588.
Since the photo taken in the hospital had already been shared, dragging my “ill body” to continue filming, I would be able to garner an impression of, “Although my acting is bad, I’m very hardworking and I try my best every day.”
Furthermore, at every moment possible, I had to meticulously and carefully increase Gu Yiliang’s goodwill towards me.
I had to make full use of every second, and I could not slack off at all!
As such, when it was close to noon, under Gu Yiliang’s complicated and intense gaze, I carefully combed through William’s fur, then washed my hands ten times and prepared its canned food. Next, I conscientiously examined all the windows and doors, packed his bag, and left the place with him.
589.
Near the car, I hurried forward and opened the car door for him.
He looked at me, pursed his lips, then sat in the driver’s seat.
I then scurried over to the passenger seat and sat down. Just as I was about to fasten my seatbelt, he leaned over and fastened it for me.
Did this person have to be so competitive?!
I refuse to accept that!
I pulled down the car visor, shielding him from the sun. He adjusted the air conditioning vents, preventing the cold air from blowing straight at me.
I reached out to adjust the rearview mirror for him, so that he can see the reflection more clearly. He reclined my seat a little, so that I could sit more comfortably.
590.
I admit defeat, I admit defeat!
The second before we were about to erupt in a fight inside the car, I took a step back. “Let’s go. If we continue drawing this out, the crew will finish filming.”
He gave a subdued chuckle, started the car, and drove off.
591.
Gu Yiliang did not like to talk while driving, and I did not dare to press that radio button that would create a very ambiguous atmosphere. Tapping on my phone, I sent a message to Old Huang, reproaching him for his flagrant style.
Next Door’s Old Huang: What did I do wrong?
William: … You broke their window with cash?
Next Door’s Old Huang: You wanted me to transfer such a large amount of money, but the banks are not open so late at night.
William: ……
William: … Then, why did you write Your Father as the sender?
Next Door’s Old Huang: Am I the one providing the money?
William: Mn…
Next Door’s Old Huang: Has the money been spent on your behalf?
William: Mn…
Next Door’s Old Huang: Am I your father?
William: ……
Next Door’s Old Huang: Then is there a problem with the sender’s name?
William: … No.
Next Door’s Old Huang: Alright, remember, your father will always be your father.
Gritting my teeth, I locked my phone.
592.
I fixed my eyes ahead, staring blankly. Gu Yiliang turned his head and glanced at me, opening his mouth unexpectedly. “… Just now, were you texting President Huang?”
I froze. Eh? How did he know about Old Huang?
Did he overhear my phone conversation with Old Huang that day?
Did that not mean he heard my insistent and unquestionable compliments towards him?!
That was so embarrassing! With some bashfulness, I replied, “Ah, you heard me on the phone the other day?”
His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “… Mn.”
Ah, he was turning embarrassed too!
In my heart, I giggled. I definitely had to let him hear more compliments in the future!
However, on my own accord, I had interfered with his family issues, and it would not be too nice to mention it. Afraid that he would ask what I texted Old Huang about, I quickly responded, “I only greeted him just like usual, there’s nothing else.”
Just as I finished speaking, he suddenly changed the way he drove. Now, he had one hand on the wheel, and the elbow of the other arm was against the window, his cheek resting against that hand. Looking like an idol drama’s Takumi Fujiwara1, his words sounded very breezy and unconcerned. “Oh, it’s like that.”
I nearly became blinded by his suaveness, then I heard him ask, “You don’t have to specially explain it to me — President Huang, what is he doing now?”
593.
Old Huang? What else could he be doing? He was probably learning from Scrooge Mcduck, swimming in his pool of gold coins every day.
It was all because the Huang family’s riches had already lasted for more than three generations, and there was even a large possibility for it to continue on for another seventy years.
One would only become angry and frustrated when comparing themselves with others. If only I was a parasite in his body.
