Ren Yali had hit a soft wall and knew this matter couldn’t be rushed. After expressing her gratitude repeatedly, she finally left reluctantly.

Before leaving, she even pulled at Yu Tian with persistent pleading: “Why don’t you send me your brother’s WeChat? He helped me so much, I should at least thank him properly.”

“That won’t work,” Yu Tian remained unmoved. “Besides, how is he helping you? It was I who helped you. You don’t need to treat him to dinner—just treat me instead.”

“…”

In any case, no matter how Ren Yali tried to coax and threaten, Yu Tian firmly refused to give up Yan Ming’s WeChat.

Yu Tian bid farewell to Ren Yali and escorted her out of the courtyard before walking back toward Yan Ming’s office.

Regarding this matter, Ren Yali could thank her, but she really should thank Yan Ming properly.

Just as Yu Tian reached the doorway, Yan Ming, who had been absorbed in reading some clinical literature, heard the movement and looked up.

His eyes still held the focused concentration from reading the literature, now becoming calm and gentle. His gaze was always inscrutable, as if coldness carried warmth, yet within the lingering warmth hid a chill, like paint colors blended, where the original hues could no longer be distinguished, yet had mixed into the most unique shade.

These were indeed eyes that could easily breed dependency and draw one into love, clean, indifferent yet tender and affectionate.

They also easily stirred selfish thoughts of wanting to possess them exclusively.

Yan Ming’s long, curled eyelashes fluttered slightly as he looked at Yu Tian: “What’s wrong? Is there something else?”

Yu Tian’s heart suddenly began pounding like a drum. Though it was just normal gratitude, she suddenly felt guilty and nervous.

Yu Tian suddenly didn’t know how to start the conversation. She stared blankly at Yan Ming’s phone on the desk, seeing her bewildered reflection in the phone’s dark screen.

“Ding—”

“The up-loader ‘Xiao Yu Loves Candy’ you follow has updated a new video…”

Along with the platform’s familiar update notification sound, Yu Tian stared dumbly at this notification popping up on Yan Ming’s phone…

This was Yu Tian’s scheduled post. Since she had already uploaded a stored science education video last night, to stagger the traffic and better apply for the platform’s recommended spots, she had scheduled another stored science education video to post today.

Thinking about it, she had indeed set the timer for around this time.

But…

Yu Tian looked at Yan Ming with questioning eyes.

Hadn’t he said he wouldn’t watch these kinds of self-media accounts after work, clearly stating he wouldn’t follow her…

Yan Ming felt slightly embarrassed for a second, then naturally picked up the phone from the desk and put it in a drawer.

“It’s a system-forced recommendation push.” his gaze drifted elsewhere. “Probably because location services are on, so it forced me to follow local up-loaders.”

The man said seriously, “That’s why I don’t like following self-media accounts—they always push update notifications at inappropriate times, affecting work.”

“…” She’d never heard of platforms having forced local follow features…

But Yu Tian didn’t care why Yan Ming had followed her; just the fact that he followed her made her quite happy.

“Since it’s fate, don’t unfollow me. You can set notifications to off! Even if it’s just to help me boost my follower count!”

Yan Ming coughed: “Alright then.” He glanced at Yu Tian. “Since you put it that way.”

Yu Tian smiled sweetly: “Thank you, thank you!”

But after thanking him for following her, she had something more important to thank Yan Ming for.

“Brother Yan Ming, about Ren Yali’s matter today—thank you so much for the trouble. Let me treat you to dinner tonight!”

But Yu Tian’s words, which she had finally built up the courage to say after much mental preparation, met with Yan Ming’s immediate refusal without any hesitation.

“Not tonight, I already have plans.”

Oh…

Though somewhat disappointed, it was expected—after all, doctors are very busy.

But as Yu Tian walked home, her emotions remained complex.

Tonight, Yu Tian’s mother was out on business, most likely on a date, so Yu Tian was home alone.

Thinking about having to cook for herself when she got home, Yu Tian felt lazy. She wandered through the streets for a few rounds and, noticing it was almost dinner time, simply found what looked like an upscale restaurant.

