Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Early in the morning, the company's internal chat group was buzzing with a piece of news.

The message claiming "You Nan is gay and might be sick due to poor health" spread through the company like gossip.

The hotel had many employees, and You Nan was just one of the less conspicuous ones. Additionally, the accounting department mostly worked in the office and didn't interact much with other departments. Many people had been working at the hotel for a long time but only heard You Nan's name for the first time.

Wang Yuanyuan and several others from the same department as You Nan saw the message appear in the group chat, and they were all shocked.

"No way! Sister Wang, didn’t You Nan say before that he was dating someone?"

The young woman leaned in and whispered. She thought very highly of You Nan and didn’t believe he was as the message described.

But as soon as she finished speaking, her voice trailed off.

She suddenly remembered something: You Nan was indeed dating someone, but he never specified whether it was a man or a woman.

It could be a woman, or it could be a man.

"N-no way," the young woman stammered.

Brother Li, however, recalled something and got worked up. "Do you remember when he admitted he was dating someone? I wanted to see a photo of his partner, but he didn’t show me! Do you remember that?"

The others in the office exchanged glances and nodded in unison.

That was true. At the time, they were all surprised that You Nan had quietly gotten into a relationship without saying a word, and everyone wanted to see a photo to vet his partner.

But You Nan just wouldn't show them.

Brother Li blurted out, "Could it be because the person is a man that he didn’t want to show us?"

He even compared himself to You Nan. "When I was dating, I showed you all without you even asking. And when everyone wanted to see Sister Wang’s husband, didn’t she send a video in the small group chat?"

"But You Nan didn’t share any photos!"

Brother Li felt the message was likely true.

Wang Yuanyuan glared at him. "This message could be a rumor! Don’t jump to conclusions without knowing the facts. Besides, you and I shared videos and photos because we were willing to; that’s just our personalities. You Nan is introverted. Aside from required group photos, he hardly ever takes pictures at work, doesn’t let others take photos of him, and hasn’t shared any photos aside from his ID photo."

Wang Yuanyuan rapped on the table, growing irritated with Brother Li and the others who believed You Nan matched the description in the message. "Don’t believe everything you hear. We’re here to work, not gossip. If you really want to know, wait until You Nan arrives and ask him directly."

The young woman immediately realized her mistake and fell silent. The men across the room, however, were thick-skinned and stubborn, muttering under their breaths and unwilling to back down. "If we ask him, he’ll definitely deny it!"

"Anyone would deny a message like this!"

Wang Yuanyuan was so frustrated she almost laughed. She couldn’t help but roll her eyes.

You Nan was the most even-tempered male colleague she had encountered since starting work. He never made inappropriate comments about female colleagues, was well-groomed and presentable, maintained appropriate boundaries in interactions, and understood what personal space meant.

He was also generous. He had treated everyone in the office to milk tea and afternoon snacks, making sure no one was left out.

Wang Yuanyuan still remembered how last year, on her daughter’s birthday, she had forgotten about it herself. It was You Nan who bought a gift and a small cake for her, reminding her just in time.

Thanks to You Nan’s gift, she managed to make it up to her daughter when she got home.

The next day, she sincerely thanked You Nan and treated him to a meal.

She still remembered how flushed his face was at the time.

Wang Yuanyuan was perfectly fine with the idea of You Nan liking men. In fact, she had even met You Nan’s partner.

The man was soft-spoken and well-mannered, and he seemed like a good match for You Nan.

If You Nan really did like men, she thought it must be him.

Wang Yuanyuan dispersed the others gathered in the office to ensure You Nan wouldn’t run into them.

You Nan found it strange. On his way to the restroom, he passed several colleagues who looked at him with odd expressions. Those who had greeted him before quickly walked away as soon as they saw him approaching, not even wanting to speak to him.

You Nan was puzzled and felt uneasy. When he returned, he noticed several colleagues glancing at their computers and then unable to resist looking up at him, as if he were some rare animal.

Unable to hold back, You Nan asked with a gentle smile, "Brother Li, why are you all looking at me?"

