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Even though it was his first time doing something like this for someone, Chen Yang remained completely at ease.

It wasn’t just the people around the table who were stunned by his actions—Le Ya herself was caught off guard too.

By the time Chen Yang withdrew his hand, the only sound left in the private room was the mechanical singing from the karaoke machine.

Le Ya finally came to her senses but felt flustered by his gesture. “I could’ve handled it myself earlier; you didn’t have to do that.”

Chen Yang said simply, “You’re too late.”

Le Ya silently sighed inwardly. She hadn’t expected him to intervene so suddenly—who would’ve guessed Chen Yang would reach out?

The room fell eerily quiet.

Chen Yang slowly raised his head and addressed the others. “Are you not playing anymore?”

Zhao Mingri snapped out of his daze. “We’re playing, we’re playing! …Yang-ge, why don’t you and Le Ya join us in a board game? Just sitting there is boring. You’re the main event—you have to play. Le Ya, you should join too.”

He was determined to drag both of them into the mix.

Chen Yang turned his head toward Le Ya. “Do you want to play?”

Le Ya glanced at the people around the table staring at her and felt too awkward to refuse outright. She resorted to an excuse: “I don’t know how to play board games.”

She rarely played games in general. The few she did know were taught to her by Xie Qingyu when they had nothing better to do, let alone multiplayer board games.

Liang Qian reassured her with a grin. “No problem! Yang-ge will teach you.”

Chen Yang gave a small hum of agreement.

With that single utterance, two seats at the table were immediately vacated for them.

Le Ya noticed the scattered cards on the table and the remnants of eaten fruits. She asked, “What game were you guys playing before?”

Liang Qian smiled and replied, “We’ve been playing for a while, so we decided to switch to something new—the King’s Game.”

Everyone seemed momentarily surprised but quickly nodded along. “Yes, yes, the King’s Game! That’s what we’re playing now.”

Le Ya tilted her head curiously. “How does it work?”

Seeing that she hadn’t heard of it, Liang Qian eagerly explained the rules.

The King’s Game was simple—it was a compulsory game. Whoever drew the “King” card could command someone else holding another card to perform an action. They could give one person or multiple people commands, and those commanded had no choice but to comply.

The rules weren’t difficult, and Le Ya understood them easily enough, but she couldn’t help feeling uneasy about the nature of the game—it sounded far too intense for her liking.

Still, everyone else seemed excited, and she didn’t want to spoil their fun.

Chen Yang remained silent until the game began. He moved closer, positioning his legs near her side. Le Ya wanted to shift but hesitated, unsure if she should move.

In the first round, the “King” turned out to be a short-haired girl who wasted no time issuing her command with a grin: “That boy over there has to kiss that girl.”

Le Ya stared at Chen Yang in shock, opening her mouth but unable to form any words. This level of boldness right off the bat was completely unexpected.

Chen Yang calmly clarified, “They’re a couple.”

Le Ya blinked. “Oh… really?”

Though still somewhat taken aback, knowing they were a couple made the situation slightly more palatable. She pursed her lips faintly, already contemplating bowing out of the game altogether.

For several rounds afterward, luck was on her side—she wasn’t called upon once.

Liang Qian and the others kept things relatively tame, mindful of her presence. Their antics stayed light-hearted since there was only one actual couple present. Pushing boundaries too far might scare someone off—and they’d be the ones facing consequences later.

Besides, Liang Qian had invited Le Ya here—he needed to make sure she felt comfortable.

Then came the moment when Le Ya finally drew the “King” card herself. Excitement bubbled within her as she glanced toward Chen Yang, whispering softly, “What card do you have?”

Chen Yang instantly sensed her excitement and correctly guessed her card but continued indulging her curiosity. “What about you?”

Le Ya grinned mischievously. “I’m not telling you. Show me yours first.”

Chen Yang arched an eyebrow and flipped his card to reveal it to her.

Le Ya’s smile widened as she revealed her own “King” card to him. “Look.”

When all the cards were revealed, Liang Qian and the others erupted into cheers. This was Le Ya’s first time drawing the “King” card tonight—a well-behaved girl wielding the power to command others. Who knew what kind of chaos might ensue? It certainly added an element of thrill to the evening.

Zhao Mingri prodded her eagerly. “Hurry up and give your command! Who are you going to choose?”

Seeing her hesitation, Liang Qian chimed in with advice. “Think carefully before you say anything aloud. Once the command leaves your lips, there’s no taking it back.”

This reminder left Le Ya even more uncertain. While she was thrilled to escape being commanded herself, she now faced the daunting task of commanding someone else.

After racking her brain for ideas, she stammered, “Uh… Chen Yang, why don’t you call someone randomly and tell them… just tell them…”

She trailed off, unable to finish her sentence.

Chen Yang prompted dryly, “Tell them what?”

Le Ya stole a quick glance at him. “Tell them you’re an idiot.”

The room went dead silent for a beat.

Then, an explosion of laughter erupted. People slapped the table, clapped their hands, and cheered boisterously. What a hilariously straightforward—and unexpectedly daring—command from such a seemingly timid girl.

