[ABO] The Despised One Becomes an Internet Sensation After Marriage - Chapter 45

Chapter 45

“666, weren’t they just acting all lovey-dovey like newlyweds in the last few episodes? Marriage trouble already? 666, they say money changes people—it was all just an act after all.”

“It’s fine, really. One wants the money, the other wants the looks.”

“Is it possible that an Alpha with looks and money like Fu Shiyan plays around a lot in private? He doesn’t look like the loyal type.”

“I felt the vibe between them was off during the variety show. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but it felt like the emotions weren’t quite there yet, even though they’ve done… everything (?)”

“Ah, I only started shipping them because of the show! I haven’t even shipped them for long and they’re already getting a divorce?”

“If it’s like this during the honeymoon phase, what about the future? Just get a divorce.”

“Sigh, luckily I only believe in Lu Ze and Ye Ming. As long as nothing happens to those two, I still believe in love.”

The Weibo comment section was a sea of “I knew it wouldn’t last.”

…

Ring… ring…

The phone rang for a long time before it was finally picked up.

Xu Zhimian got straight to the point: “Where were you last night?”

On the other end, Fu Shiyan’s voice was low and raspy, sounding exhausted. “I was working overtime at the office last night. Why?”

Working overtime… who goes to a hotel to work overtime?

Xu Zhimian’s hand tightened around the phone. “Alone?”

“Mm, alone.”

Fu Shiyan was lying.

A sudden silence fell between them.

Fu Shiyan sensed something was wrong. Realizing a possibility, he chuckled softly. “Are you checking up on me?”

Xu Zhimian gave a bitter smile. “How would I dare?”

That response was clearly off.

Fu Shiyan frowned. “Check on me whenever you want. There’s no ‘dare’ about it.”

Talk is cheap, Xu Zhimian thought, his teeth clenched. No replies to his messages, yet a midnight rendezvous with a first love.

What exactly did Fu Shiyan take him for? Or was it just his own wishful thinking yesterday—maybe Fu Shiyan didn’t mean it that way at all.

He gave a muffled “Mm” and hung up. This time, he didn’t even say goodbye.

Fu Shiyan put his phone down, puzzled. What’s gotten into him?

WeChat notifications started popping up one after another, most of them from Kailin.

He first clicked on Xu Zhimian’s message from the previous night asking when he’d be home. Fu Shiyan’s eyelids twitched. At that time… he was escorting Qi Qingran back to the hotel.

He figured Xu Zhimian was upset because he hadn’t checked in.

[Fu Shiyan]: My phone died last night, just saw this.

Then, several messages with exclamation marks from Kailin popped up.

[Kailin]: !! [Kailin]: Oh my god, brother! Reply to me! How are you and Qingran-ge back in touch? [Kailin]: I’ve contacted PR to suppress the trending search!! Nothing happened between you two last night, right?!

Fu Shiyan froze for two seconds. He finally understood the reason behind Xu Zhimian’s tone.

He dialed back immediately, but it didn’t go through. He frowned and tried several more times—still no answer. He then scrolled through the schedule Kailin had sent him.

[Fu Shiyan]: About the trending search regarding Xu Zhimian, we’ll talk about the details in person later.

Half an hour later:

[Fu Shiyan]: I’m a bit busy right now. I’ll find you later.

…

Backstage at the advertisement shoot

“Aaargh!”

Xu Zhimian sent Kailin away and roared into the phone to the person on the other end: “What does he mean ‘Phone died, didn’t see it’? Does he not charge it in the middle of the night?! If there’s a problem, solve it on the spot! He actually told me we’d ‘talk later’???”

Having just finished the shoot and seeing Fu Shiyan’s message, his frustration and anger were reaching a breaking point.

Even though Kailin had repeatedly explained that they were just discussing a contract and lost track of time, and that Fu Shiyan was just being polite by sending Qi Qingran back to the hotel, Xu Zhimian couldn’t stop his mind from racing. A whole night without a reply, such a perfunctory explanation, and putting off the explanation of the scandal until “later.”

This attitude… he clearly didn’t matter at all!

On the other end, Xu Jianan tried to soothe him: “Don’t overthink it. Maybe he really just dropped him off and went back to the office to work without checking his phone.”

“And those marketing accounts just talk nonsense. Who is Qi Qingran? With his status, it’s impossible for him to have that kind of relationship with your President Fu. Besides, Qi Qingran is a Beta. Relax. The relationship between Alphas and Betas is so pure. Anyone might mess around, but your President Fu wouldn’t.”

“But, but…” Xu Zhimian felt a lump in his chest. He couldn’t exactly say that Qi Qingran was Fu Shiyan’s first love. After a long pause, he blurted out: “But he dared to hold Qi Qingran!”

“…Maybe he almost tripped and your President Fu was just being kind by catching him?”

“Fine… but it’s all over the trending searches! He said we’d talk in person, and then what? Half an hour ago he sent another message saying he’s busy and we’ll talk later. What does that even mean! Is work really that important?”

