Shi Yin was extremely nervous.

In the offices of Yaoguang Publishing, just next door was the Crimson Moon editorial department. The conference room they were in had long tables, neatly arranged chairs, a large screen at the front, and a projector.

This solemn workspace—the conference room—was not a place for such activities.

It felt like an illicit affair.

Shi Yin steadied her breathing, cleared her throat, and gently pushed him away.

Gu Congli stepped back slightly, raising his hand to trace her slightly swollen lips with his fingertips. He moved from the corner of her mouth to her chin, down her neck, and finally rested at the hollow of her collarbone. “You’re wearing so little. You’ll get cold tonight.”

How could this man act so nonchalant?

Shi Yin raised her hand to wipe her lips with the back of it—the lipstick was completely gone.

She shot him a plaintive glare. “I’m leaving soon. I won’t be staying out late.”

Gu Congli kissed the top of her head, nuzzling her hair with his nose. “Stay and keep me company while I work overtime? Hmm? I’ll send you home later.”

Shi Yin’s eyes widened as she stared at him incredulously. “How can I stay for your overtime? Where would I sit? What would I say if your colleagues ask?”

“We can discuss the manga’s plot progression and storyboard drafts,” he replied smoothly.

“…”

That excuse sounded perfectly legitimate.

“It really is convenient when editors and their mangakas date,” Shi Yin remarked.

Gu Congli chuckled softly. “Yes, very convenient—and stress-relieving.”

The tips of Shi Yin’s ears turned red at an alarming speed.

Belatedly realizing something, she hesitated before looking at him uncertainly. “Editor-in-Chief… weren’t you just being inappropriate earlier?”

Gu Congli’s expression remained calm. “What do you mean? When I spoke, or when we kissed?”

Shi Yin: “….”

His tone was utterly unruffled, as if he were saying something mundane like, “I had a bacon potato pancake this morning; it tasted pretty good.”

A seemingly cold-hearted man, yet one who appeared to have a penchant for kissing.

In the empty conference room, his low, raspy voice seemed amplified tenfold.

Shi Yin cleared her throat. “I came here with a friend. I need to go find them.”

Gu Congli furrowed his brows slightly.

“The Qian An fan meeting—I mentioned it to you before.”

He made a soft sound of realization, his brows relaxing as though he’d just remembered.

“So…” She paused. “I’m leaving now?”

Gu Congli pursed his lips, saying nothing.

His lack of expression somehow reminded her of a pitiful little animal on the verge of abandonment.

She felt a pang of guilt. “I promised my friend I’d meet up. It wouldn’t be polite to leave them alone like that.”

“Mm.” Gu Congli responded faintly, lowering his eyelashes.

His lashes were thick, his outer corners slightly upturned. When lowered, they resembled black crow feathers.

With that downward sweep, he looked even more pitiable.

Hesitating briefly, Shi Yin glanced at the drawn curtains to ensure they were securely closed. Then, standing on tiptoe, she leaned in to lightly kiss his lips.

His lips were soft, thin, and warm.

The sensation was pleasant. Unable to resist, she kissed him again, lingering close to his lips. In a whisper, she murmured, “I’ll keep you company during your next overtime.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, her chin was tilted up, and he leaned in again, deepening the kiss.

His knee pressed between her legs, supporting her hips as he lifted her and turned toward the interior of the room. He placed her on the nearby conference table.

Chairs were casually kicked aside, clattering against each other.

Sitting on the table, Shi Yin tilted her head back, obediently accepting his fervent kisses.

From intense, devouring kisses to gentle licks, his breath carried a faint scent of tobacco, mingled with mint and some other herbal fragrance. Shi Yin couldn’t tell whether it came from him or somewhere else.

His fingers tugged at her neckline, exposing her collarbone. Hot lips pressed against her skin, lightly biting.

Shi Yin shrank back, her hands pushing against his abdomen. “Hey, what are you…”

Gu Congli raised his head, his light brown eyes devoid of lust but darkened slightly. “What am I doing?”

His voice was hoarse, his breath hot and ragged. Shi Yin braced herself against the cool tabletop, instinctively retreating further.

There had been a few accidental touches before, and his fingers had always been cold. She had assumed he was cold all over, inside and out.

But upon closer contact, reality deviated somewhat from her expectations.

Where he bit her, the sensation was scorching, tingling with heat.

________________________________________

When Shi Yin returned to the banquet hall, Lin Youhe had already finished queuing. He sat by the entrance, playing on his phone with a manga book open on his lap.

Tall and muscular, his rugged appearance suggested someone straight out of a special forces unit. His wild and fierce aura clashed starkly with the delicate cosplayers around him, drawing curious glances.

Unbothered, Lin Youhe glanced up when he saw Shi Yin return. Closing the manga in his hands, he slipped it into a bag and stood up, walking over to her. Handing her an identical bag, he said, “Here, a gift.”

Shi Yin blinked. “What is this?”

“The complete set of Below Zero collected volumes, limited edition,” Lin Youhe paused, flashing a sinister grin before bowing his head to continue fiddling with his phone. “It’s not finished yet. Feel free to jump in.”

Shi Yin: “….”

She thanked him, accepted the bag, and the two headed out.

Once outside Yaoguang Publishing, Lin Youhe turned to her. “Do you know Teacher Nishi no Na?”

