as good as “happy chubby water”?
“Never had milk tea or anything?” Zong Cheng asked suddenly.
His eyes followed Yin Chen’s movements, catching every subtle reaction immediately.
“Hmm? Yeah,” Yin Chen answered calmly.
He quickly flipped through his notes. Mistake!
His notes didn’t even mention milk tea.
Judging by Zong Cheng’s tone, this one sounded pretty good too!
“Want to try my other cup? Taro bubble milk tea?”
Zong Cheng inhaled deeply and casually handed the second cup across.
“Not drinking yours?”
Yin Chen didn’t take it.
There were only two cups in the car. Surely Zong Cheng didn’t buy both for himself.
He understood that.
“It’s fine. You haven’t had milk tea before, right? You can choose which one you like better. I’ve tried both, so it doesn’t matter to me.”
Yeah, right.
Zong Cheng looked calm, but inside he was panicking.
He had deliberately picked two completely different flavors!
Two distinct tastes—perfect to test Yin Chen’s preference!
And…
Watching Yin Chen sip and see his Adam’s apple subtly move up and down, Zong Cheng nearly lost it.
Round it off, and…
“Ah, shoot.”
Yin Chen spoke up suddenly, interrupting Zong Cheng’s scheming.
“What’s wrong?”
Zong Cheng saw his serious expression and panicked.
Could it be neither flavor was Yin Chen’s type? Had he hit his threshold?
Yin Chen looked bitterly at the two cups in his hands.
Too hard… too hard!
How could happiness and pleasure be chosen?
This problem was unsolvable!
He agonized for a moment, then slowly looked up.
“Here’s the deal—when we get there, I’ll treat you to a Coke.”
As for the two milk teas…
He had already drunk them.
That made them his milk tea.
Yin Chen calmly held one cup in each hand, even more composed than Zong Cheng.
???
Zong Cheng’s emotions were a mess.
Sure enough, only kids make choices, huh?
Adults… have to take it all.
Speaking of which…
Plan Three could finally be put into action.
After enjoying a delicious barbecue with Yin Chen, Zong Cheng drove him home, casually saying:
“Seems like our tastes match pretty well. How about we eat together sometime? I know some other snacks that are really good—stinky tofu, snail noodles… interested?”
?
Yin Chen looked at Zong Cheng earnestly, heart open.
“Yes!”
Plan successful!
Zong Cheng’s hand clenched under the seat.
The next moment, Yin Chen’s light, airy voice came through his ear.
“Zong Cheng, you’re really a good person.”
…
?
Zong Cheng slowly typed a question mark.
Why was he getting a “good person” card?
Where had his plan gone wrong?
After the winter solstice, the Laba Festival was coming soon.
On Laba, Yin Chen got up early.
Zong Cheng had invited him to a mountain villa for Laba porridge.
Apparently, there would also be other specialty foods.
Ali, as usual, came to help him coordinate his outfit. Hearing he’d be staying at the villa for two days, she remembered the last time Yin Chen had said he was cold outside.
She searched and found a jacket that Yin Chen had worn before.
He tried it on.
“This one’s a bit too small. I can’t wear it over thick clothes. Try another one.”
“…”
Ali held the jacket, hesitating, caught between what she wanted to say and stopping herself.
She glanced at Yin Chen, then at the jacket, questioning herself.
Wait…?
If she remembered correctly, the same model but different style had only been used about two weeks ago.
It had fit perfectly then—how could it be tight now?
Her gaze flicked over Yin Chen’s recently healthy, over-glowing skin.
Then down to his jawline.
The sharp edges seemed… slightly softer?
Her muse…
Gained weight???
Ali felt as if a thunderbolt had struck her, leaving her stunned.
No, no way.
Yin Chen always maintained his figure perfectly!
Absolutely impossible…
As she was thinking, Yin Chen slightly turned to the side.
From this angle, the small imperfection in his jaw was even more noticeable.
Ali was completely frozen.
It… it’s real?!
“What?”
Yin Chen’s tone was calm, finally giving her a fraction of his attention through the mirror.
“…”
Ali fiddled with the jacket for a long moment, then coughed lightly.
How could she delicately hint this to her muse?
After a moment’s thought, she chose a gentle approach.
“It seems colder now that winter’s here?”
“Mm.”
Yin Chen nodded.
Indeed, it had gotten cold. No wonder Ali had been layering him more heavily lately.
Ah…
He didn’t seem to get her point?
Ali groaned inwardly.
She thought carefully and cautiously added:
“You’ve been going to a lot of dinners lately?”
Surely he’d understand now!
“Not too bad, a few friends do call me out to eat.”
Yin Chen’s face remained neutral, but inside he was secretly pleased.
Yes!
I have friends!
And ones to share good food with!
Zong Cheng is the best friend in the world!
Of course, stinky tofu is still number one!
Snail noodles, number one!
Zong Cheng’s cooking, number one!
Ahhh!
Why still doesn’t he understand? Should I just hit him with the truth?!
Ali gritted her teeth.
“Yin Chen, you should try to control how many dinners you attend. Winter is the easiest time to gain weight. By spring, our main focus is still on suits, so you need to maintain your figure.”
?
What nonsense is this? My figure’s always been perfect—!
The moment Yin Chen placed his hand on his abs, he froze.
What did he feel?
His abs? Where did his eight-pack go?
And this thin, but surprisingly present layer… what was it?
Was it stealing my abs?
Yin Chen couldn’t believe it.
His face went pale.
He started questioning everything he’d done recently.
Seeing his reaction, Ali hurried to comfort him.
“It’s not a big problem. A little weight in winter is healthy. As long as you shed it before spring, you’ll be fine.”
Her muse mustn’t be defeated by extra… fat!
Extra… fat?
Fat?
Yin Chen slowly looked down.
So this guilty little layer… is fat?