CH 84

Chapter 84: Not only is this person jealous but also fiercely protective!

The bodyguard, who had been silently following Yu Nian like an invisible person, spoke up and asked in a low voice, “Young Master Yu, should I handle this?”

The bodyguard was someone familiar, He Shan, who had delivered takeout for Xie You several times before. He seemed to be someone Xie You trusted greatly. Upon hearing the question, Yu Nian pondered for a moment and shook his head, “No need.”

He then turned to Shi Rou and said, “Sister Rou Rou, please go and tell Brother Meng that there’s no need to suppress this news. Just let it be.”

Shi Rou nodded and quickly left.

Shi Rou found Meng Yuan just after he hung up the phone. Seeing her approach, he had a moment of tension, “Did something happen to Nian Nian?”

“No, nothing happened,” Shi Rou handed her phone to Meng Yuan, “There was a paparazzo taking photos and accidentally captured a picture of Nian Nian and President Xie coming out of Yulan together. Instead of selling the photos to us, they directly released them online.”

Meng Yuan looked at the pictures and smiled, “Even if it’s out there with their names mentioned, not many people would believe it, right?”

Shi Rou also smiled, “Exactly, they were even mocked by netizens.”

“This paparazzo deserved the mockery! Even I couldn’t figure out anything from the pictures, and I’m racking my brains trying to guess. When I finally managed to deduce the truth, I couldn’t even believe it!” Meng Yuan understood the urgency of Shi Rou’s visit and then asked, “What is Nian Nian planning to do?”

Shi Rou relayed Yu Nian’s words, “Nian Nian said not to suppress the news and just let it be.”

Meng Yuan remained silent for a couple of seconds and then sighed.

Seeing no one around, Shi Rou asked in a low voice, “Brother Meng, is Nian Nian sure… that he won’t keep it a secret anymore?”

“Well, it seems so; you could tell from his attitude.” 

Meng Yuan said with a hint of helplessness and a touch of acceptance, “Nian Nian has made up his mind. We saw that with the Wang Ningxue incident. If it were any other artist, they would have fueled some dating rumors with the female lead from the same movie, generate more attention for the film, and then officially release a statement to clarify and dispel the ambiguous relationship. This approach would have brought more benefits than harm. But Nian Nian didn’t even consider going down that path; he’s concerned about President Xie in everything he does.”

Shi Rou hesitated, “What about in the future…”

“If he’s not keeping it a secret now, he will definitely be even more open about it in the future,” Meng Yuan patted Shi Rou’s shoulder, worried, “I just don’t know how things will turn out then. Just thinking about it gives me nightmares!”

Shi Rou pursed her lips, took a deep breath, and said, “I support Nian Nian!” After speaking, she didn’t wait for Meng Yuan’s response and turned and ran away.

Seeing Shi Rou vanish, Meng Yuan chuckled to himself, “Why do I sound like an evil manager?”

The recording continued.

As the lead singer of the band, Sun Mengze put aside the microphone and gave an impressive performance on the drums, leading Bai Yan to jokingly suggest that he must have secretly practiced to replace the band’s drummer.

The guitarist, Wei Lu, who usually played with the band, changed his style and borrowed Yu Nian’s black duckbill cap to deliver a rap in English, astonishing the on-site staff.

Bai Yan was full of witty remarks, pulling Yu Nian along to improvise and saying a comic monologue. Sun Mengze almost burst into laughter.

Coughing a couple of times to regain composure, Sun Mengze asked Wei Lu, “Hey, Brother Wei, what should we do next?”

Wei Lu carefully looked at the script card and said, “According to the card, the program arranged for the four of us to sing one of our own representative songs for each episode’s opening. They want us to perform it together as the opening act.”

Bai Yan asked, “So, whose song are we singing in the first episode?”

Wei Lu replied, “It’s the youngest’s turn first. We’ll sing Yu Nian’s song for the first episode.”

