Chapter 67 - My Costar Goes On A Date With Someone Else

Tan Liansi hangs around for a little while longer, even though she's not needed on set.

Her presence makes Yao Shen uncomfortable, there's something about her knowing smirk every time she catches his eye that makes him stand on edge.

Once she's finally gone, he asks Xin Hulei, "Is she a demon too?"

Xin Hulei gives him an enigmatic half-smile. "That's not for me to say."

Yao Shen rolls his eyes.

Fine, keep your secrets, he thinks to himself.

They finish shooting for the day, and Yao Shen is firmly ushered back to his hotel room by Bi Jialu and a group of bodyguards he hasn't seen before. All in an obvious concerted effort to prevent him from being seen with Xin Hulei outside of filming.

It all seems a bit much, and like something out of a star-crossed lovers drama.

When Yao Shen checks weibo, the strategy becomes obvious.

There are several small clips of him and Xin Hulei circulating online. Just short snippets in which the two of them try to start a conversation before being unceremoniously pulled apart by some crew members.

In one of the videos it's even possible to see Yao Shen's smile fall.

He doesn't remember looking that upset about being separated from Xin Hulei, and truthfully speaking he was likely more annoyed about being moved around like a doll than anything else.

But that's not what it looks like in the short clips released online. All of them come from dummy accounts that claim to have gotten a hold of the footage through a 'friend' who is part of the crew, but that Yao Shen is sure were were personally requested by Xin Hulei's agency.

[Tree sapling: I don't know about you sisters, but this makes me really sad. Now they can't even talk with each other T-T]

[Red cherry sorbet: This is what those haters wanted! They made such a fuss online that now they can't even hang out. It's even worse if they truly are in a relationship. Who are we to dictate how celebrities should live their lives?]

[Big Crab: Are the netizens really that powerful? This is clearly an one-sided decision by the production company, go scold them]

[Tree sapling: Poor Shen Shen looks so sad TwT he wants to spend time with his gege, he looks about to cry]

[Frog: he's a fully grown man...stop talking about him like he's a child, giving me the creeps. All of you are part of the problem. They're both actors, their private relationships are irrelevant for the drama they're filming. Everyone should just respect their privacy and stop speculating.]

[Vivid Kaleidoscope: It's so sad, they're like Romeo and Juliet T-T]

[Frog: they're neither Italian nor 14...how is any of this like Romeo and Juliet????]

[Heimao: This is all Xin Hulei's fault. Yao Shen didn't do anything, it's Xin Hulei who keeps bothering him]

That last comment brings Yao Shen to a screeching halt. He checks that this is the same 'Heimao' who asked what gift Gao Wu got Yao Shen in that previous post, and the posting history confirms it.

He thought that account was one of Xin Hulei's fakes, but now he's not so sure.

And thinking about it more seriously. That day, Xin Hulei stayed behind with Gao Wu, he would have seen it if Gao Wu got him anything.

So who is using this account? And why did they name it after Xin Hulei's demon cat?

He texts Xin Hulei immediately:

[Little Ghost: What's Heimao doing?]

The answer comes a few minutes later.

[Xin Hulei: I don't know, I'm out having dinner with Tan Liansi, I'm not home yet]

Yao Shen reads the message, and then re-reads it again.

Oh, so Xin Hulei can't be seen exchanging two words with him, but going out for dinner with Tan Liansi is apparently fine?

That netizen who was so offended on behalf of her jiejie will be thrilled when she hears about this.

[Little Ghost: have a nice meal :)]

[Xin Hulei: thanks]

Yao Shen looks down at his phone in confusion, and then he reminds himself that he doesn't actually have a relationship with Xin Hulei and that they never made any promises of exclusivity.

More importantly, Xin Hulei is an asshole, so this really shouldn't have come as a surprise.

Yao Shen is almost convinced that Yan Shuyi was his moral compass -- with him gone Xin Hulei is just goes through life doing whatever and whoever he pleases.

