After a Top Idol Married the Sickly Young Master of a Wealthy Family to Bring Him Good Luck - Chapter 17

The latest news was that Yu Zhihan had been officially placed under investigation by the tax bureau for tax evasion involving tens of millions of yuan.

With this, Yu Zhihan’s downfall was complete; the dust had settled, leaving only a few delusional fans struggling to defend him in his super-topic.

Meanwhile, the other party involved didn’t say a word. He calmly logged online to repost Sui Ning’s Weibo post and the official announcement for The Chronicles of the Folded Blade.

Pei Xinglu V: Repost, The Chronicles of the Folded Blade V. As recorded in The Book of Xu – Annals of the First Emperor: Emperor Wen, the High Ancestor, surnamed Meng, taboo name Ce, was a native of Lingzhou, Shan County. Born a criminal slave, he later became an assassin. After lurking for thirty years, on a snowy night, he drew his blade in the Nine-Fold Palace. With rivers and mountains hidden in his sleeves, he stabilized the tripod of the world.

Four-character posters were attached.

The first was from his youth: a Jianghu assassin with a sword on his back and a hidden blade, leaping over walls and eaves. Dressed in all black and melting into the night, he looked dangerous and mysterious. The second was from his young adulthood: recruited by the powerful, he had become a famous general under a regional lord. Clad in armor with a long spear in hand and a dark-eyed gaze atop a galloping steed, he was the God of War who shook the world.

The third was middle-aged: after bloody slaughters and various power struggles, he had finally seized the land and unified the chaotic world. Wearing the twelve-tasseled imperial crown, an aura of sovereign majesty radiated from him. The final photo was of his late years: white-haired and weary, his fighting spirit gone, long having lost his former shrewdness and grandeur, revealing a state of senile exhaustion.

The texture of the photos was exquisite. Pei Xinglu’s expressive power was so strong that just looking at the stills felt like being slapped in the face by his acting skills.

【Looking forward to The Chronicles of the Folded Blade! Political drama lovers are ecstatic. Every day I wake up just to wait for it to wrap filming!】

【Damn, I was a Pei-dog anti-fan, but suddenly I feel like this guy is so handsome and cool. I love it, I love it! [Holding a pot lid for protection.jpg]】

【As expected, humans will always fall for the “Beautiful, Strong, and Miserable” archetype at different moments. “Beautiful, Strong, and Miserable” is forever my kink and my god! PS: I’m also a hater-turned-fan. Will I get yelled at if I join the fan group?】

【Same here. I’m a male fan, and I’m not afraid of being scolded. I’ll speak out boldly: I just love Pei-dog’s vibe of being ruthless and saying little. Is there a male fan group? I want in! [Tapping a bowl.jpg]】

…

After this battle, Pei Xinglu became the celebrity with the most hater-to-fan conversions. His follower count skyrocketed, he dominated the hot search lists, and interest in The Chronicles of the Folded Blade continued to climb.

The fan club in A-City organized a set visit. The scale was massive; flowers and refreshments filled an entire room, shocking Director Zhang Bo when he saw it.

Directors of this caliber were usually quite serious. Yang Xing, worried he might have a negative opinion of Pei Xinglu because of this, hurried to explain: “I’m sorry, Director. Our Xiao Pei’s fans are very orderly. They’ll stay quiet once filming starts and definitely won’t interfere with normal work.”

Zhang Bo waved his hand. “It’s fine, Suisui already told me. Xiao Pei is very popular lately; this is a good chance to promote the drama.”

“Right, right. Thank you, Director.”

Pei Xinglu got out of the car and was surrounded by fans, taking photos and signing autographs one by one. Xiao He and Yang Xing followed behind, refusing gifts and only accepting letters.

The fans were enthusiastic and excited, and Pei Xinglu responded patiently.

“Everyone should head back early. Stay safe on the road. The studio will reimburse your travel expenses; there’s no need to spend your own money…”

The originally warm atmosphere was suddenly shattered by a voice from the crowd.

“Hubby, I love you! Don’t drive me away!”

…

It was actually a male fan. His voice was particularly prominent and full of energy.

Pei Xinglu: “…”

He glanced in that direction.

With that one look, the voice over there became even louder and more excited: “Hubby, you’re so handsome! I feel ashamed for having hated you before! Hubby, you have to forgive me!”

Pei Xinglu looked speechless, completely ignoring the first two words: “…Thank you.”

The fans immediately erupted like a boiling pot, laughing and screaming incessantly.

After the visit session ended, Pei Xinglu went to the dressing room for hair and makeup. Today, he had two Jianghu-style scenes. His clothes were sharp, cool martial arts outfits—the kind suited for a dark, windy night of cold-blooded assassination.

Xiao He was breathless at how handsome he looked. Her camera clicked non-stop as she poured out “rainbow farts” (extravagant praise): “…Pei-ge’s looks are the level where even anti-fans would wail ‘Hubby’ upon seeing him.”

Pei Xinglu couldn’t be bothered with her and went to the set to find the director.