Brother Li quickly said it was nothing. "Let’s get back to work. There’s a ball game tonight."

Seeing that they weren’t going to explain, You Nan didn’t press further.

It wasn’t until lunchtime that You Nan overheard his name being mentioned by some familiar colleagues who hadn’t noticed him standing behind them.

"Is You Nan’s partner really a man?"

"I don’t know, but he took a few days off recently, saying he wasn’t feeling well. His face was pale, and his lips had no color."

"Ah! Could he really be sick?"

The other person’s surprised voice was so loud that You Nan could hear it clearly even from a distance.

Wang Yuanyuan also noticed what was happening and felt her heart drop. This was bad!

As soon as You Nan heard their conversation, he grew nervous.

Had someone discovered that he was married to Qi Yuwen?

But upon listening further, he realized that his marriage to Qi Yuwen hadn’t been exposed. Instead, he was being labeled as a sick gay man.

You Nan’s face turned pale, and his mind went blank. Who on earth was spreading this?

By the time he regained his composure, he had already walked up to the group.

The group was gossiping and hadn’t expected the subject of their conversation to overhear them. Seeing You Nan standing before them, they panicked.

They thought You Nan had come to confront them and prepared to argue back, but instead, he only said two things.

"I’m not sick. I’m perfectly healthy."

The second thing was, "Can you show me who’s spreading rumors about me?"

Perhaps it was because You Nan’s demeanor was so polite, or maybe because his sudden appearance had caught them off guard.

The person closest to him was so startled that they froze like a mechanical puppet.

Under You Nan’s gaze, his eyes faintly glistening with tears, the person’s mind went blank, forgetting all about resisting or standing their ground.

They opened their phone and showed You Nan the chat history.

Beneath the message "You Nan is gay and might be sick due to poor health" was a screenshot from a surveillance video.

In the photo, You Nan was being carried out of a car by a man. Their poses were intimate, with You Nan curled up in the other person’s arms.

The man in the photo was blurred, but You Nan recognized him at a glance—it was Yao Xianqing.

The background of the surveillance footage was the entrance to his and Qi Yuwen’s current home.

The man in Yao Xianqing’s arms was facing the camera, clearly visible.

Seeing the photo, You Nan felt his vision darken, as if the world were spinning. His legs grew weak and unsteady, and he felt as if he might collapse to the ground at any moment.

A female colleague noticed his pale face and instinctively reached out to steady him, but Qi Yuwen, who had rushed over after hearing the news, was faster.

Qi Yuwen completely ignored the surprised glances from those around him. He guided You Nan to a nearby seat and asked, "Are you all right?"

You Nan was not okay.

When his vision cleared, he saw the one person he didn’t want to see at that moment.

You Nan raised a hand to cover his face, hiding from the other’s gaze. After a moment, he lowered it again.

He pulled himself together quickly, putting on a smile, though his eyelids were red. Qi Yuwen could tell at a glance that he was pretending to be calm.

You Nan acted like nothing was wrong and spoke to the others, "This is a rumor. I’m not seeing any man. This is just a friend. I was drunk that night, and he took me home."

"If I were drunk, he couldn’t just drag me by my head all the way home, could he?" You Nan joked. "If he did, I’d definitely cut him off once I sobered up the next day!"

Everyone around laughed, amused by his words.

"Makes sense."

"Remember when Wang was drunk last time? Zhang had to carry him. You were even egging him on, calling it a princess carry."

"Hahaha."

Seeing that everyone was convinced by his explanation, You Nan continued, "Who spread this rumor and the photo in the group? Does anyone know?"

He stepped forward but kept a "safe" distance from the others. "Can I take a look too?"

Someone handed him their phone. "We haven’t seen this account before. It’s probably a burner account."

"Yeah, and they left the chat right after posting. I saw it pretty late that day and wanted to @ them to ask if it was true, but they were already gone."

Realizing he couldn’t get any more information, You Nan smiled and thanked the person who lent him the phone.

Everyone noticed how composed he was.

