Chapter 14

Before Kong Xiyan left the set, Xiao Cheng still wouldn't give up and tried to ask her out, but she turned him down.

Fu Qiu noticed her pale complexion and asked with concern, "Sister Kong, are we heading straight back?"

"Mm."

After all, there was nowhere else she could go.

The driver pulled up near the apartment, and Kong Xiyan said goodbye to Fu Qiu before getting out. With her cap and sunglasses, she looked solitary and somewhat lonely.

Fu Qiu stared at her retreating back for a while and murmured, "If Sister Kong hadn't done that back then, how wonderful it would have been."

Then she would be standing at the forefront now, not being bullied by a third-rate actress like Guo Yixi.

The van was quiet, and her self-talk received no reply. Fu Qiu sighed. "Let's go, back to the company."

The van soon left the vicinity of the apartment. Kong Xiyan slowly walked back and unlocked the door. Yanyan poked her head out through the gap, and when she saw it was her, kept meowing affectionately and rubbed against her calf.

Kong Xiyan's gloomy mood lightened. She scooped up Yanyan and squeezed her in her arms—smooth white fur, soft belly, the downy strands tickling her wrist coaxed a faint smile.

It was good.

She still had a safe haven.

Sensing her mood, Yanyan snuggled against her chest, licking her chin with a raspy tongue and occasionally letting out soft meows, as if comforting her.

Kong Xiyan appreciated it.

She lay on the sofa with Yanyan on top of her, chin resting on the cat's head. After a while, she reached for her phone and logged onto Weibo with her alternate account.

The hot search had already been removed.

But Guo Yixi's post was still up. She clicked on it and saw many comments.

—Xixi, don't be afraid! We'll fight back for you! Stealing people and stealing roles—does she think the entertainment industry is her own harem?

—Wanna bet? That Kong homewrecker must have found a new sugar daddy!

—What's there to bet? It's obvious—maybe she's got several godfathers. Calls them 'Dad' by day, and ... well, you know.

—Ew, so crude—but I like it!

—Poor Xixi, the best little sweetheart in the world. I wish all bad things would never meet you.

—Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but let's not pretend that Ms. Guo is a saint either. Want to hear some dirt on her?

—Go ahead, then! Don't just talk—show us the proof!

—Oh, you really want to hear? When she first debuted, who was the one trying to attach herself to Wei Yan? Liking his posts on time every day, sending birthday wishes at the exact midnight, making snide remarks about the legal wife, and preaching about freedom of love.

—Oh, and later she climbed the directors' beds countless times. In this industry, is there anyone she hasn't slept with?

—Tsk! Are you a paid troll sent by that homewrecker Kong? Talking so dirty—aren't you afraid it'll backfire on your idol? If our Xixi could really sleep her way to the top, would she still always get supporting roles? She scorns that kind of thing, which is why she's always been bullied!!!!!

Countless fan comments followed this, showing that Guo Yixi's persona was quite successful—at least her fans believed she was an angel of purity.

Kong Xiyan logged out of Weibo.

She had just re-entered the entertainment industry, had not yet gained a foothold, and truly lacked the strength to contend with Guo Yixi. And Chi Wanzhao hadn't given her the photos either, so she couldn't clear her name.

If she cried injustice now, it would only provoke those fans further, possibly triggering a new wave of public sentiment.

For now, keeping a low profile was the best strategy.

At least within the crew, because of Tong Yue, no one could touch her.

That was enough.

One must eat a meal bite by bite, walk a road step by step. She wasn't really a magnanimous person, but enduring was the best course at this moment.

In fact, she knew that if she asked Chi Wanzhao, the matter might be resolved quickly.

But then what?

She couldn't be tied to Chi Wanzhao forever, and she didn't want to owe that person a favor.

Their contract stated clearly that she would help clear her three-year-old grievance, not deal with such a mess.

Kong Xiyan calmed her mind, picked up Yanyan, and exhaled, dispelling the gloom.

She tidied the apartment and thought for a while, then called Chi Wanzhao.

Around four in the afternoon, Chi Wanzhao was in a meeting. Her cold gaze swept over the man on her right. "Manager Wu, you certainly have a silver tongue."

The man she was staring at instinctively lowered his head, swallowed, and his palms grew sweaty. He wanted to defend himself but feared meeting Chi Wanzhao's icy eyes. The entire conference room was tense, silent as a grave.

The usually indifferent CEO was acting strangely today, singling people out one by one, harshly dressing them down.

And no one dared to contradict her.

Chi Wanzhao's sharp gaze passed over everyone, finally settling on Manager Wu. She said coolly, "Speak."

Manager Wu's back was damp, sweat beading on his forehead. He was about to speak when a knock came at the door, followed by Assistant Zhou walking in. He leaned to whisper something in Chi Wanzhao's ear and offered her the phone.

With her back to the others, Chi Wanzhao took the phone, her voice softening. "Yes?"

