Xie Shiyuan couldn’t quite articulate what was bothering him. From the moment Yu Wan entered, her gaze hadn’t once fallen on him. Unable to control himself, he called out to her.
Yu Wan instinctively turned her head. When she saw it was Xie Shiyuan who had called her, her expression immediately cooled. “What do you want?”
Xie Shiyuan clenched his hand at his side. He wanted to ask why she had blocked him, but knew this wasn’t the appropriate occasion. He could only say, “You’re quite late.”
Yu Wan rolled her eyes internally. Seriously, what does this have to do with you?
Yu Wan tilted her head toward the production team. “Am I late?”
The production team forced an awkward laugh. “Well, not exactly late…”
“Just the last one to…” arrive
Yu Wan cut off whatever he was about to say. “So I’m not late.”
“I arrived before the designated time. Is there a problem?”
Hearing this, Xie Shiyuan pressed his lips together tighter.
Yu Xiayue noticed Xie Shiyuan’s expression and paused. He still cares about Yu Wan.
Turning around, she put on a smile. “Wanwan, you’ve misunderstood. Shiyuan was just concerned about you. You have many things to handle, plus you needed styling. He was worried you might be delayed and end up late, so he asked.”
In just a few short sentences, the implications were heavy.
[So that’s why Yu Wan looks different today. She specifically had it done. How calculated.]
“Are we that familiar?” Yu Wan tilted her head to look at her.
Yu Xiayue was momentarily caught off guard. “Huh?”
“I don’t like how you addressed me. Next time, please call me by my name.” Yu Wan looked straight at her, enunciating each word clearly. “We’re not close enough for that.”
“And I understood what you meant earlier.”
“Are you saying I look so beautiful today because I specifically had makeup and styling done, and that I delayed the gathering because of it?”
“Next time, remember to say it directly. Good thing I have some brains.”
“If it were someone less quick-witted who didn’t catch your implied meaning, wouldn’t you have wasted your breath?”
Yu Wan’s little mouth opened and closed, chattering away like pouring beans—a long string of words without even pausing for breath.
Yu Xiayue never expected Yu Wan to publicly expose her like this. Her face instantly turned pale then flushed.
She gently bit her lip. Since when did this cannon fodder female supporting role grow a brain?
“And another thing—I’m naturally beautiful. I don’t need special preparation. I’ll take your earlier words as a compliment.”
Netizens: ?
Is that right? We’ve never seen someone so thick-skinned.
Hearing this, Xie Shiyuan’s voice deepened with a hint of reproach. “Wanwan, you…”
Yu Wan immediately raised her hand. “Stop.”
She turned to look at Xie Shiyuan, enunciating each word clearly. “We’re not that familiar either.”
Beside them, Shen Li couldn’t help but chuckle, raising an eyebrow at Yu Wan.
Has Yu Wan been possessed today? She actually dared to talk back to her beloved Xie Shiyuan.
Noticing everyone looking at her, Shen Li waved her hand. “Ah, I just saw a funny joke and couldn’t hold it in. Please continue, continue.”
Xie Shiyuan’s expression stiffened, mixed with shock. He never expected Yu Wan to treat him this way.
“Yu Wan,” the moment the two words left his mouth, Xie Shiyuan inexplicably felt a distance between them.
Suppressing the strange emotions in his heart, he defended Yu Xiayue. “Xiayue didn’t mean it that way. You’re overthinking it.”
Yu Wan shrugged. “Oh, then consider me judging a gentleman’s heart by my own mean measure.”
What was originally an indifferent remark was somehow delivered by her with a tone of sheer audacity.
It was as if she were saying, “So what? I don’t care what you meant—this is what I’m making of it. If you’re afraid I’ll twist your words, then don’t say anything at all.”
Apart from Shen Li, who chuckled at the unfolding drama, everyone else remained silent, the atmosphere in the room growing tense.
In stark contrast to the frozen scene on set, the live chat exploded into a frenzy, tearing into Yu Wan with scathing criticism.