Am I really that unimportant?

This time, Xu Jianan went silent.

“Hiss… your President Fu is definitely in the wrong here,” he thought for a moment. “Did your President Fu ever date anyone before?”

Xu Zhimian said resentfully, “Of course!”

Xu Jianan heard a distinct note of jealousy. “That shouldn’t be right…”

If he’d been in a relationship before, he should know the importance of checking in.

A realization hit him. “Mianmian, answer me honestly. How long were you and your President Fu actually dating?”

When Xu Zhimian got married, Xu Jianan had called him incessantly as soon as his stream ended, demanding details about their pre-marital history.

Xu Zhimian had been vague, saying they reconnected two or three months before Fu Shiyan returned to the country, and that they eloped quickly after things became stable.

Thinking back now, nothing added up.

When Fu Shiyan had “sponsored” Xu Zhimian before, he was incredibly generous—paying for the grandmother’s medical bills and providing clothes so expensive they’d scare a “poverty-stricken” streamer like Xu Jianan.

It made no sense that when Xu Zhimian was being blacklisted and forced to live in a hotel, Fu Shiyan would just stand by and watch. For him, helping would have been as easy as snapping his fingers.

Xu Zhimian didn’t expect Xu Jianan to ask this. He mumbled, “Just a few weeks.”

“Exactly how many weeks? Which day did you get together? What date and where did he propose? When did you meet the parents? How much was the dowry? When is the wedding banquet?”

Faced with the barrage of questions, Xu Zhimian couldn’t answer a single one.

Hearing the silence, Xu Jianan understood everything instantly. He cursed: “Xu Zhimian! I suggest you come clean right now! Don’t you dare try to fool me, or I’m flying back home tonight to squeeze the truth out of you!”

“No, no, no!” Fearful that he actually would, Xu Zhimian explained the whole accidental complete marking and the subsequent marriage.

“You hid something this big from me? Holy crap! I knew something was wrong when you suddenly got married. Everyone follows an order—dating, proposal, then marriage. I haven’t seen the man, fine, but I haven’t even seen a proposal or a wedding! Chen Basheng even comforted me by saying rich families have lots of rules and banquets take a long time to prepare! Turns out there wasn’t one at all!!”

“Actually… those things aren’t that important.”

Xu Zhimian hadn’t dared to hope for those things. His values were very traditional—if he was completely marked, he had to marry. Secondly, he thought that by using Fu Shiyan’s connections after marriage, he might get better resources to pay off his contract termination fee early. That was enough, since Fu Shiyan didn’t have feelings for him anyway.

Later, after winning the lawsuit against Sky Entertainment and clearing his name, the most fatal “sponsorship” scandal was debunked. He didn’t care about the other minor hate comments regarding his acting or looks. The days on the variety show with Fu Shiyan were the most relaxed and happy times of his life—it was like a honeymoon.

Xu Jianan was nearly killed by the “not that important” remark. “Do you know what marriage means to an Omega?! It’s once in a lifetime! How is it not important?!”

Xu Zhimian paused for two seconds. “I know.”

But compared to those superficial rituals, he cared more about the fact that he was forming a family with Fu Shiyan. Being able to be close to him again was already his greatest luck.

Xu Jianan was choked up with frustration. “You know that and you still did it?”

“As long as the end result is him, the process might not be that important.”

Fu Shiyan, who had hurried to the door and was about to push it open, froze instantly.

Xu Jianan took several deep breaths. “I can’t take it anymore, I’m going to die of anger! How do I have such a ‘love-brain’ friend like you? Do you hear yourself?”

He just gave up: “You might as well just tell me that you’ve liked him since the moment he started sponsoring you.”

“Mm,” Xu Zhimian answered crisply.

“I did fall for him back then.” Fu Shiyan probably realized it too, which is why he cut ties so cleanly—even seeing him became a luxury. Fu Shiyan probably just wanted a well-behaved, obedient lover who was easy to get rid of.

He had caught feelings, so Fu Shiyan pushed him far away.

“…” Xu Jianan was speechless. “You really are…” He sighed. “If that’s the case, it makes sense. Unrequited love is always the most painful. If he has feelings for you, keep trying! If… Fu Shiyan is really a stone that can’t be warmed, then let go. As your family, I’m always behind you!!”

The taste of a secret crush was too bitter. Xu Jianan had deeply experienced that feeling of someone being close yet out of reach; it was agonizing, feeling like a clown while the other person remained unmoved.

…

Did Fu Shiyan really have feelings for him?

If not, Fu Shiyan’s behavior these past few days had long since crossed the line. It was no longer a purely physical relationship. Which “Friends with Benefits” would kiss their partner outside of the bedroom? Which one would call their partner “wife” in daily life?

It was Fu Shiyan who crossed the line first. Fu Shiyan clearly guessed his feelings, yet he continued to make these ambiguous gestures!