As soon as Yan Bin stepped through the door, his eyes lit up, and he immediately saw the most eye-catching person standing dazed in the middle of the brawl—Qi Yue! The doubts in his heart suddenly made sense. Because of a man, the man they were talking about must be Qi Yue. He signaled the people beside him to pull the still-furious Han Fei away, frowned slightly, and walked toward that bewildered person.
Seeing Yan Bin walking closer and closer, Qi Yue couldn’t describe how much he hated him. He knew he shouldn’t blame everything on this person, but he just couldn’t control it. The thought that this man was with Liu Yue made his entire body tremble with anger. And five years ago, that night, this b*stard had taken full advantage of him.
Narrowing his eyes, his lips already bitten pale, he wanted to see what this man was trying to do. As Yan Bin approached, Qi Yue’s heart beat faster and faster, his breath stuck in his throat.
The commotion nearby had already stopped. Tang Qi had hastily called in several people to forcibly pull the two groups apart. Han Fei shrugged off the people holding him, and also walked toward Qi Yue, completely ignoring the blood on his face.
Tang Ke, of course, wasn’t going to let that happen. He rushed forward too, where did this guy pop out from, daring to get close to Qi Yue?
Lin Yuze looked at the people in front of him, his gaze dimming. When he saw Yan Bin, he was basically certain, the one fighting with Tang Ke must have been Han Fei. The world was truly small. After so many years of not seeing these people, Qi Yue had just stepped off the plane and already ran into them. Watching Yan Bin heading toward Qi Yue, he also walked over.
Yan Bin’s gaze was sharp, brows knitted tightly, and he stopped right in front of Qi Yue. When only one step remained between them, he lifted his hand, his index finger, almost involuntarily, touched Qi Yue’s tightly bitten lower lip, freeing that abused lip.
Everyone around gasped. The scene was too bizarre.
“F*ck,” Tang Ke exploded the moment he saw it. Who the h*ll were these people? Ignoring everything else, he charged forward waving his arms again. He didn’t even realize that his temper had grown increasingly volatile, completely destroying the cold-blooded soldier image he had maintained for years.
Tang Qi had always been the gentle type. Just after calming the previous chaos, he followed behind Tang Ke in confusion. Seeing everyone gathered, he had wanted to introduce the two sides, but before he could even speak, Tang Ke lifted his hand again, ready to fight. Tang Qi hurriedly grabbed his arm.
Yan Bin’s action had indeed shocked him, but after all, Yan Bin was a guest, an invited one, so he couldn’t say too much. Tang Ke was usually calm; what was wrong with him today? Why was his temper so explosive? And who was this unfamiliar, beautiful young man? It wasn’t the right occasion to ask. Tang Qi, trying to smooth things over, forced a smile and said, “Sometimes, a fight is a way of getting acquainted. You all must have met earlier, so maybe the sparring got a bit out of hand.”
Lin Yuze’s face also darkened because of Yan Bin’s action. He stood next to Qi Yue.
Yan Bin didn’t even look at the furious Tang Ke. His eyes were fixed solely on Qi Yue and that attitude made Tang Ke even angrier.
Han Fei stayed silent beside them, still injured, staring at Qi Yue with a complicated expression.
Surrounded by the crowd, Qi Yue froze. Was Yan Bin possessed or something? He didn’t even dare breathe heavily. That finger pressed against his lips, and those unblinking eyes staring right at him—
Yan Bin had always done whatever he wanted and never cared about anyone else’s feelings. Ignoring the people around him, he focused only on Qi Yue. His finger rested on Qi Yue’s lower lip, which had already been bitten into with tooth marks. Soft to the touch. As if unsatisfied, Yan Bin pressed his thumb there too, rubbing gently back and forth, as if he intended to smooth out those bite marks. Feeling the slight tremble from the lips’ owner, the corner of his mouth lifted, and he finally withdrew his hand.
Boom—Qi Yue felt the blood rush straight to his face. Seeing Yan Bin’s lifted smile, he immediately felt both embarrassed and furious.
“Are you going or not?” he snapped coldly at Tang Ke, who looked like a bruised pig head.
Tang Ke instantly brightened. Out of all these people, Qi Yue had addressed him, meaning he was special. He immediately put an arm around Qi Yue and soothed him with a grin: “Of course we’re going.” He whispered a few words to Tang Qi, then turned and left with Qi Yue.
