Huo Yaochuan realized he was truly being a glutton for punishment.
How could he have agreed to be the "other man"?
Watching Zhou Che deliberately flaunt his affection with Jiang Liuyue right in front of him, he was just about to throw out a barbed remark.
But when Jiang Liuyue's light, fleeting glance landed on him, he instantly clamped his venomous little mouth shut.
Yet, his heart itched as if ants were crawling all over it.
Ah, when could he finally kick Zhou Che to the curb?
Seizing the moment when Zhou Che turned to go to the kitchen for cutlery, he suddenly leaned in closer.
A hint of grievance tinged his tone, his narrow phoenix eyes slightly squinting.
"You were ignoring me just now."
"Your official boyfriend is right here. You should mind your behavior." Jiang Liuyue lifted her hand, pointing towards the kitchen.
Her slender fingers were lustrous and pale.
He curved his lips into a smile.
"Alright, I understand."
Huo Yaochuan very naturally reached out and briefly grasped her fingertips, then quickly let go.
Jiang Liuyue turned her hand and caught his.
"You like playing with fire?"
"If Zhou Che sees this next, our relationship is Over."
Huo Yaochuan didn't seem the least bit afraid; he even proactively rested his chin on their clasped hands.
"Would you... feel any reluctance?"
Jiang Liuyue's red lips lifted slightly: "I'd be only too happy."
Footsteps sounded from the kitchen,
and their clasped hands separated once again.
Zhou Che, completely unaware, returned with a smile.
Huo Yaochuan leaned back in his seat and called out to him.
Zhou Che ignored him.
Huo Yaochuan then raised his hand, shook his phone, and said coolly:
"Latest news, An Yan is back in the country."
Zhou Che froze.
Jiang Liuyue inquired curiously, "Who is An Yan?"
Huo Yaochuan said unhurriedly:
"Zhou Che may not have had a girlfriend, but he had a crush on a girl for a very long time."
"She's An Yan, the daughter of the An family."
Exposed, Zhou Che grew somewhat annoyed.
"Huo Yaochuan! That's all ancient history."
"It's been so many years, I don't even remember who An Yan is anymore?"
He then turned to look at Jiang Liuyue, declaring his loyalty with a serious face: "Yueyue, believe me, the person I like now is you."
Just as he said this,
Zhou Che's phone on the table rang, the caller ID showing two glaringly clear characters.
— An Yan.
Zhou Che's face turned ashen. He first looked up nervously at Jiang Liuyue.
Seeing her expression unchanged, he hurriedly explained:
"This number was saved from before, but we haven't been in contact for at least six or seven years."
Huo Yaochuan added with a bland yet pointed tone: "Indeed. After An Yan went abroad to study, Zhou Che made a painful resolution to sever this unrequited crush."
Zhou Che glared at him angrily.
"Huo Yaochuan, no one would think you're mute if you didn't speak."
Huo Yaochuan smiled.
His tone was light but carried a strong attack.
"If there's really nothing, why are you so flustered?"
"If there's really nothing, why aren't you answering the call?"
"If there's really nothing..."
Zhou Che interrupted: "Stop, stop, stop—! Fine, I'll answer it. There's absolutely nothing between us anyway."
After answering, he put the call on speakerphone.
A bright, cheerful female voice came through.
"Zhou Che, why did it take you so long to answer?"
"A friend of mine saw you at Qian Shui Bay today. When did you come to S City? You should have told me."
Zhou Che's tone was stiff: "Weren't you abroad?"
An Yan laughed: "I just came back a couple of days ago. I couldn't get used to B City; S City is much better, shopping is convenient too. I'm actually thinking of buying a place in Qian Shui Bay as well."
"Want to be neighbors?"
Zhou Che said excitedly: "No, you absolutely must not buy there! Qian Shui Bay is not good at all."
An Yan was still laughing: "Why are you so nervous? Afraid of being my neighbor? I wasn't that bad to you before, was I?"
Zhou Che, with strong survival instincts, shot a glance at Jiang Liuyue.
Then, he refused righteously:
"My girlfriend's place is in Qian Shui Bay. You'd better look somewhere else."
There was a slight pause on the other end of the line.
"Ah, you have a girlfriend now too?"
"When did that happen? No one in our circle mentioned it."
"Which family's daughter is she?"
Zhou Che: "We fell in love freely. She's not from our circle."
"Free love? And not from the circle? It couldn't be an online romance, could it?" An Yan's laughter took on an additional layer of meaning.
"Zhou Che, are you free tonight?"
"Bring your girlfriend along for a get-together, at a bar here in S City."
It was then that Jiang Liuyue cleared her throat and spoke towards the phone:
"Hello, An Yan. I'm Zhou Che's girlfriend, Jiang Liuyue. Thank you for the invitation, but I have work tonight."
An Yan: "Work? And at night? That's quite demanding. May I ask where you work?"
"If it's presumptuous, then there's no need to ask!" Huo Yaochuan's voice suddenly cut in.
Both people present and An Yan on the phone were startled.
"Yaochuan-ge, you're there too?"
Huo Yaochuan: "Alright, that's enough catching up. If you want to ask Zhou Che out, ask him alone. He'll probably give you face."
Seeing this, Zhou Che waved his hands repeatedly, refusing:
"Don't you dare talk nonsense! I have a girlfriend. I'm a man with virtue; I don't go on dates with other girls."
On the phone, An Yan's laughter noticeably faded.
"Alright, sorry to bother you."
After hanging up, Zhou Che handed his phone to Jiang Liuyue with utmost sincerity.
"Yueyue, you can check my phone anytime."
"I'm completely clean, no messy stuff at all."
"And I only have you by my side."
"Unlike some people, who've had countless ex-girlfriends. Who knows when another one might show up at the door."
He shot a meaningful glance in Huo Yaochuan's direction.
Seeing them starting to bicker again, Jiang Liuyue felt a headache coming on.
"Enough, afternoon tea is over. Everyone, leave!"
Zhou Che was reluctant: "Yueyue..."
Huo Yaochuan was very self-aware: "Then you should rest well, Xiao Yue. I'll be going first."
Zhou Che muttered under his breath, staring at him.
"Better be. Don't pull a U-turn and come sneaking back later, you schemer."
Huo Yaochuan thought to himself: This is strategy. In war, all is deception.
...
The system was seeing a host it couldn't quite understand for the first time.
"Host, the male lead's favorability progress bar in this world currently shows no advancement. Should we add some spice?"
Jiang Liuyue curved the corners of her lips into a smile and retorted:
"Like getting drunk at a bar and calling him?"
"Like calling him in the middle of the night because I can't sleep?"
The system: "Mhm, mhm."
Jiang Liuyue: "Mhm what? Is he worthy?"
"Was Feng Xiaoman wrong for using fake photos in an online romance? He's no good either, changing his heart so quickly."
"Still wants to be the official boyfriend? Dream on."
"I want him to be the male homewrecker, and I'll max out that favorability bar."
The system silently acknowledged, as long as the host is happy.
That night, as soon as Jiang Liuyue started her livestream,
she noticed an account with the ID "Full Moon Crescent" appear in the chat.
She paused for a moment but still called out:
"Welcome, Full Moon Crescent, to the livestream."
[Full Moon Crescent: Jiang Liuyue, are you happy stealing someone else's boyfriend?]
[Full Moon Crescent: You'll get your karma!!!]
As soon as these two lines appeared, the livestream chat instantly exploded.
