He saw shops passing by. Nearing the New Year, the streets were decorated for the holiday—big red lanterns, golden character cutouts, couplets, and paper window ornaments were everywhere.
Ren Bai, hearing their talk, asked Jiang Yu, “So you’re going home to spend New Year with your family?”
Jiang Yu said, “They’re abroad. Busy and can’t make it back.”
Ren Bai was surprised. “So you’ll spend the New Year alone again?”
Jiang Yu glanced at Yu Shiqing. “Yeah.”
Ren Bai always spoke his mind. “Why don’t you two just spend the New Year together? Two people is more festive. Being alone is too lonely!”
As he said that, he turned into the underground parking lot.
The car fell into silence for a while.
Jiang Yu looked at Yu Shiqing. “Do you have any plans for New Year?”
Yu Shiqing replied, “No.”
After a pause, he asked, “Do you?”
Jiang Yu said, “I don’t either.”
Ren Bai was exasperated. “What’s wrong with you two? A simple question takes so long to answer. Just spend it together!”
He parked the car and locked it. As they waited for the elevator, he started listing reasons why it was better to spend New Year together.
“It’s lively,” Ren Bai said, counting on his fingers. Then he hesitated. “Um… not lonely.” He barely managed to come up with a second reason as they entered the elevator.
Yu Shiqing smiled slightly.
Just as he was about to go up, he remembered something. “My phone’s still in the car.”
Jiang Yu stayed silent.
Yu Shiqing said, “Give me the keys. You two go up first.”
Ren Bai seemed used to this and casually tossed him the keys. “Come up soon.”
“Okay.”
Yu Shiqing walked back to the car, got his phone, and retraced his steps.
Halfway, he suddenly heard a teary voice from a corner. “Please, Brother Qi, my assistant is still waiting for me…”
A man, called “Brother Qi,” laughed, “Then let him wait a little longer. First, tell me what you think about my offer?”
Recognizing the voice, Yu Shiqing looked over.
In the shadow cast by a wall, two people stood partially hidden.
Brother Qi said, “Don’t worry, I’m a beta. You don’t have to worry about being marked. But if you follow me, you won’t need to worry about getting roles in your next drama.”
“Brother Qi, I’m really not the kind of person you think I am. Please… just let me go…”
Brother Qi laughed. “Let you go? I suggest you think carefully. You’re an artist under Huaze Media. I’m telling you, if you don’t behave, forget acting—don’t even dream of getting any gigs.”
Their voices were soft, and the location well-hidden. If Yu Shiqing hadn’t walked by at that moment, no one would have known that Huaze Media’s most high-profile artist was involved in this.
“Qi Taihua,” Yu Shiqing said, walking up behind him.
Qi Taihua jumped in surprise and turned around. When he saw it was Yu Shiqing, his expression shifted from panic to shock. “You?”
Yu Shiqing said, “Let him go.”
Hearing this, the omega whose wrist Qi Taihua was gripping struggled to break free but failed. With tearful eyes, he looked at Yu Shiqing.
Qi Taihua’s face darkened. “Why should I listen to you? This has nothing to do with you.”
He sneered, “Yu Shiqing, wake up. I’m no longer your assistant. We’re both artists at Huaze now—or no, I’m even more successful than you!”
Yu Shiqing smiled. “Really?”
Qi Taihua tightened his lips and raised his voice, trying to overwhelm Yu Shiqing’s calm tone. “Am I wrong?”
But before he could say more, he grabbed the omega and tried to leave.
The omega couldn’t break free and was too scared to resist after hearing the threats, so he followed reluctantly.
Yu Shiqing saw the omega’s pleading eyes and repeated, “Let him go.”
Qi Taihua stopped, turned, and angrily said, “Are you used to giving orders? I’m not your assistant anymore!”
Yu Shiqing said, “This is a crime.”
“A crime?” Qi Taihua laughed. “We’re both willing, how is that a crime?”
The omega said weakly, “Brother Qi, I—”
“Shut up!” Qi Taihua snapped at him and said to Yu Shiqing, “Yeah, I’m doing this. What can you do about it? Go ahead, report me!”
Yu Shiqing smiled again and stepped forward. He grabbed Qi Taihua’s hand and squeezed.
Qi Taihua didn’t even have time to react. A sharp pain shot through his wrist, and he screamed. His knees buckled, and he fell to the ground.
He tried with all his might to shake off Yu Shiqing’s grip, but it was useless. The pressure on his wrist was like iron pincers, making him tremble with pain.
“Let go! Let go!”
“Brother Yu, please let go!”
He begged and looked at the omega beside him. “Wang Ling, are you dead or what?!”
Wang Ling flinched and came to his senses. Though he was still scared of Qi Taihua’s status at Huaze, he swallowed his fear and grabbed Yu Shiqing’s hand, pleading, “Brother Yu, please let him go…”
Yu Shiqing looked down at Qi Taihua and said calmly, “You’re committing a crime.”
Qi Taihua nodded repeatedly, his face twisted in pain. “I won’t do it again! I swear!”
Yu Shiqing said, “Don’t ever do this again.”
Qi Taihua knelt on the ground. “I will! I promise!”
Only then did Yu Shiqing let go.
Qi Taihua collapsed, clutching his wrist and crying in pain. He avoided Yu Shiqing and glared at Wang Ling. “Help me up!”
Wang Ling quickly helped him.
Yu Shiqing said, “Qi Taihua.”
Qi Taihua quickly explained, “I swear I won’t do anything else. Just let him help me to my room, okay?”
Yu Shiqing looked at Wang Ling.
Wang Ling quietly said, “Thank you, Brother Yu. I’ll be fine.”
Yu Shiqing unlocked his phone. “Phone number.”
Wang Ling’s eyes filled with gratitude and he quickly gave his number.
After saving the contact, Yu Shiqing gave him a nod and left.
Watching his back, Qi Taihua clenched his fists in anger and stayed behind, purposely taking a different elevator.
Once Wang Ling helped him sit on the sofa, Qi Taihua snapped, “Get lost!”
Wang Ling, who had been nervous the whole way, felt relieved and ran off.
Qi Taihua sat on the sofa holding his hand for a long time. He took a drink from the fridge to apply cold compress, and only when the feeling returned did he kick the coffee table and head for a shower.
After he finished, his phone rang.
It was his manager.
He answered, “What’s up?”
The manager’s voice was harsh. “What happened with Yu Shiqing in the parking lot?!”
Qi Taihua froze. “What do you mean?”
“Go look at the trending search yourself. We can’t control it anymore.”
Qi Taihua hung up in a panic and opened the trending list.
When he saw the title, his fear slowly calmed.
#Qi Taihua beaten up by Yu Shiqing in parking lot#
He clicked on the leaked video.
Thankfully, the parking lot security footage had no sound.
