Chapter 14: Don't be a public relations nightmare

Xi Zirui is sitting in one of the hotel's many conference rooms, besides Li Siqi, and across from Han Yu and his own Personal Assistant, a man named Cao Fei who apparently is trying to go for the world record of 'youngest person to develop a stress ulcer'.

"What we need is some damage control," Cao Fei says, tapping furiously on his tablet, until the screen in front of their conference table lights up showing a hasty powerpoint, aptly named: "Damage Control"

Xi Zirui can't help sniggering to himself at Cao Fei's choice of wavy fonts. Han Yu hides his own laughter behind his palm and tries to make eye contact with Xi Zirui across the desk.

Li Siqi slaps her palm down on the tabletop. "The two of you focus! This is no laughing matter."

Cao Fei falters for a bit, unsure of how to proceed, until Li Siqi nods at him.

"Right, as I was saying," he says, and swipes to the next slide on his tablet. "We need to address this issue as soon as possible. The first order of business is for Han laoshi to vehemently deny any involvement with Bai Mi, and that he is the father of any alleged children, with her or anyone else."

He spares Han Yu a worried look, as if he isn't quite sure on any of those points.

"But I was involved with her," Han Yu says, shrugging noncommittally. "I just didn't have a kid with her."

Xi Zirui is surprised that he would even be that candid. "You really are a dog, uh," he says, shaking his head.

He doesn't know whether to believe Han Yu's word that he didn't have a child with Bai Mi, though. He does seem like the type to jump the boat when the sea gets choppy.

Apparently impervious to Xi Zirui's glare, Han Yu reaches across the table to try and touch his hand. "That was all before I met didi, he doesn't need to be jealous."

Li Siqi coughs loudly, and Han Yu takes his hand back like a scolded child. "Cao laoshi, next slide please."

Cao Fei nods, and says, "Speaking of which, the next slide brings us to," the next slide shows up on the screen and Xi Zirui can hear Han Yu's sharp intake of breath. "No contact."

Xi Zirui runs his eyes over the points Cao Fei laid out, his glee mounting at each one.

1. In order not to increase the public's animosity Xi laoshi and Han laoshi should interact as little as possible outside of what is required for filming the drama.

2. Until the situation is cleared up, Han laoshi and Xi laoshi should refer from mentioning each other, and if questioned on this matter only reaffirm their ignorance/ innocence.

3. ABSOLUTELY NO CP BAITING DURING THIS CRITICAL TIME!!!!

They say every cloud has its silver lining, Xi Zirui didn't expect any good to come out of this situation, but the affronted look on Han Yu's face is making him reassess that.

"But didi and I are playing lovers in the drama, how are we supposed not to interact?"

Li Siqi sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose. "You're also going to stop calling him didi when other people might listen."

Xi Zirui bites down on his smirk. He would like to see Han Yu trying to restrain himself from saying "didi" in the most suggestive ways imaginable.

Han Yu looks up at Cao Fei, drumming his fingers on the tabletop menacingly.

Cao Fei looks from him to Li Siqi, and eventually says, "Calling each other Yu-ge and Zi-di, is okay. Just "ge" or "di" is fine too, don't make it sound cute or flirty."

Li Siqi ponders over this, still rubbing the bridge of her nose. "I'll allow it."

Han Yu leans back on his chair with a sigh, apparently not too enthused with his Pyrrhic victory.

"How long will we have to...keep our distance?" Xi Zirui asks, trying not to show how much he's enjoying himself.

"At least until this all blows over, or Bai Mi comes forward denying the whole thing," Cao Fei says.

By Han Yu's own admission that's unlikely. Therefore, Xi Zirui can look forward to a long time of not being burdened by Han Yu's attentions.

Li Siqi turns to Xi Zirui and says, "We're going to prepare a statement from you and post it on your official weibo account saying that you have no relationship with Han Yu, and as his coworker are unaware of any details of his personal life."

Cao Fei cuts in, "That's too distant, we don't want fans of the drama to think they hate each other or something. You should include something along the lines of 'I have the utmost respect for him as an actor, and it has been a privilege acting alongside him, and I wish him all the best in his future endeavors' and so on..."

Li Siqi nods, but her eyes narrow shrewdly. "As long as your side says the same thing. Emphasize Xi laoshi's professionalism and commitment to delivering the best performance possible as Hai Yaomei."

Xi Zirui's eyes fly from Li Siqi to Cao Fei, as they counter each other. He feels like he's watching a professional table tennis match.

He doesn't envy either of them, being the personal assistant to a celebrity involved in a scandal must be one of the Underworld's punishments.

