Trust

"Don't worry, I'm fine. What about you?" Su Li smiled gently at him, the corners of his slightly red lips lifting.

"Our task was really simple. We just had to compose music, and I learned so much from Queen of Songs Cheng!" Chen Zhuo's eyes were bright, and he looked excited.

The livestream hadn't been cut off yet, so the viewers saw this scene too:

[Zhuo Bao is so cute!!]

[Awww, Zhuo Bao cares so much about Su Li. I'm shipping them.]

[Our Li Bao is so gentle too.]

Meng Chichi had rested for a long time. Once she calmed down, she was no longer like she'd been in the café. She felt that her earlier behavior had all been because Su Li had deliberately scared her to make her embarrass herself.

Seeing that beautiful face filled her with both jealousy and disgust. On top of that, the other guests had all gone to check on Su Li, and no one cared about her. Seeing that the livestream hadn't ended, an idea came to her, and an accusation slipped out:

"Su Li, why did you deliberately scare me in the café? I've never done anything to you. Why would you treat me like that?" As expected of a young actress famous for romance dramas, she even had tears in her eyes.

Everyone fell silent and turned to look at Meng Chichi.

[?? Anyone who watched their group's stream, is this true?]

[Yes, Su Li deliberately scared our Chichi!]

[Su Li, explain yourself!]

[Explain what, my ass. Anyone who watched the stream knows that fake innocent bitch got scared because she's a coward. She started crying the moment she went in. What does that have to do with our Li Bao?]

[There she goes playing innocent again. Su Li really got dragged into this for nothing. He helped her up and comforted her, and now she's turning around and blaming him!]

Su Li narrowed his eyes briefly, then hid the mockery in them and addressed Meng Chichi. "Chichi, when did I scare you? You were the one who insisted on looking under that table. Nothing I said could stop you. I really wanted to protect you."

His eyes were full of hurt, as though he'd heard something unbelievable. Paired with that beautiful face, he looked utterly pitiful.

[Poor Li Bao, why is that fake innocent Meng framing him?]

[I don't care. Su Li deliberately scared Chichi back there.]

[Meng's fans can't tell right from wrong. I watched the livestream. It had absolutely nothing to do with Su Li, okay!]

[As a Zhuo Bao fan, I support Su Li! That fake innocent bitch can drop dead.]

Chen Zhuo couldn't take it anymore and pointed at her. "Seriously, Meng Chichi? You're a coward, and now you're blaming Brother Su? What's your problem? The livestream recording is right there, and you're already trying to frame him. Do you think people won't watch it?"

[Wow, Chen Zhuo doesn't hold back!]

[Thank you, Chen Zhuo, for protecting our Li Bao!]

[I'm shipping it, I'm shipping it.]

[What's so impressive about all of you picking on our Chichi, a girl?]

[What does this have to do with Chen Zhuo? It's none of his business. What right does he have to criticize our Chichi?]

[Because our Zhuo Bao is an expert at spotting bitches, thank you!]

[First you kept using our Zhuo Bao to drum up publicity, and now you're trying to get random viewers to cyberbully Su Li. You've really outdone yourself, Meng.]

Few of Chen Zhuo's fans liked Meng Chichi, because she had worked with him twice before, once on a music video and once on another variety show.

She often deliberately hyped up her relationship with Chen Zhuo. Even when she clarified things, her statements remained ambiguous, which made his fans despise her.

Meng Chichi instantly went pale. She hadn't expected Chen Zhuo to speak up for Su Li. With tears in her eyes, she gritted her teeth and said, "Then why did you insist on making me find that arm? It was so terrifying. I'm a girl. Couldn't you have gone easy on me? Sob..."

Su Li looked even more hurt, as though he didn't know what to do. "I... I'm sorry. I thought we were a team, and I couldn't let you feel left out, Chichi. I wanted you to find that thing and get the key so the viewers would think you were amazing. I'm sorry, Chichi. I meant well, but I messed things up."

[Why should he go easy on you just because you're a girl? Is Su Li your dad??]

[As a casual viewer, I feel bad for Su Li. She threw his kindness right back in his face.]

[I feel so bad for our Li Bao. It's okay, Li Bao. We'll ignore that fake innocent bitch.]

[Honestly, Meng Chichi really went too far. She's blaming Su Li out of nowhere. She thinks she can stir up trouble just because she's more popular than him, huh?]

[Does she really think the viewers are all idiots?]

