Pretending Not to Love You [Entertainment Circle] - Chapter 75

Chapter 75

In the hospital, the awakened Zuo Qiu was examined by the doctor and moved out of the ICU. The doctor said the blood clot in his brain showed signs of dissolving and that with proper treatment, it would completely disappear.

The Xiao and Zuo families present all breathed a sigh of relief. Zuo Qiu lay weakly in bed, looking at his relatives, and intensely missed a certain person who wasn’t there.

Yin Qiushui, sitting by the bed, sensed Zuo Qiu’s unspoken thought and immediately asked He Can to call Xiao Baijun with the good news. However, when He Can dialed, she was informed that Xiao Baijun’s phone was off. She then called her eldest son.

A minute later, He Can hung up the phone and turned on the TV to the Z Channel, saying, “Linzi said Jun-jun is on stage now and can’t talk, so let’s watch the live broadcast first.”

Xiao Baijun’s arranged press conference was being broadcast live simultaneously online and on television. Z Channel and H Channel, the two rival networks, were showing it at the same time, which was probably the first time the public had seen the two long-standing rivals on the same front.

…

The TV broadcast was currently at the point where Zhao Zhixian invited Xiao Baijun to the stage after Jin Jing stepped down.

Zuo Qiu looked at Xiao Baijun on the screen—the dark circles under his eyes and the stubble covering his chin made him look a little unfamiliar. Zuo Qiu gave a weak smile. Compared to himself, Xiao Er looked more like the one who had just undergone surgery.

At the press conference, Xiao Baijun walked in alone from outside the hotel, passed through the audience, and stepped directly onto the stage. When he turned to face all the reporters present, everyone in the audience was stunned. Previously, Xiao Baijun had an unbridled, rebellious demeanor, but now he exuded a sense of cold severity. The chill in his eyes made people tremble. Only two days had passed since Xiao’s Second Young Master’s last public appearance. What had he experienced? The reporters clicked their cameras non-stop while speculating.

The news that Xiao Baijun’s car accident caused Zuo Qiu’s severe injury and unconsciousness had been heavily suppressed by Xiao Bailin, so the media present had not heard about it.

“Second Young Master Xiao, are you holding this press conference today to admit your homosexual relationship with Zuo Qiu?”

Xiao Baijun glanced at the reporter who had impatiently asked the question. After sitting down, he spoke, “Rather than Second Young Master Xiao, I would prefer you call me President Xiao.”

His voice sounded very nasal, like he had a bad cold or had been singing all night.

Xiao Baijun ignored the reporter he had just chastised, faced the public, and went straight to the point of today’s conference.

“I am holding this press conference today to announce a few things. First, Zuo Qiu is my lover, and our relationship has been approved by both our families. So, who cares whether you or the netizens approve? Second, I will be permanently retiring from the entertainment industry and will only serve as the CEO of Bai Le Entertainment from now on.”

As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the audience interjected, “Is it because your relationship with Zuo Qiu was exposed and you were forced by netizens to leave the entertainment industry?”

Xiao Baijun slanted his eyes. “Which eye saw me driven to a dead end? I made this decision simply because I want to change my identity to contend with certain people.”

As an artist, there was only so much he could do, but as the leader of an entertainment company, he would have fewer concerns and could do a lot more.

The various media outlets exchanged glances. Was there more drama coming?

“President Xiao, do you have anything to say regarding the accusations made by your ex-girlfriend, Zeng Xinyi?”

Xiao Baijun: “An unimportant person. I have nothing to say.”

“President Xiao, why couldn’t Zuo Qiu join you today? Is your relationship affected? Or is it something else? Yesterday evening, there was news of a traffic accident. According to eyewitnesses, you and Zuo Qiu were the ones involved in the crash. Is the injury on your forehead and Zuo Qiu’s absence due to the car accident?”

This question stunned the media present. Something like this happened? Why hadn’t they heard anything about it?

