Chapter 13: The Scandal Call

【No way, no way, Hqy wouldn’t have a scandal, right? She hasn’t had a single confirmed dating rumor since her debut.】

【Stop pretending to be passersby to whitewash your idol. The video’s out. What are you still clinging to?】

【I was wondering why she looked so intimate with that girl in the on-set photos. So it’s the real deal. Ten-plus years of a perfect public image, shattered to dust.】

【Bet the roll call Q&A was intentional too. Low-key flirting right in front of everyone. Come get your sugar, fans of Qiuyi. The metaphorical kid next door says it’s diabetes-inducingly sweet.】

…

The situation snowballed. Several related topics shot up the hot search leaderboard, and the real-time discussion plaza was pure chaos.

Continuing class was impossible. The gazes sweeping toward Fang Run from all directions nearly drowned her.

She raised her hand, excused herself, and stepped out. An unfamiliar number lit up her screen, registered in Beijing.

Fang Run had a hunch. She answered. The voice on the other end was indeed He Qiuyi.

He Qiuyi: “I’m so sorry, classmate Fang. Yesterday afternoon, my personal schedule was leaked to the paparazzi, and that’s how you got photographed. I truly apologize for the trouble.”

He Qiuyi: “Here’s the thing: my PR team will clarify this mess soon. When they do, I’ll need you to repost it, classmate Fang.”

He Qiuyi: “I honestly never expected this chaos. It brought you bad press. If you need compensation, my agent will contact you shortly.”

Fang Run hadn’t even spoken before the other party breezed through her lines like a gust of wind.

Her attitude was earnest, no airs about her. Gentle and even-tempered, just as Wen Ran had described.

This inexplicable scandal hadn’t caused Fang Run any actual harm. She naturally wouldn’t be brazen enough to demand compensation.

Besides, if He Qiuyi hadn’t pulled her out of the way yesterday afternoon, she’d have likely taken a tumble and gotten hurt. She was more than grateful. She couldn’t possibly hold a grudge over such a misunderstanding.

Fang Run gathered her thoughts and said gently, “I just saw the rumors myself. I should be thanking Teacher He for helping me yesterday. I trust your team can handle this and clear the air. Of course, if there’s anything I can do, just say the word.”

He Qiuyi sounded like she let out a breath of relief. They exchanged a few more words about the resolution plan before hanging up.

The next second, Wen Ran’s call came through.

Fang Run guessed it was for gossip. She rubbed her forehead in exasperation.

Sure enough, the moment she answered, Wen Ran started firing off frantically: “Don’t read the online comments! It’s all trolls from the underworld and disguised antis stirring up a demonic dance—blowing a baseless rumor into cold, hard fact. This is probably the work of rivals buying a hot search to screw with the Best Actress.”

“Did He Qiuyi’s team contact you? Insiders like her can handle this, but it’s rotten luck dragging a regular person like you into it. Give it enough time, and they’ll probably dig up eight generations of your ancestors.”

“Oh my god, say something! I’m dying of worry for you here.”

Fang Run cleared her throat and said slowly, “How can I say anything if you don’t give me the chance.”

Afraid the other girl would start babbling endlessly again, she continued, “Teacher He contacted me personally. She said her PR team will resolve it soon. I just need to repost from the official Weibo to clear my name.”

“Oh, oh. Good, that’s good.” Wen Ran let out a long sigh of relief. “But hey, isn’t this a blessing in disguise? You haven’t even stepped foot into the entertainment industry yet, and you’ve already snagged the Best Actress’s personal number.”

She was back to being unserious now that she knew things were handled.

Fang Run didn’t banter long with her. She exchanged a few idle words and hung up.

Then came the third call, the fourth… almost all inquiries about the hot search.

At first, Fang Run managed to explain, but eventually, she started ignoring them, letting the calls ring silently. She even considered turning off her phone for some peace.

She had no desire to return to class, so she headed downstairs to wander the campus.

In front of the dining hall was a large grove of willows. Their trailing branches drifted with the wind. Though not as vibrant as in spring, they possessed a desolate, unique beauty.

Fang Run sat on a stone bench, gazing at the pond.

The curious, probing words; the snide tones; the reckless speculation.

They were like countless eyes staring at her, making her feel as if she stood before endless cameras, the people behind the lenses sparing no malice—and she had nowhere to run.

No cover at all. As bare and exposed as if displayed, raw and natural, before everyone.

Fang Run had no gift for silver-tongued oration. She faced the interrogation woodenly, speechless, crushed by the pressure.

Suffocation hit like ocean tides, wave after wave surging within her heart—a faint bitterness and melancholy.

Fang Run knew she was slipping back into old patterns, finding it hard to control the negativity.

The hushed whispers, the curious stares—they dragged her back to those sweltering, oppressive days, reliving the torment over and over.

She couldn’t keep sinking. The vortex would swallow everything.

Fang Run forced herself to empty her mind, striving to put distance between herself and the earlier clamor.

The pond surface rippled occasionally. Fallen withered leaves sent circles undulating outward. Koi—pale gold and vivid orange—surfaced to blow a bubble, then continued swimming to and fro, utterly carefree.

The horizon glowed blue. Warm-white clouds drifted slowly, making the pond’s surface shimmer with pale gold, flickering in and out of sight.

Fang Run propped her chin on her hand, quietly observing this tranquil corner of the world.

The slightly upturned outer corners of her eyes, lashes trembling in tiny flutters, made the pupils below seem all the more silent and deep.

High nose bridge, red lips. The proportions of her neck and shoulders were outstanding. Her exposed skin was as fine and white as mutton-fat jade. Even just sitting there in a daze, she was exceptionally striking.

