Shen Li listened to the conversation beside her and couldn’t help rolling her eyes.
What kind of premium green tea behavior was this? Only someone as blind as Xie Shiyuan would like such a person.
Compared to this premium green tea type, she still preferred the domineering Yu Wan.
“Oh, Yu Wan, I originally thought about letting you have an ordinary room out of pity, but I never expected you’d be as lucky as me and get to stay in a luxury suite.”
Though Shen Li’s words seemed directed at Yu Wan, her eyes remained fixed on Yu Xiayue with mockery.
As if seeing right through all her petty schemes, she even added:
“This is all thanks to Yu Xiayue not wanting it.”
Seeing Yu Xiayue’s expression change, Shen Li immediately felt much better.
[What does Shen Li mean by this? Is she ganging up to bully our Yueyue?]
[All these wealthy socialites are birds of a feather, disgusting.]
[They’re just jealous of how good Yueyue and Xie Shiyuan are together.]
The comment section was flooded with criticism, all from fans defending Yu Xiayue.
Shen Li didn’t know about the comments, but even if she did, she wouldn’t care. Let them criticize—it wouldn’t cost her anything.
Turning to Yu Wan, she said: “Since the rooms are all chosen, aren’t you going to check out your luxury bedroom?”
Yu Wan looked up puzzled: “Who said it’s a large bed?”
“I guessed. Otherwise, how would you two—” Shen Li pointed back and forth between Yu Wan and Xie Mingyan “—sleep? Play Jenga?”
After saying this, she even pondered for a moment: “Well, that could work too.”
When Yu Wan realized what she meant, she gritted her teeth: “Shen Li!”
[Hahahaha, not gonna lie, I immediately understood.]
[Jenga isn’t impossible—they’re married after all, what’s wrong with stacking?]
[Jenga doesn’t necessarily require a small bed either—wouldn’t a big bed be more comfortable for maneuvering?]
[Hey, above commenter, your underwear just flew right onto my face.]
Yu Wan felt that she and Shen Li were absolutely incompatible. She turned and walked away without another word.
This time, without Yu Wan having to ask, Xie Mingyan automatically picked up both their suitcases and followed Yu Wan upstairs.
Yu Xiayue noticed Xie Shiyuan’s gaze still lingering on Yu Wan. She loosened her grip on the suitcase, letting it fall to the ground with a thud.
Hearing the sound, Xie Shiyuan immediately walked over to her: “Yueyue, why are you carrying such heavy things yourself instead of calling me?”
Yu Xiayue lowered her eyelids, her voice soft: “It’s fine, I can manage. Were you looking at Yu Wan? You should go help her instead.”
She forced a brave smile as she spoke.
Seeing this smile, Xie Shiyuan paused, thinking of Xie Mingyan following behind Yu Wan.
“Why would I help her? She has someone to carry her things.”
“Here, let me take that.” He reached out toward Yu Xiayue.
Seeing this, Yu Xiayue smiled brightly: “Thank you, Shiyuan.”
[Ahhhhh, our Yueyue and Xie Shiyuan are still the best couple! Unlike someone who acts like a spoiled princess.]
[Exactly! When going upstairs, she just turned and left—Xie Mingyan had to carry all the luggage alone. Must be nice being such a precious young miss.]
[How can people ship such an obviously fake couple? They must have strong teeth to chew through that hard plastic.]
[Our Yueyue and Xie Shiyuan are so sweet! Xie Shiyuan felt sorry for our Yueyue and helped carry her luggage upstairs, and Yueyue even wiped his sweat.]
“The best thing for Yu Wan and Xie Mingyan is to be locked together forever—just don’t go tormenting that young couple again.”
In the room.
Perhaps influenced by Shen Li’s earlier remarks, Yu Wan’s attention was immediately drawn to the bed upon entering.
It truly was an enormous bed.
Compared to Yu Wan’s own home, the room provided by the program crew wasn’t particularly remarkable, yet her focus inexplicably lingered on that bed.
[Hahaha, Shen Li called it—it really is a huge bed!]
[No matter how you toss and turn, there’s plenty of space.]