Her recent food therapy programs had received traffic support and earned considerable revenue sharing, so Yu Tian decided to treat herself well.

However, after getting the menu, Yu Tian regretted it. The prices at this restaurant were completely proportional to its expensive, upscale appearance. She was flipping through it painfully, trying to decide what to order, when she looked up and saw Yan Wenhua.

He was wearing a suit with styled hair, clearly dressed up.

This was…

Though this restaurant was upscale, it wasn’t business-oriented—it leaned more toward couples or friends dining together.

And her mother was also out tonight, being evasive when Yu Tian asked where she was going.

So this was…

They were here on a date, right?

Yu Tian’s heart suddenly filled with nervousness and excitement.

Logically, after knowing each other this long, there was no need to dress so formally for dinner together.

Yan Wenhua was obviously dressed up, clearly taking this very seriously, yet today wasn’t any special holiday or anniversary.

Yu Tian’s heart began pounding.

She had a bold guess.

Timing-wise, Yan Wenhua and her mother had been together for a while. Yu Tian had heard Qi Sihao say that for remarriages like this, when both parties weren’t young and got along well, remarriage often became very naturally quick.

So could it be that Yan Wenhua dressed so formally tonight because he was going to propose to her mother?

Yan Wenhua clearly looked somewhat nervous, adjusting his clothes again before choosing a fairly large table to sit at.

Yu Tian suddenly didn’t want to leave this expensive restaurant and was glad she had chosen a very corner seat for dining alone. From this position, she could completely see the situation at Yan Wenhua’s table, while the corner greenery provided good cover—ordinary people wouldn’t notice her.

Yu Tian eagerly waited to see her mother appear, but contrary to her expectations, though someone soon sat across from Yan Wenhua, it was another woman.

Though she was about the same age as Yu Tian’s mother, she was exquisitely dressed and delicate, completely different from Yu Tian’s mother’s temperament.

If she were Yan Wenhua’s relative or friend, her mannerisms didn’t suggest it. The two seemed like newly acquainted middle-aged lovers—somewhat familiar yet somewhat strange, with more ambiguity than anything else in their exchanged glances.

Yu Tian’s food had arrived, but she couldn’t eat. She put down her utensils and began watching Yan Wenhua’s table.

Sure enough, after sitting for a moment, their physical contact became much more intimate, and Yan Wenhua’s gaze toward the woman was filled with obvious love and attachment.

Yu Tian’s heart felt like it had fallen into an ice cellar.

She had only one realization.

Yan Wenhua was cheating!

But the angrier and more panicked she felt inside, the calmer her behavior became.

Yu Tian mechanically put food in her mouth, staring at Yan Wenhua while constantly strategizing what to do.

She definitely couldn’t tell her mother immediately. Her mother had finally opened her heart to start a new relationship, perhaps hoping this time would bear fruit, but instead faced such heartless betrayal. If she knew, she would surely be deeply hurt and devastated.

But doing nothing and letting Yan Wenhua carry on his affair right under their noses was unacceptable.

Yu Tian was furious. She almost instinctively took out her phone to call Yan Ming and demand an explanation.

Her mind was in chaos, and she hadn’t figured out how to phrase things to Yan Ming when she saw Yan Ming push through the restaurant door, accompanied by a fashionably dressed young woman. The woman looked shy and bashful, following Yan Ming step by step, eager to talk to him but not knowing what to say.

Then Yu Tian watched these two people walk to Yan Wenhua’s table and sit down respectively.

Yu Tian was suddenly uncertain. Could this be Yan Ming’s blind date? Was the woman the blind date and her mother?

But during the meal, they just chatted without any other actions to help correctly determine their relationships.

Yu Tian’s heart kept beating heavily and rapidly, whether from anger at Yan Wenhua’s suspected cheating or from having some reaction to Yan Ming’s suspected blind date.

Soon, however, she found an opportunity. Midway through, the woman across from Yan Ming got up and headed toward the restroom.

Yu Tian almost immediately stood up too, circling the greenery that blocked views and entering the restroom from an angle where Yan Ming and Yan Wenhua couldn’t see her.

