Feng Yi arrived late, catching up just in time to see two figures standing by the private dining room entrance. He froze in place.
The scene before him was both pleasing to the eye and utterly unfamiliar—
His elder brother, Feng Yan, and his sister-in-law, Sang Lu, were holding hands tightly, fingers interlaced. Sang Lu tilted her head up, frowning as if scolding him about something, while Feng Yan lazily half-lowered his gaze, the corner of his lips quirking slightly.
Was this expression really on his brother’s face?
Where was the usual aura of a ruthless, intimidating tycoon?
Was this even the same brother he knew?
This was downright bizarre.
Feng Yi’s astonishment lingered well into the meal.
Sang Lu was talkative—he had witnessed it a few times during dinners at the family estate, so that wasn’t surprising.
What caught him off guard today was someone else entirely.
In between Sang Lu’s lively, animated chatter, his usually cold and indifferent brother actually responded.
Simple words—a hum of acknowledgment, or a cool nod.
Paired with that domineering face of his, the effect was somehow comical.
This was the first time Feng Yi had ever seen his brother acting like a mere punctuation mark in someone else’s story.
Bizarre. Doubly bizarre.
Feng Yi couldn’t hide his shock. Just as his eyebrows shot up and his pupils trembled in disbelief for the umpteenth time, his brother shot him a sidelong glance.
“You full?”
The question carried an unmistakable edge of intimidation.
Feng Yi hastily picked up a bite of food and stuffed it into his mouth, answering with action rather than words.
Suddenly, he remembered—he wasn’t here to be a third wheel.
He had another reason for inviting his brother to dinner.
The old patriarch’s birthday was approaching.
In all the years before, he had never put serious thought into selecting a proper birthday gift for the old man.
From what he recalled, even Feng Bai, who was younger than him, had managed to pick gifts that pleased the patriarch multiple times.
As for his elder brother, Feng Yan, his selections had always been the old man’s favorites.
Now that Feng Yi had turned over a new leaf, he wanted to make up for his past negligence.
He had started scouring options a month in advance, determined to “go all out” this time.
After sharing his thoughts with Feng Yan and Sang Lu, Feng Yi pulled out his phone and said,
“I’ve been browsing auction house websites and found a few pieces. Brother, can you help me decide which one the old man would like best?”
A flicker of approval passed through Feng Yan’s mind, though his expression remained indifferent as he replied coolly, “Send me the pictures.”
“Got it—”
Feng Yi had just picked up his phone when something occurred to him. He turned to Sang Lu, who was enjoying a dessert, and added,
“—Sister-in-law, you should take a look too. You’ve got great taste.”
Sang Lu, mid-bite of her dessert, blinked at the sudden compliment about her aesthetic sense, then smiled and nodded.
“Sure, send them to my WeChat too.”
Feng Yi fiddled with his phone for a moment.
Soon, both Sang Lu and Feng Yan’s phones buzzed in succession.
Feng Yi’s gaze darted between them.
Finally, he chose the one with the more approachable aura and expression—his sister-in-law.
Dragging his chair closer to Sang Lu, he urged,
“Sister-in-law, open it quick. Let me explain my thought process—”
As Sang Lu tapped into WeChat, Feng Yi’s words faltered.
He saw that the top chat was pinned—a pitch-black profile picture. His brother’s.
Huh? But…
Feng Yi’s eyebrows shot up in confusion, his voice rising with curiosity.
“Sister-in-law, why is Brother’s nickname just an ice cube emoji?”
His tone brimmed with intrigue.
“And why is there a ‘Big’ in front of it? Does it mean something special?”
Sang Lu’s scalp prickled instantly.
She whipped her head toward him.
“Why are you shouting so loud?!”
“???” Feng Yi’s eyebrows remained arched in innocent curiosity, his eyes blinking with the kind of clarity only a grad student—marginally more mature than an undergrad—could possess.
Sang Lu took a shallow breath. “…”
She quickly changed the subject, opening the pictures Feng Yi had sent and feigning deep analysis. “Let me see… Hmm, ah, I’ll take a proper look… This one… That one…”
She frowned, pretending to scrutinize the options.
The entire time, she didn’t dare glance at Feng Yan even once.
So. Damn. Embarrassing.
Stupid Feng Yi!
Why did he have to be so observant?!
Meanwhile…
The man with the icy aura was still holding his water glass, motionless.
Feng Yi’s loud, enthusiastic voice still echoed in his ears.
Beneath his calm exterior, a dark glimmer stirred.
She had changed his nickname… and added that word?
Feng Yan lowered his lashes, concealing the flicker in his gaze.
He took a sip of tea.
The corner of his lips curved into an almost imperceptible smile.
……
The holiday came to an end.
Back to the grind.
During lunch break at Beijing TV Station, the members of Team D were scattered around the office, chatting idly.
A voice drifted in from the doorway.
