Chapter 122 – Exposure

Chapter 122 - Exposure

Among the young masters who had arrived with Duan Jiyang was a cool dude with clean skin and small dreadlocks. He glanced at Lu Yan, raised his chin slightly, and gestured towards the door. "What are you waiting for? Your fiancé ran off with your older brother. Aren't you going to chase after them to see what's happening?"

His choice of title would have been perfect for a job at UC.

Lu Yan gave a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Why would I chase after them while they're in love? What am I supposed to do?"

He couldn't avoid these two fast enough.

Lu Bing had been abroad for too long and wasn't familiar with the situation. Today's gathering was something Lu Wanshan had specifically arranged for Lu Yan to lead him into, in order to connect with other wealthy second-generation heirs from the same social stratum. Now that Lu Bing had run off, Lu Yan couldn't just go back alone. He could only sit in the private room and continue waiting, and Duan Jiyang's friends conveniently stayed behind as well.

They were all rich second-generation heirs, but even among the rich second-generation, there were different classes. The friends who hung out with Duan Jiyang clearly formed their own circle. Their families were either involved in finance or owned law firms, unlike the others who did smaller businesses. After they sat down, the atmosphere in the private room became noticeably tense and overly quiet.

Those few young masters were quite familiar with each other. Occasionally, they would laugh and say a few words, but most of their gazes fell on Lu Yan, probing, pondering, mocking. After all, the Lu family's strength wasn't enough to earn them a ticket into this circle. If Lu Yan lost his identity as Duan Jiyang's fiancé, he would quickly fall into the dust. They were all curious about why Lu Yan seemed so calm.

The cool dude with the dreadlocks was named Chen Qianyan. As his name suggested, he had a thousand words ready for you. Rumor had it that his family was involved in online news, and he had inherited a bit of a professional disease. Sitting next to Lu Yan, he asked questions left and right, making people suspect that what he held in his hand wasn't a glass of alcohol, but a microphone.

"Hey, don't blame me for not warning you. There's an eighty percent chance that once they run off together, old flames will reignite. Whether you can keep your position as fiancé is anyone's guess then."

Chen Qianyan was one of the closer friends of Duan Jiyang. When Lu Yan used to follow Duan Jiyang around like a lovesick puppy, they all saw it. To see him restrain himself from chasing after them in a scene like today was truly rare.

Lu Yan said sincerely, "I really hope that President Duan and my brother reignite their old flames. They're such a good match."

Lock them up, thank you!!

Chen Qianyan looked at him in surprise. "If you really care about Duan Jiyang, you'd better go take a look. His father isn't exactly known for his good temper. When Duan Jiyang and Lu Bing were together before, it caused a huge uproar, and he didn't even bother managing the company. If Chairman Duan finds out that they're entangled again, there will definitely be trouble."

Lu Yan didn't want to go in the first place, and hearing this, he was even less inclined to. He even had the leisure to eat some melon. "What kind of trouble could happen?"

Chen Qianyan didn't hide anything from him. "I heard that Chairman Duan has a bastard son outside, and he's been visiting frequently recently. If he brings him into his own company to cultivate, wouldn't that cause a huge mess?"

Such things generally wouldn't happen in other families. After all, how could a bastard son compare to a carefully groomed heir? But Duan Jianfeng was notoriously controlling in the business world. He didn't care about reputation; he only cared if the heir was obedient. If he lost control, it wasn't impossible for him to replace his son with another.

Hearing this, Lu Yan lowered his eyes, thinking that this wasn't a huge disaster, but a huge blessing. If the "bastard son" that Chen Qianyan mentioned really succeeded in taking over, Duan Jiyang would completely lose power and no longer pose a threat to him.

"I'll go take a look."

After saying this, Lu Yan put down the drink in his hand on the table and got up to leave. In case Duan Jiyang and Lu Bing didn't successfully reconcile, he still had to find a way to bring them together.

After Lu Yan left, another man kicked Chen Qianyan's foot. "Jiyang doesn't even like him. Why are you still persuading him to follow?"

Chen Qianyan closed his eyes and moved his neck. "Have you read too many fairy tales? What era is this? You're still talking about mutual affection. We only consider whether we're suitable when we get married. Like? What's that?"

It didn't matter if Lu Yan played tricks and schemes, at least he genuinely liked Duan Jiyang and wouldn't interfere with Duan Jiyang's judgment. Lu Bing was aloof and arrogant, and such a person would only bring trouble.