But what use was following her to the restroom?

She couldn’t exactly corner the woman with questions.

Just as Yu Tian calmed down and felt somewhat foolish for her behavior, about to turn and leave, she saw the woman come out of a stall and start making a phone call—

“I met my mom’s blind date’s son.”

The woman’s voice couldn’t suppress her excitement: “He’s so fucking handsome! You don’t know—his height, looks, and temperament are just perfect! I never imagined there could be such a specimen of a handsome guy in reality. He’s just a bit cold, like an ice prince, you know? I can’t even describe it.”

“And I heard his family is super rich. Though I’m happy my mom met such a blind date prospect, somehow I feel regretful. If my mom and he become a thing, he’d be my nominal older brother, and I couldn’t pursue him…”

The girl said halfway, then suddenly seemed to make some decision: “Forget it, even if we’re step-siblings, there’s no legal relationship, and it’s not the type forbidden by marriage law. Getting the first advantage, being close by, I still want to pursue him! Having an even closer relationship wouldn’t be bad either! I was worried about finding excuses to contact such a high-quality guy, but now this is perfect—I can keep finding reasons to contact him because of my mom’s situation, hahahaha!”

The girl boldly hung up, touched up her makeup, then resumed her shy, quiet demeanor before walking out of the restroom.

Yu Tian stood in front of the mirror, staring at herself in the reflection.

The girl in the mirror had beautiful features but fierce eyes, looking like she was on the verge of an emotional breakdown.

She was truly, truly angry.

Yan Wenhua was actually out cheating on a blind date!

While dating her mother!

Even more intolerable was that Yan Ming knew everything, but not only didn’t stop it, he was even assisting! Participating in his father’s blind date! Providing cover for his father!

Yu Tian felt alternately cold and hot inside. Though Yan Wenhua was the one cheating, her disappointment and anger toward Yan Ming were somehow stronger, as if she were the one being betrayed.

She angrily and impulsively sent Yan Ming a WeChat message.

[A Little Fish]: Where are you? What are you doing?

Yan Ming was chatting with the people at his table and indeed didn’t look at his phone or reply to Yu Tian’s message.

Yu Tian held back her temper, suppressed her emotions, and waited patiently like a leopard preparing to hunt for this blind date to end.

While Yu Tian’s side had a deathly silent atmosphere, Yan Ming’s table was having a pleasant, harmonious conversation. After the meal ended, Yan Wenhua planned to go shopping with his blind date. He waved his hand grandly, just as he had when having blind dates with Yu Tian’s family, naturally and generously arranging Yan Ming’s schedule as well.

Yu Tian strained her ears—

“Yan Ming, take little sister Chen Xi shopping too. Didn’t she say she wanted to buy a tablet? I’m assigning this task to you—take her to buy one!”

Yu Tian’s inner fury reached its peak.

She paid her bill first, then left the restaurant and “ambushed” behind the greenery in the shadows outside the restaurant entrance.

Yu Tian regretted hiding behind the greenery as soon as she did it, because tonight’s weather was very muggy, and the dark area behind the plants was full of mosquitoes.

Moreover, she suddenly felt it was pointless.

After all, Yan Wenhua was only dating her mother, not bound by a legal marriage contract—she couldn’t really “catch them in adultery.”

Just as Yu Tian was about to give up her “ambush” and leave behind the greenery, Yan Ming and the girl called Chen Xi had also reached the restaurant entrance.

The two stood in the open area not far from the greenery, and Yan Ming stopped.

“Brother Yan Ming, are we going to Digital Harbor? It’s closer from here. I don’t understand computer configurations, so if you come along…”

Before the girl could finish, Yan Ming interrupted her.

“Sorry.” His voice was distant, but his refusal was unquestionable. “I have another appointment, so I can’t accompany you.”

The girl called Chen Xi showed obvious disappointment: “I see…”

But she quickly smiled, acting unconcerned: “Then if I have questions, I’ll call and ask you!”

Unfortunately, Yan Ming was quite unromantic: “You’d better not ask me. I don’t understand computer configurations.”

He smiled slightly at her: “I only understand eyes. If you have eye problems, you can find me for an appointment.”