Liang Qian whistled loudly, clearly delighted. “Yes, yes! Do it, do it! Hurry up, Yang-ge, make the call!”

Zhao Mingri stifled his laughter. “‘Idiot’ works perfectly fine.”

Le Ya flushed red under the weight of their amused gazes, feeling increasingly self-conscious.

Moments later, Liang Qian suddenly remembered something and rushed over to lower the volume of the background music. The room grew quieter, leaving only soft melodies playing in the background.

Chen Yang chuckled lightly. “Alright then.”

He pulled out his phone and tapped on it briefly. Everyone leaned forward eagerly, eyes glued to see whom he’d dial.

A tense silence filled the air.

Then, an unfamiliar ringtone blared through the room.

None of them recognized the sound—they were all familiar with each other’s phone ringtones after spending so much time together.

Except for one person.

All eyes turned to Le Ya.

Realization dawned on her face as heat rushed to her cheeks. She fumbled in her pocket and pulled out her phone—the source of the ringing became unmistakably louder.

Looking up, she met Chen Yang’s steady gaze.

Liang Qian egged her on gleefully. “Answer it! You never specified who to call, and now that it’s ringing, you have to pick up.”

Le Ya pressed the answer button and held the phone to her ear.

On the other end, the same musical tone played in the background, making it impossible for her to discern whether the call had connected or not.

The voice of Chen Yang finally came through: “Le Ya.”

Le Ya instinctively responded, “Hmm?”

“I’m an idiot.”

His voice was slightly hoarse, low, yet exceptionally clear.

Chen Yang held his phone, his eyes lowered as he casually delivered those four words.

He spoke so nonchalantly, without any regard for the others present.

Le Ya’s heart skipped a beat.

It felt too close—too intimate. She heard every word with perfect clarity, just like that night when she received his voice message singing.

She quickly hung up and turned around, her voice soft as she said, “Alright, it’s over.”

Only then did Liang Qian and the others snap out of their daze.

They never imagined Chen Yang would comply with such a command. In the past, whenever they played this game, the commands were usually meaningless.

Why did something as simple and humorous as calling someone an idiot suddenly feel so charged with tension?

Truly, people are different from one another.

The following rounds proceeded normally.

That is, until Chen Yang leisurely flipped over the King card.

All eyes immediately shifted back to Le Ya as everyone speculated that Yang-ge was about to settle the score.

Chen Yang curved his lips slightly. “It’s not difficult. You just—”

He spoke slowly, deliberately drawing out the suspense. Le Ya’s heart raced, fearing what kind of terrifying command might come next.

But just at that moment, the phone in her pocket suddenly rang.

Le Ya pulled it out and saw the caller ID: “Dad.”

Her heart jolted. She hadn’t expected this call now, especially since she was here.

She glanced at Chen Yang. “I need to step out to take this call.”

Chen Yang gave a faint nod.

Liang Qian and the others looked disappointed. The timing of this call couldn’t have been worse—it came neither too early nor too late, but right at this moment.

But what could they do?

Le Ya stood up, left the sofa, and exited the room, closing the door behind her. The music instantly became muffled.

She headed toward the restroom.

By the time she got there, the call had already disconnected, but it rang again shortly after. She answered, “Hello, Dad?”

The voice of Le Yi Jian came through the receiver. “Yue Ya, where are you? I think I heard some music.”

Le Ya gripped her phone tightly and made up an excuse. “I’m just shopping at the mall. They’re playing music here.”

Le Yi Jian didn’t doubt her response.

To be fair, he never doubted anything his daughter said.

Le Yi Jian continued, “Did you forget that we’re going to Grandma’s house tonight? I’ve already bought the birthday gift. I’ll pick you up at 8 PM.”

At his words, Le Ya suddenly remembered.

She replied dully, “Mm, I know.”

It was only a little past 7:40 now, so if she walked to the mall for a few minutes, it would be just about time.

Coincidentally, the shop wasn’t far from the mall.

When Le Ya returned to the private room, she found them still waiting for her. Feeling even more awkward, she walked over to Chen Yang and whispered, “Chen Yang, I need to go home.”

Chen Yang didn’t say anything.

Liang Qian complained, “We haven’t finished playing yet! Why are you leaving? You still haven’t completed your command!”

Le Ya explained, “There’s something at home.”

While they were still chattering, Chen Yang had already stood up and said, “Let’s go. I’ll walk you out.”

Once the main person spoke, Liang Qian and the others stopped talking.

Le Ya wanted to say she didn’t need him to accompany her, but when she saw his gaze, the words died on her lips. She followed him silently and exited the room.

In truth, she felt a bit regretful. Completing a command wouldn’t have taken long, but she feared Chen Yang might make some strange request.

Caught between these conflicting emotions, she ultimately chose to retreat.

It was a bit chilly outside the private room.

As they stepped out, the elevator had just descended. Chen Yang, impatient to wait, headed straight for the stairs—they were only on the third floor, after all.

