40 『More Than Just An Acquaintance』

"What a surprise to see you here~!"

A feminine looking man greets with a very surprised but pleased tone.

"You never mentioned that you share an acquaintance with our group's Qiang Qiang ah!"

Another man hurriedly spoke up before their family's certain cross-dresser would do anything that offends this man and end up getting beaten up until he's covered with bruises once again.

"Share an acquaintance?"

Raising an eyebrow in surprise at those words, Xi Baixue glances at the rookie he met when he was out with Wu Fei before he stares at the speaker.

Rong Yu remains unpreturb upon recieving the man's freezing gaze. Instead, he smiles at Xi Baixue.

He is very well-known as the 'Honorable Prince' a very apt name for his character and also a pun towards his name. He used to be a model before he switches to acting two years after Xi Baixue's appearance in the big screen.

"I am afraid that you're mistaking something ah." Xi Baixue starts to speak, his tone even and mild; however his eyes are bitingly cold.

He suddenly reaches out to pull Wu Fei, who was standing in front of him, into a hug. Effectively stunning said girl and group from the surprising move.

Golden Star actors: Σ( ° △ °|||) W-What is wrong with this guy ah?!

Wu Fei: Σ(//ロ// ) Xiao Xue, you're not thinking right are you?! What if they released this to the press or something?!

"Xiao Fei and I are not just any acquaintances." His voice is firm and full of certainty that the group didn't doubt him at all.

Peering down to see the little girl's reaction for fear of her protesting, he couldn't stop his lips from forming a smile at the sight of her dazed look.

The sight of the man known for his cold and unmoved personality smiling because of a woman shocked the spectators, to the point where those whom knew this man, to feel as though danger is fast approaching.

This dog food is so terrifying to look at ah!

"Am I right, Xiao Fei?" He bent down to speak right next to her ear. He smirks smugly at the sight of his little doll's pale ears slowly blooming into a bright red from his suggestive.

Little student Wu Fei, who wasn't expecting to be K.O'ed by the series of attacks this wild BOSS made, dumbfoundedly nods her head in agreement.

She couldn't make a sound at all.

How can she when she can feel a certain shameless childhood friend's arms embracing her waist, his body sticking so close to her that she can smell his cologne and feel his warmth?

"Xiao Fei and I grew up together." He nonchalantly spoke those words.

"We have a very close relationship."

Xi Baixue emphasized the word 'close' making a certain gossiper's mind to start imagining several scenarios.

"I see," Shen Hai, a man whose personality is as deep as the sea, nods his head in acknowledgement at this Emperor's claim with a bright smile.

As much as he is interested at this little lady, he is not that foolish nor stupid enough to dare to covet someone whom this man, known for his possessiveness, had claimed.

"However, Qiang Qiang, how did you know her ah?"

Shao Chunling, with such a gender fluid name, lived true to the name given to him for being famous for his cross-dressing style. 'Trap King' or 'Drag Queen' as the fans and public generally called him.

Jun Qiang smiles awkwardly, complex emotions churning inside him. His eyes were deep and unreadable as his gaze fell on the embracing pair.

"...We were simply just schoolmates." His tone was rather off as he spoke those words, causing those who heard him feel as though there's something more about their relationship.

Wu Fei's eyes flashed with an unknown emotion as she bows her head, her hair hiding her reaction from their audience and also to the man embracing her.

Xi Baixue furrows his brows in discontent, his arms domineeringly tightens around his little doll. His expression immediately turns colder.

This guy! What does he mean ah? I didn't mind whatever relationship you had with my Xiao Fei before, but now... Whatever it is... I, Xi Baixue, would not allow it!

Wu Fei, feeling her dear childhood friend's discontentment towards Jun Qiang's statement, couldn't help but make a sound.

"Xiao Xue," She calls out, voice as sweet as honey and her smile as bright as the sun.

Wu Fei's appearance, by all means, seems so calm and peaceful. However, to those near her, they couldn't help but rake a step back from her sudden fierce and dominating aura.

!!

