It was still the same hotel as yesterday.
The car pulled up at the entrance, and someone came forward to open the door.
What Zoe didn't expect was that the moment she stepped out, several reporters who'd been camping there suddenly surged toward her. They held up cameras and microphones, giving her no time to react, effectively blocking her way in or out.
"Miss Zoe, is it true that you said today you're not in a relationship with Song?"
Zoe looked up at the reporter who had asked the question—a young man with a sprinkling of freckles on his cheeks. He looked new to the industry, standing guard here even this late. His eyes were gleaming with excitement, his oily skin glistening; he clearly thought this was worth it for the potential scoop he'd caught.
Instead of answering immediately, Zoe glanced around, looking for Lan.
Lan pushed her way through the crowd of reporters, positioning herself protectively in front of Zoe so they couldn't get too close.
"Friends in the media, our artist has just returned from work. Please, be patient, and let's go one by one, okay?" Lan's tone was firm, signaling that Zoe wouldn't avoid questions and would answer them. With that reassurance, the reporters stopped crowding so tightly.
Lan whispered to Zoe, "Just answer briefly—good chance to clarify things directly."
Zoe forced a tired smile and said, "If I'd known there'd be cameras waiting for me here, I wouldn't have removed my makeup beforehand. I must look terrible, right?"
Her first sentence threw everyone off, leaving them a bit dumbfounded. Seriously? She was thinking about her looks at a time like this?
"You look great, even without makeup," the freckled young man replied.
"Good to know." Zoe nodded. "You all work hard, waiting for me out here late at night. I'm exhausted. Aren't you guys tired?"
Her bright eyes blinked innocently, revealing a mix of weariness and youthful sparkle.
The reporters exchanged confused glances.
"Miss Zoe, you still haven't answered my question," the freckled reporter emphasized. "Is there any truth to the rumors about you and Song?"
Zoe sighed helplessly. "Of course not. My company already issued a statement. I don't even know Mr. Song personally. Yesterday was the first time I saw him, and we only exchanged a greeting in the elevator. Then, someone took a picture, and suddenly, it turned into a dating rumor."
"So are you currently single?" someone quickly followed up.
Zoe shook her head. "Busy focusing on my career." Then she yawned again and added, "I'm done. I'm really too tired. Dear reporters, it's getting late. You should all get some rest too. Goodnight, everyone."
With that, she turned to Lan, who grinned and wrapped an arm around Zoe's shoulder. "Thank you for your interest; we've addressed the key questions. Xiao Yun has been filming all day and is really tired. I'll arrange another interview sometime soon. For now, we'll head up to rest. You all get some sleep too."
Surprisingly, the usually aggressive entertainment reporters let Zoe go without much fuss this time, maybe because she had been so cooperative.
Zoe waved a quick goodbye. "Goodnight."
Entering the hotel, they finally found some peace and quiet.
"Lan Jie, what floor are you on?"
"Seventh floor," Lan replied.
"We're not on the same floor, so come get me tomorrow morning."
"I'll walk you up," Lan said, not entirely comfortable leaving Zoe alone, worried she might run into someone unpleasant. After all, Zoe was a beautiful young woman, and late at night, you never know who might appear in a hotel.
But Zoe declined. "No need, I'll go up by myself. Don't worry about me; it's late, so you should get some rest too."
At that moment, the elevator doors opened.
A woman dressed extravagantly, wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, stepped out. Zoe and Lan stepped aside to give her room, but the woman's gaze lingered on Zoe for a second before moving on, gracefully walking toward the hotel exit.
Zoe watched her, hearing Lan's whisper in her ear. "That lady's got money—her outfit alone is worth seven figures."
Zoe's scalp tingled. Seven figures?
"And she looks classy too, probably some rich lady." Lan commented. "Just the bag she's carrying—I heard Yan was trying to get her hands on one last month, but she still hasn't managed to buy it."
Zoe couldn't help but feel a bit skeptical. A wealthy lady, dressed like that, leaving the hotel at this hour? Sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat? She clearly didn't want to be recognized.
What kind of "rich lady" would be this secretive?
But Zoe didn't say anything. Not her business. Right now, she just wanted to sleep.
"Oh, by the way," Zoe suddenly remembered, "Is Song still staying in this hotel?"
Lan shook her head. "I don't know. Why are you asking?"
"After this whole rumor fiasco, doesn't he mind the scrutiny?" Zoe said. "I thought you'd switch hotels for me."
Lan laughed. "I was planning to, but the hotel management apologized, saying that their lack of security led to the paparazzi intrusion and offered to cover our expenses, so I decided not to switch."
Zoe wasn't a huge star, and Lan wasn't a top agent, so they didn't have access to many company resources, and their budget was modest. Lan had always been frugal, making plans with the long term in mind.
"Alright, whatever." Zoe yawned again. "Your call—I just really need to sleep."