After hanging up the phone, Gu Xingyi gently patted the still-hidden Xia Xiyao through the blanket.

“My dear wife, can you get up for a sec? Take me to the high-speed rail station.”

Xia Xiyao had been listening to the call and naturally knew he had something important to attend to. She wasn’t sure what exactly, but judging from Gu Xingyi’s tone, it sounded serious.

She didn’t dawdle. She immediately poked her head out from under the blanket, her flushed face reappearing.

“Okay! Do you need to pack?”

“I’ve only got my backpack. Just not sure how long I’ll be gone this time... I’ll leave Nainai with you for now.”

Gu Xingyi tossed his few belongings into his backpack and spoke to her as he zipped it up.

Xia Xiyao nodded. With Yun-jie and Lele around, they could help watch over Nainai while she was busy with the show—very convenient.

Once everything was packed, Gu Xingyi checked out of the hotel room, and the two headed off in the car.

Since it was a last-minute trip, the only option was the high-speed rail. But honestly, for this distance, the speed difference compared to flying wasn’t much.

On the way to the station, Xia Xiyao focused intently on the road ahead. Gu Xingyi, seated in the passenger seat, glanced at her serious profile.

“This time I’m going to see Chen Feng. You’ve met him before—my college buddy. Looks like something’s happened, and he asked me to come over.”

He laid it out clearly, so she wouldn’t worry.

Xia Xiyao softly replied, “Mm.” Hearing that reassured her. She remembered Chen Feng—honest and kind. A good guy.

It took less than twenty minutes to reach the station from the hotel.

It was just past noon, and the station was packed. Gu Xingyi put on a face mask and didn’t let Xia Xiyao get out to see him off.

With all the buzz around them lately—especially Gu Xingyi, who was both famous and infamous—it was safer to avoid being recognized.

“I’m off! No need to walk me in. Drive safe, okay? If I can make it in time, I’ll come watch you compete!”

Gu Xingyi smiled as he rubbed her head. Lately, he’d really come to like doing that.

“Okay.”

Xia Xiyao’s almond-shaped eyes flickered slightly. She still wasn’t used to the feeling of parting.

“Alright, go on home.”

Gu Xingyi got out, closed the door, and watched as Xia Xiyao slowly drove away from the station.

At 3:30 PM—half an hour later than planned due to train delays—Gu Xingyi arrived in Jiangcheng.

While he was on the train, Xia Xiyao had called to let him know she got home safely and told him to come back soon—Nainai missed him!

Gu Xingyi chuckled when he read that. Was it really Nainai who missed him… or her?

He hailed a taxi and headed straight for the address Chen Feng had sent him.

About ten minutes later, the car arrived at a multi-story commercial building. Chen Feng’s studio was on the sixth floor.

When Gu Xingyi got there, the studio door was unlocked. He walked in naturally.

The windows were shut tight, the room reeked of alcohol, and empty beer cans littered the floor. It looked a lot like the scene from when he had first transmigrated.

Chen Feng was slumped on the ground, chugging beer straight from the can.

Gu Xingyi’s first move was to open a window to let in some fresh air. Then he walked over, sat beside him, and took off his mask.

Chen Feng burped, his face pale and drained of color. When he saw Gu Xingyi, he lifted his can and toasted him weakly, his eyes vacant and hopeless.

“You came? Good bro... you’re the only one who hasn’t abandoned me.”

Gu Xingyi waved in front of his nose, clearly disgusted by the strong alcohol stench. It made him feel sick—brought back bad memories.

“Come on, what kind of heavy blow did you suffer to make someone as cheerful as you this broken?”

Chen Feng was silent for a moment, then downed the entire beer and crushed the can before tossing it aside.

“I just don’t get it! What did I do wrong? Why’d they do this to me?”

He gritted his teeth, grabbing another can.

Gu Xingyi didn’t stop him. He knew Chen Feng needed to let it out.

“Double betrayal?”

Chen Feng chugged another gulp, then nodded.

“That pair of scumbags! Lao Gu, I really didn’t see it coming. Still don’t get it!”

“Wait… Lao Gu, did you already suspect something?”

Suddenly remembering something, Chen Feng looked up. Back when they met, Gu Xingyi had warned him to be more observant.

Gu Xingyi shrugged and patted his shoulder.

“I just had a hunch. I mean, who calls someone else’s girlfriend in the middle of the night? And it’s your business partner, no less. Didn’t call you but called her? It was your personal matter though, so I didn’t want to interfere.”

Chen Feng froze, then laughed bitterly. Yeah. If Gu Xingyi had bluntly told him back then, he probably would’ve gotten mad.

“So? What’s the current situation?”

Gu Xingyi asked again.

“You’re looking at it. This is all that’s left of the studio—an empty shell. They’ve been scheming together behind my back the whole time. My designs are gone. My shares are gone. Hah! And of course, my girlfriend is gone too.”

Chen Feng slumped again, totally deflated. He tilted his head back and took another swig.

Gu Xingyi frowned.

“Okay, losing your girlfriend sucks—but how did they steal your shares?”

“I... I transferred them to Ruan Qing.”

Chen Feng gave an awkward smile. Yeah, it was a stupid move. But she had played him well—completely fooled by her acting.

Gu Xingyi sighed inwardly and stayed quiet. In his state, nothing he said would help. Better to just be there for now and talk sense later.

After downing two more cans, Chen Feng suddenly turned his head.

“Right, I haven’t asked you—what’s up with you? That stuff online?”

“Oh, that? Long story. So I won’t get into it. Just know that the old me was a total bastard. Actually, those incidents are why I quit drinking for good.”

Gu Xingyi didn’t want to dig up the past—he brushed it off.

Chen Feng nodded and didn’t pry further. Instead, he patted Gu Xingyi’s shoulder.

“So... we’re both down in the dumps, huh?”

“Don’t lump me in with you.”

Gu Xingyi immediately protested.

“I’m nothing like you. Things with your saozi and I are going great. I’ve got a lovely daughter too. Life’s never been better!”

“Damn! You call that comforting? That’s just rubbing salt in the wound!”

Chen Feng felt even worse and took another big gulp. But at least with Gu Xingyi around, his mood was slightly better than before.

“Lao Gu, if I had your talent and looks, maybe she wouldn’t have dumped me. Wouldn’t have lied to me for so long. Thinking back now, I can’t believe how long she kept up the act.”

Seeing him like that, Gu Xingyi frowned.

“Fengzi, was she really worth all this pain?”

Chen Feng shot him a look and asked seriously:

“What do you think? We’d known each other for two years, dated for almost a year and a half. I really liked her, Lao Gu. Let me ask you—if Xia Xiyao ever left you, wouldn’t you be heartbroken?”

Gu Xingyi frowned. He’d never thought about it before.

He considered it for a moment, then replied uncertainly, “Probably, yeah.”

After all, from the moment he transmigrated, he was living for her and Nainai.

Chen Feng saw his hesitation and punched him on the shoulder.

“Seriously?! You have to think about it? Lao Gu, do you even understand what love is?!”

Gu Xingyi froze and fell into thought. He had always been a single dog before—what did he really know about love?

What is love, anyway? Did he really love Xia Xiyao?

He quietly asked himself that question.