Old Qi nearly had his eyes pop out of their sockets when he caught sight of Shen Yizhou's hands.
He wasn't the only one in a complicated mood.
Ephraim was rivaling it quiet splendidly.
Throughout the meal—which, by that point, Ephraim had absolutely no room for—he still sat through it alongside Shen Yizhou. Simply because, in the span of just one hour, he'd grown terribly attached and wanted to cling on a little longer.
But heaven knew, it was nothing short of torture.
He was bloated, nauseous, and on the verge of bursting. Worse still, Old Qi kept sweeping past their table, shooting him looks so sharp and judgmental they could probably pierce the heavens. Every glance practically screamed, "You've influenced him. Look at what he's done to his nails."
Chasing husbands really wasn't for the weak-hearted.
By the time dinner ended, Ephraim felt a reluctant tug in his chest. He wasn't quite ready to part from Shen Yizhou, but he also knew the man had a packed schedule and needed rest. He couldn't cling forever.
Biting his lower lip, he watched as Shen Yizhou took his leave—tall and steady, walking towards the stairs. Ephraim's gaze clung to his back like a thousand little needles.
Just as Shen Yizhou reached the landing, he suddenly paused.
He turned his head slightly, as if having felt the searing heat of a gaze trailing him too persistently.
"Little Yu," he said, voice calm and steady. "Do you need something?"
Ephraim's eyes brightened. "A goodnight kiss?"
Shen Yizhou's expression remained perfectly blank—but the tips of his ears were unmistakably flushed red.
He looked down slightly, answering in that same unshaken tone, "Apologies, Little Yu."
Ephraim deflated instantly, like air escaping from a balloon. His ears burned. Embarrassment crept in like a tide. 'Of course, he thought, the man wouldn't want one so soon...'
A brief silence settled between them before Shen Yizhou's voice drifted over softly.
"…Perhaps… on the cheek."
Ephraim didn't hesitate for even a breath. With the speed of a shooting star, he zipped toward Shen Yizhou, tugged him down by the sleeve, stood on tiptoes, and pressed a quick peck to his cheek.
"Good night, Mister Shen. Sweet dreams! You too, Old Qi~"
Old Qi, who had just walked in to clear the dishes, happened to witness the whole scene in full clarity. He froze on the spot, one hand clutching a teacup and the other mid-reach toward a plate.
By the time Ephraim left the dining room with a bounce in his step, humming a little tune, Old Qi slowly came back to his senses. He turned to Shen Yizhou, expression full of shock.
"Young Master… He…"
"Old Qi," Shen Yizhou interrupted, his tone calm as usual. "Prepare some nail care tools. The full set."
"…Pardon?"
Shen Yizhou didn't turn around. Standing tall, spine ramrod straight, he gazed at the stairs where Ephraim had disappeared. The faintest flush climbed up the back of his neck.
"Also… find some catalogs. The kind young people like these days. Clothes. For both men and women."
And with that, he ascended the stairs without another word, his calm composure hiding the slight chaos underneath.
Old Qi remained rooted in place, utterly dumbfounded.
'Heavens… It's true! Young Master, you really did bring back a wife! No—wait—a husband! Still counts!'
That night, Ephraim was in an exceptionally good mood. So much so that, before heading to bed, he gave Ling Jialei a call to end the day on a sweet note.
She picked up on the first ring.
Her voice, as always, was warm and doting—but tonight, it sounded especially soft, soaked in a gentleness that clung just a bit too tightly to the edges.
Too sweet, really.
Ling Jialei always spoiled him with her words, but tonight's tone carried a deeper tenderness, as though she were holding back something with every syllable.
She asked about his day in that light, coaxing tone. Ephraim, more than happy to chatter, recounted everything from the start—how he had heroically saved someone, and how they went to lunch together. But somewhere in between, his lunch date got busy, and Ephraim was left to finish the meal alone.
Ling Jialei listened in silence.
Not a single interruption, not even her usual teasing. The longer he spoke, the quieter she became.
Just as he was about to get to the more pleasant part—his small but sweet moment with Shen Yizhou—her voice came again, softer than before.
"Yuyu," she said gently, "listen to Jiejie, alright?"
She sounded like she was trying to keep her voice level, but there was a strange edge of caution to it.
"If you're feeling… a little sad, maybe. Or if you miss me. Or if you're feeling restless, lonely… just tell Jiejie, okay? I'll come pick you up right away."
Ephraim blinked, momentarily confused.
She was usually overprotective, yes—but this was oddly intense. It took a second, then he figured it out: 'She must be the one missing me and too proud to admit it. Yeah. That must be it.'
A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.
'Fine then. I'll play along. She raised this body like a little prince, after all.'
"Jiejie, I do miss you," he said softly, with a touch of mischief. "But I'm really doing fine. Still… you wouldn't mind if I texted or called you more often, right? I might disturb you a lot during the day—even though I know you're super busy."
Hearing those words, Ling Jialei's heart twisted in pain. She believed every single word her little brother said.
"Alright," she said softly, "do that. Call Jiejie often, alright? And if there's ever anything you don't like, or if something makes you feel even a little uncomfortable, tell Jiejie immediately. I'll take care of it. You just take care of yourself, my dear."