Apart from his initial shock upon seeing the message, You Nan spent the rest of the time clearing his name and searching for clues about the rumor-monger.

His reaction was level-headed and right.

Many people changed their tune, deciding the message was likely false and that someone was messing with You Nan.

Still, the rumor went too far—how could they spread such lies about a perfectly straight guy, claiming he was gay and had caught some nasty disease?

It was truly excessive.

With his words, You Nan seemed to have put the matter to bed.

Wang Yuanyuan, seeing that no one brought it up again, finally relaxed.

You Nan sat alone at a table for lunch. The rumor seemed false, but because it was so outrageous, it stuck in people’s minds.

They still felt that You Nan was somehow dirty. Even when other tables were full, no one was willing to share a table with him.

Feeling bitter, You Nan finished his meal, blew off Qi Yuwen, and left without so much as a glance in his direction.

He took out all the frustration he’d felt that day at the other man.

Qi Yuwen frowned. He had only seen the message and photo at noon and hadn’t had a chance to process it before rushing to find You Nan.

Did You Nan think he was the one who posted it?

Qi Yuwen’s face fell as he tightened his grip on the chopsticks in his hand.

He was determined to find out who was behind this.

After the incident, You Nan kept to himself for the rest of the afternoon. Even when Wang Yuanyuan came to talk to him and cheer him up, You Nan only smiled and told her not to worry.

"It’s fine. I’m not letting it get to me."

But how could Wang Yuanyuan not worry?

"Alright. This person is a real piece of work. If they dare show up again, I’ll help you call them out and drag them out into the open."

As she spoke, Wang Yuanyuan grew increasingly anxious.

It was clear this was targeted at You Nan.

You Nan came from a difficult family background and had no support system. It hadn’t been easy for him to make it in the city on his own.

If this rumor had spread further and You Nan hadn’t reacted quickly enough to set the record straight, he could have lost his job.

Wang Yuanyuan thought of You Nan’s "boyfriend." The man seemed connected.

She wondered if she’d ever run into him again. If she did, she would definitely tell him about this and ask him to look out for You Nan.

.

On the way home that evening, You Nan didn’t say a word in Qi Yuwen’s car. The atmosphere inside was even more tense and frosty than before.

When they arrived home, You Nan got out of the car and glanced in the direction where the photo had been taken. He didn’t see a camera—the wall was empty. It must have been a spy camera.

Qi Yuwen parked the car and walked over, reaching out to put his arm around You Nan’s shoulders, but You Nan swiftly dodged him.

"Where is the camera?"

You Nan asked coldly.

Qi Yuwen’s expression remained calm, but he grew more frustrated inside.

It wasn’t directed at You Nan but at whoever had stolen the surveillance footage from his home.

"There is one. Let’s go inside, and I’ll pull it up on my phone to show you."

Qi Yuwen tried to wrap his arm around You Nan’s waist, but You Nan still wouldn’t let him near. "Don’t touch me!"

You Nan’s expression shifted, becoming as prickly as a cornered cat.

He hurried into the house, and the tension he’d held all day finally eased in the familiar environment. The suppressed feelings of grievance and fear surged forth, and his eyes reddened instantly.

Qi Yuwen closed the door behind them. Without even taking off his coat, he went to explain to his wife, who was crouched by the entrance. "I didn’t post that message or the photo."

"If it wasn’t you, then who was it?"

You Nan couldn't think of anyone but Qi Yuwen.

As he spoke, You Nan's tears started falling again, "Are you trying to ruin me?"

"I asked you to divorce me, why won't you agree?"

"You don't love me, why won't you let me go?"

You Nan felt he had cried more in this period than in his entire life.

But having cried so many times, he felt calmer; after a while, his tears dried up.

He opened his tear-filled eyes wide and stared directly at the man in front of him, "Qi Yuwen, if you didn’t do this, then find who did it and make it up to me."

He took a deep breath and hugged 007, who'd hurried downstairs upon hearing the commotion and rushed over to him.

The kitten's soft, warm little body was now his support and source of courage. "The compensation I want is simple: divorce me—I'll even leave with nothing."

