Chapter 50

After dropping Wen Tang off at the studio, Zhou Jingyu asked when the shoot would end.

Wen Tang wasn’t sure. “It’s planned to end at 9 PM. If all goes well, it might finish early, but it could also be delayed.”

Zhou Jingyu responded with a simple “Hmm” and said, “I’ll pick you up in the evening.”

After dropping Wen Tang off, Zhou Jingyu went straight to the venue for Lu Yi’s birthday party.

The event started around 2 or 3 PM.

Upon arriving, Zhou Jingyu parked the car and headed directly to the room where Lu Yi was.

Lu Yi was taken aback by Zhou Jingyu’s unexpected appearance.

“You said you couldn’t come,” Lu Yi said.

Although the phone conversation hadn’t been clear, Lu Yi had assumed that since Zhou Jingyu wouldn’t be attending his birthday party, it must have been for some significant reason.

After receiving that call, Lu Yi had not expected to see Zhou Jingyu at the party.

Zhou Jingyu, with his hands in his pockets and a nonchalant expression, asked, “What? Am I not welcome?”

Lu Yi was certainly welcoming.

“Of course not!” He quickly pulled Zhou Jingyu inside. “Your presence makes this birthday party even more brilliant!”

It wasn’t an exaggeration. As soon as Zhou Jingyu entered, everyone in the room seemed even more illuminated.

Zhou Jingyu was incredibly popular.

The guest list for Lu Yi’s party was extensive, including many people Zhou Jingyu knew, but more who were unfamiliar to him. However, it didn’t matter if he didn’t know them. Everyone knew Zhou Jingyu. In the same generation, no one was as impressive as Zhou Jingyu, who had risen to become the president of Shengling Group at such a young age and was often cited as a model by older generations.

Lu Yi, the birthday star, had to attend to various guests and didn’t have much time for Zhou Jingyu. Zhou Jingyu found a spot on the sofa and refrained from drinking as he had to drive later. He generally used tea as a substitute for alcohol and didn’t drink with everyone who came to toast.

After sitting for about half an hour, Lu Yi approached Zhou Jingyu and invited him to play cards.

Zhou Jingyu, seeing that it was still early, followed Lu Yi to the card table, where his old classmates were gathered.

“Tonight we’ll see if the president of Shengling Group can really perform!” the class leader rolled up his sleeves and said.

Zhou Jingyu smirked, “I’m game.”

Zhou Jingyu wasn’t a frequent card player, and his luck was average, but he was precise in his calculations, leaving others with nothing but their underwear, pleading for mercy.

When Jiang Qianya arrived, she saw Zhou Jingyu laying down a perfect hand, causing others to groan.

Jiang Qianya asked Lu Yi, “Does he always win like this?”

Lu Yi, who knew Zhou Jingyu well, remembered trying to win against him when they were younger but always ended up losing more often than winning. Winning only occasionally was considered a fluke.

Lu Yi laughed and joined the card game. “Do you now understand his skill? Who was bragging about winning tonight? Regret it?”

Others regretted immediately, “You should have told us he’s so precise and fierce!”

This led to laughter throughout the room.

As the provider of this entertainment, Zhou Jingyu also smiled. He glanced at his phone, stood up, and said, “Alright, that’s enough for tonight. I’m leaving.”

This surprised everyone.

“It’s still early. Where are you going?” Lu Yi grabbed Zhou Jingyu’s arm to stop him.

Others chimed in, “Yeah, yeah, we’re just getting into the game!”

Zhou Jingyu’s tone was indifferent. “I have plans with my girlfriend. I need to pick her up from work.”

……

The room fell silent.

After a while, Lu Yi regained his voice, “When did you get a girlfriend?!”

He didn’t know!

Wasn’t Zhou Jingyu saying he didn’t have one last time? How did things change so quickly?

Several people here attended the last dinner and heard Zhou Jingyu say with their own ears, “She’s just a blind date, not a girlfriend yet.”

“Is this the blind date you mentioned last time?” someone asked.

There was no need for further explanation.

Zhou Jingyu nodded slightly and turned to Lu Yi, glancing at the hand still gripping his arm. “So, can I leave now?”

With a slight frown, Zhou Jingyu’s expression was impatient. “I’m going to be late.”

