1am - The Hex Bar
"Ahhh, Yi Han! Why are you so clumsy?" Shan Qi squealed. "You fell onto another guy!"
She reached out instinctively, but her own unsteady footing betrayed her. Her grip loosened, and Yi Han tipped forward.
Before she could fall, a pair of strong, steady arms caught her.
Feng Yan supported her effortlessly, one arm braced around her shoulders, the other steadying her forearm, bearing her weight as if it were nothing. His grip was firm but restrained, preventing her knees from buckling against the hard ground.
Up close, he could see her clearly now.
Rosy cheeks flushed from alcohol, lashes lowered over dreamy, unfocused eyes. The sharp composure he'd noticed earlier was gone, replaced by a soft vulnerability that made her look entirely different—and dangerously disarming.
So it was her.
The woman who had caught his attention earlier in the bar.
Yi Han blinked slowly, her gaze drifting upward until it landed on his face. She squinted slightly, as if trying to focus, then broke into a grin.
"Oops… sorry…" she giggled, lifting a finger and pointing vaguely at his glasses.
"Hehe… you're so handsome…"
Feng Yan stiffened—just a fraction.
"Oh, Yi Han—look at this handsome man!" Shan Qi squealed, swaying as she pointed at Feng Yan. "He can be your charming knight! Way better than that cheating bastard, Zhou Yang!"
She leaned closer to Feng Yan, eyes bright with mischief.
"Don't you think our Yi Han is pretty? She is pretty, right? She's my prettiest best friend!" As she finished her dramatic declaration, Shan Qi lost her balance entirely and tipped backward.
A pair of hands caught her just in time.
TianYou—who had been speaking with Feng Yan outside the bar earlier—held her firmly by the arms, steady and reflexive, like a true gentleman.
"You girls drank a little too much," he remarked, amusement flickering in his eyes as he helped Shan Qi stand properly.
"What do you mean too much?" Shan Qi protested immediately, pouting. "Nothing is too much compared to my poor Yi Han getting cheated on by her fiancé. I will drink with her till the end! No one can stop us!"
Her voice suddenly softened, eyes glistening as if she were on the verge of tears.
"She's such a poor thing… right? My poor Yi Han"
The word cheated landed heavily in the air.
Feng Yan's gaze shifted instinctively to Yi Han.
She was still leaning against him, fingers curled lightly into his sleeve, her expression dazed and unaware—yet there was a faint sadness beneath her drunken haze.
Shan Qi's unfocused gaze drifted—and landed squarely on TianYou. Her eyes lit up.
"Oh?" She leaned closer, squinting at him as if making a serious discovery. "Hello… another handsome man." She giggled. "I'm Shan Qi."
Before TianYou could react, she reached up and lightly poked his cheek, then traced a finger under his chin.
"You look cute," she declared proudly. "Like a lost puppy I've been looking for…"
She chuckled to herself, clearly pleased.
"Puppy?" TianYou echoed, blinking in confusion. "What puppy?"
Feng Yan watched the scene silently, lips pressed together, amusement flickering briefly in his eyes.
These two drunk women were making absolute fools of themselves—without the slightest awareness. And judging by their unsteady footing, there was no chance they were getting home on their own.
TianYou sighed lightly, tightening his grip on Shan Qi's arms to keep her upright.
"Where do you live?" he asked patiently. "I'll order a car to send you back."
"We live here!" Yi Han suddenly announced cheerfully, lifting her head from Feng Yan's shoulder. "No one is going home tonight!"
She waved her hand grandly, nearly losing her balance again.
"We must drink until we're happy again!"
Her words were slurred, but the feeling behind them wasn't.
Feng Yan lowered his gaze to Yi Han, her smile bright yet fragile, her grip still unconsciously holding onto him.
Happiness, he thought.
For someone like her… it didn't seem as simple as another drink.
At that moment, a white Bentley pulled up outside the bar.
Chen Xi stepped out of the driver's seat—and froze.
Two drunk women clinging to Feng Yan and TianYou was an image he never expected to see. It was rare enough to witness Feng Yan allowing a woman within arm's reach, let alone supporting one.
He walked closer—and recognition struck.
It was her.
The woman who had collapsed the other day.
"Sir, she—" Chen Xi began instinctively.
Before he could finish, Feng Yan cut him off.
"Send them to the Continental Hotel," he instructed calmly. "And inform Manager Lei."
Chen Xi nodded at once, no questions asked. He stepped forward and carefully helped the two women into the car, making sure they were settled properly before closing the door.
The engine started, and the car pulled away smoothly into the night.
TianYou watched it disappear, clicking his tongue softly.
"What an unlucky girl," he said, shaking his head. "Cheated on by her fiancé, of all things. Life really is unpredictable."
He slipped his hands into his pockets and turned back toward the bar.
"Come on. We'll head back in—you'll have to wait for Chen Xi to return anyway."
As they walked, TianYou glanced sideways with a grin.
"Oh—and I hope you're paying for their stay at the hotel too. I am running a business, you know." He laughed.
Feng Yan scoffed lightly.
"Don't worry about that," he replied coolly. "You little lost puppy."
TianYou stopped mid-step, staring at him in disbelief.
"…Do i look like a puppy?"