[I might sound a bit crude, but… even though you’re a fake couple, could you kiss for our sake?]
[Love isn’t necessary—physical intimacy would work too.]
A whirlwind of thoughts churned in Yu Wan’s mind, but she quickly cut them off.
What are you thinking, Yu Wan!
After mentally scolding herself, she turned to find Xie Mingyan’s gaze also fixed on the bed.
Yu Wan: “!”
“What are you looking at? Don’t you know where you’re sleeping?” she retorted with a hint of irritation.
A faint, inexplicable smile flickered in Xie Mingyan’s eyes. “I know.”
[What? Sleeping where?]
[So they really share a bed at home! We’re not outsiders—please elaborate in detail.]
[Wait, what are you all obsessing over? Can’t you see how harshly Yu Wan treats Xie Mingyan?]
[Exactly, just listen to her tone—sounds like she’s scolding him.]
[None of your business! That’s their marital dynamic. Don’t ruin my shipping mood or I’ll shut you up.]
After setting her things down, Yu Wan went to the bathroom.
Soon after, the countdown on her wrist began beeping again.
Frowning, she wondered: What is he up to now?
Outside in the hallway, Xie Mingyan held his phone as a voice came through: “Boss, everything has been handled as you instructed.”
“Have you planted our person yet?” the man asked indifferently.
His dark eyes narrowed slightly, veiling his emotions. A lighter flickered in his other hand, flame igniting and dying.
“Not yet. They’re very strict with senior personnel…”
The voice on the phone grew increasingly subdued, as if a tense atmosphere were transmitted through the line, until it nearly faded into silence.
Just then, footsteps echoed.
Xie Mingyan lifted his gaze, spotting Xie Shiyuan in the distance. A mocking smile crossed his face.
Into the phone, he said, “Investigate Xie Jun.”
The Xie family relatives were far from harmless.
The person on the line immediately understood: Xie Jun currently held a high position in the Xie corporation. If he fell, the vacancy would naturally arise.
“Understood, Boss. I’ll get on it right away.”
Xie Mingyan leisurely ended the call and looked up at the approaching figure, a glint of amusement in his eyes.
He resembled a predator concealed in shadows, observing prey blissfully unaware of the impending storm.
Xie Shiyuan stopped before him, his expression dark and teeth gritted.
“Xie Mingyan, you’d better stay away from Wanwan.”
Leaning against the wall, Xie Mingyan spun the lighter between his fingers, a smirk playing on his lips—teasing yet ice-cold in his gaze.
“And what identity are you using to say that to me, my dear brother?”
Xie Shiyuan’s face darkened at the address.
The world labeled Xie Mingyan an illegitimate child, yet this “illegitimate” was older than him—how ironic.
He had always believed his family was happy and perfect, until Xie Mingyan’s appearance made him realize the truth.
His philandering father had someone else even before his mother became pregnant, and even fathered this illegitimate child.
He didn’t know what methods Xie Mingyan had used to make his father acknowledge him.
But that was the extent of it—Xue Mingyan appeared without any status, unable to shake off the label of an illegitimate child within the Xie family, let alone the entire Beijing social circle.
Xie Shiyuan frowned as he looked at Xie Mingyan.
He would never forget that when Xie Mingyan first returned to the Xie family, he brought a dog with him, treasuring it dearly.
But just because that dog ate something Xie Shiyuan had fed it, he never saw it again in the Xie household.
Then one day, a soup made from dog bones actually appeared on their dining table.
He heard from the servants that it was Xie Mingyan who brought it back, and the key point was that Xie Mingyan had watched him drink it with a smile on his face. Xie Shiyuan vomited on the spot.
How could such a pervert ever be worthy of Wanwan?
He even suspected that the incident where Wanwan was photographed lying on the same bed with him by the media was orchestrated by Xie Mingyan.
Otherwise, how could it have been such a coincidence?
It was just that after marriage, seeing how much Wanwan despised him and that he hadn’t done anything out of line, Xie Shiyuan had let it slide—especially since he himself wanted to break free from the marriage alliance with the Yu family.
But now, Xie Shiyuan had a growing feeling that things were about to spiral out of control.
