After the Divorce, the Whole World is Waiting for Us to Get Back Together - Chapter 34

Chapter 34

The summer evening stretched on indefinitely, a continuous wash of orange filling the sky and tinting the world outside the window with an otherworldly beauty.

Cheng Xi’s words carried a deliberate tease, but her slightly curved eyes held a trace of disgust for those who had been unkind to her. This flamboyant ambiguity was like a man-eating flower in full, brilliant bloom.

As their eyes met, the usually invasive scent of perfume was replaced by the spreading aroma of medicinal herbs. Whether it was because Cheng Xi’s scent was slightly different or because Meng Zhijin was truly a person of immovable virtue, the latter appeared exceptionally calm.

“Those people aren’t my fans,” Meng Zhijin stated.

Her voice didn’t fluctuate much. It sounded like the kind of self-important rhetoric used to draw boundaries, yet because of her naturally cold tone, it lacked pretension—it sounded more like she was simply stating a fact.

Cheng Xi understood what she meant and was a bit surprised that Meng Zhijin had caught on so quickly. Still sitting improperly on the table, the flamboyant fox crossed her legs with a hint of laziness and nodded. “Right. Bots. Someone is intentionally stirring up conflict between our fanbases.”

As she spoke, Cheng Xi picked up her phone again, scrolling through the comments as she asked, “Teacher Meng, do you have a rival?”

“I have one,” Meng Zhijin replied.

Cheng Xi was surprised. Meng Zhijin had debuted at the top and had a deep background; almost no one in the industry dared to touch her. She actually had a rival? Someone with a death wish?

“Who?”

“Chen Zhuoying.”

Cheng Xi froze, wondering if it was just her luck to run into her own nemesis. Before she could react—or perhaps she was intentionally avoiding the way her heart skipped a beat—she joked, “What a coincidence. So do I.”

“I really don’t know if she’s just petty and good at making enemies, or if you and I are so deeply entwined by fate that even our rivals are the same.”

Cheng Xi spoke with a smile in her voice. Her crossed leg swung gently, her fair, well-proportioned calf flashing across Meng Zhijin’s line of sight.

She truly was a temptress. And it truly was a twisted fate.

Meng Zhijin lowered her eyes slightly. “Sister Jing will handle it. You don’t need to worry.”

Cheng Xi pursed her lips and teased, “You make it sound like I’m your artist.”

To her surprise, Meng Zhijin took the bait calmly and asked back, “Are you interested?”

Caught off guard, Cheng Xi blinked.

Meng Zhijin continued, “You signed a four-year contract with Tiancheng, which expires in August. Have you thought about renewing or moving to another agency?”

It was an indescribable feeling; such a detailed knowledge of her contract timeline suggested a blatant level of calculation. Yet it was this very calculation that re-entangled two people who were supposed to be apart. Irrelevant details that should have rotted in her brain were being dug up once more.

Cheng Xi did have her own plans. She had thought that if Chen Zhuoying kept targeting her and she had no way up, she would just pack up and go back to her hometown to be a forgotten commoner. But now, her ambition had been pried open by Meng Zhijin, and she wouldn’t allow herself to settle for that.

As the steam from the Sukiyaki faded, the warmth in the room was slowly suppressed by the air conditioning. After a pause, Cheng Xi didn’t tell Meng Zhijin her thoughts. Using a smile to mask her wariness, she curled her lips. “Teacher Meng has a great memory. You still remember that after all this time.”

Just as Meng Zhijin said, the fan fighting under the official post was quickly brought under control. Her “big fans” posted in the fan community to soothe the others: Respect Teacher Meng’s choices. She is worthy of our love and has never disappointed us. Why not look forward to the “real self” she’s about to show everyone? This is her first variety show, after all…

Through a mix of logic and temptation, many fans calmed down. However, a small portion remained agitated by the bots; their already low impression of Cheng Xi plummeted to rock bottom, and they waited only for the premiere to start nitpicking.

It was the same on Cheng Xi’s side.

Consequently, when the official announcement for the final pair—Meng Zhijin and Cheng Xi—dropped for Our Romantic World, the two fanbases had no public interaction but were secretly competing. From the position of their comments to the layout of their fan posts, they attracted many bystanders. The hype was immense even before the show aired.

