Yu Yifan looked at me with slight surprise. We had never even shared a meal before—in the past, when we met, we wouldn’t even greet each other, merely exchanging a glance before moving on.
But since this concerned his close friend’s marriage, and he was well aware of the significant relationship between the Pei and Xu families, he thought it over and agreed. “Alright, tonight then. I’m free tonight.”
“Great! I know a coffee shop with excellent coffee, comfortable and quiet—perfect for a chat. Here, let’s add each other on WeChat, and I’ll send you the location.” Enthusiastically, I took out my phone, opened my friend QR code, and placed it in front of Yu Yifan.
Yu Yifan glanced at the QR code, then handed me a pen. “No adding. Write it on paper.”
What kind of person is this? A caveman? I gave him an indescribable look before swiftly writing down the address of the “Yujian” Coffee Shop on the paper.
“Let’s meet there at 8:30 tonight.”
Smiling, I put down the pen and left in high spirits.
At 8 p.m., Yu Yifan would be at the “Yujian” Coffee Shop, but he wouldn’t meet me—he would only meet Wei Lan.
With this anticipation, I was excited all day, eagerly looking forward to witnessing the moment Yu Yifan met Wei Lan. I decided to disguise myself and personally observe this historic occasion.
Pei Heng and Yu Yifan truly were close friends—they even liked the same woman. I just didn’t know whether Yu Yifan would fall for Wei Lan at first sight or develop feelings after getting to know her.
If it wasn’t love at first sight, tonight might be disappointing.
I changed into loose black pants and a long-sleeved top, put on a wig, and headed to “Yujian” alone around 8 p.m.
I didn’t go inside the coffee shop but peered through the floor-to-ceiling window. Sure enough, Yu Yifan was already seated in a corner by the wall—wasn’t that my favorite spot before?
He wore a simple white T-shirt, his hair casually brushed down, making him look several years younger. His demeanor was cool and detached as he sat quietly drinking coffee, not even using his phone.
What about Wei Lan? I turned my gaze to the counter, searching for her.
After looking for a while without spotting Wei Lan, my suspicious behavior caught Yu Yifan’s attention. When he saw me, he stood up and walked out. I thought about running but decided it wouldn’t be appropriate.
“Xu Zhiyi, are you blind?” Yu Yifan greeted me with his signature politeness.
“You’re a doctor—can’t you speak with a bit more class?” I grumbled, pulling off the wig. Honestly, it was hot.
“You asked me here to talk but show up in a wig without coming inside. What’s the meaning of this?” Yu Yifan frowned at me.
I replied confidently, “I’m here, aren’t I? I was just checking to see if you were inside.”
Without further ado, Yu Yifan pushed open the coffee shop door and ordered, “Get inside.”
Reluctantly, I walked in, still holding the wig. As I passed the counter, I scrutinized it again—there was truly no sign of Wei Lan.
I asked another girl, “Where’s Wei Lan?”
“She’s off today!” the girl replied.
My face instantly fell, all my anticipation vanishing into thin air. I sat down sullenly with Yu Yifan, ordered my usual black coffee out of habit, and drank in silence.
Yu Yifan stared at me. “Didn’t you want to talk about you and Pei Heng?”
I shrugged. “Changed my mind. How about this—I’ll buy you coffee, then you can head home early to rest.”
The moment I finished speaking, I felt a chill emanating from Yu Yifan. His gaze was sharp, rivaling even Pei Heng’s.
“Are you messing with me?” he asked coldly.
“Not at all. I just suddenly realized there’s nothing to say about Pei Heng and me. Don’t you all already know I’ve had a one-sided crush for years? He doesn’t like me—never did, doesn’t now, and never will. What’s left to discuss?” I replied irritably. “If you really want to help me, go convince him to divorce me!”
Yu Yifan stared at me unblinkingly, as if gauging how much of what I said was true.
His intense gaze made me uneasy, so I pretended to focus on my coffee.
“The marriage between your families isn’t as simple as an ordinary union. You should know that without me telling you,” Yu Yifan finally spoke. “Unless something major happens, you won’t be able to divorce. Pei Heng won’t agree.”
“You know him quite well. That’s exactly what he said,” I sighed. “Truly brothers of one heart.”
Yu Yifan didn’t respond, merely taking a sip of coffee.
I didn’t want to continue the conversation. Since Wei Lan wasn’t here, a supporting character like me didn’t need so much screen time with the main cast.
After three minutes of silent coffee drinking, I stood up to pay the bill.
“I’ll get it,” Yu Yifan rose and stopped me courteously.
“Fine.” I didn’t put up a fight—this amount was pocket change for someone like Yu Yifan.
While he was paying, I slipped out of the coffee shop, got in my car and drove off. When turning at the intersection, I saw him in the rearview mirror just exiting the coffee shop, watching my car disappear.
I shook my head and sighed to myself. Yu Yifan was destined to always be one step behind Pei Heng. I’d tried to help him twice, and failed both times.
The red thread between Pei Heng and Wei Lan must be made of steel reinforcement. Trying to meddle further through Yu Yifan would be a complete waste of time.
Better to just wait it out. It’s only ten days, right? I can manage.
As expected, Pei Heng never returned over the following week. We returned to our previous state—no contact, no meetings.
I quite enjoyed the freedom, having time for my own pursuits. I picked up Qi Zhouyang when he was discharged from the hospital and treated him and Wei Lan to a meal. I also practiced piano intensively, trying to regain the skills I’d neglected over the years. Drinking Traditional Chinese medicine three times daily, combined with Liu E’s cooking, actually made me gain two pounds.
“Yi Yi, have you been taking immortality pills lately? Your complexion is amazing—rosy and radiant!” Deng Jing’er pinched my cheek during our gathering.
“Just taking Traditional Chinese medicine to regulate my body and eating more. The weight gain efforts are working,” I replied cheerfully.
“Such Versailles behavior!” Li You exclaimed indignantly. “Here we are trying to lose weight, and you’re specifically taking medicine to gain weight?”
Ouyang Tian slapped Li You’s springy butt. “This is happy weight! You should be grateful!”
Li You’s boyfriend was an excellent cook and had indeed been taking very good care of her.
Li You shook her head smugly, “Jealous, huh? Ah, this is the benefit of finding a financially responsible man!”
Although her boyfriend’s family background wasn’t as good as hers, he was quite decent—handsome, honest, and gentle—so the Li family hadn’t objected.
“Li You, if you come across any suitable commercial performances next time, bring me along.” I suddenly remembered this matter. Staying at home was too boring; I needed to develop my career!