Yu Li leaned against the bar counter, her fox-like eyes beneath the lazy tilt of her hat brim curving into crescent moons. "How ironic..." she murmured. In the game instance, she had refused to admit her mistakes. Now, she found herself wishing everything was just an illusion.

Rong Fan, standing nearby, overheard her words and turned with hesitation. "Your ability..." he began. Yu Li merely cast him a sidelong glance before standing up to leave. Her objective here was complete - there was no reason to stay any longer.

"Hey—" Rong Fan hastily put down his glass and followed her out, trailing behind the woman. "Yu Li, can't you talk with me for a bit? I won't bite. Why do you always ignore me?"

On the street, Yu Li removed her mask and hat, her cold fox eyes meeting his. "Rong Fan," she said sharply, "I have no idle chatter for you. Our relationship doesn't warrant small talk. If you have business, state it quickly."

Unlike the dim alleyways or the flashing bar lights, the street illumination was clear, revealing the woman's striking beauty in full detail. Her exquisite features appeared even more pronounced - plump red lips, those mesmerizing fox eyes that seemed to intoxicate with just a glance, like ripples across wine.

Rong Fan froze momentarily, feeling an unexpected warmth rise to his face as the alcohol's effects seemed to belatedly kick in. Fanning himself with his hand, his gaze remained fixed on Yu Li. When her face had been obscured earlier, he'd spoken freely, treating her as a stranger. Now, inexplicable nervousness gripped him.

"C-can't we just be friends?"

Yu Li found this utterly ridiculous. Without another word, she turned to leave, pulling out her phone to message Bo Jingmo, asking if he was busy and intending to have him pick her up. It wasn't too late - she might as well go to Bo Jingmo's place. Mainly because the man had seemed off during the day;

she needed to check on him.

Noticing her texting, Rong Fan suddenly leaned in close from behind, whispering softly, "Messaging Bo Jingmo? Don't bother. He doesn't have time for you right now."

Yu Li's expression instantly frosted over at his unexpected proximity. She disliked others touching Bo Jingmo, and equally despised such abrupt invasions of her personal space.

Seeing her reaction, a thoughtful glint flashed through Rong Fan's eyes before he feigned surprise, putting on an apologetic face. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."

Yu Li's lips twisted slightly. Didn't mean to? Not even a dog would believe that. She stared at Rong Fan expressionlessly, scrutinizing him.

Under her gaze, Rong Fan coughed awkwardly. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Considering where to hit you so you'd spend months in hospital," Yu Li replied flatly. "Preferably on a ventilator. That mouth of yours is particularly annoying."

Rong Fan: "..." How ruthless.

Unbeknownst to Yu Li, their interaction had drawn the attention of two young men across the street. One of them, upon seeing Yu Li's face, immediately tugged his companion's sleeve. "Hey! Isn't that Brother Bo's girlfriend?" Her features were too distinctive to mistake.

Ye Boli adjusted his glasses, squinting for a better look before nodding. "Seems like it." Turning back, he saw Chen Chao already raising his phone to take a photo. "What are you doing?" Ye Boli tried to stop him.

"Sending it to Brother Bo to confirm," Chen Chao dodged, speaking as if it were obvious. "If it's her, we can go say hi later. Wouldn't want to embarrass ourselves by mistaking someone." Lowering his voice conspiratorially, he added, "Besides...notice that guy with Yu Li? They seem...pretty close. Just giving Brother Bo a heads-up."

Ye Boli frowned. "This doesn't feel right. It's their private matter."

"Now that's not being a good roommate," Chen Chao declared righteously, phone still raised. "As Brother Bo's friends, we should help address anything that might...complicate his romantic life."

Ye Boli: "..." What bizarre logic.

Chen Chao glanced at his phone. "Too late, already sent it."

Ye Boli sighed. "Fine. Any reply from Brother Bo?"

"Not yet. Probably still busy."

Looking across the street, Ye Boli noted the distance made details unclear. "Maybe we shouldn't approach. That guy could just be a friend of hers."

Suddenly Chen Chao exclaimed: "Reply! He says it's her."

Ye Boli: "Did he ask about the other guy?"

Chen Chao scratched his head. "No, but he wants us to let him know if we see Yu Li return to campus."

Meanwhile, Yu Li received Bo Jingmo's response: [Lili, sorry, I'm tied up tonight. Can't come get you.]

Before she could react, Rong Fan peeked at the message and smirked. "See? Told you he wouldn't be available."

Yu Li glared coldly. "You're incredibly rude, reading private messages."

Rong Fan blinked, smiling as he adjusted his glasses. "Just stating facts. In fact, I know exactly why Bo Jingmo can't come." Leaning closer with an enigmatic smile, he added, "Because Bai Shaodong knows about you now. Care to guess why he summoned Bo Jingmo back?"

Yu Li studied him for a long moment before murmuring, "This is becoming truly tiresome..."

As Rong Fan moved closer to ask what she'd said, the woman suddenly smiled. "Alright, Rong Fan. I'll talk with you. There are some questions I'd like answered too. Let's find somewhere quieter."

He blinked, momentarily dazzled by her smile, cheeks coloring as he coughed and looked away. "S-sure! My car's—"

"No need for cars." A red glint flashed through Yu Li's eyes as she smirked. "I know just the place."

Seeing Yu Li and Rong Fan leave together, Chen Chao turned. "They're leaving. Should we follow?"

Ye Boli considered briefly. "At a distance. Just to make sure nothing happens."

...

In the Bo family ancestral home's sitting room, a servant stood anxiously nearby. "Young Master, your hand—"

Bo Jingmo remained silent, staring at the photo on his phone. The image showed a man and woman standing intimately close, the man seemingly pressed against the woman's back from that angle.

His eyelashes trembled slightly, his handsome face eerily calm yet radiating a fragile pain, like a snow-capped mountain on the verge of collapse. Turning off the screen, his slender fingers clenched the phone violently, veins standing out starkly against pale skin, fingertips whitening from pressure.

Drip. Drip.

Blood droplets fell steadily from his palm onto the floor, blooming like crimson flowers. Bo Jingmo gazed down at the spreading stains, dark pupils tinged with red, lips trembling slightly.

"Lili..."