Le Ya followed beside him and asked, “Are all the people who came today your friends?”

She hadn’t met many of them—only Liang Qian and Zhao Mingri.

Chen Yang turned his head to look at her. “Are you really that curious?”

Le Ya quickly shook her head. “If you don’t want to talk about it, it’s fine.”

“If you want to know, you can just ask,” Chen Yang said lazily with a faint smile. “They’re all classmates. It’s normal that you don’t know them.”

It had only been a month since she transferred.

He didn’t bother introducing anyone because even if he did, she wouldn’t recognize them anyway.

Le Ya softly voiced an “Oh.”

The stairs were wooden, creaking with each step. On the way down from the third to the second floor, a couple was kissing.

Le Ya blushed when she saw them.

The couple clearly didn’t care about being seen. As Le Ya passed by, she could still hear the wet sounds, imbuing the air with an inexplicable sense of intimacy.

By the time they reached the second floor, the blush on her face had faded.

The stairwell wasn’t equipped with motion-sensor lights; instead, there was a small lamp hidden in a flower basket in the middle. Its design complemented the stylish decor.

The farther they moved away from the room, the quieter the noise became.

As they descended from the second floor, Chen Yang pulled out a cigarette from his pocket. When he turned his head and noticed Le Ya staring at him, he put it away.

Le Ya lowered her head. “Smoking isn’t good for your health.”

Though she had never smelled cigarette smoke on Chen Yang, his appearance as a model student was highly deceptive.

Chen Yang paused his steps. “You really didn’t prepare a gift?”

Le Ya replied, “I didn’t know what to choose…”

Plus, Liang Qian had told her beforehand that gifts weren’t necessary, so she hadn’t picked anything. Now that she thought about it, showing up to someone’s birthday party empty-handed seemed quite impolite.

Thinking this, she raised her head hesitantly and asked, “What do you want? Can I make it up to you on Monday?”

Chen Yang smirked indifferently. “No.”

His tone was light, tinged with playful arrogance.

Le Ya asked softly, “Then what do you want?”

In the dim stairwell, the moment she finished speaking, Chen Yang pressed her against the wall. His dark eyes stared unwaveringly at her.

Le Ya didn’t react in time.

His hand reached out but didn’t touch her, merely bracing itself against the wall beside her, closing the distance between them.

Le Ya’s back pressed against the wall, unsure of what to do. With Chen Yang blocking her path, she stammered, “What… what are you doing?”

Her voice trembled.

Chen Yang chuckled lowly. “Kissing you.”

Upon hearing this, Le Ya froze.

His warm breath brushed against her face, mingling with hers, making it impossible to distinguish whose breath belonged to whom.

Chen Yang said, “Would you accept it as a gift?”

Like a monster seducing a young girl in the dead of night.

Le Ya was so nervous she didn’t dare blink.

Chen Yang tapped her eyelashes lightly. “Aren’t your eyes tired?”

At his words, Le Ya exhaled deeply, realizing he must have been joking earlier. “Tell me seriously what you want.”

Chen Yang curved his lips. “I want you. Would you give yourself to me?”

The person before him went silent again, like a frightened quail.

Le Ya lowered her head, thinking about how to escape his grasp. Before she could come up with a plan, she caught sight of something else.

At the railing of the dark staircase below, a ghostly figure stared at her.

It wore bloodstained clothes, its face smeared black.

Le Ya happened to meet its gaze head-on and was startled.

Her breath hitched. She had always been timid, never daring to watch horror movies or enter haunted houses, let alone encounter someone dressed as a ghost.

Soon, Le Ya’s eyes widened.

Not only was there one spirit, but several more appeared, each dressed differently—some as bats, others as skeletons. Clearly, they had been hiding here for a while.

The ghosts and ghouls drew closer.

Then they flashed her an evil grin.

With their eerie makeup, their smiles were utterly terrifying. Le Ya let out a short scream and pushed Chen Yang. “Y-you… turn around and look…”

Chen Yang, puzzled, turned his head to look.

Only then did he remember—it was the eve of Halloween.

Le Ya took a step back, instinctively tugging at Chen Yang’s clothes. Her hand also grabbed onto a thin rope.

The stairwell was narrow, and as she stepped back, she ended up on the lower level.

Chen Yang hadn’t anticipated this. In her haste, the rope Le Ya had grabbed came loose easily.

The ghosts hadn’t expected her to react so strongly. They were simply celebrating Halloween here, and since there were many people around at night, they decided to have some fun.

They never imagined scaring someone like this.

The stairwell fell into silence for a long moment.

After a while, Chen Yang extended his hand. “Give it to me.”

Once she regained her composure, Le Ya gently placed the object that had been hurting her palm into his hand.

Her voice was soft. “I didn’t mean to.”

Le Ya had seen him wearing it a long time ago. She hadn’t expected it to come off so easily today and worried that she might have broken it.

As she released her grip, the cool object slipped away, and a brief flash of silver revealed its true form.

It was a delicate crescent-shaped pendant.