Sun Mengze quickly protested, “I refuse to sing ‘Mountain Snow’! Both hands and feet raised in refusal!”

Bai Yan burst into laughter again and also raised his hand, “I second that!”

Yu Nian looked a bit aggrieved, “Why does everyone dislike ‘Mountain Snow’? I won’t accept it!”

Wei Lu fanned himself with the script card and raised an eyebrow, “You have to accept it even if you don’t like it, Nian Nian. Let me tell you secretly, your song ‘Mountain Snow,’ your eldest brother Sun Mengze tried to sing it at KTV once. Not only did he miss the key, but he also couldn’t hit the high notes, and he almost turned red from embarrassment. It sounded like a broken gong! It was quite a loss of face!”

Bai Yan was amused once again.

Sun Mengze turned to face the camera, covering his mouth with one hand, as if whispering a secret, and said with a bitter expression, “I advise all our viewers, don’t ever sing ‘Mountain Snow’ at KTV.” He made a wretched expression, “Otherwise, it will be a colorful stain on your singing career!”

After finishing this segment of shooting, the staff handed each of the four artists a folder. Inside were the re-arranged and rewritten lyrics and music for the song “Elegant.”

Yu Nian felt a bit embarrassed and said, “Brothers Wei, Sun, and Sister Bai, you are all much older and have been in the industry for many years. I listened to your works at home and based on your singing styles and stage characteristics, I re-arranged the music. If there’s anything not good, please let me know.”

Wei Lu and the others were well aware of what happened with Tang Xiaoke, how the show’s large investment was affected, and who was responsible for it. Moreover, almost a third of the show’s viewership was attributed to Yu Nian’s popularity and talent, so there was no need for them to nitpick. Besides, Yu Nian’s humble attitude and respectful tone made them comfortable discussing the details.

Bai Yan playfully adjusted her long hair falling off her shoulders and said, “Nian Nian, you don’t have to be so modest! If you rearranged the music and lyrics, we can trust it, right?”

Sun Mengze chimed in, “As long as you don’t sing ‘Mountain Snow’!”

Everyone laughed.

Sun Mengze casually asked, “By the way, Nian Nian, do you like snow?”

Yu Nian nodded, “Yes, I do. I even like building snowmen. But it rarely snows in Ning City, so whenever it does, it feels quite novel. I still remember when I was a kid, I built a small snowman with my grandfather. It was a lot of fun.”

Wei Lu added, “Building snowmen is your hobby? Looks like you haven’t grown up yet!”

After receiving their appearance fees, the four of them were very dedicated to the rehearsal. After chatting for a while, they gathered together to discuss the details and each sang a part of the song.

Bai Yan glanced at the lyrics, “Nian Nian, how creative is your mind? I thought the original ‘Elegant’ was already good enough, but after you rearranged it, it has a completely different charm! With this song alone, our show’s opening will generate enough buzz!”

“Sister Bai, please don’t praise me anymore, or I might get too full of myself!” Yu Nian jokingly made a big circle gesture, “Full—of—myself!”

Sun Mengze turned his head quickly and pointed at the camera, “Please record this! He just acted cute because he thinks he’s the youngest here. Foul play!”

He even imitated Yu Nian’s gesture, “Inflated to this—big!!”

“Negative points for this imitation show!” Bai Yan clapped her thighs, laughing, but then she exclaimed, “Oops, I almost broke my freshly done nails!”

After a rough run-through, they confirmed the lighting and camera positions. The four of them sat down in the audience area to rest, waiting for the director to review the stage effect before the final run-through.

Yu Nian took out his phone but was lightly nudged by Bai Yan, “Nian Nian, you’re involved in something again.”

Yu Nian was puzzled, “What’s going on?”

Sun Mengze had already opened Weibo and said, “It seems like Wang Ningxue has set her sights on you, right?”

Wei Lu joined in, “It’s clear that she’s not letting go. She’s obviously trying to create a story, even though you two are not close. She’s got quite the imagination.”

