Can't Hide My Love for You - Chapter 28

Cheng Yixin carefully selected a few photos from her zoo date with Chi Yi, intending to touch them up before posting them to Weibo.

Truthfully, her features were so exquisite they didn’t need any editing, but she eventually applied a filter to give them a more atmospheric feel. For the aquarium shots, she chose a photo where they were leaning close with an arm around a waist. For the deer park, she picked a photo a fan had taken of them with a doe. Finally, she included a silhouette of Chi Yi’s profile at Swan Lake, captured against the setting sun—it was incredibly moody.

She posted them with a simple caption: “Checking in [Peace Sign].”

Under normal circumstances, these would be ordinary photos of a celebrity hanging out with a friend. However, fans had captured their own footage at the deer park: a shot of Cheng Yixin pinching Chi Yi’s cheek with a look of pure doting. The “CP” (Couple) chemistry was off the charts. Passersby had also snapped photos of their backs at Swan Lake and the way they looked at each other when they turned their heads. The raw ambiguity of those candid shots far surpassed the official photos.

In an instant, the “Yixin-Yiyi” ship gained massive momentum. Even many of Cheng Yixin’s solo fans began to fall for the “Double Beauty” pairing.

At the Yixin Trading Group Offices

“President Chi, here is the proposal for the new phase of the mountain region donations,” Si Wen said, handing the document to Chi Yi.

Chi Yi’s computer screen was currently on Cheng Yixin’s Weibo post. The other person in the photos was, of course, the very President Chi standing before her.

“Alright, I’ll take a look,” Chi Yi replied, opening the file.

Si Wen glanced at the screen thoughtfully. Cheng Yixin’s post already had over 100,000 likes. Consequently, Chi Yi’s own follower count had surged to 50,000—more than ten times what it had been before.

“President Chi,” Si Wen began after a moment’s hesitation. “We are in the internet age where traffic is king. Given your frequent interactions with Miss Cheng, I believe we could leverage this for branding.”

Chi Yi closed the proposal. The bold title Mountain Area Assistance Plan stared back at her. She looked up. “Branding? Do you mean using Yixin’s popularity to drive traffic? No, that won’t do.”

“President Chi, that’s not what I meant,” Si Wen clarified. “I know you don’t want clean charity projects to become muddled. But look at it from another angle: if your Weibo has influence, the public will see the work you’re doing. They might even be inspired to help. The channel or method doesn’t matter as much as the result of getting more people involved.”

She paused. “I’m not suggesting you play into rumors or ‘ship-bait’ like people in the entertainment industry. I’m just saying that managing your Weibo in your spare time could increase fan engagement. For instance, posting a selfie or accepting an interview. A financial magazine actually reached out recently for a brief feature.”

Chi Yi thought it over. “Fine, I’ll consider it.”

After Si Wen left, Chi Yi finished her notations on the proposal and let out a soft sigh. She checked her phone and saw a trending notification: “SHOCKING! The Owner of Mainland China’s First Bugatti Has Been Revealed!”

Chi Yi’s finger paused. She chuckled and swiped the notification away. Better to read real news than mindless gossip.

Opening Weibo, she saw a new follower notification from a “Super Topic” group: Cheng Yixin Fan Club. Surprised, she checked to see if it was a parody account, but with hundreds of thousands of followers, it was clearly the official one. She didn’t hesitate to hit “Follow Back.”

Later, Si Wen returned to collect the signed papers, carrying a magazine with Cheng Yixin and Yu Siyang on the cover.

“By the way, President Chi, we need to respond to the Grace Gala invitation.”

“If there’s nothing on the schedule, let’s go.” Chi Yi paused, looking at Si Wen. “For an actress attending a major event, which brand is the hardest to borrow clothes from?”

Si Wen thought for a moment. “Grace. I saw a report saying their high-end gowns are only lent to stars they have partnerships with. For anyone else, it’s nearly impossible without serious connections.” She added with a hint of a tease, “To you, Grace is just a brand, but for stars needing fashion resources, it’s a height that’s hard to reach.”

“I see.”

“Are you thinking of buying a gown for Miss Cheng?”

Chi Yi shook her head. “No. She mentioned it once, so I was curious.”

