The three were still in a mental storm, brainstorming, when they heard Ye Leyao’s voice continuing in his mind:

【The scumbag Gu Yu is the son of Gu Song and his second wife, born just two years younger than Chu Cheng, and he’s technically an illegitimate child. After Chu Cheng’s mother divorced Gu Song, these two showed up not long after, but that marriage didn’t last either—because Gu Song is a fickle jerk.】

【Over the years, Gu Song has been surrounded by lovers but never remarried, until six months ago, when he met his current new flame, Han Wei. They got married after knowing each other for just a month.】

Ye Leyao frowned slightly:

【Gu Song is no good, and neither are Han Wei and Gu Yu, who was influenced by Gu Song's behavior from a young age. Just a month after Gu Song married Han Wei, Gu Yu started having an affair with her…】

【If I remember correctly, this whole affair blew up quite a bit in the novel. Since Qin Yao’s family owns a media company, a lot of reporters are here at this party today. The protagonist shou, Wei Qing, busted them in the act while reporters followed, and the photos quickly made it online.】

【Gu Yu, being a somewhat known minor celebrity, tried to save his career afterward, but his family ended up throwing some poor scapegoat under the bus to take the fall...】

As Ye Leyao recalled this, his brows furrowed tightly, and for the first time, his inner voice was filled with genuine anger:

【Every single one of them is trash. I hate them!】

At that moment, Gu Song’s voice broke the silence. "Oh, Xiao Yao is here. Come over and have a seat."

Gu Song was the first to notice Qin Yao and the group entering the room. He smiled and waved them over, his gaze eventually landing on Ye Leyao, giving him a faint smile as well.

The woman who had been chatting with Gu Song was none other than his older sister, Gu Rou, who was also Qin Yao’s mother. When she noticed the newcomers, she turned to look at Ye Leyao, scrutinized him for a moment, and then spoke indifferently, "Come and sit."

Since both had spoken, it would have been rude to remain standing. Qin Yao shifted his gaze back to Ye Leyao.

In that brief moment, Qin Yao suddenly noticed that both Huo Yan and Huo Ze were also looking at Ye Leyao.

This made Qin Yao feel a pang of confusion.

He had looked at Ye Leyao just now because he heard Ye Leyao’s thoughts.

But why were Huo Yan and Huo Ze looking at him too? Could they also—

Qin Yao’s heart skipped a beat, but now wasn’t the time to dwell on it. Pushing aside his suspicions, he gently held Ye Leyao’s hand and whispered in his ear, "If you don’t want to go in, I can take you out of here right now."

Ye Leyao shook his head quickly.

【Even though I really don’t like Gu Song, I’ve come this far. How could I leave now?】

【And wait, how does Qin Yao know I don’t like Gu Song? Could this be what they call a telepathic connection between soulmates?】

Ye Leyao beamed, smiling at Qin Yao. "Let’s go."

Huo Yan and Huo Ze, following behind, sighed inwardly at the same time.

Telepathic connection, my foot!

The reason Qin Yao knows you're unhappy is because he can hear your inner thoughts!

And if you’re going to say that, then Huo Yan and Huo Ze could have a telepathic connection with you too!

In a rare moment, Huo Yan and Huo Ze found themselves thinking the same thing.

Satisfied that Ye Leyao had no objections, Qin Yao nodded slightly and led him forward.

The scene of the two whispering to each other as they approached didn’t sit well with Gu Rou. As soon as they got close enough, she couldn’t hold back her criticism. "Why are you taking so long to come in? Do you not want to see your uncle?"

Huo Yan and Huo Ze both furrowed their brows at the same time.

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened.

【Huh?】

【Sure, I don’t really want to see Gu Song, but we didn’t exactly drag our feet getting here, did we?】

【Also, she must be Qin Yao’s mother, right? Why does she talk to him like that?】

Even someone as oblivious as Ye Leyao could sense the displeasure in Gu Rou’s tone.

Only now did he begin to understand what Qin Yao had meant earlier when he said, "My mother may not be as warm toward you as my father."

Ye Leyao drew his conclusion: 【So, Qin Yao’s mother doesn’t like him?】

Huo Yan and Huo Ze both gave almost imperceptible nods.

Yes, that was one of the reasons why Huo Yan didn’t approve of Ye Leyao’s relationship with Qin Yao.

Although it might be rude to say, Huo Yan honestly thought that Gu Rou had issues.

