Chapter 38

Kong Xiyan had no idea whether Chi Wanzhao was serious or just messing with her. She tilted her head to study her, but Chi Wanzhao's eyes gave nothing away. Holding her breath, she asked, "CEO Chi, are you feeling unwell?"

Chi Wanzhao: ...

It wasn't that she was overthinking—Chi Wanzhao was acting completely out of character.

She could actually say something like going back to hold their own feast.

When they had first married under contract, they'd signed an agreement without even meeting each other's parents. Though both of Kong Xiyan's parents had passed away, Chi Wanzhao still had hers.

She had never even offered to introduce them.

In Kong Xiyan's view, Chi Wanzhao treated this like a business deal, just one that lasted a bit longer—after three years, they would go their separate ways anyway.

She never expected Chi Wanzhao to say something like this now.

It was slightly terrifying.

Chi Wanzhao gave her a deep look, sunlight dancing on her eyelids. She lowered her gaze and said blandly, "Probably my brain isn't feeling well."

Kong Xiyan: ...

After the meal, Wang Haining took a group of kids to school. Kong Xiyan wanted to help the villagers clean up the tables, but Second Aunt pushed her by the arm toward the door, saying, "Go on, go on, take your wife for a stroll. We've got this covered."

The other villagers chimed in, "That's right, Teacher Kong, take your wife home for a rest."

Kong Xiyan sighed helplessly and had no choice but to head back with Chi Wanzhao.

Once home, Chi Wanzhao picked up her laptop and started handling work. Kong Xiyan played with her phone and saw a message from Fu Qiu.

-- Sister Kong, have you seen what's happening with Guo Yixi on Weibo?

Kong Xiyan clutched her phone and thought: Guo Yixi?

She only remembered hearing her argue with Director Sun before coming to the countryside, and she hadn't even seen her since. Could something have happened to her?

Kong Xiyan then opened Weibo and saw Guo Yixi on the hot search; she learned the gist of it.

It all started with the incident of Old Master He hitting someone. Not long after that, rumors began circulating online asking why Guo Yixi had been on the set at the time. But everyone was busy focusing on Old Master He's drama back then, so the topic got buried.

Later, after the scandal of Old Master He hitting someone died down, the question of why Guo Yixi had been on set was dug up again.

Then it came out that she had been dating Director Sun.

That wouldn't have been a problem by itself.

But under the influence of people with ulterior motives, her relationship with Director Sun didn't seem so innocent anymore. After all, Director Sun was more than a decade older than her and had been linked with many actresses; his philandering history was well known both inside and outside the industry.

While Guo Yixi's fans were feeling sorry for her and suggesting she break up with Director Sun, more rumors surfaced online: she had gotten together with Director Sun in the first place because she wanted the role of the second female lead in 【Breaking the Cocoon】. But Kong Xiyan had snatched it away before she could get it.

Her fans naturally denied it, believing that these baseless rumors were all stirred up because of Old Master He.

After all, she had always projected the image of an ethereal little fairy who was above worldly concerns.

If she hadn't been slapped by Old Master He, with the video leaking through her assistant's group chat, leading to nationwide condemnation of Old Master He, she wouldn't have been dragged into this mess.

Old Master He had been cursed online to the point of being unable to hold his head up, and he naturally held a grudge against Guo Yixi. In the fans' minds, these false reports about Guo Yixi were all because of Old Master He and He Wei.

They didn't even believe she was dating Director Sun.

So Guo Yixi's fans tore into He Wei and Old Master He's fans completely.

They even provoked Wu Qing, saying if she didn't speak up, she would be the next Yixi—framed to death.

Wu Qing never posted anything on Weibo.

Kong Xiyan went to Guo Yixi's Weibo and saw a pinned post.

Guo Yixi: I've always believed that words can be fearsome, so I've been cautious in my speech and actions. I never expected that when you stand in someone's way, being cautious alone isn't enough.

She had posted this when rumors about her relationship with Director Sun first surfaced online.

At first glance, it seemed like she was defending herself, but in reality, she was distancing herself from the issue and letting her fans take the lead, using them as weapons to fire at the He family.

Sure enough, comments under her post included-- Yixi, don't be afraid, we'll always stand behind you!

-- That's right, you're the purest little angel in my heart. You'd never do something so filthy for a role!

-- Speaking of filthy, didn't that certain He person sleep with some director back when she first debuted a few years ago? There's still a thread about it on the forum!

-- Is what the person above said true? That's disgusting. No wonder she's so good at this routine—she's a regular at it herself!

-- Who's to say otherwise? Our Yixi's only mistake was getting tangled up with those lunatics from the He family. Do they think the entertainment industry belongs to them, to bully whoever they want?

-- The He family's shamelessness isn't new. That certain He person bedded God knows how many boyfriends when she was abroad. Ha, she thinks she's some virgin? Even if our Yixi is dating Director Sun, so what? They're in the open about it, alright?

-- Those idiots from the He family, I really can't stand them.

Kong Xiyan scrolled down and saw dissenting opinions too.

-- Please, Miss Guo, go ahead and sue our Wei Wei. You talk as if you have such solid evidence. Ha!

