Yunjian Club.
The top-floor rooms, rarely booked, had been reserved continuously for three days.
The staff had never heard of anyone booking a room for three straight days and couldn’t help whispering amongst themselves.
They weren’t just marveling at the client’s wealth—they were curious about something else.
“I heard they haven’t had anyone clean the room for three days?”
“And no meals ordered either!”
“When I cleaned outside, I thought I heard crying from inside. But… it also sounded like… you know…”
The staff exchanged knowing, slightly scandalous looks before quickly falling silent.
The room on the top floor cost more in one day than they’d earn in a lifetime. Gossiping about it was enough; more than that could be deadly.
Inside the room, the incense had mostly burned out.
The air was thick with a familiar yet strange, provocative scent, and stains crept from the doorway to the floor-to-ceiling windows.
Yet on the bed, a man with unnaturally pale skin sat neatly.
He swirled a glass of white liquid, sipping slowly.
His narrow, slightly hooded eyes were sharp and sinister, like a cold-blooded predator.
He wore a pristine bathrobe, tied neatly with a bow. His posture was elegant, calm, and composed—yet his eyes glittered with an appreciative gleam.
“You’re very obedient.”
Zhuo Yuan’s voice was filled with delight and admiration.
“Compared to you, everyone else is just inferior.”
He stood, carefully avoiding the stains on the expensive carpet, each step landing as if on Jing Yuan’s heart, until he reached him.
“The deal you proposed—I’ve agreed. But you should know what comes next.”
Jing Yuan’s eyes, bloodshot and unnaturally red, stared at him.
His gaze was scattered but laced with deep calm and burning resentment.
Drool escaped uncontrollably, yet his voice remained soft, almost sweet.
“…I understand, zhuren.”
“You’ve been so good. I’ve already taken care of your agent. I’ll get you a watch endorsement—it’ll be your reward this time.”
Zhuo Yuan said this, his smile suddenly widening.
No!
Jing Yuan’s subconscious flashed the thought.
The next moment, Zhuo Yuan suddenly pulled out a glass rod, a strange mix of clear, yellow, and white liquid inside.
The faint dripping sound echoed again, just like it had over the past few days.
Jing Yuan’s pupils went completely blank. As he fell backward, only one thought crossed his mind:
He had won.
This time, he had really won—he had a chance to rise again.
Three days’ time would be enough for his agent to panic when he couldn’t find Jing Yuan and attempt to bring him down.
But at the critical moment, he had been taken away.
Nie Luo had been keeping an eye on both of them. Within three minutes of the agent disappearing, his people had already sent him updates.
Who?
Before he could think further, Nie Luo received a call.
It was Fan Qing, sounding a little hurried.
“Do you know Jing Yuan has been missing for three days, and his agent just disappeared too?”
Fan Qing?
How did he find out so fast?
Had he been keeping track of this the whole time?
Nie Luo reacted almost instantly. His throat moved slightly.
“…You’ve been worried about me?”
All this time?
Fan Qing caught the implication behind his words.
A hint of anxiousness from earlier quickly dissipated as Nie Luo’s simple words reached him.
His laugh traveled over the phone, warm and teasing.
“I like Nie Ge so much, of course I’ve been worried.”
Nie Luo was momentarily speechless.
He rubbed his ear, muttering.
“…Didn’t I tell you before—stop saying things like that?”
That wouldn’t do.
Fan Qing could almost imagine Nie Luo’s shy expression just from this.
“But I never agreed back then, did I?”
Nie Luo was quiet for a moment.
Fan Qing, still smiling, waited.
After a while, Nie Luo finally made a soft sound.
“You didn’t agree.”
So he had actually thought about it seriously?
One, two, three…
Counting to three in his mind, Fan Qing heard Nie Luo speak again over the line.
“But now you can say yes. That counts too.”
Through the phone, Nie Luo’s voice was earnest—not as crisp and pure as in person, but equally cute, Fan Qing thought, propping his chin up.
To recall the past so carefully and then demand agreement—too adorable.
But…
Fan Qing smiled and declined.
“I don’t think I can agree.”
Nie Luo was puzzled.
“Why?”
Fan Qing chuckled softly, his voice drifting into the wind.
“Because I don’t think I could do it.”
This time, Nie Luo fell silent even longer.
Long enough that Fan Qing began to wonder if he wasn’t even there—then Nie Luo’s voice returned, tinged with deeper curiosity.
“…Is it… because you like me too much?”
Fan Qing paused slightly.
“Yes. Because I like you too much.”
Because of liking him, he couldn’t help himself.
Nie Luo only stayed silent for a moment, then softly replied,
“I understand.”
Understood… and then?
Fan Qing didn’t wait for a response. Soon, other voices came through the line, faintly mentioning the studio and such.
“I’m a little busy, so I’ll hang up first,” Nie Luo’s voice said.
“I’m keeping an eye on things over there—you don’t need to worry,” he paused, then cautiously added, “You can worry a little less.”
“…I feel like I’ve come at a bad time.”
At the doorway, Jin Yi glanced briefly and decisively interrupted Fan Qing.
It wasn’t anything else—he just preferred Fan Qing in that calm, collected state. This constant grinning, happy expression was a little too much for him.
Fan Qing shot him a glance, smoothly putting away the smile.
…Damn! Did this guy really know what was going on in his mind?
Jin Yi was a little dumbfounded.
But why had he come in anyway?