Although he never treated my mother and me harshly or owed us anything, and he could even be labelled as a model father figure, at the end of the day, we shared no legal or official status, and so there was still a prick in my heart. At home, I would call him Old Huang, and outside, I would call him President Huang. With how he protected me and assisted me in this industry, it made everyone think that we had a sugar daddy-sugar baby relationship, and I had nowhere to share my pain.
594.
I looked at the time on my phone. “There’s nothing he needs to be busy with. At this time, he’s probably taking his bird outside.”
Gu Yiliang’s suave action froze, and his words were a little enigmatic. “… President Huang’s tastes seem to be rather interesting?”
Me: “…?”
Me: “…”
Me: “Oh my god, what is going on in your head? Is there nothing but filth inside?!?!!? Birds! The sort with wings and can fly and can’t be eaten!! Not the sort that can become bigger and smaller and can be eaten!!”
Him: “……”
Him: “It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding.”
Him: “……”
Him: “Can be eaten?”
Me: “……”
Me: “I misspoke, I misspoke.”
595.
I choked on his words for the entire journey until we reached the filming site, before finally managing to return to the mindset of wanting to compete with this expert, Gu Yiliang.
The filming site was a place where many things could happen. After changing into my costume, I entered a vigilant state. As though my eyes were demon-detectors, and my legs were Wu Yunzhao’s steed, I was on alert, watching out for any accidents that might occur to him. Wherever he went, I would follow and be at his service with the utmost meticulousness.
He also treated me like this as well, and so the entire scenario was a little strange.
596.
After filming a scene, I swiftly took out an umbrella and shielded him from the sun, while he hurriedly handed me a bottle of mineral water. I took out oil blotters and blotted his makeup, while he took out a tissue and wiped my sweat. I told him that later, when he was filming, he had to make sure that the props were safe, and he told me later that there were a few special emotions that I had to pay attention to in my scene. I then said to let us run through the scene one more time, and I would remind him if he forgot anything, He said sure and that it was really good to have me there.
In this battle of two, the conclusion was that both were completely matched. Abruptly turning my head, I saw half the people on the site looking at us in awkwardness and astonishment. The umbrellas, bottles of mineral water, oil blotters, and tissues in the arms of our two assistants had no chance to come into play, just like a restless heart having nowhere to vent.
Gu Yiliang: “Mm…”
Me: “Mm…”
Me: “The weather is so nice, it’s a lucky day. With everyone standing witness, why don’t we become sworn brothers?”
He burst out laughing. Tugging on my sleeve, his laughter was soft. “Don’t fool around.”
597.
The soft, gentle, doting words were like a cloud-piercing arrow, nailing me right to the ground.
I said that I would not be enjoying fluff today!
I can’t bear it! Everything in me wants to burst out!
Could this be the legendary withdrawal symptom?!
598.
My heart thumped rapidly. Casting him aside, I flew back to the lounge, rummaging for my phone like how Keyun looked for her son2. Like a battle between man and god, I hesitated, wondering if I should look into the tag on Weibo and enjoy a bit of fluff to calm my palpitating heart.
Eee.
When did this happen? Enjoying fluff was now able to calm me down more than interacting with Gu Yiliang?
Dazed, I stared at my phone screen which had turned dark.
The screen lit up again. There was a QQ notification showing that someone was looking for me.
599.
WilLiam: !!! You’re an inside source?! Did heaven send you to bless the million-strong Niangzi army?!
Yantastic: …?
WilLiam: It’s a solid, confirmed fluff! True fluff! It’s so true that my mind is blown, that my brain is splattered across the ground now! It’s so sweet ah ah ah I’m dead!!
Yantastic: … What happened?
WilLiam: It’s the girls in the group who are blind! Blind in their hearts and blind in their eyes! They actually kicked you, this buddha out! Are you willing to come back?!!
What was going on? I was completely baffled as I accepted the invitation to join the group.
600.
The moment I entered, the group chat immediately exploded with hundreds of messages, emojis of people bowing filling the screen, as though welcoming the triumphant party home and exclaiming over the immortal descending on earth.
