Chapter 26

No matter Gong Yue’s current thoughts, Wen Tang didn’t care.

To him, she was just a well-known actress in the same crew.

After closing her eyes, she pondered why the person she imagined was so different from the one she actually met. Of course, she had seen him once before, just a month ago. Was he the same then as he was now?

Wen Tang tried hard to recall, but her memories had become hazy. What stood out most in recent days were the pleasant chats with him, with each line of text vividly in her mind.

Is this what they call online romance?

In fact, online romance has been quite enjoyable.

It was just that she had met her online partner in person… although Gong Yue was unaware.

Now she seemed to face a more serious problem.

Had her feelings for Gong Yue died upon meeting him in person?

…

This was a major issue that needed serious consideration.

Although she had met him before, he was clearly very different from what she remembered—nothing like what she had expected.

Undeniably, she liked chatting with him every day through her phone, but when the real, naive, and youthful him was right in front of her, she felt no interest and no emotional stir.

What does this mean?

…

Indeed, online romance requires caution!

Filled with various thoughts, Wen Tang didn’t engage in much conversation with Gong Yue that night. Even when he tried to start a conversation, she responded with non-committal “Mm,” “Ah,” and “Oh,” echoing his earlier reserved demeanor. Finally, before ten o’clock, she used being tired from filming as an excuse to say goodnight.

Seeing the “goodnight” text from the other side, Wen Tang collapsed onto her bed, throwing her phone aside.

Her heart felt torn in two.

One half wanted to pick up her phone and continue chatting as before, while the other half was troubled by the disparity between the real Gong Yue and the one she knew online, feeling like a split between two worlds.

She began to deeply question her own judgment. She had always liked this type—young, energetic, younger than her, the typical fresh meat. Yet now, seeing Gong Yue, she felt no interest and questioned her own taste.

Clearly, chatting with him online had felt so harmonious. Why did meeting him in person make everything feel off?

…

The next day, Wen Tang continued with her filming routine.

She had a lot to do every day and couldn’t stop. As for finding a balance with Gong Yue, she needed a few more days to consider.

So far, she still felt conflicted. On one hand, she was reluctant to end things abruptly, feeling a great sense of loss. On the other hand, she had no feelings for the real person.

How can one pursue a relationship without feelings?

Wen Tang was someone who relied heavily on her emotions.

Perhaps the reason for her current feelings was simply because she wasn’t familiar with Gong Yue. Maybe things will improve after a few days?

The only comfort was that Gong Yue didn’t know the person he had been chatting with was her. As long as she didn’t reveal it, everything would be fine.

Having stayed up late the previous night, she woke up late in the morning.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang had waited a long time for her. Wen Tang wasn’t afraid of being late, but as a working professional, she still had a sense of responsibility.

She hurriedly got dressed and quickly washed up. If the car drove fast, she might still make it to the set on time.

The three of them left the house, with Wen Tang leading the way with her long strides. It was already past 8:20 in the morning. To her surprise, while waiting for the elevator, she ran into her neighbor, Mr. Zhou Jingyu.

Her relationship with this neighbor had been unpredictable. Initially, it was tense, then it eased a bit, but a few days ago, when Wen Tang greeted him, he had ignored her, which she found quite offensive.

It was clear that they just didn’t get along.

Thinking of that awkward night, Wen Tang had no desire to deal with him further.

Wen Tang and her assistants arrived at the elevator first, and Zhou Jingyu arrived later. Wen Tang kept her eyes on the elevator’s floor display, not giving him a glance.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang stood quietly beside Wen Tang. Ke Xin admired Zhou Jingyu’s looks but was no longer as excited after seeing him a few times. At most, she stole a few glances to enjoy the view.

When Zhou Jingyu approached, he stood to the side, tall and elegant. He was polite and, seeing Wen Tang, he took the initiative to say, “Miss Wen.”

His voice was always pleasant, and those few words from him inexplicably eased the mood. However, Wen Tang felt her pride was hurt and wouldn’t easily forgive his previous snub. Even if he tried to make amends, she pretended not to hear, acting as if he wasn’t there and hadn’t said anything.

But while Wen Tang ignored him, Ke Xin and Yang Yang couldn’t do the same, as Zhou Jingyu had a commanding presence. Despite appearing gentle and refined, his aura was overwhelming, making it hard to ignore him.

Receiving no response from Wen Tang, Zhou Jingyu wasn’t upset. He merely nodded politely to Ke Xin and Yang Yang.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang were immediately flustered and quickly smiled, nodding in response, almost bending over in their eagerness.

Although Wen Tang’s back was turned, she could see everything through the reflection in the elevator doors and felt embarrassed for her assistants, giving a slight sneer.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang stiffened.

The two exchanged glances and quickly averted their eyes, standing at attention.

Sigh.

Wen Tang’s temper was really something—when she was in a good mood, she was truly kind, but when she was willful, she was incredibly so!

To ignore such a handsome man so close by, not only ignoring him but also preventing others from engaging with him, was truly a waste!