Because of the incident with Yu Zhihan, the set had been in an uproar, and work had been delayed for three or four days. Although he had apologized over the phone, it was better to do it in person.

The director was holding a small meeting with the producer, script supervisor, and prop master.

Ling Suiyao was sitting at a stone table in the courtyard, his feet propped up on a rock, happily scrolling through his phone while sipping fruit tea.

As Pei Xinglu passed by, he happened to hear a sound coming from the phone.

“…Hubby, you’re so handsome! Hubby, I love you!”

Pei Xinglu nearly tripped over a pebble. Those two words felt like they were on an infinite loop, roaring through his mind like a tractor.

“Pei-ge! You’re on the hot search again.”

Ling Suiyao didn’t feel awkward at all; he even cheerfully reminded him.

During the fan visit just now, a fan recorded a video and posted it online. It went viral instantly, with countless netizens following the trend and calling him “Hubby.” The comments sections were filled with neat rows of the same word.

Pei Xinglu’s eyes hurt just looking at it; he felt like he was losing the ability to recognize those two characters.

When he looked up at Ling Suiyao, he weirdly remembered the night he first met him at Pingye Residence, and that groggy murmur: “My hubby?”

Pei Xinglu gritted his teeth and said expressionlessly, “Aren’t you also on the hot search?”

He was referring to the Qingti TV streamer, “Suisui Nian Nian.”

Followers in the live stream had posted their giveaway prizes online—genuine Luming Jewelry. Combined with the hype Yu Zhihan had gifted them a few days ago, “Suisui Nian Nian” was now quite famous.

Ling Suiyao gave a somewhat shy smile. “Pei-ge, you saw it. I just bought too much jewelry, and I figured I could help promote you while I was at it.”

“…Not necessary.”

A little young master with more money than sense.

The camera crew was adjusting the equipment. Pei Xinglu went to run through the scene first with the actors he’d be playing against.

Yan Yujin, the rising actor playing Zhao Zhaoyan, and Qi Ting, the actor who had just joined the cast to replace Yu Zhihan, immediately greeted Pei Xinglu upon seeing him.

This scene was one of the few lighthearted moments in the script. It was meant to show the familiarity between the fellow disciples Meng Ce and Zhao Zhaoyan, planting the “knife” (heartbreak) for their later split.

However, the chemistry between Pei Xinglu and Yan Yujin felt a bit off.

Tang Ying said, “It’s too distant.”

Ling Suiyao nodded, agreeing with the head screenwriter’s opinion. “In the early stages, Zhao Zhaoyan is very close to his Senior Brother. When they’re relaxing, his tone should be a bit coquettish. After all, he’s the youngest at Jinyintai and is pampered by his seniors.”

Yan Yujin joked, “Pei-ge’s aura is too strong; I don’t dare to be presumptuous or act recklessly. Hey! Why doesn’t Teacher Sui Ning try it out? Let me get a feel for it?”

“Uh?” Ling Suiyao looked at Pei Xinglu with an inquiring gaze.

Pei Xinglu had no objection.

Ling Suiyao took the script, glanced over the lines, and then tilted his face up. “Senior Brother, it’s rare to have a day with nothing to do, and Miss Chu has graced us with her presence. Why don’t we go drink together? Ten years ago, Master buried a jar of ‘Spring Moon Night’ underground. With such a beautiful night and a lovely lady, would Senior Brother have the heart to waste it?”

His voice was much brighter and clearer. When he smiled, he was full of spirit—the living image of a naive young gentleman newly entered into the Jianghu, relying on the senior brother who traveled with him. Because he was protected by his brother, he acted willfully and freely.

Pei Xinglu quickly snapped out of it. Holding his sword and looking at a letter, his tone was indifferent: “That jar of wine has likely been half-drunk by you already. How can you talk about me wasting it?”

This indifference was different from how he treated others; it carried a hint of helpless indulgence.

Ling Suiyao’s brows furrowed slightly in protest, his tone rising. “Senior Brother is being dishonest! Was I the only one who drank it?”

Pei Xinglu put away the letter and looked at him.

“Fine, fine. Whatever Senior Brother says. That jar of wine was drunk entirely by me alone.”

Ling Suiyao immediately changed his tune, drawing out his words with a laugh in his voice. His eyes curved into crescents, bright and clear.

He just stood there, smiling at him without blinking.

Pei Xinglu’s heart inexplicably skipped a beat. He crumpled the letter into a ball and, feeling a bit awkward, gripped his sword and swung it casually. He accidentally hit the bamboo grove behind him. He used quite a bit of force, and the sword tassel tangled with a few bamboo leaves, causing them to fall right onto Ling Suiyao.

A slender bamboo branch brushed past Ling Suiyao’s face, like a tickle.

“A-choo—!”

The sound of rustling leaves filled the air.

Pei Xinglu realized belatedly, “Sorry, I didn’t notice.”

“It’s okay, Pei-ge!”

Ling Suiyao was still chuckling as he shook the bamboo leaves off his clothes.