Me: ???
I exited the chat interface, privately messaging WilLiam to ask exactly what was happening.
She said that among the Gu’s Imperial Consorts, there was a big name fan with a bit of a personal friendship with Gu Yiliang, who had now stopped being his fan and exposed him instead. She had revealed a lot of information that contained both truths and falsehoods.
Before I could understand what this had to do with me being invited back to the group, she sent me a chat record that had the profile photo of the other party blacked out. In it were only two chat messages.
XX: Niangniang, can I ask what sort of relationship you have with your adversary right now? Is the company stirring up gossip, or is he personally entrapping you? Can you let the Imperial Consorts have an idea, to bolster them?
Liam: I’m the one paying his assistant’s salary.
601.
Me: “…………”
My heart felt as though it had received an immense blow from Saitama3.
A chibi version of Gu Yiliang sang in my head: My darling, are you extremely hungry? If you’re extremely hungry, just tell me, Yiliang, and Yiliang will give you all the fluff4.
602.
Sweet, it was so very sweet. A pot of syrup had been poured over my head, and I was covered entirely in honey. If I took a spin around the garden, I would be able to attract all the bees, flies and mosquitoes.
Gu Yiliang. He truly never took pity on me, this delicate little flower.
603.
At this moment, whether in public or private, I really wanted to run out the door and drag Gu Yiliang into the car and speed our way to the Civil Affairs Bureau. However, I was afraid that halfway, he would take me on a turn into a web cafe and we would end up playing games the entire night!
How exactly was I supposed to deal with him?!
Just as I was ignorantly figuring out how to use insulin on myself, three gentle knocks could be heard from the door of the lounge.
604.
Gu Yiliang popped his head in, his eyes curving in a smile that was directed at me. “Don’t try to slack off, come out and quickly finish filming. Tonight, the crew will be having dinner together.”
Hopeless, I nodded and followed him out the door.
588.
Since the photo taken in the hospital had already been shared, dragging my “ill body” to continue filming, I would be able to garner an impression of, “Although my acting is bad, I’m very hardworking and I try my best every day.”
Furthermore, at every moment possible, I had to meticulously and carefully increase Gu Yiliang’s goodwill towards me.
I had to make full use of every second, and I could not slack off at all!
As such, when it was close to noon, under Gu Yiliang’s complicated and intense gaze, I carefully combed through William’s fur, then washed my hands ten times and prepared its canned food. Next, I conscientiously examined all the windows and doors, packed his bag, and left the place with him.
589.
Near the car, I hurried forward and opened the car door for him.
He looked at me, pursed his lips, then sat in the driver’s seat.
I then scurried over to the passenger seat and sat down. Just as I was about to fasten my seatbelt, he leaned over and fastened it for me.
Did this person have to be so competitive?!
I refuse to accept that!
I pulled down the car visor, shielding him from the sun. He adjusted the air conditioning vents, preventing the cold air from blowing straight at me.
I reached out to adjust the rearview mirror for him, so that he can see the reflection more clearly. He reclined my seat a little, so that I could sit more comfortably.
590.
I admit defeat, I admit defeat!
The second before we were about to erupt in a fight inside the car, I took a step back. “Let’s go. If we continue drawing this out, the crew will finish filming.”
He gave a subdued chuckle, started the car, and drove off.
591.
Gu Yiliang did not like to talk while driving, and I did not dare to press that radio button that would create a very ambiguous atmosphere. Tapping on my phone, I sent a message to Old Huang, reproaching him for his flagrant style.
Next Door’s Old Huang: What did I do wrong?
William: … You broke their window with cash?
Next Door’s Old Huang: You wanted me to transfer such a large amount of money, but the banks are not open so late at night.
William: ……
William: … Then, why did you write Your Father as the sender?
Next Door’s Old Huang: Am I the one providing the money?
William: Mn…
Next Door’s Old Huang: Has the money been spent on your behalf?
