Chapter 31 (Minor Revision) How come you didn't lose it...?

"Yu Yue, you bastard, you better confess!"

In a building in the Jingxiu Jiayuan residential complex, Lin Shiya was in a state of near frantic frustration, pacing back and forth in her room, constantly going in circles.

Yu Yue was getting dizzy from her rambling, and could only say helplessly, "It's just like what you see."

"Look at you, look at that innocent face! You're acting all innocent?! Oh my god, oh my god!" Lin Shiya had long abandoned her ladylike image, grabbing her big, wavy curls, still feeling like she was dreaming. "That's Xin Qi! Holy crap, how did you manage to hook up with her?! Was it when you went to apologize to someone last time..."

Lin Shiya finally remembered. Oh right, these two had crossed paths, it was during that time with the photoshopped pictures.

"No, that's not it," Yu Yue explained. "He and I were classmates in junior high school. There were some misunderstandings, so we haven't seen each other for ten years."

"Huh?" Lin Shiya was shocked by this information, her voice rising, "So...you two knew each other a long time ago?!"

"Yeah, otherwise why would I bother photoshopping his picture if I had nothing better to do?" Yu Yue rubbed her head awkwardly. "We used to be sworn enemies who always fought back in school... I only recently realized that I've been misunderstanding him all along."

"Damn, so who pursued whom, and who confessed?!" In her shock, Lin Shiya's innate gossip gene ignited again. "When exactly did you two get together?!"

Yu Yue knew she wouldn't be allowed to go to bed unless she gave a clear answer today, so she honestly confessed, "Him? He confessed, and I accepted. Do you believe me if I say tonight?"

"Hmph." Lin Shiya walked over and plopped down next to her, unable to resist giving her a good rub on the cheeks. "You, Yu Yue, either you don't eat at all, or you eat the best of everything!!"

Of all her boyfriends combined, none could compare to that face! Of course, her ex-boyfriends weren't bad either, but this one was just too stunning. Even in the entertainment industry, he was a rare find—handsome from every angle.

"Tell me honestly, was his mouth nice to kiss? Were his abs nice to touch?" Thinking of this, Lin Shiya became indignant. "It's all your fault! I embarrassed myself in front of that handsome guy earlier!!"

Lin Shiya is thick-skinned, but the scene she just witnessed still makes her want to pick her toes.

She just interrupted their intimacy and then stupidly complimented his chest and abs in front of him, really...

Thinking back to the awkward scene from before, Yu Yue couldn't help but laugh out loud, which earned her another angry glare from Lin Shiya.

"You didn't even tell me you were coming, and you even tried to surprise me. I was almost scared to death," Yu Yue complained.

“I was thinking that we haven’t slept together as sisters in a long time, so I wanted to sneak over to you the night before to surprise you,” Lin Shiya retorted. “Who told you not to tell me?”

“I only formally introduced you to me because I wanted to be together. As for before, I felt it was too embarrassing. We weren’t on good terms back then, so what was there to talk about? And…” Yu Yue muttered softly, “we didn’t even kiss.”

"Tsk, it's all my fault for coming at the wrong time." She said sarcastically, though inwardly she was a little disappointed that they hadn't kissed. All her excitement had been for nothing; she really wanted to hear the details. "By the way, when is he coming again?"

Lin Shiya already knew that Xin Qi lived next door to them and was the adopter and current owner of Xin Kaixin's Border Collie.

The two had only just met briefly, and to avoid any awkwardness, Xin Qi had his agent come to pick him up ahead of time.

There's just too much of an unexpected turn of events tonight.

Although it was a pity, Xin Qi was still in a good mood when she left because she had promised him.

Although it wasn't officially said, the two of them were almost kissing, and she didn't refuse, which clearly meant she tacitly agreed.

If it weren't for the sudden interruption...

As expected, tonight was not the right time. Even if they did kiss, he couldn't stay. It was better to leave now, since there was a very important premiere early tomorrow morning.

That night, both of them had some insomnia, but soon drifted off to sleep with sweet feelings in their hearts.

...

The premiere officially began early the next morning.

Yu Yue and Lin Shiya arrived at the movie theater and sat in the back row, watching the interaction between the directors, actors, main creators, hosts, and audience on stage.

"He's so handsome! I still can't believe that the guy on stage is my best friend's boyfriend," Lin Shiya exclaimed.