On the side, Han Fei, furious, tried to chase after them, but Yan Bin grabbed his arm and shook his head.
Han Fei stared at Qi Yue’s retreating figure, eyes dimming. He was unwilling, but before he could move, Qi Yue suddenly stopped walking after a few steps. Han Fei’s face lit up, just about to speak, yet Qi Yue didn’t even look at him. Expression blank, he said, “Aren’t you leaving?” And without waiting for anyone’s reaction, he continued forward, still dragging Tang Ke along. What a joke, he had no idea where Tang Ke lived.
Lin Yuze’s lips curved upward. He quickly stepped past Yan Bin and Han Fei and caught up to Qi Yue.
Watching the retreating figures, Yan Bin fell into thought. Han Fei, however, was furious. Wiping blood from his lips, he questioned Yan Bin: “Why did you stop me? F*ck, who the h*ll was that kid?” His tone was arrogant, not caring at all that Tang Qi and the other people from Base B were right there.
Yan Bin turned his face slightly. “He’s the main character tonight.”
Their eyes met. Han Fei raised an eyebrow, then laughed knowingly, spitting out blood-tinged saliva. “Let’s go. Tonight’s going to be interesting.”
Seeing the two groups who had been fighting fiercely earlier now walking off separately, Tang Qi’s expression darkened. He still couldn’t figure out what had happened, but he knew one thing: the grudge between Tang Ke and Han Fei was probably set in stone.
Yan Bin paused, nodded politely to the people in front of him, and without another word walked past. He wasn’t a warm person, initiating a greeting was already the limit of his enthusiasm.
“Huh? Big beauty, what are you doing here?” Han Fei stopped and asked teasingly when he noticed Liu Yue standing by the barrier gate.
Liu Yue forced a smile on her dark, ugly-looking face. “I was worried something happened to you all, so I came to take a look.” She used a tone of concern as she added, “Let me treat your injuries. How did you end up hurt like this?”
“No need, it’s a small wound,” Han Fei said carelessly. His earlier anger had mostly dissipated after hearing what Yan Bin said.
Liu Yue asked with concern, “Why did you start fighting? Was there some misunderstanding?”
Han Fei let out a mocking laugh, his expression returning to his usual arrogant one. “A misunderstanding?” He reached into his pocket for cigarettes, his gaze drifting in the direction Qi Yue had left. With a meaningful tone, he said, “Your fiancé has good taste.” He took a cigarette, bit it, and walked away.
Liu Yue’s forced smile immediately collapsed. Hatred filled her eyes as she stared at Qi Yue’s direction. Her fists clenched tightly, nails digging hard into her palms. Qi Yue, are you looking for death again? You dare try to steal my man? You think you’re worthy?
“Miss Liu, what brings you here? You didn’t send anyone to inform us.” Tang Qi, having finished dealing with the earlier brawl, walked over to greet her.
Liu Yue had nowhere to vent her anger, so she snapped, “Get lost.”
Tang Qi froze awkwardly, his expression turning unpleasant. He had always thought this woman was gentle and lovely, didn’t expect it was all an act.
Realizing what she said, Liu Yue quickly reacted, eyes filling with tears. “I’m sorry, Brother Tang Qi… I’m just upset. They told me… told me that Tang Ke got into a fight over a man.”
Even though male-male relationships had become common after the apocalypse, Tang Qi still didn’t know how to respond. He gave an embarrassed cough to cover it up, but his good impression of her was gone. “You must have misheard. Come on, it’s getting late. The banquet will start soon, and there will be many guests for you to attend to.”
Liu Yue answered softly, looking dejected. “Mm.”
Tang Ke, wearing an overly cautious and flattering expression, asked Qi Yue, who was clearly in a bad mood—“Yueyue… who were those two people just now?”
Qi Yue stiffened his neck and raised his voice, glaring, “How would I know? I don’t know them.”
Not getting an answer, Tang Ke turned to ask Lin Yuze with his eyes, but Lin Yuze didn’t even look at him, head lowered in thought.
It was early summer. The night sky was full of stars, and cool breezes drifted by. A lavish banquet was being held at the Tang family mansion.
Tang Ke hadn’t even had time to greet his family after arriving before he carefully led Qi Yue to a corner, one that allowed a clear view of the entrance but wasn’t eye-catching. He thoughtfully explained matters about Base B to him, while Lin Yuze picked out good food for Qi Yue.
