Please come to my house for dinner.

At the dinner table, Su Ran was in a good mood. The plot was progressing smoothly, and the excitement level was rising nicely.

For their kind of storyline, excitement sometimes mattered more than plot completion. A higher excitement level significantly boosted the final rating, which in turn meant better rewards.

At that moment, Su Ran sat together with Ye Qiao. Zhao Mingzhe was beside him, while He Zhiwen and Jiang Yi sat opposite.

Zhao Mingzhe obediently ate his meal, so Su Ran didn’t have to take care of him and could eat quietly, occasionally sipping some red wine. Today, not only was He Zhiwen happy, but Jiang Yi also seemed pleased. Becoming neighbors with the boss and establishing a close friendship was a big deal.

“President He, since we’re so close now, you must come over for dinner often,” Jiang Yi said with a smile.

Su Ran was delighted to hear this. He cooked every day, so whether there was one more or one less person didn’t matter. If He Zhiwen frequently joined for meals, it would not only advance the storyline but also increase the excitement.

Now Ye Qiao stayed at his place every day, and He Zhiwen had become a neighbor who would surely drop by often. The only one missing now was Lu Jin.

If they all confirmed their feelings in the future, Su Ran could hardly imagine how thrilling that would be.

“Welcome? If I’m welcome, I’ll come over every day to mooch meals,” He Zhiwen said, looking at Su Ran with gentle eyes.

Su Ran knew this was addressed to him, the cook, and immediately responded, “Of course you’re welcome. You can come anytime.”

He Zhiwen’s refined smile never left his face; he kept looking at Su Ran. “It would be such a blessing to eat your cooking every day.”

Being appreciated like this made Su Ran very happy; he couldn’t suppress the curve of his lips. Then He Zhiwen added, “Su Ran, whoever gets to be with you will be truly fortunate.”

Su Ran was momentarily surprised. The table fell silent. He instinctively glanced at Jiang Yi, who frowned but didn’t look at him. The smile on Su Ran’s face stiffened. He didn’t know if Jiang Yi agreed with He Zhiwen’s words. His expression was complicated, unreadable, but it was enough to hurt Su Ran.

Just then, a hand grasped his, fingers gently squeezing his palm. Ye Qiao looked at He Zhiwen and said, “Of course, you’re not the only one who thinks so.”

Their eyes met, charged with subtle tension, neither yielding an inch.

At that moment, Zhao Mingzhe broke the eerie atmosphere at the table. He finished eating, tugged at Su Ran’s sleeve, and said, “Ranran, I’m done.”

Su Ran smiled and ruffled Zhao Mingzhe’s hair. “Finished? Go play with your toys. I’ll come join you after I finish eating.”

“Okay!” Zhao Mingzhe wrapped his arms around Su Ran’s neck, kissed him on the cheek, then went off to play.

The topic at the table shifted, and Su Ran ate quietly, occasionally glancing at Jiang Yi, who was drinking quickly with no one to restrain him. Su Ran wondered what was troubling him.

After two glasses, Su Ran felt a little dizzy—just right to get a good night’s sleep without overindulging.

Zhao Mingzhe came back, saying he was sleepy. Su Ran picked him up, greeted everyone at the table, and said, “I’m going to put him to sleep. You all enjoy your meal.”

With that, Su Ran headed to the bedroom. Seeing that Jiang Yi and the others wouldn’t finish drinking anytime soon, he closed the door behind him.

---

Faint voices could be heard from the other room. Su Ran gently patted Zhao Mingzhe, coaxing him to sleep, while he himself grew increasingly drowsy. His eyelids fluttered, and soon he too fell asleep.

At the dinner table, Ye Qiao glanced at his watch and then at the firmly closed bedroom door. Su Ran had been inside for an hour and still hadn’t come out.

Everyone else had nearly finished eating. Ye Qiao hadn’t had much to drink, but He Zhiwen and Jiang Yi had consumed quite a bit, chatting extensively about company matters and seemingly seeing each other as close confidants. Watching the two, Ye Qiao found their camaraderie insincere.

He didn’t pay them any more mind and got up to head to the bedroom. But just as he reached the door, He Zhiwen called out, “Little Ye, where do you think you’re going?”

The use of that nickname irked Ye Qiao. He looked coldly at He Zhiwen—he wasn’t his subordinate, nor were they close. Such terms were usually reserved for superiors addressing juniors, and He Zhiwen had no right to say that.

“I’m taking Su Ran home with me,” Ye Qiao said.

He Zhiwen staggered a bit as he approached, clearly tipsy but mentally alert. Ye Qiao’s words seemed to imply Su Ran belonged to him, but He Zhiwen, older by a few years, concealed his emotions well.