The person who asked the question was actually a plant hired by Xiao Bailin, and Xiao Baijun knew it. However, the mention of yesterday’s avoidable car accident darkened Xiao Baijun’s eyes. His desire to return to Zuo Qiu’s side intensified.

Xiao Baijun remained silent. Zhao Zhixian, standing to the side, stepped up to clarify.

“Yesterday, some unscrupulous media followed and attempted to block President Xiao’s car. To avoid them, President Xiao accidentally crashed into a roadside tree. Zuo Qiu was injured and has not yet regained consciousness. Here, I urge all media outlets: every job has a professional bottom line. Please do not let yourselves become people without a bottom line.”

“Is Zuo Qiu severely injured? To what extent? Can you disclose any details?”

Zhao Zhixian continued to answer, “President Xiao and Zuo Qiu are not people who like to elicit pity. We won’t disclose the specific injuries, but once Zuo Qiu wakes up, we will share the good news immediately.”

The informed people in the audience inwardly complained, If they truly didn’t want pity, they wouldn’t have brought up the car accident now. Zhao Zhixian’s ability to lie through his teeth was getting remarkable.

The crowd fell silent for a moment. Zuo Qiu had been unconscious since the car accident yesterday evening. Looking at Xiao Baijun’s weary face, the injury was likely not optimistic.

“President Xiao, do you have anything to say about the recent events?”

Xiao Baijun suppressed the pain on his face and returned to his usual poker face. “I have nothing to say, because what I wanted to say has likely been delivered to those people by now. You just remember to attend the court hearings on time.”

With that, Xiao Baijun stood up and walked off the stage.

The crowd was surprised again. Did this mean Bai Le was going to severely punish the perpetrators?

“President Xiao, can you reveal who you’re suing?”

“President Xiao, there has been an endless stream of negative news about you lately. Is someone deliberately targeting you?”

“President Xiao, what do you have to say about the video Y Network released regarding you acting like divas?”

…

Xiao Baijun walked quickly toward the exit, ignoring the questions without any intention of stopping to answer.

“Everyone, everyone, please be quiet. I am about to play a video that will reveal the answers you seek.”

Upon hearing that Xiao Baijun had more big news to release, everyone disregarded the exiting Xiao Baijun, and their cameras focused on Zhao Zhixian.

…

With no one blocking his way, Xiao Baijun smoothly returned to his car outside the hotel. He leaned back in the seat and rubbed his temples. He hadn’t slept all night, and his head was throbbing.

Xiao Bailin got into the car next, sat in the passenger seat, and instructed the driver, “Drive. Back to the hospital.”

Xiao Baijun closed his eyes to rest. Having gone without food, drink, or sleep for over ten hours, his body was on the verge of exhaustion, but Xiao Baijun dared not sleep.

Halfway through the drive, Xiao Bailin looked at Xiao Baijun in the rearview mirror and took out the milk and cake that Xiao Baijun had refused this morning. “Please eat something. If you don’t eat, I’m afraid you won’t be able to hold up.”

“I don’t have an appetite.” Xiao Baijun didn’t even open his eyes. With Zuo Qiu still unconscious, how could he be in the mood to eat?

Xiao Bailin spoke with intention, “I’m asking you to eat, not because I’m afraid your body can’t take it, but because I’m afraid you won’t be able to handle the psychological shock later.”

Xiao Baijun found this extremely jarring. He warned Xiao Bailin harshly, “I don’t want to hear that a second time.”

Xiao Bailin paused, realizing his words were too ambiguous and carried too strong a sense of bad luck. He smiled wryly, “Alright, my poor language skills are my fault, and I apologize. What I meant was that I’m afraid when you see the awakened Zuo Qiu, you’ll pass out from low blood sugar and over-excitement, and your mind won’t be able to handle it.”

Xiao Baijun’s eyes snapped open. He asked excitedly, “What did you say!”

…

Zuo Qiu leaned against the headboard, his complexion much improved after Yun Duo fed him a small bowl of congee. He looked at the live broadcast on the TV, occasionally glancing toward the door, estimating that Xiao Baijun would be back soon.