After leaving the private room, Lu Yan followed the long corridor, and not far away, he saw two familiar figures at the corner of the stairs. The argument was intense, audible even from a distance. It was clearly Duan Jiyang and Lu Bing.

"Duan Jiyang, can't you let me go? I told you from the beginning that we weren't a good match. I just want to live a peaceful life by myself now. Whether you find Jian Yixuan or Lu Yan, it has nothing to do with me. I only beg you to let me go!"

Lu Bing was usually emotionally reserved, giving off the impression of being a flower on a high peak to outsiders. But now, he unexpectedly lost control, struggling hard to break free from Duan Jiyang's grip.

Duan Jiyang gripped his shoulders tightly, his eyes bloodshot, refusing to let go. "What Jian Yixuan? I've already told you that I broke things off with him a long time ago. Why won't you believe me! Lu Bing, when you left without a word and went abroad for so long, did you ever consider my feelings?!"

Aside from the incident with Jian Yixuan, Duan Jiyang had indeed been devoted to Lu Bing. Not only did he help support the Lu family's business, but he also funded a studio for him. He was almost at the point of doing anything Lu Bing asked.

Duan Jiyang felt he had done enough. Facing Lu Bing's rejection and coldness, he couldn't help feeling disheartened.

But Lu Bing didn't believe a single word. He choked back tears and questioned, "Duan Jiyang, do you take me for a fool? If it wasn't for Lu Yan telling me about your affair with Jian Yixuan, would you have planned to hide it from me forever?!"

This sentence was like a needle, suddenly piercing through the windowpane. Hearing this, Duan Jiyang's expression changed, his tone chilling to the bone. "What did you say? That thing back then was told to you by Lu Yan?!"

Lu Yan, who was hiding behind the wall eating melon: "..."

Lu Yan finally understood what it meant to be sitting at home when disaster struck from the sky. Lu Bing's mouth was really loose!

Duan Jiyang and Lu Bing were almost at the point of marriage back then. One could imagine how much he hated the person who exposed the truth. Suddenly learning the truth from Lu Bing's mouth, he was so angry that his lungs were about to explode. He released Lu Bing and turned around to settle accounts with Lu Yan, but he didn't expect to see the latter standing at the corner of the corridor just a few steps away.

Duan Jiyang paused in his tracks. "…"

Perhaps it was because the lighting in the bar corridor was too dim, and thus the person standing under the light inevitably took on a mysterious aura. Lu Yan had clearly eavesdropped on their conversation and should know how angry Duan Jiyang was now, yet he showed no sign of panic. He watched this drama unfold, his smile clear, his eyes like hooks, stirring up unease in one's heart.

Whoosh!

The anger burning in Duan Jiyang's heart suddenly extinguished, as if someone had poured a bucket of cold water over his head, leaving only a faint wisp of smoke. He secretly pinched himself hard, as if this could restore some of his confidence. His gaze fixed on Lu Yan, he asked in a tone devoid of emotion, "Was it you who told Lu Bing about that thing back then?"

Lu Yan smiled, his main strategy being righteousness and audacity. "So what if it was me?"

Forget it, he couldn't hide it anyway. He might as well admit it. He didn't believe that Duan Jiyang dared to kill him in public.

Duan Jiyang's brows furrowed so deeply they could crush a fly. "Did you resort to any means just to get engaged to me? Even harming your own older brother?!"

Lu Yan thought that Duan Jiyang was quite good at flattering himself. With a sneer, he said, "What do you mean by harming him? Wasn't it true that you were dating Lu Bing while secretly meeting Jian Yixuan in the apartment? Wasn't it true that you were playing both sides? Telling Lu Bing the truth, is that considered harming him? If I were to marry you in the future, could I also secretly meet other men outside?"

Lu Yan's string of questions left Duan Jiyang speechless. His face was ugly, feeling as if his most secret thoughts had been exposed. Lowering his voice, he warned, "Lu Yan, do you think I'll give in and marry you like this? Let me tell you, forget about it. I'm going back immediately to discuss with my family. I'll break off the engagement with you tomorrow!"

Hearing this, Lu Yan's eyes lit up, thinking that there was such a good thing. He deliberately provoked Duan Jiyang. "Go ahead, go now! Whoever doesn't go is a damn coward!"

"You wait and see!"

