Hey, do you really like Ye Xiyang?

Lin Yiyang sighed. “Zhuang Jia grew up with my brother, but she didn’t get accepted into C University with him—she went to N University, which isn’t far from C University. Back then, the three of you would often hang out and eat together. Later, as you were about to graduate in your senior year, Zhuang Jia confessed to you that she had always loved my brother too. After that, you left. No one knew where you went.”

“Ye… so I left because of Zhuang Jia?”

“That’s probably it. After you left, my brother started losing himself. And besides, my brother has always had…”

He suddenly stopped.

“What is it?”

“Young master,” a bodyguard stepped into the room and glanced at Xiao Qi. “The food delivery girl, you can come out now.”

“What’s your rush?” Lin Yiyang’s handsome face showed irritation. “Get out.”

Seeing this, the bodyguard backed out.

Xiao Qi asked, puzzled, “Why do you have people standing guard at your place?”

At that, Lin Yiyang suddenly remembered.

“Xiyang, take off your clothes.”

“What?”

“I’ve been… I’m being illegally detained. Only you can help me escape from this place.”

Xiao Qi’s eyes went wide in disbelief. “Why have they detained you? Did you break the law or something?”

“…”

“Do I look like the type to break the law?” Lin Yiyang pointed to the artwork by his side. “It’s that unscrupulous businessman who locked me up here to paint. He thinks art is like a faucet, that you can just turn it on and it’ll flow out. But art comes from a clash of inspiration, from a surge of emotion, from something that transcends this world…”

He launched into an impassioned rant.

But with his anger, even Xiao Qi found him impossibly attractive.

##

Lin Yichen walked in, his voice calm and steady. “The art exhibition opens next month. As soon as you finish the last batch of paintings, I’ll give you a break.”

Why did that voice sound so familiar?

But Xiao Qi, still wearing Lin Yiyang’s casual clothes, just sat there limply.

Lin Yichen turned his head, but she had pulled the hoodie over her face.

Something felt off. He strode over and yanked the hood down.

Like a startled rabbit, Xiao Qi leapt away.

When she saw his handsome face clearly, she pulled a face. “You’re the unscrupulous businessman?”

So it was the prince’s brother who had locked him up!

This brother was really something—he’d even imprison his own sibling.

“Unscrupulous businessman?”

“Yes, illegally detaining an artist.”

Seeing her in Yiyang’s clothes, he immediately understood the situation.

“Xiyang, didn’t you lose your memory? How did you know to come here for Yiyang?”

“I was just delivering food,” Xiao Qi eyed him warily, then seemed to remember something. She took the ring off her finger and tossed it to him. “I don’t care what we were before, but I don’t know you now, and you’re illegally detaining people. For that alone, you’re a bad guy.”

Lin Yichen lowered his gaze to the ring, hiding the sadness in his eyes. “Where did Yiyang go?”

“I don’t know.”

“You don’t know?”

He stepped toward her.

“Hey, don’t come any closer, or I’ll… I’ll use my superpowers on you!”

He ignored her.

“I said, don’t come any closer.” Her big eyes darted around, searching for an escape route, ready to teleport away. But before she could move, a strong hand grabbed her, and the world spun. She found herself pinned against the wall.

“Let go of me!”

“Xiyang, tell me—where did Yiyang go?”

Oh lord, why did his voice suddenly become so gentle?

Steady, steady.

She raised her brows. “I told you, I don’t know.”

“Still saying you don’t know?”

His striking face inched closer.

No, no, I have to get out of here.

She tried pushing him away, but none of her superpowers worked.

What’s going on?

Never mind—she lifted her leg and stomped hard on his shiny leather shoe.

Lin Yichen frowned.

Xiao Qi wriggled free from his arms.

But her hand was immediately seized again.

She was about to get angry, but then noticed a white phone in his hand.

“Is this for me?”

Lin Yichen nodded slightly.

“Why are you giving me—”

“Because you are Ye Xiyang. Take it.”

Xiao Qi bit her lip. Having a phone was handy on Earth, and since he was the one insisting, she accepted it.

Lin Yichen’s lips curved ever so slightly. He almost reached for her hand, but withdrew it. “I’ll take you to dinner.”

“President Lin!”

The bodyguard was shocked to see the food delivery girl coming out, and even more so to see her walking with President Lin.

President Lin was always reserved, whether in business or private matters, always keeping a certain distance.

But with this girl…

And wasn’t she wearing the young master’s clothes?

The car drove smoothly forward. Xiao Qi sat in the passenger seat, barely able to contain her excitement. “Hey, what are you taking me to eat?”

She’d been on Earth for three days and hadn’t tasted any of the local delicacies yet!

Lin Yichen couldn’t help but smile at her eager expression. “You used to love hotpot. I don’t know if you still do.”

Hotpot?

She’d never tried it before, but she’d find out if she liked it soon enough.

“Let’s have hotpot, then.”

“Alright.”

Xiao Qi studied his sharp profile, unable to resist asking, “Hey, do you really like Ye Xiyang that much?”

“Yes,” Lin Yichen replied calmly, “very much—just as you used to like me.”

He seemed so rational and indifferent; it was hard to imagine such a man could love someone, and love so gently at that.

“Ye… was I very outstanding before?”

If Ye Xiyang hadn’t been remarkable, would a man like him have fallen for her?

Lin Yichen glanced at her. The girl before him had that same innocent, youthful smile as before.

Five years had passed, but she hadn’t changed at all—her face always shining with carefree joy.

As for him, ever since she left, his heart had grown weary, his shell harder.

“You’re completely mistaken,” Yichen said, turning his gaze away. “You used to be anything but outstanding. Your grades were mediocre, you only thought about having fun, and your forgetful, careless ways could drive anyone crazy.”

That didn’t quite fit Xiao Qi’s idea of herself.

“Then why did you still like… me?”

Yichen smiled faintly. “Probably because you’re pretty.”

Xiao Qi scoffed inwardly—how shallow.

Her expression made it clear she was looking down on him.

Lin Yichen sighed inwardly.

Did she really think he liked her just for her looks?

It was because her incessant chattering had filled the emptiness in his heart; because she was always at his side, always calling his name, “Yichen, Yichen, Yichen…” Because she always liked to be with him, and yet always fell asleep while keeping him company, drooling over half of his textbooks; because her English grades were abysmal and she’d beg him to tutor her.

She never did pass in the end.

He’d always scolded her, but more so blamed himself—what kind of boyfriend couldn’t even help his girlfriend pass? She’d raise her hand and swear next time she’d definitely pass the test, and never embarrass him again.

Sadly, there was never a next time.