Before Yu Nian even opened Weibo, he received a news notification about “Wang Ningxue Crying During an Interview.” He hesitated but clicked on the news.

Bai Yan sighed, “This press release was definitely written by her company’s PR team. It says something like ‘When asked about Yu Nian denying the incident in public, Wang Ningxue fell silent, her smile slowly fading, and her eyes turned red as tears welled up.’ As expected of an actress, she can cry on cue. Leaving that aside, her crying performance is top-notch!”

The three of them had been in the entertainment industry for a long time and had experienced many ups and downs. Sun Mengze spoke frankly, “Nian Nian, I think you have good chemistry with your fans, so let me say a few more words. Don’t mind if I talk too much.”

Yu Nian hurriedly replied, “How could that be? I’m grateful that Brother Sun is willing to talk to me!”

“Alright then, I’ll tell you my opinion.” Sun Mengze squeezed the metal skull-shaped accessory on his wrist, speaking in a low voice, “In situations like this, it’s best to cut the mess with a quick and decisive action! You deny any involvement, and in the blink of an eye, Wang Ningxue can play her drama of suffering. No need for any lines, just cry in front of the camera!”

Bai Yan agreed, “Yes, tears are a powerful tool.”

Sun Mengze went on, “She doesn’t even need to say anything because her team will fabricate stories, labeling you as an unfaithful guy who pretends not to know her after sleeping together. Her fans will sympathize with her, create a narrative, and then they’ll start bashing you! Onlookers won’t care about the twists and turns; once they catch you, they’ll start bashing you too! You’ll be miserable, getting tied up in this mess and being bashed.”

Yu Nian nodded, “That’s true.”

Sun Mengze continued, “So, why is she doing this? Don’t give her anything and cut off her way out.”

Bai Yan understood Sun Mengze’s point, “Sun Ge, are you suggesting that Nian Nian directly cut off Wang Ningxue’s resources?”

Sun Mengze nodded, “Yes, cut off the source of the trouble and let her know that trying to create a scandal with you won’t get her any attention or resources, and her existing resources might even get cut off. Nian Nian, think about it yourself, whether you want to try this approach.”

Wei Lu also spoke, “I agree. When dealing with someone who can stage an entire play single-handedly just to ride your fame and reputation, you can’t be soft-hearted.”

Bai Yan teased, “Nian Nian, this is the first lesson taught by Teacher Sun and Teacher Wei!”

Yu Nian joined the playful conversation, thanking them with a smile, “Thanks to both teachers!”

After going through one more rehearsal on stage, the director gave the green light, and today’s work was done. Sun Mengze suggested, “Although we’re from different age groups, we get along well. How about we have a meal together?”

No one objected, and the four of them each got into their cars. Seeing the bodyguard still following Yu Nian, Bai Yan, and the others didn’t ask any further questions. They arrived at a club opened by Sun Mengze, where many celebrities frequented, and the privacy was excellent.

As soon as Yu Nian sat on the sofa in the private room, Yu Qing called via video, “There’s something I need your opinion on.”

Yu Nian put popcorn in his mouth, went into a separate compartment, closed the door, and asked through the video, “What’s the matter?”

Yu Qing played with a lighter and said with excitement, “Your sister, I hired a private investigator who has been staking out Wang Ningxue’s home every day. Guess what they caught?”

Just then, a WeChat message also came in. Yu Nian took a look and saw a series of photos. He replied to Yu Qing’s question, “Did they catch Wang Ningxue going home with a man in the early morning?”

Yu Qing was surprised as she stopped playing with the lighter, “Nian Nian, how did you know?”

Yu Nian smiled and replied, “Xie You just sent me a bunch of photos, about ten of them in a row, asking if I needed them.”

“Ugh, I’m so mad!” Yu Qing slammed the lighter on the table in front of her, “I thought I was the first one to know and called you right away! Oh well, I guess the pictures are probably all similar.”

