Married in a Daze - Chapter 15
Chapter 15
Qin Zhenzhen and Lu Ruyun hugged.
With the hotel's constant flow of people, and Lu Ruyun and Qin Zhenzhen being the talk of the town lately, it was no surprise at all that paparazzi were tailing them. However, when the paparazzi released blurry photos of the two embracing, it still sparked heated discussions among netizens.
—Hugging??? In a hotel? Wow, that's suggestive.
—Maybe, they really got married because they like each other.
—Of course they like each other, well, to each their own.
—Calling them that, are you some celestial beauty yourself? Just a keyboard warrior!
Qin Zhenzhen found out about the photos of her and Lu Ruyun being secretly taken and posted on Weibo just after the dinner gathering ended. Meng Xin was completely drunk, and after sending Meng Xin home, she received a call from Ji Lu.
"Zhenzhen, are you with Sister Meng?"
"She's not answering my calls."
Qin Zhenzhen looked helplessly at Meng Xin, who was slumped on the sofa like a puddle of mud. "She is, but she can't answer the phone."
Ji Lu paused. "Zhenzhen, weren't you at a dinner gathering tonight? How did you run into Lu Ruyun?"
Qin Zhenzhen was slightly taken aback. How did Ji Lu know she had run into Lu Ruyun?
Ji Lu pursed her lips and dropped two words: "Weibo."
Qin Zhenzhen quickly hung up and went onto Weibo. Sure enough, she saw the photos taken by the paparazzi. The images weren't very clear, but it was still recognizable as her and Lu Ruyun embracing.
She frowned, worried that the afternoon's drama would be revived. However, contrary to her expectations, the news about her and Lu Ruyun didn't make it onto the hot search. Instead, another name did.
Duan Qiuhan.
Duan Qiuhan had posted on Weibo.
@DuanMyDuan: Good evening to all Duan fans and netizens. I've received calls from friends these past few days, asking if I'm okay, asking about my relationship with Ruyun. I really don't know whether to laugh or cry. I hereby reiterate: Ruyun and I are just good friends, there has never been anything inappropriate between us. Of course, if I were to behave inappropriately, my girlfriend would be very unhappy. So, everyone, please watch your words and actions.
—Girlfriend??? Wait! Girlfriend? When did our Duanbao get a girlfriend?!
—Is this a clarification statement for the afternoon? He and Cloud Fairy have no relationship, yet some people were saying he was wearing a green hat, saying super nasty things.
—Yeah, I also think some people's baseless speculation was too much, even talking about a green hat. I hope they learn how to spell "watch your words and actions."
—It was just fans and media stirring up nonsense. When have you ever seen the two of them act intimately? I've been a fan of Cloud Fairy for eight years, and I've collected all her merchandise. I never once felt she and Duan Qiuhan did anything misleading.
—Agree, agree, agree! I'm a Duan fan, and I didn't notice anything either. But my focus now is! Who the heck is Duanbao's girlfriend!!
Subsequently, countless netizens started digging. They scrutinized every actress Duan Qiuhan had ever worked with, eliminating those who were married or had boyfriends, leaving very few candidates.
The few remaining actresses hurried to send congratulatory messages to distance themselves. Duan Qiuhan's Weibo was suddenly bustling with activity. The netizens' gaze also shifted from within the industry to outside it, yet they still couldn't pinpoint the target.
Qin Zhenzhen was a little dumbfounded by this turn of events.
By then, she had already returned to her apartment. She had just finished showering and was sitting on the sofa, hugging her phone in deep thought.
So, Duan Qiuhan meant that he and Lu Ruyun were just friends?
And he had been with that Yaoyao for six years?
So she had misunderstood today? She thought they were sneaking around behind Lu Ruyun's back, but that wasn't the case at all?
Then why did she worry about Lu Ruyun getting hurt and do such an outrageous thing??
Qin Zhenzhen felt a wave of annoyance in her heart. No wonder Lu Ruyun had looked at her like she was crazy.
Wasn't she crazy, though!
Crazy with wild imagination!
Qin Zhenzhen indignantly threw her phone onto the sofa and turned to go into her bedroom.
