Desire! This Romance Is Overflowing with Ambiguous Atmosphere! So Sweet! - Chapter 23

Wen Shiwu looked at Yu Zheng with some surprise.

She hadn’t expected him to carry a signature pen with him, as he rarely gave autographs on the spot even when fans approached him at events.

But this time, he had brought a pen.

By now, Yu Zheng had stopped twirling the pen, his well-proportioned fingers gripping the barrel. “Hmm? What should I write?”

He lowered his gaze and leaned in closer, repeating the question.

The fresh, captivating scent of oud and bergamot suddenly enveloped her, and Wen Shiwu instinctively held her breath.

Feeling nervous, she took a step back, trying to escape the overwhelmingly intimate atmosphere. “A-Anything is fine.”

“Anything?” Yu Zheng raised an eyebrow boldly.

He turned his attention back to the photo, the tip of the pen suddenly tapping on the back of the postcard.

Curious, Wen Shiwu leaned in to see what he was about to write.

But Yu Zheng lifted his hand again. He had only written “To.” Having studied at the Berklee College of Music, he seemed to have deliberately practiced calligraphic script, as the two letters were exquisitely written.

He tucked the postcard away. “I’ll give it to you after I finish writing it later.”

“Huh?” Wen Shiwu looked up, bewildered.

Yu Zheng had already capped the pen, as if he had no intention of letting her request that he finish it on the spot.

Wen Shiwu felt a bit puzzled.

She blinked slowly and withdrew her gaze, not quite understanding why an autograph had to be written in secret later. If that were the case, why carry a pen around at all?

But her attention was soon diverted.

The final rumored couple had arrived, the on-screen pair from the recent hit drama Snow of Startling Beauty:

Ji Yanchuan and Xu Kening.

Online rumors claimed they were a “set couple,” having developed feelings for each other while filming the historical drama. Some said their relationship had ended because Ji Yanchuan was too much of a player, changing girlfriends as often as he changed clothes. Others insisted they were still together but that Ji Yanchuan was stringing her along, unwilling to make it official.

They ranked third in the poll.

Because of their roles, Xie Jinghong and Jiang Yixue in the drama, netizens had dubbed them the “Jinghong-Yixue CP.”

Their entrance, however, was particularly noteworthy.

Unlike Xia Zhuozhuo and Fu Yuji, who seemed to avoid each other’s gaze, Xu Kening arrived arm-in-arm with Ji Yanchuan, a gesture that hardly seemed aimed at dispelling dating rumors.

She greeted everyone softly, “Hello, everyone. I’m actress Xu Kening. It’s an honor to meet all the seniors here.”

Aside from Fu Yuji, who wasn’t in the entertainment industry, everyone present could indeed be considered her senior.

Xu Kening had only recently debuted.

She was still teetering on the edge between second-tier and first-tier status.

Even though Snow of Startling Beauty was a massive hit, it was largely due to the captivating character of Xie Jinghong, which unexpectedly propelled Ji Yanchuan, the young master of Beijing who had entered the entertainment world for fun, to fame. Xu Kening’s features weren’t particularly striking, and her acting was average, so she only managed to ride the wave of temporary popularity.

Everyone nodded politely in response.

Ji Yanchuan, however, seemed uncomfortable with Xu Kening holding his arm. He finally seized the chance to pull his arm away, then bounded forward like a husky finally let out of its cage.

“Hey, bros! Hey, fam!”

Ji Yanchuan greeted everyone with the energy of a carnival barker, striding casually over to the dining table. “I’m Ji Yanchuan, National First-Class Nonsense Champion, Global Ambassador for the Bald-from-Staying-Up-Late Competition, and Top VIP of the Shenanigans Club!”

“Anyone who wants to drink, go clubbing, organize parties, or needs resources in the future can come to me! But don’t come to me looking for beautiful women, I’m short on those too. However, I welcome everyone to introduce potential partners to me.”

