Pretending Not to Love You [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 67

Chapter 67

Before the premiere of I Think I Love You, Director Zhao contacted Zuo Qiu and invited them both to participate in promotional activities. As the lead creators of the drama, they naturally felt obligated to promote it. After requesting leave from Ou Sheng, they immediately headed to Z City.

The main promotional locations were Z City, where Z Channel was located, and B City, where Y Network was located. The main creators of the drama first stayed in Z City for two days before going to B City.

The director of Z Channel had a good relationship with Zhao Zhixian. The variety show Come With Me that Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun participated in previously was on Z Channel, and the host they met, Liu Min, was an old acquaintance. The crew’s treatment at Z Channel was excellent; they stayed in a local five-star hotel, and there was no trouble during the recording of the program.

But Y Network was different. When the director, Daisy, Zhu Mao, Xiao Baijun, and Zuo Qiu were seated in the recording studio for an interview program on Y Network, the female host in front of them took a phone call, then stood up and apologized, telling the group that the host had been temporarily replaced. She picked up her interview script and left the recording studio, leaving the group utterly confused. Five minutes later, they heard the clacking of high heels. A long-haired woman in a low-cut top and a short skirt pushed the door open and walked straight to the host’s seat.

The new host did not introduce herself. After scrutinizing the group with interest, she immediately directed her attention to Daisy and Zhu Mao, “People say that love or marriage that doesn’t have the blessing of family won’t be happy. Daisy, you got together with Zhu Mao, who is not your social equal, despite your family’s disapproval. Do you think you will regret it later?”

Zuo Qiu had always heard that many video websites liked to create sensationalism to attract attention, such as secretly filming artists’ privacy or asking unconventional questions. They didn’t care what the artists thought, lacked a moral bottom line, and only pursued ratings and buzz.

For instance, one time, an artist was asked by a host during an event, “Are you sad that your mother died?” The female artist who had just lost a loved one immediately shot back, “Are you sad that your mother died?”

But this was the first time Zuo Qiu actually faced such a situation. Seeing Daisy and Zhu Mao’s expressions turn bad and neither of them speaking, he smiled to ease the tension, “Nini is currently working hard to repair her relationship with her family. I believe everything will have a happy ending in the future.”

However, the female host seemed unconcerned with the feelings of those present. Seeing Zuo Qiu speak, she glanced at him and said, “I heard your parents are teachers. Didn’t they teach you not to interrupt casually?”

This remark was quite excessive. She insulted Zuo Qiu and simultaneously cursed his parents. Even Director Zhao’s face turned grim. Director Zhao was angry at Y Network. Their previous collaborations had been good. He didn’t know what was going on this time, letting an uncured patient out of a mental hospital to bite people indiscriminately. He gave a look to his assistant outside the camera, signaling him to call the person in charge of Y Network.

Having his parents implicated for no reason made Zuo Qiu feel very uncomfortable, but he couldn’t say anything in front of the camera and could only silently endure it.

Xiao Baijun, sitting nearby and unable to stand Zuo Qiu suffering even the slightest grievance, couldn’t tolerate it. He leaned back in his chair, resting his right foot on his left knee, and asked the female host, “Did your parents teach you to spew foul words with your mouth since childhood?”

The host pointed at Xiao Baijun and angrily shouted, “What did you say?”

Xiao Baijun didn’t answer her but immediately started rebutting her previous question, “You said people say that love or marriage without the blessing of family won’t be happy. Who are these ‘people’? Call them out. I’d like to see how much nerve they have to jump to conclusions so casually. Besides, whether they’re happy or not, what’s it got to do with you?”

The female host snorted and sneered, “Are Xiao Family’s Second Young Master’s words his personal true feelings? Oh, thinking about it, your life shouldn’t be going too smoothly lately, after all, your love is a de-formed re-la-tion-ship that the public can’t accept!”

The three words “deformed relationship” were spoken particularly slowly, and the disdain and sarcasm in her tone were obvious.

Zuo Qiu held down Xiao Baijun, who was about to erupt, and looked around at the expressions of everyone. Director Zhao on stage looked bewildered, Zhu Mao was silent, and Daisy was furious. The most surprising thing to him was that no one in the Y Network camera crew outside the set looked surprised. It seemed that his and Xiao Baijun’s relationship was already an open secret within Y Network.

Daisy, who had been suppressing her anger, no longer cared about her image. Being dissed herself was one thing, but even Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun, who tried to help her, were getting attacked. She couldn’t take it anymore. She stood up and loudly said, “What kind of host are you? Don’t think you’re great just because your dad is the CEO of Y Network.”

The female host tossed her hair, “My dad is the CEO, and I think it’s quite remarkable to be able to trample on a few little clowns. Besides, when a certain person’s father could still back her up, wasn’t she also throwing her weight around at H Channel?”

Daisy: “Cheng Lingling, don’t go too far!”

Cheng Lingling was the same age as Daisy. They had played together for a while because their fathers had a good private relationship. Later, Daisy looked down on Cheng Lingling’s fawning and lack of principles, while Cheng Lingling thought Daisy was being falsely aloof. They mutually despised each other and cut off all contact.

