Several of the girls let out suggestive laughs. “It’s barely late and you’re already heading for a room? Someone’s in a hurry.” The girl in the miniskirt blushed at their teasing. “Oh, stop it!” Her voice, laced with a flirtatious sweetness, was so melodic that even Lin Yuxi had to admit it was pleasant. Zhou Yanking took the cigarette from his lips. His were the hands of a man accustomed to a life of ease—the bones of his wrist lean and strong, his fingers as fine and immaculate as carved jade. He tapped the half-smoked cigarette against a dark gray crystal ashtray, the ash tumbling in. A short, soft laugh rumbled in his throat. The very picture of a man who didn’t give a damn. “I’m not paralyzed. I don’t need help getting to bed.” Yu Jiaxiao’s temper flared again. “It’d be better if you were.” As if she hadn’t heard the exchange, Lin Yuxi kept her eyes downcast, shelling a pistachio for her friend. “Don't curse him just yet. If he were paralyzed, I'd be the one pushing his wheelchair.” On second thought, never mind. Yu Jiaxiao considered it. “Then let’s hope it’s just his upper body!” “Paralyzed from the waist up? What’s that? Brain-dead?” Yu Jiaxiao sneered. “Just a walking dick.” “…” Lin Yuxi shoved the pistachio nut into her mouth. “Will you just shut up?” Song Yunfan brought over two bottles of beer for them. Lin Yuxi glanced at them and murmured a thank you. He then explained in a low voice, “There’s a bunch of us guys up here, and we didn’t want to make you and your friend uncomfortable, so we didn’t call you up from downstairs earlier.” Lin Yuxi looked at him, her eyes clear and bright, and offered a small smile. “I understand.” With beautiful company, a few drinks too many… a man might want to unwind. And this bar had rooms readily available upstairs. Her presence was, of course, an inconvenience. Her gaze was so calm and clear, as if she saw right through everything, that it made Song Yunfan feel exposed and awkward. Just then, the girl in the miniskirt sidled closer to Zhou Yanking, her full chest nearly pressing against his arm. “Young Master Zhou, I have a concert next week. Are you free to come?” So she was some kind of pop starlet, Lin Yuxi thought. No wonder her voice was so lovely. “Blegh!” Yu Jiaxiao made an exaggerated gagging sound next to Lin Yuxi. “I think I’m gonna be sick.” Lin Yuxi, who usually did everything with a slow, deliberate grace—the same girl who always finished last in the 800-meter run and had never passed a sit-up test in her life—reacted with surprising agility, dodging to the side and lifting both feet off the floor. “Don’t you dare puke on me.” Zhou Yanking's voice was lazy, tinged with a smile that sounded like pure flirtation. “I'm allergic to music.” The starlet pouted. “If you just listen to me sing, maybe you'll be cured.” Yu Jiaxiao finally lost it. “What are you, an ultrasound machine? Curing diseases with sound waves? If you're so damn powerful, why don't you donate your vocal cords to science?” The starlet glanced at her, shrinking against Zhou Yanking as if frightened. “Young Master Zhou, who is she?” As Yu Jiaxiao geared up for another retort, Lin Yuxi whispered, “Don’t make a scene, Jiaxiao. If this gets ugly, I’m not sure I can cover for you.” That did it. Yu Jiaxiao deflated. It wasn’t that she was scared, but that she cared too much for her friend. Others might not know what Lin Yuxi’s life had been like these past few years, but she knew perfectly well. If things blew up and Zhou Yanking didn't take Lin Yuxi's side, how humiliating would that be for her in front of all these people? After settling her friend down, Lin Yuxi finally lifted her gaze, her expression mild, and looked at the starlet. “I’m free. Got a ticket?” The starlet studied her for a few seconds, then beamed. “Of course. You can add my assistant on WeChat later, and I'll have her send you the ticket.” “Thank you. But no need for all that trouble.” Lin Yuxi’s slender, pale index finger pointed casually at Zhou Yanking. “I’ll just have him send his contact to you.” The starlet’s expression froze. Zhou Yanking's eyelids lifted slightly. He glanced at Lin Yuxi from across the table, his expression noncommittal. The starlet whined coquettishly at him, “But I don’t have your WeChat, Young Master Zhou. What should I do?” Zhou Yanking watched Lin Yuxi with a lazy air, tossing the problem back to her. “What to do? You'll have to ask her.” Cuddling up with another woman right in front of his wife, and he didn't show the slightest hint of guilt. He couldn't even be bothered with pretenses, just leaned back in his chair, utterly composed. *What should I do about your little songbird? I should kill you both and throw a party.* But Lin Yuxi maintained her steady, unruffled demeanor. She spoke gently, like a kind older sister, to the starlet. “It’s alright. You can add me. I’ll send his contact to you.” The faces of the men nearby were turning purple from suppressed laughter. *Sending your husband's contact to another woman? Are you for real?* The starlet was completely thrown. What kind of play was this? She had been subtly sizing up Lin Yuxi earlier. The official wife clearly didn’t hold much sway; Zhou Yanking treated her like she was invisible. And she seemed used to it, sitting there quietly and calmly, shelling pistachios. She wasn't particularly dressed up—a baby blue knit sweater over a plain skirt, nothing eye-catching. But her features were striking and refined, the bone structure of a classic beauty. Whatever her game was, only a fool would turn down a chance to get his WeChat. She immediately flashed a sweet smile at Lin Yuxi. “Thank you, Sis!” Lin Yuxi returned the gentle smile. “You’re welcome. It’s what I deserve.” “…” A sarcastic smirk tugged at Zhou Yanking's lips. His gaze slid away from Lin Yuxi's calm face, his tone languid. “You're thanking her too soon.” The starlet, confused, then saw him pull his phone from his pocket, and her heart leaped with joy. Who needs a middleman when you can get it straight from the source? Gleefully, she took out her own phone, expertly opened the "Scan QR Code" function, and waited, ready for his code. Zhou Yanking opened WeChat, but his finger didn’t move where she expected. Instead, he opened his contact list, the corner of his eye flicking toward Lin Yuxi. “You know, you just reminded me,” he said. “I forgot to delete you, didn’t I?” Lin Yuxi: “…” He actually seemed to enjoy the idea, scrolling through his list. “Which one is your ID?” The rest of the table fell silent, unsure what to make of this bizarre marital drama. No one dared to speak. One flirts openly with another woman in front of his wife. The wife sits there, seemingly unfazed. The wife offers to give her husband's contact to the other woman. The husband decides to delete his wife on the spot, but can't even remember her ID. Plastic had more substance than their marriage. Lin Yuxi tossed a pistachio shell onto her plate. “Take your time finding it.” Zhou Yanking apparently couldn't find her contact and gave up on deleting her, a look of mild annoyance on his face. “So, you want my WeChat.” The starlet nodded obediently. Yu Jiaxiao, seeing these two shameless creatures about to connect right in front of Lin Yuxi, felt her temper explode. She shot to her feet before Lin Yuxi could stop her. Zhou Yanking rested one arm on the back of the sofa, lazily twirling his phone in his long fingers. His voice was casual, almost bored. “And what makes you think you deserve it?” The starlet: “…” Yu Jiaxiao plopped back down into her seat. Damn. On second thought, maybe it was just Zhou Yanking's mouth that should be paralyzed.