The male Homo sapiens got out of the car, walked around to the passenger side, and opened the door. Holding Yiyi's hand, he helped her out as she smiled brightly and then affectionately looped her arm through his as they walked inside.
After paying the driver, he followed nervously behind. He saw the male Homo sapiens lead Yiyi into a private room before the door shut firmly.
Anxious and unsure of what was happening inside, he hesitated to barge in. Just then, he noticed a server entering with a fruit platter. Through the briefly opened door, he caught a glimpse of six or seven men and women inside—among them, Ding Ling.
The male Homo sapiens still had his arm around Yiyi as they sat on the sofa, their heads close together, faces nearly touching, chatting happily. He watched as the man's lips almost brushed Yiyi's cheek.
His head felt like it was about to explode, his entire body tense with rage. Every hair on his body seemed to stand on end. Clenching his fists, he shoved the door open and stormed in, leaving everyone inside frozen in shock.
Pale with fury, he strode forward and grabbed the collar of the man pressed intimately against Yiyi. The man, somewhat dark-skinned and appearing to be in his forties, was yanked off the sofa. Without hesitation, he landed a fierce punch on the man's face. Stunned, the man clutched his nose, staring bewildered at the contorted expression of Shu Tong.
Only then did Yiyi recognize him. "Shu Tong! What are you doing here? Let him go!" she cried.
Shu Tong's face darkened, anger etched into his brow as his bloodshot eyes bore into her. "What were you doing?" he growled through gritted teeth. "What's your relationship with him?"
Ding Ling quickly stepped forward, her voice tense but raised. "Shu Tong, you've misunderstood. We're just colleagues and friends hanging out. We're used to joking around—don't take it seriously."
"Joking around? Their faces were practically glued together!" Shu Tong snapped, glaring at the now disheveled man, who cursed at him and lunged forward, only to be held back by Yiyi gripping his arm.
Shu Tong's icy gaze shifted to Yiyi. "I saw you two leaving a hotel together. I followed you here. Tell me—what's going on between you?"
Yiyi faltered, releasing the man's arm and lowering her head. "N-nothing," she stammered. "We're just friends."
Ding Ling patted her chest, her expression one of sudden realization. With a light laugh, she said, "Shu Tong, you're overthinking it. Yiyi and he have no special relationship. She's about to get married—we're celebrating her farewell to singlehood. Everyone's just having fun. Don't take it to heart."
"As for Mr. Cheng, Yiyi was supposed to come alone, but since he was also meeting us and happened to be nearby, I asked her to wait for him at the hotel entrance and ride together. It's normal for friends to be affectionate these days. Even celebrities walk arm in arm on red carpets—does that mean they're involved?"
"Shu Tong, don't be so petty. Yiyi hasn't done anything wrong. You've known her for years—don't you trust her?"
Shu Tong's expression softened slightly at Ding Ling's words. The man shot him a venomous glare, loosened his tie, muttered curses under his breath, and stormed out.
Still unsettled, Shu Tong watched as Yiyi hesitantly approached. "Shu Tong, please don't be angry," she pleaded, her large, innocent eyes blinking up at him. "I swear, nothing happened."
The others in the room nodded in agreement, as if to reassure him that he was overreacting.
Yiyi turned to Ding Ling. "I'll go back with Shu Tong now. Sorry for the trouble today."
With an apologetic nod, she linked arms with Shu Tong and led him out.
Outside, Shu Tong's face remained grim. The memory of Yiyi laughing so brightly while clinging to that man gnawed at him.
Over the past two years, Yiyi had often gone out, but he'd never questioned what she did. He assumed it was just dinners, karaoke, or bars—normal social activities for young people. He trusted her, believing that as long as she was happy, it didn't matter.
But now, he wondered—who were these friends she'd made? What did they really do together?
He couldn't demand that Yiyi's life revolve solely around work and...