“Congratulations, you’re blessed,” yet another well-dressed acquaintance said while winking at Tang Ke before walking away. Tang Ke couldn’t sit still anymore. Normally, banquets were held in the base auditorium. This time it was at the Tang family home, fewer people, all familiar faces and important figures from various bases. His instincts told him something was off. And several people had already come over to congratulate him.
Seeing Lin Yuze walking over with another plate, Tang Ke leaned toward Qi Yue and whispered, “I’m going to step away for a bit. I’ll be right back.”
“Mm,” Qi Yue replied absent-mindedly. The lively atmosphere didn’t improve his mood at all.
Tang Ke forced a thin smile as he walked through the crowd greeting people. When he reached the stairs, he tugged at his collar and quietly asked his mother, who was receiving guests in full formal attire, “What’s going on? What kind of banquet is this?”
Mother Tang, well-maintained and looking young, had been a strong woman before the apocalypse and afterward had helped the Tang family manage base matters. She approved of this arranged union. Hearing his question, she looked confused too. “Didn’t your uncle and Tang Qi tell you? Tonight is your engagement banquet. Why are you only just returning?”
“Engagement banquet”—Tang Ke froze. “What engagement banquet? I didn’t know anything about it! With who?”
“With Liu Zhengnan’s daughter.” Mother Tang said with some dissatisfaction, “They said you went to visit a friend. What friend? You’ve been gone so many days. You’ve met Liu Zhengnan’s daughter, right? She has a great personality and looks. We arranged everything for your own good.”
Upon hearing this, Tang Ke grew angry. “I don’t need you interfering in my life. Cancel it. I don’t agree.”
Mother Tang’s face stiffened. “We’re doing this for your own good. You’ll inherit Base B. Liu Zhengnan’s family shouldn’t just benefit someone else.”
“I don’t need it. Give this ‘good thing’ to Tang Qi. Or Tang Zhi.” Tang Ke rejected it flatly. The world had ended, and they were still arranging political marriages, how ridiculous.
Mother Tang grew upset. In her view, Tang Ke was being unreasonable. At that moment, Tang Ke’s uncle, father, and Tang Qi all walked over.
“So? Groom-to-be, excited?” Tang Qi patted Tang Ke’s shoulder, still unaware of the situation.
Tang Ke said coldly, “If I don’t agree, nobody can force me. If you don’t want things to get ugly later, you’d better figure out how to end this now.”
Tang Ke’s father also began blaming him. What a great opportunity, marry Liu Zhengnan’s daughter, then gradually take control of the Liu family’s influence. For years, Liu Zhengnan had refused to align with District A, effectively splitting the base into two factions, with a separation between Districts A and B.
Tang Yi hadn’t expected such a strong reaction either. He frowned. “Are you sure? This is a rare opportunity.”
While the Tang family argued, Yan Bin and Han Fei arrived at the banquet hall.
In a corner, Qi Yue glared at them, grinding his teeth. Well, to be precise, he wasn’t exactly angry, he just found Yan Bin extremely unpleasant.
Upon entering, Han Fei immediately spotted Qi Yue and, after informing Yan Bin, headed straight toward him.
Lin Yuze was chatting with acquaintances. Qi Yue stood there bored, poking at the food on his plate. When he lifted his head, he curled his lip. These cousins really were like ghosts, haunting him endlessly. Seeing Han Fei approach, he immediately turned his head and pretended to be looking elsewhere.
Han Fei kept walking until he stopped right in front of Qi Yue, leaving no room for him to pretend otherwise.
“Why did you leave back then?” Han Fei asked immediately, bringing up the events of years ago.
Could this man be any less tactful? Han Fei had always been wild and domineering. Though he had changed somewhat, his presence was still overwhelming, made worse by the marks on his face. People nearby were watching; Qi Yue didn’t want to embarrass him. Besides, aside from that one night, Han Fei had treated him well.
“Heh, what a coincidence.” Qi Yue put on a fake smile. “Long time no see.” Even though they had just seen each other that afternoon and even fought a group battle because of him, Qi Yue spoke without blinking.
“Why did you leave back then?” Han Fei persisted.
“I went to meet a friend. Didn’t have time to tell you guys. Sorry about that.”
