Chapter Seventy-Five: Surprise

“No,” Bai Chenxi retorted almost instinctively, then glanced at the people around her and lowered her voice, “I’m not with anyone. Even if others don’t know, you should at least stop stirring up trouble. I’m already miserable enough, living my life surrounded by gossip.”

“I’m just worried you’ll never get married. If there’s someone blind enough to take a liking to you, shouldn’t you hurry up and grab onto him?” Lin Yue’s words made Bai Chenxi grit her teeth in anger.

“Lin Yue, are you underestimating my ability to reach through the phone and strangle you?” she threatened.

Lin Yue, sounding earnest, replied, “I’m just telling you the truth, but apparently you don’t want to hear it. With a temper like yours, who will want you in the future?”

Bai Chenxi took a deep breath, her smile chilling. “Lin Yue, just you wait.”

If it weren’t for work holding her back, she’d have rushed over to give him a beating.

Meanwhile, Lin Yue was already dialing another number.

“Chu Muyun, that brat! Don’t you know how to stop him? He’s got another interview lined up this afternoon,” Zhang Kai snapped at Xiao Wen.

Xiao Wen replied timidly, “Brother Chu said he’ll definitely make it back before the interview.”

Zhang Kai shot her a look. “And you believe him? Just because he says he’ll be back doesn’t mean he will. What if he isn’t?”

After that, both Zhang Kai and Xiao Wen fell silent for a moment.

“Idiot,” Zhang Kai muttered, then continued, “He might be out of his mind, but are you? Why let him run wild?” He pressed his hand to his forehead.

No, just thinking about it gave him a headache. Was this brat really so bored that he had to create trouble every day?

But wasn’t Brother Chu out comforting his goddess? How could he possibly stop him? Besides, Xiao Wen believed in Brother Chu—if he said he’d be back, he would be back. Of course, these were thoughts she only dared to keep to herself, head bowed low.

Just as Zhang Kai was fuming over Chu Muyun, his phone rang.

Probably a work call, Zhang Kai thought, taking a deep breath before answering.

Hearing Zhang Kai’s voice, Lin Yue wasn’t surprised. “Is Chu Muyun there?”

“And you are…?”

“Lin Yue.”

Zhang Kai’s eyes lit up. Well, well, you disappeared without a word and left me here—I won’t let you off that easily.

He replied warmly, “Oh! You’re looking for Chu Muyun? He’s not here right now, went to the film set. Do you need him for something? I can give you his contact information.”

Zhang Kai was eager for Lin Yue to hear and follow him to the film set. If he could, he’d even provide the coordinates.

But Lin Yue just replied coolly, “No need, thank you,” and hung up.

Lin Yue felt at ease after hanging up. Good, at least he cares enough—no need to worry anymore.

Hung up? Zhang Kai was left confused. This turn of events made no sense!

No, he had to call Chu Muyun. Zhang Kai thought with a trace of schadenfreude, Don’t blame me for not warning you.

Chu Muyun glanced at the phone ringing incessantly on the table, as if determined not to stop until answered. He raised an eyebrow. Here comes the reckoning, it seems.

“Kai, I’ll make it back in time.”

“Mm,” Zhang Kai responded nonchalantly, acknowledging he’d heard.

The lack of anger surprised Chu Muyun.

Zhang Kai thought, He’s already gone, what’s the point in arguing? It’s not as if I can drag him back. Besides, I just want to see what happens next.

Chu Muyun commented, “Kai, this isn’t like you.”

Zhang Kai didn’t answer, suppressing a laugh as he asked, “Do you know who just called me?”

Chu Muyun could hear the amusement in his voice. “What, was it your little Ling’er?”

Who else could make him act so out of character, if not Wang Ling?

Zhang Kai caught the teasing but didn’t mind; he knew the tables would turn soon enough.

“It was Lin Yue,” Zhang Kai said, listening for Chu Muyun’s reaction.

“Oh,” Chu Muyun replied, unfazed.

“That’s it? Nothing more?” Zhang Kai complained inwardly. Why did neither of them follow the script? Weren’t they supposed to be rivals in love?

Chu Muyun countered, “What else did you expect?”

Zhang Kai hesitated, then decided he had to offer some advice—after all, as his brother, he had to have his back. He didn’t want to deal with the aftermath of a heartbreak.

“Listen, don’t say I didn’t warn you. When it comes to girls, you need to put in the effort. If you need to coax her, then do it. Stop wearing that expressionless face all the time, or you’ll scare her away.”

Chu Muyun stayed silent, and Zhang Kai worried he wasn’t taking it seriously. “Don’t be so indifferent. I think Lin Yue is way more attentive than you are—he even called me to check up. If you lose your girlfriend, don’t come crying to me.”

Chu Muyun replied, “Kai, I’m putting in the effort right now, aren’t I?”

That left Zhang Kai speechless, as if he’d just shot himself in the foot.

Seeing Bai Chenxi walk in, Chu Muyun beckoned to her. “Kai, I’m off to follow your advice—gotta put in the effort. I’m hanging up.”

As Bai Chenxi entered and saw Chu Muyun sitting there, it still felt unreal to her.

When she’d received his call saying he was nearby, she hadn’t dared believe it. Now, seeing Chu Muyun right before her eyes, it all felt dreamlike.

Chu Muyun noticed her dazed expression and snapped his fingers by her ear. “What, are you so unhappy to see me that you’re speechless?”