Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The tide of public opinion shifted in an instant.

The Xihuan CP between Xie Xu and me came under attack from Xie Xu’s solo stans.

I scrolled down through the comments on my profile. A whole bunch of users with IDs like “Only Love Xie Xu, Reject Clout-Chasers” were going off like crazy:

[Stop trying to leech off our gege!]

[Isn’t this disgusting? Using this kind of thing to get attention? Top-tier celebrity? More like bottom-tier trash!]

…

The poor Xihuan CP fans were fighting a lonely battle:

[The two people involved haven’t even said anything yet. What are you all so anxious for?]

[Besides, they’ve already said they’re friends in the industry. Their private relationship isn’t for you to judge, is it?]

…

But no matter how silver-tongued the CP fans were, they still couldn’t beat the solo stans once they brought out the public statement from Xie Xu’s team.

Brother Jia couldn’t withstand the pressure of public opinion anymore. He sent me a whole stack of screenshots of nasty comments:

[Find another way out for your CP plan. Xie Xu’s solo stans are too fierce. The enemy is strong and we’re weak.]

[Off topic, Xiao Huai, but I really think Xie Xu is straight as steel. He doesn’t like you. Otherwise, why hasn’t he said a word when his team is targeting you like this?]

I refreshed the fanfic updates and, while I was at it, took a screenshot and sent it to Brother Jia:

[Look on the bright side. This time, I at least managed to bring the CP fans back out of retirement.]

[As for him, he can do whatever he wants. I’ll keep chasing him my way.]

Chapter 9

Then Brother Jia sent me a poster:

[Xiao Huai, there’s a variety show. Do you want to give it a try? Maybe win back some goodwill from casual viewers?]

Without even thinking, I asked: [Is Xie Xu going?]

[Yes.]

[Then I’m going too.]

The next second, Brother Jia sent me a sixty-second voice message.

I chose not to listen.

I understood. Sixty seconds was the limit of a voice message, not Brother Jia’s.

A little while later, Brother Jia sent me the show’s rundown:

[I heard Xie Xu’s team talked to the production crew in advance. They’re going to try their best not to let you and him appear in the same frame.]

[I’m worried the production crew will target you and use other topics to make up for the loss of buzz in that area.]

[Just giving you a heads-up.]

I quickly skimmed the contents of the rundown. [It’s fine. The important thing is getting on the show.]

Brother Jia sent me a speechless reaction meme. [The important thing is getting on the show with Xie Xu.]

Chapter 10

On the show, I was the last one to go onstage.

When I passed by Xie Xu, I threw him a look, and he rolled his eyes at me.

I could see just how determined the production crew was to keep us apart.

Xie Xu stood on the far left. I stood on the far right. Between us were three guests and the host.

Fortunately, Xie Xu was tall. If I tilted my head a little, I could still see his profile.

He was a tiny bit more handsome today than he had been yesterday.

How could I get his attention?

How could I secretly sneak over to his side later?

…

“Teacher Xiao, Teacher Xiao!”

I had spaced out, and the host had already brought me up. Flustered, I looked up. “Huh?”

Seeing that I had finally come back to my senses, he continued, “I hear that Teacher Xiao performed all the fight scenes in your new drama yourself. Today, we’re especially honored to witness one of Teacher Xiao’s iconic fight scenes in person.”

What?

A Black-guy-question-mark meme rose up in my heart.

Were they digging a pit for me right to my face?

Even after a staff member shoved a prop wooden staff into my hands, I was still dazed.

“Isn’t this supposed to cost extra?”

The host livened up the mood. “Of course. Extra pay. Definitely extra pay.”

If they were offering extra money, then we could talk.

I quietly glanced back and caught the worry in Xie Xu’s eyes.

Mm. Looked like I’d have to put a little more effort into swinging this stick around.

I gave the wooden staff a quick test. It felt pretty decent in my hands.

The other guests all backed off to the side, leaving me plenty of space.

I stole a glance at where Xie Xu was standing and shuffled a few steps in his direction.

Before I could get close, the host stepped between me and Xie Xu.

Mm. That was… a choice.

“Teacher Xiao, are you ready to begin?”

“Ready.”

Luckily, I really did my own fight scenes. What, you think I couldn’t handle a few casual swings?

Before I could start, someone else suddenly walked up from below the stage.

The host said, “Today, we’ve specially invited a fight-scene expert to come spar with Teacher Xiao.”

?

A bad feeling flashed through my heart.

Were they trying to set me up?

As the BGM started, the martial arts instructor grabbed a staff from the side and came at me, every move sharp and aggressive.

I barely managed to react in time.

The host kept hyping me up like he was trying to flatter me to death.

“Xiao Huai really has trained before. Look, he can even exchange several moves with the martial arts instructor.”

“That’s right, beautiful move!”

“But our Xiao Huai has been on the defensive this whole time. Let’s see if he can keep up with the instructor’s rhythm.”

…

If I weren’t already completely tied up right now, I really wanted to go over and punch the host.

If you’re so good, you get up here. What are you standing there making snide comments for?

With a loud thud, I lost focus for a split second and forgot to defend. The other man’s staff struck me right on the head.

Fuck. That hurt.

I took a few steps back, wanting to catch my breath, only for the staff in front of me to come crashing down again without warning.

This time, the blow I expected never landed.

Xie Xu caught the descending staff with one hand.

His other hand gripped my arm tightly as he stepped in front of me.

Xie Xu had always known exactly how far to go and when to stop. He rarely got angry. But right now, his face had gone completely dark, his eyes cold as ice.

I looked at him, and for some reason, all I could think about was the way he looked when he cried.

Shit.

I really wanted to make Xie Xu cry.

With that face of his, even his tears were breathtaking.

Seeing this, the host immediately rushed over to smooth things over. “Ah, Teacher Xiao, are you all right? I saw you got distracted just now.”

“Heh. Distracted?”

Fans below the stage were already speaking up for me.

“How could that be because he was distracted? That staff hit Xiao Huai straight on the head.”

“Poor gege. How could this martial arts instructor be so careless?”

“What’s wrong with the production team?”

…

Xie Xu listened, his thin lips pressed into a straight line. Even the force around my arm tightened.

I knew he was truly angry.

“Xie Xu, it’s really not a big deal.”

“It’s not like you don’t know. I used to get beaten through scenes like this all the time.”

His eyes were a little red. “This is different.”

“How is it different? This older brother has a strong body.”

“Xiao Huai, are you okay?”

The other guests gradually gathered around me, and Xie Xu was pushed to the outer edge of the crowd.

“I’m fine. Let’s keep going with the show.”

For the second half of the variety show, Xie Xu barely spoke at all. Aside from the tasks arranged in advance, even when the camera shifted to him, he remained cold to the extreme.

I found chances to test the waters several times, but he wouldn’t even acknowledge me.

Now this was truly giving me a headache.