Chapter 45: The Cat Will Eat Your Eyeballs
Inside the magazine studio, Cheng Zishi had just finished his shoot and went to the dressing room to change back into his own clothes.
“Have you heard? About Cheng Zishi.”
Voices of gossip came from outside the half-closed door. His hand, which had been pulling up the zipper of his hoodie, paused.
“I heard. I think he’s totally done this time. He actually dared to offend Director Qi—doesn’t he remember who brought him up in the first place?”
“Exactly. Acting all arrogant all day—who does he think he is? I’ve disliked him for a long time.”
“Isn’t he just some small-time model who climbed his way up? Who knows what Director Qi sees in him—he brings him into every project.”
“Well, who knows, maybe he’s got some ‘special skills.’ Outsiders like us wouldn’t know… only Director Qi would know behind closed doors…”
At this point, they all let out knowing laughter.
Bang—
The dressing room door was suddenly pushed open from the inside.
The subject of their gossip appeared right in front of them.
The few who had been speaking so freely moments ago immediately turned pale.
They dared to gossip behind his back—but not to his face.
No matter what, someone like Cheng Zishi was not someone small fry like them could afford to offend.
“Go on,” Cheng Zishi said coldly, looking at them. “Why did you stop? I was just getting into it.”
They awkwardly looked at each other. One of them forced a laugh. “Misunderstanding—it’s all a misunderstanding, Brother Cheng.”
“Is that so?” Cheng Zishi curled his lips in mockery. “Because I don’t think it is. I’m not so finished that I’d mistake hearing my own name.”
The atmosphere instantly froze. They lowered their heads, not knowing how to salvage the situation.
Fortunately, at that moment, his manager arrived.
“The car is waiting outside. Are you done changing?” The manager glanced subtly at the others, giving them a chance to slip away.
“Honestly, why are you arguing with staff again?” the manager said, exasperated. “Didn’t I tell you not to offend staff? One day they’ll leak something to the media saying you act like a diva, and then you’ll regret it.”
Leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, Cheng Zishi let out a cold laugh. “They’re already saying I slept my way up. Compared to that, which do you think is worse?”
The manager fell silent.
He recalled what the young master of the Gu family had told his artist at Director Qi’s dinner that day.
He had originally dismissed it as nonsense.
But… Director Qi… could he really be into men?
What kind of situation was this?
The manager suddenly started worrying about his artist’s “virtue,” but there was still something he had to say.
“You offending Director Qi—upper management already knows. They want to arrange a dinner for you to meet him and apologize. What do you think?”
The manager could only be grateful that the company was currently short on promising new talent—Cheng Zishi was the only standout—so they were still willing to try to save him.
“I’m not going,” Cheng Zishi said with a dark expression.
The manager instantly panicked, but seeing that his artist was sticking to his principles, he hesitated. “But this isn’t easy to refuse… how am I supposed to explain it when I go back?”
He considered persuading him further. After all, it concerned his future—and after so many collaborations, Director Qi hadn’t actually done anything out of line.
Cheng Zishi, still young and unable to hide his thoughts, said bluntly with a stiff face:
“Just tell them I don’t want to sleep with that old man. Is that enough?”
“Even if you say that—wait… what???”
By the time the manager realized what he had just heard, it was too late. In that instant, it felt like countless alpacas were stampeding through his mind.
This was absurd.
But Cheng Zishi wouldn’t joke about something like this.
And if he could say that, it meant there had already been contact—or at least hints behind the scenes.
Director Qi was actually…
The manager shuddered, stopping himself from imagining anything worse.
While the manager was busy reconstructing his worldview, Cheng Zishi suddenly remembered something.
He still had years left on his contract with Tianchen Entertainment, and he couldn’t afford the penalty for breaking it. Until it expired, he had to follow company arrangements.
That was how things like being blacklisted could happen.
Lu Ran.
Cheng Zishi sneered.
So that’s how you want to play?
Fine. Then I’ll play along to the end.
At that moment, Lu Ran—who was eating—suddenly felt an inexplicable chill.
His elbow accidentally knocked over the glass in front of him while reaching for food, spilling water and drawing attention from several people nearby.
He bit his lower lip.
Normally, he wouldn’t care. As the youngest in the family, he had always had the right to act willfully.
But now, every probing and scrutinizing gaze made him unbearable uneasy.
He couldn’t help but wonder if people were silently judging him.
At first, it shouldn’t have drawn so much attention—but Lu Ran’s expression was too dramatic. Gradually, conversations at the table died down as everyone’s focus shifted toward him.
Lu Zheng, who had come with him, frowned slightly at his reaction but said nothing.
It was such a small matter—if the family had to step in to defend him, it would look petty.
Lu Ran, overwhelmed, shot a glare at someone.
Several snickers immediately followed.
Lu Zheng closed his eyes helplessly.
Luckily, at that moment, a waiter brought out a dish.
On a white porcelain plate, a lotus-shaped dish bloomed outward in clear broth. Beneath it, dry ice created a rising mist.
The young man seated at the head of the table smiled and said,
“This dish, ‘Step-by-Step Snow Lotus,’ is a signature here. It requires great knife skills. It’s made from tofu, but tastes like fish—quite clever.”
His name was Nie Siyu, cousin of Nie Ying.
As the host of the dinner, he naturally didn’t want the atmosphere ruined.
After he spoke, others gave him face, picking up their chopsticks to taste the dish and offering a few compliments.