Ye Leyao tilted his head slightly to look at Qin Yao, and only then did he notice that Qin Yao’s face was devoid of any emotion. He simply gazed at Ye Leyao with a gentle and focused expression, as if ready to whisk him away at the slightest sign of discomfort.

For some reason, a pang of sadness struck Ye Leyao’s heart.

It was at that moment that his blocked memories seemed to unlock, and he recalled the novel’s description of Gu Rou—

【A manipulative woman who dotes on her nephew, Gu Yu, doesn’t trust her husband, Qin Hongxi, and despises her own son, Qin Yao, who constantly defies her...】

With each sentence, Ye Leyao felt his heart ache more.

No wonder Qin Yao had that accustomed look on his face and had made the decision for Ye Leyao before introducing him to his mother.

Qin Yao feared that Ye Leyao would feel hurt, but he still wanted to introduce him to his father.

But what would Ye Leyao be upset about?

Gu Rou wasn’t his mother, and a few harsh words from her couldn’t hurt him. But Qin Yao…

"Qin Yao!" Gu Rou’s voice grew even colder when she saw that Qin Yao remained silent for a long time. "What kind of attitude is this? If you don’t want to see your uncle, then get out right now—"

Qin Yao’s brow finally furrowed slightly, just as he was about to speak. But before he could say anything, Ye Leyao suddenly raised his voice and said, "You're right, I don’t want to see Gu Song. So, Auntie, I’ll just take Qin Yao and leave."

Without waiting for anyone’s reaction, Ye Leyao grabbed Qin Yao’s hand and turned to leave, giving his two older brothers a signal: *Let’s go!*

Huo Yan and Huo Ze caught on immediately and turned to follow.

It was perfect timing—they didn’t want to engage in any small talk with Gu Rou anyway.

Huo Ze was even worried that if he stayed any longer, he might not be able to hold back from pointing at Gu Song and calling him an old scumbag!

*That bastard! How dare he try to sabotage my team!*

It wasn’t until the four of them reached the door of the reception hall that Gu Rou finally snapped out of it. Her voice rang out angrily from behind, "Whose child are you? How dare you speak up while I’m talking to my son? If you don’t know any better, then get out of my house!"

Ye Leyao quickened his pace, but Qin Yao suddenly stopped in his tracks.

"Qin Yao?" Ye Leyao looked back, puzzled.

Qin Yao turned around, his face cold, and stared icily at Gu Rou. His voice was filled with frost. "I have to remind you, this is the Qin family estate. There’s no name with the surname Gu on it. If anyone is getting thrown out, it’ll be you two."

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened in shock, and his mouth dropped open slightly.

Huo Yan and Huo Ze were equally astonished.

Wait, what did Qin Yao just say?

Did he just tell his own mother to leave the Qin family estate?

Hmm…

Wasn’t Qin Yao supposed to keep up appearances with his mother, despite their strained relationship?

And wasn’t today Gu Rou’s birthday?

The Qin family had gone to the trouble of throwing her a birthday party, and now he was kicking her out?

Could that really happen?

Huo Ze glanced at Huo Yan, his emotions complicated.

Huo Yan felt even more conflicted. The reason he had followed them in the first place was that he was worried Gu Rou, who he believed was out of her mind, would not only make things difficult for Qin Yao but also for Ye Leyao. He didn’t want Ye Leyao to suffer.

But now…

Well, it seemed that Huo Dad and Huo Mom had been right after all—Qin Yao would protect Ye Leyao.

Gu Rou clearly hadn’t expected Qin Yao to speak to her this way. She was so enraged that she almost dropped the teacup in her hand.

Gu Song hurriedly stepped forward, taking the teacup from her and frowning at Qin Yao. "Xiao Yao, is that any way to talk to your mother? You know

 her health isn’t good..." 

"If her health is that bad, then why don’t you take her back to the Gu family to rest? That way, she won’t have to stay here and get upset at me," Qin Yao said coldly. "The both of you can leave together."

Gu Song was speechless, momentarily stunned by Qin Yao’s retort. Surrounded by younger family members, he felt embarrassed and his face darkened. "Xiao Yao, you—"

“What’s going on?”

A familiar voice rang out just then.

Ye Leyao turned his head to see that Qin Hongxi had arrived, accompanied by Huo Dad, Huo Mom, and Huo Jing.

Huo Yan and Huo Ze exchanged glances, realizing their parents must have come after hearing Ye Leyao’s inner thoughts.

