"Yeah!" His voice was loud and utterly matter-of-fact.
What else could he possibly say?
Yu Xiuyuan looked perfectly composed, but his toes were already digging into the ground.
Yun Chuan studied the proud-looking Yu Xiuyuan with curiosity in his eyes, as though examining some fascinating new question about life.
"So God Yun turned his camera on at five in the morning because Yu Dog woke him up!"
"Forcing himself to boot up just so he could go back to sleep. What the hell."
"Is Yu Dog really this bizarre? No wonder he announced he wanted to retire at twenty-one."
"Sleepwalking is kind of scary. Did God Yun turn the camera on because he was scared and wanted to feel safe?"
"Haha, God Yun takes life so seriously, and Yu Dog's wild antics completely stunned him."
Yu Xiuyuan bravely maintained his smile under Yun Chuan's scrutiny. Luckily, the kindhearted director soon came to his rescue.
"Unfortunately, Best Actor Yun answered the third question incorrectly. With one correct answer in total, you may choose one breakfast item."
"Next, Yu Xiuyuan, go ahead and reveal your answers while we're at it!"
Yu Xiuyuan couldn't care less about being an afterthought. He casually flipped his answer board around and held it toward the camera.
Question one: Wen Lin's birthday is March 18.
Question two: Wen Lin is 176 centimeters tall and weighs 64 kilograms.
Question three: Wen Lin admires Best Actor Yun very, very much.
These answers caught everyone off guard.
"What's going on with Yu Dog? Is he really done clinging to God Yun for attention?"
"Wasn't Yu Dog fighting with Wen Lin yesterday? Now it's true love?"
"They were friends to begin with. Yu Dog used to be so protective of Wen Lin. They've just made up today, haven't they?"
"Our Linlin is so kind. Only our Linlin would be willing to be friends with someone as vicious as Yu Dog."
"Our Linlin treats Yu Dog so well, yet he still smeared him. He's so vile!"
"Please grow a brain, Yu Dog. What kind of decent person would talk you into wearing clothes that ugly?"
The director was a little surprised, too. He hadn't expected all his answers to be about Wen Lin.
"Since all three answers concern Wen Lin, let's have Wen Lin confirm them!"
Yu Xiuyuan remained perfectly calm. The first two were completely accurate, and Wen Lin couldn't possibly deny the third.
Wen Lin was doing everything he could to pursue Yun Chuan. He would be delighted that Yu Xiuyuan was giving him a leg up.
Of course, he couldn't possibly win Yun Chuan over. His canon love interest was Yun Chuan's older brother...
Thinking about it that way, wasn't this a little soap-operatic?
"All the answers are correct," Wen Lin said, looking at Yun Chuan before shyly lowering his head.
He didn't notice Fang Yi's expression darken beside him at those words.
"It seems Xiuyuan really does know Wen Lin well. Are you two close?"
Yu Xiuyuan jumped in. "Yes. Wen Lin saved me before, so I listen to him unconditionally. Between us, whatever he says goes. Yesterday was just a misunderstanding."
He smiled guilelessly at the camera, his words brimming with heartfelt sincerity, as though he actually meant them.
As though he hadn't been the one to turn hostile yesterday.
Hearing his sincerity, and seeing him help make his admiration for Best Actor Yun clear through his answers, Wen Lin felt completely reassured. Everything was still under control. The plan could continue.
After remarking on how touching their deep bond was-as if!-the director had Wen Lin reveal his answers next.
Wen Lin glanced at his answer board. He pressed his lips together, blushed, and shyly looked at the floor beside him before slowly turning the board around:
Question one: Yun Chuan's birthday is June 9.
Question two: Yun Chuan is 188 centimeters tall and weighs 75 kilograms.
Question three: Yu Xiuyuan is in love with Best Actor Yun.
The director called through his little megaphone, "The first two answers are correct! Yu Xiuyuan, please confirm whether the third answer is correct."
Everyone's contemptuous gaze swung toward Yu Xiuyuan at once:
Just as expected. He was still trying to leech off Best Actor Yun's fame, and he'd even asked his friend to play along. Hah.