The birthday star, Lu Yi, responded, “…You can go.”

He truly didn’t understand!

Why could Zhou Jingyu move so quickly in relationships, while he had pursued Jiang Qianya for so long? Was this fair????

Lu Yi was struck by a sudden shock, questioning his life choices.

Eventually, Lu Yi released Zhou Jingyu’s arm.

Zhou Jingyu walked toward the door, but when he passed by Jiang Qianya, he suddenly stopped.

“Miss Jiang,” Zhou Jingyu called out.

His voice was clear and pleasant, piercing Jiang Qianya’s ears.

Jiang Qianya, like everyone else, was stunned to hear that Zhou Jingyu was picking up his girlfriend. Especially since she had harbored a secret, unspoken affection for Zhou Jingyu since their first meeting. Even though she knew there was no possibility for them, and her becoming a friend to his girlfriend only confirmed it, she couldn’t help but fantasize about him. How wonderful it would be if he noticed her, if she were the focus of his attention!

Now, it seemed that such luck had finally come to her.

But Jiang Qianya didn’t feel any blush or excitement.

The reason was simple: he had just admitted he had someone he cared about.

He was going to pick up his girlfriend, even leaving a birthday party with so many people behind. How lucky must his girlfriend be?

Jiang Qianya felt frozen, her heart in turmoil.

“Miss Jiang.” Zhou Jingyu called again when she didn’t respond.

Jiang Qianya slowly snapped out of her daze and blinked.

Zhou Jingyu’s voice was soft, with a hint of affection. “My girlfriend is a fan of yours. She’s a huge admirer. Could you do me a favor and sign something for her?”

He thought about how his girlfriend had initially pretended to be Jiang Qianya’s fan to get closer to him.

A small smile appeared on his lips as he continued, “If she gets this autograph, she’ll be thrilled.”

The scene was undoubtedly memorable.

Jiang Qianya: “…”

She looked at the handsome man before her, her heart fluttering just from his gaze.

She admired him, and he was asking her for an autograph for his girlfriend.

Jiang Qianya’s gaze was complex and unreadable.

In the end, Jiang Qianya not only signed an autograph for Zhou Jingyu but also wrote a heartfelt “TO” message.

—TO Tang Tang.

It was clear that Zhou Jingyu’s girlfriend’s name was “Tang Tang,” and it made her feel strongly uncomfortable, reminding her of her lifelong rival, Wen Tang.

Wen Tang, of course, didn’t know Zhou Jingyu had asked Jiang Qianya for an autograph.

Although she had been on vacation for a month, her natural talent and years of hard work allowed her to complete the advertising shoot without any issues, finishing well before 8 PM.

She texted Zhou Jingyu.

By the time she had finished removing her makeup and changed her clothes, Zhou Jingyu had arrived.

This time, Wen Tang was the only one to get into Zhou Jingyu’s car. Ke Xin and Yang Yang, knowing Zhou Jingyu was picking Wen Tang up, took another car home to avoid being a third wheel.

Once in the car, Zhou Jingyu leaned over to fasten her seatbelt.

They chatted casually.

As they neared her apartment, Zhou Jingyu suddenly said, “I have a gift for you.”

Thinking back, in the month they had been together, Zhou Jingyu hadn’t given her any significant presents. The flowers he picked on their outings, the spontaneous kiss at sunrise, and the prayer beads from the temple were all more casual and thoughtful.

This was the first time he seemed so serious, which piqued Wen Tang’s curiosity.

“What is it?”

Wen Tang immediately asked.

Zhou Jingyu smiled at her. “You’ll find out when we get there.”

He was being all mysterious.

Wen Tang’s anticipation for the gift reached its peak.

It wasn’t until they parked in the underground garage that Zhou Jingyu handed her the gift.

It was a beautifully designed card.

Wen Tang opened it.

TO Tang Tang:

Wishing you a lifetime of happiness.

The signature at the bottom was unmistakable.

—Jiang Qianya.

Wen Tang: “…”

Jiang Qianya wishing her a lifetime of happiness?

Was Jiang Qianya out of her mind, or was she?

Holding the card, Wen Tang turned to Zhou Jingyu. “…How do you have Jiang Qianya’s autograph?”