Qin Yao remained silent, his face cold.

Qin Hongxi didn’t ask Qin Yao anything, but instead, his deep gaze settled on Gu Song.

Gu Song’s expression grew awkward. He met Qin Hongxi’s gaze for a few seconds, feeling inexplicably guilty, but still unwilling to swallow his pride. He said in a low voice, “Brother-in-law, Xiao Yao is becoming more and more out of control. Do you know what he just said? He told me to take my sister and leave the Qin family…”

Qin Hongxi’s expression didn’t change in the slightest. He didn’t even bother looking at Gu Song again, shifting his gaze to Gu Rou instead. His voice was calm as always, but there was an unmistakable coldness to it. “You promised me yesterday that you would try to get along with Xiao Yao. Are you going back on your word already?”

Ye Leyao was stunned.

【Huh?】

【Qin Uncle isn’t siding with Gu Rou? Aren’t they husband and wife?】

Qin Yao squeezed Ye Leyao’s hand gently, leaning in to whisper in his ear so only the two of them could hear, “My dad has wanted to divorce her for a while, but she keeps dragging it out. The reason for today’s birthday party is because my dad wants to announce their upcoming divorce.”

However, Gu Rou and Gu Song were clearly unaware of this, which explained why they were acting high and mighty.

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened in realization.

【So Qin Uncle is here to back us up?!】

Qin Yao chuckled softly.

Exactly.

“If you don’t want to get along with Xiao Yao, then there’s nothing left for us to discuss,” Qin Hongxi said.

Gu Rou’s body trembled, disbelief written all over her face as she looked at Qin Hongxi. “How am I not getting along with him? His uncle wanted to see him, so I called him over. But what did he do? He dragged his feet getting here and then, even when he reached the door, he was pulling someone along, not wanting to come in. I only said a few words, and then Qin Yao—”

“He’s called Ye Leyao, and he’s Xiao Yao’s boyfriend,” Qin Hongxi interrupted.

Gu Rou’s face changed, her lips pursing as she averted her gaze. “I know he’s Xiao Yao’s boyfriend, but I’m still his mother. Besides, I didn’t say anything over the line. I just said that if he didn’t want to come in, he could leave, and then—”

“You told me to get out,” Ye Leyao suddenly spoke up, cutting off Gu Rou mid-sentence.

Ye Leyao wasn’t the type to suffer in silence! If someone wronged him, he’d make sure to address it on the spot!

Huo Dad and Huo Mom’s expressions darkened at once.

Qin Hongxi’s face also turned grim.

Gu Rou hadn’t expected Ye Leyao to interrupt her like that. She shot him a sharp glare and was about to defend herself further when—

“Enough!” Qin Hongxi snapped, his voice suddenly sharp. “Butler, escort them out.”

As his words landed, Gu Rou and Gu Song’s faces drained of color simultaneously.

Ye Leyao, too, was taken aback, glancing between Qin Hongxi and Qin Yao.

【Wait, are they really getting kicked out already?】

【But if Gu Song leaves, how will he witness his son betraying him with his own wife?】

As Ye Leyao thought of this, a sense of regret crept in.

The Huo family shared that regret.

Exactly.

Watching someone’s son betray them by cheating with their spouse—that was prime drama.

It would be a shame if they missed it.

“Brother-in-law…” Gu Song started.

“Qin Hongxi…” Gu Rou’s entire body trembled with anger. She stood up, her voice shaking as tears began to fall. “Do you remember what today is? I—”

“It’s because today is your birthday that I agreed to throw you this party. But now I see you had no intention of apologizing to Xiao Yao or mending our relationship. So please, both of you, leave,” Qin Hongxi’s voice was calm, but firm.

Gu Rou couldn’t hold back any longer, tears streaming down her face. “Qin Hongxi, are you determined to divorce me?”

Gu Song’s eyelid twitched at hearing this, and he quickly spoke up to his sister, “Sis, stop making a scene. Can’t you see Brother-in-law is angry? You should apologize!”

Ye Leyao was utterly dumbfounded.

【Is Gu Song really trying to distance himself from the situation?】

【How shameless can he be!】

Qin Yao gently squeezed Ye Leyao’s hand.

Before Ye Leyao could ask what was wrong, Gu Rou’s voice softened unexpectedly. “It’s my fault. I’m sorry… Please don’t be angry.”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened in disbelief.

