Chapter 27
Song Fengshi and Fang Xinnan almost lowered their heads at the same time, looking down at the wooden floor beneath their feet.
The voice had come from directly below—a voice both of them were very familiar with.
Nanjiang Dining House had excellent soundproofing. There was no way the voice from downstairs could naturally travel up to the floor above, so this voice—
The two exchanged a glance, both falling silent.
After a long moment, Fang Xinnan gave a light cough. “What a coincidence. Does this count as speaking of Cao Cao and Cao Cao arriving?”
Song Fengshi said nothing.
A thoughtful glint flashed through his lowered eyes.
“Downstairs should be Spring Room, right?” Fang Xinnan murmured softly to himself. “Why would Lin Zhiqiao be at Nanjiang Dining House? Could it be some kind of dinner gathering?”
Song Fengshi’s distinct fingers rested along the edge of the table, his fingertips tapping twice.
What kind of dinner gathering would make someone say something like ‘tearfully be the top’?
The answer was obvious.
Neither of the two present was some naive young man untouched by the world. They almost instantly realized what sort of situation must be unfolding in Spring Room.
After thinking for a moment, Fang Xinnan took out his phone. “How about I give him a call?”
Before the sentence had even finished, the man across from him was already on his feet, walking toward the private room door.
“Song Fengshi?” Fang Xinnan froze. “Where are you going?”
Song Fengshi answered in the calm tone of someone stating the obvious, “Spring Room.”
Fang Xinnan hurriedly got up and followed. “Wait for me, I’m going too!”
*
At that moment in Spring Room, Lin Zhiqiao had his head lowered, silently shoveling food into his mouth.
The dishes were delicious, but he could barely taste anything. It all felt a little like chewing wax.
Furiously, Lin Zhiqiao bit off the head of a king prawn and crunched the shell to pieces.
For his gossip-eating career to end up with the gossip landing on his own head—this was truly his first Waterloo.
And using the word tragic to describe it was not excessive in the slightest.
888 said, [It’s not that serious, host. He’s only thinking about it. There’s no way he’d actually force himself on you and make you tearfully be the top. This is a society ruled by law now!]
[And in a law-governed society, are there really that few people who knowingly break the law?] Lin Zhiqiao whispered back.
Before eating this piece of gossip, he had not felt that anything was off.
But now… perhaps it was only his imagination, but Lin Zhiqiao kept feeling as though President Yuan across from him was intentionally or unintentionally looking his way.
Like a beast silently observing the state of its prey, making Lin Zhiqiao feel as though he were sitting on pins and needles.
—He only wanted to eat gossip happily. Why did even that have to be so difficult!
888 comforted him. [It’s fine, host. There are special escape cards in the system store! If something unexpected really happens, the host will definitely be able to get out unharmed!]
[With this system here, I will absolutely protect every single strand of the host’s hair!]
Lin Zhiqiao was so moved his eyes turned watery. [System, what would I even do without you!]
With the crisis seemingly resolved, Lin Zhiqiao instantly relaxed, ready to open another blind box and continue eating gossip.
Unexpectedly, however, his manager Wu Yuan suddenly changed seats and sat down beside him.
“President Yuan said he wants to have a drink with you,” Wu Yuan said.
Lin Zhiqiao smiled shyly. “Brother Yuan, it’s not that I don’t want to go, it’s that my alcohol tolerance is really terrible. I get drunk after one sip, and then I go crazy when I drink. At best, I flip tables and smash plates. At worst, I might even hurt someone!”
He sighed, sounding troubled. “There are all these big bosses here, people I absolutely can’t afford to offend. If I accidentally injured one of them, wouldn’t that be awful!”
Wu Yuan: “…”
Like hell I believe that!
President Yuan sat across from them, watching quietly.
Wu Yuan lowered his voice. “President Yuan is the boss of Tomato TV. If you can make a connection with him, you won’t have to worry about the future!”
Lin Zhiqiao asked hesitantly, “Even if I really go crazy when I drink?”
[I really do go crazy when I drink! I really do! When I lose it, even I’m afraid of myself!!!]
Wu Yuan’s tone of persuasion faltered for a moment.
He really would lose it?
He was not just trying to scare him?
“Then go drink a glass of juice with President Yuan!” Wu Yuan gritted his teeth. “Lin Zhiqiao, think carefully. Someone is willing to spend money and effort to support you. This is such a good opportunity. If you don’t want it, there are plenty of people waiting in line!”