“Miss Cheng doesn’t have any major fashion endorsements yet,” Si Wen explained. “While she’s popular, top-tier brands like Grace aren’t lacking for collaborators. It might be difficult for her to borrow a piece.”

Watching Chi Yi’s expression, Si Wen added, “But… if you were to put in a word with Grace’s executives, I’m sure they would do you the favor.”

Chi Yi propped her chin on her hand, her expression unreadable. “Even if they won’t lend one, I could simply buy one for her. That’s the fastest way.” She looked at Si Wen. “But do you think that’s what she would want?”

Si Wen was silent. She didn’t know the answer—if she did, she’d probably be dating a superstar too.

That evening, Cheng Yixin received a call from a courier. Her parents had sent her local specialties from home. After she’d mentioned missing home-cooked hotpot, they had vacuum-packed a large batch of handmade base and sent it over.

She invited Chi Yi over, and to her delight, Chi Yi agreed immediately.

However, after arriving at Chi Yi’s place to pick her up—finding her practicing calligraphy with impressive skill—they realized they had no actual vegetables or meat. They had to make a late-night run to the supermarket.

“Why is it so crowded?” Cheng Yixin whispered, pulling her mask up.

“It’s after 8:00 PM on a Friday. It’s ‘Discount Day’ at Yixin Supermarket,” Chi Yi explained.

The two ended up in a frantic scramble for the last of the potatoes and meat, fighting through a crowd of bargain hunters. Cheng Yixin couldn’t help but laugh at the irony: “If the news got out that the owner of Yixin Supermarket had to fight for her own groceries because her business was too successful, her competitors would cough up blood from jealousy.”

On the way home, Cheng Yixin saw another news snippet about the Bugatti owner. It was Lu Qing, her ex.

“My friend just sent me this,” Cheng Yixin laughed, showing Chi Yi the chat where a friend, Song Zheng, was marveling at Lu Qing’s wealth. “She doesn’t know we broke up yet.”

Chi Yi glanced at the screen, a flicker of disdain crossing her face. “It’s just a car.”

Cheng Yixin caught the look and suppressed a smile. She knew Chi Yi wasn’t upset about the car—she was upset by the phrase “Your Mr. Lu.”

The hotpot dinner was lively, though the spicy broth nearly took Chi Yi out. “I can handle it…” Chi Yi insisted between coughs, her lips flushed bright red from the heat.

During dinner, Cheng Yixin’s mother video-called.

“Is that a guest I see?” her mother asked, spotting Chi Yi in the corner of the frame. “Is it a boyfriend? I won’t accept a son-in-law who can’t handle spice!”

Cheng Yixin laughed and turned the camera to Chi Yi. “Does she look like a ‘son-in-law’ to you?”

Chi Yi stammered a polite greeting, looking like a flustered young bride under the parental gaze. After the call ended, Chi Yi felt a bit dejected. It was clear Cheng Yixin hadn’t introduced her as a romantic interest yet.

“I have a magazine shoot tomorrow morning,” Cheng Yixin said, changing the subject. “It’s a double cover for a women’s fashion magazine with Song Zheng. If you’re bored at home, do you want to come and watch?”

“Is Yu Siyang going to be there?” Chi Yi asked coolly.

“No, just me and Song Zheng. I’ll introduce you if we have time.”

The Next Morning: At the Studio

The shoot hit a snag immediately. Song Zheng had been hospitalized with food poisoning.

“The editor is desperate,” Cheng Yixin’s manager, Li Wenjing, explained. “They really wanted the ‘sisterhood’ angle for this issue, but the schedule is too tight to reschedule.”

The studio head was pacing, looking at the theme: “Pure Affection” featuring white suits and bridal-inspired gowns. His eyes suddenly landed on Chi Yi, who was sitting quietly in the rest area.

He did a double-take. He recognized her—this was the woman from the variety show who had saved Cheng Yixin. The current “trending couple” was far more interesting than an old friendship story.

He slapped his thigh in excitement and rushed over. “Excuse me… are you a model or an actress?”

“I’m not,” Chi Yi said, looking at Cheng Yixin for help. “I’m just here to visit.”

“She’s my friend,” Cheng Yixin added. “Chi Yi, why don’t you wait in the car?”

“Wait! Miss Chi!” the manager blocked her path. “Would you be interested in being our cover model for today?”