Ephraim paused, guilt beginning to bubble in his chest.
He really hadn't meant to worry her this much.
Seeing how much she seemed to miss him, Ephraim felt a pang of regret. But he couldn't go back—not yet. He had a mission to complete here. All he could do now was reach out more often, stay in touch, and maybe… send her gifts. Lots of them.
[Ephraim: Rachel. She doesn't lack for anything. What kind of gift can I give her?]
[Rachel: If you wish to gift her something, let it be from the heart. It's the thought that matters most.]
[Ephraim: Okay… but what kind of gift gives that kind of impression?]
[Rachel: Tea. She enjoys rare blends. Find something unique for her.]
[Ephraim: Got it! Thanks, Rachel~]
The next couple of days passed peacefully—at least, for Ephraim.
He had taken to waking up early each morning to share breakfast with Shen Yizhou, even sending him off at the door like a little house-spirit, always with a bright "Goodbye~" and sometimes a cheeky wink.
After that, he would open up his socials and do damage control… or attempt to.
He tried his best to clear up the misunderstanding he had caused—saying, rather vaguely, that there had just been a tiny miscommunication between him and his future baby godfather and that was why he had left him alone that day.
Naturally, this explanation didn't help.
In fact, it only fanned the flames further.
His inbox was flooded with messages of sympathy and heartbreak—especially today, after footage of the protest had aired on national television. The image of him shielding Xu Jinyao had gone viral overnight.
Now, he was trending.
After all, Ephraim had been masquerading as a breathtaking woman—one who had braved the thick of a restless crowd to shield a delicate, pretty youth, who was said to be like her younger brother… and would, in the future, be her child's godfather.
Naturally, such a dramatic tale stirred the waters online.
This topic swiftly gave rise to several tangents—speculations swirling around Xu Jinyao's supposed fallout with the mysterious new influence 'Ling Xiaoying'. Netizens had arrived at this theory after digging up old sightings, noting that it was Xu Jinyao who had initially entered the restaurant with her.
What was once a small, pitiful post about a delicate beauty dining alone had now blossomed into a full-blown conspiracy.
Matters only escalated further when someone captured a photo of Wang Jiannan entering the very same restaurant—alongside both Xu Jinyao and 'Ling Xiaoying.'
Now the flames roared.
Public curiosity surged. Just who was Ling Xiaoying? She was clearly wealthy, her so-called husband-to-be equally so, and now she was seen in the company of a well-known second-generation heir.
Who exactly was she, and how deep did her background go?
Compared to these rumors, the original topic—about the group of students who had a powerful backer and had been exposed by Ephraim at the protest—gained attention, yes, but failed to outshine the glittering gossip.
It ranked below the top trends consistently, unable to match the allure of mysterious beauty, powerful connections, and ambiguous relationships.
Still, it brought Ephraim's account a fresh wave of followers and heat. He had become the focal point of several hot threads, especially after being identified as the one who exposed the student at the heart of the protest incident.
Yet, when Ephraim saw the relatively lukewarm performance of the post made by Xu Youyi, he could only sigh and shake his head.
'Tch.
Look at all the juicy material I handed him—and it still couldn't rank near the top.
If he wants to make it in this ruthless field, Xu Youyi seriously needs to master the sacred arts of manipulation and exaggeration.
Otherwise… what am I supposed to do in the future if I give him more news to drop and he still can't squeeze enough heat out of it?'
With that in mind, Ephraim decided have a long conversation over the phone with Xu Youyi later For now though, he choose instead to dedicate the next two days to infiltrating the high-end gym Rachel had told him Wang Jiannan frequented.
The gym was infamous for its exclusivity—membership required both a powerful background and a personal recommendation. It took Ephraim two full days of persuasion, a bit of coercion, and shamelessly using Shen Yizhou's name and reputation to the fullest before he finally secured a spot.
While Ephraim was occupied with this, Rachel informed him that Wang Jianyuan had finally returned home—after three fruitless days of trying to track down Ling Xiaoyu and enduring a series of 'coincidental' encounters with Ling Jialei, who seemed to be everywhere he went, making his search even more difficult.
But he couldn't afford to stay away from the company too long, and in the end, had no choice but to return to the office.
Ephraim, however, didn't spare much thought for Wang Jianyuan anymore. He'd already decided to carry out his plans without involving the man directly, if possible. No confrontation meant no unnecessary emotional labor on his part. That alone was worth celebrating.
And so, three days after the protest, Ephraim found himself standing in front of the majestic gates of B City's Central Conservatory of Music.
Today's mission: harass his adorable little brother, Xu Jinyao, once again.
It had taken him those three days not only to worm his way into Wang Jiannan's gym—with plans to slowly charm or pressure the man into either beating some sense into Wang Jianyuan or helping Ephraim convince Xu Jinyao to dump him.
It had also taken him those three days but to gain access to this prestigious conservatory.
Since he was undercover as Ling Xiaoying, he couldn't use his real name. So he'd borrowed Ling Jialei's status as the head of a top-tier entertainment company to navigate through layers of bureaucracy and finally secure entry.
It had been the long road.
But now that he stood here, poised like a shadow outside Xu Jinyao's school, he was more than ready.
Today, no matter which corner his little brother tried to escape to—he would catch him.