"Everything here that's yours, I won’t take any of it."

Hearing You Nan's words, Qi Yuwen's pent-up frustration and irritation flared up.

This came out of nowhere; Qi Yuwen was completely in the dark. Someone was targeting You Nan, and as his husband, he would never stand by and do nothing.

Qi Yuwen spoke to You Nan, trying to convince him, "I would never do this to you. I know better than anyone how pure you are."

Because they had always slept in separate rooms; even after four months of marriage, they still hadn't shared a bed.

You Nan didn’t want to listen to him; he was already taking it out on Qi Yuwen. You Nan shoved him away, "I’m going upstairs; I’m tired."

His voice was weary and exhausted.

Qi Yuwen stood behind him, watching as You Nan went upstairs. His expression was deep and complex.

As soon as You Nan's bedroom door closed, Qi Yuwen placed a phone call, "Hello, this is Qi Yuwen. Please find out who the registered owner of this account is. Don’t worry, cost isn't an issue."

You Nan didn’t sleep well that night and woke up very early. He didn’t get up immediately but stayed curled under the covers, ears pricked up. When he heard Qi Yuwen getting up early to go to the community gym for a workout, he quickly got ready and left.

Before going to bed the previous night, You Nan had messaged a rental agent on his phone to find an apartment.

The agent was very helpful and, hearing that he had little time to view places, offered to pick him up early the next morning.

007 also wanted to see the apartment, and You Nan couldn’t resist the adorable kitten, so he reluctantly brought 007 along.

The apartment that the original tenant had rented was returned after marriage.

If You Nan wanted to stand on his own after divorcing Qi Yuwen, he had to find a place to live and a job in advance to ensure his livelihood.

He still remembered the olive branch Zhao Jin had extended to him, but he wasn’t sure if Zhao Jin’s offer still stood. He couldn’t pin all his hopes on someone else; he wasn’t familiar with Zhao Jin.

So he had to find one himself first. If Zhao Jin forgot later, he’d still have a fallback.

You Nan’s requirements for renting were not high: around a thousand yuan in rent, a whole apartment in a complex, located near the subway, with complete appliances. The decor could be simple, and solid wood furniture would be best.

This was based on his four months of experience raising a cat.

007 was a cat, naturally inclined to scratch. Qi Yuwen’s living room sofa had been scratched repeatedly, and after just four months, it was already in terrible shape.

You Nan didn’t want to cause trouble for the landlord or himself, so he simply excluded sofas from his options.

The agent had picked out a few places the night before, making it convenient to take You Nan straight to the destinations early in the morning.

You Nan had seen on forums what kind of apartments a thousand yuan could rent locally—okay but pretty old. He had mentally prepared himself, but he was stunned when he saw the first one.

The apartment was much better than he had imagined!

It was spacious, clean, with gleaming floors, an empty living room, and no sofa.

The appliances and bedding were all new. The complex was less than five years old, and the subway was right outside.

It perfectly met all his requirements.

You Nan was surprised, "Is a place this nice really only a thousand yuan?"

The agent, thinking of the person who had contacted him the night before, said with a smile, "Absolutely. The owner bought this place not long ago but was transferred abroad for work and won’t be back for years. Leaving the apartment empty while paying a mortgage isn’t cost-effective, so they want to rent it out to cover the loan."

You Nan understood and nodded.

The agent added, "But the decor is quite simple, not much in it, so the price is lower."

"If you don’t like this one, I have other properties we can look at."

After all, they were all from the same client.

You Nan didn’t know this secret. He thought the one he was seeing was already great. "Let me think about it. Thank you."

While the two humans were talking, 007 had already darted off, running and jumping around the empty rental apartment.

The place was big, over a hundred square meters, with few rooms. One room was a bedroom, another a study, and the other large rooms were combined into one super-sized living room!

The cat loved it! It was perfect!

So when the agent asked again if You Nan wanted to settle on it, 007 ran to You Nan’s feet and tugged at his pant leg with its claws.

You Nan noticed the kitten’s movement, crouched down, and stroked 007’s little chin.

