I Didn’t Want to Fall, but My Arch-Nemesis Is Just Too Handsome - Chapter 9

Jiang Xu walked around the villa, trying to find evidence that proved his marriage was in a good state. He actually discovered many details: the same brand of toothbrush cups on the vanity, a razor neatly placed beside his, shirts hanging tightly together in the closet, and even sticky notes he had written on his computer desk.

“There are many kinds of dream lives, and every single one includes you.”

Jiang Xu’s fingers shook as he held the sticky note. If his handwriting were not so easily recognizable, he would have thought someone had impersonated him to write this note and stick it on the glaring computer screen, just to frame him for loving Xu Zhiyan so deeply that he could not extricate himself.

Ah, ah, ah! Which nerve of his had gone wrong before he lost his memory? Why had he suddenly reconciled with his arch-rival and even married him?

Jiang Xu clutched his head. Why could he not remember? Using his brain too much made his wound ache faintly, so he dared not think about it any further. Previous matters would be put aside for the time being. Now, he needed to keep a distance from Xu Zhiyan. Until he found out the truth about the marriage, he would not allow Xu Zhiyan to get another half-step closer to him.

Xu Zhiyan must have been afraid that Jiang Xu would set the kitchen on fire, so he specifically hired two servants to take care of Jiang Xu’s daily needs. The servants prepared lunch, and after eating his fill, Jiang Xu returned to the bedroom to play dead.

In the evening, Shi Jin’s call came through. “Little Ancestor, are you feeling any better?”

Jiang Xu lay on the sofa, fiddling with the tassels on the cushion. “The wound has not healed yet, but it will not affect my ability to handle schedules. Hurry up and get me back to work. I am starting to grow mold from staying at home.”

“Your recent schedules have been suspended, mainly to make time for the upcoming variety show.”

“I signed up for a variety show?”

“How could you forget such an important matter?” Shi Jin was quite surprised. “Did you not always look forward to participating in Director Zhao’s dating reality show? You even said you wanted to show off your love with your new spouse on the show.”

“At the time, I did not know who your spouse was, so I thought your love-struck brain was hopeless. Now that I know it is Film Emperor Xu, I suddenly understand. If I had such an excellent spouse, I could show off even more excessively than you.”

Jiang Xu sensed that something was wrong. “Are you saying I joined the show to show off my love with Xu Zhiyan?”

“That is right! You said you wanted to anger all those single people and let them know what a model couple in the entertainment industry looks like.”

Jiang Xu: ?!!!

Was this brain-dead and annoying nonsense really something he had said?

“Am I really that love-struck?”

“Given your current star status, Director Zhao would not have been able to invite you. But you lowered your price, and you even cut your appearance fee in half. You said it was not about the money; you just wanted to find a place to show off your love. How could Director Zhao pass up an opportunity to save money while earning high traffic? He agreed on the spot.” Shi Jin added, “If you do not believe me, you can ask Director Zhao.”

Jiang Xu jumped up from the floor. “Then did I say who my spouse was?”

“That, I did not! Director Zhao was quite curious, too, and said he wanted to leave a mystery for the audience to guess. When it is finally revealed, the ratings will definitely explode.”

Whether the ratings would explode, Jiang Xu did not know, but he only knew that he was about to explode with anger right now. “The former me was truly hopelessly love-struck.”

Jiang Xu despised his former self. “Now, I want to draw a line with Xu Zhiyan. There is no way I am showing off any love now.”

This time, it was Shi Jin who jumped up. “You, what did you say?”

“I said, I want to draw a line with Xu Zhiyan.”

“You have such a great husband, and you do not know how to cherish him. Can I say that you are being somewhat ungrateful? Do you believe that the moment you let Film Emperor Xu go, he will be snatched away by someone else in the blink of an eye?”

“Cut the nonsense! Can this variety show really not be called off?” Jiang Xu did not want to participate in the show, and he certainly did not want to show off this damn love.

“The official live broadcast starts this Saturday, so according to the contract, it certainly cannot be called off.”

Jiang Xu was not willing to give up. “What if I pay the liquidated damages?”

“If you stand Director Zhao up, believe it or not, he will hang himself at your doorstep. Do not even think about quitting. Just pack up and prepare for the show!”

Shi Jin completely ignored Jiang Xu’s words. He thought it was just a little spat between a married couple and treated it as a bit of fun in life. “I will wait for you and Film Emperor Xu to dazzle everyone and show off your love on the show.”

Jiang Xu’s expression dimmed. If he had to go on the show, he would form a CP with a different Alpha. His main goal was to be rebellious and absolutely never yield!

Roses and You was a celebrity reality show about dating, where eight stars would choose suitable partners on the program to embark on a romantic love journey. This was the first male-AO combination dating show in the country. The celebrity guests brought their own popularity and topics, and the show had already stirred up a lot of attention on Weibo before it even aired.

In particular, the addition of the national heartthrob, Jiang Xu, made Roses and You popular before it even aired. Jiang Xu’s fans were all looking forward to seeing which outstanding Alpha their idol, who had been single for many years, would choose. The show had only officially announced the information for the four Omega guests, while the Alpha guests remained a mystery.

Fans from all walks of life immediately began using their imaginations to form CPs. Male stars who had worked with Jiang Xu were all edited into videos, and content creators even released analysis videos with commentary, analyzing and deducing things in a well-founded and comprehensive manner. Jiang Xu had married dozens of times in these videos, spawning a mountain of CP fans.

Among the motley group of CP fans, the #WishForStarRiver# CP stood out. Initially, they were drowned out by the tide of comments, but after Jiang Xu’s new drama, Star River, aired, some people realized it only then, and this cult fan base emerged.

[What the hell is the #WishForStarRiver# CP? Who are they trying to pair our Xu Xu with now?]

[Xu Xu is truly a bride every night, with a different groom every day. Which Alpha is lucky enough to be Xu Xu’s one-day groom today?]

[The “Xu” in #WishForStarRiver# is Xu Zhiyan, and “Star River” is Jiang Xu! The meaning of the CP name is that Jiang Xu is as beautiful as a star river, and only Xu Zhiyan can have him.]

[Comrades, come and look! There is a live fan of that Xu Dog here, let us kill them!]

[Reported! Send them to the dark room.]

…

Jiang Xu’s fans were united in hatred, and the only people they targeted were Xu Zhiyan’s fans. Both sides killed each other in the online battle. The #WishForStarRiver# CP hid in the corner, foolishly enjoying their sugar.

On the day the program Roses and You aired, the flames of war had not yet died down and were burning all the way to the comment section of the live broadcast room.

[I am squatting right here today to see who dares to form random CPs for my idol.]

[Xu Dog and his dog fans, get out!]

[Oh my! Are Jiang Rice Balls all this vulgar? Not like our Ink, we are all civilized people.]

[Sure enough, the fans take after the idol. Xu Zhiyan is tea-flavored, and his fans are the same; they are all green tea bitches.]

[Take our Inkstone away; we are not interested!]

[Why are you two sets of fans arguing? Did Jiang Xu not say he was going to officially announce his lover?]

[For real or not?]

[Director Zhao said so! He said that among the male guests this time, there is Jiang Xu’s lover.]

[Good guy! A real couple has mixed into this. So, looking forward to the official announcement!]

Ten minutes after the program started, #JiangXuAndMysteriousLover# rushed to the top of the trending searches.