CEFYMA: Chapter 12

“Dinner is ready~” Guan Tong placed two plates of lasagna on the table.

The white porcelain plate and mat made a slight collision sound, but it was enough to bring Huo Yanzhi back to his senses.

“What are you talking about?” Shen Nanxiao came holding plates in both hands and asked with a smile, “I saw you guys chatting and playing around just now. However, the noise from the cooking counter was too loud, and I couldn’t hear anything.”

Yun Guanqing didn’t directly answer Shen Nanxiao’s question. He asked, “Did you see You Mian?”

Shen Nanxiao scanned the surroundings doubtfully. Then Guan Tong walked over with the stewed veal leg. “You Mian? He was called over by the staff.”

Just as Guan Tong finished speaking, he raised his head and pointed to You Mian and Pei Huaiji, who had just come from the interview area in the distance. “Aren’t they back?”

Guan Tong didn’t know about the complicated relationship between these people. He said to You Mian, who had just returned, “My dear, they are all looking for you.”

You Mian had just escaped from the shura field. He thought this topic would’ve been finished by the time he returned.

He hadn’t expected there would be a follow-up. It really gave him a headache.

“Aren’t I here?” You Mian glanced lightly at Huo Yanzhi and Yun Guanqing. After speaking, he chose a corner of the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down.

Yun Guanqing and You Mian were separated diagonally by the whole long table. The long-haired man raised his eyebrow, and his eyes were dark.

“You’re welcome. Pick a seat and sit down.” Guan Tong stared at the cheese pasta intently. Without looking at the other guests, he sat in the third place from the right, just in front of the pasta. He said, “I’m so hungry after seeing Brother Shen’s craftsmanship.”

There was a slight pause, but Bai Lin still chose to sit on Yun Guanqing’s left with his back facing the sea.

Seeing this, Huo Yanzhi directly pulled away the chair beside Bai Lin. His movement was quick and large, revealing his irritation.

Shen Nanxiao walked slowly and sat next to Huo Yanzhi and opposite You Mian.

Now only the positions to You Mian’s left and the position beside Guan Tong were empty.

Yan Tingxuan, who had been standing behind the cooking counter without moving, suddenly wiped his hands and walked toward You Mian.

The man’s posture made it seem inevitable. Yan Tingxuan felt that he and You Mian needed to talk. This idea would definitely not be rejected.

But before Yan Tingxuan’s fingers could touch the back of the chair, You Mian pulled out the chair one step ahead of him. He turned to Pei Huaiji, who had been watching the play like a background board. “Chairman Pei, sit here.”

Yan Tingxuan’s footsteps suddenly stopped.

Pei Huaiji silently lowered his eyes and looked at You Mian.

There was a stalemate for a few seconds, and You Mian blinked slightly.

Pei Huaiji stepped closer. Then he condescended to sit in the seat that was almost pulled away by Yan Tingxuan. He said flatly, “In fact, it doesn’t matter where I sit.”

The scene instantly froze for a moment.

Yun Guanqing, who was far away, saw this scene and chuckled.

Yan Tingxuan hadn’t expected that he would be rejected by You Mian. His expression was filled with unconcealed surprise. However, there was a camera next to him. No matter how unhappy Yan Tingxuan was, he could only pretend to be easy-going and continue the topic.

“I can sit anywhere.” Yan Tingxuan finished speaking and turned to walk toward Guan Tong. He sat on the far left of the table.

As everyone was seated and toasted together under Shen Nanxiao’s signal, Huo Yanzhi still hadn’t recovered from the shock just now.

Huo Yanzhi thought that he didn’t have the same strong mentality as Yan Tingxuan. He couldn’t skillfully face You Mian’s attitude like they were strangers.

Once upon a time, Huo Yanzhi had gone to the You house to look for Bai Lin and met You Mian on the stairs.

At that time, You Mian was very bleak and in an embarrassed state, like he was withering.

You Mian lowered his head and narrowed his eyes. He stopped Huo Yanzhi in order to find some sense of identity from him.

The You family abandoned this adopted son, and everyone ignored You Mian like he was air.

He must’ve broken in the face of the sudden changes.

You Mian’s voice trembled a bit, but he still insisted, “Yanzhi, didn’t we already decide to go to this exhibition together? This was what you proposed.”

“Aren’t we friends?”

Huo Yanzhi’s memory of that time was already a bit blurry. He only remembered that he strongly rejected You Mian and warned the other party to recognize his identity.