This level of suppression reminds them so much of when they met a certain Film Emperor ah. No wonder they're childhood friends! Her background isn't so ordinary then.

"Let's go home? My parents and grandparents will be quite worried if my big brothers arrived earlier than us."

Xi Baixue frowns but still nods his head in agreement with her words. Whatever Xiao Fei said is right. No matter if it was wrong, so long as it was this girl who said that it was right... Then it is right!

It was no wonder that this man is such a hopeless henpecked male ah.

His sharp eyes took note of Jun Qiang's reaction towards the mention of Wu Fei's brothers. His eyes flashed with delight at the sight of the man's confusion and surprise.

Hmph!

As expected, this guy was probably fed with a fake background ah. After all, this guy and some random girl he was with before called his little doll a 'second generation young miss' when in fact, this girl's background is far more nobler than that.

Added with that reaction to just a mention of her brothers, it must have meant that this girl had taken in another identity while she dared to go to school rather than stayed home-schooled.

"Alright."

Xi Baixue agrees easily, his gloomy and dark mood from Jun Qiang's statement quickly lightens up.

"It was nice to see you, Seniors but please do excuse us," Her words are polite and full of respect towards the Golden Stars artists but her smile towards them is sweet, which caused the three seniors to have a good impression on this girl.

Without waiting for them to go on with a round of polite farewells, Wu Fei quickly pulled Xi Baixue to the direction of the car they were waiting for.

Watching the pair of childhood friends leave, the group's expression remained friendly and approachable. Their smiles happy and bright.

"...Well then, Qiang Qiang wouldn't mind us going in first, right?"

After watching the pair enter the car, with a certain man acting so gentlemanly and thoughtfully towards his lady friend, Shao Chunling turns to his junior as he spoke those words teasingly. Only to be greeted by a sight that caused him to feel as though he witnessed something that will get him killed.

Jun Qiang, this group's new member, was staring at the car of the couple that was slowly driving out of their sight with an emotion that causes Shen Chunling to break into a cold sweat.

!!

Young man, what's with that look of longing ah? Do you still remember that youu have a fiance?!

Why are you longing for someone whom that devil had claimed?

Are you tired of living?

He held back the impulse to grab this young naive youngster's shoulders to shake him awake from his wishful thoughts whole also swallowing back the words that were threatening to come out of his mouth.

He once again calls out to this poor soul.

"Qiang Qiang!"

Jun Qiang snapped out of his thoughts, and then, recalling his senior's words he answers absentmindedly.

"I'll wait for Yue-er here then."

His words sounds reluctant and lacks enthusiasm.

The three men made no comment on his blunder as they nod their heads. Acting as though they disn't hear the underlying emotions of their junior.

"Alright then." Rong Yu smiles instead.

When the three men went inside the private room, their amicable and polite smiles finally drops as they relaxed. Finally able to drop their guards and personas.

"That was an unexpected encounter." Shen Hai broke the comfortable silence that befell on them.

The two men made a sound of agreement.

"It was surprising." Rong Yu comments. His expression showing a little bit of wariness.

"...We're just letting Xi Baixue and his sweetheart go like that?" Shao Chunling abruptly questions the two. He tilts his head in curiousity as he waits for their answer.

The group fell silent on the question as the two thought of said man's explosive temper towards those who crossed him before they sighed simultaneously.

The answer was so obvious that Shao Chunling decided to change the topic into something else.

"Well, let's leave that minefield behind and talk about something more interesting!"

Shen Hai and Rong Yu shared a look as their friend's love for gossip starts to kick in but they tacitly decided to listen to their Shao Chunling's ramblings this time.

After all, when it comes to gossiping, this guy's ears and eyes are sharper than the public and media combined.

"Well?" Shen Hai prompts when this guy suddenly fell silent after he finished saying that.

Hearing the proverbial green light for him to start talking, Shao Chunling's eyes brightens.

"You see, don't you feel that there's something more with Jung Qiang's relationship with that Fei-girl?"

