Chapter 19

Zhao Pingjin went straight back to work after being discharged from the hospital.

On Friday afternoon, Shen Min knocked on the door, “Boss.”

Zhao Pingjin had been so busy that he hadn’t even gone home. He had been staying at the Park Hyatt near Guomao. Without looking up from his work, he replied, “What is it?”

Shen Min said, “I can’t get in touch with Xitang.”

Zhao Pingjin impatiently said, “Contact her agency.”

Shen Min quickly reported, “Ms. Ni said they can’t find her either.”

Zhao Pingjin finally looked up, frowning. “What happened?”

Shen Min glanced at him, a little embarrassed. He cleared his throat and said, “There seems to be some kind of rumor.”

Zhao Pingjin wasn’t interested and continued signing documents while saying, “Call Ni Kailun.”

Shen Min looked at the pile of documents on his desk. The boss had been working overtime to leave the hospital early so he could go to Shanghai for the weekend. Shen Min felt a little sorry for him.

He made the call.

Zhao Pingjin continued signing documents while Shen Min put the call on speaker.

On the other end, someone answered. Zhao Pingjin said directly, “Ms. Ni, I’ll be in Shanghai tomorrow night. Huang Xitang has to accompany me to meet a friend.”

Ni Kailun seemed to be in a meeting. There was a lot of noise on the other end. “Mr. Zhao, I’m sorry, but we can’t get in touch with her either.”

Zhao Pingjin said coldly, “Don’t try to fool me with these excuses. If I don’t see her tomorrow, she can never come back.”

Ni Kailun gritted her teeth in anger. “Zhao Pingjin, do you have to be so arrogant?”

Zhao Pingjin looked up at Shen Min and said, “Hang up.”

When he was having dinner with several department heads that night, Huang Xitang finally called. Zhao Pingjin nodded to his subordinates and left to answer the phone.

“I’m not in Shanghai,” Xitang wanted to discuss it with him.

“Where are you then?” Zhao Pingjin’s tone was uncompromising.

“I’m back in my hometown,” Xitang replied.

“Then come back,” Zhao Pingjin said without any room for negotiation.

“I just got back yesterday. I’m not going,” Xitang replied stubbornly.

“I pay you 300,000 a month. Are you throwing a tantrum?” Zhao Pingjin snapped.

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end.

“What time?” Xitang’s voice was low.

“Six o’clock in the evening,” Zhao Pingjin vaguely remembered the flight time.

“I’ll go buy a ticket. I don’t know if there are any left.”

“I’ll have my secretary book it for you.”

“No need.”

“What happened?”

Xitang replied with obvious resistance, “Nothing much. The media is just making up stories. It’ll die down in a few days.”

After the dinner, the driver drove Zhao Pingjin home. He had been drinking, so he leaned against the seat with his phone, opened the news app, and hesitantly clicked on the entertainment section.

The headline was shocking: “Zheng Youtong’s Romance Exposed, Spotted Embracing Mystery Woman in Hotel”. The photo was very clear, taken up close. A girl was being held tightly in the arms of the man in sunglasses. Only the back of her head was visible, showing short black hair and a slender figure. She was wearing a white outfit that looked familiar.

Xitang was on a train back to the city.

As soon as the news of Zheng Youtong’s romance broke, the entertainment section was filled with exciting stories. The next day’s headline was: “Who is the Mysterious Woman? Top 10 Speculations about Zheng Youtong’s Girlfriend!” The article made detailed comparisons between the woman in the photo and Zheng Youtong’s previous rumored girlfriends based on her height, body shape, clothing, and hairstyle. Xitang found it quite amusing to see these paparazzi making wild guesses.

Ni Kailun immediately recognized her and called her, seeing it as a good opportunity, but she firmly refused to admit it. Ni Kailun couldn’t do anything about it. Zheng Youtong and his company remained silent. She thought that without any response, the matter would naturally subside after a few days, but unexpectedly, things took a sudden turn for the worse on the third day.

She had been sleeping soundly since the early hours of the morning when her phone started ringing non-stop.

Around 2 or 3 am, her company’s online publicity manager called her, screaming excitedly, “Sister Xitang! Something big has happened!”

Her phone continued to ring until the morning.

Around midnight, Zheng Youtong posted a picture and a message on his social media. The photo was a side profile of a girl working on a film set, with long hair, a slender figure, and a white shirt and blue overalls. He wrote: “She is a girl I admire very much.” He added a heart emoji.

Although the photo didn’t show the girl’s face, it was obvious to anyone who had worked with Xitang in Hengdian.

