Perfect Divorce [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 2

As one of the most popular “loving couples” in the entertainment industry, the hype surrounding Yuan Xingzhou and Ye Huai had never been low.

One primary reason was that Ye Huai was simply too famous. Even though he had been gone for several years and never showed his face on social media, the public still considered his visuals to be the “ceiling” for all idols.

The second reason was that this CP (couple) was simply too unexpected. In the words of netizens, this pairing was more surreal than a crossover between Lin Daiyu and Voldemort—yet, it was somehow real!

Whenever Yuan Xingzhou mentioned Ye Huai in interviews, those segments were edited into “CUT” collections, serving as evidence for CP fans to “excavate” the past. Fans would scour his interviews while cross-referencing videos of them in the same frame during group activities—whether official footage or fan-taken. From their gazes to their movements, from their clothing to their accessories, they hunted for every tiny clue of their romance.

The process was exhilarating. Especially after finding “verification,” fans would imagine how these two managed to go the whole day without speaking, only to snuggle up together at night to watch fireworks. Was it because Great Deity Ye’s acting was too good, or was Yuan Xingzhou simply too shy?

As the saying goes, “A wife is not as good as a concubine, and a concubine is not as good as a secret affair.” The year or so of the “Huai-Zhou” CP’s “clandestine love” made fans extremely excited. Even three years after the group disbanded, the view counts on their old activity videos surged again, becoming a place for fans to gather and “catch them in the act.”

Inside the “Huai-Zhou CP” Super Topic, the fans celebrated daily. The most common phrases were:

“Stanning this CP is risky; proceed with caution. I’m currently being rushed to the ER for sugar poisoning.”

“Other CPs are so lazy their fans have to make their own sugar to eat; our CP is so lazy that the leads force-feed you the sugar.”

Some even let their imaginations run wild:

“I wonder if Huai-huai gets jealous when he hears Zhou-zhou telling their little secrets? Will he then do ‘this and that’ to Zhou-zhou over the phone… as punishment…?”

“Zhou-zhou hasn’t been online for three days, and there’s no flight information. I wonder if he secretly went to the UK to find Huai-huai?”

Yuan Xingzhou had never anticipated any of this.

In fact, even his manager, Li Yu, didn’t know that Yuan Xingzhou and Ye Huai were not familiar with each other at all. The two had barely spoken, let alone dated or proposed.

He didn’t even have Ye Huai’s phone number.

That initial “response” of his had merely been a way to get himself out of a tight spot. That day, he’d had a bit to drink and had been stung by a few pointed words from others. Feeling stifled and aggrieved, he had started talking nonsense. But he had underestimated everyone’s gossip-gathering abilities—or perhaps, he had underestimated Ye Huai’s influence. A single sentence that day had stirred up a thousand waves.

Lately, Yuan Xingzhou had felt like a boat riding the crest of a wave, heart in his throat. And today, he was finally going to be smashed to death on the beach.

Yuan Xingzhou thought, rather unseasonably, of Ye Huai’s fans scolding him for “parasitic marketing” to boost his own popularity. Although the agreed-upon marriage contract hadn’t been his wish, it was undeniable that he had indeed become popular because of Ye Huai’s fame.

But he had clearly heard that Ye Huai’s relatives were all abroad and that Ye Huai himself had moved abroad to settle down. Why was he suddenly coming back?

And how did the program crew find out?

The camera lens was zoomed in close on Yuan Xingzhou’s face. Subconsciously, he wanted to reach for his phone, but it had already been taken away by Cameraman A.

As the car entered the airport lane, the number of viewers in the livestream room approached three million. Yuan Xingzhou was panicking internally, but he knew he couldn’t show weakness.

“Ah, you guys…” He made an expression that sat somewhere between laughter and tears, then shook his head helplessly. He raised his right hand, gently covering his face.

His face was small, and his fingers were bony and slender, almost completely masking his expression. The viewers in the livestream thought he was being shy. “Ahhh!” the chat erupted into a mess as they began to praise his beautiful hands and take screenshots.

Behind his hand, Yuan Xingzhou’s features were extremely distorted, and his heart was screaming in the wind. If everyone found out that the so-called “sweet moments of the celebrity couple” were all made up by him, he would be finished.

