The scandal involving Xiao Bai and Lin Bi Wei ultimately turned out to be all gust and barely a ripple.
Gao Qin firmly insisted that it was their first time working together, so they had gone out to eat to get better acquainted. The reporters had only photographed the two of them leaving the restaurant together, and it was not even a restaurant that offered accommodation. So after that tiny ripple passed, everything fell silent.
What did give Gao Qin a headache was another matter involving Xiao Bai.
The ratings for Xiao Bai’s Guest Room, the program NCC had tailor-made for him, had fallen short of expectations and were only barely hovering in the double digits. That figure would have been respectable enough for other variety shows of the same type, but compared with There’s Always a Higher Mountain airing in the same week, it looked downright shabby.
Many viewers complained that the conversations were extremely dull and that both the guests and hosts seemed somewhat distracted while talking.
Compared with those amateur observations, one expert on the Boundless Sea and Sky Forum exposed the truth with a single incisive post—
“Strongly Condemn the TV Station for Butchering the Edit”
Using all kinds of evidence, the post proved that the version of Xiao Bai’s Guest Room viewers had seen had clearly gone under the knife. The most obvious sign was that Xiao Bai would open his mouth, but no sound came out. The next shot would immediately cut to Lin Bi Wei or Yuan Shi Hua. This happened more than once, and every time Xiao Bai opened his mouth, his lips formed something different. Surely he had not been yawning in a dozen different mouth shapes?
Then there was Lin Bi Wei. During the first half of the program, her smile had looked perfectly natural, but in the second half it began to look forced. Something must have happened in between. Surely she had not suddenly developed stomach cramps?
Taking all these clues together, the poster declared with complete confidence that the version viewers saw had been heavily cut—and what had been cut was undoubtedly the best part. A lot of people liked watching Xiao Bai precisely because they wanted his unpolished, unvarnished bluntness. Once an editor started chopping and piecing him together, all that remained of Xiao Bai was a smile.
Not long after the thread was posted, it sparked heated discussion.
Countless Bai Powder fans repeatedly called on the television station to give them back the real Xiao Bai, even if that meant he offended people. Loving someone meant accepting all of him. They were already fully prepared to fight any other fandom that came after him.
Meanwhile, Zhou Min Li’s fan club also jumped out to protest, convinced that Zhou Min Li must have suffered some grievance during the recording. Otherwise, how could someone as cheerful as her have worn a dark expression from beginning to end?
Someone even dug up the entire history of grievances between Zhou Min Li and Xiao Bai, eventually reaching a conclusion: enemies were bound to meet on a narrow road, and when they did, both sides suffered.
Just as the two camps were deadlocked, an even bigger piece of news broke.
A netizen had taken a cellphone photo of Feng Ya Lun returning to the country at the airport.
One stone stirred up a thousand waves.
After the photograph was examined by several so-called “experts,” they unanimously concluded that the man was indeed Feng Ya Lun, that the photograph had never circulated before, and that the background was unquestionably an airport.
And so even more versions of the rumor began spreading. The following three attracted the most attention and discussion:
Feng Ya Lun quietly returns to China and rekindles his old romance with Zhou Min Li; a jealous Xiao Bai attacks his romantic rival on-air.
Feng Ya Lun returns to visit Xiao Bai at work and unexpectedly encounters an old flame and her new love. Feng Ya Lun and Yuan Shi Hua bury the hatchet with a smile.
Feng Ya Lun returns with his attitude toward romance unclear. Xiao Bai and Zhou Min Li come to blows, each determined to defeat the other.
Thanks to enthusiastic publicity from Jia Zhi Qing, veteran lurker of the Boundless Sea and Sky Forum, everyone connected—and not connected—to the incident soon heard the news.
Besides the people directly involved, there were three people who were especially unhappy.
Yan Su Ang was unhappy about being left out.
His exact words were:
“At the very least, Xiao Bai and I have had a scandal too. Why doesn’t anyone mention me? And what do they mean Feng Ya Lun went to visit him at work? I’m obviously the one who’s always visiting him at work!”