“You should know Tomato TV’s strength. If you get under President Yuan’s wing, the next Lin Mubai could be you!” Wu Yuan urged earnestly. “But if you offend him…”
He did not finish the sentence, but the threat in his tone was no longer concealed in the slightest.
“Brother Yuan, I understand the logic, but…” Lin Zhiqiao said sincerely, “but I really can’t!”
Wu Yuan started getting anxious. “What do you mean you can’t? How do you know whether you can or not if you haven’t tried?”
Lin Zhiqiao: “He’s too strong.”
[We’re all adults here. I’m very clear on my own role!]
[And besides, let alone whether I can tearfully turn the tables and become the top, just President Yuan’s giant macho-man build—he’s built like a bear. I can’t hold him down. I really can’t!]
Tears glimmered at the corners of Lin Zhiqiao’s eyes. “Brother Yuan, you wouldn’t want to see one of your artists squeezed dry to death, would you!”
Wu Yuan: “…”
Across from them, President Yuan’s gaze gradually turned desolate.
Wu Yuan gritted his teeth. “You can!”
Lin Zhiqiao: “I can’t!”
Wu Yuan: “A man can’t say he can’t!”
Lin Zhiqiao: “Men remain boys until they die, and boys are allowed to say they can’t, so I can’t!”
He could not help grumbling inwardly, [If you can do it, then you go! Such a good opportunity—I won’t fight you for it!]
A few faint, suppressed laughs came from nearby.
Wu Yuan’s face darkened completely, and he even began seriously considering the possibility of forcibly packaging Lin Zhiqiao up and delivering him to President Yuan.
Meanwhile, President Yuan across from them seemed to have run out of patience. He got up and moved directly to sit on Lin Zhiqiao’s other side.
Lin Zhiqiao: “…”
So I’m the cream-filled sandwich cookie myself.jpg
Even though 888 had special cards ready, once such a huge presence had sat down beside him, Lin Zhiqiao still felt a little nervous.
President Yuan cleared his throat, but his voice remained rough and full of pressure. “Lin Zhiqiao, you—”
The moment he raised a hand, Lin Zhiqiao’s neck shrank back.
[What are you doing? Put your hand down. We can talk this out properly… save me! Don’t come over here—!!!]
The next second, the door to Spring Room was pushed open.
The person outside said, “Sorry to interrupt.”
The dinner had been interrupted, and someone assumed it was a server. Irritated, they said, “We didn’t call for—”
But the moment they saw who had arrived, the voice cut off abruptly.
Song Fengshi stood at the doorway of the private room. His dark eyes took in the situation in the room at a glance, before finally landing on one particular corner.
The chestnut-haired young man was curled up in the seat in that corner, his pale amber eyes wide open, looking as though he had been badly frightened.
Inside Spring Room, there was no one who did not recognize President Song of the Song family.
After the brief shock passed, someone stood up and greeted him with a smile. “President Song! What a rare guest!”
But Song Fengshi shifted slightly aside, avoiding the man, his gaze still fixed on the direction of the chestnut-haired youth.
The man did not look embarrassed. He kept inviting him. “President Song, do you want to join us? We’ve only just started. It’s only a matter of adding one more set of tableware—”
“There’s no need to join.” Song Fengshi said lightly. “I came to find someone.”
Everyone followed his line of sight and found Lin Zhiqiao, whose figure was almost completely blocked by President Yuan.
888 whispered in a tiny voice, [Host, Song Fengshi is looking at you!]
Lin Zhiqiao, who had inexplicably become the focus of the whole private room: “…”
His voice trembled. [P-President Song, wh-what does he mean…?]
With President Yuan as an example already right in front of him, Lin Zhiqiao’s imagination inevitably sprinted off in a strange direction.
[President Song can’t also…] Lin Zhiqiao shed humble tears. [Forcing a salted fish to flip over is simply cruel beyond words, tragic beyond measure, unbearable to look at! Is it really that hard to achieve my dream of lying flat and being a salted fish, wuwuwu!]
Song Fengshi: “…”
Everyone else: “…”
Struggling not to laugh.jpg
888 comforted him. [Look on the bright side. President Song doesn’t look like the kind of character who would stay underneath anyone. If it were him, maybe the host could lie flat.]
Lin Zhiqiao was horrified. [System, I never expected you to be this kind of system!]
Each word came out as though dripping blood. [I’ve been in this industry for so many years. I only ever sell my talent, never my body! Please do not insult my dignity!]