Nishi no Na—a highly popular mangaka who had been active for years, with countless Weibo followers and critically acclaimed works. A master of yaoi manga.

Due to their differing fields, Shi Yin only vaguely recognized her from a group chat where they exchanged a few words.

She nodded. “I know her, but only through acquaintanceship. We haven’t spoken much.”

Lin Youhe: “We’re pretty close. She mentioned organizing a small gathering and asked if I wanted to join. Interested?”

Shi Yin: “….”

Why are you friends with a yaoi mangaka?!

Pretending to be understanding, she replied, “Then go ahead. No problem. I need to head home anyway.”

Lin Youhe gave her a sidelong glance. “You’re not coming?”

“I don’t know anyone there…”

“You’ll know them once you go. Everyone’s in S City. We used to hang out sometimes. But you’re the most mysterious one. Many people don’t even know if Teacher Shi Yi is male or female.” He added meaningfully, “And lately, rumors online claim something rather amusing. Have you heard? They say Teacher Shi Yi hasn’t washed their hair in three years.”

Shi Yin: “…???”

The manga industry wasn’t particularly large, and many mangakas had close relationships in private. Those based in the same city often gathered for activities, casual meetups, or even trips together for inspiration.

Although Shi Yin had befriended several peers online, she hadn’t yet met any of them in person—until now.

Lin Youhe was her first, albeit an unexpected acquaintance.

After some thought, she decided to go along.

If even Lin Youhe, the tyrant of their group, could socialize, what excuse did she have to isolate herself?

The chosen restaurant was a hotpot place perfect for gatherings—cozy ambiance and delicious food. As soon as they entered, the rich aroma of simmering hotpot filled the air. By the time Lin Youhe and Shi Yin arrived, almost everyone was already seated in the private room.

As Lin Youhe walked in, the lively chatter erupted. “Teacher Candy! Why are you always late?”

Shi Yin followed him inside.

Tall and slender with fair skin, long flowing hair, and a sweet yet refreshing aura, she stood next to Lin Youhe like Beauty beside the Beast.

The private room fell silent, save for the lonely bubbling of the copper hotpot at the center.

Unperturbed by the sudden shift in atmosphere, Lin Youhe maintained his usual “you-owe-me-three-million-when-will-you-pay-up” demeanor. He tilted his chin slightly and introduced, “This is Shi Yi, from Hong Ming Long Que .”

At that moment, a girl seated at the far end of the table lit up, eagerly standing up to stare directly at Shi Yin. “Teacher Shi Yi, hello! I’m Nishi no Na.”

Shi Yin smiled. “Nice to meet you, Teacher Nishi. I’ve heard so much about you. I really like your work.”

Nishi no Na’s eyes reddened with excitement, and she slammed her chopsticks onto the table. “I love yours too! I’m your fan! Hong Ming and Long Que are so sweet—oh my gosh, they’re amazing!!”

Shi Yin: “….”

Nishi no Na was an exceptionally talkative and likable young woman.

Though she’d been active in the industry for years, she looked youthful, around twenty-five or twenty-six, with delicate features and flawless skin. There was a playful spark in her demeanor reminiscent of a manga heroine.

Being among fellow professionals meant there was no pressure when it came to conversation topics. By the end of the meal, Shi Yin had familiarized herself with nearly everyone present.

Nishi no Na was genuinely fond of Hong Ming Long Que and enthusiastically chatted with Shi Yin about it. Meanwhile, Lin Youhe mentioned attending Qian An’s anniversary event earlier that day.

Hearing this, Nishi no Na tilted her head curiously. “Qian An? Since when does he participate in such things?”

“No, he didn’t attend,” Lin Youhe explained. “It was more of a celebration for his works—a way to thank the fans. The company probably organized it. Qian An himself might not even know.”

Nishi no Na waved dismissively. “Even if he knew, he wouldn’t go. That man is impossible to manage—even if the heavens themselves descended, they couldn’t control him.”

She sounded as though she knew Qian An quite well.

Shi Yin remained quiet, content to listen to their gossip while silently enjoying her lamb slices.

Around seven o’clock, Gu Congli sent her a WeChat message asking what she had for dinner.

Only then did Shi Yin remember that she had told him she was going home but ended up hanging out instead.

Coincidentally, Nishi no Na was still enthusiastically suggesting they head to karaoke afterward.

Feeling a bit guilty, Shi Yin eventually replied to Gu Congli: [A friend invited me to dinner. We’re heading to KTV afterward.]

Gu Congli went silent on his end.

After waiting for a while without receiving a reply, Shi Yin noticed the group finishing their meal and preparing to leave. They paired off into small groups, chatting casually as they made their way out.

The hotpot restaurant was conveniently located inside a mall, right next to a large KTV venue. The group entered, booked a spacious private room, and settled in.

Once Shi Yin found a corner sofa to sit in, Lin Youhe had already started selecting songs. Two minutes later, Gu Congli finally responded with two short voice messages, each just a few seconds long.

Surrounded by loud music, Shi Yin covered one ear, turned the volume all the way up, switched to speaker mode, and pressed the phone to her ear.

His side was quiet, his voice cool and detached, betraying no emotion—

“Wait for me.”

“Don’t talk to other men.”