"Ah, this is from when I went to G Port Amusement Park with A-Yue last time—Sister Yan, I reported it to them! Was this taken without my knowledge?"
Gu Zhong glanced down at it, then looked up and blinked innocently.
"I'm asking you, what's going on between you and Shen Yue?"
Ling Yan took a deep breath, using all her strength to compose her nearly frantic thoughts, and spoke slowly and deliberately.
Pointing to the crystal-clear picture, in a quiet corner amidst a crowd, two girls are pressed tightly together, one's lips brushing against the other's cheek.
The intimate gesture was so obvious, it sparked so much imagination; even Photoshop couldn't replicate the effect.
Lingyan never expected that her reluctance to restrict Gu Zhong's freedom to make friends would lead to him having another relationship right under her nose, and with another woman at that.
The whole "to the ends of the earth, to the very bottom of the underworld, never to forget" thing is utter nonsense.
Even knowing that the reincarnated person possesses different emotions than before, Lingyan still couldn't help but feel resentful.
I had hoped that feelings would develop over time, but I never expected someone else to beat me to it. If I had known this would happen, why would I have been so restrained and reserved?
He pressed his lips tightly together, turned his head away, and avoided Ling Yan's oppressive gaze.
"That's...that's how it is..." she stammered.
"how?"
Lingyan took another step forward, getting even closer, determined to get an answer from Gu Zhong himself.
"Chen Yue pursued me. I just... wanted to know what true love is."
Gu Zhong's gaze drifted aimlessly, as if searching for an uncertain landing point.
In the vast room, only the clock ticked, and the light streaming through the wide French windows fell not far from them, leaving only a hazy shadow in half the room.
"So, do you understand now?"
Lingyan closed her eyes, reached out, leaned down, and placed her hand on her shoulder. The coarse linen loungewear felt a bit rough to the touch, and she could feel the warmth of the delicate skin beneath the fabric.
"I don't know." Gu Zhong turned his head, his taut lips curving upwards slightly, carrying a hint of cunning.
"?" A bad premonition rose in Ling Yan's heart. She was about to straighten up and increase the distance between them—
"I still don't know—I didn't agree to her request."
He grabbed the wide V-neck of the white shirt in front of him, pulled her closer, and half-wrapped his arm around Lingyan's waist, as if afraid of offending her, only touching her loosely.
"Sister Yan, why don't you teach me?"
Although the words were spoken softly, they sounded like thunder to Lingyan, stunning her and causing her to lose her composure for a moment.
Fortunately, she is much stronger mentally now and quickly calmed down.
"Gu Xiaozhong, did you do this on purpose?"
She relaxed her tense back, and the sharp lines of her face inevitably revealed a touch of softness.
Yeah~
Gu Zhong moved a little closer to her, the scent of lemon lingering around her nose, captivating most of Ling Yan's attention. Unconsciously, the mischievous little guy pulled her down a bit more.
The shift in her center of gravity made her unsteady, as if she were about to fall onto Gu Zhong. The hand that was originally on his shoulder was now bracing against the sofa behind her, slightly bent.
The two were almost face to face, their breaths mingling, making one unconsciously want to get even closer.
"Sister Yan..."
Gu Zhong's originally clear voice became hoarse for some reason. She called out softly again, pressed her lips to the two red lips, and kissed them tenderly with reverence, but dared not go any further.
Seeing the little guy who was clearly nervous but trying to appear calm and awkward, Ling Yan couldn't help but chuckle.
Hurt by the mockery, Gu Zhong suddenly pulled away, his face flushed red, his slender phoenix eyes wide open, filled with dissatisfaction and grievance. He pressed his hands against Ling Yan's body, as if to push her away.
"Weren't you quite the flirt just now?"
Taking the initiative, Lingyan pressed forward instead of retreating, completely trapping Gu Zhong on the small sofa.
"You..."
With a sigh, Lingyan tucked the long hair that had fallen across her forehead behind her ear, knelt down on Gu Zhong, and lowered her head to kiss his tightly pursed thin lips.
A sudden dampness appeared in the air, perhaps indicating an impending summer downpour, adding to the lingering heat.
"Sister Yan..."
After a deep kiss, Gu Zhong wrapped his arms weakly around Ling Yan's waist, his eyes somewhat unfocused, his cheeks flushed, carrying a hint of purity broken by a forbidden love.
"Alright, you can continue explaining now."
Without any hesitation, Ling Yan turned and sat down next to her, keeping a distance of one person between them. She looked at Gu Zhong with a half-smile, clearly not intending to let the previous topic pass easily.
"...What?" Gu Zhong was clearly still in shock.
“This photo.” Ling Yan pointed to the magazine on the table.