888 instantly replied, [I’m sorry, host. I shouldn’t have challenged your bottom line and your dignity. I was wrong. Next time I—]
Before it could finish, Lin Zhiqiao added in a small voice, [If he pays enough… that’s another matter.]
888: [???]
888 despised him. [Where are your bottom line and dignity?]
Lin Zhiqiao said righteously, [Without material foundations, what dignity and bottom line are there to talk about!]
888: “…”
Wu Yuan shoved Lin Zhiqiao. “What are you spacing out for? President Song is looking for you!”
Lin Zhiqiao came back to himself and quickly stood up. To the mountain sitting beside him, he said, “Would you mind letting me through, President Yuan?”
President Yuan: “…”
Under the giant macho man’s burning, resentful gaze, Lin Zhiqiao walked step by step toward another abyss… no, toward Song Fengshi.
[Please wish me luck, system.]
888 replied, [You’ll have good luck, host.]
The door of Spring Room closed behind him, cutting off the gaze of everyone inside.
Lin Zhiqiao was carefully choosing his words, wanting to ask why Song Fengshi was looking for him.
But before he could speak, another voice came from not far away. “Xiao Qiao! Over here!”
It was a voice that felt both extremely familiar and deeply comforting.
“Director Fang!” Lin Zhiqiao’s eyes lit up. Seeing Fang Xinnan was practically like seeing family, and his eyes almost filled with tears.
Song Fengshi suddenly wanted to rub his temples.
But he restrained himself.
Fang Xinnan glanced at him and could not help laughing as he asked, “Is President Song really that scary?”
Lin Zhiqiao stopped in place. “Of course not!”
[…Impossible for him not to be scary! Who would have thought President Song would show up in that kind of setting? It scared me to death, QAQ!]
This time Song Fengshi really did rub his temple.
Fang Xinnan gave a light cough and, suppressing his laughter, said, “All right, come over here.”
The three of them went to Summer Room, directly across from Spring Room.
Nanjiang Dining House’s soundproofing was excellent. Not a single bit of sound from Spring Room, only one corridor away, leaked into Summer Room.
Lin Zhiqiao held a cup of hot tea and took a sip. His emotions, which had been rising and falling like a roller coaster, finally steadied somewhat.
He looked at Song Fengshi, then looked at Fang Xinnan.
Fang Xinnan set down his teacup. “If you have something you want to ask, go ahead.”
Lin Zhiqiao honestly asked, “Director Fang, President Song… did you come specifically to rescue me?”
Fang Xinnan glanced at Song Fengshi and nodded. “Yes.”
Lin Zhiqiao opened his mouth, looking as if he wanted to speak but hesitated.
Fang Xinnan asked, “You want to know why we knew you were there?”
Lin Zhiqiao nodded.
“That, you’ll have to ask President Song.” Fang Xinnan said with a smile, tossing the question to the one person who had hardly spoken at all. “I came because I followed him.”
Song Fengshi’s brow moved slightly. “Nanjiang Dining House belongs to the Song family.”
Lin Zhiqiao blinked.
[So that’s it. I understand now.]
Fang Xinnan: “…”
He very much wanted to ask—what exactly did Song Fengshi say, and what exactly did you understand?
[Because it’s a Song-family property, naturally Nanjiang Dining House absolutely cannot allow such an inhuman dinner gathering to exist! Looks like President Song is preparing to take action against the people in Spring Room!]
888 chimed in, [So that’s it!]
Song Fengshi: “…”
Fang Xinnan shut his eyes and used what was perhaps the greatest willpower of his entire life not to laugh out loud.
Lin Zhiqiao was deeply moved. [Was he afraid the cleanup operation later would affect me, so he pulled me out of that demon cave ahead of time? President Song is actually this kind of good-hearted person!]
888 said in admiration, [As expected of the host. You actually saw right through Song Fengshi’s thoughts!]
Lin Zhiqiao proudly puffed out his chest. [Exactly! As expected of me!]
The hand Song Fengshi used to hold his teacup trembled slightly.
Fang Xinnan turned his head away, his lips pressed into an almost twisted curve.
In all his life, this was the first time he had ever heard a phrase like good-hearted person used on the Song family’s ruler, a man famous for being ruthless, cold, and merciless.
Lin Zhiqiao said sincerely, “Thank you, President Song!”
Maintaining his surface calm, Song Fengshi replied, “It’s nothing. You saved me once.”
Fang Xinnan added, “Yes, it’s all thanks to your reminding him to go get a physical back then.”
