Chà Chà Novel

The surrounding guests were all drawn to the scene. They paused just as they were about to clink glasses and turned to look in Yi Heng’s direction.

“What on earth are you doing? How could you be so careless?”

Cold sweat beaded on the girl’s father’s forehead. He seemed just as stunned by the sudden incident.

While scolding his daughter, he carefully observed Yi Heng’s expression, terrified that the slightest displeasure might cause Yi Heng to terminate his family’s business partnership.

However, Yi Heng showed little reaction. He simply stepped back twice, avoiding the girl’s hands as she frantically tried to wipe his clothes.

“It’s alright.”

The girl’s cheeks flushed red.

“I’m terribly sorry. Let me get some more tissues and see if I can dry it off.”

Again?

Gu Yan bit the soft flesh inside his cheek.

The rumors about his relationship with Yi Heng had already spread everywhere, yet someone still had the nerve to openly flirt with Yi Heng, even going so far as to touch him in front of everyone.

It was outrageous!

As Yi Heng’s contractual boyfriend, Gu Yan simply couldn’t stand by and watch. He had to strictly fulfill the terms of their agreement and step in to stop this.

Fortunately, he wasn’t some pushover who could be bullied so easily. When someone was practically stepping all over him, there was no way he could tolerate it.

The girl’s eyes were filled with apology. Her delicate eyebrows were drawn together, and her face was full of apparent remorse.

She had just approached Yi Heng with a tissue when a slender, fair hand suddenly reached out from the right and caught her wrist.

The girl turned her head.

A strikingly handsome young man was looking at her. The sudden cold glint in his eyes made her flinch.

Gu Yan politely released her hand.

“There’s no need to go to so much trouble. I’ll take him to the lounge to change into something clean.”

The girl was clearly unwilling to give up and asked in a soft voice,

“Who are you? What gives you the right to…”

But then realization struck her.

The young man standing before her was probably Yi Heng’s rumored boyfriend.

The surrounding guests began whispering among themselves.

“So the two of them really are together…”

“He’s already in a relationship, yet she still tried to seduce him. That girl really has no manners.”

“Well, look at that. She got called out by his actual boyfriend right in front of everyone.”

The girl’s face turned crimson as she glared at Gu Yan.

Gu Yan merely looked back at her calmly.

A moment later, an arm suddenly wrapped around Gu Yan’s shoulders.

Yi Heng lowered his head slightly and whispered beside his ear,

“Let’s go.”

With that single gesture, their relationship was effectively confirmed in front of all the prominent figures of the capital’s upper society.

The guests immediately reacted with a mixture of expressions.

Gu Yan caught the meaningful looks directed at them, then glanced at Yi Heng’s stern profile.

An inexplicable sense of grievance suddenly welled up inside him, leaving a sour, uncomfortable feeling in his chest.

What the heck…

He had bitten him just a few days ago!

And he’d bitten him so hard!

Even now, there were still obvious teeth marks on the back of his neck!

That girl had been deliberately swirling her wineglass around. Her intentions were so obvious!

Couldn’t Yi Heng have dodged?

Since when had his reflexes become so slow?

All these thoughts surged through Gu Yan’s mind like crashing waves, but he said nothing.

Without uttering a word, he followed Yi Heng into the lounge.

The attendant had already neatly folded the replacement clothes and placed them on the sofa.

With his back turned to Gu Yan, Yi Heng removed his wine-soaked suit jacket, revealing his firm, well-defined muscles.

Gu Yan quickly turned his head away, his cheeks growing slightly warm.

Coincidentally, a mirror had been installed along one side of the lounge.

In its reflection, Gu Yan caught sight of the complicated expression on his own face.

His furrowed brows suggested clear displeasure, yet the blush spreading across his cheeks betrayed the shyness hidden in his eyes.

Gu Yan froze.

Why was he making that kind of expression?

Back on the yacht, Yi Heng had also been pestered by another Omega.

In fact, that situation had been even more outrageous than today’s. That Omega had actually released seductive pheromones in an attempt to entice him.

Yet Gu Yan hadn’t felt nearly as upset back then.

He had simply been fulfilling their agreement and helping Yi Heng out, nothing more.

Could it be…

A thought suddenly began to take root deep within Gu Yan’s heart.

Could it be… that he had fallen for Yi Heng?

“All done.”

Yi Heng’s voice suddenly broke the silence, making Gu Yan flinch instinctively.

Gu Yan quickly opened the lounge door. Habitually reaching up to touch his neck, he spoke somewhat hesitantly.

“Mm. Let’s go.”

“Wait.”

Yi Heng reached out to straighten Gu Yan’s collar, which had become slightly disheveled. His warm palm brushed against Gu Yan’s skin, causing his breath to catch for a moment.

