Chapter 033: At Odds with the Li Family

This harmonious new dynamic pleased Fang Yimeng immensely. At first, she pretended to help with the dishes, but after clumsily breaking two bowls in the sink, she fled the kitchen under Lu Jingshan’s slightly darkened gaze.

Fortunately, Lu Jingshan was efficient in cleaning up. He had a habit of washing utensils as he cooked, so the kitchen was tidied in no time.

Soon after, he walked out wiping his hands dry with a paper towel. His long, defined fingers and the white paper made even the act of drying his hands look aesthetically pleasing.

“I left the soup on the counter. If you want to reheat it, just pop it in the microwave—no need to light the stove. The rest of the food is in the fridge,” he reminded Fang Yimeng about the leftovers.

She didn’t mind eating leftovers and figured they’d be fine for dinner. Since she had a scheduled interview at home with a TV crew that afternoon, Lu Jingshan excused himself and returned to unit 1901 to take care of some company business.

At around 3 p.m., the crew from the show “Lights Out at 11:30” arrived at Fang Yimeng’s apartment right on time.

The producer, a friendly young woman, stood at the door and greeted her politely as it opened to reveal Fang Yimeng—elegant as ever in a loose, flowing dress.

There were only three crew members: a cameraman, a lighting/sound technician, and the producer.

They entered the upscale apartment cautiously, visibly surprised by the minimalist and understated décor.

Fang Yimeng invited them to sit in the living room while she went to the fridge to fetch some water. She clearly remembered Lu Jingshan putting several bottles of mineral water in there earlier, but now she stood in front of the open fridge for quite a while, unable to spot them.

She grew slightly anxious as she heard the crew setting up their gear behind her.

“Hello?” She called Lu Jingshan directly.

He had just put on his silver-rimmed glasses and was about to read a report on his iPad when he picked up the call.

“Where’d you put the mineral water?” she asked bluntly.

He paused for a second, instinctively glancing toward the door but quickly replied, “Top shelf drawer in the fridge—just pull it open.”

“Oh, found it. Bye.” Fang Yimeng abruptly ended the call as soon as she got her answer.

She returned to the living room with three bottles of water and handed them to the crew.

The producer was visibly flattered, exchanging surprised glances with the rest of the team. They could all sense the unexpected hospitality.

The producer smiled and said, “It’s our first time meeting you, Teacher Fang. You’re much more easygoing than we expected.”

“I only spill coffee 1% of the time. If you happen to witness it, you should probably go buy a lottery ticket,” Fang Yimeng joked, unbothered by the underlying probe. Her humor warmed up the room.

The cameras started rolling, and the producer casually said, “We passed the kitchen just now and noticed the soup on the counter. Do you usually cook at home?”

“Uh… yes, I do.” She couldn’t exactly admit it was Lu Jingshan who cooked.

What he makes is what I make—same difference.

The producer’s surprise only grew. “You don’t strike me as the kind of person who would be into cooking.”

“Everyone defines a kitchen differently. As long as it brings comfort, that’s what matters,” she replied vaguely, steering the topic away.

The rest of the interview covered bedtime habits and such. Fang Yimeng answered half-jokingly, keeping the mood relaxed.

Once the interview wrapped, the producer began packing up and said, “The live broadcast is in three days. We’ll come around four or five in the afternoon to set up the camera angles and lighting. Will that work for you, Teacher Fang?”

Since she had rented this place specifically for the show, she naturally had no objections.

After seeing the crew out, her phone began buzzing with notifications.

She glanced down and unlocked the screen to find Weibo open and a new trending topic displayed:

[#FangYimengSeenWithHualingCEOOutsideLuxuryApartment—RumoredCohabitation��]

Clicking into the trend, she saw photos posted by several gossip accounts. The angles varied, but they were all taken at the plaza in front of the Yuemei luxury apartments.

In the pictures, a tall man in a grey tracksuit carried grocery bags, walking ahead of a woman in a dark green silk pajama-style shirt. Even with her loose clothes, Fang Yimeng’s famous figure—long legs, narrow waist, and perfectly angular shoulders—made her unmistakable.

Internet sleuths had already begun dissecting the photos:

@SweetAndJuicyGossip:
“Didn’t a rumor go viral at 5-6am saying Fang Yimeng and Hualing’s CEO spent the night together? Now this?! A love triangle with studio drama and expensive PR—this ship sails itself!”

@ForeverShipping:
“Check out our fan thread for deleted content! This CP is giving everything—it’s time we officially support them!”

@DramaClubDetectives:
“Even casual onlookers are calling this a real-life soap opera. Will the main couple respond? Honestly can’t wait to find out.”

@Today’sLetdown:
“Why’s nobody talking about the obvious red flag? She’s been clubbing constantly and even brought strange men to hotels. Total turn-off.”

Fang Yimeng’s gaze lingered on that last comment. Her lips curled in a scoff.

Just then, her manager Meng Qing called.

“You saw the trending topic, right? What’s your take?” Meng Qing, as direct as ever.

Fang Yimeng returned to 1902 to grab her iPad, then left her bedroom and walked over to 1901, pressing the doorbell. While waiting, she responded, “I’ll personally address the bar rumors. Use my name to demand the original footage from the gossip accounts. Find out who paid to boost the trend.”

For once, Fang Yimeng was faster than Lu Jingshan’s PR team in taking control of the narrative.

As she ended the call, the door opened.

Lu Jingshan stood there, still on the phone, silver-rimmed glasses perched on his nose. The lenses reflected a bluish light, but behind them were his deep, unreadable eyes.

“Cancel the negotiation with Li Jincheng. Hualing will never cooperate with someone who keeps challenging me,” he said coldly into the phone. “If he tries to mess with Fang Yimeng again, he better be prepared to lose his tiny slice of the entertainment pie.”

Though his voice was laced with warning and authority, when his eyes landed on Fang Yimeng, all that coldness melted into a gaze filled with unspoken tenderness.