Lin Zhiqiao tried to act dumb. “Ah, that was just ordinary concern… did it just happen to help President Song?”
“Yes.” Song Fengshi nodded slightly. “The issue was discovered very promptly.”
Lin Zhiqiao immediately pressed further. “Then right now…”
“The surgery was successful, and I’ve already been discharged.” Song Fengshi said. “Now I only need to take care of myself afterward.”
Lin Zhiqiao let out a breath of relief and smiled. “That’s wonderful. Congratulations, President Song!”
In his heart, he high-fived 888.
[I just wonder how Song Chuan is doing now.] Lin Zhiqiao muttered inwardly.
Ever since that banquet where he had eaten all that gossip, Lin Zhiqiao had not seen any follow-up news online. Presumably, the Song family had suppressed the information.
After all, it was internal family business within the Song family. The Song family had always been relatively low-key about such matters. They would never publicize them too much, and outsiders would not dare to discuss them lightly.
But one thing could be said for certain: with President Song’s personality, there was no way he would let Song Chuan’s family off easily.
Lin Zhiqiao’s fingers itched a little.
It was rare to have President Song right here beside him. If he opened a blind box now, maybe he could pull gossip about Song Chuan.
At that moment, a knock sounded at the door, interrupting Lin Zhiqiao’s eager temptation.
A server pushed in a food cart.
“Since we didn’t know what you liked, we ordered some signature dishes,” Fang Xinnan said. “Eat first. There’s a good show to watch in a little while.”
Lin Zhiqiao instantly caught the gossip keyword. “What good show?”
“I sent a message to Li Zheng’s wife. In another…” Fang Xinnan glanced at the time. “At most fifteen minutes, she’ll be here.”
Li Zheng?
Who was that?
Fang Xinnan reminded him, “You were just at the same table with him.”
Lin Zhiqiao thought for a moment. “Ah, that President Li!”
[The one who talks big all day but is actually terrified of his wife, yet still keeps mistresses outside, that President Li!]
“As it happens, that President Li is my uncle by marriage, and his wife is my actual little aunt,” Fang Xinnan said. “I was wondering why my uncle would appear in that kind of setting, but as a younger generation member I’m not in a position to step in directly, so… better to let my little aunt come.”
“It’s their business as husband and wife, and of course it’s better for them to settle it themselves.”
Lin Zhiqiao nodded. “That’s true.”
[Good, good, good! On-site gossip, right? This is my specialty!!!]
[A scumbag like this deserves to get slapped hard! May the world be forever free of scumbag men, scumbag women, scumbag tops, and scumbag bottoms!]
Lin Zhiqiao quietly grew excited, and even his eating sped up unconsciously.
Fifteen minutes later, Fang Xinnan’s little aunt arrived at the battlefield right on time.
“Xinnan, calling me over this late—what exactly is it?” The gorgeously dressed woman pushed the door open and stepped in. When she saw the other two people inside the room, she paused slightly. “President Song is here too? And this is… Lin Zhiqiao?”
The beautiful woman’s eyes brightened. “Oh my, this child is even better-looking in person than in the program footage!”
Lin Zhiqiao looked a little blank and quietly asked, “Director Fang, your aunt knows me?”
“She’s in the industry too,” Fang Xinnan said. “Xu Mingjie, Director Xu. Maybe you’ve heard of her.”
Lin Zhiqiao was startled.
Director Xu? That Director Xu from Pineapple TV? The one currently preparing a new idol survival show—the same Director Xu that Cheng Xia had applied to?
[She’s actually this young!]
The abruptly sounding voice made Xu Mingjie freeze slightly, confusion showing in her eyes.
Fang Xinnan met her gaze and gave a nearly imperceptible shake of the head. Xu Mingjie immediately caught the hint from her nephew.
[Young, beautiful, and capable—how did she lose her mind and end up with a man like President Li!]
Xu Mingjie’s brows drew together.
What exactly did that mean? What did he mean, a man like President Li?
Having the husband she had been married to for many years secretly slandered like this, Xu Mingjie found it absurd. Inevitably, she felt uncomfortable, and her favorable impression of Lin Zhiqiao plummeted sharply.
She had a straightforward personality, always spoke her mind, and never kept things bottled up. What she hated most in life were two-faced people who acted one way in public and another in private.
And clearly, Lin Zhiqiao had already been stamped with exactly that label in Xu Mingjie’s mind.