He's halfway done casting Xin Hulei in the role of some disreputable dilettante in his mind when he remembers the promise he made to the ghost Jia Hao.

[Little Ghost: Can you get me a mobile chip for tomorrow? Register it in your name please]

[Bi Lu Lu: Sure laoshi, but why?]

[Little Ghost: A promise I made to a ghost]

[Bi Lu Lu: haha laoshi is so funny]

Yao Shen can almost imagine Bi Jialu's panicked face as she types that last reply, but at least he knows she'll be too freaked out to ask him any more questions.

He goes to bed that night feeling conflicted. On the one hand, public opinion about him does seem to have quieted down a little. At least everyone seems to have agreed -- for the moment -- that he's too pitiful to continue bullying. On the other hand, that's no less a manufactured perception that everything that came before it.

Yao Shen wonders if he'll ever reach a stage in which his work speaks for itself.

Unfortunately, he doesn't think 'Shizun, this disciple will have to kill you', or rather, 'Crimson Promise', will be his ticket to anything except becoming a traffic star, once it airs.

---

Bi Jialu delivers him another breakfast of youtiao and soy milk the next day, as well as the chip card he asked for, still in its packaging.

She hands it over gingerly, as if it's something illegal she's afraid to be associated with.

Now Yao Shen only has to hand it over to the 90's ghost with a crush on Gao Wu. 

During the drive to the studios Yao Shen scrolls through weibo, trying to see if anyone caught Tan Liansi or Xin Hulei having dinner together.

There aren't any pictures of them coming or going from any venues, nor speculation regarding anyone seeing them together, which gives Yao Shen a pretty good idea of where they might have gone to.

And he's fairly certain that Xin Hulei wouldn't have taken Tan Liansi to 'Hell on Earth' if she wasn't a demon too.

Yao Shen was an exception, because Xin Hulei was investigating him.

Just as he's searching Tan Liansi's topic for any news on her and possibly Xin Hulei, she updates with a photo in costume.

She's winking at the phone with her thumb and index finger spread out in front of her face. The caption reads: "Chao Yue is online to get her man back."

Several of her fans comment under her post laughing and cheering on her for the new project.

Among the several people who like the post, one name stands out: "Xin Hulei liked this"

Out of spite, Yao Shen logs into his official weibo account and likes her post too.

Then he turns off his phone and hands it over to Bi Jialu, feeling that he has acted ridiculous enough for one day.

---

His first scene of the day is the one in which Chao Yue crashes into Frozen Peak sect grounds, claiming to be Rong Zi's and Xie Huan's shimei who studied under the same master, and came looking for them after the marriage arrangements their Shifu made for her fell through.

Which is of course a veiled reminder for Xie Huan about their still very much standing engagement, and of the whole reason they were supposed to join Frozen Peak in the first place.

Xie Huan isn't happy to see her, because even though he isn't ready to admit it, he has begun to develop feelings for Yan Shuyi.

Yan Shuyi is a good-natured fool and says she's welcome to stay as a guest for as long as she needs.

Rong Zi senses opportunity, but keeps his thoughts to himself.

As soon as they're done shooting, Tan Liansi approaches Yao Shen with a smile, resplendencent even in Chao Yue's plainer robes.

"Hulei told me a lot about you," she says, her smile never faltering.

She's incredibly beautiful, and it's easy for Yao Shen to remember why he had a crush on her for the longest time. Although, now that all her attention is directed at him, he thinks there's something a little intimidating about her generous smile and the charming upwards slant of her eyes. 

Tan Liansi reminds Yao Shen of one of those plants that have beautiful colors to attract unsuspecting insects with the intent of trapping them between their hidden teeth.

"I hope Xin laoshi didn't exaggerate my qualities," Yao Shen says, returning her polite smile with one of his own.

She smiles wider and stands on her tip toes to whisper into Yao Shen's ear. "Xin Hulei might be easily fooled by a pretty face, but I'm not. I know you're hiding something, and I'm going to find out what."