Chapter 16

Xie Tingsi's first reaction to the trending topic was, Have they lost their minds?

He knew the entertainment industry was absurd. He had never imagined it could get this crazy.

He was a regular on the trending list, but he had never expected to end up there with his brother because of a fabricated sex scandal.

He had dragged his brother into this. Frustration and guilt surged through him, and he was too ashamed to face him.

"Bro, I'm sorry."

If I'd held back my temper that day—or at least hadn't gone drinking and made him come pick me up... none of this would have happened.

"I'll clear this up right now."

Seeing his brother so deflated, Xie Zhiyu's gaze sharpened. "Xie Tingsi, lift your head."

Xie Tingsi wiped his tears and raised his head a little, but he didn't dare meet Xie Zhiyu's eyes.

Xie Zhiyu asked, "What did you do wrong?"

Xie Tingsi said, "I... I nearly ruined your rep... reputation, and you got cursed out because of me."

Xie Zhiyu's mind was clear, his voice calm and rational. "Did you take those photos? Did you write that story? Were you the one hurling those insults?"

Xie Tingsi shook his head. "No."

"You didn't do any of that. So what did you do wrong?"

Xie Tingsi froze. Through his tears, he could only make out the blur of his brother's handsome face. He choked out, "I... I didn't do anything wrong."

"That's right," Xie Zhiyu said firmly. "You didn't."

"Wipe your tears." Xie Zhiyu tossed his brother a handkerchief. "Crying's making you ugly."

Xie Tingsi stopped crying at once.

Xie Zhiyu patted his shoulder. "I trust you to handle this."

Xie Tingsi nodded hard, his voice muffled. "Yeah. I can handle it."

"Good. Get some rest."

He took the indoor elevator upstairs. After a moment's thought, he sent his assistant a message.

He trusted his brother to deal with the trending story.

But the timing was too convenient. Xie Zhiyu wanted to know whether it was a coincidence or someone's scheme.

He needed to get to the bottom of it.

Xie Tingsi's approach was simple, blunt, and effective. He made two Weibo posts: one to set the record straight and one to announce he was suing the paparazzi.

Xie Tingsi V: Are you insane? That's my brother. My actual brother!

Xie Tingsi V: @Fishy Media If you're blind, get it treated. And spreading false rumors is illegal. My lawyer will be in touch :)

Weibo exploded again.

[What a twist! My man doesn't mess around!]

[Hahahaha, bet you feel stupid now. They're actual brothers! Hahahaha!]

[The paparazzi are disgusting. Making up fake news and spreading it.]

[Ahem. My man's brother is looking pretty fine too.]

[Does the older brother want to join showbiz? Ahem. That physique puts male celebrities to shame.]

[If the younger brother's this handsome, the older one must be too.]

[Xie Tingsi's family has incredible genes. Both brothers are gorgeous and built like that?]

[I almost started shipping the brothers. Pulled myself back from the edge just in time.]

[Those paparazzi are seriously cracked. Even a gold miner couldn't dig up that much crack.]

[He cleared it up so fast. Xie Tingsi takes no crap. Love him.]

[I'm done for. I've fallen for two men.]

[Bro, go on a variety show with your brother. I'd watch the hell out of that, hahaha.]

After clearing things up, Xie Tingsi immediately contacted his manager and lawyer.

He wasn't accepting a settlement. Whoever had spread those lies could go sit in a cell.

Once that was done, his manager told him the PR team would keep monitoring things and that he should go to bed early to protect that face of his.

Xie Tingsi listened. Sort of.

Wearing a face mask, he patrolled the comments from an alternate account. Whenever he saw someone insulting his brother, he reported them, occasionally jumping in to argue himself.

Time slipped by unnoticed.

Hungry in the middle of the night, Shen Baili went to the kitchen for something to eat. She caught sight of a face reflecting white light in the darkness, and Xie Tingsi nearly scared the life out of her.

"Why are you still up?" Shen Baili patted her chest, trying to calm her pounding heart.

Xie Tingsi had jumped too. "Mom! I thought you were Sadako."

"Why aren't you asleep in the middle of the night?"

Shen Baili answered honestly, "...I'm hungry."

Xie Tingsi teased her wickedly. "Don't tell me you stayed up playing games. I might have to tell your mom."

Shen Baili picked up her cake. "I didn't. I'm going upstairs."

With no fun left in teasing her, Xie Tingsi said, "You're such a boring kid."

Shen Baili smiled and whispered like a little devil, "Second Brother, is that a pimple?"

Xie Tingsi: "!!!"

Even as she went upstairs, Shen Baili could hear Xie Tingsi muttering in disbelief.

She howled with laughter inside.

You picked the wrong person to mess with.

September arrived, bringing the start of the school year. Shen Baili slung on her backpack and headed off to high school.

Her wound had almost completely healed. As long as she avoided strenuous exercise, she could run and jump normally.

Haicheng No. 1 High School wasn't far from the Xie Residence, about a forty-minute drive.

Shen Baili chose to commute. Shen Wan arranged a car and driver dedicated to taking her to school each day.

On the first day of school, Shen Wan got up early. After breakfast with Shen Baili, she got ready to take her to school.

"Bye, Uncle Xie! Bye, Eldest Brother, Second Brother! I'm off to school." She waved cheerfully, then took her mother's hand and left with her.

Xie Tingsi couldn't understand it. "Has that girl lost her mind? What's there to be happy about when school starts?"

Back when he was a student, going to school every day had felt like attending a funeral.

Xie Chengyue said mildly, "Suìsuì likes studying. You think everyone falls asleep the moment they touch a textbook, like you?"

A faint smile touched Xie Zhiyu's lips. "She really does work hard."

Whenever he came home at night, the light in Shen Baili's room was still on.

"Who's Suìsuì?"

Xie Chengyue: "..."

Xie Zhiyu explained, "It's her nickname."

"Little Pear Blossom sounds better," Xie Tingsi said. "I'm sticking with Little Pear Blossom."

For once, Xie Zhiyu disagreed with him. "Suìsuì sounds better."

Safe and sound, year after year. What a lovely name.

Rankings

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Transmigration into a Book

Wish-fulfillment fiction

Rich CEO

Female Supporting Character Story

Transmigration and Rebirth Romance

Pumpkin Vine

Mind Reading

Beloved by Everyone