Lin Zhiqiao knew none of this and was still muttering inwardly—
[Director Xu clearly deserves better. Being independently beautiful is a great option too! Why bother with romance and love? Isn’t focusing on your career way better? See? Isn’t this exactly what happens—you get tricked by a scumbag for all these years!]
Xu Mingjie’s brows furrowed even more tightly.
What scumbag? What tricked?
She knew perfectly well what kind of person the man she had lived with for ten years was. Since when did some random outsider get to casually discuss him like this!
Xu Mingjie had reached the end of her patience. But before she could speak, Fang Xinnan beat her to it.
“Little Aunt.”
Xu Mingjie suppressed the unhappiness in her heart. “What is it?”
Fang Xinnan said, “Actually, the reason I called you out at this hour is because of my uncle by marriage.”
Xu Mingjie’s heart skipped.
She was usually busy with work and did not spend much time with Fang Xinnan. Over a whole year, the number of times they met could be counted on one hand.
The fact that Fang Xinnan had called her out in the middle of the night was already surprising enough. And now he was voluntarily bringing up the uncle she interacted with even less…
Perhaps it was because Fang Xinnan’s expression was too serious, but an uneasy premonition actually rose in her heart.
Fang Xinnan asked, “Do you know where uncle is right now?”
“He’s working overtime,” Xu Mingjie said. “Why are you suddenly asking that?”
Lin Zhiqiao was not surprised at all.
[As expected, the standard scumbag excuse. I’m working overtime, dear. I might get home a little later tonight~ Working overtime all the way to Nanjiang Dining House too—that’s really impressive in its own way.]
Xu Mingjie: “?”
Working overtime at Nanjiang Dining House…?
Li Zheng was at Nanjiang Dining House?
Fang Xinnan’s next words confirmed her suspicion. “I just saw my uncle in Spring Room.”
Xu Mingjie opened her mouth. After a while, she asked hesitantly, “Could it be some sudden business dinner?”
But the moment the words came out, even she herself did not quite believe them.
If it really had been business—even if it was an unplanned business engagement that came up suddenly—Li Zheng absolutely would have informed her.
Xu Mingjie thought perhaps he had simply forgotten.
Li Zheng was, after all, the head of a company. Even though the company was not especially large, he was busy every day, no less than she was.
Occasionally forgetting to report in once or twice, on the face of it, did not seem entirely impossible.
Xu Mingjie tried to persuade herself.
Lin Zhiqiao curled his lips.
[Business dinner, huh? If he were having dinner with people like Director Zhang and President Yu, sure, you could at least say it was for work. But dining with a bunch of young actors too? Tsk tsk tsk. At this rate, who knows what indescribable place those “work discussions” might drift to.]
Xu Mingjie suddenly whipped her head around. “You—”
“Little Aunt!” Fang Xinnan interrupted, taking out a sheet of paper. “This is the list of people still currently in Spring Room.”
Xu Mingjie took it and read it, her expression gradually turning grave.
She was no innocent little girl who understood nothing. On the contrary, after so many years in the entertainment industry as a director, she had seen more than enough of the chaos within the circle.
The people on this list—more or less she had dealt with all of them before, and had also heard certain rumors about them.
To appear at the same dinner as these people, and to bring along some young actors no one had heard of…the answer no longer needed saying.
Lin Zhiqiao quietly stuffed a strawberry into his mouth.
[Is it coming? Is it finally coming? My favorite kind of on-site gossip!]
The paper in Xu Mingjie’s hand crumpled under her grip. She shot to her feet and was about to charge next door into Spring Room.
Fang Xinnan quickly grabbed her. “Wait!”
Xu Mingjie’s brows and eyes turned cold. “What else is there?”
“Little Aunt, think carefully,” Fang Xinnan said. “Before now, has Li Zheng ever shown any abnormal signs?”
Xu Mingjie instinctively replied, “Before, there weren’t any—”
Her voice cut off abruptly.
Once trust had begun to collapse, suspicious points appeared everywhere.
Ever since their marriage, Li Zheng had always behaved very well in front of her.
He turned in his salary, reported when he worked overtime, traveled, or came home late, and on every holiday and anniversary he prepared little surprises for her.
Even when Xu Mingjie had said she wanted to focus on her career and did not want children for the time being, Li Zheng had raised no objection and simply respected her choice.
Everyone said Li Zheng was a good husband, and Xu Mingjie herself had thought so too.
After marriage, the two of them had gotten along very well and almost never argued.
Now that something like this had suddenly surfaced, no matter what, Xu Mingjie was going to get to the bottom of it.