“It’s just okay,” someone said. “Still tastes like tofu. That’s why I don’t like vegetarian dishes pretending to be meat—just a gimmick. No matter how much effort you put in, it’s still obvious what it is.”
The speaker was the same person Lu Ran had glared at earlier. His words carried a clear double meaning, and the atmosphere stiffened again.
“The second son of the Huo family… still as rude as ever,” Gu Qingxu said lightly to someone beside him, clearly enjoying the spectacle.
Gu Yang finally looked up.
Lu Ran’s expression worsened.
What did “no matter how much effort, it’s still obvious” mean? Wasn’t that directed at him?
Lu Zheng sighed inwardly.
He hadn’t even wanted to bring Lu Ran today. The matter had already spread everywhere—why come here and invite more ridicule?
But their mother had pleaded, worried that if Lu Ran didn’t show himself, he would gradually be pushed out of their social circle.
“For that matter, why didn’t you bring your ‘new younger brother’ today?” someone asked. “Don’t play favorites.”
“Yeah, he’s been back for so long—I haven’t even seen what he looks like.”
With someone starting trouble, others followed.
Lu Ran had made many enemies before—now that he was down, everyone piled on.
At the mention of Lu Ji, Lu Zheng’s head began to ache.
To show sincerity, he had personally gone to the school dormitory to pick him up.
But Lu Ji refused outright, saying he was fine staying in the dorm and didn’t want to disturb anyone.
What kind of situation was this? The wrong child raised at home, while the biological one stayed in a dorm—if word got out, it would be laughable.
After being rebuffed, Lu Zheng passed the problem to their mother.
Still, in public, he maintained composure:
“He just came back and isn’t used to things yet. Next time I’ll host a gathering and introduce him to everyone.”
The implication was obvious.
People exchanged glances, amused, and dropped the topic.
Lu Ran was stunned by how Lu Zheng sided with Lu Ji and ignored him.
He felt abandoned by the whole world.
He wanted nothing more than to leave and cry to Madam Lu—but he knew that would only make him a bigger joke.
He forced himself to endure, glancing at Gu Yang from time to time, hoping to gain some useful insight from him.
But there was nothing.
Unable to take it anymore, he pretended to answer a phone call and left.
Gu Yang didn’t pay attention to the drama at the table.
He already knew far more than they did—it all felt like recycled gossip.
He wanted some soup, but it was a bit far away.
Gu Qingxu noticed and, unusually, took his bowl, stood up, and served him soup before placing it in front of him.
From earlier conversation to now, Gu Qingxu made no effort to hide that he was in a very good mood.
Gu Yang calmly looked at the bowl, stirred it with a spoon, and asked: “Did you poison it?”
Gu Qingxu’s smile froze. “Just eat. Does food not shut your mouth?”
“You two cousins really have a good relationship,” Nie Siyu teased. “Closer than real brothers.”
Gu Qingxu’s smile became slightly strained.
For a moment, he wondered if it was sarcasm.
But Nie Siyu clearly meant to build connections—he just lacked tact.
He continued, “Unlike me and my cousin—we’ve always been distant.”
“There’s a ten-year age gap,” Gu Qingxu replied lightly. “That’s normal.”
“Probably more than that,” Nie Siyu said meaningfully. “My cousin is quite domineering and hard to get along with. Even my grandfather worries about him.”
“Recently, it’s worse—either locked in his room or going out partying. He’s even stopped going to school.”
Everyone knew what had happened recently.
Family scandals weren’t meant to be aired publicly—but Nie Siyu didn’t care.
Gu Yang thought about Nie Siyu’s fate.
He would eventually be sent to Africa with his family—supposedly to expand business, but essentially exile.
Gu Qingxu smiled without responding.
If forced to choose an heir, even Nie Ying would be better.
At least Nie Ying was decisive.
Gu Yang silently agreed.
Very decisive.
After all, he directly hired someone to run you over.
For the first time, Gu Yang doubted Gu Qingxu’s judgment.
Meanwhile, Song Yinxing remembered the funeral.
He had attended two funerals in his life.
The first was his mother’s.
Missing the college entrance exam had sent his life into a long, irreversible collapse.
The second was a young man he had only met once.
The funeral was solemn and quiet, with few attendees.
The Gu family was still in chaos.
“Isn’t this nice? He never liked crowds anyway,” Nie Ying said casually.
The young man lay in the coffin, pale and lifeless, long lashes casting shadows, with shocking scars on his wrist.
Even Song Yinxing couldn’t imagine what mindset it took to do that to oneself.
“What a pity,” Nie Ying said, looking down. “Such a face—about to disappear forever.”
…
When Song Yinxing came back to his senses, he had already been led into the residence.
Tonight was their tutoring session.
But after their last interaction, he didn’t know how to face Gu Yang.
Inside the room, Gu Yang sat at his desk, holding a cat on his lap, making it stand on its hind legs.
“I heard that after a person dies, cats will slowly eat them,” Gu Yang murmured, rubbing the cat’s head affectionately. “Pudding, would you do that to me?”
“Well, that wouldn’t be so bad… sounds more interesting than cremation or burial. At least our acquaintance wouldn’t be wasted. What do you think, Pudding?”
He pressed the cat’s soft paw.
The cat meowed blankly.
The servant beside him hesitated several times, wanting to speak.
Song Yinxing, pushing the door open: “……”
What exactly are you saying to a cat?
