As those words were spoken, the atmosphere seemed to freeze for a few seconds.
Sensing something amiss, Su Tian quickly realized what she had said. Her expression stiffened slightly as she awkwardly corrected herself: “Ah, so this is your boyfriend?”
Wei Yifan instinctively glanced at Sang Yan.
His gaze was now on her, looking down from above, his thoughts unreadable.
Unsure if he had heard clearly, Wei Yifan could only forge ahead: “Yes. My boyfriend, Sang Yan.” She then turned to introduce him: “This is my colleague, Su Tian.”
Sang Yan responded with a noncommittal “Mm.”
At this moment, the man sitting across from Su Tian spoke up with a smile: “Xiao Tian, is this your friend?”
Su Tian nodded: “My colleague, Wei Yifan.”
The man’s expression was gentle as he politely invited: “Since we’ve run into each other, why don’t we all have a meal together?”
Wei Yifan didn’t have any strong objections to this. She turned back to look at Sang Yan, silently seeking his opinion with her eyes.
Sang Yan’s expression was meaningful as he stared at her for a few more seconds. Then, he looked at the man and nodded: “Alright, I’ll ask the waiter to change to a larger table.”
…
After they were seated, Wei Yifan noticed Su Tian giving her an apologetic look. She paused, finding it somewhat amusing, and just shook her head reassuringly at Su Tian, indicating it wasn’t a big deal.
Su Tian’s expression finally seemed to relax a little.
The four of them introduced themselves.
The man Su Tian had brought was her boyfriend, named Lin Sun. According to what Wei Yifan had heard from Su Tian earlier, this seemed to be her new boyfriend, whom she had only been dating for about a month.
The two men engaged in casual conversation.
During the chat, Sang Yan poured a glass of warm water and placed it in front of Wei Yifan. As she picked it up to take a sip, she heard a notification sound from the phone beside her. She freed up a hand and lit up the phone screen.
It was a message from Su Tian.
Su Tian: [Oh crap! I just remembered!]
Su Tian: [Isn’t your boyfriend that top host from Fallen Street???]
“…”
Wei Yifan nearly choked.
Noticing her reaction, Sang Yan looked over and gently patted her back. His expression remained unchanged as he spoke in a calm tone: “Drink slowly.”
After saying this, he turned his attention back to continue talking with Lin Sun.
His hand remained light on her back, still patting gently.
Wei Yifan licked the corner of her lips and nodded. She looked up, meeting Su Tian’s amused expression, before turning back to her phone.
Su Tian: [I saw him several times when I was working overtime.]
Su Tian: [Hahahaha I’m dying, no wonder you called him the king of ducks.]
Su Tian: [Wuwuwu he’s top-tier, I finally understand why you wanted to pursue him!!!!]
Su Tian: [How can he be so cool yet gentle, just saying “drink slowly” when you choked but still patting your back!!]
Wei Yifan didn’t know either.
How had Su Tian suddenly become such a fangirl of Sang Yan?
But in that instant, she suddenly realized that Sang Yan was indeed quite famous on Fallen Street.
And he had become famous in a way that was… difficult to describe.
Wei Yifan took another sip of water.
Soon, Su Tian sent another message: [By the way, does he know you call him that?]
Wei Yifan replied: [He doesn’t know, but I’m not sure if he just overheard.]
Su Tian: [He heard qwq]
Before Wei Yifan could respond, Sang Yan suddenly turned to Su Tian with a polite smile: “Su Tian, I’ve heard Yifan mention you several times. She said you often take care of her at work, thank you for that.”
Su Tian immediately put down her phone, waving her hands in embarrassment: “No, no, Yifan has a good and gentle personality, I’m the one being taken care of.”
After saying this, she reciprocated: “I’ve also often heard Yifan mention you.”
Sang Yan raised an eyebrow, asking with apparent interest: “Oh? What did she say about me?”
“Just that you’re good-looking, practically the duck—” Su Tian coughed lightly, immediately swallowing back her words, “the most handsome man she’s ever seen. And that you have a good personality and take great care of her.”
“Is that so?” Sang Yan looked at Wei Yifan and smiled, his restrained arrogance inadvertently revealing itself slightly, “She often says such things about me.”
Wei Yifan: “…”
–
After the meal, the four chatted for a while longer before going their separate ways.
On the way home, Wei Yifan remained apprehensive, but Sang Yan didn’t mention anything about the “king of ducks” comment. She didn’t dare bring it up herself, and after a while, seeing his behavior was normal, she gradually relaxed.
Until they got home.
Wei Yifan changed into slippers and casually mentioned: “I feel like you get along easily with other guys, it was the same in high school. You just met Lin Sun today, but you could chat about so many topics with him.”
Sang Yan lazily responded with a “Mm.”
