Chapter 73: Yesterday's News.

After Sheng Yi finished speaking, there was an eerie silence in the room. However, she seemed oblivious to the situation and continued to bring up two more things related to the topic.

It's not that there were no feelings involved, but rather that there was absolutely no possibility of any ambiguity.

Zeng Shaoguang played along with her banter, and the two of them, exchanging words back and forth, smoothly smoothed over the slight awkwardness from before.

The host realized this approach was blocked and casually started cuing the next part of the program. With these professional actors controlling the situation, the event quickly resumed as if nothing had happened, and new interactions began happily.

On the internet, entries with their names are still prominently displayed.

#Sheng Yi Zeng Shaoguang#

Two bare names are trending on social media without any clear indication, but "Star River Like a Dream" is incredibly popular recently. It's no exaggeration to say that this drama has absorbed all the summer's top viewership, and all other dramas combined don't have as much buzz as it. So much so that just the name alone has made everyone's gossip radar spin like crazy.

The front row was mostly filled with clips of Wang Xuewei's speech. Those with a keen sense of smell had already rushed to the live stream and were laughing their heads off. Those who came later were still trying to interpret those few words.

"Ahhh, Mom! My favorite ship is real!"

"Hilarious! Is Xuewei also shipping them? What other juicy gossip do we not know about? Reveal it now!"

"A bright and charming young lady and a talkative and outgoing senior are a perfect match! I thought their behind-the-scenes footage was super sweet when it went viral!"

"Handshake, handshake! We xql can't hide it anymore [laughing and crying emoji] Welcome everyone to join us."

Those with fast internet speeds have already returned from the front lines and can't wait to share the latest news: "Those who are just chatting should go get some glasses; people are saying it's a revolutionary friendship."

"Huh?? What? What did I miss?"

Someone quickly updated the latest development: "Sheng Yi personally debunked it, so let's call it a day. There's no chance between these two."

One person who was at the scene posted a picture: "I was there, and all I can say is that Zeng Shaoguang is a nice guy, but off-screen, the two are clearly not a good match. Sheng Yi really has her own separate image; she doesn't look good on camera at all."

Sheng Yi is not new to the public eye. For example, when her rumored relationship with Wen Shili came out last year, any netizen who actively surfs the internet knew her. But becoming a fan really depends on first impressions.

Although some people became fans of her because of her looks and even shipped her with other celebrities, perhaps due to preconceived notions, many people's impression of her was actually just so-so.

After appearing in several more dramas, her public image gradually improved, attracting new fans and gaining her a small wave of popularity. Now, she has a stable group of fans following her. But in this drama, she's... how to put it... very different, the kind that can break through boundaries—lively and beautiful.

Most of the new fans who recently joined the fandom were drawn in by this drama. They were so excited that when they saw this picture sent back from the scene, they covered their excited hearts and said with tears in their eyes, "Teacher Zeng, I'm sorry. My young lady really deserves better."

"That's right. It's fine to ship them in the play, but they immediately fizzle out when applied to real life. I trust Yi Yi's judgment."

Some people couldn't stand it anymore: "You Sheng Yi fans are really funny. What kind of brother-in-law can catch your eye? As soon as he gets a little bit of popularity, you look down on this and that. Let's see what kind of person your sister ends up with."

While the online debate was escalating, the audience at the event remained unaffected. The entire event was relaxed and well-paced, with slightly more serious topics followed by fun interactive games to ease the tension. Immersed in the atmosphere, the audience felt that time flew by.

In the final game segment, after the host poses a question, representatives from both groups can compete to answer it, and the group with the lowest score will be punished.

Sheng Yi and Zeng Shaoguang naturally formed a team. As soon as the host asked the question, both sides began to think quickly. Sheng Yi and Zeng Shaoguang huddled together, covering their lips and whispering their discussion. Wang Xuewei and her team also frowned, unable to come up with an answer for the time being.

Suddenly, something Zeng Shaoguang said made Sheng Yi's eyes light up. She raised her arm high, and the host nodded slightly. With her eyebrows raised, she announced the result.

The host glanced at the question card, pondered for a moment, and then told her with a smile, "Congratulations, Ms. Sheng, you got it right!"

With this, they secured a two-point lead and escaped the punishment round. Sheng Yi was so happy she almost spun around. The drink the production team had prepared was truly awful; she never wanted to drink it again!

Zeng Shaoguang stood to one side, tilting his head to smile at her; his usually lively features appeared quiet and gentle.

Wen Shili lowered his gaze, flicked his finger back, paused the image, and focused all the light on the woman's beaming eyes.

When hesitant footsteps sounded at the office door, Wen Shili withdrew his hand, and Cao Jun slowly peeked out.

"Um..." he said quickly, head bowed, "The message has already been passed on over there. Do we need to follow up further?"

Wen Shili withdrew her gaze and said calmly, "No need." If she couldn't even handle this simple matter, then it was time to replace her with someone else.

Cao Jun knew he had come at the wrong time, but...

Wen Shili raised his eyes and glanced at him indifferently, "Is there anything else?"

Cao Jun was bitter inside. He didn't want this to happen either, but it had to happen now. He couldn't do anything without a definite result. "They're trying to find out the source of the information, but they don't know..."

"Give him a little, let him investigate the rest. Remember to keep a close watch on things."

"Okay, I understand." Cao Jun stepped out and gave a few more instructions to someone about the arrangements.

He understands what a secret relationship is.

Sheng Yi is in the prime of her career, and any news about her could shake her already fragile foundation. Negative news cannot be released, and her relationship must be kept low-key and concealed.

