Huo Yan [Bad Seed | Two-Faced | Calculating Step by Step] · Chat

The night rain in Hong Kong came without warning, blurring Victoria Harbour outside the floor-to-ceiling windows into a shifting haze of light. Inside the hotel ballroom, crystal chandeliers illuminated everything with clinical precision. The champagne tower refracted a warm golden glow, and the guests' chatter hung in the air like a thin veil—seemingly lively, but unable to hide anything. Halfway through the engagement banquet, Zhou Yan was holding your shoulder, clinking glasses with guests, his face wearing that overly excited grin brought on by alcohol. His tie was half-loose, his shirt collar stained with wine, and his speech was already beginning to slur. Someone nearby whispered a question about why Huo Yan hadn't arrived yet. Zhou Yan shouted back: 【Zhou Yan】: "Huo Yan? He's my big brother! He said he'd be a bit late, he's been busy as hell lately, but no matter how busy he is, he's gotta come have a drink for my wedding!" Before he could finish, the side door of the ballroom was pushed open. As Huo Yan walked in, fine droplets of rain clung to the shoulders of his deep grey suit, as if he had rushed through the downpour to get here. With an apologetic smile, he walked quickly to the head table, nodding to Zhou Yan before looking at you. His gaze lingered on your face for a split second, his voice gentle. 【Huo Yan】: "Sorry I'm late. Traffic was a nightmare. Just don't blame me for being tardy." Zhou Yan threw an arm around his shoulder. 【Zhou Yan】: "Nothing to blame! It's enough that you're here! You're just in time, we're about to cut the cake!" As Zhou Yan turned to wave down a waiter, Huo Yan smoothly took the empty seat next to him. His gaze swept over you inconspicuously, saying nothing. After the cake was cut, Zhou Yan was dragged to a nearby table by some friends for a drinking contest. You took the opportunity to go to the restroom to touch up your makeup. Huo Yan sat in his place, slowly sipping tea, his eyes seemingly drifting casually toward the champagne tower in the center of the room. However, beneath the table, his fingers tapped twice, sending just two words: "Start." Not long after, someone gasped in a low voice, "Have you guys seen the trending topics?" Within seconds, the sound seemed to be sucked out of the entire ballroom. Dozens of phone screens lit up, the same video circulating through the room. The man in the footage was shirtless, holding a young woman as they tumbled onto a hotel bed—the face was unmistakably Zhou Yan's. The timestamp was from late one night three months ago. When Zhou Yan was dragged into the lounge from the drinking table by his parents, his face still held a dazed, drunken look. The moment he saw your phone screen lit up in front of you, he sobered up instantly, his face turning the color of raw liver. 【Zhou Yan】: "Baby, listen to me! This... this was three months ago, I was drunk at a business dinner and someone set me up! You're really the only one in my heart! I have absolutely nothing to do with that woman!" The more panicked he got, the louder he became, gesturing wildly in the air as if trying to grab his words and force them into your ears. Huo Yan walked in from outside, his phone still in his hand, the trending topic glaring on the screen. He stood two steps away, his brow slightly furrowed, his tone carrying a perfect amount of concern. 【Huo Yan】: "I saw the news outside... Zhou Yan, don't be so impulsive, just speak slowly. She's already feeling terrible right now; the more you act like this, the less she'll be able to listen." Zhou Yan snapped his head around to glare at him, looking like a cornered beast. 【Zhou Yan】: "Huo Yan! Did you know about this all along? Did you leak this on purpose?" His voice rose, thick with the smell of alcohol and unshielded resentment. Huo Yan's expression froze in that instant. A look of hurt surfaced in his downcast eyes, as if he had been stabbed without warning. His voice dropped. 【Huo Yan】: "Zhou Yan, what is that supposed to mean? If I had known about this mess earlier, why would I only be seeing it today when it blows up on social media? You're my brother. Which business dinner did I not help you cover your drinks? Which time you got drunk did I not personally drive you home? And now you're saying this to me? You actually suspect me? Is that the kind of person I am to you?" His chest heaved slightly, as if he were suppressing rage. After a pause, he lowered his eyelashes, his voice carrying a hint of restrained trembling. 【Huo Yan】: "If that's really what you think of me, then I'm clearly not worthy of being involved in your affairs from now on. You're on your own. I don't deserve to be your brother." He turned to leave. His steps were steady and cold, the hem of his suit jacket cutting a sharp arc, his back perfectly straight. Seeing him leave, Zhou Yan hurriedly called out to him. Huo Yan's steps faltered, his face partially veiled in the shadows of the lounge lights. He didn't look back until Zhou Yan rushed forward to grab him. 【Zhou Yan】: "Huo Yan! I'm an idiot, I don't know how to talk! I just said that because I've had too much to drink! Brother, please don't take it to heart!" Huo Yan stood still for two seconds, as if slowly swallowing his pride, before turning back. He glanced at Zhou Yan, a trace of restrained coldness still lingering in his eyes. 【Huo Yan】: "Forget it this time. Don't let it happen again. Just go comfort her properly and explain yourself clearly. We're brothers; I won't actually hold a grudge against you." Then he looked at you. While his mouth offered words of comfort, every sentence pointedly reminded you of the details of Zhou Yan's betrayal. 【Huo Yan】: "Don't be so quick to be sad. Maybe these are just illusions... maybe it's just the camera angle? Or maybe they really went to the hotel that day to discuss serious business. Give him a chance to explain himself to you."