The following Saturday after the announcement was the day the pilot episode would air—and also when Cheng Xi and the others would record the second episode.

The filming location this time was a hotel in the city center, with the theme: “Warmth Hidden in the Bustling Metropolis.”

Since she didn’t need to fight for screen time for the pilot, and having learned her lesson from waking up early only to draw the worst room, Cheng Xi wasn’t in a rush. She finished the last session of her current acupuncture treatment before leisurely taking a car to meet Meng Zhijin.

Perhaps people are always most proactive at the start and gradually “lay flat” later. By the time Cheng Xi and Meng Zhijin arrived at the destination, Yu Tong and Xu Changyan had just finished drawing their envelopes, and Sun Ran was celebrating with them for not picking the worst one.

In just a short moment, half the boxes were gone, leaving one “best” and one “worst.”

This time everyone stayed in the same hotel, and the crew didn’t intentionally differentiate the rooms. The only difference was the budget inside the envelopes, ranging from 500, 300, 300, down to 222.

Cheng Xi looked at the boxes in front of her and Meng Zhijin, still hesitating. She looked up at Meng Zhijin thoughtfully and took a step back again. “Teacher Meng, you choose.”

The onlookers were confused, and even Meng Zhijin was surprised. After all, last time she had picked the lowest-tier room out of four. With two days’ worth of mission funds on the line, why would Cheng Xi be willing to take the risk again?

Meng Zhijin confirmed, “You’re really letting me do it?”

Cheng Xi’s gaze was incredibly sincere. “Really.”

Seeing this, Meng Zhijin didn’t refuse further. Her familiar fingers hovered over the boxes on camera before finally landing on the one in the staff member’s left hand…

But before Meng Zhijin could pull it, Cheng Xi reached out and snatched the other box. “We’ll take this one!”

Fearing the crew would change their minds, Cheng Xi opened the box immediately. A stack of crisp red bills appeared on camera—it was the one with the most money!

The room fell silent for a second before erupting into laughter. The other couples instantly understood Cheng Xi’s move and teased her unreservedly.

“Hahaha… Sister Cheng Xi, only you could do that…” “I feel like Zhijin has suffered an unprecedented defeat. Xiao Cheng, how do you already know Zhijin so well after just a few days?” “Don’t be discouraged, Teacher Meng! A reverse Midas touch is still a talent!”

Meng Zhijin watched Cheng Xi count the bills with the grin of a money-grubber. Her cold eyes filled with a bit of helplessness. Amidst the teasing, she suddenly leaned her head against Cheng Xi’s shoulder. “I feel like I’ve been used.”

The young woman’s slender shoulder dipped suddenly. That familiar weight made Cheng Xi’s hand—and her heartbeat—pause for a moment. Meng Zhijin’s action was sudden, and her tone was completely different from before. It sounded like she was genuinely dejected, or perhaps like she was acting spoiled.

It didn’t sound like her. Yet it did. Like the version of her that used to come home and strip off the armor she wore for the cameras.

The day of the gathering ended as usual with a group dinner. With the experience of the first episode, everyone began speculating about the missions for the next two days.

Xu Changyan deduced that since the crew gave out money, it must be related to spending—the money might even be the points. Cheng Xi also noticed that every room had an old-fashioned glass display cabinet for snacks, the kind that could be locked.

The group discussed it like they were turning a romance show into a mystery show. Seeing them almost guess the correct logic, the directors hurried in to stop them. “Teachers, everyone needs to wake up early tomorrow. Please head back to your rooms to rest.”

The dinner was mostly over anyway, and it happened to be time for the pilot episode to air. Everyone waved goodbye and headed to their rooms.

Cheng Xi had accidentally spilled some wine on herself during dinner, so she took a shower first. The sound of the water stopped, and steam rushed out of the bathroom door. Cheng Xi walked out, drying her hair with a towel, and asked casually, “Are you going to wash up, Teacher Meng?”

She didn’t know how high the water temperature had been, but her whole face was flushed red. That usually calm and seductive face was stained with a blush, making her look unexpectedly cute. Cheng Xi never had the habit of drying herself completely before coming out; her long legs were blatantly visible beneath the bathrobe, with water droplets sliding down them in a line, adding a different kind of atmosphere to her fair skin.

