Ye Chen didn't say a word. Instead, he opened Instagram and navigated to Haydn's profile. Like many other players, Haydn's posts primarily featured snapshots of his extravagant lifestyle: flaunting gold chains and rings while partying at nightclubs or hosting gatherings with teammates at his luxurious villa. His most recent post showcased a pair of custom high-end sneakers designed specifically for him by a renowned American footwear brand.
But none of this mattered to Yechen. What stuck in his mind was what Haydn had just said to Lin Xiaowan: "It's been over six months since I've seen you." Prompted by this, Yechen sorted Haydn's posts by date and scrolled back to those from over six months ago. At that time, Haydn had just wrapped up the previous season, achieving a top-eight finish with his team. His posts back then didn't exude the same decadence; instead, they depicted him drenched in sweat, diligently training on the court.
However, Yechen soon noticed a recurring detail in the captions. Each post mentioned a particular woman. For instance:
• "Heading to the movies with my baby tonight. I still have five more shooting drills to finish, or she'll scold me!"
• "Snuck in an ice cream during my diet, but baby caught me. What should I do now? She's mad, boo-hoo."
• Accompanying a photo of his hair tied up in a small ponytail: "I've been so focused on training that I haven't cut my hair. Baby said this little ponytail suits me, so I've decided to keep it as my new look for next season!"
• "Chinese Qixi Festival is coming up. What gift should I get for my baby? Help me brainstorm, guys!"
Under this particular post, his teammates chimed in with various cheeky suggestions:
• "Just gift yourself to her, all nice and clean!"
Haydn replied: "Already did that. She's bored of it. I need something fresh."
• "Buy her a kitten. I feel like Kitty is practically a cat in human form."
Haydn replied: "Noted. Might consider it."
• "What kind of lame suggestions are these? Just buy her a giant diamond ring!"
Haydn replied: "Wouldn't that scare her off? If she runs, I'm not passing you the ball next season!"
One teammate replied: "Come on, it was your idea to ask for suggestions! @KittyOnlyDatesTheRich, come and control him—he's bullying us!"
A day later, Xiaowan herself commented on that post: "Don't worry. I've already taught him a lesson. He knows better now."
That same day, Haydn posted a photo of himself sprawled on the ground, exhausted: "Baby punished me with 50 extra sets of basic drills. I can't feel my legs anymore. I swear I'll be a good player and assist everyone properly, boo-hoo."
At this point, Yechen had pieced everything together. Haydn Shaun and Lin Xiaowan had indeed dated. Like her previous relationship with Guo Xin, Haydn never publicly showed her face in his posts. Back then, Haydn wasn't as famous as he is now, and few people dug into his private life. They seemed to have broken up shortly afterward, leaving current fans oblivious to this past relationship.
Yechen put down his phone, sneered, and muttered, "Damn, she's got some serious skills. Even an NBA superstar fell for her."
The girl sitting next to him suddenly interjected, "Of course! Kitty is like a superstar in our digger circles. NBA players are nothing. I heard she even dated a Hollywood—"
Before she could finish, the third quarter began, and she fell silent to avoid disturbing Yechen. Little did she know, Yechen was no longer interested in the game.
Meanwhile, after leaving the stadium, Chen Xin and Xiaowan returned to his car. Xiaowan leaned against him in silence. After a long while, she finally broke the silence.
"Aren't you curious about what happened between me and Haydn?" she asked.
Chen Xin looked down at her and gently said, "If you want to tell me, I'll listen. If not, I won't force you. But no matter what, Xiaowan, remember this—I trust you completely."
Xiaowan sniffled and rubbed her face against his shirt before saying, "We used to date."
"Did you break up later?"
"Yeah," Xiaowan replied with a bitter laugh. "Because he cheated on me with a cheerleader and got her pregnant. The baby's already seven or eight months along. Everyone on the team knows about it, but the manager spent a fortune keeping it under wraps to protect Haydn's and the team's image. That's why his fans assumed I was the cheater. But the truth? He's the one who cheated!"
Chen Xin froze for a moment before gently patting her head.
Xiaowan sniffled again, her voice quivering. "I've always known that many of these players lead messy personal lives. But I thought Haydn was different. He seemed so sweet and pure, always listened to me, and did whatever I said. I really thought we could have a future together. But in the end… it still turned out like this."
Chen Xin thought for a moment before saying, "Don't be sad. It's all in the past. Think of it this way: only by going through the wrong people can you figure out the kind of person you truly want, right?"
Xiaowan looked up at him with red eyes and said, "I really hope you're the one I've been looking for because I'm so tired. I don't know how much longer I can hold on."
"I will be," Chen Xin said firmly, leaning in to kiss her. Just as their lips were about to meet, someone knocked loudly on the car window.
Chen Xin looked up to see Yechen standing outside, looking impatient. Not far away stood Harold and his son.
Chen Xin rolled down the window and asked, "The game's over?"
"Yeah," Yechen replied curtly.
"Did the Drones lose?" Chen Xin guessed.