“…”

At that moment, even Yu Tian, hiding behind the greenery, felt speechless, hearing this.

Though the woman’s eyes weren’t good, to fell for Yan Ming at first sight.

He was a man who covered for his father’s cheating blind dates!

How loyal could he be to a future partner?

And his schedule was so busy—finishing one appointment and rushing to the next!

Soon, Yan Wenhua and his cheating blind date left, Chen Xi also left, and Yu Tian waited for Yan Ming to leave so she could emerge from behind the greenery and go home.

Once home, she’d think long-term about how to handle this.

Unfortunately, Yan Ming didn’t know what was going on. He just stood at the restaurant entrance, not playing with his phone or making calls, just seriously watching the traffic and the city’s nightscape.

Didn’t he say someone was waiting? Didn’t he say he had another appointment?

Why wasn’t he leaving?

Yu Tian stood behind greenery full of mosquitoes. Her exposed legs already had a row of bumps from intensive “voluntary blood donations.” She just wanted to go home now, but Yan Ming’s position was too strategic—if she came out from behind the greenery and wanted to reach the street, she’d inevitably have to pass in front of him.

Yu Tian glared at Yan Ming through the greenery.

In the night, his profile was smooth and pale, his long, dense eyelashes casting shadows under his eyes. His delicate features showed a gentle appearance, beautiful as moonlight, but like moonbeams, no matter how much light shone down, it was always cold.

Yu Tian suddenly wasn’t angry anymore.

She just felt somewhat dejected and wronged.

To get along well with Yan Ming, she had put in great effort. Normally, if anyone treated her so coldly, Yu Tian would probably have walked away long ago. But only with Yan Ming, whether through idol filters or expectations of becoming family, Yu Tian stubbornly and clumsily tried to win his favor.

She had finally thought Yan Ming was becoming somewhat familiar with her, that he should at least treat her somewhat differently, at least have some sense of morality, even if he couldn’t restrain his father’s cheating behavior, at least he shouldn’t actively participate and provide cover!

But…

Yan Ming was like a moon that couldn’t be warmed, not stingy with his moonlight toward anyone, but that was all anyone got.

Yu Tian was lost in increasingly distant thoughts, hoping Yan Ming would leave quickly, when she received a WeChat from Yan Ming.

[Yan]: What? Are you coming to find me?

Yu Tian was furious. Who’s coming to find you!

Only then did she realize the impropriety of her previous message—like a jealous wife checking up on him.

This wouldn’t do.

Even if betrayed by the other party, she had to maintain grace and pride.

Yu Tian hid behind the greenery, stone-faced, and replied to Yan Ming.

[A Little Fish]: Oh, I sent it to the wrong person. I meant to send it to Qi Sihao. I’m at home editing videos, quite busy, so I won’t chat anymore.

After Yu Tian replied, she finally felt somewhat better.

Look how capable Yan Ming thought he was—did he think that just because she viewed him as an idol, he could do whatever he wanted?

Even fan devotion has limits, let alone that strictly speaking, Yu Tian’s feelings toward Yan Ming didn’t even count as fandom.

Once he left, she’d immediately go home, then call Qi Sihao and complain about Yan Ming for three days and nights, then do everything possible to help Qi Sihao steal Gao Mei away, leaving Yan Ming to grow old alone!

Yu Tian’s heart surged with passion and fighting spirit. She was meticulously planning and envisioning the future when she heard a familiar, cold voice from above—

“Your home is unique.”

This voice…

Yu Tian frowned and glared upward.

Then she saw Yan Ming looking down at her with calm composure.

“…”

Yan Ming smiled at her friendly: “Working hard editing videos at home, huh?”

“…”

Yu Tian kept a straight face, puffed her cheeks, refused to acknowledge the undeniable facts, and firmly believed she was currently responding with silence.

Since he’d caught her, Yan Ming should also realize that his and his father’s scumbag behavior had been exposed.

Unfortunately, the panic and shame Yu Tian had imagined not only didn’t appear on Yan Ming’s face, he was even calmer than Yu Tian and could communicate normally with her without blushing or heart racing.

