Chapter 11

The flight from Beicheng to Ancheng takes about three hours, which is a bit far.

Once on the plane, Sheng Qingli immediately entered sleep mode. It was strange; before becoming an actress, she couldn’t sleep in cars or on planes.

After working as an actress for a year or two, she developed the habit of sleeping anywhere, anytime.

Seeing her put on an eye mask as soon as she boarded, Xu Xingyue chuckled and asked, “Do you want something to eat later?”

They were served lunch on the plane.

Sheng Qingli shook her head and told the stewardess, who had also come over to ask, “I don’t need anything right now, thank you.”

After speaking to the stewardess, she said to Xu Xingyue, “Mr. Xu, I’ll be going to sleep now.”

Xu Xingyue said, “Okay.”

He pulled out a script from his bag. “I’ll read the script for a while.”

After a brief exchange, Sheng Qingli tilted her head and fell asleep.

She slept through the entire flight.

When the plane landed, Sheng Qingli saw several missed calls from Lin Lin. She frowned slightly and walked to the side to return the call. “What’s up?”

Lin Lin was brief, “You and Xu Xingyue are trending. Check it out first, and then we’ll decide how to handle it.”

Sheng Qingli was taken aback and quickly replied, “I’ll check now.”

After hanging up, Sheng Qingli logged into Weibo using Tong Tong’s account. She usually didn’t use her main account and preferred to browse the internet using Tong Tong’s account.

As expected, the trending topic on Weibo was #Sheng Qingli Xu Xingyue Secret Outing#. The photos only showed the two of them wearing masks in the waiting area, with no assistants or other staff visible.

Naturally, it led people to believe they were on a secret trip.

The news about Sheng Qingli taking on the new movie role had almost spread in the industry, but it hadn’t been officially announced yet.

Similarly, there hadn’t been any marketing leaks about Xu Xingyue’s leading role. Thus, their appearance together at the airport was misunderstood as a secret outing.

After staring at the topic for a few seconds, Sheng Qingli looked up and met Xu Xingyue’s gaze, who was also on the phone.

After Xu Xingyue hung up, Sheng Qingli asked, “Was it your agent?”

Xu Xingyue nodded, “What did your team say?”

Sheng Qingli was about to respond when Tong Tong handed her the phone. “Lin Lin’s call.”

Sheng Qingli took it and heard Lin Lin’s calm voice, “Did you see it?”

“Yes,” Sheng Qingli asked Lin Lin, “What do you think?”

Lin Lin was silent for a moment, “I suggest not responding.”

Over the years, Sheng Qingli had faced various fabricated rumors, and her team would only respond if it went too far. They never responded to rumors about relationships.

Firstly, Sheng Qingli was not an idol who debuted through fan voting but had pursued an acting career from the start.

Since she was twenty, Sheng Qingli had focused solely on acting, without participating in variety shows. She disliked exposing her private life, so she kept a low profile when not working.

Today was an exception.

Noting Sheng Qingli’s silence, Lin Lin continued, “The film will be officially announced soon, and the rumors will naturally be debunked.”

If it were before, Lin Lin wouldn’t have discussed it with Sheng Qingli and would have directly decided not to respond.

However, this time Lin Lin elaborated, “If you respond now, any future photos of you will be taken as real if you don’t respond.”

Public figures often find themselves in tricky situations where responding or not responding can both be problematic.

Sheng Qingli understood the pros and cons and thought for a moment before saying, “Okay, I’ll check with Xu Xingyue. If his team has the same view, then we’ll ignore it.”

Xu Xingyue, being a male actor with many female fans, would naturally not mind.

Just as Sheng Qingli was about to speak, Xu Xingyue said, “My team thinks the same as your agent.”

With the film about to start shooting, their appearance together on the hot search could just be seen as a pre-announcement. Moreover, their fans were already criticizing the marketing accounts and paparazzi, not taking the secret outing claim seriously.

Sheng Qingli hesitated and nodded, then messaged Lin Lin: “Let’s ignore it for now. We’ll let the legal team handle any excessive rumors.”

Lin Lin replied: “Already in progress.”

---

After a brief exchange with Lin Lin, Sheng Qingli and her team collected their luggage and headed to Taolin County.

The drive from the airport to Taolin County took another two hours on the highway.

Two cars had been arranged to pick them up in Taolin County ahead of time.

After parting ways with Xu Xingyue and getting into a car, Sheng Qingli intended to rest a bit more. However, as soon as she closed her eyes, her thoughts drifted back to the chaotic online situation.

Feeling a bit frustrated, she took off her eye mask and logged back onto Weibo.

“Tong Tong, not sleeping?” Tong Tong, who was also looking at her phone, asked.

