Chapter 75: Come On, Let’s Hurt Each Other!

Chapter 75: Bring It On! Let’s Settle This!

In his first week back in China, Zhuang Yao used the money he had earned abroad over the years to establish his own personal art studio.

He had always been interested in art and music, having picked up many hobbies as a kid, but painting was his strongest suit.

After going abroad, he furthered his studies, interacting and exchanging ideas with many foreign master painters, which led to his skills improving dramatically and his style as an artist gradually stabilizing.

Using the pseudonym "Zhe Xiao," he posted his works on foreign platforms, receiving tons of likes online. Though he didn’t use Weibo, preferring international platforms, most of the comments under his posts were from Chinese fans.

Zhuang Yao knew his artwork had huge potential to go viral in China, and he was confident that people would grow to love his work.

So when he opened an official Weibo account and got it verified, many of his overseas Chinese fans immediately followed "Zhe Xiao" on the platform.

Those who didn’t know who "Zhe Xiao" was were blown away when they saw his art shared by fans—many recognized the paintings and were surprised to discover the artist behind them.

Thus, they followed him as well.

Fame brought business offers.

Zhuang Yao didn’t consider himself some pretentious artist; he fully intended to monetize his art.

Some businesses wanted to license his art and use his pieces for merchandise, which required his authorization. The commercial value involved was way bigger than just selling originals.

More people would see his works through different forms and in different places.

While juggling paid work, he also continued working on his personal exhibitions—these were purely passion projects, a labor of love, not for sale.

Zhuang Yao hoped to strike a balance between practicality and passion, using his artistic skills to support himself while plowing profits back into his passions.

...

A week after stabilizing his career, a childhood group chat proposed a gathering—no excuses accepted.

The location was set in Yunjing, and friends from other cities had to clear their schedules to attend. Whoever didn’t show would be dead to us! And they’d be cut off for good!

Given how significant this reunion was, everyone took it seriously and didn’t dare bail.

Then, a certain overbearing CEO asked a rather clueless question—

"Yu": Can we bring family?

"Retired Flower Enthusiast A K": You wanna bring Little Brother Xiao Ye? Sure!

"Old Wang Wants to Go Home": Huo Kai, it’s only been a few days, and you’re already calling him that?

"CEO Qi Who Doesn’t Want to Be CEO": I smell something fishy going on…

"Gentle as Water, Adaptable as Square and Round": Ever since Old Huo met Si Yu’s wife last time, he’s been praising him nonstop in the group!

"Old Wang Wants to Go Home": Hey hey! No way! Hands off, he’s taken!

"Retired Flower Enthusiast A K": Get lost! Where’d you get that idea? He’s a college student, way younger than us—what else should I call him? Just wait till you meet him, you’ll end up calling him that too.

"Second Most Handsome in Yunjing": Uh, can I quietly ask… if we can bring family, can I bring my wife too?

"Retired Flower Enthusiast A K": Weren’t you just complaining about being single the other day? How’d you get a girlfriend without telling us?

"Second Most Handsome in Yunjing": I just didn’t get the chance yet—A Yao knows about it. He knew—guess he kept it to himself.

"Lao Wang Wants to Go Home": I don’t have any objections, but I’m just worried that your wife might feel out of place at our guys' gathering, since she’d be the only girl there.

"Yunjing’s Second-Hottest Guy": You make a good point, Wang. Ah, forget it. I’ll invite you all when I get married. Let’s skip this time—it’s not like we’ve been dating that long anyway.

"Water’s Gentle Virtue": Wow, Xie Fei, Mr. ‘Playboy’ himself? What’s this—getting serious? Like, marriage-level serious?

"Yunjing’s Second-Hottest Guy": So far, she fits everything I’ve ever wanted in a life partner. I think… she might be the one.

As everyone chatted enthusiastically, Zhuang Yao suddenly dropped a weird message—

"Love Comes from All Directions": [Smiling emoji]

Everyone: ……

"Love Comes from All Directions": Don’t mind me, just lurking. Go on.

Awkward silence.

Everyone knew about Zhuang Yao’s past rejection by the eldest Yi brother. It wasn’t something they could openly discuss without it being awkward.

It was all in the past—a shot-down love confession—and bringing it up might just reopen old wounds.

Naturally, nobody wanted to poke the bear, so they brushed it off with a laugh and shifted the topic to other things, like how Zhuang Yao’s studio was coming along and whether he needed any investments.

Their brother was returning home to build his career, and these close friends all wanted to offer whatever help they could.

"Love Comes from All Directions": I can handle it myself. If I can’t, I’ll ask for help—I’m not the type to stand on ceremony.

"Love Comes from All Directions": Enough about that. I’m actually looking forward to seeing everyone the day after tomorrow. It’s been so long—I wanna see if you’ve all gotten chubby. You’re pushing thirty now, better watch your waistlines. [Raises eyebrow]

Zhuang Yao smiled unconsciously as he typed on his phone. The old brotherly ribbing was back.

It felt good to be home.

Beyond that, though, Zhuang Yao was especially curious to meet Yi Siyu’s better half.

From what Xie Fei and the others had said, Siyu was head over heels for his wife.

Zhuang Yao had gotten a taste of it himself—twice now, his calls had been picked up by a certain little eavesdropper.

He figured the kid probably had a little grudge against him.

How could I pass up the chance to mess with such a fun kid at the get-together?

Zhuang Yao mulled it over with a grin.

