Chapter 50: You’ll Understand Soon Enough

A shattered light flickered in her eyes as she gazed indifferently at the man before her.

Shen Yan’s body shuddered violently; Beitang Mo’s words echoed in his ears. He looked up, wounded by the expression she wore.

Was he truly the one who’d gone too far?

But she hadn’t been like this before. She’d even been willing to be intimate with him. Where had things gone wrong?

Shen Yan’s hands slackened as he smoothed her clothes. “Yao Yao, I…”

Ye Yaoyao shot him a glare, then pushed open the car door and got out from the other side.

Returning to her own car, she startled Feng Yuqi, who obediently got out as well.

Ye Yaoyao drove away.

Feng Yuqi returned to Shen Yan’s side. Shen Yan bowed his head, despondent. “Do you think… it really is my fault?”

Feng Yuqi remained silent, offering no answer.

…

When Yu Wanqing heard about what had happened, her jaw nearly dropped in shock.

“No way! Is there something wrong with Shen Yan?”

After venting her anger, Yu Wanqing’s tone shifted to guilt. “Yaoyao, to be honest, this is all my fault. If I hadn’t asked you to take my place, none of this would have happened…”

“Wanqing, those are two separate matters. No matter what, it’s not an excuse for Shen Yan to do what he did,” Ye Yaoyao replied coldly.

She began to question her own judgment—how could she have ever been interested in someone like him?

The atmosphere grew tense. Yu Wanqing waved her hand to change the subject. “Let’s talk about something happier. I have something to show you.”

She handed her phone to Ye Yaoyao. “Guess who this is?”

“Yan Cheng? He joined the entertainment industry?”

Ye Yaoyao had been preoccupied lately, completely forgetting about this.

“That’s right. That guy made a quiet but impressive entrance into the industry, and he’s done quite well for himself,” Yu Wanqing said, pulling up Gu Yancheng’s recent schedule. “He’s the hottest young star right now—major brands are vying for him, and he’s filming movie after TV series without pause.”

Ye Yaoyao took the phone, feeling the same mix of pride and nostalgia as Yu Wanqing.

They both felt as though their own child had grown up.

As she scrolled down, she suddenly saw Qin Miao’s name.

“Qin Miao?”

“Exactly. In this next project, Yan Cheng was set to play the male lead, and Qin Miao the female lead.”

Yu Wanqing’s voice took on a note of pride. “When Yan Cheng heard he’d be working with Qin Miao, he immediately refused the role because he didn’t like her as the female lead.”

They both knew the real reason behind this.

Gu Yancheng’s entry into the entertainment world was recent; by rights, Qin Miao was something of a senior to him. But Gu Yancheng was fearless. With his looks, physique, talent in singing, dancing, and acting, there was nothing to criticize. He’d amassed a huge following of fans who admired both his appearance and his career, becoming an influential figure.

The show’s popularity could largely be attributed to him.

And what did Qin Miao have? Scandals everywhere, and her recent apology video had only made things worse. This project had been hers through backdoor connections, but facing direct opposition now, she simply couldn’t withstand the pressure.

After understanding the situation, Ye Yaoyao raised an eyebrow. “So the show must be a big deal? Qin Miao will probably do anything to get in.”

“Of course. She’ll likely try to win Yan Cheng over in the coming days,” Yu Wanqing replied. “After all, he holds all the cards now.”

“This will be interesting to watch.”

Gu Yancheng was loyal. Given the relationship between Ye Yaoyao and Qin Miao, there was no way he would ever agree.

“The show will come right to your doorstep,” Yu Wanqing added with a meaningful smile.

Soon, the private room’s door was pushed open, and Gu Yancheng entered, bundled up from head to toe.

He removed his hat, mask, and glasses, revealing a vibrant, energetic face. He’d lost a bit of weight, but years of consistent training had left his body lean and muscular.

“Wow, you’re really making an entrance! What, are your fangirls so crazy now?” Yu Wanqing asked curiously. Having a superstar friend was truly something else.

Gu Yancheng glanced at her but didn’t rush to respond. Instead, he turned, his gaze gentle as he looked at Ye Yaoyao. “Yaoyao, it’s been a while.”

Whack!

Yu Wanqing slapped the menu onto the table and leaned over to pinch Gu Yancheng’s ear. “What’s this about? Isn’t it ‘been a while’ for me too? Are you really putting romance before friendship?”

“Ow—alright, alright, I was wrong, okay?” Gu Yancheng rubbed his ear, then said, “Let’s order. I’m starving.”

“I’ll go first,” Yu Wanqing said, opening the menu.

Ye Yaoyao simply smiled.

To be honest, things were still a little awkward between her and Gu Yancheng. After all, he’d just confessed to her not long ago, and had openly shown his favoritism just now.

As Yu Wanqing flipped through the menu, she muttered, “I’m going to eat you out of house and home today, just for offending me earlier.”

“No problem, order whatever you want. Someone else is paying,” Gu Yancheng replied.

That one sentence ignited Yu Wanqing’s gossip-loving spirit.

“Who is it?”

Gu Yancheng refused to say.

Yu Wanqing guessed, “Don’t tell me you’ve been kept by some rich woman?”

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Gu Yancheng shot a glance at Ye Yaoyao, worried she’d misunderstand. He quickly explained, “You’ll see in a bit. So just order whatever you like, it doesn’t matter if we finish it or not. Just enjoy yourselves.”

With that assurance, Yu Wanqing showed no restraint, ordering the most expensive set for eight that the restaurant offered.

After she finished, Ye Yaoyao didn’t add anything.

“That’s plenty,” she said.

“Not yet,” Gu Yancheng replied, grabbing the menu and adding more dishes with a flurry of clicks.

Fortunately, the table was large—otherwise, there wouldn’t have been enough room.

Gu Yancheng sat beside Ye Yaoyao, serving her food and taking care of her attentively.

Yu Wanqing didn’t feel jealous; she knew she was the third wheel here.

“Yan Cheng, you’re really something—quietly making big moves, suddenly joining showbiz and becoming a top star.”

“Life is about trying new things,” Gu Yancheng replied.

He had joined the entertainment industry just days after his confession was rejected. Though he claimed it didn’t matter, the pain ran deep.

He’d thought he finally had a chance, only to see that dream shatter.

It was then that he’d been discovered by a talent scout. Hoping to stay busy and distract himself, and feeling lost after returning to the country with no clear direction, he decided to give it a shot.

He never expected to make a name for himself in the industry.

Later, Gu Yancheng realized that whenever Qin Miao attacked Ye Yaoyao through the media, his own influence in the circle could help protect her. That drove him to work even harder.

Every time he reflected, he found that everything in his life revolved around Ye Yaoyao—and that brought him happiness, giving his life meaning.

“Oh, acting all modest now. Isn’t your next project with Qin Miao?” Yu Wanqing teased.

To Gu Yancheng, though, it sounded like an accusation.

“I didn’t know when I first agreed,” he said, glancing at Ye Yaoyao several times as he spoke. “But I’ve already made it clear: if they don’t replace Qin Miao, I’m walking away.”

“Is your word that powerful?” Yu Wanqing continued to tease.

Gu Yancheng, undisturbed by the provocation, looked right at her. “You’ll find out soon enough.”