“Lin Sun seems like a nice person, quite gentle,” Wei Yifan sat on the sofa and continued, “I feel like Su Tian probably likes this mature and steady type.”
“Oh,” Sang Yan drawled, “That’s quite novel.”
Wei Yifan paused: “What?”
Sang Yan leaned over, poured a glass of water, and pushed it into her hand. He tilted his head slightly, staring at her intently: “Usually, people’s mate selection criteria at least require the other party to be human.”
“…”
Before he could finish, Wei Yifan already understood his meaning.
“My partner, on the other hand, is quite peculiar,” Sang Yan said with a meaningful smile, “Specifically choosing ducks.”
“…” Wei Yifan’s scalp tingled, and she could only pretend not to hear, offering the water back to him, “Want some?”
Sang Yan smiled: “No.”
Wei Yifan responded with an “Oh,” and had no choice but to continue drinking the water herself.
“I wasn’t aware,” Sang Yan leaned back in his chair, slowly settling accounts with her in their private space, “that my qualifications were so exceptional, even reaching the level of ‘king of ducks’.”
“…”
“Then how come someone could say,” Sang Yan’s fingertip hooked onto her finger, then gradually moved up her wrist, his tone carrying a hint of challenge, “that I didn’t meet the fee standards?”
Wei Yifan couldn’t hold back any more: “Why didn’t you mention it earlier?”
Sang Yan’s eyebrows lifted slightly, his voice trailing: “Wasn’t it too embarrassing to bring up?”
“…”
Wei Yifan didn’t sense any embarrassment from him at all.
If anything, he seemed to be the quickest to get into character.
“Well, when you go out shopping, even if you’re satisfied with a product,” Wei Yifan put down the water glass, pretending to be utterly calm, “you’d still try to bargain, right…”
Their eyes met.
Sang Yan didn’t comment on her words.
Looking at his expression, Wei Yifan blinked and suddenly leaned in to kiss him. She found it somewhat amusing and quickly stopped, laughing to herself.
“…” Sang Yan looked at her, “What’s so funny?”
“I didn’t know how to describe you at the time, and I was afraid Su Tian might have heard the term ‘top host’ and recognized you,” Wei Yifan explained to him, “So I just barely found a synonym.”
Sang Yan pinched her fingertip.
“After I told Su Tian we were together,” Wei Yifan continued, laughing again, “she even said I was the queen of ducks.”
Hearing this title, Sang Yan’s brow furrowed slightly.
After saying this, Wei Yifan continued to kiss him, her voice muffled and unclear.
“I’m basking in your glory.”
“…”
–
Over the next few days.
Wei Yifan went to the police station again, with Sang Yan accompanying her this time. They happened to encounter Che Yanqin once more. Having faced too many rebuffs from Wei Yifan, she didn’t actively engage in conversation this time.
Noticing Sang Yan beside Wei Yifan, Che Yanqin seemed to recall something. Her gaze occasionally drifted towards Sang Yan: “Young man, are you Shuangjiang’s partner?”
Sang Yan didn’t even look up, showing no intention of acknowledging her.
Che Yanqin spoke again with a sarcastic tone: “I see you’re quite a catch. Why did you end up with my niece?”
Sang Yan’s lips curled in what seemed to be a sneer, but he still didn’t respond.
Che Yanqin continued to make several more remarks, but perhaps due to the lack of response, she became irritated. She turned to look at Wei Yifan and said with a cold laugh: “Shuangjiang, what kind of person have you found? Does he have any manners?”
Wei Yifan calmly replied: “His manners are just fine. No need for you to worry about it.”
Che Yanqin rolled her eyes: “Ignoring an elder’s words, and you call that good manners?”
Wei Yifan looked at her: “You’d be better off looking at yourself first. Even reforging wouldn’t save you.”
“…”
After leaving the police station.
Since it was the first time Sang Yan had encountered her relatives, Wei Yifan felt somewhat uncomfortable. She looked at Sang Yan and said hesitantly: “My family’s relatives are all quite peculiar, right? You probably haven’t seen people like this before…”
“So you know how to protect me.” Sang Yan saw this sharp side of her for the first time and ruffled her hair hard, laughing, “Wei Shuangjiang, I didn’t know you could curse people too.”
Wei Yifan felt a bit embarrassed.
Sang Yan continued: “It’s good.”
She paused.
“There are many people with twisted personalities in this world. Don’t let them bully you, and don’t let them walk all over you,” Sang Yan bent down to look at her, saying seriously, “When you encounter them, protect yourself as you protected me, understand?”
“…” Wei Yifan looked back at him, pursing her lips, “Mm.”
“No matter what happens,” Sang Yan habitually pinched her cheek, his usually cold voice carrying a rare hint of comfort, “whether you can handle it or not, remember to come to me.”