He gently pressed down on the doorknob, peeked inside, then shushed and locked the door. “Su Ran’s asleep. Let him rest; he’s had a long day.”

Ye Qiao remained unmoved. “He will have to go home eventually. Isn’t it better to wake him now?”

The words “go home” were emphasized heavily. He Zhiwen smiled and looked at Jiang Yi. “Jiang Yi, why don’t we let Su Ran sleep here tonight? He’s had a tiring day, and there’s nothing to worry about if he stays with me.”

Jiang Yi was also drunk, his head fuzzy. He nodded along, “Why worry? Let him rest well.”

He Zhiwen smiled at Ye Qiao. Despite the flush of intoxication, his demeanor was still refined and carried the calm authority of a superior.

Ye Qiao stared him down, unwilling to show any weakness. But Jiang Yi’s words made it impossible for him to keep a straight face. He glanced at Jiang Yi, silently cursing him as a “fool.”

In the end, Ye Qiao left first. He Zhiwen returned to the table in good spirits, continuing to drink with Jiang Yi. He was genuinely starting to like Jiang Yi—capable at work and even introducing him to Su Ran.

After a few more drinks, Jiang Yi finally admitted defeat and stood unsteadily, bidding He Zhiwen farewell.

He Zhiwen was also drunk. Once Jiang Yi left, the living room was quiet. He made his way to the bedroom.

Though unsteady, he didn’t behave like a drunkard and maintained a dignified appearance. Upon opening the door, he saw Zhao Mingzhe and Su Ran lying in bed, Su Ran holding Zhao Mingzhe close as they both slept soundly.

A wife holding her baby—this was the picture He Zhiwen saw.

He smiled with contentment and happiness, then leaned down to kiss Zhao Mingzhe’s cheek and then Su Ran’s.

Next, he lay down beside Su Ran, pressing close with barely any space between them, his arm wrapped around Su Ran’s waist.

Though he had just closed his eyes to sleep, he forced himself to open them again slightly, propping himself up to whisper in Su Ran’s ear, “Honey, let’s try hard tonight and have a little sister, okay?”

Su Ran’s ear tingled. He rubbed it, gradually waking, feeling the heat on his body. Moving slightly, he discovered a heavy arm around his waist.

---

Su Ran turned and saw He Zhiwen sleeping beside him, already deeply asleep.

Just then, there was a loud knock on the door. Su Ran looked at the sleeping adults and child. He Zhiwen must have drunk too much; the knocking didn’t disturb his sleep. Zhao Mingzhe shifted, frowning slightly. Su Ran hurried to open the door.

It was Ye Qiao, his face dark and displeased. He usually wore a calm, gentle expression around Su Ran, despite his aloof demeanor. This heavy gloom was a first.

“What’s wrong?” Su Ran asked.

“I’m here to take you home,” Ye Qiao said, his tone softening a bit as he reached out to smooth Su Ran’s tousled hair. “Jiang Yi really left you here on your own.”

“Oh…” Su Ran’s face fell slightly. It seemed Jiang Yi had forgotten about him.

After changing shoes, Su Ran stepped out and closed the door behind him. Ye Qiao glanced at the bag in his hand. “What’s that?”

Su Ran took out a box and opened it with a smile. “Brother He was really thoughtful. He noticed how hard I’ve been taking care of Zhao Mingzhe and bought this as a gift.”

Ye Qiao took the watch from the box, fiddled with it, and scoffed, “Thoughtful indeed—a Patek Philippe worth over two million.”

Su Ran froze, doubting his hearing. “W-what?”

Ye Qiao’s lips curled into a cold smile as she looked at Su Ran. “Patek Philippe. This model costs around two million.”

Suddenly, the watch felt scorching hot in Su Ran’s hands. “So expensive? I’d better return it.”

He turned to leave, but the door was closed and He Zhiwen was asleep. Such a costly gift left him dazed—this wasn’t just a watch, it was worth as much as a whole building in their town.

“I’ll find a chance to give it back...” Su Ran muttered. He had never owned anything so valuable before.

“Ranran, you should have a watch, but don’t take his. You barely know him, and such an expensive gift feels suspicious,” Ye Qiao said, taking Su Ran’s hand. “I’ll give you a watch. You give this back.”

“Yes, I definitely can’t accept something so extravagant,” Su Ran agreed.

“Right. That’s like two years of my brother’s salary,” Ye Qiao added, a faint, indifferent smile on his lips.

Who exactly was He Zhiwen? An ordinary office worker wouldn’t have that kind of wealth. Jiang Yi, this useless guy, was truly setting himself up to be cuckolded!