Chapter 36: Exposure

Chapter 36: Exposure

The amusement park had been heavily advertised a week before its anniversary event, introducing various flashy attractions that were expensive and not worth the price, seemingly designed to entice young girls into parting with their money - that was Xue Jin's opinion.

But since Lin An-ni enjoyed it, she ran about the park wildly, purchasing souvenirs. Before long, she held a giant, multicolored rabbit-shaped cotton candy in her left hand and a towering stack of four ice cream balls in her right, causing Xue Jin's teeth to ache just looking at it.

Xue Jin roughly ruffled the rabbit headband on Lin An-ni's head. "Don't you find it uncomfortable eating ice cream in this cold weather? With four scoops, no less?"

Lin An-ni dodged his touch, pouting. "What's that supposed to mean? I waited in line for so long, and this one ice cream cost me 150 yuan!"

Xue Jin clicked his tongue. "Easy come, easy go for a wealthy lady like you."

"Xue Jin!"

Lin An-ni stomped her foot in frustration, but then, one of the ice cream scoops suddenly plopped onto the ground with a "pat," leaving only an empty cone. Her eyes widened in shock. "My ice cream! You have to pay for it!"

Xue Jin quickly took two steps back, wary of provoking her anger. He raised his hands in surrender. "Alright, alright, don't be angry. I'll buy you another one."

Xue Jin had never won an argument with his girlfriend. After finishing his speech, he found the ice cream shop in the bustling night and hurried over to join the queue. Standing there, Lin An-ni was both heartbroken and angry. She crouched down, intending to fetch a tissue from her bag to clean up the melting ice cream, but with both hands occupied, she couldn't manage.

Just as Lin An-ni was in a dilemma, an unfamiliar male voice echoed above her head:

"Miss, do you need a tissue?"

Sitting on a bench, Lu Yan had been waiting for Yu Zechuan to return from the restroom. His gaze wandered and landed on a young girl wearing a rabbit headband, crouching on the ground with a melting ice cream cone beside her, appearing on the verge of tears.

Her face seemed familiar, but he couldn't recall where they'd met. Amidst the throngs of people, she was almost knocked over.

After a moment's consideration, Lu Yan decided to approach her.

Raising her head at the sound, Lin An-ni saw a handsome tall guy squatting in front of her, holding a pack of tissues. She froze for a moment before blushing and awkwardly thanking him, "Thank you, I... "

She instinctively reached out to take them, only to realize her hands were full. Sensing her predicament, Lu Yan skillfully wrapped the half-melted ice cream with the tissue and stood up to dispose of it in a nearby bin.

Seeing this, Lin An-ni stood up from the ground, feeling even more embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I've troubled you."

"No problem," Lu Yan wiped his hands with the tissue and advised, "There are many people here, don't crouch on the ground. It could be dangerous, someone might accidentally step on you."

Having finished his statement, he turned back to the bench and resumed his wait for Yu Zechuan. His nonchalant approach to chatting up women improved Annie's impression of him.

When Xue Jin returned with the ice cream, Annie had already finished her cone. He playfully pinched her bunny hair clip and asked with a smile, "How about another? Can you still manage?"

Annie stomped her foot in annoyance but hesitated, fearing she might drop the ice cream. She grumbled, "You're the one who should be ashamed. You didn't even bother to clean up the ice cream that fell on the ground. Luckily, a handsome guy nearby offered me a tissue. Otherwise, I would've been so embarrassed."

Xue Jin dismissed her complaint, teasing, "Everyone looks like a heartthrob to you."

Annie retorted, "Not at all. He was genuinely handsome, even more so than you... Look, he's sitting right there on that bench. Don't believe me? Check it out yourself."

Annie had high standards when it came to assessing people's appearance. If she called someone handsome, they truly were.

Driven by some competitive instinct, Xue Jin couldn't resist stealing a glance. However, upon seeing who was sitting on the bench, his expression changed abruptly.

It was none other than Lu Yan.

Recalling the two figures he'd seen entering the park, Xue Jin's heart sank. Swiftly, he handed the ice cream cone to Annie and instructed urgently, "Stay here and wait for me. Don't go anywhere!"

Xue Jin usually wore a cheerful smile, rarely appearing so serious. Annie was startled, asking, "What's wrong? Where are you going?"