Now he could only hope that Ye Huai wouldn’t show up—or else, with so many people at the scene…

Wait? That’s not right. He remembered that Ye Huai only ever used the VIP channel.

Yuan Xingzhou: “!!”

In a moment of excitement, Yuan Xingzhou took his hand away, not intending to remind the program crew. However, the driver didn’t head toward the parking lot. Instead, he drove straight to the other side. The right-side gate opened automatically, indicating entry into the VIP channel.

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

“Heavens,” Cameraman B exclaimed. “The livestream room is about to crash. The number of people online is at 3.9 million…”

So, Yuan Xingzhou pinned his hopes on the livestream crashing.

“It won’t crash. Last time during the gala, nine million was fine,” Cameraman A comforted him kindly. “The platform was prepared long ago; just relax.”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

At 11:50, the car stopped steadily in the VIP parking lot. In front of them was a Bentley. The cameraman got out first. Yuan Xingzhou’s hands and feet were sweating, and his face was pale. He turned his head to avoid the camera. In a final struggle, he saw some artificial flowers used as decoration on the program crew’s car. He grabbed them. At the very least, this would make him stand out and make things less awkward.

At 11:55, with a pale face and holding the fake flowers, Yuan Xingzhou stood stiffly outside the car. The VIP lounge was sparsely populated. Standing there like that, it was hard for others not to notice them.

“I told you,” Cameraman A said, turning his head to offer a kind reminder. “Your task is the easiest. Today, Yuan Cheng and Tan Yanke are doing the same content, but Tan Yanke doesn’t use the VIP lounge. Yuan Cheng will definitely have a hard time identifying him in the crowd.”

He quite liked Yuan Xingzhou; the guy had a good temper and was fair-skinned and handsome. Look at him—under this blazing sun, everyone else was getting tanned, but Yuan Xingzhou seemed even whiter.

“Your mother said you just got back from Fiji, but you actually didn’t get a tan. It’s just this outfit… it’s too… ‘personalized.'”

Ye Huai was wearing a gray jumpsuit. Although it was a luxury brand, the dusty color and the overly simple style unfortunately failed to highlight his beauty.

Wen Ting jumped down from the VIP shuttle and strode forward to catch up with Ye Huai. “Are we going to the company or going home to rest?”

“We?” Ye Huai didn’t stop. He gave him a bewildered glance. “I’m going to rest. What does that have to do with you?”

“Nothing, nothing,” Wen Ting laughed. “It’s just a figure of speech. I’ll do my work; I won’t get in your way.”

Ye Huai’s temper was notoriously bad. To ensure a pleasant future cooperation, his manager, Wen Ting, had dropped his many other artists and traveled thousands of miles to personally pick him up and bring him back to the country. Who would have thought he wouldn’t even hear a single polite word?

Ye Huai either didn’t speak, or when he did, it was: “What does that have to do with you?” The way he said it made it seem like Wen Ting was some sort of obsessed sycophant with nothing better to do.

Fortunately, Wen Ting didn’t mind. In his eyes, Ye Huai was simply the new cash cow he had dug up, the “Top Courtesan” he held in his hands… So what if the top star had a bad temper? That was only natural!

As the “pimp”—no, the manager—the artist’s productivity was the primary consideration. Everything else was trivial.

In a good mood, Wen Ting pulled out his sunglasses and put them on, tilting his head to compare himself to Ye Huai. He was 185 cm tall and was a recognized “god” in manager circles; thus, he was quite narcissistic and liked to compare leg length with artists.

Hmm, still a bit shorter than Ye Huai.

Wen Ting withdrew his gaze dejectedly. “If you’re resting, then stay at the company apartment first, how about that? That apartment is new, the first time it’s being rented out, and it’s close to the company.”

Ye Huai took his phone out of his pocket and continued watching the mystery drama he’d been binging on the plane.

“The privacy is very good,” Wen Ting said. “Butler service, reliable hygiene. As for an assistant…”

“I don’t want an assistant,” Ye Huai suddenly spoke. “I’ll live by myself.”

“Alright.” Wen Ting smiled, continuing his “nagging mother” mode. “We’re here. Hey… who are those people?”

At the end of the VIP channel stood four or five people. Someone was holding a bouquet of flowers that hid their face, and others were holding cameras pointed straight at them. Ye Huai looked completely bewildered.

