Can't Hide My Love for You - Chapter 7

By the time they stepped out of the mall, the sky was completely dark.

“Would you like to grab dinner together?” Chi Yi took the initiative to ask.

“My assistant has probably already prepared dinner for me,” Cheng Yixin replied tactfully. She wasn’t just making an excuse; Xiao Yu had asked her what she wanted that morning, and by this time, the food was likely already at her apartment. If she agreed now, that meal would go to waste.

“Alright then.” Chi Yi didn’t push the subject. She simply said, “I’ll drive you back.”

She was so straightforward that it made Cheng Yixin feel a bit bad. She added, “Let’s do it next time when there’s an opportunity.”

Chi Yi dropped her off at her building again. Before Cheng Yixin got out, Chi Yi stared at her for a few seconds as if she had something to say, but in the end, she remained silent.

Cheng Yixin watched the white Volvo until it completely disappeared from sight before turning to enter her apartment.

Dinner had indeed arrived. She could smell the faint aroma of the food before she even opened the containers. As she ate, she browsed her phone, though her mind wasn’t really on the screen. After a few bites, she stopped, her gaze drifting into space as she got lost in thought.

Suddenly, she opened her browser and searched for information on Chi Yi. The results popped up instantly.

The charity project at Yixin Supermarket was real. The detailed donation amounts for the “Love Products” sold were disclosed annually by the “Yixin Foundation,” and the funds were funneled through official channels to rural welfare projects.

“She’s not so bad after all…” Cheng Yixin frowned. From the information she had gathered, it seemed she had let Lu Qing’s bias cloud her judgment.

Looking back at her interaction with Chi Yi today, it wasn’t hard to notice certain subtle details. Regarding the cinema card, Chi Yi had asked for her consent before giving it to her; she hadn’t acted like those “new money” types who insist on buying out the whole theater just to show off. And at the supermarket checkout, Chi Yi’s gaze had been a silent request for her opinion, giving her the agency to decide whether to accept a comped bill or not.

These small details hit all of Cheng Yixin’s “green flag” markers. She detested being forced into a “charity case” position by some overbearing CEO who expected her to be eternally grateful for their grand gestures.

In terms of social grace and boundaries, Chi Yi was leagues ahead of Lu Qing.

As for why she had agreed to see Lu Qing in the first place, it was partly because Lu Qing had been very dedicated during the pursuit, and partly because she just wanted to “give it a try.” After all, Lu Qing’s background wasn’t bad, and her looks were her type. She just hadn’t expected her first “blossoming romance” to run into such a character.

She sighed softly, hoping she’d never have to deal with Lu Qing again.

Her phone buzzed. It was a message from Chi Yi letting her know she had arrived home safely. Taking the opportunity, Cheng Yixin started a conversation.

Even if she had work the next morning, Cheng Yixin rarely went to sleep before 11:00 PM. To her surprise, when 9:00 PM rolled around, the other end ended the chat. Chi Yi stated that she was going to bed.

“…???” She instinctively checked the time. It was exactly 8:59 PM. As a modern young person, she found it hard not to suspect that this was just a clumsy excuse to stop talking.

Is talking to me really that bad? Even her excuses are so amateur.

Despite her internal grumbling, she typed a polite closing to end the chat. Afterward, she messaged a close friend to ask if they were asleep.

The friend replied with a long string of question marks, followed by: What time do you think it is?? The nightlife has just begun!!

See! That was a normal person’s response!

“Unbelievable! She doesn’t even know how to make up a good excuse!” Cheng Yixin huffed, tapping the table. But the annoyance faded after a while, and she eventually fell asleep with her phone in her hand.

A 9:00 AM call time meant waking up at 7:00 AM. Being a celebrity wasn’t much easier than being a 9-to-5 office worker.

By the time she got up, Xiao Yu had already arrived with breakfast. After eating, she was whisked away to her first destination.

She usually browsed the news during breakfast. This morning, she saw an unread message from Chi Yi: “Good morning.”

The timestamp was 7:00 AM—half an hour before she had woken up.

[Cheng Yixin]: Why are you up so early? [Chi Yi]: Early to bed, early to rise.

“…” She was starting to believe Chi Yi really did go to sleep at nine.

Work was busy over the next few days, and Chi Yi seemed occupied as well. They chatted sporadically on WeChat—mostly mundane updates—but surprisingly, it didn’t feel forced.

During a rare break between schedules, Cheng Yixin was on a stationary bike in the company gym. Hearing a knock, she turned to see her manager, Li Wenjing, pushing open the glass door.

“Yixin, I have news.”

Seeing Li Wenjing’s solemn expression, she knew it wasn’t good. “The drama you had lined up for the second half of the year has been canceled.”

“What?” She stopped pedaling and sat up. “Wasn’t my casting confirmed at the beginning of the year?”

“The new female lead is funding the entire production. She’s bringing her own capital, and we’re not even sure if she’s taking a salary.”

In the murky waters of the entertainment industry, you can be replaced even after filming starts if an investor decides so.

Cheng Yixin took two seconds to accept the fact. “Fine. Who is it?”

“Han Lian.”

“…” Hearing the name, Cheng Yixin felt a wave of helplessness.

Han Lian was technically her senior. However, two years ago, at the peak of her career, Han Lian had suddenly announced her marriage and pregnancy, disappearing for over a year. By the time she returned, the fast-paced industry had moved on, and Cheng Yixin had risen to fame during her absence.