Only Yun Chuan's eyes held no contempt, merely an understanding that said, Just as I thought.
He discreetly adjusted his cuffs, crossed one leg over the other, slowly leaned back against the sofa, and raised his eyes to Yu Xiuyuan.
On camera, his posture was relaxed, and he radiated a certain aura, looking handsome enough to make anyone weak at the knees.
Yu Xiuyuan was horrified. That bastard Wen Lin was still trying to use him to stir up trouble.
He straightened up and waved his hands at the camera so fast they blurred, his mouth firing like a machine gun:
"I'm not! I don't! I'm not worthy! Don't make things up!"
"I didn't even dare say a word to him last night! I definitely didn't harass him!"
Then he turned an accusing look on Wen Lin. "Besides, I know you've liked him all along. How could I possibly compete with you?"
He was so busy windmilling his hands that he missed Best Actor Yun looking handsome enough to make anyone weak at the knees. What a shame.
Yun Chuan withdrew his gaze and sat upright.
He was still very handsome, but somehow seemed a little colder.
Wen Lin wasn't paying attention to Yun Chuan either. Those words nearly made him cough up blood.
One second, he'd thought the plan could continue. The next, the whole table had been flipped over.
He couldn't let people know he liked Best Actor Yun yet!
He was still stringing Fang Yi along, and he still needed the opportunities Fang Yi could give him.
Besides, he was nowhere near popular enough. Making a move on Yun Chuan now would be asking for death.
His plan required him to use Yu Xiuyuan as a stepping stone while cultivating a persona of "protecting Best Actor Yun from Yu Xiuyuan's harassment."
Only after winning enough goodwill from Best Actor Yun and his fans could he reveal his feelings. Only then would he have a chance of succeeding and gaining the support of the actor's fans!
Earlier, Yu Xiuyuan had written that he "admired" Best Actor Yun. The word "admired" struck exactly the right balance!
Why had he suddenly lost all sense of boundaries?
Had he panicked, afraid I'd be upset?
How was I supposed to answer now?
I couldn't admit it, but I couldn't deny it either! If I denied it now, I'd have even less of a chance later!
Useless idiot. All he could do was ruin things!
Wen Lin could barely keep his smile in place. He lowered his head to hide it, his mind racing.
But he'd forgotten that silence meant agreement.
Beside him, Fang Yi watched him go on without denying it, even lowering his head with a shy smile. His expression grew darker and darker.
So that was how it was?
Was that why he kept blowing hot and cold with me?
Whenever there was an opportunity he wanted, it was: "Fang Yi, you're so good to me. I honestly don't know what I'd do without you."
"Fang Yi, you're so good to me. You're all I have."
"Fang Yi, you treat me so well. I don't even know how to repay you."
Once he'd gotten the opportunity, it became: "Fang Yi, I'm not good enough for you. Besides, my career is taking off right now, and I need to focus on it. Once I've climbed high enough, I won't have to worry about not being good enough for you. Right now, I only see you as an older brother."
So he'd been stringing me along.
I wasn't good enough for him, but the opportunities I gave him were?
Hah. What a joke.
I just didn't know which of us was the bigger joke.
Seeing that Wen Lin wasn't saying anything else, the director raised his megaphone and announced, "The first two answers are correct, so you may choose two food items. Next, let's have Fang Yi beside you reveal his answers!"
Fang Yi turned his answer board around without expression, feeling as though each answer were a slap landing hard across his own face.
Question one: Wen Lin's birthday is March 18.
Question two: Wen Lin is 176 centimeters tall and weighs 64 kilograms.
Question three: Wen Lin has someone in his heart, and he has been working hard for him all along.
Yun Chuan's fans were all touched. So everyone around Wen Lin knew he liked God Yun, and he'd even been quietly working hard for him.
It was just a shame he wasn't good enough for God Yun.
Wen Lin went numb.
A sheen of clammy cold sweat seeped across his back.
Of course Fang Yi couldn't possibly have meant Yun Chuan. He'd meant himself!
Before you continue