After fermenting overnight, Duan Qiuhan's Weibo statement had already spread to every corner of the internet. Some praised, some criticized, some mocked, but most were curious about the identity of Duan Qiuhan's girlfriend, who hadn't surfaced yet.
No matter how much they guessed, scouring both inside and outside the industry, they just couldn't find anyone particularly close to Duan Qiuhan.
However, while digging through old news, they discovered that during holidays, he didn't only tag Lu Ruyun; sometimes he would tag a couple of other friends, sometimes crew members. It was just that the nature of his relationship with Lu Ruyun had always been murky, leading people to make subconscious assumptions.
Now that these instances were being pulled out one by one, it actually made his treatment of Lu Ruyun seem not particularly special. It was just that the CP fans before were too good at finding "sugar," combined with the fact that neither of them liked to discuss their private lives—especially Lu Ruyun, who might only update Weibo once or twice a year—which allowed the 'rumors' to persist for so long.
When Qin Zhenzhen was awakened by Ji Lu, the general direction of the online public opinion had already settled. Even Ji Lu's voice sounded much more relaxed: "Zhenzhen, I brought you soup dumplings and century egg with lean pork congee today. From that place you love most in the north of the city."
She was holding two bags, waving them in front of Qin Zhenzhen. The aroma of food filled the entire apartment.
Qin Zhenzhen let her in and then turned to go wash up in the bathroom. When she came out, she saw Ji Lu sitting at the dining table, eating congee while looking at her phone. Qin Zhenzhen walked over, picked up a soup dumpling and popped it in her mouth, asking, "What are you looking at?"
Ji Lu looked up. "Weibo. Oh, right, what was going on with you and Lu Ruyun yesterday?"
Thinking about how she had misunderstood the situation and hugged Lu Ruyun last night, Qin Zhenzhen felt embarrassed. She tugged at the corner of her mouth. "Nothing. I drank too much and just happened to see her."
Ji Lu nodded. "Oh."
After saying that, she stared at her phone again. After a long while, she raised her eyes in surprise to look at Qin Zhenzhen. Qin Zhenzhen asked, "What's wrong?"
Ji Lu pointed at her phone. "Duan Qiuhan's girlfriend has been exposed."
Qin Zhenzhen leaned over to look at her phone screen.
—Debunking: Not someone in the industry. They haven't just started dating either. And most importantly, the character in Duanbao's Weibo username is one of the characters from the girl's name!
—Really? I remember Duanbao changed this Weibo handle six years ago? So they've been together for six years?
—Ahem, as a semi-informed person, I'll whisper this: they have indeed been together for a very long time. And, his girlfriend even attended his dinner gathering last night. Teacher Duan personally confirmed their relationship.
Under this comment was a string of "holy shits." Many netizens were busy seeking verification everywhere. Ji Lu also looked at Qin Zhenzhen's profile and whispered, "Zhenzhen, I heard their dinner gathering last night was right next to yours. Did you see his girlfriend?"
Qin Zhenzhen tilted her head to look at her. "I saw her."
Ji Lu's eyes sparkled. "Well?!"
Qin Zhenzhen interrupted her. "You've seen her too."
Ji Lu: ...
After breakfast, Ji Lu cleared the table. The two of them left the apartment one after the other. Xiao Wu was waiting in the car outside the door. It was late August, the weather still sweltering. The morning sun was already making people sweat profusely, the air heavy and stifling. Qin Zhenzhen had fine beads of sweat on her forehead before getting in the car, glistening under the sunlight. She quickly ducked inside.
Only when the cool breeze brushed past her face did she feel like she could breathe again.
Ji Lu got in the car after her and, seeing this, took a bottle of ice water from the car fridge and handed it to her. Qin Zhenzhen shook her head, so Ji Lu put it back.
They were heading straight to the film set today. Cold Palace was mainly about palace intrigue, so most of the filming location was in the Guzhen Film and Television City in City B. It had palace halls from various dynasties, countless long streets and alleys, plenty of official residences and commoners' dwellings from different periods. It was the best location for filming period dramas in recent years.
Sitting in the car, Ji Lu racked her brains trying to figure out when she had ever seen Duan Qiuhan's girlfriend. She hadn't even seen Duan Qiuhan himself! Where could she have seen his girlfriend?
