Chu Chen extended his long arm and hooked the person back around the waist.

Tucked in his embrace, Gu Xinuo looked up at him, completely baffled, "What are you pulling me for?"

"How come I always feel that the moment Ajiu comes back, you forget about me completely?" Chu Chen narrowed his dark eyes, his tone dripping with sourness.

"You’re in front of me every day, and Ajiu hasn’t been back for so long. How can you compare the two?" Gu Xinuo chuckled, still oblivious to his jealousy.

Chu Chen furrowed his brows, "Are you saying you’re tired of me?"

When a man starts being unreasonable and clingy, what can a woman do?

Gu Xinuo finally realized he was jealous, which made her want to laugh even more, "Did you hide in the kitchen and down a whole bottle of vinegar?"

Of all people to be jealous of, he had to be jealous of Ajiu.

Has Chu, the great genius, lost his smarts in a dung pit?

Chu Chen leaned in closer, "Why don’t you taste and see?"

Just then, the doorbell rang, a sound that Chu Chen found incredibly mood-spoiling.

Before he could complain, the person in his arms pushed him away and rushed to the door, "It must be Ajiu and the others."

Caught off guard, Chu Chen staggered slightly. His mournful gaze followed the figure running to the door, the sourness impossible to miss.

Opening the door, Ye Jiuliang stood right at the front.

Gu Xinuo threw her arms around her for a bear hug, "Little Liangliang, I’ve missed you to death."

Ye Jiuliang hugged her back and then looked up at Chu Chen not far away, teasing, "Your Mr. Chu is eyeing me."

Gu Xinuo’s cheeks flushed slightly as she let go and punched Ye Jiuliang’s shoulder in mock annoyance, "Heartless girl, and after I went to the trouble of getting you a bunch of snacks."

"Hey, you two catch up inside and don’t block the doorway," Ji Mingqian, who was stuck at the door, urged helplessly.

"It’s really cold outside, you know." He was just wearing a thin wool sweater and was about to freeze to death.

Ye Jiuliang pulled Gu Xinuo inside, and Li Mochan entered, pushing a suitcase.

"Smells good, Achen, what are you cooking?" Ji Mingqian asked curiously as soon as he walked in and smelled the aroma coming from the kitchen.

"Anyway, it’s not for you." Chu Chen, in a less than cheerful mood, tossed back a response and went back to the kitchen.

With a face of innocent bewilderment, Ji Mingqian found himself the recipient of a cold shoulder for no apparent reason.

Who had he offended?

"How’s it going with Mo Lingling?" Ye Jiuliang asked as she took off her coat and casually placed it aside.

"Starving her for a day made her a lot more obedient; she’s not screaming or daring to smash things anymore." Gu Xinuo handed her a cup of warm water.

Ye Jiuliang took the cup and sipped lightly, moistening her throat, "The human mask should be ready by tomorrow. Have you discussed it with Achen?"

"I mentioned it a bit," Gu Xinuo said.

"Who do you guys plan to have impersonate Achen? After all, Mo Lingling grew up with us. To fool her, the one impersonating Achen needs to know him well, so she won’t easily see through the disguise," Ji Mingqian asked straight to the point.

Ye Jiuliang lifted her eyelids, watching him with a smirk, "Why not you? You certainly know Achen well enough, and you’re roughly the same height and build."

Ji Mingqian’s smile froze on his face, "..."

What a joke.

He was worried he’d throw up from just getting close to Mo Lingling, let alone pretending to be Achen to get close to her.

"Then why don’t you have your Li Mochan do it?"

Before the words were even done, two icy, deathly glares shot his way, and Ji Mingqian felt a chill creeping up from the soles of his feet.

"You’re asking for a beating, aren’t you?" Ye Jiuliang swung her fist at him, her tone viciously threatening.

Ji Mingqian shrank his neck, "You can’t bear to do it yourself yet you’re willing to let me? That’s what it’s like to have a girlfriend—no care for your friends at all, putting romance before friendship."

Ye Jiuliang glanced at him disdainfully and retorted, "Can a single like you compare with a married man?"

Ji Mingqian choked, "..."

Was it his fault that he was single?

"Dinner is ready." Chu Chen’s voice came from the kitchen.

Gu Xinuo stood up, "Let’s talk while we eat."

Despite claiming to dislike Ji Mingqian and others for ruining his two-person world with Gu Xinuo, the full table of dishes still betrayed his true feelings.

"Married men are really different, your cooking skills have improved, Achen." Ji Mingqian pulled out a chair and sat down, teasingly bantering.

Ye Jiuliang chuckled lightly, his words tinged with sarcasm, "You think everyone’s like you? You could set the kitchen on fire just boiling noodles."

Ji Mingqian had nothing to say, considering he was the only one among the three men who couldn’t cook.

It was a rare gathering, so naturally, there was plenty of alcohol, and Chu Chen filled almost everyone’s glass to the brim.

The rich aroma of wine spread through the air, and Ye Jiuliang took a deep sniff.

Nothing smelled better than wine.

"Half a glass," the person beside him suddenly reminded.

Ye Jiuliang pouted, feeling disappointed.

"Got it."

"Ajiu, this isn’t good. You’re totally under Li Mochan’s thumb; you’re letting down our K organization’s reputation," Ji Mingqian stirred up trouble on the sly.

"Shut up," Ye Jiuliang shot him a cold glare, "Drink your wine."

Ji Mingqian lifted his glass and drank a substantial half in one gulp – after all, no one limited his drinking; he could drink as he pleased.

"Have some soup." Fearing she might feel unwell drinking on an empty stomach, Li Mochan ladled a bowl of soup and placed it in front of Ye Jiuliang.

Ye Jiuliang put down her glass and picked up a spoon to drink the soup instead.

Even the most unruly people become tame when they meet the right person.

While drinking her soup, she asked, "Achen, we were just discussing who should pretend to be you. Do you have any good suggestions?"

Chu Chen picked up his chopsticks and glanced at her coolly, "Don’t you already have someone in mind?"

She was a sly old fox, probably had chosen someone while thinking of this plan.

Ye Jiuliang smiled coyly, "It seems you thought of it too."

Not understanding the riddle they were playing, Ji Mingqian said, "Can you two just name the person directly instead of making us guess?"

Ye Jiuliang confidently uttered two words, "Qin Yi."

Gu Xinuo and Ji Mingqian exchanged glances, then couldn’t help showing a bittersweet expression on their faces.

How could they forget Qin Yi? As Achen’s right-hand man, he had been by his side for many years, and naturally, he knew Achen extremely well. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

"Ajiu, you’re really cunning," Ji Mingqian raised his thumb, his compliment laced with a hint of mockery.

Ye Jiuliang gave a false smile; his praise felt more like an insult.

"However, Achen, having Qin Yi pretend to be you is only the first step. We also have to put on a show for the people behind Mo Lingling to believe that you and Anuo have fallen out," she continued.

Chu Chen hummed in agreement.

"Fallen out, how so?" Ji Mingqian looked at Ye Jiuliang with bright eyes, the schadenfreude on his face all too clear.

"Should we fake a fight or an argument? I’m great at acting. If you need help, don’t be shy to ask."

"Aqian, why do I feel like you’re really hoping to see Achen and Anuo fall out?" Ye Jiuliang burst out laughing.