Cheng Lingling, now known as Cheng Su, hated being called by her old name the most. Hearing it, she threatened, “Daisy, let’s see how many good days you have left. If you have guts, don’t come begging me later.”

“Who are you to be begged by her!” Xiao Baijun suddenly interjected.

“Hmph, based on the fact that I will be the future proprietress of Lingqu…” Cheng Lingling only realized she might have said too much after finishing the sentence. She swallowed the rest of her words, raised an eyebrow, and looked at Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun, “We’ll see if you two can handle it then.”

After speaking, she moved her lips and silently mouthed three words. These three words instantly enraged Xiao Baijun. He extended his leg and fiercely kicked the small round table in front of him toward Cheng Lingling. Cheng Lingling, on the opposite side of the table, nearly tripped and fell due to the sudden force.

“Xiao Baijun, what kind of gentleman are you, bullying a girl!” Cheng Lingling yelled.

Xiao Baijun ignored Cheng Lingling’s dishevelment, pointed a finger at her, “Very well, future Proprietress of Lingqu, we are not done!” He finished, stood up, and walked out of the studio. Zuo Qiu glanced at the seemingly startled Cheng Lingling, got up, and followed him. Daisy snorted and left with Zhu Mao too.

Director Zhao was stunned for a moment, then also got up and walked toward the door. He met his assistant at the door. The assistant, seeing that his mission had failed, immediately explained to Director Zhao, “They wouldn’t let me go out…”

Before he could finish, Director Zhao waved his hand, signaling him not to say more. The assistant bowed his head and followed Director Zhao outside.

…

Outside the Y Network building, Daisy picked up her phone and called her father, while Xiao Baijun and Zuo Qiu walked directly to Director Zhao.

Xiao Baijun: “Director Zhao, I apologize. Because of us, the reputation and ratings of the drama may be affected. If the investors have any problems, tell them to come find Bai Le.”

Bai Le was the biggest investor in I Think I Love You. They themselves didn’t care about earning much money or having a good reputation, but it was hard to say for others. Those people might not directly approach Bai Le, but there would inevitably be trouble for Director Zhao. Now that Y Network had caused this scene, it was hard to say whether the drama would be broadcast as planned or if they would be slandered, but the current situation was not optimistic.

Director Zhao, based on the last three words Cheng Lingling said combined with all the suspicious points, had already guessed the true relationship between Xiao Baijun and Zuo Qiu. It was too late to say anything now, so he just sighed and left with his assistant.

As Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun were about to get into the car, Daisy, who had finished her call, hurried over. She apologized to the two, “My dad was involved in this incident because he was targeting Zhu Mao. I apologize to you both on his behalf.”

Just now on the phone, Daisy had a fierce argument with her father. Although her father was targeting Zhu Mao, it didn’t negate the harm caused to Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun.

Xiao Baijun glanced at Daisy, “Take a message back to your father for me: if he continues to help Lingqu, don’t blame us for not warning him beforehand if anyone gets accidentally hurt.”

He finished and got into Guo Chen’s car. Zuo Qiu patted Daisy’s shoulder, comforted her with a few words, and then also got into the car.

Zhu Mao stood next to Daisy. As the two watched the car drive away, Zhu Mao spoke softly, sounding like he was talking to himself and asking Daisy, “Why do I feel like a storm is brewing?”

Daisy didn’t respond to him, standing still in deep thought.

…

The atmosphere inside the car was much better than outside. Zuo Qiu looked at the very proper-looking Xiao Baijun and couldn’t help but laugh, “I think you look very dignified right now.”

Xiao Baijun turned to look at him, “Dignified how?”

“Of course, like a CEO.” Today’s Xiao Baijun looked particularly authoritative. Zuo Qiu felt that this version of him was no less impressive than his older brother.

Xiao Baijun hid the trace of pride at the corner of his mouth and asked Zuo Qiu, “Where’s your CEO’s Wife dignity? Show it!”

Zuo Qiu’s face was covered in black lines, and Guo Chen, driving in the front, immediately broke character and burst out laughing.

Both of them turned to look at Guo Chen simultaneously. That Guo Chen, who usually existed like an invisible entity, could break character because of one sentence, made Zuo Qiu and Xiao Baijun find it amazing.

Guo Chen realized her laughter was very sudden after the fact. She lightly coughed, “Sorry.”

Interrupted by Guo Chen, Zuo Qiu didn’t dwell on Xiao Baijun’s shamelessness anymore. He looked out and noticed the surroundings didn’t look like the way back to the apartment, so he asked Xiao Baijun, “Where are we going?”

“To your in-laws’ house, of course.”

Having been teased continuously, Zuo Qiu finally couldn’t help it, “Xiao Er, that’s enough!”

“I haven’t had enough! Haven’t talked enough, haven’t loved enough, and certainly haven’t had enough!” Xiao Baijun’s sweet talk came out of nowhere, without any warning.

Zuo Qiu’s face was completely red. He felt that Xiao Baijun’s shamelessness had reached a point where he was powerless to talk back, so he decided to say no more.

Xiao Baijun loved seeing Zuo Qiu’s flushed face the most. He tilted his head and kept staring at him until the car stopped. He took off a button from his shirt, handed it to Guo Chen, and then got out of the car with Zuo Qiu.