She calmed down, “Anyway, do you want to use them? Whenever I see that woman crying on camera, pretending to be pitiful, and creating a stir by throwing dirty water at you, I can’t help but want to punch someone!”

Without hesitation, Yu Nian said, “I’ll send them to Brother Meng.”

Knowing that Yu Nian was planning to retaliate, Yu Qing was happy, “Okay, Sister will mentally cheer you on!”

After hanging up, Yu Nian forwarded all the pictures Xie You sent him to Meng Yuan.

Forty minutes later, Bai Yan was holding the microphone, singing her song in front of the screen. She noticed that Sun Mengze and Wei Lu were looking at their phones, huddled together, and chatting about something. Bai Yan put down the microphone and asked, “What are you two talking about so excitedly?”

“Looks like Wang Ningxue messed up, and we’re enjoying the show!” Sun Mengze replied.

The entertainment news came first, claiming that last night at around three in the morning, Wang Ningxue was caught on camera returning home with a man. They seemed very intimate, even sharing kisses, sparking speculation that the two were dating.

Once the news was out, Yu Nian’s fans were furious.

[This is just a well-played card! The night before, she was still hugging and kissing her secret boyfriend, and the next day, she appeared in front of the camera, teary-eyed, with an expression of being abandoned by Nian Nian! Who wrote this script? They deserve the Best Screenplay Award!]

[Damn, Nian Nian really suffered eight lifetimes of bloody misfortune to be tied up and used as a scapegoat like this! The pictures and videos are all out; she still wants to claim they’re fake? She can’t act well, and I didn’t expect her character to be even worse!]

[Nian Nian’s fans appreciate his talent, and whether he’s in a relationship or not doesn’t really matter to them as long as he continues to produce great music. But it’s frustrating when someone tries to use him for their own gain by spreading false rumors and pretending to be a victim. People should work hard on their own, understand? @WangNingxue]

Meanwhile, in another place, Wang Ningxue’s manager threw her phone on the table in front of her and glared at her, “What’s going on? Didn’t I tell you not to see your boyfriend during this period?”

Wang Ningxue complained, “It’s been a while since I saw him, and besides, how was I supposed to know that someone would be lurking around so late at night?”

The manager couldn’t vent his frustration and slammed the table twice, saying, “You had the perfect opportunity to ride the wave of your popularity, but you messed it up! Didn’t all your previous efforts go to waste?”

“It’s not like everything went to waste,” Wang Ningxue boasted, “Using Yu Nian’s popularity to create news was really effective! Not long ago, the companies that were hesitant to sign me as their spokesperson were practically begging me to sign the contract! And that terrible movie, ‘Dream of Stars,’ they didn’t even let me audition for the lead role. But now, they’re eager to cast me as the second female lead!”

The manager’s anger turned into a smile, “Indeed, it’s working well. With your current popularity, you should raise your price for the second female lead role. By doing so, you won’t have many opportunities like this later on.”

Wang Ningxue didn’t care and tapped her fingernails, saying, “Once I have more opportunities in the future, I won’t rely on Yu Nian to become popular!”

At that moment, the door was knocked twice and pushed open. Wang Ningxue frowned and scolded, “Why are you rushing in like that?”

The assistant looked anxious and said, “Um, the movie ‘Dream of Stars’ has made an official announcement, but you’re not cast as the second female lead.”

Wang Ningxue’s expression froze, and she stood up, “Say that again?”

The assistant was hesitant to speak, and the manager also looked at the latest message on his phone with a furrowed brow, “What’s going on? The endorsement deal we had agreed on also fell through!”

The next day, on camera, Wang Ningxue had red eyes and choked back sobs as she claimed that she had wanted to hide her real relationship and only lied about having a romantic involvement with Yu Nian out of desperation. She expressed guilt for causing trouble for Yu Nian recently and sincerely apologized, hoping to be forgiven by him.

Barrage floated across the screen.

[The PR team didn’t do a good job; the excuses they made don’t even make sense!]