William: Mn…
Next Door’s Old Huang: Am I your father?
William: ……
Next Door’s Old Huang: Then is there a problem with the sender’s name?
William: … No.
Next Door’s Old Huang: Alright, remember, your father will always be your father.
Gritting my teeth, I locked my phone.
592.
I fixed my eyes ahead, staring blankly. Gu Yiliang turned his head and glanced at me, opening his mouth unexpectedly. “… Just now, were you texting President Huang?”
I froze. Eh? How did he know about Old Huang?
Did he overhear my phone conversation with Old Huang that day?
Did that not mean he heard my insistent and unquestionable compliments towards him?!
That was so embarrassing! With some bashfulness, I replied, “Ah, you heard me on the phone the other day?”
His grip on the steering wheel tightened. “… Mn.”
Ah, he was turning embarrassed too!
In my heart, I giggled. I definitely had to let him hear more compliments in the future!
However, on my own accord, I had interfered with his family issues, and it would not be too nice to mention it. Afraid that he would ask what I texted Old Huang about, I quickly responded, “I only greeted him just like usual, there’s nothing else.”
Just as I finished speaking, he suddenly changed the way he drove. Now, he had one hand on the wheel, and the elbow of the other arm was against the window, his cheek resting against that hand. Looking like an idol drama’s Takumi Fujiwara1, his words sounded very breezy and unconcerned. “Oh, it’s like that.”
I nearly became blinded by his suaveness, then I heard him ask, “You don’t have to specially explain it to me — President Huang, what is he doing now?”
593.
Old Huang? What else could he be doing? He was probably learning from Scrooge Mcduck, swimming in his pool of gold coins every day.
It was all because the Huang family’s riches had already lasted for more than three generations, and there was even a large possibility for it to continue on for another seventy years.
One would only become angry and frustrated when comparing themselves with others. If only I was a parasite in his body.
Although he never treated my mother and me harshly or owed us anything, and he could even be labelled as a model father figure, at the end of the day, we shared no legal or official status, and so there was still a prick in my heart. At home, I would call him Old Huang, and outside, I would call him President Huang. With how he protected me and assisted me in this industry, it made everyone think that we had a sugar daddy-sugar baby relationship, and I had nowhere to share my pain.
594.
I looked at the time on my phone. “There’s nothing he needs to be busy with. At this time, he’s probably taking his bird outside.”
Gu Yiliang’s suave action froze, and his words were a little enigmatic. “… President Huang’s tastes seem to be rather interesting?”
Me: “…?”
Me: “…”
Me: “Oh my god, what is going on in your head? Is there nothing but filth inside?!?!!? Birds! The sort with wings and can fly and can’t be eaten!! Not the sort that can become bigger and smaller and can be eaten!!”
Him: “……”
Him: “It’s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding.”
Him: “……”
Him: “Can be eaten?”
Me: “……”
Me: “I misspoke, I misspoke.”
595.
I choked on his words for the entire journey until we reached the filming site, before finally managing to return to the mindset of wanting to compete with this expert, Gu Yiliang.
The filming site was a place where many things could happen. After changing into my costume, I entered a vigilant state. As though my eyes were demon-detectors, and my legs were Wu Yunzhao’s steed, I was on alert, watching out for any accidents that might occur to him. Wherever he went, I would follow and be at his service with the utmost meticulousness.
He also treated me like this as well, and so the entire scenario was a little strange.
596.
After filming a scene, I swiftly took out an umbrella and shielded him from the sun, while he hurriedly handed me a bottle of mineral water. I took out oil blotters and blotted his makeup, while he took out a tissue and wiped my sweat. I told him that later, when he was filming, he had to make sure that the props were safe, and he told me later that there were a few special emotions that I had to pay attention to in my scene. I then said to let us run through the scene one more time, and I would remind him if he forgot anything, He said sure and that it was really good to have me there.