"Keep your voice down." Yu Yue felt a little guilty and whispered in her ear, "He's not my boyfriend yet, I haven't officially agreed."

"How much more formal do you need to be?" Lin Shiya also lowered her voice, "You two are about to kiss, you scumbag!"

Last night, while they were talking in bed, Lin Shiya used all her strength to finally get her to reveal more details.

What a decade of unrequited love and misunderstanding, what a long-awaited reunion after ten years where he has become a big star, what a story of mortal enemies turning into lovers—Lin Shiya couldn't help but sigh, what a wonderful idol drama plot!

"But you two have finally met again after all these years, and you're together now." Lin Shiya couldn't bear to think what would have happened if the misunderstanding from back then hadn't been resolved, if the two of them hadn't met again, if they hadn't crossed paths, would they have missed out on such a pure and handsome guy? She couldn't help but say again, "You two are really something, like elementary school kids having a relationship, you can even misunderstand this as being mortal enemies."

Whether it was her imagination or not, Lin Shiya always felt that the man on stage, who spoke eloquently and radiated light, kept glancing in their direction.

Yu Yue blushed slightly at what was said and whispered, "I have no experience."

Lin Shiya was exasperated, saying, "I was better than both of you even in elementary school."

Soon, the introductory and interactive segment at the beginning of the premiere ended, giving everyone a break before the main film began.

Yes, their movie promotion schedule is very tight this time. After the first part of the premiere, the movie will start showing immediately.

The creative team, media hosts, and others will all sit together to enjoy the film's premiere.

The movie soon began, starting with an introduction to the background: a concubine who brought her younger brother into the palace. The young boy was exceptionally talented in martial arts and archery, and his combat instincts were incredibly strong. The emperor valued his talent, as he was the younger brother of his most beloved concubine, and thus he wholeheartedly hoped to train him.

The young boy did not disappoint the emperor; he made a name for himself on his first assignment to the battlefield. Soon, the boy grew up, and then the scene suddenly switched to several years later, when he had just been appointed the youngest general by the emperor. When his face appeared on the big screen, gasps rippled through the theater.

Then came countless quiet exclamations, "Holy crap, that's so cool!"

The moment the young general appeared, Lin Shiya excitedly grabbed Yu Yue's hand and exclaimed, "Damn, your boyfriend is so handsome!"

Yu Yue didn't say anything; she was also captivated by the handsome man in the movie scene.

The white horse with its long spear, the armor, and the tall figure sitting on its back, with long hair tied up high and only a red ribbon visible, were the only bright spots in the movie scene.

Before him lay yellow dust and sand, and overhead were dark clouds. An enemy army rolled in, but the young general sneered and charged forward.

He had an exceptional talent for military affairs and was almost invincible, quickly becoming a national hero.

However, heroes often do not have happy endings. The subsequent plot is somewhat cliché, but it is also a true story that has happened countless times in history.

The tactic of sowing discord is always the oldest and most effective trick.

Because that is the human heart and human nature. If an emperor is not suspicious, he cannot become a true emperor.

He wasn't unaware that this was an enemy plot, nor was he unaware of the infighting within the court. But the empire he had conquered was already enough, so the country no longer needed him.

At the repeated pleas of the boy's sister, who was also his concubine, the emperor issued an order for him to lay down his armor and return home, and to be forever forbidden from stepping out of the courtyard.

But such an order was a great irony for this boy who was born for the battlefield.

The breakdown of trust between the emperor and his subject, the pain of being betrayed—he considered rebelling, but for his sister's sake, he silently accepted it. However… in the end, he committed suicide on the very day he returned to the capital in triumph.

Upon receiving this news, the boy's older sister also drank a cup of poisoned wine, ending her young life.

Whether the emperor regretted his actions after the movie ended is unknown to the audience; all they know is that they are heartbroken.

Lin Shiya turned to look at Yu Yue, only to see that her face was already covered in tears.

The movie is visually stunning, and the cast is incredibly strong. Although the plot is somewhat clichéd, it's a true epic adaptation. It's heartwarming to think that there was once a young general, full of vigor and ambition, who ultimately took his own life on the day of his triumphant return to the capital. It's a tragic loss of talent.

The sky began to snow heavily, as if mourning for him.