She had always been direct. If it was a misunderstanding, then they would clear it up. But if it was the truth…
Xu Mingjie’s eyes cooled. “I’ll go ask him directly.”
If Li Zheng really had done something to wrong her, she absolutely would not soften.
Lin Zhiqiao swallowed the strawberry in his mouth and held his breath expectantly. [Ohoho, it’s starting, it’s starting!]
Fang Xinnan sighed helplessly and pushed the fruit plate toward Lin Zhiqiao. “If you like eating, then eat more. Nanjiang Dining House’s fruit is very fresh.”
Song Fengshi calmly took a sip of tea. He looked not at all concerned about the matter, yet in a moment unseen by anyone, the corner of his eye quietly glanced toward the room opposite them.
The door across the way still had not been locked. Xu Mingjie very politely knocked once, then pushed it open—
“We didn’t call for serv—” The familiar sentence was cut off halfway yet again.
Lin Zhiqiao stretched his head out to peek.
[Damn it! I can’t see a thing!!!]
Fang Xinnan set down his cup and stood up. “I’m going to back up my aunt. There are a lot of people over there.”
Lin Zhiqiao immediately followed him, not forgetting to carry the fruit plate with him. “I’m going too!”
Light footsteps sounded from behind them.
Lin Zhiqiao turned around in surprise. “President Song is also going to watch the dra— I mean, go back Director Xu up?”
Song Fengshi was silent for two seconds. “…Yes.”
The three of them stood outside the door to Spring Room. Lin Zhiqiao shrank behind the other two, trying as hard as possible to minimize his presence.
Inside the private room came the shocked, even panicked voice of a certain President Li. “W-wife? Why are you here?!”
Lin Zhiqiao peeked out like a sneaky little cat.
Li Zheng was already somewhat drunk. The moment he saw Xu Mingjie, at least half of his intoxication vanished on the spot. His arm slackened, and he shoved the person in his lap to the side.
The moment she saw that, Xu Mingjie’s hanging heart died completely. She strode forward two steps and raised her hand for a slap!
Li Zheng was slapped into a daze, yet he still did not forget to defend himself. “Wife, Mingjie, listen to my explanation. It’s not what you think!”
Xu Mingjie said nothing. She raised her other hand and delivered another loud slap to Li Zheng’s other cheek!
“You think I’m blind? You were practically about to kiss. If it’s not what I think, then is it also not what I saw?”
Li Zheng’s head was slapped sideways, both cheeks now marked by one bright red handprint each—perfectly symmetrical and almost comical.
Lin Zhiqiao stuffed two strawberries into his mouth, puffing out both cheeks.
[Heavy, solid sound. The slap marks are extremely symmetrical and beautiful! As expected of Director Xu—perfect is the only word for it!]
The little actor who had been knocked to the floor by Li Zheng silently climbed back up. Seeing that the rightful wife had arrived, he did not dare make a sound and quietly retreated back toward Wu Yuan’s side.
Li Zheng already had no time to worry about anyone else.
The eyes of all the people around him made him feel unbearably uncomfortable. He only felt that in all his life, he had never lost this much face!
“Mingjie, if there’s anything to say, let’s go home and talk about it. Don’t let people laugh at us here.”
Li Zheng stood up and reached out to grab Xu Mingjie’s hand, but she flung him off at once.
“Oh? Now you know what shame is?” Xu Mingjie sneered coldly. “If you care so much about face, then don’t do this kind of filthy, humiliating thing in the first place!”
“I already told you, it’s not what you think!” Li Zheng was beginning to lose patience too. “I’ll explain everything properly once we get home!”
He grabbed Xu Mingjie’s arm and tried to drag her away, but she did not budge.
Xu Mingjie stood firm, looking at him calmly. “Fine. I’ll listen to your explanation. Right here.”
The people around them all watched, some openly, some covertly, clearly enjoying the show and seeing no problem with making it bigger.
Lin Zhiqiao quietly set up his own little cyber stool too. [I’ll also stay right here and hear exactly how you plan to explain this!]
Li Zheng had no choice and could only force himself to continue. “I was just having dinner with some friends, having a drink, and then a friend of a friend said he wanted to have a drink with me, but for some reason, all of a sudden he—”
Lin Zhiqiao: [All of a sudden it was ‘Oh no, I twisted my ankle’ and then he fell into your arms? And because you’re such a kind-hearted man who can’t bear the suffering of the world, you instinctively reached out to steady him and just happened to end up with a hand around his slim little waist?]
