Huayu: Traffic is king

Chapter 147 Even if it's free, it's still a gift

After the recording ended, Gu Jingyi and the Happy Camp team went out for a meal together.

It's July, and the heat is intense. The Happy Camp hosts' top choice for food is crayfish, and the crayfish from Changsha is served with beer. It's even more authentic than crayfish from other parts of Hunan province.

After the show's recording finished at around 8 PM, Gu Jingyi and the guests arrived at Tianbao Brothers in the Happy Camp van.

The production team had booked a private room long ago, and Gu Jingyi and his group, disguised, walked in with the staff.

“Jingyi, sit down. Don’t be shy, just make yourself at home.”

Xie Na spoke in dialect and tried to build a relationship with Gu Jingyi.

He Jiong smiled and said, "Jingyi, you should understand, right?"

"Of course I can understand it. I'm a native of Xingcheng too."

Gu Jingyi smiled and replied.

"Really? Your Mandarin is very standard. You have no accent at all, and you don't sound like someone from Hunan province."

Wu Xin looked at Gu Jingyi and clicked her tongue in amazement.

"Don't say that. Isn't Teacher He also from Hunan Province? His Mandarin is also very standard."

Gu Jingyi pointed at He Jiong, who was still peeling lobsters, and smiled.

"Haha, that's true. Although you and Teacher He are both from Changsha, you both went to university in Beijing. Your accents are influenced by the Beijing dialect, so it's normal for them to be so standard."

Xie Na rested her chin on her hand and looked at Gu Jingyi, saying with great approval.

"Haha, so judging accents based on region is inaccurate. I think Mr. He and I speak quite standard Mandarin."

"Nana, stop focusing on Jingyi. Let him eat something. He just picked up his gloves to eat. You prompted him, and Jingyi put down his lobster to listen to you."

"I don't think he ate much of those five pounds of lobster; he was mostly listening to Sister Na chat."

He Jiong teased Xie Na for a moment, then deliberately placed a bowl of spicy crayfish on the table in front of Gu Jingyi.

Tianbao Brothers are famous in Changsha for their crayfish and barbecue.

The taste was, of course, superb, a classic Hunan flavor. Spicy and refreshing, Gu Jingyi expertly unpacked it while wearing gloves.

Before long, he unearthed a large plate piled high with the sauce. He added the seasoned sauce, making it even more flavorful.

Even if there's something different about you, you don't need to worry about running out of things to talk about at the dinner table.

At the banquet, glasses clinked and laughter filled the air.

“Jingyi, it’s a promise that you must come and make a guest appearance when you have time. There aren’t any big-name guests on ‘Back to Field’, but with you flying in for one or two episodes, the annual viewership rating KPI will be easily achieved.”

He Jiong pretended to be drunk, and, emboldened by the alcohol, put his arm around Gu Jingyi and started talking about work again.

"Back to Field" is a S+ variety show that Hunan TV is promoting this year. The guest lineup consists of Huang Lei, Eddie Peng, and Henry Lau, who are not very popular.

The only decent one is Huang Lei, who gained fame through "Where Are We Going, Dad?" and is known as the "Nation's Good Dad".

None of these people have the popularity to support the ratings of variety shows.

This made He Jiong somewhat worried, and he wanted to persuade Gu Jingyi to participate in one or two episodes.

With the support of a phenomenal top influencer, "Mushroom House" was able to quickly gain popularity.

"Teacher He, don't worry. Filming for 'Take My Brother Away' will wrap up in a little over a month at most. I'll definitely come and bother you when it's time for promotion."

Gu Jingyi smiled helplessly. How could he not see that He Jiong was pretending to be drunk?

"Can't you come to the recording of the first episode of 'Back to Field', Jingyi...?"

He Jiong, emboldened by the alcohol, started to shirk responsibility, saying, "Teacher He, I'm not a member of the Mushroom House. If I went in the first episode, wouldn't all the discussion be about me? Wouldn't I be usurping someone else's place? It's unnecessary..."

Gu Jingyi pinched the bridge of his nose; he really had a headache.

He Jiong does have a say in the variety show industry, so it's not good for him to offend him too thoroughly.

Wu Xuanyi patted Xie Na's arm subtly, and Xie Na, realizing his apprentice's intention, quickly stepped forward and put his arm around He Jiong.

“Jiongjiong, Jingyi is right. He’ll definitely come for the promotions, and isn’t the first episode of ‘Back to Field’ starting filming tomorrow? Jingyi can’t possibly cancel at the last minute. I’ll take you home since you’re drunk.”