A beauty always inspires a desire to protect.

However, before the great beauty Fang could finish her brooding, a buzzing sound cut through the air.

Probably another gossipmonger coming for the latest dirt. Fang Run wasn’t keen on answering.

She glanced down at the screen. Her fingertips curled slightly the moment she saw the caller ID.

—Pei Luo.

Seeing that name, Fang Run remembered the message the other woman had sent.

[Does Little Run already have someone she likes?]

Of course, she did. It just wasn’t what the question assumed.

Fang Run pondered for a moment. She couldn’t bear to watch the screen go dark. She answered.

The call timer started. Neither of them spoke.

Only when the digits on the screen had ticked past the one-minute mark did Fang Run’s lips finally part.

“I—”

“You—”

Two voices rang out simultaneously.

After a few seconds of silence, Pei Luo said, “You first.”

Somehow, Fang Run’s heart quietly lifted into her throat. She nervously pinched the hem of her shirt, looking down and scuffing a stone.

Fang Run’s tone was resigned. “Did Sister Pei Luo see the trending topic?”

Racking her brains, she figured the other woman couldn’t possibly have discerned her feelings just from a bouquet of flowers. So it must have been the trending scandal with He Qiuyi that sparked her curiosity and prompted the question.

How laughable—she’d been this tense the whole time, her brain only clanking into gear now to figure out this trifling matter.

Pei Luo gave a quiet “Mm.” “Sorry. I overstepped earlier. I hadn’t understood anything clearly when I suddenly asked you such a strange, personal question.”

The woman’s voice was calm, her phrasing polite, exceedingly composed and impeccable.

Office building, twenty-first floor, CEO’s Office.

After saying this, Pei Luo looked away from the window.

Earlier that morning, while arranging flowers, Sheng Nuoyi had come back, flashing her a mysterious, secretive smile.

Pei Luo furrowed her brows slightly. “Why are you back?”

Sheng Nuoyi sidled up, grinning. “I’ve got something good for you.”

She tapped her screen a couple of times, and a video started playing.

Initially, Pei Luo couldn’t make sense of the chaotic footage. Then the camera zoomed in, and she caught a figure.

Long, wavy curls. Features, though partly obscured, were radiant and lovely.

“Recognize her?” Sheng Nuoyi tucked her phone away, looking at Pei Luo with a rakish air. “Your ‘Little Sister Run’ is really something. Turns out she’s in a passionate relationship with A-list star He Qiuyi. If the paparazzi hadn’t caught them yesterday, your little sister would’ve stayed her secret girlfriend even longer.”

At those words, Pei Luo’s peripheral vision caught the fresh, delicate small daisies before her. A strange displeasure stirred in her heart.

Passionate relationship. Secret girlfriend.

Every single term seemed impossible to link with Fang Run.

Scenes replayed in her mind:

Two days ago, she had personally blow-dried Little Run’s hair. The mirror had reflected their two figures, close together.

In the car on the way to school, the other girl had shyly and bashfully stated she was single.

Last night, eating a late-night snack together at the office, the girl had waved goodbye, obedient and innocently naive.

Through all those moments, there had never been a trace of Fang Run being anyone’s secret girlfriend, or being madly in love with anyone else.

—Clearly, she was still just a young little sister.

Pei Luo felt as though she’d fallen into a strange mindset. As an older sister, she should wish Fang Run and her girlfriend lasting happiness. Yet she found herself viewing this rumored romance with a kind of parental skepticism, always feeling it was unsuitable.

Movie stars were so busy. They spent more time apart than together, couldn’t be there by her side constantly. It didn’t seem like a good match, no matter how she looked at it.

After shooing Sheng Nuoyi away, Pei Luo had thoroughly looked up He Qiuyi’s profile. Discovering the actress was several years older than Fang Run, she couldn’t help remembering the latter once saying she liked older people.

Aside from the age gap, there wasn’t a single point of compatibility.

Inexplicably, her brows knitted tightly, Pei Luo had stared at their chat dialog box and, unable to hold back, sent that message.

[Does Little Run already have someone she likes?]

By the time she realized and wanted to retract it, the window had passed.

She’d been regretting it ever since, feeling she’d been somewhat imprudent, casually meddling in someone else’s private business.

Pei Luo’s lips pressed into a thin, straight line. She was restrained and full of apology, hoping Fang Run wasn’t angry.

However, contrary to her worries, Fang Run’s heart was fluttering.

Logically speaking, Pei Luo wasn’t the type to obsess over online gossip. So the question must have come from hearing others talk, prompting her to ask.

This indicated that the other woman was slowly starting to notice her.

Even framing it with such detached, formal phrasing couldn’t hide that fact.

Little Sister Run, it seemed, was truly blessed in disguise.

The earlier gloom was swept clean away. It was now clear skies for miles.

The girl by the pond looked as if she was trying hard to keep a straight face, but couldn’t suppress the corners of her lips quirking up.

Fang Run’s tone was light and easy. “It’s fine. Sister Pei Luo is my favorite sister. Asking about private matters like this is alright.”

She hooked her toe on the ground, then pointed it straight. “The scandal with Teacher He was an accident. We’ve talked. It’ll be cleared up soon.”

Then, she recounted the events of yesterday afternoon.

She had considered glossing over the location. But if Pei Luo had seen the paparazzi video, she’d likely recognize the bar. Better to come clean.

Sure enough, Pei Luo’s tone softened. They chatted a little longer before finally hanging up.

If Pei Luo had been paying closer attention, she would have noticed one thing:

—From start to finish, Fang Run had never answered her question.