Li Zheng, unable to stop himself in time, blurted out, “…fell into my arms…”
Lin Zhiqiao kept mumbling his analysis. [And then, by complete accident, he must have stepped on your laugh point too, so you couldn’t control your expression and started smiling at him like peach blossoms blooming all over your face?]
[Excellent! A perfect chain of logic! The literary world failing to reserve you a place is truly one of the top ten regrets of the entire world!]
Li Zheng: “…”
Furious, he turned toward the doorway—but the moment he met those calm, dark eyes, all the curses jammed in his throat, and not a single sound could come out.
Song Fengshi looked at Li Zheng silently, a cold warning hidden beneath those dark eyes.
Li Zheng shrank back a little.
Xu Mingjie looked at him expressionlessly. “Mm. And then? Go on.”
Li Zheng was silent for a moment, then lowered himself. “I was wrong, Mingjie. I was only confused for a moment. Nothing had even happened yet. For the sake of this being my first offense, could you—”
“There are only two kinds of these things: zero times, and countless times.” Xu Mingjie cut him off. “Once there’s a first time, there will be a second, a third… Once the seed of doubt is planted, the home is already broken.”
Lin Zhiqiao clapped enthusiastically. [Well said! Director Xu is clear-headed! If a scumbag could change his true nature, then he wouldn’t be called a scumbag!]
Li Zheng grew anxious. “Mingjie, you know what kind of person I am. I’m different from other people—”
[You really are quite different.] Lin Zhiqiao said in a tone dripping with sarcasm. [Living in your wife’s house, driving your wife’s car, even using your wife’s money to start your company, and you still had the nerve to use her money to keep a mistress or two outside—for a full eight years!]
[Eight years! Does Director Xu also need to praise you for being devoted?]
[Eating soft rice hard and still sneaking bites on the side—one word: incredible!]
Xu Mingjie’s gaze had turned so cold it was practically freezing.
Li Zheng still wanted to explain something, but in the next instant sharp pain shot through his arm and stomach, and the whole world spun—
Xu Mingjie drove an elbow into him, knocking the soft-rice scumbag to the floor. Her ten-centimeter stiletto heel came down on his fragile neck as though the next second it might pierce straight through.
Lin Zhiqiao let out a wow. [Director Xu is actually trained too! She’s unbelievably cool!!!]
The people nearby were startled. Someone tried to step forward and mediate. “Director Xu, if there’s something to say, then talk it out properly. Resorting to violence isn’t—”
Before he could finish, Xu Mingjie shot him a glare.
The man’s back turned cold, and he silently shut up, afraid that if he got involved, Xu Mingjie might do the same to him.
Li Zheng’s phone was still lying face-down on the table. Xu Mingjie picked it up, expertly entered the password, unlocked it, and began searching through the contact list and WeChat contacts.
Li Zheng, pinned under her foot, quietly let out a nearly imperceptible breath of relief.
[Let me see… good grief! He actually gave them names this explosive! Who could possibly tell the difference between you and Pakistan at this point!]
Xu Mingjie’s finger paused on the screen.
[Toilet Cleaner Auntie Xu, Drainpipe Repair Xiao Li—] Lin Zhiqiao complained. [Do Auntie Xu and Xiao Li know these are the names you saved them under?]
[You really put in a lot of effort not to get caught!]
With the “cheat” hints, Xu Mingjie very quickly found those two people in the contact list.
Li Zheng nervously swallowed.
He had not kept a single chat record. As long as no calls were made, no problems would be discovered.
The next second, Xu Mingjie suddenly lowered her head. Her red lips curved up, but not with any warmth.
“Doo, doo, doo…”
Li Zheng jolted. The stiletto on his neck pressed down even harder, leaving him unable to make a single sound.
—Don’t answer. Please, don’t answer!
“Hello, A-Zheng? Why are you calling me at this hour?” A surprised male voice came from the other side. “Didn’t you say you had plans tonight? You also said you were bringing another one back so the four of us could play together. I’ve already got everything prepared. Have you found the new target yet?”
Li Zheng’s heart turned utterly to ashes.
Lin Zhiqiao’s eyes widened. [Huh? A man??? Good grief! So the mistress and the extra one are actually one man and one woman! Very nice, very nice—so this is about broad-based love, huh!]
[And they were even planning for four people to play together! Playing this wild?! Is this the kind of gossip I’m allowed to hear without paying extra!!!]
[Director Xu, go for it! Keep fishing, keep pushing!]
