Pei Ran's heart was beating very fast, but he couldn't tell if it was because Luo Qingshan was kissing someone else, or because of the lingering scorching temperature on his own eyelids.

"What do you want to do?" Yan Zhun asked, pulling him to the side against a wall, into a blind spot from Luo Qingshan and the others' line of sight.

Under the dim light, Pei Ran's face was extremely red. His skin was fair, so it would change noticeably whenever he was hot or nervous.

Pei Ran said dazedly, "What?"

"Confront them," Yan Zhun said, "or leave?"

Pei Ran had never thought that he would one day be associated with the words "confronting a cheater."

He finally came back to his senses, stiffly opening his mouth. It took him a long while before he said, "Forget it... Let's go."

Today was Luo Qingshan's birthday, and with so many friends present, Pei Ran didn't want to make a scene.

Yan Zhun paused. "Okay."

Back at the door of the private room, Pei Ran lowered his head, about to go in, when Yan Zhun suddenly turned back. "Wait for me here. I'll go in and tell Lin Kang."

Pei Ran looked at him blankly.

Yan Zhun asked very naturally, "Aren't we leaving?"

So Pei Ran waited quietly outside the door for a while. He even considered what he would say if he ran into Luo Qingshan and Su Nian face-to-face.

But by the time Yan Zhun came out of the room, Luo Qingshan still hadn't returned.

Yan Zhun walked out, holding his overcoat in his hand. "Let's go."

Walking out of the KTV, the cold night wind blew against him, and Pei Ran finally, thoroughly, came to his senses.

Pei Ran hung his head, ran a hand through his hair, and let out a long sigh.

Yan Zhun glanced at his expression out of the corner of his eye. He pressed his lips together several times before asking, "Do you want to cry?"

Pei Ran said, "I don't."

"You look like you're about to cry."

Pei Ran didn't want to cry, but his heart was indeed in a bit of a mess.

He said, "I'm fine. Thank you for coming out with me. Let me buy you a cup of milk tea."

There happened to be a milk tea shop right next to them. Pei Ran was thinking that after buying the milk tea, they could go their separate ways. The events of tonight had been quite a shock to him, and he needed some time to digest it.

Yan Zhun said, "Too sweet. I don't drink it."

Pei Ran nodded. "Then I'll just..."

"Let's get coffee instead," Yan Zhun said. "The one across the street, they hand-grind and make it fresh."

...

Yan Zhun and the owner of the coffee shop seemed to be friends; the two of them had been chatting at the counter for a long time.

Pei Ran sat alone at his seat, his gaze drifting aimlessly out the window.

The soft clink of a cup touching the table pulled his attention back.

"I told him not to make it too sweet." Yan Zhun sat down.

"Thanks." After Pei Ran said this, he realized that he seemed to have been constantly thanking Yan Zhun lately. "You know the owner?"

"Yeah, a friend. He's a few years older than us," Yan Zhun said. "We met playing games."

Pei Ran wasn't sure if he had been listening carefully; he just nodded.

He took a sip of the coffee. It was bittersweet, and indeed much better than those sickly sweet milk teas.

After a moment, he put down his cup. "You've known about this for a long time?"

Yan Zhun stirred his coffee. "No, I'm not close with them."

'Not close, but he came to the birthday party?'

Pei Ran just took it as an excuse between friends. He tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Mm."

Pei Ran glanced at the napkin by his hand. Yan Zhun had just brought it over, pushing it toward him along with the coffee.

Pei Ran couldn't help but say, "I'm really not going to cry."

"Mm." Yan Zhun asked, "Is the coffee bitter?"

The topic changed too quickly. Pei Ran paused for a moment before replying, "A little, but it's very good."

Yan Zhun took a candy from his pocket and placed it in front of Pei Ran.

White Rabbit Creamy Candy, Pei Ran's favorite milk candy. He always had to keep a few next to his computer.

"How can your pockets conjure up anything and everything." Pei Ran unwrapped the candy and put it in his mouth. He didn't say thank you again. The moment the milk candy touched his taste buds, Pei Ran's mood eased considerably.

Unfortunately, he hadn't been relaxed for long before his phone started ringing. It was Luo Qingshan.

Pei Ran looked down at it for a few seconds, then hung up. But Luo Qingshan didn't give up and called two more times. Pei Ran still didn't answer. Finally, after the fifth call was cut off, Luo Qingshan didn't call again.

Just as Pei Ran was about to breathe a sigh of relief, his phone lit up again. This time it was Lin Kang.

Pei Ran hesitated for a moment, but still answered it.

"Pei Ran, where are you?" It was noisy with voices on Lin Kang's end; he was probably still in the private room. "Hey! Turn off the music first, I'm on the phone with Pei Ran!"

Instead of answering, Pei Ran asked, "Is something wrong?"

Lin Kang was taken aback for a second. "Ah, yes... Luo Qingshan is drunk and has been looking for you."

On the other end, Luo Qingshan was leaning against the sofa, drowsy. He suddenly jolted and straightened his back, pouncing on Lin Kang. "Pei Ran? My Babe? Where is Pei Ran? Pei Ran... why aren't you answering my calls?"

Lin Kang laughed and cursed. "Right here, right here. Here's the phone, you talk to him yourself."

Pei Ran was caught off guard and ended up on the phone with Luo Qingshan.

"Babe? Babe?" Luo Qingshan called out twice, then lifted the phone and squinted at it, confirming that the call was connected. "Pei Ran, talk to me."

Luo Qingshan had never been good at holding his liquor. Listening to his tone, it seemed he was quite drunk.

There was nothing to discuss with a drunkard. Pei Ran sighed very lightly. "You're drunk."

"I know..." Luo Qingshan slurred. "I know, I'm drunk, you're not happy, I won't drink next time... Babe, come and take me home."

In the background, Pei Ran could hear the people around Luo Qingshan jeering. Lin Kang was even shouting about recording Luo Qingshan's drunken state.