Jia Zhi Qing’s comment: “Great God, you pull your hat too low whenever you visit.”
Gao Qin was unhappy about the romantic rival.
His exact words were:
“Zhou Min Li still hasn’t retired from show business?”
Jia Zhi Qing’s comment: “Back when you needed her, it was ‘Miss Zhou’ this and ‘Miss Zhou’ that. Now that you don’t, it’s ‘Has-Been Zhou’ this and ‘Has-Been Zhou’ that.”
Vincent was unhappy about being ignored.
His exact words were:
“Me. There. Also. No. Together.”
Jia Zhi Qing’s comment: “ABCDEFG……”
As for the disappointing ratings of Xiao Bai’s Guest Room, the television station executives displayed a certain degree of composure. They quickly issued a directive: the next round of guests had to be chosen with great care.
Chen Fei actually wanted to invite the cast of Tears of a Man, but with the movie about to be released, Lian Jue Xiu, Yan Su Ang, and the other major members of the production were beginning a promotional tour through various cities. It would probably be difficult to find time.
After going through candidate after candidate, choosing the second group of guests unexpectedly became a serious problem.
The truly big names did not want to come.
The ones who were not famous enough were not worth inviting.
They were stuck in that awkward middle ground, and the matter became a major headache.
Chen Fei thought and thought until Feng Ya Lun finally occurred to him.
For one thing, Feng Ya Lun had only left the entertainment industry a few months ago. No matter how quickly the new waves of the Yangtze pushed the old ones forward, they had not yet swept away his influence. For another, the tangled relationships among Feng Ya Lun, Xiao Bai, Zhou Min Li, and Yuan Shi Hua had recently been hyped into a storm. If Feng Ya Lun used Xiao Bai’s Guest Room as his comeback platform, there was no need to wonder what would happen to the ratings.
The more Chen Fei thought about it, the more he felt the opportunity was too good to pass up. The only question was whether Feng Ya Lun would use this opportunity to return to show business, so he immediately called Xiao Bai.
Xiao Bai happened to be cooking at home.
Yan Su Ang had gone to another city for the past few days to promote Tears of a Man. Xiao Bai could not join the tour yet because of his current variety-show recording schedule, so he was home alone.
After Chen Fei explained the situation as succinctly as possible, Xiao Bai replied, “You want Brother Ya Lun’s phone number?”
“……”
Chen Fei had originally thought that regardless of whether Xiao Bai and Feng Ya Lun had the legendary sort of relationship the rumors claimed, at the very least they were senior and junior colleagues from the same agency, so it would be more appropriate for Xiao Bai to extend the invitation. But since Xiao Bai had phrased it like that, he clearly had no intention of taking the hint. Chen Fei could only say, “That works too. Give it to me.”
Xiao Bai said, “But I have to ask Brother Ya Lun before I can decide whether I’m allowed to give it to you.”
Chen Fei: “……”
Xiao Bai said, “Why don’t I call Brother Ya Lun first and ask whether I can give you his number, then call you back?”
Chen Fei asked, “Why don’t you just ask him whether he wants to come on the program?”
Xiao Bai said, “But what if Brother Ya Lun asks how much you’ll pay him? I don’t know.”
“……”
Sweat poured down Chen Fei’s face.
Was money really the only thing he could think of?
Chen Fei steadied himself and said, “As long as he’s willing to participate in the recording, the fee is negotiable.”
Xiao Bai said, “That’s why I think it would be better if the two of you discussed it directly.”
“……”
Chen Fei wiped his sweat away. “Fine. Do it your way.” If they kept arguing, Chen Fei was sure he would somehow end up being the one in the wrong anyway.
Xiao Bai called Feng Ya Lun’s cellphone, but Gao Qin answered.
After listening to Xiao Bai relay the request, Gao Qin did not even need to think before saying, “No.” He had already wasted so much good food over all these years. If Feng Ya Lun returned to show business, wouldn’t he just keep wasting more of it?
Xiao Bai said, “Oh,” and was just about to hang up when Feng Ya Lun’s voice came from the other end. “Who was that?”