The kitten, hoping You Nan would say yes, instantly forgot everything in bliss.

It started purring loudly.

You Nan had raised 007 for four months and knew exactly what the kitten wanted.

The kitten liked the apartment, and he liked it too. "Then we'll take it."

The agent was delighted, "Great! Great!"

After viewing the apartment, You Nan went to work, leaving 007 in the new place. On the subway, he hurriedly ordered a delivery of cat supplies, for 007 to grab.

007 figured out how to video call on the new apartment’s smart TV and called You Nan.

It nudged all the delivery items in front of the camera and, with its tiny paw, managed to gesture "okay."

Seeing such a playful and cute 007, You Nan’s mood improved a lot.

As soon as he arrived at the hotel, he handed in his resignation letter and application, which he had prepared the night before, to the HR department.

He submitted it quickly, and HR, efficient and courteous, briefly tried to talk him out of it. But seeing that You Nan was determined to leave and recalling the rumors about him circulating in the company, they processed his resignation right away.

When Qi Yuwen finished his workout and returned home to find You Nan and 007 gone, he searched everywhere as if his world had collapsed. He arrived late, just before work time, only to hear this "devastating news."

Qi Yuwen cornered You Nan, after he'd packed his things, and pulled him into his car parked in the underground garage.

"You Nan, why did you resign so suddenly? You never even mentioned it."

Qi Yuwen tried to keep his voice gentle, worried about irritating You Nan.

You Nan’s hand was gripped by Qi Yuwen. He struggled to break free but couldn’t. His expression darkened. "If you have nothing to do right now, let’s go to the civil affairs bureau together!"

Qi Yuwen’s face turned grim. "Do you have to keep bringing this up?"

You Nan had already made up his mind to split up. "Either let me leave now, or we end this for good."

You Nan wanting a divorce was the outcome Qi Yuwen had wanted all along.

Qi Yuwen had always been in love with Yao Xianqing, not You Nan.

He married You Nan only to put Yao Xianqing's mind at ease.

Qi Yuwen had always thought that if You Nan couldn’t take their marriage anymore and asked for a divorce, he'd let him go without a second thought.

But now, the more You Nan brought it up, the less he wanted it.

Qi Yuwen released You Nan’s hand. "Then I’ll take you back."

You Nan snorted coldly, rejecting his offer. "One more word and we're driving to the civil affairs bureau. I have my household register and ID card with me anyway."

Qi Yuwen: "..."

Who in their right mind carries those two documents around just for the convenience of getting a divorce?

Qi Yuwen fell silent. His words weren’t getting through to You Nan, so he could only watch as You Nan walked off with his belongings.

He hadn’t felt this powerless in a long time.

Unable to vent his frustration on You Nan, Qi Yuwen directed all his dissatisfaction toward the person behind the alt account.

You Nan left the hotel with a lightly packed backpack, holding only a few items—his water bottle, pens, and the like.

Suddenly free from work, he found everything along the roadside a breath of fresh air.

He found a bubble tea shop, sat down, took out his phone, and started sending out resumes on a job-hunting app to schedule interviews.

You Nan was just testing the waters by submitting applications, but to his surprise, just ten minutes later, as he took a few sips of his milk tea, an HR representative from a company replied to him.

You Nan checked out the company’s profile and realized it was actually Zhao Jin’s company.

Half an hour later, You Nan met Zhao Jin for the second time and quickly signed an employment contract.

Holding his brand new contract, You Nan felt dazed.

Just like that, he had a new job?

"You Nan, this will be your workstation from now on." Zhao Jin’s secretary led You Nan to his desk, and was very polite to him.

Their boss, Zhao Jin, had instructed HR the day before: if they came across an accountant named "You Nan" on the job-hunting app or among the resumes submitted to the company, they were to hire him directly and sign the contract.

HR had taken note.

After all, this was the first time Zhao Jin had directly requested someone from HR.

You Nan smiled, his eyes curving slightly. "Okay, thank you."

You Nan started his new job that very day.

