Pretending Not to Love You [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Because it was the weekend, when Xiao Baijun brought Zuo Qiu back to the Xiao family home, everyone in the family was there. In the past, when he came here with Xiao Baijun, Zuo Qiu could restrain his nervousness, but this time, Zuo Qiu felt his legs shaking.

“Do you think your dad will break my legs?” In Zuo Qiu’s mind, he felt it was his influence that had affected Xiao Baijun’s orientation and turned him this way, so he always felt a little guilty seeing Xiao Baijun’s family.

Xiao Baijun turned to look at him and laughed self-deprecatingly, “No, he’ll only want to break my legs.”

In Xiao Zhan’s eyes, only he, the academic underachiever, could have corrupted the academic ace—the possibility of the academic ace falling for the underachiever first would never cross his mind.

Sure enough, as soon as the two entered the door, Xiao Zhan gave Xiao Baijun a side-eye and walked upstairs first. Xiao Baijun shrugged at Zuo Qiu, his eyes writing “See, I told you,” and then followed his father upstairs.

Xiao Baijun closed the door and saw the inkstone from his father’s desk flying toward him. He quickly caught the inkstone and dared not put it back on the desk to avoid a second injury.

“Rebellious son, you’re hopeless yourself, but you had to harm others too!”

Downstairs, Yin Qiushui and He Can looked at Zuo Qiu busy in the kitchen and became more satisfied the more they looked. He could cook, had a good temper, was a good student, and was a good actor. Most importantly, he could manage Jun-jun’s stubborn temper. He was truly impeccable.

Fifteen minutes later, Xiao Baijun came downstairs and saw his Grandma and Mom sitting on the sofa watching TV, but his “wife” was nowhere to be seen.

“Mom, where’s Zuo Qiu?”

He Can smiled and glanced at her younger son. Seeing his relaxed expression, she knew his conversation with his father had gone smoothly. She turned to Yin Qiushui and said, “This is probably a case of ‘having a wife and forgetting one’s mother,’ with only his wife left in his eyes.”

Yin Qiushui chuckled, “Your wife is more sensible than you; he’s cooking in the kitchen!”

As soon as Xiao Baijun heard Zuo Qiu was in the kitchen, his feet instinctively headed that way. After walking two steps, he turned back to his mother and said, “Zuo Qiu has been tired from running around promoting for the past two days. From now on, rough work like cooking should just be left to the auntie.”

Without waiting for He Can to say anything, Xiao Baijun went straight to the kitchen, leaving Yin Qiushui and He Can amused and helpless. The tradition of doting on one’s wife was passed down exceptionally well in Jun-jun.

Zuo Qiu was busy in the kitchen at the moment. He originally wanted to take on all the dishes for lunch, but Xiao Baijun stopped him, letting him only make two of his best dishes to wrap things up.

During the meal, Zuo Qiu’s two dishes were very popular, especially with Xiao Baijun, who was so enthusiastic he almost licked the plate clean, causing Xiao Bailin to roll his eyes.

After eating, the family sat on the sofa to digest and chat.

“Did your program recording go smoothly today?” Xiao Bailin proactively started the conversation.

Hearing this question, Zuo Qiu looked at Xiao Baijun, hesitating whether to tell the truth or whitewash the situation. In his view, he preferred to share good news over bad to avoid worrying Yin Qiushui and He Can if he told the truth.

But Xiao Baijun didn’t think so.

“No.”

The concise answer came out, surprising Zuo Qiu, but he didn’t say anything.

“What’s wrong?” He Can quickly asked.

“Cheng Jizhua deliberately caused trouble.”

Cheng Lingling’s father’s original name was Cheng Qingguo. After making his fortune with Y Network, he designed the Y Network logo to resemble a chicken claw. Since then, people in the industry privately called him Cheng Jizhua (Cheng Chicken Claw). Although Cheng Jizhua didn’t appear today, Xiao Baijun didn’t believe Cheng Lingling would dare to stir up trouble without his instruction.

The Xiao family members had all heard of Cheng Jizhua’s name. After hearing the story, they naturally started discussing his gossip.

Yin Qiushui said, “He and Tang Lingqu are fair-weather friends, birds of a feather.”

He Can said, “No wonder. I heard when I was playing cards with a few old friends’ wives a few days ago that Tang Lingqu gave Cheng Jizhua several gold bars.”

Yin Qiushui snorted, “What’s that? It’s not the first time the two of them have shared a lover, and also…”

Yin Qiushui’s gossip was interrupted by Xiao Zhan, “Ahem, Mom, restrain yourself. The children are here!”