She thought left and right, scratching her head, but couldn't figure it out. Seeing Qin Zhenzhen leaning against the car window looking outside, she leaned over and whispered, "Zhenzhen."
"Just tell me."
"If it's really impossible, at least give me a hint."
Qin Zhenzhen tilted her head to look at Ji Lu's twisted expression and found it amusing. She generously gave a hint: "It's related to Lu Ruyun."
Ji Lu was stunned for a moment. "Lu Ruyun?"
Then, inspiration struck her. "Could it be He Shuangshuang?!"
Qin Zhenzhen nearly choked on her own saliva just as they were about to get out of the car.
Seeing her cough until her face turned red, Ji Lu scratched her head and shut up.
When the two of them arrived at the filming location, Director Hu hadn't arrived yet. Song He was talking to some other people. Seeing Qin Zhenzhen, he waved. "Zhenzhen!"
Under the blazing sun, Qin Zhenzhen squinted, placing a hand over her forehead, and walked towards Song He.
It was hot. Several large sun umbrellas were set up, with stools placed under each. Qin Zhenzhen walked to Song He's side. Song He pulled out a stool from underneath and handed it to her. She had just sat down when she heard people discussing. "Hey, is that about Director Duan true or false?"
"Nonsense, if he announced it publicly, could it be false?"
"I heard they even went to the dinner gathering together last night, right next to us! What a shame we didn't see."
"Oh, right, Zhenzhen, do you know Director Duan's girlfriend?"
Everyone's gaze fell on Qin Zhenzhen, who had just sat down. There was no air conditioning here, only fans blowing. She had long been unbearably hot. Seeing everyone looking at her, she forced a smile. "I know a little."
As soon as her words fell, someone chimed in. "Of course she knows! Zhenzhen spends all day with Teacher Lu, and Director Duan and Teacher Lu are good friends. How could she not know?"
"That's true."
The remaining people chattered, the topic never straying far from Duan Qiuhan and his girlfriend. Qin Zhenzhen couldn't be bothered to listen, so she simply moved to sit a bit further away. The fan blew her long hair into a mess. Feeling uncomfortable, she asked Ji Lu to find her a hair clip for her.
Only after piling her long hair up on her head did she feel slightly cooler.
Seeing she was done, Song He handed her a cup of ice water. "Another half hour. Director Hu is stuck in traffic."
Qin Zhenzhen nodded. She had just taken a sip of the ice water when she heard a girl's voice beside her. "Huh? Isn't that Teacher Lu?"
Holding the water in her mouth, she turned to look. She saw Duan Qiuhan and Lu Ruyun walking at the very front, with He Shuangshuang standing beside Lu Ruyun holding an umbrella for her. The dazzling sun was piercing. Qin Zhenzhen squinted her eyes.
Lu Ruyun, who was already walking towards another area, seemed to sense something and looked back. She saw Qin Zhenzhen sitting under a sun umbrella. Her expression remained normal, but a hint of surprise flickered in her bright eyes. Following her gaze, Duan Qiuhan smiled and said, "Thank me. Knowing you two just got married and wouldn't want to be apart, I specially fought for the location of their crew to be right next to yours."
Apart from He Shuangshuang and Zhang Yiyao, Lu Ruyun hadn't told anyone else about the contract marriage with Qin Zhenzhen, so Duan Qiuhan didn't know. He wore an expression full of consideration for his friend. Seeing Lu Ruyun silent, he continued, "I was originally wondering who could stand your gentle temperament. I never expected Qin Zhenzhen could actually endure it."
Lu Ruyun withdrew her gaze and glanced at him. "Stop talking nonsense."
Duan Qiuhan laughed. "Alright, you were even hugging like that last night. I'm not blind."
Lu Ruyun wanted to retort, but the scene from last night surfaced in her mind: that person's slender arms embracing her, slightly raising her head, bright eyes shimmering, cheeks flushed red from drinking, a delicate nose, lips slightly parted.
She lowered her eyelashes, her expression normal as she said to Duan Qiuhan, "Let's go."
Comments
Post a Comment