The hotel embrace photo had already pushed Zheng Youtong’s romance scandal to the forefront, and his response now was like dropping a bomb in the middle of a storm.

A top idol made a public confession of love to an ordinary girl from the crew, sending fans and media into a frenzy. Even in the dead of night, the post received millions of comments within minutes. A wave of fans flooded in, their hearts shattered into a thousand pieces. They vented their frustrations in the comments section, expressing a wide range of emotions. In the end, only two questions remained:

Initially, people asked, “Who is this girl?”

Later, they asked, “Who is Huang Xitang?”

During the summer of her sophomore year at film school, Zheng Youtong had met a divorced fashion designer from Hong Kong on the set of a men’s underwear commercial. By his junior year, he had landed the male lead in a popular ancient costume romance drama, which made him a household name overnight. His career had been smooth sailing ever since, as he signed with one of the best agencies in the industry, continued to star in several idol dramas, released two music albums, and transitioned to more serious roles, collaborating with veteran actors. His recent dramas had won numerous awards, solidifying his position as one of the most sought-after actors in China. Zheng Youtong’s scandals usually coincided with the release of his new dramas, and the media had grown tired of reporting them. This time, however, the situation was different. It wasn’t a co-star from his latest drama, nor was it one of his usual rumored girlfriends. All the reporters sensed something unusual.

Xitang had been living in Hengdian for over two years and had gotten to know many people, from big-name publicists to ordinary reporters. Although they weren’t all important figures, they would always try to get some news out of her, whether it was gossip, concern, or simply building relationships.

Xitang secretly checked her phone in the car. Her company and Ni Kailun had sent her many messages, but they were buried under a mountain of other messages.

Ni Kailun told her to keep quiet and wait for the company’s instructions.

When the train arrived in Shanghai, Xitang carefully exited Hongqiao North Station, wearing a hat to cover half of her face. She found a small store near the station and made a phone call. After two rings, he answered.

“Hello?” Zheng Youtong’s voice was weak.

“Lao Zheng?” Xitang lowered her voice.

“Xitang, is that you?” Zheng Youtong’s voice rose in excitement.

“Are you crazy?” Xitang shouted.

“Hey, I’m serious about you,” he said.

Xitang spat, “Don’t be ridiculous. What about that woman from Hong Kong? What do you want?”

Zheng Youtong said dejectedly, “She’s older, she can’t control me.”

Xitang angrily yelled, “Don’t drag me into this!”

Zheng Youtong said frustratedly, “My manager and my company have been scolding me all day. Xitang, I’m doing this to help you.”

“Who needs your help? You’re going to ruin yourself!” Xitang was furious.

“How could that be? We’re both single. And my fans are even sending me blessings.” Zheng Youtong was gleeful.

“Don’t forget that you have an entire studio that depends on you,” Xitang warned.

“Oh, what should my company do?” Zheng Youtong finally regained some rationality.

“What can they do? It’ll pass in a few days,” Xitang replied.

“I’ll let you know what my company decides.”

“Don’t worry about me.”

She hung up the phone and suddenly felt a tingling sensation on her scalp. She glanced around nervously, feeling like someone was watching her. Perhaps she was just being paranoid, but she looked around cautiously. Then, her gaze met a pair of cold, dark eyes.

Zhao Pingjin was standing a short distance away, his hands in his pockets, staring at her indifferently.

The driver parked the car by the roadside. Zhao Pingjin opened the door for her. The car was cool and quiet, a world away from the chaos outside. He was wearing a dark shirt and seemed to have lost some weight.

Xitang asked him, “Are you feeling better?”

Zhao Pingjin didn’t even blink. “If I wasn’t, would I be here?”

He said calmly, “Let’s go eat. Do you want to change your clothes?”

Xitang had been in the entertainment industry for almost ten years and had never been caught up in such a huge scandal. She was both anxious and uneasy, feeling completely disoriented. Seeing Zhao Pingjin calmed her down. This kind of thing was nothing new to him. Zhao Daxiaoye would continue his luxurious and carefree life. Xitang calmed down and asked, “What kind of occasion is it?”

Zhao Pingjin had already noticed her outfit: a white shirt, a floral dress, and flat shoes. She always dressed simply yet elegantly.

He checked his watch, “It’s nothing formal. Let’s go as we are.”

“Who are we meeting?”

“An old classmate of mine. He’s back from the US, and he’s leaving tomorrow. We haven’t seen each other in years.”

Xitang was annoyed. “Why do I have to go to a reunion of your classmates?”

Zhao Pingjin glanced at her and smirked, “You’re just decoration.”