Join a Dating Reality Show with the Aloof, Fishing-Style Richest Man - Chapter 25

Zhou Jiaoyan noticed the change in Ji Zhaoxi’s expression. Her own face turned serious as she asked, “What’s wrong? What happened?”

Ji Zhaoxi hung up the phone. Meeting those worried eyes, she curled her lips into a smile, though her gaze remained utterly cold.

“The old man wants to take me to Old Master Xu’s birthday banquet tonight. And while we’re at it, he wants me to meet that ‘Second Master Xu’.”

Zhou Jiaoyan’s brows furrowed instantly. “What does he gain from doing this?”

Ji Zhaoxi looked down and tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Disgusting someone doesn’t cost a dime.”

Zhou Jiaoyan was speechless for a moment before finally asking, “Are you really going? That Xu guy is bad news.”

Ji Zhaoxi’s expression returned to normal. Her voice was flat as she replied, “I don’t have time. I’m taking the cat for a bath with Lu Zhao today.”

Zhou Jiaoyan: “…”

She nodded, looking like she had nothing left to say, and departed.

Once Zhou Jiaoyan left, Ji Zhaoxi sent a message to Lu Zhao and quickly dove back into her work.

Lu Zhao was currently packing bedsheets. Hearing the specific notification tone assigned to Ji Zhaoxi, she immediately dropped what she was doing and pulled out her phone.

Over the past few years, she had developed a habit of checking messages the second they arrived. She was terrified that a late reply might result in her moody employer firing her.

Ji Zhaoxi: Send me a message when you’re done moving back. I’ll go with you to accompany Tangyuan for her bath.

Lu Zhao scratched her head upon reading this.

Lu Zhao: If you’re busy with work, I can take Tangyuan for a bath by myself.

It wasn’t like a cat bath required two people, right?

Ji Zhaoxi: No. This is Tangyuan’s first bath at our home. I must be there.

Lu Zhao’s eyes widened. Was this really such a vital event?

Ji Zhaoxi: Cats are afraid of water and feel insecure during baths. I need to be by her side then. Otherwise, she’ll only be close to you and not me in the future.

Lu Zhao: “…”

Fine. That reason was flawless. Lu Zhao imagined the pain she’d feel if Tangyuan wasn’t close to her, so she understood Ji Zhaoxi’s logic.

After replying with an “OK,” Lu Zhao picked up the pace. Tangyuan was home alone, and she needed to get back to accompany her as soon as possible!

Fortunately, Lu Zhao didn’t have much stuff. After she and Sister Li finished packing, the house gradually emptied. They loaded the car, and Lu Zhao went out to buy a bunch of fruit. she went door-to-door to give them to the elderly neighbors, telling them she was moving out.

They were sad to see her go, but they understood that young people needed to make their way in the world. They didn’t say much, just gave her a few parting words of advice and let her go.

Before she left, Grandma Qi pulled Lu Zhao aside and told her to come back and visit often—and preferably bring “that girl” along. She thought “that girl” was very nice.

“That girl” being Ji Zhaoxi.

Lu Zhao felt like sweating bullets, but she nodded obediently. She told them that if they ever really “got together,” she would definitely bring her back for a visit.

Inner monologue: The possibility of us being together is microscopic.

Sister Li drove Lu Zhao back to Ji Zhaoxi’s house. After messaging Ji Zhaoxi, Lu Zhao started looking for Tangyuan.

Perhaps due to Sister Li’s presence as a stranger, Tangyuan had been hiding. When Lu Zhao finally found her, she was curled up in the blankets. Seeing Lu Zhao, she gave a tiny, soft meow.

Lu Zhao’s heart nearly melted. She rubbed the little cat’s head. Realizing Sister Li might be around often in the future, she picked Tangyuan up to introduce them so she wouldn’t be as scared next time.

When Sister Li saw the cat, she immediately leaned in to pet her, praising, “She looks even better than in the photos!”

“Of course! Our Tangyuan just isn’t very photogenic!” Lu Zhao said proudly.

Sister Li didn’t even bother to bicker with her. She used a high-pitched voice to coo and play with Tangyuan. Being held by Lu Zhao made Tangyuan feel safe enough to stop being afraid; she even started lifting a paw to respond.

“Alright, now that you’ve met, I don’t need your help with the rest. You can head back, Sister Li!” Lu Zhao flashed a bright smile.

Sister Li: “…”

Is this girl annoyed that I’m playing with her cat?

However, she did have official business to attend to. Although Lu Zhao was currently popular, her foundation was unstable, and there were many things Sister Li needed to handle. She didn’t linger and left shortly after.

Once she was gone, Lu Zhao pushed her belongings into the guest bedroom. Tangyuan followed closely at her heels, making Lu Zhao constantly worry about stepping on her paws.

About half an hour later, the sound of the keypad lock echoed from the door. Tangyuan immediately scampered toward the entrance.

The door opened. Tangyuan lunged at Ji Zhaoxi’s legs, meowing softly.

Ji Zhaoxi bent down to pick her up. Seeing Lu Zhao holding a glass of water, she asked, “Finished moving?”

“Yeah, I didn’t have much. I’ll just organize everything tonight.”

Ji Zhaoxi nodded. “The water heater in your bedroom is fixed. Check if there are any issues when you shower today; I’ll have someone come back if there are.”

“Okay!” Lu Zhao nodded, then checked the time. “It’s noon. Have you eaten?”

Ji Zhaoxi glanced at Lu Zhao’s damp hair at her forehead and said, “I’m a bit hungry. Let’s eat out.”

