Boss Ji was thrilled when she threw out a casual remark but quickly realized something was wrong.
The atmosphere turned silent. Yu Zhiwan, who had responded with a few exclamation marks to express her emotions, didn't immediately reply, making Boss Ji keenly aware that she might have said something inappropriate.
Could it be that Pei Yujang ruined tonight's date?
No way, right?
Boss Ji felt faint. She had hinted so clearly; even if Pei Yujang had a thick skull, she should have gotten the hint by now. It couldn't be that she messed things up during the murder mystery game or something else went wrong!
While waiting anxiously, Boss Ji finally heard Yu Zhiwan's voice, but it wasn't directed at her. Instead, it was addressed to someone nearby, and the voice was just loud enough to be heard clearly on the phone:
"You drive."
Boss Ji, being sharp, immediately realized that Pei Yujang was still nearby. She quickly changed the topic and tried to cover up her previous statement:
"Oh, no problem. That's good. I'm so busy over here, dealing with a particularly troublesome client."
Yu Zhiwan wasn't sure if Pei Yujang had overheard the earlier remark. Her heart tightened as she subtly glanced at Pei Yujang, who had just put away her phone and was now carefully checking the safety equipment.
Pei Yujang was serious about everything she did, with a kind of "rigidity" that young people couldn't understand. For example, she would always meticulously check the seatbelt, car equipment, and even the tires and fuel tank before driving. If Yu Zhiwan sat in the back, Pei Yujang would check the back seat; if she sat in the front, Pei Yujang would check the passenger seat.
Yu Zhiwan, propping her chin in her hand, opened the speakerphone cautiously, ensuring it wouldn't disturb Pei Yujang while driving, and asked:
"What kind of client?"
Boss Ji, eager to vent, immediately straightened up after Yu Zhiwan spoke:
"Have you ever seen a fan who dreams of being with a celebrity? There are quite a few, but it's my first time seeing one who needs to see a doctor."
As a psychologist, it was her professional duty to protect her client's privacy, but this case was so challenging that Boss Ji couldn't resist sharing it with Yu Zhiwan, without revealing too much.
Boss Ji explained that the person was a fan of Fang Nianjing, and she was an Omega.
The Omega's home was filled with Fang Nianjing's merchandise. From the moment she first saw Fang Nianjing, she fell in love with the Alpha at first sight.
She began to follow Fang Nianjing's schedule, initially just following the publicly announced events like other fans, going to the airport to greet her, struggling to see her in the crowd, being pushed and jostled, barely catching a glimpse of the woman's figure.
Going to the airport was a painful and troublesome process. You had to arrive hours before the schedule, and if you were short, you couldn't see the star. She was an Omega, and Omegas were naturally shorter than Alphas. There were always taller people blocking her view, but fortunately, Fang Nianjing was tall, and she could barely see the woman's head over the crowd.
The Omega gradually became unsatisfied with this. The joy of seeing her in person and the inevitable disappointment of not being able to have her made her lose sleep at night.
Eventually, she resorted to using special means to obtain Fang Nianjing's private schedule and became a stalker fan. This path filled her with both fear and excitement, and she even got caught by Fang Nianjing once. The woman, who was very gentle in private, kindly told her it was too late to be coming to the hotel and asked her not to come again. The "indulgent" tone made the Omega smile with happiness when she recounted the story.
After that, the Omega felt a bit guilty and wanted to stop, but her final planned stalking incident went wrong.
She was in Xiangcheng when she saw Fang Nianjing drive into an extremely old resettlement house. She ran after the car and into a dark alley, where she saw Fang Nianjing passionately kissing another Omega. The two were so deeply engrossed in the kiss that Fang Nianjing even slipped her hand under the other Omega's clothes, completely unlike the cold and abstinent image she portrayed in public.
Admittedly, Fang Nianjing wasn't an idol, but due to her initial rise to fame, she had countless girlfriend fans. Her company's image for her was that of the "dream Alpha," a "distant flower on a high peak." Many fans were worried about her close relationship with Chen Lulu, wondering if they would end up together, but despite the ambiguous atmosphere of a romance reality show, the two hadn't sparked anything.
Fang Nianjing was jokingly called the "Iron Alpha who can't be flirted with," but now, the dream lover of many fans was secretly involved with an Omega living in a dilapidated building.
Boss Ji wasn't a fan herself, but as a psychologist, she could understand this fan's obsession. Plus, given the image Fang Nianjing's company was promoting, it was probably intentional marketing.