"They won," Yechen said. "Even though Haydn played terribly in the second half—" He paused to gauge Xiaowan's reaction, but seeing none, he sneered and continued, "Even though Haydn choked, his teammates stepped up. They barely won by two points."
"Then why do you look so upset? Aren't you a fan of this team?"
"Who likes this lousy team?!" Yechen shouted. "A bunch of clowns playing basketball! I just came to tell you I'm leaving. Goodbye."
"Wait a moment," Chen Xin said, reaching for a few Hayden-signed jerseys placed beside him. "These were given to me by the team's manager earlier as an apology. Three are yours, and the other two are for you to hand to Harold."
Ye Chen passed the two jerseys to Harold and his son, who promptly thanked him. Then, everyone parted ways and drove off separately.
Ye Chen, driving down a deserted road with his companion, wore a grim expression, his eyes fixed on the road ahead, as though someone owed him a fortune. The woman sitting beside him, oblivious to his mood, admired the three jerseys in her hands, marveling, "Wow, these would fetch a good price if resold!"
No sooner had she spoken than Ye Chen slammed on the brakes, turned to her with a cold look, and stretched out his hand. "Give me the jerseys."
"Ah? Oh," the woman complied, handing them over.
Ye Chen immediately rolled down the window, crumpled the jerseys into a ball, and tossed them into a nearby trash can. Then he restarted the car.
The woman looked back at the discarded jerseys with visible regret, asking incredulously, "Why did you throw them away? Those were Hayden's signed jerseys—they're worth a lot!"
Ye Chen retorted impatiently, "Do I look like I need the money?"
In the locker room after the game.
The rest of the team had already showered and left, but Hayden remained seated on the bench, head in hands, gripping his hair tightly as if trying to tear his scalp apart.
The head coach paced back and forth in front of him, hands on his hips, before losing patience and snapping, "How many times do I have to tell you, Hayden? Forget about that woman! Why can't you let her go? If it weren't for your poor performance in the second half, we could've easily crushed the opponent today! You owe this victory to your teammates who covered for you. What do you expect me to tell the owner and your fans?"
Hayden murmured, "I've told you before—don't ask me to forget her. It's impossible."
"She's just a woman!" the coach yelled in frustration. "You've had a privileged upbringing and now a lucrative salary. You could have any woman you want. Why are you hung up on a gold digger?"
Hayden suddenly lifted his head, staring at the coach with a serious expression. "Don't call Xiao Wan a gold digger. She's not. I've told you this before. Last season, I played well because I was new, and my opponents hadn't figured me out yet. But by the end, I was struggling. I lost my confidence during the off-season, and it was Xiao Wan who appeared in my life. She encouraged me and trained with me. She's the reason I improved so much this year!"
The coach sighed, softening slightly. "I'm sorry. I misspoke in the heat of the moment. I admit she helped you, but you need to face reality. You two are over. She won't come back to you, especially since… you're about to become a father."
"That wasn't my choice!" Hayden protested, his tone frantic and full of pain. "That night, my friends invited me out drinking. I didn't know that woman had set me up. They spiked my drink, and then… then…"
"Regardless of the circumstances, Hayden, that cheerleader is carrying your child. You can't shirk that responsibility."
"I'm not trying to shirk responsibility. If the child is mine, I'll raise them. But why can't I also have Xiao Wan back? I love her!"
Seeing the rising intensity in Hayden's eyes, the coach sighed in resignation. "Forget it. There's no talking sense into you right now." He turned to leave, only to nearly bump into the team's manager entering the room.
The manager patted the coach's shoulder. "I'll handle him. Go get some rest."
"It's no use. He's not thinking about basketball—just her," the coach muttered before exiting the locker room.
Unlike the coach, the manager's focus was on maximizing the team's profitability and mitigating any scandals. He clapped Hayden on the shoulder and said, "I think Xiao Wan's main concern is that woman carrying your child, right? What if I told you I have a way to make the child… disappear?"
[Makeup]
On the night of the game, when Hayden suddenly lost control and ran onto the court searching for Xiaowan, a video of the moment was uploaded online. It quickly went viral across social media platforms. Overnight, the personal life of this self-proclaimed single and handsome NBA rising star became the hottest topic among basketball fans.
Speculation abounded about what had happened in the video. Was Hayden heartbroken by that beautiful girl? Major basketball media outlets capitalized on the public's curiosity and began to dig into everything about Hayden's personal life. Like Ye Chen, they soon discovered the hidden clues in Hayden's Instagram posts from over six months ago.
When they tracked down Lin Xiaowan's Instagram, they found her life seemed filled with luxury, and she had a group of wealthy suitors vying for her attention. Without investigating Xiaowan's character, the media quickly labeled her as a skilled gold-digger.
Subsequently, the narrative of Hayden being deceived by a gold-digger spread like wildfire, landing on major sports news headlines. Media outlets, careful not to cross the line of defamation laws, used ambiguous language to stoke hatred toward Lin Xiaowan while ensuring they could avoid legal repercussions.