However, her agent is all bark and no bite; when things really come to a head, it's probably Sheng Yi who has the final say, and it all depends on whether she wants to or not.

For example, just now, there was such a good opportunity to create a romantic pairing, but she said no. But it's probably for the best, otherwise his good days would probably be coming to an end soon.

The parties involved haven't revealed a word, but netizens don't mind dreaming big.

Following closely behind the trending topic #ShengyiZengShaoguang#, the name #ShengyiWenShili# also appeared alongside it, skyrocketing in popularity and even surpassing #ShengyiZengShaoguang# to firmly secure the top spot.

Jingjing glanced at her phone during the activity and saw the trending topic; she almost threw her phone away.

Looking at Sheng Yi again, she was still smiling and talking to people on stage, completely unaware that she was causing a stir on the trending topics.

Jingjing took a deep breath. Before clicking, she had even considered that the worst-case scenario was that the video of the two kissing was so bad that even Photoshop couldn't hide it.

So be it, a kiss is fine. After all, nothing more intimate will happen in front of a third person. She steeled herself, thinking it was better to end it quickly than suffer for a long time. She squinted and clicked on the link, then opened it again. The content displayed at the top of the page was surprisingly innocent, and it was old news that had already been trending.

I swiped my phone and realized it was related to Zeng Shaoguang's incident. Someone said that Sheng Yi's fans are arrogant and look down on everyone. It was just a simple complaint, but some busybodies insisted on giving examples to prove it, saying, "Someone like Wen Shili is not bad."

Moreover, quite a few people agree with this, and the number of +1 comments is still increasing.

Good heavens, this has stirred up a hornet's nest! Whether they're mocking or agreeing, both sides are locked in a fierce battle. As the battlefield shifted, the buzz surrounding Zeng Shaoguang naturally died down, while the discussion here continued to surge.

The platform must be making a killing from their KPIs. With that sigh of relief, Jingjing also had the leisure to watch the spectacle. Scrolling down, hashtags related to the couple, such as #VictoryCP# and #YiWanGuangNian#, started popping up.

As a bystander who was among the first to witness this fresh gossip, I've been holding onto this secret and feeling incredibly anxious for so long, only to find out about the Seungri couple's stronghold. When I clicked in, I discovered that outsiders had already infiltrated the site along with the trending topics.

"What 'Seungri Couple'? They're already taken. You guys should eat something nice."

"We're just enjoying our own little world and not bothering anyone else, aren't some people being too nosy?"

"I'll ship it, I'll ship it. If you don't like it, turn right and leave."

"You guys are really dreaming big. Be careful, your sister-in-law might come out and expose your lies. Then you'll lose face."

No, why can't I understand it?

What do you mean "taken"? What do you mean "sister-in-law"? Could it be that this person is having an affair with someone else behind her sister's back?

Jingjing instantly felt a surge of anger, glanced at the still-recording set, and composed herself slightly. Fortunately, online searches are very convenient these days; she simply entered two keywords and found the information she wanted.

It was news from about a month ago.

The clip is a video of Wen Shili talking to a host who has been popular since she was a child and now only accepts gigs from top celebrities.

Judging from their demeanor, this shouldn't be a normal interview segment. Both of them seem quite relaxed, and the camera angle is rather peculiar. The host's face is clearly visible, but Wen Shili's side is only shown with his back to the camera. However, this doesn't prevent their voices from being clearly recorded.

The host asked why he suddenly accepted the invitation, and Wen Shili smiled and said, "I promised you before."

The host indicated that he wasn't in a hurry. There was a moment of silence on Wen Shili's end, and something was said in between. A part of his voice was cut off, but it was clear that even a host as experienced as him was extremely surprised. "What do you mean?"

Wen Shili's voice remained calm and unhurried: "Afterwards, I may focus more on my own life."

As everyone expected, the host asked the question that had been on everyone's mind: "Why did this change occur? Was there anything or anyone that influenced your decision?"

Wen Shili did not continue to answer, but the host's gratified expression and Wen Shili's familiar clear voice seemed to be tinged with sweet tenderness.

He said, "I'm very lucky."

According to fan reposts, this was a program that was recorded a few months ago and officially launched in mid-May. The clip above was just a small behind-the-scenes clip that was accidentally leaked. After it went viral, it was quickly deleted.

The video seemed to say nothing, but fans keenly sensed something.

"So now is it time to tell us?"

"Although I had a premonition, I still wish you both happiness. My brother must be happy."

"I really appreciate that you keep your word, and I also really dislike that you're too serious, but I can't even dislike you. You're a very, very good person. I just hope that while you're focusing on your own life, you won't forget that we're here for you."

Even after delaying reading the fans' long posts, one can still feel the love and reluctance contained within them. Perhaps knowing that he is not someone who can be trapped by fans' love, after the sadness, only blessings remain.

Despite the fans' caution, the news of #WenShili'sRelationship# went viral on several entertainment platforms. Even without real-time updates, it's easy to imagine the frenzy that ensued.

How come she didn't hear a thing? Jingjing did the math, and it seemed that at that time, they were still taking a tricycle to and from work every day.

No wonder.

So, did they plan this out? By taking advantage of their seclusion to isolate themselves from the outside world's noise, and by the time the filming wrapped up, the related news would have long since become old news.

For example, looking back at this news now, the once sensational event has long become a tacit conclusion in the public's mind—Wen Shili has someone by his side, even though he has not stated it explicitly.

Since accidentally stumbling upon them last time, she hadn't discussed anything related to Wen Shili with Sheng Yi. But she knew that unless they announced it themselves, everything had to remain hidden in the shadows. So without Sheng Yi's permission, she hadn't even revealed anything to Lao Qian.