“I’ll walk you to the subway station.”

Yu Tian was in a very bad mood. She said coldly: “Didn’t you say that after this appointment, you had another one scheduled?”

“Isn’t that you?” Yan Ming pressed his lips together. “Since you’re already waiting here like a hunter waiting for prey, I naturally can’t make other arrangements.”

After Yan Ming finished speaking, he didn’t say anything else, just walked forward naturally and confidently.

Finally, Yu Tian couldn’t hold back: “Don’t you have anything to say about what happened tonight? Not a single explanation?”

For such matters involving elders cheating, even Yu Tian, an observer, felt ashamed and couldn’t even bring herself to say the word “cheating.”

But Yan Ming seemed to have no psychological barriers at all.

He looked puzzled and even showed confusion: “What should I say?”

Was he starting to play dumb now?

Yu Tian was getting angry and didn’t have time to organize her words carefully, impulsively saying: “I thought, given our current relationship, there should be some kind of exclusive contract.”

She had already hinted so subtly and considerately, even mindful of Yan Ming’s dignity, afraid that tearing off the facade would embarrass him and make things awkward, yet Yan Ming seemed determined to be thick-skinned.

He looked at Yu Tian with an incredulous tone, even raising his voice slightly: “Our current relationship requires exclusivity already? What exactly is our relationship?”

How dare he ask what their relationship was?!

Yu Tian glared at Yan Ming defiantly, no longer hiding anything: “Of course it’s the relationship of becoming family in the future!”

After she said this, Yan Ming showed a quite shocked expression.

After a moment, he seemed to regain his composure, looking at Yu Tian with very complex eyes: “I think you shouldn’t think so far ahead. We haven’t progressed to that stage at all yet. It’s better not to make conclusions about the future so quickly.”

Though Yan Ming’s tone remained calm, his expression became somewhat unnatural: “We don’t have that kind of relationship now, so I think your checking up on me is excessive. Everyone has normal social interactions. It’s reasonable for women to have some possessiveness, but going overboard becomes jealousy.”

“No man likes jealous women.”

Yan Ming’s words were chilly, his gaze looking ahead, not at Yu Tian.

Of course, he wouldn’t dare look at her!

Indeed, Yu Tian’s mother and Yan Ming’s father hadn’t reached the stage of discussing marriage, and legal remarriage was still far off, but since they had started interacting under the premise of romance, not pursuing others was basic morality!

Yan Ming had the nerve to label it as jealousy!

Yu Tian looked at Yan Ming’s handsome and fresh profile, finding it hard to believe such words came from him, but reality gave her a resounding slap.

Good looks didn’t necessarily mean good character.

Yu Tian felt her idol filter for Yan Ming rapidly disintegrating.

His surgical skills and professional knowledge were still exceptional, but his character wasn’t great!

Indeed, like father, like son—if Yan Wenhua could lead by example in cheating and maintaining backup relationships, how could Yan Ming, his biological son raised by him, not follow suit?

Look at his current righteous attitude!

This was no longer a minor flaw she could tolerate—this was a fundamental, principled major problem!

Yu Tian couldn’t help glancing at Yan Ming again.

His forehead was pale and smooth, his eyebrows well-shaped and spirited, his gaze always carrying elusive mystery and coldness. From external conditions, he remained very, very attractive.

But who could have imagined that beneath this beautiful appearance lay such rotten character?

Yan Ming was an openly shameless scumbag.

Yu Tian bit her lip: “So you think this level of social interaction is fine?”

“Of course.” Yan Ming looked at Yu Tian, somewhat bewildered. “This is very normal.”

Yan Ming indeed felt everything was completely normal.

His father and Yu Tian’s mother had broken up some time ago. Though his father was the one who got dumped, at their age, they wouldn’t cling and try to salvage things like young people.

At this age, people learned to accept failure—if it didn’t work, it didn’t work. Nothing could be forced, and there was no need to wallow in past disappointments. When it was time to move forward, they moved forward.

Therefore, after a brief period of heartbreak, Yan Wenhua started fresh, and going on blind dates again was completely normal, and as his son, accompanying his father to meet families he intended to remarry into was also a completely normal social interaction.