The tenth time Zuo Qiu looked toward the door, the patient room door was forcefully pushed open, and Xiao Baijun appeared in the doorway, panting.

Seeing Xiao Baijun staring intently at Zuo Qiu on the bed with reddened eyes, the adults in the room automatically stepped out, leaving a private space for the young couple to express their feelings.

As the door was closed by Xiao Bailin, Xiao Baijun slowly walked toward Zuo Qiu. When he reached the bedside, Xiao Baijun crouched down and stroked Zuo Qiu’s warm, smiling face. The tears he had been holding back finally broke through.

“Zuo Qiu, you really scared me to death! Scared me to death!”

From the moment he saw Zuo Qiu lying twisted in the passenger seat with his head covered in blood, Xiao Baijun had been engulfed in fear. He was afraid of the doctor solemnly telling him they did their best, and even more afraid of the monitor in the ICU suddenly flatlining…

Zuo Qiu, hearing Xiao Baijun’s choked voice, also felt terrible. He patted Xiao Baijun’s back, softly comforting him, “It’s alright, it’s alright…”

The pat was the trigger. Xiao Baijun, who had been holding back a stomach full of guilt and self-reproach, burst out crying.

Outside the room, He Can heard her son’s distressed cries and couldn’t help but shed tears too. Jun-jun hadn’t cried since he was ten. No matter how hard he fell or how badly he was beaten, he never cried. Seeing him cry so heartbrokenly now was agonizing for He Can, his mother.

Yin Qiushui, upon hearing Xiao Baijun finally releasing his inner emotions, let out a heavy sigh. She would rather see her grandson cry openly without caring about his image than see the lifeless, gloomy version of him from last night. Yin Qiushui had no doubt that if anything happened to Zuo Qiu, her youngest grandson would immediately follow him. Thinking of this, Yin Qiushui clasped her hands together, thanking heaven for letting Zuo Qiu wake up!

Yun Duo, the other soft-hearted mother outside, also felt bad. Wiping her tears, she decided to go out and buy some fruit for Zuo Qiu and walked toward the exit. Zuo Qinmin nodded to Xiao Zhan on the side and followed Yun Duo’s steps.

When the couple reached the hospital entrance, they were blocked by a group of reporters with cameras and microphones. The news about Xiao Baijun and Zuo Qiu had been trending so much lately that even Yun Duo’s and Zuo Qinmin’s photos and personal information were all over the internet. Their school had even suspended their classes due to the overwhelming public reaction.

“Xiao Baijun said at the press conference that his relationship with Zuo Qiu has your approval. Is this true?”

“As public school teachers, don’t you feel ashamed of your profession for raising your son to be a homosexual?”

“Seeing how upset Ms. Yun looks, is it because Zuo Qiu’s condition is not optimistic?”

The reporters fired off questions, and they became increasingly malicious. This ignited Yun Duo’s rage. The thought that Zuo Qiu’s injury was indirectly caused by a group of invasive reporters, who were now even cursing her son by saying his “condition is not optimistic,” was unbearable for a mother!

She reached out and forcefully threw the microphone that was nearly poking her eye onto the ground, roaring, “So what if my son is gay? Did he eat your family’s rice or use your family’s electricity? You reporters have nothing better to do all day but follow people and expose their privacy. If you’re so idle, why don’t you worry about how to win the trade war? Or when the national flag can be hoisted on Diaoyu Islands? Use the time you spend concerning yourselves with others to care for your own families, and I believe you will all have harmonious families!”

It was proven that a Chinese language teacher’s eloquence was not only useful in the classroom but also powerful when confronting the media. After delivering a long segment of overt and subtle sarcasm without pausing for breath, Yun Duo directly bypassed the stunned reporters and walked toward the road across the street.

When the two returned to the hospital from the opposite side after buying fruit, they didn’t see the group of reporters anymore. They didn’t know if they had dispersed or were hiding to take candid photos, but the couple didn’t dwell on it. They took the fruit and headed back to Zuo Qiu’s room.