……

Lanfeng Bay.

Jian Ye had gone out with his roommate and didn’t return until nine in the evening, sweaty and exhausted. He rushed straight into the shower.

When he came out, he saw Yi Siyu sitting on the sofa, glued to his phone.

Like an eager puppy, he sidled up and rested his head on the man’s shoulder. "Who are you texting so seriously?"

Yi Siyu had no problem showing Jian Ye his conversations with friends and showed him the chat log openly.

"We’re having a get-together the day after tomorrow. I want to bring you along." The man turned his head and pecked the corner of the boy’s mouth, murmuring softly.

"Sure, you mentioned it before. I'm on summer break anyway, so I don't have much to do," Jian Ye quickly agreed.

In reality, a little voice inside him was stomping its feet furiously.

So the green tea antagonist is finally going to meet the Bottom Protagonist's White Moonlight, huh?

Bring it on! Let’s see who’s tougher! Who's scared of who?

"Some of them haven’t met you in person yet. Introducing you to them will help expand your network. They work across various fields, so no matter what direction you choose after graduation, you’ll have support in society."

Jian Ye: "..." He’d just finished his freshman year—did he really need to be this career-minded already?

The domineering CEO’s mindset was always so multi-dimensional. So this wasn’t just a casual get-together among friends. The adult world truly had no room for simplicity.

"Jian Ye: Er Tong, is this gathering part of the original plot? The protagonist and his long-lost White Moonlight meeting for the first time since his return—*could* sparks fly?"

"System 748: Based on the existing plot, there’s no such gathering. But it’s unclear whether it appears in undisclosed storylines. Host, would you like to spend Green Tea Points to unlock the unknown plot?"

"Jian Ye: Forget it. I *just* spent so many Green Tea Points last time—I need to save them. Unknown is fine; I’ll find out when the time comes."

Even though the gathering was still two days away, Jian Ye was already thinking about what to wear that night.

He even went online to post anonymously:

"Q: The guy I'm with is taking me to a friend gathering where his White Moonlight, whom he hasn’t seen in four years, will be present. What should I wear?"

"1L": I see the OP’s gender is listed as male. Since you're a guy, avoid heavy makeup or overly formal attire—it creates distance. The best strategy is to wear something approachable to connect with your partner's friends. Of course, pick something that suits your skin tone.

"2L": Let's face it—it's all about looks. If you’re a total hottie, then anything you wear will slay.

"3L": ^^ This. By the way, what does your partner’s White Moonlight look like? Usually, someone who becomes a man’s White Moonlight must be pretty good-looking, right?

Jian Ye frowned at this comment.

He’d never seen the bottom protagonist before and had no idea what his rival looked like.

Shit, this commenter had a point—he needed to know his enemy.

So he turned to Yi Siyu and asked, "Brother Siyu, what does that childhood friend of yours who just returned look like? Do you have a photo?"

Yi Siyu had just finished coordinating with Special Assistant Xu to arrange everything for the gathering. Beside him, his "little puppy" was suddenly burning with curiosity, staring at him with his big, puppy-dog eyes.

Yi Siyu wasn’t fond of taking photos, nor did he make a habit of photographing others.

Admittedly, he felt a little guilty—he and Zhuang Yao had grown up together, yet he didn’t have a single photo of him saved in his phone.

Then he remembered a video Zhuang Yao had once posted on his social media—a talent show clip.

Back then, Zhuang Yao had been really into arts and music, even editing a video to show off his talents. It was that cringey teen phase, full of youthful arrogance and vanity.

Yi Siyu found the video and handed his phone to Jian Ye, pressing play.

The rich, velvety tones of a violin flowed from the screen, its notes elegant and stirring.

In the video, a young man stood against the sunset, his face in profile to the camera. His right hand held a bow, drawing it rhythmically across the violin resting on his left shoulder.

His eyes were lightly closed, his expression unsmiling, radiating melancholic princely vibes.

Cut to an art studio, the violin music still playing in the background. Now, the young man stood before a large canvas, a paintbrush in hand, dipping into oils as he methodically applied paint to the artwork.

The editing employed many atmospheric techniques, with close-ups focusing on the boy's paint-stained hands before panning to sections of the canvas. Finally, accompanied by a sustained violin note, the camera pulled back to reveal a sunset blazing like wildfire across the canvas—exactly matching the backdrop from the boy's violin performance earlier.

After watching the video, Jian Ye was completely floored.

Jian Ye: "Damn, he's so handsome and charismatic."

System 748: "Host, you're plenty charming too! You can act *and* dance."

Jian Ye: "He clearly grew up raised with privilege, nothing like a small-town guy like me. Rich young masters really do learn everything—this kind of musical and artistic refinement is beyond me."

System 748: "Host, don’t sell yourself short. Everyone has different strengths. For example, your green-tea skills—no one can quite master that essence like you do."

Jian Ye: "..."

Ugh, thanks a lot.

White Moonlight is not only gorgeous but also ridiculously talented. Now I get why the main lead’s obsessed.

Jian Ye stared at his own hands, lost in thought.

Is it too late for me to start learning violin and painting now?

Author’s Note:

Jian Xiaogou: "What if I can’t compete? (anxiety.jpg)"

Yi: "You just have to outperform him in bed. (pushes onto bed)"

Jian Ye: "Now I’m fired up to compete... (pouts)"

Zhuang Yao: "Found a fun new kid to tease. (smirking.jpg)"