Chapter Twenty: Rumors

Zhang Kai stared at the freshly updated Weibo post, then glanced at Chu Muyun, who looked as if nothing concerned him.
“Muyun, tell me the truth—what’s going on between you and Bai Chenxi?”
“There’s nothing between us.” Zhang Kai was clearly dissatisfied with Chu Muyun’s answer.
“Nothing? Then why did you post on Weibo in the middle of the night, asking fans to stop arguing?”
Chu Muyun frowned. “I don’t need to spend my days cursing at someone else’s fans.”
That did sound like Chu Muyun, but Zhang Kai couldn’t shake the feeling that things weren’t so simple.
Was it really that complicated? Chu Muyun himself didn’t know why, but seeing his own fans attacking her online left him unsettled. This was a matter between two people—why should she bear it alone? He was the one who’d dragged her into this mess. Yes, he’d implicated her. What should he do? He hadn’t figured it out yet, but the Weibo post was already sent.
“Looks like there’s no need to cancel the set visit the day after tomorrow,” Zhang Kai said, as if he’d seen straight through Chu Muyun.
“Set visit?” He’d forgotten about it.
“For Blue Sky! It’s their first TV series, the company invested, and you’re supposed to drop by, maybe do a cameo, stir up some buzz.”
Zhang Kai remembered today’s headlines and looked on with a teasing expression. “But with all the rumors about Blue Sky and Bai Chenxi today, the show hardly needs more publicity.”
Chu Muyun didn’t bother responding. Since Chu Muyun ignored him, Zhang Kai pressed on, “So, are we still going? If you don’t feel like it, I’ll cancel for you.”
“We’re going.” Chu Muyun hadn’t expected to reply so quickly himself, then added, “If I don’t go, Blue Sky will nag me to death.”
Of course, nobody really believed that reason—at least neither Zhang Kai nor Xiao Wen.
“I’ll go with you, then. If anything comes up, I can handle it right away.”
What trouble could possibly come from a set visit? Zhang Kai just wanted to see what kind of person could make Chu Muyun treat someone differently.
As for Xiao Wen, his only thought was: Don’t drag me into this. I just want to quietly ship my favorite couple. Watching a CP up close is pure bliss.
The director, meanwhile, grumbled inwardly: The couple you’re shipping is built on the ruins of mine.
After dropping Chu Muyun off at home, only Zhang Kai and Xiao Wen remained in the car.

Xiao Wen couldn’t help but feel that Brother Kai was a little menacing today.
“Xiao Wen.”
“Here! Here!” Xiao Wen’s mind was already staging a full-blown melodrama—outwardly supportive, but secretly sabotaging; always keeping an eye on the boss, ready to break up the lovebirds at a moment’s notice. Every cliché from a primetime soap played out in his head.
“I want to ask you—” The moment Zhang Kai began, Xiao Wen cried out, as if going to his doom, “Brother Kai, don’t say it—I won’t help you! I’ll protect the boss and goddess’s love with my life!”
When nothing happened, Xiao Wen peeked up and saw Zhang Kai, arms folded, looking at him with a half-smile. “So you do know.”
“Come on, spill it. How far have those two gotten?”
“Don’t ask me, Brother Kai. I’m not saying a word.” Xiao Wen clamped a hand over his mouth.
Zhang Kai didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “All right, is it really that serious? You think I’m some villain set on tearing your boss and his goddess apart?”
Xiao Wen didn’t answer, but his eyes said it all: Yes, you are.
“I’m not that bored. Your boss finally found someone—makes me happy, actually. Now he can stop wasting time looking for a girlfriend and focus more on work. I just wanted some gossip.”
Xiao Wen thought about it and realized that sounded about right. He’d been holding back his own gossip for so long, it was torture. He relented, “I don’t know the details, but last time when Brother Chu was sick, I saw the goddess taking care of him at home.”
“She was at his place? And you still won’t admit it.” Chu Muyun was famously private—if she was at his place, and he had a fever no less… tsk tsk, it couldn’t be simple.
“Maybe Brother Chu just wants to protect her. The moment there’s a rumor, she gets hated on—he definitely doesn’t want her to get hurt.”
The more Xiao Wen spoke, the more convinced he became, “I stumbled upon it by accident, and Brother Chu told me not to say a word. That must be it—he really loves her.” Xiao Wen was moved by his own words, not the least bit worried about getting himself in trouble.
“I think so too.” Why did Brother Kai’s tone sound a little… sinister?
“Xiao Wen, keeping something this big from me—don’t you want your job anymore?”
So the reckoning had arrived. Xiao Wen knew better than to argue; he’d never win. Might as well admit fault.
“Sorry, brother. I was wrong.”
“Right. No bonus for you this month.”

Clearly, he was still too young—but so be it, consider it a price paid for shipping his favorite couple.
No sooner had Zhang Kai gotten home than he eagerly called Wang Ling. “What are you doing up this late? I just fell asleep.”
“Ling’er, how can you say you’re asleep if you picked up my call?” Zhang Kai was proud of his logic, not noticing the brief silence on the other end.
“Need some inside scoop on your artist?” Wang Ling teased, referencing their last conversation. Zhang Kai wasn’t fazed, pretending to ask offhandedly,
“I saw the news today and suddenly wondered: Does Bai Chenxi have a boyfriend?”
“What are you up to?” Wang Ling shot up from bed.
“Did Chu Muyun put you up to this? He asked you to ask, didn’t he? Listen, Chenxi is focusing on her acting. You all better not get ideas about her.”
“Ling’er, you’re exaggerating. Just gossiping—what’s this got to do with Chu Muyun?”
Zhang Kai hurriedly brushed it off. Now he understood why Chu Muyun wanted to keep things secret. His own Ling’er hadn’t lost any of her fire over the years—he could barely handle her. If Chu Muyun, who could hardly string a sentence together, had to face her, he’d be torn to shreds.
“As long as that’s not it.” To be honest, Wang Ling wasn’t really opposed to Bai Chenxi dating; she just didn’t trust anyone Zhang Kai managed. She’d always favored Lin Yue—such a nice young man.
“Well, if there’s nothing else, I’m hanging up.”
“That’s it. Go get your sleep, Ling’er!” Without another word, Wang Ling hung up. Staring at his name in her contacts, she muttered, “Idiot, I’ll always answer your calls—anytime.” Whether she was talking about the person on the other end or herself, who could say.
On his end, Zhang Kai rubbed his chest—an angry Ling’er was terrifying. Thank goodness he wasn’t in front of her. He still remembered what happened to the classmate who had dared to provoke her back in the day.
Ah, Ling’er’s all grown up, but her temper hasn’t changed—who could she ever marry? He wouldn’t trust anyone with her. Well, more like he’d worry for the poor guy’s safety.
Thinking back over what he’d just learned, Zhang Kai broke into a broad grin. This time, he’d found out before her. Let her laugh at him last time—when those two go public, he’d finally get his chance to tease her back.