A fan with evidence, even if it's a stalker fan, could cause significant damage if they decide to turn against the idol. Fang Nianjing's career was on the rise, and artists in such a phase usually hide their relationships, revealing them only when both their career and relationship are stable.
Fang Nianjing had always claimed to be single in interviews, with countless girlfriend fans. The stalker was already planning to expose her photos, and it looked like this would have an impact on Fang Nianjing's career.
However, this had nothing to do with Boss Ji. She just wanted to vent and chat with Yu Zhiwan.
Yu Zhiwan had the speakerphone on, so Pei Yujang heard everything clearly. Thinking of the gossip she had heard in the company cafeteria, she couldn't help but marvel at how chaotic the entertainment circle was.
So, Fang Nianjing actually had a girlfriend in private, and she was so passionate that you couldn't tell at all.
After Boss Ji finished venting, Yu Zhiwan, who had little interest in gossip, chatted with her for a bit before ending the call. Boss Ji enthusiastically asked her how her evening went, but Yu Zhiwan, sitting in the car, didn't have a convenient way to reply.
As they got out of the car, Yu Zhiwan heard Pei Yujang sigh and say:
"Being a celebrity must be tough. Good thing I'm not one." She could love freely.
But then she thought about it some more and said:
"I wonder if Fang Nianjing will choose to go public with her relationship. It would be better for both her fans and her girlfriend. She wouldn't let her girlfriend down, and she wouldn't deceive her fans. Those who want to continue being her fans could do so, knowing she's not single."
Listening to her innocent speculation, Yu Zhiwan didn't respond, only curling her lips into a mocking smile.
A few days later, after getting an early scoop, this matter did indeed explode online. Fang Nianjing's name was all over the top of the entertainment trending lists, bringing her significant attention.
The stalker fan created a new account to expose Fang Nianjing for having a girlfriend while maintaining a single image to deceive fans. Fang Nianjing was due to have an offline fan meeting in a few days to promote her new movie. Recently, Fang Nianjing and Yao Yishu had officially announced their collaboration, and they often mentioned each other in interviews.
Since it was Fang Nianjing's first time acting in a movie, this one being a romance with strong sexual tension and a well-thought-out plot aimed at both box office success and critical acclaim, her company placed great importance on the film's promotion. But then, this scandal suddenly hit like a hammer, catching Fang Nianjing's fans off guard.
Fang Nianjing wasn't a pure idol relying solely on fan support. Her fans might get jealous, but they understood the work needed for a movie. However, having a girlfriend was a different story.
Some fans calmly accepted and offered their blessings, but more questioned why Fang Nianjing had lied, and others felt the evidence wasn't strong enough. The night was dark, and the two were under a tree with shadows obscuring the view. The stalker's photos were shaky and a bit blurry.
Some fans refused to believe it was Fang Nianjing, while others thought it could be a mistaken angle. The company's uncertain response made fans anxious.
The manager called Fang Nianjing, who was reading a script. When she opened the link the manager sent, her fingers trembled, and the script slipped from her pale fingers, landing on the cold floor.
Her phone showed several missed calls, two of them from An Yaoyao, who had called again after a few minutes.
They rarely left evidence on their phones, but this time, a message with a typo betrayed her anxiety.
"Can you call me back?"
The panic of being exposed and the manager's questioning angered her, but all that was secondary to her worry over An Yaoyao's distress. Fang Nianjing wanted to call back, but the manager called again the next second.
The manager no longer treated her with the usual respect, immediately lashing out:
"Why didn't you respond to my messages or return my calls? Didn't you agree to be single when you signed the contract? You didn't forget what's written in the contract, did you? Do I need to read it to you?"
"Fang Nianjing, you climbed out of a little slum, and now you think you're something special? If the company hadn't signed you and introduced you to directors, where would you be now? Playing bit parts? You ungrateful thing!"
The manager's frantic scolding rang in her ears. Even though it was spring, Fang Nianjing felt cold all over, as if a chill had seeped into her bones, making her body tremble.
Fearing that anti-fans might show up, the company postponed the fan meeting, which seemed to confirm the hidden relationship. Fang Nianjing's fan forum became a mess, and the company's vague response only added to the tension.
It took Fang Nianjing a while to regain her composure. She took a deep breath, her hands trembling as she deleted An Yaoyao's message. Her voice was tight as she woodenly replied to the manager:
"I'm not in a relationship. Let's file a lawsuit and treat it as defamation."