【Wait… Is Gu Rou actually apologizing?】

【She must be brainwashed by Gu Song!】

Qin Yao couldn’t listen any longer and softly suggested to Ye Leyao, “Let’s step outside.”

Ye Leyao didn’t ask any more questions. Before leaving, though, he caught a glimpse of Qin Hongxi’s expression—it looked even more stormy now, like a brewing storm.

As soon as Qin Yao and Ye Leyao left, the Huo family followed suit, knowing they couldn’t stay any longer.

Once outside the reception hall, they saw that the courtyard was still as lively as ever.

Guests clustered together in small groups, chatting and laughing, completely unaware of the conflict that had just unfolded inside.

Huo Dad and Huo Mom gathered their three sons and prepared to leave.

Meanwhile, Ye Leyao followed Qin Yao into the garden, where the roses were blooming vibrantly along the trellises. Qin Yao held Ye Leyao’s hand as they sat down on a wicker chair.

Before Ye Leyao could speak, Qin Yao asked with concern, “Did that scare you?”

Ye Leyao quickly shook his head. “No, I’m just…”

A little surprised.

Ye Leyao then asked, “What about you, Qin Yao? Are you okay?”

Qin Yao turned his head slightly, his gaze settling on Ye Leyao’s face, noticing the genuine concern in his eyes.

Warmth spread through his heart, and he shook his head slightly, though after a moment, he nodded. “It did make me feel a bit uncomfortable.”

Ye Leyao blinked a few times. “Really?”

【I couldn’t tell that you were uncomfortable, Qin Yao. All I saw was that you were a little upset.】

Qin Yao almost laughed. Ye Leyao could always see right through him.

He wasn’t uncomfortable anymore, but he had been upset by the way Gu Rou had spoken to Ye Leyao.

Qin Yao explained, “I’ve grown used to her attitude toward me, so I don’t feel hurt by it anymore. But—” Qin Yao’s tone dragged on, his eyes flashing with feigned hurt, “I am feeling a bit hurt that you doubted me.”

Ye Leyao chuckled. “Should I comfort you, then?”

Before Qin Yao could respond, he found himself face to face with Ye Leyao’s features up close. The next moment, Qin Yao felt a soft, cool sensation on his lips.

The gentle, fleeting kiss was like a dragonfly touching the surface of the water—soft and quick, but leaving a lasting impression.

A breeze rustled through the air, bringing the fragrance of flowers with it.

Qin Yao’s ears turned visibly red.

Ye Leyao’s bright eyes gleamed as he stared at Qin Yao, curious. He reached out and touched Qin Yao’s ear.

Instinctively, Qin Yao tried to move away, but he didn’t succeed.

Ye Leyao’s cool fingers lightly rubbed his hot ear, and the small patch of skin grew redder by the second, as if it might start bleeding.

For a long time, neither of them said a word.

Finally, Qin Yao rasped, “If you don’t stop, I’ll have to retaliate.”

Ye Leyao reluctantly let go of his ear and leaned forward, sticking his head toward Qin Yao.

Qin Yao: “Hmm?”

Ye Leyao: “Go ahead and retaliate.”

Qin Yao: “…”

Why did he seem a little eager about this?

Qin Yao, thoroughly flustered, covered his warm face with his hands.

Ye Leyao pouted a little, having waited patiently for Qin Yao’s "retaliation" but receiving none. He sounded slightly disappointed. “Aren’t you going to retaliate?”

“Yao Yao…” Qin Yao’s tone was full of helplessness.

Ye Leyao straightened up. “Alright, then.”

【Wow, I didn’t expect Qin Yao to still be so innocent at 24!】

Qin Yao: "..."

The Huo family, who were watching from afar: "..."

Huo Dad: “Should we walk a bit farther away?”

Huo Mom decisively: “Let’s go!”

Thank goodness the Qin family’s estate was large! Otherwise, they wouldn’t know where to

 go to avoid overhearing.

But they couldn’t go too far—after all, didn’t Ye Leyao say there was going to be a dramatic confrontation later today?

They couldn’t miss that!

Ye Leyao stopped teasing Qin Yao, giving him a moment to calm down. Once Qin Yao had composed himself, he began explaining his parents' current relationship.

Qin Hongxi and Gu Rou had a marriage arranged for the benefit of their respective families. After the wedding, Qin Hongxi developed genuine feelings for Gu Rou and decided to make their relationship work. Unfortunately, for a long time, his love was one-sided.