-- Oh, sue for what? Everyone knows the truth. Only her fans are so clueless that if you shook their heads, you'd hear sloshing water.

-- A third-rate wannabe trying to use our Wei Wei for publicity. How generous of herself.

-- If only Miss Guo's acting were as little as her money.

Soon, the two groups were arguing in the comments under Guo Yixi's post. Kong Xiyan followed the mentions and went to He Wei's Weibo, but whether due to quick deletion or no one daring to stir trouble there, she couldn't find a single mention of Guo Yixi.

Old Master He's Weibo, however, was completely overrun.

Guo Yixi's fans didn't dare go after He Wei, so instead they vented on Old Master He's Weibo, turning it into a chaotic mess of insults that no one wanted to look at twice.

Of course, this was such a big deal that some of Guo Yixi's fans also slipped over to the official Weibo of 【Breaking the Cocoon】, demanding an explanation of what Guo Yixi had been doing on set that day.

The official account stayed silent.

The Internet drama kept churning on.

Kong Xiyan watched for a while, found it boring, and put down her phone. She hadn't slept well last night, so she wanted to take a nap while she had nothing to do.

She took off her clothes, got into bed, and saw Chi Wanzhao still sitting on the stool, looking seriously at her computer. She asked, "Do you want to sleep?"

Chi Wanzhao raised her eyes to look at her at the sound of her voice: "Together?"

Kong Xiyan glanced down at the bed, dazed for a moment: "Yeah, together."

There was only one bed—if they didn't share it, what else could they do?

Chi Wanzhao looked at her dazed eyes for a moment, then shifted her gaze away. Her thin lips parted: "Never mind. I don't trust you."

Kong Xiyan: ...

She gritted her teeth silently, hugged Yanyan, turned around huffily, and climbed into bed, sneaking a resentful glance at Chi Wanzhao.

The window was half open, with a gentle breeze and sunlight streaming in. Chi Wanzhao held her laptop, her delicate brows drawn together, a few stray strands of hair hanging before her eyes, swaying in the wind.

Kong Xiyan's heart swayed along with them.

For no reason, her face felt warm. She pulled Yanyan up to cover her eyes and closed them to sleep.

Only after her breathing steadied did Chi Wanzhao set down her laptop. Sitting by the bed, she noticed the phone glowing. She picked it up and saw a WeChat message.

Fu Qiu: Sister Kong, I heard that what happened to Guo Yixi was exposed by the He family.

Chi Wanzhao's finger tapped the screen, her eyes on Fu Qiu's name, the sharpness in her brows impossible to hide.

Tong Yue really knew how to get things done.

To think she'd assigned such an oblivious assistant to Kong Xiyan.

She set the phone aside, put it on silent, and Yanyan lifted her head from between her paws, her blue eyes fixed on Chi Wanzhao. After a moment, she slowly rose and wobbled deeper into the bed.

Chi Wanzhao sat on the edge of the bed, looking down at Kong Xiyan's sleeping face.

Whatever she was dreaming about, there was a smile at the corner of her mouth, serene and peaceful.

Chi Wanzhao stroked her fair cheek, the sharpness fading from her brows, her gaze gentle.

She suddenly felt that living like this here wasn't so bad after all.

Wang Haining passed by Kong Xiyan's room while coming home to grab something. The door wasn't closed, so she clearly saw the affectionate look and nearly overflowing tenderness in Chi Wanzhao's expression.

It was so unlike the cold, indifferent woman she usually saw that Wang Haining forgot to look away for a moment.

It wasn't until Chi Wanzhao withdrew her hand and asked softly, "Had enough looking?" that Wang Haining averted her gaze and asked, "When did you meet Xiyan?"

Chi Wanzhao lowered her eyes and didn't answer.

Wang Haining took the hint. She stood there for a moment, then went to her room to get her books. As she passed by Kong Xiyan's room, the door was already closed.

Winter sleep came easily. By nearly four-thirty, Kong Xiyan was still squirming in bed, unwilling to get up. The blankets were toasty warm, and she didn't want to reach out and get dressed at all.

Yanyan had burrowed under the covers while she was asleep, curling up on her chest. It was warm and soft to the touch.

Kong Xiyan wanted to move even less.

Chi Wanzhao came in from outside and looked away at the sight of Kong Xiyan lazing in bed.

Kong Xiyan didn't want to move, but she reached over to the nightstand for her phone and glanced at the time: four-fifteen. The kids would be getting out of school soon.

She sat up awkwardly, draped her down jacket over herself, and remembering how neatly she'd slept when she woke up, turned to ask, "CEO Chi, this time did I sleepwalk nude, grind my teeth, bite anyone, or launch a sneak attack?"

There was a hint of smugness in her eyes.

Chi Wanzhao twitched the corner of her mouth: "No, none of that. But Miss Kong, can you explain why you kept calling my name while you were asleep?"

Kong Xiyan froze, a faint blush spreading across her pretty face.

Chi Wanzhao leaned in close to her face and said slowly, word by word, "Could it be that you like me?"

Kong Xiyan swatted away her face, which was far too close, and said awkwardly, "I think what you said this morning was right."

Chi Wanzhao: "Hmm?"

Kong Xiyan: "Your brain really isn't feeling well. You're even starting to daydream."

...