“He’s still staying in his room all day, refusing to say anything,” Xiaobai sighed, “One after another, it’s so worrying.”
“Oh right, I saw someone selling grapes on the way to filming yesterday. Go buy some and take them to Xie Chi later,” Lin Xiaoman picked up her script again, “He likes them.”
Xiaobai obediently went to buy grapes, and Lin Xiaoman continued memorizing her lines.
Suddenly, the door of the makeup room was opened, and Huang Yinyin poked her head in, carefully glancing at her like a startled hamster, and whispered: “Xiaoman, something big happened in the group.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The media caught photos of Huo Qizhi and Xi Xueer together, saying they’re dating,” Huang Yinyin, seeing no one else in the room, came in and closed the door, “The investors are furious because the contract clearly stated he was not in a relationship.”
“They’re just friends. Even if they are together, it’s no big deal.”
Could it be media hype?”
“No, they’ve already photographed them holding hands entering Xi Xueer’s home, with several photos of them hugging inside her house.”
Lin Xiaoman took out her phone to search and found these were photos from yesterday’s birthday of Xi Xueer, with reporters capturing them shopping and returning home together. Each photo was perfectly angled, especially those inside the house that clearly showed Huo Qizhi’s face.
It seemed her plan to provoke Xi Xueer into revealing their relationship had succeeded.
“It’s just a birthday celebration. It’s normal for them to hug,” Lin Xiaoman knew Huo Qizhi was not an ordinary person and wouldn’t easily admit to anything, so she anticipated a twist.
“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine,” Lin Xiaoman comforted Huang Yinyin by patting her head.
Huo Qizhi had too many contract interests to admit to a relationship, but just spreading the rumor would be enough. Netizens would see his true nature, and Xi Xueer would see his true colors.
For Lin Xiaoman, this was sufficient.
“I’m very calm right now. I’ve thought it through clearly.
Huo Qizhi, I just want you to acknowledge our relationship. I don’t care about anything else,” Xie Xue’er said decisively.
“What if I don’t agree?”
“What would people think if they knew we were already together while Tang Feifei was still around?” Xie Xue’er whispered threateningly. “Isn’t acknowledging our relationship better than being accused of cheating?”
“Are you crazy? What good would that do you?”
“I told you, I don’t need any benefits. I just want you to acknowledge the fact that we’re together,” Xie Xue’er’s voice was calm yet cruel. “If you can’t do that, we might as well go to hell together.”
The call was hung up. Huo Qizhi looked at his phone screen turning black, realizing that the woman he always thought was a gentle kitten was actually a disguised ferocious tiger.
He absolutely would not announce their relationship, and Xie Xue’er was no longer as easy to placate as before.
He needed to think of another way.
During the shooting, he was distracted and in a bad state.
Lin Xiaoman brought him a cup of coffee during a break: “Don’t pay attention to online rumors. The innocent will prove their innocence.”
“Thank you,” Huo Qizhi took the coffee. “Do you believe in me?”
“Of course. Didn’t you say you’re just friends?”
Looking at the girl smiling like an angel in front of him, Huo Qizhi suddenly felt relaxed, as if things weren’t so difficult.
Huo Qizhi’s expression stiffened. He unnaturally put down the coffee and quickly stood up.
“What’s wrong? Don’t you want the coffee?”
“No,” Huo Qizhi returned to his usual gentle demeanor, smiling slightly. “I’ve been having insomnia and taking medication.”
The passing producer holding a goji tea shook his head. “You should adjust your lifestyle instead of relying on drugs.”
“I understand,” Huo Qizhi nodded in agreement.
“Medicine is three parts poison. I’ll be careful in the future.”
The afternoon scene involved the male and female leads arguing, with the female lead revealing a sixth personality as a fitness coach and throwing the male lead into water.
Huo Qizhi was in a poor state and took dozens of takes to finally pass.
When the director yelled “cut,” Lin Xiaoman felt relieved. She hadn’t slept well for several nights and was still recovering from a cold. After being in an extremely tense emotional state, she now relaxed and wasn’t paying attention to her surroundings, walking straight ahead.
“Be careful.”
It was Huo Qizhi’s anxious voice.
By the time Lin Xiaoman realized what was happening, she had already stepped into empty space and was falling downstream. Fortunately, the river wasn’t flowing rapidly, and she only fell, getting some scrapes on her hands and feet.
Huo Qizhi was the first to rush to her side. He immediately picked up Lin Xiaoman without hesitation, his face filled with anxiety and unease. After reaching the shore, he urgently called for someone to bring a medical kit and a coat, not even realizing how dramatic his actions were.
Lin Xiaoman sat in the mobile vehicle, with the man applying medicine beside her. The sunset light fell on his profile, his long eyelashes like wings, his nose soft and delicate, looking perfect.
She remembered how she used to trace his profile with her finger.
But now, she felt disgusted.
However, she didn’t show any negative emotions, instead smiling mischievously and suddenly asking, “Do you like me?”
Huo Qizhi’s hand paused, inadvertently pressing harder on her wound.
“Ah!” she cried out in pain.
Huo Qizhi quickly realized and loosened his grip. “Sorry, I used too much force.”
He looked flustered because of her – in the past, she would have been happy to see this. Of course, she was still happy now, seemingly making the person in front of her fall for her again.
“Don’t confuse the script with reality,” Lin Xiaoman tilted her head, looking innocent. “You were still immersed in the scene just now, right?”
“Mm,” Huo Qizhi lowered his head, sighing with relief.
“I knew it,” Lin Xiaoman smiled brightly. “That look was exactly the same as in the play. It’s really hard to come out of a role.”
“Mm,” Huo Qizhi resumed applying iodine.
“So, do you like me in reality?”
The girl’s soft voice suddenly rang out in the car. Huo Qizhi seemed to be spell-bound, his hand frozen in place, motionless.
He heard his own heartbeat, like thundering horses, like drums beating deafeningly.
He wanted to speak but didn’t know how.
“Hahahahaha…”
Lin Xiaoman first laughed out loud: “I was joking with you, did I scare you?”
Huo Qizhi carefully applied iodine to Lin Xiaoman’s wound again, lowering his head and steadying his voice: “Recently, be careful not to touch water, prevent wound infection, and remember to apply medicine periodically.”
“Although it’s a joke, you’re really gentle,” Lin Xiaoman sighed softly, “If only you could like me.”
★
“It was really dangerous on set today. Fortunately, Huo Qizhi reacted quickly. Otherwise, what would have happened if Xiaoman had been swept into the river?”
Now Xiaoman is accompanying Xiaobai to deliver grapes to Xie Chi’s room, and Xiaobai is still feeling lingering fear about the day’s events.
“Nothing happened, right?
Lin Xiaoman looked at Xie Chi, who had almost returned to how he was when they first met, huddled in the corner playing with his phone, only looking up when he heard about her injury.
“Are you hurt?” His gaze fell on Lin Xiaoman’s bandaged arm, his voice small and light, “Does it hurt?”
“It’s fine, not painful at all.” Lin Xiaoman waved to him, “Come and eat grapes together.”
Xie Chi shrank in the corner, unwilling to move.
He hadn’t properly eaten anything for a long time, and his originally pale face had become even whiter.
