Chapter 342: The Twenty-first Day in the Entertainment World

Chapter 342 Day 21 in the Entertainment Industry

Yu Ziyun strode straight toward An Yi, stopping just two steps short of him. "An Yi, good morning."

An Yi stood up, meeting his gaze with a smile. "Lawyer Yu, good morning."

Miao Bin, standing beside An Yi, picked up on the unusual vibe crackling between the two.

His smile didn't waver, but his arm came up naturally, draping over An Yi's shoulder as his body leaned slightly toward him—a move that screamed closeness and protectiveness. His tone was curious, with a hint of probing he couldn't quite hide: "Xiao Yi, you and Lawyer Yu... know each other?"

Xiao Yi—a nickname he'd picked up after they got close. An Yi never corrected him, so it stuck.

The nickname and the touch didn't escape Yu Ziyun's notice.

Yu Ziyun's eyes locked onto Miao Bin's hand on An Yi's shoulder almost immediately.

His face gave nothing away, just a slight narrowing of his eyes.

He didn't answer right away. Instead, he pulled his gaze from that hand and met An Yi's eyes again.

Still smiling, he nodded and finally answered Miao Bin: "Yes, we know each other."

Only then did Yu Ziyun look at Miao Bin. "We're friends."

"Friends? What a coincidence." Miao Bin's smile never wavered, his hand still on An Yi's shoulder.

An Yi just smiled, didn't deny it, and gave a soft "Mm" to go along with it.

The tension simmering under those few lines had everyone in the living room holding their breath, while the live chat blew up instantly.

"They knew each other before!! So a pursuer couldn't stand seeing An An on a dating show and followed him here!"

"So that's the tea?! (shocked hand-biting.jpg)"

"Damn! This intense right off the bat?!"

"Lawyer Yu's eyes! Kill me now! He's definitely staring at Miao Bin's hand!"

"Miao Bin is staking his claim (?)"

"...Ooh, spicy! Love it! More! Fight, fight!"

"Guys, sorry, I'm abandoning Yi Yu, I'm shipping the new pair now!"

"..."

Cang Xingjin stood on the sidelines, taking it all in.

So An Yi really did know Yu Ziyun.

That "friends" from Yu Ziyun sounded more like a declaration—the tone didn't sit right.

Could his guess be right? Was Yu Ziyun the one behind An Yi, pulling strings to get him onto a top-tier show like this?

The thought made Cang Xingjin's stomach churn even more—a mix of disdain for "under-the-table deals," disappointment in An Yi's "choices," and a bitterness he didn't want to admit even to himself.

His family had connections with the Yus, so Cang Xingjin stepped forward. "Lawyer Yu, didn't expect to see you here."

Only then did Yu Ziyun finally tear his gaze from An Yi and Miao Bin, nodding at Cang Xingjin. "Mr. Cang, nice to meet you."

His tone was polite—a stark contrast to the focused intensity he'd shown An Yi moments before.

Cang Xingjin's heart stirred. Driven by some impulse—perhaps to probe, perhaps to confirm something—he followed the pleasantries with a question that seemed casual but cut deeper than it looked: "Lawyer Yu, your appearance on this show is pretty unexpected."

"May I ask... which guest are you here for? The director's team should have you pick a first pick, right?" As he finished, his gaze flickered almost imperceptibly toward An Yi's expression.

The question was direct, and everyone turned to Yu Ziyun, waiting for his answer.

Miao Bin's hand on An Yi's shoulder tightened almost imperceptibly. He looked around. "Yeah, the pretty ladies are all ears~"

At that, Yu Ziyun's lips curved—not a warm smile, but a sharp, almost gleeful frankness.

He didn't look at any of the female guests. He didn't offer any vague pleasantries.

His gaze settled back on An Yi, steady and unwavering.

He stared intently into An Yi's eyes, which seemed to reflect his own image at that moment.

In front of everyone, before the live cameras and countless viewers, Yu Ziyun spoke without a trace of hesitation or jest: "I did come for one person."

He paused for a second, looking at An Yi's slightly upturned face, those eyes so close they made the fire in his chest nearly erupt:

"I came for An Yi."

"AHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!"

"He said it! He said it in front of everyone again!"

"Holy crap! So good! Everyone's expressions are gold! The heart rate readings are gold too!"

[In the third year after An Yi signed his soul-selling contract with Canxing, a man in a suit burst into his shabby dorm room. Yu Ziyun placed a stack of documents on the table, his voice oozing innuendo: "Want to get rid of these? Strip, and I'll help you..." He paused, glancing at the pale-faced youth in the corner, his tone softening a notch despite himself: "Come here!" His fingertips traced An Yi's cheek, lingering at his lips. An Yi parted his mouth, poking out a crimson tongue...]

[Clothes fell to the floor one by one, the sounds of people moving outside growing more frequent. Their intertwined silhouettes cast on the bedroom wall as Yu Ziyun reached for An Yi's belt. Just then, a knock came at the door: "Xiao Yi, can I come in?" An Yi's dazed eyes drifted toward the doorway—it was... Brother Miao Bin. He let out a choked sob...]

["Crack!" The sound of a whip cut through the air. An Yi looked down at Yu Ziyun kneeling before him, a smile curling at his lips. He bent over, his breath brushing across Yu Ziyun's eyelids, the handle of the whip pressed against his Adam's apple: "Lawyer Yu, let's make a... deal..."]

"Oh my god! We're getting served this fast! Hehe! (yellow heart-eyes) (yellow heart-eyes)"

"Delicious! More!"

"..."

The living room fell into dead silence.

Everyone was frozen in shock by the declaration so blunt it bordered on crude.

Yu Tongxin gasped, covering her mouth. Hao Yangyang's eyes went wide. Bo Yangxia stood slack-jawed, utterly bewildered.

Lin Yan, after the first shock, her eyes blazed with excitement!

A gay man! Confessing live on air! This was far more thrilling than any will-they-won't-they tension. The show's ratings would explode! For her, this was a godsend.

She'd had a soft spot for An Yi before, but after spending time with him, she'd long since figured it out—when An Yi looked at you with those beautiful eyes, though gentle, it was like looking through an unbreakable pane of glass. He hadn't set his heart on anyone.