Duan Jiyang was also blinded by anger. After saying this, he really turned around and left, preparing to return and dissolve the engagement with Lu Yan. He quickly walked down the stairs, repeatedly calculating in his mind how to bring up this matter with his father. Suddenly, he stopped in his tracks, remembering something—Lu Bing was still upstairs.

After all, he had been pining for this person for so many years. Now that Lu Bing had finally returned to the country, Duan Jiyang couldn't just abandon him. Frowning and hesitating for a moment, he turned around and returned upstairs.

At that time, Lu Yan hadn't left yet. Instead, he was standing in place, earnestly trying to persuade Lu Bing to change his mind, attempting to lock these two together. "In fact, Duan Jiyang has never forgotten you all these years. The thing with Jian Yixuan back then was also a misunderstanding…"

Hearing this, Duan Jiyang was taken aback. He didn't expect Lu Yan to say such things to Lu Bing in private. Before he could think about it, his body had already hidden behind the wall. He could only hear their intermittent conversation.

Lu Bing clearly wasn't appreciative of Lu Yan's sentiment, sneering coldly, "Since you're so kind to speak on his behalf, why did you tell me about this in the first place?"

Lu Yan chuckled softly, finding Lu Bing rather amusing: "So by your logic, I should have continued hiding it from you. After all, if Duan Jiyang didn't confess, you would never have found out."

Lu Bing was momentarily taken aback: "Lu Yan, I know your intentions better than anyone else. You told me about this to sow discord between Duan Jiyang and me. Stop pretending to care!"

In memory, Lu Bing had always been gentle and courteous, like an elegant water lily, rarely being so aggressively confrontational. Duan Jiyang had originally thought he only acted this way when angry with him, but it seemed he was the same in private with Lu Yan. His expression was momentarily stunned.

Lu Yan cared not for Lu Bing's attitude. He calmly pulled a cigarette from his pack, held it to his nose, and inhaled lightly, his smile enigmatic: "You can't say it like that."

His lies were as toxic as poppies, yet strangely alluring: "I did want to drive a wedge between you and Duan Jiyang at first, but over the years, he has always kept you in his thoughts, showing no interest in others. I couldn't bear to see him suffer, groveling for your forgiveness, which is why I spoke up for him."

"Years ago, Duan Jiyang severed ties with all his lovers to be with you. Jian Yixuan was unwilling to accept it, attempting suicide seven or eight times. Do you think Duan Jiyang could ignore that? But that doesn't matter now. I can assure you that these past few years, he's been completely clean, with no one around him. Even our engagement was just a temporary arrangement."

Lu Yan concluded: "You've been holding a grudge for so long; it's enough. Continuing this will only benefit others."

He deliberately provoked Lu Bing, pointing slowly at himself: "Like me."

As long as he could lock these two nuisances who wanted to cut off his kidneys together, Lu Yan didn't mind speaking well of Duan Jiyang. After his words, he turned and left, walking downstairs in a rather good mood. After all, Lu Bing was already an adult; he wouldn't get lost on his way home.

Little did he know that his actions had caused a misunderstanding in Duan Jiyang. Watching Lu Yan leave, Duan Jiyang felt a subtle strangeness in his heart: Lu Yan... does he like me that much? Privately telling Lu Bing all this, he gets neither my gratitude nor Lu Bing's kindness. What does he gain?

If Lu Yan knew what Duan Jiyang was thinking, he would laugh until he rolled on the ground. What does he gain? Of course, he gains their lifelong union, locked together forever, so they won't harm others!

By late night, the sky was dark and heavy. After leaving the bar's intoxicating environment, the outside world seemed unusually quiet. Lu Yan found his car and was about to head home when his gaze inadvertently caught sight of a familiar figure in the distance, causing him to pause.

Tang Rufeng didn't know how long he had been waiting, his nose red from the cold wind. After changing out of his seductive bartender uniform, his private attire was simple and unadorned, still a black coat, clean but slightly worn white sneakers. He stood tall like a sharp bamboo shoot, unbending and unyielding.

Seeing this, Lu Yan couldn't help but smile: "Looking for me?"

Tang Rufeng looked at him, nodding silently.

Lu Yan glanced back at the bar entrance, worried about running into those two nuisances. He tilted his chin, gesturing: "Let's talk in the car."

Near the bar was the riverside, surrounded by towering buildings, all prime river-view properties. Lu Yan found a spot to park, perfectly positioned against the railing to enjoy the view. The night breeze blew, ruffling his hair, but unable to obscure his bright eyes: "How's your mother's surgery?"