In this battle of two, the conclusion was that both were completely matched. Abruptly turning my head, I saw half the people on the site looking at us in awkwardness and astonishment. The umbrellas, bottles of mineral water, oil blotters, and tissues in the arms of our two assistants had no chance to come into play, just like a restless heart having nowhere to vent.
Gu Yiliang: “Mm…”
Me: “Mm…”
Me: “The weather is so nice, it’s a lucky day. With everyone standing witness, why don’t we become sworn brothers?”
He burst out laughing. Tugging on my sleeve, his laughter was soft. “Don’t fool around.”
597.
The soft, gentle, doting words were like a cloud-piercing arrow, nailing me right to the ground.
I said that I would not be enjoying fluff today!
I can’t bear it! Everything in me wants to burst out!
Could this be the legendary withdrawal symptom?!
598.
My heart thumped rapidly. Casting him aside, I flew back to the lounge, rummaging for my phone like how Keyun looked for her son2. Like a battle between man and god, I hesitated, wondering if I should look into the tag on Weibo and enjoy a bit of fluff to calm my palpitating heart.
Eee.
When did this happen? Enjoying fluff was now able to calm me down more than interacting with Gu Yiliang?
Dazed, I stared at my phone screen which had turned dark.
The screen lit up again. There was a QQ notification showing that someone was looking for me.
599.
WilLiam: !!! You’re an inside source?! Did heaven send you to bless the million-strong Niangzi army?!
Yantastic: …?
WilLiam: It’s a solid, confirmed fluff! True fluff! It’s so true that my mind is blown, that my brain is splattered across the ground now! It’s so sweet ah ah ah I’m dead!!
Yantastic: … What happened?
WilLiam: It’s the girls in the group who are blind! Blind in their hearts and blind in their eyes! They actually kicked you, this buddha out! Are you willing to come back?!!
What was going on? I was completely baffled as I accepted the invitation to join the group.
600.
The moment I entered, the group chat immediately exploded with hundreds of messages, emojis of people bowing filling the screen, as though welcoming the triumphant party home and exclaiming over the immortal descending on earth.
Me: ???
I exited the chat interface, privately messaging WilLiam to ask exactly what was happening.
She said that among the Gu’s Imperial Consorts, there was a big name fan with a bit of a personal friendship with Gu Yiliang, who had now stopped being his fan and exposed him instead. She had revealed a lot of information that contained both truths and falsehoods.
Before I could understand what this had to do with me being invited back to the group, she sent me a chat record that had the profile photo of the other party blacked out. In it were only two chat messages.
XX: Niangniang, can I ask what sort of relationship you have with your adversary right now? Is the company stirring up gossip, or is he personally entrapping you? Can you let the Imperial Consorts have an idea, to bolster them?
Liam: I’m the one paying his assistant’s salary.
601.
Me: “…………”
My heart felt as though it had received an immense blow from Saitama3.
A chibi version of Gu Yiliang sang in my head: My darling, are you extremely hungry? If you’re extremely hungry, just tell me, Yiliang, and Yiliang will give you all the fluff4.
602.
Sweet, it was so very sweet. A pot of syrup had been poured over my head, and I was covered entirely in honey. If I took a spin around the garden, I would be able to attract all the bees, flies and mosquitoes.
Gu Yiliang. He truly never took pity on me, this delicate little flower.
603.
At this moment, whether in public or private, I really wanted to run out the door and drag Gu Yiliang into the car and speed our way to the Civil Affairs Bureau. However, I was afraid that halfway, he would take me on a turn into a web cafe and we would end up playing games the entire night!
How exactly was I supposed to deal with him?!
Just as I was ignorantly figuring out how to use insulin on myself, three gentle knocks could be heard from the door of the lounge.
604.
Gu Yiliang popped his head in, his eyes curving in a smile that was directed at me. “Don’t try to slack off, come out and quickly finish filming. Tonight, the crew will be having dinner together.”
Hopeless, I nodded and followed him out the door.