At noon, after lunch, he saw an unexpected person in the office—Yao Xianqing.

You Nan’s eyes widened in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

Yao Xianqing had come specifically to see him. He was extremely busy with his family’s business and had tasks to handle even at noon, but Zhao Jin had sent him a copy of You Nan’s signed employment contract with the company. Concerned about You Nan, he rushed to finish his work so he could make time to visit.

It had only been a few days since Yao Xianqing last saw You Nan, but it felt like an age.

Yao Xianqing was honest. "Zhao Jin told me you were here, so I came to see you."

"You look much better mentally than the last time I saw you."

Yao Xianqing looked him over carefully.

You Nan’s complexion had indeed improved, largely due to the change in his mindset.

You Nan had found a new place and moved out of Qi Yuwen’s home, resigned from his hotel job, and no longer had to work in the same company as Qi Yuwen. He had also quickly found a new job.

Success agrees with him, and Yao Xianqing couldn’t even tell he hadn’t slept well the previous night.

You Nan smiled, pressing his lips together.

Yao Xianqing was right in front of him, and You Nan’s smile captivated him.

You Nan was good-looking, and Yao Xianqing found him more attractive each time they met.

Snapping back to reality, Yao Xianqing noticed no one else was in the office and lowered his voice to ask, "How have things been with Qi Yuwen lately?"

The idea of Qi Yuwen marrying was something Yao Xianqing had suggested, and he was willing to help You Nan resolve the matter.

You Nan nodded, but then he thought of the rumors and hesitated for a long time, ultimately deciding not to bring it up with Yao Xianqing.

He didn’t want to subject Yao Xianqing to that gossip.

But he didn’t realize that he couldn’t hide his feelings in front of Yao Xianqing. Whatever was on his mind showed on his face.

Yao Xianqing picked up on his hesitation and decided to send someone to investigate what was happening on Qi Yuwen’s end.

Preoccupied, Yao Xianqing didn’t have much time to spare at noon. After chatting with You Nan for a while, he left.

He came and went in such a hurry that Zhao Jin barely had a chance to speak with him.

Zhao Jin’s expression was unreadable. He glanced at You Nan, who was already immersed in his work and unaware of his gaze.

For the sake of You Nan’s divorce, Yao Xianqing took the initiative to meet Qi Yuwen alone for the first time.

Qi Yuwen was shocked and almost couldn’t believe his ears when he heard the news. After confirming it, he was overjoyed.

He left work immediately to meet Yao Xianqing, not even bothering with the overtime tasks he needed to finish. But when he arrived, he realized Yao Xianqing had come because of You Nan.

The smile instantly vanished from Qi Yuwen’s face.

"When did you and You Nan become so close?"

Qi Yuwen sat opposite Yao Xianqing, his once joyful heart now turned completely cold.

You Nan, You Nan—ever since You Nan appeared in their lives, all of Yao Xianqing’s attention had been focused on him instead!

Qi Yuwen clenched his fists, completely forgetting that he himself was the one who had brought You Nan into their lives, attracting Yao Xianqing’s attention in the first place.

Yao Xianqing was well aware of Qi Yuwen’s feelings for him. He couldn't let his guard down around Qi Yuwen, so he cut straight to the point: "I came to see you because of You Nan. Qi Yuwen, our issues should remain between us and not involve others. I was wrong before when I suggested you get married."

"But bringing the innocent You Nan into this was your mistake," Yao Xianqing said expressionlessly. "Let him go."

Qi Yuwen listened, unsure for a long moment what expression to make.

He suddenly felt like a clown.

From Yao Xianqing’s words, Qi Yuwen could sense a certain affection for You Nan.

He had chased after Yao Xianqing for so many years without ever earning his protection, yet You Nan, who had only appeared four months ago, had completely surpassed him.

How could he ever accept this!

Qi Yuwen couldn’t understand why Yao Xianqing was acting this way.

"Do you like You Nan?"

His sharp gaze fixed intently on Yao Xianqing’s face, trying to see right through him!

Yao Xianqing quickly denied it. "If you still listen to me, then let him go."

