Although he really wanted to tell everyone that Ye Lan had come to pick him up, considering that he couldn't cause trouble for Ye Lan and that no one would believe him anyway, Jiang Chi didn't tell everyone the truth. He only told Geng Tian.

"Something suddenly came up, so I won't be going." Their car had already pulled over. Jiang Chi said softly to Geng Tian, "You guys go ahead. Pay the bill for me; consider it my treat for everyone today."

Geng Tian was in the middle of building rapport with the show's producer. Hearing this, he looked left and right, lowered his voice, and said anxiously, "Didn't we just agree on this?! Why are you suddenly not going?"

Jiang Chi knew what Geng Tian was thinking and understood that it would be hard to get away without telling the truth. He had no choice but to pull Geng Tian aside and say softly, a little shyly, "Brother Ye Lan is here, just by the roadside."

Geng Tian froze, his face instantly turning deathly pale.

Jiang Chi thought Geng Tian was still embarrassed about mistaking Ye Lan for him last time and comforted him, "It's fine, wasn't that just a joke? Besides, you didn't really say anything. That's all in the past now."

"Yes, yes..."

Geng Tian's heart was pounding like a drum.

He had originally thought that Ye Lan probably wouldn't know about Starlight wanting to sign Jiang Chi.

Was Ye Lan really that free, to worry about when Jiang Chi would terminate his contract and sign a new one?

But now, Geng Tian was suddenly not so sure.

It was already one in the morning, in the last hour before Chinese New Year's Eve. Ye Lan wasn't vacationing on some island, wasn't lounging in a private room at some clubhouse, wasn't lying in his own big bed, but instead came here in the middle of the night to pick up Jiang Chi?

But Jiang Chi wouldn't use Ye Lan to lie and make excuses. If he said Ye Lan was here, then Ye Lan was definitely in a car somewhere nearby.

Perhaps he was watching him right now.

In the dead of night, at ten degrees below zero, Geng Tian broke out in a cold sweat, his heart pounding with fear.

Connecting this to the previous Weibo and WeChat incidents, Geng Tian even began to suspect that Jiang Chi, behind his back, had already broken through to some kind of relationship with Ye Lan.

Otherwise, why would Ye Lan, who had always done as he pleased and acted willfully, be so protective of Jiang Chi at every turn?

If that were really the case... then all his previous little schemes were simply foolish and laughable.

Did Jiang Chi know?

"The driver has already left, and he's been drinking. If I don't go give him a ride, what's he going to do?" Jiang Chi said apologetically, "Please say my goodbyes to everyone for me."

Geng Tian's voice was a bit weak: "Okay, okay..."

Jiang Chi smiled and said apologetically to the group, "Sorry, someone at home drank too much, and something's come up that I have to go deal with. You all go ahead and have fun."

When everyone heard it was a family matter, they didn't try too hard to make him stay, only reminding him to be safe. The female host laughed and said, "Then we'll head off to have fun? You owe me one now, you'll have to make it up next time."

"Definitely, definitely."

Jiang Chi stepped forward like a gentleman and opened the car door for the female host, shielding the top of the doorframe with his hand as he helped her in, making the host laugh nonstop.

After watching the cars drive off into the distance, Jiang Chi immediately went back into the building, only to come out again in a hurry two or three minutes later.

Jiang Chi ran his fingers through his hair, walked quickly to Ye Lan's car, and got in.

"What took you so long? Forget something? What was so precious that you had to run back and get it..." Ye Lan had long since grown impatient. He'd been drinking and was already in a bad mood. He turned his head and said, "How can someone so young be so... long...winded..."

Ye Lan stared blankly as Jiang Chi took out a takeaway cup that he had been protecting inside his bulky down jacket.

Jiang Chi looked at Ye Lan hesitantly and said in a small voice, "Have you... had any milk? It helps with the alcohol..."

Ye Lan lowered his gaze, stunned for a moment before suddenly breaking into laughter.

"I wanted to add some sugar, but I couldn't find the sugar cubes for coffee, and I was afraid you couldn't wait..." Jiang Chi held the cup of milk, unsure what Ye Lan meant, feeling a little awkward. He said sheepishly, "Do you... want to drink it?"

Ye Lan took a deep breath and smiled. "And what if I couldn't wait? Was I going to drive off by myself?"

Jiang Chi gave an awkward smile and didn't reply. He felt that when Ye Lan's temper flared up, he was completely capable of doing something like that.

"You think I have a death wish? Besides..." Ye Lan paused and said, "How could I bear to leave you here all alone?"

It was already one o'clock. The usually noisy and chaotic streets were exceptionally quiet. The white light from the LED screen on a nearby building shone into the car, casting a soft filter over Ye Lan's handsome yet sharp profile.

It made one's heart feel a little sweet just looking at him.

Jiang Chi shook his head to keep his mind clear, clutched the cup of milk, and asked again, "Would you like some?"

Ye Lan chuckled and asked in return, "Are your hands warm yet?"

Jiang Chi froze, not understanding. Ye Lan raised his hand and brushed the back of it against Jiang Chi's hand. Only when he felt that Jiang Chi's hands had warmed up did he take the milk and drink a mouthful.

Little Jiang Chi, who finally understood, felt his cheeks unintentionally turn red.

Ye Lan drank the warm milk contentedly and instructed, "What? Reluctant to go? The forecast called for snow today. If it really starts coming down, we'll have to take the subway."

Ye Lan glanced at Jiang Chi. "You have a mask, but I have nothing. If we get photographed..."