The two returned to the main hall, where many guests turned to look at them.

Gu Yan walked a few steps behind Yi Heng. Having unexpectedly caught a glimpse of his own deepest feelings, his heartbeat had fallen completely out of rhythm.

Noticing that Gu Yan hadn’t caught up, Yi Heng deliberately stopped to wait for him. He then positioned himself between Gu Yan and the curious gazes of the other guests, shielding him from their scrutiny.

The charity gala was drawing to a close. Gu Yan was beginning to feel sleepy and rubbed his eyes as guests gradually started leaving.

But just then, someone suddenly burst through the main entrance at astonishing speed, leaving several uniformed security guards far behind.

The person charged straight toward Gu Yan.

Taking a closer look, Gu Yan realized it was none other than Lin Chen, who had broken up with Gu Xingxing not long ago.

“Gu Yan, are you really going to abandon me? Are you really breaking up with me just for the Yi family’s status and influence?”

Lin Chen appeared to be drunk. His eyes were unfocused, and the smell of alcohol clung heavily to his body.

The moment those words left his mouth, every business tycoon, wealthy young lady, and distinguished socialite in attendance turned to stare in astonishment.

Their expressions made it seem as though they had just heard an earth-shattering piece of gossip.

Some guests secretly glanced at Yi Heng, only to find his expression stern and imposing as his eyes slowly darkened.

Gu Yan looked at Lin Chen coldly.

“We haven’t had anything to do with each other for a long time.”

But Lin Chen acted as though he couldn’t understand a word.

“What do you mean, nothing to do with each other? I’m your ex-boyfriend! You broke up with me for the Yi family’s power and influence. Does seeing how miserable I’ve become make you happy?”

Wang Zhiliang stepped beside Gu Yan with a look of utter disgust and loudly retorted,

“Are you out of your mind? What ex-boyfriend? Your ex is Gu Xingxing, alright? Don’t come here spouting nonsense just because you’ve had a few drinks of cheap booze!”

Seeing the commotion, the security guards surrounded them, uncertain whether they should apprehend the man.

Lin Chen stared at Gu Yan with dark, brooding eyes.

For the past few days, he had been constantly wondering why Gu Yan had changed so drastically. After turning the matter over in his mind again and again, he had finally figured it out.

Rather than obsessing over the reason, he might as well drag Gu Yan down with him.

After all, it was entirely Gu Yan’s fault that he had been publicly reprimanded throughout the university.

Today, he was determined to bring Gu Yan down, even if it meant destroying himself in the process.

Even if the person standing opposite him belonged to the Yi family, a family powerful enough to dominate the entire capital, he refused to let Gu Yan live comfortably.

Yi Heng spoke calmly and unhurriedly.

“He doesn’t have an invitation. Escort him out.”

“Yi Heng!”

Before Yi Heng could finish speaking, Lin Chen shouted at the top of his lungs.

“He’s been cheating on you! Do you even realize that? Do you know you’re the third party in someone else’s relationship?”

Lin Chen wanted to provoke Yi Heng into a rage and make Gu Yan lose everything he currently possessed.

Yi Feng felt his temples throbbing furiously as he listened.

He immediately stepped forward, ready to kick that idiot straight to the ground, but Gu Yan stopped him.

Some of the guests covered their mouths in shock.

Unlike the other wealthy families, whose romantic relationships and private lives were often tangled in scandal, the Yi family had always maintained an impeccable reputation, standing out like a breath of fresh air among the upper class.

And now, Yi Heng was being accused of interfering in someone else’s relationship as the third party.

For the Yi family, this was an enormous scandal.

Shen Yan glanced at Yi Heng’s expression before nudging Gu Chengjing, signaling for him to hurry up and reprimand Gu Yan to make the Gu family’s position clear.

Although Gu Chengjing had a poor relationship with Gu Yan, he was also afraid that this incident might implicate the entire Gu family.

He quickly stepped forward, pointed directly at Gu Yan’s face, and shouted,

“You ungrateful brat! Explain yourself right now! What the hell is going on here? If you don’t clear this up today, just wait until we get home! I’ll break your legs!”

Gu Chengjing was about to continue his tirade when he suddenly caught sight of the chilling, sinister coldness in Yi Heng’s eyes.

His flabby body trembled, and he immediately lost the courage to say another word.

Gu Yan calmly regarded the drunken man making a scene in front of him.

He knew perfectly well what Lin Chen was scheming.

Ignoring the strange looks directed at him by the surrounding guests, Gu Yan openly admitted that he and Lin Chen had once dated, without the slightest attempt to conceal it.