“This improvisation is great!” Tang Ying had already grabbed her laptop and was clacking away at the keyboard. “Years later, when the now-unbalanced Emperor is on his deathbed and recalls this scene, his junior brother’s face and voice have blurred. He only remembers that the sun was good that day, bamboo leaves sharp as knives were fluttering, and the youth’s collar was touched by the bright light…”

Pei Xinglu’s brow twitched violently. He pressed a hand to his forehead. “You’re starting the ‘knives’ already?”

Ling Suiyao leaned in toward the computer. “It seems okay. Thinking of this scene is even more poignant and heartbreaking than thinking of the junior brother martyring himself on the city wall. But Pei-ge’s ‘accident’ just now was a bit abrupt and not quite natural. Let’s integrate it more into the plot—maybe an assassination attempt or a messenger pigeon?”

Those words, “not quite natural,” felt like they poked Pei Xinglu right in the heart.

Just now… it was instinctive, a subconscious action he couldn’t even explain to himself.

He looked at Ling Suiyao, who was pointing at the screen and discussing changes with Tang Ying. A bamboo leaf was stuck to his collar.

“Pei-ge, Teacher Yan, what do you think?” Ling Suiyao asked for their opinions.

Pei Xinglu walked over, glanced at the script on the laptop, and nodded. “It can be combined with the previous assassination plot as a small interlude.”

As he spoke, he reached out to remove the bamboo leaf from Ling Suiyao’s collar. His gaze swept down, and he suddenly noticed that the skin on the youth’s neck was turning red.

Yan Yujin also said it was no problem, then silently shut his mouth. He finally understood what “CP chemistry” meant—netizens really did have sharp eyes!

Outside the set, a professional fan-photographer with a long-focus lens replayed this segment N times before decisively uploading it to Weibo. It hit the hot search immediately.

#PeiXingluSuiNing

#PeiXingluBehindTheScenes

#PeiXingluCPChemistry

【So beautiful, so beautiful! Filming on location is so refreshing! I’m so excited!】

【My god, I’ve never seen Pei-ge have such strong CP chemistry with any actor in the industry! It’s radiating off them! Pei-ge even picked a bamboo leaf off Sui Ning. Since when was he so gentle!】

【Don’t mind me, I’m shipping myself to death [Goes crazy.jpg]】

【I told you! I wanted to say it during the audition recording! Pei Xinglu is the destined Meng Ce, and Sui Ning is the destined Zhao Zhaoyan! Damn, my Meng-Zhao soul has awakened. Who understands? When I first got into the fandom, I shipped these two so hard. Wuwuwu, Sui Ning, change the script! I’ll cry to death if it’s a Bad Ending!】

【Wuwuwu, I’m terrible, I’m sorry to Xiao Yan, but Sui Ning really seems more suitable for Zhao Zhaoyan.】

【Hahaha, sorry Xiao Yan, I agree with the person above. CP chemistry is such a mysterious thing.】

【Sui Ning often took leaves of absence during serialization because of poor health; he definitely won’t act. Don’t worry, Xiao Yan, we’re just talking big, hahaha.】

【Xiao Yan himself is shipping them like crazy [Screenshot]. Look at the corners of his mouth, he can’t keep down. I’m dying, what a comedian.】

【Don’t ship blindly, okay! Pei-ge is homophobic!】

【[Twiddling fingers.jpg] Yingyingying, but they really are so shippable. We’ll just enjoy ourselves in our own circle, heehee. I started a group. Anyone want to join? Daily fanart and content coming~】

…

“A-choo—!”

On set, Ling Suiyao sneezed again.

Pei Xinglu asked, “Are you okay? Do you have a cold again?”

Ling Suiyao shook his head, scratching the back of his neck. He felt itchy.

Pei Xinglu looked over. The exposed area, which had just been a faint red, had now darkened several shades and was a bit swollen. His cheeks were also covered in patches of light red. And Ling Suiyao was still scratching.

“Don’t scratch. It looks like you’re having an allergic reaction. Take your jacket off so I can see.” Pei Xinglu frowned.

Ling Suiyao was stunned for a moment, then took off his light blue jacket. Underneath, he wore a white short-sleeved shirt, revealing arms that were glowingly white but very thin—especially his wrists. Pei Xinglu felt he could circle one with just two fingers.

Pei Xinglu averted his eyes and looked at the back of his neck. Now that it was fully exposed, the red swelling was quite startling.

“Are you allergic to bamboo leaves?” It looked painful even to watch.

Ling Suiyao let out an “Ah,” blinking his somewhat itchy eyes. He said blankly, “It seems so. Or maybe it’s the bugs or dust on the leaves?”

He reached out to scratch again, but was grabbed by Pei Xinglu. “If you break the skin, it’ll get infected, especially with your weak constitution. Did you bring medicine?”

“Yes, I have anti-allergy meds in my bag.”

Ling Suiyao stared blankly at the hand gripping his—long, powerful, with slightly protruding veins.

“…” Pei Xinglu immediately let go.

In a daze, he thought: That really is a wrist you can circle with two fingers.