As Wen Tang and her team waited at the elevator door, it arrived shortly. Wen Tang entered first. When Yang Yang and Ke Xin were in the elevator, only Zhou Jingyu was left outside. Wen Tang looked at him and said, “The elevator is a bit crowded today, Mr. Zhou. Please take the next one.”

With that, she pressed the close button without waiting for a response.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang watched in shock as Wen Tang rudely left their neighbor outside the elevator, their eyes widening with newfound respect for her.

They couldn’t understand what had upset Wen Tang so much. With her temper, it was truly unwise to cross her!

After the elevator doors closed, Wen Tang couldn’t help but replay in her mind the image of Zhou Jingyu standing at the elevator door, looking surprised but not angry.

Every time she saw him, he seemed like this—cold and composed, rarely showing emotions, and always maintaining a calm demeanor.

Suddenly, she thought of Gong Yue. If the person on the other end of her messages was like Zhou Jingyu, she wouldn’t find Gong Yue so discordant.

…

What was she thinking?

She shook her head, trying to rid herself of this absurd comparison. Gong Yue was Gong Yue, and Zhou Jingyu was Zhou Jingyu. They should not be confused! If the person on the other end of the messages was really like Zhou Jingyu, she would be furious!

Quickly dismissing the incident, Wen Tang sat in the car, fiddling with her phone. Normally, at this time, she would chat with Gong Yue out of habit. She had opened their chat box several times but couldn’t think of anything to say. It felt like she had so much to express, but couldn’t type a single word. Eventually, she closed the chat box.

Putting her phone aside, she closed her eyes to rest.

However, Gong Yue sent a message at that moment.

As she was resting her eyes, she heard the familiar sound of a WeChat message. After a few seconds, Wen Tang slowly opened her eyes and picked up her phone.

【Y: Good morning.】

This was their special way of greeting—“good morning” in the morning, “good afternoon” at noon, and “good night” in the evening.

He was always so polite and methodical in his messages.

Wen Tang looked at the familiar words, her hand moving to reply, but she paused as Gong Yue’s youthful, stubborn face flashed in her mind. Her hand froze in mid-air.

At that moment, another message popped up in the chat box.

【Y: … What’s wrong? Did something happen yesterday?】

Wen Tang wasn’t exactly slow-witted. But how could she explain to Gong Yue that seeing him in person was such a letdown that it affected her enthusiasm for chatting?

Looking at his message, she wasn’t sure how to respond.

But before she could think of a reply, her phone rang with a call from Liu Meifen.

A few days ago, Wen Tang and her assistants had severely reprimanded Wen Haifeng and his son, which had infuriated Liu Meifen. In her eyes, Wen Tang had become obstinate and beyond redemption. So, Liu Meifen had come to the set to keep an eye on things and found out about Wen Tang helping Gong Yue secure the role of the third male lead, which led to another round of shouting.

After driving Liu Meifen away, Wen Tang enjoyed a bit of peace and quiet. But just a day or two later, Liu Meifen called again, and Wen Tang was reluctant to answer.

Ke Xin and Yang Yang noticed the phone ringing for a long time and turned their heads to look. Wen Tang let it ring once, then a second time, before nonchalantly picking up the call with a calm demeanor.

As soon as the call connected, Liu Meifen’s angry voice came through, “Wen Tang, why did it take you so long to answer the phone?!”

Wen Tang raised her left hand, admiring her freshly done nails, and casually made up an excuse, her tone indifferent, “I didn’t hear the phone. What’s the matter? Are you looking for me?”

Liu Meifen had a pressing issue to discuss.

Fuming at Wen Tang’s nonchalant attitude and knowing how uncooperative Wen Tang could be, Liu Meifen bit her tongue and said, “Something happened with your father last night, but I’m already handling it…”

Hearing Wen Haifeng’s name made Wen Tang feel physically sick. She cut Liu Meifen off sharply, “If you’re already handling it, why are you telling me?”

She had no interest in hearing more.

With that, Wen Tang hung up on Liu Meifen.

But Liu Meifen’s explanation was unfinished. She didn’t let Wen Tang off that easily and called back.

After one or two attempts, Wen Tang finally answered the third call.

“I’m warning you, don’t think that just because you’re my mother, I have to listen to you. If you keep talking about that scum, you’ll stay on my blacklist!”

Wen Tang said coldly.

Knowing her daughter well, Liu Meifen understood that Wen Tang wouldn’t really keep her on the blacklist. Even if Wen Tang blocked her, she’d always be unblocked eventually.

Liu Meifen replied, “Just listen for a moment. The situation with Wen Haifeng is serious. Even though I’m working on it, I’m afraid it might leak. I’m trying to suppress it as much as possible. I need to warn you—if anyone asks about your father, just say you haven’t been in contact for years, don’t know anything, and that he hasn’t raised you or lived with you. Distancing yourself from them, understood?”

Wen Tang frowned at this.

Liu Meifen had never shown this kind of attitude toward Wen Haifeng before.

Could it be that the situation was really severe?

But what exactly happened?

Wen Tang asked, “What did they do this time?”

Liu Meifen was unwilling to say. She responded, “Just focus on your acting. I’ll handle it. If anyone asks, just follow my instructions!”

With that, Liu Meifen hung up.