Jiang Yisheng’s brows and eyes drooped, "A small accident."

"Asheng, your hand." Ye Jiuliang took out the Burn Ointment.

Before her words had finished, a ringtone from a cellphone pierced the silence.

Ye Jiuliang took out her phone, once again it was Li Mochan calling.

"Aqian, help Asheng apply the ointment." She put the Burn Ointment into Ji Mingqian’s hand and walked aside with her phone to answer the call.

Under the parasol only the two of them remained, the atmosphere sinking into silence.

Jiang Yisheng coughed lightly, breaking the oppressive quiet, "No need to bother, I can do it myself."

"Hand." Ji Mingqian tapped the table lightly, his voice cool.

Jiang Yisheng hesitated, then slowly stretched out his hand.

Rolling up his sleeve, the reddened hand was exposed under Ji Mingqian’s gaze.

His eyebrows furrowed, he darkened his face, "How did this happen?"

"I was recognized by fans in the café just now, accidentally knocked over the coffee." Jiang Yisheng explained in a muffled voice.

Ji Mingqian opened the Burn Ointment, couldn’t help but tease, "How can you be so clumsy?"

Jiang Yisheng’s lips, the color of clear water, pursed slightly, just about to speak, when the back of his hand suddenly felt cool.

A faint fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose, ointment spread on the back of the hand, softly smearing, cool and silky.

Looking up, the man was concentrating on applying the ointment; the scene caught in Jiang Yisheng’s eyes, he zoned out for a moment.

"Jiang Yisheng, the fan support club has been disbanded, has it caused you a lot of trouble?" Ji Mingqian’s deep voice sounded.

Jiang Yisheng came back to reality, subtly shifting his gaze away, "It’s fine, just a bit of a minor trouble."

"This you call a minor trouble?" Ji Mingqian mischievously poked the back of his hand. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Jiang Yisheng hissed, withdrew his hand, and shot him a sidelong glance, "Go stand over there."

Ji Mingqian put the ointment back into the medicine box, leaned back, legs idly crossed, "To burn bridges after you’ve just had ointment applied, aren’t you a little heartless?"

"I never asked for your help." Jiang Yisheng replied coolly.

Ji Mingqian chuckled at his temperament, which, true to form, hadn’t changed at all.

He changed the subject, "When does the concert start?"

"No date set yet. If this storm doesn’t pass, the concert might even not happen," Jiang Yisheng said nonchalantly.

Hearing that the concert might not even happen, Ji Mingqian felt the situation was more serious than he had imagined.

He leaned in closer, elbows on the table, "Jiang Yisheng, surely you’re not thinking of canceling the concert?"

Sensing his urgency, Jiang Yisheng gave a light smile, "Why the rush? It’s not you who’s canceling the concert."

Ji Mingqian was speechless, his gaze towards him carrying a touch of helplessness, "What are you really thinking?"

"Haven’t I told you? The worst that can happen might just be leaving the industry," Jiang Yisheng took a sip of coffee, his eyes calmly meeting Ji Mingqian’s, "Don’t tell me you plan on staying in this circle forever?"

His popularity was so high, yet he only took one film role per year, and never accepted endorsements or stage performances – clearly, he was in this circle out of interest, not particularly for the money.

"Of course not." Ji Mingqian propped up his chin, his lips curling into a nonchalant smile, "Making movies is just a hobby, a way to pass time. The moment I find something more interesting, I might just leave the industry."

He wasn’t short of money, so staying in this circle out of necessity was pointless; obviously, he’d do whatever made him happy.

Hearing this, Jiang Yisheng felt that their thoughts weren’t all that different; leaving the industry was always an option.

Not wanting to continue the topic, Jiang Yisheng subtly shifted the conversation, "Are you also participating in the race?"

Ji Mingqian shook his head, "Just here to have fun with them."

Only on the racetrack, any moment could be a competition, there was no real difference. But with too many spectators tomorrow, he’d rather not.

"What’s with the questions? Planning to be my tour guide?" he teased.

Jiang Yisheng replied, "I’d consider it if it’s the kind that doesn’t cost money."

Ji Mingqian twitched the corner of his mouth, pointing towards the door, "There’s the door. Don’t let it hit you on the way out."

Anyone who didn’t know better would think Jiang Yisheng was truly as poor as he acted, always crying poverty. Could he have a little shame?

"Did you apply the medicine?" After finishing the phone call, Ye Jiuliang came back and saw the two of them chatting and laughing, asking casually.

Jiang Yisheng nodded and then looked at her, "Was it Cousin who called?"

Ye Jiuliang uttered a sound of acknowledgment and pulled out a chair to sit down, "Somebody posted the video from the coffee shop online. Mohan saw it and called to ask about the situation."

"It doesn’t seem like he was asking about the situation but more if you were hurt, right?" Ji Mingqian joked.

Ye Jiuliang gave him a look and punched him on the arm, "Ji Mingqian, can’t you talk without being so sour? If you’re jealous, go find yourself a girlfriend."

"Who’d envy that? Having someone to nag at you all the time, like I have nothing better to do," Ji Mingqian rubbed his arm and clicked his tongue, his tone full of disdain.

Ye Jiuliang added insult to injury, "Even if you were envious, you don’t have a chance."

Ji Mingqian, "..."

Did he really give off the impression that he was eager to have a girlfriend?

With millions of beautiful women in the world, why would he fixate on just one?

He glanced at the motorcycle not far away, a playful smile on his lips, "Ajiu, don’t you want to take a spin?"

It was rare indeed, Ye Jiuliang also having a day where she came to the club but couldn’t ride the motorcycle.

Knowing he was deliberately teasing her, Ye Jiuliang’s eyebrows lifted slightly, and she looked at him with a half-smile, "Ji Mingqian, do you think I can’t beat you up right now?"

"I was just asking, do you have to be so fierce?" Seeing her narrowed cold eyes, Ji Mingqian prudently backed down.

"I’ll treat you to a meal later, okay? Will that make up for it?"

"I’ll take a rain check on that meal. I need to go to the company to see Mohan. Asheng, do you want to come with me?"

Catching a glimpse of the man’s lips moving faintly, Ji Mingqian jumped in with a tease before anyone else could speak, "Then you can go by yourself, the two of us will go for a meal, and I’ll give him a ride back later."

Surprise twinkled in Jiang Yisheng’s eyes, but he maintained a calm expression on his face.

Ye Jiuliang stood up, joking, "You sure are generous when it comes to treating Asheng to a meal."

Ji Mingqian rolled his eyes at her, "You’re wrong, I’m generous to everyone else, just stingy with you."

Not bothering to bicker with him any longer, Ye Jiuliang walked away.

...

Ye Jiuliang didn’t stay long in the lounge and soon left the club.

The purple sports car wove through traffic, the light at the intersection ahead turned red, and she gradually slowed down.

Rolling down the window, she turned her head to look outside, casually observing the surrounding restaurants.

They were either western restaurants or fast-food outlets, none of them were her beloved hot pot.

She clicked her tongue in disappointment.

Just as she was about to turn away, her gaze abruptly halted as if she had spotted something extraordinary.

Ye Jiuliang watched a man and woman entering a hotel not far away, the corner of her lips curling up in an amused smile.

She hadn’t expected to run into Li Jingjie here, which was rather interesting.

By the looks of it, Ye Xin probably had no idea about the greenery blooming above her head.

A horn sounded from behind, and Ye Jiuliang withdrew her gaze, started the car, and drove off.