【What exactly does Yu Wan mean by that? Our Xiayue was just being kind, and not only does she refuse to appreciate it, but she also speaks about Xiayue like that.】
【She’s really treating kindness as if it were worthless.】
【When our Xiayue called her “Wanwan,” she was doing her a favor. Who does Yu Wan think she is, saying they’re not close?】
【She used to chase after Xie Shiyuan all the time, and now she claims they’re not close? She’s just putting on an act to get Xie Shiyuan’s attention.】
【Judging by Xie Shiyuan’s reaction, it seems she’s succeeded. Must be feeling pretty proud of herself.】
【To be honest, Yu Wan isn’t wrong. She really wasn’t late, and when Yu Xiayue stepped in to say that, wasn’t she indirectly blaming Yu Wan?】
【Exactly. Yu Wan was just pointing out the implied meaning in her words. Why is everyone turning on Yu Wan now?】
【I initially thought Yu Xiayue’s comment was harmless, but after hearing Yu Wan’s response, I can’t help but feel there was something subtly manipulative about what she said.】
【If Yu Wan hadn’t spoken up, I would’ve assumed she was at fault, but she clearly wasn’t late.】
【How can you defend a homewrecker? Yu Wan only knows how to stir up trouble. Mark my words—everything she does is for Xie Shiyuan’s sake, though this time her tactics are a bit more refined.】
On set, the director, sensing the awkward tension, quickly stepped in to mediate: “Let’s keep things friendly, everyone. Just friendly exchanges.”
Shen Li, as if eager to stir the pot further, chimed in immediately: “Right, right. Friendly exchanges.”
Yu Wan rolled her eyes at Shen Li—this was the first time she’d seen “friendly exchanges” used in such a context.
“Look, it’s been a while. Why are you all still standing? Teacher Yu and Teacher Xie, please take a seat.”
As soon as the name “Xie” was mentioned, almost everyone glanced toward Xie Shiyuan, since there were two Xies present.
Xie Mingyan cast a brief glance at the seated Xie Shiyuan, let out a soft laugh, and said to the director, “Just call me Xie Mingyan.”
【I bet anything Yu Wan will go sit next to Xie Shiyuan. Isn’t that the whole reason she came here?】
【She acted all tough earlier, saying they weren’t close, but she’s about to be proven wrong, isn’t she?】
Not only did the netizens think this, but even Xie Shiyuan himself was convinced of it.
He knew full well that Yu Wan had joined this show for his sake.
Her earlier remarks were probably just a fit of pique after seeing Yu Xiayue seated beside him.
She had always been prone to such petty moods.
This time, he decided he wouldn’t hold it against her.
With that thought, Xie Shiyuan reached out to gather the jacket he had placed beside him, intending to make room for Yu Wan.
But just as his hand extended, he saw Yu Wan take a step forward, grasp Xie Mingyan’s hand, turn, and head straight for the seat farthest from Xie Shiyuan before sitting down.
Xie Shiyuan’s hand froze mid-air.
【?】
【?!】
A long string of oversized question marks flooded the live chat.
Wait, what are you doing? Why aren’t you following the script?
This isn’t how things were supposed to go.
【Yu Wan, are you having trouble with directions? Xie Shiyuan is on the far right—what are you doing all the way on the left?】
[“My brain can’t keep up. Someone tell me, what new tactic is she using now?”]
[“Those who just said Yu Wan was being shameless, step forward. She clearly never intended to sit next to Xie Shiyuan.”]
[“Get your facts straight. The person next to Yu Wan is her husband, whose face is handsomer than Xie Shiyuan’s. Anyone with eyes would know who to choose.”]
[“Don’t forget the rumors—Yu Wan supposedly despises her husband and has a thing for Xie Shiyuan.”]
[“You said it yourself—those are just rumors.”]
Everyone present knew the gossip about Yu Wan loathing Xie Mingyan and even cuckolding him.
From the moment Yu Wan and Xie Mingyan entered, the crowd had shifted into full spectator mode.
But watching the scene unfold, everyone grew puzzled: Did Yu Wan truly like Xie Shiyuan and despise her husband?
It didn’t seem like it.
Yu Wan lounged lazily on the sofa, resembling a boneless, languid kitten.
Xie Mingyan handed her a glass of water and said considerately, “You must be thirsty after all that talking. Have some water to soothe your throat.”
Yu Xiayue frowned slightly. Logically, Xie Mingyan should resent Yu Wan—what was going on?
Yu Wan couldn’t be bothered to move and bent her head to drink from the glass he held.
Noticing Xie Shiyuan’s unwavering gaze fixed on her.
“Why are you staring at me?” Yu Wan found it baffling that he watched her drink. “If you’re thirsty, there’s water on the table.”
“There’s a little left.” Xie Mingyan’s gentle voice interrupted from beside her.
“Okay.” Without refusing Xie Mingyan, Yu Wan withdrew her gaze and finished the water.
Seeing this, Yu Xiayue asked, “Shiyuan, are you thirsty?”
Why was everyone acting so unpredictably? She refused to believe it.
With that, she handed him the water from the table.
Xie Shiyuan’s eyes remained fixed on the pair across from him, a surge of irritation rising in his chest. He frowned. “I’m not thirsty.”