"Jiajia, come here. I can't handle this by myself, can you help me?"

Li Weijia nodded and, together with Xie Na, saw He Jiong off to his car.

Gu Jingyi had been drinking, so he couldn't drive.

He glanced at Wu Xuanyi and Cheng Xiao, "How are you two going to get back? Should I take a taxi or call your agent?"

Wu Xuanyi chuckled, "No need for that trouble, I didn't drink much. The hotel isn't far from here, I can walk back and get some fresh air. You should take Xiaoxiao home, she seems to have had quite a bit to drink."

"What does it matter? I'll just call your agent and have her come over. You two should be staying at the same hotel, right? I don't need to make two trips. Besides, if I take you home late at night and it gets photographed, it'll be headline like 'Shocking! Top Celebrity Sleeps with Two Women in One Night, It's Him?' I don't want to trend on social media like that; my fans and girlfriend will be jealous."

[Tch, girlfriend, huh? Gu Jingyi, you're really good at pretending.]
Cheng Xiao wrinkled her nose, looked at him without saying anything.

Gu Jingyi chuckled, "I don't think Cheng Xiao is drunk. Xuanyi, you should go back with her. It's getting late, and I have to get up early to go to the set for filming tomorrow."

He took out his phone, ready to hail a taxi and go home to rest.

It was past 10 p.m. when I finished my late-night snack. If I didn't go home soon, I'd probably get nagged about it the next day.

The Tianbao brothers live in Tianxin District, which is more than half an hour away from Lushan.

Gu Jingyi yawned, walking and waiting for his order to be accepted. He located the Tianbao Brothers' storefront and was about to walk back.

Cheng Xiao hesitated for a moment, then glanced apologetically at Wu Xuanyi.

Wu Xuanyi immediately understood, "I'll go back first. I'll cover for you if your manager checks up on you."

Cheng Xiao nodded and immediately picked up the bag hanging on Wu Xuanyi's shoulder.

This is a series of photos she took just now, which she deliberately clung to Wu Xuanyi as evidence of being drunk.

She glanced at Gu Jingyi, who was already fifty meters away, and then, without bothering to sling the bag over her shoulder, she simply held onto the strap and followed closely behind him.

The two walked along the asphalt road, heading towards the shop where they had eaten late-night snacks.

"Gu Jingyi, did you think the crayfish at the restaurant were delicious?"

"It's alright, how bad can shrimp meat be?"

"I noticed you barely ate anything else last night, just focused on eating spicy crayfish. Are you still hungry? Do you want to go get some late-night snacks? I'll go with you."

"tutor…"

At the street corner, Gu Jingyi suddenly slowed his pace. He turned around and looked at Cheng Xiao, his gaze sweeping over her with a strange intensity. A slight smile played on his lips as he looked at Cheng Xiao with amusement. His deep-set face was strikingly handsome in the dimly lit street, and Cheng Xiao felt a sudden heat rise in her heart under Gu Jingyi's gaze.

"Professor, do you have a boyfriend?"

His voice was clear and his tone was very natural. If you ignored their previous in-depth conversation, it would seem like he was asking an extremely ordinary question.

"what…"

Gu Jingyi's unexpected question startled Cheng Xiao, who was lost in thought.

Her thoughts were in disarray, and she was somewhat unsure of Gu Jingyi's meaning.

From the initial ecstasy of thinking they were getting back together, to gradually realizing that it wasn't that simple.

Cheng Xiao's eyes flickered, and his pupils suddenly dilated.

She was startled and flustered by Gu Jingyi's beautiful eyes and his slightly playful smile.

Cheng Xiao quickly stepped aside, avoiding Gu Jingyi's sharp gaze.

She looked down, her head barely visible, and weakly replied, "Whether I do it or not... it's none of your business."

What was clearly a provocative statement was rendered unnatural by Cheng Xiao's hesitation for a few seconds before uttering the second half. This resulted in the latter half sounding like a statement, just like her—foul-tongued yet cowardly personality.

"Oh, it's nothing, I was just asking."

Gu Jingyi chuckled, turned around, and continued walking forward. With his back to Cheng Xiao, he suddenly blurted out, "Teacher Cheng Xiao might not believe it, but I actually have a girlfriend."

"Eh!?"

Cheng Xiao, who was initially flustered by Gu Jingyi's words, was secretly pleased that Gu Jingyi cared about her relationship status.

