Perfect Divorce [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 24

After dinner, the other guests took it upon themselves to tidy up the dining room, wash the dishes, and brew a pot of tea. Everyone then gathered around the table to sit.

“That was amazing,” a food-loving straight male guest said, looking at Ye Huai with an expression of pure worship. “No wonder they all call you ‘God Ye.’ From now on, you’re my god too… Great God, can you stay?”

“Are you being funny?” Yin Fei wiped her mouth with a wet wipe, looking at him with disdain. “When we call him ‘God Ye,’ we’re talking about his god-tier looks, not that he’s a God of Cookery.”

She then smiled at Yuan Xingzhou and took the initiative to introduce the man. “This guy’s name matches his nature—he’s Ai Chi (‘Loves to Eat’). He’s my partner.”

In the first episode of Idol Romance Season, there were four pairs of CPs: Li Yi and Sun Kai; Yin Fei and Ai Chi; the dancer Ma Yin and male guest Pan Yunhai; and Yuan Cheng and Tan Yanke.

The four groups had received the same script and were discussing among themselves how to perform and interpret their roles.

Tonight, the four teams would compete to decide who would get to do the official filming. In the overseas version, the winner was decided by a host teacher, but the program crew had messed with the rules, changing it to a peer-voting system.

As soon as Yuan Xingzhou saw the voting system, he felt it was unreliable. It was too subjective; the final result wouldn’t necessarily have anything to do with the quality of the performance.

However, as he was only a guest star, he didn’t have much of a vote, so he could only grumble inwardly. After resting for a while, the group was indeed notified by the production crew to head to the filming building. Yuan Xingzhou and Ye Huai also had to go to familiarize themselves with the plot and prepare for tomorrow’s rehearsal.

Inside Building A, the crew had set up several temporary cubicles. Each cubicle had a screen displaying the feed from the monitors.

While a group was performing, the other groups could watch simultaneously in their own cubicles and cast their votes.

“There are cameras inside; be careful what you say,” Yuan Xingzhou whispered a reminder to Ye Huai before they entered. “No matter how they perform, just praise them.”

This was a reality show, after all. Yuan Xingzhou was terrified that if Ye Huai said something too blunt, the production crew would edit it maliciously and release it, offending people.

“I won’t talk nonsense,” Ye Huai promised. “I know what I’m doing.”

Seeing that his expression didn’t seem feigned, Yuan Xingzhou finally felt at ease. The others drew lots, and the two of them chose a cubicle to sit in.

Sure enough, a camera was mounted directly above the screen, pointed right at their faces.

Ye Huai was clearly very excited. After sitting down, he looked around in all directions and asked Yuan Xingzhou, “What are we performing tomorrow?”

“A couple having a fight. They make a huge scene at a hotel buffet, acting very unrefined. The male lead comes to eat but is scared away by us. When he tries to return to his room, the female lead targets him and tries to seduce him.”

Yuan Xingzhou explained the plot to him. “The main storyline is that the female lead, as a con artist, goes to seduce the honest male lead, only to find that she actually falls in love with him and later seeks him out for a reconciliation.”

Ye Huai was very curious. “How much money was the male lead scammed out of?”

Yuan Xingzhou replied, “He hasn’t been scammed yet.”

“It seems he’s not that ‘honest’ of a man then,” Ye Huai remarked. “Talking about love without spending money—isn’t that just being a rogue?”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

As the two chatted casually, Yuan Xingzhou suddenly remembered the “lover” Yuan Cheng had mentioned. Judging by Ye Huai’s tone, he must have been very generous when he was in a relationship before.

“If you were the male lead,” Yuan Xingzhou couldn’t help but ask, “what would you do?”

Ye Huai said, “If it’s someone I don’t like, I would at least give them some money to send them off out of politeness. As for someone I do like… that goes without saying. I’d move my whole house for them if I had to.”

It was the classic posture of a wealthy second-generation heir, but Yuan Xingzhou froze for a moment.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Huai turned back to look at him.

“It’s starting,” Yuan Xingzhou had already turned his face away, pointing at the screen. “The first group is Yin Fei.”

The highlight of this plot lay in the temptation of the female con artist and the stiff response of the honest man. However, Yin Fei and Ai Chi were both too green; they performed like primary schoolers fighting, with no sense of sexiness whatsoever.

Yuan Xingzhou stared at the screen, but he couldn’t take any of it in.