For that exhibition, Huo Yanzhi had long wanted to take Bai Lin to see it. He just retreated and asked You Mian because Bai Lin had been abroad.

Now that Bai Lin was back, this stand-in was no longer important.

Huo Yanzhi said cruelly and coldly, “I am already preparing to see that exhibition with Bai Lin.”

Huo Yanzhi quickly pushed You Mian away to find Bai Lin. Yan Tingxuan was already sitting in Bai Lin’s room, and the two of them were chatting about art with interest.

The spacious bedroom floor had a sketch design that was half covered in a white cloth.

Once Huo Yanzhi closed the door of Bai Lin’s room, he saw You Mian’s back through the crack of the huge door.

He was disappointed, sad, and overwhelmed like an abandoned little beast.

……

The sea waves crashed violently on the white cliff in front of the distant house. The messy and moist sea vapor rushed into Huo Yanzhi’s nose and pulled him back from his thoughts.

You Mian stood in front of the long table and ignored Huo Yanzhi’s gaze.

He didn’t know what was wrong with Huo Yanzhi. Why did Huo Yanzhi suddenly stare at him?

After ignoring Huo Yanzhi’s strange eyes, You Mian seriously thought about the idea of cooperating with Pei Huaiji.

He had the idea of a win-win cooperation with Pei Huaiji before, but the idea was only a prototype. He didn’t have a concrete plan.

Now due to Yan Tingxuan’s sudden move, You Mian was forced to pull Pei Huaiji as a cover.

You Mian quietly sighed in his heart. He was really plucking fur from the tail of a lion.

On the other hand, Pei Huaiji was used as a shield without changing his expression. He still looked like an iceberg.

The domineering aura had a sharp edge. He hadn’t said much since returning to the house but his sense of existence couldn’t be ignored.

No wonder no one dared to come forward and talk to him.

You Mian had just retracted his gaze from Pei Huaiji. The next second, he heard the man beside him slow down his voice and say in a very soft volume that only You Mian could hear. “You Mian, you deliberately scared me in the supermarket, and now you are using me as an excuse to hide from people?”

Pei Huaiji turned his head to the side. His eyebrows were strong and handsome.

He frowned slightly and reminded, “I’m not a philanthropist.”

The man’s tone was deep and cold. It inexplicably made people’s hearts tremble.

Nevertheless, You Mian wasn’t too frightened. This matter had already been done, and he had pulled this person over. Pei Huaiji was sitting next to him, proving that the other person wasn’t disgusted.

You Mian was still unsure of Pei Huaiji’s temper for the time being, but You Mian knew that this person definitely wasn’t soft-hearted.

Businessmen pursued profits. If You Mian really wanted to cooperate with Pei Huaiji, they could cover each other in the show to avoid the pervasive shots and discussions.

He had to give enough chips in exchange.

Now there were so many people at the table, and it obviously wasn’t a good time to talk.

Therefore, You Mian just said calmly and softly, “Chairman Pei, you are naturally not a philanthropist. Still, I am JL’s promotional guest on the show after all. It doesn’t take much effort to help out with such a small favor.”

Pei Huaiji narrowed his eyes slightly. He just wanted to say something when he heard You Mian speak on the side again.

“I recognized the way to the supermarket, and I drove the car. Consider it as me doing half the hard work.”

Pei Huaiji: “……”

“I also racked my brain to not exceed the budget of 500 yuan.”

Pei Huaiji: “.”

Racked his brain?

This person really dared to say anything. If it wasn’t for the GoPro recording it, he would really believe You Mian’s words.

It was clear that he was the one who was teased by You Mian.

You Mian tilted his head slightly. The sea breeze blew against the side of his face. The wet mist and sea vapor stained his eyes.

“That is why I don’t care that you are a road idiot and that you are bad at calculations.”

You Mian’s tone was very chic, and his expression was vivid and full of aura. His gentle words contained a bit of nastiness that Pei Huaiji couldn’t refute.

Pei Huaiji didn’t overdo it. His mouth was pursed as he snorted coldly.

This matter was over.

You Mian waited a long time. Then he realized that Pei Huaiji really wasn’t pursuing things, and his perception of this man changed a bit more.

He couldn’t help sighing with relief.

Hidden under the spacious dining table, Pei Huaiji was suddenly startled by the strange and cool touch against the palm of his hand.