He didn’t understand why Yu Tian had such a strong reaction, even getting jealous of his father’s blind date’s daughter.

He and Yu Tian hadn’t even established any kind of relationship.

But Yu Tian looked like she was about to explode with anger. Her beautiful eyes looked like they could shoot fire, and she kept stealing glances at him, thinking she was hiding it well and hadn’t been noticed.

Jiang Yuming had a point—Yu Tian was indeed very beautiful, even her angry appearance was bright and charming, carrying some cuteness and innocence.

Therefore, Yan Ming felt he could be particularly tolerant and forgiving of her behavior.

But principled matters still needed to be clarified, and Yan Ming didn’t intend to compromise on this point.

Fortunately, due to his cold handling, Yu Tian seemed to have quieted down too, probably finally calming down with reason returning.

Yu Tian had indeed calmed down, but not in the way Yan Ming thought.

She now didn’t want to deal with Yan Ming at all and was internally struggling with how to bring this up with her mother.

No matter what, even if her mother was satisfied with Yan Wenhua, Yu Tian couldn’t just watch her mother jump into a fire pit.

Originally wholeheartedly expecting to become family with Yan Ming, Yu Tian now only thought about how to make her mother see Yan Wenhua’s true nature, then break up peacefully and stay away from the Yan family.

The subway station wasn’t far from the restaurant, but when they reached a convenience store, Yan Ming suddenly called out to the preoccupied Yu Tian.

“Wait a moment, I’ll buy something.”

Yu Tian’s mind was in chaos, so she didn’t speak, just nodded perfunctorily.

A moment later, Yan Ming came out of the convenience store carrying a small bag. He held it in his hand, and when they reached the subway station entrance, he suddenly handed the bag to Yu Tian.

Yu Tian was somewhat confused: “Hm?”

“I bought it for you.”

After Yan Ming finished speaking, he stuffed the bag into Yu Tian’s hands: “Get home early.”

Yu Tian still hadn’t reacted, standing there dazed, even forgetting to look at what was in the bag.

But in this moment of pause, Yan Ming’s face showed a somewhat helpless and troubled expression, then he showed a resigned look: “Fine, I get it. I’ll walk you to the train.”

He glanced at Yu Tian, his gaze unnaturally shifting away, as if declaring some principle, emphasizing in a flat tone: “I happen to be free today, and I ate a lot at dinner, so walking a few more steps counts as exercise.”

?

Yu Tian was a bit puzzled. By the time she realized what had happened, Yan Ming had already walked ahead of her. He looked back at her.

“Let’s go.”

Before Yu Tian could say anything, Yan Ming took the bag from her hands again, saying nothing more, just carrying it all the way and escorting her into the station. Only when Yu Tian’s needed subway arrived did Yan Ming stuff the bag back into her hands.

“Send me a message when you get home.”

Then he bid Yu Tian a concise farewell.

Yu Tian was pushed by the crowd onto the subway. As the train started and pulled away, she saw Yan Ming on the platform.

He had said he was leaving, but he hadn’t left immediately.

Now, with almost everyone having boarded the subway, only a few scattered people remained on the platform. Yan Ming, tall and handsome, stood out even more, and when he met Yu Tian’s gaze, he looked away, then raised his hand and waved in Yu Tian’s direction, like helplessly pacifying a small dog.

Yu Tian’s emotions were complex.

When she opened the bag Yan Ming had given her, her heart became even more confused.

It was a bottle of mosquito repellent and a small tube of anti-itch gel.

Yu Tian looked at the mosquito bites covering her legs and pressed her lips together.

So Yan Ming felt guilty after all, trying to appease and beg forgiveness with this gesture. Was he hoping she’d just pretend not to know, turn a blind eye, and not tell her mother?

Wasn’t he being too naive?

People always side with reason over family ties, especially when both reason and family were on Yu Tian’s side.

Whether walking her to the train or buying mosquito repellent and anti-itch spray, none of it would make Yu Tian softhearted!

Trying to help his father juggle two relationships? Dream on!