Just acting.
Cheng-ge was smart.
If he truly felt sorry for Yan Mo, he would never have allowed Yin Liuguang to force him into the car with the help of assistants and bodyguards.
He appeared to be scolding Yin Liuguang, but it was merely for show.
As for Yin Liuguang, there was even less need to mention him.
A genius since childhood—did anyone really think he wasn’t clever?
What kind of personality did he have?
Would he obediently take a scolding without talking back?
Of course not.
The two were simply working together—one playing the bad cop, the other the good cop.
Cheng-ge sighed.
“But no matter what, you two were together before. Outsiders shouldn’t interfere too much.”
“Actually, after you left, Liuguang didn’t have it easy either.”
“Sigh… you were once the closest people in each other’s lives. Why does it have to be like this?”
Fake.
Yin Liuguang feeling bad?
Yan Mo almost laughed out loud hearing that.
Did they still think he was as easy to fool as before?
“If Liuguang bullies you again, I’ll be the first one to beat him up for you!”
“But Yan Mo… could you give Liuguang a chance to talk? To apologize properly?”
He looked at Yan Mo.
“Okay?”
Cheng-ge’s attitude was humble.
He was much older than Yan Mo and held a far higher social status than an unemployed young man.
Yet he lowered himself so willingly.
If this had been the old Yan Mo—or any innocent person—they might have felt guilty.
Might have wondered whether they were being too harsh.
Might have softened from nostalgia.
But after everything he had experienced, Yan Mo had become much more clear-headed.
He knew perfectly well that if he hadn’t been Yin Liuguang’s boyfriend, Cheng-ge wouldn’t have spared him a second glance.
He certainly wouldn’t have wasted his time trying to persuade him so gently.
Humility and kindness moved people’s hearts far more effectively than anger.
Moral coercion delivered with a low posture worked especially well on soft-hearted people.
Would Cheng-ge really stand up for him?
Really criticize Yin Liuguang?
Yan Mo smiled self-mockingly.
Impossible.
“A little later I’ll drop both of you off at the villa.”
“Liuguang, behave yourself. Talk to Yan Mo properly.”
“Don’t keep showing that terrible temper of yours.”
“Be careful, or Yan Mo might really stop paying attention to you.”
Cheng-ge lectured him sternly.
“Got it~~”
Yin Liuguang hummed lazily.
“It’s not like I’ve ever treated him badly…”
He glanced at Yan Mo.
Then stretched out a finger and hooked Yan Mo’s little finger, just like when they were younger.
Back then, no matter how angry someone was, his attempts at acting cute could usually smooth things over.
Only then did Cheng-ge finally relax and smile at Yan Mo again.
Yan Mo lowered his eyes.
Ah…
How disgusting.
Not the people themselves.
But this kind of gentle coercion.
People always sought advantage and avoided harm.
They always pressured the more reasonable person into compromising first.
Cheng-ge might seem troubled by Yin Liuguang, but between the two of them, Yin Liuguang would always be the more important one.
He couldn’t persuade Yin Liuguang.
So instead, he comforted Yan Mo.
Words that sounded supportive but ultimately encouraged him to endure.
Though it looked as though Cheng-ge was taking Yan Mo’s side, all he was really doing was trying to calm him down.
As a manager, he feared Yan Mo causing trouble and exposing things publicly.
If paparazzi discovered that a top superstar was involved in a relationship—
The entire entertainment industry would explode.
Not a single person in this car was standing on Yan Mo’s side.
Avoiding Yin Liuguang’s finger, Yan Mo simply replied:
“Mm.”
Both Cheng-ge and Yin Liuguang visibly relaxed.
Yan Mo wasn’t good at sharp retaliation.
His parents had raised him to be a gentle and kind person.
Still, he looked at Cheng-ge and calmly added:
“If Yin Liuguang does anything to me during this period, I will report him for rape and sexual harassment afterward.”
Since he couldn’t leave anyway, if they wanted to drag this out—
Then he would drag it out with them.
At worst, he would waste an entire lifetime.
Until he died and left this world.
Cheng-ge’s smile froze.
Yin Liuguang stared at him in surprise.
“Yan Mo…”
Cheng-ge opened his mouth.
“There’s no need to go that far…”
“I mean it.”
Yan Mo turned toward the window.
He ignored both of them and stared expressionlessly at the passing scenery.
Yin Liuguang’s house was a mess.
He hated people touching his belongings.
Whenever something was moved, he couldn’t find it and would lose his temper.
