Outside, thunder rolled, and Fu Xingyun stared at the entertainment news on TV for a long time. With just a quick glance at the photo, he could confirm it was Lin Qiong.
In the picture, Lin Qiong was supporting a slender figure of a woman, and the two of them were walking closely towards the hotel in the background.
Fu Xingyun took a deep breath, clenched his fist, and suppressed his anger and frustration. He dialed a phone number on his mobile.
One ring, two rings... until eventually, no one answered the call.
The man's face turned ugly, and the veins on his neck became visibly prominent. He muttered a curse under his breath.
The unanswered call became a knot in his heart. Was the other person not answering because of guilt, or did they not receive it?
In times of emotional turmoil, people tend to believe the former.
"If only I knew it would be like this..."
Fu Xingyun gritted his teeth.
"If I had fucking known it would be like this, I should have stripped him naked and locked him at home for the rest of his life."
As this thought crossed his mind, Fu Xingyun's subconscious reminded him that he needed to take his medication as he was having an episode. However, he remained motionless on the sofa, staring at the TV screen with red-rimmed eyes like a hungry beast.
About half an hour after the news ended, Fu Xingyun gradually regained some composure. But when he refocused, the living room was already in disarray.
Looking at the chaotic aftermath before him, he raised his hand, pinched his brow bridge with a stern expression, and then went to the room to take out his medication.
The rain and snow outside continued, accompanied by the rumbling of thunder.
Fu Xingyun, unable to endure any longer, took out his phone and sent a text message.
"Don't go out today."
After sending the message, he slammed the phone against the wall.
Damn it! The other person might have someone else, and he was worried about them getting struck by lightning!
Then, in frustration, he sat on the bed, and as the effects of the medication gradually set in, Fu Xingyun became calmer.
In the end, he couldn't bear it.
Even if Lin Qiong really had someone else, he couldn't bear to do anything to him.
Fu Xingyun closed his eyes. In his entire life of nearly thirty years, he had never been so defeated and miserable.
Looking at the shattered phone by the wall, Fu Xingyun fell into silence for a long time. Then, he got up, picked it up, took out the SIM card, and put it into another phone.
What if the other person calls to explain? According to his character, he would definitely explain it to him at the first opportunity.
On the other side, Lin Qiong, looking at the phone in the cup, fell into contemplation. After a while, he turned to Wang Cheng. "What did you do?"
Seeing the other person's confident look, Wang Cheng roared, "Bullshit! You did it yourself."
Pouting, Lin Qiong said, "Impossible. Why would I put the phone in the cup?"
"Why are you asking me?!" Wang Cheng wanted to give Lin Qiong a slap on the head. "You got drunk yesterday and put your phone in the water when you came back."
Lin Qiong asked, "Then why didn't you stop me?"
"You said your phone was waterproof." Wang Cheng replied, "Who knew it was just a rumor."
Lin Qiong was silent for a moment, then said, "A wise man doesn't believe a rumor. I don't blame you."
Wang Cheng raised his hand and gave Lin Qiong a slap on the head.
Then, he took out his own phone and checked the entertainment section for the day. "Now explain to me what you were doing yesterday."
"I went drinking." Lin Qiong replied, glancing at the pictures on the other person's phone.
Oh! Isn't that himself?!
Then he saw the big letters in the title, "New rising star's love affair exposed."
After reading the headline, Lin Qiong secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
Wang Cheng looked at him, "What's with your attitude? Be a little nervous!"
Lin Qiong reassured, "It's not real, there is no need to panic."
Wang Cheng stood up abruptly, "Do you know how much impact this has on you?!"
Lin Qiong swallowed, "How much?"
Wang Cheng was about to speak, but upon careful consideration, it seemed not much. After all, Lin Qiong was just a bit more famous than a small unknown, the movie hasn't been released, and the popularity hasn't soared. However, it was quite surprising that a small unknown could make it to the prominent entertainment gossip section.
Wang Cheng was stunned for a moment. Could someone have arranged a scandal for Lin Qiong?
Now is the promotional period, and a scandal could bring some attention.
Then, Wang Cheng took out his phone and called the company headquarters.
"It's me, Wang Cheng," he said into the phone. "I have something I want to ask you."
He briefly explained the situation, and the voice from the other end of the phone replied, "It wasn't us."
Wang Cheng was surprised, "Really?!"
The boss said, "No money."
"..."
These two words were straightforward and needed no further explanation.
Since it wasn't a staged scandal, it might be a matter of luck. Wang Cheng lifted his mood, "You go ahead with the promotion. After work, post an explanation on Weibo. Probably not many people will care."
After all, having debuted for two years and still being an amateur, Lin Qiong wasn't someone who gained fame easily. People might not pay too much attention.
Lin Qiong nodded after hearing this. Then he looked at the phone submerged in the water cup, feeling a bit distressed. It seemed he had to buy a new one.
----
Not long after, Lin Qiong arrived at the event venue. Shortly after his arrival, he saw Qin Wei Chu marching toward him with an imposing manner.
He looked like he was about to start a fight.
Lin Qiong was surprised, "What's going on?"
"What's going on? You're still asking what's going on?!" Qin Wei Chu thrust the gossip news about Lin Qiong in his face. "I didn't expect you to be this kind of person."
