Chapter 90: Not about love

Not long after, Zheng Zhaoxi’s information was placed in front of Xie You. Assistant Qin stood by and reported, “There are two things worth noting.”

Xie You nodded, “Go ahead.”

“The first thing is that last night, not long after your car left, it had a minor collision with another car. The owner of the car who got out to talk to you was Zheng Zhaoxi.”

Xie You’s expression slightly darkened, “Was it an accident or intentional?”

“There’s an eighty percent chance it was intentional.”

Xie You coldly said, “Continue.”

“The second thing is that for the past six months, Zheng Zhaoxi has been in contact with Daibo, aiming to become their new spokesperson. During the shooting of Hersey’s ad, Mrs. Daibo personally contacted Young Master Yu.”

After listening, a chill flashed in Xie You’s eyes. Just then, his phone received a message notification, and he glanced at it, his expression naturally softening. Assistant Qin, speculated that the message must be related to Young Master Yu.

As expected, Xie You said, “Nian Nian is coming over.” With that, he stood up and walked outside, his steps light and lively.

Meng Yuan said he would handle it, and he did so discreetly. Several days passed, and there was no mention of the conflict between Yu Nian and Zheng Zhaoxi in the lounge.

After recording the second episode of “Let Me Sing,” the four judges stayed behind to record separate interviews and behind-the-scenes footage.

Wei Lu sat on a chair with his back facing the show’s logo, answering the question, “Which contestant’s elimination do you regret the most?” Meanwhile, Yu Nian and the other two had already finished recording and were resting nearby.

Having picked up a piece of fruit prepared by the staff, Sun Mengze asked without reservation, “I heard you had a conflict with Zheng Zhaoxi?”

Yu Nian said with a smile, “News travels fast, huh?”

Bai Yan leaned in, not minding at all, “Oh, yeah! The entertainment circle is small, and you and Zheng Zhaoxi are both hot topics, so news spreads like wildfire. I also heard that it was Zheng Zhaoxi who provoked you, and you got angry and kicked him down.”

She winked, “But all my girls think Zheng Zhaoxi’s acting skills aren’t that good. He pretended to be in pain but stayed on the ground for a long time without getting up.”

Yu Nian just smiled.

Sun Mengze continued, “I also know what happened afterward. Zheng Zhaoxi’s manager took him to the hospital, and it’s said that he got so angry that he smashed the doctor’s office chairs, accusing them of being quacks because the doctors said he wasn’t injured.”

Bai Yan chimed in, “He was extremely frustrated.” She put down the nail file, “And also, on the same day, Zheng Zhaoxi, along with his manager and assistant, rushed to five hospitals, but the results were the same everywhere—they all said he wasn’t injured. I heard his face turn black with anger.”

Sun Mengze clapped her hands and laughed, “Bai Yan, I thought you were all aloof. Why so gossipy in private?”

Bai Yan raised her red lips, “Isn’t gossip fun? If it weren’t for entering the entertainment industry, I would have become a tabloid reporter! I’ve toned down my personality a little, and my manager advised me to act aloof and speak less to avoid making mistakes.” She looked at Yu Nian, “But don’t worry, although we all know, the news will only circulate within the industry and won’t go public.”

Sun Mengze added, “Without any injury evidence and with Zheng Zhaoxi provoking you first, their side is in the wrong. They can only swallow their anger for now!”

The second and third episodes of “Let Me Sing” were broadcasted one after another, consistently making it to the top half of the trending topics. The four judges had great chemistry, and the contestants’ performances were stunning, making the show highly popular. With effective promotion from the production team, the show was already confirmed to be the year’s hottest singing competition, and they were even planning for a second season.

“Ancient Road” was about to be released, and Yu Nian, as an important supporting actor, was also joining the cast for promotional appearances on variety shows. In addition, his new single was about to enter the promotion phase, so he was once again busy with a packed schedule.

In the nanny car, Shi Rou handed freshly squeezed fruit juice to Yu Nian. Seeing his tired face and worrying, she said, “Nian Nian, you’ve been working until one or two in the morning for two consecutive nights and have to wake up at seven. You barely get any sleep. Do you want to rest in the car for a while?”

Yu Nian touched his forehead, “It’s okay, I can’t sleep anyway; my nerves are too tense.” He took a sip of the juice to wake himself up, “Let’s not go home yet, take me to Xie You’s place. We’ve been so busy these days that we haven’t had time to meet.”

The nanny car changed its route, and it was close to midnight when they arrived at their destination.

Yu Nian took out a baseball cap and a mask, about to put them on, but he noticed Shi Rou’s expression freeze. She quickly averted her gaze and said in a hurry, “Nian Nian, maybe you shouldn’t get out of the car right now. Maybe—”

Realizing that Shi Rou must have seen something, Yu Nian turned his head directly and looked out of the window.

The lights in the parking lot were cold white, and it was late at night, so there were few cars and people around, making it deserted. At a glance, Yu Nian saw, “That person, isn’t that Zheng Zhaoxi?”

Shi Rou forced a smile, trying to brush it off, “It can’t be him, right? At this time, how could Zheng Zhaoxi be here? It’s probably just someone who looks similar.”

As she spoke, she looked at Yu Nian’s expressionless profile and also became anxious. This was President Xie’s place, how could Zheng Zhaoxi be here? Especially at this time, close to midnight!

Yu Nian’s gaze remained fixed outside the car window, and he shook his head gently, “No, it’s definitely Zheng Zhaoxi. Even though he’s wearing sunglasses, I won’t mistake him.”