Sheng Qingli replied, “I’m just checking Weibo.”

On Weibo, Sheng Qingli opened the trending topic about her and Xu Xingyue. Under the initial marketing account’s post, the top comments were mostly from fans of both, with a few CP fans joining in.

Compared to others, their fans were relatively rational and did not take the rumor seriously.

Some more temperamental fans were already venting.

In fact, Sheng Qingli’s fans’ first reaction to the trending topic was—here we go again.

“Are you guys trying to get clicks by posting about my sister? How pathetic!”

“I really can’t believe it. Just because they met in the waiting area, it’s considered a secret outing? Idiots, do you even know what a secret outing is? If not, go back to elementary school and learn Chinese properly!”

“Reposting video of ‘Sheng Qingli publicly stating she is single’—if you’re too dumb to read, maybe donate your eyes.”

“Fans, let’s stay calm. Don’t argue here. Just screenshot and send it to the studio. They’ll handle it and sue them to bankruptcy.”

---

Sheng Qingli’s fanbase was large and mostly mature and rational, though there were some impulsive ones.

For today’s trending topic, the dedicated fans did not take it seriously. After all, Sheng Qingli was an actress with several major awards, and her status was well established.

Additionally, at twenty-seven years old, even if she were in a relationship, her fans would only offer their blessings.

In contrast, the gathering place for CP fans seemed more disheartened and frustrated.

“[CP Fan Club] Sisters, is this trending topic fake? Is the CP I ship really going to end?!”

“What are you thinking? This isn’t the first time Li has trended with other men. Don’t let such small matters bother you.”

“Support the comment above. Even if Li and the actor with the surname X are together, it’s only temporary. She might just be bored and wanting to play around with a few men. Once she’s had enough, she’ll realize that Pei Qingci is the one who truly loves her.”

“… A passerby who accidentally clicked in wants to ask… Is it common for fans of the Li CP to be this open-minded?”

“Everyone, these are small matters. Just believe that after seeing everything, my sister will still leave a place for Pei Qingci.”

“Is this open-minded? It’s not too bad.”

“To be honest, I don’t think the actor with the surname X deserves my sister. He’s in good shape, but he lacks presence when standing next to her.”

“That’s true. When my sister and Pei Qingci stand together, even just a glance, I can imagine them in bed!”

After browsing Weibo and reading the comments, Sheng Qingli was about to put down her phone when her mother, Ms. Shengsheng, sent a message: “Li Li, are you in a relationship?”

Sheng Qingli: “… Mom, you should watch less entertainment news.”

Ms. Sheng: “Is it fake?”

Sheng Qingli: “Yes.”

Ms. Sheng: “Alright then! No problem. Just pay attention to your health while filming. I’ll visit the set in a while.”

Sheng Qingli: “Okay.”

After ending the conversation with Ms. Sheng, Sheng Qingli turned her head to look out the window.

The car had long since merged onto the highway and was speeding forward. The view outside was lush and full of vitality.

Suddenly, Sheng Qingli recalled the last time her mother asked her about being in a relationship was five years ago.

At that time, her movie with Pei Qingci had just been released. To support her debut film, Ms. Sheng had invited many friends and family to the cinema and even booked a whole theater for it.

After the screening, Ms. Sheng called her. She first praised her, saying how great she was.

Then she changed the subject, asking if she was dating the male actor from the movie.

Sheng Qingli was momentarily stunned, not expecting Ms. Sheng to notice.

Before she could decide whether to deny or admit it, Ms. Sheng said, “You can tell there’s something special in his eyes.”

Sheng Qingli instinctively replied, “We’re a loving couple in the movie.”

“That’s different,” Ms. Sheng said. “You’re my daughter; I can sense that you really like that guy.”

With the conversation going this far, Sheng Qingli saw no need to hide it.

She opened her mouth and softly said, “Mom, please keep this a secret.”

It was rare for her to ask for help like this, and Ms. Sheng smiled, “Don’t worry, I won’t even tell your dad.”

Sheng Qingli agreed.

After a brief silence, Ms. Sheng suddenly expressed concern, “But you’re both actors, and the entertainment industry is so complicated. I read online that love in the industry is hard to last, with many temptations and messy situations. You two…”

She didn’t finish her sentence, but Sheng Qingli understood.

At that time, Sheng Qingli was very confident in her relationship with Pei Qingci. She told Ms. Sheng, “Mom, don’t worry about us. We won’t.”

Upon hearing this, Ms. Sheng didn’t say more, “Alright, just don’t let yourself be wronged. If things get too bad, just quit acting.”

It turned out that Ms. Sheng’s concern was justified.