Xu Mingjie curled her lips and spoke in a soft, sweetened voice. “What exactly did you prepare? Brother Zheng got drunk, so he asked me to ask in advance. Send me your location too—later I’ll drive Brother Zheng back.”
As she spoke, she also took out her own phone and began recording the call as evidence.
The other side suspected nothing. “The stuff… it’s not convenient to say over the phone. I’ll take photos and send them to A-Zheng. I’ve sent the location too…”
Once the call ended, Xu Mingjie used the same method on the other person, extracting the address of the place where Li Zheng was keeping his “beauty in a golden house.”
Lin Zhiqiao was dumbstruck.
He did not even realize the cubed watermelon in his hand had dropped.
[Director Xu is way, way, way, way too amazing! That was literally a perfect full-mark answer sheet in extracting information!!!]
Now that she had hard evidence, Xu Mingjie’s emotions instead stabilized.
She crouched down and asked, “Do you have anything else you want to explain?”
Li Zheng: “Cough, cough… Mingjie, I—”
Xu Mingjie frowned. Without thinking, she grabbed several tissues from the table, balled them up, and stuffed them into Li Zheng’s mouth.
“Forget it. You’d better not speak.” Without even sparing him another look, she said, “You’re disgusting.”
Xu Mingjie rose and prepared to leave.
The private room had gone completely silent. No one dared make a sound.
Just before walking out, Xu Mingjie paused and looked back at the little actors Wu Yuan had brought with him.
One young man shrank his neck and did not even dare raise his head.
“Wanting to climb higher and having ambition is a good thing,” she said sternly. “But don’t forget the most basic morality and bottom line required to be a human being.”
No one present even dared breathe loudly.
Xu Mingjie did not make things difficult for that young actor. She turned and left, her big wavy curls swinging behind her in an arc that was cool and fiercely stylish.
Lin Zhiqiao’s eyes were full of worship, and inside he was clapping like a seal. [Director Xu is way too cool!]
Xu Mingjie stopped in front of him. “Thank you.”
888 suddenly popped up. [Xu Mingjie favorability +100! Stored in the transfer station. Please remember to check!]
Lin Zhiqiao wore a blank expression. “Hm?”
How had it suddenly maxed out?
Xu Mingjie said, “If it hadn’t been for you… you all, I still don’t know how much longer he would have deceived me.”
Lin Zhiqiao blinked.
[Oh dear, this is too embarrassing. I’m just a perfectly ordinary member of the gossip-watching public.]
[And besides… Director Xu is so smart. Even without today, sooner or later she would have noticed something was off.]
But inwardly, Xu Mingjie could only smile bitterly.
Even the smartest people had moments when they were blinded by being inside the situation themselves.
The four of them returned to Summer Room.
Fang Xinnan asked, “Little Aunt, next you…”
“I’ll sue for divorce. We signed an agreement before marriage—whoever is at fault leaves with nothing.” Xu Mingjie did not hesitate in the slightest.
Seeing that she did not seem too devastated, Fang Xinnan finally relaxed.
“Speaking of which…” Xu Mingjie shifted topics and suddenly looked at Lin Zhiqiao. “You should know that I’m currently preparing an idol survival show, right?”
Lin Zhiqiao nodded. “Mm, I know.”
“Xinnan sent me your stage video. I think you have great potential.” Xu Mingjie invited him. “Well? Any interest in coming to give it a try? I can waive the preliminary audition for you!”
Lin Zhiqiao quickly refused. “Thank you for Director Xu’s kindness, but I’m not very interested in being an idol…”
Xu Mingjie looked a little regretful. “I see.”
[Compared with being an idol, I like eating idols’ gossip more! I heard the gossip in survival shows isn’t just normally explosive…]
Not interested in being an idol, but interested in eating gossip.
Xu Mingjie thought for a moment. “If not as a contestant, then what about being an assistant to the mentors?”
“Assistant to the mentors?” Lin Zhiqiao had never heard of that.
“Yes. There isn’t much an assistant mentor has to do. Usually your presence won’t be too strong, but you can…”
The phrase eat gossip almost slipped out. Xu Mingjie corrected herself just in time. “But you can get some face time and build a bit of presence. You’ll at least get some camera shots, and it can help you accumulate a little good will with casual viewers. That would be good for your future development.”
Lin Zhiqiao’s eyes lit up.
Not a trainee working himself half to death, not a mentor rushing around endlessly, and still able to eat the colorful gossip of future idols right on site—
Wasn’t this a gossip-eating position tailor-made by heaven itself just for him?!