Taking advantage of Gu Jingyi's back being turned, Cheng Xiao, who was secretly stomping on his shadow to vent her anger, suddenly became anxious.

She went from following closely behind to quickly catching up with Gu Jingyi and tugging at his clothes.

She made him stop in his tracks and turn to look at her.

Cheng Xiao looked at Gu Jingyi, frowned, and said somewhat displeased:
"Gu Jingyi, what nonsense are you spouting? You're dating? How come I didn't know? Milkballs has only been in the industry for a little over three months, and your schedule alone is more packed than the entire group combined. Where would you find the time to date? Are you dreaming?"

"I don't believe that Huace would let its own cash cow fall in love."

Cheng Xiao didn't know whether she was questioning Gu Jingyi or using these words to convince herself.

Seeing that Gu Jingyi didn't refute her, but instead looked at her with a half-smile, she gradually gained confidence, becoming certain that Gu Jingyi was threatening her.

Cheng Xiao crossed his arms and raised his chin slightly, speaking with a hint of pride.

"Gu Jingyi, the only thing you're really stubborn about is your mouth. I've known what kind of person you are for over a year now. You care more about your career than love."

"If you really wanted to be in a relationship, you would have been already."

Gu Jingyi listened patiently to her finish speaking, and after appreciating Cheng Xiao's slightly smug expression, he slowly said, "You may not know me well. I signed a performance-based agreement with Huace. If I bring in 100 million in profit within a year, I'll upgrade to a 70/30 contract. If I lose the bet, I'll sign a full contract with Huace at 50/50."

"As you can see, since I entered the industry last year until the airing of 'A Love So Beautiful,' this agreement has already reached 20% completion."

"After the first performance of 'Idol Producer,' my popularity soared. Every off-season was filled with grueling schedules, and by then, I had completed about 40% of that progress."

"As for what happens after the group is formed..." Gu Jingyi paused halfway through his sentence, then took a moment to appreciate Cheng Xiao's incredulous expression.

"Overnight, I gained more than a dozen endorsements, just enough to fulfill the performance guarantee. I was too conservative back then. If I had known, I would have opted for a revenue-sharing arrangement plus share subscriptions. Ah, the stock price increase I brought to Huace was far more effective than these revenue-sharing concessions."

Gu Jingyi sighed with a Versailles-like air, looking quite regretful.

Cheng Xiao's face turned pale at his answer. Yes, Gu Jingyi was a groundbreaking top idol who ushered in the "first year of idols".

The mini-album's sales broke the annual record on both QQ Music and NetEase Cloud Music, and received rave reviews from music critics.

Not to mention, he's considered the top actor of the new generation, able to convincingly portray any role. He's a talented director with an excellent eye for talent.

If she were the boss of Huace, she wouldn't say that Gu Jingyi was just dating.

Even if he wanted to choose a concubine, he would go to great lengths to find one and present her to the emperor.

Gu Jingyi laughed, shrugged, and said nonchalantly, "So, you know, I probably have a little more say in the company than other artists."

Cheng Xiao's face was pale; this was not just a little bit, it was a huge amount.

"To be honest, Dilraba was just one of my girlfriends. I've dated three other girls who are just as pretty as her."

Gu Jingyi chuckled as he spoke, the faces of Liu Haojian, Tian Xiwei, and Li Yitong flashing through his mind.

"Not only that, but there's also a green plum falling from the sky, waiting for me to turn around."

Zhou Ye's pretty face also appeared in the picture, and Gu Jingyi silently bent his finger and added another spot to the list.

"So... you're actually not very competitive right now. With my current status, if I wanted to move down in rank, there would be plenty of agencies sending new female talents into my arms."

These are all facts, even though he didn't do them...

Gu Jingyi's popularity in the industry is well-known, and the management of actors' or idols' relationships in the Chinese entertainment industry is not that strict.

Companies like Yuehua and Wajijiwa, which specialize in cultivating idols, often add a caveat when emphasizing "no dating during the rising phase" in their training sessions for trainees: "except for men like Gu Jingyi who can bring resources and popularity."

Let's see how the girls who appeared in Gu Jingyi's MV are doing. Tian Xiwei only starred in the MV for Gu Jingyi's single "Slowly Like You".

It's the kind of video aimed at fans, where the faces aren't shown at all. Only at the very end, when the two are running hand-in-hand, is a side profile shot captured.

The Weibo hashtag #GuJingyiSlowlyLikesYou# garnered a staggering 83 billion views and over 600 million discussions. It remained on the trending list for an average of 12 hours daily, with peak periods seeing hashtags such as "Gu Jingyi's killer gaze," "Slowly Likes You Cover Challenge," and "Slowly Likes You Amateur Girl" simultaneously occupying the top five trending topics.