For the first time that night, Feng Yan's lips curved—just slightly.
Thirty minutes later, Feng Yan's phone vibrated.
It was a message from Ms. Lei, the manager of The Continental Hotel.
Mr. Feng,
I've met the ladies and escorted them to their room to rest.
If there are any further requests, please feel free to let me know.
— Lei Huan, The Continental Hotel Manager
Feng Yan glanced at the screen for a brief moment.
He replied with just two words:
Good. Thanks.
The phone went dark in his hand.
Yet for reasons he couldn't quite explain, the image of Yi Han—flushed cheeks, unfocused eyes, clinging unconsciously to his sleeve—lingered in his mind far longer than it should have.
______________
10:00 AM — The Continental Hotel
Yi Han jolted awake to the sharp ringing of her phone.
Zhou Yang.
Annoyance washed over her the moment she saw his name on the screen. Without a second thought, she tossed the phone aside, letting it ring unanswered.
She sat up—and froze.
This wasn't her room.And it definitely wasn't Shan Qi's place.
Her heart lurched as she scrambled out of bed, the unfamiliar surroundings finally sinking in.
"I'm so dead," Yi Han muttered frantically. "What did we do?" She shook Shan Qi's arm. "Shan Qi, wake up! Where are we?"
Her gaze dropped to herself.
Undergarments.
Her breath caught. Panic surged through her chest.
Shan Qi groaned, squinting as she struggled to open her eyes, her head clearly still throbbing from the night before.
"Relax…" she mumbled. "It's a hotel. I remember a lady bringing us up last night…" She yawned, utterly unconcerned, as if waking up in a luxury hotel were an everyday occurrence.
Yi Han swallowed hard.
"We… we didn't do anything wrong, right?" Her voice trembled. "We didn't sleep with any guy… right?"
Shan Qi blinked at her, then laughed softly.
"Of course not. It's just the two of us."
She stretched her arms lazily beneath the sheets.
"Since we're already here, let's have a good breakfast before we leave. This is a five-star hotel, after all."
Yi Han exhaled slowly, the tight knot in her chest finally loosening. At least—that line hadn't been crossed.
But as she glanced back at the unfamiliar room, a strange sense of unease lingered.
After breakfast, the two of them headed to the hotel concierge to check out—only to be stopped by unexpected news.
"Manager Lei has informed us that the room was already paid for last night," the concierge said politely. Yi Han paused, surprised.
"Oh! It must be those two handsome guys from outside The Hex Bar last night," Shan Qi said immediately, eyes lighting up. "So generous—to book us a five-star luxury hotel! I hope I get to meet them again."
Yi Han smiled faintly but said nothing.
After leaving the hotel, her phone began vibrating relentlessly.
Zhou Yang.
Her brows knit together as his name flashed across the screen. After a brief hesitation, she answered.
Zhou Yang: Yi Han, are you alright? I didn't hear from you all night.
Yi Han: Sorry. I drank a little too much and stayed over at Shan Qi's place.
Zhou Yang: I was worried about you. Should I come pick you up?
Yi Han: It's fine. I'm already on my way home.
Zhou Yang: Then I'll see you later, alright? I… missed you.
Yi Han: Mm. See you later.
The call ended. Shan Qi crossed her arms, clearly displeased.
"Yi Han, are you really going to keep this act up until the wedding day?"
She hesitated before continuing, worry evident in her eyes.
"I'm afraid you'll only end up hurting yourself more."
Yi Han slipped her phone into her bag and straightened her shoulders, her expression calm—composed.
"Don't worry about me," she said softly. "I know what I'm doing."
-------------
Later that day, Yi Han arrived at Zhou Yang's apartment to go over the wedding arrangements. They sat side by side, reviewing the table layout, guest list, and banquet details.
Normally, Yi Han would be animated—offering ideas, smiling as she spoke about colors and seating. Today, however, her expression was distant and subdued. Her mind was crowded with questions, resentment, and unspoken anger, yet she couldn't bring herself to confront him—not yet.
Zhou Yang noticed the change.
"Yi Han?" he asked gently. "You look pale. Are you too tired?"
He reached out, pressing the back of his hand to her forehead, checking for a fever.
"No," Yi Han replied calmly, though she leaned back slightly. "I'm just a bit hungover. Can you drive me home? I have an early meeting tomorrow."
"Why don't you stay over tonight?" Zhou Yang suggested, his hand lingering as he stroked her forehead. "I can take care of you." Yi Han subtly turned her head away, avoiding his touch.
"Not tonight," she said. "I still have some important documents at home for tomorrow's meeting."
For a brief moment, Zhou Yang's expression darkened. The rejection unsettled him. Still, he forced a smile and nodded.
"Alright. I'll send you home."
After dropping Yi Han off at her apartment, Zhou Yang didn't return to his own place.
Instead, he drove straight to Lan Xian's apartment . Yi Han's refusal lingered in his mind. They were about to be married—yet she had drawn a line, one that made him feel distant, excluded. To him, it felt like rejection… like a lack of sincerity.
Suppressing his irritation, Zhou Yang clenched the steering wheel.
Once we're married, he thought coldly, things will be different.
Not realizing that it wasn't Yi Han pulling away—
It was her beginning to wake up.