Shi Jingyan was held in his arms and forced to endure the various stares coming from those around them, including Shi Yuyang. He felt the throbbing in his temples intensify.
Once they finally reached the elevator, he shifted his body, broke free from Yu Yanzhuo’s embrace, and took a step to the side. A gap the width of a person opened between them.
Yu Yanzhuo watched him but made no move to pull him back in.
Shi Jingyan hesitated, recalling the name Shi Yuyang had just called out, and spoke slowly.
“Are you “Yu Yanzhuo?”
From the moment they first met, Yu Yanzhuo had never told him his name. Of course, the same was true for him. It seemed their encounters never provided a formal opportunity for self-introductions.
“Yes, that is right.”
Yu Yanzhuo stood with his hands in his pockets, smiling at him. His tone was frank, showing not a hint of guilt for having hidden such a formidable identity.
It was no wonder he had said he would give him a better opportunity for cooperation. Being able to partner with Huanya Century was indeed something that Paxi, or any other enterprise, simply could not compare to.
Seeing Shi Jingyan remain silent, Yu Yanzhuo moved a bit closer to him, the corners of his lips curling upward. “What is it? Are you surprised?”
“A little.”
Shi Jingyan raised a hand to touch his nose, staring at the smooth, reflective surface of the elevator that showed his own image. In truth, it was more than just a little.
Seeing this, Yu Yanzhuo leaned in again, his hand expertly moving to rest on Shi Jingyan’s waist.
“I told you I would give you a better chance. Since I am free now, why don’t you come back to Huanya with me to talk?”
Hearing this, Shi Jingyan’s gaze instinctively fell back on the reflection. His noticeably reddened lips clearly displayed what had happened not long ago.
The elevator descended in silence. Shi Jingyan did not speak.
Only when the elevator reached the first floor and the doors slowly opened did he speak calmly.
“No, thank you.”
After saying that, he stepped out of the elevator.
Yu Yanzhuo raised an eyebrow, though his expression showed little surprise. He simply walked alongside him and smiled. “Why? Are you afraid?”
He did not explicitly say what there was to be afraid of.
But Shi Jingyan was indeed afraid.
The person he once thought he could avoid, the person who had led him to that final end, and the person before him who constantly broke all his principles and left him powerless to resist, were actually the same man.
Shi Jingyan’s intuition was screaming at him to stay away from this person, even if it meant missing an opportunity he might never encounter again.
Shi Jingyan did not speak again. He walked away without looking back. Yu Yanzhuo stood still and watched him get into a car and disappear around the corner of the street.
What everyone, including Shi Jingyan, did not know about Yu Yanzhuo was that he happened to like those who refused him. Compared to the types who would become lightheaded and follow his lead after a bit of flirting, someone like Shi Jingyan, who was clearly attracted yet struggled to push him away, was far more interesting.
Yu Yanzhuo began to laugh.
Evening arrived, and the sky was in that state between light and dark.
Inside a luxuriously decorated western-style house in the city, the private residence of a wealthy young man with a penchant for collecting, the living room had been arranged into a small gallery. Soft lights hit the interior, leaving a warm glow.
The air was thick with the rich aroma of cigars mixed with whiskey. There were not many guests, about a dozen or so. Their conversation was quiet, and the space was peaceful.
Yu Yanzhuo stood before an abstract painting with bold colors and wild brushstrokes.
He preferred black. Today, his inner layer was again a slim-fit, high-neck black shirt, but with several cutouts at the waist that revealed a sliver of luminous white skin and firm, distinct muscle. With every movement of his hand or as he raised his glass, the contours would become visible.
He held his glass, tilting his head slightly as he listened to the man beside him explain the artwork on the wall with an excited expression.
Huan Lian and two other familiar friends from their circle stood half a step behind. Their postures were relaxed, yet they naturally formed a small circle with Yu Yanzhuo at the center.
“The key to this painting lies in the fact that it was created during a turning point in the artist’s personal spiritual world,” the man explained knowingly. “Look at this seemingly abrupt cobalt blue. It is not just a color; it is an emotion.”
Yu Yanzhuo’s gaze followed the man’s finger as it moved across the canvas.
He had always lacked interest in these types of artistic collectibles. He only brought Huan Lian and the others here because he could not resist Young Master Li’s urge to show off in front of him. Comparatively, he felt that racing cars on mountain roads to catch the breeze was much more enjoyable.
Just as he was bored enough to want to yawn, the man paused slightly while discussing a certain technique, seemingly searching for a more precise expression.
At that moment, a clear voice came from behind Yu Yanzhuo’s shoulder.
“If I remember correctly, a year before creating this painting, the artist stayed briefly in Vienna and was deeply influenced by the combination of decorative styles and symbolism of that school. The use of this cobalt blue should also carry shadows of that style, where color is used as a symbol of emotion.”
As the voice trailed off, everyone’s gaze shifted.
Shi Yuyang had approached quietly at some point, standing at a polite and non-invasive distance. He wore a well-tailored light gray suit tonight without a tie. His shirt collar was undone by one button, and he wore an appropriate smile.
He was following up on Young Master Li’s words, yet his gaze only lingered on the man for a split second before moving to Yu Yanzhuo.
Seeing Yu Yanzhuo look over, he gave a slight nod. His smile carried a hint of apology for the intrusion, as well as a quietly displayed confidence that he “just happened to know” about the subject.
The smile on Yu Yanzhuo’s lips remained unchanged, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Shi Yuyang was here too?
He remembered that when they first arrived, Young Master Li mentioned that other friends were visiting his gallery tonight, but because Yu Yanzhuo had come, he prioritized hosting them here. It seemed Shi Yuyang was that friend.
Young Master Li smiled at Yu Yanzhuo and took the initiative to introduce him. “Young Master Yu, this is my friend who has quite the insight into artwork. It so happens he is also here tonight.”
“So happens?”
Shi Yuyang looked at Yu Yanzhuo, the corners of his mouth curving up. He stepped forward politely and said softly.
“We meet again, Young Master Yu. It seems we are indeed very fated.”
And this bit of fate was not something obtained by chance.
While it was true that he and Young Master Li had dealings due to previous business cooperation, Shi Yuyang would not have been here if he had not heard the man boastfully showing off that Young Master Yu would be coming tonight to admire his collection.
This was an opportunity he had deliberately sought.
During the previous time at Yunding, just like that first time at the bar, he could only watch helplessly as Yu Yanzhuo left with that fake.
What happened afterward? Would Yu Yanzhuo give Shi Jingyan special treatment, or even grant him something precious, like a cooperation opportunity?
Just thinking about that possibility made Shi Yuyang so anxious he could not sleep at night.
Fortunately, he had secured this chance.
He stood before Yu Yanzhuo, looking at that face that was wearing its usual lazy smile. He tried his best to suppress the emotions in his heart and spoke as if casually.
“Since Young Master Yu is also interested in these things, why don’t we exchange contact information? I can recommend some high-quality galleries to Young Master Yu in the future.”
Very good. Very natural.
He looked at Yu Yanzhuo, waiting for his response.
Yu Yanzhuo’s gaze fell upon him, watching him silently for two seconds, his thoughts unknown.
After a moment, Yu Yanzhuo curled his lips.
“I am not particularly interested.”