“What friend? Where have you been all these years?” Han Fei continued questioning.
Qi Yue replied perfunctorily, “A friend you don’t know. I went to Hailar.”
“Hailar? That far? No wonder.” Han Fei muttered. He had sent people to inquire in every base, but there had never been any news. So Qi Yue had gone to the prairie.
“Do you know how many years I looked for you?” Han Fei said in a low voice.
People nearby heard it and gasped, sneaking glances with the corners of their eyes.
Seeing people react, Qi Yue’s face began to heat up. Annoyed, he said, “Why were you looking for me? We weren’t even that close.”
Han Fei smiled at that. His already manly face became even more striking. “Don’t be stubborn. We slept together for so long, how could we not be close?”
More people gasped. Some began whispering.
Qi Yue’s face flushed bright red. “Y-you stop talking nonsense!”
Han Fei continued calmly, “Did you forget? All those nights together. You touched every part of me, and in **, you kept saying—”
“Shut up.” Qi Yue hurried to stop him, voice shaking with anger. Lowering his voice, he gritted out, “What exactly do you want?”
“For you to come back to me,” Han Fei said naturally, without hesitation.
“No.” Qi Yue rejected him instantly.
“Why?”
A voice came from behind Qi Yue. The sudden sound made him jump.
Yan Bin’s cold voice followed: “Why not?”
Qi Yue glared at him. “Why do you think?”
“You’re still angry about that day?” Yan Bin rubbed his aching forehead. “You were the one who started it. Did you forget? You—”
“Shut up.” Qi Yue was dying from embarrassment.
More and more people were watching. Qi Yue wanted to crawl into a hole. What karma was this? He didn’t want attention at all.
“If you don’t want others to know what happened that day, then go to Base L with us later.”
Yan Bin’s words almost made Qi Yue explode. This shameless man, no, these two shameless men. Truly worthy brothers, equally shameless. They had taken advantage of him and now dared threaten him?
“You think I’m afraid of you? Say it to whoever you want,” Qi Yue snapped angrily, still trying to keep his voice low.
Yan Bin instantly saw through him, he cared about his reputation. “Well, since you’re not afraid, then I’ll say it. You fed me stimulants, stripped off my clothes, touched me—”
The moment he said that, the whispers around them grew louder.
“Shut up!” Qi Yue shouted before he could stop himself, eyes reddening from anger. How could he be this unlucky? How had he run into these two?
While the three were tangled in their mess, the Tang family was embroiled in their argument on the other side.
At that moment, the voice of the host sounded through the hall: “Tonight, we gather here to witness the engagement of the most outstanding couple in the base.”
The main lights dimmed, leaving only a few soft lamps. Elegant music played. A woman in a white dress descended slowly down the staircase, Liu Yue. Her long hair was styled into curls, her forehead exposed, her makeup light and alluring.
Qi Yue stared blankly. What was going on? His hand tightened around his wine glass.
Liu Yue basked in the envy of the crowd, holding her father Liu Zhengnan’s arm as they stood beside the host. Her shy gaze drifted toward Tang Ke.
Han Fei leaned close to Qi Yue’s ear and said casually, “Did that kid lie to you? I can help you deal with him.”
Recalling what others had said to Tang Ke earlier, Qi Yue more or less understood the situation now. He didn’t even look at Han Fei. “None of your business.” His eyes locked on Tang Ke and Liu Yue. Didn’t Tang Ke say he liked him? Why was he with this woman? His already bad mood worsened.
The host continued, “Tonight is the engagement between Mr. Tang Ke and Miss Liu Yue—”
“Wait,” Tang Ke suddenly shouted, cutting the host off. He quickly walked onto the small stage.
Liu Yue’s face remained calm, but inside she was boiling with anger. The scene she had seen that afternoon had already driven her crazy.
Tang Ke snatched the microphone and announced, “Tonight is the engagement ceremony of Liu Yue and my cousin, Tang Qi! Let us all give them our blessings.” He started clapping first. The guests didn’t know the real situation, they had only heard rumors, so they thought there had been a misunderstanding and joined in the applause.
Liu Yue glared at Tang Ke furiously, then looked at the Tang family. Liu Zhengnan didn’t seem to mind. As long as it was someone from the Tang family, it didn’t matter. In fact, Tang Yi’s son suited him even better.