Qi Yuwen sat frozen across from Yao Xianqing. The two fell into a long silence, the atmosphere growing increasingly tense.

Maybe it was ten minutes, or maybe just a few seconds—but finally, Qi Yuwen responded.

Staring at Yao Xianqing’s face, he carefully weighed his options internally, and in the end, Yao Xianqing still held more weight than You Nan.

"I’ll listen to you one last time. After You Nan and I divorce, we can still be friends afterwards, and you can’t stop me from pursuing you."

Yao Xianqing’s brows furrowed deeply, but thinking of You Nan, he suppressed his disgust toward Qi Yuwen’s clinginess. "As you wish."

Just like that, it was settled.

Qi Yuwen called You Nan two days later. With just a simple sentence, he caused You Nan’s eyes to light up.

"Come, I’ll wait for you at the Civil Affairs Bureau."

After saying this, Qi Yuwen hung up without giving You Nan a chance to respond.

He should have gone to find You Nan right after agreeing with Yao Xianqing, but he didn’t.

He put it off for two whole days, until now.

Qi Yuwen finally realized something wasn't right with himself. Over the past two days, even while at work, he kept unbidden recalling moments from his life with You Nan.

Every day after work, driving home, he could almost see You Nan preparing meals, curled up on the sofa watching TV, waiting for him to return.

But all of that was in the past.

You Nan hadn’t been back home for several days.

And he still hadn’t uncovered the identity of that alt account.

The tech expert he hired couldn’t trace it—the other party’s hacking skills were clearly superior.

Qi Yuwen could only set the matter aside for now.

Eager for the divorce, You Nan always carried his household register and ID card with him every day, waiting for Qi Yuwen’s call.

As soon as he got off work, You Nan rushed out and headed to the Civil Affairs Bureau, where Qi Yuwen was already waiting.

Qi Yuwen wore sunglasses and merely lifted his chin when he saw You Nan. "What kept you?"

Thrilled about the divorce, You Nan couldn’t hide his happiness. He smiled brightly. "There was some traffic. I ran all the way here from the traffic light down south. Sorry to keep you waiting."

It had been a long time since Qi Yuwen heard such soft words from You Nan.

Ever since the day he smashed You Nan’s phone, You Nan had become completely different toward him.

The love You Nan once had for him seemed like a bubble—once popped, it was gone.

Qi Yuwen pulled himself together and pulled his thoughts back to the present.

You Nan walked beside Qi Yuwen into the registration office. After filling out the forms, they received their divorce certificates.

You Nan was surprised—there was no mandatory Cooling-Off Period for divorce in this world.

What a relief.

You Nan couldn’t help but break into a wide smile. He impulsively took a photo of his divorce certificate and posted it to his social media feed. By the time he realized and hurried to delete it, both his former and current colleagues had already seen it. They were all abuzz, endlessly asking in the comments when he had even gotten married.

Meanwhile, Qi Yuwen watched You Nan’s joyful expression as he held the divorce certificate and was suddenly struck by regret.

Perhaps he shouldn’t have been so quick to obey Yao Xianqing.

No—perhaps he shouldn’t have divorced You Nan at all.

.

After the divorce, You Nan messaged his closest good friend to celebrate together.

That evening, his only good friend, Yao Xianqing, showed up as promised.

Yao Xianqing was the only person You Nan considered a real friend since arriving in this world.

Like his original self, You Nan had never had many friends before and had mostly been alone. But Yao Xianqing had entered his life. Yao Xianqing treated him well and was generous with Energy Points.

Even before the divorce, You Nan had regarded him as a friend, but because of Qi Yuwen’s watchful eye, he hadn’t been able to grow closer.

After moving out of Qi Yuwen’s home, however, they grew much closer.

The two now talked about almost everything. You Nan genuinely felt that Yao Xianqing was incredibly kind, generous, and charismatic.

Even if Qi Yuwen tried to imitate Yao Xianqing, it would be a pale imitation—he couldn’t replicate even a shred of his essence!

Yao Xianqing came bearing gifts. He brought some food and beer.