Many marketing accounts had sensationalized the story, claiming Cheng Yixin had “replaced” Han Lian as the new top talent. There were even articles still circulating that mocked Han Lian for ignoring Cheng Yixin when she tried to greet her.

She wasn’t close to Han Lian, but considering she had been robbed of two roles now—including this one where Han Lian literally paid to play—it was clear the woman held a grudge and was willing to lose money just to suppress her.

“This isn’t the first time. She tried to snatch The Moon’s Journey right before we wrapped too, didn’t she?”

“Yeah.” At the mention of The Moon’s Journey, Li Wenjing looked cynical. “She was even willing to cut her own fee. Luckily, Director Zhang insisted on you; he felt no one else could deliver the performance he wanted.”

“It’s fine,” Cheng Yixin said cheerfully. “If there’s a role, I’ll act. If not, I’ll rest.”

Li Wenjing glanced at her. “You’re surprisingly optimistic.”

“Being an actor is just a way to put food on the table. Work is work.”

As Li Wenjing left, the gym grew quiet again. Just as she was about to resume her workout, her phone pinged. It was a message from Chi Yi.

Chi Yi mentioned there was a banquet tomorrow night and she needed a plus-one. She was asking if Cheng Yixin would accompany her.

In those circles, attending as a “plus-one” usually meant being introduced as a partner or being assumed to be a “date.” Just as she was debating whether to go, the next message arrived, and she accepted instantly.

[Chi Yi]: Lu Qing will be there tomorrow night. If you don’t want to go, it’s perfectly fine.

Lu Qing was going? Her hesitation vanished. The whole reason she had approached Chi Yi was to get back at Lu Qing and wash away the bitterness of being cheated on. If she didn’t use this opportunity, when would she?

[Cheng Yixin]: I’m going!

She quickly coordinated the time with Chi Yi, who said she would send a styling team to her place early. It sounded quite formal.

Since the banquet was a public event, Cheng Yixin felt she should inform her manager to avoid any PR surprises. Upon hearing the name, Li Wenjing looked confused.

“Chi Yi? That Chi Yi? President Feng’s niece?”

“It’s Chi Yi. But what do you mean by ‘President Feng’s niece’?” Cheng Yixin paused.

“You didn’t know? Chi Yi is the granddaughter of the Feng Group’s patriarch. Technically, our company’s President Feng is her aunt. But Chi Yi doesn’t get involved in the Feng Group’s business; she runs her own enterprises. I heard President Feng mention her before—she thinks very highly of her.”

“I really didn’t know.” Cheng Yixin was shocked. Chi Yi had never mentioned she was related to the big boss. No wonder she had spoken to Chen Fei like that at the birthday party; she was practically part of the hosting family.

“How do you know her?” Li Wenjing pressed. “Isn’t she in industry and retail? Since when did she want to step into the entertainment world?”

Cheng Yixin hesitated, then realized she couldn’t hide it forever. “We met at Feng Siqi’s birthday party—the one you missed. And, uh… we’re technically dating now.”

“WHAT??!” It was Li Wenjing’s turn to be floored. “My dear, you’re playing a dangerous game! One moment it’s Lu Qing, now it’s Chi Yi…”

“What do you mean ‘playing’!” she protested. “We just started. We’re still in the getting-to-know-each-other phase. Everything is perfectly innocent!”

“Fine, fine.” As a veteran manager, Li Wenjing had seen it all. She steadied herself. “I’ll say it again: if you want to date, I won’t stop you—I can’t stop you. Just make sure your privacy is airtight. Don’t let anyone catch you in a compromising photo.”

She paused. “Actually, your taste has improved this time. Compared to certain low-class individuals, President Chi is a legitimate young entrepreneur. I’ve never heard a bad word about her.”

“Is that so?” Cheng Yixin thought about how Lu Qing was always trash-talking Chi Yi, though she was beginning to doubt Lu Qing’s honesty.

“By the way,” Li Wenjing continued, “I checked the script for Happy Saturday at the end of the month. They have an opening performance where they want you to sing.”

“Singing again?” Cheng Yixin was helpless. She was a self-taught actress who still hadn’t fully mastered her craft, and now actors were expected to be singers too. Her “demon-like” voice had been mocked years ago. She’d improved recently, but only by cramming with a vocal coach before performances.

“The producer wants something different. They’ve already picked a song for you; it’s a bit difficult. I’ll arrange a vocal coach for you over the next few days.”

Cheng Yixin could only give a wry smile. As an employee, she had to follow orders. Being a star wasn’t always as glamorous as it looked.

The song list arrived that evening. The production team wanted her to sing a Cantonese song.

Cheng Yixin was in despair. She couldn’t speak Cantonese, let alone sing it. She had barely even heard any Cantonese songs.

“Think about it,” Li Wenjing lobbied her over the phone. “The audience is used to your Mandarin. If you sing in Cantonese, it’ll be a total surprise! Plus, the song Zhong Wu Yan really suits your voice.”

“But I don’t speak Cantonese!”

“You can learn! Don’t worry, I’ll find the best teacher for one-on-one lessons. I guarantee you’ll blow the audience away when you open your mouth!”

“Wait, I—” Cheng Yixin tried to argue, but Li Wenjing hung up immediately.