After the song ended, the two of them gradually came back to their senses. Gu Xingyi looked at Xia Xiyao with a smile and nodded.

“That was really good. The next round is in the bag!”

Xia Xiyao’s face flushed with a hint of shyness. She lowered her head, fidgeting with the sheet music in her hands.

“It’s because your lyrics were good.”

“No! If it weren’t for my dear wife’s melody, I wouldn’t have been able to come up with lyrics like that.”

They entered full-on mutual praise mode. But clearly, Xia Xiyao didn’t have the same thick skin as a certain someone. As soon as she heard the words “dear wife,” she was completely defeated. Like an ostrich, she buried her face in her arms and refused to come out.

This was the first time Gu Xingyi had called her “wife” to her face. Xia Xiyao was shy but also a little delighted.

But just as Gu Xingyi was savoring the sweet moment, his phone rang, cutting through the delicate atmosphere in the room.

He picked it up. The screen showed “Director Yang.”

Gu Xingyi raised an eyebrow. Looked like Yang Chenglin had seen the post too? What he didn’t know was that she hadn’t just seen it—she was practically losing her mind.

When she first saw the post, she didn’t believe it. But after Gu Xingyi’s Douyin was flooded with hate to the point it needed tech support, and he still hadn’t made a statement, even she started to doubt.

Could what they said online actually be true?

Yang Chenglin couldn’t believe it. The image of Gu Xingyi in her mind was always that of a gentle, talented man. Could someone like that really commit domestic violence?

She waited and waited but saw no clarification video from him. In the end, she couldn’t take it anymore and made the call.

The moment the call connected, Gu Xingyi’s calm voice came through.

“Hello? What’s up?”

Yang Chenglin was stunned. Did he not know what was happening?

“Ah? N-No, nothing really... It’s just that there’s some bad stuff about you going around online. Aren’t you going to clear it up?”

Gu Xingyi scratched his head and instinctively glanced over at Xia Xiyao.

She was fiddling with the music sheet, putting on a serious front, but her eyes occasionally sneaking glances in his direction clearly betrayed her pretense.

Gu Xingyi winked at her. Xia Xiyao’s face turned red in an instant, and she quickly averted her gaze like she’d been caught stealing.

“No need to explain anything. It’s all true.”

Gu Xingyi responded plainly. The call fell into silence. After a while, Yang Chenglin’s voice came again.

“Why? I don’t believe it! The person I know…”

“Sorry to interrupt you, Director Yang, but... how well do you really know me? Everything online is true. Nothing to clarify. If I did wrong, I should be punished. As for all the things people are saying online, let them say it. As long as the people I care about understand me, that’s enough.”

He cut her off and spoke calmly, his gaze fixed on Xia Xiyao.

He didn’t care how others saw him. He never wanted to be liked by everyone. He just wanted to be liked by the one in front of him.

The line went quiet again.

After hearing what he said, Yang Chenglin felt a sting in her chest. “The people I care about”—so what about her?

“Alright, I was just checking. Nothing more. I’ll hang up now.”

Her tone was off. Gu Xingyi didn’t think too much of it and simply replied, “Okay.” The call ended.

“That was a bit too cold, don’t you think?”

As soon as he put the phone down, Xia Xiyao’s voice sounded beside him.

“???”

Gu Xingyi was puzzled. Was he cold? That seemed normal. He was just telling the truth, and politely too!

“That onee-san probably likes you.”

Xia Xiyao said again, her eyes slightly dim.

Yang Chenglin? Likes him? No way, right?

Gu Xingyi scratched his head, feeling a headache coming on. He only ever saw her as a regular friend.

“Uh... how do you know?”

“A feeling! I trust my instincts!”

Xia Xiyao raised her head and stared at him, her tone firm.

“Uhh… your feeling’s wrong! And besides, everyone knows I have a wife and a kid! I wouldn’t catch feelings for anyone else—that would be disrespectful!”

He scratched his head again as he tried to explain.

To him, love should be serious and loyal. Anything else would be disrespectful to everyone involved.

Seeing the sincerity in his eyes, Xia Xiyao gave a soft “mm,” but the tightness in her heart didn’t quite go away.

Gu Xingyi might not like her, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t like him. That onee-san was amazing—much better than herself. She knew that.

She went back to fiddling with her sheet music as if it held hidden treasures.

Gu Xingyi watched her with growing confusion. As he replayed their conversation in his head, he suddenly realized something. A smile crept up on his face, and he nudged her arm.

“Wait... are you jealous?”

Xia Xiyao instantly panicked, her face turning bright red.

“No! I’m not!”

She raised her voice—but that only made it more obvious!

Case closed. She was totally jealous!

Gu Xingyi grinned even wider and kept staring at her. Jealous Xia Xiyao was adorable!

The more she tried to deny it, the more flustered she became. She could feel him laughing at her, and it made her both embarrassed and angry!

Finally, unable to take it anymore, she threw the sheet music onto the bed in frustration.

“Fine! I admit it! I’m jealous! So what if some gorgeous woman likes you?!”

Gu Xingyi’s grin grew wider. He suddenly leaned in close, his voice teasing.

“Then... how about I stamp my seal on you? Would that make you feel better?”

He was so close that Xia Xiyao could feel his breath on her face. Her heart was pounding like crazy—faster and faster, almost like it was about to leap out of her chest.

Then, slowly, she closed her eyes and puckered her lips just a little.

Gu Xingyi was just as nervous. But when he saw her shut her eyes, his heart leapt with joy. He secretly pinched his palm, closed his own eyes, and moved in.

(“Way ahead~ way ahead~”)

Just then—at that crucial moment—his phone rang again.

Both of them jumped.

Xia Xiyao immediately dove onto the bed and pulled the covers over her face, too embarrassed to show herself again.

Gu Xingyi’s eye twitched. He picked up the call, murderous intent radiating from him.

“Hello?! Who is this?! If it’s not something urgent, I swear I’ll make it urgent!”

He was ready to kill whoever was on the other end.

No one answered at first. He glanced at the screen. Chen Feng?

“Fengzi? What the hell are you doing? Not even talking now?”

He gritted his teeth. That brat better have something serious to say, or he was getting disowned.

Finally, after a pause, Chen Feng’s voice came through, sounding drained.

“Lao Gu, what’s going on online? Did you really bully saozi?”

“I swear to—That’s why you’re calling?! No! I didn’t even get the chance yet! You called too soon!”

Gu Xingyi was full of frustration. He glanced at the lump hiding under the covers and sighed, face full of regret.

“But hey, what’s with your voice? Did life beat you up or something?”

Chen Feng’s tone wasn’t right. Now that his rage had settled, Gu Xingyi caught on.

After another pause, Chen Feng spoke again.

“Yeah, you could say that. Got a harsh lesson. Are you free now? Can you come hang with me for a bit? You don’t have to drink. Just sit with me. You’re the only friend I’ve got here.”

Gu Xingyi’s expression shifted slightly. He’d sensed something was wrong before. And now it was confirmed.

He didn’t hesitate and responded directly.

“Alright. Send me the location. I’m in Modu right now. I’ll be there in three hours.”

“Okay.”

Chen Feng replied. The call ended.