The entertainment industry was indeed too chaotic, and neither Sheng Qingli nor Pei Qingci upheld their initial promises, leading to increasing misunderstandings and growing distance between them.

Pei Qingci’s face flashed through Sheng Qingli’s mind, and she couldn’t help but wonder if he would see today’s trending news.

If he did see it, what would he think? Would he disregard it entirely, or… would he feel some resentment, just as she did when she saw him with other women?

---

Beicheng Zhong Hongmao’s home.

Recently, Pei Qingci had been discussing scripts with Wu Nuanshu and occasionally accompanying Zhong Hongmao for exercise and health, so early that day, he came to go fishing with Zhong Hongmao.

When they returned home with two fish, Zhong Hongmao’s assistant informed him that his lead actress and lead actor had trended together. There were rumors online about whether Xu Xingyue and Sheng Qingli might have a collaboration. The assistant asked if he wanted to handle it.

Zhong Hongmao smiled lightly and told the assistant, “No need to worry, just consider it a pre-release hype for the movie.”

After hanging up, he looked at Pei Qingci, who was preparing the fish fillets, and asked, “Why are you looking at me like that?”

Pei Qingci continued slicing the fish with a calm expression, “The movie hype you mentioned, is something happening?”

“… Nothing much.” Zhong Hongmao casually said, “Just that the lead actress and lead actor were spotted together at the airport by paparazzi, leading to the misunderstanding that they are secretly traveling together.”

As he finished speaking, Pei Qingci accidentally cut his finger with the knife he was holding.

“Ah, how careless!” Director Zhong immediately called out, “Wu, bring the first aid kit, your lead actor is injured.”

Pei Qingci: “…”

Wu Nuanshu quickly walked over from the living room, looked at Pei Qingci’s bleeding finger, and frowned, “Come out, I’ll bandage it for you.”

Unlike the surprise of the two elders, Pei Qingci remained composed, “It’s nothing, just a small injury.”

Wu Nuanshu gave him a look, disapproving of his attitude, “How can it be just a small injury? Your fingers are so beautiful; if your fans find out, both I and Old Zhong will be in big trouble.”

While speaking, Wu Nuanshu disinfected and bandaged his finger.

After the injury was treated, Wu Nuanshu didn’t let him return to the kitchen.

Pei Qingci didn’t actually care much about the minor injury. Once Wu Nuanshu went back to the kitchen, he looked at Zhong Hongmao, “The trending news?”

Zhong Hongmao: “Yes.”

Pei Qingci frowned and asked after a few seconds of silence, “Aren’t you the one who hates this kind of publicity the most?”

“That was before the actors were finalized,” Zhong Hongmao said. “It’s annoying when people make up stories during casting, but now that Qingli and Xingyue’s contracts are signed, what can I do about it?”

---

Those are the male and female leads he personally selected.

Pei Qingci didn’t say anything. He lowered his lashes and took out his phone to log into Weibo.

Noticing his emotional shift, Zhong Hongmao raised his eyebrows and asked curiously, “Be honest with me, are you really not familiar with my female lead?”

Zhong Hongmao was also interested in gossip, but he hadn’t paid much attention before. He only knew that Pei Qingci had worked with Sheng Qingli and hadn’t looked into the specifics. Pei Qingci wasn’t one to talk about his private life, so when Sheng Qingli said they weren’t familiar last time, Director Zhong didn’t press him for more details.

It wasn’t until now that he couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing this, Pei Qingci’s expression remained calm. “Hasn’t she already answered you?”

“So now I’m asking you,” Zhong Hongmao said, glancing at him. “Are you familiar with each other?”

Pei Qingci was about to say no, but Zhong Hongmao suddenly expressed, “Originally, I planned to fly to Ancheng in person to check the scene setup. But Mr. Wu thinks I should rest at home for a while longer, so I plan to send someone trustworthy to supervise in my place.”

At this point, Zhong Hongmao gave him a meaningful look. “I was going to ask if you’d be willing to go, but since you’re not familiar with Qingli, I thought you wouldn’t—”

Before Zhong Lao could finish his sentence, Pei Qingci called out helplessly, “Zhong Lao.”

Zhong Hongmao raised his eyebrows.

Pei Qingci turned towards the kitchen and shouted, “Mr. Wu, Zhong Lao…”

“You go,” Zhong Hongmao interrupted him decisively. “This afternoon or tomorrow?”

Pei Qingci gave a slight smile. “You can decide.”

“Let’s go with tomorrow,” Zhong Hongmao said, glancing at him with mild disdain. “Can you wait?”

Pei Qingci paused for a moment and replied softly, “You can arrange it; I’m here to supervise for you.”