So, even for someone Ye Huai doesn’t like, he would give a decent ‘send-off’ gift out of politeness? Then that guitar…

Yuan Xingzhou’s heart began to throb. He had almost forgotten Ye Huai’s background. The man’s maternal family was a jewelry dynasty, and his father’s side was composed of business geniuses. In terms of assets and net worth, he would easily crush several Huo Yangqings. A hundred thousand or so really didn’t count for much; it was probably less than the price of a few bags for his “gods.”

It was just that although Yuan Xingzhou hadn’t intended to keep the guitar, he had been happy in his heart—he had thought that Ye Huai placed a little bit, even an insignificant bit, of importance on him, which was why he had given him a gift.

Looking at it now, it was possible he was just being sentimental.

It made sense; Ye Huai had previously assumed he could play the piano and cook. If he really cared even a little, how could he not know these things?

Yuan Xingzhou felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over his head, leaving him completely sobered.

The people on the screen had changed to Yuan Cheng and Tan Yanke at some point.

Looking at Yuan Cheng through the lens, Yuan Xingzhou had to admit that although Yuan Cheng wasn’t kind to him, he was actually very cute, with almond eyes and a perky nose—much better looking than himself.

Having been at the bottom of the group’s popularity for years, Yuan Xingzhou considered his only merit to be his self-awareness. If Ye Huai didn’t even like Yuan Cheng, how could he ever notice him?

He wondered what Ye Huai’s lover looked like. He must be an exceptionally beautiful and cute boy, right?

What would it be like when he spent time with that boy?

“Is it good?” Ye Huai suddenly spoke, glancing at Yuan Xingzhou.

On the screen, Tan Yanke and Yuan Cheng were taking their bows. Yuan Xingzhou was dazed for a moment and nodded stiffly. “It’s good.”

Ye Huai fell silent.

Yuan Xingzhou saw Li Yi and Sun Kai go up. Fearing that his distraction was too obvious, he took a deep breath and focused on the screen.

However, the female con artist played by Li Yi was full of righteous aura, while the honest man played by Sun Kai was slightly slick, his eyes darting as if he had a guilty conscience.

As Yuan Xingzhou watched, he remembered that Sun Kai had the same expression earlier in the evening. There was a clear look of appraisal in his eyes, but intimidated by Ye Huai’s aura, he had eventually slunk away dejectedly, much to Yuan Xingzhou’s disappointment.

But Ye Huai’s possessiveness had nothing to do with feelings; perhaps he would be just as domineering if it were his manager or a friend.

The atmosphere in the cubicle turned noticeably somber.

Yuan Xingzhou stared at the screen in a daze, while Ye Huai watched him, trying to figure out what he was thinking.

However, even by the time the fourth group finished, he hadn’t reached any conclusion.

The winning group would be decided by everyone’s votes. Since the two of them didn’t need to vote, they were allowed to go back and rest.

Ye Huai watched as Yuan Xingzhou woodenly said goodbye to the staff and then walked back in silence.

The mountains were quiet, and the little mushroom lights along the path emitted a weak glow, barely lighting the square inch beneath their feet.

“What’s wrong?” Ye Huai made several wild guesses, but after failing to find a reason for a long time, he simply asked, “You seem unhappy?”

Yuan Xingzhou was currently pondering what kind of boyfriend he should look for in the future. Hearing this, he was startled and quickly shook his head. “No, nothing.”

He subconsciously looked back.

“The cameras aren’t following,” Ye Huai persisted. “What is actually wrong with you?”

Yuan Xingzhou: “Really, nothing.”

“Do you take me for a fool?” Ye Huai suddenly became displeased and stopped walking. “You were fine while watching the performances, but then you suddenly stopped talking. What were you thinking about?”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

“I,” Yuan Xingzhou coughed lightly and forced a smile, “I was thinking about that guitar. Remember to maintain it properly when you take it home.”

Ye Huai: “What do you mean by that?”

“Nothing.” In the darkness, neither of them could see the other’s expression. Yuan Xingzhou relaxed for a moment and said, “I don’t want it.”

Ye Huai didn’t move for a long time. The two of them stood on the path in a silent standoff.

Yuan Xingzhou suddenly felt a bit of regret. He could sense that Ye Huai was very upset. If this man exploded, what would he do if he couldn’t soothe him?

“Is it because I wanted to see your abs?” After a long while, Ye Huai squeezed out this sentence.

“No.” Yuan Xingzhou didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. “It has nothing to do with that.”

Ye Huai: “…”

“I’m sorry,” Yuan Xingzhou said. “I shouldn’t have said it now. It’s just, it’s just… Sigh, can we talk about this when we get back?”

