Chapter 55: Crazy with Vinegar

Chapter 55

The next day, Bai Yin woke up with her whole body aching and reached for her phone on the cabinet.

To her surprise, all the online gossip about her and Li Chunfeng had completely vanished overnight without a trace.

Bai Yin searched the trending topics, but there was not even a mention of it anymore.

The only one capable of doing this was Chen Huaixiao.

Bai Yin shuffled out of her room in slippers and saw Chen Huaixiao having breakfast at the dining table.

He sat at the far end of the long table. Sunlight streamed in through the floor-to-ceiling windows and fell on him. His white shirt was crisp and neat without a hint of the mad, messy state from last night.

Bai Yin felt like this man had two completely different personas during the day and night.

She sauntered over slowly and picked up the silver cutlery to spear a small, fresh slice of cantaloupe from his salad plate.

Chen Huaixiao didn't seem to mind her stealing food from his plate. He was already used to this woman liking his food the most.

Bai Yin curled up ladylike on the chair, spearing his fruit salad. She asked, "Chen Huaixiao, you made the gossip disappear from the trending topics, right?"

Chen Huaixiao's voice was flat. "Having scandals with anyone is bad for celebrities."

"Does that include you too?"

"You and I are not a scandal. We are a fact."

Bai Yin drew out her words meaningfully. "Chen Huaixiao, don't tell me you're jealous?"

Recalling his abnormal behavior last night, the almost cathartic torment, and the disappeared gossip this morning... Bai Yin found it hard not to think that way.

Chen Huaixiao put down his cutlery and glanced at her. "Is that possible?"

"You seem quite bothered."

"And you seem quite bothered by whether I'm bothered or not."

Bai Yin was too lazy to bicker with him about who was more bothered. She busied herself with the hot milk and toasted bread Tang Ka brought over, eating with relish.

Seeing her oily claws, Chen Huaixiao couldn't help but remind her, "Use your cutlery."

"Don't tell me what to do."

He didn't insist and continued eating elegantly. A few minutes later, he said slowly, "Bai Yin, remember not to cause too much trouble. I won't always help you clean up your messes."

"Was this time considered over the line?"

"Having scandals with other men trending was over the line, yes."

"But there was nothing at all between me and Li Chunfeng. Just fans fantasizing."

"So you want something to happen with him?"

"..."

Bai Yin felt wrongfully accused and disgruntled.

Even if she did have a scandal with Li Chunfeng, it wasn't a complete mess. At the very least it could boost album sales!

"As long as we don't actually have a substantial relationship, it doesn't go against our unwritten rules."

"You are my Chen Huaixiao's wife, in name and in essence. Remember that status."

"In name and essence but no love." As Bai Yin walked to the black grand piano in the glass garden room, she airily said, "You can't think we're some normal married couple."

Hearing the bickering between his boss and madam, Tang Ka had been listening in amusement. But he noticed Mr. Chen's expression clearly darken.

In name and essence, but no love.

These words stabbed precisely at Chen Huaixiao's sore spot like a knife.

He looked up to see the woman sitting gracefully at the piano, the black strap dress and Steinway piano a perfect match. Her arm lines were smooth and elegant as she lightly played the melody to "Meeting You in the Summer Wind".

He could possess her anytime, yet could never truly obtain her.

Chen Huaixiao's gaze was ravenous.

Every minute he loved her deeply felt like hell.

...

Soon, Bai Yin's first album "Meeting You in the Summer Wind" went on sale. Sales soared, becoming the hottest album of the year.

Every song was hyped by netizens, topping music platform charts again and again. The hot comments were endless—

"How is every song so good?!"

"Li Chunfeng is truly a musical genius!"

"Bai Yin's voice, I'm in love. So pure!"

"And she carries each different style wonderfully."

"This is the first time I paid for a music service membership, just for this album! Love it so much."

Bai Yin deliberately released her album the same day as Su Anning to stage a showdown. The results were predictable. Su Anning's sales didn't even reach a fraction of Bai Yin's.

It was a crushing defeat on all fronts. Su Anning had clearly become her underling.

But this wasn't enough. Bai Yin only waited for the final "fatal blow".

She never bothered thoroughly beating a fallen dog, but for this wretched cur Su Anning, she was determined.

...

After the album's explosive success, Bai Yin and Li Chunfeng were invited to the nation's biggest music festival.

The festival had fans numbering tens of thousands and was quite grand, held at a lakeside forest park in Limu City.

Chen Huaixiao was unhappy that Bai Yin and Li Chunfeng were going alone to Limu City. So he brought the entire album production team to the music festival.

Of course, the CEO himself also attended.

So the news that the CEO of Xingxing Media personally accompanied his artist to a music festival was unprecedented and groundbreaking in the company's history.

Assistant Shen Bin busied himself helping the CEO plan the schedule. They booked accommodations at the internal forest hotel by the lakeside park.

The hotel environment was secluded and sparsely populated, with surveillance cameras visible throughout the forest. They wouldn't be disturbed by fans or paparazzi, making it ideal for celebrity vacations.