“But there’s one thing you need to get straight. You broke up with me three months ago, and I only met Yi Heng a little over a month ago. So where exactly does this supposed third party come into the picture?”

Gu Yan had already been in a terrible mood because of the girl who had deliberately spilled wine on Yi Heng earlier that evening.

And now, as though one nuisance wasn’t enough, he was getting another one thrown in for free.

All these people seemed determined to ruin his night!

“Unless you’re suffering from some kind of persecution complex, or perhaps that pitiful little ego of yours is acting up. You need to invent an excuse for why you can’t have me, and while you’re at it, turn around and blame everything on me.”

Gu Yan looked at Lin Chen indifferently.

His emotionless voice cut through the silent air. He wasn’t speaking loudly, yet every word reached everyone’s ears with perfect clarity, piercing straight through Lin Chen’s petty schemes.

Lin Chen stammered, “You—! That’s not true! Stop making baseless accusations against me!”

Having his shameful intentions exposed in front of everyone, Lin Chen began to panic despite his desperate refusal to admit anything.

The people present weren’t fools, either.

They could all see that Lin Chen was making malicious accusations without any basis.

Just as Lin Chen himself had pointed out, the Yi family’s power and status were undeniable. Who in their right mind would dare put Yi Heng in the position of being the third party in someone else’s relationship?

“You can escort him out now.”

At some point, Yi Heng had appeared behind Gu Yan, casually resting one hand on his shoulder.

Seeing that his attempt to stir up a scandal had failed, Lin Chen completely lost his composure and began blurting out whatever came to mind.

“He’s been fooling around with so many people, and your Yi family still wants him? He’s a total player! He spends all his time hanging around bars, drinking, eating, and partying! You people—”

Yi Heng’s eyes flashed like icy blades.

His already cold expression instantly turned sharp and intimidating, carrying an almost murderous severity.

“Gu Yan is my partner. It’s not the place of irrelevant outsiders to pass judgment on him.”

Gu Yan felt the hand resting on his shoulder tighten slightly. The warmth of Yi Heng’s palm seemed to seep through the fabric of his clothes and reach his skin.

“Exactly! And what’s all this nonsense about whether our family wants him or not? What, do you think a partner is some kind of commodity to be accepted or rejected?”

Yi Feng was thoroughly disgusted by Lin Chen.

Although he had never been particularly enthusiastic about Gu Yan, his parents had already accepted him.

That meant Gu Yan was now one of the Yi family, and Yi Feng was going to stand up for him.

Lin Chen was left speechless by their responses.

Receiving a signal from Yi Heng, the security guards stepped forward to remove the troublemaker.

But Lin Chen had apparently decided that he had nothing left to lose.

He struggled violently and broke free from the guards’ restraint. Then, grabbing a champagne bottle from a nearby table, he swung it straight at Gu Yan.

Yi Heng reacted instantly.

He pulled Gu Yan into his arms and turned sideways to dodge the attack.

The bottle shattered against the floor with a deafening crash.

Glass fragments scattered in every direction, drawing startled cries from the crowd.

“Call the police.”

Yi Heng looked down at Lin Chen, who had been wrestled to the ground by the security guards.

His gaze was colder than ever, and he had no intention of giving the man another chance.

The police soon arrived and took Lin Chen away.

Even though he had been drinking, Lin Chen would ultimately be unable to escape the consequences of the law.

After Lin Chen was taken away, Gu Yan found an opportunity to speak with Yi Heng privately and told him about Du Ting.

Yi Heng didn’t seem particularly surprised. On the contrary, a flicker of understanding passed through his eyes.

“It’s just a shame that we still don’t have any concrete evidence. Otherwise, we could already take legal action against him,” Gu Yan said regretfully.

He glanced at Yi Heng uneasily.

After all, it was because of him that the Yi family had become the subject of ridicule that evening. It would be a lie to say he didn’t feel guilty.

“Gu Yan.”

Yi Heng suddenly called his name.

“Huh? Yes?”

“Thank you. But don’t investigate this any further.”

“Why?”

This was the only thing Gu Yan could do for Yi Heng right now. He also wanted to find evidence to make up for the damage he had caused to the Yi family’s reputation.

Yi Heng paused for a moment before answering.

“Because he’s not nearly as easy to deal with as you think. Don’t get yourself tangled up in this.”

Having been Du Ting’s cousin for so many years, Yi Heng understood him well.

Du Ting was exceptionally skilled at disguising his true nature and was extremely cautious in everything he did.

On the surface, he appeared harmless and unthreatening, but deep down, he was insecure and deeply twisted.

Yi Heng didn’t want Gu Yan getting involved with someone like that.

“But haven’t I been involved from the very beginning?”