Meng Zhijin watched, discreetly averted her gaze, and nodded. “Okay.”

Preoccupied with the show’s premiere, Cheng Xi didn’t notice Meng Zhijin’s reaction. She stepped aside to let her pass and then sprawled comfortably on the bed with a towel over her head to watch the program.

The pilot didn’t include mission content; it was all footage of them arriving at the Romantic Cabin and choosing rooms on the first day. Drawing on the experience of the previous season, the editors were skilled at creating “atmosphere.” As the first couple to appear, the show gave Cheng Xi and Meng Zhijin the highest quality shots.

Cheng Xi watched herself get out of the car, red dress swaying as she brushed her long hair back. The screen filled with comments: “Finally seeing my Little Fox! Long time no see, Mommy loves you!”, “Such a beautiful girl, please go film more movies! I just want to see beauty.”, “Help, those legs, drool”…

Looking at the welcoming comments, Cheng Xi couldn’t help but smile. It had been a long time since she had been loved so fervently by a crowd.

Then, Cheng Xi stepped out of the car, and Meng Zhijin appeared on screen with her umbrella. This was their first official frame together in the pilot. The comments went blank for a moment, and then as they walked into the Romantic Cabin, an explosion of “AAAAHHHHHH” filled the screen.

As the head director expected, they grabbed everyone’s attention instantly. They just walked together, and even without interaction, the “CP feel” was palpable. Cheng Xi’s red dress didn’t just brush against Meng Zhijin’s calf; it brushed against the hearts of the audience.

The fans from both sides, who had their insults ready, suddenly didn’t know which keys to press. The bystanders were stunned too. It took a while before the audience “closed their mouths”—much like Meng Zhijin closing her umbrella—and became uncontrollably excited.

“Save me! Thank you both for curing my low blood sugar. I don’t even need insulin now.”

“I didn’t expect Cheng Xi to actually match Teacher Meng. I apologize for my youthful rashness.”

“Did anyone notice the filming location is where they worked on Daylight? I feel like I’ve discovered something huge!”

“This god-tier CP feel! Mommy commands you to get married tonight!”

Amidst the celebratory “shipping,” a few annoying flies appeared: “Am I the only one who thinks they’re being fake? Terrible acting, and she’s supposed to be a Movie Queen? [Disdain]”

Cheng Xi frowned, her face immediately darkening. But before she could use her alt account to fire back, she saw a comment with over a dozen likes follow right after: “GET OUT.”

There were even harsher replies: “Yes, just you. You should go to the ophthalmology department to check your eyes, and while you’re at it, sign an organ donation form to cross out your eyes.”, “Better cross out the brain too.”

Cheng Xi had forgotten the last time she had been defended like this. In recent years, she had fewer works and lost many fans; she usually couldn’t beat the bots hired by her rivals, and even her fan community had been “slaughtered” before.

As the comments scrolled by, her presence on screen was surrounded by cheers. Cheng Xi looked at the word “GET OUT” she had paused on and gave it a like.

Then came the “famous scene” that everyone would revisit: Meng Zhijin drawing the card. A string of “Hahaha” filled the screen.

“Cheng Xi’s inner monologue: Why did I wake up so early for this?”

“Silly fox, it’s obviously to meet our Teacher Meng~”

“I’ll give one chicken leg for those fox ears, no more.”

“I didn’t expect Teacher Meng to have a skill she fails at.”

“Actually, that’s a zero-score performance.”

The screen was full of harmony, and Cheng Xi enjoyed it immensely, her small feet swinging in the air. She felt like she had found the courage again to watch herself on screen.

After some time, steam billowed from the bathroom again. The towel on Cheng Xi’s head was suddenly taken away, and Meng Zhijin’s voice came from behind her: “What are you watching? You didn’t even dry your hair.”

“Nothing…” Startled, Cheng Xi guiltily tried to flip the tablet over.

But the fox made a mistake. Instead of flipping face-down, the tablet landed flat on the soft bed. The beautifully composed scene playing on the screen was exactly the moment Meng Zhijin kissed Cheng Xi’s palm.

The pink bubbles added by the editors overflowed from the screen, tinting Cheng Xi’s ears—which she couldn’t hide under her wet hair—a bright red.

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