Ex revealed

After dinner, everyone gathered together for the familiar Q&A session.

The show is nearing its end, and today is the last time the production team will reveal the answer. The answer to the last question, "Who is Fang Jinyu's favorite guest?" is almost obvious to everyone, and there's nothing new about it.

The real highlight is that the production team will reveal the answer to that important question from before—who are the ex-couples featured on the show?

The program crew's voice, clearly amplified through the loudspeakers, echoed throughout the living room: "After our final confirmation, and based on the guesses of the detectives and corroboration from the heart rate tests, we are now officially announcing the answer—the 'ex-lovers' in the program are…"

Everyone held their breath, their eyes involuntarily darting between the pairs of "suspects".

Ding Xuefei subconsciously clenched his fists. Yu Songlin sat next to him and subtly squeezed his hand, which made him feel a little less nervous.

"...Teacher Bai Mu and Teacher Shang Rou!"

"What?!"

Almost in unison, everyone turned around abruptly, looking incredulously at Bai Mu and Shang Rou, who were sitting on the other side, exchanging wry smiles.

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Ke Ran's mouth dropped open, wide enough to fit an egg: "Brother Bai?! Sister Rou?! How could it be you two! I had no idea!"

Xu Yimeng covered her mouth and exclaimed in surprise, "My God! You guys hid so well! There wasn't a single clue!"

Bai Mu helplessly pushed up his glasses, while Shang Rou elegantly smoothed her hair, her face showing a hint of embarrassment at being exposed, but mostly relief.

Bai Mu spoke, his voice as gentle as ever: "That was a long time ago. We were both young then, and not famous at all... Later, we broke up amicably because of different career paths. It was quite unexpected that you came to the show this time."

Shang Rou nodded and added, "It was a bit awkward at first, so I probably kept my distance on purpose, but I didn't expect the production team to take advantage of me." As she spoke, she smiled apologetically.

Ding Xuefei stared blankly at them, partly shocked that these two guests, who seemed the least likely to have a past, were hiding such a secret, and partly... a strange, relieved feeling spread through her.

It wasn't them... His past with Yu Songlin is still a secret for now.

But this matter was like a time bomb; as long as it wasn't made public, it hung over his head, pressuring him and making him nervous and worried.

He subconsciously looked up at Yu Songlin, only to meet the other's equally astonished gaze.

Their eyes met briefly before looking away, yet both saw the same emotions in each other's eyes.

After the recording ended, Ding Xuefei was still preoccupied with the leaked aquarium audio and felt somewhat agitated. While everyone was still in the living room, curiously questioning Bai Mu and Shang Rou, he quietly slipped away to the small garden in the backyard of the villa.

The night air carried the fresh scent of plants, slightly dispelling some of the stuffiness. He had barely sat down on a bench when a familiar figure followed and naturally sat down beside him.

It's Yu Songlin.

"Still thinking about Brother Bai and Sister Shang Rou?" Yu Songlin's voice was deep and clear in the quiet night.

Ding Xuefei shook his head, then nodded: "I'm a little surprised... but I'm more worried about that leaked audio." He paused, his voice lowering, "The internet must be in an uproar right now... I'm sorry to have dragged you into this."

As soon as the incident became a trending topic, Guo Chu called Ding Xuefei. He listened to the audio recording; it was their conversation, but it had been deliberately edited to sound like an argument.

He knew how powerful Yu Songlin's fans were, and he could imagine the vile comments they made. Although arguing was a matter between two people, he knew that in many people's eyes, he, as a "controversial and popular celebrity," was most likely in the wrong.

Yu Songlin sighed softly and reached out to grasp Ding Xuefei's somewhat cold hand: "Don't talk nonsense. The main responsibility lies with me for not thinking things through and choosing to confront you in public. It's not your fault that it was leaked." He squeezed Ding Xuefei's fingertips, his tone firm, "Don't worry, I'll handle it."

"How are you going to handle this?" Ding Xuefei looked up at him, her eyes filled with worry. A public relations crisis is no small matter, especially when it involves a popular movie star.

"The company is already following up and will find the source of the audio. If necessary, we will send a lawyer's letter. As for public opinion..." Yu Songlin paused, a reassuring smile curving his lips, "Trust me, I can handle it. Just don't let it affect your mood."

His gaze was gentle and focused, carrying an undeniable power that strangely soothed Ding Xuefei's anxiety.

Ding Xuefei looked at him, her heart melting completely. This person was always like this, seemingly gentle but actually strong, able to provide her with a solid support when she felt uneasy.

But that wasn't the only problem. After confessing to Yu Songlin today, before he could even calm his excitement, the system poured cold water on his feelings: [Breaking News! Master has successfully established a romantic relationship with the target! Congratulations! The ultimate mission of the "Spoiling System" will be released irregularly soon! Stay tuned~]

Another ticking time bomb. Ding Xuefei cursed the flirting system in his heart, but then he thought... if it weren't for this system, perhaps he wouldn't have been able to express his love so easily, and he wouldn't have gotten back together with Yu Songlin.

