After the call ended, Ji Mingqian sat on the sofa for a long time, his face taut, his mind seemingly elsewhere.

Even when Ye Jiuliang called out to him, he did not snap back to reality.

"Ji Mingqian, what are you daydreaming about?"

His arm was nudged, and Ji Mingqian looked up with a confused expression, "What’s up?"

Ye Jiuliang gave him a skeptical look, "What are you thinking about? You didn’t even respond when I called out to you just now. Has something happened?"

"No, I was just thinking about something." Ji Mingqian shook his head.

Ye Jiuliang held up the game controller and invited, "Do you want to play a round?"

"You guys go ahead, I’m going to step outside to make a phone call." Ji Mingqian said as he stood up with his mobile phone and walked toward the floor-to-ceiling windows.

Ye Jiuliang watched his silhouette, her eyebrows lifting slightly, thinking how odd he was acting.

"Ajiu, what are you looking at?" Gu XaXinuoi Nuo turned around, followed her gaze, and saw the figure standing in the courtyard.

"Why did Aqian suddenly go outside?"

"I don’t know, he’s just been distracted and said he’s going to make a phone call." Ye Jiuliang said.

Without a second thought, Gu XaXinuoi Nuo said, "Could it be that he has a girlfriend now?"

Ye Jiuliang laughed dismissively, "Give me a break, if Ji Mingqian had a girlfriend, pigs would fly."

At that, Gu XaXinuoi Nuo burst into laughter, "Hahaha."

The twilight deepened, and the lights in the courtyard came on.

The cold wind ruffled Ji Mingqian’s hair, casting a few shades of concern under his arching brows.

"The number you have dialed is switched off..."

After trying two or three times without getting through, Ji Mingqian couldn’t help but curse softly.

Damn.

What the hell was Jiang Yisheng doing? His phone was off, what was he up to?

Ji Mingqian, refusing to give up, dialed the number again, and thankfully this time the call connected.

It had not rung twice when someone on the other end picked up.

Soft breathing eased into his ear, mysteriously calming the restlessness in his heart.

Before the person on the other end could speak, Ji Mingqian started, "Jiang Yisheng, where have you been? Why was your phone off, don’t you know..."

Don’t you know how worried he would get? He swallowed the last sentence.

He paused and then scolded, "Speak up, why aren’t you talking? You’ve gone mute, have you?"

On the other end of the line, Jiang Yisheng was frozen in place, as if dazed by the shouting.

After a moment of silence, a subtle smile appeared on his lips. 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"How can I talk if you keep on going?" His voice was calm and composed as always.

"Just now, in the living room, my phone ran out of battery, so I went back to my room to get the charger."

Cooling down, Ji Mingqian realized that he had been too agitated.

He cleared his throat, attempting to hide a hint of embarrassment.

When his thoughts were in disarray, some words just slipped out, "Have you had dinner yet?"

Jiang Yisheng leaned against the wall, tilting his head, "Why, are you offering to buy me dinner?"

"Do you owe a dinner debt or something?" Ji Mingqian was speechless.

He always had to pick up the tab; wasn’t Jiang Yisheng a bit too shameless?

Jiang Yisheng’s laughter was faint, self-mocking, "I’ve been quite broke lately."

Ji Mingqian pursed his lips and brought the conversation back to the point, "Are you okay?"

"I’m fine. My arm is almost healed. I do nothing but eat and sleep all day, what could possibly be wrong?" Jiang Yisheng’s gaze flickered slightly, and his tone was deliberately lighthearted.

"Jiang Yisheng, stop beating around the bush. You know that’s not what I’m asking about." Ji Mingqian kicked a pebble on the ground, a look of annoyance on his face.

He was very thoughtful and could not have been unaware of what he really wanted to ask, unless he was deliberately playing dumb.

"Are you talking about the dissolution of the fan club?" When he couldn’t avoid the topic any longer, Jiang Yisheng said indifferently, "What’s the big deal? It’s just disbanded. I can relax more in the future."

Ji Mingqian furrowed his brows slightly, how could this guy always sound so nonchalant?

The phone call suddenly fell silent, and even the sound of breathing became awkward.

After a long while, Ji Mingqian asked in a muffled voice, "Why?"

Dissolving the fan club could lead to a collective loss of fans, and even subject him to criticism and abuse. What on Earth was he thinking?

"There’s no ’why’. The dissolution of the fan club isn’t such a big deal. Fans who like me will still support me. If not, it doesn’t matter," Jiang Yisheng said lightly.

"Is it because of the fans disparaging each other?" Ji Mingqian asked again.

The smile at the corner of Jiang Yisheng’s lips faded away, "Not entirely. Disbanding the fan club has its benefits too. Don’t worry about me. I might retire soon, or even leave the industry for good."

Ji Mingqian’s eyes dimmed slightly, "And then what?"

He had just disbanded the fan club, and now he was talking about leaving the industry. What had happened to him?

"Then I’ll travel everywhere," Jiang Yisheng said with warmth in his voice.

Travel?

Ji Mingqian lifted a hand to massage his forehead, "Are you really sure about this?"

"I’m sure," Jiang Yisheng chuckled, teasingly said, "Didn’t you say you’d be my tour guide when I go to Country Y?"

"Fine," Ji Mingqian replied straightforwardly.

Jiang Yisheng was lost in thought for a few seconds before a radiant smile spread across his lips, "You agreed so readily? I don’t have any money to pay you for your services."

The soft laughter reached his ear, smoothing Ji Mingqian’s furrowed brow, "Then let’s settle for a cup of coffee. Just letting you know in advance, I won’t drink those concentrated coffees that they sell outside."

Catching the implied meaning in his words, Jiang Yisheng’s lips curled up as he replied lightly, "Okay."

After hanging up the phone, Ji Mingqian felt a bit more at ease.

He put away his phone and turned back.

When he entered the dining room, everyone was already sitting at the table, waiting for him.

Seeing him, Gu Xinuo couldn’t help but recall Ye Jiuliang’s words from earlier, and seized the opportunity to tease him, "Aqian, have you been hiding a girlfriend from us?"

Ji Mingqian picked up a glass of wine and gave her a glance, "If I had a girlfriend, would it be your turn to tease me about being single?"

"Who were you on the phone with just now?" Ye Jiuliang asked, following up.

"Jiang Yisheng," Ji Mingqian didn’t hide it and replied earnestly, "He dissolved his fan club, so I was asking about the situation."

At this, Ye Jiuliang paused with his chopsticks and looked at Li Mochan with a puzzled look, "Did something happen to Asheng?"

Li Mochan placed some well-cooked meat into her bowl and spoke unhurriedly, "He decided it himself. It’s a minor issue. There’s no need to worry."

"Why dissolve the fan club? Could it be that Yisheng has got a girlfriend?" Gu Xinuo mused idly with her chin propped on her hand.

Li Mochan voiced darkly, "Possibly."

Ji Mingqian nearly choked, since when did Jiang Yisheng have a girlfriend? Why didn’t he know?

He steadied his voice, "Li Mochan, are you serious?"

"It could be true," Li Mochan glanced at him, his tone even-tempered.

"What do you mean ’it could be’? Either there is or there isn’t. What’s with ’it could be’?" Ji Mingqian complained.