On hearing Chi Wanzhao's voice, Kong Xiyan hurriedly said, "I'm sorry, am I interrupting your meeting? I told Assistant Zhou I could call back later."

Hearing her gentle voice coming through the receiver, Chi Wanzhao's tone softened in kind. "You're not interrupting. Go on."

The people in the room exchanged glances, all wearing expressions of shock and doubt, but none dared ask Assistant Zhou anything.

Assistant Zhou looked at Chi Wanzhao, who waved him off. Taking the hint, he told the others, "Meeting adjourned."

Soon the room was empty, leaving only Chi Wanzhao seated alone.

Kong Xiyan still asked, "What do you like to eat? I'm about to go to the market, but I don't know what to buy."

Chi Wanzhao's fingertip touched the phone case. "Just buy what you like."

Kong Xiyan said, "But..."

Chi Wanzhao added, "I'm fine with anything. I'm not picky."

"Alright."

Kong Xiyan responded softly, and a brief silence fell between them on the phone. She said goodbye and hung up quickly.

Yanyan raised her head and, in the moment she ended the call, hopped into her arms, nuzzling her chin with her head. Kong Xiyan lifted her up and said helplessly, "Come on, let's go together."

She put a leash on Yanyan, put on her cap and sunglasses, grabbed her bag, and headed out.

The market was not far from the apartment, two streets away. Since it wasn't yet rush hour, there weren't many people inside. Kong Xiyan picked out a few dishes she liked, and thought about whether Chi Wanzhao had shown any special preference for certain foods over the past few days.

Apparently... not really.

Aside from stew every day, she had no particular interests.

At that thought, Kong Xiyan went back to buy some fresh ribs and a bit of fruit. As she passed the pet food section, Yanyan widened her eyes, meowed, and pawed at her wrist, looking at her expectantly, seemingly begging for cat food.

Kong Xiyan shook her head. "No."

She'd already bought plenty of ingredients to make cat meals. Seeing her so firm, Yanyan turned her head to the side, her eyes clearly displeased.

Seeing this reaction, Kong Xiyan felt like she was with a child. She couldn't help but laugh softly, rubbing Yanyan's head and whispering, "These are too high in calories. When we get home, I'll make something delicious for you, okay?"

Yanyan seemed to understand and turned to look at her, then let out a meow and wrapped her front paws around Kong Xiyan's wrist, looking affectionate.

They shopped until around five. Worried that rush hour would bring crowds, Kong Xiyan took Yanyan home.

After crossing two streets, she saw a flower shop near the apartment. She went in, chose a few flowers, and waited while the owner trimmed them before handing them to her.

Back at the apartment, Chi Wanzhao still hadn't come home. Kong Xiyan put the food in the kitchen first and arranged the flowers in the empty vase on the coffee table.

Instantly, a faint fragrance spread through the living room.

As soon as Yanyan came in, she jumped onto the sofa, stretched out, and rolled around without any regard for dignity. Kong Xiyan's eyes softened, a faint smile tugging at her lips.

When Chi Wanzhao opened the door, she saw Kong Xiyan leaning over the coffee table, watching Yanyan. In front of her were the flowers she'd just bought, colorful and fragrant.

Chi Wanzhao closed the door gently and leaned against the entrance, studying the woman's face with its soft smile.

She seemed even more charming than the flowers.

Kong Xiyan showed no signs of being troubled by the Weibo incident; her expression was calm, and occasionally she would tap Yanyan's head, muttering a few words with composed features.

Chi Wanzhao averted her gaze and stepped into the apartment, hanging her bag on the rack. Hearing the sound, Kong Xiyan turned and said, "You're back."

"Mm."

Chi Wanzhao responded lightly as she passed her and went into the kitchen. "What did you buy?"

Kong Xiyan stood up quickly, her knee hitting the coffee table, and she grimaced in pain—but Chi Wanzhao was at her side in an instant, supporting her shoulders. "What's wrong?"

Kong Xiyan smiled awkwardly. "I hit my knee. It's fine, I'll be okay in a moment."

Chi Wanzhao glanced at her, lifted her skirt to reveal her shin and knee, and knelt on the floor, covering the knee with her hand. "Here?"

Kong Xiyan tried to pull her leg away, but Chi Wanzhao held her calf with one hand, so she had to admit, "Mm."

Chi Wanzhao's fingers were slender, her palms warm. As she gently kneaded the knee, Kong Xiyan leaned in and looked down at the crown of Chi Wanzhao's head and her jet-black hair.

"Be more careful next time."

Chi Wanzhao said this after massaging for a while. When she didn't hear a response from Kong Xiyan, she turned her head, and her lips brushed against Kong Xiyan's cheek. The latter froze for a second, then quickly pulled back, pushing away Chi Wanzhao's hand.

"Thank you, Chi, but I'm fine now."

With that, she moved away and sat on the edge of the sofa. Chi Wanzhao's palm felt empty, and her face stiffened, her expression unreadable as she said, "Good, as long as you're fine. If something happened to you, no one would take care of Yanyan."

Kong Xiyan: ...