You Nan was delighted and quickly invited Yao Xianqing to sit down and play with 007.

But Yao Xianqing couldn’t stay seated. He directed 007 toward the pile of cat toys he’d bought for it these past few days, letting it play on its own.

The man patted 007’s head. "I’m going to go help your dad cook now."

007 couldn’t help but roll its eyes.

Hmph! What nonsense! I'm the one who's actually his dad!

Yao Xianqing showed his chops in the kitchen, preparing several dishes that looked, smelled, and tasted amazing, totally impressing You Nan.

You Nan was utterly amazed, "You're incredible! How can you do everything so well?"

Yao Xianqing played it cool, though his ears turned slightly red. He was genuinely pleased by You Nan's heartfelt praise. "No big deal. If you'd like, I can come over often to cook for you."

You Nan laughed and agreed, "You said it! I'll remember that!"

In the evening, the two sat on opposite sides of the dining table, eating and drinking, while 007 lay on the floor enjoying the cat food prepared by its new caretaker, totally content.

Perhaps because Yao Xianqing was the protagonist and was great at everything he did, 007 found the cat food he made way tastier than You Nan's!

By comparison, the kitten liked Yao Xianqing even more.

Feeling good after the divorce, You Nan ended up overdoing it with the beer Yao Xianqing had brought.

Yao Xianqing also drank quite a bit with You Nan, but he had a higher alcohol tolerance.

You Nan, however, was tipsy after just half a glass, nearly almost face-planted on the table.

Yao Xianqing set down his beer, stood up, and caught You Nan, his voice got softer.

"Drunk already?"

The lightweight mumbled, "I'm n-not!"

Despite claiming otherwise, he couldn't even form a complete sentence.

Yao Xianqing laughed.

He had a killer smile, and the looks-obsessed drunk stared, mesmerized.

Suddenly, a warm hand touched Yao Xianqing's face—it was You Nan.

Gazing intently at his face, You Nan praised him sincerely, "S-so good-looking!"

Yao Xianqing's smile faded slightly, and his look intensified as he looked at You Nan.

The booze started getting to Yao Xianqing, making him drowsy.

Before they knew it, the two were snuggled up together.

Yao Xianqing's strong arms wrapped around You Nan's waist, and he nuzzled his face into the other's neck.

You Nan, in turn, melted into his arms.

You Nan was drunk, and Yao Xianqing seemed to be caught up in the moment along with him.

007 noticed someone passing by and suddenly looked up, catching sight of Yao Xianqing carrying You Nan into the room.

007: "!!!"

Instantly excited, the little kitty abandoned its food, pricked its ears up and pressed them to the door.

What?! What are they— What are they going to do in the room? Let it listen quickly! Don't shut me out!

Inside the room, Yao Xianqing gently eased You Nan on the bed. As he tried to pull away, a slight tug held him back. Looking down, he realized You Nan's hand had somehow got tangled in his tie.

"Hey, let go."

Yao Xianqing grasped You Nan's hand, which was warmer from the alcohol, his voice gentle but frustrated.

The person he spoke to, however, was too drunk to follow his words, only staring with bleary, unfocused eyes.

Yao Xianqing sighed and pulled back a little but stayed leaning over You Nan.

As he tried to loosen his tie, he knelt on one knee on the bed, his upper body leaning forward, looming directly above You Nan.

You Nan turned over, gave the tie a little pull, and caught off guard, Yao Xianqing stumbled and fell right on top of him.

Yao Xianqing's face pressed against You Nan's neck, and he pulled him close.

It was unclear who made the first move.

Their breathing mingled, the alcohol giving them courage and blurring their judgment. Yao Xianqing, fully aware, chose to lose himself in the moment.

007, with its sharp hearing, picked up on the sounds outside the door and excitedly let out a quiet, excited meow.

Yes!

It thought its functions might be useless this whole time, but unexpectedly, things were looking up!

Sweet!

007 was getting ready!

With it here, it would ensure Yao Xianqing and You Nan connect right away!

They could have as many kids as they wanted!