“I heard some rumors about Zhuo Yuan, the one you asked me to keep an eye on.”
“What rumors?”
Fan Qing’s tone instantly sharpened, his gaze following suit.
Hmph—always grinning at old Nie Luo. Double standard.
Jin Yi walked over and sat on the sofa.
“Not sure how reliable it is, but someone said they saw him at Yunjian Club.”
“Yunjian Club?”
Sounded like some exclusive high-class club.
Fan Qing wasn’t familiar with the place, so he asked Jin Yi directly.
“Something like that. A membership-only place. Not really my scene. Heard the owners have connections to both the law and underworld, pretty capable. But people who go there… let’s just say they get a little wild. I went once—didn’t suit me, so I never went back.”
Jin Yi’s tone carried a hint of distaste.
If even Second Young Master felt uncomfortable there…
Fan Qing mentally compared it to Jin Yi’s previous swimsuit and pajama parties and got a rough sense.
“Do you know what Zhuo Yuan was doing there?”
“That I don’t know.”
Jin Yi sighed dramatically.
“I don’t have professional resources like my brother. I just asked a few guys I know to keep an eye. And the club’s privacy is tight; the only reason we know he was there is pure coincidence—my guys happened to see him leave.”
Leave?
Fan Qing quickly caught the key point.
“When did he leave? Do you know?”
“Hmm?”
Jin Yi froze for a moment. “You need to ask that? Wait here.”
He immediately pulled out his phone and made a call.
Fan Qing watched as he quickly arranged a meeting with a couple of friends in just two minutes and came back with an answer for him.
“They said it was around eleven this morning when they saw him.”
Eleven in the morning?
Fan Qing quickly did the math.
He had received news of Jing Yuan’s agent going missing around noon. If that was the case… could the agent’s disappearance have something to do with Zhuo Yuan?
And what about Jing Yuan, missing for three days…?
Fan Qing was still pondering when Jin Yi, who had been fiddling with his phone on the sofa, suddenly let out a startled shout.
“Holy crap! That bastard actually dared to show up again?”
“What?”
Fan Qing instinctively looked over.
Jin Yi grabbed his phone and rushed over.
“It’s Jing Yuan! Check out his Weibo—how is he still hopping around like nothing happened?”
Jing Yuan?
Fan Qing took the phone, but a thought immediately flashed through his mind.
Could it be… that his suspicion was right? Jing Yuan and that Mr. Zhuo…
Jing Yuan’s Weibo post had been up for less than five minutes, and yet it was already causing a stir.
Jing Yuan v:
Sorry everyone. Over the past few days, I’ve been communicating with the company and my agent, and I finally feel I can give a clear explanation.
First, I want to apologize to Nie Ge @Nie Luo. When I first joined the company, I wanted to be as excellent as Nie Ge. I was very happy and obedient when my agent signed me. I did everything my agent told me to do. Step by step, I reached today, thinking it was all my hard work and effort—but behind the scenes, my agent had already been acting against Nie Ge without my knowledge.
As someone who benefited from this, I can’t blame my agent. But after repeated confirmation with the company, they have already punished the agent for their actions. As for me, I can only say sorry to Nie Ge and wish him all the best. If he ever needs me, I am willing to help him fully.
Lastly, thank you to the fans who have been cheering for me these three days. Without you, I might not have had the courage to stand up and clarify. I don’t expect forgiveness—just that if you see my efforts in the future and feel moved, say a word of encouragement.
Jin Yi was practically boiling with frustration after reading the post.
“What the hell? The evidence is clear, and he’s still trying to whitewash himself?”
Fan Qing, on the other hand, thought differently.
He quickly pulled up the company’s official account.
Sure enough, the company had let the agent take all the blame.
And they were still trying to save face for Jing Yuan?
Fan Qing frowned.
“This move… is tricky.”
“What? Those fans are blind or crazy? Jing Yuan just plays the victim a little and they believe him?”
Jin Yi suddenly acted shocked.
“Believe him?”
Fan Qing hadn’t heard clearly.
“Look for yourself—this is infuriating! He actually gets away with it? And the fans actually believe it?”
Jin Yi, fuming, shoved the phone into Fan Qing’s hands.
He didn’t even want to see this disgusting nonsense anymore!
Fan Qing glanced at the phone, helplessly taking it.
Jin Yi’s screen was on the fan comments under Jing Yuan’s Weibo.
“Finally, Jing Yuan responded!!! We were so worried! I knew you didn’t know about all this—the agent did things that were really awful, but you’re innocent. Don’t lose heart. We’ll continue supporting you. Don’t let anyone affect you—keep it up!”
The comment refreshed, already getting the top likes.
Fan Qing watched for a moment and smiled.
“He’s really panicking now.”
“???!”
Jin Yi didn’t understand.
“How can you smile at a time like this? Who else is panicking?”
Fan Qing looked at him meaningfully.
“The person I told you to keep an eye on—didn’t that give you a clue?”
“A clue…?”
Jin Yi went blank.
“…Wait, you mean Zhuo Yuan?”
He hesitated, unsure.
After a long pause, Jin Yi’s eyes suddenly lit up!
He snatched the phone back from Fan Qing and ran off.
Fan Qing: ?
“What’s the rush?”
“I’m having my friend check again! With gossip this big, I need the freshest details!”
That was the notorious, extremely twisted Zhuo Yuan. Now that the chance had come, he absolutely had to find out just how far Zhuo Yuan would go.