Liking to gossip is the nature of women, no matter if they are in their teens or the age of a white-haired nonagenarian. Yin Qiushui, who had almost lost her composure, realized she had lost face in front of the younger generation. She looked at the expressions of the younger people: the eldest grandson’s eyes were wide, looking like he hadn’t heard enough gossip; the younger grandson was expressionless; and Zuo Qiu looked embarrassed.

“It’s alright, it’s alright. You are all in this industry, so it doesn’t matter if you know,” Yin Qiushui tried to save the situation.

But Xiao Zhan didn’t want his sons and “daughter-in-law” to listen to this, so he returned to the main topic, “What are your plans?”

Xiao Bailin remained on the sidelines, turning his eyes to his younger brother and waiting for him to decide, having no intention of getting involved.

Zuo Qiu also looked at Xiao Baijun. Xiao Baijun hadn’t involved him in these matters, but he also wanted to know.

Seeing the whole family looking at him, Xiao Baijun paused and stated only eight words: “When the troops come, the general will block; when the water comes, the earth will cover.” Anyway, no matter what, he wouldn’t let Zuo Qiu suffer any harm.

The Xiao family saw Xiao Baijun’s confident appearance and didn’t press further. Xiao Zhan, sitting opposite Xiao Baijun, inexplicably remembered something his younger son had told him before lunch: “If others don’t offend me, I won’t offend them. If others offend me, I’ll cut the weeds and remove the roots.” It was this sentence, which possessed the “traditional virtue” of the Xiao family, that made Xiao Zhan believe his younger son had truly grown into a responsible heir.

With their relationship approved by the whole family, Xiao Baijun no longer tried to hide or maintain distance from Zuo Qiu. After digesting the meal, he openly pulled Zuo Qiu into the room for a nap.

…

After the Xiao family watched Xiao Baijun and Zuo Qiu disappear, Yin Qiushui naturally steered the conversation to her eldest grandson’s lifelong affairs.

“Linzi, even your brother has a partner now. Where is yours? Don’t worry, Grandma has thought it through. Whether it’s a boyfriend or a girlfriend, as long as you truly love each other, Grandma can accept it. So, if you have one, just bring them home openly.”

Xiao Bailin wiped the non-existent sweat from his forehead, feeling a little embarrassed. Before the family knew about Jun-jun and Zuo Qiu, he did plan to get married earlier and even tried dating a few girls, but the results were underwhelming; none of them sparked a connection. Recently, knowing the family accepted Zuo Qiu, he no longer had the motivation to actively seek out new girls. For Xiao Bailin, earning more money felt more fulfilling than spending time dealing with girls.

“Uh, Grandma, I suddenly feel a little dizzy. I’ll go upstairs to rest first. You should also take your nap soon.”

After saying that, he ran off like a rabbit, disappearing in an instant.

Yin Qiushui looked at the empty staircase and sighed softly, “I wonder if I’ll be lucky enough to see my great-grandchildren before I die.”

The eldest grandson was not trying to progress, and the youngest grandson was progressing but couldn’t have children. Her wish to hold a great-grandchild might just go down the drain.

“Not necessarily.”

Yin Qiushui and He Can exchanged glances. Both remembered something Xiao Baijun had said earlier. Thinking about it now, it wasn’t impossible to achieve. Zuo Qiu had a good personality and patience. Besides, the Xiao family had plenty of people to help raise children. So, having two children actually sounded quite nice.

…

Zuo Qiu upstairs still didn’t know that he had been approved by the elders as the future “mother.” At the moment, he was so sleepy he couldn’t keep his eyes open.

Xiao Baijun used a warm towel to wipe his face and hands, then tucked him into the covers. Zuo Qiu quickly fell into a deep sleep. Xiao Baijun lay beside him, watching his sleeping face for a few minutes, then picked up his phone and went out to the balcony to call Zhao Zhixian.

“Currently, Y Network hasn’t made any big moves. They just removed the previously announced promotional video. It hasn’t attracted much attention yet,” Zhao Zhixian said.

Y Network’s move was within Xiao Baijun’s expectation. They bought the exclusive online broadcast rights not for profit, and it was possible they would rather lose money than broadcast it in the end.

“Keep a close eye on it, and notify me anytime something happens. Also, don’t take on any external dramas for Zuo Qiu before Wild Jun premieres.” Xiao Baijun finished and hung up the phone.

Zhao Zhixian held the disconnected phone and sighed heavily. In the period from the premiere of Fledgling Eagle to its removal from theaters, he received countless invitations for TV series and movies. He was about to rake in a large sum of money, but because of Lingqu’s interference, all the money turned into a mirage. Although Zhao Zhixian understood Xiao Baijun’s decision not to let Zuo Qiu take on external dramas—after all, if something went wrong later and wasn’t handled properly, the compensation would be enough to cause them trouble—he still complained about why these two couldn’t just keep their relationship secret.