Tang Ke spoke again, “And also, I officially announce that I’m coming out. I’ve already found the person I love. I hope everyone will give us their blessings.” As he spoke, his gaze filled with affection toward a corner of the banquet hall.
Everyone followed his gaze.
Qi Yue’s mouth fell open. Completely stunned. The entire hall was looking at him. Suddenly, he felt like crying. He regretted everything. He should NEVER have come to Base B.
Liu Yue hid her bitterness, clenching her fists tightly, nails digging deep. Hatred filled her eyes as she looked at Qi Yue. This Qi Yue, was he sent by heaven just to ruin her life?
After speaking, Tang Ke shoved the microphone back into the stunned host’s hands. Without caring about anyone else, he jumped off the stage and headed straight toward Qi Yue.
Qi Yue hadn’t even processed what had happened when Tang Ke grabbed him and pulled him into his arms. He could hear Tang Ke’s racing heartbeat. Before he could recover, Tang Ke’s lips pressed tightly against his.
After the kiss, Tang Ke lifted Qi Yue horizontally in his arms. Under everyone’s stunned gaze, he carried him upstairs.
Qi Yue was completely dazed. Tang Ke held him all the way to a room upstairs and set him on the floor, heart still pounding.
Seeing Qi Yue clearly stunned, Tang Ke lovingly kissed the corner of his lips again and said, “You…”
Seeing Qi Yue clearly stunned, Tang Ke affectionately kissed the corner of his mouth again and said, “You wait here, I’ll go downstairs for a bit and then I’ll take you to meet my family.”
People downstairs were gossiping, but no one dared to openly reveal anything in front of the Tang and Liu families.
Han Fei’s face turned completely black. That kid was definitely doing it on purpose; it was absolutely a last-minute rebellion. He clearly saw the provocative look the kid gave him as he left.
The emcee on stage improvised, continuing along the lines of Tang Ke’s speech, and as a result, the engagement banquet ended up being for Liu Yue and Tang Qi. The Tang family was satisfied with the outcome, and Tang Qi didn’t seem to mind.
Liu Yue, who remained on the stage with an equally dark expression, struggled to maintain her composure. That d*mned Tang family, and that Tang Ke, she hadn’t even settled accounts with him yet, and he dared to play her for a fool.
As the door slammed shut, Qi Yue snapped out of his daze. The scene he’d just witnessed left him speechless with rage; they were all up to no good. Qi Yue paced back and forth in his room, furious. Beasts! he thought. Who agreed to come out with him? The thought of those people downstairs gave him a headache, not to mention that vicious Liu Yue, it was all a headache.
The enormous room made Qi Yue feel suffocated and unable to leave. He took out some small steamed buns and beef jerky from his spatial storage and started eating. He joked that he still had to meet his family later, so he decided to leave first.
The building was large, with four floors, and was the main residence of the Tang family in a high-end residential area. After the apocalypse, the base happened to cover this area, so the Tang family’s lives remained almost unchanged. Only Tang Ke stayed on the fourth floor when he returned; it was very quiet. The furnishings inside were unchanged from before the apocalypse. Leaving the room, he went straight to the stairs. Everything went smoothly. The corridor was only occasionally punctuated by servants and security personnel.
When he reached the second floor, a woman’s voice came from the steps below. A door to a room next door was open, and Qi Yue slipped inside, wanting to see what Liu Yue was up there for.
After dancing with her newly appointed fiancé Tang Qi, Liu Yue used the excuse of touching up her makeup to go upstairs to the second floor. She turned into the room with the door open, which the Tang family had specially prepared for her to stay in after the engagement. She asked the maid beside her, “Where is the man that Tang Ke brought?”
“On the fourth floor, Miss Liu, is there anything I can help you with?” the maid replied respectfully.
“That’s all, you can go now. I need some peace and quiet. The noise downstairs is giving me a headache,” Liu Yue said weakly, rubbing her head. “Wait a minute.” She paused and continued, “Please call my cousin, Feng Zhe.”
“Yes.” The maid closed the door before leaving.
With a snap, Liu Yue swept the wine on the table onto the floor. “Qi Yue, you’re really persistent.”
These words startled Qi Yue, who was standing by the window in the same room. He thought he had been discovered, but after a while, he realized that Liu Yue was talking to herself.
He frowned. How could Liu Yue know his name?
Impossible, he had never met her in this life.