Not long after, the man in the video, Chen Xin, was identified as the president of a subsidiary of a Chinese company listed in the U.S. His affluent background further cemented the public's perception of Xiaowan as a gold-digger. Furious fans vowed to boycott Chen Xin's company's products. When the stock market opened, the company's shares indeed took a hit due to the controversy.
However, Chen Xin remained calm amidst the chaos. He continued to manage his company's affairs steadily and, with strategic measures, reversed the stock price decline by the close of trading.
By 8 p.m., he returned home as usual. Xiaowan was waiting for him, but she seemed downcast. Chen Xin asked Ellie to prepare a feast for her and spent the evening watching horror movies with her. Yet her mood didn't seem to improve.
He thought her sadness stemmed from the online attacks, so he tried to cheer her up. Pointing to the screen where Alien was playing, he said, "Look! The protagonist is about to send the alien into space. Isn't this your favorite part?"
But Xiaowan wasn't interested. She rested her head on his lap and rasped, "I'm sorry."
"Hmm?" Chen Xin was taken aback. "Why are you apologizing to me?"
Xiaowan sniffled and said guiltily, "I saw the news. It seems like my situation has affected your company. I'm so sorry."
Chen Xin's eyes widened, and after a moment, he softly asked, "So you've been upset tonight because you're worried about me?"
"Of course! What else could it be?" Xiaowan pouted. "It's not like I'm mourning the alien's death!"
Chen Xin chuckled, and a wave of tenderness surged through him. He pulled her into a tight embrace and murmured, "It feels wonderful to have you care about me."
"Care or not, your company still suffered because of me!" Xiaowan punched his chest lightly.
Chen Xin caught her hand and kissed it gently. "Don't worry. This is nothing to me. I've handled far more serious issues before. I promise everything will be fine by the day after tomorrow."
"Really?" Xiaowan looked at him hopefully.
"Really," Chen Xin reassured her. "Actually, the stock price has already stabilized. It's just the media that's still stirring things up, but they're not a threat. Besides, I'm also a shareholder in the team. Their manager won't dare to offend me and will work to suppress the matter. What about you…"
"Me?"
"Your Instagram must be flooded with nasty comments. Why didn't you disable them?" Chen Xin caressed her face.
Xiaowan shrugged. "They're just words. They don't hurt me. I just… don't want to affect you."
"You won't," Chen Xin chuckled. "Even if you did, I'd handle it. All you need to do is take care of yourself. But I do hope you'll care about me more and more until you can't help but fall hopelessly in love with me."
"Keep dreaming." Xiaowan rolled her eyes but seemed much happier. She grabbed the remote and said, "We didn't watch the movie properly earlier. Let's start over!"
"Huh? It's already midnight…"
"I don't care! Start over!"
"Okay, okay." Chen Xin kissed her cheek. "Want some snacks? I'll get them for you."
"Vanilla puffs, apple pie, red velvet cake, and truffle chocolates!"
Chen Xin ruffled her hair, laughing. "Got it."
Three days later, as Chen Xin had predicted, the company's stock price returned to normal. Yet his primary concern wasn't business but Xiaowan, who hadn't attended school in a long time. That morning, after much coaxing, she agreed to let him accompany her to class, but only after he paid a sweet price.
Xiaowan, still groggy from staying up late watching movies, sat on the bed and ordered Chen Xin to help her wash up. Helpless, he brushed her teeth and washed her face, only to be stumped by her skincare routine.
"What do I do with all these bottles?" Chen Xin muttered, baffled by the complexity of her products.
Xiaowan chuckled and directed him, "The purple tube. Lather it into foam and apply it to my face."
Chen Xin diligently followed her instructions, his hands covered in foam.
Xiaowan burst into laughter at his efforts. "What are you doing? Giving me a bubble bath?"
Blushing, Chen Xin rinsed her face and asked, "What's next?"
"Pink gel tube—dab it around my eyes."
"And then?"
"Those three bottles, left to right, tap them lightly onto my face."
"Done?" Chen Xin wiped sweat from his brow.
"Skincare's done. Now for makeup." Xiaowan yawned. "But it's too much trouble for you. Just mascara and lipstick today."
Chen Xin eyed the mascara wand like it was a weapon. "This goes… on your lashes?"
"Yes."
His hand shook as he held the wand. "I can't. What if I poke your eye out? This thing is terrifying!"
Xiaowan laughed so hard she rolled on the bed. "You're so cute!"
"I mean it! Promise me you'll never wear makeup again—it's too dangerous!"
"Fine, fine." Xiaowan smirked mischievously. "But only if you let me do your makeup!"
Thus, when they finally stepped out, Ellie nearly dropped her cleaning cloth upon seeing Chen Xin's punk-inspired black eye shadow.
"Doesn't he look amazing?" Xiaowan beamed.
Ellie stifled a laugh. "Absolutely!"
Chen Xin, resigned, escorted Xiaowan to school. Though reluctant, he couldn't help but think his lashes did look longer.