而在音符，《慢慢喜欢你》作为顾璟奕首支原创单曲。在2018年3月上线后，3月抖音使用量突破1200万次。连续6周霸榜“抖音热歌榜”TOP1，峰值单周800万次远超同期爆款《学猫叫》。

To solidify their popularity, fans launched the #SlowlyLikeYouGestureDance# challenge, which garnered a staggering 48 billion views. It became the most-viewed gesture dance song of 2018 on the music charts, far surpassing the views of Xiaolu Jie and Pijiwan's "It's You I Love".

With such high popularity, Tian Xiwei is just like HyunA, who appeared in Psy's "Gangnam Style." Her popularity is soaring like a rocket, rising higher and higher.

Although she was still a nobody at the time, she had already accumulated a group of early fans on Weibo. Just like her "live stream fans" during her early days as a nobody, her advantage snowballed among other art students who hadn't yet entered the entertainment industry. It was through this opportunity that top agent Gong Yuhan noticed Tian Xiwei. She quickly signed her and, taking advantage of her popularity, landed her her first leading role in the drama "Waiting for You in the Long Time."

This start is nothing short of a game-changer among all the newcomers.

Li Yitong, who has an "ice-cold constitution," also benefited from her role in Gu Jingyi's mini album "Like the Wind."

"Like the Wind" has accumulated over 8 million plays on QQ Music and topped the charts for 12 consecutive weeks. It has a high rating of 7.6 on Douban Music and is hailed as a "model of transformation for Gu-style love songs".

After factoring in the musical note-based background music, "Like the Wind" achieved a staggering 15 billion streams across all platforms through a combination of musical note algorithm tilting and top-tier fan comment control.

Gu Jingyi's emergence has brought vitality to the long-dormant Chinese music scene.

He possesses the qualities of both an idol and a singer, leading renowned music critics like "Ear Emperor" to praise him, saying, "Gu Jingyi may be the only answer in the declining days of the Chinese entertainment industry."

This statement was repeatedly quoted by Gu Jingyi's fans, especially during his re-evaluation on "Idol Producer".

When Zhang Yixing asked, "Gu Jingyi, what do you consider your level?", he accepted the envelope containing a name tag. Without looking at it himself, he opened it in front of the camera and said, "I am the answer that gets an A," which was then used to create a support song called "The Answer."

After fans raised funds to support the song, they rented land and ironwork for Cai Xukun and other support activities, making Gu Jingyi a household name once again.

New fans are constantly searching for new material about Gu Jingyi, with his latest mini-album, "Like the Wind," being repeatedly mentioned.

Most people may not be familiar with Gu Jingyi before, but they have definitely heard his songs.

Taking this opportunity, I reviewed all of Gu Jingyi's previous musical works.

Li Yitong also took this opportunity to enter the public eye.

Nie Qingcheng, who appeared in "Demon Girl" in 2016, and Yang Rong, who appeared in "The Legend of the Condor Heroes" in 2017, both gained some online attention.

The 2018 drama "Bloody Romance" garnered 10 billion views, giving her a slight breakthrough into mainstream popularity.

Riding on the wave of popularity from Gu Jingyi's phenomenal theme song of the same name, Li Yitong landed the lead role in "Incredible Girl," a drama about female friendship.

The entertainment industry has "Zhang Yimou's Girls", "Feng Xiaogang's Girls", and "Stephen Chow's Girls", and the singing circle also has its own "Gu Yimou's Girls".

With these two prime examples, a whole host of women in the industry wanted to get close to him. Some were actively promoted by their companies, but most did so voluntarily.

Gu Jingyi receives a lot of exciting information in his email every day. When he goes to business events, girls often pass him "little notes" through various staff members as a favor.

Basically, as long as he nods or gives a hint, we can communicate at close range instantly.

He was telling the truth, though it was harsh, because he didn't want to deceive Cheng Xiao.

After he finished speaking, he pursed his lips and looked Cheng Xiao up and down, who was trying to hold on.

Then, speaking slowly and deliberately, she added, "Teacher Cheng Xiao is young and beautiful, so I'm sure quite a few male celebrities in the industry have expressed their interest in her, right?"

"That's perfect, me too."

Gu Jingyi remained completely calm, as if stating a fact that everyone already knew.

But when Cheng Xiao, who wanted to reconcile with him, heard this, she felt increasingly uncomfortable.