The door opened. The man had just finished showering, his upper body was bare, the muscles on his body were smooth and sexy.

With one hand he dried his hair with a white towel, and the other hand held his phone as he talked to someone.

Bai Yin raised the brand new tennis racket in her hand, and said softly, "Shen Bin said your racket was broken, so he bought a new one and asked me to deliver it to you."

Chen Huaixiao was still on his phone call. He gestured her to come in with his eyes, then turned around and sat down at his desk.

"For next season's talent show at Wind Entertainment, send over some of the new artists, and make sure their image training is thorough."

Bai Yin hung the tennis racket on the rack, then sat down hugging her knees on the edge of the sofa, bowing her head to play on her phone.

Seeing that she didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave, Chen Huaixiao ended his call swiftly and asked, "Did you come to confront me for your music producer?"

Bai Yin looked at him in surprise, "I just came to sit for a while, why are you so sensitive?"

"Sit for a while?"

"I don't like being alone." Bai Yin fidgeted with her new light pink nails nonchalantly, "Wasn't this how it used to be?"

It was true that she always liked to come to his study at night, whether to read or review scripts. Even without talking, just being in the same room felt nice.

Bai Yin was actually very lonely, she just never showed it.

Chen Huaixiao knew he was overthinking, and didn't say any more.

Bai Yin watched him go to the wine cabinet and pour himself a glass of red wine, then stood by the floor-to-ceiling window enjoying the moonlight outside.

"You seem to... really dislike Li Chunfeng?"

Chen Huaixiao didn't reply. She continued asking, "Can I know why?"

Chen Huaixiao turned around, gazed at Bai Yin for a few seconds, then asked back, "Are you very concerned about him?"

"He is my long term collaborator. Of course I should care when my collaborator has a conflict with my boss."

To Bai Yin, anything related to her future was no small matter. She would do her best to eliminate any risk unfavorable to her.

Chen Huaixiao walked to Bai Yin and handed her his wine glass. He asked meaningfully, "I'm only your boss?"

Bai Yin took the glass and gently swirled the wine. She tilted her head back and downed it in one go, "And husband."

The next second, Chen Huaixiao came over her. He kissed her lips, pried open her closed teeth, and licked clean the lingering sourness of the red wine in her mouth like a storm.

Although Bai Yin responded, she couldn't withstand his almost violent invasion. She was pinned under him on the sofa in an extremely possessive manner.

The kiss lasted a long time. She was breathless at times, at other times she breathed deeply. She wanted to push him away but didn't have the strength, so in the end she could only cling onto him tightly and hug him forcefully.

"Brother Huaixiao."

The intoxicating deep kiss finally ended. The man still reluctantly kissed her cheeks, nose, and delicate collarbones...

Bai Yin's lips turned red. The messy look after being thoroughly kissed made her frown at him.

He's really like a mad dog.

If she didn't beg for mercy, who knows how this man would torment her tonight.

After kissing Bai Yin, Chen Huaixiao's eyes did not have a hint of tenderness and affection, only cold iciness, "Bai Yin, do you know why I kissed you?"

Bai Yin leaned against his handsome face, "Is there a second reason for you to kiss me?"

The corners of Chen Huaixiao's lips tilted up slightly, "Because you are my wife."

"......"

Such a simple reason.

"So remember your identity. You are my wife, and also an artist of Shine Entertainment. Other than me, you are not allowed to have romantic relationships with anyone."

Bai Yin was stunned for a few seconds before she understood.

He is...jealous?

"Chen Huaixiao, we had an agreement before..."

"Don't give me any nonsense about agreements," Chen Huaixiao cut her off mercilessly. "No matter social morality or ethical bottom line, it is not allowed for a married woman to date other men. You are an artist, you'd better remember this."

"......"

She was so wronged.

"Chen Huaixiao, are you dreaming! When have I ever dated other men!"

Chen Huaixiao released her, "You and Li Chunfeng...are too close."

"We were working on an album!" Bai Yin explained innocently, "We only talked about work."

"What about those tabloid rumors online?"

"With your many years in the entertainment industry, don't you know fans hear hoofbeats and think zebras? They only believe what they want to believe."

"Why am I completely scandal-free?"

"......"

This was really unarguable.

Bai Yin couldn't think of any rebuttal for the moment.

She thought back carefully about her interactions with Li Chunfeng recently, and felt she had a clear conscience.

"The innocent have nothing to hide. If you don't believe me there's nothing I can do."

After saying that, she got up to leave. Chen Huaixiao pulled her back forcefully, "Explain clearly."

"Explain what! I have nothing to explain!"

"Say you don't love him."

Seeing Chen Huaixiao being so unreasonable, Bai Yin almost laughed from anger, "I don't love him, I don't love him, I don't love him!"

Before her voice faded, he anxiously took her into his arms and hugged her tightly.

Bai Yin: ?

Chen Huaixiao nibbled lightly on her shoulder, and whispered in her ear, "Yin'er, you are mine."