Chapter Sixteen: The Matchmaking Director (Part Two)

During the break, Bai Chenxi took the opportunity to scroll through online comments.

[Please pay more attention to our brother’s new song "Desktop", and stay away from his private life.]
Hmm! This one’s a rational fan.

[Don’t do it! You’re still young, let’s focus on your career first, okay?]
This is a fan concerned about her idol’s career, perhaps even a girlfriend fan.

[Pulling up my little stool, waiting for the drama to unfold.]
[By the way, isn’t Bai Chenxi Lin Yue’s girlfriend? This is getting interesting.]
[Enjoying the gossip is fine, but leave Yue alone—he’s busy filming, thank you!]
Wow! Even he’s getting dragged into this—impressive.

[A passerby calmly says: these two just had a meal together, their interactions seem a bit close... uh, forget I said anything.]
A hater, definitely a hater.

[Who’s the undercover hater upstairs? The main parties haven’t said anything yet—it’s just a working relationship.]
[Judging by their interactions, if there’s nothing going on between them, I’ll livestream myself eating a keyboard.]
Message me, I’ll pick you a nice chewy one.

[He can date anyone, just not her. She’s obviously manipulative.]
Heh! Why can’t it be me? As if dating someone else would bring them joy and blessings.

Bai Chenxi was having a great time silently ranting, but didn’t dare post a single word online, enjoying her complaints in private.

The director must have seen the news as well; instead of urging the two to shoot, he filmed other scenes first, giving them plenty of time to handle things. Bai Chenxi quietly thought: What a considerate director.

At this moment, the "considerate" director was thinking: Ha! You messed up, didn’t you? I knew something was up between you two all along. Feeling proud of his sharp eye, he relished the fact that he’d spotted the signs before anyone else.

Lan Tian wandered over at some point, naturally overhearing her complaints.

"Bai Chenxi, Bai Chenxi," Lan Tian called twice before snapping her out of it.

Normally, Lan Tian would have just tapped her directly. But with their rumored relationship trending, he didn’t dare act too boldly.

Clearly, Bai Chenxi wasn’t affected; she greeted him as usual: "When did you get here? I didn’t even notice."

Lan Tian glanced around at the curious, gossip-filled eyes directed at them, puzzled: She was more sensitive than me earlier—how is she oblivious to these burning stares now?

Bai Chenxi invited Lan Tian to sit, and he lowered his voice: "Aren’t you worried?"

"Worried about what?"

"Our scandal!" Lan Tian glanced around nervously as he spoke, and Bai Chenxi suddenly understood.

"Oh, that? It’s nothing, really. Just explain it clearly and it’ll be fine."

Seeing Bai Chenxi truly unconcerned, Lan Tian finally sat and spoke with a guilty look: "Sorry! I got you into trouble. Even got you cursed at."

He’d heard her complaints earlier, and felt bad that Bai Chenxi was taking flak from his own fans. After all, idols pay for their fans' actions.

"What are you saying? Are we not friends? Do I seem petty to you?" Bai Chenxi feigned anger: "We ate together, why should all the blame fall on you? Trolls and haters are everywhere online. I’m just venting; who really cares what they say?"

Lan Tian wasn’t the type to dwell on guilt; once it was cleared up, he let it go and continued discussing the issue with Bai Chenxi.

"My agent just talked with yours, and decided it’s best not to respond for now."

"Not respond?" Bai Chenxi had expected a swift, decisive clarification.

"Yeah! It’s not a big deal, not worth an official statement. Besides, we’re still filming—being too hasty isn’t good. Xu and Wang think it’s best to let them talk; in a few days, everyone will forget. When the media visits the set, we’ll find a chance to clear things up."

The two had a calm, measured discussion, but to onlookers it was: Wow! These two are definitely together—their scandal is trending and they aren’t even avoiding each other. Are they planning to go public?

Bai Chenxi and Lan Tian had no idea everyone already assumed they were a couple. Lan Tian was still pondering how to phrase things.

"Lan Tian, just say what’s on your mind." Bai Chenxi could tell he had more to say; he was fidgeting, unable to sit still.

"Alright!" Lan Tian seemed to make up his mind: "Sis! You must explain things clearly to Brother Chu—I have nothing with you, absolutely nothing. Make sure you emphasize that, and if needed, express your disdain for me without mercy."

"Brother Chu? Chu Muyun?" Thinking of their conversation at the barbecue stand, Bai Chenxi recalled they worked at the same company.

Lan Tian nodded desperately, as if entrusting his fate to her. Bai Chenxi was genuinely baffled.

"What does this have to do with him? Why explain to him?" Whenever Chu Muyun was mentioned, her tone soured.

Lan Tian saw her displeasure, and remembered their first meeting. He tentatively asked, "Did you... break up with Brother Chu?"

"What?" Bai Chenxi reacted as if she’d heard something unbelievable, her voice rising, drawing more curious glances.

"My mistake, you didn’t break up. Calm down, everyone’s watching!" Lan Tian quickly pulled her back, reminding her they were on set.

He thought: It must be true love! Just mentioning a breakup made her explode.

"Alright, alright, my mistake. You and Brother Chu are a match made in heaven—you’ll grow old together, surrounded by grandchildren."

"What nonsense!" Bai Chenxi flared up again, but lowered her voice for the crowd: "Who wants to grow old with that jerk? Stop talking nonsense!"

Bai Chenxi recalled their first meeting and thought Lan Tian must have misunderstood, so she solemnly clarified: "I have absolutely nothing to do with Chu Muyun. That day was a misunderstanding—you have to believe me."

Lan Tian listened to her earnest explanation but didn’t believe a word: He knew his senior brother well—usually, he avoided women like the plague, barely said a word. If a woman cried, he wouldn’t even blink.

Yet he’d met her privately, and seemed to comfort her kindly. Otherwise, why was he so nervous about what Lan Tian had overheard? Clearly, he wanted to protect his aloof image. That alone was unusual.

Not to mention the recent secret date that got photographed—did his senior ever smile and chat with someone he had no connection to? Of course not. Considering all this, Lan Tian would never believe they had nothing going on.

Seeing Lan Tian’s disbelief, Bai Chenxi stared at him: "Do I look like I have a problem with my eyes?"

Lan Tian shook his head, confused: "Why ask that all of a sudden?"

"My eyes are fine—why would I ever be interested in him?" Her words overflowed with disdain.

Lan Tian pondered, then suddenly nodded with understanding. Bai Chenxi thought he finally believed she had nothing with Chu Muyun.

But Lan Tian’s inner thoughts were: Got it, they’re fighting. The more he thought about it, the more it seemed like a quarrel between lovers.

Lan Tian felt he’d uncovered something huge. He wasn’t the only one on set feeling like a wise detective.

The assistant director, peeking at the monitor, sidled over to gossip with the director: "Director, who would’ve thought those two are secretly together right under our noses?"

The director said nothing, but was inwardly smug: That’s you—I noticed something was up ages ago.

"Director, look how unconcerned they are—are they planning to go public? If they do, our series will be a hit even before airing!"

Watching the excited assistant director, the director replied blandly: "Oh? Is that so?"

But inside, he thought: That’s not unconcerned—didn’t you notice their faces? They’re clearly arguing about whether to go public.

The director observed for a while, and the more he watched, the more convinced he became. He truly believed he was the wise one here.