Lu Zhao started to say she could cook at home, but hearing that Ji Zhaoxi was hungry, she agreed. Eating out was indeed faster.

Since they decided to eat out, they put Tangyuan in the carrier with some food and water and headed out.

Keeping the bath in mind, they didn’t spend much time picking a restaurant. They chose a place near the neighborhood, ate their fill, and then Ji Zhaoxi drove straight to a pet shop she had pre-selected.

“We’ll let the staff help with the bath this time. Later on, we can do it ourselves at home,” Ji Zhaoxi said while driving.

“Yeah, I agree,” Lu Zhao concurred.

When they arrived, the receptionist was already waiting. Ji Zhaoxi had an appointment, so someone immediately took the carrier to bring Tangyuan for her bath.

Lu Zhao followed, wanting to learn the professional techniques so she could be more skilled when she washed Tangyuan herself.

A moment later, Ji Zhaoxi joined her. Watching Tangyuan—who looked scared but wasn’t making a fuss—her eyes softened.

“She’s a bit like you.”

“Huh?”

The out-of-the-blue comment confused Lu Zhao. Following Ji Zhaoxi’s gaze, she realized what she meant.

“Bullsh*t!” Lu Zhao whispered. “I’m not that cowardly!”

Ji Zhaoxi turned to look at her, a hint of melancholy in her expression, but she didn’t speak.

Lu Zhao felt uncomfortable under her gaze and said awkwardly, “Why are you staring at me like that? Let me tell you, I’m not for sale!”

The corners of Ji Zhaoxi’s mouth curved up. Her voice was light. “I just wanted to remind you that as an entertainer, you shouldn’t speak so crudely.”

Lu Zhao rolled her eyes and kept her voice low. “I’m only saying it to you. It’s not like you’re going to leak it to the paparazzi, right?”

Ji Zhaoxi smiled but said nothing.

While the two were whispering, Tangyuan—now soaked and looking pitiful in the washbasin—gave them a resentful look but didn’t dare move under the staff’s hands.

After the bath came the blow-drying. The two followed to the next station. Meanwhile, the internet was becoming a completely different story.

It started with a marketing account posting news that the two had moved in together, accompanied by photos of Lu Zhao and Ji Zhaoxi entering and leaving the same neighborhood. As the rumors spread, people were even claiming they were about to meet each other’s parents!

— Wait, are they really together?! — My god, why am I suddenly jealous? So President Ji actually likes the “simp” type? — If it’s true, how long can a relationship based on one-sided simping actually last? — Big news! The show “More Than Friends” officially announced they’re both joining the dating variety show. Are they just faking a CP for publicity?

Just a short while ago, the official account for More Than Friends announced Lu Zhao and Ji Zhaoxi’s participation. The post immediately hit the top of the entertainment charts, given that these two were currently the hottest topics.

Many people commented on the official post asking if they were intentionally faking a “Couple” (CP) dynamic and if Lu Zhao’s “simp” persona was fake just to get famous.

Unexpectedly, the official account went rogue and replied directly to a commenter: “Actually, no. We just saw how high their popularity was and specifically invited them~”

It was a blatant admission: “We, the production team, are the ones leeching off their traffic~”

This reply left netizens stunned.

— I’m speechless. — Does this production team even try to pretend anymore?! — They’re too honest. I need a moment to process this style of management. — So, Lu Zhao is officially a certified simp now?

Opinions varied. Some said it was all a stunt; others argued it didn’t look like one, as nobody would willingly brand themselves a “simp.”

The mainstream theory was that it wasn’t a stunt. After all, with Ji Zhaoxi’s status, she had no reason to do it, and she wasn’t an entertainer who needed the fame.

— So if it’s not a stunt, did Lu Zhao actually succeed in her simping? — Gosh, a “love-brain” simp like Lu Zhao is so easy to PUA (manipulate)! I hope Ji Zhaoxi is as decent as she looks. — Wait, isn’t it the ones who look the most decent who are usually the manipulators? — Tsk, now I’m actually worried about Lu Zhao’s “love-brain.” I’m going to follow her Weibo to keep an eye on things!

Lu Zhao’s follower count began to surge again. Many people left comments telling her not to be such a “love-brain” and warning her that if she got manipulated, it would be pathetic.

If a normal person gets manipulated, only a few people know. If a female celebrity gets manipulated, the whole country knows, and the sympathy would eventually turn into “I told you so.”

During a break while Tangyuan was being dried, Lu Zhao browsed the web and saw her name and Ji Zhaoxi’s trending again. She was confused at first, then saw the flood of comments calling her a “love-brain”…

Lu Zhao: “…”

How did this turn back to being a love-brain? Do I look like one? My face clearly says “money-brain”!

Besides, she wouldn’t dare be a love-brain! She couldn’t even identify all the edible wild greens yet—if she lost her mind to love and got dumped, she wouldn’t even know which weeds to eat to survive!

Seeing her strange expression, Ji Zhaoxi asked, “What’s wrong?”

Lu Zhao looked up and turned her phone toward her, sighing. “Babe, you have to be a good person in the future. Don’t PUA me.”

Ji Zhaoxi looked at the screen: “…”

Do I really look like someone who would use psychological control on others?

Ji Zhaoxi hesitated. She touched her own face, genuinely puzzled. “Do I really have the face of a jerk?”

Lu Zhao studied her face carefully and shook her head seriously. “No, you have the face of someone who practices the ‘Path of No Emotion’ (Cultivation).”

Ji Zhaoxi: “…”

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