Gu Yan smiled faintly.

“I was in the car when that man was following you. Besides, everyone already thinks we’re in that kind of relationship. I’ve been caught up in this for a long time.”

A faint trace of surprise flashed through Yi Heng’s light brown eyes.

Then it transformed into an unreadable glimmer before disappearing into the depths of his gaze.

He offered no further argument.

Lin Chen remained in police custody for several consecutive days.

Even the university authorities learned about the incident and began considering whether to expel him or place him on disciplinary probation.

The news became the final straw that broke Lin Chen.

His studies were affected, and his future prospects seemed hopeless. He spent his days at the police station refusing food and water, overwhelmed by regret.

But no matter how much he regretted his actions, it was already too late.

Gu Yan couldn’t help sighing at the situation.

If Lin Chen had simply continued dating Gu Xingxing properly and played his role as the story’s protagonist, he would never have ended up in such a miserable state.

As late autumn approached, T University organized a mountain-climbing excursion.

Between the capital and a neighboring province stretched a mountain range extending for thousands of miles.

Every autumn, the mountains were adorned with brilliant orange-red maple leaves.

However, the most captivating attraction wasn’t the breathtaking scenery, but rather a beautiful legend associated with the mountain.

According to the legend, long ago, a pair of lovers became lost in the mountains.

Their love was as steadfast as gold and stone. Even after all the food and water in their packs had run out, neither was willing to abandon the other.

Yet their mortal bodies ultimately could not withstand the bitter winter.

In the end, utterly exhausted, they leaned against each other and fell into an eternal sleep on a night when snow blanketed the entire landscape.

Miraculously, in the early spring of the following year, a tiny sapling emerged from the very spot where the lovers had died.

No matter how fiercely the wind blew or the rain battered it, the sapling remained standing.

Over the years, it grew into an enormous ancient tree, so massive that even five people joining hands couldn’t encircle its trunk.

Legend had it that the lovers’ devotion had moved the heavens.

Anyone who made a wish beneath that tree would have their wish granted.

Furthermore, the fortune sticks drawn beneath its branches were said to reveal the truest possible answers.

A few featherlike white clouds drifted across the brilliant blue sky.

The university students participating in the excursion had crowded so tightly around the ancient tree that there was hardly any space left.

Gu Yan was also pushed by Wang Zhiliang into the line for drawing fortune sticks.

“What are you going to ask about?” Gu Yan asked, unable to suppress a smile at Wang Zhiliang’s eager expression.

Wang Zhiliang replied with exaggerated seriousness,

“I can’t tell you. If I say it out loud, the wish won’t come true!”

The two approached the tree and each picked up a cylindrical container filled with fortune sticks.

Wang Zhiliang muttered solemnly under his breath as though performing some mysterious ritual.

Before long, a stick fell out of his container.

It was a Great Fortune stick.

“Yes! I’ve totally got this!”

Wang Zhiliang cheered excitedly before turning to see what Gu Yan had drawn.

“Holy shit!”

His jaw nearly dropped to the ground.

“The Highest Fortune! Yan Zi, what on earth did you ask for?”

The other students also cast envious glances in their direction.

The Highest Fortune was the very best fortune one could draw, symbolizing the greatest luck and most auspicious outcome.

Countless people wished to draw such a stick but never managed to.

Gu Yan tightened his grip around the wooden fortune stick and stared at it for a long time.

Just now, he had asked the ancient tree about his relationship with Yi Heng.

It seemed that everything had finally been answered.

Judging by Gu Yan’s reaction, Wang Zhiliang could already guess most of what was going on.

He immediately began teasing him.

“Oh, would you look at that! I almost forgot! You’ve got a boyfriend now, so of course you must have asked about your love life! Tsk, tsk, the Highest Fortune! Looks like it’s meant to be!”

Gu Yan stiffly curved his lips into a faint smile.

Yet his expression was nowhere near as happy as one might have expected.

Wang Zhiliang simply assumed that Gu Yan didn’t believe in fortune-telling and didn’t think much of it. He grabbed Gu Yan and pulled him toward the area where visitors hung their wish plaques.

“Come on! Let’s hurry up and hang our wish plaques! We’re only halfway up the mountain, and there’s still a long way to go before we reach the summit!”

“Mm,” Gu Yan replied softly.

While Wang Zhiliang had his back turned, Gu Yan quietly took out another fortune stick that he had hidden in his sleeve and slipped it back into the container.

In truth, he had asked two questions.

One was about Yi Heng.

The other was about himself.

For the question concerning Yi Heng, he had drawn the Highest Fortune, the most auspicious fortune of all.

But for the question about himself, he had drawn the Lowest Fortune.

An omen of great misfortune.