There were many gay men and women in the entertainment industry, but besides Ou Sheng, which one didn’t grit their teeth and deny it even if intimate photos were taken? Even Ou Sheng, who publicly came out, had many restrictions; hadn’t he only been taking roles without any romantic plot?

Thinking of this, Zhao Zhixian sighed again. Fine, Second Young Master and Ou Sheng both have one thing in common: they are not short of money, so even if they leave the industry later, it won’t affect them much. But Zuo Qiu is different. Once he enters a wealthy family, it’s like the deep sea. When he gets old and loses his charm and is kicked out, his path in the entertainment industry will be largely blocked. How will he make a living!

There were too many examples in the industry of people marrying into wealth only to be abandoned by the wealthy family. Zhao Zhixian had seen too many and was deeply affected, thus he was inexplicably worried about Zuo Qiu. After all, Zuo Qiu, who couldn’t even give birth to a son later, had no capital to stand on!

If Xiao Baijun knew Zhao Zhixian was worried about him turning into a jerk and abandoning Zuo Qiu, he would probably send him directly to Africa to mine coal.

…

Zuo Qiu ate dinner at the Xiao family home and then prepared to follow Xiao Baijun back to the apartment. They had to return to the set in S City early tomorrow morning, and their luggage was at the apartment.

Before they left, Yin Qiushui beckoned to the two of them, signaling them to come over.

After the two sat down opposite her, Yin Qiushui took out a set of keys and pushed them toward Zuo Qiu, “These keys are for the Jinshui complex. Consider it a gift from Grandma for our first meeting.”

Zuo Qiu was so scared he stood up immediately to refuse, “I can’t accept such an expensive gift!” He had looked into the housing prices in Jinshui when he was planning to buy a house, and the price was so high he couldn’t imagine it!

Yin Qiushui: “The Xiao family has a rule: as long as a male heir brings a girlfriend home, we give a welcome gift. Look at your older brother, Bailin; when he brought back a girlfriend he dated for three months, I also gave her a bracelet more valuable than this.”

A house wasn’t considered an especially valuable item in the Xiao family’s eyes, but Zuo Qiu needed such a house right now, so Yin Qiushui gave it as a favor. The Xiao family had long considered Zuo Qiu one of their own, so no matter how expensive the gift was, it was worth it.

Xiao Bailin, having been singled out and given the title of having “dated for three months,” didn’t dare to say anything under his Grandma’s threatening gaze. He just gave Zuo Qiu a fake smile and nodded, thereby confirming that Grandma’s words were “absolutely true.”

Zuo Qiu had heard Daisy mention before that a pure jadeite bracelet cost several million, which was no cheaper than the Jinshui house. Still, Zuo Qiu was reluctant to accept such a valuable gift.

Seeing Zuo Qiu still trying to refuse, Xiao Baijun directly took the keys from the table and put them into Zuo Qiu’s hand, “This is Grandma’s sincerity. Just accept it.”

Zuo Qiu looked at Yin Qiushui’s smiling face and really didn’t know how to refuse, so he slightly bowed and thanked Yin Qiushui, thinking inwardly that he needed to earn more money for Bai Le in the future.

After giving Zuo Qiu his welcome gift, Yin Qiushui took out another set of keys and pushed them toward Xiao Baijun, “Jun-jun, your performance over the past six months has been very good. This car is my reward to you.”

Xiao Baijun reached out and took the car keys with the two ‘M’s, a rare happy smile appearing on his face, “Thank you, Grandma.” That stingy fellow Cheng Ye promised to give him a car after losing a bet, but not even a single wheel has been seen yet. His Grandma was generous after all.

Yin Qiushui was also satisfied to see her grandson liking her gift, but the necessary warnings still needed to be given beforehand.

“Even the best performing car can’t withstand a reckless driver. So, you must pay attention to safety when driving in the future. Also, this car is only to be used in B City. When you are filming elsewhere, you must take Guo Chen’s car.”

M-brand cars were among the world’s top-performing vehicles. Yin Qiushui chose this car for Xiao Baijun, hoping that in the event of an accident, a car with excellent performance and quality could better protect him, but this wasn’t foolproof. The most important thing was for Jun-jun to understand that driving safety comes first.

Xiao Baijun readily agreed, “Grandma, I remember.”

He used to be young and ignorant, blindly seeking excitement and neglecting safety. It was different now; he had someone he wanted to protect. He hoped to stay healthy and safe by his side until they were old, so he would be kinder to himself.