Without changing expression, Gao Qin said, “Wrong number.”
“……”
The call ended.
Xiao Bai very seriously dialed the number again.
Gao Qin answered impatiently. “What now?”
Xiao Bai said, “I wasn’t a wrong number.”
“……”
Gao Qin replied calmly, “I understand.”
Feng Ya Lun’s sinister laugh came from the background. “Gao Qin! What are you hiding from me? One phone call might be a wrong number, but the same person isn’t going to dial wrong twice in a row.”
Gao Qin said, “You’ve been in America too long. You don’t know how much China has changed recently.”
“What changed?”
“Persistence.”
The call ended again.
Xiao Bai stared blankly at his phone for a while.
His ringtone sounded.
He answered, and this time it was Feng Ya Lun. “Xiao Bai, what did you want just now?”
Xiao Bai said, “Director Chen Fei wants your phone number.”
Feng Ya Lun was quiet for a moment. “Because he wants me on the program?”
Xiao Bai said, “Mm. He said the fee is negotiable.”
Feng Ya Lun asked, “Do you think I should come back?”
“I think if you want to come back, then you should. If you don’t want to, then you shouldn’t.”
To many people, Xiao Bai’s words would have sounded like meaningless nonsense, but Feng Ya Lun was different. Ever since the time Xiao Bai had told him, “People can’t live for other people, because other people can’t live your life for you,” Feng Ya Lun had known that although Xiao Bai’s words were simple, they were extremely practical and often struck straight to the heart of the matter.
So Feng Ya Lun answered him seriously. “When I left, part of it was impulse, but more than that, I was disheartened.”
Xiao Bai quietly listened on his end of the phone.
On the other end, Gao Qin pretended to read the newspaper while his ears stood straight up.
“But after I left, my heart somehow came back to life.” Feng Ya Lun laughed bitterly. “Some things happened too quickly and too strangely. It was just like a television drama.”
Xiao Bai only half understood.
Feng Ya Lun took a breath and said, “Turn Chen Fei down for me.”
The newspaper in Gao Qin’s hands turned a page in deep satisfaction.
Xiao Bai softly acknowledged him.
Feng Ya Lun said, “Enough about that. How are things between you and Yan Su Ang?”
Xiao Bai said, “He’s away on a business trip.”
“……”
A business trip.
What an excellent choice of words.
Feng Ya Lun laughed. “I heard you’re living in Yan Su Ang’s place now. Aren’t you scared staying there alone? Want me to come keep you company?”
Gao Qin’s newspaper began rustling violently.
Xiao Bai said, “It’s okay. Vincent lives downstairs. He comes over to keep me company all the time.”
“Vincent?” Feng Ya Lun froze. He had not seen Vincent once since they parted at Pyramid. Every time he asked Gao Qin about him, Gao Qin claimed everything had been properly arranged and there was absolutely nothing to worry about. Feng Ya Lun had not expected “properly arranged” to mean placing Vincent near Yan Su Ang’s home. “Why does he live there?”
Xiao Bai said, “Brother Gao Qin said that apartment was originally arranged for me by the company. Since it would just be sitting empty anyway, he let Vincent stay there.”
Feng Ya Lun looked toward the extremely “absorbed” Gao Qin and immediately understood. “All right. I get it. Be careful while you’re staying alone. If anything happens, call me.”
“Mm.”
After ending the call with Xiao Bai, Feng Ya Lun casually snatched the newspaper out of Gao Qin’s hands. “How did you convince Ma Rui?”
Gao Qin played dumb. “Convince him of what?”
“To get Xiao Bai an apartment so you could cover up the fact that he’s living with Yan Su Ang,” Feng Ya Lun said. “How did you convince Ma Rui to agree?” Based on everything he knew about Ma Rui, simply refraining from jumping up and beating the lovebirds apart would already have counted as a miracle.
Gao Qin shrugged. “I merely told him Xiao Bai needed a residence befitting his status.”
“And then?”
“Then he approved the budget from Finance.” Gao Qin paused before adding casually, “Of course, choosing the location was my responsibility.”
“……Nicely done.”
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