Xue Jin had already turned and strode towards Lu Yan, his face dark with fury that was consuming his rationality. Many inexplicable occurrences suddenly made sense – the flowers mysteriously appearing at Yu Zechuan's home, the neighbor who unexpectedly started delivering meals, and Yu Zechuan's unexplained overnight absences – it was all due to this guy, Lu Yan!

Lu Yan, sitting comfortably in his chair, was suddenly confronted by a blue figure before him. He instinctively looked up, only to see an unexpectedly familiar face, causing him to pause in surprise.

No way,

Lu Yan thought to himself. How could he run into Xue Jin just by visiting an amusement park? What kind of ridiculous luck was this?

Standing before Lu Yan, Xue Jin's gaze behind his glasses was sharp, his tone grim as he said, "Lu Yan, what game are you playing?!"

In truth, Xue Jin's fear outweighed his anger. Each of them had their own motives – Yu Zechuan sought revenge, and so did he. Only Lu Yan seemed to have randomly inserted himself into this turmoil without any apparent reason, linking himself to them in some inexplicable way.

This ambiguous relationship between friend and foe stirred a deep sense of unease within him.

Still unclear about the situation, Lu Yan rose from the bench and lifted an eyebrow nonchalantly. "President Xue, I seem to have missed your point. Care to elaborate?"

Xue Jin believed Lu Yan was deliberately pretending ignorance. He grabbed the collar of Lu Yan's shirt, lowering his voice as he interrogated, "Don't think I'm unaware that you live next to Ze Chuan. Speak up! What is your purpose for getting close to us?!"

Xue Jin was actually more ruthless than Yu Zechuan. It was evident from the previous game when he attempted to assassinate Lu Yan: "Do you believe I can make you disappear without a trace at any moment?"

Standing afar, Lin An-ni was unaware of the situation. Witnessing Xue Jin suddenly lunge at Lu Yan, her face paled in shock. She hurriedly rushed forward to intervene, exclaiming, "Xue Jin! What are you doing? Let him go right now!"

Wasn't it just a compliment about his appearance? Why was Xue Jin so jealous?

If not for holding something in her hands, Lin An-ni would have already stepped in. Frustrated, she stomped on Xue Jin's feet several times, feeling extremely embarrassed by his rudeness: "Didn't you hear me? I told you to let him go!"

Xue Jin, however, merely glared coldly at Lu Yan without saying a word, intensifying the tension.

Lu Yan allowed himself to be held, maintaining an extraordinary calm demeanor.

It was a sharp and familiar voice that abruptly shattered the tranquility: "What are you all doing?!"

Lu Yan's pupils constricted upon hearing this, instinctively looking into the distance. There, he saw Yu Zechuan standing not far away, observing them with knitted brows. His expression was a mix of surprise, displeasure, but mostly confusion.

Yu Zechuan clearly couldn't comprehend how, after a mere trip to the restroom, he found Xue Jin and Lin An-ni here, seemingly on the verge of a confrontation with Lu Yan.

In his understanding, the two shouldn't know each other.

Lin An-ni was also surprised. "Brother Ze Chuan, why are you here?!"

Yu Zechuan didn't have time to respond. He stepped between the two and gently pushed Xue Jin, making him release Lu Yan's collar. With a frown, he asked, "What's going on?!"

Xue Jin laughed out of anger. "You're asking me? I want to ask you! Don't you know who he is?!"

Upon his words, the other three fell into an eerie silence.

Lu Yan thought to himself that indeed, secrets can't be kept forever. The day had finally come. However, a strange sense of relief washed over him. After all, he had been living in constant anxiety for too long; it was better to just face it.

A fleeting hint of panic flashed in Yu Zechuan's eyes, but it was due to the awkwardness of their relationship being exposed. Xue Jin had always disapproved of his interactions with strangers. If he found out that Yu Zechuan had developed a one-night stand with the neighbor in just a few days, he would surely be furious.

Lost in thought, Lin An-ni wondered how the handsome guy who lent her tissues seemed so closely related to Brother Ze Chuan. Clearly, Xue Jin was her boyfriend, so why did he look like he had caught someone in the act?

The ice cream was melting, and Lin An-ni couldn't resist secretly licking it.

"Slurp!"

Her outburst drew everyone's attention, and three pairs of eyes locked onto Lin An-ni, making her feel an immense pressure that froze her in place.

"..."

In the end, it was Yu Zechuan who broke the silence, addressing Xue Jin with an emotionless tone, "I know you have something to discuss with me. First, take Annie home. I'll be waiting for you at the apartment."