Chen Zhuo was even more direct. "Who do you think you are? Why should Brother Su go easy on you? If you're such a coward, don't come on the show. You got scared and cried, and now you're whining and blaming someone else. You think everyone else can't tell right from wrong, just like you?"

Even Cheng Sirong said, "Meng Chichi, stop being unreasonable. Xiao Su is such a good person. Why would he scare you? You're overthinking it." She was a woman too, and she could easily see what Meng Chichi was up to.

An Hui tried to smooth things over. "All right, let's not spoil the mood over this. We've still got several days to spend together. Meng Chichi, go upstairs first. Xiao Su, you just helped us too, so you must be tired. Thank you so much. If you need anything, tell me, and I'll have my assistant buy it!"

Although he was smoothing things over, he was clearly siding with Su Li. After spending half the day with him, he felt that the young man was very good-sincere, kind, and innocent-and he was willing to lend him a hand.

An Hui had spent decades navigating the entertainment industry. As an award-winning actor, he could tell at a glance that Meng Chichi was acting.

At this point, the live comments were all mocking Meng Chichi.

[I'm dying. Not one person is on that fake innocent Meng's side.]

[I could laugh at this for a year. Her face has turned green.]

[How embarrassing. Meng tried to put him in his place and ended up humiliating herself.]

[Who does she think that award-winning actor and singing queen are? How could they not see through her little schemes?]

[Thank you, An Hui, Queen of Songs Cheng, and Zhuo Bao, for speaking up for our Li Bao!!]

[So you're all picking on our Chichi? None of these people deserve to be in the entertainment industry!]

[Why is the person above still fighting a losing battle? Tell me how much she's paying you so I can make some money too!!]

Meng Chichi's face was ashen, and she seethed inwardly. She felt that they were all bullying her, when Su Li was clearly the most hateful one! She was so fragile. Why wasn't anyone on her side?

It was all Su Li's fault. All his fault. Just you wait!

She shot Su Li a hateful glare, then turned and ran upstairs crying.

[I never thought Meng Chichi was this kind of person.]

[She has no manners at all, just leaving like that.]

[She lost it, huh? Failed to frame someone and humiliated herself instead.]

[Can she even stay on this show now?]

[As a Zhuo Bao fan, this feels so good. We finally got to see that fake innocent bitch get put in her place.]

[Thank you, Su Li, for putting Meng in her place. As a Zhuo Bao fan, I declare that Li and Zhuo are family from now on!]

The livestream was abruptly cut off. Wang Xiang hadn't expected another problem to arise in the brief time he hadn't been watching. Meng Chichi had dared to start trouble while the cameras were still rolling. She really was brainless!

Whatever. The viewers loved watching it anyway, so he might as well count it as publicity to boost the buzz. In his mind, the variety show's performance mattered more than anything else.

"Thank you for today, Sister Cheng, Brother An, and Chen Zhuo. You're all taking such good care of me that I don't know what to say." Su Li smiled shyly.

"It's nothing, Xiao Su. I said I'd look out for you, so of course I'd help. Don't let Meng Chichi bother you too much. Just keep your distance from now on!"

An Hui nodded too. "Su Li, you helped us plenty today too. If anything comes up, just say the word."

"Brother Su, just call me Little Zhuo from now on. Ignore Meng Chichi. There's something wrong with her head. She wasn't quite normal when I worked with her before, either. Always drumming up publicity!" Chen Zhuo was furious.

"All right, but aren't you worried I'll use your popularity too?" Su Li asked with a smile.

Chen Zhuo shook his head. "She can't compare to Brother Su. Besides, if Brother Su wanted to use my popularity, I'd be more than happy to let you."

"Why?"

"Because Brother Su is different from other people. Besides, it'd prove that I'm at least a little popular, hahahaha." Chen Zhuo looked a little shy.

"Thank you, Zhuo. But you're already very popular. I believe you'll do even better in the future." Su Li's eyes were full of certainty.

Chen Zhuo grew even more excited. He was very sensitive to other people's emotions and could tell who was sincere and who wasn't.

But from the first moment he saw Su Li, he'd felt that Su Li was a good person, sincere with him, gentle, and encouraging. He had rarely experienced that feeling since entering the entertainment industry.

He took Su Li's arm, his eyes sparkling. "Brother Su, come have snacks in my room. I brought loads, all kinds!" He was like a puppy wagging its tail.