Chapter 60

Wen Tang decided not to go back to sleep.

The weather was nice today, and Wen Tang planned to go out with Zhou Jingyu to explore Lake City. During her time in Lake City for filming, she had spent every day at the set, either filming or studying the script, and hadn’t had much chance to go out.

As a public figure, traveling was always a hassle with a large entourage accompanying her.

It was rare for her to go out alone with someone she liked.

However, this time, they had an uninvited follower. Lu Yi insisted on coming along, and no matter how much they tried to shoo him away, he wouldn’t leave!

“You two are too conspicuous. Wen Tang will definitely be recognized right away. With me here, the situation will be different. Look at me—I’m so ordinary and unremarkable. This is how normal people should be, providing cover for your glaring presence so you two can enjoy your outing!”

To justify his presence, Lu Yi was willing to self-deprecate.

He had a point.

After considering it for a moment, Zhou Jingyu agreed, fulfilling Lu Yi’s wish to join them.

Before they set out, Zhou Jingyu took out a string of Buddhist beads and placed them on Wen Tang’s wrist.

“What’s this?” Wen Tang lifted her hand and examined the beads closely.

“It’s for protection,” Zhou Jingyu said. “I got it from the temple yesterday. It’s said to be very effective.”

Hearing that Zhou Jingyu had specifically gotten it from the temple made Wen Tang happy. Her lips curved into a smile, and her eyes were bright. “Is it from the Long Dragon Temple? I’ve heard it’s very effective. I’ve been here for a while but haven’t had a chance to visit.”

Zhou Jingyu then asked, “Do you want to go see it later?”

He remembered the matchmaking tree at Long Dragon Temple. He had gone alone yesterday and felt a bit regretful. If Wen Tang went with him today, it would be the perfect chance to make up for that regret.

However, Wen Tang wasn’t interested in visiting the temple.

“You’ve already been there. Since you’ve been, we don’t need to go again. I’ve been filming in Lake City, so there will be more opportunities in the future.” Wen Tang said thoughtfully. “Lake City is known for its Bishui Lake. If we don’t visit Bishui Lake while we’re here, it would be a missed opportunity. How about we go there this morning instead?”

Zhou Jingyu, seeing that Wen Tang wanted to go for a boat ride, agreed.

“Sure, let’s go to Bishui Lake.”

As for Lu Yi, the persistent follower, he had no say in the destination. When Wen Tang and Zhou Jingyu discussed where to go, Lu Yi had no opportunity to interject. He just needed to know the outcome.

Bishui Lake was only about a ten-minute drive away. Zhou Jingyu and Lu Yi had come with the company’s arrangement and had no car, but Wen Tang did. So she arranged for a driver to meet them at the parking lot, and they left together half an hour later.

Wen Tang left the house in her usual outfit, wearing a mask, and Zhou Jingyu had added a hat for her.

Although it was summer, wearing a hat didn’t draw too much attention. Zhou Jingyu had good taste, and the hat looked very stylish.

Mornings were different from afternoons.

In the morning, there were many people going out, and many who were still in bed. As Zhou Jingyu walked with Wen Tang toward the elevator, they encountered several familiar faces along the way. People stopped and greeted him with “President Zhou,” and Wen Tang felt curious eyes on her without interruption.

Wen Tang started to understand the purpose of the hat. Without it, the constant scrutiny from people would likely lead to her being recognized.

As a big star, Wen Tang was used to being watched, but being looked at by strangers felt different from being observed by Zhou Jingyu’s employees.

She felt a slight nervousness and embarrassment, though her professional composure made it hard for anyone to notice.

Once they were in the elevator and the prying eyes were blocked by the elevator doors, Wen Tang couldn’t hold back and asked, “Why did they keep looking at me and smiling?”

The smiles seemed a bit hidden, with a touch of ambiguity and secret pleasure?

It was quite confusing.

This didn’t need to be explained to Zhou Jingyu, Lu Yi knew the answer!

It was obviously because the kissing photo had become widely known!

Lu Yi, feeling restrained, remained silent throughout the journey. He was about to speak up but was silenced by a subtle warning glance from Zhou Jingyu.

Zhou Jingyu calmly said, “It’s nothing. They’ve just never seen my girlfriend before, so they’re a bit surprised.”

Wen Tang took his words at face value, saying “Oh” and nodding.

She had no doubts about Zhou Jingyu’s words. Her perfect boyfriend would naturally attract curiosity about his personal life.

Meanwhile, Lu Yi, who had been deprived of the right to speak, thought to himself:

“Can’t this couple stop flaunting their affection in front of me?”

Over the past few days, the hot springs hotel had been booked by Shengling Group, and everyone there recognized Zhou Jingyu. However, their visit to Bishui Lake felt even freer than at the hotel.

Although there were still people glancing back at them, Wen Tang had prepared a mask for Zhou Jingyu. Once they got out of the car and put on the mask, the number of onlookers sharply decreased.

They spent about two hours at Bishui Lake and then found a well-known local restaurant for lunch. They had made a reservation in advance, and the restaurant had set aside a private room for them.