Wen Ting’s expression changed instantly as he understood. “Sasaengs! Damn it, and proxy photographers too!”

At the same time, Yuan Xingzhou also saw them. The bullet comments in the livestream room were already unreadable.

“Ahhh! Am I about to see the ‘Century Hug’ (Hot Kiss)?”

“I will protect the ‘Huai-Zhou’ hot kiss with my life!!”

“Ye Huai! Go for it, ahhh!”

“Zhou-zhou, Zhou-zhou don’t just stand there, go! Go find your husband!”

…

“Zhou-zhou is rushing over! Ahhh, Zhou-zhou is the best!!”

In the lens, Yuan Xingzhou, clutching the flowers, rushed out without a second thought.

“Didn’t you say nobody knew?” Ye Huai gripped his phone, about to lose his temper.

“Don’t worry about that now!” Wen Ting’s face went cold. He stepped in front to block him, urging, “Quick, quick, quick, get in the car!”

This situation was too unexpected. Ye Huai had been harassed by sasaeng fans before and had almost had a heart attack from the scare. Frowning, he lowered his head and walked quickly toward the Bentley.

Yuan Xingzhou also quickened his pace. He knew he shouldn’t be hyping a CP or doing wrong by Ye Huai, but things had already come to this. If the truth were exposed, his career would be over. Yuan Xingzhou’s heart died and came back to life repeatedly under the hot sun. Finally, he steeled himself and a “wicked” thought was born.

—He planned to drag Ye Huai into the water with him, muddle through this crisis first, and then go back and explain later. At worst, he would apologize with his life.

Now that the people over there had finally come out, Yuan Xingzhou saw a tall figure with long legs, a suit, and sunglasses… He thought the person seemed to have changed a bit, but he didn’t hesitate for a second as he lunged forward.

Ye Huai’s pupils contracted slightly when he saw that person running over. He sped up toward the Bentley. However, in an instant, that “sasaeng fan” from across the way actually lunged straight… toward the manager.

Ye Huai froze for a moment. Simultaneously, he sidestepped, perfectly sliding into the Bentley. He slammed the door shut, then leaned against the window, staring outside with three parts curiosity and seven parts shock.

The manager was being hugged around the neck by that enthusiastic sasaeng! The manager was knocked back two steps by the impact! That person had their legs wrapped around the manager’s waist!

Ye Huai: “…”

Oh ho?!

Incredible, truly incredible. These days, even managers have sasaeng fans…

Wen Ting also firmly gripped the person’s waist. Good waist strength, amazing arm strength! Ye Huai suddenly felt a bit gleeful, thinking that Manager Wen must have practiced quite a few “lifts” in his time…

Wen Ting held the person and spun half a circle, revealing the sasaeng fan’s face.

Ye Huai: “???”

He froze slightly, his eyes widening. Looks a bit familiar?

Outside the car, Yuan Xingzhou also widened his eyes. The cameramen were all stunned by this turn of events. Someone filmed Ye Huai in the car, while others filmed Yuan Xingzhou hugging the manager.

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

Wen Ting, of course, recognized Yuan Xingzhou. He lowered his sunglasses, saying in surprise, “Xingzhou? How… why… ah! You’re here to pick up Ye Huai, right!”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

“Ye Huai just…” Wen Ting was about to reach out and pull Ye Huai over when he suddenly realized something was wrong.

Wen Ting: “???” Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

The “Huai-Zhou” CP was known to everyone under heaven. Wen Ting had even wanted to tease Ye Huai about it earlier, but because the schedule was too rushed and the latter’s temper was too foul, he had forgotten. But regardless, he and Yuan Xingzhou shouldn’t be hugging like this!

In the Surprise livestream room, the audience also exploded. Everyone was collectively dumbfounded, and strings of question marks almost covered the screen.

Panicking, Yuan Xingzhou jumped down from Wen Ting. Wen Ting hurriedly let go of him. The two looked at each other and then, in unison, looked toward the Bentley.

Cameramen A, B, and C also seemed to think Ye Huai’s reaction was more important; three cameras switched simultaneously. Thus, four million livestream viewers together saw those two very bright, very spirited… eyes of Ye Huai through the car window.