Before marrying Qin Hongxi, Gu Rou had already ranked everyone in her heart. Gu Song always came first, followed by the Gu family, and then other members of the Gu family. As for Qin Hongxi and Qin Yao, they were always at the bottom of her priority list.

Qin Hongxi realized this early on. He tried confessing his love to Gu Rou and indulged her in every way, but after years of effort, nothing he did could change her.

Despite this, Qin Hongxi couldn’t let go—until eight years ago, when he discovered that Gu Rou had been secretly transferring Qin family assets to Gu Song. That was when Qin Hongxi finally gave up on her.

Since then, Qin Hongxi had been preparing for divorce. But it was Gu Rou who became desperate.

No matter what conditions Qin Hongxi proposed, Gu Rou refused to divorce him and even began threatening him...

Qin Yao paused here, shaking his head slightly, unwilling to continue.

Ye Leyao, however, filled in the blanks: “She threatened to use you against him.”

It wasn’t a question—it was a statement.

Qin Yao’s eyes flickered with surprise before he smiled. “Nothing gets past you, does it, Leyao?”

Eight years ago, Qin Yao was only sixteen. Gu Rou had threatened Qin Hongxi, saying that if he insisted on divorcing her, she would ruin Qin Yao’s future.

Qin Hongxi’s only regret in life was failing Qin Yao. He had stubbornly insisted on having Qin Yao, thinking that their child would bind Gu Rou to him and make her love both him and their son.

But Qin Hongxi’s naïve hope nearly destroyed young Qin Yao.

Hearing this, Ye Leyao felt his heart tighten. “What happened when you were a kid?”

Qin Yao didn’t hide anything. “When I was five, I almost froze to death.”

Ye Leyao’s eyes widened, his voice rising in shock. “What?!”

Qin Yao gently patted Ye Leyao’s back, pulling him into an embrace. “I said *almost*. It was my fault, really. When I was young, I didn’t understand why she didn’t like me, so from the moment I could remember, I tried my hardest to please her.”

He tried to do everything Gu Rou liked, obeyed her every word, even agreed to things that were quite excessive. Little Qin Yao believed that if he were obedient, Gu Rou would pay attention to him, would love him.

But that wasn’t how things worked.

Not all mothers love their children, and Gu Rou was one of them.

No matter how much young Qin Yao excelled, no matter how many awards he won, Gu Rou never saw him.

At that time, Chu Cheng’s mother had yet to divorce Gu Song, but Gu Song had already fathered an illegitimate child—Gu Yu.

Gu Rou’s favorites were Chu Cheng first, and then Gu Yu.

Gu Song couldn’t personally care for Gu Yu, so Gu Rou offered to do it. In her attempts to make Gu Yu happy, she even had five-year-old Qin Yao serve as Gu Yu’s little servant.

The most outrageous incident was when Gu Rou forced Qin Yao to crawl on the ground like a dog so Gu Yu could ride on his back like a general.

Qin Yao was only five years old at the time.

Having just started school, he had already developed a sense of self-worth.

When Qin Yao refused, Gu Rou took off his down coat and left him outside in the snow to "reflect" on his disobedience.

Ye Leyao’s heart jumped. “Then—”

“I told you, I’m fine,” Qin Yao whispered, his breath warm against Ye Leyao’s ear. “I wasn’t a fool. I was already five. Even though I didn’t understand why my mother didn’t like me, I wasn’t going to stay outside forever.”

Little Qin Yao didn’t hesitate for long. After crying for a short while, he turned and began walking back toward the Qin family villa he remembered from his young mind.

The snowy road stretched for twenty kilometers. Qin Yao couldn’t remember how far he had walked—only that he had started in the morning, and by the time the sky had turned completely dark, he still hadn’t made it home.

Ye Leyao was on edge. “How did you get back?”

“A kind person carried me home,” Qin Yao smiled at the memory. “After all these years, I can’t remember what he looked like, but thanks to him, I learned a valuable lesson.”

Ye Leyao pushed away slightly, lifting his head to look at Qin Yao.

Qin Yao’s eyes curved, his gaze full of warmth and affection. “The boy who carried me told me, ‘Instead of hoping for others to love you, you should always love yourself.’ From that day on, I stopped hoping my mother would love me. I started learning to love myself and those who love me.”

Learning to love himself allowed Qin Yao to free himself from Gu Rou’s hold. He accepted his imperfections, learned to be independent, and slowly grew up.

Fortunately, despite the hardships, Qin Yao was also lucky.

