Major Cringe Scene

In the third year of dating Jiang Lin, Gu Yan thought he was playing the high-end game of "stand-in literature" without anyone noticing.

He was the devoted, helpless director; Jiang Lin was his carefully selected "special guest star," who bore a seven-point resemblance to his first love. And Shen Yu, the first love, was the distant, unobtainable moonlight that provided the spiritual core.

What a perfect triangle! Gu Yan often found himself moved to tears by his own devoted persona.

Until this afternoon.

Disaster often strikes in an instant. At that moment, Gu Yan was trying to find some old contract files from a drawer cluttered with odds and ends in his studio. He spotted a kraft paper bag that looked the sturdiest and placed great trust in it.

The next second, that trust shattered with a "ripping" sound, even more thoroughly than Aunt Wang's glass downstairs.

The bag was dead.

With its last ounce of strength, it spewed out all the "old memories" inside, scattering them across the floor, creating a spectacular scene.

Copies of graduation certificates, CET-4 and CET-6 score reports, a few discarded sketches... and those photos of Shen Yu, the first love, that Gu Yan treasured like holy relics.

The air seemed to be muted by an invisible hand.

Gu Yan froze, his brain spinning at unprecedented speed. He could clearly feel the originally gentle gaze behind him turning cold, inch by inch, at a visible pace.

Jiang Lin stood behind him, silent.

It's over.

That was the only thought in Gu Yan's mind.

He could even imagine the ensuing plot: Jiang Lin, the seemingly gentle but extremely controlling CEO, would first be shocked, then furious, and finally grab him by the collar, pin him against the wall, and ask in that low, dangerous voice: "Gu Yan, what the hell do you take me for?"

Thinking of that scene, Gu Yan felt a shiver run down his neck.

No! Can't just wait for death!

Of the thirty-six strategies, fleeing is the best!

Just as Jiang Lin bent down to pick up the nearest photo, Gu Yan's survival instinct prevailed!

He let out a "Ow!" and clutched his stomach, his face contorted in pain as if he were about to ascend to heaven: "Ouch! Ouch! I can't take it! My stomach! It hurts so much!"

Jiang Lin paused, looked up, a hint of scrutiny in his eyes.

Gu Yan gave it his all, instantly "squeezing" out a layer of cold sweat on his forehead, trembling as he pointed at the door, his voice barely a whisper: "Maybe... it was the mala tang I had for lunch... it wasn't fresh... I need to go to the bathroom! Be right back!"

With that, ignoring Jiang Lin's reaction, he scrambled toward the door.

Open the door, slip through—done in one smooth motion!

As long as I run fast enough, the embarrassment of social death can't catch up!

Gu Yan rushed to the elevator, frantically pressing the down button, thinking only one thing: get home first, turn off the phone, play dead for three days! Once Jiang Lin calms down, he'll come back and apologize!

With a "ding," the elevator doors opened. Gu Yan, seeing a lifeline, was about to dive in.

But a hand quickly, accurately, and ruthlessly grabbed the back of his collar.

Gu Yan, like a chicken whose fate was sealed, lifted off the ground, flailed for a moment, and then was dragged back with immense force, mercilessly.

"Bang—"

The studio door was kicked shut and locked with one foot.

Gu Yan was pressed against the cold door.

Slowly, slowly, he turned his head and met Jiang Lin's eyes, which were brewing a storm. Those eyes were cold and heavy, like the sea before a violent storm.

Jiang Lin said nothing, just looked down at him, one hand holding his chin—not hard, but with an undeniable pressure.

Gu Yan's legs went weak, and he forgot to breathe.

He forced a smile that was uglier than crying, trying one last desperate struggle: "Um... Jiang Lin, let me explain..."

Jiang Lin ignored him, his gaze passing over his head to the scattered photos of his first love on the floor.

Then Gu Yan saw the corner of his mouth curl into a dangerously dangerous smile.

My life is over!

Those were the last four words flashing through Gu Yan's mind before he passed out.

(Okay, he didn't actually pass out, but he felt it was pretty much the same.)