Shi Rou didn’t dare to speak anymore. After a while, Zheng Zhaoxi drove away. Seeing Yu Nian lost in thought, Shi Rou cautiously asked, “So… Nian Nian, are you going home or going to find President Xie?”

Yu Nian got out of the car and said to Shi Rou, “You’ve been working hard these past few days too, you don’t need to wait for me; go back and rest. See you tomorrow.” He added, “It’s very late tonight, stay safe.”

Stepping into the elevator, swiping his fingerprint, Yu Nian stared at the changing numbers of the floors, lost in thought. When the elevator arrived, Yu Nian stopped at the entrance of Xie You’s office. Looking at the person sitting behind the desk, he gently knocked on the door twice and smiled, “I’m here to pick you up after work.”

Xie You didn’t expect Yu Nian to suddenly come over, and joy was evident in his eyes, “Isn’t your schedule pretty full today?”

“Missed you, so I asked the driver to come over.” Yu Nian relaxed, his tone becoming more lazy. He walked closer to Xie You’s desk and said directly, “I saw Zheng Zhaoxi in the parking lot just now, not sure if I mistook someone else for him.”

Then he heard Xie You ask, “Zheng Zhaoxi? The one you had a conflict with last time?”

“Yeah,” Yu Nian nodded, “I’ve been busy recording ‘Let Me Sing’ and promoting ‘Ancient Road’ recently, so I haven’t bumped into him. So when I saw him in the parking lot just now, it was quite surprising.”

“Uh-huh,” Xie You didn’t reply but looked at the time, “It’s almost eleven, let’s go.”

Yu Nian couldn’t quite put his feelings into words. It felt like eating an unripe green fruit, leaving a bitter taste on his tongue and throat and a sense of emptiness in his heart, as if a cool breeze had slipped through.

The next day, Meng Yuan talked to Yu Nian, “The first issue of ‘V+’ magazine will be released, so pay attention to the sales. The promotion plan for your single has been finalized. Remember to mention it when you’re recording ‘Let Me Sing.’ Also, for the Golden Melody Awards, Hersey’s clothes have been sent, and you’ll wear Daibo’s shoes this time.” Meng Yuan noticed Yu Nian’s state and furrowed his brows, “Nian Nian?”

Yu Nian snapped out of it, “What?”

“Are you listening?”

“I am. You were talking about the magazine release, single promotion, and the red carpet outfit.” Yu Nian paused for a moment and apologized with a smile, “Sorry.”

“There’s no need to apologize. Everyone has times when they’re not in their best state. Besides, you’ve been extremely busy these past couple of weeks, so it’s normal to feel unfocused.” Meng Yuan closed his tablet, “Do you want me to adjust your schedule, take half a day or a day off, and get a good rest?”

Yu Nian shook his head, “No need, a little busy is fine. Otherwise, I might start overthinking things.”

Hearing this, Meng Yuan hesitated to speak further but finally asked directly, “Is it related to President Xie?”

Yu Nian was silent for a few seconds before nodding gently.

When it came to matters of the heart, Meng Yuan asked cautiously, “Do you suspect… he’s changed his mind?”

“No, he won’t,” Yu Nian replied firmly, “I can feel his feelings for me. I just don’t know why he’s not telling me.”

A little relieved, Meng Yuan continued, “Do you think he’s hiding something from you?”

“Yes, he keeps things from me, but it’s alright. I can guess, and most of the time, my guesses are accurate.”

Just like before they got together, he guessed that Xie You might be in a dangerous situation, guessed Xie You’s intentions, and guessed Xie You’s true feelings for him.

What if he didn’t want to guess anymore? Or what if he couldn’t guess anymore?

Pushing those thoughts aside, Yu Nian’s usual smile softened, “I know that Zheng Zhaoxi is deliberately getting close to Xie You, and I also know that Xie You won’t have any ambiguous relationship with Zheng Zhaoxi. But what I don’t understand is why Xie You doesn’t mention anything related to Zheng Zhaoxi to me.”

Meng Yuan rubbed his chin, “Have you asked President Xie about Zheng Zhaoxi?”

Yu Nian nodded, “I did, but he evaded the question.”

In this situation, Meng Yuan was also worried. He sighed, “This is why I prefer work and making money, no drama in my life!”

Yu Nian chuckled, “Yeah, you’re right, Brother Meng.” His eyes glimmered, “Being in a relationship is troublesome, but… I still want to be in a relationship with him.”

Meng Yuan rolled his eyes, “Go away! All day long, showing affection, aren’t you tired?”

“Not at all.” Yu Nian was silent for two seconds and then added, “I know there might be something wrong, but I don’t know how to solve it.”

After thinking for a while, Meng Yuan suddenly thought of something, “I don’t have much advice for you, but there’s someone who might give you some suggestions.”

Yu Nian looked puzzled, “Who?”

“President Qu! Didn’t President Qu say that he and President Xie were childhood friends, raised on the same can of milk powder?” Meng Yuan recalled and asked Shi Rou, “Rou Rou, what was the other expression he used?”

Shi Rou added, “Playing together in diapers!”

“Right, right, and… ” Meng Yuan asked Yu Nian, “Do you want to give it a try? President Xie is like a closed bottle, never saying much, but President Qu is the opposite, always ready to talk.”

At this moment, Yu Nian’s phone vibrated. He opened the message interface and found it was from an unknown number.

The content was a blurry photo taken in dim light. In the picture, two people were leaning close together, and at first glance, it seemed like they were kissing.

Meng Yuan glanced at it inadvertently and gasped, “Is this… President Xie and… Zheng Zhaoxi?”