The cleaning staff could only dust the place.
The game console he’d left before leaving still sat on the carpet.
Snacks.
Soda cans.
Figures and manga were piled haphazardly in corners.
Blankets were balled up on the sofa.
Throw pillows were scattered everywhere.
It hadn’t always been this way.
There was once a time when Yin Liuguang’s room was spotless.
But after Yan Mo left—
There was no longer someone who would respond to:
“Yan Mo, where’s my ___?”
With a helpless yet indulgent smile before finding it and placing it into his hands.
“Yan Mo…”
Even after arriving, Cheng-ge continued trying to persuade him.
Yan Mo interrupted.
“As long as he doesn’t provoke me, I won’t do anything.”
Cheng-ge smiled bitterly.
Because he knew perfectly well that Yin Liuguang would never do nothing.
He still wanted to keep persuading him.
But Yan Mo simply picked up his luggage and walked away coldly.
Watching his back, Cheng-ge wasn’t angry.
Only somewhat emotional.
Two years.
The gentle and shy young man from before wasn’t so easy to fool anymore.
Cheng-ge left with the driver and two assistants.
The remaining assistants and bodyguards stayed in the neighboring villa.
They could be called over at any time.
Yin Liuguang’s fame was enormous.
His fans were fanatical.
Some would do almost anything just to see him.
And the paparazzi were everywhere.
To protect him, the company had hired numerous bodyguards to patrol around his residence.
Originally, even his personal assistants and bodyguards were supposed to live with him.
But Yin Liuguang hated unfamiliar people getting close to him.
In the end, the company compromised.
That alone showed just how popular he had become.
The company and management practically worshipped him.
If he wanted stars, they wouldn’t dare offer him the moon instead.
With security patrolling nearby, Yan Mo’s thoughts of escaping were immediately crushed.
“Ge, you’ve never seen this house before, right?”
“Which room do you want?”
“Take any of them~~”
“I’m super generous~~”
Yin Liuguang dragged him around the villa with a huge grin.
Yan Mo had no idea what had gotten into him.
“Why don’t you just stay in my room?”
Bending down, the flawless baby-faced superstar leaned close.
Smiling sweetly, he said:
“I won’t do aaaanything~~~~”
Yeah right.
You little perverted brat.
Expressionless, Yan Mo pushed his face away.
Yin Liuguang immediately looked heartbroken.
Like a giant cat, he wailed dramatically:
“You’ve changed!”
“You don’t trust me anymore!”
His tone carried enough grievance for ten people.
Yin Liuguang looked like an angel.
Tall.
Long-limbed.
Yet blessed with a youthful face.
His energetic arrogance made people laugh.
But when he suddenly got close, the mature body beneath that youthful appearance could still make hearts race.
Unfortunately, Yan Mo had long since become immune to that face.
Afterward, Yin Liuguang spent ages complaining.
He said he never had time to clean.
That things disappeared whenever strangers organized them.
That he couldn’t cook and had to survive on takeout.
That Yan Mo absolutely had to cook dinner tonight.
If Yan Mo didn’t know better, he’d think Yin Liuguang lived a miserable life.
“Why does it have to be me cooking?”
“I don’t mind. We can just order takeout.”
“But I already bought all the ingredients.”
“If you don’t cook, they’ll go to waste~~”
“They were super expensive.”
“Just one crab cost over five thousand.”
“And once a crab dies, you can’t eat it anymore.”
“Sigh…”
Yin Liuguang looked pitiful.
“Are we really going to throw them away?”
“It’ll all be Yan Mo-ge’s fault for refusing to cook.”
Yan Mo: “…”
With a sigh, he gave in and started preparing the ingredients.
Immediately, Yin Liuguang became cheerful.
Like a child, he followed Yan Mo everywhere.
Poking at the tied-up crabs.
Leaning against Yan Mo’s back.
Acting spoiled while requesting dishes.
Everything felt so natural.
Natural enough that it seemed like their relationship had never broken down.
After dinner, Yin Liuguang dragged him into playing games.
Then pulled out piles of snacks.
Not long after, he insisted they watch a movie together.
It was an old film.
The moment Yan Mo saw the title, he froze.
The tension in his brow gradually eased.
The coffee table was moved aside.
The projector cast the aging images onto a screen.
Yan Mo sat on the carpet with Yin Liuguang beside him.
Both leaned against the sofa.
The light from the movie illuminated their faces softly.
Yan Mo watched the film.
And Yin Liuguang watched him.