Yu Zechuan wasn't naive; he had finally detected an unusual undertone in Xue Jin's words. However, the amusement park was not the place for such conversations, so he suppressed his curiosity forcefully.

Xue Jin looked at him, as if wanting to say more but ultimately nodded, "Alright."

Without another word, he left the amusement park with the bewildered Lin An-ni, their figures quickly disappearing into the crowd.

At this moment, Yu Zechuan still didn't suspect Lu Yan.

After all, Lu Yan had been so kind and gentle towards him.

He hadn't minded Yu Zechuan's unpredictable moods, nor had he shown disdain for his unusual illness. He even remembered all of Yu Zechuan's preferences, the casual remarks made during episodes...

How could someone like that harm him?

Yu Zechuan forced a smile, the corners of his lips twitching into a rigid curve. It was evident he was trying hard to maintain a cheerful expression. "Sorry about that, he's my friend. We might not be able to continue with the plans today."

Looking at Lu Yan, his gaze darkened as he pondered over something. "Let's head back first."

Lu Yan had remained silent throughout the entire encounter. As he was about to become a defendant, anything he said now would only hasten the revelation of the truth. He sensed that Yu Zechuan might have caught on to something, but the signs weren't clear.

After a long silence, Lu Yan managed a small smile and spoke a single word:

"Sure."

They hailed a taxi on the roadside to return home, both remaining quiet during the journey. As they ascended in the elevator, Lu Yan prepared to unlock the door when Yu Zechuan unexpectedly spoke, "Come over to my place for a bit."

It was a statement, leaving no room for Lu Yan's choice.

Lu Yan's fingers paused for a moment before he compliantly withdrew them, still maintaining his amiable demeanor. "Alright."

This wasn't Lu Yan's first visit to Yu Zechuan's house, so he moved with familiarity. After settling on the sofa, he showed no signs of nervousness and even found leisure to peel an orange. "What do you want for dinner? I'll cook for you."

In the kitchen, Yu Zechuan poured himself a glass of orange juice, then carried it out. "No rush, some friends of mine haven't arrived yet."

He didn't inquire whether Lu Yan knew Xue Jin or the reason behind the conflict at the amusement park. Instead, he sat beside Lu Yan and passed him a glass of orange juice. "This orange is quite sour. Have some juice instead."

Lu Yan enjoyed eating oranges, probably because they were beneficial to his health. After Yu Zechuan woke up that morning, he ordered takeout and stocked up on a pile of orange-flavored items, including jelly snacks and beverages.

They had infiltrated each other's lives, leaving traces behind.

Lu Yan paused at the sight. He took the cup and drank silently, sip by sip. The juice was tart with a slightly bitter aftertaste, a flavor that many might find unpalatable. But if it were too sweet, it wouldn't resemble orange juice anymore.

"Yu Zechuan,"

Lu Yan placed the cup back on the coffee table, watching as the remaining juice trickled down the transparent wall of the glass. He suddenly spoke softly,

"No matter what happens, remember this: I would never harm you."

He genuinely had no intention to hurt Yu Zechuan. Lu Yan's desperate desire for survival might push him to tell a few small lies, but anything beyond that was out of the question. Any betrayal, no matter how small, could potentially be the final straw that broke Yu Zechuan.

Yu Zechuan lowered his gaze, sitting on the sofa with the half-peeled orange in hand. He tossed it up and down absentmindedly, a faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips upon hearing Lu Yan's words. "Is that so?"

Then, he fell silent, leaving the conversation hanging.

The window was left open when he left home today. The chill of the night crept in through the cracks, billowing the cold-toned curtains, while the silhouette of the towering buildings outside danced in the shadows.

The silence was abruptly shattered by a sudden, urgent ring of the doorbell.

Lu Yan realized that Xue Jin might have arrived and, being perceptive, rose from the sofa. "Your friend is here. I should head back."

Yu Zechuan nodded, not bothering to stand up to see him off. He watched Lu Yan walk towards the door, one step, two steps, three, until he stumbled, reaching out to grasp the wall for support as dizziness overwhelmed him. Yu Zechuan, unhurriedly, rose to his feet and extended his hand to catch Lu Yan's faltering body.

Lu Yan's limbs felt weak, unable to support him due to the dizziness. It dawned on him, and he looked at Yu Zechuan in astonishment. "You... You drugged my drink?"

"What else would it be?"

Yu Zechuan stared at Lu Yan expressionlessly, leaning closer to his ear and whispering,

"How long were you planning to deceive me, Lu Yan?"