"Let's go, let's go." Jiang Chi rubbed his face and started the car. "Why don't you get some rest? I'll wake you when we arrive."

Jiang Chi glanced at the empty back seat, then leaned over and opened the glove compartment in front of Ye Lan. He smiled, "There really is a blanket."

Jiang Chi handed the blanket to Ye Lan. "I'll turn up the heat, but you should still use this, so you don't catch a cold while you sleep."

Ye Lan took the blanket, suddenly recalling the scene from several months ago when Jiang Chi had taken him home.

This time, Ye Lan didn't make things difficult for himself. He finished the warm milk, wrapped himself in the blanket, closed his eyes, and fell asleep a short while later.

Following the familiar route, Jiang Chi arrived downstairs at Ye Lan's place in just over half an hour.

This car was probably one Ye Lan used often, as Jiang Chi passed through two security gates in the complex without being stopped like last time. After parking the car, Jiang Chi gently nudged Ye Lan's arm and whispered, "Brother Ye Lan... Brother Ye Lan? We're home."

Ye Lan's brows furrowed.

He had a terrible temper when woken up.

Ye Lan opened his eyes and shot Jiang Chi a foul look. He then grabbed the hand that was nudging him and, with a cold face filled with faint anger, closed his eyes again.

Jiang Chi didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He tried to move his hand slightly, but Ye Lan instantly tightened his grip.

"Let's go home to sleep, okay?" Although he quite liked having his hand held by Ye Lan, sleeping in the car wasn't a solution. Jiang Chi checked the time and tried to reason with him gently, "Can I take the car for now? I'll have someone return it tomorrow after you wake up."

After about half a minute, Ye Lan worked through his waking-up grumpiness. He opened his eyes, rubbed their corners, and said lightly, "What time is it? What are you going back for?"

Jiang Chi was speechless. "Huh?"

Ye Lan lowered the window, took out a key to open the garage door, and said, "Drive into the garage. We can go up from there. It's too cold outside, I don't want to get out of the car."

Jiang Chi subconsciously followed Ye Lan's instructions. It wasn't until he had dazedly locked the car in the garage and handed the keys back to Ye Lan that it finally hit him.

Was Ye Lan asking him to stay the night?!!

Jiang Chi was wide awake in an instant.

By the time they left the garage, Ye Lan was fully awake. His expression was much better than before, and—though Jiang Chi wasn't sure if it was his imagination—his whole demeanor carried a hint of what could almost be called gentleness.

Ye Lan flicked on all the lights and said to Jiang Chi, "I don't usually have guests over, so I might not have everything. You'll just have to make do. There are unused towels, bath towels, and other toiletries in the bathroom storage cabinet. Help yourself when you take a shower."

Jiang Chi hesitated, "I should still..."

"Still thinking of leaving?" Ye Lan smiled. "Take a look outside."

Jiang Chi paused. Ye Lan turned on the courtyard lights as well. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, large snowflakes were falling. In that short amount of time, they had already managed to cover the ground.

"Just stay put. Let me see if I have anything to offer you..." Ye Lan was in a great mood, humming to himself with a chuckle, "The weather forecast was pretty accurate..."

Ye Lan searched his entire house, but besides alcohol, there was only more alcohol.

Ye Lan closed his eyes. 'Fuck...'

Jiang Chi read his expression and understood, holding back a laugh. "It's fine, I'm not hungry anyway. Besides, it's too late to be eating."

Ye Lan thought, 'Bullshit. Weren't you just on your way to get a late-night snack?'

He himself was fine; at least he'd just had a cup of milk. But Jiang Chi had been recording for several hours straight without a bite to eat.

Ye Lan looked around and, on a whim, opened the refrigerator he almost never used. He smiled.

The auntie who took care of his place had a kind heart. Before leaving for the New Year holiday, not only had she stocked the refrigerator with some food, but she had also taken it upon herself to make about a hundred thin-skinned, plumply filled sanxian dumplings for Ye Lan and left them in the freezer.

On Chinese New Year's Eve, nothing could be more appropriate.

Although Ye Lan was clueless in the kitchen, he could still manage to boil dumplings. The only problem was that he only had white vinegar, which wasn't the right flavor. While the dumplings were cooking, Jiang Chi mixed soy sauce, oyster sauce, and white vinegar to create a dipping sauce, which turned out to be surprisingly delicious.

By the time the two of them had prepared their late-night snack, the snow outside was already over three inches thick.

Instead of going to the dining room, they brought the cooked dumplings into the living room. Ye Lan turned on the TV, finding a lively channel to serve as background noise.

They sat on the living room carpet, and Ye Lan looked at Jiang Chi with a smile. "Try one."

Jiang Chi picked one up and ate it, his eyes lighting up. "Delicious!"

The skill of the auntie who worked for Ye Lan was, of course, impeccable.

Looking at Jiang Chi's flushed cheeks, the anger that had been simmering in Ye Lan's heart since yesterday dissipated without him even realizing it.

Who said Jiang Chi didn't take him seriously?

With just a little trick, hadn't he skipped going home and come over to spend the New Year with him?

Film Emperor Ye conveniently ignored the fact that Jiang Chi wasn't going home anyway and satisfied himself with the thought that Jiang Chi did care about him quite a bit.

The cup of warm milk from earlier seemed to linger in Ye Lan's stomach, warming him from the inside.

Jiang Chi was truly hungry. He ate the dumplings one by one, a warm feeling spreading through his stomach.

Jiang Chi was too embarrassed to tell Ye Lan.

This was the first time since his mother's passing that he had eaten dumplings so ceremoniously for the New Year.