The audience lingered in their seats, reluctant to leave, until the final image disappeared, the lights came on, and applause erupted, lasting for a long time.

Yu Yue finally couldn't resist sending a message to someone.

Xin Qi, who was sitting in the front row, secretly took out her phone from her pocket and glanced at it a few seconds after the message was sent.

[You heartless little devil: You acted so well! /heart emoji]

The man's lips curled into a quick smile as he replied: "How was it? I didn't embarrass you, did I?"

...

The movie became a hit, and so did the young general.

Xin Qi has become a highly sought-after top celebrity, with fashion resources coming her way and various programs vying for her attention.

In order to continue promoting the film and aim for awards early next year, he traveled around with his team non-stop.

Even though he had already turned down most of the invitations he could refuse, he still found it difficult to find time to come back, and even just wanting to see her had become a luxury.

"Tsk tsk, your boyfriend is really popular now, his fan count has already reached tens of millions." Lin Shiya has been going to Yu Yue's place a lot lately, sharing all sorts of gossip and headlines with her, all about a certain person, of course.

As she spoke, she pointed to a post on a pink forum, "By the way, did you see this post? It says your boyfriend is dating actress Zhou Zhixi."

Yu Yue glanced at it, then frowned. "What and what?"

She carefully read the original poster's words, which essentially meant that the two fell in love while filming, sparking a romance that was suspected to be between an older woman and a younger man.

Of course, some comments on the forum also said that creating rumors is a common tactic for promoting a new drama and may not necessarily be true.

However, most viewers were so moved by the deep bond between the two characters in the movie, who depended on each other for survival and ultimately died for one another, that they immediately started shipping them as a couple, regardless of the consequences.

"You won't be jealous, will you?" Lin Shiya comforted her as she looked at her pouting face. "Actually, it's cool to have a boyfriend who's a big star, but the entertainment industry is too chaotic and there are too many temptations."

Before Yu Yue could speak, she continued, "But if it were me, I would definitely be jealous. I would want to personally fight against those who spread rumors and ship couples... Sigh, I guess I can't find a celebrity boyfriend."

Yu Yue handed the phone back to her, complaining, "Didn't you say you wanted Xin Qi to introduce you to a celebrity boyfriend? You've changed your mind already..."

"No, no, I'm about to explode from seeing all those comments online, let's just forget about it." Lin Shiya shook her head repeatedly. "By the way, is your boyfriend planning to make an official announcement?"

“I’m not in the industry, why would I make an official announcement?” Yu Yue said. “I’d better keep it a secret from everyone.”

"So you're a social media celebrity now," Lin Shiya said, opening the Lizhi Video app. "Look, you've already surpassed a million followers. Won't they invite you to the Top 100 Awards Ceremony at the end of the year?"

Every year during the Chinese New Year, Lizhi Video holds a grand ceremony, inviting numerous celebrities to participate and award prizes. These include awards for newcomers, audience favorites, and the most popular contestant in each category.

The first requirement for being invited to the event is having one million followers.

In other words, Yu Yue, as a newcomer blogger with over a million followers in the pet category this year, is not only qualified to participate in this year-end extravaganza, but is also a strong contender for the newcomer award.

After all, someone like her, who reached the million mark in less than a year after starting her account, has an exceptionally fast leveling speed. There are very few people who can do it faster than her, at least none this year.

Therefore, she is very likely to win the Newcomer Award while attending the Top 100 Awards this year.

"Yes, I've already received the medal for being recognized as having one million followers," Yu Yue nodded. "Just a few days ago."

"Wow, you're pretty good," Lin Shiya laughed. "You two have great career luck this year. Maybe it's because you met each other that things have gotten better for you."

"Maybe." Yu Yue smiled, then turned around and remembered that she hadn't sent her million-dollar medal to someone yet, so she opened his chat box and sent him the photo of the medal she had taken as a memento.

In the photo, Kaixin and Meili are sitting with a medal between them, smiling broadly. She is half-squatting behind them, hugging two dogs, her eyes also full of laughter.

To celebrate, Yu Yue bought lots of snacks and pet cakes as a reward for them. How could she not be overjoyed?

It was lunchtime, and Xinqi replied quickly.

[Universe's Super Dumbest Idiot: This picture is badly taken]

[Yue: What's wrong?]