That evening, Xiao Baijun rejected the family driver’s suggestion to take them back to the apartment and slowly drove Zuo Qiu home in his new car. Xiao Baijun had learned to drive three years ago and had familiarized himself again over the past half-month, so he drove very steadily. Zuo Qiu slowly put his mind at ease.

Zuo Qiu was worried about distracting Xiao Baijun, so he didn’t speak after getting in the car. Xiao Baijun was silent too but kept an eye on Zuo Qiu’s movements. Seeing him touch the newly acquired keys five times within ten minutes of sitting down, he couldn’t help but tease him, “Are you being serious?”

“I am serious! This house is more valuable than me right now, so of course I need to treat it well,” he then confided in Xiao Baijun, “I’ve never received such a valuable gift. I feel really anxious.”

Xiao Baijun took a moment to gently rub Zuo Qiu’s head with his right hand. Zuo Qiu’s simple nature always touched him, “That’s easy. Just invite me to move in with you!”

Zuo Qiu thought about it. When they were together, living together didn’t distinguish between yours and mine. If, by any chance, something happened to them in the future, he could just move out. Having understood this layer of reasoning, Zuo Qiu’s heart finally settled down.

The two arrived back at the apartment at ten o’clock. After Xiao Baijun took a shower, he saw Zuo Qiu giggling at his phone.

“So happy? Did you strike it rich?” Xiao Baijun climbed into bed and asked.

Zuo Qiu turned the phone screen toward Xiao Baijun, saying excitedly, “I did strike it rich!”

Xiao Baijun looked at the screen and saw a bank transfer notification showing an amount of 1.1 million.

“The Fledgling Eagle crew is so conscientious! They promised a commission if the box office exceeded 2 billion, and it arrived so quickly!”

The crew had promised them a one-thousandth commission if the box office reached 2 billion. The two would split it evenly. The film closed at 2.2 billion a while ago, and the money was transferred to him today—such efficiency!

Xiao Baijun’s share was probably transferred to the company’s account. Since it all belonged to the Xiao family anyway, Xiao Baijun didn’t care and asked Zuo Qiu what he planned to do with the money.

“I’ve thought about it. The Jinshui house needs renovation. I’ll keep a portion for the renovation, and the rest will be transferred to my mother.”

Since becoming an artist, Zuo Qiu’s expenses hadn’t been large. The biggest cost, clothing, was covered by the company (Lei Feng Xiao indicated he wouldn’t speak), and other expenses were truly small amounts. So, there was no need for him to keep a lot of money on him. It was better to transfer it to his parents so they could have a better life.

“How much money do you think the renovation will cost? Is 500,000 enough?” Zuo Qiu, who came from an ordinary family, had no concept of house renovation costs. 500,000 was already a large amount in his eyes.

Xiao Baijun almost choked on Zuo Qiu’s words. Renovating a 100-square-meter house and adding furniture and appliances would cost at least 200,000 to 300,000 for an average family. The house his Grandma gave Zuo Qiu was at least 300 square meters. Even if he invested all the 1.1 million Zuo Qiu just received, it wouldn’t be too much, but Xiao Baijun wasn’t going to tell the truth.

“I think it’s enough. How about this: we share the renovation costs, since I’ll be living there too. We can each contribute 250,000.”

Since he had figured things out, Zuo Qiu had no objection to Xiao Baijun volunteering to share the renovation costs. He took out the set of keys Yin Qiushui had given him and handed them to Xiao Baijun, “Then I’ll leave it to you to find the renovation company. I’ll transfer the money to you tomorrow.”

Zuo Qiu didn’t understand renovation and didn’t know anyone knowledgeable in that area, so it was better to let Xiao Baijun, a local, find a professional to handle this specialized matter.

Xiao Baijun took the keys and looked at Zuo Qiu again. He just casually threw the property, which in his mind was more valuable than Zuo Qiu himself, to him without any hesitation. “You trust me that much?”

Zuo Qiu positioned his pillow, rested his head on it, and answered matter-of-factly, “If not you, who else can I trust?”

Xiao Baijun casually tossed the keys onto the nightstand, leaned over, and pinned Zuo Qiu down.

“How should I repay you for trusting me so much?”

Zuo Qiu knew from the posture that Xiao Baijun was “impulsive” again. Thinking about having to get up early tomorrow, he said, “I think letting me sleep right now would be the best repayment.”

Xiao Baijun took out a condom and said, “Alright, you sleep. You sleep ‘rest’, and I’ll sleep with you. It’s fair.”

Zuo Qiu tried to struggle a bit, but Xiao Baijun, who eagerly expressed his desire to repay him immediately, quickly drained all his strength.