Zhong Hongmao sneered and instructed his assistant to buy a ticket for Pei Qingci, asking whether he wanted the staff to pick him up from the airport or if he should arrange a car for him. Zhong Hongmao himself would drive over.

Pei Qingci thought for a moment and said, “Help me prepare a car.”

---

The next morning, Pei Qingci arrived in Ancheng.

He came alone, without assistants or bodyguards. Pei Qingci was good at disguising himself; in recent years, as long as he didn’t want to be photographed, paparazzi couldn’t catch him.

Except for the occasional recognition by passersby.

After arriving in Ancheng, Pei Qingci got the car keys and was about to head to Taolin County when Zhong Lao sent him a message: “Have you landed?”

Pei Qingci: “Just got the car keys.”

Zhong Lao: “Good. Can you help me pick someone up?”

Pei Qingci frowned: “Who should I pick up?”

Zhong Lao: “A staff member who was shopping in Ancheng this morning. The driver we arranged was rear-ended. Please help pick them up and take them back to the set.”

Pei Qingci: “Where?”

Zhong Lao: “It seems to be the biggest home goods mall in the area.”

Pei Qingci: “Seems like?”

Zhong Lao: “Wait a moment, I’ll have my assistant check.”

Pei Qingci set his phone aside and waited patiently.

He couldn’t help but get lost in thought as he stared at the words “home goods mall.” Why would a staff member from the set go to a home goods mall? Could it be that this staff member, like Sheng Qingli, is particular about bedding?

Pei Qingci was lost in thought when Zhong Lao’s message popped up: “Yes, it’s the home goods mall. It seems to be called Huajia.”

Pei Qingci: “Got it. I’m on my way.”

Zhong Lao: “Okay. Let me know when you arrive.”

Pei Qingci: “Mm.”

After replying to Zhong Lao’s message, Pei Qingci searched for the location of Huajia Home Goods Mall. It was about twenty kilometers from the airport—neither too far nor too close.

About thirty minutes later, Pei Qingci parked the car in the mall’s underground parking lot, informed Zhong Lao, and asked if he needed him to get out of the car to help the staff with their things.

Going to a home goods mall, it couldn’t be just for small items.

Zhong Lao: “I’m not sure. If you’re bored, you can get out and take a look.”

Pei Qingci: “…”

What does “if you’re bored, you can get out and take a look” mean?

After a few seconds of contemplation, Pei Qingci sensed that Zhong Lao was acting a bit strange today but didn’t think much of it.

He opened the car door, got out, locked the car, and walked towards the nearby elevator, wearing a mask.

Just as he was approaching, the elevator doors opening from both directions revealed someone coming down.

Pei Qingci instinctively looked up. Upon seeing another person wearing a mask, he hesitated for a moment but then walked confidently towards her.

“Where’s your assistant?” When Pei Qingci took the things from her hands, Sheng Qingli finally looked up at him.

Their eyes met.

In his clear, dark eyes, her crescent-shaped eyes were reflected. Her breath caught slightly, and she looked at him in disbelief. “What are you doing here?”

She forgot to answer his question.

If Pei Qingci still didn’t understand who he was supposed to pick up by now, he would be quite foolish.

He lowered his gaze and said lightly, “I’m here to supervise for Zhong Lao.”

Sheng Qingli: “…”

She had heard that Zhong Lao arranged for someone to supervise in Ancheng while having dinner with the martial arts director and staff last night. But she hadn’t expected that the person Zhong Lao sent would be Pei Qingci.

She knew Pei Qingci had been quite free recently, but she hadn’t imagined he was so free that he would take on such an unrewarding task as supervising.

After a moment of silence, Sheng Qingli pressed her lips together and asked, “Then how did you—”

Before she could finish asking how he knew she was there, she recalled the call from the driver who had dropped her off, and it dawned on her.

Noticing her change in expression, Pei Qingci smiled slightly. “Why didn’t you bring an assistant?”

“She wasn’t feeling well.” Tongtong had eaten something cold the night before, had a restless night, and looked a bit pale in the morning.

So, Sheng Qingli hadn’t asked her to accompany her to the city.

Hearing this, Pei Qingci said no more.

The two walked with a two-step distance between them. When they reached the car, Sheng Qingli asked as if waking from a dream, “…You’re driving?”

Pei Qingci murmured in response. Noticing Sheng Qingli standing still by the car, he slightly raised his eyes and asked, “Aren’t you going to get in?”

Sheng Qingli gave him a pointed look.

Pei Qingci paused, seemingly recalling an unpleasant old matter. He raised a hand to pinch the bridge of his nose and said in a low, gentle voice, “Don’t worry, I won’t let you get hurt again.”