Chapter 17: I Don’t Like Lying, That’s All

Chapter 17: I Don't Like Lying, That's All

The second it was posted, the phone in his hand vibrated violently.

Su Zhiyu saw the incoming call notification, sighed silently, and pressed answer. The woman's piercing yell almost carried through the door:

"Su Zhiyu, what the hell are you doing?! I told you not to say anything, not to say anything—are you deaf?"

"The show is tomorrow. If you respond on the show tomorrow, you'll maximize the traffic. Do you still want to be famous? Does everything I tell you go in one ear and out the other?"

Listening to the woman's furious tirade, Su Zhiyu simply moved the phone a bit farther from his ear and said calmly, "Qin Yan is Young Master Qin's younger brother."

The company he worked for was part of the Qin Group. If it weren't for that connection, he wouldn't have been so easily pushed around by Qin Yan back then.

"..."

The agent's anger fizzled out instantly. She was speechless for a beat before softening her tone a bit: "I never said we'd use Young Master Qin. I just meant you should respond tomorrow. Young Master Qin never cares about stuff like this."

"He does care."

"What?"

Su Zhiyu repeated flatly: "He cares about these things."

He'd just heard the sound of a chair being kicked next door.

Qin Yan must've found out about this too.

The agent looked at her call log with a "confused old man staring at his phone" expression, double-checked she hadn't dialed the wrong number, and let out two dry chuckles: "Oh, you know everything, huh? You don't know shit."

Besides, it was highly likely Young Master Qin really did do it.

Back then, Qin Yan had specifically told her that as long as she didn't restrict Su Zhiyu's career development, she should humiliate him as much as possible.

As for why he didn't stunt his career—Qin Yan said at the time that he wanted to watch the fallen golden boy climb back up step by step, only to fall even harder once he got high enough.

Not only should she not hinder him, she should do everything she could to help his career.

She didn't understand rich people's tastes.

But she'd follow orders.

This little canary Su Zhiyu probably didn't dare tell the truth and was just trying to suck up to Young Master Qin.

She thought he had some pride, but apparently behind closed doors he was just a dog licking his master's boots.

The woman warned haughtily: "Su Zhiyu, listen to me. Since this involves Young Master Qin, I'll let it slide this once. Next time you go rogue, I won't hesitate to send you to film some R-rated stuff."

Su Zhiyu's hand tightened around the phone.

The night was eerily quiet.

He lay in bed, exhausted, staring blankly at the ceiling. He was tired. After this season's show wrapped, he should go see his mom.

Meanwhile, online.

Su Zhiyu's sudden clarification brought the vague gossip to a small peak.

—"It's cleared up, it's cleared up. I knew Yan Yan wasn't like that. He's so hot, why would he ruin his own career like that?"

—"My little Yu Baobao is such a kind treasure. Wahhh, baby you take care of yourself, my heart aches."

—"Listen to Yu Bao, stop cursing. Qin Yan was helping. Don't break Yu Bao's heart."

—"Wait, guys, think about this—is Yu Yu implying he really was molested? Just that it wasn't Qin Yan?"

—"Holy shit, Sherlock, you've found the blind spot. It does seem that way."

—"Fuck, what's the truth? Who made our Yu Bao suffer so much? I'm about to throw hands!"

—"Tomorrow's live show—everyone go camp out and support Yu Yu, see if we can get the truth."

...

The internet was buzzing. Su Zhiyu hadn't opened the app again since posting his Weibo. He lay awake, staring at nothing, until the middle of the night before slowly drifting off.

The phone on Qin Yan's nightstand kept lighting up and dimming, over and over.

Until the next morning.

Qin Yan reached for his phone out of habit and immediately saw a dozen missed calls from Yang Yichen, plus several from various people on the show crew.

"Why's everyone looking for me? Did that bastard leak something?"

Qin Yan opened WeChat—99+ unread messages there too.

Yang Yichen, pinned at the top, had sent the most. The latest one read: "Bro, you went to sleep that early? I was up all night with insomnia. How could you sleep?"

"..."

Uh.

Qin Yan scratched his head. Nothing was more important than sleep, and besides, he had the show today—he needed his rest.

He replied, "Something happen again?" Yang Yichen responded almost instantly: "Check Weibo. Su Zhiyu responded."

Su Zhiyu?

Qin Yan immediately switched to Weibo. Su Zhiyu's response had already dropped off the trending list, but a quick search pulled it up.

"Su Zhiyu v: Thank you all for your concern. Qin Yan didn't hurt me, and I thank him for lending a hand."

Seeing those words, Qin Yan couldn't help the corners of his mouth curling up. He could almost picture the young man's cold expression, and the indifference and calm with which he said those words.

So young, yet his emotions were terrifyingly stable.

Yang Yichen: Bro, did you see it? Did you see it? Did you see it?

Yang Yichen: What are your thoughts, may I ask?

Yang Yichen: Do you feel guilty?

Yang Yichen: Are you regretting how you treated him before? He still speaks up for you at a time like this. A true gentleman. Badass!

Yang Yichen: Brother Yan, do some self-reflection. Stop bullying him from now on. It hurts me to watch.

Yang Yichen: Where are you?

Qin Yan's smile was still growing wider. His slender finger gently tapped on the phone.

"Qin Yan liked this Weibo post."

Screenshot.

In one fluid motion, Qin Yan returned to WeChat and saw Yang Yichen's messages. He went quiet.

Perfect timing—he had been racking his brain for an excuse to change how he treated Su Zhiyu.

Qin Yan replied deadpan: 'Yeah, you're right. He can repay resentment with kindness, so I can't be worse than him. From now on, this young lord will treat him better.'

Yang Yichen replied instantly: 'Brother Yan, you've finally seen the error of your ways.'

Tsk. As if.

It wasn't that he had seen the light—the original owner's soul was probably God knows where, maybe swapped with his own soul in the real world.

Would he ever even get a chance to go back?

Whatever.

Qin Yan got dressed and pulled open the door, only to see Su Zhiyu stepping out at the same time. They accidentally locked eyes.

Su Zhiyu was the first to look away, greeting him like it was nothing: "Morning."

Then, with zero emotion, he headed downstairs.

Qin Yan quickly caught up, recalling the post on Weibo. His heart raced as he pressed, "You defended me online?"

Su Zhiyu didn't slow his pace, his tone completely flat: "I was just stating facts."

"So you were clearing my name for me."

"No."

"You didn't have to do that. You're the victim here, so why did you say it? And why go out of your way to thank me?"

Qin Yan felt like he'd struck gold, his eyes gleaming.

Could it be... the Omega lead no longer hated him, no longer held his past animalistic behavior against him?

The next second.

Su Zhiyu suddenly stopped and turned, nearly colliding with him. The boy's eyes were cold and distant: "I don't like lying. That's all."

It wasn't for you.

And definitely not because I couldn't stand to see you misunderstood.

With that, Su Zhiyu pursed his lips, turned, and bolted out like he was running from something—not even bothering to go to the dining room.

"?"

Was something after him?

"Hey, I haven't even had breakfast yet. You're eating with me."

Su Zhiyu's step over the threshold faltered for a moment—just a moment—before he walked off without looking back, his voice trailing behind him.

Leaving Qin Yan frozen in the living room.

Getting bold, huh?

Now he dares to ignore him?

Was he not scary or tough enough?