“I heard your small vinegar fish is quite delicious. Let’s have a portion of that.”

“And also this, the marinated crabs! I’ve got to try it!”

Once seated, Lu Yi grabbed the menu and started ordering.

He ordered almost all the signature dishes.

Despite the fact that there were only three of them, Lu Yi ordered around ten dishes.

The waiter kindly pointed out that it might be too much food, worried they might not be able to finish it.

Lu Yi said, “What’s there to be afraid of? If we can’t finish it, I’ll take it to go. Don’t worry, nothing will be wasted!”

With his generous and familiar personality, Lu Yi had become quite familiar with Wen Tang by now. After ordering, he handed the menu to Wen Tang.

“Look through it and see if there’s anything else you’d like to add!”

Lu Yi had ordered so many dishes that it was impossible to finish them all. Even if he took leftovers, as a young master, he wouldn’t be eating the leftovers. Ultimately, it would all end up in the trash.

Wen Tang didn’t order anything extra.

Zhou Jingyu took the menu and, after consulting the waiter, added a local seasonal vegetable dish with less oil and no spice.

This was specifically for Wen Tang.

Wen Tang liked to keep fit and didn’t eat much meat. Zhou Jingyu noticed that Lu Yi had ordered mostly meat dishes and even the vegetables were heavily seasoned. Wen Tang generally preferred lighter fare, except for hot pot where she liked spicy broth. For other foods, she preferred them plain.

After the order was placed, the waiter took the menu away.

The restaurant was very busy, and the dishes arrived slowly. The three of them chatted while waiting for the food to be served.

After the waiter left, Wen Tang took off her mask. She didn’t put it back on. The waiter, an older woman, was busy with work, didn’t watch TV, and didn’t follow the entertainment industry. She vaguely thought Wen Tang looked familiar but couldn’t place her.

Before lunch, Wen Tang didn’t know that Lu Yi was Jiang Qianya’s ex-boyfriend.

Zhou Jingyu wasn’t one to gossip, and Lu Yi didn’t mention it.

It wasn’t until halfway through the meal that Zhou Jingyu suddenly asked about Wen Tang’s future work plans.

Wen Tang mentioned that after finishing this movie, she would likely have a long break but didn’t directly say she was planning to leave the entertainment industry. It was awkward to discuss it with Lu Yi present. Wen Tang didn’t intend to make a big announcement about leaving the industry; she planned to gradually fade away by taking fewer roles and eventually becoming less visible.

Bringing it up now might lead to many questions, which she didn’t want to explain or couldn’t explain clearly.

Zhou Jingyu knew about Wen Tang’s plans to withdraw from the industry and nodded in understanding when she mentioned not taking on more work.

Lu Yi, however, was puzzled.

“Aren’t female celebrities usually very busy? Jiang Qianya used to tell me she was always busy, with no time for dates, and I had to always make the effort to meet her. You two were rivals, right? You’re even more popular than her. Shouldn’t you be busy too, not having such a long vacation?”

He spoke about Jiang Qianya with a calm demeanor, completely different from the heartbroken state he had been in recently.

He then added with a dismissive tone, “Oh, I almost forgot. Jiang Qianya isn’t your rival anymore. She’s nothing now, like a rat crossing the street—everyone shuns her. She doesn’t deserve anything!”

Wen Tang felt something was off upon hearing the first part.

Dates?

…He was dating Jiang Qianya?

Realizing that there was a rumor in the industry about a young master from the Lu family pursuing Jiang Qianya and that Zhou Jingyu had mentioned attending a friend’s birthday party where he met Jiang Qianya—Zhou Jingyu had said she was his friend’s girlfriend.

The surname Lu.

And he was Zhou Jingyu’s friend.

Now, from what this Lu friend had said, when he was dating Jiang Qianya…

Suddenly, everything clicked into place.

She turned to Zhou Jingyu with wide eyes.

Zhou Jingyu instantly understood what she was trying to find out and chuckled softly.

“This person in front of you is indeed Jiang Qianya’s ex-boyfriend.”

Wen Tang: “……”

It was true!

The young master from the Lu family she had heard so much about was indeed Lu Yi!

Immediately, Wen Tang looked at Lu Yi with admiration.

In history and today, such self-sacrificing men were truly rare.

When Lu Yi was revealed as Jiang Qianya’s ex-boyfriend, he didn’t feel much at first, but Wen Tang’s look of admiration made him uneasy.

……

“Hey, what’s with that look?”

“Are you pitying me, or looking down on me?”

“Can’t you be a bit kinder and comfort my shattered heart?”

“How can you be so heartless?”

However, thinking about why he had insisted on following Zhou Jingyu and Wen Tang, Lu Yi realized that the couple was indeed very affectionate and sweet.

Wen Tang didn’t seem like Jiang Qianya at all. Throughout the day, he found her cheerful, talkative, and easy to get along with, quite different from the rumors.

But so what?

People’s true selves are hidden. He no longer believed in such things.

He had once thought Jiang Qianya was pure and perfect, and she had been his only goddess.

In the end, he had been hurt deeply by Jiang Qianya.

He couldn’t let his friends make the same mistakes he made.