Yu Songlin stared at Ding Xuefei for a while, noticing that Ding Xuefei sometimes looked worried and sometimes seemed to have cheered himself up. He couldn't help but pinch Ding Xuefei's cheek and asked, "What's wrong? Is there anything else bothering you?"

"No..." Ding Xuefei responded softly, trying to slap Yu Songlin's hand away, but he grabbed it and they intertwined.

Yu Songlin looked at Ding Xuefei's lowered eyes. From this angle, Ding Xuefei looked exceptionally gentle. He suddenly leaned closer, his voice carrying a hint of barely perceptible coquettishness and teasing: "I've tried so hard to comfort you, shouldn't I make it up to you?"

Ding Xuefei's face flushed, and she asked knowingly, "...What compensation?"

“For example…” Yu Songlin’s breath brushed against his earlobe, carrying a warm scent, but he didn’t finish his sentence, only gently stroking Ding Xuefei’s lips with his fingers.

Normally, Ding Xuefei would have retorted defiantly, but at this moment, enveloped by a tremendous sense of security and overwhelming love, his awkwardness and shyness transformed into the courage to take the initiative. He took a deep breath, abruptly turned his head, and before Yu Songlin could react, quickly pecked him on the lips.

Although it was like a dragonfly skimming the water, a fleeting touch that quickly dissipated, the impact of that initiative left Yu Songlin momentarily stunned.

Ding Xuefei regretted the kiss as soon as it was over. Her cheeks flushed bright red, her eyes darted around, and she stammered, trying to explain, "I...I just..."

However, before he could finish speaking, a dark fire quickly ignited in Yu Songlin's eyes. He chuckled softly, with a triumphant pleasure and a deeper desire: "So proactive? Then I won't hold back."

As he spoke, he reached out and wrapped his arms around Ding Xuefei's neck, kissing her without saying a word.

This kiss was different from the previous gentle probing; it was hot and forceful, deep and lingering.

Ding Xuefei struggled only symbolically for a moment before completely immersing herself in it, responding awkwardly yet with effort.

In the garden at night, only the sounds of their intertwined breaths and the ambiguous sound of water remained.

Just as the two were kissing passionately and their breaths were a little unsteady, Yu Songlin's cell phone vibrated at an inopportune moment.

Yu Songlin frowned slightly, not wanting to pay attention, but his phone kept vibrating.

He had no choice but to step back slightly, his forehead pressed against Ding Xuefei's, his breath slightly ragged: "Wait for me."

Ding Xuefei's cheeks flushed, her eyes were glazed, and she nodded obediently.

Yu Songlin took out his phone and glanced at the caller ID. It was his agent, Liang Zheng, calling.

He pressed the answer button, and as soon as he said "hello," Liang Zheng's extremely anxious voice came from the other end of the phone. Even in the quiet night, Ding Xuefei, who was next to him, could vaguely hear some words:

"Song Lin, I have bad news... Someone dug up your past relationship with Ding Xuefei back in college, and the internet is in an uproar..."

Yu Songlin's face instantly darkened, and his fingers tightened slightly as he gripped his phone.

Seeing his sudden change in expression, Ding Xuefei's heart skipped a beat. The warmth and sweetness that had just risen were instantly replaced by a cold premonition.

Yu Songlin's phone call didn't last long. He calmly replied with a few words: "...I understand. First, control the spread of public opinion. We'll discuss the specific plan later. ...Yes, we won't respond to any inquiries for now."

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Ding Xuefei, his brows furrowed, his expression clearly showing worry.

Ding Xuefei had already taken out her phone, unlocked the screen, and immediately saw eye-catching trending search terms and related push notifications.

#Yu Songlin and Ding Xuefei's ex-boyfriends#

#A bittersweet reunion after a broken relationship? A script?#

#Ding Xuefei uses Best Actor for publicity#

#Yu Songlin's fans are unfollowing#

He opened the live discussion forum, and a cacophony of voices flooded his vision at a speed that made him dizzy.

"Holy crap?? Really? They've talked before??"

"I knew the atmosphere on the show was weird! Turns out it's because they rekindled their old flame?"

"Heh, Ding Xuefei really has some tricks up her sleeve. When she was doing something reckless, she tied herself to the movie star. Now that she's infamous, she wants to drag her ex down with her?"

"Does Yu Songlin have bad taste? How could he be interested in someone with such a scandalous past?"

"It must be Ding Xuefei who's been clinging to Lin Ge! I feel so sorry for Lin!"

"I'm no longer a fan. I can't accept that Yu Songlin is a prostitute and has such poor taste."

"If it's true, then the sweetness in the show is mixed with shards of glass, isn't it? It's terrifying to think about..."

"Disgusting! Two men were flirting on the show, fooling the audience's emotions!"

The malicious and questioning comments, like cold needles, pierced Ding Xuefei's heart.

His fingers trembled, and the light from the screen made his face appear even paler.

He wasn't unfamiliar with cyberbullying, but this time, with Yu Songlin involved and their hard-won rekindled relationship affected him, the feelings of helplessness and heartache were amplified.