She clenched her hands behind her back, her fingertips digging deep into her flesh, bringing her a moment of clarity.

After thinking for a while with his head down, a sudden inspiration struck him.

“Gu Jingyi, I don’t believe Dilraba is your girlfriend. She’s six years older than you, and she’s more mature and experienced than you. You have a face that attracts women, and you’re definitely not a good person. I don’t believe that Dilraba can’t see that after getting to know you.”

As if he had found a basis for his stance, Cheng Xiao chuckled. He made a gesture in the air with his freshly manicured fingers, pointing at the face with an air of profound knowledge.

"Gu Jingyi, if you want to lie, you shouldn't choose a good person. Everyone knows Dilraba is incredibly dedicated; she only takes three days off a year. Her dedication is well-known in the industry. Do you think she'd be so infatuated with a man like you?"

Cheng Xiao narrowed his eyes and stared at Gu Jingyi's face, then suddenly smiled.

"Do you think I'm stupid? Today on 'Happy Camp,' you had a phone call with Dilraba. Even Sister Na complained that you two were as awkward as client and service provider. And you're still pretending?"

She leaned against Gu Jingyi's chest, tapped his chest, and laughed dismissively, "I can understand your crush on Dilraba; I like her looks too. But as for saying you're a jerk to Dilraba, I don't believe it."

"You're saying I have a crush on Dilraba?" Gu Jingyi's face turned as red as a pig's liver; he was about to lose his composure.

To say that he has a crush on Dilraba is utter nonsense.

Who doesn't know "she loves it"?
"See, you get angry again after I just say a few words to you."

Cheng Xiao slapped away Gu Jingyi's trembling fingers and said confidently, "During the dinner, you were only interested in showing off your crayfish. For more than an hour, I didn't hear anyone texting you to check up on you or you replying to messages on your phone."

"Let me tell you, I've seen plenty of 'trainees' like you. Every single one of them in a relationship is glued to their phone, grinning like an idiot, whenever they have a spare moment. They're always texting each other whenever they have a free moment—that's what being in a relationship is all about."

Cheng Xiao grew more and more confident as she spoke, finally giving Gu Jingyi a somewhat disdainful look: "Unlike you, all you do is constantly show off your food..."

Finally, she crossed her arms over her chest, blinked her big eyes, stood on tiptoe, and stared closely at Gu Jingyi's face.

Like a famous detective, trying to uncover some secret.

Gu Jingyi laughed in anger. With his level of skill, even the grandmaster would have to pay him tuition, and he was still called a "Dilraba Dilmurat simp."

Good heavens, it doesn't matter who it is. To be called a "seasoned love-struck simp" of Dilraba is simply the opposite of what is expected of him.

He pulled out his phone and sneered, "If Teacher Cheng Xiao doesn't believe me, there's nothing I can do. I've already made myself perfectly clear. Since you don't believe me, there's no need to continue..."

Gu Jingyi pushed Cheng Xiao aside, refusing to exchange another word. Without finishing his sentence, he turned and continued on his way.

Cheng Xiao was pushed by him and stumbled back two or three steps before regaining his balance.

His eyes were filled with disbelief, and in his anger, he lost his composure.

"Hey! Gu Jingyi, is there no need to say anything more? Speak up! If you're so capable, explain yourself clearly!"

"ah!"

Gu Jingyi ignored him completely and walked further and further away.

Cheng Xiao gritted her teeth, ran over in her high heels, and grabbed his clothes.

She frowned, glaring stubbornly at Gu Jingyi. Her heart was filled with unspeakable grievance, but she finally said defiantly, "Gu Jingyi, if you're really dating Dilraba, then call her right now. If she answers, I promise I won't bother you anymore."

"I don't need to prove myself."

Gu Jingyi ignored him and was about to continue walking.

Cheng Xiao suddenly burst into tears, the large teardrops landing on his neck feeling incredibly hot.

Gu Jingyi's heart softened, and he looked at Cheng Xiao seriously and asked, "You agreed to answer the phone, so we can part ways amicably?"

"Um…"

Cheng Xiao clung to Gu Jingyi's neck, refusing to let go. She was afraid he would find another excuse to push her away and walk further and further away.

In her view, Gu Jingyi's claim of dating Dilraba was completely flawed, which showed that his claim of having multiple relationships was just an angry outburst.

Her purpose was simple: she hadn't firmly chosen him before, which had chilled Gu Jingyi's heart and made him want to run away.