Lin Qiong was about to explain when he heard Qin Wei Chu continue, "Why did you find someone else? Am I that bad?!"
Lin Qiong: ...
"It's not what you think," Lin Qiong said, pointing to the slender figure, "This is Ji Yao."
Qin Weichu was taken aback, "Really?"
Lin Qiong: "Why would I lie to you? I'm a married man."
----
At noon, Fu Xingyun still hadn't received a call from the other party. He became increasingly restless. After hesitating for a while, he called again, but there was still no answer.
Sitting by the window for a long time, Fu Xingyun then opened the browser and searched for "what to do if your wife is cheating."
Numerous posts and comments appeared on the webpage, indicating that this keyword resonated with many people. Fu Xingyun clicked on one of the posts, and the top-rated comment caught his eye.
"What else can you do? Of course, forgive her."
Fu Xingyun: ...
Taking a deep breath, Fu Xingyun closed the page and called his secretary, "Go find out who Lin Qiong met yesterday."
The secretary on the other end was puzzled, "Boss, why?"
Without explaining further, Fu Xingyun continued, "Just do it now."
"Okay, Boss."
Before the secretary could hang up, Fu Xingyun coughed, "I have a friend..."
Making friends out of the blue?
The secretary hesitated, "Yes?"
"His wife cheated on him. What do you think he should do?"
The secretary, with a firm standpoint, said, "Of course, he should get a divorce. If the other party has cheated, it means their character is questionable, and the love for each other is no longer there."
Upon hearing the word "divorce," Fu Xingyun furrowed his brows. The secretary was still expressing his views when he heard the sound of the call being hung up.
Secretary: ...
Fu Xingyun took a deep breath, feeling that the other person was talking nonsense.
Lin Qiong and Bai Ying waited backstage for a while before going on stage one after the other. The number of fans in the audience this time was not less than yesterday, and even more.
This time, it was also a live broadcast, and the host kept the atmosphere lively throughout.
-
"Qin Wei Chu! Honey! I'm here!!!"
"Sister, look at me!"
"Bai Ying! Bai Ying is coming out!"
-
Among the hundreds of barrage messages, Lin Qiong's name appeared only once or twice.
During the interview, Lin Qiong silently stepped aside. With Qin Wei Chu and Bai Ying present, there shouldn't be any media or reporters interviewing him.
Unexpectedly, a reporter immediately shoved the microphone in front of Lin Qiong as soon as Qin Wei Chu finished speaking, "Lin Qiong, do you have anything to say about this morning's scandal?"
Because of the reporter's interview, the camera also turned to Lin Qiong.
-
"This guy is quite handsome!"
"When introducing him, they said he played a supporting role, and I didn't pay much attention, but now that the camera is on his face, he looks good."
"Why do I feel like I've seen him somewhere before?"
"Wow! This guy looks familiar, isn't he the one who acted bravely before?"
"Three minutes, I want all the information on this man."
"No need. The love affair was exposed this morning... love and breakup."
-
The reporter continued without giving Lin Qiong a chance to breathe, "Can you confirm if you are in a romantic relationship?"
Lin Qiong pushed the microphone that almost hit his face slightly backward and then spoke truthfully, "No."
-
"What the heck! Going into the hotel together and not in a romantic relationship!"
"No way, this can't be a scumbag, why are the handsome ones always scumbags?"
"Is this guy taking advantage of his good looks, standing up for that girl is not worth it."
-
The reporter asked again, "Then why did you take her back to the hotel?"
Lin Qiong replied, "Because she was drunk."
-
"Even if she's drunk, it's not an excuse for taking her back to the hotel, big scumbag."
"Sobbing! I was really attracted by his looks, but he's such a scumbag."
"Okay, don't give the scumbag any more screen time. I'm not looking forward to the role of Bai Yueguang Zhuma in the movie anymore."
-
The reporter continued, "So, do you still deny the romantic relationship?"
Lin Qiong, with a slightly lowered gaze, innocently looked at the reporter, "I do."
-
"Darn it, I was deceived by his innocent face. Too innocent."
"Is he really denying it? I kind of believe him; he seems really sincere."
"The face dog in front has good values, right? The entertainment industry is not lacking in handsome guys. Don't fan a scumbag! Wake up, everyone."
-
Seeing that his colleague couldn't get anything out, another reporter approached, "It is often said that there is no pure friendship between men and women. Do you think it's appropriate for you to bring a drunk woman back to the hotel late at night? Or is this your moral standpoint?"
Lin Qiong, not being famous, the reporters wouldn't suffer much if he was offended. Naturally, reporters had no reservations or flattery.
Frowning after hearing the question, Lin Qiong replied, "I took her back to the hotel for her safety."
The reporter asked, "Then what is your relationship?"
-
"The way this reporter speaks is so aggressive, couldn't they have a civilized conversation? What's with the talk about moral values?!"
"Am I the only one who finds it satisfying to see this reporter roasting a scumbag?!"
"For a moment, I felt a bit sorry for this Lin Qiong."
"I also feel a bit..."
"I think no matter what he says now, he can't escape from this situation."
-
Lin Qiong looked at the reporter in silence for a moment, then with a face filled with disappointment, he said, "I'm her sister."