Tea-flavored Romance

Jiang Manyue retorted, "Why should I hide it?"

"???"

"You clearly said before that you would try your best to hide yourself and let me have fun in peace!"

"Oh." Jiang Manyue nodded. "I've forgotten now."

Ning Yuan was so shocked by the merciless betrayal from the SSR beauty queen that he almost grabbed Jiang Manyue by the collar on the spot.

"Didn't you say you wouldn't let Gu Guanxue know you were here? If she finds out I secretly brought you in, what's the difference between me and a double agent!"

Even if Master Ning is indeed a double agent who benefits from both sides, what he says is completely different from what others think. At least in front of Jiang Manyue, he still needs to show his upright, honest, and pure side.

"Don't worry, if we accidentally bump into each other, I'll tell her I came in on my own."

"It'll be too late by then! I shouldn't have trusted you so easily! I was so naive!"

"Are you done crying? If you're done, take me backstage to find them." Jiang Xihua said calmly without any shame, "Since Gu Guanxue hasn't replied to the message, it means she shouldn't be in the dressing room."

"Let's go over there and find her accomplices first."

"..."

Master Ning was speechless for a moment, thinking to himself that the phrase "birds of a feather" alone was enough to show that Jiang Manyue's appearance was definitely not a friendly one for Gu Xihua and her group of friends...

If he had only brought her in and let Jiang Manyue wander around and bump into Chen Ling and Xiao Zhao's group, Ning Yuan could have comforted himself by saying that although he had led the way, he hadn't led her completely... But now, judging from this situation, Jiang Manyue is planning to drag him down completely?

"I absolutely refuse to go! Xiao Zhao and the others are my friends. Although we haven't known each other for long, they are all good people! I would never harm my good brothers for no reason!"

Did I say I went to see them intending to harm people?

"And... are you implying that I'm not a good person?"

"No...you're exaggerating. Jiang, how could someone as kind as you not be considered a good person...it's just..."

Jiang Manyue glanced at Ning Yuan with a subtle look in her eyes, and said expressionlessly, "It's fine if you don't want to go, but since you brought me in, I'd appreciate it if you could accompany me throughout the game expo."

"The dressing room is this way... Jiang, please walk slowly."

Faced with the choice between the death of fellow Daoists and the death of this humble Daoist, Master Ning chose the former without hesitation... So be it, a traitor is a traitor, it's all the same whether it's the pot calling the kettle black.

"You better remember what you just said, don't say that I brought you in."

Jiang Manyue glanced at him slowly.

"It depends on your performance."

"What else can I do? Should I carry you on my back?"

"It's not impossible."

"??? Jiang Manyue, have some decency!"

"Yes, I'm trying."

Ning Yuan was speechless for a moment. As he walked, he was about to turn around and discuss with Jiang Manyue what to say to Chen Ling and her group of female students to clear himself of suspicion when they met. However, a weak voice from the side interrupted his thoughts:

"Teacher Ning Yuan...?"

"You weren't... with Sister Xiaoxue...?"

Chapter 159: Brothers, we have dogs!

The runner-up director, Xu Yi, stood in the distance with a bag on her back and a complicated expression on her face, much like a fan who had just caught their favorite couple cheating.

She had rushed over, and because of the game expo, the area was packed with people, which made her commute much longer. The little fan felt very guilty about this, and she was anxiously glued to her phone the whole way, afraid that she had delayed Gu Guanxue and Ning Yuan's important business.

But who could have imagined! Teacher Ningyuan! He was actually cheating on Sister Xiaoxue...

This plot is amazing!

This plot is fucking thrilling!!

While others might only find gossip in shipping couples, Xu Yi, the runner-up director, is a filmmaker after all, and her first instinct was to capture the artistic essence.

The saying goes, "Art originates from life but transcends it..." Could it be that only with such rich life experience can one direct works that are so emotionally nuanced and rich?!

Intertwined in painful love, entangled in moral dilemmas, the soul gradually degenerates yet yearns to struggle free... It turns out that Teacher Ningyuan is a scholar of white literature?

And she's an experiential white-picking scholar?!

Hmm... I have a feeling that Teacher Ningyuan's move has nothing to do with "White Album"... It seems to have some kind of more sinister cult-like artistic vibe...

As the runner-up director's thoughts began to wander, he noticed that the girl's expression seemed to have changed slightly, so he waved his hand helplessly in front of her.

"Xu Yi? Xu Yi?"

What's this guy thinking? Is he starting to imagine a movie plot?

Xu Yi, who was lost in thought, was awakened by Ning Yuan, feeling as if some strange sensation had been interrupted. She was abruptly pulled back from a path of no return.

"Hmm? Teacher Ning Yuan?"

"You're finally awake...?" Master Ning's expression was strange. "Can you listen to me now?"

Xu Yi blushed slightly and quickly said, "Please go ahead... I was just spacing out."

"I'm asking you, why are you here?"

Ning Yuan didn't intend to explain Jiang Manyue's situation to the young girl. Some things only get worse if you explain them; leaving them unexplained makes one appear upright and innocent. He asked first, effectively shutting down Xu Yi's attempts to find out about Jiang Manyue's background: "Is there a traffic jam?"