“So, how was everyone’s holiday?”
The group turned to see Director Wang standing at the entrance, beaming with the air of a benevolent leader checking in on his subordinates.
A young intern was the first to respond. “It was great! Haven’t had a break that long in ages.”
“Mine was meh,” a more senior colleague said casually. “Every tourist hotspot was packed. You wouldn’t believe it—I went to three different scenic spots, and the longest lines were all for ‘Authentic Changsha Stinky Tofu.’”
Little Duan sighed and chimed in, “Still better than me. I went to Hangzhou without checking any guides, accidentally ordered West Lake Vinegar Fish, and I—”
He bit back the complaint on the tip of his tongue.
“HAHAHA—”
The office erupted in laughter.
Director Wang chuckled too, his gaze sweeping across the room until it landed on a certain curly-haired head. He suddenly asked,
“What about you, Sang Lu? Where’d you go to unwind during the break? Any fun check-ins?”
Director Wang, being slightly older, had a way of phrasing things that felt a tad outdated.
Sang Lu stiffened slightly, her face warming.
Where had she gone?
Uh… Well…
Images from the last few days of her holiday flashed through her mind.
The bedroom. The bathroom.
…And one time in the car.
That seemingly ascetic man had filled her idle days at home to the brim.
His stamina was terrifying.
In a way, it could count as… checking in at various locations?
Only when he learned she had work the next day had he finally gone easy on her.
Just twice.
“Had fun, right? Relaxed?”
Before she could answer, Director Wang pressed with a grin.
Sang Lu pressed the back of her hand to her cheek to cool it and nodded. “Yeah. Very relaxed.”
“Good to hear, because you’re all about to get busy—” Director Wang’s leaderly small talk concluded as he tapped the desk. “Your team’s variety show ratings were stellar, so the Station Chief has decided to let you collaborate on two of our flagship programs…”
Before he could finish, the entire group’s eyes lit up.
Joy overflowed.
They were “Team D” for a reason—the least prioritized in the station’s hierarchy, behind A, B, C…
Flagship programs had never been within their reach.
And now, out of nowhere, fortune had smiled upon them.
“AHHHHH!!”
“WOOOO—!!”
“Hold your celebrations—I’m not done,” Director Wang cleared his throat. “The Station Chief has also approved a promotion for all of you, with raises to match.”
The office exploded.
Cheers erupted nonstop.
The entire team was lost in excitement, hugging each other left and right.
After Director Wang left, everyone started calling friends and family to share the good news.
Sang Lu also sent a message to the contact saved as “Big Ice Cube” in her WeChat.
Sang Lu: [Got a promotion and a raise~]
Sang Lu: [From now on, address me as Director Sang. The real deal!]
Sang Lu: [Evil laugh.jpg]
Sang Lu: [Spinning with joy.gif]
The reply came instantly: [Let’s celebrate tonight.]
Sang Lu happily tapped her phone: [Sure, sure~ Where should we go?]
The words "The other party is typing…" appeared above the chat box.
Then disappeared.
The person on the other end seemed to be thinking very carefully.
After a long pause, a restaurant address was sent.
An upscale revolving restaurant in Jing City.
[Feng Yan: How about dining here?]
Overjoyed but still playful, Sang Lu replied: [Okk, everything is at President Feng’s discretion~]
……
That night.
Sang Lu realized.
There was more to the place than just a restaurant.
The luxurious suite on the higher floors offered a panoramic view of the city’s nightscape.
Coinciding with some holiday, fireworks bloomed in the distant sky.
Dazzling and radiant.
“Wow~ So beautiful—”
Sang Lu pressed her palms against the floor-to-ceiling window, her sparkling eyes reflecting the colorful lights.
Feng Yan lowered his gaze, his eyes fixed on her.
Suddenly, he pulled her away from the view, his arms lifting her effortlessly, holding her firmly against him.
Foreheads touching.
Sang Lu saw an unfathomable glimmer in the depths of his dark eyes.
A premonition made her heart tremble.
Outside, fireworks shot into the sky.
Reaching their peak before exploding, illuminating the night in brilliance.
The sound of the fireworks masked the soft metallic click of a belt buckle.
Sound travels slower than light.
A loud crack—
Echoed across the heavens.
More fireworks followed.
Their bursts like heavy drumbeats.
Growing more frequent.
Each strike seemed to reverberate in her eardrums.
Overwhelming.
The night sky bathed in golden radiance, even Feng Yan’s dark hair shimmered with vibrant hues.
His black shirt accentuated his sharp, striking silhouette, his obsidian eyes brimming with desire.
His cold, handsome face carried a hint of mischief as he kissed away the tears at the corners of her eyes.
Sang Lu’s heart pounded like a drum.
Her thoughts grew fragmented, hazy.
She had been… too reckless…
Shouldn’t have changed his contact name so soon.
If what happened last time warranted a name change…
What did this even count as now?