“Wanwan is my sister, of course I care about her,” Xie Shiyuan said through gritted teeth.
Xie Mingyan let out a light laugh: “Is that so? My wife just said she’s not close to you.”
Hearing the word “wife,” a surge of anger rose from the depths of Xie Shiyuan’s heart.
Xie Mingyan spoke slowly: “Don’t let me hear the name ‘Wanwan’ from your mouth again.”
Xie Shiyuan laughed at this: “Do you think Wanwan would divorce you if she found out what you’re really like?”
No one would want to be with someone like him.
Xie Mingyan’s eyes turned cold in an instant.
The next moment, a voice came from behind them: “Why are you two standing together?”
Yu Wan had just come out of the restroom when she saw the two of them standing in the corridor, the atmosphere between them tense and hostile.
Yu Wan’s first thought was that Xie Shiyuan was picking a fight with Xie Mingyan.
After all, Xie Mingyan was an illegitimate child of the Xie family, and it was likely no one treated him well.
Yu Wan even wondered if it was the abuse and injustice he suffered in the Xie family that eventually led Xie Mingyan to become the villain.
As she thought this, she suddenly realized that if she hadn’t awakened, she would have been one of those people too.
Yu Wan: “…”
But now it was different. She was no longer bound by that ridiculous plot.
Once that damn countdown disappeared, she would decisively divorce Xie Mingyan and escape the tragic fate laid out in the storyline.
No matter what happened to Xie Mingyan later, for now, he was still her person.
Yu Wan’s gaze sharpened. She was fiercely protective—only she could bully her own people; no one else was allowed to.
She quickly walked over, pulled Xie Mingyan behind her, and shielded him.
Tilting her head up, she confronted Xie Shiyuan: “Xie Shiyuan, are you causing trouble for him?”
Seeing her cold expression, Xie Shiyuan immediately explained: “No, Wanwan, I’m not. You know he…”
He’s not normal. You can’t be with him.
Xie Mingyan’s eyes were fixed on the hand holding his, dark thoughts churning in his heart.
If she found out… if she found out, how would she treat him?
Before Xie Mingyan’s thoughts could wander further, Yu Wan spoke up directly, her face cold as she cut off Xie Shiyuan’s words: “I don’t know, and I don’t want to know.”
“No matter what he’s like, he’s my person now. My people aren’t to be bullied by others.”
“And,” Yu Wan paused briefly before emphasizing again, “I told you, don’t call me Wanwan.”
Xie Mingyan stood behind Yu Wan, looking down at the person shielding him. The ferocity between his brows gradually faded away.
When he lifted his gaze to meet Xie Shiyuan across from them, a smug smile curled at the corners of his lips under the other’s stare.
Seeing that smile and his pretense, Xie Shiyuan’s anger surged to the top of his head: “Xie Mingyan!”
Yu Wan snapped, “Why are you shouting so loudly!”
If he dared to yell at Xie Mingyan like this while she was present, she could only imagine what his life had been like when she wasn’t around.
No wonder he turned dark—it didn’t happen without reason.
Yu Wan didn’t want to stand there entangled with him any longer: “Move aside, you’re blocking the way.”
With that, she pushed past him, grabbed Xie Mingyan’s wrist, and led him away from the corridor.
As they walked, she scolded the person beside her: “When others bully you, don’t you know how to fight back? Can’t you show some of that villainous aura?”
Xie Mingyan’s heart sank. What did she know?
“Villainous aura?” Xie Mingyan’s gaze fixed intently on Yu Wan as he spoke, as if testing the waters.
The flow of air seemed to slow, coated with a sticky, damp tension.
Only then did Yu Wan realize she had accidentally voiced her inner thoughts. She hurriedly tried to cover it up.
“I meant you should read more about the wicked villains in novels and learn from their presence.”
She even used scolding to mask her unease: “Can’t you focus on the right point?”
“The point isn’t about being a villain—it’s about not letting others treat you like a soft persimmon. It’s embarrassing for me.”
Listening to her stream of reprimands, the suspicion in Xie Mingyan’s eyes faded, and his nerves relaxed.
A smile tugged at his lips: “I’ll try my best next time.”