Cao Fei agrees to Li Siqi's requirement and moves on to the next and final slide.

"Legal Action," Cao Fei reads. "We're going to sue anyone making defamatory claims about either of you, and we hope this will stave off the wave of interviews like the one that happened yesterday, and any online speculation."

"Has Bai Mi said anything on the matter?" Xi Zirui asks, out of curiosity more than anything else.

Li Siqi runs her eyes over her tablet and refreshes a few social media pages. "Nothing thus far."

Han Yu scoffs. "She isn't going to. That woman must be loving this whole thing, being the victim and receiving everyone's sympathy and well wishes. If she doesn't have a kid she'll produce one out of thin air just for the pity points."

"Maybe it would help if you didn't go around calling someone you had a relationship with 'that woman'", Xi Zirui says, glaring across the table at Han Yu.

Except, ironically, people think Xi Zirui is the asshole, for 'seducing' Han Yu. Because of course Han Yu isn't a fully grown man with a brain and is unable to resist the charms of the first guy who throws himself at him.

He thinks most of the vitriol online must be due to projection. Probably a lot of people are thinking: 'If that Xi Zirui was into me I would also leave my child and relationship behind, how dare he!'

How else can he make sense of the cognitive dissonance of people going after the seemingly single guy, and not after the asshole who cheated on someone and ignored his alleged parental duties?

What does Xi Zirui have to do with any of this?

"What we had could barely be called a relationship, it was all for publicity," Han Yu says, smoothing down his wig.

"How is that different than all your other relationships?" Xi Zirui fires back.

Han Yu opens his mouth but then closes it just as fast. He drops his eyes and starts fidgeting with the zipper of his running jacket.

"This has already taken too long," Li Siqi says, getting up from her chair and smoothing out the front of her blouse. "The two of you are awaited back on set." She turns to Xi Zirui, "Su Xueyi will drive you."

Han Yu is the first to leave the conference room, without as much as a look back. Xi Zirui watches his departing back and the way his long wig, tied up with two hair ties, sways over the hood of his jacket.

The tense line of his straight back makes Xi Zirui wonder if he went too far.

---

Xi Zirui doesn't have much time to wonder if he overstepped in his words to Han Yu, because Li Siqi walks him to the car and gets in after him.

The ride to the studios is short and tense, Su Xueyi keeping unusually silent.

Once he arrives at the set Xi Zirui is immediately escorted to costume and makeup and informed by an overworked production assistant that they're all running behind schedule.

None of his scenes for the day involve Han Yu, just some conversations with Hua Daixuan and a few horse riding scenes.

Ji Limei greets him with a contrived smile. "Xi laoshi, I've heard about the uproar yesterday, I hope laoshi was able to sleep."

Xi Zirui sighs, it's probably useless to hope that everyone in the crew hasn't already heard about it.

"I'm fine, thank you Ji laoshi, for your concern."

Ji Limei nods once, but then casts her eyes around, to check if they're being filmed by the behind-the-scenes camera, or if there are any unknown people skulking around. Satisfied with what she finds, she approaches Xi Zirui to whisper in his ear, cupping her hand in front of her mouth.

"Do you know Xi laoshi, I've worked with Bai laoshi before, she really..."

Xi Zirui doesn't get to hear what else Ji Limei was going to say because Liao Min yells action, and her thunderous expression doesn't brook any room for argument.

---

Maybe Xi Zirui is getting the hang of acting, or Liao Min is just fed up with him enough that she doesn't care, but they get the scene done in surprisingly few takes.

He wants to hear the rest of what Ji Limei was going to say about Bai Mi, but she's immediately escorted away by her personal assistant as soon as they're done shooting.

Xi Zirui has a few short scenes on his own, practicing martial arts with his sword, and then he's free to have a quick lunch. Su Xueyi walks him to the dining hall, and then disappears without another word.

He watches his retreating back with a frown of confusion.

Is this payback for not wanting to have dinner with him the other day? Su Xueyi has been oddly distant.

The dining hall is already full with other actors and crew, very few familiar faces among them, which is to be expected in a drama production of this size.

Xi Zirui feels the weight of multiple pairs of eyes on him as he makes his way to the buffet to pick up his food.

His social anxiety always flares up when he's uncomfortable, and right now he feels like everyone is giving him a wide berth as if he's come down with some contagious disease.

None of the available buffet options look particularly appetizing to him. A selection of limp noodles, and blanched vegetables with grey looking meats.

He loads up a few bowls and plates, and then stands in the middle of the hall, looking at all the full tables wondering where he's going to sit.

That's when he feels a hand close around his upper arm and pull him backwards into a secluded corner of the dining hall.