"Thanks, I've seen your dramas too." Jiang Yuanheng shook his hand with equal enthusiasm.
The male actor was both surprised and delighted.
"I'm so obscure and you've still seen my dramas?"
He didn't even bother to judge whether Jiang Yuanheng's words were true, just reveling in the surprise that a famous male singer had actually watched his drama.
After the round of introductions, Su Zhiyi looked at the last person she hadn't introduced to Jiang Yuanheng—Pei Yan.
Pei Yan stood there stiffly, watching them with a detached gaze, unreadable.
Su Zhiyi met Pei Yan's indifferent eyes. She was startled at first, then after a few seconds of eye contact, she felt a twinge of guilt again.
Why did she always feel guilty around Pei Yan?
She hadn't done anything with Jiang Yuanheng, and she and Pei Yan weren't even in a relationship. So why the guilt?
"There's no need to introduce the last one. I know him."
Following Su Zhiyi's gaze, Jiang Yuanheng spotted Pei Yan not far away, watching the two of them.
He leaned slightly towards Su Zhiyi and whispered in her ear, "Why do you seem so scared of him?"
His face was very close to Su Zhiyi's ear, apparently to lower his voice. But because of the proximity, his breath landed on her ear, and her pale earlobe gradually turned crimson.
"No, I'm not..." Su Zhiyi took a subtle step sideways, covering her ear that Jiang Yuanheng had breathed on.
With that move, her attention involuntarily shifted from Pei Yan to Jiang Yuanheng.
Jiang Yuanheng raised an eyebrow at her, a look of "I know what you're thinking."
"Oh?" His tone rose slightly. "Really?"
"Okay, maybe a little." Su Zhiyi admitted, then directly asked Jiang Yuanheng, "Don't you think he's scary?"
Jiang Yuanheng laughed softly, his eyes crinkling.
"Of course. We're not the same generation. I remember he's over thirty? Almost ten years older than me. And then there's his personality... we just don't click."
"Oh, I almost forgot to tell you. I've met him several times before." He raised his eyebrows and said vividly, "Here's a little gossip about him. Actually, he's a young master of the Pei family in Beijing, the nephew of the current head of the Pei family. His family is super rich."
System 030 had told Su Zhiyi this little-known explosive gossip the first time she met Pei Yan.
She pretended to hear it for the first time, opening her red lips slightly, covering her mouth with her hand, and looking around to make sure no one except Jiang Yuanheng could hear.
"Wow... so impressive? No wonder there's no info about his family background online. So he has such strong backing."
"Yeah, and he doesn't show up at the Pei family often. When I saw him last year after I returned to China, I met the Pei family a few times with my family, and he was there."
"I've chatted with him a few times." Jiang Yuanheng stroked his chin in contemplation, then sighed heavily. "Sigh... talking to him feels like talking to my dad. It's really hard to communicate."
"What word best describes him? Let me think... Got it. There's a term from the internet—he's got such strong 'dad energy.'"
Dad energy...
Su Zhiyi couldn't help it anymore; she burst out laughing.
"Yuanheng..." she said meaningfully after her laughter subsided.
"Hmm?" Hearing Su Zhiyi call his name, Jiang Yuanheng perked up like an eager puppy, raising an eyebrow and blinking rapidly. "What's up, Sister Zhiyi?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you're not just good at singing, but also suited for stand-up comedy?" Su Zhiyi genuinely praised his conversational skill. "You're so funny!"
Jiang Yuanheng wasn't offended by the teasing; instead, he seemed praised and agreed with her.
"Actually, my agent just told me two days ago that a comedy show invited me to be a surprise guest. I was still thinking about whether to go. But since Sister Zhiyi thinks I'm fun, I'll accept."
"Really? You have to go! I'll definitely be in front of the TV watching your show!"
"Then you have to watch me the whole time, Sister Zhiyi. I'd be sad if you watched someone else."
"Of course I'll watch you. You're good-looking and funny. Who else would I watch?"
Su Zhiyi and Jiang Yuanheng kept chatting.
Jiang Yuanheng was only two years younger than her, so they were basically the same generation. Two people of the same age could chat without barriers.
Jiang Yuanheng was very articulate and knew how to make her laugh. He kept her laughing, and she had never felt so relaxed and happy.
Little did they know, a pair of eyes were fixed on them.
Pei Yan's face was dark enough to drip water. His arms were crossed over his chest, but his hands were clenched into fists, his fingers digging deep into his palms as if to tear through them.
Su Zhiyi's cheerful laughter reached his ears.
Unable to bear it any longer, he strode over to them in a huff.
Pei Yan stopped in front of Su Zhiyi and Jiang Yuanheng. He was only slightly taller than Jiang Yuanheng, but the pressure he exuded was immense. His tall figure seemed to cast a shadow over both of them.
Su Zhiyi stopped smiling the moment Pei Yan approached.
When he stopped in front of her, not only did her laughter cease, but the smile on her lips also vanished.
Jiang Yuanheng, however, was very familiar and took the initiative to greet Pei Yan.
But if you looked closely, the smile on his face wasn't as bright as when he was chatting with Su Zhiyi.
"Brother Pei, what a coincidence. Didn't expect to find you in this drama, too."
Pei Yan didn't respond to Jiang Yuanheng's greeting. His cold, scrutinizing gaze swept back and forth between the two of them.
Finally, it settled on Su Zhiyi.
He wanted to trust Su Zhiyi, and he really didn't want to interrogate her.
But seeing the person he liked laughing and chatting with another man, his question forced its way out through gritted teeth.
"You two, having fun?"