After the incident, Qin Hongxi could never trust Gu Rou with Qin Yao again. No matter how busy he was with work, he always made time to be with his son, trying to fill the void of maternal love with his own affection.

Under Qin Hongxi’s protection, Qin Yao grew up, gradually distancing himself from Gu Rou.

So, when Gu Rou later threatened to ruin Qin Yao’s future, Qin Hongxi was terrified and compromised.

Though young Qin Yao had long been carried out of that snowy night, Qin Hongxi remained stuck in it for years.

Since then, Qin Hongxi and Gu Rou had been separated for over eight years, and during that time, Qin Hongxi had managed to reclaim the assets Gu Rou had transferred away.

“Then what’s the deal with today’s birthday party?” Ye Leyao asked.

Qin Yao chuckled. “The Gu Group is on the verge of collapse, so they’re desperate. Gu Song convinced Gu Rou to reconcile with my father and me.”

Gu Rou and Gu Song believed that by extending an olive branch to Qin Hongxi, the Qin Group would help them weather the storm. Gu Song even planned for Gu Yu to join the Qin Group.

In pursuit of this goal, Gu Song had been interfering with Qin Yao’s projects for some time.

Gu Song thought that if Qin Yao made a mistake, they’d finally have a chance.

Despite Qin Yao’s caution, he had still fallen into their trap once.

And for that, he had Ye Leyao to thank.

“Thank you, Leyao.” Qin Yao rested his head gently on Ye Leyao’s shoulder.

Ye Leyao was puzzled. “Huh?”

【Why are you thanking me?】

Ye Leyao didn’t need to understand. Qin Yao didn’t explain further; he just hugged him tighter.

The two of them chatted for a while longer before Ye Leyao suddenly remembered something:

【Wait, what time is it now?】

Ye Leyao pulled out his phone and shot up from his seat.

【It’s almost time for the cheating scene!】

Qin Yao paused for a moment.

Before he could come up with an excuse, Ye Leyao casually blurted out, “Qin Yao, I’m kind of hungry…”

【I remember this scene vividly—Han Wei is timid, but Gu Yu is reckless, so they’re hiding out in the maid’s quarters on the first floor…】

Ye Leyao started calculating:

【I can’t just go with only Qin Yao. Who knows if that old scoundrel Gu Song has left yet?】

【Oh, and Gu Rou, who doesn’t like Qin Yao. They should both see firsthand what kind of scum they’ve put on a pedestal!】

Qin Yao found this amusing. He glanced at his phone, seeing a message from Qin Hongxi: 「I haven’t sent them away yet. Try to keep Xiao Yao from running into them.」

Qin Yao shook his head. That probably wouldn’t happen—Ye Leyao was eager to watch the drama unfold.

Qin Yao took Ye Leyao’s hand. “Alright, let’s go get something to eat.”

Ye Leyao nodded enthusiastically. “Great!”

The garden wasn’t far from the main house. As the two held hands and walked toward the hall, they bumped into the Huo family.

Huo Yan was the first to ask, “Where are you off to, Ye Leyao?”

Ye Leyao waved to them. “Second Brother, Third Brother, Big Brother, Mom, Dad, are you hungry? We’re going to grab a bite to eat!”

【And catch some juicy drama while we’re at it!】

The corners of the Huo family’s mouths almost turned up.

Of course they were hungry!

Hungry for gossip. This was a drama they couldn’t afford to miss!

“Let’s go!” Huo Yan stepped forward eagerly.

The rest of the Huo family quickly followed suit.

Although the Qin family had prepared plenty of food in the front courtyard for the party, Qin Yao didn’t lead them there. Instead, he directed the group toward the rear courtyard.

 As they walked, he explained, “The food in the front might be cold by now, but there are chefs preparing fresh dishes in the back. I’ll take everyone there to try it.”

Worried that the Huo family might get suspicious, Ye Leyao quickly added, “I’m in the mood for some oat milk. Qin Yao said he’d make some for me.”

As he spoke, Ye Leyao squeezed Qin Yao’s hand and winked at him.

Qin Yao caught on and smiled. “Mm-hmm.”

The shortest route to the back courtyard was through the main house, so the group entered the villa.

Just as they reached the living room, they came face to face with Gu Song and Gu Rou.

Ye Leyao glanced at the boy following behind them, and his eyes lit up:

【The main character, Wei Qing!】

【Perfect timing, everyone’s here!】

【The show is about to begin!】