Pei Huaiji frowned and lowered his head. He found that someone had placed a hard candy box in the palm of his hand. It was mint flavored.

You Mian lowered his voice and said, “It took up 2 yuan out of the 500 yuan budget and you ate two just now.”

“Once discovered… you and me.” The young man pointed to his heart and then lightly tapped Pei Huaiji beside him.

The amber eyes shone with a sly and agile look.

He said, “It can be regarded as being on the same boat.”

Pei Huaiji lowered his eyes and clenched his hand. He felt the touch of the hard shell, and the mint aroma lingering at the tip of his nose seemed to bloom again.

—

The topics at the dinner table couldn’t escape pulling at each other. Guan Tong was the most active among them. Once he was full, he started to curiously guess everyone’s age.

“Brother Huo… I guess you are 27 years old.” Guan Tong was full of confidence.

Huo Yanzhi smiled heartily when he heard this. “How boring is it to guess me? Guess something else that you can’t think of.”

Huo Yanzhi persisted in not looking at You Mian.

Today, he was a bit tired from the turbulent and complicated thoughts in his mind. Now he just wanted to quickly end the process and go back to his room to have a good rest.

Shen Nanxiao took over the topic gently. “Guess how old I am?”

Huo Yanzhi secretly sighed with relief.

Guan Tong’s attention was suddenly pulled over. Seeing this, he really thought about it before making a guess. “Nanxiao should be around the same age as me. 23 or 24?”

The moment Guan Tong’s words came out, he realized that something was wrong. Sure enough, Shen Nanxiao couldn’t help smiling and saying, “It is similar to you. So you are 23 or 24 years old?”

Guan Tong: “……”

Guan Tong covered his mouth messily. Huo Yanzhi recognized him as a blogger the moment he entered through the door, and now he revealed his age.

It was really a disadvantage!

But Shen Nanxiao didn’t grab onto this. He looked at You Mian in the corner of the table opposite him with great interest.

“I’m curious about how old You Mian is,” Shen Nanxiao said.

It was obvious that Bai Lin was younger than Shen Nanxiao and Guan Tong just from his appearance, but they couldn’t guess who was older between Bai Lin and You Mian.

“Yes!” Guan Tong asked, “Who is older? You Mian or Bai Lin?”

Bai Lin timidly raised his eyes to look at Guan Tong on the opposite side. He tugged weakly on Yun Guanqing’s sleeve.

Yun Guanqing didn’t think there was anything that couldn’t be discussed about this topic, but he still raised his hand and patted the back of Bai Lin’s hand comfortingly with the last bit of interest that was so weak it could no longer be detected.

You Mian suddenly faced all the eyes that were suddenly on him. He didn’t understand how the topic was thrown to him.

But if it came then he was safe.

You Mian always had a way of avoiding all inquiring eyes.

He turned his head calmly and met the eyes of Hong Sheng behind the camera. He asked, “According to the house guidelines, can this topic be discussed now, Director?”

You Mian’s tone of voice was a bit lazy, and the ending sound was slightly elongated. There was a soft smile in his eyes.

Once again, it was a beauty-critical hit.

The staff might’ve seen it many times, but it was difficult to adapt in a short time.

Guan Tong shouted, “You Mian, you are playing tricks!”

You Mian smiled but didn’t say anything. He just shrugged and said, “I can’t do anything if the director doesn’t let me say it.”

Seeing this, Hong Sheng had to say, “There will be a truth-telling session at the bonfire party at night. Everyone can ask anything they want at that time.”

Dinner time was almost over. It wasn’t a spoiler for Hong Sheng to cue what would happen next.

The moment the words ‘truth-telling session’ appeared, the atmosphere of the guests became hot.

Seeing that this person was once again like a slippery fish that dodged all types of focused moments, Pei Huaiji’s eyes sank. He couldn’t help wondering about what happened two years ago.

He didn’t pay attention to the news in the wealthy circle. He only knew that apart from the show design of Xiuming being well received in the past two years, he really didn’t know what happened in the You family for the past two years.

Since You Mian didn’t want to be noticed so much, why did he come to the show?

Pei Huaiji had never been a person with a desire to find out about people other than himself. But at this moment, he couldn’t deceive himself.

He did feel a bit curious about You Mian.

This was a really strange person.

Pei Huaiji paused, and his eyes swept over the mint candy in his hand. He added a sentence in his heart, ‘A beautiful and strange person.’

White Lily

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