[The ultimate, most idiotic fool in the universe: Because one of me is missing]

[Yue: Stinky fart]

Yu Yue rolled her eyes and immediately sent him the link to the rumored scandal.

Xin Qi replied after a while: "The investors and the woman wanted to create a publicity stunt, but I refused."

[Yue: Hmph, and then what?]

[Universe's Super Invincible Idiot: They say this is a spontaneous act by fans, haha]

This "hehe" perfectly conveyed someone's displeasure.

He was naturally very unhappy, extremely unhappy, but he was just a newcomer with little influence. No one else wanted to offend Actress Zhou and the investors, and creating a scandal would make the film more well-known, so why not?

Even the award-winning actress is interested, so you, a newcomer actor, aren't at a disadvantage. To just refuse like that seems pretentious. Naturally, no one will speak up for him, and the claim that it was a spontaneous act by fans—who can prove that wasn't true?

So Xin Qi is stuck with this unpleasant situation. He signed a contract when he joined the production, which required him to cooperate with all promotional efforts; otherwise, it would be a breach of contract. He could remain silent, but he couldn't publicly deny or clarify—that's the entertainment industry.

What gave Xin Qi an even bigger headache was that Zhou Zhixi was actually planning to do it for real.

She subtly hinted at him, teased him from time to time, acted intimately in front of the camera, and relentlessly pursued him behind the scenes.

Even after Xin Qi clearly refused, saying that he had a girlfriend, she still said, "What does it matter? I can give you more resources." "A man like you should think about his career. Once you're successful, you won't lack women." "You're too love-struck. If you keep rejecting me, I'm going to get upset."

At that moment, in the film crew's hotel, Li Youliang sat beside him and comforted him, "Just bear with it a little longer. It's almost the end of the year. Once the awards for this film are settled, you can get rid of the restrictions."

Seeing his artist looking down at his phone, his face growing increasingly dark, Li Youliang couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine.

Please, little darling, don't cause any trouble. The entire crew, from investors to directors and actors, are big shots; we can't afford to offend them.

unless……

This could be because Li Youliang didn't continue thinking about it, as he felt it was the least likely option.

Doesn't he know him well enough? He'd rather die than go back and bow down to his father.

So, let's just bear with it.

"My girlfriend is already unhappy," Xin Qi said, annoyed.

"I know, I know, you have a girlfriend." Lately, he's been saying "my girlfriend, my girlfriend" all the time, and Li Youliang couldn't help but grumble to himself. He was so tired of hearing it.

Honestly, he never expected that brat to look like this, yet be such an innocent young man, excited about his first love.

But can you please stop showing off to him all the time? It's not like he hasn't dated before. What's there to brag about? He already has a wife and kids.

Suddenly, a sense of superiority arose. What's the use of being handsome? I'm not as good as him. He fell in love in college, got married after graduation, and had children—all in one go.

He's already in his mid-twenties and has never even had a boyfriend. Oh well, let him be happy.

"So, are you planning to go public?" Li Youliang asked. "I need to prepare in advance."

Xin Qi put down her phone, frowned, and asked, "Is it not possible now?"

Li Youliang's heart immediately pounded so hard it felt like it was about to jump out of his throat.

"Young Master, I'm begging you, please stop torturing me! Please, have mercy..." He was almost in tears. "You know that if you offend the production crew, you're finished in this industry. At least get through this phase..."

Xin Qi glanced at him, a disdainful smirk playing on her lips. "I was just saying it offhand."

Yes, he was just casually testing the waters, but he didn't expect his manager to react so strongly.

"You just said it casually, and I need to take nitroglycerin pills." Li Youliang clutched his chest and compromised. "How about this, we just hold off until the awards ceremony at the end of the year? Then you can publicly clarify the rumors and say that you have a girlfriend. As for whether or not to let everyone know who she is, that's up to you two to decide."

"Then that's settled." Xin Qi's face was still dark, and he added, "If my girlfriend is gone, you'll be fully responsible."

Li Youliang: ? ?

Xin Qi: "So in order to maintain my relationship with my girlfriend, since I haven't accepted any business activities for next month, please cancel them for me. I haven't seen her in a long time."

"Wait, that quote is actually pretty good..." It's all money!! Someone cried inwardly.

Xin Qi glanced at him and said calmly, "Are you prepared to take responsibility?"

Li Youliang: ...

Where are his nitroglycerin pills?!