Wei Yifan stared at him without blinking.
Sang Yan didn’t speak further, his gaze still on her, seeming to wait for her response.
Outside the police station, many people were coming and going.
Wei Yifan suddenly smiled, her eyes curving slightly.
“I understand.”
Hearing this answer, Sang Yan’s lips curved slightly, his dimple barely visible. He raised his hand, casually helping her tidy the stray hair at the side of her face, and then solemnly finished his words.
“Remember, I am your support.”
…
As for how Che Xingde’s situation developed afterward, Wei Yifan didn’t pay much attention. After all, she knew that what Che Xingde had done wasn’t considered very serious and wouldn’t result in a heavy sentence.
Through Fu Zhuang, Wei Yifan learned that his side seemed to be trying to frame it as a family matter all along. The incident of snatching her bag was also described as just a tussle during an argument. Moreover, there weren’t any valuable items in her bag at the time, so it couldn’t be considered robbery.
He didn’t run when someone called the police, and he cooperated fully with all the subsequent procedures. In the end, it seemed he was only detained for about half a month and released after paying a fine.
Wei Yifan didn’t care much.
Because she just wanted Che Xingde to realize that his actions would have consequences, regardless of their severity. Plus, she wasn’t afraid of this family at all; she had only been worried about how it might affect her relationship with Sang Yan.
If there were no issues in that regard.
She wouldn’t care about these people anymore, nor would she let them affect her emotions.
In the blink of an eye, the peak of summer passed with the turning of the calendar. The scorching, almost unbearable temperatures dissipated, and the temperature in Nanwu City dropped, heralding the arrival of autumn.
After returning from Yihe, Sang Yan contacted Qian Fei several times.
But perhaps knowing that Sang Yan had been to Yihe and learning that he had given Duan Jiaxu a thorough beating, Qian Fei always managed to find new excuses. If it wasn’t something on this side, it was something on that side – in short, he was dead set against meeting up with him.
Sang Yan didn’t know what he was afraid of and didn’t have the patience to drag it out with him.
“If you don’t come today, don’t bother coming in the future.”
After a good while.
Qian Fei finally sent a message: [My wife is free today.]
Qian Fei: [I’ll bring her along.]
“…”
Seeing this, Sang Yan let out a derisive laugh and extinguished the cigarette in his hand. He straightened up and lazily sent a voice message saying “If you want your wife to see you all bruised up, then bring her,” before turning back to the “overtime” area.
The weekend on Fallen Street was particularly lively, and the bar was even more boisterous.
Sang Yan was about to walk to the bar for a drink when he suddenly noticed a familiar figure there. The curve of his lips gradually disappeared as he walked over without breaking his stride.
The music assaulting the ears, the extremely noisy clamor.
Che Xingde sat by the bar, talking to an unfamiliar woman next to him. His face was red, looking like he had drunk too much, and he was speaking very loudly: “That bitch wants to kill me again, dream on!”
The woman’s expression was one of disgust, seemingly wanting to leave.
But Che Xingde grabbed her, continuing: “I didn’t do a damn thing, didn’t get a cent, and still got scolded by my sister. Just wait, you slut, when I find you, I’ll—”
The woman got angry and forcefully broke free: “Are you crazy? Let go of me!”
The next moment.
Sang Yan directly grabbed the back of Che Xingde’s collar, his expression extremely cold. He didn’t look at anyone or make a sound, just dragged him toward the exit. The veins on his hand were bulging, but he looked completely at ease.
Che Xingde shouted: “Who the fuck are you!”
From behind, He Mingbo’s voice could faintly be heard.
“This guy has caused trouble here several times. I’m sorry, ma’am, for the inconvenience…”
Noticing the commotion, a security guard came over and asked: “Brother Yan, shall I handle this?”
Sang Yan glanced at him: “You mind your own business.”
Perhaps because he had drunk too much, Che Xingde’s limbs were extremely weak. He wanted to struggle but couldn’t match Sang Yan’s strength at all. With his collar choking his neck, he could barely speak clearly.
Sang Yan dragged him to the alley behind the bar and forcefully threw him against the wall.
Che Xingde’s back hit the hard wall, and he let out a few painful cries before opening his eyes.
Sang Yan crouched down, his appearance hidden in the darkness: “Out already?”
Che Xingde’s voice was muddled: “You again…”
“I didn’t come looking for you,” Sang Yan reached out to grab his hair, forcefully pressing his head to the ground. He smiled, the long-accumulated sense of brutality completely uncontrollable at this moment, “Yet you dare to come to my place?”
“…”
—”He’s been… harassing me all along.”
Recalling every word she had said, Sang Yan forcefully slammed Che Xingde’s head against the ground, speaking impassively: “Tell me about it.”
“…”
“Who do you want to cause trouble for?”