Ji Yanchuan’s self-introduction was lively and spirited, perfectly matching his online reputation as a carefree rich second generation, which even made Wen Shiwu chuckle.

Coincidentally, Ji Yanchuan’s gaze landed on her: “Hey? You’re that… let me think, Xiao Zhaoxi!”

Yu Zheng casually lifted his chin to look over. Unfamiliar with celebrity gossip, Ji Yanchuan didn’t know who the dating show guests were. He seemed quite intrigued by Wen Shiwu and repeated his earlier line: “I grew up watching your shows!”

The live chat erupted with laughter,

“Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!”

“My girl: Why does that sound so familiar? Feels like I just heard it somewhere.”

“I’m dying of laughter because of Ji Yanchuan! I love watching shows with him, this guy is hilarious, goofy, and full of jokes. He’s nothing like my stereotype of a rich second generation.”

“Tch! You broke girls just love fawning over rich second generations, huh? Didn’t you hear him asking for introductions? He’s got Kening but doesn’t appreciate her and openly cheats!”

“Kening’s fans, stop acting crazy! Can’t you see your idol is blatantly cozying up to the rich and powerful?”

The live chat quickly devolved into a war of words. Ji Yanchuan had gained quite a few fans, many of whom viewed him through the lens of his role as Xie Jinghong.

A few comments caught the detail of Yu Zheng glancing up when Ji Yanchuan called Wen Shiwu “Xiao Zhaoxi,” but they were quickly buried in the heated arguments.

At last, all three rumored couples were gathered.

Director Shi Ke, who had earlier used a robotic voice over the studio intercom to scare everyone, finally made an appearance.

“Welcome to ‘Rumor Lovers’ Season 3. Today is our first live episode. Theme: First Encounters.”

He grinned. “I’m the director, Shi Ke.”

He deliberately emphasized his name clearly and paused heavily at the end, clearly trying to distance himself from that annoying nickname.

Even so, the words “dung beetle” flooded the screen.

Even Wen Shiwu couldn’t hold back a giggle.

Noticing the person beside her trembling with suppressed laughter, Yu Zheng grinned freely. He leaned in, lowering his lashes, and whispered to her, “Is it that funny?”

“Don’t you think it is?” Wen Shiwu asked softly. When she laughed, her bright eyes curved like crescent moons, as if holding all the starlight of the night sky. “I think I have a real talent for nicknames. What was Director Shi’s mom thinking when she named him?”

The two of them were like classmates whispering secretly during class. Though they were wearing microphones, they huddled close, one bowing her head, the other leaning in, sharing quiet words.

Yu Zheng chuckled. “Maybe it’s his dad’s fault.”

Wen Shiwu: “Huh?”

Yu Zheng said, “Because his dad’s surname is Shi.”

Wen Shiwu couldn’t hold back a snort of laughter, but as soon as she laughed, she realized something was wrong.

Sure enough, the whole world seemed to fall silent.

Wen Shiwu shrank like a little quail, timidly lifting her eyes to see Shi Ke sternly lowering his megaphone.

He shot them an exasperated look. “What are you two whispering about over there?!”

“Hahahahahahahahahaha!!!”

“Caught whispering, weren’t you two? But honestly, the way they were murmuring to each other was just adorable!”

“If they weren’t wearing formal attire instead of school uniforms, I could’ve instantly imagined a 200,000-word campus romance novel about them!”

“So sweet, so sweet! Yu Zheng is really too doting! When Wen Shiwu lowered her head and muttered softly, Yu Zheng bent down and leaned in to match her!”

“Wen Shiwu has truly reached the pinnacle of fangirling!”

Wen Shiwu was crying inside.

She really didn’t want to offend the director, especially since this dung beetle had previously threatened her with heights. Who knew what might happen if she crossed him?

But her greatest talent was acting cute.

So Wen Shiwu lifted her face, her eyes curving into smiles as she looked at Shi Ke: “Just praising how handsome you are, dung… Director! Even at your age, your hair is still so lush.”