"Yes, that's right... There was a lot of traffic on the way here today. I left early, but unfortunately I realized I forgot my makeup bag halfway through."

"I see... Are you going to find Gu Guanxue now?"

"Yes, I just messaged Sister Xiaoxue, and she said she's almost at the dressing room."

"Hmm?" Master Ning's heart stirred upon hearing this, and he began to move towards Xu Yi's side without making a sound. "Then I'll go with you. I also need to go find her."

"what……?"

Xu Yi hesitated for a moment, then glanced in Jiang Manyue's direction: "But Teacher Ning Yuan, aren't you with this person..."

"Oh, you mean this one?" Ning Yuan feigned annoyance, pretending to have forgotten to introduce her. "I almost forgot about her... she..."

She's just my sister?

Ning Yuan knew he couldn't use that reason, so he coughed lightly and continued, "She's my friend, and also Gu Guanxue's friend. She's here to visit."

Xu Yi let out a long "oh," her expression seemingly a little regretful. Ning Yuan didn't know what she was regretting, so he immediately urged, "Alright, it's getting late, let's hurry up and go, or we won't be able to finish our makeup... Um, Jiang, why don't you just wander around here for a bit? You can try out any games you want to see or play. Xu Yi and I will go find Gu Guanxue first."

"Wait a moment."

Jiang Manyue called out to Ning Yuan, her eyes filled with a subtle, ambiguous light: "Why did you leave me behind? I can come with you."

Master Ning turned around and slowly raised his hand to form a question mark.

?

Seriously, Sister Jiang, you can actually follow this?

So, does that mean I, as a traitor, am destined to remain a collaborator even unto death?

Jiang Xihua noticed the doubt and despair in Master Ning's eyes and replied leisurely, "Didn't you just say that Gu Guanxue is also my friend?"

Why can't I go see my friend?

Ning Yuan: "..."

Damn it! Why did I have to say anything?! I could have just said she was a stranger and that would have been enough! Am I just shooting myself in the foot?!

The runner-up director beside him was already looking at him suspiciously, but Ning Yuan forced himself to remain calm and replied, "Oh~ I thought you wanted to wander around by yourself first... Since you also want to see Gu Guanxue, let's go together."

The three of them set off. Although Xu Yi still had doubts, she didn't voice them in front of Jiang Manyue. Besides, when Jiang Manyue said she was going to see Gu Guanxue, she looked calm and natural, without the slightest hint of guilt. She didn't seem to have any strange relationship with Teacher Ning Yuan behind her back.

Was I overthinking things after all?

Xu Yi shook her head slightly, feeling that she seemed to lack social experience. If she had the chance, she should ask Teacher Ning Yuan for advice alone.

Ning Yuan, who is regarded as a mentor by the girls around him, appears calm on the surface, but in his heart he is actually covering his face and making an abstract cry.

He actually took Jiang Manyue to find Gu Guanxue! What kind of monstrous move is this?!

This is even worse than that plan to backstab the four members of the Victims' Association!

As he walked step by step toward death, the background music playing in the game exhibition seemed to carry a tragic tone. Resigning himself to fate and awaiting judgment was clearly not Master Ning's style. Even though each step brought him closer to Gu Guanxue, he still hadn't given up thinking about how to escape this inevitable predicament.

Ning Yuan is not dead yet! Ning Yuan is still dealing damage!

Oh, his screen is already black. That's alright then.

Master Ning has fallen...

The distance to the backstage dressing room was quickly reached. Ning Yuan looked at the door, which was only a few feet away, with a look of despair, and couldn't help but cry out in his heart that his life was over.

"I'll go check if anyone's there!"

Even at this moment, Ning Yuan still didn't give up and wanted to try if a miracle would happen. Xu Yi couldn't understand his actions, but Jiang Manyue behind him knew exactly what he was doing.

Ha, men, I'm laughing at your stupidity.

I opened the door and peeked inside.

Surprise mother fucker?

There should have been two cosplay teams getting their makeup done in the dressing room, but when Master Ning opened the door, he didn't see a bustling scene. There were only a few people inside. Chen Ling's group of four was nowhere to be seen, and the only people left were members from other clubs who had stayed behind to watch over things.

Such high vigilance? Has their passive ability to foresee danger been maxed out?

Gu Guanxue isn't here either? Heaven is on my side?!

He was secretly delighted and boldly opened the door to let the two people behind him see the scene inside: "It seems that Gu has not arrived yet. Let's go look for her again."

“Hmm…it seems so…” Xu Yi asked doubtfully, “But she clearly told me she would be here soon.”

“You don’t understand,” Ning Yuan explained. “Gu Guanxue is almost here. Translate it to: I haven’t left yet.” “Let’s not block her here. Let’s look for her somewhere else.”

"But even if Sister Xiaoxue isn't here, she'll be here soon, right? Why don't we wait for her here?"

"..."

Master Ning was slightly taken aback, and couldn't help but feel an urge to give the runner-up director a death stare.

Little sister... if you're so clueless, it'll be hard for me not to include you in the filming of "Dream Chasing in the Entertainment Industry 2" with Zhang Dadi...

“You’re right, I’ll just wait for her here.”