The gloom in Tang Rufeng's eyes was visibly lighter than before: "It's done. I hired a caregiver to look after her. Now she just needs time to recover properly."

Lu Yan held a cigarette in his mouth but, after searching his entire body, couldn't find a lighter. He gave up: "Is the money enough? If not, let me know. Don't work part-time in places like that bar anymore."

Half a million was just a drop in the bucket for Lu Yan. He might spend half of it in one night treating friends to drinks, so he wasn't sure how long that sum could support Tang Rufeng.

Seeing Lu Yan's actions, Tang Rufeng lowered his eyes. A silver lighter magically appeared between his slender fingers. He leaned close, shielding the river wind with his hand, lighting Lu Yan's cigarette. A cluster of orange flames rose, illuminating his side face warmly and brightly. His voice was deep: "I'm graduating soon. I plan to find a proper job and won't go back to such places."

Mint-scented smoke slowly rose, enveloping them both, then gradually faded away. Yet the sound of the river surged onto the shore, echoing in their ears, akin to the ceaseless tide of emotions in their hearts.

Lu Yan lowered his gaze, watching Tang Rufeng's thick eyelashes, feeling as if they fluttered like butterfly wings, elegantly tickling his heart. He took the cigarette from his mouth and lightly flicked the ashes: "You carry a lighter with you?"

Tang Rufeng looked like a model student, not someone who smoked.

Tang Rufeng hummed in agreement: "When working part-time at the bar, I must have one in my pocket, convenient for lighting guests' cigarettes."

Lu Yan pulled out a cigarette and offered it to his lips, his voice low and enticing: "Do you smoke?"

Deep down, he was mischievous, enjoying watching a blank sheet of paper stained by ink. However, he overlooked that people and things in the world weren't simply black or white; there was also a gray area.

Without a word, Tang Rufeng accepted the cigarette from Lu Yan, his posture surprisingly practiced. Just as Lu Yan assumed Tang Rufeng would light it with the lighter, the latter quietly leaned closer, touching his cigarette to Lu Yan's, borrowing a spark of his flame.

In the exchange of breaths, it was unclear who ignited whom. Smoke intertwined, like lovers sharing a forbidden and seductive kiss.

Tang Rufeng raised his eyes to look at Lu Yan. His dark eyes reflected the neon lights of the opposite high-rise building, adding a glimmer of fragmented light. His eyes were cool and beautiful, yet more terrifying than Medusa's, as if one more glance would plunge him into the abyss, a punishment more desperate than petrification.

Tang Rufeng smiled: "Mint flavor."

He must have rarely made such an expression, but when he occasionally smiled, it was stunning beyond description.

Lu Yan couldn't taste the cigarette anymore, as if his heart and mind were occupied by something unknown: "You smoke?"

Tang Rufeng's lips curved slightly: "I can also mix drinks, deal cards, race cars. Smoking is the easiest to learn among them."

These leisure activities weren't what someone his age should be proficient in, but driven by life, he mastered them. There was a hint of mockery in Tang Rufeng's tone when he mentioned them.

Lu Yan couldn't quite describe his feelings, humming softly: "Smoke less."

Tang Rufeng paused: "That money, I'll pay you back slowly once I start working."

Lu Yan didn't refuse, lazily squinting his eyes: "No rush. I'm not in a hurry to use it. You can repay it in installments over a hundred years. I won't charge you interest."

Perhaps due to the biting cold of the river wind, their cigarettes had burned halfway through their conversation. Lu Yan extinguished the butt and threw it in the trash, smoothing his disheveled coat, feeling his face numb from the wind: "Let's go. It's late. I'll take you home."

After saying this, he was about to walk towards the car when suddenly Tang Rufeng grabbed his wrist. Staring at the ground, his voice low, almost scattered by the river wind: "You really don't want me?"

"..."

Lu Yan paused, not turning back: "Didn't I tell you? You're young. Don't sell yourself short."

Tang Rufeng's tone was calm: "I'm not selling myself. I said I'd pay you back when I start working."

Confused, Lu Yan turned back, wondering what Tang Rufeng meant by his previous words?

The answer came swiftly.

Tang Rufeng suddenly reached out, grasped Lu Yan's collar, and planted a minty, cool kiss on his lips. Soft, warm, and intimately close, not even the evening wind could intrude. The familiar warmth uncontrollably reminded Lu Yan of that decadent night in the hotel, his body burning hot.