"Did you noticed the looks of yearning he kept on sending at the little lady? It was so obvious that I am sure Xi Baixue had noticed it!"

"Most of all, his expression and body language was rather off and weird when he heard how close that pair are!"

Shao Chunling excitedly spoke.

The two nod their heads, their expression so profound and deep as unknown thought ran inside their minds.

How can they not notice ah?

It was so obvious that even someone as insensitive as that Moonlight Prince would noticed it ah!

"And when he calls out her name earlier! That nickname is kind of intimate, don't you think? Feifei, hm... Thinking about it, it sounds cute."

Feeling the danger those words would bring him should that devil heard of them, Shao Chunling pauses as he rearrange his thoughts. Then, acting as though he did not compliment a certain girl's nickname, he continues gossiping.

"And when he calls her out earlier... He sounds so delighted and happy to see her ah!" He exclaims and then leaning forward, a certain gossip-lover whispers to his friends with a conspiratorial tone.

"Just what kind of relationship does that Jun Qiang have with her?"

By the end of his question, Shao Chunling's eyes were sparkling from the joy of sharing this certain conspiracy theory of his. He is really so curious ah! However, since this also pertains to Xi Baixue, the gossipmonger decided to only be content with talking about this in private.

Shao Chunling thought that this was the end of his gossip session, however Shen Hai suddenly spoke up.

"I don't care about that guy's past nor his relationship with the Emperor's woman." Shen Hai smiles serenely.

His dark eyes deepens along with his thoughts. He nonchalantly continue to speak. "So long as Jun Qiang does not seek death and ruin for our group, I do not mind what he's doing at all."

Left unsaid was that they are already treading into thin ice with the Emperor, someone whom they have quite an amicable relationship with no matter what the media and public spoke of. That newly claimed God-tier actor had already offended the Emperor by coveting someone that he had claimed.

Rong Yu sighs but he didn't reprimand Shao Hai's words. As he also privately agrees with them. This group was something the three of them treasures very much, and for a new member whom forced his way into this group to act so conceited to the point where said new member actually offended someone whom they couldn't fight against...

It's a really bitter feeling ah.

Besides, among the three of them, who actually like this scheming junior of theirs? They have been in the entertainment circle for many years already so how can they not notice and know the tricks and ploys this man had done just so that he can join their ranks and have the moniker 'God' attached to his name?

"Let us just see how this go." He said instead, a small tired smile on his lips.

Let's see him try and offend that devil was left unsaid but it still hang in the air, causing the atmosphere of the room to turn heavy.

The three share a look before they tacitly drop the subject.

﹊﹊﹊

Meanwhile, the so-called devil was currently on the receiving end of his dear little doll's glare. Xi Baixue really doesn't know whether to laugh or cry at the cute expression this little girl is making.

"Xiao Fei, please calm down." He coaxes Wu Fei.

Fu Wenqian and 086, the two very dim and tired light-bulbs, decided to remain silent and act as decorations. We don't exist ah! Just treat us as a plant or something!

"I am calm ah!" Wu Fei answers, voice devoid of any emotion while her eyes bore into the figure of Xi Baixue with an unknown emotion. She is really calm! Absolutely and completely calm ah!

"..." Xi Baixue speechlessly looks at his little doll. Dubiously eyeing her, he decided to be tactful and didn't insist on speaking anymore. Tsk! Has this little girl been this moody before? Why are females so hard to understand ah?

While a certain doting childhood friend contemplates the intricacies of the minds of women, particularly one woman, said female fumed beside him.

How annoying ah! To think that she would actually react like that towards her childhood friend. He's the person she had known since young ah!

So what if she hadn't seen him since he suddenly went away a few years ago? So what if they don't know each other that much anymore? So what if the little boy she had known since her childhood suddenly transformed into a man whom she can barely recognize?

He is still the Xiao Xue she knew ah!

How can her heart race up when he hugged her?

He's like her brother!

Horrified at the feelings she encountered, Wu Fei remained silent for the duration of the trip. Causing the three people to be anxious and worried for different reasons.