The others would surely return to Building C after they finished recording. If they were seen standing like this, anyone would know they were fighting.

“I’m only asking you one thing.” Ye Huai spoke word by word, in an indisputable tone. “Just now, when we came out of the building, what were you really thinking?”

Yuan Xingzhou: “I…”

“Don’t lie to me…” Ye Huai said. “I can tell.”

“I was thinking,” Yuan Xingzhou was a bit worried he would lose his temper, so he told the truth, “about what kind of boyfriend I should look for… after we ‘de-couple’…”

After Yuan Xingzhou said it, he felt incredibly awkward.

Fortunately, Ye Huai only nodded. Then, without saying another word, he stepped forward and walked straight ahead, as if he didn’t even want to look at him.

Yuan Xingzhou watched him walk past and finally let out a sigh of relief.

Ye Huai’s behavior confirmed his previous suspicions. He chuckled self-mockingly in his heart, then silently followed behind, climbing the stairs back to the dormitory.

Ye Huai opened the door and walked straight to the corner. He then picked up the guitar and pushed open a sliding glass door.

Yuan Xingzhou sensed something was wrong. He didn’t have time to turn on the light and rushed over.

“What are you doing!” Yuan Xingzhou grabbed the guitar bag.

Ye Huai didn’t look at him. With a surge of strength in his arm, he managed to pull the guitar bag back quite a distance.

Caring nothing for his image, Yuan Xingzhou simply wrapped himself around the guitar bag, hugging it tightly.

“You—you, stay calm.” Yuan Xingzhou was thoroughly frightened. He looked up and said repeatedly, “…What are you doing?”

“Throwing it away,” Ye Huai turned back and said coldly. “What does it have to do with you?”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

Yuan Xingzhou didn’t want to answer that, but he didn’t dare let go of the guitar either.

Ye Huai gave it a tug and frowned slightly. “Let go.”

Yuan Xingzhou: “I won’t.”

Ye Huai: “Let go.”

Yuan Xingzhou: “Never.”

Ye Huai: “…”

“Didn’t you say you didn’t want it?” Ye Huai asked. “If you don’t want it, then it has absolutely nothing to do with you. If I don’t throw it away today, I’ll burn it tomorrow.”

Yuan Xingzhou finally realized that Ye Huai was truly angry this time.

But what was at work this time? Ego?

But he couldn’t keep muddled through like this.

“I don’t want to just casually accept gifts from other people,” Yuan Xingzhou said. “You have your own standards for giving—you give things to people whether you like them or not. But I have my own standards too.”

He paused here and said softly, “You also know what they say about my ‘conditions’… I don’t want to take advantage of people. So, for gifts I shouldn’t take, I won’t. If I do take one, I must at least return something of similar value. This one is too heavy.”

Although he wasn’t currently unable to afford such a return gift, at the thought that this might be a “send-off” gift Ye Huai gave out of politeness, Yuan Xingzhou found it particularly unacceptable.

Maybe it’s my own ego at work… Yuan Xingzhou thought secretly, though he didn’t dare say it aloud.

Ye Huai seemed not to have expected him to say this. He raised his hand but eventually lowered it.

The two of them were in a stalemate for a moment. Finally, Ye Huai admitted defeat. He turned around, turned on the light, and went into the bathroom.

Yuan Xingzhou breathed a sigh of relief. He put the guitar bag away, far from the doors and windows. Then, remembering that Ye Huai hadn’t brought his toiletries, he quickly found them from his suitcase and handed them over.

“Save them for your boyfriend,” Ye Huai said expressionlessly. “Sorry for making you spend money. Thanks for the kind thought!”

Yuan Xingzhou was stunned and felt a bit helpless. “I don’t have one. I was just thinking about it.”

“Oh, really?” After washing his face, Ye Huai gave it a messy wipe, then stripped off his clothes and got into bed. “You can burn them for him in your dreams.”

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

Yuan Xingzhou washed up himself, then changed into his pajamas and went to bed. Beside him, Ye Huai was tossing and turning, appearing quite irritable. Yuan Xingzhou felt very awkward. Then he realized—could Ye Huai really endure not brushing his teeth? One had to remember that when they first arrived at the dorm, this man had searched for a toothbrush so frantically he almost tore the house apart.

Just as he was thinking this, he felt a movement beside him. Ye Huai had indeed gotten up.

Yuan Xingzhou: “…”

“Where’s the toothbrush?” Ye Huai had an unhappy face, standing at the foot of the bed radiating coldness. “Borrow one from your boyfriend for now. I’ll pay him back with interest later.”