"Well, we didn't kiss, did we?"
Gu Zhong shrank back guiltily, then mustered his courage and pounced on Ling Yan, nestling his head on her knees and acting coquettishly.
"Oh dear, Sister Yan, I really have nothing to do with her! We clearly agreed to go out and have fun, but who knew she would suddenly confess her feelings to me and even try to kiss me forcibly! Luckily, I dodged quickly enough and ran away in fright... Who knew the paparazzi could capture such accurate photos..."
Why wasn't this explained clearly before?
Lingyan smoothed the stray hairs from her forehead and flicked her forehead.
“If we explain it clearly, Sister Yan will try to run away again.”
Lying in her arms, Gu Zhong stared at her intently, speaking with utmost seriousness and a touch of naivety.
"Why should I run away..."
It was clearly a question, but Lingyan couldn't bring herself to ask it confidently.
"The fact that you like me!"
Raising an eyebrow, Gu Zhong looked smug.
What if I don't like you?
Seeing this, Lingyan wanted to pull down her raised tail.
"...Then I won't like you anymore."
After a moment of stunned silence, Gu Zhong answered hesitantly.
"Respect."
Lingyan suddenly called her name seriously once.
"Sister Yan?"
"So, now you know what love is?"
"I still don't understand, but—I want to stay by your side forever, and have you spend your whole life teaching me."
Gu Zhong shook his head, but what came out of his mouth were the most beautiful words of love.
"I thought you were a little white rabbit, but I didn't expect you to be a little fox."
Ling Yan laughed again, her fingers tracing the lines of her jawline. "When did it start?"
"A long time... but not too long." Gu Zhong's answer was vague.
Lingyan understood that it takes a long time for someone to see their own heart clearly through the fog.
"Sister Yan, but the company doesn't allow dating."
As if in retaliation, Gu Zhong turned around and teased Ling Yan instead.
"Huh? Which one? I don't know about it."
Occasionally, even the upright and dignified agent, Ling, would resort to dishonest means and deny his promises.
"?"
"It's not allowed to date other people."
Faced with Gu Zhong's incredulous question, she righteously and sternly altered the treaty without authorization.
Anyway, the company belongs to her, so whatever the boss says goes, even if Gu Zhong doesn't know about this.
Now that she had confirmed her relationship with Gu Zhong, Ling Yan would no longer allow any "homosexual relationship" to exist online. No matter how enthusiastically fans shipped them, she would suppress such false news.
They contacted Shen Yue's agency directly, and the two companies jointly issued a press release to clarify that it was just a friendship between friends. Many CP fans felt very sorry, but it did not stop them from enjoying their own little world and still shipping them.
This move not only didn't cause Gu Zhong any losses, but it also gained her a wave of fans. Furthermore, because of this incident, Ling Yan happily married the beauty. In a way, she should thank the person behind this scandal.
If we must determine who truly benefited from this, then it is only Shen Yue.
After all, riding the wave of Gu Zhong and "Chasing the Light," she fully enjoyed the benefits of the CP (couple pairing) and her popularity soared, almost rivaling that of top-tier actresses.
These benefits are real. However, the manner in which this incident was handled doesn't quite fit Lingyan's preconceived notions about Shen Yue.
If she and her company had possessed such skill earlier, they wouldn't have remained unknown for so many years, ending up as obscure figures in the industry.
And, does Shen Yue really like Gu Zhong? The timing and angle of the candid photos taken in G Port are too coincidental, making it hard not to have doubts.
Who knows if Chenxi was behind this? They can't just give Gu Zhong a wave of benefits for nothing; the mystery behind it is getting heavier and heavier.
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Author's Note:
Starting today, I'll resume daily updates. Post-holiday syndrome is cured. (It was so hard to cure QAQ)
Chapter 41 Agent and Movie Queen (Thirteen)
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This power struggle, centered around Gu Zhong, has dragged on for a long time. But with countless gossip stories in the entertainment industry, onlookers get tired of seeing the same thing all the time. The hype gradually faded, and both sides withdrew from the battlefield. Apart from the occasional battle between persistent fans and haters, not many people paid any more attention to this matter.
The two, who had just confirmed their relationship, were inseparable. Gu Zhong put the script aside and, with Ling Yan by his side, traveled from Tokyo to Athens, doing everything that lovers in the throes of new romance.
The coastline, covered in silver sand, stretches for miles. The air is filled with the scent of the sea breeze, and waves crash against the rocks on the shore. Under the summer sun, the shore is teeming with people playing and frolicking.
Under a wide, huge black parasol, a lounge chair was casually placed, and a slender woman lay lazily on it, revealing a large expanse of snow-white skin.