Even if Zhou Jingyu hadn’t known about her bad history with Jiang Qianya before, a month was enough for him to figure it out. She had hardly spoken well of Jiang Qianya and generally avoided mentioning her.

Just hearing the name was enough to dampen her mood.

But Wen Tang believed Zhou Jingyu knew this. He was perceptive enough to notice.

This had to be intentional!

Wen Tang huffed loudly, straightened up, and waited for Zhou Jingyu to give a satisfactory explanation.

Instead, Zhou Jingyu laughed at that moment, making Wen Tang feel even more affronted.

Her eyes widened, looking like a cat that had been annoyed. “What are you laughing at? Hurry up and explain!”

Zhou Jingyu only felt cuteness from Wen Tang and wasn’t intimidated in the slightest.

He unfastened her seatbelt, turned to her, and planted a kiss on her lips. He took a moment to enjoy her annoyed expression, waiting until she was about to get really upset before speaking slowly and softly, “I remember you used to like her, didn’t you? Aren’t you a fan?”

Wen Tang was about to explode.

She liked Jiang Qianya?

That was a huge joke!

“When did I become her fan? When did I ever…” know?

As she spoke, the memory came back.

…She had indeed said that before.

She still had a Jiang Qianya autograph poster at home, which she had exchanged for with Kexin’s points.

Originally, it was meant for Gong Yue… no, not Gong Yue, but him!

It was as if Wen Tang had suddenly recalled all her forgotten memories. Why did she pretend to be a fan of Jiang Qianya? Wasn’t it because Zhou Jingyu, who shared her WeChat moments to gather likes, was the real fan of Jiang Qianya?

All her anger vanished in an instant.

She looked at Zhou Jingyu with suspicion. “Isn’t it because you’re a fan of hers?”

If Zhou Jingyu was truly a fan of Jiang Qianya, she’d seriously consider whether he needed to see an ophthalmologist!

Zhou Jingyu shook his head. “I’m not. I didn’t know her before.”

“Then why did you share a post on WeChat to promote her movie?”

Wen Tang was skeptical!

Zhou Jingyu felt like he was shooting himself in the foot.

He chuckled and explained, “A friend used my phone to post it.”

Wen Tang: “…Oh.”

She didn’t care who that friend was, as long as it wasn’t him.

And she had noticed he had deleted the post afterward, so it made sense.

But Wen Tang wasn’t ready to let it go. She had to get to the bottom of it. “So where did this autograph come from?”

Zhou Jingyu answered honestly, “It was from a friend’s birthday party. She was there, and I asked her for it.”

Then he smiled and asked, “So, do you like it?”

He seemed like a mischievous boy teasing his girlfriend.

Wen Tang realized he was doing it on purpose!

In her frustration, she grabbed Zhou Jingyu’s wrist and bit down, leaving a mark. He didn’t make a sound.

Wen Tang felt a pang of guilt.

Looking at the purple bite mark, she scolded him, “Why didn’t you try to avoid it when I bit you?”

Zhou Jingyu was calm. “It doesn’t hurt.”

It didn’t hurt? It was already purple!

Wen Tang immediately regretted her impulsive action, but after the bite, her anger was mostly spent, and she regained her composure.

“So you’re saying Jiang Qianya went to your friend’s birthday party?” She found it hard to believe, given the different social circles involved. It seemed too coincidental.

Once Zhou Jingyu nodded, she finally believed it.

Because Zhou Jingyu would never lie to her.

“What was she doing there? In what capacity did she attend?”

A friend? A friend’s friend? Or a guest performer?

Wen Tang felt like she was piecing things together until Zhou Jingyu spoke again.

“She attended as my friend’s girlfriend.”

Wen Tang: “…What?”

Jiang Qianya, Zhou Jingyu’s friend’s girlfriend?!

Wen Tang’s expression became complex.

She immediately regretted not attending Zhou Jingyu’s friend’s birthday party!

She knew Jiang Qianya all too well—she was notorious for her numerous admirers, each of whom had some personal interest in her, helping her in various ways. Jiang Qianya’s private life was truly a reflection of the chaotic reality of the entertainment industry, far beyond ordinary imagination.

She regretted missing the party.

She was curious and wanted to see what Zhou Jingyu’s friend, who seemed to have a reputation for green pastures, actually looked like!

Was he glowing with green?