But reason told her that given Gu Jingyi's popularity in the industry, it was simply not her place to take advantage of the situation.

Cheng Xiao was in a state of confusion. She really wanted to take this opportunity to find out if Gu Jingyi was really dating her.

She didn't really know what to do if it was true or false.

"There's really nothing I can do against you."

Gu Jingyi sighed, took out his phone from his pocket, unlocked it, quickly dialed a number, and then leaned back against the wall, waiting for the other end to answer.

Cheng Xiao stared at him intently the entire time, hugging him even tighter. Although she didn't say anything, the tension and a hint of panic in her eyes were impossible to hide.

Who did he call? What if Dilraba really is his girlfriend? What should he say when the call connects?
Various thoughts swirled in her mind like paste, and her thoughts seemed to freeze, as she instinctively stared at the phone that had dialed the number.

"Like the wind, you rustle as you invade..."

Just as Cheng Xiao was in a state of utter confusion, the phone rang and finished ringing.

Dilraba didn't answer, and she suddenly breathed a sigh of relief.

"Maybe I dialed the wrong number. I'll call again."

Gu Jingyi patted his head and said something with some annoyance.

Then he picked up his phone, ready to call Dilraba on WeChat. He swiped his finger across the screen, saying, "She's filming abroad, there's a time difference, I don't know what she's doing right now, maybe..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cheng Xiao threw herself into his arms. She braced one hand against the back of Gu Jingyi's head, stood on tiptoe, and pressed her red lips directly onto his.

Gu Jingyi, who was attacked, did not push her away, but reached out and hugged her politely in response.

As a gentleman, he was always very polite.

After receiving Gu Jingyi's response, Cheng Xiao clearly felt his body relax immediately, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, it was a corner, and no one was passing by.

But the downside is that it's a corner, and you can always hear faint voices of passersby coming from not far away.

She didn't know how long they kissed before they finally separated. Cheng Xiao let go of her hand and put down her tiptoes. She glanced around shyly, and only breathed a sigh of relief after realizing that no one was around.

She quickly looked at Gu Jingyi's face, pouting and staring into his eyes with a defiant look.

"Then let me ask you, who is your girlfriend now?"

Liu Haojian, Dilraba Dilmurat, Tian Xiwei, Li Yitong

Gu Jingyi looked at her calmly and gave his answer gently.

"Ugh!" Cheng Xiao exclaimed angrily, "Didn't you just say it was Dilraba? You just don't want to be with me, and you don't want to make up names like that."

"Because she didn't answer my call, Dilraba lost points in my eyes."

Gu Jingyi said this playfully, which made Cheng Xiao anxious again.

"I don't care if you have a girlfriend or not, I started it first! Even if you do, let her stay here for now. Now that I'm here, she has to make room for me!"

Cheng Xiao patted Gu Jingyi's back forcefully, then turned and left with one hand in his pocket, looking as dashing as a Japanese anime protagonist. He left Gu Jingyi with only a desolate, weathered silhouette.

"Hey, little chubby girl."

Cheng Xiao gritted her teeth and ignored him. She knew very well that if she didn't leave soon, she would completely lose control of her expression.

"Didn't you say you wanted them to make room for you? If they don't come soon, I'm going back."

Gu Jingyi shook his phone, and at that moment his ringtone went off.

"coming"

Cheng Xiao ran over excitedly, hooked her arm around his, and smiled foolishly.

"Disguise yourself and put on your hat. When you get in the car, don't talk to me."

"Hmm~"

Cheng Xiao answered weakly, but her face was full of joy.

Inside the presidential suite of a luxury hotel near Gu Jingyi's residential area, the dim light from outside peeked in through the curtains.

Cheng Xiao knelt down, enduring Gu Jingyi's rage.

"Are you sure you want to be this wild, without even drawing the curtains?"

His clothes were scattered haphazardly on the carpet, but Gu Jingyi's emotions were not in the right place.

He had just received a call from his father, who asked him why he wasn't coming home.

Gu Jingyi made up a random excuse and got away with it.

Cheng Xiao's red lips parted slightly, "Gu Jingyi, can we see your house directly from here?"

"Yes, what's wrong?"

"Then tell me, will your father see this...?"

The rest of his words were cut off by a large hand. Cheng Xiao held his head high, enduring Gu Jingyi's rage.

Gu Jingyi, delivering a performance with the right emotions, is the ProMax version of himself.

Cheng Xiao felt like she was on a drop tower, suddenly rising into the air and then plummeting down.

(End of this chapter)