[Does this mean she admitted to having a boyfriend? Admitted to creating one-sided rumors about her relationship with Nian Nian? And now she’s expecting forgiveness? Her face is so thick it’s mind-blowing!]

[I don’t even want to say anything anymore; my heart aches for Nian Nian!]

When Yu Nian saw this video, he was waiting in the airport terminal, and Shi Rou watched it without blinking from start to finish. He patted his chest, “It’s not easy to protect one’s innocence!”

Meng Yuan answered the phone, “The people and cars from Hersey’s headquarters are already waiting for you.” Then he turned to Shi Rou, “Yes, but it should be relatively easy from now on.”

Yu Nian accepted and then sheepishly rubbed his nose, “I guess so.”

Meng Yuan sat down, crossed his legs, and spoke slowly, “Tang Xiaoke failed, and Wang Ningxue also failed. Now everyone in the industry knows that there’s a big shot backing Yu Nian. Not only is this person jealous but also fiercely protective!”

Shi Rou covered her mouth and laughed, “President Xie is truly full of hidden talents!”

Yu Nian coughed lightly, not responding, and asked Meng Yuan, “Brother Meng, after I get off the plane, Xie You will send someone to pick me up. I won’t be going to the hotel with you guys.”

“Okay,” Meng Yuan calculated the time, “if you’re not late, the plane departs at 5 p.m. and arrives at 9 p.m. local time. The commercial shoot is on the 26th, the magazine cover on the 31st, and there’s a Hersey banquet on June 1st, and you need to attend.”

“So the entire day of the 25th is my free time, right?”

“Exactly.” Meng Yuan sighed, “Looking at you with that sugar-coated expression, it makes me want to be in a relationship too!”

Shi Rou chimed in, “Brother Meng, weren’t you determined to be a non-marriage advocate after your last flash marriage and quick divorce?”

Meng Yuan glared, “You talk too much!”

The plane landed smoothly, and Meng Yuan and Shi Rou left in a car, while Yu Nian followed He Shan and got into a black extended Rolls-Royce Phantom. Long-distance flights were tiring, and Yu Nian rubbed his eyes, trying to get some sleep in the car seat.

But he didn’t sleep for long before he woke up. The thought of meeting Xie You made his heart race, and he couldn’t calm down. He Shan in the front turned up the lights in the car when he saw Yu Nian awake, “Young Master Yu, we have half an hour left on the journey.”

“Alright, thank you.”

Looking out of the car window at the passing tree shadows, Yu Nian took a deep breath and tried to suppress his excitement.

Soon, the car turned a corner and entered a private road after passing a sign that said “Private Property, No Entry.” It passed through the greenery and small groves of the estate and finally stopped at the entrance. He Shan got out of the car and opened the door for Yu Nian. As soon as Yu Nian stepped on the ground, he instinctively thanked him.

After walking through the main road and passing by well-trimmed green hedges, Yu Nian was stunned, his breath taken away.

The courtyard was very spacious. It was midsummer, but everything was lush. However, whether it was the lawn, the cedar, coral trees, low shrubs, or even the fountain and sculptures with intricate patterns and the roofs of the two-story European-style stone-walled buildings in the distance, all were covered with a thick layer of white snow.

At the visible positions, there was a tunnel made of sparkling lights that led to the interior of the building.

Warm lights dispelled the darkness, and the entire courtyard was covered in white snow. It felt as if he had accidentally stepped into a fairytale world.

Yu Nian stood still for a few seconds before realizing that there wouldn’t be any snow in the summer, so this must be… artificial snow?

He tentatively lifted his foot and left clear footprints on the snow-covered ground. After walking along a path, he saw a card hanging on a short pine tree with Xie You’s handwriting on it, which read, “This way, Nian Nian can build snowmen.”

A familiar scent filled the air as Xie You embraced Yu Nian from behind, leaning in to kiss the side of Yu Nian’s face in his arms. His ears turned slightly red, and he nervously asked, “Do you like it, Nian Nian?”